It’s exactly 5 years from the time I had my convocation ceremony for my Bachelors degree and I can’t but reflect on the journey thus far. Taking stock of my dreams back then and seeing the fulfillment of those dreams re-enforces my resolve that dreams do come true. One of the turning-point of my life was when a certain bright young man walked up to me, 5 days after my last exam in a Schlumberger Career Fair, invited me for a meeting; an extra ordinary meeting I would call it. The meeting was crammed with notable talented final year student from various disciplines, various fellowships but were all Christians. The theme of the meeting was a synergy of talented individuals towards becoming Role Models, not just any model but African Role Models.
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As I was pounding away on my laptop, I took a peek at my 3 months-old baby and her mother sleeping peacefully, the thought of modeling and the effect of modeling came to me. I envision the gist between my daughter and her friends at the age of 10 and I wondered what would be the common ground for discussion if the world continues the way it is; Brad Pitt in another divorce saga, Madonna’s new hit, Mikel Obi moves to Milan, 15 governors impeach on the same day, President of Nigeria flies around the world to initiate talk on Foreign Investment, etc. As I continued in my postulated vision, I can’t fail to see the effect of Media and the clouts it gives the so-called models that affect our every day social discussions. My first reaction was to give away my cable, ban illicit films from my home (as if the local TV stations don’t show this), ban music that portray debauchery and violent lyrics but my thought immediately cautioned me on such move because she would eventually go to school, meet with mates who would have been corrupted with such vices.
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So what do I do? Is the media to blame for promoting such role models that kids look up to? Why is the average kid more entertainment inclined? More kids prefer role models as actors, athletes, fashion models, musicians, etc these are areas where serious Christians hardly venture and those that venture, are not heavily recognized by the media. Then I looked at the bigger picture, why are so many youths in Nigeria in preference of a white collar job instead of business? Could it be the models they envision follow this path? Role model and its effect in a given society can never be overemphasized. This is why the meeting that took place five years ago in one of the prestigious joints in New Buka, OAU, Ife could never had come at a better time where the world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, where the world is seeking for a new wine, where the world is craving for a new lifestyle that will set their conscience free. The world is waiting for you.
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Here, is an except from the passionate coordinator of African Role Models, Adeolu Akinyemi;
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“These problems, I have started my day with a consciousness of them in mind for days. So much has my heart pondered on these that I’m beginning to feel uncomfortable with the idea of taking up a good paying job that does not afford me the opportunity of helping to be a solution to these problems. I have prayed, thought and panned and finally I have a solution. A solution that is worth using ones entire life to pursue. A peep reveals, that a solution to these problems lies in training, synergism of efforts, entrepreneurship, solid biblical concepts, resourcing and all too much for any existing society to produce. Welcome with me however to module that answers it all, welcome ARMs – African Role Models.â€
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Could this be the solution?
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To get a full gist on African Role Models; click HERE
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72 comments
2 pings
November 22, 2006 at 11:42 pm (UTC 1)
Hi
J i have to say that you are very brilliant and funny military and political mind. I have some questions for you and about the Babangiba and Marwa presidency as well their plans for the nation come 2007
November 22, 2006 at 11:49 pm (UTC 1)
yes Gbenro please let me know your questions and concerns how can i help you
November 22, 2006 at 11:54 pm (UTC 1)
please J what is your full name your career and connection with these political figures who you are supporting ?
November 23, 2006 at 12:01 am (UTC 1)
Well due to the terms and conditions of my service i really cannot disclose too much except that i am a signals and intelligence offiicer with the Nigerian Army, my job involves all kinds of things among them gathering information from websites such as these, decoy operations, tapping telephone conversations etc so actually this is part of my job!
My connection is i was planted by a member of the cabal who i cannot disclose at his time.
November 23, 2006 at 12:03 am (UTC 1)
What does babangida and marwa have planned for nigeria in terms of social welfare?
November 23, 2006 at 12:14 am (UTC 1)
Well the vision 2010 plan which is in line with the united nations millienium goals/plan for 2015 among others would provide free monetary, healthcare, elderly, disabled, education schemes as well as revert back to the old petroleum subsidy system that we had where the govt would fix the price of petrol. This was the case until the obj govt came and used democratic free market system that is too expensive for us. These are among the many welfare packages we have lined up.
November 23, 2006 at 12:20 am (UTC 1)
J you mentioned ” the packages we have lined up” are you actively involved in politics with these individuals and is this not a violation of your your terms and conditions of service?
November 23, 2006 at 12:37 am (UTC 1)
Well the terms and conditions does not explicitly say that i cannot or any member of the miltary for that matter be invloved in politics, but it does say that members cannot be “activley” involved. it also says that we are to support the polity and government as stakeholders. similarly the constitution says that soldiers can be drawn up at the discretion of the commander in chief to be involved in facilitating activities in the political process and security the polity including elections, riots, political rallies.
The constitution also says that in the event of political breakdown of law and order the most senior serving military commanders and officers can declare a state of emergency and take over affairs of the government in that case that would be the defence and service chiefs not the minister of defence.
Our terms and condition are different from other services like federal fire service (maybe micheal can tell you more about that one) and customs that usually have a name like Micheal G.O on their name tally/tag for commisioned offers in the forces thier names would be for example M. A Abdulai ie initials before last name , but the for the other ranks ie non commisioned officers in the armed forces it is usually similar to Micheal G. O format.
November 23, 2006 at 1:54 am (UTC 1)
Gbenro please can we retire for the day, lets continue tommorow, it is quite late, thank you.
November 23, 2006 at 9:43 am (UTC 1)
J you are not ashamed to be telling people that you are a dummy planted by a cabal in the military despite your intelligence and expertise. Why not wake up and face the reality of life. Can’t you as a military top brass have an independent mind of your own? Can’t you be a soldier in the mould of Kaduna Nzeogwu, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, the scorpion etc.
You are the people causing all the problems in this country; basically because you (the soldiers) are idle in your barracks doing nothing other than drinking tombo and looking for the next officers wife to sleep with. It is a truism that all the problems we are going through in this country is directly or remotely linked to the gapped tooth retired general and all I can hear is peolple like you who could have used their military expertise in the service of the nation rolling out drums to herald the second coming of the infamous General.
Don”t you people consider the future of Nigeria when you sit at the mammy markets to take all this rash decisions about the Country? for your information, without recourse to whatever opinion anybody holds there will be bloodbath in 2007 should the military attempt anything funny . I am talking from the standpoint of a Niger deltan and I know what I am talking about.What a shame that the country is waisting its money on people like you.
November 23, 2006 at 12:11 pm (UTC 1)
J why not look for a way to darfur to go and loot, rape and get drunk!
November 23, 2006 at 5:43 pm (UTC 1)
Can we all adjurn to the new room “who should be nigerias next president” to continue this discussion gbenro, michael, fynwaka, angela, luminus etc please meet me there.
November 26, 2006 at 11:54 am (UTC 1)
Isn’t there a little bit of arrogance in settig up ones self as a role model for children? Is that the same as being close to perfection?
November 30, 2006 at 2:55 pm (UTC 1)
Seun, I think for once, I will have to agree with you, that it is the height of arrogance setting oneself up as a role model when he/she is a mere mortal.
November 30, 2006 at 4:49 pm (UTC 1)
Seun/Micheal….I think you miss the point here
A role model does not mean you have to be perfect…We all have flaws. Arole model is just someone that has the ability to inspire and motivate others in what ever particular field in the life/life experience
The ability to make mistake and not be ashamed to tell others in hope that it helps them not make the same and still be encouraged to push further.Someone that has a hearth for others young or old.
December 19, 2006 at 9:52 pm (UTC 1)
To J
If you are an intelligence officer, [doubt it], Man, I feel so sorry for your country.
You have the gulls to call the good professor a “crossed eyed homosexual”
Men! Unless he was boning u in front of your mama, un-insightful rant, is libelous. In the US, the professor’s campaign team would sue and own your mama’s kitchen in the end.
January 22, 2007 at 1:33 pm (UTC 1)
Dipo
This is turning to a battlefield like the advert in Bank PHB.
Boardroom now Battlefield.
March 4, 2007 at 3:51 pm (UTC 1)
Please,I am Emmanson God’swill by name and will like to become one of nigerians great modellist.Can you please tell me the steps to take. Thanks
March 5, 2007 at 7:23 am (UTC 1)
@ Emmanson,
You may contact Deolu thru his mail deolu@deoluakinyemi.com
Ciao
March 26, 2007 at 9:21 pm (UTC 1)
J, you must be a “special breed”
December 24, 2007 at 12:58 pm (UTC 1)
good informatiom on purpose. how can i mail you personally? i have a solution.
December 24, 2007 at 1:05 pm (UTC 1)
there is a solution if we are all committed to it. please how can i get the email of dipo and adeolu. something good can come out of our nazerette(Nigeria). i believe in Nigeria.
