process schmocess

I had a whole interesting write up planned out in my head and then my brand new bb suddenly stopped working without being dropped or anything and my annoyance made everything fly out of my head.
But write I must. Why must I? You may ask. Well because I’ve got a microphone and you don’t! (I’m trying out humour in the face of great annoyance)

This note is about GAP but it’s not all about GAP, I hope to be able to link my issues to what went down at GAP gathering yesterday.First of all the young generation- generation y or next or whatever we are called and by we I mean you-yes you, we are easily star struck.(yup. I see some people already shaking their head, but that another trait we have, denial). When I say star struck, I’m not talking D’Banj star struck or M I star struck; I’m talking intelligent upward mobile young men and women cringing in the face of ‘Great Men/Women’.The first time I met Yaradua, I was star struck. Nothing prepared me for that, I was awed, lil me in the same room with the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nothing that was said before mattered at that moment. I know a lot of people will deny being prone to star struck status, but remember the first time you met your head pastor? Or vice chancellor? (Feel free to take me up on that)

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of having the lovely and admirable Eugenia Abu- mother (her favourite), writer (her passion) broadcaster (her job) yes she put it like that. I loved it; it shows clearly what defines Eugenia Abu. We had the privilege of hearing her read from her book ‘In the Blink of an Eye’ and we were thoroughly awed, at least I was. Of the 4 articles that was read the one that touched me most was the article about JERRYCANS, people who attended the meeting may ask why? It’s not because I have not lost a loved one or experienced the grief process, I’m just not the mushy sort, yea I’m fickle like that(sue me). ‘JERRYCANS’ on the other hand stirred in me a deep sense of grief at the fact that an article written 20 years ago (1989) sounded like it was written just a few weeks ago (when we were hounded by fuel scarcity yet again), only difference is that it was 60k then and it is N65 now. It gave us naija optimist food for thought. There are people who have been fighting all this years, and situations have remained the same, were they not optimistic enough or they weren’t doing something right? were they following the process? were they waiting for the generation before them to step aside and give them a chance?

Which brings me back to the star struck issue. With all due respect, I disagree with Mrs Eugenia Abu and all the Ruben Abati of this country who believe that we are a lost generation. We are accused of taking it and shunning the process. Well I agree! But since when did taking it become a bad thing? We young people are accused of being in a hurry, of not stopping to think, we are lacking and we are lost, ha! Well I beg to differ, no I don’t beg to differ, I totally and utterly disagree! This is my take, I do not subscribe to old ways of thinking and doing things because obviously if they didn’t work for you then they sure won’t work for me. I live in a time where today fashionable, tomorrow obsolete (did I say tomorrow, sorry, the next minute) so why should I wait? We are a lucky generation, we have the best books available to us( The Laws of Power, Re Imagine) we learn from Biographies and we manoeuvre the internet like it’s our playground, we build empires from scratch and we are taking over, all this done by taking. Our fathers supported the process, go to school learn to read and write then u can lead, please tell me which school Bill Gates finished from (there you go).

I hate long notes so I will end this by quoting Paul Arden of whom I am a disciple- Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite! There Is No Right Point Of View! And finally ‘Too Many People Spend Too Much Time Trying To Perfect Something Before They Actually Do It. Instead Of Waiting For Perfection Run With What You’ve Got, And Fix It As You Go’.
Oh and I was totally inspired by Eugenia Abu, I have loved and looked up to her since I was a child being forced to watch network news(thanks mom) and I look forward to meeting her personally
.(please feel free to disagree, critisize, insult. i might be wrong but i might be right, may be someday i will bash the future generation who knows, but for now ill be a voice in mine)

ijeoma okeagu
white rabbit concept