Connectnigeria Articles

By Tessa Doghor.

I was talking with a friend recently and she said that there are two kinds of people in this world, some give you wings and some clip your wings. To give you wings: it is to build, encourage and push you to believe that you can achieve your dreams, so that you can pour out all that you have and all that is in you in the accomplishment of your dreams. To clip your wings: it is to destroy or decimate your ability to dream, thus hindering your courage to utilize your abilities and gifting. When you come around people who chase their dreams, they gives you wings, the kind of wings that make you believe your dream is possible, the kind of dreams inventors have, dreams that come from God. What am I trying to say? An example of a dreamer who has accomplished is Chude Jideonwu. I read the speech Chude Jideonwu wrote on Nigeria for the “The Future Awards”, and when I was done, it touched me because it was a topic that made me sit up and pay attention. He was speaking on our Nation Nigeria, and as I read, my heart bled for Nigeria. After reading the speech, I was grieved that I wasn’t there gathered amongst Nigeria’s most noble who still believe that good can come out of Nigeria and that it can still be great just because I am here. I don’t know what Chude’s dreams are but he is certainly chasing them and making them real. The simple act of achieving his dream gives others the impetus to pick up dreams long abandoned. Only in chasing our dreams can Nigeria become great. Everyone has dreams; I do, it’s just that many people wake up from theirs and don’t bother to make them real. I have these dreams of having a shelter for women and children and even though it hasn’t come through yet, I know that it will. Yes, I know what comes to mind first. Once we hear about dreams, the first thing that comes to mind is the obstacles: the corrupt politicians, corrupt business owners, corrupt bankers, corrupt employees and whatnots. The corrupt people are also fulfilling their own dreams, dreams of making money, and they work hard at it every day. The fact that they work hard at their dream shouldn’t stop us from working at fulfilling ours. I was at a leadership program last year and I heard Christine Caine speak. I listened, at first distracted, but as soon as I listened to my life’s purpose, I was captivated. She spoke of her back ground and her humble beginnings; she spoke of adoption and growing up with a complex because her parents did not want her. She grew up a Greek in Australia so she was doubly “disadvantaged”. It was practically impossible for her to ever see herself as a leader in any capacity. But she overcame all these odds and became successful and began to help others. Her life inspired me so much I began to follow her on twitter to see what drove her and what kept her going. I learned that she ran an organization called A21 campaign that specialized in saving women and children who were captured, in eradicating human slavery in the twenty first century. Her life is a dream fulfilled and she is not done yet, she is still saving people every day, and each one excites her like the first ones she saved. Her life is so meaningful because she is affecting human life. Her dream amidst disadvantage helps me know that I can fulfil my own dreams even in Nigeria. The Future Awards is a dream come true, when they began 7 years ago they did not even have money for the venue but today they have come so far, their dream is alive and kicking. It is inspiring and has inspired several youths to shine so bright that Nigeria will not be looked at as just a bunch of criminals. I dream of a Nigeria where inventors will get grants to make their inventions problem solvers, where we will sing our songs and they be world class, act our movies that will sell box office in London, New York and Paris. I dream of a Nigeria that will break barriers. Of course I’m looking forward to season 8, what are you doing at home? Get up and go chase your dreams! T.F.A – The Future Awards