This week, I continue my call on experts-who-speak in the education “industry” to offer programs to influence school curriculums towards better equipping students to succeed in the real world.
I offer a FREE preview of my new book, which is based on the same theme, for interested experts to review.
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Yesterday, I arrived my home in Lagos, from Cotonou at 11.30 p.m. There was no power, and I learnt the "small" generator “ (I pass my neighbour) stopped working days ago". Asking “Has the plug been cleaned?” would however lead my 13 year old son to SHOCK ME by servicing and starting the generator successfully within 45 minutes!
I had never felt more proud as a father, than I was yesterday, to watch this young man do what he did.
NB: His 11 year old brother has displayed similar initiative, countless times in solving real "electrical" problems, and even building contraptions that work e.g. a rechargeable lamp made from scraps and carton).
When I asked that question about the plug, he simply got up and went into the house, to get the tool kit, and also bring out the generator.
Within minutes, he’d unscrewed the plug and (not finding the wire brush) scraped off the deposits on it using a screwdriver. Then he fitted it back in place.
That did not surprise me. I’d taught them to do that many months back, when I came home, and it would not start.
That was all I expected him to do really, because it was all I knew how to do, all I’d taught him to do.
Then, sitting on the floor, he proceeded to painstakingly scrape off the hard dark deposits on the inside, using a flat screwdriver mouth.
When I saw this, I asked “Why did you uncouple the combustion chamber, and why are you scraping the inside of the separated pieces like that?”
He said “Yes. That’s what I see the mechanic who comes to service it doing each time.”
I asked: "But have you done it before?"
He replied: "No"
Now concerned, I quickly asked: “Are you sure you will be able to couple it back properly when you are done?”
To my last question he answered in the affirmative without hesitating!
After scraping off all the visible deposits, he proceeded to use small quantities of petrol to wash the scraped surface clean. Once that was done, he re-coupled the combustion chamber.
By this time it was about 15 minutes past midnight.
Normally, I would have asked him to go to bed because it was late. But I really needed power to be on because I wanted to finish off some work. (And he was going about it so confidently, in a way that strongly suggested he knew exactly what he was doing.)
I had 2 Farm CEOs in Port Harcourt who had paid courier fees to have my Feed Formulation Handbook and Software, delivered in print and on DVD (with video tutorials) respectively, via FedEx.
So I needed to prepare the CD labels, and cover letters for each person’s package.
That meant my only hope of getting those tasks done was either that PHCN would restore power for long enough, or he would fix the generator. I chose to hope on the latter. So I selfishly let him continue.
You can therefore imagine how excited (and proud) I was to actually witness him (with help from his older brother) start the generator (which had not worked for days), successfully, minutes later!
I always knew the deliberate “suggestive” coaching I had been doing would work. But I never really anticipated this powerful impact would happen in such a short period of time.
When the generator failed to work, they’d simply put it aside days ago – waiting for the mechanic to come and service it. That showed they had not yet fully imbibed the mental attitude I advocated.
It’s the way we human beings are wired.
We get so used to having others solve real life problems for us, that we forget we may also have the ability to do it ourselves, if given the time and proper training.
As it turned out, he actually knew more than I knew, because he had repeatedly watched an expert do it.
But it never occurred to him that he could put what he had learned by watching to use!
Thankfully, my simple question, triggered his critical thinking – thereby changing his mind set.
Most parents would simply let their kids stay in the house and wait for the "hired" person to finish work and leave.
But I’ve always challenged my kids to pay attention to their environment.
My decision about what to ask them to focus on is often dictated by realities faced by the family.
In other words, I have always deliberately tasked them to think of ways to solve problems affecting us financially and otherwise.
For instance, due to the constant lack of steady power supply, they know we spend often about N300-500 daily, to buy petrol to power the generator.
However, the heavy usage, and related wear and tear, also makes us periodically pay N500 to service the generator as well.
I told them I did not have the time or patience to do stuff like that. And that they would be better off learning to do it themselves.
The truth was however that I could have made out time to do it.
But I knew it would be better to “stir” up their interest in taking personal action, to explore ways to solve their own real life problems, by themselves, as often as possible.
And I knew that one good way to achieve that end, was to use problems that really touched and made them uncomfortable e.g. lack of electricity.
And that was why they paid so much attention to the man who came to service it.
