What is Your Name?



Writing, most often is an interesting thing for me to do but sometimes one could be stocked in it when the ballpoint is not dancing on the writing pad you are using via the inspiration, or it could be that you have the piece you want to write but don’t know the exact point where to pick the lead from.
Just in writing this piece, I have the information; I know what I want to write but where to pick it from is the contention. I could have started from any point but I think it will be interesting to start from a human angle point of view.

Still in my deep cogitation, my mind quickly alert my brain on the question I recently posed to my colleagues who I think will give me an unwavering and obtuse response to my question “What exactly is my name to them?” I asked. In their reply, they were stultified; they could not delineate my question immediately. Some could not answer it telling me not to disturb them.

I could not get the appropriate answer to my question until when I meet another friend who threw back the question at me. “What exactly is your own name to you personally?” He asked me. Now I was in the shoe of my friends who could not answer the poser. I now understand what they are facing.

Name could stand for what we call a particular object to be able to identify it. Advanced Learner’s dictionary says “it is a word or words that a particular person, animal, place or thing is known by” Quite often, name could be seen as just a normal thing that both the living and the non living objects must have for proper identification. All objects in this world has its name, think that object you will observe that it has a name, if you don’t know what a particular object is called, asked somebody the person will tell you what it is called.

But in my own research, it was discovered that having an identifiable name is not more important to having a good name in character and attitude. There are names and there are names. There are names that you hear and your body veins hold unto the names because of the impact and value the names have created in the sound of time even when the personality is not living on earth again.

When you hear David Beckham what comes to your mind is free kicks, when you hear Bill Gates what comes to your mind is Microsoft, you think tennis when you hear Venus and Serena Williams, you think Nobel Laureate in Literature when you hear Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nelson Mandela is a name that is known for positive impart.  And when people call your name what does it signifies? Who stand up to applaud you because of positive impact you've done not just futile honourary title that people are buying to make them feel big in the society , not on nefarious irresponsible acts you’ve committed , who recommend you to others based on your integrity and your skills?, for how long could your attitude stands the test of time?

You will agree with me that there are some names you hear that do not cause you to hiatus at all. It does not hold a grip of your attention. Yes! They are wealthy with magnificent edifies in the best places of the world and have all the connections in high places but life itself does not recognize them. There are countless of them as ex-governors, senators, ministers, honorable even presidents in our country today. They made so much noise when they were in power but their names could not ring a bell today even in their own community. Most of them have lost there pedigree due to the inability to manage their names to the fullest.

Pathetically, some think that it is in title. They expend so much money on things that are inconsequential all just to be called with one or two appellation. Just imagine someone who his primary function is just to preach the good tidings of Christ unto the world ascribing so much title unto his name. He could call himself as (Prophet Dr. Bishop Eminence Patrick Moruf (JP), FCAA, CON) They acclaimed all these inert titles to themselves to the point that their main names lose meaningful values.

The generational impart of Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Mathin Luther King Jnr, Mohammed, Nelson Mandela, Rosa Park, Billy Graham will never go unnoticed. These are the people that never carry a simple appellation to their names though some of them have died but their names are still making positive and trans-generational impart. In Nigeria, eminent people like Gamaliel Onosode, Felix Ohiwere, Christopher Kolade, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Pascal Dozie, Emeka Anyaoku are prominent people that you don’t need to write their home address at the back of an envelope if you want to write them. For example, if you want to a write a correspondence to anyone of these people just write Gamaliel Onosode, Nigeria from any part of the world or Enoch Adeboye, Nigeria. There are no two Dangotes in Nigeria.

The question to ask is what makes these names to be prominent as their personality. Could it have been the school they went to? Could it have been their family name? There levels of connections or paying the media heavily to run an advertorial on them for personal publicity? None of these has done this.

The followings are the values that drive their life to who they are today:

Vision
Out of every person listed above, everyone of them carries an identity; they all had a vision if not for their life it will be for the society. What is vision? Vision is what you want to create out life. The vision of Mathin Luther King Jnr was to create equality between the black and the white and in the due cause the vision came to fulfillment. Vision develops and refines personal brand manifesto which makes one’s name to be distinctive, relevant, and consistent to the world.


Purpose


If the purpose of a thing is not known abuse they say is inevitable. The clearer a man is about his purpose in life, the greater chance for him to achieve his objectives and makes his name significant to the society. People basically connect with a well defined purpose because it creates a competent, standard and a style. Bill Gates is not a white man that has all the wealth of the world. Bill Gates can be defined as the Microsoft that is in every computer system of the world. He may not have been to my village before but his purpose is in every nation of the world. Mahatma Ghandi lived a purposeful life not because of his popularity but because of the purpose to gain liberation the Indians are enjoying today. History has it that Ghandi did not have mansions unto himself, he had no money but generations unborn around the world can never forget what him.

Value
Our beliefs in life are being driven by our value, and our value defines who we are our total man concept. Our Values often ask us the question of what we hold to believe. It is not primarily the personality of Michael Jordan people enjoy in him but his values and virtues which are his competencies, flexibility, sincerity of purpose, sense of humour, positive attitude and character. Thomas Edison only had three months of formal education, yet he was the greatest inventor that ever lived. Helen Keller was without sight, hearing or speech, yet she inspired millions. These people are been driven by their values.

 Thank you.

Seye Joseph


Comments