THINK AGAIN...

Image source- pixabay 

My mother would say giving things a second thought is a good habit. And there's an Igbo adage that says...oji nwayo eje adighi emeru ahu  which means that whoever takes things easy, doesn't always get hurt. But it hurts me to see how we quickly rush into things without even giving them a second thought.

So this one's for my fellow Nigerian youths; the supposed leaders of today whom I think have started to lose their ways and have willingly given in to things capable of stealing our future from us.

I'll start with the latest development in the country today- ponzi schemes. Although I'd say that it has always been there, but in the recent times, it has gained huge popularity and eventually succeeded in stealing the hearts of the youths.

So let's analyze it- ponzi schemes as Wikipedia defines it are fraudulent investment operations where the operator, an individual or organization pays returns to it's investors from new capital paid to the operators by new investors, rather than from profit earned through legitimate sources. The famous of them all being the MMM. However, the list is unending.

Although it is obvious to everyone that ponzi games are fraudulent activities, yet we still indulge in it, probably because it seems harmless. The night watcher often says- be careful for the things that are harmful and be even more careful for the things that seem harmless. Thing is, it is ponzi because it is fraud and it is fraud because it is designed for you to lose, even if it appears not to be so. That's why it paints a picture, a fake one that makes you believe that you can be successful without working hard for it. Which makes me wonder- how is that even possible?

The truth is, there is no substitute for hardwork, so instead of "investing" the little you have into ponzi games, why don't you get creative with your money. Try to create something beautiful that'll set you apart and bring out your creativity. It could be small... and starting small is not bad at all.

Here's a secret you must know- ponzi games prevent you from doing what you ought to do, it encourages laziness, stunts your growth and is capable of diminishing your character and personality. So whoever invented it, is far from doing you some good. They're doing more harm. Hardwork might take a while to manifest, but one thing is sure- it always bears fruits.

Now, let's look at the social media platforms. Twitter, Facebook, whatsapp, 2Go and the rest of them. What influence do they have on our youths today? I once had a little chat with a friend who said she can't stay for two minutes without pressing the buttons on her phone and when her battery dies down, she becomes partially mad, angry with everything around her. That's one of the powerful effects of the social media platforms on our youths.

Honestly, we need to learn to take control and stop being controlled. We need to get busy and spend less time on things that won't just get us anywhere. There is no way you can be convinced that you are doing your best as a youth if you spend hours on the internet chatting with invisible friends or indulge in ponzi games. Yet we wonder why Africa is one of the most backwards continents and Nigeria ranks top when it comes to countries with criminal records which ponzi scheme is now included. You have to know this- successful people always do what unsuccessful people dread and that is Hardwork. There's just no other way to get what you want.  So why can't we be among those who invent things instead of using invented ones; those who work to make their way into the world book of records, not in a negative way but in a positive way.  

Let us not be "fooled". The social media platforms might be good for us but if we are not cautious enough it could be a distraction...preventing us from developing ourselves. You might also think that ponzi games are harmless, that you could be rich with it, but you might be making the biggest mistake ever. So I urge us all to be careful in making certain decisions and before we delve deeper...let us take time to think again.