Thursday 28 August 2008

REWARD YOURSELF!

I believe 100% in the bible; as such, most of the principles I share and live by are products of what it epitomizes.
One of the most fundamental lessons of the bible is that: “a labourer is worthy of his wages...”

Quite a lot of us have heard this line like a dozen times, we often believe it is an instruction to ‘EMPLOYERS’ concerning their ‘EMPLOYEES’.
There is another perspective to this injunction; it is the angle that concerns every one of us.

Let me start by saying, as a worker, YOU ARE WORTHY OF YOUR WAGE. You deserve it. Let this reality reflect in he way and manner you spend it.

It is funny how we punish ourselves with our salaries like we are some kind of 'beast of burden'.
You must
LEARN TO REWARD YOURSELF. Make it a rule to pay ‘yourself’ part of your salary.

Whenever I share this principle, I often hear responses like, “I AM SAVING FOR THE RAINY DAY...” My reply always is, ‘IT’S BEEN LONG IT STARTED RAINING’.
Let’s stop using certain wrong ideologies to justify our ignorance.

Don’t wear yourself out because of some ‘RAINY’ day philosophy. Health comes first, peace and happiness comes next. Every other thing comes after, including your projections.

I equally get responses like, “I have a family to take care of; I have a wife and kids at home to look after; my siblings and relatives are looking up to me for survival; I have this or that project...”

You need to stay alive for you to be there for whoever is depending on you. Friends, wisdom demands that you do what is necessary.
There was a time in life my life when I worked without breaks, it was as though 'WORK' was going out of fashion; though the money was coming in but my health was failing.
I could see the money, but I had made myself so ‘useless’ that I couldn’t spend it...
Nothing about and around me reflected that I was working so hard, except my bank account.
It was while I was on a sick bed that this principle hit me, it struck me real hard:

“A labourer is worthy of his wages...”
From that day till date, when I receive a #20 wage, I take outside #1 to reward myself, to tell myself THANK YOU for bringing in #20. The others can go to my dreams, my dependents e.t.c
Every time I do this, it does great wonders to my health and enthusiasm, it encourages me and it propels me to go for gold, always.

Dear friends, this is the principle of SMART WORK. This is one of the many little secrets of the rich. Learn to reward yourself... Get yourself a dress, go to a nice restaurant, buy yourself a drink, cook a nice meal... Just do something that encourages you that you are doing a nice job with your life.
If you can imbibe this principle, it will work wonders in your life and your finances.
You deserve a better life, be smart! Be good to yourself.

You must happen!

Wednesday 27 August 2008

VISION KILLERS

The most important vision killer I think we ought to know about is our CONDITIONS, LIMITATIONS and our CIRCUMSTANCES; they will always try to stifle our dreams, more than anything else.
Your immediate limitations and circumstances do not wrestle what is not dear to you; they fight where you are headed. Circumstances and limitations battle with your sight, they contend with our vision... I believe it is for this sole reason the Holy book advises us to always live by faith [vision], not by sight [conditions].

I want to make a little reference to a story in the bible:

The bible recounts a very beautiful experience of how Jesus walked on water [a very deep sea, so deep was it that it sank a boat]. His disciple, Peter, who was inside the sinking, screamed to his Master that he equally wanted to ‘walk on water’.

In response, Jesus bade him “COME”.

Peter stepped on the water and began to walk on it. Despite the depth of the sea, Peter was able to walk on it as though he was on a dry land, as long as his EYES were on his VISION (Jesus).

The moment he removed his eyes from his vision (Jesus) and focused on his condition (the sea), he began to sink.

Everything was going well for him until he gave his limitations some attention... Everything was alright, until he thought about what he lacked.... he began to SINK because he removed his eyes from his vision and inabilities...

Without a vision, the people PERISH... We must stop looking at the wrong things; else those things we used to walk on will start walking on us.

Write your vision. Keep your eyes on it as you journey through life. Your eye on the vision is what determines how well you will rise above the vicissitudes of life. Every vision carries with it the ability to take the visioner to the top, irrespective of how horrible his condition or limitation are. All you have to do is learn to fight ALL distractions.

Anything that disturbs your vision will ultimately affect your mobility. Scriptures says: “For as far as your eyes can see, I will give unto you...” What this means is that, anything you can see, you will attract – negative or positive!

Dear friend, choose what you want to see today, and make sure you choose positive.

Perhaps, you may have been experiencing certain kinds of stumbling, fumbling, trembling and retardation, check what your eyes has been on. Probably, you have been focusing on the wrong things.

Always remember this, as long as Peter’s eyes were on his vision, he didn’t experience failures. The moment he focused on his conditions and limitations, he began to fail.

You must happen!

Monday 25 August 2008

BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE!

I dare ask you this all important question: "WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?" I mean, THE TABLE OF LIFE!

What do you add to people's lives? What value do you add to your organization? What input do you bring to your friend's lives? WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?
Don't be like those who just stay with people to drink and milk them dry. Let it be said that about you: "if not for him, we wouldn't have gained or achieved that feat or being this good..."
Always bring something to the table! Refuse to be a parasite!

From my experience in speaking and counseling, I have discovered that one of the most popular reason many business and romantic relationship fail is because one of the partners bring NOTHING to the table. It doesn't take time before one of those involved resent and 'outgrows' the relationship or partnership because he/she is been depleted by it....
It has nothing to do with gender... It equally isn't necessarily about money, VALUE is what matters most!

Ask yourself this question again and again: "What do I add to my friends, organization, relationship and family...?"
What would be missed if I was to relocate tomorrow morning? To those in relationships, what if you were to break-up tomorrow morning, what will you partner miss? Would there be something more than a cute face or a great look? The answer to these questions will help you live a better life.

No matter how much CONTENT or RELEVANCE you seem to have, if you keep hanging around people who 'BRING NOTHING TO THE TABLE', you are gradually wasting away and depleting yourself...

"Iron sharpens iron..." What's the use of being around a 'plastic'? If your value must increase, hang around people who are doing what you have been dreaming of.

Haven't you being around certain persons, and yet you wished you were alone? There are certain people you spend some of your time with, and you just hate yourself at the end of the day for doing it. They bring NOTHING TO THE TABLE.

He's so so handsome......She's so so cute.... this will only be your attraction to the opposite sex as long as the teenage mentality stays with you. As you grow older, you need something more real, you need substance - not just vapor... You need VALUE!
Truth is, EVERYONE of us first get attracted by what we see or hear, but our 'STAY' is determined by the quality of the benefits in the relationship.

Reason is, as you grow older in life, everyday challenges and problems arise, certain disappointments and difficulties shows up... we just need to have people [and someone] of VALUE around us to move ahead....

Dear friend, as you increase your VALUE, you will attract your kind. Everybody has a duty to 'WORK' on himself and increase his/her self-worth, stop waiting for people to give you a life.
Stop being a parasite, stop being a ZERO!

I want to see you at the TOP, that's where you belong!
You must happen!

Wednesday 20 August 2008

YOU FAILED, SO WHAT?

You failed, so what? Who has hasn’t failed before? Why have you believed that yours is the worst? Every one of us has failed in one venture or the other at someone point our lives. In fact, individuals like me have failed in a lot of ventures, a lot. Yet, we have not stopped fighting! Today’s successful individuals were yesterday’s failures who refused to give up. Every great man sees failure as a feedback; they PICK THE LESSON AND DROP THE DETAILS!
If truth be said, success is a collection of failures!

Forget about your loads of mistakes, look ahead! That is what makes you a living being. Only dead men stay at one spot and mourn over their losses, forever. Dear friend, live as a being!

