Ask Chuka

 Yesterday was observed as Mission Sunday in the Catholic Church. During the homily, our priest posed a thought-provoking question: Since God knows our intentions before we pray, why should we pray? Quoting St Augustine, he explained: "We pray not because God doesn't know our intentions, but to authenticate those desires." To illustrate, think of it this way: As a parent, you may know your child wants various things—perhaps a computer, books, new shoes, or a maths tutor. But you can’t be certain which ones they truly desire until they come to you and specifically ask for item a, b, or all of them. You’d likely respond faster to what is clearly requested. It’s the same when we pray. God knows our needs, but sometimes we won’t receive them until we ask. The same principle applies in business and life. People may know you're facing challenges or have targets to meet, but help or favours often won’t come unless you ask. Even if the answer is NO sometimes, it’s still worth...

  "THEREFORE, MY DEAR FRIENDS, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED—NOT ONLY IN MY PRESENCE BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE—CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING." - PHILIPPIANS 2:12 As a pioneer staff member in one of my former jobs, some colleagues and I shared an office with our Managing Director, a man known for his hard work and passion for the business. Our resumption time was set for 8:30 a.m., but it was rare to arrive as early as 8 a.m. and not find him already working. Naturally, everyone made sure to show up on time—nobody wanted trouble with the MD, who could be tough when needed. Beyond punctuality, our KPIs were nearly 100% across all processes in the organisation, largely because we all worked in the same space. As the company grew, we still had impressive results thanks to strong management systems. However, during the MD’s monthly leave, staff would often slack off—delays in reports, absences, and inefficiencies would creep in. But as soon as we ex...

  If you assist in destroying something, you’re inevitably setting yourself up for destruction as well. This morning, after my devotion, I recalled someone who reached out to me via LinkedIn. They suggested that I could move abroad and, in doing so, boost the prospects of our business, Jewel Publishers. It seemed like an interesting idea, so I let them proceed with some background checks. However, they concluded that I didn’t qualify due to insufficient funds. That got me thinking about how many Nigerians genuinely afford their relocations. A friend of mine believes anyone can, supporting his point with the famous saying: "You can achieve anything you put your mind to." 😃 But let’s talk about those for whom relocating seems all too easy: our politicians, as alleged. 😄 For them, it’s as simple as moving $250,000 to a foreign country, no questions asked. The countries accepting these migrants seem primarily concerned with the financial benefit – as long as the funds are there...

  IF YOUR COW GIVES YOU MILK, PLEASE DO WELL TO GIVE IT WATER Some of you have worked in businesses that provide certain services for over 10 years but have never brought even one client to the company. It might sound unbelievable, but I have experienced this first-hand and seen it repeatedly in several organisations where I've worked. This group often complains about being on the same salary for years. For instance, they might have earned 20,000 Naira monthly in 2015 and now earn 40,000 Monthly Naira in 2024. Whenever I meet this kind of person, I ask one question: How much value have you added to the company? How many clients have you introduced, and how many deals have you helped close? If you’re stuck in a customer service or cleaning role, expecting that years of experience or simply getting older means you deserve more while the CEO is greying every day from worrying about keeping the business afloat, you must be joking. I often tell people who only focus on their pockets whi...