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Food for Living: Be Selfish with Your Time
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Time is one of life’s most precious gifts. Time is priceless. Time is life. If anyone wants to really bless you, they will give you their time. Ignorant minds don’t know the importance of time. They prefer someone who will give them money as opposed to time.
Don’t get me wrong, money is good. But this is how I see it. If anyone gives you money, it’s like they are giving you fish, but if they give you time, they are teaching you how to fish. That’s why inferior minds see money as everything. They don’t know that if money is the only thing they have, they are poor.
Just like access, relationship, and value are currencies, time is also a priceless currency if properly managed. Most people erroneously believe that money is the only instrument to appreciate people, but there are scenarios where people have used time to get the attention of resource minds. Let me share a practical example; one of the best ways to get the attention of great men of influence is by using your time to serve them.
These great minds have seen money and wealth, and as such they value something different which money can’t buy, that’s where genuine loyalty comes into play. On a personal note, most of the great people I have been privileged to meet on earth were simply because of how I invested and engaged my time in their business, life and work (online and offline). In some cases, I used money to open the door, but I used my time to sustain and solidify the relationship based on the value I offered them.
Imagine if I don’t have value to share with them, my relationship and impact will not be as high as it is celebrated, because money without value is limited, but value if properly managed can metamorphose into wealth. Why am I saying this? Time is much more resourceful than money. Moral: Anyone that gives you time appreciates and loves you.
Ignorant minds see time for what it is not. Time is life. Let’s think about it for a minute, one’s life can change for good just by being in the right place and one can lose a life changing opportunity for just being late for an event of interest. Now, you see why time is life.
Great men, who have truly succeeded in life, judiciously used their time. They practiced the principle of quality over quantity meaning that they can spend quality time learning a particular thing, which is capable of attracting the attention of great minds even if it means spending time and resources because of the influence it will generate in their life. This is opposed to spending quantity time on projects which might not produce the desired result.
Most great minds adopt the Pareto Principle, which is known as the 80/20 rule. This rule states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes, highlighting an imbalance where a few key inputs drive most results. These great minds are not concerned with mundane things. They leave crumbs for lesser minds. Great minds understand the power of delegation; they use money to buy time even when it is not convenient to do so.
Being selfish with one’s time is not a sin. One must do what works for them because your life is your life, no one can share it with you; your sorrow is your sorrow, no one can share it with you; and your joy is your joy, no one can share with you. This is why it’s good to do what works for you? In the real world, nobody really cares for you. You must fight both your real and silent wars.
When you are selfish with your time and resources, majority of people won’t really like you in the beginning, because they expect you to be there for them, they however, fail to realize you also have a life to build, and also needs help.
When you work on your purpose, you will know what’s necessary and make valuable use of your time. You will be intentional in doing the needful to fulfil the purpose of God in your life, and that entails being selfish with your time and resources.
Visionary people are selfish with their time because they know they have a purpose to fulfil. That’s why it’s always good to stay focused on your purpose and vision. Many people may not understand your calling; that’s fine, they don’t have to understand it because when God created you and gave you your purpose, it wasn’t a conference call. So, when he reveals something for you, it’s not for everyone to understand.
When you see a man who is focused, you’ll know because he will be intentional with the people he relates with, and how he uses time. Be so jealous of your time that people will respect you when you share a minute of it with them. In the society we live in, people will value you just the way you present yourself. If you present yourself as one, who is unserious with life, that’s exactly how they will treat you.
The irony is that anyone who has been selfish with their time and is able to succeed, receives congratulations and attention from those, who had despised him in the past. Again, this is why it is good to do what works for you, because at the end of the day, everybody will be alright.
Did you know that when you give people too much of your time, you give them the ability to prevent you from fulfilling your unique purpose, which only you can achieve. Almost everyone wants a piece of your time, but the truth is we can’t be there for everyone.
In summary, if you want to be serious with your life, you must be selfish with your money, skills, talent and time. Failure to do this will make people take you for granted.
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 opposition African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party on Sunday criticized President Bola Tinubu for departing Nigeria for Europe on holiday at a time the country is grappling with rising insecurity, including foreign military interventions in the North.
