Metro
Food for Living: Direction is Better than Speed
Greetings Friends,
I strongly believe we have adjusted to or settled well in 2019. We are in the second quarter of the year and gradually approaching the second half of the year. Some of us made resolutions early this year and have achieved some of our plans while working on the rest, while some of us are yet to achieve our goals. Regardless of where you are, just keep striving for success in addition to adjusting to the needs of the world. You can do this by learning, unlearning and relearning. According to Alvin Toffler “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” If you are yet to make an impact in 2019 in your business, academic or personal life, a pertinent question you have to ask yourself is am I treading in the right direction or am I just moving in motion?
Today we shall be discussing direction and speed and how it can affect our productivity in life both personal, academic, professional, social, business and life in general. The world is truly a small village where everyone is connected in one way or another. The interesting thing about this 21st century is the effect of digital technology. The world seems to be moving in a fast pace environment. The question you really want to ask yourself is, who am I? What am I passionate about? Where would I like to be or end up? What are my values, mission, and vision towards life? These are some of the questions we would be discussing in order to move ahead in life.
Direction basically means the management or guidance of someone or something, while speed is the rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate. Speed or movement often doesn’t equate or lead to acceleration. What matters is how productive you are. This is because you might be busy doing nothing. In order to appreciate this topic, you need to position your mind towards your vision. In your journey towards life, you need to ask yourself what do I want to achieve as a student, professional, or business owner.
Before we go into the meat of the conversation, I will like to ask you a question, are you happy where you are now? If no, are the action steps you are taking to achieve your goals taking you in the direction of success? If no, I think it will be right to examine the need to go back to the drawing board.
One of the greatest pain that can befall a progressive mind is investing your time and resources into a project only to discover that you had the wrong tools to execute the project. Just imagine if you are farmer planting your seed in a wrong soil or season. The effort can be likened to being a fruitless effort.
Furthermore, imagine yourself driving with a Global Positioning System (GPS), and you miss an exit due to speed or not paying enough attention to the direction. This singular act could lead to extra miles depending on the nature of the road. That’s why it is very important to pay attention to details. If you will agree with me, driving is not an easy task because you need to be focused otherwise you’ll miss the lights. For example, the green signals you to move ahead, the yellow signs signal you to be cautious while the red signs mean you have to stop. If you can comprehend this thought process, you should be in a better position to plan wisely.
We all know that to have a successful creative life, you need passion, perseverance, and grit. You need that drive deep within yourself that literally can’t be without creativity, for without it, you may as well not exist. It’s the same way writers feel about writing, or actors feel about acting. But then, they know the path they want to thread and end up in life all things being equal.
Accomplishing any major feat in life requires passion, energy, and sacrifice to truly succeed. Sometimes, you do what you have to do. For instance, if you are interested in a particular industry, common sense entails you do internships and volunteer in order to gain insight and experience in the industry. I have seen people who took a cut just to learn a particular trade at the expense of high paying jobs waving at them. These are the truly great minds who know what they truly want in life. Let’s take the case of the Former President of USA, Barack Obama, after his law school education, he had juicy appointments from Wall Street, he left those high paying jobs for community work which he’s passionate about. It was during this time that that other great minds and interested persons saw his passion and heart for service. They not only nurtured him, but they gave him opportunities and believed in him. Today, the rest is history.
Every company or organization normally take stock of their products from time to time to examine their books and business to know if they are moving in the right direction as opposed to following the bang wagon. In the same vein, you have to ask yourself the same question(s) to determine if you are in the right path to our dreams, mission and vision in life.
As human beings, we are always in a haste to get things done. Some of us don’t have the patience to go through the right training to get things done. This training involves preparation and examination to access how far we have come in life and where we intend to go. In order to succeed in life, you need to be focused, you need to listen to great minds especially people who have gone through the route you want to embark upon. You also need people with insightful ideas for mentorship.
One of the greatest reasons why most people fail in life is because they fail to listen to advice. Some of them don’t even evaluate their plan. Let’s see the relativity and difference between direction and speed. According to Abraham Lincoln, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax. Abraham Lincoln is merely telling us about the importance of preparation in life. Isn’t it true that failing to prepare is preparing to fail?
The direction you are heading is more important than the speed you are moving to get there, it makes no sense worrying about how long you are taking to achieve your goals. The point is, are you going in the right direction?
It is pertinent to note that there’s no competition in life, we all walk at our pace and time. To truly succeed in any field of life, it’s important to know your needs and when to do the needful. This is because failing to prepare is preparing to fail. You must know your niche, your audience and yourself, otherwise, you may hit the rock. According to Oyindamola Johnson, the Founder, and C.E.O of Elevate Your Game, “Don’t let the “perceived” movement, success, speed, or achievements of others put you under any pressure, let you be in haste, or make you lose sight of your own progress and journey. In the race of life, there’s no collective start or end point. Each one starts their own race at their own time and on their own pace. Someone running on a treadmill and another running a marathon are both “moving”, one is, however, on one spot, while the other is accelerating”.
So how do you stay on track and in the right direction?
