COVER DESIGNS OF BUKONLA's BOOKS

OCCUPY THAT TERRITORY (2)

It is really hard for me to comprehend that blood cleansing and spirit filled young people will be afraid of fellow students who are erroneously members of secret societies on campus. Why? We refuse to occupy our territories. You know what? When good is absent in a land, evil thrives easily. 

Nothing must be left to chance in taking over our campuses; academically, spiritually, socially and in commerce. Wonderful programmes like, Catch Them Young must be well planned and purposefully executed. This is simply a time when fellowships roll out their drums and move round the campus to catch new intakes that could be influenced negatively because of their naivety and thus become easy prey for the hawks and become campus casualties.

One unique thing about Catch Them Young is that, apart from reaching out to others about the love of Christ, the programme is also an avenue to help new intakes during their registration and orientation. A guide is a relief to a stranger who is wandering in a location because he or she does not know the way.  When we strategically position ourselves to help those in need, occupying that territory becomes easy. We must arise and take over. We cannot be oppressed in our domain.

Moving to the business world, (which I earnestly desire that we dominate) I want us to correct this wrong notion. I do not know why some of us believe that we must be in our 40s or 50s before we start our businesses. Well, this age is really advancing and it is not the time for us to follow some trends that we can easily break away from.

You know what? You can be actively involved in petty trading while you are still a student (even while in secondary school). I once met a lady who was studying for her PhD programme in one of the Universities in Nigeria yet she is into fashion designing. In actual fact, I was surprised the day I got to her house and I saw the numbers of sewing machines she had. She was really into that business, yet she was studying for her doctorate degree at the same time. 

Instead of raising your voice to always complain because you feel or think your allowance is too small or it cannot sustain you, why not get up from your bed of comfort and be actively engaged in a small business which can bring in extra income and then your parents or guardian can have respite.

For instance, if you are technically minded, you may help to repair phones, computers, irons etc for some cash. If you are creative, you may be able to make beads, cakes etc and just sell for a price which will help to meet some of your needs. With that, you will occupy your territory in the area of commerce and you never can tell that seemingly insignificant trade may pave way for a flourishing business in the nearest future.

For some of us, it may be our gifts that will make us to dominate our territory. Daniel and Joseph were specially gifted when it comes to interpretation of dreams and with this singular gift; they dominated even in strange lands. So, have you discovered your gift? Put it into use and be a force to reckon with in that environment.

However, our attitude has a lot of role to play if we want to occupy our territories. Are you positive minded? If the answer is yes, occupying your immediate territory either spiritually, physically, socially, financially, or academically becomes easy. A positive approach to life will pave way for dominance. With God on our side, we shall get there.

OCCUPY THAT TERRITORY (1)

In Zoology, a territory is an area that an animal considers its own. Not only that, the animal defends that area or territory against intruders, especially of the same species.

In commerce, a territory is a region or district that an agent covers. The area is assigned to a sales representative to function and make sales for the company he or she represents.

Coming down to us as young people who are on campuses, lives in communities, works in organizations and worships in churches or fellowships, we want you to know that you are occupying a territory wherever you are. Drawing from the definition of territory in the commerce sense, we can deduce that we are agents of our Master (Jesus) where we are right now. Now, the question is, are we in control of that territory. Have we fully occupied that territory? If Yes, good; if No, why?

I will not forget in a hurry the story of a lady who gained admission into one of the higher institutions in Nigeria. As she stepped into one of the classrooms, she decreed that she would emerge as the best student in that class and it was so. With a dint of hard work and God on her side, she turned off the intruders of failure and distractions and occupied that territory. 

As a representative of the Master, are you a force to reckon with where you are? How outstanding are you among your peers in the class or office. How good are you on that job? I remember the story of one of my loved ones who went to United Kingdom for his Masters degrees. On getting there, he was unable to get a part time job on time. A very smart guy who is sound academically, he did not waste time in occupying that area.

According to him, once he realized that his classmates did not have a firm grip on what was being taught in class, (but he did) he told them he would organize tutorial classes for them on those difficult subjects, but they would pay him. They agreed to what he said and that was his first job in UK. Again this man occupied his territory by wading off lukewarmness and self-pity.

What are you doing in that office or school? Occupying or just folding your hands and doing nothing. Being idle will not take you far, especially if you cross your legs only to wait for a perfect situation. Remember the story of talents in Matthew 25? The man who collected one talent buried it and when His Master returned there was no profit to show forth. Even what he was given was taken from him. We must take over as young people.

Please get me right. We are not talking of carrying guns, bows, arrows and detonating bombs like terrorists who are wasting lives and properties. Taking over territories is about being a positive influence and a force to reckon with. As a youth mentor teenagers; as a teen mentor pre-teens and occupy them with positive things which can bring changes.

I once shared my experience at the female toilet of the Faculty of Social Science, University of Ibadan with us in this column; kindly permit me to mention it again. Immediately you enter the well kept toilet and find your way into the rest room with the door neatly closed, your eyes cannot miss the writings on the door such as, ‘Abstinence is the way out of AIDS’ ‘are you born again’ ‘Jesus loves you’ ‘it’s good to be a virgin’ etc. Do you know what those who wrote those things did? They took over that area of jurisdiction before anyone whose heart is not regenerated would come and write rubbish and nonsense at the back of that door.

You know what? Only smart and strong people take over territories. I mean people whose eyes are opened to see what ordinary eyes would not see and those who are alert to discern between good and evil. It’s time to take over positively.

Kindly expect the second part of this article

How Zealous Are You?

