#prof.samueladams

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐫: 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬

This picture was taken on a deeply significant day in my life. It was on my 28th birthday, and the very day I completed my first postgraduate degree, the Master of Public Administration (MPA) on Friday, 15th December, 2023. Beyond the personal milestone it represents, this photograph carries an even greater meaning: it is a tribute to a man whose investment in my life transcended the classroom; 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬.

My journey with Prof. Adams began on Friday, 9th September 2022, at exactly 6:00 pm, at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). That evening marked the very first official class meeting of our MPA cohort (Class of 2023). It was our first gathering as a group, filled with anticipation, uncertainty, and quiet ambition. As was customary, we took turns to introduce ourselves. Recognising the need for coordination and leadership, the class proceeded to select course representatives to liaise with faculty and ensure the smooth running of our academic journey.

Mr. Derrick Mante was unanimously elected as the Course Representative, owing to the warmth, confidence, and liveliness with which he introduced himself, and his willingness to serve. I was also unanimously nominated to assist him. That decision, seemingly administrative at the time, would later become part of a much larger story of trust, responsibility, and mentorship.

Shortly after, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬 walked into the classroom. That moment, in hindsight, was destiny quietly unfolding. He welcomed us formally to GIMPA and introduced himself, along with the course he would be teaching that semester: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Prof. Adams is a distinguished Professor of Public Administration and Policy, who had officially retired from public service the year prior. Yet, due to his vast experience, deep institutional memory, and rare mastery of the discipline, GIMPA brought him back, not merely to teach, but to shape minds.

From the very first lecture, it was clear that this was no ordinary academic encounter. Prof. Adams did not only teach theory; he brought Public Administration to life. He laid solid foundations; conceptual, historical, practical, and ethical, while weaving in decades of lived experience in governance and public service. But beyond the content, it was his wisdom, humility, discipline, and fatherly presence that drew me closer.

Before long, I discovered that I had found more than a lecturer. I had found a mentor. Even more profoundly, I had found a father.

As the semester progressed, Prof. Adams took a personal interest in my growth. We scheduled several one-on-one meetings; conversations that went far beyond coursework. We spoke about my career trajectory, leadership aspirations, faith, and even some personal challenges. He listened patiently, counselled generously, and guided firmly. At times, he would even call me himself; a privilege I never took lightly. Each interaction reinforced the depth of his investment in my life.

The second semester commenced on Monday, 16th January 2023, and once again, Prof. Adams was assigned to teach us, this time in what would become one of the most defining courses of my professional journey: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. This course did not just sharpen my intellectual capacity; it reshaped the way I think about leadership, institutions, systems, and long-term impact.

By this time, our relationship had matured into one built on trust and mutual respect. In an extraordinary demonstration of confidence, Prof. Adams entrusted me with a responsibility few students ever experience: he asked me to mark and grade my colleagues’ term work, which constituted 𝟒𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. In effect, I served as his assistant -almost like an assistant lecturer.

That responsibility came with its own challenges, resistance, and inevitable “brouhaha” from colleagues. Yet through it all, I stood firmly, strengthened by the trust Prof. Adams had placed in me. It was not merely an academic task; it was a leadership crucible. I learned fairness, courage, discretion, and accountability; lessons that no textbook could teach. And yes, despite the pressure, it was an experience I truly enjoyed.

On my graduation day, standing (and sitting) with Prof. Samuel Adams for a photograph was not just ceremonial. It was deeply symbolic. I was standing beside the man who had poured into me intellectually, professionally, and personally — a man who treated me not just as a student, but as one of his own sons.

This picture, therefore, is a public acknowledgment of a private debt of gratitude.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬, thank you for your time, your patience, your confidence in me, your guidance, your mentorship, and your fatherly love. Thank you for believing in me even when the journey was still unfolding. Your impact on my life is indelible, and your legacy lives on through the lives you have shaped.

May God richly bless you, sir.