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Meet Samson Okunlola: A Uniquely Rare 5-Star Football Prospect Lighting Up Massachusetts

Meet Samson Okunlola: A Uniquely Rare 5-Star Football Prospect Lighting Up Massachusetts.

Now and then, there are exceptionally talented and very gifted athletes in sports. These uniquely gifted athletes show up and practically dominate the scene in their favorite games all through their sporting careers.

Names like the late Kobe Bryant, Lionel Messi, Muhammed Ali, Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lebron James, Lewis Hamilton, and others readily emerge when talking about such generational talents in sports.

A 16-year-old African-American boy, Samson Okunola, is another name that looks set to join this list of uniquely gifted sports stars. Born to parents of Nigerian descent, Samson stands at an imposing height of 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 295-pounds. This intimidating physique and exceptional skills make it almost impossible to miss him on any high school football field in Massachusetts.

 

Samson is yet to become a senior at Thayer Academy in Brockton, Massachusetts, but his incredible talent has already made him a 2023 5-star offensive tackle on the football team. He does come from a family of gifted footballers, though, as two of his elder brothers – Samuel and Sunny, have already turned pro. However, not even Samuel, signed by the Pittsburgh Panthers as part of their 2022 class, was ever rated more than a 3-star prospect.

Samuel is a 6-foot-4 junior defensive end and tight end at Thayer and holds several scholarship offers. Their brother, Sunny, is a former Enterprise All-Scholastic and Brockton High standout, and he plays in the Div. 1 college football ranks in his first year at Merrimack.

Superstar recruits reportedly rarely come out of Massachusetts, so it is indeed a huge deal to have one who none other before he has ever measured up to. The beauty of it all is that none of this gets to Samson’s head because he doesn’t pay too much notice to all the fame and national attention.

While discussing his recruitment process and other issues in a recent interview, the giant lineman cut a modest figure as he said: “I don’t necessarily feel any pressure. I want more out of myself, and I want to get better as an athlete and student. It has given me opportunities I thought I would never have.”

Samson also paid glowing tributes to the caliber of recruits at the college football level that the State has produced before him. He said: “I know many players before I could have been 5-stars. I’m just bringing more light to Massachusetts. We’ve got players that can ball too.”

His massive appearance and dazzling skill level are not the only things smashing records about him. Samson reportedly has had 39 total offers already, and he plans to reveal his top picks soon. No other player in the entire history of Massachusetts has ever had that number of offers before. Even the most prominent name the State has produced in a while, A.J. Dillon, only had a total of 17 offers in his time before he eventually opted to remain in Massachusetts and selected Boston College.

 

There is undoubtedly more for Samson, too, as his list of offers will keep growing when he starts playing as a senior. He already has some very prestigious schools across the entire country on his back, but he is not bothered by the attention and will not be rushed into making a pick just yet. According to him, his ideal college football home must be one that can develop him as a player and a student. “They must also be able to provide a consistent and stable coaching staff because this is very important to me,” Samson added.

In all of these glowing things about Samson, a few things about him stand out to us, and we would like to share them with you now.

(1) Samson’s level of maturity and stability is quite exemplary for his age, yet not so far-fetched. According to reports, he maintains a solid bond and relationship with his elder brothers, and this helps to keep him grounded and on his toes constantly.

His love, commitment, and respect for family values are something that we believe many young people of his age can learn from and emulate.

(2) Players with a great mastery of his athleticism and huge size are reportedly never seen in the sport often. His technical abilities and skills make him the dream of almost every major college in the United States of America presently, yet he remains as humble and unfazed as any other regular Joe.

 

This is another excellent quality to have, especially for someone getting such a mega load of national and international attention because of his generational talent. It is so easy for young ones to get carried away and lose their way in the euphoria of all the media hype and glamour, but that has not been Samson’s story.

An industry average ranking platform that obtains its ratings from the major media recruiting services, 247Sports Composite Rankings, recently declared Samson Okunlola as the No. 3 offensive tackle in the United States. He is also currently rated as the No. 32 overall 2023 college football recruit.

This is not a mean feat by any standards for a 16-year-old boy, and we pray that God will continue to watch over him and promote him even beyond his wildest dreams and expectations. Amen.

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With Great Abilities Come Huge Responsibilities. Stay Humble Always!

Inspirational Quote:

“Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

One of my favorite lines in the Spiderman franchise was when Uncle Ben told a young and inexperienced Peter Parker that: “With great power comes great responsibilities.”

