CELEBRATING AN ICON: JIDE OLAOKE

He is a guru at what he does. He is a top internet marketer, business man, speaker, mentor and life coach but much more importantly, he is a down to earth epitome of humility, grace, compassion and wisdom. When he opens his mouth, life transforming words flow out and not a few people have been transformed from the doldrums of poverty to the life of prosperity and yes, Jide Olaoke is also a philanthropist to the core!

What touched people most about him is his humility. Not only has it worked a great deal for him, he encourages others who want to achieve greatness to make it the garment they wear everyday of their lives.

He once shared his life touching story with a mentee some months back: he had travelled to Kenya for business reasons and met a young man along the road one sunny morning. The young man was everything any average person would want to forget. He was stinkingly dirty with tangled hair that had not seen water for several weeks, his teeth was dirty brown and the terrible odour that oozed out of him could make a strong man vomit. His appearance was no different from a mad man who had long been abandoned on the road. He was the kind of person Jide Olaoke's caliber should never be seen or identified with but he stopped and talked to him. He gave him some money and asked him to clean up. The young man went his way and promised to do as he was told.

Not long after, the mother of the boy called Jide: "Are you the young man who helped my son clean up?" He answered in the affirmative and told her how he met him on the road and compassion took over him. The woman was overwhelmed with gratitude. She said she had encouraged her son several times to change his ways to no avail. She had tried many ways of getting him to clean up but they all failed. 

She asked Jide what he came to Kenya to do and he explained his business proceedings and all the difficulties encountered in getting the necessary documents. The woman told him not to worry and in less than ten minutes the whole problem was solved. The documents came to meet him right there in the woman's house. She was a powerful and influential woman who had connections with the high and mighty including the President of Kenya but the question is, who would ever think that stinking son came from that woman? Had Jide snubbed him and treated him like a pile of shit, he would have missed his miracle and perhaps future opportunities in Kenya.

I took permission from him to write this story as there are millions of people around the world who need to learn the power of humility. There is power in being humble. Nothing touches one like the true life story of someone who who had seen it all and win it all.

Learn to be humble. Treat people with care. Respect your clients, listen to your friends. Treat your enemies with honour. Never repay evil for evil. Be a woman/man of class, grace, power, integrity, love and honour. Identify with the poor, never underrate people, take advise, counsels and suggestions with grace. You don't know who God will use for your miracle tomorrow. It may be your client, enemy, neighbour, siblings, staff, Junior, janitor, gate man, maid , driver or even the mad man on the road.

Pride is a success destroyer. Avoid it like plague. You will achieve success sooner than you think if you learn to acknowledge God and the people he send your way.

Jide Olaoke is our man of the week. He is an icon who deserves accolades for the impact he has made on lives, families, people and the nation as a whole.

God bless you Jide!