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As this series ends in a fortnight, today is the opportune moment for focus to shift to wisdom. Wisdom is knowing per time how, where and when to say or do what as well as how, where and when not to say or not do what. Wisdom is the ability to gain direction, every time. Wisdom is life’s masterkey.
Wisdom is the perfect response in every situation. Wisdom is neither permanently humble nor permanently arrogant. Wisdom is knowing when to abound and when to abase. Wisdom is the proper understanding of times and seasons and things and people and their interplay.
Wisdom flaunts nothing, because he has everything. Wisdom never brags, because he knows that’s foolishness. Wisdom neither argues nor competes, because he belongs in the best premier league all by himself. Wisdom ends discussions, because -I mean- what else is there to say thereafter? When wisdom arrives, he is respected, received and treated to yes and amen; no more no less.
Wisdom does not betray any emotion when his time has not come. That is the way of foolishness. Wisdom only strikes when the iron is hot. If you ever see wisdom angry, know that anger is the best medicine for that situation.
Wisdom is independent as he needs nothing or nobody for anything. Wisdom does not need the truth let alone money or power to survive. In fact, it is the threesome that need wisdom to succeed. Sans wisdom, your truth or money or power is in vain.
Wisdom is the art of understanding understanding, of knowing knowledge. That is, wisdom understands or knows a thing or a people plus how to approach, deploy or relate with them anytime. Wisdom is total package; no half measures, no failure. Wisdom strikes gold every time.
Wisdom tolerates a bad boss sweetly until a better door opens. Thereafter, wisdom harbours no bitterness. Wisdom never thinks vengeance; such inane stratagems are below him. Wisdom laughs off every hurt; he knows the hurter shan’t go scot-free.
Wisdom loves his hater like a lover because he knows it is the wisest thing to do. Wisdom forgives like a fool because he knows it is not wise to do otherwise. Wisdom works hard and plays even harder because he knows life is useless if you don’t strike that balance. Wisdom is the king of caution, tact and timing, because he knows the trio is life’s winning formula.
Wisdom is not loud -of course; he’s not an empty vessel. Just as generals don’t and can’t and never shout, wisdom is a still small voice that speaks just to the mind’s ears. Only the fool pooh-poohs wisdom. That’s another big golden lesson this 50-year-old has gleaned from life.
Wisdom knows that foolishness hates him. Yet, wisdom coexists peacefully, because he knows better. Wisdom’s vantage position grants a beautiful worldview while foolishness, stuck on the ground floor of even a so-called intelligent building, is hooked to darkness and, therefore, hopelessness. Wisdom cannot but have pity on foolishness, for foolishness already has enough intrinsic hate and frustration to last eternity.
Wisdom hardly talks: never carelessly; never too early; never too late. Wisdom never fails: he is too measured to fail; too deep; too talismanic. Wisdom consults widely: to calm frayed nerves; to carry everyone along; to ensure justice. Wisdom is Jack of all trades and master of them all: can sell ice to Eskimos, can engender peace among perennial foes, can do what Napoleon couldn’t.
We must learn from wisdom: to live wisely; to earn wisely; to spend wisely. To learn wisely; to teach wisely; to imbibe wisely. To educate wisely; to inform wisely; to entertain wisely. To love wisely; to correct wisely; to punish wisely.
To approach wisely; to trust wisely; to accommodate wisely. To study wisely; to work wisely; to lead wisely. To fight wisely; to disagree wisely; to cease fire wisely. To start wisely; to drive wisely; to overtake wisely.
To ride wisely; to sail wisely; to pilot wisely. To navigate wisely; to negotiate wisely; to manoeuvre wisely. To go wisely; to come wisely; to stop wisely. To continue wisely; to return wisely; to land wisely.
To plan with, wisely; to dine with, wisely; to play with, wisely. To live with, wisely; to talk with, wisely; to deal with, wisely. To quarrel with, wisely; to gossip with, wisely; to plot with, wisely. To laugh with, wisely; to smile with, wisely; to cry with, wisely.
Yes, it’s a tricky world: you need wisdom to live and work and retire and enjoy and die well. Get him at any cost: apply him every single step of the way. Always remember his rule of thumb: don’t oversay; don’t overdo; don’t overstay; don’t overeat; don’t overtrust. In everything and with everyone, apply wisdom every time, everywhere.
In the foregoing 17 paragraphs is embedded the masterkey to a happy and stressfree and successful life. Never overreach yourself, even if you can. Never publicise your failings or admit that you are down and out, even if you are. This is the word of the Lord -live it.
God bless Nigeria!
The small people around the big man
Placed side by side with the poor masses who number about 99% of our over 200-million-strong population, there are only a few big people in Nigeria. This leadership osmosis continues to defy solution because of the many small people around these few big men. These very same small people are supposed to be a bridge between the big men and big women on one hand and the masses on the other.
Granted, some so-called big people are small minds but an alarming majority of them have lost goodwill not because of what they did or said or failed to but mainly because of the indiscretion, overzealous wickedness or outright mediocrity of the small people around them. All of you small people around the big man, please, gather here for Service 101; let me guide you. First, what exactly is your job and how exactly do you do it?
Let’s say your job is to protect your boss. Or, to be a spy, with a view to enabling them stay ahead of the game or keep enemies at bay. Whatever your job is, the aim is to make that big person look good privately and publicly.
What that means is: every small person around the big person is fundamentally responsible for making the latter loved by the people he leads. If in protecting or reporting (to) your boss or generally doing your work, you directly or indirectly expose them to avoidable hate, you have failed in your duties. However, if you approach a bad or difficult job wisely but people still hate your boss or you, you have no case to answer.
Big people have to cause even informal training for the small people around them. Also, big people, if too busy to meet minds from time to time with their small people, must set a semi-big man (sorry, a deputy big man) over them to hold periodic sessions on teamwork and public communication. Most big people shall achieve big results and higher ratings by just taking these small steps.
