NIGERIAN FACTOR vs LEADING PRACTICES

Okun,

I am coming to you today in the Yoruba dialect of the Okun (an offshoot of the Yoruba domiciled around Lokoja, Egbe, Kabba) North-Central, Nigeria. It is a basic way of exchanging pleasantries. I am greeting you in their parlance become I have not been with you in some weeks. I am overwhelmed by some deliverables that contested for my time of writing. Complements of the season to you! Thank you for being a part of my journey for 2015.

Today’s versus series is quite domestic because it deals with the worldview of Nigerians before having an opportunity to see how things are done in other parts of the world. However, some of our people with great exposure will still return to this lifestyle once they are on the Nigerian shores. I am taking about the Nigerian factor. This is the reason why Richard Branson founder of the success Virgin Group would come to Nigeria and shut down his operations in few years.

The Nigerian Factor is the way we do things that are acceptable to our modus operandi but it is the unacceptable standard elsewhere. The Nigerian factor cuts across all facets of human endeavour such as politics, career, time management, tax evasion, judiciary, leadership, journalism amongst others. There are many unacceptable ways why people cut corner here; a boss sexually or physically assaulting his staff; the judiciary biased; road traffic management system; loan becomes bad debts, all these have equally affected our timing system that is called ‘African time’. Unfortunately, some African countries are still making things work while the ‘giant of Africa’ is the great-ant destroying Africa. You understand it beyond my description!

The Leading Practices, which use to be called the Global Practices, is the way in which things should be done that is globally acceptable to people. Some leading practices in the area of ethics, business management, project management, construction, medicine, time management, engineering, staff engagement and others are available online for us to learn and develop a suitable and adoptable strategy for our country. These things would be engrained in our psyche that we do not need to be re-orientated when out of our geographical space.

One of the things that have made other nations look down on us is the way we do things; our morals and values. We have the opportunity of re-evaluating ourselves as the year comes to an end by asking, ‘what ways have I upheld the Nigerian factor that is negatively impacting on my ability to follow the leading practices?

The main disparity between Nigerians in the Diasporas and Nigerians resident in the country now is the ability to adhere to the leading practice.

Have a lovely Christmas!

Cheers!

Olutayo