Powerful African kings and queens whose amazing stories should be told on film

Mansa Musa

When movie director, Ryan Coogler revealed in 2016 that he would like to make a film about Mansa Musa, the influential Malian king and richest person on earth, many were elated but this is yet to materialize.

Mansa Musa I ruled West Africa’s Malian Empire in the early 1300s, making his fortune through Mali’s supply of gold, salt and ivory to most of the world during that time. He was estimated to have been worth the equivalent of $400 billion in today’s currency, which makes him the richest man on earth.

In 1324, he became the first Muslim ruler to make the four-thousand-mile pilgrimage, where he met rulers from the Middle East and Europe, putting Mali on European maps.

He brought back scholars from his pilgrimage to improve Islamic education while building many mosques that stand till now.

He also played a huge role in the development of Timbuktu and its famous university, the University of Timbuktu, which has since been a major learning institution for Africa and the rest of the world.