ATTAINING THE TOP IS NOT FREE, IT COSTS A FEE

By Oyero Joshua

 

“A name without fame is like a fire without flame” –Indian Fables

Ever-wondered why the river to be swam to become head and shoulder is often enmity-infested?

Ever-wondered why those who refuse the anointing of ‘ogas at the top’ face soul-ripping frustrations before attaining their desire?

Ever-wondered why Uncle Lucky have been fighting Uncle Timmy tooth and nail?

Ever-wondered……………?

As a slave to the spirit of creativity, I guardedly wandered in the forest of fiction as to how to represent in fable without being guilty of sedition the on-goings in the political arena in the land.

Lately, many knives of accusations, oppositions, antagonism and immeasurable hatred dangle over Uncle Timmy’s bald head like an axe in the grip of an executioner. Here-in, the embattled number one citizen of Rivers as recognized by the decree they call a constitution (who is fooling who?) is my dramatis personae. The winner of the annulled Wazobia Governor’s Forum election has since for past few weeks been facing hot vissisitude of life.

Unfortunately, like the biblical story of the promising Joseph who was sold into slavery by his own kith and kin, Uncle Lucky has betrayed ethnic brotherliness  and neighbourliness by succumbing to pressures from the ‘gods of his party’. Thus, selling his own brother whose state is just a stone’s throw to his birth soil to the political demand of his mentors. It’s uncharitable to say that for some weeks now, heaven has not let loose on Uncle Timmy. Just as the Pharisees and Saduccees waged war of unacceptability to the innocent young man born by Mary as believed by the adherents of Christ all because of his precocious mannerism, the Yoruba-Ibo born man of Rivers has become an eagle on the altar of sacrifice with the obvious insights ranging from the anti-Uncle Timmy, but intra-party rivalry, the recently annulled Wazobia Governor’s Forum election and the chase given to Uncle Timmy by the manipulated official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Of late, Aso rock has painted the bald big-pauch man of Rivers with the brush of over-ambition, which explains why he has fallen under the surveillance radar of Aso rock because of raging insinuation that Uncle Timmy may due to his obvious acceptability that he enjoys as ‘a man of the people in the Wazobia Governors’ Forum may be a running mate to Mallam Sule of Jigawa, a presumed choice of the pauch-bellied man of Hilton tower in Abeokuta in the years to come whose absence at the just celebrated democracy day connotes rejection of Uncle Lucky’ lousy style of disarming opponents.

Apparently, Uncle Lucky and Uncle Timmy speak two different languages and no magic of translation whatsoever could bridge the gulf of mutual incomprehension that exists between them. The whole episode is one of survival of the most-backed. This, I think is why our ‘oga at the top’ who also doubles as the ‘I’ve got no shoe crooner’ has been mounting hot pressure on Uncle Timmy in the form of denigration which ultimately will lead to the relegation of the Uncle Timmy’s personality in the mind of rightful thinking individual who may thumb-print him if he eventually declares his nascent ambition to run the race for Aso Rock come twenty-twenty minus five. In sum, Uncle Timmy is like a spread eagle on the altar of sacrifice waiting for a Messiah to salvage him. But, the unfolding of the episodes so far reveals that Uncle Timmy is of a tenacious and dogged pedigree with the resistance posture he has assumed since the inception of the whole saga.

Its commonplace for seers to for-see out of sheer clairvoyance the bright days that lay ahead of individuals especially promising ones. This explains why Uncle Lucky and his cohorts in the mafia-form ruling party has discern the radiant political tomorrow of Uncle Timmy and in other to compel him to dis-consider or jettison his yet-to-be-disclosed futuristic ambition in the murky waters of national politics, they resolved to piling frustration on the head of the man hairless at the fore.

To drift away from politics and its intrigues, the fact that there is no monopoly of ambition in life necessitate that success attracts a fee, it’s not free. Winners are winners even if the chances go thinner. They are quintessential symbol of doggedness and radicalism at the pursuit of their lofty dreams. They have the tenacity to defeat adversity.

Hint to know a person’s tomorrow is of majestic radiance is when the atmosphere around is so dense and enmity-infested. Like Uncle Timmy, many are the cut-throat competitions and ill-seated rivalry that we experience on a daily basis especially from contenders.

However, it’s no more astonishment that the air of friendship wear and tears while that of diplomacy and hypocrisy gain ascendancy whenever promotion of deserving staffers in organizations comes to fore. From barbaric manipulation and diabolic use of metaphysical powers to fasting and praying in ancient religious centres, each strives relentlessly to out-wit the other(s).However, I think they have a justification for treading such parts: a portion of the Christian holy encapsulates the preservation of one’s interest in any area of one’s endeavour. Here’s it: The kingdom of attaining the seat at the top suffereth violence and the violent taketh it by force.

Though I bear no reservation whatsoever to the mantra ‘use what you have to get what you want’, but, must it be done at the detriment of others without moral allignment? Not in a country where electoral right has no restrain in as much as a person has the requirement for eligibility to contest for any political post should Uncle Lucky resume defamation and intimidation of Uncle Timmy. Numerical strength in election(though, not all the time) is the best rating of the man of the people.

The spirit of self-forgetfulness is an archaic one that any apostle who crusades it is scorned by the gaze of rapacious persons. We have become excessive in our display of ethical egoism. This explains why government sponsored assassinations and purloin of intimidatingly whopping amount from public treasuries all in the name of guarding one’s interest has been on the rising. We forget that though by the programming of nature a price is to be paid to acquire one’s desire, but the soul-searching question is: ‘What kind of price do we pay for claiming our aim?’. Is it by inditing any perceived contender of our quest?

Our politicians today and many other greedy individuals have thrown away the humanistic spirit. They employ all expediency to immorally out-wit their contenders so as to have the seat at the top for themselves.

To all the Uncle Timmys who suffer from authoritative violence and stifling thorns of sheer sentiments of ‘ogas at top’ at work and in the turf of politics, know this that the most sturdy of strength lies not in physical mightiness, but in willingness to triumph. If you doubt me, ask the renown stouthearted Golliath.

The end is not the end because the lexicon ‘END’ is an acronym that symbolizes Efforts Never Dies!

…Kip da Optimism Alive

A SCENE I HAVEN'T SEEN!

‘Kayode Oyero

"Preservation of self-interest is the first law of nature. If the use of force will put an end to 'our' loss and prevent matters from getting worse, then, let there be no pause." -O.J.O

peace we hope.

Caught in a reflective mood on one of my numerous tours to the forest of intuition, I observed with keen patriotic spirit that to Wazobia, the calmness of peace is like a rare commodity which had disappeared from the market place perhaps when she went shopping.

On a hop down memory lane, one will agree that from the day Wazobia attained independence from colonial domination, the nation's governance suffereth violence and the violent has been taking it by force. As I soliloquy this in sheer silence gazing at the environmental relief that nature benevolently adorned the forest of mystery with, I stumbled on a faithful Wazobia Patriot. That was during a long diurnal walk while coming back from the visitation I had made to the forest of mystery.

He's a mysterious creature! He’s Gani by name. Gani, an activist whose relentlessness at agitating for justice and fairness of the masses of Wazobia had earned him duo SAN titles: Senior Advocate of the Masses and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Though some people had rumoured his death some time ago, but somehow, somehow, we met somehow.

