e-CHILDREN vs TRAINED CHILDREN

Eweso o,

I am coming to you like an Ijebu man this afternoon asking ‘how are you doing?’ Hope you are doing well? Activities have started gathering momentum here and I hope it is the same at your own side. It is already February and if one is not careful that is how the year will speed off; December is around the corner as usual.

Some few weeks ago, I found online a post showing the types of chores a child can be engaged in from age 2. I now remember daughters of two neighbours of the same age, about 6 years now. One of these can open the gate for her parents to drive out, take care of her siblings when the parents are away while the second daughter is still at the mercy of a maid. Are we have e-trained children or trained children?

e-Children are children by my definition trained in English language and the only activity that they understand is how to watch cartoons. Unfortunately, many parents indulge them extremely. They are seen as being young and naive. These children only go to school and they know no other thing. As such, when some unforeseen realities come to the family; they hardly can withstand it. They can be categorized also as 'egg' children because of the way they have maids reporting to them by the hour thus they are 'spoilt' children and they also become obese. These children become further electronic children because their (re)actions would be too abstract and they become liabilities for themselves, their parents and the society. 

Trained children are children that have been made responsible from a young age. This responsibility is related to their age and their level of education. They have the knowledge of what their parents want and do not want. These children are equally well-educated like their classmates but they know the extent to which they can act. Their parents take time to teach, train and tame them. They are both useful to themselves, their parents and the society.

Today, civilization has produced more e-children than trained children but you have the opportunity of guarding your territory. Whatever you allow in your domain will give you the desired result on the long run.

Besides giving a child everything; you also need to train the child very well.

Enjoy your week.

Cheers

Olu

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SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSURE vs SOCIAL MEDIA PROFITABILITY

Salut,

Hope your week had a great start? I am taking life, one step at a time and enjoying all the trills and frills associated with it. I have come to you with a French word today meaning, ‘hello’, the English equivalent of the word is ‘Salute’. After Salutation, we can proceed to business.

Some weeks ago, I read this quote online and it just started making meaning to me now.

“People used to keep diaries, and get mad when anyone read them. Now we post stuff online, and get mad when people DON'T read it.”

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Awo vs ọgberi

Mo ki yin o!

This greeting in Yorùbá means I salute you. It’s still a fresh year and I am looking forward to a great year. I will be using a lot of Yorùbá words which will not bore you but make you see things from the worldview of my culture.

As growing children, there are many professions that we desire to be a part of; some of these dreams materialize while some fail. Such professions include medical doctors, engineers, lawyers etc. These professions are guided by many rules, specialized training and technical jargons. For those who are trained, they are the professionals (awo) while the untrained are quacks (ọgberi).

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STOOGE vs STAND OUT!

Morning,

It is a great day and welcome to a new week. The year is just starting and I am sure we are all preparing as much as possible to attain God-ordained heights for us this year.

There are many stories that we have heard about people who cannot exercise their rights in an office because they take instructions from a mentor, godfather, benefactor etc and this becomes obvious to their followers. The Yoruba have a saying, ‘ewo ni ka j’oye awodi; ka ma le gbe adiye’ meaning why would you be a hawk that can’t hunt for chick. Let’s think together about a stooge or someone who stands out!

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FINISHING CARELESSLY vs FINISHING STRONG

Complements,

Complements of the season! Hope you had a fun filled Christmas with your loved ones! We thank God for keeping us till this time of the year; regardless of how things are, we are assured of a blessed hope for a shining future ahead of us. All you need will soon come in full measure, be prayerful and be expectant!

After Christmas, we look forward to the end of the year but do you agree with me that some people would still be kicked out of their job before the end of the year, why? That is the 1 million naira question before me. The simple answer is they finished the year carelessly rather than finishing strong.

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NIGERIAN FACTOR vs LEADING PRACTICES

Okun,

I am coming to you today in the Yoruba dialect of the Okun (an offshoot of the Yoruba domiciled around Lokoja, Egbe, Kabba) North-Central, Nigeria. It is a basic way of exchanging pleasantries. I am greeting you in their parlance become I have not been with you in some weeks. I am overwhelmed by some deliverables that contested for my time of writing. Complements of the season to you! Thank you for being a part of my journey for 2015.

Today’s versus series is quite domestic because it deals with the worldview of Nigerians before having an opportunity to see how things are done in other parts of the world. However, some of our people with great exposure will still return to this lifestyle once they are on the Nigerian shores. I am taking about the Nigerian factor. This is the reason why Richard Branson founder of the success Virgin Group would come to Nigeria and shut down his operations in few years.

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ACQUISITION DRIVE vs MAINTENANCE CULTURE

Saanu nku,

Blessed people! I am delighted to welcome you to the month of December. Like a dream, 2015 is coming to a halt in 30 days! How time flies! Time flies for healthy and busy people. May God come to the aid of those who are sick. Amen.

Now to the discussion of today, the Nigerian Police is fond of complaining that they do not have vehicles to combat crime. State governments and corporate organizations decided to ‘donate’ vehicles to the force as a form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Lagos State last week gave out boats, cars and helicopters. Fortunately, these vehicles get grounded in few months after donation, I have previously written a Versus Series, click here to read it. Today, we are looking at Acquisition drive vs Maintenance culture.

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ÀBÍKÚ VS ÀLọ́YÈ

Ẹ kú ìkàlẹ̀,

That greeting in Yorùbá that has no English equivalent! Let me give a scenario that can best describe when to greet in this manner; if you are walking pass an elderly person who is sitting down and you want to exchange pleasantries that is when you say such. Some make jest of us that there is greetings for everything in my mother tongue but I am delighted; I have a topic in my mother tongue for the 93^rd edition of Versus Series.

For us who heard stories from our parents of the types of stores that existed while they were young; ‘Kingsway’ was the name that comes to mind. In our days, Shoprite would be the name that comes to the mind. The question is why are some brands ‘àbíkú’ meaning stillbirth while some are ‘àlọ́yè’ meaning ‘flourishing’?

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PRODUCTS vs CAVEATS

Morning,

It is another opportunity to see today! I hope you are ready to make the best out of today? Well, let’s do a little self-appraisal, what has been your performance thus far since the beginning of the year? The year is gradually coming to an end; how would you appraise yourself before someone else appraises you?

Some years ago when cigarettes was still been advertised on Nigerian Television stations; they would show you all the glamour exhibited by smokers but shortly before ending the clip, a deep baritone voice will come up to announce, ‘smokers are liable to die young’. There are certain caveats that are associated with certain products; let’s ruminate over it.

Products are the result of research, pleasure and self-gratification made for people to use as substitute for natural remedies. There are also medical products that have caveats, for example, all baby formulae have caveats about breastfeeding as still the best form of feeding for infants. There are certain products that are harmful while some are beneficial; some are used to show social status while some are used for the sake of consumption.

Caveats are the warnings made available to people who choose to use certain products. In a layman’s term, it can be said to, “I have shown unto you, Oh! Consumer what is good and acceptable; you have a choice to use or not to use”. Caveats are very simple ways of exonerating the production company from all that happens subsequently after you have decided to use the product.

There are some basic facts that can be drawn from today’s discussion. One, remember to read the prescription note on products that you want to consume. Two, do not live carelessly without knowing the side-effect of what you consume. Three, if possible, do not live an addictive life. Four, live a healthy life.

Companies would make huge profits while your consumption of their products would cause grievous bodily damages.

Have a healthy week.

Best wishes,

Olutayo

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OFFICIAL PERK vs PERSONAL POSSESSION

Bon jour,

Today’s opening greeting takes me down memory lane when I was a student of French in the secondary school and also during a basic certificate course in the University of Ibadan some few years ago. Bon jour means ‘Good morning’. Kindly allow me to say this; October 29, 2010 was the launch of the biography of my maternal granddad that I authored. It’s a project that I am extremely proud of; I am grateful to those who made the day a success and equally, all those who have read the book.

Back to business, top executives have a lot of benefits attached to their offices; these include cars (SUVs), apartment, subscription to world-class magazines, business class air travel, hotel accommodation, medical insurance, membership of influential clubs and a lot more. However, some of them come to nothing immediately they leave the office because they are unable to meet up to the financial obligation of such lifestyle they were introduced to while working. Today, we would be looking at official perk versus personal possession.

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EMPLOYEES FAVOUR VS EMPLOYERS FAVOUR

Iba o,

That is a way of paying homage and obeisance to Elderly people Yorùbá land.  Hope you are enjoying the challenges encountered daily? This would make us stronger, no doubt, because this is the reflector of the expertise that we have gained.

Today, I will be looking at something quite important and salient to our lives. There is a story of a particular man who was once working with a government agency; he went on assignment to a private company regularly. Along the line, they saw him playing a prominent role in their organization and he was poached. As of now, he has risen to the top echelon in the organization now. Who is favouring who?

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PREPARATION FOR MATURITY vs PRACTICAL MATURITY

Ikot Nyin,

This means “My People’’ in Efik language of Cross River State, Nigeria. Hope you had a great weekend? I deliberately rested during this last weekend so that I would be refreshed for a new week. Just an appeal, I know that this age is fast moving but regardless of that; we need to take a step at a time, so that we do not end our life abruptly.

Many a times, when a son is being driven to a distant farm by his father; he would usually complain and would be comparing himself to his friend that farms nearby the community. He would not appreciate the ‘hard’ training for maturity. The same also goes for a girl who resides with her elder sister, she would learn how to nurture a child from birth; she would not appreciate the training until she starts to give birth and she finds the process smooth. That is life for us!

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PLAYING ROLES vs REAL ROLES

Ndawatun,

This is a popular greeting amongst the Kanuris’ of Borno State, North-East, Nigeria; however I do not know the meaning but the response is ‘Kelewa sele’ if you meet a black man with tribal marks that runs from the forehead to the nose and also another long one on the cheeks; you may try this greetings. That would make you appreciate the diversity of Nigeria.

Let’s proceed into today’s discussion; playing roles versus real roles. At a point in time, we have had the opportunity of watching a movie. We would definitely have known that the play series of roles in different movies with different story-lines but this does not mean that they act out these roles in real life.

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EXTERNAL PERCEPTION vs INSIDER’S REALITY

Aba die,

That is ‘Hello’ in Ibibio language of the Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria. Hope you had a nice weekend? Mine was hectic but fun because I was engaged in activities that I enjoy. I pray that we would have a great week ahead.

Have you even seen companies that look really great in terms of branding, advertising, public relations and the carriage of the management staff but when you strike a conversation with a low-cadre staff; you will be blow off but the inability of the company to live up to external expectation.

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SHARP PRACTICES vs SHARP MINDS

Umu nnem,

I am coming to you as an Igbo man today. I am saying, My People! I hope you are doing great? I had a fascinating weekend; I met new people as I hosted a Yorùbá event tagged “Yorùbá LákỌ̀tun”. There was poetry and an interview session with Ọmọ-Ọba Olúṣẹ̀san Ajewọlé, the author of many Yorùbá and English literatures. I believe, it is time for cultural renaissance, if our language and culture will not go into extinction.

Back to the subject of discourse today, we all know that there are some children that we meet on the streets everyday who have developed a very crafty personality. These are children that you hardly would want to come your way. They have learnt sharp practices as against developing sharp minds.

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