ONLY THIEVES LET THIEVES GET AWAY WITH STEALING

Stephen Dick wrote: "The thieves ain't our problem. The society that lets them get away with it is".
From this profound statement, it is not wrong to say: a society that lets thieves get away with stealing is full of thieves.

Only thieves support and defend thieves.
Only thieves unduly spare and unnecessarily pardon thieves.
Only thieves are unperturbed about prevalent and incessant stealing in every facet of the society.
Only thieves shield the thieves in their circle while they prosecute (or call on the authority to prosecute) other thieves.
Only thieves raise eyebrow and cry foul when their own people who are guilty of stealing are penalised.
Only thieves are partial, sentimental, prejudicial, bias and unjust in the fight against stealing and corruption.

Worst of it all is the exclusion of looting, corruption and malpractices often perpetrated by public office holders from list of criminal offences in some places as shown by body language and expressions of those in question and majority of citizens.

The undoing of any society is to classify stealing into categories by rating one/some higher, honourable and acceptable than others. In the real sense, all wrong doings and malpractices (regardless of its degree and what caused it) should be condemned.

When perpetrators of 'official robbery' (any stealing involving government officials and political office holders) are still given accolades and celebrated while 'domestic stealing' is frowned at by melting out jungle justice to people who steal gari, rice, yam, meat et al because of hunger; it is a proof that the people of the land lack right judgement and are cowards.

Who deserves jungle justice between looters of public treasury who escape civil justice and ordinary citizens who steal food not to die of hunger? Don't you know that diversion of public funds to private purses contributes greatly to economy collapse, scarcity, hardship and also, influence many to employ illegality for survival?

In as much that hungry boy who steal a module of gari would be burnt alive by angry mob, the same punishment should be extended to everyone who steal from public fund under the pretext of serving as public servants. It is of cowards and miserable people to unleash jungle justice on hungry people who steal food at the market place while they watch corrupt citizens freely loot their commonwealth without giving them jungle justice if civil justice is ineffective. Only thieves let thieves get away with stealing.

_Stephen Olamilekan Jimoh
Advance Everyday
...living life at best
http://stephenoj.blogspot.com.ng/

KNOCKOUT IMPOSSIBILITY OF EVERY GOOD THING IN YOUR MIND AHEAD OF 2017

Some people came to the world and proved that everything is impossible by doing nothing. Some others came and proved that everything is possible by doing the impossible.

Perhaps there is any good thing you still think is impossible for you, your nation and the rest of humanity to do, to have, to enjoy and become; I beseech you to alter that faulty believe system. The very best is possible no matter how difficult and impossible it appears. Even the poorest persons and most backward nations can turnaround to undergo changes and become highly successful (it is left to those concerned to take the right steps). I give it to you; if you can dare, you will soar higher.

As a brand new year 2017 presents itself to you on a platter of gold with limitless opportunities and endless possibilities, get your groove on to sing and dance to its melodies. Let doubt of doing well cease in your mind, believe you can do well and build up to be at best performances for yourself, the people in your life, your community and the rest of the world to thrive without hurdles.

The year 2017 is all yours! Go ahead with that strong conviction and relevant preparation for your goodness, wellness and greatness to inspire the world.

_Stephen Olamilekan Jimoh
Advance Everyday
...living life at best
http://stephenoj.blogspot.com.ng/

FOUNDATIONAL REASONS FOR LEADERSHIP FAILURE

Why a lot of leaders failed to deliver excellent leadership is not farfetched.
Perhaps you are considering becoming a leader in your community or any setting; careful evaluation of your way of life, what prompted your interest in leadership and how you intend to become a leader among other factors settles it.

In clear terms, the 3 major foundational reasons for leadership failure are:
i. Lifestyle.
ii. Motive for pursuing leadership position.
iii. Strategies employed to become a leader.

By someone's lifestyle, you can tell it all how the person is most likely to coordinate himself peradventure he/she secures a leadership role. Whatever a person has given his/her life to is a major factor that is key to his performance in any undertaking. Prejudicial, oppressive, deceptive, wasteful and unpatriotic lifestyle is counter productive to excellence in leadership.

If you pursue power for the love of power and the privileges of power not for the love of the people, their welfare and posterity; you cannot deliver excellent leadership. It is impossible to serve people better than the value you place on them.

"Whoever wins election on the platter of injustice is already incapacitated of delivering justice" as I stated in the article: To All Winners At The Poll Everywhere. Without having respect for due process and following right procedures to get things done, you are most unlikely to promote it eventually you become a leader.

