By Charles D.S. OGAN (KSC)
delivered
Monday, 14th June, 2021
@ All Souls Anglican Church, Osou-Ogu Parish, Abuloma, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Dearly beloved brothers and sisters,
I thank the noble men and women of this great Church for finding us worthy to speak to this diverse audience this afternoon. I am truly honoured for this gracious privilege.
I suspect that you invited me because as a retiree, I should be able to share my personal experiences and thoughts on this subject matter which is very apt and relevant today: LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER RETIREMENT.
But I will like to start the conversation in the context of the general theme of this year’s Fathers’ Day Celebration in Okrika Diocese.: THE HONOURABLE MAN. PROVERB 20:3, for you cannot live a good life before and after retirement if you are not honourable. If your life is not straight.
Proverb 20:3 says:
“It is to one’s honour to avoid strife,
But every fool is quick to quarrel”.
(the New International Version)
When you quarrel with your wife or husband, mother in-law, your neighbour, etc. you are a fool. Children raised in an environment of strife end up as troublesome children. I took a decision to build a peaceful family before I got married and has kept it till today. May you live in peace with your families in Jesus name
In Matthew Chapter 7 verse16, the Bible asserts “By their Fruits we shall know them. (NIV) The King James Version says: ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits”.
Fruits which are a common metaphor in both the Old and New Testaments represent the outward manifestation of a person’s faith, your work and lifestyle.
Sir, what kind of life are you living? Are you the type that creates confusion in your church or your community? You bring chieftaincy matters into the church.
Madam, are you living a fruit of life that is positive or negative ?
- Positive fruits of life would include love, peace, kindness, faithfulness, honesty, integrity. As President of FESTAC’77 Rear Admiral O.P. Fingesi built the famous FESTAC Town in Lagos, but doesn’t own a single flat in that place. That is integrity.
- Negative Fruits of life would include opposition, you are always in opposition in your work place, your school, club or Church – led by the flesh, envy, drunkeness –many christian brethren still drink iresponsibly. May you never be drunk to become a disgrace to your family. Other examples of negative fruits of life are selfishness, anger, wickedness, fornication and adultery, etc. Cases of corruption, insecurity, promiscuity and rape are on the rise. Proverb 14:34 reminds us that, “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
What kind of life do we want to live before and after retirement ?
LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER RETIREMENT.
Retirement is the physical and psychological permanent separation of an individual from his/her employment classification. At close to 50 years and above, you have 10 to 15 years of active working life. So, what Plan do you have for your retirement now that you are still active ? Nature is not kind to men who did not plan for their old age when they are young : Everyone desires a good life after retirement : How then do we guarante this. ?
- Invest in ventures that will feed you in your retirement. Create conveniences that will engage you in your old age. There are limitless opportunities in agriculture, business, trade, etc. – Take them. Princess (Dr.) Hetty I. Ogan has one of the best managed agricultural farms in Nigeria today – Ibiteinye Integrated Farms. Experts from within and outside the country visit to understudy her methods. She was recently appointed Technical Consultant for the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA) Songhai Farm at Kpong in Ogoniland and has been selected as one of the 100 best female entrepreneurs in Africa by Centre for Global Enterprise in New York, USA. She started her Agric venture before retirement. You too can be a role model if you start early to PLAN your life. Build a foundation today that will sustain you tomorrow.
- Before retirement take care of your family. Make your spouse your number one priority after God. Use words to edify him/her. Proverb 18:21 warns us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” In James 3:8 the Bible tells us, “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. For men, do you build your wife up or tear her down with your tongue? We are enjoined to support her ambitions, let her be, give her freedom to express her talent, don’t envy, but encourage her. Be proud of her achievement. Women are enjoined to do same for their husbands. And give your children the best education your income can afford. Pursue a relationship with each of your children. The family is the “building block” of community. The Bible shows us examples that portray how we ought to live our lives. But the families have been under constant and prolonged pressures today. These include, divorce, fatherlessness, abuse, incest, rape, violence and other influences that have brought great dysfunction to family life. May we promote good family values to enjoy peace at home before and after retirement.
