I am very happy to join you on this special occasion.
To begin, allow me to thank the African Leadership University for this award.
To all the graduates, congratulations.
Today, you reap the rewards of all your hard work. Be proud of everything you have accomplished. You deserve it.
To all the families and friends present, thank you for supporting your loved ones.
Success is never the result of individual effort alone. Equally important, is having a good support system.
And of course, we would not be standing here, without the leadership of Fred Swaniker.
In Rwanda, we are very proud to host ALU. I also want to add, that you have a very beautiful campus.
We are even more privileged, to welcome a large number of students from all over our continent.
You are welcome here, and you will always have a second home in Rwanda.
This one-of-a-kind institution is a reminder to all of us, that in Africa, we have the means to solve our problems.
The uncomfortable truth, is that we rely too much on others to tell us what to do, and more often than not, we pay a hefty price as a consequence.
We need to take responsibility for what belongs to us, and have a sense of urgency in doing so.
It all begins with how we teach our children, and shape their mindsets and sense of ownership for Africa’s future.
ALU is a trailblazer, because it has invested in building a new generation of critical thinkers and innovators, here on our continent.
Graduates, the baton is now in your hands. Run with it as fast as you can, until you cross the finish line.
No matter your career path, the journey will be long, and full of unexpected twists and turns.
My advice to you, is not to let life’s obstacles change who you are, or cause you to give up. Never give up.
Be kind, and always treat others with respect, the way you wish them to treat you.
Here, in Rwanda, we had to learn the hard way. There was no case study for how to recover from genocide.
We had to take matters into our own hands.
The results did not come immediately. And in fact, they never do.
For those of you who aspire to become entrepreneurs, this is something to remember.
We kept trying, and we found solutions that worked for our country. Always try and fail, but never fail to try.
You always have to be ready to adapt, and to innovate.
What matters, at the end of the day, is that you believe in yourself, and be consistent.
With perseverance and hard work, you will achieve whatever you want to in life.
As we say here, I’m sure most of you have probably heard that, ibyiza biri imbere: The best lies ahead.
Once again, congratulations to you all, and I thank you for your kind attention.