Bayo Ogunmupe: February 2019

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Acquire new skills to survive 2019 (3)

By Bayo Ogunmupe

Becoming skilful in meditation is my next line of skills development in this age of technology. Learning to control the quality of your mind is my definition of meditation. Many of the world's top performers have integrated meditation as part of their daily routine. There is hardly a better way to gain clarity of mind than meditation. It makes you fall asleep faster; makes you less stressed, and enables you make better decisions. Meditation's sub skills include the seven basic types of meditation. These are breathing tecniques, compassion and love, body awareness, and relaxation. Others are: withholding judgment and the mantras; these are legion. For me, meditation is one of those skills, like browsing I thought I will never be able to learn. This was because I didn't think of meditation as a skill worth learning. Then, I had the misconception that while meditating, you don't have to think about anything, therefore anytime I had a thought, it frustrates me. But that's wrong.

The solution is to have the right mindset and with the consistent practice of holding not more than an idea in your mind at a time, you will master it. As a beginner, you should have guided meditation. It will teach you to hold more than one thought at a time. It guides you through a greater clarity of mind which is what meditation is all about. You learn to be aware of how your body and mind feel. You learn to relax even when you are too nervous to relax. What most people don't realize is that it takes time to learn how to meditate. To become adept at it you have to create a habit of meditating for ten minutes everyday. In the beginning I laugh when ask me to count my breaths while meditating. But I later learned to control my emotions. The more time you invest in it, the easier it becomes. It is also advisable you practice where you are not going to be disturbed. Your best posture is to lay on your bed to practice meditation. You cannot concentrate if you are not comfortable enough. Since the bend down bookstores have disappeared on Nigerian streets, you had better searched the requisite meditation articles in the Internet for more information.

Computer programming is a most lucrative skill in this age of communication technology. My definition of programming is learning to code and create software and hardware. Programming is very popular in Nigeria today. It is a useful startup business and a lucrative self employment strategy. For those who want to create their peculiar gadgets from scratch, programming can be a great way to do that. Programming is used for both software and hardware. Programming is the art of giving instructions to machines, to make a machine do things. Without programming we'd have no computers. There are many sub skills in programming. Some of its sub skills are web development, backend development, game development and App development. Others are robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), augmented reality, virtual reality, data minig, scripting and languages.

However, programming sub skills commonly available to us in developing countries are: variables, loops, functions, object oriented programming; unified modeling language, file handling and databases. For those unaware of the importance of programming skills, it is being a genius in programming that made Bill Gates the richest man in the world till date. Gates abandoned his undergraduate studies at Harvard University for programming skills at a cybercafe. Computer engineers skilled in programming use it to create video games for a living. Programming is daunting at first. It becomes game when you master it. To learn programming you have to do it with a purpose. What do you want to build? When you have answered that you have succeeded. Your goal will boost your motivation, keeping you going. Learning programming is very boring. learn them as you build your dream. Stick to doing whatever you want to do with programming.

Search for tutorials online and put them into action straight away. Indeed, there has never been a better time to learn programming in Nigeria than now. With our dwindling foreign exchange earnings; we're compelled to create things by ourselves instead of importing them. Through the Internet, you gain access to so many great resources all for free. It isn't a matter of which tools or resources to use; it is about making things you want, and learning everything along the way. Internet is your best place to learn to code for free. In learning such things as programming find a mentor. Mentors are crucial in guiding you through life, your career and mariage. Choose mentors from career professionals, those directly involved in the profession of your interest. The founding editor of The Economist of London, Walter Bagehot was my first mentor. I met him by correspondence through his book: The British Constitution.

Acquire new skills to survive 2019

By Bayo Ogunmupe

New technologies have taken over the workplace which is why unemployment is rampart. In order to thrive and survive in the new millennium, you have to acquire new skills. Formal education is no longer enough to gain employment. You have to acquire new skills. I entered journalism as a proof reader on the Nigerian Tribune, Ibadan in 1962. It was due to an industrial attachment programme of my school, the International School Ibadan, a staff school of the University of Ibadan. Nowadays, technology has eliminated the proof reader in journalism. Technology has also eliminated the typist. Now, you have to type, proof read and sub your stories before sending it for publication. As it is in journalism, so it is in the workplace in general; many job titles have become obsolete. Thus, skill based, informal education alone can get you jobs in this 21st century.

