HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL AUGUST BABIES

Happy birthday for today,
You’re kind and clever I must say.
With moments worth a million hugs,
Talks, with coffee in those mugs.

Your heart and values seem so right,
We share our views without a fight.
Our memories live with eyes so true,
Adventures grow in a life’s canoe.

I wish you more than words can say,
That you will never, cease to play.
Happy birthday for today,
I’m here for you, on this special day.




Happy birthday you look the same,
A few wrinkles, nothing to shame.
We all lose our external beauty,
Growing internally is our duty.

Happy birthday you look the same,
Time is flying by, who should we blame?
Aging can’t be all that bad,
More experiences, you get to add.

Happy birthday you look the same,
From a distance, I see your flame.
As I look and see your eyes,
Sharp as ever; calm and wise


My Love for You

My love for you, shall never pause,
Strong and determined with all our flaws.
It endures and doesn’t judge,
Never holds a lasting grudge.

Generous, loyal, always kind,
To your outer layer blind.
Surely, opposite of rude,
My beating heart I must include.

On your birthday, my love for you,
From the clouds, a perfect view.
Moments, memories, a year gone by,
I'm here for you, don't you cry.

My love for you, lives by the truth,
Always keeps me, in my youth.
When it sees, our trust and hope,
It climbs and conquers any slope.

The Creativity in Africa!

Many times, I want to write when words keep rushing to me because of an experience or because I want to give an issue a face. Sometimes, I really doubt if the words I write will turn out sensible but I write and before I know it, it’s the last dot. Well, let’s see this.

Fifty years ago, Africa was a continent struggling to find identity and freedom, despite centuries of control and change that destroyed the cultures of a diverse group of people. As Africa struggled to free itself from colonial rule in the second half of the 20th century, there were many who wondered if Africa could survive in the industrial age and move beyond colonialism.

In 2008, it's hard to say whether Africa's independence from colonial rule has resulted in freedom. It has certainly allowed many nations, such as Nigeria and South Africa, to compete globally, but it has also left many others in the throes of poverty, genocide, and war. As African nations found their independence throughout the '60's and '70's, many hoped Africa would become a new world superpower, but it never happened. It has been a tumultuous time, and Africa continues to struggle with the scars left by colonial rule. Africa is therefore the only liability to the whole world.

As African Youths, we need to be empowered to make progress and that means seeking for information on our own.

The difference between an informally trained Engineer and a Graduate is that one is taught dogmatically while the other is taught with understanding. The former is taught the process such that when there is a problem, he has to start all over again, but the Graduate understands the principle behind every step and when there is fault, he can always identify the source of the problem from the problem and rectify it without having to start again.

Intelligence does not mean understanding things the way you were taught but rather in your own way. There are many other ways to accomplishing a task which are better and time-saving. The way of life is the way you view life. There is no other world somewhere; the one you create for yourself is where you live. Create a unique world for yourself by thinking in a unique (uncommon) way. View all things differently coz it brings out the distinction in you and you are not seen with the crowd.

Hence, Creativity!

Brain Tracy began studying creativity more than 20 years ago. He thought it was an ability that was possessed by a few, especially intelligent people, such as artists and writers and scientists. But as he delved further into the subject, he came to a remarkable conclusion: I am a genius! Not only that, but everyone, too, is a genius! In fact, probably 95 percent of the population has the capacity to function at exceptional levels. Creativity is as natural to human beings as is breathing in and out. Everyone is creative to a certain extent. People are highly creative because they decide to be highly creative. It’s no miracle. Creativity is like any human faculty; it can be developed with practice and strengthened with constant use.

If creativity is improvement, in what areas do you want to use it? The answer is simple. You want to use your inborn creativity to improve the parts of your life that are most important to you. You can use your creativity to improve your relationships, to increase your income and improve your business, and to assure yourself higher levels of health and happiness. With that definition, you can see clearly that you have opportunities to be creative from the time you get up in the morning to the time you go to bed at night.

Creativity is like a muscle. If you do not deliberately and consciously flex your creativity on a regular basis, it becomes weak and soft. It loses its strength.

As Africans, if people criticize us for our ideas, or if we conclude that we are not particularly creative, we tend to be more passive and submissive and look to others for new and better ways of solving problems and achieving goals. However, if we start to practice creative thinking, we will be absolutely amazed at how smart we really are.

I used to think that you had to be highly intelligent to be creative. Then I found that intelligence is not just a matter of IQ. There are many people with high IQs who got excellent grades in school but who are doing very poorly at life.

Intelligence is a way of acting. If you act intelligently, you are intelligent. If you act stupidly, you are stupid. That’s all there is to it. You can decide to be highly intelligent and highly creative simply by doing the things that highly intelligent and highly creative people do.

I will continue this piece soon. Please Check back but make a comment or add to this wonderful piece before you step out.

08-08-08

A day to remember

08-08-08

“Africa must get onboard… Right now! … Africa will be either on to the Information Age or off to the dark Agricultural Age … Africa is suffering from knowledge apartheid that forces its children to eat the crumbs from the dinner table of the information-affluent nations.”

I write today because there is an urgent need to write & time to write also.

ü AFRICA:

It is time we lived out the dreams of Africa. Here is my continent that I love and cherish so much. In case you have not noticed, there is colour in Africa; beauty, pride, respect and dignity.

Now, no matter where life takes you – big cities, small towns; you will inevitably run across small minds. People who think they are better than you, people who think that being pretty or popular automatically makes you a worthwhile human.

None of these things matter as long as you have strength of character, integrity, sense of pride.

So when you meet someone for the first time, don’t judge them by their situation in life, because you never know, they may end up being your very best friend.

ü The African Youth:

The African youth has a dream! His dream may not be to own the best and fastest of things, but he wants to be comfortable. Access to qualitative education, effective communication, a fair environment and enabling opportunities will be topmost in his list of desires. He has seen dreams aborted, may have heard of unfulfilled promises and has been around long enough to think that he is better off on another soil.

ü You:

You are blessed; right here and right now, with the miracle that is your life. With magnificent abundance swirling all around you, the possibilities are more numerous than can be imagined.

Yes, the setbacks and disappointments can be acutely painful. And yet the only reason you're able to feel the pain is because you know that joy and fulfillment are always possible.

There is no limit to the potential that is in this moment. For in this moment you can put your highest, most treasured values into action.

In this moment, you have a choice. And you have all that is necessary to follow that choice.

In this moment you can choose to benefit from a lifetime of learning, experience, dreams and longings. All that has brought you to this day is yours to make use of in fulfilling your best possibilities.

Every bit of energy you sense around you can be focused in the service of the most wonderful possibilities you can imagine. Go ahead, imagine, and bring those possibilities to life.

There will be times when you find yourself in extremely difficult circumstances. When those times come, it's important to put things in perspective.

Whatever else may be going on, always remember that you have been blessed with life and the ability to live it as you choose? Think of how completely awesome that is.

The idea that you are a victim of any particular circumstance is simply not accurate. For when you look at the big picture, you're not a victim at all.

You are a very fortunate beneficiary of the greatest circumstance that you could possibly imagine -- being alive and able to direct your own life. All other circumstances pale in comparison.

The transitory ups and downs are merely tiny threads in the overall fabric of your life. Each one ultimately adds to the richness of your experience.

The quality of that experience is up to you, and the fact that you're aware and able to think and act confers on you an incalculable wealth. See it, value and appreciate it, and spend each day being truly worthy of the unique, precious life that you have.

To make a difference, you often must be different. It takes courage and confidence to go against the grain of negativity that surrounds you, and such courage can bring great rewards.

Where others see only doom and gloom, look for the bright glimmer of opportunity. For it is most certainly there.

When everyone is looking for someone to blame for what has already happened, turn your focus toward the future. Exploring the current possibilities will create infinitely more value than arguing over past failures.

When you encounter rudeness and irritation, generously offer your own polite and confident patience. When you bump up against the arrogance of another person, melt it away with your own sincere, self-assured humility.

Just because everyone is heading in a negative direction doesn't mean you must go that way too. On the contrary, it's a valuable opportunity for you to set a positive example.

In times of great difficulty and stress, choose to be a beacon of encouragement, understanding and positive purpose. Be different, and you can truly make a valuable positive difference.

This way 08 08 08 will not pass away I believe that come December 31^st, 2025; Nigeria will be undoubtedly, the most desired Nation to Live in.

Keep the flag flying.

Amb. Temmylade Ayo Aladeokin.

Olympics Starts!

As the Beijing Olympics begin, the world looks on with mixed emotions. It's a moment which should bring us closer together, and Chinese citizens deserve their excitement -- but the Chinese government still hasn't opened meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama, or changed its stance on Burma, Darfur and other pressing issues.

Even worse, extremists in China are promoting the view that Olympic activism like ours is anti-Chinese. We can't stay silent, but we also can't let our efforts be abused to divide people. So what can we do? The answer comes from the Dalai Lama himself, in an unambiguous gesture of Olympic spirit and friendship: a handshake.

It began in London, passed hand to hand by thousands of us -- now the handshake has gone online, and is crises-crossing the globe on its way to Beijing. All of us can join, Chinese and non-Chinese, and it comes with a promise: to hold ALL our governments accountable where they fall short, in Tibet, Iraq, and Burma or beyond. We'll deliver our message in a bold media campaign in Hong Kong and around the world: Click below to see how the Olympic handshake started, sign up to join in, and watch it circle the globe --

http://www.avaaz.org/en/handshake

The worldwide outcry has produced a little progress, but much resistance from Chinese officials so far. If we are to see advances not setbacks after the Games, we need to show both that our voices will never fall silent, and that our challenge is a positive one.

We have one last chance to reclaim the spirit of the Olympics, with the message of friendship and dialogue we share with the Dalai Lama. The more people join the global handshake, the more powerful our message will be when it hits the Chinese and international media. So let's forward this email on, encouraging everyone to join in. "One World, One Dream" is an ideal that's bigger than the Olympics -- it's time for citizens around the world to take it back.

With hope and respect,
Temmylade Ayo Aladeokin

On behalf of the Avaaz team

Honour Black Men! 08-08-08

There are beautiful Black men walking this planet. Dedicated courageous brothers who respect and love Black women. This world is full of humble, brilliant, spirited brothers who love God, family and community. Black men are strong, hard working, and worthy. I know brothers who love, protect and rear children. Our brothers are attentive fathers, loving husbands, and strong leaders. Sisters, we have plenty of affectionate, sincere brothers among us. I know brothers who pray, listen, and meditate. We have plenty of brothers who love & raise children who are not biologically theirs. Yes, damn good Black men are alive and well.

But somehow some of us forget all that, because I hear sisters say: where all the good brothers at? or ain’t no good brothers left and all the good ones are gone. What do we really mean by good? How clear are we on what good is? When you think damn good what comes to mind? Sometimes we are not nearly as clear as we believe we are. Get a piece of paper out and start writing down what a good man is. List 50 qualities of a good Black man (whether you are married or single, the ongoing clarity is good for all of us). Really think about, sleep on it if you have to. Allow the list to just be yours, don’t call your home girl or mama for their thoughts, this is your list. By the way, if you are over the age of 15 "sweet" should not be your 1st characteristic!

Got 50 qualities yet? Once you have reached your 50 or close to it, put a checkmark by the qualities that describe you. For example, if you put honesty as a damn good man characteristic, are you an honest woman? Would others say you are honest? If rich made your list, how financially responsible and stable are you? We can only attract what we already are, if we are striving to attract a damn good man, we must ensure we are a DAMN good woman, ya dig?

OIL & NIGERIA: When tomorrow comes

Retiring from a 135-minute experience of the notorious Lagos-Ife expressway, I settled down to read the October 2001 edition of an educative international magazine. I thought that would take me off the drifting thoughts on why Nigerian roads always go through the vicious cycle that hangs on one word, contracts. Maybe I was wrong, Nigeria was everywhere in the air! Turning through the pages, the creative intelligence unit of my system set to work when I saw a book review that changed my mind’s symphony… I could no longer read the magazine…an unusual mental alarm was off.

The review of “Hubbert’s Peak: The Impending World Oil Shortage”, written by Keith S. Deffeyes, captured my attention. Deffeyes is not one of those who have been looking into the black crystal ball since oil was discovered, to predict its end. He is the son of a petroleum engineer, a geologist who has worked for Shell Oil and now, a professor at Princeton University. Based on the work of M. King Hubbert, a Shell geologist whose earlier prediction of 1956 got his nation listening when his announced decline rocked America’s oil production, Deffeyes included further sophistication and global calculations in his submission.

“What’s my business with America, or world oil production decline?”, you may ask. Simple. Nigeria’s annual budget is built on a table with only one leg, OIL. When the decline sets in, what happens to Nigeria’s revenue base? Where do we turn? Why would a wise man build his house on a foundation that has a considerable chance of crumbling? The answer to these questions is not far-fetched. (There may be more than one answer but I know one that is tested, proven and certain.) Philip Emeagwali, the Nigerian-born information scientist of world-wide fame once alerted Nigeria on “…putting all her eggs into one basket (by depending on oil)…” and advised that we should “… use a multipronged approach that includes the use of Information Technology…” for job creation, wealth inducement, national recovery and global participation.

Globalization has helped to emphasize the importance of every nation’s presence in the digital society. Nigeria’s National Policy on Information Technology is definitely a great stride in the right direction but … what is the attitude of each Nigerian teacher, lecturer, governor, minister, senator, LG boss, lady, and gentleman to the challenge of bridging the digital divide and the fulfilment of the IT Policy’s vision statement, “To make Nigeria an IT capable country in Africa and a key player in the Information Society by the year 2005, using IT as the engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness”?

I will go ahead with a question that I asked at an Information Technology conference that held in Abuja in 1999 (and further made relevant by the enlightening book, nay warning, from an industry expert): What happens to Nigeria tomorrow, if or when oil revenue cannot service our national budget?

Is it not time to embrace Information Technology at all levels, by all people, and people-groups; in reality and not only in “words, ink and papyrus”? The core of Nigeria’s wealth is not in its natural resources, intellectual capital is Nigeria’s greatest resource base. Today’s efforts will decide our fate when tomorrow comes…

Culled from ‘Gbenga Sesan (gbengasesan@yahoo.com)'s page on
Nigeria's Information Technology Youth Ambassador