Do Short Articles Always Perform Better? Really?

December 8, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

This post is probably going to be a bit controversial, because I actually end up advocating a line of action at variance with what many “recognised” blogging and article marketing experts appear to favour.

Well, I guess I just have to be true to my (contrarian) self

Some Say 700 Words Maximum, Or Your Article Will Fail

Over the past six years or so, as I actively used article syndication (and more recently blogging) to promote my products and services, I have periodically come across articles and blog posts recommending that writers aim for 400 to 700 word length for their write-ups.

There are apparent benefits to be had from adhering to this rule.

For instance, the 400 to 700 word length is said to meet the needs of the typical impatient or click happy internet reader with an appetite for instant gratification.

(They say…) She does not want to read through volumes to get to the meat of your content.

(They say…) Quite often, she would have found your article via an online search. That would imply she would most likely be looking for answers to specific questions, and may have other search results to read through.

(They say…) Therefore, if your article is “too long” I.e over 700 words, she could regard the prospect of reading it as a waste of time.

Now, proponents of the above school of thought argue that following this rule will not only make readers fall in love with your writing, but that you’re also likely to have more publishers willing to syndicate your write-ups in their newsletters etc – because of the “brevity”.

I should add here, that many of those who advocate this view are regarded as experts, and recognised for their achievements as writers on the web.

But I Argue That Their Reasoning Is Not Generally Applicable

I have never questioned or quarrelled with the above mentioned line of thinking.

But I also have never accepted it, talk less of letting it influence my writing habit significantly.

And before now, I never really considered writing to share my contrarian perspective on the subject.

However, a few days ago, I came across a blog post by a highly recognised article marketing expert, and one additional reason he gave as providing justification for sticking to a maximum 700 word length article simply did not go down well with me.

He claimed anything longer would bore readers, and could over time make them lose interest in reading more writing by the guilty author.

Really?

Well, I beg to disagree.

I explain why I differ below, and propose the adoption of a more balanced perspective that will enable business writers get more beneficial rewards for the writing they do.

This Faulty Reasoning Is The Possible Result Of Tunnel Vision

We must be careful to avoid letting “expert status” make us develop tunnel vision, or “one-track” minds.

Those who insist on the 700 word limit are guilty of making the above error.

Here’s Why I Say So:

It is important to ALWAYS remember that there are different kinds of readers online.

The kind(s) that choose to read your writing may not ALL have the same needs.

And THAT (i.e their individual needs) is really what will determine how they react to the length of anything you write.

This is where, I believe, the experts I disagree with are getting it wrong.

They assume only one kind of reader exists and that her needs are unchanging.

Not so in the real online world.
I’ve given this matter a lot of thought, and I suspect that the experts who argue for the 700 word limit are viewing the issue mainly from the perspective of “readers” who are “web publishers” looking for content to republish or syndicate.

Now, if you as a business person, are writing with the primary motive of getting your stuff republished/syndicated, then of course the 700 word limit rule could hurt your prospects if you flout it.

However, many business people who write are often looking to kill as many birds with one “article writing” stone as possible.

Take me for example.

Since 2006 I’ve enjoyed the multiple benefits of having my writing republished (recently I began earning income for some of that), even as many of my articles directly led prospective clients and customers back to me, resulting in sales of my products and services.

Interestingly, less than ten of the over 200 articles I’ve written are less than 1,000 words in length.

Indeed, most of my best performing articles in terms of page views and also sales leads generation have been at least 1,500 words long!

However, if the criterion of having those articles picked up for syndication is considered, most of those same articles would be judged to have performed poorly.

But then the question I ask is:

If my article generates decent sales leads for me in line with my business goal, what do I care if more publishers fail to use it? It really does not bother me.

It could of course be argued that more syndication would translate to increased exposure, and ultimately more of the leads and sales I want.

And that would be true, to some extent.

However, I believe a business person’s primary obligation – when writing – is to her target audience of prospective clients and customers.

And not to the “middle man” content publisher whose drive to optimise space capital in his medium can result in your being unable to deliver impact-FULL content to your target reader, in a way that would make them contact you for business.

CONSIDER THIS ANALOGY: A CHILDLESS COUPLE IN SEARCH OF A MEDICAL SOLUTION

Let’s dispense with my use of a personal example.

Consider instead, the following real world relevant analogy of a childless couple desperately searching online for alternative medical solutions to their problem, after all doctors they’ve seen have told them there’s no hope.

If a Google search produced a link to a 2,000 word article about a number of new procedures touted to offer potential breakthroughs, do you think that couple would mind reading every single word in that article to learn more?

I’m sure you believe – like I do – that they would not mind at all!

And even if they were in a “hurry”, printing out the valuable article, or saving it to a flash drive (if no printer) are options the couple would readily consider – for obvious reasons.

But what if they stumbled upon a 700 word article that featured similar findings about the same new procedures described in the 2,000 word article?

Do you think they would drop the longer article in favour of the shorter one?

I doubt it.

And that’s because people looking for answers or solutions to real problems they (or those they love) are facing, are rarely fussy about learning as much as they can about what they can do to elimimate the problem!

Publishers who come across the 700 word version of the childless couple’s article are however more likely to prefer it to the 2,000 word version, because they have a different use in mind for it.

Now, consider the fact that many other couples and publishers are likely to see both article versions while searching online, and the point I’m making should become clearer to you.

In other words, individual readers will respond differently to your writing based on their “felt needs”.

Final Words: Make Your Articles As Long As They Need To Be

“Need” as used above being the operative word.

Business writers must strive to write as concisely as possible, without sacrificing completeness of their content.

The tendency to be “wordy” in my writing is one that I continually work hard to overcome.

However, the name recognition, leads generation and selling success that my writing has so far brought me, serves as a firm reminder that many (“non-publisher”) readers put QUALITY of content offered by a business writer well ahead of her ability to stay within a 700 maximum word limit.

As I have shown in this write-up, different kinds of readers, with different needs, will independently evaluate your individual articles in terms of their value adding potential.

And each reader will choose the version that she considers more useful in addressing her felt needs.

Word length is therefore unlikely to always be the over riding determinant of how readers respond to an article or how well it performs.

What’s your opinion on this?

Parenting

3 Parenting Truths You Need To Know

December 8, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

If you’re reading this, you likely have kids; are expecting…or are thinking of making one.

In this article I outline 3 (potentially harsh) truths or realities you may have to contend with as a parent, offering experience-based suggestions to guide your decision making and actions.

Let me start by congratulating you, on your decision to bring lovely little versions of yourself into your life at this point in time.

Kids are great to have – and that’s why many of us go to great lengths to have them.

However, if you are someone with big dreams and ambitions you want to accomplish, the arrival (or presence) of your kids could have serious implications for your plans.

It’s crucially important, for your sake, and that of your kids that you are able to deal successfully with such realities as and when they occur.

That’s why you may wish to seriously consider each of the following points I discuss here, before you take the plunge into “Parenthood” from which there is no return…or for some people “no escape”!

And if you’re already wet in the pool, consider the points below to be friendly reminders of how to swim while keeping your kids safe and healthy – figuratively speaking of course

1. Your Goals & Priorities May Have To Take The Back Seat

Think back to when you were a child growing up with your parent(s).

Did you notice how they seemed to be focussed most of the time on you?

With few exceptions (as is always the case in life), kids are often the center of their parents’ universe.

Yours are likely to be the same for you.

The challenge you may then face will be, for example, how to do all you know you need to do for them, while still pursuing your own valued life goals e.g learning a new skill, getting a new job, starting a business, studying for an important exam etc.

It can be quite difficult juggling parenting responsibilities with pursuit of big, demanding goals.

Quite often, a real conflict may occur, and to avoid being a bad parent, you may have to make a personal sacrifice, by (temporarily) giving up your goals or dreams to ensure your child gets the support she needs in her formative years.

This is why some parents (especially mothers – bless them) effectively put their lives on hold till the kids are all grown up and able to fend for themselves.

Is that something you’re ready to deal with or accept? Not everyone is. Which is why you may wish to carefully reflect on your decision to have a child now.

And if you already have one or more, this is a reminder of the reality facing you.

Deal with it competently or you could end up letting your child down, and looking like a bad parent.

Not a nice label to get stuck with!

2. You May Have To Work Overtime, All The Time, For A Long Time

I’m a work-at-home Dad, and
I can tell you there’s almost no break to be had when you’re a parent.

How tough it gets depends on the perspective one adopts.

It also may depend on the age(s) of the kid(s) in question – though I dare say kids can be a handfull at almost any age!

A person with one child may experience as much “work” attending to the needs of a child, as would another with four.

Everyday I have to manage 3 energetic boys (9, 11 and 13) and two nearly tom-boy girls (3 and 6).

When they decide to go at each other, it sometimes feels like all hell’s broken loose!

Picture me calling out to them in pairs as they argue over trivial (to me anyway) issues, and repeatedly come crying or whining, to report one another just as I’m trying to claw my way back into writing (or software coding) mode!

You could choose to spank them to get them quiet, but that is likely to last only so long before they begin again. Make a habit of spanking, and they could begin to resent you.

The reality is that you’ll need to get used to doing more work, in addition to that you used to do before deciding to make babies

Believe it or not, you may have to learn to type your overdue article using only a thumb on your smartphone (like I’m doing right this moment), while using your left hand to pacify your wailing 3 year old who wants you to rock her to sleep!

Ah kids, what would we BE without them

Now, if the kind of scenario I’ve painted above terrifies you, I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to bring a child into your life right now.

Of course the option of care givers could be explored, but not all aspects of parenting can be effectively “outsourced”!

The above suggestion naturally applies to persons who do not yet have kids. If you’re not ready to deal with that likely reality, don’t start making babies just yet.

And if you’re already a parent, I believe it’s reasonably safe to assume you’ve faced a bit of the reality described above.

