ONCE BEATEN, TWICE SHALL

 

I was thinking this morning.... Driving on Nigeria roads and taking notice of inscriptions on vehicles is a stress relieving habit I picked up years ago. The messages can range from absolutely amusing to downright ridiculous, but there are many that are very educative if you care to ponder on them. One of such was the inscription on a danfo that reads 'Once Beaten, Twice Shall.' This is a street version of the idiom 'once bitten, twice shy,' used to mean that a person who has failed or been hurt when trying to do something is careful or fearful about doing it again. While many will laugh off the grammatical error of the danfo driver, I cannot agree less with the man for a fantastic message.

'Once beaten, twice shall.' Yes o. You cannot be a Nigerian and live by the mantra 'Once bitten, twice shy.' If you do, you go sokpa, meaning you will suffer. The only way to survive in Nigeria is to live by the saying of the danfo driver, 'Once beaten, twice shall.' The more our leaders fail us, the more we forge on.

Between 2000 and 2007, there was massive investment in Nigeria stock market. We bought shares of both quoted and unquoted companies and watched the value appreciate. Suddenly, in early 2008, there was an unprecedented crash of the market, throwing the equity market into crisis. There was blood on the streets. I, like many others, lost so much blood and almost became financially anaemic. Many were placed on 'blood tonic' to stay alive. We were still recovering in 2009, when the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin was launched. Though, it was worth $0 when it was introduced to the market, many of us adopted the 'once bitten, twice shy' position, and stayed off. But a few were bold enough to invest. Today, 12 years later, one bitcoin is worth over $38,000 (N18 million). Chai!!! How I wish I had said 'Once beaten, twice shall' and bought 100 bitcoin, I would have been worth N1.8 billion today. (Not minding the demonic move by CBN).

Many times, we all adopt seemingly safe 'once bitten, twice shy' stance but it is time to change gear and move to 'once beaten, twice shall.' If circumstances of life beat you down, rise up with double determination to succeed. If man disappoints you, look beyond man and look to God because Micah 7:8 says 'Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again.' Afterall 'once beaten, twice shall.'

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey