Book Launch: Femi-Emmanauel charges Nigerian youths to harness potential, snub Japa

The presiding pastor of the Living Spring Chapel International, Pastor Femi-Emmanuel has described Nigeria as a nation where potential can be grown and nurtured.

He said it is rather unfortunate that youths of the nation who are supposed to look inward to annex their potential, nurture them and thrive, could not see this, but all they could think of is Japa (emigration).

While noting that no man can fulfill his destiny outside his roots, he said many youths who relocate abroad by all means without a definite or divine purpose usually return frustrated and end up unfulfilled.

Pastor Femi-Emmanuel made these assertions while speaking at the official launch of an educational book entitled ‘How to flourish as a student academically’ written by Alafiatayo  Ayodele, a PhD student of Lead City University Ibadan on Wednesday last week.

Charging the youth at the event, he said “if the founder and chancellor of Lead City University had also Japa or run away, there’ll be no Lead City University today.”

He therefore, charged the youth to redirect their focus to find out God’s purpose for their lives, saying “People who don’t know their purposes easily lose focus in life. There’s no way you can get to your destination if focus is missed.”

“This is a generation where students are no longer interested in books, they neither want to write notes nor write examinations. Sometimes you look at the whole landscape and say where is this ‘Gen Z’ going? If this is how they see life, what will happen to them and the generation after them,” he stated.

Commending the author for his hardwork towards meeting a need in the academic world, he said “thank God you got your focus right early in life. Nobody gets life right by luck; it has to be by focus and hardwork.”

While he noted that there is no final success in life, he encouraged the author to “keep up the good work. You have started well, please keep the fire burning. This is a starting point and starting is not an ending, it’s good to start well, it’s another to run according to the rules and it’s another thing altogether to finish well.”

“Maintain focus and increase your speed, everyone you see on top did not drop there, they climbed there, climbing is a process and there are procedures, keep up the good work,” he averred.

Congratulating the parents of the author, Mr Adebayo and Mrs Taiwo Ayodele, he charged parents to train their children well and youths to take cues from what Alafiatayo had done to impart humanity.

Speaking about the book, Vice Chancellor of Lead City, Professor Kabiru Aderemi Adeyemo, who reviewed the book, said it brings forth an insightful and practical guide for students at all academic levels.

He added that the book is a valuable resource that encourages student to become well-rounded individuals, capable of contributing meaningfully to the society, assuring that students who applied the principles in the book will find themselves not only excelling academically but also developing the character, resilience and vision necessary to make a difference in their lives and communities.

The VC represented by the deputy registrar and director of Academic planning, Dr Adekolarin Adewole, commended Ayodele for his thoughtful and accessible contribution to students’ development and academic success, affirming that his work resonates with the mission of the university, which is committed to fostering a supportive learning environment that encourages both academic and personal growth.

He recommended the book to all students, educators and anyone who is committed to lifelong learning, saying, “this book is not merely a guide, it is a call to action for students to reach beyond their potential.”

The author while speaking about the rationale for writing the book said it was borne out of his passion for imparting students with academic knowledge based on his personal experience on his academic journey.

“I finished with a 2.2 in my first degree and this really plagued me for so many years. I actually realised that I made some mistakes. I rolled with bad guys in my first two years; that was my first freedom away from home so I blew it. However, between 300 and 400 levels I was able to detach myself from the wrong association, it wasn’t easy but it was gainful. After school, I got job offers but they were demanding for a first class or a 2.1 that pained me the most.

“So, when I was studying for my masters, I deliberately took some actions which gave me an edge and I was able to finish with a First Class. According to Dr Mike Murdock, “a concealed knowledge is a waste.” So this understanding was what prompted me to write a book to share my knowledge with all of these experiences with students.

“The book is not theory, it’s practical. It has worked for me and many other people and I believe it will work for as many people who will decide to read and implement it,” he said.

The trio of administrative staff of Lead City University, deputy registrar and director of Academic planning, Dr Adekolarin Adewole; deputy registrar and director of Senate, Mr Olusegun Fatoki, and Head of Department, Management and Accounting, Dr Tina Akinbo, who attested to the author’s dexterity said, he has always been focused, diligent, a lover of education and an intellectual, little wonder he came up with such as piece on road map to academic success capable of empowering students with academic challenges to face their fears and achieve their full potential.

They said they had no doubt that the author and his book are going places.