Graduation Speech And Address To The Class of 2020 Cohort 1.0 From The RAD5 Academy Coding Bootcamp
It's my honour and privilege to be here with you all today as you graduate from the RAD5 Academy.
Last night, I was called by the Academy to address her 2020 first cohort graduands. Though it came a bit impromptu, I so much thank the management of RAD5 Academy for this opportunity.
So, on this day as you graduate, I want to share with you three things that would help you post-graduation and as you progress in life.
The first thing I want to talk about is on "Committment".
Like we all know, life is progressive and comes in phases with different sense of purpose and responsibilities.
So, as we make progress in life, we are going to move from one phase to another.
What matters in life is not how many phases you complete, but how well you complete each phase.
As Christians, Ecclesiastes 9:10a says "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might;"
As you progress and move into new phases in life, always do it with all your might. Be it job, career, marriage, or any other aspect of your life.
As we do so, together, we would build a better nation and Africa as a continent.
Secondly, I want to talk about "Status Quo".
Today, especially in Africa, our most priority is to meet basic personal and family needs like "marry, eat, buy clothes/cars/houses/gifts, and go to honeymoon in the moon.
Nothing is wrong with all these.
But there is more to life. As young people, we have to break the "Status Quo" of living just to attain only our basic needs.
In order to break the "Status Quo":
1. We must be willing to pursue and join causes greater than us.
2. We must be open to failure, take new and bigger challenges and responsibilities.
3. Challenge our limiting beliefs and upgrade the spectrum through which we see life in general.
When we do so, we are bound to break the "Status Quo" and build a better and desirable Africa for generations to come.
Lastly, I will like to talk about "Choices".
Our graduation from the Academy today, ushers us into another phase of life.
But the choices we make afterward will determine if we will be COMMITTED to the things our hands will find doing in the future.
Always choose what brings happiness and fulfilment to you.
My advice to young people is to move from job to career to calling.
When we choose calling rather than job or career, we genuinely accept the challenges that come along with it and do everything within our capacity and might to succeed.
Calling is usually a cause greater than you. It comes with a high sense of purpose.
So, when we choose CALLING, at default, we are bound to break the "Status Quo" and do it with high level of "Commitment".
Choose wisely.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we all leave here today, I want to leave us with one last thought.
After you choose a calling; commit to it. You will certainly succeed and break the "Status Quo".
But when you do succeed, stay humble, give back to the society, love and respect others regardless of who and where they come from.
For one day, you will certainly die and leave the surface of the earth.
When we all do so, we will together leave legacies and create a better Africa for the generations to come.
Congratulations once again Class of 2020.
Thank you.
