The Rere Platform: 2017

The Choice is Yours

Personally I don’t believe in saying it’s too late. Why? Because there’s nothing like that. As the year draws to a close, I am sure there are some people thinking “the year is gone, what more can I achieve?”

Last night I got home really late from work and I had to sleep past midnight. The story here is before going to bed I knew fully well that I had to be somewhere at 6am. We all have that one neighbor who leaves home really early, so I called mine that I would like to go with him. Unfortunately, he said he had 4 people who already go in his car. I felt deflated yet I still knew I shouldn’t procrastinate the meeting I had that morning. Waking up at 5am was hard, considering I had a long and stressful day. I struggled but long and short, even if I did not make it for 6am, I got there at 6:30am due to the distance.

Moral of this story is, at the end of the day every accomplishment, every move, every positive decision is based on that desire and determination to WANT. If you do not want something enough to fight for it or aim for it, then it might be hard to even get it in the first place.

I want this post to serve as a reflection, a wake up call for everyone who feels there’s just a few weeks left in the year. What can I achieve? You don’t have to wait till December 31^st to start writing 7 prayer points for the year or 10 New Year Resolutions that you know won’t come to fruition.

I have realized that Nigeria probably has the most spiritual people in the world. That’s great! Trust me, with God nothing is impossible. But don’t forget that even the bible says, Prayer without works is nothing. It is necessary to pray, but the prayer won’t work if you don’t act or make a move. Before this turns into a sermon, kindly take two minutes to think about that one thing you can still do before the New Year rolls in.

You can choose to wait or move. At the end the Choice is Yours!!

Your New Year can start NOW! The ball is always in your court…

Peace…

Image from pexels.com

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, by The Rere

In Africa, attitude

Confusion...

Minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days, days turned to weeks and now we’re here. There is no excuse for this sort of procrastination, I might say I have been swamped with work and I don’t even have time to breathe. Yet every time I say No, Rerelolu you won’t stop writing, you need to continue people are waiting. It feels like I am trying to convince myself more than I’m trying to convince you guys.

A wise uncle of mine once said to me; you can alter the pace but don’t shift the goal post at every chance. And you also know what they say, a rolling stone gathers no moss. It is better to have long term goals and break them into short and medium term goals than to have short term goals that you only cook halfway.

One thing I’ve realized is that it’s so easy to want one thing but get distracted so much you forget that one thing you want. So many of us are confused about what we want, forgetting that there is a difference between a want and a need. The same mouth you use to call it labor market is the same mouth someone else calls it favor market. The difference is that they have a clear cut dream they are chasing without stopping to attend to distractions.

I have realized there is no such thing as a hopeless situation, there are only people who have hopeless attitudes. When I started this write up, I did not know where I was headed. Now I think I have a direction and that is addressing the confusion among many people (both old and young) in the world today.

I met someone recently who has big dreams, she’s relatively young with commendable achievements for her age. The issue is that she wants to do everything, entrepreneurship she’s interested, working for others she’s also interested. If you say real estate, she will be interested, talk about farming, marketing, just name it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the zeal and I think it’s amazing how her mind works and how hard she’s willing to work for her success. But then again doesn’t it seem like maybe she might be swamping herself with every and anything just to get rich quick? Or what if that really is the way to go?

When people would ask what my career plans are, I would give a long list of everything I want to do. From owning my chain of companies to producing my TV show, to empowering young people, to public speaking, modelling and acting and definitely fashion designing. Yes you might say ahnahn, sister calm down but as my mother will say, nothing is impossible. Also many of us have allowed our families and the society cage us into believing that some things are the norm and some other things are “impossicant.”

I read somewhere that if you want to achieve greatness, you need to stop asking for permission. So my question goes to everyone who is just as confused as I sometimes get about their goals and how to achieve them.

Would you rather do all the many things you want to do at the same time or would you just take one route and see where it leads.

Share your thoughts and comments below, I look forward to reading them.

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, by The Rere

In Africa, Blogger

From A Nigerian Girl...

