Africa Hair and Beauty Magazine July - August Edition

Hair and Beauty e Magazin rica in W/Af

Vol. 29 No. 92 July/August 2021

Nigerian Hairdressers’ Workshop

The incredible value of healthy hair Contentment as a way of Life

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Hello Africa, Good day Nigeria.

Even the articles in this edition are worth twice more than the cover price of the magazine. Read­on, and enjoy the other benefits of Hair and Beauty.

Years ago, Hairdressing , as an occupation or a profession, was looked down upon by many. Hairdressing Practitioners were poorly considered as failures, school dropouts, and block­heads.

Not anymore, Hairdressing has become a "noble" profession ­ worldwide. Suddenly, we are made to know or believe that, with a good knowledge of the skill of Hairdressing, you can earn a living anywhere in the world, where there are women and men.

There is no important event, TV or off­TV that the players or major participants don't require the services of Hairdressers. Even sports personalities, Athletes and Footballers make loud statements with their hairstyle. Up Hairdressers!!!

At a recent Hairdressers seminar organized by Kanekalon and its Nigeria partners ­ Darling and Xpression. The lead guest speaker at the event, Mr. Fred Chris, owner of Who is that girl Beauty Enterprise. His lead question was ­ "How many of you know how much you earn monthly, quarterly and yearly. This question lasted for over 5 minutes before one of the Hairdressers in attendance summoned up courage to answer this seemingly simple question.

From the response received, we came to the conclusion that the industry is rift with poor or non existent record keeping habits. The Speaker challenged his audience to develop the habit of keeping records. If you don't know how much you earn daily, weekly, monthly or yearly, you won't know if you are making progress

INSIDE THE ISSUE 06

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Publisher’s Commentary

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The incredible value of healthy hair

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7 Tips to protect Colour treated hair

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Contentment as a way of Life

www.melmoyabeautypalour.com www.melmoya.com

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July/August Edition 2021

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7 Digital Marketing Ideas That Will Give Your Salon a Boost From ­ RevLocal.com

With the overwhelming number of salons to choose from, it’s more important than ever for your business to stand out from the competition. That’s why we put together this list of seven digital marketing tips for salons and spas to try now!

Get more reviews.

Your potential customers want to hear and see

results if it has positive reviews, even if it’s not

how your current customers are feeling about

the top result.

their experiences at your business.

Make sure you have a steady stream of positive

Your online reputation is extremely important,

reviews coming in on a regular basis to build up

and this can be a determining factor for

your star rating.

consumers who are looking for a new salon.

Encourage your happy clients to leave

Finding a new stylist can be intimidating, but

feedback with the exact services they

positive feedback can be the deciding factor

purchased during their visit. This will highlight

when looking at a new salon.

your team's skills in reviews, showing

And, consumers are more likely to click on

consumers that you are good at what you do.

businesses with a high review star rating.

And, when clients mention a specific service,

A recent study found that 56 percent of people

they are adding keywords to their review,

will click on a business in the local search

giving it some local search marketing power!

Perfect your online social game.

Potential customers will go to Facebook or

that will validate your experience within your

Instagram to see your most recent work.

industry.Setting up a daily or weekly social

Photos are a great way to showcase your

media to-do list is a great way to stay

team’s skills and get new clients in the

organized and on task with getting those posts

door.Post often and post high-quality content

up.

7 Digital Marketing Ideas That Will Give Your Salon a Boost

Perfect your online social game.

Here are some ideas for photos your salon or spa can post on social media:  Before and after images of clients

 Photos of the interior of your salon or spa

 Photos of your stylists, technicians, estheticians, etc (you can feature a new employee each

week)

 Products or sale items

 Gift baskets during holidays

 Quick tutorial videos (how to curl your hair using a flat iron, etc)

Be brand consistent.

A great brand is built over time but requires

represent your business in all aspects from the

great intention.From your business name, logo

moment your customers meet your business

and tagline to your products and services,

online to the moment they walk through your

consistency is key. Be strategic about how you

door.

