ARISE GHANA YOUTH! (My PIECE for PEACE)

Can you remember exactly what was happening in your life in the early 90’s? While some parents in Ghana were helping their children to get through basic school peacefully, somewhere in Liberia his mother was helping him to jump over dead bodies and dodge bullets so that he could atleast stay alive. The first picture of the world that was introduced to him as a child was a picture of absolute violence and anarchy. He spent his entire childhood running away from bombs and bullets in Liberia where he lost many of his relatives during the civil conflicts. Even his father’s life and the civil war ended just about the same year. He narrowly escaped and came to Ghana alone while the war was still aborting lives and threatening dreams, and he spent a significant portion of his youthful years in Buduburam, the refugee camp.

The road from Buduburam to a university in Ghana was one of the toughest journeys any hunger-stricken refugee youth could dare to travel. But inspite of his struggles and challenges, this young man graduated as GIMPA’s Best Student, BSc Economics (2013) as an Albert Einstein’s DAFI scholar, fully sponsored by the German Government. Today, not only is he a sought-after motivational speaker, he’s also the author the international bestselling book, Between HER WOMB & YOUR TOMB - How to Make Your Life Worth Celebrating, which was launched at the end of 2015 at GIMPA along with a National Youth Empowerment Campaign, HOPE Campaign®, with a goal: to have inspired and empowered atleast 10,000 young people across Ghana by 31^st December, 2016.

Now, do you know the most amazing thing about this story? It is my story; it is the summary of what I’ve been through so far in my life. I’ve actually survived some of the toughest experiences in life; I have scars of pains too deep to ignore, frustrations and disappointments too difficult to even explain. This is why I feel poised to tell you all that I’m about to tell you.

I cannot discuss any issue regarding Politics or the Economy. In fact, everyone in Ghana knows that these two subjects: Politics and the Economy, are ‘legally’ married. No one can easily provide his honest opinion on the performance of the Economy without being placed in a Political box. However, since these two forces are seen today as the biggest threats to the future of many, especially the youths in Ghana, I would like to briefly advise you on how to prevent them from killing you or your dreams prematurely.

If you are a young Ghanaian and you cannot fathom how the African politics of violence can affect your future, I encourage you to atleast study the history of the last 30 years of a country like Liberia. Let me tell you matter-of-factly: if you put all your trust in politicians for your survival and success in life, you might be utterly frustrated the rest of your life. Chances are most politicians are only thinking about the next election, and not about the next generation. Let me give you a classic example. Many years ago when some greedy politicians felt they could not win the next election through the means of the ballot, they decided to destroy the next generation of Liberians with their bullets. That’s how dangerous the struggle for political power was for a small country like Liberia. But thank God she is now gradually recovering from her painful past with a strong lesson.

The painful lesson for those of us still alive today is: when those careless politicians and war-lords chose to replace the Liberian children’s toy guns with real AK47’s and RPG’s, they refused to tell them the truth. They never told those innocent and ignorant kids that the future they desired and deserved could not be created through violence. I wish a young Ghanaian could listen to me: please don’t let the African politics of violence abort your beautiful dreams like it did with hundreds of thousands of my brothers and sisters who could not survive to see this future that they all dreamed about. Imagine how those young people who lost their lives during our senseless civil conflicts would have been so glad to be part of this ‘social media generation’ today. I want you to think about your friends and family members you would love to share your memories with 30, 50 or more years from now and never allow any political violence make you lose them. Don’t be a volunteer victim of violence in Ghana!

Do you know that your dream of a successful future is even more powerful than your current economic conditions? With a first-class BSc in Economics, I don’t feel qualified to tell you anything about how the GH cedi is performing against the US dollar and other major currencies; but as a victim of violence, I’m proud to let you know that I’ve been observing how your Opportunity of Peace in Ghana is constantly prevailing over threats of violence and other political tussles. This year (2016) has come to again test how strong Ghana is, as a beacon of Hope for Africa. This 7^th Elections of your Democratic dispensation which will be held on 7^th December is a symbol to demonstrate the ‘completion’ of Ghana’s victory over democratic challenges. And Ghana’s victory over 2016’s challenges will largely depend on the youths who will value the greatness of their future far above their current conditions. From my experience, I know that more harm can be done to Ghana by weak Ghanaian youths than wicked Ghanaian politicians. This is why I wish to remind you of words from your old patriotic song, “Arise Ghana youth for your country.” I remain confident that Ghana will win another victory in 2016 because “we are all involved.”

