Living the life that you desire

                    By Bayo Ogunmupe

    In order to live the life that you desire, you must first attract it. And attraction is a secret resource that turns your mind to a mental magnet; that draws friends, power, love, money into your life automatically overnight. But this doesn't mean you can just sit there and visualize what you want; turn yourself to a human magnet and watch it come into your life like magic. However, the law of attraction works because thoughts actually become things. Thoughts become beliefs and beliefs become convictions which influence your actions. Those actions become results.

    What kind of results do we mean? We are talking about results which are consistent with our beliefs. In other words, your thoughts are the seeds that you planted, fed, nurtured over a period of time which later manifested in your actions. As Jesus said, You will know them by their fruits, you can't get grapes from thorn bushes and you cannot get figs from thistles. Your consistent thoughts will always manifest in the life you desire. The reason this doesn't work for most people is that people forget about the thing called time; that is the key to making the law of attraction work for you.

    When you got up to make your breakfast this morning; you probably slapped something into the microwave, pushed a few buttons and within minutes you had a good meal. Sadly, that is not how the law of attraction works when it comes to manifesting results in life. The law of attraction is a natural law. It is subject to the principles of nature. Technology, willpower or blind belief cannot affect it. It is an unchangeable reality of the universe that created the law of attraction. It is the thoughts you plant that bring forth the results in the way that a seed you sow grows into a plant. It means you have to plant it, nourish, and fertilize it for a long time before you can see it flourish.

    For most of us, the hardest thing to do is to decide what we want and continue believing it even if we did not see immediate results. Even if your actions seem completely contradictory to what you are thinking; don't give up. As long as you keep planting the seeds and following through with patience and consistency, you will reap a harvest in time. The most common regret of dying people is: "I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me." Living the life you desire and being successful is about living according to your own compass. It is about doing what you really want, value and believe in. Indeed, success in life isn't how much time you spend doing what you love; it's how little time you spend doing what you hate. So, the first step of living your dreams is becoming radically honest with yourself.

    The second step of living your dreams is to design and live your ideal day consistently by stopping procrastination. That is fueled by your having your revenue exceeding your lifestyle needs. You can live anywhere in the world you choose. You are working on projects which excite you to do your best! You can go on vacation for many months without affecting your income. There are no people whining around your life. You have no time obligations or deadlines. You wear whatever you want all the time. This is the classical definition of success. But tat definition of success might not match your true ambition. So beware of the shiny objection syndrome.

    Your daily life is a reflection of how successful you are.There are people who make loads of money who completely hate their lives. To them success has become a trap. Which is why success can only be defined personally. Three, living a life you desire also means you not getting lost in the maze of success. This step means maintaining, honing and continually clarifying your path. As your life evolves, your goals and desires will also evolve. Then, a subtle trap can occur. Because your circumstances changed doesn't mean you should change your goals. With success comes opportunities, which might revolve into distractions. If you have no means of maintaining clarity on your priorities, you will get lost. In your mad rush for success you might lose what you once had. By that time you would have realized you are no longer honest with yourself.

    You would have started to follow other people's definition of success. That is a weird place to be. Inwardly you are in a trap. Instead of seeking growth toward your true dreams, you will be satisfied with the status you've gained. Your status will become a trap. But your growth must always be greater than your status. If your focus is on status; you would be ensnared by it and not grow out of your status. However, status doesn't really matter. You will need to give up a former status to create a new and better one. Most people are simply obsessed with status. They want to be bestselling author, or millionaire, be married. Once they get their coveted status, then their vision ends. Without vision and purpose, people perish.

    Begin telling people around you what you truly want. People who support you are the ones to keep. Those who want to keep you where you are are the ones to  abandon. Then, design your daily life such that you are spending all of your time on only the things you truly value and care about. As you become successful, don't let success misinform you. To be honest with yourself, you will need to say no faster to the opportunities that arise. Opportunities have a cost. Time is the greatest resource. When you begin being honest with yourself, success will happen. And success must happen. Success can only happen when you start living the life that you desire and not getting lost  in pursuit of status.

What does finding pennies mean?

                    By Bayo Ogunmupe

    My dear reader, do you know the meaning of the saying: finding pennies while walking along the road? Because it an Anglo Saxon saying many of us might not understand its meaning. Anytime you find money along the road, it means you are attracting wealth. But if you do what most people do and step over the money, thinking it is just a kobo or 10 naira. Then you are actually repelling money. Most people a subconsciously repelling money and wondering why they are  struggling so hard to make the two ends meet. By walking past money on the road, whiling praying to make money; you are sending a clear signal out to the universe or God: Money stay away from me.

    The universe is saying: "If you won't pick up a penny or five naira, then why should I send you thousands of naira?" Most experts on wealth attraction will assert that you are sending negative signals to God; that you are saying don't send me money. What if God is testing you to see if you can be grateful in little things. What if you are picking up that 10 naira, you are struck with a million dollar idea? What if by stopping to pick that naira, the delay caused you to meet the love of your life? It is not the naira but what the gift represents: manna from heaven, gratitude and abundance, and the prospect of meeting new opportunities and great good luck.

    If you saw a bundle of a thousand naira notes on the ground, won't you pick it up? That was what I did visiting Baban Lawyer, the elder brother of my friend namely Sunmonu Kusamotu of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister, one rainy day about 10 years ago at Ikeja. Stepping onto a dirt road linking his house to the Obafemi Awolowo Way, I saw a  bundle of 500 naira notes  in a poodle of water. I picked it up only to find N10,000 wrapped in a brown envelope. It was manna from heaven for me that week. I have never been without helpers ever since.

