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  • Encouragement, Insights, Networking, Success Principles

Did You Connect It?

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I was opportuned to be one of the facilitators in a discussion forum for young entreprenuers today. The line up of invited people for this particular segment included Mr. Okechuckwu Ogunjiofor the pioneer of Nollywood, Mrs Florence Seriki MD of Omatek ventures Ltd, Otunba Gadafi, MD of DMT Mobile Toilets, Eno-Obong Essien, MD of Rheydolence Limited and my humble self. Mrs Seriki was ably represented by her CMO, while Otunba had to be unavoidably absent. I entered the venue as one of my key mentors was living, Prof. Pat Utomi, I was so pleased at his excitement at seeing me. The meeting was meant to be an interactive session with young and upcoming entrepreneurs. we were all given the floor for 10mins ahead of the questions and answer session. While I learnt quite a lot from the other speakers, when it was my turn to speak, I remembered a story I normally start entrepreneurial sessions with.

It happened at a time, that an elderly Yoruba man approached his fresh graduate son with a proposition. He told him that he had found a wife for him. The young man was shocked and displeased, how can his father in this day and age be looking for a wife for him. He told his father to please leave him alone, that he can find a wife for himself, at the right time, which of course is when he’ll also have gotten a job. The father persisted though, that the wife he had found for him is a daughter of Dangote (Dangote is currently the richest man in Africa). “Really?”, the young man quizzed, “are you serious?”, “I don’t think it’s a good thing that my father is finding me a wife, but if it’s Dangote’s daugher, sure, why not”. :). The father penciled this down as number 1. This father had his university education in the eastern part of Nigeria, and had somehow crossed paths with the current Central Bank Governor- Charles Soludo. He called him up and told him that he would want his son to be a director in CBN. Charles laughed and wondered why he would make that kind of request. “Directorship of the CBN is by appointment and we usually need people with strong networks and networths” – Soludo said, “Who is your son, and what has he done?”. To this the father informed soludo that his son is about to conclude marriage arrangements with the daughter of Dangote. “Ah”, said Soludo, “Your son sure has the network, if directorship is all he wants, it can be arranged ASAP. The father noted this down as Number 2.

The father did not have direct access to Dangote, so he linked up with a friend who knew him, after all, our degree of separation from any mortal is 4-5 people. He finally got Dangote’s number and rang him up. “Hello Alhaji Dangote, I’m sorry to bother you this morning, how are you and how is the family…”, he started with the normal introductions and laid the premise of who linked him up with him. He then went straight to the point to inform him that, rich man to rich man, he’ll like for his son to marry Dangote’s daughter. Dangote was shocked by this request, and out of curiousity asked to know which daughter in particular and the father provided the name. Still out of curiousity, Dangote asked, “Please, who is your son, that you consider him worthy of marrying my daughter? Well, the father said, my son is currently being appointed as a director in the Central Bank of Nigeria. “Ah…” Dangote responded, “in that case, it can be arranged!”. In another few weeks, the wedding happened, the Directorship position was secured, and life was good. Who is an entrepreneur, an entrepreneur is someone who sees an opportunity, or a gap in society, or a possibility and connects resources together to create or make things happen. This father saw the possibility of a marriage, of a good job and of a good network for his family, and made it happen. The question I ask you today, is did you connect it?

All of us have access to resources, time, money, skill, relationships e.t.c. Those relationships, that money, that skill, that time, all that you have is only as relevant as it’s use. If what you don’t use is endangered, will you panic? If you will, then panic, because it is. In an analysis of how the human brain works there are connectors between different aspects of the brain, this connections thicken and work faster based on use. The reason why you’ll ask me for 17 times 17 and I’ll give you the answer in half a second is because that part of my brain has been well used and the connection is tight and thick. In the analysis of the human brain’s function, child psycologists say authoritatively that what you don’t use, you lose. Our brain connections are weakest where use is lacking. Can you take an overview of your life and give yourself a percentage of how well you are connecting it? Did you connect it? Are you connecting it, or are you allowing those synapses to waste?

Even the bible says that one will chase 1000, and two will put 10,000 to flight. In my own little analysis of this, it shows that the value of the loss of productivity that happens when two who should be connected are not is 80%. How you ask? Very simple, let me calculate it for you. If one can chase 1000, how many will two unconnected people chase? 2000!. How many would that have chased if they were connected? 10,000! How many did they lose? 10,000 – 2,000 = 8,000. Everytime you don’t use your connections, there is at least 80% being lost somewhere around you. If the connection was a connection of 3 people that was underutilized, the loss soars to over 99.7%. Not connection it, is failing woefully and not knowing.

Yesterday, I also realized that I have not been connecting it. I saw the joy and excitement with which Prof Pat Utomi announced to the world around that I was a revolutionary, and I knew I had not been connecting it. I saw the excitement with which the pioneer of Nollywood told me that he had heard about us and believed we could work together, and I knew I better connect it. I saw the desire of the Omatek CMO, the Rheydolence MD and others to join the New Nigeria Club, I saw the belief, the expectations and the excitement of the crowd, and I knew that I had better connect it.

There is so much waste daily, because two people who could connect well together and rock the world, decide to go solo. There is a lot of waste when we have access to people, access to resources, and access to anything we want in this world and refuse to connect it. Jobs don’t happen, Marriages don’t happen, success doesn’t happen, promotion doesn’t happen, nothing just happens, they happen when someone sees it ahead, and connects it!

Did you connect it?

Adeolu Akinyemi

Adeolu Akinyemi

22 thoughts on “Did You Connect It?”

  1. mee
    April 17, 2008 at 11:54 am

    I walked into WHsmith on this Monday to pass time while waiting for my party at a train station, i did not really know what i wanted to buy but i knew i needed to buy a book for my long trip to Chelmsford and back and after browsing for a good 15mins (or more) I saw the “Tipping Point” in the back of my mind i recalled having read something about this book on your blog and without hesistation I bought only this book(even an offer or buy one and get one half price did not make me hesistate to find something else to make my purchase a bargin).

    I started reading this book with keen interest and after a while began to ponder ……yes it all made sense but …….(intruiging concept, still, begining to bother on boredom, not another “how to” book), then i got to page 74, the last statement by Gau which underlined in red ink at the time i read it and reading this blog today then suddenly it all CONNECTED!

    first, the reason i was looking without knowing; second, the reason for the remembrance of the book review; and third, the reason I woke this morning with a sudden urge to read your blog pages.

    The answer that i had secretly being asking myself but not bold enough to face and GOD gave it in a simple line in a book.

    it Connected….”if you dont try, you’ll never succeed” i had heard it countless times but now there was a stickiness factor and reading this blog to day, it CONNECTED.

    Thank You!

    Reply
  2. Olanrewaju O LEWIS
    April 17, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    Great eye-opening piece!!! Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  3. JesusFreak
    April 17, 2008 at 3:38 pm

    Sir…I will start doing that as much as possible. Got a lot of understanding from “Who is an entrepreneur, an entrepreneur is someone who sees an opportunity, or a gap in society, or a possibility and connects resources together to create or make things happen”

    Thanks

    Reply
  4. Akin Ayoola
    April 17, 2008 at 4:57 pm

    Deolu,
    You have said it all. We need to connect it and real fast…!

    Akin

    Reply
  5. Damilola
    April 17, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Hi Deolu,
    wow!this a confirmation of the need have had recently to connect not just connecting but with the right crowd.

    Reply
  6. yomionileowo
    April 18, 2008 at 6:22 am

    Oh my God!,

    What a wonderful piece for me to get first thing Friday morning!

    I cant thank you enough now because I now realize that all I have been chasing can be gotten (coolly and calmly) if and only if I just connect to the right person(s).

    Yeah, Yeah, Yeah….. I need to connect it and I must start right now.

    Deolu, you are blessed because you have been a blessing to me.

    Cheers.

    Reply
  7. Danny
    April 18, 2008 at 7:14 am

    Men you just never run out of it do you? The value and loss of connecting and not connecting can not be over emphasied, JAH bless you man.

    Reply
  8. Royal_Prince
    April 18, 2008 at 11:33 am

    What an inspiration!
    A necessary tonic to get us fired up and positioned for the weekend.
    May atimes the resources we need to make things happen is just a connection away from us.
    I am guilty of not connecting it and this may be one of the reasons i am still….

    Luv U!

    Reply
  9. danny
    April 18, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    i really appreciate your timely tools you give us to help develop pur ideas of connection, i thank you once again.

    Reply
  10. Peter Oluokun
    April 18, 2008 at 4:36 pm

    Another inspiring and thought provoking piece. Truly it is our set time to be successful. The right words are coming at the right time and seasons to empower us for revolutionary success.

    Indeed the windows of heaven is opened unto us and there is an outpouring of wisdom, knowledge, opportunities for success, thanks so much Adeolu for being a channel to reach many us. It’s time to wake up and connect it all.

    Reply
  11. olatunde
    April 19, 2008 at 11:21 am

    NOTICE OF MEETING

    NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the inaugural meeting of the New Nigeria Club, Abuja will hold as follows:

    Date: Saturday, April 26, 2008

    Time: 2:00 p.m. 1st Session
    4:00 p.m 2nd Session

    Venue: Agura Hotel, Central Area, Abuja

    We wish to use this opportunity to inform prospective members to register between now and the date of the meeting. This is because we have a ‘surprise package’ for those who registered between now and April 26, 2008. If you want information on how to register, please follow this link below:

    http://www.newnigeriaclub.net/excitement.

    For information on how to benefit from the ‘surprise package’, please get in touch with the undersigned.

    Please come along with your friends and loved ones.

    Thank you.

    Olatunde
    afuwape2001@yahoo.com
    08023248096

    Reply
  12. olatunde
    April 19, 2008 at 11:24 am

    NOTICE OF MEETING

    NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the inaugural meeting of the New Nigeria Club, Abuja will hold as follows:

    Date: Saturday, April 26, 2008

    Time: 2:00 p.m. 1st Session
    4:00 p.m 2nd Session

    Venue: Agura Hotel, Central Area, Abuja

    We wish to use this opportunity to inform prospective members to register between now and the date of the meeting. This is because we have a โ€™surprise packageโ€™ for those who registered between now and April 26, 2008. If you want information on how to register, please follow this link below:

    http://www.newnigeriaclub.net/excitement

    For information on how to benefit from the โ€™surprise packageโ€™, please get in touch with the undersigned.

    Please come along with your friends and loved ones.

    Thank you.

    Olatunde
    afuwape2001@yahoo.com
    08023248096

    Reply
  13. mikish
    April 19, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    this is a great message uncle deolu.
    many a people couldnt just go far in life because of greed.that is why u’ll see many people going solo instead of collective efforts.

    tanx for this message again it has refocused me of where i am going and my dream as a world class enterpreneur.

    GOD BLESS U

    Reply
  14. femi
    April 19, 2008 at 6:57 pm

    men, u r great. just mised an opportunity now coz i didn’t connect enough. i’v really learnt somethingbfrom this ur piece. May God give us the forsight to see opportunities and the courage to take necessary steps…and guess what, human beings are the greatest opportunity we have, its time we connected.

    Reply
  15. Folayemi
    April 20, 2008 at 1:37 am

    Very true, Connection and Team work are key elements!

    It reminds me of a story that was told about an employee that didn’t believe in teamwork, one day his boss gave him a pen and a plain sheet of paper and asked him to put his views into writing.

    On one condition, he was only allowed to use one finger when writing with the pen.

    Morale of the story – even our fingers connect to express our thoughts.

    Well done, sir!

    http://www.folayemianifowoshe.wordpress.com

    Reply
  16. Elisha Otome
    May 4, 2008 at 7:35 pm

    I shld have read this one first b4 ‘did u see it’ . My prof God bless u real good. Alright i ve to connect it,just watch me
    Tanx my prof. Pls still write something abt platform

    Reply
  17. Mr. B
    May 30, 2008 at 12:38 am

    Deolu,

    Please kindly advise on what basis the ROI distribution would be allotted. Would it be based on pro-rata percentage?

    Reply
  18. Mr. B
    May 30, 2008 at 12:45 am

    By the way, I’m referring to the Dubai R/Estate Investment posted in last blog. Thanks!

    Reply
  19. OMOZELE
    May 20, 2009 at 12:32 pm

    i am so chraged up now that i want to get married to otedola’s son(laughs) every good thing in life is traceable to maximising oopportunity.

    Reply
  20. IKOTUN ADEBISI
    May 20, 2009 at 1:18 pm

    @OMOZELE..go ahead with plans, send me your wedding invitation and i will be there.
    staying connected within the network builds a net worth.
    its wise to be connected

    Reply
  21. Jide Salu
    April 17, 2010 at 12:11 am

    Connect, Connect, Connect it!!!!

    It’s just about 1.10am and what a way to round up. I know I have connected, it is now time to do the work….I have faced my reality and my faith is steadfast…so what else? CONNECT, and connect I will.

    Once again, I say thank you sir.

    Reply
    1. deoluakinyemi
      April 17, 2010 at 1:05 am

      You are really digging in deep. I'm glad we are connecting it.

      Reply

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Many hold their audience spell bound with motivational speeches but few care to hold the audience by the hand and help them walk their way to financial freedom like he does. Many have failed at everything they have tried to do but everything he does turns to gold. Read more…

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