Connaissance

That strange word up there is the French word for 'Knowledge' (pronounced Ko-nay-sunce) 




Everywhere you go you see that the length to which you control some circumstances is just based on your Knowledge level. And the knowledgeable ones just know how to flaunt there prowess that you don't want to be left out. "Knowledge is the new world currency" is not just a slogan but indeed a reality.




Kinda reminds me of this humorous illustration of a fisherman and an accountant going on a fishing trip.
Mid-way into their journey, they get into a conversation and the accountant asks,"Do you know Book-keeping?" and the fisherman replies, "No", then he shakes his head and tells him, "How useless your whole life must have been".


Silent as they go on, the now pompous accountant asks again, "Do you know basic principles of Taxation?". The puzzled fisherman shakes his head innocently again as he answers in the negative with a sorry look on his face. "How useless your whole life must have been", the accountant echoes again.


Shortly after, they encounter a crazy storm and their boat capsizes. Too bad, No life-jacket! The fisherman swimming to the turned-over boat looks a little ahead and sees the accountant slowly drowning and beating the water furiously.
The fisherman then swims gallantly, piercing through the waves, with every muscle displacing a proportionate mass of water, head moving in rhythmic Michael Phelp's style, locomotive legs in a frog-like pattern as they moved towards the half-drowned man in suit.
Holding the accountant's head above the water and supporting him afloat, the fisherman smiles, mouth about to move as if to tell him something, and he asks, "Do you know how to swim"?...."No!" came the answer.
Shaking his head, the fisherman looks at him and with a mischievous look he replies, "How useless your whole life would have been!"


Funny as it sounds, thats the case today. Trust me on this - Knowledge is Power...Anyday, Anytime, Anyhow! Use it to your advantage. Its right there in front of you. Yes! In front of you. Just one click away! Vast information database on ANYTHING! I mean if you want to be a cook - it has info, want to be an engineer - theres lots of info on how you can be one and materials too.

Its also there in print - hmm..that's hard for a lot. The average black man hates reading. There's this cliche that says if you want to hide information from a black man...Put it in a book!
Ignorance is celebrated these days, educational system even encourages a great deal of it.
So much Brain Drain all because someone is waiting for a system to be put in place that will create a conducive environment for creative type of learning. In your Dreams! The responsibility is yours!


I end with this 'jaara' on that former quote that says, "Knowledge is the new world currency...

...that improves in value with time investment" - Me (Aug 2010)

                

 COMING SOON: Monthly Reviews...Know the Articles with the highest hits, most viewed pages, poems that bagged the most attention and views and lots more to come...@ moi frequency *wink*

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Before you break a leg… By Laju Arenyeka

You’re passing through the verandah of a classroom, and you recognize a uniform. When you look closely enough, the face comes to you. It’s the cleaning staff that took out your trash yesterday now solving a major physics problem on the board.

from the author's view...

Stunned, you look at the rest of the class. Sitting in the audience are renowned professors that you know well, taking notes like their lives depend on it. Just then, you hear your phone ring. But suddenly you realize that it isn’t your phone ringing. It’s your shoe. When you pick it up, it’s your two year old son asking you to check the stock market report so that he can decide what stocks to buy or sell. He reminds you to pick his father up from the Montessori. You try to pinch yourself to wake up from the night mare but it’s your skin that pinches your fingers and not the other way round.

The scenario above just represents many people and things playing the wrong roles.
I don’t think Shakespeare knew how close he came to the truth when he said: “The whole world’s a stage and men and women merely actors”. Or perhaps he did. But the thing is everyone plays different roles every day. The same person who gets teary eyed when she sees her son take his first steps is the devil that wears ‘Prada’ in the office. It’s so weird that sometimes if you didn’t know yourself well enough, you would think you were pretending. The important thing is to understanding the roles that we are to play in the lives of the different people we interact with every day.

Many of the problems this world faces are simply as a result of “role misunderstanding”. Hitler thought of himself as God and of the Jews as dogs. Gay and lesbian issues exist because some women think of themselves as men and some men think they are women. Seriously, why are people considered mad? It’s because they think of themselves in roles that aren’t theirs. Pretty extreme huh? Don’t worry. I’ll bet you’ll find something that pertains you soon enough.

Simply nod your head if you agree.

Have you ever mistaken a friend for a future spouse? Or a future spouse for a sister? Ever thought of someone who was supposed to be a brother as a boy friend? Ever mistaken a mentor for a protégée? How did that turn out? Let me guess: heart breaks and broken relationships? Even when the relationships are mended, people are most times too hurt to play the original roles that they should have. Tell me about it. Or rather let me tell you. 

If you let the right people play the wrong roles in your life, things will definitely go wrong and everyone involved would be affected. When you play the wrong role, the script, the action, the cues - everything goes wrong. Like square pegs in round holes, life gets so complicated when we mismatch our roles. Playing the wrong character in the script spoils our relationships for good. Most of the time, even after we get our lines right, we may never have the chance to repeat the scenes on stage.
It is necessary to ask ourselves why this is so.

One of the reasons may be that we seek to replace the characters that seem to be missing in our lives. For a child growing up without a father, the closest available person may be the perfect candidate. If that person fails to live up to expectation, he spoils the picture of a father for that child. Maybe the “father candidate” would have been perfect for another role. For a woman looking for a husband, the next unattached man is Mr. Right. When things don’t work out, she’s frustrated, the guy is frustrated and the original Mr. Right doesn’t stand a chance. A widow with an only son may treat him a lot like the husband she lost. This doesn’t mean that every problem you have in your relationship with others is because the people are all wrong for you. That may be the case, but it isn’t always so. After understanding roles, you still need to take responsibility and work on your relationships with people.
I’m not saying that the next person that walks through the door cannot be your husband. I’m just asking you to exercise a lot of patience, take your time and find out. When someone new comes into your life, in all your excitement, pray about it.

Be sensitive enough to figure out the role both of you have to play in each other’s lives no matter how little or how big. Even if you don’t understand the person’s role all at once, don’t be aloof, cold and distant. As you make up your mind to define every relationship in love, treat everyone with respect, as you want to be treated. So that whether they turn out to be driver, director or darling, you’ll have no regrets. Review your existing relationships. Are you being a brother or sister to your siblings or merely just a housemate?

Just remember that the stage of the world would be less tragic if we took time to read the script and play our roles right.

                

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Target Locked!

So this is what they say about commitment. Staying true to your purpose on earth.

I discovered that successful people were not people who necessarily had found their passion but had also stayed committed to it.

I let my imagination entertain me one time and I could see a trained archer (guy that's an expert in the use of a bow and arrow)  doing what he does best - shooting arrows at a target. He hardly misses his target, he's trained for it all his entire life.

On this day, he's at it again, but this time something's at stake because every shot he fires has to hit that target.

He views the horizon, breathes in deep and lets out the tension. The fogs present as usual but as always he knows how to hit his target. Thats all he lives for so I mean it wouldn't hurt to spend his whole life on firing at this target.

On a certain day, he reaches for his back pouch...WHAT? no arrows to shoot again. that's strange because he really never anticipated that to happen. A thought then flashes through his mind, he could just remove from the arrows he'd been firing for years.

He walks the distance and he sees a tree just before he reaches his target board and right there some arrows are stuck to it...just like his. He ignores them and moves ahead to find his own target-board with his arrows. Right there, he saw an empty target board and then the reality hit him.

All these years he had been firing accurately but at the wrong target!

A wiseman once said, if you don't know where you're going, everywhere would look like it. and another said:

"Our greatest fear should not be fear of failure but of succeeding at something that doesn't really matter"

You can't use the map of Ghana to locate somewhere in Nigeria, you'll only get to the wrong place faster. 

Many people fall into this category, you've got ambitions, goals and projections into how you want your future to be...that's Very good and I support it too. But are you firing your arrows into the right target?

Ask yourself and you'd be amazed the depth of things that'll reveal themselves to you. Do you find fulfillment and peace in whatever vocation you're into? Do you realize you might actually earn a lot from a job but never be happy doing it? Are you planning to venture into the labour market? Or are you working to discover more of the archer in you whose target will hit the bullseye?

These and many more I also ask myself as the lil archer develops in me learning how not just to fire but to hit the right target. The God up there is always ready to put his arms around you, hold your hands steady and help you point it at the target. All you need to do is let go of the arrow and let it pierce through every air of doubt and fear with clarity of purpose.

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I love you Buddy! by Adeleke Adedolapo (Lowla Dee)

This is a very inspiring piece i came across one day by a very inspiring writer, Adeleke Adedolapo (a.k.a.Lowla Dee) and I decided to share it with y'all. I hope it changes something in you. Enjoy!

We were there in his room. I could feel his presence...the smell..I couldnt take this, Just as I turned to walk away, I saw in between his Bible a letter...a very long letter. It was the last one.
Dear Buddy,
You are my hero Dad. I love you so much that I do not know how it would be like livin with any other man but you. You've always been my bestfriend and dad, I wish you could stay with me forever. Sometimes I still feel the guilt that I took mom away from you. I wish she didnt have to die bringing me to the world. Daddy cant I stay with you forever?!
I remember the early years, age three I guess, when I didnt understand that the deaf could not hear...I remember those days I didnt understand that you couldnt hear me dad...and I'm sorry, I'm sorry I caused you so much pain.
I remember how you would cry when I'm crying because you didnt just know why I was crying. You couldnt tell if it was food? water? biscuit? play?! You didnt have a clue and I'm sorry dad...
I remember at age five, the very day Nanny Felicia told me the deaf people couldnt hear and that you are deaf thats why you seemed so strange.

