BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS 1

When facing difficulties, our weak faith can sometimes drive us to question the fairness of it all. In this context, we should remind ourselves that believing in al-Qadr (Allah’s divine will and decree) is one of the pillars of Islamic faith.

“No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: That is truly easy for Allah:  In order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by, nor exult over favours bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any vainglorious boaster.” (Quran 57:22-23)

As believers we should recognize that only Allah’s Grace and Mercy can deliver us from challenging situations. Life is full of twists and turns. We will all experience many highs and moments of great happiness, but there will inevitably be periods when we experience pain, sadness and tougher times. It's in these moments that we find comfort in the people closest to us. We all look for that special person who's prepared to reach out a helping hand and ease our troubles with love and support.

For many observers, today's world seems indecipherable. The Earth is in such jeopardy that some scientists speak of a new accelerated geological era. The resurgence of barbarism and terrorism in the name of religion is seen as a historical regression.

At the same time, waves of technological innovations are constantly surging, particularly in the fields of energy and information — sources of economic, ecological and social transformations. These advances point to an accelerated evolution of the human being.

Never has the present been subjected to such a tectonic shock between its future and its past, the consequences of which seem difficult to foresee and can sometimes be distressing.

Between naïve belief in the unlimited benefits of technology and resignation to the cycle of calamities, there is room to build global governance aiming at organising a geopolitical order to derive the best of the human experience. Today we live in a world of three realities; objective reality where things exist independently of our beliefs and feelings. Subjective reality, in contrast, depends on our personal beliefs and feelings. However, there is a third level of reality: the intersubjective level. Intersubjective entities depend on communication among many humans rather than on the beliefs and feelings of individual humans. Many of the most important agents in history are intersubjective. Money, for example, has no objective value. You cannot eat, drink or wear a dollar bill. Yet as long as billions of people believe in its value, you can use it to buy food, beverages and clothing.

We live in a time when it is not popular or politically correct to be a follower of God. God and His people are mocked by the media. They are portrayed as narrow-minded, bigoted, judgmental, and self-righteous phonies. Our values and morality are scoffed at, and religious zealots are condemned and vilified. Yet there is a case for faith and a need for God in our lives.  We live in a time where right is called wrong and wrong is called right. A generation ago, the public would have never tolerated such things as homosexuality, polygamy, adultery, and fornication, neither the legalization of marijuana; but today, they are glorified on our tv sets. The media is brainwashing our children into believing that it is normal to have sex with multiple partners or others of the same sex. They are being told that there is no such thing as absolute truth – that truth depends solely upon what you think is right in the moment. As a result, morality has gone the way of the dinosaur, and those that are godly are feeling more and more like David did way back when he wrote Psalm 12:

 “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.  They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?  For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.  The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” When we see the corruption and godlessness that surround us every day, we need to pray for one another so that we will be strong and not influenced by the world. We need a bridge over our troubled waters. When our souls are weary and we are feeling small; and there are tears in our eyes and we need someone to dry them. These are very trying times indeed. Things are rough, very rough.

So we need to pray for our leaders, at national, state and local leaders. Pray for the judges. Pray that they will make godly decisions and uphold what is right.

In the light of the ungodly society that we find ourselves in, we need to do everything that we can do to live beyond reproach.

 “Finally, all of us should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tender hearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. Remember;

“So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.” (Quran 94: 5-6)

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust. (Quran 3:160)

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

Imminent torrential rainfall

“As darkening clouds quickly gather over Project Nigeria, our fervent prayers are that these very mobile clouds, as is regrettably often the case, do not transit to torrential rainfalls…” – Fine tooth comb for Ekiti; The Guardian, August 10, 2018.

                   

One of Nigeria’s more creative comedians often transports me back to my teenage years. This has less to do with the particular comedian’s style of delivery than his stage name: I go die. The theme, “I go die o!”, was the title of a rib-cracking comedy programme on Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation Radio, back in the day. Both children and adults used to eagerly look forward to the weekly programme; and I recall that my only complaint about the programme was that it ought to have lasted for at least thirty minutes, instead of the usual paltry ten or so minutes that had been allotted to it. Our teenage appetite had been simply insatiable because the pidgin-English programme was as entertaining as its story lines were educative. The average teenager of that era was as likely the street-wiser on account of the programme. I still recall a number of editions in every particular to this day, of which one of my favourites is paraphrased below:

“I was carelessly strolling along a popular street in Surelere one Saturday afternoon when I stumbled on a crowd of gorgeously attired people. Nearby, chairs and tables were arranged in owam be party fashion. An animated man stood at the center of the colourful crowd. Periodically snatching a glance at the gloomy sky, the man kept repeating the words, “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo! To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo!...” (An ungrammatical Yoruba for: If you give me money, I will avert the rain…) Suddenly, practically everyone in the crowd started throwing money at the man. The man persisted, even as bank notes continued to rain around him; “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo! To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo!”. The crowd enthusiastically flung more crispy notes on the ground still.