- Strive to build a house of your own today, so at retirement you dont use your pension and gratuity to pay house rent or start a house you may never finish. It is possible. Dont say, I am a poor civil servant, my salary is too small. Yes you can. A childhood friend of blessed memory attended only a typing school at Okrika. But in addition, he learnt a skill. He was an electrician. Leaders invest in their skills Proverb 22 :2-9. May you add a skill to your present qualification. He was on Grade Level 5 or 6 in Okrika Local Government Council at the time of his death. But he planned for the future and built a house of his own. Today, his family lives in that house. Also, my cousin with School Certificate on Grade Level 5 in the civil service, started a house and completed it when he was on Grade Level 7. He retired on Grade Level 8 in 2020 and today lives in the house he built before retirement. Whereas, another relation who retired as a Director on Grade Level 16 did not plan for his retirement. Today, he is dragging his father’s bedroom with his own son. No house of his own. Similarly, a very close friend was a Director in one of the Government Ministries and was incharge of a World Bank Project, controlling millions in dollars and fleet of exortic cars. Life was sweet, but he never planned for life after retirement. On retirement some years ago, he moved from Government Quarters to a rented old house at Ogbunabali. -Life became sour – then his wife of over 30 years left him. May this life of planlessness never be your portion in Jesus name.
- Build friendship and goodwill that will save you in your old age. If you are up, bring others that are willing up. If God has helped put you in position of leadership, help others to better their lives. Some of the people we helped with jobs and scholarships at Total are better of today. Leadership is not about title – Chairman/CEO, Bishop, VC or Chief. Leadership is taking responsibility to make a difference in your community. Leaders bother about improvement in the quality of life. « Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in Heaven » Matthew 5 :15-16. I dont know what is happening in your father’s house, your church or social club. You will be the answer.
- Right now start to be relevant in your Church, club or community, so you could be reckoned with in your retirement. Do not say I am too busy. Sir Daibi Selema was President of Men’s League of Christ Church and Director of Protocol of two Anglican Dioceses – Niger Delta and Okrika when he was at Shell, I was Chairman of Ogan Ama Deanery Inauguration Committee, Chairman Central Synod Planning Committee of Okrika Diocese and Chairman, Fathers Day Planning Committee of Christ Church, Port Harcourt as à Manager in Total. And the current President of the Men’s League of Christ Church, Engr. Stanford Tasie is Managing Director of a big oil service company in Nigeria. May we be relevant to our community and society.
- What of those in private practice ? I own a lucrative legal practice, a flourishing hospital, a huge pharmacy or car leasing venture. I own an iconic accounting firm, I am an astute Architect designing and supervising projects and I own housing estates, I am a big party man with big Government contracts and other successful businesses, do I need a retirement plan ? Yes you do. Planning for uncertainty is a difficult exercise, so start early. Have a succession plan and save for the rainy day.
- Our fathers and mothers with skills in fishing and trading also need to plan for their old age. Children of these days are struggling for their own survival. Remember nature is not kind to men and women who did not plan for their old age when they were young. At old age, a fisher man can lease his boat and paddles. He can also become an expert in mending or repairing and selling of nets and other fishing gears to earn some income. Mama has left her market shed on account of age. But her children can open a store in front of the village house so she can earn a little income and remain physically and mentally alert. May we plan for our old age in Jesus name.
After retirement life can be very lonely. How do we overcome ?
- Avoid loneliness at all cost. Make yourself happy no matter the situation, because life goes on with or without you. Be happy, thank God every day for your life. If in doubt visit the hospital ward or prison yard.
