UNSUNG vs SAMSUNG

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Matan Mwanmin,

How has been the month so far? I have not come to you recently but I am glad to sharing my thoughts with you today. I have come to you saying ‘Hello’ in Kulere language of Bokkos local government of Plateau State, Nigeria.

Many of us have the mind-set of becoming entrepreneurs later in life. However, we are either not prepared for the challenges ahead as such, we chicken out over time seeking solace in paid employment. As such, the age long quote has not lost its relevance, ‘If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to build theirs.’ Our dreams would either be unsung or sung.

An unsung business is the business that has a lot of intricacies that is jealously guided by the person who owned or discovered the idea. Such businesses are highly specialised and people are not taught how to do it not to talk of modernising the vision. In another vein, an unsung business is a business where the entrepreneur does not have the tenacity to wait till he break-even or breakthrough.

A sung business is Samsung. This is a business that started in 1938 in South Korea as a Grocery store. By 1940, it switched to the production of noodles, by 1950, it started Sugar Production, and by 1954, the company went into woollen mill cum started selling insurance and security. In 1960, they started producing TV, in 1980, the company went into production of telephone switch board. Samsung died in 1987 and the company broke into four independent businesses- departmental stores, chemicals & logistics, paper & telecoms and electronics. In 1990, it delved into real estate, in 1993, the company was restructured and they went into production of memory chips. In 1995, they switched to liquid-crystal displays and they have been the world’s largest manufacturer of flat screen TV. In 2010, Samsung focussed on the production of smartphones. In 2016, they have outsold iPhone. Samsung has undergone many metamorphoses but they retained their brand name.

This is a journey of tenacity. One of the things that we lack around use here is the ability to bequeath your business unto your children who should modernise it with their level of exposure and education. I am not saying that children should be forced into a particular line of career but parents should know how to make children- buy into, invest in and develop their businesses.

Before you become sung, you would have sworn to maintain your dream and vision. There would be time for modification of your idea, restructuring of the dream and many more. 

Keep building your dreams regardless of the hurdles. 

Have a great weekend.

Cheers!

Olutayo

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TATTOO vs LALI

Ior Av,

It’s a wet Thursday in Lagos, Nigeria and I am glad it rained. People have been enduring the high weather temperature in the last few days. It is the day of relieve and we look forward to more relieve as the rainy season sets in fully. I have come in the similitude of a Tiv from Benue State, Nigeria saying, 'My People'.

As a lad, there are names on my Grandmother’s arm, she told me it is called “Soju” and why she had different names written on her skin. When I got to Ilorin for my tertiary education; I came in contact with another intricate patterns drawn on women in the market and some corporate environment, I asked questions about it and I got to know this as one of the traditional fashion style called “Lali”. By the time, I got to Maiduguri, Borno State, before the Boko Haram days; I was used to seeing it on women. Interestingly, when I returned to Lagos, I came in touch with another set of patterns called tattoo. Let’s reflect on today’s Versus Series as we consider Tattoo vs Lali.

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BUS DRIVER vs CAR DRIVER

Mutane,

‘People’ that is my greetings today in Hausa language. Hope it has been a great day thus far? Most especially at this time, for those in Nigeria, when there is fuel scarcity! It has been a great challenge commuting from one place to another. Imagine, Third Mainland Bridge has been free lately because many people have stopped driving. Hopefully, traffic will return next week when the scarcity is over.

Have you ever noticed the difference in the driving of a bus driver and a car driver in Lagos? You will be amazed at the roughness and the carefulness of both drivers. Let’s think together as we draw some inferences on both driving styles.

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UNSERVICED USAGE vs SERVICED USAGE

Ovre me,

Waking up on a Monday morning to see a Police officer break the windscreen of a commercial bus popularly called ‘danfo’, thereafter  boarding a bus where a passenger engage the bus driver and the conductor in a duel. This reminds me of the song of the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti that says ‘lojo Monday, Eko o ni gba igbakugba’ meaning Lagos won’t accept rubbish on a Monday. Ovre me means my friend in Degema language in Rivers State of Nigeria.

There are many care-free people who care less about items that services them. A typical example is a car; there is no vehicle that cannot be used for 15-20 years. However, what makes the difference is the way the car is maintained. There are careful people who have been successful in using the same car used by careless people for decades; what makes the difference is the service pattern which can be ignored or given necessary attention.

Unserviced usage is very predominant in the lives of youths. Cars driven by youths are largely not well maintained. Why? All they understand is to ignite the vehicle and move; they would not want to check the gauges to know if the vehicle is in the best state to move. They ignore all warnings requesting for attention. Some of the consequences of unserviced usage include; totally breakdown of the machine or item; more expensive to repair, disappointment at the hour of urgent need and possibly replacement of the whole item.

Serviced usage is the conscious look out for repairs and servicing to prolong the lifespan of an item. Serviced usage is very deliberate. People who are aware of the need to service their items do it with all zeal. They understand the saying, ‘penny wise, pound foolish’. When they notice any strange sound; they would attend to it; they set reminders for the time when servicing should be done and attend to it passionately.

It is cheaper to be passionate about maintaining all you have as compared to running helter-skelter when the chips are down.

Have a well-serviced week.

Cheers!

Olutayo

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