The President of Arts and Social Sciences Students’ Association (ASSESA), Mr. Adio Victor, in an interview with Assesa Press, on Thursday 31st October, 2019, affirmed that Assesaites would gain a lot in the excursion to Oba Elegushi’s Palace tagged “ Royal Cruise”. He also said that asides from gallivanting, Assesaites would also experience an intellectual discussion with Chief Nike Okundaye on “Creative Thinking and Improvisation.”“Prof. Nike secure to administer out gifts to students who answer excellently within (sic) the questions and answers question,” he stated.
Mr. Adio further added the visit to Oba Elegushi’s Palace is both a courtesy and an academic visit, as Oba Elegushi himself would enlighten Assesaites on the topic themed “Impact of Nigeria Education and Its Curriculum on Culture.”
While
addressing the issue of security pertaining to the excursion, he said that the
executives have gone through necessary authorities to guarantee maximum
security. In his words, “we have
management insurance package for everyone following us.” “We also partner with
Peninsula security and they are assuring us of safety.” “Also, we are sure of
maximum security as far as the excursion is concerned.”
When quizzed on the recent cancellation of after-exam events in the university and how it may affect the excursion, Mr. Adio remained hopeful that such would not be the case with Assesa’s excursion as the executive have sealed their dealings with the university’s regulations. “Infact, we will be going with a staff and by the University bus.” “The aim of this excursion is not to assault or molest anyone’s right, it is rather designed to learn beyond the environment.” “Let’s go to Lagos and see beyond Cocoa house,” he explained.
Speaking
on the high price of the excursion fee, the President said that there are considerations
in relation to the fee, but the executives have to make provisions as regards
the cost of living on island. “The #9000
will cover transportation, feeding, accommodation, party, beach entrance
(Elegushi is a private beach), and Nike Art gallery entrance fees,” he
stated.
He,
however, concluded by saying that the executives hope that a minimum of fifty Assesaites
would turn up for the excursion as Assesaites are showing interest already,
including non-Assesaites.
There is an explanation to tender
when the eyes begin to speak. It’s awkward when an aged man tries to showcase
his virility with valour at that fragile stage of his life, so also is it a
state of fatuity for a man to sit down to wish and does nothing to make it
happen. It’s been said that sitting down and wishing makes NO MAN great. That
remains a forever and an enduring fact!
We are in a dispensation where a man is
commended when he breaks a ground. Likewise, when he yields to sloth, many
bodies by-pass him and they rise to do much more beyond expectations. This is a
world full of them, you and me. The English
Dictionary defines procrastination as, “the act of postponing,
delaying or putting off, especially out of habitual carelessness or
laziness”. Many are suffering from this. While many are not aware, it has
formed the existence of others. To hit the nail in its head is to say that the
nonsensicality of such a habit marks that very man of such character and habit
a time waster, knowingly or unknowingly. There is a saying by Charles Dickens
which says “My advice is to never do tomorrow what you can do today.
Procrastination is the thief of time”. Dickens calls it a thief of time.
And that’s it!
However, it is pertinent for us not to mingle
confusion with procrastination. They are two different concepts. In a state of
confusion, the subject doesn’t know what do, he is at a crossroads but
procrastination is borne out of laziness, setting a time in the future for
something that could be done now. Good stories always have their challenging
contents because nothing good comes on one’s palms easily. You get virtually
every good thing by fighting for it. You don’t remain dormant and commanding.
Those who have been up and doing can have the board being swept by their toils.
Great men are being celebrated from antiquity till infinity!
Knowing that procrastination is nothing
good if one wants to be successful, it is also important to know few factors
that are responsible for procrastination.
One is fear of failure. One who fears to make
mistakes ends up being a slave under fear. He is ruled by it consciously and
unconsciously. Making attempt is not a crime, but nobody wants to make mistakes
often and often. But he who gets off the couch to do something is better than
the one who fears the outcomes of actions. Fear has no worthwhile benefits
worthy of veneration. Fear will only contribute to such a person’s stagnancy
and before he/she knows it, time, opportunities will have passed. Begin with
something and be confident in it. When you fall, you rise again. At least, from
the mistakes made, you come up being a better person and you are more
confident.
Another lethal cause is Excessive
Perfectionism. You feel you can only do something when you are fully persuaded
that you can do it. Or you make attempts when you know the outcome will be what
you are expecting. A problem arises when you begin to think you can only do
what you know you can do best. Do not limit your abilities. This also could be
exhibited as a result of fear. Fear of “what if, what if I failed, what if
nothing came out of it, what if I became a laughing stock” and all of
that.. No!!! A positive mindset is deliberately and constructively built. This
causes such a person to run away from works that are tasking. Come out of it.
