Of course, I had been a victim of this for so long, but now I do realise that I’ve really lost a lot. Look into yourself, look deeply in the container of your thoughts. Now ask yourself, “Do I really believe myself? Do I really think I am the best? Am I really pertinent to the society?” If all what your subconscious can bring to you is no, then you are one of the warriors I’m referring to.

I remembered signing in for a contest. That contest was actually hosted by an international source thus, pointing to the kind of people that would be there. Really, there were blacks and whites. It was actually a poetry contest. I did write it, holding the thought that I only wrote it for gaining certificate not for winning purpose. The fate of the story got twisted when I remembered an intriguing, inspiring, and educative movie : Akeelah and the bee. The pen of the story wrote on my plain heart, and I really realised I was in Akeelah’s shoe. I could not really remember what her coach told her, but the knell of the message still rings in my ears. What could I do, than to say to myself, “These are people like you. If you think they are the best, then you are letting yourself down and the worst is you are letting your people down. You think about who you really are, but who you really are doesn’t matter but what you really are. What you really are will later paint who you really are. ” With these I wrote the poem, submitted with my aspiration of not painting who I am black.

Interestingly, when the result was out, I read it thrice before I could finally believe my own name was at the first position. Even if I didn’t contest with 50 people, or 100, every positive achievement to me, no matter how little is an achievement.

Maybe if I didn’t make myself believe I was the best, maybe if I didn’t make myself believe I can win, maybe if I didn’t make myself believe I was nothing less in value, who I am might have been painted black. Maybe I could have lost a battle that has not yet started.

Muhammad Ali was actually not the greatest, but why is he inscribed, ‘Ali the greatest ‘? If you don’t know the answer I will tell you. It was said that Ali says he’s the greatest, no matter what the circumstances are. With these, many people may wonder why he says so since he loses sometimes. The answer is this, he is trying to send information to his body, more like psyching himself. To believe you will triumph is not so easy, so when Ali says this, he does so so that he won’t lose the fight he hasn’t started just because of fear.

Many have lost in a public speaking competition just because of what they think they are. Many get destabilised when they see people speak fluently than they do. Many get destabilised when they see that the schools that are present are quite influential, no matter the schools present, they have let themselves down in their own inner thoughts. No!!! A capital NO. You are skilled, you’re creative, you are filled with intriguing qualities, but you won’t discover these unless you believe in yourself. Without a belief, you are totally nothing, totally empty.

Fear has no hands, no legs, no eyes, bodyless but yet scares people. Psych yourself, believe in yourself, believe in your dexterity, believe in your skills and look at how you triumph.

• – Sunday T. Saheed