TAKE YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR HANDS

 TAKE YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR  HANDS 

                Nobody makes it in this world without a story to tell. Nothing happen suddenly without efforts, courage and determination. Things are bound to be constant if you keep doing the same thing. No fast way to the top, you have to follow the right steps which takes time. Every fast track into success always comes with woes, regrets, pains and disappointments . You have only one life and you have to make it count. To make your life count you have to take responsibilities for your choices, decisions and actions. Simply be in charge of your life, do not allow people to make vital decisions of life for you. Do not allow situations to make decisions for you. Just like a moving plane someone must be in charge or else it will crash. To fail to make vital choices and decisions for your life is to prepare to find your self in places where you will not like. When people around you make choices and decisions for you it is usually with ulterior motives to profit and benefit them.

                         In the course of interactions with ex convicts and sex workers I discovered that ninety percent of them do not have a job or a learned vocation. They usually have  excuses and reasons which seems to be genuine to them for involving in crimes and prostitution. I advised one of them who is into prostitution that I will get you a vocation to learn and pay for it. Her response was: "where will I get money for my personal upkeep" The bottom line is that the despised jobs like laundry of clothes, cleaning of gutters and many more bring food to the table and gives you honour and dignity.  Getting involved in crimes, prostitution and other illicit business because you want fast money will get you into serious trouble that may sink your life and destiny.

               Jephtah was an illegitimate child, his brethren ganged up against him and told him that he would not share their father's inheritance with them. He was sent out empty handed from his father's house. He did not blame anyone for his woes, he took his life into his hands and worked hard to be a warrior to the extent that he became skillful and known in his vicinity. War broke out, his father's household came to him, pleaded to resuce them from the enemies and he signed a contract with them that he would be their leader if he succeed in the fight. Life is a battlefield and not a playfield. He sent messages to other tribes to help him win the battle that want to wipe off his generations but no one heeded to his message. He took his life to his hands, challenged a whole nation and God granted him victory. An illegitimate child that could have become a dreaded robber in the neighbourhood or an inconsequential element became the President of a nation. His brothers thought it was finished for him, they wrote him off, they thought nothing could come out of him but God chose to make him great as a result of his diligence combined with determination. 

                Success is not having billions of naira in your account and fleet of expensive cars. Success is simply the rest of mind you have for doing it right. For you to make it in life you have to be responsible for your life by taking your life into your hands meaning that if your life becomes good you are the cause and if it turn around the opposite way you are also the cause. The first step to success is taking responsibility for your actions. Excuses are nails used to build house of failures. There is no excuse for failing that is why you have to be in charge of your life. God has given you life. make it count for God, make it count for yourself, make it count for your family, and make it count for your nation.

Abolanle Oladipupo

22nd December 2020