SHARPEN YOUR AX

“If the ax is dull,more strength is needed but wisdom is profitable to direct” Eccl 10:10

Have you ever tried to cut with a blunt kitchen knife? Were you ever hooked into cutting grass with a blunt cutlass? I have been in both situations before and the only wise thing to do in those situations was to sharpen the tools. If you do not sharpen the tool, you will have to use more strength. But why would you want to use more strength if you can just sharpen the cutting edge and then use less strength?

What are the advantages of using a tool with very sharp cutting edge?

1. You expend less energy. In cutting with a sharp tool, you do not have to use all your energy. The efficiency of the tool is at optimum.

2. You spend less time. Because the tool is sharp, it takes shorter time to cut. The time spent on a task using a tool with a dull edge can be used to accomplish more tasks with a sharp tool.

3. The job is neater. If you try cutting with a blunt kitchen knife, it will never cut neatly and smoothly. For you to get a neat job, you need to use a tool with a sharp edge.

4. Ultimately, you are perceived as a wise fellow. You will never be appreciated for a job not well done. If you can accomplish your tasks effectively and efficiently, you will be respected for it.

I want you to see yourself as a tool and whatever you do as the cutting task. How sharp are you as a tool? How much of success have you achieved in your assignments? If your answer is short of 100%, then you need to whet the edge of your cutting edge. Is your boss is always complaining about your work output? Are you always short of meeting your deadlines? Do you get frustrated midway into a task? Are u frequently identified as the weak link during team reviews? Are you dissatisfied with what you do? If your answer is “yes” to any of the above questions, then you need to hone your tool.

How do you sharpen (hone) your tool?

1. Identify the need for sharpening. It is said that the first day a mad man identifies himself as mad, then he has began to recover from insanity. The same way for everyone. If you identify your need for sharpening, then your journey to improvement has begun.

2. Make yourself ready for the sharpening. It will require effort, it will require time, it will require finance and it will require you. But i can bet, it will be worth it. The dividend will be more than the investment. You will thank yourself for doing it.

3. Go all out to learn. This is where the honing is done. No one is above learning. Learning exposes you to change. It processes you into a better product. Learning must ultimately lead to change. You must not be the same again after an episode of learning. There are several ways to learn. Here are a few tips:

a. Go back to school. Does that sound harsh? No, i don`t think so. You may have to get a higher degree. That means, you will learn more deeply than you have. You may have to take a switch. I mean take another course that would enhance you.

b. Read. I mean read books along the path of your career which you want to enhance. Almost everything you want to learn are scattered in different books. Finding those books and reading them will increase you. Read and internalise the things you find in those books. Nobody brings knowledge into the world at birth. You have to amass it. Start on a serious race to improve yourself by reading. Buy books. If you can`t buy books, hook to a library. You must know someone who has a book that you need. Borrow it. But believe me, if you buy books for yourself, you are making eternal investments into yourself. Infact, you can buy second hand books if you can`t buy new. It will be well worth it.

c. Attend Seminars, Conferences, Workshops and Training sessions. These programmes afford you to be able to listen to people who are more knowledgeable than you explain a few more secrets that you need. They afford you the opportunity to meet and interact with sharp, upwardly mobile minds.

d. Apprentice yourself to a master. This is not meant to put you down. I mean look for someone who knows more than you, connect with that fellow and ask questions. Draw from his well of knowledge and experience. Listen to him, watch him and learn from him.

Put these few tips to use and let us watch you become a more productive person. Be wise. Sharpen the tool so that less strength will be needed and eventually you get to keep your strength to use for other things. The English man says a word is enough for the wise, but the Yoruba man says just half a word is enough for the wise,for when it gets inside him it becomes whole. So choose to be numbered among the wise.

LIVING FOR OTHERS

- A TRIBUTE TO ADEOLU AKINYEMI @ 30

Yesterday, my mentor, friend, brother, teacher – Deolu Akinyemi, CEO Generis Solutions, Lagos Nigeria, turned 30. I’m writing this as a mark of honor in celebrating a great man who has lived his life for the benefit of others and in the midst of all that, has become an icon of the true measure of success which a lot of people strive to attain. You think he is young because he is just 30, but believe me, his achievements tower far above his age.

I have known him for 7 years now and I have heard about and witnessed the life of this great man. When he was an undergraduate-that was when I met him-he virtually spent all his time teaching tutorials to his classmates and junior colleagues. By the time he was in his finals (Part 5), he had to teach the 4 levels behind him almost all their courses. Recently, someone who met him earlier than I did said he had actually been in the habit of organizing tutorials for his classmates since Primary 6.

