Thread by @obyezeks

Those who know me from when I was in Government will confirm my strong reticence to accepting some of the coterie of Awards that various groups in our country, generously confer on people.

I have always felt that nothing of our country justifies the LARGE number of Awards.

I set a very High Threshold for determining which Award, one would accept. It helped me weed out so many of those ‘one kain’ awards that featured very ‘interesting characters’ as ‘co-awardees’.

It is time to raise that Threshold even higher. Really.

One of the Awards conferred on me more than a decade ago, is the National Honors Award of CFR - Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.

You see, I hardly ever remember that one is a CFR.

Life is so much more than things like Awards.

Yes. Don’t be taken by ‘Awards’.

There is a Vanity Trap that drives the Choices we make in the Nigerian society.

It has cost us most of our Values and replaced them with dominant vices.

The obsession for Money, Power, Influence, Status, Honors & Awards has been the undoing of many who once held strong Values.

I do get asked, “why do you carry on all the time about Values, as if you are the only one it matters to?”

My response is, “Not so intended, just that our backgrounds define us.”

My Dad often told us, “We do not have riches, but we are Wealthy in Values.”

I VALUE Values.

As one has grown through childhood to my fifties, I can now confidently say that of all things that a human being may acquire in Life, none LASTS and has inestimable Value like Values.
Whereas money, possessions, power, status, recognitions may disappear, yet your Values ENDURE.

As my Christian Faith deepened& I began to understand the Word of God in the Bible, all one could see was how empowering Living one’s Values is. One of the scriptures I most love is:
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?Mark8v36

There is however for me, no better Scripture than the entire Chapter 2 of Ecclesiastics, to help anyone willing to be guided by Wisdom in choosing their Priorities in Life.
King Solomon was legendary. Great in wisdom, wealth & power beyond anyone else. He said, “All is Vanity”.

I shall tweet the Words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastics Chapter 2. The wisdom of constantly reminding ourselves that NOTHING is worth negotiating our Values for can be a compass that guides us on the tempestuous journey of Life.

That “All is Vanity” must not be reason to fail to engage in Purposeful Pursuit in Life.
We should diligently work to EXCEL in all spheres of Life, create wealth, attain power, greatness and influence, achieve honor & such like.
BUT, never do so @ the EXPENSE of your Values.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?”
Ecclesiastes 2:1-2

#KingSolomonsWisdom

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
Ecclesiastes 2:3

“I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
Ecclesiastes 2:4-6
#KingSolomonsWisdom

I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
Ecclesiastes 2:7

#WiseKingSolomon

I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.”
Ecclesiastes 2:8
#WiseKingSolomon

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
Ecclesiastes 2:9

#WiseKingSolomon

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
Ecclesiastes 2:10

#WiseKingSolomon