This can’t be true! I told myself; I must be dreaming all this up, because I had not seen that much money in my life, not even in a bank. So I sharply bit one of my fingers to confirm I wasn’t dreaming. I go die o!

It is real after all! I exclaimed, looking curiously around me as the man started to pack all the money into a large sack. So this is how easy it is to make money in Lagos, eh? I thoughtfully said to myself, uncontrollably swallowing saliva in envy of the now rich rain-doctor. I spent the rest of the day thinking about my surprise encounter; and finally made up my mind. I too will from that day become a rain-doctor. I go die o!

So after that day, I started searching for owam be party venue around Surulere. After a week of searching, I ran into luck, or luck ran into me. A big owam be party was about to start, with Lagos money bags already majestically seated at a venue near the National Stadium. I smiled broadly when I looked skywards; dark low clouds made their presence impossible to ignore. Performance time! I told myself, clearing my throat; “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo! To ba funmi owo, emi amu ojo!”, my voice ran out amid thunder-clapping. I go die o!

At first, no one paid me any attention; so I intensified my efforts. “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo! To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo!” I persisted with the thunder-clapping apparently intensifying with my efforts to impress the richly appareled audience. Then suddenly, few in the audience stood, walked proudly towards me, and flung tens of crispy notes from wads of cash at me. And as though on cue, many more others in the audience followed them. Fresh bank notes of all denominations soon covered the ground around me. I go die o!

Consciously imitating every action of the first rain-doctor, I didn’t relent in my performance even as hundreds of crispy bank notes continued to rain on and around me. “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo!...”, I chanted still, now packing my rewards into a large nylon bag. As I swept another handful of bank notes from the ground, I noticed a drop of water on the back of my hand. Impulsively looking upwards to check the dark clouds, I sensed two large drops of water on my face… I go die o!

Now looking around in panic, my mind raced for a quick escape plan. But it was all too late because the rain was already pouring down! A big blow from behind knocked me senseless to the ground, as many more blows and vicious kicks landed on my body and head in blinding succession. I was beaten black and blue. I go die oooooo!” 

Rainfall is a critical medium for sustaining life on earth, yet it is widely regarded as a metaphor for ruination or failure. In southern Nigeria, most tribes liken hopelessly ruined persons to “rain drenched animals”. Elsewhere, people speak of the dread of “raining on one’s parade”. Always, the omen is negative. So it is easy to relate to the impulsive action of those richly attired Lagosians who had doled out wads of bank notes to an unknown or unverified rain-doctor. Interestingly, that seeming foolishness is not confined within the realm of comedy. The real world daily breathes and revels in it before our very eyes, thereby re-affirming the notion that comedy is a direct reflection of the real world.

Since 2018, some less-than-creative Nigerian stage-performers of another genre have taken that potentially fatal act to nigh-psychiatric proportions, by reversing the “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojo” comedy sketch. Unverifiable but card-carrying rain-doctors are being desperately scoured and financially rewarded to temporarily avert rainfalls in some states!!! (If inflicting avoidable miseries on tens of millions of trusting citizens due to governance failure, and then paying them pittance to live in denial of that failure is not lunacy, then the term psychiatry can have no meaning) At the previous count that psychiatric act has been witnessed in Edo, Ekiti and Osun states, much to the alarm of both local and international meteorologists. Basic meteorology tells us that, because of Nature’s immutability, the sum of delayed rainfalls in one cycle would inevitably pour down in torrents in the subsequent cycle.

Conclusively, or inconclusively, (since Osun Guber2018, both adverbs have become interchangeable) therefore, Nigerians should expect the cumulative “To ba funmi owo, e mi amu ojos” of 2017 and 2018 to explode into torrential rainfalls in 2019. By the by, in Edo, one of the states where rains have been counter-naturally stayed, and the homestead of a chiefly patron of the 2017/8 rain-doctors, the ordinary people there say, “Na rain wey no wan fall na im dem dey hold!”

