The Resume

(July 1, 1921-July 13, 1980)
Born in Serowe, Botswana
Kgosi (herditary chief) of the Bamangwato people (1925-51)
Founded the Bechuanaland Democratic Party (1962)
First president of independent Botswana (1966-80)

Why he might be annoying:

During a forced retirement from politics, he unsuccessfully attempted to become a cattle rancher.
He suffered bouts of depression.
He helped negotiate an end to the civil war in Rhodesia, and thus bears some of the responsibility for inflicting Robert Mugabe on Zimbabwe.

Why he might not be annoying:

When he married a white English secretary, Ruth Williams, the government of Great Britain (which controlled Botswana as a protectorate) forced him to renounce his chieftainship as part of their efforts to appease South Africa.
When the British High Commission ordered the Bamangwato to name his replacement, they refused.
In a conciliatory gesture, Queen Elizabeth named him a Knight Commander of the British Empire (1966).
When Botswana became independent, Time magazine called him the new nation's 'strongest asset.'
Despite his opposition to apartheid, he refused to let Botswana be used a base for attacks on either South Africa or Rhodesia.
Unlike many post-colonial African leaders, he left behind a country with few racial tensions, a growing market-friendly economy and a functioning democratic government.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• African Royalty
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 33]
• Famous Campaigns to Get Me Out of Jail
• I Attended Oxford
• I Died in 1980 (Ranked: 59)
• I Have Diabetes
• I Have Pancreatic Cancer
• I Married Outside My Race
• I'm Depressed [Reportedly Uni-polar]
• Knights
• Monarchs, Royalty and Nobles
• Profiles 30251-30500 (Ranked: 30486)
• They Named an Airport in My Honor

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 26 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 23 Votes: 52.17% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 33 Votes: 51.52% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 110 Votes: 69.09% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 40 Votes: 80.0% Annoying