    I was not just excited picking up pennies, because I knew it isn't just about pennies to the universe, it is about good opportunities and the vibration of money. That is how the universe puts money in front of you. Which is why you should always say yes to money on the road whether you are on foot or in the car. Pick up the money found, rub it between your fingers and say thank you to God. Then circulate the money by spending the cash to increase the flow of wealth. Buy a homeless person a drink and donate money to a cause that inspires you.

    Your action after finding money will signal to the universe that you are in a vibration of abundance. The more you help strangers who cannot repay you, the more money will find you. Seeing pennies on streets is a sign you are about to manifest lots of money in your life. But it is if you are grateful that the law of abundance will begin to operate. When you align the vibrations of your mind with what you truly want, the manifestation of your desire happens so much faster.

    This behavior aligns with the habits of highly effective people. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People written by Stephen Covey is really an insightful book. I have learnt a lot from reading it and would like to share it with you. Being proactive is a key habit of effective people. They take action immediately on their needs and wants. You must imitate them. Always keep your destination in view, so that all steps you take will be in the  direction of your vision.

    Put first things first by clarifying your values and goals. Plan and prioritize your activities so that you can focus on opportunities not problems. Opportunities bubble into your life through built relationships. Think win-win because the universe is lacking nothing. There is enough for everyone with the cooperation of others. In any situation, seek first to understand and then for you to be understood. The basic communication types are: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Listen to understand, not to reply. By deeply understanding others and the environment, you get accurate information with which you can work with others effectively.

    Synergy brings about great powers among people. Synergy means working as a team, rather than as separate individuals. Every member of the team gains insight and the momentum for more learning and growth is created therefrom. Synergy helps expand minds and promotes greater improvement. Always sharpen your saw. By sharpening your saw beforehand you keep yourself abreast of your rivals. Life is competition. Sharpening your saw means preserving and enhancing your spiritual, physical, emotional and mental powers. For you to maintain good physique, you need exercise and nutrition. For the spiritual, you need clear values, commitment, study and meditation.

    For the enhancement of your mental powers, you must read, visualize, plan and keep a journal of thoughts and activities. For your social and emotional stability, you need service to others, empathy, synergy with your team boosting your self confidence and security.

How to change your life

                    By Bayo Ogunmupe

    Life cannot be easy because life is a school. But the way we think determines the outcome of our lives. But thinking is hard, which is why we seldom think. Helen Keller said it best: "People don't like to think, if one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant." Here are thought- provoking ideas about life that will forever transform your way of life. One, think big act small; think of building of a big company where you can change lives and make a contribution to the prosperity of society. Never let anyone hold you back when scouting for ideas. The man who can think will always be the master of the man who can do. Aim high, for when you aim low; the outcome is always low.

    Two, problems are unanswered questions. Problems are for solving while questions must be answered. Freaking out when faced by a problem is the worst behavior ever. Stop sabotaging yourself by running away from challenges. Three, build relationships on a firm foundation. The wrong reasons to be in a relationship are money, fear of being alone; drug abuse and craving for attention. The foundation of all relationships are love, respect, support, trust, patience, laughter, sadness and good company.

    Four, nothing in life is free; no matter how you spin it you always pay for something with money, time: your most valuable resource or some other resources of yours. Life is a business; just like we have turned religion, education and politics to businesses. For a good life, you must spend your resources wisely like astute businessmen. Never waste your resources particularly your time. Five, never be afraid of making decisions. Delaying decisions is dangerous, it compounds your problems. Decide firmly whenever you have to make a decision. Should your decision be wrong, apologize and another decision.

      Six, decide to become a leader today. Whether your country is a democracy, populist, or monarchy, she still needs leaders. Leaders determine the fate of the world for prosperity or war. The demand for good leaders has never been greater than now. Which is why you should learn to become a leader. Sometimes you can be a leader at work and a follower at home or your community. There is nothing wrong with that. And being a leader has nothing to do with your title. Whenever no one wants to take responsibility, decide to take responsibility. That's how to become a leader. And leadership means productivity. You must lead to produce services.

      Productive work is the only thing that will take you from nothing to prosperity. No matter how smart you are, you still have to put in the work. You must value both efficiency and effectiveness above all else. Results matter, you must get things done in order to move to the next level. In addition to being a leader, see yourself as a salesman. Everybody is a salesman. When you are dating, you are selling yourself. The same is true when you are applying for a job. When you are selling, you are transparent and honest. You don't waste your time as well. Moreover, you don't waste your time with people who don't like you. Sales is about finding people who want your product.

    Seven, improve your skills if you want to improve your self confidence. Don't search for the remedy for lack of self confidence in motivational books or posts. You can only improve your self confidence by becoming good at your work. And you should value your friends. man is a gregarious animal. If we live alone we die early. You need friends in order to maintain your sanity. Friendship will teach you not to believe everything you see. We live in a world of appearances. Many put up appearances to gain fame. Don't believe the success stories everywhere. You don't have to be a cynic but don't take appearances for facts.

    Eight, learn to love criticism. When someone takes the time to criticize you, you should be grateful. This is because criticism is fuel for success. It means you are making an impact. You can use criticism to improve yourself, your product or creativity. Never be a wimp, take criticism like a champion. But then mind your health. If you cannot take care of your body, you can't take care of anything. Since you cannot fully control your health; you can only influence it by eating healthy, exercising and cleaning yourself adequately. Make sure you take care of yourself daily, health is wealth. Happiness is a choice. You can control your thoughts. That means you decide what to do with your life. You will find happiness by creating something, invent a gadget, write a book or solve a problem. No matter what you do; make yourself useful.

