Thoughts Of A Nima Boy: Congratulations, Bushira Muhammed Zuka

On Friday, August 3^rd, 2018, I was at the graduation ceremony of the Ghana Institute of Journalism to solidarize with a couple of friends of mine who have successfully completed their studies in that great communication school. It took place at the uncompleted GIJ campus at Okponglo, a decision that saw the rector come out to explain that it was hinged on several factors. That is not my mutton in this piece.

I met a lot of acquaintances beaming with smiles out of happiness for their successful completion. I also saw many friends filled with profound joy that epitomized the fact that a giant stride has been taken and an arduous task has been seen through. After all, happiness is “the feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome” as answered by Friedrich Nietzsche in his controversial book, The Antichrist.

What nearly snatched my joy away was the numerous friends I met that never gave a hint nor invited friends and family for their graduation for the uninspiring reason that it was only a Diploma. I got saddened by this low show of confidence. There are thousands at home who cannot even imagine not to talk of dreaming to get to that high level. I only had to let them know I am highly disappointed in the reasoning and also reassure them with the words of the Persians "I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."

Out of the graduating hundreds, the ‘object of my interest’ that day was a lady who began her elementary education at a crèche with an interesting name as Adom Early Childhood Development Centre. Her name is Bushira Mohammed Zuka.

Once upon a time, we collaborated to write a piece about the Ghana Academy of Muslim Professionals’ Annual Vacation School (which is currently running) and also she contributed pieces on my blog Thoughts of a Nima Boy.

I therefore wish to celebrate her. Celebration they say “inspires growth.”

I will let her tell us about her journey. It was Kwame Nkrumah, the one who knows, that stated that “Those who would judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we started.” She started as a young girl from the cradle and now a woman fully blossomed with intelligence.

Bushira:
“After Adom, I proceeded to Meadow Preparatory School for my basic and Junior high school education. I was a good student, I mean an excellent student. I was one of the ladies who competed with the brilliant guys in my school. It was as a result of this that I became the Senior Girls' Prefect at the Primary level.

I was also part of the students who represented my school for the Papaye Excellence Awards. Then I wrote my BECE. Even though I had grade 9, I wasn't so much impressed with my performance. My first choice of the schools was Aburi Girls then Krobo Girls. The third choice was Swedru Senior High School.

Aburi Girls was my dream school. I really wanted to be in that school.

I chose business in all the schools except for Swedru Senior High where I chose General Arts. The day I got to know I had Swesco, I really cried. I felt my dream of pursuing the Business course was coming to an end since I was so good in Maths. All my JHS teachers wanted me to pursue that. I accepted what fate has brought to my end and went to Swesco to pursue the Arts. At the end of my study, I never regretted going to Swesco. In the words of Dalai Lama, “It is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck if we fail to get what we want.”

I made friends who are now family. Interestingly, my performance in school kept going down. Maybe I played too much without concentrating on my books. But all the same we completed and then again after SHS, I didn't know what I wanted to do. Someone advised me to pursue communication studies since the person realized I'm able to communicate well. He also advised that, after pursuing that, I should proceed to do law. I thought of it and realized it was great. So I decided to go to GIJ since it's one of the best Communication School in sub Saharan Africa. Today I'm proud I paid heed to the advice of my friend.”

Congratulations elephantly, Bushira Muhammed Zuka. It is a tour de force.

A remarkable feat. This is just the beginning. Work hard and unleash the potential in you which the author Brain Tracy likened to “a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good.”

I leave you with the words of Max Ehrmann in his poem Desiderata.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

[email protected]
Inusah Mohammed.
NB: The writer is a Youth Activist, a Student of Knowledge and a Book Salesman.