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Food for Living: Design Your Destiny
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
One of life’s most misconstrued concepts is destiny. If you ask a thousand and one persons what destiny is, they will give you a thousand and one definitions based on their understanding. Some might relate it to the spiritual, some might define it from the educational perspective, while other schools of thought might see it from an inspirational or motivational perspective. For the purpose of this article, I shall focus on the transformational perspective.
No doubt destiny means many things to many people. The question we should be asking ourselves is how we can design our destiny? To a reasonable extent, we can design our destiny because we have the power of choice to decide our fate. For instance, one thing is certain in life, and that is we must all make a choice either directly or indirectly. Your choice will definitely define you; if you make the right choice, you will excel, but if you make the wrong choice, you will pay for it. However, paying for it doesn’t make one a failure because you can still turn your failures into a friend, and thereafter unleash your potentials.
As human beings, we are always torn about how we can succeed. Some of us imitate other people, some see success in education, some see true success in talents, gifts, or even skill, while many others see success as financial stability. All these schools of thought are right depending on the the lens of a particular viewer. However, one fact is certain, a true and authentic success must be planned, and that success is the definition you give to yourself to achieve “authentic fulfillment” as opposed to the one the world expects from you. Regardless of how you might look at it, if you are not prepared for success, you’ll lose when it arrives. Even God in his infinite knowledge encourages us in Proverbs 4:13 thus: “Your education is your life, guard it very well’. This literally means you need to continually improve yourself.
Genuine success is not only about taking first, but the bigger picture is maintaining the first position. In our contemporary society, sometimes, we look to other people for our success without knowing that success lies inside of us. For instance, instead of looking for a job, look internally to discover your talent/gift. Instead of looking for a soulmate to love you, how about you practicing self-love which can attract your authentic love. Instead of reading different materials to understand how human beings reason, you can look internally to know what’s unique about you by reaching out to your creator to know the purpose he designed you.
I have always shared this story; if you want to know how Facebook works, you need to ask Mark Zuckerberg who is the founder. If you want to know how Microsoft works, you need to ask Bill Gate who is the founder, if you want to know how a product works, you also have to look at the manual to decipher the functions. In the same way, if you want to know your purpose you have to ask your creator. It is quite unfortunate that many of us settle for less, while some consider other secondary ways like settling for a job that’s not meant for them just because it pays the bills. Some even identify with human beings they are not compatible with just because they want to get married, get loans, get a political appointment etc.
This set of people fail to understand there’s more to life than vested interest and that it is only when they work on their authentic purposes that they will realize how far they can go in life.
It is on this note I wish to inform my tribe that I will be organizing Design Your Destiny Masterclass, which will be focused on helping progressive minds to unleash their potentials. The two-day Masterclass will run from January 31 through to February 1 via Zoom. The whole idea is to help adults who need clarity, self-discovery, and transformation in both their personal and professional lives.
The Masterclass will position every attendee towards re-evaluating his life, business, friendship, family, and perception to life. Discovering one’s purpose can be hard, but with the right tools and guidance, you can unravel it. Some people discovered their purpose with mentors, some through meditation, and others through making themselves available by being vulnerable.
The Masterclass will also focus on helping you to know what’s unique about you; it will guide you on how to make the right choices, and how to use meditation to discover your true being in addition to attracting opportunities by practicing gratitude and appreciation. This is a must-attend Masterclass. If you love yourself or know anyone that will benefit from this program, please do them a favour by either paying for them to attend or recommending the Masterclass to them. The fees are very affordable. For details about the payment, please see Design Your Destiny Masterclass. If you have any questions, please send an email to info@gloemi.com.
According to Oscar Wilde, “Be yourself, everyone is taken” As human beings, we are all unique and endowed with different gifts. Your gifts will announce you before kings, queens, and captains of industries if you use them very well. Your gifts have been resourced for value because humanity needs your talent. In Designing your destiny, it’s important to ask yourself critical questions, such as why some people stress and work hard to succeed while others merely network in a smart way. Everyone is different, therefore your ability to know the thin line where destiny, wisdom, and intuition cross, will make you understand that our destiny is literally in our hands because regardless of what anyone says or do to us, we are responsible for either accepting, rejecting and or reacting to it.
In conclusion, I urge you to take some time to ask yourself some salient questions by way of soul searching to know more about yourself. If you will like to know more about how you can Design Your Destiny, you can read my book: Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a mindset coach and transformational coach. 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 Federal High Court In Abuja on Tuesday ordered the remand of the Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, also ordered the remand of his co-dedendants, his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives Bashir Asabe.
Justice Nwite made the order after taking arguments from the defence team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN) and the prosecution counsel Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count money laundering charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants conspired at various times to conceal, retain and disguise the proceeds of unlawful activities running into several billions of naira.
According to the charge, the alleged offences span several years and include the use of companies and bank accounts to launder funds, the retention of cash as collateral for loans, and the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations.
The commission further alleges that some of the offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sent a veiled message to Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying support for President Bola Tinubu alone will not guarantee any election ticket.
Wike made the statement on Sunday during a public outing in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
His remarks were widely seen as directed at Governor Fubara, amid lingering political crisis in the State.
The former Governor of Rivers State said political loyalty must be tested during difficult times, not after power has been secured.
He mocked those he described as late supporters of President Tinubu, insisting that sudden alignment would not earn political rewards.
He said: “So the issue is not whether you are supporting Tinubu. That one, we have taken too long, long… Yes, oh. So Tinubu’s issue is not an issue again. Yes. Do you understand me? Yes. Tinubu’s issue is that nobody should be coming here to tell a day. We are for Tinubu; I am against you. Who is for Tinubu University? (laughs) That cannot give you any ticket oh! (laughs again) Direct, direct. It will not. Direction. Direction.”
Wike stressed that his political camp stood with Tinubu when the decision was unpopular. He said that support given under pressure carries more weight than alignment after victory.
He also recalled how the Rivers State House of Assembly openly backed Tinubu early, long before the election outcome was certain.
According to him, some of those now making public declarations were absent during the critical period.
“The same people now who came to declare, put them to God… But they should declare they are saying it for a candidate. Yes. Don’t you see characters? (laughs) So I send the sword far ahead of them.”
Wike further spoke on governance and continuity. He defended projects and agreements initiated during his tenure as governor. He said it is often difficult for successors to acknowledge past efforts, even though government is a continuous process.
His comments come weeks after Governor Fubara formally aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party of President Tinubu.
The move followed months of political crisis in Rivers State, which led to federal intervention and a declaration of emergency rule.
Political watchers believe Wike’s remarks constitute a direct response to Fubara’s recent positioning as a key Tinubu ally in Rivers politics. Critics argue that Fubara’s support surfaced only after the political storm had settled.
Wike, who remains a dominant force in Rivers State politics despite serving in Abuja, appears to have drawn a clear line ahead of the 2027 elections.
He suggested that political tickets would be decided by proven loyalty, not convenience.
Videos from the event in Rumuche, Emohua, spread rapidly on social media. Many users described the speech as a coded warning to the governor.
As of press time, neither the Rivers State Government nor Wike’s media team had issued an official clarification.
The comments, however, suggest that the political rift between both camps is still active, despite earlier peace moves brokered at the national level.
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.
