Busayo Akanro - Light does not shine in light » Career

This is my forest….and I am not afraid

bussee — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:26:23 +0000

After having an interesting and eventful weekend, I thought to write on something that got quite impressed on my mind. I went to Ibadan, a city in Nigeria from Lagos on Saturday for about 3 meetings. The first being a members meeting for Holidays and Cash members in my team in Ibadan. I went to find out why the business was slowing down in Ibadan and what they needed to know or do if they desired change or financial freedom.

It was quite an interesting meeting and the participants were fired up.

Then we had a prospects’ meeting and afterward in the evening from about 10pm till 6am the next morning, we engaged in a financial intelligence training called BIT (Billionares-In-Training). It was very exciting and the education for the over 40 people in attendance was immense. Each person had something profound that they learnt from the experience of the training.

Actually the training is based on the playing of a financial game called cashflow 101. This game was designed by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter co-authors of the best-selling rich dad, poor dad book. In my opinion, everyone should play that game. It’s said that “the more you play, the richer you become”.

Then I left Ibadan at about 7am and took up another journey to Ilorin about 3 hours away without having slept. I had been informed the night before by the bride of the wedding I was attending in Ilorin that it’ll be an honour for the couple if I anchored at their reception. I immediately had cold feet and tried to say no, but she insisted that that will be my wedding gift to them and they didn’t want any other. I had never anchored at a wedding and I didn’t even have time to prepare. I also wasn’t very fluent in my native tongue (Yoruba) and didn’t want to look out of place as I guessed the crowd would be expecting an anchor who could and would speak yoruba fluently.

Well, I anchored the wedding and did my best. I didn’t feel myself though but at least, I dared to try and I just did it. You know, they say, “you’ll miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.

Anyway, while charging the members of H&C in Ibadan, I told some of their leaders that Ibadan was their city and they needed to possess it and take the major influence as regards H&C before someone else does and they find that they were caught napping. I remembered a movie I watched a few years ago and I related the lessons I learned from the movie to them.

The movie was titled “Apocalypto” and was produced by Mel Gibson. Rudy Youndblood was the lead actor and in the movie was named Jaguar Paw. He according to wikipedia, must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village. It was quite a gory but interesting movie. I was held in suspense and hightened anticipation through out the movie.

The scene that got to me was when while running away from his pursuers, Jaguar Paw had to jump down a waterfalls. His pursuers thought he was dead but when he came out of the water on the other side, he suddenly had news for them. He looked up defiantly at them and declared with a loud voice

” I am Jaguar Paw, son of Flint Sky, my father hunted this forest before me. I’m Jaguar Paw. I am a hunter, this is my forest and my sons will hunt it with their sons after I’m gone. Come on! Come on!”.

I broke up in a grin and hurled my fist into the palm of the other hand. “YES”, I shouted, “GET THEM”. My adrenaline was pumping and I felt like jumping into the TV screen to help him. He ended up turning the tables on his pursuers and killing them all save two with weapons that only one familiar with that forest could know about. Here are some lessons I learned.

1. Know your Forest

Had Jaguar paw not been familiar with that part of the forest, he may never have known his forest that well to turn it on his pursuers. He must have gone out to play with his friends most days and even nights in the forest. They must have hidden from, chased, fought and helped each other in the forest. Every one needs to develop an area of competence. Develop your skills in the area you are comfortable with. The area you are comfortable with is your forest and it can be speaking, comedy, fashion, business, strategy, security, software, IT etc…Know it first, recognise it, discover it and know it to the best of your ability.

2. Hunt your Forest

Jaguar Paw was a hunter. He said so himself. He had learnt to wait in patience for prey after having set a trap. He had learnt to run after prey till he caught up with it and killed it. He had learnt to run away from hunters(wild animals) as well. He knew where the snakes where and where the jaguars whre, he knew where the holes were and the posinous animals were. He knew which plants could heal and which ones had a scent. He had hunted his forest so well that he knew it’s strengths and weaknesses and could use them whenever the need to arose.

