MM - My Friend, My Brother, My Inspiration

I am truly inspired by my friend’s life. He had the world at his feet, fell down flat on his face, but picked himself up and is soaring higher than ever. This is my friend’s story; and for the purpose of this piece, I’ll call him MM.

MM and I were mates in secondary school. After we left school, we attended different higher institutions and engaged in different activities. We didn’t get in touch again until 2006 during one of my old students’ association meetings; and MM had become a big boy in every sense of the word. He was working with a consulting firm and was jetting all over the world at an unimaginable rate. Of course, I felt intimidated the first time we met but he quickly proved to be someone who never allows success to get into his head.

MM is a really cool dude. He believes very much in the old students’ association and we became quite close - closer than we were in secondary school. His wedding was classy enough, and although I couldn’t attend, the feedback I got was not disappointing at all.

In 2010, MM decided to go into private business and resigned his appointment. Alas, the business failed and my friend became heavily indebted. The next 3 years were the toughest of his life – no job, no money and mounting family responsibilities. Through all these, his wife stood faithfully beside him – and MM really appreciated it.

Things got so bad that he turned his car to a taxi. Here is a guy who always bought brand new cars, so you can imagine the humiliation. But then, he accepted his fate and never stopped hoping. One day, things got to a head and my dear MM wept. He lifted his son to the heavens and told God to turn things around because of the boy – and yes, God did just that.

First, he got a project management job with a telecommunication company, from where he moved to the apex bank in Nigeria. MM was promoted early this year and his new status entitles him to a brand new LR4 as status car! Right now, MM is living the life again, but in a much better way. Also, he now invests heavily in the taxi business as it has become a familiar terrain to him.

MM has further proved that nobody has an excuse to remain on the ground when they fall. As long as you have what it takes to succeed in life, failure will always be a temporary setback and not permanent disability.