“Was I courageous or just very foolish?” With these surprising words Dr Emmanuel Taban began his address at our annual function on 28 September 2022. They certainly engaged the 200 strong audience, and he held us in the palm of his hand with his reflections on his book, his life journey, and his learnings to date.
“It was the kindness of the people I met along the way, together with the hardships which I faced that made me what I am today. When I started out on my journey walking from Sudan to South Africa, I had neither money nor clothes, and I was walking the wrong way! Always remember the importance of appreciating what we do have, understanding what we want, and never giving up!"
Reflecting on the rejection of the manuscript by the publishers when he first submitted it, he related, “I learned that I can only correct what is wrong with me, not with others. By blaming others, you are effectively locking yourself in prison and throwing the keys in the toilet. I realised that I needed to take responsibility for my own failures, and to be objective in assessing myself: my strengths and my weaknesses.”
He went on to say, “Life is full of hardships and challenges. You will never know success until you know failure. Be proud of yourself for all your accomplishments. Climb those mountains as you grow: through determination, strength, and courage you will step closer to your dream destination.”
What an inspirational message from The Boy who never gave up, and our very own Ruth First ambassador.
Dr Taban is pictured (centre) with four of our Ruthie Matrics who all received a copy of his book: from left to right Favour Oluwaleye, Escar Ndonga, Bessem Besong and Chiamaka Obi
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