Metro
Food for Living: Choose Your Name Wisely
- Share
- Tweet /home/rhoncare/pointblank.ng/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 69
https://pointblank.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/download.jpeg&description=Food for Living: Choose Your Name Wisely', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Dear Friends,
We all have names which our parents, godfather/mother, or even good relatives and friends gave to us at birth, and we always like to be addressed rightly and with respect before we respond. Just to let you know how powerful your name can be, if you are called a name that is not yours, there’s every tendency you won’t respond, nor matter how nice it may sound. Even if you are called the right name but with the wrong pronunciation, you might also feel slighted to respond, and even if you respond, you’ll react in a way as to offer correction. This is because names are very symbolic, and according to the platinum rule, people are treated the way they wish to be addressed.
Names are very powerful and they have deep meanings, and as a result, must be chosen wisely. Names are regarded as trademarks/logos and come in different shapes and sizes. Some people even have nicknames which have defined them in different ways. Even in business; the name you choose has an impact on people’s perception, especially your potential clients. Therefore, it is imperatively and critically important for you to consider whatever name you will like to be associated with.
A name is an identity. It is a descriptor that allows people to make quick judgments and assumptions about us. When a particular name is mentioned, a lot of questions normally come to mind. We can even assume what it is likely to be. Our names and identities are regarded as the first impressions people have about us. For example, how we dress, the way we wear our hair, how we behave, and even where we go; all begin with our identity and what we call ourselves. Whether it is religion, sexuality or gender, it is part of an identity that can influence how you present yourself to the world, and how you interact with the world. Depending on the situation and circumstance, what we call ourselves may change. That is why it is important for you to consider the name, group or network you are associated with.
The big question we have to answer is what name do I respond to? As human beings, some of us are very sensitive, some are conservative while others tend to have a liberal attitude towards life. Depending on which category you belong to, you can decide to be the game-changer in whatever situation you are into. You may have been called a dull person, lazy being, slow, ugly, fat, etc., but how you respond is actually what makes the ultimate difference. As you may know, life is not what happens to you, but how you react to it. It should be noted that you can’t stop people calling you negative names, but you can decide to choose what you answer to. As a an advice, don’t answer names you are called, when they call you hello depressed, short, unattractive, unqualified, sick, orphan, just calmly respond, ‘sorry there’s no one by that name around here, I guess you may have gotten the wrong address’. In a rhetoric way, you can also respond, do you mean positive, tall, smart, healthy, blessed, beautiful, handsome, extraordinary, talented, skillful, etc.
Studies suggest that liking your own name is predictive of well-being and happiness, and it also positively affects your self-esteem. But does your name affect how other people treat you? According to Dale Carnegie.
“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Why then is it so important to call people their true names? A person’s name is the greatest connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person. This is because it is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get someone’s attention especially when they are teased or praised.
Here are some tips on how you can use your name to influence your brand.
Make it a commitment:
Make a commitment to answer whatever uplifts and support your vision. Once you are subconsciously aware of what happens around you, do yourself a favor to international change the narrative by changing the negative news or information that surrounds you or your business. For example, you can work on your self, business, brand, organization, etc; to the extent, people will recognize you as an excellent or reliable person/brand as opposed to the different labels that bring negative vibes to you. As you may know, the world is governed by perception.
Practice:
Practicing whatever name brand you want to be associated with is a great way to bring change to not only your personal life but your business or brand. You can do this by calling yourself names of interest that appeal to you. You may be surprised to know it will come back to you. Don’t be concerned about the negative voices you may be hearing from friends or even family members, just continue to work on your craft. There have been testimonies of people who dreamt of being a governor, president, leader of an industry, etc. despite not having what it takes to be the person in the picture. They were able to act it in addition to calling themselves the names and guess what, it’s it came to pass. In one of my articles I published five years ago titled: Dreams Come True, I opined that your dreams are valid and it will come true if you work hard, believe in yourself and have the God factor around you.
Ignore the name tag:
As mentioned earlier, it is up to you to respond to whatever name you decide to answer. Names don’t matter anything unless you give it the needed power/energy it needs to feed on. Names are like dead woods, but you can activate life into it when you speak life into it. Names work with our minds, when you decide to call yourself love, love will automatically follow you.
Furthermore, Ignore the nay-sayers and give your attention to what brings you life, and when you do, the desired transformation will begin to rear up. Personally, I was called names because of my horrible writing skills, but I have been able to author a book by the special grace of God which my detractors have not been able to accomplish. The secret is simple, I never answered the negative names I was called.
