TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

Nothing has been dominating the news lately in Nigeria than the 2011 elections. All one hears these days is something concerning the 2011 elections. The other day some insidious and infinitely wicked souls tried importing firearms and weapons in 13 containers through the Apapa ports into the country all for the 2011 elections. A few weeks later, some suspicious looking goods were intercepted at a transport company's terminal, the malicious cargo contained bulletproof vests, camouflage fatigues, and other munitions, all for the 2011 elections. Boko Haram, the infamous religious sect in the North, has started underground recruitment and training of gullible youths, all in readiness for the 2011 elections. The lawmakers (upper and lower houses) are in the process of handing out bountiful pensions to past leaders(?) of the country, all in a bid to secure their support and endorsements (according to conspiracy theorists) for the 2011 elections! 


And what about the man in the eye of the storm? President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, cool as cucumber, cool as ice, cool as ever, the man is not even showing us anything! (him, no even show anything at all...which kain man be dis sef?) What direction and at what pace, only God knows where "Naija" is headed. Oops! Aunty Dora said we should stop calling Nigeria, "Naija." Madam re-branding, what's that got to do with moving forward? Kettle calling the pot black, is her own name not Dorothy? How does that add any value to our lives, I ask? Naija, what a comical nation of good but cantankerous people.
    
Talking of moving forward and value, let me ask, what's the most valuable thing you own? What's that thing you cherish the most in your life? I bet the answer most people would give to that question is...my life! What else could be more valuable than your life? Rubies? Diamonds? Gold? Platinum? Nothing is more valuable than human life. The gift of life is most beautiful thing. Money can buy a lot of things but never human life. Nature has bestowed each and every one of us a lot of gifts and talents; to some it's their looks, to some others their I.Q, no matter what makes you stand out, the most valuable gift you have is the breath that exits out of your nostrils every moment. If looks were the most important thing in life where do we put our former farmer-president and the South African super model Alek Wek? Life is beautiful, don't take it lightly.


Permit me to ask, since this blog is not a beauty nor health forum, how much do you cherish your life? How much have you been taking care of yourself? What have you done for yourself lately? Bought a new car? Change of lifestyle or wardrobe? Just got married or renewed your marriage vows? All fantastic achievements but have you taken a moment to ask yourself the question, 'Am I taking good care of myself?' Prod your mind a little and you'll know you've no proper answer for that question. If you do have a good answer, I congratulate you for you're really ready to live life well. 


Now, having taken care of the tangibles (your car, your house, your business,) what about the intangibles? Specifically, what about your life?How are you taking care of the life that works for all these goodies you currently or want to enjoy? One fact of this short life is, living itself, the very life we live, is a big risk. Sadly, this is a fact we all run from. The longer we wait, the longer we let the days count and pass by without any form of protection, the riskier the life, the very existence we crave for, becomes. 


The truth be said, I think most of us are so enamoured by our lifestyles or the ones we're aspiring to live that we've become so selfish and forgot to think about tomorrow. We live by the day and pray to God to care of us, we misinterpret and misapply the gospel of our faiths. Most of the times, we want to pray good things into existence. Miracles still occur, ladies and gentlemen, but we still have a job to do. Remember, faith without works is dead! We want to have our cakes and eat it but life is not like that. Life could be cruel sometimes. The only way to be ready for tomorrow, for the inherent risk ahead, is to be prepared for it! What provision, are you making for tomorrow?


In times past, our fathers' time, we're made to believe it was okay to marry into a self-contained or even one-room apartment, have children and expect government to educate them in public schools and employ them when they graduate. If the children turn out intellectually gifted and exceptional, they get scholarships and life gets taken care of. The economy was kind enough to permit that kind of life. Whether you are there or not, 
someone will take care of the children, right? Well, for some folks that was what happened. That worked in the past when public schools could compete with their private counterparts, when government ministries, agencies and parastatals employed you the moment you applied and passed the requisite tests and interviews, and you even get a car for your troubles! The economy had not gone far down the road of insolvency, thievery and corruption. Our parents used to call those days, "the good old days." What do we have now? Total opposite of the way things you used to be. 


Let's not deceive ourselves, the academic, moral and economic realities have shifted grotesquely in this nation like they were hit by an earthquake measuring 50.50 on Public schools are a no-go area, the available alternative, the private schools cost a fortune. Forget about jobs after graduation, at least not from a government that is yet to provide power and fix roads. The costs of living? That's gone out the orbit since the gap-toothed one hit his "home-run" ages ago (don't ask me which one, Minna's not that far.) We're living in an economic cataclysm.


Wishes would not make the next Okocha, the next Soyinka, the next Fashola, money (coupled with nurture) would. Ask yourself, "Do I want to be the parent of the next champ or the next chump?" When do you intend to start, Lagos, when do you intend to start? Is it when your retirement is due in 5 years? When all the strength has just about deserted your loins? When you are about to turn grey and thinking about your annual unmissable medical check-up? Lagos, dear reader, the time is now! Take care of tomorrow today! Don't waste time! Get on top of the situation right now. With a workable savings strategy and a profitable yet reliable savings plan, you can run with it now. Remember the saying, "No pain, no gain." You won't like your son doing an interview on Crime Fighters in tattered clothing wearing battered look because you failed to provide for his future, would you? 


Start saving for that dream life today. Time is running out, don't waste it unless you're a blood relative of Zeus, Pluto, Mars, Sango, Oya and Ogun. They're the only ones with time in their hands. That viable savings plan is but a phone call away. The numbers to call are 07056989820 and 07033588160. Am Olumide Ogungbemi and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.