BILLY GRAHAM: GOD SENT…FAMILY NURTURED…HUMANITY’S BLESSING

Taiwo AkinlamiLeave a comment

William Franklin Graham Jr. passed unto glory on February 21, 2018 at the ripe age of 99. Today I write a tribute as lessons to learn from the glorious life of an icon of faith and service to humanity.

On Sunday, February 16, 1997, I began my pilgrimage of change and I believe it is a pilgrimage of a lifetime. Before then I had experienced erased childhood and my erased childhood, of necessity birthed empty adulthood.

One of the most profound lessons of my change pilgrimage to date is that socialization is superior to psychology. I found that we are always as strong or weak as our upbringing. Everybody is a product of his/her childhood. It takes God and God alone to help restore to meaningful adulthood, erased childhood.

The foregoing lesson drives me almost uncontrollably to collect and read biographies of both heroes and villains. I am an addicted collector of biographies and I think I am paying my dues in devouring many of the ones I have collected. My first interest in biographies is the making of the person, whose life it conveys and the lesson I can learn therefrom.

Few years ago, as a wedding gift, a couple gifted my wife and I, Billy Graham’s autobiography, ‘JUST AS I AM.’ It is a massive piece of work, where he shared about life, family, childhood, private life, ministries and many other matters of interest to him.

The autobiography is of many pages expectedly, but that was not any discouragement for me to begin to devour it. While others may see many pages of a book, I saw many layers of priceless treasures coming to me as one-stop compendium of living wisdom. Pronto, I dived into the material and of a truth, it was a bountiful harvest of invaluable treasures. I have in the last eleven years kept them safely for personal instructions and teaching materials for many.

As this icon of faith and service to humanity passes into God’s glory, I feel there is no better way to pay a tribute to him than to share with us priceless lessons from his glorious legacy. What is Billy Graham’s legacy? He summed it up thus, ‘the greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.’

Reading, his autobiography, I can categorically say to you that Billy Graham was a priceless gift from God, deposited into a balanced Christian home and presented by that home as an invaluable blessing to the world. It is my belief that God does not give a child to the world. He gives children to families. Families present the children to the world as a gift or menace, depending their stability or instability. The foundation of Billy Graham’s legacy that we all celebrate today was laid in a functional Christian home. His parents deliberately sowed the seed of greatness, which became a mighty forest from which his world, beginning from his immediate family came to take fortified refuge.

Billy Graham shared with us the foundation of his faith in these words: ‘when they (my parents) read the family Bible in our home, they were not simply going through a pious ritual. Mother told us that they had established a family altar with daily Bible reading the very first day they were married. They accepted that book as the very Word of God, seeking and getting heavenly help to keep the family together.

He concluded thus, every time my mother prayed with one of us, and every time my parents prayed for their sons and daughters, they were declaring their dependence on God for the wisdom and strength and courage to stay in control of life, no matter what circumstances might bring. Beyond that, they prayed for their children, that they might come into the kingdom of God.’

He further shared in his autobiography the role his parents play in building deliberately mental and spiritual capacity: ‘at home, from my earliest years, Mother encouraged me in the habit of reading. The exploits of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest entranced me. I read the whole Tom Swift series, and the Rover Boys. Among my favorite adventure reading were the Tarzan books; they came out every few months. I could hardly wait for the next one to be issued, and my mother would always buy it for me…’

He continues, ‘Mother saw to it that there was more serious reading too. Before I was ten, she had made me memorize the Westminster [Presbyterian] Shorter Catechism. Once I was visiting an aunt who ordered us to spend sometime reading the Bible. In about ten minutes, I went back to her and boasted, “I just read a whole book in the Bible.” She thought I was a remarkable boy. [I had discovered the epistle of Jude, the shortest book in the New Testament. One page! Mother also prodded me to read The Book of Knowledge, an encyclopedia.’            

He shared about the balanced relationship between him and his parents in many pages of the autobiography and how his parents helped him to develop independent of thoughts and gaining sense of responsibility from youth. Permit me to share with you some incisive extracts. He revealed, ‘while my parents were swift to punish when punishment was deserved, they did not overload me with arbitrary regulations that were impossible to respect. In fact, they were open. My parents never once told me to be in a certain time when I went out on a Friday or Saturday night date. I knew that I had to be up by three in the morning and that if I stayed out past midnight I would get only a couple of hours of sleep.’

Billy revealed to us that child discipline begins with teaching and not abuse. He debunked the popular belief that there is a thin line between child discipline and abuse. It is unfortunate that many have hidden under this unfounded but popular saying that there is a thin line between child discipline and abuse to perpetrate untold damage again the child physically and emotionally. Yet there is no thin line. Discipline and abuse are far poles apart, but many, who are untrained confuse the two and perpetuate the evil of child abuse in the name of child discipline. It is my humble opinion that as water and oil do not mix, so ABUSE and DISCIPLINE do not meet. I found comforting corroboration in the words of Billy Graham thus: ‘in all the strictness of my upbringing, there was no hint of child abuse.’  He further shed light on how the parents instilled discipline by communicating value, ‘I learned to obey without questioning. Lying, cheating, stealing, and property destruction were foreign to me. I was taught that laziness was one of the worst evils, and that there was dignity and honor in labor. I could abandon myself enthusiastically to milking the cows, cleaning out the latrines, and shovelling manure, not because they were pleasant jobs, certainly, but because sweaty labor held its own satisfaction.’

Billy Graham did not come from a perfect home. The truth of the matter is that no such home exists in our world today. He helped us to understand that parents may give in to their imperfection once in a while, but in the midst of such, they must learn to exercise caution, knowing that they are letters being read by their observing children as daily living manual. He revealed about his parents and their frailties, ‘there had to have been tensions between Daddy and Mother from time to time that we children were not supposed to see. I suppose my parents occasionally disappointed each other, and certainly they sometimes disagreed about serious as well as trivial things, but in any quarrels between them (parents) that I witnessed, I never heard either of them use a word of profanity. My mother and father [mostly my mother] could storm at each other once in a while when provoked, but they weathered every tempest and sailed on, together.’

Space fails me to continue to expound on the life, times and lessons of Billy Graham. I however believe that I have shared some priceless lessons, which may serve as a guide for us as we relate with our children both as primary and secondary caregivers. It is my humble and honest prayer today that God will prepare us as families, equipped to raise godly seed to the glory of God and to the benefits of His humanity. I hope that the immeasurable blessings that the life of Billy Graham is to humanity will not only serve an inspiration to join me in saying amen to this prayers but to trust God for the wisdom to make the prayer a reality in our lives. Do have an INSPIRED day.
I am Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUKWU’ AKINLAMI (The Preacher) and I Speak for the Precious African Child

T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B:http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami

 

 

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COUNTDOWN TO MY 48TH BIRTHDAY: ROLLING OUT THE DRUMS OF GRATITUDE TO EDUCATIONISTS, WHOSE SUPPORT WE HAVE ENJOYED OVER THE YEARS: SEE WHO IS IN THE IPROTECT™ ROLL CALL OF GRATITUDE

Taiwo Akinlami1 Comment

It is my 48th Birthday on March 24, 2018. While I do not plan to roll out the usual drums, I intend to roll out the drums of gratitude to God and men and women, who He has raised to believe in me and the cause he committed into my hands. It is one thing for people to believe in you. It is another for them to believe in you and stand by your cause, it is another to do so consistently over the years. Yet it is another thing to believe and invest in you and your message consistently.

Today, I celebrate key individuals and organizations we have worked with, particularly within the school system and educational sector.

It is was my 7th Missionary Journey to Supreme Education Foundation on Saturday, March 3, 2018. This is apart from the fact that the highly esteemed institution of learning sends participants for our programs from time to time…We have also worked with them under The iProtect™ Institutionalization Project(TiP), out project, which aim is to work with Child Focused Organizations to establish Child Protection System, codified into a policy.

There is something elating and fulfilling about being invited back again and again to a place after experiencing you once. As I mentiojed to them on Saturday and I mean it, SEF is home and I was back home to have a family discussion, having related with the Mama Adamalekun, with whose daughter I shared same birthday and successive leaders. It was in SEF a leader testified, ‘Mr. Akinlami, you both CREDIBLE and INCREDIBLE.’

You see, I don’t want to count reputable local and international organizations, which keep calling me back. I am tempted to think it would sound like blowing my own trumpet but at a second thought, I am thinking to myself that there is no trumpet to blow, there is only GRATITUDE to give to GOD, whose favour surrounds like a shield and who inscribe the love for what we do in the hearts of men.

In 2005, I was graciously initiated into the UNICEF Nigeria family by Mr Geoffrey Njoku, who followed my column in Daily Independent for one year. The first time he listened to the iProtect™ Gospel, he said, ‘Taiwo, we will invite you and invite you again.’ That has been the story till date…I have since worked with wonderful men and women like Mrs. Caroline AKOSILE, Mrs Roseleen Akinroye, Ms. Maryam ENYINAZU, Ms. Blessing, Ms. Sharon Oladiji and many others on different and countless projects.

Mr.Bosun Adedokun is an unusual gentleman, who linked us with many private schools in Lagos State and beyond when we organised our first iProtect™ program for private schools in 2010. It was at that program Mrs Atoyebi heard me for time and became a believer.

Pastor Nomthi Odukoya is a passionate educationist and compassionate life coach. Most importantly she is my mother in the Lord. She heard me first in 2015, at a women’s meeting in our church, The Fountain of Life Church, where I was doing a short presentations on tips to protect children from sexual abuse, having been introduced to the fellowship by an ardent, long-standing and sacrificial believer in the cause of iProtect™, Mrs. Tiwalade Benson Olakunle-Soriyan. Pastor Nomthi later invited me to review her book, ‘No Don’t Touch Me There’ at the book launch. From there I was in the 2 Sunday services of our highly esteemed local assembly preaching the iProtect™ Gospel. I have made close to 10 Missionary Journeys on the platform of her great NGO, Fundawazi Foundation, reaching children and teachers, particularly from the public school sector, which provides an opportunity to give back to the society.

Dr. Mrs. Femi OGUNSANYA, who I today call Mum and Mentor, heard me for the first time in 2011, when I was in her highly esteemed institution of learning, Oxbridge Tutorial College to deliver The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution, our program for helping teachers to be Child-Centred. From that day she became a committed believer in the iProtect™ Gospel and she invited me to the APEN platform. I have been on that platform doing plenary and breakout sessions at APEN Conferences, APEN Teachers Conferences and Parents Forum. I was still there on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Not only that, I have been back to Oxbridge Tutorial College again and again…I was introduced to Dr. Mrs. Ogunsanya by Ms. Chizoba Imoka, an awesome lady, young, dynamic and public spirited.

