Working For The Good Of All.

I am a loyal follower of leadership at all levels. What that means is that my leaders can count on me to do what is right at all times and in all circumstances. Common good and commonwealth are more important to me than my  personal interest. I will never sacrifice common good and commonwealth on the altar of avarice and selfishness. It is my personal choice and I live by it.

That is why I pursue my visions and dreams within the confines of the rule of law, due process and constitutionality and, in all, I recognize and respect the rights of others and the inalienable value of every human being, regardless their circumstance or background. The good and prosperity of my fellow human being comes first. Oneupmanship has no place in my toolbox, nor do I promote it in any of my associations.

I recognize that organized and systematized leadership and government is necessary for the good and growth of all units of society and the nation as a whole. Good leadership, as I see it, is visionary, practical, proactive, fully engaged and stands on accountability, rule of law, due process and constitutionality, promoting human rights, equity, justice and fairness. You see, without good and visionary leadership, society and the state will wallow in mediocrity, disorder, poverty and all other attendant vices. And that, to me, is unacceptable.

Leadership, on the other hand, need the support, understanding and cooperation of the people, at all levels, to succeed. You see, without the people, leadership can not succeed. As a matter of fact, without the people, there is no need for leadership in the first instance. It is the people who confer legitimacy on the leader, and not the other way round.The leader, therefore, is a hoax and an empty nothingness without the people. Hence, the leader's chief preoccupation should be working to secure the safety, well being and prosperity of the people.

This is why respect and support, as far as leaders and the led are concerned, must be mutual and reciprocal in the fullest sense of the words. Leadership that has no regard for the people has derailed and, certainly, will eventually fail. By the same token, followers that have no regard for their leaders, will not enjoy the benefits of leadership and, certainly, will fail too. The two must work together for the sake of security, prosperity and continuity. Where this two fail to understand each other and work together, there will be disorder and resultant systemic failure and, eventually, anarchy.

It is in pursuit of the benefits of good leadership, both for me and the society, that I give total regard and loyalty to my leaders at all levels: civil, traditional and religious. I give to Ceasar what is due to Ceasar and to God what is due to God. This way there will be no failure on my part to uphold the principles of good followership and, thus, catalyse the conditions for good leadership to emerge and thrive. In this case, common good and commonwealth are enriched and, thus, the people are the winners.

But, and this must be underlined and emphasized, my regard and loyalty to my leaders is not blind, deaf or dumb and, therefore, should not be taken for granted. You see, I am fully aware of the fact that my leaders, both temporal and spiritual, are human beings and, hence, prone to mistakes, failings and shortcomings. Leadership position, regardless the promoted claim and spiritualized rhetoric, does not confer on anyone divinity or infallibility. Leaders, therefore, are as human as the rest of us and the best of them are as fallible as the weakest of us. They are, hence, to be supported and not idolized or worshipped

Conscious of that fact and being fully alive to my responsibility as a loyal and patriotic citizen, I do not hesitate to point out leadership failings with a view to correcting the flaws by offering better alternatives. I use all the channels available to me to carry out this very crucial citizenship responsibility. And, when I do it, I do it with the utmost sense of humility, not for show or any such personal considerations, but for the benefit of all. Common good and commonwealth are topmost on my mind, always. Nothing can detract me from that, not even the lure of the richest of rewards.

I want the best for Nigeria and all Nigerians, regardless race, religion, region, ethnicity and social status. You see, development and progress has no race or tribe or religion. Progress and development are good for all, and everyone has the right to benefit therefrom. Therefore, I show no difference or partially to any on any grounds. When I work for the good of one, I work for the good of all. When I speak up for the benefit of one, I speak up for the benefit of all. When I defend the rights of one, I defend the rights of all.

All I see and consider and work for, with everything I have got, is the common good and the commonwealth of the nation and the welfare of the ordinary people.

All is well.

Long live Nigeria.

I remain Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

#Agosotó
#DrArnobb
#NigeriaGoBetter
#NigeriaWillBeGreat

Tips For Aspiring Writers And Public Speakers.

A young, aspiring writer once asked me: "Sir, you have such a powerful narative and descriptive ability that when I read your writings or listen to you speak, it is as good as watching a movie or following real life events. How did you develop such a powerful writing and speaking skill?"

I looked at him carefully and I could see in his eyes that he was expecting a magical formula, a sort of an abracadabra, that will confer on him that ability in an instant. But I knew better than that. There are no such quick-fix, fix-all, instant formulas. I am afraid, a lot of time and energy goes into developing this very useful skills.

Two (2) important skills:
Before I go ahead and emphasize the things that I pointed out to this young man, things that every aspiring writer and public speaker needs to know and work on to become better and do better, let me say here that the ability to write well and speak well are two of the most important abilities that all young people, regardless their area of interest and endeavour in life, should have. You see, the ability to write and speak well increases your connectivity to the rest of the World and, with that, your value and marketability, eventually positively impacting on your productivity and profitability. Simply put, the ability to write and speak well, greatly increases your chances of success in life and profession, regardless your location or profession.

A good observer:
Now, I pointed out to this young man that, first, you must be a very good observer with a good presence of mind. Do not miss or ignore anything, no matter how small or insignificant.

A good listener:
Secondly, you must be a good listener. It pays more to shut your mouth up and listen. Speak only when you need clarification on some point. You learn more that way and such learning gives your writing and speaking added wieght and punch.

Pay attention to details:
Thirdly, pay attention to details and keep records of incidences, sequences, and consequences. Meaning, keep a sharp mind. In other words, use all your senses in all situations and all the time. Be mindful in all situations and at all times. Do not allow any detail to pass you by unnoticed and uncaptured. In other words, master all environments and situations you find yourself in.

Practice makes perfect:
Fourthly, and this is the nitty-gritty that most aspiring writers and speakers want to avoid: practice recounting events, even if its an imaginary event, in long-hand writing. I am not talking about writing for publication. No. I am talking about writing long and hard, correcting spellings and rephrasing sentences, just for practice. Do the same with speaking. Verbalize what you have written, over and over again, paying close attention to:

1. Pronunciation - correct pronunciation is an important key to effective speaking. Always pronounce works deliberately and correctly.

- Avoid slangs and street pronunciation.

- Every language has its accent. Always use the recognized accent of the language you are using.

2. Pace - the main requirement for effective speaking is intelligibility. If you are not understood, your thoughts are not conveyed, and if you are to be understood, then you must speak at a pace that enables your listeners to get your message. So, strive to be unhurried, measured and not frantic.

- Avoid speaking too fast. Rapid-fire speech is not an acceptable form of regular and good communication.

- Avoid speaking too slow. Slow-motion speech is also not an acceptable form of regular and good communication.

3. Pauses - everyone pauses from time to time in the course of giving a talk.

- Avoid hemming, using the all-purpose "uh" and its cousin "um".

- Avoid bogging down in mid-sentence.

- Use breathing to fill-in spaces instead of hemming or bogging.

- Pause for a few seconds and collect your thoughts, then carry on confidently, measuredly and smoothly.

Practice! Practice!! Practice!!!

My experience:
I mentioned to him the endless stack of exercise and note books in my study, containing writings that will never be published because they represent endless hours of mental practice and exercise. I also mentioned the countless times I stood in front of a full-length mirror in my room and blew endless spoken English at myself. I also formed the habit of walking to the farms and bushes on the edge of Numan town and shouting sentences into the air, punctuated only by the sweet chorus of the birds.

It was not a waste of time. No. My descriptive and narative powers, both in writing and in speech, were developed and honed during those long hours of exercise and practice.

Confidence:
Let me add here that confidence is important in becoming a successful writer and public speaker. No matter how much you practice writing and speaking, if you are not confident to present to the public what you have written, or stand up and speak before an audience, and be critiqued, then all your effort is wasted. It is never easy for first timers, but (and this very important) the more you present your work and speak publicly, the more confident you will become. So, overcome your initial fear, present your work to the public, and you will be on your way to success.

