Ogiri John Ogiri

Our perceived enemies cannot exist beyond the boundaries of our imaginations and beliefs in their existence and omnipotence. Why stunt your growth and happiness with the crude belief that someone must be responsible for your life's challenges to the extent that you lose grip of your mind and powerful self. Unfortunately, two types of deities currently reign in Nigeria: the God who created man in his image and likeness and the one the Nigerian man has successfully created in his  image and likeness. The former is considered too merciful and slow in action while the former is seen to be a god of 'here and now', sharp-sharp god. Sadly, it is the latter god that we believe in and serve more than the former. My friends, identifying and understanding the god you serve will help you identify which pastor is for which God. That your pastor prays,fasts,speaks in, sometimes, unintelligible tongues, casts pre-conceived and imagined demons, healing "in the name of Jesus" does...

Many people don't hear from God anymore because they keep talking all the time. If you want to hear from God,you must learn to be silent. You can't be talking all the time and expect to hear from God at the same time.  If you want to pray,pray in the silence of your heart,crying and pouring your hearts to God as Hannah did. Prayers don't have to be noisy and violent for God to hear for he is not too deaf to hear you. Whenever you are around others, as you pray, remember they too have their rights to pray to God. Don't let your prayers become a distraction for them else you become uncharitable to others. Be charitable. Consider the other person too. Whenever you want to pray to God, just imagine for a moment if God was your physical father, the same father who gave birth to you, would you shout,commanding him to do something for you? If you need something from your earthly father, do you shout at him? Do you command him to do it? Do you go blabbing meaningless cacophonie...

I have been ruminating over this, that, if only we, Nigerians, read and understood Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, (the base subjects of technological innovation,) with the same fervour and frequency with which we read, understand and preach the Bible and the Qu'ran; if we spent our long nights doing researches the same way we spend them keeping vigils in religious houses; if we fought for development and good governance with the same motivations and united fronts with which we fight for our religions and politicians; if we built more industries and technological research centres than we build churches and mosques; if we gathered together and raised funds for the purpose of empowering at least five (5) entrepreneurs every week in every church and mosque more than we raise funds to build cathedrals and erect the most expensive mosque with the most towering minaret; the country would be better for it; the country would move to the top of the world's development table as a hig...

"A man who abhors or dreads encounters with challenges denies himself an opportunity to discover something new about himself and others. Life is about risk-taking but what is interesting about it is that, the more we take calculated risks,the more we make new discoveries about our capabilities and incapabilities as well as about others, and hence,the more experienced and wise we become to face tomorrow " -Ogiri John Ogiri

"Before you listen to anybody, first listen to yourself. What can you hear from you? Before you advise anyone,or take any advice from anyone, first advise yourself. Before teaching someone, first teach yourself. Before you can understand anyone, you must first understand yourself. Before loving someone,first love yourself.The reason is simple; you cannot give what you lack." -Ogiri John Ogiri (Culled from "How To Achieve Real Happiness in Life" unpublished by Ogiri John Ogiri.)