The rain that fell in the days of our fore-fathers still falls today, the cloud is not different; it is about what we make out of it.

Today, I should be quoted for saying a man’s ultimate mission in life is not to compete with people in their fields, it is to compete with himself and make the best out of his situation. After all, a lion is not meant to rule in the river, a fish is not to be the king of the jungle and the birds do not fight for a place in the holes. A man cannot achieve a feat meant for another, and if one man tries to run through others’ track in the noble race of life, he gets disqualified and lives the life of no relevance.

The ignorance of the above is probably the reason while many tend to come, see, but end their sojourn without the ability to conquer. I have come to realize that a man tends to give all it takes to achieve the exploit meant for another at the expense of his own noble dreams. The reason for this is not far-fetched, they either look upon their ultimate assignment as nothing, some, out of blotted foresight think a particular field is much more recognized than theirs, while the last are those without the mind of their own; they dance to the tune others play for them.

We are in the 21st century where everything has changed. Gone were those days when one can firmly beat his chest and say age is equal to experience. Now, it is a new rhythm, age may be equal to exposure to several occurrences, but the ability to learn one or two lessons from those numerous circumstances make one an experienced person. Invariably, where a man of eighty (80) years had witnessed several incidents and he has little or no lesson to learn from them, he may be placed below a youth of twenty five (25) years who has witnessed a little with several lessons to learn from it where experience is a requirement.

Everybody dreams big. The role model of every youth aspiring for a political office is Abraham Lincoln, for those who want to turn activist, they eye the records of Martin Luther King Jnr, young writers want to turn the Wole Soyinka of tomorrow and one need not get surprised when all football loving kids claim to be Ronaldo or Messi. No, I am not saying it is wrong to dream big and there is definitely no error in setting out to achieve the dreams by having a role model, but all seems wrong when we turn to the slave of our desires and long to be the carbon copy of a celebrated pace-setter.

I have the strong conviction that there is no scintilla of limitation to what a man can achieve if he sets his mind on it. Charles H. Duel once said all that could be invented has been invented. Yet, new discoveries and inventions proved him wrong. If Lincoln had set to be another Leonardo Da Vinci, we may not have reckoned with the highly-placed leader, if Lord Denning had shelved his potentials to make himself the new Isaac Newton, the time-honoured dictums of the father of law might be missing today, If Wole Soyinka had longed after being another Thomas Edison, the noble laureate might have been missing in the African continent. But with the zeal to live a life of relevance, Leonardo Da Vinci comes to mind when one talk about a great artist, Isaac Newton’s law of motion remains in science, the invention of Edison can never be forgotten in history while the legally sound utterances of Lord Denning echo throughout the globe. The sky is spacious enough for a million stars to shine at a time. Do not limit yourself; do not hide behind other’s achievement. You are not a local champion.

The questions are, when will all man recognize the need to stop placing limitation on their selves? When are we going to stop chasing shadows all in the name of ambitions? There is a limitation to how far one can achieve when one gets modelled after another man’s life, but there is no constraint to what a man can be only if he can be himself. As far as no man is born ungifted, no job is insignificant and change remains a constant thing, the several people in the world can all get celebrated if we discover our potentials and make good use of it. I once met someone who told me he left his hair not barbed because a renowned writer does the same, while someone once sees no value in education because Micheal Jackson made it with no single degree. What a twisted perception. A victory is worth celebration only if it comes with its glory, a success premised on being another man at the expense of one’s purpose in life is like the coronation of a king without crown. It comes with little or no value.

The best person a man can be is himself, being the next man might yield regret. There can only be one Einstein, there can be no other Aristotle, Martin Luther King has no replacement, and no other Fela will come after the one we knew. Trying to be like any of them at the expense of one’s dream and purpose of existence can only make one second to them notwithstanding the efforts. However, with ease, a diligent effort towards one’s dream, one can be a hero the world wants to celebrate and make a name everyone wants to answer.
You were born little... Please do not die little.

Hidentity is an African

you are my son from now on...

Noted