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Food for Living: Associating with the Right People Matters
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By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
According to some schools of thought, the people one relates with have a greater influence on them, negatively or positively. These schools of thought strongly believe that one’s environment also has a proportional influence in their life.
There’s no gain-saying the fact that in life, association really matters. For instance, if you have nine millionaire friends, it’s more likely you will become the tenth millionaire if you are able to cultivate the right ethics, principles, values and more importantly, the right mindset. This is because making money, managing money, and growing money are three distinct skills one needs to cultivate because no one can attain lasting wealth until they are able to master all three, and to master them, everyone must understand how to relate and associate with the right people.
So, if you have a shrewd friend, who is good at making genuine money, it will also be great to have a friend who is quite good at managing money and growing money. I say this because one may be good at making money, but not so good at managing or growing it in the form of investments. That’s why in one of my teachings on ‘Money in Marriage”, I stated three cardinal rules: Whose money; who provides; and who manages.
Permit me to elaborate on these three fundamental principles. If you are married, please pay attention to what I am about to say. On whose money; as Christians, we are taught that when a man marries a woman, they are joined as one. So, I strongly believe when it comes to money in marriage, it’s not his money or her money, it’s our money. That line must be established because they are now one.
I understand this may not be convenient for everyone, especially ladies, but if couples are genuinely intentional in their marriage, they will know this is the gospel truth. If I may ask, why is it normal for a woman to spend her husband’s money, and it appears odd when a man spends his wife’s money. know that whatever is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Or did it change because of marriage?
Secondly, on who provides; it doesn’t really matter if the woman makes a billion dollars per second, but as the head of the family it’s the duty of the man to provide. Again, I understand there may be dynamics, but the facts must be established despite the associated variables. As a tip for ladies, no matter how much a lady makes, there’s this feeling of sweetness a lady normally experience whenever she spends her husband’s money, however, that analysis is not applicable to men.
Finally on money in marriage, who manages. Again, I care less about who provides, the best manager ought to manage the family’s money. So, if he makes the money but is bad at management, the wife ought to step in, and if the woman makes the money and she’s bad at management, the man ought to step in, and do the needful.
Speaking from experience, I have seen many marriages crash just because of financial mismanagement. Money matter is a serious issue that ought to be discussed before marriage, and even while in marriage to avoid springing surprises and stories that touch the heart.
Though this article is not about marriage, I also thought it nice to elaborate the role of choosing the right partner, and prove that right association really matters, especially as it relates to marriage and business. So imagine a case where an extravagant man meets a prudent lady and vice versa.
The importance of association cannot be overemphasized. In any sphere of life, whether at work, school, family, church or politics, association plays a big role. Anyone who lacks personal relationship with his fellow human beings will surely pay for it in one way or another. This is because relationships are currency. According to Robin Sharma, “the business of business is relationship, but the business of life is human connection”. This goes to show that we cannot do much in life if we don’t have the right relationship.
Even God the creator of heaven and earth, had to send this only begotten son to come in the form of a human being to die for mankind, and he did it by using the Blessed Virgin Mary. That explains that if God wants to bless a man, he sends a “man” and if the devil man wants to destroy a man, he uses a “man”. Both work in human flesh.
In my little experience of life, I have understood the importance of strategic relationships. I know for a fact, human beings are vessels of blessings and the ability to nurture human relationships is a very important skill anyone needs to learn if one intends to go far.
Most of the opportunities I have attained in life were simply because I not only understood the language of my benefactor, but also, I know how to strategically relate with them.
Furthermore, in life, one may be brilliant, skillful and confident, but if one lacks a good attitude especially as it relates to human beings, he might lose potential opportunities to people with lesser academic qualifications, who know how to relate well with people especially with a good attitude.
Again, despite one being talented with amazing gifts and skills, there’s a tendency of other people surpassing them with similar qualities and skills, so your ability to be humble to know you are not better than anyone is enough to make you learn from them.
On a personal note, as a sapiosexual, I try to associate with people better than me. I don’t care if I’m older than you or your superior in one form or another, provided I can learn from you, I will always stoop to conquer.