It is at APEN I met Ms. Folawe OMIKUNLE, when she served as the Executive Secretary. She is today of Teach4Nigeria doing exploits and raising the bar of Public Education in Nigeria, practically showing what can be done instead of complaining about what cannot be done. She is an ardent believer in the cause of the iProtect™ Gospel. She is my friend and sister, a close one for that matter.

Ms. Bukky Orenuga took over from Ms. Folawe OMIKUNLE. She is simply wonderful human being, committed to the cause of the iProtect™ Gospel. She has her own personal story from where she draws inspiration and persuasions. She keeps mentioning us to schools that we are the option when it comes to developing Child Protection System, codifying same into policy and training their workforce. She has become a sister.

Mrs. Ibironke Olatokunbo ADEYEMI, Managing Director of Chirsland Schools and her amiable sister, Mrs. Oye, heard me for the first time in 2012. I have since then been invited to all their schools to train again and again, training teachers, leaders and parents. I have worked with them under our TiP to establish for their highly esteemed institution of learning Child Protection System, codified into Child Protection Policy. Apart from that we have done a review of the policy again. I tell you in a most unequivocal manner, I have met few schools, who are as committed to Child Protection like Chirsland. Trust me.

Mrs. Bola KALEJAIYE heard me for the first time in 2012 and today she is my friend and sister. My missionary journey to her highly esteemed institution of learning are today countless subscribing to our TiP and more and sending teachers, leaders and caregivers for our programs. She often says, ‘I have met only few people, who are as passionate about the rights of children like Mr. AKINLAMI.’

Mrs. Kehinde NWANI heard me first in 2012. I have been introduced to her highly esteemed institution of learning by my friend, Ola OPESAN, who we shared platform together at the 2011 APEN Conference. On that glorious day, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™, I received a cheque 25% above the agreed fee. I have been invited back again and again and the invitation has extended to Meadow Hall Consult. Mr. OPESAN had also introduced me to James Hope College Agbor, establishing TiP for them.

Mrs. Lai KOIKI heard me for the first time at APEN Conference 2011, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution. I have today made at least 5 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning, particularly speaking to their students, apart from the fact that they have invested in our in-house programs and subscribed to our TiP, working with the entire workforce, leaders, teaching, non-teaching and support staff.

I met Mama Adun Akinyemiju through my friend and sister, Mrs. Febisola Oladimeji Okonkwo, who listened to me for the first time in Ibadan, Oyo State where I have gone to inaugurate Child Protection Network for UNICEF in 2011. Mrs. OKONKWO insisted that I must meet her elder sister. I was later in Dansol College to disseminate The TeacherFIRE Revolution and today I have been to Dansol again and again, working with teachers, leaders, parents and students.

Pastor Mrs. Olubukoya OLADIYUN, a greatly blessed school leader heard me for the first time at the State Conference of the Association of Christian Schools International, which held on the premises of CLAM, Ojodu. She later invited me as a guest speaker at the graduation ceremony of her highly esteemed institution of learning, J-NISSI School. I have made total of 5 Missionary Journeys to her educational and religious platforms.

Mrs. Olubunmi EGBEYEMI of The Foreshore School, Ikoyi listened to me at APEN Conference in 2013. She later invited me to speak to parents and guests at the re-branding program of the school. I have since then made other 5 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning…They have subscribed to TiP and The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution. Her highly esteemed institution of learning is the only one, as at today, which has exposed the entire workforce to Case Management She is the only school as at todayI am glad today to call her a friend and sister.

I met Alhaji Abdulsalam Sani while facilitating School Leadership Program for the British Council in Lagos in 2015. He came all the way from Zamani College, Kaduna with another colleague. Immediately, Alhaji Sani became a strong and vociferous believer in the iProtect™ Gospel and introduced us to his school. I ended up making a Missionary Journey to the highly esteemed institution of learning, establishing our Tip, training the entire workforce, spending 4 days in the city, including a having a session with their distinguished parents. Mrs. Josephine Mohammed, the Director and Principal of the school stood out as an usual believer as she stayed through all the sessions of the TiP program.

Mrs. Felecia Olawore runs two highly esteemed institution of learning in Ikorodu, Lagos, Perfecter International School and Yetville Nursery and Primary School. She signed up for our academy in 2013 and instantly became an ardent believer in the iProtect™ Gospel, registering participants in their multiples for our program, including The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution.

Mrs. Bolajoke FALORE of MindBuilders School listened to me at the 2013 APEN Conference and I have since made 5 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning since then, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution and TiP and S.A.F.E™ for Me for children and teenagers of the institution.

Mama Clementina Abeke DOREGOS, founder, Saint Bernadette Educational Services heard me for the first time at the APEN Conference 2013 and few weeks after invited me on my first Missionary Journey to the highly esteemed institution of learning. Apart from the fact that they are subscribers to TiP, I have made at least 3 Missionary Journeys to their schools.

Mrs. Olaleye of Taqwa Private Schools introduced us to the school and we have made 2 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution and establishing the TiP. In the course of our Missionary Journeys, I met Alhaja M.M. Alimi, the Director of the schools, who became an instant believer in the iProtect™ and signed up personally for our iProtect™ Academy.

Mrs. Oluwayomi ONABANJO runs one of the most effective preschool and after school educational institute in Magodo GRA Phase 2, Lagos. In fact she pioneered after school program in that area and arguably in Lagos State. I visited the school the first time to do a session with parents. I have been there again and again. They have also subscribed to our TiP.

Oluwayomi ONABANJO introduced us to Mrs. Dayo ONABOWALE of Treasure House, Ilupeju. We have made 3 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution and also establishing TiP. The school also continues to send participants for our programs.