Are you hunting your forest? Do you know more than average in your area of competence or are you just mediocre? Do you seek knowledge continually by reading and acquiring information. Do you need to go for a course or take a lesson? How well have you exploited your opportunities, strengths etc…

3. Who’s leading you in your Forest

Jaguar Paw’s father taught him to hunt the forest. He showed him the dangers and thought him how to avoid them and use them to his benefit. He showed him the good side as well. He allayed his fears when he got afraid and pumped his confidence when he needed morale. He literally led him by the hand through the school of hunting and he did so well that when he was about to be murdered, he looked at his son as gasped “Don’t be afraid” as if to say, “Today, my lessons will begin to take effect more because now, you are no longer the student but the teacher.

” Who is leading you? who is teaching you? Who are your mentors? Who do you submit to to receive knowledge and/or grace? If you don’t get a leader, you may not survice the forest.

4. Return to your Forest

When Jaguar Paw was released to be used as target practice, he made a run in the direction of his forest. All through the day and night, while he was pursued, he had only one direction in mind – his forest.

When you find yourself adrift of your goals and dreams and destination, please return to your forest by all means. While you are fighting failures and opposition, return to your forest. Your forest is not your comfort zone. It is your base. It’s from where you plan and deploy. It’s your headquarters. It’s your area of core competence. It’s where you are in control. It’s from where you can take bearing and find out what direction and at what angle do you need to go. It’s your focal and locus point. It’s your place of retreat and restrengthening. It’s where God is.

5. Use your Forest

Don’t keep running in fear in your forest. Use your forest to win. Once Jaguar Paw entered into his forest, the game changed. He started to use his knowledge and skills acquired over the years to bring down his adversaries one-by-one. There were things in the forest that he went to get intuitively and found them where he knew they would be. He used his forest and brought down every single adversary.

Use your skills and area of core competence to your advantage. Use them as a base, as a fulcrum or pivot, as a herald. Don’t be afraid in your forest. Take risks and use your forest to win.

6. Have a Plan B in your Forest

Jaguar Paw when the village was attacked earlier in the movie first sought to save his pregnant wife and toddler son by lowering them into a pit hidden somewhere in the forest. He had a plan B which simply stated “If I fail or lose my life, I must make provision for my legacy to live on” The thought of his family trapped in the pit helped to drive him to the point of victory but it was a plan B.

What is your own plan B? What if you don’t survive the forest, how will those who come after you survive? Do you have a plan B? What if your skills and area of core competence don’t give you what you want? what is your plan B?

Remember, “This is your Forest!!!”

Everyone has “something the Lord has made”

bussee — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:56:19 +0000

I was watching the movie “Something the Lord made” and I got moved with emotions. I’ll say why. The movie was based on a true life story of one Vivien Thomas who became the first African American without a doctorate degree to perform open heart surgery on a white patient in the United States and who developed the procedures used to treat blue baby syndrome in the 1940s. He was a surgical technician.

The story, quite an interesting script highlighted the beginning of his sojorn into the medical technology in a laboratory run by a legendary Dr Alfred Blalock in the vanderbilt University. The stock market had just crashed in the 1930s during the Great depression which resulted from the economic imbalance caused by the first world war. In fact, Vivien had to put his

education on hold (he was planning to go to medical college) because all the money he saved in the bank for seven long years went up in smoke as the bank he had his savings in failed and packed up. He couldn’t recover even a cent.

He decided to look for a job which was not in surplus in those days especially for a black man and ended up getting an appointment to work as a janitor in Dr Alfred’s medical laboratory in the Vanderbilt University. Ofcourse, Dr Alfred was white. Not long after he started working, Dr Blalock found that Vivien possessed an extraordinary eye-hand coordination and a sharp

intellect as well. His passion for medicine was quite evident as he quickly moved from janitor to laboratory assistant. When Dr. Blalock got appointed as Chief of Surgery and Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, the number 1 medical university in America at that time and arguably till now, he requested for Vivien to accompany him and become his assistant in Johns

Hopkins. The race segregation was so bad in those days that Vivien wasn’t allowed to go into the hospital through the front door. He had to use the back door. Needless to say, he was the only black person in the hospital staff who was anything more than a janitor or a cook and his paycheck wasn’t better than the afore mentioned categories. While some of his black colleagues respected and almost revered him, others despised him and were quite jealous.