You may have over-spent your entire savings on something stupid, you may have overreacted at a minor issue, you may have over talked at a special occasion or gathering, you may have blown a long-awaited opportunity that finally came on a platter or perhaps you may have wasted your lean resources on an unsuccessful project... You are not the first; it happens every day and everywhere! What matters most is what you pick from the ground ant time you fall.
Everybody makes mistakes, every person experiences failure at certain endeavors, that’s why there is a gift called “TOMORROW” to look forward to and maximize more efficiently!

Besides, what makes your mistake bigger than other people’s? Stop taking things too hard on yourself. The Holy book says: “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF...”
If you’ve not first learnt how to forgive yourself, how can you forgive your neighbours? To my mind, it is a sin to be angry at yourself because of a mistake you made or a failure you encountered.

Forget about the past and look ahead into the future, that’s where your greatness is!
What lies ahead of us is always bigger and of better quality than what we’ve wasted in our past.

You must happen!

Tuesday 19 August 2008

WHAT IS YOUR HABITAT?

Birds can’t swim, fishes can’t fly, dogs only bark....
Most of the frustrations we face in life is simply because we keep stretching ourselves to do and become what we don’t have natural ability for.

You need to be convinced of WHO YOU ARE NOT and what you CANNOT do; YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR HABITAT... Your gift, talent, calling and assignment. Everybody has one!
Imagine a bird trying all its life to swim in water, without fully exploring the unique powers of flying that the Creator has given it. It will drown, forever!

You can’t just be everybody or anybody, or else you will be living a lie and your life will be reduced to a struggle! You will be more successful in life if only you stay were you truly belong.
Discipline is what is required to reign and rule in this crazy world that does everything to induce you to become what you are ORIGINALLY not.

However, you need to make conscious steps to grow in your relationship with your Maker, only then can you enjoy uncommon insights on how to be the BEST you were created to be.

I sincerely believe fulfillment is not necessarily about diversity, it is hidden in originality.
Locate your HABITAT and RULE from there!

Monday 18 August 2008

MOTIVATION FOR NEW HEIGHTS

As I sit on my bed this early morning, with my laptop before me, to make this post, pictures of a some memorable moments I have had the privilege of experiencing in the recent past and the stories of a number of great men I know plays in my head and I am moved to reckon with this reality: SUCCESS IS A PROCESS.

Fact is, being the “best” is not a state; it is a conscious effort to make the most with what one has and what one wants. Being the best is our ability to fine tune our raw gifts till it becomes gold.

The secret? Constant practice, focus and attention, makes the common things of life to become uncommon. Practice precedes perfection!

Folks, we must make a conscious step to rise above our ‘realities’ because it could destroy dreams... practice and focus make dreams conquer realities.

You can become your dreams by working hard on your goals, constantly practice. Don’t block your dream; grow your faith because the impossible can be achieved.

The mediocrity in our society shouldn’t not determine the outcome of your tomorrow. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t make you a mistake. Life has always been what people make it. Every impossible task today will be possible in another decade.

Work on your dream. Never be afraid to sacrifice the good for the great or the nice for the best. ACTION is what separates the boys from the men. It is a sin to know and not do... The Holy bible says: "For he that KNOWETH HOW TO DO good and doeth it not, it is a sin"

What is sin? Knowledge without action.

Fear kills and destroys greatness; it paralyzes potential and kills inputs. Dare to be bold and work on your personal dream. Face life with an unsinkable passion and be on an unstoppable motion, inspired by sound direction. This is why you must be voracious about information. Hunger for it, seek it and go for it. Your struggles reduce when you are informed of the rule.

Though it is a dreamer’s world, but the thrones are reserved for the few who DO their dream.

You must happen!

Saturday 16 August 2008

SETTLED IDENTITY

An individual with a settled identity is the safest of all men...... The guy who has a settled identity doesn’t wait for titles to define him; he doesn’t wait for applause to qualify him. A man with a settled identity doesn’t go for mediocrity just to be a success in life, things happen for him on their own course......

