By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Man, has failed in his responsibilities to life if he would refuse to overcome his greed when others are in dying need. Greed is grievous. Greed is a red flag. Greed is the reed that aides the sounds of shame. Beware!” – Tolulope A. Adegoke
Let’s share, not out of pity, but responsibility just like the Cubans in trying times. The Cubans’ lifestyle speaks volume and worthy of being painted on the canvass of responsive leadership:
Cuba has sent over 400,000 health professional to work free in 164 countries. Italy became the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic with deaths averaging over four hundred in one week. Almost all countries in the world were protecting just themselves and conserving their finances, health workers and medical supplies for their citizens. In contrast, Cuba mobilized and sent thousands of its medical professionals to countries ravaged by Covid-19, just within 24 hours, it sent 52 doctors and nurses to Italy, a developed European country, to help battle the virus. Italy’s Permanent Representative to the European Union (EU) Maurizio Massari, had complained that his country’s cry to the EU member countries for medical help to combat the corona virus had gone unanswered. The Cuban deployment of its “armies of white robes” to Italy, was the sixth international medical brigade it sent out to fight Covid-19. It had sent them to Grenadad, Nicaragua, Suriname, Venezuela and Jamaica. When the 140 Cuban medical professionals arrived Kingston, the Jamaican Health Minister Christopher Tufton greeted them thus: “in a time of crisis, the Cuban government, Cuban people…have risen to the occasion, they have heard our appeal and have responded.” The Cubans are dogged fighters who no matter how bad the situation becomes in those countries, do not turn their backs. For them, no matter the battle field; military, medical or humanitarian, neither retreat nor surrender is an option. Watching a video of the Cuban’s arrival to the applause of grateful Italians was emotive for me. It was a definitive statement that all human beings are one irrespective of ideology and colour, and even level of development. The acts of the Cubans in rescuing passengers of the British ship MS Braemar and sending doctors to Italy, is also a lesson that a financially poor, underdeveloped country can come to the rescue of rich and developed countries. It is instructive that Cuba, an Island that is just 110,860sq with a population of 11.3million, relying over the decades on raw sugar and Tobacco export, as being under American economy, commercial and financial embargo since October 19, 1960. Yet, is has an almost 100% literacy and one of the most developed health systems in the world. In fact, one of the main medicines that China used successfully to treat Covid-19 patients is Interferon Alpha 2b, a drug Cuba produced in 1981 to fight the dengue virus. For many years Cuba stood alone and isolated in the organization of American States, but through commitment, will-power, consistency and development paradigm, it won over most of the States to its side. Cuba teaches us in Africa, particularly Nigeria that there is no alternative to being self-reliant; to building basic institutions and investing in the people. It teaches the Nigerian elites who appropriates the countries resources to themselves and their Western masters, that there is no alternative to building indigenous or local capacity. That if they had built the health system rather than think they can always go abroad for medical treatment they would not be patients in the dilapidated hospitals now that the corona virus has shut out the outside world to all Nigerians irrespective of status. Cuba as great exemplar here is no fluke. It is built on the foundations of its founding fathers like the poet Jose Marti 1853-1895, general Antonio Maceo ‘the Bronze Titan’ 1845-1896 and the later generations like Fidel and Rauel Castro, Camelio Cienfuegos, Haydee Maria and Celia Sasanchez who taught that humanity is one and that its resources must be deployed for common good, particularly in favour of the poor, the weak and marginalized. The Cuban philosophy embedded in the thoughts of a man like Ernesto Chez Guevera who taught that: “the life of a single human being is worth a million times more than all the property of the richest man on earth.” The Cubans are living Chez’s advise that: “we must strive everyday so that this love of living humanity is transformed into actual deeds, into acts that serve as examples as moving force.” I strongly believe that Cuba would be ready to help in Nigeria’s Covid-19 battle. Let’s continue to stretch our hands friendship for the good of mankind, to the glory of God Almighty.
My Charge!
Let’s imbibe care as a lifestyle.
Let’s share, not out of pity, but responsibility just like the Cubans in trying times.
Let’s read facts & figures of local, national & global events so as to know ‘how’ and understand ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘where’ to wire or harness our energies for outstanding impacts.
Everything, no matter how little or frail is worth studying. It’s an act of responsibility (pills) that must be swallowed & executed by all.
In truth, the plague is over.
We have cried to the Almighty to heal our lands (across the nations of the world).
And truly, God has fulfilled His part of the deal (of healing).
But, it’s time for us as humans to heal ourselves (race, status & endowments notwithstanding) by spreading genuine love to one another in deeds (practical expressions).
The word ‘Love’ is a practical experience. It is a right that must be experienced by all.
Man, should stop giving out of pity, but out of responsibility to life!
No one is above another, it is by the order of Grace that ‘we’ are not consumed. It’s a privilege to ‘have’, but is right to ‘give’ especially in trying times.
Cuba, (a developing nation) great exemplar of responsive leadership continues to give her best to developing & developed nations across the world.
Cuba only survives on raw Sugars & Tobacco exports, yet heals the world kindly in her own gentle capacities void of the shame of grieve & greed!
Shame on your energies as a wealthy entity if you cannot be responsible in trying times!
Shame on your pride & ego if you cannot relieve others of their pains in trying or trauma times!
Shame on your abilities or skills if it’s not wired for ‘humanistic’ and ‘divinistic’ ideals!
Shame on your status as feathers that cannot even father the poor or the needy in trying times!
Shame on your anointing if you cannot kneel for others across the world to rise in trying times (as this)!
I charge you all to launch out in your best capacities as given you by Grace to heal the world by starting with the ‘living’ sitting or standing next to you!
Avarice is a demonic ‘missile’ fired at Man by ‘evil’ to destroy the world; forgetting that having destroyed the world, he (Man) has consciously & unconsciously helped himself or herself to destroy himself or herself!
I ask you, would you live alone in a world that you didn’t create, but given unto you by Grace?!
The moment you decide to start living ‘alone’, then, you start dying alone.
Ask yourself: Who gave you ‘life’?
Are your efforts really worth the grace or wealth that you carry?
(I guess you know the genuine answers to that).
Then why live like a container?
Why not live as a privileged channel (as a useful tool in the hands of the Almighty)!
Why watch & starve others to death!
Why hoard the wealth & grace that you carry?
Who are we, if not Grace?
For it has been given to be (genuinely) GIVEN.
What do you have that you were not given? Nothing!
Kindly come down from that evil clouds of ‘self’ and release that which you have as a healing balm to the oppressed, tormented and the poor around you. Here, is where you have naturally proven worthy of the scepter of grace for greater wealth, capacity and channels to flourish in trying times.
Lights shines brighter in dark places.
You will only be used and dumped if you submit your (scepter of grace) powers to the administrations of evil tidings consciously & unconsciously!
Man, therefore, has failed in his responsibilities to life, if he would refuse to overcome his greed! Greed is grievous. Greed is a red flag. Greed is the reed that aides the sounds of shame. Beware!”
• Be aware
• Be awake
• Be strong
• Be safe
• Believe
• Become
It’s time to share.
It’s time to care.
It’s time to ponder.
It’s time to relieve, not relent.
It’s time to love again.
It is time do what you can, where you can.
It’s time to let ‘life’ flow again (through you).
It’s time not to be farther, but nearer than ever.
It’s time to be a reliable father that feathers the poor around you, and not take vain glory for such actions. It’s only a privilege to be an earthen vessel unto honour to the glory of God Almighty, The Highest!
It is time to mother others with joy and rejoicing, and not to murder them!
It’s time to be a responsible father and act as feathers unto the ones in your care.
It’s time to be a dedicated mother, not a murderer.
It’s time to wipe your tears and widely open your ears to learn reigning trends, so as to avoid being a ‘sophisticated’ prey!
Yes, you are an extension of God Almighty on Earth to power and extend His Grace upon the earth as kings and priests!
That’s exactly why He has created and blessed you for such a time as this (trying time).
Be humble, it breeds compassion.
Be compassionate, it breeds inspirations.
Be inspired, it breeds revelations.
Be revealed, it breeds illuminations.
Be illuminated, it breeds divine creativities (in the order of Grace).
It’s time to be divinely ‘human’, again! Activating this power & prowesses, you are simply doing no man any good, but yourself!
When God blesses you in areas of endeavour (work), be responsive enough to put life into it.
Be responsible!
God bless!
Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke is an accredited ISO 20700 Effective Leadership Trainer
