Pics: Motivational book 'Inspiring A Generation' unveiled in Lagos

Saturday the 31st of January 2015 saw the birthing of the much talked about and very eagerly anticipated book, “Inspiring A Generation” - a book written by ‘Folakemi Fatogbe, a banker to the bankers and Director of Risk Management at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos. Continue...

‘Folakemi Fatogbe - the author, Bamidele Abiodun and Funmi Lanre-Phillips

Described, as a Personal Game-Changer “INSPIRING A GENERATION” is essentially a must-have motivational and self-development book that is woven around the election campaigns of President Barack Obama. The book seeks to use President Obama’s historic game-changing election campaigns and journey to the White House as a means of inspiring readers to achieve their life dreams and aspirations irrespective of where they are and what they have. The book seeks to achieve this by bringing the achievements of President Obama into people’s homes in a way and manner with which they can easily identify and therefore also be inspired by - hopefully, to the extent that the reader feels that they can achieve anything that they set their minds and industry to.

Although Obama is the case study, the writer uses Obama as a clear, proven and relatable example and therefore role model of the ‘can do’ spirit. By bringing to the fore such a laudable role model of our time in a manner that most Nigerians and indeed other citizens of the world can identify with, the author, ‘Folakemi Fatogbe seeks to make her own humble contribution towards addressing some of the societal problems that we have as a nation today - the premise being that the improvement and progress of a nation, a community and indeed a family must start with the active self-development and improvement of individuals. This is the fulcrum of this indispensable motivational cum self-development book. The author uses the following immortal words and wisdom of the ancient philosopher Confucius to drive home this point:

“To put the world right in order,

we must first put the nation in order;

to put the nation in order,

we must first put the family in order;

to put the family in order,

we must first cultivate our personal life...”

Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC)

To present the book, the writer assembled a formidable team of men and women of excellence including: Prince Juli Adeluyi-Adelusi OFR, mni, as the Chairman – a former Minister of Health and the founder of Juli Pharmacy, Dr Konyin Ajayi (SAN) the Lead Reviewer – Principal Partner at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, Review Panelists comprised of Mrs Bola Adesola - MD & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (Nig), Mr Chris Okeke - Renowned lawyer and industrialist and Ms Ibada Ahmed – the South African based head of Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs. The book was presented by Dr Tunji Olowolafe – a businessman and Senator Babafemi Ojudu – the representative of the writer Ekiti Senate in t representing the wwith Prince Nasiru Ado Bayero – Turakin Kano being avoidably absent due to the forces of nature in Kano.Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters of Terra Kulture was the panel moderator and event organizer. Mr Bolaji Balogun – CEO, Chapel Hill Denham served as the very able compere.

The Chairman, panel and presenters literally held the audience spell-bound with their excellent wit-laden reviews and analyses of the book. Dr Ajayi, not known for such effusive praise described ‘INSPIRING A GENERATION” as a masterpiece. Mrs Adesola, said that the writer was being modest in suggesting that the book would affect only one generation as she felt it would affect many generations. She also agreed that INSPIRING A GENERATION is a book about change that encourages readers to be people of impact and conviction. Mr Okeke, was of the view that the author had been able to boldly craft a one of its kind motivational book that unapologetically used an emulation-worthy individual as a basis to motivate others. Ms Ahmed expressed the view that the book was an essential book for the youth of Africa in that it had a multitude of lessons that they could immediately learn from and imbibe into their own lives moreso that it is imperative for African youths to seize the moment now as there might not be a next time.

Dr Olowolafe expressed the hope that the book would allow for the emergence of the several Obama’s in Nigeria who had the latent capacity to champion various sectors of the economy and made a pledge to buy a significant number for his alma mater. Senator Ojudu on his part opined that Nigeria is a country with a major inspiration deficit that would do well to have the inspiring messages of this book heard far and near. He rounded off by observing that as a country Nigerians are fortunate to have given rise to a book that is world class in terms of both its form and content. He also advised that he would be buying a significant number of copies even though he felt that he could justifiably invoice the author, one of his constituents for services rendered.

Ms Fatogbe, in sharing perspectives on why she wrote the book and in doing a mini recital from her book, INSPIRING A GENERATION brought to the fore some of her own life’s journey which added a totally different and very compelling dimension to the book presentation, that being that the writer had actually ‘walked her talk’.

Mr Tunde Lemo, a former Deputy Governor at the CBN implored the author to see INSPIRING A GENERATION as only her debut book which would be followed by many more. He told guests that he felt that the author had a lot more to give not only to the CBN but also to the nation. He mentioned how his own, recently graduated, daughter had adopted the author as her role model a choice of which he was more than happy with having worked with me at close quarters.

At the end of the day, ‘the proof of the pudding’ is in the eating and I was therefore not surprised to see the long queue of guests at the end of the event buying multiple books with many queuing up patiently to have them signed by the author, Ms Folakemi Fatogbe even though she is only a first-time author. I will have to join my voice to the multiple

All in all, the event to me stood out for its quality, sheer class and intimacy. It was well-organised, and well attended with no preferential seating and captains of industry mingling freely with other guests. The speakers were extremely articulate and knowledgeable; the audience were attentive with many saying that they wished it could have gone on for longer. Furthermore, there was none of the usual display of ostentatious wealth that one tends to associate with events of this nature in Nigeria – the only mention of money was when the Chairman announced how much the book would retail for.