Conclusion:
There you have it folks. If you are an aspiring writer or public speaker hoping to follow my example, I just shared with you some of my 'secrets', for free!

Please note (for emphasise): the ability to write and speak clearly are among the topmost skills that every youth should have, regardless their primary professional interest or preoccupation. As I have pointed out earlier, they increase your value and enhance your marketability. You see, ever since paper and pen were invented and the first public colloquiums were organized, writing and public speaking have not diminished in value. Even with the coming of the World Wide Web and the growth of Information and Communication Technology, basic writing and basic public speaking skills remain hugely relevant, and will remain so as long as human beings exist. This is because communication is a basic human need. Without the ability to communicate, there won't be community and all the interactions and engagements that entails.

Get down to practice, therefore, because you will be needing this skills for the rest of your life!

Quotations:
Let me leave you with two quotations that I find very helpful. The first is on writing and the second is on public speaking. These quotations are by people who are well-experienced and, therefore, know what they are talking about. You will find useful hints that will help improve your game:

1. "A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” - Richard Bach.

2. “There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” - Alexander Gregg.

I expect you to go ahead and do better than I have done. Oya, wetin you dey wait for?

You can do it!

It is all within you!

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Smelly Farty Encounters!

Well, I guess human beings are the same - in terms of body functions or malfunctions, as the case may be - whether they can afford to travel by air or just by road. I had two smelly chance encounters recently that aptly illustrate this assertion.

The first is something I would love to forget but, alas, I cant due to the disorienting force with which it assaulted my smell buds, lodging in my subconscious mind permanently.

I flew into Lagos, from Yola, for a weekend teaching engagement. I also used the time to huddle with my family. Monday morning saw me in the local wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, to catch a flight back to Yola for an important appointment. It was tight and, unfortunately, I missed the only flight out of Lagos going to Yola in the North East that day. The famous early morning Lagos traffic jam was to blame for my arriving late. The only alternative was to catch another flight to Abuja, the beautiful capital city, and connect another flight to Yola.

So, I booked a seat on a Dana Air plane, checked-in and waited in the roomy departure lounge of MMA2 for my flight to be called. About 45 minutes later the flight was called and I joined other passengers on queue to go through documentation and security. Then I walked down to gate 8 and boarded the Apron Bus that would take us to the airplane.

In the bus, I noticed an elderly man. He was dressed in typical South Western dress and spoke, to no one in particular, in Yoruba. His clothes looked neat but his teeth appeared coated with deposits of smoke and palm wine. He looked to me like someone who enjoyed the "good life" but did not care much for oral and personal hygien.

I boarded the plane and took my seat, on the left aisle, before the old man. A dignified lady, dressed in embroidered lace material, occupied the window seat on my row. A sweet scent, gentle and graceful, hung around her. It must be one of those expensive designer brands. I like it when people smell nice. The seat between us was empty.

A classy youngman, a Banky-W look-a-like, wearing designer denims and sweat shirt and a 50cent-type face cap, complemented with a loud masculine scent, sat on the aisle seat on my right. He paid no mind to no one as he nodded to some music fed into his brain by a flashy aerpiece connected to a fancy handset - one of three on him.

As I sat there and watched other passengers justling for their assigned seats, a handsome halfcast walked pass me and took the seat directly behind me. He answered a call briefly, speaking in good English, with a Nigerian accent. Then the elderly man shambled along, struggling with his carry-on and mumbling incoherently to no one in particular. He walked pass me and, in all honesty, he smelled like he had not taken bath for days. He raised his bag and deposited it in the overhead cabin and then asked the halfcast to let him in. The handsome man complied and the old man took his seat by the window.

We were soon airborne, devouring the air miles toward Abuja. The old man promptly fell asleep and then the farting game began. In the depth of his slumber he must have dreamt of visiting the loo to answer the call of nature: he released the first farty installment in a series of three. Oh boy, was it bad?! It jolted me out of my deep meditation - something I do alot when I travel - back into my senses and involuntarily forced my eyes open. It defied the airconditioning as it tormentingly and heavily hung on the air, refusing to budge even an inch.

Boy, this thing bad o! The blood of Jesus!

This fart must be made up of a unigue molecular structure, a cross breed of some of the baddest farts, that conferred on it some special aggressive defiance. It stirred my guts and gave me instant headache. I would bet a million Naira that, if there was a standard measure for smelly farts, this one would score ten on a scale of one to ten!

The lady beside me quickly brought out a hand fan from her handbag and briskly fanned herself, with an expression of disgust on her face, to no avail. She looked like she was going to faint. She bent her head forward and pulled the neck of her dress over her nose, burying it in the cup of her breasts. You could tell that she was in serious torment. Such a fine lady should never be put through such disgusting pain.

The Banky-W look-a-like acted like he was stung by a bee. He jerked abruptly and looked around as if to find the rascally bee. He pulled off the earpiece in an attempt to ascertain the nature of the intruding disturbance. He then pulled out the safety manual from the seat pocket in front of him and fanned himself vigoriously. I could not help but say in my mind:

"So, even this dandy swaggerd, who could not care a hoot who sat beside him, minded the rude assault on the peace of his nostrils?"

It was funny, but I could not laugh, being a co-sufferer in the fartuous misadventure.

Fifteen minutes later, still sleeping, the old man released the second fartuous installment. This too bad o! You can imagine the reaction from all of us who had the misfortune of sharing proximity with the sleeping old man. The handsome halfcast got up and changed seat, tracing the sign of the cross over his face and shoulders. It was that bad!

A few minutes later, the third installment arrived. Gush! By this time, I was agonizingly praying for the plane to land and bring an end to this airborne tribulation. Boy, man suffer o!

Mercifully, the plane touched down without further farty installments. When the pilot engaged the reverse thrust to slow down the plane on the runway, the loud noise and increased vibrations woke the old man up. He streched and innocently asked if we had landed in Abuja. He was completely unaware of the trouble he had caused! Sokushipe!

My second fartuous encounter was almost as bad as the first one. The main difference is that this one was at ground level, in a bus as we traversed the distance between Numan and Jos, and not at 35, 000 feet above sea level. I was on my way to Jos to deliver a lecture at the inauguration and swearing-in ceremony of the new exco of the Pene Da Bwatiye, Jos branch. Since I was travelling alone, I decided to go by public trasportation to stay within budget.

I sat by the door in the front of the bus along with the driver on the other side. A middle aged man sat in the middle front seat. He looked neat and well-kempt, with eye-salve tracing his eyes and giving him a feminine look. He smelled heavily of the Binta Sudan-type cologne. He had a tendency to argumentatively dominate every conversation. He seemed to have a ready answer for every topic and cared next to nothing whether his opinion was factual or not. All that mattered was that he had the opinion and everybody else must fall in line. When he adjudged that I was the "acada" type, he made it a duty to carpet me at every topic. I was getting nowhere with superior logic and, not wanting to get down into the gutter just to prove a point to this obnoxious stranger, I admonished myself to shut up and work my mind on the tricky topic I was travelling to tackle. He kept up his "intelligent" social commentary with the longsuffering driver. Well, I thought to myself, at least his diatribe will serve to keep the driver awake and alert!

Before we got to Kaltungo, Mr. Cicero slept off, leaving me and the driver to our thoughts. Then the farting series began. The first one was silent and stealthy, but what it lacked in sound, it made up for in smelly fury. It was revoltingly pungent and had an oppressive urgency to it, so much so that, without conferring with each other, the driver and I grapped our various winders and rolled down our glasses almost simultaneuosly, to let in fresh air and repel the nasal assault! The glasses stayed down, despite the thick Harmattan, untill we got to Alkaleri, through Kashere, and our man woke up at the Military Check Point. He promptly resumed his "smart" monologue as he offered solutions to all the problems of Nigeria. I came to appreciate his empty talk more than his eventful sleep with the resultant loaded fartuous discharges.