Don’t let it get you down. You can make this work. Infact, you HAVE to make this work – for the sake of YOUR kids!

3. Your Interests May Have To Include MORE Of Your Children’s Needs & Less Of Yours For A While

Maybe you are passionate about your hobbies, vocation, job, business. Or other subjects that appeal to you or which you consider important, say for your personal growth and development.

Once kids come into the picture some of that may have to change.

Sometimes a lot.

You’ll have to develop a healthy appetite for checking and sometimes helping with your child’s “home work”.

If yours is still a toddler, getting to know vaccination dates, and many other dos and donts will have to interest you more.

If having to commit more conscious attention to anything outside your personal interests scares or upsets you, maybe you’re not quite ready to be a parent just yet.

And by the way, if you’re not keen to do all that “hard work” tending the kids, don’t expect that leaving it to a willing spouse or partner will work.

What happens for instance if her circumstances change (e.g. S/he gets – or loses – a job)?

That’s why you’ll need to think this through to be sure you’re up for it, before you get into it!

Final Words: Do What’s Best For Your Child

I realise the points raised above will vary in relevance and significance depending on societal cultures. And of course according to the gender of the parent – and possibly other factors that may not immediately come to mind.

However, one fact that remains obvious is that parenting is not an endeavour that can be embarked upon half-heartedly.

It is – at the risk of stating the obvious – a very serious undertaking which only adult persons ready to make the full commitment should take on.

We must remember, that the physical, emotional and psychological well being of a fragile human being is at stake here.

The quality of parenting provided in the child’s formative years ultimately determines, to a great extent, the kind of adult she develops into.

That’s why the truths discussed in this article are meant to be a combined warning(to persons aspiring to parenthood), and reminder or wake-up call (to those already with kids).

Comments?

What do you think of the above post? Share your thoughts in the comments – or send me an email via tayo at tksola dot com.

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Career Development

Read This Or One Day The Boss’ Presentation Could Flop Because Of You!(Part 2 of 2)

December 7, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

We continue from Part 1. This is the second and concluding part.

If you are the MD/CEO of your company(or a Senior Executive that never has to do chores like this at work), this edition may not directly apply to you but it could benefit you if you passed it on to your Personal Assistant, Secretary or anyone responsible for setting up your presentations anytime you have to deliver them.

If you are not an MD/CEO, you are likely to find the lessons from this story quite instructive.

In part 1, Musa’s world is falling apart as the Powerpoint file he setup for the MD’s presentation suddenly stops working midway through the latter’s talk.

Read the rest of the story below to learn how how Musa was able – within a space of 3 minutes – to resolve the problem and get the MD’s presentation back on its PowerPoint based tract, to record a happy ending.

There are many practical lessons to be learned from this narrative of a true-life occurrence.

10. Musa suddenly remembers that while preparing for the MD’s presentation, he had taken pains to save a backup copy of the PowerPoint Presentation on his PC desktop in his office. An idea occurs to him, and he bolts from the hall and up to his office in the Training block in seconds.

11. He tries to copy the file to a flash drive, but gets an error message: “not enough disk space!” There’s no time to check what can be deleted from the disk. He curses under his breadth, checks his watch: now almost 2 minutes since the MD stopped using the PC.

12. Some more thinking leads him to recall that right-clicking on a file in Windows XP and highlighting the “Send To” shortcut menu item brings up a short cut menu item called “Compressed(zipped) folder”.

This useful feature is an alternative for when one does not have utilities like Winzip, Winrar or other file compression software on their PCs.

Typically, compression of up to 40% is achievable with this Windows XP version(Why not try using it now and see what you get?).

13. He right clicks the Power Point file, and applies the command. The resulting compressed .zip file easily copies to the flash disk. He sprints out of his office and back into the hall where everyone turns to look at him as re-enters. He avoids his boss’ glare and walks to the Laptop, heart pounding, barely hearing the MD’s voice.

14. With the PC projector lights still switched off, he copies the zipped file to the desktop and right clicks on it.

a. He then clicks on the “Extract All..” shortcut menu item to bring up a “Compressed (Zipped) files extraction Wizard” welcome screen.

b. He clicks “Next” twice and watches as the wizard copies a folder containing the powerpoint file to the desktop.

c. He clicks “finish” and the folder (by default setting) automatically opens to reveal the uncompressed PowerPoint Presentation.

15. He quickly launches the presentation and clicks through slides 1 to 3, then holding his breath clicks to continue. There is a short delay, then the 4th slide appears! He clicks again, and the 5th appears, till all 10 slides are complete.

16. Musa looks up at his boss whose piercing gaze he has felt on him all the while and nods to indicate all is well. He puts on the Projector lights to reveal the 4th slide at which the MD turns and says “Ah, looks like we can continue!“. The presentation continues smoothly to the end. Musa looks at his watch: It had taken 3 minutes!

17. After the presentation, some of Musa’s colleagues asked him what happened.

He had no answer for them as he had checked the bad copy again and again and could simply not explain what had caused it to go bad or “corrupt” at the transition to slide 3.

It could have been the power glitch during the test run he did – but he could not be certain.

He did tell them two things however:

a. First was that keeping a back up copy of the file on his PC(and close to the presentation venue) made it possible for him to replace the bad one – in time.

b. Secondly, knowing about the Windows XP file compression utility enabled him get around the twin problems of the file being too large to fit on a disk + his not having WinZip installed on his PC.

One could argue that he could have used another removable storage device, but what if he did not own one, or could not find anyone who did or even worse(and quite possible), what if it went bad or missing at that point when he needed it? Things like this have a way of happening, so one is better off considering all possibilites and preparing for them.

18. The most important message here is that you need to take time to acquire new/relevant knowledge and skills to enable you become more productive and efficient on your job.

The little things you can learn about technology available in your office to get more done in less time, will set you apart from the crowd and make you look good more often.

The quote below, in our opinion summarises it well:

————————————————
“The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read or write. They will be those who cannot learn, un-learn and re-learn” – Alain Tofle
————————————————-

Tayo Solagbade‘s 113 page paper back(physical) book – “Ten Ways You Can Use Self-Development To Create The Future You Want” is available for purchase from the Self-Development Academy’s online store hosted by the following Print-On-Demand service provider:

Lulu.com (e-book and in print. Get a FREE Chapter Preview – click here)

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT COACHING: Achieve Your Goals & Resolutions, Regardless of Adversity!

December 5, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Do you want to learn how to finish anything you start, with worthwhile results to show for it?

Would you like to be able to set and achieve valued goals in your life regardless of delays, disappointments and setbacks you encounter?

If YES, then rest assured that you’re in the right place, and I CAN help you achieve the above – and a lot more.

Starting today (5th December 2012), I offer YOU access to my confidential paid coaching/consulting service.

When it comes to getting results no matter what goes wrong, under some of the most difficult and frustrating socioeconomic situations imaginable, my track record of achievements readily attest to my competence.

Reading through the experience based posts and articles on this blog for starters, will give you an idea of the depth of insight and know-how I can give you.

You need someone who knows what it takes to relentlessly climb back up after being knocked down countless times, until he reaches his goal.

That, IS me.

You need the help of a person whose unique versatility as a multipreneur equips him to appreciate issues you face from YOUR unique perspective.

Again, me.

You can make your dreams come true, if you choose the right coach to guide and support you.

I can help you, using my Spontaneous Coaching technique, developed and refined over the past fifteen years.

Your age, gender, education, country etc do NOT matter.

What matters is your interest, desire, passion, purpose and vision.

You most likely currently struggle to achieve your goals because you LACK access to information and guidance that can help you to:

(1). eliminate trial and error

(2). Identify potentially viable ways to get the results you want as quickly as possible.

With my help, you can quickly learn what to do, and how to do it.

I offer paid email and telephone based (as well as face to face) coaching/consulting that can help you take the guesswork out of what you’re trying to do.

Understand that I do NOT need to know the technicalities of your work or vocation.

My role will simply be to guide you to take needed steps as and when due, to achieve the outcomes you desire.

My past accomplishments from successfully delivering customised solutions to clients in widely differing industries (hotels, hospitals, consulting, health and fitness, manufacuring, real estate etc) prove that my multipreneurial aptitude equips me to understand, and adapt to different subject matter quite easily.

In other words, it is a valuable asset that benefits my clients.

And it will benefit you, if you choose to let me help you.

There is so much you need to know and do, in order to competently go after, and achieve, your challenging life goals.

I am a proven goal getter in my personal and work lives from my days as a student, through 7 years in paid employment and over the past 10 years as an entrepreneur.

In many cases my work speaks so well for me, that I do not need to say more. Learn more about me here.

I can show you how to achieve your own goals the way I do mine, even in the face of multiple daunting obstacles. You CAN become unstoppable!

Let me help you work out a real-world relevant ACTION plan, that provides ready-to-use remedies to setbacks and other forms of temporary defeat you are bound to encounter as you pursue your goals.

I can offer you experience based suggestions that can help you evolve smarter action plans, and ultimately make the most of the challenges you’ll have to face.

If you did not find this page yourself, it’s likely I sent you the link after you contacted me about my mentoring.

Here’s How You Get Started With Me…

In order to coach anyone, I must evaluate the quality of their drive, determination and CONVICTION by requiring them to take an initial leap of faith by sending me:

N20,000 (Twenty Thousand Naira) for an initial remote telephone consultation lasting 15 to 30 minutes.

If you’re not ready to do this, stop reading now. I cannot work with anyone unwilling to take the above first step.

If you’re ready to take that leap of faith, I offer you more details:

Note that the N20k you send is 100% refundable, IF you go ahead to signup for my full coaching program.

To help you maximise value from that initial consultation with me , I always recommend sending key questions or concerns in written form at least 5 days ahead of the session.

