Friday, November 7, 2008

OBAMA-'sanjo'

The world has suddenly gone into a frenzy of some sort. Why not? The greatest, most powerful nation on earth on several fronts was going to the poles.The world knew that whatever the outcome of the elections there would be a bounce back - "when America sneezes, Europe catches cold." Not only Europe, the whole world catches cold.

Now the song on everyone's lips is "YES WE CAN" because someone by the name Barack Obama did.

Today, anyone and indeed everyone that has some form of litrary prowess has found a new topic and subject to write about. And because I am a player in this arena (writing), I thought it wise to also catch in on the Obama craze and air my own views and opinion.

OBAMA:

O-bjective

B-old

A-nticipating

M-otivating

A-rticulate

Yes, that is it. You want to be like Obama? That is what you have to do - Objective, Bold, Anticipating, Motivating and of course Articulate.

Obama in Kenyan language means favoured one. His name has "Oba" (which means King) as the first three letters, tell me, why won't he become the 'Oba' - President.

There are so many sides to this whole story that we can explore, but, the lesson for all of us is simple, start from dreaming like Martin Luther King Jr. and keeping working like Abraham Lincoln without giving up no matter what happens and how many times you loose, at the end, like Obama, you too will say, "YES WE CAN" and we have.

Before I round off, permit me to say I believe Obama will 'sanjo,' meaning he will do well as the President of America - PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD.Your testimony is next.

You are next in line to make history.

God bless you. God bless America. God bless Nigeria.

Abiodun Mabadeje

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

HOW TO BECOME L.U.C.K.Y. …

My sojourn on planet earth has spanned a little over three decades, and never have I met a person who did not want to have or become lucky – never! From young to old we all want to experience luck in all we do. Whether it’s in our exams, on our jobs or in business, luck is what everyone desires as it is bound to in one way or another better our lots when it does happen.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with desiring or actually experiencing luck – absolutely nothing!

But do you know that being lucky is not a matter of chance, neither is it by accident? In other words, I am saying that you can create your own luck by simply knowing what to do. Did I hear you say how can you do that? Relax. That is what this piece you are reading is meant to reveal to you. So read on. “When opportunity meats preparation, luck is inevitable.” – Anonymous

L – Learning
“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” – Abraham Lincoln

The bane that has brought pain to this generation is our lack interest and discipline to sit down and learn.

Matthew Ashimolowo who is a master in the field of motivational speaking (although a pastor) posited that “It is your learning and not your yearning that will increase you earning.” To rephrase, I will say that if you are not ready to learn then you are not ready to earn.

When was the last time you visited a bookshop? When was the last time you read book through? Better still (or should I say worse still?), when was the last time you did something deliberately to develop yourself? You can quote me anywhere that if all you know today are the same things you knew yesterday, then you are not qualified to be alive today. Never forget that the day you stop learning is the day you start dyeing. According to Henry Ford, “Anyone who stops learning is old, either at twenty or at eighty.”

U – Understanding
“What you stand under determines what will stand under you.” – Abiodun Mabadeje

Understanding simply means what you are ‘standing under.’ If I may ask you, what are you standing under? What is your philosophy of life? What is your thought pattern like? Remember that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. It is your thinking that sets the limits and boundaries of your life. Bishop David Oyedepo said, “The day you stop thinking is the day you start sinking” and a step further is what Matthew Ashimolowo said, “Stinking thinking makes you stink.” Meaning that if your thinking is wrong, your outcome in life will also be wrong. Remember the computer language, GIGO? – Garbage in garbage out.

C – Competence
“Competence gives confidence.” – Abiodun Mabadeje

Competence connotes specialty; developed ability – skill.
It is your competence that determines your identity. In other words you will have no identity until you are competent at something. This is the idea. When you mention Michael Jordan, you say Basketball. When you mention Jay Jay Okocha, you say Football. When you mention Mike Tyson, you say Boxing. When you mention Bill Gates, you say Microsoft. When you mention Richard Branson, you say Virgin conglomerate. When you mention my own name, Abiodun Mabadeje, you say motivation (both as speaker and writer).

