A wise man once said, “A man with a will will go farther than a man with a wheel.” Or is it the other way round? “A man with a wheel will go farther than a man with a will.”
I’ve only ever heard it, never had to read or write it. Also, I don’t know who this wise man is and some people may even argue that he’s not wise, but, you get the point.
I don’t need an introduction, but I like to show off and you need a reminder; Tis I, Lord Victor Whistledown of House PAADC. First of his name. Courier of Gossips. Two ears on my head, two thousand on the street.
Dearest gentle reader, 👋
How have you been?
Nigeria's Independence Day was on the 1st of October, Celebrating 64 years of independence. 64 years of greatness and awesomeness.
Let me tell you some amazing things about Nigeria’s Independence:
To break free from our colonial masters, there was an anti-colonial movement; a non-violent series of actions that showed resistance to British rule in Nigeria through strike actions, newspaper press and propaganda, trade unionism, and mass migration.
These series of actions forced the British leaders to hand over rulership to Nigerian leaders.
During this period, newspapers were the biggest weapon used by independence activists to fight against the British. They published opinions of the masses, putting fear in hearts of colonial leaders, and eventually forcing them to quit.
Public workers also went on several strikes in our non-violent struggle for independence. The largest one lasted 52 days and involved over 41,000 government workers.
Finally, on the 1st of October 1960, Nigeria gained freedom from the British colony.
Kudos to those who had the will to fight for our independence and those who have been behind the wheel to drive the country.
These activists’ patriotic actions are proof that you can achieve what you want if you dare! 👍
Just like Nigeria became free from colonial rule, you can be free from fears, self-doubts, and other negative thoughts holding you back from achieving your potential.
Now, I put it to you: Do you have the courage like these heroes to face your fears head-on and become the best version of yourself? Do you have the will to get the life you dream about or will you let fear take the wheel?
I know you do. You have what it takes to be the best. So, go for it. I’m rooting for you!
It’s no coincidence that in my last newsletter, I talked to you about shooting your shot and in this one, I’m asking you to fight for your life what you want.
It’s no coincidence that over 450 students across Nigeria applied to take their innovations to the next level.
Most importantly, it’s not a coincidence that…
We received over 150 applications this year!! 🥳
Despite the socio-economic conditions of the country, PAADC received 156 applications from 33 schools across all of our 5 sectors. Here’s how the applications were spread across each sector:
39 in Agriculture
37 in Education
27 in Environmental Sustainability
27 in Essential Services
26 in Health Care
You can see the complete stats from our application in this post.
As I mentioned in the last newsletter, only 50 teams made it to the next phase of the competition. These numbers mean two things;
One, students are intentionally making efforts to improve the world around them. These heroes are harnessing technology to revolutionize their communities and the world at large. They don’t just have the will, they’re also reinventing the wheel. They are courageous and reflect the true spirit of independence.
If you’re one of them, I salute you. If you are also doing something to change the world around you, you have my namaskar.
Two,
The Grand Finale is Close! 💥
Yes. I’ve been talking a lot about the Grand Finale for a while and the date is drawing closer by the day.
All PAADC OGs know that the Grand Finale is the highlight of every PAADC edition. And since it happens at the beginning of every session, it is a perfect academic motivation for everyone with a will to succeed.
Some people connect with potential employers at the Grand Finale. For those of us on LinkedIn, it's a time to take pictures and show the world that we are agents of change.
Some people come for the presentation, while some of us pray to leave with two plates of steamy rice. 🤭
The point is, whatever your reason, this year’s grand finale promises more excitement than you have EVER witnessed! Have I ever lied to you? 🤷♂️
Just know that registration opens soon. If you want to be one of the first to get a ticket and secure a spot for the big day, you need to register early.
Register as soon as the link is out and be punctual on the D-Day. That's the secret to securing breakfast and lunch at the Grand Finale. 🤫
But before that big day, we have something coming! 💚
What’s that?
The Nexus for October! 🤗
We had two Nexus sessions already and I've enjoyed both. Everyone who has attended any of these sessions would agree.
Take a look at the recap of the first session here.
If you missed the second Nexus, listen to the recording here or read a short recap here.
In the first session, we discussed finding and managing remote opportunities. In the second session, we learned how healthy habits help us achieve optimum productivity. This month, we’re bringing a finance expert to speak to us.
Date: Saturday, October 26th, 2024.
Time: 12 noon.
Can you guess what the topic will be?
Leave your guesses in the comments or the publicity community.
Yet to be part of our publicity community? You’re missing o. Click below to join ASAP.
Something interesting happened last week in the community group.
But before I tell you what…
Did you know?
Merch Discount Is Over 😔
The 500 naira discount on the PAADC merch has ended. If you made good use of that juicy offer, good for you. If you didn't…well, merch sales is still on.
Back to my gist. Last week, just a few hours before the end of the discount promo, the head of logistics gave a whopping 50% discount on t-shirts to two people. These kinds of random giveaways are what we do in the publicity community and if you are not one of us, you can’t enjoy these goodies.
Are you ready to join the community now? Click the link below to join us.
Anyway, the merch pieces are going out fast and you must buy your merch piece NOW before we run out of stock.
If you missed out on the site discount, don't miss out on the chance to own a merch piece.
If you have bought one for yourself already, get another one for your friend. Or what's friendship if it's not about love and gifting each other? 🥺
Aside from the merch, there’s another thing you shouldn't miss out on:
Advertising Your Business With Other Members of The Ton. 👥
Are you a business owner, marketer, or an esteemed member of the ton? Do you want to spread your business like wildfire? Well, what better way to spread it than with a renowned gossip! 😜
You can sell your brand to over 9000 students Ton members nationwide; discerning readers who appreciate quality and sophistication. It’s a fabulous opportunity to shine and connect your brands with the chic-est crowd in town! 😎
Interested?
I can’t wait to tell the world about YOU.
That's all for today. Till when next I write to you, continue your journey to self-improvement and BECOMING a better VERSION of YOURSELF. 🤭
Remember, a man with a will will go farther than a man with a wheel.
I hope you enjoy the rest of this month.
Stay Safe, Stay Jiggy! ✌🏽💚