The Making Identity: Passwords to Personal Success and Global Transformation

Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Introduction to The Making Identity

Part One

Maximising the Realities and Possibilities of Our Being

Chapter One:   Understanding and Leveraging Your Personal Identity

Chapter Two:   Creative Forms and Functionality

Chapter Three: Developing and Using Multiple Platforms

Chapter Four:   Making a Difference

Part Two

Organisational and National Transformation

Chapter Five:   The Beauty and Possibilities of Our Cultural Identity

Chapter Six:     Optimising the Potentials and Products of a Cultural and Corporate Identity

Chapter Seven: Innovation and Advanced Technology for Greater Productivity and Growth

Chapter Eight:  Institutionalising, Processing, and Packaging in a Global Economy

Conclusion:   A Simple Guide for the Nations

Afterword:     I am a Man!

Biblical References

Sources

Other Books

About the Author

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the creative human spirit. Your being and identity holds greater and better realities and possibilities, higher than you know and exhibit right now.

To the countless graduates and undergraduates of universities, polytechnics, colleges, vocational enterprise institutions, and high schools in every continent.

To the generations of all the African nations.

With this Book in your hands, I will take you to places!

-Elohim

Acknowledgements

A book never gets published by the author alone, let alone a well-written and excellently packaged book as The Making Identity: Passwords to Personal Success and Global Transformation. I did the creative thinking, penning of the words, and typesetting of the manuscript myself, but other persons performed equally essential roles.

For the success and the barriers broken to get this book and all my other books in stores and in the hands of readers, locally and internationally, and the impact made by these books, I acknowledge and appreciate the Almighty God for His enablement and the privilege.

I regard and will remain grateful to Bishop Dr John Ibenu, MBBS, for his encouragement and presence and for his keynote speech at the NUJ Press Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, at the dedication and launching of my book The Purpose and Power of Identity: Exploring the Realities and Possibilities of Our Being on 17 December 2011.

I highly regard and appreciate my pastors and brothers—Dr Pastor Paul Enenche, MBBS; Rev. Joshua Omada; Rev. Chris Bature; Pastor Prosper Nwachokor; Pastor Odang Samson; Rev. Success Samuel Haruna; Rev. Prince Eneojo Etu; Rev. David Faruna; Bar. Pastor Emmanuel Ibenu—your love and oversights encourages my ability and inspires me towards exploits.

I received various forms of inputs and support from several individuals during the birthing of the ideas for this work and towards the promotion, marketing, and distribution of these books; however, I am grateful to the following individuals whose support and contributions made the development, packaging, and production of this particular book possible.

First, and foremost, my wife and friend, Benedicta, and my two lovely kids, Dominion and King Jr—your lives and presence encourage and challenge my capabilities.

Group Captain and Mrs Grace Amesinlola Adeniyi Herbert, Squardron Leader Femi Omotola and Mrs Seember Vanessa Olarenwaju, Hon. and Mrs Aliyu Akuh, Mr Edwin Anya, Mr Sunday and Mrs Sarah Onabote, Mr Friday Eneojo Adigwu, Mr Sam and Mrs Joy Omada, and Evang. Francis Okpe—thank you for your kind support to me and to my works which made this publication possible.

I would also like to acknowledge and commend Ismail Radwan and Giulia Pellegrini, from the World Bank, for granting me permission to use excerpts from their work Knowledge, Productivity, and Innovation in Nigeria: Creating a New Economy in the seventh chapter of this book; Dr Paul N. Vincent, captain, US Army, and author, New York City, USA, for his valuable suggestions and contributions to The Making Identity: Passwords to Personal Success and Global Transformation; all my friends; the TIC® company; and my ministry partners and readers in Nigeria and worldwide. I appreciate you.

And finally, my publishing consultants in the UK, Lucy Rama and Mr Jo Blanco; my services representative, Ms Carla Cobar; my copyeditor; everyone at Author Solutions, Inc.; and Xlibris—thank you for your excellent publishing and marketing services.

