Maps & Compasses

Welcome on board

The column, Maps and Compasses would dissect various topical issues in our society and bring to the fore the major and minor, even the minutest details for public consumption. The column is manned by a student of the University of Life where all humans are studying but different courses. It's the only university in life where no two students are studying the same courses.

No man is an island therefore we need one another. The rich needs the poor and vice-versa, in the same vein the illiterates need the literates and conversely. A toddler knows what a senior citizen doesn't, the reverse is true as well.

I would chart a fresh course, champion a known cause for your refreshing delight.

I would dissect and diagnose, comb the overgrowth, undergrowth, height and depth, length and breadth of diverse issues, from various events and phenomena. We are travelling on the expressway so remember to always fasten your seat belt, don't use your phone, don't drink before or while driving, don't make or receive calls and don't send or receive SMS from the devil, the best friend and business partner of death. In other words don't overspeed, don't overtake recklessly or overload.

Bottom line: be a sportsmanlike driver!
I would unknot puzzles, untie riddles, confront complex, complicated issues and break down to simple, understandable details. We all need passwords, blueprints, manuals, keys, insights and of course maps and compasses to successfully navigate the sea of life.

Artifacts: cars, masts, bridges, smart phones, DVDs, nuclear weapons, shoes, suits, chalets … are made by humans; humans are made by God. Nothing that was made was made by happenstance. You can't see your voice but you can see your voice box, (larynx) you can't see your mind but you can see your brains, by extension you can't see the creator but you can see His creations.

I believe, strongly believe in the existence of a supernatural force, an all-knowing, supremely intelligent and extraordinarily wise, immortal being who oversees the affairs of man on earth, we call him God.

The first documented biological operation God performed was to correct an anomaly and He knew you can't separate pain from surgery so to subdue that mountain He deadens Adam's pain by making him fall asleep – his sleep was infused with anaesthetics. Because if you were sleeping and someone pricked you with a needle you would respond immediately because your nerves weren't sleeping. So Adam and his nerves were sleeping therefore God removed a rib from his ribcage.

The 'birth' of Eve was the beginning of civilisation because two good heads are better than one. She was taken out from his ribcage – cage (prison.) Women are treasures – never to be imprisoned. Men are templates – always to be solicited.

Doctors, surgeons model their operations using God's prototype. They use anaesthetics to deaden pains. They perform a surgery to correct a malady.

The foremost operation was done in the Garden of Eden, theatres are gardens as well. There organs are planted: transplanted. Medical caregivers remove the kidney (harvest) from someone and transplant (plant) in another, in kidney transplant ….

God is our immortal, omniscient teacher.
We are his mortal, ignorant pupils!
This is just a preamble, we have a lot to talk about.

Every journey and change in journey in life is a voyage of experience, a test of expertise, an assessment of requisite skills, an exposure to unpredictable circumstances demanding inalienable courage and immeasurable survival instincts and reflexes.

Any change in life, major or minor brings about acculturation which triggers opportunities to learn, unlearn or relearn and in the end it widens our horizons and broaden our frontiers. In this column we would talk about something, everything yet nothing. It will be sensational, I promise you. I'll learn, you'll learn we'll learn.

Men are Methuselah babies and our mothers and wives even sisters, female colleagues and bosses can testify to it. The columnist may be young chronologically but philosophically he's a 21st century Methuselah. When a praying mantis prays for you, thank your stars but don't think it will shine during the day. You've got to be patient enough to wait till evening and when your precious bride begins to sashay down the aisle don't be carried away because there are starless nights as well.

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I would talk about spiritual gravitational force, atrocities of husbands, iniquities of wives, the unending cold war between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, strip the clothes of the dictum, Pot calling kettle black and many dictums and aphorisms. I'll beam my flashlight on the issue of leadership cum followership.

We the followers must begin to demand the proceeds from the sales of peas and nuts not peanuts, and our leaders must be accountable and demand probity from us as well. I would use microscopes to examine micro-issues, binoculars to diagnose terrestrial matters and telescopes for celestial phenomena. I would examine the lives of celebrities, leaders of renown, people of genius, lands, times and seasons.

I would spice up the column with interviews, short stories, flash fictions, biographies, amazing happenstances, distressing circumstances. I would asterisk, highlight the lifestyles of artisans, illiterates, leaders, professionals, business tycoons who brave the grave to survive the entrepreneurship typhoon threatening our private-sector economic balloon.

A poor person is not one who doesn't have money but the one with a poor mind and wretched heart. Give a poor man N500,000,000 and watch him over the years squander his resources back to his wretched socio-economic status. Money works for rich people, poor people work for money. Rich people spend money to save time conversely, poor people spend time to save money. People who're desperate to make money usually lose what they set out to get and their capital base, some are duped ….

We're too impatient in life, in fact, this 21st century world is a fast-paced age. Fast food, lose 30Ib in two weeks, become the MD of your company in two years ... this is bad, too bad! Every Tanko, Tayo and Tagbo wants to be wealthy but they're not ready to pay the price. God, the only omniscient being didn't create the whole universe in one day even though he could – that's a cue for you and I.

Riches make life easy and comfortable.
When I see Aliko Dangote
I 'see' pregnant money – jumping like monkey.
Does a black person blush? Maybe, maybe not! But when he does, it's a melodrama, the caricature of a poet. The bumblebee might claim to be the honeybee but by their fruits you shall not only know, you'll recognise and distinguish them as well. Just tell her to visit HER honeycomb and bring you honey and get your money. The goose might claim the mongoose is not different from her just invite Mr. Snake and see her scamper away to safety but a great opportunity for the mongoose to swell up his archives of silverwares.

The import of all these is that everyone is blessed, we are all unique and we shouldn't try to imitate or compare ourselves to others, instead we should find our area of gifting and calling.

Spread the words around, viral the news to your family, friends, spiritual leaders and neighbours, mentors and protégés, colleagues and tell them to pay regular visits to this site.

Welcome to Maps and Compasses!

About The Author
Olayemi Ogunojo is a writer, teacher, publisher, philosopher and freelance journalist, based in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria. I am the founder/president of Pearlvision Publications.

He is into publishing, advertising and marketing.