TheCable

BY AKINTOKUNBO A. ADEJUMO

Negative energy can be found almost everywhere. Negative energy is a concept used in Physics to explain the nature of certain fields, including the gravitational field and various quantum field effects, but I have tried to adapt it to our situation in Nigeria. There are people complaining about life constantly, practising bad habits and bringing you down. The emotions they spread influence your thoughts and actions in a bad way so avoiding the sources of negative energy is obligatory if you want to be more successful.

Everyone can be easily affected by negative emotions and the only exceptions are people who learned how to deal with it.

Nigerians are fond of (and seem to enjoy) embarking and wasting our energies on misplaced, unfocused priorities; waste of brains, energies, time, resources, efforts, intelligence, endeavours, etc on mundane, futile, unworthy, and unproductive issues.

Why would we waste energy on marching on Abuja demanding to see a sick President; or a counter-march supporting a sick President? Why am I debating Olubadan issue when there doesn’t seem to be any benefit in it in terms of real and weighable development for Ibadan people on the street, and the politicians seem to have their own agenda forced down everybody’s throats? And why should it bother me that the Governor who introduced this seems to be embarking on such a perilous and unpopular activity?

Shouldn’t it be time to redirect the war against ignorance, corruption, poverty, diseases, and the ilk? Our energies must be redirected to match the Koreans, Japanese and Chinese of our world. Enough of these negative energies!!!

1. The Earth (includingNigeria) was created for development.
2. People were created to develop themselves and environment to have a meaningful life.
3. Leaders/governments are wise people who should understand and work towards achievement of (a)&(b) above. But this is not yet understood by our leaders.
4. The Equipment to achieve this is education/knowledge.
5. The best way to transfer knowledge and values is through visions, stories, articles, literature etc
6. This is on the mental plane.
7. You can only transfer knowledge that is well thought out, organized, and designed for practical implementation/execution, otherwise it is useless.

Since the above are missing in Nigeria, the people are unfocused and become social cannibals destroying one another through unhealthy competition. Hate, strife, looting, embezzlement, selfishness, greed, insensitivity to the plight of one’s fellow man/woman, and destruction become the order of the day.

For progress, we need well-articulated thoughts that produce visions to give direction to our energetic masses. Directed energies will eliminate fear that comes from idle minds and bodies. This is the way to peace and positive development.

According to Oskar Nowik, an author and blogger, these are the ways that positive people handle negativity:

1. They create happiness from within.
2. They practice positive thinking.
3. They look for reasons to believe in themselves.
4. They cut off negative people.
5. They train regularly.
6. They spend time in the nature.
7. They avoid impulsive spending.
8. They accept failure.
9. They take full responsibility.
10. They learn to control their thoughts.
11. They devote some time to relax.
12. They believe there’s always a solution.
13. They know when to say no.
14. They don’t look for anyone’s approval.

Perhaps these are thing both leaders and followers in Nigeria should adapt and adopt.The problem with Nigerians is that we never accept our faults or responsibilities. We always blame someone for our mistakes or culpability.

We forget history so soon.