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Opinion: The Power of Zero (Part 2)
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By Tolulope A. Adegoke
Zero as Little Beginning
“The law of Effective Achievement states that, “being consistent in doing ‘mini’ on and on guarantees effective DOMINION. Little drops of water could make a mighty ocean. Don’t be too proud to start small, break that ego! never despise the days of little beginning”! – Tolulope A. Adegoke
Dear Readers,
Here is another important perspective from which we must consider this interesting subject. As individuals, we tend to overlook the foundations of little beginnings. We often do not want to start small. We forget that just as the number zero is a cogent number that requires work to make it significant, we need to work on our small beginning to make it great. As long as we keep working on it tirelessly in the right way, it will surely produce the desired results.
Whatever your calling or talent in life is, never despise the days of little beginnings. God Himself has promised, “And though thy beginning was small, yet thine end shall be very great” (Job 8:7). The zero beginning of today may become the biggest corporation of tomorrow. People who own the biggest companies today did not become successful when their businesses began to blossom; they became successful the day they conceived the ideas that made them successful. They were pregnant with ideas that were so rich that they yielded success when applied.
This must again prove to you that ‘zero’ is a very pregnant number that must not be underrated or undermined! To use the words of James Allen, “The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.”
A woman who gave birth today became pregnant immediately her fertilised egg was implanted in the lining of her uterus. It was the continuous nourishment and splitting of this little egg that resulted in the beautiful bouncing baby that was eventually born. That is the power of zero, the mother of all numbers!
Many young people today do not want to start small; they do not believe in the potentiality of zero, let alone igniting it. Yet the truth is that the power of zero starts manifesting – even when there is ‘nothing’ in your bank account – as soon as you conceive an idea that will eventually change your life when applied.
Let me quote James Allen again, “Your circumstances may be uncongenial, but they shall not long remain so if you but perceive an ideal and strive to reach it. You cannot travel within and stand still without. Here is a youth hard pressed by poverty and labour; confined long hours in an unhealthy workshop; unschooled, and lacking all the arts of refinement. But he dreams of better things: he thinks of intelligence, of refinement, of grace and beauty. He conceives of, mentally builds up, an ideal condition of life; the vision of a wider liberty and a larger scope takes possession of him; unrest urges him to action, and he utilises all his spare time and means, small though they are, to the development of his latent powers and resources. Very soon so altered has his mind become that the workshop can no longer hold him. It has become so out of harmony with his mentality that it falls out of his life as a garment is cast aside, and, with the growth of opportunities which fit the scope of his expanding powers, he passes out of it forever. Years later we see this youth as a full-grown man. We find him a master of certain forces of the mind which he wields with worldwide influence and almost unequalled power.”
Lessons from the Creator
Genesis 2:7 says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” God made man, the crown of His creation, out of the dust of the earth – which was like an insignificant thing, a zero. First, He moulded the man into His desired shape and structure; and then He brought life into Him by breathing into him. He empowered him with His ‘breath’ to become a living being.
God did not underrate the power of the zero (that is, the dust of the earth). He knew that, with the right input and approach, a hero could emerge from the zero. And that was exactly what happened! God saw HOPE; He saw a bright future in mere dust. And that’s because He knew that nothing He created was useless – even the earth and its dust have many powerful potentials.
It is this same principle that worked for the creation of man that still works for re-creation through man. All of the inventions and breakthroughs that we see around emerged because some people decided to work on their seemingly insignificant ideas and dreams. This should let you know that no idea, dream or beginning is insignificant. And of course, most importantly, no individual is insignificant.
Let’s apply this in the workplace. You can never get the best out of any staff that you consider a dummy and never-do-well. What such a staff requires is relevant motivation, direction and impartation. It is the combined force of these approaches that will awaken the giant in the staff.
Even the best of your staff members must be constantly appreciated and rejuvenated with consistent trainings and motivating incentives. This process births the best out of them and propels them to deliver their very best and at the same time retain their loyalty to the organisation.
It is the same with youngsters in school. A student who is constantly rated zero would soon begin see himself as a failure; yet, in the real sense of it, he is not a failure because he, at least makes attempts – only that he is not able to perform up to expectation. As the case of Prof. Imafidon and others have revealed, that same child, if nurtured and bolstered with appropriate motivation, the zeal for success will be activated within him and this will enable him to take the required steps towards attaining excellence.
The student who scored zero in a test or examination has hope; at least, he made an attempt and could be better next time if he could work harder with the zeal to succeed. He is far better than someone who was absent for the test or who never made an attempt at all.
A Personal Experience
Before wrapping up this part, let me share my experience with you. I remember that when I was much younger, I often took the last position in school, until my story changed – mainly through the influence of my mother. My mother was a disciplinarian; yet, instead of beating the hell out of me whenever she saw my report card, she would draw me closer with words like: “I still believe in you! You can do better”. Her attitude always made me look at her with wonder and I would ask myself, “What kind of woman is this?”