Afam Nkemdiche is an engineering consultant; October, 2018                                                  

                                                         

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS 1

jose

When facing difficulties, our weak faith can sometimes drive us to question the fairness of it all. In this context, we should remind ourselves that believing in al-Qadr (Allah’s divine will and decree) is one of the pillars of Islamic faith.

“No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: That is truly easy for Allah:  In order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by, nor exult over favours bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any vainglorious boaster.” (Quran 57:22-23)

As believers we should recognize that only Allah’s Grace and Mercy can deliver us from challenging situations. Life is full of twists and turns. We will all experience many highs and moments of great happiness, but there will inevitably be periods when we experience pain, sadness and tougher times. It's in these moments that we find comfort in the people closest to us. We all look for that special person who's prepared to reach out a helping hand and ease our troubles with love and support.

For many observers, today's world seems indecipherable. The Earth is in such jeopardy that some scientists speak of a new accelerated geological era. The resurgence of barbarism and terrorism in the name of religion is seen as a historical regression.

At the same time, waves of technological innovations are constantly surging, particularly in the fields of energy and information — sources of economic, ecological and social transformations. These advances point to an accelerated evolution of the human being.

Never has the present been subjected to such a tectonic shock between its future and its past, the consequences of which seem difficult to foresee and can sometimes be distressing.

Between naïve belief in the unlimited benefits of technology and resignation to the cycle of calamities, there is room to build global governance aiming at organising a geopolitical order to derive the best of the human experience. Today we live in a world of three realities; objective reality where things exist independently of our beliefs and feelings. Subjective reality, in contrast, depends on our personal beliefs and feelings. However, there is a third level of reality: the intersubjective level. Intersubjective entities depend on communication among many humans rather than on the beliefs and feelings of individual humans. Many of the most important agents in history are intersubjective. Money, for example, has no objective value. You cannot eat, drink or wear a dollar bill. Yet as long as billions of people believe in its value, you can use it to buy food, beverages and clothing.

We live in a time when it is not popular or politically correct to be a follower of God. God and His people are mocked by the media. They are portrayed as narrow-minded, bigoted, judgmental, and self-righteous phonies. Our values and morality are scoffed at, and religious zealots are condemned and vilified. Yet there is a case for faith and a need for God in our lives.  We live in a time where right is called wrong and wrong is called right. A generation ago, the public would have never tolerated such things as homosexuality, polygamy, adultery, and fornication, neither the legalization of marijuana; but today, they are glorified on our tv sets. The media is brainwashing our children into believing that it is normal to have sex with multiple partners or others of the same sex. They are being told that there is no such thing as absolute truth – that truth depends solely upon what you think is right in the moment. As a result, morality has gone the way of the dinosaur, and those that are godly are feeling more and more like David did way back when he wrote Psalm 12:

 “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.  They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?  For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.  The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” When we see the corruption and godlessness that surround us every day, we need to pray for one another so that we will be strong and not influenced by the world. We need a bridge over our troubled waters. When our souls are weary and we are feeling small; and there are tears in our eyes and we need someone to dry them. These are very trying times indeed. Things are rough, very rough.

So we need to pray for our leaders, at national, state and local leaders. Pray for the judges. Pray that they will make godly decisions and uphold what is right.

In the light of the ungodly society that we find ourselves in, we need to do everything that we can do to live beyond reproach.

 “Finally, all of us should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tender hearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. Remember;

“So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.” (Quran 94: 5-6)

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust. (Quran 3:160)

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

Pathways to effective entrepreneurship

A review by Bayo Ogunmupe

     This book is titled: Pathways to Effective Entrepreneurship, a guide to successful business. It is the first business manual from Chukwudi Sunday Nwosu, a great entrepreneur who studied both business administration and business management. He merged the two technologies in his book. Pathways for short, is a huge paperback with 509 pages, four parts, 18 chapters, 13 pages of references and 13 pages of indices. First published in 2015 by Guzman Nigeria Limited, Pathways is an inimitable guide to successful business entrepreneurship. It is a practical manual and useful resource that is invaluable in assisting small business owners.