I love this because it embodies a profound truth that I also live by. Life is not about how rich, famous, good-looking, or influential you can become but about what you can achieve with all these qualities when you possess them.

True power is in knowing what you are capable of but having the willpower and discipline to control yourself even in great temptations!

Humility helps a person to connect to their inner peace amid the turmoil. It lets you realize that a show of force or excessive power only makes you a brute. Humility helps you to recognize that your ability, skills, talents, and all are not only for your glorification but to benefit and impact others around you too.

When a highly-skilled individual walks in such humility as this, they enjoy a kind of longevity and seem to remain forever at the top of their field.

Many times, pride has destroyed great destinies because the voice of their gift was louder in their head than the soft, still voice of reasoning and humility!

Always remember that your gift and talent is your power given to you to also help as many around you as you possibly can. You are not blessed to see how much glory you can amass but how many souls you can positively impact and lift.

Keep your head down, but your shoulders square always. Talent and power are intoxicating. Do not let yourself drown in its voice which constantly demands self-adulation!

You were sent to this world and richly blessed with that power and talent for a reason. Continue to walk in humility, and you will forever prosper in it and be remembered, even long after your physical life is over!

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Patience And Perseverance Always Wins If You Do Not Quit!  

Patience And Perseverance Always Wins If You Do Not Quit!

Inspirational Quote:

“Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill

 

An old and famous adage says: “The patient dog eats the fattest bone.” This is a profoundly irrefutable truth, but sadly, many people in this present generation seem to believe otherwise.

To succeed in life, you need a great combination of persistence, patience, and lots of long-suffering.

What do you do in the face of stiff opposition and seemingly insurmountable odds? How do you react when it seems like you have already exhausted all your options and failed? Do you let it run you to the ground and get you depressed?

Success is not the absence of failure but the ability to turn failure into victory. Failure is not the end of your life but the beginning of your greater chances to excel in life. If you don’t give up or become a monster to torment your opponents or rivals, you can turn any story of failure into glory eventually.

Keep fighting. Be relentless. Keep moving on. Learn from your errors, use the lessons to build yourself, and always try never to repeat them. History does not remember and celebrate all the soldiers that go into a battle but only those who survive and conquer!

The key to your success is how patiently and persistently you can wait and pursue your dreams in life. You’ve already come too far from where you started from, so don’t you ever quit on yourself!

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Meet Cyril Ramaphosa: A True Example Of How Patience And Perseverance Wins!

Meet Cyril Ramaphosa: A True Example Of How Patience And Perseverance Wins!

An old and very popular adage says: “The patient dog eats the fattest bone.” This is a profoundly irrefutable truth, but sadly, many people in this present generation seem to believe otherwise.

Some have even said and publicly taught others that a patient dog goes to bed hungry rather. Life, however, always has a way of correcting such “woke ills” by placing prominent examples around us virtually everywhere we turn.

One such example is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Born Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African President, is a businessman and politician who has served as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa since 2018. He has also served as head of the country’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), since 2017.

 

It may interest you to know that Cyril once lost out on a much desired and highly-coveted Vice Presidential slot with the nation’s most iconic leader, the late Nelson Mandela. As disappointing as that may have been for him, he, however, didn’t let it run him to the ground. Instead, he went into business and, over a decade later, came back as President.

While in business, Cyril has grown to become one of the wealthiest men in South Africa. Widely renowned financial publications like Bloomberg and Forbes reportedly value his net worth at an estimated $450 million. He also reportedly owns all 145 McDonald’s restaurants in South Africa. And according to reports, Cyril’s venture with McDonald’s is not a regular franchise as he holds all the assets and real estate in all 145 restaurants. This means that he can choose to lease any of the properties out or sell them whenever he pleases.

This is a lesson for many of us today. Failure is not the end of your life but the beginning of your greater chances to excel in life. If you don’t give up or become a monster to torment your opponents or rivals, you can turn any story of failure into glory eventually.

Whenever it seems like life has knocked you down hard, spend that time to improve your life and become better. When you eventually get all the knowledge you need, keep trying again and again, and you will see yourself living your dreams.

It doesn’t matter if you were mocked, called an empty barrel, or a failure. It doesn’t even matter if you were unnecessarily attacked by the enemies of progress who do not understand your vision and can’t interpret your dreams.

Pay no attention to distractions and detractors. Stir up ‘hell’ and remain focused. Learn to play your game smartly and always be in control.