The title of this article today is not mine; it was used as an introduction to Christians to be more than a showpiece of morality because they are called to be salt and light in the world; a preserving and uplifting influence among men. In essence, they are expected to be God’s change agents in the world.
It relates this story told by Armstrong Williams an American political commentator, entrepreneur, author and host of a daily radio show. He is also the founder and CEO of the Graham Williams Group, an international marketing, advertising and media public relations consulting firm and confidant of Ben Carson, one of the presidential front runners of the Republican Party.
Williams wrote that one summer day his father sent him to buy wire and fencing for his farm in Marion County, South Carolina. He was delighted to go into town because he got to drive the pick-up by himself and at age 16 that was a wonderful thrill. However, there was a damper put on his spirits when his father told him he would have to ask for credit at the store. Being a prideful 16 year-old it was difficult for him. He says it was 1976 and the ugly shadow of racism was still a fact of life. He had seen his friends ask for credit and then stand, head down, while a patronising store owner questioned whether they were “good for it.”
Unperturbed, he went to Davis Brothers General Store where the owner, Buck Davis stood behind the register, talking to a middle-aged farmer. “When I brought my purchases to the register, I said carefully, ‘I need to put this on credit.’” The farmer gave him an amused cynical look. But Buck’s face didn’t change. “Sure,” he said easily. “Your daddy is always good for it.” He turned to the other man. “This here is one of James Williams’ sons.”
The farmer nodded in a neighbourly way. “I was filled with pride as James Williams’ son. Those three words had opened a door to an adult’s respect and trust. That day I discovered that a good name could bestow a capital of good will of immense value. The good name my father and mother had earned brought our whole family the respect of our neighbors.” Williams wrote.
That is one the powers of a good name, it can’t be bought with money. I saw that power reenacted once more last Saturday when the Press Club of the University of Lagos invited me as a special guest to the 4th edition of the Ngozi Agbo Memorial Lecture. Also invited were Mr. Sam Omatseye, the chairman of the Editorial Board, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, the Online Editor and Wale Ajetunmobi, Editor of CAMPUSLIFE, all of The Nation. Dr. Eghosa Imasuen of Farafina, Mr. Adeola Yusuf of The New Telegraph and Mrs. Chichi Umaseeaka, publisher of 9inteen magazine also graced the lecture.
It was quite encouraging to see students, some of whom never met Ngozi in the flesh, celebrating her works and virtues. Mr. Omatseye and Mr. Otufodunrin arrived early and had to wait patiently for close to an hour for the students to get their public address system functioning. They remained there for over three hours that the event lasted.
Why would they leave their homes on a Saturday morning that they were expected to be resting after the rigours of newspaper production? They were there to honour a lady whose work has continued to wax stronger almost four years after her death. Just like the students, there’s no doubt that the late Ngozi Agbo meant a lot to them.
In his opening address as the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Omatseye said anything that pertains to furthering the cause of journalism and the mind will always get his attention. “Ngozi,” he said, “was a very powerful force in the life of campus journalism in Nigeria and The Nation as a newspaper… when the idea of CAMPUSLIFE was first mooted and discussed in the committee of editors meeting we felt it was too grandiose, but we allowed it to go.”
He highlighted two instances of the success of the project when he visited his alma mater (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife) where a sizeable proportion of the student made mention of “Aunty Ngozi.” He added that he went away with the conviction that “CAMPUSLIFE is more than just a publication, it is a family.” All this because of Ngozi’s unique style of being a life coach, mentor as well as an editor all wrapped in one.
The second instance, according to him, was when he visited the Vice-Chancellor and the issue of the most popular paper on campus was raised. The Public Relations Officer insisted a particular paper was the most popular, but he disagreed. They had to visit the vendors’ stand where they were unequivocally told that The Nation was the most sought after newspaper, especially its Thursday’s edition when CAMPUSLIFE is published.
“It is credit to the work of Ngozi at that time. She knew what she was doing had consequences for the wider society, so she wasn’t partial. What she did for The Nation is hard to beat, she was a trailblazer. That’s why years after her death her work kept waxing stronger.”
It gladdens my heart to see that the Press Club of the University of Lagos institute – on their own – an annual lecture series to keep the vision, ideals and dreams of this great and visionary lady alive. This singular act goes to reinforce the fact that great ideas and visions don’t die, they blossom even if the visionary is no longer alive. Being a mental picture or concept in the imagination, a vision is also the ability to anticipate the direction a worthy cause or future an event will take, such is the power of vision.
In the crafting of vision, the character of the visionary is significant. One of Ngozi’s dreams was that Nigeria has the potentials of being a great nation. She believed these potentials lie in the hands of the youths which was why she birthed the idea that eventually gave them the platform to express their optimisms, suggestions and concerns on how to achieve these potentials.
Her vision is anchored on building the total man and looking at the core values and attributes that defines him, attributes that always emphasises the highest level of moral and ethical regeneration and the molding of sound character which she instilled in her “children.” She never failed to remind them that they are always a shining light to their generation.
There’s always something unique about “ex-CAMPUSLIFERS” that you cannot but notice. They’re always drivers of idea and not laggards; they never miss opportunities and they often go the extra mile to achieve their dreams in whatever field they find themselves. I am confidently proud of these young men and women. The bottomline is Ngozi did not live and die in vain as they will not shy away from telling you she gave them wings to soar.
Does that mean her preoccupation was only with undergraduates? Absolutely not, Ngozi was also a student of leadership and those who were familiar with this column when she handled it know too well of her passion for leadership; from leadership in the home to religious and secular leadership.
She often drive the point home to her undergraduates to steer clear of divisive individuals who have the innate capacity of filling their minds with xenophobic ideologies that have the tendency of creating hatred, rancour and bitterness in the society. Those who knew her can attest to the fact that she was detribalized; once you’re intelligent, you’re Ngozi’s friend irrespective of where you come from.
The now rested capacity building Workshops and Award ceremonies she undertook annually with the support of Coca-Cola Nigeria and Nigerian Bottling Company is a pointer to the fact that apart from merely sending in articles for publication, she ensures she has one-on-one contact with her undergraduates to be certain that the venture they are undertaking is far bigger than having their stories published in the newspaper.
Her story shows that there is indeed power in a good name as the Bible states.