I pledge to Nigeria my country, to be faithful, loyal and honest…

Very deep right? It’s sad that the very people who make this pledge are the same ones who are unfaithful, disloyal and very dishonest. I can’t say I understand Nigeria very much, but like everyone else I have an opinion to give.

When I was younger, all I had to do was go to school, live the baby girl life, pass my exams, collect prize (if possible). We were told that if you study a professional course you will be very rich when you grow up. I remember wanting to be a surgeon as at Primary 2 yet I was the newscaster for my primary school.

My family was a typical Nigerian family, daddy always at work and mummy shuffling work and children care. My mum was just learning to drive when I was in primary school so it usually took us double the normal time to get to school. She was so careful with her driving because her precious babies were in the car. I read the news every Friday on the assembly ground dressed up in Yoruba attire and it was surely one of my high points.

Fast forward to senior secondary school I was so sure I was going to study law. Very active in press club, always talking, most punishments I served then was because I was making noise during class. Definitely I would have been a lawyer, until my school asked us to do 2 weeks internship in our dream career. This particular law firm I spent my 2 weeks internship was the most boring period of my life. It was so dry, I fought with my dad to change his mind about law because the man had plans… petroleum law, working in shell and things like that.

At the end of the day, I ended up studying something I loved and more than a year after I have come to realize it was all a farce. Every year, many graduates come out from the universities and colleges of education in Nigeria with little or nothing to contribute to the society.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, more than 200,000 alumnae graduate from Nigeria tertiary institutions yearly, but only very little number of them secure jobs after years of their graduation. The reason is because there are little facilities and ill-equipped lecturers/instructors who rendered poor services to the graduates when they were in their institutions.

And so, the graduates come out of school half-baked, without practical background to make good impact to the society, neither are they able to defend the certificates which they are holding. The result is that they add to the unemployment level of the country each year.

The failure of the government to perform their constitutional duties has its own contribution to the high level of unemployment. How could I not talk about the high level of corruption in Nigeria, they say it is prominent among politicians but I beg to differ. Corruption is everywhere and it has resulted in the mismanagement of the funds and resources supposed to be used for the betterment of this country, which is just sad. Without going too far, Nigeria is said to be the 8th most corrupt country in the world. In this country with the right connections, money and power you can get away with anything and everything.

I used to love Nigeria but I’m not so sure anymore how I feel about my country. Sometimes I find myself wishing I was born somewhere else and it makes me unhappy. I’m sure there are many people like me wishing things were better, easier, more organized. Somehow as Nigerians we also have to play our part in reducing the level of unemployment in the country. There has to be a repositioning in our minds, a change of attitude for the future of the country. We need to understand our responsibility. It’s time we vote for people with credibility, answers and readiness to work.

I want a better Nigeria for me, for my family, for my friends and for my future.

The question now is How and When?

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, by The Rere

In Africa, Determination

Gaining Independence

Happy Independence Nigeria!!

I’m currently working on an interesting piece about Nigeria but while writing I got stuck. So my independence post will be a little delayed, I might be doing a small giveaway, so make sure you are following me on social media.

A while ago I promised to share more information about NASSI and how they can help your small business grow.

The association admits those in manufacturing, processing, mining and service industries. Those whose capital investments fall within the definition of small scale industry. NASSI is quite alert to gender issues and has placed a high premium on encouraging women entrepreneurship. They have a women’s wing to cater for their special needs apart from being well represented in the executive council of NASSI.

