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Money&Power:The hustler's mentality ITRANSCRIPT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
To God, I take my hearty bow,
To my own mother, I owe my due,
To the Dada’s and Idris’ family, ‘gracias’
To my friends, old and young, in Nigeria and beyond, you all are
wonderful experience.
To my colleagues and prospective colleagues, the sky is
your platform, God your limit.
To my admirers and well wishers, I say ‘MERCI BEACOUP’
To Nigeria, your time is now
To Africa Yes we can
Beyond the realm of words,
To all the world even my readers,
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE…
FROM THE AUTHOR
Money and power, either one or both has always been and
will always be man’s desire or say need from history till
generations unborn. In addressing the issue of money, this book
underscores the fact that money is not physical cash alone, as we
may admit it also involves the mindset.
This is also applicable to power too. The fact is the centre
focus of money and power in recent times is traceable to
entrepreneurship and leadership. A true entrepreneur acquires
true money and a true leader radiates true power. In addition
there is need to re-focus minds from the perspective of money or
power acquisition at the expense of others’ happiness and life
and inculcate the habits of adding value to create wealth and
adding value to build people which is the hallmark of true
entrepreneurs and leaders whose footprints are infinitely and
positively left in the sand of time and would through the
necessary but scarce instrumentality of true leadership and
entrepreneurship salvage Nigeria and the African continent from
the conundrum of destruction to the benefit and growth of the
global society.
Enjoy the mental voyage as you read this book.
In GOD’s love,
Timi
Olagunju.
CHAPTER ONE
MATTERS ARISING
“When the education of a nation is compromised, the
future is compromised” - Biodun Shobanjo, APPRENTICE
AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
We live in an age where information and its application is a
sine qua non for placing an individual or institution on board
above another. No other era in history fits properly like now for
the long age statement of Francis Bacon that “Knowledge
(information) is power” or in the words of Nelson Mandela
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to
change the world’. Education in this sense could not have been
conventional classroom and note-taking approach; rather it boils
down to the acquisition of skills and knowledge (all information)
necessarily in tune with the lyrics (demands) of the 21st century.
No doubt, in this age, the conventional educational system
requires a holistic overhaul. Imagine a student reading to pass
instead of knowledge acquisition imagine a teacher less
concerned about the students’ capacity growth but more concern
about a students recopying of lecture notes in exams without
additional flesh or deviation of thought. What progress can that
make? I mean how far? can a student go or impart the immediate
or global society, when he is advised to choose a course of study
based on prestige and fame, rather than on the problem he
intends to solve with his future profession. “Square pegs in
round hole” you may say, but we are all victims and we have all
in one way or the other contributed to this fall. By the fall, it is
meant, emphasis on a ‘course of study’ rather than a ‘cause for
study’, quest for ‘certificates’ than a ‘certified mind’.
In Nigeria as a country and Africa as a continent in general,
we can all see crystal clear, complaints of a dearth of leadership
and a paucity of entrepreneurs. But the complain goes on and on
in circles without any substantially visible and practical approach
to inculcating the values of leadership and entrepreneurship in
our education or environment. Some have argued that students
are taught this, but the same people admit it is usually too late
and it should have commenced earlier or, that it is theoretically
motivated without little breathing space for practical. In addition
some have opined that students, youths must learn the art of
leadership and entrepreneurship themselves. True/agree, but
don’t they deserve a better environment and encouragement
from the educational system and entire environment for the
conscious and collective development of these skills necessary to
salvage our ailing nation and continent from the doldrums of
collapse and rigmarole of hijackers. Imagine, even the media and
entertainment platform have run parallel to the values and ideals
necessary to march Nigeria and Africa forward. This is not far
from truth.
Nigeria may claim to be the giant of Africa, although this
assertion is true in the light of my several experiences in my
voyage to other African countries such as Ghana, Cote d’Iviore,
Togo and Benin. It is very important that Nigeria gets things right
in order to really serve as a big brother and not what Yorubas call
‘Agbaya’{big for nothing} by placing its priorities right, that is,
conscious and well monitored and implemented humanly friendly,
educational environment for TRUE learning to build LEADERS
AND ENTREPRENEURS
Even though, we keep poor statistics, one may not need
the metaphysical service of a soothsayer to know unequivocally
that unemployment rate in Nigeria, in many other African
countries as well as the globe is on the geometric increase.
Consequently, we as individuals must consciously develop
ourselves to suit the demands of the new trend, not that
government does not have its own place in doing this, in setting
the national blue prints, but this book centres on personal,
individual recognition of ‘who you are’ ,‘where you are as
human’, and ‘what you have to do’. Because only then can the
people, be well positioned to exercise their GOD given rights of
expression to legitimately, demand for what is theirs. Nemo dat
quod non habeat a latin maxim which means ‘ you cannot give
what you don’t have’.
In this era, where the educational system is ailing, where
the political system has failed, where quick fix approach and job
mentality will fail in the light of decreasing job opportunities,
every individual needs the plus factor, which transcend latent
passion to the realm of consistent determination in the midst of
opposition. To build the leader or entrepreneur it involves work,
according to physicists in thermodynamics, a gas is said to
do work when it expands against resistance.
This book addresses the fact that to expand against
resistance, to attain the pedestal of wealth creation and
leadership, that is true money and true power respectively one
needs to develop people centred leaders and value centred
entreprenueral husler’s mentality, the heart that doesn’t fail and
legs that don’t go weary because the journey may be far but it is
near.
THE ARITHMETIC OF ATTITUDE
One may wonder, what can this mean? ‘Yes, it means all it
means’, I would say.
The usual position that a man’s attitude determines his
altitude may not only be a sound argument but may also be
proven from the arithmetic stand point.
Now, the 26 alphabets in the English Language shall be
numbered
A for 1,
B for 2,
C for 3,
D for 4,
E for 5,…
I for 9,…
T for 20,
L for 21…
Z for 26,
ATTITUDE
The equals 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5, which is summed
unequivocal as 100.
In percentage calculation, 100% is a whole circle, which
means perfection or everything.
From this, it is unambiguously clear that attitude is
everything and everything may be attitude. The French word for
attitude is “attir” mean, everything one needs to succeed in
business, in career, in everything is ATTITUDE, a whole attitude
which concerns a whole belief system, a whole desire, a whole
emotion, a whole response to whatever one is set to do.
ATTITUDE may be described as an acronym for Action, Thought,
Tradition, Interest, Talk, Understanding, Description and Ego.
