Walk on water

To step into higher grounds, you need to confront a height you’ve never confronted. Attainment of new levels requires a newer level of effort, input, determination, courage, strength and knowledge. You cannot assume to be moving forward when your gaze is fixed on your rear mirror. Align your actions with your thoughts, make achievable plans and follow through.

When life confronts you with threatening realities and you are boxed between the devil and the deep blue sea, you may have no other choice but to walk on water; doing the seemingly impossible. Life usually stretches people beyond their limits and they soon realise that they are experiencing a circumstance that demands an extraordinary and an out-of-the-box decision.

For instance, a friend recently quit paid employment to start a small business of his dreams. I praised his courage and he stated that the urge had been beating him for a year but that the struggles over the perks of paid employment and how to sustain his family thereafter pulled him back. “Why should I continue to postpone the ‘evil day’ ”, he concluded. The founder of Ford Motors, Henry Ford says: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” You hold both the yam and the knife.

How to do the unimaginable

1.       Consider your options- What is the price of your inaction? What is the prize of your action? Which of the two do you prefer? Don’t run with your eyes shut, think through the pros and the cons of either of your decision and follow a sustainable action whose result would transcend time.

                               Think before you leap.

2.       Stand to fight- Face your battle and resist the pressure to despair. Don’t procrastinate the evil day, run to the battle and fight. Gather sufficient inner strength for the battle.

                          Don’t flee the battle you must face.

3.       Do it- “Success has only 1 calculation formula: stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities.” (Anonymous). Go against the grain, just do the impossible! Distraction is inimical to distinction and excellence. Persistence is enough proof of desire; act till you get the desired results. Act with the available resources at your disposal. Waiting for utopia may just be another attempt in futility. Waiting for an external push may be a pipe-dream as your inner belief may just be all you need to push out the brain child the world awaits.

   Just do it, one step at a time. Afterall, great people don’t have 2 heads!

4.       Seek Support- Since no man is an island to himself, everyone needs help through relationships –vertical and horizontal- the supernatural and the natural. You need God, family, mentors, contemporaries, competitors, friends, staff, neighbours and adversaries. You’ll miss your life’s purpose if you decide to live independent of God and you’ll equally frustrate it if you live independent of people. You need sound counsel, a helping hand, a rod of correction and shoulders to cry on. Find people who make you tick.

   What a child does not see standing up, an adult sees sitting down.

               There’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Photography: Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin II

Turn the tables

Clutched in one hand, each parent hands over his boy to an Almajiri malami at a tender age of 4 or 5 for tutoring in Islamic education. This practice, which has existed for decades in northern Nigeria, has bred more destitutes than scholars. The hungry, helpless and hopeless boys comb the streets in groups, scouting for a meal; however indecent, even in garbage- as you see in the picture below, which I shot on the streets of Kano.

    Kano Almajiris scouting for a meal inside street garbage.

During the day, the Almajiri boys dot the landscape, roaming for just one reason: survival. They clutch their only item of trade- a bowl; walk up to you by the street corner, beg alms, food or whatever you can offer. They taste a daily dose of hunger, abuse and deprivation. At night, while we snore in the comfort of our homes, many sleep in the cold or heat of the open, which they share with ubiquitous flies and stray animals! They are not deviant as their parents would have made the Almajiri malami tutor to believe. These masters even sometimes share in their daily booty- as I was informed by Sadiq, my tour guide.

Almajiri boys combing the streets for survival.

"Can I get your help?"

"Which way to go?"

He noted quite frankly that some of them however, strive through thick and thin to start some petty business in their teens and by dint of hardwork, discipline and commitment, become wealthy businessmen trading in FMCG, Fast Moving Consumer Goods.

Life lesson: never end your life where it started. You may start by being a security man, a cleaner or a jobless/under-employed graduate but ensure that you add a new skill or knowledge to re-invent your destiny. Pay the price to move from ground zero to the top. Rome was not built in a day but day by day and week by week. It was not even built sitting down and crying over spilled milk. Tables turn only for people who make the effort to put more pressure on life. Do not die a celebrated potential; push your limits and evolve into the star you really are! Be responsible for your destiny.

The boys receive no education, no shelter and no care.

From Maiduguri to Kano, Sokoto to Dutse, Gusau to Yola…the parents of the Almajiris fling them so far from home, never to set their eyes on them again. How far do you go to abdicate your responsibility? This Almajirinchi phenomenon that broke my heart in Kano may just be like a stray bullet that wrecks havoc anonymously or another time bomb waiting to explode over many generations unborn if we fail to show love and get the stray kids out of the streets. The problem we watch and do nothing about will later haunt us and what we do not address will undress us. Love is the only way we will be free!

"Where is hope?" The boy standing on Dutse Dala (Dala Hill) overlooking Old Kano seems to ask.

Photo credit: Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin II/Fish Eye Photography

Never Say Die 2

Have you ever travelled on a motorcycle over a long distance, like from Lagos to Ibadan or even more? Two weeks ago I did an aggregate of 7 1/2 hour journey on a bike, and I must confess, it was an extraordinary experience.

                                                          6 of us traveling on 3 bikes.

I went to photograph a mountain where there was a volcanic eruption some months ago and to capture the impact of the catastrophe on life in the community. I wanted to bring this to the attention of the general public with a view to helping generate concern and tangible assistance for the people of the settlement. Situated in a dead-end village in Anwase, Benue State, which shares borders with Cameroon and Calabar, the mountain is surrounded by several settlements and villages of not more than 6 huts each. The roads leading to the mountain are creepily lonely. It occurred to me the possibility that even the last general elections may not have held there. Such is the almost endless and

Beautiful Anwase Mountain- photographed miles away (pix available for sale in 22x18”, 48x30” posters).

rigorous journey one has to go through – like a camel passing through the eye of a needle – to reach the village.

You must madly be in love – to visit a date in Anwase. Yet, the village, like all the others surrounding it is self-sufficient. Most of the settlers are farmers who grow yams, rice, groundnut, oil palm and pepper, while others tap palm wine. Some also breed livestock and poultry. What more do you need to have a decent meal? Unfortunately, with the contributions of this community to feeding this nation, it appears the government has turned a blind eye to the environmental plight of the people, the last volcanic eruption being the 2^nd in 2 years! Lives were lost, many houses and farmlands submerged in the disasters.

In this post, I’ll share with you some of the lessons I’ll never forget about the Anwase journey:

1.       Set up a team of hungry people- Never execute an idea without the people with the requisite information. I had to source for the contact of the Punch journalist, Ozioma Ubabukoh, whose article I had read on the issue. He gave me all the scoops I needed about the community and the eruption. Next, I sought several Tiv friends who speak the language of the people. Most helpful was Mimi, an adventurer per excellence, who offered to escort me. I must also thank Nguher and Luper, her siblings who heard about the journey and showed interest. The Anyams are crazy about adventure: hiking and mountain-climbing, to say the least.

      The displaced rocks are evidence of the volcano (Here, Luper and the 2 other bikers are in the     lead, Nguher trudges at the back, while Mimi & I follow behind. I fell around here).

Honestly, I never planned to climb the mountain; I only wanted to photograph it and the community. But the hunger of my 5 team members made me climb. Hungry people feed your hunger. If you don’t want to give up on something, gather around you people of like passion. Who are your friends and mentors?

2.       Release your passion- You achieve your dreams when you release your passion. Climbing the mountain gave me an aerial view I would have missed. Every direction I pointed my lens was beautiful enough for a shot. I clicked away on the shutter and got more than I bargained for.  The tiring 5-hour bike journey was insufficient to stop me. Don’t be a spectator when you should be a player.

                                 When you're passionate, you go the extra mile to get results.

