Businessman Dr. Mel Butler believes it was fate that put him in Lionel Maxim's company two months ago in Cape Town, South Africa.

He was preparing to catch a ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years as a prisoner, when he decided to purchase the book 'Madiba the Rainbow Man' as a souvenir. Dr. Butler, who has a background in marketing, and the author of Madiba The Rainbow Man began talking and agreed there was a market for the book internationally.

Two months later the book is now being distributed and promoted by Dr. Butler's company, Butler Distributing Inc.

"I met him in Cape Town with a friend of mine from California, Dr. Reuben Bakkar," Dr. Butler explained.

"We were running late for the boat to go to Robben Island and Dr. Bakkar said 'I need to take something back for my daughter' and Mr. Maxim was signing a book. Somebody said 'there's a new book over there that you might be interested in'.

"I had him sign the book and we engaged in conversation and within a 15 minute span the guard who guarded Mandela for the last 12 years of his imprisonment happened to walk in and we started talking. Within five minutes of that the prisoner who was in the cell next to Mandela happened to walk in. It was like all the forces came together."

After a short conversation with Mr. Maxim, the pair agreed to a deal.

"The whole thing took about 15 minutes," said Dr. Butler. "The next day we had more time to sit down and talk more and found it was a good relationship." Dr. Butler made arrangements for the author to visit the United States on a book signing and promotional tour and the pair were also in Bermuda together.

"Immediately I launched a campaign to introduce Mr. Maxim to America. I thought Black History Month was an opportune time to take him over," said Dr. Butler.

"When we took him to America, we started in California at a store called Esone in Los Angeles and the book sold out within two hours of the book signing."

The book was also well received in Chicago and with book signings in Malls sold out in about a day and a half.

"In Baltimore it was overwhelming and we had to send for more books because we ran out of books," recalled Dr. Butler.

"Howard University heard about the book and one of our regional directors from Los Angeles, Calvin Kennedy, called Howard University and they asked it we would come over and do a book signing there. We did it and sold out of the books and they asked us to come back two days later and do it again."

They plan to reschedule a book signing in Atlanta where Coretta King (Martin Luther King's widow) has expressed interest in the book.

Delores Johnson and Lisa Osborne worked hard to set up book signings in Bermuda where Mr. Maxim has been warmly received.

"I think the book deserves it, for what Mandela did and what he represented," said Dr. Butler.

"I see this book as an opportunity to let young people know that if they are positive about who they are and positive about where they are going, then there are very few obstacles out there that can stop them.

"Once you have a literate citizen you have a citizen who can control their own destiny. We believe everybody has potential."