To Be Or Not To Be At "Retire Before 40" Book/Campaign Launch

(A brief piece on "why" you must determine, prepare & participate in the historic event)

As we approach the 60th independence day anniversary of our dear country (Ghana), many issues confront us in thought, and indeed, in reality.

One of such issues is the issue of Retirement!
The natural attribution of the 60th year to the year of retirement forces all well meaning people to realise the weight(gravitas) accompanying the 2017 independence day celebration.

Retirement is a bother as well as a border to many individuals the world over; myself included.

How will it be when the evening sun sinks low, and, how would it be when I have to go home to 'rest'?

As a matter of fact, it is common to find employees slashing ages at the workplace just to delay retirement; a clear indication of the crazy picture retirement paints in our minds eye.

Against the backdrop of my statements above, and, noticing the difficulties we have to grapple with even to retire in our 60th year, I found it amazing and revolutionary why anyone would dare author a book captioned "Retire Before 40"! The suprise compounds knowing that the author is not only a youth, but also, an African(a citizen of the so called '3rd World').

I asked my self several questions after my first encounter with the book title.

Indeed, had I remained ignorant of author, I would outrightly throw the thought of such a reality (of early retirement) into the next rubbish bin located.

Thanksfully, a series of encounters with book author helped allay my fears.

Mr. Shadrack Akrofi-Quarcoo (Native Dr Nii) has been an inspiration to many youth for decades. Shadrack specialty is creating possibilities out of extreme difficulty. Testimonies abound in this respect. Ranging from the enviable promise of the Gold Empire Foundation(GEF) which he founded through to his latest project "Peptalk with NativeDrNii" on Ghcampus.com; Peptalk primarily aimed at motivating and encouraging youth action taking and initiative.

Shadrack is an ardent believer of statement "man can recieve nothing unless it is given him from above"; to this end therefore, he works assiduosly to demystify religion and to collaborate it effectively with socio-political-economic and personal development amongst other things.

Shadracks book "Retire Before 40" is surely another milestone in his mission to inspire and empower youths to "maximixe potential". Beyond his immediate target audience(youths), he seeks to appeal to the relatively older generation to leverage their opportunities and comparative advantage to the maximum benefit of our youth( in all good faith and conscience).

As we garner courage to celebrate Ghana's retirement let's prowl our individual retirement and what it means for us as individuals.

Will it be prudent to retire at an early age? What are the risks involved in retiring before 40? What checks must be in place to enable us Retire at 40 without regrets? Shadrack, employs a multifaceted approach to address such questions in his book(Retire Before 40), and in campaign tours around campuses in Ghana and beyond.

It is incredibly valuable to spend time with Shadrack and/or to listen to him at events.

Are you a politician, public servant business mogul, clergyman, a social activist or a petty trader? Are you a teacher, student, unemployed or a farmer? The bottom line is, someday soon, we will all retire!!!

For this reason, I enjoin all and sundry to endeavour not only to be at the book launch scheduled for the 04th March 2017, 12noon at the University of Ghana-Legon, SRC Conference room, but more importantly, to be at venue early with (a) an open mind (b) an open heart (c) an open book (d) an open purse to both learn and share.

Friends, Shadrack said it, YES! He risked to take a stand and advocate for "Retire Before 40", YES! But guess what, now it is our turn to take our stand and together with him "OWN" this revolutionary vision.

I am fully convinced that Shadrack Akrofi-Quarcoo would retire before 40. But, I feel even more convinced that anyone who associates with him, his book and the "Retire Before 40" campaign would not only retire early, but, such a person or group of persons would live the best ever days that their lives on Earth could afford.

We've thought of you, so let's come and spend quality time on the hot issue of retirement to face the future with beaming smiles.

The launch is on the 4th March, 2017 at the University of Ghana SRC Union Building at 12:30 -16:00GMT. Come and let's find out why we must Retire Before 40.

I will meet you there.
SHALOM.
By: Uncle Sam
CEO Samjeed Poetry Collection
+2339740744
Editing by:
Edwin Asa Adjei
PhD candidate at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana