RULE

Book: Rule or be Ruled Author: Patrick Otieku-Boadu Pages: 101 Publishers: Spearhead Consult Reviewed by: Caroline Boateng Rule or be ruled, is a call to leadership. Leadership that is God ordained, required of every individual and necessary for effective living. In this ninth book, the author, Patrick Otieku-Boadu, gives useful guidelines on how to live maximally in all areas of life, be it family, career or education. He begins by setting out the chilling fact that a failure to rule would result in a person being subjected under the rule of others in life. In fact, there is no middle way and either you take control of your live in way that will bring about the change only dreamt about and craved for or bend to the rule of a co-equal or someone younger or less experienced, but who has learned the principles of bearing rule in this life. Using God’s prescription in the Bible for man to rule and have dominion over the earth, the author calls on readers to activate the authority for ruling, programmed into their DNA by God. Leadership begins with the individual, and Rule or be Ruled teaches how one can take charge of his or her life adequately enough to extend rule to others and areas of endeavour. The author calls for a new vision and new thoughts that enables challenges to be seen as possibilities to be seized for success in life. Contrary to popular thinking that ruling is about holding sway and commanding in the public sphere, Rule or be Ruled teaches that ruling begins with ideas, having them, writing them down, mastering them by thinking and rethinking, developing them by fully expressing the ideas into tangible usable services or things. It requires self introspection. “Your ideas are capable of transforming your life. To rule your world, you will need to place value on the ideas that flow through your mind, but many do not value their own thoughts,” the author tells readers. Leadership requires information, and in a chapter on that, Patrick Otieku-Boadu shows how information is the currency to dreams, success and fortune. But information that is priceless is relevant, is needed and applicable for the desired changes in life. Rule or be Ruled shows how this can be achieved. Leadership also requires bearing rule over money, one’s sex life, seizing opportunities, mastering technology and new developments in society. The author’s manner of writing is easy. He communicates simply and directly. The reader would sometimes feel he is being coached by a real life tutor instead although reading the words of the author. He uses several examples of real life situations and experiences of people to emphasise his ideas. Patrick Otieku-Boadu has once again shown his passion for youth development in his work Rule of be Ruled that will inspire the youth to dream, achieve and progress. It is recommended for the youth of Ghana, and anyone who would want to dream again, as life still offers opportunities. Rule or be Ruled can be obtained in all leading bookshops or by contacting the author by the Email address, potiekuboadu@gmail.com .