Our Blog

“A rat race is an endless, self-defeating or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely” (Wikipedia.) The rat race is depictive of our modern world where the everyday hustle and tussle to get by and make ends meet leads to a continuous cycle of excess labour; often without any rest in view.

The pursuit in the 21^st century is a frenetic and burgeoning quest to compete in having a fair share of the pie that hangs dangerously at the mouth of the lion. The cheetahs abound, the tigers roam boisterously, the hyena wants it all and so keeps a sharp eye; the hawks are marauding from a distance and the antelope – the weakest of the park simply hopes for a taste while the vulture patiently awaits the departure of all and then ensconces itself in devouring the carcass. Such is the case of the human race at this age and time. In a nutshell, everyone wants a taste of the meat that’s never enough for all; if you ever get a taste, it’s a call for more vigil; lest, your belly bulges, your cheeks flatten out while your pocket is empty. Meanwhile, the bills never recede! After all said and done, alas, you are in the rat race!

Due to the need to make ends meet economically and the pressure from the society to fit into their creed and code of labour, the worker seemingly has no other option than to work more hours and there appear to be no restrictions on the number of hours that can be worked daily. There however seems to be a nexus between lifetime expenses and labour economics; for where the expenses never recede – in most cases on the rise, the demand for meeting expenditure deadlines unshrinking and the daily labour hours’ static, the only option available is to run a consistent routine of labour in order not arrive at economic ruin. The alternative available for a functional household is to adopt a concentric labour routine where both parents actively join the labour force.

Our world has changed and incredibly fast-paced with households forced to keep up with mounting bills and expenditures. Today, families are under immense pressure from constantly rising cost of living; an ever-present multitude of dependents coupled with the desire to meet societal status. To make it worse, many men no longer earn enough to fulfil the traditional male role in the family causing a shift in the expectations of both men and women. Hence, the age-old idea of a man being the sole “bread winner” for many families is impractical. For many – if not most families – to survive economically, it is imperative for both parents to be out there in the field eking out a living in the overriding interest of the family. In fact, it is now a plus or a more acceptable standard and precept for a woman to have a job before getting married in order to play a fitting complementary role economically.

In view of the unfolding narrative, parents are left with no choice other than to commit their most prized assets – children – into the hands of care givers. As families embrace this new normal and commit their children into the hands of the care givers who in the actual sense of the discuss are strangers with no kinship; it is therefore a non-negotiable obligation to look for ways and means of ensuring that adequate, acceptable and proper care is being given to the child by the care giver.The conduct of due diligence like medical tests on these care givers is a noble path to follow; however, their attitude remains a mystery as human beings cannot be predicted totally. The truth is that we are not completely sure that the so-called care giver is indeed good to our child once we are off the scene. This reservation is aptly corroborated by several videos circulated on the internet revealing how care givers maltreat and manhandle these children. Also, the innocent children are likely to pick up vices from these strangers if not properly monitored as cases of violation of minors and other acts of misdemeanour in this mould are replete. Situations like those described above make it really imperative for parents and care home owners to have a third eye.

What is a third eye? A third eye is an installed Closed Circuit television(CCTV) which monitors and records all activities within an area of coverage real time and can be viewed remotely. The installation of the third eye gives you an insight into all activities ongoing even while you are away. In conducting a cost-benefit analysis of installing a CCTV, the gains accruable far outweighs the cost; hence, in the final analysis, CCTV isn’t a luxury but a necessity. Also, CEOs who are never onsite thereby unable to monitor their staff due to exigencies can effectively leverage the third eye as this simplifies the much needed task of staff oversight. The third eye also serves as serious deterrent to criminals because no criminal likes to be seen or caught. In addition, it helps in collecting evidences which in turn helps in decision making or investigative purposes.

Ayotunde Adeniji

Principal Administrative Officer

Ogun state Civil Service.