The former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Chief Edward Onoja, once asked me, “What would you want me to do for you?” Without hesitation, I told him to rebuild the community secondary school in Imane. I could see the shock in his eyes. It was unbelievable to him—because, at the time, the trendy thing was for young people to ask for money or cars. Many were being gifted cars of their choice.
Months rolled into years, and I heard nothing from him until around 2018, when Senator Echocho called to inform me that Chief Edward Onoja had suggested a project be given to me. Again, without hesitation, I asked, “What kind of project?” He responded: “A 20-bed hospital.”
Filled with excitement, I began to scan possible locations. Then I remembered Akpoli—a forgotten farming village that shares a border with Benue State. Records have it that the hospital eventually became the first tangible government project to ever reach that community.
This is the import of my message: whenever you find yourself in the company of those with power and wealth, resist the temptation to ask for money. Instead, ask for opportunities—the kind that make you an integral part of their inner circle. Had I asked for money or a car, there would be no hospital in Akpoli today. Had I sold off that project slot to a contractor, my people would have been denied the dignity of primary healthcare.
The best way to sustain your influence in this crowded market of interests is to deny yourself the appetite for rushed wealth. Instant money may come, but it will never last. I know many people of influence, yet I hardly find myself groveling before them for money. The day you ask for money, your influence begins to diminish.
Many assume that proximity to the powerful is a goldmine of wealth. Far from it! Some even throw shade at me, claiming I write only to be paid. Such an erroneous assumption. Most of my interventions are unsolicited and never monetized. I once left former Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, dazed when, during his 2015 gubernatorial campaign, he asked how much he would pay me to help with his media strategy. I told him, “Nothing, Sir. In fact, it’s a pleasure to be of service.” He couldn’t believe it. Similarly, Chief Edward Onoja once described me as “selfless.”
As young people, this is the kind of image we must cultivate—a badge of selflessness. The rewards that come with being selfless are immeasurable. Why settle for crumbs when you can unlock goldmines in the long run? Be selfless. Be patient. E get why.
—Selflessly musing