I am African...

I am African
In the sanctity of my heart,
I am African,
I belong to the generation of the unification of the black continent.

It is my desire to see the glory of the black continent lifted out of the doldrums of the unenlightened poverty of the mind and regression of states.
Its in my manifesto to save Africa from poverty,
From poverty that is not of resources.

What shall I become?
There is wisdom in our culture.
Pride and dignity in our traditions.
But for the absence of true exceptional leadership of our African states.
The call is beyond the religiousity of hypocrisy.
We can see beyond the horizons now.
Because I know who I am,
I take pride in Africa

I am African...
I belong to the universal society of understanding.
A world of change makers.
I serve and represent the global community of African people.

I am African.
I tell you...
I am authentic African.
In generality with a black pride and a developed mind.
An African with a different spirit within me.

I am authentic African,
a change maker.
I create. I implement. I strategize...
and situate to productive ends.

I stand in pity of the generation who does not know the God of their fathers.
I stand in pity of the generation who does not understand history.
I cry for the generation of shame.
And I laugh at him, who wants to mimic whatever is non-African.

Attempting to become non-african in the name of acceptance?
for the fear of rejection?
Your fear reveals the hole in your character.
Your inability to stand and stand alone,
Even if it becomes inevitable to stand alone, tells me who you are.

For, we will never walk alone.
not forsaken and not alone in the eye of the storm.
So We walk by faith and not by sight,
unto destiny, we soar.

But as for you, my friend
Your fear of your root and heritage shows the sickness of your mind.
And you will need to bring your mind,in...for healing.
For gone are those days when you hide information between book covers, hoping an African will never read to see and be liberated.

I am African
I am Alive.
For to be truly whole and complete,
Is to understand identity.
This is me...that is not me.
I have the ability to see through the ephemerals
Piercing through facades of folly and deception.

I am African.
I appreciate the plethora difference in humanity,
I embrace this difference as my unique strength.
I rejoice in the celebration of diversity of humanity.

Truly, we have issues. I  tell you, we- Africans have many complex issues...
But don't you know and realize that we didn't get here in one day?
Our issues are not a mystery.
Our struggles are part of history.
Our problems are not without reasons.
Our journey is from freedom, unto freedom.

So, my friend, many of our issues are thrown, tossed and forced on us by those who assumed to be the completion of all understanding.
So they tell us what to do...eh! They don't want us to think...
Because they are afraid of the power of our thoughts,
And our capacity to take charge of our own destines.
These are the Pharaohs who don't want to let Israel go.
they say:
You shall go so far, but not very far ,

Indeed some of our problems were created for us.
Some were created by us.
And there is no pointing of fingers.
It is our struggles to find out who we are...
And what we truly stand for.

So, none of us have the right to break the other.
our issues are not enough to break and separate us.
For whenever, I see Africans, i see me.

No word is enough to describe that feeling...No rhetoric is needed.
I know you are mine...
And you are like me...
and I can see...
your skin, your colour....
But I will like to see your heart,
beyond your skins...

Are you my flesh indeed as you appear to be?
For I am African!
And the sufferings of this present moment are not enough to separate us...
For there is a love that bind us together.
That love is from above.
Yes! That love is of God.
No, I didn't say its a love for God.
I said its the love of God for us.
For, We the Africans believe...
And We know that,
the sufferings of this present moment are not comparable to the glory that shall be revealed in us.
Selah!

The origin and the lasting solutions to terrorism.

Oftentimes, I have stopped people from exaggerating discussions regarding discriminations because in the process of fighting discrimination and attacking bigots; (if care is not taken), we ourselves, end up discriminating! And it is so subtle to detect at times. Well-intended, I will say that we have left the age of racism, some decades ago! Although it is still part of our history and many bigots still exists today; but looking back at history with a proactive viewpoints always makes a lot of sense than flashing back with a victim mentality. I usually say that leaving the unnecessary battles for the impending wars of our age remains the hugest challenge confronting our generation so far. 

 Racism. Terrorism. Hypocorism!
As of this date, many people have died from hypocorism and terrorism more than from racism. Although discriminations still tries to rear its heads in our day, it has transformed from the very form we seems to know it to be! Today, racism has transformed itself into terrorism. And hypocorism has become the commonest form of its expression. The evil of discriminations hides away from detective eyes under pseudonyms! So it is difficult to see it for what it is. I can blindly say that our battle is no longer racism in actual sense. Rather, it is terrorism and hypocorism. So, let us leave the glory of the victory of those days of civil rights movements to those who actually fought and won such victories! There are Great Wars worth engaging in our day and our role is not to hide behind past victories of others! 

So, what is our battle today? What does our generation need to know and war against? Terrorism has been seen only from the angle of the person making an attempt to bomb an airplane or a person strapping himself or herself with bomb and detonating such explosives in the public in order to kill as many people as possible. The point is that terrorism is even more reflective in any leadership that aids and abets terrorist groups. Failing to engage, expose and combat terrorists is the same thing as being a part of terrorist groups. If a leader remains quiet about evil happening under his roof, he's either a coward or an accomplice of such evil. 
 Hypocorism, I know you've been wondering what that word meant. It seems too big for relaxation. I understand. That was actually deliberate! How can I prove to my mum that sending me to the university with her life-savings was not a waste? Okay! Enough of grammatical innuendo! 

Hypocorism in this context means glossing over the actual thing. Beating about the bush, making excuses for the obvious, and giving abbreviated observations to what really demands thorough scrutiny. This is what our generation is fond of doing. We are experts at covering the truth! We love to cosmetically makeup realities. Designing authentic with falsehood! Rather than call a spade a spade; we call it a forklift. We give it nicknames and pet-names. Oftentimes we do so, to create temporal peace. We suppress truth and colour the face of justice. Imagine someone who committed a murder deliberately. Our Justice system would cover it up at law court as mere manslaughter. As a result of the insanity of the judicial system, the suspect who was let go under the cloak of self-defence would return as monster several years down the lane.
 You can remember the state of African politics. Imagine a politician who loots the public treasury. The society cried and screamed. The media will start celebrating the same thief in the same state where the funds was looted almost within the same political era. It is so sad that our generation will excuse the evil and say that everyone deserves his or her own share of the national cake. Sadly this same corrupt politician would usually contest audaciously and win at the polls in the future election. Why because we have not managed to identify the actual war that we should be fighting against in our day! It is easier and safer to banter about other things but the most pressing issues. We will never exhaust topics like Global warming, financial melt downs, HIV/AIDS, etc. We readily hide from being bombed by shying away in the safety-nets of our professions and disciplines. Not realizing that everything is interconnected and interrelated in the grand scheme of things. The need to confront issues that remains pressing in our generation cannot be overemphasised.

The origin of terrorism 
 The origin of terrorism can be traced back as human history. It is a result of sheer intolerance, pride and selfishness! It is partly religious driven, but it is much more than that.
 I daresay that terrorism has a spiritual dimension to it. Although, time would fail me to delve into such aspect at this stage; it is not just ordinary. To the more educated, terrorist are nothing but some groups of misguided individuals, unreasonables, and unenlightened. However, it is so funny to know that in the world of the terrorists, everyone else are unenlightened, except the people in their own circle. So how do we reach such sect who believes that everyone else are blind except themselves. People may easily cast blame on those who lack enlightenment. Not realizing that we are the same society that bred these people! 
In the West, we bred terrorists from inequality, gangs, homeless and dropouts. By allowing school dropouts because we increased the school fees incredibly. In Africa, we bred the terrorists by allowing corruption, homelessness, hooligans (Area-Boys), unemployment, poverty, inequality. So those groups of people stoop to weapons against other human beings. 

 We sit in our homes arguing what audacity these terrorist have to assume that they can wipe out a certain race, a certain culture, a certain ethnic group. We sneered at them that these misguided folks does not realize that God is sovereign and he is always preserving at least a remnant in all His creation. Such school of thoughts expose our indifference and inefficiency when we start facing the extinctions of vital creatures from small to great. From great animals like the Dinosaurs to small animals like the Galápagos tortoise that refused mating and eventually went extinct recently for not breeding. 
The challenge we have in our hands by the series and continuous attempt at destroying another sect by some group of extremists is no longer a matter of cursory discussion.
 The need for in-depth analysis and study for solution becomes germane. We can no longer say that those extremist are stupid for attacking other tribes, race, or religion. That is not a solution. It is not enough to assign unnecessary respect to them as though they are sacred cows for attacking other groups of people with different ideologies. So, what is the way forward? And how do we solve the puzzle of terrorism in our day?

Lasting solutions to terrorism
Firstly, we must understand that there is no problem without solution. Thus, we must prepare for drastic measures. Some problems demands solutions that transcends waiting on nature and science. We cannot wait for terrorism to bid its time! We cannot rely on international communities to solve most local problems. Let every country whose citizens are oppressed by suspected terrorists take on their fight and engage their foes! This requires a deliberate and timely intervention by the government of each state. In every state that is besieged by terrorists, let every leadership be changed completely. Everything rise and fall on the leadership. The leadership that abets terrorism cannot fight the same (terrorism).
 Overpowering terrorism does not require a rocket-science! The leadership must take initiatives to investigate and prosecute promptly. And that may mean unveiling of series of names. Such need for flushing the societal system cannot be overemphasised. However, it will require true leaders, who are bold enough to stand in their office and confront evil and pluck out the unquenchable fiery darts of its power! 

The fact that terrorist have strategies that are difficult to understand does not mean that they cannot be traced and tracked. There is no secret under the sun. The way heaven so designed His universe, is so simple; such that every terrorist have relatives, one family member or the other! Since, terrorists are human being with families; who is going after these blood-ties and weak links? How many investigators, criminologists, forensic experts have been despatched so far? Where are the case files? Who is evaluting these cases for due diligence? So, where are other qualified, smart, spot on detectives? Where are the secret investigation bureaus? Where are the revamped police force and law enforcement agencies? Where are the unpolluted military forces with their artillery in battalions? But wait a second. Before we deplore bloodshed, have we thought of dialogues? Before going brutal, if we try negotiation, dialogue and diplomacy; we may succeed in ameliorating terrorism. But if those tools failed, then there will be no point wasting time.
We can also solve the problems of terrorism by creating an enabling society where things work naturally based on the good system that we have in place. This is not just a matter of the government but every members of the society must cooperate to achieve that. This is where social responsibility lies on the part of the entire state that demands a change. 

The Priam's principle.
Lastly, the audacity of a true leader will always put an end to terrorism. 
 The conversation that ensued between Priam, the king of Troy and Achilles; comes in handy here:
 Achilles: Who are you? 
 Priam: I have endured what no one on earth has endured before. I kissed the hands of the man who killed my son.
 Achilles: [realizes, stands abrubtly] Priam? How did you get in here? 
Priam: I know my country better than the Greeks, I think. 
 Achilles: [walks forward, lifts Priam] You are a brave man. I could have your head on a spit in the blink of an eye.
 Priam: Do you really think death frightens me now? I watched my eldest son die, watched you drag his body behind your chariot. Give him back to me. He deserves a proper burial, you know that. Give him to me. 
Achilles: He killed my cousin.
Priam: He thought it was you. How many cousins have you killed? How many sons and fathers and brothers and husbands? How many, brave Achilles? 

Just as King Priam, (the king of Troy) had to go after Achilles the one all warriors dread. When it comes to terrorism, the chief of armed forces, the prime minister, the president, the head of state must dare to go after the menace that threatens the dynasty of his state. The leader must learn to repeat the words of Priam to the terrorists, that: I know my own land more than any of you strangers! Lastly, the writer of proverbs said: be careful to know the state of thy flocks. The leader, the president who is not in the know of the state of things in his own country needs not be kept in office. A vote of no confidence, an impeachment, or even a voluntary resignation will help the state from terrorism. Why because the longer such leaders stay in position of authority that aids violence, the more devastating and irreparable the nation  gets. Education and enlightenment are two different things. So also is leadership  in terms of mere figure-heads, office-holders, and true audacious leaders!

Most important teaching the world is yet to unravel?

Does the blurry dotted lines of right and wrong equal blurriness of justice? How do we really tell the right from the wrong? How do we decide who was wrong and who was right in a world of plethora biases. The rightest and most wrong of all motives may be difficult to determine by the human order. The Homo sapiens’s court of law may be mistaken at hammering justice but obviously that will not be difficult with whom we have to give account of all our deeds. Differentiating the evil and good will be based on precision by the court of heaven.

When I look back on how justice has been meted out, I feel deeply sorry for the sufferers of injustice. Where I may have been licking my wounds of injustice sufferings, I would quickly hide my sufferings under the brutal relics of concentration camps like Auschwitz, Sobibor, Treblinka, etc. Despite the huge depravity those Jews and many prisoners of wars went through, justice was not meted out appropriately. So, you are tempted to question God about the very reason He claimed the title of Just God? Nevertheless, the greatest judge of all cannot be sleepy. He can’t afford to slumber over justice when eternity awaits the last verdict from Him. The unveiling of Truth cannot be hidden from the TRUTH Himself. Every action will have recompense.

We were taught that our motives will be judge and not mere actions. Yet in order to understand actions, something else must be considered. Most important is that thing which is behind the actions themselves. What are the factors that drive our actions? We know that actions are driven by thoughts, imaginations, beliefs, upbringings, and more. It is vital to give more considerations to how we think what we think. 

When we think of how thoughts originate, we might further look beyond such things like our culture, upbringing, family history, national heritage, environment, etc.  We might just bundle all the aforementioned into: information sources. That is where many reasons for our thoughts came from. Now, variables that drive our thoughts originate from one or more sources.  Such source that drives the information which determined actions are worth considering. As we move deeper and further, we will see why we may have to study the origin of the sources…of what drives the information that drives the thoughts that drives the actions? So, source of sources…of information becomes our subject. We will forever travel back in history to determine that. In digging out many unimaginable things like these, the root cause of events, actions and reactions will not only be known; forgiveness will be easy for the unforgiving.

In other to avert the tendency for excessive digression, I will say that most of the teachings that will rescue the next generations in the years to come will have to look deeper than the present generation’s teachings. 

The frontiers of knowledge will have to extend into areas such as the root cause of thoughts and actions. Beyond the present day’s teachings on such subjects like management, leadership, strategy and more; teachings that will rescue people will be those teachings that help them confront their thoughts and motives.

Certainly training people how to be more effective and proactive are great. Greater than that will be trainings that are able to flip motives like someone frying eggs or roasting turkeys. In other to have an even roast, all sides must be thoroughly cooked. We will have to seriously give more attention to things of deeper meaning like: “what is the end result of all our teachings? For I think that these teachings are like tools with which we really need to achieve a purpose. But humanity is becoming overtly carried away by the end rather than the process to the end itself. In other for humanity to endure and progress, we must give attention to that origin of motives and the rightness of motive. Am I saying that we have not been doing that at all? No. Am I assuming that we have not been using management wisdom rightly? No. I will forever be grateful to management discipline. I will continue to advocate for the need of leadership wisdom. But the question is: to what end are we teaching management and leadership?

So, why are we advocating for effectiveness and efficiency? Why do we want our people to be proactive? Because these skills are not enough in themselves. All they need to be perverted skills are one bill that gets passed in the house, then politically correctness will no longer be what it used to be.

My humble submission is that we cannot afford to assume that skills acquisitions and trainings are the solution to the world’s problem. Why because the Nazi’s were obviously effective group. Adolf Hitler led a German army that were certainly efficient. They were dignified and disciplined in their cause. They had a singleness of purpose, which was extermination of the Jews. So the question is not about training people because that army went through actual military drilling. The question that differentiated them was the motive behind it all. The question of: 'was the cause noble indeed as they were led or misled to believe?' (Depending on where you pitch your tent). It was all about the rightness of motive. This is why the whole question does not lie merely at the door of management books and leadership trainings. It bores down to questioning of motives and weighing of driving force behind actions. 

When we have a vision or a purpose, it is not enough to stop there. There is more reason to ask and confront the motives behind that. How are we sure that our motive is right, pure as crystal, undiluted and faultless? How are we sure that we are right in our causes? Is it by hindsight? Is it by teaching people that their choices will definitely have consequence(s) or there are better ways to determine that so that people don’t wreck their lives and even go further in destroying other people’s lives?

Till date, many of the ninety percent unprosecuted offenders of genocides walk freely. 

Those who served in the Nazi’s army believed that they were right. They were more convinced that they were doing the right thing by exterminating the Jews. Similarly, the Hutu tribes of Rwanda were not acting under assumptions when they were killing the Tutsi tribes because they considered them as snakes and cockroaches. When a different tribe are considered sub-humans in terms of ethnicity, it was not assumption.  That genocide claimed over a million lives in  Rwanda. Yet those who started it felt they were right. The deception of human hearts could be traced back in history to the time of crucifixion of Jesus. Those who crucified Jesus felt that they were doing God a favor by killing Jesus. Why because this "Joker" from Nazareth is claiming to be God. And that was the highest form of blasphemy in history. So they killed the Messiah of the world. The question is how can we truly tell when motives are right or wrong? I strongly believe that one of the utmost teachings which the world is yet to seriously unravel is this teaching on the rightness of motive, the power behind motivations. Could this be a teaching the ancients missed till date?

The fall of the social media

Age of social media? Easy to trust people and connections.Yet we were warned: so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.Your destiny and purpose are independent of your friends (both online and offline). I was wondering how many friends-conferences God had to call before He swore unto Abraham and fulfill His promises to that old man? Look unto the rock from where you were hewn, look unto Abraham your father. I called him alone! I blessed and multiplied him. Purpose and destiny, neither answer to the whining of your desire, nor kept on hold at the mercy of foes. I was wondering what gave Abraham such level of influence? What gave Isaac such level of greatness in an age where there was no social media? What made Jacob so rich when he was just a mere livestock Keeper under Uncle Laban, the actual livestock owner? Overtly dependence on the social media for our answers will gradually let many people down! (pause and ponder).When flattering, you will hear people say concerning their friends: what will i do without you? Such phrase could be answered: many things! For they that know their God will be strong and they will do valiantly...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32).
Although, we were made to connect. We were shaped for relationships. Yes! We heal, thrive and blossom in communities. And it is an understatement to say that the social media has been resourceful in creating plethora of opportunities. There has been reduction in the travel rate since people can now connect online and use these readily available media.
However, the pseudo-reality, the simulation of actual human connections, relationships and communities that the new social media created has led many into the deception that, this is it! It has brought about undue pain from trusting in the power of the engine! It has beclouded so many to think that this is all it takes to realize personhood, achieve greatness, success and more. As a result, what social media created, it will have to sustain. And whatever social media started, it will have to end. But I am convinced that this will be quite difficult. Why because it is whatever God does that is final.
"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
During the time of famine, "When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit."(Acts 7:12). Jacob heard the News of abundance in a far country, that there is hope beyond their present scope.You know, I am still wondering what Facebook account he had then? I am thinking what Tweeter account he got that hint tweeted from? As we gradually come to the era where relationships and connections that social networks formed begins to fail. Businesses that springs up overnight like mold, begins to fail.
Linkages in our linked-in age, is failing. Relationships that at first seems like prospects, are now failing many who are deliberately un-linking themselves. I think, more of un-following of some people will be seen. Most of the people you have followed or befriended in ignorance and out of mere excitements will begin to be dropped. Perhaps, some will give you adequate reasons to be "unfriended". In points of fact, more people will shut down their social network accounts completely!
Recently, a friend posted on her Facebook wall that she was leaving Facebook forever. So whoever wants to keep in touch with her should inbox their contact details. There will be more of such. Disappointments and anguish of soul from our promising social media. May be there will be bitterness and depression from some online communities that were at first promising because people's expectations were not met. Doubtless, as some people withdraw to their corners, others will continue; and some new applicants will still register. As new applicants join, some old members will exit. However, individual experiences will differ. Based on such unique experiences; judgement will be made either to stay or leave.
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,Who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug.“Look to Abraham your father And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and multiplied him.” (Isaiah 51:1-2)." ...so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Corinthians 2:5). So that your confidence might not rest in some engine, in some online friendships, and even your offline connections but in the power of the ALMIGHTY. "I, even I, am He who comforts you.Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies. And of the son of man who is made like grass". (Isaiah 51:12). I have written to you today that life is real.  Life has questions. And as people encounter those questions of life, they ask for answers that even Google search cannot give. This calls for more questionings that demands real answers. As people continue in their dilemma, some merely hurt, others dared to seek. Some seek for solace. Others collect. Some keep items in hope that such keeping might answer their future questions. Others hope that their future needs gets answered by their savings and collections. Yet the need for answers remains obvious. Hence, people are stripped to truest and most enduring friendship, connection and communion. They will try God in instead of religion. They will taste and see that the Lord is good. They will shun religion and stick with their Maker. They will discover that God is good and He is the most dependable one.