Here are some more quick tips to help with your salon's digital marketing:  Allow clients to book appointments online: This makes it easy for a consumer who is

researching your business to choose your business over the competition. (Who uses a phone to

call people anymore, anyway?)  List pricing and services on your website: If you list these in the content of your site, you’ll give

those browsing consumers a good idea of how much they are going to pay, and that content

can help your local search ranking!  Invest in local search marketing: The salon/spa industries are competitive, so you’ll need to

make sure your online presence is squeaky clean.Try social media advertising. Facebook and

Instagram ads with location-specific (and demographic) targeting are a great way to put your salon in front of local consumers who have never heard of your business or are still on the fence about trying you. Pair those ads with a landing page or discount, and you’ll improve your chances of bringing in even more customers.

Kanekalon and its Par ners - (X-pression & Darling) Hosted a seminar for Hairstylists on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

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he well-attended event was organized by Kanekalon-Ghana. Participants were drawn from the six prominent Hair Associations in Lagos and Ogun state. The venue of the event was Beverly’s International Event Centre. In attendance were both the stalwarts of the hairdressers' industry and the rank and file. In addition to presidents, Mama Elegant Twins, and Mrs. Ishoka, were on hand to grace the occasion. As well as representatives of Kanekalon-Ghana, X-pression, and Darling. Mr. Samuel Amoako of Kanekalon, Ghana declared the event open. The guest speaker was the internationally acclaimed hair industry expert, Mr. Fred Chris who is also the proprietor of Who's That Girl. The compere / MC was xxxx. Music was provided by xxx. There was ample refreshments. The partners provided large bags of gifts and souvenirs for all who attended.

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WHY HEALTHY HAIR IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR OVERALL WELL BEING

air care is important for not only our appearance, but also for our overall hygiene. Having healthy hair allows us to look our best and ensure our hair and scalp is healthy. It is important to visit a reputable salon and utilize quality hair care products to ensure your hair is as healthy as possible. e look of hair is important to many and has a signi cant impact on our self-esteem. is is highlighted in a survey that states a staggering 88% of women say that their hair is related to their self-con dence. Your hair is important to your overall health and well-being because it is one of the rst aspects that others may notice about you. How healthy and vibrant your hair is can tell someone what type of person you are, and how you feel about yourself. Healthy hair is a sign of con dence and allows others to view you in a positive light.

BOOSTS SELF CONFIDENCE

Self-con dence is important to everyone, and the condition of our hair has a signi cant impact on how we view ourselves. Booking an appointment with reputable salons can revive your self-con dence and allow you to be healthy and happy with your appearance. Hairstylists at salons know how to cut and style any type of hair, and have the ability to help you look your best.Getting your hair done by quality salons and stylists allows you to have con dence on every occasion, whether it be a get together with friends or a job interview. Con dence is key to success, and your haircut contributes to your con dence signi cantly.

PROMOTES HEALTHY HAIR

Healthy hair is critical to the health and well-being of the condition of your hair, as hair that is not maintained can have split ends, frizzy, and be extremely dry, which is neither healthy physically, nor good for your self-con dence. A hair salon will give you the correct treatments to maintain your hair so it remains in a healthy, vibrant state, and allows you to have all the con dence that comes with healthy hair.Furthermore, even a er leaving a salon, the stylist will ensure you have the right shampoo and conditioner to maintain healthy and vibrant hair until your next salon visit.

PREVENTS PREMATURE HAIR LOSS

Maintaining your hair contains a plethora of bene ts that promote both healthy hygiene and self-esteem. However, maintaining your hair can also provide longevity, as proper maintenance can reduce the chance of premature hair loss.

WHY HEALTHY HAIR IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR OVERALL WELL BEING

A REFLECTION ON YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

Believe it or not, the condition of your hair can be one of the most important signs of your overall health. Vibrant, healthy hair means that your body is producing enough vitamins and nutrients that ensure the body is operating at its peak condition. Unhealthy, dry and frizzy hair may be a sign that you may need to change your diet or hair care routine in order to promote your overall health and well-being.Healthy hair is critical to both your physical and mental well-being and should be taken seriously. With the proper maintenance and care, it is possible to have healthy, vibrant hair at all times. Furthermore, your overall con dence will be signi cantly improved and allows you to live a more ful lling life.

WHY YOU SHOULD ONLY GET YOUR HAIR DONE AT HAIR SALONS Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is what the old adage says. But if you ask hairstylists at your local hair salon, they might respectfully disagree. If you love your hair and consider it part of your personal style, then you might want an objectively good haircut that looks good on your body type and pro le. is is where hair salons turn opinions on beauty into expert styles with results.

