INSPIRATIONAL SHOT- Stanley: From Heathrow To Murtala, Yet He Did Not See It Coming

It was a very hot Sunday afternoon and one of those rare occasions that I had the opportunity to speak with people on how they handled adversity. Stanley seemed lively when I met him with a half-filled bottle of Heineken sitting on a table that was positioned between his legs. He said, “My parents died before I was fifteen. Actually, my father was lost to a chronic lung disease while my mother joined him two years later, after battling with cancer for 6 years. For these reasons, growing up was tough. My only sibling, my elder sister, was moved along with me from one relative to another for sustenance. Don't they say that rolling stones gather no moss? In our case, we did gather some moss; there were mental and psychological scars from the challenges we faced with some of the families who treated us harshly because our parents were no longer there to protect us. To say that life was menacing to us would be the greatest understatement of the century. I keep wondering to date why people neglect growing kids when their parents die. These were the same people who spoilt us with gifts when our parents were alive. But then, not even a single one of them was ready to care for us without reservations(much less train us through college). As luck would have it, I met a travel agent who after listening to my story agreed to help me travel to Europe. The arrangement was to help me get to the UK and then pay back by installments. The documents were signed by my only sister and me.”

Stanley continued, “My trip to the UK was a success but things got worse over there. The arrangement we had was for me to spend some time with one Mr Kunle that was introduced to me by the agent. Mr Kunle was nice on my arrival but it was only for the first week. Things changed when he started getting jobs for me. He would push me through hard labour but at the end, he would collect the money and release only about 5% to me. This infuriated me but I was advised by someone not to confront him or else they would stab me in the back by reporting me to the authorities. Surviving abroad without documents is the toughest way to survive on planet earth. People will blatantly cheat you and drag you through hell because they know you can’t run to the police nor any authority for help. There was a day I sat and cried my eyes out; I went to do a job with Mr Kunle but he went behind me and collected the whole £520. Feeding was so difficult for me that very week. I was so enraged that I confronted Mr Kunle to refund my share of the money. The following week, I was arrested on the train on my way back from work. Deportation followed and within a few days, I found myself back in Nigeria.”

Stanley beckoned on the waiter to come and clear the empty bottle on the table. Stanley doesn't drink much- he would have had a bottle or two at that point. “The moment I walked down from the plane, the hot wind hit me on the face. I smiled, because at that moment, I realized I missed the freedom I enjoyed in Nigeria; at least, nobody would demand for my documents on the streets. My sister was waiting for me when I arrived home. She embraced me and we cried together while holding each other in a tight grip. While waiting for deportation in the UK, I resolved that I must hit the ground running immediately when I returned to Nigeria. I told myself that I must exorcise myself of all blames and regrets. I didn't want to blame Mr kunle nor anyone for my woes. I knew if I must move forward, that I must take responsibility for my problems. After a few days, I sat down with my sister to ascertain how much money I remitted to her for my savings within the few months that I spent in the UK. We arrived at over a million Naira(about $2800). We travelled to Nnewi the next day and got the tricycle popularly known as Keke so that I could use it for a commercial purpose. The Keke arrived home the next day because we had to put some other things in order. My elder sister sat me down and told me that the worst that could ever happen to me was to lead a plan-less life. So, the two of us sat down and drew a five-year plan. The idea was to buy three more tricycles within the next five years. The next phase was to design a blueprint.”

In closing, he said, “The next thing I did was to sit with my sister and structure my goals by breaking my vision into measurable steps. Since it took us N420,000 ($1,100) to get my tricycle, we drew a budget on how to raise money for another within the following eighteen months. However, considering inflation and related factors, we set the budget for N600,000 ($1,580) per tricycle. This gave us a budget of N33,000($87) per month and about N1,000(about $3) per day. I set up an account where N1,000 must be deposited every day. On Mondays, I made the deposit to accommodate Saturday and Sunday. The next thing that I did was to cut an image of Keke and pasted it in my room where my sight could reach it every morning as I knelt to pray. The idea was to remind me every time that I wanted to stray that I had a dedicated project to execute. It worked for me because it continued to beat me into my set goals. To summarize my story, I was able to achieve Six tricycles within the five years stipulated in the plan. We exceeded our expectations because we cut the same budget for every tricycle that we bought. I went off the road to create enough time to manage the fleet of Keke as it grew. I set a ten-year plan which was to have five commercial buses on the road within the specified timeline. My sister and I put up a roadmap for this. She has been of immense help. I will be getting married soon and I hope to integrate my wife into the ten-year roadmap.”

REFLECTION
This discussion happened two years ago. In between, Stanley got married and the marriage has been blessed with a baby boy. It took them two years to achieve the first commercial bus which is already on the road. I learnt that the second one is almost settled. The Tricycle(Keke) has increased to ten and he has added two shuttle buses. He is surely living the good life.

You see, every day we are hit with challenges. But the people who emerge stronger are those that wake up the next day and respond positively. I know a couple of people who got to Nigeria and killed their dreams because they got deported from abroad. They saw this as the end of the road for them and they ended up rightly so. Every shortcoming, in whatever shape, presents an opportunity for equivalent or better benefit. That day that Stanley alighted from the plane, he probably did not see the progress that he had made coming. Thanks to his sister who helped in saving his money and steering him to the path of success.

Know it today that adversity and hard times do not help you develop strength overnight; rather they reveal the strength inherent in you. At birth, everything you need to prosper was deposited in you. So, you have got what it takes. No matter what challenge life has put you through, brace up yourself and confront it squarely. You will be amazed at how many life-changing opportunities you might stumble on.

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