Diagnosing the World of [Good + Bad = Good]

Written by Farooq Kolawole esq. & Ayo Morakinyo

In days of yore lie the handy hints, salubrious stories and looming lessons that illuminate our living and unclose its window into the faintest future. ---Morakinyo A.J.

 Some, out of the many times, I have asked myself “why peer into the past to seek distinct pointers? “, the common response has been, “Why not?”  If growing up was fun and it’s all we have as evidence, why take our minds off it? Though we are still growing and learning, our lives are now upon the wings of time, ticking off with the clock’s cockiness, at the rate of each man’s breath...

                We were either born lefties or righties and did learn with time that what we do is either bad or good. We learnt it is good to share with others, to return lost items to their owners, to obey our parents and respect older persons. We were also told not to: pick what belonged to others, lie, steal, cheat or hurt others. We were told many other things too which altogether form the foundation of our future. And it makes me believe that we have learnt all we need in life right from our kindergarten days. Everything you need to know has been taught to you somewhere or sometime in the past. Maybe in simpler words and plainer pictures, but they’ve all been taught. What we learn today are their complex syntheses.

                I believe we were born to live simple and not complicatedly. What are the things we really need to live? What makes up a good life? Being happy with what you have, sharing your joy, playing fairly, being sorry when you do wrong, making peace, preventing violence, respecting other people’s views, properties and privacy and maybe, cleaning up your own mess. They tend to grant us a good life. But oftentimes, we complicate things for ourselves. Life’s complications start when your wants or desires exceed your needs; when you chase things just because you want them; not because they improve your life or other’s welfare. Many times, we focus on our wants and not our needs. Usually, it’s about the latest fashion, the newest gadgets and every other thing that’s up-to-the-minute. And, that’s where the entire world is heading to.

                Today, the world is complicated. It is an evolving place where:

good is > or = bad and good + (bad) ² = good,

A world where people only care about their neighbours as time (t) → o.

Friends = people who are yet to hurt you and where immorality = what the wrong majority says rocks. 

It’s a new world where “smartness” = cheating others + not getting caught and if you return a lost-but-found item, then you’re said to be quite dull.

In the present world, the fact that you’re a virgin could get you scorned at by “so-called” friends. Drinking, drugging and smoking are what makes people call you a “tough guy” otherwise, you're called "old-school". If you’re slapped on the face and choose to walk away, they say you are a weakling. Indecent dressing and fornication is fun, if you’re not doing it, you need to speak to a psychiatrist. Those are just a few of the beliefs people use to complicate life in this age group. Our grandparents think they have seen the worst that could ever happen in our own time. But perhaps, the next generation will render us awestruck in our own old age.

                Ultimately, dramatic steps should be taken if the youths of today or, as they are often called, the leaders of tomorrow will not miss it completely. Many of us are lost in a world that is not ours. We live in fantasies and chase the shadows of reality. But governments, our parents and the elders of our societies must be involved in curbing this evolution. In nurturing the youth, the truth must be spoken and remarkable examples are necessary. Our leaders must strive to show good examples to the youth. If the youths have no heroes to emulate in this era, the next era will conjure a wonderful disaster. Misguiding the youths is tantamount to an effective plan for extinguishing the nation’s future. On the other hand, the youths too must accept change and become solution providers. They must be conscious of their roles in a world that is subject to the forces of nature and humanity. If the world will become better, we must all demonstrate individual responsibility concerning the future in thoughts and actions.

        And maybe we should keep learning because we'd never know enough. The easiest way to do that is to build on existing knowledge. Or at least, challenge existing knowledge.

On Governance & Management

Governance cannot work without proper management because the functions performed in governance are a subset of what managers do in business. Upon comparing a governor, as a typical prime government player, to a manager, who is the first chief entrepreneur in a business environment, it is seen that a governor is actually a manager who based, on the overall leadership style, may or may not have advisers. Both governors and managers perform the functions of planning, coordinating or controlling, organizing and leading- though at different levels and qualities.

 

They administer resources, delegate responsibilities, possess the powers to punish or reward, and should be accountable for budget implementation and state expenditures. They occupy hierarchical positions where several other persons who directly perform the documented and planned tasks report to them on a consistent basis. As such, both governors and managers coordinate the resources entrusted to them, distribute them as planned and monitor the work done with or by the resources that in the end, they may have good accounts of the entire assignments from the planning stages to closing stages, if it is presumed that they both have to report to the public electors and senior managers respectively. Ultimately, no governor or manager can be so called in the absence of manpower, machinery, materials, money and any other useful resource. Governance is serious management business and not some sort of formal entertainment.

But while both are administrators, they are not equal and cannot be the same. The active leadership style and approved laws of each nation determine their differences. For instance, democratic countries provide the pre-requisite qualifications for persons who may aspire for the office of state governor as electoral candidates and these are stated in their national constitutions. Once such persons satisfy the initial conditions provided in the constitution, it is assumed that they are competent and should be voted for even if they lack good managerial qualities. As such, while a manager can be relieved of power within the provisions of applicable contract terms by the same senior managers or stakeholders who conferred such authorities upon him/her, a governor cannot be dismissed by the exact persons who elected him/her into office. Rather, a governor will only relinquish power when his fellow government players approved in the constitution, whether judicial or legislative, see reasons to effect his/her impeachment...

Read the full article at Ventures Africa