HOW I GOT MY DREAM JOB JUST 2 MONTHS AFTER YOUTH SERVICE

 

Amazingly the preacher has been speaking on divine leading in the last 3weeks and I was behoved to reminisce on my past and perhaps encourage someone reading right now.

It was 2 weeks to the passing out ceremony of my friend Timi who was a batch A corper in Jos Plateau state, Nigeria where I served in 2006. I walked into his room that evening and met him in an unimaginable mood (I almost thought someone had died), I reached out to know what was troubling him as those tears dropped from his eyes, after asking for long, he opened up to me. What was the problem? Timi was crying because he was passing out from his National youth service in 2weeks (but why would this cause him to cry? I asked myself) he went ahead to narrate his family background and all the responsibilities on his shoulders as his father’s first son (ehee… nodding my head to his despair), his greatest fear in life was about to turn to reality; just as Job said…He was afraid of the labour market thus he had sat in his room that evening and given the future a failing thought of himself. I tried my best by using the very best of my sweet-talking skills to talk him up that evening and make him smile and believe in himself and said “Yes I can”.

Few months later, it was exactly 2weeks to my own passing out ceremony as batch B when I remembered Timi’s mood I simply swung over and took a turn for myself. I actually found myself thinking of life after youth service and the “labour market” fever caught me (lol) this time around I wasn’t thinking about responsibilities but a well-deserved career life that would put me in the line. At that point my mum started contacting some uncles and friends of hers who were in somewhat positions to place me somewhere to tell them I was through with service and for some reasons some of them started attending meetings they never finish and the rest threw their phones into the bush as it rang all day and night without response (by arm of flesh shall no man prevail indeed!).

I rounded up my service year and the bank where I served does not retain corp members so they offered me 2 more months to work and save up some money for myself before going back. I went home and started developing a business idea I had during my service year, started the company on a small scale through the help of my brother and friend in the Lord! Collins, he did wonders on the computer for our company, we put minds together and started big time! I turned down the offer given to me to stay for 2 more months at the bank I served and started building my own dream (I did this because I was very eager to move up than wasting 2months on a job that is not the actual dream Job package; thus I rather be unemployed and face it than accepting a pity offer).While the company was coming up I still had a desire to work, gain experience, skills, Financial resources, and exposure  so I did my CV and sent to my mum who requested for it to distribute anywhere there was openings.

One Sunday after church service, I beckoned on a church member who was a regional executive then at Intercontinental Bank Jos, he already knew me as a church worker thus no need to introduce myself. I told him I was through with my youth service and handed over a copy of my CV to him just in case there are openings in his bank. He looked at me and smiled then I reiterated. He then asked me to come over to his office the following day and see him Phew!!!! This is it I said to myself, yes!!! It is already happening; the labour market commotion is just not for me, I was just so excited. I went home and prepared my best suits and of course that shirt, yes that very clean shirt and practiced some “phonetics” that night before going to bed (lol). 

Phew! Monday morning is here, it’s that great meeting with the regional executive who was a member of my church oh halleluyah! More so he knew me as a church sis so it wouldn’t be a biggy offering me the job anyways. I quickly said my prayers, had my bath, did that make up well and gently sliced myself into that suit, oh that suit my mum got for me from Dubai, and I shunned the perfect breakfast my aunty prepared that morning rushing out like one executive going for a presentation at a board meeting. I got to his office by 8am on the dot. My executive church fellow sat me down comfortably and began to take me through the process of getting a job with his bank. At first he sounded like it’s a very rigorous process and I would need to pass the GMATs first then pass the first 2 interviews and have a final one at Lagos. He rounded up his speech with this line “so you getting a job here is totally beyond me”. I thanked him for his guidelines and still asked him to hold on to my CV to turn it in whenever they start recruiting. As I stood up to leave his office with the whole disappointing looks on my face, I first pulled my suit because I was getting really hot as a result of the positive bad news (permit the English), and since his not offering me the job I might as well change to my flat slippers instead of those heels I wore to cat walk into my dream job (mtcheew!) , he called me back and said

“I leave you with two lines to take home ,1. It is not man that gives job but God, 2. Make your GMATs your second bible”

  

Oooooooh this hit me big time, those words became living and active in me like a two edged sword slowly penetrating my soul, spirit, joints, and marrow changing my thought and attitude towards the whole job search. I went back home with a paradigm shift, God bless his soul.

