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Food for Living: A New Nigeria is Still Possible
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
I will like to begin this article with a plea to my dear friends who are not Nigerians: please bear with me.
To those who don’t know my origin; I’m originally Nigerian before I became a United States Citizen.
To those of you who don’t know about October 1, 2021; Nigeria celebrated her 61st independence anniversary on that day.
It is pertinent to note that Nigeria was colonized by the British until she was ready to govern herself. But the question we need to ask ourselves is, is Nigeria truly independent?
Independence means different things to different people. Depending on the rubric that is used. To some, it means freedom to decide what one wants. It can also mean financial independence. One can even appreciate independence from a master-mentee point of view where the later by begins his/her entrepreneurial journey.
Nigeria became a British protectorate in 1901 and since then, we have had four republics. The first republic started from 1960 -1979, the second republic started from 1979-1983, the third republic started from 1992-1993, while the fourth republic started from 1999- date (2021). It’s my personal hope and desire that Nigerians will not experience a fifth republic by getting a good leader who will see Nigeria as one regardless of where one comes from. We truly need a leader who can unite the country and not one who will disintegrate it because that’s the feelings of most Nigerians in the Southern part of the country, who are clamoring for self-determination because of how they are being treated. Sentiments apart, if we cannot live in peace, it’s imperative we separate in peace. It’s not compulsory to live together, especially when the system is not working.
When we take a statistical test about how Nigeria has fared in the last 61 years, we can reasonably conclude that we have not developed and progressed as expected when compared to our counterparts. Let’s not look too far, Ghana got her independence in 1957 from Britain. Nigeria was due to gain her independence around that time, but due to technicality, it didn’t come through. When you look at the development and growth that has occurred in Nigeria, you will just wonder if we are cursed as a country. Our leaders have really failed us, they have used poverty, ethnicity, religion, and tribalism to divide the hapless citizens who don’t realize the power they have.
It is rightly stated that every country, nation, or community gets the kind of leader they deserve. This is because if the citizens know what they want, they will put in the works to get results. It is because of lack of accountability that our leaders misbehave as they know they won’t be held accountable by the citizens, and to some extent, the courts when they embezzle public funds.
The question on the lips of every Nigerian is when will Nigeria get it right? Will Nigeria and Nigerians ever get it right? To some, Nigeria will never get it right.
Well, optimists believe we’ll get it right one day. According to Fela Durotoye, a leadership expert, for a country to develop there must be peace, progress, and property. Without peace, there can never be stability, when there’s instability, there can never be prosperity.
As it stands today in Nigeria, many families find it hard to afford three square meal and the basic needs of life. There’s insecurity, the economy is in shambles which has led to the downfall of the naira, the country is heavily divided on religious and ethnic lines, and there are no jobs for the teeming population.
The government is not helping the situation; they are only paying lip service to the sufferings of the citizens. The only time our leaders remember the citizens is during elections. The litany of problems facing Nigeria can destroy the country. For lack of better words, many Nigerians are merely existing instead of living. Nigeria is merely sitting on a time bomb and if not properly managed, it will explode anytime.
Therefore, the average Nigerian seems to have lost hope and have resorted to unethical means of surviving. The men have resorted to armed robbery, scamming, rituals amongst other crimes against humanity. Some of the ladies on their parts, have resorted to prostitution and stealing just to survive. It is sad and terrible to be a Nigerian at this time.
It should be noted success in life is not about income, but impact. According to Fela Durutoye, success is about income, but greatness is about impact. To really know a great man, look at the impact he has made in the lives of people as opposed to the luxuries he showcases. This is because success is not what you make happen for yourself, but true greatness is what you make happen for others. So, I will leave you with this question, what impacts and legacy are you leaving for others to thread upon?
You can know a great country by merely looking at how she treats her citizens. In the USA for instance, the leaders debate on an endless basis on how they can serve the masses, but in third world countries, most of the leaders are only concerned about themselves. Civilized climes look at the per capita income, they ensure that the minimum wage is capable of sustaining an ordinary citizen, but can that be said of Nigeria? No. Per Fela Durutoye: successful people chase prosperity, but prosperity honors the great. Again, I will ask you, how do you want to be remembered?