Mr. Olakunle Soriyan, brother, friend and mentor, whose contribution to our work has been prodigiously invaluable and unparalleled linked with Temple School under the leadership of Mrs Shirley Okharedia in 2010. I have made 3 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution, speaking to parents and being a guest speaker at their graduation ceremony in a particular year.

Mrs Mary IYAYI of Carley College Ikeja was introduced to our programs by Mrs. Debola ATOYEBI of Heritage House School, who attended our in-house program in Child Rights and Protection in 2010.

Mrs. ATOYEBI became a very strong believer in our cause and I made 3 Missionary Journeys to the school and 1 to her Church. Besides, she introduced us to school leaders, who ended up subscribing to our programs. One of them is Mrs. Iyayi…She stands out…I have made 1 Missionary Journey to her school…But one striking thing is that she granted one of the Students, we are supporting under our Scholarship Program, a scholarship till the end of her secondary school…She is generous soul.

Mrs. Debola ATOYEBI also linked us with Mrs. Ifueko Omowunmi THOMAS when she was Head of School, Corona Trust Council School, Victoria Island. Mrs. THOMAS embraced us immediately and became a believer in the iProtect™ Gospel. I made 2 Missionary Journeys to Corona School, Victoria Island, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution and having a session with the parents. Mrs. Funto IGUN later became a believer in our cause when she was the Executive Director of Corona Trust Council, exposing teachers from all the Corona Schools to The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution. I have also made a Missionary Journey to Corona School, Lekki Ajah, preaching the Gospel parents.

Mrs. Folasade ADEFISAYO, an astute educationist and one of the most down-to-heart persons I have ever met and Mrs. Olayinka ROTIMI-PAUL, a very progressive minded school leader facilitated the establishment of TiP with SEF and the participation of the school in our S.A.F.E™ program for Boarding Schools. Mrs. Folashade ADEFISAYO had introduced me to Mrs. ROTIMI-PAUL.

Pastor Olubola and Mrs. Omobola Olubola are such a great couple and a blessing to the educational sector and the cause of the Gospel according to iProtect™. Pastor Olubola listened to me at the LEARN program, organized by the former first lady of Lagos State, Her Excellency, Mrs. Fashola. He is one of the most humble human beings I seen on the face of the earth. Apart from the fact that they have continued to subscribe to our in-house programs, I have made 3 Missionary Journeys to WINSMART, their highly esteemed institution of learning. I have also led my team to disseminate our TiP.

My brother and friend, Praise Oladimeji Fowowe
committed believer in the iProtect™ Gospel introduced me to Master Care International School, Asaba under the leadership of Her Excellency Roli UDUAGHAN. The School subscribed to our TiP. I have made 2 Missionary Journeys to the school and made a friend in Engineer Adeleke.

Mrs Simbo Banjo, very progressive leader received The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution proposal and invited us for a discussion. From that discussion, the highly esteemed institution of learning signed up for 3 of our programs, The TeacherFIRE Revolution, iProtect™ for School Leaders and parents. I did 3 Missionary Journeys to the institution of learning.

I made my first Missionary Journey to Rainbow College, a member of Pampers Group of Schools in the year 2000 or thereabouts, when my long-time sister and friend, Mrs. Biola Lediju-Efuwape introduced our program, which is now known as S.A.F.E™ 4 ME to the teenagers of the college. I think 11 years after, our return to the highly esteemed institution of learning was facilitated by her Human Resources Manager, Mrs. Banke Odejayi, who upon receiving our proposal invited us to disseminate to the entire workforce The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution. Very humble and open-minded she is. I have since then met Mrs. Philomena Obajimi, Director of Studies, an ardent believer in the iProtect™ Gospel and my brother, Mr. Ayokunle Adejumo, who headed the Lekki School and they became facilitators of more Missionary Journeys to the institutions. As at today I have made 4 Missionary Journeys to the institution.

Pastor Mrs. Becky Attah heard me for the first time at the Church of God Mission Women’s Conference in 2016 and became a dedicated believer in the iProtect™ That same year she invited me to her highly institution of learning, Mandate Schools to preach the Gospel to her distinguished parents. There I met her dearly beloved husband Rev. Attah, who immediately signed up for our iProtect™ Academy and enrolled the school for our TiP. We have made 2 Missionary Journeys to the schools and have also received their teachers in our programs.

I met Mr. and Mrs, Seye AYOADE at the Association of Christian Schools International Conference, where they listened to me for the first time in 2013. Thereafter these greatly blessed and exemplary couple invited me to their Parenting Seminar I think that same year. has invited me to her school twice and I have also made a Missionary Journey to Apata Memorial School, Isolo and they have participated in our in-house programs.

Mrs. Kikelomo David met me at Mrs. Enitan AYOADE 40th Birthday. Before then her association, Association of Christian Schools International had invited me to Uyo for their annual conference and we could not agree on the modalities of the engagement. This unusually gracious woman, having listened to me speak briefly at the birthday program went back to Uyo and put herself on the line. It was a divine encounter and I made that Missionary Journey, won many disciples and have since returned to the city on her ticket for two other Missionary Journeys. Today, she is my friend and sister.

Mrs.Yinka Ogunde is a rare gem and a major player within the educational system in Nigeria. I met her for the first time at the rebranding program of The Foreshore School, Ikoyi, where she listened to me few years ago. She has come to become a believer in our cause, providing platforms for the dissemination of same. She today a family. At short notice she was on ground to unveil our S.A.F.E™ Instructional Materials at our Public Presentation on November 20, 2017.

Mrs. Bisi Awoyomi is today a dear sister and friend. I met her as the Project Manager of LEARN, the NGO established by Her Excellency, former first lady of Lagos State, Mrs Fashola. I ended up working with LEARN for close to a decade…LEARN has continued to vibrantly exist after her tenure as the first lady. I made nothing less than 15 Missionary Journeys on the LEARN platforms on a mission to many institutions of learning and their precious children, particularly within the public school sector, disseminating The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution, S.A.F.E™ 4 Me and other programs, including doing the Votes of Thanks at the Time Out With Youth when Dr. Myles Monroe was the guest speaker. It was on the platform of LEARN that I met Her Excellency, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi SOSAN, the former deputy governor of Lagos State, who invited me to her constituency in Ojo LGA to speak to the youths in the 2017 edition of her yearly Youth Empowerment program.

EduAID is a mission of Covenant Christian Center. It is led by Dr. Femi Orawusi. I spoke at their Teacher Conference, addressing nothing less than 5,000 teachers.The organization has participated in our in our Boot Camp and Dr. Orawusi was present at the Public Presentation of our S.A.F.E™ Instructional Materials, ordering copies for the personal and organizational use. Today, I can call him a friend and brother.

What can I say about Mr. Pope (formerly of Grange Schools) and Mrs. Morenike Olaosebikan, believers in the iProtect™ Gospel under whose leadership we were invited to Grange Schools to disseminate The TeacherFIRE™ and trained the entire workforce on Securing A Friendly and Protective Environment for Children. I have since made 4 Missionary Journeys to the highly esteemed institution of learning.

As I bring this long epistle to an end, the longest I think I have ever written, I must mention Dr. Mrs. Maggie Ibru, who to her school I have made 3 Missionary Journeys, disseminating TeacherFIRE™ Revolution and spending a whole day with her students sharing the IMDSMARTTESSTT™ principles to the applause and admiration of the youngsters. I had met Dr. Mrs. Maggie Ibru at a program and later requested for a meeting and without much ado, I was before her and right at that meeting she became sold to the iProtect™ Gospel and engaged us immediately.

Space betrays me to talk about my fruitful and consistent interactions with ardent believers like Mrs. RonkePosh Adeniyi Le Poshe, who heard me first at the 2014 Conference of the International Schools Educators of Nigeria, signed up for our academy, invited me to her school and subscribed to The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution and gave us her school hall to host our monthly iProtect™ Forum in response to the clamour of our members to come to the Island; the British Council, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, under the able leadership of my friend and sister, Lola Vivor Adeniyi; Office of Public Defenders, where my friend and sister, Mrs. Salami holds effective sway; Child to Child Network, under able leadership of my very personal person, Ngozi Ekwerike Okoro; Mirabel Centre, under the able and exceptional leadership of Mrs. Itoro Eze-Anaba; Osun, Oyo and Lagos State Governments.

I will not fail to mention Rotimi Eyitayo, an exceptionally intelligent man, holding sway over TeamMaster and a committed believer in the iProtect™ Gospel, who makes himself available for brainstorming sessions and does not fail to check on me from time to time as we cross-fertilize idea on school matters. He was the one who linked us with The dynamic and beautiful SafetyChic, Ms. Ugochi Obidiegwu the organizer of School Safety Summit, The SafetyChic was on ground as a volunteer as our S.A.F.E™ Conference held on World Children’s Day, November 20, 2017; Mrs Oluwakemi OLUWAGUNNA, who I met at the meeting of Zonal Leaders of Association of Christian Schools International called by Pastor Mrs. Bukola Oladiyun and has been of great support for our cause, registering for our programs and to her highly esteemed institution of learning, Elias International School, I have made 2 Missionary Journeys; Dr. Mrs. Pauline Johnson, who to her highly esteemed institution of learning we have made 3 Missionary Journeys, Mrs. Yinka Somoye, who to her institution of learning we have made
3 Missionary Journeys; Mrs. Temitope Ogunniyi who is a member of our academy and has at a personal level invested in our programs, including The TeacherFIRE™ Revolution, having found us on Social Media and searchd us out. Mr. Okere Ucheci, who met me in the school, where he teaches, became an instant ardent believer, signing up for our iProtect™ Academy and who has today invested in almost all of our programs, bought our products for others and promotes our works everywhere he goes; Mrs. Morenike OBOT, who met me at her church and became an ardent and unflinching believer in the iProtect™ Gospel, becoming a member of the iProtect™ Academy, investing in many of our programs and has made countless pilgrimage to our LEAD™ Haven to attend our programs; Mrs. Ayo Ayeni, who heard me at Apata Montessori School and has since followed fully, subscribing to our iProtect™ Academy, give priceless advice on creating media presence for our programs and has also made many pilgrimage to our LEAD™ Haven, the last being the S.A.F.E™ Boot CAMP in 2017; Mr. Femi ABIOYE, a school leader and a member of our iProtect™ Academy and has made at least 3 pilgrimages to our LEAD™ Haven in solidarity with the iProtect™ Gospel; Ms. Queenette Itsemhe Enilama a teacher indeed, who heard me for the first time in 2016, became a member of our iProtect Academy and invested in our other programs like our S.A.F.E™ Boot CAMP at a time when I knew it was not convenient.

Finally, I hereby succumb to space and time and say a big thank you to other distinguished individuals, who have one way or the other facilitated our Missionary Journeys to too-numerous-to-mention institutions of learning to count. May God bless you all.

I keep asking, why these quality and established individuals and institutions keep desiring our message. I believe, it is God’s GRACE and FAVOUR. And to GOD, I am most profoundly grateful and to these great persons and blessed organizations, I am not less grateful. The Lord, WHOSE I am and WHOM I serve is your exceeding rewards as you partner with us to Secure A Friendly and Protective Environment for our precious children within the private and public school sectors.

The rolling of drums continues as I count down to the day as I trust God for time to pen down more gratitude to individuals and other organisations.

Do have an INSPIRED day.
Yours IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PRECIOUS AFRICAN CHILDREN,
Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUKWU’ AKINLAMI (The Preacher) T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B:http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami

FOR THE FAMILY…THEY MATTER MOST OF ALL THAT MATTERS IN LIFE

Taiwo AkinlamiLeave a comment

Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, British middle-distance athlete, doctor and academic, who ran the first sub-four-minute mile dies at 88…CNN reported ‘Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister died today surrounded by his family members.’ So it was reported of Nelson Mandela, Lee Kuan Yew, Mohammed Ali and Billy Graham…This again shows that the most critical time of our lives, where we prepare to bid the world goodbye, the most important people in our lives are the ones that will be with us and they are family…There is not better goodbye than the one said by the closest people to us, family…

That is why a person’s greatest investment in life must be his/her family…I think our first aspiration in life should be to serve our families and be the hero of our family, knowing that any heroism that does not begin from home is an hypocritical fluke…

I guess that is why the father of Bill Gates, Bill Gates Snr, a successful civil rights lawyer and social interventionist submits in his book, Showing Up For Life as follows “I believe that being parent is one of the most important jobs any of us will ever undertake…I have often said that the most rewarding part of my life by far has been raising children and being part of a family.’ I, The Preacher has since edited my epitaph to read, ‘He lies the remains of Taiwo OLUWAWEMIMO Peter ODINAKACHUKWU AKINLAMI, who put his family first and serve same under GOD as an example for his world to emulate and be a better place…’

This is just a food for thought from The Preacher as we approach a new week. Do have an INSPIRED week. I am yours IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PRECIOUS AFRICAN CHILDREN, The Preacher

Taiwo ODINAKACHUKWU AKINLAMI
T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B: http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami E: Principal@taiwoakinlami.com

SOS…I NEED YOUR URGENT HELP

Taiwo AkinlamiLeave a comment

25 February 2018
14:27

SOS…I NEED YOUR URGENT HELP

I have been out of the country since January 27…By the implication of my trip, I have not been to my office for some days now…

Here is my challenge, I am now aware that rodents, particularly rats have no respect for the highest office of the land…Information had it that these rude and lack-of-respect rats became the interim presidents of this noble and great nation, by power of invasion. I mean it was a coup by invasion when our Commander-in-Chief went on medical tourism to somewhere in Europe…

These rats are called ofon in Yoruba…Yoruba calls them agba ofon, a je lo ju oni le (the rats who do not in any way fear the presence or the owner or the house). They are known for their boldness and affront in dispossessing man of his/ her belongings by their power of invasion…

Therefore, I was not one of the Nigerians that was surprised that these daring of ofon found their ways into the office of the president of the country and would not even leave when our healed president returned to this country. I think for the fear of lassa fever a newly healed president could not risk being infected again…So he chose not enter his office, having received the intelligence/security report that rats have taken over…I think in his Patriotism he felt that in a country when many die of ordinary maleria and over 10 million children are out of school, it would not be fair to take ill again and put the bill of treatment on the nation, particularly when the nation has not recovered from the one spent and it was during recession. Thus I think the president in his wisdom and transparency, for which we must be gratefuinformed the nation of the invasion by the rats and we are grateful for his candid honestly…

At least but for his unprecedented honesty for which he was voted to bring change, I would I now have known that these rats have become more daring and adventurous in their hunger for power…I had thought all they wanted was food but now I know that rats also want power…I should known anyway that by the rat race, which has become a norm in the most populous African nation, rats have heard their names so load and so often in our country than not to take over power…

Now this is my issue, if rats can remove the whole president of this country from the office for a season, what is the hope of a small citizen like me? If they do not respect all the fortifications in Aso Rock, what is the hope of my own office? As I head back to my office, I don’t know what to expect…That is why I need your help to advise me…If anyone knows the contractor, sorry the head of the battalion that dislodged the rats in the president’s please give me his contact…But tell him upfront that I am not a government who plans to spend 1 billion Naira daily to fight Boko Haram or spends billions on daily food. I am private citizen…And again, I don’t think there will be as many rats in my office as they were in the president office…So they should take all of that into consideration if I will engage them…

The Preacher, why are you thinking like this? Well I am just living conscious…My philosophy of life is to hope for the best and prepare for the worst…And when you live in a country where a snake or band of snakes stole 37 million Naira and we are yet to find neither the snakes nor the money( I mean the suspect and the stolen fortune of JAMB) and a monkey stole 70 million from the vaults of our lawmakers, you must develop the capacity to expect the unexpected as survival and guerrilla strategy…Anything can happen in our nation…Gbabeski…

I earnestly await your support on this very serious dilemma I face dear compatriots…Do have an INSPIRED weekend…Eku Ile o…
Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUKWU’ AKINLAMI (The Preacher)
T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B: http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami

ADEGBOYEGA ADENEKAN: BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM AND SENSATIONALISM: HOW DO WE GET JUSTICE FOR THE CHILD AND SOCIETY AT LARGE?