'Truth bi say: person wey no sabi road no fit lead the way' (i.e. whoever doesn't know the way cannot lead others through the way). To stand up for truth, justice, equity, fairness, peace and collective prosperity in leadership; you must have been a staunch believer and practitioner of it prior to becoming a leader.

A very strong foundation is laid for success in leadership by getting right our lifestyles, motives and strategies employed in the pursuit of leadership. There is no shortcut to leadership success. Whoever is not excellent at leading an impactful life by adding real value to people prior to becoming a leader cannot do otherwise thereafter.

_Stephen Olamilekan Jimoh
Advance Everyday
...living life at best
http://stephenoj.blogspot.com.ng/

TO ALL WINNERS AT THE POLL EVERYWHERE

(Note: This piece serves as my congratulatory message and charge to whoever becomes winner during election to serve at any level of leadership in his nation.)

I rejoice with you at your success during the election as winner showing that you are the most preferred for the job. Your courage and tenacity all through the way until the election is concluded in your favour is a proof that you can excel in the task ahead if you are willing.

As I congratulates you, I humbly beseech you to accept my little charge to further quicken your preparedness and readiness to deliver good leadership.

May your victory at the poll be the victory of entire citizens of your country not for yourself over the citizens. Your emergence as a leader is expected to be a great blessing to everyone so much no voter would regret voting for you.

The question is: Are you doing it for the love of people, their welfare and posterity or for the love of power and the privileges of power? Except you are in power for/with the love of the people well rooted in your heart, you cannot deliver excellent leadership.

How you become a leader gives a picture of how you will serve. If your victory at the poll is made possible through malpractices; you have failed even before your swearing in. Whoever wins election on the platter of injustice is already incapacitated of delivering justice.

On this note, by a way of wishing you good success - I leave you to reflect deeply on the following profound statements to set the right perspectives.

The victory of every winner at the poll should be the victory of entire citizens not the winners' victory over the rest citizens.

Leaders are meant to salvage the system not to ravage the system.

Every new leader is expected to make things better for all not worse for anyone (including those who voted against him/her).

Incoming regime should be a continuity of good works started by outgoing regime in keeping with execution of new programmes.

As a new leader, serve in such a way that voters would be grateful they voted for you. Your main aim should be to serve not to be served. Let voters' investment on your victory and people's congratulatory messages count. Give yourself wholly to your duties. Success at the poll does not guarantee or equal success in office.

_Stephen Olamilekan Jimoh
Advance Everyday
...living life at best
http://stephenoj.blogspot.com.ng/

SPECTATORS ARE THE BEST PLAYERS

People off the field are better players in their own eyes than people on the field. Like in a game or any sporting activity (say a football match), spectators are the best players.

Meanwhile, the same way it is in football so it is in every job, task or undertaking. If you are not on the field, you don't feel the heat (i.e. the plight: problems, pressure, tension and agitation of those on the field).

Those who are not directly incharge (e.g. of: organising a program/event, a group/association, an enterprise, an institution and most importantly, public affairs), usually think the people incharge are under performing or lack the know how.

Since "some people don’t understand the burden of leadership" as hinted by Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, they blindly write off everyone in leadership. A lot of people make negative assertion about performances of others because they don't figure out what the task(s) in question entails and it's likely challenges.

At times, field workers are unduly maltreated for low performances by their superiors who is inside air conditioned office watching TV or surfing Internet without slight idea of the situation on the field.
At other times, staffs/subordinates hold their superiors/employers in bad light for their inability to meet up certain responsibilities without an idea of how challenging it is to sit as a manager or an employer of labour considering the risk involved.

It is very easy to spot the failure of those doing the job and 'bad-named' them, even when you cannot do as much they have done or they are doing. Everyone doing the job faces different challenges on the job that is beyond your imagination if you are not in their shoes.

At this junction, let me issue a disclaimer that this is not to shield anyone who is not delivering best performances at work or any undertaking but to set the right perspective for all.

To conclude people who are doing their best at something worthwhile are doing rubbish when you are busy at nothing is unacceptable. Would you have done better given the same task if at all you are able to function at their level of performance?

Spectators are the best players. A know-nothing thinks he knows it all. A do-nothing thinks he is good at everything.

_Stephen Olamilekan Jimoh
Advance Everyday
...living life at best
http://stephenoj.blogspot.com.ng