Let me appreciate
everyone who commented on my previous posts. I acknowledge your criticism and
want to assure you that the purpose of my writing is not to pass judgment but
to unravel issues like the name of my article suggest. I will try and make my
daily contributions in writing for the next two months as this is one of my
intervention projects towards my birthday on the 18th of December.
everyone who commented on my previous posts. I acknowledge your criticism and
want to assure you that the purpose of my writing is not to pass judgment but
to unravel issues like the name of my article suggest. I will try and make my
daily contributions in writing for the next two months as this is one of my
intervention projects towards my birthday on the 18th of December.
I have been opportune
to serve my nation both locally, nationally and internationally in my little
capacity and with all the few achievements in my young age, I found myself as a
failure. Don’t conclude yet because you will also need to question yourself.
to serve my nation both locally, nationally and internationally in my little
capacity and with all the few achievements in my young age, I found myself as a
failure. Don’t conclude yet because you will also need to question yourself.
Until recently, I have
been pursuing bigger goals leaving the tiny thingsthat matter less to so many
people in my shoes.However, those tiny things I (and I’m sure most of you)
ignore contribute to the ills around us. I once had a story of a man who built
a mighty mansion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.
been pursuing bigger goals leaving the tiny thingsthat matter less to so many
people in my shoes.However, those tiny things I (and I’m sure most of you)
ignore contribute to the ills around us. I once had a story of a man who built
a mighty mansion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.
My friend described
how beautiful the house is (was) with plastered floor and marble allover.
Ironically, the road that leads to the house was really bad, bad enough that
the owner of the house had to buy jeeps and trucks as his personal cars so as
to avoid the bad road. Interestingly, it would cost him less to fix his road
but like many of us, it’s the government’s job.
I have used this
story to relate to the reason I called myself a failure not because I am
directly like the man, compared to him without blowing my trumpet, I have
served this nation and contributed my few and hope to do more as long as I live.
However, while pursuing the development and betterment of my nation, I have
ignored the little things, the development of my community.
story to relate to the reason I called myself a failure not because I am
directly like the man, compared to him without blowing my trumpet, I have
served this nation and contributed my few and hope to do more as long as I live.
However, while pursuing the development and betterment of my nation, I have
ignored the little things, the development of my community.
Our first contact as
human is not our nation but our community. We have developed the habit of
running after things that should run after us. No wonder some politicians,
immediately after getting elected, build walls against their community and
rather than building their local community, they take money to build other
countries by sending their children abroad while their electorates remain at
home due to bad leadership. Yet we complain about crime and societal ills that
is being committed where we stay.
human is not our nation but our community. We have developed the habit of
running after things that should run after us. No wonder some politicians,
immediately after getting elected, build walls against their community and
rather than building their local community, they take money to build other
countries by sending their children abroad while their electorates remain at
home due to bad leadership. Yet we complain about crime and societal ills that
is being committed where we stay.
I’m I really a
failure? Be my judge.
failure? Be my judge.
In 2007, a few months
before my 20th birthday, I launched two new projects in my
community, the first, an essay competition for young people In my community
tagged “The Society we want” and the second, the first ever Free Summer
Tutorials in Lagos State for secondary schools students.
before my 20th birthday, I launched two new projects in my
community, the first, an essay competition for young people In my community
tagged “The Society we want” and the second, the first ever Free Summer
Tutorials in Lagos State for secondary schools students.
The Summer School had
over 1000 students in attendance to the point that through discipline, we
closed the gate of our host school against those who failed to register or came
late daily. For the first time, because of the quality of my Free Summer
school, I saw Lagos state public school students attend a (not compulsory)
lesson more than an hour earlier just to avoid been locked out. My team
contributed discipline for that period in the lives of those children.
over 1000 students in attendance to the point that through discipline, we
closed the gate of our host school against those who failed to register or came
late daily. For the first time, because of the quality of my Free Summer
school, I saw Lagos state public school students attend a (not compulsory)
lesson more than an hour earlier just to avoid been locked out. My team
contributed discipline for that period in the lives of those children.
I did that before I
was 20 yearsand a whole lot of other projects using my school fees and personal
contribution that yearyet I still call myself a failure. I called myself a
failure because with all the things I have achieved today, a lot of young
people in my community are on the street, and some of them are young parents
because I closed my eyes on one tiny thing – RELATIONSHIP. I did not relate
with them as much as I would have loved to, I judged them and never understood
the power of alternative intervention. I never saw the danger ahead that even
when we are not in the same class, I can sit down with them and hear what they were
facing, I never asked about their future, I was only concerned about the big
issue of education while I could also talk to them about those traumatic
experience they have in their closet that prevents them from pursuing a future
for themselves.
was 20 yearsand a whole lot of other projects using my school fees and personal
contribution that yearyet I still call myself a failure. I called myself a
failure because with all the things I have achieved today, a lot of young
people in my community are on the street, and some of them are young parents
because I closed my eyes on one tiny thing – RELATIONSHIP. I did not relate
with them as much as I would have loved to, I judged them and never understood
the power of alternative intervention. I never saw the danger ahead that even
when we are not in the same class, I can sit down with them and hear what they were
facing, I never asked about their future, I was only concerned about the big
issue of education while I could also talk to them about those traumatic
experience they have in their closet that prevents them from pursuing a future
for themselves.
Today, I wished I had
done more but a wise word says “the best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago,
the 2nd best time is now. I have decided to celebrate my 26th
birthday from the 18th (to 21st) of December with the 1st
Lagos Mainland Community Dialogue and Festival to create a platform to break
the silence in my own community.
done more but a wise word says “the best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago,
the 2nd best time is now. I have decided to celebrate my 26th
birthday from the 18th (to 21st) of December with the 1st
Lagos Mainland Community Dialogue and Festival to create a platform to break
the silence in my own community.
Dear readers, what
contribution are you making in your community? Are you larger than life or are
you in a good relationship with those that do not matter in yourcommunity. Are
you known for the contribution you made or for the troubles you caused? It took
me 17years of active developmental work to know that my community should come
first before my nation. If we all take care of our communities, our Nation will
be a safe space for us all.
contribution are you making in your community? Are you larger than life or are
you in a good relationship with those that do not matter in yourcommunity. Are
you known for the contribution you made or for the troubles you caused? It took
me 17years of active developmental work to know that my community should come
first before my nation. If we all take care of our communities, our Nation will
be a safe space for us all.
Thank you for reading
and commenting.
and commenting.
By
DamilolaApotieri-Abdulai
DamilolaApotieri-Abdulai
Twitter: @damilola_a
DamilolaApotieri-Abdulai
is Nigeria’s first Applied Dramatist, expert in Drama in Education, Communities
and Social Context. He is the CEO of Media Advocacy and Development Initiative
(MADinitiative) and a playwright for social transformation. He is a
postgraduate student at the DRAMA FOR LIFE, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg, South Africa.
is Nigeria’s first Applied Dramatist, expert in Drama in Education, Communities
and Social Context. He is the CEO of Media Advocacy and Development Initiative
(MADinitiative) and a playwright for social transformation. He is a
postgraduate student at the DRAMA FOR LIFE, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg, South Africa.