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"It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds. In the best boks, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, an dpour their souls into ours. God be thankd for boks. They are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life or past ages. Books are true levelers,. They give to all who will faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual presence, of the best and greatest of our race. - William Ellery Channing. Quoted from Ben Carson's "Think Big" p. 13"
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Better Tomorrow
By
Yemi Omogboyega, LL.B (Hons), BL, MNIM
(Breakthrough Edition)
Ref: Vision-Driven Legacy Series 5.1
“This is a book that will be found useful by all who are tempted to despair. It will inspire and motivate the young and reassure the general reader that tomorrow is indeed another land of possibilities.” - Reuben Abati
First Published - October 1992
Reprinted March and September 2006
Except for purposes of research studies, class work, debate, or review no parts of this publication may be reproduced without the Author's express permission.
ISBN: 978 - 36104 - 30
For further inquiries, please contact
The publisher,
Treasure Vault Integrated Services (Nigeria) Limited,
(Books Division)
P. O. Box 71946, Victoria Island, Lagos
Tel. No. 08035200143; 08034465225 (Yemi)
or 08026305409 (Kehinde) or
Visit our website: www.joent-ng.com
Questions, clarifications, suggestions are welcomed on my
e-mail addresses : joent2002@yahoo.com.
Or yemi@joent-ng.com
All such inquiries will be responded to promptly.
“Yemi Omogboyega’s Better Tomorrow is not the usual Nigerian biography about the life and times of a public figure, nor is it one of those exercises in self-praise, rather this is biography as evangelism, biography as motivational talk, biography as testimony. “- Reuben Abati
Table of Contents
Page
Dedication ……………………………………..… ix
Also by the Author …………………………………….. x
Reading Guide ……………………………….. xi
Comment’s on Author’s Previous Books ……………… xii
Editor’s Certification ………………………………….. xiii
Acknowledgment ………………………………….. xiv
Foreword to The First Edition ………………………… xvii
Foreword to the Second Edition ……………………... xix
“Better Tomorrow A book for All” ……………………. xxi
Special Appreciation ……………………………. xxiii
Introduction ………………………………….. xxiv
Why You Must Read This Book ………………………. xxv
Bisi Ojediran - Celebration of Excellence …………… xxvi
Chapter One
My Destiny …………………………… 1
Chapter Two
Unresolved Mysteries …………………………… 3
Chapter Three
My Roots ………………………………… 4
Chapter 4
Welcome to My Life ………………………………….. 6
Chapter 5
What Does the Future hold for Me and
How Do I Get There ………………………………… 19
Chapter 6
My Visionary Mother …………………………… 22
Chapter 7
My Biological Father and My Stepmothers,
As I Knew Them …….…………………………… 31
Chapter 8
My Paternal Sibblings …………………………… 33
Chapter 9
Chief Ilugbusi and His Influence on Me ……………… 36
Chapter 10
The Test of My Life …………………………… …. 39
Chapter 11
My Sojourn At Ajegunle, Idanre …………………… 41
Chapter 12
I came back to Iyin ……………………………………… 47
Chapter 13
Off to Lagos ……………………………………….. 48
Chapter 14
Back to My Education …………………………………. 54
Chapter 15
I Held my Destiny In my Own Hand …………………….. 57
Chapter 16
All Roads Closed ………………………………………. 59
Chapter 17
Wither My Life? ………………………………… 61
Chapter 18
My Wandering Days ……………………………….. 62
Chapter 19
The Road is Open …………………………………….. 63
Chapter 20
I left Uncle ‘Safe’s house …………………………….… 69
Chapter 21
I was Hypnotised and Tempted Too …………………… 77
Chapter 22
The Thought of Tomorrow ………………………… 82
Chapter 23
A Narrow Escape …………………………………….. 90
Chapter 24
My Marriage …………………………………….. 93
Chapter 25
I met the False Prophet ………………………………. 97
Chapter 26
Time up for Marriage ……………………………… 105
Chapter 27
Building Our Home ……………………………… 108
Chapter 28
My Mother-In-Law …………………………………… 112
Chapter 29
How we Manage our Marriage ……………………….. 115
Chapter 30
How we Manage Our Finances ………………………… 124
Chapter 31
What Makes
Marriage Successful is
Compatibility ………………………… 128
Chapter32
How we Manage Our Children ………………………… 130
Chapter 33
Why that hurry about Writing Autobiography …………... 137
Chapter 34
The Emergence of The Current Edition ………………….. 141
Chapter 35
Publishing My Scripts ……………………………………. 143
Chapter 36
The Fundamental Differences Between the
First and Second Editions ………………………………. 146
Chapter 37
God’s Faithfulness …………………………………………… 147
Chapter38
Nigeria’s contribution to My Achievements …………………. 151
Chapter 39
A new Career Vision Emerged ……………………… 156
Chapter 40
My Sojourn at the University ……………………… 159
Chapter 41
A God-sent Driver …………………………… 171
Chapter 42
My Experience as A Student-Worker ……….…….. 173
Chapter 43
My Spiritual Life …………………..…………….. 175
Chapter 44
I Settled for Christianity …………………………… 192
Chapter 45
My Life as A Student-Worker ……………………... 195
Chapter 46
Appreciation to Those who Supported
My Family ……………………………………….. 204
Chapter 47
My Mother’s Life A Lesson in Womanhood……….. 206
Chapter 48
I Released my Mum to God! 216
Chapter 49
My First Trip outside the Continent of Africa ………. 224
Chapter50
Back to My Mother’s Burial ………………………… 237
Chapter 51
My Adversaries Proved Wrong ……………………. 246
Chapter 52
My Visit to Norway ……………………………………… 249
Chapter 53
My Spiritual Growth ………………………………… 253
Chapter 54
My Secular Siblings ……………………………….. 262
Chapter 55
Music and My Life ……………………………………… 263
Chapter 56
Overcoming Poverty ……………………………………… 268
Chapter 57
Eradicating Poverty From My Family ……………. 278
Chapter 58
Eradicating Poverty from My Extended Family .,,,, 282
Chapter 59
My Passions for People ……………………………. 293
Chapter 60
In The People’s Court /Photographs of Events……… 301
Chapter61
I Am Grateful ……………………………………… 316
Chapter 62
I am Fulfilled! ……………………………………… 320
Dedication
This book is dedicated to God Almighty Who gave me the inspiration that led the successful completion of this book.
I also dedicate it to the following three-some, whose considerations overwhelm my total being that is, children (whose lives are so fragile that they can easily be altered for good or bad), women (who are victims of many wrongs in our society) and Strugglers, male or female, who, though have clear visions of what they want to be, are emasculated by the environment in which they operate and frustrated from realizing their potentials.
I also dedicate this book to my late and visionary Mother, Victoria Tomire, and my aged father, Pa Gabriel Omogboyega, both of nurturing and love translated greatly to whatever I am and will ever be in life.
Finally it is dedicated to my inestimable wife, Mary, for standing by me always and for her contributions to all my works.
The book can be classified easily among the growing list of “How To” publications whose production has become such a huge industry among an emergent group of Nigerian authors.” Reuben Abati
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Also by the same Author
• A Gallery of Positive Thoughts (2004 ed.)
• Shaping our Tomorrow Today 1st Edition (2000)
• This Thing Called Marriage 3rd Edition (2006)
• Family Budgeting A Must For Your Home (2004)
• Positive Flashes (2006)
Coming out soon from the same Author:Shaping Our Tomorrow Today (2nd Edition)
Now That You Are Married, Make it Work?
Music and Our Life
Be Vision-Driven
“Better Tomorrow displays the same flavour; what he has done mainly is to use the example of his own life to motivate others to seek “a better tomorrow,” to energise those who have taken the first step to beat the odds of life, and to encourage those who are seeking success to stay the course.” Reuben Abati
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Reading Guide
Because of its multi-dimensional themes, I had a dilemma arriving at an appropriate title for this book. I was also tempted to opt for such other appropriate titles as “A Vision-Driven Life”, “My Favoured Child”, “No Cross, No Crown”, “Ruled By Vision”, “A Journey to My Life” or, better still, “A Fulfilled Life”.
