Founding President and Executive Dean of Nobel International Business School, Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gima has become the first guest on the 5th edition of the Y Leaderboard Series hosted by Ghana’s number one urban radio station, YFM.
The academician engaged host Rev. Erskine on his upbringing, education, family and life mantra. Growing up with nine sisters and three brothers in Kyebu in the Ashanti Region, Professor Atuahene-Gima related that such a humble beginning taught him the values of simplicity and humility.
These qualities, he said have shaped him into the man he is today. It is thus not surprising that this accomplished man still finds it “humbling” that people celebrate him for his contribution to knowledge. He adds that as an academic, it does not feel tiring to produce more knowledge because academics are curious.
Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gima appealed to the youth to cultivate that strong desire to learn and know more as academics do. He added the youth must be curious as that is the only way to be innovative and create something worthwhile.
Sharing his personal experience of how curiosity made him creative, he related that his curiosity led him to question why every university has to start with an undergraduate education before introducing higher levels of education. Based on this question, he decided to set up the Nobel International Business School which starts from the doctorate education. “We are the first business school in the world to start with the doctorate,” he proudly mentioned.
He added that the school seeks to “develop and create executive doctors” who from time to time, will deliberate on issues to offer innovative solutions to various governments. The Professor admitted that his success in the academic field would not have been complete without the values he learnt in Mfantsipim Senior High School and in Belgium.
He attributes his high level of tolerance to his time spent at the Mfantsipim Senior High School for his A-level. Prior to gaining admission to the school, Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gima had the chance to live in Belgium. There, he learnt to build his self-worth as he had to be self-reliant during a time he was far away from his family in Ghana. While he keeps busy with education, research and knowledge, he never forsakes his first responsibility, which is to his family.
As a father, he has advised other parents that the best gift they can give to their children is to open up on their mistakes in life and how that has shaped them. He added that while education is equally important, a good parent should engage their children in discussions on their past mistakes, enlightening them on how they developed to be who they are presently.
Programmes Manager of YFM Accra, Eddy Blay, after the interview had this to say, “We are glad to bring back the show that informs and inspires. I bet it will be difficult for just any random young person to have a one-on-one talk with this celebrated educationist just to be inspired. But today, we made that happen, having him share the direction to the success every young person hopes to achieve. There is more we are yet to unfold. I will encourage every young person to follow the Y Leaderboard Series.”
