I have a written Personal Constitution. It was first conceived on Sunday, February 16, 1997. This constitution contains my personal principles and the procedures in place to protect them…These are what I call Private Protocol for the protection of my personal dignity. I am the President and Commander-in-Chief of my Personal Territorial.

According to the provisions of my Personal Constitution, I understand that I am the President and Commander-in-Chief of my Personal Territory and I have a God-given mandate to protect and defend my Personal Territorial Integrity. 

To illustrate the assertions, permit me to share a story with you. In 2001, I embarked on a campaign against prostitution and keeping of brothels in Lagos State. It is against the laws of Lagos State for anyone to keep a brothel. I felt, it was wrong for us to be hot on the campaign against HIV/AIDS and allow brothels to run, when sex has been identified as a major means by which the dreaded disease is transmitted.

I dispatched some of my campaign materials to leading print and electronic media in Nigeria. One of such media houses was the Nigerian Television Authority. I got a call from someone, who introduced himself as a producer with the Nigerian Television Authority, inviting me to appear on a popular program known as Morning Ride on Saturday, April 1, 2001. I requested for a letter of invitation from the caller and he responded that if I needed a letter of invitation, I should come to the office of the Nigerian Television Authority, Victoria Island, Lagos to pick it. I then asked him a question as follows: ‘please, when you invite the likes of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Mr. Femi Falana and other reputable Nigerians, do you request them to come to your office to pick their letters of invitation?’ The man responded with an apology and promised to send the letter.

He never did…Saturday, April 1, 2001 came and I did not go for the program. Why? Well, I knew the program will help my crusade…But my personal dignity is more important than my crusade. God will not send me on any errand that will claim my dignity of human person. The mode of invitation did not agree with the provisions of my Personal Constitution.

I got to my office on Monday and the office phone rang and I picked. On the other side of the line was Mr. Ola Fajemisin, a senior producer with the Nigerian Television Authority. He said to me that I was expected to appear on Morning Ride on Saturday and I did not show up. I explained to him what transpired between the producer, who called and I. He apologised and requested me to appear on ONE-ON-ONE, I bigger phone-in on the network, the next day.  I accepted the invitation.

Why didn’t I request for a letter this time?  This was a call from a senior producer, who apologised for the error of his staff and went further to invite me for a bigger program. I have made my point and defended the provisions of my Personal Constitution and the organisation has accepted and honoured it.

Since law is made for man and not man for the law, I have to know when to let go, else, I am rightly tagged as being arrogant or prideful.

I think the story speaks for itself.

Have an INSPIRED Weekend.

Culled from my Audio Book: I’m D-SMARTTEESSTT™

… Young People’s Guide to a Value-Based Personal, Family and Societal Transformation