Opinion
70 Gbosas for the Guru: A Birthday Tribute to Dr Mike Adenuga
Published
7 months agoon
By
Eric
By Mayor Akinpelu
Dr Mike Adenuga, Chairman of Globacom, Conoil Producing, Conoil Plc and Cobblestones Properties, is a workaholic. He has this enormous capacity for work. It is not unusual for visitors to be ushered into his office at 2am. Some visitors wait for hours to see him. He is a hands-on chief executive and he micromanages.
Nothing goes on in his financial empire that spans telecoms, oil, banking, real estate and construction without his knowledge. He works hard and drives those who work for him equally hard. It is not unusual for a top executive in his company to receive a phone call, in the dead of the night, with instructions to proceed on an assignment outside the country. Working for Dr Adenuga is a 24-hour job. There are peculiar traits about this genius. One of them is his generosity. Dr Adenuga is one of the most generous persons I know. Because he shuns publicity like plague, many do not realize the quantum of lives he has touched through his generosity. Apart from touching people’s lives, he is also generous to friends, family members and his workers. I had the privilege of doing some media relations works for him in the past. I particularly remember the CIL days when his telecoms license was cancelled. We used to meet in the study of his Oko-Awo, Victoria Island residence with the head of the communications department of CIL at the time. When we met in the morning, he would give me money, after the meeting. We would reconvene in the evening and he would still give me money. We would meet the following morning; he would do the same thing. You cannot see Dr Adenuga and leave without being blessed. And as he was giving me money, he was also giving the CIL guy who was his staff. You may not see Dr. Adenuga for years, but when you least expect it, you would receive a phone call that would make you smile. This ability to make a remarkable intervention in one’s life encouraged people to label him the ‘Spirit of Africa’.
Two examples of his passion for generosity would suffice.
When I wanted to start my newsmagazine, Global Excellence, I took a decision that I must own it. I didn’t want partners because of my experience at Fame magazine. I needed two million naira at the time and I felt the only person that could help me was Dr Adenuga. So, I wrote him a letter asking him to give me N2m loan for me to realize my dream. I sent the letter through a friend who was a top executive in his office. I didn’t get a feedback. But as fate would have it, I was invited by Equatorial Trust Bank, at the time one of his companies, to a cocktail in Victoria Island. When I got to the event, behold the chairman was present. I went to say hello and in the course of discussing with him I asked about the letter I sent to him. “Which letter? I didn’t see any letter,” he replied. He then asked me to discuss the content of the letter. I explained to him that I needed to start another magazine and it would cost me N2m to do it. I told him that I didn’t have any other person that could help me, so I wanted him to give me N2m loan.“What is your collateral,” he asked. “My relationship with you,” I answered. He laughed heartily and said “Mayor wants a loan and he doesn’t have collateral”. My heart sank but immediately he said “you’re our person we have to help you”. He then called my friend that was his staff and told him to bring me to the house on Sunday for us to discuss. I got to my friend’s house on Sunday and he put a call to the chairman’s house to confirm if we could come over. He was told that chairman had traveled to Paris. I felt disappointed. I had to look elsewhere.
A young man whom I met through my colleague and brother, Dele Momodu, assisted me in starting Global Excellence.
To show that Dr Adenuga works like a spirit. The third week of starting Global Excellence in 1999, when things were really tough, I got a message from a friend that worked for Dr Adenuga. He asked if I was in the office, to which I said yes. He then came over and handed me a handsome cheque from the chairman as his support for Global Excellence. I thought he forgot about me, but no. Dr Adenuga always gets in touch with those he loves.
The second experience was even better. When I celebrated my 50th birthday in 2010, many top executives including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, attended the event. I was surprised that Dr Adenuga didn’t wish me a happy birthday. I thought he didn’t remember me. One day, I got a call from Bode Opeseitan who was then working with Dr Adenuga. He told me that chairman said I should come for the dinner party at Civic Centre in Victoria Island, one of the events organized for Bella’s wedding. I told Bode that I didn’t have invitation for the party. He later informed me that chairman said I should go to his house at Oko-Awo to collect an invitation card. I did as I was told but I was not happy. I wasn’t happy because chairman didn’t wish me happy birthday. I got to Civic Centre and as I was entering the hall I met Bode at the entrance. He said; “Lord Mayor, chairman asked me to give you a message, let me give it to you before you enter the party”. So I followed Bode back to his car and he handed me an envelope. I collected it, returned to my car and dropped it in the glove compartment. I went back towards the hall but curiosity was eating me up. So I turned back to my car and opened the envelope to see the content. Herein was an ETB draft a card on which Happy Birthday was written. I almost cried.The amount on that bank draft was so huge that I felt dumbfounded. For a long time, I couldn’t talk. In fact, I was dazed. I later went to thank him at the party, and typical of him, he just laughed; that deep-throat laughter and said “Lord Mayor”.