The Central Laws of Productivity (Book excerpt)

A very poor young man desperately wanted to become rich. He set out to consult with the oracle regarding the possibilities of making some money rituals. The witch doctor told him there was no problem, that it is achievable. “In order to get rich quickly, you will need to follow some basic instructions”. He was eager and attentive. "The instructions surround certain rituals which you shall observe daily in other to go through a rite of passage unto riches". He was happy and ready to follow through. The witch doctor said the process will take twelve full moon (equivalent of one year).He was to wake up every day at 4:00am to make some incantations.  He left excited, knowing that in about a year's time, he would have become very rich.
"Here is the sacred horn of the gods, wrapped with red cloth; you must henceforth, feed this horn daily.If you don't, the red piece of cloth shall turn out as your very blood flowing on the highway! Your head shall turn out as the detached horn of the animal which you are holding right here!” The young man was afraid at that warning and determined to follow every instruction. Each morning, he wakes up to consult the oracle as instructed. After a period of twelve months, he returned to the witch doctor to report for final rite of passage into riches.
Upon removal of the red piece of cloth, there was some money.
The young man was asked:  “did you follow every instruction given?”
 “Yes I did”. He replied.
“Did you make those incantations each morning for the last twelve months?”
 “Yes I did.” He replied.
Both went out into a thick jungle wherein the witch doctor asked the last question.“Before we proceed into the final ritual, can you explain how you did each morning? I just want to be sure you did not offend the oracle”. Narrating his rituals, he replied: “I woke up at 4:00am to consult the oracle, touched my head with the sacred horn. I fed the horn with $20 bill each morning. I put away the sacred horn with the red cloth for the next day.” The witch doctor nodded. “Oh! I can see how you have the ability to become rich because you can follow basic instructions. How much do you have in total right now?” The witch doctor asked.
The young man quickly calculated the money that was fed into the sacred horn for twelve months, and announced: "$240 in total sir.”
The witch doctor nodded again. He looked up and down. Then, suddenly, laughed in scorn of the young man. Then, he became angry and sternly, announced: “Young man! You have succeeded in leasing for yourself a piece of land, at the rate of $240 per Annum; for the next twelve months.You must wake up as early as 4:00am according to how you have done from the beginning. Do not break that ritual! You must consult the oracle briefly, run down to this farmland and start planting yam-seeds. Your wealth has been hidden in this soil. The gods has commanded that you start farming on this piece of land. In the usage of your muscles lies your passage to riches. This shall be your next ritual. Now, you must be careful to obey the voice of the oracle! Because failure to bring out bountiful harvest from this land in twelve months means you shall surely die! That young man worked so hard. He became a successful farmer. He was able to feed himself, his family and his task master.
The moral? -Productivity births economic freedom! Do not wait for anyone to rescue you. There are no dream-sponsors around any more, unlike in the olden days. Your dreams is in your hands. It is your responsibility. And if you have any vision, just go out and pursue it with tenacity, because there is no magic in crossing from poverty to riches.

Murder of a Nation (A satire).

I was born in the 70s when Nigeria, a popular West African State was still flourishing. I was raised in a middle-class home where an average child would have at least a three square meal per day.Not knowing the difference that exists in terms of caste system, I happily attended a public elementary school in Lagos state where we were well dressed, given free education, free supplies of books, and adequate writing materials. All and sundry knew the honour and dignity of being Nigerian. We were led by leaders whose influence,  leadership acumen commanded respect from foreigners. Our coat of arms was a symbol of pride, honour and dignity.We had food crops and cash crops. We exported cocoa, cashew, rubber, oil crops, to mention few.

Frankly speaking, everything was not perfect in Nigeria as at that time. At least, youths had jobs waiting for them once they graduated from high school. They did not have to sell their family house or landed properties to process foreign Visas just to travel out! I am talking about the 80s when Nigerians had immigrant neighbours. We hosted citizens of Ghana, Benin, Chad, Cameroun, and other African nations. Our title was: the giants of Africa! That was the good old days. How did Nigeria got murdered? 

I loved going to school then. I would dream of Monday mornings when i would meet my friends and classmates in white socks. Everyone would be well dressed on the assembly ground. Until the late 90s, i did not understand anything called strike. That word never had a meaning in my realities. Until  my school fees started hurting my middle-class parents, education was a fun. Until teachers, lecturers started demanding stipends from their students both directly and indirectly, we never had problems. Things became tough as we got into the tertiary institutions. Many parents were stressed because of their family-size. I was not the only child in my family. 

Many of us had to stay back at home with the full house-wives. We became errand kids for newly-delivered moms. Since, we had nowhere to go because our lecturers were not paid and they were on strike.The strike would extend for several months.Some of us grew older in those days. Some kids got into trouble of teenage pregnancies. Some parents had to send their teenage daughters off into early marriages in order to lessen the burden of raising a large family. More babies were born in those days that died out of diseases or insufficient medical treatments. Malaria was a common illness in the country. There were no adequate drugs or some people could not afford them. There was rampant self-medication administration because of unaffordable medical treatments. Parents would administer de-worming drugs to their kids without visiting the medical doctors at all.

 As we grew older, the big house we shared as a family gradually became smaller. I remember wondering whatever happened to our formerly big play-grounds. I later realized that it was because we were no longer those little kids who played football on the white-sands. It was a huge thing to gain admission into the university. The entrance examination was too tough! Once, in the school system, we tend to forget so soon. Some parents had to fund their kids malpractices just to scale through the entrance exams. Having being through so much in the school system, many who graduated would not get employed. Yet, we had to go through that system to be respected at all. So, the young graduates only gained the respects that comes with education for a while. Then, they lose such respect once they could not get employed after school. Many of them had to visit uncles and aunts throughout the year. They would made visitations round their extended families. They would do this till the year runs out! Sometimes, baby-sitting, sometimes just sleeping on the couch of their newly wedded cousins. Thankfully, the African culture allowed crowded homes!

As we got into the new millenium, the shout of: up NEPA! had already seized. Although, the power sector of the nation gradually grew worst. Electric meters were seized for failure to pay outstanding electricity bills. Those who had constant electricity supply were the envy of their neighbors. Many Nigerians can remember chanting: Up NEPA! Maybe some people still chant that slogan impulsively till date. I should quickly add that: up NEPA! was an impulsive national chant that most Nigerians shout on impulse at the sight of electricity supply. It was a buzz-word that the nation unaniumously adopted on the ground that any restoration of electricity to any neighbourhood is worth rejoicing over. So, it was a symbol of happiness to hear up NEPA! Any neighbourhood whose electricity got restored after long hours of power-failure would be filled with that overwhelming noise. 

Over the years, the case of electricity went from hours of power-failure to months and even years of power failures in some communities. So, you can understand why all and sundry would praise the energy sector of the economy for bringing us what is inherently our right. We would sing their praise for doing their job! Even though they always did their job shabbily. Nevertheless, we  praise them and we are always glad that they remembered us enough to restore our electricity! Usually, we all knew that the electricity would not stay for too long before it would be disconnected, and the neighbourhood would grow as silent as grave again.

Once the electricity got restored, what an average Nigeria would do was to rush to their wardrobe and iron their important clothes. The list of important clothes includes:  work-clothes, school uniforms, Sunday-service clothes, party-wears, and more. Some people would rush to fetch pipe-borne water because the price changes with absence of electricity. You have to pay more for water that was pumped with a generator. As kids, we would run straight into the sitting room to switch on the television tube and watch cartoon programs on the air. The civil servants would tune into the radio stations to hear the News. I remember watching a TV series called: VOLTRON-the defender of the universe. We hated adverts on our cartoon shows. One of the most popular adverts in those days was a funny adverts created for a detergent called Elephant blue detergent. Other common adverts was Chocomilo, a chocolate candy, OMO blue detergent, another soap oriented advert. 

Relatively, Nigerians are quite resilient. They are quite inventive and creative under hardships. You will meet poor Nigerians making fuel out of sawdust packed from Sawmill. Some would create television antennae from common aluminium foils; from kitchen utensils such as plates. There are those who would easily convert used things and recycle materials.You will meet people who can build local Game-boards and make a business out of that. There are viewing centers made out of cheap materials. People would flood the place.They would build a community around European soccer leagues. Viewers would meet every week to discuss and review last winners and losers from the football games they watched. Upcoming matches would be predicted with passion. Usually, you dont have to know anyone to have friends in Nigeria. They are friendly people. All you need to connect with Nigerians is to claim to be a fan of any winning European football club. You will suddenly have friends in multitudes. Some would even buy you a free Beer for that! 

Due to the culture around soccer, the world cup is a big deal in Nigeria. Employers would declare an unofficial public holiday to their employees especially where Nigeria qualified for such competition. Some staffs would leave work early just to get home on time to watch the Nigerian soccer team play. I remember how whenever Nigeria win any of such matches, celebrations went on all night. People would have hangover at work on the next day. There would be celebrations throughout the Nation. The Government would declare a public holiday to celebrate the players. Everything would be shut down. Businesses wont open until everything dies down.We were patriotic and passionate people. As we got into the 90s, our soccer fell from glory. Some penalties were lost in defining moments of crucial games. Free kicks that could have ended up as a way of sealing a winning in sensitive matches were carelessly played. Our soccer plummeted and lost credibility.The Western world no longer bet on our teams. FIFA would not even bother seeding Nigeria within a tougher group of countries as we appear in international competitions.

When i was quite younger,teachers were like gods and godesses in Nigeria. Parents would threaten their rebellious kids that they would be reported to their teachers. Gross misconduct would suddenly seize at home. No kid wants to be reported to the school teacher then. Everyone straightened up. At the mention of alphabet T, you quickly take caution. You dont want to be beaten with the rod by your school teacher. I remember how late-coming was a very serious offence in my high school days. On Monday mornings, there would be a line up of teachers with cane in hand, waiting at the school-gates to deal with late-comers severely. Then, the parents-teachers association had glory. The meeting was a big deal. The principal and all the teachers were accountable to the parents over the stewardship of the children they were training. In all schools, you will notice a long queue of cars on the streets leading to the school on the day when parents and teachers are meeting.

Today, teaching profession has become so downtrodden. It got so terrible that even university graduates do not feel like teaching. Whoever pick up a teaching job are seen as losers. Sadly, best students who graduated with good grades would claim having to stoop to teaching. Graduates are even afraid and ashamed of telling their fellow graduates that what they do is teach. This is what many silently and quietly do for living.Sadly,this is one of the professions that pays more in salary in oversea countries like Canada and US, where teachers are well respected and well paid.

How did Nigerian state got here? What happened to the pride of African continent? How did we become a country that many no longer wish to visit? Having lived outside Nigeria, i have been privileged to see from outside the box. I have been able to analyse what we are missing with respect to what we are not, as a nation. Although, living outside the coast of Nigeria is enviable; many times Nigerians get homesick outside their own country. We develop that nostalgic feelings of what we are missing concerning our nation. There was that strong connectivity, that strong bonding that exists among us despite our differences. There is that rich community that is absent in the Western world. There is that rich culture of sharing as Nigerians. We had that strong sense of believing in Someone beyond the natural realm. We trust anything called religion. We had faith in something. Sadly, the same strength undermines us. There is this politics of religion so huge among us.

It is a western custom to ask somebody that they are just meeting for the first time about where he or she comes from. So, when people asks me where i am from, i usually answer Nigeria. I would answer truthfully with a  heavy heart; even when there was bombing and political unrest going on in my country. I did not choose to be born in Nigeria. I had no control over such things. However, i understand that it was not a mistake on God's part for me to be born there. When a Nigerian was caught on an Airplane attempting to bomb the plane and innocent lives; I saw higher huddles for our glory to be restored. Nevertheless, i still answer Nigerian whenever i am asked. Although, i knew some who would lie about their nationality in order to save face. Rather than lie, I would walk away from such conversation with a sickening feeling inside. My sincere answer often shuts down some doors of opportunities in my face. At times, it shuts down the entire conversation with the stranger who i am just meeting. Such stranger may have heard some evil report about Nigeria. They may have had some bad experience with my fellow country men. At other times, answering Nigerian makes some people a target of scorn in social settings where internationally, friends are gathered in political discuss. Some are seen as the first suspect in case of any occurrence of crime. 

We gradually became enlisted on the lists of terrorist countries. We are carefully and uniquely searched at all international airports when travelling. Personally, I love traveling. Sometimes, it becomes painful that my hobby cannot be explored fully at the pace i would have loved to because our liberty in travelling has been curtailed. If we are given Visa at all, we had to be searched thoroughly for traces of hard drugs, bombs, etc when passing through any airport. Despite, prejudice which some Nigerians encounter, we are one of the well-travelled nations of the world. Perhaps this is because, our country is not doing so well as we should.Maybe, because we just chose to escape depravity into Babylon. We settled in  Babylon where we were enslaved, trapped within a caste system that restricts our uprising, such that we can only occupy the lowest rung of the food chain of the host countries? 

I get that look from many Caucasians every time. You know the look that subtly communicates that you must be a crook for being a Nigerian? The loss of global respect is huge for any country. Once it is lost, it usually takes a lot of hardwork to earn it back. The trust only get restored over time through hardwork, productivity, increased standard of living, respect of the human rights of the people, ability to invent what the rest of the world would desperately need. It would take a deliberate turn around of our economy to be respected globally as in the past. Again, when i look back at what used to be, i feel sorry for the next generation. Will my children have the gut to answer Nigerian on international applications? Will they boldly say our ancestors hail from somewhere in the Western part of the black continent? Will they gladly travel to Africa and settle there just for the sake of belonging there? When they sit down at the table with the great and noble of their own time, will they square their shoulders and still sing the Lord's song in a strange land? Will they carry the green-white-green flag without a sense of shame? Will they wear the coats of arm without embarrassment? Will they be able to answer Nigerian without having to pause, hold some breathes while thinking twice?

I am not saying this in a derogatory way, but i wonder how being a Nigerian has gradually become embarrassing outside Nigeria. Our corrupt politicians, our crappy movie industry that would rather twist Hollywood into Nollywood rather than stand out in styles. Our religious-illiteracy that would promptly burn down churches and kill innocent people. Our dysfunctional ethnicity that always fuel tribalism even among ourselves. Our pseudo-spirituality in the name of God. Our millions of churches within and outside our country.A reputable foreign mentor of mine once asked me why all Nigerians who travel overseas becomes a Pastor. He wonder why everyone address every brother as a pastor. Another friend once asked me why we have so many titles in Nigeria. We have to face these issues. They are countless. Our notoriety for cybercrime, our boast in being the world's internet-crime headquarters among other nations of the world. Our terrible system of governance that would allow a president on a second term, attempt the twisting of the national constitution such that it would accommodate his proposition for a third term in office. All in the name of power. Our dysfunctional policies that would rather oppress the masses than confront cabals. Our Sports councils and regulatory body that would rather send ill-equipped teams to represent us at the world tournaments. Our nepotism that would prefer nominating relatives and friends for position they are not qualified for. Our apt to stoop to bribery and mess up crucial Union negotiations that the masses fought and die over. 

What happened to the Nigerian state? Where are the heroes? What became of their labour?!I strongly believe that God did not make a mistake in creating the Nigerian State. Although, i was younger, my memory is clearly retentive. I can recollect great stories from the past. I can remember how our soccer team dazzled the world in international competitions. I can remember how our crude oil was a huge determinant of the market price. I can remember how one of us, who was a writer won the Noble Laureate. I can remember how numerous great songs were sang and great albums released in partnerships with Nigerian and great international artistes. I can remember big collaborations, duets with Nigerian artistes and world's famous stars. I can remember how our fame as Nigeria hit the continent of Africa like wildfire. I can remember how certain buzzwords originated from Nigeria. I am still confident of this: We (Nigerians) will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.(Psalm 27:13).

The incapacitated church? [Book excerpt]

The sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of whose army was Sisera, lived in Harosheth-hagoyim; and he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he
oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.(Judges 4:3).
In that text, one man with some nine hundred iron chariots oppressed the people of God for twenty years! One needs to ask questions. Such questions are: what were the children of Israel doing in all those twenty years? They did not invent their own chariots for combat.They did not lease, acquire or buy up some of the 900 chariots from their oppressor? Did not buy stocks and gain some measure of control in the business of chariots production?
Another story struck my attention:
"The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots."(Judges 1:19).
Yet another similar story:
"But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day." (Judges 1:21)
These stories drives us to consider the place of every thing that drives the economy of man since the beginning of time. Naemly: Agriculture, Industrialization, Oil, Technology, Idea, and what else? We can see one common thread in all these things. And that commonality is is impeded in CAPACITY. There was no serious productivity without strong capacity. Total takeover in the years to come will require strongest capacities. The stories of the children of Israel confirms to us that the church must improve her capacity if she will take her place in the circuits of life. And we must be reminded that the church is an agreegate of her individual members. This term: "take her place" means a lot. It is not limited. The place of church is not limited within the four walls of some physical building. Contrary to the popular belief of some; the church's role is even far from buying landed properties all over! That is good. But it is not equal to gaining grounds! The church must empower her people to be able to stand toe-toe with the "societal gurus". We must be able to name more of church folks among the diplomats, the technocrats and policy makers of this age. If we had to invent anything greater than all the applications the world is hooked onto; then we must! If we did not invent Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others; then we must be able to buy them up! Own them; i said!
Productivity and capacity are inseparables that cannot be thrown on the substitute bench. When Jesus said go into the world and preach the gospel, was he asking us to become nuisance on people's doors? Was he asking us to create noise pollution? I say No. If you are truly offering values and you are delivering solution  that cannot be denied, people will definitely open their doors unto you. Selah!
Acts 1:14 says: "All of these people [the 120 disciples] were talking to God..." Until the day of Pentecost came and they all got baptized in the Holy Spirit. Sadly, they stayed in Jerusalem even after their baptism. They stayed up in a room in a house, until the persecution had to scatter them abroad.We love the easy, cozy, warmly feelings of the church-atmosphere! This is not bad. However, it must be noted  that when we start realizing how much is really at stake; we will launch into movements. When we see a glimpse of what is expected of us as a people of God; we will start getting our bearings rightly.

"MOVE...from a room up in a house!" [Excerpt from The Central Laws of Productivity]

"...When they reached Jerusalem, they went to a room up in a house. Here lived Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon the freedom fighter, and Judas the son of James." [Acts 1:13 Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)].
The problem with residency?
Upon the ascension of Jesus, the disciples returned to Jerusalem where everyone of them lived together. Can you remember such stories that end with: they lived happily ever after" ? That was the picture the disciples were trying to portray then.We saw how they [disciples] assembled in a room. One of the dangers of living together in a room in a house is that communicable diseases tends to spread easily through the residents! It was just like the concept of the church of today. Churches have mission houses where some of their clergy and/or members live. You are allowed to sleep, go to work from there and retire there after work. As a result, some members don't even bother seeking job to pay their bills or rent their own room. When the church becomes a dwelling, it ceases to fulfill her divine mandate. Why? Because we were called out. We are the called out ones. We are supposed to be going-out to impact the societal systems! The truth is that the called out ones may assemble in a building but they cannot afford to be resident there! Church is supposed to be an analogy of the Terbanacle of Moses in the Wilderness? Even though, there was a tent of meeting then; the people were continually moving. The tent was not a permanent structure! The reason is because it has to follow the Cloud of glory! And the order of the cloud is that it moves! The pillar of fire by night was a symbolism. It epitomized movement despite the tendencies of seeing darkness! And we must learn from that. We cannot allow darkness stop us. We cannot allow darkness hinder us. We cannot allow darkness limit or contain us. The un-containable God is asking us to move!
As a result, the people were in movement until they got to the promised land. Now, it is easy to assume that since they eventually settled in the promised land; then we are allowed to find a settlement too. We are not supposed to build a city that will become an end in itself. Every structure, projects must point to God and His purpose. If they do not point to God. They become the visionary's monument. And there is a danger in that. And this is the danger: that we have shared the glory of God with Him. And we have misled the people of God. As we see through the scriptures that creating anything that is seemingly sophisticated as God, or for God, or in the name of God is idolatry. These things may be done out of good intentions but they get easily perverted after all.
Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.(Judges 8:27). Idolatry is still happening today. And i am not saying outside the church but even in churches. Today, some sick people cry to their family members to be carried to the actual venue of some religious permanent structures. Some ask for the picture of their religious leaders to be brought to them. And the devil would readily remove the sickness he placed on them as longer as they have agreed to worship man, or things created by man; in place of God. That way, the devil has succeeded in making them commit idolatry!
 Some people think that their answers to prayers cannot come until they have stepped onto the grounds of some physical building called "church-ground". We can see why God was careful to take Moses away and be buried in an "unknown site"? Because people can easily worship his tomb! The people perverted the ephod, thinking that was the actual God when they could no longer see Gideon to lead them rightly. The way that gold-project became a snare unto Israel; that is the same way church-domicile is gradually becoming a snare to people today. As churches cuddles and pampers her members' frailties; therefore the people are not challenged. The people are being encouraged unto inaction. And such inaction lead to nonproductive followers. As a result, a deadened audience. They hear the word but they are not changed by it. The potentials that should be deployed have been curtailed. Yet we assume that they are maximizing their potentials in ushering, protocols, choirs, children's ministries, et.al. The truth is : is there not much more? Is this all Jesus died and rose again for? The limitations is obvious. And it cannot be explained in one piece of writing. In the name of God, let my people go that they might serve me! Says the Lord!
We have made a mockery of the church. We have turned the service of God into an end in themselves. We do not emphasize service unto God! Oh my God! Since the people are not pushed into the holy of holies where they can encounter God for themselves; they have been spiritually handicapped. They are always in need of counselling or laying on of hands. They need the Pastors or they will not give birth in the hospital ward. It is a shame!
Sadly, because the people have somewhere to run to, [in guise of church], they do not bother running to the word of God. Little wonder, how the times of trials end many lives. We do not hear from many again after passing through tough times. Their faith is dead. And their lives become pseudo-living! Falsehood.It is because they were not trained or equipped to handle afflictions and persecution effectively. Such that when problems comes, they flee the faith deserting God! No one taught them to expect trials. Since, they were only taught in flimsy studies of "things" instead of the study of the Maker of all things! So what can brands and personal branding concepts yield to anyone in times of trouble? Nothing! It may yield living in a lie. Trying to appear in falsehood. Little wonder how a brother of low estate will live in pretense just to belong and be accepted. Suffering and smiling? Little wonder, we have a crashing economy within us. Could it be that some of the people who suffered mostly from recession were church folks!
It is because we have gradually shifted our focus from the central subject. The author and the finisher of our Faith. "The Christ of God".This is what the whole laws and prophets were pointing to.We cannot make the primary become secondary.This is a call to the church...that the people must be seriously taught about, in and on; the Christ! Then they must be released unto their destinies.
I am backing up to my opening text: "When they reached Jerusalem, they went to a room up in a house. Here lived Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon the freedom fighter, and Judas the son of James." [Acts 1:13 Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)].
"...to a room up in a house", that was where church went. That was where it began! And church has spread across the globe till date. However, we cannot remain in a room up in a house! We cannot stay in a room down in a house basement either! We have a mission to fulfill outside the religious place of worship. Out of the building in the name of Jesus!
Churches are springing up in form of cell-groups, home fellowships, band-meetings, and so on. Newly springing church rent a suite in a strip-mall. A church served with eviction notice and some forms of financial problems would quickly retire to a room in a house . This has been the order. It was the story of the disciples after ascension of Christ. But thank God for persecution! Persecution worked together for our good.

