Wednesday 5 February 2014
Monday 8 July 2013
Atiku Abubakar, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, (1999 – 2007)
On the occasion of his conferment with the Degree of Doctor of International Relations, honoris causa, by the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, during the Graduation Ceremony at the Chateau de Penthes, Geneva, held on Sunday, June 30, 2013
Protocol
I sincerely thank President Murphy, the Directors, Faculty, Students and the broader community of the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations for the honour bestowed on me today.
I heartily congratulate my co-awardees, His Excellency (Dr.) Oguz Demiralp, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey and His Excellency (Dr.) Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director General of the UNOG and Honorary Dean of the Geneva School of Diplomacy, for receiving this honour as well.
As a little boy growing up in a small village called Jada in North East Nigeria, I could not have imagined myself standing before you today to receive an honorary doctorate degree from this prestigious school, in this city of diplomacy, in this prestigious country. I did have dreams but I never dreamt of a day like this.
When my father was put in jail by local authorities for refusing to let me attend school, because he needed my assistance with herding the livestock, it seemed like a harsh punishment. Were he to be alive to witness this day and the last 30 or so years of my life I am sure that he would exclaim “wow! Education pays after all.”
Education is what brought me in contact with members of the United States of America’s Peace Corps when I was still a little boy; a contact and interaction that would have profound impact on my life, especially my love for education and service.
Education is what gave me the friends that I made from across Nigeria as I attended high school and university.
Education is what gave me a job in the Nigerian civil service and provided me with opportunities to meet and form more life-long friendships from across the world.
Education is what has helped me to make the modest achievements that I have made in business and politics and the contributions that I have made in improving the lives of others. And education is what has informed my determination to give back to society, especially through education.
Education’s centrality in the improvement of the human condition is one reason why public policy must seek to always improve the quality of and access to public education everywhere in the world, especially in the developing countries such as mine, Nigeria.
A young friend of mine, who heads the human resources department of an organization in Nigeria, called me up one night about seven months ago and said he came across an application for employment by one of my children and wondered whether I consented to my child applying to work in that organization.
I asked why he needed to clear that with me first and he said he thought that I would prefer that my child works in one of my establishments. I then told him that I do not choose careers for my children. I owe them good education; I support them to acquire good education. What they do thereafter is up to them as adults.
That is also my attitude towards the other students that I support through school. I know that with good education they can make informed decisions and they can reach great heights. And more importantly, they can lead independent and productive lives. My friend seemed a bit puzzled but he said he understood.
So let me address the young men and women who graduated here today. You and your parents and guardians have made enormous sacrifices to achieve this milestone. I congratulate you for your achievement. May your graduation today presage your commitment to asking further questions of yourself and of the world!
Certainly, there is a sense of freedom that comes with graduation. That freedom can mean different things, depending on you. It can mean the freedom to do nothing, if you treat your degree as the end in itself. That can be paralyzing.
It can also mean the freedom to continue to explore, to continue to task yourselves, and to continue to set and pursue goals in this rapidly changing world. I think that you will opt for the latter form of freedom. Embrace it and make it work for you, your families, your communities and our world.
Once more congratulations.
Oh, and do not forget to give your parents and guardians a big hug for all the support and love that you have received, which helped to make this day the remarkable day that it is for you.
I thank President Murphy and the GSD community for considering me worthy of the honour bestowed on me today and pledge to uphold the high standards associated with this school.
I thank you all for attending this event and for your kind attention.
Saturday 6 July 2013
Friday 5 July 2013
Congratulation Sir to Your Honorary Degree, You deserve it,worth it and worked for it.PMSAA Congratulate in Advance Sir.
jailed for not allowing him attend school
Posted By TheScoop on June 30, 2013
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by Stanley Azuakola
Nigeria's former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, was in Geneva,
Switzerland last weekend, where he was conferred with an honorary
doctorate degree by the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International
Relations.
When he gave his acceptance speech at the event, Abubakar made some
revelations which seemed inspiring now in retrospect but must have
been a tough experience at the time.
He told his audience that as a young lad, his father needed help in
tending to the livestock and herding them, hence he refused to allow
the young Atiku attend school in his hometown of Jada, Adamawa State.
His father however was forced to change his ways when he was locked up
by the local authorities.
According to Abubakar, "When my father was put in jail by local
authorities because he needed my assistance with herding the
livestock, it seemed like a harsh punishment, but were he to be alive
to witness this day (Saturday) and the last 30 or so years of my life
I am sure that he would exclaim 'wow! Education pays after all.'"
Atiku used the occasion to emphasise the central role which education
played in pulling him up to his current position in life.
"Education is what brought me in contact with members of the United
States of America's Peace Corps when I was still a little boy; a
contact and interaction that would have profound impact on my life,
especially my love for education and service," he said.
He said that the modest achievement he has made in his life so far and
his contributions to politics and business are down to education.
Atiku stressed that education is what has informed his determination
to give back to society, especially through education.
He urged policy makers to always seek to improve access to education,
and quality of same.
Abubakar also charged parents to allow kids discover their own path in
life and avoid foisting their will on them.
"A young friend of mine, who heads the human resources department of
an organization in Nigeria, called me up one night about seven months
ago and said he came across an application for employment by one of my
children and wondered whether I consented to my child applying to work
in that organization.
"I asked why he needed to clear that with me first and he said he
thought that I would prefer that my child works in one of my
establishments. I then told him that I do not choose careers for my
children. I owe them good education; I support them to acquire good
education. What they do thereafter is up to them as adults," Atiku
said.
Others who received honorary doctorate degrees from the same
institution are His Excellency (Dr.) Oguz Demiralp, Ambassador of the
Republic of Turkey and His Excellency (Dr.) Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,
Director General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) and
Honorary Dean of the Geneva School of Diplomacy
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