§ Slow things down, and don’t rush the process.
§ Don’t compare yourself to others, focus on your goals. Don’t get distracted by what others are churning out.
§ Don’t be afraid to ‘waste time’ trying new things or making mistakes. It’s part of figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t, which defines your direction.
§ Set mini goals and revisit them regularly, but meet them in your own time.
§ If you find yourself stressed and overwhelmed then take a break. It’s that simple. The world is not going to end if you miss a post or if a job is taking longer then you thought.
In summary, celebrate the small wins daily, be inspired by others, but own your race, story, journey and keep moving because at the end of the day, it is not how far, but how well.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with 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.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have uncovered an underground Boko Haram logistics storage facility stocked with medical supplies, fuel and other critical materials after overrunning several terrorist enclaves in the Timbuktu Triangle area of Borno State.
The discovery followed a series of coordinated, intelligence-led offensives conducted on Sunday across Chilaria, Garin Faruk and Abirma, during which the troops also repelled multiple drone attacks launched by the terrorists.
The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Uba Sani, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.
According to Sani, the operation, carried out under Operation Desert Sanity, resulted in the destruction of several terrorist camps and significantly degraded the logistical and operational capabilities of Boko Haram and ISWAP elements operating in the axis.
“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, have recorded further operational successes in the ongoing Operation DESERT SANITY, destroying multiple terrorist camps, recovering arms and equipment, and repelling coordinated attacks by the insurgents in the Timbuktu Triangle,” the statement said.
It added that on Sunday, January 18, 2026, troops advanced from their harbour areas and conducted deliberate, intelligence-driven operations against identified terrorist enclaves in Chilaria, Garin Faruk and Abirma.
Sani explained that the operation was supported by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, which provided persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance coverage throughout the advance.
He said during the clearance operations, “troops recovered several items of military significance, including Baofeng radios, phones, five AK-47 magazines, several rounds of 7.62 × 39mm special ammunition and 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition.”
Others include “several Boko Haram/ISWAP flags, links of 12.7 × 108 mm ammunition, diesel powered grinding machines, large quantity of medical supplies, several bags of grains, pick-up truck, underground logistics storage and petroleum and oil lubricant dump, which all further degraded the operational and logistical capability of the terrorists.”
He said the “recoveries further degraded the operational and logistical capacity of the terrorists,”.
However, Sani revealed that at about midday, the advancing troops came under armed drone attacks launched by the terrorists.
“Despite this, the troops maintained momentum and continued the offensives. A second drone attack attempted in the evening was also decisively repelled, forcing the terrorists to withdraw and reaffirming the troops’ dominance of the area,” he said.
Sani added that despite sustained engagements, troop morale remains high and fighting efficiency continues to be maintained.
“The general security situation in the area is assessed as calm but unpredictable, with troops remaining vigilant and at a high state of readiness,” he stated.
He concluded that the military high command has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the operations, stressing that troops remain resolute in their mission to eliminate terrorist threats, protect civilians and restore lasting peace and stability to the North-East.
The Punch
Metro
FRSC Confirms No Lives Lost in Apapa Fuel Tanker Crash, Advises Residents Against Scooping Fuel
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed a minor lone crash involving a NIPCO truck that occurred in the early hours of Monday on Liverpool Bridge, outward Apapa, saying that no casualties were recorded.
The incident, according to the Public Education Officer, SRC, Damilola Jayeola, occurred at about 0817hrs and was promptly reported and responded to by FRSC operatives. Three adult males were involved in the crash, with no injury or fatality recorded.
Preliminary findings attributed the crash to speeding and reckless driving, despite the road being smooth at the time of the incident.
FRSC operatives, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Federal Fire Service, are on ground managing traffic and securing the scene to prevent secondary incidents.
The Lagos State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde G. Hamzat, has advised members of the public to desist from scooping the spilled fuel and urged motorists to strictly adhere to speed limits and drive responsibly, particularly on bridges and other high-risk corridors, to prevent avoidable crashes.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the scooping of fuel by residents at the Apapa Bridge as a “suicide mission,” warning that the Lagos State Government will intensify enforcement to prevent actions capable of triggering mass casualties.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Monday at the signing of the 2026 Appropriation Bill at the Lagos House, Ikeja, shortly after reports emerged of residents rushing to scoop spilled fuel from a tanker incident at Apapa.
He expressed disappointment at the conduct, stressing that such behaviour places lives at grave risk.
The governor commended the swift intervention of Lagos first responders and the police, who cordoned off the area and brought the situation under control before any explosion or disaster could occur.
He cautioned residents to desist from reckless acts, noting that the State would “leave no stone unturned” in safeguarding lives and property.
Linking the incident to broader issues of indiscipline, Sanwo-Olu said the government would enforce tougher penalties against environmental and safety violations, including indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road medians.
He disclosed that the 2026 budget makes provisions to strengthen the capacity of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and private sector participants, with plans to expand compactor truck fleets and deploy additional equipment.
“We have instructed LAWMA not only to apprehend offenders but also to ensure they are charged for environmental violations,” the governor said.
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