While you might not think of it as a place to cherish, local hair salons have more going for them than meets the eye.

From experienced stylists to a wide selection of care products at an a ordable price, there are lots of reasons why you should visit hair salons instead of brand-name hair cutters. Take a look at some of them below and see if you agree.

THEIR EXPERIENCE IS UNMATCHED

While you might think that some large corporation is better at picking hair-cutting talent, youd be wrong. Local salons tend to attract the best and the brightest from around your local area because they allow them more control over who their customers are and how much they can charge for hair styling. Because it can be di cult to get a premium chair in a local salon, you ll tend to only have premium stylists to choose from when you enter your local salon to get your hair cut. Most are not only experienced with mens or womens hair, but can also do a wide variety of cuts for both. Rest assured that at local hair salons, the experience is o en unmatched.

GET NEW LOOKS SUGGESTED

O en, we can t imagine what wed look like with a new style or haircut because we re so used to what we see on a dayto-day basis. Since your stylist always wants the best for your hair, they are the ones to suggest a new look that might even surprise you. ey deal with a variety of clients on a day-to-day basis that might also be perplexed, so they ve gotten used to looking at peoples pro les and being able to determine what would look best on them at any one time.

With just a simple request of asking what theyd recommend, you could be on your way toward a whole new you

WHY YOU SHOULD ONLY GET YOUR HAIR DONE AT HAIR SALONS

THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR HAIR MATTERS

88% of women say their hair has a direct e ect on their con dence, and the stylists that work at hair salons are only too aware of this. Whether you re a man or woman, they know that the way your hair is cut can have a direct e ect on how you feel about yourself and move through life. From listening to how youd like your hair cut to taking tips from pictures or other photo inspirations, stylists at local salons are only too aware of how much a hair cut can improve selfcon dence and drastically boost someones mood for the better. is translates into care and cra smanship when they interact with your hair, leading to a better quality experience.

PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES ARE RIGHT THERE

Another way that local hair salons make revenue is by the sale of products and accessories that they believe in and have experience with. When you get a great haircut from a stylist that you trust, you might wonder what they ve done to get a part to look just so or stay put without moving. You ll almost always be in luck, and what seems like magic is probably available near checkout for a reasonable price. You ll avoid shipping costs and delays by buying it right there, while also supporting your favorite salon. It s a win-win for everyone involved

GO LOCAL, GET GREAT RESULTS

When you go with local hair salons instead of the big brand name cutters, you re going to get quality results at an a ordable price. From more experienced stylists to a friendly atmosphere and availability of products and accessories, going local is almost always a better option when it comes to hair. If you re in the Knoxville, TN area and looking for an amazing haircut, why not try Grow Knoxville Your hair and your wallet will almost certainly thank you

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By Hope O’Rukevbe Eghagha

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have often wondered why sometimes people who had danced into a marriage with love, happiness, optimism and hope all too soon turn into bitter enemies, ready to maim, defame, or abuse, or kill and go their different ways. For some, after ten, twenty or thirty years of marriage they turn on each other and fight a bitter divorce in court, calling each other names, and throwing caution to the wind. In one deadly case, one of the former sweet lovers sent assassins after the other party. Why does intense love turn into deep bitterness in some marriages? When bitterness creeps into a union, some throw away all forms of decencies, ignore the fate of their kids, and carry on as if the world would be better off without the presence of the other. Why does this happen between persons who had been in courtship for many years?

The first time I witnessed a marriage of close persons go sour, bitterly sour was around 1985. It was our post­graduation years. We all had kept tab on one another on most issues – job, marriage, family, who was where and who was what. We knew who was dating who, who took someone seriously and who we would never recommend to an enemy for a deep, long lasting relationship.

Yes, later we all drifted apart into different fields, lives, climes, and endeavours. And some died early too. Everyone with his own fate, his obligations, and his destiny. Some rose sharply, got to the top and made it big while we were yet struggling. A few burnt out early. They had risen too fast perhaps. ‘This world no balance’, one of us summed it up.

Fast forward, we all became reunited in the era of

social media. But in the old days, we managed to meet. Dapo showed up one day and told me he was getting married to one Chinyere Hauwa Okafor.

Chinyere Hauwa Okafor? Hmmm! I said, ‘Just like that? ‘Just like that how’? he asked. ‘So fast’? ‘What a combination of names getting married to a Dapo?