So what is your problem with the church?
I do not have any problem with mega-churches with big facilities or a church that is just budding. I do not hate any church operating from a room in a house. Whether in pretense or in truth, so long the gospel is preached. I delight in that. However, I have a problem with any church that decides to be resident! I want to see churches fulfill their divine mandate. The kingdom mandates is not a resident mandate! And I am going to expatiate on this further.
When the church will no longer open her dooors to the poor and the needy, you must know what happens. The non-profits organizations steps in. They help these folks. But they did not stopped there. They kicked off the church folks out of the structure, and/or the vision outrightly! So what happens next is that they acquire the entire vision and re-frame it. Since, he who plays the Piper dictates the tune, these Non-profits reform the church missions. And gradually the NGOs changed the name of every single mission they have ever taken over. The changed organization no longer carry the initial vision. The vision and mission statements get revised. The modus operandis changed. Such statements that tends to elucidate God, get removed. They shift the ancient landmarks. And they change the values to reflect anything outside of scripture. That way, the Jesus people have been kicked out! Anything but ministries will now do. They make it sound "cool". They said that the new name portray universality! They called it re-branding! I once worked for an organization like that. They changed the name and everything else followed suit. Right from the removal of the word: ministries, to the re-frame of the vision and mission statements. Some people can remember the stories of ceratin organizations like: Hope Ministries, Coop, etc. It was anything that portray ministry that got changed. Why because it is religious. If everything becomes rebranded, they are evidence that the church is losing grounds. And it is because the church shirks in her duties.
I remember an incident where I was negotiating a business and my partner on the other side of the table "struggled" back and forth on ownership. He was determined to hold on to 51 percent of the company stock simply because he feared that going 50/50 ratio will mean losing control. Now, why did he determined not to lose the control tower to myself? He was considering the danger in relinquishing a kingdom mandate into the hands of another "non-profit rascal". I laughed when i realized that. Of course, I understood his concerns.
Why is it that the church is gaining grounds, and at the same time, losing grounds? Why is it that the church is taking over but at the same time; relinquishing power in several other areas? Why are we winning souls, then losing souls? Why are we amassing crowd but we are not taking them through discipleship? Why are we launching out, then folding up? I think one of the reasons is because we have decided to stay "up in a room, in a house"...inside our comfy church four walls. This is why our productive capacity has been cut back. This is why our energy has depleted. Our muscles collapsed and we have not fully realized our full potentials.I keep asking: where are the greater works than these in His name?

"The essence of ACTION!" [Book excerpt from The Central Laws of Productivity].

Doing precedes teaching! This is evident in Acts 1:1 "All that Jesus began to do and to teach."
"He did those things until the day he was taken up to heaven..." (Acts 1:2).
However, we have empty speakers conning audience, coharsing money off the masses today. Yet they are doing nothing! We have seen numerical increase in church planting, without increase in impacts! We have seen numerical church growth with increased separation of our Faith from the "secular world".
Sadly, most people have given up on churches! And some feel that there is no God.
And what i tell such people is this: It is not that there is no God; but the people who are supposed to show you God have let Him [God] down! It is not that there is no power, the people who are meant to demonstrate the power of God that will make the world wonders are far asleep!
This is why there is need for action in our day. The essence of action is to show you the raw power of God. It is to point in the direction of the grand purpose of God for the church.
 "In many ways he [Jesus] proved to them..." (Acts 1:3). How many ways? In many ways! What did He prove? That He [Christ] has risen from the dead! "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."(1 Corinthians 15:20).
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Why did Jesus rise again? So that our redemption can be sealed. And much more for our justification.
What does it mean to be justified? "and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain." (1 Corinthians 15:14)."and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless;you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." (1 Corinthians 15:17-18).Still missing the purpose of Christ coming, the disciples asked the Christ a critical question: When they had come together, the apostles asked Jesus, `Lord, are you now going to set up the kingdom of Israel?'(Acts 1:6). Now, you cannot understand the meaning of this question the disciples asked Jesus if you did not meet Cleopas and his friend on their way to Emmaus. So let's back up and review the trip to Emmaus.
The Emmaus' Trip
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.  They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.  As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;  but they were kept from recognizing him.  He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked.“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;  but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.  In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning  but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.  Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." (Luke 24:13-26).
So what is it about this story concerning the trip to Emmaus? This is it: one of the greatest prayers a man must pray while on this planet earth is in Luke 24:45."Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." Why?Because you cannot understand the scripture and not take productive actions!
"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."(Psalm 119:130).
"Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools."(Proverbs 16:22).
Why will Jesus appear again and again to His disciples? Is it to merely prove a point? Is it for the sake of showing himself and his designer clothes? Is it to show his audience his designer suit on the pulpit? No! It is to open their understandings. Jesus appeared again and again to the disciples (just as the preachers of today appear every Sunday morning) so that they [disciples] may see the scriptures. Jesus wanted His disciples to know that He is the fulfillment of the law and prophets. He is the one that the scriptures was talking about. He is the one that even the angels longed to "look" into.
"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ"" (1 Peter 1:10-13).

A call to ACTION!
"Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action."(Acts 7:22).
This is a call to action. The man who God used was educated in all literature of his day. He would not fall for the crap of "i am anointed so i don't need to read", "I am called by God, so i wont stay under authority", or "I am being used by God, so i wont be accountable"
Please notice where Moses was learning his ministry.It was NOT in a theological school. [And i personally giggled at that statement]. Why because we have religion in our world today. Many people do not feel called and accepted until they have passed through certain seminary! Sadly, to see.Most of the greatest prophets of the scripture such as Elijah who called down fire and even went up into heaven in a chariots of fire never attended a Seminary. "As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind."(2 Kings 2:11).And as far as i know, his predecessor was even "bad". Can you believe that this guy by the name of Elisha died and his dead body even rose another dead man to life! Oh my God! It was as if Elisha said that there cannot be two dead men in one tomb. So, you go back to life and allow me to continue resting!"Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet" (2 Kings 13:21).
I am NOT against attending Seminary and theological schools. By the grace of God, i have attended and i am still going to attend more.Meanwhile i am saying this because of protegees and friends that comes to me asking my advice before they enroll in Theological schools. Just few days ago, my cousin came to seek my counsel on this same matter.And i told him go back to school. Get your Masters' degree and PhD if you can! You pick your Bible as you go through your study and devour it like a mad man.You will be more resourceful to God's kingdom that way. Meanwhile, you may leave seminary and totally backslide from following God. Thinking that you have seen it all. Why? because i have seen that happened to people. Not once or twice.

Activism and Productivity.
"Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly."
(1 Corinthians 15:49). But before we become translated and change into heavenly image; there are
assignments here on earth that God would have us do. This is why we must be productive. We must become a people of action. Not in rhetoric. But in deed! in Spirit and in Truth.I do not believe that the reason for Jesus's death and resurrection was to form a church. Even though the church is great! I love the church. I will never allow myself to be sandwiched into church. I will never allow myself to be swayed away by every winds of doctrines! The danger in that is this: It is possible to get carried away by the activities of church and you lose relationship with the King himself. We can lose sight of the grand picture very easily that way!
I want you to look back at history.Consider the times of Martin Luther King Jnr and you will see that the times the church commanded the world's respect mostly, were those times when the church folks stepped out of the four walls of their cathedrals [pause and ponder].This is why i continually say that this thing is beyond the four walls of any church! The church that really made a difference are the activism-oriented church. And the church that will be relevant in the days to come are not necessarily going to be; based upon their sizes or their brands. It will be those churches who understood the times and seasons, and they knew what Israel are to do per time. They are the sons of Issachar whose brethren will be at their command.
They are the uncommon people who are willing to risk all what they have been known for; in order to explore the mysteries of the kingdom of God. I am not talking about going out of order. I am speaking about walking according to the word of God, in fulfilling our divine mandates! God's word contains ACTIONS. It is an account or record of myth-breakers, "tradition shatter-ers" and "crazy" folks! Those guys were not necessarily perfect; but they were "bad"! They make you wanna be "a believer" indeed!
And if we will make a difference, or leave our footprints on the sands of time; our generation must embrace their principles! Can you imagine that Jesus had an activist among his disciples in the person of Simon the zealot or Simon the freedom fighter? Why did Jesus add such a radical to his team? I do not know. But i think, he did so to teach us something. We love to have people like us on our team. They have to be some "predictable yes-men"! Little wonder we are not making God kind of progress!
Of course, activism must be tailored into the new covenant purpose and ideals. Why because all forms of
activism derives their inherent roots from the rectitude of man. And this rectitude springs from the Christ of God. In order words, to be transformed is to be shaped. And to be shaped is to be reformed by Christ, to fight against certain things that will not allow men (other men like you) attain their divine end. For which reason are we saved? Are we not saved unto good works? Even though we were not saved by our good works. There cannot be a complete salvation of man, where after he has been saved; he sits down warming the church benches on all Sundays of the year. The word that goes inside of him would not remain dormant. The word of God is quick and sharper than any two edged swords. That word works! And it will work through you after working in you. This is the word of the Lord. Kingdom of God is not in meat and in drinking! Let us beware of perverting this purpose. We are not into child's play.
Now, why will activism be necessary to reach the society? Because the society have a preconcieved idea, or prejudiced notion of the church. They feel this is a certain way a church must look and appear. And you don't catch a fish by showing the sharp pointed edge of your hook in place of a worm! "Sorry i am not going to eat that!" says the fish.The soul we are sent to win are seeing the sharp end of our hook: condemnations, hatred, envy and more. When these things should not be named among us. In our midst, we are seeing rivalry, when every man should be running his own course. Little wonder the people we needed most are not showing up in our services. Few come in on Sunday mornings, and they never return until Easter or Christmas time. Why? Because we are showing them the sharp edge of our hook! Don't we have churches that spy on members when they attend their services today? Some churches run a criminal record checks on their members before they are accepted. Who else needs a church the most? We have churches that Google-up their member's name to know people by the hand of the flesh rather than through discernment. Do we have problems here? May be we just need some help from God? We cannot continue this way. And i know that everybody wants to be a part of something big. People wants something larger than life itself to wrap their lives around. This is why Jesus told the disciples that they must wait for the promise of the Father. Because we cannot achieve such weight of glory without the Holy Spirit! (Acts 1:8).

GOD WANTS YOU PRODUCTIVE!

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
“About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’So they went. “He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
“The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:8-16).

GO OUT!
You cannot run a business by staying indoor all day. Did you read how he went out, and he went out again in the story of the land owner above? Going out may be going online. Going out may be accessing information and executing online trading via the internet. It does not mean that you have to physically step out of your house or drive around the city. You must make contact with people before you can get things done. That contact could be virtual or real contact. In the age of information technology, we have been opportuned to go out without leaving our homes. We have been able to save gas/ fuel during transactions without getting to the financial institutions. We have been able to visit the banks from home. We have been able to do online banking and Forex tradings. So, there is no excuse not to "go out". Tell somebody: "go out!" The world is waiting. Go out! The harvest is ripe! Go out the earnest expectation of the creation awaits your manifestations! Launch out! Opportunity is waiting for your appearance!
Now, someone may be asking: "where should i go?"-- Anywhere there is people! Anywhere there is information! Anywhere you can connect. Go where people live, work, play, eat, hang-out, etc. There are lots of opportunities out there.
Use the social networking websites to your advantage. Don't just join Facebook, Linkedin, Tweeter, et.al. for the fun of it. Do not sign up without a mission. Some people have not learnt to maximize Facebook, they are running to sign up on Tweeter. You must maximize all opportunities to be online! Go online and look for a coach, a trainer that can help you. Look for business associates, partners, etc. There are people with similar interests. Are you talking with them? Spend your time on connecting around something of mutual benefits. Spend your online time productively. Do not waste the whole day asking how are you from all your contacts! They are fine! That is why you can see them online! Do not waste your time on irrelevant conversations. Go online and work! Stop chatting away your time unnecessarily. If you are bored, read! Invest into yourself through acquisition of information. If you can, contribute to someone's productivity. And ask for how you can help them. Do not be afraid to request for some help if you need it. Strive to become productive. Look for people who  are smarter than you. Build a community of online genius around yourself. Remember that you will eventually end up like your association!

SELL SOMETHING!
Engage in online business. Work from home. Trade from where you are right now. If possible, recruit sales team for yourself. Try to create something that is worth selling. Help other people sell their products and services. Just sell something! Why? because everybody is hawking something. Some folks are hawking ideas (CEO's). Some people are hawking their own bodies (Prostitution). Some people are hawking their ministry/ churches ( Clergymen). Some people are hawking their organizations (Investors). Some people are selling their research (Professors). Some people are selling law and legal services (Lawyers). Some people are hawking their association (Non-profit organisations). You keep buying from everybody. You keep paying other people but what is it you are earning from? What is it you are hawking? Your product does not have to sell massively overnight. You may not become a bestseller immediately. Your services may not be rushed overnight. But keep at it. Stay there. Believe in it. Be consistent. Improve on it. And within some period of time, you will start earning too! I am selling my books, i am hawking my ideas, my training programs are available for sale, my Mentorship program is available. My advertisement services are available. My movie scripts, presentations/speeches are for sale. My broadcasting services is for sale, etc. What is it you are selling?