Deoluakinyemi » Daily Motivation and Development for People and Organizations - ASE » Blog Archive » Do you believe in Nigeria? says:
November 17, 2006 at 5:21 pm (UTC 1)
[...] Motivation and Development for People and Organizations – ASE « How are you Smart? Do you believe in Nigeria? Go and write it down somewhere, 15-20yrs from now, Nigeria will be one of the most desiredcountries in the world. The Nigerian VISA will be more priced and more scarce than that of Dubai. People will literally kill to visit, and people will smile and get excited about you, when they hear that you are a Nigerian. What Nigeria will be is not like anything that presently exists. The men and women, boys and girls who will be remembered for their parts in this struggle of selflessness are the ones I urge to cast their votes for a New Nigeria here. Don’t join the bandwagon, think about it and say YES!!! Say yes to a New Nigeria, say YES to the Nigeria of our dreams. It is a struggle that will require sacrifice, patience, strategy, persistence, courage and strong desires. But we will make it! Not can, WILL. And I, Adeolu Akinyemi together with You will be MON of the New Nigeria. This is a clarion call to all those who believe that something good can still come out of Nigeria. That we can team up with our little drops and make a mighty ocean. That together we can raise a force of African Role Models, that have the capacity to cause change in Nigeria and Africa at large. Just recently, I was reading the blog of a friend, and I saw prophecies from a guy called J about further doom for Nigeria, and I wondered…it is true that the only thing that good needs to do for evil to prosper is not shine. Silence is the crime of good in the presence of evil. Let me remind you, no matter how comfortable you feel as second class citizens in another mans land, home will forever be more appealing if things are done right. If you are interested in reading the contrary perspectives of a Mr “J”, it is here, there is no future for Nigeria outside of us, we are the future, and if we play the games that our fathers did, leaving the stage for the guys whose only claim to power is via the privilege of having ever handled a gun, then we mortgage the futures of our children. Near of far, abroad or here, we will live and die as Nigerians. A friend of mine presently in the UK, considered me worthy of being the first she’ll discuss this with. She read my mind, I’m interested, and I think some people who read this blog are too. This is an opportunity for us to register our interest or perhaps lack of it and why. Just put your thoughts and comments here, and lets inform others. Eventually we might need to move from here into a forum of our own…but for now, lets know who is interested. Excepts from mail 1 from Yinka… I’ve had something on my mind for a while and i thought i’d just ask your take on it. I came back to school to study development economics because i want to get involved in the development of Nigeria at some future point in my life. I realise that the skill set required for building Nigeria must be multi-faceted and i just decided that economics is the angle i want to aproach it from. Obviously this building up requires people with complementary skills and a common vision and purpose to make it work and the idea of getting in touch with people who are interested in developing particular skills which will be beneficial to addressing the problems in Nigeria and who will follow through in applying those skills appropriately came to my mind. Personally, i think a lot of Nigerians have good intentions and have tried their best when in positions of power but their efforts didn’t have the desired impact cause they couldn’t build the necessary momentum on their own. Essentially i was wondering if you knew people who are willing to lay down their own self interests and get together to do something. I’m not thinking in line of a club with a motto and regular meetings or some charitable organisation…been there done that. I’m thinking more of a network of people who are aiding and monoitoring each other’s progress in acquiring the necessary human and physical capital and who are actively making inroads into the corridors of power…not a political group per say although that has to be an essential ingredient to the whole mix but a group that is ready to get its hands dirty at every level….i hope you catch my drift and everything i’ve said sounds a bit coherent. Will give you a call as soon as i get a response in the affirmative. I’m sorry if my mail sounds very formal…i’ve been reading too many academic journals….. Take care and reply soon,ok. Excerpts from mail 2 from Yinka I feel that there are some people out there who do care about Nigeria and want to do something but on their own terms and at their own convenience..and i think that’s fine..as long as people are not against the vision they’re welcome. But i think there’s a need for a core group who have an unswerving commitment (which is alllowed to falter sometimes, after all we’re all flesh and blood) and who are determined to see it through…God helping…those are the people i’m trying to get alongside with to make this thing work. If you ask me i think our generation is too focused on personal comfort as a result of the experiences we’ve had and also due to societal pressures and values but personally i feel there’s more to life than that. I think we need to go back to the God we read about in the Bible and find out the things that are most important to Him and start focusing on those things. Excerpts from mail 3 from Yinka I have lots of great friends but i don’t think any of them feel marginally the way i do about Nigeria at this point in their lives (and i absolutely respect that) or are ready to get involved in doing something about it. So i guess i’m the one looking for people with like minds. An online forum would be great…what do you think about that…you’re the expert on blogging…I actually think it would be great to have a different kind of Nigerian presence online…most of the ones i’ve seen don’t quite fit the bill. It would be like a clarion call (that just dropped into my head now) for all those young Nigerians all over the world who still believe in Nigeria but whose efforts have been frustrated in the past or just don’t know what they can do. I’m really interested in this and i’m ready to get as hands-on as possible..the only thing is my IT skills are quite rusty right now but i’m sure i can do some other things. Se you’ll let me know soon…don’t want this idea to die like so many others have…take care, ok! Do you fit the bill? [...]
acompanhantes em portugal says:
April 27, 2007 at 4:57 am (UTC 1)
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