Business mogul, Femi Otedola reflects on the stages of life he has walked in the struggle for happiness and how gathering wealth never gave him true happiness.
According to the billionaire businessman, in the struggle for happiness, life taught him a few things other than seeking joy through wealth accumulation, or properties.
Femi Otedola made this known in a telephone interview on a radio station, as he flashed back on how a disabled child changed his perspective of life and the true meaning of happiness.
In his words;
“I have gone through four stages of happiness in life and finally I understood the meaning of true happiness.
The first stage was to accumulate wealth and means.
But at this stage, I did not get the happiness I wanted.”
“Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realized that the effect of this thing is also temporary and the luster of valuable things does not last long.
Then came the third stage of getting big projects. That was when I was holding 95% of the diesel supply in Nigeria and Africa. I was also the largest vessel owner in Africa and Asia. But even here I did not get the happiness I had imagined.”
“The fourth stage was the time a friend of mine asked me to buy a wheelchair for some disabled children. Just about 200 kids. At the friend’s request, I immediately bought the wheelchairs. But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him.”
“There I gave these wheelchairs to these children with my own hands. I saw the strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting on the wheelchairs, moving around, and having fun. It was as if they had arrived at a picnic spot where they are sharing a jackpot winning.”
“I felt real joy inside me. When I decided to leave one of the kids grabbed my legs. I tried to free my legs gently but the child stared at my face and held my legs tightly. I bent down and asked the child: Do you need something else? The answer this child gave me not only made me happy but also changed my attitude to life completely.”
This child said: “I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I will be able to recognize you and thank you once again.”
