By:–Biyi Gbadeyan
There was a time in Nigeria when Ragolis Water was not just a brand.
It was a name that defined bottled water itself.
People didn’t say “bottled water.
They said “buy Ragolis.” That’s how powerful the brand was.
Born in 1981 through a partnership between Nigeria’s Chagoury Group and France’s Société des Eaux de Volvic, Ragolis Water came into full operations around 1984. It was sourced from a natural spring in Ikorodu, Lagos. Clean, classy, and pure.
Ragolis became a household name. It was the first plastic-bottled water in Nigeria and with ISO certification, it stood tall above the rest.
By the 2010s, Ragolis was producing 2 million litres per month. It had spread to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, and Kaduna. It was on top of the mountain.
But then… everything changed.
New brands like Eva (Coca-Cola), Nestlé Pure Life, Aquafina, and CWay showed up with stronger marketing, aggressive distribution, and deeper pockets. Ragolis tried to rebrand, but the noise wasn’t loud enough. Electricity prices soared. Diesel became gold. Bottles were now imported.
Foreign exchange crisis. Nigerians stopped trusting “spring water” claims. Gradually, Ragolis faded away.
Today, it still exists but it no longer commands the spotlight.
Now, pause.
Look around you. Where is Omo detergent today?
Where is Sunlight? Where is Mirinda soft drink?
Where is Sagem mobile phone?
Where is Motorola?
Where is JVC sound system?
Where is the old Kito sandals we once loved?
Gone. Replaced. Forgotten.
New innovation has swept the floor clean.
Even the old men and women we see today, wrinkled, grey, and slow were once the finest boys and prettiest girls in town. They were the “slay queens” of their generation. But *nothing lasts forever. Beauty fades. Strength weakens. Power shifts
There was a time in my life when I could read for five nights straight without blinking. No sleep. No stress. Today, if I try it, either I’ll collapse or someone will call emergency services.
So, my dear reader, *make good use of your time*.
*While you’re still strong, use your strength wisely*.
*While you’re still beautiful, spend your beauty on things that count*.
*While you’re still relevant, serve people*.
*Add value*.
*Speak wisdom*.
*Build things that will outlive you*.
Don’t wait until you’ve lost your influence before you try to make impact.
As Solomon said in his old age:
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them.’” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
There’s a time for everything under the sun. And that includes your own season.
Ragolis was great, but its greatness passed.
So will mine.
So will yours.
Let us learn.
Let us act.
Let us leave something behind that even time cannot erase.
Where is the person who once vacated that official seat for you to now sit on it?
Where are the political giants of yesterday?
Where are the names that once shook the ground, the ones whose presence commanded attention and fear?
Many are gone. And those who are still around. Are they still shaking the ground like before? Time has humbled them.
*That is the fleeting nature of “today.*”
*Yesterday is gone, buried with all its glory*.
And guess what? *Today is mourning yesterday, but it will also be buried tomorrow
You will not always be strong. You will not always be relevant. You will not always be on top.
That is why *wisdom demands that you plant well now, so that you can harvest bountifully later*.
*Ká p’Ajúba silẹ dé isu alọlọ*.
Strike while the cutlass is still sharp.
The owner of Ragolis Water is not eating magic today. He’s feeding on the investments he made when he was “hot.”
Imagine if he had squandered those years and failed to invest. What would he be doing today?
This isn’t just about Ragolis. It’s also about us. About you. About me!
