Renowned political scientist Mutahi Ngunyi today received the Grand Warrior Shield for outstanding leadership and mentorship. This was for service he rendered among young people in church many years ago. Ngunyi predicted that the African renaissance will start in Kenya, and specifically in Eastlands, in Nairobi. He gave the example of the much-publicised Jubilee government’s National Youth Service programme, one of his brain-childs, together with other experts from Eastlands. He gave the prediction during a solemn ceremony in a church in Eastlands, where he was a youth leader and grew up in the 70s and 80s. He was among a group of visionary young people who started a leadership, mentorship and discipleship programme at the Nairobi Christian Centre in the mid-80s, which has stood the test of time. “For us to cause change, we must show up. If it’s got to be, it’s got to be me,” he told the audience, charging them to be agents of change in their communities and not waiting for change to come from elsewhere. Ngunyi was the key-note speaker, giving a speech full of history, insight, wisdom and wit. He recalled events that happened many years ago in his youth, and which helped to shape the person that he is today. Speaking on the topic, ‘Creating a Legacy’, he challenged the audience to challenge God for big things and things that will bring glory to God’s name. “Stay hungry and stay foolish, always yearn for more,” he told the audience, adding that was the only way they will stay relevant and be able to find their purpose in life. “God likes people who are relevant. Spend time with God and He will speak to you,” he said, encouraging the people to stay close to God to achieve their God-inspired aspirations. He encouraged those present to find their purpose in life, by asking God to find the reason for their existence. According to Ngunyi, creating a legacy requires four ingredients. 1. It doesn’t go wrong, it starts wrong. He says that if the foundation is poor, then the execution will not work. 2. The law of critical few over the trivial majority. He says one man with the right idea is the majority. 3. The idea must be sticky. He says people must want any idea that we come up with. He revealed that after the Kenyan government unveiled the new National Youth Service, many countries in Africa want to replicate the same in their countries. Ngunyi, together with other young men who have gone forth to become influential members of the Kenyan society, started the mentorship and discipleship group, which is hinged on three pillars: Prayer, Evangelism and Partnership. Thousands of young people have passed through the programme that started in the mid-80s. His vision is to start a university in the years to come. The shields were given to Ngunyi, now a professor, and Dr. Omondi Newa, a lecturer at United States International University, one of the men who helped to start the leadership programme, which was celebrating 31 years since inception. The shields were presented by the church’s senior pastor, Fred Gitahi, on behalf of Bishop Peter Njiiri of the Kenya Assemblies of God. Now you know Ngunyi’s spiritual side, aside from his much known political tyranny of numbers!
コメント