Theme: MASDEV!? (What’s That?)
Mutual Altruism for ‘Surestainable‘ Development.
The ‘BIG BIG Oyinbo’ which is the theme above should no doubt give many, if not all, reading it a cause for concern…even #MeToo!
NB (other Nationals): ‘Oyinbo’ is a word used in Yoruba & Nigerian Pidgin to refer to Caucasians/Europeans.
However, for this text the word ‘Oyinbo’ will take on an entirely different meaning which refers to:
“making use of BIG, rounded, sweet words or vocabulary in communicating your message, not just to show your prowess in constructing words, but to open people’s inner eyes to your qualities & the stuff that you’re made of”
In addy, we Nigerians have this natural flair for laying emphasis on words by repeating them – ‘BIG BIG‘ or ‘well well‘ etc. most especially when flying words in our Original Lingua Franca which is none other than ‘The Core Nigerian Pidgin… Area!!! Heiii!!!’
Truly the theme ‘MASDEV’ should give one a reason to think deeply, not just about the weightiness of the words when spoken in a sentence, but of its true meaning & the possibilities of consistent outcomes it can result in for individuals, families, business entities, and our nation at large should the needed action(s) be taken.
First, let’s take a closer look at the above words & their meanings, after which we can then decide on a course of mass action:
* Mutual – Mutual is a word to describe something two people or groups ‘share’ e.g our shared hopes and aspirations for a better life or a better country as it were (I know say e don tey wey dem dey talk am oo! But still, Naija go beta & na all of us go make sure say dat development dey till mama calls). Mutual consent means you & your partner ‘agree’ to do something together. It’s a good thing being Mutual, so join me as I take the Lead to show you The Way.
* Altruism – Altruism refers to the quality feelings or actions that show an ‘unselfish concern’ for the welfare of others e.g you see someone in danger or a stranger getting beaten up by the road side and you rush in to their rescue being the ‘Good Samaritan’ that you are (be mindful to tread with caution here though, but, do not look the other way; even if na thief say ‘NO’ to jungle justice).
* Surestainable – Here we have a merger of the words ‘Sure & Sustainable’.
Being Sure means to be certain, convinced, trustworthy or assured e.g that the sun always rises in the East and sets in the west. Also, when something is said to be Sustainable it means that it can be maintained or continued for a long long time e.g we should look more to renewable energy sources like that which we have abundantly by our position around the equator – SOLAR etc. The ‘up nepa’ syndrome MUST STOP.
* Development – Development refers to the act of improving by expanding, enlarging, or refining; a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage), for example, see how far you’ve come from the bottom as a child, through to your youthful days and now you’re here all grown, having matured fully & looking ahead into your grey days in scores ahead, though not aged already. Now that’s development!
(Word Definitions: http://www.vocabulary.com)
Having had a little lesson in English there, we move on to it’s application which in the real sense is tailored towards enjoying assured benefits for the many who will yield their premium promptly.
Our world today is tilted towards ‘Sustainability’ on all fronts, more especially with calls from the UN being about countries meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030. In the words of Dr. Muhammad A. Pate, a global health expert and former Minister of State for Health, while giving a keynote address at the 10th Anniversary Colloquium of Financial Nigeria magazine, held on the 11th of September, 2018 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, on the theme: “Nigeria’s Sustainable Development Agenda“, he said thus about the SDGs:
“…these goals are mostly inter-related and inter-dependent, but build on balancing the three pillars of economic, social and environmental objectives for global sustainability and for each of these goals there are specified targets for countries to achieve.”
I’ll leave out the aspect of detailed statistics so you don’t get bored, but the main ‘koko of the matter’ is that as a country we do not seem to be moving (walahi!) towards achieving sustainable development in the next 4 years, talk less of attaining the set target to an appreciably high level…in fact, we’re not moving at all. That’s really some truckload of B.S…don’t ask me what that means! Ask those who tend to you at the bar, likewise those befriended ones who hold doors open for you to come in, even when you’re not around.
If I may ask though, how well have you fared with regard to mapping out your personal agenda for ‘sure’stainable development in terms of assuring the safety & security of your life and property as well as those under your watch? Oh!!! You think your life is yours alone to live? Or you’ve been nursing thoughts of running a lone government from wherever you are without recourse to the needs of those around you? Do you not know that you are a country & ought to take the lead by providing a conducive atmosphere for everyone to thrive successfully (not only those with close ties to you)? Time will surely tell, only then it may be too late. I can smell the coffee already…it’s past midnight.
I do not mean to scare you, but as our Ancient(s) of Days always says –
“He who has Ears, let him hear…lest their minds be closed and they perceive not the things that have been hidden from the learned but Revealed to the young with precious palms”
I’ve been writing all these many many things while changing sitting positions from one side cheek to the other. I want to catch some 40 winks now, ok ooo! I don yan my gist finish for now oo! Awon Yoruba bo won so wi pe:
“Oro po l’ewe kobo”
To put it very nicely ‘as you pose, na so you go show, and na so one fella wey don tey well well yan for hin gbedu say – We go show you Weeen!’ Whether you like or you no like after you hear dis TruTalk.
Last last, we go dey alright…but not until we all press for more & get moving towards making sacrifices required to assure our destiny this very day. NOW IS THE TIME!!!
Irene!!!
SureStreet 