I am your friend, Dr. Charles Apoki, and I want you to say a prayer after watching this video. Today, I want to speak on the “Empty Chair Effect.”
The Bible says, “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
This means that no matter how great your potential is, you must be in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing.
The Empty Chair at the Roundtable
I came across a TikTok video from “Dose of Emirates,” hosted by a Tunisian named Bal Alid. He attended a roundtable conference featuring politicians, industry giants, and experts from various fields. However, he noticed something peculiar—each roundtable had an empty chair.
Curious, he asked the organizers why the empty chair was always present. Their response was striking: The chair represents someone who was supposed to be there, who had the capability and potential but was left out because they lacked the right network.
This is the reality of life—it is not just about what you know or who you know, but more importantly, who knows you.
You can be the best in your field and still be left out. It is a painful truth. Your brilliance, talent, and hard work mean little if the right people do not know you.
Right Person, Right Time, Right Place
When I was invited to “The Honest Bunch” podcast, I did not say anything new. These were things I had known for a long time. However, what changed? The right person saw me, invited me at the right time, and I was in the right place to receive the call.
Others went before me and created controversy. Some went after me, and their words led to legal battles. But I was positioned rightly.
Joseph in the Bible was sold to the right person—Potiphar. He was thrown into the right prison, where he interpreted the dream for the right person. When Pharaoh needed an interpreter, the right person knew Joseph and recommended him. That was how Joseph’s dream came to pass.
It is not just about who you know; who knows you is more important.
The Power of Strategic Encounters
Let me share a personal experience. I was supposed to board a flight from Warri but changed it to Asaba. Coincidentally, I was on the same flight with someone who recognized me. We took a video together, and as I thought about my upcoming UK trip, I called him. Now, he is hosting me in Bristol and taking me to Cardiff.
What if he had entered the flight late? What if I had sat somewhere else? That is the power of divine positioning.
When I used to travel by bus, I met people who shouted, “Driver, slow down! Shift your leg! Remove your bag!” But in an airplane, you meet different people. I met one of the P-Square brothers and made a video with him—it trended. I once boarded Air Peace, and the pilot, Captain Callistus, recognized me. Before I even arrived in Europe, our video had already reached there. Right place, right time, right person!
May Your Chair Not Be Empty
If you are not in the right cycles, the right place, the right time, and the right context, you might be left out—not just from providing impact but also from benefiting from it.
May your chair never be empty. If I were you, I would declare in the comments: My chair will not be empty! I will be in the right cycle, at the right place, with the right people, at the right time, doing the right thing!
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I remain your friend, Dr. Charles Apoki.
God bless you!
