Courage for the Uncharted Waters

"There are seasons, in human affairs, of inward and outward revolution, when new depths seem to be broken up in the soul, when new wants are unfolded in multitudes, and a new and undefined good is thirsted for. There are periods when...to dare, is the highest wisdom." 

William Ellery Channing

There is perhaps no magic that turns dreams into reality like courage. Courage is a human virtue that keeps society growing, adapting, evolving and becoming better. Yet education in my homeland robs us of this nobility instead of enduring us with such. How well is courage taught or  how deliberate should we be in passing this gem through education? These are the concluding thoughts we provoke in this part of the Education Overhaul series.

Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. It is one noble virtue admired all through time and it is surely the foundation for all forms of good or bad. Winston Churchill in an insight put it this way, "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities ... because it is the quality that guarantees all others". The character trait of fear, giving up in the times of pain, avoidance of danger, avoiding a course in a maze and absolute lack of confidence for intimidation has become a 'normal' description of the African. To make it more unfortunate we confuse such cowardice with humility and call it cautiousness. 

Confidence should at least be the most notable scare education leaves on a person. The time when the African youth became confident is long overdue, it is time we broke the fear, pain, danger, uncertainty and intimidation of poverty, disease, superstition, cultural limitation, unemployment, western influence, political biases and corruption and rose in courage to tell a new African story. A story of courage and progress, one of innovation and initiatives and of drive and results.

We consider Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman's four subcategory of courage and draw key educational lesson from it below:

1. Bravery: It is defined by Peterson as “the ability to stand up for what is right in difficult situations.”^[11]  He then goes ahead and puts bravery in several forms:  Physical bravery involves acting in spite of possible harm to one’s body. Moral bravery involves acting in a way that enhances what one believes to be good in spite of social disapproval and possible backlash. A third, theoretically newer, definition of bravery is psychological bravery which involves things such as overcoming one’s own addictive habits, irrational anxieties, and harmful dependent relationships. Our educational content should be placed in a context of promoting bravery. What we need are minds and hearts strong enough to solve the problems and not just to talk it. Our educational system must make sure it produces such bravery because there is no doubt such unconfident youth is a product of the current system.
2. Perseverance: Perseverance involves the ability to seek a goal in spite of obstacles and perhaps failure. A person high in perseverance is able to overcome the fear and intimidation of low self-esteem and estimations that one cannot do the task as well as discouragement from peers. This is where our educator will have to focus at producing finishers and not just starters. It only takes courage to be persevering and our education must endeavor to train student to be persevering and not unstable, emotional people as the case barely is now.
3. Honesty: Honesty and authenticity as a subset of courage means more than simply telling the truth. It involves integrity in all areas of one’s life and the ability to be true to oneself and one’s role in the world across circumstances. Honesty and authenticity require a great deal of courage.  I have wondered time and over again why corruption is always labeled as Africa's biggest developmental problem? This may provide a clue to how courageous our leaders are! Honesty is not an option if a group of people must grow and develop, it is a prerequisite and we must see it as such and educate ourselves with the intent of becoming honest to ourselves and to society.
4. Zest: Seligman and Peterson finally consider Zest as a character trait of courage and defines zest as, feeling alive, being full of zest, and displaying enthusiasm for any and all activities. They believe Zest most often comes forth as a character strength in the midst of trying circumstances which is mostly true. When there are shiver across the spines, it takes courage to posses your energies and seek change. We must therefore train people to posses energies that are strong enough to tear down the walls of cowardice. 

 Let me end with a quote from David Humes who was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist and essayist from his part I, essay XXI titled, Of National Characters (1758), "Courage, of all national qualities, is the most precarious; because it is exerted only at intervals, and by a few in every nation; whereas industry, knowledge, civility, may be of constant and universal use, and for several ages, may become habitual to the whole people."  The delicate yet important nature of this virtue makes it imminent to be guarded and taught. The Eagles' Wing Foundation stands for this cause of educating and guarding such treasures but it is more of all our collective effort and thus we invite you to take the task of courage as your personal charge. Always keep yourself in remembrance that, Victory goes to those with courage!

Let's bear the torch of faith and courage through our time. Let our own acts of courage inspire others to hold onto theirs and together let us build a new continent, for, "Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once." William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act II, scene. ii (1599).

My Heart, My Mind and My Hands

Education has an amazing strength of bringing out skills, healthy character and a productive mind from the person who is been educated. The intent of a good education is not to pour into or perhaps force things inside of an empty brain but it is to guide out and to lead the student to a place of his/her natural affinity and ability. Such guidance must be carefully planned to train the total person.

The essence of a human being is not just a body. Everybody has a physical material part called the body (The brain inclusive). The training of this material part is what is referred to in this article as the training of the hand. In the body is the mind; the thoughts of the brain, the perspective, comprehensions of complexes, associations and innovation development are called mind trainings. Training a person in these two dimensions of his/her being will no doubt produce a fairly beneficial individual but there is a part of a human being that is neither his/her body nor mind and its development does not depend on hand or mind training. This is the spiritual part of a person and developing such a critical part of a human being is referred to as the heart training. Total transformation in education is only achieved when a person is engaged in hands, mind and heart to develop an experience of truth for him/herself.

 These separate parts of the human being speaks in different languages and it is the purpose of education to teach a person to understand and express his/her full individuality and purpose. We consider below how education could target and transform a whole being by leading the genius out of the hand, mind and heart.