Those are the two life-changing smelly farty experiences that I had recently. They taught me that humans are the same - at least in terms of their body functions or, rather, malfunctions - whether they can afford to travel by air or just by road.

What is that smell? Eh?

😜😜😜😂😂😂😎😎😎👍👍👍

I remain Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

#Agosotó
#DrArnobb
#SmellyFarts
#NigeriaGoBetter
#LaughterIsGoodForHealth

Grace And Labor.

Apostle Paul was an extraordinary man. He was a world changer whose uncommon influence is still impacting the world 2000 years after. It is said in theological circles that Jesus Christ founded Christianity, but Paul established it. He authored half of the books in the New Testament and is responsible for our understanding of the practice of Christianity. Against superhuman odds, he took on the Roman Empire and changed it more than any armies could. He, himself, attributed his uncommon success to two factors; the grace of God and his willingness to labor.

“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I but the grace of God which was with me” - 1 Corinthians 15: 9, 10.

Grace, without going into theological technicalities, is simply defined as “unmerited favor”; that is, when something happens to or is done for or through you that is far and above what you deserve or what you are capable of in your natural abilities. It is God’s blessings, or what is called “anointing”, upon your life, or talent, or work, such that you produce outstanding results that are beyond and above what you can do at your natural best. Apostle Paul had such grace. He knew that the outstanding results and performances in his life were beyond the ordinary run of things, even at their best. He acknowledged that only grace could do that. But even grace, even anointing, needs committed labor to be at its best. Without committed labor, talent, gifts, genius, etc., will end up in “brilliant” mediocrity; awesome potential with no commensurate manifestation in reality. Nothing works well in life until it is worked.

Apostle Paul knew this fact and so he labored more than any of the apostles. And because he made himself available, through his committed and untiring labors, God found in him a capable and willing vessel. This is why God used him more than any of the apostles, resulting in an extraordinarily outstanding and unique life and ministry. He, like all the other apostles, had grace. What made him outstanding was that he “labored more abundantly than they all”. His success had very little to do with color, race, nationality, birth, talent, IQ, connection, etc., but a lot more to do with committed labor. If Apostle Paul was not willing to work as hard as he did, for as long as he did, under the trying circumstance that he did, he would have ended up average and we will not be holding him up as a good example today.

This truth applies to us all. None of us can rise up to and fulfill potential and see the kind of results that will be reckoned with as outstanding, if we are not willing to labor committedly at our potential and all the factors of success therein. Nothing works in life until it is worked. Life itself is programmed to yield fruits only to work. That is why the first assignment God gave Adam, the progenitor of the human race, is to till the garden – to work it. That assignment and principle still stands today. Work is not a curse because the command to work came before the fall – before sin and its consequences came into the world. That’s right.

Gordon B. Hinckley, 15h President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, emphasized the truth that nothing good works in nature until it is worked, when he observed that:

“Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds” – Gordon B. Hinckley

If you do not work your farm, nothing grows well and yields bountifully except weeds. Rice, wheat, corn, millet, beans, etc., never do well if left unattended. Your life-garden will not do well and yield bountiful returns if left unattended. Work brings out the best in you and lead to outstanding success. Your dreams will remain mere dreams and not manifested in reality if you are not willing to pay the price to secure success through hard work, no matter what else you do. Collin Powell, former Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first black man to serve as the U. S. Secretary of State, stated as much when he said:

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work” – Collin Powell.

You see, work purchased all the wealth of the world and only work can secure it. Adam smith, the father of modern economics and a moral philosopher, made this powerful observation about work:

“Labour was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased” – Adam Smith (1723 – 1790).

The smartest people are those who see and take opportunities and chances that come their way. Yet opportunities and chances never come to those who sit down and fold their hands. No. No. No. They come only to those who are out there working, willingly. Willingness to work, therefore, is the greatest foresight. No one knows that better than Thomas Edison, foremost inventor and entrepreneur. Hear him speak about it:

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” – Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931).

This is where work is superior to talent; the ability to make the most of opportunities and chances. Do not believe the lie that talent alone is enough. While talent is a good thing to have, I must emphasize that talent without committed and purposeful work will end as a talented failure, unable to take and make the most of opportunities. That is a universal truth that you cannot go around or successfully avoid, no matter how gifted you are. You must be willing to work if you are to get the best out of your talent. Work is the mobility talent needs to travel to success and eventually arrive at greatness. Stephen king, a hard working American author who has sold over 350 million copies of his books, said as much when he observed that:

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work” – Stephen King.

You want your life to count for something in time and eternity? Then work. Work at your work. Work at your life. Work at your relationships. Work at your studies. Work at your calling. Work at your talents and gifts. Work at your character and integrity. Work at your dreams. Work at any and every project or pursuit before you. Work wholeheartedly. Work committedly. Work happily. Give life, not just your best, but your all also. That is the way to true happiness and success in life.

“It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man” – Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790).

Without work, let me repeat this for emphasis, you will not come into success. It is just not possible, except, perhaps, you come into an inheritance or discover a fortune. Even then, without labor, you are bound to lose the inheritance and fortune. You see, work precedes success in all ramifications. Nowhere in life does success precede work, except in the dictionary. It was Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach, who first made this observation. Hear him speak:

“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary”- Vince Lombardi (1913 – 1970).

There you have it; be ready to work or else be ready to fail. It’s as simple as that. Do you desire or dream of a great life? Do you desire success in your call or profession? Do you want to make a difference in this life? Do you want your life to count for something? If your answer is yes to any or all of the above questions, then work. That is my advice and the advice of history, both ancient and contemporary. Work is the key, the master key to life.

Get down to it!

You can do it!

It is all within you!

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

#Agosotó
#DrArnobb
#HardWorkPays
#GetDownToIt
#YouCanDoIt
#ItIsAllWithinYou

You Are Valuable.

You Are Valuable. 

I studied and worked under Dr. Ige Olumide for 5 years. I learnt a lot from this humble and self-effacing, but highly gifted and educated man.

One of the most important lessons I learnt from him is respect for fellow human beings. He showed courteous respect to everyone, no matter their social standing or station in life.

With 5 earned doctoral degrees, over 60 honorary doctoral degrees from universities all around the World, a knighthood from the kingdom of Malta, a prodigious brain and handsome looks, he listened respectfully to us, his protégés, and addressed us as "Sir/Ma"!

We once asked him why he did it. His answer was simple, but deeply profound. It changed the way I looked at myself and the way I related with others:

" All human beings, no matter their status or station in life, deserve to be respected. It is a right. I am not more valuable or superior to you just because I am older, richer or more educated than you. All that is relative and not absolute. The only absolute value in life is the fact of your humanity. Now, if God gave His best gift to redeem humanity, who am I not to respect this creature that Divinity places premium value on?"

Now, how about that for a life-changing lesson?! 

I have not been the same ever since. I now seek the good and wellbeing of my fellow humans above my personal interest. Your success is my success and I find true joy when my efforts help to lift a fellow being to a higher life. It is so because I respect one and all. I value the fact of your humanity above your class, race, status, station, creed, religion, location, etc. You are valuable because you are a human being and nothing more or less.

If you are human, you are my brother/sister. I am because you are and, together, we are taller and stronger.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

You Are The Best.

Relax, you are the best that there ever was, is and will be! Just up your game to make yourself better. 

Compare yourself with no one.

Compete with no one.

Be jealous of no one.

Hate no one.

Fear no one.

Be intimidated by no one.

Just be yourself with confidence and enthusiasm.

