Cult of Amateurs

(This title was dubbed from the book by Andrew Keen with the same name)

It is official! 

Nigeria is the safest economy to invest in. Using some ratings, the experts at Merrill Lynch have come to that conclusion. 
I take this news with mixed feeling.                                               

On the bright side, it shows that all our shrewd, trust lacking, cash & carry business principles is the way to go. Knowing we are at the fore front of this "cutting edge" management practice, we are better positioned to establish our self as a force to reckon with in the emerging new world order. 

But on another note, is this report saying that the actions by modern economies are not in tuned to what's in? Another interpretation of this article implies that the step by step, meticulous approach applied by developing countries (like Malaysia or Singapore) in making their economy a foreign direct investment attraction does not exactly do what is says on the tin. On a lighter note, if this interpretation is the way society responds to this report, then one can say that mob mentality and chaos as business strategies would be principles the London Business School of Economics must adopted as it trains the next world thinkers (Maybe they would be better trained in Nigeria).
What we are reading is stating that the responsibility of safeguarding the world's future should be left to the hands of quacks, depth-lacking policy makers & rent seeking professionals; in other words I refer to the component of our amateur managed economy. 

This world economy downturn is worst than I thought.

How do things fall apart?

"Let us start going oh!" That was Buky's call. We walked to the junction to take a bus. Our house at that time was on Agbaoku Street (opposite the Chrisland School in Opebi).
"Ikeja, Ikeja. Enter with you =N=10 change! No change oh!" The bus conductor shouted.
The bus picked us up and moved in the direction of Allen Avenue. As we approached the junction that linked Allen Avenue to Obafemi Awolowo road, a police officer stopped the vehicle. He complained about the overload and was serious about impounding the vehicle. The conductor stylishly handed the officer =N=20. You could see the fright in his (the police officers) face as he collected the money off the hand of the conductor. People in the vehicle could not believe what they saw. As we moved, they hissed, were swearing in pidgin, complained bitterly about Nigeria and the remaining reminisced about the good old days. You could see the officer stare at the van as it moved, wondering what he had done and trying to figure out how to manage the situation.

That was 1993.

Fast forward, to the 21st of August 2008. Around Surulere, my driver takes an "illegal" turning (All turnings are both legal and illegal depending on the negotiating skills of the parties involved, knowledge of rights, time of day and access to guns). The police stopped our vehicle. Knowing the time it would cost me (I was on my way to a meeting and lets not even deliberate about the madness of Lagos traffic here), I assumed the role. Came out of my car, they spoke about how serious the "offense" I had committed is (there are options for my next action: interrupt, keep quiet or fight back. For this crucial time, I knew to keep quiet and apologize was the best option). They went on and talked about impounding the vehicle and taking it to the police station (Now, my next action is to negotiate and give them a reasonable offer where we can negotiate from; which I did.). With my offer proposed, I turned round to talk to my driver (I could hear whispers "this na Akata. He fit drop more").5 minutes of negotiation, I was in my car =N=3,000 poorer, on the way to my meeting; an average day in the life of a Lagosian.
A lot has changed in Nigerian within the past 15 years.

I recently saw the play on Chinua Achebe's masterpiece on Okonkwo. The story (from my interpretation) focuses on a society with laws and order and its own ways of doing things. The missionaries came and their introduction was instrumental in the crumble of every value the society held dear to its existence; an action personified with Okonkwo hanging himself. This is when "things began to fall apart".

This takes me back to the police case. What could remove decency from becoming a watch word? How did a seemingly contented set of people become rent seekers with no regard for how the society runs? I don't think I am on to anything new here.

I cannot attribute the Nigerian case to the "resource curse"; if I did then I must explain the case of the rich economies of the middle east whose status have been fueled by oil earning.
Nor will I attribute it to the activities of the military; if the military can overthrow a president at will, then why didn't they (for example in America) plot a coup to topple George Bush as he experimented with policies that have no basis and created a worldwide recession? The fundamental problem is we lack policies useful in upholding our ways of life and ensuring a saner Nigerian experience. In simple terms, what we need to run our society is simple not there. I will explain.

Let me run through my ideology on how a society function and what can spark up a change within it.
Every society evolves because individual citizens cannot provide all he/she requires. This mass collaboration of people require a mix of people with different skills to support it existence. These skills could be banded into professionals that are social, economic and legal agents.

1. Unit individual take simple actions towards improving the quality and quantity of their lives. This could be in the form of till the land, or cleaning their house. With increase in specialism on a specific task, they build capacity to add value and therefore become suitably positioned to request earning from people requiring such services (because those people have to focus on doing something else). Slowly economic agents emerge that create structures, policies and framework to ensure the work is done while optimizing resource use.
2. In order for people to invest and continue what they are doing in a sustainable manner, some sort of legal agents are required to prevent the strong from inflicting harsh experiences on those not capable of protecting themselves.
3. All the above agents require a platform to interact; a platform upon which people can be sensitized; a platform that social priorities are established; one which enables an ecosystem where the balance of production is distributed amongst economic & public goods. These social agents are manned by the roles of politicians, lobbyist, socialites and other professionals who earn "based on association". The value they add to a system can not be undermined. Their presences provide character to the economic activities of the other agents and also act as cohesion to of all roles in that environment. In developed societies, these roles are usually left for the old and (or) the wise.

