My Life...
The truism that he was created a unique being did not take long before it began to manifest for all that cared to know the peculiar way he was wired. As a toddler, he crawled moving first always with his left hand. Whenever he got to a a support within the living room or his crawling sphere and he needed to stand up, he reached out always for the support first with his left hand and then his right hand before drawing at it to brace himself up to stand. If he was to bang on the support; be it a table, chair, stool, baby walker, television stand, loud speaker etc., this unique being often did with his left hand. If he was to pick up something from the floor (and characteristic of babies to take same mouthward), he did so with his left hand. As he started to walk, he took his first set of baby steps beginning with the left leg. At this stage of his life, his creative instincts were also noticeable to his folks and carer. Being only a baby, none of his folks bothered to dissuade him from his left-handedness, particularly because they thought he would change to using his right hand or both with time.
As this dynamic being of some sort grew older into a young boy, his left-handedness was more pronounced in all he did; from doing house chores like sweeping, laundry, washing dishes, scrubbing the floor, ironing clothes etc. Also eating with cutlery, writing, playing table tennis (holds the bat with his left hand), even playing football (he did most times with his left leg) and passing things to people (with this he got into 'trouble' a few times with those who culturally were opposed to the use of left hand.) Soon he earned the sarcastically derogative title: "Olowo osi kondoro" (Yoruba language; translated in English as) : "The crooked left-handed fellow". Not quite complimentary is it?
While many of his peers in school made jest of him whenever he wrote or drew with his left hand which made him require more space than his right-handed desk mates in the use of the desk top, he got a little more severe reactions from his teachers and older people in his neighbourhood. Very noticeable however by his peers and teachers which stood him out of the lot always, were his intelligence, brilliance and especially his creativity in whatever he did. Little wonder he often performed outstandingly in artistic subjects. But anytime he passed anything at all (with his left hand) that he was asked to bring whether by any of his teachers or an older person in the neighbourhood to whom he was sent to deliver something, he always got a scolding or a knock on the head! This became the fate this poor young southpaw suffered regularly, just being the way he was created to be, in an environment that culturally believes it is disrespectful, rude, improper or uncultured to use left hand to pass something to someone. This belief or culture is prevalent among the Yorubas in the western part of Nigeria, some other parts of Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. In fact dating back in distant history (fact based research reveals that) those who shared this common nature with this boy were severely discriminated against during the 18th (1700s) and 19th (1800s) centuries and in some cases this nature (left-handedeness) was beaten out of some of them who lived then. Sadly, in adulthood they were often shunned by society, resulting in fewer marrying and reproducing. Even though discrimination against these set of people was reduced in the 20th (1900s) century, it is sad to note that they are still being discriminated against globally in the most modern and developed 21st century today. Will you find it interesting to know that a few of these people who have been discriminated against in time past and presently for being southpaws include King George VI, Alexander the Great, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Julius Caesar, Neil Armstrong, Michel Angelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Robert De Niro, Ronald Regan, Charlie Chaplain, George H.W Bush, Marilyn Monroe, Paul McCartney, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Barack Obama, Babatunde Raji Fashola and ME! Oladele Olunike (the unique being I have talked about all along in this article). Can you imagine these noble Monarchs, Heroes of note, Inventors, Scientists, Artists, multiple award winning Actors/Actresses, Orators, Professional Speakers, World Class Comperes, Musicians, Presidents, notable Political Leaders being discriminated against all because we are southpaws?!
One of such torturous discriminations that I will never forget, which almost sent my self esteem into extinction was many years ago as a young pupil in primary school. My father’s younger brother (my Uncle) often callously smacked the back of my left hand with the wooden part of a shoe brush whenever he finds me writing with my left hand, while taking my younger brother and I in evening lessons, all in an attempt to convert me to a right-handeder! I can’t tell you how painful (voice quivering as though crying) it was and how it often distorted my thoughts, concentration and ultimately understanding of what he was teaching us. But after all my tears...ha! ha! I won the victory of remaining a southpaw!
Even as I have outgrown over the years the 'rot' of low self esteem I was plunged into by the punishments from my Uncle in the bid to convert me from being a southpaw, today I experience a mix bag of admiration and discrimination for being a southpaw. While many do compliment me (as being a unique person to them-being left-handed) if they see me fill and sign cheques or fill deposit slips in banking halls or do any form of writing in public places (wishing they or their children could be southpaws) others have not ceased to remain in their lost cultural barbarism by raising eyebrows.
One of such notable dramas of barbarism was played on me recently, when I was at a friend‘s who runs a neighbourhood super mart. I was graciously helping out to make some sale; attending to one of her customers. I was to pass to this customer, an elderly woman in her, perhaps 60s the product she requested for. I was about doing so with my favourite hand-my left hand when she went...
