By Babatunde Jose
Positive deviance is a behavioral and social change approach that identifies and learns from individuals or groups who have better solutions to problems than their peers. It is based on the observation that in every community there are certain uncommon but successful behaviors or strategies that enable them to overcome similar challenges, constraints, and resource deprivations. Positive deviance is based on the idea that within any community, some individuals or groups find better solutions to problems than their peers, despite facing similar constraints.
Positive deviance is a community-driven approach to problem-solving that identifies and shares successful, yet uncommon, behaviors and strategies that enable individuals or groups to overcome challenges, even with limited resources.
These “positive deviants” are individuals or groups whose uncommon behaviors or strategies lead to positive outcomes. It is based on the idea that, within a community, some individuals engage in unusual behaviors allowing them to solve problems better than others who face similar challenges, despite not having additional resources or knowledge.
Positive deviance is moving away from the norm without an intention to do harm or break the rules, actions are within the rules of the game and are simply in an attempt to win, and their deviance from the norm is seen in a positive light.
The approach focuses on identifying, understanding, and sharing these successful strategies to promote wider adoption and improve outcomes.
Among the qualities of the positive deviant are: Creativity, the ability to form novel and valuable ideas or work using one’s imagination. Thinking about a task or problem in a novel way and using the imagination to generate new ideas.
In sociology, deviance can range from serious crimes like murder to less severe behaviors like talking loudly in a movie theater. It can also involve rejecting social norms or expectations, such as atheism or anarchism.
Formal deviance involves actions that violate codified laws or regulations. Informal deviance involves actions that violate unwritten social norms or expectations.
Sociologists view deviance as a social construct, meaning that what is considered deviant varies across different cultures, time periods, and social contexts.
Sociological Theories of Deviance include Functionalist perspective where deviance is seen as a necessary part of society, as it helps to define social boundaries and reinforce norms.
There is also Symbolic interactionism: This perspective emphasizes the role of social interactions and meanings in defining deviance.
Conflict theory: This perspective suggests that deviance is often a result of power struggles and inequalities within society.
There is also the individuality of the deviant and the tendency to create and invent. He is a non-conformist and invariably tends to think outside the box. But most importantly, he harbours a rebellious motivational streak.
Positive deviance therefore, refers to when people break norms to achieve constructive results. They are the ones who think and behave differently, leading to excellence.
Émile Durkheim 1858-1917, the French sociologist believed that deviance is a necessary part of a successful society and that it serves three functions: 1) it clarifies norms and increases conformity, 2) it strengthens social bonds among the people reacting to the deviant, and 3) it can help lead to positive social change and challenges to people’s present views.
Deviance was first clearly defined by Edwin M. Lemert who proposed the concept of primary and secondary deviance in his 1951 and 1967 books. Primary deviance is a single norm violation that causes no long-term consequences. Since then, the term has been defined in various ways and is still commonly used in fields such as criminology and sociology. With respect to criminology, deviance occurs when someone engages in conduct that is against norms, values, or laws.
What is the main characteristic of positive deviance? Positive Deviance – encompasses behavior that over conforms to social expectations. Positive deviants conform to norms in an unbalanced way. Positive deviance provides a positive culture change, which overall affects what is considered normal in a society.
Durkheim argues that even in a “society of saints” there would still be deviance. In other words, as deviance describes any behaviour that goes against the norms, values and expectations of a society, all societies have deviance, even though the sorts of behaviour considered deviant might vary from society to society.
I met the subject of this discourse, Baba Oba Oladele Fajemirokun three scores and five years ago and in an unbroken relationship that has spanned primary schooling in Ikenne, secondary schooling in Ibadan and universities in Ibadan and Ife and our youthful peccadilloes in Apapa and Ikoyi, he has not changed his nomenclature. Because of his non-conformist behavior, my father gave him the sobriquet ‘Dele Times, Dele Trouble’.
He would carryhis deviance to secondary school where he earned expulsion in form 4, only for his father to intercede with the school authorities who permitted him to attend school as a day-student from 8am to 2pm after which he must vacate the premises.
The positive deviant “decided to sit for only six papers in the West African School Certificate (WASC) examination, as against the conventional practice of sitting for eight subjects. This was a dangerous gamble; a fail in any subject meant a fail in all of them.
But I was undaunted. Just like most of the risks that I take in life, I never thought about the consequences. I had decided; and that was that. Of course, I passed my School Certificate with a Grade 1, but my classmate and friend, who had copied my audacity, paid a huge price. He failed and had to go on to Igbobi College to re-sit his exam. I was an early bad influence on his life. He is today a successful legal practitioner..”— The Making of Me. His father now added a moniker, ‘suicidal’ to his already bad name.
This ‘bad penny’ will later transmute into an ‘angel investor, entrepreneur and a boardroom Samurai who some of the younger fellow directors would later refer to as the’ Oracle’.
Writing about himself in his epic book, The Making of Me: “I developed a survivalist spirit very early on in life as a result of the special upbringing my father gave me; something that he did not do for the other children. All my life I have been a survivalist – a fighter – and this has been the hallmark of my existence. I have fought for everything I have done. I have won many battles and have lost some too. But, on the whole, life has been kind to me. Despite the unconventional life that I have lived, I have been blessed, and my children too. I have prospered where many have failed. I have been able to wine and dine with kings where others have wallowed in penury. I have trodden where angels fear to tread. I have been very tenacious and forthright in all my dealings with my fellow men. I have tried all my life to channel my energy into building a good name for myself and, above all, to maintain my family’s honour. I am a ‘positively deviant’ son of my parents.”
At 75, Oladele Fajemirokun has sheathed his sword; age and time have mellowed him. He had gone ‘from the valley to the mountaintop‘ in his health challenge a few years ago, which had opened his eyes to the magnificence of the living God.
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. (Quran 2:155)
Blessed with eight children comprising seven married girls and the only boy in the pack also married, all with children, Del Faj has a full house of grandchildren. It is possible, he would be the first among us to be a great-grandfather; what a grace from God.
Today, the sprawling edifice of Onikoyi has shrunk in living space; from room to the pool and whirlpool and back to the room, bypassing the sitting rooms and the cold room with its state of the art Bang&Olufsen designed television, with its open and close speakers. This is what we all become at 75. Nothingmore to prove and to offer attraction again. We have moved into the twilight of life. The old warriors have left the battlefield for the next generation. We have fought a good fight and are now having a deserved rest till when our boarding will be called. Allah knows best.
May the good Lord bless us with good health and good children to carry on our legacy. Not many are given that grace. We pray to Allah to give us Jannatul Firdous in this world and in the Hereafter; bless us, bless our children and our children’s children. Ameen.
Dele, Ekeji mi, here is wishing you a happy 75th come Wednesday 16th April 2025.
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend
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