Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Failing Forward By Ena Ofugara

 I done already title my autobiography FAILING FORWARD, which encapsulates what my life and many people's life story is. I dey read about Steve Jobs that owns APPLE and many times they sacked him from a company he built. He was broke more times than u wld believe, yet till date, when an Apple product is released, people queue up and fight to BUY...not free...to Buy them. He kept on and on even as he failed and must have been laughed at. 
I just felt like sharing my thoughts and situation that failing does not make you a failure. Again FAILING DOES NOT MAKE YOU a FAILURE. 
My dad told me "odjo Oro e riye, ka ro oma ere gboro Oro e" (when someone falls, it does not mean he should now  keep rolling on the floor) which means keep trying to get up.
Also a friends dad Igbunu Onosode told me what has been a recurring decima in my headl "the wheels keep turning".
I have taken many detours in my life and each one has broadened my horizon. I wrote an article on my blog "broken roads" and many have been inspired by it.
Is life hard? YES...even for billionaires.

 Is poverty a sin? NO. Elijah begged a widow for her last morsel. How low can it be for a man to beg a widow food? Pretty low I say. Did it make Elijah a sinner or a failure? NO. It was a phase, a design in a large tapestry called life.
The "sin" in poverty is in not trying. Not working hard despite perceived failures. Jesus says "he who does not work, let him not eat"
So I encourage myself and everyone else...even if you be down on your luck, to work hard, raise your chin up. be proud in the garri you are soaking, even if u do not have sugar. Ejiro Jalogho an ajebutter who came to live with me in Lagos, came with snooker sticks, expensive perfumes etc. @Dudu Tetsola and I laughed and said "he never ready to hustle Lagos. I left to Gordons hotel and stayed for 3 days and handsome Ejiro who ran out of money and as I wasn't home saw the garri and sugar I kept. He had never soaked garri in his life. His dad hold pieces, that is has money. Nobody taught Ejiro how to put water and mix the garri. Now as he was about to put Sugar, the sugar fell. He drank the garri like that..sugarless.

 When I came home, he told me the story, that his mom refused for them to drink garri cos it spoils eyesight she said. Ejiro looked at a distant billboard and told me "Ena, na now I dey see clear pass. I dey see that far billboard. Make I read am for you?" Dudu Tetsola and I laughed till we cried. But indeed ejiro saw a lot clearer with the garri. I termed it "garri-assisted vision". He was able to see a clear path in modeling and along with Uti and Ajibade his look-alike are sought-after models in Lagos. 

Ejiro has come here to America and the same story is repeating itself somewhat as he finds his feet. 
Poverty is no sin. Failure to work and laziness is. There is so much scriptures on the sluggard and the slumberer. But as long as u try, as long as u keep keeping on. As long as while u "hustle" you "look to the east from whence cometh your help" God will bless the works of your hand and prosper you.
I will say it a thousand times I AM BLESSED. I was blessed in Uniben plus the stress and wahalas, I was blessed  thru sojourn in Lag with Alibaba, Basketmouth, Alec, Kefee Gordons, Fragrance Don Pedro, Raymond Dokpesi etc. I was blessed with DnI's David and Isaiah Iteire and Adaz and Bclean and Snoop Damager at Magodo with swimming pool and Sauna flexing. I was blessed in Ketu struggling with Longjohns. I am blessed in America even when I had no car awaiting buses and trains in snow. I am blessed now typing this. I will still remain blessed even if Obama says this morning "Ena leave my America to ur Ekpan village".

 Because I do not count my success by the fact I threw away a whole chicken I bought a day before, cos I forgot and bought another on way back from work and no space in fridge anymore (I dey troway am I dey shake head) or that as winter set in I threw away designers cos I no fit keep clothes full wardrobe dey block space (my designers na from "sales". Dem cheap. Dem no pay freight way make am dear for naija.). NO.

 I am blessed because JESUS LOVES ME...in good and bad times, thru success and failure. ups and downs supine or upright. He is the fourth man when I am in the fiery furnace. He is with me in the Lion's den. If I do not hurt, how will I confirm he is the balm of Gilead? If I dont fal lsick, how will I know he is the great physician? If I no broke, of wha tuse then is Philipian 4:19? Which says he will provide all my needs?

So when u see me smile, na knowledge of who is in me bringing an overflow of confidence nay faith, that come what may, good or bad, kpokpo garri or hor's d'oevers, IT IS WELL.IT IS WELL IT IS WELL

 Make e beta for all of us in Jesus name. Amen

No comments:

Post a Comment