TILL THE LAST SECOND!!!



TILL THE END!!!


I suddenly began to remember how many times I was on the verge of losing a spotlight, or missing a great deal of award, or being considered not-serious just because of being weary of waiting to the last minute. The series of events and lessons thought me that it is not over until it is all over.


After the hustling and bustling that later ended up to be a miraculous journey to World Universities Debating Championship Malaysia 2015, I appreciated doggedness and perseverance for once. We had been grossly disappointed by those who were to pay our flight ticket, hence, we combed the hives and castles of Abuja, passionately seeking for a way forward to ensure a passion never dies that way. The hope of an outcome was almost being strangled by successive disappointments at every Legislative resident in Apo Quarters we dared to Visit, even the Senate president’s (Sen. David Mark). Just so close to the end of sustained hope came the Alert from school, that our plea had been considered and account credited. Eureka!!! I Screamed!!! What if I had given up the push before that day?


….. The Disappointments of cancelled reservations pending payment…, The Rush to make the dead-minute-flight-payment…, The Eventual rush to the airport from Abuja to Lagos,. The eventual Journey from Nigeria to Malaysia. Hmm T’was all threatened by the urge to give up when it was desperately hopeless. Alas!!! Into the dark night of the eastern world we arrived finding our way to the Hotel from the train station.


Passionately, I enlisted for the Public Speaking competition amidst tiredness and efforts to settle from the days 3Round of Debates. I spoke in the Preliminaries just hoping to make an impact. I forgot about it considering the multitude of competitors who had the humor I lacked, and the friends I never had. However, I believed in experience being a way to learn and influence not being just about winning.

The Break night suddenly came (the night to announce the 48/500 teams that got to the Knock out stage for debate, and the 11/200 individuals or more that got to the public speaking finals.), All my friends and Co-Nigerians decided to go touring the city rather than to the venue for the Party/Break Release, knowing that definitely we aint got the might to even qualify for either the debate or Public Speaking Knockouts. However, I had the inner craving to differ
and to celebrate with the ‘good, exceptional fellows’ whom we fear we never matched up to.

Gbagam!!!! The announcements began, teams screaming for Joy as they were mentioned, ….Country folks celebrating their co-citizens who were able to make it, individuals being lifted by their friends for making the Public Speaking Finals, while I could only smile and wish that faith could put my name in the lips of the Adjudicator. SUDDENLY!!!!, just as I was about to leave the hall, The name that sounds Igbotic was mentioned OBIYO DANIEL…… I couldn’t fathom if I was the one, hence I went back to confirm and learnt that Twas just me who bore that name…. In tears of Joy I giggled, and praised God for helping me wait till that end and not giving up.

What if I never went there, what if I had left after some names where called? There was no one to celebrate me in that vicinity, neither was there anyone who knew me enough to inform me of the outcome! I would have missed out in abject ignorance.


…As the finals drew near, we were given a general but technical topic for the Final presentation. I thought as deep as I could, as wide as I felt, as narrow as I opined yet, I slept without a good story nor content to present. Prayerfully closing my eyes and waking hours later with deep calmness of heart, I sat on the table, by the window, prayerfully trusting God, I looked out thru the trees and natural environment. Suddenly the inspiration came, the idea grew, and the revelation was so strong.


Being called in for the competition, I understood that we were only 2 Africans at the finals. Myself and one of the most adored African Public Speaking Champion- Samuel Muleya. They Spoke, I Spoke, We spoke and I Prayed. An hour later, awards were being giving, starting from the debate rounds, to the Public Speaking rounds , as grace would have it , the First runner up for the public speaking finals was mentioned and we all clapped, expecting the trend to continue favouring the Whites, then unexpectedly ,the first runner up was mentioned – OBIYO DANIEL!!! I couldn’t help but fall on my knees, Thanking God for helping me break that jinx and making it at last.


The ultimate questions ran thru my mind again!!!
What if we gave up after the flight was not paid for?
What if we left Lagos after all the disappointments by statesmen?
What if I gave up the willingness to Speak after arriving a day after the competition had begun?
What if I had gone shopping, thinking I could never make it at the Break?
What if I had left in anger when some names had been called without my name being mentioned?
What if I had given up thinking and praying after I couldn’t get a content for the finals?
What if I had stayed in my room during the Award presentation, doubting the possibility of being mentioned a champion?


Sometimes, things turn so bad along the way that we feel giving up is an option. Sometimes we think pulling out is honorable, because we fear an embarrassment that may never come. I have met Dr. Confidence Uju Okorie, Engr. Ibrahim Ogundeko Adewale, and a host of many mentors of mine, whose success stories had been built on extra seconds of hope and Perseverance for a possible success. I have heard also of a lot of people who as well just lost hope 2secs before the finish line. And in tears of regrets they live, wishing they could have added 1 more stroke!!


Success lies in you, never give up on any attempt until you’ve manifested the greatness designed for that scenario. Sometimes we go to church late, yet run out before everybody even when the last blessing is about to be shared. Many have lost opportunities of divine encounter just because of not waiting to the end!!


Patience pays if greatness must be attained!
Perseverance is the key if Jinx must be broken.
Just One more stroke, you will make it.
It’s never over until it is ALL OVER!
Occupy till I Come!
Learn to wait till the end!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE BRAIN: POWERFUL DETERMINANT FOR ACTIVATION OF POTENTIALS

Image
The brain is the number one evidence and epitome of gabbage in gabbage out. I have heard some people say "Oh if I read this for a long time, my brain will explode. Lol, sweetheart that is super untrue.  Research has it that, only 2% of the human brain has been used 98% remains mostly  unused, so there ain't an explosion that comes from maximizing the brains capacity. Our brain weighs 1.4 kilogram and suprisingly has 14 billion nerve cells, so it has the ability to contain large stock of information, larger that has ever been stuffed into anyone's brain.  A great research was made by some neurosurgeons in their bid to understand the capacity of the human brain. This research was carried out with two categories of brains which were : The brain of a freshly dead professor and that of an illiterate who left his brain dormant. It took pretty time to do this great comparism and GUESS WHAT!!!🤩🤭😌😁😁😁 There  was no difference between the brains when compared in te
Read more

BURST THAT COCOON ( BTC )

Image
D BROKEN SILENCE!!!! Some 8years ago , I feared standing up in the midst of a crowd not to talk of speaking to them. The irony about the issue was that i always had a succinct idea that i believed was needful to place this aright, but i always squabble in fear and let my mouths get sealed up. She got into trouble because i found it difficult to say a word and prove her guiltless. I got bullied a couple of times because my silence made them feel I was configured to be maltreated. I missed bonus marks in the class, not because I didn't know the answer to the "seemingly tough question" but because i just kept silence about my knowledge , feeling so timid to say my mind. Amidst this years people kept on telling me, don't worry its just the best way to be - SILENT, I felt worst when I noticed in my small veil- covered mind that even those who spoke made no difference. I never knew that a word fitly spoken can turn tides even if not immediately . The whole scene kept
Read more
Image
 Part 1: The Foundation of Personal Leadership   Welcome to our series on Building Personal Leadership! True leadership starts from within. John C. Maxwell's had this to say about leadership- "Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge." To take care of those in your charge, you need to have the capacity to understand their unique needs and challenges. You need to be steps ahead of them to understand their fears, worries, concerns and thereby provide relevant answers to their questions. Leaders who exert impact in the life of others are leaders who lead from personal experiences and who first invest in personal leadership. You can not give what you don’t have. If you attempt to do so, you will only feed them theories and leave them clueless on how to practice them. People stick to leaders who are masters at leading themselves. Hence, in your leadership journey, the best place to start is PERSONAL LEADERSHIP.
Read more