As a gesture of goodwill, I provide for every client, written responses where relevant and approriate, to each one, and send via email as PDF and MP3 audio to you before the session date.

This will enable you ask other questions or request more details/clarification by the time you call to speak with me.

At the end of the session, you’ll likely have greater clarity about what you should be doing specifically to achieve your purpose.

Only after that will coaching become relevant.

Let me repeat myself: The initial consultation session (which I call “Situation Analysis”) will help me evaluate your needs, and based on that, I’ll then propose a custom coaching program for you, with required investment (recall you’ll be able to deduct 100% of your initial N20k consultation payment if you choose to sign up for full coaching).

So, what will you do now? I recommend you ask yourself:

“Can I afford to proceed on this important journey without RELIABLE support and guidance?”

Think about that…

To get started with me, send a request for payment details using this contact form using “Re: Spontaneous Coaching Initial Consultation request” in the subject line.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz

PDF REPORT: How To Calculate Your Farm’s Cost of Egg Production

December 5, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Like I said in an earlier post, this report is a direct response to a question sent in by a visitor from India, through my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas website.

It is accessible in full, only by members of my Farm Business Ideas Club, as a PDF download from a members-only area of my SD Nuggets blog here at www.sdacademy.org.

For details of how to gain access to this and many other special PDF reports to follow, that provide experience based and researched answers to questions from real life farm business owners and enthusiasts like you, contact me via tayo at tksola dot com, stating full details of your needs and interests.

What follows is a brief preview of what the full report contains.

Before getting into number crunching, it’s crucial that you ensure you have everything in place to avoid doing your calculations based on inaccurate assumptions or worse, incorrect data!

1. What You Need To Accurately Compute Your Production Costs (A Fundamental Requirement)

In order to do any calculations reliably in business, you need to have a good record keeping system that efficiently captures production as well as financial data for your farm.

Without the above, any efforts you make to calculate costs, revenue or other performance parameters will very likely be a waste of time. Period.

2. A Basic Understanding You Need To Have

Now, before we start discussing the ways you can go about using the accurate and reliable farm data you have, to compute your egg production costs, the (not-so-) small issue of your farm’s uniqueness must be made clear.

Understand that no two production process can ever be identical. There will always be unique peculiarities they have, that will make them vary in performance. That’s where the manager’s ability to manipulate or control the operations taking place in each process plays a determining role.

The foregoing applies to manufacturing just as well as it does to catering, or for our purposes in this report: Poultry Farming Business.

By implication therefore, you cannot draw conclusions about your farm’s cost of egg production by depending on reports or estimates from other people’s farms, even if they operate next door to yours.

This is because it’s highly unlikely they run their farm exactly the same way you run yours. And even if they did, their expenses on supplies and wastes in operation, among other aspects, would be different from yours.

That’s why if you really want to get a firm and accurate grip on computing your Cost of Production in general, and Cost of Egg Production in particular, you need to do a practical collation of all relevant farm records, to arrive at a reliable indicator for your business.

I have had extensive experience deriving costs of production for large manufacturing operations as well as for small and medium entreprises. Most of this came through working closely with highly skilled financial experts as a responsible manager in paid employment(pre 2002), and also in the course of developing custom Excel-VB driven spreadsheet applications for client companies (e.g. Hospitals, hotels and farm businesses) as a self-employed service provider (since January 2002).

What I have learnt is that simple use of spreadsheets can make a world of difference to your ability to capture the most important cost factors relevant to deriving your cost of production.

And that’s why I’m emphasising the above as being crucial to your ability to arrive at the right values for your egg production cost.

At the end of this report, I offer to prepare (for any interested persons) a simple, ready-to-use spreadsheet for quickly and accurately computing your farm’s Cost of Egg production.

3. You May Not Need To Sell At The Same Price As Other Farms!

You’ll need to keep this in mind at all times:

The fact that other farms sell their eggs at X naira or dollars per unit, does not mean it would be PROFITABLE for you to do so too.

You need to first determine what it actually costs YOUR farm to produce one egg.

Then, you’ll be able to intelligently ascertain if the X naira or dollars gives you a margin healthy enough to SUSTAIN your business for the long term.

It is even possible that doing this costing exercise can help you discover that you can SAFELY drop your selling price below X naira or dollars maintained by others, and STILL retain your desired profit margins!

How is this possible you ask?

Well, one explanation is that the others may be running their operations less efficiently.

Maybe they employ poor (or no) process control and regulation, resulting in avoidable material wastes and possibly egg and bird losses etc.

These problems could push up their costs, making them choose to sell at X naira or dollar to earn their desired margins.

Now, if your farm does not have such shortcomings (or if you can eliminate the root causes of those problems in yours), it’s quite likely that you’ll find your derived costs to be significantly lower than what the other farms can achieve.

This will automatically confer a pricing advantage on you, enabling you safely lower your selling price to attract higher sales volume and profits!

The above is one major benefit you stand to gain by knowing how to CORRECTLY calculate your Cost of Egg Production.

Doing so (and you’ll want to do it regularly) puts you in the best position to:

1. Choose the most profitable pricing for your eggs

2. Keep an eye on the trend in your costs, so you can take timely corrective decisions or actions in the event of an unusual change.

The information provided above will guide you to correctly compute your cost of egg production, using the two different methods I now discuss below.

1. A Quick But Less Accurate Calculation method

END OF PREVIEW

For details of how to gain access to the COMPLETE PDF report, contact me via tayo at tksola dot com, stating full details of your needs and interests.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz

Feed Formulation Without Tears (Educational Commercial)

December 4, 2012 Tayo Solagbade 1 Comment

If you have ever calculated livestock Ration Formulas, you most likely know the process (especially where the Pearson Square Computation technique is used) can be quite mentally tasking – particularly when done manually.

That’s why most stakeholders in farm business naturally welcome an automated solution for reliably formulating rations for farm animals.

This “Edumercial” describes a solution I offer, for the above mentioned problem.

The Justification – Who Needs It?

1. Many farm business owners who are keen to increase their profit margins are exploring the option of formulating their own rations, so they can reduce spending on pricey commercial feeds.

2. Feed mill operators now help customers derive ration formulas to deliver the animal performance their clients specify.

More of them now formulate their own rations for different livestock types, for use in compounding bagged feed they sell to their customers.

3. Farm businees consultants who have to advise farmer clients on feeding and nuitrition for their animals, are also adopting the use of automated ration formulation software in increasing numbers.

A Solution That Makes Ration Formulation Feel Like Child’s Play

Since 2004 I have actively sold an Excel-Visual Basic driven spreadsheet application I built to accompany my popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook.

1. See the page below for details about it, and my popular 70 page Feed Formulation handbook:

Click here

2. I have a Youtube Channel where I’ve demonstrated how to use some of my spreadsheet software applicatons at:

Click here

3. You can watch my video demostration for the ration formulator software here (click) on my Youtube channel

4. A DETAILED PDF USER GUIDE FOR THE RATION FORMULATOR can be downloaded from here (click).

You Get FULL Support Till You Master Using The App (It’s PC & Excel Novice Proof!)

I would be glad to explore ways to help you achieve your stated goal of successfully formulating rations to meet your needs.

I built my app to help people reliably formulate balanced rations by freely using ingredients of their choice.

Therefore I am always keen to help or provide support towards making that happen.

Let me know if/when you’re ready to make payment, and I’ll send details to you.

If you’re interested, contact me via tayo at tksola dot com or 234-803-302-1263.

A FEW NOTES:

1. Just this past July (2012), a gentleman from Akwa Ibom came down to Lagos to spend about 5 hours with me learning practical aspect of livestock feed formulation based on the Pearson Square Computation technique described in my handbook that he had purchased.

2. A Canadian gentleman recently purchased the Ration formulator via Paypal.

Below is a screenshot of excerpts from an email he recently sent me as feedback on his impressions from using the app.

3. By way of interest, my recent blog post true story on how I had to battle against multiple misfortunes before I could deliver the Excel ration formulator to the Canadian gentleman will probably make you laugh!

You can read it here (click).

4. You may also be interested in reading my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas write-ups published as guest posts on Africabusinesscommunities.com:

Click here .

5. And on my blog, I periodically publish Farm Business Support articles:

Click here .

Public Speaking

You Already Have ALL You Need – Part 1 of 2

December 3, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

In this week’s issue of my Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter, I publish part ONE (of a two part) true story that I believe illustrates the FACT that most times we already have ALL we need to succeed, but are often not aware of it or too scared to believe it!

Instead of a story about public speaking or marketing however, I share with you one about a 25 year old who thought no girl could be interested in him. Then one day he found himself being chosen over others by a VERY pretty new girl, who even his senior colleagues had their eyes on!

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE FULL ISSUE

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 3rd December 2012

No: 66

Title: You Already Have ALL You Need – Part 1 of 2

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my weekly Public Speaking Ideas page for 2012.

SD Nuggets Blog™
New posts from last week that may interest you!

Public Speaking[Monday]:
Smart Entrepreneurs Make More Money By Speaking

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:

Join My Farm Biz Ideas Club & Get Answers To Your Questions, PLUS Massive Discounts To My Products & Services!

Self Development [Wednesday]:

Are You A Social Chameleon? (Read This To Find Out!)

Career Development [Thursday]:

Prepare Pay slips Without Tears – And At Zero Cost – Using MS Excel!

Parenting [Friday]:

Challenge Your Child To Dream BIG, & To Enjoy The Excitement Of Striving To Accomplish That Dream!

Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:
They Falsely Accused & Physically Assaulted Me…But Ended Up In Police Custody! (True Story)

Want me to write for you? Click here…

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No. 66: You Already Have ALL You Need – Part 1 of 2

As a speaker (or one aspiring) one of the daily challenges you’ll most likely face – being the normal human being you are – will probably be periodic doubts and fears.

