When opportunity meets preparation, success is inevitable. In his biography, MY EARLY LIFE, the late political sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo recalled a powerful philosophy he garnered through his studies. Hear him, "Take ajar; put in it small beans as well as big beans, making sure that each of the big beans is heavier in weight than each of the small beans; put the big beans at the bottom of the jar and the small beans at the top; shake the jar and behold! The small beans rattle to the bottom and the big beans shake to the top.
Repeat the process as often as you wish, and the result will be the same.
"Now the world is like a mighty jar and all of us in it in our different theatres of operation are like beans with varying sizes and weights. In norl11al circumstances, each of us is where he is because of his size and weight. By means of favouritism and nepotism or of some other deliberate and iniquitous tinkering with the content of the jar, some beans which are small in size and weight may get to the top and stay there for a time, but they are sure to rattle to the bottom, sooner or latter.
"The sine qua non for anyone who wants to get to the top therefore is to increase his size and weight in his particular calling - that is mentally, professionally, morally and spiritually. Getting to the top is one thing, and remaining there is another. To maintain your place at the top, you must make sure that you do not at anytime shrink in size or lose in weight. But evaporation as well as wear and tear takes place all the time and unless these are constantly replaced, the man who gets to the top by dint of his own specific size and weight is also sure to rattle. This philosophy is applicable to political or economic organization as it is to an individual."
