A letter to Africa

Dear Africa, 

If I could write you a letter what would I tell you. To say that I am discouraged is true, But to say I have hope is not a lie. I have put my heart into you Africa and I need you to hear me. If not for me, then for your children. I want you to be free Africa. Free to be what you were made to be. I see you in the children and I wish I could live again. I hear you among the women and feel the pain. Their struggles are my struggles. I hear you among the men and I challenge you to arise and lead. Africa why do you hide. How long will you abide until you miss the tide. Africa we must go where you can only grow. Africa, o Africa in the heart of my soul you hold the light of dignity and the spirit of freedom. You cannot be afraid Africa. You can be what no man can know. Arise and lead. in freedom, hope dignity and the destiny of tomorrow. Arise Africa – Arise.

Food for thought

Counsel is limited in time. When that time passes you must pay the price!

Allan Bukusi

Be the leader Africa needs

BE THE LEADER AFRICA NEEDS

ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES, I want to say a few words of encouragement and share with you a gift of hope. My colleagues at AWARD and I acknowledge the weight of the responsibility shouldered by all the people in this room for the transformation of this continent.

My colleagues and I have spent three days with you on a journey. The journey you have undertaken with BEHEARD is no small commitment to the transformation of this continent. For now, you are under scholarship and sponsorship, but it is a journey only you can complete and bring to fulfillment. The dreams we heard in this room of Ministers, leaders of agricultural institutions and policy makers are worth fighting for. To paraphrase Nelson Mandela, “if a man has nothing to die for he is not fit to live”. Your commitment to the next generation will bring these dreams to reality. The scriptures tell us that life is short and we all have but a few breaths on earth and then we are gone. Nonetheless, let it never be said that you spent your time here in vain

Some of you are young students, but we have mothers and fathers present in this room too who have left their homes to run without them to pursue a dream that will outlive them. Whether you come from rich or poor families or were sent here by your institutions of countries, you carry the dreams of families, communities and more than a million people. We want to say that we are proud of you and know that your sacrifice will bear great fruit. However, Success is not worth it if all you do is achieve it. – It must be shared, enjoyed and made meaningful to others.

The gift we share with you today is neither academic nor scientific, but it will serve to remind you of the nature of the real transformation we all hope to see across Africa. We hope that you will become the agent of change in your environment and ensure that people no longer talk about leaders as other people, but of leaders as people who do what you do. Remember that your job is not to manage people and solve problems but to align them and inspire them to pursue and achieve a new reality.

When we began this course two day ago the greatest concern in this room was of the quality of leadership in Africa. We have concluded the third day with the infusion of 54 new agents of change on the continent - One person for each country in Africa and one person for every week of the year. Some of you may have discovered yourselves at this conference, but we know for sure that you can now provide leadership in any position you are in an organization.

With those few remarks allow me to say that though we have trained you and empowered you with skills  and wisdom that was passed on to us, we want you to know that we share in your struggle for self actualization, and also in your dream for the empowerment of people in Agriculture. My colleagues have worked long and hard to ensure they gave you the very best. We know that you will do the same for your people. We urge you to be the Leader Africa needs!

God Bless Africa.

Allan Bukusi

My love must let you go...

When you asked to leave me this time, I felt sad and hurt inside

Not because it was the first time, but because I made you cry

You said I did not love you, even though you tried so hard

I couldn’t understand it because my heart is open wide

In the comfort of my arms I held you, but the prison of my love made you die

This is not the first time that you have left me, but this time I am weary.

I am all torn up inside and so I must decide

In the morning when this is over I hope you change your mind

I want to hold on to you forever, but now I know that can never be.

And If I never ever lose you, then I must let you go.

I cannot promise you a fairy, nor call my love a lie.

But if you feel that its time, then you must say good bye.

All I pledge to is not to leave you and keep an open door.

For the love I have inside me must let you walk out that door

I won’t say goodbye to the good times nor ever to the bad  

But the sad part I must face is to say goodbye to my heart

I don’t want to hold on to you and indeed I never could

So I must tell my heart to let you go.

Like a bird that has been set free,

My love must let you go.

I had a dream once. I had a dream

I had a dream once. I had a dream

I had a dream that I could change the world

I wanted to build and build a better place

I dreamed of a happy place with no fighting and no fears

I worked hard and believed in my dream

I had a dream once. I had a dream

I dreamed I had a perfect family and a place I call home

I had a dream once.

I dreamed a dream with no disease and only hope

I had a dream once, I had a dream.

I dreamed that one day it would come true

I had a dream once. I had a dream

I had a dream to end all wars and solve all problems

And put a smile on all the children

I has a dream once, I had a dream

Allan Bukusi

The mystery of life

The mystery of life is that you keep getting older and things keep changing around you.

You wish you were, but you can no longer.

You thought you should, but you no longer would even if you could.

You wish you had, but now it is just too bad.

But even the things you did then that you thought would bring you happiness now are no longer the same. They are not be appreciated now as much as you thought then.

 Nonetheless you can still find joy in whatever life is left for hope, sunrise and surprise never give up even when your energies wane.

So what is left of all the haste to get on in life but to say that, whatever your fate, at any rate, find peace in that you have done your best and so can rest and by grace you will pass Gods test.

Allan Bukusi

The royal weevil

The cook went and told the chef that there was a weevil in the soup. The chef told the store manager there was a weevil in the soup. The manager thought about it and mentioned it to the palace administrator. The Administrator mentioned to the visiting court minister that there was a weevil in the soup. When the matter came to the attention of the King, he pondered it for a while then adjourned the business of the court. The King, being fleet of foot swept down the stairway with all the ambassadors in pursuit. He flashed past the office of state on the castle grounds and made his way to the royal kitchens. When the kitchen cabinet completed their briefing the King issued his most famous executive order- “Remove the weevil from the soup!” .

...how high up do decisions need to be made?

Allan Bukusi