Beyond the Party: The Value of Saturdays

Saturdays are not just for lively celebrations—they also present a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth. Whether it's engaging in thought-provoking reading, attending development-focused gatherings like Eagle Toastmasters Club Lagos, acquiring new skills, or having meaningful discussions, Saturdays can serve as a time of renewal and reflection. Balancing social enjoyment with intentional self-improvement ensures that each weekend is both enriching and purposeful. Special thanks to Lateef Bolaji Olanrewaju, CITLS, MCIPS(CS), MILT(UK), for highlighting The World Bank MOOCs on Supply Chain Management via https://lnkd.in/eKTZx7vD . Refreshing my knowledge on Contract Management today was a valuable and rewarding investment of time. How do you make the most of your Saturdays? hashtag#ContractManagement hashtag#PublicProcurement hashtag#Certification hashtag#ProcurementExcellence Activate to view larger image,

Self-Forgiveness: The Pinnacle of Self-Care

Forgiveness is a powerful tool that sets us free from the shackles of guilt, shame, and regret. Yet, we often forget to extend this grace to ourselves. Self-forgiveness is the pinnacle of self-care, allowing us to release the burden of self-criticism and embrace our imperfections.

By practicing self-forgiveness, we learn to:

- Embrace our humanity and acknowledge that mistakes are an inevitable part of growth

- Treat ourselves with the same kindness and compassion we offer to others

- Let go of the need for perfection and embrace our quirks and flaws

- Cultivate self-awareness and recognize areas for improvement

- Develop a growth mindset and see challenges as opportunities for growth

- Practice self-compassion and speak to ourselves with gentle kindness

- Release the weight of self-criticism and step into the freedom of self-acceptance

Remember, tomorrow is a new day to do things better. Don't be too hard on yourself. Take care of yourself, and start by forgiving yourself. You are worthy of love, kindness, and compassion – from yourself, most of all.

Endurance

Nigeria

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Mutual harmony and respect are essential elements for a world at peace. This poem illustrates the great peace in the anterior post of the alimentary canal despite a great zeal of misunderstanding going on in there always.

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ENDURANCE

Listen to this,

“The mouth is a home

Tongue and teeth it keeps.

Many atimes,

The teeth bite the tongue

But it wouldn’t kink,

Many atimes,

The tongue hit the teeth

Yet it wouldn’t break.”

Over the years

They’ve always lived in peace,

Their recipe for harmony

“Endurance”, they say it is.

River of World

Once upon a morning, I strolled to the river side to enjoy it's tranquility and sight of beauty and loveliness. Just as the birth of a child bring joy to every eye in the family, so also is the dawn of the morning. It seems to spread joy on the riverside. On the bank of the river there were several boats lying at rest. A boatman stood by one, eagerly awaiting passengers. In the middle of the river, there were many others with countless fishermen and boatmen who had an early start at the day's work. 

Looking at those boats, I thought in my mind. "Man is a boat sailing from the bank of birth, across the river of world to the other bank; the bank of death". It is true we are all born equals but we are not all equals. While some lead, others follow. Howbeit, we shall all pay the ultimate price of death. But some shall die and stay dead like heavy precipitates. Others shall die and live forever; in thoughts, speeches and blessed memories. Lives of great men reminds us that we can make our lives sublime, we can die and leave behind us foot prints on the sand of time; boats on the bank of death. 

Behold! I looked across the river and saw on the other bank only a few boats, most of which were small. The "mighty" had capsized under the sway of the turbulent river. If the river had been calm all through, it would have led to nowhere - it is not a pond. While they crossed the river of world, most times the river was turbulent, at times calm. Only the upright boats get to the other bank. Only the wise fishermen get there with a catch. The foolish ones greedily filled their boats with catch and sink halfway. Some others get there without a catch; many more just abandon the voyage and accept defeat. 

The river of world is tasteless and calm for those who have taken the navigable part - the path of peace. It is turbulent and salty for those who try to find a short cut in violence and war. It is not how fast but how well. Some boats start early but end with no catch; some take their time and exercise wisdom. They start late and end well, with a big catch.

Funtua to Gusau

Nigeria

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A traveler’s window report of the socio-political landscape from Funtua to Gusau.

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Funtua to Gusau

From horizon to horizon

Carpets of Masara, dusts of rice

Spots of high baobab compete with pylon.

Shades of green blend within the rise

Na gode Allah for the rains.

Twin baobabs pity others fallen and grey.

Time for rally; donkeys’ parade, cattle’s graze

Kids on camels, kings in Lexus – sharia tray.

Sai Aso rock! They screech … “we can’t see

Goats tied to sticks on streets,” they say!

Illegal mining in near distant hills,

White stones and shiny diggers blaze

Drop your googles, site the fields

Ba theory, Ba Malomo da 34 minerals craze:

Map the majors, sell them … leave fringes.

Human tractors sow with heels,

Sai yoked oxen weeding (grazing) non-rest.

Women in boulders weave up cane reels.

Sai technology at her primitive best.

Who’s provoking heroes in future graves!

Setting Long Range Business Goals

Goal setting is a vital element for sustaining any business. The ability to set and achieve short term goals would ensure businesses continue to deliver value on daily basis, by extension keep up with operation demands or expenses, whilst the ability to set, work towards achieving, achieve or surpass long term goals would allow for the organization to maintain its going concern.

Consequently, it is imperative for business leaders to understand how to set long term goals; below is a simplified guide in 10 steps.

1. Ask and answer the following questions:

• What does the company intend to achieve in the next 10 years?
• What must the company do to achieve these landmarks?
• Where must the company be positioned, situated or made strategically visible to enable progress?
• What assets - human capital and factors of production, must the company acquire to attain desired next levels?
• How does the company intend to give back to immediate and remote environment as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

2. Attempt to answer each question using numbered bullet points on a separate piece of paper. You may want to engage all the leaders in the company during a strategy meeting in order to harness valuable stakeholder’s inputs for long range goal setting. Ensure there are about 20 to 50 distinct answers for each question.
3. Ascribe realistic timelines in years (1, 2 3, 4 ...) to each of the suggested answers, possibly as superscripts.
4. Reshuffle each list to show balance in goal setting for each year - year 1, 2 , 3 , 4 ... possibly to year 10.
5. Prioritize the listed goals derived from each question - this is a critical step in this task. Recall about 50 answers were collated per question; there would be a need to rank possible options in order of feasibility and priority.
6. Write short reasoning/descriptive essays on each of the top 10 priority items; give reasons for wanting each. If you are unable to muscle good reasons for any item, strike it off the list!
7. Select 4 top priorities from each category to have 20 long range goals or focus areas.
8. Compile these 20 goals in a long term goal journal or company’s 5-year or 10-year plan document as the case maybe.
9. Review the selected goals on weekly basis, feel free to strike out those accomplished or those that are no longer relevant or value adding in line with realistic operational / business environment.
10. Engage your Financial Advisor as part of weekly reviews; ultimately well planned goals should positively impact both the company's corporate existence/image and financial bottom-line.

Idleness

Idleness;

A business on it’s own.

Nothing is being done

Thousand things in thought,

Yet the brain isn’t dumb.

Ideas trip in one after one,

*Idleness and inaction are risky compliments.

But none is deemed fit

Till considerable time is gone.

Before the brain will tilt

And something next be done

In the “hurry – hurry” way.

Since the time meant for it

Was used to bow the head,

Chin placed on palm

While the brain travels far beyond

To get the next job on plan.

Even this poem you read,

Idleness made it to be.