Sir Sam Jonah, Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has called on students to study the life and career of Vice President Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as a source of inspiration and a practical example of what can be achieved from humble beginnings.
Speaking at the Distinguished Fellow Award Ceremony, Sir Sam Jonah addressed students directly, highlighting the shared experiences that connect them to the Vice President.
“To our students, and I speak to you directly, for you are the reason this University exists, I want you to look carefully at the woman we honour today,” he said.
He reminded students that Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s journey began in environments much like their own.
“She sat in classrooms not unlike the ones you sit in now. She walked the same grounds you walk. She faced the same doubts, the same pressures, and the same temptations to underestimate herself that every student faces. Yet she chose, again and again, the harder path — the path of diligence, courage, and service,” Sir Sam Jonah said.
The Chancellor also stressed that university education should extend beyond preparing students for jobs.
“The education you receive at UCC is not merely preparation for employment. It is preparation for leadership. It is preparation to contribute meaningfully. It is preparation to become the kind of person who, one day, may stand where Professor Opoku-Agyemang stands today — not because you sought recognition, but because you gave your all to something greater than yourself,” he explained.
He concluded with a call to action for students: “Let her life be your instruction. Let her example be your ambition.”