When you have a settled identity, you don’t strive for recognition or position. A person with a settled identity knows that title is not the same as authority. Since he has a SETTLED IDENTITY, he has become an AUTHORITY..............
Dear friends, in all thine getting, get authority. It is authority that brings influence, not titles. It is your relevance that brings authority. It doesn’t matter what people call you, if you are relevant in your world, you will become an authority. Like I asked in an earlier post, WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE OF LIFE? If you can answer this question, then you have located your relevance. Everybody has something to offer, God was even in His resource sharing!

It doesn’t matter how you package the salt or what you say about it, because of its unique value and relevance in the cooking process, it is always held in high esteem. This is what I call VALUE.

You will always be held in high esteem if only you can identify your importance in the ‘cooking’ process of life. You don’t have to be like anybody else, you don't have to be fake, you don’t have to underrate who you are...

If you don’t have a settled identity, chances are that people will tag or define you by what you drive, what you wear or where you stay.

Dear friends, make a conscious choice to be true to yourself. Be original. Be unique. Be the brand you were created to be.

From experience, I have discovered that the enemy of who we are is who we are not. We always lose who we are when we crave for what other people are. Most times, we are amazed at their uniqueness and we allow it shut down our greatness.

You must stop being intimidated by what you are not, otherwise somebody else’s greatness will consume the greatness that you have, and as things remain this way, you will keep wasting away.

Often time, we are bombarded with seminars and speakers screaming into our ears: YOU MUST DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE...

While I appreciate these wonderful lessons, I think it is equally, if not more, important to DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE NOT! The easiest way to discovering you are is to discover who you are not. Some folks, in desperation to be identified with something, have hidden themselves in other people’s gifting and talents. They have lost their voices in other people’s....

Friends, we must know what we don’t represent, likewise what we represent.
When you know what you don’t stand for, you will have the guts to reject certain things that people will try to force on you.

So many lives are wasting away due to imitations, and this has brought limitations of various degrees. I believe God is not a duplicator, He is a creator. Every one of us is original, in ALL things. It is our responsibility to locate our uniqueness and publicize it!

Dear friends, when two people are alike, one of them is irrelevant. Why on earth will anybody need two shirts of same size, same colour and same design? Everybody likes variety.

In fact, variety is the spice of life. If you want to be a 'SPICE IN LIFE', you must learn to celebrate your uniqueness. If you are not unique in the way you do your things, you will effortlessly be shoved to the background and lose relevance!

The million dollar question I want to ask you is: "If you are separated from everybody dear to you, what will you look like? Do you have a life you can truly call yours? Why spend your entire life being someone else?

It is good to be inspired by people, but let them inspire you to LOCATE YOURSELF, not to IMITATE THEM! Learn to stay and be happy in your territory......
Make friends and partner with folks who’s got what you don’t have or admire and get inspired by them without necessarily expiring yourself.

Dear friends, YOU NEED TO KNOW YOU ARE and WHO YOU ARE NOT!

You must happen!

Friday 15 August 2008

TWO WILL CHASE TEN THOUSAND...

You will never get to the top all by yourself. The only time you don’t need partners is when you have a small dream. The greatest product of creation was achieved through partnership.... “Let US make man ...” The assignment of Jesus Christ on earth would have been useless if He didn’t partner with 12 men we refer to as disciples.....

“One shall chase a thousand, and two shall put ten thousand to flight...”

There is power in partnering. Unlike mathematics, in partnership, 1+1=11. For the reason that, when I am in partnership with you, I enjoy everything you are that I am not; your contacts, your skills, your thought patterns... everything!

The problem with many people is that they want to struggle alone, while some others FAKE partnership.... They partner with people just to exploit them.... It doesn’t take long before those involved get to know. Tricks are for kids and whoever does it becomes a gallant loser at the end. Dear friends, the benefits of partnership should be mutual!

If your idea must work, if your business must grow, if your organization must listen to you, PARTNER WITH PEOPLE. When you get down to partnership, tell those involved what their benefits are – in black and white!

In the business world, charity doesn’t work, neither does friendship. What works is partnership! If you can partner with people, you will reduce your struggles and achieve more.

