INTERNALLY DISPLACED vs EXTERNALLY DISPLACED.

Abokina,

In Hausa language, the lingua Franca of Northern Nigeria, it means my friend.  It is already turning white in some parts of the world and it is currently hazy here. I wish you a beautiful Christmas in advance.  

As a country, we have been battling Boko Haram in the last few years and it has led  to the death of many people both civilian and military. Our hearts are with their families and we pray that they will be eternally consoled. Let's dig deep as we discuss internally displaced and externally displaced in various lights. Both displacement can be summed up in a Yorùbá proverb "eniti o so ile nu ti so apo iya ko" meaning he who has lost his identity has keep a bag of torture.

The internally displaced people are those that have been sacked from their homelands and they are refugees in their fatherland. Unfortunately, the reports are more disheartening because they are malnourished and the funds that should be used in catering for them is being embezzled in their country of birth. The government keeps paying lips service to optimally caring for them. 

Another set of internally displaced people are those who are neither accepted in the city they reside and their country home. This is evident in documents such as state of origin, local government identification letter, Federal Character and others in Nigeria. All of these have reduced the opportunities available to people and this has led to brain drain.

The externally displaced people are those have lost their sense of their own identity based on some external influences despite being in close proximity to their culture and language. I strongly believe that regardless of the level of foreign civilisation, if your own culture is not promoted, it will die a natural death. 

Some years ago, we were having Generation X and now, we are having Generation Z. People are getting lost even in their homeland. There are many families resident in the cities who neither know their country home nor are told about the place. The question, "who will build and promote your country home?"

Either you are internally or externally displaced, you can rewrite your history; you can create a new order. If you are internally displaced, brace up to rebuild your home community; if you are internally displaced, work towards improving your language & country home with your expertise if you are externally displaced.

Whatever you do differently will engrave your name on the roll call of honour one day.

Have a nice transition into 2017.

Cheers

Olutayo

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FIRST HUSBAND vs SUBSEQUENT HUSBANDS

E káasan,

That’s the greetings of a Yoruba person which means ‘Good afternoon’. It has been some weeks that I last came this way but it is all for good! The tap is still gushing but the demand of this time makes it seems like it is seizing from my end. I am sure the wind of the yuletide is blowing all around you; either it White Christmas or Hazy Christmas; May we all do it in good health.

There is a Yorùbá proverb, ‘ti obinrin o ba dan ile oko meji wo; ko ni mo eyi to san’ which means, if a woman never attempts two matrimonial homes; she will not know the most pleasant of both homes. We would want to consider this saying in the light of the first husband and subsequent husbands. However, this can be applied to all areas of life including our career.

The first husband is usually the stage of exposition from being naïve. The first husband has a lot of role to play in one’s life as it determines how wild and insatiable one would be in later years. The experience also determines if the person will want to hang on or find an exit route out of the union. For example, if the first company that one works with pays well; gives a lot of allowances and encourages growth; many people would not bother to seek for employment elsewhere until the statutory retirement age.

Subsequent husbands, from the second husband upward, usually, are tasked on many sides especially when there was a very damaging experience from the first union. This could have maligned the ability of the person to trust and stay loyal. As such, the husband strives to convince beyond all reasonable doubt that he can care and sustain the person. Unfortunately, the person coming into the union would be very sceptical and would have developed either a cantankerous, violent or defensive mind-set.

In all, some people will never go beyond the first marriage; some will prefer the second marriage; some will appreciate the first marriage while they are in the second marriage and some will regret both marriages.

I would plead with everyone, wherever you find yourself; please be the best so that we can create valuable experiences for others and not marred experiences. For those who are yet to make a choice, kindly examine your choice, if it will lead you to the Promised Land or an impediment to your progress.

Have a great weekend ahead.

Cheers!

Olutayo

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