*HOW TIME FLIES; THE SECOND CHANCE*
When I got that employment letter as *Technologist* with University of Ibadan in 2004, I thought my 60th birthday for my retirement would take forever to come, even with +5years.
Wow this is 2021 and that means those whose date of birth is between 1962-1971 have about 10years + or less to retire from Service and the big question is *WHAT ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS?*
Of course, we have invested in our children’s education oh yes! Our children will be there and some would have picked lucrative jobs by then but dear friends your retirement plan should not start and end with your children. Remember they too will have other responsibilities.
My English teacher in Secondary school once told us that depending on your children in old age is a great risk. She said being in school is our parents effort and we should not think that we are schooling for them but for ourselves after all she hardly remembered how often she collected her salary and took to her parents to share the money.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? After retirement, life continues by the grace of God so we must continue to survive. Permit me to be very frank.
*1. To our women*
Most of the clothes we buy as uniforms for weddings, funerals etc are not really needful especially the expensive ones. Check your wardrobe there is always something to wear for any occasion. Nobody will drive you away from the occasion if you don’t wear the asoebi rather giving a little purse to the celebrant will always be highly appreciated
You don’t need to buy that N250,000 wig at this stage. Your husband may not really notice the difference between that and a good N20, 000 wig ( men you see how expensive looking good can be?)
*2. To our men*
Marriage is the cheapest way to keep a woman. If the bride price is/ was N300,000 divide that amount by at least 50 years of marriage ( by God’s Grace of long life) you would have ended up paying N6,000 per year. Compare that to keeping chains of girls ( side chicks ????) I bet you can’t spend N6,000 per year on each of them.
Your wife will never require you to spend money on performance enhancement drugs () to satisfy her in bed because your life matters to her.
*3. To us all*
Know that you are not in competition with anybody in this life. Don’t kill yourself to send your child to schools abroad except you have extra extra extra income to meet the ever increasing foreign exchange
No one will notice if you are wearing a N1.5Million shoes, wristwatch except you announce it so calm down.
If you are a car freak, know that maintaining 10 cars() at retirement is not a joke. Please reduce the numbers before retirement. Don’t join those who boarded vehicles and fill their compound with cars they don’t drive for years. Some only buy 5 litres of fuel to warm the cars daily without driving them to anywhere( what a life!)
3. I love big buildings but have you thought of what will happen when the children are all gone to their own houses and you and your husband or wife are the only ones living in that big house with 17 rooms?
*Please if you are yet to build your personal house, make it small and cozy.* I’m still regretting mine.
*SOME THINGS TO DO TOWARDS RETIREMENT*
1. You can build houses and rent out for income. Please think of hiring a lawyer to manage your property, you will not be able to handle tenant whahala at retirement. Negotiate with the lawyer and let him have 5% or less of the rent. Keep yourself away from tenants, let the lawyer be the interface between you and them.
2. Do something that will keep you busy don’t think of staying idle at home. Rearing animals for sale eg chicken/ eggs, goat, fish pond etc
3. You can also think of having a farm. Get people to work for you eg water leaf, pumpkin, plantain/ banana plantation etc. Food can never go out of fashion, people will always eat.
4. You can own a shop, start a school or crèche etc it will keep you busy too. The list of what you can do at retirement is endless but you have to start from now. 10 years is just by the corner so happy retirement in advance()
For those into business already, thumbs up .
Think of improving and remaining relevant. You can turn it into a conglomerate and it will become a family legacy.
*DON’TS*
1. Do not invest in ponzi scheme so that you will not have heart attack
2. Don’t invest in any business you have no interest in learning the rudiments
Create time to get some good sleep daily, your body at old age needs rest
Have less enemies, your neighbors will be very useful to you at retirement
Be closer to your God and be grateful to Him for all you have in life
I hope to attend your 100th birthday with fewer teeth and walking stick.
*Godliness with Contentment is a great Gain.*
*From the Future to U and I.*