On Death
“Zec 11:2 “Howl fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.”
Unrest hits the forest when all of a sudden the crashing sound of a mighty tree is heard. For them, it announces the presense of the woodman, and each is aware once again of it’s unbreakable appointment with the edge of the axe. Each remembers that it’s marked for death and there is an end to it’s journey in this frame of existence. All mortals must like the fir tree, howl and not scorn at the events that remind us of the temporary nature of life on earth. Death is the weightiest of all of life’s events, and he who does not prepare for death is worse than an ordinary fool.
Death happens to us all! Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant”
On Independence
While it is not an easy thing to enjoy Nigeria as it is, the elders in Yoruba land say that when the pounded yam has lumps in it, and the soup that goes with it is sour, that is when we know a true pounded yam lover. I desire more than I can see for my nation, my country of birth, my people, but the sourness of the soup or the lumpiness of the pounded yam cannot stop me from loving and believing in the possibilities of our change. As if to establish a need for me to consistently rejoice about Nigeria, God blessed me with a son on October 1, 2007. Every independence day from then on, become a reason for me to celebrate. I have also chosen not to count the age of Nigeria like the age of a man. Just like dog years are multiplied by 7 in other to compare them with woman, I believe that there must be appropriate ratios for countries. If a dog is 10yrs old, then it would walk and look like a 70year old human. The calculation basis is equating the life expectancies and using them as a multiplier effect. A dog can father another dog at age 2, in dog years, that’s 14yrs of age :). With Nations, we have the UK which is 1081 yrs as an independent colony and America at over 200yrs. This makes me know that the age of a country is not like the age of a man, if 1081 year olds exist, then 48yrs must be a baby :). I’m not saying we are where we should be, but we are far from where we were. Nigeria will not move forward by yearly criticisms of Government or the powers that be. Nigeria will move forward, when we make our National birthday a day we take stock of how we as individuals have contributed to it’s development. Early that morning I was on radio at Eko Fm to talk about our role in the Nigeria of our dreams, and the rest of the day I spent with my son -Araoluwa Akinyemi, and a colleague – Emore Ogho whose birthdays were the same with our beloved country.
Ask not what your Government can do for you, ask what you can do for your Government. If in reality we provide our light and water, then we are local government chairmen and counsellors without election, let us spread this responsibility to push our nation forward. After all, when we are embrassed on the counters of immigration for the countries where we regularly are, it’s not our Government that is being ridiculed, its us. Why don’t we abandon this entitlement mentality and pursue our nations development?
On Contribution
Early this week, sometime within my stay in UK and my arrival, I stumbled on a quote that has not ceased to turn around in my mind. It was a quote by Albert Einstein, and I know many of his quotes, and always am excited when the thinking of man collides with the perspective of God.
A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depends on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the measure as I have received and am still receiving. – Albert Einstein
Our lives, the pleasures we enjoy and the joys we recieve, are dependent on the labours of other men. It is our duty and responsibility to exert ourselves in order to give the measure as we have recieved and still recieve. Friends, I owe you! The lazy man and the thief they say are similar in that they both rob the world, one of physical possessions and one of his potentials and contribution. I owe my generation the liberation I’m capable of giving it, I owe job seekers the benefit of a chance, I owe ignorant people, the opportunity at knowledge, I owe those lacking in personal confidence the chance of my courage, I owe the uninspired a feel of my passion, I owe Nigeria my perspective, my uniqueness, my message and my hope. I must exert myself, to ensure that in the same measure I have benefited and been blessed, I share the same to the world around me. You owe the world too, and it’s your duty to make your contribution.
