Business titan Sir Sam Jonah used his acceptance speech at the EMY Africa Awards 2025 to send a timely and relevant message to the youth.
Jonah received the prestigious Ultimate Man of the Year Award on Saturday, November 22, 2025, where he addressed the youth directly with a series of pointed reflections drawn from his own journey.
“To the young people listening tonight, let me say this plainly: don’t wait for perfect conditions. Greatness is rarely born in comfort,” he said, stressing that progress often begins in moments of uncertainty rather than convenience.
Expanding on the values that shaped his career, Jonah emphasized consistency as the true engine of achievement. “If my journey has taught me anything at all, it is that excellence is not an episode. Excellence is a habit. Excellence is a discipline. It is a standard we must insist upon daily, even when no one is watching…”
He encouraged young Ghanaians to take bold steps, protect their dreams and anchor their ambitions in honesty. “If you have an idea, start. If you have a dream, protect it, and if you want to lead, lead first with integrity. For in a world overflowing with noise, it is character that speaks the loudest.”
Jonah also underlined his commitment to empowering future generations, noting that leadership includes creating opportunities for those coming behind. He spoke of “creating pathways so that the next generation can run faster, soar higher, and dream bigger than we could ever do.”
He closed his speech with gratitude, acknowledging the many people who shaped his path.
“I am the beneficiary of mentors who expanded my ambition, colleagues who matched my commitment and ordinary, hard-working Ghanaians whose toil forms the bedrock of every enterprise I’ve been privileged to lead,” he said.
