As I stand before you all, I would like to let you know that as of today, the Ashesi Class of 2025 is officially “Active Wai.” And anyone who doubted us, or even if we doubted ourselves, needs to rethink. Nana Oteng Krankyen the second, Nananom, board members present, president of Ashesi, Dr. Patrick Awuah, distinguished guest speaker, Madam Rita Roy, all Ashesi staff and faculty, parents, guardians present and online, fellow graduands, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
I am honoured to address you all today. My name is Maame Gyanwaa Otchere Duah. It is interesting to note that we were part of the top 20% of applicants to be selected into this prestigious institution four years ago. Yet there were so many days we questioned or doubted ourselves, because our grades were not a reflection of who we knew ourselves to be. There were times we felt like quitting and questioned what truly mattered. There were also times we had to deal with holding back our tears because we were falling apart under all the workload. Yet, today, we receive certificates for having stood firm.
I believe we all deserve some accolades because today marks the triumph through the struggles. From the very first day we stepped foot on this soil and were told to drink from the waters of Ashesi (which many till today, do not know was tap water), I knew we were in for a ride. The unfortunate start of our journey was having to come on campus and cope with a new normal due to COVID-19. Managing life with uncomfortable nose masks, constant reminders of sanitizing and social distancing as we bid farewell to our guardians was tough, but this was just the unfolding of the journey to come.
How many of you recall FDE (Foundations of Distress and Exhaustion as someone once wrote on a board). FDE 1 midsem exam. So many freshmen coming out of Norton Motulsky looking dejected because what on earth were those questions? And that’s when I asked myself, “Am I in the right school?” 2025 looked like it was decades away but so soon this journey has come to its end. Many times, the phrases “ego be chale” and “I am surviving” were a means of sharing common suffering.
All these were encompassed with the accelerated semester which left many of us disheartened because of losing the opportunity to take up internships or our own summer plans. For me, it was driving. For others, it was a vacation or bae-cation lost. This period was a true test for our parents and guardians and we are glad they sailed through. Our tears, our fears, our stresses and discouraged faces throughout the days, weeks, months and might I add, years, has been a classic case of what I ordered versus what I got.
These have not been without some good laughs and joyous moments. The debate about which course is the hardest will never fade. See the numbers of engineers falling over the years. Engineering no ey3 calling oh. The people left are the last ones standing. However, we have metamorphosized like rocks, having stood the test of time from the pressures and stresses of academic and social life. We stepped on these grounds as boys and girls. Now we are leaving as men and women, going into the world beyond this so-called bubble.
Much like the corporate world which many of us desire to go into, there will always be consequences for our actions. Sometimes a little mistake can cost us major wins and happiness. Other times temporary satisfaction with longs suffering was not worth it. I know our parents can attest to the fact. You may not realize but Ashesi is the one place that encourages that you take the chance, possibly make the mistake, go back to the drawing board and come out better.
Amidst all this pressure, this hill has been transformative. From Artie’s Delight, To Mina Minks, BDS Logistictics, M & C bar, Mystery foods, Stack and Rolls, Wigs Lair, Maxline watches, Jococo, Nail-Aura (my business) and more. We have not only embodied entrepreneurial spirits but resilience. This community has birthed many beautiful relationships, by the numerous friend groups in and outside the classroom. It has also allowed us the opportunity to engage with so many people from various backgrounds and walks of life which we can never take for granted.
Stepping onto these grounds not so sure of what to make of the Ashesi culture, our year group was caught up in the mist of discovery. Wondering what exactly Ashesi culture meant, Whether it was saying Hi to everyone you met as you passed by each day, calling faculty and staff by their first names or being able to walk into the Dean’s office to have random conversations. Much like culture, this university makes emphasis on community and that is the basis of our culture. Togetherness. Much like Ubuntu, I am because of who we are. This is the Ashesi Culture.
Even beyond these walls, as we gear up to join the alumni network, much like Liverpool, Ashesi alumni relations will never leave us to walk alone. Ashesi’s mission is to raise ethical entrepreneurial leaders. However, it feels like sometimes they’re raising soldiers for battle. Probably foreshadowing the recent developments surrounding the military training for national service. These four years have been far from perfect. There have been many opportunities gained and some failures experienced.
From heated arguments in groups, dealing with roommate issues, broken bonds, frustrations from capstone projects and camu becoming our worst nightmare for course selection and grade releases during our breaks. So now I ask:
How many of you have calculated how you will pass a course because the quizzes and midsem exams were threatening your GPA?
How many of you recall taking so many photos of the calculations during the math and quant classes and never going back to view them?
How many of you have ever received an email from the provost office for missing class?
How many of you have never had a late submission?
How many of you have been to Fab lab or the field to pray, reflect or clear your mind?
And finally, how many of you are still confused about what TO DO AFTER SCHOOL?
Ashesi has taught us about not having everything figured out. It seems scary at times but sincerely, there is beauty in uncertainty, when you are being guided by the right people. As time unfolds, we grow wiser and tougher. That is why every class starts with an objective and ends with lessons learned. Our lecturers not only teach but they soon become mentors. Their constant reminders of life after school being far worse sometimes makes us wonder whether we wished to stay here longer. However, we can never turn back oh, it won’t make sense, we’ve already come too far.
Most of the time, we are so fixated on the negatives that we are not even willing to try. However, as Neil Strauss once said, “Great things never came from comfort zones.” Indeed, these walls have pushed us and brought out the best in us. As I wrap up this speech, I want to conclude by saying, thank you to our guardians for being there every step of the way. Your sacrifice and endurance even as the school fees doubled and tripled is much appreciated. To our founder and president, Dr. Patrick Awuah, we are most grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this community and its values. And to faculty, we only now realize that we never needed to be spoon-fed because you taught us how to fend for ourselves by our reasoning through your guidance. A special thank you to my parents for being my support system and motivation. To God for never letting me down, and to all my amazing friends and well-wishers.
Now to my fellow graduands, I want you to take a look around you because these are faces you might never see again. Maybe because our paths will differ after school. But as we say goodbye to this chapter with hopes of embracing the next, just as the name Ashesi means beginning, May this be the beginning of greater opportunities to come. Trust me if you’ve gone through Ashesi, there is nothing you cannot withstand. One thing I know for sure is that the greater the risk, the higher the return. So do not give up on taking the opportunity that scares you, do not give up on that dream and never lose hope.
As my lecturer Alex once said, when we lose hope, we lose everything. Fear is false evidence appearing real. So whenever you are in doubt, remember this, “you are the light of this world, no matter how you perceive things. An Ashesian must shine like a city on a hill.”
Thank you.
