This document summarizes key points from an interview where Nelson Mandela expressed disappointment in Nigeria's leaders for prioritizing personal interests over the people, allowing high levels of poverty and corruption. He encouraged Nigerian leaders to emerge who don't see public office as a way to enrich themselves. Mandela also stressed the importance of educating children, especially of the poor, to give young Nigerians the tools to enact positive change and improve Nigeria's reputation.
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Every Child is a Genuis
1. Every child is a genius, winner
and champion from cradle to
grave.
Whether, the genius manifest
during the process of growing
up or not, that depends on
some factors that we will be
considering
in
this
presentation.
Every Child is a Genius
Daniel
Akinyemi
2. You never really understand a
person until you consider
things from his point of view...
Until you climb inside of his
skin and walk around in it.
Harper Lee,
To Kill a Mockingbird.
Understand that child, before you
demand to be understood
3. Despite the millions of
sperm that are produced
and released in each
ejaculation, only one can
fertilize each egg.
The Beginning of a New Life
4. Newborns come into the world with
sophisticated
brains
that
are
phenomenally wired for intellectual
growth. During the first year of life, they
are more impressionable and able to
develop than at any other time in life. This
cognitive development affects them for
the rest of their lives. Thus parents have a
tremendous responsibility and a sacred
obligation to nurture their children in love
and train them in the way they should go.
The Beginning of a New Life
5. Unfortunately, there are strong forces
working at home, in the schools, and
within the broader culture, to stifle these
genius qualities in children. Many children
grow up in homes which put an active
damper on the qualities of genius. Factors
in the home like poverty, depression and
anxiety, pressure on kids to grow up too
soon, and rigid ideologies based on hate
and fear, actively subdue the qualities of
genius in childhood such as playfulness,
creativity, and wonder.
The Beginning of a New Life
6. 3 Important ideas about infant
brain development
1. The ability of individuals to learn in a
variety of settings depends in part on their
genes (nature) and in part on the
care, stimulation, and teaching they
receive (nurture).
2. The brain is built to respond most
sensitively to experiences that occur
during the first years of life.
3. Even though the first years of life are
very important, learning continues
throughout each persons life.
7. Everybody is a genius. But if you
judge a fish by its ability to climb
a tree, it will live its whole life
believing that it is stupid.
Albert Einstein
Genius is 1% inspiration and 99%
perspiration. -Thomas Edison
Love Learning
8. Bloom's Taxonomy is a
breakdown of the six levels of
thinking, from the lowest level to
the highest. You can use it to help
you think about thinking on a
deeper level.
Learn about Blooms Taxonomy
9. You are different. You think
differently. Every kind of genius is
different and individual. And
every kind of opinion has
something true and something
you can learn from.
Think Differently
10. 5 Times Extra Work and Ten Yeas of Effort
Ericsson shows that genius status is
achieved when one puts in five times extra
work and 10 years of effort more than
average people do. "A lot of people think
(that) highly talented people can become
good at anything rapidly. But what this
study says(suggests) is that nobody has
been able to rise without having
practiced(practiced) for 10 years. In
[classical] music right now, it takes more
than 15-20 years before they start winning
in competitions", said Ericsson.
12. Madiba's Message to Nigerian Leaders "You know I am not very happy with Nigeria. I have made that very clear on many
occasions. Yes, Nigeria stood by us more than any nation, but you let yourselves down, and Africa and the black race very
badly. Your leaders have no respect for their people. They believe that their personal interests are the interests of the
people. They take peoples resources and turn it into personal wealth. There is a level of poverty in Nigeria that should be
unacceptable. I cannot understand why Nigerians are not more angry than they are." "What do young Nigerians think
about your leaders and their country and Africa? Do you teach them history? Do you have lessons on how your past
leaders stood by us and gave us large amounts of money? You know I hear from Angolans and Mozambicans and
Zimbabweans how your people opened their hearts and their homes to them. I was in prison then, but we know how your
leaders punished western companies who supported Apartheid." "What about the corruption and the crimes? Your
elections are like wars. Now we hear that you cannot be president in Nigeria unless you are Muslim or Christian. Some
people tell me your country may break up. Please dont let it happen." "Let me tell you what I think you need to do. You
should encourage leaders to emerge who will not confuse public office with sources of making personal wealth. Corrupt
people do not make good leaders. Then you have to spend a lot of your resources for education. Educate children of the
poor, so that they can get out of poverty. Poverty does not breed confidence. Only confident people can bring changes.
Poor, uneducated people can also bring change, but it will be hijacked by the educated and the wealthy...give young
Nigerians good education. Teach them the value of hard work and sacrifice, and discourage them from crimes which are
destroying your image as a good people." (Excepts taken from a 2007 interview with Mandela held by Dr. Hakeem BabaAhmed.)