Since he started his working career as a HR practitioner, gathering experience with Procter & Gamble, WA and later Virgin Nigeria, and now his own brain child-Generis Solutions, he has always been into efforts that would impact the next person positively. His various seminars and trainings, which I have had the privilege of attending and sometimes being part of the organizing team, have always been value-adding for all who participate, with startling testimonies after. He is the country representative for Clubfreedom (an international investment club) in Nigeria and he has been doing a lot to get as many people in the club, invariably making us millionaires in a legitimate way.

To celebrate his birthday yesterday, he wrote a cheque of 1 Million Naira for Little Saints Orphanage in Lagos – what a way to celebrate your birthday. Also, he’s giving discounts on his services for this month.

I could write on and on about his selflessness but that’s not the point. The point is encouraging you reading this piece to begin to look at ways of living your life, not just for yourself but for others too.

Everyone who has made positive impact in our world is a person who lived not for himself alone but for others too. You do not have to wait till you become a multi-millionaire before you can impact others. `Deolu did not wait.

You have a smile to brighten the day of your colleague at work, a touch of comfort to that child who is hurting, a listening ear to that young fellow who needs a friend to talk to, a meal to share with that hungry fellow next door, some time to teach what you know to that person who does not know what you know, a word of prayer for that person in trouble, a lift to that neighbour who is almost late for work, a word of encouragement to that person who is going through a rough time… and so much more that you can give.

The most important gifts are not the most expensive ones but those that reach down to the recesses of the heart of the receiver to lift him/her up to a higher level. You have something someone else will appreciate, give it. You have a helping hand, offer it. You have a little money, spare part of it. You can actually live your life to better the lot of someone else. You might just be the Angel that fellow has been praying for. Be the answer to someone else’s prayer and watch God speedily answer your own prayers. What you make happen for others, more than that will God make happen for you because the harvest is always greater than the seed.

Live a meaningful and purposeful life; do not live for your self alone, live for others too.
To Pastor Dee – as many of us who knew him in school fondly call him – HAPPY BIRTHDAY. May your life continue to bring hope, joy, light, comfort and many good things to others, and as you do that, may you continue to increase in influence and fulfillment.

THE POWER OF VISION

Last Saturday, I had a wonderful privilege to speak with a gathering of senior secondary school students, some fresh school leavers and a few undergraduates. This seminar is an initiative of a High School Principal and her husband to develop the youths in their area. Such an opportunity some of us did not have 10 years ago when we were leaving the Secondary school.
This write-up is an overview of what I discussed with them. Putting in mind that they are quite young, I had to make it as elementary as possible but not in any way compromising the quality of the discussion.

VISION is ordinarily defined as the ability to see. In Nigerian parlance it basically means what you perceive with your two "korokoro" (naked) eyes. Taking the definition a bit higher, and for the purpose of this discussion, we say VISION is the ability to see ahead, imagine what is yet to happen, also as a MENTAL picture of your desired future.

Martin Luther King Jr. in his famous 1963 speech –I have a dream, defined a vision of America where there would be no racial discrimination. Over forty years after, we see that dream coming to pass.

Recently, the Nigerian Government defined a vision of Nigeria being one of the 20 greatest economies in the world by the year 2020. They called it VISION 202020.
Have you seen a building plan before? That is the vision of the desired house.

VISION is different from sight. Sight is what we see with the physical eyes but Vision is what we see with the eye of the MIND. A blind Songwriter was asked what could be worse than not having sight and she said "…having sight but no vision".

Henry Ford of Ford Motors had a vision of an average American family being able to own a car. He started by making one car at a time. Now, Ford Motors has surpassed that dream.
Bill Gates of Microsoft had a dream of every American being able to own a PC. Now, not just Americans can have PCs, the whole world is benefiting from that Vision.

A man can never be greater than the quality of his Vision. The picture in your mind would determine the focus of your efforts and would eventually create who you become.

What a person will become is not totally determined by any of the following:

• Background. M.K.O Abiola, one of the richest men this country ever produced and a notable philanthropist came from a very lowly background. Early in his life he sold firewood to survive but eventually made it, becoming a very successful business man. That was because he did not allow his background to create a limitation in his mind. Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of one of the largest church organizations in Africa and indeed world over, grew up in a village and never had a shoe for the first 18 years of his life. He became a PhD holder in Applied Mathematics well before the age of forty. Today, he is a great man. You cannot find a connection between his background and who he has become.
  