Creating Opportunity:
Knowing how to relate with people is a powerful skill that is in high demand. A good personal relation skill will create opportunities for you. It’s like a charm that can disarm even the most hardened person to respond to stimuli. As popularly opined in some social parlance, if a man can make a lady to smile, he’s halfway into her heart. It is important to note that people want to be treated as human beings, not objects. Using their name is the fastest and most reliable way of building rapport and creating a good first impression. Everyone has a name — use it to better connect to them, especially if you work in the customer service position. You will notice a difference in your relationships.
In conclusion, what is your name?
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. 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. He can be reached via henrous@gmail.com
The Police Command in Plateau State has warned its personnel against unlawfully demanding and searching citizens’ mobile phones.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) in the State, Bassey Ewah, issued the warning while addressing its personnel in Jos.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
“No personnel of this command has the legal authority to search mobile phone of any citizen on the road without a court warrant,” Alabo quoted Ewah as saying.
The PPRO said that the commissioner, who reiterated the command’s commitment to professionalism, warned personnel against unprofessional conduct.
He added that the commissioner advised residents to politely decline any unlawful attempt by personnel to search their phones and report the incident to the nearest police station.
Alabo also advised residents of the State to report any incident of harassment through the following phone numbers: 08034448617, 08060545670, 08037681026, 09016146804, and 09051145757.
The PPRO further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the lives, property and rights of law abiding residents in line with global best practices.
NAN
The Enugu State Forest Guard and the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers have resolved to deepen collaboration in intelligence gathering, crime prevention and community-based security as part of sustained efforts to enhance peace, protect lives and property, and deny criminal elements safe havens across Enugu State.
The resolution, according to a statement signed by the Commander, Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, on behalf of the outfit, was reached during a high-level interactive session held at the Traditional Council Chambers, Enugu, between the Commander of the Enugu State Forest Guard, Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, PhD, MNIM, MNIPS, CPI, CINTA, CTA, FGCP, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rtd.), and the Chairman and members of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers.
A major out come of the meeting was the unanimous recognition that the three hundred and sixty-six (366) recognised Traditional Rulers in Enugu State constitute the State’s largest community-based security network and remain indispensable partners in intelligence gathering, early warning, conflict prevention, community mobilisation and the protection of forests and ruralvcommunities.
The Royal Fathers reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with the Enugu State Forest Guard, in accordance with the provisions of the Enugu State Forest Guard Law, by strengthening community intelligence, identifying suspicious movements, promoting vigilance with in their domains, encouraging the prompt reporting of
criminal activities and supporting lawful security operations across the State.
Presenting his One-Year Stewardship Review, titled “One Year of Transformation,
Leadership and Operational Impact: Building an Institution. Securing Our Future,” Dr. Olasoji expressed profound appreciation to His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Executive Governor of Enugu State, for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to strengthening the State’s security architecture through the establishment and continued support of the Enugu State Forest Guard.
The Commander reviewed the remarkable progress recorded during the Forest Guard’s first year of operation, highlighting the establishment of a functional command structure across the three Senatorial Commands, seventeen Local Government Area Commands, forty-two Operational Sector Commands and more than two hundred and sixty Ward Security Units.
He further highlighted the institutionalisation of Standard Operating Procedures, strengthened command and control systems, enhanced operational accountability, expansion of intelligence-led patrols and deployments, intensified forest surveillance and bush-combing operations, improved operational reporting systems and sustained investment in specialised training covering intelligence gathering, cybersecurity, leadership, operational reporting, ethics, human rights and community engagement.
Dr. Olasoji reaffirmed that the operational philosophy of the Enugu State Forest Guard remains firmly anchored on intelligence-led, preventive and community-based security, emphasising that timely intelligence, early warning and proactive intervention remain the most effective tools for preventing crime before it occurs.
The interactive session also provided an opportunity for the Royal Fathers to present security concerns affecting their various communities.
Particular attention was drawn to the recurring incidents of kidnapping within the boundary communities of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area. The Council called for sustained intelligence-led operations, increased surveillance and stronger collaboration among the Forest Guard, sister security agencies and host communities to
dismantle criminal hideouts operating within forest corridors and border communities.
The Royal Fathers also expressed concerns over emerging security challenges in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area and urged that intelligence gathering, surveillance and operational presence be further strengthened to
address criminal activities and reassure affected communities.
