Everyone wants to get to the top, everyone wants to be at the top of the ladder. Man was born with the intrinsic desire to get better each day. How we do that is up to us but we cannot deny that the desire is innate in our being. Our Holy books give us the promise(s) of being blessed and being on the head. We read, believe and study these promises and hold on to them. They fuel most of our activities and encourages us in our daily hustle. Our religious leaders tell us to believe and speak and it will come to pass. “One day e go better” you can hear the common man say. Will it indeed be better? Will our desires ever come to pass just like that?

Can desire only take us to the top? Is there something else we can do and should do? Yes, there are so many things that can be done and that must be done before the desire of being successful can be actualized. One of which is diligence. Anyone who wants to succeed in life must be diligent. Even a crook must be diligent in his enterprise before he can succeed. The Bible encourages us that a diligent man will stand before kings and not mean men. This goes to show that diligence is the great fuel that burns the flame of success. No one may notice you now but be rest assured that nature has got some laid down principle of sowing and reaping.

Diligence is careful and persistent work at something desired. For instance, a student desires to finish with a good grade from school, he has to be persistent and constant in studying and attending classes. Keep hitting a rock and watch it crack. It is not that simple but no failure is also not that simple.

Diligence works for all, irrespective of religion, race or culture. Any man found diligent will surely succeed and get to the top. Take a good look at our current President. His diligence finally paid off. He has been aspiring for the position of the President and has been diligent at it. Today, his victory is glaring for all to see.

My fellow Nigerians and non-Nigerians, God and nature rewards diligence. If you want to sit beside kings “what is worth doing is what doing well”. Quit saying it alone and start doing. According to Samuel L Johnson, “few things are impossible to diligence”.

Nene Udoh