• Gender. Some people erroneously think a particular gender is more likely to succeed. Even if there are 8 boys and just 2 girls among the 10 most likely to succeed people in your graduating class does not in any way reduce your chance to succeed, if you are a girl. Some of the most effective Government ministers that just finished with the last government in Nigeria were ladies – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Obiageli Ezekwesili, and Nenadi Usman. As long as a girl can catch a better vision for her future, she can become whatever she wants to be.
  
• Age. Nobody is too young to be great. Even if you are young, now is the time to catch the vision of greatness. You do not have to be old to be great. The Vice-Chancellor of the newly established Osun State University is in his forties. He is a professor. I was reliably informed that he was not made the VC of one of the 1st generation Universities in Nigeria last year because he is young. Please do not be limited by such myopic thinking. Also, the most effective ministers in the last government were the youngest in the cabinet. Catch a vision of greatness early and become great early

What are those essential qualities that make for a good vision?

• Must be personal and unique. You are created differently from every other person, so nobody can correctly define the vision for your life. It has to be your personal creation. It has to be your idea. I know someone who is a Doctor only because her father is a Doctor. That is not a personal and unique vision. Nothing is wrong in wanting to take after the profession of your parent or some other person but you must have your own vision and reason for doing so. You can be something nobody in your environment has ever been. You do not need to be like anybody at all cost.
  
• Must be compatible with your talents, temperament, interests etc. Whatever you want to become must be something you have a natural liking for. If you do not have a natural liking for taking care of people you do not need to catch a vision of becoming a Nurse or a Doctor. If you lack the ability to teach naturally, you may not become the best Teacher. If you are always sad and moody, you may not be able to become a very good actor because an actor needs to be very flexible to take on any role. God did not make us all to do everything equally well. Find what you do very well in and create a vision of being the best at it.
  
• Must be workable. I mean if you look from where you are standing you should be able to see ahead. If you have a dream of becoming a car manufacturer, you do not go to school to study History, Literature and Government. But you rather pay attention to Physics, Technical Drawing and Further Mathematics. Every thing you do today must have a contribution towards that desired future. There is no magic formula for becoming great at anything; you must work hard at it.
  

Having a vision for your life is sounding like a good idea to you already, right? But then, I expect you are asking in your mind, what does having a vision for my future do for me at this early age? What’s in it for me?

• It drives you. It motivates you. Everything you do will point to the target you have created. A wise man said "aim at nothing and you will get it". The choice of subjects you take in school, the kind of school you attend, the kind of exams you take, the kind of opportunities you look for and a lot of other things would be motivated by the vision you have for your future.
  
• It determines your lifestyle. Believe me, not any lifestyle would support your vision in life. The hairstyle on Kanu is fine but you can not wear that and be the best Lawyer in town but you can be a singer or a football star. If you intend to be the state Governor one day, you will not go around fighting and getting into Police trouble every time. You must live like someone who has a vision. Do not be an NFA (No Future Ambition). If you intend to be a Chartered Accountant or an Economist do not live a wasteful lifestyle. You must be disciplined to achieve your dreams. Sport champions do not eat just anything, sleep anyhow or live anyhow. So also is anyone who wants to be a Champion in life.
  
• It determines your friends. Have you heard the saying that "one rich man among ten poor people is a wretched fellow"? Likewise if you are the only young person with a vision for a good future among your friends then you have the wrong friends. Change your friends. Find people who will encourage you to aspire to greatness. Associate with people who are better than you and be encouraged to become better. If your best friend is NFA you will be NFA too. Let the picture of your desired future determine the kind of people you move with. You can not choose your family but you can choose your friends.

The process of working out your vision and dreams would always have challenges. Mind you, I did not say problems but rather, challenges. You must be ready to move on even when it is difficult. That is what it means to have COURAGE. Against all odds, you must put in everything you can afford to realize your visions and dreams. To be courageous, you must have:

• Desire. This means you must really want to achieve your goals. You must want it so badly.
  
• Decision. Your desire must be backed up with the decision and the readiness to give all that may be required of you.
  
• Determination. Your desire and decision must be backed up with determination. I mean even when it’s not working you do not give up. Even when it is still a long way to realize your dreams you still hold on to it. It may not happen shortly, it may take some time, so you have to be determined to hold on at all cost. If you give up before you realize your goals you will have nothing to show for it at the end of the day.

Success is not an event. It is what you become over a period of time. I mean it is a process. Start the process today and you will soon get there.

THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY "NO"

One of my Mentors once told me that some of the best decisions we ever made and will ever make are those in which we say "NO". Sometimes, saying "NO" could mean running counter to popular opinions, going against the way things have been done in the past, it could even be perceived as vendetta. People would interpret it in several ways, different from what it actually is. To say the least, people in our culture do not like saying "NO" neither do they like to be told "NO".

In organizations, families, Government establishments, among friends and indeed within any human social interactions, we get to points where we have to bargain, negotiate, strike deals, mediate in crises, make and receive recommendations, make requests, submit budgets and cost quotations, offer approval, and very many other day-to-day activities in which we have to make decisions to either say "YES" or "NO".

When you make or receive business proposals, when you make presentations at committee meetings, when you bid for contracts, when you apply for travel visa or perhaps you are the Consular Official interviewing people for travel visas, even when you meet a beautiful lady and you want to invite her for a date or perhaps you are the lady being asked out for a date, there would be instances when you will have to say NO! to people and there would also be instances when you will be told NO!

Reality is that we will never be able to say YES! to everything that comes our way or else one discovers that everything spirals out of control. Decision making entails a lot of negotiation and give-and–take. You will not always have your way and also, you will not be able to give in to every request made towards you. You will not always be in a win-win situation.

In order for us to say "NO" without being disagreeable or seen as anti-social, we must learn not just what to say "NO" to, but how to say "NO". Knowing how to say "NO" would ensure that we make good decisions and above all retain our good names, good intentions and good relationship with people whom we meet and interact with As much as you learn to be very approachable in your social contracts so also you must learn to say NO!
Here are a few tips to help with this:

1. SAY NO! IF, AND ONLY WHEN YOU MEAN IT. I have a friend who never says YES! to anything until she has first said NO!. It is a very sensitive word and should only be used if it is sincerely meant because, like people say, words are like raw eggs, once it drops can never be gathered again. If you mean to say YES!, you do not need to first say NO! and then say YES! Later. Saying what exactly you mean is a very good way of increasing your credibility. Have you heard the saying that when a lady says NO! to a proposal she actually means you should ask again? I think it is a faulty perception about our ladies anyway. Lack of credibility can destroy the best of interests in any sphere of life. Let your YES! be YES! and your NO! be NO!. If you say NO! you should be ready to back it up with your subsequent actions. It is no use when say NO! and you act YES! Say YES! when you mean to say so, and say NO! when you mean to say so.

2. SAY NO TO IDEAS, NOT INDIVIDUALS. When disagreeing, make sure your argument is against a particular idea, a particular opinion, or a particular mindset. Do not, as a matter of principle, disagree with the "person" of whoever is pushing such ideas. I have witnessed business meetings in which people had differences of opinion and it led to arguments. After one of such meetings, some people stormed away from the board room while some of us still stayed in the lobby to gist. As a matter of fact, I dropped off a lady with whom we stood up against each other at the meeting at home after that meeting. We chatted as if we never argued an hour ago. We remain friends up till now. Whereas, some people on that board are still not on talking terms because of such arguments at meetings. As you marshall your points, make it clear to everyone that there could be a better idea but not necessarily that you are better than the other person. As a matter of fact, you are not likely to be better or superior, you just probably have access to more information than he does, which has helped you to form a seemingly better opinion. Look beyond the person, look to issues and opinions. Do not question people's efficiency, intelligence, abilities and capabilities. It injures their self-esteem and nobody feels good around someone who belittles him/her. You may someday need this fellow's goodwill to get something else more important done. When offers are made to you and you have to say "NO", please do well to reject the offer but not the person making the offer.

3. USE THE RIGHT WORDS. Human beings are not wired to see intentions but rather, we see the actions and in this case we may only infer from the words we hear. People must hear what you are saying and understand it as what it actually means. In order to do this you must be sure to use the right words. On no account must you use words that are derogatory or insulting as you put forward your points. Courtesy demands that you respect whoever you are talking with, age, position, title, wealth, qualification notwithstanding. Bosses and Superiors have to be careful for this. Speaking rightly to your subordinates would ensure that they remain motivated and loyal to your corporate goals. The Good Book says "a soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger". We would do worse than the actual saying "NO" when we do not use the right words. Voice tones, inflexions, loudness and so on would go a long way in determining how favourably your words are accepted. There is an African saying that the same words would either bring out Kolanut from the person spoken to or bring out a sword. We must learn to speak gently, calmly and quietly. No one likes being shouted at. If you want to say "NO", you do not have to shout it to the whole world.

