OUR JOURNEYS ARE DIFFERENT.

When I graduated from the university in 2003 I was madly in love with a lady whom I consider opened my eyes to love and the responsibilities that come with it. Technically, she was my first love. I was sold out to that relationship and it meant everything to me. My Dad wanted me to defer NYSC and apply for an MSc Computer Science (my first degree is a B.Tech (Hons) Computer Science). My Dad was intensely interested in ensuring all his children got to Masters degree levels before they retired from work. He opined that since he and our Mum didn’t have the privilege of extended schooling, the least they could do was inspire us to attain it.

I RESISTED IT!!! 🙈

I wanted to get married to my lady. Period!!! So I told my Dad: “no Masters for me. I want to get married”. The plan was to get married in 2004. My lady and I had convictions it was what we wanted. The plan was to get married immediately after my NYSC.

As God would have it, neither the wedding nor the MSc happened. LIFE WENT ON!!!

My younger brothers graduated, and none of them also put in for an immediate Masters. Only our kid sister graduated from UI and immediately proceeded for an M.A in the United States of America 🇺🇸.

So over 15 years, I evolved from an employee to a businessman and a versatile business owner at that. In the course of my work as a businessman, I discovered some limitations in understanding business. There were some depths and breadths I noticed I lacked. Then I told myself IT IS TIME. I knew that just reading books won’t unlock the next level of my knowledge I needed to serve my clients. I needed an MBA. So, in 2020, for the first time since 2003, I enrolled into a NON-CERTIFICATION REGULAR COURSE (I am extensively certified in several areas since 2003). Coincidentally, my younger brothers enrolled into MBA programmes in the same period (it is an irony because we never had a conversation about it and the coincidence of our converged learning is a beauty in itself). So between 2019 and 2021, the 3 of us obtained our MBA degrees.

Like a movie script, the 3 of us enrolled for MSc degrees after the MBA (again, no conversation ever held about that) and by the end of 2022, they both should conclude their programmes. Mine closes by the end of this month (June 2022).

None of these double Masters degrees was sponsored by our Parents but we completely give them credit for sowing the seed.

As an investment into my 50’s and older age, I have resumed a Doctoral Degree programme that should wind up in 2025. I am doing this course as an INSURANCE into my future. I am studying to be a DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (DBA). I reckon that certifications can only go so far but as we age professionally, we must position to advance businesses and economies via professional and academic harmonies. This is my imagination.

Why have I shared this post and testimonials?

Because going by my rebellion in 2004, my Parents may have felt betrayed or heartbroken. They may have felt that all their strategies for our future was truncated by my passion to love a woman. I acted out of innocence and purity of love and even though love didn’t work, my rebellion paid off. EVERYTHING HAS ITS TIME.

Sometimes, it is okay to DEFER what you don’t believe in and EMBRACE what you believe in.

As individuals, parents, and stakeholders, we must know that A PERSON KNOWS THEIR CONVICTIONS and even when they may not be able to explain it, WE SHOULD LEARN TO TRUST THEIR GUTS and PRAY FOR THEM.

Dear Parent, if you trust your parenting systems, let your child be. This was one thing my parents demonstrated 100% of the time. THEY ALWAYS LET US BE. ALWAYS!!!

My closing thoughts:

1. Know what you want.
2. Stay convinced.
3. Learn how to communicate it to those that matter in your life.
4. Protect your heart from backlash.
5. Let your results confirm that you were right all the while. Don’t let your distractions and lack of discipline prove you wrong and prove them right.

If you want to get more value from this message, listen to Episodes 1 to 4 of my podcasts. Each Guest has said something about this. Click https://anchor.fm/theoctopuspodcast. Thank you.

PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE. IT IS FOR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, LOVED ONES AND COLLEAGUES.

Thank you.

m a k t u b!!!

The Octopus