MY GETHSEMANE SPEECH

First of all, I want to thank the organizers of this program for giving me this fantastic opportunity to talk about my book, my vision and my passion. By the way, how many of us watch Premier League? How many of you are Gunners? We need to check your pockets to be sure you don’t have a gun in your pockets. Okay, how many of you are Red Devils? I was going to say we need deliverance ministers. Let’s go back to our topic – Invest Your Youthful Years. I recently published a book titled “Invest Your Youthful Years”. This book is a fulfilment of a four-year dream. This book began as a burden in my heart in 2005. I was in my final year at the University of Lagos. I observed that so many youths are roving about, moving about without a sense of direction, without a sense of responsibility for their lives. I had a soul-stirring message that I wanted to pass across to the youths. Since then, I have been working at bringing out this book and am glad that it is finally out. Invest Your Youthful Years is a motivational book that will challenge you to utilize this youthful period of your life to maximize your potentials and become a leader with the capacity to introduce positive changes into our society. My vision is to see this book in the hands of every Nigerian youth who is literate enough to read and understand. I am currently on the look out for corporate bodies and individuals who can sponsor thousands of copies of the book for free distribution to youths in Lagos, then to the remaining 35 states of the federation.
I am one of the most successful preachers in the world. My church has a presence in 110 countries. Here in Nigeria, my church has 14, 000 parishes with about 5 million members. My church has 360 countries in Great Britain and about the same number in US cities, such as Dallas, Chicago. I started off as a Mathematics lecturer at the University of Lagos. I have a PhD in Applied Mathematics (Hydrodynamics). I was recently named as one of the 50 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD by Newsweek Magazine. I am talking about someone? Who can tell me who I am talking about? Now that is a picture of greatness. We all desire greatness, in fact we want to be like him. As youths, we see him as a role model, but many of us youths have a “microwave mentality”. We don’t understand that greatness is a process. Many of us want to achieve success overnight. For your information, there is nothing like overnight success, what we have is success over time. One of my old friends, Henry Longfellow said “The heights reached and kept by great men were not attained by sudden flight, but they, when their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night” Pastor Adeboye invested his youthful years, when he was young; he was visionary, focused, disciplined and purpose-driven. And that is why he is celebrated everywhere in the world today. The 4th chapter of my book is titled “Purposepox”. I coined PURPOSEPOX from the contagious, deadly disease called Smallpox that we all know. Purposepox is a disease affecting people living without a purpose. Many youths are suffering from this disease and it is a pity that they don’t know. David Starr Jordan said “The world steps aside to let anyone pass who knows where he is going to”. It is sad, but it is true that many youths don’t know where they are going to. Ask a youth, “Where will you be in the next five years and what exactly will you be doing? Don’t be surprised if he/she is staring at you, speechless.


I promise you ONE THING – You will never get bored reading my book because I factored you into consideration during the process of developing the book. With all sense of modesty, I want to say this book is beautifully, powerfully designed to eliminate boredom and give you freedom to read with pleasure, gives you the freedom to experience transformation that will ultimately usher you into stardom.
The book goes for N400:00 and it is available. Many of us enter into Mr. Biggs or Tantalizers and send N500 to N1000 to buy junk food. Benjamin Franklin said “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”. My friend, Charles Jones, a reputable international speaker, said “You will be the same person in five years as you are today, except for two things; the people you meet and the books you read”. People say “Looking good is serious business”. I don’t have a problem with people spending fortunes to get good looks, but it is equally important to get good books. It would be great to have good looks and good books. Good looks mean you are PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE. Good books mean you are MENTALLY ATTRACTIVE.
This book is an energy drink – it will propel you; compel you to make a meaning out of your life Obama came up with the slogan “Yes, we can”. Am telling you today that you can achieve your goals, you can actualize your dreams and you can fulfil your destiny.
He has NOTHING in his head. Leonard Sweet said “The future is not something we enter; the future is something we create” Many youths are waiting for the future to come, before they decide what to do with their lives. I am posing a challenge to you – Go and discover the purpose of God for your life. Let me make a categorical statement here – Until you find the meaning of your life, you will be miserable and you will never experience the joy of fulfilment.

My presentation on my book INVEST YOUR YOUTHFUL YEARS at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Gethemane Parish, during their I'M ALIVE, 2009".