Nigeria is tough but who says we are alone in the struggle for survival? The whole world groans under the harsh reality of the times in a world best described as a global village. What separates my country from the rest is the willingness to stand up and be counted when the roll call of patriots is made. Truth be told, it takes more than courage to stand up for a country that sits when her citizens cry for help. Tough as things are, Nigerians are unable to get emotionally detached from Nigeria for whatever reason. It is not for nothing, this country is great and has all it takes to be greater. What defines the emotional attachment of Nigerians to Nigeria is inexplicable but a nation where the citizens first identify themselves by ethnic nationality and/or religious affiliation has failed her people. Nigerians love for Nigeria is not in doubt but daily and increasingly, Nigerians struggle to find reasons to continue to love Nigeria. The many things Nigerians love about Nigeria are gradually becoming questions unanswered. If I am in position to dialogue with my country, I will choose conventional method of communication, perhaps my message could travel slowly but find genuine answers devoid of deceit.

It was long in coming but eventually, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is out. He is undoubtedly a rugged politician who, in the face of the most difficult situation, stands up to confront his burden. He is as controversial as resilient. The United Kingdom cannot forget BJ in a hurry. As a keen follower of UK politics, I had thought that PM Boris Johnson would have been long gone as British PM after the partygate scandal. I was surprised that he survived the threat of a no confidence vote in April 2022 despite the overwhelming evidence of abuse of power when he broke his own rules at the peak of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Why do we complain? We complain for so many reasons but many times we don’t have good reasons to complain. If the motive is right, there are enough good reasons to complain but some things you complain about will become needless if only you ask yourself what you intend to achieve by complaining. Some actions we take are products of reflex action that give us little or no time to think through the actions we are about to take. With the benefit of hindsight, if you think through some things you struggle for, you would realise that it is not worth it. Sometimes, it is more profitable to let go.

Sometimes back, I met two gentle ladies arguing who between the two is better skilled to perform a particular act. One said she has natural talent, only that she is too busy to put it to practice. The other performs the act regularly and is so confident of herself. Either was convicted of her belief but I waited for my opinion to be sought, lest I became an intruder. Mine was not to make one feel better than the other when my opinion was eventually sought but I reminded the first lady that passion, constant practice and consistency can displace the best talent that is kept in abeyance for too long a time. If you don’t use your talent, you will lose it. It is just a matter of time.

Have you ever experienced kindness from someone before and when you say thank you he tells you not to mention it? It’s a common occurrence. Sometimes he even goes further to say it is the least he can do, hence don’t mention. Can I tell you something? Please mention it. If possible, mention it again. Nine times out of ten, he is waiting for you to mention it so he can have the opportunity to tell you not to mention it. Even if it is the least he can do for you, still mention it. Not mentioning it sends a message not intended but oftentimes implied. Every man (and woman) likes to be appreciated.

Nigeria is on the march again, looking for Mr President. The past week witnessed many memorable events. The most topical issue of the moment revolves around the choice of running mates for the elected candidates of the two major political parties. Some have said religion doesn’t matter. Those who take that position have their reasons. As things stand in Nigeria today, of course religion does matter. In a country where a particular faith is feeling persecuted, it sounds too simple to think that religion doesn’t matter in the choice of the combination of who lead Nigeria. However, the relevant question we should be asking is if religion should matter in the choice of running mate for any candidate who has his roadmap for changing the narrative for a country deeply in the woods.

Jeffrey Awoniyi is the youngest member of the Book Club @ Peace House. He is 7 years old. He was the symbol of the event. Jeffrey stole the show when he stepped out to give an account of his major take home from the book, Winning Strategies. He chose the topic “Face your Fear”. Indeed Jeffrey faced his fear when he defeated timidity and spoke to the audience. I was particularly thrilled with the way he held tightly to the book in a ‘don’t let go’ manner. He is a leader in waiting. The event was the book reading of Winning Strategies on Saturday the 4th of June, 2022. The Convener of the Book Club and Head of Service of Ekiti State, Mrs Peju Babafemi, displayed exemplary leadership. She is a leader indeed, a mother hen with a sea of committed followers who are leaders in their right.

There were many events of significance to me this past weekend. Some are spirit lifting, some are lesson laden but one particular event was heartrending. To me, this is one of those moments when the ink in my pen refuses to flow. My heart is heavy, the words are few. Nigerians groan under harsh conditions but resilience describes her people even in the face of uncertainties of what tomorrow holds. When everything else fails, the succour we seek is in the place of worship, where we dump all challenges and hold on to the hope in the God of creation. If this only hope is taken away, what then is left to live for? It was a black Sunday in Owo, Ondo State yesterday when unidentified gun men mingled with worshippers to maul down unidentified number of people and spilled innocent bloods in a carnage that can be well described as the Owo massacre.

I was thrilled to be admitted to the Book Club @ Peace House under the leadership of Mrs ‘Peju Babafemi. She is a reader, a leader and a technocrat who presently occupies the prestigious seat of the Head of Service of the Ekiti State Civil Service. In a world that has dynamically gravitated towards instant messaging and short codes as means of communication, I am particularly excited that we still have a few leaders championing the reading of books as a veritable means of transmitting knowledge. My inspirational page this week is dedicated to the Book Club @ Peace House. My book, Winning Strategies, has been nominated for reading and discussion at the third edition of the book club programme of the Book Club @ Peace House.

Anytime I remember my childhood, I cannot but wish that I have the privilege of choosing how to live but life is more than mere wishes. Naturally, children don’t like to work. They work better in an atmosphere of play, understandably so. I remember how we looked forward to recess when I was in the primary school. Recess then was a short break between morning and early afternoon classroom work, the type we can call biological break. Recess to us as school children was more than a biological break. It was a moment of liberty to play. The freedom to play within the 10 to 15 mins recess had a way of refreshing and reinvigorating us to do classroom work before the big one, the lunch break. We looked forward to recess the same way we looked forward to lunch break. To us, both symbolised the freedom to play.