The Heart Training: The language of the heart is Faith. As part of our assumed progressive nature we have tried to eliminate issues of faith, God, morality, from our trainings and developments as much as possible. Funny as it may be we have replaced it with an idea of self gratification and the individual as a law unto him/herself. The complexities and sensitivity around the subject of God must not make us to hide from talking about it. Theology is not only an academic discipline but a human need. Every person must be trained to verify and know the truth about origins, purpose, character and the existence of things more exceeding than his/her eyes can know. This is not to spun a superstitious education regime but to necessitate human's search for meaning and to tap into the source of human's essence. All that exist now is a product of somebodies faith. It was a seed of someones faith that has given us everything now, great people who leaves legacies saw these legacies in their heart when no one else could see them and they lived to exemplify their faith. Faith gave us automobiles, light bulbs, electricity, beautiful architecture, wonderful gardens, pens, chairs, aircraft, mobile phones and the list goes on unending. Faith is the only thing that produces! Human beings are not products of chance but we are the effect of God's cause such that we may become the cause for a great world. The training of the heart gives three key things: Hope, Faith and Love. These three lessons are fundamental building blocks to any great education and society.  The training of the heart must be woven around these three central themes and given as much attention as the other forms of trainings.

The Mind Training: Our education focuses on what is popularly called the 3R's. This concept has become the key concern of education in Africa. As important and critical as arithmetic, reading and writing is in mind development, it is not all there is it to mind training. Training the mind is positioning a person to dig into the myriad possibilities of faith. Mind training should pursue with much importance, logic, Multidimensional analysis, creative problem solution, Mechanical-Conceptual-Physical Reasoning, Visual/Spatial Processing,and Associational/lateral thinking. Education should not focus only on how well one can read, write or do arithmetic but we should begin to develop keen interest in how logical people reason, how well do we train people to associate things taught, how clear are students spatial reasoning, etc. What we are trained and tested for makes us inadequate to solve the real world complex problems and it is time we focused and taught our minds to fully develop.

The Hand Training: A fully developed spirit and mind lives in a body. Under developing the body is a sure way of limiting the scope of operation of the full being. In hand training we refer to training that teaches the hand to do. It will be best advised if physical training and apprenticeship training are not considered as appendixes to education but are looked upon with equal importance. Two other key dimensions to the Hand training is social intelligence and emotional intelligence. Education must bring people to know that no man is an island and that humanity exist in a complete and yet complex interwoven strands of interactions with each other.

This is the new pattern we must educate ourselves. There is enough time and resources to develop our geniuses if only we will appreciate we have been limiting ourselves for far too long. These courses of education is what The Eagles' Wing and this blogs stands for; To wholly educate every single person on planet earth.

We bear a torch lighting each others corner, turn the next person's light on with true education today for we are our own educators!

Innocence and Curiosity

"Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people."
Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Leo was an advertising executive who helped many companies sell their products to the world. He helped consumer as well discover products they may otherwise not have known without his creativity. He was essentially an asset to the world, left behind a company that became the 10th biggest advertising company in the world and he had great influence. The pressing question of this article is, what kind of education produces these kind of people?

I strongly believe every child born to any society is very innocent. One of America's finest Congregationalist theologian, editor and author, Lyman Abbott, puts it this way, "Every life is a march from innocence, through temptation, to virtue or vice."  A person of virtue or vice is therefore not a product of chance but has become what he/she has been taught in innocence. Education takes advantage of  innocence, cultivates  and heightens curiosity and produces philosophies and patterns that becomes the foundation on which experience, exposure and further learning are strengthened as one goes through the course of life. 

In Africa, we leave a lot of things to chance. Educator presume, at least by my experience, that traits of creativity and productivity are inborn and therefore have no clear structure to make children curious or to productively engage their innocence. The worse part is that, curious children are taught to shut-up and swallow as it may be given. Reasoning, brainstorming, task-finding, debating and problem solutions have very little attention in our current system. The educational structure emphasize a dependency mindset and robs the schooled of the blessing of finding knowledge and the beauty to make it useful to society.

We are good at teaching all the things that are impossible, all the things that should not be done, all the limitations and reasons why children can't and shouldn't think differently,  or dare to do things differently. The philosophy I guess is, if the preceding generation couldn't do it, who are you to think you can do it? Children who pursue to do and stay curious are branded, 'Too Known' and deprived of their gifts they have to offer. So what kind of education produces, social assets? It should be:

1.  One that establishes 'The Why to Know as much the What to Know and the How to Know': The driving questions of the innocent is Why? What? and How? The need to know I believe is founded on the truth of innocence. If someone realizes how little they know what they ought to know. They begin to learn the how if the why's are compelling enough. This is a sure gateway to be educated. Anytime these three fundamental questions are not well answered, one is sure to be ill-educated about a subject.
2. One that fans Curiosity and Interest: You can only educate someone to the level of his/her interest you can sustain and how thought-provoking you can engage them. Sustaining interest and allowing for participation is education. Questions best solicit answers, so education teaches the arts of asking question and finding the solutions satisfactorily even through experimentation if need be. Proper education keeps the educated always wanting to know more because it teaches the first basic lesson of life- always stay hungry to know for that is the sure way to know!
3. One that target the Whole Person: Educating the mind, without the heart and hand is a deficiency. Producing a social asset is deliberate. It engages the whole man (We will consider this into details in our next article), but before then, the question is how well targeted are the lesson been taught?
4. One that the lessons taught does not end in the classroom but only begins there: The true essence of education is not the classroom but the real world. If a student after a lesson cannot relate it to any thing in the real world  then the lesson should not have been taught at all. Route learning is not the point of education. These facts and equations can always be verified with a click of a button. It is how well this memory learning can be adopted to the real world that matters.

