The Story Behind the Glory

Anytime great glories are revealed, there are always great stories behind these glories. Dear reader, welcome to another moment of inspiration and motivation. 

If you have found yourself in a difficult condition and you don’t know what to do and you feel helpless and hopeless, then, this article is for you. It is my hope that as you read this article, you will receive the inspiration and motivation to turn your life around for the better.

The first time I heard the story of this successful Nigerian transporter was in 2011 while travelling from Abuja to Lokoja.

What evoked the story from a passenger sitting beside me in a bus was my comment about the ubiquitous Peace Mass Transit (PMT). These buses are so many that they dominate Nigerian roads all the time. 

I have lived in the South West and I have been to some places in the Northern part of the Country, and I can say the story is the same: these PMT buses are ubiquitors!

As I shared my observation with the passenger beside me in the bus, he replied, “There is a great story behind the success of the owner of these buses. The man started as a bus conductor before he became a driver. He later bought a bus and as time went on, he kept adding more until he has got many of them.”

That was all the passenger knew about this successful transporter and that was what he shared with me. I had wanted to know more about this transporter, but I later put the matter to rest.

It was not until 19^th September, 2012 that I had the opportunity of knowing a little more about the transporter. This transporter came to Lokoja, the capital Kogi State (probably on the invitation of Kogi State Government, I can’t really remember).

Confluence FM Radio, Lokoja covered the event where the multi-millionaire shared the story of how he rose from a humble background as a bus conductor to a successful transporter.

Hearing the story from the horse’s mouth, I was greatly inspired and I feel I should share his success story, believing that someone out there who has concluded that all hope is lost will receive the inspiration and motivation to rekindle his hope and achieve great success in life.

Evangelist Samuel Onyeche began life from a humble background. He started as a bus conductor and lived a bare existence. A cloud of “hopelessness” seemed to hang on his destiny. But as hopeless as the situation was, he did not surrender and threw his hands up in despair; and that is why you have the opportunity of reading his story today.

He endured the discomfort and meager income he was earning from his job as a bus conductor. Later, he struggled to learn driving and became a driver. From his driving job, he was able to buy his own bus. This was the major breakthrough for Onyeche who kept adding more fleets to his buses till today.

Now having over 3,000 buses, Evangelist Samuel Onyeche believes it is only God that can lift a person from a “hopeless bus conductor” to an enviable height.

Onyeche’s success story is an eye-opener for anyone that has concluded that there is no hope for him anymore. The WHOLE truth is, you can reach the pinnacle of your career. You can make it even when others have concluded that your condition is “hopeless.” There is nothing you set out to achieve that you cannot achieve.

But the question is: are you willing to create a big story that will usher you into that glorious lifestyle you have been longing for?

Here are three tips you can use to create your own story:

1       Rekindle Your Hope

 When you have got to a situation where people say “It is hopeless,” what you need have to get out of the situation is HOPE. Hope is the lifebuoy you need to keep afloat when there is a shipwreck of your hope.

One fact about hope is that when you have lots of it, your eyes will be opened to opportunities and you will realise that you really have a fighting chance of achieving great success in life. Onyeche had hope of making it in life despite the seemingly “hopeless” situation he was in. It is this hope that kept him going and that is why you are reading his story now.

On your way to success, you must always remind yourself of the danger of despair, hopelessness and helplessness. Never allow frustration and discouragement to kill your hope of success.

Things may seem to be working against you this moment. You may have concluded that there is no hope any more. But listen, it is not over yet until it is over. Just as a tree has hope when it is cut down, you also have hope even when you are down to the worst situation.

When there is life, there is hope. As long as you are alive, there is nothing you want to achieve that you cannot achieve.

No matter the situation you are in, keep hope alive. Your present status does not determine your future. Nothing should make you conclude that you have no hope. When things are getting worse, that is when you should keep hoping for the best. ONLY THOSE WHO KEEP HOPING FOR THE BEST WILL EVENTUALLY LIVE TO GET THE BEST. Keep rekindling your hope even when there seems to be no hope. You are closer to success than you think.

2.      Keep Moving   

It is not enough to keep hope alive, it is also important that you keep working hard to turn your situation around for the better.