Vivien refused to go to medical college at the time because he enjoyed working with Dr Blalock and achieving record breaking feats in the field of medicine helping to save many lives. Unfortunately, because he was black and not a doctor, many of the feats that were achieved largely because of his input were never merited to him. In fact, he was never mentioned in the news

as having had anything to do with it. At some point, after getting the manouver to heal the blue-baby syndrome, he felt quite left out when he wasn’t invited to the party done in honour of those involved in making it happen. He sneaked into the party and when he didn’t hear his name mentioned while Dr Blalock was thanking the team that worked with him to achieve the feat,quit his job and went to do other things. He later came back because of his love for the work and ended up becoming the

Direcor of Laboratories in Johns Hopkins(the first without a degree).

The most touching part for me was when after the death of Dr Blalock and 34 years after Vivien had started working with him, he was given an honorary doctorate degree and his portrait was placed on the hospitals walls of fame next to Dr. Blalocks. I almost couldn’t control my emotions on watching this scene and noting the look on the new Dr. Vivien’s face that seemed to say “At last, it has been proven that it was worth it” and I thought to write a few lessons I got.

1. Find your “something the Lord has made”

In one of the surgical manouvers, Vivien executed such a flawless procedure that the suture line was almost invisible prompting Dr. Blalock to remark that the medical intervention looked like “something the Lord has made”. We all have our talents and gifts. we all have our areas of core competence. Find your talent and gifts and let them make way for you. Many comedians in Nigeria now earn more than oil workers because they found their talents and using them.

2. No setback in life is an end, it’s just a bend

The great depression and racism combined with Vivien’s loss of his college tuition in the bank was enough to kill any aspiring black doctor’s dream but it didn’t kill his. What setback have you had that is making you feel like a loser? Have you lost all your money or your job or your benefactors or have you failed some qualifying exams? It’s never over until it’s over. Don’t let situations and occurences around you kill your dreams. You can still be YOU according to your destiny.

3. Out of sight can be out of mind and out of greatness

Never lose sight of your goal. Vivien could not get a decent job and couldn’t go to college. He decided to get a job even though as a janitor but with a doctor because he wanted to be close to his dreams. He wanted to be surrounded with the tools and pictures of his dream. What are you surrounding yourself with? Why wouldn’t you rather volunteer in an organisation that looks like your dream than work for money in one that looks against your dream. How are you positioning yourself? He couldn’t

have moved from janitor to lab assistant if he was a janitor in a supermarket. Who are your mentors? Who are your colleagues? Do whatever is necessary to keep the vision in view.

4. If you are not having fun, then you are doing the wrong thing

Many people will do anything once they feel the price is right. They have no niche or key area or skill or even dream they have discovered. They exist in the same sphere as 93% of people who don’t achieve anything in the world. What would you do even if you weren’t paid for it that adds value to other people? For Vivien, he was so consumed in the work and the opportunity to change the world by solving one medical mystery after the other that he couldn’t leave it and go to medical school despite the fact that the pay was poor and the environment hostile. If you’ve not found anything like that, start a self-soul-search today otherwise the whole of life will be a struggle for you.

I’ll continue the lessons in the next post.

The Parable of the monkeys

bussee — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:08:05 +0000

Hi folks, I know you want to say “where have you been for all these months?” or ” How come you haven’t written a single article in 4 months?” I really don’t know the answer. I must admit quite honestly that even right now I don’t feel like or want to write anything.

It’s not because there aren’t things to write, it’s just because I feel quite unmotivated and unworthy to write them. Anyway, I’m writing now ain’t I? So please just bear with me and read on…this will bless you.

