Martial arts students are taught that the person who can walk away from a fight actually displays superior strength, than one who is quick to engage in one. I believe it\u2019s true. <\/p>\n
Unfortunately, when I was 17, I did not know this truth. And I paid a painful price for my ignorance. Hopefully, others who read my story will learn from it.<\/em><\/p>\n It happened in early 1987. I was a first year A(i.e Advanced)-level science student in Federal Government College, Kaduna. Physics, Chemistry and Biology were the subjects I was studying. <\/p>\n I was on my way out of the dorm when I noticed a junior student carelessly toss a piece of paper on the clean floor. I called out to him and said \u201cHey, pick that up right now!<\/em>\u201d. The boy turned around, looked me over and said in an arrogant tone \u201cOr what?<\/em>\u201d I replied \u201cOr I\u2019ll ensure you get punished for acting dirty and being\u00a0 rude.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n On hearing this, the boy simply laughed and began walking away. Angrily, I reached out and grabbed him on the shoulder from behind. At that moment I felt a hard and heavy finger tap me on the shoulder. I turned round to find myself looking up at the huge figure of Osahon (real name), who I\u2019ve nicknamed \u201cMike Tyson\u201d for his article. <\/p>\n \u201cDo you know that\u2019s my little brother?<\/em>\u201d he snarled. <\/p>\n (His uniform showed he was a form five student, and therefore technically junior to me. But since I was still in my first year as an A-level student, most students didn\u2019t know me.)<\/strong><\/p>\n I replied \u201cSo what? I intend to see that he\u2019s punished for his bad behavious.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n Osahon\u2019s counternance instantly changed and he said: \u201cI just told you he\u2019s my brother, and you\u2019re still talking like that about him? You must be new around here, and I think I need to teach you a lesson.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly he raised huge fists, went into a deep crouch then lunged towards me \u2013 all in one smooth and swift motion. I was caught totally off guard. But to be honest, even if I\u2019d been prepared, I doubt that I could have fared better. <\/p>\n I remember seeing multicolored stars slowly rising up before my eyes after he hit me with a left hook. Even as the pain went through my head, I could not help thinking \u201cSo the stars shown in Tom and Jerry cartoons are not exaggerations!<\/em>\u201d. I kid you not \ud83d\ude42<\/strong><\/p>\n Before I could recover, \u201cTyson\u201d followed up with a right. It was clear he had been trained to box. Had the vice-principal (who I later learnt was an ex-pro boxer) not come around by chance, and intervened, I\u2019m convinced I would have been knocked unconscious.<\/p>\n Awonuga rushed at Osahon screaming \u201cHey, do you want to kill him? Can\u2019t you see he\u2019s no match for you, Osahon? Are you mad?<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n Mr. Awonuga had Osahon taken away for punishment, and asked me to report to the school clinic. I felt pains all over my face. What I did not know was that I looked far worse than I felt. After leaving the clinic, I obtained permission (since it was a Friday), to go and recuperate at my guardian\u2019s place. <\/p>\n I\u2019ll never forget the way Mr. Adeniran \u2013 my guardian - reacted when he saw my face. \u201cWhat happened to you?<\/em>\u201d he exclaimed. I sat down, made a show of shaking my head in self-pity, and told him the whole story. <\/p>\n When I finished, he patted me on the back and said \u201cWell, thank God the V.P came in when he did. That boy must get properly punished for what he did. Don\u2019t worry. I\u2019m going to see the V.P about this when I take you back. Let me get the cook to make you some food<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n After having my meal, I went to take my bath and for the first time got a good look in the mirror. I almost did not recognize myself! If you\u2019ve ever seen a badly beaten boxer in a boxing ring before, with puffed up eyelids, lips etc, then you can imagine just what I looked like that day. <\/strong><\/p>\n Looking at my bloated face, I suddenly understood why many of the students kept staring at me as I walked out of the compound that evening. I must have looked terrible. \u201cGood. Osahon is going to get it. By the time Mr. Adeniran takes it up with the school authorities!<\/em>\u201d I thought to myself.<\/p>\n But I was in for another shock. On Sunday evening, my guardian dropped me off at school. Instead of coming down from his car (I\u2019d assumed he intended to go in with me), he said \u201cSo, try and avoid getting into fights next time okay? If the other person refuses to listen simply report to the principal.<\/em>\u201d With a smile, he waved to me, and drove off: a lesson well delivered<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u00a0Like Sun Tzu says, you have to wait for the right opportunity. I went on to learn that lesson backwards, some months after I\u2019d been beaten black and blue by Osahon.<\/p>\n By the time I completed my first year in that school, Osahon and his \u201cgang\u201d were among many students in the school who had come to regard me with respect and admiration. The main reason for this was that I had proven to be an asset to the school as a handballer. <\/p>\n I had played state level handball since I was twelve for Kwara state, winning a state wide age group competition with my school team in 1982, and getting called up to Kwara state camp for the 1985 National Sports Festival at \u00a0fifteen. <\/p>\n The first day I trained with the school team in Kaduna, my abilities on the court got me an instant first team spot on the school\u2019s senior team.<\/em><\/p>\n But what really cemented my reputation was the work I did to build a junior team comprising eight handball novices over a few months. The senior team members kept mocking them, and saying they could never play well enough to win a match. I told the boys not to listen and encouraged them to train harder. <\/strong><\/p>\n We worked hard even on weekends. Then when the jeering from my senior team colleagues became too much, I challenged them to a match with my team of juniors. They laughed themselves hoarse. <\/p>\n The junior boys looked at me in horror. I assured them they could do it. Some students heard about it, and told others. On the agreed day, the junior team outplayed the seniors (mainly due to the latter\u2019s over confidence) and won by a single point. <\/p>\n That day, I felt the opposite of what I felt when I got beat up by Osahon. And it also occurred to me that if I\u2019d been patient, I could have let Osahon\u2019s brother go, and waited to use the above approach to gain recognition and leadership. Correcting wayward behaviour in any student would then have been much easier. And there would never have been a fight! <\/p>\n The source article - by Steve Silverman - is aptly titled \"\"6 Badass Ways to Walk Away from a Fight\"<\/a><\/p>\nI Get The Beating of My Life <\/h3>\n
A Lesson Taught By a Wise Guardian<\/strong><\/h3>\n
You Can Win Without Fighting<\/strong>!<\/h3>\n
Below: Screenshot of an article excerpt that resonates perfectly with the above message. <\/h3>\n
![\"Click](\"http:\/\/www.spontaneousdevelopment.com\/uploads\/1tyson.jpg\")
<\/img><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"