15/05/2022
This particular sanitation morning (last Saturday of every month) saw me walking slowly, still half asleep, dragging my legs behind my dad as he took long strides ahead. The hard covered notebook clutched tight on my left arm, against my chest now felt like a ton of bricks. Even the bic I was holding on my swaying right hand felt as heavy as a shovel. Gosh! I struggled to continue dragging myself along to perform my duty as my dad's assistant to his office as secretary of the Security Council of our section of the residential estate we lived in.
It was barely 7 am. I raised my head to check the sun and wondered to myself, was it the east or west it rises from again? Oh, Lavonne, just forget about that for now, I consoled my ever wandering mind. Oh boy! I should be in bed. It had been a long school week. I should be resting. I was barely 8! Okay. I am 8 years and 6 months but that's not far from the truth though. My young mind rebelled at the thought of being the one to be dad's writing ally while my siblings had to remain in bed Lazying till 10 am. Being intelligent has its pressures as I am seeing.
My mind went to my mum in the kitchen...though I didn't catch a glimpse of her I knew she was there. The signature sound of her kito slippers on our terrazzo kitchen floor can't be ignored.
Oh! I remembered! It's sanitation Saturday!! Yes!!! I whispered to myself with a full grin, then giggled as I recall her making that crunchy Benin type of Akara (bean cake) every sanitation day. And truth be told, hers is even more delicious. She adds smoked shrimps and sauteed fresh pepper with crunchy onions to the top. Yummy! I licked my lips in anticipation.
I tried to remember if our help bought fresh bread from the estate bakery the previous evening. I don't eat pap... I can't get it into my mouth, let alone swallow it. For me, bread was my perfect accompaniment to Akara's breakfast. If she didn't, my mum will sort it.
My stomach churned noisily and I calculated the time quickly and knew that by 10a.m when the meeting will be over at least the food will be ready. That's three hours- around 180 minutes-I will survive!
I noticed my dad branched off to a new gate, away from the path, much more ahead of the venue we usually go to. I asked him why. And he replied that this is the new chairman's house. We walked in.
Almost all of our homes were duplexes but this particular compound got me spellbound. I could smell fresh grass from the garden and the wetness of the flowers from the dew as I walked slowly along. Birds were singing from the trees around and is that aroma, of fried plantain? My tummy answered and I placed my bic clad hand on my tummy to soothe it.
I passed a White, neat looking Peugeot station wagon on the driveway and slowly read "College of Education Warri" written on it. I asked my dad who owns the car. He told me the owner is a provost... oh! I remembered saying. Yes, I was eight but I knew my vocabulary well. I sleep and wake up with my dictionary. It was the most fascinating piece of the book I owned then.
I looked up the house, taking the full view in. It looked massive and I remember asking myself why anyone will want to live in such a big house. Does size matter? I followed my dad closely behind into the sitting room through the pre-sitting area. As I stepped into the parlour, my world changed forever.
I stood in awe of the gigantic wall shelves fully stocked with books. I went deaf. I was translated from my world to another. A World where only books and I existed. It was a perfect world... I didn't notice my legs carrying me slowly towards the study. Slowly dropping the hardcover security notebook in hand, I raised my hands to touch the books... As I moved along, I felt goosebumps all over me. This was home. This felt like home. This is where I should be every hour, every minute and every second. I belong here. Sleep was now long gone from my eyes and my sleeping mind was alert. I was digesting titles after titles. I could have remained there for life.
I don't know how long I was there till my dad had to touch me to come to sit down and take notes as I usually do.
All through the meeting, I couldn't take my gaze away from the study. I was constantly distracted.
After the meeting. The provost beckoned on me to come to take a closer look. It was like being offered a private view of Disneyland. He showed me where he had a collection of books that were age appropriate. While I was there looking. I heard him tell my dad to build me a library that all through the meeting he watched me throw steady gazes over there. He later asked me if I wanted to read any. I said yes!!!! And I picked till my hands were full. Smiling, he picked up a plain sheet of paper and drew columns on it. I had a column to write books I was to borrow and the date borrowed and when to return.
That began my journey to reading from this vast library. By age ten, I had gone through all the books age appropriate. My dad had slowly started buying me books. Though I wasn't given access till I had exhausted the ones from the provost library.
By age twelve I had a library to myself. Filled with all sorts of books. Half of them were age-inappropriate, smiling! There is a good reason for that. My dad is a primary six certificate holder but he did his best to ensure I had hundreds of books. He just kept on buying all he saw. I read all sorts from meteorology to the famous "You and Your health" Hardback journal. I digested that volume one and two were as huge as it was. I remember telling our family doctor I had abdominal discomfort with pains in my cervix and had mild heart palpitations. Those exact words. His glasses almost fell off as he asked my mom what I was reading. Hahahaha
I went on to be a brainy student. Always top of my class. It was effortless for me. I had a strong sense of mind and I never had issues with peer pressure. I wasn't influenced. I did the influencing. I had foreknowledge of a lot even before my mates did. So I knew what was wrong and right. I knew the dangers of smoking. I mean I saw the lung of a smoker in that health journal. I knew better. I have never taken alcohol all my life to date. It was useless trying to make me take a shot. I was never promiscuous. I knew where it would lead me. In fact boys, my age had nothing to say to me. I knew too much. They just lacked content to hold a steady conversation with me.