Orderliness For Efficiency.

One of the outstanding things about Lagos is the large population crammed into a small landmass. Every square inch is taken, and when you walk down any street in Mile 12, Mile 2, Oshodi, Mushin, Ojuelegba or Obalende, you feel like, for some strange reason, the whole world is out for a walk. Come see a sea of people!

During my days in Lagos, I avoided the crowds as much as I could. I operated my office from my house and ventured out only when absolutely necessary, like when I have to go to the bank. Even at the bank the crowds can be massively crazy, especially at the end of the month when salaries are paid. If you operate an account with one of those old time banks that pay salaries on behalf of the government and you have to do business there during such time, your name is 'sorry'! 

Wahala dey!

The main reason for this wahala is our inability to master ourselves and do things in an orderly manner. This disorderliness causes unnecessary delays, resulting in huge stress and frayed nerves, occasionally resulting in fisticuffs and other forms of show of shame.

Little wonder then that General Mohammadu Buhari and General Tunde Idiagbon found it necessary to regimentalize us into the queueing battalion. That was when the generals were younger and stronger. We are lucky now, in his second coming, PMB is not in uniform and is no longer as young, and Idiagbon's place has been taken by the scholarly and pious Pastor Yemi Osinbajo (no relation to the wily Obasanjo, even though their names can be used together in the lines of a rhyming poem!).

But our penchant for disorderliness and, therefore our need for a Buhari/Idiagbon-type regimentalization, persists. I look forward to a day soon when we all will be 'decreed' into orderliness. Then we will quickly see that, as a result of orderliness, our effectiveness and productivity will increase exponentially.

Back to my days in crowded Lagos (and the crowding gets tighter with each new birth!).

One particularly tight month end, on a particularly trying day, I had reason to go to the bank; the Union Bank by the roundabout on Shasha Road, Dopemu. When I entered, I was greeted by a scene of disorderliness that is worse than Ngurore on a market day. There was no style or class to it, and no pretensions whatsoever. It was raw disorderliness of the strong-headed type: the type of headache that required Panadol Extra! 

My first impulse was to turn around and return home, but necessity persuaded me to stay. I scanned the motley crowd to see if I could make any sense of it. It had no decipherable handle nor angle to it. I pressed my way to a guard standing there like a lost child, with an expression on his face like fish out of water. I asked him why he and his colleagues had allowed things to get so out of control. He looked into my face closely, trying to determine who or what I was, before replying resignedly that the crowd got out of hand, almost violent, leading the bank manager to order the security guards to leave the crowd to its devices.

Not good. Not good at all. One can be here all day and not get anything done.

I turned around and looked at the bustling crowd once more. I concluded that someone needed to take charge and bring some order to this asymmetric madness. I asked the guard if I could give a try in attempting to bring some order to this sweltering mess. He stretched out both his hands towards the crowd resignedly, as if to say "ga fili, ga doki!" (Hausa, meaning - Behold the field, behold the horse!).

I took the cue and forced my way to the middle of the crowd. Then, assuming an air of authority, I commanded everyone to listen to me. The strength in my voice and the confidence in my manners compelled them all to quieten down and listen to me.

"We are all educated and civilized people", I thundered, " but our behaviour here today does not reflect that noble truth." I paused for a brief moment to allow my words to sink in. 

"If you will humbly follow my lead, I want us to form two orderly lines and take alternate turns at any free teller among the four that are available for business today" I announced and, without wasting a moment, I commanded further, "Oya everyone, fall into line!".

I pointed at where I wanted the lines to begin and the people, not sure who I was or what authority I carried, began to quickly fall in line. Before long we had two orderly lines and the hullabaloo quickly died down. I stood in front of the lines and guided the first few individuals to the free tellers. When normalcy returned and efficiency resumed, I walked to the end of one of the lines and took a place to await my turn.

As soon as the people established that I was a regular customer who took it upon himself to bring orderliness in place of chaos, they unanimously insisted that I come to the front and transact my business ahead of them. I flatly refused, insisting that my action was purely altruistic and not for personal advantage. Besides, I just stepped into the bank not long ago, behind everyone else.

I will never forget what one elderly man said to me as I stood in line and awaited my turn:

" My son, I do not know who you are or what you do for a living, but you need to go into politics. We need people like you as our leaders; people who will see an area of need and step out to solve it, even if it will not pay them personally. You are a born leader. God will reward you."

I thanked him and said 'amen' to his prayer.

After I finished my transaction, I returned home wondering why Nigerians cannot order themselves. We lose a lot of good for our disorderliness. Where is our sense of decorum and civility? Why are we so jaga-jaga about everything? Eadris Abdulkareem was not far from the truth, you know, (never mind the lively protestation of OBJ against the song!) When he sang "Nigeria jaga-jaga, everything scatter-scatter".

But, I see a better day...

Take some time to ponder on the following quotes about orderliness. Orderliness creates the conditions for increased productivity and prosperity. It facilitates creativity and originality, thus bringing out the best in humanity. We lose a lot when we act in disorderliness:

1. "Not only is orderliness an economy; it produces rest." - Alice Foote MacDougall - American businesswoman and restuarant owner.

2. "I am a big believer that orderliness begets wealth." - Susan Lynn "Suze" Orman - American financial advisor, author and podcast host.

3. "Without order in your life, you will realize that you will only be busy but without commensurate results." - Sunday Adelaja - Nigerian-born Ukrainian pastor, international speaker and author.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Practice Makes Perfect.

Sometime ago, an intelligent and talented young man came to me for counseling and advice. He had some personal problems he was struggling with and was also concerned about how he could improve his writing skills. I had read some of his writings and was convinced he had the potential to become a very good, even a great, writer. After counseling him on the personal challenges he faced, we began to talk about writing. For a gifted fellow like this young man, I did not have much advice to give except to emphasize to him the universal truth that champions all over the world know and religiously follow: practice makes perfect. This truth is universal because it holds true for all time, places, professions, races, nations and persons. Whatever you practice smartly, regularly, and consistently, you will become very good at eventually.

Publilius Syrus, writer, orator, and dramatist that lived in the first century B. C., captured this truth very aptly when he said:

“Practice is the best of all instructors” – Publilius Syrus. 

No matter the quality of the instruction you receive, if you, on your part, do not take the time to practice and practice some more, you will not rise to your potential, no matter the depth of your primary potential.

Pop Warner, former football and baseball player, who went ahead to become a great coach, tied the quality of play to the quality of practice. He said:

“You play the way you practice” – Pop Warner.

In other words, you can never be better than the quantity and quality of your practice. Pete Rose, former Major League Baseball player and coach, agrees. He is quoted as saying:

“My father taught me that the only way you can make good at anything is to practice, and then practice some more” – Pete Rose.

Lack of practice will firmly fix your feet on losing grounds. This fact was underlined by Ed Macauley, professional Basketball player. He made this powerful observation:

“When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win” – Ed Macauley.

Practice, indeed, makes perfect. I am a witness to this truth. My public speaking  is a blessing anywhere and anytime I speak. When I speak, lives are impacted upon positively and powerfully. This is not a vain claim but a humble statement of fact. Testimonies abound in this regard. You just cannot seat under the influence of my voice and not be touched, moved, or stirred! It is not possible. I know my speaking ability is a talent, backed by divine power to produce outstanding results. But it was not and still is not automatic. I did not just stand up one day and started speaking powerfully. No. As a matter of fact, there used to be a time when I struggled to utter a single coherent sentence. When I stood up, my mind sat down and I fumbled pitifully.

Then I began to practice. Long before opportunities to deliver public speeches came my way, I practiced long and hard, daily. I gave countless speeches to myself, standing before a mirror in my room, all the while imagining I was speaking to radio and television audiences and crowds and congregations in their thousands. I took walks in the outskirts of my home town, Numan, speaking to myself and projecting the images of a great speaker in my mind. I spent whole days in the surrounding bushes around Numan and the banks of the Benue, talking and praying and psyching and imagining great speaking scenarios and possibilities. 