Now how can a change occur and influence the order of things?
The simplest benchmark for measuring a civilization is a place where the children rebel against the norm. A child will revolt against the establishment that supports the cultural fabric of the society because the instruction pass down does not sit well with his/her evolving personal belief. If there was no civilization, then any stance against authority will simple trickle into the mainstream (as no establishment has been empowered to uphold the values that has been passed down for generation). If the general way proposed does not agree with a significant number of the younger generation, a revolution might take place. The impact of that revolution can go in three ways.

1. If the revolution actually tackles a growing concern emerging from changing circumstances, the establishment might accommodate the ideologies and slowly the proposed way will trickle into the main stream. (Example: The founding fathers of Nigeria (Awolowo, Azikiwe & Tafa Balewa) were youth that joined forcing in pushing for the independence of the Federal republic of Nigeria. The establishment at that time stood against such act. But as they were at the "tipping point', such act of unity was strong enough to create a order and make way for an entirely new ways in which people within our land space are organized).
2. The revolution might have no impact on anything if the legal agents are strong enough to cripple any uprising (example: Student riot in 1986 was not able to change the status quo at that time that upheld General Babangida in the seat of power).
3. The revolution might not be strong enough to unseat the establishment, but it can instill new orders and patterns. (Example: The Nigeria Civil war was able to mentally create a division between the three main Nigerian tribes. Though the vision of the Biafran state did not materialize, the impact of that war was able to create a sort of Biafran mentality; one that created room for the marginalization of the Ibos the beginning of tribal politics).This new order puts a crack in the hold of the establishment on the people, influences their perception; here things begin to fall apart.

What makes the Nigerian institutions weak?
This article of William Lynch Let's make a slave provides strategies to make and manage slaves. It simple states that the basic way of creating a slave involves destroying every image of strength in the mind of the future generation, then going further to destroy the concept of identity. Such action will eventually create a self propelling slave producing race of people; which every subsequent generation more confused that the other.
My mission is not to spark up ideas of a black movement calling for reparations (To be very honest, with the right conditions, any of us could have been William Lynch if such action would guarantee survival). I am just trying to provide answers to these questions.

• Why is the black race (Nigeria as the point of reference) at the bottom of the food chain?
• What insight can we get that will enable us know how to run our civilization, especially at a time when it looks like African is the only way out of the world's financial crisis ?

Nigeria is in this situation because we found ourselves in positions we could not handle. Slavery has always being a normal part of human civilization; but not as a part of some business process that promotes the free market ideologies and preaches expansion and sustainability. The black traders of those days did not know what they were dealing with. In an environment where everything is traded (and slaves are made), this act of slave trading was able to change the perception of a black man (as one with physical strength, high libido and a race always in continual struggle) to everyone that he/she came across.
That initial crack in the societal culture was transferred to the mainland Africans by colonization. The general code of conduct that had being established during Lynch's time (on how to make and manage slaves) was the guide used in defining the ways and manners of Nigeria's colonial master related to us, designed our schools (and trained our youths), and created our socio-political industrial complex. This subtle act led to:

• A destruction of our core values and cultural ways of life (an act perpetrated by setting up schools that removed the speaking of our mother tongue, branded the behaviours of our ancestors as primitive and institutionalized ways that are uphold the constitution of the United Kingdom)
• Creating transport networks that focus on the movement of raw materials out of Nigeria of processing (that underlying structure encourages heavy importation of finished goods to the detriment of local industries)
• Establishing an economic system that is completely dependent on the "mental" capacity of the Western economies and the physical strength of Africa

The result was a race of Nigerians with no identity and a people that lacked the core skills required to compete in an economic system alien to them. Thus, even though the founding father gathered to build, the people they built for had no allegiance to the land. The reality is evident as millions of Nigerians fled immediately the military came to power because there was nothing in the land that reminded them that Nigeria is their.(If you look at individual nations as family unit, the whole picture will look different to you. Nobody will leave his fathers house because his brothers are misbehaving).
The slave mentality (embedded in our post colonial human systems) awoke and drones of us flocked into the same countries our fore fathers sold slaves to, to become servants, students and trainees. The quest remains the same, to get a better life. This option of traveling is mostly not out of choice, but lack of alternatives; out of the fact that our nation is not capable of making the best use of our its own resources.

This weak government institutions are not assisted by the family institutions as both genders in actualizing the Nigeria dream or adding to its cause. The dream is one of "freedom, peace and unity"; what we recite in the national anthem. The words are not strong enough to send down euphoric feelings in the hearts of those that sing the anthem (as the mere man cannot relate any of the words to his condition). Besides, the environment and personal experiences do not equip the average person with what is needed to make choices that would move reality closer to the already abstract dream.

• The Nigerian dream is managed within a rent-seeking culture (it is customary for all subordinate to expect "something" for trivial occasions like weekend, traveling, purchase of new vehicle, or just simply because of that time. This "something" is the most significant motivating factor used to encourage staff to "work", even if they generally don’t pro actively do much). It is one where the people barely have time to stop to reflect. This over pressured life forces them to take solitude in religious engagement and quest for pleasure that excludes mental engagement. Their self-improvement strategy is more often than not is a product of the crowd's wisdom (example: his decision to invest in stocks or real estate or travel abroad to study petroleum engineering is because everyone says "there is money to be made there"). The "crowd" advice usually tends to skew the distribution of supply of services; as services they reckon with are skewed towards brokering or roles that returns on investment with minimum effort(thus you have period of over supply of diesel merchants or real estate brokers).
• The average man within the culture is one with a slight drinking problem with a minimum of two extra marital affairs. He works hard to furnish his life with the "good thing" (imported branded items like cars, expensive suits, watches and electronic gadgets). The issue he monitors daily encompasses every aspect of his life (crime, housing, utilities, and unhealthy work-life balance).
• The average woman is one that consistently works towards fitting her life into the stereotypical ideology of who she should be (in terms of weight, marital & financial status). She also is interested in the good things (traveling, imported dressing accessories).Of the two sexes, she is the one most likely to be found neck deep into religious rituals; an act she holds on to dearly for protection of everything she holds on to.
• The average youth just wishes he was somewhere/someone else (as far away from anything Nigeria)

Considering our weak family units and incapable government, our quality of life can only deteriorate. The weakness of these institutions exposes the young ones opened to contamination from alien behaviours (as they have no one to rebel against, they instantly take up all ideals available online and transfer on to the mainstream); ways that can further dilute our culture and cripple our capabilities to function as a people. In this state, things will continually crumble and the younger ones will have tougher challenges to deal with. With such trends and decreasing capacity to function, the future Nigeria might be a refugee state as the virtual growth (created by booming prices of raw materials) and stability fade away. By that time, culling from Chinua Achebe's masterpiece, Okonkwo would have hung himself.

I think the time as come for the youth to begin to take things into their hands. Our present ways are wasteful and counterproductive in itself. The young must evolve its own agents of change (social, economic and legal agents) using religious organization as platforms where ideologies are converted from visions to personal next step and transferred into our own homegrown techniques. Techniques that focuses on how we, Nigerians can build Nigeria, for Nigerians, together.
The historian must develop for us an identity that we can be proud of; one that we believe in, and one that is true (we can start by changing that national anthem. It holds no depth capable of steering people to act in oneness). The tipping point is near. We need is that collective spark. We have the resources and the human capacity. Then we steering all these resources to the right direction.
Our government has failed us; not because they are wanted to but because they are not equipped to deal with the falling Nigeria. If nothing changes, our children will may never forgive us.

It is our duty to prevent it all from falling apart. That is what we were born to do.

What are they up to?

The American congress responded with a $700 billion rescue package that will prevent the total collapse of their financial system. This is definitely the beginning of the end of capitalism. It is becoming more evident that the forces of demand and supply are not enough in optimal allocation of resources amongst people in a confined space. Collective action, embodied as a government must participate or else....

I see a new world order is emerging.

Somewhere on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, just above the equator in a land referred to as Nigeria, though its the Security and Exchange Commission is not in full support of the move because they believe the market has strong fundamental, Nigerian banks are hustling to join in the =N=600 billion stock market bail out plan. The NSE backs this move to create market makers as it could help draw back foreign investors and boost liquidity in the stock market.

I will not claim to be a financial expert but I don't necessarily see what they are driving at with the bail out plan. It might just be end up creating power brokers and enable a few dictate prices and earn off the market at will.

There is little emphasis on how that money would be injected and the implication (one has to be careful of this altruistic act with bankers; they always have the small print).

Yes America needs it but, NO, I don't see what a bail out plan is needed for in the Nigerian stock market. The wiping out of over 30% from stock value resulted from excess liquidity over supply of stock (over valuation of share prices) and the market trying to regulate itself (who can justify the impact of a $85 billion market capitalisation on our real economy? Or am I asking the wrong questions?). The continual bearish nature reflects the drop in confidence, which could be restored by the floated companies ACTUALLY doing something significant that reflects the value of their share prices. In the American case, such action can be barely executed as there is limited flow of credit finance within their eco-system; thus the government must inject value if any steps are to be considered.

Market makers might just be successful in creating artificial boom that can attract investors but is not sustainable.

That is my opinion and I stand to be corrected.

A call to all Diasporans: Nigeria is changing

This post tells me something; there is still hope for Nigeria.

The normal expectation of society is that a government will develop policies and platforms upon which the business opportunities will emerge, jobs opportunities will be created, needs will be met, and everybody will live happily ever after. But when you consider that our government is one of kidney failures (I know, my what you're thinking "very funny, Mr. C" (in a sarcastic way) !!), nepotism, quick win and a baseless vison 2020, you begin to wonder, will things get better? My own opinion is our evolution will be different.Nigeria might evolve under the ideolgies of Wikinomics; mass collaboration changing everything.

The initial flow of these foreign based Nigeria (Nigeria expatriates or whatever you want to call them) will target the established institutions of commerce (banks, oil firms and telecoms companies). Presently, (in my opinion) the roles in these institutions are filled up by HR policies with 'connection' undertone and warped methods of determining remuneration. In simple term, salaries and positions are a reflection of who you know, and what or where you studied as opposed to what you can do. Obvious the industry has not developed yet to a stage where a more complex system of human capital management is required. But that evolution is on the way.

Individual response to that will be to enroll for courses they think the industries would demand for. This would make, for example, people to rush into petroleum engineering, project management, ACCA and other cliché degrees and certifications that they believe will look attractive to the employing institution.