I settled for “Better Tomorrow” because as at the time I started writing the first edition of this book on 7th October, 1981, my vision was for a better tomorrow for my readers and me as well. I therefore recommend to my readers to read this book with open mind but mindful of the other abandoned titles. Such constant recourse would help make the best out of the book.
"Omogboyega’s story is worth reading. It demonstrates the importance of education, diligent self-application and life of purpose. Where others see obstacles, Omogboyega sees challenges. Where others see failure, he sees opportunities.”
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Readers’ Comments On Author's Books
“This Thing Called Marriage”
“…is an eye opener for those contemplating marriage…”
- The Guardian's Art page 13th November 2004
Gallery of Positive Thoughts”
“ … is indeed inspiring and capable of changing most thoughts negative to human…”
- The Guardian Arts Page 27th November 2004/B27
Also reviewed by Networth Magazine -
December, 2005 Edition
“Family Budgeting”
“… the content is vast and of inestimable value.”
- The Guardian Newspaper Arts Page January 15, 2005
Also reviewed by Networth Magazine
November, 2005 Edition p.38.
“Better Tomorrow”
“…(Yemi) has produced, a thoroughly engaging, entertaining and instructive book that is bound to provoke interest and arguments.”
- Reuben Abati
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Editor's Certification
“I feel fulfilled - delivering this work at last, and
I congratulate you for writing it.”
- Deacon Andrew Masade
The Editor
Readers of this book are bound to form opinions and attitudes about this central episode, but the larger point that is clearly established is Omogboyega’s Socratesian realization that “man must know himself.”
- Reuben Abati
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Acknowledgement
I wish to express my sincere thanks to all those who contributed to the successful completion of this book.
First in the role of honour is late Tunde Samuel who read the first manuscript of the First, (1992) Edition of this book .
I am equally deeply grateful to the following for their immense support and useful advice, criticisms and encouragement: Dr. Wahab Goodluck and Mrs. Goodluck, R. O. Odalume, M. Iyela, the Late Olajumokes, Ajiboye Ilugbusi, S. Garba, A. S. Odewumi, Area Pastor and Mummy Oluwaniyi, Area Pastor and Mummy Wole Daniels, Pastor and Mummy Okanlawon. Mr. & Mrs. M.O. Ogun (for writing a second foreward to the book), Sina Luwoye, Mr. Kunle Adesida, Area Pastor Bankole Fabiyi, Mummy Fabiyi and Mummy Adesida both of whom especially took the trouble to scrutinize every word in this book before its release to the market. I most sincerely appreciate their invaluable contributions, encouragement and love.
To my literary mentor, Bisi Ojediran and author of the main Foreward to this edition of “Better Tomorrow”, I owe gratitude for the professional touch this book may have. I am grateful to Deacon Andrew Masade who edited this book (2nd edition) for doing a good job. His thorough work particularly enlightened and gave much strength overall to my writing.
I also appreciate my other literary mentors: William Shakespeare, Wole Soyinka, Thomas Hardy, Lord Dening, James Hardley Chase, Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ola Rotimi, and a host of other illustrious names too numerous to mention here.
I am equally grateful to Mr. Achor who edited the earlier (but unpublished) version of “Better Tomorrow”.
In addition to my parents, the following people gave me a solid foundation I needed as a child and I sincerely appreciate them: Madams Hannah and Iyaniwura Omogboyega and Late Pa Ilugbusi, his late first wife, “Eye Salu”, and his entire household.
I also appreciate my brothers, sisters and Uncles and Aunties: Fehintola, Ajiboye, Julianah, Florence, Comfort, Desola, Duni, Remi, Ayo, and Bose; Chief Israel Olayinka and Julius Omogbemile, Idowu Omotoyinbo, Ajisafe Bankole, Chief (Mrs) Adegbola and Mrs. Ibidunni Igbari for their support and encouragement.
Of course my wife, Mary, has always been the first assessor of all my works. Her sharp criticisms have remained spirited, and forthright, thereby giving a sort of imprimatur of appropriateness to my writings and thoughts. Mine is a blessed home!