I did not only practiced speaking. I read relevant books and materials on public speaking and then practiced the lessons I learnt. I also listened to speakers in fellowship, such as Asaph Zadok (who later became Hama Bachama), Leonard Nzadon, Amon Ishaya, Stephen Gyebgon, Bulus Taiya, and Vidiyeno Bamaiyi, and then imitated them in private. I followed Timawus Mathias, John Momoh, and Frank Olizie on Nigeria Television Authority and imagined myself speaking with the same elocution and power. I listened endlessly to R. W. schambach and Jimmy Swaggart on tape and imagined myself doing the same thing. Fred Addo, the Love Teaching Centre phenomenon, and Phillip Mokungah were additional influences and sources of inspiration. My life, during that period, was an endless chain of practice and more practice. 

Finally, when the opportunity to speak in public came my way, I was ready. I echoed and parroted, as a matter of course, some of my role models and influences for a while, but eventually I found my voice and style and gradually became a man of my own and, today, I am a recognized authority. Give me ten minutes and a platform and I will give you a rapturous audience and changed lives! That is just who I am, by the grace of God and my commitment to labor. 

Anybody can be as good, even better, in what they do, as long as they are committed to purposeful training and practice. That is how champions and world beaters and world changers are made. 

Mohammad Ali stands today as the greatest boxer of all time. He holds the record as the first Heavyweight boxer to win the title three times. He is famed for his speed, agility, technical ability, and unusual tactic which he called “rub-a-dub.” He retired from boxing undefeated and lives on as the greatest heavyweight boxer to ever grace the ring. He attributes his record-setting success to consistent and persistent training and practice:

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion’” – Muhammad Ali. 

There you have it. Without consistent training and practice, Muhammad Ali will not be the Great Muhammad Ali. Even though training and practice are not pleasant, he kept at them, knowing fully well that there will not be a great tomorrow for him, if he does not endure the unpleasantness of training and practice.

Are you gifted and talented? Are you ambitious? Are you pursuing excellence and greatness in life and profession? Do you want to be outstanding in what you do? Are you reaching for the top? Do you want your life to count for something in this world? If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, then do as all champions and outstanding successes have done all over the world and throughout history: train and practice hard. Learn and learn some more. Train and train some more. Practice and practice some more. Hold on confidently and consistently. Your break will come. When it comes, it will find you ready and capable. You will shine in this life.

You can do it!

It is all within you!

All is well.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Investing In The People.

While speaking to Nigeria's leadership on Thursday, 22 March, 2018, the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, mentioned repeatedly, that investing in people is the key that will unlock Nigeria's awesome potential. This is so because people make nations great and not natural resources. 

Among several points made by Bill Gates, I find these words very instructive:

"The most important choice you can make is to maximize your greatest resource, the Nigerian people. Nigeria will thrive when every Nigerian is able to thrive.

If you invest in their health, education, and opportunities—the "human capital" we are talking about today—then they will lay the foundation for sustained prosperity. If you don't, however, then it is very important to recognize that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow." - Bill Gates.

This tallies with what The Madiba, Nelson Mandela, said about the power of education:

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela.

You see, without a highly educated and healthy people to relevantly exploit and develop resources and direct them to profitability, resources, no matter how great, will remain a potential. And nobody feeds on or takes potential to the market!

Great nations invest in people and the people, in turn, drive the nations to prosperity and greatness. That is a universal fact and Nigeria cannot be an exception.

What we need are more highly and relevantly educated and healthy people, and not more oil wells. We have overrated oil and given it such an exalted position over everything else that it has become an Albatross on the neck of Nigeria. It has blindsided us to what real development entails and given us a false sense of security and prosperity and, at the end of the day, leaving us with a highly vulnerable economy and the poorest polity in the World.

What our leaders need to do urgently and with the greatest commitment is to fiix our schools and hospitals. Build standard schools and medical facilities in our rural and semi-urban communities. Invest heavily in teacher training and procurement of relevant teaching and learning aids. Do the same with medical workers and medical consumables. Insentivise the posting of teachers and medical workers to rural communities so they will be willing to stay and work there. What we need is more brain exploration and not more oil exploration. 

Or can't we see that the world economy is knowledge-driven? Can't we see that ideas and knowledge has far more value and greater positive impact than oil or any other natural resource? Without building a knowledge-driven economy, we will remain a perpetual consumer nation. We will continue to produce raw materials, ship them out very cheap and then buy them back expensively as finished and packaged goods. 

No consumer nation ever becomes a high-income and high-net-worth nation. Given our large population, we cannot afford to remain a mere consumer nation anymore. If we continue as a consumer nation, we will eventually sink. To prevent this, we must invest in the people's education and health. You see, the true wealth of Nigeria is more in the health and brainpower of its citizens, than in any solid, liquid or gaseous mineral or resource.

This is the main task before the federal, state and local governments: educating all our citizens so as to secure genuine and sustainable development for Nigeria, giving its citizens a living standard comparable to that in Scandinavian countries. Good health and qualitative education will bring out the best in the citizenry and, thus, bestow the best on the country.

Let me leave you with these powerful quotations on education and health:

1. "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” - Malcolm X - American Muslim Minister and Civil Rights Activist.

2. "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." - Mahatma Gandhi - Indian lawyer and nationalist.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Find Bill Gates' full speech here:

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/263194-for-the-records-bill-gates-speech-that-rattled-nigerian-govt-full-text.html#.Xnuo8D8ftvk.link

Making The Best Of Your Chances.

I have been writing since the early 1980s, but my work was first published in the year 2000. It was an inspirational/motivational book titled "HOW TO HANDLE OFFENCES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS: overcoming the rough edges of life". 

It was not by any means an award winner, but it contained a very powerful message that had a positive resonance in the heart of almost all that read it. It circulated far and wide, as people passed it around from person to person, and I received positive feedback from around the World.

One of those that were positively touched by this little book was an African migrant that was imprisoned in France. She got a copy from a friend who is a sister to my protege, the irrepressible Ahmed Magem. Ahmed had sent his sister a few copies.

This prisoner told me, in a letter she wrote to me after reading the book, how she had given up hope on a meaningful life because of the many offences and disappointments that life had thrown in her path. When she read my book, fresh hope rose in her and the fire of a productive and meaningful life was kindle in her heart. She recommitted herself to living positively.

Another woman, a rather saintly woman, whose world was destroyed when her highly popular husband was implicated in a murder case and thrown behind bars, leaving her and her children in a dazing maze of fear and confusion, got a copy of the book and went through it. I do not know how she got the book, but she told me how the book gave her hope and motivated her to remain positive and sweet, believing that her husband will be vindicated and set free. She found strength in the face of weakness, courage in the face of challenge and faith in the face of hopelessness. She stood her ground in faith and her husband was eventually vindicated and released.

Many such stories of how this little book positively impacted the lives of people abound. Up to this day, 20 years after it was released, I still run into people who tell me what a blessing the book has been to them. 

I remember lifting two middle aged men several months ago. I had closed from office and was driving out of the Government House when I met them walking the long distance to the main gate under the scorching Jimeta Sun. They both introduced themselves as soon as they entered the car. We got talking and one of them began to thank me for changing his life. I was lost a bit as I have never met the fellow, as far as I could recall, until that moment. He opened his handbag and brought out two of my books. One of them was this little book we are talking about. He told me that those books made such powerful impact on his life such that he decided to carry them around in his briefcase! 

Why am I telling you all this?

