A story of two ‘very’ long lists
11/100
There’s a long list of useless things in Nigeria and on this — very long — list, the junior WAEC examination holds a prestigious position. It was all the more useless to me because I believed, and both my parents and teachers agreed that I was destined to be an art student.
My mathematics and science grades were total flops. If my teachers had any sense of humor, they would have awarded me flip flops to say “thanks for trying”. However, I started reading at age 3. At age 7, I was writing complete stories, and consuming James Hadley Chase and Jeffrey Archer’s complex books. I was a master speller, and my vocabulary intimidated my peers. I had this 7th edition Oxford dictionary that competed with my pillow. But Maths, God, Maths was the bane of my existence. What do you mean find X? It’s right there before Y. My path in life was clear. Art was my business and I learned to mind it very early in life.
You should mind your business too. No, not that business. I think you’ve been minding the wrong business. Let me explain.
God created man in response to a need; He created man to be a solution-providing solution so man had his work cut out for him. However, God didn’t give man any work tools or equipment. He gave him something more. God made man like himself. He gave him his abilities to create. Fashioned like God and equipped with his ability to create, man has created and is still creating solutions to the diverse problems that arise from everyday life. Man has instituted systems, developed theories, discovered resources, and redefined civilization in response to times and seasons.
You are man. Man is you. Like God, you are a creator. You are a solution created to provide solutions. God saw a need in the world and in response to that need, he created you. That need God created you for, that problem he created you to solve, that’s your business. That’s the business I’m talking about.
Finding your business — your why, your story, your purpose or your destiny — is of utmost importance because no matter how hard you mind whatever you’ve replaced your business with, you’d find yourself constantly harassed by feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction. You’ll be plagued with questions like “what am I doing wrong?” because nothing you do will ever be enough.
It will never be enough because you’re telling someone else’s story. You’re dancing to someone else’s tune. You’re frying someone else’s fish. You’re minding someone else’s business. You see, you don’t start living the day you were born. You start living the day you find out why you were born. Before you find your business, you’re like an egg in incubation. The day you come alive, your actual day of birth, is the day you find your business.
They say whenever you get lost in Lagos, find your way to Oshodi. You can get to anywhere in Lagos from Oshodi because Oshodi is a central point in Lagos. Well, whenever you get lost in life, find your business. Every other thing will fall in place when you find your business, and diligently mind it.
There’s another — very — long list. This one comprises people who have found their business. It’s a list of people who mind their business so diligently that we know them for it:
Tyler Perry
Asisat Oshoala
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Salem King
Femi Otedola
TY Bello
Prof. Ibukun Awosika
Abbey Ojomu
Zainab Balogun
John C. Maxwell
Okonjo Iweala
Bishop David Oyedepo
Bill Gates
Adaora Mbelu
Oladimeji Caxton-Martins
Oprah Winfrey
Kemi Adetiba
Vera Wang
Anendlessocean
Bisola Aiyeola
Kevin Hart
Usain Bolt
Pastor Sam Adeyemi
Greatman Takit
Viola Davis
Tunde Onakoya
Sally Rooney
Pastor Emmanuel Iren
Layi Wasabi
Omololu.XO
I’d stop here because the list can not be complete anyway. It can not be complete because you belong here, but I don’t know your name. I should know your name. The world should know your name. I hope you respond to this story with your name. If you do, I’d add it to this list so you can always remember that greatness is no longer an option for you. You must find your business, and mind it with utter craziness and diligence.
Break free and fly big bird. I’m rooting for you.
