“A Fool’s destruction is in his own mouth”
A lot of people believe in the power of the tongue. Christians believe the part of the Bible which says (I am paraphrasing…)“life and death are in the tongue”. And so you find people confessing positively – “I shall not be a failure. I shall be a success”, etc.
In the same manner, they will preach to you – “Do not call your wife stupid. Do not call your child foolish or stupid” Such things will follow them and have repercussions on their lives.
But how many of these people who believe so much in the power of the tongue confess positive things about Nigeria? The same people who make positive individual confessions are the same ones who when they see something bad happen in the country will go – “I’m not surprised. It is only in Nigeria that such things can happen. What did you expect? I’ve told you before, nothing good will ever come out of this country. All our leaders are rogues. Don’t ever enter politics, it is only rogues that enter there…, blah blah blah…”
If we go by their “Power of the Tongue” theory, then even if a leader was not a rogue before, he will become one. Where other countries might be trying to clean up their acts, we can’t do the same here because we have “prophesied” that such dastardly acts will always happen in Nigeria. If we can speak positively about ourselves, why can’t we speak positively about our country?
But you may say, speaking positively is not enough. I agree. It is not enough to chant “I am a success”. If you do not work hard, the chances of being a success is very low (not impossible because lady-luck does smile on some people). To be successful requires hard work. Do you have any idea how hard your favorite actors and actresses work before they put up those astounding performances on screen that you love? I once read of an actor whom because he was going to play the role of a blind man in a movie, had himself blindfolded for about a month or so to really get into the habits of a blind person.
“Come on, you have come with all this your theory and analysis again. Are we in positions of authority? I’m just an ordinary man, trying to make ends meet.”
So you are, but change starts on the individual level. We all marvel at how clean the cities of Europe are. And then we complain about the dirty streets in Lagos. How many times do we buy Bananas, Oranges, Biscuits, etc and while on the road unwrap it and wham! Out of the window goes the banana skin or wrapper – right on the road!
Oh…..Isn’t that dirt? Let’s do a simple bit of Maths. A hundred people throwing away one banana peel everyday in Lagos multiplied by 30 days in a month, multiplied by 12 months. Can you imagine the amount of dirt that has been thrown on the road in a year, just on the move? This does not include the normal dustbin which leaves homes every day.
In our different houses in Nigeria, where is the bin emptied everyday? On the road! Under cover of darkness, the house-help goes and dumps the bin on the road.
But there is no refuse disposal system. The government has not provided one.
Haba! The same way that government has not provided security or provided good roads, but residents of a street have engaged the services of a vigilante group or “taxed” themselves to get laborers to at least make the roads passable, the same way that something can be done about the refuse disposal system.
Even in places where there are functioning refuse disposal teams, like Victoria Island, we still see ugly refuse dumps. I always wondered why people there can’t buy garbage bags, and put the dirt inside them? With the garbage bags, the mouths can be neatly tied up and the bags put outside. That way, the place is not messed up and the refusal disposal teams can come pick them up. You would think that with all the mansions in V/I, the residents would be more cultured.
My friend says we have become numbed to our inefficient system and environment. He says Nigerians generally don’t have high standards because we have so confessed negatively about our country, we don’t expect anything different. He says it’s all about setting expectations. If we confess positively about our country, then we will start looking for ways to achieve those high expectations we have set for ourselves.
Well, maybe he’s right. All I know is that for those who believe in the “Power of Tongue” theory, let them apply it to Nigeria too not just their personal lives. After all, if the Nigerian state fails, how can you be successful as an individual?
“Check out of Naija of course.”
In the same manner, they will preach to you – “Do not call your wife stupid. Do not call your child foolish or stupid” Such things will follow them and have repercussions on their lives.
But how many of these people who believe so much in the power of the tongue confess positive things about Nigeria? The same people who make positive individual confessions are the same ones who when they see something bad happen in the country will go – “I’m not surprised. It is only in Nigeria that such things can happen. What did you expect? I’ve told you before, nothing good will ever come out of this country. All our leaders are rogues. Don’t ever enter politics, it is only rogues that enter there…, blah blah blah…”
If we go by their “Power of the Tongue” theory, then even if a leader was not a rogue before, he will become one. Where other countries might be trying to clean up their acts, we can’t do the same here because we have “prophesied” that such dastardly acts will always happen in Nigeria. If we can speak positively about ourselves, why can’t we speak positively about our country?
But you may say, speaking positively is not enough. I agree. It is not enough to chant “I am a success”. If you do not work hard, the chances of being a success is very low (not impossible because lady-luck does smile on some people). To be successful requires hard work. Do you have any idea how hard your favorite actors and actresses work before they put up those astounding performances on screen that you love? I once read of an actor whom because he was going to play the role of a blind man in a movie, had himself blindfolded for about a month or so to really get into the habits of a blind person.
“Come on, you have come with all this your theory and analysis again. Are we in positions of authority? I’m just an ordinary man, trying to make ends meet.”
So you are, but change starts on the individual level. We all marvel at how clean the cities of Europe are. And then we complain about the dirty streets in Lagos. How many times do we buy Bananas, Oranges, Biscuits, etc and while on the road unwrap it and wham! Out of the window goes the banana skin or wrapper – right on the road!
Oh…..Isn’t that dirt? Let’s do a simple bit of Maths. A hundred people throwing away one banana peel everyday in Lagos multiplied by 30 days in a month, multiplied by 12 months. Can you imagine the amount of dirt that has been thrown on the road in a year, just on the move? This does not include the normal dustbin which leaves homes every day.
In our different houses in Nigeria, where is the bin emptied everyday? On the road! Under cover of darkness, the house-help goes and dumps the bin on the road.
But there is no refuse disposal system. The government has not provided one.
Haba! The same way that government has not provided security or provided good roads, but residents of a street have engaged the services of a vigilante group or “taxed” themselves to get laborers to at least make the roads passable, the same way that something can be done about the refuse disposal system.
Even in places where there are functioning refuse disposal teams, like Victoria Island, we still see ugly refuse dumps. I always wondered why people there can’t buy garbage bags, and put the dirt inside them? With the garbage bags, the mouths can be neatly tied up and the bags put outside. That way, the place is not messed up and the refusal disposal teams can come pick them up. You would think that with all the mansions in V/I, the residents would be more cultured.
My friend says we have become numbed to our inefficient system and environment. He says Nigerians generally don’t have high standards because we have so confessed negatively about our country, we don’t expect anything different. He says it’s all about setting expectations. If we confess positively about our country, then we will start looking for ways to achieve those high expectations we have set for ourselves.
Well, maybe he’s right. All I know is that for those who believe in the “Power of Tongue” theory, let them apply it to Nigeria too not just their personal lives. After all, if the Nigerian state fails, how can you be successful as an individual?
“Check out of Naija of course.”
7 comments:
Thanks so much for that wonderful piece. We need mental revolution in Nigeria. I don't even know where to start from; our life as a people reeks of ignorance.
And thanks for visitng my blog.
Hey Gramps, nice post. Food for thought, really.
Wow, this really got me thinking big time. I am definately guilty of what u mentioned......thanx for this piece.
I agree with Funmi. I am really guilty of this....I am going to try to change my thinking. Thanks for stopping by my blog
thanks for stopping by da blog...very interesting comments
@funmi & babe: I'm working on it too. Thanks for dropping by
@joel: you're already part of the mental revolution - with all your write-ups on financial success and investments in Nigeria. You're making it happen in Naija, that should encourage others that it's possible here in Naija too....Thanks for dropping by
@daddy's girl and abbey: thanks for dropping by.
I try as much as i can to watch what i say about things. I have developed the habit of prophesying good on my life and my country. Wether we spend 100 years abroad, home is still home.
Post a Comment