A word to a graduate is enough

Standing before an august body of dignitaries in your  academic gown (popularly known in Ghana as “acapee”) on the day of graduation may not only signify an end to academic studies but also an end to an era of a particular phase of social development; one which you will perhaps never experience in the same way again.

Really, it must be the objective of every individual who gets the opportunity to study in a university to make the best out of it.  

From the numerous trips to and from various halls of residence in an attempt to consolidate friendships and relationships amid stiff competition from external forces, life on campus could be very fascinating.  All these happen, while one studies feverishly for mid-semester and end of semester examinations!

I have no doubt that characters are moulded by these experiences and students are also prepared for the future. 

Dramatic developments

In the relatively short time since I graduated from the university, the world has seen some dramatic developments. We could not for example have imagined that almost all our music will be on our phones, iPods, tablets, and lately in the cloud. That our source of information would not be exclusively obtained from books, encyclopaedias or libraries such as the Balme Library at the University of Ghana, Legon, but mostly accessed on Wikipedia and Youtube or on search engines and social domains such as Google, Facebook or Twitter. 

The Internet, which used to be restricted to a chosen few is now accessible to most of the 25 million users of mobile devices in this country. Through online technology, my son can now play a video game on Xbox with an opponent he has never met, based in a country he has never visited. 

We have the benefit of meeting and listening to world speakers and to participate in debates and lectures anywhere in the world via Skype, podcasts, webinars or webcast and social media allows us to have conversations sustained over days with many people at the same time. In other parts of the world, billionaires are being created literally overnight as a result of businesses based on these new technologies.  The world has become much smaller with geographic distances playing less and less of a role in the access to knowledge and people.  Thus, “Alice” from 1996 could be forgiven in thinking that she is in wonderland in 2015! 

So for students graduating from the universities, if this is the world you are coming into, prepared as it were to make a difference, what then is your game plan? How can you make a difference in a world changing so fast leaving us all still grappling to come to terms with? 

Knowledge not preserve of  few 

Knowledge is now not a preserve of the few and does not necessarily only come by studying or training in a particular part of the world or in a particular school. Now more than ever, inventions and new business models are popping up from the most obscure parts of the world and in every aspect of our lives the playing field is being levelled to give anyone willing to put themselves out to compete, a fighting chance. 

It is, therefore, imperative that graduates create something out of their own ideas and form partnerships with their mates to establish sustainable enterprises. A new dawn is being heralded in Africa and not a day goes by without some article or research work being published, which points to Africa as the future of prospects for the world. 

As a result, expertise and knowledge about and from Africa is fast gaining premium as people from other parts of the world seek partnerships and collaborations to gain in-depth knowledge of how our particular society works, in order to benefit from it. Currently, we are in the right part of the world!   

If you are a female graduate, the time has never been better to leverage your unique strengths for a world that is increasingly appreciative of your abilities and skills. Every day, we see many role models locally and in many other parts of the world who have become incredibly successful at what they do and are therefore creating an enabling environment for you to thrive.

Female graduates should be bold and dare to dream and pursue their dreams relentlessly. Among you are future entrepreneurs, business leaders and captains of industry, uniquely placed to put our country on the world stage. You have what it takes to create not only the best in Ghana but also the best in Africa and the best in the world in your chosen fields by taking advantage of the connectivity that exists today! 

The resources available to us have never been better and you have only to look at the exploits of companies such as SMS GH and Sparrow Productions, wholly owned Ghanaian companies competing and winning awards on the world stage, to confirm this. 

Busumru Kofi Annan

Here, I would also like to acknowledge with deep admiration, one of the venerable sons of our land, our very own Busumru Kofi Annan, whose mark of distinction still remains at the centre of world affairs.  Our time has come and you can and must dare to make it happen!

 A wise man once told me that to succeed, one must guard against a sense of entitlement. He admonished me to let my achievements be in spite of what I had or did not have rather than because of what was or was not available to me. 

There are many stories of heroes and heroines who have achieved many great feats sometimes with very little at their disposal. In our part of the world we are constantly challenged to make do with very scarce resources but I trust that as graduates, the ‘can do’ spirit that has been nurtured in you during your stay on campus will spur you on beyond your expectations despite the lack you may sometimes face.

The friendships and relationships you have made and will make as you progress in life will make the difference in how successful you are in endeavours you undertake. The relief I have often felt when I bumped into a familiar face whenever I have needed a favour or some help in a particular organisation, country or place has taught me how invaluable these relationships can be. 

Old Vandal (V-mate)

As a student of the University of Ghana and a proud Old Vandal (V-mate) from the Commonwealth Hall, many times I have met a V-fellow mate, a course mate or even people who used to study alongside me during the long nights at ‘N’ Block in the most unlikely places. These connections have usually made all the difference. It is important that we never discount any encounter with anyone and maintain every relationship that we are lucky enough to establish. It certainly will come in handy one day!

Even while you are out of school, it is beneficial to cultivate a habit of learning and one of teaching. Some of you may already have mentors and have come to know the value of the wisdom of those who have trod the path before us. In all aspects of our lives we find such people, sometimes not in the most obvious positions that lend themselves easily to our perception of their ability to point us in the right direction. 

But the listening ear and a mind that is not hasty to judge will often uncover the pearls of wisdom available. Therefore, it is often good to suspend judgement until we have listened and had an opportunity to assess the information against the prevailing circumstance. 

Conversely, we are told that some of the best insights come from the dialogue that occurs while passing on our knowledge to others. Too often, we wait to become more knowledgeable. We also can’t seem to find the time. But there is no time like the present to start, especially in a world where so much is freely accessible everywhere. We are most likely to be surprised about what we will end up learning from the experience.

Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ

The fast paced and intense nature of our world today has left many prone to stress and its related ailments. One of the ways I have sought to neutralise this has been through the inspiration of the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ who has been my ever present Shepherd! I still have fond memories of my days as a member of Pax Romana, the student catholic community on campus. 

I acknowledge the mentorship of Archbishop Palmer Buckle, my teacher and father, and the many other men and women of God who I owe a great deal for my ongoing spiritual development!  I do recommend that we all cultivate and develop our own anchor. One we can lean on. It is a real treasure ,especially in those turbulent periods that we encounter along the way. 

Our stories cannot be complete without acknowledging the role played by the love, support and prayers of our family members and closest friends who will always remain our biggest fans and the ones most likely to stick with us through thick and thin. So remember to nurture these relationships and never take them for granted. Some have realised just how much they have lost only after it was too late. 

“Release tension”

I know there is a tendency by some graduates to cherish the memories of the fun times and active social lives on campus as the “good old days” to be forever used as reference points when they need to reminisce. But if we are going to work hard to make an impact on the world then we have to make time to celebrate our milestones and “release tension” as it were!  

Despite all its challenges and stresses, it still is a beautiful world for those who create one.  If we accept that our time on earth is not a dress rehearsal, then we must strive to be happy every step of the way so as to ensure that the society around us derives pleasure from our presence!

As graduates who have benefited from taxpayers’ money, as well as the support of family and friends, remember that your nation needs you, your alma maters expect you to be a beacon in the world and your families and friends look up to you to succeed! 

The writer is the Head of Personal and Business Banking at Stanbic Bank, Ghana.