Crabs, Antelopes & Mice

I woke up Saturday morning feeling like sour potatoes. Cranky, upset and generally miffed about a number of issues and circumstances I was dealing with.

You know, issues that bothered around doing so much and getting very little recognition, about how not living in a bigger city takes away the shine from my efforts and how just maybe I could get the world to know how special I was if I moved cities.

I thought about how folks who were supposed to be celebrating with me(ok… actually that should read, ‘celebrating me’) were busy trying hard to undo me and make light of my achievements and longevity in this space. I gripped and ached about how folks are only celebrated at home when strangers initiated the accolades.

So I went on and on about how Abigail Bokoyeibo is doing great in the US uncelebrated; and how it took the talent hunt for us to acknowledge the brilliance of Idyl. Just consider that, Kendris isn't that venerated because he came back home to Bayelsa. I whined about how it took a ZAL Enterprise Awards Last year for several amazing Bayelsans in commerce & industry to be applauded. Mr Zigha Ayibakuro Timothy & his team, spent a few tidy millions to put that event together, saying in essence “if they don't appreciate us, we would commend ourselves”.

So I tried hard to get my wife, Eldorado Solomon-King, to commiserate with me, but she was having none of it. Babes was just all engrossed in her several projects and deadlines. No time for bellyaching and griping about nothing. Major Woman!

And so I began to console myself as I studied about “Crabism”, the phenomenon popularly referred to as Crab Mentality. You may have heard about crab mentality, or maybe you haven't. It's pretty simple,i’d remind you.

A group of crabs together in a bucket would wallow with several rattles playfully without any concern. Trouble brews however when one smart alec gets the idea that it can crawl out of the bucket and begins to actually pursue that objective.

The other crabs would just work together and pull the “I-can-get-out-of-here” crab back down. They pinch, bite, pull and tug it downwards until they get it back down. If it persists, they'd gang up and break its arms. If the dude wouldn't give in, and it insists that it wants out of the bucket, they'd just kill it. Like we say in the video games world,”Finish Him”; they'd have him murdered. Simple!

Deliberately trying to tarnish another person's image, or downplaying the results and effects of other people's success is a sign of ‘Crabism’’. It is called the PHD Syndrome. Oh… its not the Doctor of Philosophy Syndrome. No. It's the Pull Him/Her Down Syndrome. We pull others down by bad-mouthing them, judging them using standards we ourselves can't leave by. It's like a cancerous odorous plague. Emeritus Harry Porbeni has a post about something like that. It's just sad. We need to quit.

Let's celebrate each other and be there for one another. Nigeria is already hard enough, let's not compound this Ish by backbiting and badmouthing. Be there for folks, celebrate them, encourage them. Don't go around with a competitive(better put.. combative) approach to life. Truth is, we are wired and gifted differently. Iniso David Okari is teary-eyed that some kids are wanting to learn French and do better in life with the subject… really… French kwa...but yes… that's what gives her joy and makes her special, and I celebrate her. It's a great feat.

I can't be Techy like Asieri Odusi(efikomedia) or agricultural like Okorode Christian(millionaire farmer). I don't have have the connect of Zigha Ayibakuro Timothy(ZAL) or the passion for jaundiced babies like Lalemi Virtue Izzo-j(Tiny Hearts Technologies) or the anointing and calling of Pastor Patrick Adigwe(Ignite Gospel Church).

I do however have the pen to put down these words and the voice to call out everyone to playground and say… “hey guys… work for each other, sing about the brilliance of your friend and dance to the rythm of thier greatness”. It doesn't make you any smaller. Read Burutolu Augustine's post on “Collaboration” for further study.

So I get off my high horse and get back to deal with the reality of my situation.

I live and work in the Niger Delta. I work here now. I'd make the best of it whilst am here. The grass here is green cause I am going to water it. With or without the applause of the crowd, I'd just work up my goals. I'd deal with the challenges one day at a time.

Today is a gift. Brass & Books is a privilege that I am grateful to God for. I am that exceptionally brilliant Ijaw boy that knows Money & Investments like no other and is building a $1 billion dollar private equity firm. Let crabs be crabs and I'd be that smart Alec who is rewriting the script.

With this repositioned frame of mind, Grant Cardone’s mail drops into my mailbox.

It's about Antelopes and Mice. The story bothers around a hungry lion that needs to choose between antelopes or mice to satisfy his hunger. A few mice here and there would titillate his appetite but the antelopes… just one … would fill his stomach and crush his hunger. The Lion has his choices out before him.

So today, I am that Lion, a few small wins… a few small deals, like mice could be interesting… but those antelopes, the big deals are the game.

Like my best friend, #ESK would say, “I don't do small figures. If you don't talk millions, I don't want to spend my time on it”

So this week, don't be like the Crabs, spend time celebrating your friends, let the Mice tickle you as you gun down the Antelopes. You're the best!!