Yes, we’re all involved. Whether you are a foreigner or a citizen, you can either be a blessing or a burden to this country. And it’s always a matter of choice. This is why I have chosen to challenge you to never allow the rate of inflation in this country to exceed the rate of your personal development. Stop crying for a better economy, start trying to create a better version of yourself. As a matter of fact, your income level is never directly determined by the economy, it’s always determined by the level of your personal development because “We all get paid by bringing value to the market place.” Money is the reward for solving problems. Where there’re problems, there’re always opportunities to get money. If you see all the problems in Ghana and you still cannot recognize any opportunity to earn some money, you will remain POOR; i.e. you’re simply Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly. Don’t let the economy kill your dreams.

As an African, I know for a fact that God has indeed blessed us with so many natural resources. But paradoxically, the more we discover natural resources as a continent called Africa, the hungrier we become as a people called Africans. The more we discover how rich we are, the more we realize, by our living standards, how poor we are. But listen. It’s not how much resources you have as a privileged Ghana; it’s how resourceful you are as patriotic Ghanaians. Trust me, I know how frustrating this ugly situation has been for all of us. But here is my honest observation: no matter the quantity and quality of natural resources your country discovers, until you personally discover and develop your own natural talents/abilities, you will remain poor, frustrated and unfulfilled in life. If you think those in charge of managing your national resources are not doing well, why not focus on effectively managing your own personal resources given to you by God (for example, your talents and your time)? I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t hold your leaders accountable; I’m only asking you to hold yourself accountable more for your own happiness and success. Success has always been and will always be a matter of your personal decision and determination. If you think you have enough excuses for not leading a successful life in Ghana, think about what I’ve told you about my own life. The mess I’ve been through in my life has given me this simple message for you: don’t allow Politics or the economic challenges to kill you or your dreams. Arise Ghana youth!

HOW TO MOVE FROM PAIN TO PEACE

One of the founding fathers of America, Benjamin Franklin, once said, “By improving yourself the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid only of standing still. Forget your mistakes but remember what they taught you.” Powerful and profound words! This is clear evidence from a great man that experience really matters a lot on the journey to greatness! You need a commendable experience to be celebrated as a great person. You can choose to forget your mistakes, but don’t forget the lessons they taught you. Learn to master the experience and move on. This simple act could take your from pain to peace.

Now, I want you to take a cursory look at your own life. I know if you could, you would go back and just quickly undo some errors you made that have affected your life today so much in so many ways. Don’t double that trouble by trying to go back, the result you have now is called experience. Let it not be a liability to you, it is one of your greatest assets in life. Learn to master it and move on. Life only moves forward, and there’s nothing you can do about it, my dear. Your past is behind you; don’t fight to recapture what is now history. Instead of complaining about your past experiences, why not try to get busy creating new ones.  It’s said that, “You can either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”

I always tell people when you’re disciplined in life; you invariably attract disciples in your life so easily. What has happened has already happened, so stop regretting and start disciplining yourself now. From Adam to you, there has been no good thing that has ever come out of regret. Let me tell you this: regret is the only word that is synonymous to death. If you can’t find it like that in your dictionary, don’t worry; you’ll certainly find it in your grave. So stop killing yourself now with regrets before you finally die. Learn to master your experiences and move on. Move on from that pain to the peace your deserve.

Powerful mistakes that can redefine your life are only made in just a moment. Probably you slept with the wrong person just once to conceive that child you aborted or thinking about aborting or you’ve already given birth to, that brings you so much regret when you remember it. Probably, that moment when you said ‘yes I do’ to the officiating minister was the beginning of your self-imposed slavery you wrongly saw as marriage that has put a string on your happiness ever since. Or maybe, it’s that moment when you decided to put all your money in the wrong basket you saw as investment opportunity that has completely crippled your financial life today. Maybe it was that moment when you decided to take up that employment opportunity with that employer that has devalued and poorly rewarded your labor over the years. Those moments of error have now been transformed by Time into painful memories. We all have painful memories in our lives that seem unbearable - memories of abuse, molestation, betrayal, weakness, humiliation or shame. I want to encourage you today to learn to master them and just move on.

Whatever your experiences are or how terrible they might seem to be, I just want you to know that someone has survived it and has become great already. Find examples of people who have had your kind of circumstances or even worse, and still succeeded in spite those circumstances. If that person could overcome them, so can you. If you forget all the lessons in this post, don’t forget this one thing: if you cannot overcome a mess in your life, no one will ever trust your message. 

THE SECRET TO EXCELLENCE IN LIFE

Regardless of your age or your condition, your color or your creed, your location or your occupation; you need hope to enable you cope with the challenges in your personal life. Today, I challenge you to see HOPE as your ability to Help Other People Excel... If you can just stop worrying yourself about your personal problems 24/7 and help other people excel in this life; you will be amazed to see how God will install so much joy in your heart to enjoy this beautiful gift called "Life."  

Do you know that relationship is one of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of every great person. How connected are you? I heard someone asked this question and it really touched my soul: “What if you grew up in the same neighborhood as Barack Obama about forty years ago, how would you have treated young Barack?” How many people could tell that young Barack Obama would have actually ended up becoming the first black President of the world’s most powerful nation? How would you have treated your president if you grew up with him/her about forty years ago?  How are you treating that little boy or girl in your community who has the seed of your country’s leadership inside him/her? Believe it or not, forty years from now you would look back and wish you had treated some people you met along your life journey better than you did. 

Tonight, thousands of people will go to sleep on empty stomachs; and tomorrow morning, thousands of tons of food will be emptied in the garbage bins. Why? Love and care for our less privileged neighbors are in short supply. I wish you knew that you are a solution to someone’s problem.

A story is told about a man by the name Anthony DeMello who once saw a starving little child in the cold. He became so angry in his spirit and looked up to heaven and said, “God how could you allow such suffering on Earth? Why don’t you do something about this poor child’s condition? After a long silence, DeMello heard God from within him saying, “I have certainly done something; I made you.”

God has already made you a solution to some people’s problem on Earth. If you care enough for other people, you can be the answer to their most pressing questions. I have learned that, “You don’t need a reason to help people.” Go out there and share part of your Opportunity of Life with some people in need.

BETWEEN HER WOMB & YOUR TOMB

There is always a first day and then, a final day.

And probably few thousands or so in between

Life is the best game ever in history, press ‘play’

In the game of life, it’s always your choice to lose or win.

You started out naked, helpless and ignorant

And you gurgled and giggled your way out of diapers into childhood.

As you grow, know that you’ve been DNA-coded to do something different

Sometimes Life may deal you a bad hand, but you’re to play it good.

See each day as a small-scale version of your entire life.

As the sun rises, you rise out of bed like you came out of the womb;

The night falls and you fall back in bed like you’ll fall into your tomb

And you abandon everything to sleep like you’ll do in afterlife.

Between your mom’s womb and your tomb lies your lifetime opportunity

Be grateful because someone out there just took their last breath.

                        They wish they could at least do more for their generation and posterity

But their Opportunity of Life has been taken away by Death.

Someday your womb-to-tomb journey shall also come to an end

And you’ll finally close your eyes and fall into that eternal sleep;

You’d look back on the opportunity of time you had on Earth to spend

And wonder as they lay you to rest, how many people have time to weep?

Today, your Opportunity of Life seems like a real open highway

And death might only seem like a millennium away;

The truth is, your days here on Earth are also numbered

So, do something great with your life to be remembered.