Simply this: you do not have to wait for perfect conditions to do what is right or what will bless humanity. I wrote this little book, that has become such a blessing, under the most imperfect conditions. All I had in my favour was the inspiration and determination to write and carry through to the logical conclusion. 

Come to think about it; is there really any such thing as "perfect conditions" for one to do what needs to be done? The answer is an emphatic NO! You just do what you have got to do with what you have got, despite the conditions. Otherwise, you never get to do anything worthwhile.

When I wrote my first book, my circumstances and conditions in life were far from perfect. My family and I (Rosabel wasn't born yet and Christabel was in early elementary school) were living in a single room with no furnishing, except a big foam on the ground on one side of the room and a clothes hangar hanging on the wall on the other side. We had a single upright chair, which was a sort of a hand-me-down that I got from my friend Zethan Hellon when he was leaving Lagos, and no table. We cooked our frugal meals using a small kerosine stove and the barest of utensils. We lived on hope for a better day, fired by faith in a God that can do all things.

How did I write?

Femi Boyede, an international businessman and an expert in the import/export sector of the Nigerian economy, had heard me speak and asked if I had published any of my works. I answered in the negative. There and then he promised to sponsor the printing of any of my works as soon as I was ready to publish. The ball was in my court. It was up to me to get one of my many manuscripts ready for publishing. I decided not to miss this chance.

I opted to write a fresh book. Despite the fact that the conditions were not favourable, I did my research, gathered material and started writing. I had no computer (laptops were few in circulation back then) and no internet connectivity. GSM was trying to find its feet in Nigeria. Precious few people had those heavy cell phones.

I wrote seating on that single straight-back chair, with a pillow on my laps, a hardcover higher education exercise book on the pillow, providing firmness for the 80-leafs exercise book into which I wrote. There was no fan, talk less of air conditioning, so I sweated profusely as I worked. Many times, I took off my shirt and vest and worked bare-chested. It was anything but comfortable, but I kept going, day after day, until I was done. Then I took it to Mr. Boyede. He kept his promise and the rest, as they say, is history.

One of the illusions that deprive us the chance to do great things is the thinking that conditions are not perfect, therefore, we will wait until conditions get perfect. They never get perfect, at least not in time for us to do what we wanted to do. We lose our chance in the waiting. What we eventually gain is regret.

Let me draw your attention to two important facts of life that you need to understand and utilize if you plan on doing well in life:

1. Use what you have, no matter how small it is, to get what you need and not wait for what you need before you exert yourself.

Those who wait for perfect conditions never arrive the Promised Land.

2. Take the chances with which you are presented in life. Do not ever allow chances to pass you by. Do something about them. And, if the conditions are not favourable, do not roll over and give up; create favourable circumstances.

Remember: no good thing ever come easy. "Easy" is the denominator that underlines mediocrity and failure. Those who rise above "easy" master the realms of excellence and abundance. Go beyond your comfort zone and create greatness in life. Take your chances in life, as they come. 

Let me leave you with three quotes about taking chances that you will find very useful:

1. "The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it." - Debbi Fields.

2. “You learn so much from taking chances, whether they work out or not. Either way, you can grow from the experience and become stronger and smarter." - John Legend.

3. “Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave." - Mary Tyler Moore.

You are created for excellence. Make the best use of what you have to get what you need. Do not wait for perfect conditions. Take your chances by challenging your circumstances. Create your world. Define your value. Be a blessing.

You can do it!

It is all within you!

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Action And Reaction.

Every one who has studied Introductory Science or Physics in secondary school is familiar with Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Now, that law holds true for every physical motion. That is why you can stand up and walk upright, without falling over, despite gravitational pull and the interplay of other forces on your body. The inherent reaction engendered by the action from those forces ensures that you do not tip over and fall to one side or the other. Occasionally, however, there is a deficit in the counteraction or reaction to the interplay of these forces and the result is a fall. Equilibrium is, therefore, a function of balance of action and reaction.

This law holds true in life also, only that, in this case, the reaction that ensures balance and equilibrium is not automatic. There is a daily constant action of forces, both positive and negative, on our lives that threaten, sometimes, to tip us over the edge. How we react to these forces and events largely determines whether we fail or succeed in life. How you react to what happens to you in life, therefore, is more important in determining the outcome of your life. In other words, what you do with what is done to you is more important than what happened to you in the first place.

Let me give you an example so you understand my point. I was a bad (very dull) student during my primary school days. My brain was as thick as a reinforced concrete wall. Nothing penetrated my brain and I could not read or write. My case was bad and my mates knew it and some of them took sinister pleasure in rubbing salt into my injury. They mocked me mercilessly and even composed a song to illustrate my dullness!

That action was bad enough to cripple my spirit and confine me to the fringes for life, but it did not. Why? Because I refused to believe that I was dull. So, instead of running away and hiding behind the dark cloak of failure, I stood my ground and fought back by reacting positively. The mockery and jeering and name-calling drove me to work harder and longer and smarter. 

And then (thank God!) my brain began to stir and come alive. Gradually, I could put letters together and pronounce words and my writing began to gel. My literacy and numeracy grew by leaps and bounds and, by my second year in secondary school, I was literally cruising academically. My friends and mates stopped mocking me and started, though reluctantly in many instances, respecting me. Some of them celebrate me today.

My story changed mainly because I refused to fall over and roll with my dull circumstances and accept the uncharitableness of some of my teachers, mates and friends. Instead of discouraging me, mockery and jeering motivated me to work harder and smarter. My positive reaction to a negative event in my life resulted in positive outcomes that continue to benefit me, my family and humanity at large, even to date. As long as I did not give up, I eventually overcame and succeeded.

That is one of the reasons I am always so positive. I see a happy ending in every situation, no matter how bad. I believe that things are bound to get better, as long as I remain positively committed to taking the right actions and doing the right things. As long as there is life, there is always hope for better things.

Let me leave you with three quotations that I find very useful and instructive:

1. "The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat.” – Woodrow Wilson.

2. "It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated…it is finished when it surrenders.” – Ben Stein.

3. "Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki.

You can be a thousand times better than you are right now. Do not be beaten down by the negative events of life. Do not be beaten by defeat or failure or loss. What you do in reaction to what happens to you is the determining factor. Beat down the negative action by reacting positively. Bounce back and stand tall.

Yes you can!

You are victorious!

It is all within you!

It is me, Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Attitude And Altitude.

Jesse Louis Jackson, African-American clergyman, politician, and civil rights activist, once made a link between altitude (how high one goes in life) and attitude (how one feels about and sees life and the issues therein) in a speech he gave about the plight of the inner city black population (especially the youth) and how they can turn their situation around for good. He called for a change of attitude, alluding to the fact that the ghetto youth were kept down more by their attitude towards life than any perceived injustice by the white population or the American system.

 

These are his words:

“If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude.” – Jesse Jackson.

True words! And there is a scientific validation of that statement. The science of psychology has established a direct link between a person’s attitude and how well and far that person does and goes in life. Those who approach life with a positive, engaging attitude, enjoy life and achieve more than those who approach life with a negative, detached attitude. Hear this: ultimately you will rise only to the levels you permit yourself, by the type of attitude you chose to employ and the things you are willing to attempt in life. If you employ and deploy a positive attitude towards people and all the other issues and circumstances of life, you will find it a lot easier to face and overcome all the challenges and obstacles of life and, eventually, reach your full potential. On the other hand, a negative attitude will unnecessarily limit your potential and complicate your life by compounding the challenges and the obstacles with which you are faced. A negative attitude is what really keeps an individual or a people a perpetual underclass or underachievers.

So, in reality, what most of us need to live up to our awesome potential and succeed in life is simply a change of attitude; a mental shift from fear to faith, negativism to positivism, doubt to belief, complaining to commitment, laziness to purposeful work. We need an about-turn from thinking that our success in life depends on, or is in the hands of someone else – an uncle or aunty or some other relation, or some rich person or elite to whom we are connected by tribe or nationality – and not in our hands.

