I had time to deliver a lecture to undergraduates from a private University in my home.
Topic: Start early
I started early to define my life.
My illiterate and poor (but visionary) father cast a mould of becoming a medical doctor in my mind as early as when I was in Primary 4. I did the same for my eldest son, who is currently practising Orthopedics in Germany.
If you ever hear any negative story about any of my children, it was a personal and deliberate choice by that person. Don’t even blame the devil. Don’t dare blame me because I started very early to teach them about purposeful living and being models.
I decided to get married early. I was 26 and my wife was 24. I had my children by the special grace of God very early and in quick succession.
I started buying real estate immediately after my NYSC year. I saved money even though I got married during my NYSC year and bought a car at the end of my NYSC duties at Aba.
I gave myself 2 years of paid employment in a private hospital and then opened my practice at 29 years of age. At 32 or thereabout, I built my first building when cement was 50 Naira a bag.
I decided very early, while still in medical school, not to be a professor or practice medicine beyond 40 years of age. At 40 I retired.
I started saying very early that I would have grandchildren all over the world and have a global family.
When I relocated to Ughelli, I told my friends that I want to live in my own community of 20 acres and Pastor Emmanuel Moses said God told him that it will be 50 acres with a stream in between. We are there already. There is a seasonal rivulet in the middle and we plan to canalise it.
Start early to work hard. Save and live like a slave, so that you can live like a king later in life. Define your life early so that you can refine it along the way. I was distracted along the way, but my definition determined my direction and gave me determination.
Dare to be your own prophet. Your covenant is like a fence around your life. An uncovenanted life is an unguarded treasure. Your desires, if strong enough, will determine your conduct and content and they in turn will determine your contacts. I have dared to dream and dared to walk alone for the good of humanity.
Remember the biker, Adeyunju, who rode from London to Lagos? He rode alone but when he arrived yesterday, there was a crowd waiting for him. When you get there, there will be a crowd and people will want to learn from your life journey.
It’s not too late to pick up your dreams or create new ones. I reconfigured my life at 40.
Life is like that.
God Bless You.
