INNOVATION IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT INTERNAL BRANDING

With innovation as a core value for most organizations, it is important to note that a business cannot really innovate if it pays little or no attention to internal branding. Innovation can easily be defined as developing simpler ways to create value, it should also be directly expressed through a brand experience. A lot of people believe innovation is simply the application of new technology to achieve a business objective, this is grossly untrue as it is more broadly about developing new ideas to meet existing or unforeseen needs in a more efficient and valuable way.

This article seeks to create a direct relationship between innovation and internal branding as a practice. Our understanding is that when internal branding is done right, it creates the appropriate environment for innovation to occur effortlessly and organically. A company’s employees can either make or mar the effectiveness of a brand or business. It is therefore imperative that internal branding plays a vital role in the implementation of an organisation’s business strategy.

Corroborating this view, Maclaverty et al emphasizes that an organization’s powerful channel of delivering on a brand experience, is the intermediation of its employees. According to them “ internal branding in recent times has seen a growing number of organizations which now view the marketer’s job inside the work premises, to be just as important as the external through a set of strategic processes that align and empower employees to deliver the appropriate customer experience, in a consistent fashion”. Successful brands like Starbucks, Zappos and IBM, have long realized that a brand message targeted at the consumer without taking into consideration, the comprehension of such a message by the average employee is no longer sustainable, no matter how emotional this message might be.

 A valid question can be asked” Why is internal branding even important?” It is important because we as humans live in a continuously evolving world of work, where more would be required from what is contained in our job description. Where there is a disconnect between the goals of the organization and that of the employee, there would always be problems in the organisation. The simple truth is that people want to work in places where what they do, resonates with what they believe in. If innovation is at the forefront of an organization’s positioning strategy, beliefs and culture, then that message should be clearly communicated to the employees and ingrained in them. If innovation is to be a culture, it should not be seen as the job function of a particular unit in the organization or as a buzz word framed among a few others in the reception; it should be seen as the responsibility and character of every member of staff.

A case in point, Virgin Atlantic capitalizes on effective internal branding, to encourage a culture that is innovation driven, thus making them a leader in innovation, amongst the airlines around the world. They achieve this by encouraging every member of staff to develop ideas, letting them know that their ideas are crucial to the business, and employee feedback is also taken into consideration when making critical decisions in the organization. This practice helps the employee see the success of the organization as his/her success and not just a place where he resumes every day to get a pay cheque

When internal branding is done right, it builds employee loyalty and commitment, it makes it easy to attract and retain talent and ensures a consistent firm-wide experience which in turn means that you do not have to spend as much on advertising. When employees can relate with the passion and story of a firm, they inadvertently become ambassadors by living the brand wherever they go, this is a much potent form of communication. The advantages of internal branding have a direct customer benefit as satisfied employees would also go the extra mile in making the customers happy.

Sadly, many Nigerian organizations have not embraced the idea of internal branding, as their primary concern is building their external brand and portray a certain image to their investors and stakeholders alike.

 A simple survey done on Nigerian organizations across various sectors recalled that the employees could hardly remember the values of their organizations. Upon further questions, most employees confessed that they only took up theirs employment because of the remuneration and job satisfaction was the least of their expectations. This isn’t surprising at all, especially as most organizations only create core values as templates, have no proper appraisal / hiring strategies which link the personality of the brand to the personalities of employees and most importantly do not create an environment where the employees see themselves as co-custodians of the brand and business. What most organizations forget is that this external “image” can be easily destroyed if the internal brand is not adequately aligned. There really isn’t any logic in promoting a perfect image in the media when you know that the internal experience is terrible. This will only irritate the customer and create a fraudulent perception for the brand.

Let us take British Airways for example, the brand leverages on the power of a holistic employee engagement approach, to achieve high performing standards. Every employee in British Airways is seen as a brand manager and a core embodiment of the brand. Also, Southwest Airlines encourages good friendships in the workplace, so much so that the boundaries between work and life are broken. By doing so, the employees think of the organization as an extension of their own families, and like any family, would protect the interests of the organization.

Another saddening reality among most Nigerian organizations is how employers adopt the “them and us” approach, where the employees should be seen but not heard. Employees are usually kept in the dark about the company’s business strategy and direction and then line managers are relied on to filter this information to their respective teams as they deem fit. The problem with this approach is that as these messages are filtered down the ladder, they lose the original essence and in most cases are altered to mean something entirely different, this then creates conflicting impressions for the external audience.

We believe that internal branding is an untapped consumer touch point for many organizations. Significant potentials lie within this “purple hole” to improve employees’ favourable disposition towards the organization’s brand, maximize performance in the workplace, and increase productivity in a sustainable manner. Internal branding which is a whole lot less expensive than external branding could serve as a major point of differentiation for Nigerian organizations, it should also be the starting point or any organization willing to innovate in these curious times.

