Disagree all you want, here is an unfortunate truth:

Today, any family circle that’s taking pleasure in prominence had a leading cause. There must’ve been at least someone who gave up his or her comfort for it. For instance: Wal-Mart may not have been the empire it is or manage to outlive a generation if not for the sacrifice and forethought of Sam Walton. Just as today, 2018, William Clay Ford, Jr. is serving as the Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company because of what his great-grandfather - Henry Ford created in 1903.

I wish I could draw nearer examples apart from some brother or sister travelling abroad, working his or her tail off to build a bigger life, invites the siblings over, introduces them to decent livelihoods, only to be labelled ‘sohorr’ (wicked) for eventually limiting his or her generosity to give attention to building a family of his or her own.

I think it has to do with forward planning, which evidently is not a familiar terrain round here. In our part of the world, it’s like every generation is for itself. And so, those who invest do it for self and fast earnings (fat-fat). Educated people look for easy jobs, civil service mostly, because it’s more convenient than seeking to create a job for posterity. That’s perhaps one reason why most formerly big businesses die with their initiators, and grand marabouts with their knowledge.

On one occasion, given that every part of the coconut palm is so useful that they call it the tree of heaven, I said if ever I get the dough, I will relocate to Jinack Island and start a very radical coconut farm. The first advice I got was that I may not live to reap the benefits, because it’d take between six to ten years to start bearing, 15 to 20 years to reach peak production.

So, the business gets deserted despite the richness of our soil for it, and even with it being a foundation for succeeding generations. I don’t blame anyone for this. I’d rather these three cultures and they’re fixable:

1) DEPENDENCY CULTURE: once one is earning and supporting the family, the rest, rather than do something, just anything to complement, they tend to relax and be collecting without end, as if there’s always more where it’s coming from.

2) SATISFACTION WITH MEDIOCRITY: we want to be the best we can be, but only a few is enthusiastic about pushing for more, so we settle for bare minimum – you know: jarut ko, li doye na, try na, taneh na, dina bakh, etc.

3) SOLIDARITY IN POVERTY: you cannot talk about laziness and incompetence as very possible causes of the state we are in, lest you’d be said to be full of yourself. Show tough love and be erased from all good records, all of your good deeds immediately cancelled, as if you never happened.