Thoughts like the following could fill your mind every now and then: “How am I going to face the CEO when that door is opened? What if she says no? Maybe others will laugh at me. What if I bungle my presentation?

It’s only human to periodically feel like that. However, those who achieve success learn to bring such emotions under control. They then make the best use of the talents they are born with, and other abilities they have developed, to achieve their goals.

This week, I publish part ONE (of a two part) true story that I believe illustrates the FACT that most times we already have ALL we need to succeed, but are often not aware of it or too scared to believe it!

Instead of a story about public speaking or marketing however, I share with you one about a 25 year old who thought no girl could be interested in him. Then one day he found himself being chosen over others by a VERY pretty new girl, who even his senior colleagues had their eyes on!

By the end of part 2, you will hopefully have discovered how quite often we keep thinking we’re not ready, when we’re already fully competent to compete with others, and win at what we want to do!

A Workaholic 25 Year Old…

It was less than 6 months ago that I joined the new plant as a trainee manager. But since helping to resolve a major problem with the Lotus macros driven Monthly Report program, news had spread quickly about me – and my self-taught skills.

Even the brewery head had me assigned to his office for 2 weeks, to help compile data and produce charts for an all important presentation.

When I was free, I studied plant manuals and process work instructions in the Training Centre. My goal was to know them inside out in theory and practice. So I stayed with floor operatives after office hours till 11pm, only to resume as early as 6.00a.m.

At 25, and living alone, I let nothing else interest me…

One Day, I Felt Something VERY Different, And Rather Pleasant…

But all that changed when one day, while taking a break for some air outside the training centre, I saw her…and time stood still.

Since the day – back in primary school – when a lying female classmate had accused me of peeping at her in the toilet, I had never spared any serious thought for girls.Anytime I saw one, all I felt was anger and resentment.

She was small statured, but confident looking and stunningly pretty in the stretchy tank top she wore on a mid-length pleated skirt. No females in the company dressed that way. I was mesmerized.

Suddenly, she turned her head and beamed a smile in my direction. I looked behind me, saw there was no one there, and realized it was meant for me. Goose bumps popped up all over my body. I stared as she walked into the administrative block. Then voices of factory trainees returning from break snapped me out of it.

“Stop it!” I told myself. “How Can You Let A Girl Get To You Like This?”

As the day went on, I wondered who she was. “She can’t be a graduate trainee“, I thought. Except she’s a late recruit. But I doubted it. She looked like she was still in school.

During lunch in the management dining room, I heard some male managers saying, “Have you seen the new Industrial Attaché girl?” One replied “Wow, she is really something. I hear she’s from a higher institution in the east. That girl certainly knows how to dress!”

I nodded silently in agreement to the last statement, then frowned as they began arguing about who would get to take her out first. “That’s not right”, I thought. “But that’s what guys do!”, a voice in my head told me. “Then I guess I’m just a freak since I will never join in”, I retorted.

I decided to avoid her. These were full managers, and I was just a trainee. If they were that interested in her, I was not willing to make enemies for myself.

But Fate Apparently Had Other Plans…

I could never have seen it coming. One afternoon, I was working on the monthly report program, with the TM pointing out changes he wanted.

Suddenly, we heard female voices. Not long after, the IT girl walked into the adjoining library with Ailedif, the secretary. I did a double take. The PC status bar showed it was break time. “Of all the ladies on site, she had to pick the one that works here?” I groaned.

Listening as they chatted excitedly, I tried to act normal, and looked calm and collected – at least outwardly. But I had all kinds of drums beating inside my chest!

Thankfully, my spreadsheet trouble shooting aptitude was intact. I soon rectified the persistent error reported by the TM. Very pleased, he openly commended me. As if on que, Ailedif and the others loudly chanted the nickname they had given me; “Guru!!” as the TM walked away.

Neb walked up behind me, and put his hand on my shoulder, then turned to the IT girl and said, “Look this guy is a guru. He can make this program do anything he wants. See my boss who just left grinning from ear to ear? That’s because of guru himself.”

I laughingly told them to stop, but they would not be deterred. So, I focused on printing out the needed usage rates and variable cost analyses report sheets from the application.

For a while after that, I could feel her look my way intermittently, as she spoke with the others. The secretary later saw her off, and returned to join me in stapling the printed report pages together for the technical review meeting.

As she walked to the filing cabinet behind me, she said “I think Annogu likes you. She asked me a lot of questions about you, and was particularly impressed when I told her you did not study computer science, and that you learnt to type so fast by yourself.”

I replied “Oh come on Ailedif. I’m not in the mood for that kind of talk. You know I don’t have time for girls.”

She replied “I know you’re a workaholic. But I really think the two of you actually fit each other. Anyway, I’m telling you now that she likes you. Don’t be surprised if she comes looking for you one of these days”.

I snorted in disbelief, saying “Forget it. You know that’s not going to happen.”

Thinking To Myself I Said…

“I mean who’s she kidding. Everyone knows I’m not much for looks. Back when I was a trainee on the Lagos plant, I recall RC jokingly saying ‘God you’re ugly!’, one day when I walked in sweating, from the process area. And he was someone who was actually quite fond of me!

Talk less of a girl like this, who from the way they’re all acting, is the prettiest that most guys on this plant have set eyes on in a long time. To make matters worse, I don’t even use a car. Add that to my lack of good looks, and it’s clear she could never be interested in someone like me!”

Oh, But How Wrong I Was!

The first time it happened, I was alone in the office. Luckily for me, one of the training instructors had given me a heads up via intercom (while the others hooted with laughter in the background) that Annogu stopped over at the workshop to ask if I was in.

Few seconds afterwards, she knocked and came in, smiling.

And so it began. Since I spent most afternoons working on the PC typing work instructions, she would often come over and sit with me (sometimes till close of work), asking questions about work and people in the brewery.

The time we spent together often felt like we were in some kind of paradise. We simply lost track of time!

As the weeks went by, we got to know each other better. She was a student from a higher institution in the east.

When she told me her Dad was a High Court Judge, I jokingly asked if he would not have me thrown behind bars if he found out she was going around with a Yoruba guy (she was of the Igbo tribe).

A Senior Colleague Warns Me To Stay Away From Her…!

Click here to continue to part 2 of 2..

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Tayo Solagbade is a Performance Improvement Specialist & multipreneur. He works with individuals/businesses who want to achieve highly profitable outcomes, and also with parents who want to raise real-world competent children.

Tayo earns multiple streams of income providing clients with performance improvement training/coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

==================

Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

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Comments?

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All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

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Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

They Falsely Accused & Physically Assaulted Me…But Ended Up In Police Custody! (True Story)

December 1, 2012 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

What you are about to read is an abridged version of a true story I originally published as a downloable PDF on my website back in January 2012. That PDF contains the detailed account of a nasty life threatening experience I suffered between 7.40p.m and 11.30 pm on Wednesday 18th January 2012. The event took place in a busy area on the outskirts of Lagos-Nigeria. Names have been changed, to protect the identities of those involved.

Some say publishing this story exposes me to ridicule, & could affect my reputation. I don’t care, as long as it can SAVE others from a similar nasty experience. Pass this report ON to as many others as possible. You could save someone’s life! – Tayo Solagbade

Why Did I Make It So Long?

My wife asked me why I made my narration this detailed (the full PDF is 14 pages long). I could not explain it then. I had just kept on typing until I felt drained of anything else to say! On reflection, I realized that I just felt a need to get it all out.

Interestingly, I later discovered that the process of writing it down had a greatly therapeutic effect on me.

Many writers will confirm that writing provides a safe outlet for "venting". That’s why it’s been said that writers often tend to write for themselves, just as much as we write for our readers. Indeed most times we write FIRST for ourselves!

It is for the above reason that this post has been placed in the Writing/Blogging category – even as I’ve added it to the Self-Development category as well. You can download the FULL PDF version of this write-up from here.

It Happened To Me. It Could Happen To Anyone!

Now, let me point out that I’m no “Aje butter” or what the Americans would call “Spring Chicken”. (I’m 5ft 11inches tall, and reasonably built up, and also physically fit). On the contrary, I’m the kind of guy some people have described as a tough b*****d or S.O.B. Those who know me will tell you that the last thing anyone can call me is squeamish.

That’s one reason why I managed to survive that experience, to the extent of ensuring the culprits were made to answer for their misdeeds. I dare say that the average person would have caved in within minutes of being subjected to the physical abuse and malicious mind games I was exposed to, during those four or so hours.

I have been in and out of many tough/dangerous situations in my life, since I was a teenager. Brushes with robbers, gangs, area boys/thugs and the likes are NOT strange to me. In other words, I am fairly street smart, even if I say so myself.

See the “I’m No Stranger To Conflict or Crisis: Some Past Encounters” section on page 14 of the FULL PDF version of this write-up, to understand what I mean. If it could happen to me, with all my "street-smartness", then what I describe in this report could happen to YOU. Indeed, I am convinced it has happened to others, but maybe not people you and I know. Only crimes that are reported in the news and documented by Police etc, usually get known by the general public.

Deep reflection on the way this group of conniving miscreants/thugs operated has convinced me of the importance of WARNING others to be aware of this potential threat to their well being.

A WORD OF CAUTION: Please do not dismiss this story. I strongly urge you to take a few moments to read it, and note the lessons to be had. If not for yourself, do it for your loved ones – children, friends, colleagues and relatives, who may NOT be as "worldly" or "savvy" as you feel you are.

Share THIS with as many others as you can – in your homes, offices, communities, schools, churches, mosques, clubs and every social group you have access to. Doing so may just save someone’s life. To be forewarned, as they say, is to be fore-armed!

Characters (Names changed to protect their identities):

Afeetal: 20 year old girl, who accused Me of stealing N3,000.00 worth of N100 MTN cards.