One great lesson we can learn from Onyeche is that he is a proactive personality. He is progress-minded. It would have been easier for him to settle down as a bus conductor, but he wanted something more. He wanted victory over want and penury.

He kept moving and making progress until he became a dominant force in the transportation sector of Nigeria’s economy.

The issue is not whether you can achieve success in life. You can. God has equipped you with the wherewithal. He has also promised you victory.

The issue for consideration is whether you are willing to keep moving and making progress. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE HEIGHT YOU WILL REACH IN LIFE IF YOU KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING PROGRESS.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “The height by which great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

Life is in phases. You can move from the phase you are now to any phase you desire. You only have to be proactive. Be ready to do all that is necessary to move you from where you are to where you want to be.

3.      Seek Divine Intervention

The fact is, we all need God’s intervention in our lives and destiny. Even when we think we can succeed without God’s help, the fact is, if God doesn’t crown our efforts with success, all our efforts will be in vain.

Onyeche attributed her success to God’s intervention. So it is with everyone. The Bible says, “A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27). From human standpoint, it is difficult to move from relative obscurity to a glorious life of affluence. Moving from a background where resources are relatively scarce to a life of prosperity takes God’s intervention. Life’s races are not won by the swiftest, the wisest, and the most intelligent; races and all accomplishments are achieved by God’s mercy.

In the race of life, it is actually those that God shows mercy that win. So, even when you think you can succeed on your own, the fact is, without the mercy of God all your effort will not avail you.

God is the foundation for victorious living. Now consider this: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

It takes only the help and mercy of God to create a story that brings you the glory you desire. Don’t allow any feeling of hopelessness to discourage you from seeking God’s intervention. In fact, it is even when you are in despair and in a “hopeless” situation that you need to keep calling on God to rescue you.

Finally, dear reader, as you ply Nigerian highways, you will always come across peace Mass Transit (PMT). And whenever you do, please remember the “big story” behind the big glory.

Let the big story inspire and motivate you to achieve great success today.

Till I come your way soon, go and live victoriously!  

You Are the Solution

For every problem, there is a solution. For every question, there is an answer. For every despair, there is hope and for every defeat, there is victory.

This truth is never fully grasped by us until we are hard pressed and we have nothing else to do than to fight back and get the problem solved.

The resilience, determination and great effort exerted by mankind in times of adversity vividly demonstrate that we are the solution to every problem that confront us, and if we are really serious about solving any problem that confronts us, we will certainly find the solution, because we are the very solution.

Our reaction to the flood incident that recently occurred in our country Nigeria demonstrates that we truly hold the answer to every question life throws at us. As at the time of writing this article (October 2, 2012), some states in Nigeria including, but not limited to Kogi, Benue, Bayelsa, and some states in the Eastern part of the country were worse hit by the flood that came off the release of the water of our dams.

The devastation caused by the flood is unbelievable! In some parts of Lokoja environs, many houses, properties, farmlands and even the roads were submerged. In Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, the story is the same.

Many people who lost their houses, properties and farmlands were displaced, but sheltered temporarily by government and individuals.

Although there was nothing we could do to stop the flood, we were able to find solution to the problems caused by the flood.

While we sympathise with those that were affected by the flood, we should remind ourselves that we hold the solution to all the problems caused by the flood.

The help, assistance, finance, food and philanthropy that came from the Federal, States and Local Governments as well as from concerned citizens, have clearly shown that we are the very solution to every problem we encounter.

The magnanimity of our governments and some concerned citizens have strengthened my faith in the excellent ability of mankind to love, help and do what is right. I have always believed that if we want to change, we can change; if we want to love and be good, we can actually love and be good. We are the solution to all our problems.

Lessons for Victorious Living

From the angle of solution, the problems caused by the flood and our reaction to them have brought to light some vital lessons that will help us proffer concrete solution to every problem we encounter.

Below are four vital lessons for victorious livings:

1.   Where there are Problems, there are Solutions

One reason we get discouraged in life is that in our worst moment, we fail to realize that there is a solution to every problem we encounter in life. We fail to realize that right within us (in our mind) lies the solution.

The Book of God, the Bible has warned: “Guard your heart (mind) with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” The way to guard your mind is to refuse to entertain negative thoughts in your mind. Constantly fill your mind with positive thoughts. You have to force yourself to believe that there is always a solution to every problem you encounter.

