Who is your role model?

When one sits down and observe events as they keep unfolding currently in the world, there is no doubt that really we need people who have deep knowledge of situations and have ability to change peoples way of thinking and broker peace among nations, religious bodies, organizations and even certain individuals.

Yes there is no doubt that we are sitting on a time bomb that can explode anytime if nations, presidents, religious bodies and their leaders, organizations and their leaders and perhaps certain individuals are not brought to the round table to forgive one another, unite and love one another for peace to rule supreme, disasters are going to come.

Nations are standing up against nations, blaming one another for undertaking various programmes feared to cause harm if they are not stopped immediately. Some nations are trying to use force to sanction alleged defaulting nations.

This tells us the type of leaders we have at this era of the world as a result of what our past generation molded for us and the great question we must be asking ourselves now is what type of leaders are we also molding for the next generation to come? Is the one for peace or the one for war?

Your guess is as good as mine as you took a little time to assess situations of our youth and the kind of life styles they are leading which can be the only determine factor for us to use to determine whether really we are producing quality future leaders for our next generation and here comes the main question: “Who is your role model?”

In African context, when one gives birth in some time past, an elderly person can just look at the face of the child and say really he remembers one of our ancestors so he has been born again. Or, they can say well we want him to live that worthy lifestyle of our great grand father so we are naming him accordingly with the believe that the child will definitely live that worthy lifestyle that ancestor lived since there is also the belief that names goes with character.

Not that alone, in some days past, an elderly person can call a child by the roadside and ask which home do you come from and by mentioning a popular grand father's name, the one can say oh yes that is why you respect people so much because that house is well noted for respectful persons, or yes that is why you do not respect, have that ailment or feature. Even some grandparents were insisting that their grandchildren marry from particular houses because of these beliefs.

Character has become more important in this modern day lifestyle since every thing that one does now is based on character. One can exhibit his character by the way he walks, dress, eat, talk and sit. By the exhibition of these and many more one is able to say this person is humble, respectful, trustworthy, faithful, honest, kind and in all a peace seeking person or vice versa.

We are able to determine characters of many people these days especially by the way they talk, dress and appear in general and sometimes feel disappointed predicting the type of persons they are going to be in future whether role models or not.

In fact looking at the events occurring now in our generation you will side with me that indeed we need role models or better still for me to say mentors for many of our youth who are going wayward for them to study their lifestyle and emulate them to also become like them in future.

It will not be far fetched to say that most of our parents have realized this that is why recently when a child is born and a naming ceremony is being organized, the parents pick a Godfather or Godmother for the child and the understanding is that he or she will have extra responsibility of molding the lifestyle of the child and our parents need to be recommended for that.

At least everyone has a role model or some one he admires and want to live like him or her. Is the one you admire and want to live like him or her lifestyle worth emulating? If yes then you are on the right path to achieve success in life. If no then you have to reconsider and make a right choice.

For instance, I have admired former President John Agyekum Kufuor so much that his majestic walking and dressing in African wears make me like him. Beyond that, his patience in attending to burning issues, the way he talk about peace and handled insults hurled at him when in office can make every one learn how to be humble and patient. It was not surprising that he was elected chairman of the OAU before leaving office.

However, my best role model has been the president of the United States of America Mr. Barack Obama, a man well noted for his humility, patience, and respect for the old, young and to those who have different opinions from what he has. Look at the way he receives standing ovation everywhere he goes to address a gathering. Such a person is called a role model for one to emulate.

His respect for other presidents was observed when he stood up to receive the president of Venezuela Hugo Charves as was shown in the news. No wonder his election as the president of the U.S of A, is seeing a great change for peace. His recent speech that assured the Moslem world that America is not fighting against them but that of terrorists, actually was a peaceful message which has brought tension down and it is hoped that total peace will be at hand between America and all its enemy countries and the world over.

Who is your role model? Let us begin to look for role models and I mean persons we can emulate and start to live a worthy lifestyles. Let us begin to look for role models or mentors for our youth to emulate so that they can stay away from gangsterism and stick to their books to become future leaders and it is by so doing we can be assured of total peace in this world that we are living today after we have also filed away for the generation unborn to inherit.

Credit: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto.
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