In order to make Nigerian great again, the government must make policies and laws that favour the citizens, most especially the youths. They should focus on education, health, sports, technology, and entrepreneurship. The youths composed of 60% of the population. They must make favorable policies that will enable the private sectors to thrive.
Why am I saying this? The future of Nigeria is on her youths. You must build the nation by building the people. If the world wants to determine how developed a country is faring, they look at the citizens. The government must make favorable policies that will benefit the teeming population. Just like your future is inside of you, when you invest in yourself, you are bound to succeed.
Again, Fela Durutoye teaches that the future is not just tomorrow, it is what you can obtain but haven’t’. It is not what you can do, but you haven’t.
Therefore, the future of Nigeria is not a timeline or a race to finish, the future of Nigeria is inside of all of us. It is If you take yourself as an example, you might have great potentials, but due to the fact you haven’t taken time to utilize it, you are bound to remain on status quo, that’s the sad state of Nigeria, which hasn’t taken the bold to utilize her numerous natural and human resources.
In conclusion, while we waiting for who will take us to the promised land, we have to do our part by being good citizens regardless of who is doing the wrong thing. Just as we started with Fela Durutoye, I will leave you with his personal creed:
1. I will make a personal impact on everyone I meet and everywhere I go
2. I will be a solution provider and not part of the problem to be solved
3. I will be a role model worthy of emulation
4. I will be my best in all I do particularly the things I am naturally good at
5. I will do the right at all times regardless of who is doing the wrong things
6. I will value time and make the best use of it
7. I will care and show respect to all through my words and actions
8. I will consciously build a great legacy starting now today and every day
9. I will live a life o integrity and honor
10. I will make my family and nation proud
SO HELP ME GOD.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker. 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 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the winner of the just concluded Ondo State governorship election, held on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
The Returning Officer for the election Olayemi Akinwumi, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State declared Aiyedatiwa winner of the election on Sunday, extending the governor’s stay at the Government House in Alagbaka, Akure.
Governor Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state Ajayi Agboola who flew the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag. He scored 117,845 votes, more than twice lower than the APC candidate.
“That Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” the returning officer said at exactly 2:30 pm at the INEC collation centre in Akure.
The declaration came hours after the collation of results for the election began in the early hours of Sunday. Although the collation centre went on breaks, the APC took a commanding lead with over 200,000 votes ahead of the PDP.
The final results showed that the APC won the election in a landslide, clearing all 18 local government areas.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
There is no gainsaying the fact that everyone desirous of making impact in life must live a life of purpose. This is where knowledge and information come to play. It is these knowledge and information that will set an individual apart from his contemporaries.
I strongly believe, if one is not informed, they are ill-informed, and when they are ill-informed, they can’t perform well in any given endeavour. This is because information leads to reformation and transformation. We can therefore, confidently say that information leads to formation because everyone is a product of what they know.
Knowledge acquisition is one of the best things that can happen to anyone. People with knowledge are revered, and highly respected. Having knowledge is like having money. People from all walks of life will seek you.
There are different kinds of knowledge, and they include Revealed Knowledge, which comes from those who wrote the Bible and Intuitive Knowledge, which comes from the mind. It is the ability to gain knowledge without conscious reason or explanation.
Others are Empirical Knowledge, which is information gained through observation, experimentation, and direct experience, rather than through theoretical reason or intuition; Authoritative Knowledge, which is the knowledge a man has because of his expertise in a particular field; and finally but not the least, Rational Knowledge, which is a form of knowledge that uses reasoning and philosophy to understand the world.
From this illustration, a decisive mind can see that knowledge is priceless. Knowledge is like education. It can provide security and access. Even the Book of life says in Proverbs 4:13, “your education is your life, guard it very well”; and in Hosea 4:6 that “my people perish for lack of knowledge”.
