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| H.E. Joaquim Alberto Chissano |
The
University for Development Studies (UDS) has conferred an honorary doctorate
degree (Honoris Causa; Doctor of Letters
Category) on the former President of Mozambique and Mo Ibrahim Prize winner
Joaquim Alberto Chissano at a special congregation held in Tamale.
The Governing Council and the Academic
Board of the UDS also conferred the degree on four other personalities who
helped in the establishment and management of the University in one way or the
other some 23 years ago.
They include: Professor Raymond Bagulo
Bening, founding Vice-Chancellor of the UDS; Naa Professor Abubakari Al-Hassan,
former Council Member of the UDS; Professor Emeritus Ebenezer Laing; and Dr.
Ahmed Hakeem Wemah, former Council Chairman of the UDS.
Besides, 116 postgraduate students who
successfully completed their academic programme and defended their dissertation
also graduated with degrees in Master of Arts, Master Science, Master of
Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy from the UDS Graduate School.
The conferring of the degree on Mr.
Chissano in particular, was preceded by a three-day lecture that began on
Thursday April 9, 2015 and climaxed on Saturday April 11, 2015 with the last of
the three part lecture series.
Mr. Chissano arrived in Tamale last
Wednesday to deliver various lectures at this year’s African Leadership Lecture
programme. The lecture was the third edition organised annually to seek the
perspectives of former African Heads of State on governance, leadership and
development. Previous former African Heads of State who delivered similar
lectures were Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Flt.
Lt. Jerry John Rawlings of the Republic of Ghana in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
The lectures were on: (i) The evolution of
the strong visionary leadership of the frontline states and its contribution to
the liberation struggle in Southern Africa; (ii) Reflection on leadership, good
governance and development in Africa; and (iii) leadership and conflict
resolution in Africa.
It is the conviction of the UDS that
African leaders have the opportunity and the resources to transform the
continent by pursuing prudent scientific and development policies as well as
nurturing indigenous talents.
The University also holds the view that,
African leaders can transform their individual nations and the continent by
recognizing and harnessing the contributions of experts and individuals inside
and outside their national universities.
It believes that, in Africa’s quest to
achieve internal integration and become a key player in global affairs, there
is the need for deep reflection on the sort of leaders the continent requires.
The continent, it indicates, requires innovative leaders and thinkers who will
drive its development and growth.
The African Leadership Lectures is
therefore a platform to subject the issues of leadership and development in
Africa to the required critical thought. The lectures intends to contribute to
a national and transnational discourse on productive leadership culture that
will support and enhance African development; facilitate and create an
environment for a discourse and action on leadership; create a forum to inspire
positive and innovative leadership initiatives as well as stimulate and
initiate a platform for an action on constructive leadership in Ghana and
Africa.
President John Dramani Mahama commended
management of the UDS for their sustained effort towards organising the African
Leadership Lectures annually, and encouraged the University to endeavour to document
all the lecturers for future generation to learn and imbibe in them good
leadership qualities.
In a speech read for him by Minister of
Local Government and Rural Development Alhaji Collins Dauda, President Mahama said
he was also aware of efforts by the University management to establish a Centre
for Energy to find solution to the numerous energy problems that had bedevilled
the country.
To Mr. Chissano, he commended him for his outstanding
achievements over the years saying, “the award given to you by the UDS further
challenges you to do more in the coming years”.
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| Prez John Mahama |
Since leaving the presidency Mr. Chissano
has assumed the role of elder statesman and campaigned for peace through his
work as an envoy and peace negotiator for the United Nations.
On December 4, 2006, the United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Mr. Chissano Special Envoy
of the Secretary-General to Northern Uganda and South Sudan to resolve the
conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
In 2007, he was awarded the inaugural US$5million
Prize for Achievement in African Leadership by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. He received
the Prize for his achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable
democracy and economic progress to his country following the 16-year civil war
which lasted until 1992. The Prize also recognised the major contributions he
made outside his country’s borders.
According to the award's judges "Mr
Chissano's decision not to seek a third presidential term reinforced
Mozambique's democratic maturity and demonstrated that institutions and the
democratic process were more important than the person".
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