Foremost industrialists and President of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmos Maduka has advised individuals who strive for success to put modalities in place to counter unexpected challenges.
Speaking during an interactive session with members of Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) in Lagos, Dr. Maduka described challenges as “building blocks” that help form strong characters in people.
Giving a personal example, Dr. Maduka said: “I’ve met challenges in life. 2011 was a critical part of it when I lost close to N20 billion. People thought it will be my end. People had celebrated my end but I re-bounced. When it gets harder that is when the toughest in me comes out.
“I grew up meeting challenges. It’s not that I like challenges. But, I feel excited when they (challenges) come. Coming from the background of the scriptures, Romans 5:3 says: ‘We glory in tribulations, knowing that it worketh patience; and patience, experience and experience, hope.’
When you meet things in life, they are building blocks and those things really help to form characters in you. I went through that experience of 2011 becoming a much stronger person both in character and otherwise. People thought I was going to disappoint them because of the challenge. Today, they trust me more because I surmounted that situation and never betrayed confidence. So, that is who I am.
Though he declined to elaborate on the 2011 episode, Maduka said: “That experience is a lesson and as I live, it will forever remain in my memory. For the first time my instincst failed me. I must admit that I was not rational. When you allow your emotions to lead you, you’re bound to make mistakes. I was not rational. I allowed my emotions to lead me. When your emotions take control of you, you’re not objective any more.
Dr Maduka, who identified Chief Afe Babalola as his role model spoke on sundry issues and thanked God and his mother for the successful person he is today.
Dr Maduka said: “Apart from God Almighty, I will give credit to my mother. She has been my angel. When you have a Godly mother that really trusts in God, she will inspire you to greatness. My mother told me to believe in God and in myself.
“She also told me that I will go places in life. Innocently, she told me that people will not say no to me. I can tell you that with the confidence of what my mother told me, I get favour from people very easily. I encourage parents to bless their children.
