Year End Epistle

When I was young, my father told me that I needed to forge my own path in life.
I was made to understand he owes me a good educational foundation if I was ready to cash in that pledge.

It was impressed on me that the only thing no one could take away from me is the knowledge I have acquired.
Even, my certificates which are non-transferable could be eaten by termites if I become so careless/unfortunate to keep them where they should not be.

I was constantly reminded that my father’s little material acquisitions would be willed to whomever he wants whenever he desire.
His partner in such a “philosophical crime”, his wife, my late mother, did not waste time in emphasising “their ideology” to all my siblings as well as myriads of people that God sent their way to become their non-biological off-springs.
When my paternal grandfather passed away in 1979, the farm that was given to my father as his own inheritance, he divided and gave away to others.

So, I learnt not to depend on any man but to work hard to get to wherever I desire to be. To take responsibility for my failures, not shifting the blame onto others. And to back hard work with honesty, sincerity, as well as an absolute trust in my maker, God and my saviour, Jesus Christ.
My parents’ favourite sayings were “Do unto others as you wish they do unto you” and of course, “Oruko rere, o san ju wura ati fadaka lo – a good name is more profitable than gold and silver”.

Funny enough, these days when the old man seeks my counsel on issues and I say to him, “Dad, do as you please with it”, or he asks me what I want to do with something but my response is “Dad, it is not mine but yours and I cannot make use of it”, he feels offended that I seem not to be taking a strong interest in his affairs as I should do.

My questions are:
What image do you reflect?
Are your children your image?

What legacy are you bequeathing to your children?
Is it a legacy of “self-making through honest and sincere hard work” or that of “the end justifies the means, wealth and its’ acquisition is all that matters”.
If you belong to the second school of thought, please remember that Input = Output. Garbage In will result in Garbage Out.
Every society is an aggregation of the families therein. By helping to increase the numbers of those who would run down the society, please imagine the endless possibilities in the future of such a society – poverty, crime, low quality of life, etc.
It is not too late to make a change.

If you are a Nigerian and you belong to the first school of thought, those who believe in being self-made through honest and sincere hard work, let me thank you in advance for laying the foundation that will produce a generation able to make a positive and significant difference in the future of Nigeria or its successor(s).

 Merry Christmas in advance.
My very best wishes for you and your family in the years ahead.