Hi Folks,
Thank God it is another Friday, just as it is likely happening everywhere else; it has been one end of the year party the other.
It wasn’t a surprise when Gbenga Fabiyi invited me and my friends for the special end of the year party his organization, Iloshe Properties and Investment Limited, was hosting for kids within their host community. The management had selected 500 kids from different primary schools within the Agege community in Lagos. Compeered by my business partner, Taiye Akinpelu, the kids rocked to different genres of music, played different games and finally had a dancing competition. There was good food and huge prizes. Top of which was a full plot of land, a half plot and a bunch of other prizes.
Why is it worth mentioning you may ask? The fascinating thing is the fact that beyond the music, the food and goodies from Santa Claus; a plot of land worth over three hundred thousand naira was won by an 8 year old, Happiness Ikeh, a primary 3 pupil and Faridat Noah who won half a plot of land. I see it as an unprecedented CSR move by an organization as young as Iloshe Properties and Investment Limited.
The simple gesture has already certified 2020 a special year for the family of that little girl. The kids were excited and the sort of jubilation expressed by the kids brought joy to the faces of many. Little things that bring us together in happiness, well… it is the season of giving and sharing. It was another opportunity to catch up with the Iloshe team, Gbenga Fabiyi, Femi Akanni, Oyinlola Obot, Yetunde, Morakinyo, Wunmi and others. My colleagues Taiye Akinpelu, Tayo Bolade, Faith Isibor, and Mubo Fatula.
Thursday, 19th December was even more engaging. I woke up to the reminder that the Mindshift Advocacy event would kickoff at 11a.m, but I would be on air for RealtorsConnect and wouldn’t get to the venue until I am done. I called the organizers and they reserved a seat for me. All the while, I kept thinking it was going to be a brand strategy session.
Just as we rounded off the program on radio, our guest, Arc. Daisi Osho invited us for the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners end of the year party. I declined as I wasn’t sure when I was going to be done with the Mindshift event.
Mindshift Advocacy for Development Initiative is a non-governmental organization initiated for the purpose of facilitating a mind shift by sharing knowledge and exposing the effects of the existing cloud of negativity beclouding our mindset in Africa. The group is advocating for a different way of thinking.
Daniel Malik, my genius friend behind the Lagos Digital Marketing Institute had hand-picked me for this event and being a strategist himself, I could only think he wanted us to brainstorm on taking 2020 and off to Quiet Pools, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja. I arrived to the presentation of Alhaji Sajoh, he was just rounding off and I was able to pick the line “To succeed, you must reconstruct your mind”. He emphasized the need to think aright and closed his presentation. I was told that Joko Okupe had presented his own talk earlier, the interjections as the events unfolded by Joko gave an insight to the kind of thoughts that must have led him to convene such an audience as this. Mrs. Onabowale was more practical in her approach as she opened with the question “Who Am I?” She says it all starts from the mind and the answer to the question would be found in identifying one’s purpose in life. Lady Taiwo Adejumo a.k.a Lady Tee, took into the Nigeria national anthem and cited the line that said “Help our youths the truth to know” and rounded off by encouraging us to adopt and believe in the statement “I am the Nigerian that will not make Nigeria an impossible case”
I enjoyed the Mindshift advocacy gathering particularly because, while the main objective may be to change the negative mindset prevalent in Africa, the address a global problem by extension. I the people of the world would Reflect, Rethink and Do Different, then the world would certainly be a better place. I totally I agree with the ideology behind the Mindshift Advocacy. How do you even think?
The Mindshift Advocacy shifted my mindset indeed and even shifted some new friends my way. I met Oluwaseun Carew-Bakare, Omotope Opatola,Uzo Philip Iheme,Kenny Adenugba, Ayodele Odufuye, Tinu Odufuye, Johnson the fitness guy, Kenny Adenugba and a host of others.
Well, another Friday is here; make the best of it and help someone smile today with your acts of kindness.