Opinion

Just Get Busy by Henry Ukazu

Published

6 years ago

February 23, 2019

Eric

Greetings my good friends,

I will begin this article with a quote most of you are quite familiar with. It says “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step in the right direction”. Achieving success is not an easy task as most people think. A lot of work is required. To achieve success, you need to be focused, work hard and smart, sacrifice your time, network, and research just to mention a few. Since we are interested in achieving success, we shall be discussing an interesting topic which can enable you to attain success if you play by the rules of the game.

It’s imperative to note that for you to succeed in any task, you must know the right methodology to approach depending on what you are looking out to achieve. For example if you want to learn any art or skillful work you are expected to get training in the work, if you want to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher etc. you must go to school to attain the required training. It’s quite unfortunate a lot of people want to succeed in life without doing anything. They simply want to go to heaven without dying. Funny indeed.

To achieve success, you must be engaged, you must be busy doing something productive. You can’t expect to get something worthy without doing anything. In latin, it is said Nemo dat quod non habet which literally means, you can’t give what you don’t have. Getting busy doesn’t really entail spending time and resources on one activity or the other, you must be productive in addition to knowing what you really want at the end of the day. This is because you can be busy doing nothing.

The hardest task in life is getting started, once you can surmount the courage to start, you can be sure of victory all things being equal. Isn’t it true that the whole world sets apart for the man who knows where he’s going? Once you begin a task, there’s a probability you will make mistakes which can make you to learn, relearn and unlearn. There’s also a probability you will get assistance down the line when you remain focused. If you are passionate about a cause, the best thing you can do is get busy, identify with people doing the same work you are passionate about, take a bold step and leave your comfort zone.

Let me share a personal experience with you, when I had the inspiration of writing a book I didn’t know where and how to start. Despite reaching out to friends and mentors, I was still confused on how to proceed with the work. After much consultation, I realized the best thing I can do is to get started. Even when I hit the ground moving, I was still wondering if I had the right information and methodology to approach the work. During this process, I learnt, relearn and unlearnt valuable information in addition to making mistakes which at the end of the day shaped my work to be very resourceful. The moral of this story is that I was smart enough to go through any door that opened and learnt from it. The message here is that, I didn’t just relax and believe everything will work. I had to leave my comfort zone and got busy and along the line, I learnt a lot to be a consultant in book publication.
We live in a society where some people have an entitlement mentality. These set of individuals feel like the society owes them a lot of favor which ordinary isn’t the case. When you get busy and positively engaged, there’s a high probability you stand a great chance of meeting people who will assist your vision to succeed.

Getting busy can mean working as an intern, networking with the right people, attending events of interest, learning or researching information of interest that will positon you for the next big opportunity. It should be noted that there’s nothing like luck and miracle in the real world, rather luck and opportunities meet prepared minds. If you really want to know more about a person, just observe what the person spends his/her time on. You can literally know or tell more about a person by what he or she does. Great men and women spend time on projects they are passionate about, they have no time to engage in frivolity. They are too busy thinking of the next project to accomplish.

When you get busy on a task, you might make mistakes, but mistakes shouldn’t be used to define you, rather it should be used to see how far you have come in life. In the real world, it doesn’t really matter where you are coming from, all that is important is where you are going. When you succeed in your business, you are bound to attract a followership base who will not only believe in you, but will be inspired to learn from your success stories.
Getting busy involves determination and courage. An African adage says, if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go with a team. According to Robert Collier, “your level of success is determined by the level of belief you have in yourself”. It doesn’t matter what people are saying about you, all that matters is what you feel about yourself.

According to the Book of life in 1 John 4:4 “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world”.

Finally, getting busy involves taking risk. Any rational being knows that risk is an important part of business. Most great people are risk takers, they took risk and discovered more opportunities. I don’t really know what you are working on, but I do know that, per Jim Rohn “If you are unwilling to take the risk you will settle for the ordinary.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He can be reached via henrous@gmail.com

Opinion

Dele Momodu: Charismatic Gentleman @65

Published

4 days ago

May 10, 2025

Eric

By Yemi Edun

Aare Dele Momodu is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable names, voices, and personalities to emerge from the world’s most populous Black nation Nigeria.

Anyone who has travelled with Bob Dee would understand the magnetic presence he carries from Atlanta Georgia, Accra to Nairobi, down to Central London. He receives nods of admiration, requests for photos, and warm pats on the back wherever he goes. A true cultural ambassador, effortlessly at ease in rich native attire, which his commanding presence makes look truly majestic, he wears native outfits like royalty.

He is a consummate storyteller, an indefatigable workhorse, and one of the most selfless and hospitable people I know. His generosity is legendary. Mention Dele Momodu at any Marriott Hotel in East Africa, and you can expect the red carpet to be rolled out.