This is a golden opportunity for me to also acknowledge and appreciate my other “wives”, Bunmi Omogboyega, Dele Akinsanya and Kemi Omotoba. Their coming prompted my first book on marriage titled “This Thing Called Marriage” which is selling well in the market place.
As real fathers are sometimes unable to name all their children, I too should be forgiven here if I omit any names of my children (biological as well as adopted). I am grateful to them in whom I have pleasure: Olumide, Muyiwa, Sunkanmi, Bosun, Tope, Seun, Yetunde, Mrs. Busola Ajayi (nee Adeniyi), Bola Ogunloye (nee Ayinde), Dr. (Mrs.) Bola Omoya (nee Abe.), Odunayo Abe, Tolu Abe, Seun Abe (Jnr), Bimpe Aruna (Mrs.), Tonia Bankole, Kazeem Ojo, Eunice Adegbola, Janet, Toyin Ijaosin (Mrs.) , Mrs. Kemi Alesinloye (nee Ilugbusi) Ebenezer Ilugbusi, Ojo Ibitoye, Dupe Foluso Ibitoye, Seyi Ibitoye, Lasunkanmi Kolawole, Ayo Adenigba, Bunmi Adenigba, Rashida Jinadu, Dauda Jinadu, Taye and Kehinde Jinadu, Sunkanmi Buraimoh, 'Omoge' Peju Buraimoh, Mojeed Ayinde, Sheriff Ayinde,and many others I have no space for here.
But I also thank Miss O. Osa who jointly underwrote the printing costs of this book. Without her magnanimity, this book might not have seen the light of day now. Her kind gesture is a great morale booster for me to continue to write. May the good Lord encourage her and meet her at every point of her needs, in Jesus name, Amen.
To my bossom friend, Mr. Makaiva Tombri, I say, thank you for being there when you were most needed.
I wish to acknowledge the following people who have encouraged me to continue to develop my writing skills: Rev. Precious Omuku, Mr. Basil Omiyi, Joseph Oluokun, Mr. and Mrs. Lanre Fagbohun, Mr and Mrs. Sofowora. Mr. O.O. Albert, Tunji Mayaki, Isaiah Odeleye, Prof. Ogunkoya, Sina Luwoye.
In terms of developing my leadership skills, these people are my mentors: I appreciate my father, Pa Gabriel Omogboyega, my late mother Victoria Tomire Ilugbusi, Rev. Omuku, Chief Olufemi Adesanya, Henry Omenai, F. O. Aghahowa, Bisi Ojediran, Late Chief Hector Omooba, Abraham Lincoln, Lord Denning, Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Mrs. M.O. Ogun, Late Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Folarin Williams, Pastor Adejare Adeboye. They all share something in common: they live by example they quietly motivate their followers, they demystify leadership and add human face to it, they delegate and stand stoutly by their followers who are transparently honest to the very last. I am grateful to them for giving me good example to follow.
These good people also contributed positively to my life especially at the very points of need: Patrick Moses Ekanem, Dokun Adeyemo, Tina Igboin, W.B. Thomas, Isaiah Odeleye, Prof. Ogunkoya, J.M.C. Levitt, Dr. Uma Oke Eleazu, C. Okeke (now late), Tunji Olajide, Rasheed Adegbenro, Mrs. Layade, Mr. Fagbenro, Tola Olujobi, A. S. Odewumi, and my neighbour, M. Bello.
I hereby acknowledge with thanks the significant contributions of my father in the Lord, Pastor Adejare Adeboye through his balanced preachings, which effectively combined practicality with spiritualism. I also cherish and appreciate Pastors Bakare, Oyakhilome, Sam Adeyemi, Mike Murdock, Matthew Ashimolowo, Late Bimbo Odukoya (your sudden exit has created a vacuum which for Nigerian youths which no one else but you, Bimbo, can adequately fill!) Bishop Oyedepo, Bishop Lawrence Osagie, Rev. Dr. Chris E. Kwapkpovwe and a host of other men and women of God who are in the vanguard of the crusade against spiritual, intellectual and financial poverty in our society and the world at large.