If it takes a whole attitude to achieve a whole result, then
ask the question quickly “have I being whole, positive about my
Action, Thought, Tradition, Interest, Talk, Understanding,
Description, and Ego?”. If not, then the time to change is now,
because arithmetic has just proved to us that your ATTITUDE is
everything, not environment, not background, not past failures,
not past successes, not wealth, not religion, not… (whatever).
Although, these may mould your attitude in the subconscious, a
conscious effort must be made to extract all such factors from
influencing ATTITUDE. Because, all these factors cannot on their
own stop you, they only penetrate into your attitude, because
they know you are the only one that can stop yourself via
ATTITUDE. For example, an injection content cannot just work on
the sick body and restore health because the sick person sees
the nurse or doctor holding it. No. As we know, it only works when
it is injected into the body and it mixes with the human blood and
unleashing on the system. Therefore, has the human immune
system fights diseases, so like a hustler physically struggle,
hustler in the mind to fight antibodies of your failures, past,
background. As put forward by an eminent psychologist.
“Attitudes are more important than facts, therefore be bold
and mighty forces will come to your aid”.
“Do the things you fear and the death of fear is certain”.
To further the arithmetic voyage embarked upon earlier,
since the assertion goes that ATTITUDE DETERMINES ALTITUDE,
then arithmetic calculation of ALTITUDE goes as thus (to
authenticate the above grammatical assertion).
The earlier process if followed, then
A+L+T+I+T+T+U+D+E = 1+12+20+9+20+21+4+5= 92
Therefore ATTITUDE (100%) = ALTITUDE (92%)
Wow!!! No matter the altitude aimed, or height imagined,
with the right attitude, that is Action, Thought, Tradition, Interest,
Talk, Understanding, Description and Ego about the altitude, YES
I CAN.
Arithmetic, at least has helped resolve the truth that
ATTITUDE determines ALTITUDE more than 50% or did it say
70%, or 80%, or 90%? No, I almost approximate 100%.
No wonder the warning “Guard your heart with all diligence
for out of it comes the issues of life”.
Henceforth, we all need to take a daily and consistent
scrutiny on out ATTITUDE or what do you think?
Dear Friend, as there a ding of this book continues in your
fertile mind, I plead ‘wear a positive, whole attitude, mentality, a
mentality that does not give up or take no for an answer. The
mentality that is ready to sacrifice all it takes (positively) to
achieve positive result, I mean the hustlers mentality’.
CHAPTER TWO
‘What matters is not the life, but the boldness in it’
– Obafemi Awolowo
WHO ARE YOU?
One day a friend was asked this same question and
enthusiastically responding he said ‘I am’ so, so, so and so,
mentioned his name, the fact that he is a student and his course
of study and crowned it with ‘I am a finalist’. Well, one may say
he is right, and a lot of people may have done the same. The
question ‘WHO AM I?’ elicits a myriad answers necessarily
summarized in my illustration below for the purpose of this book:
ASSUMPTION
If there exists Mr. A, B, C and D. Mr. A is the person who is
to define ‘WHO HE IS’, then assume further that Mr. B. is Mr. A’s
experience when he was a child and he has to stay with his
father’s carpentry workshop and attend to customers, Mr. B. may
be Mr. A’s experience when he became the youth community
head in charge of a school building project, Mr. C may be Mr. A’s
experience when he had an opportunity to study and acquire a
degree in Chemistry in the higher institution, and finally Mr. D.
may be Mr. A’s experience as a consequence of attending a
seminar on investment or reading a book as this. Although these
lists of experience are inexhaustive. Mr. A’s experiences either
acquired by knowledge, rational or empirical, may be useful
consciously or most often unconsciously in the pool of resources
and capacity needed for the fulfillment of his entrepreneurial,
leadership, etc. goals. For example from Mr. A’s experience while
he was a child attending to his father’s customers in the furniture
shop, he may have learnt unconsciously the art of negotiation,
the running of a furniture company, the art of human relations
and communication or even the art of creativity, that is making
something beautiful out of nothing. These lists though
inexhaustive unequivocally underscore the words of Albert
Einstein “the tragedy of life is what dies in a man while he
lives”. In the course and cause of navigation with GOD, the
supernatural as your senior partner in progress via prayers and
faith, that is fact abiding in a trusting heart which spurs to
action, which is generally called boldness or the gut feeling of the
risk taker, such skills acquired in the course of life become
relevant. It is then open to each person to consciously tap into
them maximally to add value build people and create wealth.
EMPIRICAL
This underscores practical illustrations of those acclaimed
successful in business, leadership, career, inter-alia: The essence
of this section is to drive emphatically the point that people’s
experiences in life which constitutes ‘who they are’ have being
instrumental, consciously or unconsciously in their later life’s
achievement, as well such experience via practice, information,
inter-alia, where consciously acquired by some and impliedly you
too can be consciously equipped by choice and patience.
In my research, I discovered facts relating to this book
about the financial educator Robert Kiyosaki. He has this to
say “While I am not a great golfer, I have learned much
about business and human nature while on the golf
course, my golf career began when I was eight year old”.
Also “after four years at the Marine Academy, I
volunteered for the Marine Corps… One of the most
exciting parts of flight training was learning how to fight
aircraft to aircraft… I win in business today not because I
am smart of never failing. I win because, in my world,
there is no second place. After that day in the air … I
realized that combat was the ultimate test of war and
training. There was no second place and the winner was
the one who was the most prepared. I changed my
thoughts to “combat is not risky. Being unprepared is
risky”.
Robert’s experience as a little child growing up was that of
two father’s ,his rich dad(his friend’s wealthy dad) and his real
dad, a ‘teacher’. The personality of the two dads combined made
him a business mogul and financial educator. According to him
“My Rich Dad being a business mogul taught me the
financial numbers and the cashflow but my (Real) Poor
Dad, an educator but failed in business”.
This further became consolidated in the sagacious
illustration Mrs. Layi, the wife of a legal mentor, Babatude Layi
SAN who I met on 31st March 2009. She narrated as thus:
“Human may be likened to a machine without manual or
the blueprint for operation. It now takes learning,
observation or information to further lives course without
regrets about the past”. This blueprint may be acquired
through our personal involvement or that of others, through
books or by inquiring what we require from those who have
acquired what we desire or the two father’s, the Rich Dad and
The Poor Dad of your experience, inter-alia
For Donald Trump, largest real estate developer in the
world and owner of more than 60 companies, in recounting how
experiences shaped his skills and influenced his later successes
he has this to say: “Although I was sent to military school because I was a bit
aggressive as a kid, what I learned there had less to do with discipline and channeling
my energy more effectively than it had to do with learning about the art of negotiation.
It was a great business lesson in disguise”.
