Features
Fola Daniel Adelesi: Working for Posterity
From time to time I keep thinking about how we all are working. I marvel at how many of us are doing anything for posterity and not just for ourselves. I know some people will only say ‘all I can do is my best and if God wants me to have abundance that posterity can benefit from, then I’ll have it.’
That statement often sounds like the story of a young man in the book titled ‘Success through Positive Mental Attitude‘ by Napoleon Hill. The young man believed that it was the will of God for his family to be poor. He probably saw other families that were rich and wondered why they were not rich. I guess he thought about it for so long and the only answer he came up with is that God must have wanted it that way.
One day, he voiced that thought in front of his mother and his mother shut him down. Then she said, ‘it’s not God’s will for us to be poor. It is your father that has never desired to be rich.’ Armed with that statement, the boy went all out and eventually became very wealthy.
I had to start on that note because when you start talking about working for posterity, people will naturally talk to you about how hard things are and the economic situation of their country. They eventually leave their responsibilities in the hands of a God that has already given us the chance to make the most of our destiny.
Maybe like me, your parents may not have had it all, but they still did their best. That often propels me to think a lot about what my own children will go through and the kind of life they will have.
Let me be a little tough and say that the way some of us are living right now, we are already consuming the future of our children. You buy that extra car or the latest car that you don’t need yet to impress people at the expense of your children’s future. You could have invested it in a business that your children can take over when they come of age. There are employees whose cars can at least build a nice bungalow and start a good business. But they ate still driving that bungalow and business around on four wheels while they are still paying rent to someone else.
A few others don’t seem to live large but they are out of the country at every opportunity in the name of a vacation. In fact, someone ought to be vacating some things from your brain right now.
It’s very important that we deny ourselves and also taken some vital decisions not just for ourselves today but for our children. There are risks we must take for them and there are denials we have to go through for their sake just to have a better future. If we don’t do these things we will end up have a posterity that keeps cursing.
That also reminds of the story of a man who went to his child’s school on invitation from the school management. The child had failed woefully and there were other kids given awards. As man and his child were leaving the school hall, the father asked ‘are those ones not someone’s children? See how they collected prizes. Why can’t you be like them?’ The child waited till the got to the parking lot and answered, ‘father, are those ones too not someone’s parents? Why can you be like them?’
Let’s not live for today alone or eat up the prosperous future of our kids with our own through our lifestyles today. Live and also work for posterity.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime | Michael Zhang
Ify
October 23, 2014 at 8:24 am
what would life be about if we didn’t make it better for our loved ones? finding a balance is key, live life & enjoy, without losing sight of what’s important.
liflblog.WordPress.com
LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE.
miss pynk
October 23, 2014 at 8:30 am
Our grandparents worked for posterity, our parents generation – the IBBs and Abachas worked for themselves, our generation might be working for the moment not even ourselves at this going rate. Its no wonder we arent making much progress as a country.
roneyberry
October 23, 2014 at 9:06 am
Well said..
joy
October 23, 2014 at 9:08 am
Good job fola, may God be wit you.
Que
October 23, 2014 at 9:08 am
That pikin get mind o…. my mama for knock your head out of that car park!
As for posterity…. people will argue differently,.. but I believe we’re enabled, to enable others, period. As my parents have given me the best of everything, I hope n plan to do same, for others, not even just my kids…. we talking in my generation and the generation next! Amen.
deehay
October 23, 2014 at 10:08 am
NICE WRITE UP AND WAKE UP CALL.
Corper Shaun
October 23, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Life has this “give-back” theory, whatever demands you place on it, it gives back, no more no less. Whenever i see your articles on BN, i make out time to read through and thoroughly at that. Great job you’re doing here sir.
yemmy
October 23, 2014 at 12:23 pm
This is a very nice motivational write up, I so much believe in living for posterity. Thank you Fola Daniel for sharing your words of wisdom with Bellanaija readers
TADE
October 23, 2014 at 9:57 pm
Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ivie
October 24, 2014 at 1:11 am
Dear Nigerian Govt…this post is a *Must read* Well done Fola..lest we forget the reason why we are on earth!!!
Tumi
October 24, 2014 at 4:22 am
Fola,diariz God o. you decided to write this article just when i was admiring that 2015 range rover evoque.
Frances Okoro
October 25, 2014 at 11:26 am
Thank you for this sir.
We just might have to go through some self-denial for the future we want.
imperfectlyperfectlives.com
G
October 26, 2014 at 2:09 am
posterity… great write up….
well am thinking is this posterity? does this exist here in our generation.. the rate at which materialism is promoted is it worth it? The rate people get wealth to feed their whole family is the quest for posterity possible?
Selfishness is the order of the day nowadays.
Poverty mindset is the order of the day nowadays… either you are looked down, insulted for being humble… that’s what some parents go through and will not confide in you.. they are trying to get to the next level.
Once you help some1 even family members, siblings, children… I know a case of children who so disrespect one of their parent today…
Every one wants to be on top. power hungry, to look down on others… people are crying left and right that the mouth they helped is the same mouth and hand used to kill them.
You can desire to be rich, the obstacles some times are horrible, but with God you will make it. There’s hope…