Dearly beloved Soliloquy readers, the year 2023 has been like a bundle of courses one has to study critically, patiently and passionately in order to come out with flying colours. Well, just like the past years which came with their truckload of challenges, this year hasn’t been any different, from the onset, it has been dramatic, pressuring and traumatic, although, due to no fault of the year, per say.
It is often true, that as long as we are alive on Earth, learn we must. Whether through books, seminars, symposiums, workshops or other people’s experiences, learn we must. We mustn’t wait for ugly situations to befall us before we take heed.
Negligence is one fault that most of us in Nigeria suffer from, we take things for granted, and we often act as if we do not care. We are never intentional at doing things; whether it is caring for our family, working in an establishment, or performing a duty or a role, we will most likely overlook a salient point or pretend it doesn’t exist. This explains why there are often accidents in most homes, whereby toddlers crawl into the washing machine, or bathrooms, or sadly get electrocuted by a faulty fridge or drink bleaching agents mistaking it for water.
Each time, I come across pictures of toddlers or children who were found immersed in one mess or the other: smearing butter all over the floor and their face, filling the bathtub with water and about to climb into it, I cringe in fear because I just wonder, it could have been worse. Were they left all to themselves? Was there no adult around?
These same acts of negligence often play out in most establishments, it is one’s duty to cross-check an item: a machine, a socket, the classroom, do a head count, and report a piece of faulty equipment to the authorities, but no, we do not because we do not care. Some of us even equate it with money. We begin to ask ourselves, how much we make from the so-called job that would warrant us to kill ourselves. ‘ Abeg, I cannot come and kill myself jare.’
Unfortunately, we forget that should anything go really wrong such as loss of life, disability or bankruptcy and it is traced to you, there will be penalties attached to it. This is not funny at all. You can imagine being locked up for the death of your boss’ 10-month-old baby who fell into a bucket of hot water. It is not enough to say God forbid or tufikwa or Olorun oni je! This calls for being involved in your responsibility, and taking your job and your role seriously. Every human being must be intuitive. What about being slammed with a 20 million fine as a staff in a school for not doing the needful? If you ask me, prevention they say is better than cure.
There are times, some other people will nickname those individuals who are passionate about their jobs; who are responsible and do not want scary surprises, all sorts of mocking names. Such people hate their image tarnished because they believe that a good name opens doors for one. So, those responsible individuals should rest assured that they are doing well.
Like I often tell my children, being a human being especially an adult takes the grace of God, it calls for responsibility, diligence, passion and discipline. Dearly beloved Soliloquy readers, as we put in our best daily to be better human beings, make a living, train our children, build our homes and our own companies, may we never be put to shame and dishonour in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Happy Easter to you all.