Act 1 Scene 1
Elderly Woman- (with a mimicked feminine voice-speaking in Yoruba language) "Oti o oti o...ejo ema fi owo osi mu kini funmi o! Won kii fi owo osi mu nkan funmi o. Oti e ti omo mi ti o owa ni le gan ti on lo owo osi mii ki je ko fi owo osi mu nkan fun mi! (At this point I was grossly amused) Ejo ejo eje kin mu fun rami!" (Woman shoves me aside, snaps nylon from me to serve herself.) Just amazed at her cultural backwardness.
Translation - Apparently what she said harshly in Yoruba was: “No no, please don’t pick something for me with your left hand, it is a taboo for anyone to give me something with the left hand. Not even my left-handed child at home do I allow to pass me something with the left hand. Let me take it myself." (Shoves me aside, snaps nylon from me to serve herself).
What my Uncle, this aggressive elderly woman, many parents who through their dispositions have taught their children so and many others around the world do not know, who still see we southpaws as rude, disrespectful, socially unrefined each time we use our left hands to pass something to people is that this discriminatory intolerance of theirs has negatively affected and do affect the self esteem of children and young people who are southpaws. For instance, I at a point in my life lost my self esteem due to this discrimination. In the case of serious unabated apprehension of these children by parents, guardians or care givers, some pathetically never recover from it in a life time. Take the case of King George VI of the British Royal family (who was the younger brother of Edward VIII). During his boyhood and adolescence, his father; George V required the prince to wear a long string tied to his left wrist; whenever he used his left hand, his father would tug the string violently, hoping to train him to become right-handed. As a result of this mistreatment, George VI developed a severe (mimicking stammering) stammer and stammered all his life due to this.
My Lessons...
1. A number of research abound proving the genius of the southpaw. One verified study shows that the links between left and right side of the brain run faster in southpaws than right-handed people. Therefore this rapid transport of data make lefties to be better at being multi-tasked than right-handed people.
2. You are unique being who you have been created to be; black, white, tall, short, slim, big, left-handed, right-handed etc. Never let anybody or anyone make their opinion your own reality of who you should be.
3. The best you can be not being who you are created to be is the second to your best. Being who you are not created to be is being inferior to the one you are created to be.
4. Not being who you are created to be is to rob you of the possibility of maximising your potential, finding your purpose and fulfilling your destiny.
5. One major source of happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment is being who you are created to be.
6. Fight for who you are! No matter the discrimination, torture or mockery you may face, never lose who you are created to be or you will lose ALL you are meant to be!
7a. Bear with those who can't understand why you chose to remain the 'strange' you that you have been created to be. When you become all you are created to be, they will turn around to celebrate you.
7b. Who you are created to be may not impress them, but when you become all you are created to be and that imparts them, they will change their minds.
8. Tests conducted by a renowned American scientist from St. Lawrence University New York; in it Dr. Alan Searleman found that there were more southpaws (left-handed people) with IQs over 140 than right-handed people. Presenting this evidence at American Psychological Association’s Conference in Washington D.C, Dr. Searleman said : “There is a strong link between left-handedness and intellectual creativity”. Furthermore he said: “True Left-handers have a higher ‘fluid’ intelligence and better vocabulary than the general population. They tend to be more intelligent, eloquent and better at solving problems.” The lives of famous left-handed thinkers in history from Albert Einstein to Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin affirmatively underline this point.
Mere mention of southpaws such as King George VI, Alexander the Great, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Julius Caesar, Neil Armstrong, Michel Angelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Robert De Niro, Ronald Regan, Charlie Chaplain, George H.W Bush, Marilyn Monroe, Paul McCartney, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Barack Obama, Babatunde Raji Fashola, my humble self and many more southpaws like us all over the world, one appellation stands out... OUTSTANDING ACHIEVERS! Even though we make up just 5% to 30% of the world’s population, all of us have in invention, leadership, politics, industry, sports, arts, governance, entertainment, science, name it; we have helped and are still helping to make this world a better place. Wouldn’t it therefore be ironically erroneous for some of you to mistreat us due to what has enabled us to uniquely contribute our quota to building a better world?
On behalf of my fellow southpaws, some related to you and others all over world, I put behind us today the pains of the mistreatment meted to us over the years and I stretch forward to you a hand of fellowship to embrace us the way we are. For we did not create ourselves as southpaws. We are happy, satisfied and fulfilled the way we are. So when next you relate with a southpaw or he or she passes you something with the left hand, please debunk the myth that he or she is rude, displaying an improper conduct or is unrefined, rather accept the abundance of intelligence that flows through that hand, because for us, being "Southpaws is For Life!"
Even as I have outgrown over the years the 'rot' of low self esteem I was plunged into by the punishments from my Uncle in the bid to convert me from being a southpaw, today I experience a mix bag of admiration and discrimination for being a southpaw. While many do compliment me (as being a unique person to them-being left-handed) if they see me fill and sign cheques or fill deposit slips in banking halls or do any form of writing in public places (wishing they or their children could be southpaws) others have not ceased to remain in their lost cultural barbarism by raising eyebrows.