The remuneration will start looking less attractive as the staff get promoted, the supply begin to exceed the demand for foreign trained Nigerian graduates, and employers begin to see the need to critically look at their internal onboarding & recruitment policies. Also, those employed in the established institution, who are traditional not passionate about their present role and are frustrated about their work/life balance (fueled by crazy traffic, outrageously expensive cost of goods and service and high crime rate), would start exploring self employment opportunities that would align with their self-actualization plans. This could lead to growth in other sectors of the economy and slowly changes the scheme of things when you take into account the entrepreneurial Nigerian spirit (think of the Nigerian entertainment industry, how it was (and is still being) revolutionized by the influx of adequate human capital. The industry has so far been successful in developing awareness of its existence amongst the global community, and a platform upon which those who have some form of passion for entertainment can showcase their skills. There is now the need to develop more interactive content, cause in my opinion the output on average is wack).

Even with the crisis faced, the option of moving back abroad will start losing it allure as most will have their lives completely ingrained in the Nigerian system and the thought of starting all over again will look less like a good idea. This critical mass of Nigerians educated at home and abroad engaged in legitimate sources of employment, will begin to question every policy that govern their lives and create platforms upon which they can influence things for the good of their business. They would begin to push for better public policies and transparency in government. All these could lead to more jobs, more needs met, and everyone living happily every after.

The next couple of years in going to be exciting. There will be winners and losers, successes and failures. But the fact remains, NIGERIA WILL CHANGE.

Never have I been so glad that I moved back!!!!

Reflections of a one year Old Blogger!!

It only starts with a match and fire. Before you know it , everything will burn.

One of the greatest changes to my thinking resulted from a discussion with the boys last weekend.What we chatted about could be summarized into this sentence: If my reality is a product of the blood and dreams of those that came before me, what can I do for those that will come after? Of all the ideas discussed, none was as captivating as the belief that some difference would not be possible unless we say so..
Thinking further about that statement made me aware of how much impact I can make to the world around me, without even knowing it. But why a change? Our experiences are metamorphosing at a rate faster than our society's capabilities. To prevent chaos we must transfer these changes to the world around us (a catalyst that makes this vicious cycle continues, until we evolve to a point where our collective mental state is at par with the environment around us).
I question my position in the grand scheme of things, and I realize how insignificant I am; I am referring to me, a product of the net generation. This is reflected in how different my perspectives is to those that dictate the harmony of my life. And I am not alone in this internal crisis.
Most Western economies,for example were built on a foundation of racial hatred ("our leaders must be protestant, white, heterosexual males"). African on the other hand, has a foundation where economic policies are influenced by politics and selfish interest. But we, the emerging product of a new world order, are different. There is something similar in how we speak; a similarity reflected in our writings. Passion, and a desire for something we cannot see, yet.

I didn't know what a blog was until June 2007. My first conscious encounter with one was with that of Jeremy. (Before then, I had probably seen some very disjointed stories and wondered what magazine the person worked for; I thought all writers were either established journalists or freelance writers) .A friend sent me an article that we found interesting. I read it and took no serious thoughts about who the dude was (till we met at a friend's place and struck me I had seen his face before). My clicking on the long forgotten bookmark is how my journey started. I observed the content of the articles and after a few days, I noticed a link called 'comments'. From this I came across the blogs of the in my head and around me lady and a weird bloke who named his blog Unaked Soul. Through this network, I also came across the writings of Good Nigerian Girl and the blogs of Vera (that babe don kolo since....LOL ).

To be honest, this type of writing is something I am new to; the art of 'expressive' writing. I termed it such because, the writer is required to use words as a medium in describing his opinion and personal conviction on an issue. My profession as a Management Analyst has put in place the discipline of unbiased opinion on external issues, business report writing style, and a step by step approach to reporting; thus makes this very hard to write in a fluid manner (I sometimes can be found demonstrating my idea with hand movements as I try to write sentences that makes cognate sense and is aligned with my personal compass, at the same time goes along with the story). Article of this kind could take me two straight hours of uninterrupted thinking (a rare instance for me in these "dark" NEPA days) to write and express something that will engage reader.
Arriving at present state was the result of continual transformation. The name, for example, has been changing. Previously, this blog was called:

• The world as I see it (burrowed from Albert Einstein book of the same name)
• Blogging my mind (from the previous url name which was www.bloggingmymind.blogspot.com)
  
• Thinking Far>>>>

The concept and style of writing kept changing also. Since I don't have the time to do my own research, I use people's blog to determine my benchmark. I am super at look at things from a first principle basis then linking that idea with a critical issue under review; thus most of my post will try to relate the issues to fundamental units that everyone can relate with. Units that identifies cost/benefits. I have used other blogs to help refine the medium through which my concept is expressed

• Jeremy's blog was helpful in pointing me out to contemporary Nigerian issues, as he effortless dug out articles from archives that I am still baffled how he found them out
  
• I use the style of 'in my head and around me' to test how fluid my sentences are. I still haven't got her style yet but I am now falling in love with that of Vera.
  
• Naked Soul's use of quote at the beginning of every new post is brilliant (which I adopted)
  
• I am using GNG's rambles to develop my "Internal conversations**" (statements labeled in red) (**Internal conversations are meant to uphold my opinion of the idea with a comment that doesn't fit into the structure of the sentence in consideration. This word should be in Wikipedia if it doesn't exist as something else already.lol)

As I try to redefine better ways to express myself, I cannot help but notice that although all blogs seem to explain personal stories, there is always something this undertone that questions the norm. There is like this silent revolt against all that the establishment stand for. Institution that are not evolving rapidly enough to deal with our changing ideals and perceptions of the world around us.
It have been tolling with the idea of a wiki-blog, after I came across this blog. If a mega blog is built that any registered blogger can edit, how powerful would that idea be if all our skills are channeled towards one single idea? The impact of that can be so overwhelming that it could set the right energy in motion capable of engaging policy makers and project managers towards implementing the issues being deliberated about. This could be a thesis more powerful than what is present being pushed out of the ivory towers today. An idea backed with a passion, loads of humour, well-researched articles and a proposed practical solution can be a platform upon which academic ideologies can be transfered to the way our society runs. With passion, people in the corridors of power,NGO will discover practical ways to manage ideas they believe in (and edited) to develop and execute work plans. As people see the impact of their work in action, they get motivated to work more and with more peer to peer softwares available, the idea will spread like wildfire with everyone contributing their own conclusions and suggestions; no one can ignore the power to a concept something as little as a 'comma' can do.

We are all striving to achieve something. It might be on a very subliminal level but being every article, blog, comment writeup, there is this drive to change something no matter how mundane. It might be the mood of a reader, someone perception of us or an issue, or to draw our support a particular notion. Once we know our capabilities and strength and focus on it, we would be capable of making the change that replicate our vision. With an idea, the right skills and passion, the mind of the world remains the conquest we must dominate.

Do you qualify?

This poem was sent to me by a friend way back in 2004.
I thought it was brilliant.
Thanks Ekanem.


A Sista's Poem and a Brother's Response

Do you qualify to be the man I need you to be?
Will you be able to recognize the things you
need to see? Will you be able to understand, that
I'm a good woman and in my life I need a good man?
Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to fertilize my unproduced seeds?
Can you fulfill, as I can, all of our needs?
Can you put me in my place if you see I am slippin?
Can you talk to me, wholeheartedly, not
constantly trippin??
Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be called all mine?
Can you leave the other women and temptations
behind? Can you come to me with your problems and
not wait until it's too late?
Can you stand up and admit if you made a mistake?
Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be the honest ebony man I
would want you to be?
Would you be able to look me in my eyes and
admit your feelings to me?
Could you take me in your arms and make love to
me all night long?
Can you be sensitive and still be strong?
Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be my friend as well as my
lover? Can you put our love before any other?
Can you cherish me as if I were Diamonds &
Gold? Can you make me feel like I'm the last
woman you'll ever hold?
Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be called a good man?
If I have doubts can you reassure me and understand?
Can your love intoxicate me as if I were High?
To be in my life, I need to know,
DO YOU QUALIFY?


The Brother's Response:

You ask, do I qualify.
Can I fulfill your needs and become the man you need me to be?
My sister, are you prepared for what you've asked for?
Can you handle the responsibility?
Can you accept that, by GOD, I am the chosen?
one, the authority, the comforter, and the head?
Will you submit and willingly follow my path?
Or will you fight with me instead?

If I am your King, will you treat me as such?
Will I get the best of your beauty and poise?
Or will I be subjected to an appearance
neglected, and checked with some serious noise?
When I talk, will you listen?
I mean whole heartedly and feel me?
Or will you rush me just to make your point too?
Can I be the man at all times? Even when it hurts?
Or is it just when it's convenient for you?

Can you love me for me, and not who you wish I could be?
Will you see the strong Black Man within?
Or will you always remind me of the all
the past brothers behind me and make me pay for their sins?
If I don't send you flowers the day your co-worker
received some, will you know that I love you still?
Or will my good name be uttered along with those other doggish brothers?
Will you question if my commitment is real?

Will you be patient and teach me to understand you,
and allow my knowledge of your needs to grow?
Or will you shut me out when I ask, Baby
what's wrong?
Or will you respond with, "Well a REAL man would know!"

When we first met, what was it that caught your
eye? Was it my mind, my heart, my personality?
Or was it my suit, or my job, or do you love
what I drive, instead of what's driving me?

Yes I can, and I will, make love to you from midnight to the dawning of the sun.
But, if I tell you I'm tired, will you trust
I'm sincere or believe that there must be another one?
My sister, I love you and my heart can be yours. No woman could lead me astray.
But like you, I have needs, so I beg of you, please, in this love thang meet me half way.

In life's tough times I'll hold you, in the rough times I'll mold you;
your simplest wish will be my command.
My life is yours if need be.
Yes you can fully bleed me, and when hell comes, in your place, I'll stand.
A good relationship is a powerful institution that must be built on a foundation of two.
So to answer your question,

YES sister, I do qualify.

What Lord Lugard thought about Nigerians

I came across this article. Quite annoying!!

"In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person. Lacking in self control, discipline, and foresight. Naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewellery. His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future, or grief for the past. His mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals’ placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has reached. Through the ages the African appears to have evolved no organized religious creed, and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural"


“He lacks the power of organization, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business. He loves the display of power, but fails to realize its responsibility ....he will work hard with a less incentive than most races. He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue...... In brief, the virtues and defects of this race-type are those of attractive children, whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as to an older and wiser superior and without envy.......Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future."

---Lord Frederick John Dealty Lugard, The Dual Mandate, pg.70 (1926)"

Wrong application of Salt

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men. Matthew 5:13

I presently advise the management body of a distribution firm on issues in their processes. Due to turnover and growth, a core operational aspect requires recruitment on a day to day basis. I make frequent attempts to review the employee evaluation processes (which requires that the candidates take a test). To fit in, my dress sense will give any onlooker that I am some university graduate or an aspiring yahoo yahoo guru.
An interview just finished ten minutes before I started writing this blog. I noticed these two men passing about papers during the exam and exchanging ideas. Immediately the exam was over, the older one bowed his head and offered a prayer, clearly for success. After which he made the sign of the cross and left the examination hall.
What do you think about that?
First lets get this straight; Facts about me:

1. I come from a Christian family. Most of my friends are Christians also.
2. I practice Christianity (not necessarily to the level at which i can be considered "born again" but I think I can be classified a "good" person (by standards))
3. I encourage Christianity and believe it provides a sustainable way to life long happiness

One aspect of my philosophy on life, looks at value and systems. I believe we are all working together for our perception of a greater good. Due to the complexities of our society, one individual is not equipped enough to produce everything he/she requires for survival.So some form of batter trading takes place. And this value is stored in the form of cash/money.
I generate money from the value I add by providing analytical services to interested clients. This earnings is diverted to meet my wants & needs (as I do not have the time or expertise to do that, and at the same time, focus on meeting the needs of others). While I focus on writing this blog (for example) , Acer can focus on building better laptops. In the general case, some groups focus on tilling the land for our needs (food, oil and mineral resources)some other modify what has been tilled, others apply it, while another are bungled up with the task of deciding what to do with the produce. That is how it works.
Those that work are those that can eat!!
I tend to believe that institutions within a society are employed to add value and earnings for such, reflects the amount they add. To falter would mean certain aspect of societal living will be affect. Different institutions have been employed to review different aspect of living. They are either based on governmental nomination or voluntary mandate. The government delegates ministries to create/maintain infrastructures and (depending on the level of development in that society) provide social goods. The people nominate religion to help provide a conscience/essence to living. It objectively should instill a universal truth; a truth that will be acceptable across all social segments. It should be an institution managing an aspect of the society that both government/private institutions are not capable of handling; the state of the human mind. I am talking about putting the right control mechanism in place to prevent the powerful from inflicting extreme social experiences on the weak. As this position of power in this institution links its congregation closer to God, the the seat of power enjoys immunity.

The Nigerian church can be estimated to be a $19.14 billion industry (Estimation is based assuming annual GDP at PPP of $191.4 billion (source wikipedia April 2008) that is evenly distributed, and Christians are 50% of the population; they all pay their tithe, which is 10% of their income and pay an extra 10% on pledges, building fund, church offering and thanksgivings).There is a balanced distribution of both the rich and the poor but a similar clamour seem to be fueling their desire to "invest" more in the church; change. People are fed up with epileptic electricity situation, bad road, corruption in government, high crime rate, and a general decay in the social fabric that lies underneath the structure of our society. I don't think our religious engagement will be this high if Nigeria functioned better.
I cannot help but voice out my perception on the whole thing. Agreed the bible says:
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness" 1st Corinthians 3:19.
For all I know, there might be aspects that I overlooked or am not capable of analyzing. But the bible also says:
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" 2nd Chronicles 7:14
Statistics at one time ranked Nigeria has the country with the 2nd highest number of churches per people (Jamaica was ranked first).
In line with my thinking, the church revenue along with the above statistics do not give any indication of the value it adds to our well being.
The media publishes daily news on:

1. Corruption cases against almost all governors, minister and governor over allegedly siphoning money (papers as at time of writing are filled with the case of Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and the N300 million health ministry scandal)
2. Death from preventable diseases are on the increase
3. Rising crime rate levels
4. Soaring unemployment rate
5. Crisis in the Niger Delta
6. Traffic in Lagos
7. Increasing brain drain

At the same time, we hear news on night vigils are becoming society events that attract the rich and mighty (Ex president Olusegun Obasanjo, was a regular at the redemption Camp along with a host of other governors to include Chief Gbenga Daniel).

I might be wrong but I believe that the church should be a more pivotal role in deciding how this society should function.

• The church should have a laid out plan on how it intends to ingrain discipline in the mind of the youth. Although it has not been completely successful, I think introduction of private universities by some churches are a step in the right direction (I am not completely convinced that shielding them totally from the evils of the world would make them become good Christians; how do you what is right, when you don't know what is wrong?).They should also be active in developing survival strategies for its youths that will enable them function in a society like this and still maintain their faith.
• They should also be effective in ensuring that the law rewards and punishes fairly. These institutions should be out there making comments on government policies and effects on the grassroots, designing better ones and constructively criticizing the government's negative actions.
• The church should be heavily involved in charity work and welfare services. (not by donating one bore-hole and organizing a ceremony to do that; I am referring to welfare packages that will ensure the individual comes out better off at the other end).

I believe the issues the church should deal with must reflect the challenges the society faces at that time. The missionaries who came from the West (before the colonisation of Africa) required expanding the gospel at that time because that was the major challenge they faced. Societal values functioned better and people barely knew what they know now. So unrest was not like it is now. The major issue then could include convincing new convert that they are doing the right thing (as the religion seemed to be gaining ground elsewhere). I am not critizing any expansion strategy but I don't think it is a priority (especially when you are expanding in the same location). Our challenges as a society go deeper than make more money, kill all enemies or building bigger churches. They are more fundamental (that is why we now have pastors who roam about with siren vehicles and security guards).

The amount is of salt applied to food is usually very little (compared to the volume and quantity of the food and other items in the pot). Yet, there is always a difference. I think the question we need to be asking is if the salt is wrongly applied or simple has lost its savour.
Whatever the case maybe, something definitely is not right.

The Absence of Value

...i think is the beginning of chaos.
Random thoughts here. Mainly on Nigeria. In fact, all about Nigeria.

Competitive advantage is what sustains a set of people in the global context. This preaches survival of the fittest. To survive, nations develop framework within which they can preserve their lifestyle, reduce unanticipated shocks and (in worse case scenarios) prevent extinction. Some focus on anti-globalisation. They try to ensure that their citizens consume what they produce. The socio-economic-political system is tailored along towards actualising this vision. Others look within to point out their strength and build on it. Is it possible for an economic to survive when crude oil is its most significant source of life?

I wonder what efforts can be made improve competitiveness of Nigerian manufactured goods in the global market. There is a company that has been making cornflakes since I was young. They still use the same ugly yellow carton wrapper and no innovative twist has been added to the content (it does not come in strawberry flavour, and no one has thought of making "cornflakes with a twist of Nigerian Apple"; yet the produce in Jos). A competitor they have (Kelloggs) has diversified into other business that guarantee the sustainability of their brand (cartoon character development, education and school projects). I also wonder why the local manufacturers of sachet milk & juice don't think it all through before implementation. Why do you need a knife to open the sachet when you have sachets with perforated holes on its body?

Infrastructures are terrible. I am tired of chatting about power so let me think of the roads, street lightings and street signs. The roads badly connect you to places and have no indicative signs. I spent a lot of time repairing my car (with particular focus on the shock absorbing/braking).

I think the "police is your enemy". When dealing with them, I am either bribing, doing a physiological stunt (make them assume I am related to President Yar'Adua) or shouting. The LASMA guys writing up their shopping list when you "pass one way" (the route for oncoming vehicles).

I wonder why our roads look like a theme park's crash car scene (with car driven by badly trained clumsy baboons). Traits of this environment:

• The life objective of most people seem to be achieved when they overtake the next car and are willing to do so at all cost and aggression level
  
• Some struggle to come first (in some race they created out of staying too long in traffic) results in crashes. No human identification system or effective legal framework so people therefore must sort the issue out either by effective negotiation or jungle justice
  
• Ever shrinking facilities to satisfy the cars bought by the nouveau-rich, spending off the every increase price of oil
  
• The roads made to move people, animals, okadas, hawkers, broken down vehicles and vehicles in whatever direction they deem fit
• Transactions are always going on; purchasing, bribing the police, beggars and just people who assume they add value by nothing
  

Our existence appears to lack substance. Money is spent heavily on purchase on perishable items. Art & culture is just a ministry. Does not do anything to add value to our orientation, life expectation, ethics and codes for living.

We have problems accounting for the number of people in this country. Population of people in Lagos ranges from between 9 to 17 million (a venture that cost us millions to find out). How do we know how many people have AIDS?

I think we have too much hope. Instead of doing what is required to improve our environment, we spend a lot of time hoping that someone will do it. This create rooms for not so knowledgeable pastors and Imams to teach us "the way" (instead of receiving medical treatments for their migraines) and earn a living of it.

Nigeria is traders paradise. All we do is buy anything (I mean anything, people make profit from selling sand). Our insatiable appetite is financed by the revenue from crude oil sold in the market. All business activities are sustained by this inflow.

I will get back to work. I could rant about this all day. As a full fledged member of the rat race, I do this chore not to add value but to afford the things I need to survive. Mainly purchases from abroad.

If I am not careful those that come after me will do the same or be some third class citizen in the ruling world economy; that will happen if the demand for oil drops. Otherwise he/she could even be a mercenary that will fight for the freedom of the Nigerian people; I hope our situation will not get to that.

Till then, the cycle continues.....

Are you managing the lights?

It could be a result of my consultant training but I think a lot in structures. Even if we look deeper into chaos, there is always some form of order.
When I think of organizations, I always think of structures. I think of organizations as environments where the directors have an eye on bottom-line performance, profit maximizations, cost reductions, expansion and some sophisticated ideologies about how businesses should be run. Now, not everyone can think sophisticatedly but at least, some effort is being made.

And this is how I think a normal day at the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN, popularly called NEPA) would be.
I imagine the directors (wearing some expensive frames and dressed in pinstriped suit) arriving to the office in chauffeur driven cars and reading some foreign newspaper about power (that may be a bit imposing, but I think you get the picture). They rush into the office to discuss current realities and path a way forward. Issue on the agenda for today focuses on the power sharing agreement with the Chad republic; how it can exist within a self-sustainable framework. The meeting should be chaired by representatives from the World bank.
The lobby has managers and staff breezing into the office with documents and folders. Some are on the phones others are just walking fast into their offices. The hallway is littered with consultants in the lobby with their laptops (prepared for some PowerPoint presentations, or final delivery of business model).
We have engineers in one section reviewing AutoCAD printout and making suggestions. Most of the staffs have not gone home because they are three weeks behind the agreed deadline. Consultants are explaining certain issues to the managers (who do not agree with the point of view).
The finance office will be filled with clerks and low-level staff trying to clarify the use of certain funds. Every one has Excel opened on the screen (along with facebook and MSN/yahoo IM for recreation).
The inventory keepers are in the store managing inflow/outflows of equipments. He keeps looking into the invoice to clarify the accuracy of the transaction. The manger is trying to prepare a report for management that should be finished by 2pm.He is trying to figure out how he would attend tommorrow’s meeting in Abuja (as the consignment from Port Harcourt will arrive around 5pm and that takes over two days to offload). His assistants are busy gathering information on stock levels and relevant KPIs.
The HR department is working on compilation of additional staff requirement for the group. Around this time (end of November) preparation would be on its way to deciding the next round of staff promotion. Members of this department would have to work extra hard to estimate benefits and dues for staff (based on grades and department) before approval and disbursement (by the finance department).

But there is no light. We barely have five hours of light per day; as I write this blog in the financial capital of West Africa, The Lagos Islands, the generators are working with full blast. One complain that occurrences is that the problem is because we do not produce enough energy for the total population. I think the reason why our situation is in this epileptic state transcends just below requirement capacity, but also includes our lacking the right skills to manage actual production and distribution. I am really worried about the situation. I think all the focus on power generation by the present government will be in vain if there little or no focus on the fundamental problem to the epileptic light situation in Nigeria; Management.

Traditional wear in global politics: Does it make sense?

I watched a world debate on the importance of the BBC to the developing economy. The participants included some eminent professionals:

1. A Colombian university professor
2. An Afgan former Finance Minister,
   
3. The chairman of a natural resources company
   
4. A representative of the world bank
5. A Nigerian
   

I can't remember what he does because I spent more time looking at the designs on his Agbada (and trying to figure out how cool I would look on it). Everyone refered to him as "my Nigerian friend" (I think his agbada had something to do with that) .
He was articulate and was a force in the debate. But thats not the issue.
Besides, the chairman of the resource company, no other participant was from the West; yet they were all in suits.

My issue is what are our dignitaries trying to prove? There is an image that the Agbada portrays; it fails to exhibit professionalism, humility and self control. It depict a superfluous culture with no self imposed limits.The word is dress as you would like to be addressed! I have seen, on TV, a senator been interviewed and praise singers were doing their thing in the location!

I think stronger national statements can be made by designing policies that work!

Begging as a profession

In traffic yesterday around TBS, I came across two ladies both should be about my age(one blind and the other just her assistance). Out of boredom, I tried to think up the wider of meaning of this.

To imagine that her friend would think it more economically viable to beg speaks a lot about the state of the Nigeria youth & the economy. The rational society would have imagined that the able would go in search of a job towards catering for self and the disable. But it appears that her economic significance would not be complete without her blind boss. This statement is not to falter her for that action; I would make that economic decision if I were in her shoes. But that doesn't mean I condole it. I don't give them money because I believe that it helps stimulate their economy and create more "job" for future prospecting "beggar".

Beggars in today's Nigeria signify a failure of the state. It expresses the collective inabilities we have in protecting the weak.

The question now is, if you don't give money to the poor who will? I think the system will in time when it realizes how much of a threat to the survival of life as we know it having beggars on how everyday streets. When we realize the threat their kids (who will see opportunities but cannot figure out how to access it) are to the economic fabric of our society, we would be left with no other choice but to figure out a way of making them work!

I fear the coming anarchy!

Loose Cannons!

It worries me when I see the boys engaging in street trading. Not only do they provide an eyesore to the already worries some look of the Nigeria street,I think they may provide more damage than reward to the our overall life experience.
I would not deny the value they add can be tremendous. Along Falomo Bridge, I always get myself some plaintain chips that has the label "pepper" on it. Those are best and are not available anywhere else even at Shoprite. One thing I know is that the survival of these dude depends on the level of fitness they maintain. The chase moving vehicles day in day out trying to collect change or seal a deal in which return could be as little as N10 per unit item sold.

From their energy, performance and accent, common sense tells me the bulk of them are originally NOT Lagosians. They move in searching for greener pastures.

Take two things into account. Potential daily return N5000, and energy expended to seal a deal. Without some spritual guidiance or directional leaders, they are human ammunitions to execute some high level robbery operations and ensure the crime culture continues for a while. As they graduate to become criminals, the may replace their former spot with boys from the village (providing another round of potential Anini.

Maybe I am thinking too much.

Emergency Numbers

Just pulled this information from a blog I read:
The Lagos State Government in its effort to improve the security situation in the state has created some telephone numbers on which members of the public could make Emergency calls if they notice any security threat.The numbers are as follows:
4931260;
4978899;
4931261;
7745705.Multilinks subscribers are to call 100.
Remember to add 01 before the number if you are calling from GSM lines"

Dailing these number in an "emergency" will take a while you know!