‘Marriage of unity. Igbo father and Hausa mother!

‘Great. But we don’t know the lady involved.’

‘That’s precisely the point. It’s an adventure. A journey of discovery. You don’t have to know her.

I’ve known her long enough to marry her. Five years is no joke! ‘Five years? How? When? ‘My secret, boy, my secret’, he replied confidently.

So, I was shocked beyond words when after three years, he said it was all over. The drama of the news of the exit of Chinyere from his life equaled the one which had announced her coming. I had come to know them after the introduction, months before the wedding, while we ate out, drank, saw movies, and attend social functions together. I supposed he wanted me to meet his angel, though he never asked my opinion, and I never volunteered nor asked any questions, and we lived happily ever after. Or so I thought! I simply took her as wife­to­ be. I guess he was very comfortable with that. His family was relieved that their notorious philanderer had decided to be serious about life, by taking a wife. It didn’t matter that they didn’t know her or that she was from an ethnic group that some of them thought should never come into their family. Any wife that he chose was good. They accepted Chinyere and treated her like family.

They didn’t want him to change his mind after a few months. Before we knew it, a big wedding was held, and both were expected to live happily like the prince and princess in fairy

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w o n d e r e d w h a t m a d e t h e h i t h e r t o inseparable pair so disgusted with each other that they could not sit down in the same room just three years into the marriage. I was witness to their courtship and beautiful wedding at which ceremony my friend looked into his wife’s eyes all the time that everyone believed that he was indeed smitten by the bug of love. She also was all soft and smiling and saying and doing all the right things. In their courtship days, they hardly had time for a third person. He had been a swinger on the business of women chasing and suddenly cut off everyone. What was in this girl Chinyere that made Dapo a born­again lover boy? What charm, what potion had she fed him with that altered his personality? But the marriage ended. He didn’t want to say what really happened. I didn’t have the nerve to probe for details because his lips became tight any time the topic came up. He returned to drinking and smoking furiously as if smoking was a way of repudiating the life of a born­again, which his foray into Pentecostalism had taught him. He simply said it was too painful to talk about it. I had no access to Chinyere. Indeed she disappeared from our orbit, taking their only child along with her.

It was later we found out that they were two different personalities. While Chinyere was the home girl who frowned and made trouble with his long hours in his workplace, with new friends, Chinyere the unemployed would cry into the night waiting for her beloved. How and why did Dapo stop coming home as he did in the first year?

I was not aware that he had resumed hanging out

late because I hardly saw him. We lived and worked at different ends of this big hostile and dirty city. Dapo would just smoke away each time I asked what could be done. Once I joked that I had invited Chinyere to meet us and he replied that the moment she walked in he would walk out!

Marriage is a marathon. Not a sprint. The ‘for better for worse’ proclamation in the old tradition recognized this fact. In that old tradition, parties or stakeholders in a union respected most of the rules.

Families knew how to intervene and restore order.

In the world we live in, such rules are no longer respected. Spouses now pick up a gun or a knife to kill off a troublesome partner. In one case, a wife cut off her husband’s genitals after stabbing him to death. What this means is that there are some marriages, apparently made in heaven which must end once it gets to earth. When it becomes clear that both parties are or one of the parties is suffering unbearably in the union, something must be done.

Suffering is not an experience that should go on forever. An exploitative union of any type must end. That is the spirit of the brave new world, the world of freedom. An abusive marriage gives happiness to no one, not even the abuser. It hurts. A husband and wife who can no longer live together because of irreconcilable differences should part ways amicably without breaking heads. For the sake of the children, for the sake of their sanity, like Chinyere and Dapo, separation should be peaceful and without unnecessary drama and acrimony. If they decide to ‘manage’ and ‘patch up’ things for the sake of the world, they might end up killing each other.

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TIPS TO PROTECT COLOR TREATED HAIR FROM FADING

air coloring is an exciting way to transform your look. For some, it is a means of self-expression, while others use it to hide some grey spots. No matter why you color your hair, nothing is as frustrating as spending time and money at the hair salon to get the latest trending color only for it to fade a week later.Instyles nationwide survey found that an estimated 70% of women in the U.S. use hair coloring products. With proper care of your locks and a spark of creativity on your side, you can keep your hair color rich and vibrant. To help you keep it from fading, here are seven simple tips to keep your color-treated hair looking fabulous.

