What on earth is Deolu coming up with today? What is this? Well, I’m extremely sorry if it the picture offends you in any way, it’s there to do exactly what it has done, GRAB your attention! And please be true to yourself, don’t go off prentending on me, we come accross worse pictures on movies everyday, and we don’t go swearing and cursing. Today I want to shock you a bit with the naked truth, some of it will be doom and some of it will be boom, so listen on.
I want to talk frankly today, about some cold naked truths. We love to make each other happy, offend no one, decieve one another in the name of being diplomatic, shy away from what can be offensive. We do these things are lose the ability to connect with each other. We become so cosmetic, covered up and unatural. This was not so in the beginning. In the beginning, we were naked but not ashamed. We knew all there was to know, and there was no reason to hide. Today, we all wear masks, we hide behind our careers, hide behind our degrees, behind our accomodation, behind our busy schedules, behind status, property, toys and behind all sort of things. We don’t watch these types of films, we don’t listen to that type of music, we don’t do bridges, we don’t climb bikes, we are tush, cool and so unreal. Some of us have forgotten our roots, we have forgotten the tough times, the sleepless nights. Where we are going is far, but if we remember where we are coming from, we’ll face the future with humility and not with chips on both shoulders. Be true to yourself, and let’s together, face some cold facts about the future.
Please you are welcome to disagree with my statements of fact, you are also welcome to share you own views about why you think differently. These are my point of views, and I’ve thought about them sufficiently to still hold on to them as my perspectives.
1. This year, the price of high end properties is crashing!
This is not a prophecy as it is about to happen already. Today most (if not all) of our banks have stopped giving mortgages to people. This means that desperate house sellers (who are perhaps desperate because their bank mortgages are falling through) will need to offer people their properties for much less than they should or would have. I’ll say expect to hear that properties worth N200million are now being sold for less than 40million. Small low fund properties and land will still retain good value, but everything that needs the bank is in trouble. This is the naked truth!
2. The stock market is not likely to rise in the first 2 (likely all 4) quarters of this year!
This doesn’t qualify me as a prophet either, because it’s what many analysts have also implied. It’s simple, the main movers of the market have moved out their funds. A good number of the other good players are in debt to the tune of their margin facilities. Many more want to sell than want to buy. This is causing a lot of illiquidity in the stock market, and the funds required to make the movements happen in the stock market are not in it, nor in sight at the moment. The banks are exposed, the big wigs are exposed. This is the naked truth!
3. The unproductive and unpolitical will lose their Jobs!
There are many people who are employed but are seriously under utilized. Some people spend 30% of their day in their office either chatting with friends or nosing around on facebook. Their companies have managed to keep them for so long because there was money anyway. This year, if you are unproductive, prepare to lose your job. Some people are not productive, but they are so wired into the fabrics of the organization politically that they have what it takes to be the last man or woman standing. Jesus was reputed as saying to one of his would be disciples, “let the dead bury their dead”. This implies that there are dead people capable of still burying dead people. If you are alive but your impact will not be missed, you are dead! This is the naked truth!
4. Prices of things will fluctuate this year!
Yeah, I said fluctuate not increase, not decrease. Prices will jump around. The first direction for prices will be up, in respose to the dollar rise against the Naira. Everything is being affected, from the cost of pencils to penicillin. The prices of things will also come down, because of the buying power of the people and the lack of demand. Fuel came down already, first time? Everything is going up, car prices are going up currently, but because banks are not funding the purchase of these things any more, it will likely come down. The prices of made in Nigeria will also fluctuate, as the ports have agained been openned to almost anything, and imported will once again begin to compete with locally manufactured. Many manufacturing companies are crying already. Bank interests are going up and down. Expect fluctuations this year. This is the naked truth!
5. Some industries will tip this year!
Network marketing will boom! Yes, you heard me right. There are few investment options this year, and people are looking for opportunities to make some cash. Network marketing provides a very good alternative. Malaysia boasts of 1200 booming network marketing businesses, and some of them over $1Billion turnover. Everyone wants to make some extra income, even if it’s a little extra income, and those opportunities have been unleased. A lot of people will show reluctance in joining initially, based on past experiences, they’ll wait until it becomes a fad to join, by which time of course it would be a bit late. People are positioning already, and many people will wake up late. Manufacturing will suffer a hit this year! Loads of competition with imported will create a lot of flux in the industry. Entertainment will Boom! People will need to relax and calm their thoughts. Technology will boom, people will look for ways of doing more with less. This is the naked truth!
6. Many unknown people will step into position this year!
The dynamics for this operation is already clear. There is change happening globally, and the assumptions that we have used in times past for plotting the world’s economic standing are being thrown overboard. Nations are going bankrupt, worldclass organizations are declaring first time huge losses. Companies are recording record sales and record losses in the same financial year. When the branch of the fig tree is tender and it brings out tender leaves, you know that summer is near. When we see these types of events globally, we know that the fundamentals are changing and the foundations are being replaced. This is the naked truth.
7. The impatient will lose this year!
There is already a lot of scramble, nobody wants to buy everybody wants to sell. The people that are impatient with their stocks will sell them, the people that are impatient with their houses will sell them. They’ll sell them low, and watch with shock when they go high. This is a year to be active, but not in the conventional way. If you are earning salaries, cut your expenses. Starve your bad habits, use your time wisely. Take risks, but build reserves. If you are in business, watch your costs. Develop reserves, take high risks with low investments. Increase your productivity, reduce your inefficiences. Help none performers leave if you have to. Don’t be afraid to tell your people the truth. The Naked truth!
This year, will be a year of years. It will be good for some, it will be tough on some. Where we fall, is a function of the information we have and are working with. Position yourself correctly and quickly. I wish you what I wish myself. Your best year ever!
