All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them” said Walter Elias Disney, entrepreneur and pioneer of the American animation industry.
Most young people have dreams and big dreams but what is lacking is the courage and inspiration to pursue them.
While some people look for excuses; blaming family background, the environment or procrastinate on their dreams, others are either inspired by other people, develop the courageous mind-set personally or work through thick and thin to see their dreams come through.
It is true that some people regard Nigeria as a difficult environment, still, within the same setting, some people have achieved successes leveraging inspiration and courage. This is part of the message contained in the Anthony Olufemi Joshua TV commercial by Glo, one of Africa’s fastest growing telecommunications companies.
The commercial is not only celebrating Nigerian Anthony Joshua, the current World Heavyweight Boxing Champion who moved from brick-laying job to stardom, but the advert is underscoring the inspiration and determination in the former bricklayer who is today a global champion.
Nigerians have always been recognised globally for their determination and doggedness and Anthony Olufemi Joshua re-echoed this in the Ad when he said “there is always been a big piece of my heart as a Nigerian and I do believe that it is that piece that sets me apart. It always says to me, ‘never give up, dream big. We come from a nation of warriors and that is why I believe in Glo. We have that same tenacity, that Nigerian fighting spirit that makes us game changers. We are relentless. We don’t just face our challenges; we step into the ring to win again and again and again. If you believe in yourself, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Yeah, I used to be a bricklayer in England but now I am heavyweight champion of the world”
The big message of Anthony Joshua turning from ‘ordinary’ bricklayer to world champion as contained in the TV commercial has caught many Nigerian youth surprised. How did he do it? This is the question on their lips as they continuously watch the Ad repeatedly on their devices.
The reactions on the Glo commercial start with a female university student watching the Anthony Joshua commercial in her tablet. A teenage boy was also seen watching the TVC in his father’s sitting room. It did not stop there; the Ad captured the attention of an Aba tailor, students and athletes, all studying and tapping inspiration from the Glo TV commercial.
The bricklayer-turned boxing Champion in the commercial revealed the parallels between him and Glo. Some of these include the never-say-die, can-do spirit of Globacom which undergirds and constitutes the philosophy of the telecommunications giant is shared by the Champ who says in the TVC, “You need strength?” Yeah, that comes from the hard knocks that life throws at us. And we are Nigerians, we know all about that”.
With the commercial, Glo which was launched into the Nigerian market 15 years ago with Nigerian identity, has not only revealed its position as champion but inspired many Nigerians on their dreams. With the commercial, Glo is restoring hope to many Nigerian youth that their dreams can be achieved even when they think that the environment is not supportive.
Daniel Obi