I woke up the next morning with a song in my heart, “I have made you too small in my eyes oh Lord please forgive me, and I have believed in a lie that you are unable to help me……” I sang that song from a genuine heart as I made it clear to God that indeed it is not man that would give me that job but him and so the first step I took was to lay my job search at his feet, I told him that my brains are too small to give me gains in life so I can’t go by myself. I quit trusting man and started trusting God for my dream Job. Secondly I acquired a GMATs 2006 for myself and made it my second bible because the value of a thing is determined by the amount you’re willing to pay for it nonetheless.

Exactly 3days after taking these steps I got a text message to come write a text for Fidelity bank as my mum heard they were recruiting and turned in my CV. At this point I took a 3^rd step which I call inquiring from God. I went to God in prayers to inquire if it’s worth the while travelling down to Enugu to write the test thereby risking my life and wasting the little money I was making from my company then and nothing comes out of it. Jos was a virgin Land then, I wouldn’t have thought twice to stay back coupled with the family love I had with my beloved aunty and her kids, I really felt at home. I got the message on a Thursday afternoon and the test was scheduled for Saturday morning so I had just the next day to travel down to Enugu against Saturday. I slept that night and had a dream and in the dream the test has been written and the result showed I was the first overall in the region. I woke up quickly said my prayers and packed my bags and heading straight to the park to catch a bus to Enugu.

I got into Enugu by 7pm that day, quickly handed over the vegetables and yam I bought for my mum, and ran into to bathroom for a quick shower. I bounced on the okro soup and hot garri mum prepared and started reading afterwards. I read from 8:30pm till 5am the next day (remember that whatever is worth doing is worth doing well, I have come from afar and I need to put a mark on it). I slept for an hour and said my prayers, hit the bathroom, and headed for the exam. I got to the venue and behold thousands of people (including gate crashers) were there. I remember walking into the venue with a lady I met on my way, immediately we entered the venue she screamed heeey! “This people just invited us here for nothing”, I asked why? She said “because they already know the people they would give the openings to, they are just advertising for fancy”. Well I couldn’t reply her; I said gently in my spirit that if they have just 2 openings then they are just looking for one more because I am number 1.

Wrapping up the story, I wrote the test and went back to Jos immediately to pursue my talent (lol, Ibos will say kam ga chuo akalaka mu). Apparently I came across all the questions I met in the exam the night before.  Through divine leading I was able to solve particular questions and essays in the GMATs and behold I did not solve a single mathematics in the hall, for every question I came across I already knew the answer, I just scanned through the objective questions and shade the right options (miraculous isn’t it? Yes that’s what happens when you yield to divine guidance). I finished my test of 90 questions in less than 25minutes and submitted. It was like a movie when I stood up to submit when others were still cracking their brains through the questions.  Two weeks later I got a call from the bank saying “congratulations! You came out first overall in the text (YES I DID out of the thousands), am calling to say congrats but you still have 3 stages of interviews to go through.  I went through the interview in 1 month and was successful for each stage and went for the final interview with the MD and some directors of the bank and got that JOB!, just 2 months after my youth service, Yes I did and I was glad I did without the help of any uncle, aunty, or personality. I opened with the story of my fulani friend Timi and his dilemma 2weeks to passing out parade, his doing very well now in Abuja and having imbibed the I can do spirit he got his dream job 6months after (did someone say yeahhhh!)

Moral of the story: By arm of flesh shall no man prevail, our brains are indeed too small to give us gains in life therefore we can’t do it alone. We don’t reign from below; we reign from above and until we can obtain in the upper realm we cannot unleash in the realm below. Also we can make great effort and not achieve great results because we have not introduced the great factor which is the grace of God! This is the secret to termination of struggles of life. Every time a man is led by his creator the struggle ends.

When He leads he goes ahead,

When He leads he goes with you,

When He leads he walks through you, and

When He leads he works for you.

Job hunting is more spiritual than physical. Have you searched for too long? Have you tried searching the God way? Sincerely search your heart and retrace your steps today. No be man dey give job na Baba God!

Thanks for reading, it’s my birthday today. Happy Bye dey to me!!!!!

