Villeage Voices: Andrew Boanoh ‘23 on Leadership

Welcome to the first edition of The Lawrenceville School’s new blog, Villeage Voices. Each month, community members are invited to share their thoughts on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond. We kick off with School President Andrew Boanoh ’23 sharing his thoughts on leadership.

On a rainy day in 1964, the eyes of the entire world fell upon one man in Pretoria, South Africa. For nearly 20 years, he had led countless demonstrations against the National Party’s policy of apartheid—the segregation of people based on race in the nation. He had represented his compatriots as a Johannesburg attorney in the 1930s, organized political referendums with the South African Communist Party and African National Congress in the 1940s, and founded numerous covert anti-establishment organizations by the 1950s. On this day, however, it seemed that Nelson Mandela would finally face the music for his treasonous activity against the South African state.

After a four-year trial, complete with falsified witness statements and blatantly corrupt prosecutions, Mandela was given the chance to give a final testimony: a last plea to the powers present in the Palace of Justice. At this pivotal moment in the history of the South African republic, he delivered a three-hour address. His final words are most memorable:

During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die. 

He would go on to serve a 27-year sentence on Robben Island, before being released in 1990, and being elected the first president of an apartheid-free South Africa four years later.

Now, I’m not sure that I’m in a position that would ever warrant my death or imprisonment for the sake of the student body, but Mandela’s selflessness, fearlessness, and absolute faith in his cause—in the face of such dire punishment—make him a leader that I could only wish to emulate. He stood at the helm of a movement that would liberate a nation knowing that, at any moment, he could be killed for his treason, and yet, this thought never seemed to faze him. I could only imagine the strength it would take to sit in a cell for nearly 10,000 days without losing sight of the ultimate goal.

As a leader on campus, I have the privilege of being in a position that allows me to truly make change. In the same way that Mandela gave himself up for his cause, however, it’s vital to understand and remember our end goal. I don’t want to run a Student Council that solely checks off the boxes that I outlined on my platform or commits all of its energy to giving the Class of 2023 the best senior year possible. Of course, these things would be wonderful to accomplish along the way, but first and foremost, I want to be a president that truly does what is best for my community at every step of the way.

This area is where I hope my leadership style will really shine through. I like to think about groups as people in a line trying to reach a common destination: each person is responsible for taking their own steps, but the group will always be there if one member stumbles. In this model of thinking, l believe leading from the back is most effective. This way, I’m in a position that allows me to take a step back and allow other qualified people to run the show, but my vantage point allows me to lend a hand to those who may stumble. There’s a common conception that a president always needs to be first, and in truth, some situations require that traditional mode of leadership. But in a community as adept, strong, and capable as Lawrenceville, I think there’s even more merit to occasionally taking the backseat.

I understand this will take putting aside my own desires. I understand that might mean a couple of sleepless nights. I understand that will mean making numerous sacrifices, but I am ready, willing, and excited to make these commitments.

On a sunny day in 1999, the eyes of an entire nation fell upon a man in Johannesburg, South Africa. For his entire life, he had fought for what he believed in no matter the cost. In one of his final addresses to his people as president, Mandela offered this powerful claim:

When people are determined they can overcome anything.

This notion, above all others, gives me hope for Lawrenceville this year, the next, and into perpetuity.

Editor’s Note: In Head of School Steve Murray's 2022 Convocation Address, he examines the idea of “faith.” Both School President and Head of School look to Nelson Mandela as a leadership role model.

If you would like to contribute to Villeage Voices, please contact Lisa Gillard H'17 (Director of Public Relations) at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.