Foreword

In The Making Identity: Passwords to Personal Success and Global Transformation, Rev. Omada King has done a great job in trying to help the readers understand how to harness their creativity in the process of discovering their identity. It emphasises how the discovery of one’s identity could make all the difference in what they amount to in life, what they become, or what they get to accomplish in life or in their field of endeavour. The author, through this book, has also given the reader insights to enhance both personal and corporate productivity.

The author also shares with and challenges the reader to take personal responsibility, to express their capabilities, and to challenge the status quo in their journey of discovering and maximising their creative identity. Some people who discovered and maximised their creative identity (despite various challenges on their paths) are also cited. The reader will find some of these examples inspiring. It will stir and encourage them to rise to their fullest potential, discover their true identity, and then creatively maximise what they have within them to become all that they were created to be by their Creator.

Not only that, this book will also help the reader by presenting them with simple and yet practical ways to enhance their personal creativity and make a difference in their life, career, business, studies, or field of endeavour. The author, through this book, encourages the reader to overcome every challenge, pressure, and obstacle that may arise on their way to utilising their capabilities or maximising the possibilities of their identity.

I pray that every reader will indeed discover their true identity, potential, and ability to harness their creativity to make this world a better place than when they met it and, most of all, that the discovery of their true identity in God will become the greatest asset in their relationship with God their Maker and that through their identity in God and dependence on Him, they will accomplish extraordinary things in life.

. . . but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Dan. 11: 32)

I also pray for God’s blessings upon the life, family, and ministry of the author, Rev. Omada King. The Lord will surely continue to use him greatly to be a blessing to his generation. I love his spirit and commend him on the great job he has done in writing this book. I have no doubt that he is going places for the Master Jesus. His writings and ministry will continue to blossom, and may new doors be opened unto him to be a greater blessing to humanity!

Be blessed as you read this book. It will empower you and change your life positively. Shalom!

Dr Paul N. Vincent

New York City, USA

(Captain, US Army)

Author, Persistence Works Series

President, Vincent Paul Ministries Int’l

Website: www.vincentpaulorg.com

Preface

It is 6 a.m. in Lagos. I am at the studios of the largest TV network in Africa, broadcasting from the Lagos Network Centre and reaching every nook and cranny of Nigeria, Africa, and the nations of the world via satellite. I am the guest of the day for the live interview on AM Express, a daily network programme of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). It’s about me and the relevance of my sixth book—The Purpose and Power of Identity: Exploring the Realities and Possibilities of Our Being. I am scheduled to appear again at the same studio in another forty-eight hours for another interview.

Before this day, I have been interviewed by some national daily newspapers, had the book receive rave reviews in magazines and mention in several newspapers, and also appeared on national radio programmes for interviews.

Getting all these done in Nigeria and anywhere in the world within four months requires that you either pay some cash in advance on your publishing contract to a publicist who books and arranges all these or to the stations or media houses or that you or your work are relevant to some local and international issues.

I had some exclusivity in my case, however. I got here by writing and publishing six books locally and internationally within less than three years. I paid no one and neither did I lobby. One of my publishers even had to do what they had never done in their thirty-four-year history of the publishing house—pick up a book by a young Nigerian author, go abroad, and print 5,000 copies at the first printing for a five-year contract. Everything about me and The Purpose and Power of Identity seemed to be effortless and stress-free after its original publishing in the United Kingdom and printing in the United States of America and presentation in Nigeria. Unless you can imagine well and see the big picture, you may not think this is high and lofty and a breakthrough.

I can remember everything I did and all the amazing things that followed, stage by stage, but it’s obvious to me, to friends, and to observers that my efforts were unusually getting rewarded. I knew I received or found something and entered a threshold the day I began writing and publishing, and I decided to use it as much as possible. Now, it seems I have succeeded overnight in this. Whether this overnight success is literally or not, like several others in various fields, I am now a literary success, a trailblazer, and a model.

