Southshore University launch sparks call for ethical and values-driven leadership
Founder and President of Ashesi University, Dr Patrick G. Awuah Jr., has called on Ghanaian institutions and leaders to embrace leadership grounded in authenticity, courage and moral clarity, warning that rebranding without purpose cannot deliver national greatness.
Speaking at the official launch of Southshore University College in Accra, Dr Awuah said genuine progress requires long-term commitment rather than slogans or cosmetic changes.
Drawing lessons from Apple’s turnaround in the late 1990s, he noted that the technology giant succeeded because its rebranding was authentic, emotionally connected to customers, holistically aligned across products and identity, and undertaken during a period of crisis.
“Rebranding is not about logos,” Dr Awuah said. “It is about aligning identity, vision and experience. A brand is a promise.”
He linked these lessons to Ghana’s national values, urging reflection on the national anthem’s call to make the country “great and strong.” According to him, no society achieves greatness without effort, stress and sacrifice.
Quoting civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Dr Awuah said moral leadership demands doing what is right even when it is not safe, popular or politically convenient. The anthem’s reference to “fearless honesty,” he added, is a call for courage and obedience to conscience.
A shift in higher education
The event marked the official unveiling of Southshore University College, formerly Dominion University College, as an innovation-driven institution with a strong focus on technology, research and African self-reliance.
Chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Professor Felix Nikoi Hammond, said the transformation represents a decisive break from traditional models of higher education.
He explained that the change goes beyond rebranding to a fundamental rethinking of how African universities prepare students for a global economy shaped by data, digital systems and artificial intelligence.
“The global economy has pivoted from resource extraction to computational intelligence,” Prof Hammond said. “Africa must move from consuming knowledge to creating sovereign innovation.”
“Africa can no longer afford to be a passenger in a world that has moved from soil to silicon,” he added.
A new identity
The launch, held at the university’s East Legon campus, brought together academics, traditional leaders, policymakers and students.
Prof Hammond said the name Southshore reflects Africa’s leadership role within the Global South and its connection to the wider world. He described the institution as both a “shore of return” for African diaspora talent and a “shore of departure” for graduates ready to compete globally.
“This is not merely a name,” he said. “It is a strategy for African re-emergence.”
The university aims to become a research-intensive institution aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
A rebirth after crisis
In a recorded address, the university’s President, Professor Nicholas N. N Nsowah-Nuamah, described the launch as a rebirth following years of disruption.
Founded in 2009, the institution suffered a major setback in 2022 when it was evicted from its previous campus, forcing an emergency transition to online teaching and disrupting academic records.
Despite the challenges, he said the university successfully relocated to its new campus and formally adopted the Southshore identity in 2025.
The jobs question
Concerns about graduate unemployment also featured prominently at the ceremony.
Chairing the event, the Otumfuo Manwerehene, Sir Baafuor Dr Ossei Hyeamann Brantuo VI, questioned the relevance of university education that does not lead to employment. He pointed to the growing number of young people seeking enlistment in the armed forces due to job security concerns.
He welcomed Southshore’s emphasis on industry partnerships, work placements and practical skills, stressing that universities must ensure graduates are employable before leaving campus.
Southshore’s leadership says its ambition is to produce technically skilled, entrepreneurial graduates rooted in African values, positioning the institution as a new “lighthouse” for higher education on the continent.
Ministry calls for discipline and academic integrity
Also speaking at the event, Dr Fred Kissiedu, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Education, reiterated the government’s commitment to academic excellence and discipline in Ghana’s tertiary institutions.
Representing the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Dr Kissiedu stressed that all tertiary institutions must comply fully with ministry policies and regulations.
While acknowledging that many institutions are performing well, he expressed concern about students’ learning habits, particularly the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI). He warned that excessive reliance on “copy-and-paste” practices undermines the acquisition of practical and technical skills, leaving graduates ill-prepared for the job market.
Dr Kissiedu urged institutions to review their assessment methods to ensure students are evaluated on genuine understanding rather than shortcuts. He also called on students to take responsibility for their learning in order to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive labour market.
“You cannot enter a tertiary institution without a clear vision,” he said, noting that many students struggle to articulate their goals, chosen courses and potential career paths.
He advised students to make informed academic choices and avoid deviant behaviours that could derail their future.
The Ministry of Education, he said, remains committed to working with tertiary institutions to produce disciplined, skilled and job-ready graduates capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.
Source: Southshore University