 

 

 

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS

If you try to argue the fact that I was born with a silver spoon, I could also not hesitate to tell you that I was well fed when I was brought into this world by my parents. Growing up as a child was so fun and loving for my siblings and I. We had everything we wanted even before we requested for them. We never felt inferior in school or anywhere we found ourselves with our age mates. My dad was an oil worker with a popular oil company ‘’Texaco’’, and my mum was a great fashionista and a banker in the coal city of Nigeria. We had house helps that took care of us, they usually incur the wrath of my mum whenever they manhandle us and we report them (am sure you get what I mean by thatJ). We had a private driver who took us on school runs and anywhere we wanted to go after school. We enjoyed good food made by my aunty (mum’s sister) specially employed to cook for us and of course well prepared lunch packs for school breaks.

 We had everything going well for us until March 1997 when the bank my mum worked for (ACB) got distressed and went under thereby leaving all the staff members’ jobless. My mum did not really feel the impact of this unfortunate development as she still had my dad to lean on, so life continued normally.  Shortly after the March event my dad’s company (Texaco) was to merge with chevron and information got to him that so many Texaco staff would be retrenched after the merger, and if anyone wanted to resign honourably a handsome reward of compounding 6 digits awaits the person. In June that same year 1997 after due consultation with my mum and my siblings like we have always done right from childhood, my dad went back to Port-Harcourt and resigned. He resigned as a chief regional accountant and of course he did not come back home empty handed, he sure got the reward for the years he had invested in the company. At this stage my parents were out of jobs but there was no form of tension at all. My dad still had some savings and the ‘’6 digit’’ paid to him on resignation. He got us a new bus for school runs and dashed someone the other family car. He got a second car for my mum, in fact we never knew life could be sweeter coupled with the bonding and love that was on the increase in our home.

After our morning prayers on a particular day in August 1997 my dad told us he was going back to port- Harcourt to seek for investment opportunities as agreed with my mum. He left the next day and did not come back for a month though he was keeping in touch. When it got to the 2^nd month my mum became really worried and we all started begging him to come back home. In order not to take you on a long journey, my ,mum got to find out that my dad had been duped of every kobo he had as a result of some fake fertilizer business his good friend took him into, and this is where my story begins......

The moment my dad found out he was duped he lost himself instantly, having lost all he ever toiled for in life in one day to some stranger he couldn’t even trace again even though he was introduced to him by a dear friend (dear friend indeed!).  We encouraged my dad to come back home to us while my mum began to make some wise woman moves with the little she saved from my dad and the bank. In 1999 she started going to Dubai to bring in gold and clothing for sale. Being a ‘fashionista’ and having made a lot of friends and acquaintances in the bank, she excelled in the business, but we were still very young then with my elder sister and first born being 16 and in her senior secondary class 2, the rest of us where 14, 12, 10, and 8years old so my mum had some bills to run with her proceeds such as school fees, housekeeping, and general maintenance.  In 2001 the bills began to eat deeply into her business until she almost lost her capital as my elder sister was already in the university and I was just doing my registration at Uni with my brother then. The bills where all flooding in at the same time (I don’t need to tell you that there were no more house helps and drivers as we had to do it all by ourselves). At this point she diverted into a new line of business introduced to her by her friend Mrs Okonkwo. She started travelling to Cotonou to bring in frozen Chicken and turkey. She sold from home and most of her friends became her customer. After few trips, she managed to get a shop at artisan Market where she also bought some second hand deep freezers to put the chicken and turkey with a medium size table, big knife/ machete, and an axe to cut the chickens for any customer that requested for it. At this point life became so horrible for us as we had to take turns to help out in the shop. Most of our friends left us or withdrew from us then probably because we didn’t measure up to status quo again (all thanks to God because this made us  stronger) as we became butchers in the market all to make ends meet.  Giving this a second thought, we didn’t have any choice as this was our only source of income. Aside from taking turns in the shop, in 2002 we began to make the trips to get the chickens from Cotonou ourselves.My younger brother and I had a large chunk of this experience as we both attend Uni in Enugu. I was 16 then and my Brother was 14, my elder sister also took turns whenever she is around. We all made the trip in turns, my mum will change thousands of naira into Cefas and we boarded  night buses to Lagos with a detailed guideline on the next step to take when we get to Lagos (Do not scream, this is no child abuse as you may wish to call it, it is called maturity!). Though we were still teenagers then but we looked so big and mature in mind that you won’t believe our age when we tell you; thus my mum took advantage of our maturity and I guess God deposited that in us for rainy days such as those days. Besides we had no choice as our dad had taken ill seriously and my mum joggled between the business and his medical treatment so we had to make ends meet. She would also let you know that the money you are travelling with is all we have and if it is lost, you have lost your future lols, Oh what a strong woman!! I really envy your inner strength.