This article was published on http://brandcom.ng/index.php/2017/01/24/innovation-impossible-without-proper-internal-branding/

THE ICICLE 2

Every day birthed a new journey for us, because we always looked forward to what form of joy we would experience, even in the most insignificant things.  We both loved old school songs, and often sang them in patched voices, but we sang, regardless.  Bliss was experienced in the little; you’d drop by with a bottle of my favourite Ribena, just because I was a damn sweet tooth. Sometimes, it was just a home made smoothie, packaged in an empty Eva water bottle, just because I loved it natural. We would snuggle up in your car parked in front of my house, feasting on piping hot Suya and slamming on anything worth talking about.  We would share our fears, our dreams, goals and our future. Happily, your native land wasn’t far from mine, so we shared a lot of interests .  You’d call by 11.pm, and save for the ceaseless rhythms from your heavy breathing, say nothing. But I could hear your unspoken message of love, crystal clear. You always knew what ticked me without asking. One minute, we were dancing to some random number in your crib, the next, we were lazying at the beach, basking under the sun and kissing passionately, every five minutes. I met your folks and siblings and I was treated like royalty, all doting on me like an overpriced possession. I prayed no further, we had finally found each other. 

THE ICICLE

Seems like yesterday, when we first met. I remember how in the midst of drilling our bodies out in exercise, you bluntly asked where I lived. I starred you right in the face , wondering where and and how you acquired such effrontery.  You came right through me, amidst your sweaty and sweet smelling body (no paradox). I dismissed you immediately, but in my heart, you had formed a lasting impression. Unfortunately, after our first meet, you vanished, never to return to Leilas.  I looked out for you day after day, but you never came. At that juncture, I was rest assured that the gods of “ starcross” had decided our fate. But in my still moments, your image always resurfaced.  Against all odds, we met again, and it felt anew. This time, you asked for my digits and I punched into your phone, almost immediately. I had been dying to see you after our first meet, and from your facial expressions, I gathered that you were elated as well. It was a tad weird, but wedding bells were ringing in my head. At that moment, all I wanted to do was to get off my sweats and flirt provocatively in a pretty dress, all for you. You wanted the same too. We reconnected. It got magical………(to be continued)

DEAR BRIDE

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. When you first told me, I was elated, like it was my very own big day. I pray for you dearest, that your life thereafter, would be as smooth sailing as you desire.
I felt shattered, when you told me that to be on your bridal train, it would cost me N40, 000. I mean,my Salary is just N50,000. Same money I would use to feed, pay my bills and give my parents stipends to support them. If I use all that for a dress of a day's event, how do I breathe, literally?
 Alternatively, I was told to buy a less expensive Asoebi of N30,000. I would hurt, regardless. How do I please you on your special day, and live, still? I tried explaining my predicament to you the best way I could, but you subtly put me in my place. I tried chatting you afterwards, but I realised you blocked my number from Whatsapp, deleted me from Blackberry Messenger, and stopped taking my calls. Do you know I got broken afterwards? We have been there for each other, through thick and thin. We don't need expensive apparels to define our friendship. How do I tell you I miss you, when I can't reach you? Our laughter, our cheer, our words of encouragement to each other? Now our bond has been broken. Over what, an apparel? Really?
I hope to see you smile, as you walk down the aisle, with your beau. I want to be there to hold you, when you accidentally trip from those high  stilettos, as you usually do, lol. I want to be there to wish you well, physically. Don't wanna be a bridesmaid or in your committee of friends. I want to be your friend.

I bleed easily,


Me.

WHEN PERSISTENCE MET RESISITANCE

So I was going to work, the other day. One of the beauties of the public transportation system in Nigeria, as against driving on your own, is that you always have a new experience. Could be the stranger beside you, or the driver of the bus, or the bus conductor, you just never know what to expect. So I boarded the bus from Leventis (Maryland) to Opebi Allen, to work. Normally, it would cost about a hundred naira to get me to work, but I assumed the bus conductor would charge fifty naira, since my stop was only half the journey to Allen. Typically, I get away with paying fifty naira with the "puppy look" (y'all know that look that makes you surrender to the pleadings of the other party sha, lol). But this time, I no know say na mad people I dey deal with. Halfway into the journey, when I was requested to pay my fare, I gave the conductor fifty naira o, and I insisted that it was the only amount from me (big lie from the pit of hell). Omo, the guy threw the money at me o, and actually said I was mad, because at my pick up point, he actually said the right fare amount, but as typical naija sharp babe, I turn deaf o. The bus conductor and the driver kept ranting, but I turned deaf areas. No way was I going to part with an extra fifty naira, it made no sense to me.Already, tension was brewing in the bus. The other passengers on the bus kept pressing me to budge, but lai lai, I no gree o. I kept pressing on, hell bent on sticking to my guns. We got to my stop, and I made moves to come down, again handing him the money. He said I wasn't serious, and pushed me back to the bus. To be honest, I was tempted to give him the money at the stop, but the moment he bypassed it, I kept the extra fifty naira in my pocket. I wasn't looking at the time at the time anymore, but at that time, I cared less if I was late or not. I mean, these guys just woke up the dragon in me. Na so these yeye pple carry me, pass junction, pass salvation, dem come pity me, drop me for Chicken Republic, by the link road (you can imagine the distance from my original stop). Na so I jump out o, amidst cries of " where is your money, dis lady come back pay your money". I jumped down and didn't look back. To these guys, they were successful in ruining my day, but in reality, they got served. Dem no know say na cele dem carry for bus. Na so I waka o, from Opebi link road, to my office in COSON (about 20 mins from where I was stopped). I fumed all through, because I didn't plan the journey, and didn't want to go to work all sweaty. But inwards, I was happy I didn't budge. Not only did I get a little cardio, I ended up paying nothing.(sharp girl, lol). OK, so not the best of illustrations to buttress my core idea and my headline, but point is not to give up, in any given situation, especially when it's a sales call. Your persistence should match your client's resistance, because boy!, they will resist. Have that at the back of your mind and push, and push, till they budge, and trust me, you will be better off for it. That,s how successful sales execs, business men and entrepreneurs are made. Nuff said. Bye