Your success in life is in your hands. I know, from time-to-time, you will need help from others to push you forward and upward to the next level. It is a fact of life that you cannot scratch your back by yourself, but have you noticed that the part of your back that you cannot reach is a very small portion of your body, maybe less than 3% of your entire skin surface? Doesn’t that tell you something? That you are meant to do your scratching in life, with occasional purpose-built help, until you attain relief? You are responsible for your bed and the way you make it is exactly the way you will lay on it. You will only get help from others when they see you making your bed.

So, I ask you; are you making your bed or sitting around idly and complaining about how nobody wants to help you? You know, that is exactly what a lot of our young people are doing! We pass out of secondary school and make no serious attempts to gain admission into a higher institution for graduate studies and the acquisition of professional qualifications and then complain about how nobody is willing to sponsor us. What sponsorship are you going to get when you do not have an admission? We reject available jobs that are meant to move us forward towards better things simply because we feel they are “beneath our dignity”, and then complain about how no one is willing to get us a “big” job. What “big” work can you do when you do not have the necessary experience and preparation that “small” jobs are meant to give you? We spend the little money we get on frivolous living and then wonder why nobody is willing to trust us with money to go into business. What serious business can you do when you are wont to eat the seed that is intended for planting? You want to live like a millionaire when you have not laid the foundation and build the structures that will legitimately support that kind of lifestyle. Who will be foolish enough, even if you are their child, to sponsor your wasteful addictions?

I had an encounter with some youth a while ago that aptly illustrate my point. Sometime ago, I spoke passionately in a youth motivational program about how the youth can go from nothing to something, using contemporary and scriptural examples to buttress my point, if they are willing to push themselves and work hard. After an hour and a half of talking and taking questions, a group of four youth walked up to me. They had no question on anything that needed clarification, but a trailer-load of complains against the elites.

“Our elites are heartless. They do not want to help anybody. They occupy big positions in politics, government, and the armed forces, without helping anyone to follow their footsteps. All they do is spoil our young girls, live lavishly, build houses and take chieftaincy titles. They are our problem in this community…” they rapped on and on, with angry vehemence and self-righteous pomposity.

I stopped them and asked the ringleader, a lady, whether she would not build a house if she made enough money. She answered curtly that that was not the point.

“What is the point?” I asked her.

“The point is that our elites should change their attitude towards life and be more willing to help the young ones attain success in life.”

Now, while her observation does have some merit, I knew that that is not the main problem. With or without the help of the elites, I believe our young people can make something great out of their lives. After all, most of these elites got to where they are today by dint of hard work and positive commitment to life. As a matter of course, they did get help along the way but such help found them on the ground with overalls and tools in hand, working. If they had not gone out there pursuing their dreams, no help would have come to them and no assistance would have been relevant. Now, if they stood up, pursued and made their lives count, who says our young people cannot do the same today? So, you see, the main problem, really, is the attitude of our young people towards life:

- Planlessness and purposelessness

- Wrong and/or misplaced priorities

- Expecting too much from well-to-do relations

- Waiting for someone to carry their burdens for them

- Misdirected anger against the elites and the system

- Laziness and slobbishness

- Wanting the “good life” without working for it

- Unwillingness to submit to proper mentoring

- Feeling too big or too good for certain jobs that are really a means to an end and not an end in themselves

- Etc etc etc etc

Our young people these days want everything made easy. But if our young people will abandon these negative attitudes and be more forth coming and engaging in life, they can change their story from mediocrity to a glorious one. Take planlessness or visionlessness for an example. After ranting angrily about the failings of the elites, I asked the lady, the ringleader, the following question:

“Let’s say I get one of our elites to help you, what exactly do you want? What kind of assistance do you want?”

From the look in her eyes, I was sure she did not expect that question. What she actually expected was sympathy, and I was not ready to engage in a pity party. Our young ones do not need sympathy, but practical, concrete engagements that most come, firstly and mostly, from the youth themselves. Then the helpers will appear, at the right time and junctions in the process, to offer necessary help and assistance. You have no right to expect help, when you are doing nothing. Get involved in something constructive and positive in the pursuit of your dreams and, I assure you, helpers will come to your aid as and when you need them.

When I pressed our young “activist” for an answer to the above question, she stuttered and stammered and then gave a very vague answer. She had no ready plan but she was overworking her nervous fuses about elites that were not willing to help her! Now, in all fairness, what sort of help will a sensible elite be willing to give to a youth that cannot readily and coherently present a workable plan? Even SURE-P and YOU-WIN and N-POWER, with all their petro-naira, will not give you assistance without a workable business plan and a convincing presentation. And our fiery reforming crusader was eloquently coherent in condemning the elites but lost her sharpness when it was her turn to beam the searchlight on herself!

Young people, let’s do away with this attitude of condemnation and confrontation and cultivate an attitude of personal commitment and pursuit. Everything you need in life will come to you if you are willing to pursue committedly. Nobody ever built a great life with condemnation and confrontation. If you can take all that energy and channel it into productive pursuits and constructive engagements you will be celebrated, sooner than later.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you:

For everyone that asketh recieveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” - Matthew 7:7, 8.

- Ask (not attack in criticism and condemnation!)

- Seek (not sit around and merely wish!)

- Knock (not fight and destroy!)

God has given His word, and the universe is duty-bound to bring it about; if you ask, you will receive, if you seek, you will find, and if you knock, the door will be opened to you. That is an unalterable universal law, good for all time, clime, and types. Your location, age, background, educational status, etc., does not matter. This law will work for one and for all who practice it. It defines the attitude you need to have towards life.

Now, my question to you is: “are you asking-seeking-knocking or attacking-sitting-fighting? Which one of the two best describes your attitude towards life right now?” 

Only asking-seeking-knocking will unleash your potential and eventually take you to your dream land. 

Please remember: nothing is impossible in life, if you believe.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Such Is Life.

Life comes in contrasts, even contradictions. One has got to take it in his stride and move on with focus and purpose, regardless the incidence or outcome. 

Take this as an example. Sometime back in Lamurde, as I worked on my computer system in the room, I heard a funeral service going on. The public address system transported the sounds right into the room. Not long after, the funeral procession passed and went up the main road that straddled Lamurde into the neighbourhoods for burial. It was the end of the road for someone.

A couple of hours later a boisterous bevy of beautiful Bwatiye ladies, carrying the Lokei (marriage procession) and singing joyfully at the top of their voices, came down the same road as they headed for the Hwodi Lokei (marriage house). Someone is getting married; the begining of a journey.

Same day, same town, same road, but two contrasting events and outcomes. People reacted to both events appropriately, depending on how close or related they were to the people involved. Then everyone eventually returned to face their own lives and the issues therein.

Cooped up in the room and bent over my laptop, I said a silent prayer for the family of the bereaved and wished the best for the new couple as I trudged on purposefully with the work before me. I was working on a strategy paper on how to push Adamawa State forward on the path of sustainable development.

The day you were born is the day someone, somewhere, died. The day you got married is the day someone,  somewhere, got divorced. The day you received your appointment letter is the day someone, somewhere, received a job termination letter. The day you were promoted is the day someone, somewhere, got demoted. Your moment of joy and happiness is someone's moment of sadness. Life goes on, regardless.

Annually, 1.2 million people die of road crashes (with between 20-50 million either injured or disabled), over 17 million people die from CardioVascular Disease (CVD), over 400, 000 die from Malaria and about 800, 000 die from AIDS-related illnesses. As a matter of fact, there are over 56 million deaths globally per year. Juxtapose that with birth statistics and you immediately see the struggle between death and life: 4.3 births per second, 258 births per minute, 15, 480 births per hour, 371, 520 births per day and over 130 million births per year. Double the number of people who die are born to take their place. In the midst of death life happens. Such is life.

