Nelson Mandela’s grandson reveals the moment he knew he had no choice but to become a leader too: ‘I was like, woah the pressure’-Meghna Amin and Stella Akinwumi-Entertainment – Metro

‘I’ll never forget, he said to me: “Ndaba, you’re my grandson, therefore, people will look at you as a leader, therefore you need to get the best marks in class” and I thought, woah, the pressure!’ Ndaba Mandela recalled, of his grandfather, Nelson Mandela.

Ndaba, author and activist, works to keep the legacy of his grandfather alive across generations and throughout the world.

He and five other celebrities, from Big Zuu to Jeremy Lynch, feature in an upcoming docuseries, The Mandela Project, which sees each of the Black creators undertake an act of service with significance to Mandela’s work.

The Mandela Project, to be released on Mandela Day, July 18, is a celebration of the work and life of the former President of South Africa. The five-part mini-series showcases the lasting legacy of Nelson Mandela, which, to Ndaba, entails more than just the freedom fought for.

He told us: ‘Our grandfather was a man that sacrificed his life for the freedom and rights of not only himself but for the nation and for us he’s the father of democracy, the father of the constitution of South Africa, but also the man who brought us freedom, but one thing we need to remember, and which he always reminds me, is that freedom comes with responsibilities.

Ndaba Mandela is continuing to keep the legacy of his grandfather alive (Pictures: Getty)

‘He’s, for me, the exemplary image of what leadership should be, he always told me that leadership is not about being number one or being the best about serving those who cannot serve themselves in the community.

‘So being a voice to the voiceless, and standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.’

‘Being a voice to the voiceless, and standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.’ (Photo by API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Through the series, Ndaba recalls anecdotes of his grandfather, and reflects on his legacy. He now works to continue this, as he told us: ‘At the end of the day you realise that youre a beacon that comes from the very same village and you need to continue in the same way.’

While the pressure of fulfilling the legacy is something Ndaba faced from a young age, he recalled memories of his grandfather from his childhood, where, according to Ndaba, Mandela lived in a ‘completely different world.’

From being picked up by his grandfather’s driver, to ‘being scolded when my room was untidy,’ and being taught to fold his shirts and keep lean with exercises, Ndaba hadn’t ‘grasped the magnitude’ of his grandfather’s legacy until an older age.

Ndaba recalled how his grandfather lived in a ‘completely different world’ (Picture: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Yet despite continuing the legacy and teachings of Mandela, Ndaba recalls the pressure he used to feel as a child, knowing whose shoes he was stepping into.

‘I just wanted to be a kid sitting at the back of the class, and it’s not until later that I realised I have to step up because I’m going to fill these big shoes because we all need to, in our own right and our own communities, and that’s what Mandela Day reminds us of, to give back to our communities.’

In each episode of the docuseries, one socially relevant aspect of Mandela’s work and teachings is explored, as celebrities commit acts of service to provide for their communities.

‘He’s, for me, the exemplary image of what leadership should be,’ Ndaba said (Picture: API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

In the first, presenter Big Zuu helps aspiring female farmers with the opportunity to grow her own produce in London, challenged with one day to create plots in a community garden.

Talking to us about filming the episode, Big Zuu revealed: ‘It’s not something I would normally do, so just doing something to help the community was sick.’

Working with the farmer became ‘inspirational’ for Big Zuu, as he said it ‘opened up the disadvantages black people have in the community that are maybe not in your face.

Big Zuu’s act of service involves community farming, something shared with Nelson Mandela (Picture: Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock for BAFTA)

‘It definitely had a different element to it than just a sad tone. Sometimes exploring black history can be quite serious, but overall, it was a really nice process.’

He continued: ‘When I saw everything come together, it was one day of hard work and grind for everyone involved, seeing how strong their community worked to make it happen was so inspiring for me.’

‘I was really lucky to have a real life moment intertwined with just doing some filming,’ he concluded, adding: ‘Voluntary work has always been so close to my heart and sharing that with Nelson Mandela makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing.’

Mandela day is celebrated on July 18, Mandela’s birthday (Picture: Louise Gubb/Corbis via Getty Images)

Later in the series, Blackish’s Marsai Martin mentors three young Americans – all of whom have, for differing reasons, missed out on a part of their education, and introduces them to the power of spoken word through a Poetry Slam.

In another, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s Jabari Banks hosts a voter registration drive aimed at encouraging and enabling the new generation of voters, Gen Z, to have their voices heard.

Later in the series, Blackish’s Marsai Martin mentors three young Americans (Picture: Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

In another, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s Jabari Banks encourages a new generation of voters (Picture: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello/Invision)

For Ndaba, Gen Z are a ‘key generation’ who ‘need to be inspired to be involved in the real world’.

‘We, in Africa, have the youngest population,’ he said. ‘So we need to representatives that represent our own interests, otherwise the young people will become a ticking time bomb for destruction of our society, but yet they also have a double-edged sword because they can be the ones to take us to achieving a better world that we are all striving to achieve.’

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Mandela himself was equally fond of inspiring the younger generations, Ndaba explained: ‘He believed in young people and he believed that young people are the ones to take this world into the next realm of humanity.’

Speaking of those involved in the docuseries, which also stars Patrice Evra and Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa and Miss Universe 2019, Ndaba said: ‘I think everybody speaks to the message of Nelson Mandela,’ adding that his grandfather would be ‘very proud’.

The Mandela Project launches on BET‘s YouTube channel on July 18.

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