The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has climaxed its Week Celebration with a grand durbar held on campus.
Themed “From Tradition to Transformation: The Impact of Student Leadership on National Development”, the well-attended durbar was graced by student chiefs and queen mothers, some diasporans, students and members of the general public.
Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North, Dr. Kwamena Minta Nyarku, who was the Guest Speaker, lauded the SRC for preserving the tradition of intellectual engagement while inspiring a new generation of transformational leaders.
Dr. Kwamena Minta Nyarku
He advised students to imbibe and practice Ghanaian core values as a foundation to prepare themselves to become responsible adults and leaders of their communities and the nation. According to him, the country's core values were fading out of society, hence the need to revisit them.
The MP mentioned patriotism, justice, honesty, trustworthiness, peaceful co-existence, hard work, decorum in language, and respect for the elderly as some of the core values, which were gradually fading out of the Ghanaian society.
Some students at the event
The Board Chairman of the National Service Authority, Mr. Emmanuel Okai Mintah, urged young people to set and show good examples to others in all circumstances.
He said that in a time where sometimes adults were the ones who encouraged wrong, young people should strive to be good examples to lead others in truth and honour.
"A good leader sets a good example; a bad leader does the opposite. Sometimes, people don't like us for not following their bad example or for calling out bad examples, but in a good society, good examples are a reward," he said.
The Dean of Students, Prof. Daniel Apaak, stressed the importance of character development among young people as a foundation for navigating the real-world of responsibilities.
He said traits such as honesty, fairness, compassion, and respect were essential for nurturing effective and ethical leadership.
Prof. Daniel Apaak
"Don't focus on just academic growth, but on building ethical leaders. Leadership is not about the title one holds but the actions. Leadership is about service, not status,” he said.
In his address, SRC President Abraham Norman Nortey reflected on the journey of student leadership at UCC and its intersection with national development.
Mr. Abraham Norman Nortey
“The mantle of leadership in student spaces is not merely ceremonial - it is a call to action. From tradition to transformation, we are redefining what it means to lead,” he stated.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC