Dear Graduating Class of 2019 from African universities,
I would like to start my speech
with the quotation, I made a couple of years ago. I believe it is appropriate in my
today’s speech.
“You
don’t need to be Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey to inspire people. You’re
inspirational to others in so many ways because you’re God’s masterpiece” Ernest B. Makulilo
I would like to primarily
congratulate you for spending over 18 years in academic life. That takes
dedication, commitment and hardworking. I can also say that it is the highest degree
level of sacrifice you have made to constantly spend half of your entire life
in classrooms. Bravo for that.
My question to you is: Now you
have spent half your life (basing on most African countries’ life expectancy) –
what are you going to do in the second half of your life? If you are a soccer
fan, you know very well what Liverpool FC did in the second leg of the
champions league against Barcelona. The first leg Liverpool lost 3-0 at Camp
Nou in Barcelona’s backyard. No one ever imagined any team would pull it off to
win 4-0 plus winning 4-0 against the mighty Barcelona FC. This lesson is beyond
sports – it’s all about what can you do when you are knocked down.
In a few days and months, you
will complete your final University Examinations. You will no longer be going
to lecture rooms. Remember, you’re not alone who is graduating. There are
thousands of students from different universities with similar grades and even
more than yours in the streets. I guarantee you that you will not get a job
right away. You know why? Most of the African countries don’t have strong
manufacturing sectors which could employ many of you. Therefore, you will end
up depending on government employment that cannot absorb all of you. Less
number of opportunities and competitions among yourselves will knock you down
for sure. This is the point where I also agree with Carl Brashear – the first
Black person in the United States military to become the Master Diver in the US
Navy, when he said, “It’s not a sin to be knocked down; it’s a sin to stay
down”.
Every opportunity you will be
coming across to will require work experience. Many graduates, unfortunately,
they are spending months and months applying for jobs but doing nothing else
while they are unemployed. I advise you to find a way to start building up your
professional life – networking and work experience. Start by volunteering to
any office – even a few hours per day for free. Go and do an internship in
another organization. You need to have people who can recommend you in
professional life beyond your teachers. No one is interested to employ someone
who is 25 years old with zero professional experience. You can start even
blogging or open up a YouTube channel to create your content in your field.
Let’s say you have a degree in computer science – have you ever thought of
creating videos to breakdown some of the things you know to others through
videos online? You’re graduate of journalism, why can't you open up a blog and
start doing what you are good at. After a year or so, when you go to apply for
a job, you have something worthy to show and share.
I know you might think this is
kind of joke. Why can't you start going to primary schools and secondary
schools to share your experience and inspire young people to stay in school,
study hard, etc.? Don’t wait for paid jobs to come to you – start something to
expose you to others in the professional world. When I was at the university, I
started my scholarship blog – just sharing ways to apply for scholarships and
other opportunities. As of today, over 11 years of blogging, therefore I have
over 11 years of professional experience as admissions and scholarship advisor.
I have written 2 books on scholarships. Up to now, no one is paying me anything
for things I do in the scholarship blogging and YouTube. But I have created a
professional network with thousands of people around the world, I have
something to put on my resume – 11 years of work experience and books
published.
Do something for free consistently to invest on your credibility and
worthy. This has worked to every successful person and has never proved me
wrong. Never wait for lucky or someone’s sympathy.
I, therefore, welcome you to the
real world. By the real world, I mean, the capitalist jungle where no sympathy
rather it’s the survival of the fittest. And never try to think negative of
capitalism. The good thing about capitalism is giving you two options, and God
helped to give you free will to choose those things. The jungle has big five
animals like lions and “weaker” animals like zebra, antelope, gazelle, etc. But
the choice is yours – do you want to be Lion or Antelope, no one chooses for
you. That’s the beauty of capitalism – the world you are coming to. You can
forever be proletariat or become capitalist – or continue singing the songs of
socialism in the world of capitalism and wait to be swept away.
I know you’re young and
energetic. Never waste your 18 years of education to just waiting for the
employment of $400 or $600 per month. While you might be looking for
employment, also find other ways like modern agriculture, animal keeping, small
business opportunities and so forth. The education you get is to help you solve
problems and not confining you to only employment. Just listen to this chorus
from Alicia Keys and Jay Z from their Empire State of Mind song,
[Chorus: Alicia Keys & Jay-Z]
In New York (ayy, aha) (uh, yeah)
Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made
of
There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay
Now you're in New York (aha, aha, aha) (uh,
yeah)
These streets will make you feel brand-new
(new)
Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
Let's hear it for New York You're welcome, OG) (come on)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Yes, I agree with both Alicia and
Jay Z – we do live in the concrete jungle. We don’t live in the forest like
animals, but still, our modern lives are like being in the jungle. These
streets will make you feel brand-new, and big lights will inspire you meaning
we do have so many things around us to inspire. There are so many opportunities
around us. So look on the bright side of your degree and all the years you have
spent in classrooms – make something worthy of your years and create a legacy.
One last thing, don’t limit
yourself to only in your country. When God created this world, He told human
being, to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and rule it. He didn’t say
go to Lagos, or Dar es Salaam or go to Nairobi and conquer. Don’t confuse
Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and your countries to mean the world. These
boundaries should not confine your worldview. Find opportunities anywhere. Your
degree is not limited to only knowledge in your country. Therefore, look for
scholarships for further studies in other countries; find opportunities to do
internships and volunteering internationally. You can visit my YouTube channel www.youtube.com/ebmscholars for
audios and videos of various opportunities. But if you want scholarships, visit
www.ebmscholarships.com and for
those who like to write books go to www.ebmbooks.com
I was at your stage in 2008. But
my story was quite different from yours. At the time I was doing my final
university examinations at the University of Dar es Salaam in May 2008, I
already had Fulbright Scholarship. It was an opportunity to come to the United
States and teach Swahili language at Marshall University. I don’t know what my
life would turn if I didn’t have the mindset of looking opportunities anywhere
in this world. And I know many people who after graduating didn’t cry for not
being employed, they started something small for themselves and now they are
very stable.
Congratulations once again and welcome to the concrete jungle
of capitalism.
Ernest B. Makulilo
EBM SCHOLARS
Founder and CEO
Missouri, USA
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