Just as he touched my life in a special way, he does same for a lot of his staff. Many received brand new exotic cars, huge amount of money, expensive wristwatches and special gifts. But he does not suffer fools gladly. He may be generous, and kind but as his staff he expects certain standards of performance from you. Failure of which would attract consequences. Again, two examples would suffice. When we used to meet with Dr Adenuga during the CIL days, before Globacom became a reality, he used to give myself and the head of Globacom corporate communications money. And the guy used to say “what kind of boss is this that gives you money every time you see him?” one day, we were to do some media works and later meet with chairman in his study at his home in Oko-Awo. We had finished the meeting and as usual, he had given us some money. We were about leaving when he asked the corporate communications guy about the remaining money we didn’t use for the assignment. The guy said “oh I’m sorry sir, this is it”. Dr Adenuga exploded in rage. “Why didn’t you hand it over before I asked you? Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I don’t know what I’m doing? This ‘baga’ has to be fired!” The guy was so scared that he almost peed in his pants. I was stunned myself. I just said the first thing that came to my mind. “I’m sorry sir, it was my fault. I felt since we’re going out tomorrow to continue with the assignment, there’s no need to hand over what we didn’t use yet.” The chairman was calmed. He looked at both of us and said the guy should have said so instead of shaking. I learnt a big lesson that day and something about Dr Adenuga. Yes, he is generous. Yes, he can give money to his staff even more that their salary, but don’t think you can advantage of his generosity to fool him. When it comes to working for him, his standards are quite high. Many of his workers are scared to have meeting with him.
There was a day he summoned me to his office in Oko-Awo. There was a conference room opposite his office where he met with his staff. I was summoned upstairs and asked to sit just before the door to the conference room. One lady who was a top executive in Globacom was invited to attend the meeting. When she arrived she greeted me and did the sign of The Cross before entering the conference room.
Dr Adenuga is a very shy personality. He doesn’t like crowd. There was one of his close aides that celebrated his birthday. The wife organized a surprise party for him in Ikoyi, Lagos. Aiyefele was on the bandstand. When the guy was informed about the arrangement minutes into the surprise party, he informed Dr Adenuga and then left for the party. Chairman does not attend parties. But, surprisingly, he decided to shock his aide by showing up at the party. Nobody knew he was coming!
DrAdenuga got to the venue and took the lift to the floor where the party was going on. As the lift opened, he saw that it was a big party with a band. He just called for the lift, entered and went back. We were at the party when someone rushed upstairs to inform us that chairman just left. Some of us, including the celebrator, rushed downstairs. Chairman was gone. If you see Dr Adenuga at a party, even his own party, you would find him sitting alone, straight-faced. He would hardly eat or drink. He would just be playing with his gold rosary. The only time I saw him letting his hairs down at a party was during the rites of passage for his mother. There was a party at Jogor Centre, Ibadan. It wasn’t as crowded as Lagos or Ijebu parties. Chairman was at home here. He drank Crystal Champagne, and even gave money to the musician on the bandstand. He stayed for a long time at the party. Dr Adenuga is also a family man. He dots on his wife and kids. He finds time for family dinner. The last time I saw him was at his favourite Italian restaurant in Victoria Island. I had been invited to a party in honour of a journalist friend. I was leaving the restaurant and saw chairman and his family having dinner. Dr Adenuga is my hero and mentor. I’m one of the privileged few that have a plaque espousing his Philosophy on Achieving. I have it on my office desk. It is exclusively for his admirers and disciples.
It gives me great pleasure to join millions of other well-wishers to wish Dr Mike Adenuga a happy, fulfilling 70th birthday. You’re a gift to the world. Nigeria is blessed to have you. The world is a better place with you.
Happy birthday, the Spirit of Africa. Best wishes for peace profound.
From an admirer and disciple.
