Hey guys. Happy Sunday and welcome to a new week. Yesterday was the date for the event I talked about here. I was at the venue of the event on Friday because we had some planning to do. When I got there I was so exhausted and almost frustrated because the place was so far, like the journey did not want to end. I asked one of the team members why they choose that venue, I was like ‘what happened to Ikeja, Yaba, Victoria Island and the likes, why did they have to bring it as far as Agbado’, then she told me something that made my frustration and tiredness fly away. She said ‘youths in Ikeja and those places have heard all these several times, they have access to all these information but what are they doing with it? Nothing, but the youths in this remote areas don’t have access, they don’t have knowledge, they don’t have the right information they need to succeed, that’s why we brought the event here’. What she said got me thinking because its so true. Almost every weekend in Lagos, one motivational event is holding either in V.I., Lekki, Yaba, etc and the remote places are left out. Thumbs up to the Success Stories Africa team, God would bless you guys real good.
Back to the event, I worked with the media team and I did something I have never done before, #livetweeting. I totally enjoyed every bit of yesterday, it was worth my time and effort. For those of you that couldn’t make it for one reason or the other, this is a brief summary of the event.

The hosts: Funto Ibuoye and John Obidi

Anticipating audience

The event started with a welcome speech by the Convener, Isaac Oladipupo. He said, inspiration and motivation is not enough, if you must succeed you need skills.

Detoun Ogwo

The first speaker was Detoun Ogwo, she spoke on ‘TALENT IS NEVER ENOUGH’.
Key points from her speech
*Everyone has a talent but your talent is never enough
*There is a demand for every level in life. To get to the next level, you must meet the demand.
*Whatever it is you want to do, don’t let anyone talk you out of it
*Practice sharpens your talent, preparation positions your talent, perseverance sustains your talent and passion energizes your talent.
*Reflection and meditation helps you find who exactly you are.

Ayeni Adekunle

The next speaker was Ayeni Adekunle, a failed author, failed microbiologist and a 3rd class graduate but now leads the BHM Group. He was once a terrible stammerer but now he’s a fluent speaker.

Key points
*Your life will be better if you focus on making other people’s life better, be a problem solver.
*The number one principle of living your dreams is to discover your gift, learn to develop it and use it to solve other people problems.
*Have a spouse or partner that trust and believes in you.

Next was a dance presentation by DheWord group, then a panel session with Yemi Akamo, Gaise Baba, Sisi Yemmie, Sam Olatunji and Leke Adetomiwa.

Meet the panelists

Key points
*It doesn’t matter the number of people doing what you want to do, pick your niche and brand YOU – Sisi Yemmie ( Lifestyle Blogger/ Vlogger)
*Consistency is key in grooming your passion – Gaise Baba
*You might not get to your destination without a mentor. The role of a mentor cannot be overemphasized, get a mentor. – Sam Olatunji

The 3rd speaker was Monalisa Chinda on ‘The Making of a Star’

Monalisa Chinda

Key points
*In the making of a rising star, times and seasons are very important.
*Timely discovery is the secret of success.Early to rise, early to shine.
*Break free, be creative, try something different, don’t be stereotyped
*God is the ultimate pathfinder; there is no true success without God.
*Never stop what you love to do despite the challenges.

The 4th speaker was Omojuwa Japheth, a leading Nigerian blogger, social media expert and political commentator.

Omojuwa Japheth

Key points
*To succeed, you need a tool
*The Nigeria economy has a lot of questions that an average Nigerian graduate cannot answer. Life is beyond a first class degree.
*If nothing is chasing after you, chase something
*To succeed there must be a drive, a push, a passion.
*Money respect value.

Next was a musical performance by Gaise Baba, #littledrops, one of my best moments in the event. I love his song, the lyrics and his dance moves. I can’t seem to get enough of him and his songs.

Gaise Baba

The 5th and last speaker was Chude Jideonwo. He grew up thinking everyone was better than him, his father could not afford icecream for him when he was young so he cried everyday on his way back from school.

Chude Jideonwu

Key points
*Demand what you desire from life with courage.
*Nobody is better than you because they have what you don’t have
*There is nothing you cannot do irrespective of where you are coming from
*Always remember that people will splash water on you but never waiver.
*Inferiority complex is in the mind, you need to overcome it from your mind.

Skill facilitators

Last was an interactive session with the skill facilitators, Fola Folayan, Vanessa Odofin, James Abinibi, Rhoda Agbeyo and African farmer Mogaji.
And it’s a wrap. I hope you had a feel of the event. Have a great week ahead yall.