Life goes on, no matter the incidences and experiences, close by or faraway, sad or joyful. Destiny must be attained. In reality, no one stops for any one. No destiny stops for another destiny. You must carry your cross and make your way to your destination, no matter what is happening around you. You do not wait for a complete alignment of events and incidences before you move out your forces. You get up and move when you are ready. If things are not happening as they should, you do not keep waiting. You make them happen as you want them to.

As a matter of course, we do mix and engage and support each other, but we can only stand by others, or others can only stand by us, to a certain point. Even siblings and other family members can only support each other so far. In the final analysis, we must carry our own weight, walk our own path and arrive our own destination, at our own pace and time, no matter what else is happening to others around us. You do not give up your life because someone, even if it is a loved one, lost theirs. You see, ready or not, life goes on.

Life is a mix of bitter and sweet. Storm and rain, pain and gain, hard work and comfort, negative and positive; all go together. The final outcome depends on what you do with the blend. So, when life throws you a Lemon, do as my mentor, Dr. Ige Olumide, used to advice us; turn it into a Lemonade. Process and convert the bitterness into something nutritious and healthy. When life throws corn at you, turn it into cornmeal. When the Sun beats down on you, capture its rays and turn them into Solar Energy. Also, take the wind and storms of life and turn them into power. Beat the odds and stand tall.

Have you noticed that the rainbow is a combination of seven contradicting colours all happening at once? Yet, it is so beautiful. In competing against each other, the colours actually bring out the best in one another. So, do not be fazed by the contradictions of life. Like the rainbow, harness the contradictions and shine forth beautifully. The vicissitudes of life are not meant to mar you but to make you. Take it as it comes and roll forward with each blow. You are wired to overcome and shine in life.

Such is life.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

No Condition Is Permanent.

Ponder this: the fact that you are first does not automatically mean that you are the best. Inversely, the fact that you are the last does not automatically mean you are the worst. Things are not always what they appear to be. You see, things can and do change, depending on how you make use of the time and chances life gives to you; the first now can end up as the last and the last now can end up as the first tomorrow. No condition is permanent.

You need to know that where you are now is a position and not a conclusion. You can, therefore, move on to better things and improve your position and condition. You can change your position to a far better condition. You can turn the table for your good and go on to enjoy the very best of life. It is all possible.

For those of you who are currently doing well and occupy the front row, let me tell you a bit about the psychology of success: it is like an intoxicant. It gives you a false feeling of security and invincibility, making you lose both perspective and objectivity. You soon begin to believe your own propaganda and, in doing so, you stop doing the very things that propelled you to this position in the first place. Without you noticing it at first, you start to regress and those who you thought you were superior to, who kept working the processes of success, begin to make progress ahead of you. Except you check the fall and bounce back, you soon become a "has been"!

Do not lose your advantage. How? By keeping your perspective and objectivity clear. Maintain and sustain your ambition. Maintain and sustain your hunger. Maintain and sustain your drive. Maintain and sustain your curiosity. Remain at the top of your game. Be up and doing. Go after your aims and goals with unrelenting zeal and commitment. Work harder. Work smarter. Like Usain Bolt, continually break your old records and set new ones. That is the key to remaining first and relevant.

And if you are last right this moment? Its not all bad news, you know. Believe me, you can bounce higher and climb to better things and attain greatness. You can go all the way to be the very best and sit at the very top. It is a possibility that is fully within your reach. It is a possibility that is as real as the daily rise of the Sun and the air you breathe. You can take this fact to the bank.

The question is "how?" It follows the same principle as remaining the best; work harder, smarter and longer, and do not accept the mirage of defeat that thunders at you that you are good for nothing; that you will always be a failure; that you will never win; that you will never be celebrated. It is a mirage, a false appearance. Success is not exclusive to any particular race, tribe, religion or family. It is universally available to everyone that pays the price in relevant preparation, work and risk-taking. Your name can be written on the wall in the hall of success.

Therefore stay calm. Remain at your duty post. Keep your heart, your head and your hands on the job. Plough forwards and upwards. Observe. Ask questions. Learn and grow. Never give in to doubt, fear or complacency. Do not settle for good, when you can become better and go on and become the best. Keep working because work makes greatness possible. You never climb a wall with your hands in your pockets, do you? Pull your hands out of your pockets and work. Grab hold of the ladder of life and climb upward. Get up and get going.

My personal experience bear testimony to the fact that no condition is permanent. Things can  change for good. You can bounce back from worse to bad and from bad to good and then move on to success and greatness. You see, I was once labelled "purposeless" and "useless". I performed far below average in almost everything. My teachers beat me, hoping to spark some comprehension in me. My mates and friends mocked me. People in the neighbourhood wrote me off as a hopeless case. I personally felt lost and hopeless. 

Then I got a divine nudge, an unexpected chance to make good. I took it with both hands. I worked hard and I am a changed person today. It took time and effort but today I have become relevant and, from hopelessness, I give hope to people all around the World. Those who mocked me have had to swallow their words and cover their faces in shame. I say this, not in pride or self-praise, but to encourage anyone who might be going through a low time right at this moment. You also can bounce unto success and greatness.

Nothing in your divine origins say you cannot attain greatness. You are made in the image of God and God is great. Do not listen to negative people. Do not give in to negative circumstances. Do not listen to your personal self-doubt and negative self-projections. Be positive. Be strong. Be confident. Be bold. Be true to your divine roots. Work out your greatness.

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.

Lesson From Grandma.

When mama gained admission and left for ABU Zaria to study for a degree, my five siblings and I moved, from the staff quarters in Villanova,  to the notorious Hwodi Pare, a neighbourhood in Numan, to live with our maternal grandmother. It was way back in 77 and dad had been dead for about 2 years.

Soon after, both Vidiyeno and Dadi (my older brothers) left for secondary school and I, taking to delinquency, dropped out of school for over 3 years. During that period, I tried my hands in animal husbandry (Pig rearing) and farming, mainly helping out grandma Margie Shittu. 

It was during this time that I learnt a very powerful life lesson from the wise lips of my gentle, but strong, grandmother.

You see,  helping her with the harvest (she cultivated maize, Sorghum, Garden egg, some vegetables, etc, mainly for subsistence purposes), I noticed she carefully took out the best produce (biggest sizes, well-formed seeds,  deep colours, infection-free and so on) from the rest of the lot, carefully prepared and hanged them out to air and dry properly. This means they will not be eaten but will be used as seeds for the next farming season. 

My adolescent mind could not work out the logic behind this practice. My thinking was that the biggest and the best should be eaten and enjoyed,  while the smallest and the wilted can then be preserved as seed. 

My grandmother pointed out to me that it did not work like that. The quality of what you sow, barring weather and natural interference beyond human control,  directly determines the quality of your harvest. If you sow malformed and wilted seeds, you will reap a mediocre harvest. If you sow well-formed and healthy seeds,  you will reap a bumper harvest.

Now I understand,  both from personal experience and study, that the quality of the harvest (output)  is in the quality of the seed (input). It is a simple but powerful universal principle. 

If you sow rofo-rofo, you will reap multiplied rofo-rofo. If you sow goodie-goodie, you will reap multiplied goodie-goodie. If you sow bwaraune (Ubuntu), you will reap multiplied bwaraune. Life is a boomerang: what you throw out eventually finds it's way back to you, for good or for bad.

The Bible also teaches that "...Whatsoever a man soweth,  that shall he reap... " (Gal. 6:7).

This principle I learnt from my grandma guides my actions now: I always put forward my best foot in all things and at all times. This has resulted in a productive life, from a delinquent one. It is a principle I am sure you will find very useful. 

Always give the best to life and you will get the best from life. 

It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.