Planning, Resilience, and Nigeria at 65: Lessons for Life and Business

A few months ago, I came across a story online about a pharmacist who invested in cryptocurrency and, overnight, believed he had become a billionaire. Perhaps it was friends who told him the coins he bought for a few cents had suddenly risen by over 5,000%.

Without verifying, he quickly handed in a resignation letter, rudely too, ready to live the “new rich life” he thought awaited him. Only hours later, the coin collapsed and became worthless. Imagine waking up to the reality that your “fortune” had vanished, and the only thing on your mind was how to beg the same boss you had insulted publicly to take you back.

Stories like this remind us why many people lose faith in planning. After all, don’t we hear that “plans hardly succeed”? Mike Tyson once said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Many take that as an excuse to live without structure, just taking life as it comes.

But I believe differently: we must plan. And as Nick points out in one of the devotions in Bible in One Year, we should plan with humility, always recognising that our success comes only “if it is the Lord’s will” (James 4:13–15).

Today, as Nigeria celebrates 65 years of Independence, I cannot help but reflect. Freedom should mean the ability to build the life we desire, but 65 years later, our nation still struggles with diminishing returns.

So, I ask you these questions:

If your personal plans since January 2025 haven’t succeeded, should you give up or pause, reflect, and make new plans until success comes?
If Nigeria were your personal business, and it seemed to be failing, would you abandon it or re-engineer it until it thrives?

My conviction remains: men should plan their ways, but pray that God establishes their steps.

As we mark 65 years of freedom, let us boldly discuss the steps required to rebuild our nation, just as we must re-strategise in our businesses and personal lives.

🇳🇬 Happy Independence Day, Fellow Nigerians. Wishing everyone a blessed October.

Shalom.

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