Jean - Benoit Rubayiza

MSA PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

We are somewhere at the western part of Ayeduase specifically Westend hostel where we are billed to interview this week’s personality. As usual we try our best to strip them bare of any fact that we are entitled to know and also share the fun aspect of the interview. We are in room 104 and here we are geared up all cylinders for the interview. ‘Sit back and enjoy.’

E. B: good morning.

Jean: yeah good morning (beaming with smiles)

E. B: Can you tell us your name.

Jean: Jean - Benoit Rubayiza

E. B: any other name apart from this official name?

Jean: ok generally I use Benedict but back in the secondary school i acquired Robinho not because of my football skills but just because one tutor could not pronounce my name.

E. B: wow. Interesting how you got your nickname. …….and your age?

Jean: (pause for a while) ok I am 21 years. And I was born on the 8^th of January 1990, the place being Gakoma.

E. B: what a name. And where is this Gakoma or ‘sakora’ you are talking about.

Jean: (laughs for a period of time). Oh no it’s in Rwanda and actually a small village. I only stayed there for two years.

E. B: ok let’s talk a bit about you now.

Jean: myself ……….. hmmm. First of all I am a Rwandan as my name suggests. I am from a family of 8. I have three brothers, two sisters and then my parents. We are currently living at Ashiaman Lebanon.

E. B: where did you start your education?

Jean: (erhh) I started class 3 in Sunyani. I continued with my JSS education in Tema. From here I went to the most prestigious SSS in Ghana.

E. B: and what school is that?

Jean: St Peters of course. (Smiles)

E. B: oh ok.

Jean: there I was a reserved guy. The only expository activity that I engaged in was the writers and debaters’ club. I remember we used to meet Wednesdays after prep. Also one time I went for a science fair but that was not a major activity.

E. B: tell us about your spiritual life.

Jean: first of all I was born a catholic and have remained a catholic as such. I have grown to understand the catholic belief and I appreciate it i believe in a personal relationship with God. That is what keeps me going and strengthens me. I love to care about other people but I think due to the heavy academic work I am a bit overstretched in this aspect. But I also don’t believe in standing somewhere and slashing away someone’s belief with a bible under your arm.

E. B: why that strong dislike for this act?

Jean: the whole spread of the gospel begun with love. Visitation, lunch and supper in a Pharisee’s house. Even though there were some condemnations it was after the gospel has been preached. It never occurred for a mere coincidental reason.

E. B: You are talking like a bible scholar now.

Jean: I read the bible and apply it. I wanted to read the whole bible and be conversant with it. It is the inspired word of God.

E. B: you are really loaded. Moving on, why did you choose the medical field? Was it your grades or the love of the vocation as one lecturer puts it?

Jean: (smiles). The grades never played a major role even though it brought me here. My father is a doctor and my mother is a nurse. I am used to the hospital setting. My father never influenced me. I wanted to be computer engineer.

E. B: Then what happened?

Jean: well I had a friend, I mean a close friend in my childhood days. This friend later on had some mental problem and was hospitalized. I used to see him but after some time he begun to look okay. I never believed in psychiatry but after this friend of mine had undergone some psychiatric therapy he begun to look ok. That was when I began to believe in the curative abilities of medicine in the field of psychiatry.

E. B: so you would like to go into psychiatry?

Jean: yeah not a bad field. I thought one had to be mad for a while before he or she can enter the field of psychiatry. (Smiles for a while)

E. B: how do you spend your social life; always with your books or?

Jean: yeah as a medical student you would expect that. But I also like to spend some time in the church since I am in the music wing. I also like to read good novels I mean religious novels. I also like to play my guitar and then visiting people. I may occasionally watch movie. I also love to jog. I also love to play basketball.

E. B: An all-round medical student.

E. B: the most interesting questions. Have you grabbed or vice versa or u have been grabbed?

(Roommates all turn towards us.)

Jean: with my life plan I think grabbing will be too early to have a relationship, not to discount others assertions. It’s personal. (Smiles). I am waiting for the signal to come.

E. B: ….and if it does not come?

Jean: that is why the bible says ‘watch and prays’. I believe it will come when it is God’s time. I have a lot friend. As such I notice a lot of traits in people. With time there are certain traits that with time one becomes accustomed to and appreciates it. I think my criterion is not too difficult. Simple so one who values what I also value. I mean a particular person as such. It is there and I think it will not take a lot a long time to find the person.

E. B: any particular saying or principle you like?

Jean: solving mankind’s problem is not all about spirituality. Practically to effect change one should be prepared to go into authority and use the proper channel. One should not sit down and complain.

E. B: final words.

Jean: let’s learn to see something good in everything that happens to us and then thank God. By so doing one is saved from depression and makes one strong.

E. B:I wish we had more time. Thank you for your time and making time of your busy schedule for this interview.

Jean: you are always welcome.

MSA SPOTLIGHT COMMITTEE (HB 2); Naa Ayorkor, Collins, Zigito.