01/08/2020
Editorial for the month of July 2020. Focus: The white and black faces of competition.
Competition from every perspective is a good thing among Human beings, Communities and Countries at large but it is very important to note here that there are two types of competition. To start with, positive competition helps to bring out the best in people. it inspires and it is also the basis of grading people especially in the domains of academics and sports. Positive competition also promotes innovations through hard work. On the ugly side, negative competition has sadly sent so many people to their early graves by people who could not measure up to them. Some people also died prematurely because they were comparing their lives with others . We all know that life is irrational so people can never have the things of this world on an equal proportion. There will always be greater and lesser people than us whether we like it or not.
As an individual, you have something that others don't have and others have something that you don't also have so why are people trying to change the unchangeable. In clear terms, people who have a negative competitive spirit are just chasing the wind. As a social scientist, I have observed with great astonishment how some senior people compare their lives with that of their younger brothers and sisters. If we must compete, there are preconditions that must be taken into consideration. The first is that only people of the same age group should compete among themselves. You cannot be a senior person by far in age and you expect those younger than you to have the same level of achievements like you.
Secondly, we can only compete with others if we had or have the same opportunities in life. You cannot be born with a golden spoon in your mouth and you are comparing your life with a son or daughter from a very poor background. It is a reality that some people had houses, bank accounts, businesses, cars and jobs kept for them even before they were born.