Home Selah's Journal Sonar's Journal: Crowd Mentality Versus Independent Mindset In The Nigerian Economic Sectors

Sonar's Journal: Crowd Mentality Versus Independent Mindset In The Nigerian Economic Sectors

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SonarIt is a common saying, interpreted and expressed in all cultures that; Variety is the spice of life. Little wonder why nature comes in varieties. Animals are diverse same goes for plants and insects. Have this in mind, as a mathematical formula works for specific cases and can easily be misunderstood and further misused due to misinterpretation, so can wise sayings be misused also.

Well, happy independence as the nation Nigeria marks her 54th year as a Republic, though the celebration was low key and moderate; Nigerians however expressed mixed reactions on this but, moving away from that drama to something else that has become a dominant trend over time with us as a nation.

The Afro beat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti calls it “Follow follow syndrome” better known as the “Crowd mentality”, it has caused the nation untold miseries both micro and macro speaking economically as it affects quality of living.

What exactly is this crowd mentality? The Urban dictionary refers to it as Herd Mentality which is “The inability or refusal to listen to one’s instinct or ‘gut feeling’ but to follow the majority instead, for fear of being wrong, ostracized or ridiculed”.

If only government can help resolve the discrimination between universities and polytechnics things would improve.

– Sunday Imonah

Now this can be observed in different situations, with each one having links to government aiding the behaviour directly or indirectly alongside you and I e.g. in our Education sector you can observe the majority of secondary school leavers rushing to get into universities, ignoring other forms of higher institutions though for many, university education is not what they actually need for their particular interests and skill set development. Some of the most visible problems this has created are congestion, a drop in the quality of education, parents forcing their children to study wrong courses amongst others, if only government can help resolve the discrimination between universities and polytechnics things would improve.

In Sports you find an overwhelming rush towards football; this is further aided by governments over dependence on the sport for a gold medal while other forms of sport suffer low patronage and funding. We are just beginning to learn as a nation that a gold medal is a gold medal regardless of the sport that produced it.

As for the Transport sector, Road transport remains the most popular form of transportation in the country which leaves a large margin before considering Air with attention recently being given to the nations Railway as well as Ferries on our water ways.

The Labour market also exhibit this trend as the overwhelming majority of job seekers and school leavers want to work in an office and not just any office, there is a general bias towards oil companies and other sectors perceived to be lucrative. Craft men and Artisans are complaining that they no longer have apprentices because the prospective candidates are running after smoke in form of white collar jobs or some other quick way they feel will profit them financially. Farming on the other hand is wrongly viewed as a job for peasants while the wise minority are becoming millionaires from it.

A closer look at any sector of our economy will reveal this “crowd mentality” syndrome in action and the government as well as you and I are guilty of promoting it one way or the other. Man was not created to ignore his instincts or become a slave to public/popular opinion, the proof of this lies in countless success stories of individuals and nations having the same characteristics of a divergent approach to issues. Advance countries have diversity and dynamism as part of their strong points.

If we really want change then we have to think differently as a people and as a nation to stop doing things the same way and expecting a different result from previous failures. I leave us with this, dare to be different and allow your God given “Gut feeling” and initiative room to influence your decision making processes. Things will surely turnout differently for the better, happy independence!

 

About The Writer:

Sunday Imonah AKA ‘Lord Sonar’ is an enigmatic Presenter on the Breakfast Show as well as DCA on other belts on Metro FM, He has produce, written, and directed creative works for the Station as well. He has voiced Commercials for Companies like Afrab Chem, Cornoil, numerous pharmaceutical and beverage companies as well as religious houses to mention but a few.

 

Connect:

Twitter: @FirstSonar

 

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