Drawing is our first skill. It is an art form that takes many years of practice to master. It is a broad skill that can be broken into sections. The smaller sub skills take too long to learn. Sketching techniques are sub skills that are applied to paper and software. Colouring techniques, line art, photoshop, illustrator are their software usage. Pencil gripping, controlling line weight; faces of people, creatures, objects, scenery are other drawing sub skills. Shading techniques, realistic, cartooning and caricature styles; others include: technical drawing: architecture, electrical, engineering, structural, scientific and many more. Since drawing is a broad skill, learning it starts from any of the sub skills mentioned. With 30 minutes paced practice per day, five days a week and three months you will master it.

Following tutorials online, consistently, you will be surprised how fast you can become good at most of the sub skills. Being more productive is my second skill. Productivity by definition means making the most of the 24 hours you have in a day. This is an ambiguous skill because productivity is an abstract concept. Progress then is measured on time saved and the quality and quantity of results accomplished. Being more productive is not all about work. It is about spending time doing what matters to you. That can be time spent with family, friends, working, and entertainment. The sub skills of being productive include clearly identifying your purpose; clearly identifying your values; adopting the growth mindset. Others are developing self awareness, focusing, going into flow; getting limitless effect and crafting smart goals by working smart.

Working smart as the linchpin of productivity means you truly understanding the Pareto Principle(80/20 rule); using the Eisenhower Matrix, planning your career and managing your time prudently. Your road to acquiring productivity skills comprises mastering the use of the keyboard, track pad or mouse and typing faster on computer or phone. My story on productivity is interesting. After 'media employer won't pay salaries habit' took root in Lagos in the turn of the new millennium, I started writing for The Guardian as the only solvent tabloid at the time. We submit our manuscripts to be typed by a pool of stenographers. Now writers have to type their scripts by themselves. That forced me to type my columns by myself. At the beginning, I type from scripts; now I type direct from memory and faster than ever before. These changes improved my productivity. At a time I could only produce an article per day. Now I write two essays per day. Learning the skill of productivity has accelerated my productivity a hundred fold. Like me, you have to learn new skills to survive this Fourth Industrial Revolution.

cquire new skills to survive 2019 (2)

By Bayo Ogunmupe

To summarize my take on the skill of being productive, which I treated last week, since learning to work smart and productively three years ago; I realized I had developed habits that made me more productive than most people on the computer. Learning creative productivity enabled me develop more self awareness and then I started getting a lot more done in less time. Thereafter I got time to write for my blog and website. I have since been guided by a quote by the dean of entrepreneurship education Dr Peter Drucker: "There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." From there, you should really understand the Pareto Principle. It is from the Pareto Principle that it dawned on me that bad people cannot have good government. Since in most societies the active 20 percent lords it over the majority but docile 80 percent.

Playing the guitar is my next skill for your understanding. Guitar is the most popular instrument people want to learn among the skills. The guitar is used for so many songs in life. It is the blast to play at friend and family gatherings. With so many types of guitars, it is not always hard to find the sound you like among guitars. In learning the guitar you discover most string instruments. Its sub skills include guitar terminology, types of guitars, playing styles, reading music sheets and positioning and moving fingers on guitars. Other sub skills are the essential strumming patterns, the four popular chords, playing specific songs and styles and many more. Because I don't currently know how to play the guitar, the following is based on my observations of how others play it.

Basically, you should spend a fortnight learning the theoretical aspects of the four major chords. Then start looking for songs which use the four main chords. Look for videos as against music sheets. Practice a variety of songs, reading music sheets for guitars could be viewed from videos. Get videos teaching how to hold the guitar; the chords, the fingers, fret and strings and the video of the five essential strumming patterns. You can get from the Internet free videos and articles on the Nine Types of Guitars every guitarist should know. Other articles available on the Internet includes Choosing a guitar playing style.