The stinginess and one-man-rioter mentality that has held this nation captive and has continually frustrated our entrepreneurs must die a natural death.

Make a resolve to partner with someone who has what you don’t have, but what you know your dream needs.

You must happen!

Thursday 14 August 2008

MIRACLE CENTRES

Just like every adult, the young ones have dreams and equally want to make progress in their life endeavours. In Nigeria, the common dream of every teenager is to gain admission into the university. Their fate, however, lies on the wings of the pre-university exams.... ably conducted by WEAC, NECO, JAMB and POST-UME. These bodies are parastatals under Nigeria’s Education Ministry...

There was a time when WAEC and JAMB was all a high school graduating student contends with. As time passed, faith in WAEC dropped and NECO was introduced, further giving the students options to choose from.
However, after many years of JAMB’s existence, it omnipotence has been reduced, as any student who scales through it still has to face another pre-admission examination set by his/her university of choice: POST-UME. The fate of the wanna-be undergraduates now lies in the hands of the University.

Like we all know, there are mediocre individuals who will always want to exploit people and promise to make things easier for them. Expectedly also, there will always be victims.
Our young ones are now very lazy, these days they complain about EVERY examination, perhaps they have seen it in society that hard work doesn’t pay much.... Shame!
In my days, JAMB [Joint Admission Matriculation Examination] was all that we could describe as hard, and everyone who prepares well enough still scales through it.
Students of today complain about WAEC, NECO, JAMB, POLY JAMB and the POST-UME. However, there are certain ‘adults’ who have capitalized on the laziness of these students and now promise to help them scale through it, not without some money exchanging hands.

What do you find these days? A very young chap who you think should still be in Junior Secondary session comes to tell you he/she has passed WAEC or NECO. No thanks to the workings of MIRACLE CENTRES.

What do they do at these MIRACLE CENTRES? The child registers with any of the centres [individually managed by different operators], he/she pays above the normal exam fees stipulated by the relevant government agencies. Most of these miracle centres are run by teachers, university students, school proprietors or jobless university graduates. They promise the students that should they apply through and with them, they would get “STRAIGHT A’s” or that they will get “ABOVE CUT-OFF MARK...”

These lazy students wanting to gain admission into the university by all means convince their parents to register them with these centres. Most of them are not schools, they are exactly what they are – centres!
This means, these students leave the ‘original’ schools that they’ve been with up till their present levels to enrol at these centres... Some of these centres are located in the rural and undeveloped areas.

The extra money the students pay are either used to bribe the government invigilators, buy exam questions before hand from saboteurs in the examination bodies, or to achieve other things that would guarantee that the student passes by all means.
Answers to all the questions are either provided to the students right in the exam hall, or the students are given the answers to study right before the exams or they are given ‘free-hand’ to “co-operate’ during the exams. The latter means that students are allowed to ask themselves questions inside the hall and are allowed to use textbooks and others materials that ideally will not be permissible in a normal exam condition.

Students with these centres are not there by surprise, they are in the know of why they went there and, should the proprietors of these places fail to ‘perform’, they should be ready for tough times with the students.

Recently in Benin City, Nigeria, the proprietor of one of the MIRACLE CENTRES – Achievers Education Centre ran away 2days to the exam, leaving the enrolled students bewildered as to what their fate will become. The students numbering over a hundred said they had made complete registration payments and were even given identity cards that would enable them sit for the exams....
......2days to the exams, Mr. Achiever, as he was fondly referred to, is nowhere to be found!

These guy isn’t new in the game, my investigation reveals that he has been in this trade for many years. The difference now is that this is the first time he is ‘running’ away before the exams, other times he stayed to ‘deliver’ to kids what he ‘promised’ them.

This is a big drawback to our educational system. While I feel no pity for the victim students, I feel big shame for their parents, who have little or no regards for MORALS or VALUES. Most of these parents actually go to the centres to beg with the operators to “do everything possible to make sure my child passes very well....”

