The local adage ‘’Big man, Big wahala’’ was not said to make mediocrity appear more justified or stop the ambition of anyone; it’s merely a truth, enlightening people on the responsibilities associated with ambition/power. Few months ago, I was privileged to see President Buhari’s official photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo, at an event taking pictures. Gosh! Anyone would marvel at the way he handled the camera with so much dexterity and passion, it was visible that his career in photography had not begun yesterday (and that he had worked very hard to get to where he is now). I may not know the whole story behind Bayo’s career, but one thing I’m sure of is this- he was someone who was prepared for his opportunity when it came. It’s often depressing when we think that we are yet to get that dream job or big break; but we fail to acknowledge the fact that we may not even be prepared for that opportunity, even if it dropped on our laps this minute. Supposing you got the opportunity to work for that ‘big company’, what would you have to offer? Or if by chance, you were a benefactor of one of the many ‘’get-rich-quick’’ promos for customers of blue-chip firms in Nigeria; would you make informed choices of investment? I once had an interview with one of the Managing Partners of a thriving Human Resource Consulting Firm in Africa (Farida Sanusi of Global Profilers) and she asked me point-blank, “What can you do?” Since then I ask myself that same question often, as a way of monitoring my growth (and when I answer that question, I include another- “Can you do it well?”). As humans we tend to take up a passive role in the attainment of our dreams, waiting for “it” to happen and forgetting that without first preparing the land, we cannot expect rainfall to produce a harvest. We may be unaware of the exact time or whether or not that big break will come; but the worst mistake would be not to prepare adequately for it. When opportunity meets an unprepared man, he finds himself in the pool of regret; but when opportunity meets preparedness… the rest is history. # wordsonmarble