Yesterday (Saturday 1st October 2016) Nigeria clocked 56 years as an independent nation. Celebrations were however understandably muted/low key. Tough times have been hitting hard.
Avoidable tough times or self-inflicted hardships due to mismanagement that is!
The above is why I believe the write-up linked/previewed below offers Nigerian intellectuals in particular, serious food for thought to address her many problems.
I first read this compelling piece in 2014, and most of its contents greatly resonated with me. It was reportedly written by a US-based Zambian media practitioner and author named Field Ruwe, who (at the time) was a PhD candidate with a B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism, and an M.A. in History.
=Starts=
They call the Third World the lazy man’s purview; the sluggishly slothful and languorous prefecture. In this realm people are sleepy, dreamy, torpid, lethargic, and therefore indigent—totally penniless, needy, destitute, poverty-stricken, disfavored, and impoverished.
In this demesne, as they call it, there are hardly any discoveries, inventions, and innovations. Africa is the trailblazer. Some still call it “the dark continent” for the light that flickers under the tunnel is not that of hope, but an approaching train.
And because countless keep waiting in the way of the train, millions die and many more remain decapitated by the day.
“It’s amazing how you all sit there and watch yourselves die,” the man next to me said. “Get up and do something about it.”
Brawny, fully bald-headed, with intense, steely eyes, he was as cold as they come. When I first discovered I was going to spend my New Year’s Eve next to him on a non-stop JetBlue flight from Los Angeles to Boston I was angst-ridden. I associate marble-shaven Caucasians with iconoclastic skin-heads, most of who are racist.
“My name is Walter,” he extended his hand as soon as I settled in my seat.
I told him mine with a precautious smile.
“Where are you from?” he asked.
Nigeria @56: Claim Your N5,600-to-buy-ANY-Product-Awoof [Expires MNT Fri 30/9/16]
I love what I do
It’s always so much fun to be able to think up new ways to communicate with my target audience!
I worked overnight writing new articles for a proJect, and managed to squeeze in a new audio podcast recording.
Then just as I was about to go to sleep at 6:30a.m, the idea occurred to me to use Nigeria’s new age to compose the following offer…
Lol: Notice how my promo fee EQUALS Nigeria’s age multiplied by 100? Like I said, I love having fun doing what I do
**********************************
Nigeria @56: Claim Your N5,600-to-buy-ANY-Product-Awoof [Expires MNT Fri 30/9/16]If you pay N5,600.0 on or before MNT tomorrow 30/9/16, I’ll send you ANY product of your choice – no matter the price
[NB: Offer valid for first 5 persons to reply YES via email to tayo at tksola dot com to claim the offer].
So if there’s any product you’re interested in, or that you’ve contacted me about in the past, THIS is your chance to get it.
You’ll be saving N3k to over N65k.
But here’s the best part:
If you claim this offer, you ALSO get full membership of my Farm Business Ideas club, which includes 40% lifetime discount to buy any other products or services I offer in future.
TIP: Tell a friend about this opportunity, even if you don’t need it.
S/he may thank you for it!
**********************************
Happy 1st October Independence Day celebration in advance!
PII 033: Five Ways to Make Money in Nigeria Without Spending Money [5 Week Email Course Based on True Stories]
Exactly ONE year ago, today, I launched my Spontaneous Coaching to become a Master of Adversity (MA) ™ program
In it, I offer my over 2 decades of hard won experience based insights on how to succeed – in spite of daunting adversity – by doing what MOST sane, logical minded, “commonsense” people would NOT do
My achievements are proof that this is true. I practice what I preach. As a result, I am able to thrive in the face of challenges.
Today, with the extreme visitations of hardship being experienced by most people, especially in Nigeria, insights like those that I offer can yield potentially valuable rewards.
