Fiscal Fitness

sunsetnest egg for

by Alero Mobola Adollo

The world employs currency to build dreams and give wings to their ideas. Our early years are times when our dreams move with the wind and find their place at the feet of the Supreme, waiting for instructions.

The oomph and grit required to succeed is predominant in our consciousness. As we glide along the Milky Way, we draw pictures on our reality; which sometimes suffer the misfortune of being wiped off by the cares of life. The years of our life fly away at the speed of light and when we finally catch up with them, we discover that the sun has set and the night is nigh.

We need to start planning now so as not to get swept into obscurity, by the sands of time. This is the time to build a portfolio of diverse wealth creating instruments.

We may sail on a course we did not chart, to a destination we did not create. But the Creator has an economic plan which enables His children to excel. We need wealth creating abilities in our golden years that will cushion our twilight, not an extravagant lifestyle, which may end up pauperising us.

There is a need, after having worked for a lifetime, to have something to show for it at retirement. It will be a shame if we fail to map out an economic master plan to navigate the evening tide. The Scriptures emphasis on the daily expiration of God’s children from a disease called ignorance… We need to build wealth through creation and create through education, and educate through information…

Wealth creating channels:

• Private Equity:

Investment in unquoted companies.

There are good private companies we can invest in by buying shares though they are not quoted i.e. MTN, Celtel • Capital Market Investment:

These are quoted shares traded on the floor of the stock exchange. Bank shares fall under this category though not exclusively i.e. First Bank PLC,

Sterling Bank PLC, etc.

• Mutual Funds:

These are Funds pooled together from various sources for investment purposes, usually managed by an investment company.

Examples of Investment companies are IBTC Equity Fund and ARM

Discovery Fund. The return is very high, if left for a number of years.

• Fixed Income Instruments:

I. Bonds

They are debt instrument issued by companies to raise capital payable over a period of five years.

The return on investment is high.

II. Fixed Deposit

These are interest earning term deposits. It could be 30, 60 or 90 days and you can roll over as your deposits fall due.

• Real Estate:

Purchase of property. The real estate market though capital intensive, has a very high return on investment.

I believe all God’s children need to put on their thinking caps so that the wisdom which is accrued to us over the years will birth in the evening of our lives a nest egg filled with gold, to cushion our lives when our bones become brittle.

There is a need, after having worked for a lifetime, to have something to show for it at retirement. It will be a shame if we fail to map out an economic master plan to navigate the evening tide.

“Never start your day without an agenda or a plan If not, your day simply becomes just an another day“

pebbles pebbles by Kehinde Adollo by Kehinde Adollo

Have you had a mouth check up lately

This is in no way an attempt to do a free biz for dentists, but a regular visit to get our teeth cleaned out, fill in a hole or place a dentition, is the proper thing to do. Yet, there’s a mouth check- up many don’t even seem to be aware of, which never-the-less remains of essence in order to maintain a healthy heart and keep up a good attitude. What has a mouth check up got to do with heart and attitude? Check this out!

P mouth - P for Postive

An individual with this mouth type speaks good things about life, people, situations, and sees something good about the future, no matter his or her present condition. It’s a mouth from which blessingss proceed rather than curses. It says pleasant things and gives positive remarks. It makes optimism a watchword and does not spew hot and cold at the same time.

P Mouth Advantage

• Positive people enjoy the good results of their words, but those who are treacherous beget violence (Prov 13:2) • Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. • Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction (Prov. 18:20) • Wise speech is rarer and more valuable than gold and rubies (Prov. 21:15) • The godly give good advice, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense (Prov. 11:21) • Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers (Eph. 4:29)

N mouth - N for Negative

This mouth type is pessimistic; it makes a habit of saying things that are unconstructive, depressing and that often end up hurting people or leaving them in miserable conditions - hardly something to make anyone feel good about him or herself.

