I'm sure you'd enjoy reading through this as much as i did,. . . . . . It's all about the young Henry!
The image of Nigeria was again boosted in the international arena recently when a young secondary school boy, Master Henry Akahara, from a Lagos public school, beat other students in a world debate competition. Henry, a Senior Secondary School (SSS II) student of Government Secondary School, Surulere, emerged the best among 200 students in a world debate competition, which took place at the House of Commons in London. The young chap spoke on the effects of modern slavery in Nigeria. The 200 students who participated in the competition came from 60 countries of the world.
We celebrate this young achiever and congratulate Lagos State, nay, Nigeria for this feat. No doubt, this is a promotion in the image rating of the country and it is just as well that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has awarded him a scholarship, which extends to the university. Fashola was quite profound in his statement as he announced the scholarship award. The governor said: “We do not appreciate our endowments as we should or place appropriate value on our abilities.” For some strange reasons, he added, we prefer to advertise the negative things about ourselves.
His achievement has other significance besides what Fashola identified. This is a young Nigerian who could easily have resorted to going the way of many his age, who have been drawing odium for Nigeria both within and outside the country. Many in his age bracket are today drug pushers, fraudsters and armed robbers. But he has remained focused and today, he has brought glory to the country and recognition to himself.
It is also important to note that Henry is coming from a public school. This may be suggesting to us that in spite of the decay, despondency and seeming abandonment, all is not yet lost. It is only a pointer to the authorities that if these schools were to be in their best condition, there would probably be no limit to what they can achieve in terms of producing many more world-beaters like Henry. This is obviously not talking from the void. Nigerian public schools were at a time in our recent history, centres of academic excellence, not only within continental standard but also within world reckoning.
Once again, Henry’s case should serve as an impetus to our governments, both federal and states, to look again at their education policy with a view to bringing it to that level where it would begin to perform its role as the engine of civilization and advancement. We believe that if our educational system is right, we will achieve more as a country. There is also the place of hard work, merit and consistency in Henry’s case.
To beat other contestants – many of them from more educationally advanced and sophisticated countries – is not a small feat. It will therefore serve as motivation to other young men and women not only in our secondary schools, but also in our tertiary institutions. It shows that merit can be recognized where it matters and such can arouse the genius in many of our youths who today feel disgruntled by what the system has been offering.
This is all the more reason why the scholarship awarded to him is commendable It will definitely ginger other young ones to embrace decent, commendable activities and higher goals. We, therefore, commend the Lagos State government for this. We also commend the governor for not monetizing the award, a thing some other impressed authorities could have done. Monetizing awards has never helped our youths; instead, it further perverts our values, giving the false impression that money and material possession are what makes the man. Scholarship is a life investment on any young man. And it is an investment for higher ideals.
We call on the authorities – schools and government – to again refocus their attention on the delivery of quality education to our youths. Let the education sector have the required funding. Extra-curricular activities as of old – schools’ debates, quizzes, sports, essay competitions and the like – should be restored in our schools.
If Henry went to London to defeat other world contestants in a debating contest, it only suggests that he must have been involved in debating. Extra-curricular undertakings or youth programmes have value for youth development. If anything, they are training in leadership and the total man. So, while Nigeria celebrates this glory brought to her by Henry Akahara, let the authorities reflect on what the country will gain by producing more “Henries” by providing the required environment and incentives.
By Sun News Publishing
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Editorial Index
www.sunnewsonline.com
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
S-A-S Project
S-A-S Project Objective
Organize a 1-day Programme for the Less Priviledged Youths within the Ikeja metropolis, Lagos State.
Purpose of the S-A-S Project
During my course of visiting from one home/school to the other, I discovered that the level of poverty is indeed striking, from the street kids without food, clothing and shelter to those in the remand homes, orphanage homes, villages, prisons and even to those who find themselves priviledged to be in school. Some of these youth live wretchedly with little or no assistances from the Government and fellow men. Although, I am aware that our Nation is too blessed for her citizens to live in penury, yet there is a high level of extreme poverty.
This project is aimed at donating mobility aid appliances to the physically challenged ones and providing of relief materials to the disadvantaged youths in the Society. We look forward to putting a smile on the faces of the less priviledged ones.
Our Target.