YEAR OLDER, YEAR WISER

Hello world, been a minute. So I was a year older recently. Typically, birthdays are reflection points and that one day that we take stock and re-evaluate our selves, you know, adding new goals, replacing old habits and take over the world......for one day. I didn't do any of that. For me, re-evaluation is a daily core. But I came up with something different, and God willing, I think I am going to stick to this plot. I  am going to be more appreciative of people's assistance to me, appreciate people that truly care, and purge out people that don't. At first I thought it was selfish, reciprocating affection and gratitude, but  don't they say that  you close up your inner circle as you grow older? On a brighter note, I think It would be a positive. It means I'll love harder., be more selfless and put in a lot of work, to be good to the ones that stick their necks out, because sometimes in the bid to please people that don't really care, we fail to appreciate the ones that are worth the hassle. Don't get me wrong, I try to be selfless, the best way I can, but I am a bloody realist (excuse my French), and times and experience have taught me that some people would never appreciate you, even if you took a grenade for them. So here's to living, for me.xxxxxxxxx

CHOOSING YOUR CAREER PATH

Ask a young,recent Nigerian graduate what his next plans are, and his typical response would be “I want a job”, expecting that you wouldn’t fault his reply. It is for this singular reason, that the Nigerian employment market has an influx of frustrated charlatans, that take up job opportunities, without due consideration. In most cases, they become “square pegs in round holes”, because they do not fit into their designated roles. As a result, a typical Nigerian worker is disgruntled and dissatisfied with work. Sadly, there is no end in sight to this trend.

There is a way out, and this is where choosing the right career path comes in. Innate in every individual, are unique skills and abilities that are God-given. Most times, such skills are left untapped and leave us no option, but to settle with the available. There are two ways to choosing your career path:
Choosing a vocation you are passionate about.

Finding purpose and joy in a vocation you are not passionate about.

For the purpose of this article, emphasis would be laid on choosing a vocation you are passionate about. The following tips would be helpful in that regard:

Find your flair: Finding your flair is one of the challenging parts of choosing your career path. Most people feel that they do not have a unique skillset, but the truth is that everyone does. Talking in itself is a skillset, hence the need for a career in journalism. Google, take ability tests read and discover what you love doing the most, no matter how insignificant it is. Career advisors and councellors usually administer tests, to place people in their right paths. Take charge and pay a visit to them, to tow the right line.

 Develop your flair: For example, your innate skills can be baking, sewing, cooking, teaching or running. Developing such skills at the inception, would propel you for greatness in the future. You might not develop an immediate career from it, but you can nurture and make it grow, till it develops into a career.

Start Small- We all expect to earn millions at the first attempt of our career, but there are immense joys in humble beginnings. Have a mindset that things will not go smoothly, in the beginning, but great oaks grow from little acorns. Have a goal plan, so that when you start small, the end result is finishing big.

Stick to your career path: There is that fear that not everyone will agree with your career decision. Your flair, to an outsider may seem a waste, and people you know and love, might question your motives. However, this should not derail you. You have to beat the odds, for one major reason: you love what you do. Do not let anyone put you down or discourage you from choosing your career path, because with time, it would become clearer. Develop a thick skin and be hell bent on pursuing your flair, and become so great at what you do, that you prove your antagonists wrong.

Seek Mentorship: Take advice from people that have excelled in your chosen area. It might be people you know, it might be people you don’t. if there are painters, cooks, artistes, teachers or any profession of your choice, seek them, either face to face of any form of connecting medium and connect with them. Ask them how they overcame adversity and became successful and follow their cue.

By learning how to research options, realise your strengths, develop your skills and making a needed change, you can discover the right career path for you,regardless  of the fact that you’re just leaving school, finding opportunities limited in your current position or, like many in this harsh economy, facing unemployment.

