Category Archives: Education

Education, Health, issues, Politics, Spiritual

Courage Isn’t Enough

My dad often chastised me with potent words and phrases so weighty that I had to research their meaning. An example is a quote from William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, where the character Falstaff declares, “The better part of valour is discretion.” He would hammer those words into my consciousness whenever I displayed a passionate but narrow focus on accomplishing something, often at the expense of other important matters.

Dad thought of my teenage passions as unguided fervour, lacking the balancing virtue of wisdom. I disagreed most of the time, but now I have come to deeply appreciate what he meant. Looking back, I recognize the many near-tragedies that would have befallen me had it not been for the power of circumspection. Yes, valour (courage and bravery) has opened many doors for me, leading to numerous victories. But the better side of the story is that discretion taught me which battles to fight and how to win them.

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Education, issues

DOING THE BAREST MINIMUM?

ARE YOU DOING THE BAREST MINIMUM?

I was catching up on TV news this morning and the producers were having audio challenges with the guest. This got me thinking about why this often happens with our local media stations and you rarely find this in foreign ones. I’m not making a comparison, but I’m concerned about the little “foxes” that typically lead to these kinds of outcomes wherever you find them. I call it the concept of the barest minimum.

Barest minimum often refers to the most basic level of effort, resources, or standards needed to achieve a result. It’s about doing just enough to meet the requirements without extra effort or enhancement. This concept can apply to various contexts, such as work, projects, education, personal tasks, and even human character.

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Education, issues, Politics

Where are the “Ndugus”?

Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda’s former prime minister speaking during an interview in New York, U.S. on Thursday, July 23, 2015. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Ruhakana Rugunda

Several years ago, while an intern at a non-profit, I had the privilege of being assigned the task of reaching out to a list of African UN Ambassadors who had been invited by a few Seattle-based top US companies. My job was to secure the commitment of these Ambassadors to go on this all-important trip.

I eventually secured the commitment of 8 Ambassadors, one of which was the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Uganda to the United Nations, H.E, Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda.

Of all the UN Ambassadors I visited, only Amb. Rugunda agreed to personally meet with me in his office for a discussion about the invitation and intended trip. I was highly honoured and he treated me with memorable respect despite visibly being an “errand boy”.

I became fond of him during the trip and met his wife also. He was a profound gentleman and was very lucid and clear-minded when he spoke. You could easily perceive the integrity of his person and the frankness of his ideas.

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