By Austin Imoru
Money making in developing countries is all
about survival not about living. It is a myth around here that you should lay
hands on money anyhow you can. Once the money is in your hands no one ask
questions. All hails to the one who has money. It is part of the culture in
most part of our country that money is everything. Without it you are finished.
Without it you are nothing.
I have often wondered why we are so desperate
after money. And why we run after money the way we do. I was more puzzled when
I found out that we are not even desperate to have money because we want to but
for one stupid reason or the other. Somehow because of the situation of the
society, we labour for money to the satisfaction of others. Most often it is
largely to demonstrate our ego. For cheap reasons as to be accepted by the
society and even for peer competition.
Many have died in our value-misplaced world,
just because they wanted to please the society who wouldn’t recognized them
except they’ve made money. In other part of the world, people make money
because they want to live better. In our society, they die for money because
they want to impress someone in their village. Can’t we at least run because we
want to run? Must we run because others are running and the people say run?
Must we die because we want to be part of what is happening in the society?
Often I ask myself if money is worth dying for,
if it’s only to impress my immediate society. You see many of us will have less
headaches if we should know the purpose of money. If we will stop camouflaging
a false live of affluence and start working to live well we will command a lot
of influence. Why must you be the one to want to please them, why can’t they
struggle to please you?
I want you to ask yourself if what-the-people
will say is worth dying for? Come to think of it, when you suddenly become rich
they will praise you. When you suddenly go down they will point fingers of
I-knew-it-will-happen at you. If this is the case, why not be smart, forget about
what they will say, because they are bound to say something anyway, and invest
your little cash wisely.
Nobody is watching you if you decide to walk
and save that transportation money for the future. Even if they watch and make
comment about how you can’t afford to board a taxi, let them comment. Ignore
them and work towards your future. Ignore them and wear that old suit for six
so you can save for a better suit tomorrow. Ignore them and do that odd job as
you prepare for the future, it is not you against them, it is you against the
future.
Stand as an individual and be responsible.
Responsibility connotes response to your ability; your ability not that of the
society. Don’t forget, the society will turn around to call you irresponsible
when you can’t stand on your own. If you can’t follow your own ideas, the
people will enslave you with theirs.
Instead of buying cars to impress them with the
little you have, why not invest it wisely so you can grow richer and stronger.
Their praises, clapping and kudos, that you are cruising around with your
Hummer will not add a kobo to your bank account. Be wise. Live for your
tomorrow not for the praises of today.
Making money for the society to see and admire
is stupid. Nothing is as dumb as living a lie. If I die for the Nairas or Benjamins, I should know why I
am killing myself not for those who are sitting on the bench only to keep
scores. Our society maybe negative in some cultures, like that of making money,
but we make it worse when we take our scorecards to them to show how much we
can steal or make.
One is forced to ask where is the place of the
family in all these? I tell you it is worse. An average family in our country,
largely because of poverty will congratulate a worthy son as it is so called,
who made money by stealing from others.
In fact, it is so bad that the society as well
as the family exerts pressure on young people to go and make money anyhow they
can. If through corrupt means, congratulation, no question asked, money is
money. Through worthy means it is still money. What you are not permitted to do
is to return without money.
As a graduate, you know it is a crime, in some
places, a very serious crime to return to your family without money. No one
cares if you have capital to start up something reasonable, they just want to
see your scorecard, the money. You
wouldn’t blame them, would you? They think, the education you got should teach
you how to get money. But you and I know that is a far cry from the truth. We
were only given training on how to get a job, not money.
Now, if the fear of poverty is chasing you on
one side and the fear that your family will fry you alive on the other, isn’t
these enough to drive you to wealth? Capital NO, not in our country and with
your training. All you will be determined to get is a good job and good jobs
are not gravels, they are like precious stones. These fears can either cripple
you or make you join others in corrupt practices.
The question we need to ask ourselves is, if we
run after money because they want us to, do we have a life of our own? Don’t
read me wrong, nothing is wrong with making money, but just be sure you are not
making it for the wrong reasons.
Has it ever crossed your mind that you can live
a better life of peace and satisfaction without the thought of what others will
say haunting your dreams? What would it feel like if you make money because of
a big dream of a better life? What if it is about, the kind of family and
spouse you dream of and not to please some folks in the village? What about a
dream to render help to someone, some group of people in the society, like
orphans, the disabled etc?
I want you to evaluate how your passion will
rise to make money and to make it in a positive light because you will want
others to beat their paths along yours. Think about the pride and satisfaction
you will get when you narrate the story of your quest and conquest in your old
age. Do you know there will be no story to tell when all efforts were made to
please others? You will forever remain displease, while others are singing your
praises. Remember only those it favours will praise you and others will
backbite.
Finally, think about working for yourself, and
making money at your own pace, space and expense, just for your own special
reason and passion. Not because someone thinks it is time you start making
money. Don’t you think doing what you want, when you want it, and how you want
it can ease a lot of tension and make you live longer?
