Your Gift Will Always Make A Way For You

Your Gift Will Always Make A Way For You

‘’When you discover your gift, you find your area of authority in life.’’ –Myles Munroe

The easiest way to find your way in life is to find your area of gifting. There is a special gift that God has given you to wow and bless the world. Our individual gift is an indicator of our purpose and until they discover and nurture it, we will continue to travel another man’s journey. Of all the paths that can take a man to high places in life, there is only one that seldom fails and this is the path of our gifting. Against popular belief, our gifts and passion and not our degrees or certificates are our ticket to high places in life.

Rev. Sam Adeyemi said, ‘’ You will only shine in the area of your gifting.’’ Education can never take the place of your gift; our individual gift is an indicator of our purpose and calling in life. Any education that does not teach us to discover, develop and deploy our gifting and uniqueness to solve problems is a waste. Education will never make you wealthy; it will only provide a platform to express your gifts. Real wealth lies not in your educational qualifications; real wealth lies in your gift.

One of the most fantastic indigenous Nigerian stories that also underline the limitless possibilities in human gift is the story of a woman who found a place for herself on the Nigerian 20 Naira Note. The Nigerian Naira note has always been decorated with the faces of past heroes and former presidents; nobody ever thought that a village woman “armed” only with a special gift for pottery will find a place where only kings dwell. Kwali is the first and only woman to appear in the Nigerian Currency: her portrait is on the back of the Nigerian 20 Naira note.

Ladi kwali is the woman who changed the face of pottery in Nigeria and heralded the face of modern pottery through her special gift and dexterity in the act of pottery. She was born in the village of Kwali in the Gwari region of Northern Nigeria (the present Federal capital Territory, Abuja), where pottery was a common occupation among women. Ladi Kwali didn’t only see pottery as a casual occupation but also as a sacred and special gift that was meant to impact the world.

Her pots were noted for their beauty of form and decoration. She became famous for her experimental and innovative works, merging the Gwari style with modern techniques. The impact of her gift became widespread and reached the King’s Palace. Kwali took her time in making her design and they stood out because of their beauty and exquisite charm. The Emir of Abuja at the time, Alhaji Suleiman Barau, was so enchanted by her work that he bought many of her pieces for his collection. Several of her pots were acquired by the Emir, in whose home they were seen by Michael Cardew in 1950.

Through Kwali’s contact with Cardew, she and her work became known in Europe, Britain and America. The impact of her gift was felt beyond the shores of Nigeria far into the British Empire where she was made a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1963, and was awarded an honorary degree by Ahmadu Bello University in 1977. Her pottery was also displayed during Nigeria’s independence celebration in 1960. Her work was shown to great acclaim in London at Berkeley Galleries.

In 1980, the Nigerian Government invested her with the insignia of the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA), the highest national honour for academic achievement. Imagine a woman without any academic qualification obtaining the highest national award for academic achievement through tireless dedication to her gift. She received a number of other honours in her lifetime, including being made an officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON) in 1981. The Abuja Training Pottery center was renamed the Ladi Kwali Pottery Centre, and major roads in Abuja and Niger State are named after her. The Bible says, ‘’The gift of a man maketh room for him and bringeth him before great men.’’ For Kwali, her gift brought her before the Queen of England, made streets and roads named in her honour and created a ‘room’ for her on the Nigeria 20 Naira note!

It is poignant to know that the present educational system has been designed to prepare us to get addicted to looking for casual jobs that we sometimes end up becoming casualties. Myles Munroe said, ‘’To know the right places for people, we must know their area of gifting”. As an entrepreneurship coach, I have come to realize that the best way to help unemployed youths is not just to help them find jobs but to help them find their area of gifting and passion. I have come to realize that the best of us is always within. Youths must take out time to diagnostically navigate within themselves to discover their area of gifting and core competencies. You can monetize that thing that you are so passionate about and make legitimate money from it.

I am reaching out to all the youths out there to look inwards, to discover their gifts and talents. Stop attaching your destiny to the vagaries and vicissitudes of the economy around you. When you discover, develop and deploy your God-given gifts, you create your own economy! Discover your gift and ‘unleash’ it for maximum impact.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: ‘‘We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained”- Marie Curie