I once heard about the parable of the monkeys. Once upon a time a monkey was placed in a particular cage with a bunch of bananas hanging from the top of the cage. Naturally, the monkey swung up the cage excitedly and reached up for the bananas, he was immediately doused with a jet of cold water from a hose that was aimed at the cage. Immediately, he dived back down to the bottom of the cage. Of course, monkeys don’t give in that easily so he tried again – no one was going to deter him from feasting on the bananas. He swung up again to retrieve the bunch of bananas but as soon as he almost touched it, he got doused with water again. He immediately dived back down looking for the source of his affliction (apes hate water). He couldn’t really see anybody and tried after a few minutes. He got doused again. He tried again and again and each time he got doused again and again. After a few days and many attempts, he stopped trying.

One month after, another monkey was brought into the cage. The monkey saw the bunch of bananas and immediately went for it (Note: The bunch of bananas were changed to fresh ones from time to time). He got the shock of his life as a jet of cold water hit him in the face. He quickly scurried to the bottom of the cage and waited a few minutes for the shock to wear off before trying again. He got the same result and after trying a while and getting drenched, he understood why the first monkey wasn’t as eager as he was to eat “free” bananas hanging at the top of the cage. He also succumbed to fate and stopped trying to get the bananas.

Another month after, a new monkey was introduced into the cage. As custom will have it, he went straight for the bunch of fresh bananas he saw hanging at the top of the cage but the other two monkeys went for it as pulled it down with his legs. They immediately pounced on it and beat it silly and into submission. They did that because they knew he would get sprayed with water and all of them will get wet. They didn’t want to get wet and they knew that he wont get the bananas anyway so they took steps to ensure it didn’t happen. After a while of trying and getting beaten, the monkey gave up trying. One month went by and another monkey was introduced into the cage. He suffered the same fate as the 3rd monkey only that the 3rd monkey was involved in beating him up and keeping him from getting the bunch of bananas.

After a few weeks, the first two monkeys were taken out of the cage. Now of the two monkeys remaining in the cage, none of them actually had water sprayed on them for reaching for the bananas. They were only restrained with pain by the first two monkeys.

Yet another month went by and another monkey was introduced into the cage. He immediately was giving the customary beating treatment when he tried to get the bunch of bananas. After trying a while and getting beat a few times, he suddenly blurted

“Why are you monkeys beating me and holding me back?”

The other monkeys looked at themselves blankly and said

“We don’t know, we don’t know why we are beating you? We were beating as well when we came and tried to reach for the bunch so we just took on the custom of beating every other monkey who tried to reach for the bananas”.

How many of us are like that? We don’t why we are where we are or why we are doing what we are doing. We just know that that is how it should be done. Who told you that? Who told you that you must have only one stream of income? Who told you that you can not live above sin? Who told you that you can’t own your business? Who told you that you can not be financially free?

We were mostly brought up hearing our parents and environment say,

“Get a good education, get a good job thereafter, work all your life, retire broke and busted with a good pension and die!”

What a big lie!

You are like the monkeys!

Why can’t you dare the jet of water and pull out all stops to get the bananas!

What is your own excuse? Are you pulling others down who are trying to get the bananas?

Have you been enslaved by the system?

Do you merely wish freedom or do you DESIRE it?

Listen!!! those who have tried and failed have been taken out of the cage!

Ask yourselves what they did and how you can do it better?

Perhaps, if the three remaining monkeys planned to go for the bananas together the focus of the water spray would be divided and one of them would have been able to get the bunch.

Instead of proliferating negativity and pessimism, think of another way to achieve your dream and go for it.

LIFE DOES NOT GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE, IT GIVES YOU WHAT YOU DEMAND.

At LUTH

bussee — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:40:45 +0000

I am currently sitting on the second row of the New great hall of the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital with some great students of that college. Actually, sitting with me in the hall are scores of college of medicine and dentistry students looking all radiant in conservative coloured suits and blue shirts and blouses.

YBC is the name of the group that put together the symposium that is holding currently in the hall. I actually was dragged to the symposium by a dear friend, Christian Love who had been asked to come and speak on a topic “Working Class Heroes”. I really don’t remember ever being on the premises of this great hospital complex but am I glad to be here.