When you encounter problem, don’t throw your hands up in despair. No amount of problems you face should make you despair to the point of not knowing how to find solutions to them.

Where there are problems, there are solutions. The solutions are within you and that makes you the solution to all problems you face.

The problem is not that there are no solutions; the problem is our lukewarm attitude and lack of seriousness in taking time to find the solutions we need.

You may not be able to stop the flood, but at least there are some things you can do to survive the flood.

2.   Every Solution Counts

Any solution that will take you a step away from mishap, loss of life, harm, injury, etc, is a relevant solution.

Some solutions are palliative, some are temporal, others are permanent, and some others are immediate. In times of trouble, any solution you can quickly find counts.

What may not look like a solution, ordinarily, could be the best or immediate solution you need to solve a particular problem you are facing.

That is why it is irrelevant trying to go for solution that appeals to you.  A solution that may not appeal to you could be the very solution you need in times of trouble. So, what is important in troublous times is any solution that will take you off harm or destruction.

Do you know that when the flood hit some parts of the country, the government and concerned citizens did not waste time trying to construct a permanent camp for victims? Doing so would not have been the best solution. The best solution at that moment was to provide temporary camps for the victims of the flood using the classrooms of our primary schools all over the towns and localities. The government simply shut down our primary schools temporarily in order to deal with the emergency situation at hand.

It is a temporary arrangement any way, but I tell you: that is the best way of solving any problem that requires urgent solution.

In times of emergency, what you should be thinking about is what you can do at that moment to improve the situation. While the situation improves, you can then think of permanent solutions.

So, in times of adversity, don’t overlook or ignore solutions that will provide temporary or immediate relief. What is important is staying from harm.

In times of problem, every solution that will bring some urgent relief is relevant. Don’t allow the situation to get worse by trying to implement permanent solution.

What matters in any emergency situation is emergency solutions. Every solution counts in times of emergency, provided it brings emergency relief and comfort for the very moment.

3.   Power Your Life with Desire

One great need of man is the desire to survive. This desire has gingered man to advance from Stone Age to the present Information Technology (IT) age. One great advantage of problem is that it gingers us to be creative, innovative and productive. And this is what keeps mankind progressing day by day.

Dear reader, if you are surrounded by problems and you are fed up and discouraged, I have good news for you. The good news is this: every problem that comes your way contains the seed of greater benefit.

Existence of problem forces you to think of solution to the problem. Some problems actually ginger you to take some steps and by taking these steps, you eventually discover the great potentialities within you.

You may never know or appreciate the power within you until you are desperately desirous of finding solutions to problems that confront you.

My great concern is not the number of problems, obstacles and oppositions that are bent on holding you back from making progress in life. My great concern is whether you really desire victory over these problems. You must desire positive change before you can actually see the change.

There is power in desire. This power can force you to come up with solutions to all problems standing on your way.

The lesson we can learn from the flood that hit parts of our country, Nigeria recently is that for every problem, there is a solution. For every question, there is an answer. For every despair, there is hope and for every defeat, there is victory.

We are the solution to every problem that comes our way. We don’t need to throw our hands up in despair. There is always something we can do to bring a positive change. God has given us the brain we can use to think of solution to any problem.

Having problems is not a terrible thing, what is terrible is not knowing what to do to solve the problems.

Dear reader, you already have what it takes to proffer solutions to all problems that confront you. Don’t surrender yourself to any negative situation no matter how worse it may be. No problem should leave us disorganized.

In times of problems, learn to calm down and think, not worrying. Thinking is different from worrying. Worrying does not and cannot solve any problem, but thinking does.

Learn to calm down and think. Force yourself to think of what to do to solve the problems that are standing between you and your heart’s desire.

You are the solution to every problem that confronts you. Begin to generate the solutions now and start applying them. You are on the path to victorious living!

How to Switch from Boredom to a Fulfilling Life

This article is sequel to the article titled, “Pursue Your Heart’s Desire.” It is an article that explains how a full-time house wife turned her boring lifestyle to a fulfilling and prosperous one. To read the article, click here: PURSUIT OF DESIRE.

Here in this article, we are going to discuss the success secret of this woman’s life and business.

In the Enterprise and Finance Counselling Clinic (EFCC) organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Thursday August 25, 2011, at Zone 1, Wuse, Abuja, Nigeria, I had the privilege of listening to this enterprising and inspirational housewife cum business tycoon.

 NDE is an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria saddled with the responsibility of job creation through entrepreneurship training.

It has been the usual practice of NDE that in all their programmes, they always ensure that those they would use as resource persons in their programmes are those whom they have trained or those that have benefited from them. This woman happened to be one of them.            

Grabbing the microphone and with a broad smile, she shared with us how she switched from the life of boredom to become a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of her multi-million naira furniture company.

In this article, I have distilled 13 inspirational and valuable lessons from the woman’s success story as shared by her. I urge you to read through this article and also endeavour to apply what you read. You too can do something to turn your life around for the better.

      i.        Don’t Die of Boredom

Don’t die of boredom; do something about it. If you are not satisfied with any circumstance or situation you are in, don’t surrender to it. Look for the solution. The truth is, you are not created to be ruled or overwhelmed by circumstances. You need not allow yourself to be bored by any circumstances. Get agitated and start looking for concrete solution to the boring life you are living in.

    ii.        Follow Your Heart

Don’t try to be like other people. Other people may like to do certain things they love, but if it is not your interest to do same, don’t try to be one. If you try to be one, life will be boring for you.

Stop wasting your time trying to be like others. The truth is, you can never achieve true success and fulfilment by choosing to be like others. If you choose to be like others, you are not likely going to be the best God wants you to be.

The secret of fulfilment is: follow your heart. Don’t seek the approval of any person. Once you are convinced that your heart’s desire does not infringe on other people’s rights, or violate the laws of God, go after it. WHAT WILL DISTINGUISH YOU IS WHAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF TO.

The woman gave her whole self to furniture making and became extremely successful and fulfilled.

   iii.        Stick to Your Opinion

Don’t expect others to reason or think the way you do. Don’t expect everybody to agree with anything you are doing and don’t expect others to believe in your goals and aspirations.

What others think is wrong, may be the right thing for you. People don’t really know what you are good at, what you are passionate about and what will make you great in life. They don’t know about your capabilities; it is only you that know what you love doing and what you are capable of doing.

People did not take the woman serious for going into furniture making. They thought she was out of her senses, but she proved them wrong. IF YOU ALLOW PEOPLE’S OPINION TO INFLUENCE WHAT YOU DO IN LIFE, YOU CAN NEVER BE THE BEST THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE. Never be afraid of people’s opinions. Their opinions are not as important as yours.

IF YOU ARE CONVINCED ABOUT WHAT YOU SET OUT TO DO, DON’T LET ANY PERSON’S OPINION PREVENT YOU FROM DOING IT. Stick to your own opinion. Pastor Femi Emmanuel, initiate of Living Spring Church International said, “Your inner conviction creates your outer condition.

 It is your CONVICTION that helps you to switch from boredom to a fulfilling life. When you are convinced about anything you wish to achieve, don’t allow any person’s point of view to influence you. Stick only to your own opinion.

  iv.        Take Your Business Serious

When the woman bought furniture tools and started repairing and making furniture, it was like a joke. She was not taken serious by anybody. But she took herself serious. For others, what she was doing was senseless, but for her, she was into serious business and so gave all her heart to it.

Others may not take you serious, but you must not fail to take yourself serious. Believe in your goals and aspirations. Believe in what you are doing. When you believe in what you are doing, you can never be discouraged by any person or thing. It is when you are not sure of what you are doing that you will be quickly discouraged and frustrated. Take everything you are doing serious, for as the woman said, “Business is not a joke.”

   v.        Get Down to Work

“When you start working”, says the female business tycoon, “you will inspire others to be serious in life. When they see you working, they will be encouraged to go and find something worthwhile to do.”

The importance of getting down to work is that you are not only being fulfilled, you are also encouraging others to find true success and fulfilment. You need to realise that others are watching you. When they find you busy all the time, they will be encouraged to do something worthwhile too.

There is the problem of the “folding up of the arm” (laziness) in the country today. Many people are idle. They don’t want to work. When people are idle, poverty will continue to ravage the land.