     The book encompasses the fundamentals of building a successful business enterprise. It is an invaluable companion to budding entrepreneurs, businessmen, researchers, professional bodies and non governmental organizations. Embedded in this volume are policies, strategies and drafts connected with starting and managing companies. Entrepreneurs and businessmen in need of capital, chief executives of ongoing firms looking for capital are well advised to buy copies of this book for their own success and survival. The strength of the book is its ability to furnish its readers with information with which to implement strategies and get identifiable results whether in a new business or the old ones.

     Pathways addresses the gap in the provision of both tested professional and practical knowledge needed by business owners. It is compilation of research results on contemporary entrepreneurship. Part one covers: how to understand and undertake entrepreneurship. Here, two chapters are devoted to the theory and practice of entrepreneurship. Part two has eight chapters. Part three treats organic business functions; it has five chapters. In addressing part one, we shall be dealing with the concepts and differences between the entrepreneur and the manager. Nwosu also traces the historical development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

     In part two, featuring the activities of entrepreneurs; forms of business organizations, opportunities in startups, the business plan and the internal and external sources of funding for the enterprise. Here, Nwosu enumerates capitalization of the company, the memorandum of association; sole proprietorship, types of partnership and the business name. Another issue strongly recommended by the author is the principles upon which companies are established. Thus, the differences between companies and cooperatives are analysed. He shows the sources of capital for cooperatives and the advantages of cooperatives over profit oriented companies.

     For part three, the organic functions of business is explained. Part three spans chapter nine through chapter 11, ending at chapter 13. Within these chapters, the art and science of management were analyzed. Operations management was treated extensively in chapter 10. Also minded were the fundamentals of marketing. Product concept, product life cycle and branding were the products of research by economists highlighted by the author. Packaging and its role was given prominence in the array of skills which make businesses thrive.

     In Pathways fourth and final part, covering chapters 14 to 18, Nwosu enunciates the modalities with which entrepreneurs develop and apply modern technology to gain success and profit. He discussed at length why businesses fail, demonstrating how the Nigerian environment, the role of regulatory agencies inhibit business enterprises. Without any fear of contradiction, one might suggest: The Roadmap for the diversification of the Nigerian Economy in the Age of Sustainable development goals, as another title for Pathways. This is the prism we expect every tier of government in Nigeria and the private sector to view this priceless book.

     In concluding this review, I feel constrained to revisit the definition of the term: entrepreneur. Behind any innovative business must be an entrepreneur, a person possessing foresight, boldness and creative verve. The term: entrepreneur was first brought into prominence by the 18th century French economist Richard Cantillon. According to Cantillon, entrepreneurs are non fixed income earners with uncertain incomes. Shortly after, the French economist Jean Say added that entrepreneurs had to be leaders. Say (1803) defined an entrepreneur as an economic agent who unites all the means of production: land, labour and capital to produce a product. 

     By selling the product in the market, he pays rent for the land, wages to labour, interest on capital and what remains is his profit. An entrepreneur shifts economic resources out of an area of low productivity into one with higher productivity and greater yield. He redeploys people, material and money and coordinates processes necessary for efficient  large scale industrial and trade development. Hence, an entrepreneur is one who brings other people together in order to build a single productive organism. Which is why this book is capable of making its reader a successful entrepreneur.

     The author, Chukwudi Sunday Nwosu holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's in management. He is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Administration and member, Institute of Certified Professional managers. He has the practical experience of working in newspaper production; having worked at The Guardian and Vanguard newspapers. And apart from being a self made entrepreneur, Nwosu is a member of the Gospel Business Men's Fellowship and president of Men's Ministries Fellowship Assemblies of God Church, Lagos. Nwosu is  married to Blessing and  are blessed with children.

Overcoming the limitations of life

                             By Bayo Ogunmupe

     "Overcoming the limitations of life," was the theme of a public lecture by the Lagos Zone, the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC a fortnight ago. It attracted hundreds of people particularly the academia and self employed intellectuals. Given at the Isis Lodge, Ilupeju; the lecture was preceded by the introduction of the Order and a welcome address by the event's chairman, Johnson Ikube. The Ancient  and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) was introduced as a philosophical, cultural and humanitarian organization dedicated to the study and investigation of natural and spiritual laws and their application for the attainment of human health, happiness and peace.