    

How to accomplish your goals

                  By Bayo Ogunmupe

    A friend asked me a profound question recently: "Life is so complicated, I tried so hard to make my family happy by giving them my time. But they are not truly satisfied. So, I went to look for jobs. However, I have been unable to achieve the results that I want: a job that pays reasonably well. What can I do differently to achieve the results I want?" We all face such challenges. He is very right how life has become very complicated. Indeed, what really helps me to achieve most things I set my mind upon is my formula: Action; Believe in yourself and Consistency of purpose. Here are what I shared with him.

    Action is the most rewarding activity on earth. Life rewards action takers. Many times I have lost, out of being lazy or afraid to take action. Those are the times I have failed to achieve anything. That is how I learned that in order to accomplish a certain goal, you need to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Though not every action taken will equate to success, however, by your not taking action will guarantee that nothing will be achieved. So, I consistently remind myself, there must be no excuses, no procrastination, take baby steps and keep moving forward.

    Believing in yourself is the ultimate power. Most people fail because they don't have enough faith in themselves. Such self limiting beliefs are very destructive. While being humble and modest are admirable; it does not mean you must underestimate your capabilities. Be aware and grateful for your talents, but they are not enough to guarantee your success. Being alert, being timely and grasping the issues contribute as ingredients of success. Thus, the only person holding you back from what your heart tells you is yourself.

    To succeed in life you have to be persistent. Hear what the 30th President of the United States (1923-1929} Calvin Coolidge said on persistence: "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." Be persistent enough to do whatever it takes to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

    Start embracing your humanity and Godlike attributes. You are like the wind, water and sky which change forms many times, while forever remaining beautifully human. Start making your happiness a priority. Your needs matter; if you don't value yourself, look after yourself and stick up for yourself, you are sabotaging yourself. It is possible to take care of your needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. Once your needs are met, you will likely better able to help those who need your help.

    Start putting your heart and soul in whatever you are doing. Invest daily in meaningful activities. Remember, no single failure defines us. Always enter new relationships for the right reasons. Enter into relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends from people you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect- people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment to social justice. Pay attention to what people do than what they say for a person's actions are more important than their words or how others represent them.

    Start forgiving yourself and others. We've all been hurt by personal decisions and by others. Do not allow these bad experiences linger and litter your memory. Always visualize where you want to be, not where you are coming from. You are only able to do that through self forgiveness and forgiveness of others. You must let go of the resentment and pain of the past, choosing to learn the lessons by moving on with your life. Make today the beginning of your dream life. Let there be no excuses, no regrets come rain come shine. Making adjustments starting now helps you feel better, think more clearly and live a life free of dissension.

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ADMONITIONS 2

Life is never without a need, without a problem,

never without a hurtful moment . . .

But never forget we have a loving God, who is protecting,

 guiding and helping us to attain a meaningful life.

As we come to the end of the glorious month of Ramadan, we are reminded that our 5 daily prayers are still sacrosanct; the Moslem prayer is all encompassing, prayer, praise worship, begging for forgiveness and thanking God. By earnestly performing the five daily prayers, we achieve the greatest of blessings: atonement for our sins and an increase in rank with our Lord. It is also a potent remedy for our sicknesses, for it instills faith in our souls. As for those that keep away from the Mosque and away from prayer, for them are unhappiness, wretchedness, and an embittered life.

Our daily prayers also presuppose we are leaving our affairs in the able hands of Allah:

Men said to them: "A great army is gathering against you": And frightened them: But it (only) increased their Faith: They said: "For us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer of affairs."  (Quran 3:173)  By leaving your affairs to Allah, by depending upon Him, by trusting in His promise, by being pleased with His decree, by thinking favorably of Him, and by waiting patiently for His help, you reap some of the greater fruits of faith and display the more prominent characteristics of the believer.

No person by himself is capable of fighting against the current of misfortune, nor can he fend off the blows of disaster when they strike. During the course of any given day, the coward slaughters himself many times with apprehensions and presentiments of impending doom: Just as the coward dies many times before his death. Therefore, if you desire for yourself a stable life, face all situations with bravery and perseverance; because the ‘valiant never taste of death but once’. So patiently persevere: For verily the promise of Allah is true: Nor let those shake thy firmness, who have (themselves) no certainty of faith.  (Quran 30: 60)

Some people are distressed day and night: Such are the calamities of these people. More truthful than this are the words of Allah: And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose: Verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion. (Quran 65:3).  

Our anger and our impatience have to be curbed, yet we must trust in Allah. His ordering of the universe observes a due, just, and perfect proportion.  So give to each situation according to its size, weight, measure, and importance. And stay away from immoderation or from exceeding the proper bounds.

On the contrary, there are many people who have been bestowed with wealth, children, and all forms of blessings, yet these blessings have been the very reason for their misery and ruin. They deviated from the truth that material things are not everything. Look at those that have obtained degrees from world-renowned universities, and yet they are paragons of obscurity. Meanwhile, others who are limited in the scope of their knowledge have managed to make mountains out of what they have been given, benefiting both themselves and society.

