The title of this piece is extracted from verse two of the University of Ibadan (UI) anthem. It is one of the most striking lines of the anthem, underscoring the importance of achieving greatness or success through hard work and transparency. However, since this story is all about a man who achieves greatness through honest toil, it is apposite to interrogate the concept of greatness. So, what is greatness? Greatness is a cocktail of qualities that include honesty, integrity, passion, resilience, fortitude, self-belief and strong values. All of these come together to create a uniquely strong character that consistently achieves success after success.
Greatness is a state of being important, notable or distinguished. Its synonyms are dignity, heroism, nobility, prominence among others. However, two powerful keys to greatness are humility and service. An English architect, Charles Fowler observes that the best teachers of humanity are…