MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND

 

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND 

An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees at Stanford University. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea. A friend and he decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education.

They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.

The big day arrived. Paderewski performed at Stanford. Unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1600, plus a cheque for the balance $400. They promised to honour the cheque at the soonest.

“No,” said Paderewski. “This is not acceptable.” He tore up the cheque, returned the $1600, and told the two boys:

“Here’s the $1600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left”. The boys were surprised and thanked him profusely.

It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a great human being.

Why should he help two people he did not even know? We all come across situations like these in our lives. And most of us only think “If I help them, what would happen to me?” The truly great people think, “If I don’t help them, what will happen to them?” They don’t do it expecting something in return. They do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do.

Paderewski later went on to become the Prime Minister of Poland. He was a great leader, but unfortunately, when the World War began, Poland was ravaged. There were more than 1.5 million people starving in his country, and no money to feed them. Paderewski did not know where to turn for help. He reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help.

The head there was a man called Herbert Hoover — who later went on to become the 31st President of the United States. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food grains to feed the starving Polish people.

A calamity was averted. Paderewski was relieved. He decided to go across to meet Hoover and personally thank him. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his noble gesture, Hoover quickly interjected and said:

“You shouldn’t be thanking me, Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college in the U.S. I was one of them.”

The world is a wonderful place. What goes around comes around!

Have a historic week ahead!



Congratulations to the first female Provost of the College of Medicine of Nigeria’s oldest University, University of Ibadan: Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun; elected last week.

She’s also Nigeria’s first female Professor of Psychiatry.

For the historically-minded, she’s the daughter of Lt Col Victor Banjo. Brilliant soldier, one of best-known officers from Nigeria Civil War; he fought on the Biafran side.

Ojukwu controversially executed him in September 1967. Here’s the last picture she took with him, in Enugu, March 1967.

August 9 will make it exactly 53 years since Lt Col Victor Banjo, Ijebu from Western Nigeria, led Biafran forces to capture Benin and Warri.

I believe he was the only Yoruba Officer in the Biafran Army. For some yet-to-be-understood reason, Ojukwu executed him, 7 weeks later.

Victor Banjo’s daughter is Nigeria’s 1st female Professor of Psychiatry, & 1st female Provost of Ibadan’s College of Medicine, right?

Guess what?

His older sister, Adetowun Ogunsheye, is Nigeria’s 1st EVER female Professor (1973), & 1st female Dean in any Nigerian University. She’s 93