*****

Having exchanged pleasantries, I struck the matchstick of the conversation:

“Gani” I said “still on the State Of Emergency issue, my heart reel in bountiful joy and satisfaction that our 'Oga at the top', a person of Uncle Lucky whom I had rationally concluded suffers from narcolepsy sometimes early last month had fully ailed from his affliction. I could recall with precision that he had caressed the consideration of what I termed 'monetary amnesty' in my open letter to the executive tagged: Fg. forgive, but don't give. That was during those trying period when his mental health and that of his cohorts in the glorified national deliberative crib called national assembly faced challenges of nature. I need not dwell too much on such issue that had seen them flaunt their feebleness and indiscretion at matters of national security.” I paused to make it a dialogue affair and not monologue that was when I remembered what Linguists termed 'turn taking' in conversational interaction.

Gani let out a deep sigh. He then broke the code of silence that he had confined himself into. “My good thinker,” he softly professed. “I heard all you uttered. But, I need to be educated as regards this concept of yours. The one you abbreviate as SOE. You know as my people will say that one must know the fundamental of an issue before passing a remark. This, according to them is in order not to succeed in blaming the un-wrong side of a matter.”

“Okay, that's no qualms!” I retorted, proceeding to feed Gani with an understanding of SOE. “SOE is an acronym that stands for State Of Emergency. It's a government declaration which usually suspends a few normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers. Such declaration comes during a time of natural or man-made disasters and civil unrest. It is about the adoption of extra-ordinary measures to restore calmness and peace in a place of unrest at one time or the other as the need calls for it.” I enlightened.

“Now I get you!” he exclaimed “Isn't it the type that Uncle Lucky having secured the unalloyed support of Uncle Mark recently declared upon three terrorist-pitched state namely YOBE, BORNO and ADAMAWA state?”

“Yes, you get it,” I affirmed.

“But, Gani, I must say that even when you seem to now fellowship with people of the opposite world, you're still abreast of national issues as when you bounce on red earth. Kudos to your sharp memory Gani!”

“Thank you my thinker, what can separate me from having issues of Fatherland at heart? Not even when Carnivores are on a quest to devour all the Omnivores in the land. Besides the latest visitor on the side of the world where I now domicile, the literary magnate, Chinua Achebe reliably told me all that recently happened in Wazobia before the terminator of all times struck its hammer on his head.”

“Alright, I thought as much that how come you’re so abreast of issues of Wazobia when you’ve got no informant. Anyways, time is no longer befriending us, now to issues on the front-burner, Gani, what do you generally think of the State of Emergency issue?” I asked interrogatingly with the tact of a news man.

“It's a decision in a good direction. Uncle Lucky has done laudably well for the first time ever since he luckily occupy the seat of power since 2010 when he ousted his boss by luck. Those face-covering guys must be combated squarely. Tough people should face hardened insurgents as against the balderdash talk Uncle Lucky was advocating then saying that generosity should be extended to men who had perpetuated humongous inhumanity to citizens of Wazobia. Trouble must trouble those that trouble trouble,” Gani blurted, his tone laced with aggression.

“What about the noise-makers of the 'SOE AFFECTED STATES' who call themselves Governors among many other paunch-bellied and Agbada-wearing stakeholders cum godfathers who run their mouth in opposition to the stay of SOE in their respective Boko-torn states, what is your word for them?” I pressed.

“Tell them to beware! Tell them not to stir the hornets' nest of the legal profession. As one of my protégé Falana had said in a recent interview he granted Sahara Reporters, I quote: ‘Anybody found liable in this situation as regards defiance to the stand of 'State of Emergency' will be taken to Hague where the International Criminal Court (I.C.C) will do potent justice to their opposition,’ Force saves loss, remember Jos! The state of affairs in the northern part of Wazobia demands the redemptive intervention of the junior brothers of I.B.B. It's becoming unbecoming of Boko! Her tower of Babel must be forcibly lowered! Sound-bite solutions aired on broadcast stations salvages nothing, neither has it forestalled the calamity brought upon the serenity of Wazobia by Boko from festering. Going down history lane, I want you to remember as vividly as possible that the deployment of military force settled the religious schism and land disputes that engulfed and almost wiped out the hitherto hospitable and tourist-friendly city of Jos. If the use of force will bring an end to the callous and unjustified extermination of human lives and the macabre burnings and bombings of property meted on my beloved country, Wazobia by Boko, consequently making her territory experience a gush of peace and stability where expatriates, foreign nationals and tourists will entertain no fear of cruising round any section of the country. Then, let there be no pause!

