Rumble in the jungle: Cassius Marcellus Clay Jnr.

If you say I'm joining the band wagon I won't say no. If you say I'm like everyone else, I won't deny. Whatever position you put me I'll still write about it.

The first time I heard about this man, I was in primary school. My dad would talk about his fights and how fast his hands moved. I thought he was a white, skinny actor like the Jet Li or the Rocky. As I grew older, I learned more and more about the man. My dad was a man who liked to get his children exposed to things and on a Saturday morning, dad called me to watch a documentary of this man.

Older I grew and my consciousness grew. I started learning more in every way and in his way. I started cramming his popular quotes and using them. I watched documentaries made in his name, especially the one Will Smith did in 2001. I watched him on the Oprah Winfrey show as he told Will Smith 'you're almost as good as me'. He has the record of most written about man in history.

A lot of people see him as a boxer, people; Ali isn't just a boxer, he's an orator, motivational speaker, human right activist among other awesome things.

Ali was a starlet who America couldn't bring to submission. He was lined up for the US army where he started his struggle. He refused to be a part in the Vietnam War and America had a lot of things to do to his career. He believed the war was unnecessary, illegal and it was a violator of the rights of others. America started with different charges that led to his losing his title as WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

On his exposure to the racial attitude of America, he stopped bearing CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY and became Cassius X. Alongside his revolutionary brothers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr, Cassius fought for equal rights in America.

After a brief stint with the Nation of Islam, he changed his name to MUHAMMAD ALI. He is known for historic speeches. He has talked about life and hereafter more times than most Islamic scholars. He isn't just an inspiration to me, he is one of the surrogate father's I picked.

He made me understand that he who is not courageous enough to take risk in life will achieve nothing. There's a quote that I always made fun with my little brother, 'if you ever dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologize' then my little brother will quote Ali again and tell me last night he switched off his light and he was in bed before the light went off. Overtime I have grown to use my favorite quote of him of all time, 'at home I am a nice guy, but I don't want the world to know. Humble people I've found out don't go very far in life'. Quite alright Ali was controversial in life but he knew how to sting like a bee and float like a butterfly.

Ali has joined the league of my X-men in heaven. I hope all of you will meet in heaven and have fun. I'm sure if y'all meet Ali in his very comical way will entertain everyone even at his own expense. He's the kind of person who'll do magic and still show you how he did it, ask FIDEL CASTRO.

I am Princely X and I wish Cassius X (Muhammad Ali) a repose in heaven. You'll always inspire me baba.