One of such notable dramas of barbarism was played on me recently, when I was at a friend‘s who runs a neighbourhood super mart. I was graciously helping out to make some sale; attending to one of her customers. I was to pass to this customer, an elderly woman in her, perhaps 60s the product she requested for. I was about doing so with my favourite hand-my left hand when she went...
Act 1 Scene 1
Elderly Woman- (with a mimicked feminine voice-speaking in Yoruba language) "Oti o oti o...ejo ema fi owo osi mu kini funmi o! Won kii fi owo osi mu nkan funmi o. Oti e ti omo mi ti o owa ni le gan ti on lo owo osi mii ki je ko fi owo osi mu nkan fun mi! (At this point I was grossly amused) Ejo ejo eje kin mu fun rami!" (Woman shoves me aside, snaps nylon from me to serve herself.) Just amazed at her cultural backwardness.
Translation - Apparently what she said harshly in Yoruba was: “No no, please don’t pick something for me with your left hand, it is a taboo for anyone to give me something with the left hand. Not even my left-handed child at home do I allow to pass me something with the left hand. Let me take it myself." (Shoves me aside, snaps nylon from me to serve herself).
What my Uncle, this aggressive elderly woman, many parents who through their dispositions have taught their children so and many others around the world do not know, who still see we southpaws as rude, disrespectful, socially unrefined each time we use our left hands to pass something to people is that this discriminatory intolerance of theirs has negatively affected and do affect the self esteem of children and young people who are southpaws. For instance, I at a point in my life lost my self esteem due to this discrimination. In the case of serious unabated apprehension of these children by parents, guardians or care givers, some pathetically never recover from it in a life time. Take the case of King George VI of the British Royal family (who was the younger brother of Edward VIII). During his boyhood and adolescence, his father; George V required the prince to wear a long string tied to his left wrist; whenever he used his left hand, his father would tug the string violently, hoping to train him to become right-handed. As a result of this mistreatment, George VI developed a severe (mimicking stammering) stammer and stammered all his life due to this.
My Lessons...
1. A number of research abound proving the genius of the southpaw. One verified study shows that the links between left and right side of the brain run faster in southpaws than right-handed people. Therefore this rapid transport of data make lefties to be better at being multi-tasked than right-handed people.
2. You are unique being who you have been created to be; black, white, tall, short, slim, big, left-handed, right-handed etc. Never let anybody or anyone make their opinion your own reality of who you should be.
3. The best you can be not being who you are created to be is the second to your best. Being who you are not created to be is being inferior to the one you are created to be.
4. Not being who you are created to be is to rob you of the possibility of maximising your potential, finding your purpose and fulfilling your destiny.
5. One major source of happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment is being who you are created to be.
6. Fight for who you are! No matter the discrimination, torture or mockery you may face, never lose who you are created to be or you will lose ALL you are meant to be!
7a. Bear with those who can't understand why you chose to remain the 'strange' you that you have been created to be. When you become all you are created to be, they will turn around to celebrate you.
7b. Who you are created to be may not impress them, but when you become all you are created to be and that imparts them, they will change their minds.
8. Tests conducted by a renowned American scientist from St. Lawrence University New York; in it Dr. Alan Searleman found that there were more southpaws (left-handed people) with IQs over 140 than right-handed people. Presenting this evidence at American Psychological Association’s Conference in Washington D.C, Dr. Searleman said : “There is a strong link between left-handedness and intellectual creativity”. Furthermore he said: “True Left-handers have a higher ‘fluid’ intelligence and better vocabulary than the general population. They tend to be more intelligent, eloquent and better at solving problems.” The lives of famous left-handed thinkers in history from Albert Einstein to Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin affirmatively underline this point.
On behalf of my fellow southpaws, some related to you and others all over world, I put behind us today the pains of the mistreatment meted to us over the years and I stretch forward to you a hand of fellowship to embrace us the way we are. For we did not create ourselves as southpaws. We are happy, satisfied and fulfilled the way we are. So when next you relate with a southpaw or he or she passes you something with the left hand, please debunk the myth that he or she is rude, displaying an improper conduct or is unrefined, rather accept the abundance of intelligence that flows through that hand, because for us, being "Southpaws is For Life!"
Hmmm, what more can be said. The application of credible facts, sound theories and indisputable truths in this here article once again attests to the credibility of your points therein. My son was born a southpaw but his school teachers turned him despite my severe protests. They claim they can't teach him to write with his left hand since they are right handed. Apparently, they hold the pupils' hands and trace the letters out. Despite the huge fees they charge they are too lazy and/or intellectually handicapped to devise a way that would help. Thank God for Jesus, we prayed and there were no adverse after effects of the transition. Kudos to you my Bishop. I have believed in you, believe in you still and will continue to believe in you. Keep Shining Sir
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