From Skill to Wealth: Why Mastery, Not Luck, Creates Financial Freedom.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Wealth is not a miracle, nor is it a product of luck. It is the fruit of discipline, skill, foresight and relentless determination. The road to financial freedom is paved not with shortcuts but with the bricks of hard work, sacrifice and mastery. Every empire we admire today (from global retail chains to family-built enterprises) was birthed from knowledge applied with consistency. One must understand that wealth creation is not a mystical event; it is a DELIBERATE PROCESS that can be learned, replicated and expanded.

The Four Stages of Wealth Building.

The framework of wealth creation can be summarized in four simple yet profound steps:

Your skill earns you money.

Your money buys you assets.

Your assets bring you wealth.

Your wealth brings you freedom. At the core of this sequence is skill. If you do not come from a family with generational wealth or established business connections, your best entry point into financial stability and eventual prosperity is through acquiring a skill. Skill is the tool that transforms poverty into possibility.

As management guru Peter Drucker once said: “Knowledge has to be improved, challenged and increased constantly or it vanishes.” Without skill, money slips through your fingers like water. With skill, you create value and value, in turn, attracts wealth.

Why Skill Is the Cornerstone of Wealth. Many young people mistakenly believe that capital alone builds businesses. This is a dangerous illusion. The foundation of every great company is not money but knowledge applied to solve problems.

Colin du Plessis, the founder of Talisman Hire, did not start with immense wealth. He began as a mechanic with deep knowledge of machines and the hire industry. In 1993, with little more than his skill and determination, he started Talisman Hire. Today, the company has grown into a leading equipment rental business in South Africa.

The story of WeBuyCars follows the same principle. The Fouché brothers, Dirk and Faan, did not inherit millions. They inherited knowledge (the art of mechanics) from their father. With skill as their currency, they built WeBuyCars into South Africa’s dominant pre-owned car buying and selling empire.

Even Shoprite, Africa’s largest retail giant, was not born out of endless capital. Whitey Basson, often regarded as South Africa’s greatest retailer, acquired just eight small stores in 1979. Through strategic foresight, hands-on experience and a deep understanding of retail dynamics, he transformed Shoprite into a massive retail chain employing over 140,000 people across Africa.

These stories emphasize one timeless truth: skill and mastery, not luck or inheritance, are the real engines of wealth creation.

The Harsh Reality: Wealth Demands Excellence. One indisputable fact must be hammered into the consciousness of every aspiring entrepreneur: Wealth is not built by mediocrity. You cannot stumble your way to financial freedom.

If you are a carpenter, you must strive to be the carpenter whose craftsmanship speaks louder than words. If you are a teacher, you must be so effective that your name commands respect. If you are a business owner, you must understand your industry so deeply that you can predict its shifts before they occur.

As Aristotle famously said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

The marketplace is ruthless. Customers will not reward incompetence. Investors will not fund ignorance. Only those who rise above the ordinary by excelling in their craft can reap the benefits of wealth.

Skill as an Equalizer: The Path for the Ordinary Person. We live in a world where inequality is vast and opportunities are often distributed unfairly. Skill is the equalizer. You may not inherit a trust fund, but you can learn coding, carpentry, medicine, mechanics or entrepreneurship.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, put it plainly: “Wealth is a person’s ability to survive so many number of days forward; if I stopped working today, how long could I survive?” That ability to survive and thrive in the absence of daily labor depends entirely on how you convert your skill into assets and ultimately, into wealth.

If you lack the resources to launch a business today, do not despair. Begin with skill. Master it, monetize it and reinvest the earnings.

The Role of Knowledge in Business Expansion. A business is not a lottery ticket; it is a battlefield of ideas, strategy and execution. Without profound knowledge, businesses collapse like houses built on sand.

Consider this: statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) reveal that 20% of businesses fail in the first year, 50% within five years and 70% within ten years. The common denominator among failures is not just lack of funding but lack of knowledge, poor planning and weak execution.