As I got into senior secondary school my dad added newspapers to my collection. He bought me hints magazines back to back. Genevieve and true love magazines yearly subscription. I read the Guardian every day. Vanguard Saturday and Sundays. Vanguard's weekend allure was a favourite. Business days- Tuesday and Thursday. Thisday newspapers sometimes. I soon added success digest magazine when I entered my twenties by late Sunny Obas. I even travelled to Lagos at 21 to attend one of the successes digest seminars where I met the now popular Mr Alabi as a young speaker in his twenties. I purchased lots of books and seminar materials printed on paper, spiral bonded with that blue transparent film sheet. I used all my school allowance to purchase this. I loved books.
Today... I am sound mental because of the upbringing I had. I have had my fair share of life challenges. I am currently a single mother of three (divorced) but I handle my challenges very well because I have a very strong mind. I don't even look like what I have been through for I smash challenges as they come. It's almost now fun. Like, bring it on life, let's see what you got!
I know I dictate what goes on around me. And understanding my six faculties gives me the ability to function excellently in my environment. I can live anywhere.
Looking at our educational system, we all know school teaches us to develop our intellect but they leave out awareness. And awareness is the key.
Self-esteem is another huge problem not taught at home or school. No one is taught in school how to make money either. Kids need to be taught to have the right philosophy about money.
After my divorce, I faced countless issues but I scaled through all. It wasn't easy but I am one tough woman! I knew my responsibility as a mother and I fought life hard and I am winning. I began to see women and men looking up to me for guidance. And I saw that though it was tough for me, I stood out for only one reason- I AM SELF-AWARE!
Lots of people coming to me were in total confusion and I could diagnose easily that their mindset was the main issue.
So I founded CTBC (The Critical Thinking Boss Consult) to provoke people to think! Thinking is the highest function we are capable of. Thinking can be taught. But we are not being taught to think and thus a large number of us are conditioned to react. We don't think before we react. We just react before we think.
CTBC is an organization that mentors entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs through critical thinking with the intent to maximize their entrepreneurial potential. It's also access to diverse business opportunities.
And today I bring to you one of our pioneer products. The thinking series from our CTB publishing house. The thinking series is a journal for tweens and teens.
The main goal of this journal is to provoke our kids to think!!
Are you aware that school curriculums around the world are currently increasing their focus on critical thinking skills? The experts on early childhood development agree that the basic skills of reading, writing and math are no longer enough- children also now need to learn the act of thinking critically if they're going to be successful in today's ever-evolving world.
What is Critical thinking? You may ask.
In this case, critical thinking happens when children draw on their existing knowledge and experience, as well as their problem-solving skills, to do things like:
*Compare and Contrast
*Explain why things happen
*Evaluate ideas and form opinions
*Understand the perspective of others
*Predict what will happen in the future
*Thing of creative Solutions
CTBC's thinking series are it's journals - *The Thinking Me* for ages 6 -11 and *The thinking Teen* for ages 12-17
And it comes in Ibo, Hausa and Yoruba languages.
We have sold three thousand copies and have chosen to take this to the next phase.
THE TTM/TTT MEMBERSHIP
The Thinking series membership plan for Parents/guardians
What are benefits of being a founding/pioneer member?
* You get to pay a flat rate for life. No matter the effect of inflation on product cost you get to pay same fee irrespective.
*The bonuses and extra are just for this phase.
*As founding member you get priority to own shares of CTB publishing when we are open to receive shareholders.
*Bragging rights as a pioneer of a positive movemnet to cause future change in Africa
The "Why" of membership;
*The CTBC thinking series will help your kids go from lack of self awareness (mind clog) to being self-aware and from just being intellectually sound to being 360° in control of their higher facilities!*
Our primary potential partners are you- parents of tweens and teens. And we serve you by providing your wards materials to provoke them into thinking.
Parents/wards get to invest *in* their kids by helping them become self aware to understand the game of life and how to play it. It's not just about leaving inheritances. But ensuring they master the act of thinking for themselves and taking smart decisions unaided.
The membership provides three hard copies of the thinking journals yearly plus a monthly newsletter that will have six letters addressed to the parents/guardians on thinking issues. Three letters to the kids as follow-up and three Audio/videos on related topics. That makes up twelve months covered.
*Bonus:*
*Free* registration for kids as pioneer members to our Prime pilot reading club (PPRC) for tweens and teens that cost #$7 annually per kids. No limit to number of kids to be registered
*Extras*
Free pass to three quarterly thinking webinar for kids worth $10 each...Masterclass webinars based on topics not taught at school. From awareness to digital skills and financial intelligence. Also no limit to number of kids to attend.
Our pricing model for parents is a flat rate of $10/ N5500 annual subscription as *pioneer members* who register within the next 45 days. (Closes June 30,2022)
So call 📞 08080609820, +234 803 508 7796,+234 803 365 9203, +234 903 047 2030 for enquiries
For registration to take your slot as a pioneer member please chat the ctbian that posted this
Payments can also be made to The Critical thinking boss consult 1217977709 zenith bank / CTB Domicilliary Account
5072281379 Zenith bank and proof of payment sent to any of the number above
The clock starts ticking now....
What is your decision? We will be happy to have you on board as a parent rooting for us as we press on with this vision.
Join us now.
All that is need are your name and email address.
Join Us Create Change!!!
Lavonne Ebiye Tetsoma
GMD CTBC
Africa's #1 critical thinking coach
To book for your child/children type the word INTERESTED below.
God bless you!