 I remember how hard I cried and hated myself for hating you, and then when you came back home from work that night, I also remembered how loud I screamed "Daddy!" from the depth of my heart, with all of my being and I jumped on you shaking with tears. I forgot you couldn't even hear how passionate I just called you my father. All you could see was how hard I had cried. You quickly put down your briefcase, shaking too, saying underneath your breath (I could hear you) " Buddy I cant hear you, please dont do this to me..who did this to you...God let me just hear her this once..." You began to cry

I didnt know how to tell you nothing was wrong with me but that I just love you more now that I understood, to thank you for laughing at my jokes you couldn't hear...for always telling me each night before I slept "I love you buddy" eventhough you never could hear me say it back.
Just then, I ran from the comfort of your laps and you followed me. I headed for my school bag and brought out a paper and the crayon you just bought me. I remember how my hands shook as I drew slowly "I LOVE YOU BUDDY" and showed it to you. I can never forget the way you looked at me, you gently took it from my hands and showed it to me too and it's been twenty years dad since we both discovered we could write to each other and I am never tired! I also remember how we both wept in each others arms that night...I was only five.
I still have them...all the little endless notes we wrote to each other- Dad, I want to sleep- Dad I want some pasta- Dad I have a headache- I'll be back soon buddy, Nanny Felicia will be here with you. I still have them!

Its hurts to leave you dad...but you wont let me stay with you! I wish mom were here! I remember how elated you were when I wrote you a note in the parlour that night, a note that read "He has asked me to marry him" I remember the satisfactory nod you gave me! How I trust you dad!
Though I am afraid to leave you but you have taught me how to love...to love unconditionally and now that I am leaving to start my own home, I promise to love unconditionally. I have learnt that if I could love you deaf, then I can love the blind, the crippled, the leprosed, the orphan, the destitute, the short tempered, I can love anyone dad. I have truly learnt.
You are my hero dad. I will come back to see you after the Honeymoon, just hang in there for me. I miss you , you'll never know how much and I want you to know that I'm in safe arms like yours. I just wish one day you can hear me say "I Love you Buddy" 
I'll be back...
Your only "Buddy"
My hands shook and I vibrated with tears as I folded the letter back into the bible. My buddy was gone before I came back. He had lived for me for 70 years. 
My husband took me into his arms and said to me " I promise never to love you less than he did. I'll take over from where he stopped. Just call me buddy" He cupped my face
I smiled amidst my tears and nodded, "I trust you buddy"
and then I knew another unconditional, endless love chapter had begun.
THE END


Love is unconditional..how great is it to still love one who cant love you back, to love without expecting anything in return. To love...Despite* Lets learn to love people without stating the conditions! Remember we were yet sinners and Christ loves us " Despite..."
with love ,
Lowla

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Good People Great Nation...?

I love Nigeria and no matter where I might go in this world, nothing would still substitute my love for the country.

This write-up is meant for you and I to think through some issues I’ll be revealing shortly. But before you read I’d Like to do a sort of traffic check cuz I write as one who speaks to an audience. And my audience today is one I’d like to be choosy about.

First if you are have doubts about Nigeria then you need not go through the stress of reading this.

I’ve got my facts laid out and some sources to back it up and mosdef open to your honest criticism. What I’ll be sharing is based on in-depth research and sources of any info I give will be referenced for your voluntary perusal.

In 2009, the overseas-driven ‘Rebranding Nigeria’ project was initiated for a supposed home-based impact and speculations arose as to whether it would have an impact on Nigeria’s Vision 2020. Good People Great Nation. I totally bought the idea; at least the change had to start somehow. But from my own view has not gotten any far.

We are one of the largest oil-producing nations and Nigeria still imports from other countries. Hillary Clinton in her visit to Nigeria described it as embarrassing and due to some self-seeking-as-long-as-I’m-comfortable-you-can-go-to-blazes top government officials.

July 2008, Nigeria agreed to supply Ghana 30 million cubic metres of gas for power generation.

We supply electricity to Ghana that boasts of 24hrs of uninterrupted power supply yet we can’t boast of 10 hours of interrupted supply.

I complain of the degrading economy and you are not innocent of that either, yet we are the cause of it. HOW? You ask. The average Nigerian is a natural consumer, we do not produce. We buy virtually everything from clothes to food to even crude oil that we produce here! This is not right! This is one of the major reasons why the Naira will keep depreciating and Mr Inflation will maintain his obese form.

American Outsourcing: I’m not going to compare us to America and that’s not even the aim but I want to break this down for you to know.