Therefore your value is in your abilities, good deeds, manners, and contributions to society. Do not feel grief, then, over that which has passed you by in life in terms of good looks, wealth, or family; and be content with what Allah has allotted for you . . . because. . “The Mercy of thy Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass.” (Quran 43: 32)

The most foolish of mankind are those that see this world as their eternal abode — in it reside all of their hopes. You will find such people to be the most grief-stricken of all when faced with calamity. They will be the most affected by worldly loss simply because they see nothing beyond the insignificant lives that they lead. They see and think only of this impermanent life. Allah said:"Peace unto you for that ye persevered in patience! Now how excellent is the final Home!"(Quran 13:24)

The believer should endeavor not to be sad as sadness enervates the soul's will to act and paralyzes the body into inactivity. Sadness prevents one from action instead of compelling one towards it. The heart benefits nothing through grief.  The most beloved thing to the Devil is to make the worshipper sad in order to prevent him from continuing on his path. Allah, the Exalted, says: Secret counsels are only (inspired) by the Evil One . . . . and on Allah let the Believers put their trust. (Quran 58:10)

Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance, make our foothold sure, and give us help against the disbelieving folk (Quran 2:250)

Barka Juma’at and Eid Mubarak

Babatunde Jose

 +2348033110822

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RETURN TO SODOM 2: Homosexuals

We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people: "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?" "For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: Ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." (Quran 7:80-81)

The prohibition of homosexuality is rooted in the theologico-juridical corpus of Medieval Islam. This corpus consists mainly of jurisprudence of the major Islamic Schools of Thought madhhab or fiqh, within Sunni Islam, and is followed by most contemporary Islamic scholars. Their views are based principally upon the Quranic parable of the Prophet Lūt as expounded in Sura Hud in the Quran 11:69-83. When our decree issued, We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay, spread, layer on layer. (Quran 11:82)

Sexual immorality has been a part of human society since the earliest times. Sexual misconduct is commonly referred to as immorality in the New Testament, but in the Old Testament it goes by several terms, including lewdness, whoring, depravity, perversion, harlotry, prostitution and very often, abomination.

In Lev. 18, God describes the offenses for which He will judge men. Those offenses include incest, lewdness, menstrual intercourse, adultery, homosexuality and bestiality. We are here mostly concerned with homosexuality.

An act which defiles the land is an act which is contrary to creation. That’s why several of the Lev. 18 offenses were historically known as crimes against nature.

All aspects of human sexual behavior are things which inherently partake of the original creation. The creation of man as male and female, the institution of marriage and the family, and the nature of individual sexual identity all go back to the very beginning of time. Nothing God has ever done since creation has changed the rules of human sexual behavior.

Sadly, the West has become the land of the depraved, and the home of the immoral: And they are now trying to sell the decadence and depravity to the rest of us. And if you want to know the will of God about sexual immorality, you should consider 2Pet. 2:4-19. “Sexual activity is personal and should be private,” they say. Except, of course, unlawful sexual relations have a nasty habit of becoming public, open and notorious.

Today, immorality has become the everyday fabric of entertainment, which takes every possible opportunity to normalize the unlawful. Immorality isn’t private any more – it has taken over the entire culture openly and notoriously.

But God doesn’t take too kindly to having His authority challenged. However, when people turn their backs on God, he brings conquest, disease, pestilence, natural disasters and economic upheaval, political turmoil and unrest: And that’s before the final Day of Judgment, in the here and now. Fifty years ago, what were the levels of HIV, AIDS and genital herpes compared to now? Is the threat of a viral pandemic lesser or greater? How about outright attacks on nations in the form of terrorism – are they better or worse now? What about earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, fires and droughts or our so-called natural disasters? To the extent any of these things have gotten worse, is it a mere coincidence? Are we just in the bad years of a 100 year cycle? Or are we experiencing the wrath of God for our transgressions and iniquities.

The Prophet Lut is one of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah who was sent to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah; a people with hard hearts and harsh natures – they gathered together deviation in belief and moral character. A deviation in morality that opposed the nature of humanity itself from the dawn of its creation till their time – something unheard of in the history of mankind.

Do you approach males among the worlds. . .And leave what your Lord has created for you as mates? But you are a people transgressing."(Quran 25:165-166) See also: Quran 27:55; 4:16.

The above verses clearly say sodomy is not allowed in Islam and is punishable. However, in the hadîths, homosexuality is rebuked in even stronger words:”This sin, the impact of which makes one’s skin crawl, which words cannot describe, is evidence of perverted instincts, total collapse of shame and honour and extreme filthiness of character and soul… The heavens, the Earth and the mountains tremble from the impact of this sin. The angels shudder as they anticipate the punishment of Allah to descend upon the people who commit this indescribable sin.” This strong rebuke merely comes from the fact that society has always condemned sodomy.

The case of our so-called men of God is even pitiable. Whether it is a mosque, a church, a temple, a synagogue or a religious school, people view these places as sacred. To take advantage of their trust in this abhorrent manner is disgusting. There was a time when these religious institutions were sanctuaries for the faithful and the faithless – a place for prayer, safety and self-reflection. It would be very sad to see them reduced to another dark alley in which people would have to exercise utmost vigilance. Like the biblical false prophets, they come in sheep’s clothing. But inwardly, they are ravening wolves.

These days, some clerics have metamorphosed into the proverbial dog that eats the bone left in its care. They have taken sexual perversion to another level by betraying the trust reposed in them. And by their actions, they put other spiritual leaders under the microscope.

