Show the people Light, and they will find their own way
– Dante
Although I had learned quite a number of things from my late dad concerning money management (he was from a tribe in South West Nigeria known for their prudence in financial matters), my concept of the subject was further strengthened and consolidated when I came across and read George Classons’ classic, ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’.
After reading this masterpiece, I felt I had a conviction and a story to share. My then editor at the Sunday Independent, Bankole Falade, having listened several times to my ‘heart-felt’ comments about money management, impressed on me to start a column, which I called ‘Money Talk’.
This was later expanded to four pages of personal finance on Sunday and another four pages on Thursday at the Independent Newspapers. I was so galvanised with what I was doing, so passionate about it, that I would spend nights at work making sure that the pages went through.
The Tribune story
Just like the Good Book says, a man’s gifting will make a way for him. I was, by providence, to become the Group Business Editor of the Tribune newspapers, partly because of these writings and partly because of the fact that Divinity had favoured me with two awards from the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) for two consecutive years (2004 & 2005) on Capital Market Reporting, and a nomination each in Banking and Finance Reporting and Money Market Reporting also at the prestigious NMMA, still an extension of my passion on wealth creation, management, and preservation.
This passion also resulted in facilitating seminars both at churches and in secular settings in various Nigerian cities on the same subject matter. The ‘Wealth for the Wise’ seminars, which we instituted in January 2007, have been repackaged and expanded to meet more participants’ needs.
The Haggai rebirth experience
A much-respected mentor, Reverend Tope Popoola, invited me to attend a seven-day long, residential national seminar of the Haggai International. I decided to attend, more out of respect for his opinion than for any other reason.
It turned out to be a re-birthing experience for me! Apart from the fact that it consolidated and refreshed my salvation experience, it assisted in crystallising my vision and the personal finance burden I had always felt in my heart.
In line with our training at the Institute, I was able to write down my vision and major ministry in life as, ‘using my God-given knowledge to liberate myself and others from the shackles of mental and material poverty, as a means of ensuring better and more fulfilling living,’ with the vision or strategy including the institution of a body called Club Inspirati, which would use a 4-point project to achieve its dream.
The four points are what I put into the acronym – PLIM i.e. Public speaking & leadership training, Library & book exchange services, Investment education and advisory services, and finally, Mentorship.
COBDEVA
I had also had the vision a long time before then to institute a charitable organisation for the destitute with a difference. It is what I intend to call COBDEVA, an acronym for Cooperation for the Beggarly, Destitute and Vagrant.
Against the backdrop of the fact that over 70 percent of Nigerians live under the poverty line of $1 or N1,120 per day and that our streets are full of destitutes, these are dreams and burdens I am led to pursue.
How the dreams, especially COBDEVA, would be realised, I do not know, but I am convinced that He who gave the burden would make a path for its realisation.
The Inspirati dream
There is undoubtedly a whole lot of poverty on the globe, especially in the less developed countries, and it is my conviction that poverty stems from the mind before it is manifested in the physical realm.
Any outcome is first and foremost an impression before it becomes an expression, for it is first on the inside before it is revealed on the outside. We are therefore concerned with affecting the person’s mind positively towards an appreciation and application of time-tested principles of successful achievement. Only then can the person be involved in those activities that will ensure the attainment of his life’s desires and purposes, especially in the areas of enriching his mind and finances.
This is the philosophy that has been preached and practised through time by all teachers worthy of note. From Christ to Mohammed, to Gandhi, to Martin Luther Jr., and to the sage, Obafemi Awolowo. And it only takes a worthy appreciation of the cause and a commensurate application to attain one’s life’s desires and major purpose. It is then only a matter of time before all that is desired to gravitate towards you, to answer to your every command.
These principles will always be principles and will answer to anyone, regardless of age, colour, sex, or creed.
Club Inspirati
My columns in the Nigerian Tribune Newspapers included Money Talk, Money Consult and Inspirati, which focused on issues bordering on inspiration, wealth creation, and wealth management. Before long, the concept garnered more followership even beyond the South West of Nigeria where the titles were supposed to be popular. Many kept writing to enquire about how they could get together with me to discuss various issues as regards getting inspired and creating/managing their wealth.
Club Inspirati was conceptualised and thereafter inaugurated on August 2, 2008, at the Excellence Hotel, Ogba, Lagos while the investment arm called The Inspirati Investment Club (TIIC) was put in place on January 17, 2009. The investment club is only one of the six arms proposed for the club towards attaining its aims.
The vision of Club Inspirati is to liberate the mind first, and then show the light as to the direction to follow in our quest to attain all-round successful achievement and prosperity. It has a mission to equip members globally to become mentally savvy and materially comfortable through training, investment and network support.
God does not change situations; He changes people and then the transformed people (are used to) change the situation
– David Benenoch
*If you would like to be a part of Club Inspirati, you may wish to call in for inquiries and for a free copy of the mini-brochure to be sent to you either by email or by post.
Contacts: Dcn. Lanre Oyetade, +2348039428648, lanreoyetade@gmail.com, www.timetestednews.com.ng