President Barrack Obama in his book “Audacity of
hope” underscored the importance of his childhood experience,
particularly his late mother and grandmother’s empathy which
came to bear on his leadership perspective in feeling what others
felt rather than being judgmental.
As for Mahatma Gandhi of India and Martin Lurther
King Jnr. of the United States, their style of protest which was
peaceful, but persistent compared to that of Samurai X of the
United States was discovered to have been an orchestration of
their various religious background, one allowed for physical
resistance while the other preached ‘passive resistance’. As even
Gandhi had this to say in his book “My experiments with
truth” that “a man of truth must also be a man of care”, a
principle based Hindus tenets.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye had this to say while ministering at
the International Camp “my knowledge of mathematics
helps my analysis even as a preacher”. This is evident in the
mathematically orchestrated division of the R.C.C.G. in strategic
numbers spread across the nooks and crannies, particularly on
almost every street. A colossal accomplishment of reflecting
dexterous analysis indeed!!!
To mention a few, inter-alia, my own experience may be
summarized as thus: “my years of childhood business and
difficult exposure due to circumstances of survival in the
face of tears have built in me a resilience and tenacity of
hope and a believe in God that He I can never fail and
because God can’t I can’t”. Friend, what can you say or do you
intend to say about your experiences as a molder of your skills
and capacities? Or is it that your are worrying about your past or
your background forgetting that your background does not put
your back on the ground neither can your past, unless you allow
it. So pick up and press on, and then press on in the right
direction of experience and information and you have no choice
but to be picked up as the sun and not just a star.
BRIDGING THE GAP WIDE
Today, it dawns clearly more than ever, that what I want in
life is up to me. There is no one way in life, if one want
something; desire is not enough. One needs to do what it takes
and acquire what is needed to be a winner before winning. Echo
to yourself the fact that ‘there is a vivid realm of distinction
between expecting to be a winner and actually being a winner? It
does take the hustler’s mentality, not within the framework of
illegality, but an inner resistance and consistence of practice
which flows from your thoughts through your actions,
consequently culminating into results. That is why the heart must
be guarded with all diligence, because a controlled thought
produces sporadically controlled results, that is, whatever is sown
shall be reaped.
Practice which is synonymous to preparation automatically
bridges the yearning gap between one’s future and the present.
Aristotle has this to say “we are what we repeatedly
do”. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit. However,
individuals prepare in various ways. What works for an individual
may not function for another. Some require a colossal degree of
fear, some wait until the last minute then employ fire – brigade
approach while some prepare by reducing or eradicating all
distractions, have complete silence and shut themselves off from
the complete world, some prepare with lyrics, others need to
rehearse until confident. However, the methodology doesn’t
count as much as the desire for optimal success. This brings to
fore the Greek saying of “know thyself”. Many have missed it in
pursuit of adapting to someone else’s methodology, because it
defeats the God given uniqueness and ingenuity of mankind. The
best one can be is one’s self and not someone else, as evidence,
painstakingly search through the life of great men in human
history. As fact, this raises a direct confrontation on the
conservative educational approach where students of higher
institution are advised to copy notes for hours in the classroom,
which is pasted in the examination papers when asked
examination questions, what students call ‘la cram, la pour’. I
think that the higher institutions, particularly the universities
need to compulsorily change such an approach and further
compulsory, conscious and determined curriculum in these
institutions involving contribution and discussion in lecture to fit
the demands of the town, the community, rather than run parallel
to it in terms of training students without the hustler’s mentality,
the intuitive mindset, the mentality of a self-starter.
However, many opine that students having recognized this
lacunae in the educational system should further take their
destiny into the hands, that is wear the hustler’s mentality in
tapping consciously into opportunities that would enhance their
skills for the future they visualize ahead, rather than live other
people’s dreams. The saying goes when the desirable is not
available, the available becomes the desirable, it is important to
create one’s environment to suit ones desirability. For example, a
person may adorn his apartment with quotes or pictures of great
men, even in the midst, of hopelessness in the society, by so
doing, you have just for example, succeeded in creating your own
world which would later become your own realities and
manifestation for as a man thinketh so he is. In addition to
preparation, focus follows. In focusing, you only FOLLOW ONE
COURSE UNTIL SUCCESSFUL.…
In the words of Joe Montana, one of the greatest
footballers in history;”Everyone who has been successful in
his or her chosen field understands the importance of
practice and preparation. To become outstanding in a
particular area, we must learn to practice with
concentration and focus. Practice is our chance to work on
weaknesses and get better when we are working to excel
in something, it is not enough to do what is expected. …
Nor should we keep starting and stopping a practice
regimen. When we practice we must be consistent”.
Focus is not monotony of task, No. it only means dissipating
energy towards a major goal or goals. Saddening, a lot of
individuals focus on or divide their focus with minor and expect a
major result. For example, a lot of people, particularly men spend
their major time watching football everyday, when they are
convinced they would never turn out to major in football or
become coaches. Not that football isn’t OK, No. A s a fact, a lot
to learn in it.But, Imagine, spending a lot of one’s time everyday
doing minors, because the truth is your can never be asked “how
young are you” but “how old are you” which depicts the need to
make hay while the sun shines. In fact, friend, when you major
in ‘minor’, you turn out being a minor in your own major.
God forbid! one may say, but as the earth remains seed time and
harvest cannot cease.
CHAPTER THREE
LEADERSHIP
‘Piling up degrees or passing examinations mean nothing
unless Africans are creative. A textbook on African
medicine is not impossible. But the truth is the African
‘scholar’ is lazy
–Nnamdi Azikiwe
‘A nation needs great leadership at critical moments of
her history. For example ‘when America needed a
constitution, she had Thomas Jefferson, when she had a
civil war she was lucky to have a President Abraham
Lincoln, when the Great Depression hit the US, she was
lucky to have President Roosevelt; in the face of the
Cuban Missile Crisis, and the threat of nuclear holocaust,
the United States had a President John F. Kennedy.
Nigeria must begin to produce the right leadership at
particular moments of her history. It is the one of the
major paths to national glory’
- ‘Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on his visit to The University of
Ibadan’
DIAGNOSIS
We all know that the problem of leadership is a recurrent
one in Africa, more emphasis on Nigeria. More pitiable is the fact
that youths who have been tagged “future leaders of tomorrow”
have not being consciously armed for this clarion call for true,
people centred leadership. Most unnecessary is the present
lavish trend of many Nigerian companies towards supporting
programmes that add little or no value to developing true leaders
or vanguarding the emancipation of the country from her
leadership quagmire. Imagine, companies spending millions on
dance competitions, musical tour round campus etc. The opinion
is that these things are not wrong in themselves; the only issue is
the excessive duplication of such events with little or no tangible
support towards human capability building, particularly in the
most pressing problem, leadership, particularly political
leadership. A rethink is needed. What do you think?
