Have a vision and be on a mission!

Prof. Godwell Nhamo

Delivering the Chancellor’s address at one of Unisa’s graduation ceremonies in September 2017, Professor Godwell Nhamo, Chair of Unisa’s Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change, had encouraging words for students as they embark on their journey of further studies and work. He offered sage advice and a realistic perspective on what it takes to survive and succeed in the current South African landscape.

“As you have obtained your new qualification, life awaits you in many ways,” he said. Nhamo started by drawing from what he considers the pillars of success in life. He confined himself to only six such pillars of success:

1. Have a vision and be on a mission: Where there is no vision, you, families, organisations and nations perish. If you do not have a vision, you then need supervision. Yes, somebody must supervise you. At your graduation ceremony, we celebrate your success, because Unisa has a vision of being the African university in the service of humanity. It is not good enough to end with a vision and a mission statement. Break it down to achievable goals, objectives, targets and action points. Then life will smile at you one day. 

2. Stand up and be counted: The world today is full of people in the crowds. For you to get noticed and be counted, you must be a hybrid individual: a person who can perform in more than one area of specialisation and competence. Hence, if you are thinking of remaining an accountant, a teacher, lawyer, etcetera, the world of today may not need you. Be an accountant, in as much as you understand ICT and other critical spaces of engagement. 

3. Think agriculture and think entrepreneurship: As a continent, what we have is poverty in the midst of plenty. Therefore, tilling the land and engaging in entrepreneurship is the main pathway to success. Of course, agriculture is a necessary inconvenience, even to our children. After all, the continent has rich land resources awaiting your and my investments. 

4. Time and activity management: A day has 24 hours: 8 hours for sleeping and the other 8 hours for normal work. So, the question is: Where do the other 8 hours go? Herein lies your competitive advantage in life. We have heard of workers who come to work at 9:00 am, have a tea break at 10:30 am and, thereafter, lunch at 1:00 pm and by 3:00 pm they are rushing out of the office to avoid the traffic jams often typical of cities in Africa. If we continue in this way, the continent is going nowhere. China is on a 24-hour clock. Are we going to continue playing catch up and, of course, forever be consumers? 

5. Plan to leave a legacy and think inter-generational: Ask yourself: What shall I be remembered for? Take yourself to your gravesite and imagine what you will see. What shall we engrave on your tombstone? “Herein lies a thief! A ‘tenderpreneur’, who almost caused the continent to be broke.” Surely, this is not what we, at Unisa, advocate for and such bad tendencies will catch up with you one day. Leave a footprint of good deeds! There are some among us who say: “I cannot plant a fruit tree.” Why? Because by the time it starts producing fruit, I will probably be dead! So, who will eat them? 

6. Be (and continue to be) innovative: Innovation is not rocket science. It is simply an idea that can be nurtured to greatness, providing goods and services that society so desperately need today. Do not only think innovation, but also ink and act on it. They say the sky is the limit, but I say to you now, the sky is surely not the limit. What’s more, we have been told to think out of the box, but I say to you now, there is no box. In fact, who told you so?

Professor Nhamo assured students that as they continue in their journey of life, work will always be ready and available; however, he cautioned that this requires steadfastness. “Get your hands dirty,” he urged.

He pointed out that there are many game changers in town with whom students would have to compete. “Your gift is to use the toolkit Unisa has equipped you with to fix the challenges that exist and those that come your way. Remember, from here onwards, you are on your own comrades,” he said.

*Compiled by Kirosha Naicker