Major investments in the world today did not take place out of certain scholastic acquisitions; rather, they took place as a result of developed talents bestowed on individuals. Apart from the naturally bestowed ones from God Almighty, talents are also inherited by children from the parents. As a gifted ability from God, nothing stands on its way when it is developed and put in motion. There are many uncertificated geniuses in diverse professions today who are able to break-through as a result of identifying their talents and developed them. Such individuals are blessing to the world at large.
Talented people always get things right because God gives them wisdom to steer the people’s ship aright and not around whenever the mantle of leadership falls on their shoulder. You wouldn’t be surprise that many do come to me to inquire of the school of journalism I attended and whenever I gave them my reply, “Talent School of Journalism”, they will be surprise. Some will take my answer like that while many would argue in disbelieve, asking ‘how do you mean?’ After explaining further, many will doff their cap for me while some bitter critics will describe my writing as a model of bad literature. They are entitled to their opinion any way. May concern is to get more readers that will read, digest and appreciate my works. I was not a graduate of any Writing Institute before I started and became the Publisher cum Editor of Better Living News Magazine, a community publication. It was the same way that I started and finished my two unpublished novels that are waiting to be published in the near future.
When a 2019 Guber Aspirant from Enugu State in the person of Engr. Ben Chuka Eche saw my talent, he invited me and we created a Campaign Newsletter called The Progressives for him which I became the Editor. I have that flair for writing and that helped me become a soldier of the pen. In retrospect after my Secondary Education, I discovered my talent on time by undertaking apprenticeship in printing and publishing technology which gave rise to my Printing Press today. I didn’t neglect that I dropped out of National Teachers’ Institute due to the fact that I am gainfully employed now. Talent is gold indeed. What are you talented in?
The true fact is that up till now I have not attended any formal school of journalism which to me is the question. The question is, “what are you able to produce?” You can go to school to learn man made technicalities. There is nothing bad about it. It is good and commendable for everything done under the earth. But such cannot be equated with God’s gifted natural ability. Any one that is diligent with his or her work will stand before kings. School is important and commendable, but that alone is not enough. One must look inwards to discover his or her God’s gifted ability and develop it, that’s your calling.
Despite that I love books, my flair for writing helped me developed my writing skill as a journalist. One may call me an ‘Uncertificated Journalist’ and I will answer the person positively with some proof. After all, I have a Trade Test Certificate in Printing and Publishing Technology. Many are like that too.
In 2003 when I was writing my Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination at Community Secondary School Ndeaboh, among the participants I was the only candidate supervised and invigilated on Igbo Literature. I credited it when the result was released and equally passed my Literature-in-English. An adage says that ‘there is no smoke without fire’.
That’s why going to school is good, if not, I could not have passed that examination. Furthering one’s education and acquiring a University Degree but it must be backed up with a good skill.
If people should discover their talents and develop them, the world will be a bed of roses as crime would be beaten hands down. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Our Youths of these days are no longer interested in learning a trade (Hand-work). They wants to make it sharp and that’s the reason crime is increasing. If people should go for serious training in their talented and chosen career, there will be no unemployment. Such training should be very elaborate in every aspect of such skill. It should not be theory all the times as the case of many schools and their students. All schools should have skill acquisition centre which will be made compulsory for her students for their future happiness.
Theory is good but it has to be backed up with serious practical training as well so that the person can fit into the labour market after graduation from school. It is highly disappointing in Nigeria and Igbo to see that many are parading around with a lot of certificates in various
fields but when it comes to practical aspect they would have a question mark. I think, the authorities should take note of this so that our nation’s image abroad will be redeemed.
Recently the world buried powerful musicians in the persons of Chief Osita Osadebe, Oliver De Coque, Patty Obasi, Sunny Okosun, even Fela Anikulapo Kuti etc. These were talented musicians Nigeria ever produced. They discovered their talents on time and developed them which distinguished them as the pride of their father land. Though they are of the blessed memory, they were wonderfully created as feeders of the soul. It was obvious, that when the news of their transition spread to the public, people wailed. All the media houses took challenges of who will do the highest immortalization of legendary to those our departed personalities. They died but their works are still living. What a legacy! The most surprising thing was that none of these kings of their different making in musical world attended any formal school of music but they used the musical instruments better than the white men that produced them. By the grace of God I will do better than them because I strongly believed that I am a ‘hero’ in the making.
One wonderful thing is that such talents abound in every field of endeavor. This is why in the world of writing we had someone like Chidozie Ogbaru who was gifted in the writings of Igbo Language text books. Though he went and majored in Economics as a booming career in those days. When man proposes, God arranges. Ogbaru was later turned down and back to square one, his bestowed talent. His prolific writings of Igbo Language Literature exposed his personality as a learned gentle man in Igbo land. His life taught people that there is a big difference between profession and occupation. For that I suggest that people should mind their own business and when it is that way, our land will be fine. No matter how little it may be at the start, its expansion depends on how well you manage it. I strongly believed that greatness starts from doing a little thing in a great way. That little thing we do very well will throw us to limelight someday. Nothing good comes easy.
Another respected fellow was Cyprian Ekwensi. He was gifted in literature, but went and read Pharmacy. But for the fact that talent is gold, many people did not know Ekwensi as a Pharmacist the way he was known as a Novelist in Nigeria. Igbo land beyond
when he reverted to compilative literature. He published his first works at twenty six, written over thirty works, but at eighty, remains more or less at the fringes of literary hall of fame. His gifted literary art won him the Dag Hammarskjold (a former UN Secretary General) International Award for Literary Merit.
Literary art is a stage in the evolution of our society indeed, just as talent is the cradle of gainful employment. As I said earlier, when talented people are allowed to steer aright our vehicle of change, there must be a remarkable civilization in our land to the happiness of every citizen. People travel far distances looking for a way to breakthrough while the seed that would usher them to great success is buried in them. If they can look very well, surely those seeds must be discovered.
If you have a son or daughter, watch him or her closely to know what he or she likes doing all the times and follow them up. If you discover that your child will do well in trading, don’t force him or her to read medicine because you want to answer ‘Mama’ or ‘Papa’ doctor. If you do that, you have succeeded in destroying that young man or young lady’s future and he or she might be floating all his or her life. My son must not be a pastor because I am a pastor.
Our talents will make us agents of hope when we tap them effectively just as it happened to some God’s great missionaries in the Bible. Many of those disciples of Jesus Christ were not learned to the level we are today yet they were qualified in the Lord and were used to change history for good. Example, Apostle Peter and John were common men like us but because they were making use of their God’s gifted abilities in those days, when people saw their courage and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men. They were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
No matter the remoteness of your place of abode, that does not count much. Apostle Peter came from Bethsaida, a fishing village on the Northeastern Coast of the Sea of Galilee and he had and was making use of his great talent as a fisherman. When Jesus visited the Pool He saw the talent in Peter, his brother Andrew and their father being displayed and decided to make use of them by making them His followers: ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men’. Even the little town of Bethsaida for that sake was blessed. Bethsaida, which means House of Fishing, was where Jesus later performed many miracles. For nearly two thousand years, Bethsaida was lost to history. Not until 1987 was the archaeological site of this village discovered. What a blessing!
Reader, be ready to answer whenever someone asks you ‘what are you?’. For me, I don’t want to be a failure. I will tell you my reason, God is sitting on His throne in Heaven with His eyes on me. He brought us into this world for a purpose and we must fulfill our destiny. See you at the top!
THE ECHO 