I was stunned at Kotoka International Airport as immigration and customs officials broke into chants of “Ovation! Ovation!” while we walked through, it was surreal but perfectly fitting for a man so deeply respected.

Bob Dee is at home with the old and young, with royalty and regular folk alike. There are countless moments that reflect his goodness, but allow me to share just one:

In Summer 2023, while holidaying in Accra with my family, Aare generously assigned his Ghanaian chef to us for two full weeks serving delicious meals until we had to kindly ask him to pause! Not long after, he flew into Accra and hosted us at La Chaumiere his favourite upscale French restaurant, where his presence is evidently cherished.

As my daughter and I prepared to return to London, we discovered shockingly that her passport had expired just a day earlier. I had to remain behind to resolve the issue. By divine timing, Bob Dee called to check in, and upon hearing the situation, immediately sent his driver. We spent that night in his elegant Accra home.

The next morning, using her Nigerian passport, we flew into Lagos. On his advice, I contacted Mr. Governor, and thanks to that call and Bob Dee’s understanding of the terrain, a new British passport was issued the same day.

Happy Birthday, Aare. A charismatic gentleman, who treats all with warmth and deserved respect.

@yemiedundf

Opinion

A Tribute of Grace to My Younger Brother, Dele Momodu, @65

Published

6 days ago

May 8, 2025

Eric

By Mama OluwaBunmi Adedayo

My Beloved Aburo,

Your heart beats with the rhythm of compassion,
Your laughter softens the storms of men,
And your pen—yes, that mighty pen—has built bridges where once stood walls.

Today, I speak not only with words,
But with the rhythm of gratitude,
The poetry of love,
And the dance of legacy.

You are more than a name—
You are Dele Momodu.
A spirit of honour.
A vessel of humility.
A generous soul.
A quiet strength wrapped in dignity and thunder.

In you, kindness flows like a river,
And generosity walks hand in hand with wisdom.

You have fed minds, lifted voices,
And sewn hope into the very fabric of Africa.

You write—oh, how you write—
With fire, with elegance, with truth.
You publish, you speak, you dream aloud.
You carry the soul of a president, even when the title passed by.

But allow me this honest moment:
As I turned through the pages of Ovation Magazine,
I searched for a picture of us—
You and I,
Captured in joy, frozen in memory.
But it was not there.

*Yes, I am jealous!*
I say it with a loving smile.
It’s alright… this time.
But when the next milestone arrives,
*When seventy comes knocking—*
*By the grace of God, we shall all be alive.*
And when that time comes,
Let my picture rise with yours,
Let our laughter live in history.
Let it not be forgotten—*again.*

So, as you are honoured today,
And as voices rise in celebration,
Know this, my dear brother:

You are deeply cherished.
You are profoundly celebrated.
And I—your sister, your friend, your family—
Walk with pride in your light.

May joy crown your 65 years,
And may heaven prepare glory for your 70th.

With all my heart and prayers,
Mama OluwaBunmi Adedayo

Opinion

Towards a Non-Violent Local Government Election in Lagos State

Published

1 week ago

May 5, 2025

Eric

By Tola Ogunnubi

The upcoming July 12, 2025 Local Government Election in Lagos State is a litmus test for the 2027 general elections.

The election of executives at the grassroots level to run the affairs of the Local Government has always been a mixture of peace and violence between leading political parties, aspirants, indigenes and settlers in the various area councils. Local government elections is a critical element of democracy and governance which provides a vital pathway for new political participants to engage communities and impact governance from the ground up in their quest for good governance.

In Lagos State, elections have always been characterized with violence and peaceful conducts. Clashes between APC supporters and main opponents’ supporters from the PDP have been reported from various parts of the state like Surulere, Agege, Amuwo-Odofin, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Ojo, Oshodi-Isolo and Kosofe LGAs of the state.

Election violence can diminish voter turnout, influence election outcomes, and erode public trust in the electoral system raising concerns about the legitimacy of results according to Yiaga Africa. Political parties should ensure that the local elections is not a zero sum game, whereby the winners takes it all and the benefits of good governance is limited and retained to only party members and loyalists.

The violence that led to the death of Jide Badaru and one other with several people injured in August 2018 in Surulere Local Government should not be allowed to happen again. According to the cousin of the deceased Mr. Babatunde Badaru, a former Local Government Chairmanship Aspirant in his accounts of the violence that characterizes elections in Surulere LGA.

The wanton destruction of properties, continued threat to lives of opposition supporters should be a thing of the past. Since it is a grassroots election, the African communal sense of being should be displayed during the elections. Perpetrators of electoral violence and their sponsors should be arrested and should be diligently prosecuted so as to deter others who see violence as a viable pathway to electoral victory.

Tola Ogunnubi ANIPR wrote in from Abuja Abuja