William Wilberforce, one of the youngest MPs (Member of Parliament) in English history, stands out as one who realized purpose. In collaboration with his friend William Pitt (who became Prime Minister), and a few others such as Thomas Clarkson and Olaudah Equiano, he was able to pull down the stronghold of the slavery institution in the whole of the British Empire. Yes, he fought tooth and nail, gave it no just his best but his all (in spite of his poor health condition), and persevered until the very end, the day the Speaker of the House spoke these beautiful words:

“I declare the Bill of Abolition of the Slavery Trade be passed.”

However, by staking his life for the abolitionist cause, not giving up when they recorded a woeful loss on their first outing on the floor of parliament, after the backbreaking hard work put into the collection of thousands of evidences and masterfully crafting their case, and by pressing all the more harder until success was recorded, he got something that very few people ever get to have: “fulfillment.” And no one captured the picture fine enough than the elderly Lord Charles Fox, who took it upon himself to give a vote of thanks after Wilber’s bill scaled through. He said:

“When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon, men of violence; rarely do they think of peaceful men. In contrast to the reception they’d receive when they return home from their battles, Napoleon would arrive in pomp and in power, the man who’s achieved the very summit of earthly ambition, and yet his dreams would be haunted by the oppressions of war; William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow, and remember that slave trade is no more.”

Frankly, purpose is everything, and the realization of it is a duty everyone must discharge. For ‘Wilber,’ it was to fight social injustice and oppression. He found it. Kept at it. Realized it. And knew fulfillment afterwards.

Given that the challenge that confronts many a person is discovering their purpose,  the following tips would do. I gleaned them from being in the audience of Barrister Cosmos Okolo.

1. Seek revelation:

God created everyone with purpose, and he intended that all men and women should live purpose driven lives. If you haven’t found yours, then you can trust that the creator can reveal it to you. The Holy Ghost is the No.1 unveiler of purpose; “Seek and you shall find.”

2. Study your anger:

Don’t ignore your anger because it carries some revelation about you with it. Anger reveals your anointing. To say the least, the problem that provokes you the most is actually saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

3. Compassion is a signpost to purpose:

Mind you, compassion is superior to pity. While pity merely requires you to feel sober over the poor condition of another, compassion moves you to do something about that condition. The word itself actually comes from Latin words that mean ‘to suffer with another.’ So, what is that need around you that makes you cry? Mark this: “If nothing is bothering you, then be sure you will not cross the border of mediocrity.”

4. Take the stress test:

Note that God does not call a person into stress; his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Every assignment of His is eased by grace; grace being that which makes easy what would naturally have been difficult. So, where do you find God’s grace super-abundantly at work in your life? Knowing this is important because the end of purpose is peace and fulfillment – not stress. What is that thing you do effortlessly?

5. Embark on a voyage of discovery of what you can die for:

Martin Luther King Jr. was so sure about his call to civil rights activism that he was very willing to die in pursuit of it – his purpose. He even likened himself to the biblical Moses by saying: “I’ve been to the mountaintop; I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there myself, but I’m sure we’ll get there.” And he was killed the very next day. Frankly, anyone who’s yet to discover what he/she can die for is yet to know why he/she was created. Yes, anything that can take a man to the cross isn’t ordinary.

I was born today, December 5. Happy Birthday to me!!! Before you start sending in your shiny birthday presents, let me first give you something; the receiving process starts with giving, they say.

For the 24hrs of today, you have free access to about 50% of the content of my new book: “Think Differently: 60 Game-changing insights from your No.1 fan”. That’s the link! Just click…

This really got me thinking: How would I blog without you? And so, I care to thank you for the journey so far.

This is quite a law, and the only time it didn’t apply was at the very beginning, when God created “ex nihilo” – from nothing. Of course, the law didn’t have to apply because there was yet nothing!

After the creation episode, this law came to full application, such that even God himself is bound by it. And if God himself works by this law, Satan also, who are we to flaunt it. Truth be told, a proper understanding of this law will tremendously change things for the better for many a person.