What kind of students will these ones be when they gain admission into the universities, what a breed to expect? How can cultism reduce in our universities with people like this gaining admission into it? How will prostitution, stealing and other vices ubiquitous among undergraduates be reduced when we permit these acts of decadence and wickedness?

The education ministry cannot wash its hands completely off this menace. Who approved these centres? Can’t their collaborators and operators be brought to book?
These MIRACLE CENTRES run various adverts on Television and Radio, who would say he or she knows nothing about them and where they are located?

This nonsense must stop! Otherwise, the very few responsible parents we still have in our midst will keep sending their kids abroad to study owing to the decay in our system. Isn’t it shameful that parents send their children to countries like Gambia and Ghana for university education? Imagine! How many of these nationals do we have in our schools?
In the 80’s and early 90’s, we had lots of foreigners in our tertiary institutions, all these have become history owing to the lapses and decay in the educational system.... at all levels!

I want to use this medium to call on the relevant authorities to stand up for posterity. Save the future of our young ones, save the future of our country!
Stand up for truth. Save our children. Fight these ills headlong. I equally want to call on every parent out there; whatever you teach or permit your child to do today will either help or haunt you tomorrow. Be careful!

Hard work doesn’t kill, these facts our children must learn and accept. It is better to fail honourably than to pass disgracefully. These young ones will be leaders of this nation in future, let’s be careful the kind of values we teach them today....
“Train up a child in the way that YOU WANT HIM TO GO, when he is old he will not DEPART from it.....”

God bless Nigeria!

Saturday 9 August 2008

BAD ROLE MODELS

Earlier in the week, we woke up to the news of how the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Sam Edem, paid a lump sum of money to a sorcerer to perform some divinations that would help gain certain favours from 2 prominent high placed individuals in authority...

Isn't it laughable that a one-time Ambassador can still indulge in such primitive practise in this get age? Voodoo in 2008? Some of our leaders can be so desperate and avaricious for power that they could do and even believe in the most insane things!

In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Agbrebi Akpoebi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), the police said Edem was arrested following an allegation that he paid the sum of N150 million out of an agreed sum of N800 million to one Dr. (?) Perekambowei Oga, a sorcerer.

This was to spiritually influence the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, to award him (Edem) juicy contracts and influence the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, to give him protection in the event of any problem.

The police also said that the contract involved the killing of the Managing-Director of the NDDC, Timi Alaibe.

According the statement, Edem and his alleged contractor had a disagreement over non-performance and failure to pay the contract sum in full, adding that the case was under investigation.

I am worried, though not surprised. In Nigeria, always be ready for daily [unpleasant] national surprises.

Every tom, dick and harry seems to be castigating this man and calling him all sorts of names. Something in me tells me this guy is not the only person in leadership involve in this form of insanity. I believe somebody introduced this jazzman to him. The sorcerer must have performed one or two ‘operations’ for somebody in government before now, and was thus proven to be authentic for others to ‘use’.
For a man to spend close to 1billion naira on magicians, then he's been in it for long... A gambler doesn't start gambling with millions....
The silent question is, isn't this the medium through which he got the position he is trying desperately to retain?

By the way, why is everybody castigating and reproving him? Could he be the only one involved in this kind of act? No doubt, he must have a bunch of partners in high position of authority.

Where are the high-profile customers of Okija shrine? Where are the powerful politicians who run to India for powers? Where are those who pay ‘prophets’ to pray for them? Where are those that consult all kinds of spiritualists to ‘see’ for them?

This has been the bane of national development: WRONG ROLE MODELS – BAD EXAMPLES!
Questionable characters in high places, ever claiming to love Nigeria more than all of us, yet their acts and hearts speak contradictorily.

What are some of the downsides? The youths in society are tempted to look up to these funny elements as Role Models simply because of the influence and affluence they command; these young ones try to replicate whatever it is they learn from these sadists, and before you know it, everything in the country starts crumbling!

