WHAT DO YOU VALUE MORE?

What do people usually value more than your money? You! Think about it. What takes greater effort – writing a cheque or giving of your time and energy? Which shows a greater level of commitment? Take a moment and recall the people who’ve had the greatest impact on you: a teacher who helped you realize you could think, learn and achieve; a parent who loved you, sacrificed for you and gave you the gift of self-worth; a mentor who painted a picture of your future then equipped and challenged you to reach for it.

Next to your salvation, what could be greater? Ponder these words: ‘When you come to look back on all that you have done in life, you will get more satisfaction from the pleasure you brought to other people’s lives than from the times you outdid and defeated them.’ Too many of us see giving as more than just an act of love – we see it as a transaction – we only give to get! Sir Wilfred T. Grenfell said, ‘It is obvious that man is himself a traveler; that his purpose in this world is not “to have and to hold,” but “to give and to serve”.

There can be no other meaning.’ It’s so easy to live only for yourself. In fact, it’s one of our most basic instincts – one we have to overcome each day. But we can take another path – to be generous with our love and our time. When you give those gifts, you’re being as generous as you can be!

 

UCB

MARRIAGE IS LIKE A CONDOM

The world is now so fantasized about the wedding industry that a lot of people fail to realize that after the lights go off, the camera shutters closes, the fanfare ends and the guests go home, then life starts, all the Instagram posts and the pre wedding shoots now remains in the past and reality kicks in. most people borrow to impress others during their weddings, and others risk it all only for the glamour of it.

While others made the most out of the pre wedding, wedding plans they forget all about the post wedding life, they begin the journey into sadness and depression.

While some waited to get married before they had sex and have a successful marriage. Some did not wait, and still have a successful marriage.

Some kept their marriage private, and have a successful marriage. Some kept it open and annoyed us with their public displays of unwanted affection, and still have a successful marriage.

While some engaged (sorry handcuffed) a lady for over 18 months, and have a successful marriage, some dated for 3 months and have a successful marriage, some have been in the dating game for too long like 10+ years and still have a successful not-marriage-relationship going!

While some are ok with being baby mama’s, others prefer their camera looks to remain intact and postpone child bearing till later.

While other get married and still have a connect with their ex’s, others jump to JORO to tell the world how they hump and rump just another guy they meet. Others claim they are the slay queens or they want to be slay queens.

Truth is that marriage is like a condom, one size does not always fit all and even when it manages to fit, sometimes it does not work.

Take your own pick in life, get and follow your heart and soul mate, and please spare us the details of your sex life and nasty details of cheating.

 

 

–Notes from Ofilispeaks

2017- WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Dear Tweeps,

Welcome to 2017, it has been a long journey here today and yes I am sorry for leaving this page unattended to for months, you can say the pressures and demand of work has got the better part of me, you are so correct.

I’d say this again, welcome to my blog again and sincere apologies for the absence, It would certainly be better this year as I am starting off on a good foot. 2016 was a horrific year as many would say and to the best of my knowledge a whole lot of people have lost their jobs and the cliché now “The dollar is high” has taken over the airwaves thus we have lost the sense of our daily life, the economy is in a steady nose dive and all indices are not looking good, daily we hear news of millions of dollars looted by some of our leaders and you wonder how this country is still around amidst the mass looting.

I feel bad when I go out daily and the news is same, the dollar has hit all time high and very like Nigeria anything that goes up never comes down. So at this rate we are stuck on it.

From my previous post, these are the years of the biblical – years of lean, where we failed to save now we are reaping the fruits of failure to decide. Our leaders have failed to save, failed to invest, failed to plan for the future, now we are in the mess that seems to suck us all in.

Away from the failures of the leaders, this is the time to plan and position for the coming years of plenty, we would soon hit the boom and only the wise and the strategic would be the only set to partake in the boom, what are you doing now to prepare for the future? Are you still complaining and nagging about the old politicians? Are you still dwelling in the past and how the promises made are not been met? Then your world is slowly ticking away. Tomorrow is a factor of today’s decisions and when you make right decisions your tomorrow would be guaranteed.

LESSON I LEARNT FROM AN ODD PLACE

I was on my way back from a friend’s engagement in Edo state. I traveled by bus, this is because I could not summon courage to drive from Lagos down to Benin besides it was my first time going there.