It is now that I have come to realise that my mother used this approach because she understood the power of zero. Her motivations, calm words and constant efforts towards making me better sparked the desire to succeed in me. I found myself saying, “You must succeed and prosper, even if not for anyone else but for the sake of this woman…She believes in you so very much!” This mentality activated a lot of dead cells in me for excellence beyond human comprehension.
The effectiveness of this approach of my mother has tremendously contributed to shaping my belief in the boundless potentialities of zero. The law of effective achievement states that, being consistent in doing MINI on and on guarantees effective DOMINION. Little drops of water could make a mighty ocean. Don’t be too proud to start small, break that ego! never despise the days of little beginning!
I hope it further convinces you that you must never give up on yourself or anyone else, nor should you despise your little beginnings!
Watch out for the Book titled: “The Power of an Empowered Zero” (Awakening the Giant Within You) by Tolulope A. Adegoke. Foreword by Dr Yomi Garnett (CEO/Chancellor, Royal Biographical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.SA., U.K., Abuja, Nigeria.) Edited by Ola Aboderin.
Tolulope A. Adegoke is an acclaimed “globalpreneur”, with the mandate to enrich lives and provide the professional, spiritual, academic and leadership empowerment needed to birth, maximize and sustain possibilities in peoples, corporates and nations. He is a prolific writer, frequent keynote speaker and spoken word poet, among others, having written countless articles in diverse reputable fields and honoured many public invitations.
He is also a Senior Administrator.
Tolulope Adegoke can be booked for public events via the contacts below:
E-mail: adegoketolulope1022@gmail.com
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
We are all stars, but sometimes we act like the moon and sun. Don’t get me wrong, the moon and sun are all God’s creatures, but in this context, I’m referring to the star as it relates to being a standard, an exceptional being and a leader that will set the pace for others to follow.
Being a star gives you an identity and opportunity to showcase the world what you are made of. Your star will shine when you are working on purpose. At creation, we were all created with a unique purpose which will be manifested on earth. So, it’s fair to say our purpose was made in heaven, but our assignment is on earth.
It’s instructive to note that our start is the embodiment of what makes us to be identifiable, recognizable and traceable. When our star is shining, the world stands still and observes. Isn’t it true that the world sets apart for the man who knows where he’s going.
Everyone loves a star. Imagine being the best in your class, team, or even in the family, you will be the envy of everyone. Stars attract jealousy. To understand how a star works, imagine playing soccer, despite each team having captains and star players, it’s whoever that has the ball the attention of the players, spectators and the world will be focused on because at that moment, whoever has the ball is the star, hence the reason why the person is being tackled.
Stars attract favor, blessings, opportunities, and blessings just because they are fulfilling their purpose of manifestation. As a self-discovery coach, I propounded the concept of STAR. S stands for shining, T represents Target, the A represents Action and R represents Recognition.
A brief analysis of the concept of STAR will give a proper perspective. When one is a star, one will be a shining star, and when one is a shining star, they’ll definitely be a target because the sugar will always attract ants. Because one is a star, they’ll be action oriented. A star can’t be hidden. It is the work they do that makes them noticeable which ultimately gives them recognition.
If I may ask you, are you a star? If yes, what makes you a star? Stars are a unique set of people who excel more than their counterparts or contemporaries. Stars defy human logic and understanding, especially when there is a spiritual element attached to it. While humans go to school to acquire knowledge and information, stars have inherent and intuitive knowledge which is revealed to them from God.
A little insight into the inherent and intuitive knowledge of how stars work. One’s profession is what one is trained to do in school or even taught in practice, one’s vocation is what one is paid to do like skilled work or a regular 9-5 work, while one’s ministry is where one’s talent/gift manifests their God given potential. When one is a star, both their profession, vocation and ministry will be working in alignment. They won’t have to do much to excel. Their light will gradually shine effortlessly with little or no support. A little effort by them will magnify their work.
It’s unfortunate that many stars can’t shine because many people are afraid of stepping out of their comfort zone. Some of us are afraid of what the world will say, how their message will be received, and how one can overcome these challenges if their star is not shining as it ought to. This is one of the major challenges why most people fail to activate their star. Trust me, I get it. The fears and concerns are valid. As humans we are bound to have fears, however, our desire for success should outweigh our fear for failure.
Do you know that the grave is considered the richest place on planet earth? Yes, because many talents are buried inside the grave simply because some people failed to unleash their talents, gifts and God given potentials. Here is what I will say, may we not die with what God has given to us.
Do you want to be a star? If yes, ask yourself, what makes you unique? If you discover it, say to yourself, I am a star, I am blessed. I am a child of destiny. I will fulfill my purpose. I will not die with what God has given to me. I will shine and I will possess my possession because I am a star.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny and The Six Pillars of Success . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Music star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, was the target of the attack on the convoy of Osun State governor, according to the police.
Daily Trust had reported how security escorts of the governor engaged some unidentified men in a gun duel during the governor’s visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, earlier on Wednesday.
The governor had visited the monarch shortly after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
His nephew, Davido, who was actively involved in the election, alongside his children, accompanied the governor to INEC office and the palace.
Some residents of Oja Oba Osogbo said gunshots caused panic for over 15 minutes as the men kept shooting sporadically while the governor’s security detail returned fire.
Commenting on the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, Abiodun Ojelabi, said preliminary investigation revealed that members of Eye Confraternity were after Davido.
“One Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as “Small Rugged”, an ex convict, a suspected notorious thug and a member of eye confraternity allegedly attempted to gain access to Davido but was resisted by members of his security Team.
“The ensuing confrontation reportedly attracted other suspected gang members in the vicinity, who temporarily blocked the entrance to the palace and obstructed the movement of the convoy of the Governor.”
Ojelabi said a 60-year-old man identified as Tajudeen Yusuf was shot dead during the gun duel.
“Shortly afterwards, the suspected gang members reportedly departed the vicinity and, however on their way, they allegedly shot Tajudeen Yusuf at Itaolokan area of Osogbo.
“Upon receiving the information, the police immediately mobilised a patrol team to the scene, where the victim was found lying in a pool of blood. He was promptly rushed to the University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, for medical attention. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead by the doctors on duty.”
“The Command has commenced a full-scale investigation into the incident and intensified efforts to identify, apprehend and bring the fleeing suspects to justice.
“The Commissioner of Police (Election), Osun State Command, CP Samuel Etaifo, strongly condemns the dastardly act and assures members of the public that the Command will deploy all available resources to apprehend those responsible.
“The Command therefore urges anyone with useful information that could assist the investigation to promptly approach the nearest police station or contact the Command through its official channels. Members of the public are also advised to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.”
The PPRO said the Police Command has commenced a full-scale investigation into the shooting incident.
Ojelabi said further updates on the incident would be provided as the investigation progresses.
Governor Ademola Adeleke said he has forgiven all those who may have offended him during the state elections and declared that he bears no grudge against political adversaries and opponents.
The governor who spoke while receiving a certificate of return from the electoral commission said “God has fought my battles for me and so I hold unto God throughout the duration of the political war and now that I have been re-elected”
While announcing a Five Hundred Million naira (N500m) education scholarship for victims of political violence, the governor commended the electoral body for acting professionally and within the dictates of the electoral act.
“I commend the electoral commission for doing a good job. You stood for democracy. I commend the security agencies, especially the Commissioner of Police for Election, the DSS. I would have loved the police to do more but we thank God the election day went violent free”, the governor submitted.
The INEC National Commissioner for Osun election, Prof Kunle Ajayi in his address commended the passion, the commitment and the activism of Osun voters whom he said defied electoral violence and trooped out to exercise their voting rights.
“Osun people are the heroes of the Saturday election. Active citizenry always makes a difference in the conduct of credible elections. Osun people proved to the world that democracy can work when the people are involved”, the INEC chief said
At a massively attended rally organised by the joint labour movement at Osogbo, the governor commiserated with families of the deceased and the injured, lamenting that “we remember Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass, Kolade Eluyera, and the many other victims whose lives were cut short or permanently affected by electoral violence. To their families, I say: your pain has not been forgotten, and your loved ones will never be reduced to statistics.
“As part of our commitment to supporting affected families, the Adeleke family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, will provide automatic scholarships up to university level for the children and dependents of those who lost their lives”, the governor declared at a separate celebration rally organised by Osun labour movement.
“Today is not merely a day for the presentation of a Certificate of Return. It is a day of gratitude, reflection and, above all, appreciation for the people of Osun State who stood firm for democracy.
“This certificate does not belong to Ademola Adeleke alone. It belongs to the people of Osun State, the market men and women, workers, youths, traditional and religious leaders, and every citizen who demonstrates that our democracy cannot be intimidated, purchased or suppressed. I am deeply humbled by your courage and by the confidence you have renewed in me.
“But as we celebrate, we must remember those who paid a painful price during the electoral process. Citizens were injured, properties were destroyed, livelihoods disrupted and, most painfully, lives were lost.
“In addition, the Osun State Government will establish a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to provide relief and support to verified victims and families affected by the violence.
“A Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, will oversee the transparent identification and assessment of victims and the equitable distribution of relief.
“This is not a political fund. It is a humanitarian intervention. No eligible victim will be discriminated against on the basis of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status”, the governor told the thousands of public workers at the State Secretariat.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Osun state chapter, Dr Christopher Arapasopo praised the labour movement on the re-election of Governor Adeleke and announced that in future legislative elections, Osun workers will still vote for Accord candidates.
“We defied attacks and intimidation to support the re-election of Governor Adeleke. We will never bow to those who want to enslave us. We will still vote Accord in future legislative elections”, the labour chief vowed.
Governor Adeleke later visited the Ataoja of Osogbo, the Timi of Ede and Senator Oluwole Alabi to present his certificate of returns for royal blessings.
