ALL THE ANSWERS ARE BEFORE YOU...JUST LOOK CLOSELY!

ALL THE ANSWERS ARE BEFORE YOU…JUST LOOK CLOSELY!
TITLE HOW STUPIDITY SAVED MY LIFE
AUTHOR: OKECHUKWU OFILI
YEAR: 2010
NO OF PAGES: 162
PRICE: N1250
REVIEWER: NKECHI OBIANIGWE

Most times we are often told that the individuals who stand out in life are usually the ones who “think outside the box”, Okechukwu Ofili, in this book, has shown that it is not so in all cases, we don’t even need to look too far away for guidelines or solutions, we just need to look closely for answers and directions.

Through normal, every day life experiences, Ofili discovers that there are lessons that are inherent in them. One of which is his experience with his swimming coach, who almost got him drowned. It was not until that point that he realized he could swim effectively without much assistance. What he clearly tried to explain here is the fact that you will never know your capabilities until you try. Ofili moved literally from an "academic non-entity" in the early part of his high school days to what we would call graduating 'magna cum laude' in college, partly as a result of his mother's disciplinary measures and his personal convictions.

Some of the other lessons that are clearly outlined in this book include: one’s ability to rise above their fears; taking time to understand the entire individual than making judgments from a single aspect; seeking professional help; learning to appreciate ‘experience’ rather than ‘competition’; living out ones dreams regardless of physical barriers; being sensitive to other people’s feelings amongst others.

Most importantly, the author indirectly urges his readers not to be afraid to dream. This he explains in the last chapter, with the phrase “Just Write!!”. Here, he explains the fact that he had no flair for English Language as a subject, he was never really great at writing and compositions, but somehow, he was able to live above this fear and pursue his dreams as a writer and a public speaker. This has given rise to two great blogsites www.ofilisketches.com & http://www.ofilispeaks.com/.

The title of the book is catchy in itself; one quick look at it at the book stand, and one wonders the extent of the so-called ‘stupidity’. The author makes it more interesting by using topics like “Help! My Parents Stole My Testerone; “ The Bird that broke the Glass Ceiling “.

The use of historical real life examples here, is also worthy of note as it makes the book credible. The book is a must read for everyone who is desirous of a positive change in every sphere of life using simple experiences as learning tools.