A renowned Ghanaian storyteller, playwright, director and live-theatre producer, Mr. James Ebo Whyte encouraged the 2019 graduating students of the Presbyterian University College, Ghana (PUCG) to accept their uniqueness and give out their best to transform the society.
Addressing the 13th Graduating Ceremony of the PUCG, at its Okwahu Campus in Abetifi Kwahu, on the theme ‘’Go, Deliver and Make an Impact,” the playwright said the world is waiting for the graduating students to make impact to transform the societies.
Drawing from his life experiences, the storyteller spelt out five lessons that he wished they would give themselves to which he believes can transform their lives and society tremendously.
According to Mr. Ebo Whyte, it is worth for the graduating students to note that there is no useless person in the world and that there are only people with different temperaments and talents.
He said “Those who tell you who they think you are, are always wrong. In other words, don’t let anyone define you.”
Quoting from the Bible at 2 Timothy 1:7 in the New Testament, he said God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of courage, love and self-control. He bemoaned the traditional Ghanaian upbringing which makes a lot of the people timid and lives a life of quiet frustration and un-fulfillment.
“You make your own opportunity in life.” Drawing once again from his own life story, Mr. Ebo Whyte said many of us do not throw ourselves fully into whatever we are doing. Many of us are never present at any time and so we miss a lot. We all one time or the other get invited into a room but the question is, what do you bring with you into the room?”
On his next life lesson, he said “No one is better than you.” According to him, we often look at people and decide that they are better than us. “Maybe they are better looking; maybe they are more outgoing; maybe they have a better social background and the list can go on. The point is, we tend to compare ourselves unfavorably with others. I have learnt that whilst I am not superior to anyone I am also not inferior to anyone. And that is the case for anyone born of a woman.”
Finally, Mr. James Ebo Whyte admonished the graduating students to count on God to help them. He quoted again from the Bible, “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not be afraid, I will help you,” and said that if we could count on God to help us, then let us dream big and let us dare to do great things. “Ordinary is not for us,” he stated.
With the graduating students cheering at his speech, Mr. James Ebo Whyte ended his ‘story’ and said “May God help us all and wake up the formidable in us and send us forth to go, deliver and make the impact only we, can make.”