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Two things to learn from the Ben Bruce loan saga

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Two things to learn from the Ben Bruce loan saga

By Immanuel James Ibe-Anyanwu…Two things to learn from the Ben Bruce loan saga: One is that motivational oratory is often half the truth. You’d think that brilliant, eloquent Ben would know his way around his own shit. Business isn’t always the sum of power-point slides and figures, nor will life always fit into a graph. And there’s no absolute formula to success. Reason I plug my ears whenever most inspirational speakers get started. They think it’s all about pleasant alliterations, religious verses, and what John Maxwell said about leadership. They know nothing, Jon Snows.

 

Second lesson is that Nigeria is filled with bitter people who want to sweeten their pain with the misery of others. I used to think all those whines about haters and enemies were exaggerated. We celebrate downfalls here: celebrity divorces, political enemies falling sick, etc. Even people who can’t be allowed to borrow N1,000 from their village meetings were throwing flaks at Ben. You have to add value to be loaned N11 billion people!

 

Meanwhile, an aside for the average person: don’t always throw around stories of your success. Succeed quietly. Be your own validation. If you work for your comfort, you’ll acquire exactly the things you need–and you don’t owe anyone stuff; if you work for ostentation, you’re working for others and will go out of your way to please them, even against yourself. If you’re happy only when pictures of your flashy cars and cribs are all over the internet, you’re battling an inner sadness still. Think you’re inspiring others by flaunting? You’re inspiring your own misery. Look at Linda Ikeji. I hear she’s to pay N75 million for talking too much. Folks are happy she’s in pain.

 

Still Ben is great, smart. He has converted his pain to value, such that in two days, his brand has earned more respect by his bouncing back, never mind he is not yet out of the woods. Even his followership has improved. I’m a small businessman but I understand how things can mess you up around here. I find inspiration in dudes like Ben whose heads are held high up in spite of shit. I’d choose a man who is credit-worthy to borrow N11 billion over another who doesn’t owe but adds no value. Maybe because I’m capitalist–ethically so though. Maybe because when I see men who’ll amount to something, I know.

 

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  1. sab

    June 26, 2016 at 6:51 am

    Clear road with this your sponsored write up
    Let’s call a spade a spade
    His part if those who refused to service there loan at the detriment of the suffering Nigerian who save there hard earn money with union bank all in the name Naija big man borrow money no fit pay, if your guy Mr common sense become president him go use nigeria borrow money and na so dem for come seize Naija too….his a fraud let him pay back.

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