Sadly many do not live to see their dream come true for a variety of reasons ranging from giving up mid-way to others being sent to exile or worse assassinated.
One African leader knows this too well having survived a life attempt through poisoning and forced to go to exile by one of Africa’s longest serving leaders.
Zimbabwe President, Emmerson Mnangagwa while on a trip to neigbouring Namibia shared tips on how one can ascend to presidency like him.
"First you need to be poisoned and you need to survive the poisoning," Mnangagwa told a group of Zimbabweans living in Namibia.
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Mnangagwa suffered poisoning at a rally organised in support of former president Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace in August last year.
His supporters said at the time he had been deliberately poisoned by ice-cream from the first lady’s dairy, a claim that infuriated the former first family.
"Next, you need to become a border jumper” he went on referring to own border run.
After Mnangagwa was sacked by Mugabe on November 6, the former vice president skipped the country to neighbouring Mozambique, partly on foot and was ridiculed as a border jumper by Grace Mugabe’s political allies.
Mnangagwa, who claimed there had been plans to eliminate him in Zimbabwe, later flew to South Africa, where he stayed until his return to Harare to take over the reins of power from Mugabe.
“Thirdly, you need people like (Sibusiso) Moyo somewhere," he added.
The president’s reference to Major General Sibusiso Moyo is that for one to become president he needs brave and loyal lieutenants who are ready to put their lives on the line for them.
On November 15, after the army had seized strategic locations of the country, Mr. moyo went on air and announced the military takeover on state ZBC TV.
Had the coup not come to pass, security analysts say Moyo would have been the first person to be hanged.
And it seems his bravery impressed Mnangagwa to no ends because Mr. Moyo is now the foreign minister.