OWOKONIRAN
Where are the children of yesterday’s big men and big women? Who were the fathers and mothers of yesterday’s big men and big women? Let no one therefore boast that my father was billionaire Blue Bottom or my mother was billionaire Smart Skirt and must therefore be accorded instant recognition and respect.
What will earn you respect and recognition is your own achievement, your travails, trials and triumphs. It is what you have made of opportunities that came your way, your own personal development, your impact on the community and your stamp of identity.
You may be the son of Nelson Mandela, the daughter of Margaret Thatcher or the son of Chinua Achebe, but you are not the Mandela we know, the Thatcher we know or the Achebe we celebrate.
Don’t stand there beating some one else’s chest. Beat your own chest, beat your own drum and produce your own rhythm. Your father’s famous chest is not your own, your mother’s broad chest is not yours.
There was Amilcar Bacar, a great General but his son came, his name was Hannibal, one of the greatest names in military history. Amilcar Bacar is not remembered because of his son, his name endures in history and his son Hannibal is not remembered because of his father, he carved his own imperishable imprint on the military exploits of Carthage.
What is the future of today’s children whose parents are currently the wielders of transient powers and influence? The future is not likely to be different from that of yesterday’s children who are miserably missing from the radar.
Owokoniran!
