You must have heard this phrase before, made about someone you know or perhaps even made by you. Just recently I was in conversation with one of my cousins, Dr Alban about the mentality of the average Nigerian especially those living abroad but have refused to allow the civilization in the developed world to affect the way they think and act. According to him, anytime he engages people on sensitive matters of national interest, the feedback is always “e get as you dey do”, to which he always replies “if e get as I dey do, e get as you dey do too”. His argument is that people should learn to accommodate the differences in others, not expecting that everyone will act or smell like them. He actually said it in a way that caught my fancy…”if e get as I dey do,you sef get as you dey do, everybody get as dem dey do, so na to learn to accommodate our differences so that all the do can do together”. It was then I thought I should put pen to paper. Truly, who made you a judge over another to begin to criticize and castigate people for being different from you? Answer me. If we all did the same way, walked the same way, headed in the same direction, how much boring would the world have been? There is strength in diversity, and variety is the spice of life. Just imagine if the colors of the rainbow were just one, say black or only red. Colorful always gets every sane person’s attention, in a beautiful way. This is the story and the beauty of our individual differences.
Every now and again, unwholesome comments are passed over my brand identity and characteristics; but that’s why I’m CharlyBoy, and not…for instance, Bill Gates. All the people we sing their praise and look up to “get as dem dey do o” and it’s their “do” that brought them to where they are today. E no get as Richard Brandson, the billionaire owner of Virgin Group dey do or even our own Aliko Dangote? While you may not do like me, please don’t condemn my “do” because it is not written anywhere that everybody must do like you or that the verdict on how people should do rests with you. Seriously, examine yourself very well, e no get as you dey do? If you get as you dey do. okay now, “do” don cancel “do” be dat nah!
In any society, there must be co-existence, and the simple reason is because we all are different, in character, attitude, habit, mannerism etc. To live at peace and for progress, we must accommodate one another. We all cannot be Yorubas, Ibos, Hausas and what have you but when all these tribes come together, what we see is a colorful and rich Nigeria. What one lacks, the other has and in harnessing resources, we are richer. As long as the way somebody does is notin any way harmful to his fellow man, what needs to be done is to recognize their special area and find ways of accommodating them for our common good. I heard not long ago how a new brand trying to enter the Nigerian market needed a model who is 60years above but still looks young and energetic as a 35year old. Of course, the only name on everyone’s lip was CharlyBoy, but because of this “e get as e dey do” matter, they thrashed the idea. What a waste, what a shame! What we detest here in Nigeria, is a spectacle to Oyinbos whenever I travel out. Everybody wanting to take picture with me, touch my rings, my nails and so on. That is how they said I’m gay, simply because I posted pictures I took with some guys on a colorful gay parade and the way I put out, pictures with Derele, my looks on Nigerian Idol show etc. Isn’t that too myopic? Una no know as I dey do? The fact that you take pictures with children at a birthday party makes you a child right? Yea, yea.
The CharlyBoy brand has continued to inspire our youth to be bold to dream and to dare: a positive contribution in an obnoxious environment where we found ourselves. I just have a passion for the so-called underdogs in the society, those who either have no voice or have been silenced by situations and circumstances. When I relate with okada people, physically challenged people, no be d same “e get as e dey do” or e no get as dem dey do or as I dey fight for Okada people, e don make me an okada rider or as dem dey follow me, does it make them CharlyBoy? My point here is that we should have respect for people’s individuality wether they are gay or straight, because that is how life goes.
Come to think of it, even animals get as as dem dey do, animals, not to talk of human beings. Na as Baba God take make am. E get as rat dey do. E get as mosquito dey do, different from as crocodile dey do. E get as fowl dey do, different from as fish dey do. If you are living with a rat or rats, you must adjust yourself, decide whether to get rat gum or make sure your soups and other things are well covered. These simple things should speak to us and point us in the right direction. Allow your “do” accommodate my “do” and together, all our “do’s” will do us well.
Stop criticizing people, if you can’t make them better, just simply leave them to live their lives, while you endeavor to also live yours to its fullest potential. I’m not talking about thieves and rogues sha who disguise as leaders, politicians, wey don sign say other people no go see road comot, but na dem no go go. Fire born all bad people! I don talk my own, you fit talk your own too, if you get sometin to say, because e get as una dey do. Ha!
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