My experience at a talent search within a secondary school in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state,Nigeria, got me thinking about how I started as a young girl.
Secondary school is a place where there are lots of dos and don't. A place where a child's is easily influenced because the mind is as soft as hot eba that can be moulded to any shape by the major influence around.
This phase is where every teenager tends to find a sense of belonging. We build friendship, have dreams, discover skills and talents and sometimes we fall in love馃槣.
A phase where the struggle of identity is birthed, we begin to identify ourselves within the crowd. Oh, the passion to achieve anything is right there.
I could remember at that phase, I had wanted to be a ballerina or a gymnast. My passion to sing, dance, cook and read, gave me that artistic nature.
There were so many things I wanted to become; a female pianist; an actress etc
I had wanted someone to be my guide as a coach, to help me polish my skills and talent; someone that will help me fuel my passion by going on the right direction. I wanted someone that will tame my curiosity.
I didn't really get what I wanted. The glamour our parents kept on this "white collar job", changed the game
It was and is still a crazy syndrome in almost every home.
Parents want their children to become one of these; doctor, lawyer, banker, architect etc... How dear you come home and say you want to be an artist Who made pounded yam for you and tell you say soup no hard to get...
You can't tell your father that has been investing in your education such heart breaking news. He could be admitted by a doctor for that, because you just broke the news that his investment has crashed.
That is why everyone tends to finish school. Then you see a trained doctor becoming a great singer or an actor after 5years of working as a doctor to appeal the gods(parents) A chattered accountant now becomes a fashion stylist...
The syndromes of parents not allowing their children becoming what they truly want to be at the early stage of their life, should be stopped or tamed or better still, it should be cured
Let the children see the platform academics will give them, them them see the light in education, rather than forcing them to be who you would have been if you were given another chance.
I have discovered that whatever an individual starts to do at the early stage in life, with consistency, then he or she becomes a guru at it.
My heart cry is for parent to take out time to discover the potentials of their children,communicate with them and lead them in the way they should go by helping them to become the person they truly are.
Today, I was reminded of my experience in secondary school some years ago when I saw children with potentials but naive. We are ready to help them on that path of their dreams by mentoring them and seeing them becoming great. But with these dreams, my main goal is to change the world by making it a better place for everyone.
