BEST WISHES TO A DISTINGUISHED STUDENT LEADER, HON FRANCO OF UEW-K FAME

Since morning, I have been reading numerous messages being extended to Hon Franco by numerous student politicians cum student leaders. I tried very hard to weave some words together as a eulogy for this gentleman but failed on several attempts. I simply lacked words and expressions that can better describe a young man many consider as a role model and mentor in the area of leadership. However, I must put these words together in my attempt to joining many others to mark this historic day in the fraternity of student politics. A great personality like Franco, celebrating his milestone means a lot to many of us who follow him keenly for the few years we have spent on the land of COLTEK.

It is my humble anticipation that my colleague student politician will appreciate my inferior eulogy if I may so describe, for lack of better words.

My today's uncommon deficiency in the flow of the Queen's language is largely precipitated by the caliber of person being celebrated. His distinguished leadership, personality traits, his creativity among other enviable attributes make it problematic to describe him with a level of precision and confidence.

I got to know this gentleman when I was a novist among in student politics especially in the house of intellectuals, STUDENT PARLIAMENT. At the time, he was the deputy minority leader. I do remember his boss was Hon Eric Dumenu. The combination of the duo made things very difficult for the majoring. Franco's ability to twist the subject matter by pouncing on the weaknesses of his opposing side, made me develop a strong sense of admiration for him. Soon I named him within me as a mudfish, very slippery to catch. When I started rising in the HOUSE I was simply trying a strategy not to beat him in any debate but to technically stopped him for my side to flow in the debate. I'm sure he can remember this.

What even made me deeply admire the tall lanky handsome man is that he never gives up in anything he begins. He contested for SRC president with the likes of Dapilaa, Kojo and others. At the time, I told a friend that Franco was too young to lead and many others had used same parameter to vote against him. He loss the elections, went back to the drawing board and came to contest again for the SRC president in the 2016/2017 academic year. This time he had tremendously gained a lot of experience. Unfortunately he loss the lection in a runoff to Clifford Tuffour the incumbent SRC president.

Many have thought that Franco would have retired from student politics having staged a second world war and loss bitterly but he proved many wrong.

Hon Franco behind the scene creatively worked out a plan that surprised me. He maintained his support base intact, and I think they have a name like  "Rebirth community." He used that community intelligently to give birth to one of the strongest Association on campus call the DEBATE SOCIETY. Within, some few months, the society became the talk of campus and beyond. They organized a debate for all departments. That was unprecedented in the history of this University. I was privilege to be the debate coach for my department (ASSOL). When we won the ultimate in that debate, I was not thinking of the victory but the brain behind the formation of debate society. The performance of the debate society today is no news and I will not bore my readers by cataloguing their achievements. No wonder they won the best STUDENT ASSOCIATION for 2018 in the recent NUGS Excellence Award Night.

We need the caliber of Franco in the transformation of COLTEK and its leadership. He has demonstrated enough competence to the admiration of many students, his humility, creativity, good interpersonal relationship and deep understanding of institutional network, makes him a distinguished leader that must be studied as a subject by those who aspire to be leaders here.

Behind the scenes, I learn from Franco, humorously called "opposition leader."
He keeps encouraging me and I do appreciate and pray that I have such a competent leader in my  network.

Franco, I do not have more expressions to narrate and describe how your leadership credentials have infected me positively but I do pray endlessly that the GOOD LORD will guide you and give you more years on earth, wisdom and strength needed to continue to impart society.

Your contributions are largely recognized behind the scene and you shall harvest in due  time. When that time comes, do remember an ordinary student writer called Denis Andaban.

I succinctly wish you a joyous day as you celebrate your birthday. Even though, the "community" failed to invite me for the jollification, I shall make time within my means to dine and wine with you in grace.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾
Long live.


From: an ordinary student writer, Denis Andaban