AG shares inspires graduates with life story

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

COUNTRY’S Attorney General Mr James Apaniai has attributed his success in life to strong determination and mind in his field of law.

In the SINU’s graduation ceremony yesterday, Apaniai shared his life’s story with graduates to add further motivation for them.

He said 42 years ago in 1975; someone tried to derail his aspiration to become a lawyer when he was a form five student at St Joseph’s Tenaru.

At that time SIG offered three law scholarships, and there were 13 students from the three main high schools vying for them.

“As part of the selection process, we have to visit the office of the Attorney General and talk with boss himself who at that time was an Englishman.

“Two days later I was called by the school’s career master who told me that the AG had told the Overseas Training Unit (OTU now NTU) that I was not a suitable candidate for law.

“The Career Master said that OTU had suggested I change my first scholarship choice from law to another discipline. I refuse, I had my made my choice.

“In the end the OTU awarded me one of the three law scholarships.

“Today, I wish that AG was here for him to see me sitting in his chair and for me to remind him of the judgment he passed on me 42 years ago.”

To the graduating students and those to come after, the message in this story is that ‘people will look down on you and try to divert you from your destiny’.

“But the power to be what you want to be lies squarely on your shoulders,” he adds.

Apaniai encourages the young generation of Solomon Islands that God has given power to everyone, and he expects each to tap it in the face of adversity and discouragement.

“In my life’s journey, I have failed on many occasions in many areas.

“However, I have never regarded those failures as problem; I always regarded failures as challenges and part of the process towards success.”

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