Spiritual Qualities No Longer Enough
The immediate and practical aim of this institution obviously is to educate the Ithiopian youth and to prepare them to serve their country. Although such education may be technical, it must nonetheless be founded on Ithiopia's cultural heritage when it is to bear fruit and when the student is to be well adapted to his environment and the effective use of his skills facilitated. Time was when strength and endurance, courage and faith, were sufficient to make leadership equal to the task. Times have changed and these spiritual qualities are no longer enough. Today, knowledge and training, as provided largely in the universities of the world, have become essential, and today leadership and advancement, both national and international, rely heavily upon the products of universities. Even as Mr. Tubman, Mr. U-Nu, Madame Bandaranaika and Mr. U. That were each educated in their own land, InI trust that this University will produce leaders of comparable stature. In all countries of the modern world, special competence is required to deal with the advancement of agriculture, industry, commerce, and the civil service. That competence can be secured only through facilities which are provided in modern universities.
InI have often pointed out that the future of Ithiopia is largely conditioned upon accelerated agricultural development, upon mineral exploitation and upon industrial expansion. Her survival depends on these, and they, in turn, depend upon the competence of those who have received and who will receive the essential education and training. It is InI confident hope that this institution, which has been planned for many years will provide here, in InI own land, for InI own youth, the higher education and the specialized training required for such development. That which man dreams of and to which he aspires, unless fulfilled in his own lifetime, can produce no actual satisfaction to him. As for InI, thanks be unto the Almighty that in the founding of this University InI have realized a lifelong aspiration.