 It is not per chance that Harvard University has some of the well-known and prestigious alumni in the world, neither is it be lack that Yale produces some of the best graduates in the world. The Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford students are produced deliberately. Their innocence are engaged productively and they are taught to be curious and to think!

I guess it is time we woke up from our stupor and taught ourselves to great gains. It is time for the African to be educated not only schooled. The light of renaissance shines and we must therein bask, bathing in such for an enlightened mind, strong hearts and mighty hands.

Long Live Africa!

Education Overhaul

As I thought of writing this article, there were a number of titles running through my mind. My inclination was towards a topic that would encapsulate my central message; Education is the key solution to Africa's problems. So I tried to combine the options of key and education as much as possible. Good as the options were, I was not satisfied until, Education Overhaul, appealed to me more especially because quiet a significant amount of schooling is going on. I share this mental exercise I had to go through to get this piece started because that is the essence of education: the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next.

Education is the power that underwrites all other forms of innovation and creativity. Education effects the way one thinks, feels, and acts. The central theme of education is TRANSFORMATION.  The ancient language of Latin has given. us a good word, education,  which is a derivative of  ēducātiō (“a breeding, a bringing up, a rearing).  From this word I can infer education as a breeding grounds for great minds, the bringing up of a whole being from one who knows little and rearing someone until they know what they ought to do. Education therefore is intended to create what ought to be and the best one ought be. Education grooms unto a known end of a wholly beneficial person to the society.

Judging from the above discussion of what education is, the question becomes, Is the African child being educated? The African is now relatively schooled but is he/she been educated? Schools and formal educational institutions are built as the general body of knowledge grows with the growing diversity of cultures and the increase in varying experiences. A school's purpose is to bring together educators and learner to a platform where experiences and knowledge are shared for an ultimate aim of transformation. Curricula are designed for order and universality sake with each item on the curricula intended to pass on a skill to the learner in line of his/her thought, emotions, language and actions.


If the measure of education is how many skills have been learned over the educated time period and how much transformed the learner is, then very little education is being achieved in Africa where I come from. We go through the motions of schooling from Nursery through Kindergarten, Primary School, Junior High School, Senior High School and ultimately university just fulfilling all righteousness as it may be to passing an exam. Certificates are our emphasis and not transformation. I have very little memories of my educators relating concepts or theories or any of such academic things to practical and applicable social terms and context. I don't even remember once when anyone had interest in my strengths and interests and educated me in those field as I may be best suited for. As far as Education is concerned in Africa, there are standards basically imported from the west (Our supposed ultimate rule) and we must conform or fall out.
 
One question I have never ceased to ask is why some of the most prominent people, people who changed the course of society drop out of formal education if it is the ultimate path to success and positive social change? These people are not less educated but they may not have completed the routines. Africa must begin to embrace the philosophy that education is more than building schools and getting everybody to the classroom which is a good thing. But the mere fact of getting people to the classroom will not guarantee education. We must seek to understand what education is and how to achieve it.

We will consider in a three-pack series a new educational road-map for the African child in our subsequent blogs:

1. Innocence Capitalization and Robbing of Curiosity
2. My Heart, My Mind and My Hands
3. Courage for the uncharted waters

 I know Africa can rebuild its broken wall but a clear examination of the damage and ruins must be done by curios minds and people who believe it is possible to rebuild. The mind must be taught to think, heart, taught character and hands equipped with skills to pursue our curiosities for healthy social contributions.

Above all education is useless if it fails to inspire the student to be productive. If education does not eliminate fear and encourage pro-activity then I guess it was not education at all.

Stay with us in the next three posts as we engage ourselves for a new way to educate ourselves and to solving our problems.

LONG LIVE AFRICA!

Africa's Turning Wheels

Last week was an exciting moment sitting in a conference of African Business Leaders. It was a gathering of Leaders from across Africa and other parts of the World. It was more exciting for me because it was an opportunity to look and carefully see into the minds of the hands that wield influence, power and money on the continent. There were interesting observations and resolutions I would want to share with you because it has so much bearing on the African Youth and the future which can not be less than now. 

1. There is a wide-spread conviction that Africa is the land of HOPE for the world: It appears quiet a strong conviction judging from all the sad realities we see and hear everyday. It at face-value appears very optimistic and could be considered as words hoping against hope. Yet the convictions are strong, the evidence and statistics are compelling. This was only a confirmation of a conviction I had only believed by prophecy, Faith was my basis for this same conviction but there are growing evidence now.
2. It is only an opportunity we have, One that presents challenges to build rather than a falling fairy: The very obvious interpretation of Africa as the bearer of the torch of hope is the fact that, it brims with numerous opportunities (at least so some of the expect say). For those who have the money, influence and the ability to 'see', opportunities abound! Yet reverse are the words of the African Youth, reverse is what appears true! Even in such do I wholly agree and sing the same opportunity chorus although it may be hard to believe the opportunity claim but honestly we as a people have great opportunity to create a new Africa.
3. Africa has opportunities but can the African take advantage of them: Quiet obvious among the challenges of Africa is the African. It was quiet an emphasis that the major problem with Africa is the African. The African grows with very little passion to learn hence mostly limited education, bad attitudes to work and corrupt in many instances. Corruption was a single problem that resurfaced time and over again. For me the obvious question for the conference was, can we maximize our lots and take advantage of a time such as we have been trusted with by God?
4. The call is for LEADERS: A need for strong and ethical leaders who can produce results is Africa's cry. The continent's die need is for leaders who can build strong institutions. Leadership is the strongest call if we must take advantage of our opportunities.

The African must be educated anew, the sons and daughters of our dear continent must embrace a new thought pattern, a new philosophy, a new 'Modus Operandi' and new ethics. The new African must have a teacher who believes in Africa's call in this time. Teachers with the heart and mind able to prepare the land because destiny smiles at us, beckoning us to a place of influence and affluence.

To this teacher I pledge my essence, to this same cause The Eagles' Wing Foundation will be there to travail until we say the birth of the new African in this new envisioned Africa.

Let Africa prosper, Let the African renew his thoughts and ways, for a New United Land of Warriors is being born. A new land full of milk and honey, one we must trust is given to us by God and thus we must endeavor to create for ourselves.

Long live Africa!

Memories of the Last Decade

Over the weekend was a remarkable transition in my life. It was the birth of a new year as the old kissed my now, goodbye. This day was one of reflections into the past and a memory of the last ten year made an impression on me. I share my lessons as I have known in the last decade.

Exactly ten years ago was when I had entered high school as a fresh entry. I remember being driven to school by a good family friend together with my mother. I remember that day just as yesterday because after I had been checked in, I sent my things to my dormitory, returned only to find out that my mother had left without bidding me goodbye (Obviously one of the most lonely times I've ever known).

The memories are sure in my mind because of the challenges I had to go through to get an admission into a high school and the miracle it has taken to bring me this far. Below are ten of my most treasured lessons I have gleamed along the way:

1. God is King and Jesus is Lord: In my short thoughtful life I have grown to know that, there are majority of things we don't control as humans. Lords and kings hold the final power to make things happen. Their authority and mandates are binding. The fact that my birth was not my decision and the family I was born into was not my decision informs my fundamental faith in a Lord and King aside of myself. Not my parents! Because they didn't have an idea of who I was, what I liked and above all they didn't have a catalog to choose me from (I may have lost that vote). I have seen my parents in as much need as I have been over the last decade and the only things I personally have known to work is when I commit to God' Spirit and to Jesus. Things work out for me when Jesus is in control!
2. Essence is in Service: I have grown to know that meaning and fulfillment is found when one commits to service. In service I have found joy and meaning, such as I have not been able to find anywhere.
3. There is always more to who/what we believe is possible with us: We mostly judge and see ourselves by our environment, education, parents and things we are familiar with. But from my background and where I schooled I know that more is possible with/for us.
4. Faith is a golden Language: We may not necessarily know how things will turn out but hoping with a firm assurance that things turn out right works miracles. Faith creates broad-ways when the future is hazy and the vision unclear. Faith gives commitments and passion to pursue. Faith is a language, an expression of inner believes and it is indeed a golden language. Believe in your own ability if no one else does, for people only learn to speak to you with the faith you speak with yourself. 
5. Humility is the price to pay for greatness: Humility is the sum total of a gentle spirit and a gracious nature. Wisdom and intelligence are mostly hidden is despised places just as opportunities. It always takes humble heart to notice them and pursue them irrespective of how humiliating others may see it. Nothing good is too small for us to do. Nobody chances on the big things unless he/she is ready to do the small things. It takes humility to accept and learn from the pain, failures and challenges which stretches us for real greatness.
6. Pursue Wisdom, understanding and Knowledge: The key for a life of greatness is found in wisdom. One should commit to a life that seeks to learn always. We do not stop growing until we stop learning. Knowledge paves the way for all the contribution you will ever make to earth. Understanding what life is about, purpose of life and how to live life are key things to pursue.
7. There is a beast and lamb in me: I have come to know everyman/women even the best ones have a propensity to do evil. I have grown to know there is a gentle and honorable man in me as much there is a brutish and vile man. The truth I have found is that, out of the two selves the one I feed and give attention becomes my expression and personality. One of the two selves must be subdued, famished and rejected for the other to thrive but the choice lies with us. I choose who to feed!
8. Solitude is a golden safe haven: I have realized that dependency on people will rip you of the opportunity to find great gems. All the great ideas, wonderful stories, beautiful pieces and remarkable gifts are discovered in solitude. Running into people arms because you can't enjoy your own company is stifling your own imagination and creativity. Imagination is the room to behold the future and it is best practiced in solitude. Meditation, time-alone, quite time, and personal sober reflections are the best grounds that breeds great geniuses. 
9. Share: No one will ever know what you have until you volunteer to share it. No one will pay a price or even invest in your big dreams and talents until you first sacrifice it by sharing. In sharing you grow, In sharing you gain credibility. I have found out that it is only in the corridors of sharing that the great coincide with amazing success.
10. Love is Diamond: Strange things happen with love. I will not say it any better but to quote the wise writer, Apostle Peter, "...Love cover a multitude of Sin" Deep love is an experience to behold! One that have might stronger than death.

10 years, 520 weeks, 3,640 days, 87,360 hours,  5,241,600 minutes, 314,496,000 seconds. This has been the time line since I first entered high school. It has been a build up of the passing seconds. I guess the greatest lesson then, perhaps, is the fleeting nature of time. If someone has something to do, it better be now for time and tides indeed waits for no man.

Engineering Social Change

Change is a campaign theme that obviously wins! No doubt about that. This is a good time to talk about change more especially because African and the world at large has seen significant changes this year. Yet change is a complex social process that must be well thought of, carefully engineered and executed with excellence in order to achieved the desired change. Many leaders, both national and corporate leaders have so much vision of change yet the results of their good and lasting desire, at least in the part of the world where I come from, is least to be desired by any other person either than themselves.

Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It is used in reference to the notion of a social progress or an evolution of a sociocultural setup. This process of social change is much more complex not simply because it is engineering change in human beings but more so because it is dealing with the sanity of the whole society; the way things have been done over ages, the perception of what is true, the standard for ethical conduct and the measure of what ought to change itself.

The fact that the whole social structure is a complex existing human-created 'being', any desire to see change in the system will have to be targeted at the main creators of the system. We discussed below some of the key creators of the social system and how to achieve change by knowing how to relate with these 'creators'.

1. The General body of knowledge: This in my opinion is the most important creator of the whole change process. This is the factory, if I may call it, where the human mind is programed to create the real world. We can only achieve change to the level of our knowledge capital. Educational systems are meant to give the society an idea of what will work and what will not work and how to work out what. Knowledge is shared and continually discovered by this body until it trickles down the whole society. Unfortunately, education now is becoming a platform where the child is robbed of the opportunity to be curious, to think and solve problems. He/She is measured by standards and principles which has never been tried by even the professor. We teach people how to pour water into a bucket  rather than teaching them how to find water. The essence of this aspect of change is to give a man light and they would find their own way. Knowledge of defined and old path are necessary but our time needs courage and curiosity for more uncharted  courses, for at least these old path were once uncharted.
2. Societal Religious framework: A general national theology is key and critical to the whole social sanity. Religion has been part of man since the early known history of the world. Human beings are religious, even Atheism, is a religion that believes in no deities. This is critical because, what we believe broadly makes us as much as what we know. The believe system shapes attitudes, passions, values and commitment which are key ingredients for any change process. There is a general feeling among humans that God exists, and statistics and history proves this time and over again. Connection with God breeds peace and meaning knowledge alone can't provide. Intelligent minds without ethics can become the worse social liabilities ever known. Change engineers much understand how the belief systems work and they must engineer change in the light of knowledge, considering the culture and faith of the people.
3. The Arts and Entertainment: Arts and Entertainment is the tool to communicate lasting change with subliminal effect. Ideas, philosophies, cultures, passions, attitudes, heroes, innovation, and love are all build into the creative industries and are passed on through such with very little efforts. People buy into the change without even realizing what has happened to them until what has been planted is pressed out in due time. Change markers need the creative industries. Change engineered in a creative manner always last because an old culture can be question and replaced in a world the audience believes in.

In conclusion, true and lasting change is possible although it may be a lot of effort and commitment. Let the change makers unite and lead a new path for the next generations yet unborn by revolutionizing the general body of knowledge, shaping the believe system in respect of a perfect God and creatively communicating the values and ways of change. 

Ethics and Morality

"Morality" and "Ethics" although used interchangeably, "Morality” generally refers to conduct itself, whereas “ethics” refers to the study of moral conduct. The essence of this discourse has transcended time and it has been an important discussion in academia, professional life and national development. 

Although it has been an ancient topic of review yet its essence has not been left in antiquity, so we reflect on some perspectives on morality and ethics as it concerns leadership and national development today. Ethical standards are principles by which society and individuals judge whether a moral action is right or wrong; they may include statute law, religious authority, public opinion, and conscience.

The quest to just want to do the right thing, is somewhat the desire of the ethical but this desire has really been question by relativity. The main question has been, what is right? It is not my intent to try to answer this question of what right is in this blog although this forms the backbone of the whole discussion but I intend to relate to ethics as it may be to leadership and African development.

A leader is essentially one who is called into influence and thus achieves a greater good through people. The objective of leadership which is to make the world a little much better is defined by ethics. Brilliance, innovation, problem-solution skills, strategic thinking, may all be good traits of a star lead but these qualities does not guarantee anybody a space in leadership until he/she can inspire and motivate, build relationships or communicate powerfully. But the ability to inspire others is purely based on their judgement of how right or wrong they think these qualities you posses translate into their good.

People want to know if leaders act in their best ethical interest, then such leaders win their commitment for a greater cause. This is a key reason why everybody who pursue leadership genuinely should master him/her self. Morality becomes the only reason why a leader will genuinely seek the best interest of a person he/she may never know and might never need their help. Ethics becomes the why for wanting the world a much better place and not for the goodies. 

But unfortunately, our part of the world is filled with leaders who pursue a sense of greater good because of their own selfish greed. I have heard and seen in my short life experience some  African leaders made themselves rich at the expense of the people they claim to seek their good. 

When a public servant fails to work, when a corrupt government minister misappropriates funds, when a cooperate executive cheats the people for gains, when the industry man kills the people for his profit, when the young man robs the innocent for riches, when the young lady engages in prostitution for promotion and employment, and when the pastor collects the people's money for personal luxury then these are certainly not technical problems neither is it a problem of lack of interpersonal skills. It may not even necessarily be one of self-mastery but then it is purely an issue of ethics and morality.

These problems has made me ask time and over again, what forms the ethical strength of a leader? Among the basis do I find:

• A knowledge of God: Without a sense of a supernatural, all perfect being to whom every individual is accountable, ethics never holds to impress anybody. It is by this same knowledge of God that one tells, his/her neighbor is in God's image and deserves a godly treat. The fear of the Lord has become the basis for most ethical and moral conducts over time.
• A strong virtue base: Leaders have a passion and a commitment for what is virtuous. Leaders with sound ethical strongholds have a passion and commitment for values like, honesty, justice, Beneficence, Non-maleficence and respect. Their value system become the basis on which they make decision and treat themselves and people around them.
• Principles of Collaboration: When exploitation becomes the leading word for people and their pursuits are fueled by greed, all they will seek to do is to rip people for selfish gains. Leaders have a genuine desire to see others better and thus collaborate on the basis of people's strength for a cause. They work with people and not people working for them. They respect peoples' value and do not cheat or disrespect them.

