These same reason could have made him a sucess. People usually fear what they don't know. If your boss is never seen, but he gives out the orders and you hear about his angry reputation, you should fear it. If this person is making your check payable to you, you would do everything in your power to fufill your bosses needs. Human society changes a mans perspective in life, where he has to adapt to his surroundings.
Society governs appearances and personalities.
If a man were to walk out of his house naked or in a dress, society would look down upon and laugh at this man because society wasn't exposed to this in the past, and because it wasn't exposed to society people are not used to seeing that. The lives in Africa and London are totally different. But in London they have titles and they brought that mentally to Africa. When they were in London it might not have meant much to them but just a job, but when they got to Africa it all change. With their titles, they felt a sense of authority over the Aficans and they used their power whenever they wanted.