You are never greater than the roots from which you sprung: Sadio Mane
It was said by our forefathers that a River can never forget its source nor a pumpkin its roots. Though many people have chosen to forget their roots with little fame and money, Sadio Mane is a testament that no matter how much fame or money you acquire in life, you are never greater than the roots from which you sprung.
The Bayern Munich Forward Senegalese Footballer caused uproar on all social media platforms when they caught a glimpse of his cracked iPhone 11 screen on camera, and started lobbying to buy him a new iPhone screen. The issue though would be more than just the question of a broken screen but more the bewilderment of how someone who commands over £11.5 to possess not just an outdated iPhone but also one with a broken screen.
Living in a world where material wealth and appearance are idolised more than humility, Sadio Mane acted as an anomaly. One that the society that glamorised fame, a world in which he lives but doesn’t seem to care for the rule, broke all decorum thus putting himself in line for scrunity.
“Why would I want ten Ferraris, twenty diamond watches and two jet planes? What would that do for the world? I have starved, I have worked in fields, I have played barefoot and I didn’t go to school,” was Sadio Mane’s response to all this scrutiny.
Having grown up in an impoverished community, Sadio believes in making his world a better place to live.
His humility has proven that life is more than just fame and money. He proves that to him God has given the biggest gift, on his shoulders the largest responsibility.
Sadio Mane’s humility is no PR stunt, it is not just empty words heavily bundled with meaning.
From the time he started his football career at the age of 15 in 2007, Sadio Mane’s contribution to his community and country are a testament that he is a man of action, grit and humility.
In 2019, Sadio Mane donated £250,000 to build a school in his community despite not having had the opportunity to study. Sadio believes that, “education is very important. This is what will enable you to have a good career.” He longs to give the children in his community a fighting chance in a highly competitive world.
“I remember my sister was born at home because there was no hospital in our village. I built one to give people hope,” he told the Guardian 2020. Sadio had previously donated £500,000 to have a hospital built in his home village. The hospital saw its inauguration in June 2021.
The pandemic impacted the globe heavily with millions of people dying. Senegal, Sadio’s country of origin, was one of the countries that got innovative and spearheaded in Africa by producing rapid test kits for C-19 to hasten and broaden the test and confirmation of C-19 patients. Sadio during this time donated £41000 to the government of Senegal to help fight the pandemic.
Clearly, a broken phone screen is not a basis to change one’s character and personality. Chasing cloud, like they call it, is nowhere close to Sadio Mane’s priority list. If you want to judge the man for a broken iPhone 11 screen which was a gift to him by the way, you need more things to occupy you in your idling time. Sadio Mane is a hero.