The Presidency announced on Sunday that Tinubu left Lagos for Europe for his end-of-year holiday ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he is scheduled to attend the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the trip was by invitation from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to participate in the summit, which gathers global leaders from government, business, and civil society to advance sustainable development strategies.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January,” the statement read.
Reacting to Tinubu’s departure, the ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, faulted the timing as inappropriate given the security challenges facing the country.
The ADC noted the deadly terrorist bomb blast in Zamfara and the ongoing foreign military involvement, calling the President’s move insensitive.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s lack of care is alarming. In the wake of another deadly bomb blast in Zamfara, and following an unprecedented foreign military attack on Nigerian soil, the nation is waiting for reassurance from its leader. Instead, we learn the President has gone on holiday. What a President!” Abdullahi said.
Similarly, LP’s acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the trip as “insensitive and devoid of empathy” for Nigerians facing violent attacks and humanitarian crises.
Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, she stressed that the President should have remained in the country to coordinate security responses.
“This is the most inauspicious time for the President to leave the country. Even the Christmas holiday in Lagos seems ill-timed, given that a bomb exploded in Zamfara today, killing nine people,” Usman said.
She further alleged that Nigeria was under external attack and accused the government of downplaying the severity of the situation.
“Nigeria is under attack by a foreign nation. No matter how the government tries to frame this, it is a violation of our sovereignty. This is the time for the commander-in-chief to coordinate the response, not embark on a holiday,” Usman said.
She added that the President had not convened critical security meetings since the U.S.-led bombardment of terrorist camps in Kwara and Sokoto States and condemned the perceived lack of engagement with military leadership.
The President’s trip comes amid heightened security concerns. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump authorised AFRICOM to conduct airstrikes on terrorist camps in Sokoto State, hours before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the operation. A deadly bomb blast in Zamfara on Friday claimed several lives.
The 17th edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will run from January 11 to 15 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go.”
The event aims to connect innovation, finance, and people to advance sustainable development.
Onanuga confirmed that Tinubu would return to Nigeria after the summit.
Hosted by Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy company, the summit will feature the invitation-only ADSW Summit, the World Future Energy Summit, the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, and specialised sessions on hydrogen, climate finance, water security, and utilities in the Global South. Organisers expect more than 50,000 participants from over 170 countries, featuring over 700 global brands and exhibitions of emerging clean technologies.
The UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, noted that ADSW 2026 builds on two decades of the UAE’s leadership in renewable energy.
Tinubu previously attended the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2025, where he held meetings with Gulf investors and officials on trade, energy cooperation, and climate finance.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu has undertaken at least 46 foreign trips, spending an estimated 192 days abroad as of October 2025. In 2025 alone, he travelled internationally no fewer than 15 times to countries including Ghana, the UAE, Tanzania, France, Italy, Saint Lucia, Japan, and Brazil for summits, bilateral engagements, and holidays.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Ever wondered how one sleeps and wakes up? Ever wondered where the spirit goes while we sleep? The answer is hidden in mysteries because life, and by extension, existence, is full of mysteries.
On a personal note, I do believe that whenever we sleep, we are basically practicing how to die because no one knows the whereabouts of the spirit and souls. All we know is that we wake at the break of dawn, or when there’s a stirring, either naturally or artificial. That is a mystery!
Have you also ever imagined how a man will have sexual intercourse with a lady and a child is born? Have you also ever wondered about the mystery surrounding death? Have you also imagined how human beings fall in love with the opposite sex despite various variables. Again, each time I fly in the air, I begin to wonder about the invention surrounding the aeroplane. So many questions begging for answers. The mysteries surrounding life is inexhaustible.
For the benefit of hindsight, life is indeed a mystery. Sometimes, we think we understand it, and other times, it humbles us with its complexities. Life can be likened to a woman; the more you try to understand them, the more confused you become.
I had to give this introductory analysis to buttress the significance surrounding the mysteries of life. Why do I say this? Nothing is permanent in life, and as such anyone can be great and successful tomorrow. In my native Igbo (Nigerian) language, we have a saying that “nobody knows the stomach that will birth a king tomorrow”, and “tomorrow is pregnant”. These are evidence of the mysterious nature of life.