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ENSURE YOUR HAIR STYLIST USES CONDITIONING HAIR COLOR

e products you use to color your hair will have a major impact on the nal outcome. Begin by having a stylist at your Knoxville salon use professional hair colors with conditioning properties. Quality products will continue to condition your hair even as the weeks go by.

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WAIT AT LEAST TWO DAYS BEFORE SHAMPOOING

When you color your hair, do not head straight for the shower. Experts recommend waiting for at least 48 hours before shampooing, preferably longer. It allows the hair color to settle in the cuticles. Washing it too soon a er your salon appointment can rinse all the dye down the drain.

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AVOID HOT WATER

Showering under hot water can be relaxing for the body. However, it can do a number on your color-treated hair. When you want to shampoo, stick to warm or colder water. Super-hot water leeches out the hair color much faster, leaving it dry and dull.

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USE COLOR SAFE PRODUCTS

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SPACE OUT YOUR SHAMPOOING

Color-treated hair demands a little extra attention if you wish for the hue to last long. You may have to drop some of your go-to products and switch to color-friendly options. Most over-the-counter shampoos and conditioners are sulfate-rich, an ingredient that strips hair color out. Look for sulfate-free and alcohol-free products to enable your hair to hold on to its new color. If you re unsure, consult your hairstylist at your salon about the best products for your color-treated hair.

To prevent your hair from losing its vibrant color, it is advisable to shampoo less frequently. Washing your hair less frequently keeps it moistened and conditioned, allowing your color to last longer. You can shampoo twice or thrice a week. You can use color-safe dry shampoo during your o -days to keep the locks looking fresh.

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PROTECT YOUR HAIR FROM THE SUN

e suns rays are notorious for fading hair color, no matter the season. Prolonged exposures to UV rays can cause hair color breakdown, leading to fading. If you love the outdoors, always have a hat with you. You can also invest in hair color products with UV protection. Check out whether your salon has dyes with UV protectors to keep your colored locks safe.

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WHAT IS GRATITUDE? Tunji Razak

ratitude is a very efficient form of appreciation that shows how we as humans really value a favor, a gift or an act that has been done unto us. The forms of gratitude around the world varies due to several factors though as the world is an amalgamation of different characteristics of people. It is said that gratitude turns what we have into enough and is the fairest blossom on which springs from the soul.

Perhaps the most famous instance of lack of gratitude in history is found in the Bible in the book of Luke where Jesus Christ heals 10 lepers of their disease and in doing so their social stigma as well. Pronounced clean of their contagious condition and no longer social outcasts, they get their old loves back. Being brought back from near death and social banishment, you would think they would be overwhelmingly grateful, right? Yet only one returned to express thanksgiving for being healed.

There are several reasons why showing gratitude at all times is a recipe for positive living. It helps in appreciating the value of something, help is being less resentful towards someone who has something you do not have and more importantly makes people want to do more to help any such individual. Gratitude is a selfless act. It's acts are done unconditionally, to show to people that they are appreciated. “A gift that is freely given” is one way to understand what these acts are like. It helps us network, increase productivity and helps find mentors and protégés.

As a result, it helps in achieving career goals as well as making your workplace a more friendly and enjoyable place to be. For example, if someone is sad and you write them a note of appreciation, you are likely not asking for something in return from this person; instead, you are reminding them of their value, and expressing gratitude for their existence. At the moment, you are not waiting for a “return note” from this person.

Even when we do not expect a return, sometimes they

happen. Gratitude can be contagious, in a good way. In the previous example, maybe when you are down, this person will write you a note too.

HOW HAS IT DIMINISHED The world continues to evolve and change as things that were termed as taboos and being disrespectful 30 to 40 years ago are now seen as an advent of the times. For instance, in the Yoruba ethnic tribe of south western Nigerian, a young man when greeting an older person is expected to prostrate on the ground as a sign of respect while a young woman is expected to kneel with her two knees touching the ground. Nowadays, the young ones do not follow this to the letter anymore as the young man just bends his back is an imitating way of prostrating while the young woman simply bends her knee a little.

Even the older ones, who are supposed to rally against this new wave of cultural erosion have accepted it as normal and in turn the level of morality in the society is now dwindling at an alarming rate. This is because in the process of trying to accommodate the changes brought by westernization and the 21st century, thousands of years of culture is being adjusted and modified to fit the narrative.

