Doubt, Fantasy and Truth with Tobi Lafinhan
#21stcenturyBiblestories Issue 010–2020
My mum and I have a very interesting and dynamic relationship. I think due to the life experiences that we have had to live and thrive through together, we have a deep understanding of each other.
You can say that my mum raised me in the Church and raised me to be a Christian, but to stop there would not be the entire truth.
The truth is that I can say that my mum raised me to be Christian not because she made me read my bible, or made me go to church with her, or made me get up every morning to pray; she hardly did any of these things.
However, what she did do, was to be the same woman in Church on a Sunday, every other day of the week; and that image stayed with me.
It showed me that being a Christian was relevant even beyond the four walls of a church building. That being a Christian and my walk with Jesus was one that would influence my everyday experiences if I let it.
A few weeks ago, she shared some deep thoughts with me and those thoughts were anchored around the following scripture:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV
She wrapped up what felt like a well-written and profound letter with the following statements:
Never, ever lean on your own understanding; in all your ways, act in the knowledge of Him.
Set your eyes on Jesus.
Pray in the spirit always.
There is a spirit in man, the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding.
This spurred me on to give my account to her of how God had made Himself and His concern for me, very real to me. And to show her that the God who she serves and brought me up to serve, is one who I have come to know and experience personally.
So when Tega asked me to write along these lines, I knew this was the story I had to share.
Here it is:
Everything that I do and everything that I am is based on who I am in Christ; my position in Him first and everything else after.
I have not failed to see his hand at work in my life even in the smallest of things and therefore the glory always goes back to Him.
I was speaking to one of my friends the other day and I was recounting how at so many crossroads in my life, all I was doing was responding to opportunities and situations God brought my way with a heart of faith and trust.
Choosing a Secondary School
At the end of primary school, I wanted to go to Faith Academy, but I did not pass the exam.
Then I wanted to go to Vale College, but that did not work out for its reasons.
And finally, I ended up in The International School, University of Ibadan (ISI), the exam I wrote only to practice for Faith Academy’s common entrance exam.
Looking back though, going to ISI was a serious growth season in my life because it was much more than a secondary school and more of a mini-baptism into what life as an adult would look like (if you think I am overstating things, ask any ISI grad who was there before 2006 — the Pre-Malik era).
Choosing a University
Next up, was the decision between going to the University of Ibadan(UI) or Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU).
I had made up my mind to go to Ife and the only reason I picked UI on my JAMB form, was because we had to choose two Universities (First and Second Choices) while registering from the exam (this was back in 2008).
This was also amid the very popular rumours that UI didn’t make it a habit of picking candidates who chose them as a 2nd choice institution. That is how much I did not care.
I wrote the post-JAMB exam to OAU, passed, and got an admission letter (also after a lot of human connections stepped in to sort out some issues).
Then UI came knocking.
But the truth is, the only reason I found out about my progress in UI was that a friend called me and said he saw my name on the interview list (I wasn’t even looking for myself; that’s how much my mind was set on going to OAU).
I told this friend (shout out to Olamide Oladeji) that I did not have any intention of going to UI and I already had my letter from OAU, so there was not any point in attending the interview.
He made some sound arguments (as always), and persuaded me to still do it for the experience plus helped me see that I had nothing to lose. And so I yielded.
Now I think this is a good point to mention that although I did not have a real desire to go to UI, I still put my best effort into the interview process.
I went to check the interview venue two days before just to make sure I had the right location. On the day, I woke up early, dressed up formally and got to the interview centre two full hours before the sessions began (met the cleaners doing their duties).
When my name finally came up, I walked into the room and there was just this air of confidence around me (probably because I knew this was technically not a do or die affair for me — I mean OAU was already calling my name).
The interview went well, all the questions I was asked were right up my alley and I ended up joking around with the folks on the panel. I walked out of that room and everyone was wondering why I was smiling so hard.
I’ll wrap this particular story up here because it’s not the point of this piece.
However, when the results for the interview were released, I also did not know about it and it was not top-of-mind for me at all. It was this same friend, Olamide that called to tell me.
I bless God for people like him because he already had his admission letter to UI, yet he was still always checking the list for his friends and duly notifying them.
Anyways, fast-forward a few years, I’m glad I went to UI and not OAU because it was there that I found the Vessels of Honour Foundation, a very significant part of my growth in the Faith. I joke around and say to people that I was a part-time student and a full-time VHFite. (Hold up, this doesn’t mean I did not take school seriously. Those who know my story know that my final two years were a testimony in and of themselves.)
My National Youth Service Year (NYSC)
The story didn’t stop there, it happened again with NYSC.
I got posted to Kaduna first and then tried to work my way back to Ibadan, but God flung me to Ogun state where he had already planted another friend to make the transition smooth for me.
I arrived 3 whole months after everyone was posted to their places of primary assignment but I still got posted to what people described as one of the best places to serve in that community. And that was only the beginning of the things God did for me there.
My First Job
Even down to my first Job in Lagos.
I remember the plan was to stay with an aunt and last minute, two days before I was supposed to leave Ibadan for her place, plans changed and she could not be of help the way she had intended.
But then another door opened for me, and even though the job was quite “something” and I wanted to go back home so so many times, I stayed, I prayed and I found strength in that season.
It was in this weird season of my life where I was feeling all over the place about my future and if any of the dreams I had for myself would ever become a thing, that I met someone who found me faithful where I was and connected me to the current place that I work and that itself is a whole other “trippy” story.
This last experience had me connecting so much to the story of Joseph, of how God had shown him something but the experiences he was living were very far from the dreams he had.
However, wherever he found himself, Joseph remained faithful.
That right there has been my testimony. Being faithful wherever God has placed me and with whatever he has placed in my hands.
Putting it all together
To wrap up, I laid all these events out for my mum so she could also see that I am aware that human wisdom or effort is not what brings the increase that endures.
That praying in the spirit remains a strong part of my life that I believe settles things I could never have thought to pray about. As well as seeking to hear God’s voice not just by him speaking audibly to you, but through His words on the pages of the Bible as well.
There is so much wisdom littered through scripture and all you need to do sometimes is stop “sanitising” the stories in the Bible and think of them as stories of real people with real everyday problems and issues like you. Maybe then the stories will speak to you in a new and inspiring way.
Joseph’s story, Solomon’s story, David’s story, and most importantly Jesus’ life story are the type of stories that inspire me and the people I am inspired by.
I was talking to another friend the other day and we looked at the top 50 richest people in the world and I was telling this person that it is interesting to me these people are not people I am inspired by.
This is not to come off as some self-righteous guy who does not desire to be rich or have influence, but it is just to reiterate that what everything falls back to, what matters, is who gets the glory in the end.
And it is not something you can fake. If you do not see God as being part of your everyday life, you cannot come and genuinely tell us in the end that “God did it for you”.
So I’ll leave you with this.
Take a moment and reflect over the experiences that have shaped who you are as a person and see if you can spot the hand of God and His spirit leading you on, and then go through a moment of expressing real gratitude.
In the end, there is nothing as calming as knowing that Jesus didn’t just come to save our souls but to help us live an abundant life in every sense of the word. Not for our benefit alone, but so that our light can truly shine across the world and point that world to Him.
There is so much to glean from Tobi’s experience but I’ll point out just one. The Bible makes us know that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwelt in the same tent (Hebrews 11:9) meaning that they shared the same faith. The same faith that made Isaac know that his father, Abraham, wasn’t going to sacrifice him on account of obeying God. That was a true test of faith. Similarly, in the new testament also, Paul admonished Timothy to continue in the faith of his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). This means that faith and trust in God can be transgenerational. What would you say of Tobi and his mum? She has done the same thing Abraham, Louis and Eunice did. She has transferred a supreme legacy.
Songspiration:
This article is a sequel to the article Doubt, Fantasy and Truth where I spoke about the disbelief of some people in the authenticity of Biblical accounts. The #21stcenturyBiblestories movement was enacted not only to establish that the Bible tells no lies but to show a contemporary representation of Bible stories and realities. And of course, to also boost faith in God.
Please kindly maintain the hashtag trail (#21stcenturyBiblestories) when sharing on various media platforms. Thank you for staying put. I hope this article has sparked something revolutionary in you.
Tobi describes himself as a child of the 90s with a soul of the 60s.
He is the Co-founder of Venture for Africa, a fellowship program designed to fill talent gaps in Africa’s startup ecosystem. Tobi also runs a podcast called 20s Convos which you should absolutely listen to.
You can probably catch him on the streets of Accra riding on his bike at about 50km/hr on a lovely Saturday morning or catch up with him here on Tobi Lafinhan, on Twitter @TobiLafinhan and on Instagram @TobiLafinhan.
Share your #21stcenturyBiblestories experience like Tobi. Get your experience unto paper and send via mail to journeytoextra@gmail.com let the whole world BELIEVE!
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Till the next publication