Photography is my last skill for you today. Photography is learning to use a camera to take a portrait photo. This a very broad skill, much like drawing. Everyone is now interested in photography due to the rise of smartphones and new technologies. It is now easier to learn than ever before. And it is a most satisfying skill both to learn and applied. Photography sub skills include: terminology, framing, the rule of thirds; composition, reading histogram and types of cameras. Understanding the basics of photography entail knowing the functions of such issues as shutter speed, aperture, and portrait photography. Both landscape photography and portrait photography have many sub skills. Object photography has many sub skills too. So also action photography while macro photography, long exposure photography are technical photo styles. Other sub skills are photo editing in camera raw, photo editing in Photoshop, Photo editing in Lightroom and many more.

The rule of thirds you can learn in five minutes. It is one of many framing techniques and it is worth looking at other framing skills too. Many good photos have been destroyed for lack of framing skills. Note that you can and should crop your photos during post production to frame them better. Learning proper exposure is another essential aspect of photography. Learn perfect exposure photos must not be underexposed or over exposed. For a month, the practice of specific styles is beneficial. Start with landscape, you find it hard to create photos that stand out. Learn a style once a month and focusing on one style at a time will give you enough practice to become adept at it. You can back up your practice with reading up from books topics like: Digital photography boxed set, and Mastering Exposure in Digital Photography.

Acquire new skills to survive 2019 (4)

By Bayo Ogunmupe

The last of the skills essential for your survival in this Fourth Industrial Revolution age is public speaking. This is a skill in high demand nowadays. It is a needful skill for pastors, politicians, lawyers and comperes. The definition of public speaking in my view is learning to speak with ease in front of a crowd. There is so much to public speaking that it's no surprise that it's a skill that makes almost everyone nervous just thinking about it. It is in some ways the epitome of mastery of a language. It also tackles some of the fears most of us harbour like fear of failure; fear of crowds and a host of other fears.

The ancient name for public speaking is oratory and rhetoric is its grammar. Famous among orators of all time were Demosthenes (384 BC-322 BC the Athenian statesman and the greatest of the ancient Greek orators. He was a contemporary of the philosophers Plato and Aristotle. The second example is Marcus Cicero (106 BC- 43BC), Roman lawyer, scholar, the greatest Roman orator and rhetorician. Like rhetoric, the sub skills of public speaking include: pitch, tone, volume, vocabulary and clarity. Others are: crafting introductions, crafting conclusions, storytelling, pace and how you present yourself, body movement and crowd interactions.

As an ancient subject its sub skills are endless. Some of the others are creating visual support, controlling nervousness and many more. My story with rhetoric as a shy introvert started at school when my teachers would ask me to explain how I got answers to questions in class. To get me out of my shyness I had to get further information from my superiors and libraries. This gave me some confidence, which worked pretty well for me. Before doing a presentation in front of the class, I often picture myself in front the pulpit like the vicar of our church.

In my chequered career in journalism, I picked up writing and rhetoric as skills I would practice whenever out of paid employment. Little did I know these skills would be instrumental to my survival in life. How did I learn public speaking? As rhetoric advised, seek opportunities to speak in front of groups. Start with people you are comfortable with, like your friends and family. Talk about subjects you are really passionate about. When you talk about things you love, about people you love, your nervousness disappears.

Recognize that the first time you tell a story, it won't be perfect. Take note of people's non- verbal reactions. Note the interest levels of people on each sentence you utter. Public speaking is about refining your stories. When ready attend toastmasters events. Seize opportunities to speak wherever you are. Seek knowledge of many things for the value of knowledge is that an informed person is forearmed against danger. A long dispute means both parties are wrong. When you show such wisdom in rhetoric you are on the road of becoming a famous orator. The greatest gift you can bestow the world is your transformation into a rhetorical personality.

Walk away from provocative arguments. Walk away from people who deliberately put you down. Walk away from the practice of pleasing people who never see your worth. Walk away from thoughts that undermine your peace. Walk away from judgmental people. Remember that these mistakes and fears do not determine your fate. The more you walk away from things that poison your soul, the healthier your life will be, and the more confident you become. In your imagination, begin to weave the cloth of your oratory and the Divine will provide the thread.

Acquire new skills to survive 2019 (2)

By Bayo Ogunmupe

Fifty most influential people in Ogun

A review by Bayo Ogunmupe

Fifty most influential people in Ogun State is volume one of who's who in Ogun State. The book is a collection of resume and memoirs of 50 people of Ogun state extraction in Nigeria. This who's who in Ogun state is a publication of the Prestige Newspapers, Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was first published in Abeokuta, in 2018. Its authors are Dada Olanipekun, Chris Omotosho, Wale Afuape and Biodun Ogunyemi.