My musical mentors cannot be left out in this acknowledgement: those who, through their moralistic and hope-sustaining music, brought immense succour to my achievements in life. Among them are King Sunny Ade, Chief Ebenezer Obey, King Femi Ariyo, Chief Elemure Ogunyemi, Onyeka Onwenu, Chief I.K. Dairo, Dele Ojo, Jim Reeves, Dr. Orlando Owoh, Ishola Adepoju, Late Ajoyemi, Comfort Omoge, Sola Allynson, Dunni Olanrewaju, Tosin (a.ka.Eyinju Olu) , Mrs. Fasoyin, Ayewah, Kunle Ajayi , young Paul Dairo and so on. .
To all other good people names I am unable to record in this book, I pray that whatever good things that they lay their hands upon will succeed resoundingly. Amen.
The Guardian Newspaper (and, Bridget, whom I have never physically met) seem, oftentimes, to have been the first publication and person to receive all my works for review. What a great job they have done exceedingly well to encourage me as an upcoming writer!. I am most grateful to them and to my friends who linked me up to the newspaper editors, Paul and Ebi of Pulsar Nigeria Limited.
I thank you all in advance, who will purchase this book and read it. I am certain it is going to be well with you as it is with me now. Amen.
Above all, I give glory to God Almighty who has a purpose to fulfill in His children and who spared me to complete this work successfully.
Foreword To
The First Edition
In its title, content and timing, “Better Tomorrow” is the book for all. The title, apart from being highly inspiring, is the silent and audible supplication of every heart, the world over.
An indepth and rich narrative, Better Tomorrow brings to limelight many of the often neglected transitory, yet gruelling, instructive and sharpening encounters that dot the path to success. To many, who have not yet bowed out of the endurance-race of life, it is a timely booster with a multi-war head: some would find it a soothing balm of immense therapeutic value, and a great tranquillising power.
Better Tomorrow is an account of universal value to everyone who is determined to reach the peak of his career pursuits, particularly on this part of the globe - people to whom truncated paths and hostile environments must become a familiar terrain.
The underlying truth and the emerging theme from this delectable book is simply that the You in you, walking and working with God, is all that you need to attain your God-ordained, success-mark, regardless of the environmental factors.
Approached with an open mind, Better Tomorrow has the potential to encourage, strengthen and stabilise most discerning minds, on the track to success.
The honour bestowed on me in writing this foreward, I also extend to you, as I wholeheartedly recommend this book to you.
PASTOR L. OSAGIE
Powerline Bible Church, Ijeshatedo, Lagos. (Sept. 1991)
Foreword To
The Second Edition
At 48, Yemi Omogboyega may not be ripe to tell his story: after all, they say life begins at 40. Traditionally too, people who write autobiographies, usually with lavish presentation ceremonies, are elderly people with more degrees of life's experiences than the thermometer.
Before I knew Yemi in the ever-busy corporate world, he had started writing this book. When he saw the writer in me, he bulldozed the writer's blocks in his way and continued writing at a faster pace, and some pages he had written long before our meeting were dusted up.
I provided him some mentoring and stayed back to watch him develop. He added to writing of inspirational books, and what I saw later was a cascade of publications. They were sprouting everywhere by the quarter or so.
Today as I write the foreword of Yemi's autobiography, I do so convinced that he is not being boastful about it, nor is he trying to send signals that he has arrived as a writer: it is never easy to be a good writer.
Yemi has a story to tell, and as he had often argued to convince me, he wants to give hope, send comforting words of encouragement to children, youths and adults alike, who are choking in deprivation and poverty.
Above all, in this book, Yemi, as he told me, is simply saying DO NOT GIVE UP. DO NOT GIVE UP, HAVE FAITH, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, BELIEVE IN GOD AND JUST WORK HARD.
Considering the level of general poverty in the countryside and the lack of social infrastructure like schools, hospital, etc., many people there are born into harsh environments that threaten to snuff out their lives or their inherited potentials. But Yemi says, please do not give up! That is the plea of a young man who himself suffered so much poverty. To break the cycle of poverty he, as a youth, had been involved in farming, hunting and other occupations to make a living.
Today, blessed with a fulfilled life, Yemi has tried to go back in time, peeling the layers of his early life and taking time to also explain the positive roles others have played in it.
The hand of God in Yemi's life is obvious. And what he has done here, I will simply describe as counting his blessings, or even praise-singing. It is a thanksgiving display of the Glory of God in his life. The Lord is Good!
The wealth of the book therefore goes beyond Yemi's achievements. It is a case of “see what God has done in my life.” The Yemi Omogboyega I know is a humble, God-fearing man. He is so open, you could read him like a book, as this book shows.
It is my pleasure to be associated in this way to a book of such profound significance. As I have long discovered, the combination of HUMILITY, HARDWORK and the FEAR OF GOD never fails.
Bisi Ojediran
Author, Playwright
“…he grew up in a rural community in Iyin-Ekiti in the household of Pa Ilugbusi who brought him up under the illusion that he was one of his biological children not knowing that when old age had made it impossible for him to fully discharge his conjugal responsibilities to his young and junior wife, the young lady had entered into a dalliance with a neighbour who was the biological father of his last child.” – Reuben Abati
“Better Tomorrow”,
A Book For All
At the time I joined Lovell Stewart Nig. Limited (a construction firm) 27 years ago (1978) as the Company Accountant, I had the good fortune of having Yemi Omogboyega as my Personal Secretary. I had preference for a male Secretary. With this choice, I was not disappointed.
Yemi was a very humble, hardworking, committed and efficient young man determined to make a success of any assignment given to him. He displayed good understanding and helpful attitude expected of a Secretary.
Within 12 months of our working together, Yemi had shown a high degree of integrity, willingness to learn and to advance his education.
On occasions I noticed he was studying after office hours obviously to better his lot in life of course, I observed also that he had potentials. It was therefore easy and natural to encourage such a person, which I tried to do in what I considered my little way.
As the saying goes, “Heaven helps those who help themselves”. He has challenged himself to reach higher heights and has remained focused.
I am therefore very proud of him for all his achievements to date, from a simple level of a personal secretary to become a highly responsible married man with good children, a senior executive in a multi-national company, a Lawyer, a Human Resource practitioner, a member of some notable professional bodies such as the NBA, NIM, a graduate member of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria and Author of many inspirational books on various subjects.
To cap it all, on the spiritual angle, I was glad to learn that Yemi and his wife were both ordained as Deacon/Deaconess during the 2005 Convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
No doubt by dint of hard work and God's grace, he has been able to achieve these much and he is still promising to make his life better and better just as he was doing when we first met over 27 years ago!
Another unique quality of Yemi is his selfless nature, which seems to have propelled him to want to positively influence anybody with whom he is in contact either physically or through his numerous books. He has demonstrated this practically by willingly releasing to humanity the first edition of his autobiography as early in life as when he was barely 30 years old in order to inspire/motivate them, especially the downtrodden. I read that book and I felt he had a message for humanity at large!
That he has decided to release the 2nd edition of the same book, which spans over his 48 years of sojourn upon the surface of this planet demonstrates again that he is selfless. The very rich, practical, educative and inspiring contents of “Better Tomorrow”, amply drives home this point.
I think one of the messages he is passing across is that if he can make it as he has done, with hope, hard work and faith in God, it means anyone who cares to read this and many other books authored by him is truly on the way to good success in life. His definition of success is not limited to career success alone but touches all facets of human endeavours. For this reason, I commend this book to everyone looking for solution to life's overwhelming problems in all facets of life.
To God be the Glory for great things He has done for him and his family. I wish him more successes in all his endeavors.
M. O. Ogun (Mrs)
9th September, 2005
Special Appreciation
I wish to express my special thanks to some people and organisations who did something special concerning the publication of this and my other books.
First on the list is Miss O. Osa who gave me N80,000 (eighty thousand naira) towards offsetting the printing costs of this book. Without her, it would have taken much longer for the book to come out. I am grateful indeed for this wonderful gesture.
