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Food for Living: Develop Your Talent
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Hard work beats talent, it has been said in many quarters, but the opinion, for all intent and purpose, is still subject to individual confirmation.
On a personal note, hard work can only beat talent when talent is not put to use, especially if that talent is not developed to its full potential, and equipped with the right techniques that can take an individual from amateur to professional.
What really is talent? Talent is an uncommon natural skill or ability to be good at something. It’s instructive to note that talent is not taught; it’s a natural ability to see or do something in a certain way.
Everyone is endowed with talents, but the sad reality is that not everyone takes time to hone and develop them. Do you know your talent is your gift to the world? You may be wondering how that works? Did you know that at creation, God gave everyone a gift, and that gift is talent? It’s sad however, to see people who haven’t developed the art of using their gifts to serve the world.
Sometimes, we complain of not having a job; sometimes we look elsewhere for a job not knowing we are the job we are seeking. Did you know your gift is your job? When you know how to cultivate your talent by nourishing and garnishing it, there’s a population that will need your service.
But one of the greatest challenges most people have is the inability to market their talents to the right audience.
When you are super talented, Presidents, kings, Queens, captains of industries, and leaders will seek your service. This is because everybody likes the best. Corporate companies and organizations love working with talented people. Talented people spend more time acquiring new skills, improving their relationships via strategic networking, gaining new knowledge and perspective to life. They also know how to balance work and life because they realize what works for them and what doesn’t.
It’s instructive to note that despite being blessed or gifted in a particular way, if one fails to nurture and develop the talent, it will gradually fade out into oblivion. This is because whatever is not being managed is lost. To understand how nurturing works, imagine if great soccer and athletic players like Lionel Messi, Christian Ronaldo, Austin Okocha and Usan Bolt don’t train; their skills will naturally loosen up. That’s simply how talent works, whatever you don’t manage well is forever lost.
Maximizing your strength comes from knowing your talent. The mistake most people make in life is trying to do many things at the same time as opposed to concentrating and mastering one thing. Being jack of all trade and master of none is not the best way to succeeding in life. It’s always good for the world to know and celebrate you for a particular thing. When they do, you can now diversify your interest and resources among your networks. A great way of mastering your strength is by focusing on your talent. You can do this by maximizing your strength while working on your weakness.
It is instructive to note that talent is priceless. You can’t beat the place of talent in the life of a progressive mind. You can make a name for yourself with your talent. The world is in dire need of talented people. When you are talented, you will be unique. You will unapologetically be yourself. A typical case of talented people are the Late Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Austin Okocha, Henry Ukazu, amongst others.
To determine your talent, look at what you enjoy doing with relative ease, look at what you are successful at; evaluate what you are good at. Remember, what you are good at is quite different from what you enjoy doing. You might enjoy singing, but singing is not your forte. You might be skillful in doing a particular work, but it doesn’t mean you are talented in it. When talent is at play, you will do it with relative ease, whether paid or unpaid.
In conclusion, it should be noted that your honour is in the discovery of your place of talented assignment. Your relevance is in your call to service, and your recognition, income and resources will come from working on your area of assignment.
Today, I charge you to take a deep reflection about yourself, and discover and fulfill your assignment. don’t spend your life doing so many things, endeavor to focus on what aligns more with your interest by applying the pareto principle.
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 Your and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Glo subscribers who use Palmpay app to recharge their lines are in for an exciting time as winners have begun to emerge in the ongoing second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza”, a collaborative promo between Palmpay and Globacom.
The promotion rewards Glo users who recharge their lines via the Palmpay app with a chance to win premium prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and several other exciting giveaways. According to a joint statement from both companies, the initiative is designed to encourage seamless digital recharges while rewarding customer loyalty in the process.
So far, winners have been announced from the latest draws, with several participants winning brand new Infinix Hot 40 smartphones and other prizes. Among the lucky winners are Basirat Mayowa Opatunji from Osogbo, Osun State, Wisdom Anayo Uzoma, Afeez Akanfe Muraina, and Oyedikachi Herbert.
To ensure convenience, winners outside Lagos will have their prizes dispatched to the nearest Palmpay office for pickup.
Participation in the promo is open until August 8, 2025, and is as simple as recharging a Glo line with ₦500 or more via the Palmpay app. Each qualifying transaction automatically enters the subscriber into a draw for a chance to win. In addition, a daily social media challenge offers more opportunities to win cash prizes.
Palmpay users also enjoy up to 6 percent cashback on Glo airtime and data purchases during the promo. Even better, customers who haven’t activated a Glo data plan in the last 90 days are eligible for a 100% bonus on their recharge.
One of the winners, Basirat Mayowa Opatunji, couldn’t hide her excitement after winning an Infinix Hot 40 smartphone. “I’ve always recharged my Glo line through the Palmpay app, but I never imagined I’d actually win a phone,” she said. Currently studying at Ekiti State University through the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun study centre, Basirat added that she would be picking up her prize in Osogbo.
To participate in the ongoing bonanza, Glo subscribers can simply visit: http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms
The Federal government has responded to the United States’ recent visa rules that reduce how long Nigerian visitors can stay in the United States and limit them to one entry per visa by calling on Washington to reconsider its new visa policy.
The U.S. Department of State had recently updated its non-immigrant visa policy for several countries, including Nigeria, on Tuesday.
Under the new rule, most non-diplomatic and non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be valid for only three months and allow just a single entry into the United States.
The changes took effect immediately.In a notice published on its website, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria state: “Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore, that as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.
“The Federal government responded to this by describing the new US directive as “misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect” that ought to govern bilateral engagements between friendly nations in a statement released on Wednesday through Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson.
The Federal government said it views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“The attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to the recent decision by the United States Government to revise its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigerian citizens, limiting the validity of non-immigrant visas including B1/B2, F and J categories to three months with single entry,” it stated.
“The Federal government views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries. The decision appears misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect that should guide bilateral engagements between friendly nations.”
It also claimed that this restriction places a disproportionate burden on Nigerian travellers, students seeking academic opportunities, professionals engaging in legitimate business, families visiting loved ones, and individuals contributing to cultural and educational exchanges.
The government also said it understands that every country has the right to make its own immigration rules, but it hopes the U.S. will “reconsider this decision in the spirit of partnership, cooperation, and shared global responsibilities.”
It also added that diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to pursuing a resolution that reflects fairness and upholds the values of mutual interest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.
The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.
The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.
He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.
The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.
“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.
According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.
“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.
Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.
“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.
Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.
“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.