SCROLL DOWN TO READ FULL ISSUE
Tayo Solagbade’s
|
Tayo K. Solagbade* Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist *Best Practice Farm Business Support Specialist & Founder of the MS Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club and Competition Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic) Tayo K. Solagbade is a Location Independent Performance Improvement Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others. Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners). Tayo is the author of the Self-Development (SD) Bible™ and the popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook. He is also the developer of its accompanying Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator™ and the Poultry Farm Manager™ software. He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others. In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos. On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region. His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details). In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager. In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting. Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc). When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter. You can connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook. Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity. ====
|
[With Video URL] ‘Why I Hate School But Love Education’ Viral Video Points To Stupid In America And All The Wrong Questions | Huffington Post
Due to the fact that it perfectly captures the experience-based reservations I’ve expressed in my Best Practice Parenting articles over the years, I’ve been sharing the powerful video reviewed in this Huffington Post report for weeks via email and Whatsapp: Contact me if you want me to send it to you.
I’ve appended a preview ending with URL to the full article below.
It is instructive to note that the writer of the review picks holes in the argument made in the video (incl wrong spellings/facts).
That’s why I prefer to post the article’s URL below, along with the video’s URL: http://youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZmM7zPLyI
That way YOU can make up YOUR mind.
My advice: Be honest with yourself.
=
Why I Hate School But Love Education’ Viral Video Points To Stupid In America And All The Wrong Questions | Huffington Post
English rapper-poet Suli Breaks is out with a video that’s taking the Internet by storm, and young people are loving it.
“Why I Hate School But Love Education“ has received nearly half a million views since it was posted to YouTube on Sunday. The young, educated artist takes a strong stance on schooling, urging the world’s youth to “understand your motives and reassess your aims.”
Continue reading:
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2246253
[FREE podcast] Create & Sell Zero Cost Products Using ONLY Your Smartphone Right from Your home!
Tough economic times often require us to reinvent ourselves to survive, and ultimately flourish.
This FREE podcast employs practical examples/true stories to describe a strategy for creating Zero Cost products (based on YOUR own unique knowledge and experiences) using ONLY your mobile phone, that you can sell to make money without leaving your home or office.
There’s a lot inside you that you take for granted – which others would gladly pay to hear you talk about, so they can help themselves.
Imagine having people send money to you, to access such products from you, which you create by speaking – and without writing a word?
No, don’t imagine it:
Listen to my FREE 30 minute podcast and learn how to get started making creating products you can sell REPEATEDLY to make extra money.
What I say in that presentation is based on use of this amazingly simple strategy, for years! to earn income even on weekends and public holidays.
So it’s based on “Street Wisdom” from application of my ideas in the real world, and NOT “Textbook Theory”.
I offer this audio FREE to any interested persons who send “YES” to me on Whatsapp via +229-66-122-136.
Once you do that, I’ll respond by sending you the FREE podcast.
If you need help getting started, send me a message via Whatsapp
<h3>Related Reading</h3>
1. <a href=”http://excelheaven.tayosolagbade.com/?p=334″ target=”blank”>What if you could print your own money – anytime you need it?</a>
2. <a href=”http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/spontaneous-coaching-program-monetize-your-expertise-to-make-extra-money-with-less-effort-by-creating-cash-flow-generating-assets-cfga/” target=”blank”>Spontaneous Coaching™ Program: Monetize Your Expertise to Make EXTRA Money With LESS Effort by Creating Cash Flow Generating Assets (CFGA)™ | SD Nuggets™</a>
3. <a href=”http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/how-to-publish-your-own-money-making-international-quality-physical-book-in-your-field-of-expertise-at-zero-cost-without-your-writing-a-single-word-download-free-pdf-report-or-attend-free-1-hou/” target=”blank”>How to Publish Your Own Money Making International Quality PHYSICAL Book in Your Field of Expertise: at Zero Cost & Without YOUR Writing a Single Word! [DOWNLOAD FREE PDF REPORT &/OR ATTEND FREE 1 HOUR TALK] | SD Nuggets™</a>
[Workshop for Kids – by a Kid] Build Your Own Battery Powered Toy Bike!
What is your child’s genius? Do you know?
Many parents do NOT know that schooling is a means to an end, and NOT an end in itself.
That’s why they focus so much on “schooling” their kids, and pay little or no attention to EDUCATING their kids in readiness for real world relevant success outside school.