I could flash back to the very day my brother was returning from the business trip and his bus was attacked by armed robbers. As he narrated when they asked him to lie down inside a bush in the middle of the night he had to beg for his life as the bush was so thick and he didn’t know if there were snakes there. He told them with a shaky voice that he is just an innocent boy who went to Cotonou to buy chicken and turkey to help himself and his siblings. We had so many horrible and unusual experiences until my dad died on 8^th June 2003 as a result of his illness. At this point again the then President of Nigeria Obasanjo had banned importation of frozen foods. We had my dad’s burial to plan and at the same time we were almost out of business as a result of the ban. 

We managed to give my dad a befitting burial while my mum tried her best to use every link she had to still get in some chicken but this didn’t last for long as the gaps were all discovered and bridged by the government. Hummm! We had nowhere to turn to and my mum cannot take up a profession in begging which wouldn’t have been the best option anyways. So in 2004 she went back to the same secondary school we attended and started selling ice cream of which my kid brother and sister accompanied her (yes things got that bad!) Thank God for her strength, she never gives up, her slogan has always been ‘’once there is life, there is always a way out’’.  She hawked ice cream for over a year during the breaks under the hot / scotching sun where she developed some balls around her eyes that became a torn in her flesh until 2006 when she got a part time lecturing appointment with Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu after so many nights of praying and even fasting asking God to take us back to our good old days. We always believed in miracles but didn’t know when it was going to happen. The part time lecturing Job was not paying as it was not salary based. You have to write your own journals and sell to students. Thank God my dad prepared her and helped her obtain masters in Business Administration immediately she left the bank in 1997 and proceeded for her PhD. She had to strive so hard to make ends meet by keeping awake in the night, studying and writing. I guess we preferred this one than the humiliating experiences of the past.  The pressure on her was a little bit reduced as my elder sister and I were out of school and on youth service. While we were on youth service we tried our best to send things home no matter how small, we both contributed. In 2007 we finished our youth service and thankfully got dream Jobs. My immediate younger brother went for service as well but before then got a job in Enugu so my mum's burden had reduced as she was only left with my 2 younger ones even as we supported here and there to make sure she doesn’t go back to our school to sell ice cream.

Finally in 2008 a good friend of hers who had some government connection at that time helped her earn some favour from the new government. She was given an appointment at ESUT and on that very day, I got the most exciting call I have received in the past 9years, my God, I could hear my kid sister screaming on the background ‘’Mummy has gotten a job, thank God’’. She started the Job at ESUT and the light began to get brighter and brighter. 2009 my elder sister got married, my brother got and changed jobs in Enugu and my younger ones were in their 2^nd year in the University. Today she has produced 4 graduates and a medical doctor in the pipeline that would burst in a year time.

Through it all we learnt to put our trust in God, and depend upon his word. Every day after a long hard day with all sorts of challenges we always had the opportunity to pour out before God, we grew to love God more than a miracle, we wanted him more than a break through to the extent that if he didn’t do more he would have done enough for while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. I don’t know about you but i find it hard to say this words because he truly has been a shelter, a sanctuary from the storm day by day, it’s not just a story we read in books we have seen it in our lives. What shall we render to God for all his benefits? We will lift up the cup of our salvation in the assembly of the brethren. Oh magnify the Lord with us, let us exalt his name together for we sort the Lord and he answered, this woman (my mum) cried unto God and he answered. What then shall we say of these things? What shall separate us from the love of this God? Shall trials or persecutions?, in all this things we are more than conquerors because our trials only came to make us strong.

Mummy, its true God has so much elevated you that you almost do not need anything from us rather you seek an opportunity to lavish on us, but we owe you a great deal. I want to say thank you for dropping your fashion, your friends whom you have gained back today (friends of good times), your car, your cloths, your skin, your glow! You are an incredible mom and until your last breathe we would always be grateful. I dedicate this story to you on your special day, happy birthday Mom!.

A deep heartfelt thank you goes out to all our friends and extended family members who stood by us all through the journey. Just in case you are going through something right now perhaps similar, i just want to encourage you. God cannot bring to you that which you do not have the grace to handle. Trials only come to the great and they always make you stronger than you were. Be encouraged, don’t give up, and hold your head up high.