Fifty most influential people is in paperback with 298 pages. It is illustrated with the pictures of every person chosen. From this volume you will discover that Ogun state people are enlightened and blessed with human resources. The gateway state: Ogun being the state closest to the sea coast of Lagos lagoon; the state is through which western education entered Nigeria. By embracing western education Ogun can boast of people of stature in every field of human endeavor. The need to document the heroic deeds of those who have contributed to the growth of the state spurred Prestige Newspapers to take up the task of collating this who's who.

The personalities captured in this book are not only indigenes of Ogun state, the authors extended their tentacles to identify some distinct men and women who are not indigenous to Ogun state but who have contributed to the growth of the state. The philosophy behind this project is that people ought to be celebrated when they are alive and that documents and memoirs of heroes should be documented for generations to come.

Initially 100 men and women were targeted for this project. But 50 people met up with criteria and deadline with most of the respondents preferring lucid and well written biographies. Those captured by this volume are not all indigenes of Ogun state. Some of those captured aren't indigenous to Ogun state; they were so chosen because of their contribution to the development of the state.

This book is the first volume of an on going project of collating the most influential people in Ogun state every four years. A good number of outstanding personalities dead and alive had contributed and still contributing to the development of Ogun state have been left out because our focus is limited to those active and alive. The structure of the book is largely experimental as some were interviewed to further inform readers on the essence of living an eventful and purposeful life.

This who's who in Ogun state opens with the biodata of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Born in 1937 at Abeokuta, Ogun state, Obasanjo became an orphan at 22 but attended schools at Ibogun and Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta. He enlisted in the Army becoming a General and military ruler from 13 February 1976 to 1 October, 1979 and an elected President from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. Obasanjo was married four times and has 20 children.

The second entry into this book is Professor Wole Soyinka. Born Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka on 13 July, 1934 in Abeokuta, he grew up in an Anglican mission compound where his father worked as an Anglican minister and school teacher. A precocious genius who made adults cite comments: "He will kill you with his questions." After leaving the University of Ibadan with a third class degree in the Arts in 1954, Soyinka proceeded to England to continue his education at the University of Leeds where he served as Editor of its magazine, The Eagle.

Soyinka graduated with a first class bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature in 1958, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Leeds in 1972. In 1986, Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Upon the award, the Nobel Committee in its citation said: "the playwright in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones, fashions the drama of existence."

As Nigeria's foremost man of letters, Soyinka is still politically active, spending the February 2019 election week monitoring electoral irregularities and ballot box snatching. According to The Guardian Nigeria, Soyinka has been married thrice; he married the British writer Barbara Dixon in 1958; Olaide Idowu, a Nigerian librarian, in 1963 and Folake Doherty, his current wife, in 1989. After being cured of prostate cancer in 10 months, his admirers adorn him a "Kongi."

My last icon of education in Ogun state isn't indigenous to the state. He is Dr Olusegun Aluko, former rector of Federal Polytechnic Ilaro. Born on 13 May 1960 in Osogbo Osun state. He is a native of Mopa, Kogi state. After primary education at Osun and secondary at Kwara, he proceeded to study architecture at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he bagged B.Sc and M.Sc degrees in architecture in 1982 and 1985 respectively.

Courtesy his youth service at Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa state, Aluko was appointed lecturer in architecture but for love of adventure he transferred his service to the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro as lecturer Grade 11 in 1988. he was promoted chief lecturer in 2007 and now armed with a Ph.D in environmental management, for his selfless and meritorious service he was appointed rector of the institution. As a married man and dedicated academic, Dr Aluko has proven to be a successful architect of human, physical and organizational structures.

For the authors of the paperback: Dada Olanipekun is the founder of the Prestige Newspaper. He has been the chair of the Association of Nigerian Authors in Ogun state since 2015. Dr Chris Omotosho is a member of the staff of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta where he teaches Dramatic Literature and Literary Criticism. Abbey Ogunyemi is broadcast journalist. He retired as manager, News, at the Nigerian Television Authority, Ijebu-Ode. Last but not the least is Dr Olawale Afuape of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. He teaches Communication Skills at the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa.