PREPARING FOR TOMORROW

 

I was thinking this morning... As 2025 winds down in a few days, I find myself quietly reflective. It feels almost surreal that a full year has passed since our rare family reunion—grandparents, parents, and grandchildren together under one roof, celebrating life, legacy, and love. Today, my thoughts drift toward 2026 and beyond. With that reflection comes a familiar companion: concern about what the future holds.

That concern deepened recently when someone close to our family was unexpectedly retired after 20 years of service, effective January 1, 2026. Overnight, certainty gave way to questions. For anyone in that position, the fear was real: What next?

Almost in the same breath, I received a message from a senior friend announcing his 60th birthday and retirement after a long, distinguished career spanning banking and public service. As I read his words, another quiet tug at the heart followed. Life’s seasons are unmistakable. The carefree years (0–30) are behind him. The productive years (30–60) have just concluded. He has now entered what many call the final season (60–90). Again, the same question surfaced: What does the future hold?

A new year, an early exit from work, or retirement at fullness all share one thing in common—uncertainty. And uncertainty often breeds worry. Yet the older I get, the clearer one truth becomes: the best way to prepare for the future is to take responsibility for today.

What are you doing now about your health, your finances, and your career? The wisdom in pidgin says it plainly: “Who naked no dey put hand for pocket.” If you don’t clothe yourself today, there will be no pocket to reach into tomorrow. And as another saying goes, “Na ‘I go do am tomorrow’ make fowl no fit fly like other birds.”

When we focus intentionally on what we can do today, worry about tomorrow eventually dies of exhaustion. Or, as Scripture reminds us: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” The future will always be uncertain. Our responsibility is to live wisely, deliberately, and fully—today.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

THE COURAGE TO SLOW DOWN

 

I was thinking this morning… With over 50 weeks of 2025 behind us, I finally took my leave to reconnect with family and reclaim some warmth beyond work. At Port Harcourt International Airport, I ran into a colleague also headed to Lagos. Like many end-of-year conversations, ours revolved around how relentless the year had been and why slowing down must now be intentional, not accidental.

Too often, our passion for delivery makes us deaf to the signals our bodies send. The mild headaches. The persistent fatigue. The body aches. We acknowledge them briefly, then silence them with analgesics and what I jokingly call “gbogbo-loshe”—that familiar mix of garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, lemon, and turmeric. The body whispers, slow down and rest. Our ambition shouts back, not now—there is rest after death.

As I shared how stressed I had been lately, my colleague said something that stayed with me. Since turning 50, she had consciously decided to take life easier. She reminded me of four colleagues who had suffered minor strokes in recent years. Thankfully, all recovered. Her personal rule now is simple: never push beyond what her body can handle.

The lesson deepened when we landed in Lagos. Another colleague on the same flight told me he was heading to see yet another of our peers, someone who had collapsed twice from blood clots (DVT) and narrowly escaped death. Today, he is alive, recovering, and intentionally taking life slower.

As the year winds down, many of us are making one last push to hit targets that seem just out of reach. Ambition is good. Discipline is admirable. But burning yourself out is not a badge of honour. This season offers us something valuable: space to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. The goal should be to count our blessings and not obsess over what didn’t go as planned.

As my friend and sister, Joyce Daniels (The Queen of Talk), recently reminded us: be kind to yourself as the year closes. There is still so much ahead and you will need your health to enjoy it. Productivity is meaningless without wellbeing. Cheers to a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. 2nd Timothy 3:7 is instructive.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

WHEN A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IS WIDOWED

 

I was thinking this morning… Recently, my wife engaged a professional to review the social media performance of her business. The audit revealed clear gaps and offered practical recommendations. She shared the report with the staff responsible for digital marketing—hoping it would inspire improvement.

Instead, the staff member resigned, insisting she was not being appreciated. After attempts to persuade her failed, the role was advertised. Within weeks, a new hire stepped in—and immediately delivered superior results.

As my wife reflected on how quickly things turned around, a familiar Nigerian saying came to mind: “When a beautiful or blessed woman is widowed, the elders waste no time in burying her husband.” In other words, life moves on… quickly. The lessons from this experience echoed during my department's team bonding event days later.

First, not everyone is meant to sail with the team forever. In life and leadership, people play different roles. Some are propellers—they drive momentum, push you forward, and help you reach new horizons. Others are anchors or bollards—useful for stability, grounding, or preventing drift, but not for movement. A ship cannot sail with a bollard. Seasons change, and so do the people needed for the journey.

There are too many people who do very little to develop themselves but believe they are the best thing to have happened to the world after sliced bread. I like the account of Alexander the Great, who after returning from a fierce battle met a sleeping soldier and asked what his name was. The soldier answered 'Alexander.' Alexander the Great then said "You cannot answer Alexander and be idle. You either change your conduct or change your name". 

It's not enough to have a job, be good at it. Don't loaf around during work times. For those without a job, do something to get off the welfare list. Develop yourself because “When a beautiful or blessed woman is widowed, the elders waste no time in burying her husband.” Opportunities don’t wait. Excellence ensures you’re the one they run to. Remember Colossians 3:23.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

THE DAY 24 MADE SENSE

 

I was thinking this morning.... It's been 24 hours since I had this strange experience. I am still not sure if it was a dream, or an out-of-body encounter. It started like I was the main character in a movie shot at 24 frames per second (fps).

I saw my younger self dressed like a bling-bling American rapper adorned with a number of 24-carat gold chains. I was introduced to this damsel, who was about 24 years old.

We both walked before a podium with a man dressed in all white. Like in Revelation 4:4 there were 24 elders around the podium, all smiling at us. I was initially troubled in my subconscious, wondering if we were before the judgement seat.

While still wondering what was going on, the man raised a board with words written on them that I couldn't decode. The words had all 24 letters of the greek alphabet. At this point, it felt like I would need a Daniel for interpretation and construction. I was really confused.

Without saying a word, we were served freshly cooked rice garnished with avocado and served in clay pots. What is going on? I asked. Still no reply but another note that says rice and avocados have 24 pairs of chromosomes.

"We are not going to touch this food until I am told what's going on. Just make it make sense, please." I pleaded with a slightly raised voice. He smiled and answered in a soft tone, it's your 24th wedding anniversary also known as earthenware i.e. clay pots or glazed pottery.

Phew!!! It was a dream afterall.

And so, on this anniversary, my heart settles on this truth: Just like we each have 24 ribs protecting the heart and lungs, marriage, too, is a kind of ribcage—protecting dreams, shielding vulnerabilities, guarding the life we’re building.

After 24 years, I am grateful. Humbled. Hopeful. And ready for the chapters ahead.

Happy 24th anniversary to us.