What we define greatness to be in Africa, especially Nigeria
hits me like a joke at times. Some would refer to someone rich as a great man.
Growing up in the rural part of Lagos, I went through a whole lot from the so
called great men of that time. From a distance, you will see someone worth
taking as a mentor, someone to look up to, an attitude to behold generally
anything your mind can withhold at that point in time.
It is so sad that most of the time our assumptions about
these so called œGreat Individuals are not true. For me, greatness is not just
about having a little cash and intimidating everyone around you with it or
eating a three square meal. The whites; God bless them; have been able to
define this in a much clearer way to us so we can learn from their humble acts.
Let's take into isolation the case of the greatest man that ever lived, Jesus
Christ. Personally, I think what he did majorly was trying to educate us on
what true greatness should be. I'm very sure at some point during his lifetime;
he would have sat to think about how we are all doing everything wrong. I adore
him a lot to the point that I don't see any other person as a worthy mentor.
Those I grew up to meet were all a terrible disaster. I took
years upon years searching for the right mentor to behold and in all my years
of futile search and struggle, I discovered greatness is not in what you have
but what you do. Greatness is not what you say but what they say about you. A
wise man once told me that when an ordinary man makes a mistake, he defends
himself but when a great man makes a mistake, people defend him. I'm taking
this time to let you know that greatness is not stumbled upon but planned.
Before the birth of our savior Jesus Christ, there was a plan on how he was
going to execute every one of his deeds. For him it was all about his works and
not mere words like the men we have today.
I envy so much those that have taken to this trend, I
sincerely pray and hope that the greatness in the greatest one to have ever
lived will endow each and every one of you out there to the peak of your
greatness. I look forward to meeting more great men in Nigeria even though the
chances are slim. A great man would not do something just because others are
doing it; he does it because it is the right thing to do. I personally don't
tag greatness to a person but his works just as his works will only speak of
him so please if you are reading this; learn as much as you can in your pursuit
of greatness. Thanks for reading and thank you for your time.
Author: Anthony Morha.
