Nelson Mandela was motivated to pursue a life in politics primarily due to his experiences with racial injustice in South Africa. Witnessing the brutal realities of apartheid during his youth instilled in him a strong sense of duty towards achieving racial equality and justice for his people. Mandela became active in the African National Congress (ANC), advocating for change through both peaceful protest and armed resistance. His commitment to dismantling apartheid ultimately led to his imprisonment, but it also solidified his status as a global symbol of resilience and peaceful resistance against oppression.