REVAMP-YOUR-ROOT

"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country" - John F. Kennedy.

Education system in Nigeria today, needs a total overhauling and restructuring. We can only achieve this by triggering a "REVAMP YOUR ROOT" programme. This reform which is self-induced is required to improve the performance of our primary, secondary and tertiary education in the country. Abysmally, the nation entered the 21st century insufficiently prepared to cope or compete in the global economy, where growth is based even more heavily on technical and scientific knowledge. It is also a well known fact that the inadequacies always observed among many undergraduates and graduates alike is as a result of the inadequacies associated with the primary and the secondary education system in Nigeria.

What do I mean by Revamp Your Root? This is a proposed revolutionary measure which I suggest will take us back to our alma mater - primary and secondary schools especially where we were groomed to become what we are today and make positive impacts. We can help them in diverse ways: Provision of books for library; Provision of infrastructural effects; Scholarship; Bursary in form of cash; Provision of sporting materials; Agitation for government intervention etc.

We can not afford to leave the destiny of this nation in the hands of a moribund government that is self-seeking, insensitive and timorous. We/you can achieve this as an individual or group as we are already doing in Aquinas College Akure (ACA). Kudos to the initiators. Converge virtually or physically and discuss what you can do for your Primary and/or Secondary school. Just take a stroll to these schools...you will be marveled at the level of dilapidation and retrogression that have engulfed them. Go and see that library that you left behind, check the laboratories, the classrooms, the sport pitches etc. You may unwittingly shed tears by virtue of what you will see. Unto government, we can wait no more.

For instance, UNESCO has recommended that 26% of the total budget of a nation should be allocated to education. But Longe Commission of 1991 observed that the percentage of recurrent budgetary allocation to education in Nigeria has never exceeded 10%. Hmmm...are you saying that the present government is allocating more to education? It is a blatant falsehood. On paper, yes, but the implementation is defective for political reasons that are precipitated by corruption.

For an educational system to be classified as functional and effective, it must be all encompassing and all embracing. Thus, a well focused and define pattern of educational system that is all embracing should be fashioned out where vocational and technical education will be well developed and every child given the proper and kind of education he or she desires, base on the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domain. And that is my clarion call to you this morning:

Embrace the "REVAMP YOUR ROOT" programme and play a laudable developmental role in your alma mater - primary and/or secondary school. And we would be glad to read your testimonies and stewardship accounts here. I am compiling mine.

Remember, if God be for us, no government can be against us.

Thank you.

...Had I know on time.

Most of the times we seldom know or feel the grace of God upon us.

G.R.O.W

This is an acronym that has been keeping me going through the thick and thin of life. I desire it.

Hypocrisy in the Land

Nigerians are wonderful people. No wonder they are called "good people of great nation". We are very good at praising the dead, those that we predominantly criticise when they are alive. I wonder why every Nigerian that matters now speak good of Chief Emeka Ojukwu who engineered the cession of Ibo people from Nigerian with a mission to form their own country called Biafra.

Now they call him hero, warrior, nationalist. But is Ojukwu really a nationalist? Did he worth that appellation? But that is the song of the hypocrites.

When Subsidy Subsides...

In the weeks to come we shall experience more opposition that will greet the Federal Government proposed removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria.

It's 365 days old!

It is easy to concentrate too much on cynical activities of criticising people in positions of authority with a neurotic mindset of followership and abrupt submissiveness and miss the profound realisation of leadership qualities that are deposited in us individually. Are our leaders really better than us in terms of intellectual capabilities? Are they lettered than we do? What is the difference between you and the "elected" personality representing your constituency at the legislative chamber? Nothing, you say? Then what are we doing to better our lives when the supposedly trustees are not to be trusted any longer? We have a lot to do individually and collectively.

The foregoing inspired me to embark on the project called JUST Leadership Foundation 365 days ago. Soon, I realised I do not need a title to become a leader, a voice, an epitome of influence and inspiration in this generation. The most universal and powerful temptations a leader can face are instant gratification, recognition and applause, title and improper use and lust for power. We can only surmount these temptations when we live a just life. A life that glorifies God our creator. We should remember always that are all leaders in our various capacities hence seek God's guidance. Someone once told me "it is not easy to lead". Then must we die a follower. The Holy book decreed us to be head and never the tail. But it is sad thing to note that most of us are wagging our tails perpetually because we do not want to leave our comfort zone.

No doubt, the weekly Vitamins for the mind and Reflections have blessed many lives (mine inclusive). It is instructive to restate that the intent of JUST Leadership Foundation is to tinker us and set us apart for greatness and monumental leadership roles in the future and now. We are all living testimonies.

As we enter into this new season of leadership, may we all be fulfilled in all our aspirations and endeavours.

Happy reading, thinking, and leading.

Multiple Policies, Less Result

At 51, Nigeria is wallowing in the ocean of multiple ideas and even suggestions from her western allies but she gets little to show for it. A nation that is blessed with intellectuals is begging for help on how to forge ahead from various problems that are militating against her.

When the Government of Nigeria introduced subsidy on premium motor spirit some years back it was hailed as a good policy but today the story has changed and we are on the verge of abandoning the policy.

First-in, First-out

This is often referred to as FIFO, a method of processing and retrieving inventory which connotes that the oldest inventory items are recorded as sold first. In reality, it is not necessarily mean that the exact oldest physical object has been tracked and sold. A times, customers dictate what goes out first by their preference for the best and newest.

The import of the above is to liken this phenomenon to human beings who come and go in the procession of their evolution into this planet. But most of the times, last-in goes first. This is misery!

Money Matters

Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one – Benjamin Franklin. This is an affirmation of the fact that we human beings are nothing but Oliver Twist. Everyday we yearn for more.

Ethics, Morals & Values

It is a daunting task to accentuate the differences between values, morals and ethics? This is because they all portends behavioral rules that guide individuals or organisations. As a matter of fact, differentiating Ethics, Morals and Values may seem like splitting hairs, but the differences can be important when persuading others.

Ethics
Ethics exist in all facets of life. It is commonly used in the professional settings than the other two. In other words, there is often professional ethics, codes and rules. Ethics seems to be much accommodated in the formal system where a group of people adopt sets of rules as their ethics. For instance, we have code of ethics for professional accountants. According to Changing Minds.com, ethics are thus internally defined and adopted, whilst morals tend to be externally imposed on other people.

Values
According to the Encarta dictionary value is defined as the accepted principles or standards of a person or a group. They are beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an strong emotional attachment. Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn't, good and bad.

Morals
Moral is a derivation of conscience. It suggests what is right or wrong and how people should behave. Morals have a greater social element to values and tend to have a very broad acceptance. Morals are far more about good and bad. In other words, they are judgmental. People are judged on moral and behavioral grounds than values.

When dealing with other people, we need to uphold these three phenomena as they all play major role in human interaction. The onus is on you to understand the ethics, values and morals of other people so that we can always experience peaceful co-existence among one another as God's own creature.

Peoples Bank vs Islamic Bank

General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida's regime in its "wisdom" introduced People's Bank in the 80s. But the institution died a natural death without fulfilling its mission of alleviating poverty with emergence of Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank Limited (NARCDB) which came into being following the merger of the defunct Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank (NACB), People's Bank of Nigeria (PBN), and the risk assets of the Family Economic Advancement Program (FEAP).

Prominent among its objectives is "purveyance of affordable credit facilities to the less priviledged segments of the Nigerian society who cannot readily access the services of other conventional banks.

Abruptly, this organisation is 100% owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN). Today the same FGN who has failed to achieve the above-mentioned is proposing another model of banking i.e non-interest banking on the premise that the less priviledged will be the main benefactors. The golden questions are:

1. Has the less priviledged ever got anything tangible from the government asides motorcycles and tri-cycles?
2. Can a non-interest banking model work in capitalist-driven and corruption-ridden nation like Nigeria?
3. People Bank vs Islamic Bank: which model do you think will serve Nigerian economy better?

Making High Impacts

Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful. To God be the glory, I moved into a new environment where my credentials are neither known nor felt. All because I am new in the pack. Without any reservation, I am doing what I love to do best. Making impacts as usual. But in this case I am anxious to make big impacts within a short period of time. I want to register my name in the success history of Rainoil Limited as fast as possible. It's doable, my inner spirit says. Come to think of it! Am I not too anxious? Huh...I wish to learn and stand on my foot in a wink of eye.

I think I will go with Mahatma Ghandi who said and I quote "my life is my message." Let my past and present deeds speak for me.

Intuition and Leadership

Intuition is an impression that something might be the case. It is a powerful word that represent the knowledge, understanding and notion we activate and exhibit in handling issues of life. Expressly, leadership intuition often separates the greatest leaders from merely good ones. Some people are born with great leadership intuition; others have to work hard to develop and hone it. It is worthy of note that both whether natural or developed exhibit intuitive knowledge and skills.

It however evolves, the results is a combination of natural ability and learned skilled. This informed intuition makes crucial issues jump out at the leader, enabling him or her to handle them and work with them to accomplish leadership goals.

Based on my research work, every successful leader sees every situation in terms of available resources: money, raw materials, technology and most important, people. Intuitive leaders can sense what is happening among their people and almost instantly knows their hopes, fears and concerns. Leaders also have the ability to step back from what is happening and see not only where they and their subjects have gone, but also where they are headed as if they can smell change in the wing. That's intuition!

Everyone has some kind of intuition especially in his or her area of natural giftedness, If your gift is charity, then you can sense when someone needs help and comfort and you know how to give it. If service is your gift, you instinctively know when and how to help those in need (for a reasonable fee). And if you are naturally gifted at leadership, then you see everything with a leadership bias.

Lessons
1. An intuition leader can quickly size up a situation
2. An intuition leader sees what has happened
3. Intuition leaders know how to resource their vision
4. Skill with people is perhaps the greatest ability of an intuition leader.
5. An intuition leader reads himself. He understands his strengths, his weaknesses and his individual calling.
Intuition, whether natural or developed intentionally, helps a good leader to become a great leader.

When you believe...

When you believe, things will happen. You will go places. Success comes as a result of our inherent beliefs. I am a living testimony to the fact that God does answer prayers when one exercises faith fervently.

Problems = Opportunities

Every problem has hidden in it an opportunity to grow and do exploits. We oftentimes burst these opportunity by our sheer impatience and myopic approach to fundamental issues of life. Failures and disappointments should be seen as starting points in all our endeavours. We conquer failure and press forward only when we allow change to occur.

Business and Society

Introduction
Business is the cornerstone of prosperity in society: companies create the resources that permit social development and welfare. This write-up describes the role of business in society, both in Nigeria and elsewhere. It shows how companies, through their commercial operations, actively contribute to progress in society.

The question has been asked severally whether there is a clear distinction between what we call the ‘civic involvement’ of companies and what is known as corporate social responsibility, or CSR. Civic involvement relates largely to the extent to which companies need to cultivate and safeguard their relationships with various stakeholders. We describe the ways in which stakeholders influence business operations and the extents to which they achieve this.

Corporate Social Responsibility is a less broad concept than civic involvement. Even though there is no set, internationally accepted definition, this is often described as a voluntary responsibility that transcends the demands of national legislation and encompasses human rights and environmental and social issues. Another definition of CSR uses sustainable development as a starting point. In practice, CSR means that businesses meet the demands of national legislation and, where this is inadequate, look in addition to a collection of established, fundamental freedoms and rights that are globally recognised.

This write up aims to stimulate an attitude among businesses that is thoughtful, ambitious and farsighted as far as norms and values are concerned. We also want to increase awareness of the role of businesses in society and the importance of acting in harmony with social norms. This report does not, however, include any recommendations to member companies that they should handle these issues in any particular way. Each company must develop its own way of working.

The Role of Business in Society
The basic objective of business is to develop, produce and supply goods and services to customers. This has to be done in such a way as to allow companies to make a profit, which in turn demands far more than just skills in companies’ own fields and processes.


