Standing before the graduating class, the Archbishop of Perez, Chapel International, and Honorary Chancellor of Perez University College, shared a heartfelt reflection that transcended personal achievement and spoke to the power of vision, discipline, and purpose.
“I stand before you today with a heart full of gratitude and a spirit of reflection,” he began, “grateful to be named a prized alumnus of this distinguished institution, Accra Metropolitan University, and reflective of a journey that has been both rigorous and rewarding.”
For someone whose work as a global evangelist spans over 96 nations, pursuing an MBA in Human Resource Management was no small decision. “I knew that if I were to embark on an economic journey, especially one as demanding as an MBA, I would need more than just a conventional university. I needed a dynamic, responsive, and forward-thinking institution that understood that leadership today is not confined to a classroom or a clock,” he explained. “I found that in Accra Metropolitan University.”
The Archbishop paid special tribute to the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Gorski Alabi, describing her as a “visionary leader and relentless academic mentor” whose insistence on excellence transformed his academic work. “Professor Gorski would carefully review my essays and thesis drafts, highlighting areas that needed sharpening and insisting, ‘Agbishop, you can do better than this.’ Her firm but gracious supervision turned my project from a good paper into a scholarly work that I am proud of today.”
Despite a demanding schedule of pastoring, conferences, and global crusades, the Archbishop embraced the hybrid model offered by the university: “The university made it possible for me to be present in person whenever I was in town and online with structured live sessions at least once a week, whether I was in Amsterdam, Port Harcourt, or Miami. It stretched me, yes, but it also shaped me, and that, I believe, is the mark of a truly global institution.”
Reflecting on how the MBA bridged his theological background with organisational leadership, he noted: “It has allowed me not only to lead spiritually but to understand organisational behaviour, human capital development, and ethical leadership from an academic lens. The discipline, structure, and rigour I gained here have significantly shaped my ongoing PhD journey at the Graduate School of Business in Malta.”
To fellow graduates, his message was both empowering and sobering: “Today, we are not just receiving certificates; we are receiving mandates. Leadership in the 21st century demands more than charisma; it requires clarity of vision, emotional intelligence, strategic agility, and ethical responsibility.”
He urged them to see themselves as catalysts for transformation in organisations, communities, and the nation at large: “The leadership insights we’ve gained here, from managing human resources to understanding institutional systems, will be tools with which we build businesses, reform churches, transform communities, and contribute to nation-building.”
In closing, his words blended hope, faith, and a challenge to act:
“As we rise from this convocation, let us go with courage. Let us lead with humility, share with excellence, and remember the world is not waiting for more spectators but for men and women prepared to lead with wisdom, compassion, and conviction.
To the leadership, faculty, and staff of Accra Metropolitan University, thank you for creating a space where learning meets life and purpose meets preparation. And to all present, thank you for being part of this momentous day. May God bless Accra Metropolitan University, and may He bless each of us to lead with integrity wherever we go.”
By Peter Quao Adattor