The question I have for you is this, when we mention your own name, what do we say? Food for thought!

K – Knot (networking)
John C. Maxwell, an established American author, motivational speaker and pastor has said time and again that “People are everything.” No tree makes a forest. No island exists without the surrounding water. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” but where there are no people visions stagnate.

You need to tie the knot of relationships. Do not take people for granted. Associate with those who know more than you. Those you can tap from their wealth of knowledge, experience, resources and expertise (most of the time the word mentor is used to describe such people). As a result of this association, you can reach where they are faster by avoiding the pitfalls they encountered while climbing up the ladder of success.

You also need to develop relationships with your contemporaries and even those below you. Don’t forget that life is dynamic; hence you never can tell when and where you will need them too. You are not to ignore people or belittle people for whatever reason either for ‘stature’ or ‘status.’ “Those you ignore while going up, you will meet while coming down.”

Y – Yield
In every worthwhile success story, there’s always a place of/for God. To this extent, you need to allow God a place in your journey and life endeavours. Like someone rightly observed, “Your efficiency without His sufficiency will lead to your deficiency.”

Surrender to Him; partner with Him and see Him direct you. It is so important that you yield (surrender) to Him so that you can yield (be fruitful) in life.

A very good friend of mine, Tosin Ojuri in one of his songs describes God as “The definition of everything that is beautiful.”
If you want your life to be beautiful and you really want to be successful (or L.U.C.K.Y. in this context), then you must yield to God, for until you discover your source you cannot discover yourself.

“Always let Him lead you, and He will clear the road for you to follow.” – Pro. 3:6 (Contemporary English Version)

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

THE CLARION CALL

Without an iota of doubt, I am convinced that this title is not strange to anyone who at one time or the other has had the opportunity of serving his or her fatherland in any part of Nigeria. Particularly I am talking about serving under the National Youth Service Corps (N.Y.S.C.) scheme.

I am sure also that this title reminds you almost immediately of the N.Y.S.C. anthem:

Youths obey the clarion call
Let us lift our nation high
Under the Sun or in the Rain
With dedication and selflessness
Nigeria is ours, Nigeria we serve
.

What beautiful lines those are!

With a high degree of certainty, I am convinced that Mr. Wole Adetiran (OFR), who composed this anthem, is a man who truly understands what it means to have the interest of the nation at heart and be ready to serve come rain or shine.

As a Nigerian too, who has had the opportunity of serving under N.Y.S.C. the scheme, in the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Makurdi, Benue State to be precise. I have thought over the words of this anthem and gone to check the dictionary for the meaning of the word “CLARION” only to discover that the phrase “CLARION CALL” means, “A strongly expressed demand for action.”

This is what gave birth to the writing of this piece – “THE CLARION CALL!”

To say that Nigeria is a country marred with myriad of problems will not be an understatement or exaggeration of any kind. The indices are so clear. Virtually every Nigerian from small to great is complaining because of the heat we are being bathed with by reason of these “innumerable company of problems.”

However, the point of emphasis here is not to begin to lay bare one after the other the various problems we are faced with on a daily basis, we all know them. These problems cut across all the facets of our national life. All!

The indefatigable former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, on the occasion of his visit to Nigeria, said, “Nobody has a right to complain about anything if he is not willing or ready to do something about it.”

I believe that the astute former President must have borrowed leaf from the idea that has become so enshrined in the mentality of every American today – “Ask not what America can do for you, but what you can do for America.”

It is from this perception that I also want to throw this challenge to you, yes YOU! reading this piece right now.

The time has come for all of us to rise and take up the challenge to improve the lot of our fatherland. But for this to happen, we all must be ready to take the bull by the horns – whether you are young or old; educated or not. It is not about where you live – in the fast paced city or the slow paced village.

The CLARION CALL is a wake up call; it is a call to action; it is a call to duty and responsibility by using whatever ability and capability at your disposal to bring about stability in the socio-economic growth and development of our nation – Nigeria.

This CALL is a challenge to all and sundry, and above all, it is a call we must all answer. No matter whom you are or what you do, you have a stake in this country called Nigeria. That is why as long as breath remains in you, you must continue to fight positively against all the ills that have plagued our nation and brought us to the point of degradation.

Above all, I believe that in the long run this fight will bring promotion and foster integration amongst our people, and help to redeem our battered and shattered image amongst the committee of nations. Remember that Nigeria once enjoyed the enviable position of being called the “Giant of Africa.”

This can happen again; this will happen again; and this must happen again! But not until we all answer the “THE CLARION CALL!”

God bless you and God bless Nigeria!

WAKA-PASS

As an actor with many years of experience, I know that for every story you always have major or main characters and minor characters. Apart from these, there are also such characters that are referred to as ‘extras.’ Here in our local setting we usually refer to these ‘extras’ as “WAKA-PASS.”

These extras are characters whose roles are not usually important; they are part of the crowd. Their inclusion or non-inclusion in the play does not affect the story or its message.

My dear, I want to tell you that a story has been written by the Creator concerning your life, in this story you are supposed to be the R.M.D or Ramsey Noah or any other actor or actress you know. But the question is do you realize your role; how important it is to the story?

God who is the Chief Director expects you as the main character to give your best so that people can come and pay to watch you.

So unfortunate though, is the fact that most people do not understand their roles in the story of their own lives. They do not know how important they are to the Chief Director who is also the Producer putting so much resources on the ground to get the best out of them.

Most people see themselves as “WAKA-PASS” – ‘not important,’ ‘insignificant,’ ‘won’t amount to anything,’ ‘can’t change the story,’ and so on.

I tell you today, that is a wrong perception of who you really are. Rev. Sam Adeyemi titled one of his books – “You Are More Than This.” In other words all we see of you right now is not all there is to your life. Bishop T. D. Jakes says, “The only number you add to another and does not increase the value of that other number is the number zero.” You are not a zero but a hero. You may have written exams before and you failed. It does not mean you are a failure, it only means you are yet to succeed. Your business may be experiencing doom instead of boom, but I want you to know that in spite of the gloom there is still room for improvement. Bishop David Oyedepo on his part said, “There is a treasure in your nature, which you can use to terminate all the pressures in your life.”

I will simply put it to you like this, God did not create you for a life of mediocrity or obscurity but to be a celebrity and that is why He gave the ability to counter the effects of the reality of the calamity that subsist in your society. God gave you ability so that you will not be a liability. You are an asset!

It has been proven that there are over six billion people on the face of the earth today but none is like you. There is no second you; none has the same finger or footprints as yours. You are special. “Fearfully and wonderfully made” says the Bible. If you want the glory make sure you fulfill your purpose by playing your role as the main character in your story. You are not a “WAKA-PASS.”

God bless you!

Friday, July 4, 2008

THE DANGER OF BEING A NIGERIAN

No matter who you are, or where you may be, you can do something to change the world for the better.” – Dr. Edmond L. Kramer

I am grateful to the Creator for making me a Nigerian. And a Nigerian will I remain.

Nigeria, I must confess has brought me opportunities. I have found my PLACE – Passion; Love; Ability; Calling; and Energy in this land, in spite of the myriad of difficulties and challenges we face as a nation and people.

I am living the life of my dream in Nigeria. It is the general believe that in this country we do not have a reading culture. But in less than four years I have authored seven motivational books.

Some years back, what is today known as the comedy industry in Nigeria was only a figment of the imagination.

In the same light, I find myself operating in an emerging industry in this country – Motivational Speaking Industry. However, I have been able to cut a niche for myself in this ‘oratorical’ sphere of profession so much so that I have begun to share platforms with some of the ‘big boys’ in the industry.

Isn’t it amazing that when you say to the world “This is who I am,” the world steps back for a moment to watch you and when they see your seriousness they finally accept you and re-echo “This is who you are.” Today people call me Motivational Speaker.

Looking at the title of this piece and what you have been reading so far, you might want to say that there is a disparity.

I mean how can I be claiming all of these and still say there is a danger in being a Nigerian. What danger is there? Or could I be possibly insinuating that God makes mistakes?

Far be it from me to even think of it not to talk of saying that the Almighty and all-knowing God whom I serve makes mistakes.

Look at the title again. Do you notice it does not say “The Danger of Being CREATED as a Nigerian?” It simply says, “THE DANGER OF BEING A NIGERIAN.”

Now, this is where the crux of the matter is. I have found out that in Nigeria it is so easy to live a life of mediocrity and remain in obscurity and still have seemingly cogent reasons as excuses. In fact it is so bad that even the society will reason along with you.

Look at it; the government is not providing jobs for graduates. The private sector is not helping matters. For most of us, our parents are not well-to-do; hence don’t have the necessary connections. I will like to describe this as the Nigerian mentality – a mentality that is always looking for someone else to blame - never taking responsibility.

I think it should be drummed into our ears that all of us are primarily responsible for what becomes of us in life. We are the architects of our own destinies. You were born a male but it is your responsibility to become a man. It is natural to grow old but it takes responsibility – share determination and commitment to GROW UP.

These are just a few of the excuses we give to back up our lack of desire, determination and discipline to demand a change for our lives.

You see, God created you on purpose. He made no mistake at all. He knew that Nigeria would be in all these mess at this time and that is why He sent you here at such a time as this. “There must be a unique and peculiar area in which a person can excel if he looks well enough at himself or herself.” – A. Olabode Adeleye

A Chinese proverb says, “There is no need cursing the darkness when you can light a candle.” You are the light. You are sent here to set things right. Running out of this country because of the challenges is a denial of destiny. Enough of complaining; it is time to light your candle. Do something with your gift and ideas and watch your life blossom.

Do you know that there is a 2025 vision when Nigeria will become the most sought after nation on earth? See, it is not the Americans that will make that vision come through it is you and me – Nigerians.

You have a major role to play. No more excuses. Dump the general, negative mentality and become an agent of and for positive change.

“The world is not waiting for explanation; they are waiting for your manifestation.” – Rotimi Akinwale

God bless you; God bless Nigeria!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

DARE TO DREAM

"The dreams of today are the realities of tomorrow," so says a wise man.

For quite a number of years now, I have been a student of visions and dreams and I have looked at lives of several people. One notable amongst them being the very popular "I HAVE A DREAM" hero, Martin Luther King Junior.

In 1963 he gave a speech that today is regarded as one of the greatest speeches of all time and today almost every srudent of public speaking has to at one time or the other come across that speech. I have read it several times.

You may be wondering what it is about this particular speech that is so facinating? For me it is not the speech itself, but the message and the fact that after several years of the demise of the 'dreamer,' that dream is still very much alive and still speaking. So alive that the birthday of the dead dreamer is still being celebrated years after he has gone to rest in the bossom of his Creator.

That is how powerful a dream can be. It never dies. It keeps speaking until it comes to pass.

Hold on for a moment. Do you have a dream? Something so daring to your heart that you are ready to pay whatever price positively to accomplish? even if it means paying the ultimate price of death like Martin Luther King Jr.?

If you really have a dream, I tell you it is worth paying whatever price it will require to get.

To DREAM therefore, you have to have a DESIRE or DRIVE, seek after RELEVANCE in life, be EXCELLENCE oriented in all you do, never neglect whatever ABILITY nature has bestowed upon you and always make MOVES that will project your life in the driection of that DREAM.

i see you getting there and making a difference in this generation.

GOD BLESS YOU.

ABIODUN MABADEJE

Saturday, May 31, 2008

WORRY (2)

Hi, out there this piece is a follow-up to the last one I wrote. Do you know it is so easy to get worried over everthing and at the end of the day get worried over nothing? Sometimes when we think of the challenges we are facing, it is so easy to become'worried'

I do not doubt that you probably are going through some rough times right now, but do you realize that by worrying you cannot solve the problem? If that is the case, then why worry.

The simple thing I'll say to you is this, just relax. Cast your burdens unto Him for He cares for you. And that will take care of the problem.