Renowned economist Adam Smith once declared: “The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations.” But aspirations alone are insufficient. Aspiration must be married with preparation and execution.

This is why every successful entrepreneur invests heavily in continuous learning. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, taught himself rocket science before founding SpaceX. Warren Buffett, one of the greatest investors alive, spends 80% of his day reading. Knowledge is the compass that guides wealth creation.

Wealth and Freedom: The Ultimate Goal. Money, by itself, is not wealth. Wealth is the ownership of assets that generate income whether you work or not. True wealth gives birth to freedom; the freedom to live life on your terms, the freedom to walk away from toxic jobs, the freedom to provide generational security for your family.

Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States, warned: “Never spend your money before you have earned it.” This advice remains relevant today. Acquiring assets (real estate, stocks, businesses or intellectual property) ensures that your wealth compounds while you sleep.

Wealth is not just about personal luxury; it is about impact. As Andrew Carnegie said, “The man who dies rich, dies disgraced.” Wealth becomes meaningful only when it is used to uplift others, create opportunities and transform society.

Practical Steps to Begin Your Journey. Acquire a skill. It could be digital, vocational or entrepreneurial.

Master your craft. Excellence makes you indispensable.

Earn and save. Avoid unnecessary consumption; reinvest profits.

Buy assets, not liabilities. Assets generate wealth; liabilities drain it.

Expand your knowledge. Read, research and forecast industry trends.

Build systems. Create businesses that function beyond your presence.

Give back. Use your wealth to uplift others and strengthen communities.

Final Word: Your Destiny Is in Your Hands. Whether you inherit a business or start from scratch with a skill, the path is equally honorable. Do not allow lack of capital, lack of support or fear of failure to cripple you. History has shown us that the greatest wealth builders were not always the richest at the beginning; they were simply those who mastered their craft and persisted.

As Confucius wisely said: “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

So, start today. Acquire a skill. Build assets. Seek knowledge. And remember, wealth is not an end; it is the means to freedom.

Ajadi’s Legal Team Writes U.S. Embassy, Demands Review Of Denied Visa Applications

The legal team of Nigerian business mogul and former gubernatorial candidate, Ambassador Comrade Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has written to the United States Embassy demanding a formal review of the recent visa denial issued to Ajadi and his wife, Mrs. Oyindamola Motunrola Ajadi.

In a strongly worded application dated August 18, 2025, the law firm Izunya Izunya & Co., signed by the head of the chamber, Barrister Isaac Izunya, the couple’s lawyer, alleged that the refusal was “erroneous, issued without specific reasons, and in violation of bilateral diplomatic principles.”

The demands addressed to the U.S. Consular General at 2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, requested the embassy to exercise supervisory powers to review the decision, which was premised on Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. To reinforce the demands, the letter was also copied to the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria in Abuja, urging high-level intervention.

Ajadi, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Bullion Go-Neat Global Limited — with business interests spanning beverage manufacturing, real estate, entertainment (Bullion Records), and sports (boxing promotions) — and his wife had applied for a U.S. business visa following an official invitation from Tunnad Properties, a registered American real estate company. According to documents attached to the demands, including the invitation letter dated May 15, 2025, the couple fulfilled all requirements, submitted all relevant documents, and answered questions at the Abuja visa interview.

Despite this, the couple was issued a refusal notice on August 4, 2025, citing Section 214(b), which presumes visa applicants may not return to their home country unless they demonstrate strong ties.

Barrister Izunya, however, argued that the embassy’s denial letter was “vague, generic, and improperly drafted,” failing to contain the names, application numbers, or passport details of the applicants. He maintained that the decision did not tie the cited law to the Ajadis’ case and thus fell short of international best practices.

“We refuse to admit that the United States of America, the most powerful country on planet earth, will issue a visa denial letter without being properly addressed to the applicant and without reason for such denial,” the demands read.