THE PERKS OF RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

With the current economic decline presently in the country, most organisations are unwilling to part with their limited resources, unless a dire need arises, regardless of the fact that such exchange would increase yields and business opportunities for them. Potential investors in the Nigerian market have held back their funds to develop the Nigerian economy, partly because they are uncertain about the business environment in the country, and on the other part, they do not have credible information about the viability of the sector they choose to invest in. It would be safe to say that business entailing one time exchange, from a typical business to a client, is quite challenging. Today, most organisations are seeking more than one time transactions with customers. For this reason, there has been a major focus on market-driven organisations, towards developing and sustaining relationships, rather than focusing on aggressive sales and marketing. An emphasis on the former,” involves creating, maintaining and enhancing long-term relationships with customers and corporate organisations, for mutual benefit” (Belch and Belch, 2001).

Without doubt, the current emphasis in many markets is on developing mutually beneficial relationships. Before an organisation releases funds for a particular project, the first consideration would be “what is in it for me?". In most cases, that question might be difficult to answer by an amateur sales rookie, that is only interested in meeting a sales target or earning a commission. It would be answered by a needs identifier and solutions provider, better put, a relationship manager. The purpose of this write up is not to highlight the reasons for relationship management, but its perks. 

Most organisations desire personalized products and services that are tailored to their unique needs and wants. A case in point, an organization would seek an appraisal system that is peculiar to its organisation’s make-up. An individual that has a personal understanding of such organization, through research and analysis, stands a better chance of appealing to the organization, than someone whose interest is to make sales alone. With personalised client relationships, you can learn firsthand what your organization needs, and what needs solution would best suit the growth and development of their businesses, rather than selling just any type of product having taken into cognizance the history, composition, strengths and weaknesses of the organisation.

In addition, you are not just a beneficiary to the immediate satisfaction of the organisation’s need, you are accrued more benefits from the organization. For example, if you are an effective relationship manager providing a need, even where such needs are not immediate, you might be called upon to perform other tasks that could also be beneficial to you. There might be vacancies in the organization that need to be filled. Because of your evident interest in the organisation, you might be considered, or someone you recommend. Many organisations have successfully poached sales and business development executives that have been identified as needs solutions provider. This is because of their consistence over time, in proffering needs solution that have improved their businesses, and they firmly believe that where such sales people are in their payroll systems, such solutions would be replicated directly to the organisation.

Furthermore, you are making long lasting acquaintances and friendships that would last a lifetime. Most sales personnel hardly fraternize with their colleagues, because they are busy building relationships with their clients. In most cases, such clients become acquaintances. They tend to build solid friendships with them that would also open doors for them in their businesses.  Many sales people have married their clients, become best friends and acted as counselors to their clients. As long as boundaries are respected, you should be able to have nice personal and professional relationships with your clients, which is very good for business.

The benefits derived from relationship management cannot be exhausted. Sales and business development departments in organisations are focusing more on relationship management, because studies have shown that strengthening relationships by 5% can increase future profit by as much as 30-90% (Kotler, 2001). It is sufficed to say that relationship management would not only guarantee immediate sales, but would also provide long lasting ties between an organization and its clientele.

ABOUT ME

Dinma Caruso is a graduate of Mass Communication and holds a Master’s Degree in International Human Resources.  In her spare, she loves to read and write, and has a blog. www.dinmacaruso.blogspot.com.

THE UNVERIFIED VERSION

Yagazie, Yagazie nwa….ndi ogo a bia go, our in-laws have come”,Mrs  Adichie exclaimed in ecstasy , as she ran into  the bride’s dressing room, where her only  daughter was being decorated in Uli, by the Umu-Ada of her clan. Akpo town was preparing to join in marriage her children, Yagazie the town’s undisputable paragon of indescribable beauty, and Uchedo, the most eligible divorcee in the town,  and the town was agog with festivities, for the big day. It was unthinkable for anyone that missed out on Uchedo’s first wedding, to miss his second, as there was a guaranteed overflow of food and drinks, and judging by the huge crowd in the Adichie’s compound, the number was thrice the first. Everyone was in high spirits, everyone except Yagazie.

“Achalugo’m”, her mother fondly called” what’s wrong? Why aren’t you cheerful?” she inquired, as she removed a strand of hair, from her first outing apparel,  a creamed-lace boob gown, that was heavily accentuated with red, native coral bead necklaces.  Yagazie had a rather forlorn look on her face.

“Mama, how can I be happy, when Mmesoma is not here. We promised to be there for each other on our big day, and she backs off, all of a sudden. How can I be happy, Nne?  Mmesomma, Yagazie’s best friend of twenty years was evidently absent, as she could not feign her disapproval of her friend’s rushed engagement and marriage to a divorcee, without carrying out due diligence on her intended groom.

“So you choose today of all days, to gloat over a friend that is obviously jealous of your union? Over Mmesomma who has been single since we have known her? You better wipe your face and prepare to meet your husband”.

On an ending note, she walked out of the room, to the disappointment of the eavesdropping set of the women in the room, who listened more to the mother-daughter conversation, than they were decorating.

