Sir Sam Jonah has outlined a clear call for integrity, discipline and service-driven leadership during his address at the EMY Africa Awards 2025, where he received the Ultimate Man of the Year Award.
Speaking to an audience of continental leaders, industry figures and young achievers, he centered his message on responsibility and the need to build systems that enable the next generation to thrive.
“Leadership, ladies and gentlemen, through leadership, it’s not about grandeur, it’s not about titles. It is about service. It’s about responsibility,” he said, stressing that leadership must be rooted in accountability rather than prestige.
Jonah highlighted the duty to create opportunities for younger Africans, stating, “It’s about creating pathways so that the next generation can run faster, soar higher, and dream bigger than we could ever do.”
He acknowledged the support that shaped his own rise. “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 noted.
Turning to Africa’s broader challenges, Jonah emphasized that the continent’s limitations are not tied to ability.
“Yet I remain convinced of one thing: Africa doesn’t lack talent. What we sometimes lack is the courage to recognise that talent early and the system to nurture that talent consistently,” he said.
He also underscored the disciplined nature of excellence. “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 stated.
Jonah concluded with a message to young people, urging them to act boldly and lead with integrity.
“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,” he said.
