EMMIWUKS: Do we get to win this time?

In 2023, I named Emmanuel Myam, popularly known as Emmywuks, my Benue Stoic Brand of the Year. I did so because I saw in him a rare quality that many young Tiv people lack; the ability to remain focused on a goal despite ridicule, discouragement and uncertainty.

At the time, the young man from Zaki Biam , Ukum, Benue State had embarked on a bicycle journey to Lagos in appreciation of Nigerian music superstar Davido's album, Timeless. Many dismissed him. Some advised him to turn back. Others openly mocked him. Yet he remained committed to his mission.

The irony was that although he eventually reached Lagos and became a national sensation, the very objective that inspired the journey was not fully achieved. Davido noticed him, acknowledged him publicly and even offered him financial assistance which he declined, but the anticipated grand meeting never materialised.

Many would have regarded that as failure. Emmywuks did not, Instead, he reinvented himself. He transformed from being merely a Davido admirer into a cycling ambassador and social media personality. What could have been an anticlimax became an opportunity. What appeared to be defeat became visibility. That was why I described him as stoic. He refused to surrender to disappointment.

Not long afterwards, he announced another ambitious mission; a bicycle journey from Lagos to America. Once again, doubts emerged. Once again, many questioned the practicality of the undertaking. Once again, the project did not reach its intended destination and he eventually returned to Lagos by air.

Now, as Emmywuks prepares for yet another major journey which he has called Round My Continent Africa, the debate is no longer about his courage. Nobody can question his courage. Nobody can question his willingness to endure hardship. Nobody can question his ability to attract public attention. The real question concerns strategy.

As a lover of the Rambo films, I am reminded of one of the most memorable lines in Rambo: First Blood Part II. Before departing on another mission, John Rambo asked Colonel Trautman a simple question: "Sir, do we get to win this time?" That question is relevant to Emmywuks today.

After the Lagos expedition and the America attempt, he now possesses something he did not have before which is experience. He has learned lessons about logistics, planning, publicity, sponsorship, networking and public expectations. He has built relationships and earned recognition beyond his hometown and beyond Benue State.

The challenge before him is therefore not whether he can begin another journey. We already know that he can. The challenge is whether this journey can produce the result he seeks. Can determination be matched by planning? Can passion be matched by preparation? Can visibility be matched by achievement? Can we get to win this time?

For the sake of a young man whose resilience has inspired many, I sincerely hope the answer is yes. I wish Emmywuks success and a safe journey.