A TRIBUTE TO A WALKING EPISTLE! PCJ

Here is a tribute from many to Pastor Chukwudi Chineme of Dominion City Ikeja Lagos.

According to latin tributum contribution, A tribute is wealth, often in kind or words, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Today a tribute is been paid to a man born as a gift to humanity on a glorious day as this 1^st of November. First let us refresh our memory a little on an event that took place in Mark 8: 27-29. Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, ‘Who do men say that I am?’   So they answered, ‘John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.’   He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’   Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ.’ This question is been asked again in our time on behalf of an ICON, Pastor Chukwudi Chineme via wifey-reallifestories.blogspot.com People were asked to write what you mean to them in one sentence. Many responded complying to instructions but on a lighter note a lot decided to write a book instead of a sentence. For the purpose of what this forum stands for i will be filling in the register duly so their ink wouldn't be burnt in vain (lol). Apologies to all those who may have wished to write more. Here are the responses received so far:

Uju Soba Oduche-Okafor

PCJ is a mentor and a friend. His humility and Character is worth emulating.

Jerry Nnaji

Happy Birthday to a model of level 5 leadership. So simple yet tough, so funny yet deep. I love you and respect you so much sir.

Obi Nwankwo

He is a Christian I have very deep respect for, someone that is beyond a Pastor. He is a sent one.....

Serita Amaka Ojonta

 PCJ to me is a man of few but power loaded words.

Osita Arum

PCJ is the DEFINITION of TRUE CHRISTIANITY, backed up with Utmost Humility that is certainly not of This World!

Chiedozie Emechebe

PCJ is an icon as well as a role model to me 'cos he's both an exeptional pastor&an exeptional christian;happy birthday,sir.

Ada Abangwu Aja

A man who believes more in the future of others than they do themselves.

Natasha Chinyendu Nwobi-Okoronkwo

PCJ in one sentence is an Example of how the Christian life should be Lived in this Last days........he is an Epitome of selflessness and Humility, His very existence Challenging who I am and what I am doing with my time on Earth.

Okenwa Henry

Sincerely, one sentence won't be enough but I would say ''he is my role-model in the christian faith and he's an amazing man of God that is so loving, caring, achieving and inspiring always and I love him so dearly.

Donald Gentle

Pcj's life is a big lesson to me and indeed God has made him an expression of Grace........his humour has made Gods word clear and simple.

Mary Ejim

PCJ is father, friend and model to me. His life has only changed for the best since I met him. And his wife just blows me away

Ikechukwu Okpokwu

English language has not made such improvements to contain the words I can use to qualify PCJ.but let me just say this: He is my MODEL, when I look@him,I see me.

Ijeoma Eche-Nwosu

PCJ is an epitome of humility. He is soft spoken, kind hearted & most of all he has a very big high sense of humour; he can get you to laugh until tears are coming out of your eyes; Lol!!!

Okafor Oduche

Whenever I always think of PCJ, all that comes to mind is an extraordinary leader personality, symbol of true friendship and humility. I love you MY PEE, joo

Ngozi Ofong

Wow!!!
This blog says it all....the overwhelming emotions that formed the backdrop of most messages here makes me validate my impression of PCJ
I had always readily told any and every one that "My PCJ" as I call him is "The man after God's heart"!I say this because he typifies Jesus Christ I dare say.His abounding display of agape love,immense humility,strength of character,profuse servitude,indepth understanding of the word......I can go on and on!
Sir,you are a comet!We love you and consider ourselves very priviledged to have met you.May the Lord eternally bless you and all that pertains to you.

Amarachi Ani Mbata

PCJ is a model of what true Christianity should be.

Nkechi Ukamaka Ugwu

A bishop and world changer

Ngozi Chineme Okeke

PCJ is more than a brother to me,

He's an epitome of Christianity

Nancy Chinee Oragui

Pcj: he is a teacher, a mentor, a man that shown me what it is to be like Jesus.

Onyinye Nsofor-Oragui

You never leave his presence confused or agitated.there's this peace that surround him and rubs off on you. He also models Christianity...his talk is his do.

Amara Ibekwe

Okay: Words cannot explain who are, your simplicity is mind blowing, You're just like Jesus. I love you sir

Nnaemeka Mentus

he is my teacher, inspirer, role model, in fact, i don’t think i have a single expression to quantify him.

