Deep Thoughts: Of Colours in the Soil, Coconut Flavoured Fufu & Questions We Don’t Ask

This past Sunday, I engaged one of my students in a dialogue where he began to describe how he had grown since last year. He is such a smart chap I tell you, quick to express his views when he is sure of himself and I bet he was so sure of his answer, so he goes ‘ Well, I believe I have grown in two ways, physically’ – not that I noticed any increase in height, my poor boy dreams to be tall – ‘ and mentally’. He thought he had satisfied me with his cunning answer, but I had an agenda and knowing my student very well, I know he listens attentively mostly when he is at a loss. So here I was engaged in a battle of wit so as to create an opening for what I needed him to learn.

Thus I replied, ‘Pray tell my dear student, how have you grown mentally?’ He launches into a pompous speech of all they had taught him in school, how he was doing excellently in his tests and a litany of all that was fed to him by his teacher. I had to give him one for having such a great memory. But no! I wasn’t going to let him have the upper hand or he may not take to heart what I was about to teach him. I then rephrased my question ‘I see you have read your books. But speak to me, did you ever question anything your teacher taught you, did you think about how you may apply what you read in your environment, let us leave school and come back home, have you ever asked how the fan in your room works or why the sky is blue? And maybe even link it to something you learned in school?’

His face goes blank; I had him right there and I wasn’t going to let go. I didn’t want this kid or any of my kids to just absorb information as they grow up without thinking and ruminating on them. I don’t want them to be complacent, always accepting the world as it is. I feel that is why it is so difficult for us in my country to invent and produce things ourselves. And these kids who are the future of the country better get their game on. They have to develop a sense of reasoning, they have got to learn to question all that they see or hear and seek answers.

So back to my piece. My dear student was ready for me, his mind well prepared to receive what I had to say; hence I shifted into lecture mode ‘You can’t do the same things everyone else is doing or think like everyone else, your classmate could come and tell me the same things you just told me, so what differentiates you from him? Remember you are special and one powerful thing that makes you special is how you think. You have to question everything, why does the fan spin in that direction, how does the principle of rotation apply here? How is it connected to the switch that is so far away? How do flowers get their colours, is there paint in the soil? Start thinking about all you see and question every detail. In fact here is a challenge, get a book and write your thoughts each day on the different things you have taken note of.’

My student wasn’t so enthusiastic about the new task I had yet again given him but he is got no choice. I know he will thank me in the future for it. However, that conversation left me feeling like a hypocrite. Please someone should ask me; how often do I question things around me so as to discover truths just for the sake of knowledge and its application? In a way, I had my own assignment because I totally believed what I had told the kid so I needed to act it out too.

And WE ALL do, we need to spend time daily to think about things around us, chew thoughtfully on issues going on, think of solutions to challenges we face, not just accept them. We can’t just do the same things the way we see them or as our ancestors. Like Mensa Otabil said, “why do we still prepare and eat Fufu the same way for generations, why hasn’t anyone decided to prepare it differently and maybe add coconut to it for flavouring?”

It is time, to do things differently, think through all we see and question the little details. That way, we can maybe change the world just as my kid is going to be doing very soon. Of course, I won’t be left behind so you shouldn’t be left behind too. So off you go, get your Thought book and start thinking.

Till next week

Jaa Mata