In conclusion, let me invite you to imagine a world where people desire and do what is ethical. Welcome to a world where people fear and live for God. To a world where people value what is virtuous and pursue principle that are collaborative.We have a sense of accountability to a perfect God in whose nature we are.

Let us desire and form our society from such pure desire to shine as light and preserve as salts, for that is right and ethical and I guarantee, it will solve majority of our problem as a people if not all.

What Should Exist?

This is an amazing question to consider today in this blog. What should exist honestly might appear a fanciful or utopian wish on a fairy land. But the reality of this question is far more reaching than a pursuit of a wishing soul.

What should exist is one question among many others any innovator or pioneer of change will have to ask. A careful consideration of this question does not only open one up to search for the answer for a change process but it redirects and streamlines social discourse and actions. 

The beauty of innovation is noticed in our recollections of Steve Jobs yet how many of us have sat to ask what should exist in the next decade as we reflect on the life of one who lived in the essence of this question.

An analytical mind which seeks to know what should exist gleams multivariate data in such an exercise and thus stand the chance of building a system which will champion the vision of what should exist.

The birth of any vision is on the altar of this same question:What should exist? The stronger the question of what should exist the more compelling it is to draw a clear plan of how to chat that course.

Leadership is a path of daily questioning and pursuit of what should exist and then leading the way there. Since I am one of the ardent believer of the universalism of human leadership  I can rightly suggest that until one can clearly answer in his/her own terms what should exist, life is yet to really begin for him/her because it means the inherent nature to lead has not been explored yet.

Exploring our full individuality is tied around our pursuit of innovation for common good but the question of what should exist does not automatically set anybody on a leading end. We suggest below how to ask this all important question of what should exist. We also seek to help you in building a lifestyle that constantly asks this question and thus help you lead a way to changing the world much more real by the lessons shared.

• Ask with Prejudice to None: A red-tainted sunglasses will most definitely make the world appear red when the world is viewed through them in a sunny day. Judgement of the world by such lens is most certainly flawed. Perception counts and may mean a lot of things. Everybody who can see what should exist should be able to first see what is without prejudice to none. If somebody lacks the ability to see it as it is then it most predictably asserts that he/she can't chat a course from here to where he sees because the problem under review is not even clearly comprehended. It is therefore key to be able to know prevailing realities in the light of what should be. The key lesson here is to be able to answer what should exist, first answer what exists?
• Who pays the price: When the answer for what should exist is diligently sought, one truth that comes to bear is that somebody must be willing to pay the price for the transition. Your answer of what should exist does not magically bring it bear. You must pledge commitment and passion to transform the birth vision. Like a baby born somebody must have enough dedication to nurture it until it can survive on its own.
• Leverage on Synergy: Gathering talented people around your answer of what should exist is a sure way to at least see your vision succeed. Such people who may have bought into your vision of the future or perhaps have a similar hope for the future help in reshaping the road map for success. They may not only serve as companions on the way but they are healthy contributors to an overall change process. Treat people therefore with respect and in a collaborative spirit which harnesses individual strengths around a single question of what should exist.

Commitment is a sure way to leading this part of the world to what we see, if I may share my own answer of what should exist, then I see a new African Leader without corruption and ill-vision but one passionate about African unity and growth brimming with endearing visions. I equally see talented African minds leading the way in technology, communication, the body of knowledge, arts in the fear of the Lord and for the creation of a new Africa without war, poverty and preventable diseases; a new healthy and hygienic African with cutting-edge infrastructure and respect for the image of God in every man. A new continent with new people leading the world to find solutions.

The Theories of Plasmolysis

We consider our last blog on the series on Turgidity which is Plasmolysis. This is a simple concept of losing water and unsustainable turgidity. Many of us manage to persevere and hold on yet a little while but not as a lifestyle. We in conclusion to this series look at sustained turgidity and avoiding loss of content at any point in time.

The following are listed note to take in avoiding ever being diagnosed of 'Plasmolysis':

1. Know Life is a Marathon and not a Short-Dash: Sustained speed is more prudent to life's course than mere speed. We emphasize on speed in today's term over the ability to hold on to that measured pace. No one can ever advocate against speed, but the essence is not to be in a hast to failure but be guided unto a well measured sustainable speed.
2. Build Tough Cuticles: One remarkable thing in life is the opportunity to choose how you will react in any circumstance. Circumstances will most certainly vary but your decision to either withstand or be subdued by the prevailing time is most important. Psychologists have taught over ages goal setting and dreaming techniques but the truth is that, after you set your goals, times will vary. Build capacity before those variations come because when they do arrive it will be too late a time to decide what to do. Those are the days when you will be pressed in and what has been in you all these while will be brought up. This is a friendly reminder, as you set your goal decide to build capacity for varied actions and make sure to entrench those decisions before the worse strikes.
3. Be open for exchange of knowledge: Stereotypes and prejudices could serve as the worse facilitator of Plasmolysis. This is where you keep a closed system and therefore leave little or no room for appropriate flow. Flowing water scarcely stinks! Life producing water bodies always have an inlet and an outlet to sustain life. Don't forget a healthy balance of other opinions and perceptions could save anyone from a fool's paradise.(It is only the leader who refuses knowledge that goes to public with a soiled garment!)
4. Find Healthy Refreshers: We all need breaks to reinvigorate and revive dying passion and wobbling limbs. Find something healthy you you love doing and make it a reference point of bouncing back. It could be being around people you love or involvement in activities you love. The most important things is that, it should be healthy and must have the ability of restoring your childhood smiles. You will never be too old for a good laugh or a serious play! (A lesson worth for a the postmodernist man)
5. Remember great landmarks: If you can remind yourself of good times in the past, then you can certainly look forward to the best in the future. The beauty of this cue is that, it doesn't have to be your landmark necessarily. The law of Precedent allows for borrowed inspirations for people's stories. Keep your warmth by knowing landmarks of bounce-backs, bound-leaps, and curved roots.

