Anne Mmeje

This comment from Kingsley in response to this post inspired me so much that I am posting it as an entry of its own. I reproduced it to a great extent. Thanks to Kingsley and to all those contributing to this blog. Lets’ join together and be a force for good. Lets be inspired to change our communities, one block at a time!

“Anne, just stopped by today after a very long absence from your blog and I must say I am impressed by your blog contents. They really inspire. Linda ikeji is a success story today. She is celebrated and am sure can never be poor if she manages her finances well but many would only see the choice cars and luxury vacation trips she goes on, not bothering to find out how much hard work it takes to keep her blog at number one. Many don’t even bother to find out her earlier battles with life, what and what she did before she became successful blogger. There is a favorite clip which DSTV extracted from the AMVCA(African movies viewers choice awards) of Veteran actor Olu Jacobs where he was making a speech after receiving an award; in Olu Jacobs voice ‘if you dont succeed the first time, you try, try, try and try again’!. Those words struck and have stuck with me ever since.

Nigeria is blessed with both human and natural resources but we boast of one of the highest levels of unemployment in this part of the world. Our population alone is enough incentive to any one who decides to be an entrepreneur. All you need do is identify a need and then channel your efforts to meet that need. We mustn’t all be employed by blue chip multinationals or banks or oil companies. Who even says we must be employees and not the employers. I feel Nigerians should borrow a leaf from the Chinese. In china almost every house hold is producing something. We should all try to learn to meet a need in this country. I always tell my friends that Agriculture alone should keep most of our unemployed generation busy. I am currently employed but I want to start a Plantain farm. Nigerians love plantain and its also not that cheap in the market. The crop is so naturally blessed that a plantain farm re-invents itself from one generation to another. Once the parent tree dies another springs up naturally. We have the fish ponds, poultry farming, snail farming just to mention a few. We must not all do white collar jobs. There is also the get rich quick syndrome amongst the current generation. The road to success is slow, rough but sure. Patience is hugely required.

I will say to most of our unemployed today to take their destiny into their hands, learn a skill and be self employed. Do your research well, define your target market and work hard. If it seems you are not succeeding, keep trying. If you try, and try and try again, am telling you, you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our destiny is in our hands and we must learn to take it! Keep up the good work Anne, and am sure your good work is not going unnoticed.”