In another scenario, some people may not be particularly brilliant and perhaps like you, some would wish they were half as blessed as you are. One thing certain, wherever you may belong, between these two extremes, resolve today to state associating with those who are better than you, if for instance you are afflicted with self-doubt, avoid Brother Thomas, instead visit and cultivate Father Abraham the grand patriarch of the faith family.
I once took time to study great people with great businesses, and one thing I discovered is that they know how to hunt people with specialized knowledge, and also, they know how to delegate jobs to smarter people with skills, or talents while they focus on other more important strategic engagements.
Association entails more than meeting people in-person. With the invention of technology, association and relationships have really gone global. Online is now seen as the fifth estate of learning. A lot of people have gained opportunities just by commenting right on social media, while some people have lost opportunities by commenting wrong on social media.
Still on social media, a creative mind with a purpose must be intentional in following people, organizations and causes they are passionate about; the algorithm has a way of aligning people with what they see, like, and comment, and in some cases the algorithm has a way of bringing people it feels one needs to connect with based on the mutual friends or causes they share together.
Here is the deal, as you journey through life, be intentional to appreciate what you have and always make it a point of duty to associate with people who are better than you in what you do or intend to do.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Public servants across Nigeria are set to shut down government offices and other public services from midnight on Friday, October 2, as the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, begins a three-day warning strike over the worsening cost of living and what it described as the Federal government’s failure to respond to workers’ demands.
The warning strike is scheduled to run from Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The JNPSNC formally activated the action in a circular dated October 1 and signed by its National Secretary, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga. The circular was addressed to the national presidents and general secretaries as well as State chairmen and secretaries of the council’s affiliate unions.
Titled “Declaration of Three (3) Day Warning Strike; Action With Immediate Effect,” the circular recalled the council’s earlier position that workers would proceed with the strike if President Bola Tinubu fails to address its requests contained in a September 21 letter.
“Consequent upon the above, the strike shall start with effect from midnight of Friday, 2nd October, 2026 to Sunday, October 4th, 2026,” the council stated.
It directed public servants in the Federal, State and local government services to join the action, saying the economic and mental hardship being experienced by workers, their dependants and vulnerable Nigerians had become increasingly difficult to bear.
The council’s decision followed a September 30 deadline it had issued to the Federal Government over three major demands: a reduction in the price of petrol, an immediate wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
The JNPSNC had earlier said the issues should be addressed before or through President Tinubu’s Independence Day address. It subsequently proceeded with the strike notice after the deadline elapsed.
At the heart of the dispute is the JNPSNC’s demand for an immediate reduction of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, to N500 per litre.
The council has argued that the high cost of petrol has translated directly into higher transportation costs and, consequently, increased prices of food and other essential goods and services.
In its earlier statement, the council said petrol prices were ranging from about N1,450 to N2,000 per litre, with prices reportedly reaching N2,500 in some locations.
It proposed government intervention to reduce the landing cost of petrol and support domestic refining. It also called for crude oil to be made available to the Dangote Refinery and modular refinery operators on appropriate terms to boost domestic refining and help reduce the cost of petroleum products.
The second major demand is an immediate wage award for Nigerian workers. JNPSNC wants the Federal government to approve the payment as an emergency measure to cushion workers and their dependents against the effects of the current cost-of-living crisis.
The council is also demanding the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.
The unions are seeking a minimum wage of not less than N500,000 under the next wage arrangement.
According to the council, beginning the negotiations early would help prevent delays in negotiating, legislating and implementing the new wage when the current arrangement becomes due.
The demand comes as organised labour continues to argue that inflation and rising household expenses have significantly weakened the purchasing power of workers.
The strike will commence less than 24 hours after President Tinubu delivered his Independence Day address to mark Nigeria’s 66th anniversary.
In the address, the President acknowledged that the country’s economic journey had been difficult and said many Nigerians had experienced hardship. He nevertheless defended the economic reforms undertaken by his administration, arguing that they were necessary to correct longstanding weaknesses in the economy.
The JNPSNC action comes amid similar concerns raised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in its Independence Day statement.
The NLC called for an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
The labour centre said rising transportation costs were feeding into the prices of food, rent, school fees and other necessities, while inflation had eroded the real value of workers’ wages. It also linked the current cost-of-living pressures to the increase in petrol prices following the removal of subsidy in 2023.