My heart ached when I heard the news that the suicide bomber at the Government Comprehensive Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State was a teenager.

From reports, it was disclosed that the students were on the assembly, waiting to hear the principal's daily address when the explosion happened, just before 8am. As at press time, the number of deaths recorded were 48, while 79 were injured.

Is it not absurd that in this great nation of ours, a teenager would be so ignorantly zealous to have an explosive that he knew would take his life and that of other citizens?

As if that was not enough, just some days after this incident, a female suicide bomber struck at the Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Niger State, killing herself and injuring three others.

You know what? These two young people displayed unflagging enthusiasm for this cause, although they were ignoramus. They were indoctrinated and promised what they would never see, enjoy or inherit but they believed anyway and even death was not a minus for them with the lies they lived for; they lived and died in ignorance.

The pain in my heart however is, how zealous are our teenagers and youths in the faith and in most things pertaining to God. Some Sundays ago, I called two wonderful young people who loved to disappear from the Sunday school class and reappear when the teacher is almost through with the class. Unfortunately when you size some of them up spiritually, they are far from what is expected of them.

How often do our young people organize evangelism programmes within and outside their immediate vicinity just to reach out to unsaved souls? How much of God do some of them know, not to talk of going out to preach what they know to others?

I remember the day one of our Sunday school teachers pointed our attention to the fact that some young people who belonged to a particular sect have ‘prayed’ so much that their forehead already has a mark. There is also another sect that moves around with their young people (mostly on Saturdays) to preach what we born again Christians know is heresy yet, we do not see our young ones who know the truth move from house to house several times to tell people the truth they know.

King David said, the zeal of your house has consumed me. How zealous are you as a young fellow. How many people know you and operate with you based on that faith which you profess. How many people do you preach to in a week and how many souls have you won for Christ since you came to the saving grace of Christ?

Are you known among your classmates, colleagues, and people in your community as a Christian who would not compromise or you are seen as that guy that follows his parents to church but we do not see any major difference in your life?

How enthusiastic are you about the things of God. Are you a role model or you just play church. Do you challenge other young people around you positively or all what you do is move with the crowd.

How passionate are you about God and His work. Can you boldly say that the zeal of the house of God has consumed you? What is your relationship with God like? Is it a hush hush relationship or what? How much of the Bible do you have in your heart and how do we see those words in your life? Are you still being cajoled to fast and pray?

I desire that there will be a revival in the lives of our young people so that as they stand out academically, professionally etc, they will also stand out for God and the kingdom assignment.

Here is the front cover of our new publication. CHOOSE TO BE DIFFERENT. Read and be transformed

KNOWN FOR WHAT?

A woman travelled outside Nigeria for a short holiday, but still went out of her way to get some gifts for her extended family with the house-helps not left out of the largesse. According to her, she learnt this from one of her aunts whom whenever she travelled abroad would always bring gifts for them when they were young. The gifts may be small but it would be durable and it would always go round. That was one of the things her aunt was known for.

On the other hand, there was this young lady that I met some time ago who shared a bit of her past with me. According to her, there was this ‘big aunty’ who lived in her neighbourhood who introduced her to wild life. She said regrettably that in her hay days, this big aunty would take her out to parties, clubs and of course introduce her to men. 

Before long, she became pregnant for one of the men who later took to his heels and left her with the responsibility of nursing the child. While recounting her wayward lifestyle which she felt was enjoyment then, the role the big aunty played came vividly into the big picture of her past. Unfortunately, the big aunty was not around to help. Her situation became pathetic because she did know where exactly her life was heading to, but God came to her rescue when she came to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What are we known for? A rebel or conformist; a lover of peace or troublemaker; a model or atypical! What are we actually living for? Do we rejoice in evil or we are always out to do good and make sure that others who are down or lowly are lifted because of the wonderful roles we played in their lives.

In the real sense of it, are we known for virtue or vice? For instance, some people are known to always give gifts that are not good to others. Someone told me of a woman who specializes in giving stale bread, expired milk etc to people who come to her home on a visit or for one thing or the other. She is so good at this that people attested to it. Of what use is a gift that has no use!

For some of us, our second name is arrogance. Nobody can satisfy us as we see ourselves as the best and others as ignoramus. So much pride is in us that we never appreciate others and the sterling qualities that make them unique. We are too high to reckon with the lowly in our classes, campuses, organizations, families and communities. 

For some of us, the words of our mouths betray us. By the time we make just two sentences, our speech betray us as pride is lined up in the sentences. Apart from pride, some of us pull down others easily by what we say. What a fruitless life! That life is fruitless because God resist the proud but gives grace to the humble.

What of some of us who are gossips. No information flies around without our knowledge; in actual fact, some of us play God as we want others to know that we had the news about a person, event etc before anyone else. We call these people, information without wire. It is bad that many people have associated some of us with this vice; it is even worse that some of us take pride in this depravity. The book of proverbs says, the talk of the lips tend to penury. You know what? A gossip will not be paid a dime for his/her gossip business; the least level of appreciation open to that fellow is thank you from an ungrateful heart!

What are you known for? This is a pertinent question we must ask ourselves. Of what use is a life that cannot influence others positively. Of what use is a life that is associated with laziness alone without any remorse from the culprit.

Young people should be known for their zeal which cannot be traded for anything because that is their season of strength. Apostle John said, I write to you young men because you are strong. Let us arise as builders and channel our strength towards upbeat tasks.   

Enough of playing into the gallery; our virtues will bring more people to our savior and transform many from bad to good. Let us be known as young leaders who brought light into a dark world.