It happens daily, and the stories are as horrid as the acts. The rape of innocent, vulnerable children by clerics who have obligations to mentor, counsel, protect and guide them spiritually, unfolds each day.  As the day breaks, the air is replete with mind-boggling reports of underage children defiled by clerics in whose care such innocent victims are entrusted.

Controlled by an unbridled sexual urge, these individuals have continued to soil their robe of spirituality to become equated with perverts who rape toddlers, underage housemaids and naive pupils.

These ignoble acts committed by these ‘men of God’ are too numerous to mention as more sordid and mindboggling acts keeps unfurling by the day. Catholic sex abuse scandals again prompt a crisis of faith. The Vatican referred to this as “the summer from hell for the Catholic Church.”

The Church was a thousand years old before it definitively took a stand in favour of celibacy at the Second Lateran Council held in 1139, when a rule was approved forbidding priests to marry. In 1563, the Council of Trent reaffirmed the tradition of celibacy. Ever since then, priests have broken this rule serially and have continued to engage in the far more odious sin of sodomy: Even Popes have not been left out of breaking this vow of celibacy. History is repleat with stories of Popes indulging in the sins of the flesh.

The case of Rodrigo Borgia or Pope Alexander 1492-1503 is an all time classic. He had illegitimate children Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, Gioffre Borgia, and Lucrezia. A later mistress, Giulia Farnese, gave birth to a daughter (Laura) while Alexander was reigning as pope.  Alexander fathered at least seven and possibly as many as ten illegitimate children. He appointed Giovanni Borgia as Captain General of the Church, and made Cesare a Cardinal of the Church.

However, if one understands the peculiar nature of the priests, what excuse can we give for the prevalence of homosexuality among Moslems who have been given dispensation to marry more than one wife? There are some wealthy Moslems who have a harem as large as that of Solomon but who relish the practice of sodomizing youthful boys. Is it a fad, fashion or proclivity to sin?

The wrath of God will surely come and when it does, some innocent souls will share in the punishment for many looked on while the crimes were being committed; sometimes treating the abominable sin with levity.

Barka Juma’at and a happy Easter!

Babatunde Jose

 +2348033110822

HARVEST OF SHAME 2

Thanks to corruption, poor management, sponsored sabotage and fake news / barriers created by competitors/importers afraid of competition, professional litigants, many Nigeria’s industrial initiatives have either collapsed or were abandoned. - Frederick Owonka
There is no doubt, things could move in the right direction with dedicated leadership that provides enabling environment for entrepreneurship to strive: A  leadership with clear vision and national mission capable of acting as the vanguard of the people’s yearning for self-sustained development and offering hope for a  farewell to poverty and want. Unfortunately, that has not been the case with us. Nigerians are fond of saying that God is a Nigerian because He made our land so beautiful and endowed this nation with unimaginable provisions to the envy of other nations; to even the score however, God populated the land with a race of evil men, corruption, ethnic jingoists, religious fanatics, and worst of all a visionless leadership incapable of harnessing all the good things God hath given us. Today, unbelievable and unthinkable things happen in this clime; for the past 25 years, a major exporter of oil, continues to  import refined petroleum and diesel; a country with one of the largest gas reserves in the world, importing domestic cooking gas and gas cylinders. In the process, aggravating and exacerbating our ‘harvest of shame’.
In 2018, Nigeria made $41.8 Million from rubber export; however, European companies process this rubber and make twice that amount. Last year a Nigerian farm invested a huge amount of funds into rubber processing and it is hoped that many others would do the same to wipe away our shame. Rubber processing firms abound in Delta State and in the past their owners reaped bountiful harvests with which their children and wards were educated in UK and America. Where are these firms today? What became of the rubber plantation the Western Region government set up in Remo between Ikenne and Ayepe sixty years ago?  The fact remains that the total land space available for rubber plantation that attracted Firestone to Liberia is small compared to what we have here; if only we have the will.
The same could be said of the land space for the cultivation of cocoa and other products. Nigeria was once a major producer of cotton; a fact which dictated the proliferation of textiles mills in the country which today have become moribund. There was a time Afprint in Isolo was reputed to be the biggest textile factory in West Africa; today its frontage is a glorified car showroom. Western Textiles on Gbagada Expressway used to be a major player in the textile industry, but today it is home of car importers. Our investors are preoccupied with chasing the dollar! I should know because I used to print some of their ‘annual reports’.
Nigeria  is  home to the largest natural gas reserves in Africa and the ninth largest in the world; according to the National Bureau of Statistics 47 per cent (146.14 million liters’) of the LPG supply in the country in the first quarter of this year was imported while 53 per cent (164.71 million liters’) was produced locally.
But there is hope; Matrix Energy has invested in Nigeria’s cooking gas plant and has begun operations to cut down imports.
It is shameful that with just N7Billion a Modular refinery can be built that would produce 271 million Liters annually, thereby cutting our fuel imports. One Abdulrazak Isa did just that and is today moving towards completion of his refinery capable of meeting the needs of Imo and Anambra States.
Triton Fish/Chicken farm in Oyo State is a project financed by Heritage Bank backed by the CBN, since the ban on importation of frozen chicken; this company has been exporting to Poland, Romania, Egypt, Liberia and Ivory Coast. We need more of these ventures to turn our economy around.
Nigeria possesses the second largest Bitumen deposit in the world, yet we spend billions annually importing bitumen/asphalt for road construction. South Korea with less Bitumen deposit than Ondo State makes $3Billion from it annually: Another harvest of Shame.
It is on record that the Federal Government rolled out loans in Kebbi State that empowered 78,000 poor rice farmers in late 2015; today about half of them are said to have become prosperous as an hectare of land gives 90 bags of rice, most of which they sell to Lagos State as Lake Rice. Why, we ask can this not be replicated in Sokoto, Gombe and other states in the north or in Ogun, Osun and Ekiti States? Rather, our people are still fixated on smuggling rice though our wayward neighbor. When will this stop?
Another example of our harvest of shame is the N9.2B we sunk into the importation of 750,000 gas cylinders from a company in South Africa in 2014. Yet, with just a fraction of that money, Nigeria Gas Cylinders located in Ibadan could have been revived to go back into production.
Recently Mahindra Limited in Kaduna set up a Tractor Assembly Plant to produce tractors; with an outlay of $200M. However, what happened to the tractor plant in Bauchi? In 2005 BPE sold Steyr under the privatization craze of the time to Kaura Motors for $700Million. Whatever became of this factory that was set up by the Federal Government is today open to conjecture. Another Harvest of Shame!
Ayo Akindiji, an Engineer was the last farm manager of Oodua farms cattle ranch (formerly western livestock’s) at Akunu Akoko and Auga. The land is still there: Facilities abandoned. The existence of the ranches was confirmed by the Ondo State Governor during the week. According to him, the farms can accommodate 5000 cattle.  Also in Oyo state, we have over 16,000 hectares of land for cattle ranch solely owned by Oodua Investment. Part of it was seeded for Ikere gorge (2000 hectares). These farms ARE TODAY MORIBUND. If only Oodua Investments can resuscitate them it would go a long way in wiping away our shame. The Southwest governments, owners of Oodua Investments can give them to genuine investors for resuscitation. These farms are also found in Imeko Ogun State, Oke-Ako via Ayedun Ekiti.
A report published by Food Business Africa on Jan. 9 bemoaned the amount spent by Nigeria on imports of grains in 2018. “The country spent $1.1 billion to import 5.5 million tonnes of wheat in the period as production remained static at 60,000 tonnes, which constituted 99% of wheat consumed.” “Rice imports amounted to 3 million tonnes, equivalent to 44% of rice consumed in the country valued at $1.2 billion, while domestic production rose to 4.78 million tonnes in 2018.” This shows that we are winning the ‘rice war’.
Allah said in the Quran: O mankind! Do your duty to your Lord, and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the promise of Allah is true: Let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah. (Quran 31:33)
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