Back to my story, so there I was in the bus, when this man, came in shut the rolling door behind him and then said, “Let Us Pray” “Oh Dear Lord,” I thought “Not today.”

You see, the truth is I don’t like these guys who pose as Pastors especially in bus-stops. It doesn’t take going to Jupiter to know that they’re just hustling for their daily bread.

They clutch a Bible, and then pray and of course at the end ask you to donate money.

I have even heard rumours that they share their collections with the bus drivers.

Anyways, the thing is I ALWAYS decide BEFOREHAND not to give these obviously fake Pastors any kobo.

But There’s Was Something About This Guy! He was entertaining. He told stories, he made jokes.
Damn I even laughed at one of them. Then he said he didn’t want our money! What?!!! A “Bus” Pastor doesn’t want money?

Who is this guy?

Then he began to preach. He used a clever analogy and Bible interpretation. I felt myself grinning with him. This man thoroughly finished me because at that point, I was about reaching into my pocket.

But Our Pastor Wasn’t Done Yet! He told even more stories, and jokes and admonitions.

The he began to bless us, our children, our wives, our parents, our businesses.

He then said he doesn’t need a donation from those who didn’t have it to give or who didn’t want to give, he said if we felt blessed by his message then we should give ANYTHING we wanted to give! This man was good. Immediately I just felt I should give him even more than I originally planned to.

So I gave a N500 then he again prayed for everyone, including those who did not give him a dime. You know what? I can’t really say if this guy was fake or not, but he did impress me. He was different and that’s what you too should be different.

If you want to make money and make a lot of it, you need to follow the lessons this ‘Pastor’ taught me on this day;

Step One: Have something to sell:  This guy had something he was selling – prayers.

Prayer my friend is one of the highest selling products/services in Nigeria. Doubt me? Go to any
Church near you next Sunday and see for yourself. Most people think they will make money without selling anything.

Crappy thinking, dont think crappy thoughts. You’re far better than that.

WORD FOR TODAY

‘The wise accumulate wisdom.’ So keep learning. Knowledge in most major fields is exploding, and if you don’t stay up to date you’ll be left behind. Repeating the same lessons over and over means you’re not learning enough. Study those who’ve succeeded where you want to succeed, in order to know what to do and what not to do. U.S. Admiral Hyman Rickover said, ‘Learn from the mistakes of others; you’ll never live long enough to make them all yourself.’ So:

1) Respect those with experience and expertise greater than your own. Instead of shrinking away from them, reach for them. The Bible says, ‘God has given each of you some special abilities…use them to help each other…’ We all struggle in certain areas; be careful lest your insecurity be misinterpreted as arrogance.

2) Become a good listener. Don’t try to impress people by seeking to be their intellectual equal. If you find yourself in a discussion that intimidates you, ask questions, talk only about what you know, listen attentively, and the next time you meet you’ll be that much further ahead.

3) The more you prepare yourself, the more opportunities you’ll get. Don’t go to a lesson unless you’ve done your homework. When God starts taking you higher, prepare your speech, your wardrobe, and your mind. Consult a trusted friend who understands where you are, and where you need to go. If you can’t find one, read up until you grasp the basics. ‘A king rejoices in servants who know what they are doing…’  The more prepared you are, the more God will open doors of opportunity for you.

THE GIFT OF BLINDNESS—Cobhams Asuquo

This is sooo touching, you would appreciate life more from another perspective.

NEVER EXCUSE FAILURE FOR ANY REASON OR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Look beyond your weaknesses, TRUST WITHOUT FAILING, Sight might be a distraction to your goals in life, FOCUS and stay blind to things that would distract you, remember EXCUSES are monuments for FOOLS, TOOLS of the INCOMPETENT and WEAPON for the WEAK.

Your life is what you make of it, regrets have not space in our lives.

Weldone COBHAMS ASUQUO.

IN #NIGERIA ZEBRA CROSSINGS ARE FOR ZEBRAS ONLY

When I was in primary school, they had just completed the painting of several Zebra crossings along Allen Avenue and Opebi areas. Our mum was driving us on that particular day when we approached one of the newly painted Zebra crossings and then she told us … and I can never forget

“If you walk on the Zebra crossing, cars will automatically stop for you.”

Well several months after that, the driver or our parents forgot to pick us up from school (St. Leo Catholic School), so we had to walk all the way from Toyin Street to Adeniyi Jones, needless to say no cars stopped for us at the Zebra crossings. It was like the Zebra crossings were invisible. In fact it seemed like cars moved faster in the Zebra crossing zones. Except that you happen to be a Zebra … then they will stop!

But it is not that we have bad drivers, we just are not trained drivers.

People often say that if you can drive in Nigeria you can drive anywhere in the world … “huh” is my reaction … because, actually if you can drive in Nigeria, chances are that you can’t really drive anywhere else. Because other places have rules, and without an understanding of the rules you can’t drive there.

But it is not all our fault…the government has a hand.

They (the government) wake up one morning and paint lines on the road put up signs left right and center, sometimes the signs vary from local government to local government depending on who got the contract. Its like a hodgepodge of road paint. Some roads have lanes, others don’t have lanes. And soon people are ignoring the rules not because they want to but because the implementation is inconsistent and confusing.

Now back to the Zebra crossings…

The reason Nigerian drivers will only stop for Zebra’s is because there is no adequate training. And the people meant to implement this training (traffic wardens) are clueless most of the time except when there is a financial benefit. If the traffic wardens understand that their role is not to prey on drivers mistakes but rather to educate and teach drivers, we might see some change.

But for now and to be safe … dress like a Zebra before you cross!

OfiliSpeaks

 

DO YOU JUMP QUEUES?

It was rush hour time at London Victoria Station in 2007. It was the height of the tube (rail) strike and workers were forced into long queues to access the bus network.
Gareth Edwards was standing with other commuters in a long, snaking line for a bus, when a smartly dressed businessman blatantly cuts in line behind him. (Behind him: this detail matters.)

The interloper proves immune to polite complain about his actions, but Gareth Edwards had a magnificent idea. He turns to the elderly woman standing behind the queue-jumper, and asks her if she’d like to go ahead of him. She accepts, so he asks the person behind her, and the next person, and the next until 60 or 70 people have moved ahead, Edwards and the seething queue-jumper shuffling further backwards all the time. The bus finally pulls up, and Edwards hears a shout from the front of the line. It’s the elderly woman, addressing him: “Young man! Do you want to go in front of me? Leaving the queue jumper at the very end of the line and coming last.

Do you jump the queue too? Or do you jump red lights?

Our actions say a lot about our mind set and values. Jumping the queue or jumping red lights simply shows little regard for human life and other people’s rights.

This week be conscious of others and be an ambassador for peaceful living.

Josephekwu’s blog 2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 22,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 5 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

MISTAKES!

Most times i make mistakes and I don’t want to admit my faults. This is just cos i want to be hard-headed, not just cos i want to break rules or feel I’m on top of the world. But most times I just want to question the norm. If I make a mistake it is because I am sick of the old-fashioned way, when I try it several times without success and fail repeatedly, I just give in to the fact that maybe the old-fashioned way is the right way. I gave little thought to what might go wrong. I assumed that the ‘right way’ would be mistake-free. I did not acknowledge mistakes I made to myself, or others. I was not learning from my mistakes. If I want to become a better leader, I would have to stop making the mistake of not asking what mistake I was making.’ We can glean from this thought this Monday morning that it’s not the number of mistakes we make that counts but how often we keep making the same mistakes. We must learn to turn mistakes to our advantage with the following dispositions

1-      Admit your mistakes. Most people don’t, partly because of pride. We feel we have an image to protect or maybe it is an issue of insecurity where our self-worth is solely based on performance or sometimes stubbornness; we flog a dead horse rather than bury it and get a new one. Here is the news flash: ‘People already know about your mistakes’. When you admit them they’re not surprised, they’re relieved. They say, ‘Phew! He knows. Now we can quit pretending!’

2-      Accept your mistakes as the price of progress. Learn to view failure as a healthy, inevitable part of success. Nothing is perfect in life, including you! So get used to it before you overburden yourself with unnecessary expectation.

3-      Make sure you learn from your mistakes. Whenever you try to avoid failure at all costs, you will never learn from it rather you end up repeating the same mistakes over and over. Those who are willing to learn from their failures don’t have to keep repeating them.

We get very little wisdom from success but we can learn from the principle of science where mistakes always precede the discovery of truth. As we end this year preparing for 2013, one mistake we can make is not learning from the mistakes of 2012 and then reinvent the wheel that will hurt our families, career path and business next year. An apt definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things and expecting a different result. Get ready for 2013; no one puts a new wine into an old wine skin