Wazobia is going extinct!
Something distinct must be done!

The psychical anguish is too much!

Boko’s ambush on the people is insufferable! Her claws must be hand-cuffed’ Gani thundered with a whiff of zeal while he bade me good bye and disappeared briskly, an eternal never-again goodbye, like a chameleon in danger, acclimatizing his skin to the colour of his environment, sending its attackers into an ocean of confusion and delusion.

“So, it's no rumour that Gani is truly and really dead!” I yelled in a mouth-quavering manner, my eyeballs bulgy, almost unhinged from its socket as rains of saliva drooled down my chin, in stunning astonishment.

“Ha! I've been talking with a ghost!” I exclaimed in a petrified tone.

*****

 ff @Imodoye_1 on twitter

A BOKO-FREE WAZOBIA!

...Kip da Optimism Alive!

DESIRE A FINANCIALLY SAFE TOMORROW? SAVE TODAY!

Hello dear friends! How’re you? Hope you’re fine. Do you know that investment guarantees financial security in unpredictable times? Do you also know that the future is cheap when bought today? If you wish to know, this is for you. So, I’ve titled this one: Desire a Financially Safe Tomorrow? Save Today! Enjoy!

 

‘Kayode Oyero

“Show me a low income earner who is a proud owner of a lush duplex building, and I’ll tell you: ‘he’s a man of good financial habit’... a man either leaves poverty or property for his posterity." - O.J.O

Seriously-minded, the unrestrained, indiscipline and insane manner at which some financially-not-yet-established people spend money is sickening. Some may call my concern meddlesome. But to me, this piece is more of an admonishment than minding other people’s business. Don’t forget, Your Inspiration, My Aspiration! Tell me dear friends! Isn’t it ripe enough we obfuscate: ‘Enough is Enough’ to the mantra famously echoed by the so-called ‘first world nations’ that blacks are people who lack?

>>>Grab your popcorn. We’ve just begun!

In the school of financial intelligence, an average person’s life in contemporary time is divided into three distinct phases. However pertinent is to note that this classification is in conformity with the ageing process of man. They are:

-The learning stage
-The earning stage
-The turning stage

As a convention, when a child squirms out and behold the blue roof of the firmament called earth, such child is subjected or precisely put obligated to undertake certain learning process as s/he grows. Chief amongst these developmental process are academic or technical education; learning a trade (often opted for by the under-privileged and the not mentally-gifted); enrolment at a seminary (for the divinely-called and the out-of-interests) or under the tutelage of an Arabic institution to mention just a few.

In situations far from abnormal, the learning phase of life usually starts from cradle-hood to toddling years into period of adolescence slipping into the exuberant teenage years. And finally, it crystallizes into the dawn of the twenties and at times to mid-twenties depending on how merciful providence is to such an individual.

In sum, the whole essence of the learning facet of life is based on the fact that the mind is a tabula-rasa: a blank white board (as asserted by a western philosopher). And that what a child becomes is contingent on the experience and exposure such a child has. These rationale necessitates that for anybody to be valuable in life, such a person must be exposed to some reformative and informational insights that will make such an individual have in possession what others will be in need of and not only that, but what they will be willing to pay for.

In actuality, the learning phase of life is to arm a being with the arsenal (skills, expertise and technical-know-how) that will make a person debt-free and financially independent in life so as to afford the necessities of life and to defray the basic life’s financial responsibilities like accommodation, nutrition and clothing. 

