No! Today is not your birthday, but if i should wait for your birthday to post this, it would have lost it essence and wane in value.
You’ve taught me many lessons and value in life, but I guess we don’t know the value of a mentoring until we’ve stepped in to a new phase where in we are forced to applied some of those residual principles you’ve inherent in us by hanging around you and watching you do what you do.
I still remember the first time I heard you speak, I was in the crowd and Bam, the light went on in my mind, I knew this was what I love to do, call that divine. Then you met me and say these words “Young man, you look hungry and thirsty for knowledge, called this number” and that was it.
One of the best gift you’ve given me, is how you’ve welcomed and tolerated me in your space, even when you barely knew me.
I’ve watched you made mistakes, conquer minds, pay huge sacrifices, even to things you were not been paid for, well I guess that’s why it’s called sacrifice. I remembered looking at you in your room one day wondering why you’re making this huge sacrifices, and you look at me and said”Solomon am paying my dues, you will pay yours later” I couldn’t get it, not until recently.
The funny thing is, people wonder why you go these lengths just to affect your generation, bit they don’t understand the cost of a life. I was goalless, passionless and clueless until I met you, now I understand why you do what you do, it might not be for the crowd, but just that one person that would be able to yield to what you have to offer, they won’t recover from such impact EVER.
We watch you, hang around you, sometimes sleep on the same bed with you, those are gifts money can’t buy, if I have to auction the time and I hang around you, the things I learnt by just following you to series of events, not sure of any amount in cash can suffice.
This goes out to any young person out there, when you hang around a person, it shouldn’t just be about the cash, real wealth are in the values and deposit of wisdom you learnt from your mentor.
My advice to other mentors out there, be transparent to your mentees, let them watch you do what you do, and also learn from your mistakes.
I guess this is becoming too long, but the truth is I haven’t started yet.
Thank you Mr Aribisala Oljide.
UNSINKABLE PEN 