Self accounting is a mark of a developed culture. It is how individuals account for themselves. How they can be properly identified by others with the right identity. It is answering the question of who are you? Who is who? Where are you at all times. It is a simple way of self organizing but has become complex for some. Even with modern tools the benefits are fast eluding some.Self accounting is not emblazoned figures sprouting lies in government circles. It is above political theatrics. Self accounting is free from ‘algae stem ways’ which hardly gets deep to the bottom of things. To self account is a gold standard. It shows a disciplined and organized people. It pays everyone handsomely. Over fifty years ago, dad used to warn about ifé obodo abu agbe. It is really difficult to place l’origine of this linguistic combination like some words in our language. Loan words sometimes compete with the autochthonous. Lexical structure of some of these words imply a distant derivative. They tend to be confounding when generations who used them are displaced either by a relocation from aboriginal place or they have passed away in death. In some cases these words have experienced infusion from other languages thereby reducing the strength of understanding of people who want to make a meaning. Now, a little bit away from the etymologies of obodo abu agbe. Yet, the word gives a simple understanding that one should at all times define where one is going as one leaves for any location(self accounting). Secondly, the location must be definite, purposeful otherwise it will be hanging in the air and bordering on obodo abu agbe classification. Any person or people around should account for what one says as the purpose of outing. The one accounting should be accountable. The place, persons to meet and the purpose are stated. Time of return are embedded in this self accounting that starts from telling those at home of ones movement. Sometimes the information being given may be true or false. But the fact that such information is given indicates order or a system.Despite what may look like a drawback in exposing oneself, it is said that a reasonable hunter carefully discloses the direction of his hunting. He is human. This knowledge impels him to self account. He knows, it is a duty to account. Everyone at a point accounts for one another. In the past, self accounting wears omnipresence apparels in community life. How many persons are engaging in any community work? The Ogá – head or leader, are known to account. “Okei na adi na igwe danda” Among ants there is always a leader. It is truth synthesized, a reality possibly woven in all cultures. Self accounting has nothing to do with heirachy of things of a patriarchal society. It is a normal run of the society. Self accounting at any moment is unwritten rule. It is untrue that census of all kinds are foreign. In-house and individual numbering are not always made public but are known by all. Often expressed by onè ka wa di? How many are they? This question is always an inference to number or quantity, sometimes, quality of men available to execute a project. At projects, there are teams – Otu. Depending on the task on hand, it could be temporary or permanent. In creation of teams, population indices are put into consideration. Status in the society does not privilege anyone to be free from being a member in community work teams. Team spirit evokes cooperation, exertion and competition to quickly complete a project. The first group to finish does not carry the day. They are obligated to join hands to complete the work before entertainment. Team leaders account for their members during and at the end of the day. It is not zig-zag ‘systems’ found at work sites of our so-called modern Africa. “A person, organization or society which neither works in the good old ways or advancing to improve its system negotiates an eclipse ”“Guess work has become the rule on number of souls lost at worksites.” “This is a lack and avoidable shame!” “It is true not a superlative that many are not adhering to primary personnel accounting at modern worksites” “It is obvious in the quarrels on figures of “ missing persons” whenever it happens as it wont here.”“It is a tale of disorderliness.”“ Increasingly, it is defining worksites to the embarrassment of all.”Simply compare with the old societal practices we know. Old men at traditional work sites are Safety officers. These men who cannot climb or carry heavy load are always on ground to point to one danger or the other. They instruct on how work tools are placed or used. Who takes any tool and who returns it. They know and tell about avoidance of idabolo ((dangers) that are at work sites. Children and women are not allowed at some work sites because they are not prepared for the vagaries of the job. Moreover, some of them do not have the avoidance skill of male workers. These are safety measures of old.Works sites are cleared. Our people use omu – light colored palm fronds as a means of worksites delineation and warning at locations for safety. As a keep off, imatinye muo or Iyi with palm fronds is generally known. Red cloth as fence is widely acknowledged and respected as “keep off” fencing. Eriri Ododo is known for its literal and spiritual symbolism. All obeyed the seen and unseen. It is a conscious design for order and safety. Not a mishmash leading to nowhere until emergencies crops everybody to experts in self accounting.One of the first things a farmer learns is creating an access road. This is followed by clearing of locational worksite. Then planning and design of a farm house. But today, what kind of access do urban buildings proposed to house thousands of people have? They are crannies that Ancient Rome inner city roads- approximately a few leg space will mock.Is it only at emergencies when access is sought that one finds experts spinning theories about “access to worksites?” Teachers please “don’t teach me nonsense”, inimitable Fela reminds.In locating farm houses, safety factors are taken to heart. It could take days to arrive at final decision . Length of trees and distances from the farm house are measured mentally and physically. Do such trees attract or repulse thunders? Are such placements before sun rise or sunset? How does the wind direction, typography help in avoidance of storm and flood?Security location where one cannot easily be overtaken by anybody and other safety consideration were inbuilt in the system. Oné madu je olu aja? Mmadu oné na afifi uno? Wa zukwa ezu na onu? What is the number of those building or roofing the house? Are they complete? The story of the bat is instructive. Bats are known to have body and aerodynamics differences with birds. 
Bat mostly flies at night,p so many know a little about it. But bats had a precision convention of all animals and birds of heaven including those in the waters. It was a definitive meeting to ascertain one’s identity. Where one belongs. All animals rightly made choices as to where to belong. The bat says straddling on the fence is a game of life. What a mistake. The bat failed rule one: Straddling on the fence has no place in the law of precision – that is imaife.A conceited heart usually inflicts a lot of injuries. The bat ended up not being anu enu or anu ani – neither here nor there. Other animals chose their rightful places. They are recognized for it. The lion, elephant, eagle, sparrow even the hummingbird are dignified in their rightful places.Always, there is need to take a position, especially on safety issues. Ambivalence of the bat never pays. Unfortunately, self accounting issues in some lands have been in-between the serious and unserious like the bat with attendant calamities. There is a only a choice to safety.A young man queries: Why is the culture of self accounting and handling of emergencies different here? He continues: Why is it that in other lands during emergencies, doctors and health care workers give high premium to time to attend to victims? They rush to handle their medical emergency. But here, health workers sometimes run away until the avoidable happens? “There is no doctor.” “There is no bed.” “Keep the victim away from here.” “Try another hospital” “Keep the patient out.” Many of you can relate to the above. But one only hears the aforesaid in low tones by those hit by a tiger. They understand such encounter and pain. Others would say, “it never happens here.” until they are hit by the same tigger walking the gangways of medical facilities here. “Let your encounters with the tiger not be at night in this city”. Even when they say is well in this place, nothing is really well. “Even when they say: They are trying their best.” It is simply a household of excuses that swell casualties year in year out. Indeed, walking in a circle.Now, what is the answer? We provide no answers. If self accounting is nothing, nobody counts. Nothing really counts. When nothing is given, nothing is taken. Zero plus zero equals to nothing. But humans are no zero. When the most important thing is tardily treated, there is a question. Why?Let us self account from today.
