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Olurotimi Odejayi

The word “value” (in economics), means “a measure of the benefit that an economic actor can gain from either a good or service.” Source is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/value. That is, a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged. The topic means that it is expedient for the youth to exchange the societal needed values for the corresponding payments in cash. Simply put, I give value and I am paid back in turn.

The Beginning is “the trade by batter” concept

The real essence of living is for man to fulfill purpose and this is possible through a proper understanding of how life works. One major principle is the truism that “Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and something ventured, something gained.” And this is possible when you give up your expertise for an exchange for cash. This all started during the Agriculture Age wherein you exchange agricultural products (Crops and farm animal) for benefiting from gained utility. The word utility means “the satisfaction you derive from the economic value of a good or and service consumed”. What people pay for is the value they derive from using a product, goods as well as services experts render. This is the 21^st century, when you no longer practise trade by batter concept, what is obtainable today is the Trading Value Concept. This concept advocates the idea that you give-up your acquired skill in exchange for money. It is your skill that dictates what economic value employers of labour will place on you. You will be well remunerated if you have the value to trade off. What then is skill? The word skill here means “your ability to do something well.” The simple formula, Skill equals to Knowledge plus Ability, is a good example.

You can acquire relevant skill through any of these nine ways:

Practise personal development.
Master a field of specialization only.
Undergoing trainings in your field e.g. go for internship programme.
Amassing many years of working experiences in a field of endeavour.
Network with other professionals for knowledge sharing.
Acquire relevant professional certification(s) in your field.
Update your knowledge via reading, practising, mentoring, creativity, e.t.c.
Teach others whatever you know.
Embrace innovation in your business.
Dare to do critical thinking.

The Conclusion is: Continue reading “Skill Matters: Life Trading Values, By Olurotimi Odejayi”

by Isaac Oluyi

In my over 3 decades of existence on the surface of the earth I have had the opportunity to interact with three different teachers. I have been impacted one way or the other by all of them. My experience in life has made me to tag two of them as ‘rich teachers’, while the other one a ‘poor teacher’.

In 1984 I lost my father to the icy hands of death. He died at a tender age! Despite the fact that he died young, he achieved so much. He actually became a director in one of the Agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at 38. This is not a mean feat! I work 9-5 with an Agency of government today and I know it is not easy. My father was the breadwinner of the family. He was our all-in-all. When death called, events in our family took a downward trend. My mother was a petty trader with just a First Leaving School Certificate! Things got so bad that we could hardly have a meal per day. Despite the downturn, she did not give in. The situation brought out the best in her.

One event that qualifies her as one of my rich teachers happened in December, 1984. During the festive period, everybody was preparing for how to make the period a memorable one. People were buying new clothes, chickens, goats, rice and all sorts of things. We became crestfallen and dejected because we knew nothing of such would happen in our homestead. But my mother shocked my siblings and me. She invited a tailor to our house to come and take our measurements. At first, we thought she wanted to do ‘April Fool’ for us, but this was December. We reluctantly allowed the tailor to take our measurements. After the tailor left, we enquired for where and how our mother got the money to buy a new cloth. She further amazed us with her response “I took out some of my old wrappers and loosened them.” From this singular event, she taught me to always turn problems into opportunities. Instead of brooding over any situation, she taught to think out of the box and make the best of the situation. With the simple solution she proffered to a hitherto big challenge in our eyes, we had a swell time at Christmas as we wore something ‘new’. My mother was a rich teacher; she taught me by example. She introduced me to “Problem-Solving 101”. Continue reading “A Tale of Three Teachers, by Isaac Oluyi”