BOOK REVIEWS

NO SECOND FIDDLE

BY DR. DENNIS INYANG 

‘If you’re comfortable being average, please don’t read this book.’ This quote leaps at you as you flip to the first Chapter of No Second Fiddle, a book written by the Presiding Pastor of Sure Word Assembly, Dr. Dennis Inyang with the foreword written by Sam Adeyemi of Day Star.

Yes there are many motivational books about how to discover and maximize your potentials but one thing that sets No Second Fiddle Apartis its blunt approach. The book is designed to shock and galvanise even the most laid back into action.

A must read for all those who want to discover their potentials and channel their energies towards changing their lives and by extension impacting greatly on society, No Second Fiddle shatters long held myths about success and challenges us to look inwards and believe that we can not only conquer but be the best at whatever we do irrespective of age, colour and creed. As long as we focus on the subject matter long enough, we can archive our dreams insists Dr. Inyang.

That means we have to keep knocking till our knuckles hurt, keep pushing no matter the position until the door of success is opened.

So you’re talented and skilled and think that’s all you need to be a success in life? Pastor Inyang has a shocker for you. One remarkable thing about this book is that it highlights the fact that it takes more than just talent and skill to make it to the top. Being what Dr. Inyang describes as The Top Dog entails discipline, patience, hard work and managing diverse relationship and that’s the reason we have averagely talented people excelling more than so called talented people because what they lack in talent, those that are less skilled make up for in efficiency and sheer hard work. And guess what, all this is in the Bible which Dr. Inyang describes as a manual for practical living which we should apply to our lives if we must succeed.

In No Second Fiddle, Dr. Inyang demonstrates that being broke, physically challenged, being of low birth, an illiterate, a woman; too young or too old cannot stop one from winning and achieving one’s dreams. He uses the biblical stories of Daniel, Joseph and Jesus Christ to drive home his point.

Inyang states that essentially for there to be growth, one must subject and expose oneself to training and criticism because no man knows it all. He states in clear terms that the decision to either be a mediocre a Top Dog is a personal decision which everyone must take.

Dr. Inyang illustrates this with the story of Simon at the biblical Pool of Bethesda. Because he couldn’t be the first to make it to the pool he didn’t get his healing. However, Christ takes pity on him and when it is time to heal him 38 years after asks of him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ This was tantamount to handing the decision to be healed back to Simon. Hence it is obvious we have the power to forge our destinies.

He says as an individual, God who created you has a purpose for you. Pray for direction and once you have identified that, avoid distractions and ignite your passion!

According to Dr. Inyang, if you have the security the crowd offers, you will not live more than an average life. He illustrates this with the example of Zaccheus who stepped out of the crowd and The Lord Jesus recognised him in a unique way.

However, while Dr. Inyang believes we should pursue our dreams aggressively, he admonishes against the spirit of Diotrephes, whose lust for power ultimately misled him.

After reading the book I’m impressed though I have reservations which we will discuss some other day. However, based on Dr. Inyang’s model, I have come up with my own recipe for success stated below:

1. Choose to be the best because it’s in your; God has deposited greatness in every one of us.

2. Don’t ever pamper yourself; it’s better to pay now and party later rather than party now and pay later.

3. Be a jack of one trade; concentrate on only one project at a time

4. Put passion in everything.

5. Don’t join the wrong team and avoid the wrong crowd; always be outstanding

6. Avoid short cuts but remember nothing goes for nothing; you must pay a prize to wear the crown.