In conclusion, let us all look ahead with eagles' vision as a new people of strength to rebuild and to overcome.Soaring is our destiny, succeeding is our calling and greatness is our birthright!

Strength from Pressure

"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

- Jeremiah 12:5 NIV

Humanity's pursuit for happiness and fulfillment predisposes it to almost always wanting to embrace pressures with negative feelings. We believe these negative attitudes are spun because no one feels comfortable under the heat for a long time, nevertheless I think most importantly it is so because the strength and blessings produced from the phenomenon of pressure is underestimated. 

We pause to ponder just for a while human existence without pressure. Before you discount your contribution to life and forsake your diligence on the campaign ticket of 'More Pressure,No More Work' consider the numerous application of pressure for daily living: -- inflating tires -- playing musical "wind" instruments -- drinking through straws -- flushing toilets -- watering lawns with hose or sprinkler -- drawing water from wells -- blowing up balloons -- operating barometers -- maintaining body shape, especially around the abdomen -- breathing And the list goes on unending (funny as it may be yet it even takes pressure to force things out of our water closets).

These are only application to inanimate things you may think.But just for a minute perceive its implication for human life in the automobile industry, the music industry, manufacturing, sanitation , environment, science and technology, fashion and interior decorations and ultimately the health industry. Million amounts of money are spent on diseases implied to obesity which could be reduced with inducing a bit more pressure on our bodies.

The lesson for today is not just to look at these obvious facts but to look a bit more deeper and examine pressure in essence as a reproductive force. Nobody can reproduce and increase without an application of pressure! A man is as potent as the amount of pressure he can contain in his spongy tissues. Precious as babies may be yet they are born at neck-breaking pressures of mothers (Physically pushing in our part of the world).

It is said that, one of the most obvious symptoms of mental impropriety is doing the same thing obviously the same way and expecting different results. I have met many people desiring success and dreaming great things and yet operating at levels they have operated in for years which has no promise of success. The honest truth is that nothing gets done without doing, and new things are done requiring of us new skills, strength, understanding and attitudes which are at best adapted to through a form of pressure.

We must learn to appreciate that the productive endeavors we even find pursuit-fulfilling has a direct demand on our talent, resources and abilities. The bigger and more prospering these ventures become the more obvious it becomes that it needs more time, refined skills, clearer comprehension and ultimately in-depth strategy. These qualities are not inherited, they are choices to adaptation reproduced out of pressure. Harnessed pressure always produces much more beneficial results than a relaxed, no diligent approach. We know a thing is as flaccid and weak as much as the pressure it lacks!

This blog is not in anyway advocating stress, but what we are advocating is that, be strengthen as you go through the mill, stand the heat, hold on although you may be stretched beyond imaginable. Turgidity is enjoying the endurance, enjoying the pain because of the gain (Body builder and exercising people know this truth).

Your dreams are possible, your goals can be achieved, destiny can be fulfilled if only you can bear the pressure it takes to make those dreams firm enough for reproduction, multiplication and progress. Don't despise pressure but be strengthen by it because whatever does not kill you will certainly make you stronger!

The Theme of Life

A Life Theme is the idea or motivation that drives you throughout your life. It is the answer that you are always “searching” for. Basically, it is your quest for the “meaning of life”. - Catherine Pratt

Each individual's life theme is a yearning to understand the central theme of Life. We may all have heard the popular saying of King Solomon of Ancient Israel- "There is time for everything". A careful look into realities all around us confirms the truth of: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

There is no true representation of the world than the set of statements above. These statements put the whole life of a person in a spectrum of ironies (Consider each of the 14 strand of statements carefully with emphasis on highlighted words). Life is a cycle of complex-woven strands of ironies!

It is highly important at this point to suggest that, life's essence is not to fight the ironies but to optimize your existence in the midst of these ironies. We share this message because many people spend fruitful year fighting against the natural course of life. They may even end up setting as their life theme a journey against the very course of the time. You could decide, for example, to pursue as your life theme a life of physical immortality on earth. It really sounds noble but it would have been much fruitful to set out on a journey of making the best out of the life you have now and perhaps attain immortality allegorically because nobody will live on earth forever! Is this in anyway suggesting that we should not understand the ironies of life and should by thus approve on mediocrities? Should we follow the flow?

This question is exactly what we explore in this blog.The twin fold message we share today is to help you appreciate the truth of the ironies in life and then to help you maximize your life in such harsh realities. Consider the three things shared below as a means of optimizing your life in a life of ironies.

1. Know the Truth: We will certainly examine the question of 'What is Truth' in future blogs but let us for now say that know the facts, get to know the prevailing opportunities and threats in each strand of life's complex without prejudice as much as possible. This is to challenge you to feed your mind, spirit and body objectively enough. This opens one up to adapt to the changing times without being subdued by it. Adapt and do the most productive thing in each layer of the irony spectrum by knowing and understanding the TRUTH concerning that particular time.
2. Walk with Sincere People: One of the greatest threats to any person in this ironical world is to assume that what is happening to him/her is far above what could ever happen to anyone. Have friends and loved ones who will share with you their own ironies and with whom you can also share. Read from the vast collections of biographies and autobiographies of people you respect and love. Give yourself the opportunity to discover other sincere stories and you will realize that, you are not worse off after all. You will save yourself the blood pressure and frustration and know that there is so much hope for recovery and progress. You gain wealth of experience from Sincere People which will help you to live an optimum life irrespective of your own time.
3. Define a Fulfilling Life Theme: Whatever endeavor anybody has chosen for him/her self as a life theme is the most important tool in his/her journey through life. Such convictions determine values, perceptions and even culture and character. Engage yourself and determine for yourself a reason for life but remember to let such a theme connect with God your Source, with Humanity your friends, and to joy, peace, happiness and fulfillment your essence.

We will discuss in our next blog, Building Strength out of pressure but before then determine to be all that God destined you to be. Have no excuse to fail in life but have a reason to be a fulfilled being.

The Influence of External Factors

It only takes courage to breakaway from the romantic ideals of life and to accept that the tides of pressure are real in the journey of life. The lessons does not end at the utopian junction anyway! We take a look at how this whole influences are spun in our blog today.

The process of turgidity is made possible because each cell is made of semi-permeable membranes and the fact that there are differences in concentration between the environment which reacts on the cell and the cell content.

Without any reference to technicalities, this means to say that, cells, systems and structures are made such that it interacts with its environments outside of itself by giving and receiving from it. Nothing is more true than the noble statement of 'HUMAN BEING CAN INFLUENCE AND BE INFLUENCED'. The whole world of education, fashion, media and even the sciences and technology have huge influence on society and are greatly influenced by individuals as well. It is very important to drive this point of a world of crossed-influences without any sense of over emphasis. 

This is a key point necessary for every individual to understand and appreciate that he/she is being influenced by factors not directly within his/her fold of control nonetheless it is also worth sharing that he/she is greatly influencing the world around him/her. Acknowledging this complex of social influence actually gives one no ground to breed attitudes of 'Idontcarism', as my people call it (Don't bother looking it up, check apathy instead).

I come from the part of the world where dependency defines our culture (At least what I have grown to know), where no one has a sense of responsibility to anything but demands a sense of duty to them. We give up our strength to make the difference and keep blaming others as  though we are victims.

The essence of this message is to tell the story of a group of people who decided to settle on an island because they felt nothing mattered to them and also they thought their lives were of no merit to the land they lived on. It was not long before they realized their movement to the islands had led to rapid extinction of native island species either from their hunting, habitat destruction, or introduced species. They still lived unconcerned with no regards of their actions until a phenomenon called global warming which caused the sea level to rise  caught and drowned all of them. Their story although fictional is an example of the many who live without regards of their lives to the whole world's bigger picture.

We usually say, NO HUMAN BEING IS AN ISLAND but I say IF EVEN ANY ONE OF US WERE, WE ARE SURE TO BE AFFECTED BY HIM/HER AND ALSO TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON HIM/HER. 

Until we consider the next lesson by examining the paradoxical nature of life in our next blog, consider such things as have been shared and remember YOUR LIFE COUNTS!

The Principle of Turgidity

"Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant"- Poet Horace

Today we seek to draw intense developmental lessons from the fundamental law of osmosis and 'turgor pressure' in cells life. This law states that, (Kindly Save yourself the worry of technical words!) "Turgor Pressure or turgidity is the main pressure of the cell contents against the cell wall, determined by the water content of the vacuole, resulting from osmotic pressure, i.e. the hydrostatic pressure produced by a solution in a space divided by a semipermeable membrane due to a differential in the concentration of solute... In terms of plant water potential, turgor pressure is usually expressed as the pressure component (Ψ_p). This force gives the plant rigidity, and keeps it erect."- Wikipedia

There are five key lessons to learn for a lifetime which are embedded in this phenomenon of Turgidity, They are:

1. Universalism of Pressure
2. The influence of External environment
3. The paradox of 'Ironies as the theme of life'
4. Strength from Pressure
5. The Theories of Plasmolysis

These abiding nuggets of truth when gleamed changes perception and continually builds a leader on. We shall consider the first lesson in this blog and subsequent blogs will be dedicated to the rest of the lessons.

UNIVERSALISM OF PRESSURE

Every living thing is fundamentally made up of a cell, and thus what is true of a single cell to a large essence is true for a complex structure of cells, i.e.. the human being. As True as it may be, every single minute of human existence is pressure defined, from the pressure of a mother that pushes the baby forth, through the pressure of the baby adapting to its new life, to the pressure of being educated and then the pressure of matured living and even pressure at the point of death. Pressure is not a curse, it is the way of life! The earlier one adapts to this truth of life determines how well he/she benefits by strategic decisions that harnesses the strength of daily pressures.

In what part of your life are you struggling to accept that all things work together for your good? In what circumstances are you failing to recognize there are times of storms and fires? How much growth have you resisted in your life by finding a quick fix and escaping the pressure?

Think through such, until we share our next blog on 'The influence of External environment' and remember even babies with supposedly very little to manage encounter some level of pressure, if you doubt, check it out!