ESUSU MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS)

 

I was thinking this morning..... I grew up hearing my mum say 'When I pack esusu next month, we will do this or that.' For the non-initiates, Esusu is an Ibo word that refers a fund to which a group of individuals make fixed contributions of money at fixed intervals and the total amount contributed by the entire group is assigned to each of the members in rotation. These savings schemes also called Ajo in yoruba and Adashe in the north has the unique benefit of providing bulk money to each of the contributors.

I heard recently of how some blue-collar workers in some organisations where free lunch is provided, have devised a smart way of reducing the cost of providing food for their families using the Esusu Management System (EMS). A number of colleagues agree to contribute their meat (viz chicken, beef, fish, cowleg or kpomo) each lunch and one person takes it all home. The next day will be the turn of another until it goes round. The pot of meat collected by each person is taken home to prepare a pot of soup for the family. Wow! Apart from the challenge of food hygiene, I find the idea quite creative.

The Esusu Management System is most beneficial where there is shortage of resources. No doubt there is shortage of love and goodness in our world today. For a father to beat and broke the arm of his 2 month old baby because he was being disturbed tells us that all is not well with him. We are too consumed by the rat race of succeeding that we fail to see that our brother, friend or colleague is drowning in pain. Love, like dollar, seems scarce in our nation today.

It's time to deploy the Esusu Management System. This time, not for money or meat but for love and goodness. We belong to several social media groups that focus on chatting more than showing genuine love. If we aggregate a little love and goodness in each of us and shower it on one member each week or month, I believe it will go a long way in lifting people out of the mental health challenges they are faced with today. Luke 6:31: Do to others as you would have them do to you.

We have seen money Esusu and kpomo Esusu, it's time for Love Esusu. As we do esusu with our love and goodness, I believe the world will be a better place.

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey