By Tosin Ayo
1. That a young rich American man wears a pair of Jean and T-shirt to an informal business session in a foreign country is neither sign of humility nor a sign of simplicity, it is a mere signal of personality preference and peculiarity of his nationality. I remember seeing the world's richest man, Bill Gates on the same stage in America with Africa's richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, whilst the latter wore a suit, the former adorned a shirt and trouser. Neither of them is being humble or simple in appearance as a contradistinctive reflection or diminutive indication of their wealth, they only appeared in what they are comfortable in. Saying what we wear is a reflection of our humility is like judging a good book by its flashy or unornate cover. In any case, the weather might contribute a great deal to the Jean and T-shirt appearance. Most Americans will appear in casuals to savour the heat in our tropical region, they don't get lots of sunlight in their country. Who tans in suit? Wearing a T-shirt and Jean to a foreigner is like wearing your Buba and trouser as a Nigerian. Neither is superior to the other... Just stop the unpardonable ignorance already...
2. The young man was not in Nigeria just to have fun and jog on the overpriced Lekki-Ikoyi bridge, he came to explore more business opportunities and swell his fortunes. Whilst you are wasting data debating on the appropriateness or otherwise of his visit, dressing, culinary apparatus and faith or lack of it, he is making money from your needless prittle prattle. Nigeria remains an active Facebook community and wonderful opportunities abound in her yet unexplored technological and infomatic database market. A Zuckerberg doesn't see the problems, he makes money from the prospects...
3. Events determine appropriate costume. Have you stopped to wonder why he chose to wear a suit for the Aso rock meeting with the President and Vice President? When a man attends informal gatherings with young people, his choice of dressing is understandably casual, when he is billed to meet a President at a formal occasion, it is expected he appears formal. How you dress is a function of who you are meeting. You don't appear before Kings in rags. Lawyers don't go to court in boxers and singlets. Who goes clubbing in Agbada? Not even a Yoruba demon...
4. You don't struggle to appear rich when you are really very rich. Wealthy people don't flaunt wealth, that's who they are. Saying a rich man appeared rich is like saying blood is red. That is what it is. Less is more. Real wealth doesn't shout aloud, it shows despite all odds even in simplicity. A guy in T-shirt, but who is flown in a private jet is not humble or shabbily dressed. The appearance of the wealthy has nothing to do with their acquisition. Those who have so much money do not have the luxury of time to spend it, they are too busy re-investing it and making more money. It is not strange that someone who made money legitimately will have no time to impress people with it. Those who really count, have no time to count it.
5. Thinkers are ordinary people with extraordinary abilities. The emphasis for shakers and doers is not what they wear, it's in what wears them. Their focus does not lie in what they drive, but what drives them. I am yet to meet a sophisticated brainiac with a complex physical appearance. Not one. Depth betrays acoustic vanity. The mind of a creative is incredibly fertile that he has no time to nurture the execrations of the fickle superficiality that bestrides his looks and covering. Vain appearance is for the thoughtless. The one we look at, doesn't look at people.
6. It is unnecessary to compare the lifestyle of a young private American Billionaire with that of our old public Nigerian multi millionaires. A man who earned money legitimately has nothing to hide and thus, fears nothing. A man who stole from the public till must protect himself from the consequences of his loot - the angry and hungry scavengers pervading the society looking for whom to devour and destroy. He who has swallowed a pestle cannot sleep, bending. Conscience is an open wound, only the truth can heal it. A clear conscience is a better safeguard than an army of escorts and a retinue of anti bomb bodyguards. In any case, the one who has stolen from the people must hurriedly extend same on luxurious pursuits of boundless pleasure, primitive material acquisition and spurious gluttonous consumption. Who knows when the excel crook thief will die? Poverty is a mentality, no amount of stolen money can cure it. Moreover, you can buy an ass, but you can't buy class.
7. Poor people discuss the rich, the rich is not even conscious of the wealth. There is no art to find the mind's expression on the face. A simple dress sense is no humility detector. Eating solid swallowable morsel with bare hands the traditional way has no nexus with one's simplicity paradigm. Using cutlery for same does not elevate your social status all the same- it all boils down to choice. Many people don't eat with their bare hands out of inconvenience, fixed nails or hotness of the meal, not because they are forming. When you are in Rome, it makes sense to act Roman. That a white man eats with his bare hands is not a privilege, try eating burger with cutlery. If you feel excited that a human being like you ate like you do, where the hell is your self esteem?
8. Mark Zuckerberg came to meet with business developers and entrepreneurs, not self-appointed Facebook nobodies masquerading as deluded online celebrities. We all focus on the profit, no one bothers with the nitwits. That you own a busy Facebook page does not make you better than anyone. Even Mark can't recognize your activity. A Facebook celebrity is nothing more than a popular nobody.
9. Baseless fashion sense comparison. It is altogether foolish to appoint a young casually dressed American Billionaire as your sudden model of approved appearance. That the young American has decided to wear same colour of Jean and T-shirt to a business luncheon does not mean we should condemn those who appear gay and radiant to public functions. If you are not a Mark Zuckerberg, don't wear common Jean and T-shirt to a business conference, you will be bounced. You don't have to announce your appearance If your appearance announces itself. Everyone cannot be a Zuckerberg. Some of us are just content with our Goldbergs. It is sickening to demonize those who dress well or put people down for wanting to look good, just because a richer Zuckerberg is comfortable in Jean and T-shirt. In any case, most of the people who wear suits often work for men in Jean and T-shirt. But until you are one, don't wear one. Societies differ, so do people...
10. That you could not see mean, ferocious looking, gun-wielding, bags-carrying, siren-blaring, uniformed men around him does not mean he traveled without security. Mark isn't that dumb. He trusts Nigeria and Nigerians, but it is normal he would tread with caution. Security surveillance has advanced beyond physical monitoring and gun-toting vigilance. From security information, intelligence-gathering to unscheduled appearances and prompt departure that blind an enemy, that is the new face of security. No enemy can prevail against you without information. Have you thought about why he didn't visit Borno? Lagos and Abuja are relatively safe. It's even foolhardy to kidnap such a wizard kid who invented such a formidable interconnectivity app like Facebook. How more dangerous and catchable can one be to have such a brainiac in captivity? Moreover, he is a security unto himself... If you don't hit the mark, be still...
- 'Tosin Ayo,
(The word bank)
(The word bank)
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