Born to a chief and his fourth wife in the rural Transkei, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was destined for greatness, but that long walk was to be littered with obstacles that would not only tear him from his loved ones and separate him from normal society for much of his life, but also set him apart from so many others who fought him side by side in what is one of the most remarkable struggles for freedom, human dignity and equal rights Africa has ever seen. After nearly three decades of imprisonment, Mandela was to emerge as the man who conquered the odds to embody the triumph of the human spirit. His name will forever be associated with the human capacity for suffering, of victory over adversity, of patience, forgiveness and a steadfast, iron-clad conviction that, in the end, principles will endure. The qualities of character, courage, humility and compassion that are personified in Mandela have allowed his people to embrace him as the Father of the Nation. This is his story, in words and pictures.