Chibuzor Chianugor

He is an icon

Onoh Purity

PCJ is my pastor, a man of God with great Vision

Chioma Monalisa Enumah

I have never seen a man that is as humble as PCJ, he is so humble and simply. He has touched my life in so many ways, his teachings, preaching, training and mentor ship He taught me how to get results in all i do.

Amara Ibekwe

Okay: Words cannot explain who are,your simplicity is mind blowing, You're just like Jesus. I love you sir

Chioma Ozokwo

PCJ gave me a blueprint to the path of servitude for the people of God. He is a direct reflection of Jesus and his ministry

Esther Aroh Ada

The first time i came to dominion city,i came looking for the head pastor Rev Ogbueli but i met PCJ instead..feeling a kind of withdrawn that it wasn't him that I needed at that point in time of my life to talk to but d main man.He took it upon himself to calm me down and reconnect back to God;since then my life has never been the same all thanks to PCJ.. 

Chris Tine

Where can I begin? I heard about PCJ exactly 13years ago, as a teenager, my elder sister who was in University said, there was a pastor in her school who is so ablaze for God, one unique thing about him was that he used to preach in classes, but unlike others who may be booed half the time, whenever PCJ was up there, he speaks with such authority and clarity that no one says a word and souls always get saved in their numbers. That struck me even as a young girl, growing in my walk with God. I wanted to know that man. Pastor Chukwudi Chineme is an example of a Christian, beyond being a pastor, he is a godly man, full of love, full of the Spirit, character and selflessness. A man who is a blazing fire, filled with a deep passion for souls. God's true general! Years ago the enemy tried to take his life, but even Death could not resist the fire in his bones! I may be far away, but I can't forget! I'm eternally grateful to God for models such as him and honoured that my husband and I got the privilege of having him join us in marriage. To me, that's priceless! Not forgetting also, his humour, Pastor makes the gospel so easy to understand as he laces each truth with such humour, such that God's word will remain indelible in your heart. PCJ is a priceless gift to the world, we celebrate you again and again sir, Happy Birthday and anniversary! Words are not enough, but we just have to say it, thank you sir for answering the call, for the gift of YOU!

Obinna Nwachukwu

he is a captivating,listening and caring pastor and personally i luv him so so much

Now sir these are what people told me you are to them. You may now wish to direct the question to me as Jesus did in verse 29 of the scripture above, ‘’ who do i say you are to me’’?  For the sake of this , i had to consult people close to me to help me put words together as i was speechless trying to figure out YOU! And here is what my mum, sisters and brothers said of you;

Charity Onuoha

PCJ is a man of God full of wisdom, always ready to salvage situation. He is full of Agape love and i can liken him to Peter in the bible.

Ijeoma Ogbonna

Hbd to a man that touched the life of my family and gave it a meaning.may the grace of God never seize in your life, happy birthday sir!

Nenye Onuoha

PCJ is an Epitome of love with the largest heart I've ever seen.

Planky Kenneth Onuoha

He is just the father that i lost 9 years ago! I love him so much and his teaching has made me who i am today!

Onuoha Ifeanyi Emmanuel

You see it's amazing what my life would have looked like! Whenever I ever I read the bible and it says Moses I have heard the cries of my people I am sending you. I can identify with that because God sent PCJ into my life to mold me properly fit for the master’s use.

And also to imagine that Israel had to spend another 40 years because Moses wasn't ready is mind burgling. I look back at my mates and I see exactly what I would have been if not for the Man PCJ who made up he's mind to answer the call on he's life and was disciplined enough to recognize me in my raw state.

From the bottom I can't thank you enough

Thank you mighty Man of God

On this special day I celebrate you

Happy birthday.

Ifeyinwa Onuoha Duru

I can only say you are an unlimited edition of Christianity of our time. You know no boundaries with the word, You are without qualification or exception, You are absolutely a man of Destiny! Knowing you and Pastor Okwi is one encounter i live to be thankful to God. Happy birthday/ Anniversary sir. We Love you and celebrate you today.

Thanks to everyone who has responded to this tribute. In case you still want to let PCJ know what you feel about him you can reply the message for add an on if you got one if not just inbox me. 

WHAT A LIFE!!!!

Source;Prince Tochukwu Nnaji

Over time, I have discovered that there is no absolute finishing line for everyone in the race of life. Our tracks are different, our lanes are different, so also our duration. The only thing we have in common is the same umpire. Somebody graduates at the age of 20 and struggles for another 5 years to get a job. Another graduates at the age of 25 and get a job immediately. One marries a virgin and waits for decades to have a child. Another lady probably after leaving a rough life becomes a mother immediately after marriage. 