Milestone: last Monday July1, 2019 our brother Akintola Kekere-Ekun added another year. A most active Bearer and ‘Alaga Ijeta’ of the society called for rain and Allah sent down a thunderstorm. But alas, members who thronged his house asked for Koko and akara instead of the traditional ‘rain water’. Allah knows best. Many happy returns and Allah’s peace and blessings always; Amin.

A Season of  Book Launcing:
Our Big Uncle, Chief Olusegun Osoba will join the Club of Octogenarians this July and as part of events to mark this glorious landmark, the Aremo will be presenting his Autobiography titled: BATTLELINES: ADVENTURES IN JOURNALISM AND POLITICS. A story of his life, detailing highlights of his childhood, education, career and political life; and also some of his youthful peccadillos.  It is a story of God’s blessing and abiding Grace.  Wishing him many happy returns of July 15.

On the 15th July, our brother and friend, the Oracle of Onikoyi, Chief Oladele Fajemirokun and BabaOba of Ifewara, will ‘Unveil’ his Autobiography titled: THE MAKING OF ME: MY ODYSSEY IN BUSINESS.
It is indeed a season of Books: Happy reading!

Babatunde Jose


Babatunde Jose
 +2348033110822



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A PROPHET’S FINAL ADMONITION

Prophet Muhammad is an example for all of humanity.  He was a remarkable man at all times.  He excelled in all walks of life by being a prophet, ruler, statesman, orator, soldier, husband, friend, father and a grandfather.  He was a man of love, patience, courage, wisdom, generosity, intelligence and exemplary character who inspires over a billion lives throughout the world. Allah says in the Quran that he was sent as a mercy for the people of the world: "We sent thee not save as a mercy for the peoples." (Quran 21:107)

Shortly before his death, Prophet Muhammad delivered a sermon during the Hajj, which came to be known as his "Final Sermon".  This sermon was not only a reminder to his followers, but also the final admonition; it also heralded the end of his Prophetic Mission. Historically, the Farewell Sermon of Prophet Muhammad occupies an important place in Islam. The sermon consisted of summarized exhortations reflecting some of the core teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. The sermon exemplifies the Quran’s assertion that the prophet was but a warner: This was mentioned 57 times in the Quran.

Prophet Muhammad undertook his farewell and only pilgrimage in the year 10 A.H. and it has since been the model for performing the fifth pillar of Islam, the Hajj.

The Final Sermon:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again.  Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust.  Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.  Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.  Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.  God has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived.  Your capital, however, is yours to keep.  You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity.  God has Judged that there shall be no interest, and that all the interest due to Al-Abbas ibn Abd’el Muttalib shall henceforth be waived...

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion.  He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you.  Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under a trust from God and with His permission.  If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness.  Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.  And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God, perform your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, and offer Zakat.  Perform Hajj if you have the means.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve.  An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white; [none have superiority over another] except by piety and good action.  Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.  Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.  Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before God and answer for your deeds.  So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born.  Reason well, therefore, O people, and understand words which I convey to you.  I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and it may be that the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly.  Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people."

