THE YOUNG AMBITIOUS RICE FARMER

One of my fond memories while growing up was a day I was whipped by my very own mother. If your mum is a teacher, you will agree with me that getting whipped hits differently with those women.

What was my offence?

We did a topic on agriculture back in primary school days. It was about sowing. I was so excited and full of hopes that i already knew what i wanted to plant immediately i got home that fateful day. Rice has always been a costly commodity compared to beans, cassava flakes and other food products you can find in an average Nigerian home.

Immediately i got home, i started to work. I took a full tin milk of rice and went to the backyard of our then face me and face you kind of buildings prominent back in the days. With enough zeal that can move a mountain, i set to work. I dug the ground and started filling the holes with few grains of the rice with me. Oh what a satisfaction across my face for a job well done. Finally, i looked for small stones to place on top of each of my rice planting after enough watering just to be able to locate and trace them when they finally start growing. After all, I've never even seen what a rice planting looks like.

For the sake of my integrity, let me not go through the stages of punishment and beatings i went through that day for wasting a commodity as scarce and costly as rice.

Looking back and remembering this story got me thinking a lot. Because you suddenly discovered or developed a zeal and enthusiasm for a project or cause is not and can never be enough reason to just delve into such a project. Never allow our dearly beloved aspire to acquire to refire to propel you and motivate you into a venture you have personally not taken all your time to research, learn, idealize and even test run. I can assure you it will definitely backfire.

As much as my teacher back then did a very good job in teaching us about planting, she missed out the part where she was supposed to tell us that planting comes in season. Not only this, but that there are a lot of intricacies as to hoe different kinds of farm products are planted. Whether you'll meed a nursery for some plants or you will have to make use of bulbs for some or probably just plant a stem for others. All of these are the various hidden parts that comes with farming that my beloved teacher never explained to us. 

In addition, there is a principle of time and season. Thanks to technology anyway, but back then we all know we have season for every products. If you apply all the principles and methodologies that you have read and researched into a venture, please be mindful that one factor that can frustrate your effort is wrong timing. You must take into cognizance the season you wan to launch out into that project. While i can quite agree that there is never a perfect timing, be rest assured however that there is a good time to go forward.

Final note from this little experience is how possible it is for useful resources to become wastage. No matter how fertile my little backyard is (and i can confirm to you that backyard was really fertile due to the amount of wastes that gets dumped there), my rice grains that could have fed like a member of the family was wasted due to ignorance. No matter the quality of work i decide to put into it, it's an effort in futility.

Don't ever forget that in your hands, you have both bread and seed. You must be able to differentiate between the two to prevent wastage. Your bread is meant to be eaten while your seed is meant to be planted. If you plant your bread, you go hungry for nothing and the bread becomes a waste. Likewise if you eat your seed, you are satisfied for a short period of time and then hunger comes knocking on your door later on.

Remember, without Knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile.

#mindyourminute #thinkdeep #dontleaveme #grayisthenewblack #amillionlittlepieces #theendofthebrics

IGNORANTIA JURIS NON EXCUSAT

A very beautiful day to you all.

Let me expose myself a little bit. There is this popular phrase in Nigeria that quite a lot of us really say wrongly: "AS AND WHEN DUE." A lot of people mishear this phrase to be "AS AT WHEN DUE." Well, maybe not quite a lot of people. But I own up to the fact that I have always thoughT the latter is the correct form. As a matter of fact, I was on the verge of correcting one of my bosses that makes use of this phrase a lot. I already made up my mind that the next time she repeats it, I was going to send her a message privately and correct her. How so thoughtful of me. But my instinct just pushed me to check it out first. Alas, I have been the wrong user all along. I can't imagine the disgrace of trying to correct what was never wrong in the first place.

The purpose of that story is to make us realize the importance of knowledge. There is nothing too big or too small to know. There is this popular phrase that says: Unlearn, Learn and Re-learn. This is the essence of living. No matter how knowledgeable or well informed you are, there is definitely going to be an area that requires you to sought out for more information. 

Ours is a generation with so many information all around us. We live in a period where you can easily gain access to virtually any kind of information you so desire. But the truth of the matter is that having them benefits no one. We can only benefit from these bulk of knowledge when we make effort to learn through them.

