A successful person is one who takes the cold water dumped on his or her plans, heats it up with enthusiasm, and manufactures the steam that helps him/her push ahead.
– John C. Maxwell
Author Archives: Yomi Olufiade
Interview with AMI’s first Champion, Yomi Olufiade
I was featured on African Management Initiative, Nairobi Kenya’s blog. AMI is an NGO focused on providing entrepreneurial and management education for Africa by Africans. Enjoy!
Tell us about yourself and what you do.
I am ‘Yomi Olufiade, a male of Nigerian extraction. I turn 39 on September 26 (a few days away from here). I am married to my lovely wife, ‘Funmilola and our union is blessed with three kids – a boy, ‘Fifunmi and two girls, ‘Fikemi and ‘Fikunmi. My first degree is in Electronic/Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria but today I work in the field of personal development consulting as a coach, speaker and trainer. And I’m also a pastor and Bible teacher.
Why did you choose to undertake AMI’s course? What do you like about it? What do you find difficult?
I got to know about AMI on Facebook. I saw the advert for the Managing Customers and Markets Course. First off, I must confess that I’m a personal development junkie. Learning and reading is the greatest addiction of…
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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT NUGGET
IN TIMES OF CHANGE, LEARNERS INHERIT THE EARTH, WHILE THE LEARNED FIND THEMSELVES BEAUTIFULLY EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH A WORLD THAT NO LONGER EXISTS! – Eric Hoffer, a social thinker/writer of the twentieth century.
THIS IS WHO I AM!
It is said that when you see a turtle on a fence post, it sure had help getting there. That’s me! I’ve had help from God and from His people.
When I look at my life I see a picture of grace – favor unmerited both from God and man. I am a Christ – i.a.n! Without Christ, I Am Nothing! Outside of His precious grace I’m an empty shell devoid of any meaningful substance, but in Him I am complete; graced, empowered, and enabled to succeed. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I am also the workmanship of God in Christ Jesus. I am created unto good works which Christ has before ordained that I should walk therein. When you look at me and like what you see, don’t hate me or loathe me. It’s not my fault, it’s just my God!
I’m totally a picture of grace. Saved by grace. Justified by mercy. Enveloped by favor. Called unto glory. Positioned for success. That is who I am!
So, I sing with Sinach:
I’m walking in power
I walk in miracles
I live a life of favor
I know who I am!
Do you?
OF MEN OF GOD AND GODS OF MEN!
When men of God turn themselves into gods of men, then it’s time the sons of men realize that they too are sons of God. In essence, that no one has a monopoly on revelation. Jesus has made a way for us by his death to enter the Holy of Holies and approach God by and for ourselves (see Hebrews 10: 16 – 20). We are in the New Testament dispensation of the priesthood of all believers; if you allow anyone hoodwink you or pull the wool over your face; it won’t be God’s fault but yours. You can know God for yourself. And you should!
The challenge with the church has been that the people in the pews had for long lost the culture of the Berean Christians who double-checked and cross-checked the things they were taught in church (Acts 17:11). When you don’t know God’s word for yourself, anyone can spew baloney into your mind and you believe it hook, line and sinker; and still be thanking and celebrating him/her for it! It’s funny that when Muslims enter a mosque to worship, they leave their footwear by the door. Sad to say, methinks the average Nigerian churchgoer (born-again or not, Pentecostal, charismatic orthodox or by whatever label you choose to give them) unlike his Muslim counterpart leaves his brain by the door of the church! Else how do you explain the credulity with which we believe some stuffs spewed forth in the guise of the gospel by some men of the cloth from our numerous pulpits.
I know you will argue, faith does not agree with reasoning. Yes, and no! Faith agrees with reasoning; reasoning of a different kind – the Bible kind. Paul said; if anyone preaches a gospel different from the one we have preached to you, let him be accursed! I mean, that scripture makes me cringe with holy awe as a preacher and teacher of God’s word. Whatever anyone – and I mean whoever, by whatever name or title the person goes – says that does not agree with the whole counsel of God as set forth in the Bible, vomit it! Before anyone teach you and fill your mind and heart with anything short of the full orbed truth of God’s word, tell him or her, “Teacher, don’t teach me nonsense!” Read the Bible for yourself. Think. Meditate. Compare and research scriptures. Double-check and re-check what you heard in church or by a TV preacher. Refuse to be a twenty-first century slave. Use your spirit, and use your mind! If you refuse to think or you cannot think, you are a slave all the same. And I’m sorry to say, I see a new generation of slaves in the Nigerian church; enslaved by their wrong beliefs and to their overlords (pastors, prophets, teachers etc.) who taught them wrongly. You’re responsible for what and who you choose to believe.
Yomi Olufiade 