I’d planted the idea in their minds, that if they could learn from him (without telling him), how to service the generator by themselves, the N500 we paid the man could be used to buy more fuel, so they would get to enjoy longer hours of electricity!
This is a powerful confirmation of what I’ve said for years about coaching people – especially kids.
Find what interests them, and expose them to it, you will find you do not need to push them to learn. They will, on their own, pay diligent attention, and learn what is essential and useful from it.
I hope you can put the above ideas to use in helping your child become an independent minded thinker, and self-directed learner.
If you do it right, s/he will become a powerful force to be reckoned with in your family (and even the larger society), when it comes to finding solutions to real life problems.
Not just power supply or electricity generation. It also goes without saying that only small generators like the one referred to here, may be handled by a teenager in the manner described.
But having said that, even when a heavy duty generator is concerned, a teenage child can still pay enough attention to useful controls on the machine, while "hired hands" operate it. You just need to get them to be curious about things. To go around and asking questions. That way, they’ll get familiar with things you may miss because you’re too busy.
Then, in the event that the hired hands are unexpectedly "indisposed", s/he may prove useful in helping you, the parent, find a solution to a simple problem e.g. starting and stopping, opening the fuel tank, changing over etc.
In this unusual book, Tayo Solagbade narrates 5 true stories about a dizzying variety of (sometimes shocking) escapades he engaged in – while schooling – that repeatedly landed him in trouble, causing his parents avoidable heart breaks.
In the first story, Tayo suffers the embarrassment of having a female classmate falsely accuse him – to their class teacher – of peeping at her in the girls’ room!
He would however shake off the potentially traumatizing experience, to earn a double promotion into enter secondary school one year ahead of his class, in 1980.
At the age of 10, in his first year in secondary school, Kukuru Danger™ (Tayo’s alter ego) joins a notorious group of students, in a bid to escape frequent bullying from bigger and older classmates.
At a point, Kukuru™ begins stealing money from home, to play the slots. But he soon gets caught.
By the school year’s end his mother is shocked to read the principal’s comments at the bottom of his report card, saying “To repeat for cheating”.
“Any school that teaches this “formula” will discover her products – who apply it diligently – will never beg for jobs, or experience “unemployment”, talk less of poverty.
If you think that’s a reckless claim, I challenge you to read this report with an open mind. Unless you detest authentic success, when you’re done, you’ll be EAGER to learn and use the “formula” – and to also teach it to your child – or students!”
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One of Fela’s most popular songs when I was a child was :”Yellow Fever” – released when I was 6 years old, in 1976. I LOVED that song. Still do too(see Youtube video below)! He was basically challenging skin-bleaching black men and women, who wanted to become “white” by force, out of an inferiority complex, to change their ways.
Click to watch on Youtube here.
And of course he constantly challenged the individual African to treat him/herself with respect.
I named my first child “OLUFELA” in 1999, in honour of Fela! Just like his daughter said in this pictured poster, he was – and remains – a major influence on my thinking about how to be a PROUD AFRICAN.
Sadly, many hypocritical parents/adults focused on his weed smoking as a convenient excuse to ignore his wise – and prophetic – counsel.
Most of Fela’s songs, always carried clear and powerful messages to either the common people, or the government of the day, or “colonial” powers.
Today, I travel around quite a bit, and I see that the problem is worse. Women especially, African WOMEN in particular, continue with this sickening habit.
I look around me and it appears every time I see 5 normal skinned black persons, at least ONE rainbow coloured skinned woman passes by as well!
And all sorts of crazy skin creams are arriving the markets, to feed this madness!
The sad thing is that they NEVER end up better off…as Fela points out in his lyrics.
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Original and artificial he dey!
Bom bom bom, tell me now…
Original catch you
Your eye go yellow
Your yansh go yellow
Your face go yellow
Your body go weak
I say but later if you no die inside
The yellow go fade away
Artificial catch you
You be man or woman
Na you go catch am yourself
Na your money go do am for you
You go yellow pass yellow
You go catch moustache for face
You go get your double colour
Your yansh go black like coal
You self go think say you dey fine
Who say you fine?
[Chorus]
Na lie, you no fine at all!
At all, na lie!
My sister, who say you fine?
[Chorus]
Na lie, you no fine at all!
At all, na lie!
Yellow fever
[Chorus]
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach!