     The Order worldwide is now 3,371 years old in its recorded history. In Nigeria it is 85 years old. It has been established in more than a hundred countries of the world. The AMORC is a school of life open to both men and women of all religions, nationalities, vocations, professions, races and cultures. In his keynote address, the chief executive of Ikube Online Services, Mr Ikube titled it as Towards greater alignment of our national priorities. He said as human beings, we have common needs even when we have different aspirations and wants. We all must learn how to transform the challenges in our lives for better living in a challenging world. He then introduced the guest lecturer of the day as Ekanem Kofi-Ekanem a renowned architect and the Grand Councillor, the Cross River State chapter of AMORC.

     Continuing his keynote address, Mr Ikube said that in the realities of our modern world, a nation must first and foremost rest squarely on its economy. The polity should be an enabler not the driver of the economy. That was partly what made the early days of our nation progressive: autonomous regions and a dependent centre. "We must rework our priorities such that we truly become a nation driven by our economy." He believes we are currently driven more by the politicians rather than by our economy. The political players of our six geopolitical zones are playing politics to the detriment of the economy. He said the zones should be renamed economic zones focusing on growing their economies. Then, the states would be more appropriately aligned to add more value to their zones.

     "We are plagued by a Nigeria where many receive money without producing anything or rendering service for the progress of the economy." Ikube said we should detach religion from governance, embrace spirituality which unites while the religions divide. He said election officials should recuse themselves from overseeing elections. He said modernity demands the election of leaders that understand intricately connected variables which is why we must elect people with appropriate education and tract record of service.

     In the main lecture, Mr Ekanem enunciated the Rosicrucian concept of 'All is law; all is Order. What exists, exists for a purpose. Learn the law and you will be rewarded by knowing how to use it.' He said the two limitations which affect us are: time and space. In our perception, time and space limit every aspect of our lives, intruding into our every working moment. This causes us to think in certain ways. But it isn't time and space that limit us but our attitude. Our attitude creates us a habit. The habit establishes a pattern. With constant repetition, patterns become fixed, making us prisoners.

     So habits established by time and space rule us and put up bars where there really aren't any. Thus, this realization marks the Rosicrucian instruction on how to grow beyond all our limitations through expanding our Consciousness. Perceived limitations which affect men include obstacles of birth, education, ill-health and wrong business activities. This perception builds fences around our best endeavors and cut us off from opportunities which would otherwise be ours. A Rosicrucian law states: Man cannot rise above his consciousness. It is not the limitations then that hold us back.Rather it is our inability to recognize them and thereby raise our consciousness above them.

     Consciousness in man is the inner, intuitive understanding of his own being as  well as his relationship with other beings and the principles of the universe. You raise your consciousness through life long learning and experimenting. Our consciousness determines the world in which we live. Our limitations will change when our consciousness of them changes. Your raised consciousness begins to change the manner of your sowing. And that immediately affects a change in the harvest you reap.

The tragedy of Sight without Vision

Keller

                              By Bayo Ogunmupe

     Helen Keller (1880-1968) was a blind and deaf American author and educator who rose to world fame as a defender of the disabled. I love this popular quote from her: "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision." Having a vision in life is so important and writing it down is just as crucial. Which is why you should write out your vision and make it clear so you can see it. This is why a Personal Vision Slate is a great tool for your greatness in life. The Personal Vision Slate is a cardboard where you write down your dreams and visions  and watch them become reality.

     You might have heard what the great motivator, Zig Ziglar said: "If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time." Then think about this in relation to what you want in life, your financial freedom, your health and romance. Ask yourself what you are aiming at in life. Most people never get what they want out their lives because  they don't really know what they want from life. They just wander aimlessly through life until they settle on something that seems nice to them. But when they get bored, they start wandering again. One thing is certain, though; they never get what they want and if they ever do, they usually don't keep it for long.

     If you want to avoid being one of these wanderlusts; here is where you need to start from. This is why you need a cardboard depicting your vision: your Personal Vision Slate. The most significant motivation behind your consistent actions is your subconscious mind. This is because your subconscious controls your emotional drives. You should know that your behaviour is influenced by the thoughts which carry the strongest emotional charge. Thus, this is why it is important for you to harness the power of your subconscious to fuel your passion and pursue what you really want. A Personal Vision Slate is a most powerful tool for doing this. It provides you with the  powerful visual stimuli that plant seeds in your subconscious that are consistent with what you want.