The same can be said of the concept of gratitude where in the old days, people genuinely showed gratitude openly without the need to feel embarrassed or conform to the world as it is now. You gave a man food and he showed his gratitude in all ways possible. Nowadays, you give a man food, and he shows his gratitude but with as little enthusiasm as possible because it doesn’t conform to the tenets of the 21st century Nigeria that says everyone has to be macho. People who are ungrateful tend to be characterized by an excessive sense of self-importance, arrogance, vanity, and an unquenchable need for admiration and approval. Narcissists reject the ties that bind people to relationships of reciprocity. They expect special favors and feel no need to pay back or pay forward.

WHAT IS GRATITUDE? Tunji Razak

Another factor that has decimated the standing of gratitude in the society nowadays is the general sense of entitlement that seems to have permeated the society.

The attitude of life “owes you something “or “people owe me something “or “I deserve this”. In all its manifestations, a preoccupation with the self can cause us to forget our benefits and our benefactors or to feel that we are owed things from other and therefore have to reason to feel thankful. Entitlement and self-absorption are massive impediments to gratitude and an individual will certainly not feel grateful when he or she does what they think they have coming because after all, they think they have it coming. Counting blessings will be ineffective because grievances will always outnumber gifts.

CULTURE AND ITS EFFECT ON GRATITUDE There are more than 200 ethnic tribes in Nigeria and each of them have certain unique characteristics that make them what they are. It is known that the Igbo people are industrious, hardworking and explorative in nature. The Hausa people are known to be very close knit and patriotic towards themselves while the Yoruba people are usually welcoming. The way gratitude is expressed in these various ethnic tribes is very much different from one another. Take for instance, a woman from the Urhobo tribe in Delta state whose husband decides to buy her a car she has always wanted. The most she can say to show gratitude to her husband is the word “DOH” which translates as thank you.

Using the same scenario with a Yoruba man who buys his wife that car that she had always wanted, she can express her gratitude by using the following “ESE” “ADUPE” “OLORUN O SEUN “etc. to show how grateful she is. These words simply means thank you.

Limited vocabulary plays a role in how gratitude is shown because the concept of showing gratitude itself involves a lot of effusive praise and not just by action alone. Some languages simply put are very lavish in condemnation and very poor in showing gratitude regardless of how grateful a person might be. One study of the cross cultural impact of gratitude found that for people from more collectivistic societies, gratitude practices may simultaneously induce feelings of indebtedness and guilt. Humility is a very important tenet in the grand scheme of gratitude and is very much profoundly counter cultural. It doesn’t come easily or b=naturally, particularly in a culture that values and promotes self-aggrandizement THE TRUEST APPROACH TO LIFE

Gratitude is often prescribed as the remedy for the exaggerated deservingness that marks narcissistic entitlement. It is born of humility and it acknowledges the giftedness of the creation and the benevolence of the creator. This recognition gives birth to acts marked by attention and responsibility. Ingratitude on the other hand, is marked by hubris, which denies the gift, and this always leads to inattention, irresponsibility and abuse.

In gratitude and humility, we turn to realities outside ourselves, we become aware of our limitations and our need to rely on others. In gratitude, we acknowledge the myth of self-sufficiency and look upward and outward to the sources that sustain us. Becoming aware of the realities greater than ourselves shields us from the illusion of being self-made, being here on this planet by right- expecting everything and owing nothing. The humble person says that life s gift to be grateful for, not a right to be claimed.

Humility ushers in a grateful response to life.

Humility is a key to gratitude because living humbly is truest approach to life. Humble people are grounded in the truth that they need others .We all do. We are not all self-sufficient as we did not create ourselves. We depend on parents, friends, our pets, God, the universe and yes, even the government to provide what we cannot provide for ourselves.

RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVES ON GRATITUDE Unsurprisingly, religious and spiritual movements have explored gratitude too. Theravada Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are some of the main religions with writings on this. Historically, many religions referred to gratitude strictly regarding the need to be thankful for a higher power. More so, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism stressed gratitude as an integral step on the path to a good life. For example, in Judaism, followers of Yahweh are encouraged to start every day by being grateful for waking up again. Some psychologists believe that Christianity, as another example, incorporates a “gratitude to God” that binds many Christians together.

For Islam, the purpose of the five daily prayers is not to ask Allah for anything, but instead, to show gratitude towards Allah. These three religions offer a unique role of gratitude, and overall, one of thanks for this existence and who created it. In the older writings of Therav da Buddhism, gratitude connects practitioners to their pasts. Today, gratitude and the concept of karma is a driving force behind

WHAT IS GRATITUDE? Tunji Razak

philanthropic Buddhism in China. Like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, gratitude plays a unique role in Buddhism historically and presently.

Several recent studies explore the relationship between religious gratitude (such as gratitude to a higher power) and well-being. This is a burgeoning area of research in the field of positive psychology..

MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON GRATITUDE More recently, positive psychology has expanded research on the importance of gratitude, largely led by researcher Robert Emmons. Emmons has authored several papers on the psychology of gratitude, showing that being more grateful can lead to increased levels of well-being. Some of Emmons’s work has also dealt specifically with gratitude in a religious setting, highlighting how feeling grateful towards a higher power may lead to increased physical health.

Psychologically, Gratitude helps in projecting an enhanced well-being. Expressing your thanks can improve your overall sense of well-being. Grateful people are more agreeable, more open, and less neurotic .Furthermore, gratitude is related inversely to depression, and positively to life satisfaction. This is not to say that “depressed people” should simply be more grateful, as depression is a very complicated disease and struggle for millions of people. Instead, perhaps gratitude practices need to be a part of the therapy and treatment for people who struggle with depression. Then there is the building of deeper relationships.

Gratitude is also a powerful tool for strengthening interpersonal relationships. People who express their gratitude for each other tend to be more willing to forgive others and less narcissistic. Giving thanks to those who have helped you strengthens your relationships and promotes relationship formation and maintenance, as well as relationship connection and satisfaction. Gratitude also leads to increased happiness and improved optimism.

People who focused on gratitude showed more optimism in many areas of their lives, including health and exercise.

When people are optimistic about their well-being and health, they may be more likely to act in ways that support a healthy lifestyle. In the pursuit of happiness and life satisfaction, gratitude offers a long-lasting effect in a positive-feedback loop of sorts. Thus, the more gratitude we experience and express, the more situations and people we may find to express gratitude towards.

Furthermore, gratitude leads to stronger self-control as showing emotions that entails gratitude can foster selfcontrol and help discover a way to reduce impatience. Being thankful can provide us the resolve we need to make choices in our lives that serve us, emotionally and physically, in the long-run.There are so many applications to using gratitude as a path towards healthier humans and communities.

IN CONCLUSION Gratitude is a trait that is exhibited in all parts of the world.

However, the way it is shown vary from geography to geography due to the difference in culture, language and so on. The environment also plays a major part in how gratitude is seen and exhibited. In societies where there is an emphasis on individuality and self-aggrandizement, gratitude or showing any of its characteristics is seen as being weak and sometimes embarrassing. In other societies, the reverse is the case. That said, our ability to show gratitude to people who have done us good deeds or to show our appreciation to an omnipresent being is majorly influenced by the kind of environment that we come from and the kind of culture that has been inculcated into our fabric. Reigning in entitlement and embracing gratitude and humility is spiritually and psychologically liberating as gratitude is the recognition that life owes us nothing and all the good that we have derived from it is nothing but a gift.

Recognizing that everything good in life is ultimately a gift is a fundamental truth of reality and humility makes that recognition possible. The humble person says “How can I not be filled with over flowing gratitude for all the good in my life that I have basically done nothing to merit?”The realization that all gift is freeing and freedom is the very foundation upon which gratitude is based. True gifts are freely given and require no response

51

Contentment

I am content with what I have, little be it, or much - JohnBunyan

Here is one important subject or Topic that ought to be taught to our people at an early age. Sadly, such is hardly the case.

Growing up, we were exposed to an important verse which reads thus: Be contented with what you have, little be it or much” THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CONTENTMENT THROUGH an AFRICAN LENS

Many people lose the small joys in the hope or illusion for the bigger happiness.

Just 2 hours after the death of Gnassingbe Eyadema in 2005, the late President of Togo, who ruled his country for more than three decades, the Togolese army placed his son, Faure Gnassingbe, in power. The 38 year old, who was then the minister of Equipment, mines, posts and telecommunications took the reins, thanks to an eleventh hour amendment to Togo’s constitution- a move, the African Union and many western powers denounced as an effective coup d’etat. This type of defector hereditary democracy is not uncommon in Africa and has seen a lot of unprepared people take over the mantle of running a country despite being ill equipped and all in the name of their father being the incumbent. Just like in Togo, it has happened in Gabon and Chad, just to name a few; and can be seen as a highlight of how Africans are seen in the general world.

