Coming to a Full-Circle in Congo

Have you ever been in a situation where it feels like you have come to a total full circle in your life? By full circle I mean, being in a situation where you come back around where you started but with a different outcome.

That is what happened to me on my trip to Congo-Brazzaville last weekend.

I was invited to attend the inaugural ceremony of Afrikan Campus, an International Business School in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. Our company being business partners of Brazzaville-MBA, I flew to Congo on Friday to be at the launch on Saturday. I was asked to share a few words through a presentation of our Coaching & Business Academy in Rwanda. Our respective institutions will soon hold a joint Entrepreneurship MBA programs both in Rwanda and Congo. Our presence at the high level event was therefore key. Picture below includes international Speakers and Partners from France, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Congo-Kinshasa, myself from Rwanda and two Government officials from Congo-Brazzaville, His Excellency Mr. Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Minister of Higher Education and His Excellency Léon Juste Ibombo Minister of Digital Economy & Communications. 

As I was about to give my talk, I came to a sudden realization.... I had been in Congo-Brazzaville before. I had lived in that country for about 6 years. I had had the joys of calling that country, my home residence for 6 good years. My mother used to work for a project of the world bank there. Therefore my siblings and I spent some years of our pre-teens in a Congo. For instance, I finished my primary school there. I started secondary school there. I learnt how to speak and write English there. I taught myself how to speak Spanish with Cassette tapes there. I first kissed a boy there. Many firsts... I was the first student there. I was the president of my class for at least 3 years in a row there. My leadership skills were unconsciously displayed and exercised there. 

As I stood ready to give my talk at the inauguration of Afrikan Campus in front various leaders of the land, it dawned on me that I had come to a full circle ?? 

I had come to Congo as a 10 year-old pupil, but now I returned to Congo 27 years later as an Educator.

Part of What I had learnt there, I am giving it back now to a new generation in a different, unplanned and a beautiful way. 

Isn’t it amazing how your life can be orchestrated in such a way that you only get to see the full picture with time?

My trip to Congo was a mixture of anticipation, joy, and nostalgia. I felt the urge to go and see my old school and look for my old school mates. I was even more excited and surprised to hear that one of the co-founder of Brazzaville MBA, Mr Yvon Bondoumbou, also went to the same school “College de la Fraternité”. I was even told that my school mates who attended College de la Fraternité are now in leadership roles and elite positions across the country and in the diaspora. My joy became greater and I was filled with the desire to go and check out the school + meet a few of my school mates.

After concluding my business meetings and before heading to the airport, I set to go and checkout my old school. When I reached the school’s gate, it was about lunchtime break. Oh what a precious feeling it was to see a multitude of teenagers wearing the same school uniform that I used to wear over 27 years ago. I asked to meet the Headmaster, who was kind enough to take the below picture with me on the right side.

The Headmaster was so impressed that someone from Rwanda attended his school over 2 decades ago. He gave me a tour of the school and took me back to my old class. I was almost in tears entering the class. I used to sit on the front row (I was a frontbencher then). The school’s tradition was to elect the top student with highest grades to be the Head of the class (in French: chef de la classe). I was the Chef de la classe then. My duties, as a little 11 to 14 year-old girl, was to ensure that my fellow pupils remained quiet before the teacher came in. I was also tasked with the responsibility of checking that all pupils were present and note down who was absent. I would call out each name on the class’s list. I took a video of me reenacting how I used to do it...see below.

Who said that a leader isn’t born but only skilled? If you asked me, I exhibited leadership skills inherently and unconsciously and that served the purpose then. A purpose, which then became a good foundation for my current leadership responsibilities with my businesses and vis-a-vis our clients and various stakeholders.

I managed to gather contacts of one dear friend who used to sit right behind me during class. I had the joy of having breakfast with her on my last day in Congo. It was such a delight to see my old school friend Stella Mensah Sassou N'Guesso over breakfast.

I quickly realized that we still have many things in common. In spite of 27 years spent without seeing each other, we found common interests, which are close to our hearts. Namely empowerment of women. Stella is not only the daughter of the current president to the Republic of Congo, but she is also Mayor of a district within the Capital Brazzaville surroundings and also a Deputy at the parliament.

I was thrilled to hear that she has proposed a new bill of law that would reverse the legality of polygamy in the land. I didn’t even know polygamy was legal in Congo...apparently men are legally allowed to marry up to 4 women at the local registrar. My friend has introduced a new bill of law proposing to abolish polygamy, as it has negative effects on women, children and the family a whole. It is so fascinating to reconnect with an old school mate who is so brave to challenge the status-quo and act on behalf of many women in our generation and today’s girl child who would be impacted by the law when they come of age.

27 years later, I meet a former school mate with the same drive that I have to empower women. My area of expertise is Women Economic Empowerment and hers is making laws to protect and empower women.

A full circle moment ??

While on the plane back home to Rwanda, I couldn’t be more grateful to God for divinely orchestrating my life, childhood and my current work. I am known to be an extremely well organized person and a strategic planner. But let me tell you something: there are certain things you can plan and there are certain things you cannot plan. They are just divinely designed!

I can’t wait to start teaching our Coaching Courses on Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development and Personal Development to Brazzaville-MBA students both in Congo and Rwanda and online.

I wonder what my students will accomplish in 27 years from now...

With the few Business professionals whom I met in Congo, I have no doubt that we are heading towards “The Africa We Want”

From Wakanda To Rwanda...

PS:Have you experienced a similar situation where your life came to a full circle?

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