Information + Transformation

Nothing in this world is as powerful as the ability to use information to solve problems. It is instructive to note that after God gave the earth to Adam in Genesis (also see Psalms 115:16), the tool He gave him to obtain and retain rulership over the earth was information. When the devil wanted to dislocate Man from his position with God, all he needed to do was to corrupt the information.

Information is the source of your faith and courage.

Misinformation is corrupted information; and nothing in this world is as dangerous as application of misinformation. Misinformation is the reason for our doubts in our God-given purposes and potentials.

From political economy perspective, the major economic advantage of nations is a product of the quality of information they have and the ability to put it to use. I reckon wisdom to be the ability to solve problems. In an information age, how else do you solve problems apart from wise application of knowledge?

This is why I believe that we Africans must work at our "knowledge industries" if we are going to arrive at our desired destination. No matter how lofty our dreams are as a people, we cannot attain it apart from a sound mind. It is time to engage our will, intellect and emotions to empower ourselves. And let me say to you what a friend mentioned in a speech of recent: you cannot get to the next level based on your current level of knowledge. If we need to do something differently, we would need to know something different.

Campaign for a Change in our National Culture

I believe we have been limited, not by who we are, but who we THINK we are not. Our problem in Nigeria is not of abilities--potentials abound--but that of mentalities. I think it was Albert Eistein that said you cannot solve a problem at the same level of thinking you were when you created them. The greatest need in Nigeria is CHANGED MINDS. We need minds that will challenge our CULTURE of mediocrity and inferiority. Minds that know that the measure of a fulfilled life is its impact on other lives. I don't think a life is important apart from its impact on other lives.

The purpose of government is to influence the culture--defined as the total way of life of a group of people--of a nation. This definition, if you accept it, puts government on the shoulder of everyone one of us. We are government, only that we have not realised it yet. One attribute of government is that it has a domain of influence. I charge Nigerians/ Africans need to realise their domain of influence and become transformation agents. Let's change the minds in our office cubicles, in our apartments, in our streets, in our neighbourhood, on our jobs... So we don't have to wait for government to have good roads or to stop corruption. Goverment is in within us...the kingdom of God is within us.

We have a great future, Nigeria has a great future, Africa has a great future; but we can't get there without a SOUND mind!

If you live and work in Lagos, the Biblical injuction that says "redeem the time", should be taken more seriously. I was concerned about folks that spend 2 hours to get to work and 2 hours to get back home. That is four hours in traffic every day. In other words for every six days yo go to work, you lose 24 hours to traffic--One day of your life is lost to traffic every six days.

But why can't we think right in Lagos--citizens and government. Our roads are bad, so cars cannot move fast. Our drivers are untrained, so they don't know the difference between fast lane and service lane. There is no mass transport system, so everyone strives to go to work with his vehicle. Most cars are poverty-striken, so they break down on our roads and cause hold-ups. Our people have become inconsiderate and insensitive and impolite that a bus can decide to stop in the middle of the road to pick someone or drop someone...because he is in a hurry to park properly, he would rather delay others.

What about the thought of Akpogbon juction, off Marina, Lagos? How do you describe the feeling that you feel when you know that the traffic is slowing down because the law enforcement has collaborated with the 'danfo' drrivers who wants to pick passengers by the road side?

I would have given up unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

This evening, after 10 hours of work, I would like to diffuse the fragrance of my thoughts about Destiny. In making decisions, I tend to ask "will this journey lead to my destination?" Of course, I can't ask that without an end in mind. For instance, a job and even a relationship, is a means to an end. Everyone one of us goes through a process chosen by us or imposed on us. Every process will culminate in a product. The question that should guide our choices--when we are faced with a demand to make a decision-- should be what product will the process we are going through culminate in?

As I drive home tonight in the Lagos traffic, the thoughts on my mind would be on how today's activities will impact my desired product;my destiny.