The day we stop learning is the day we start dying so they say. What was correct last year might not be accurately correct this year. That is the essence of seeking out for knowledge on a routine basis. One factor that we need to look out for however is ASSUMPTION. Assumption has killed a lot of dreams and desire. 

I was once scheduled for an interview session many years back. Because i have interned with them before, I assumed a lot of things about the structure of the company. In my folly, I only prepared for the technical part of my interview that has to do with the job role while I neglected the other part that deals with knowing about the company you wish to work for. It was during the interview session I realized that quite a lot has changed. Of course I lost out.

Ignorance is a killer. It robs us of what should be ours. Never allow the school of thought that says what you don't know can't kill you. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Knowing gives you an edge wherever you find yourself. It gives you a leverage in any field you find yourself. Career progression in the world we live in now is subjected to what you have learnt. You can never know it all.

Finally, make a conscious effort in learning on a daily basis. Increase and expand your knowledge. Be sure of whatever you are not sure of. Never allow assumption to rob you of the streams of opportunities that awaits you. Kick out ignorance and give knowledge through learning a chance.

Remember, ignorantia juris non excusat.

#mindyourminute 'keeplearning #saynotoignorance #neverstoplearning

WHY SIT WE HERE TILL WE DIE?

Sometimes around October 2019, I traveled with a friend to the University of Ibadan in Oyo state Nigeria. The purpose of the journey was to make some findings as regards a postgraduate program in the institution. A colleague was able to link us up with a lady to help our findings and make it an easy adventure for us. Someone we have never met or known before.

We left Lagos as early as possible in order for us to be able to meet up and make necessary assessments before offices begin to close down for the day. On arrival, we called up our contact, but she begged that we give her some time to wrap up what she was doing and meet up with us. Seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours. While waiting, we diligently parked the car somewhere around one of the campus’s car parks while we feast our eyes on the beautiful resources that the institution is endowed with. Both natural and human.

After some hours, a lady tapped the door of the car and we opened for her to enter. She sat down and we exchange pleasantries. We were about setting out on our journey only for us to discover that we had the wrong person in the car. The lady in the car is not who we were actually waiting for!!!!!! According to her, she thought the car is a taxi that conveys students within the school premises. It was a very funny incident.

Have you come to realize in this life that where you are determines the kind of people you attract? Location is a very important factor as we journey through life. Little wonder there is a saying that your location determines your allocation. The only reason we almost end up picking the wrong person was because of where we parked. There were actually other parks for private cars like ours however ignorance played a fast one on us.

We should have an understanding that where we are determines who we know. Who we know determines our network. Our network determines our net worth. It’s that simple. Ever asked yourself why some people will never stay in some particular areas? It is because of the kind of people they wish to associate with.

By location, we are not necessarily speaking to where you live. Your location could mean your place of work, place of worship, circle of friends etc.

In what ways does location affect our lives?

 Ever imagined how the clique of friends you keep has an adverse effect on the way you see life? Show me your friend and I will tell you the kind of person you are. The circle of people you move with will go a long way in impacting your ethics, values and morals. And this definitely decides what you get from life.

It doesn’t matter the level of hard work you might put into every effort, there is always little or nothing to show for it. The results you get is never at par with what you desired. And this is where frustration and depression sets in.

What is the way forward?

Knowledge is key!

With ignorance comes a price, hence knowledge is never a waste. Like they say, he who knows not and knows not that he knows not has a problem. (Let’s not call him a fool). Until you are first able to realize and admit that where you are is not where you are supposed to be, then there can be no way forward.

However, there must be a self-realization to the fact that what you are getting from your present location is not what you want. Complacency is never an option in this case. You can never be satisfied with your present predicament and expect any form of change. You are on a long thing.

After this, with the knowledge you have, take action. In taking action, be informed that there is never a perfect moment to start. There is never a perfect moment to launch. But there is a right moment to propel.

Make the move. Make it now. And you’re on the right track to have a change of story.

Remember the words of the four Lepers in the Holy Bible: “why sit we here till we die”

#mindyourminute because every minute counts.

ALL LIVES MATTER

I remember quite vividly the story of a footballer for FC Barcelona by name Dani Alves in April 2014. During the course of play, a spectator threw a banana at him; a gesture that translates to racial abuse. Dani picked up the banana, ate and continued playing his match.  In December 2018, the popular Arsenal footballer Patrick Aubameyang had a banana peel thrown at him after scoring a goal. This is just one out of the many cases of records of racism that is being faced all around. Talk about the movie industry, sports, and most importantly security. The earlier we have something to do about this now, the better for us as a human race.

