On Gey Hey’s Podium

#DailyPost: You’ve been asked to speak at your high school alma mater–about the path of life. (Whoa). Draft the speech.

First of all, I want to relay my gratitude to the management of this great school for the honor of having me mount this podium on an occasion such as this. I must confess, my life has been on an incredible journey since I passed through here and proceeded to pursue my life’s mission out in the world. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to have schooled in such a noble institution as Wesley Girls’ High School.

I’ve been asked to address the issue of the path of life to my younger sisters as well anyone who is counted as part of the Gey Hey family. What do I say, life is a journey. And like any other, it is unscripted, has its ups and downs as well as uncertainties. But no matter which path your life takes you, you must carry the principles on which this school stands to guide you. When I was here, I liked the school motto because it sounded nice and was longer than that of most schools which made it stand out. But it was after I left these four walls that I fully understood and appreciated its essence.

To not just merely survive the world out there but to conquer it, there’s no better recipe than to Live Pure, Speak True, Right Wrong and Follow the King. Life out there isn’t as simple and black and plain as it is in here. It is more brutal and unkind to those who have resolved not to give in to compromise when it comes to moral values. But with God on your side and a resolve to uphold integrity no matter what, you will definitely prevail.

Looking back at some of the ‘unpopular’ choices I had to make since I left here, I sometimes wished I was back here where all I had to worry about was making sure to be at the dining hall or on my bunk bed before the siren chimed. Some of you may think that the motto is just one boring slogan the headmistress keeps drumming into your ears but if you intend to stand out among all the others in the world and be called out to be among the best in whatever endeavor you choose, there’s no shortcut to it.

Life is not a race about who finishes first but who finishes well. It’s not about who gets the top job first, who gets married and starts a family first or who becomes the first celebrated public figure. Thanks to the Christian morals on which the school runs, you have a greater chance on making it out there if you allow the school to pass through you instead of merely passing through the school.

Undoubtedly, some of you would have it easier than others probably because of the status of your family. Remember it is a privilege you are entitled to; so don’t abuse it when you get out there. Instead use it as a platform to do greater exploits on the foundation of integrity.

And for many of us who would have to find our own path without any privileged advantage, I’d encourage you not to give up when the hard times come knocking. Being an old girl of this great school already puts on a pedestal; don’t forget that you are a daughter of the King and hang around people who do not strive for any esteemed goal for themselves. Bad company they say corrupt good morals. It would be a shame if all the training instilled in you goes to waste because you allowed others to flush them out of your system.

Wesley Girls’ High School has proven to be a good prepping ground for harnessing our God-given talents in the spirit of excellence. Out there, excellence might not necessarily be the standard but I’d urge you to keep upholding this excellent standard in everything you find yourself doing. Punctuality still seems to be a Ghanaian problem with you and I, we can be pacesetters to making the lateness canker a thing of the past.

Dear ladies, no matter where life leads you, don’t forget who you are in God. Most people turn to compromise to get the life they want to lead but whenever your moral values are put to the test, remember to Live Pure, Speak True, Right Wrong and Follow the King. It is only on these principles that you’d find yourself standing at the end of the tunnel.

I wish you all the best and may we meet in high places here on earth and in eternity with our crowns of righteousness. Thank you.

Josephine Amoako © 2016