The lack of Contentment is clear, as leaders, who are supposed to exhibit the trait more, are seen to be greedy, corrupt and despotic. More than 80% of African countries live below the poverty line. Factors such as lack of access to basic health care, lack of employment and the general need to first struggle, before surviving, has made Africans develop a different definition of psychology.

For example, let’s compare what Contentment means to a youth from Africa and let’s say a youth from Europe.

The average youth from, let’s say, Nigeria, defines

Contentment as having a very large bank account and enough money to cater for the basic needs of himself and his family members. There is less emphasis on being educated, as the school is seen as being "a scam". It speaks volume that making money illegally now in Nigeria is seen as the rule rather than the exception.

Contentment through the African lens is basically the pursuit of money, and more money. This is reflected in every aspect of the Nigerian society from politics, to religion to morals and even to the social affiliations we make with our fellow individuals. Africa has the highest amount of despots, their tendency to cling on to power, no matter how unreasonable and weak, has held back the continent from being developed. The scourge of corruption has permeated the society to the extent that being corrupt is seen as being a required modus operandi for any persons holding government posts and trying to deviate from it will see the individual ridiculed, or worse.

Furthermore, African pastors are known to be one of the richest in the world what with their arsenals of private jets and untaxable funds.

This has not always been so, and when investigated critically, the decadence of the morals of the average African can be said to have correlated with the advent of the adaptation of the western culture over that of Africa.

The old days were times of trust and simplicity with the individual content with the things he had without being necessarily subjected to the “end justifies the means” tenet at all cost. People valued integrity, and responsibility was valued.

Africa is a deeply religious continent and can be liked to Europe in the middle ages, where religion governed the entire lives of its inhabitants. And just like the Church took advantage of the situation to perpetrate some vile and unthinkable acts all the name of religion, it has also seen most African religious leaders enrich themselves all in name of claiming to be vessels onto which the church goer can receive blessings from the almighty. This is not to say that that there aren’t positive actions that haven’t been embarked upon by religious bodies but the truth remains that religion and development do not go hand in hand. This is seen in the top 10 most developed countries in the world. What is very much striking in this list is that in all these countries, religion largely plays little or no role at all in the lives or the affairs of the people. This is not to take anything away from what religion has done for the psyche of the average African; what with the way the economy and the general way of governing is run so badly. Religion plays a vital role in enforcing cheerfulness as Africans ranked religion as very important in their lives. Despite hardships, believer’s talk about the concept of “Joy” which entails that you can be joyful and contented even if you are not happy. The idea that the future will be better despite the current hurdles has become less common in Europe and certainly in most developed countries.

However, it should be noted while contentment isn’t a virtue of most rich Africans who have a tendency to overstay or over do their process of success, Africans generally, especially poor Africans are upbeat people. African optimism is born out of resilience too what with many developing emotional elasticity to deal with life vicissitudes. This viewpoint is captured by the word of the former president of the African Development bank, Donald Kaberuka, who said, “It’s not my job to debate whether the glass is half empty or half full- , figuring out how to fill the glass, that’s my task”. This humanistic approach follows Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which states that those who have had their basic physiological and safety needs covered are the ones “actively pursuing” happiness. Those down the ladder are oblivious to these higher needs like self-esteem and being in s state of happiness.

That said, the pursuit of wealth and it attainment is proportional to contentment as the average African sees having money as the “be all and end all” of his or her existence. The lack of money will lead to unhappiness and the strive for it is always the goal. It is reflected in the society where the religious bodies emphasizes Sowing seed to breakthrough financially, musicians make reference to money is almost all their tracks and politicians try to outdo each other in how much money they can cart away with before they become irrelevant .

Contentment through an African lens, sadly, revolves with the stratosphere of the level of finances. The richer you are, the more contented you become is what can be defined as contentment when explaining it though the mouthpiece of being African. The decision not to actively pursue wealth, even when the said individual appears happy and contented is seen as being weird. For Africans, money makes a man and money ends a man and the lack of it sees the man become inconsequential, and regarded as being irrelevant.

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