I am not the type to sing the praises of men because they are not God. I am however the type to sing their praise and honor them when I notice them on the path of sincere and honest living. Today is my wedding anniversary and I have chosen to honor some one whose life and light I have observed from a distance- Alibaba. I have chosen to point my search light on this great being, his human weaknesses notwithstanding.
The idea behind this brief piece is not to present to you a perfect man, but to present to you a REAL MAN. My idea is to use the life of this man in pointing out some truth and at the same time, do my best to honor him. The truth is, Alibaba like other human beings is not perfect. I believe that you don't have to be perfect in order to be active. Keep being active and the rest is that of your God to inspire and direct.
The Man Alibaba means different things to different people. To describe him, one can say Ali is a husband,a father, a comedian in a class all by himself,a blogger,a businessman,a motivator,a mentor, an on air personality etc . The life of this innocent giant of our time if looked into critically and evaluated can inspire the most de motivated being on earth. This is why I have decided to use this piece to point out a few lessons from his life to inspire the younger generation and to equally challenge Nigeria's politicians of today. We live in a selfish rather than selfless generation.
Ali, started comedy when no one believed in it. In truth, at the time he started many laughed at him. Only a senseless man would want to take up comedy at that time. Others enjoyed his jokes but never believed this was ever going to put bread on his table. Today, not only has it put bread on his table, it has added butter like good cars, houses and great investment to his life. Today, he can stand tall and say 'I thank God for giving me the grace to believe in my self'. He dared to stand when many ran away. He stood his ground in the face of daily challenges at that time. Many in his day did not believe in him. Am sure Many even called him a joker. Many even laughed and wondered at the name Alibaba Saying what kind of name was that. He was resilient In the face of trouble. He was determined to make a statement. Today, that name Alibaba is a household name and his contribution has earned him a national honor. An honor he may never have smelled in his life time. A man can only make a difference if he is willing to dare.
In today's Nigeria and in Africa as a whole, it is important to point many the life of this man. We must make a statement here, your being a graduate is not what guarantees your success even though going to school may be very important. Gone are the days in Nigeria when your being a graduate almost automatically means a big job, a car, housing allowance ,traveling allowance etc. Today, graduates are begging for a job of seventy thousand naira a month. A take home pay that may never really take them home. Nigeria economy is bad. The economy does not seem to have any focus. The truth it, it has no youth in its plan. Many seat at home, look at their certificate and blame the world for why they are jobless. I feel their pain but they cannot continue to blame it on the world while in the same world things are happening for many. They have being blaming the world for more than two, three, four or even five years now, yet they have not done any thing to change their situation. All they do is borrow money to buy tuesday guardian. Borrow money to go to the cafe to send cv online. Many have failed to look in wards. They fail to understand that Some times, all that life may be telling you is lift a finger 'for all I want is your humble beginning... Do that and I will make you big.' But no! We want the white collar job. What trips us the most in Nigeria which of course has become our greatest is the quest for white collar job. Our joy is in; I am a banker, I work with mobil ( this one is good o lol), I work with a telecoms company etc yet many who work in some of this places are merely suffering and smiling except for mobil amongst the listed am sure. I know some one who works in one of this places, he has worked for five years yet no salary increment. But when the world see him, they will shout 'big boy' and he will feel cool with himself. Let us not despise the days of humble and little beginning like Alibaba did. He is one Nigerian whose wealth you can truly claim is genuine. Some people have landed big offers from doing some thing little. Some have become big by starting some thing little. Some own pure water production factories from selling retail pure water. The story is endless. The point to make is simple, find that courage. Dare where others faint. Explore where others overlook. Begin small and grow big. Look from down up so that you can stay up. Make your mark and be a pioneer in your generation. The world is not waiting for the man who eats complain as breakfast, lunch and dinner and blame others for his pain. If you want inspiration, look at the life of Alibaba you will find one.
I honor Alibaba for believing in original comedy. Because you stood your ground and believed in yourself, many who ordinarily would have become armed robbers are today making it in comedy and many are coming up. I say this because if you look at the faces of many of our comedians, you can guess what they would have become if comedy had not come their way. The faces of some of them can make you beg even without them pointing a gun at you. Thank you to comedy for changing their lives and channeling a new course in their lives. Ali, God made it happen but you were the channel.
The second important point I want to bring forth from the life of Alibaba is that, aside from being a pioneer who challenged his time, he is an epitome of humility. At some point in the course of our discussion my friend, a comedian friend told me that if you call Alibaba on the phone and invite him to support whatever you are doing, if he is chanced, he will show up. This my friend, an upcoming comedian got married and Ali was there even before other upcoming comedians showed up. According to my friend, Ali will encourage you even when other top comedians ignore you just so that you can succeed.
In todays Nigeria, how many top comedians, businessmen or politicians want you to succeed? Even your uncles and aunts, when they make it in life or are in government they will make them selves look like God. Even God is reachable. For them, You cannot talk to them on the phone let alone see them. Each time you call, they are always busy. In truth, many of them are only busy stealing Nigeria's money and mis managing it. Perhaps At the time you called, they were on top of a young girl in their hotel room or guest house. That is all some of them are ever busy doing. They forget that they are in office to serve and be available to those that they serve. For the businessmen, they believe their wealth is because they are smart and inteligent. They forget that God is the source of wealth. Except of course they got it through ritual or 419. If Ali had made himself unreachable to many, may be many of those we enjoy as comedians today even in our events may have fallen by the way side. Again I say, thank you Alibaba for always being there.
The third aspect of his life which I want to point out is his investment spirit. If this Man was not wise, he would have turned out broke like many ex Nigeria footballers or sport men and women or like Bankers who lost their jobs but were broke at the time they did. Opportunity was open for Alibaba to spend his entire earning from comedy on club life, womanizing, fake life etc. Though he may have done some of those things (ofcourse he is human) . Yet he was and is still wise. My friend told me that Alibaba's investments are fruitful investments.
I want to use the above to challenge today's younger generation to avoid living fake lives. I see so many fake lives around me. I see a man who is still a tenant with no personal house of his own or land any where in lagos driving a car of 8 million. What do you call that? Yet such a man does nothing but club, spend, collect bank loan and do nothing good with it. So many fake lives. Your family is managing in a face me I slap you house and yet you live in school like your father is the oba of Nigeria. Such people will come out of school and live reckless life without plan.
What does the above say? Look beyond the present. Project from the now to the not now that is contemporary message to challenge any one with. The cars of today are better than the cars of years back and that of the future will be better than that of today. The truth is, change is constant. That which you have in your hand now may not always be there but if you spread the seed into many soil, even if some die, you will be able to look at others and say thank you Jesus. Such is the life which has become the fruit of this living example.
Alibaba, thank you for your spirit of investment. Many have become employed because of you. When I see a living Legend I know one. Legend for me are those who have been able to challenge and impact the life of many by what they do. Tell me if Alibaba is not one. At least we know the source of his wealth. Not like many.
Alibaba, I salute your courage, doggedness and resilience. You remain a living example to my generation.
A word they say is enough for the wise. I have said my own, I will let you take it from here.
