Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-10 07:00:00
I find myself back at my beloved and longest-holding alma mater, Kenyatta University, celebrating my birthday. It’s a little surprising, and I am slightly bemused as I look around at the cross-section of my friends, former students, colleagues, and associates from academia, the media, theatre, and publishing who have gathered to celebrate with me. How did I get here? I am unsure, but I am immensely grateful for the honor.
I feel a little scared, wondering what my close friends will reveal about me in their congratulatory speeches. But I’m reassured that they won’t talk about my love life or my sporting life, of which I am inordinately proud, particularly in playing and coaching tennis. Nevertheless, I am grateful that my acquaintances and friends at Kenyatta University and in Kenya have chosen to honor me in this way. It’s a reflection of what has kept me going for eighty years, and shows no signs of slowing down.
As I listen to the kind words spoken about me, I am ready to pick up any hints on what might keep me going even stronger for the next two decades and beyond. I am certain that, apart from the grace of God, the one thing that has consistently sustained me throughout the years is passion. Passion is a powerful love, a strong commitment to and engagement with yourself, with people, and with what you do. It’s the driving force that keeps me going.
I have learned from my late mother, Maria Salome, that I matter as a human being. I have an ethical responsibility to myself and others, and I am passionate about people. I believe in the value of positive engagement with others, regardless of their origins, status, or class.
My root passion lies in communication, which is essential for human existence. I have always been fascinated with language and languages, thanks to the multilingual environments I grew up in. This led to my hobby, career, and passion for language. And the best way to utilize language is to master it and teach it to others. This brings us to the third link in the chain of my passion, teaching. This is where most of my friends and acquaintances from Kenyatta University remember and acknowledge me.
A positive history is the proper blending of people, time, and opportunity to transform humankind. Many of those celebrating me were once my eager-faced young students and are now topflight executives managing important institutions. Our combination of people, participation, and passion is shaping the history of Africa.
My birthday falls during Black History Month, a time of intensive commemoration of the passionate struggle of African people against the challenges they have faced, such as slavery, colonization, discrimination, and exploitation. I recently joined the students and faculty of the United States International University, Africa Campus (USIU-A) to reflect on and celebrate our experiences through the centuries.
I was fascinated by the accounts of triumphs by African people, from the Obamas to the African American women mathematicians who made the calculations that landed humans on the moon. The common factor among these achievers was their intense commitment to their goals. Whether it is landing on Mars or simply longevity, going about it with passion makes a difference.
Speaking of passion, the strong commitment of the founders of USIU-A to private, secular tertiary education is commendable, and the pivotal role of two African American women, Dr. Lilian Beam and Prof Freda Brown, in its development deserves mention.
So, as I celebrate my 80th birthday, I recognize the importance of passion in my life and for the next two decades and beyond. And I am grateful to all those who have gathered to honor and celebrate with me.
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