The NLC further called for the implementation of tax relief measures it said had been agreed with the Federal government, a reduction in the cost of governance and greater transparency in the management of public resources.
It also demanded the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new wage standard for 2027, arguing that the N70,000 minimum wage had already been significantly eroded by inflation.
The JNPSNC comprises several unions representing workers across the public service, including the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Medical and Health Workers Union, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.
Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.
The October 1 circular directed the unions’ national and state structures to disseminate the strike notice and mobilise members for compliance.
The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the North would be the ultimate loser if President Bola Tinubu fails to secure a fresh mandate in the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda made the remarks on Monday while receiving certain members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who defected to the ruling party.
The erstwhile ADC chieftains were led by Princess Aslam Aliyu.
Professor Yilwatda, who listed ongoing and completed road infrastructure projects across states in the region, also noted that the main beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) are from the northern region.
In apparent reference to the vow by the ADC Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to return fuel subsidy if elected as President, the APC National Chairman equally declared that states in the North benefited more from the removal of the subsidy regime, as he maintained that most states in the region could not pay the salaries of workers and the gratuities of pensioners before Tinubu came to office.
He said: “The same thing they keep on saying, you know, the outside radio stations tell us that they will return the subsidy. I keep on asking, how are they going to return the subsidy?
“You mean they will stop all these road constructions because they want to return the subsidy? Because there will be no money for this construction, all this road again. The gas they are bringing to the north.
“That gas will go with fertilizer. And we in the north, we need those fertilizers. You mean they should stop it? The CNG, they will come with the gas. We make transportation easier for the vulnerable people. Should we stop it?
“The beneficiaries of the student loan, most of them are from the north. We have more and more of them in this part of the country. Should we stop it? And most of our people who can’t afford school fees should go back as wheelbarrow pushers in the villages? Questions are too many. We can’t answer them all here.
“And I can also assure you, among the about 30 states that could not pay salaries in Nigeria, all the states in the north, none could pay salaries. None could pay salaries as of 2023, when President Tinubu took over. So should we say our state now should go back again? They can’t pay salaries, they can’t pay gratuities… increase poverty again in the north. These were some of the factors that were making poverty prevailing in the north and other parts of Nigeria also.”
Earlier in his presentation, Honourable Mohammed Hassan, who spoke on behalf of his other colleagues, pleaded with the APC National Chairman to ensure that they are integrated as members of the APC political family.
“We are not here merely to change the political platform, but to begin a new chapter of service and a great contribution to our people by supporting Baba Tinubu’s Renewable Agenda 2027.
“We respectfully ask the National Chairmanship and the entire leadership to receive us as brothers and partners, to give us the opportunity to contribute and support us as we take this new message back to our people.
“Our commitment remains clear: to support the party, mobilise our people, promote development and services to Nigeria with sincerity and dedication.”
A United States representative, Anna Paulina Luna, has raised the alarm over what she described as the incessant attacks and killings of Christians across different communities in Plateau State by Fulani ethnic militia terrorists and Islamist extremists.
The US lawmaker, who made the allegations in a statement shared on her verified X account on Friday, accused both the state and the federal governments of not doing enough to protect Christians in the state from the regular attacks they suffer when the terrorists descend on the communities.
In a post titled, “What is happening in Nigeria right now?”, the US lawmaker lamented that thousands of Christians in Plateau were facing a mortal threat while security forces had struggled to contain the situation.
“Hundreds of Fulani ethnic militia terrorists descended on Christian communities across Plateau State.
“Thousands of civilians are under mortal threat while the Nigerian Army and security forces struggle to hold the line,” Luna wrote.
According to her, the attacks were preceded by a series of violent incidents targeting Christians and other civilians in the affected communities.
Giving some specifics, Paulina said a pastor and his church secretary were shot dead while they were on their way to church in the days leading up to the latest attacks, while five Christians were attacked in another incident while travelling in a vehicle.
“A pastor and his church secretary were shot dead on their way to church. Five Christians were ambushed in their car.
“A civilian guard was killed outside his own home. A man and his son were beaten and left in critical condition,” the lawmaker said.
The US representative also alleged that security agencies had never taken warnings and security alerts issued before the attacks seriously, questioning why they had not been followed.
