THE “OTHER ROOM” YOU CAN OCCUPY BY CHIBU NDUBUISI

THE “OTHER ROOM” YOU CAN OCCUPY

C(2018)                        CHIBU NDUBUISI               12/03/2018           WEEK 11

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing” George Bernard Shaw

 

          

 

                     

Peace be upon you.

At a press conference in Germany in 2017, President Buhari of Nigeria told the entire world that he does not know the opposition party Aisha Buhari his wife belongs, but he knows that she belongs to the “living room, the kitchen and the other room.”

I am not here to write about “the other room “as opined by the President or to explain what he means, chauvinist and feminist will do that better. I will simply write about the “room for self-improvement” which is the biggest room we all need to occupy from this day onward.

 

Cambridge online dictionary defines “room for improvement” as a possibility or hope that someone or something will improve.

Let me give a little story about George Weah the current President of Liberia, Who moved from the pit of poverty to riches, football-pitch-to-Presidential-Villa,. In 2003, George Weah retired from international football. The first African footballer to win the Ballon D’or, FIFA Player of the Year, three-time African Footballer of the Year, ex-Monaco, ex-Paris Saint-Germain, ex-AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City, former protégé of Arsene Wenger. We must remember that at some point, he single-handedly funded his country’s national soccer team. He contested for the presidency of Liberia in 2005 and lost. During the electioneering process, he was reminded that he has only a Secondary School Certificate and cannot be entrusted with running of the country to a common school certificate holder. He took this challenge and proceeded to the other room of self-improvement which is the biggest room one can occupy. He sat for the Secondary School Certificate Examination in 2006 at the age of 40 and proceeded to the United States for studies and got a degree and a Masters’ degree which re energized the drive for his dream anew.

In 2014, he was elected to the Liberian Senate, beating Sirleaf’s son , Robert, to the Montserrado County seat. He campaigned on the platform of change, in 2017, he was elected President, twelve years after his initial attempt. George Weah is just 52. He took the oath of office on January 22, 2018 to become Liberia’s 25thPresident.

The lesson from his story is the simple fact that he was determined to occupy the biggest room which is the room for continuous improvement.

Strive to keep occupying that room, if you want that “little light of yours to shine”.

I dedicate this piece to my wife for leaving the "other room" as opined by President Buhari and entering the other room of improvement.

“ Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you. ” Walt Whitman

Peace be to you.

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