THE NEED FOR YOUTHS TO BE
CREATIVE By Mr. Rotimi Odejayi
BY Mr. ’Rotimi Odejayi.
Officer, ICT department, Lead City University, Ibadan.
The Author of the
Motivational book, “DARE TO PONDER”.
I recollected, the third day in the month of
October, 2010 was the day after our “passing-out’’. On this fateful day, l sat
down quietly and began to ponder - as a university graduate that has just
concluded the mandatory youth service programme of the Federal Government of
Nigeria. Specifically, l was enthrench in thoughts of how best to secure a
gainful employment with one of these popular organizations. As a lone-ranger, l
was thinking and also had a re-think on the way forward in my search for a job.
Before that day, recall l have heard different stories about the high prices
young job-getters pay to land their dream jobs. You know why? l needed to
ponder because of the “nasty’’ stories we hear of different unconnected
graduates trying to secure white collar jobs without making headways. What is
the way forward for me now? I started querying myself…As I was trying to arrive
at the answer, the thought just flip throughmy mind that I can employ myself.
Inspiration that elicited from that pensive mode was “what if you too
cannot secure a white collar job, what will you do? Will you fight God or
progress with your life?” Here is a pertinent question needing a
timely answer. Eventually something just brought the right answer as the
pondering continues. I later concluded with all sincerity that I may not secure
a white collar job, just as these other unemployed graduates are neither
accused nor sinners. Don’t forget that unless you are highly connected, you may
be on search for a job for months, just as the search for job itself is a job.
My dear reader this is the reality of happenings in Nigeria labour market. The
answer I got from the above question was that I needed to personally look
inward, breath deep and come out with a creative idea. All sane humans are
uniquely made to think. I mean a thoughts process that elicits a creative idea
with or without you securing a lucrative plum job. Very imperative is the need
for you to be creative. This creativity I am talking about can be in form of
performing arts, ideas, hand-work, innovative projects cum creative arts. For
any youth of today, it is this creative mind set that makes the positive
difference. I guess we are familiar with the meaning of the word “creative’’.
For the sake of clarity, the OXFORD ENGLISH Minidictionary opines that the word
“creative’’ means “involving creation or invention of
something newly: using your mind to show imagination and originality; Having
the quality or power of creating.” That is, bringing out something
new, unique and natural from non-existing situation. Cast your mind back to
God, the Almighty. He was the first creative Lord who brought forth the heaven
and earth by His great power. He later created every other necessary plants and
animals necessary for man’s survival after which he now created Adam and later
Eve in his own image. We Nigerian youth should take a cue from this and in turn
be creative.
This is how the late Steve Jobs puts it,
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they
did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they
just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because
they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things.”
What do you think separates the likes of Toyosi
Akerele, Philip Emeagwali, Denrele Edun, Ali Baba, 2Face, Asa, Chimamanda
Adichie, distinctly from other Nigerian youths? It is the creative way they
carry out their work. They are all acclaimed worldwide achievers in their
chosen arts careers. The average black man is not easily known by the Western world.
Just as what makes the difference in the upward progress of man especially on
the international stage is creativity. It is therefore a conspicuous maxim to
say “It is the creativity that makes the difference.” Are you
thinking of been different, then try to be creative. It is this trait in you
that uniquely distinguishes your work (of art for example) from that of others
in that field. So that whenever your audience, fans and/or users of your work
sees or hear you, they clearly recognize it with you as your trademark. My
personal new-year resolution is never to settle for anything else or anything
less than creativity in my writing career. So help me God.
Personally I hate pointing accusing fingers to
people in authority about my present predicament, especially when I have not
fully exhausted every available option before me. Going by all these years of
education in different levels of institution cum exposures you should at least
be creative. For example, the creative can ponder and in turn use the products
of his thoughts to create something for humanity to benefit from. The resultant
product of a creative Endeavour is something human can see, enjoy, touch, learn
from, relax with, and be happy with cum benefit from. Anyone that is creative
is someone whose lifelong commitment is in any of: writing a book, drawing
images, composing a song, poem or land album, making fine arts, standup comedy,
moulding objects with clay, carving images via wood, natural hand paintings,
knitting wool to make clothes, sewing, acting drama, dancing for people to
enjoy, to mention a few. In which of these are you good at? For example, I am a
book writer. The pivotal reason why you need to be creative is so that you can
be self reliant. I mean a situation wherein you can think, do something and use
that creative venture to take good care of yourself. The need for the Nigerian
youths to be creative is seen by writing the eight alphabets of the word ‘’creative’’
across –vertically. In this dynamic world of ours, it is expedient that you are
creative so as to be – Celebrated, Responsible,
Enterprising, Accepted, Tactful,
Independent, Valued, cum Established.
CELEBRATED - "Success has 100
parents, failure is an orphan" – J. Ashton
RESPONSIBLE - Sir Winston
Churchill said and I quote, “the price of greatest is responsibility.”
ENTERPRISING -
ACCEPTED - “In all nations an
exceptional man exists that compensates the deficiencies of the remainder. In
those moments, when humanity is found collectively in a state of decadence,
there always remain those exceptional beings as point of reference.” Was the
mind of Augusto Roa Bastos
TACTFUL – “It is this tact that
is golden, not silence.” – Samuel Butler
INDEPENDENT – “Discovery
consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has
thought.” - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
VALUED – “Not life, but good
life, is to be chiefly valued” - Socrates
ESTABLISHED – “Freedom is the
right to question and change the established way of doing things.” – Ronald
Reagan
For you to be gainful employed and even employ
other people dare to be creative. You can be creative in that singular thing
you do so easily. I mean that activity that interests you, which you are happy
to give yourself to. The only way wherein your can renowned in your chosen
discipline is to be creative. You are created with the propensity to be
creative, if you will try. While talking about the topic “creative”, it is your
action that matters. I mean you going forward to practice, again and again
until you reach the level of perfection. It is then that you become perfect.
People of Nigeria are ready to remunerate you handsomely if you will be
creative. An example of it was a man who bought a copy of my book,
“DARE TO PONDER” when I launched it last year. This man bought a copy
of the book for twenty thousand naira and then said, “I know fully well
that a copy of your book costs five hundred naira. I am only paying you this
twenty thousand naira because I have read through the book and I saw a great
deed of creativity in your writings.” What I was able to leverage upon
is my creativity. In your absence and whenever you have left your work behind,
it is your creativity that will be selling it for you.
Before I conclude, please let us read our
National anthem in part:
“O God of creation
Direct our noble course
Guard our leaders’ right
Help our youth the truth to know…
That the easiest way to excellence in
life is to be creative
And be perfected through this creative
mindset.
So help us LORD, Amen.”
