101 Guide to Success: My Success Story in times of Covid-19

My Success Story in times of Covid-19....

While some are glued to the screen of their TV set or phones, navigating from one breaking news to the other, there are few people who have decided to make a difference in this hard time.

The Sun is up!

The Modern City by Chizaram Atuba

It is no new news that our minds are plagued with the thought of the pandemic, and we are overly occupied, and painstakingly waiting for it to come to an end. Come to think of it, what if this stretches longer than we could imagine? Would we actually have our legs crossed, and wait till we are declared Corona virus free or do we become energized to do more for ourselves despite the present circumstances? Have we observed that no matter how much it rains during the day, night doesn’t overshadow day light? This simply means that the decision to think and make a move depends on us. Let’s take a good look on the bright side!

Intrigued!

At first, during the very few weeks the lockdown was announced, there seemed to be a wave of dark shadow which eclipsed our social life and well-being. Recently, there seem to be a total transformation, and that is what I intend bringing to you through this very post. When I moved closer to a group of family and friends, I discovered that their lives, businesses, and perception took a whole new dimension as a result of the recent event. Few are here to share their success story, and I hope you get inspired.

Love What I do Best!

Apparently, I am always caught up in the midst of the rush hours in the busy city of Eko because my day job is overly demanding. Obviously, work happened before the inevitable announcement. It actually availed me time to do other things I left pending, but I got scared about how numbers kept on increasing each day. Aside from working from home, I had ample time to do some courses and take on some  upgrade lessons in my fashion business too.

Oke Gbemisola
gbemioke91@gmail.com

Compliance officer/fashion designer

Ebute Metta, Lagos

Quarantine Chronicle

I found myself in Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic, as of the time. Initially, I welcomed the idea as a compulsory holiday, but as the cases increased, it became a nightmare. My real fear was not the virus, but the economic opportunities that would probably be lost during the lockdown. I upgraded on some new skills via discounted courses on websites such as udemy and udacity. I finally lost some weight; which is ironical when you think of the fact that it should've been vice versa.

Ochulo Kelechi

mailto:ochulo.kc@gmail.com

Digital marketer

Lagos Island

A Home Away from Home

I was not at home as expected but in a distant town, partially, a 'home' away from home. Funny enough, though I was far from my family or familiar faces, I was extremely calm that I had to always avoid people who would talk me into panicking, fear or anxiety. I believe the virus will not fly and meet me in my room. I was and still very much in control. Nothing much, read and write. Yea! I was introduced to an online trade, fantastic!

Abigail Onowosemenmen

Abigailabbey@gmail.com

Research Student

Lagos

Out of the Capital!

Luckily enough for me, I stepped out of the capital, Accra, on a corporate assignment few days before the lockdown was imposed there. So, I didn’t really get to experience the full force of the lockdown while I was at Ho. I realised that freedom means everything; it should never be taken for granted anymore. Our families are irreplaceable; friends cannot take their place. The little things matter — giving a hug, shaking someone’s hand, etc. (Hopefully, we can resume this when the pandemic is over). Our basic needs first, everything else is secondary. The luxuries cars mean very little at such a time as this. This lockdown offered me the perfect opportunity to learn a new programming language together with its accompanying framework, which would come very much in handy when corporate work fully resumes.

Courage Elikem Agamah

courage@coutales.com

Software developer

Accra, Ghana

SME

I was knee-deep in work at that time in Lagos, and at the moment of the lockdown, I had no other option but to keep calm, stay focused, and positive minded. Despite the fact that I was very much aware of the impact this could have economically, I chose to see an opportunity. I went through some books (motivational and business development), and attended an online training on a particular business strategy. Also, I carried out a research and developed some plans for sme to be able to sustain their business  after lockdown. 

Abiola Nurayn

zun-nurayn@hotmail.com

Managing Partner, Accserv Professional Services

Lagos

By the Riverbank 

Port Harcourt was my base at that very moment. Initially, I supported the lockdown due to fear of the spread of the virus. But as it dragged on, I felt it should be lifted, but individuals should take greater personal care to protect themselves and others. This lockdown has aided me to rediscover my love for sports. There was a time I thought I couldn’t live without daily games, but I lost all that to the hustle and bustle of life. I now wait on time everyday for sports.

Ugochukwu Maduagwu

ugochukwu.maduagwu@gmail.com

Businessman

Port Harcourt

Field Trip

Prior to the lockdown, I was always at work everyday. This is because my kind of job (Auditor) requires me to be at the client's site most of the time. I love this lockdown due to the fact that I don’t have to worry about waking up early in order to commute to work for hours. Since this quarantine, I never have to worry about waking up early because even if I wake up at 8:25am, I still make it to work on time, since my work area is my living room. LOL!  Fortunately, I can use this extra time that I have to study for my CPA exam (accounting board exam). Also, I have been relaxing and spending more time with my friends, which I haven't done for a very long time due to work demands.

Ifeoma Nibo

Auditor at a Public Accounting Firm (The Big 4)

Washington DC, 

So, read, research, sports, work, engage, fashion, school, social well-being, and more.....

I hope you enjoyed the experience, do leave a comment, and check back for the next exciting post!