ronkeogunmade

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Jude Idada wrote:

At the major intersection on the road to my house in Lekki, there are traffic lights.

Every time you stop, there is also a deluge of beggars around your car.

I have been around for months.

And primarily recognise most of the beggars.

The ones I give to and the ones I do not give to.

There is one I give to.

He is old, blind, a huge scar running from his head onto his forehead and a double amputee.

One arm above the elbow, the other at the wrist.

He always has the arm amputated at the wrist on the shoulder of a girl.

Usually adolescents, dressed in the manner of their faith.

Two things stuck out to me.

First it was always a different girl.

Secondly, both the girl and himself spoke good english.

They walk up to the car and the girl will begin.

"Good evening sir, please can you help us with money for food, school and house rent?"

Then the man will also begin.

"May what has happened to me never happen to you. Please help me with anything you have and Allah will help you in return."

Yesterday I asked the girl to lead him to me as the light was turning green.

The taxify drove across the intersection and pulled over.

They came.

And before I gave him money I asked.

"What happened to you and why are you always with a different girl?"

He said.

"I use to be a teacher in my village in Sokoto. Over 35 years ago, cattle rustlers from Niger came and attacked the village. They stole our cattle, killed a lot of people and kidnapped some of our girls and our women. I was defending my wife and three daughters. They attacked me with their swords. Cut my head open, and cut off my arms. I fainted. They took my wife and daughters. When I woke up in central hospital, I was blind. Up till today no one has seen my wife or daughter. I couldn't teach again because the village didn't recover from the attack. The state government couldn't help me with another teaching job because of my condition. To survive I had to come to Lagos to beg."

He stood ramrod straight, looking ahead into his sightless world as he spoke. Licking his chafed lips at intervals.

I spoke again.

"I am so sorry to hear that."

He smiled.

A smile that softened his coarse features and showed a glimpse of the handsome man he must have once been.

Then I asked.

"What of the girls?"

"They are my students."

Surprised.

"Your students?"

"Yes. In Oyingbo where I live. My people send their daughters to me to teach them English, Mathematics, history and handiwork for free."

"You?"

"Yes. I teach them how to speak, calculate and know who they are, where they are, where theu come from and where they can go to. My wife helps me teach them how to write and the handiwork."

"Your wife?"

"I married again."

"Why do you bring your students out to beg?"

"They volunteer daily. It is for everybody. Whatever money we make is what helps our small school survive and helps put food on the table for me, my wife and my two children. Their parents will not send them to school so this is the only way they can learn."

The girl spoke.

"We are happy to do it sir."

I looked at her.

She was smiling cheerfully.

I asked her.

"What do you want to be in future?"

"I want to marry a good educated man who likes a wife that can read and write. So that we can send our children to a real school and they can become doctors and lawyers and engineers and teachers."

It was a simple goal.

I smiled.

And turned back to the man.

"What of the sons? What happens to them?"

"Their parents send them to learn work."

"Work?"

"Yes. Butchers, traders, crafts, things like that. Some become Alaru in the market, some ride okada, some sell Suya, some go back to farm."

"None go to school?"

"Very few."

"So the girls are lucky to have you?"

"Yes."

The girl was smiling.

"You said you have two children."

"Yes. Hassan and Hussein. Twins. Fourteen years old."

"You teach them?"

"Just as a father and mother does. They go to a real school. A Catholic school. SS1. When they get back they help out with the girls too."

The girl giggled.

The man smiled and continued.

"You see the girls are fond of them."

She giggled even more.

My heart melted.

I told them to enter the car.

We drove to the Zenith bank close by.

I withdrew handsomely from the ATM, gave it to them.

The girls eyes were wide in shock as she collected the wad.

She began speaking rapidly in Hausa.

The man cut her short.

"English."

She stopped and continued in English.

"Baba, he has given us a lot of money."

He turned in my direction and spoke.

"From where that money has come, Allah will replace it with even more money. From the heart that has shown kindness, Allah will make others show more kindness to it. Thank you for looking at us as human beings. Allah will always remember you."

She said Amin.

I and the Taxify driver said Amen.

Then we drove them back to the intersection.

As they alighted, the Taxify driver turned and handed some money to the girl.

She relayed it to the old man in English. He smiled and prayed for the driver. We all chorused Amin again and they left.

As we drove away, the driver said.

"This life sha. We will sit down and be judging people. Condemning them without knowing their story. Na wa o. The one we think we are better than is even better than us."

One voice that I yawn for always is the voice of my maker because I know that no matter how confused I am, his voice gives me directions.

He gives me focus he gives me joy needed to push through. Please join me in saying thank you to my maker. Thank you Baba for always having my back

How are you doing today?

Nothing changes if Nothing changes

"The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday"

Tony Robbins

There's something that makes you believe that you can do it when you have a mentor guiding you. Mentoring is very pivotal in the success equation.
Ibironke Oyewole Ogunmade

Dear Nigerian Youth

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If you desire to get a mentor, read this till the end.

I was following a thought leader online, he is a very good business consultant based in Lagos. He once wrote on his timeline the need to visit Aba to come and have a first hand experience on the waste management problem Aba was facing then, since he has no partner to give him a report.

After reading that post, I saw an opportunity to connect with him. Long story short, I did the research, took pics and videos and compiled it on a flash drive.

Few months later, he had a program at PortHarcourt and I went there. After the program people where clustering to have his number and attention. I simply walked up to him and told him, 'sir, I have the solution to your problem on this flash drive'. You can imagine his facial expression.

He asked what could that be, I narrated to him how I saw his post about coming to Aba to collect data on the state of aba waste management. I told him I did it even better than he can imagine. Case closed, he took me in, open his laptop and slot the flash. Boom! He gave me his contact and that's how he became my mentor.

Why all this stories, you can't just walk up to people and demand them to be your mentor. It does work that way. They always have lots of people coming for their mentorship. Why will they chose you? What made you special?

Read it again, walking up to people or going to their inbox to ask them to be your mentor is shooting yourself on the leg.

Many will not take you serious.

Mentors have problems too that they are looking for solution, they need results, they need answers to questions. Help them solve it, you gain access to them one hand. You don't need to lobby, so long as you have an answer to a question they are asking, they will look for you.

STOP asking people to mentor you, they will give you their contact but not access. You could have a man's contact without his access.

Look for problem you can solve for the person you want to be your mentor. Take time and study him or her, make some findings, ask questions, then aim yourself with result to get his access. Let them see you as a contributor not just a seeker. If you have nothing to offer to your mentor, he might gradually withdraw attention from you. You can't just be a parasite.

Before that, don't just choose anybody as your mentor, make some research, know about their values, does it align with your vision and missions. He or she must have something or track record of the result you are looking for.

Also note this, you can receive mentorship from books written by people you admire and desire to follow, you might not have access to them, but you have access to their books.

Their mindset is enshrined in their books, you rub minds with great men through their books.

That be in said, always be ready to spend to be mentored, I repeat, always be ready to spend to receive mentorship.

I have 1 hour session with Fela Durotonye for 150k. You expose your shallow mind when you go begging people to mentor you for free.

It shows you don't place value on knowledge.

Lastly, don't ask your mentor for money. If they give you fine but don't ask. Don't just learn how they do things, learn about the thought process that gave rise to their actions.

Prince Amaechi

Hello, 80,000+ Book Lovers!

I welcome you all, I am here to help you grow through books. 📚📚

Thank you for joining my little world. Thank you.

LIVE your purpose.

Enjoy your JOY!😁

Have a Joyful week.❤️

Mbasiti.🌹

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Don't greet then wait for the recipient to respond before sending your message

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"That employee you referred to as incompetent fool today may be in a position to help you tomorrow be constructive in your criticism"