ADVANTAGE according to the dictionary: it is a position or
circumstance that puts one in a favorable or superior position or the
opportunity to gain something; benefit or profit. The definition clearly
shows that an advantage can be an edge over something or someone or
privilege.
Advantage is what risk takers, decision makers, policy
makers, competitors or contemporaries always want to have to achieve
better or successful results or programs. Because nature has not blessed
or distributed resources and capabilities evenly we all are by this
design of nature compelled to make do with what we have by efforts that
are resourceful or beneficial as the case may be.
Scarcity and wants make our decisions or actions to be
consciously desperate or unwisely laggard in attaining the needed
ability to satisfy or surpass these opposing scenarios we are constantly
faced with.
Because wants and scarcity are inevitable nature’s doings
we need to make decisions that can ameliorate or comfort us.Decisions
will be driven by options and opinions that must be advantageous to our
circumstances or positions.
However,nature has been kind to us by giving us an
ADVANTAGE whether in terms of capacity or capability, surely this is
what we have at our disposals. Whether as pioneers, champions,
inventors, philanthropists, leaders, preachers, advisers, amateurs,
veterans, teachers, students, parents or children certainly whichever
role we found ourselves playing there is an advantage inherent.
My concern is how much do we do to make this ADVANTAGE
relevant? I remember back in the days, it was customary that the village
head always enjoy advantage that is far reaching in decision making,
now the advantage can be described as a town crier for the central
government because this role no longer command that relevant advantage
for today’s policy making process; also was the chief priest of the
whole community who had the advantage of being the only person to be
consulted in the ascendancy of the king but that influence he commands
do not have a relevant advantage in the political structure of modern
governance. This brings me down memory lane, the days of the post
offices which use to be the most reliable,dependable and cheapest means
of communication has lost that relevance of advantage to the
revolutionary mode of exchanging mails called electronic mail (e-mails).
In recent time, the humongous influence OPEC had in the world oil trade
is gradually becoming an irrelevant advantage because of the increasing
discoveries and neoteric means of extracting crude oil other nations
outside OPEC are exploring. In the same light, is the silent rebellious
incursion of capitalism over communism which is dismantling monopoly
structure for free-market entreprise model. Not to forget the monarchy
form of government which has almost gone into oblivion for the
democratic system of government where election and not selection
determines the rule of governance. Back home there were few
establishments that failed to realized that only advantage kept in the
realms of relevance can survive the wind of change NITEL, NEPA, PHCN,
NIPOST NIGERIA AIRWAYS and of course not too distant in the future
Nigeria Railways and NNPC will cave in to the thunderous effect of
change which will not happen for destruction but for disruptive
reasoning being witnessed in the way businesses are conducted.
Therefore, for an individual your ADVANTAGE today will only
remain an advantage tomorrow if you make constant efforts to keep it
relevant. Be you an individual, corporate body or government, remember,
this advantage may exist but can it be sustained? As a journalist will
this advantage be relevant in the spate of citizen journalism or crowd
sourcing of information? As a banker are you considering the mushrooming
effect of BITCOIN (digital currency) to the brick-and-mortar model? A
cab or taxi company have you thought of your relevance of advantage when
ridesharing finally creeps in? Or as an airline do you think new
alliances will not leave you alone in the wilderness of aviation
business? As a teacher or lecturer are you envisioning the impact of
virtual classrooms, online teaching e.t.c? These questions will keep
coming until the answers lash on the realities in our lives only then
would we realise that sustaining one’s advantage through relevance is
the way forward.
An expert is imminently faced with the image of a veteran.
You can stay evergreen by sustaining your advantage through relevance.
Parents will keep their advantage relevant when their moral credentials
are held pristine. A government will make its advantage relevant if it
continually delivers on its promises.
A food for thoughts.