They cater for the following industries;

MANUFACTURING/MINING/PROCESSING GROUP

1. Machineries And Metal Fabrication
2. Block And Concrete Moulding
3. Agro Processing/Poultry & Animal Husbandry
4. Textiles And Garment
5. Cosmetics
6. Rubber And Plastics
7. Leather And Shoe
8. Animal Feeds /Fertilizer
9. Wood/Furniture
10. Bakery/Confectioneries
11. Wine/Alcohol
12. Beverage And Food Drinks
13. Tobacco Processing
14. Paper Conversion
15. Glass/Ceramics
16. Mining And Minerals Extraction

SERVICE GROUP ACTIVITIES

1. Hotel And Catering
2. Printing And Graphics Arts
3. Photography
4. Gold And Blacksmithing
5. Mechanical And Automobile Workshops
6. General Civil Engineering Repairs
7. Transport Services
8. Retail And General Merchandise
9. Consultancy And Training Services
10. Business Center/Cyber Cafes
11. Beauty/Barbing Salon
12. Fitness/Sauna Service/Medical
13. Advertising Agencies
14. Domestic Equipment Supply And Maintenance Serives
15. Haulage/Crane Hiring Services
16. Mining Equipment Maintenance Services
17. Agricultural/Road Engineering Equipment Hiring And Maintenance Services
18. Architectural Civil Engineering Services
19. Virtual Assistants
20. Legal/Accounting/Auditing Services
21. General Cleaning Services
22. Computer Services And Maintenance

In recognition and appreciation of the important position held by NASSI with respect to small industries, it has at various times received technical assistance from UNIDO, UNDP, ILO, Friendrich Ebert Foundation and the British Council. The association is also working in close collaboration with all the agencies, be they private or governmental that are involved in the promotion of small industries in Nigeria. We have CIRD, FIIRO, CMD, RMRDC, NDE, NPC, ASCON, NAWE, NAIB, NECA, FNF.

Joining NASSI is super easy. I would recommend it for any business owner looking for networking opportunities. Visit www.nigerianassi.org or call 08030742626, 07069015566.

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, by The Rere

In Africa, Determination

Smile

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, by The Rere

In Blogger, Determination

Opportunity Comes Once

I read somewhere that if you focus on problems you will have more problems. And if you focus on possibilities you will have more opportunities. Over the past couple of weeks, one thing has become clear to me, excuses will be there for you but opportunities won’t be.

As Thomas Edison said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

So many people are quick to make excuses because we refuse to open our eyes and see that life is beyond the now. If you don’t take opportunities as they come, what would be left is a life of “What ifs” and “Maybes”. The open doors of opportunity are all around you, but they won’t do you much good unless you learn to see them and recognize when to walk through them.

You see, you never know when the door of opportunity is going to open wide. For some, the big break comes early in life and for others later on. But for all of those who become successful, there is one key similarity: They were ready. And for every one of those who were ready, there were thousands more who weren’t.

One of life's biggest ironies is how often people complain about their circumstances, yet rarely do anything about it. It's not that they don't have good intentions, or the desire for change isn't great. It's that change is scary and risky. Even when we're unhappy with our current situation, we are familiar with it. For this reason, we often miss opportunities, even when they are staring us right in the face.

Let me share with you a story I read. Laurie was frustrated and burnt out from a very stressful job, she found herself with little energy or time to work on her wellness goals. Working in the face of constant deadlines led to lots of eating on the run, convenience foods and stress munching. Extraordinarily long hours made getting to the gym difficult. The only enjoyment Laurie got from her work was the huge paycheck she received at the end of the week. Of course, she had no time to spend it on entertainment or shopping. Although her savings was growing, her happiness was declining rapidly.

The one bright spot in Laurie's week was the volunteer work she did with underprivileged children on Saturday mornings. Despite the hectic schedule she kept, she never missed that appointment. She also served on the organization's board, made it to every meeting and did all the bookkeeping for them.

It was fascinating that although she complained about having too much on her plate, Laurie never entertained the idea of giving up her volunteer work. It was the one place she got to use her strengths, forget her daily concerns, and have fun!

Laurie began thinking around the idea of looking for another job. As so many others, Laurie had a vision of a better way, even a clear picture of what she would need to get there, but she was so often frozen in her progression. At times, she was desperate to switch gears, and yet sometimes undecided about making the change.

The more she thought about it, the more her confusion and worry mounted. What if I can't find a job that pays as well as this one? Could I make do with less? What if I think the new job sounds great, and it turns out to be just as stressful as this one? "What ifs" were keeping Laurie exactly where she was--except now, on top of everything, she was feeling frustrated and annoyed at herself for being "too scared" to try something new.