4. DO NOT DELAY, DO IT NOW! There is no point in postponing what you have to do. If you have to say "NO" you do not have to keep it till later. The more you refrain from voicing your disagreement the more it is assumed that you do not have a different opinion from what is being said. Assumptions could be very costly to people and organizations, do not let other people make assumptions about what you stand for. The most dangerous side to be on an argument is neither, but rather on the fence. It is not a sign of agreeableness but a sign of weakness when you find it hard to make up your mind. You must understand that saying "NO" if you have to, does not make you in any way a bad person. Delaying could portray you as someone who does not have a mind of his own. Delaying to say "NO" if that is actually what you have always intended to say about a particular issue would eventually slow down the decision making process and that would incur great costs.

5. KNOW WHEN TO STOP. In any event of pushing a different opinion or rejecting a proposal or an offer, know that you have limits. Learn when to stop. When expressing your opinion, you do not have to continue speaking endlessly just because you think you have a superior opinion. Speak long enough to be understood but little enough for more to be desired from you. He is not a great speaker who speaks endlessly but one who speaks for the appropriate duration. You do not have to be the person who speaks longest to win the most support for your opinion. Men who speak only when necessary and with few words are always more respected and their opinions more sought after and acceptable.

You are about to enter the best season of your life so far. Enhance your interaction skills and make a better show of your social contracts. You would always have to work with people, as a Boss, as a Board/Committee member, as a Salesman, as a Purchasing Officer, as a Manager of people in various spheres of life. Give attention to these things so that your profiting will appear to all men. You do not have to make an enemy just because you said "NO". You can actually win more friends and increase your sphere of influence. If you have to say "NO" please do it the right way.

YOU WILL SUCCEED.

FOR BOYS ONLY

If you are reading this article I guess you might be a boy, I mean a young man in the making, probably late teenage or just out of teenage. That, actually, is my target audience. If you don't belong to that category, welcome all the same, you might just be helping yourself to some insightful information.

This piece was necessitated by a young man who called me few days ago around 1am. We spoke for over 1 hour. Guess…when a young guy holds someone up for over an hour in the night on phone, it's most likely about "girl" issues. You are not totally wrong but that was just for a few minutes. The main gist was about the relationship between this young boy and his father. They are not getting along well. Too many arguments and complaints from both sides. I am putting up the nuggets I offered him, in case it would help another young guy.

Last Saturday, I travelled for a party with a few friends. My Dad was at that party too. After a while, he asked one of my friends to call me. When I got to him, he asked that we go for a walk. We went for a walk and came back after about 20 minutes. The little time we spent together helped us both to catch up on latest gist about each other - work issues, travel plans, health and a lot of other things. We left the party separately, I travelled back same day. That day, I thought to myself, this could not have happened some five to eight years ago.

Come to think of it, in the process of growing up the period we seem to be most at loggerheads with our fathers is just when we are about to break into that stage when we no longer are boys, but men. Remember the process of molting in insects. It is called METAMORPHOSIS. Simply put, it is transformation. Becoming a man is not a day's job. It takes a lot of hard work.

No responsible father will watch his little giant grow into an irresponsible man. To a large extent, he thinks his own future depends on what and how his son turns out to be. Whether you realize it or not, he is a major stakeholder in your future. He wants to see you succeed as much as you also do.

In this process, we get to disagree a lot, get angry at each other frequently and sometimes we are tempted to think he is an enemy. A father and his young adult son at this time would have differing opinions, different tastes, and different perspectives to life issues and so on. If care is not taken, to handle this challenge with caution, we might become estranged from our fathers.

The best coach a young man can have is his father. It is said that even if a young child has more new clothes than an elder, he cannot have as many old clothes. This underscores the experience which your father has that you do not. When you get to that point where things seem not to be well between you and your father, some practical tips could help. I have tried them and they indeed worked for me.

BE PATIENT. There is nothing you will achieve by heating up the atmosphere. Let your father get as angry as he can get, as long as you remain calm, the situation will not get out of hand. You do not understand him because you two are seeing things from different perspectives. Because of this, you need to be calm at all cost. The metamorphosis must not be disrupted, so there is need for patience. Time is an important component of such transformation. When you jump up you come down, but when you grow up you stay up. It takes time to grow, please allow that time. Be patient. Patient with your father and patient with yourself.

NEVER TALK BACK. No matter how angry you get because of whatever your father does or says, never, never, never, talk back at your father. I mean, never answer him in your fit of anger. Do not say something in your anger that you will have to apologize for when your anger has subsided. To be quiet would be better than raising your voice at your father. There might be a remote possibility that his line of argument is faulty, but even then, courtesy demands you to accord him every respect.

HONOR HIM. The Good Book says to honor your parents because this is the first commandment with a blessing. This blessing is that you would live long. Do not do anything to dishonor your father or put him down. You have to listen to whatever he has to say and always do all that you can to obey his orders. Be careful for the way you present him or talk about him among your peers. If you do not present him honorably, your friends would not treat him as such and I am sure you do not want your friends disrespecting your father.

TRY HIS PERSPECTIVE. Maybe you could come off whatever pedestal you are looking from and try to look from his own perspective. He might be right, but how would you know. Because he has seen more of real life than you, his wealth of experience might just be all you need to ensure a smooth transition into Manhood. A wise man once said "I can see farther because I stand on the shoulders of those who have gone ahead of me". I think that works in real life. When he offers advice, please take them. When he corrects you please try and make amends. It won't hurt to see if his methods can actually deliver the results you want. Do your best to try and look from above his shoulders. Save yourself some stress of trying everything out on your own. You sure can trust that no real father would lead his son astray.

I do not promise a quick fix to the relationship problems between you and your father but I sure know this can be a starting point to making things a lot better between you both. You can bet that he loves you and he wants to see you end up better than himself. It is the joy of every father, including yours, to see his son become greater, better, wealthier and more influential than him. If you are a young lady reading this piece, I do hope it can help you too.

I certainly know you will succeed and eventually make your father proud. That, also, is my dream. I can't afford his death now because he has to live to see the results of his labour. Believe me, it was not easy form him. He almost developed high blood pressure in his quest to see me turn out right.

To my greatest Coach and dearest Father - thanks for all you have ever done for me, the arguments, the fights, the accusations and more importantly the corrections. I am not there yet but I will soon be there. Please hang in till then. I LOVE YOU.

WHAT MANNER OF PRESIDENT???????????

As we draw near to another round of General elections, history beckons on us as a people. We have never had a successful democratic government handing over to another democratic government. This is much different to what we had in 2003 because there has to be “a change of guards” at the Presidency. We really have to make history this time.

But then, looking at the array of individuals who are jostling for the top spot, I keep asking myself this question “which of these men is our best option”? I ask this question ceteris paribus, if all eligible voters are registered, if election is free and fair in all sense of the word, if the playing field is level, if voters are not intimidated or arm-twisted, if…, if…, you know what I mean?

Not minding all the power play that has been showing in the last few weeks, not minding who is the “anointed” candidate of the ruling party, not minding who won the recent opinion polls, not minding the great records of achievements in academics, governance, business and so on being wielded by the different contenders, who is the best person for the job?

From my own perspective, it is of prime importance that whosoever will become the President of the most populous black Nation be able to define for the “at least” 140 million Nigerians what the Nigerian dream is all about, if ever there is one. If there is none, he should be able to envision a new pathway that we all would be proud about and be eager to work towards. In simple terms, he must be a visionary. Enough of leadership without direction and foresight. Even the good book says “if the blind lead the blind they both will fall into a ditch”. If we must entrust the next 4 years of our National life to a man, then he must be a man who knows the way.

Recently, I got thinking of what the true meaning and essence of Leadership is. I think it summarily means to show the way. The way to true national integration, where there won’t be a need for hostage taking in the Niger Delta to agitate the needs of the people. The way to true patriotism, where a Nigerian would think of the image of the country when he’s transacting any business across the borders of this nation. The way to true accountability and transparency, where public office holders would be accountable to the people.

We need Leadership at this time, when the youths of our Nation take pride in internet fraud, when the political class seem to take joy in politics without ideology and philosophy, when our professionals would rather practice their professions abroad, when qualitative education is not within the reach of the better part of the citizens of this Nation living below the poverty line.

I find it very insulting that at this age and time, politicians are promising free education, potable water, good roads and other things that are not supposed to be added advantages of voting a party or a candidate. We should know better, not being shortchanged. We should start to look forward to more value adding incentives if we have to vote for anyone, not for basic amenities. We should vote, not out of sentiments but rather from an objective and realistic mind. We should not vote based on which geo-political zone or ethnic nationality a candidate comes from but rather based on merit of past records and his ability to envision and lead us into a greater Nigeria of our dreams.

I look forward to reading your comments on what manner of President we need at this time.

GOD BLESS NIGERIA!