News
Food for Living: Don’t Give Up
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
We all have, at one point, felt like giving up on life. This natural feeling, especially comes to us when we have all it takes to create an idea, business, relationship or even learning a course or trade. You may have dreams, and may have done the needful to actualize those dreams, but still not sure what your fate is; please don’t give up, you might be close to the finish line.
A great way to stay focused on your craft is by listening to the inner voice inside you. It’s normal for people not to believe in you, it is normal for even your family, close friends, or potential sponsors not to believe in your work, please don’t take it personal. All you need is, stay true to your cause, learn the lesson you need because rejection is part of the process. Eventually, when your determination pays off, you may be surprised to know that the same people who neglected your work are the same people who will be your cheerleader when you succeed. They might even be kind enough to mention your works to captains of industries.
In the journey of life, many people will try to discourage you. Some will even mock your ideas as crazy. However, as human beings, we are all born with natural instincts to adapt and survive. Just like little babies always cry for milk when they are hungry until they are properly fed, the same way we have to stay hungry until we get what we want.
You may have failed a couple of times, and even get tired of failing, but then you have to understand failure is part of the learning process. No great man arrived where they are today without experiencing failure. According to Michael Jordan “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” A great example of a champion who failed and never gave up until he succeeded was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up. Here is a sketch of Lincoln’s road to the White House:
- 1816: His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.
- 1818: His mother died.
- 1831: Failed in business.
- 1832: Ran for state legislature – lost.
- 1832: Also lost his job – wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in.
- 1833: Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.
- 1834: Ran for state legislature again – won.
- 1835: Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.
- 1836: Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.
- 1838: Sought to become speaker of the state legislature – defeated.
- 1840: Sought to become elector – defeated.
- 1843: Ran for Congress – lost.
- 1846: Ran for Congress again – this time he won – went to Washington and did a good job.
- 1848: Ran for re-election to Congress – lost.
- 1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state – rejected.
- 1854: Ran for Senate of the United States – lost.
- 1856: Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party’s national convention – got less than 100 votes.
- 1858: Ran for U.S. Senate again – again he lost.
- 1860: Elected president of the United States.
So what’s your reason for giving up? The best things in life are the most difficult to get. In order for you to succeed, you must have a strong tenacity. Talent no doubt is great, but without tenacity, talent won’t get you very far. I have received compliments about my writing skills. Some have said that I am a talented writer, but I do know that I put in so much work to produce good content. I am also aware of the fact; I was once a horrible writer and still learning the art of writing. The question now becomes, how do you stay focused when the odds are against you?
Know Your Gift
Every human being has a gift. Your gift will announce you where your skill can’t take you. The world is in dire need of your gifts and talents. When you give up, you give people the opportunity to conclude about your personality. Refuse to give detractors the edge to have an opinion about you.
Believe in Your Dreams
Even if no one believes in you, do yourself a favour by believing in yourself and your product. There have been millions of dreamers before you, and if they had given up, the world would not have been the same.
You Have Everything You Need
It is normal for people to say the system is structured against them or they are victims. I personally don’t subscribe to the victim mentality. I agree some people might have a privileged background or opportunity, but I strongly believe that if you are able to think out of the box, you’ll know that everything you need to succeed is around you. Victim mentality will always try to find why each and every successful individual is lucky. If you think, the odds are against you, just know that there are people out there who have much bigger problems.
Let’s see examples of great minds who rose above victim mentality and succeeded
Mark Cuban was a bartender at 25, Harrison Ford was a carpenter at 30; the founder of 5Hour energy drink was a taxi driver at 30; the author of Harry Potter was a mother on welfare at 31; the Founder of McDonald sold the paper cups at 52!
You Inspire Others When You Succeed
When you succeed like Abraham Lincoln, you inspire others with your story, but most especially you tell people their dreams are valid and it’s normal to feel in a certain way.
Success is failure turned Inside Out
Sometimes when some people fail, it is because they have not done their homework very well. A critical point to note is that we all need maturity and time in whatever we do. You might do all you need to do, but if the timing is not right, you won’t get any further. Maturity entails meeting the right person, learning the rope, and being at the right place at the right time.
The key here is to simply take time out for deep self-reflection. Reflect on your situation, focus on solutions and work on finding answers that you may not have been aware of before
In conclusion, I will leave you with a list of some people who didn’t give up. They are Jack Ma, Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney, Jay Z, Henry Ford, Henry Ukazu among others. Feel free to add yours.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that it would never be intimidated, distracted, or silenced in its push to realize a better Nigeria.
Spokesman of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in reaction to the Supreme Court ruling, which affirmed David Mark’s leadership of the party.
Abdullahi said the judgment has affirmed that the Mark and Rauf Aregbesola leadership of the party is legitimate.
Abdullahi said: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) congratulates all our members and leaders across the country on today’s Supreme Court ruling which affirmed the leadership of our party under Senator David Mark as National Chairman, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
“Today’s decision is a clear affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate.
“We commend the five-man panel of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous judgment has today done great credit to the judiciary in our country and our political system.
“However, while we welcome this judgment, we do not mistake it for the end of the struggle. The events leading up to this moment have exposed a troubling pattern of interference, bad faith, and attempts to weaken opposition voices in Nigeria.
“Let it be clearly stated: the ADC will not be intimidated, distracted, or silenced. We remain resolute in our mission to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative.
“We therefore urge all our members, supporters, and democratic stakeholders across the country to remain vigilant.”
The campaign team of Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has announced that their leader, who is Governorship aspirant, has formally purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections in Lagos State.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued on Wednesday by Gbenga Ogunleye, spokesperson for the Jandor campaign organisation, marking a significant step in Adediran’s bid to contest for the state’s top office.
According to the statement, the move underscores Adediran’s commitment to due process and strict adherence to the party’s internal democratic procedures.
The governorship aspirant also reiterated his alignment with the party’s decision to adopt direct primaries for all elective positions, expressing optimism that the process would enhance grassroots participation, strengthen unity within the party, and promote inclusiveness in the emergence of candidates.
Jandor further reaffirmed his loyalty to the National Leader of the APC and President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also paying tribute to party leaders in Lagos State for their continued guidance and commitment to progressive ideals.
He also extended gratitude to members of the JAGABAN–JANDOR 2027 Movement, young Lagosians, and supporters who contributed financially towards the purchase of the nomination forms, commending their dedication and belief in his leadership capacity.
Jandor assured party members and residents of Lagos State that his governorship ambition is rooted in unity, inclusiveness, and a commitment to sustaining and advancing good governance under the APC platform.
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Samuel Ajose, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the next governor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) will not stand.
GAC, regarded as the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, endorsed Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, indicating an early alignment within the ruling party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Speaking after the session, GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, said members unanimously agreed on Hamzat, expressing confidence in his ability to sustain and build on the state’s developmental progress.
Olusi explained that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the party’s forthcoming primaries and assess the governorship position ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking about the GAC adoption of Hamzat as Lagos APC consensus 2027 governorship candidate on Arise News on Tuesday, Ajose said that Sanwo-Olu and others are trying to force President Tinubu into making a decision.
“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing.
“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand.”
