EDUCATION.

Uche silently approached the black jeep in the middle of the convoy. With his tray of bread on his head and his mind at full alert, he knew he had barely 30 seconds before the traffic begins to move. He has been waiting for this moment for months but now, his legs felt heavy. 

Still, he dragged himself to the owner's side of the vehicle and rapped on the tinted glass. The glass was wound down and for the first time, he came face to face with the Senator. 

With a shaky voice, he began to ask the questions he had rehearsed for so long.
"Tell me why I cannot go to school? Tell me why I am carrying bread and not books? Tell me why you are not helping me?..."

Three things happened simultaneously. Two strong hands pulled him forcefully away from the jeep displacing his tray of bread. A hot slap from one of mobile policemen sent him reeling on the ground and the echo of his clanging tray resonated in his ears. 

When he stood up from the side of the road, he noticed the convoy had stopped few metres away. He saw some men in suits motioning him to come. As he approached, he heard the Senator admonishing one of his mobile policemen. The door of the jeep was open now. He could still see the pallor on the Senator's face.

"Young boy, who are you and what were you saying back there?" the Senator queried.
"I'm just a Nigerian boy fed up with the system," Uche began. 

"I lost my parents in a car crash a year ago and started selling bread to stay alive. I've been thrown out of school. There are ten bread hawkers aged between 7 and 15 along this road. I am the oldest and I try to give them hope, to make them believe that their country has not forgotten them. But it is becoming so hard."

He broke down into sobs.

"You tell us day and night that we are the leaders of tomorrow. We just want to know your efforts to end our sorrow."

By now Uche was crying profusely. He felt a nudge on his arm and turned to see all his friends, trays on their heads standing beside him... Dele, Obi, Ije, Efe, Muyiwa, Junior, Ada, Oluchi and Ade. They had watched everything and have come to show their support. Uche smiled.

"Ok. Children," began the Senator," I'll give my message to Uche here."

He gave Uche his card. 

"Just call me." 

He reached into his agbada and brought out some money.

"For your tray of bread that fell."

Uche paused to look at the crowd. 

"That is my story. This is the legacy of the man we've all gathered to celebrate. The seeds he planted twenty-five years ago have borne so much fruit. I am a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dele, Junior and Muyiwa are currently Medical doctors. Obi and Efe are lawyers. Ije is an aeronautical engineer with NASA. Ada is finishing her doctorate degree programme in Havard. Oluchi and Ade are accomplished bankers.
We would have remained bread hawkers if not for this man. He is gone, but his spirit will remain with us. We are his legacy. May his gentle soul rest in peace."

THERE ARE NO MISTAKES.

Mistakes come in various shades and colours.

A ruined relationship.

Wrong choices in the past.

A failed exam.

But believe me,there are no mistakes:only opportunities.

You see,life is not one straight,smooth ride.

A ride that smooth is seen only in our dreams and fantasy.

Definitely,not in reality.

Funny to think that even the smooth roads in developed countries have road signs that tell you to slow down.

And traffic lights that order you to stop.

Life is indeed a journey through a rugged terrain.

Through hills and valleys.

Every up as important as every down.

All working towards one goal:to make you a better person.

An experienced fellow in the school of life.

So what we do call mistakes are in fact essential ingredients of life.

Golden opportunities for our growth.

Our expansion.

Our evolution into better beings.

Growth is naturally painful.

And stretches you beyond your limits.

Only to set new limits.

New frontiers.

Remember the hustles of examinations?

They were necessary for you to move to the next class.

Remember the pains of exercise and keeping fit?

They were necessary for you to have that trim,healthy body.

Remember the stress of that degree exam, those unending days of project work and project supervison?

They were necessary for you to become a graduate.

In a movie I watched some time ago,the gym has a sign that said "What does not kill you,makes you stronger." 

So excellently put.

Our so-called mistakes are there to empower and embolden us.

They are opporunities for learning.

Learn from them and move on.

Life is too short to be spent in one class.

The past is there only for one purpose:to instruct us.

Not for us to dwell in it.
So when next you feel you have made a mistake,don't cry unceasingly.

Yes,be sorry for it temporarily.

But then,wipe your tears.

Force a smile.

And say out loud:

"There are no mistakes...only opportunities. Opportunities for growth."

And move on.

YOUR LIFE IS NOT YOUR OWN.

