For the past couple of days, this experience has been playing and replaying in my head more than usual, and I’ll be sharing it with you in this newsletter.
I can’t remember the class. I’m thinking it was JSS class or SS 1, an important senior military officer was visiting our school, there were preparations and we the cultural group started preparing a welcome cultural dance to entertain him with.
We practiced the Tiv dance and also some Yoruba dance moves, omooo Tiv dance no be beans, you’re wining and twisting your body, going slowing from down to up and up to down, most importantly, you’re using all parts of your body to dance and for that practice period, na serious daily body pain.
If you are from Tiv, or seen their dance, or maybe experienced it, you’ll understand what I’m explaining here.
For the Yoruba group, I and Ogbaki Emize my class mate led the dance group, unfortunately, I missed a dance practice, during which selected few were taught a dance. I could have been a part and they thought because I wasn’t part of it at the start, I couldn’t get it right.
Side distraction: This was the time I knew my sound note or what is it called, they said I had the Soprano voice, actually it was confusing then but if you’ve heard my voice, will you differ? na you sabi sef, lol! the voice sha nice.
I self-learnt the dance and really wanted to be a part of the selected group, if you know me you’ll know how determined I am.
On the day of the welcoming, we started with the general dance and the rest of us were to leave while the remaining performed the last dance, at that point, I wanted to stay back.
Then the urge to go back in style and join them replayed in my head.
What did I do? I wallowed in regrets, they did amazing and guess what, someone was missing in the group and I could have joined, they were all signs but I was scared.
Mistakes I made:
-Not speaking up. I could have told Mr Owolabani James, aka sir Gomez who was our Yoruba teacher and dance trainer that I had learnt the dance and wanted to be a part of the group.
-I was overthinking and let my fears control my thoughts process.
-I randomly remember this experience and what if’s start playing.
What I’m sharing is over 10 years ago but I wish I took NIKE words and just did it.
So I’m encouraging you today, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to do but nah, fear is what you let control you, just like me regretting this experience of 10 years ago, that might be your case, imagine how insignificant this can seem and how huge is was for me.
Take that decision, at least you’ll know what would have happened but of you don’t, you’ll leave in regrets and what ifs!
Just do it!
Have a similar experience to share, kindly share with us in the comment section.
Till my next newsletter.
Yours Cruise and Truth,
Always,
Nahnah.
Remember I’m actively here on other days of the week.
No lies about tiv dance, there’s a whole lot of twisting and going from down to up. Loved the analogy you used to portray your thoughts and advice. Well done 👍🏽
No lies about tiv dance, there’s a whole lot of twisting and going from down to up. Loved the analogy you used to portray your thoughts and advice. Well done 👍🏽