Thus the beloved Prophet completed his Final Sermon, and upon it, near the summit of Arafat, the revelation came down: "…This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My Grace upon you, and have chosen Islam for you as your religion…" (Quran 5:3)

Indeed the meanings found in this sermon are astounding and it could rightly be described as the Prophet’s last Admonition. But how have we as his followers kept to his admonitions? We have kept to them in the breach: An incorrigible generation, hell bent on disobedience and trenchant iniquities, we kill our fellow men, we enslave our women in the name of Sunnah, we persecute people of other faiths and engage in terrorism and are unjust to peoples of other races and ethnic persuasions, we are intolerant and intemperate in our manners and speech and we are bigots and fanatical in our ways. We have gone against all the things in the admonitions. We are unjust, nepotic and consume usury; we even export hard drugs to the ‘House of God; child abuse, prostitution and other forms of iniquities that make Sodom and Gomorrah pale into insignificance. What will we not do for money? We dispossess the orphans and maltreat the widows. Sexual inequality which the Prophet preached against is still the order of the day; 1,387 years after the Prophet, the Saudis and their cohorts still treat women as chattels. The Admonition talks about equality of men but the Arab Moslems did not remember that when they came to enslave Africans, especially from East Africa. A generation of vile men and human anacondas, we even attempt to bribe God, but He refused to be mocked. On the Day of Qiyyauma they will reap their just recompense.

LA ILAHA ILLA ANTA SUBHANAKA INNI KUNTU MINAZ ZALIMEEN: “None has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)), Glorified (and Exalted) are You (above all that (evil) they associate with You). Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.”(Quran 21:87)

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

Babatunde Jose

 +2348033110822

OSOBA’S METAMOPHORSIS

Having read Chief Olusegun Osoba’s book; Battlelines: Adventures in Journalism and Politics, and my personal life journey with the author, my take away from the book is that it is a story of an unending adventure with fate. A man whose resilience, hard work, perseverance and belief in himself and service to God and man has paved the path for a successful life in what we could describe as the cauldron called the Nigerian post-colonial state. Born during the colonial era of the early constitutional development in Nigeria; precisely 1939, during the governor generalship of Sir Bernard Bourdillon 1935-1943 who laid the groundwork for the constitutional proposals which his successor Sir Arthur Richards (Lord Milverton) later submitted in 1944 and which became the Richard’s Constitution. He succeeded in convincing the Northern Emirs of the advisability of coming to join with the southerners in the Legislative Council of the country.

It is one of the mysteries of life that 80 years after, Osoba would be in the vanguard of progressive politicians who are bent on returning Nigeria back to its roots of ‘true federalism’. It has not been an easy task and it is still a work in progress. Whether it would succeed or fail is to be seen as the political climate of the country is in a state of ebullition.

Today, the gulf between the political elite widens by the day in terms of ethnicity, religion and a glaring lack of ideological persuasion. The Awolowo school of Hegelian philosophy and welfarism which Osoba belong to, has become divided and the unity of opposites which is the bedrock of Hegel’s dialectics has failed to produce a synthesis from the union of thesis and antithesis of Nigerian politics. Even within the political parties there is no unity of opposites. Hegelianism is the philosophy of G. W. F. Hegel which can be summed up by the dictum that "the rational alone is real", which means that all reality is capable of being expressed in rational categories. His goal was to reduce reality to a more synthetic unity within the system of absolute idealism .True to form; Hegel was criticized as being’ not a logical thinker but a master in the use of trenchant aphorisms’.

What we are witnessing today is a schism in the political class; a crack in the political pot and a return to primitivism, parochial and primordial tendencies. In all these however, Olusegun Osoba stands out as one political animal who has cut a distinct persona for himself and a different breed from the hubris of ‘come and chop’ political class; a collective of brigands and ruthless socio-economic barracudas, hell bent on robbing the national coffers of all that it contain.

His sojourn in journalism started during the time of his adopted uncle and godfather, late Alhaji Babatunde Jose. Being a good student of human philosophy, Osoba would imbibe the salient qualities of his mentor to rise and shine above his peers. Despite his apogee in journalism, he was not only cool headed but worked hard to maintain his comportment. This is attested to in the wide network of his associates, particularly in his youthful, clubbing and rascally days. He never lost focus and at the back of his mind was always the dictum: Remember the son of whom you are.

As it was in journalism, so had it been in politics. Having worked closely with the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the man with a mission, Osoba had no choice but to pitch his tent with the progressive elements of Nigerian politics. It worked and has continued to work for him.

In all these however, one trait that has been discernible in Osoba’s personality is his contentment in life. This is the takeaway from his book. Contentment is a sign of a true believer. The virtue of contentment is closely connected with the quality of putting trust in God. With contentment one feels inner peace and increase in spirituality. He does not compare himself with those who are in better conditions, but rather he remembers those who are in worse conditions. For example, if someone is one-handed, he should be content and remember those who do not have hands at all. It is said that a man complained about his old shoes until he saw a man who had no feet. "Contentment is not the fulfilment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have." Contentment and patience earn one Paradise in the Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "Allah will not accept other than Paradise for a believing person who is afflicted with the death of his beloved one from among the inhabitants of the world and shows patience." (Al-Nasa'i) Allah said: The (material) things which ye are given are but the conveniences of this life and the glitter thereof; but that which is with Allah is better and more enduring: Will ye not then be wise? (Quran 28:60) The greatest cause for the lack of contentment is greed and avariciousness, covetousness and 'long throat'. And I can attest to it that Osoba is none of these. These are very objectionable traits in any human being and they are the root cause of corruption; I can also posit that to all intents and purposes, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Akinrogun Egba is an epitome of contentment. May his days be long!

