MOTIVATION

Eons ago, I thought I loved money more than anything in the world. And yes, just to play into the hands of the imbeciles who bandy about idiotic stereotypes, I'm an Igbo man and a proud one at that. Money was my motivator...in fact, it was my only motivation. Before I ventured into anything, I always asked myself a question which in many ways, has become a popular Nigerian response; "What's in it for me?" In all honesty, anything I ventured into with that mindset never yielded satisfaction as such motivation is the perfect recipe for greed. In my search for fulfillment, I stumbled on a certain truth: there is nothing as fulfilling and satisfying as putting a smile on someone's face without the expectation that they can repay in future.

This mindset unfortunately, represents the reality of millions of Nigerians. There was once a generation in this nation of ours where people were not motivated by money to work hard or do right for any kind of benefit. You had to work hard because it was instilled in you as the right thing to do as opposed to being a lazy bum. Of course, it lay at the back of every mind that a hard worker gets his due in due time but it wasn't even at the forefront of considerations.

So where did the monetized mindset come from? When did this emphasis on money or materialism take the fore front in our otherwise simple life. I can't exactly remember where it all began but somewhere along the line as we matured, we got stuck with the mentality of worshiping the purchasing power of money, or those who owned a lot of it. Considering the lengths members of the older generation have gone to acquire wealth, forget about 50cents; he knows absolutely nothing about his mantra "Get Rich Or Die Trying" compared to some of our old folks, especially in the political arena. It is the reason men like Tony Anenih are determined to loot more money even with a foot close to the grave. One would have thought that for such men who have illegally amassed enough wealth to last at least 10 generations, they would be seeking redemption and a more honourable meaning to life especially at the twilight of their prolific looting careers but no, they seem to just be getting started. So if you ever start to wonder why many young people today have no soul, don't look too far. 

The bad examples set by the older generation, especially in leadership, has eaten deep into the marrow of this current generation. It is the reason that men like IBB could say the Nigerian youth is not ready to take up leadership positions in Nigeria. It is because of the example they set; they wove corruption into the DNA of the younger generations by their thoughtless acts of unabashed roguery, forgetting that younger ones, being what they are, are impressionable and are excellent imitators.

I have come across a lot of young men and women who like Esau, would sell their birthrights for a morsel of what is rightfully is theirs. They sing songs of praise they do not believe in to elevate their loyalty standing in the eyes of their benefactors and cut off the tongue of their conscience for the sake of their stomachs. 

The greatest evil for a diverse nation as ours is to be motivated for the wrong reason because whatever motivates you, owns you and eventually consumes you. It was Professor Ibeh's motivation for fame and fortune and not his love for humanity that made him bypass all known protocols to announce an untested HIV/AIDS cure; It was Dr. Abati's motivation for his stomach that brought about his most infamous u-turn from acclaimed social critic to presidential praise singer. The list of the wrongly inspired and motivated is unending. It is as a direct result of our politicians, and more recently, our "men of God" being wrongly motivated that Nigeria is stuck in the quagmire it is today.

If Nigeria is to move forward, we all must shed the skin of self and its attendant greed and cease from the "what's in it for me" mentality to doing something good, something inspiring, something selfless - just for the heck of it. The true path to fame, fortune and greatness never materialized from pecuniary motivation. It always began with a passion to love, a passion to create, a passion to serve, a passion for mankind, a passion for positive change, a passion for sacrifice. American history is littered with such men. Obama would never have been sworn in yesterday for a second term were it not for the unmistakable passion for service he exudes. 

There is no greater acquisition than the gratitude and good will of men for good and inspiring deeds done. The self-satisfaction it brings is unparalleled. It is a shield against evil, a mirror for positive self worth. It is what brings back the meaning to life in an otherwise insignificant existence. It is not so much about helping the next man as filling that void within us that wealth can never fill.

So after you read this, take a long and hard look at the mirror and ask yourself what motivates you.

Malcolm O. Ifi.

Engage on twitter @saymalcolm

Photo Credits; The Internet