LECTURES DELIVERED AT THE 2ND EDITION OF OOUSUG LIKEMIMDS REUNION, CRITICAL ISSUES IN LIVING A LIFE OF COMRADESHIP: SOCIETY, MATURITY, AND ENDEARING PROSPECT- Prince Oyeyiola Oyedele Joel (Obama) NCE, BA(ED) ENGLISH, MA, PhD in view.
COMRADESHIP
A simple definition of the word by Oxford Languages will put the meaning at _" The company and friendship of others with common aims."_ Cambridge dictionary will furtheexplainns that comradeship is 'the feeling of friendship between people who live or work together especially in a difficult situation."". It can also be called "comrader."". I will also further contend that Comradeship is more of feelings of togetherness in achieving a common goal. It may, however, r be flavoured with trust , loyalty, and pure commitment.
MATURITY
Also, I would like to adopt once again Cambridge dictionary position in defining this concept. Maturity is "the state of mental and emotional development such that sense of responsibility is guaranteed." Somehow, it comes with reasonability, discretionary power, and intelligent quotents dealing with day-to-day activities.
The other keywords here are very familiar and may not need further synthesis. A life of comradeship after campus will therefore translate into accepting the reality of outside worldas typically different but usually familiar lifestyles of showing others love, trust, commitment and loyalty on a common front binding us together I any sphere of life.
It will require one to show relatively strong mental, emotional, and physical deals in handling issues, responding to issues, and initiating issues.
ISSUES IN LIVING A LIFE OF COMRADESHIP
It is about eleven to twelve years now since we left our alma mater, and to be practical, it will be unthinkable to still continue to behave exactly the way we used to do while on campus. Knowingly, a considerable mark of maturity is expected . The society itself is not sincerely designed to accommodate all the nuances as we used to exhibit them on campus. Therefore, it is a duty on our part to demonstrate education in dealing with the question of survival and existential issues around us with tact and intelligence.
Today, I stand here as a privileged individual among the lots. Having Led the university as the President of the Students' Union in 2010/11, I must be quick to mention that I was never a perfect person at that time and even now.
I must also say that notwithstanding the above, which is a general characteristic of all humans, we indeed at that time deal effectively with issues of our time, and today history is kind to us. To witness some of these highpoints of our leadership display is the university authority itself, who always calls to seek our advice on matters arising from student union leadership afterwards.
If you then ask me how it is to cope with life after campus, I will gladly respond using the following cardinal points.
1. KNOWLEDGE AS A VIRTUE
Really, I was not going to know in the immediate that the books I have read beyond my discipline are quite important. It was much later that I realized that going forward and in places that I have been privileged to be, people rate knowledge ahead of any quality. The knowledge I have acquired in my year of havid reading, including literature on humanities, classical thoughts, philosophy, and even more, are indeed very useful. The po6i am making here is simple. One must not limit himself to his discipline as there is no limitation to the extent to which ones ability may be put to test. My masters degree at the University of Ibadan explains it all. I was to undertake a course that is entirely novel. It requires one to be grounded in a number of disciplines such as political science, law, international relations, languages, Geography e.t.c, indeed it is an interdisciplinary studies. Peace and Conflicts studies to be precise. I have to bring to bear my reservoir of years of reading only to excel.
In concluding this part, it must be stressed that acquiring knowledge will afford one the opportunity to cope anywhere and everywhere. Hence, dear comrades, we must be ready to learn, un-learn, and re-learn.
2. CONTACT AND CONNECTIVITY
In today's world, if there is any relevant key to unlocking one's vision, breaking further boundaries of enduring prospects, and ensuring visibility, then it one's strength of or quality of contact and connectivity.
This is so important that as comrades, our relationship matters here. The truth is that old contacts breed new contacts, and there is no limit to this in relation to the outside world. Human being is a social animals and can not survive without emotion, love, and compassion for others. One's human relation and character index is absolutely necessary to advan6here.
This is the age of technology and its apparent tendency. It has redesigned so many assumptions on human relations with the advent of new media. We must continue to keep faith, ensure relative trust, and be willing to reflect on these fundamental changes around us. We can do this maturely without necessarily constituting a burden to ourselves.
Contacts are like mechanical engine, sometimes you may need to oil it and service it before putting them to use. Reaching out to one another, offering help to lift other and volunteering key to maintaining one's contacts as they are the ladder to the next level.
3. DELLIGENCY AND COMMITMENT
The saying that whatever that is worth doing at all is worth doing well is apt here. Comrades and dear esteemed colleagues, in your workplaces, places of worship, and social gathering (physical or virtual), let's keep to the rules and be committed to anything we are doing.
These two are so vital in achieving any shared objectives. We must remain true and delligent always to any binding norms as these shall be a further measurements of our personality. Standing out is both simple and complex, so much depends on our strength of character and choices we made in relation to any gathering we find ourselves.
We must always deliver with speed and precision. Effectively discharging our duties and delligently securing our integrity is so fundamental and profound.
4. LEADERSHIP TRAITS
That at one time or the other we have been through practical lessons on leadership is not in doubt. Moving forward, we must ignite these abilities and project a new light of ourselves.
Accepting responsibility and taking a driver's seat all the time is a good recommendation anywhere, anytime. We must demonstrate this with decorum and decency, giving the reality of today's world. We must accept that a purposeful life of result will depend largely on how well we position ourselves to lead right. The expectation of society of us is great and is pressuring. Hence, as a team in alumni body, as a parent, as a worker, and more , we must always reflect that passion to lead and obligation to deliver.
Conclusively, there is no universal rule of engagement. Society itself keeps evolving and humanity too. We are all locked in here as a participant, and it must be said we played our role well. Oladunjoye(2008) posited that " social criticism is a calling, you weigh it before you go into it…"
The above is a further reason we have to cleverly measure our strength and possibly avoid the toxicity in the society while justifying our being . As a comrade especially in the true sense of it, we need to acquire knowledge enough to take us through, a committed and delligent heart in any undertaking, a quality contact as well as connection and a high dose of leadership traits in coping and living well even outside campus. It is an all-around engagement and can be challenging.
We have done it, we are doing it, and we can do better.
© Prince Oyeyiola Oyedele Joel (Obama)
NCE, BA(ED) ENGLISH, MA, PhD in view
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