3.       Never say die- The journey from Katsina Ala to Anwase took as long as 5 hours due to some setbacks. First, 2 of the 3 bikes in our convoy had flat tyres at different times. On one of the occasions, we had to convey the bike on another bike to locate a vulcanizer in a nearby village! One of the bikes also broke down at Jato Aka.

                                                                    Bike piggy-back!

Moreover, climbing the steep mountain was like crawling to hell. I lost my balance a couple of times and pleaded with God not to take me home yet. Despite weary nerves, we all climbed and conquered the mountain. It was a life metaphor: we all climb mountains in our lives daily.  The farther we climb, the more we overcome life’s challenges. Success is for those who conquer, not those who chicken out in defeat.

4.       Know your bounds- Alas, our mountain climbing was made easier when we met a hunter on the mountain. Apart from showing us a less tedious path, he confessed that reaching the top of the mountain to see the volcanic spot was another 3-hour journey and we may not make it back till 9pm! This was around 2pm and we had climbed for an hour. Having a little conference, considering the distance and the issues we had encountered previously, we decided to descend and return to K. Ala. We had no lamp, food and water were running out and time was terribly against us. Know your bounds and if you have the wherewithal, cross them. Know the rules before you break them.

5.       Have enough rest- Interestingly; our return was unbelievably shorter- only 2.5 hours! The only stop-overs we had were to refuel our tummies and tanks. On returning to my hotel room, I took analgesic, previewed my shots and slept till the following day- a total of 12 hours! Celebrate each day’s victory with a good rest to sharpen your sword or your body will pay back.

6.       Applaud your team- Appreciate each person’s contribution. Having all my team members able to communicate in Tiv language was invaluable. Several times during the journey, they helped us find our way and get back on track, they helped us negotiate and find security. Effective communication has no substitute. My expedition would have failed 100% without Mimi, Nguher, Luper and the 2 other bike riders.

L-R: Nguher, Mimi & Luper on the mountain after the stressful climb- thanks a million guys!

After the trip, I phoned each one to know how they fared. Some of them had broken down after the journey but recovered days after. Without God, any of us could have lost his/her life.

Looking back, I savour the adventure, fun, bonding and above all, the exposure it gave me and an understanding of the cultural significance the Anyams attribute to that mountain, being central to their history as Tivs.

Life is a mountain with steeps and contours laden with risks. The point you are at is the point at which you have decided to stop momentarily. Fix your gaze on the goal and stay in the climb. Diligent hands will rule.

Never Say Die

Every life accomplishment is an aggregate of many things: time, effort, experience, opportunity, courage and determination- all working together to produce an enviable future. Always remember that nothing comes easy, every cake is a product of heat. If life were that cheap, hard life would not be an option for some.

Realise that in the horizon exists for you a beautiful landscape of great opportunities but the journey is punctuated by craters, stumbling blocks and hills. What do you do with a stumbling block? You either trip over it then fall by the way or you make it a stepping stone to having a clearer glance of the horizon. You make the difference by your attitude, perspective and determination.

If you successfully execute a plan without an encounter with a stumbling stone, you have not achieved anything because success is the overcoming of challenges. Success becomes elusive when you expect zero resistance.

What should happen when you face a resistance? Persevere. Develop staying power. Samuel Johnson says, “Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.” I have a friend who lost her pregnancy at an advanced stage 2 years ago. It was so devastating. Last year, she tried again and it was the same story. It could be so frightening, the thought of another pregnancy- all the uncertainties, the embarrassment and the side talks. She focused on her goal, defied all these and conceived again. Last month, she delivered a pretty girl. Achievement is like wrestling- you don’t quit when you’re tired, you quit when your opponent is tired.

• Encourage yourself- Stonsifer says, “Don’t be discouraged; it may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door.” True. You may need to explore all your options to achieve your goals. You need to be strong to surmount every challenge you face. Slip out of depression and think clearly.
• Use what you have- Focus, not on your weaknesses but on your strength. A well-developed strength has the capacity to compensate for a thousand weaknesses. My focus here is on talent, not on character flaws. If having applied for white-collar jobs and you have been unsuccessful, why don’t you consider developing your core competency? Do you show potential in photography, events decoration, baking, catering, hairdressing, interior decoration, IT etc? Identify what you have, develop it to a marketable skill and have the faith in your ability. Nigeria as an emerging market shows lots of promises for skilled people; the era of dependence on university certificate is fading out. Plug in and take your place.
• Get back up- A wrestler may get knocked down many times in a fight but the outcome is determined by his resilience. Are you willing to try again? Are you willing to knock another door even if you’ll be spat at? Last week, I set out to take aerial photo-shots of Lagos Island. I met a brickwall at the 1^st skyscraper I approached as I was told point blank that it was a no-go area for such. I trekked further down Broad Street and I was given the same line at another skyscraper. I was even insulted at the 3^rd building I visited. Yet, I moved on till I met an accommodating officer who was generous with the roof-top of his skyscraper. I made away with 61 shutter clicks within 10 minutes of sheer photographic indulgence! You can have what you seek if you stand up to it. Persistence is proof of desire.

Limitations are not due to the lack of ability but the lack of faith in your ability. Assert your individuality and the crowd will make way for you. “Set yourself on fire and the world will watch you burn” (Unknown). Winston Churchill says, “Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” Take stock, think, change strategy, and knock again. Overcome the fear of rejection. Your next trial may just be the turning point.

The 7 Ingredients for Success

It’s been quite a while since the last Motivation Today blogpost. Yours truly has been busy on some photography projects. I wish to appeal that we may have to limit these posts to 1ce monthly, watch out for new projects coming soon. Thanks for reading…

 True enduring success is not a product of chance or luck, but a planned, consistent and deliberate effort. Success is a choice – you become what you choose, consciously or unconsciously, to become. Winning can become your habit as you constantly leverage the elements that make it predictable.

1. Vision- A sense of purpose & direction determines ALL your life’s choices. Your vision is an insight into a favourable future. You must not only develop insight but also “outsight”, “farsight” & “fatsight” as you journey into the world of your dreams. Insight and outsight are the products of a sound knowledge and understanding of the facts. Farsight is the capacity to see the future of bliss in a seeming bleak situation; it’s a run against myopia. Fatsight is the ability to dream big. A clear vision underguards the dream journey, which is a faith walk. See beyond your nose, keep the end in sight.

2. Passion- To succeed in any endeavour; believe in your vision, yourself and your environment. Passion provides the combustion for hardwork and the strength to surmount challenges. It sees the path through every barricade of distraction & problem and supplies you energy with self confidence. Don’t keep mute about what makes you cry. Cry out in passion and see you fly. Passion is a good disturbance that rattles you out of your comfort zone. Inertia and casualness will give way once you discover your passion: whatever makes you cry, laugh, complain, angry and catches your attention always is your passion.

3. Information- Information adds flesh to your vision and helps you design a roadmap that will lead to accomplishment. Insight and outsight cannot develop without appropriate information. Curiosity will help grow your knowledge base. Brian Tracy says, “Successful people are those who learned from others who have gone before them.” Learn why others failed or succeeded. There is also the need to be able to clearly and effectively communicate your ideas.

4. Money- The currency that translates vision to reality and the resource that provides other resources. In the actualisation of your dream, money must be a means to an end, never an end in itself because when it becomes an end, it only intensifies a sense of unfulfilment in life. Money can NEVER deliver 100% satisfaction to anyone, whereas loving and touching others’ lives positively will. The human desire for wealth is insatiable; otherwise, the rich would have quit striving to be richer. Get out of your inertia; quit complaining about ‘lack of capital’. Instead, go and learn how to use OPM (other people’s money). OPM comes through loans, bank overdrafts, mortgages etc. A good alternative is to use your social capital. Social capital is using your integrity or goodwill to get business favour. For instance, Mrs A may start a pastry business by getting 10 bags of flour on credit from Mrs. B based on long-standing goodwill. Money is not everything and not all the money you need to accomplish your vision will flow in from day 1.

5. People- People are the machinery that translates vision to reality. By now should have realized you’re neither omnipresent nor omnipotent. People within your circle of influence act as your 3rd hand as they assist with what you are unable to achieve on your own. They contribute physical, moral and intellectual skills. Avoid the temptation to see people as tools that can be used and over-labour and dumped. Assemble a balanced team, understand the personalities and skills of your team members, and then leverage them for success.

6. Character- The sustenance of a man with a vision. A character flaw does to a man what toothache does to a beautiful face. An unfixed character flaw is a silent plot of one’s downfall. A leader’s personal values always transmit to an organisation’s core values. Enron and Cadbury are unfortunate recent instances. Work daily at self discipline, making quality choices and delaying gratification and you’ll build a lasting reputation.

7. God- The invisible Persona that makes things fall in place and the supernatural Authority whose final word makes all the difference. Human effort without divine leverage is futile. Pray to God to align you with His perfect will, which is a guarantee for winning. Trust Him to make your plans come through. Show charity to God, orphans and widows, and it will come back to you in multiples. Caveat: don’t depend on God if you’ve chosen the path of indolence, lethargy or indifference.

Dream, make achievable plans, run a feasibility test on your dream, and boldly step out and execute your plans. Water your dream constantly. Develop the necessary passion, get the capital (intellectual, financial & human), build your character and trust God to bless your effort. Today is the future you made reference to yesterday; the future is today!

Step into your dreams

I chose to drop out of a MSc. programme sometime ago because I figured that the exercise was not adding any value to my life. My lecturers were so disorganised that they hardly attended classes and if they did, it was to sell their handouts, which of course added to students’ bottom line at the end of the course!

They quoted the same books they studied as undergraduates and imparted no current knowledge or skill! Out of discontent, I opted out to follow my passion for photography. I bought my 1^st D-SLR equipment, got trained, and today I’m happy, having added a veritable money-making skill to my life. I’m assured that I won’t have to live from job to job, seeking to make a living with an unjustifiable certificate.

Life is a decision. It is the way you dream and work towards it. Live a fulfilling life.

Money follows people wherever they go and in an overly populated nation like Nigeria, money flows along people’s path. Money-making opportunities abound and one must plug-in to discover how to trap this flow of currency. Your skills and ideas are necessary to create avenues of generating wealth.

The workplace is changing in such a rapid manner that graduates are now garnering skills and taking up vocations hitherto reputed to be practiced by illiterates and artisans. Professions like hairdressing, tailoring, photography, event catering and decoration are examples. In a few years, in fact, graduates who do not add an extra skill to their lives will be outdone by their skilled counterparts. It would make no sense not to get a degree but its only relevance would be just that and basic knowledge. Vocational skills would generate the currency you require to provide your needs. Spending decades on a white-collar job is definitely fading out as upwardly mobile executives are now looking inwards and creating the businesses of their dreams.

Usually, people find it Herculean taking the step of faith out of their comfort zones and zones in sync with public opinion. Below are tips to staying ahead:

Document your dreams: A dream is a stream of water; it flows away, never returning to its initial spot. A dream is a bird; it escapes on its wings so soon. The shortest pen is longer than the longest memory. Never underestimate the power of a dream, it has the capacity to bestow on you renown. Trap your hunches & visions down in written form as it helps you to crystallize your ideas.

Chart your course: Fill in the gaps between your current reality and your dream. What goals/steps would take you into the future you crave? Design an action plan and be disciplined enough to follow the path.

Get a mentor: Find an accessible & experienced person from whose wealth of knowledge and experience you can glean. You must be teachable, willing to serve and ready to pay the price.