To the earning chapter:

During the earning phase of life, an individual is expected to work and earn yields in the form of salaries, accumulated wages, charged amounts for a rendered service amongst numerous terminologies used in the art of qualifying the reward of labour. This period customarily span through three decades of life before the bones start getting creaky and tired. To put discretionally, between ages twenty-five to fifty-five.

In this chapter of life, financial prudence demands a foresight individual to put paramount the need to invest. This is basically because it’s the raining season. But today, it’s bothersome that many live under the illusion that today’s survival is of utmost importance and thus should be considered superior above tomorrow’ sustenance. And as a result of such myopic conviction, indulgence in all kinds of financial waste from buying collective clothes chosen for ceremonies almost on weekly basis to the imprudent acquisitions of cars rank atop their list of first class priorities especially in busty cities like Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Port-harcourt (to mention just a few) where the air of weekends are hijacked by extravagant binges, wassails and jamborees on boulevards and relaxation centres.

As truthful a fashion, one ought to enjoy life today who knows tomorrow might never come. But, dear friends! It is pertinent to be conscious, cautious and trenchant in thinking so as to enjoy life minimally in the present in order not to endure poverty and hardship should tomorrow eventually comes in the form of longevity of life.

Putting the future into consideration in extant expenditure and spendings must rise atop the priority of anyone who wishes not to taste the sordidness of reversal of fortune. Anyone yet a Bourgeoisie wont eating with both hands is definitely likely to beg with same hands in the after-earning stage of life. Remember, ours is an era of ‘on your own’ survival. Not with most governments’ nonchalance to the welfare of its citizens!

>>> Fasten your seatbelt. A shocker is inevitable! A rough drive lies ahead!

Frankly speaking, the duplex of many (in precision, the female folks) sits un-erect in their wardrobes; not as raw cash but as depreciable items such as excessively high and countless clothes that come next six months they wouldn’t think of wearing, all these in the name of fashion? Owning mansions are far better.

Dear friends, to be in vogue asset wise, one must forfeit in the present being in vogue fashion wise. Though, the above conjured picture might not be befitting for the extra-ordinarily wealthy folks. But, for hustlers (let’s not deceive ourselves, we all know our individual financial worth) cut your cloth according to your coat. You need not indulge in charlatanism.

Dear friends, modernization should not erode or corrode our sense of financial moderation. Not in a dispensation witnessing a phalanx number of white collar salary dependants whose entitlement and grants are sometimes mortgaged. Self-discipline should overpower self-indulgence: flamboyance and outrageous elegance!

                 

Hmmn! It’s important we ensure our self-discipline subdue futile self-indulgence!

>>> Hope your popcorn has some crumbs left ‘cos we’re almost there. Stay glued!

Viewing from a rather pessimistic but probable lenses, one ought to consider one’s future independent survival if perhaps disengagement from official duty come calling. A caveat: please don’t label me a prophet of doom. The dynamism of life necessitates pro-activeness and pre-planning.

Dear friends! It’s important to be alert of the tricky and imbalance swings of fate and corporate realities that lace the moment. Pre-active planning makes you anticipate an unfavourable financial condition and consequently makes strategize ways as to manage such situation if it eventually comes. But as with most things in life, the healthy place is always with balance in the middle. It’s also important we alongside optimize our mind with optimistic thoughts that gloom or doom won’t be ours. As a man thinketh….

Excusably, some might claim that theirs is an insufficient income. But to be realistic, give someone with an average income but, no savings or investment acumen a hundred percentage raise of what he incumbently earns and you won’t be astonished should such a person repeatedly complain of monetary insufficiency some months after. The reason is not far-fetched: Such an individual expands his or her expense on liability (mostly wants) as income fattens.

Dear friends, to move from the inglorious basement of squalor to the pedestal of glorious splendour, it’s pertinent to incorporate in oneself, an investment mentality. This mentality engenders putting money in stocks, bond, intellectual investment, entrepreneurship, appreciable assets and real estate. Yes, real estate! “It’s the only real investment.” says a Wealth creation agent and a Life coach, Olumide Emmanuel during a motivation section sometimes last year in Lagos.

 “Real estate is a trans-decade and an ever-appreciable investment of all times especially in a dispensation where the need for shelter and habitation is on the crescendo. Fools waste money. Average people spend money while wise people invest money. Isn’t it surprising how the worth of lands in areas that could hitherto be plausibly described as rural or less cosmopolitan in pre-millennium times rose miraculously to jaw-dropping rate as a result of urbanization?” he said.

Dear friends, to invest in the earning stage of life is to harvest handsomely later in the turning phase when the bones will be too creaky and too tired to jump from here and there in pursuit of daily bread. Such a life of foraging for needs right from the day one of the diamond jubilee years is what could be unambiguously described to be a life of unfulfilment. Such a life of active hustling and struggling in the dawn of the sixties I know is not one that is desirable by any rational, insightful and foresight individual.

The pathway to wealth is none other but shunning financial prodigality (the purchase of frivolities) and embrace financial frugality (investing in assets).

I’m @Imodoye_1 on Twitter

Thanks for the read. Enjoy your day and:

 ...Kip da Optimism Alive!

DESIRE TO MOVE UP THE LADDER? WORK HARDER.

(By Oyero Joshua)

"Show me a man who blames the polity for his wretchedly poor condition and I'll show you a man whose hands are literarily lame." -O.J.O
 

Aside metaphysical reasons, I'm of the firm belief that people who rise-up from the soothing bed of laziness would arise someday. Hard work is no doubt a pre-condition for success.

 

A dozen year ago, as an inquisitive child in his adolescence whose viewing lenses of the world was still foggy, I was a thorn in the flesh of my school teachers especially the school councilor. This, was because I was wont to frequently probing him to reveal the 'WHYS' Aof hard work.

 

"Why must I work hard, not to talk of working harder when I've got no financial worry? Dad and Mom are both there to cater for all my needs. I can't allow the rave of the moment to pass me by. Hard work my foot!" were the exact lines I daringly strewn to reply the school councilor when he offered words of admonishment to playful pupils (in which I was inclusive) saying we should take our studies seriously. It was on a frigid Monday morning at the fairly expansive assembly ground of the school.

 

Expectedly, to him and other members of the academic staff, the demonstration was an ignominy of the highest magnitude. Thus, I was served with a well-deserved punishment of clearing a moderately wide but thick bush, one exclusively reserved for audacious offenders who flout the school's moral conformities.

 

Now, having pondered on the afore-cited drama of disrespect which I'm of the belief that it was a manifestation of my Juvenile deliquency (You know???), I now fully understand why I need to work hard, harder and even hardest(If there's any superlative word of such).

 

Let's face the economic reality of the millenium, the need to take up responsibility especially in the area of finance is one that cannot be over-emphasized. This is because taking up responsibility(ies) by definition is a sign of being responsible while evading responsibility is an exclusive identity of a liability. To put it mildly, it's no doubt that a poor father is known outside via the appearance of his kids. (Right?). This is inclusive of the type of school his wards attend amongst other determinants of social class ranking.

 

To move up the ladder from the basement of squalor to the magnificent state of splendor, you've got to be dedicated in your dealings: at the office; in studies or in your self-employed trade. In short, anything your hands find, do it with all thoroughness.

 

See, my dear reader, being an extremist at one's pursuit make one exemplary. Prove me wrong if you think Reuben Abati wasn't an extremist when it comes to scribbling thought-provoking articles at Guardian Newspapers before he started his 'Aso rock things'.

 

Acute devotion to one's duty at work cum the meticulous handling of special tasks assigned to one by superiors is the surest and quickest route to the pedestal of rapid promotion and social elevation.

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS SAVE ONE FROM SOCIAL INSULTS. HARD WORK IS GOT ITS GRATIFYING REWARD!

...Kip da Optimism Alive