HEKIMA: Parable of the Akara

It was around 8.30pm sometime in September 2011. I had just returned from a meeting and I was dangerously hungry. The closest option for me was a small shop where they sell fried yam and Akara.

I got to the shop and I met a lot of people shouting on the young man frying the Akara. I joined the crowd expecting that it will be turn soonest. Some guys who stood close to the frying pot kept asking the vendor to bring the Akara out of the frying oil even when the Akara was half fried.

The poor young man gave in to their pressures and he scooped the brown but half fried Akara balls from the pot into the show glass. The Akara looked really good in the glass. He started selling to the guys who were pressurizing him.

He had not sold to more than 5 guys when two people returned to complain that the Akara was not well fried. The Akara was only brown outside but was still fresh and uncooked inside. The seller had to stop selling and had to pour all the Akara balls in the show glass back into the frying pot. All the people pressurizing him initially had to wait eventually for the Akara to be fully fried.

What are the lessons here

1. When you are going through your preparation stage, you will come across many people and situations that will tell you that you are ready for the Show glass when you are not actually ready.

2. When you come out of your frying pot too early, you will taste bad.

3. The show glass will only show people your outward beauty but your content will be revealed when you are tasted.

4. It is not a good experience to jump into the show glass prematurely and now go back to the hot oil because you tasted half fried. It is a shame.

Tell your hungry pressurizers to wait. You are about to be fully fried and will soon be fully ready for the show glass unashamed.

May you have understanding.

Oluwaseun David ADEPOJU