This is why we have so many people who leave school with brilliant grades and go on to struggle to make impact in life.
It is why (as Robert Kiyosaki notes in his book) we see C students becoming more successful and employing A students after they all leave school.
It is also why we see UNSCHOOLED persons or school drop outs doing far better in the real world than their schooled counterparts.
I argue, as a Best Practice Parenting Advocate, that a parent’s NUMBER ONE role in giving his/her child an education is NOT to pay school fees, uniforms, textbooks etc. Neither is it to pay for access to summer school and exams.
Your primary role in your child’s education is the help him/her identify, and nurture to full bloom his/her God-given genius. This may or may NOT be along academic lines -and that is why YOU must avoid following the crowd of uninformed parents to give your child a one-sided education.
My audio podcast series titled “The Difference Between Schooling and Education” offers a LOT of real world relevant experience based insights designed to help you do your job well as a parent, so your child can thank you in future.
Like the cartoon of Einstein below shows, we are not all wired to learn or achieve in the same way!
The letter below, reportedly sent by the principal of an Indian school to parents of kids just before the exams, further underscores the point being made
And what is the point being made?
It is that HUMAN BEINGS have multiple intelligences and can therefore not go through life doing the same things the same way.
Each person will fare best if allowed and supported to make use of his/her unique gifts and abilities.
[EXAMPLE] I practice what I preach: Step-by-Step Demonstration Video by 12 year old
Click here to see it on Facebook. If you’d like it emailed to you, click here send me a message.
Imagine kids being able to build functional toys of this kind by themselves, instead of having their parents spend money to buy them?!
I am VERY close to each of my kids, and have spent hundreds of hours narrowing down to what they currently consider their natural passions, while controlling their exposure to conventional schooling in a way that ensures its potentially damaging effects on creativity are minimised.
[See Temi & Oluoma’s No-Oven Charcoal Stove Cookies]
Some months ago, I shared a video on my YouTube channel, of a battery-powered toy power bike built by my 12 year old son, using scrap materials he picked up from various places.
This video (click to view) is based on excerpts from a 4 part step-by-step demonstration video of my (now 13 year old) son building another of his battery-powered toy bikes from beginning to the end, using scrap materials.
If you’d like the above step-by-step video emailed to you, click here send me a message.
I shared a video on my YouTube channel, of a battery-powered toy power bike built by my 12 year old son, using scrap materials he picked up from various places.
His 14 year old brother helped to hold the Blackberry camera, while playing background music – which we have now stripped out for copyright reasons.
I share photos along with this video clip.
Our plan remains to organise a FREE workshop facilitated by my son during which he will teach other interested kids how to do what he does.
Imagine kids being able to build functional toys of this kind by themselves, instead of having their parents spend money to buy them?!
Related…
Knowing How to Code Is NOT Enough for Spreadsheet Programming Success [MUST READ: FREE PDF Introduction to Excel-VB Programming by J.Latham]
[NB: This is a non-password protected educational piece for members of my Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club]
In 2007, it cost my brother-in-law (Segun Ogunlana) about $34 USD to buy me a copy of the 1st edition of Professional Excel Development: The Definitive Guide to Developing Applications Using Microsoft Excel, VBA, and .NET
Today, given the crazy Nigerian Naira Exchange rate of N430 to $1 USD, that US dollar sum comes to approximately N15,000 (Fifteen Thousand Naira).
Now, even though this Excel Bible offers a lot more than the FREE Excel-VB PDF learning resource I will talk about further down, added to the fact that it is not really for beginners, I believe (and I explain why, below) getting the PDF ebook I recommend here for FREE is really a bargain!
Below are screenshots from selected pages of this PDF
I should add here that the author got my attention the most when I saw the effort he made to provide examples of how to use FORMS(intelligently enhanced with ActiveX controls) as data sources in automating MS Excel – (as can be seen from the interfaces in my apps – click here) for the ease of use it affords users, especially those who are novices or not Excel savvy.
I’ve never believed in reinventing the wheel:
Just knowing how to code, no matter how good you are, is not enough.
It’s important to establish a guiding philosophy to steer you right in doing what you do, if you want to succeed for the long term.
My background in Best Practice and Continuous Improvement based Performance Improvement has always helped me stay focused on what matters, which is GETTING NEEDED RESULTS and SOLVING PROBLEMS in a way that meets felt needs, resulting in progress for my clients – and, by implication, me.
Being skilled is only one dimension of the requirements for succeeding in any field.
Excel-VB Programming is no exception.
I say all this to impress upon you the importance of having the right mindset and orientation to deliver Excel-VB solutions that work for others.
A sound understanding of the experience based insights I share here can make a less skilled Excel-VB expert achieve greater success in terms of solving client problems as well as making money, compared to a rival who is more gifted at coding, but lacks these insights.
To put it simply, you will be all about using your know-how to solve user’s problem and NOT to impress or intimidate them. In otherwords, no attitude issues – which is a challenge some gifted programmers tend to have!
My understanding of the above, is why – In coaching others to program MS Excel using VBA – I regularly point them towards resources, on and off the web, that they can take advantage of, beyond whatever I may offer them, to become more proficient in VBA Solutions Development.
As I explained above, I belong to the school of thought that one must avoid falling into the mental trap of placing too much emphasis on programming or coding for the sake of it.
Instead, especially for those of us engaged in use of MS Excel to develop custom apps for busy users with unique needs, we MUST NEVER lose sight of the fact that solving the problem of our “user” is why we exist as providers.
So, we simply cannot afford to fall into the mindset of (some) conventional programmers who tend to be rigid in the way they go about doing what they do, and who typically refuse to try interacting with prospective end users in a manner that makes it easy for the latter to influence the development process.
It is my considered opinion, that to succeed in using MS Excel programming, one must think and act like a SOLUTIONS DEVELOPER and not just as a PROGRAMMER.
To do that, you will need to remember at all times that showing off your coding skills is not needed. Instead, learning how to optimally utilize your knowledge of MS Excel-VB Programming, to produce results specified by your client or employer will be the key to your long term success.
Without the above understanding, anyone who ventures into programming, especially using MS Excel-VB is likely to encounter considerable difficulty giving clients what they want, in a manner that satisfies them.
The above mentioned philosophy has over the years guided me to make efficient and effective use of my time and effort in serving clients.
So, rather than obsess excessively over coding to impress clients, I have learned to identify smart and time/effort saving ways to deliver results my clients want.
Sometimes doing that actually requires doing LESS or NO coding, and instead exploring smart techniques for using the MS Excel engine itself to deliver the desired automation.
A good example is the powerful dynamic report generation template shown below, that I created for the National Distribution Manager of a Telecoms Multinational during a private coaching session I had with him.
Click below or here to visit the page where I use two videos to show this powerful report in use (scroll half-way down the page)
Without using a single line of code, and depending ONLY on spreadsheet based features and functions in Excel, I setup the above shown interface that enabled him generate ANY scenarios he wanted at the click of a mouse on a menu item or button.
This is what I mean when I tell those I coach that the right mindset/mental attitude or THINKING is crucial to succeeding in Excel-VB Solutions Development.
[RECOMMENDED] Programming In Excel VBA – An Introduction (.pdf File) – By J.Latham
The above explained mental attitude is what makes me keen to expose those who learn from me, to resources that I have found helpful in developing myself to function competently as required.
This week, I refer you to a useful PDF resource, which – though a bit dated – having been prepared based on an old version of MS Excel, still offers considerably useful information and education for Successful VBA Programming in MS Excel.
Not only does it feature useful techniques and concepts, it also provides real world relevant examples and illustrations of virtually every aspect of VBA coding you will need to know to function competently as a developer.
Most importantly, it offers references to other expert resources, in form of highly competent/recognized MS Excel -VB professionals whose works you can study.
Now, here’s the best part: Despite offering such a comprehensive body of ready-to-use practical tips and wisdom on Excel-VB Solutions Development, this PDF does NOT cost anything i.e it is 100% FREE!
