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"WHO PUSHED ME!" PART TWO Research reveals that humans do not even use up to ten percent of their potentials throughout their lifetime. Respected Russian scholar, Ivan Yefemren has said that each and every one of us has the ability to learn forty languages and memorize an entire set of encyclopedia from A to Z, among other things! Wow! All this goes to show the limitlessness of the human potential when there is a "push." This push may come from people whose actions you do not find palatable or helpful in the present. This push may come from a person who truly believes in you like Sonya Carson did to the renowned neurosurgeon, who separated the Miranda twins, Ben Carson. This push could be a book or an article – like the one you are reading now or it could be circumstances. This push could be anything! Any virtue that is to be developed in you can only grow in the soil of opposite circumstances. For instance, if the virtue of long suffering is to be develope...

There is the story of a king who had only one daughter whom he cherished and wanted to give out in marriage. He made an announcement to eligible suitors to show up in his palatial mansion for a contest. The winner, the king said would not only have his beautiful daughter for a wife but would also have a third of the kingdom and a third of the king’s personal estate. On hearing this announcement, bachelors and even married men showed up for the contest! In fact, men from other villages were part of the contestants jostling for the king’s reward. It was the D-Day already and you could see at least 300 suitors. The king came out to address the burgeoning crowd at exactly 10:30 am, thus: “Welcome young men into my humble abode; I have a little test for you all and whoever passes it gets the reward earlier announced. Come with me!” The men, eagerly followed the king; some of them running with enthusiasm. They finally got to a swimming pool at the back of the king’s mansion where the king...

LEGAL RESTRICTION ON THE CHILD RIGHTS ACT’S ENFORCEMENT; MYTH OR REALITY? Children from Africa are faced with a plethora of challenges; including but not limited to poverty, malnutrition, lack of access to basic healthcare, malnutrition, inter alia. In Nigeria, the Child Rights Act, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as the CRA) addresses these issues. Indeed, it contains laudable provisions which provides for and protects the Nigerian child, including adoption, fostering, maintenance and guardianship. Notwithstanding, there seems to be one snag with its implementation; only 28 states (as at June 2010) have enacted their respective Child Rights Laws. Despite persuasions and pressures from Non-Governmental Organizations, other states are yet to enact its provisions. This has led to the widespread view that the enforcement of the rights of a child will be impossible in those states that have not enacted provisions on the rights of the Nigerian child.      ...

ON SILENCE AND SACRIFICE (PART 3) In the orbit of divine matters, intensely religious people devote special time to commune with God through meditation. But a lot of history figures did this too. Chief Obafemi Awolowo did it. Mahatma  Gandhi used to do this. Abraham Lincoln, the 16 th president of the United States and a lawyer who  bequeathed an indestructible legacy to the legal profession and society did. There is a story that when he went to the church in Washington D.C., he used to sit in a small chapel behind the church and  some children wondered who the tall, lonely man was. One Sunday, they followed his foot-marks in the soil and they ended at the White House! So much did Lincoln seek solitude to be alone on his own. Each of us need moments of solitude; “times to stand and stare.” It helps to focus our minds and to concentrate on spiritual values. Even Jesus is portrayed in the gospels as withdrawing from his disciples into solitude. In his angui...

CAN MAN EVER BE PERFECT? (PART TWO)  In the last post, I concluded that even though man is weak, God’s intention is that man should be perfect. When man looks at his inward man, not his physical being (the earthen pot subject to fragility); then he will find that perfection is actually his maker’s intention for him. It is a gratia gratis data (gift freely given to him by God.)  So I do not sound esoteric or vague, I will recommend that you spend a good chunk of your daily time developing your spirit man- Activities like prayer and studying the bible will definitely help and provide you that inner compass or guidance. When God created the fishes, he had to speak to the seas. He spoke to the fishes to bring out creeping creatures. It follows that no fish can be ever perfect when taken outside its natural habitat (water.) For instance, when you put a fish on land, you know that it can be deformed because that is against its make-up. Again, when God cre...

CAN MAN EVER BE PERFECT? I am writing on one issue that has probably crossed your mind at one point or the other. It has to do with perfection; “Can a man’s character- his consistent way of behaving- be ever perfect?” You may have thought, “I have my shortcomings” and the more I try to be “error-free” the more disappointed I get. If this is your thought pattern, know that you are not alone in this. Paul, the renowned New Testament lawyer puts the point beautifully when he remarks that “We are no better than pots of earthen wares to contain this treasure.” Clearly, we are pots; In fact, mere earthen ware pots; fragile and weak, very easily broken. And this pot of ours takes a leaking every now and then. However, as odd as this may sound, we should not get complacent with this reality. We should be contented with who God has made us to be; never complacent. There is a distinction between the two and I hope to explain in subsequent posts. We must not get complacent with o...

ON SILENCE AND SACRIFICE (Part 2) Studying the biographies of the movers and shakers of this world- living and dead- i see that most of them find one way or the other to engage in solitary activities for a considerable number of hours daily. Some do this through prayer, thinking, reading, meditation, visualization, affirmations and so on. It could be in the early hours of the morning or evening or late at night. But for many of us, reverse is the case, we do not even want to nurture our friendships with our selves so we tend to avoid those alone moments. Some of us resort to chatting with friends, others through loud music when we are alone. Now, do not get me wrong; these are not bad in themselves; I’m only saying that there is more to be explored. Just turn off the television and the phones and travel deep down within you for that is where your great treasure lies. Even Jesus Christ admitted that the "kingdom" is within you not outside of you.