What?I hear you scream.But it is true.Your life is not your own.Just as the money in a bank is not the bank's but the depositors'.Understanding this fundamental truth will change your life.
You see,we own what we either purchased or inherited.Those shoes.That TV.That land in the village.And we have absolute control over what we own.We can determine how long they last.We can kill that fowl today or leave it till Easter.We are not accountable to anybody on how we use anything we own.You can smash your laptop and nobody can question you.But not so with your life.You neither purchased nor inherited it.Guess you were absent-minded when the 'miraculous' fertilization took place.You can only control about 10 percent of what happens in your life.You cannot prolong it as you wish.You don't even know when it will end.Still claiming ownership?And here come the one none of us likes to hear:We will account for every second of this life.Every single thought,word and action of yours will be answered for on that 'final exams' day.Now tell me,are these terms for ownership?
We are like banks.A bank cannot determine how long it will last.The depositors determine that.If they pull out their money from the bank,the bank crashes.Our lives,yes,every moment of it,are like raw cash given to us for safekeeping and profit-making.Guess who is the depositor?God.Supreme Being.Infinite Intelligence.Go by any name your religion permits.But never forget the central truth:We are here to make profit.Profit! A bank that fails to make profit is doomed.A bank that makes profit is celebrated.So lead a fruitful,profit-oriented life.And your life business will flourish.Like GTB.Like Zenith.Like UBA.And always strive to maintain a warm relationship with your Depositor.It is not only good for business.It is good for a happy,healthy,love-filled,fruitful and blessed life.
So,when next you are tempted to squander time,when next that silly thoughts pop up,just before that careless word escapes your lips,remember:You will account for everything.Your life is not your own.It was given to you to make profit.To bear fruits.Fruits that will last.

TIME IS TOO SHORT.

I was discussing with a sick friend yesterday.

At one point, I told him that he will be well soon.

He smiled, nodded with conviction and said softly,'I know'.

His response made me to realise that this guy knows what most of us don't know: that time is too short.

Soon is always sooner than we think.

I can still vividly remember, just like yesterday, the day I entered junior Secondary School.

I was wondering,'When will I finish this? Six years time? Too long.' It has been twelve years since then.

A doctor friend called me last year, and told me that he will be coming for a residency exam at our Teaching Hospital.

He came. We saw. He went back.

About three weeks later, I received the news that he had a car accident.

And he died three days after.

This was nine months ago but that call just seemed like yesterday.

Time is too short.

Time flies.

Today speedily becomes yesterday.

This year fast becomes last year.

The world moves at a supersonic,neck-breaking speed.

So,how do we cope? How do we utilize this fleeting time that is barely in our hands?

The answer is straightforward: 

Live in the moment. 

Savour every second.

And be constantly aware that time passes swiftly.

Any unused time is lost and gone forever.

Refuse to be sucked into the whirpool of the past.

And never lose your head in the mirage of the future.

For between the past and the future, you only have one time: The present.

This very second.

Real time.

Therefore,make every moment count.

Do any good that it lies in your power to do.

Smile. Laugh. Love. Play. Work. Create. Relax.

And like Benjamin Franklin said,'Never leave for tomorrow that which you can do today.'

We have all been allocated a portion of history to fill,and this is our very lives.

And it comes one day at a time.

So, carpe diem, sieze the day.

Attack it boldly. Courageously. Happily.

And have fun while it lasts because it can as well be your last day.

Time is too short.

Too short to self-destruct.

But long enough for one to live a happy and fulfilled life.

LIFE IS ONE LONG EXAM.

I was taking a stroll this morning when this thought struck me. 

Life is one long examination. 

Passing or failing this exams determines what becomes of you in the next life.

The bad news is that the examination is very, very subjective. 

Failure to understand this has made many wonder if God is biased. 

Or why would some live long and others die in childhood? 

Why would some be so rich while others languish in poverty? 

Why would some enjoy robust health while others are born blind?

If you want details of the marking guide,nplease,go ask the Chief Examiner,God. 

We can only speculate few things about this exams,namely: 

1. That each day is a test or quiz that contibutes to the final score.
2. That we are scored based on based on what we have been given: Good health, Beauty, Wealth and so on.
3. That the more we possess, the stricter the exams.
4. That each person is judged based on how much good you did with your alloted time.
5. That doing good boosts our scores while doing bad subtracts from it.

Are there any textbooks to help us prepare for this exams? 

Well, long ago, the Chief Examiner inspired some men to write a manual. 

It is called The Bible. 

They say it contains the secrets of how the Chief Examiner Himself passed this same exams...and that He passed even under the harshest circumstances. 

They say it contains eternal truth and wisdom. 

They also say that one person called 'Devil' who failed his exams...a different one...is fighting to see us fail ours. 

But that the Chief Examiner wants us to pass. 

Other good books on lives of those that lived well (our stellar graduates) can be of immense benefit.

Today's test has started. 

Every thought, word and action counts. 

If there is one thing you must not forget all your life, it is this: 

Life is one long examination. 

Strive to Pass.

LOVE YOURSELF.

In a country where love is preached in every street corner and even from rooftops, everything around us bear imprints of hatred and animosity: broken homes, burnt churches, decapitated bodies, abandoned children, ravaged lands.
The irony bears testimony to one truth: We have not learnt to love.

Not our neighbour and surely not God.

We just enjoy talking and singing about 'love'.

In learning how to love,there is no better place to begin than from within.'Charity',they say,'begins at home.'

And we've been told to love our neighbours as we love ourselves.

So for a start: Love yourself.

Most of us hate ourselves.

This is a truth many deny persistently. If not,how can we explain the palpable frustration on most people's faces? 

Or self-deprecating remarks like 'I'm stupid...I'm a big fool'?

Or the rising prevalence of depression and suicide attempts?

Why will you wish to be someone else if you love yourself?

Huh?

Granted some things about you may not be superb.

You may not have wads of loose cash to spend or have the height or size of your dreams.

But so what?

Love yourself.

Appreciate your uniqueness and what sets you apart.

It is a testament of the wonderful nature of your being.

And remember,you are a co-creator.

So if your circumstances ain't right, go and create the ideal circumstances!

Work hard and make more money.

Get a degree.

Exercise daily till you get that trim body.

Change what you can,enjoy what you can't.

It is quite true that many of us have made terrible mistakes in the past.

And done many things we are not proud of.

But still I urge you: Love yourself.

Those mistakes are necessary components of your life story.

Believe me, unpalatable as they may seem, they've made your life interesting.

And here's the good news: They've been locked away in your past now.

You future does not depend on them, it depends on your present.

So dear, love yourself...

Now.

Loving yourself does not mean lying sprawled on the sofa sixteen hours daily watching TV.

Loving yourself doesn't mean emptying your bank account and spending everything today.

NO!!! 

Loving yourself means appreciating every moment of your existence and developing yourself to full capacity.

Loving yourself means being joyful and happy and passing the same joy and optimism to others.

Loving yourself means recognizing your unique role to humanity and striving to fill it.

Loving yourself means seeing yourself as part of a whole and doing your best to preserve that whole.

If we learn to truly love ourselves, our eyes will be opened.

Then,we can look sideways and love our neighbour.

And together, we will all look up, and come to love our God...the epitome of love.

PLANNING vs. DOING

Many of us love planning.

We are usually thrilled by elaborate plans of the future or an event. Some call it 'positive dreaming'. Others call it 'goal-setting'.

Planning is important. A good plan serves as a map, a guide. 

But planning should be a means to an end, not the end itself.

Planning is good,doing is better.

Your plans do not count as much as what you do.

Having all the maps in the world does not guarantee your getting to any destination.

You must move.

Humanity does not judge you by your plans but by your actions.

Hitler may have had some good plans, but what we remember is his extermination of six million Jews.

Some tips that will help in 'Action-Oriented Planning' includes:

1. Plan with 5% of the time,Execute with 95%: 

Most of us spend the bulk of the allotted time planning, only to find out that we have little or no time to execute those beautiful plans.

Some spend up to 6hrs planning their day!

Spend more time doing than planning.

2. Keep your plans simple: 

Complex,complicated plans usually paralyse every muscle fibre in our body thus inhibiting action.As a rule,simplify,simplify and simplify.

3. Make your plans breakable:
Your plans should be such that you can break it up into simpler,doable pieces.

4. Always measure your progress:
A good plan enables you to measure your progress.

Vague plans like 'To be happy','To be rich' are really not good plans, but good ideas.

Be specific. And measure your progress.

5. Stick to your plan: 

Don't deviate. Don't procastinate. Just execute your plans to the letter.

To the last drop.

Christ had a very simple plan: To do the will of His father. 

He spent each day doing things: healing, teaching, doing good. 

He stuck to His plan to the very end.

He concluded with the definitive statement of a master planner and doer,'It is finished'.

Plan and execute like Him.

Good plans do not work by themselves.

You must make them work.

Plan less,do more.

And you will leave a lasting trail of achievements.

MAKING DREAMS REAL.

Most of us have beautiful dreams. Series of ideals we aspire to. Goals. Ambitions. Beautiful plans about the future. But to our chagrin and utter dismay, many of these plans don't happen. Why? Do we have a cruel fate dealing us an unwanted hand? Or do we not try hard enough? The ensuing frustration has made many lower their expectations or abandon dreaming or goal-setting entirely.

From time immemorial, great thinkers and great achievers have acknowleged the wide chasm between our various ideals or dreams and the reality. And only few persons have mastered the art of making their dreams and ideals come true. Consistently. This same art can be learnt. In some reproducible steps. But let me warn you before hand. Making your dreams come true is a continuous, non-stop process. Just as you take your bath daily to feel good, and begin to stink when you stop bathing, frustration may set in if you deviate from these simple steps.

Making your dreams come true is central to your happiness. It makes your self-esteem grow. Knowing how to do this consistently makes you the perpetual achiever and co-creator with God who has imbued you with countless abilities to make all your dreams come true. And learning this art is simpler than you think. Just follow me up these five steps.

1. HAVE UNSHAKEABLE FAITH: Faith in God, your ever-present guide and faith in yourself is the starting point of every achievement. Believe in your dreams and their relevance. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

2. BEGIN: Beginning a task is half the job. Once you have dreamt and planned, leave that stage and DO! Remember, the world remembers you by what you DID and not by what you planned to do. Start it. Do it. Or forget it.

3. GAIN GROUND EVERY MOMENT: Every masterpiece was accomplished on little step at a time. Brick by brick. Hour after hour. Your dreams, whatever they may be, is composed of parts which make up the whole. Accomplishing each of the parts leads to accomplishing the whole. Keep pushing steadily until one part is done then move to the next. Don't pause. Any break diffuses previous efforts, making the job harder the next time.

4. FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND: Once you've started working on a project, put your whole mind to it. Don't deviate from your plan. Other interesting side projects calling for your attentions are simply distractions. Focus on one thing and do it perfectly.

5. WHEN IT GETS TOUGH, STICK!: Every worthwhile goal has some element of difficulty embeded in it which we are sure to encounter sooner or later. And this is when many abandon their dreams or projects. Unknown to many, these difficulties present themselves just when success is lurking around the corner. Only those who stick to the task and bring it to completion receive the ultimate reward.

Put these steps into practice. Remember that excellence is not an act but a habit, what we do repeatedly, constantly. Keep dreaming. And then do your best to make those dreams real.

DON'T COMPETE...CREATE.

This week the whole world mourns the passing of one man, who meant many things to many people. Clad in his characteristic black shirt and jeans, Steve Jobs exemplified one profound truth: 

Don't compete...Create.

In the highly competitive tech industry, Steve Jobs' wizardry lies in his ability to create products whose trademark beauty and utility made Apple one of the most successful tech companies ever. 

He thought differently.

And we all had no option but to follow suit.

Most times in our lives, we find ourselves sucked into the whirlpool of cut-throat competition, and intense scrambling to the top.
Hmmm...This may be necessary for you to get by in the short term, but in the long term what brings true success and value is what you created, what you left behind and how your life has made our collective lives better.

Following your true bent, pursuing creativity comes with a certain risk though. 

You risk being misunderstood and labelled a big fool: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg were surely misunderstood when they dropped out from school. 

You run the risk of being broke: nobody is willing to invest in that imaginary,uncertain dream of yours. You run the risk of giving up: if your convictions are not strong enough. 

But despite all these detours, following your dreams and employing creativity has its own reward: 

You will be remembered for something and you will be incredibly satisfied.

Creativity requires four ingredients: Vision, Courage, Effort and Patience. 

Vision enables you to see the invisible and help provide means to make it possible.
Courage enables you to begin, to overcome obstacles and do what hitherto was impossible. 

Effort is the fuel that drives the creative process. Effort should be relentless...unceasing until the dream becomes a reality. 

Patience is needed for your efforts to bear fruits.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Life can either be seen as a warfront or as a field of play. 

For me, life represents the latter: a glorious field of play where we contribite our own quota to the game, laugh loud, have fun and share love and joy to all and sundry. 

If you think life is cut-throat competition, blood and mangled limbs, think again. 

Life should be more interesting than that. 

Steve Jobs totally committed himself to his passion and left a tech revolution as a legacy. 

He wasn't competing to get to the top. His innovative mind transformed him into a genius, acclaimed CEO and made Apple a goldmine.
Our lives will be more fruitful if we adhere to this simple dictum:

Don't compete. Create.