And that’s why I recommend that you download and read this PDF. Click here to visit the author’s site, where the PDF and several useful Projects Workbooks (with project code visible in the Visual Basic Editor) are available for download and study.
Like I said, it is a bit dated, but I believe it still offers useful foundation that you can build on.
Indeed it is instructive to note that there are still MANY business users who still work in older versions of MS Excel, due to the fact that they feel their needs continue to be well catered for by those versions (say from 2003 upwards).
As a developer, you need to take pains to make your solutions reasonably backward compatible, to ensure you don’t alienate a section of your target users who may be using relatively older Excel versions.
Only people who use pirated versions of the latest MS Excel will find it hard to understand why someone would choose not to install the so called latest version of Excel on his/her PC.
In developed societies for example, where piracy is not widespread, most business users do a cost-benefit analysis in order to decide whether or not to pay what is often NOT a light fee to upgrade to the new or latest version.
So, any developer looking to build and sell apps to such users would need to make his/her apps adaptable to running trouble-free on old as well as new versions.
In the course of future tutorials, I will periodically refer you to the contents of this PDF, to facilitate your comprehension of project based exercises you will be doing.
A Buyer’s Feedback About my Audio on Biafran Scientists’ Animal Feeding Innovations!
[Audio Podcast] Amazing Story: How Biafran Scientists Innovated Low Cost Animal Feed (During the Nigerian Civil War) Using Zero Cost Local Ingredients
************************************
A Buyer’s Feedback Within Hours of Getting the 1.5 Hour Long Audio
************************************
=Starts=“Good evening
I really enjoyed the audio lectures you have actually hit the nail on the head and you also strengthen some of my belie(f)s and convictions about running a farm. I would also like to know the names those plants you talked about on the lectures so that I can learn more about them.
Finally I would like to get the PDF or url link to the Indian website that carried out research on alternative feed ingredients for livestock feed production. Thanks a lot. ” – Aliyu Muhammed
Sent from my iPad
=Ends=
************************************
In this audio podcast, Tayo Solagbade, using documented exploits of Biafran scientists during the 1967 – 1970 war as reference, discusses tried & Tested practical ideas for Farm CEOs to deal with feed production hardships they face today!
NB: The price for this audio reverted to N2.5k from midnight of Wednesday 7th September, 2016.
Format: AMR Audio = 6MB [MP3 = 20MB]
Duration: 1.5 hrs
Price: N2.5k
Preview: http://tinyurl.com/biafrafeed
GET FREE AUDIO SAMPLE:
Email your phone number to info at thefarmceo.net and I’ll send you Part 1 (0.5 hrs long) as a gift – along with bank payment details, in case you decide to pay, so I can send you Part 2 (1 hour long).
By way of interest, during the N1k promo period…
A long term client, Alhaji Sanni sent Etisalat airtime to my wife, at my request as payment for the audios.
A day earlier, another client, Azi Bulus had sent MTN airtime to my mother, at my request as payment.
A day after, Aliyu Muhammed – at my suggestion (since he used Diamond bank) – got a friend to do N1k online transfer via GTB to me on his behalf.
This was his first purchase from me, even though he’s been following my work online for a while.
In fact he only recently sent me the following message after reading my article linked below:
************************************
“Good day sir I sent you the link to your article as a reference. I really enjoy your articles even though I have not yet bought any of your products yet. I love your thinking I wish more Africans can think like you not just Nigerians. Best regards.P. S.
thanks a lot for the wonderful articles. Keep it up” – Aliyu Muhammed
Here’s the URL to the article he read:
Conversation with a Nigerian in Diaspora, About Nigeria | SD Nuggets™
http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/conversation-with-a-nigerian-in-diaspora-about-nigeria
************************************
Get this audio free (N2.5k value) when you buy my popular Feed Formulation Handbook and software (N20.5k).
Contact me for details
Tayo K. Solagbade*
Location Independent Performance Improvement Specialist & Multipreneur
*Best Practice Farm Business Support Specialist & Founder of the MS Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club & Competition
Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic)