The Spirit of Excellence

So I have managed to survive one  of the 'emptiest' long weekends in Lagos. Thankfully there were one or two interesting things to do, and one or two interesting people to do them with. Like The broadway performance of Fela...

Fela was a great show, it was evident that the producers and organisers had taken the time to dot their i's and cross their t's, no stones were left unturned, there was no room for technical glitches. In terms of planning the show was 'excellent', save but the African timing (cant have it all, can ya). In terms of the actual show: the music was on point, the acting was ok (accents left a lot to be desired, but it was a musical so this was not a big issue), the dancers, no comment, if you saw it, you know. It was well executed, and those who saw it in New York, London, elsewhere could attest that it was to the same standard here.

(Devils advocate D), I can't help but think that if the show was organised, planned, directed, and performed by NIGERIANS it would have been a total flop. NEPA would've taken light, they will still be arranging chairs at 9pm for a show planned for 7, people wont have attended, the acting would've been forced, the "who's who" would have strolled across the front of the stage at leisure. It would've been shoddy. this is not meant in any way to knock Nigerians, the truth is we are capable of producing a show to the same standards, but as a people we have not yet imbibed "The Spirit of Excellence". And unfortunately the average Nigerian doesn't care for it, as long as it is done sha, the quality is of very little importance. 

"Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse". Nigerians are a well traveled bunch of people, we see things beautifully executed around the world, we have people come and execute things perfectly here, despite our infrastructural challenges. We import well produced products, external manufacturers come here and produce their products with the same excellence, we arrive at organised airports worldwide, we dine in clean restaurants, we travel using timely metro systems, we watch well produced films, we go to fully furnished hospitals, send our kids to schools where the teachers can pass the tests they administer, etc etc. Nigerians know excellence, we just don't wish to implement the same here. I refuse to accept that we don't know how, I believe we don't find excellence something that is to be desired, we are content to accept that the job is done, even if it isn't done well.

Excellence is an attitude, it is knowing that there is pride in what you do, however small, it is seeking to do whatever task you are assigned to the best of your ability. Even if you clean the loos in your local government, or you are the MD of a bank, Excellence is doing your job as though everything depends on it, it is holding yourself responsible for a spill by the loo bowl, or for the profitability of your organisation. The great thing about excellence is that EVERYBODY can be excellent, it's just a choice, an attitude.

I have seen excellence in Nigeria, the logistical phenomenon that is "The Experience" shows that we can achieve excellence in Nigeria and by Nigerians. We just have to want it, teach it, and live by it.


Xoxo.