I was thinking this morning.... It was the last day of 2024, and I decided to visit a couple of project sites at work to be sure all was going okay. I was referred to the stand-in engineer, Engr Sanni, at one of the sites since the chief engineer I was familiar with had gone on holiday. I sent for Engr Sanni to see me. When he arrived, I asked him how things were going.
He gave me a brief and assured me all was fine. I pointed out a few observations and turned to leave. 'Sir, you look and sound familiar,' Engr Sanni said and then asked, 'Please, what's your name?' When I told him my name, he smiled and said, 'I said it. You were my teacher many years ago at Bonny National Grammar School (BNGS) during your service year. When I first heard your voice, I suspected it was you. My name is Sanni'
I leaned in to scan his face again. Wow! It was truly Sanni, the boy from the North, whose father was a big trader in Bonny in 1991. The father had employed me to take his son extra mural studies and make sure he passed his WASC. Today, that same Sanni is an engineer.
Thirty-three years ago, I arrived on this island called Bonny, with nothing but dreams and energy to impact lives. I did my all to give the young and impressionable men at BNGS a shot at being successful in life. I hardly thought about what the future holds, but I knew that whatever I did then would speak sometime in the future.
Student Sanni becoming Engr Sanni is one of those stories. Arriving in 2025 is like arriving on a fresh island. Whatever you do today and for the rest of 2025 will leave footprints in the sand of time. The footprints will either be heading in the right direction or the wrong way. Wherever it leads can be traced to you. When those who crossed your path in the past hear your voice in the future, will they celebrate the reunion or avoid you?
Be intentional about what you do this year. The seeds you sow this year will become fruits in the years ahead. What fruit will it be? Ecclesiastes 11:1 - Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Stay hopeful. God's got our back.
Happy New Year!
......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey