A Personal Message Of Congratulations To My Students: Those Who Have Made It And Those Who Would Soon Make It– Sylvester Udemezue

The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character. In the end, then, as one anonymous writer explained, “Excellence can be obtained if you:…care more than others think is wise; …risk more than others think is safe; …dream more than others think is practical; …expect more than others think is possible.” And to the fallen heroes and those who performed below their own individual expectations, I boldly and sincerely say also to you, I am proud also of you! Congratulations in advance especially to the fallen heroes because I know you can and will soon make it. Gentlemen, it was Henry Ford that said: “failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, and this time more intelligently.” Failure is sometimes the condiment that gives success its very enjoyable and nourishing flavor. Failing is like a chllenge. Challenges are what make life very interesting and overcoming these challenges is what makes life more meaningful. As Barack Obama once said, “to succeed in life takes a lot of patience and a lot of commitment, but success comes with a lot of failure along the way.” One may sometimes need to pass through failure on one’s way to success and true greatness. It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed only through success; they much more often than notsucceed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure could and would do. So, to our friends that didn’t make it, you need to close the door on the past, build on your harsh experience, and use it only as a stepping stone. Though one should not try to forget one’s mistakes, yet one ought to not dwell on them indefinitely. One must not allow them to sap one’s energy or one’s precious time or space. You just try and learn from them and then start all over again, on the road to success. Forget about the consequences of failure. Failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success (Denis Waitley). If you have started this journey to the Bar, you have a duty to finish it; it is therefore not over until it is over. Failure is a temporary detour, not a dead-end street (Zig Ziglar). Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. “ It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” (T. Roosevelt). The real failure is to stop trying after or because you have failed. So, to borrow from Abraham Lincoln, “I’m not concerned that you’ve fallen, I’m more concerned only that you should arise.” Cheer up! Victory is not far off! If you listen to your fears, you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been. If there exists no possibility of failure, then victory is meaningless (Robert H. Schuller). Just a little more persistence, a little more diligent effort, and what seems (to you) a hopeless failure would turn to glorious success. Again, I say cheer up! Wipe your tears and get back to work. To you all, everyone, my beloved former students and friends, please remember that success at bar part finals is not FINAL, and, at the same time, failure at it IS NOT FATAL; it is the will to continue that counts. It is fine to celebrate success, but it’s more important to heed the lessons of SUCCESS AND FAILURE (apologies to Bill Gates). The ones who are real failures are those who fail to learn anything from either their success or their failure. THERE ARE HUGE LESSONS TO BE LEARNT ON BOTH SIDES! Congratulations, guys! Love you all. See you, ALL OF YOU, YES, in court and other placessoon — at the ICC, at Conferences, Seminars, Workshops; the list is endless. It is well with you all. We are with you, always. Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta! Best wishes in all your endeavours! With Love, yours truly Sylvester UDEMEZUE]]>