Dear fellow men,

First off, happy 2019. I hope you all survived last year’s harsh tides and docked at the shores of 2019. This is a rallying cry for us all to be better human beings on this God’s green earth. Last year, we were on everyone’s lips, in the corridors, in newspapers, on social media, on the streets, in WhatsApp groups. Everywhere. Everyone seemed to talk about how trash we had continuously become. We had failed our fellow human beings with whom we share the world. We had made it extremely hard for women to live, freely, with us.

We reached the furthest parts where the phrase ‘men are trash’ was coined and it became our motto. It hurt so bad like an open wound. There had been resistance from most of us, putting a verbal and intellectual fight in self-defense against the phrase. But that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough because we continued to be trash to women, to children, to fellow men. We continued to be a pile of trash to people in our lives. We inflicted women to excruciating doses of pain. We beat up women. We cheated on women. Some men killed women. We sparked off viral and emotive campaigns like "Me Too”. We denied women a voice, freedom and opportunities. We stripped them bare of their rights for mere existing.

Dear fellow men, this is the year we should turn the corner. This is our year – to be better, to do better, to aim for better, to work deliberately and change our trashy ways. This is the year to co-exist with other people without being viewed as the enemy, a predator, a paedophile, a rapist, a killer. This is the year to literally live happily thereafter. This is the year to be appreciated, to bring happiness to our women, to our friendships, to our workplaces, to our marriages, to our relationships.

Let’s accept, last year wasn’t a good year for most of us. It’s understandable. However, it’s not too late. The 2019 ship has just set off, we can still catch up. We might have wasted a lot of money last year in nonsensical purchases, stuffing our hard-earned money in a rabbit hole. This is the year we should become financially disciplined. Weigh up your wallet before purchasing something. Everyone is saying they want to make it in life. I believe this is the year we sow the seeds. This is the year we plant the very first step on the ground and start the journey to prosperity.

2019 is the year we drink lots of water and less alcohol. Am I preaching to someone in the house? This is the year we watch our health and engage in fitness activities. It’s not too late to shed off that weight. The only weight you need is your wallet, not your paunch. The world is already heavy enough for us. This is the year we should buy cologne and smell like responsible human beings. This is the year we dress well and work on ourselves. Yes, we shall be called names, but we don’t give a rat’s behind, do we? No, we don’t.

This is the year we pick up a book and try to read a chapter or two every day. In fact, let’s task ourselves to finish up a book in a month. We shall be surprised by how intelligent we shall become by December. Let’s hone our skills this year. Let’s learn a new skill this year. Let’s learn a new language. Let’s visit a new place if time and money permit us. Let’s be better.

This is the year we draw closer to God—or our beliefs. Prayer works, folks. You don’t need to be as religious as your favourite pastor, but putting aside a minute to communicate with God won’t break your neck. This is the year of reconciliation, a year of asking for forgiveness without thinking our manhood is being taken away. This is the year to swallow our pride, get off our high horses and come back to earth. This is the year we help each other, financially. If one has a business idea that needs your input, be kind enough to offer help. This is the year we throw a rope for people to climb up.

Dear fellow men, this is our year.

Regards.