Nigeria: Great Nation, Failed People

Phew! Sadly but expectedly, Nigeria is out of the World Cup. Even though many of us hoped that the Eagles would miraculously fly, we were not unaware of the 5Ps of life- Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance- which the Eagles woefully failed to exhibit. The World Cup may be over for many, but it has just begun for me. Congratulations to Ghana for securing second round qualification, but since Nigeria is out, may the best team win!


But seriously, I am certain that the Eagles’ calamity display at the World Cup has further strengthened the belief of many that Nigeria is a failed State. Indeed, it is only a failed State that budgets N10 billion naira for an anniversary celebration when most of her citizens live below poverty level; only a failed State has Honourable Representatives who turn the National Assembly chamber to a boxing arena in the name of moving a motion; and it is only a failed State that experiences acute shortage in the midst of abundance.

If Nigeria is a failed State, then the government and people of Nigeria have failed to do what is right. Many of us are quick to blame the government for being a national embarrassment, and I totally agree with that. We accuse the government of encouraging corruption by appointing corrupt individuals to manage public funds and offices- another statement of fact. As a matter of fact, to say that successive Nigerian governments have been a disgrace is an understatement.

But then, is the government to be blamed when parents use their children for drug trafficking, aid and abet their kids in examination malpractice, and encourage their kids in defrauding unsuspecting people?

The family is the smallest unit in a society, and it’s saddening that many of us have failed to raise a family worthy of emulation. If we cannot bring up our family to be orderly, peace-loving, diligent and God-fearing, then we must not complain about the government because it is being run by members of families who are just as bad as ours. The only difference is that they are in government while we are not!

A society that’s indisciplined and morally bankrupt will never get to the Promise Land even if the government is as upright as we can imagine- and Nigerians epitomizes these two traits. We cannot continue to blame the government for whatever happens when we have failed to make any positive difference. The bank MDs who almost wrecked 5 of the biggest banks in Nigeria were not appointed by the government; the carelessly parked truck that killed Dagrin was not parked by the government; our blind greed and desperation shouldn’t be blamed on the government; the ripple effects of our careless flouting of laws and procedures should not be blamed on the government.

Most of us go to church and mosque on Sundays and Fridays, respectively, but only do it for fun. Many of us claim to have conscience, but we hardly worry about it when perpetrating our evil deeds. So, if Nigeria is a failed State, we are a FAILED PEOPLE!

Let’s do what right in our families, and we shall turn around the fortune of this country someday. For me, Nigeria is a great country occupied by failed people- and failed people run down great nations!

Eagles, Please Fly

Let us pray......
Heavenly Father, as the Eagles decide to fly without wings in their last match, please let them fly miraculously. I know that they do not deserve to qualify for the second round, but consider the anguish of 150 million Nigerians, the efforts of the sponsors, money spent on replica jerseys, PHCN's efforts, and the name of our president, and let us have the fullest cause to glorify your name at the end of 90 minutes.
Amen!

May this not happen again ooooo!

Creamy Delight Cakes

Butter icing cakes- exquisite on the outside, yummy on the inside. 

Power of One- The Sani Kaita Experience

World Cup 2010: Oh Africa!

It's been a while, people- no thanks to the African teams' World Cup fiasco. While Nigerians would have gladly sacrificed Sani Kaita to the gods, the Camerounians were mad at the Lions' entire team. As for Cote d'Ivoire, you don't cause the biggest upset in the World Cup by playing like that against Brazil! Ghana decided to postpone her second round qualification after wasting so many opportunities against Denmark, while Algeria refused to bow to the western world.
The World Cup is taking place in Africa, but African teams are in shambles! Let's move on to better things jare:

The Power of One

Even though Nigeria's loss to Greece was painful, it taught me an important lesson- a team must always work together and not in isolation, because the power of one will always have a ripple effect on the entire team. The Eagles were just beginning to gain confidence against Greece when Sani Kaita was sent off, and that marked the beginning of the end of the team. If you work in a team, let the interest of the team override your personal ambition; for the success or failure of a team may determine how far we'll travel in life.
And for those of us who must have acted like Sani Kaita at one time or the other, the punishment and criticism may be harsh and insensitive, but that's not enough reason for us to stay down and out. As long as we realize our mistake, retrace our steps and look forward to the future with optimism, that mistake will become history in the shortest impossible time.
If you are in doubt, ask Zinedine Zidane.

When First Impression Never Matters

World Cup fever: Nigeria's super eagles lost its first match at the on-going World Cup, but soccer fans admitted that the players gave a good account of themselves. I hope they do better in their remaining matches. We can still qualify from that group. No matter how badly we play, I will not support any team against the Eagles. GreenWhiteGreen for life!

