Crossing the Mediterranean

It was a very scary night along the coast of Libya it started with a howling wind and claps of thunder, the serenity of the coastline suddenly gave way to a heavy storm that’s about to capsized the overcrowded ferry, it’s been five weeks since they left the shores of Casablanca sailing towards Eastern Europe, in search of greener pastures, having come this far, the journey had been on a smooth edge since setting sail.

Navigating and linking several African borders together, encountering pirates along the way and having to bribe their way through each border’s Sea-Dogs(police of the waters), all these,  has not come without a fair share of resoluteness and shear determination on the part of the traveler and the ‘daring sailors’. But on this particular night their journey was about to experience an entirely different outcome, the raging tides had caught the sailors off guard, no one saw it coming, the travelers knew all along that it was going to be a torrid adventure having decided to take the risk against all odds, avoiding the threat to life that ensues from having to ply this dangerous route to Europe but the reality that be-faced them at the moment was nothing compared to what they had imagined, the refugees and the migrants who had made the desperate attempt to cross the Mediterranean sea to Europe were all crippled with the fear of the fate that is about to befall them, except an intervention that’s divine comes there way, chances of surviving this is very infinitesimal.

Experiences such as this are the kind of tales that describes succinctly the risky adventures that betides many sojourners across the Mediterranean seeking an easy access to the western world. This is a journey that promises not a smooth sail or a safe landing, its is a journey that can be tagged the journey of no return, a trip, i would like to believe no right thinking human being would love to experience, yet having said this, it is so shocking that the statistical numerical progression at which African immigrants and refugees ply this route every year just to improve their standard living, as they supposedly think, is bewildering to say the least. It’s also rather perplexing, that a select group of human race at this age would still defy the odds and embark on this deadly journey.  Take the case of Samuel John a Sierra Loanean for an instance, the unstable economic situation especially the pockets of several civil unrest that had plagued his nation for over five years had seriously taken it toll on him, having tried all he could to eke out a living for himself and his immediate family, he still finds it difficult to make a financial breakthrough. He, for one, had heard of the testimonies of how the economic situation of the Western World had bettered the life of its citizens and some other immigrants, so he felt he could better his option by taking his chance out there too, but this doesn’t just come on a platter of gold, it comes with paying a price and a gruesome one at that. Though it’s a very cheap option to coming out of his obscurity but it’s yet dangerous enough to cost him his life. But the only obstacle to getting over to the western world to achieve is dream of changing is fortunes no matter what it takes is the ‘the unpredictable dangerous waters of the Mediterranean’. It had paved way to several for a successful journey yet it had also swallowed many aspiring to do the same. Here the odds are either against you or for you. And when it’s the case of the former the story is never a pleasant one to tell.
Many that takes the journey are definitely aware of these odds, but one seems to wonder as to why they still obstinately proceed with this sort of journey, it either they are blinded by how cheap it delivers to them their dream of getting to the western world or they are so desperate to the extent that staying back in their country would stifle and strangulate out their very essence of existence. But on the other hand, taking a look at this on a rather positive perspective, one could identify a very serious part of the human nature that envelopes a trait of survival. It further unravels a side of humanity that has characterized the reason why it had survived on this side of the divide(earth) for million of years, despite the challenges it faces every day.

The Mediterranean literally might be a region that’s part of the earth’s hydrosphere which may serve as a route enroute many intercontinental borders across the atlantic but from a figurative perspective, it would not be wrong if we conclude that many times as humans, we try to navigate through one life’s trials to triumph, when difficulties and challenges throws us off balance, its like coasting through the Mediterranean sea. From the cradle of life to the metamorphological processes we experience to get to whatever stage we are in life today, it won’t be an understatement to say that life’s coastline hasn’t been clear and smooth. It’s like journeying through the Mediterranean.
Many had survived the tides, while some can’t just afford to pass through because of the risk involved, some would rather not try than to die trying.  Though coasting through the sea of the Mediterranean successfully doesn’t assure and guarantee reaching a goldmine of some sort but it could pass for an attempt characterized and lazed with several elements of guts, bravery and courage. In life the journey to the top is not for the chicken hearted, if one Isnt very sure of his conviction, its very easy to be swept away by the flurry and the fast paced frenzy that betides our world. The strive for excellence and the urge of wanting to be the best doesn’t come easy, a plethora of different challenging adventure that seems to test our resolve, success and fulfilment in life is a journey, and checking the path of greatness only few have their footprints etched on it. The pyramid of life, has only few at the top and many languishing beneath, the reason for this is actually not far fetched, only few has the guts to defy the odds. Rising from the cadre of nothing to something is a daunting task has herculean as navigating the Mediterranean successfully.

