Distinguished private legal practitioner, Samson Lardy Anyenini has delivered a powerful call to action, urging graduates to view Africa’s leadership challenges as an opportunity to instigate meaningful change.
He was addressing the morning and afternoon sessions of the 58th congregation of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on 26th and 27th November, 2024, in Kumasi.
Samson Anyenini emphasized the importance of having a clear plan and purpose in life, stating, “You are already a failure if you step out of this congregation without a plan and a purpose in your pursuits.”
He acknowledged that many graduates might be preoccupied with personal and familial concerns but assured them that broader national progress would ultimately address individual needs.
Highlighting the continent’s vast natural resources, including 40% of the world’s gold and up to 90% of its chromium and platinum reserves, the lawyer lamented Africa’s paradoxical state of poverty and underdevelopment.
He criticized the reliance on foreign aid and the vulnerability of African economies to global events.
“Africa hosts 65% of the world’s arable land. This means Africa ought to be rich, not the symbol of poverty and underdevelopment. It must feed the world and never be faced with hunger and starvation because Russia is at war with Ukraine. Ghana’s economy must not collapse because of bombs thrown in countries millions of miles away,” he asserted.
Samson Anyenini condemned widespread corruption in Africa, using Ghana as a case in point, he noted that the country went for a $3 billion support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while similar amounts are lost annually to corruption in Ghana.
“The youth seek greener pastures abroad or die trying because our leaders have failed them,” he remarked, citing several reports that showed that effective governance could eliminate the need for external financial assistance.
Pointing to inspirational leaders like Jean Monnet, Lee Kuan Yew, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as examples of purposeful and integrity-driven leadership, Samson Anyenini stressed that with over 60% of Africa’s population being youthful, their role in transforming the continent.
He therefore urged graduates to resist the allure of corruption and indiscipline, seeing Africa’s leadership crisis as a chance to make a difference.
“You have been trained not to become part of the corruption and indiscipline. But to see the curse of leadership in Africa as an opportunity to make a difference in your generation,” he admonished.
Mr. Anyenini further implored the graduates to avoid the distractions of social media and focus on their roles as future leaders.
“The world is literally in your palms on your tablets. If you are Pursuing a Plan and Purpose, you will not waste your life on needless stuff on social media – that’s the wrong obsession. Your parents, benefactors, KNUST and the State have invested in your knowledge acquisition here over the last 3 to 4 years for a purpose. I invite you to lean from Jean Monnet, Lee Kuan Yew and Al Maktoum to have and Pursue good Plans and Purposes in integrity.”
He also touched on brain drain and its impact, drew practical lessons from Tanzania on judicious use of public funds, and spoke about the recurring environmental issues such as the annual spillage of the Bagre Dam, which causes widespread flooding and displacement in northern Ghana.
Source: Newstitbits.com