Exit 2010 -----> Enter 2011

The Year 2011 is finally here. As usual, the crossover was amidst jubilations and colourful displays, at least for most people. I'm happy to be here, living unaided... I mean unaided by technology (remember Late President Yar' Adua this time last year) but definitely by my creator's grace.

The year 2010 was highly anticipated many years before the millennium started, I remember Vision 2010 and the likes from as far back as 1999. One doesn’t need a statistician to know Nigeria failed in realising the goals so widely publicised in the dailies.

I am not one to make New Year resolutions, I write prayer points instead, it’s a reflection of my faith and how I continually wish to live my life. Each of these prayer points represent goals I work smart to achieve.

Its 100% of 50 – 50 for me... for each item on the list, I pray earnestly for what I want (the first 50) and then, I work towards achieving them (the other 50). While praying, I study the scriptures and sometimes fast (that is, if my body, workload and energy level permits, make person no go *kpeme)... that to me, is 100%.

In working smart, I make a *SMART plans and try all available alternatives so that in the end, even if I do not hit the mark, I would have satisfied my conscience that I did all I could.

Year 2010 was not exactly how I hoped it would be, I lived a lot on HOPE... on COURAGE and then with DETERMINATION.

I had called it year two thousand and thanks... as I look back at the various moments... I am indeed thankful.

Thankful for the lifestyle changes I finally made

Thankful for now, more than ever, I know who I am... and who I want to be

Thankful for the disappointments... they helped me become more determined

Thankful for my family, friends and foes...

Thankful for every minute I spent making someone else happy

During the Christmas celebrations, I wasn’t even sure what to expect or look forward to in 2011, but now I know...

I remember the *Yoruba adage...

Apé kó tó jeun kii je bajé

Direct translation: He who eats late, would not eat spoilt food.

Actual translation: The patient dog eats the fattest bone.

(It is more profitable to exercise patience while seeking a durable solution, in difficult situations than to hastily accept an ill-conceived solution)

Ení bá dami sí wájú, á te ile tútu

 Direct translation: He who pours water on the floor would walk on a wet/cool ground.

Actual translation: You shall reap what you sow

Subsequently, I have concluded that all I did in 2010 was SOW... the seeds of kindness, love, hard work and plenty of sacrifice.

As expected, after SOWING comes REAPING... and considering the many seeds I have sown, the HARVEST must be BOUNTIFUL. So much that there will be enough to go around for me to INVEST in other people...

It is with this in mind that I say...

 Welcome To Year Two Thousand and ELEVATE!

Note

*Kpeme = pidgin word for die

**SMART plan = acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based

***Yoruba= a language spoken predominantly in the South West of Nigeria