VALEDICTORY SPEECH DELIVERED TO 2012/2013 GRADUATING
STUDENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING, UNIVERSITY OF JOS.
I
want to thank God first and foremost for this great opportunity to address
another set of graduating students of this distinct Department. I suggest we celebrate
this day in self-effacing retrospect for all who started this journey, but are
not here today to share in this joy. You will agree with me that March, 10th
2014, is not an ordinary day, as it will remain in our memories for a long time.
Today, I want you to carefully
remember and acknowledge the people you met, the lessons learned, the tears
shed, the laughter relished, and the memories made in your over four years journey
as a student of the Department of
Accounting, University of Jos.
It
actually seems like yesterday, when you first reported to school as new arrivals!
Been privileged to serve as your first level coordinator I remember vividly how
most of you looked back then. Am however proud today to say we have been able
to pattern and nurture you into full grown graduates who are capable of taking
their career to the next level. Perhaps I need to remind you that your exit
from one system signifies your entry to another. As you start another phase of your
life today, please endeavour to first of all forgive yourself of all mistakes
you made on campus, and absolve every other person of any offence meted against
you while in school. You cannot tell, this may just be the last opportunity
some of us may have together. Hence, seek genuine forgiveness from those you
have hurt- as I have always said- before you leave this campus please “settle all debts, mend all the hearts you
broke (if possible) and leave as a free fellow”. The last impression your
course mates and lecturers have about you will stick with you for the rest of
your life, except you are privileged to have another chance to undo it.
Lecturers
are not necessarily people with the best of brains, but the mere privileged few
with the task of triggering behavioural change in people. Hence to say I was
perfect in all my decisions for the period you spent with us will be grossly incorrect!
I will sincerely crave your indulgence as well, if any of my decisions was unpleasant
to you, but you can be sure of one thing- it was genuinely done for the good of
the system.
For
your journey ahead, continue with all the positive values you have learnt from
us while on campus. Develop the never-give-up spirit, be positive minded and
never lose focus of your dream. Be hopeful for the best, while prepared to face
the worst- champions are crowned for the challenges they win and the ones they elude.
The
downside of my speech today, is that twelve months or more from now you will
all be ready for the labour market. However, only about 40% or less of you, going
by our national statistics will eventually be employed. Others will have to
look for disadvantages in our society and turn them into opportunities to earn
a living. A few more will need to horn their God-given talents- which has no
correlation with their certificate to earn a living. Wherever, your lot falls
don’t be agitated, because you will still rise to the top if you faint not.
We
may by our schooling system have labelled you wrongly by the class of degree
you will eventually earn, but you have the right to prove the school system
wrong! If by our ‘not-completely-perfect’
assessment you are classified as a third
class or even something worse you can prove to the world that the schooling
system did not assess all the potentials within you by making ingenuous and
first class contributions to the society. As Ralph Waldo Emerson affirms “do not follow where the path may lead. Go,
instead, where there is no path and leave a trail”. The entire world seeks
persons with distinct skills; you must not go by our benchmark, you are licensed
after today to set distinct and higher standards for yourself. Steve Jobs a
distinction himself has this to say “your time is limited, so don’t waste it living
someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the
results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions
drown out your own inner voice; and most important, have the courage to follow
your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to
become. Everything else is secondary.”
Please never allow the world’s
definition of what is possible keep you from achieving your dream! After all, strange
dreams (like Joseph’s) are difficult to believe at first. Do not only dream
big, dream luxuriously! Do not only reach for the mountaintop, reach for the
stars. Remember, it is safer to dig your well before you are thirsty!
Fellow colleagues- as you will be referred to in few
weeks from now! As you climb the success ladder choose to use your status and
influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; identify
not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability
to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages,
then it will not only be your families who will celebrate your existence, but
thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped change.
In the coming days, commit to more learning by reading
books that will help widen your horizon- you can begin with “Mastering
Your Destiny by Chuks Maduadi”. In addition seek mentorship from persons
you are convinced have verifiable track records. Let Integrity, Honesty,
Selflessness and hard work be your drivers.
Remember to contribute to your
Department and University when it is financially well with you. Cherish your
classmates and carry each other along for as long as you can. Respect and
honour people you meet in life, you can’t be sure who you will need next. Permit me to share in
closing the same words I shared with your predecessors last session; as affirmed by Williams
Shakespeare “Parting is such a sweet sorrow”; it is sweet because I know you
must go for the greater tasks ahead and a sorrow because I will surely miss
every moment we shared together.
I pray, the Lord keep you in
perfect health and peace. May He cause His favour to SHINE upon you and bless
the works of your hands. Till we meet again in other facets of life remain good
ambassadors of our great Department.
God bless you!
God bless the Department of
Accounting!!
God bless University of Jos!!!and
God bless our great country!
Thank you
Olayinka
Moses