I love being in the midst of excited and energetic students if for nothing at all, to feel their energy, vibrancy and youth. Don’t mind me. I’m very much a youth and an energetic one at that.

And for your information, YBC means Year Book Class. This I guess indicates the final year students in the college of medicine and surgery and dentistry.

The Hall wasn’t neglected in its decoration as drapes of different shades of blue and some pink hung as a back-drop in the front of the hall and decorations of royal blue with pink ribbons hanging from the stage.

The list of guest speakers at the symposium is quite impressive. From the Chairman to the other speakers, I caught names like Tonye Cole, MD of Sahara Oil and Gas, Mrs Craig from Poise Nigeria, an eminent professor and a very intelligent doctor, both female I might add.

As at the time of writing this article, the symposium/year book launch, the latter of which I just learnt about a few minutes ago is in full swing. In fact, launching of the year book is going on currently.

Anyway, why am I writing this post. As I sit down enjoying the excitement and energy of this gathering, I can’t help but wonder, 5 years from now. How many of these doctors would be engaged in upholding the health industry in this country. They will swear an oath in a few weeks to come but how many of them would die to keep that oath. The keynote speaker said in her presentation that the number of medical doctors practicing in the United States of America alone were 21,000 in 1995.

Part of the theme of the symposium is “The Solution to Brain Drain”. How many of these new doctors would not agree to allow their brains be drained? How many would not be satisfied with 3rd class and 4th class citizenry in countries that would accomodate them only because they need Taxi drivers, barbers, security men, soldiers, assistants and other non professional workforce.

My passion and love for this country causes pain to rise in my heart and burden to rest on my soul when I ponder what these graduands are moving into the working-class world to experience. Would they be depressed and discouraged by the harsh realities of a non-caring system. Would they be caught between observing and standing by the values of their profession in Nigeria and bowing to the prevalent corruption, selfishess and greed that currently exists in the society?

I really can’t answer these questions but I know that the fire is re-kindled in my spirit to do all I can and all I must to ensure that those who become doctors a few years from now will not have the same challenges and dilemma that these ones currently have.

The Next Crash is………

bussee — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:58:17 +0000

Africa has been dubbed the untouched and virgin continent. This was due to the seeming unscathing of African countries in the global meltdown that characterised the latter part of 2008. African seems to have escaped almost wholly from the economic recession that hit the world and crushed many countries and multinationals in other continents of the world. Iceland is bankrupt, auto makers in the US are bankrupt; Mega Banks in UK, Japan, Switzerland, US, Belgium, Germany and many other countries of the world would have gone under but for aid from their governments. Albeit, many banks have still being crushed in the wake of the recession.

However, Nigeria for one has been touched by the recession. Even though the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria has kept assuring Nigerians that we are beyond the reach of the economic whiplash swinging across the globe, happenings in our own economy are pointers to the fact that his assurances hold no water. Examples are:

1. The crash of the NSE

The Nigerian Stock Exchange fell through about the same time the economic crisis started in the west last year. The Central Bank of Nigeria ordered banks to refrain from giving margin facilities to investors and SEC pegged the condition for the rise in value of a stock to its ability to trade over 100,000 units. Investors immediately lost confidence in the market and the inevitable loss of the All Share Index started. One policy after another was released to the public by SEC, CBN and NSE at different times to help boost the market but it seemed to have tipped. The irrecoverable free fall cost the lives of many as people who had so much exposure with regards loans decided to end their lives as they couldn’t take the pressure anymore. The NSE has since lost more and more value as institutional investors (especially foreign ones) cashed out of the Exchange unable to vouch for the credibility of the market any longer. All those who had planned on creating a path to financial independence through the NSE are having to look elsewhere now as all their investments have at least been cut to about one-third the value a few months ago.

