Defying the impossible to make change possible!, By Oladele Ogunlana

…Ilo is clear-eyed about the price of this journey. “It comes at a worth, don’t child your self,” he warns. Those that step as much as demand higher will probably be harassed, threatened, and opposed at each flip. But, energy concedes nothing with no demand. “Nothing will change if you happen to don’t demand it,” he reminds us. The trail of change requires braveness and persistence, however it additionally calls for a deep perception in the potential for a greater tomorrow.

On Monday seventh of October, I had the privilege of attending the much-anticipated launch of “It’s imPossible”, the profound and deeply stirring work by Udo Jude Ilo. This ebook, with its title crossing out the “im” to disclose the phrases “It’s Doable,” captures the essence of resilience and unyielding hope within the face of adversity — an ideal metaphor for the journey of change, not simply in Nigeria however the world over.

The room buzzed with an power that mirrored the urgency and significance of the message Jude Ilo so eloquently conveys in his ebook. It was a message that resonated deeply, particularly for individuals who, regardless of numerous setbacks, stay resolute of their dedication to creating a distinction. As Ilo identified throughout his handle, “those that are devoted to destroying Nigeria haven’t given up… why ought to we hand over attempting to make it a greater place?”

These phrases pierced via the viewers, hitting a nerve that too typically goes unnoticed in our wrestle for progress. The reality is, there are forces working tirelessly to dismantle what is sweet and proper on this world. But, we should ask ourselves: if they’re relentless of their destruction, how rather more relentless ought to we be in constructing one thing higher? Giving up is solely not an choice.

Ilo reminds us of the complexity of the issues we face. He humbly admitted, “the nearer I get to the issue, the extra I turn out to be ignorant.” It’s a hanging realisation — that the extra we be taught, the extra we perceive simply how huge and deeply rooted our challenges are. However ignorance, on this sense, shouldn’t be a weak spot; it’s an invite to remain curious, to maintain asking the exhausting questions, and to by no means accept incomplete solutions. It’s a name to interact, to immerse ourselves within the work of transformation, understanding that readability solely comes via motion and energy.

One of the vital highly effective messages from Ilo is the connection between private progress and collective accountability. “The one method you are able to do something for your self is to do one thing for any person else.” On the coronary heart of true change lies the easy however profound act of caring for others. “You simply should care,” he says. “I’ve been a beneficiary of kindness.” It’s a reminder that change doesn’t solely come via grand gestures or sweeping reforms; generally, it’s sparked by the smallest acts of kindness, of seeing and serving these round us.

In a world that always seems like it’s drowning in despair, this ebook emerges as a beacon of hope. Ilo shares that the optimistic nature of “It’s imPossible” got here from a debate during which optimism received. And, certainly, optimism shouldn’t be a luxurious; it’s a necessity. “Hopelessness shouldn’t be a selection,” he asserts, underscoring his unflinching religion within the skill of individuals, particularly Nigerians, to create significant change. The ability to remodel is all the time inside attain, and alter occurs, no matter whether or not we select to get entangled or not. The one query is, how will our efforts form the route of that change?

However Ilo is clear-eyed about the price of this journey. “It comes at a worth, don’t child your self,” he warns. Those that step as much as demand higher will probably be harassed, threatened, and opposed at each flip. But, energy concedes nothing with no demand. “Nothing will change if you happen to don’t demand it,” he reminds us. The trail of change requires braveness and persistence, however it additionally calls for a deep perception in the potential for a greater tomorrow.

True change, as Ilo eloquently factors out, is rarely the work of 1 particular person. “One particular person can set off the method of change, however it can not occur with one particular person.” It requires a community, a solidarity that builds and sustains the momentum. Change is a tapestry, woven by many arms, every motion complementing the opposite. It’s this interconnectedness, this recognition that our particular person contributions are half of a bigger entire, that offers our efforts that means and weight.

As we face the various challenges forward, Ilo’s phrases are a stirring reminder of what’s at stake and what’s potential. In a world during which folks have misplaced the presence of thoughts to navigate the method of change, we’re known as to step up, to interact with the method, to demand extra. Change, he says, is set by what we put into it. If we wish to see a greater world, a greater Nigeria, we should first imagine that it’s potential — after which work, relentlessly, to make it so.

And maybe probably the most highly effective takeaway from this occasion, and from Ilo’s ebook, is that this: “I need folks to know that I used to be right here.” These phrases are a name to motion for every of us. They problem us to go away our mark, to make our presence felt, to be counted amongst those that didn’t sit idly by however who selected to care, to offer, to imagine, and to behave.

In the long run, it’s not about whether or not change will occur — it all the time does. It’s about how we select to be a part of that change, how we present up, and what legacy we depart behind.

Let’s not overlook: IT IS POSSIBLE!!! #MayNigeriaSucceed.

Oladele Ogunlana is an expert with a powerful ardour for nation-building and growth.