By Henry Ukazu

Dear Destiny Friends,

Opportunity is something everyone seeks. Students need opportunity to prove themselves in higher institutions of their choice; parents need opportunity to show how they can train their children, job seekers and employees need opportunity to show their capability and competence, and politicians need opportunity to show their leadership skills. The list is endless.

As we journey through life, we seek opportunities to shine. However, we fail to understand that we are the opportunity we are seeking. You may be wondering how this works? Let’s take a case study of someone who wants to be a public speaker, singer, or writer. He may be wondering who will grant him the opportunity to sing or speak at global functions or events while seeking those opportunities. But how about you beginning to sing or speak on your own and sharing your work on social media? Do you know that we live in a connected economy where the internet is literally a global village connecting people and sharing resourceful information. When you publish your content on the internet, loyal friends might assist you in sharing them, videos or graphics, and you don’t know who might see your work, like, and comment on it. Did you know you are the opportunity you seek?

The challenge most people normally have when they seek opportunity is waiting for the perfect time. Let me tell you; you don’t have to wait for the coast to clear before you begin your journey. Did you know that done is better than perfect when perfect is not done?

Again, imagine being a creative writer! Did you know you can literally get bigger opportunities if you publish your articles on your personal blog or even on social media. The same principle is applicable if you are a soccer player. The world will never give you want you desire, but it can give you what you “deserve”. Like I always say, if nobody gives you a chair, bring your own chair to the meeting. If you don’t speak about yourself, nobody will speak about you, if you don’t write your stories, nobody will write them for you. Now, do you see that you are the master of your life?

To attract opportunity into your life, the people you meet, places you go, and the principles you keep are some of the determinants to the kind of opportunity you will get. Opportunities are like information, when you have the right information, and act upon it, you are bound to succeed. In one of my life coaching series, I deduced that “if you are not informed, you are ill-informed, and once you are ill-informed, you can’t perform because information leads to reformation and transformation”. In a nutshell, information leads to formation.

Did you know that opportunities don’t literally come to you, you create them? Opportunities work like luck, if you are not prepared, and when an opportunity or luck comes your way, you are bound to lose it.

If you would like to attract opportunity into your life, practice these few points which are not exhaustive, but very resourceful.

Discover yourself

This is the foundational point of how to attract opportunities into your life. You must know yourself. You can’t be anything and everything. The word needs to know you for a reason. When you know yourself, you will know the kind of opportunities you desire and where you like to go with the opportunities because the right opportunity can be the game change you need in your life.

Surround yourself with success

Nobody likes to associate with a failure, successful people are always fond of associating with their fellow successful people. Little wonder like-minds always attract their kinds. A popular saying has it that you are the average of five people you associate with. Some schools of thought have opined that if you have nine great friends who are millionaires, you are likely to be the tenth millionaire, and if you have nine friends who are idiots, you are likely to be the next idiot.  That said, it’s important to state that your environment is crucial to your happiness and success in life.

Leave your comfort zone

Many people want to succeed but are not willing to leave their comfort zone. Success and opportunities won’t come to you. You must go out there to meet it and when you get it, you must grab it. You can leave your comfort zone by deciding to wake an hour or two early to do some productive work.

Share with others

A great way to attract opportunities is to be beneficial to the people who are going to give you an opportunity. You can do this by serving selflessly. Volunteer your time and resources to the good causes they believe in. When you do, they will notice it and in due time appreciate you. This is because, life is not always about you, sometimes, it’s about others.

This is the mindset you need to practice if you plan to attract opportunities. To receive in life, you must give. What you give is what you get. What you think is what you attract. If you want better things for yourself, you should give something to others. I strongly believe, you will get what you want faster when you help other people to achieve what they desire. Being selfless has been one of the strongest traits that have attracted so many opportunities and goodwill to me. Cultivate the habit of sharing with love no matter how little you have. When you share, the universe has a way of appreciating you.

You can also share with the world your gift, talents, skills, and knowledge. If you are a good writer, singer, comedian, etc., please share your content with the world. When you share, you are practicing gratitude to your creator and the universe.

Network

Networking is one of the most priceless tools to attract opportunities. When you network with the right people, you build a relationship that has a value attached to it. When you nurture the relationship, by investing in it, you are bound to reap from your investment at the right time. You can build a solid network by joining great associations.

Solve Problem

You can attract opportunities by solving problems. While some people may see problems as challenges, see them as opportunities to move to the next stage in life. When you solve problems, the world will resonate with you. You have ideas, tap into it and make the world a better place.’