Well, for the Hustler, who seeks to develop skills leadership
he sees the problems ignores them and persistently develops
toward attaining the set goals. The brief highlighting of few out of
many problems bedeviling the nation in areas of leadership, is
not to criticize but primarily drive home in our mind, the fact that
merely sitting down in classroom or lecture halls and going back
to the hostel or going from work to home, without conscious
effort at developing the communication, analytical, listening,
empathetic etc skills of a leader in this era or in that to come will
only spell doom for such a candidate. “Real learning is self
learning” I write.
It can be observed that great leaders were not just position
holders, but most importantly, where people centred leaders who
seek to provide sincere solutions to challenges confronting the
people which earns them the reputation ‘great’. Note this fact by
an Eminent Professor of Law, Professor Anifalaje “skillful
sailors make their names in the midst of tempest and
storms” so are great leaders. If one wants to be a great leader
then don’t just sit, step up, dust your past and take up the task of
being your own teacher and instructor.
THE {+} PLUS FACTOR IN A MINUS {– } ENVIRONMENT
The environment may not be conducive for the fertilization
of your ideas, then a plus factor, an extra mile in a negative
environment is a sine quo non. There exists practically no real
environment, what exists is the subjective creation of yourself, by
yourself and for yourself. In considering the issue of leadership in
a minus environment, the following points must be established:
a. Leadership in my conviction is primarily about adding
value. How can one give what one does not have to the
people he is serving? Obviously Not. Then it behooves on
whosoever desires leadership to develop himself
consciously with the right information necessary for the
kind of leadership, anticipation political or managerial.
Without perfidy, the fact that the environment, does not
seem suitable for building leaders may not be completely
true, considering the fact that various ‘opportunities’
exist in all settings for practically developing oneself,
only that such may be at the expense of something say
academic performance for a student for example in a
higher institution, which you may choose to and possess
the capacity to balance. But the fact remains, that if all
persons would assume leadership, that is possess
influence, over a set group at one time or the other,
maybe as a husband, wife, parent to say the least, then a
conscious effort at acquiring leadership skills via
participation and information is non-negotiable even if it
would involve sacrifice.
Therefore, there is need to challenge the traditional
approach of coming to school and focusing squarely on
academic books, because it is skills that set a person
aside, look through great men in history and see. It is
therefore very important to study books not only to pass
but also to consciously develop inner-most skills.
b. The words of Aristotle instructs thus: “He who has
never learnt to obey can never be a good
commander” close your eyes and sail through the
width, depth and height of Aristotle’s words, then ask
“how does this apply to me and how can I make amends
or tap into the wisdom of these words for my future etc?
Inferences from (a) and (b) indicates that leadership is
not an act but an art, it is not a gift, it is must be learnt
and earned.
c. To build leadership skills, major in your major because
when you major in your minor, you end up becoming a
minor in your major. Illustrating this, assuming a runner
is on a race to National Stadium, can he be said to have
won on arrival at Unilag Stadium instead of National
Stadium, obviously not. Also a person whose set
destination or future intention is neither that of a coach,
footballer nor a club owner, but takes pleasure in
watching football everyday and everytime may end up
failing in the set destination, thus he has majored in his
minor and later becomes a minor in his major. Of a truth
you cannot serve God and Mammon, service is
dedication, then why dedicate your precious time on
irrelevances. I am not saying having fun with football
isn’t good like I emphasized in the earlier chapter, but it
must be taken with caution and less dedication.This is
why this example was emphasized again and again.
Ironically, this same scenario occurs in many of the
activities we do which runs parallel to our desires for the
future,!even ignorantly. For example a student was once
asked “what is your future ambition?” and in answering
‘a manager and Chief Executive Governor’ he said. But
this same student while in school throughout was always
shying away from anything that would take him away
from his academic curriculum in the guise of good
grades. For example, he hardly talks to others or asks
question in class, when advised to join an organization,
he runs , claiming to be busy. Throughout school, no
leadership engagement, no interest in personal
development, no conscious engagement in public
speaking and team work, always to himself, then not
mincing words the dream of my friend is nothing but an
illusion, except he changes by practice ,although he had
lost a great opportunity in school, if not I repeat ‘a mere
illusion’. This may sound funny, but a lot of individuals
act this way, sometimes unconsciously because over the
years on earth, it has been programmed in the mind that
‘I must acquire good grades alone to acquire good jobs’.
But the truth is where are the jobs themselves? and the
truth again is involving in self developmental processes
does not stop one from having good grades, or does it?
Then, it is only laziness consciously or unconsciously
scripted that is at work. In the information age, to attain
power or wealth, as all desire, at least some for the good
of humanity or for evil desires, a person must transcend
the conventional mentality of book and book, cram and
discharge, but must seek for true knowledge in one’s
field of study coupled with the development of the
practical know how of leadership. Even Albert Einstein,
the great scientist confirmed this when he said “Beware
of the intellect, it has powerful muscles but lacks
personality, it can only serve, it cannot lead’. Be
not deceived whatever a man sows he shall reap. “Sow
into knowledge and not only ‘examination grades’
and you shall reap the harvest of skills”.
Considering the Nigerian situation, little wonder we
complain of inefficiency in government and deficiency of leaders,
it is opined that the years of mediocrity in the appointment,
selection of leaders in the nation at the expense of merit in all
nooks and crannies, had contributed actively to the inefficiency
experienced by Nigerians. That is why this book exists, for the
sake of building leaders or leaders building themselves at a
sacrifice, that is with a hustler’s mentality, a mentality that never
gives up in other to occupy the vacuum of leadership properly so
called. “As leaders are not born, they are made”, the era of
selective politics and mediocre appointment must end if we want
inefficiency in the Nation to end. The truth is in Nigeria, in Africa,
there are many challenges, even in the world at large, we
therefore need more leaders, instead of followers, I mean
responsibility carriers. “The best way to find yourself it is to
loose yourself in the service of others” says Mahatma
Gandhi. For everybody can be great if everybody can serve.
d. Leaders are role models and they build up on other role
models. The fact remains if your want to know who are
person is likely to be then ask for his/her role models.
Isn’t it true that a lot of people carry in the minds a role
model out of emotions contrary to the reasonable
projection of their future? For example, paying lip service
to being a pilot, but celebrates solely, musicians in
his/her heart with emotionally attachment.