Let me explain this law with biblical illustrations to say how God works with it: Was God so powerless that Noah had to build an ark? Was Abraham’s and the Israelites’ circumcision necessary to establish God’s covenant? When Jacob wrestled with the angel at Peniel, did the angel have to dislocate his hip socket to confer the blessing? The wine had finished at the wedding at Cana and Jesus was capable of conjuring up wine from the blues, but why did he ask for water? And why would he insist on the available loaves and fish for the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000? In fact, and to crown it all, why did God have to sacrifice his only son to win us salvation? Imagine God who created heaven and earth playing by this law!

To get wealth, power and anything from the devil, something has to be given in turn. It isn’t optional. The difference is that one may not know that something has been taken already – the soul. The devil appears not to ever compromise this law; he’s so strict at applying it.

In the business of earth, as it is in heaven and hell, this law applies as much. Your prospective business partner will ask you, “What are you bringing to the table?” This question means heaven and earth to them.

Now, the most important thing about this law is that it is not so much about “something” in particular as it is about “anything,” which is a way of saying that size is immaterial. What is 5 loaves to feed 5,000 3-day hungry men – excluding women and children? But it mattered.

The point is, don’t expect anything if you’ve not given something, and if you want something, give something – anything.

While an undergraduate at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I spent ample time hanging around the Fine and Applied Arts Department. As a consequence, I made a number of friends from around there, who were handy in helping me make sense of some of the pieces in the gallery. In addition, I was privileged to have one of them as next door neighbour at my off-campus apartment; Ugochukwu, my namesake, not only helped me understand what artists actually do by letting me into every new piece on his Artist Diary, but went on to do incredible portraits of me without either pre-informing or asking me for a fee. Charles Ekeanyanwu has always been there to satisfy my hunger for the arts; he explains stuff to me like the great teacher he’s become. Yes, I loved arts, and I still love it. Dearly.

And so, it happened that I visited the University of Benin, UNIBEN, today. UNIBEN happens to have been established in 1970, one of the first generation of Nigerian universities; a university sited in Benin, a town reputed for breathtaking artistry. Of course, I remember that my high school history teacher taught us that the Ancient Benin Kingdom was art personified. In fact, for the Benin people art forms speak louder than a thousand words and a hundred pictures put together. For them, I suppose, art is life. Little wonder every nook and cranny of Benin City is dotted with life art forms – usually of royalty, which is the epicenter of the kingdom; the king here is deity.

Immediately on stepping into UNIBEN’s main gate, I noticed something spectacular. Though ancient in its outlook, it was fine arts galore! However, my sense of art appreciation failed me this once, as I couldn’t notice, talk less of making sense of, the story that was already being told in art forms right from the gate to the convocation arena. Coincidentally, today was convocation day at UNIBEN.

Then came Dubem to the rescue. How could I have come to Benin if not that I’ve either got stuff to tidy up here or know someone who lives here? In this case it was Dubem, a friend with a touch of difference, a friend like few others, and a friend indeed. We’re at UNN together. The long and short of it all is that Dubem, GCFR we call him, is now a masters degree student at the University of Benin. Dubem was my tour guide, so to speak. And then he called my attention to this…

And then to this…

And again to this…

And yet again to this…

There is yet another one…

And then the very last one, the 6th one, right in front of the convocation arena…

This is an interactive post; let us reason together. Kindly take a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or even a 5th look at all six images and say what you observed or think on the comment box. What message do you think those 6 images lined up from the gate to the convocation arena is passing across? The most satisfactory answer gets a prize from Dubem; he’s the judge too. A book mailed to you. That’s the prize. And those who know Dubem will tell you his word is his bond.

No one tears off a piece of a new garment to make a patch for an old one. Not only will the new garment be ruined, but the old garment will look worse with a new patch on it! And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the new wine bursts the old skins, ruining the skins and spilling the wine. New wine must be put into new wineskins. But no one after drinking the old wine seems to want the fresh and the new. “The old ways are best,” they say.

Those are the words of our Blessed Lord, as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter five, from verse thirty-six to verse thirty-nine. Little wonder, he is reckoned not just the greatest man, but the greatest teacher who ever lived – for his wisdom can never be measured. In those words are loaded nuggets of wisdom for leadership excellence, especially in cases where age plays leader to youth. No doubt, age comes with wisdom, wisdom garnered from myriads and varieties of experiences.

