Monthly Archives: June 2022

Sometimes back, I met two gentle ladies arguing who between the two is better skilled to perform a particular act. One said she has natural talent, only that she is too busy to put it to practice. The other performs the act regularly and is so confident of herself. Either was convicted of her belief but I waited for my opinion to be sought, lest I became an intruder. Mine was not to make one feel better than the other when my opinion was eventually sought but I reminded the first lady that passion, constant practice and consistency can displace the best talent that is kept in abeyance for too long a time. If you don’t use your talent, you will lose it. It is just a matter of time.

Have you ever experienced kindness from someone before and when you say thank you he tells you not to mention it? It’s a common occurrence. Sometimes he even goes further to say it is the least he can do, hence don’t mention. Can I tell you something? Please mention it. If possible, mention it again. Nine times out of ten, he is waiting for you to mention it so he can have the opportunity to tell you not to mention it. Even if it is the least he can do for you, still mention it. Not mentioning it sends a message not intended but oftentimes implied. Every man (and woman) likes to be appreciated. Beyond the gratitude the beneficiary of your kindness expresses, there is a more interesting side to being kind. It is the indescribable feeling of self gratification when you show kindness. For every act of kindness you show, there is an unspoken feeling. That feeling is more gratifying. I call it personalised kindness.

Nigeria is on the march again, looking for Mr President. The past week witnessed many memorable events. The most topical issue of the moment revolves around the choice of running mates for the elected candidates of the two major political parties. Some have said religion doesn’t matter. Those who take that position have their reasons. As things stand in Nigeria today, of course religion does matter. In a country where a particular faith is feeling persecuted, it sounds too simple to think that religion doesn’t matter in the choice of the combination of who lead Nigeria. However, the relevant question we should be asking is if religion should matter in the choice of running mate for any candidate who has his roadmap for changing the narrative for a country deeply in the woods. This is what I call the conundrum for my beloved country, Nigeria where merit panders to primordial sentiments. It is the failure of leadership that makes us to define competence by clan and/or religious affiliation.

Jeffrey Awoniyi is the youngest member of the Book Club @ Peace House. He is 7 years old. He was the symbol of the event. Jeffrey stole the show when he stepped out to give an account of his major take home from the book, Winning Strategies. He chose the topic “Face your Fear”. Indeed Jeffrey faced his fear when he defeated timidity and spoke to the audience. I was particularly thrilled with the way he held tightly to the book in a ‘don’t let go’ manner. He is a leader in waiting. The event was the book reading of Winning Strategies on Saturday the 4th of June, 2022. The Convener of the Book Club and Head of Service of Ekiti State, Mrs Peju Babafemi, displayed exemplary leadership. She is a leader indeed, a mother hen with a sea of committed followers who are leaders in their right. The lead discussant and my namesake, Professor Christopher Oluwadare, provided fresh insights to the book, even to me, the author. If only one can climb the professorial chair on account of name sharing, perhaps I would have borrowed his prestigious professorial title but wishes are not horses. I found a new friend in him.

There were many events of significance to me this past weekend. Some are spirit lifting, some are lesson laden but one particular event was heartrending. To me, this is one of those moments when the ink in my pen refuses to flow. My heart is heavy, the words are few. Nigerians groan under harsh conditions but resilience describes her people even in the face of uncertainties of what tomorrow holds. When everything else fails, the succour we seek is in the place of worship, where we dump all challenges and hold on to the hope in the God of creation. If this only hope is taken away, what then is left to live for? It was a black Sunday in Owo, Ondo State yesterday when unidentified gun men mingled with worshippers to maul down unidentified number of people and spilled innocent bloods in a carnage that can be well described as the Owo massacre.