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Opinion
Open Letter to FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike By Richard Akinnola II
Published
2 days agoon
November 27, 2023By
Eric
Dear Hon minister,
First, a disclosure. You may not know me but we have met on two occasions in the house of our mutual respected Oga, first as a minister of State and second as a Governor, but l doubt if you can recognize me now. I’m one of your admirers and critic.
As a two-time Governor of Rivers state, you did well in terms of infrastructures, for which l often commend you. I however, sometimes disagree with you, particularly what l consider your streaks of high-handedness against those who disagreed with you politically.
I’m writing this letter, with the hope that don would send it to you, after watching your media interview with particular reference to your protégé and successor, Sim Fubara, a guy l have never met. No doubt, he wouldn’t have emerged as Governor without your imprimatur. I don’t have the details of your disagreement and I’m not even interested. What I’m interested in is you to rise above the alleged offence.
Take a deep breath and have an introspective view of your political trajectory since 1999.
*1999-2007: Obio-Akpor LGA Chairman
*2007-2011: Chief of Staff, Rivers
*2011-2015: Education Min. (State)
*2015-2023: Governor, Rivers State
*2023-till date: Minister of FCT
And you are just 55!
I stand to be corrected, nobody from Rivers State has been so politically favoured and blessed by God as you are, not that you are the most politically-savvy politician from the state but it’s just the Grace of God. I plead with you, don’t take such grace for granted.
As Governor of Lagos state in 2010, Governor Babatunde Fashola told me something that has stuck with me till today, regarding power and leadership. There was a three-month old strike by doctors in Lagos over pay increase. I stepped in to mediate between the doctors and State, which by the grace of God, l was able to pull through after extensive negotiations with the doctors and the strike was called off to the relief of millions of Lagosians. In the course of the mediation, Fashola told me that some people asked him to fire all the doctors but he made this profound statement: “Restraint is a powerful tool in leadership; the fact that you have the power to do something but chose to look the other way.” That statement has stuck with me till date. Why do you think American presidents, despite the temptation to press the nuclear button, when their interests are threatened, rather exercise restraint by refusing to go that route. It is leadership restraint.
Permit me to recall a story which you yourself regaled your audience with at the 70th birthday reception you held in honour of Dr Peter Odili. You said that when you wanted to contest for the Chairmanship of Obi/Akpor local government in 1998, you approached Dr Odili, whom you were meeting for the first time and sought his support. He obliged by giving you his support and according to you, he gave you the first financial support towards your ambition, even when he himself was campaigning to run for the governorship of Rivers State. You became the Chairman and when you wanted to go for a second tenure, some political actors removed your name and according to you, you ran to Dr Odili who was then the governor and he saved your political career by reinstating your name.
Fast forward to when you completed your tenure as the Chairman of the local government, when your erstwhile friend, Rotimi Amaechi who just became the Governor, appointed you his Chief of Staff and that administration commenced a process to humiliate Dr Odili by setting up the Rivers State Truth and Reconciliation Commission where your benefactor, Odili was the target and was put in the witness box.
Later when cracks began to emerge in your relationship with your boss, Amaechi, you ran back to your benefactor, Dr Odili to apologise for how your administration humiliated him. As a large-hearted person, he forgave you and that began a wonderful relationship till date. Why am l making references to these incidents? If Dr Odili could forgive you and took you back, why can’t you also forgive your political offenders, including Fubara, particularly since God has been so good to you?
Anyone who has transversed Ada George road, Port harcourt and seen the humongous, palatial estate you reside in, that takes a substantial part of that road, would know that you are not lacking materially. Coupled with that, you are a minister in the current government and your wonderful wife is a judge. What else does any human being want?
My brother, please calm down and let go of your ego and learn from history. Who would have thought that a whole General Shehu Yar’Adua (rtd) could die like a chicken inside prison; who would have imagined that a whole Bashorun MKO Abiola, the then richest man in Africa could spend five years in detention and die in custody, despite his international connections; who would have imagined that Major Hamza Al-Mustapher, the de facto Head of State during the junta of General Sanni Abacha, a man even Generals genuflected for, would spend 14 years in prison? Please, pause and think. This life is ephemeral. As the book of Ecclesiastes 1 states, life is vanity.
In Oyo state, there used to be the strong man of Ibadan politics, Lamidi Adedibu but his house in Molete, Ibadan is now desolate after his death. Adedibu was law as far as Ibadan politics was concerned. He was feared by all political actors across the nation. Before him, there was Busari Adelakun, otherwise known as “Eruobodo” in Ibadan politics. They have all been consigned to the dustbin of history. Learn from these because whether you like it or not, you would also pass away one day like all mortals.
God has been so good to you. Though I don’t have the details of your feud with Fubara but you claim he is an ingrate but this same “ingrate” took bullets for you as your Accountant-General when the EFCC was investigating your government. If you didn’t have confidence in him, you wouldn’t have put him forward to succeed you. Please, rise above political offences and be a leader. May it not be counted against you that since 1999, your successor would be the first Governor of Rivers state to be impeached. No garland for such feat. It would be a pyrrhic victory and your new political masters in Abuja would even be wary of you. You are new to Tinubu’s school of politics. Don’t get carried away.
May God guide you right.
Richard Akinnola
(Your admirer and critic)
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Opinion
Voice of Emancipation: How to Achieve Yoruba Sovereignty (Pt. 3)
Published
5 days agoon
November 25, 2023By
Eric
By Kayode Emola
Many people would have us believe that achieving Yoruba sovereignty is a gargantuan task, yet the reality is that it should not be as difficult as they make it appear. In part one of this series, I outlined how we first got into this mess, through the combination of unfavourable trade alliances and the sheer determination of the Europeans to colonise our lands for their personal gains.
Just as we are in this mess through the colonial powers’ determination, we ourselves must be doubly determined to remove ourselves from it. This is not an abstract idea that we can notionally support without any concrete action. Rather, we must be actively striving for our freedom, determining metrics by which we can measure our successes. Without such measurement, how can we ascertain whether we are truly making progress or, instead, retrogressing?
This is the time to do a roll call of people who are genuinely serious about Yoruba independence. The fight for self-determination must demonstrate an irrefutable desire for our own independent country outside of Nigeria, and to do that we need to put concrete measures in place. This is not about holding endless zoom meetings that lead nowhere, but rather ensuring that these meetings are backed by action, with direction and clear plans for how and when we get to our destination.
We in the self-determination struggle must have a clear understanding of where we are and where we are going. I hear too many arguments about which direction we should be traversing and how to circumnavigate the rough terrain of Yoruba independence. The truth is that those who are for one route or an opposite route are mistaken. We must be opened minded about our direction and all the options must be on the table and prepared for.
Take for instance, some people will say we want diplomatic route, and some people will say we want to get Yoruba nation forcefully. There is no such thing as diplomatic route or military route as those expressions are just gimmicks and grammars to keep us in check. There is only one route and that is the determination of our hearts and minds to liberate our country. Every other fantastic word being used is just an illusion of the mind.
Therefore, to begin our journey all we need do from the beginning is to plan how to get to our destination including self-defence. During the planning phase, this will highlight how long or short we realistically believe that the journey will take. The planners should be able to put a time limit which should be limited, not more than 2 – 5 years that Yoruba independence must be achieved and put measures in place on how it can be achieved, which I believe its realistic including whipping up sentiments among our people back home.
Once the planning on how the journey is to be executed which should be done by only a selected few, this information can be trickled down to the masses in the form of implementation. The planning should include how funds can be generated both from individuals who truly believe in the cause and from organisations or sympathetic governments around the world that are willing to listen to our plights.
Take for instance, when Israel was attacked on 7 October this year, Israel was determined to free the last citizen taken as hostage by HAMAS. This was an uncompromising position Israel set out for itself from the onset not mincing words or trying to compromise. Israel was determined to free their citizens and declared war against HAMAS and today we can see that they are winning the war and hostages are being released.
Thanks to the Israeli government resilience and determination, the freed hostages are being reunited with their families. That is the type of determination those at the forefront of the Yoruba must have if we are to make any headway on our journey.
Once those at the forefront are resolute and determined, then we need to take a roll call of those who truly believe in the freedom of Yoruba. By this, I don’t mean people who would just turn up for zoom meetings. I mean all the ordinary man on the street who are suffering from the hardship Nigeria has meted out to everyone and is determined to leave Nigeria to embrace their Yoruba identity.
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Opinion
Journey into SELF: Your Mind, a Weapon, Your Brain, a Powerful Machine!
Published
5 days agoon
November 25, 2023By
Eric
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“The ultimate goal of every exploration is to discover something or unravel mysteries, and maximize those things in order to conquer: fears, flaws and limitations; thereby advancing one’s self for the benefit of those around us, especially our nations and generation(s). Your mind is a weapon; your brain is a powerful machine that aids in the explorations of the ‘empires’ that lie within the cores of your being for exploits beyond measures, such that it is on the basis of how far your inner eyes can see, so you are bound to become whatever, whenever and however your goodly and Godly heart desires are. The alignment of the Spirit, Soul and Body are channels for the openings of portals within and beyond realms. They are gifts for accessing from God that which makes us to be “Made Above Nature” for fellowships, also custodians of the deep things of God, wired as carriers of His essences and presence on this earthly plain, primarily for His glory!” – Tolulope A. Adegoke
By the activation of the process of what is termed to be self –exploration, the prodigal son in the Book of Life came back to his senses and went back home. He came to himself and arrived at the juncture of self-realization by a process – the process of self- exploration.
How far a man conquers the world is a function of how well he conquers himself; hence, the greatest journey, the most prestigious journey, the most rewarding journey any man would ever embark on is the journey of self-exploration. The ultimate goal of every exploration is to discover something(s) or unravel mysteries, and maximize those things to conquer: fears, flaws and limitations; thereby advancing one’s self for the benefits of those around us, especially our generation(s).
A man will be stuck in ‘yesterday’ no matter how well read he is or how well he has explored the world around him, if he neglects to travel through himself; that is, to explore the industries that lies with him. Empowerment for change of levels or development does not come from travelling round the world; it comes from travelling through one’s self. Africa as a continent and government of its nations, for example, craves to attract Africans in diaspora to come back home to make Africa better is an unnecessary move. Africans that will develop Africa are not those that have travelled round the world, they are simply those that have ‘travelled into the industries that lies within their earthen vessels’. The prodigal son is a testimony of this fact; despite how well-travelled he was, he still fell from grace to grass, from a Hero to zero, but he got connected to a program of restoration when he embarked on the journey of self-exploration.
Self-exploration is the art and act of outgrowing childish dependences on individuals, as an individual, a people, a nation or continent, in acknowledging and celebration of the cultural values of developing and assigning one’s natural or innate potentials or gifts to the benefits of others. If you cannot lean on your inner grace (as given by God), you will end up becoming an unnecessary burden unto those around you. Treasures lies within everyone. To be honest, self-explorers out-grow and outshine childish nature of dependence on others. They do not just sit down and wait for others to make things work for them or better; rather, such category of people gets up and work-out things for the better by accepting responsibility for the well-being of peoples, or corporates or nations without any need of compulsion.
Self-explorers meet needs, they do not waste time thinking of who to call on to help them meet their needs when in need. Therefore, such a man or woman waits on him or herself, because he believes in what the Creator, God Almighty has embedded in him or her, which are consciously and continuously worked upon to become better and more useful to God, society at large and not only to himself! We should be observant enough to know with empirical evidences that major life’s activities are usually done or carried out in seclusion. In quietness lies the truth. My daily mantra goes thus: ‘calm, quiet, available and useful is my soul before God Almighty, My Maker!’ For example, real banking transactions are carried out in the strong room and an organization’s behaviour is cultivated and strengthened and accounted for in a secluded company boardroom. Also, medical operations are usually carried out in secluded places known as the hospital-theatres. So, self-exploration is carried out in the empires of the mind!
Self-exploration involves securing personal independence for self-realization and self-productivity, which requires a secluded or serene atmosphere and the culture of practiced silence. Because, in silence lies the truth! A man that does not engage in silence is bound to perform below his potentials! The prodigal son as a powerful case study here was launched to self-realization and fulfilment of his potentials simply by engaging in silence; listen to the account from the Book of Life: (Luke15:15-16)
15“And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; And he sent him into his fields to feed swine, 16And he would fain have filled is belly with the husks that swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.”
The prodigal son celebrated this truth: “…he sent him into his fields to feed swine.”
17“And when he came to himself, he said how many hired servants of my father have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him…am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
As we can see, the prodigal son became alone with pigs, he was disconnected from men, such that he had nobody to come to his aid or depend on. He became alone, disconnected himself from clubbing, from hanging out with sluts and macho guys. He indeed disconnected himself from distractions (the noises), so as to gain attention to the call of destiny!
Even, Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists ever lived was bearing witness with the prodigal son’s engagement to silence, when he revealed that:
“I am truly a ‘lone-traveller’ and never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family with my whole heart. In face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude, feeling that increase with the year.”
What the above simply means is to practically engage in silence beyond locking yourself in a room, disconnected from all manner of human and mechanical noise. It simply means disengaging your mind from all manner of desires, lust, pursuits, values and associations that are not loyal, subject or beneficial to the discovery, development and deployment of your God given or innate potentials.
“In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” Says the Holy Book of Life!
The Hero called Michael Jordan, the man whom God had in mind in blessing and entertaining mankind with the basketball skills. The game of basketball would have become boring without the legendary exploits of this rare gem. With a divine sense of understanding, there are reasons beyond the visible that made Michael Jordan such a timeless star, which has helped to inspire a lot of individuals across the world and lured many of us study several respective versions of his biographies.
It has been discovered that Michael Jordan’s winning edge is his mastery of the ageless art of silence. He once wrote this powerful piece online:
“When I am out there, no one can bother me. Being out there is one of the most private parts of my life…during the game; for a few times in my life, I feel untouchable…I mean that about a game being like meditation period for me. Anytime I am playing serious basketball, it’s like meditation.
Sometimes even in the middle of the game, I am able to think about things as loud as it is; it’s almost a quiet time for me. I know that basketball game can be very exciting, but for me the game is one of the calmest parts of my life.”
Michael Jordan’s winning edge no doubt is his discipline to play the game on the platter of silence, by being united- spirit, soul and body-with the game of basketball; not minding external applauds or distracting forces which surrounded him- the process with such force that would break any unfocused man. By this, he is able to initiate and maximize communication and application with the unusual and inherent basketball energy he is endowed with.
Silence is the strong force that connects the physical into the spiritual, if properly harnessed to yielding the manifestations of possibilities. Silence, therefore, is the art of being immune to distracting-external forces in order for one to initiate or propel or maximize communication with inherent and invisible resources endowed in man by God. But the art of silence has been neglected by vast majority of mankind; yet it is as important as the art of prayer. Surprisingly, those that are master of the art of ‘prayer’ without mastering the art of ‘silence’ make little or no contribution to human existence. But, those that master the art of ‘silence’ enjoy the grace to maximize, expand, explore, exploit and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of humanity!
Attesting to the reality of this fact, Bishop David O. Oyedepo revealed in his book titled: “Maximizing your Destiny” that:
“Quietness enhances the quality of thinking. Quietness enhances productive reasoning. I cherish quietness and I will do anything to have it…that is why although we have many rooms in our house. I sometimes have to put certain guest in the hotel, to avoid the noise they will make in my home. Quietness is precious to me. It has great spiritual value…”
A prolific and industrious writer, Samson Adah Paul wrote this mind blowing piece that reminds me of the Divine creation techniques:
“When God Almighty saw the need to create woman for man, he did not inspire man to employ the ‘art of prayer’, he simply inspired man to connect to the art of silence…”
“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs…and the rib which God had taken from man, made He woman.” [Genesis2:21]
Silence informs! It is the factory house of progress and development. Any quest for progress and development that is pursued without the art of silence will ever be in vain. Samson Adah Paul writes again: “Africans that will experience the fulfilment of the ‘African Dream’ will have to be masters of the art of silence. Mind you, silence in this context is not about being mute and dumb, it’s rather about being immune to distracting external-forces in order for one to initiate and maximize communication with the inherent resources endowed in man by God.”
Some sensitive aspects of Thomas Edison’s life have been a great lesson and positive example to me as a person after series of comprehensive study about him. I discovered too that his greatest strength was his mastery over the art of ‘silence’. His life showed impeccable discoveries and exploits, but were all as a result of paying attention to necessary matters; it is much more a function of withdrawing attention or refraining from unnecessary matters. He refused to submit to his medical science advancement for the treatment of 100% deafness which he suffered from birth on one ear and 80% deafness on his other ear. Edison rather preferred to bear the burden of deafness, for him to become better; because to him, that was an advantage. He wrote this mind-blowing piece:
“Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and noises that the ordinary person does not hear.” Edison did not consider hearing disability as pain but as gain which helped to strengthen his concentration levels in the areas of discoveries and impeccable inventions, thereby serving as a plus to humanity, rather than living on the guise of excuses! This, I call the Journeys of Our Beings to ‘Being’ whatever our hearts desires, whenever and however! It is a journey less travelled by a majority across the world, but mostly practised by the ‘One Percent’ of the ‘One Percent’ (Geniuses)!
Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke is an accredited ISO 20700 Effective Leadership Management Trainer.
E-mail: adegoketolulope1022@gmail.com;
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