A fellow becomes MD at 38 and dies at 56. Another becomes MD at 55 and lives to 90. WHAT A LIFE!!!
Life has it's twists, turns, ups and downs, surprises and disappointments. Life offers each one of us different opportunities, and once an opportunity is lost, it's gone forever as said. It is up to each all of us to patiently prepare, wait, recognize and utilize every opportunity on our ways. No one knows it all or has it better. There is a reason why we all don't fall at d same time, it's so that when one is down, weak or discouraged, the other who is strong can encourage the weak.

We were not promised that the road would be easy, but he promised not to forsake us. God is working it all for good. All these challenges, trials and down time shall pass, and you will be up and strong again to lift up all those who may be down around you, so be strong and trust God. Have a fulfilled week ahead.

THE DAY MERCY DIED

I pride myself as being Nigerian but not after watching the execution of innocent youths by bloodletting mobs at Aluu in River State. My stomach wriggle in anger when I realise that another human being had the temerity to record this orgy on his handset while a 999 dial on the same handset may have "saved" the lives of these innocent youths.

I am using the word "saved" with caution here because an eye witness claimed that a police van was parked few metres away from the spot where these youths were felled. One is not even sure if police would respond to the emergency if someone from the baying mob had decided to be human just for 2 minutes. 

This reminds me of an incident in 1992 on my way to Lagos from Kaduna to watch a football match involving our national team. A robber was caught inside our bus and was beaten mercilessly. We decided to push him off the bus while the bus was in motion. Hang on I thought, this guy is a human being, why must we throw him off the bus and waste his life because he stole about N200,000 from a trader. Since we recovered the money, I pleaded with the visibly angry passengers to spare his life. I practically held the door as some people disagreed with my benevolence while the robber held me with all his might knowing that his life at that point in time was dependent on me. After what seemed an age, the people accepted my plea but made sure the man was naked until we got to Lagos. You can't believe how grateful the man was. He knew he had a narrow escape.

What turned my stomach was the manner these boys were summarily tried and condemned. They died pleading for mercy, hoping that at least somebody in the crowd might have a change of heart but to no avail. What a wicked society? There was something evil and demonic about that crowd from the manner they rebuffed their outstretched hands of mercy and supervised their deaths. It suggests that the human inkling in us is dead. It tells me to beware of my neighbor as he might be my next executioner. 

I am not surprised with what happened in Aluu or about the students that were executed in Mubi or the extra judicial killing involving some of our previous and serving Governors or the thousands of lives wasted by Boko Haram in their mad drive to create a Taliban enclave in Nigeria. It was a tragedy that we all expected to happen. The only surprise is the dimension it is taking. 

Somebody asked, 'Why would they kill just for computer and laptop?' Is life reducible to material things? It is because the only thing our society can relate to is money and material things. Material things are valued more than human life in Nigeria. Life is nothing to us neither do we respect the sanctity of life. In contrast, just last week, a 5 year old girl got kidnapped in Wales, UK. The response from the police, fire fighters, rescue services and the whole community was very commendable. But in Nigeria we have lost more than 70 people just last week. It is a dangerous conundrum.

In my book "THE FROZEN DEMOCRACY: GODFATHRISM & ELITE CORRUPTION in NIGERIA", I warned of the impending doom as I saw Nigeria gravitating towards a "state of nature" if we continue to thrive on the wheels of anomic values. Values set by drug peddlers, corrupt politicians, armed robbers, fraudsters etc. have spiraled down our society threatening to destroy the very fabric that held us together as a nation. This eventually breeds a predatory society which unfortunately is what we are witnessing now.

We must restructure our values system if we don't want to see such tragedies in our society. 

For the "Fabulous Four", we are sorry to fail you when you needed us most. We are sorry to execute you in a most barbaric way with merciless abandon. We are sorry to exhibit such cruelty that would even make Satan turn green with envy. I know even though we didn't forgive you that you will find a place in your hearts to forgive us because two wrongs cannot make a right. It is all our fault. Let it be said that "Mercy" died in us but lives in you. Goodbye my dear friends. I am glad that you dared to ask but we missed the opportunity. Let's hope that we won't miss the next opportunity. 

Source: Marvelous NNatu