News
Food for Living: Be Intentional with Learning
By Henry Ukazu
Dear destiny Friends,
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” – Alvin
One of the beauties of life is its ability to humble anyone. Nobody truly knows it all. We all learn, and need one another to succeed. That’s why it’s important for one to thread softly. It is however, sad to see people who have lost golden opportunities to learn due to pride. Most ignoramus feel because they are mentors, rich, older etc., they can’t stoop to conquer; I have a simple message for them, as Per Michel Legrand, “The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”
Still on humility, an energy entrepreneur, Mr. Kola Adesina, once stated, that “one thing I like about tomorrow is, you will not know who will truly be relevant, available, alive, bigger, and mostly needed. Tread softly”, and I concur with this quote because life is so dynamic, it will teach you a lesson if you refuse to learn the experience of life.
One of the unique traits of all great men is their ability to learn, relearn and unlearn. Most people who have truly succeeded are great learners. These set of people learnt from their failed businesses, relationship/marriages, personal and professional lives. If you truly want to make an impact, you must be intentional in learning.
Learning is not limited to the four walls of education, one can learn from friends, parents, family members, colleagues, partners, mentors, mentees, social media etc. According to a sage, the wise man learns from his mistake, but a wiser man learns from other people’s mistake.
We live in a digital world, where the internet is the new currency for people who truly know how to take advantage of the opportunity it provides. Everyone is literally on social media. You can connect and learn from resourceful people if you have a good product, service, skill, gift/talent, knowledge or attitude and seek either mentorship, internship or support.
However, it is sad seeing some uninformed and poverty-stricken minds gallivanting on social media instead of learning from resourceful minds.
The good thing about learning is that it never goes out of fashion, and no one can take it away from you. Whatever you have, lives with you unless you desire to share. We will continue to learn until we leave this sinful world.
According to Henry Ford, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
The sad thing in our contemporary society is the prevalence of young minds and advanced adults looking for handouts as opposed to looking for opportunities to learn how to fish. Learning is a posture of the heart. If your heart is willing to learn, you will have the eagerness to explore different learning styles to help you discover new things.
Just as life comes with challenges, learning is not an exception. According to Albert Einstein, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving”.
To navigate the tough terrain of learning, one must always improvise new ways of learning-by-learning new skills, techniques, and principles. This is because when you look at most of the successful people in the world, they understand these ideologies. For example, Warren Buffet and Henry Ukazu spend most of their time reading and researching. Today, be motivated to heavily invest in yourself.
It’s instructive to know that knowledge will not come to you, you must be intentional and strategic in seeking knowledge. On a personal note, I spend time to read; I read voraciously on almost anything I find valuable. This is because when you know more, you will be paid more. This is why the “top” is always scanty while the button is crowded. Dr. Seuss was right when he stated “the more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Nothing will teach you a lesson in life more than life experience. Tom Bodett once stated, “the difference between school and life – In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.”. The beauty of school is that it will give you theoretical knowledge, provide security for you and maybe connect you to resource persons if you are able to network well, but life will give you the pragmatic and practical answers to apply all you have learnt in school.
Nobody will give you an opportunity to learn or thrive unless you show interest in the opportunity. As the Buddhist will always say, “when the student is ready, the master will appear.”
Below are some of the advantages of learning. Learning will open your brain; it will keep you abreast of recent information globally by keeping your mind young and sharp; you’ll gain new insight and perspective to life. Learning will make you to think out of the box; it will make you more creative; learning can humble you when you become aware of what you don’t know; learning will make you have value and respect.
In conclusion, in 2024, and beyond, be intentional in seeking information and opportunity to learn. Remember, if you are not informed, you are deformed, and once you are deformed, you can’t perform because information will lead to reformation and transformation.
In a nutshell, information leads to formation. Regardless of what you have learned, make it a habit to continually develop yourself adding value to the world while practicing humility because life will humble you.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has declared that it is over for the President Bola Tinubu administration following the Supreme Court ruling that restored the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the opposition party.
Eze, in a statement on Friday, criticized the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and the INEC chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, asserting that they should be ashamed for acting as obstacles to the survival of democracy in Nigeria.
He said: “The government led by President Bola Tinubu has tarnished the judiciary. Certain judges and courts are reportedly being systematically employed to undermine the leadership of political parties in anticipation of the 2027 general elections.
“Even when all seemed lost, given the recent court rulings in political cases, particularly those involving opposition parties, Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment was a divine intervention.
“We express our gratitude to God Almighty for prompting the Supreme Court to overturn that disgraceful, distorted, and anti-democratic ruling issued by the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the misguided interpretation and decision of INEC regarding our party, the ADC.”
He stressed that the time has come for Tinubu and his alleged undemocratic associates in Aso Rock to return to Lagos.
“With Thursday’s ruling saving the ADC from destruction, it is time for Tinubu to begin drafting his handover notes and prepare for his return to Lagos State,” Eze stated.
Eze advised the ADC to concentrate on its primary function as a prominent opposition party in the upcoming 2027 general elections, as that the leadership dispute has been resolved.
He emphasized that stability at the upper levels of the party will result in improved organization, clearer communication, and enhanced participation in Nigeria’s political arena.
Notably, he asserted that the ruling will add to Nigeria’s expanding collection of case laws regarding political party governance, and urged the ADC to stay focused on its objective of reclaiming power from the APC due to poor governance.
