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Profiling The Kufuor Scholars: Martin Selorm Attopley
Interviewer: Tell me more about yourself
Martin: My name is Martin Selorm Attopley. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. I am 27 years old, a teacher and a prolific author of novels and Christian books. I am a member of the Kufuor Scholars Program Class of 2018.
Interviewer: How was life growing up?
Martin: I was born in Ashaiman and growing up in such a noisy and busy community gave me reasons to be happy and a lot of lessons to learn. In my community, I was among the few talented and skillful footballers who was often contracted by teams to play for them. Through this, I joined a team in those days called Deportivo Young Stars. I have done all kinds of menial jobs such as selling kerosene, sachet water, biscuits and chewing gum, as well as pushed trucks among others to make a living. So, life in Ashaiman came with a lot of mixed feeling. It toughened me up, made me responsible and I enjoyed joyful moments.
Interviewer: Okay. Tell us about schooling and the leadership positions you held
Martin: I completed Keta Senior High Technical School in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region. There, I held various leadership positions. I served as the Student Representative Council (SRC) President, Prep Prefect, Writers and Debaters Club President, Drama Troupe Vice President and member of the Current Affairs Committee. In my first year at the university, due to my diligence, I had the opportunity to serve as the SRC Editor-In-Chief and a member of the TekTalk planning committee. Leadership came to me naturally and I have not really had difficulties leading people since I have tried to understand people and how they behave or relate to situations.
Interviewer: How did you become a Kufuor Scholar?
Martin: One Thursday afternoon, I received a call from my uncle who is a teacher and he informed me about an advert in one of the dailies. I went to porter’s lodge of my hall of residence (Continental Hall at KNUST) and found out that there was an advert about the Kufuor Scholars Program. I hesitated for days but through the persistence of my uncle, I applied. I eventually applied because I realized it was an opportunity to expose my leadership qualities on a bigger platform and to learn from very astute leaders in society. On the 31st of December 2015, while I was preparing for cross over service, I received a call and I was told the good news of being shortlisted. I was elated. The interview was one of a kind that I would never forget. It’s one of the memories I will not forget because it affirmed my conviction that I can achieve greatness if I could just be humble and learn more.
Interviewer: What memories do you have from your training days as a Kufuor Scholar?
Martin: Among the many memories, I dare not forget our vacation trip to Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Yeji and other parts. For me, traveling away from Accra to places like these made me humble. I understood immediately that there are Ghanaians all over and Accra is not the only place in Ghana. We saw how the people lived, how they met their needs and above all the things they were going through as citizens. Again, I gathered so much wealth of wisdom and knowledge from the resource persons from different fields of endeavor who invested bountifully into us. Their encouragement, inspiration, thoughts, personal stories and ideologies shaped me into a different personality. I am so grateful to benefit from all these.
Interviewer: What are some of the things you learned from the program that will stick with you for several years to come?
Martin: All these 3 years of training and still counting, I have observed critically, I have learnt experientially and academically, I have studied from all I have been taught in KSP that we can be anything and everything we put our minds to achieve. At every level, we are leaders and as leaders, we must set positive examples for our followers. Discipline, commitment, love and responsibility are key ingredients I have bagged for myself as a leader. Today, I am an author with two books to my credit. I also own a number of companies which are doing very well in the market space. I’m so grateful for the things I learnt from KSP. The former President could have retired peacefully and opted to enjoy his retirement with his family and friends but he chose to invest in us the youth of Ghana for the future. I am a beneficiary of his benevolence. I want to express my gratitude to His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor for the rare opportunity to be part of the KSP and we assure the foundation that with the help of God, we will make him, Ghana and the world proud. God bless him and his generations in Jesus Christ’s name.