Perfect what has not been perfected outside your mini world. Take actions; be
submissive, smart and wise. Learn the lessons, get encouraged. Mingle with the
people who have the same mindset as you, and having the same vision. This
really works. At times, what we need is a helping hand or a team.
There is also Low Energy
Levels. This is caused by so many things. For some people, it could be due to
genetics, which can be treated with immediate medical attentions and check-ups.
Another causing factor could be a disordered schedule. Man must know what his
body wants and how to live each day as he ought to. This is common to people
with relatively unhealthy lifestyles. Check and scrutinize your daily
activities e.g. sleeping could be abnormal if it takes a lot of time. All these
and many more are core factors causing low level of energy in individuals. If
it’s now beyond one’s personal control, it is better he goes for a
comprehensive medical consult.
Lastly, there is the Lack of
Focus. Lack of focus brings about prevarication. No vision, no focus, no
direction, no certain destination. All these amount to confusion. To get rid of
procrastination, a target should be in view. And deliberate actions must be
taken too. A man with no vision keeps wandering and he keeps procrastinating.
Focus births results can be pleasant or unpleasant. But at least, you know why
what happened occurred. Hit at it, again and again and again.
It is better the problem is nipped in the bud
before one falls between a rock and a hard place. Set for yourselves
inspirational yet attainable goals. Set them. Goals get you directed and
focused. But they mustn’t be too high in order to avoid unwarranted falls. Know
what you want and go for it, ignoring the side-talks and distractions.
I end this with a quote by Charles R.
Swindoll, which says “The habit of always putting off an experience until you
can afford it, or until the time is right, or until you know how to do it is
one of the greatest burglars of joy. Be deliberate, but once you’ve made up
your mind– jump I”. It’s just because a year from now, you may wish you had
started today. Start something now!
Time
is one of the greatest phenomena in life, if not the greatest. As time ticks,
it creates a sort of consciousness for humans on pertinent things that should
be done. Or didn’t an old adage say “time waits for no one?” Time is very
essential and when used appropriately becomes a valuable asset. One who does
not heed to time wastes it and discard its warning—and the result, detrimental!
Time does not respect anyone; it is allocated to everyone. However, what
matters most is how one’s time is judiciously used.
One
important lesson to learn in life is the ability to manage one’s time appropriately;
because if one fails to manage one’s time, one will be enslaved by another who
has managed his time efficiently. A popular adage says, “A stitch in time saves
nine”; this demystifies that whatever has to be done must be attended to
immediately without any sluggishness, because time operates on a progressive
train. And an unnecessary wastage of time could be costly. One major problem in
life is the inability of people to manage their time appropriately; most people
have great plans in life but for the lack of time management, their visions
forever remain illusion.
Procrastination
is a killer of a great future and it should be fought in every possible way
because it is more poisonous than a snake’s venom. It is very common among
individuals to prolong things that are meant to be done immediately because of
the belief that there is still enough time for that particular task to be carried
out. This however creates a wrong impression on individuals who procrastinate,
and before such realize what is going on, the time is wasted.
In
life, everyone should be able to use one’s time efficiently; whatever it is
that should be done at certain moment, should be done! Time management is one
of the greatest efforts ever. In academia, most students fail not because they
are not brilliant but in their inability to manage their time which affect
setting their priorities. Students who procrastinate in their academic studies
are most likely to lose life-long opportunities in their career choices.
Furthermore,
over-confidence is great killer of intellectual acumen. When individuals know that
they have the ability to do something easily, they tend to relax and believe
they can do it within a short period of time and in the process, they realize
that the time is far spent and they are unable to achieve their aims on such
tasks. Overconfidence does not only affect students in academics but in all
aspects of human endeavors. A person who out of over-confidence disregards time
will achieve nothing but failure in life.
For
one to be successful in life, one should be able to learn how to manage one’s
time effectively so as to achieve the best. Goal setting is the first thing to
do in time management, every individual should be able to set a particular goal
for himself and that goal should be achieved within the time span allocated for
it.
Time
planning is very important in life. Effective time management determines one’s
success in life. One should plan oneself for ahead of time so as to be able to
get a positive result. A goal that is set without proper time planning will
account for nothing.
Working
towards achieving one’s aim is paramount on the road to success. It is very
important for one to work hard so as to achieve desired purpose in life.
Finally, prayer is the key to every success
story in life. One needs to be prayerful along with effective time management
so as to achieve a good success story in life.
“We live in a culture where we’re bombarded
with so much noise and so much insecurity.”-Lisa Ling
Peace is germane and sacrosanct in human society.
Where there is peace of mind, everyone will live in oneness, togetherness and
development will be possible. In a terrestrial habitat where the inhabitants
cannot sleep with their eyes fully closed, then there is problem. And when it
gets to the point that the rich can’t afford efficient security, things have
fallen apart and unfortunately, the centre (government) cannot hold.
The topic of insecurity in Nigeria has been a
popular discussion; it has become a thing of mind troubling the citizens. Kidnappers
have taken over the expressways and armed robbers have been a pain in the head
to innocent citizens who toil so hard to survive but when they are to reap the
fruits of their hard labour, they are been robbed of it.
The activities of Bokoharam; a terrorist group in
the North Eastern part of the country, has made many homeless, jobless;
children have become orphans and as a result of that, their future have been
negatively influenced. Many have to move to the Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp
(IDPs) where they have to struggle for livelihood. The terrorist did not only
destroy lives and properties but as well abducted innocent secondary schools
students. In April 2014, 276 female students were abducted from a secondary
school in Chibok a town in Borno, which till date, they have not been released.
As the country wrestle Bokoharam, another security
threat is the Fulani herdsmen who have made many farmers poorer and their
farmlands desolate. They are reported to be guiding their cattle with
sophisticated guns which they also use to assail those who accost them. They
have migrated from the North to the South part of the country and they have
been a threat to the citizens. Hardworking farmers plant crops but the herdsmen
made their harvest fruitless.
What is trending is the issue of kidnapping and arm
robbery by those who are identified to be “Fulani speaking gang”; they have
flooded the expressways and launched attack against travelers. Many have lost
their lives and lost their goods and belongings as a result of the obnoxious
attacks.
If the government fails to give the citizens quality
education, and good healthcare centres and
infrastructural facilities are not forth coming, at least they should protect the
masses’ lives as well as the belongings they laboured for. It is the duty of
the government to protect its citizens but when it fails to do the needful, the
citizens find the possible opportunity to leave the country. The parasite
called insecurity needs to be eradicated before the host can be at peace and
prosperity. The security personnel should double their efforts and do what they
are employed to do—protecting the citizens!
VinDiesel, an American actor once said that, “It’s
insecurity that is always chasing you and standing in the way of your dreams”.
When insecurity chases us, where can the masses go? A society where there is insecurity
is prone to aggressive attack from insurgents and these incessant attacks can tear
the country apart.
If I were to be blinded by the euphoric level of my heart, I would have just begun with appreciation messages to worthy individuals that have brought about this feat. But that, for a start, may be a foul play, readers reading this content should have the privilege to gain pertinent information other than reading appreciation messages. Then what is the content all about? Do not dismay, for here it goes!
To be candid, I have had the intention of creating an online residence for Assesa press (better still website), but I had thought there might be a prohibition restricting a departmental press like Assesa press having a website. This had greatly baffled me. In a conversation with Mr. Kunle who is a member of the same press organization, he had suggested the same website thought I had with me. Opinions have become twain and strong enough to fast track the development. Amidst procrastination, challenges, bureaucracy, Assesa press website has officially been launched! Words cannot indeed appreciate everyone who has in one way or the other contributed to this achievement. To all members of Assesa press: Fatimah, Nadrah, Sade, KSC and Betterdays, I am grateful to you all!
I hope it will not be a
cliché to say that’ life is full of challenges’. Bringing up this website will
challenge members to write more and be better. Operating both the offline and
online forum of a press organization is no small feat, It does require
commitment, doggedness etc all along. My mandate has been taking Assesa press
to the next level. This, however, is not a one-man business; it takes absolute
commitment from members, commitment that will take the press organization to a
step higher. I therefore crave for members support to ensure this. This
achievement to some may not call for this wordy address; well, I have not
written this address to showcase my writing skills. It is just a proper way to
begin.
Messages of thanks
cannot be too much, I once again thank all members of Assesa press and other
individuals (too numerous but worthy of mention) for this reality. I hope the
sky remains bright. I hope this achievable feat opens more doors for successes
and greatness. May our pens continue to write ‘nothing but the truth’
ASSESA PRESS ORGANIZATION 