2. The crash of Oil

When the stock exchange started making people cry, and even die, another opportunity opened up in the Oil and Gas industry. Oil seemed to be the next panacea. Oil products were selling for unbelievable margins. The price of crude oil per barrel had hit $150 and was reaching for $200. AGO (Diesel) in particular was the next best thing to be involved with. The commodity is in high demand in Nigeria and completely deregulated by the Federal Government. This made it an all-comers market. People made as much as NGN1billion in single deals on oil products. DPK (Kerosene) and LPFO were not left out. As if the cloud that had hung over the NSE was moving in the Oil and Gas direction, the price of crude oil started to dip in the international market. People started incurring losses and getting heavily indebted to banks who were financing oil deals. The volatility in the market made it even harder to play in and ultimately it also bottomed out with the price of crude oil hitting below $40 per barrel. Banks stopped financing Oil deals. Gist had it that collectively they were exposed to the tune of almost NGN400billion. Bad debt that is.

3. The rise of Real Estate.

Immediately, opportunities moved from Oil & Gas to Real Estate. 3 bedroom flats were going for about $3million in places like Banana Estate. Rental rates increased by as much as 100% in some places. It seemed as if those who lost in categories 1. and 2. wanted to recoup through category 3.

4. The crash of Real Estate

This boom unfortunately like the golden era of real estate and mortgages both in Europe and America which has since crashed, appears to be headed for the precipice and signs abound to that fact. Banks had financed loans with which developers built houses. These houses are still on the market with no buyers in sight because of the low cash flow of buyers due to number 1. and 2. above. Even buyers who had bought had bought with loans from the same or other banks. One way or the other, banks have financed loans from both developers and buyers and neither of these have the cash flow to repay the loans. The banks are therefore foreclosing on the properties and selling at any price possible to regain their monies and developers are making distress sales at ridiculously low prices to offset their loans and keep the banks at bay. One way or another, the property market in Nigeria is headed for a crash and Lagos is leading the downward tumble predict analysts. Brace up for this eventuality and get out of the way if you can.

The Best Medicine – (2)

bussee — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:18:17 +0000

Hi guys, remember in The Best Medicine – 1, I wrote about the frustrated and disgruntled man who was at his wits end and suicidal until he went to see his doctor to complain and was instructed to do what he loved doing most when he was young (going to the seashore). He told him to stay there all day and first Listen (at 9 am) for three hours and then reach back (at 12 pm) for another 3 hours and ponder on all that has happened to you in the past, what you’ll change or what you wont or what you’ll do better if given another chance. For more on the first 2 doses, please click on The Best Medicine – 1

In continuation, at 3.00pm, he tore open the third prescription. It said, “Reexamine your motives.” This took so much intense thought and concentration that the remaining three hours slipped by quickly as he reexamined his motives – his reasons for living and fulfillment. He clarified and restated his goals.
Motive is everything. That is why God always checks our motives. The “how” may be important and exciting but the “why” will always be revealing. Why are you doing what you are doing currently? Why are you at the level you are? Why have you not started to write, joined that group, proposed to that lady, taken your family out, prayed through, read a book, read your Bible, taken that course, called that person, priced that good? Why? Why? Why? They say “He who knows how will get the job, but he who knows why will always be his boss.”
And at six o’clock, under a gray, darkening sky and with a taste of salt mist in the air, he read the final prescription: “Write your worries in the sand.” Pausing for a moment, he knew there was something that seemed to be gnawing inside. With his pants rolled up, he grabbed a stick, walked to the shoreline, and wrote his worry in the sand. Before leaving, he stared at what he had written. But as he walked toward his car, he looked back and saw that the incoming tide had already erased his words. A smile eased onto his face as he got into his car and headed for home.
Nothing can change by reason of your worrying….which of you by worrying can add one cubit to your height? – Matt 6:27 Learn the lessons and forget the details.
Ingest now these four doses. Begin to listen, to reach back, to reexamine your motives, and to write your worries in the sand. Begin now to place your troubles, difficulties and past failures into perspective. Take time out now to discover yourself, where you are going, and how and when you will arerive at your destination. Remember, there are no unanswered requests in the universe. If you do not like what you are receiving, you can learn to ask for something different. Then you will find what you wish.

3 years after…

bussee — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:20:58 +0000

“The only way to say it is “Thank you for the impact you have made in the lives of the people. The testimonies of yesterday, I’m sure, will be said in the next 20 years and you guys will be at the receiving end. Thanks for being a blessing to this generation. I quite appreciate.

And also for the huge cheque dropped, thank you. I know it will get better for AGESS with people like you and people like me ready to bless them with what we have.

I gat to go.”

- Toyin Ewuola (AGESS President)

Tuesday this week, I was back in my alma mater – Obafemi Awolowo University to speak to the students of Agricultural Engineering department. November, this year will make it 3 years since I left that department. I spent 7 years in that school studying for a 5-yr course. I’ll leave the gist of those 7 yrs for now…but i remember very vividly that just before I left, I opened my mouth and passionately declared

“I’ll be back in 5 years time with proof to show my lecturers and the department as a whole that it’s not what degree you graduate with that matters but what pedigree you graduate with or acquire after graduation.”

I’ll need to take you aback a little to explain to you how that statement came about but I had been invited by the Executive Council of the Agricultural Engineering Students Society to come and present a seminar to the whole department during their departmental week. I was offered this honored privilege along with a colleague who had in school been my closest pal and was also excelling uniquely in his own way.

On gaining admission into OAU, I was offered Agricultural Engineering as against Electronic/Electrical Engineering which was my first choice of course of study. I felt really cheated because I had been told that I’d get my choice of course or get Mechanical Engineering. Now, understand that the last course on my mind was Agric Engineering. I didn’t like it and couldn’t stomach the fact that i’d be tied down for 5 years studying a course I detested. To cut the long story short, I got into Agric Engineering anyway and set out to studying for the 1st year after I had alongside my parents been able to negotiate a sure release from the department with the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, if I performed beyond a particular grade point average (GPA).

Ofcourse, I surpassed the GPA and even ended the 1st session as the best student in my class but I was not to be released from the department under different pretexts that ranged from the department not wanting to lose it’s best student and the Dean not admitting that he had committed to letting me go to my desired department. I got really sorry and frustrated and when it seemed like I was going to be spending my 2nd yr in Agric. Engineering, decided to sit for SAT and try to get into Canada. That’s another long story I don’t really want to start in this post but suffice it to say that I performed excellently in the SATs and bettered 93% of those I did the exams with. I had good scholarship scores, but watched to see other friends of mine get scholarships and admissions and travel out with much less scores than I had.

I really had lost interest in OAU at this time and just kept on faffing all around the place. I hardly went for lectures and did my diligence to ensure that I did not perform at all or well in my continuous assessment. Needless of a talisman, you can guess that I performed absolutely woefully that session and decided to wake upt the next. So 300 level as we typically refer to 3rd session was a slow comeback to status quo. 400 level went beautifully and by 500 level, I was sure I’d graduate with my desired GPA. Towards the end of the 2nd semester of my final year, I was told that one of the courses I did in 400 level has been dropped from an A to a B grade. Now, that course had over 10 course units and had the capacity to drop my GPA from one grade level to another.

I tried to solicit the lecturers in the department stating my case passionately about their not letting my hardwork towards the end of my stay in school go to waste. After several passionate appeals and reviews and even staff meetings, they finally decided not to upgrade it to an A. To make matters worse or simpler as the case may be, I had scored in my 1st semester, final year, three 68Bs in 3 different courses. The department was unwilling to upgrade any of these courses as well. I was one of the most popular guys in my set and one of the most respected and friendly with respect to lecturers in the department, but I wasn’t treated particularly well in my own estimation. Hence, I declared with a lot of passion and emotion the statement in quote above.

Amazingly, only 3 years after, I’ve been able to live the words that I proclaimed 3 years earlier as I stood up to speak to over 150 students and lecturers of my former department about how to succeed beyond the four walls of the University. It gave me a feeling of accomplishment and joy knowing I can positively impact a department that negatively motivated me for the challenges outside the university. My lecturers would probably have been in my success story as supporters, rather, they are there as antagonists whose hurdle I needed to overcome to succeed outside school.

I thank God that he put me in such a position but I challenge you to challenge your challenge currently and declare to it your desire very passionately in a measure of time and see if it is possible or not to change your world with your words.