Walking home yesterday, I saw a lady sorting out the bread she carried on her tray. I stood and watched her accounting for them with care and such faithfulness, using financial principles not from Harvard but from the streets of experience. It brought Jumoke’s story to mind, a celebrity bread seller.

I am sure you heard the story of the bread seller turned model making headline last week. If you didn’t, relax.

It was about a lady (Jumoke Orisaguna) who sells bread in the streets of Lagos, and by providence, she walked into a street photo shoot session by celebrity photographer Ty Bello and got captured alongside the main act. That shot turned out to be a major hit as it went viral with her story.

Today she has a modeling contract, grazed the cover of a magazine and was unveiled as an ambassador of Stanbic IBTC Bank. She moved from being an unknown bread vendor on the street to gaining national prominence as a model within days. I heard a special interview with CNN is in line. Wow!!

Naturally, our first response hearing such a story would be, “God, I connect to that miracle” or “How I wish I was that lucky.. She was just so fortunate”

While I don’t have any issue against that action or thought, I have a problem when most people fail to see the basic lessons for us to learn from her bread to fame story.

What are those things we can pick from this touching story of grace and help us in our life’s journey?

1. Don’t stay idle.
Be about your plans or vision regardless of the level it is now, as you don’t know from whom or where help will come from. Sadly, some of us, even graduates are getting too lazy. We just sit waiting for white collar jobs, not using our imagination to learn a trade, acquire a skill or start up a business. It is more honorable to do this than being idle. The interesting thing is education helps one do a seemingly odd job with class and professionalism. We look down on opportunities too often. If Jumoke had not moved about her business, we won’t have been singing her praise. So, sell your “bread” today!

2. You may have been knocked down, don’t stay down. Jumoke’s story goes back to her days as an apprentice in a tailoring shop who could not get a shop of her own due to lack of funds. She did the brave thing: look for an alternative and move on.

Most of us get too rigid with life and resist change. If a plan is not working, know when to stop and re-direct yourself. Change the path but not the decision to arrive at your destination.

3. In order to locate Jumoke, questions had to be asked of people in that area.

Ensure you are known around your space for any skill or service you offer or render. It makes for easy referrals. Use your social media platform and sell yourself.

4. Notice how she expertly balanced the bread stack on her head and her poise. Always carry yourself well, not proudly, but with a sense of confidence and relaxed belief. People are quick to judge by appearance, so take advantage of their expectation.


It can take a day to change your state. Trust God, be faithful in your business as you may never know when the opportunity will come knocking.


Your bread is that which you can do (service or ability) and I suggest you should get to the street of life and start selling.

Finally, the main reason for the shoot was not even celebrated that much. It goes to show how life can just work in your favour without you knowing as you journey your way.



Cheers!



source: http://peterkajovo.com/we-should-all-sell-bread/

Biko what kind of buredi?

Location is a key too. What was the possibility of this chance occurence happening occuring outside lagos?
Say in the north , or in the south? practically , nil.

Hope she negotiated the terms of her contract seriously (under the guide of an experience lawyer) ,to avoid being cheated blind.

Agege.. lol

ismokeweed:
Biko what kind of buredi?

It is not the literal bread I meant in the post. It can happen in different ways and that is the beauty of life. Lagos is good but it can happen anywhere I think

I expect Ty Bello to help in that regard and guide

asalimpo:
Location is a key too. What was the possibility of this chance occurence happening occuring outside lagos?
Say in the north , or in the south? practically , nil.

Hope she negotiated the terms of her contract seriously (under the guide of an experience lawyer) ,to avoid being cheated blind.

What about that bike rider in the background? The guy looks confident on his bike na

kajo:
It is not the literal bread I meant in the post. It can happen in different ways and that is the beauty of life. Lagos is good but it can happen anywhere I think

I expect Ty Bello to help in that regard and guide

In theory, It can happen anywhere. In reality, that's not the case. Only in enterprenuerial hubs. Of which Lagos is the only one we have, in a cosmopolitan sense.

I get your point

asalimpo:

In theory, It can happen anywhere. In reality, that's not the case. Only in enterprenuerial hubs. Of which Lagos is the only one we have, in a cosmopolitan sense.

Hehehe.. I think Charlie Boy signed him

mithras:
What about that bike rider in the background? The guy looks confident on his bike na

We can all try to be this Jimoke lady but as you rightly said its providence. It was totally random, a chance an act of luck. There are millions of bread sellers some who are even more good looking, nicer and more articulate in the art and trade of bread selling but as fate would have it, Jimoke was the one to reach there first. There are even bread and confectionery bakery owners who haven't had such providence You can try your best its not just going to be good enough without luck.

Well said

omarithmetics:
We can all try to be this Jimoke lady but as you rightly said its providence. It was totally random, a chance an act of luck. There are millions of bread sellers some who are even more good looking, nicer and more articulate in the art and trade of bread selling but as fate would have it, Jimoke was the one to reach there first. There are even bread and confectionery bakery owners who haven't had such providence You can try your best its not just going to be good enough without luck.