Our targets are the street kids, Remand Home children, the physically challenged, Secondary School Students etc
Our Goal
The goal of the S-A-S Project is to inspire, empower and raise a generation of purpose-driven youth in the community and nation at large. It is our utmost desire to contribute to the alleviation of extreme poverty in Nigeria and make real the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
"What Motivates You" . . . . Continues
The second most important thing that motivated me to assisting the less privildedged and physically challenged (disabled) youth is the desire to share with them their burden. It is a pity that we 'Nigerians' do suffer in midst of plenty. I think the physically challenged ones have the right to mobility aids, such as wheel chair, power wheel chair, clutches, tri-cycle etc. The day I saw one of them by name James without any aid crawling at the bus stop and trying to get a ride, was most memorable to me. The way and manner in which he tried to get seated on the motorcycle pricked my heart! “How about getting a wheel chair for this boy”? I thought within myself. Although, it looked impossible as at them, because I was on low income and I wondered where I would get such a big money to get wheel chair for him. i remembered that I had an alternative and that was to fund raise. . . . .go abegging! This was the starting point of fund raising for the purchase of wheel chair for the disabled. I was determined to get at least one wheel chair for the boy.
The initial plan was to get just one chair for the 'poor' boy, but as time went by and I realised that the money I had was already enough for one, the next thought of action was to buy for more and this prompted me into contacting both local and foreign non-governmental bodies, Government Officials etc to donate/help us out. My sincere appreciate goes to donors like Wife of Former Governor of Kogi State, Hajia Zainab Idris, Mr. Cosmas Okoli (CEO MAARDEC), AfricanGolfers and others too numerous to mention. And thank God that at the end of it all, we had more beneficiaries to the mobility aid appliances.
Lastly, this slogan by Wesley gets me motivated to doing something positive. .
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
In all the ways you can, in all the places you can,
At all the times you can, to all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
"Together we can make this nation truly great. And together we can build a better world for our youth!"
"Don't you think life is too short to do Bad???"
How are you today?
Regards
The initial plan was to get just one chair for the 'poor' boy, but as time went by and I realised that the money I had was already enough for one, the next thought of action was to buy for more and this prompted me into contacting both local and foreign non-governmental bodies, Government Officials etc to donate/help us out. My sincere appreciate goes to donors like Wife of Former Governor of Kogi State, Hajia Zainab Idris, Mr. Cosmas Okoli (CEO MAARDEC), AfricanGolfers and others too numerous to mention. And thank God that at the end of it all, we had more beneficiaries to the mobility aid appliances.
Lastly, this slogan by Wesley gets me motivated to doing something positive. .
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
In all the ways you can, in all the places you can,
At all the times you can, to all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
"Together we can make this nation truly great. And together we can build a better world for our youth!"
"Don't you think life is too short to do Bad???"
How are you today?
Regards
Monday, March 3, 2008
"What Motivates You?"
I was going through a written speech I made during the inaugaration of a Community Development Project in Lokoja last year. This speech brings back to my memory the question that people often ask me when they see my passion at work, and that is: "what motivates you to doing this project??" Some see the project of assisting the less priviledged youths especially the disabled ones(physically challenged) as a Rare project, hence often times I am being faced with this same question. . . ."what motivates you".
I must trully start with this, that God, who is the source of all good inspirations is my Motivator, My Mentor and Instructor. The Bibile tells me that every good gifts and every perfect gift is from God and from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning! James 1:17.
Furthermore, I get motivated to assisting the less priviledged youths because statistic has shown that the rate of criminal behavior among our youth is alarming, as most of these youths who have no better future ambition now engage in social vices such as: drug addiction, exam malpractices, teenage pregnancy, armed robbery operations etc and live a care-free life! It is alarming and it calls for a sincere heart cry because these youths are the future ambassador and leaders of our Nations!
They are very important segment of the society. In nation building, they cannot be neglected. "They are like the tiny, unseen blood vessels hidden in the human body whose functions cannot be neglected. For the human body to be healthy and remain healthy the tiny blood vessel must be alive to its responsibilities or else the body is as good as a dead. Youths are greatly essential in national development".
My admonitions to the youth is that they should pursue their dream regardless of any distractions; they should learn to close their eyes to things that demotivate them & ignore their limitations, for the future belongs to those who dare to dream. They can be great if they believe so and work towards it.
Do watch out on this page for more answers to the "things that motivate me" . And don't forget to join us in making this committment real, You can log in here: http://commit.takingitglobal.org/273
Best Regards
I must trully start with this, that God, who is the source of all good inspirations is my Motivator, My Mentor and Instructor. The Bibile tells me that every good gifts and every perfect gift is from God and from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning! James 1:17.
Furthermore, I get motivated to assisting the less priviledged youths because statistic has shown that the rate of criminal behavior among our youth is alarming, as most of these youths who have no better future ambition now engage in social vices such as: drug addiction, exam malpractices, teenage pregnancy, armed robbery operations etc and live a care-free life! It is alarming and it calls for a sincere heart cry because these youths are the future ambassador and leaders of our Nations!
They are very important segment of the society. In nation building, they cannot be neglected. "They are like the tiny, unseen blood vessels hidden in the human body whose functions cannot be neglected. For the human body to be healthy and remain healthy the tiny blood vessel must be alive to its responsibilities or else the body is as good as a dead. Youths are greatly essential in national development".
My admonitions to the youth is that they should pursue their dream regardless of any distractions; they should learn to close their eyes to things that demotivate them & ignore their limitations, for the future belongs to those who dare to dream. They can be great if they believe so and work towards it.
Do watch out on this page for more answers to the "things that motivate me" . And don't forget to join us in making this committment real, You can log in here: http://commit.takingitglobal.org/273
Best Regards
Journey to the largest City in Black Africa. . . .
"At last, I'm back home", I did echo! as I walked down to my office this morning, having gone on tour since the 1st of March, 2008 to the largest city in black Africa, IBADAN!.To those who are non-Nigerians let me help you out with the pronounciation of ibadan LOL. .(e-ba-dan). Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State in Nigeria. A land full of business activities and governed by His Excellency, Governor Alao-Akala.
I arrived Ibadan on saturday evening with much expectation from a City I had long visited. As I got down from the vehicle and looked around me, I saw beautiful faces of both young and aged! People full of life and actively involved in their business transactions. The atmospheric condition was pleasant and cool. "But, this isn't my last bus stop", I remembered. So, I had to get another vehicle to convey me from 'Challenge' to 'Apata' and from 'Apata' to 'Owode'. The next day didn't spare me more movements from one locality to the other. But I must confess to you, that I did enjoy my stay. I actually had to travel with a friend of mine who needed me to be her Chief-Bride's Maid in her forth coming wedding, precisely 8th of March, 2008. Hence, I had to pay the sacrifice of travelling with her from 'strange' places to the other, LOL. . . I mean places I had never been to in my life!!!! The journey on the next day, 2nd of March started in the early hours till about 10:00pm when I finally got back home and laid my head on the bed to SLEEP!. We moved from one location to the other and to places like: . .Oluyole, Challenge, Mokola, Dugbe, Gate, Gbagi, Old-Ife Road etc. . .so many 'strange' places indeed!!! Travelling. . . ,as well known is part of learning and I must i say i learnt alot. The people there are wonderful, entertaining. This trip has actually afforded me the priviledge of meeting with people of different cultures, despite the fact that we all are Nigerians!!!.
But alas, the journey came to pass and I'm back in Lagos, right in front of my PC, doing what i know how to do best. . . . . lol.
May your day be wonderful and May this month of March bring unto you Wondrous Blessings!
Lots of Love from.
Tosin
I arrived Ibadan on saturday evening with much expectation from a City I had long visited. As I got down from the vehicle and looked around me, I saw beautiful faces of both young and aged! People full of life and actively involved in their business transactions. The atmospheric condition was pleasant and cool. "But, this isn't my last bus stop", I remembered. So, I had to get another vehicle to convey me from 'Challenge' to 'Apata' and from 'Apata' to 'Owode'. The next day didn't spare me more movements from one locality to the other. But I must confess to you, that I did enjoy my stay. I actually had to travel with a friend of mine who needed me to be her Chief-Bride's Maid in her forth coming wedding, precisely 8th of March, 2008. Hence, I had to pay the sacrifice of travelling with her from 'strange' places to the other, LOL. . . I mean places I had never been to in my life!!!! The journey on the next day, 2nd of March started in the early hours till about 10:00pm when I finally got back home and laid my head on the bed to SLEEP!. We moved from one location to the other and to places like: . .Oluyole, Challenge, Mokola, Dugbe, Gate, Gbagi, Old-Ife Road etc. . .so many 'strange' places indeed!!! Travelling. . . ,as well known is part of learning and I must i say i learnt alot. The people there are wonderful, entertaining. This trip has actually afforded me the priviledge of meeting with people of different cultures, despite the fact that we all are Nigerians!!!.
But alas, the journey came to pass and I'm back in Lagos, right in front of my PC, doing what i know how to do best. . . . . lol.
May your day be wonderful and May this month of March bring unto you Wondrous Blessings!
Lots of Love from.
Tosin
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