This psychological trend is disastrous, because, “when
the heart is the driver and the brain is the passenger,
accident is inevitable”, I tell myself. I personally employ
the strategy of pasting around my room quotes and
pictures of admirable achievers. But I do remember
telling myself “these achievers in my own light (different
from yours, based on each individuals set goal) were only
shadow of greater things to come, which is me in their
future and now in the present”.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
In my leadership experiences, particularly as Chairman of
Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, University of Ibadan, I discovered leaders
had to be role models in speech, smiles and conduct and I also
discovered it must be learnt and earned too. As Robert Kiyosaki
puts it “True leaders inspire us to be bigger and do things
we are afraid of doing”.
To be a role model, I discovered one must be willing to let
go. Like a Nigerian musician sang ‘nobody wan pa ain, but dey
wan go heaven’ that is “Everybody wants to got to heaven, but
no one wants to die”. To become the leader, a responsibility
taker, then the irresponsibility inside us must die. The truth is ‘I
really must go beyond the old me and seek a new life few people
experience’.
The clarion call is now, for one to see what others do not
see, there is need for a vision, a vision practical and imbibed for
the future via the lens available in the present, the lens of
practical realities and engagement.
This is the time for us as Nigerians and Africans to
reconsider our ways, the ways of nonchalance over others plight,
forgetting that what goes around comes around. This is not a
time for our passion for a better Nation and Continent to fail,
though we have cause to, but if we don’t who will? This is why we
were born, to consciously develop and deliver for the good of
humanity. A thought to consider from Winston Churchill:
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a
life by what we give”. Martin L. King Jnr. has this to say as
well, ‘you don’t need to have a college degree to serve.
You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to
serve. You only need a heart full of grace’. You must choose
to be the Nigerian heart full of grace. Let us share and serve with
passion and properly channeled energy and our world would be
better for it. Look at mother Theresa, what of our celebrated
African leader, Nelson Mandela, to mention a few, celebrated
after they have or might have left the earth. Do you want to be a
celebrated African leader? Do you want to be celebrated rather
than being relegated? The choice is here now! A transformed life
is a transformed thought, a transformed action results, then
productivity. For ‘’as a man thinketh, so he is”.
e. Plato has this to say “the first and best victory is to
conquer self. To be conquered by self is of all
things, the most shameful and vile”. “He that hath
no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is
broken down, and without walls” the wisest King
Solomon emphasized in Proverbs 25:28. It is often a
great surprise when we discover that must of the
ugliness we see in others, is but a reflection of our own
nature. We keep criticizing the government, good, but
most often we may fail to realize we engage in same
things we criticize in our own little way. No wonder Jesus
said in Mathew 7:7 ‘’Judge not that ye be not
judged’’.
In relation to knowledge, real learning is self learning, we
must stop relying solely on what we are taught, some
may be right and many wrong. Be taught, but see the
world from your own eyes, analyze. We must stop being
spoon fed always if a change must occur in our lives, in
our world, in Africa and even in our nation Nigeria. If your
aim in life is to be fulfilled, then why let the world
brainwash with their ideals. Know thyself. The fact
remains in this age, is not everything that is taught that
one must learn. It begins with each individual; because
Nigeria, Africa is never the walls or building or the trees,
it is you and I with the choice to make a difference with
ourselves first, then others second, irrespective of the
environmental circumstance.
It is not the environment. A lot of individuals claim, well
there is corruption in the country” and so you must be corrupt to
make it, forgetting the fact lasting promotion comes not from
man but from GOD. Aside this fact, in every person exists the
capacity to create his own world, his own environment, his own
realities, as Protagoras puts it “man is the measure of all
things, of things that are that they are, of things that are
not, they are not’’. In fact, man has capacities in him to
explore in all circumstance, this may be likened to what I call
‘adrenalin strength’. For instance, a friend who hates running and
complains that I walked fast, when approached by thieves ran
like no man’s business and even flew a tall fence. Wow!
Surprising, but where was the strength earlier? The deep truth is
that it was within him as it is within you to boast your adrenalin,
your passion in creating your own environment, world and
realities. God is a perfect God and sincerely without perfidy he
has given us all we need. You may say the ‘brain’. Maybe or
maybe much more, just explore within, although, the level of
passion in one needed to succeed in one environment may differ
in relative terms based on opportunity, that still does not mean
you cannot succeed anyway.
CHAPTER THREE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
“We are all born rich. We all have been given the most
powerful lever on earth, our minds…so use your mind for
leverage to make you rich rather than to make excuses” –
Robert Kiyosaki
To start with, if you don’t need money then please don’t
read, further. Then of a truth everybody needs money. The
various advantages of money cannot be delved into now,
however, the particular emphasis of this chapter centres on the
mindset about money and the fact that money and
entrepreneurship are mutually inexclusive, but the point of
intersection is primarily on two points: the mindset and skills.
Money is not the paper we carry, it is a mindset developer,
which spurs action, then results. This may be common sense, but
commonsense I have discovered in my study is not too common
a sense. Secondly, the difference between nonsense and sense is
equal to ‘non’.
NON{SENSE} – SENSE = NON
THE MINDSET
This would be addressed specifically in the next chapter,
however, the emphasis here is pivoted on the faulty foundation
on money which a lot of us have built super structures of actions
on, thereby culminating into unproductive results that have
inspired others negatively like wild fire. The truth is money is a
value, not the acquisition of the paper. Even this days, little
children know that 10 Naira is not the same as 1000 Naira paper
note. Why? It is simply the value attached, to it, its purchasing
power based on collective perception. Therefore, really rich
people whose wealth are enduring, not rich quick and gone quick
wealth , add one or more value to the world by identifying a
need for example, my research on the top 10 richest men in 2008
proved that these men not only learnt that art of
entrepreneurship but also added value to their world. Bill Gates is
known for computers, Warren Buffet for stocks and company
acquisition that satisfy the wants and need of the human race,
Carlos Slim Helu for telecommunication, Mittal for stell, Mukesh
Ambani for oil and textile, and his brother,next to him in ranking
for communications, Ingvar Kamprad for furniture, inter-alia. It is
observed that the more the value you add appeals to generality
or future needs, the way and methodology adopted through
which the value reaches those in need of them, determines the
height and width of flowing wealth. To continue being wealthy,
you must continue adding value, both to yourself as a
professional or person as well as to the world in which you live.
The saying goes, “If opportunities cannot find you, shake
off and find one”. This is the real hustler’s mentality towards
money.
