PEOPLE WHO TRANSFORMED ME

This piece is just to let you know that your relationship with people determines your worth. The type of relationship you keep determines who you will eventually become. God is the only one who can make the transformation, but He uses people on earth to aid it. The best thing is to position yourself in such a way that you will be transformed. Below are some of the people God has used to transform me. (1) VERONICA ADEBO Hmm, a woman of honour! It’s just like yesterday, oh, that faithful day, a day I will never forget. That day marked the beginning of my transformation. I grew up as a vibrant, strong, interesting, and playful boy. Thanks to my parents who bought me all sort of toys when I was much younger. The only thing that made me happy was playing. I can never forget the day I got home 9p.m, after playing the hell out of myself with my friends. My parents gave me the punishment of my life. I never opened my books to read all through primary and secondary education. I wonder how I scored averagely good grades. Thanks to my parents who employed a private lesson teacher on my behalf, perhaps, that was my saving grace. After my secondary education, I gained admission into higher institution. As usual, I continued my normal routine of play. I played basketball both day and night. When I was writing my second semester examination, in my second year, my mum (Veronica ) asked me if I was reading for my exams and I said no. Thank God I said the truth. The answer I gave that very day made her pour out her mind. She said ‘if you don’t want to be an average student you must be serious with your studies, success comes only by working for it. When others are doing nothing you must be doing something, when others are sleeping, you must be awake working. You must be focus and hardworking. You must never be complacent; you must never take simple things for granted. In everything, always put God first.’ After talking to me for 2hrs, she finished by saying, ‘my son, if it does not cost you anything, it will not make you anything, neither will it take you anywhere.’ That very day marked the beginning of my transformation. After that day, I read for my exam as if reading was the only thing I was born to do. Till date, those words still keep me going. Thanks mum, I’ll always love you! (2) OREOFE WILLIAMS Dr Oreofe Williams is a hero. He is the most intelligent person I have ever come in contact with. The president of Oreofe Films and Theater Production Company Nigeria (OFTP), a movie producer, a director, an actor, a motivational speaker, a preacher, and a lecturer. In 2009, my friend brought me an invitation for OFTP auditioning. He persuaded me to go and I reluctantly attended. Fortunately, that marked the beginning of a new me. After auditioning, I needed no more persuasion to attend Awo Jesu festival 2009. After the festival, I went home tremendously blessed. The words from Oreofe Williams were sensational and inspirational. I can never forget his teachings. Oreofe Williams is a man who seeks the success of everyone. He just enjoys seeing other people being successful. Well, it shouldn’t be a surprise, God gave him a mandate to raise many giants in this generation ( www.oreofefilms.com). All through my NYSC, he kept asking if I was going to do my Msc. Months later, when I told him I eventually obtained the form, he was excited as if the certificate was to be issued in his name. I was still in my first semester (MSc) when he started talking to me about PhD. He prays for everyone as if he is praying for himself. Often times, he tells me what God says to him while praying for me. Without even saying thank you, he keeps doing his good deeds. Those who know me know that I am not the best when it comes to thanking people but Oreofe Williams does not even care whether you thank him or not. He taught me to be focus in life. Oreofe Williams is indeed a focused man. When he is in pursuit of a goal, no man can stop him especially when he is acting under the command of God. He also taught me how to be hard working. God used him to teach me all that my mother instructed me to do in order to be a success. Having met him, I indeed, do believe, that, for you to be successful, you must just meet some people who would influence and mould your life aright. When I met him, I met wisdom, and since then, I have grown in wisdom. It is really true that you gain wisdom either through the people you interact with or through the books you read. I cannot begin to count all what he has done in my life. This man is a teacher. It is through his teachings that I am what I am today. He is also an example of a giver. The only person that has ever offered me a car as a gift is Oreofe Williams. Oreofe Williams has truly transformed my life for good! (3) PROFESSOR MALACHY AKORODA The first time I heard that name was in 2012 when he was appointed the Executive Director of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN). Then, I was a youth corps member at CRIN, little did I know he will become my major research supervisor. Malachy Akoroda is a hardworking, focused and determined man with no doubt, and he is very intelligent. He taught me not to ever give up and he is a truly a man who will never give up. I actually saw this virtue in him after studying his way of life. I remember when I told him I wanted to change my research crop from cocoa due to the difficult situation at my disposal then, he told me not to give up. He strongly advised me not to change the research crop. The words he spoke made me continue with the work. Today, the work is over 70 % completed. From then, I learnt not to be persistent and this is really helping me. As a researcher, you must never give up. You must keep trying until you achieve success. In addition, he taught me how to be a good writer and editor. Prof. will see every mistake in your write up. I can never forget the ‘six brothers’ in writing a report, ‘why, what, when, where, who, how’ and his favorite song for editors, ‘read all, see all and edit all’. He said I must read all, see all and edit all before bringing my write-up to him. I taught he was punishing me, I later discovered he was building me. He made me understand the power of writing it down. He always asks me to write every instruction he gives down. The faintest pen is sharper than the sharpest brain. Within 2 years of knowing him, he has succeeded this much in transforming me. I indeed wonder what I stand to gain if he supervises me all through my career pursuit!   (4) Dr DAVID ADEBO My daddy (David Adebo) is a well rounded man and I very much cherish his knowledge. There is nothing you say that he does not have an idea of. He is a very simple man and his simplicity is worthy of emulation. I grew, as a teenager, with the idealism of this generation. I was a core idealist, but my dad made me to understand that there is nothing in this world and that the best thing is to live a fulfilled life. Where ever God wants any man to get to, with focus and determination he will surely get there. Till date, I live my life not by running after mundane things but by trusting in God as my dad has rightly instructed me.