Now that you are young

I am a prince in Oyo State and I grew up in the city of Ibadan before leaving for Lagos State. In the early 80s and 90s, the third largest city in Africa, Ibadan, had so many young rich men and women, who did not understand what I want to share with you right now. It will help you a great deal, if you will put it into practice. Remember, the cycle of learning cannot be said to be complete—without walking out in shoe leather what one has learned.

Without blinking once I can reel out many names of those who were very rich in their early 30s and 40s but became very poor before clocking 50 years on earth! Where did they get it wrong? This is precisely what I want to share with you right now, so fasten your seat-belt and let us have a beautiful ride together into the realm of wisdom. What you are going to learn in this piece will change your life forever, on the condition that you will do what it says!

About five years ago, I was to present a paper in Osun State and on our way to the city of Ibadan from Lagos State, there was this terrible traffic jam. We had to find our way through a place I did not know before that time and through it, we were able to beat the dare-devil-traffic jam and we got to Ibadan in a record time. And it eventually helped me to get to Osun State long before the time that I would present my paper.

This is what I want you to see: as we were about entering Ibadan, I transitorily stopped the book I was reading and I was so fortunate to see a company that was founded and owned by a popular young man in the city of Ibadan, but right now in its compound are overgrown thorns and bushes! The young man used to be very rich in his 40s, pouring cash on some musicians like water in those days. I shook my head and remained quiet for a very long time. He became very wealthy in his 40s, but instead of building a very strong reserve, so he could remain rich in his old age, he wasted his resources on riotous living!

Also, a young man used to be very rich in his 30s in those days, but instead of building a very strong reserve, so he could remain rich till his old age, he expended all his money on women, hard drinks, cars and musicians! Why am I sharing these things with you? The reason is because I want you avoid the pitfalls of old. Remember, if you do not learn from history, you are going to be doomed to repeat the mistakes and errors of the past.

Hear me: now that you are young, build a strong reserve against the time that you would become old! There is a reason why you are having a season of abundance and plenty right now. You are not allowed to consume your abundance and richness without building a very strong reserve for yourself and family. The second season you are going to experience before you finally exit the planet earth is that of famine, but what you do with your wealth, plenty and abundance today will determine whether you are going to survive in the days to come or not—when the second season eventually kicks off.

Be smart. Be wise. Do not be stupid. Be prudent. Do not buy anything, so as to compete with thoughtless and ignorant people. And do not waste your resources—trying to prove any point. Also, do not buy what you do not need to impress those who do not like you two hoots. Do not empty your accounts to buy material things that depreciate with time. And do not multiply women. When your money grows wings and flies away like a bird, they will all abandon you!

Being rich in either your 30s or 40s does not mean anything. The question is; will you remain rich till when you are in your 70s? There are too far many former rich folks around today. Buddy, build a strong reserve. Do not impress anyone with what you do not have. Do not try to show anyone that you have arrived. Do not buy cars to show people that you have arrived whereas you still do have a very long way to go. Do not move to an expensive area to impress folks. You do not need to impress anyone. Run and walk at your own pace. May you be wise!

If there is anything that the current happenings across the planet earth are teaching those who do not detest wisdom, it is that they need to be more prudent with their resources. Suddenly, many people are beginning to realize that they have wasted their hard-earned money—buying too far many things that they really do not need. And by the time the dust of COVID-19 finally settles down, they are going to start handling better their resources. Does this sound like you?

To build a very strong reserve as a young man, I advise that you start saving at least one-fifth of everything that comes in. Doing this consistently for the next 12 years will give you a lot of edge over your mates who are squandering their money on cars that will soon go out of fashion. On the condition that you can put into practice what I have shared with you in this piece, when others are begging bread in the days to come, you will have more than enough. Till I come your way again next Monday, see you where wise leaders are found!

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