AN ENTREPRENEUR
Truly, the definition of an entrepreneur is simply one who
adds value and out of value creates wealth for himself and
others. However, an entrepreneur is not born they are made
through learning. Just like President Obama said “greatness is
not a given (gift), it must be earned’’. Also entrepreneurship
is not a given (gift), it must be earned. It is quite perplexing to
hear some say ’’I want to be Chief Executive Officer’’ or ‘’I may
own my business’’ and when they should tap into the available
opportunities to build the entrepreneurial skills, they do other
things contrary. Even ignorantly a lot of people in the pursuit of
such goals ignore engaging themselves in practical business for
their own, where they could make mistakes and learn, instead of
making such mistakes at the higher ladder of attainment. Or
even involve themselves in marketing or salesmanship where
they can acquire some of the skills needed for an entrepreneur. A
lot in ignoring such still do not study books that expose their
minds to the successes and failures of those who had already
gone ahead of them, they prefer most often running away from
the hustler’s path, we seek green pastures in acquiring much
certificates rather than a practical and certified mind fit for the
job and task ahead.
For example the yearly Apprentice Reality Show by Donald
Trump, where he selects 18 applicants some with only high
school education equivalent to secondary school but running
their business, some with degrees only and some with good
degrees (even M.B.A.) with an additionally experience in either
the business world or in their own venture has a lot to teach
about entrepreneurship.
Each week, when the applicants are given a business task
to undertake the failed team comes to the bedroom where one
person gets fired, until the end of the 18th week, where a winner
emerges. The lessons to deduce are:
i. The people with so much degrees, but with little or no
business experience or exploit get fired quickly at the
early weeks.
ii. The people with little or no degree but with business
experience are usually the second people to be fired
from the Apprentice program.
iii. The people with degree but coupled with some business
experience or running their own venture, yearly win or
emerge at the last stage.
This is surprising, but true. You are advised to purchase
from season one to the present season, each season is a new set
of applicants yearly.
There is no gain saying the fact that certificates without the
juice of information within the acquirer is only useless and a
disaster. With this mentality a lot of examination malpractices
around students; cheating in exams, some parents aiding such
vice, would cease. As a container without content is useless, so is
a certificate without a certified mind wasteful.It may take the
person up the ladder averagely, but by all laws of nature, sowing,
reaping etc. such a person cannot go far. Like Francis Bacon said
”knowledge is power”. The question goes; “Have I being seeking
the kind of knowledge I need for what is before me?”.
KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge may be likened to a round peg in round hole
that is, information suitable for the individual’s use to activate
productivity in any regard. Information may be acquired either by
experience or reasoning, to say the least. However, it is a fact
that in life, experiences may be one’s personal encounter or that
of another, maybe acquired through study from writings, speech
etc.
Furthermore, to be an entrepreneur, that is adding value,
creating wealth, shying away from acquiring needful
information whether by reasoning or experience, is fatal. No
excuse is good enough, “never despise humble beginning”,
because it is discovered that such beginnings may not or
may be your greatness. In that humble beginning in
business, investing etc. may lie the acquisition of the skills
needed for really big task. David was rearing sheep, but the
skills developed from that experience catapulted him to the
palace, where he oversee humans, at least in rearing sheep
he would have learnt a lot.
Assignment
Take you pen, identify activities, engaged in and visualize
how such can be used to better your skills and if not, maybe
consider letting go with them and pick up new activities.
TWO SIDES TO A COIN
Whatever you think, think the opposite. There are indeed two
sides to life. Our educational system has conditioned us to seek
for right answers, but many fail to search for alternative answers
or solutions once the first right answer has been discovered.
Don,t you think it’s time to breakaway. In the business world and
even in the realm of investment, the two sides are profit and loss.
The fact is the dividing line between this two extremes are right
information, information and then application, of such to the
situation at hand would do. For example, if I want to cross the
road, the information comes into my inner ears, “look right, look
left” then I apply it and cross if safe to”. Therefore, in other not to
be hit by the vehicle of loss, this simple common sense applies.
My usual advise to ‘prospective investors’, even at symposia, is
always pivoted on the 2Es of investment, Education and
Experience through practical investment in stocks and in
investment books.
I am frequently asked, “what kind of business can one do?”
or “is investing in stock good particularly at this bearish (falling)
moments of stock prices?”. But the fact is nobody can tell what
kind of business to do successfully, my reply usually is “You need
conviction about what you are into, it begins with you, I can only
advise on ‘how’ but not ‘what’,as a matter of principle. On the
question of investment “it all boils down to how committed one is
to improving one’s investment skills”. The truth is, investing is
not bad or good, it is the investor that is either bad or good at the
art of investing. Like Robert Kiyosaki says “There is no such
thing as a bad investment, but there sure are a lot of bad
investors”. The same applies to politics, “it is not politics that is
bad, it is the caliber of people in it that makes it bad”.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
With the present trend in the world, the realities people
have created for themselves through thoughts draw them
unconsciously away from much more important things. Such
important things left undone turn into urgent matters, with the
result of myriads of catastrophe and regrets following. Are you
spending enough time in your most important personal
relationships, such as family, friends and mentors? If not who and
what is taking up all the time? It’s time for parents to order their
priorities and for potential parents to programme right priorities.
Let us protect our time with the most important people in our
lives, to create a better family and a then a better nation and a
better world. Beware of prioritizing money, job, career etc on the
top list, it may backfire.
EDUCATION DEFINED
A lot of individuals when interviewed on why they are
schooling paint a picture in their answers that suggest
expectation of pay for what they know instead of what they do
with that which they know. From the history of great leaders or
entrepreneurs, I have discovered that the world does not pay or
respect people for that which they “know” or “claim” to know”. It
pays or respect what they do or influence others to do.
This has led me to conclude that indeed, “any person who
is educated is one who has learned to get whatever he
wants in life without violating the rights and decency of
others. Education consists, not so much of knowledge, but
of knowledge effectively and persistently applied. Men
are paid not merely for what they know, but more
importantly for what they do with what they know’’.
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
Entrepreneurs succeed on systems, that is the structure and
people that provide the entrepreneur’s value; product or idea, to
the final consumers, directly or indirectly.
No single person has sufficient experience education
capability, knowledge or intellect to assure, ensure and insure the
gathering of colossal wealth, money, power without the
cooperation of other people. Even the creator of the earth
delegated duties to angels and made man responsible over the
earth. Then, we must learn from divinity, even as humanity.
CHAPTER FIVE
BELIEVE SYSTEM
“Faith is a sounder guide than reason. Reason can
only go far, but faith has no limit? – Blaise Pascal
THE RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM (RAS).
The human brain is said to have the capacity to take in 8
million or more bytes of information, however, not all that comes
in is absolved by the brain. The RAS will shiver the wheat from
the chaff, that is, allow the brain absolve only those information
in line with the believe system. In other words, the RAS, consults
the believe system, and a person’s believe system determine
their depth of conviction and the amount of energy exerted.
