Renowned legal luminary Tsatsu Tsikata has described the overwhelming reception he received from students at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, as both humbling and physically intense.

This follows his recognition at a major academic event at the University’s campus last week.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express with Evans Mensah, Mr Tsikata recounted the emotional and unexpected scale of the moment after delivering his address at the UPSA Honorific Lecture and Award ceremony.

“It was quite exciting. And truly, there were some people I did not know were meant to be there, like the Vice President, the Chief Justice. I thought it would be a little academic gathering, you know,” he said.

The event, organised in collaboration with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and the UPSA Law School, drew a high-profile audience and a large student presence, transforming what he had anticipated to be a modest academic engagement into a major public occasion.

Mr Tsikata said the atmosphere in the auditorium brought back memories of his student years, when similar encounters with accomplished speakers inspired him.

“And it was, it was humbling to have such a great crowd of witnesses as I said in my speech, in an important way because there were a lot of students and it took me back to student days when I too was encouraged by the occasions when people came to speak to us and so on,” he noted.

But it was the reaction after his speech that left the most lasting impression.

“The enthusiasm of the students ended up being a bit crushing for me, because afterwards, picture taking and so on, that was actually a longer thing than standing to make my remarks, but it was a wonderful occasion,” he said.

The veteran lawyer, who has had a long and complex public career spanning law, academia, and public service, was honoured for his lifetime contributions to national development.

The ceremony marked a symbolic moment of recognition for a figure whose career has seen both high-level leadership and legal battles, but on the day, it was the spontaneous admiration from students that defined the experience.

Mr Tsikata said the encounter was not just ceremonial, but deeply personal — a reminder of the enduring link between generations, and the powerful role of inspiration in shaping future leaders.