This guy [Sam Edem] is Chairman of a body saddled with the responsibility of developing the long marginalized oil region of Nigeria.... The same Niger Delta whose people is impoverished and is dying daily of hunger and starvation...
Amazingly, their son who everyone thought would bring them hope and manage their resources for them had the audacity to channel such a large sum of their money for voodoo works.... This is a SHAME!

We are told he has been arrested by the police and his sole offense was that he spent a huge amount of money that does not correlate with his income. Isn't voodoo an offense?
To my mind, this is worse than financial corruption.

It is not surprising that most of these greedy politicians have resorted to voodoo, instead of the now popular means of eliminating people - assassination. I think their belief is hinged on the fact that with this latest mode, police investigations will fail.
This is the height of greediness and wickedness! Imagine having men like these as leaders; they will also fake ‘patriotism’ and love for NIGERIA!
Folks, men like these should be treated as National threats. They should be marked as 'bad role models’. They should be treated like outcasts. They should never be given any form of respect since they blew their opportunities to write their names in history books.

I am particularly worried of what may become of this man few months from now. The case of Tafa Balogun, Sunday Ehindero, Iyabo Obasanjo, Ebitimi Banigo and their likes are still fresh in our minds. These guys soiled their hands in various criminal offenses, they were castigated for a while, given little or no punishments and before anyone could say JACK: they were re-absorbed into the highest echelon of leadership in the country.......
I am just hoping this man's case will not be like the rest.

Should his case turn out like the rest, let it be on record that my generation is watching: WE WILL SURELY MAKE A RUBBISH OF GUYS LIKE THESE WHO HEARTLESSLY RUIN THIS NATION AND INCREASINGLY PUSH US BEHIND DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, THEY WILL PAY FOR ALL THEIR ACTS OF WICKEDNESS - they won't be spared, even at old age!

A new generation is springing forth. A generation that will not spare even their fathers for their various contributions to national decay. A generation with sincere compassion and passion for Nigeria’s growth. A generation who will refuse to imbibe the questionable values forcefully handled them by their leaders. A generation that will build the four walls of Nigeria....

This country belongs to all of us!

Tuesday 5 August 2008

MY FEELINGS AS I ADD ANOTHER YEAR

It’s like my new year just began. Something in me echoes in my ears: “Boy, your 2008 just started...”
By some means, with growth and advancement in age comes increased responsibility and demands... I feel more burdened to do something about the mediocrity I see around....
I feel like being in control of the entire globe just for a day and influencing things my way.... I feel like sending to exile all the folks that have and are still taking our country through and into pains, the kind of exile that the phrase TILL FURTHER NOTICE better explains.
I know you may think my feeling is no more than what it is – MY FEELING! But, with advancement in age comes the duty to translate your feelings to reality..... So, all you haters and doubters, watch your back!

More than ever, I feel the need to be an unsilenceable voice of change in my community and in my nation; to put an end to the shame and psychosis [depravity, mis-entertainment, lopsided perspective about life, dishonesty, gangsterism...] society has up till now accepted and celebrated.... Change mustn't only be effected through politics.... Fact is, anybody can start a 'revolution' from his little compound....
I feel the need more than ever to recruit and network with like minds; folks who have IMPACT as their middle name, folks with undying passion for their community and country.....

I am encouraged by God’s words to me on this great day: “...I have made you a gift to NIGERIA and a BLESSING to the WORLD... This day have I made you a light to Nations...”

Sincerely want to appreciate all my friends and well wishers, not forgetting those in the facebook community, thanks for all the love. Thanks indeed. I am almost tempted to start marking my birthday twice a year... it won’t be a bad idea anyway!

As I celebrate another to my years, I renew my commitment to life and to my Maker: “At the end of my years on earth I forbid to face my God without fruits. My example, Jesus Christ, lived on this planet for 33years - till date, the world hasn’t recovered...

