Speaking late November, at the Men’s Week on “A Fulfilling and Healthy Lifestyle” at Victoria Garden City, Lagos.
Lessons.
1. The drive to excel and live a fulfilled life is very good, but it must never be at the expense of your health, family relationships, relationship with society and God.
2. There is too much stress in the present-day desire to meet up with societal expectations.
Just imagine what a young family goes through in the purchase of diapers. When we were having babies, two dozens of nappies lasted a very long time. I had to wash nappies and napkin babies then.
A young wife today has to buy weavon, artificial eyelashes, artificial nails, and several other creams and make-ups to match her mates. I wonder how they cope with the poor wages.
Just imagine the bills for phone calls and internet and TV subscription monthly. I have not mentioned fuel for cars, generators.
The average young man is graying prematurely.
A lot of rich-quick schemes and occultic practices are out of sheer desperation and greed and to live a fake life; just to prove they have arrived.
3. Several General Overseers, I know, are overworked and stressed out.
This is because of several days of fasting, night vigils, programs, big projects, several meetings, and multiple church services, which will eventually have a very deleterious effect sooner than later.
Last year I noticed a lot of stress-related deaths from duodenal ulcers, diabetes, strokes, and exhaustion during the end of the year and early January. A pastor collapsed and died while preaching on Christmas eve last year.
4. The hedonic treadmill mentality and comparative lifestyle in Nigeria is responsible for corruption to a large extent.
We like big things—cars, buildings, churches, etc. We like expensive things just to show off, including school fees for children. If a child pays 500,000 Naira, a term, for Secondary school fees (and even in some nursery schools), how much will he/she earn as a graduate in an almost dysfunctional society?
5. If you must live in Lagos and other big cities, get ready for traffic.
I had to wake up by 3:30 a.m. and be on the road by 4:30 a.m. to catch a flight that was by 8 a.m. I had to do the same thing some years back when I had to leave Okokomaiko to catch an early morning flight; several cars were already on the road.
The stress of expensive house rents and electricity bills is also additional.
6. The noise pollution from loud music, generators, cars, and churches in supposedly urban areas will nearly kill a man.
A bar near me is blaring music as I write; most times my roof and windows vibrate loudly.
7. Anxiety during day-to-day existence in Nigeria is just too much. From angry and rude policemen, vehicle inspectors, Road Safety officials, NDLEA, and several other uniformed and uniformed agents on bad roads.
The stress to live a fulfilled life is enormous in Nigeria.
One must learn to balance life and not get drowned in it; you must learn to be like a duck in the pond.
To be continued in the next post.
God Bless You.
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