A Keynote Address
Good morning everyone.
There’s a lot of noise about “getting a degree,” but let’s be honest-a certificate alone is no longer enough. If all you leave college with is a piece of paper, you’ve wasted some of the most valuable years of your life. College is not just a classroom; it’s a training ground, a marketplace of ideas, a construction site where you build the person you’re becoming.
So let me give you the real extras-the things that separate the ordinary student from the unstoppable one.
1. Learn Beyond the Syllabus
Your lecturers will teach you theories. That’s fine.
But winners go further-they teach themselves.
Learn digital skills. Join competitions. Read widely. Your future employer-or investor-cares more about what you can do than what you memorized for exams.
2. Build Relationships, Not Just Grades
In Africa and beyond, opportunities often move through networks, not notices.
That person sitting next to you in class could be your co-founder, business partner, or the friend who recommends you for a job.
Be intentional.
Join clubs. Volunteer. Attend seminars.
Your network is an asset-start investing in it now.
3. Develop Market-Ready Skills
Every industry in Africa-tech, media, agriculture, finance-needs problem-solvers.
Use your time in college to build skills in:
Communication
Critical thinking
Teamwork
Basic data literacy
Entrepreneurship
Employers hire for skill, not just schooling.
4. Use Campus as a Safe Place to Experiment
This is the one time in your life where mistakes are cheap.
Start a side hustle.
Attempt a project.
Launch an idea.
Fail, learn, try again.
Campus is your testing laboratory.
5. Build Your Personal Brand
People should know you for something-your competence, creativity, reliability, or leadership.
Your brand is your reputation.
Guard it. Strengthen it.
It will speak for you long before your CV arrives.
6. Prepare for Life After School, Not Life Inside School
Don’t wait until your final year to wake up.
Intern early.
Attend workshops.
Connect with professionals.
Learn how to write a CV, pitch yourself, and articulate your value.
Think about your future now, not later.
7. Choose Growth Over Comfort
Every transformation in your life will come from doing things that stretch you.
Speak up in class.
Volunteer to lead.
Take the harder course.
Show up even when you feel like hiding.
Comfort grows nothing.
8. Protect Your Mental and Spiritual Health
A successful career built on a broken life is still failure.
Find balance.
Build resilience.
Surround yourself with people who lift you.
And stay grounded in your values.
Closing:
You are not just here to pass through college-you’re here to be transformed by it.
Your degree will open a door, but your character, skills, relationships, and discipline are what will keep that door open.
So make these years count.
Take every opportunity.
Challenge yourself.
And leave this campus not just with a certificate-but with capacity, confidence, and clarity.
Thank you.
Ability Unchained, is an exhibition of products, services and crafts by special challenged people aged between 12 and 30 years.
The first edition of the event was held on 10th April, 2023 in Lagos, Nigeria and 4th August, 2023 in Accra, Ghana respectively.
We’d love to extend an invitation to you to partner and participate in the 2016 edition of this programme.
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