Get informed: Go to school. Read books/journals. Attend seminars/conferences/workshops. Google it! We’re in an information age, you know? Information increases exponentially by the second. What you need is as close to you as the next click. Appropriately interpret what you read, hear, see and perceive.

Pay the price: Every prize has a price tag. The national anthem says: “The labour of our heroes past…” People become heroes as a result of their work. Work hard and smart at your dream. Subject yourself to physical, spiritual, financial, mental and social discipline in congruence with your dream. Be consistent, strategic and deliberate in your approach.

Keep the end in focus: Discouragement is bound to try your belief in yourself. Courage is the antidote to fear and doubt. Fix your eyes on the distant image in your telescope. Superimpose your future in your mind’s eye, never giving it up to momentary challenges. Your difficulties have a shelf life, if you’ll hang on; you’ll have what you desire. Hope is the medicine of despair so, be patient, consistent and you’ll climb to the top of your dream.

Never seek significance, rather seek destiny. In seeking your purpose in destiny, you’ll find significance. Those who seek significance find it only to lose it so soon.

Pix: Microsoft images

Why giants fall 3

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self control.” (The Book of Proverbs)

You are not a saint but you can strive to improve character. The vulnerability of the human nature provides us the capacity to falter but this must never be the excuse to indulge in self destructive thoughts, habits, attitudes or addictions. Seek help to overcome crippling traits that may short-change your destiny.

Many people suffer in silence as a result of their Achilles heels; some others short-change themselves in the belief that change is impossible. Thomas Monson says, “Our very business in life is not to get ahead of others…but to get ahead of ourselves.” Take precaution before your weak point subdues you. No life grows truly great till it is disciplined. What is the way forward?

1. Accept responsibility– Change becomes elusive when the responsibility for it is transferred to another party. Accept your weakness as such and refrain from passing the buck, take responsibility for your life. Realise that other people like you have successfully managed this trait that has caused you nightmares. Everyone carries the burden of one Achilles heels or the other but with a sincerity of heart and the singleness of purpose, one can gradually and inevitably prevail over it.

Accept that you can change or improve your life. I was counseling a lady recently who believed that change was not possible from a particular age range in one’s life. This is untrue. You will move the boulders in your life once you decide to confront them: never complain about what you permit. Never blame your sexual laxity on your family weakness or your itchy fingers on bad economy.

2. Personal discipline – “You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one” opines James A. Froude. Set exit strategy goals for yourself. If you have power problem, learn to see others better than yourself. If it’s sexual, discipline your thoughts – avoid fantasies, avoid living alone, avoid pornography like AIDS, shun the promotion of nudity in the media and don’t nurture a relationship for which you don’t have sincere intentions. To overcome addiction, avoid the object of control. John Maxwell suggests that self discipline is “the ability to do what is right even when you don’t feel like doing it.”

3. Build character- A strong character would protect your potential, sustain you in trying times and make you consistent in excellence. Until you master yourself, you may never master your game. Push the limits of your success by investing in your character- your ability to do what is right, your values and your self image. John Maxwell asserts, “The lives of people who are long on talent but short on character always get out of balance.”

4. Seek help– Confide in someone who can help. Seek counseling from social workers, church counselors or professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, health workers etc.). The media can also be helpful. Try a programme like Sharing Life Issues with Chaz B on Inspiration 92.3 FM or online fora with positive objectives, Question and Answer newspaper columns (Billionaires’ Capsules with Ayo Arowolo, Sex & Sexuality with Funmi Akingbode, Dear Kemi –all in Punch newspapers) also seek divine intervention.

Your thoughts, attitudes, habits and addictions are the 4 steps of character formation. When you sow a thought, you reap an action (attitude). The fruit of an action is a habit. A habit is the seed of a character (addiction). When you sow a character, you reap a life. To un-form a bad character trait, reverse this simple linear process of character formation.