I believe it is everyone’s right to be exceptional and significant. I believe it’s time to also make personal efforts to rise above the crowd and be that special someone. It is time to stand out. The trouble is, there is so much noise and clamour going on in the world that it is hard to get their attention. But life and all our activities are about expressing and fulfilling our essence and getting satisfaction, thereby achieving personal success and making a difference in our spheres of the world.

So, life for me is not just about existing or a count in statistics or occupying just space, but a position of influence and making indelible marks in the world as I make my contributions and complement the efforts of others. As such, over the years I have grown up with a kind of passion and commitment for life and an extraordinary enablement by my spiritual mindedness which has helped me achieve and accomplish some things in my attempt at deploying the essence of my being.

Maybe I should give you an idea and a view of my heart and mind on how and why I write or share my insights and experiences the way I do.

In writing a book, or in preparations for a talk, I usually begin by paying attention to three things:

-   Any string of life lessons I am learning that have a common subject;

-   Issues of public good and conversations I have with others where they bring up this same theme; and,

-   A deep conviction that God wants me to increase my insight and my passion on this topic for a good reasons.

After these, I put my initial thoughts about the theme through a filter of questions:

-   Is there an audience (beyond just my wife, two children and my ministry partners and friends) who will be interested in this subject?

-   What challenges are my audiences having for which this book or talk would be a possible solution?

-   Do I have some fresh, unique, and reliable answers or insights to share that meet the felt need of this group of people?,

-   Have I known enough on this subject or theme to be authentically relatable as I write or speak about it?

-   Have I made enough progress in this area to handle the material in a practical, tactful and responsible way?

I use these questions to help me hone the concept of my presentations. And it’s usually in this pondering and questioning of ideas that, as I pray and develop, God begins to give me inspirations and guidance. I realize that if I can’t make it work in the concept phase of a subject, I won’t stay interested enough in this topic to write or speak 80, 000 words. And it will really be a burden for an audience or any reader of a book whose author has no passion in writing their own material 10,000 words in. Have you ever read a book that started off great but then started boring the mess out of you? I have. It’s disappointing. And it’s usually either because the author didn’t hone their concept enough before jumping into writing the book or the reader needs to develop more discipline in reading through and finishing a valuable and needed material.

For a book, once the concept is fully explored, I begin to develop the content and the chapters in line with the subject or theme of the book. With one sentence after another, one paragraph, then two, three and on I go. But in between the beginning phase and here, I read and research far and wide in order to have a most balanced, educative and resourceful approach in my writing.

As I write the sentences that form the paragraphs that make of the pages of the chapters, that eventually form the book, I remember each sentence matters. It’s my responsibility to write sentences that are authentic and inspiring, true and well crafted. Eventually, the manuscript goes through copyediting by professional English people, but eventually, I determine what makes it in or out of the finished work. I do my best to be more informative, inspirational and somewhat conversational in my presentations with the threads of my personality reflecting here or there in the book in such a style that clearly demonstrate a consistent voice, and the quality my readers have come to expect from me.

Every sentence and paragraph in the book matters. After all, it’s not often whole books but rather sentences tucked within chapters that inspire, empower and change people’s lives. With these in mind, I could sit at my computer and tap the keys for hours at a time. I love untangling thoughts that might possibly be used by God to help another.

It’s a process, this book writing thing. It’s hard and messy and very time consuming. But what a wondrous thing to have words that goes on to reach others and live on beyond us. Sentences that linger and continue to inspire, inform and transform. So, as in my writings, talks and all my works in my pursuit of fulfilment, I have observed and learnt a few things that I will share with you through the pages of this book, and I believe that from my statements and the references in it, you will

•   acquire knowledge,

•   gain insights and ideas,

•   develop concepts,

•   learn creativity, and

•   accomplish innovation and advancement.

I tell you, the biggest difference between you and me and Einstein; Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft; Dr David Olaniyi Oyedepo, founder and senior pastor of the Faith Tabernacle, the largest church auditorium on the earth with capacity to sit comfortably 50,000 worshipers at once; Michael Jackson, renowned music sensation; Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, Inc.; Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, Inc.; or whoever your heroes are is that they know themselves and they outwork you. They spend more time on and around what they do, either in the open or in private, tasking their minds and bodies to gain creative expressions and mastery. You don’t believe me? Pick any genius, influential person, legend or creative hero and any landmark work or effort of theirs and investigate how many sketches or drafts or attempts they had to make to get it right and become famous or accomplished. You will discover that flashes of insights or geniuses or ideas which account for creative and inventive proofs came as they made commitments, educated themselves, and while they worked hard. You will also discover that while education plays a significant role in sharpening and promoting their innate intelligence, their academic background had little bearing on what they accomplished.

These people and the leaders of our national and multinational organisations developed themselves or apprenticed with or observed masters in a craft and worked on themselves. They learnt and served in little ways and developed the skills needed to do more significant or sophisticated works, eventually enlisting themselves in the hall of fame. It begins by discovering your identity and uniqueness, leveraging your distinctiveness and passion, and developing values and commitment to excellence.

Now, you have The Making Identity, subtitled Passwords to Personal Success and Global Transformation, the second book in this series, and I know that you will find it worth reading. It is a personal guide to growth and increase in your influence. I humbly and sincerely encourage you to read through this book and find something that belongs to you, for in every success story, there are secrets. Yours may not be writing and publishing or speaking, or in any of the spheres of life I sampled real life stories of several outstanding individuals and corporations, but you can be inspired, get ideas, and learn concepts that will aid you.

Open its pages, read line by line, take hold of the open secrets to the creative essence of your identity, and make the most of life. There are passwords to the creative identity that you possess, and until you consciously apply yourself to the demands of living out the essence of your being, you have not truly lived. It’s not far-fetched anymore. Use it.

As you do, I welcome you on board as we travel on together to a world of unlimited possibilities!

Introduction to

The Making Identity

All the education and technological and postmodern developments and inventions of the world are of no good use and leads mankind to self-destruct, unless they elevate men and women to function at a higher level of effectiveness and comfort. As such, a conscious pursuit of positive values, attitudes, and re-education, with passion and commitments, are required so that both inventions and inventors do not continue to be abused.

- Omada King

When one considers the enormity of the challenges facing our society today, we can safely conclude that the time is overdue for us to re-examine our values and reflect upon and evaluate some of the underlying issues and assumptions we have as a society. This self-analysis calls into question the very nature of what it means to be human, what it means to be a member of a civilisation, and what choices we can make today to ensure a prosperous and safe future for all mankind.

As the world continues its shift into new socio-economic, technological, political, and spiritual eras, with increasing focus on specialisations, expertise, innovations, inventions, and productivity, there is a need and challenge for individuals, organisations, and nations to take personal and collective responsibility for creativity and diversification but not without a commitment to the dimensions of individual, cultural, organisational, and national identity.

The advancements made in the history of the human race since the days of the Renaissance man, and specifically current and ongoing revolutions, has brought both excitement and restiveness into the hearts and minds of millions of people in every nation, whether developed, developing, or underdeveloped. The individuals, organisations and nations that will have the lead in this age and beyond are those that are able to develop their intellectual, emotional, and spiritual capabilities and harness the available human and natural resources for productivity through creativity and innovation.

The reality is that we have transcended from the Industrial Age into the Information/Knowledge Worker Age—a dispensation requiring conscious and skilful living and activity and effective use and management of all tangible and intangible resources. However, it is important to fully realise the possibilities of our identities and to understand that creativity is at the core of our identity and being as humans.

Creativity allows you to thrive in an ever changing world and to unlock a universe of possibilities. My simple definition of creativity is that it is the expression of human intelligence and ingenuity in the exploration of life, opportunities, and resources of the earth through imagination, innovation, and invention in the form of goods, services, or solving daily life and career challenges and attending or responding appropriately to responsibilities. Simply put, it is an ability of human intelligence that enables the use of imagination to produce ideas and solutions.

Every man or woman is born creative and is intelligent, but our innate intelligence and creativity is in measures and dimensions, which can either be developed and enhanced or limited by education, values, senses of identity, and actions and inactions.

Education is simply defined as the process of learning in order to develop physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually, and economically. It involves the training of the mind to develop appropriate perceptions, attitudes, values, skills, and competences, both in interpersonal and social relationships and in professionalism and communication and handling the challenges of life and attaining set standards and objectives. As such, a well-educated person is not only literate but has also developed his or her mental reasoning and creative powers and is knowledgeable. Thus, the ground purpose of education is to draw out all desirable changes in the behaviour and self-consciousness through the growth and development of the learner’s physical, mental, and spiritual capabilities, enabling him to have a useful, enjoyable, and productive life in the society, workplace, and home.

Creativity and innovation management are now being taught in some universities and colleges all across the world now, and our disciplines notwithstanding, we all must now embrace these concepts and learn to live by the demands of productivity and excellence in order to make the most of our education. According to Roger von Oech, By the time the average person finishes college, he or she will have taken over 2, 600 tests, quizzes, and exams, but for one to be regarded as an inventor, genius or a trailblazer, we must go beyond academic certification toward maximum self deployments.

This is because life is progressive and our identities hold unlimited possibilities than we ever know, and will be actualised as we learn and yield to the voice that calls for change and the transformation of our perspectives and commit to responsibilities. As such, with enhanced creativity, instead of problems you see potentials, and instead of obstacles you see opportunities. Instead of challenges you see a chance to create breakthrough solutions.

For instance, at the beginning of this century, no one imagined man would fly. In 1950, space travel only occurred in science fiction movies. In 1960, tape recorders were still bulky machines with seven-inch reels, and no one had ever heard the word compact disc. In 1970, computers took up entire rooms. The information superhighway was only an idea in 1980.

Now, beyond the technological breakthroughs and the various innovations in our industries that have now enabled us have enhanced and better products and services today, can you imagine that in 1899, Charles Duell, Commissioner of the US Patents office, in his resignation letter, said, "We have reached the end. Everything that can be invented has been invented". Today, we have different products as proof of man’s ingenuity, and our world is linked via satellite, computer modem, and cellular telephone.

As now indicated, a large number of people, if not everyone in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and many in Africa and elsewhere, have and use at least one electromechanical product or the other and other products of someone’s ingenuous expression of intelligence and creativity, from clothes to shoes to wristwatches to furniture to the designs and materials of the houses we live in. Someone had to create them, and in order for that to happen, someone had to give birth to them by believing in their possibilities, envisioning them with clarity, and harnessing both tangible and intangible resources together to make them.

Is this only true of material objects? No. It also applies to all kinds of activities and processes; a car works and travels on land, ships at sea, and aircrafts in the airspace because someone enterprising figured out how to harness the process of internal combustion and find ways to overcome certain forces or natural barriers. It also applies to personal life, family, career, and services at work and in society. So, it’s all about knowledge, insight, ideas, and concepts, and the commitment to excel and be productive, invent, and innovate.

During the past sixty years, for example, more inventions, discoveries, scientific, and medical breakthroughs have occurred than in the entire history of the world. Every three years, our knowledge doubles! In the face of our innumerable challenges, the astounding magnitudes of new knowledge, achievements, and accomplishments confirm that there is a shift taking place and indicate that our generation is ushering in an unprecedented and unimaginable transformation to the entire globe.

The numbers of our scientists, social reformers, and think tanks are limited; they formulate strategies that treat only superficial symptoms, without touching the basic social operation. I think we need to approach these problems somewhat differently. I am convinced that we cannot eliminate these problems within the framework of the present political, monetary, and resource-based systems and establishments.

So, the answer to our current power and energy challenges, terrorism, and other socio-economic problems lies in the imagination, resourcefulness, and sheer commitment of today’s man and woman, young or old: physicists, engineers, educators, politicians, or policymakers, those in governments, spiritual leaders, and every one of us. Yes, the resolution to our social crises, like the alarming spread of racial hate