The legal team further noted that both Ajadi and his wife have established strong ties to Nigeria, with ongoing businesses locally and investments in Grenada and the United Kingdom. According to them, the absence of specific grounds for denial violates the spirit of the Nigeria–U.S. visa reciprocity agreement.

The demands warned that the refusal has caused “psychological trauma and pain” to the applicants, who, it argues, were denied transparency in the process.

Among the prayers submitted, the legal team demanded that the Consular General:

Review the CCTV footage of the visa interview and the audio tape.
Re-examine all documents submitted by the applicants.
Provide clear, specific reasons if the denial must stand.
The demands also copied the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria in Abuja, urging high-level intervention.

This development comes just some days after Ajadi himself publicly accused the U.S. of using visa applications as a tool for “economic exploitation and second colonisation.” Speaking in Ogun State, he had decried the practice of collecting full visa fees from Nigerians while issuing mass printout denials without stating the applicant’s identity. Claimed that the process is not a transparent justification.

“Nigerians are financing the American system,” Ajadi said. “The visa fee is $185 per person, non-refundable. Multiply that by hundreds of thousands of applicants every year, and it becomes a billion-naira pipeline flowing from Nigeria straight into American coffers. My name is unique, just like every applicant’s. Each individual deserves a letter stating clear reasons for denial. What we have instead is not transparency but institutional deception. Nigerians deserve better.”

The U.S. Embassy in Abuja is yet to respond to either Ajadi’s public allegations or his legal team’s demands. But observers note that the matter is rapidly evolving from a personal grievance into a larger diplomatic question about fairness, transparency, and reciprocity in international visa regimes

Nigeria’s Solar Cooking Scam: Empty Promises or Another National Distraction? (10 Million Solar Cookers, 200 Million Nigerians; Who Is Fooling Who?)

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Nigeria has never lacked promises; what we lack is delivery. Once again, the Federal Government (FG) has announced yet another lofty pledge; this time, a so-called “Free Solar Cooking Program” that allegedly targets 10 million households across the 36 states of the federation. The idea, on the surface, appears noble: providing free solar cookers to households as part of a clean energy initiative. But when examined with the eyes of reason, logic and Nigeria’s history of failed promises, it smells less like a plan and more like a political joke at the expense of a weary population.

The Numbers Don’t Add Up. Nigeria is a country of over 200 million people, with an estimated 45 million households. If the FG is targeting 10 million, that means only 1 in 5 households will benefit; assuming, of course, that the project ever materializes. History has taught us better: government promises in Nigeria are currency without backing, empty IOUs printed for political optics.

Take for example:

The ₦30,000 minimum wage signed into law in 2019. Till today, over 20 out 36 states have failed to implement it.

In June 2024, the FG promised a new ₦70,000 minimum wage. Two months later, more than half the states have refused to comply.

In 2023, Tinubu’s administration promised stable electricity, yet Nigeria has witnessed some of the worst power outages in a decade. Instead, the presidency spent ₦10 billion installing solar panels at Aso Rock, a personal luxury while the nation groans in darkness.

The government promised massive job creation, but youth unemployment remains above 33% (National Bureau of Statistics, 2024).

With this track record, what confidence should Nigerians have in a solar cooker initiative that sounds like a public relations stunt rather than a serious policy?

The Political Gimmickry of “Solar”. Solar cookers in themselves are not bad ideas. In fact, across Africa, many rural communities benefit from low-cost solar stoves to reduce dependence on firewood and charcoal. It’s an environmental win, reducing deforestation and greenhouse emissions. However, in Nigeria, context matters.

How do you roll out 10 million solar cookers in a country where:

The supply chains for such devices are weak?

Rural poverty is endemic?

Corruption ensures that contracts for such projects are inflated beyond recognition?

Previous government initiatives (from “Operation Feed the Nation” to “TraderMoni”) ended in waste, theft and unaccountability?