Younger and unborn generations await me to return with fruits; I refuse to return with excuses. All my talents must be properly invested with returns to my Maker; none will be buried or wasted. Frustrations and confusion must be erased from peoples' faces because of my existence. All my days on earth will count positively; I forbid ending up a ‘bad investment’. I forbid returning empty. I must add meaning to lives and flavor to destinies; I must fulfill why He sent me here. I forbid to give my Maker any reason to regret... I desire my whole life to be lived at the centre of His will; living my whole life according to His design and purpose for me, not placing my focus on impressing any mortal.”

Sunday 3 August 2008

SHARE YOUR RESOURCES

I don’t know how many of you like me have been around folks who seemed uncomfortable in their ‘skin’. I mean, folks who treat their success like it came through luck...
It is quite pathetic and pitiable when I see and meet individuals who either have low opinions of who they are or have over-bloated opinions of themselves. Either way you look at it, it's still a problem.
It is even more disgraceful when they try to do it with some air of ‘class’ that makes them look class-less. Like my friend, Mike, would describe acts like this: “Executive Stupidity”... Talk about someone’s “ignorance gone on rampage...”
Another facet to this is the attitude of some persons towards whatever they've got and how they choose to use [or hide] it..............
Haven’t you met folks who bragged about all the high connections they have? Somehow, you got to discover he/she isn’t lying. But, the picture becomes like chalk and cheese when you ask him/her for a little favour regarding the contacts he/she claims to have. They are quick to cook up several excuses not to help out.
Let me give a graphical picture: You ask a sister [or brother] for a contact she has which you know would help your business improve. This fellow knows you are someone of high repute, so the thought of you being a potential embarrassment is not an issue...
In an ideal world, she would be proud that she’s at least got something that someone she could help someone with.... She’d also be happy her name is probably going to enjoy a slot of prominence in someone’s success story and lots of other fantastic tuffs............
But, what do you get in this world of ours, particularly from our countrymen? That sister quickly denies ever having the contact and even suggests some persons you could ask who she thinks might help you.
Some of the common reasons I have discovered make people act this pathetic manner is either as a result of insecurity or jealousy. They are either afraid someone would steal their shine; use the contact they have to become better than they are or that the person wants to “add the ‘little’ contact that I have to his own...”
All these I see as a sign of smallness of the mind. This only reveals poverty of the mind and a high degree of insecurity. You will always get saboteurs and nuisances when you always entertain thought that everybody around you is one.
If you will ever attain good success, you must learn to share your resources. Never be scared someone may use it to get better than you are. While they are growing, you keep growing. That’s the beauty of life. Success doesn’t come because of what you have. But, it becomes guaranteed when you know how to use what you have. One fundament al principle any man who has attained success will teach you is the LAW OF SHARING......... “For he that waters shall be watered...”
The contacts you think you own alone, someone somewhere also has it. When he shares it with those you are hoarding it from, you will have only succeeded in reducing yourself to a mockery.........
Invest in people. Let them know what you know. Duplicate yourself in people - this is the sure route to greatness. Help is an investment... a wise one!
Watch a man who hoards his resources, though he may go up but he never goes far in life.
I want to see you at the top, where you truly belong.
You must happen!

Friday 1 August 2008

AT OWNER'S RISK

In Nigeria, almost every business (irrespective of size) has a small sign outside their parking lot that reads - cars are parked at their own risk!

If you ask me, i think this is a reflection of stupidity and sheer foolishness on the part of the business owner/operator.
It is high time customers question such signs. Such signs means that whatever happens to your car in their premises is not their business. Must everybody hop an Okada to your organization? A customer whose car is not safe at your office complex shouldn't feel safe with you. Is it a crime to have a car?

I think these are the days when business owners should give clients some level of security doing business with them. Such languages like "cars are parked at owner's risk..." should be blotted from our business dictionary. If a company cannot have mercenaries that will care or look after clients vehicles, then such a company doesn't mean well for her customers.

It is even more disappointing when one sees these sign at bank locations, it is appalling and disgraceful...
If you need my money, why can't you watch my back?

It is high time we reviewed our business terms and policies.

I want to see you at the top, where you truly belong.
You must happen!