Lagos, shifted me.

Emcee : Let's with a round of applause, welcome Oluwapelumi Awe as he comes up for his presentation 

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

I walked up with my head high and spirit charged, I went on to deliver a heart-felt speech in the presence of over 3,500 persons. 

The highpoint of this circumstance is hidden in the story of how I was selected among so many persons to speak at the event in the first place

On the Easter Sunday in 2018 while returning from a camp organized by Winners Chapel nationwide, I got a notification on my facebook page that my own very good friend and brother Ayodele Olumide Olawale mentioned my name on a post with the message saying '...check this out'.

I quickly checked the post and I saw that it was an invitation for talented speakers, singers and dancers to come for an audition and that the best would be selected to present on the big stage.

As at this time I was staying in Ondo, I checked the date for the audition and started preparing for it. 

On the said date, I travelled to Lagos  for the audition which was held in a cozy space. It was filled with brilliant minds who wanted to showcase their talents. 

We presented and we were told that the persons who would present on the big stage would be contacted.

I traveled back to Ondo with hopes and prayers that I would be called. I had an unusual faith that I would be called and I backed it with rehearsals.

It was 10 days to the event proper. The first 4 days went, no call!  So did 3 more days. At this point, I started feeling some sort of fear but I kept rehearsing. 

A day before the event, I didn't receive any call. When it was 12pm on the 30th of April, 2018, I packed 2 of my clothes and headed for Lagos to attend an event that I had not been called for. I was sad but I still took the step to travel down. 

I was in deep thought on the bus. I was unhappy but I still did not give up. 

I got to Ajah around 6pm that day which was around 16hours to the program .

Immediately I got to Ajah, I got a call from a strange number, I responded politely as always. 

Only for me to be asked, 'Are you Oluwapelumi Awe?' 

I said 'yes'!!

He went further to say 'You are to be at Lagos Shift 2018 to speak ..., see you tomorrow'.

I couldn't close my mouth for some moments. I started thinking about different possibilities. Let's say because I was not called, I did not practice or I did not step out to travel down to Lagos, I would have missed a major opportunity.

The lessons are these:

-The proof of your resolve is action.

-Opportunities can only be activated by positivity.

-The universe has a way of supporting those who step out in boldness.

Oluwapelumi Awe