2023 VALEDICTORY SPEECH FOR THE 69TH GRADUATION CEREMONY – 22ND SEPTEMBER 2023
Madam Chancellor Cabinet Secretary Principal Secretary, Chairperson and members of the University Council, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Chief Operations Officer, Deans of Faculties, Your Excellencies the Ambassadors, Our Lecturers, Dear Parents, Distinguished Guests, and the Class of 2023.
Good Morning!
CLASS OF 2023! You are the champions.
My name is Arian Muindi Nzioka from the Department of Architecture and it is an honour to speak on behalf of the graduating class of 2023. We are excited to be attending our graduation ceremony on these grounds today, and we are grateful to the university senate for making the decision to hold our graduation in person.
The Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Kiama, and the University Council for your selfless leadership and ensuring that it was smooth sailing, a big thanks. A special mention to CCU and Club 36, you are the MVPs. I extend gratitude to everyone who in one way or another helped the class of 2023 get to this moment. We salute you.
I would also like to thank the Chairman of the Department of Architecture, Architect Musau Kimeu for your distinguished leadership. All our lecturers have managed to transfer their knowledge to us in style. We thank you. A special mention goes to the support staff in the various departments and in particular at the Department of Architecture, we thank you.
To my supervisors Architect Musau Kimeu and Architect Mumbi Maina who charted the best direction in academia with me this last year. The hours and months of tutelage were fulfilling, and I’m forever grateful.
I would especially like to thank my parents, my father Eugene Nzioka and mother Rose, you’ve matched my energy, you are my uttermost love. I would also like to thank my siblings Rene, Noelle, Joan and Mwaka for being my strength. I would also like to recognize my nephew Future and niece Mumbi, it’s you I do it for. I would like to thank Grandmother Leah Kioko for believing in me, my rock.
My thanks to Lenana School for setting the right foundation leading to this moment.
To the Architecture sixth and fourth-year class of 2023 a special thanks to you guys. We made the behind-the-scenes awesome na bado. Turf Manenos squad ngumi ni mbwegze. My real ones, Indeche and Auch I guess tumeomoka. To my friends Davis, Vivo, Mueni, Val, Abbas, Ishamael, Mazera, Sharnel, Sharon, Brenda, Mercy, Kalsi, Ayoo, Felo, Richie, Alpho, Kim, Kamenju, Chau, Lau na tulikuwa tumewawon. Congratulations guys, we made it this far.
To the entire class of 2023, ours has been a journey of surprises. It has taken some of us six years, others five years and others four years to complete our undergraduate. It has taken an average of two years for a master's degree and our PhD laureates an average of three years. I would also like to recognize those of us who have achieved their diplomas. It has been a journey for all of us but we’ve finally made it. This is your moment class of 2023.
Architecture school has been an academic high for me. From dancing assignments in our first-year Studio to writing a thesis and design project in your sixth year. These two ideas might seem miles apart but surprisingly related. From learning how to draw freehand lines to doing Computer Aided Design renders. All while trying to meet hard deadlines, we thrive under pressure, as we like to call it, siege. Amidst the jokes, stories and detours somehow we get work done. The behind-the-scenes were messy but good, and we had fun in the arena.
Now, on this day we are about to be conferred our degrees. So what’s the take-home?
Bear with me, I might have a clue on the parallels between schooling and life. Until now you’ve lived your life in a structured system, you were always told what to do, when to do it, how to do it and where to do it. In our next chapter, we will be expected to know where, when, how and what we are going to be doing. This will be our daily challenge.
I will use my school experience as a case study. In the Bachelor of Architecture programme, the final year is a student-driven curriculum. You get the liberty to choose your field of study for the rest of the year. You are taught to accept the responsibility of designing your own Studio program. In my case, I took my time to decide on the path to choose. I knew I wanted to do something interesting. I wanted to explore and discover, this I knew would excite me. After weeks of research, I decided I was going to analyse the geometric composition of modern architecture in Nairobi CBD. Looking back, this has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. It was an exciting topic but the complexity of it had me completely clueless in the beginning. Luckily my supervisors and Studio staff had the skill and insight to continuously direct me towards achieving this mission. Eventually, one day it all clicked, solutions I had discarded earlier suddenly made sense, and like pieces in a puzzle it all came together. The Eureka moment. Initially an herculean task in the end I was able to triumph.
On the other hand, for the Design Project, I chose to revitalize the Kenya National Archives by proposing a new archives building in the heart of CBD. The principles of geometric composition learned in the thesis were combined with the history of Nairobi City planning to realize a new Archives building that was both a national symbol and at the same time belonged within the architecture of Nairobi CBD. The consideration of the climate of Nairobi yielded a sustainable architecture as a design to minimize the amount of resources needed in the use of the building. In the same breath, I wish to request the University of Nairobi to champion sustainable architecture in all new university building proposals.
On the parallels between schooling and life, this is what I found. Just like in school, in life, you have the chance to pick your own path. All of us graduating today have a new slate. You will have choices to make. Like in my final year, I chose what I felt was exciting without knowing the outcome, and it turned out to be full of surprises, some welcome, some not quite, but until a few days ago when I was told I had emerged as the University Valedictorian. It’s all a game of luck, no one knows the outcome of any particular choice at the onset. The mission is to play the game and have fun while in it, for time and chance to happen to us all. Dare to be fearless, be bold, and take a chance on your future, you’ll be surprised.
Indeed there is more than one way of doing things. Mambo ni matatu. Be spontaneous, leave some room for serendipity, and live beyond the margins. I hope that we all get the privilege of choice in this great future. There will be no summaries, there will be no conclusions, just clues for your song. Go make your song, go make your music.
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2023.
The world Awaits you, stay humble, stay playful
I wish you a bright future, and I wish you well.
THANK YOU
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