Denis Andaban Appreciates Your Continuous Support Upon Wining The NUGS Excellence Award..

I struggled in my efforts to assemble this succinct piece. The reason is simple, when the GRACE of God dawn on you, you act unconsciously. I have been speechless since yesterday but have finally gathered some amount of momentum to say thank you to the GOOD LORD for how far HE has brought me. He has been my redeemer, security and motivation.

Secondly, let me use this opportunity to announce to the general public that I won the NUGS Excellence Award as the Best Student Writer of the year 2017/2018. The event held yesterday, Sunday 18th, 2018, shall remain as part of my life history. This is the second time I have won that noble prize. I won the award last year, 2016/2017. I believe that my ability to defend the title emanates from your continues support in numerous ways. In fact, there are many hands behind the scene that motivate me to research and write good pieces so as to occupy a niche in the comity of writing, in this country.  The award has added up to the numerous motivation and I am more than ready to elevate the standards towards a relative perfection. I do vividly remember that after last years award, I was able to penetrate the system with competence through few articles that were republished on BBC news Website. It is my hope, this year, to widen the scope of my writing to cover other equally pertinent issues such as love and relationship, cultural and human rights issues. I think that our writing must be directed towards the general good of the people.

As a socialist and a budding Pan Africanist, creating a society of moral standards, sociopolitical excellence cannot be relegated to the background in my writing career. Young writers like our calibre must adopt an integrative approach that can offer pragmatic remedies to the many predicaments facing society.

In my effort to helping arrest some of these cancerous impediments, I won't  leave those who create discomfort in society through sheer greed, selfishness and parochialism to go unnoticed. We must continue to expose such heartless individuals who are careless about the general welfare of society. That would be a standpoint to advocate for the right attitude  required in good citizenship that can better propel national development. There is no way we can ensure any realistic growth in our society without instilling the right values, attitudes and attributes among ourselves. We may have the best of vision, lofty ideas and developmental plans, but without the required attitudes and competence to implement them, we shall be tickling our selves and laughing over nothing.

Again, I want to thank all those who have been following my pieces. I still urge you to give me your support in any kind to pursue my aim. I look forward to getting a good space in the print media.

I particularly want to thank the organizers of the award program who recognized my contributions to institutional and national development through writing. Special thanks go to Solomon Cudjoe the NUGS president of the University of Education, Winneba Kumasi, whose passion has been working very hard to resource young students to become credible and independent individuals after graduating from the University.

 The manner in which the whole program was organized, leaves no doubts that the NUGS Excellence awards has been seeing facelift. The tumultuous numbers that turned up for the program gives credence to my assertion.

While I sat  down enjoying the highlife tunes blowing over my mind, from the well set up live band, one thing that  kept resonating in my mind, was how young men of our calibre can contribute positively enough to development even in the blind side of the corner. I was demoralised at a point not because I anticipated I would not win the award but because I became emotional over the inability of student leaders at our level to wheel around a common vision in contributing to development. As I type, the National Union of Ghana Students in our country still remains divided along political lines, a situation that is inimical to the healthy growth of the future leaders of this country.

It is conspicuously excruciating that we, young intellectuals compromise principle and conscience, character and morality just for political expediency. This sardonic narrative is well orchestrated by some diabolic and parochial politicians who manipulate the vulnerable youth for unmeritorious gains. This cannot continue!!

 All award winners of this years' NUGS award must contribute to a united student front to help better the educational status quo we have. I am sure, this shall be a substantive issue in another write up.

Conclusively, I thank all the students of the University of Education, Winneba, Kumasi especially Hon members of Students' Parliament, whose loyalty keeps me growing, Student Bar Association, Debate Society and lastly Students in the Department of Languages. The award is not an achievement but an added responsibility. Expect more from me in the coming days.


Denis Andaban
denisandaban@gmail.com
0549734023