Bermudian motivational speaker Dennis Rahiim Watson urged Howard University students to help stop black-on-black violence.

He was keynote speaker at the university's student leadership conference where he invited those present to stamp out the gun violence that plagues black men in the US.

"You are the best and brightest generation we have ever produced and I am proud of your achievements and successes," he said.

"Our ancestors sacrificed, fought and died for the opportunities you now enjoy and others take for granted.

"Our ancestors left behind some of the most powerful institutions of learning on this earth. Institutions like Fisk, Morehouse, Spelman, Morgan State, Virginia Union and Howard University."

He continued: "You were left a legacy of greatness and service. With your technical savvy you must find solutions and look for opportunities to save young black males from the ravages of gun violence."

Mr. Watson said he had been fortunate to be taught by educators who inspired him while he was a student in Bermuda.

He told those who attended the conference in Washington DC at the beginning of this month: "As a Bermudian, I am thankful that God allowed me to experience the love, support and instruction of some fabulous Bermudian teachers. Among them, Gaynelle Robinson, Dorothy Tatem, Dalton Tucker, Davina Blakeney, Lloyd James, Earl 'Gabby' Hart and two powerful role models Dr. Roosevelt Brown and Alma 'Champ' Hunt."

He told the students that in his role as president/CEO of the Center for Black Student Achievement and chairman of the National Youth and Gang Violence Taskforce, he received numerous speaking requests each week. Many of those came from schools and juvenile detention centres that wanted him to address "conflicts, beefs, acts of vengeance and retaliation", he said.

"I advise principals on strategies for addressing black male anger, hopelessness and conflict resolution.

"No matter how great or successful you become, no matter how many cars you are able to afford, no matter how much wealth you accumulate you will never feel whole as long as you see a large portion of this generation going down the path of self-destruction.

"Each and every day in New York City I silently weep as I see more and more young black males from ages 15 to 25 in wheelchairs because of some spinal injury caused by a gun or knife."

Mr. Watson also spoke about the many accolades he'd received following performances of his one-man show 'The first Black President of the United States'.

"I will never ever forget that night as long as I live with a jammed-packed auditorium. Students and faculty came prepared to ask questions of the fictional President for one-and-a-half hours.

"Every question that could be asked of President Barack Obama was asked of me. There were no laptops, no e-mails, no BlackBerrys, no Facebook and no text messages."

Mr. Watson has spent the past decade spreading a message of black-on-black love and respect as the solution to black-on-black violence.

Last month, he attended the 2010 National Urban League's Centennial Conference hosted in Washington, DC.

He spoke at the event's Youth Leadership Summit where attendees included President Barack Obama, noted poet Maya Angelou, UN ambassador Susan Rice, African American philosopher Cornel West, political activist Reverend Al Sharpton and NAACP president Benjamin Jealous.