Baba: The owner of the house in which the shop is located, along the busy road where it all happened. He is also Afeetal’s father.

Mama: Baba’s wife, who was seated at the entrance to the shop when I arrived. It would later be revealed that Mama had a severe stroke a while back and was no longer aware of her surroundings. As a result, she could not be called as a witness.

Lagbaja: A young chap, under 20 years who was in the shop to buy a card, when the drama began.

Bibah: The first of the four (4) young men who assaulted Me.

Gink: Leader of the gang of 3 area boys who later arrived, and also assaulted Me.

Corporal Leinad and Sergeant Yeddog: Both arrived the scene in patrol vehicle.

Inspector Ofisu: Handled the interrogation

Semif: Relative to Afeetal (arrived at the station, while statements were being taken down)

Semif’s wife: Had been around before her husband arrived.

Me: Tayo K. Solagbade

How It All Began

Note: Our conversations took place in a mix of Yoruba, English as well as Pidgin English. What I’ve provided below is therefore NOT a verbatim reproduction of the exact words used.

At about 7.40 pm, I was driving in slow moving traffic in the direction of my home, when I recalled that I needed to renew my subscription to the Blackberry Internet Service, so as to send a response email to a client I was to meet the next day by 10a.m in Allen Avenue Ikeja. The client would be leaving to attend a course at the MIT in the USA the night of the next day, and we had agreed to meet, to finalise terms for a new project he had commissioned me to do.

I spotted a shop with "Buy Recharge Cards" sign written in chalk on the inner face of one of the open doors. I pulled over. Before getting out of the car, I called my wife and told her I was already on my way home, but that there was heavy traffic. Normally, it would take about 10 minutes to get home from my location, but we both knew that bad traffic on that road could make it last for hours.

I got out and walked into the shop, where I saw Afeetal seated behind a small table in the right corner of the shop. On my way in, I’d greeted an old woman seated in a chair to the right of the doorway (i.e. Mama).

Me: Hello. I’d like to buy N1,500 worth of Etisalat cards please.

Afeetal(after checking): I only have N1,300 worth.

Me: That’s Ok. Let me have them. (I give her N2,000 – two N1,000 naira notes. She hands me about 7 different strips of recharge card paper, for different Naira amounts, totaling N1,300. I pick up the N700 change she places on the table for me, and I begin loading the PINs, standing next to her in the shop).

Halfway through the cards, Baba walks in and asks for the owner of the car parked outside. The girl tells him it’s for me. I greet him politely, and he leaves. About 3 minutes later he returns.

Baba: But why have you not moved the car like I requested? It’s partially blocking my house gate. I explained that I had not heard him properly when he came the first time, and had assumed he simply wanted to be sure the car owner was around. So Iapologised, and quickly moved the car. He thanked me, and went back inside.

Me(to Afeetal): Is there any other place where I can buy the remaining N200 recharge card? (I needed to do this, so as to complete the N1,500 needed to renew my subscription to the BIS.)

Afeetal: There’s a shop next door, and another across the road.

Me: Can you possibly ask your little brother to help me buy the remaining N200 recharge card from one of those shops, so I can finish loading everything before I leave?

Afeetal: Okay. (Gets up and leaves the shop, crossing the road).

I recall wondering briefly to myself why she had not asked the little boy who’d been running around the shop to help buy it from next door, but decided maybe she was just a naturally helpful person. While she was away, I discovered one particular N100 card failed to load despite repeat attempts. I kept getting a wrong PIN number error message. A closer inspection of the card revealed it was a GLO card. Just at the same time, (approx. 5 to 7 minutes after she’d left, Afeetal walked back in).

Me: Did you get the N200 card? (She replied NO).

Me: By the way, look (showing her the card), this one you gave me, along with the others, is a Glo card, and NOT Etisalat.

She took it from me, mumbled sorry, and sat down behind the desk to find a replacement (I assumed). At that moment, a young guy (Lagbaja) who appeared to be about her age (and who I’d seen standing outside the shop while she was away), walked in

Lagbaja: I want to buy N100 MTN.

Afeetal: Okay. (Checks in bag/purse. After a prolonged search, she looks up, moves the plate of food she’d just eaten aside, as if looking for something, then gets up, checks under the seat, before announcing: “Ah, I can’t find all my MTN recharge cards!”

Me: Don’t worry. So long as you put them there, you’ll find them. Just calm down and check again. I’ve been here since you left, with Mama also seated at the door. No one has come in here since. And I have not left. Just check. I’m sure you’ll find it.

Afeetal: (making an impatient gesture, takes out the cards in the bag, and hurriedly runs through them): No, they are not here. Ha, all the 30 MTN N100 cards I left here are gone! Lagbaja and I encourage her to think and try to remember where she may have left them. She insists she left it in her bag.

Me: Then it must be there. Just try and search a little more carefully. The cards will surely show up. In the meantime, let me have the replacement N100 Etisalat card for the GLO card you mistakenly gave me. I need to see if I can buy the N200 card to complete the subscription.

Afeetal: Where? Hmm. You are not going anywhere O! Are you not the one I left here, when I went to buy the card for you? No, you cannot leave!

I told her she her she had to be joking. But to my consternation, she went wild, grabbed the front of my shirt raising her voice saying "I will not let you leave. You have to give me my cards!". I tried to free my t-shirt from here grasp, but she kept held on tight, and all of a sudden, she pulled violently on the shirt, tearing it right down the middle. She then wrapped the extended pieces around her hand to tighten her grip.

It Was Like A Bad Dream

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that people had begun to gather. I said "Are you crazy? Can you see what you’ve done. You’ve torn my shirt. Is something wrong with you?" She replied that nothing was wrong with her, and that I would produce her cards or she would not let me go. At this point I decided to forcefully remove her hands. She shouted to someone outside the shop "Call Baba! Call Baba!".

We continued struggling. As I dragged her closer to the door, she left me, and rushed to the outside, and pushed me back inside. Lagbaja also put his hand on my shoulder to stop me from stepping out. I impatiently brushed his hand off.

At this point, Baba arrived, and asked me what the problem was. I told him I would only speak after I had stepped out of the shop, because I did not wish to get accused of stealing something else in addition to the imaginary cards Afeetal had accused me of stealing. He tried to pressure me to say more. I refused. I eventually forced my way out of the shop to the entrance, where my car was parked. Then I turned to speak to Baba. At this point, I noticed Afeetal making a phone call, but thought nothing of it.

A few minutes later, Bibah arrived, and menacingly walked up to me, asking "So you are the one who stole my sister’s recharge card?". Before I could respond, he moved swiftly and I felt a heavy punch land on the left side of my face. I responded with a right fist that hit him on the side of his neck as he went into a crouch. He lunged forward and grabbed me round the waist. I immediately locked my arms around his head, and we wrestled for some seconds dragging ourselves into the middle of the road, where I eventually lost my footing and fall backwards on to the un-tarred road surface, with him on top of me, raining punches, most of which hit home, as I blocked the others.

It Got Worse As Someone Broke A Bottle And Came Towards Me…

As this struggle continued, I saw the feet of people who had gathered round, and were watching it all without making any effort to intervene. I recall wondering how it was possible that they could not find the courage to put a stop the obvious madness that was taking place right before their eyes. Suddenly I heard someone break a bottle, and a few seconds later saw him advance with the broken piece towards us. Bibah raised his hand towards the guy (whose face I could not see) and said “No. Don’t stab him!”.

Still lying on the dust covered road (cars had stopped), I told Bibah he had made a big mistake by engaging me the way he had, and that I would make sure he was taught a good lesson for jumping to conclusions before establishing what the problem was. I pushed him off, picked up my slippers (which I always wear while driving, leaving my shoes behind the driver’s seat), and walked back to the shop entrance.

By this time, my t-shirt and singlet were torn – and I was only left with my belted trousers. A guy came up to me and said in a heavy Igbo accent “Look why not just get into your car and leave.” I told him NO, saying I would make sure those involved did not get away without answering for their crime. He walked away, shaking his head.

I looked around, and pointed to the girl (Afeetal) who stood behind a row of observers, and was till ranting and raving about my being a thief. In a loud voice, I said she would get a re-education through her contact with me. I told her what she had done amounted to a criminal act of making a false, unsubstantiated accusation against an innocent person, promising her she would end up in a police cell for doing so.

She responded by shouting curses at me and calling me a thief. I looked round at all of them and announced that I was going to invite the police to find out the truth, adding that I was strongly convinced no cards had gone missing. I told them they were shameless thieves, and that they had picked the wrong person to hustle/shake down.

I Tried Calling A Police Officer On Phone – As Three Thugs Arrived

Picking up my phone, I called the number of a police officer I knew to be based at the police station close to where the drama was taking place, and told him what was happening. He told me he was now stationed on Victoria Island, but that Inspector Ofisu, who I also happened to know, was on duty at the station close to us. I thanked him and turned to face Baba, but he was gone.

Just then a white car pulled up directly opposite mine, about 10 metres from where I stood. Three guys came out of it, and walked up to me. The one who was the leader – Gink – was in the middle, squat shaped and shorter than the others. He walked past me to the entrance of the shop and motioned with a finger saying "Come here and tell me what happened." I angrily retorted "If you want to talk to me, YOU come here and talk to me. Don’t ask me to come to you!" (I noticed Baba was back).

The manner in which this group had arrived made me uneasy. I sensed something sinister in the way they approached, eyeing me with undisguised malice. I proceeded to narrate what happened. But I had barely spoken for 20 seconds when the one to my left cut me off saying "This guy must have stolen those cards. I know his face. Last month, he was caught for stealing in Lambe”. This was a location in another state (i.e. Ogun). As he made this assertion, he walked slowly away from me, behind Gink, to stand next to the third guy.

