 Director, I have the honor to request that you confer the degree of Doctor of Literature, honoris causa upon Achaaba Adesebo. I've heard you of the authority invested in me. I confer the degree of Doctor of Literature, honoris causa on Achaaba Adesebo. Thank you so much for honoring Africa. We are celebrating Africa today. I'm humbled to be here before you. My wife, family, friends, and I are grateful to Lord Hastings, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Zainab Badawi, President, Provost Claire Ozen, Director, Professor Adam Habib, Director, Laura Hammond, Kadir Amir, Chief Operating Officer, Amapuku, Liberian and Ruki and the student body who have lifted me so high and placed me in the firmament of honest where I now hang. Like a shining star, I hang up there in the sky, not on my own but on the invisible shoulders and hands of those whose guidance and patience have brought me this far. I accept this honor in internal tribute to them. I accept this honor in tribute to Apoabo Primary School and other college teachers in Ghana who in the 1950s and 60s gave me this unique facility to read and write. In literal sense, it is these teachers who made me literate and instilled in me the discipline of reading, writing and asking questions. It is this unique gift that has brought me this far. Growing up, therefore, I read every literature that came in my way. I love the sound of what I read in my ears and head. The words spoke to me from the pages and animated me to inquire and discover. My mother, my mother loved to watch me and read. However, at about the age of nine, I asked my mother why she could not read. I held a book before her and told her to concentrate hard on the page and just read. I really wanted mommy to read and with me. The facility to read and write must not be denied any human being, young or old. To read and write is a human right. I accept this award for our world to respond to the urgency of decolonization based on history and not on the science of human classification. Colonialism is a dehumanizing construct that has to be deconstructed in all areas of human learning and national life. This is the challenge I place. I am also at the university. I appeal to the university to lead the way to reconstruct our common humanity. Yes, our common humanity free from the ravages of racism. I am boiling inside me with so much anger and frustration over our world of inequality and our world of environmental degradation. What sets me up most is our world of racism. Racism is odious. Racism hurts and it hurts so deep. Racism is dehumanizing and so is its handmade in colonialism. Racism, the colonial construct is dehumanizing and so to humanize our world we must consciously decolonize. This is the core message of Black History Month. Black History Month matters and Black History matters because Black History is a history of humanity. Yes, the history of our common one humanity. How can I use this award to benefit the university, Africa and the world? There are three issues that I dear to me. All involve the use of the power of global media and communication, academia and the youth to address the trauma of racism by celebrating diversity, the urgency of decolonization by hosting an international assembly on decolonization and development and so campaigning for the rights and needs of the world's most disadvantaged children I invite so as to consider these humanizing projects. I am disappointed with the leadership of my generation that has ruled Africa from the 1980s to the present. My generation has failed and betrayed a younger generation who risked their life to flee their countries to cross the desert and the sea in order to reach Europe for a better life. Societies in Africa are on the verge of collapse when you find the vast majority of the youth wake up in the morning with nothing to look forward to but misery and hopelessness. And come to think of it, where were most of the ruling elites of my generation educated? Not here? In Europe, US and Canada? The rule of my generation has shredded the integrity of Mother Africa. Now you grad ones, as you leave the walls of this esteemed university I encourage you to do everything that brings honor to the university Professors, lecturers, alumni and current students you order to them in your professional, public and private life you have a duty of care to protect and enhance their hard-end reputation as they have given you their shoulders to stand on in order to achieve Never let them down. This is how I approach my professional life I will not do anything that will bring disgrace to those who believe in me like Chancellor Williams, C. L. R. James, Henry Clapp, Amare Eidu, Lord Albury, Lord Jard, Lord Joel Joffee, Amare Eise, Kumar Rupi Senghe and those here with me, Tony Hollensweth and Sir Wong my wife, sisters, representing the family and John O'Faye representing my friends of literature it is their belief in me that has sustained me through thick and thin as you leave this friends house with your diplomas to enjoy this memorable day with family and friends I entreat you to go back to campus and in all your beaming smiles express gratitude to the cleanest Yes, to the cleanest administration and maintenance staff, gardeners, electricians, cleaners, drivers whose on sustained service provided you the excellent academic environment and the ladder on which to climb to achieve and do not forget what is through such acts of gratitude and endearment that true leaders are made for you lead to humanize lastly, for Africa to develop in its own image and interest Africa must decolonize we must decolonize to humanize we must decolonize to humanize we must decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize decolonize to humanize Thank you