… MY CALL FROM THE WILDERNESS TO YOU ON DEMOCRACY DAY IN NIGERIA!

By Nnabugwu Chizoba

The story was told of an old Mule, who accidentally fell into a farmer’s well. 

For your information a Mule is the offspring of a Male Donkey (jack) and a Female horse (a mare). Note that Horses and Donkeys are of different species. From available records, a horse has 64 chromosomes, and a donkey has 62. The Mule ends up with 63. Mules can be male or female, but because of the odd number of chromosomes, they can’t reproduce.

Back to the story

According to the story, the farmer, having observed the development, took his time and as a matter of fact, evaluated the situation, concluding that neither the well nor the old Mule was worth his efforts, and as a result, did not bother to save them. 

In his Wisdom, understanding, and perception of the situation around him, what in some quarters may be seen or considered the farmers best of judgment, he decided to haul dirt to bury the old Mule in the well. 

I am tempted to ask here “Is the farmer’s action, the same with throwing the baby with the birth water? Me I don’t know. But one thing is really very unique and certain, the farmer’s attitude to problem solving. 

The story teller continuing with his story; told the listener that the farmer called his neighbours and together they started to shovel dirt into the well. And then, I ask you, my dear esteemed reader: 

What do you make out of the above? And

What do you think or consider the best action for the Mule to take?

Save your breath, save your energy, save your advice, the story Teller is not done yet:

“The old Mule was terrified and hysterical in the beginning. But soon one hopeful idea came to his mind – every time when a shovel of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up”!

According to the story, He repeated these words to himself again and again: “Shake it off and step up”.

“This way he could struggle the panic and encourage himself. After some time, the Mule had stepped over the well‘s wall”. The story Teller added.

Concluding, the story teller said “Although terribly tired, he was the winner, he saved his own life”. 

To my Reader:

Without meaning to bother you with too many questions, please, what would you say was responsible for that development: The Mule saving his own life and being described as the Winner? 

On this, the story Teller, did not leave his listener without an answer, for he said:

“He decided to face his adversity positively and not to give up, and thus he won. What seemed to bury him, actually saved him, owing to his confidence and restless efforts”.

As you ponder over the story, I call on you to remember the saying “What you see is what you get”.

If you consider deeply the condition that confronted the Mule inside the well and relate his situation with the harsh Economic situation (Recession) that is presently facing Nigerians, do you see anything that you can pick from the Mule? Do you think that the “Shake it off and step up” principle is something to adopt.

The Entrepreneurs, among my esteemed Readers know the “Shake it off and step up” as a key ingredient of achievement and the attainment of noble and worthwhile objectives.

wishes NIGERIANS HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY!

My wilderness call to you the reader on this Democracy Day, in relation with the story and applying the “Shake it off and step up” principle, so as to face the Economic Recession, boldly like the Mule did, is to:

• Embrace and develop industry specific skills and quality principles of living, economic growth and basic shift in the language of basic practice. 
• Design a very comprehensive and creative response plan to effectively create a high quality coordinated approach to life, entrepreneurship and living. 
• Prepare for real change, (positive improvement in all ramifications), which has no semblance with what the political office holders are pursuing and have been outlined by them and their cronies to mark cluelessness and celebrate mediocrity, inactivity, incompetence, nepotism and national embarrassment in governance and government activities, (dance of shame).
• Understand the tools, processes, techniques, products and services suitable to the needs of your contacts and offshore applications.
• Intellectual property development and competent skills bolstering remain the only solution to human survival, self-actualization and shared growth in the emerging world.
• Similarly, Skills development remain the global currency of the contemporary economies.  

On this Democracy Day and the days ahead… how prepared are you to Shake it off and step up?