To Whom Much is Given Much is Expected (Luke 12:48)
(Message to GSSAAA 2/23/10)

Exceptionalism. That is a concept that grabs you by the shirt collar and says: “Pay attention!”. We hear it used in reference to the USA. And by Americans themselves! Detractors scoff: “What arrogance!” Critics snicker: “What self centeredness and self conceit!” You know what? I do not begrudge them that self characterization much as I wish they would be a little more self effacing. The truth is that the USA does not act like other nations. She is an unusually large hearted nation. Go and study the Berlin airlift, the Marshall plan, the Peace Corps, the ASPAU scholarships, the War over Kosovo, the volcanic eruption in Goma, the President’s AIDS drug program in Sub-Saharan Africa, the tsunami in Asia, the Pakistani earthquake, the Haiti earthquake disaster. In all these cases, the USA led the way. They acted selflessly, at least on the face of it. Whenever they direct their national energy at something, something extraordinary happens: A man lands on the moon and is brought safely back to earth. A son of sub-Saharan Africa is improbably installed in the White House. The world stops and takes note. And marvels… No other culture comes close.

Gentlemen, I put it to you that you belong to a group about whom the word exceptionalism also applies. GSSA was an exceptional school. You all therefore wear this mantle of exceptionalism whether you like it or not. We were given an exceptional educational opportunity that enabled many of us to reach heights of personal success that would otherwise have remained only a dream – an unattainable dream. But the mantle of exceptionalism comes with duties. Noblesse oblige. Exceptional people are expected to live up to this billing by doing exceptional things. When they do stuff, the world should stop, take notice and marvel. We now have been presented with that once in a lifetime opportunity to do something big. Something important and of lasting value. Something that will impress the world.

Our people back home are starving for good educational opportunities. Many will go to the ends of the earth and pay through the nose to find it for their children. With a little selflessness, we have a wonderful opportunity to offer them one such opportunity at GSSA. And that is only for starters. But we must all learn to think in new ways. Ways that are befitting of the mantle of exceptionalism that our “primus inter pares” billing has thrust upon us. We must not sell our institutional pedigree short by doing otherwise.

In Luke 12:48, the bible tells us that “To whom much is given, much is expected”.

There is no question about the fact that much has been given to us. Shall we live up to expectation? The current fundraising effort for the restoration of our beloved alma mater gives us the opportunity to pay heed to this biblical precept. Donations are gifts, not a levy. No one is required to give anything. It is all completely voluntary. The words of the bible however ask us to live up to the mantle that we wear by reason of the bounty which Almighty God has seen fit to bestow on us. The bible did not say that if much is given to you, you should only share it with your family and give a little to the common good. It says that if you are given much, you should give much. Therefore if the good Lord saw fit to give you much, you should not act like a metaphorical widow by giving a widow’s mite, unless of course you are actually a metaphorical widow. Be large hearted. Be generous. You know that large heartedness and generosity will not break you. Good deeds attract good deeds. Givers never lack.

No one should, however, give more than he can afford given the totality of his financial situation which he alone should know. Some of us will not be able to make a contribution because they are in dire financial straits. That is understandable. Any one who is able should make a contribution no matter how small. We need a healthy mix of donors in all denominations – large and small and everything in between. Just as a handful of big donors alone will not cut it, small contributions alone will not either. If you happen to be one of those to whom much has been given, please find it in your heart to give much back for much is expected of you. Nonetheless we welcome whatever you see fit to give. But no matter what you give, remember that it is all voluntary. It is therefore not necessary to seem to be defensive by giving reasons why you are unable to donate more. We do not need to know about your financial circumstances. That should remain in your private domain. No one will accuse any one of not giving enough or of not giving at all. Besides giving reasons why you should not be expected to give generously would seem to imply that those who contribute generously do not know what to do with their money. So let no one feel that they have to defend their contribution. We are delighted by all contributions from all and sundry no matter how seemingly small.

Already many of us have stepped up to the plate and made generous donations. The Nnachi challenge now in its final week is a great opportunity for us to amplify our gift thanks to the magnanimity of one of our own. I appeal to all to make every effort to avail themselves of this wonderful opportunity and thereby make more funds available for the worthy cause of restoring our magnificent alma mater. I thank Manager David Nwachukwu for stepping up to the plate with a generous donation just announced.

The current condition of our alma mater shames and affronts us all. But we do not just stand by and wring our hands. That is not the kind of people we are. We know what other people don’t know. We see things the way other people don’t because our mindset and perspectives are different. We think as other people don’t think. We have here an opportunity to leave an epic story of a great deed behind us “when we shall have shuffled off this mortal coil”. A story that will reverberate down the ages. It will be a story of points of light in an era of darkness. We shall thereby have made our lives sublime and, departing, left behind us what Longfellow called “foot prints on the sands of time”. If confronted with a similar situation in future, a future crop of GSSA alumni will know what to do. They will have a template for action. They will go and read the footprints on the sands of time. Our footprints.

Obi NwasokwaChairman, Board of Trustees, GSSAAA