     It is very easy to create your Personal Vision Slate (PVS). All you need is a cardboard a few pictures of things you want in your life: the type of house you want; the kind of personality you want to built and the kind of partner you want to attract to yourself. By creating this dream board and hanging it where you can see it everyday, you awaken and replicate these desires in your subconscious. These desires will propel the actions that will help you gain what you want. In case you are skeptical about this, just think of how much money companies spend on advertising which use colours, shapes, words and images to provoke the responses needed from the people.

     Considering the astronomical amount of consumer debt in most nations, you can see just how influential advertising it. But what if you could create your own advertisement which you could use to sell yourself your own dreams. This is exactly what you are doing when you create your own dream slate. This policy works. That is why every where you go you are bombarded with advertisements created by people trying to get you spend your time and money to enable them build their dreams. You cannot escape these messages, your only line of defence is to create your own advertising campaign. To join the league of winners, you must make the voice and vision of your dreams the loudest and clearest in your life.

      It comes down to making a choice: You either make a proactive effort to build up your own dreams or you become slaves of the dreams of others. Life is too short to build the dreams of others. Therefore the first thing that you need to do is to wait no longer but start creating your dream slate today and hang it by the door of your wardrobe where you will see it daily while dressing for work.

By Bayo Ogunmupe

 Ikube

     "Overcoming the limitations of life," was the theme of a public lecture by the Lagos Zone, the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC a fortnight ago. It attracted hundreds of people particularly the academia and self employed intellectuals. Given at the Isis Lodge, Ilupeju; the lecture was preceded by the introduction of the Order and a welcome address by the event's chairman, Johnson Ikube. The Ancient  and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) was introduced as a philosophical, cultural and humanitarian organization dedicated to the study and investigation of natural and spiritual laws and their application for the attainment of human health, happiness and peace.

     The Order worldwide is now 3,371 years old in its recorded history. In Nigeria it is 85 years old. It has been established in more than a hundred countries of the world. The AMORC is a school of life open to both men and women of all religions, nationalities, vocations, professions, races and cultures. In his keynote address, the chief executive of Ikube Online Services, Mr Ikube titled it as Towards greater alignment of our national priorities. He said as human beings, we have common needs even when we have different aspirations and wants. We all must learn how to transform the challenges in our lives for better living in a challenging world. He then introduced the guest lecturer of the day as Ekanem Kofi-Ekanem a renowned architect and the Grand Councillor, the Cross River State chapter of AMORC.

     Continuing his keynote address, Mr Ikube said that in the realities of our modern world, a nation must first and foremost rest squarely on its economy. The polity should be an enabler not the driver of the economy. That was partly what made the early days of our nation progressive: autonomous regions and a dependent centre. "We must rework our priorities such that we truly become a nation driven by our economy." He believes we are currently driven more by the politicians rather than by our economy. The political players of our six geopolitical zones are playing politics to the detriment of the economy. He said the zones should be renamed economic zones focusing on growing their economies. Then, the states would be more appropriately aligned to add more value to their zones.

     "We are plagued by a Nigeria where many receive money without producing anything or rendering service for the progress of the economy." Ikube said we should detach religion from governance, embrace spirituality which unites while the religions divide. He said election officials should recuse themselves from overseeing elections. He said modernity demands the election of leaders that understand intricately connected variables which is why we must elect people with appropriate education and tract record of service.

     In the main lecture, Mr Ekanem enunciated the Rosicrucian concept of 'All is law; all is Order. What exists, exists for a purpose. Learn the law and you will be rewarded by knowing how to use it.' He said the two limitations which affect us are: time and space. In our perception, time and space limit every aspect of our lives, intruding into our every working moment. This causes us to think in certain ways. But it isn't time and space that limit us but our attitude. Our attitude creates us a habit. The habit establishes a pattern. With constant repetition, patterns become fixed, making us prisoners.

     So habits established by time and space rule us and put up bars where there really aren't any. Thus, this realization marks the Rosicrucian instruction on how to grow beyond all our limitations through expanding our Consciousness. Perceived limitations which affect men include obstacles of birth, education, ill-health and wrong business activities. This perception builds fences around our best endeavors and cut us off from opportunities which would otherwise be ours. A Rosicrucian law states: Man cannot rise above his consciousness. It is not the limitations then that hold us back.Rather it is our inability to recognize them and thereby raise our consciousness above them.