In the wake of the recent happenings around the world, there is a need for us to look back as humanity and review how far we have come. And how far we still have to go. Many authors have given various review of their thought about this long-lasting menace in the society. Clergies, politicians, scholars and all have contributed knowledge to what they think about the discourse of racism. The genesis, the cause, the implications and what have you. But again, I say can we have a review?

Many are of the believe that there is a particular group of races that are superior or inferior to another. As a result of this, prejudice, antagonization, discrimination and so on are directed and targeted towards these particular set of people because of their ancestry, color or origin.

In essence, this particular set of people are blamed and made to pay for being who they are despite being outside of their own control or will. Institutions and societies are built in such a way and manner as to discriminate against this people. This has gone for such a long time and hence the need for us to have a review as humanity.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., he said “we must rapidly begin the shift from the thing-oriented society to a people-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of Racism, Materialism and Militarism can never be conquered.”

This could not have been better said. Considering the gulf in which we have been thrown into as a race.

The fight against racism begins with you and I. institutions are all made up of people who have vowed to be an agent of this menace to humanity. Do you treat me based on the ethics of your profession or based on the fact that I have a color you so much despised? How deep do you think racial abuses eats deep into the mental soundness of who is been abused?

Mention any profession today and see for yourself how discriminatory people can be. How long do we continue with this scourge? How long do we bear with this menace? Can we as human being begin to think of doing better? Can we all put a stop to this pandemic causing enmity between us? How long before we realize that irrespective of colors, race or tribes, we are all human before being of a color.

Whatever you do, all lives matter. Be you black, white, Hispanic or whatever color we have out there, we are all humans created by God and no one has a say as to determine what color to become.

Like Martin Luther King Jr said: “I have a dream.”

 

#mindyourminute

GO FORWARD

Maxwell Maltz, an American cosmetic surgeon and author once said: "Man maintains his balance, poise and sense of security only as he is moving forward."


Ever imagined what happens to a stagnant water. Different types of dirt finds it's way right into it. The same way for a life that's not moving forward.
Life has and will always pose us with challenges that far outweighs what we can carry or bear. Someone once asked why things must always be difficult in life, and the response he got was that such is life. And exactly, such is life.

Quite a lot of times, we are often left with little or no choice as regards what next step to take. You find yourself in one particular bad spot and it seems as if all is over for you, while people around you seems to be having a merry ride. Jobs are not forthcoming, the one you manage is nothing close to a gainful employment, but a painful one.

You have tried your heart on different relationships, but all without a success. There is this bright idea you have nurtured for a whole lot of time and it seems you are at a cross road as regards how to move it forward. As a matter of fact, no one even cares about that idea. Or possibly, yours has gotten to a stage where all you need is just a block to complete the puzzle and everything starts to glow, but how to lay hands on that precious block seems like a mirage. You merry-go-round about the same axis. And then you thought of just allowing nature to take it's course. You end up telling the same slogan of Que sera sera; what will be will be!

I am not here to tell you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That word is for someone who has not given up yet. But for someone like you who has given up and has been on the same spot for a while, why not just shake up yourself and tell yourself that you can never be down.

We all remember the Newton's first law of motion which states that a body will continually remain at rest or in a state of uniform motion unless an external force is acted upon it. Look for that external force that will give you the push you need to move ahead. Life is never going to be full of ease. A scholar once said, may your roads be rough. Someone experiencing a rough road shows a sign of progression. The worst state a man can be is in a state of stagnation.

Never allow anything to make you remain at a spot in life. Failure will always come, but never stand down. Stand up, Keep moving. You have been looking for jobs after years of graduation, never be deterred. Find something productive to keep you busy and going. Remember, an idle hand is a productive hand for the devil.

Every little steps that you take in life counts a lot. The point is to remain in motion. Never take life as a competition. The only person you compete with should be yourself. Make friends with people of like passion with you. You stand to achieve a lot from it. Be motivated by the stories of people who have failed countless number of times, and have also risen countless number of times.

My word for you today is to KEEP MOVING. It's never too late to start. Never ever stop moving.

#mindyourminute.