However, old people who are set over young people – in a leadership arrangement – must be especially careful. They must be careful because old patch on a new garment rarely looks good, plus new wine in old wineskins bursts! The reason is not far-fetched: generational gap. Generational gap captures the fact that successive generations differ considerably on many issues that matter, especially as it relates to value-orientation. An even bigger challenge is the ‘superiority complex’ that goes with age, as reflected in the rather mischievous claim of good old days. Since leadership is more influential than positional, the leader who is to wield ‘real’ and enormous influence over youths must keep to the following unwritten rules of engagement:

1. Give reasons; explain: They really don’t mind ‘what’ it is you want them to do, but they care about ‘why’ you want them to do it. It is typical of youths to want to know ‘why this’ and not ‘that,’ ‘why him’ and not ‘her,’ ‘why us’ and not ‘them,’ ‘why there’ and not ‘here.’ The point is that your directive is not enough; go on to explain why things should be the way you want them to be. Some older people think they don’t owe younger people explanations. Too bad. It used to be that way in the days of our fathers, but not now. Of course, they’d do it your way if you insist, but be sure they’re not comfortable with you.
2. Know the trends – and showcase that knowledge: Youths are trend-freaks. You can be sure that something is trending for them at every point in time: fashion, music, hairdo, celebrity, gadget, slangs, and what have you. It will do you a lot of good if you’re in the know of the what’s ups in town. By knowing what’s trending, you create the impression that you’re on point and up-to-date. And there is just a way they reward you for this by being more open and friendly to you.
3. Apologize. Thank. Appeal: Many people of the older generation rarely think they owe younger people an apology. They hesitate to say thank you because they feel they deserve things. They don’t get to beg because they have an entitlement mentality. There’s this annoying way they feel their successor-generation owe them the dues they paid their predecessor-generation. Who cares! If anyone does, that wouldn’t be the average member of the millennial generation. For God’s sake, apologize when you offend them; thank them when they do things for you; and appeal to them when you need them to do you a favour. Guess what? Your influence-rating will soar.
4. Don’t threaten; speak to reason: Of course, they’d make tons of mistakes, usually because they’re distracted more often than not. When they do, and they always will, don’t be so red at them that you’re all threats. Guess what? Those threats mean little to them; they already know the most you can do and really don’t need you to remind them of that. Do they even care about what you’d do to them? They rarely do. Instead, conscientize them; speak to their sense of reason. You want them to feel real remorse for what they’ve done? The easiest way to get them to do that is to give them a reason to choose to do that. Remind them of how exceptional they’ve been and how what they’ve now done betrays their past and makes it all look like pretense. That would do.
5. Don’t compare: You need to see some older people compare their own generation with that of the younger generation. They make it look like it used to be just like heaven on earth. To say the least, such comparisons are not only grossly uncalled for but annoying. Truth is: there was never a better generation and will never be; every generation only gets to respond to the changes that greet them while exploring their possibilities. Yes, gone are those days! Welcome to the now! And don’t even draw comparisons between people. That’s uncalled for, too. Individuals are both unique and differentially talented.
6. Feign confused; ask for help: Youths lock up against the know-it-all kind of people. And many older people are especially good at priding themselves as capable of always answering every question, clearing every doubt, calming every fear, and solving every problem. How then will youths feel relevant? Why not give them opportunities to laugh at you by expressing ignorance over a seemingly easy question? Why not ask for help, which gives the impression that you too can be helpless. This is what will happen when you do so ones in a while: they’ll see you as really human, as one of them, and they’ll always flock around you.
7. Sow respect; reap respect: With the millennium generation you earn respect; they don’t owe you it. And the only one way to reap a harvest of respect with them is to sow it. Respect them a lot, and they’d respect you a lot, too. How, you may be asking. Very little things signal respect: offer them a sit as soon as they step into your office or house, speak gently and kindly with them, keep your promises to them, temper justice with mercy, correct them with regard for their esteem, greet them – even if they didn’t greet you first, etc. Simple enough: you reap the respect you sow.
8. Key into the digital: Be the leader who can be followed on twitter, befriended on Facebook, connected with on LinkedIn, chatted with on Whatsapp, and read up on a blog. Send materials to their mailboxes, ask them to download this or that app. In all, key into the digital revolution and ride with the flow along with them. And you’d be glad you did, since you’d always be on the same page with them.