Laurie's story is not unusual. Why is taking a chance so difficult? Why do we hesitate to change, and so often spend more time thinking rather than doing anything about it?

Most of us lead lives filled with routine. We get up at a particular time, get ready for our day, and embark about the myriad of responsibilities we need to attend to. We don't give much thought to them; we just go through the motions getting things done, crossing them off our lists and then moving on to the next. When thoughts such as, "Is this all there is?" or "I'm bored, and want a change," creep in, we know it's time to look for new opportunities.

Sometimes, all you need to do is right there staring you in the face just waiting for you. It is better to act and be wrong than to not take action and be stagnant.

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, by The Rere

In Africa, Blogger

Success Is Not For Lazy People...

I have a confession.

Even after I wrote about procrastination, sometimes I still deal with it daily. At times I have to push myself to do things, prep myself to be extra. I have also discovered that if you do not have passion for something, there’s a slim chance that it’ll last very long.

If I have learnt anything, it is the power of hope. The Power of One Person. A Washington, a Lincoln, King, Mandela and even the young girl from Pakistan, Malala. One person can change the world by giving people hope.

Know that life is not fair, that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when the times are the toughest. Face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden and never ever give up. Know that if you do these, the next generation and the generations that follow, will live in a world far better than the one we have today.

Last week at the MSME Fair held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, there was this incredibly talented young lady. To be honest, I had stumbled on her instagram page a day before. Guess what she does? She uses old tyres to make furniture… genius right?! But that’s what I would call thinking outside the box, beyond the circle.

The beautiful thing is that she’s a slay queen! But this is a total slay, because even her brain slays with brilliant ideas.

You might have heard about Cyrus45 maybe stumbled on their page on the gram. Cyrus45 Factory is a company that focuses on not only recycling but also producing bespoke and ultra-modern furniture and products for the art savvy Nigerian. Olabanke Banjo, the creative director of Cyrus45 is a writer, Digital strategist and an all round creative. A graduate of Foreign Languages (French) from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife Osun State, Olabanke always stood out as an artistic child with an unmitigated interest in literature and fine arts.

When and Why did you start Cyrus45 Factory?

"Cyrus45 factory is an idea that was birthed last year May after several attempts to put my creative skills to good and impactful use. I was living with my elder sister in Lagos and at the time, there was a pile of about 20 tyres in her compound which her neighbours planned to dispose of. Being a lover of revamping old items, I told them to give me the tyres. The initial idea that popped in my head was to make a coffee table. So I went ahead to consult Google on recycling and reusing old tyres. I made a table for myself and after getting great responses, I thought "why not turn this into a real business?" And that was it.

What Motivates you?

Not to sound cliche, but my motivation has always been firstly God. He is the master creator of all things beautiful. Secondly, I have always been a lover of the Arts and more importantly, unconventionality. My family and friends have also been a strong support system. These are the things that inspire me. God has been my drive. He is the one who gave me the talent to be creative. All I know is Cyrus45 factory (which is derived from Isaiah 45) was established by God.

What Challenges Did You Face?

Just like any business or startup at its baby stage, things were not so smooth initially. There were production challenges and also, low sales. There were also very few people who truly appreciated my products and treated them as works of art. As a result of these challenges, I decided to shut down the business in May this year for about two months to restructure and re-strategize. After going back to the drawing board and tidying up to backend, I changed the business name from 'Revampe' to Cyrus45 Factory and relaunched in August. Let's just say the reception and recognition I have received after relaunching has been nothing but overwhelming.

In addition, I have always wanted to impact the society through my art and knowing that Cyrus45 is reducing environmental pollution, global warming and also conserving energy gives me the utmost joy.

Any Future Plans?

My plans for the future is to expand in furniture designs, create more functional products and also change the general perception of Made in Nigeria products. I also hope to be named one of the game-changers in the creative industry.
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Sometimes forget about winning or losing. Put your focus on learning and developing. It is a much better long term strategy, trust me. In her own little way Olabanke is changing the world, but the question is what are you doing?