The meeting also deliberated extensively on the ongoing Forest Guard recruitment exercise.
Clarifying the position of the Command, Dr.Olasoji informed the Council that the recruitment exercise has been temporarily suspended pending the conclusion of the Recruitment Committees’ final deliberations. He explained that the suspension is intended to enable the Committees to conclude their assignment and ensure that the recruitment process remains transparent, credible, merit-based and fully compliant with established procedures.
He assured the Royal Fathers that no further action would be taken until the Committees complete their assignment and that the approved modalities for the continuation of the recruitment exercise would there after be officially communicated to the public in the interest of transparency, fairness and due process.
The Commander further explained that administrative decisions arising from the recruitment process, including the
suspension of certain personnel, are being handled strictly in accordance with established procedures, institutional regulations and the principles of fairness, accountability and justice.
The Chairman and members of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers commended the remarkable transformation recorded by the Enugu State Forest Guard within its first year of operation and expressed confidence in the leadership, professionalism and operational direction of the Command.
The Council unanimously resolved to strengthen collaboration between every recognised traditional institution and the Enugu State Forest Guard by promoting community intelligence, strengthening early warning systems, supporting lawful security operations and encouraging citizens to provide timely information capable of preventing crime.
The Royal Fathers further pledged to work closely with Forest Guard Commanders, Sector Officers, Presidents-General, community leaders, hunters, neighbourhood security groups and other lawful stakeholders to enhance intelligence gathering, improve community resilience and reinforce peace and security through out Enugu State.
In his closing remarks, Dr.Olasoji reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Enugu State Forest Guard to professionalism, discipline, accountability, respect for human rights and intelligence-led operations. He called on all stakeholders to remain united in support of the Governor’s vision of a safe, secure and prosperous Enugu State, stressing that security remains a shared responsibility requiring the active participation of government, traditional
institutions, security agencies and everylaw-abiding citizen.
The meeting concluded with aunanimous commitment by the Enugu State Forest Guard and the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers to deepen intelligence-led community security, strengthen forest protection and enhance collaboration across all communities in the State. Both parties reaffirmed their resolve to work together to ensure that every forest, rural community and border corridor in Enugu State remains safe, peaceful and conducive to agriculture, investment and sustainable development.
The royal fathers prayed for Dr. Olasoji for God’s protection in what he is doing for ndi Enugu through Enugu state forest guard.
Hopeful Smile Initiative on Saturday July 4, 2026, led a peaceful Infertility Awareness Walk in Lagos, calling on Nigerians to end the stigma surrounding infertility and recognize it as a medical condition rather than a curse.
The awareness campaign, themed “Understanding Infertility: A Medical Condition, Not a Curse – Stop the Stigma,” brought together healthcare professionals, reproductive health advocates, community leaders, volunteers and members of the public.
Participants marched from Abule Egba through major streets carrying banners and placards with messages encouraging compassion, public education and support for individuals and couples experiencing infertility.
Speaking during the event, The Founder of Hopeful Smile For Couples Initiative, Mrs Fasore Eyeola Christianah said infertility can affect both men and women and should not be associated with shame, punishment or superstition. She urged families, religious institutions and communities to provide emotional support for those facing fertility challenges instead of subjecting them to discrimination or social exclusion.
She also stressed the importance of seeking timely medical evaluation and treatment, noting that increased public awareness would help dispel myths and encourage more people to access appropriate healthcare services.
Mrs Eyeola seeks the partnership and financial support of well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organizations, philanthropists, and development partners to help couples struggling with infertility access safe and evidence-based family-building options, particularly Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).
The high cost of fertility treatment places it beyond the reach of many deserving families. Through your generous donations and sponsorship, we hope to ease this financial burden, restore hope, and give more couples the opportunity to experience the joy of parenthood.
Every contribution, regardless of its size, brings us closer to transforming lives and building happier families. Together, we can make the dream of parenthood a reality for many.
According to the initiative, the awareness walk is part of her ongoing campaign to advocate for reproductive health, empower affected families and build a society where empathy replaces stigma.
The event ended with participants reaffirming their commitment to sustaining public awareness campaigns and encouraging Nigerians to support individuals and couples on their journey to parenthood through understanding, acceptance and access to quality healthcare.
Email: couples.smileinitiative@gmail.com
Tik tok: couple. smile2
Instagram: couples_smileinitiative
Contact:09020797609.