I turned angrily to face him: “You are crazy to tell such a vicious lie. There’s obviously some madness going on here tonight, and I’m glad I’m the one who’s being treated to it. I assure you that through me, this nonsense which is obviously something you guys have made a habit, will stop.”

Suddenly, Gink hit me on the side of the head with his fist, threatening that they would put a tyre round my neck and burn me to death if I did not stop talking. A voice in my head kept telling me not to get into a physical exchange with them, because they could use it to incite the crowd against me, with unpredictable consequences. So, I settled for mocking them. With a smile on my face, I dared him to carry out his threat adding that the only reason he had the guts to hit me was because he knew his guys were around. I told him his courage would fail him if we met in a dark alley, where he was not assured of support from others.

The Police Are Eventually Called In

As we continued our verbal exchange, someone pulled my arm. I turned to see a police sergeant carrying a rifle. He asked me what the problem was. For what must have been over 45 minutes, the officers would try to mediate in the matter, to get us to arrive to a mutually agreeable way to ascertain the truth. The crooks refused to agree to any of the suggestions the police made. When asked why they had not yet searched me, they could not answer. The sergeant questioned why they had settled for assaulting me, without trying to recover the missing cards from my person, first of all, especially since I had not left the shop.

That was when Gink and his 2 guys (who had been walking round my car, looking through the window) said that they were sure I had given the cards to an accomplice, because they could see another pair of shoes in my car. I told the sergeant that the shoes were mine. They shouted that I was lying, and that my partner must have run away with the cards as soon as I had stolen them.

Bibah, the 3 guys and some of their friends, including the girl, Afeetal, insisted that my car be opened and searched there.

At one point, Gink confronted the police officer accusing him of being needlessly indecisive. Among other things, he said it was the “hesitant” attitude of the police force that made him prefer O.P.C guys (the vigilante group based in the Southwest, known for members who readily employ crude weapons and "instant/jungle justice" in their dealings with opponents – perceived or real).

The Sergeant warned him to watch his words, repeating his offer to supervise a search of my person, and car, in full view of as many of them as were willing to go with us to the Police Station. None of them offered to do so, even though they had boldly claimed they knew I had the cards in my possession, and were pushing to have me beaten to pulp based on their unproven claims!

When the sergeant refused to let them have their way, Gink planted himself before me, and began making threats of all kinds. Among other things, he stated that they would still track me down to my home and deal with me. I responded by patting him repeatedly on his right shoulder, while telling him that I also intended to find them, and make them admit/pay for what they had done.

I mocked them by saying they were all acting like they were supermen, against someone they knew they had outnumbered, calling them cowards. I finished by saying "You think I’ll be afraid of cowards like you? **** you!" As we stared at each other, I saw a fleeting sign of what appeared to be either doubt or fear in his eyes, for some seconds. It occurred to me that he was affected by the ferocity with which I still challenged him in spite of the fact that I was obviously outnumbered, and despite their violent efforts to physically intimidate me for well over an hour since they arrived.

My Out Of Body Experience

Funny thing was, I never even gave thought to the possibility that they could harm me, even with all they had done. I was so pumped up with rage. As the drama had unfolded, even as I fought and spoke, I kept thinking to myself, “Is this really happening to me, or am I in some crazy dream?”. Am I the one fighting with these thug-like boys in the middle of a major road, with my car parked along side, while a growing crowd of people watches?”

There were many occasions during the most intense periods of that event, that I honestly felt I was having what Wole Soyinka described in one of his books as an “out of body experience”. I actually felt like I was outside my body watching myself engaging these crooks in a fight for my life. All kinds of thoughts flashed through my mind. I wondered if I would see my family again – my wife, kids, siblings, parents.

As these thoughts went through my mind, it struck me, that if I let them WIN, no one would know the truth. No one would be told what really happened. I would be branded a thief in death. That thought fueled my rage – which ensured that I never backed down right up till when the police got us to move over to the station. I believe that’s one reason, why I’m alive today, to tell this story.

We Move To The Police Station

At this point, the sergeant asked me to get into my car, and he joined me in the passenger’s side. He instructed Afeetal and Baba, as well as Lagbaja to join the corporal in the patrol van. Then he told Bibah and the other area boys to join us, so we could go to the station and conduct the search, in a controlled and impartial environment, where the danger of anyone dropping incriminating items into the car would be minimal. As before NOT ONE OF THEM offered to do so.

Instead, the guy who’d claimed I’d once been caught for stealing in Lambe, walked up to my side of the car, and spat the fried fish he was chewing in his mouth, on my body, saying "You’re a thief”. The police sergeant told me to ignore him. With that, we drove off, and arrived the station 5 minutes later.

The sergeant briefed his boss, Inspector Uwodi, about the events that had transpired. After getting us to identify ourselves to him, the Inspector proceeded to grill Afeetal with a series of questions that eventually revealed what I already knew: the fact that she was lying.

It’s not often that one gets to witness the use of intelligent questioning to extract the truth from a respondent. That was a most revealing experience.

Inspector: (to Afeetal) Tell me what happened?

Afeetal: This man (pointing to me), entered my shop with a partner (this was a lie, but she had apparently decided to adopt the twist the area boys had introduced when they saw my shoes in the car, so as to make her story more convincing). “He said he wanted to buy N1, 500 Etisalat recharge card. I told him I only had N1,300 worth. He collected them and then told me to go and buy N200 Etisalat for him. So I went out to buy it for him.

When I returned, someone came to buy MTN card, and I checked my bag, and could not find all my MTN cards. When I told him, he said I should check again. I was still unable to find the card. Then he started hurrying me, telling me I should give him his change that he wanted to leave. And I told him he could not, since he was the one I left in my shop. He tried to leave, so I held his shirt. Then he started beating me (another lie – all I did was try to remove her hands, by applying force, after she’d torn the shirt and repeatedly refused to let go). So, I sent someone to call Baba.

Inspector: You say the man told you to go and buy N200 card for him in another shop?

Afeetal: Yes sir. (Another lie. As stated at the start of my narration, I’d asked her to send the little boy to buy it for me. She surprised me by choosing to go by herself. Looking back, in light of what subsequently happened, she apparently had other things in mind.)

Inspector: And you left your bag containing cards in open view ?

Afeetal: Yes sir.

Inspector: What? So you did not lock it up or take it with you?

Afeetal: No Sir.

Inspector: How long have you been selling recharge cards?

Afeetal: 6 months sir.

Inspector: And you want me to believe that in that time you have not learnt to carefully store away your cards, so that no one can steal them? You want me to believe you did not know it was dangerous to leave your bag of cards open with a stranger alone in your shop?

Afeetal: I don’t know what happened to me Sir. Maybe he used medicine on me. I was not thinking straight. I just went to do what he asked. This thing happened to a friend of mine before. Somebody came to buy a card from her, and all the other cards in her bag disappeared!

(As she spoke, Semif’s wife periodically interjected supporting comments like “Yes it’s true”….”they do it a lot…all these people with Juju powers”.)

Me: Come on, the fact that people have stolen your cards in the past, does not make every person who comes into your shop a thief! (The sergeant motions for me not to interrupt).

Inspector: Hmm (He silently appraises her for a few seconds, then he asks) How many cards were stolen?

Afeetal: All the 30 MTN N100 cards in my bag.

Inspector: Did you have any other cards in the bag?

Afeetal: Yes – Glo, Etisalat, which I sold to the man, and Zain.

Inspector: Were any of the other cards taken?

Afeetal: No. Only the MTN cards.

Inspector: Show me the bag they were in (She holds out the bag, which still has the other mentioned card brands in it). How is it possible that he was able to pick out only the MTN cards from amongst this mixed up collection of cards, without missing out one, or picking up another brand, while avoiding drawing attention to himself?

Afeetal: Ah, I don’t know. You know I said people used to do it. They use black magic. All I know is that when I came back, the MTN cards were gone.

Inspector: Did the man leave the shop while you were away?

Afeetal: Ah. I don’t know O. I was not around.

Sergeant: But the man said Mama was there, and can testify that he did not go out.

Afeetal: Ask Baba, Mama is not well. Ever since she had a stroke, she no longer is aware of her surroundings. (Baba confirms it’s true).

Lagbaga: I was outside the shop when she went to buy the card, and I saw this man (pointing to me) standing in the shop loading his phone with the card credits. I did not see him leave the shop until she came back.

Inspector: (to Afeetal) Did you hear that?

Afeetal: I don’t know if he left the shop. I was not there. All I know is when I came back my cards were gone.

Inspector: Okay. Tell me when did you last purchase MTN recharge cards. And who from?

Lagbaja: There is a woman who supplies me.

Inspector: So you’re sure that if we call your supplier, she will confirm you purchased 30 MTN 100 cards from her?

Afeetal: (looks down, and stammers/starts fidgeting) Ehn, I bought but, but usually I don’t pay for everything. I can pay half and they pay the balance when I finish selling.

Inspector: You know, I’m beginning to wonder if you actually lost any cards.

Afeetal: (Still looking down – makes no response)

Inspector(Turns to the sergeant): Have you searched the man yet ? (pointing to me)

Sergeant: No sir. I wanted us to come and do the searching at the station, because I suspected those area boys could disrupt the whole process, plant incriminating evidence on him or the car, and even steal the man’s things.

Inspector: Okay, take him to the car, and search him, and every part of the car, in the girl’s presence. Make sure she is able to observe the entire process.

Sergeant: (Gives a torch light to Afeetal) Oya, let’s go.

At the car, which is parked on the grounds of the police station.

Sergeant: (turning to me) Okay, please Mr. Tayo, let’s see what you have in your pockets. (To Afeetal), “My sister, please point your light so you can see what we are bringing out. If you see your cards, be sure to say so.”

The process continues for about 30 minutes, during which time my person and the entire car is searched. I make a point of even pointing out other hidden places in the car where I had folders containing documents in which cards could be kept.

Within 15 minutes, it was already obvious to everyone present that we were wasting our time – there was nothing to be found. Indeed, one of the police officers resuming night duty, and who briefly stopped to see what was happening pointed out that 30 MTN cards would produce a revealing bulge wherever they were kept.

And seeing that most of the items in the car were slim/flat in nature, he opined that there was no need to go through them. The sergeant however insisted on doing it anyway, so as to ensure Afeetal was able to see that nothing was left unchecked. I agreed. When it was all done, Afeetal was asked if she was satisfied that nothing was found. She said YES. We returned to join the Inspector in the office.

Inspector: (to Afeetal) So you did not find the cards on the man, or in his car?

Afeetal: No sir.

The Inspector Decides To Detain Her For Accusing Me Falsely

Inspector: (shakes his head) Let me now tell you something. Going by the answers you have given me, and the fact that nothing was found on this man, I want you to know that you have made a false allegation against this man. That is a serious offence, and you will have to spend the night in cell.

Afeetal: (in a frightened voice) Can I say something?

Inspector: Yes?

Afeetal: This thing has happened before. That’s how one man stole our cards sometime ago, and we did not know until he had left.

My Wife Was Worried Sick

At about the time we arrived the station, my wife had been calling my phone. Not wanting to upset her, by telling her what was going on, I decided not to answer the call. Every 15 minutes or so, she would call back. Each time, I simply let it ring. I could not think of a convincing alternative explanation to give her.

At a point, the police Inspector asked why I did not want to answer the call. I told him. He said it would only make her get more worried. I realized he was right. Not long after, the phone rang again. I checked the time. It was about 9.45pm(over 2 hours since I’d told her I was almost home). I answered the call.

“Where are you? I thought you said you were close – is the traffic that bad?” she asked in a worried voice. I told her it was, but that we were making slow progress, and I would soon join her. Hearing the back ground discussions between the police officer and the girl writing the statement, she asked me, who I was with. I told her they were people standing next to the car on the road.

Her answer indicated she did not believe me. She said “Hmm…okay O. You can do what you like.” and hung up. I looked at the police officer, and said “That’s another unpleasant situation this crazy experience has created for me. Now my wife is upset. I still cannot tell her anything, until I’m physically with her, so she does not get unduly worried about my presence in a police station.”

We Make Written Statements

The Inspector gets up. Turning to the Sergeant, he says (pointing to Afeetal) “Let her make a statement in writing. Same applies to the man and the young guy who said he was there” (pointing to me and Lagbaja, as he walked out).

The sergeant proceeded to sit with (the now nervous) Afeetal and helped her through the process of writing her statement. I and Lagbaja were given pen and paper to write our versions of what happened. It was quite amusing to over hear her exchange with the sergeant as she made the statement. When she stated that she was not the one who called Bibah and that she did not know the other 3 guys, the sergeant looked at her, with a smile on his face and said “Really?”

She replied in the affirmative. He said “If that’s the truth, go ahead and write it down just as you’ve told me”.

That was such an amusing spectacle for me, because in the statement both myself, and Lagbaja had written, we had both mentioned that she called Bibah! It was obvious to everyone that she was grabbing at straws. And that was just one of many lies she told that night – all of which served to infuriate me so much!

The Relatives Start Pleading On Her Behalf

While we were writing our statement, Semif had arrived and seated himself next to me on the bench near the wall. He watched quietly as Afeetal was being questioned on the table before us. After she was done, he asked her what happened. Once again she told her dishonest version of what happened. Semif then proceeded to explain that Baba had called him on phone that they had caught someone for stealing Afeetal’s card. He said it was he who had told them to call the police, and not beat or fight anyone, adding that he was surprised to learn on arrival, that his instructions had not been followed. I told him it did not matter, and that the police had played a good role so far.

I bluntly refused to listen to all entreaties by her aged father (Baba) and Semif for well over 30 minutes. The police had advised them that I was the only one who could make them release the girl, so she would not have to stay in detention overnight as required by the law.

Now, I would have had no difficulty agreeing to let her off, but seeing that she went further to tell blatant lies to further incriminate me, I realized she was not remorseful. When I mentioned this to the relatives, they tried to play the religious psychology card.

Baba told me to “consider God”. I asked him: “Did you all think of God when they were hitting me and insulting me back at the shop front, for over 2 hours? Did any of you intervene ? Now that your own relative is about to experience a little hardship, you’re asking me to consider God.”

Baba: Are you a Christian or Muslim?

Me: I have not attended church for over 15 years.

Baba: Really ? So, what do you believe?

Me: I worship the creator – but not the same way as others who call themselves Christians or Muslims. For instance I am sure that Afeetal who falsely accused me tonight, and the guys who assaulted me, if asked, will claim to attend Church or Mosque. Yet, look what they did to me today! I have a personal relationship with God. When this whole scam began, I told them they would be made to answer for their actions. As you can see, the process has already begun. It’s too late to start talking about God. Indeed God himself, in your religious book, says “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” God does not condone evil or dishonesty.

Baba: “But you said I once helped you in 2008…Why not help me today – don’t let her stay in detention overnight.” (I’d told him I recognized him from the night he had let me park my car overnight, outside his house, due to serious traffic jam that went past midnight).

Me: Yes, you helped me. And you’ll notice that I was the one who recognized you, and told you about it, when you came to speak with me, not the other way round. But your daughter’s unrepentant attitude after committing this terrible act against someone’s husband, father, son, and sibling, is not what can be overlooked.

Baba, the fact that a man is good will not be enough reason to let his child go unpunished for a criminal act of this nature, especially when she is not even repentant. Instead she’s told more lies against me in her statement. Is that not evil? Up till now, she has failed to admit she did wrong. If I let her go, does that not mean I am the one who’s guilty? Here’s what I want: Let her come out in the open, and say to everyone, that she lied in the statement she made, and I’ll record it on my phone as proof of my innocence.

Baba: Ah, but that will be very implicating.

Me: But that would be the TRUTH. Your daughter told blatant lies in her statement to the police. She needs to admit that fact. By failing to do that, I’m the one who remains implicated for something I did not do. And I’m determined to correct that injustice. I have a name and reputation to protect!

Baba pleaded, cajoled and employed all kinds of arguments and ploys to get me to tell the police to let her go. When I insisted I would not give in until she confessed and apologized, he made this statement that I will NEVER forget: “What is it that has happened to you, that has not happened to anyone before? Don’t you realize it was because she lost money from her sales and was upset about, that she reacted the way she did? Why don’t you have a heart of forgiveness?”

Me: You say what is it that’s happened to me that has not happened to anyone before? You say that to me, even now? This confirms you and your daughter have a lot in common. You have no respect for other people’s feelings. And to cap it all, you are telling me she lost money. How does that justify subjecting an innocent man to the pain and humiliation that I have gone through this night at her hands, and those of her helpers. Baba, you have added insult to the injury. What’s more, only a person who is repentant deserves consideration of forgiveness which you request in a case like this. Your daughter is NOT repentant. Your utterances certainly do not help me to think differently.

I am doing this not just for myself, but for many others who may fall into the same kind of trap. It is my intention – as I told them back at the shop when this began – to use my case to give her and those who joined her in this criminal act, an education to last them a life time. Through me, they will learn to think before they act in future. They will avoid using such dishonest and wicked methods on people they encounter. I am convinced that this experience with me, will save other innocent persons in future from getting assaulted by them in the same manner.

Turning to the corporal, I said “I have been told the police will release her if I say so. Well, after this extensive discussion with her people, I am convinced the right thing to do is to leave her in detention till tomorrow morning, when we will all re-convene”.

To Baba, I said “If the police decide to let her go after I leave, I will not complain. However, I assure you, that I WILL take this matter to the next level, which will include notifying the media about my experience, and also sending a formal complaint to the Human Rights Protection Department of the Lagos State Attorney General’s office. The noise I will make about this incident will make many people look bad. I guarantee you! Now, please excuse me. I have to get home to see my wife and explain why it’s taken me an extra 4 hours – instead of 15 to 20 minutes to drive home tonight!”

I Drive Home Shirt-Less At 11.30pm

With those words, I got into my car. If you recall, I did not have a shirt on. It was about 11.30pm. As I drove along the dark and deserted road away from the station, I wondered what the security guard at the gate of the residential estate I lived in would think on seeing me looking the way I was. Less than 10 minutes later, I passed through the gate(to his credit, the guard kept his face expressionless).

When my wife opened the door and saw my appearance she gasped in shock, asking what happened. I told her everything. She was incensed. I told her it would be alright, since the police were already taking satisfactory action. Then seeing the food she had prepared for me on the table, I sat down and proceeded to swallow a morsel of Semovita with stew. My mouth exploded with pain. Cuts and bruises on my tongue, and the insides of my mouth made their presence felt in a big way!

Being unsure how bad it was, I decided to take the car and go back on to the road to see if I could get to the hospital to have myself examined or treated. My wife insisted on going with me, and woke the kids, dressed them up, since there was no adult to stay with them.

Thirty minutes later we returned to the house having run into locked gates on the routes we were to follow. We encountered an O.P.C guard carrying a machete and a Dane gun on our way back. After I told him the problem he directed us to a clinic run by a catholic church in the area, but they were not open when we got there.

First Meeting With The D.P.O

By 8.30am the next morning, my wife and I arrived at the station. Semif was already there with the police officers. Afeetal was seated (without shoes), looking quite subdued. The Sergeant asked me what I wanted. I told him I wanted an apology from the girl for wrongly accusing me and telling lies against me even when writing her statement. In addition, I told him I wanted Bibah and the other 3 guys who had assaulted me, to be brought in, made to admit their roles and apologise.

