Author: Elekima Ekine (+234(0)8038095388, +234(0)8098020001)
Publisher: ATR BOOKWORKS
Reviewer: Goke Ilesanmi
If there is one problem plaguing a lot of people in Nigeria and beyond today, it is lack of money. This is occasioned by lack of knowledge of where and how to actually get it. Therefore, publication of this text entitled “Where Money is Hiding”, written by Reverend Elekima Ekine, Resident Pastor of Christ Chapel International Churches, Ashi, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria is timely. Ekine is an authority on application of biblical principles to financial management.
He says without money, destinies will remain unfulfilled. This author asserts that until you overcome the compromise of money, you will not be released into the fullness that God has for you. Ekine says we all need money to be relevant and make meaningful impact in life, hence the need to discuss money. He discloses that people have different perspectives about sources of getting money and how to attract wealth.
Ekine therefore quotes Isaiah 45:3 thus: “… And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” This author submits that this implies that money is hidden in secret and unexpected places and therefore the purpose of this book is to help you discover where money is hiding by employing practical applications.
As regards structure, this text is segmented into 11 chapters. Chapter one is entitled “Money is hiding in relationships”. In the words of Ekine here, “The first clue to money’s hiding place is our definition: A neutral instrument of exchange agreed to by any two people. I want you to take note of the phrase, ‘agreed to by any two people’. When you begin to talk about agreement between two or more people you are talking about relationship.”
He quotes this Chinese proverb to amplify his point: “If you want one year of prosperity, grow grains; if you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees; but if you want one hundred years of prosperity then grow people.” This author adds that the amount of money you have within your reach is not defined by what is in your bank account but the network of relationships you have built. He predicates this assertion on the fact that if you need money but lack the network of relationships that can assist you get it, then, you may not be able to meet your financial needs.
Chapter two is based on the subject matter of money hiding in needs, problems and desires. Here, this author says money is hiding in people because where people are, there are needs, problems and desires. He expatiates that where there are needs, problems and desires, there is no shortage of opportunities to make money as money comes when you can find solutions to identified problems. Ekine educates that we have telephone today because its idea came from a man who wanted to offer solution to the needs of his sister who had a hearing problem. The man made something like a hearing aid and this eventually evolved into the telephone we have today. This author differentiates between people’s problems and needs. According to him, “For instance, someone’s toothache is the dentist’s opportunity of locating money. That is not a need, but a problem. All you need to do is identify problems around you, find solutions to them and let people know you have answer to their problems.”
He educates that the next thing to problems and needs is desire. Ekine asserts that desires are not necessarily needs and they may or may not be problems. This author says, “For instance, to travel on a plane, you do not have to go first class, therefore going first class is a desire to make a statement. Therefore people pay more for their desires. In other words, there is more money in answering to people’s desires than there is in meeting needs… If you want to locate more money than you have been doing in meeting people’s needs and solving their problems, then begin to answer to people’s desires.”
Chapter three is christened “Money is ideas”. Here, Ekine educates that to be able to locate money in people’s problems, needs and desires, you need ideas. Ideas, according to this author, turn problems, needs and desires into moneymaking opportunities. “This is why it is said that people with ideas rule the world…Money lives in ideas,” explains this author.
In chapters four to seven, Ekine analytically X-rays concepts such as money is hiding in vision; money is hiding in work; money is hiding in abilities and money is hiding in waste.
Chapter eight focuses on the issue of money hiding in time. Ekine says money is hiding in time and the amount of time you locate in time depends on the amount of time within your control. He educates that whoever controls your time controls how much money you make.
In chapters nine to 11, Ekine beams his intellectual searchlight on the concepts of money hiding in its seed, money hiding in your employees and money hiding in God.
Stylistically, this text is on the high rung of the ladder. For instance, the language is simple and the subject matter presentation very didactic. These are expected, given the background of the author as a pastor who knows the importance of simplicity of language and detailed illustrations to effective communication and understanding. Ekine generously employs biblical allusions to achieve conceptual reinforcement and lend credibility to its overall subject matter. This author deliberately repeats the main clause “Money is hiding”, in all the 11 chapters, as a constant reminder of the answers to the suspense and anticipation created by the title of the book.
What’s more, the title of the text conjures an image and personifies money as if it were a human being that could hide. The cover design of the text radiates high aesthetic appeal and the (inner) layout very eye-friendly. Ekine employs graphical embroidery to achieve visual reinforcement of readers’ understanding. He includes Golden Nuggets section at the end of each chapter to offer major points to readers. It is said in textual criticism that there is no book that is perfect. This text is also not an exception. On page xiv, “…different perspective” is used instead of “…different perspectives”. Another minor punctuation error is “… peoples’ problems” (page 43), instead of people’s problems”.
Generally, this work of high intellectual creativity is a reservoir of rare financial knowledge as it conveys interface between biblical principles and financial education. It is a must-read and the tips must-apply for anybody that is prepared to be free from the shackles of financial lack. It is revealing.
GOKE ILESANMI, Editor-in-Chief/CEO of www.gokeilesanmi.com.ng and Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is a Certified Public Speaker/Emcee, (Business) Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker, Career Management Coach, Renowned Book Reviewer, Corporate Leadership Expert and Editorial Consultant.
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