Taiwo Akinlami5 Comments

I have followed with keen interest since its inception the accusations levied against the above-named teacher and I think I owe my conscience, the precious African Child and the society at large a very urgent duty to share my professional view on same.

That our precious children are under the siege of child sexual abuse today like never before is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.

That I have spent the last 2 decades of my life defending the rights and protection of our precious children, even when it was not popular to do so speaks for itself for those who have followed my work.

That all hands of every men and women of conscience must tirelessly be at work to prevent and protect our precious children, must become a noble anthem in our daily existence must not be ignored for another second.

I am for the precious African child till the end of my day, but more importantly, I am for JUSTICE…The purpose of Justice is to create a just society for all…It is my honest opinion that it is only in a just society that the rights of our precious children can find expression. It is therefore my submission that anyone who is for the interest of the child must first be for justice…

I have read reports that have been circulating the picture of the accused as a rapist. I do not think it is right. Under our criminal justice system, an accused before the court is considered innocent until proven guilty and convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction…I think hastily going ahead to convict a man, who is still standing trial before a court of Justice in the court of Social Media is to say that least unjust, unprofessional and sensational.

I do not think this helps the cause of the child for protection in any way… While I believe in Naming and Shaming, I do not believe or accept a kangaroo approach to same. Since we have not been constituted as a court, we can only name and shame a person, who has been convicted by the court.

This approach of taking the laws into our hands because we have access to the Social  Media destroys the fabrics of our society and fan the dangerous ember of disorder and chaos…It is not in anyway a good example to our precious children.

Though, I lost my virginity and the essence of my sexuality and innocence at the tender age of 6 and was thereafter thoroughly messed up, God has helped me not to harbour anger and hatred against my abuser and my caregivers, who created the loophole. They were also victims, who need help.

While I agree that abusers must face the full wrath of the law and salute the noble efforts of the Lagos State Government in leading a revolution in this area, it is my well considered opinion that the ultimate solution to the protection of our precious children from all forms of abuse does not ONLY lie in the hand of the justice system.

By the time we are approaching the justice system, a child is already abused. I do not think there is any punishment meted to a convicted abuser that can bring spiritual, physical, emotional and medical remedy to the child…Why? A child is not created for any form of abuse… Therefore he/she must be protected by every means necessary from all forms of abuse.

That is why I have been interested in the principle that ENLIGHTENMENT is Superior to ENFORCEMENT™. Enlightenment requires an holistic approach to solving the problem of child abuse like every other social problem…I have taken time to share my views on the foregoing and I will skip it as discussion for another day.

I think I should rest my case here as I call for a higher level of activism and maturity in our representation of the best interest of the child. We don’t need SENSATIONALISM to make the case for the protection of our precious children. We only need GOOD CONSCIENCE, CONSISTENCY, the RIGHT NARRATIVE and STRATEGY and BEST and GLOBALLY COMPLIANT PRACTICES.

Please, if you believe in this message I urge you to share. Thank you and do have an INSPIRED day.

Yours IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PRECIOUS AFRICAN CHILDREN,

Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUKWU’ AKINLAMI (The Preacher)

T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B: http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami

 

TIP 124: YOUNG PEOPLE, VALENTINE, SEX, LOVE AND ALL THAT (1)

Taiwo AkinlamiLeave a comment

“I need you to understand that if love is sweet, responsibility is the spice. I charge you to live responsibly this season and at all times.

My dear and precious young ones. I am glad to be with you today. I am through with our journey and I just feel I should leave a word with you on this matter of Valentine’s Day.

It is important I discuss it because valentine is a day that is usually abused by young people like you. Young people give themselves to huge immorality in the name of love. Permit me to share with you two major facts about love. The first is that love does not destroy. Love builds. Love does not take away your dignity. Love empowers you. Love does not make you trade the glory of your future for today fleeting pleasure.

Lastly, I need you to understand that if love is sweet, responsibility is the spice. I charge you to live responsibly this season and at all times. Do not be deceived, as I have said before on this page, your body as a child (any one below 18) is not made for sex; your mind cannot handle sex. Therefore do not be distracted. Make the pursuit of your future, your priority today and always.

The word ‘love,’ I must say is one of the most misunderstood and misused words among young people the world over today. As far as many of you are concerned, engaging in premature sexual relationships with the opposite sex is the ‘greatest sacrifice’ that can be made in the name of love.

While accepting that nothing but love should be the only sane reason why a relationship as intimate as sexual should exist between a male and female, it is my deep belief that love as the basis of sexual relationship cannot be properly considered without looking at the purpose(s) for which sex was created by God in the beginning, which equally extends to and explains the parties between whom it (sex) is expected to be practiced.

It must be understood that ‘when the purpose of a thing is not known its abuse is inevitable,’ says Dr. Myles Monroe.

As we have established earlier in other related discussions, one of the reasons sex exists is for procreation. Now, who are the parties entitle to engage in sex for the purpose of procreation? I deeply believe that procreation is strictly a business between a male and a female who are legally married.

I also believe that sex represents a covenant relationship and celebration of genuine devotion between male and female. Under the English family law, sex is considered as the final seal of a marriage contracted under it. The process of an English marriage is incomplete until it is consummated. To consummate a marriage is for the husband and wife to have sex after the wedding.

Having defined the reasons for the existence of sex it becomes clear that the place of love (mutual and intense affection) as the motivation for sex cannot be contested. One fact that is not equally contestable is that such love (mutual and intense affection) that leads to sex is subject to growth, trust and intimacy. Thus affection does not just happen between a male and female. Even when it begins to exist it does not become mutual and intense in a day or short time. It is never a case of two people meeting themselves at a night party or on the street and same day, two or three days later they claim to be crazily in love without knowing anything about one another.

I think I should round up here. I will bring this whole journey to a glorious end tomorrow. Do have an INSPIRED day.

The THINK Factor

What exactly do you think about valentine? What has been your personal experience and that of those around you during Valentine’s Day? Take time to really reflect and share your thoughts in your S.A.F.E™ 4 YOU Personal Journal

Extracts from my book for Teenagers and Young Adults: S.A.F.E™ (Securing A Friendly & Protective Environment) for YOU: 125 Daily Tips, presented to the public on Monday, November 20, 2017.

I am Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUWU’ AKINLAMI, Total Childhood Management and Child Development Expert, 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B: taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami E: Principal@taiwoakinlami.com

THE SOBER REFLECTIONS OF A DYSFUNCTIONAL ADULT ON A PILGRIMAGE

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Take it from me, in many ways that I have come to understand and accept, that may even be beyond what I understand; in ways that I may never understand and may never be able to explain, I am a dysfunctional adult, who found God’s grace to fight and win my many battles of life.

What I lose to my dysfunctionality or dysfunctional state is unquantifiable…Take if from me, I am not a normal human being and it is not a cliche…Daily, I carry the cross of my truncated childhood…As I advance in age and understand how this life works, I continue to discover that the foundation of my dysfunctional adulthood was laid and solidify in childhood…My fate, having been sealed in childhood in the hands of unschooled, but sincere caregivers, who were themselves victims of their own childhood, I arrived at adulthood totally unprepared for the enormous responsibilities thereof…

20 years ago, I encountered Christ and began to learn on the job of being an adult… I hope we know that any time someone tells you he/she is learning on the job, someone is paying the school fees. I, with the help of Christ have been paying the school fees of learning on the job of life and I tell you my dear friends, no school fees can be more expensive anywhere in this whole wide world than this…The curriculum is also a very difficult one, if not seemingly impossible…It is mainly to unlean the programs installed by truncated childhood and reinstall the serenity of spirit,
sanity of mind and innocence of intent, which were gratuitously bestowed on me by my perfect Maker…

I have been in the laboratory of change in the last 20 years, a sacrificial and self-inducted guinea pig, trying to cooperate with God to undo the impact of wrong upbringing… It has been a great work and walk with the Lord and these days, I hear Him whisper to me that MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN YOUR WEAKNESS…

Why does He say this to me? It is because He recognises that the impact of an abused childhood is eternal. His intervention only helps the one who carries the cross of abused childhood to be all that He created him/her to be despite the cross he/she carries…The one who carries the cross of abused childhood must first find Him and accept the albatross laid on him/her by his/her childhood before he/she can access this help…Many are today, who never find my Lord and many are, who find Him but never bring themselves to acknowledge the damage done to their humanity from childhood and therefore remains in Him and with Him but never seek His help in the dimension, I explained above.

What is the basis of my reasoning in the foregoing paragraph? Well, I think from my personal experience and careful study of God’s value system, He did not create any man or woman to experience childhood abuse or any form of abuse at all…Imagine that when by injury a mark is made on the body of a person that such mark can never disappear, irrespective of the expertise of the one who treated it…As it is with the physical body, so it is with the soul of man, the seat of his mind, will and emotion… Once it is tampered with negatively, the scars are forever…The best of therapy is not designed to return an abused man or woman to status quo ante…It is designed to help man to make the best of his/her existence despite the impact of his/her childhood abuses… There is no emotional intelligence promptings that can replace damaged emotions from childhood…There are no spare parts to replace damaged emotions, truncated self esteemed and lost personal identity…It is only in God that there help and it is gradual…As it takes time for physical wounds to heal, it takes more time for inner wounds to first be properly diagnosed and begin to heal… Matters of the heart are often deep matter whether unto joy or unto sorrow…I guess that is why the Holy Writ says, ‘each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.’ Proverbs 14: 10

It is my irresistible conclusion that any solution to human problem, irrespective of its category, which doesn’t take into cognisance his/her childhood experiences will never be complete…We are today a sum total of all that our childhood offered us…That is why I say, ‘childhood is forever.’
Who we are today is our psychology and the author and the finisher of our psychology is our socialization. Thus I often say ‘socialization is superior to psychology.’ Yet we have so much respect and concern for what people do and how they bless or hurt us but we have little or no concern for how they were raised or erased…What a classical case of a world burried in its own self-inflicted illusions, demanding from itself what it did not invest in and seeking rigorously to reap where it has not sown or the futility of hoping not to reap what it has sown…

This is the world in which the dysfunctional Preacher lives and tries to make sense of the mess created by his truncated childhood. As The Preacher, looking face to face at age 50 and embarks on another pilgrimage of seeking meaning and bringing the impact of a troubled childhood under yet more control, attending yet another destiny fixing meeting in the mountains of Colorado Springs, United States of America, he remain sober and resolute that no child shall be abused under his watch…

He remains resolute that the greatest gift our world can give to a child is to preserve his/her childhood…In fact, it is the greatest gift we can give to humanity, now and yet unborn…His story remains his greatest motivation…

Do have an INSPIRED day…

I am Taiwo AKINLAMI, The Preacher, sober and reporting from the place of pilgrimage and spiritual retreat. Do have an INSPIRED week.

C) 2017 by Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUKWU’ AKINLAMI (The Preacher) All Rights Reserved T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B: http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami