Growing up, I didn’t really have a mind of my own and cared too much about what people thought about me, so, for the most part, I always followed the crowd. It wasn’t until I got into senior secondary school that I became self-aware with the help of my dad.
I had just changed schools and wanted so desperately to belong. Apart from being known for producing students with exceptional grades during their IGCSEs, Greensprings School was also known to have some of the coolest kids in Lagos and I wanted to be one of them.
The school yearbook was a big deal and everyone wanted to come across as super cool. Many of the guys would pat their hair down then comb it out to showcase their afro when it was time to take their picture. So, I started doing the same until these memorable words from my dad changed my life.
He asked, “If every guy in the yearbook comes out with an afro, then who is cooler than the other?” Explaining further, he said, “In essence son, you have to dance to your own beat”. Suffice to say, I chose to cut my hair and my picture came out well won’t you agree?
Since that day, I chose to stand out in my own way; from the way I dress to the friends I keep. Subconsciously, those faithful words laid down the foundations for the Rare & Debonair Gent. Everyone wants to play it safe, but those who chart their own course are those history remembers. That my dad knew all along.
Advice Papa Gave Me written by: Chukwuemeka Anyiam-Osigwe