There is a quiet social media war currently pitching Funke Akindele and Toyin Abrahams against each other over supremacy and influence in the movie industry. With both famous actresses turned producers trying to outshine each other with their productions, it was only a matter of time before it became evident that one is not ready to bow for the other.
It will be recalled that Akindele had stirred up the hornets net two years ago when she was said to have chosen to premiere her movie, Omo Ghetto the Saga on the day Abraham’s Ghost and the Tout movie landed at the cinemas.
This clash left many fans of both actresses torn between the choice of visiting the cinema to watch ‘The Ghost and The Tout’ or stay glued to NETFLIX for ‘Omo Ghetto the Saga’.
A similar scenario is currently playing out as both actresses make moves to preach their new movies to the public. While Akindele’s ‘Battle on the Buka Street’ is said to be enjoying huge streaming on Prime Video, Abraham’s ‘Ijakumo’ movie is equally gaining attention on Netflix.
Where does the above scenerio leads us to: Competitiveness.
Competitiveness is the internal drive to do one’s best, either individually or in comparison with others. Competitiveness is the drive that goal getters use to push themselves forward. In fact, competitiveness, in its most basic form, is what all humans draw on to survive and get through every-day life. Competitiveness is the fire inside of you. It is the spark of creativity and artistry, and therefore, it can positively inspire one to achieve his or her best. If misdirected, competitiveness can ruin one’s ability to compete effectively.
In most trainings, competitiveness provides the motivation to do what needs to be done. During a race, competitiveness provides the intensity, strength and persistence to improve, and “dig deeper” than you would in training. In competition, an athlete should be doing what he/she needs to do to win the race or secure the best possible placing. A “healthy rivalry” may help to improve an individual’s performance by increasing the competitive motivation. Wanting to beat another in the process of doing as well as possible in the race can fuelf a gap, sprinting a little harder, or paying closer attention to nutrition or riding efficiency.
A story is told of two friends who discussed almost anything and everything. One is married to a polygamous man while the other is married to a one-wife man.
The first, the sixth and last wife of her husband was very hardworking and ventured into any business she could lay her hands on just to fend for her children, knowing fully well that her husband has many children to care for.
The later, just a petty trader, was always complaining about her husband not satisfying her (imagine an only wife complaining to a sixth wife).
The later (the only wife) came one day to reveal her plan to leave her husband’s house once she completed a 12-room apartment she’s building. Her friend, the sixth wife in a polygamous family, felt challenged by her revelation that if a petty trader can achieve such feat what about her who toiled all day and hardly have time to rest. She promised herself to also build at least a six-room apartment on or before her friend completed hers. Then, she got to work, acquired a piece of land, bought few things and she commenced work on the site.
Within few months, she was able to complete the buiding. The unfortunate part however, was that the friend did not even planned a building talkless of having one till date. She was just a boastful vessel to wake up her friend. What she did was pure rant. The spirit of competitiveness, however, made her friend achieve what ordinarily she might not think of achieving.
Going back to Funke Akindele and Toyin Abrahams, another example is the rivalry between Saheed Osupa and Alabi Pasuma.
Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Odetola popularly known as Pasuma and King (Dr.) Saheed Akorede Okunola simply known as Saheed Osupa, are two of the shinning stars in the Fuji music industry in Nigeria.
And, one very interesting thing about Pasuma and Saheed Osupa is that, they have been rivals in the industry from the early stage of their flourishing careers. They have always seen each other as a competition in the industry such that, if one does something, the other wants to do something better. An interesting example of such competition was what Saheed Osupa said in one of his songs some years ago that, he wanted to buy a particular brand of a car from abroad, and he was immediately informed that Pasuma had just bought same brand of car; so he told his dealer to change his own brand of car to something higher than what Pasuma bought. But, beyond material things, one other thing that both Pasuma and Saheed Osupa have variously used as their tool of rivalry or competition as Fuji music stars, has been different titles they have adopted.
In many contexts rivalry is a necessary feature of life. It supports proper ambition; it can help develop a full self, with a full growth of one’s capacities; and it allows the other, in competitive situations, to strive and express him- or herself freely. However, when beating the other becomes more important than winning the race, the rivalry is no longer healthy.