Self-trained leader

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Wakuila Vakadranu, head of the yavusa Nayavumata from Nacokaika Village is garlanded during the awards night. Picture: ANA MADIGIBULI

THE determination to learn things simply from just watching people has been a source of inspiration for Wakuila Vakadranu.

Mr Vakadranu, a self-taught villager, is the head of the yavusa (clan) Nayavumata from Nacokaika Village in Naitasiri.

He has a story not like many successful people as he was a mere village boy who dropped out of school early with only a class five education to his name.

With the hardship of growing up in the village and just being a class five dropout, he knew he had to work hard in life and become someone.

Today, he leads a clan with many people respecting him for his humble leadership and he often gets invited as chief guest to events in the province.

Mr Vakadranu was the chief guest at the Gusuisavu Achievement Medallion Awards event where he spoke words of encouragement and empowerment to more than 150 students.

“Isn’t it sort of funny that someone who only reached class five is invited to be a chief guest at an educational achievement awards night,” he said.

“I’m glad that you picked me to be the chief guest because I might not have reached the level of education you all have reached, but I do have some simple skills that have helped me get a job in the past and has allowed me to provide for my family.

“Before we didn’t have the privileges that students nowadays have. We use to walk for miles through sugar cane fields to get to school because there were no proper roads and we knew a great deal of hardship.

“You never see people with class five level of education get invited as a chief guest that often so I’m grateful for the humble invitation and for your students to want to listen to my advice on working hard.

“It’s through fearing God and using wisdom wisely that makes us stand out from each other.

“It was through God that I managed to do everything in life and I hope all children today will fear God and set him as a priority.”

He said wisdom was already there and a lot of people can reach a certain level with it, but at the end of the day God has his plans for everyone and it might be different from what people are striving to achieve.

“I’m a self-taught person. When I see someone construction something I watch and learn and try it out myself,” he said.

“For example when someone did a flush toilet for their home I learned how to build a flush toilet and did it at home for my family,” he said.

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