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Life is a Gift: The Parable of The ‘Bees’
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Our experiences in life are most times like the stingers of the Bees…we scream when stung by it, yet can’t resist the sweetness of its honey. We even groan and often complain of the pain, forgetting the sweetness, healing, and blessings that come thereafter. Be vigilantly wise! The terrible pain will soon lead to sweet gain! Stop pitying yourself, rather start gently till you get to find your health and values restored, then get to your promised land and become even greater. Simply understand that life is just like the Bees. In them, lies both the pain and gain…what you can see is what you will get, your perception of it determines what you will get: if your focus is on the pain only, you will hate the Bees, forgetting that in the same Bees, there lies the assurance of peace for your health and vitality. Please, note that when life happens, it would be wiser to always remember that it is all for good, and that you are simply the Apple of God’s Eye!” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD., MNIM, FIMC, CMC, CMS
The flow of love saturates the flower by the presence of the Bees,
It kisses the flowers so tenderly and lovingly in ways that purify the flowers with its so-called bee-venoms of healing, fragrance and sweetness which has no adverse effect on the flower and owners of the flowers.
The Bee stings, yet it is praised for doing so if modestly executed due to the healing impacts it has on whatsoever and whosoever it stings.
The Bees! What a rare type of insect fly. Even, its anger could be a blessing unto its enemies, let alone friends.
This special insect is often harvested by some people who extract its so-called venom, while some individuals even submit themselves to the power of the Bees to be stung intentionally. To them, it’s a blessing, it is a cure, it is sweetness and pain, fragrance and naturally supernatural!
Either deliberately or not, angrily or happily, the Bee stings, yet it comes with a gift of cure and supernatural blessings beyond the knowledge of science.
Why not be like the Bees? Why not emulate its patterns of flow of healing nature…no matter what comes the ways of the Bees, they still pass healings, cure and blessings? Everything about them is the productivity of naturalness and blessings which are its original essence of wonderful creation, even as an effective pollinating agent…
The pains of the stings at first may be much, but why not consider its cure, healings and blessings…the pain is just for a while, it is the blessings that matters!
Put your mind off the pains of the moment and focus your heart and strengths on the blessings that come with those pains…
Focus on where and what you would get in return at the end and not what you are going through!
Focus on the crown, not the cross! I must confess, it will end in praise.
Sweetness leads to praise…the pain must come first if it is really true healing and sweetness that will last forever…
Our experiences in life are most times like the stingers of the Bees…we scream when stung by it, yet can’t resist the sweetness of its honey. We even groan and complain of the pain, forgetting the sweetness, healing and blessings that comes thereafter. Be vigilantly wise! The terrible pain will soon lead to sweet gain! Stop pitying yourself, rather pick yourself up by the strength of your faith, start gently till you get to find your health and values restored, then get to your promised land and become greater. Simply understand that life is just like the Bees. In them, lies both the pain and gain…what you can see is what you will get; your perception of it determines what you will get: if your focus is on the pain only, you will hate the Bees, forgetting that in the same Bees, there lies peace for your health and vitality.
Thank you for reading.
Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke is an accredited ISO 20700 Trainer CMC- GLOBAL
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Mike Ozekhome, has insisted that former President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed for his successor, Bola Tinubu’s preference to appoint persons from his ethnic Yoruba language group to key government positions.
Ozekhome, while delivering an address at a symposium on human rights organised by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) held in Abuja on Wednesday, claimed that the Buhari-led administration polarised Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.
The rights activist noted that it is not surprising that President Tinubu was following a similar trajectory since it was tolerated by gullible Nigerians when Buhari was at the helm.
“When I hear today the northerners complain that Tinubu has ‘Yorubanised’ Nigeria, with so many Yorubas in the highest places in Nigeria, they are indeed making a point. But the question I would ask is: where were you when Buhari, for eight years, literally ‘northernised’ every position in Nigeria? You were either a northerner or a Muslim,” he said.
“I cried, I cried, I wrote and wrote. I wrote tons of articles. One of the 50 books which I presented on my 67th birthday was titled: ‘How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria.’ Some people called it ‘na we,’ this is our man, and even if he is riding roughshod over all of us, it doesn’t matter.
“Hear no evil, see no evil because he is our man. Even if it is not benefitting us, the fact that he is our man is sufficient. Once it is no longer our man, we must also take up arms. No country grows like that.”
At the event under the theme; “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All,” he warned those in positions of authority against compromising the unity of Nigerians in pursuit of tribalism, ethnicity, and sectionalism.
He described the 1999 constitution (as amended) as flawed, adding that there is a need for a new constitution with inputs from Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic and religious differences, on the way forward for the country.
“We need to redefine ourselves, not the present system where thieves are rewarded with doctorate degrees,” he said.
The Commission’s Ambassador-at-Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, emphasized that this year’s theme presents a significant opportunity, drawing attention to the complexity of human rights linked to the multicultural and multi-ethnic composition of over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria.
He remarked that recurring ethnic and religious conflicts have threatened Nigeria’s national unity and stability, noting that the diversity of Nigeria’s population offers both challenges and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding, which can promote national unity and cooperation.
According to him, the one-day symposium, held on Wednesday, 11th December 2024, consequently offers a singular opportunity to acquire knowledge and reinforce ties with other stakeholders to promote “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All.”
Additionally, he mentioned that the occasion signifies the official swearing-in of IHRC’s new officials: Ambassador Dr. Malami Shehu Ma’Aji (MFR), who was appointed IHRC Special Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs for the Africa Region, with Chief John Paul Ochemba serving as IHRC Advisor on Special Monitoring Mission Nigeria, and Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma as IHRC Commissioner in Nigeria, all of whose appointments were duly approved by the IHRC Secretary-General, Prof. h.c. Rafał Marcin Wasik.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, has issued a restraining order against human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi, prohibiting him from further publishing, selling, distributing, or advertising his controversial book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Peter Kekemeke following an ex-parte application brought by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm.
The court’s order extends to Farotimi’s agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, or anyone else involved in the dissemination of the book, whether in hard copy, digital formats, or through electronic or social media channels.
The injunction will remain in effect pending the determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction, filed on December 6, 2024.
Justice Kekemeke also directed the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and other security agencies to seize all physical copies of the book wherever found.
These agencies are required to submit an affidavit of compliance within 72 hours of receiving the order.
In a related case, the Oyo State High Court granted a similar interim injunction against Farotimi, barring him or any associates from further printing or distributing the book.
Justice Mufutau Adegbola issued the order after hearing an ex-parte application filed on December 9, 2024, by Adebayo Adenipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Afe Babalola’s firm.
The Oyo court directed Farotimi’s lawyers to be notified of the motion, which has been adjourned for hearing on January 7, 2025.
An Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT, on Wednesday, skidded off Runway 22 of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, prompting a temporary shutdown of the airport.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the incident, which occurred at 10:05am, adding that five people were on board the aircraft. All passengers were safely evacuated without injury.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, said: “The Airport Emergency Response Team is on the scene along with accident investigators.
“The runway is being cleared and is expected to reopen for operations as soon as possible. We would like to thank the aviation community and the general public for their understanding and patience. We also request that all speculation be put on hold until the preliminary report is released by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).”
The evacuees were taken to the FAAN clinic for medical checks as a precautionary measure. The incident has drawn the attention of aviation stakeholders, while efforts are underway to restore normal airport operations.
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