Checking the archives of history, tales of great men written in gold exists of extraordinary feats achieved by ordinary men some of a very humble background yet used the zeal and shear determination they have to cause the changes they desire to see in their lives, community and nation as a whole though others can also do the same but the fear of failing hindered them, as obstinate as a decision of plying the Mediterranean sea looks, it seems to be the option available to the calibre of the kind men that plies it, a wealthy man can’t take such a route because he has the needed resources to access better platforms to get him to his destination. But the Mediterranean journey characterizes the fact that when the ships are down and the options you have are limited, what do you do, do you quit and maintain the statusquo, or dare the odds and change your circumstances even if it will cause you tears sweat and even blood.

What To Do When You Are Doing Nothing...

One of the most frustrating experiences one can have in life is to be alive and not active, i.e to be idle. It's a route that gradually leads to extinction and if care is not taken, you may lose touch of the realities that defines who you are or who you should be.
There are specific periods in the life cycle of a man that characterizes a season of inactivity, though sometimes seasons like this could come as a result of some external influences that can't be altered... For example, as an undergraduate there is nothing u can do  to a situation of an industrial action embarked upon by your school authorities or as a fresh graduate waiting for youth service corps can last for months and many other practical examples that has the same similitude to inactivity.
So what do you do in periods like this? Because in life you must come to terms with the reality of the fact that every passing second counts and you are accountable for every of those passing moments. I ve seen young men and women take charge of this periods to the greatest advantage. I discovered recently that a man can be dead and yet alive. Yes, that is so true and I know men and women who are a living reality of this. I have this strong notion that what to do when you are not doing anything is to to solely invest in the luxurious time you have to discover more about who you are. To identify problems that are particularly unsolved in the part of the divide you are in and train, equip yourself to to nurse and find solutions to those issues.
A man that is dead and yet alive is a man who has not discovered the true reason for his existence. The day you discover why you are truly born that is the day you start living. There are many walking corpse on the street of Lagos today, some are even riding big jeeps but not yet not living. Yours could be different. You can begin an adventure of fulfilment at a very young age, only if you will turn this period of inactivity to period of feeding your soul with the right nutrients needed for excellence. It's when you are loaded that you will be needed.
You see for everything in life, there is a time. I tell you, there is a time to sit and a time to stand. A time to wait and hide and a time to move out and manifest. This might be a period for you to learn. Learn about your emotions learn about finance, learn about leadership, you might need to learn a trade. It's a time to learn.
Why do we have many failures today in Africa? It's because many don't have the spare time to learn. That's why you would see top multinational companies organizing conferences and leadership training programs for there executives. This is good but tell me. What leadership virtue can someone learn and imbibe for may be a week or two??? They organize this programs because many of their employers need sufficient knowledge in handling issues that are key and vital to their growth as a firm. As good as this is, you don't need some sort of a crash program to build yourself. You can do that now.
Finally, every great man has this circle of inactivity, some call it the wilderness experience, where they learn the nittygritty of what their life is all about. This is a period when most great generals etch out their mission statement and inscribe permanently a vision they can run with for the rest of their life.
Don't trivialise this moment... Don't get fat physically alone get weighed also in building up your self, unraveling the mystery behind your existence. And hence very soon God Almighty will sponsor your showing forth. Note this, the school that precedes the faculty of greatness, is the school of learning and making. And it takes a teacher like discipline and patience to take you through. You will get to the topmost top.
God bless you
#Paradigmshift

DEAR DARE TO BE YOURSELF WE live in a soceity that frequently over burdens an individual with demands of exhibiting character and behaviors that must be generally acceptable. Hence in this part of the world, our actions are always guided by the slogan " what will people say". Well as a free thinker, I think that has robbed my generation of the greatness inherent in it's uniqueness. Nowadays, men have become more superficial and no more being real. But come to think of it, all our DNA'S are totally different, what about our fingerprints, they are also different. GOD had created us so unique and dynamic so why do we rub ourselves of the beauty the Creator has deposited in us. THIS IS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER 'CHECK GREAT MEN THAT HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS INPACT IN THE PAST THEY THRIVE ON ONLY ONE THING AND THAT IS THERE DYNAMIC ABILITY TO BE UNIQUE'. THIS IS THE PART TO FULFILMENT. HENCE DARE TO BE YOURSELF.

Identity

I discovered that men that solve problems don't age,people answer to them,financial and material wealth answers to them. They venture in the realm of excellence influence and relevance. It must interest us to know that A man's God given purpose in life is tied down to solving human problems. I believe that there is a problem only you and your person can solve in this world. Your identity is tied to problem that it's wired to solve. A man who doesn't ve a problem solving mentality will definitely be bereft of ideas. One important pointer that describes your identity is the type of ideas that comes to your mind because scriptures says has a man thinketh in his heart so is he. A pertinent question we must ask ourselves and definitely answer is, what problem am I created to solve in this earth sphere? Something should always define your living, something should always teleguard every of your direction in life. It will lead to a severe destiny autolysis if a man goes around life without having an understanding of what and who you are. One major priority we must seriously lay emphasis on at a very early stage of our life is answering the question what am I doing here on this side of the divide? One big problem I have found among men especially among religious folk, is that we confuse destiny wit career, we confuse purpose with certain priorities. Many believe that since they are engaged in activities that seems to attend to their financial needs they have the notion that destiny is been achieved. We must understand that when you have not unravel the mystery behind your identity its possible you substitute it in exchange for the pursuit of money. As important as money is in the life of a man, it doesn't guarantee fulfillment. It's in knowing your that purpose becomes real. Its because we don't set things right in the other of our lives that's why we experience frustration in certain areas in our lives. Many folks have gone on to take jobs without an understanding of their identity,many brothers have gone on to take the journey of marriage without understanding this reality of who they are, it not surprising that many of we youths ve gone on to take courses in the University without the lack this reality no wonder only few of us are fulfilled. Understanding who you are is pregnant statement with lot of offspring to bring forth. It would consciously unravel and answer questions of what you like, what you are passionate about, it awakes a sense of responsibility in you, it begins to sharpen your priorities and your direction in life. It helps you to cultivate a mission for our life. I know for sure that God married your person with an identity with a blue print and a pattern in which your life should be ordered. A man who is not yet awakened to what is identity is all about will begin a race to fill a void, a vacuum sort of. Such a man could go to the university hoping to fill this void, in fact he may take a career path to try to occupy this void with something tangible, even his marital life could be channelled towards fulfilling this void. This is why when we ask ourselves what we want in life,our response most of the time is that we want to be fulfilled. There is a chasm, a missing puzzle piece in the heart of man that puts him on a quest looking for something. Consciously or unconsciously we live our everyday life wanting to fill this void, wanting to be ' full-filled'. Friend, there is a path to fulfillment that I know, though many in the world might not agree with me on this but it is in intimacy with the Creator who created the a creature. I believe The Creator know every thing that even the created doesn't know about itself. The pathway to unlocking the multidimensional mysteries behind a man's identity is a spiritual path that involves directly engaging the One who is the Alpha and Omega, to lead you through the course of life. Friends it's a risk not worth taking if we go on about life guessing about what next instead of knowing exactly with a sure assurance of the next action to take. May the Lord grant understanding to our heart.

Ramblings in my mind.

My mind has a plethora of questions left unanswered as I embark on my journey in life. Permit me to apologise for the silence all this while.I had encountered both the best and worst moments in my life. In this my period of silence, I had succeeded and also failed, I had fallen and also risen but my little conclusion about life still remains that life is not worthy of living if you ve not discovered why God decided to put u on this side of d divide. In my successes I discovered that fulfilment is not a function of how much excellence you achieved but what good you ll be remembered for. I also discovered that you not the only one that can achieve such great feats but others can also, so in excellence humility is essential as records set can also be broken. In my many failures I found out that failure is the only abstract sincere and honest teacher that bluntly tells you your weaknesses and your shortcomings. So even in failure be humble enough to admit and be ready to be taught again the rudimentary and basic life teaching you once overlooked. The unique thing about great people is not that they don't fail but they are humble enough to admit and go down to learn so as not fail again. It's a new day and new opportunity to right every wrong... When there is a reason to live then great dreams can still be actualized, hope and believe can still propel the necessary strength needed to venture in the adventure of destiny. My candid advice to you is keep moving, even when you fall endure the pain and yet still advance. Its never too late until you ve no breath within you again. Thanks and God bless.