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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule 
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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email them to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance
No. 170: Achieve Speaking Success Using Your Audience’s Local Proverbs & Stories
Popular Yoruba proverb: “Èhinkule l’ òtá wa, ilé ni aseni ngbé” [Meaning: “The enemy lies in wait in the backyard. The traitor lives in the home”. Read story-based interpretation in photo below].To speak successfully, one must connect emotionally and intellectually with an audience. Pastor Tunde Bakare is a speaker who does that effortlessly using local proverbs, songs etc.
Few Nigerian adults do not know this small framed but fiery personality that is Bakare…
Over the years, his has remained a voice of reason, integrity and courage in the face of growing socio-political decay across the Nigerian landscape. Even when lacking support from peers and associates, Bakare has continued to speak out as the conscience of the nation.
Despite being an individual, as far as speaking the truth and demanding the right things be done are concerned, Bakare frequently makes himself heard, and taken seriously.
But that’s not because he speaks louder than others.
Instead, it’s because he is skilled at speaking with impact – by making smart use of the English language, in combination with local proverbs, songs, and folktales to get his points across.
A good way to appreciate Bakare is to listen to him speak at any gathering (political rallies, business conferences, religious events etc)
His prowess in use of the English as a lawyer is readily apparent. At the 2014 National Conference, he shone like a thousand stars in the way he articulated his views.
As a result he won over delegates from different sides of the divide on to his line of thinking. So much so that they adopted a set of ideals he conceived for reorientation of all citizens.
But what really sets Tunde Bakare apart, is the way he readily injects local (often Yoruba) proverbs and songs – into his delivery.
He uses them to drive home his message with massive impact. Due to the passion with which he speaks, the audience is often so moved that when he bursts into songs, for instance, they simply join in!
Now, an interesting thing to note here is that even though he tends to use mostly Yoruba sayings and songs, his base of followers has always remained very diverse – cutting across tribal and religious boundaries.
For instance, in his church you will find people from different Nigerian tribes and ethnic groups. Same applies to the social change advocacy groups and organisations he leads.
I believe this is because he makes sure to interpret whatever he says for ALL to understand – using relevant analogies and illustrations.
Having himself been born into a Muslim home as a child, and then later converting to Christianity as an adult, he is able to leverage his knowledge of the Muslim religion to connect with mixed audiences.
It is for this reason that Bakare is so well known and respected today in today’s Nigeria – even amongst leaders of thoughts in opposing groups and organisations to those he belongs in religion as well as politics.
Most people who have heard him are in agreement that when Bakare speaks, it’s likely to be fair, and of potential benefit to all concerned.
You can often tell a great speaker by his/her ability to CONVINCE his/her audience to see things from his/her perspective as stated above.
This is why Tunde Bakare is a great speaker – especially as it relates to communicating successfully with audiences in societies like Nigeria/Africa.
To succeed as an expert-who-speaks in Africa (and/or to Africans), I recommend YOU make out time to carefully study Pastor Tunde Bakare, when he speaks.
It’s all well and good to study Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and other great speakers the world has known.
However, you must keep in mind that audiences in certain societies and cultures have unique peculiarities. And those peculiarities make it imperative to speak to them using adaptations of what one learns from foreign cultures, mixed with local content to yield the right “flavour”.
My experiences and observations convince me audiences in Africa need to be approached in that manner.
Indeed, my careful studies of speakers like Bakare convince me that’s why they succeed!
In essence I’m saying that Bakare’s speaking strategy of using local proverbs, songs, and folktales/anecdotes, if intelligently adapted for use by ANY expert-who-speaks, can dramatically boost his/her chances of connecting successfully with audiences in African cultures.
Final Words: This newsletter issue is a tribute to Pastor Bakare
Pastor Tunde Bakare recently celebrated his 60th birthday anniversary on 11th November 2014, and he was saluted by many top leaders from within and outside the country. As usual, he delivered a powerful message regarding his vision for Nigeria.
Such relentless passion drives this man, and I am continually inspired to emulate him!
That was why I joined in the rallies organized back in January 2012, which he spearheaded to demand for the reduction of the hiked petrol prices.
It is also why I continue to seize every opportunity to hear him speak. My family (parents, wife and kids) know I do not attend church. Yet, whenever they see Bakare on TV preaching a sermon, they know enough to call me!
You see, I ALWAYS listen to his messages, because he rarely fails to link his message with bringing about positive social change in society – politically etc.
It is for this reason that this issue of my newsletter is dedicated to him on his 60th anniversary.
But let me clear: I have NEVER met him and have no desire to meet Bakare on his 60th birthday anniversary
Instead, I’ve written this piece to let others who do not know him discover him, and to let those who already know him discover what they can LEARN from him about speaking impact-fully to influence positive change in others.
If we have more who SPEAK and ACT like Tunde Bakare, in Nigeria/Africa, even the sky will not be the limit for our societies!
Below: Screenshot from a new book I’m writing. It is designed to facilitate contextual comprehension of proverbs by persons with limited proficiency.
Tentative Title: 25 “Storyfied” Yoruba Proverbs for Children – Vol. 1
Subtitle: A Story-Based Interpretation of 25 Popular Yoruba Proverbs for Persons with Limited Understanding of Yoruba
Note how I’ve used a story from an episode of a foreign movie series (Green Arrow) that I’ve been watching with my kids, to demonstrate an example of a real life situation in which the proverb I began this peice with, can be correctly used.
Most Nigerian adults today (myself included!) use the English language better than they do their own mother tongues. Even worse, many of us fail to teach our native languages to our kids. For our kids who do get taught, they often end up being far from proficient – use of proverbs being a crucial requirement for proficiency.
I recently decided to take action to help my kids become proficient in Yoruba. Incidentally, their mother has been coaching them in Igbo, her language, by speaking to them DAILY in that language – and they understand it better than they do Yoruba: That challenged me!
Also, I know that adding Yoruba (and later on French) to their Igbo and English speaking abilities can open doors for them. This is why I’ve been spending time with relatives, friends, even clients, gifted in the use of proverbs, to implement this project of mine.
The above screenshot shows the first of 25 proverbs to be published in volume 1 of the series.
I’ve NOT settled on a final for the book, but it will be published in my online store in both digital and physical formats before 31st December 2014. I plan to publish a new volume of 25 story based proverbs, EVERY quarter, till I get 100 proverbs.
If you’d like to be notified when the full book becomes available, click here to let me know.
Learn about Burt Dubin’s speaker mentoring products (books, audios etc) below…
If you need help purchasing ANY of Burt’s products (like “Presentation Magic”), call me on +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic, my base) or +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or email tayo@tksola.com
Have a great week :-))
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