I would also like to express profound gratitude to Emmanuel Ibitoye who co-sponsored the printing of my other book, “Family Budgeting A Must For Your Home” to the tune of N40,000 (forty thousand naira) which saw the book released to the market immediately I completed its writing. God bless you.
I want to equally recognise the encouragement given to me by Dr. Kehinde Ladipo who has committed to the purchase of a minimum of 10 copies of every book I have written and will write! This makes me feel that I am actually making necessary impact as a writer. I am most grateful to him for his continued patronage.
I sincerely appreciate the contributions of Pastor (Mrs.) Fabiyi, Mrs. Adesida, Bode Ajayi, Mary Omogboyega, and Olumide Omogboyega who took the pains to proof-read this book before its release to the market.
On the marketing front, I am very grateful to the following for their support:
CSS Bookshop, SPDC Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt, Tobi Adebowale, Tonia Bankole, Letty Chukwueke, Kemi Akinro, Olumide Omogboyega, Olumuyiwa Omogboyega, Seun Obolore, Chief Eddy Okpareke, Bode Ajayi, Bukky Olatunde, Bola Omoya (Mrs.), Mr. & Mrs. Saliu Buraimoh, Bimpe Aruna (Mrs.) Barr. Kehinde Ajayi, Mr. Ugwu and many more people names did not appear in this book.
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Introduction
Those who fail in life have many reasons for their failures.
They blame everyone else but themselves for their fate. They blame everything, spiritual and physical, for their failures. They attribute their misfortunes to poverty, polygamy, failing health, lack of help, sunshine, rainfall, gender, governments and so on.
Their complaints are very loud in the churches, at the market places, in the village square, on the mountain top and in the valley, on roof-tops, in all public places. They tell but hardly do. They come into the world, grow up and watch events around them passively. They die in the same state and are buried in that condition.
Whereas, those who succeed endeavour to conquer the world and leave it a better place than they had met it. Such is my vision, that is, what drives my passion. It should drive everybody's passion, whatever the circumstances of birth or social standing, state of the nation or our total environment.
It is therefore my mission to encourage those who, as it were, are at the bank of the river of life ready to take a dive; those in mid-sea determined to swim to the shore and those at the deep-end who should not despair because they can swim to safety. Indeed, at the end of every tunnel, there is always a light!
My attitude to life is to do what is necessary to get where God wants me to be. This is precisely what God has given me the grace to reveal to you in this book - how I made it. It is a case of revealing my life to you for the betterment of your own life.
Yemi Omogboyega (February, 2005
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Why You Must Read This Book
“…This is a book that will be found useful by all who are tempted to despair. It will inspire and motivate the young and reassure the general reader that tomorrow is indeed another land of possibilities….”
“…Omogboyega offers a lot that is enlightening about marriage, parenting, financial management how to overcome poverty and adversity, the spiritual life… and the challenges of publishing in Nigeria…”.
Reuben Abati Chairman Editorial Board of “The Guardian” (Nigeria) newspapers during the Launching of Yemi Omogboyega’s books at the Muson Centre on 29th June 2006.
Bisi Ojediran’s
Celebration of Excellence
Of all my Literary Mentors,
Bisi Ojediran is the one
With whom I have come in closest physical contact
He is the one that I see day-to-day
From whom I draw inspiration directly
Every time I write, I see him in my mind's eyes
When I am in literary distress, he injects life into me
He gave this book (Better Tomorrow)
Whatever professional touch it has
His spirit of excellence has infected my very being
Only one out of your numerous beautiful works
“The Governor's Wife” has appeared in stage of competition
That Work rightly ranked him amongst the best 25 Authors in Nigeria!
What if the others “The Survival of the Beautiful,
And her siblings were there too?
The beauty of that award is that
The award was made by a publishing house
Which is neutral to its publishing or its marketing
This confirms that a good work knows no boundary
I rejoice with him and wish him many more such celebrations of excellence!
Which will soon troop to his corridor.
“Readers of this book are bound to form opinions and attitudes about this central episode, but the larger point that is clearly established is Omogboyega’s Socratesian realization that “man must know himself.”
-Reuben Abati
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