Everyone who passed through university or college knows all the challenges. The challenges are not always the academic ones. There are also several factors that determine students` future. Since it is a new place with a new philosophy and social interaction, everything seems different. This is especially true at the first year. After several ups and downs, the student will finalize his/her journey in the campus and prepare to the other level where life will put another serious challenge to every individual.
Life is a university by itself. It may not have “Life 101” courses or lecturers at a regular interval. But, it is the other university where individuals fight life itself with its own tools. Yes, as it was recently mentioned by the Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed in the graduation ceremony of Addis Ababa University, life is a university where individuals have to face several “life courses” with different exam style and procedures. Depending on the courage and the commitment of that person, life will reward him/her.
If not, it will punish him/her with its unique mechanisms. Life is harsh for those who fail to face it bravely and overcome its exams. After all, we are living in a world where there is nothing called free lunch, to mean you cannot expect to get things for nothing.
Addressing University students last Saturday at Addis Ababa Millennium Hall the Premier has conveyed his brotherly and fatherly message to graduates. In his remark, Abiy has appreciated the families who paid all the sacrifices for the success of their children.
Indeed, parents are special to their children. No matter how hard life is to them, they, including other family members, would pay a lot of sacrifice to our success. That is why graduation ceremony has a special value among Ethiopians. No matter what their economic background is, Ethiopian families will not hesitate for a fraction of seconds to sell their properties for the success of their child. This is especially true if their child has a chance to enroll to a university or college.
That is why graduations have special value among our society. It is the seal of success. No matter what the GPA of their child, they do not compromise with graduation ceremony. Families are the ladders towards our success. We are their precious assets, source of dignity and pride. That is why they expect something in turn.
In his remark, the PM has also mentioned the value of unity and tolerance. Universities are the little Ethiopia. They are places where unity in diversity is entertained. (This is especially true if some students are not used for political purpose by some politicians or activists).
Universities are places where every individual One of the main reasons behind providing on-site daycare is minimizing the burden of parents displays his/her cultural values. They are places where we see the Oromo, Tigre, Amhara, Kembata or other ethnic groups live in harmony. They are places where the strong and the weak are living in coexistence.
Universities are also a place where the Muslim, Orthodox, the Catholic, Protestant or any other religion live together in tolerance. Universities are the only places where a Muslim brother lives with his Orthodox, Protestant or Catholic brother under a single roof with love and compassion – dormitory.
We all are graduated from universities because we have one Ethiopia – a land for all. Ethiopia always comes first before university or graduation ceremony. The writer of this piece always recalls the famous word of PM. Dr. Abiy Ahmed: When we live, we are Ethiopians, when we die, we become Ethiopia. That is a great message. Ethiopia is a poor country that spends billions of birr to produce its own doctors, engineers, teachers, professors, and other professionals.
This poor land always has greater expectation from its graduated students. Ethiopia expects its children to bright its future. University graduates are the lights to shine up on her darkness. The nation always looks for progress. To do this, professional excellence is a prerequisite factor. As it was mentioned by the PM, graduates have to show their excellence in their daily activity. They have to be model for others.
Hospitality is one of the points the Premier mentioned during his speech. We Ethiopians are known for our hospitality. The land is endowed with several tourist attractions. This tourist attraction sites have became best choices to have a wonderful time for foreign visitors. These visitors come to Ethiopia crossing borders. This trend has to be followed by Ethiopians themselves.
Every Ethiopian has to experience the culture of other ethnic group. Oromos have to enjoy the beautiful landscape of Bahir Dar. Amharas should enjoy in Mekele freely. Tigrians should spend their vacation in Borena, Guji or any part of the country. Ethiopia is not only beautiful land with magnificent tourist attraction sites. It is also a land that has a capacity to accommodate 100 million Ethiopians. True, if there is peace and tolerance, Ethiopia is sufficient for all.
The Ethiopian Herald July 17/2019
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
