Maintaning Peace amid a Harsh Economy — Our Security, Our Peace By Prof. O.E Bassey

Economies are exposed to downturns and upturns. Governments come and go with reforms and modifications to improve the lives of the people. Sometimes these reforms could initiaite a hard time before the silver linen appears.

Currently in Nigeria, a major part of the population will tell you it’s no favourable time for business nor living, made worse by the removal of fuel subsidy.

From transportation, to feeding, to basic purchases, there is an upsurge in prices that translate into a higher cost of living as against what used to be from the previous government.

Assurances have, however, been given that these are the sacrifices we have to pay for the better and more sustainable gains that the economy will bring once it finishes going through the refining process under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While that is in the works and being hoped for, it is important to share the necessary steps that must be adopted to get by individually so as to maintain and promote peace in the county, as a hungry country is far from being a peaceful country.

Knowledge

The Bible says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” – Hosea 4:6. Wherever you see people failing to do things right, check it, it is most likely they have the wrong knowledge. If you flip the coin, and see a system or an individual thriving, check it again, knowledge is at the core.

The world bows to knowledge. If you want to get by, thrive, excel, then you need to be ready to get up-to-date knowledge on things that you have discerned will be useful to getting you to thrive in spite of the economy. Because truth be told, as much as poverty stinks in the land, there are still some people in the country who are not perceiving the stench a bit. If you check the line bordering you and them, you will discover that they know something that you don’t know.

Positioning

I tell you, there are some things that won’t come to you as a result of where you are standing. Abraham had to leave for Canaan before he became the Father of all Nations. Joseph never became King where he grew up. Jesus never did much miracles from where he came from. Your skills, your knowledge, your abilities, your products, if wherever you are dispensing them, they are tolerated, then you need to go to where they will be appreciated

Relationship

Deliberately this comes next because not every movement is supposed to be physical. Sometimes the movement you need is people.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt. Genesis 41:41.

It takes man for God to help man. If you are connected to the right people who would appreciate what you do, what you sell, what you carry, then you might remain where you are for a long time to come.

The fastest way to thriving in a new light is to locate valuable relationships and build them.

Financial Intelligence

Without any apology, some people are their own harsh economy. The government is battling with a harsh economy, doing everything it takes to improve it for a better lot for everyone. On our individual ends, we also have our own personal economy but we balk at keeping it afloat too. And time and again, we wake up every morning, and take pride in lambasting the government for their loose ends whereas in our ends, we struggle to be economically sensible.

Unnecessary expenses, unbudgeted financial lifestyle, ponzi scheme investment, gambling, unrealistic loans, lack of savings among a few are some of the holes some people keep shoveling their money into, and yet they expect the economy to thrive.

Any change you want to experience on the outside must first come from the inside.

Diligence

Prayer works, fasting works, but you see a lazy hands, it makes a shame of prayer and fasting and bring poverty to the house of he who has failed to work.

In this part of the world, there is a prevailing mentality that is eating us up as a people and promoting poverty in the stead of concerted efforts to send it packing. We find a lot of people with the “entitlement mentality”, not wanting to work with their hands but to be fed by those who sweat it out all day and night to have their accounts breathing.

They feel entitled to the money of the next person all in the name of the “country is hard”, “no job”, “I am still young”, “I have helped you before”.

The truth is no one owes you anything, not even in the world. If by chance you get any favour from anyone, it does not validate the thinking that what you got was a right, hence keep up with the mentality to keep feeding off the person.

I have never come across a man who is diligent yet poor. He might not be as rich as reflective of the upper echelon of the society but to a sustainable extent, he is independent.

To get money and take care of basic and otherwise needs is a thing every man on earth owes themselves. To sit, pray, fast, sit, wish, and it all ends there is to send an invitation to poverty and misery.

Proverbs 21:5: The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes to poverty

Get an Additional Source of Income

Due to the volatility of the economy and chances of it plummeting, it is advised that an additional source or sources of income be secured, so that in case there is a loss of one or two, you won’t be left high and dry as to income. It is not a safe practice for any individual to be entirely reliant on a source of income amid a harsh economy. There is a need to diversify and ensure that there are multiple streams where income get to come in to cushion the effect of the harsh economy as well as safeguard against any devastating fall as characteristic of a depressed economy.

The Evergreen Route of Agriculture

The inflation of the prices of food is one of the things that come with a depressed economy. But safe are those who have done their homework well to take to agriculture to ensure that they get reduced expenses in food, and can as well sell to others for income to make ends meet.

And with the arable lands we have in the country, it befuddles me daily how we are still recording low numbers of people taking to agriculture. Everyone wants to work in an office or be involved in one business or the other. It is my opinion that if 70% of the Nigerian population have a farmland each, then the cries of hunger in the land will become faint history for a long time to come.

Opportunity Maximization

We have talked about diligence and how it leads to prosperity. I must however state that it is one thing to be diligent is another thing to have what to be diligent on. You have acquired the skills, you have acquired the knowledge, now you need the right platform to put what you have to profitable use. This is the time you need to be attentive with every of your sensory organs.

Thankfully, today, you don’t need to step out of your house before you know what the needs of people are. With your phone, you are connected to the outside world. You can get the feel of people, and see what solutions your skill and knowledge can sell to them. Remember the only way to becoming relevant is by being able to solve problems. Opportunities will present itself to you in the guise of problems, if you take them to be problems as they seem in face value, you are ignorantly missing out on what could be your game-changer.

A harsh economy is agreeably depressing to navigate, but you don’t necessarily have to fall to that to the point that you compromise peace. While the government is at work, doing everything it takes to fix the economy for better fortunes in the closest future, it is our duty individually to fix our personal economy, doing everything it takes to stay afloat, stay happy and stay peaceful.

Psalm 37:23-24 “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

Professor. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.

He is an advocate of Peace Leadership and Child Protection.

He has served and interacted at the top level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.

A professor of Peace Advocacy and Conflict Resolution, Dr. O.E Bassey is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently the Director of ICOF Institute of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa.

With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa. Currently, he is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute of Peace Leadership.

Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2023 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.

For peace and security tips, consultations and trainings, reach him via:

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