Attaining Success in Life through Persistence and Hard Work
Author: Alegbeleye Sanmi
Reviewer: Babatunde Ayedoju
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Attaining Success in Life through Persistence and Hard Work is written by Alegbeleye Sanmi, a graduate of Guidance and Counseling from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.
Divided into 10 chapters spread across 124 pages, the book contains an outpouring of heartfelt admonition from the author, who believes that success in life is not an indigene or citizen of any particular society.
Each of the 10 chapters has a topic that summarises its message in a few words.
The book speaks volumes about the fact that anybody can be successful, and anybody can also be a failure, irrespective of location or background.
The book vehemently opposes the notion of destiny or predestination, as, right from the beginning of the first chapter, the author minces no words in declaring that everybody’s fate in life is determined by his or her convictions and decisions.
Titled “Your Life is in Your Hands,” the first chapter says that while everybody wants to survive and do their best to become better in life, what the mind accepts and believes ultimately determines what will become of the individual.
“Remember, your life is a work of art in progress. The brush is in your hand, and the canvas is waiting. What masterpiece will you create?” the author asks.
To show that success is indeed not the result of any other factor than decision, the author takes the reader on a quick journey through the lives of three icons in society — Femi Otedola, an entrepreneur and philanthropist; Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), and Mo Abudu (Mosunmola Abudu), the founder of EbonyLife TV.
According to the book, they all faced struggles but succeeded in overcoming them through rugged determination.
Themed “Get a Vision and Follow It,” the second chapter identifies two kinds of people: those who have a vision and those who do not. The book divides everybody into these two categories. It addresses the centrality of vision to an individual’s life and the long-lasting or lifelong impact it can have on various aspects of one’s existence.
The importance of companionship after discovering one’s vision is also highlighted. Likewise, the reader is charged to identify both factors that can aid vision and those that can hinder it — to tilt towards the former and avoid the latter.
The author buttresses this point using the lives of Aliko Dangote and David Adeleke (Davido), itemising their goals and the steps they took to attain those goals, including their humble beginnings.
Then comes chapter three, where Alegbeleye urges the reader to “Be Always Inspired by Your Vision.” How? He discusses six things that a clear vision will help the vision carrier to achieve, and five things that a vision carrier must be ready to do to stay inspired by the vision.
He also outlines four people who were inspired by their vision and what they were able to achieve — Professor Wole Soyinka, Barack Obama, Mojisola Abdul (the CEO of Mojec Nigeria Limited) and Chris Oyakhilome.
In chapter four, the author simply admonishes his reader to “Set Achievable Goals.” He states that setting achievable goals is a crucial step towards achieving success in any area of life. He also explains some characteristics of achievable goals and how to set them.
Then, in chapter five, he advises his audience to “Avoid Giving Excuses.” This chapter is premised on the danger of excuses to the person giving them, alongside the benefits of and strategies for avoiding excuses.
“Become Productive in a Field or a Skill” is the focus of the sixth chapter, where the author examines the connection between productivity and skill acquisition, and the necessity of these two things towards attaining success. He outlines eight attitudes that can help one become productive in any sphere of life.
To explain productivity, he cites the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, a pastor and businessman turned traditional ruler, and Wole Olanipekun, SAN, a seasoned lawyer.
Using the lives of Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Femi Falana, SAN, as examples, in chapter seven the author counsels his readers to “Be Disciplined.” He defines discipline as the bridge between goals and achievement. He also explains how to cultivate discipline and the rewards that come with it.
The next chapter dissects the paradox of “Ability in Disability,” with the author identifying four kinds of disabled people, adding that none of those disabilities is really a hindrance to success.
He also lists several individuals who had disabilities in life but still excelled — Louis Braille, the publisher and inventor of the Braille writing system for the blind; Francisco de Valdeso, Pierre Desloges, Laurent Clerc, and Julia Brace, inventors of sign language for the deaf; Stevie Wonder, Cobhams Asuquo, and Yinka Ayefele, musicians; Professor Ademola Johnson Ajuwon, a sociologist and health promotion expert; Nick Vujicic, an accountant, financial planner, and writer; and the author himself, Alegbeleye Sanmi, an educationist and politician.
Chapter nine, which is about the longest chapter in the book, is titled “Celebrating Our Leaders.” In line with the title, the chapter states, “This chapter seeks to educate readers with some important information to note on some of our major frontline leaders in the Nigerian government.
In this book, we celebrate our leaders who are alive and can be honoured with our celebration.”
In this chapter, the author gives the bio-data of 80 notable people across the country, which accounts for the length size of the chapter. Some are leaders at the national level, while others are at the state or grassroots level. Some are from Ondo State, while others are from other states.
Some of them include President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Femi Gbajabiamila (Chief of Staff to the President), George Akume (Secretary to the Government of the Federation), Senate President Godswill Akpabio, his deputy Jibrin Barau, Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, his deputy Benjamin Kalu, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy Olayide Adelami, former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, House of Assembly Speaker Olamide Oladiji, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Oba Olu Falae, Oba Frederick Akinruntan, Oba Sunday Amuseghan, Ade Adetimehin, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, Professor William Olu-Aderounmu, Gani Adams, Abayomi Akinruntan, and King Sunny Ade.
Others are Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Oba Kadiri Momoh, Oba Victor Kiladejo, Oba Yusuf Adebori Adeleye, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, Abiola Makinde, Adeniyi Adegbonmire, Jide Ipinshagba, Jimoh Ibrahim, Bode Olajumoke, Michael Ade-Ojo, Segun Omojuwa, Victor Olabimtan, Justice Bolarinde Fadoju, Ifedayo Abegunde, Professor Olugbenga Ige, Professor Adebisi Daramola, Ayodele Olawande and Adewole Adebayo.
The author ends the book with a clarion call in the 10th chapter titled “The Nigerian Economy: The Way Out of Hardship.”
He says, “Each individual and the government alike has a role to play in the collective success of the Nigerian economy, and the hope for the country should be rekindled by everyone, as the hardship will definitely pass with our hopes high and alive.”
He discusses the roles of both the government and the private sector in changing the economic narrative of Nigeria. He also cites Asian, European and South American countries that Nigeria can learn from, outlining how they have risen from grass to grace.
No doubt, this book is one that a reader will easily relate to. The language is not complex. At the same time, almost every point raised therein is buttressed using the lives of prominent people, as if the author is trying to insist that “this thing is possible.” Also, almost every prominent person whose life is used to illustrate a point is well known in the country and even beyond.
As a matter of fact, it is possible that the reader would have come in contact with the stories of these people before. This will further create a connection between the mind of the author and that of the reader.
Above all, it will bring the reader out of the cage of “maybe some people were destined to succeed why I was not” and leave him/her with a long-lasting impression that “if others could achieve it, I can also.”