Prof Ngambi and Prof Clapper (acting SBL Executive Director and CEO) during the farewell function held at the SBL.
Unisa Graduate School of Leadership (SBL) said goodbye to a dear friend and colleague, Prof Helicy Ngambi on Monday, 27 August 2012. Prof Ngambi, when she came to South Africa in 1994, joined the SBL and moved from being a senior lecturer to full Professor in six years, before she left the business school and took the position as Deputy Dean: College of Economic and Management Sciences in 2000.
From 2005 to 2007 she was seconded as Executive Director & CEO of the SBL. She was also the first black woman to obtain a Doctorate in Business Leadership at the business school.
In his farewell address, Prof Valiant Clapper, SBL acting Executive Director and CEO told colleagues that Prof Ngambi was a true leader. She is able to identify talent in people and enables people to grow. Her wished her well and ensured her of SBL support in her new position as Vice-Chancellor of the Mulungushi University in the town of Kabwe near Lusaka, Zambia.
Upon introducing Prof Ngambi, the programme director, Ms Cristal Peterson (SBL Deputy Director: Marketing and Communication) described her as a formidable woman. Prof Ngambi described her SBL colleagues as first South African family upon arrival in the country. She encouraged colleagues to go as far as they want to go and not to allow people to pull them down. “Unisa is now extending its territory; you now have family in Zambia,” said Prof Ngambi.
The Chairperson of the SBL Board, Ms Xinyamisi Shemane-Diseko also attended the function and informed SBL staff that Prof Ngambi, during her tenure as Executive Director and CEO, made a stunning contribution to the SBL. She wished her the best in her new endeavours.
Prof Ngambi left her “sisters” and “brothers” with the following words:
“Don’t take the low road; where you do something worse to a person than what they did to you – it ends in bitterness and self destruction. Don’t take the middle road; where you are not willing to walk the extra mile and get stuck in mediocrity. Take the high road; do more, do better to others and you will feel fulfillment.”
