Mrs N. expected me to teach Comprehension for my slot on Teachers’ Day 2025, to the Class 5 Gang. When I showed her the props for the Improv Play I’d brought along, she gladly endorsed my gig instead.
It was interesting and completely up my alley to make up the roles and some chants as we went along. I apologised to Scorpion or Elephant when I couldn’t immediately recall their names and got to negotiate with Dinosaur to become Tiger because it would not be historically accurate for a T Rex and a Rabbit to co-exist. Tortoise was played by my own son, Kamsi, being assured that our shared sense of humour would let him hold no grudges at playing the villain. His character refuses to join the others at hefting brick, wood and mortar in building the new palace. For some strange reason, he only makes accompanying sounds to every work done.
On payday, the animals get two gold coins each- starred by my leftover coins from international assignments. Eager Tortoise however only receives the “sound of coins” rattling into the jar, gladly played by my favourite vase from home.
Thankfully, the kids caught the moral of the story.
I would be so thrilled to learn that something meaningful from the encounter stuck in the minds of these young Nigerians in years to come.
Happy Teachers’ Day again to all teachers and Happy Independence month!
𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑
Iṣẹ́ l’ọ̀ọ̀gún Ìṣẹ́- a poem that every Yorùbá student had to learn back in the day.
Meaning? Fruitful Focused Strategic/Visionary Labour is the Antidote to Poverty.
If you no work, who you wan’ resemble?
“Enjoyment” and “Recognition” na only for those who don work. There’s also a caveat about seeing through praise singing and bowing to your high status and office in life.
I was clearly excited to find this piece of representative poetry painted at The Cocoa House Museum, in Ibadan, Oyo State and connect the dots to the work ethic I hold to over 35 years later.
Get up off that thang!
Have a blessed and fruitful rest of the week.
𝐌𝐢𝐝-𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤-𝐈𝐧
I am still in my Nigerian Independence Month musings and I am happy to showcase the brilliance of our culture at work and ingrained our values as Nigerians.
In October 2024, we at @geoscape_ltd rounded off 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓳𝓮𝓬𝓽 𝓘𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮, in collaboration with Nigerian Content Development Board. A beautiful confluence of Engineering, Safety, Supply Chain and Entrepreneurship developing Nigerian expertise and grit… it was truly an end worth celebrating.
I enjoy close-outs of any tasks even as I acknowledge that every end is really a new beginning. Enjoy your week! @o.o.s.fits_ 👗 @_adenike24 👑
Throwback to that time in Q1 2025 when NLNG said “hold my cup” and then leapt to the zenith of customer care- treating their vendors to the best of customer service at The Partners’ Conference.
There was strategic technological brainstorming, sumptuous meals (😉), very comfortable exhibition spaces and listening ears to ideas and feedback.
Customer service- Client To Vendor, and the other way around is really to ensure that all takers are highly esteemed by each other.
Let’s keep the #MissionPossible energy!
Honestly? I am proud of being Nigerian. The pot-pourri of Can-Do and sheer talent that I represent is enormous. What about the networking quotient across our many names, cadres, tribes, cloaks, board and banquet (as a foodie na) tables? If you know anything about us- our generosity and creativity should arrest your loyalty!
Wait and see, so many more of us are intentionally changing our collective narrative- slugging it out, laughing at our travails, figuring “it” out and changing our mediocre into proud, lush prosperity. 21 shuns 🫡 to the @uubo_law Women’s Annual Retreat for covening amazing Nigerians effortlessly. 💚 💚 💚😘.
Also, pleaseeeee buy #SedosoOil , a Naija product you can count on! @sedosoltd 💚
𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞
Shimshon’s call shrilled on 3𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 202𝘹. Languid and hungry me took the call, conversing on speaker phone as I conducted the kids to set the table for brunch. I was also hungry for business under my drive to solve this client’s critical time-bound problem.
“I have a visa, my Oga. You’ll hear from me once I hand it over to your rep at the hangar in 48 hours, back in Lagos”.
One call to my friend to chart my course, the next to @wakanowholidays to sort the flights, another to my nanny to resume ASAP with a promise of a juicy bonus, last calls to my parents to hint at my itinerary as my hubby sped me to the start of The 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏.
𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆? Deliver operational excellence.
𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏? Expedite, Engage, Educe, Egalize, Ease and Ebulliate.
𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆.
I landed near Stade Lousi II to fit a critical item in my purse; cool my heels in Monte Carlo between flights and was whisked right back to Nigeria to avert a performance horror story, at a National critical plant.
What seems incredulous and impossible continuously transmuted into 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞, breeds resounding success, no matter the mission.
Hunched all night over a solution proposal? Donning coveralls at remote clients’ ports to walk in the customer’s shoes?
𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 ? Count me in.
Happy Customer Service Week 24/7 !
World Teachers’ Day 2025… in the same month as our Independence Day … I thank my parents … my best teachers and all those who pass knowledge on to Nigerian students in a way that reinforces the best of our culture, identity and the vision for a much better tomorrow. 🫡😘.
