Dr. Tai Solarin of blessed memory wrote a book that I was privileged to read. The book was titled LESSONS TO YOUNG NIGERIANS. It was a small book of about ten chapters, all inspiring stories, but one of the stories stood out for me and I will try to relay it to you as much as I can remember.
A young carpenter was given a contract to make chairs for a court room. He made all the chairs for the courtroom but decided to make the judge's chair last. After finishing the judge's chair he placed it at the topmost place where judges sit and sat on it, to admire it and to see if it had any defects.
As he was doing this, someone entered the courtroom and shouted at him, "why are you sitting on the judge's chair?" "Sir, I'm the carpenter", he replied. "Yes, I know but that's the judge's chair you're sitting on". "Ha! But I just made it, Sir". "I know that too, but that's the judge's position and you're sitting in his chair". "The chair I just made with my own hands?" "Well, making it with your hands doesn't qualify you to sit on it. Until you become a judge, sorry, you can't sit on that chair".
The boy felt so bad. How could what he had just finished making less than five minutes ago become a no go area for him just like that? As he was thinking, feeling dejected, he remembered the man's parting word "Until you become a judge, sorry, you can't sit on it". Until you become... He thought to himself, does that mean I can still become a judge? How?
Fast forward, the boy began to study for GCE, sat for the exams and passed, went to the University to study law, became a lawyer, became a judge over time and was eventually posted to that same courtroom to sit on the chair that he made with his own hands. He told the story to the filled courtroom on his first day of assignment.
A man went to secondary school at the age of 42 just to sit for GCE to be able to study law. Just last year, I wrote post UTME exams. My son was already a graduate by then but is it ever too late to get things right? The answer is NO! It's not too late except you say so.
Friends, you think it's over for you? Is it about children? Madam, I have read about a 72 year old woman give birth,(no Sir, not in the Bible). Is it marriage? Well, I also know about a 65 year old getting married for the first time. You think it's too late to go back to school? Well you just read some real story up there.
If you call a pity party, you will be your own guest my brothers and sisters. No one is interested in sorry stories and except it ends well, no one will watch your film.
My friend, as long as you're still alive, the story of your life goes on and until you put a full stop to it and drop the pen, nothing can close your chapter. Think about it. Good morning.