Now, let's go customer-centric again:
A few months ago, I had an encounter with a customer. The customer sounded so local as he ranted in pidgin English over a genuine issue. He was not rude in anyway, but his pidgin gave me the impression that he was uneducated. However, since he was able to express himself, I went ahead to resolve the issue. His call records were not available, but I pleaded with him to call back later, and apologized for the inconveniences caused. To my shock, the customer expressed his appreciation in Queen's English! That was when he told me that the incident happened when he was away in the United States; and as if he could feel my shock at the other end, he said he decided to speak pidgin English because he wanted quality service based who he was and not what he sounded like! We eventually became friends, and I have become his account officer. If I had attended to the customer based on how he sounded at first, I'm sure I would have had myself to blame.
Customer service goes beyond the 'first impression matters' phrase. It's actually the art of 'scratching the surface' and 'looking beyond the physical'. Many customer service professionals write off customers because of their physical appearance, or impression formed based on their mannerisms and intonation, forgetting that our customers are neither applicants for jobs nor contractors bidding for contract. They are the money makers for business organizations, and what the organizations concern themselves with is the size of the customers' account.
Customer service is an exciting profession, because apart from the fact that it gives us the opportunity to enhance the organization's income, it also teaches us an invaluable virtue- humility.
So, as we begin a new week, let's always remember that that 'rough' customer may just be our link to that much-desired promotion and job satisfaction.
This is the abridged version of my thought.

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Computer Gurus in Action- Dad and Son

Creamy Delight Cake- simple but elegant

Some photos from my grandma's burial party. It was fun, but I was too busy to take photos.

The World Cup is Here!

Phew!!!!! I've not blogged for a while now- no thanks to my busy schedule. I thought I could combine the job pressure and blogging but it was so hard that I had to painfully push blogging aside. I'm back, and it feels so good.
I'm sure the World Cup fever is on, and so certain that the first, and perhaps the only World Cup Africa will host in this millennium, will live up to its billing. I learnt a few things from the opening ceremony and wish to share them with you:
The performances at the opening ceremony were wonderful, and a lesson for our Nigerian artistes. Stage craft is an important part of your business, please learn it. Please do away with the 'DJ, track 2' thing because it's annoying to watch you lip-synch songs exactly as recorded in your CD.
President Jacob Zuma's welcome speech was short, simple and ORAL. I hope our government officials have learnt that a speech does not necessarily have to remind us of the NTA Network News!!!
Nelson Mandela couldn't attend the opening ceremony because he lost his great-granddaughter. The South African national tv did not replace the live coverage of the opening ceremony with the condolence visits to the Mandelas' place. We need to be less sycophantic in this country!
Ok, enough observation for the day. If Nigeria doesn't win the World Cup, which other country do you think stands a chance????
Ciao people!

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Creamy Delight Cakes- a yummy 80!

Grandma's Burial Photos

My paternal grandma was laid to rest on Thursday, June 3rd, 2010. Enjoy the photos

Final burial comes up on June 12, 2010. you are cordially invited.

See You at the Top

Alright people, let's encourage ourselves:
Life's challenges can be very enormous, and tend to weigh us down. Like most of you reading this piece, I've had my own fair share of challenges, tasted the bitterness of defeat, and almost felt like giving up on life. I could have resigned myself to my fate and remained stagnant forever, but my friends made me realize that my situation wasn't the worst in the world. I began to observe happenings around me, and God opened my eyes. I realized that contrary to my narrow thought, I was actually very lucky. So, before you cry about your lack of shoes, remember that there are people out there who have no legs.
No matter the situation you find yourself, never forget that it could have been worse. Let's deal with the challenges of life as they come; let's enhance our belief in a better tomorrow as we march on with determination, because God is taking us to the top.
See you at the top, for it no matter how long it takes, victory is ours.

Grandma’s Death: My Thoughts

I wanted to do something about customer service and first impression, but the news of my grandma's death really unsettled me. I have suspended that topic till after her burial. Rest in peace, Elegusi.

While I mourn my grandma's death, I can't help thinking about the mystery of life and death. We do not have control over death, but God has given us the grace to live, and give life a meaning. My grandma was poor, but she struggled to train her children. Before her death, her children ensured that she had access to every good thing life had to offer. What she couldn't afford in her youth, she had in excess in her old age. Her mates thought she was foolish back then, but she proved to be wiser than all of them. She's dead now, but will forever live on. When you live for a legacy, your legacy will most certainly outlive you.

This is the sort of end I wish for- my end shall be much sweeter than my beginning; and my legacy shall outlive me. What kind of end do you wish for yourself? What kind of end are you working towards? Think about these, my friends, for death is a debt we must all pay.