One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks. Hold on to whatever you believe in, forget tribe or religion and just know there is God. Trust in that Supreme Being and watch things take shape.

Don’t let one bad day stop you from reaching your goal.

Keep pushing, every dream is attainable.

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, by The Rere

In Africa, Entrepreneurship

For Budding Entrepreneurs

Research has shown that majority of youths between the ages 18 – 30 years are very nonchalant about work. We all want to be ballers and big spenders, but not many are truly willing to work. Very few want to toil and go through the technicalities of making money. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing or judging anybody. I am only concerned about what the future will be like for the millennials.

Most of my previous posts talk about hard-work, motivation, successful young people and so on. Today I will be highlighting a means of escape that many people know nothing about. Many times we blame the government for all our problems and issues. We say they have not provided the right environment; they don’t care about the youths and a lot of other allegations. But my argument always is; true they are guilty of some of these things but imagine if there was no government who will you blame? Must we always blame someone else for our laziness, self-doubt, fears and our capital problems?

Well, it is definitely time to take matters in your hands and make something of your life. In the same environment that it seems like you cannot make a headway in business, some other people are making millions a week. Nigerians o! not white people. While your legs are crossed on the couch in your house, some people are working towards creating a better future for themselves.

That’s what the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) fosters. This NGO was founded in 1978 and it helps to create an atmosphere for industrial self-reliance.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES;

1. Access to low interest funding/loan through the cooperative and other sources.

2. Access to micro finance.

3. Capacity building through training, seminars and workshops within and outside the country.

4. Participation at trade fairs/exhibitions.

5. Promoting access to real and virtual markets.

6. Access to business information.

7. Collaborations and partnerships for business growth.

8. Promoting linkages and a platform for business networking within and outside country.

9. Interactions within your sectoral grouping and corporate organizations.

1. Advocacy with government at all levels for SMEs friendly policies.

1. Promoting clustering and clusters development.

1. NAFDAC Registration fast track.

1. Resolution of issues on taxes and multiple taxations.

This association was created to establish contact with the government, its institutions and other non-governmental organizations for the advancement and promotion of the small industries. Earlier this week I attended the fair organized by the Lagos state government for micro, small and medium scale enterprises.

Truly I was amazed at the vastness of ideas and creativity in this country. There is so much space in the sky for all of us to fly. You just have to want it. I saw ideas ranging from Nigerian made polo Tees mixed with Ankara and lace to recyclers of nylons and bottles. Businesses ranging from farmers of raw crops to food processors and skin therapists.

If the government isn’t ready to create work for us, we might as well create opportunities and work for ourselves. Which is better than doing illegal businesses which many of us are so ready and eager to delve into.

In my next post I will be sharing more information about NASSI and I will also share their contact details. For as many of you that need the extra push and environment, this is it.

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, by The Rere

In Determination, Entrepreneurship

25 Under 25 - Let Your Story Inspire

I have always had a keen interest in making money, I think this stems from having entrepreneurial parents. I still remember the first thing I made to sell. It was a silver basket of handmade roses; they were peach. I reckon they looked great even though I didn't sell them. In the past I have sold knitted bags and purses, make up, greeting cards & even run a laundry service, TWICE. I also tried starting a car wash with my siblings once.

My name is Ibukun Awosika and I am many things. I run my Fashion business named - Fiber Rose - and I also work as a Devops Engineer.

The thirst and zest I had for success led to my discovering Fashion. I can almost say it was not something I liked at the start but as time went on I began to love it even more. Besides my dad's mum was actually a fashion designer even though I never met her. So maybe it's also in my genes...

Weirdly, becoming a Devops Engineer was something I always wanted. Electronics were my passion as a kid. The moment I discovered MIT, it became a dream for me to go there. I was always the one who fixes things; TVs, DVDs, my grandparents would always call me if something went wrong and I wouldn't mind sitting with it till I found a solution. I went on to study Computer Science in Covenant University and it was then I discovered my love for programming. I doubt I'll go to MIT eventually but I can say I'm living my childhood dreams.