From my personal experience in life, apart from death, one of the greatest levelers of all time is education. This is because the child of a certified pauper can become a man of means tomorrow if properly educated. That explains why children from humble backgrounds ought to take their education very seriously, especially if they don’t have affluence.
On a personal note, I come from a very humble background, my late parents didn’t have the opportunity of acquiring a decent education, but they knew the value of education and endeavored to give me and my siblings a decent education. In retrospect, when I look back and see some of my contemporaries whose parents couldn’t give them a decent education, I bless my late parents because education has exposed me to lots of opportunities in the United States, and the global world in addition to granting me an audience with the high and mighty in society.
Sometimes, when I look at my modest achievement, I’m deeply humbled because I know it is the grace of God. Who am I to author two amazing trailblazers’ books, get featured and profiled by the New York Times, engage in high level conversation with leaders of thought and captains of industries. Apart from the grace of God, intentional seeking of knowledge, and wise counsel from mentors and strategically positioning myself have been some of the cornerstone to my success.
Imagine if my late parents didn’t give me a decent education and opportunity of travelling to the United States, most of these opportunities and exposure wouldn’t have been readily available.
When one is decently enlightened, educated and informed about life, their level of reasoning and understanding differ from an ordinary man. If one desires to go far in life, one must seek knowledge.
It is your knowledge that sets you apart from others.
According to Dr. Yomi Garnett, an accomplished Ghostwriter, “If you are a man of great knowledge, people will have great respect for you. If you are a man of great wisdom, people will have great reverence for you. And if you are a man of both, great knowledge and great wisdom, you will be the most eminent of men. But in real terms, people don’t care how much you know, or how much wisdom you have, unless they know how much you care.”
The moral of this quote is that despite the knowledge and information at one’s disposal, if one lacks empathy, their knowledge, experience and whatever they have mean nothing.
The importance of knowledge cannot be overemphasized. In our contemporary society, a fast way of attracting opportunities is by showcasing the knowledge at one’s disposal. It is so sad that many people don’t take time to read, research and learn new trends applicable in their industry, and in the world generally and as such, they find it difficult to fit in and grow.
It is instructive to note that when you seek knowledge, opportunities will seek for you. A major reason people are poor is simply because they are not solving problems and to solve problems, one ought to have understanding. Do you know that if you don’t have money, the reason is often because you are not solving a problem, or you are not solving enough problems, or you are not solving the right problem or you are not solving problems for the right people. Generally, we make money because we have something unique to offer to the world. Therefore, to solve problems, one must have knowledge and information.
We currently live in an age of technological, where skills, talent and creativity are in high demand. Any progressive being that desires to go far must be intentional in seeking knowledge. Successful acquisition of knowledge, information and understanding can lead to discernment and wisdom.
In conclusion, as you journey towards life, if you want to make an impact, seek opportunities, and earn more money, do yourself a favour by endeavoring to seek knowledge, wisdom, and information. You can’t get these by sitting on your sofa or staying in your comfort zone.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design Your and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Daniel Bwala as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications (State House).
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced this in a statement, on Thursday.
A former aide of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Bwala worked actively for his former principal who lost to Tinubu.
However, after the elections, he worked his way into the camp of Tinubu, sparking controversy.
Onanuga also announced the appointments of three directors-general of various agencies.
They are:
(1) Mr. Olawale Olopade — Director-General, National Sports Commission
(2) Dr. Abisoye Fagade — Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism
(3) Dr. Adebowale Adedokun — Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement
Olopade, the new Director-General of the National Sports Commission, is a sports administrator with many years of experience in the sector.
He served as commissioner of youth and sports in Ogun state and was chairman of the local organising committee of the 2024 National Sports Festival.
The new Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Dr. Abisoye Fagade is a marketing communication professional. He is the founder and managing director of Sodium Brand Solutions.
Adedokun, the new helmsman of the Bureau of Public Procurement, was the director of Research/Training and Strategic Planning at the bureau before his appointment.
Daily Trust