Maybe mama is right, Yagazie thought, as she looked at the mirror opposite her, in admiration of her transformed "Igba Nkwu” look. Mmesomma always had a penchant for spewing negativity about the men in her life, including Yagazie’s. Okey was too opinionated, Chukwuma was a male chauvinist and Ikenna was a mama’s boy. However, all her comments put together, were not as aggravating as her reservations about Uchedo.

“Yagazie, a divorcee? Do you know what happened to his ex-wife?”

“Mmemme, he filed for divorce. He said she cheated on her. His family corroborated the same story and I am inclined to believe them. Besides, I have carried out my investigations. Uchedo bu ezigbo nwoke.

“I ju go nwunye ya? Have you asked his ex to verify her version? If you claim he’s a good guy, how come she left her marriage, in just three years? A ko kwa na.

“I don’t need to find out anything about his ex, because she would always come to her defence. I trust Uchedo. We have prayed on this, and have consulted our spiritual leaders and councellors.  Uchedo is my destined husband.”

“Bia nne, there’s no such thing as "a destined husband". You better snap out of it. Uchedo has probably bribed his way out of serious probing. You can rule me out of your marriage preparations, and any form of support”.

Those were Mmesoma’s last words, before she stormed out of Yagazie’s house. A month later, the silence between them, was still resounding.

Yagazie was not going to let Mmesomma’s absence spoil her shine. She would marry Uchedo Diobi, and they will live forever, until Mmesomma eventually died of jealousy. As their union was sealed with the exchange of palmwine, she smiled in victory, at her won conquest. Mmesomma can finally be laid to rest.

As she drove to Enugu, with Uchedo, she envisaged what their wedding night would be like, and how she would apply all the read tricks and the unimaginable sex positions suggested by her mother.  However, lying critically in the hospital bed, on her wedding night was not in the plot.  Matter of fact, she did not remember how that night went, but she remembered serving Uchedo an overheated plate of Eba and Egusi, and the counter arguments that ensued, as to why the food was not served warm. This was surprising, because Uchedo had always requested that his food be served piping hot.  Uchedo questioned her for challenging his manhood and talking back at him, and in the fit of anger, gave her a deadly blow on her eye. On her wedding night, Yagazie became a one eyed damsel.

LADY IN WHITE 2 (THE DIARY)

Having being catholic all my life, the concept of the Virgin Mary, paradoxically, always seemed like rocket science to me, likewise the comprehension of her immaculate conception. Granted, she must have been extremely fortunate (most people would call it favoured) to have birthed the world’s greatest celebrity.However, attributing graces and praises  to a particular creature, clad in the same human form as anyone else, prompted me in asking a million unanswered questions. On the contrary, the more I got distracted, the more fascinated I became.

At every routine rosary prayer, my mind would always wander far away to Planet Unknown, jolting back to reality at the nick of time to recite the rosary beads when it was my turn. Luckily, my lack of concentration in prayers was never noticed. On one of such days, I had only wandered halfway when my eyes met the eyes of the Virgin Mary statue, on our mini altar. Like the lady in my dreams, her eyes were hollow, and seemed fixated on my face, so much so that as I swerved, they followed my every move, in a scary manner. Similarly, her lips were as grim as I had seen in my dreams . Thereafter,  I would wake up before prayer time , to catch a glimpse of her, before morning prayers. At first my mother was surprised. I mean, this was the same Ola that she had to baptise literally, to get off bed. What she did not know, was that I was trying by all means, to decipher the message the lady in my dreams was trying to communicate. I would remember my growing years understudying that image in the altar, awaiting her sudden move, even when I knew my first instinct would be to flee as fast I could, if it ever happened. That was 10 years ago. 

In the later years, I assumed an unplanned role as mother and father to Lotachi, as mother passed away a year after I wrote my SSCE and Lotachi had barely finished her common entrance examinations. Months after her death, we were taken away by our favourite aunt, my mother’s younger and only sister, Aunty Ozinna. It was a welcomed development, because we loved our aunt, more than we loved our mother. Aunty always provided succor in the form of goodies, when we had received heavy strokes of the cane by our mother. While we were saddened that we had lost our mother, we were happy to go away  with Aunty. However, I wasn’t so comfortable with her husband, who always gave me a funny eye, whenever he visited. Either his hugs were too tight, or his hands “accidently” touched me in all the wrong places.  Sometimes when I came home from catering classes,(a  pass time before proceeding to the university), Uncle Leye would touch me inappropriately. At first I refused his advances, but one day I decided to take laws into my hands. I don’t know what came over me, but I found myself yearning for Uncle Leye’s touch, and when he touched me, I reciprocated. Sometimes Uncle Leye was taken aback by my dauntless behavior, but he couldn’t care less; he was a dog on heat. So I decided to give him a dose of his medicine.