America is a country that outsources a large percentage of jobs to countries where they get cheap labour: China India, etc. India for your info produces, China produces.

America gets cheap labour from China (reduced expenditure on labour), China gets money (liquid asset) in return. Both parties smile home happy.

Now come down to Nigeria, Nigeria doesn’t produce so we buy what we want from America et al even as far as imported toothpicks (helping their economy) and we get our consumables in return{nothing goes back to our economy), Naira keeps dropping in value and Inflation rises. Now why for goodness sake do we keep blaming the leaders.

Some problems we face are just too basic to be called problems! I’ll give you a scenario.

About 6 years back, coming home one day from school I had crossed this busy express road and on the other side people were gathered. So I moved close to check out what had happened. Lying on the floor right there was a woman, not just a woman but a pregnant one and it was an accident. She was there helpless and the car that hit her had disappeared. So I thought to myself, what it costs to build an overhead bridge. A senator’s allowances alone could cover the expenses.

Enough has been said, I could go on forever and nothing would still change but I have a message:

We call ourselves the youths and leaders of tomorrow so lets start acting like we really are.

As many as still believe in that change, I urge you to never give up on Nigeria, pursue what you believe in because EXCELLENCE SELLS!

“We are what we repeatedly do so excellence then is not an act, but a habit” – Aristotle

No one (not even me) will go for your product if its not up to standard. So if you play football - play good, if you cook – cook your best, if you write – write to inspire, if you want to go into politics – go with a will to serve, and if you’re not sure of what you want to do yet – be the best at whatever comes your way. Let’s use what we have to make our own country Nigeria what its supposed to be!

So this is what I think and it has been shared from my perspective…WHAT IS UR OWN IDEA? Give your feedbacks below. I rest my case…

          

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Thoughts in a crucible

Its 2:30am, only the sound of generators around disturb the serene atmosphere of the night - perfect time to write. My body wants some rest but won't get it till this gets analyzed. First, you made the right option by tuning to my frequency and I would try my best not to disappoint. If you have a good sense o'humor, appreciate modern poetry and valuable information, then you're most welcome.

Came across a  word (can't even remember where) but found the definition interesting.

**crucible: a place or situation in which people or ideas are tested severely, often creating something new or exciting in the process**

Life can be described with this word, but only for the positive-minded anyways.

Issues abound everyday, child has many societal scripts written for him to act out all in the name of training, adolescents contend with identity issues, adults battle with mid-life crisis and on & on-Life is full of issues...period.

Okay look @ this funny analysis I thought of in my head onetime........The proud guy is thought of as being pompous but the truth is it can't be avoided cuz even the humble guy is 'proud' of his humility. Quite paradoxical but its true.

No wonder the greatest book of all time(seriuosly don't ask me what it is) says "In all things give thanks".

If you've got food, thank God for the food...and if you don't, thank God you have the sanity to even know there's no food.

What I'm saying in short is Life is a Crucible, and only thankful people get refined through the severe heat of issues it brings in its ovens.

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The Now Factor

If only life was like 'Marioworld', maybe things would have been better...maybe not. Either ways you'd have 5 more lives to your account and dying won't have been a dreaded phenomenon.

Quite silly as it sounds, the painful fact is each day is minus 1 from your life's bank account till you draw the last breath.

The great poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem 'Psalm of Life' described our hearts as beating funeral marches to the grave, Steve Jobs described death as an educational phenomenon in his widely-watched Stanford University commencement speech video, so what exactly is my point? (Read along with me)

Every person is destined to die someday.

Nigerian Artiste, Asa in her song 'Tomorrow' sang these words that really sank,

...when I die someday, will I sit in heavenly places,

singing Halleluyah with an angel on the piano?

or will I be a contribution to the earth, the trees, the grasses,

as tomorrow slowly passes...

So my question is this, if you knew for certain you would die tomorrow, what would you do today?

The paycheck wouldn't matter, the argument could wait for later, hustling would not be top priority, you'd want to make things right with old friends, get close to family...and so on.

Things that never really mattered before would now matter, because the fact that you have just one day left to live would put your priorities in perspective. (so what's the point I hear you say?)

Utilize the power of the 'Now', let the past be what it is...past, never rely on things you can't see in the future however pleasant but hope for the best...and as for the present...always do and act.

Strive to be your best today as if tomorrow never existed.

Get your 3 dimensions in order:

Bodywise: Eat healthy and exercise

Soulwise: Develop and Know thyself!

Spiritwise: Never! Ever! joke with the mmost expensive, yet free gift of salvation. God is prime in EVERYTHING.

In summary, never let your life depend on things that never last (money, fame, possesion).

Appreciate them when they come but let God be the sole factor on which you rely.

I end with this quote:

“If Christ is the center of your life, the circumference will take care of itself”

  ~   

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