The President of the Tsinghua University in China, Professor Qiu Yong, has acknowledged Musa Frimpong, a Ghanaian, who graduated with a Master’s degree in Public Administration at this year’s congregation.

Mr Frimpong majored in International Development and Governance at the School of Public Policy and Management at the university, which is ranked 1st in China, 3rd in Asia and 16th globally, according to the 2020 QS Higher Education Rankings.

At the graduate students’ commencement ceremony held this year for 2279 doctorate and 5728 master’s degree students, the President of the university, at the outset of his address, shared Mr Frimpong’s story with the over 6,000 students and 5,000 family and friends who were gathered at the school’s stadium.

The President recounted how Mr Frimpong, during his time at the university, succeeded in founding and registering the first African startup – DUAPA AFRICA – in Haidian Pioneer Park within the famous Zhongguancun High Tech area (often referred to as the Silicon Valley of China) and his contribution also as the immediate past General Secretary of the African Students Association in the university.

“I am very impressed by our classmate Musa, he not only said that he hopes to promote exchanges between China and Africa, but he is acting on his own, too, starting a business. He began to move up, when I learned about it, his actions were already out there. They are actions, executions; actions speak louder than words … I think this is the real Tsinghua people," he said (as translated from Chinese).

The full speech of Professor Yong published online and translated in English said: “Classmates, you have spent an unforgettable postgraduate study time at Tsinghua University. At this moment, I think that your heart will be filled with memories and feelings of the past, and will be full of expectations for the future. Among you, Musa Frimpong from Ghana, Africa, worked for two years in the African Union Commission. During his master's degree at the School of Public Administration, he served as General Secretary of the African Student Association of Tsinghua University and founded the first Haidian Pioneer Park home [for] African entrepreneurs. After graduation, he will continue to work hard to promote economic and cultural exchanges between China and Africa,”he stated.

A day before the commencement ceremony, 30 representatives of the 2019 graduates class including Mr Frimpong – the only African – met with the President of the university at the school’s History Museum for a round table symposium.

Mr Frimpong, who was among the 14 people who addressed the symposium was praised by the President for being a true model and embodiment of the university’s values and spirit of self-confidence, commitment, vision, execution and social contribution.

In his response to Mr Frimpong’s invitation for him to visit Ghana and Africa at a similar future symposium, Professor Yong said: "Of course, I think that the signs of your maturity also include our visit to international organizations, including our classmate Musa, your background is very bright, I will help him make a publicity, he is the first African entrepreneur to start a business in Haidian Pioneer Park. At an event in Beijing in June this year, he was nominated as ‘African Man of the Year’. I have not become any person of any year, it's pretty great, but I tell you, I have never been to Africa, yeah, okay. So, I promise I will try my best to visit the fascinating continent as soon as possible, including Ghana. I will let you know my schedule later.”

Mr Frimpong has won recognition across China within the Chinese, African and international communities.

Musa founded DUAPA AFRICA (officially known as Beijing Shining Consulting Co. Ltd. ??????????) in April 2018 with three others from Cameroon, Mali and Kenya and they have since implemented various socioeconomic empowerment projects across China working with African embassies in China, African communities in China and some Chinese companies and institutions whilst driving Africa-China economic and cultural exchanges. DUAPA AFRICA won ‘The Third Price’ award in the 2019 Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition for foreign students in China which was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. DUAPA AFRICA also won the ‘Youth Development Award’ in the 2019 Pride of Africa Asia Pacific Awards held in Beijing. DUAPA’s presence and activities in China have inspired a movement of African and foreign students and talents in China to be more integrated into the socioeconomic activities especially entrepreneurial, startup and job seeking exploits of the Chinese society.

Mr Frimpong graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and served as Field Officer for the African Union Youth Volunteers Corps (AUYVC) programme at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 2015-2017 before moving to China for his studies. He is also the Cofounder of Youth Without Borders (YWB) Ghana and General Secretary for the Ghana Muslim Mission.

Mr Frimpong, who have had this remarkable achievement despite many obstacles in his two year stay in China hopes this will serve as example and motivation for many Ghanaians, Africans and foreigners especially the youth in China and people everywhere to ignore their inadequacies and challenges and use whatever they have to pursue their dreams backed by self-confidence, vision and action.

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM/David Apinga