G.I.J S.R.C in a typified tales of a Trotro Bus

The Trotro Series 1

G.I.J S.R.C in a typified tales of a Trotro Bus 

Once upon a time I am on board a Trotro Bus. In this bus come personalities of three distinctive backgrounds, character wise.

I must confess I did enjoyed my ride for the seemingly short period on board, observing keenly, how each character description, which I will do later; along the line influenced decisions of the driver, both good and bad.

Character description one describes the ever vociferous ones. They appear very unyielding and will stop at nothing, until their views and opinion is considered by the driver, the man in charge, in his decisions thereafter. They are the calibre of people who have philosophised for themselves the belief that; “the world do not suffer bad because of bad people, but due to the silence of good people”

The second describes the indifferent charactered ones.  Call them the reserved, the introverts, or any other very much appropriate name.  They prefer to keep mute with their view and opinions, even if it takes them to their grave. In a typical Trotro environment, they are seen at their best usually, with head phones on, sleeping, or peeping out to catch glimpse of pedestrians and other equally interesting phenomena. In our local Ghanaian dialect, they are referred to as “omu np3 omuho asem”. Literally meaning, “They detest stepping on toes”. In their philosophy, silence is always golden.

The third and final describes the very opposition to the vociferous ones. They, on occasions can be very constructive with their contrast view points, but the other is no exception. They can also be very destructive.  In that, they at times might not be forthcoming with their reasons for opposition…apparently, for reasons best known to them.

No matter the character description, like the minted coin, they all have two sides. Good and bad. But certainly, one side of the spring will weigh heavier than the other. Therefore, I in my opinion believe that silence that comes with the character of indifference is deadly and must be dreaded. This notwithstanding, Constructive Opposition is good; but not parochially motivated, and destructive ones.

To be vociferous is to be assertive and timely. It is best served when it stems out of knowledge, wisdom and good- will.  

The festive season with its merry making is ended. School is resumed, and we as students are again faced with the realities of the need to kick start appropriately.  The SRC to which we are all stakeholders in our own rights needs us all, the reserved; the vociferous and the opposers in our best of minds.

The “Trotro Bus” which is my literal representation for The Ghana Institute of Journalism and more specifically, the Institute’s student’s representative council, has its fair share of these characters in their right proportions. Subsequent success or, failure of the council in its planned actions hinges both on the individual and, the collective contributions of these characters. 

The SRC executives, most precisely, the SRC President is a simile of the Trotro Driver. On your boarding of the Trotro bus, you have entrusted your live and, welfare into his hands to carry you through your journey successfully. But merely believing in the driver to carry you through is not all. Paying the right fare to keep the car always fuelled, staying alert against any unnecessary wrong doings by all on board, including the driver, are parts of the numerous contributions one can make to achieving a successful journey.

If the Driver wrongly over speeds and you keep mute, it’s at your own peril. If you out of pure-malice disturb the driver for no reason, we all, might not get to our final destinations; but end up in a ditch.

Emphatically, failure is not selective. If the SRC (Trotro bus) misses success in its planned activities, we all have our bits of the misfortune to bear. The very unfortunate of cases is that, on occasions, the severity that comes with even those where appeared very much indifferent to concerns raised might surpass that of others like, the vociferous charactered. A situation they could have well averted with just a spoken consent.

SRC will die not because we spoke our constructive minds, but the otherwise. Silence and indifference (apathy) will do us no good when engraved with visible inefficiencies. But how dare me complain about the Bus moving at either a slow, or fast speed when I am not on-board such a bus; how dare me complain about defunct social groups, clubs and halls when I make no meaningful contribution to the existence of such  groups.

The best we cannot escape being is the biblical two-edged sword.  Let’s be seen radical in our criticisms of substantive claims of Bad-leadership, inefficiencies, pussy footing when it comes taking clear cut decisions and the lots, but sober when the journey is right.

From a personal point of view, we have to remain all activities SRC active. Proponents other than malice purposed opponents.

The G.I.J we seek to create is procedural. It will not come out of the blue…neither in a vacuum, but through you. The Trotro bus has again taken off.  Our arrival at the final destination must be collective.

DZIDULA JUNIOR @ www.felixscorner.blogspot.com