CHRAJ Commissioner Charges NiBS Graduates to Lead with "Excellence Beyond Borders"
Dr. Joseph Whittal, Commissioner of Ghana’s Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), delivered the keynote address at NiBS University’s 2026 graduation ceremony, urging the Class of 2026 – PhD, DBA, DBL, MFM and EMBA graduates to lead with “excellence beyond borders.”
Drawing on his experience investigating institutional failures at CHRAJ, Dr. Whittal offered graduates three lessons for leadership in a changing world. First, he said competence without integrity is a liability, not an asset: “the more capable you become, the more damage your compromises can do.” Second, he described accountability as “the discipline that makes ambition sustainable,” warning graduates against surrounding themselves only with people who agree with them.
Also, he called inclusion a strategic advantage rather than a compliance obligation, noting that institutions that widen the circle of who benefits from their success consistently outperform those that do not.
Furthermore, Dr. Whittal addressed the disruptive forces reshaping the professional world graduates are entering, such as artificial intelligence, blurring lines between public and private sector leadership, and declining public trust in institutions. He told degree-specific groups to apply their qualifications with judgment, not just technical accuracy, and closed by urging graduates to practice “character”, which he defined as “simply what you choose to do when the room is empty.”
The ceremony recognized eleven Master of Fintech Management graduates, six Executive MBA graduates, nine Doctor of Business Administration graduates, two Doctor of Business Leadership graduates, and 10 PhD graduates.