 Practice Words Affirmation

Did you know you can attract opportunity into your life by speaking into life? There’s power in words. When you speak, the ground stamps it, the walls hear, and the universe carries it. Consider speaking into existence whatever you desire into life though you can’t see it now. This principle has worked for me on several occasions. 

In conclusion, attracting opportunities is an uncommon skill that needs to be understudied. As a Human Capacity Coach, I can work you through the dynamics of how you can attract the right opportunities into your life. You may have seen some resourceful information online on how to attract opportunities, but sometimes, execution is what makes the difference. If you need more guidance, feel free to contact me with the information below.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com

The Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has commissioned the enhanced ePassport production Centre in the ancient City of Benin to take care of the production of Passport applications for Edo and Delta States Passport Offices.

A statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr. Amos Okpu, noted that the Minister declared the Centre as specially designated for the Passport Offices in the two States because of the increasing volume of applications in the States in recent times.

He stated that with the commissioning of the facility, Edo and Delta States Passport Offices have joined other locations in the southeast and southwest that have been successfully migrated to the enhanced ePassport platform. The Minister maintained that the enhanced ePassport offers sufficient options to applicants to choose from the 32-page five-year; 64-page five-year and 64-page ten-year validity Passport categories. He noted that the enhanced ePassport is a product of improved technology especially additional security feature a polycarbonate data page which would make the document difficult to counterfeit or forge.

He enjoined prospective applicants to avoid patronizing middlemen while applying for Passport as the process has been digitized to allow for the use of simple devices to apply and process Passport at the comfort of one’s home or offices. The Minister assured that more reforms are being planned by government to ensuring that the Passport application and issuance process is made a lot easier, dependable and seamless for Nigerians.

In his remark, the Comptroller General Isah Jere Idris stated that the roll-out of the enhanced ePassport at the Benin Centre was part of the Passport reform efforts particularly meant to offer expanded menu to applicants who can now make choices among the various categories of Passports. He enjoined applicants to turn in their applications via passport.immigration.gov.ng in good time, make payments and book their appointments to avoid last minute rush stressing that the Service shall not entertain frivolous requests for waiver of appointments. He maintained that the Service does not accept cash payments and enjoined prospective applicants to ensure that they have completed their applications and made payments online before visiting the Passport Offices on their appointment dates.

Earlier, the Governor of Edo State Mr. Godwin Noheghase Obaseki commended the Service for the profound reforms it has introduced into its Passport platform. He expressed appreciation for the choice of Benin City as the Centre for the facility and pledged more of his government’s support to the Service including assurances of meaningful support for the construction of the proposed Passport Office in Auchi.

Meanwhile, the Oba of Benin Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Omo no’ Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, Ogidigan has commended President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for approving that the enhanced ePassport Centre be located in his Kingdom stressing that the President has remained very nice to the people of Edo State in particular and all Nigerians in general. He assured of his support to the project and thanked the Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for leading a high level delegation of senior Officers of the Immigration Service and other agencies to his palace.

Dignitaries who attended the commissioning ceremony include Hon. Justice PA Akhikhero who represented the Chief Judge of the State, the Chief of Staff to the Governor; the immediate acting vice Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University, Prof. Osarheme Osadolor, heads of military, security and response agencies in the State among others.

Hoodlums reportedly attacked journalists covering the homecoming of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, who returned to Lagos State 12 days after he won the ruling party’s ticket.

The journalists were attacked while returning from the Palace of Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu, where they had gone to cover Tinubu’s visit to the monarch, according to The Punch.

The journalists involved were said to be those attached to the Lagos State Governor’s office. It was learnt that two journalists were injured while their bus was vandalised.

Their attackers were said to have stoned the bus conveying the journalists while other weapons were also used to vandalised it.

Tinubu’s homecoming is coming exactly 12 days after he won the party’s ticket, flooring the likes of Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, amongst others.

Tinubu had in the days following his emergence visited all the contenders for the exalted seat in a bid to solicit their support and build the APC’s unity.

Tinubu had earlier on Sunday when he landed in Lagos said it felt good to be back home. The former Lagos governor was welcomed by an excited crowd from the airport and he was seen waving at ecstatic supporters who hailed him.

The supporters who were waving brooms, which is an APC symbol, were chanting “Emilokan” as they followed his entourage.

Tinubu scored 1,271 votes to defeat his closest contenders, Rotimi Amaechi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the APC special convention and presidential primary.

The Punch