N mouth “Mis…advantage”

• Your own soul is nourished by your kindness, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel (Prov 11:17)

C Mouth - C for Complaining

This mouth is usually bad tempered and ill-mannered; it is very irritable, argumentative, never contented, and difficult to relate with. The C mouth feels disgruntled always, when things don’t turn out to his or her advantage. It is impatient about life situations, and worries about everything and anything. The C mouth also shares something in common with the nagging mouth

C - Mouth Misfortune

A nagging wife is as annoying as the constant dripping on a rainy day, trying to stop her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or hold something with greased hands (Prov. 27:15) • A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted (Prov. 12:16)

Double sided mouth - DS mouth

This mouth can be termed a gossip, cheeky and a flatterer. It will say something good about someone and almost immediately passes unfair comments about the same person behind his or her back. This mouth is particularly, sarcastic and cynical. The DS mouth is a people pleaser and will say things to make people happy even when it doesn’t mean it.

DS Mouth Misfortunes

People with hate in their hearts may sound pleasant enough, but don’t believe them. Though they pretend to be kind, their hearts are full of evil, while their hatred may be concealed by trickery, it will finally come to light for all to see (Prov 27:24) • The Lord hates those who don’t keep their words, but he delights in those who do (Prov. 12:22)

Key words to ponder

• Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life (Prov. 21:21) • If you keep your mouth shut you will stay out of trouble (Prov. 21:23) • Those who control their tongue will have a long life, a quick retort can ruin everything (Prov. 13:3)

pebblespebbles by Kehinde Adolloby Kehinde Adollo

10 things to do before going yonder

1. Give your life to Christ! 2. Get committed to the of things

God, save the world and earn yourself some crowns by winning souls. 3. Identify your God-given talents and spell out your dreams - pursue and achieve it. 4. Sponsor someone or support a family in need. 5. Give, Give, Give! Especially, to projects that are changing society for good. 6. Reconcile with people that you have hurt and those who hurt you. 7. Save up for an exotic holiday cruise - could be alone, with friends or family 8. See the sunrise! 9. Spoil and pamper yourself - lately, I have been in the mood for some grilled salmon with herbs; cream source over mixed vegetables with baked potatoes, and a glass of fresh pineapple and mango juice… yummy and refreshing don’t you think! 10. Take a picture and get an autograph of someone you admire or emulate - it may be an important person you’ve always dreamt of meeting…

Oops! Don’t forget to get it framed. 1. Do you make fun of others and look down on people because of how they look, speak or what they wear?

2. Do you judges others based on their past, forgetting where God brought you from?

3. Are you someone who never feels confident enough to introduce your family to friends because you think they don’t measure up to their standards?

4. Do you pass nasty or resentful remarks at others?

5. Are you someone that rarely pays compliments to others?

6. Do you find it difficult to say sorry or thank you?

7. Are you someone who finds great joy in talking about others?

8. Do you snub others because you don’t want to get too familiar?

9. Do you make a habit of spreading foul mood whenever you are unhappy or upset?

10. Are you nosy about other people’s private lives?

11. Are you rude, sarcastic, and brash when addressing others and never consider being polite?

12. Do you enjoy sowing a seed of discord among friends and associates?

13. Do you find joy in the mistakes and downfall of others?

14. Do you find it difficult to encourage others and express appreciation to those who deserve it? of help to those in need because you cannot be bothered?

16. Do you offer help and assistance only because of what you stand to benefit?

17. Are you someone that has no respect for age?

18. Do you make a habit of spreading gossips and cannot keep a secret?

19. Do you enjoy bullying others and being unnecessarily domineering?

20. Do you take people for granted?

Ending words

The saying, ‘your attitude determines your altitude...’ is almost a cliché but it remains a cold fact that we must live with, particularly, now that good attitude and manners are being considered a thing of old. You just must adopt the attitude of giving a damn where the attitude of not giving a damn, is becoming a norm! Erich Hoffer says, rudeness is a weak man’s imitation of strength The great secret is not having a bad attitude or good attitude but having the same attitude to all souls…which is a good, kind and contrite spirit that will love others without prejudice, yes, it hard, its very tough…. ask for His grace.

Last Line

I write this as I listen to ‘God is the mender of broken hearts’, by Fred Hammond, one of my favorite gospel contemporary singers. The lyrics say He will heal, fix, mend, make whole whatever is broken … if your attitude is a by product of the blows life has dealt you, just give it all to Jesus. He has been where you are and knows the Way out.

Arrogance is destructive Even when you get to the top It will certainly not allow you remain there for long.