Astute entrepreneurs often demonstrate an almost intuitive understanding of the synergies that create success. The social skills of company owners, together with relationships maintained with customers, suppliers and other business people, are always vital if companies are to be run well and developed with a view to the future.
Companies improve their resources by developing materials and ideas. The goods and services produced must meet demands made by customers, other companies or public institutions if companies are to survive. Profitability results when customers are prepared to pay more for goods and services than it costs to produce them.

The ability to produce this kind of added value – profit – is the basic prerequisite for business, but it is also a foundation for prosperity in society. Only profitable companies are sustainable in the long term and capable of creating goods, services, processes, return on capital, work opportunities and a tax base. This is what business does better than any other sector. Hence, companies’ basic commercial operations are the primary benefit they bring to society.

The role of business in the development of society can be described in many ways. For a company to progress and develop, it must nurture relations with its stakeholders, of which there may be many. Some have a strong influence and are of fundamental importance to the survival of the company: these include employees, customers and suppliers. The media, authorities, trade unions and local residents are other stakeholders with a wide-ranging influence.

Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms. The goal of CSR is to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. Furthermore, CSR-focused businesses would proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality.

The long-term survival of companies is partly dependent on maintaining relationships of trust. Deterioration of such relationships will jeopardise the ongoing development of the company. Experience shows that companies with an international outlook, which are open and adopt the long-term approach, are often best at maintaining relationships and hence at developing their operations.

The ability to constantly go on improving products and processes is a basic prerequisite. Companies that want to keep developing have to be receptive to signals from and opinions expressed by the market, staff and the general public. Now that more and more customers – and stakeholders as well – are making demands of companies’ ethical, social and environmental awareness, it is also natural for companies to be receptive to these issues and actively use them in their operations.

Society’s values and current levels of knowledge are reflected in companies’ activities, and companies are judged according to current standards. Companies have always had to interpret society’s moods or else go out of business. Companies have always had to adapt to fit in with values and norms. Then on top of these are the formal regulations that all companies, be they private and public, have to observe.
It is very much in the interests of any company to be ‘a good corporate citizen’.

Companies that have a clear identity and clear business concepts often find it easier to handle and integrate ethical and social values and to take the environment into account. Having clear business objectives makes it easier to formulate and implement goals based on values and norms both within the company and among the general public.

Confronting Mediocrity

Our society is ridden with vices and complexities that make it difficult to establish and accept truth at all times. All around the world, truth is being subjected to torture and humiliation as those who uphold the tenets of truth and righteousness are being castigated.

Facing reality sounds simple - but it isn't. Mediocrity and self-delusion can grip a man or community and lead him to making ridiculous conclusions.

Mediocre performers demonstrate these common characteristics:

They are almost always late for work,

They are more than often unprepared,

They demonstrate an apathetic attitude,

They are undependable and inconsistent,

They focus on problems rather than solutions,

They do not innovate, take initiative, nor go the extra mile,

They choose to make excuses rather than take responsibility,

They do not add value; in fact they rob value form the customer,

They constantly make mistakes that cost time and money to be corrected.

The factual facts about mediocre is that they believe they know it all eventhough the above demonstrated behaviors put mediocre performers in a position of being UNEMPLOYABLE.

As far as employment opportunities are concerned, it’s cherry picking time for smart managers and entrepreneurs.

This is because top performers are in high demand now, as they have always been and companies do not have to settle for knuckleheads.

They lead in the cone of innovation. They focus on solving customer problems. They invent and innovate to create a better experience for customers. They constantly go the extra mile as a discipline and they are committed to excellence and doing things right the first time.

In doing so, they provide their own companies with new solutions and offerings. These professionals and their companies are never at the mercy of a downturn.

According to Pastor Chuck Swindoll, mediocrity can be crippled by:
Personal commitment and extravagant love;
Refocusing our priorities and surpassing the majority’s standards;
Conquering stagnation and selfishness through passionate joy;
Activating strategies for true excellence in your work and your relationships, your
outer life and your inner life, your actions and your attitudes.

No Pain No Gain!