Barka Juma’at and happy weekend 

Babatunde Jose

 +2348033110822

Segun Osoba: No longer waiting for Godot

Banji Ojewale

A man will turn over half a library to make one book-Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English critic and lexicographer.

Waiting for Aremo Segun Osoba’s book, BATTLELINES: My adventures in Journalism and Politics, has been akin to the experience of the two characters expecting the arrival of someone called Godot who never arrives. In his 1952 tragicomedy, Waiting for Godot, Irish writer, Samuel Beckett presents the helplessness and an accompanying barrenness of an endless wait for a Godot who doesn’t show up. Joined by three other funny actors, these tarrying figures get further mired in a futile wait for the person they do not know. The play closes, tragically and comically, without Godot being revealed in the two-act work.

Mercifully, lingering for the autobiography of Osoba, former editor of Daily Times of Nigeria, who went on to become the paper’s Group managing-director and the governor of Ogun State, hasn’t followed the trajectory of Godot. Yes, there was a long expectation. But, as it turned out the other day in Lagos, it wasn’t a wait for Godot. Osoba’s own Godot arrived at the presentation of his book ahead of his birthday.

He made the promise to deliver a definitive work on his life a couple of years ago when he spoke with a newspaper reporter. Osoba had been reminded of his great days as a reporter with Daily Times, with the hint that he was the industry’s most illustrious living journalist. Respected newspaper columnist Mohammed Haruna has also described Osoba as Nigeria’s ‘’most successful reporter since Independence’’. The former governor has modestly declined the honour, reminding us that we had in our midst older and more remarkable men: Lateef Jakande and Sam Amuka.  He added: ‘’I am not the best reporter…There are greater journalists than I who still need to be celebrated.’’ Then he spoke of his next assignment: writing his opus.

We have been waiting since. When in 2011, Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe came up with their book, SEGUN OSOBA: The newspaper years, we thought the Godot of the highly garlanded Osoba had landed at last. But our excitement was short-lived. The master’s imprimatur wasn’t in the book. The cover bore his name alright. His clean-shaved face, with a hesitating smile refusing to bare his teeth, filled the window cover. Inside also, Osoba was a perpetual presence. Almost every page had his name mentioned or alluded to in the pronoun. His mentors and colleagues and friends and schoolmates—Babatunde Jose, Lateef Jakande, Sam Amuka, Peter Enahoro, Rasheed Gbadamosi, Titus Sokanlu etc—were summoned to celebrate Osoba in the book. They recollected their relationship with Osoba and agreed that he deserved to be honoured as one of the greats of the profession of journalism.

Despite the presence of these other giants spreading across the 396-page book and their references to Osoba, there is a missing link. Osoba himself is nowhere ‘seen’ talking. He is a silent onlooker, as the venturesome duo of Awoyinfa and Igwe urge a medley of compatriots to take over the show.

So the book despite, its endearing virtues, has the grave drawback of not giving us the full-bodied Osoba. We saw Osoba the journalist as offered by impartial associates, as it were. But we didn’t hear from him. What spurred him to get to the peak he scaled? What were his emotional challenges? How did he overcome them? Certainly, there would be unseen factors influencing him from behind the scenes. Only Osoba would know these and be in a good position to reveal these.

More: SEGUN OSOBA: The newspaper years, had no brief to go beyond the man’s journalism days. In that case, we were to be led into a halfway house, never mind the galaxy of names drawing us in. The ideal is to get Osoba the reporter, Osoba the family man and husband of Beere Derinsola and Osoba the politician, all under one roof, under a completed building. The book’s masterclasss status doesn’t deliver it from the intellectual hunger for the final word from Osoba himself. The book created an interest to have the full-orbed Osoba. So the next stage was to satisfy that crave. Godot must not be allowed to play Beckett’s script.

With BATTLELINES: Adventures in Journalism and Politics, Osoba, turning 80 on July 15, is providing us massive memoir to chew for a proper assessment and understanding of the man. The 341-pagebook aptly captures the life and times of Osoba, an undertaking denied other works on him. Newspaper interviews and articles that have appeared seasonally on him have been sharply constrained because of limited space and a pervading ambience of conflicting interests. Only a book coming from him could address these summons.

The book itself warns readers that the author is leading them into old wars he has fought and won in his years as a journalist and politician. For, you can’t tantalize us with the notion of ‘battlelines’ and withdraw from plunging us into your exploits during the hostilities. You can’t write an autobiography announcing wars and as you flip through it all you see are accounts of tea parties. Segun Osoba battled personal and national wars, which were unavoidable if you were a public-interest newsman and servant-politician.

Osoba’s long-awaited bio-narrative is coming at the right time when we need to crack the crevices of history to grab nuggets of wisdom from outstanding statesmen and professionals. If we agree with the revered novelist, Chinua Achebe, that the leadership question must be dealt with in order to have a radically functioning society, we must get more statesmen to write books on their experiences, so we don’t fall into snares that have kept us from plumbing the depths of our limitless potential.

John Ruskin, English art critic and writer said: ‘’All books are divisible into two classes: the books of the hour, and the books of all time.’’ I think Segun Osoba’s book, BATTLELINES: Adventures in Journalism and Politics, falls into the latter order. For, following Johnson’s counsel, Osoba must have turned over the libraries of the ages to write it.