Saturday 9 July 2022

BYE-BYE APPLAUSE

 


I was thinking this morning.... It was Tuesday 5th July 2022 and we were all gathered at the International Conference Center (ICC) Abuja for the opening ceremony of the 21st edition of the NOG Conference and Exhibition. After the Welcome address, the Honorary Conference Chairman, H.E Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, the OPEC Secretary General, was called on stage to give his keynote address. For the next 30mins he held the audience spell bound with a view of world energy politics like I have never heard before. Wow! Excellent presentation.

When he was done, Abdulrazaq Isa, Chairman of IPPG, came on stage and told the audience how as Nigerians we have not given honour to whom it is due. He mentioned that at the CERAWEEK Energy Conference each year, our very own export to the world, Mohammad Barkindo will always be given a standing ovation after his speech. He therefore requested everyone in the hall to stand up and do same. We all stood and gave this colossus a loud and extended applause. A short while later, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylvia, came on stage and told us how the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had also given the outgoing OPEC Secretary General a standing ovation just that morning.

When we left the hall, the team including Dr Barkindo went round the different booths for the exhibition. They visited our stand and was again given the deserved honour. The day closed past 6pm and we departed. I woke up the next day to the news that 63 years old Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, had died at 11pm, same day he had received series of applause from Nigerians. Wow! Everyone thought he was being applauded for his excellent job at OPEC, we never knew that he was being applauded as he transitioned to higher plains. Life really is ephemeral and transient.

As I set out on my way to the Day 2 of the Conference, I imagined the sort of applause I will get and for what? You will not be applauded for how big your house is or how fat your bank account is but by how many lives you touched and how you improved the wellbeing of society. There will be no applause for how many titles you acquire or for how mean a politician you are.

Even if you buy men, like political delegates, to applaud you, would you be applauded by the angels and saints when you arrive eternity? Think on these things. 1st Corinthians 15:19.

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday.

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

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