No pain No gain. This indicates that there is no promotion or success without a quantum of sacrifice.

One step forward, Two steps backward

This idiomatic expression speak volume about Nigeria where it is difficult to see or evaluate the progress we have made in the past 12 years. It relates to a scenario where and when you make progress, something bad happens which causes you to be in a worse situation than you were to begin with.

A Political Leader

The world is full of aspiring political leaders but sadly, very few live up to the leadership ideals. In fact, many political leaders seem to severely lack some of the most important leadership qualities, such as integrity and accountability. It is no coincidence that for many people, the word “politician” has such negative connotations! However, history – and present day – shows us that there are still a few who come close to the leadership ideals and who are good examples of an effective political leader.

Insurance and the Nigerian Economy

In developed economies insurance industry controls the financial sector and play a vital role in the economies of such countries. But reverse is the case in developing countries like Nigeria. Insurance is a fertile venture whose potential is yet to be tapped. The major problem militating against effective and efficient insurance in the country is the Nigerians attitudes towards the insurance institution.

nOBODY sOMEBODY eVERYBODY

Somebody is calling on Everybody to come and carry out the job which Nobody is doing.

Go for BETTER!

A chinese slogan states "Better is the enemy of Good" It took me a minute to even guess what they meant by this or to figure it out. I came to the conclusion that it means "It's OK to be good, but better to be better." In other words, it is like, 'don't settle for mediocrity.' Okay… but what? Are good and better enemies? Like they fight to the bitter end?

We seldom like the word better because we often put it in the context of best. Meanwhile, if we weigh it in the perspective of good, it has an edge. Grammatically, better come after good while best is superlative.

The import of this article is: don't let your good situation forestall you from getting to your better haven. Don't be too confaortable with the good go for better.

Civic Responsibility

Civic Responsibility is defined as the "responsibility of a citizen" (Dictionary.com). It is comprised of actions and attitudes associated with democratic governance and social participation. Civic responsibility can include participation in government, church, volunteers and memberships of voluntary associations. Actions of civic responsibility can be displayed in advocacy for various causes, such as political, economic, civil, environmental or quality of life issues. According to John D. Rockefeller Jnr., Civic Responsibility is the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force; "we must instill a sense of duty in our children"; "every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty".

Breaking it down:

Civic means, "of, relating to, or belonging to a city, a citizen, or citizenship, community or civil society"

Responsibility refers to "the state or quality of being responsible or something for which one is responsible such as a duty, obligation or burden"

A citizen is "a person owing loyalty to and entitled by birth or naturalization to the protection of a state or union"

Citizenship means "a productive, responsible, caring and contributing member of society."

Importance
The importance of civic responsibility is paramount to the success of democracy and philanthropy. By engaging in civic responsibility, citizens ensure and uphold certain democratic values as written in the Constitution. Those values or duties include justice, freedom, equality, diversity, authority, privacy, due process, property, participation, truth, patriotism, human rights, rule of law, tolerance, mutual assistance, self restraint and self respect. Schools teach civic responsibility to students with the goal to produce responsible citizens and active participants in community and government.

Need I say more...

Viewpoint: Voting in elections most important civic responsibility

The Nigerian Constitution places the power to govern our country in the hands of our elected leaders or representatives. But this power is temporarily returned to us, the people, at regular intervals - each election day. Our Constitution discusses the election process extensively, and its authors set the electoral responsibility squarely on the shoulders of each citizen. Our founding fathers clearly intended that we should accept this responsibility without hesitation and dutifully exercise it by electing suitable representatives and officers. To ignore this responsibility is to declare to our founding fathers that they should not have been so foolish as to entrust us with the maintenance of our rights and freedoms. Ignoring our responsibility to vote is, by default, to vote for tyranny and poverty. Voting is one of the most important and fundamental rights we share as Nigerian citizens. We all have a responsibility to take it seriously.

In conclusion, I want to implore you to participate in the voters' registration (now), get your voter's card and vote for your preferred credible candidate in the April 2011 general elections.

Nigeria will make it...YOU will make it.