Therefore, it is important to consider one’s believes regularly,
because this may determine the opportunities one sees, since
opportunities come in the form of information most times.
To consider your believe system so you do not limit yourself
by your thoughts and therefore loss your opportunities, I
recommend you locate quickly your premium time, place, race
and style.
Premium time
‘When’ you think best, your ‘thought peak’. Is it at night or
early in the morning like myself? Set out a time at your premium
peak to meditate on your inner self and believe system. Not
every person has same premium time and that is why two friends
may have to avoid things together in other not to operate in
another’s timing. Socrates said “know thyself”.
Premium place
‘Where’ you think best; it may be solitary or in the midst of
people, in silence or in music etc.
Premium race
‘Who’ you need around you. Be not deceived evil
association corrupts good thought and over time creates an
impressed belief system, though based on the emotional muscle
of the person involved. Peer pressure and association have
created some conscious or unconscious pattern of thought in
many people. There is need for conscious reconditioning, as well
as departure from friends who add no value to your vision or
whose values run contrary and parallel to yours. It is your choice,
whichever. If you choose to, why not now?
Premium style
This concerns the question “How do I learn’. It is an
issue of approach and methodology for thinking. Identify
your premium style and take charge of your destiny, your
thought pattern consciously. I often tell people at symposia
“don’t employ your generative and evaluative thinking at
the same time”.
GENERATIVE AND EVALUATIVE THINKING
The generative thinking is such that you allow your
thoughts to scout for new ideas and flow in these ideas. At such a
stage of thought, the advice I give is “just take out your pen and
paper’ write all the ideas foolish or wise, and keep writing until it
stops flowing like a stream.
The evaluative thinking critically and analytically scrutinizes
the ideas to see which is suitable for implementation or aligns
with reality and how such can be executed. Employing this stage
when generating ideas is precarious to creativity. This is because
the germinal phase is governed by a different kind of logic which
could be best described as metaphorical, fantastic, diffuse,
elliptical and ambiguous. Therefore, for creative ideas, I prescribe
a good dose of soft thinking in the germinal phase (generative)
and a hearty helping of hard thinking in the practical phase
(evaluative). Secondly, in figures of speech and in everyday life,
sincerely, the ‘metaphor’ is an excellent tool to help you think
something different. Think of yourself as a poet, and look for
similarities around you. If you have a problem finding, try to
make a metaphor of it. This strategy is extremely useful, in
career, leadership, entrepreneurship etc.
Assignment
Close your eyes and search in your heart what you intend
for yourself, your business, your career, your family etc. Then
look for someone similar to what you intend and then in your
heart say “I am (the name of the person)” e.g. I am the Albeit
Einstein in my time. What psychological effect do you
experience? Do it over and over again with depth. With this
method, you can boast your creativity even in areas outside your
field. This principle was applied in the movie “Catch me if you
can”. Secondly, pay attention to the metaphors you use in your
own thinking. The third of metaphors one uses may elevate or
impress consciously or unconsciously. Beware!!!
CREATIVITY PERSONIFIED
RULES SYNDROME
Creative thinking is not only constructive, it is as well
destructive. You often have to break out of one pattern to
discover another pattern. This is simply ‘thinking outside the
box’. In doing this, play the revolutionary and challenge the rules,
particularly the ones you use to govern your daily activities.
However, be careful because playing the revolutionary also has it
dangers. Secondly, periodically scrutinize your ideas to see if
they are contributing to your thinking effectiveness.
When searching for ideas, take advantage of the ambiguity,
the unanswered question, in the world. This is how great scientist
made discoveries from the law of gravity to the law of
aerodynamics. Look at something and think about what use it
might be. If you are giving someone a problem that has the
potential of being solved in a creative way, then try at least
initially posing it in an ambiguous fashion so their imagination is
not restricted within rules. You may as well cultivate your own
personal sources of ambiguity, these could be books, things etc,
that force you to look for more than one meaning. For example, it
is not out of place for an art student or a lawyer to read books on
geography, science, mathematics etc to develop the brain.
DON’T MAKE MISTAKES SYNDROME
There are situations where errors are inappropriate, but the
germinal phase of the creative process isn’t one of them. Like
Michael Faraday said when trying to invent electricity. “I have
not failed, I only discovered 999 ways of how not to create
electricity.”Can’t you remember Abraham Lincoln? Thereafter, if
you make an error, use it as a stepping stone to new ideas you
might not had otherwise been discovered. If you are not making
errors, you might ask yourself, “How many opportunities am I
missing by not being more aggressive”. In addition, every
individual need to strengthen their risk muscles in all facets. Like
the human muscle, everyone has the risk muscle, but it must be
exercised or else, it will atrophy. Make it a duty to take at least
one risk every twenty four hours in any area of desired
development, that is go an extra mile. Remember, friend, if you
fail, you learn what doesn’t work and secondly, the failure gives
you an opportunity to try a new approach so fear not failure, only
strive to succeed.
PLAYING IS A WASTE OF TIME SYNDROME
“If necessity is the mother of invention, then play is
the father”. The truth is our educational system is getting
extremely serious by the day, and this problem must be
addressed to enhance innovative minds in all fields of study. The
next time, there is a problem, play with it as well make a work
place, school, home etc, a fun place to create your own suitable
environment.
THAT IS NOT MY AREA SYNDROME
Specialization is a fact of life, that is, in order to function in the
world, one must narrow ones focus and limit the field of view.
However, when trying to generate new ideas, such information
handling attitudes can limit. Edison’s advice becomes
instructive:
“Make it a habit to keep on the look out for novel
and interesting ideas that others have used successfully.
Your idea has to be original only in its adaptation to the
problem you are working on”
Here are some tips that will help improve one’s hunting
abilities:
i. Develop the hunter’s attitude that is, ‘’wherever I go there
are ideas waiting to be hunted”
ii. Don’t get so busy that you lose the free time necessary for
idea hunting.The way forward is “I schedule my hunting
time into my daily and weekly activities, even side
excursions may be sufficient.
iii. Develop the liberal mind approach. Be open minded to
wider and diversified knowledge acquisition. ’’The Liberal
soul shall be made fat’’
iv. Look for analogous situations, that is, problems similar to
yours that has been solved in other areas.
v. Write down your hunted ideas before they fly away like a
bird from its cage.
DON’T BE FOOLISH SYNDROME
Like,I said earlier, the difference between non-sense and
sense equals non. It is difficult, however, to be objective if you
have an ego tied up in your idea, as such you do not want to be
criticized for having produced a “foolish idea”. Like Neils Bolir
said “There are some things that are so serious you have
to laugh at them”. Take no offence and occasionally let the
part of the brain that says ‘stupid idea’ be downplayed by the
foolish idea, and see what crazy ideas you can originate. In this
light, I pray, may your foolish idea become your polished idea for
unleashing the release of relief on our world
EQUILIBRIUM
The worlds of thought and action some have discovered,
overlap,that what you think has a way of becoming true.
Thoughts
Results
Action
Therefore thoughts and action produces result, however the
thought provides the foundation for the superstructure of action,
finally covered by the roof of results. Doesn’t all starts from the
thoughts? So think and try new things and build what you
thought especially the small ideas. The creative person in you
must have the self-faith that these ideas will lead somewhere
through actions.
CHAPTER SIX
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
I bargained with life for a penny,
And life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted by scanty store.
“For life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask, But
Once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task
“I worked for a menial’s hire
Only to learn, dismayed, that any
Wage I had asked of life,
Life would have willingly paid”.
A NEED FOR CHANGE
There exists a whole world of opportunities for leaders and
entrepreneurs in the information and communication age. It all
boils down to skills; skills acquired, skills developed, skills utilized.
For Nigerians and Africans alike, we must thank God we were
born at a time like this, a time when the nation, the continent is
fraught with myriads of problems from leadership to poverty,
from to corruption to joblessness, a time when we can take on
this problems, and see them through the eyes of opportunities to
add value, build people, create wealth, as well as make our
names sealed in the sands of time. Because opportunities are
usually hidden in problems, in needs.
Consequently, at this time of needs for our nation and
continent isn’t it time to build the necessary skills? moral skills,
entrepreneurship skills, leadership skills, patriotism and team
spirit skills etc. To solve the needs of our time and make our
marks. ‘Skillful’ sailors make their names in the midst of tempest
and storm”, remember.
LEADERS
In areas of leadership, new opportunities exists in fields of
politics, banking, industry, religion, even in professions such as
Engineering, Information and Communication Technology,
Journalism, Medicine, Education, Law , Science, among others. As
put forward in the field of education “…must find ways and
means of teaching people how to apply the knowledge
they receive in school…” as well as provide information on
areas not covered by formal education or school, “ must deal
more with practice and less with theory”. In addition, no
matter the career of choice, the truth is, a plus factor is needed in
areas and knowledge of information technology, foreign language
etc, to chart a new cause of leadership in one’s field of study in
this global village, because one must not think or act local, but as
a global champion. That is where you deserve to be friend.
ENTREPRENEURS
For an entrepreneur, ‘opportunities’ to create wealth is his
watch word. In life opportunities abound for an entrepreneur in
areas of food, clothing, shelter, needs to start with, that is a sine
qua non. However, in recent times, the vast opportunities to
create wealth is innumerable, in areas of Information Technology,
health, relationship, education, technology (Electricity, energy,
communication, transportation, security, finance, beauty,
entertainment, value system, investment etc. however, the fact
remains that they all boil down to possessing entrepreneurial
skills which must be consciously acquired. Every time, I
remember the words of John D. Rock feller, I say those words
again to myself again and again. It goes “what a young man
needs as he grows is the acquisition of skills and
reputation” to build wealth immeasurable for himself. Some say
“well you need much money to start up something”. Although,
this may be true, it is much of a truth that money does not
multiply itself or does it? Isn’t it the proper utilization of the
money that produces money? Is that not skill first and foremost?
If the truth is that money as defined by economist is the value of
currency? Then the consistent possession of that value over a
period of time is what can be termed wealth. It means to be
wealthy you must apply skills to consistent production of that
value called money. Isn’t that so?
BYE! BYE!!
The world awaits the manifestation of men and woman who
can catch on the opportunities, the problems around them to add
value, build people and create wealth. In my experience as I
toured through other West African countries!such as Ghana,
Benin, Cote d’ivoire and even Togo, I discovered the relevance of
the Nigerian nation (with over 40 million people) in the African
continent. Opportunities abound in Africa unexplored, agricultural
opportunities, information and communication technology
opportunities, leadership opportunities etc, opportunities that
have being tapped into in Asia, Europe, America but still left
untapped in the nation and in our continent. This made me
resolve that “As I see the problems, I must see the
opportunities”, which revolves around skills, mentally,
emotionally, psychologically and even spiritually. Because one
must develop the skills of thanksgiving and acknowledgement of
the supernatural, I strongly opine. Friends, it is time we as
Nigerians and as great Africans arise to the true realities of our
time the time must come when Nigerian books, Nigerian products
and companies, Nigerian scholars, Nigerian businessmen,
Nigerian leaders etc impart Africa and the entire globe. The time
has come to put away childish things, and embrace truth. The
time has come to become that hero the world is waiting for. Don’t
procrastinate, the time is now. Develop yourself and your Godly
relationship.
See you on top globally and thanks for reading.
With love from, TIMI OLAGUNJU,AUTHOR7th April, 2009
AUTHOR’S PROFILE
AUTHOR’S PROFILE
Mr. Timi Olagunju (LL.B) finals, University of Ibadan, a community
developer and speaker with the mandate to add value and build
youths in areas of leadership and entrepreneurship. Recently, he
was a youth delegate to the Model United Nations Conference in
Abuja on ’Climate change’ in 2008. Mr. Timi Olagunju’s profile
in areas of leadership and entrepreneurship include:
PRESENT ENTREPRENEURAL/LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION
PIONEERED
Overseer, Image Nigeria/Africa Project.
PAST LEADERSHIP EXPLOITS (WHILE IN SCHOOL),
AMONGST OTHERS
Ag. Library Prefect, St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos –
2001
Vice-President, Literary and Debating Society, University
of Ibadan – 2005.
Chairman, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, University of Ibadan –
2006
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:
Most influential student, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall.
Nominee, Professor H.O. Nottidge Award for Positive
Contribution to Administration of Halls and Faculties -
2007
Nominee, Professor E.A. Bamgboye Award for Selfless
Contribution to a worthy course – 2009
Nominee, Professor A.A. Agbaje Student Leadership
Award – 2009
Most Outstanding Zikite Award-2008
The Law Students’ Society Distinguished Students’ Award
in honour of Chief Adeniyi Akintola SAN- 2009
Winner, All Nigeria United Nations, Student’ Oratory
Competition, among many others.
PHILOSOPHY
A man’s height is a function of the depth of his conviction,
and nothing great will ever be achieved without great men and
men are great only if they are determined to be so.
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