On hearing this he said “Okay. Just wait a bit. We’ll be going to see the big man soon.” An interesting thing then happened. When my wife saw Semif and his wife, she recognised them both from her visits to the market, where the wife owns a frozen fish shop, and proceeded to give details that confirmed she was right. A small world indeed!

Baba’s “Suspicious” Role

I put his age between 60 and 65 years. His considerably greyed hair suggested he could be older, but he carried himself like he was younger. All through the drama that took place that night, up till when the police arrived, Baba acted in ways that made me suspect he was acting out a script of sorts. It’s difficult to explain, but on one occasion, when I was fighting back physically and verbally at those who hit and insulted me, he stepped in close to me, and whispered, "Look why don’t you pipe down. Your responding to them is not helping. If you don’t stop, I’ll leave you to your fate!".

To this I replied deliberately in the same loud voice I’d been using, "Baba, you are free to do whatever pleases you. I do not need your help. What I am certain about is that I am not alone in this. Let your conscience guide you. Don’t threaten me by saying you’ll leave me. Do I look like I’m scared of facing these idiots alone? I depend only on my creator in circumstances like this, and I have never lost out by doing so. Please do not bother me anymore!"

About 30 minutes later, we were taken to see the D.P.O. It was a short first visit. Within a few minutes of questioning the girl about how the cards got stolen, the D.P.O said (in Yoruba) “You’re a liar. Just from speaking with you now, it’s obvious to me that you’re not telling the truth…It’s obvious that you just thought you could scare the man into giving you money for the cards. You were trying to make some quick cash.” He then motioned to me.

After listening to my account of what happened, he told the Inspector – “I want you to bring that Bibah and those 3 other young men to me. Let them come and explain why they did this to him. This is Lagos. They cannot behave like that here. “ Semif volunteered to take responsibility for bringing Bibah in, saying “He is my cousin.” The D.P.O then asked the Inspector to agree a date/time we would return to see him, with the others. We left, and in the outer office the Inspector set 2pm the next day (Friday) for us to return.

After dropping my wife at home, I decided to visit my parents and inform them of what had happened. My main reason for doing this was that it occurred

to me, that being a small world, there was a possibility that if I waited too long, the news could get to them through some other channel, and the details might be inadvertently twisted. Knowing the psychological trauma that my father (78 years old) and my mother could suffer as a result, I felt it would be better to break the news to them myself, and assure them everything was under control. They put up brave faces, like I knew they would, as I told them the story. My father proposed joining us to see the D.P.O the next day, but I assured him there was no need. He agreed. We had a short prayer session, and I left.

Second Meeting With The D.P.O

The next day at some minutes after 2pm, we met in the D.P.O’s office. I was not surprised to see that Gink and his 2 friends were not brought in. Only Bibah was brought in by Semif. The D.P.O asked Bibah about the other 3 guys. He said he did not know them. I knew he was lying. We all knew. Like I mentioned earlier, the officers themselves knew Gink. I guess they did not want to rock the boat by hunting down Gink and his 2 partners, maybe to avoid offending the politician godfathers Gink and co. worked for. I silently resolved on an alternative way to get them to answer for what they did.

Summary

With my consent secured, the D.P.O instructed Afeetal and Bibah to apologise to me. They did. He then asked the I.P.O. to get their signed undertakings NEVER again to repeat their actions. To be honest, from their sober attitude in the D.P.O’s office, I was already satisfied. However, the police officer made them sign, and sternly informed each one of them, of the consequences they would face, if they got into trouble again.

We all parted amicably, under the circumstances. Handshakes and greetings were exchanged, and I drove, with my wife, to my parent’s to brief them. When I told my Father that I had taken the pains to secretly use my Blackberry to get video recordings of the proceedings of that day in the D.P.O’s office, he expressed the desire to watch the clips.

So, using the Bluetooth connection setup between my smart phone and his Dell laptop, I transferred the 4 video clips I’d made to the latter. And then for about 30 minutes, we watched the clips. I could see the relief on my parents’ faces.

It was obvious they were glad to see that I’d obtained valuable audio visual proof (showing the faces of ALL the persons involved) of what had transpired . They made sure we had another prayer session before we left J

An Untouchable Gang Leader?

It is instructive to note here that right from the shop front where it all began, I noticed that Gink, who came in a car with his 2 partners, was well known to the police officers themselves. Back at the station, and up till when we were at the D.P.O’s office, he was referred to by name by the officers. They told me he and his partners were notorious in the area, for their bad deeds. I later learnt from asking around, that he enjoyed some protection from certain politicians he ran errands for, especially during the elections. It was then that I understood why even though he had hit me after the police arrived, and gone as far as saying he preferred the O.P.C to the police, neither of the 2 officers had done more than warn him to watch his tongue. They did not wish to cross swords with him. Pity.

I will say here that it’s NOT over. I have my plans to find them. When the time is right, I’ll work that plan. And you can be sure, I’ll announce the results in a similar way. Like I told them that night, nobody can make me afraid of walking the streets in MY country. For years people have told me this attitude could get me killed. I have always told them: I can only die ONCE. Until then, I WILL NEVER be afraid to stand up and fight for my right, no matter whose Ox is gored. I would rather die doing so, than accept to live my life at the mercy of others.

Like I mentioned before, I do this to discourage these kinds of people from repeating their bad habits. When no one challenges them today, it could be YOU or someone you love – your friend, relative or even spouse they attack tomorrow. If they realize NOT everyone will keep quiet out of fear. Or better still, when they discover it is possible for someone to bring them to book, in spite of their connections, they will be more wary of doing business as usual. When more of us learn to INTERVENE, each time we see something wrong happening, we will bring about massive social change.

Final Words

Some people have a habit of trying to be wise after the event. One elderly person told me I should not have stayed in the shop to load the cards. If I had been psychic, I might have known NOT to do so on that day. The fact is that since 2001, I’ve always loaded cards I purchase before leaving the shop/stand, to ensure the seller does NOT accuse me of switching them if one or more fails to work. No one could have foreseen this happening. In the near future, I intend to write a “play” based on THIS event, to be performed at social group gatherings, as part of a public enlightenment campaign/social service.

“If you are weak in crisis, you are weak indeed” – Anon
“It’s not what happens to you that’s important. It’s how you deal with it”

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Recent Posts

UNCOMMON MONEY MAKING IDEA THAT GIVES FREE CONTENT: A Platform Most People DON’T Use But YOU Should

How Wrong Use Of AI Can Hurt YOUR CHILD (& EVEN YOU!)

YOU NEED TO BE HUMBLE: This Can Happen To You, If You Look Down On Others

Lessons I Learned As “Sole Marketing Agent for Africa” To Burt Dubin, Creator Of The Speaking Success System™ & Mentor To Some Of The World’s Highest Paid Speakers

A Day In Abeokuta With Beautiful Nigerian Female Baker – Iyabo Oniyide Former Chairperson Ogun NNEW [FAUSAT’S ENTREPRENEURS SHOWCASE #foseshow ]

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PII 116: Why Poultry Farming May be Too Risky For Most Nigerians Today | TayoSolagbade.com on Real Life Ration Formulation Demonstration Using Tayo’s Solagbade’s Excel-VB Ration Formulator (Based on data supplied by an Algerian PhD Student Enquirer)

Tweets by @tksola

Some Say 700 Words Maximum, Or Your Article Will Fail

But I Argue That Their Reasoning Is Not Generally Applicable

This Faulty Reasoning Is The Possible Result Of Tunnel Vision

CONSIDER THIS ANALOGY: A CHILDLESS COUPLE IN SEARCH OF A MEDICAL SOLUTION

Final Words: Make Your Articles As Long As They Need To Be

1. Your Goals & Priorities May Have To Take The Back Seat

2. You May Have To Work Overtime, All The Time, For A Long Time

3. Your Interests May Have To Include MORE Of Your Children’s Needs & Less Of Yours For A While

Final Words: Do What’s Best For Your Child

Comments?

Share this story!

Enroll Your Child For My Life Skills Coaching Program (Download Flyer Below)

Here’s How You Get Started With Me…

1. What You Need To Accurately Compute Your Production Costs (A Fundamental Requirement)

2. A Basic Understanding You Need To Have

3. You May Not Need To Sell At The Same Price As Other Farms!

1. A Quick But Less Accurate Calculation method

END OF PREVIEW

The Justification – Who Needs It?

A Solution That Makes Ration Formulation Feel Like Child’s Play

A FEW NOTES:

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE FULL ISSUE

No. 66: You Already Have ALL You Need – Part 1 of 2

A Workaholic 25 Year Old…

One Day, I Felt Something VERY Different, And Rather Pleasant…

“Stop it!” I told myself. “How Can You Let A Girl Get To You Like This?”

But Fate Apparently Had Other Plans…

Thinking To Myself I Said…

Oh, But How Wrong I Was!

A Senior Colleague Warns Me To Stay Away From Her…!

Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

Comments?

Share this issue!

What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s monthly speaker mentoring, or (b) buying his products?

You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Why Did I Make It So Long?

It Happened To Me. It Could Happen To Anyone!

Characters (Names changed to protect their identities):

How It All Began

It Was Like A Bad Dream

It Got Worse As Someone Broke A Bottle And Came Towards Me…

I Tried Calling A Police Officer On Phone – As Three Thugs Arrived

The Police Are Eventually Called In

We Move To The Police Station

The Inspector Decides To Detain Her For Accusing Me Falsely

My Wife Was Worried Sick

We Make Written Statements

The Relatives Start Pleading On Her Behalf

I Drive Home Shirt-Less At 11.30pm

First Meeting With The D.P.O

Baba’s “Suspicious” Role

Second Meeting With The D.P.O

Summary

An Untouchable Gang Leader?

Final Words

…a multi-disciplinary blog for people passionate about reaching their goals!