Our political pendulum: Look before you leap

0
456

By Yusuf Mutiu Olaitan

“Be sure you understand what your boss has ordered before you act on his command. What if you whack the wrong guy or bomb the wrong joint…? Learn the art of asking questions.” The beautiful statement you have just read isn’t my statement, it’s that of a Capo of distinguished fame, who keeps several residences around the world. Even as at the time I copped the statement, his present location is a guarded secret – his name is V.

Wait, why should you care about where or who he is? He has just passed on to us a message that could be very dangerous to overlook.

In this part of the world where I’m fortunate to be born into, people (me inclusive) only want to please whoever we choose as boss — not minding if that’s what the boss want. Who cares to ask questions. Just be in his good book – by missions or commissions. That’s it. Even if our action is in stark contrast to what our boss would want. Just do it. Pax sycophant!

Like this, it’s a norm within the political followership of our country. No one cares what impacts our utterances, reactions, and positions on issues would have on your boss. No one is ready to analyse a position or judgement in our political discussions again. We just want to get our boss involved. All we care about is publicity for them. Since every publicity is publicity – even the ugliest of the publicities. Whether that will have a negative effect or even set him against those who he’ll never be ready to make an enemy of.

V. made such a lanky statement because, of course, he was discussing “This thing of theirs” (Mafia). Still, in this legit world of ours, you must know what your boss wants. You must identify the effect your actions will have on your boss – now or later. Just make sure you’re not working against him.

Imagine you set up, against your boss, an enemy he wouldn’t want to have. No! An enemy he can never conquer. Ordinarily, no boss would engage an enemy he wouldn’t win, but because “you don’t understand what your boss has ordered” and at the end ” you whack the wrong guy and bomb the wrong joint”. How would you feel when your boss is down? Wrong question! How would you survive?

Don’t tell me you would ditch your boss for another person. That’s a wrong step. One, your new boss wouldn’t trust you with even a pin. Worst, you would do to him, exactly what you did, to your former boss. And the water circle will continue in your life. Over and over again, you will lose values. You’ll lose integrity, and it will be you, you, and you, and you…

For crying out loud, do not because you want to be your boss’ favourite set him up against what people refer to as “higher power” or “higher authority”. You wouldn’t like it too.

It’s not compulsory you present yourself as a sycophant before you’re noticed. Understand what your boss wants, act on it, be diligent, be precise, most importantly, be solution-driven.

In every task you’re asked to perform, ask yourself, what’s in it for me, what’s in it for my boss, how would it affects my future, what about the people around me? If you have answers to all of these, trust me, you’re doing well. You’ll do well. And that boss you’re dying too much to protect will vouch and vow for you when the chips are down.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here