He Didn’t Learn; So The World Outgrew Him.
So on my way to Lagos, we had to stop at a restaurant for a quick stretch.
I had just left the convenience. I went to check for some books I could buy that might interest me.
Well, I didn’t see (I was actually looking forward to buy more series of How They Started).
Along came a young man in cute cultural attire, and approached me. He held a bundle of books, you’d think he’s a publisher.
He had just finished talking to the other passenger who was just standing beside the door carefully taking some mouthfuls of Sprite.
I knew I was going to be the next.
He reached out to me and we exchanged pleasantries. He was actually not tall. Standing beside him, you’ll believe I was a giant.
Good morning, my name is Gift Usoro (not real names). I am a writer and I just completed a book on personal development and faith. He spoke with all eloquence.
I’d like you to have one of my books, and support me. He continued.
I looked at him with the intention of not being a carrier of bad news and said, “thanks you Mr. Gift, but do you have alternative formats of your book, maybe the PDF?”
I said this to him because I do read hard copy books. I don’t even read pdf books. But if he had the pdf somewhere, I was willing to buy it and and use a pdf audio reader to do the rest.
But, he had no idea what a pdf format was.
I was startled and told him, “honestly I don’t think I’m your real customer.”
I did not know when I actually told him this.
I was about to walk away, but what a friend would I end up becoming if I did not tell him the real truth.
I retrieved my walking away step and politely told him, “you see, it’s not that you’ve done something bad ohh, but you are not following with the improvement the world is making.”
You are here, waiting for passengers to alight and then you hustle up to them begging them to buy your book. The book that you used sellotape to wrap.
Bro Gift, the truth is you need to innovate and take a place in the world that you’re already part of.
You can’t be taking your bath everyday coming to Ore just to sell few books which you’ll still use the money as your transport back home for feeding and soap (maybe).
I told him, stop fighting a digital war with an analog weapon.
I know it’s step by step, but plan these things. The formula is simple. Dream big, Start small, scale fast.
In the cause of our discussion, this guy doesn’t know what a PDF is, a website, a podcast and he’s not even on Facebook. So it’s paining me how he’s going to read this.
In the lines of this post, the moral is clear.
Please when next you’re traveling by bus to Lagos, you’ll probably stop at Ore, from my description of Mr. Gift for sure you’re going to recognize him.
Let’s keep preaching to them until they’re loosed from the lower circles of ignorance.
It’s ok, driver is calling us before he’ll start saying we look like Garri.
The annoying part is that after all I’ve said to Mr. Gift, he’s still following me asking me to support his book mission, even if it’s with 200 Naira.
I collected his number sha.
When I returned from Lagos, I might call him to ask him, how far.
— Until then, keep this little light of yours shining, who knows I might need your lamp someday.
by:
I dab.
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