PS - I would have gone to art class and become a lawyer if my parents didn't intervene.

Hmm. What is special about what I do? I think it's just me! Lol.

I love being able to live the best of both worlds. Tech and Fashion are two spaces you hardly find a person dabbling in at the same time. Yet I love that there are no limitations for me. I love that I'm a designer of clothes but I can also design software.

You know there's this thing I've come to love where my client quietly whispers in my ears "I'm pregnant". Clearly trying to hide it from the world but it is important that I do because they need the right outfits for the time. It makes me feel like I'm more than just a tailor, I'm woven into the fabric of their lives in a way that not many people are. It is an intimate relationship.

And as for being a Devops Engineer, I love that girls are even more in the Tech space even though it wasn't always so. if you have watched Hidden Figures you'll see that it's a privilege to be doing what I do because some women fought for this space and now that I live and breathe that space; it's a thing to be grateful for.

Sometimes I walk into a room and people don’t realize I am not a business analyst or a quality assurance analyst, I'm a developer. I always look for the shock in most people's faces because I show up in heels and a banging dress so they don't expect me to be a developer. But we live in a world where, once you dream it nothing is impossible to achieve.

We live in a place where something’s are considered a man’s job. The toughest thing for me about being a Developer is that things become routine. And I constantly need to find something to explore. This wasn't too much of a challenge when I worked as a Software Developer but I changed teams a while back and that has been my biggest challenge. Also as a Devops Engineer I constantly need to communicate with other Devs which doesn't always cut it for me. I love my personal space you see and I'd rather work without having to talk to anyone but hey, they put money in my bank account at the end for the month so we move!

As a designer I would say my biggest challenge is finding reliable staff. Because I'm not available all the time there's a limit to what I can control but I make do with what I have and find the best way to make it work.

What challenges do you face combining both jobs…?

Honestly I wouldn't say most of my challenges stem from being a girl. I think it's more about being an entrepreneur working a 9 - 5. It's usually a very difficult thing to combine which is why I always tell people get a solid support system. Be in staff friends or family. You need people who can cover up for you when you're not available.

What do you hope to achieve with what you do?

I have discovered that my passion is not really in what I do per say. It is in how I do it. I love Fashion and I love tech but what I love the most is inspiring people to be the best they can. This passion of wanting to touch lives has actually spurred me to run an annual event called Budding Wings. At this event young people are inspired by different speakers and also I recently started my YouTube channel to reach even more people. Ultimately I hope to change people's lives by living mine and inspiring them to live theirs too.

What are your 3 motivations in life?

My three motivations are People, Passion and Purpose. I love to see people excel and whenever I can I do my bit to contribute. And if you know me, I chase Passion. If my hand finds something I love I do it with everything I can. I don't really think much about things, I follow my heart and I often find beautiful things at the end of the road. Purpose, being the reason why God put me here on earth. I do not take the place of God lightly, I believe in living in purpose because it is only then you can be truly fulfilled.

My final word to anyone reading this is that you are not made to be molded and kept shape, you're a shape shifter. So it is okay to be different things or be many things as long as you discover yourself with each thing you do. It is also okay to fall deeply in love with a thing and pursue it.

You'll find life in doing the things you truly love. You'll find you in chasing passion. In the Bible, David was a Shepherd, Musician, Warrior & King. I believe it was these different versions of him that made him able to see life and experience God in the most beautiful lights and inspired him to write such beautiful psalms.

So remember you can be anything you dream;

Simply Channel Your Inner Midas And Create Gold.

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If you have a story to share with the world, a story that will inspire others to pursue greatness. Please send it to adetimehinr@yahoo.com.

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, by The Rere

Home

The Choice is Yours

Confusion...

From A Nigerian Girl...

Gaining Independence

Smile

Opportunity Comes Once

Success Is Not For Lazy People...

For Budding Entrepreneurs

25 Under 25 - Let Your Story Inspire

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