Unfolding the New Nigeria

Hi Visitors,Find below the formal invitation to the New Nigeria Club launch coming up on New Year day culled from www.deoluakinyemi.com 

Someone called me today, and said…”Deolu, pele, you must be over over busy, I can see you have not updated your site in quite a while”, the reality is, I have been extremely busy, but busy doing good things and we have had a lot of good news in the past few days.

Before I feed you with the details of the good news, let me use this opportunity to invite all my friends and visitors on www.deoluakinyemi.com to the official launch of New Naija Club, aka New Nigeria Club, on the 1st of January, 2008; 3:00pm-5:00pm at the Ballmoral Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja Lagos. This is an opportunity for you, not only to start out your new year on a powerful note, but to be part of a great new beginning for Nigeria.

 The New Nigeria Club has been in it’s prelaunch phase for 4 weeks now, and the response has been phenomenal. It has left people wondering what else is there to launch as they feel it’s launched already. But you just make yourself available on the 1st of January, and it will become quite clear to you, that we haven’t started at all.Key features of the January 1 event include short bursts about the New Nigeria by Prof Pat Utomi, Niyi Adesanya, Fela Durotoye, Gbenga Sesan, Rev (Mrs) George, and my humble self (Adeolu Akinyemi). It’s also featuring Sound Sultan, and some budding musical artists. Based on agreements to partnership we have secured with law enforcement agents, we’ll be having short talks from representatives of EFCC and the Nigeria Police Force.

Come January 1, we’ll also be unveiling the mega bank, that has entered into big time partnership with the New Nigeria Club. As I write, we are also concluding negotiations on getting representations from the Federal Government, Ministry of Youth and Sport and National Orientation Agency and the Lagos State Government.

One outstanding thing I have observed in the last 4weeks of NNC prelaunch is favour. Every organization we have gone to meet, every agency we have enlisted the support of, and every organization we have sought to partner with have responded in the affirmative. I called the MD of a bank I have no relationship with and he gave me an immediate appointment, everything we need is just surfacing one way or the other, it’s been awesome.

Guess there is nothing you can do to an idea whose time has come. One other thing that has dazed me is how some organizations hear the idea and suddenly begin to suggest ways to support us to blow the idea bigger than we are seeing it. It is really true that in the beginning of any sustainable epidemic, the first buyers and carriers of the vision are either visionaries, innovators or salesmen.

Next year is a few days ahead, and my calendar for the year is almost filled. Is it the Abuja event that promises to host the president? Is it the planned meeting by the police force for us to see and address about 25,000 police officers? Or is it the fully sponsored events in the 36 states of NIgeria? Or is it the fact that one organization is showing their willingness to sponsor thousands of Nigeria Students to join the club with an option of giving employment based on the clubs recommendation? Or is it a reality show that is featuring top Nigerian artistes and training them to be New Nigeria ambassadors? Next Year is Loaded, and it can be for you too. Start the Year on a high note… Join New Nigeria Club today…. and come for January 1 event and invite your friends… RSVP

The Strand I Could Not Fix

Like fog in the morning, the spirit of Christmas had vanished. Still, I shuffled in the garage. One by one, I retrieved the bins I’d stored the previous Christmas. While the aroma of sugar cookies wafted through the air and Silent Night played in the background, I began the decorating.

Placing the nativity scene as the focal point of our family room, I spread the rest of the decorations around the house: red and green candles, musical boxes with winter scenes, and bright red poinsettias framed with green garland adorned with burgundy, velvet bows. They all transformed our home into a lively winterland.

Next, I retrieved three stockings to fill the marked places above the fireplace; each embroidered with our sons’ names: Jason, Jeff, and Joe . Once Jason and Jeff’s were hung, with tears burning my eyes, I clutched Joe ’s against my chest.

The empty stocking sears my heart. It’s been five years since the Lord called Joe home. Five years that Joe ’s absence left an emptiness we can almost touch. And five years that God’s grace wiped away portions of the grief that flogged our hearts. But often, it’s the scorching pain that opens our eyes to a bigger picture.

Years ago, when our three sons, including Joe , were still young, I focused on providing a perfect Christmas; a perfect tree to wrap a perfect celebration. As a result, little things tended to roil in me such as a light strand that refused to shine because of a burned bulb. Annoyed at the glitch, I promptly set off to resolve it -I fussed, I rearranged, plugged and unplugged until frustration grew hot in me.

How foolish and silly. I focused on that one bulb, dismissing the glow of the star atop the Christmas tree. I’d done the same with light bulbs that burned in my life-from broken relationships to shattered plans. Exerting tons of energy trying to fix them, I missed the star– the one that gave significance to my life.

When that void in our heart aches to be filled, it’s the star of comfort that makes it whole. When bitter sorrow robs the spirit of Christmas, it’s the star of His genuine love that whispers joy. When a health diagnosis shakes our world, it’s the star of reassurance that shines the certainty of new tomorrow’s. It’s the same star that never loses the brilliance of hope, incomprehensible hope, one we can only embrace when all strands of life burn out.

With eyes focused on the star, I hang Joe ’s stocking along with his brothers’; not empty anymore-but filled with sweet memories–his wit, laughter, his hugs and kisses.

For that reason, God called it His “Morning Star” to dispel our darkness, dry our tears and repair strands we cannot fix.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janet Perez Eckles is an author and national speaker.