Persevearance

Perseverance

Perseverance is an important factor to being successful in life. It is the ability to continue in the earnest pursuit of a noble venture in spite of difficulties and opposition. It is tenacity of purpose evident and expressed in unbeatable determination, unflinching consecration and unrepentant pertinacity in striving for excellence.

In fact, the history of great men and women the world over is an express expression of the exploits of perseverance. Abraham Lincoln wanted to be a president. He started off running round a vicious circle of failure. He became a published and accomplished failure. Abbey could not even succeed in his contention for inferior positions. After about thirteen successive failures, he had a single consolatory-guess what it was? He became the 16th president of the USA. It was because he understood that quitters don't win and winners don't quit.

Thomas Edison, the great inventor of the electric bulb was said to have failed for a thousand times. When asked what kept him going despite his phenomenal failures, he simply laughed and said: 'I did not fail for 1,000 times, it was only that each attempt brought me closer to my final result because I learnt never to make the mistake again'

Gentlemen corps members, we cannot achieve anything worthwhile in life without this great virtue called perseverance. Our aspirations, passions and visions are bound to pass through the crucible of affliction and persecutions. But our conviction in the success of this vision will make us persevere till it comes to fruition. However, in the course of persevering, necessary sacrifices will be made. We may lose friends, relationships, comfort and may even pay the ultimate price of our lives. Somebody rightly remarked that it is better to die for something than live for nothing. If we don’t give up, we won’t go up.

For us, the pursuit of a better Nigeria devoid of ethnic consideration, religious collision and myopic concessions is worth pursuing. The test begins from here in Ebonyi State. I therefore urge all of us to embrace perseverance. Never say never! Don't give up! Insist, persist, resist, don't desist until Nigeria consist all we list. Don't meander in the maze of mediocrity or pander in the pool of popularity and comfortability. When the going gets rough, be tough; when the road gets dusty and frosty, become lusty. And when it becomes crystal clear, totally obvious and discernable even to the greatest of optimist that you have no chance of survival since your arrival in this arena, refire, dont retire. Someone said: 'Perspire to acquire your desire which you admire and never retire but refire. But if it backfires, rewire for God's fire'

Believe you can make a difference even if beset by temporary obstacles. Ebonyi is a virgin land, ripe for annexation, eager for cultivation but waiting for visionary and enterprising youths like us who will see beyond the thick and threatening forest of problems and impossibilities to explore its prospects and immense possibilities. And if scared by snake stories and unfounded fables, i urge you to align with your God. Because when a man and his God confront a mountain, impossibilities disappear, never to reappear. To therefore seek redeployment is to disembark from this historic train of glorious patriots.

I'll end with Winston Churchill, one of the greatest statesmen Britain has ever had. He had been called to deliver an address to a group of students who had eagerly anticipated the opportunity of listening to his famed eloquence. And then Mr. Churchill mounted the dais.
There was dead silence on the assembly. Everyone held their breath; afraid to interrupt the sacred hallow hanging in the air. And he looked at them with a sharp gaze and shot: 'Never, never, never give up!' and that was all and he took his seat. Hasn't the point been made already? Like Churchill, I charge you fellow comrades, in spite of our challenges, weaknesses and failures as individuals and as a nation under the siege of intractable tribal conflicts, political instability, electoral violence, militancy, Boko Haram, kidnapping and killing of our colleagues, Never, never, never give up! It's always darkest before the dawn.

Finally remember; please don't forget, that even in this NYSC phase of our existence, only perseverance determines our clearance, severance or continuance.

Thank you

Delivered by Folarin Samson
Of Platoon 5, Macgregor Camp, Ebonyi State
Today, 15th July,2011.