Where did man come from? This is a question that people have been trying to answer for centuries. There are many theories as to the origins of Human beings.

Here are some Nigeria traditional myths about the origin of man.

The Yoruba people believe that all life started at Ile-Ife. They believe that Olodumare sent Orishanla with a calabash of sand, a palm fruit and a five toed chicken to create the earth. On his way to the earth, Orishanla drank too much palm wine and fell asleep. Oduduwa, another god,took the calabash and other items from Orishanla,and came down from heaven on a long chain.He threw the sand on the water and put the chicken on the sand. The chicken scratched the sand and scattered it across the ocean. This is how land was formed.Oduduwa planted the palm fruit and this became the first tree. Oduduwa then became the first man on the earth.

The Tiv people of Benue state believe that Aondo, the god of the sky, created the first man: Takwuku Anyamazenga. Takwuku married Aliwe and they had two sons: Ipusu and Ichongo. The Tiv people believe that they all descended from Ipusu and Ichongo. Aondo also created other people who were not Tiv. These people are called Atoatiev which means foreigners.

The Igbo people from Nri believe that Chukwu gave the spirit,Eri, the body of a human being. Eric then settled in the Anambra area. Chukwu gave Eri two wives,No and Oboli.

The Hausa creation myth

The Hausa claim to be descendants of Bayajida who was a prince of Baghdad. His travels brought him to Daura(now in Kastina state) where a giant snake called Sarki had been preventing the town for accessing the only well. Bayajida killed the snake and,as a reward, Queen Daurama of Daura married him. They had a son Bawo whose six sons became the founders and rulers of six of the seven Hausa states: Biram,Daura,Gobir,Kano, Kastina,Rawo and Zaria.

Let me summarize Stephen Covey’s gems of wisdom for you in my own language. 

 

Habit 1: Take Initiative. Don’t expect anyone to fix your life. Don’t wait for your life to change. Your life will never improve by chance, but by change. Take baby steps today. 

 

Habit 2: Envision the Life You Want. Have a burning desire to succeed. Specify your goals in life. Then your annual, monthly and daily goals. If you don’t write down your goals, you’ll be all over.  

 

Habit 3: Prioritize Important Over Urgent. Be focused. Selection is the name of the game. Say no to secondary activities. Don’t run your life by impulse. Be driven by a sense of mission. 

 

Habit 4: Seek Mutual Benefits. Don’t take advantage of people. Add genuine value to others. Everyone you help is an investment on yourself. If you don’t invest in others, nobody will ever help you. 

 

Habit 5: Listen and Understand the Other First. Keep your ear on the ground. Listen to understand before seeking to be understood. Wisdom is appreciating other people’s perspectives. 

 

Habit 6: Gather  to Create Possibilities. One is too small a number for greatness. Your network is your net-worth. To achieve massive success, build strategic partnerships.  

 

Habit 7: Practice Self-Renewal. You’ll never rise above your mind. Your life reveals the quality of your thoughts. Structure your continuous learning. Never graduate from learning.

Source: Dr K N Jacob