In the National Radio Network News sometime lasy year 2011, it is reported that poverty rate has gone up to 69% and that 71.5% of the populace are poor in the country.

And government is also not helping matters. I believe if people are willing to work and government is willing to create jobs for those who cannot employ themselves, poverty will be reduced to the barest minimum.

Let us encourage each other by getting down to work. Hard work pays. It is laziness that kills. As you inspire others through your hard work, you will also be inspired the more to work harder. As you work harder, so also you progress faster.

  vi.        Set Good Example

The female business tycoon is not an arm chair CEO. She is the CEO that believes in setting good examples for her staff to follow. For her, management goes beyond sitting down in the office and dishing out instructions to your staff. You have to be there to supervise, to check work standard, and to show them how things should be done.

Staff are motivated when you set quality standard for them to follow. When they come to know that you don’t compromise quality standard for anything, they will learn to focus their energy on meeting the standard.

According to her, “Make people think about good things they can do by setting the example.”

vii.        Know Your Work

In any business, trade, vocation, or profession you are engaged in, it is essential that you know the nitty gritty of it. Know what you are doing like the back of your hand.

It is the knowledge and skill you acquire that will enable you to successfully maintain standard, supervise your staff and dish out relevant instructions for purpose of maintaining your set quality standard.

 Your knowledge and skill are also relevant at the initial stage of your business when you are not yet able to employ workers to work for you. As the CEO and employee of your own business, your knowledge and skill are indispensable. The woman’s knowledge and skill enabled her to single handedly take her business from the scratch to a flourishing one.

Viii. Be First-class Person

Whether you are producing products or rendering services, you must always go first-class. Essentially, people are not buying your produt or service, they are actually buying the QUALITY of your product or service.

Businesses which produce poor quality product don’t last long. According to the female business tycoon, ‘To be an example to the society, you have to be a first-class person.’

She went on to explain that the country of Italy is known as the home of best fashion because its citizens produce quality fashion products including, but not limited to furniture and upholstery.

She also enthused that her company maintain high quality standard at all times and that was why the company continued to thrive.

The lesson here is that to ensure long lasting success in our business, we must produce and sell quality product or service. If you give customers/clients quality and satisfy them, they will keep coming and bringing more prospects to you.

viii.        Read and Rule the World

The female business tycoon also attributed her success to reading. Most of what she know and did were gotten from the avalanche of books she had read and is reading. Her advice to us was: “You should cultivate reading habit. If you can read, you can rule your world.”

X Attract Patronage by Putting in Long Hours

One way of attracting patronage, according to the CEO, is that one should put in long hours of work. She said that at the time she was speaking to us, (August 25, 2011), her company was producing 800,000 sofas within an interval of four months.

Said she, ‘presently, I am producing 800,000 seatings within four months. When you put in long hours, people will come to you.’

I think this is very important because people are looking for business/people that can deliver, that can meet deadline and that can be trusted.

  

Xi Start Small

The CEO started her furniture business from home. When she started, it was like a joke. People did not take her seriously. She started with their old furniture they have abandoned in their home. Gradually, she started making progress until her company became a big one. Her advice is: ‘All businesses started small. Don’t expect too much. If you expect too much, you will choke.’

xii. Effective Marketing

Another success secret of the CEO that she revealed to us is effective marketing. Marketing plays a vital role in her business. In addition to constant promotion and advertisement, she was also in constant touch with her customers. She had their contacts and so communicated constantly with them. Said she: ‘Get your customer’s phone numbers and communicate constantly with them about your business and products.’

Xiii. Excellent Customer Service

Another success strategy adopted by this CEO was the excellent customer service her company renders to all. Below are some of the customer services that she shared with us:

·       Treat customers –big or small, rich or poor – very kindly.

·       Listen to customers. Try to understand their needs and ensure you meet their needs.

·       Keep your promises and ensure your customers are satisfied.

Dear reader, I have no doubt in my mind that you have been inspired and motivated by this article. As someone once said, ‘There is no surer road along the way to success than to follow in the footsteps of those who have journeyed before us.’ I believe if we can follow the footsteps of this successful entrepreneur, we will also achieve great success in our own endeavour.

Until I come your way soon, go and be victorious in your business world!