5 flabbergasting facts about Nelson Mandela

5 Facts about Nelson Mandela you probably didn't know

Image Source - Time Magazine

1. Nelson Mandela's birth name was Rohilala

Nelson Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla. He was given the name Nelson by his teacher on the first day of elementary school for ease of pronunciation.

2. A woodpecker has been named after Nelson Mandela

It is often noted that Nelson Mandela has been awarded some unusual tributes. One of them is that Scientists have named a prehistoric woodpecker after the South African: Australopicus nelsonmandelai.

3. Graca Machel, former spouse of Nelson Mandela has been the first lady of two nations

Before getting married to Mandela, Graca Machel was married to Mozambique President Samora Machel. After her husband's death, she married Nelson Mandela which means that she has been the first lady of two nations!

4. Nelson Mandela has been awarded the Nobel Prize

Mandela received the Nobel Prize in 1993 for peacefully destroying the Apartheid regime and laying the foundation of a democratic South Africa.

5. The UN announced Mandela's birthday (18th July) to be Nelson Mandela International Day.

In 2009, the UN announced Mandela's birthday (18th July) to be Nelson Mandela International Day. The holiday asks people to spend 67 minutes doing something good for others, which signifies the 67 years he spent working hard towards change.