Kogi State coordinator of the Century 21 Freedom Group (C21FG), Idowu Olugbami, has said the group’s vision is to build financially free people to raise hundreds of other financially free people, who will, in turn, put resources together to positively impact society.
At an empowerment training and mentorship for new members, the coordinator noted that people in the civil service are always afraid of retiring because of the financial uncertainty that characterised their exit from salary-earning jobs.
“Those working for salaries are always afraid to retire because they are not sure of the future. If you also see the conditions of those who have retired, no one would like to be like them. If you look at those who are in service today, you will discover that many of them have changed their retirement age several times because of uncertainty.
“You can imagine someone who has started generating income even while in service. Because he or she sees a bright future, he or she may not want to stay put in service. A very good example is myself. I saw this opportunity while working in the bank, and I took advantage.
I went into early retirement because my eyes were opened to these opportunities.
“I worked for over twenty years in the bank and never made one million naira in a month. This opportunity gives me the ability to build and get to that level where I can create wealth. Whether I work or not, I will still continue to earn money. That’s what leveraging business is all about. It’s a business that replicates itself. It will get to a stage where, whether you work or not, you will continue to earn.
“Therefore, the goal of the organisation is also to help people transition comfortably from service to retirement. Once this is done and the future is assured, people can gladly look forward to retirement,” he stressed.
According to him, C21FG provides a platform for individuals to access capital for their business or personal projects without traditional loan procedures. The organisation also offers mentorship programs and training to help individuals develop the skills and mindset needed for success.
“At C21FG, we provide a business development assistance Programme, including a 12-month mentorship programme, to help individuals build their businesses.
“We equally partner with global organisations in various sectors, such as health, construction, beauty, and lifestyle, to provide a comprehensive financial and personal development approach.”
Compared with other similar organisations, the coordinator said they are different from those who hawk supplements, noting that, since all fingers are not equal, those who can not afford the registration fees can leverage their social capital to participate in the initiative.
“We know that all fingers are not equal. There are some people who do not have anything, but they have social capital. They have the BAI (Brand Ambassador Initiative), which helps them utilise their social capital to achieve financial goals. These people started this business from nothing; today, they are great men and women.”
He explained how social capital works: They can use their contacts as their social capital, and they get paid for everyone in their contacts who registers through them.
“After activating their DTC, they will have to go through mentorship. A lot of people do not want to be mentored. Through this mentorship, they get to understand how they can leverage their social capital, without necessarily having to invest physical cash. Our three cardinal cultures here are number one, commit your business to God; number two, be willing to learn; and number three, be willing to teach others.
“Most people have misconceptions about networking. Many people assume that networking is about carrying products around; that’s far from the truth. Network marketing is building a network of people who do business and mentor people. That’s what network marketing is all about. Our group does not carry products about, we use these products for our health.
Taking participants through the basis of Financial Freedom, Time Freedom, and Health Freedom, Salihu Momoh Ahmed, a director and consultant with the organisation, called on participants to think more about how to create wealth rather than dwelling on earning monthly salaries.
He listed the various forms of human engagement, including Employees, self-employed people, Business owners, and Investors, saying that the last one is the most appropriate for attaining financial freedom.
However, he regretted that while the world is planning for the next generation, Nigeria and its people are planning for the next elections, describing this as retrogressive.
Century 21 Freedom Group (C21FG) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) focused on empowering individuals to achieve financial freedom and personal development. They aim to help people, businesses, and organisations raise capital for projects or businesses without taking loans or providing collateral. C21FG also provides mentorship and training to support individuals in setting and achieving their goals.
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