“It highlights the judiciary’s role in interpreting party constitutions and ensuring adherence, which may affect how future conflicts are resolved,” Eze stated.
He praised the panel for upholding justice, remarking that any opposing decision regarding the ADC’s alleged leadership issue would have further entangled the Judiciary in the murky waters of arbitral corruption.
“Clearly, this ruling has set the stage for cohesion, unity, stability, and effective leadership within the ADC.
“With this issue now definitively settled, even though it should not have been justiciable ab initio, as it pertains to an internal matter of a political party, we urge all our members, stakeholders, and supporters to unite behind the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC to collectively reposition the party for greater national significance, viability, and visibility,” Eze said.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
The school of life is an institution no one can graduate from. It is equated to marriage where new things as well as surprises are the order of the day, occurring on a daily basis. However, there are ways to live through life, and one of them is to accept each day as they come.
Life is truly great and enjoyable if we understand it and accept this truth. There’s no doubt that life is such a great challenge, and we must work hard and smart to overcome the challenge. Once we acknowledge it, nothing really matters any longer because life becomes an infinitely easier project to pursue.
As human beings, we will be tested and tempted. One’s ability to overcome each test and temptation will set one on a higher pedestal. The book of life made us understand there’s time for everything. A time to cry, and a time to laugh, a time to sow and a time to reap, According to the Book of life “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”
One thing is certain if one looks at the timing- they all come in stages and phases. When there’s misplaced priority, success appears like mirage. One’s ability to manage each phase will strengthen one.
Life comes in several stages. When a child is born, the child will learn to crawl before learning how to walk and run. The same is applicable for a student who is interested in education, he will attend high school, college and post graduate studies. These are all stages of life.
The same phase is applicable in relationships and marriage. During the dating and courting stage, the relationship is different, immediately the parties marry, the tone changes. Marriage has three stages namely: Romance (or Honeymoon) stage, Power Struggle (or Disillusionment) stage, and Real Love (or Mature/Conscious Love) stage.
Let’s analyze each stage:
Romance/Honeymoon: (The “Falling in Love” Phase)
This stage is characterized by high intensity, passion, and bonding. At this stage, partners focus on similarities and overlook flaws. At this stage a partner might step on the other partner and instead of getting hurt, the partner will smile and say something like: I love the way you stepped on me, or step on me harder, it makes me endure the love. At this stage partners do everything together. This stage usually lasts from a few weeks to a couple of years.
The first three to five years of marriage can generally be regarded as the most challenging part of marriage, especially the kids start coming in; if it’s not properly managed, the marriage might hit the rock.
Power Struggle/Disillusionment (The “Reckoning” Phase)
During this stage, the “rose-colored glasses” usually come off, and partners notice flaws and differences, leading to “disillusionment, disappointment, and early conflicts”. It is at this stage kids start coming up and the challenge of life starts hitting up. The stage is often characterized by struggles with control, communication, and frustration over unmet expectations. Many couples usually get stuck here, if proper is not applied, it might end the relationship.
Stage 3: Real Love/Mature Love (The “Conscious” Phase)
At this stage, the couples have seen it all. They have been through all stages of life and have seen it all. There’s literally little or nothing that can affect marriage at this stage. It’s only unimaginable and unbecoming acts that lead to the fundamental tenets of marriage that can make the marriage hit the rock.
At this stage couples have trained their children through colleges, and some may have married. Couples will be able to laugh over their acts and start to bond again.
At this stage, couples have been able to navigate their conflict and have learnt to accept their partner’s flaws and choose to build a stable, loving, and mature relationship. Their focus is usually to build a deeper commitment to their marital vows, finally accepting each partner for whom they are, and working together to create a conscious and intentional partnership.
The outcome is usually a sense of safety, connection and lasting love: A sense of safety, deep connection, and lasting love.
In business, the principle is not exempted. An entrepreneur will begin a business, grow it, attract customers, hire employees and then institutionalize it. All these stages come with several phases if one is intentional.
An employee who is hired as an entry level position will have to prove his worth by producing measurable results to walk through the corporate ladder to become Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer or one of the higher ups. This position doesn’t come ordinarily; one must have earned it.
In conclusion, regardless of what stage one is experiencing or facing, one thing is certain, this too shall pass, and we shall overcome. So, just hang in there.
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
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that it would never be intimidated, distracted, or silenced in its push to realize a better Nigeria.
Spokesman of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in reaction to the Supreme Court ruling, which affirmed David Mark’s leadership of the party.
Abdullahi said the judgment has affirmed that the Mark and Rauf Aregbesola leadership of the party is legitimate.
Abdullahi said: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) congratulates all our members and leaders across the country on today’s Supreme Court ruling which affirmed the leadership of our party under Senator David Mark as National Chairman, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
“Today’s decision is a clear affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate.
“We commend the five-man panel of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous judgment has today done great credit to the judiciary in our country and our political system.
“However, while we welcome this judgment, we do not mistake it for the end of the struggle. The events leading up to this moment have exposed a troubling pattern of interference, bad faith, and attempts to weaken opposition voices in Nigeria.
“Let it be clearly stated: the ADC will not be intimidated, distracted, or silenced. We remain resolute in our mission to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative.
“We therefore urge all our members, supporters, and democratic stakeholders across the country to remain vigilant.”