The danger is clear: this initiative risks becoming another avenue for looting, where billions are budgeted, a fraction is spent and the rest disappears into the pockets of cronies. Nigerians may never see these “solar cookers,” except during political campaign photo-ops.

Promises Without Performance. The Nigerian political class has mastered the art of governing by press release. Every administration comes armed with SLOGANS, CATCHY HEADLINES and COLORFUL PROMISES, only to abandon them halfway.

As Chinua Achebe once warned: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” Leadership that prioritizes PROPAGANDA over POLICY, PROJECTS over PEOPLE and ANNOUNCEMENTS over ACCOUNTABILITY.

From Jonathan’s Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) to Buhari’s Next Level Agenda and now Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope,” Nigerians have seen hope renewed only in the bellies of politicians, never in their own kitchens. What is a solar cooker to a mother who cannot afford rice? What is renewable energy to a graduate roaming the streets unemployed? What is free cooking equipment to a man who cannot afford garri?

The Economic Burden. Let us be blunt: a solar cooker is not the priority of an average Nigerian household today. Inflation stands at 34% (NBS, July 2025), food inflation at over 40%, fuel prices have tripled since subsidy removal and the naira continues its free fall against the dollar.

Dr. Ayo Teriba, a respected Nigerian economist, recently noted: “The Nigerian economy is bleeding not from lack of projects, but from lack of priorities.” Instead of investing in real economic relief (minimum wage enforcement, agricultural subsidies, job creation) the government is offering solar stoves as consolation prizes.

History of Broken Energy Promises. This solar cooker scheme is also insulting when placed against the backdrop of Nigeria’s energy crisis. For decades, the government has promised stable electricity. Billions of dollars have been poured into power reforms, yet Nigeria generates less than 4,500 MW for over 200 million people, compared to South Africa’s 52,000 MW for 62 million people.

In 2020, Buhari promised 5 million new solar connections for households and businesses under the Solar Naija program. By 2023, less than 10% of that target had been achieved. What became of the billions allocated? Silence. Today, the same script is being replayed, this time with solar cookers. Nigerians have every right to call this what it is: a SCAM in DAYLIGHT.

Expert Opinions and Global Lessons. Globally, successful energy transitions require consistent planning, transparent funding and community buy-in. Ethiopia, for instance, has successfully distributed over 3 million solar lamps through partnerships with NGOs and the private sector. Kenya has become Africa’s leading hub for off-grid solar solutions, powered by strict accountability and international partnerships.

Nigeria, by contrast, treats such projects as political trophies. Professor Pat Utomi once lamented: “In Nigeria, development is not a serious agenda; it is a campaign slogan.” Until that mindset changes, no initiative (whether solar cookers or wind turbines) will bring real change.

What Nigerians Truly Need. Instead of empty promises, Nigerians need basic governance.

Enforce the ₦70,000 minimum wage across all states.

Invest in reliable electricity, not gimmicks.

Create jobs for the 13 million unemployed youths.

Tackle food insecurity, as millions face hunger daily.

Stop corruption that siphons funds from every program.

The IRONY is BITTER: a government that cannot provide fuel for cooking gas, stable electricity for electric stoves or affordable kerosene, now wants Nigerians to believe in a mass solar cooker miracle.

Closing Thought: A Call for Accountability. The solar cooker initiative may sound attractive to foreign donors and environmental lobbyists, to Nigerians, it is yet another mirage in the desert of false promises. Unless backed with transparency, proper funding and measurable outcomes, it will join the long list of Nigeria’s abandoned projects.

As the late Obafemi Awolowo wisely said: “The Nigerian problem is not money, it is how to spend it.” If the FG truly wants to solve the energy crisis, let it start with electricity reform, wage justice and food security not toys disguised as policy.

Until then, Nigerians must keep asking: Who benefits from these promises; the people or the politicians?