     Consciousness in man is the inner, intuitive understanding of his own being as  well as his relationship with other beings and the principles of the universe. You raise your consciousness through life long learning and experimenting. Our consciousness determines the world in which we live. Our limitations will change when our consciousness of them changes. Your raised consciousness begins to change the manner of your sowing. And that immediately affects a change in the harvest you reap.

Core values champions live by

          By Bayo Ogunmupe

     Your character is defined by values which is why your values are the results of your behaviour. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle said it best:"Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting in a particular way." For example, while you always tell the truth, you become an honest person. And yet, we collectively underestimate the importance of values. We think our values determine how we are perceived. But that is not why values are important. Values impact greatly on our inner world, our subconscious mind. They define us. They are the foundations of our character. And since you have to live with yourself, your values become indispensable to your life.

     But what if you have no values? Sadly, there are terrible risks involved with living without values. You risk becoming a faceless individual indistinguishable from any other faceless person that has ever lived. Then unknowingly you adopt the values of other people. That is how you become dependent on your parents, friends or spouse. But you should never allow your identity depend on the identity of another person. This is why I am sharing my personal core values with you. I recommend you to define your values. Once you know who you are in life, you will desist from imitating the foibles of others. Thus, knowing yourself will grant you peace and tranquility.

     Here are my value; One: authenticity: Be the same person on every occasion in life. Don't act differently in front of your parents, friends, coworkers, in-laws and strangers. To thy own self be true and never fear the judgment of others. Two; truthfulness: Tell the truth at all times. Don't pretend to have money when you don't. Be honest about who you are and your skills. Unlike the Balogun of Oyo, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, who has had 45 public service appointments and two university scholarships concurrently during his life, as he told the Yoruba Unity Forum at Ikenne recently. Some of us have never gotten such benefits, yet we're paying our bills with those living off the public purse having nothing to show for it. Which is why we can look at ourselves in the mirror with pride.

     Three, joyfulness: Life is short so do things that bring you joy. What you think you become; what you feel you attract and what you imagine you create. Enjoy the small things in life such as music, hanging out with friends and reading.  

    Four, curiosity: Get to the bottom of everything that you do. Not because you must but because it is fun. Become an authority in your field. As a journalist I don't go to bed until after network news at 10p.m. I listen to the Voice of America every morning for 90 minutes from 4a.m. Which is why my colleagues call me 'Encyclopedia.' Acknowledge that life is fascinating and try to understand it. Curiosity led me to know that of the population of Japan, both Christians and Muslims are less than five percent, yet Japan is a most prosperous nation on earth.  The Japanese live longest on earth.It means to me that God has no religion. That the Almighty is a God of laws not of caprice.

     Five, Responsibility: own your actions; take full responsibility for every action you take. Understand what's in your control and own it. If don't like something, change it. The location of your abode gives you concern, change it, relocate to a more congenial place and work. Focus on yourself and eschew responsibility for things not on your plate. 

Six, Love: Build intimate relationships with a few people. The depth of relationships matter more than breath. Spend more time with your family more than your coworkers. Get to know your siblings more deeply and have not more than three intimate friends that you hang out with. The people you see everyday should get your highest priority.

     Seven, fearlessness: Do not fear anyone or the future. Never be afraid of what people who don't care about you think or say. Only care about what you and the people you love think about you. Every other thing is noise. Eight, loyalty: even you might not see your old friends, coworkers or teammates,stay loyal. Once you build a bond with someone, don't break it unless it is absolutely necessary. But most importantly, be loyal to yourself and never sacrifice your own mental well-being for others. Treat yourself as you treat your loved ones. Your values must be in line with who you are. Never copy anyone else's values; don't compromise your uniqueness and cultivate self-awareness to keep you from straying into the wilderness.

Art of Audacious journalism

        By Bayo Ogunmupe

    The book: Audacious Journalism, its art, style and depth is written by Anietie Usen. It is a breathtaking story of Nigeria, told humorously by an eyewitness. This big paperback volume was published this year 2018 by Parresia Publishers, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria.  The book is designed well, coming from the perspectives of a field artist who lived his life for thirty years in a crusty, sparsely furnished room of rookie reporters in Lagos, Nigeria. The book's author however, moved quickly from the jungle of scary wars onto the comfort of the boardroom in middle age.

    Anietie Usen has been able to craft a massive book with 710 pages, an index of two pages and a foreword by Des Wilson, a professor of mass communications. Audacious Journalism is in seven parts. The stories are grouped as those on Nigeria, his columns, on Africa and America. Other stories are on the world, his interviews and the sports reports. The section on Nigeria has the largest contribution. This first section hosts 42 chapters, starting with Usen's baptism of fire at Newswatch magazine and closing with 'Back from the brink' a description of the maiden speech of Nigeria's head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar. Section two contains his columns; hosting 19 articles. Africa has eleven chapters, America: six; the world: seven; interviews: five and sports: three.

    These hundred long stories reflect both his eclectic interests and various journalism beats. By its title the book seeks to serve as a guide for entertainment, education as well as playing the role of a sourcebook of journalism practice. Which is why mass communication students can learn from its contents, the art, science, style and in-depth news gathering and analysis. Thus, this book provides valuable information and entertainment as a sub sector of mass communication. The Prison in Hell is an article offering much information on the state of our prisons. i shall analyze it for the reader to have a taste of Anietie"s pudding.

    The prisoner died just before lunch. A plate of pottage kept at the foot of his hospital bed was covered with flies. His sore mouth and sunken eyes  were closed. The rusty iron that fettered  him to the bed had left his ankle badly bruised. One could count the number of his ribs. He had the ugly look of a drought victim. The doctor's report simply said Muazu Mohammed prisoner No 1519/86 of Kano Central Prison, died of acute malnutrition. Life in a Nigerian prison is hard, inhuman and cruel. Only this month the newspapers reported an official of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre saying 12 million Nigerian children have grown stunted owing to malnutrition this year.

    Even in the case Mohammed, he was not sentenced to death. He was just one of the 46 inmates in Kano state who died that time as a result of bad conditions of life in the state. Many more died of pneumonia, sclerosis of the liver, tuberculosis and meningitis. Another case was Saminu Lawal, who had survived three years in detention without trial could not survive another day to prove his innocence. When an Ilorin magistrate called his case the next morning, Jimoh Ishola, a warder stood up instead. "My Lord," he said,"Lawal died last night and his body has been taken to the mortuary." These stories show the state of the Nigerian nation in the second half of the 20th century. This condition has shown why Nigerians don't live long.

    In contrast, A Prison to Desire is the title of the next article I am reviewing. Unlike the Kano prison, this is in Cardiff, United Kingdom. A smooth narrow road ends abruptly at the foot of a brick wall. The huge remote controlled glass door slid open to admit Newswatch to her Majesty's prison. hardly any black man was in sight except then author, Usen. The English spoken there is strangely laden with an accented intonation, akin to what the evangelicals call speaking in tongues. there, some 486 inmates are locked up in three blocks of three storeys built in 1884. In the visitors' hall, about 50 of the inmates sat opposite their relatives across a row of five long tables, trying to say as much as they could within the 30 minutes permitted each prisoner.

    More than 200 were in the workshops, busy with their handicraft. Another hundred were sitting or lying on lush lawns enjoying their hour-long break. Inside their three-by-five metre rooms, some prisoners sat on their beds, smoking. Their walls were covered with pornographic pictures. There were two beds a small table and a locker squeezed into the room, leaving a narrow passage between the two convicts. The room was designed for one convict. But now some of the rooms even accommodate three convicts. Mathematically, that is 200 percent overcrowding.

    The prison governor, Alan Rawson was ready with explanations. "A degree of overcrowding is expected in a prison like this because we keep short term prisoners not exceeding 12 months. Virtually all British prisons of this kind are overcrowded," he said. Of the 486 inmates, 152 were non-convicts awaiting trial. Non-convicts in Cardiff however, do not await trial for nine years as in Nigeria's Ikoyi prison. They are taken to court every seven days until their cases are disposed of. The Prison governor told Newswatch that Cardiff prison alone services 26 magistrates and three Crown courts. Such is the content of Audacious Journalism. The stories are told incisively and humorously, captured so dramatically in snippets of well crafted and stylish prose.

    Originally published as newspaper articles, this book is a treasure trove of information you need to read as students, teachers or practising journalists. Its author is an award winning journalist and technocrat Anietie Usen is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Oxford Business School, Manchester Business School and the University of Calabar. As a pioneer reporter at Newswatch, Usen rose to become the general editor. Later, he became an Editorial Board member of Thisday as well as Editor at Large of Africa Toiday magazine, London. Currently, he is the Commercial and Industrial development director, Niger Delta Development Commission, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.