I have always heard this, if you want to hide something from a black man,

Your name is a gift!

Your Name, the first gift given to us by parents which no man can take away from you because it was made for you and you only. Some names given to children are very special to the family and some unique to the society. As a little girl I've always known my name is unique as I didn't hear any other child with the name. As I grew older, at some point I started thinking that it could be possible that I am the only 'Tuvia' in my school, village, Street, office and everywhere I found myself, ummmmm that made me feel special and boosted my confidence but just a little.

Your name is your Favour

As I grew older, My name became my source of favour to what I do. Once I get to an office, meeting or anywhere and mention my name, people would turn and want to see who bears that name they are just hearing for the first time, even the Cashier at the bank would look at me twice and ask  me the meaning and origin of my name and if my parents are Israelites and when I say no they go further to ask how and where they dug that kind of name from. I simply laughed and told them  i would make sure I book an appointment for them with my parents so they would ask them all their questions. They would always smile after my response and I would smile back too. Now that gets my face registered in their memories because of my Name and next time I happen to stop by, I usually notice that those I've met before are usually nicer to me and would always wave at me even if they are busy or help me with something I want to do. My Name has gotten me so many good things including jobs as some Managers would first want to know the meaning and origin of that name and trust Naija babe, I would always use that opportunity to sound nice, a bit friendly and funny in a way that at least makes them giggle after they have heard from me.

Your Name is your Motivator

I had a workshop to attend in Abuja Nigeria sometime and as soon as I got the permission from My Boss, I decided to finish a book I had borrowed from my friend to read. As we travelled I read; did I mention that reading while travelling makes the destination shorter especially if you are so engrossed reading an interesting book. I read a book by Dr Ben Carson titled 'THE BIG PICTURE'  and reading through the chapters gave me an insight of what being a Neurosurgeon is all about, I found this interesting even as an art student who only knew little enough to pass Biology subject in secondary school (laughs). By the time Dr Ben, told his story of how he turned from being the class dummy to an enviable, highly respected and honoured Man he is with the help of his mother, I knew I had a lifetime assignment to complete. Reading further to Dr Ben Carson's The big picture's Think big recipe for success, I paused and like Bible the would say it, (Selah) I stopped and thought about something.

Here is what I thought;  If Dr Ben was Lucky enough to Have his Mum as his pushing force, and I have my parents, some have their teachers, what about those who think they don't have  anybody to motivate them? At this point I closed the book and started to meditate, I started thinking of the closest, most appreciated thing or source proudly owned by someone that can motivate  in hopeless times?. Ahaaaa that was when it dropped like a BOMB in my Mind 'MY NAME'! 

Now i think it is also important to state this, your name might not be as unique as mine, it might be a regular name that you share with so many people but guess what? It is still your name!. Here is the meaning of my Name which everyone seem to always ask me of.  The meaning of my name TUVIA is "God is good", a Hebrew baby boy's name but after reading this book  especially where Dr Ben did list out his 'THINK BIG' recipe for success, I thought I should give another meaning to my name to motivate me and someone's essence of living not that I would nullify the original meaning but something to boost my confidence and push me to success, and so I did.

T-   Take up that challenge

U-   Understand  the challenge/dream

V-   Verify if  it is what you want

I -   Insight is required

A-  Achieve the big picture.

Each time I look at the recipe of success that I built and moulded with my Name, it makes me smile and gives me that push to live up to MY NAME.

Living up to your name

My  Igbo brothers like to get a lot of chieftancy titles and are so proud of their names. Here are some of those title names that I really love to hear not take (laughs); ITE Ego (pot of Money),  Gburugburu, Omenife, Ogadagidi one of..., Ogbaturuenyi, Ezego, Eriwa agwuagwu, Onwa n'etiri Ora, Ubanese,  Ogbuefi, Ozurumbaonu, Omere Ora, Agu n'eche mba (Laughs) don't worry yourself with the pronunciation if you are not Igbo because you would bite your tongue.(laughs).

Ok back to serious talks, My brothers who have these titles so love and live up to it that even the younger ones though some, give themselves their own names and wish to be like the ones they look up to. Men who are great achievers can testify that their names have travelled far, wide and beyond where there legs have taken them and the Moment they understand that, the next level is to live up to the value placed on their names by their fans and the world. This is the same thing you should do for yourself, you should place value on your name, attach a success recipe like I did to mine and strive to live up to the meaning of your name. In Igbo we say 'Ezi aha ka ego' it means a good name is more valuable than money. That means if you understand the importance of placing positive value on your name and working on your name's recipe to success, it is not only going to be valued by the world but will open doors for you.

Sometimes I read those stories about Murderers, thieves, fraudsters on the dailys/newspapers, I give a plastic smile at the same time feel pity for them. They simply get involved in all sorts of evil things because  they don't even understand their names. I keep asking my self how can someone with the name Chinenyenwa (God gives children) commit abortion or tie another woman's womb with Juju/jazz?, how can someone who bears the name Ifeanyichukwu(nothing is impossible with God) become a thief, a fraudster?, how then can someone with the name Phoebe(bright) always bully others and put them in depressed mood?, how about Williams or Taylor(Royal names) behave like lunatics without vision and mission?, some wives answer beautiful names like Sandra(helper of man) and yet they are the worst thing that happened to their husbands and families. This is just but few examples I could think of to illustrate the fact that some of us have never given a thought to what our name stands for. Even Jabez in the Bible realised how his name affected him and had to change it for a bright future and it worked. Soooo can you now understand what I mean by your name your future?

I started at first by telling you what my name means and the fact that it is a first gift to me from my parents, it only means that at some point we have to buy our names from those who gave it to us and treasure it like a really expensive vessel, very beautiful but fragile. If our names weren't that important it wouldn't be given to us. Your Name is your gift, it is your favour, it is your identity but until you understand the meaning of your name, attach value and treasure it, you will never live up to it and your brighter future. Dr Ben did say that "Two most tragic words in English language would be I can't" and truly I would urge you to at least lean on what your name stands for, let it motivate you and prevent you from saying those two ugly tragic words and agent of failure 'I CAN'T'! 

Think about all these jargons you just read, if indeed it makes sense then it becomes an unforgettable article in your mind.

Yours truly

Tuvia Kings