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
African mother
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
====
Read the lyrics to the song here (http://www.lyricsbay.com/yellow_fever_lyrics-fela_kuti.html)
This need to avoid a loss of identity, as an African, is one of the reasons I have vowed to coach my own kids to be comfortable with who they are, and what they look like.
That is, to have what sane human beings know as SELF-ESTEEM.
It is why I’m publishing my new book titled “Kukuru Danger™ about my own childhood search for self-discovery and purpose.
I too suffered a need to belong, and to be accepted, right from my early years and even in my later adult years. But by listening to Fela’s lyrics, and also reading books about self-development, I learnt to believe in myself, and never feel inferior to any other human being.
Today, that mental attitude serves me well in my dealings with people – regardless of who they are, how important they are (or think they are) or where they come from – even if from MARS!
And if we ever needed proof of the above stated fact, well Lupita Nyong’o’s example perfectly fits the bill. And luckily for us, she herself shared a familiar story that proves she knows what others with her skin complexion pass through.
But she arrived on the world stage and discovered it was willing to accept her, if she accepted herself.
Today, she is celebrated by virtually everyone who is anyone in her industry…yet her complexion remains the same, and so does the hair on her head!
How I wish African women and their men (some tell me their women look “more beautiful” after bleaching!) will wake and rediscover the pride and essence of being who they are.
How lame! Goes right back to the lack of identity and self-esteem I started this article with.
“Look, white skinned people get sun tanned skins by spending time in the sun, or using sun tan lotions. But the effects are never permanent. If they stop, their skin changes back to it’s natural white. But a black skinned person cannot get a white “tan”, you see. That’s why when a black skinned person goes “yellow” or “white”, s/he never changes back. Now, you can say it’s “toning”, if you like, but THAT, is what I call SKIN BLEACHING (to borrow Fela’s very apt terminology).” – Tayo K. Solagbade
Should Oprah not be the role model we should all try to emulate in that (and other) respects???
The truth is that the world will be a much better place for us to live in, when we start respecting ourselves.
Only then will others really take us seriously and respect us as well. But if we keep acting as if we’re inferior (and we have NEVER been), then those who relate with us and who see that, will naturally treat us that way.
The choice is yours. What will you do? And what will you TEACH your child to do???
I know what I already do, and I have begun teaching my kids to do it as well. In my family/clan will always be black and proud sons and daughters of Africa!
“And so I hope that my presence on your screens and in the magazines may lead you, young girl, on a similar journey. That you will feel the validation of your external beauty but also get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside.”
I now offer those same words, as a parting message, to my fellow black skinned African women and men who may be tempted to “bleach” their God-given complexions lighter, to feel better about themselves.
I wrote my new book titled KUKURU DANGER™ for my kids. It’s a collection of 4 TRUE stories about my trouble filled years between the ages of 10 and 16. In this article, I explain why I decided to offer it to other children and their parents.
The book is subtitled “Adventures (& Misadventures!) of a School Age Child Trying to Make Sense of the World and his purpose in it!”
And I end each story in it with tips and insights based on my experiences, and achievements during that time, and since.
I have been educated and empowered by stories of other people. Important lessons about how to win in life come from studying the mistakes as well as successes of others.
This knowledge drove me to invest many long hours (waking up at 3/4 a.m. sometimes, to do my recordings) into finishing the writing of this new book and creating the accompanying resources (the audio narrations).
And so, the above desire was another source of inspiration I tapped into, to finish this new book.
It occurred to me that apart from entrepreneurship projects I periodically engage them in (e.g. making pineapple peel drinks and cakes which they now sell), I could also create learning resources for them to use via self-study.
That (i.e. self-tutoring) happens to be one of the many useful skills I’ve been coaching them to develop.
So I began to spend my quiet time, when free from client projects, recalling major episodes of trouble I got into back in my formative years.
Then I would sit down and record 30 to 45 minute audio clips narrating what transpired in elaborate detail. All the naughty things I did, along with school mates and peers. I left nothing out.
The ultimate purpose is to give my kids a feel of what my childhood was like, and why/how my inspiration to live a purpose fill life like I do today, comes from there.
I’m using an app I found online to create promotional cartoon short story clips based on the book’s contents, which will be available for download from my website.
The photo below is a cartoon version of the original which was taken when I was about 8 years. I’ll be using this cartoon version on the book’s cover.
The audio narrations are also ready. Every buyer of the book gets the audio version on an auto run DVD FREE (or via download as MP3).
Below: Another photo of me…this time more than 3 decades older than I was in the 1st photo above. This 2nd photo was taken this morning (25th July 2014) in Cotonou, Benin Republic at 8.30 a.m.
I’d just had a quick meal of spaghetti at my favorite spot on the way to one of the cafes I use.
And I have 6 of my own kids now. 3 of them between 11 and 15.
I felt – from watching their reactions when I told them some of the stories – that we would connect better that way.
Experience has also taught me that doing this makes it easier to help people. They get to reflect on what they “learn” at their own pace.
Each of my kids owns an MP3 player with a memory card, that I bought a while back…
They listen to music most times on the devices, despite my warnings 
But I have also discovered that they do play the MP3 recordings I did of myself saying words in French and translating to English.
That’s actually one of the main reasons I bought those things – as part of their preparation to break the into learning the French language, towards joining me here in Cotonou.
When I meet them on my next visit, the MP3 versions of the stories from this new book, will be copied on to each child’s memory card, so s/he can listen and play back at will.
And each one will also get a copy of the complete book.
I want my kids to make a better success of life than I did at their age. This will better equip them to be more competent in adulthood than they would be without such guidance.
It is my firm belief that parents need to play such roles in the lives of their kids, especially in today’s increasingly wayward world.
You need to give them a part of yourself, that will help them find meaning and direction in life.
It is to help other parents who may wish to do the above, that I decided NOT to limit my book and its audios to my kids.
Instead, I’ve chosen to publish it for purchase as a physical/print book that can be shipped to buyers anywhere in the world. Those who want a digital version in any of the popular formats will also be able to buy it from the same location – my online store i.e So, on Monday 28th July 2014,, I should be announcing the “release” (LOL!) of my “book of 4 true and educative childhood stories”: Kukuru Danger.
If you wonder what “Kukuru Danger” means, don’t worry, the promotional cartoon clips will soon make it known! In the meantime, have a great weekend everyone. I know I will!
Michael Angier once wrote that:
“Reading can be a powerful catalyst for thinking; it has the potential for stimulating wisdom.”.
I agree…but I would add that the “kind” of reading you do, will often be more important than the frequency at which you do it!
Those can form part of one’s diet, but they should NEVER be the main course. Otherwise, one is likely to end up with a version of the “rickets of the mind” that Jim Rohn once wrote about.
In truth, if everybody spent their quality time only reading jokes, or books on religion, sports, comedy and entertainment in general, this planet would die a rapid death.
To get more leaders we need people to read MORE non-fiction texts. Indeed, even those who write fiction have benefitted from doing this!
And they do not do that by sitting in front of the TV, or going to comedy shows, or reading religious books round the clock.
Instead, they spend (and spend!) considerable time in research stations or other work spaces, to create, innovate and invent for mankind to take MORE quantum leaps forward.
That’s however not to say those who create and innovate, are only those who stay indoors to work…!
I’m just saying those who “lead” us in that manner often focus on thinking about how to make improvements happen, in their respective fields.
And very often, if asked, they will tell you they do lots of reading to help that process!
Click here to read examples about the testimonials by legendary achievers from all walks of life, about the impact that reading Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich had on their personal and work related performances.
On the above page, celebrity boxers, basketball stars, music stars and even pastors(!), were quoted as saying great benefits accrued to them from reading “Think & Grow Rich”.
And yet that book is NOT about sports, or music, and certainly NOT religion!
However, we must give them credit for doing it right.
When they read that book, they did not stop there. Instead, they did what the author said, and went out to apply what they learnt from it. And that was what led them to success.
“Reading without thinking gives a disorderly mind, and thinking without reading makes one unbalanced” – Confucius.
I have also read “Think & Grow Rich”.
And in many of my past write ups, dating as far back as 2002, I have attested to the amazing insights it provides about achieving personal success – in ANY field.
The road map, and guidelines are clearly given.
You simply follow them, with unrelenting persistence and faith, to get the promised results.
We all know that in many schools and institutions of higher learning today, the student only has to memorise notes given by the teacher, and do a “verbatim return to sender” to get full marks in class!
Whether the student can explain what he has written down, apply it in real life for a productive end is never an issue as far as the teacher is concerned!
Sometime in the past, I watched an inter-schools debate competition aired on a local TV station in Nigeria.
The manner in which they delivered their speeches, however strongly suggested they were simply reciting what they memorized!
Typically, the teacher would write on paper for the student to “upload” to “memory”, for later “download” during his/her presentation.
As a result, the kids rarely made effort to understand what they read.
I believe that was why some of the students got totally confused, when they missed a line during their “recitation”!
That happened on more than one occasion during the debate event I watched that day.
In Robert Kiyosaki’s book “If You Want To Be Rich and Happy, Don’t Go To School?”, he wrote about how the traditional educational system was teaching American children to be “mindless parrots”.
He also quoted R. Buckminster Fuller on how each of us, and our children, can protect our minds from being “numbed” by such experiences.
Fuller stated that despite the fact that he was bothered by – and therefore questioned – many of the things he learnt in school, he found it necessary to give his teachers “their” answers in order to ensure he went through school successfully.
He however made sure he never stopped thinking along the lines of those things he felt to be true.
By so doing, Fuller was able to protect his own genius from the damaging impact of the traditional educational system. The rest of us can learn from this approach, and teach our kids to use it as well.
One great thinker we had who – unfortunately – has now passed on, was Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the legendary Afro Beat Musician.
Even today, the lyrics of his songs show us how far ahead he had thought about (and “seen” into) the future of this country – and continent.
He had reflected deeply over the problems of the black race in Africa, and tried to open our eyes to the folly of the ways we chose (or were advised to follow).
A few of us listened, but the majority have missed it.
Why? Because those who missed it found it difficult to reflect on what he was saying and understand his concerns.
They simply stopped at enjoying his good music!
“The mind must be exercised if it is to grow and strengthen. The more you use your mind, the more it will improve your ability to think” – Jay Anderson
“Thinking is the most exacting job there is, which is why so few people engage in it”.
That’s why we need to discourage ROTE Learning (i.e. cramming) in schools.
It is important for people to “understand” what they “learn” because we learn new things in order to apply them to productive purposes later.
For instance, you learn “how to drive” so that you can eventually drive your car around unaided.
But, you would actually spend little (if any) time practicing how to drive the car using your new knowledge!
When that happens, you end up unable to drive a car even though you’ve been to driving school! Thankfully that is hardly ever the case, because it is easy to assess the value of the training given you in a driving school.
When you complete your driving lessons (and IF you have been a diligent student), you should be able to drive a car by the time you are leaving.
If you can’t, then you would have a right to challenge your driving “teacher”.
“A chapter a day, keeps failure at bay” – Anon.
I have personally met many graduates of computer science from Nigerian universities, who after graduation go on to enrol for courses in private computer schools to gain basic computer appreciation skills!!
This is often because they discover that in the real world, the things they’ve been taught are outdated, and irrelevant to current developments in the industry.
And that would be by reading to understand, and then THINKING based on what they have read and understood.
Those who do so are the ones who succeed in today’s world. That’s because they emerge as independent learners i.e. person’s capable of learning and apply what they learn to productive ends in the real world.
In the 21st century and beyond, the world will be depending more on such people, for it’s evolution to new levels.
“The illiterate of the 21st century, will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn” – Alvin Toffler
I call it the 21st century parenting dilemma. How do you convince your child to accept that stealing, cheating or lying for instance are “bad”, when s/he often sees them happening routinely? This ranges from adults s/he sees (or hears) about in public office diverting state funds, to sports persons found guilty of doping, as well as musicians who steal other people’s songs…and lecturers who plagiarize (or sexually harass) students they are supervising.
How do you explain to the child, why most of those who do such bad things, even when found out, rarely pay any serious price for it in the long run?
In past articles, I’ve written about the rampant examinations malpractice palaver in Nigeria.
It started as a small flame. Today, it’s burning like a wild fire. Indeed it is a pandemic of sorts!
One day, I was outraged to hear the students tell me (while taking them extra classes in Agriculture, Maths and Physics), that I was stressing myself needlessly.
When I asked what they meant, they told me I would be in the exam hall to read out the answers to them. So why not wait till then, they asked…like it was the most normal thing in the world!
To them, it was only fair that I did that. After all, I was their teacher. I would be “wicked” to “let them fail” they added.
Amazing. These kids had no idea that what they were asking for was wrong!
I told them that was not possible, and they all laughed at me. So, during the exams, I made a point of staying away from the halls.
As it turned out, I was the uninitiated.
The head teachershad apparently known what the practice was, because he was one of those who made it happen!
That explained his casual response when I’d complained to him that the students suggested I would be reading out answers to them
He must have thought to himself: “Who is this funny youth corper guy. Does he not realize that when you’re in Rome, you have to act like the Romans?”
I even included a passionate cover letter. In it I challenged the editor to consider the damage that would happen to the educational system, if that practice was allowed to continue.
Not a word of response came back to me from The Guardian, or the Editor.
Later on, it became obvious that I was the one who was not in touch with reality, when I told one of my sisters about my letter and its contents.
She also basically laughed in my face. Then she told me worse things were happening in Lagos. At the time, she had just taken the exams, if I recall correctly. And she told me stories that left me dumbfounded.
Today, those students who “passed” exams using that crooked approach back when I was a youth corper, are NOW parents of their own kids.
And not surprisingly, they are openly and actively collaborating with invigilators, to do the same thing for their kids.
Sadly, the older generation who could have stopped it, have allowed themselves to be compromised.
They do this either by accepting some form of gratification (cash or kind e.g. sexual favours) or by getting themselves into situations in which they can be blackmailed into agreeing to anything.
Not all, but quite an unhealthy majority, of the older generation, are implicated in this manner. As for the rest of the “oldies”, they’ve chosen to either stay silent or look the other way.
Just look at what sells on TV for instance today.
More events being sponsored today often promote nudity, and sexual indiscretion. Less effort is made to develop programmes to repair the social fabric.
That’s why our young people pay less attention to adults who tell them not to copy dressing styles of celebrities who go almost naked.
As a matter of fact, some religious leaders, in increasing numbers it would appear, are even getting caught in acts of indiscretion.
For most of those engaged in the naughty acts described above, they had to adopt deception, and insincerity as a way of life to do them.
By so doing, they lost the moral courage to correct others – whether young or old.
Which is why things have been falling apart: There are effectively fewer people willing – and able – to correct those doing wrong!
I feel nothing but pity, laced with contempt, for older persons who hold such views.
They fail to learn from the examples of Zig Ziglar and Jim Rohn….as well as the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
All three men stayed active in influencing society till they passed on. And there have been others like them.
Today, Wole Soyinka, a Nobel prize winner, is 80 years old. Yet he continues with the same tradition of being a Social Change Agent: A journey he began in his early twenties!
Just as this problem is happening in the educational sector, so it rampages in the other aspects of societal life.
Just like back when I was as a youth corper, I remain uninitiated today.
Indeed, I refuse to be initiated into wrong doing habits of any sort!
Not just for my own sake. But also because I happen to have kids of my own – who are exposed on a daily basis to people who do all these, in society.
The truth is you cannot hide a child away from the rot, because it is everywhere.
So, you need to diligently invest quality time and effort to DRUM the morals and values you KNOW the Creator expects them to uphold, into their little heads
I know what trouble I got into while a child, in a much saner Nigeria.
The Nigeria of today offers so many temptations to young people! What’s more, deception – indeed the ability to tell barefaced lies without remorse, as well as doing wrong and producing crocodile tears while denying it, has been elevated to an art form by today’s kids.
This is the time to do it – while s/he is still under your care, living under your influence and authority. You still have a chance to detect and correct any character flaws that s/he may pick up from corrupt society.
You owe yourself, and your child, a duty to play your role, so you do not have cause to regret when s/he becomes an adult, and leaves home.
I say tell him/her NEVER to accept that standard – no matter how attractive it appears.
I say make yourself a shining example of a superior standard, and let him/her know that the Creator approves of that standard: That is, a standard which does NOT condone cheating, lying, stealing, deception or wrong doing in any form.
Do so by walking your talk with pride and dignity, even if it means having to accept humbling circumstances for a while, until the Creator elevates you.
Do this without fail, every waking day, and by the time that child leaves home, NOBODY will be able to tempt him/her to go off track.
S/he will therefore always be a source of pride to you, and your entire family.
Don’t waste time. Start doing it today. Your child’s future most likely depends on it.
Good luck!
1.Is It RIGHT To Do Wrong, So As To Fulfill FAMILY Obligations?
This is a True Story Narration. It is available as audio (MP3) & as a video presentation, and PDF on CD/DVD. You can listen to the audio on your phones. This is Part 2 in the Self-Development Education for Parents Series titled “Kukuru Danger™: Adventures – & Misadventures – of a School Age Child Trying to Make Sense of the World and his purpose in it!”
===Narration Begins===
This is TayoSolagbade again. This time around I’m going to tell you another story.
But this story, rather than take you forward in my life following my experience of getting asked to repeat my first year in secondary school.
I’m actually taking you back to a time, I think about a year before I left primary school, ehm, in which I had a particularly (pause) ehm, how do I put it now…even talking about it now still irritates me.
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I believe, from over 2 decades of observation/experience, that one major mistake being made by conventional farm support specialists is that they focus mainly – sometimes exclusively – on farm related issues, in serving farm business owners.
This can be self-defeating, because other aspects of the farm owner’s life can – and do! – interfere with his/her ability to make progress with the farm!
That means virtually everything that we have to contend with in life, outside their core vocation is what they most likely also have to deal with.
Most people do not think about it, but many times stuff that happens in other parts of our lives can – and do – affect our ability to function effectively and successfully in our chosen vocations.
Indeed, many of the most successful people in the world get to be that way because they develop strategies to keep firm control of other areas of their lives, so that nothing interferes with their ability to focus on the core purpose they have.
That’s why many top sportspersons have personal managers, and other people they pass their routine chores to. Down to getting their laundry done, these guys readily pay good money to have someone else handle such tasks.
Farm CEOs can also get very busy, and quite often their work may require spending long periods trying to set standards in place, and study trends to take the right decisions. If they have other areas of their lives going out of control, this becomes more difficult to do.
It goes without saying that some visitors to www.tayosolagbade.com will have wondered why I don’t just write ONLY farm business related stuff all over my website.
Well, the above case in point is the major reasons.
My multidisciplinary write-ups are designed to offer potentially useful best practice information and education, on different aspects of life, in a way that enhances people’s ability to succeed.
Those who pay attention will notice I often use farm related explanations in most of the examples I discuss in my articles.
But as with everything else, the lessons offered can be applied or adapted to suit the needs of people in other fields. And they are. Which is why I also get feedback and enquiries from prospects and clients in non-farm related fields.
NB: It’s quite likely that many of them who have visited in the past probably never thought of it this way before. So, I guess I should say: “Now you know!”
With the exception of those yet to have offspring, Farm CEOs typically have spouses and kids they live with. Whatever happens in that home can – and does – affect the farmer’s state of mind.
Kids in particular, can be a challenge for any adult. I say this as a father of 4 boys and 2 girls. And I also say it as one who has had to endure years of being unable to independently provide for them – while struggling to establish myself as an entrepreneur in Nigeria.
Parenting has little to do with how financially well off you are. After all we know of many people who are financially successful today, whose parent(s) raised them while battling crippling poverty.
The story of Ben Carson, the famed American Neurosurgeon in his book – “Gifted Hands” – describes an excellent example of what I call World Class Parenting – by his mother.
My articles are experience based.I draw from what I went through in my childhood years, as a very naught teenager, before I reformed myself. And I add to that what I did to coach other people’s kids to achieve excellence in my early adulthood.
Lastly, there’s the VERY challenging experience I’m, having currently as a parent to 2 teenage boys, and their siblings.
Some of those who have read my articles on parenting have commented on how useful they found them. Several of my articles have been syndicated on parenting websites outside Africa – in the USA for example. I believe that’s a sign that there’s value to be had in them.
As a farm CEO, with kids, these articles are for you to study, in order to do a better job of parenting your kids. Make use of them.
I have noted in the past that a growing number of Farm CEOs purchasing my products are persons who hold day jobs. A good number actually work with large companies (e.g. oil service multinationals), and run their farm businesses on the side.
They often use the salary they earn – and/or loans or grants from their employers – to finance their farm businesses. It goes without saying therefore, that their continued good performance at work is crucial to the long term survival of the farm.
Of course, at some point, with good management, the farm business is bound to become self-sustaining. However, depending on the kind of enterprise it is (e.g. poultry layers, broiler, piggery etc), some need for the security of “extra income” to meet periodic shortages may remain for a while.
And even if that’s not the case, discussions with some such farm CEOs suggest they are planning to keep running their farms on the side till retirement – which is not due for 5 or more years.
I have a track record of high performing success from my 7 year stay in a world class multinational. I started as process manager, and later become a people manager – competently holding senior management positions.
What’s more, I received exposure to a wide variety of high profile training on best practice performance improvement and people coaching in the workplace. All of this equips me to help others.
So, Farm CEOs pursuing careers during the day can really benefit from reading my Career Development write-ups.
Many of them have been extensively syndicated online. Some got me invited to speak in places like the Centre for Management Development, while others have been published – with my permission – in international journals.
I have written severally in the past about the need for farm CEOs to realize that they need to think like entrepreneurs, if they want to succeed – indeed excel.
My ideas have gotten me invited to speak to audiences at events like Yaba College or Technology’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development.
That’s apart from many which have been republished across the web, since I began using article marketing in 2005.
With Farm CEOs, I have hammered on the need to develop competent sales and marketing know how. Too many of them still thing traditionally. They focus on producing and then start waiting for buyers to come. If you want the best prices, and you want to make timely sales, so as to maximize your farm output capacity, this is an aspect you cannot ignore.
My articles on entrepreneurship can help you.
If you’ve been reading my writing for a while, you will know that I have repeatedly stated that farm CEOs need to adopt writing as a strategy for “farm business promotion”. Apart from being zero cost, more or less, it also helps them develop marketing credibility and ultimately achieve authority status.
Why is this important you ask?
Well, we are not all equally ambitious. But why come to the match if you don’t intend to give it your best shot? I argue that farm CEOs should aim to generate income via multiple channels – including those NOT directly related to farm product sales.
How? Well, sell your expertise as a Farm Business Expert. You are effectively already a consultant, by virtue of your being a farm CEO!
Get started by WRITING regularly, to share your experiences. Use a blog – at the least.
Don’t stay on paper – you’ll achieve less reach and impact. Tell readers about successes and failures and what you did to get there. As your writing evolves, package yourself to offer solutions to those aspiring to do what you do, or others who have begun, but need help.
E.g. business plan preparation, farm start-up consultations, feasibility studies, farm personnel training. You could write manuals to help others who come to you – they would pay – gladly too.
Because you already have a farm, they are likely to take you seriously. And when you ask them to pay, they will.
I say this as someone who still has not started a farm business, and yet get farm CEOs from within and outside Africa sending me payment for products and services I offer them.
Want to know more – or need help? Click here to send me a message.
And lastly, people may wonder what concerns Farm CEOs with public speaking. Some may even ask how a farmer can possibly expect to be a speaker.
Well, I argue that if tie-wearing agriculture experts, who only lecture and do not run their own farms, can get paid to address audiences of farmers on farm business, then Farm CEOs can do the same too.
The thing is that too many people fail to think outside the box. Should farm owners, with the right training and preparation, not be able to SPEAK to audiences about what they do. Should they not be able to SHARE their experiences with researchers and farmers from other parts?
Think about it. Some farmers are making smart improvements in the way they run their businesses that others could benefit from.A Farm CEO who can prepare, package, promote and present his/her ideas attractively CAN get invited – as a paid speaker – to international conferences, to share his/her story.
You can plan to do it locally, and also internationally, making intelligent use of the web. And this can open doors to finding better (and bulk) buyers for your farm products in the process.
This is why I offer articles on public speaking. Read them and apply what you learn.
Want to know more – or need help? Click here to send me a message.
The study of 1 to 5 above will more or less be an exercise in self-development.
But it goes beyond that. Your physical, mental and emotional fitness also need attention. Regular physical exercise, along with diligent investment in leisure to eliminate stress is crucial to keep yourself going. You cannot afford to let yourself break down.
So many of my articles on Self-Development have been widely read and republished. You would do well to study them.
As with everything else, you may not have career concerns today, but a parenting challenge could be on your mind as you drive to your farm.
If you’re lucky, browsing through the parenting articles archives on this blog may turn up something useful (try it now).
Some other day, you may have received an invitation to deliver a talk on Poultry Farming to students in a university…..and you may be wondering how to go about it. The archives section of my Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter may come in handy.
So, even when you see an article title that does not relate with farming, REMEMBER that you are first and foremost a human being. And you well being, your state of mind, will have an impact, directly or indirectly on your ability to run your farm business competently.
As such, anything that can affect you inn that regard needs to be carefully nurtured. This is why feeding yourself with useful tips, and information, to take care of those areas of your life would be a wise thing to do.
www.tayosolagbade.com offers you a continually growing library of potentially useful resources you can tap into.
Don’t be a stranger – visit daily and learn. In fact, go a step further and subscribe/join the mailing list, so you get notified when new stuff is published. You can only get better that you currently are!
