Akuya Mentality

“They just keep coming back, these goats!”

“That’s why they are called Akuya, stubborn goats!”

As an undergraduate, I had the enlightening experience of living off-campus, living among the indigenes of a small town. The most fascinating thing about this town was the type of animals the locals kept. They had them in all varieties—chickens, pigs, cows, and goats. The goats, however, were unique—black, stocky, stubborn goats! They drove me nuts.

 

I remember spending a great deal of my waking hours, hot afternoons, and chilly nights chasing after these impossible animals. They thrived on feasting on almost anything in sight. They would eat the flowers, eat the fruits from our gardens, eat the yam in the store, enter the rooms and eat the beans in the cupboards! These goats were impossible. They would scale low borders between houses, squeeze through the spaces between security-bars placed around the house. They would pass underneath the gate, often through unbelievable holes just to get into the house.

 

At first, my flatmates and I were appalled at their presence. Our repulsion gradually grew into anger at their destruction; our fury finally grew into hatred for their existence. We tried just about everything to keep these pests out of the house. With every “Anti-Goat” initiative we concocted, they found a way to counter our schemes. Finally, one day, we grew tired of spending valuable time chasing these goats. We eventually refrained from chasing them and got used to having them around.

When I was leaving school, I heard one of the freshmen complaining about the animals. Her grievance reminded me of my early days in school—precious days that were dedicated to chasing goats, they never left, and they just kept coming back. I had to eventually admire their courage and persistence, their doggedness and butt-breaking behavior. In the end, they got what they wanted—unlimited access into our precious apartment.

Imagine what would happen if you applied the “Akuya Mentality” and never gave up. Imagine the door that would eventually fling open to you if you kept knocking. Picture the business deals you’d make if you kept proposing. Envision the magnitude of success you’d achieve if you just kept at it. If those ordinary local goats could circumvent the plans of highly intelligent ladies, I’m very certain nothing can ever thwart your plans. Go the distance, do whatever it takes, adopt the “Akuya Mentality” and make it happen.