 On that fateful day, I knew he would be home early. I got home, changed into a very short skirt , and waited for his first errand call, which didn’t take long. As expected, he ogled for a while, before reaching out for my thigh. This time, I did not push his hand away. He drew me closer to him, and I encouraged him likewise, kissing him fully and passionately. Strangely, no thoughts of my sweet aunt and the damage I was doing to her home came to mind, as I had sex with her husband. I was supposed to feel bad. My aunt had shown nothing but love to my sister and I, and treated us as the children she never had. As much as I tried to be remorseful, I was numb. In fact, I couldn’t feel any emotions at all; I was unable to identify and describe emotions in the self, and was unapologetic for any actions I made, regardless of who my actions affected. That was a huge problem. In my dwindling moments, I sought for my lady in white, I couldn’t find her. My aunt and her husband were Protestants so there were no altars, no form of imagery or reminder of my childhood encounter.

I got pregnant. At first I tried to hide it from my aunt and her husband, but I couldn’t for long, because my tummy was fast protruding. So I took an easy route to avoid confrontation; I decided to run away without Lotachi, who saw me leaving, and chose to follow me, even when I lied to her that I had no destination (nosy sister from hell). One day, I left for my catering classes and disappeared from my aunt’s place with Lotachi, never to return. Whatever became of Aunty and her husband, I never knew. It had been well planned. Bella, a friend I had met in the catering class, had arranged with an aunt in Okokomaiko, to house my sister and I, and take me to a nearby quack hospital, for a D and C operation. I was to stay with her while I recuperated from the operation, start another life, possibly learn a trade and save up for school. I knew I was safe, because I knew my aunt would not be caught dead outside the environs of the Island, so I knew she could not find me there. In my induced coma during the abortion operation, I saw her again, still as beautiful and dazzling as I had imagined. The only difference was that her welled tears flowed freely, matter of fact, she was crying in buckets. I couldn’t stand her pain, so I reached out to clean her tears. Only the smack on my hands from one of the nurses in the theatre, reminded me that I was still on earth.  Later, I was told by Lotachi that I screamed “come back my lady, come back. Don’t leave me”. I opened my eyes to Lotachi’s tears. She was only twelve at the time, but I had exposed her to a world she could not comprehend. Don’t get me wrong, she was, and would always be my annoying sister, but I had to protect her. She will always be my baby sister.

 What Bella did not tell me, was that her aunt Mary was a woman of easy virtue and ran a cartel in the neighbourhood, that was under her payroll. To my rudest shock, Lotachi and I were given the  ultimatum of joining her business. She actually preferred Lotachi, who would strike a better business bargain, unlike the “damaged goods” I had to offer (in her words). I objected immediately, and offered myself readily. At 19, I was a full time prostitute, and the proceeds I gathered, were used for the upkeep of Lotachi and I. Repeatedly, Lotachi would beg that we returned to our aunt’s and beg for forgiveness, but I wouldn’t have it. Call it pride or stupidity, but the truth was that I couldn’t put a name to my feelings, but I knew something was not right with me.

I made a lot of money, enough to move out of Aunt Mary’s house and rent my apartment. I had it all, and was very comfortable. I lived for Lotachi’s success and aspiration for greatness, but I wasn’t concerned about my personal development well enough. I wasn’t concerned about school, or getting a better life outside Okokomaiko,but I encouraged Lotachi to be the best in all she did, preaching the gospel of greatness to her, but refusing to acknowledge that I needed the same message myself. Nobody but Lotachi, could relate to my dysfunction in emotional awareness and social detachment. My neighbours thought I was either a snob, or I had a mental problem. In all, Lotachi never questioned my behavior. She loved accepted me ,in good and in bad, the way a sister should. Even the lady in white kept away from me too, but not for so long. She was yet to deliver her message.

One day I was all alone at home. Halfway into napping, I was gasping for air. Someone was trying to prevent me from breathing so bad, I found myself choking and gasping for breath. The more I attempted breathing, the more I was held back. I was in a trance, but I saw a dark hand on a pair of dark gloves strangling me.  I choked and choked, striving with all my might, to call JESUS, but the word didn’t come out. Just when I thought I was going to pass out, the lady in white appeared. She wrestled with the hand over my neck, until I heard a loud noise. Thankfully, I was released from the grip. It was at that moment that I passed out.

I woke up to Lotachi by my bedside in an unknown hospital. I was told that I had full blown AIDS, which had resulted in severe rashes on my groin area and thighs ,and  needed to be placed on antibiotics, although there was no way my life could be saved. I was also told that I had Alexithymia, a mental disorder characterized  by the inability to have any form of emotion, which explained my frequent feelings of dissociation. The end was in sight; I was dying. Sadly, I couldn’t feel a thing. Probably because I hadn’t fully understood the concept of life and death.  But I saw my sister’s love. My baby sister, who had always been a pain in the butt, would become my pillar of strength in my dying days. I reminisced about our growing days, when I vowed to protect her, when father and mother died. I failed her. In tears, she held my hands and promised to stay close to me, threatening to commit suicide, if anything happened to me. As much as I tried, I neither felt her pain, or attempt to soothe her with comforting messages. Didn’t she hear the doctor say I had a few more years to live? 

In the midst of the sadness in the atmosphere, I saw her. My lady, she came through for me one last time, at my least expectation. Her dazzling apparel almost blinded my eyes, but I looked still. As our eyes locked, we let out our tears. This time she held my face, smiled and me and signaled to open my left palm, and dropped a very shiny object in it. Suddenly she vanished, as swiftly as she had appeared, but her messages were crystal clear. I heard her whisper 
“Olanna, you have one more chance to right. You started off wrongly, but you can end it beautifully and tell our story. Tell my story to the world, and tell her she has one more chance to do right. It’s the last chance, before the end. You can do right, my child, you can do right. My apparition to you in the beginning was to averse your death by asthma, when you were little. I came again when you almost died from the abortion you had, and now, when death came knocking. I choose you,to deliver my message. Go forth,my child, I will be with you to the end".

I opened my eyes to a golden rosary, with the words “pray”, inscribed on the crucifix, her message, precise and clear. Indeed, she became my wake up call. She was who I thought she was; THE MARIE. Only then, was I awash with the pain of the mistakes I had made. I looked at my sister, convinced by her unsurprising look that she hadn’t partaken of my glorious experience. I hugged her fiercely, and promised not to leave her. I had just a little time, to make it all right, beginning with going to Aunty’s house to ask for forgiveness and confessed all that  had happened. On the table next to me, side by side my toiletries, I could sight a pen and paper,which was absent earlier. Then I started writing.

MY LADY PAR EXCELLENCE

I have always been asked who my role model is, especially in job interviews,and my answer has always been: none. I honestly thought I was weird for not having someone to look up to. I mean, I have heard of wonderful people that have made good impressions , either in their handiwork or their personal life but it has never occurred to me to emulate any of them.  For me, I have to be able to relate with whoever I was to look up to. It couldn't just be an abstract person I heard or read about;even a heavenly being didn't cut it ( I am a good christian o!....lol). It took me almost a quarter of my lifetime, but I finally found that person,although she doesn't know it (yet,hopefully). She's no other than the amiable Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Esegee). I am yet to meet someone that exudes confidence at its fullest. Chimamanda grew up in Enugu, but her mastery of the cultures she writes about,is out of this world. In Chinua Achebe's words (another literature doyen I respect), :"Adichie came, almost fully made", which implies that she was born a star, she only needed little, almost insignificant touch ups. So confident is she of her personae and her roots, that I was shocked to discover she did not marry an "onye igbo" (who would have thought). She endeared all to the Igbo language and culture, which was feared to be almost extinct. I for one, an Igbo lady born and bred in Lagos, sometimes struggled my identity of self in my current environment, but she made me proud of who I am: an Igbo, smart and confident lady that can conquer the world, once she sets her mind to it. It is an open secret that some of the characters in her books (especially Ifemelu in Americanah) describes her person:a strong woman, who can be tossed, rolled and battered, but not easily broken( a piece of me, story for another day).
I love to write too, so I find her worthy of emulation in that regard. Her write-ups come across to me as chats from one babe making sense to another. That's the way I like to write. Most times, I avoid technical write-ups that can't be comprehended without an OXFORD dictionary,(not just any dictionary o). I like to take a pen and paper, and just run with my ideas, without any word restrictions.That's my Adichie for you. Growing up in the remote of area of Nsukka did not stop her shine. Her life story taught me this valuable lesson: That I can be whoever I want to be, regardless of any circumstance. She lived where I have lived, and identifies with  my challenges as a fellow Nigerian citizen, and has fought to the end, to be one of the finest writers in Africa.I love her.....my Woman Crush Everyday.
Ji Si Ike Ada Be Anyi

MY INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE IN COSON- THE ESSAY THAT SAVED MY LIFE

I got into the COSON building at about 8.30 a.m. As I sat at the reception, I observed the happenings in my environment; the smiling receptionist that offered me tea and coffee, the nervousness of a fellow candidate next to me and the demeanour of the artistes that trouped in to make inquiries (of which none, I knew). Typically, when I attend interviews, I am always attended to almost immediately, but as my allotted interview time passed by, I had to ask the receptionist if the interview panel was informed of my presence. I was told to call my office to inform them that I might take longer to arrive. That prompted my first lesson of the day: Every organisation has its interview ethics, and henceforth ,I had to shift from my mindset of an ideal interview situation, to adapting to the interview situation of any organisation I found myself in. Subsequently, I was given the prospectus and literature of COSON to digest, which I did, alongside familiarising myself with my resume.

On being called upon for my interview, I went straight to the interview room and greeted the three-man panel, before taking my seat. To my rudest shock, I blanked out for about two minutes when I was asked the simplest question of all: the full name of the organisation I was in. The funniest was, I was holding a manual in hand that contained the name of the organisation, and I was staring directly at a placard inscribed with the name. This threw me off balance and questioned my eligibility for the interview amongst  my interviewers. I am usually composed and organised in interviews, but I had to learn the hard way, that there is no such word as over-confidence;every interview requires thorough research and preparatory work. More saddening was the thought that my interviewers would never  know what stuff I was made of. Luckily, I was given another shot, which I took, to the best of my ability. I was told to talk through my personality, to my work experiences and my understanding of the role I was applying for.

I knew that I would be functioning in the capacity of a sales/business development executive, but I needed clarification on the nature of my client base, which I got from the panel. I was also asked to describe a challenging process I faced in the course of handing my job roles in previous organisations, and how such challenges were handled. I told them about a challenging situation in Wapic Insurance Plc, where after two years of aggressively prospecting a potential client for insurance sales business worth I million naira, did not yield results. However, this did not deter me from keeping in touch every now and then. In the end, I was able to get him to patronise my current organisation in providing outsourced HR services to his organisation, worth  10 million naira. I was also told  to describe how I would function in my prospective role in COSON, knowing well that I would meet opposition from organisations that would not heed to my message of seeking permissions from authors of musical works before usage. To this end, I stressed on the importance of a resilient attitude, which is a major characteristic of successful business development executives;the ability to push and pester, until an attitude changes. From previous experiences in selling, I have long realised that it is not enough to stop at one or two approaches. Consistency in stressing a need and value would change the mindset of whoever I was to meet.

I was also told to talk about my direct approaches to achieving my sales objectives. In the course of the interview, I was informed that there have been challenges in clamping down organisations that misuse authors' works because the law hasn't been fully enforced in that regard, so I suggested emotionally appealing to the organisations to consider the damages done to the owners of such musical works, as against forcefully threatening them to seek permission, because a rational approach might not be the most suitable. As there are different people, so are there different characters, hence all must not be dealt in the same vein. By studying  my different target markets, I would be able to know the manner of approaching them to doing the ethical thing, as well as emphasizing this tool as an advantage to their  line of business.

 .........One would wonder why I took time to write on an interview experience that might not concern anyone. I was told to write this two-paged essay,and that landed me an opportunity for the second phase of the interview. this was how I laid it down verbatim. In fact, the chairman of COSON told me he was interested in working with me. To be honest,I cared less whether I got the job or not.  He told me I was a good writer,if I was able to scribble sense within the fifteen-minute time frame I was given. I always wondered why people shed tears of joy in happy moments. In my opinion, it was faux pas. But tears welled up in my eyes. Not because I knew I would be considered for the job, but because I was told to sleep peacefully knowing that I had a gift, although I needed some  tweaking.  As I left the building, I thought I was walking in the clouds. It felt good that I was appreciated. Henceforth, I vowed to write more. Sometimes ago  I applied for a creative workshop organised by Chimamanda Adichie (my all-rounded role model, story for another day). I felt distraught that I wasn't chosen. However,I was gingered to write more, learn more and put in more effort. Dreams never die,.Peace.

MY NAME IS................................

I used to have one funky bobo like that. I  call him Asuquo, my Akwa Ibom Hottie. Asuquo was your Y2K compliant suave. He was eloquent, funny and confident, you know, my dating trio-factor.  So Baebae and I were on one of those romantic nights on Westown Rooftop , Ikeja, during our early dating days  (mehn, those guys do chicken and chips wella), all dreamy eyed  and lovey dovey (ain't no love like new love!). Out of the blues, I  asked him “Asuquo what is the meaning of your name? Asuquo  was 38 at the time. Nna, dude dropped his fork, and stared at me in a way that reminded me of Bishop Imeh, when he wants to act stupid.  He just said “Amaka, do you know I don’t know what my name means? Jesu Oluwa O! So I have been dating a non entity! ( and I don't mean that in a bad way o). Honestly, that was a deal breaker for me, call me paranoid. So he might as well bear “syphilis” or “gonorrhea”, simply because he doesn’t know the meaning. Thereafter, I saw him in a different light.  Like, if you don’t know the meaning of your name, how can you be serious with life? I don even forget say he was still living with his parents at the time (No wonder).  I googled his name later, apparently it means “patience”, in my opinion, an unsuitable name for him.  In my own case, I speak my name in every situation, good or bad. My beautiful names are Chiamaka, Chidinma and Anthonia. Chiamaka and Chidinma mean the same: God is good, while Anthonia means: highly praise worthy. When I am down and out, I always remember that God remains the same good God, regardless of my situation. So I don’t fret about a situation,  more than I can handle and I praise more when I hurt.  Thankfully, it always works.  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t particularly angry at my Akwa Ibom hottie because he didn’t know what his name meant, I was more particular about him assuming a identity he knew absolutely nothing about, and not taking responsibility to finding out that his name meant.  As in , he couldn't even google his name. Omo, I take off o, before the bobo go wake up one day, talk say him no know me ( lol, I’m just kidding). But it obviously raised a lot of questions about him.  What does your name mean to you?

So I figured, amidst yarning story story, I could also release a piece of me. its just me yarning, blabbing, letting myself, the best way I can. in my book, there are no rules, just saying it as it is. here's to me.........................................