- Keep yourself busy. Do something, read … And if you can, write. Take a second degree or professional course. I am active in writing and research and my sister Princess Hetty Ogan got a 2nd PhD in Environmental Management with bias in Biogas production after retirement. You too can do something. If you do nothing, nothing comes your way. Faith without work is dead. James 2 :14-26. Heaven helps those who help themselves.
- Be medically stable – check for Diabetes, Arthritis, Hypertension, Prostate and Stress. Stop smoking, loose weight. These have become the bane of many retireees. Eat more vegetables and fruits. Take adequate care of your health. Reach out to people or places of interest, for as long as your body can carry you. Retirement could be boring and painful for men who did not plan for it. May you not become a liability on your children in your old age.
- Avoid over eating, drunkenness, (drink responsibly). Avoid taking a new wife. Some of us use our gratuity to take chieftaincy titles or marry additional wives or indulge in extra marital affairs. A popular Radio Evangelist in Port Harcourt Pastor George Izunwa once said that if the result of fornication and adultry is HIV/AIDs, he would not be bothered. But when you join your body with another woman, you inherit whatever spirits or afflictions that are in her, and you pass them on to your wife and family. 1 Cor. 6 :16 says : Do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitude is one body with her ? For he says ; The Two Shall Become one Flesh. » May we desist from having amorous affairs with women or men beside our lawful wedded wives or husbands.
- Make some effort to exercise. Take a walk atleast 30 minutes in the morning to renew your ageing body. I play golf, you can take any outdoor sport your strength can carry. And be less rigid about issues and circumstances. Take life easy. Learn to let go. Yesterday ended last night, today is a new day. Why are you still keeping issues of yester years in mind ». Throw away that bitterness. Cut your expenses. Be less materialistic. Leaders are humble like Moses. Numbers 12 :3. May we strive to live a simple life.
- To our wives and mummies please « submit to your husbands ». In letter to the Ephesians 5 : 22-23, Apostle Paul also admonishes husbands to love their wives, just as Christ loved his church and gave himself up for her ». You need peace at home to enjoy your work and retirement. More importantly, pray for us. Leaders need prayers too 1 Timothy 2 :1-2.
The temptation out there – staring your husbands in the face – in his business, at work place, in the church– is enormous. Young girls, including some married women now run after your husbands for money, not for love. And you know what ? The urge for women is one of the strongest forces that has pulled down the most powerful men in history. If in doubt ask Sampson. The Bible talks of one man named Sampson and his partner Delilah. There was no love in their tragic relationship, she only wanted his head. (Judges 16 :4). Even David, a man after God’s heart sent his Elite soldier, Uriah to the war front and took his beautiful wife Bathsheba who became the mother of King Solomon 2 Samuel 11,12. In the United States an Intern called Monica Lewinsky nearly pulled down the presidency of Bill Clinton, the most powerful man on Planet earth. In the church, Archbishops and Bishops have been disgraced out of office because of sex scandals. The Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl resigned in 2018 over sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Sexual impropriety has also trailed the Anglican and Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria. Allégations by the wife of a popular singer against the General Overseer of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) church is still fresh in our memories.
For the seven years I worked in Abuja and Lagos my wife stood in the gap for me with prayers. And even till date she prays daily, ostensibly for the family. My last prayer point every morning is « God, may we not enter into any kind of sin or danger and may we continue to do only those things which are pleasant in thy sight ». This has been my guiding principle over the years and has remained my battle axe against adultry. For 5 years in Abuja and two years in Lagos all alone, I took a firm position that no other woman would sleep in my house. A married cousin once visited Abuja from the US and I gave him accomodation. Two days later, he said he would bring his girl friend to sleep over. I said no. That I do not bring and no body brings any woman not his wife into my house. He moved out the next day. As men, fathers, with faith in God you too can resist any temptation to sin. Before and after retirement, you too shall overcome any situation if and only if you PLAN and LIVE a virtuous life, i.e. living the virtues of Prudence (Practical Wisdom), Justice (Morality), Temper.