In my journey through life, I have met angels and devils in human form, who have played different roles in shaping my thoughts and outlook towards life. While I thought certain people will bring smiles to my life, they turned around to make me question their intentions and mindset. But the people I had some reservations with turned out to be some of the best things that have happened to me. For instance, I have a dear friend turned brother, whom I hold in high esteem. His name is Sodeeq Sulyman. He is the Chief Operating Officer of my company.
As a matter of fact, today is his birthday. He met me on X and reached out to me to be his mentor. I was literally humbled because that was the first time someone was making a firm request of me. I gladly accepted the request, and today our friendship, brotherhood and relationship has truly blossomed. This young man is literally one of the best things that has happened to my life. If I was told he will change the outlook of my life, business and life generally, I wouldn’t have believed it.
But as my late mother would always say, when you meet people just take the good part and leave the bad part. In all sincerity, I strongly believe our meeting was predestined, and mysterious if the circumstance of our meeting is x-rayed.
Here is the message, never look down on anyone except you are helping them to do something or pick something. Another message is don’t give up on anyone because you don’t know what tomorrow will unfold. Even the Bible book of life states in Proverbs 118:22, “the stone which the people rejected has become the cornerstone”. So, it’s instructive for one to be kind, courteous and humble in relationship with human beings because nobody knows what life will unfold tomorrow.
Imagine, if I had not treated this young man very well or even accepted him, I would probably have met other minds, who would have given me an experience of a lifetime I wouldn’t forget in a hurry.
The mystery of life can be seen in wealth creation. A man of means today can become a beggar tomorrow if the wealth is not properly managed, and the child of a certified pauper can become a man of means tomorrow. There have been stories of wealthy men whose children mismanaged their parents’ and became hungry, while slaves of wealthy men became stupendously wealthy. What does that tell you? Nothing is guaranteed in life. I often wonder how people take life very seriously thinking everything is about them. They don’t even know they can sleep and not wake up the next morning, nor are they aware of the fact that pride and ego are the two greatest enemies that can fast track the downfall of a man, while humility can jump-start their elevation.
As human beings sometimes, we wonder where our next meal will come from. Where would our next business, money, spouse, opportunity come from are some of the questions that bug our minds? One might have a business that has little or no hope of succeeding, but with determination and favour from God, the business will turn around for good.
On a personal note, I have been in a scenario where I lost hope of succeeding or moving to the next round, but I was surprised when the universe came through in ways and manners I couldn’t comprehend. I believe we all have one story or another to share as it relates to the mysteries of life. I can vividly recall when my late dad was very sick in the hospital. As a matter of fact, he was adjudged to be the sickest patient in the hospital. The doctor who was treating him said, he lost his mother to the exact sickness my late dad was facing. But with prayer, my late dad was able to survive to the amazement of everyone. He was later adjudged to be a miracle patient because he was given a slim opportunity to survive.
I don’t know what your storyline might be nor do I know what you are experiencing in your academic, business, health, career, or family life. One message I have for you is that nothing lasts forever. If you give it time, one day you’ll laugh and thank God for the experience and lessons life has offered you because life is a mystery one may not understand. It unfolds as it chooses.
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
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, has questioned the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu and silence of the Federal Government amid reports of a United States–led military operation against terrorist targets on Nigerian soil.
Momodu raised the concern in a post on his various social media handles, including Instagram, reacting to the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that American forces had carried out airstrikes in Nigeria with the cooperation of the Nigerian government.
He expressed concern over what he perceived as a lack of visible leadership at a critical and historic moment, stressing that national sovereignty and public confidence demand prompt and transparent communication from the country’s highest authority.
Momodu urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he referred to as Nigeria’s “Master Strategist,” not to abdicate responsibility in the face of such a significant security development.
“We implore our Master Strategist not to abdicate responsibility and our sovereignty at this crucial and historic moment, but to stand beside America in this fight against terrorism,” he said.
He concluded his remarks by noting that the country remained in prayers amid the unfolding security situation.
