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Food for Living: Focus on Things that Matter
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
It is very easy to get distracted with so many things begging for our attention in our everyday activities. But the ability to stay focused on what truly matters is one of the best things that can happen to anyone.
Staying focused in life may not appear easy, especially in this 21st century where we have all kinds of unsolicited social media updates. Imagine having a big project that can change your fortune, and still have to deal with family, work, personal and even spiritual forces trying to create a distraction. If one is not able to manage his time as well as balance family, work, social media, and other personal concerns, it will take the grace of God to overcome, and succeed.
Every student needs focus to pass his examinations, every businessman/entrepreneur needs focus to develop and succeed in his business, every parent needs focus to train his family, every leader needs focus to succeed, every spiritual person needs focus and faith to concentrate on his belief. Even evildoers leverage on focus to succeed in their nefarious endeavors. Without focus there’s hardly any worthwhile project that can be done.
For one to focus well, sacrifice is needed. In Economics, the principle of opportunity cost works with focus. For example, while some people will spend time attending social events like nightclubs, watching television or even sleeping, progressive minds channel their attention to working on their craft.
Don’t misunderstand me, attending night parties, sleeping and watching television are not bad habits per se, what’s important is balancing everything. I do attend parties, sleep and watch television, but I do all with moderation. I recently read a book titled “Making It Big” by Mr. Femi Otedola, a philanthropist. He stated how he attends night clubs every Friday to celebrate the success of his business. He used the social activity to wind down his hard work from Monday to Friday.
It’s instructive to note that Mr. Femi Otedola also stated in his book he was taunted by his friends each time he attends night parties if he brought his diesel to sell, he cared less because according to him he has a family to feed, school fees to pay and shelter to provide for his family. So, he’s not bothered by what people will say because he has to do what he has to do to take care of his bills.
Now, that tells you, here’s a man who is focused on what is important. While some people may see him at the club when he became financially stable and independent, they won’t understand nor know the level of sacrifice he has made for his business to get to where it is, neither are they aware of the level of focused he has put into his work to get to where he is. This goes to say that in the journey of life, one must know himself and know what works for him. It’s always safer to be yourself.
To understand how focus works, look at the eagle. The eagle is a laser-focused bird with precision. It really knows what it wants, and it goes hard for it. Another interesting characteristic of the eagle is that it separates itself from other birds in that it doesn’t play local games, it takes its game international by flying higher where other animals can’t survive. So, when it catches a prey, it takes the battle to its domain where it knows other prey can’t survive. This goes to tell you every animal or human being must know themselves to succeed.
On a personal note, I have applied a decent amount of focus in life by publishing two amazing books and hundreds of articles. Of interest to mention is the fact I have been consistently publishing articles every Friday for the last seven years. Assuming I’m not focused, I doubt if I would have been able to attain this feat.
Being focused works in different ways depending on what one wants to achieve. As a career professional, academia, entrepreneur, clergy, family man, health enthusiast or one interested in personal development, it’s important to decide what to do with life. For instance, one of my mentors told me he had to take a pay cut to learn Taxation to enable him to learn the secret of the profession. For me, I had to leave the tax profession and to some extent the legal profession to focus on human capacity development because I see a bigger prospect in the industry.
I recently saw a beautiful note about focus by one of my mentors, Dr. kola Adesina, an energy expert. He wrote, “Life often surrounds us with whirlwinds — storms of uncertainty, noise, distraction, and pressure. These winds swirl with demands for our time, competing voices, and the weight of challenges we cannot always control. Yet, in the eye of the storm lies a profound truth: clarity comes when we choose to stay focused on the things that truly matter.
“Focus is not the absence of chaos; it is the discipline to hold fast to higher ideals, values, and purpose, even when the winds rage. It is the strength to resist being swept away by fleeting noise, to silence the urgent in order to serve the important, and to keep sight of what endures beyond the storm.
“In every season of life, we are called to distinguish between the temporary and the eternal, the trivial, and the essential. God, family, integrity, service, purpose, and vision — these are anchors that hold us steady. When we build our lives on such foundations, no whirlwind can uproot us.
“So let the winds blow. Let the storms gather. We will stand with resolve, our gaze fixed, our hearts firm, and our steps purposeful. In the end, it is not the storm that defines us, but the strength of our focus on what truly matters.”
I was particularly impressed with the last statement which states “in the end, it is not the storm that defines us, but the strength of our focus on what truly matters.” That explains that distractions, failures, setbacks, challenges or betrayals will definitely come up, but it’s our determination and focus to succeed that will make the ultimate difference. This is how I see it; our desires to succeed in life must outweigh our fear for failure. After all, our passion and values will be tested like gold goes through fire for it to be refined.
Here is my assignment for you, what would you like the world to remember for you in the near future? When you discover it, begin to apply focus by intentionally working on it. It’s instructive to note that in the near future, after all said and done, what matters is what one is able to achieve with his life. So, it’s good for one to focus his time, energy and resources to what truly matters.
In conclusion, I don’t know what your challenges might be, neither do I know what your desires may be, but what one thing is certain in life, being focused on your craft can be a game changer. So, I challenge you to apply focus in whatever you are working on.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced plans to commence an indefinite nationwide strike starting November 1, 2025.
NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the strike directive was issued after the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier given to the Federal government over unresolved demands.
This latest action comes after a five-hour meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Saturday.
“The NEC has marshalled out minimum demands, strike monitoring directives, and ‘no work, no pay/no pay, no work’ resolutions needed for a successful execution of this action,” the statement reads in part.
According to Suleiman, the decision followed the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal government to address its demands.
“Today, after a 5-Hour Extra-Ordinary National Executive Council Meeting, the Members of NEC have issued out new marching orders to us once again.
“The NEC has unanimously directed us to declare a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action to commence on Friday 31st October 2025 at 11:59pm.”
Suleiman said the National Officers Committee (NOC) has been mandated to ensure full compliance with the directive and to implement strike monitoring and enforcement measures across all centres.
He added that the association’s centre presidents and general secretaries have been directed to convene emergency congress meetings to brief members on the resolutions.
“We have reported to NEC and NEC has decided. The NOC will carry out this directive to its latter and in full compliance.
“NEC has also decided that centre Presidents and General Secretaries shall go back and call Emergency Congress Meetings to brief Members on the details there-in.
The NARD President accused some government and non-government actors of “evil and exploitative plans” against resident doctors, adding that the union will “collectively resist” such moves.
He also called on members of NARD to use the next few days to hand over patients, engage community and religious leaders, and sensitise the public ahead of the strike.
The industrial action is expected to cripple medical services in hospitals nationwide, as resident doctors constitute the backbone of clinical care in the nation’s healthcare system.
On September 26, NARD issued one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the lingering issues affecting the welfare and training of resident doctors and medical officers across the country.
Part of the grievances listed by the association are excessive and unregulated work hours, nonpayment of outstanding arrears from the 25 and 35 percent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and the unjust dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
The resident doctors also expressed frustration over the non-payment of promotion arrears to medical officers in various federal tertiary hospitals, as well as the failure of the government to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance despite repeated assurances from the Ministry of Health.
They further cited bureaucratic delays in upgrading resident doctors’ ranks following the completion of postgraduate medical examinations, leading to non-payment of new salary scales and accumulated arrears.
NARD also condemned their exclusion from the specialist allowance, despite their critical role in providing specialist-level care to patients across the country.
The association faulted the exclusion of medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme — a policy it said denies them rightful salaries, professional recognition, and career progression.
NARD also decried the downgrading of newly employed resident doctors from CONMESS three Step three to CONMESS two Step two, resulting in reduced earnings and unpaid salary arrears in several federal hospitals.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Secrets are exclusive preserves of certain individuals or institutions. They are one’s advantage over others, in the sense of ‘there’s something I know, which no one else knows. No one can ever claim that they don’t have a secret, either in the good or bad light.
Secrets therefore, exist in the family circle, business terrain, academic environment, career/professional pursuit, health management, spiritual connectivity and even in everyday personal living. It is an undeniable fact that everyone has a secret that works for them.
Let’s take a minute to discuss some of the aforementioned secrets.
Family
Every family has a secret. It will be foolhardy for anyone to disclose family secrets. Most families die with their secrets. To understand how family secrets work, imagine the Coca-Cola company. The family is said to be the only one in the world that has the formula for the beverage; a trade secret that originated with its creator, John Pemberton.
It is said that not even all family members enter the room where Coca-Cola is mixed or manufactured for fear of the secret being divulged. Imagine where spouses have access to the room and the marriage goes south, there’s a tendency that a spiteful divorced partner might leak the secret and the rest as they say is history.
There are many secrets that bind many families which only the immediate family members know. In some cases, only the parents or grandparents know. They can decide to share the secret to either the first male child, first female child or even a member of the family that one considers rational. For instance, imagine where a family is faced with a peculiar life threatening illness which ordinarily might scare anyone who wants to get married into that family, it will be stupid for anyone to spit it out, that act alone can make the intending spouse to reconsider his/her plan to marry from the family.
Business
Every business has a trade secret. Trade secrets are what makes a business unique. Every business has a unique selling point. (USP), which is a distinct benefit that sets the business or product apart from its competitors. A shrewd businessman will never leak his secret to his employees or competitors. The best his employees will know are the values, the operational systems or structures of the business and how his mindset works. But what makes the business stand out is the mystery that one will need to unravel.
Academic
Every student has a distinct trait that makes him/her succeed academically. This unique trait makes the student exceptional. For any student to succeed in their academics, he must know himself and what works for him. While some might study at night, some might study during the day, others might just listen during the lecture and understand the key points.
It’s sad to see students, who haven’t discovered who they are and what works for them following students who have discovered who they are. For example, while some students have good listening and understanding ability, and can listen to lectures and read a little and pass their examinations, some other students will have to read the course material before the lecture, listen during the lecture, read after the lecture and read thoroughly for examination before they can get a decent grade.
In some cases, they might not get the desired grade. Some students will even party hard during the day and at night they study, while some will party at night and study during the day. So, you can see that while some students have discovered themselves and what works for them, some others follow them sheepishly. Moral: Know what works for you and do what works for you because according to Oscar Wilde, “be yourself because others are taken”.
Career/Profession
Every career professional has a secret that works for them. In the same way, every industry knows what makes it stands out. The secret of what makes someone in the entertainment industry successful is quite different from what makes someone in politics or law enforcement, energy, education, legal, or health sector different. They all have different strokes, and the ability of one to do the needful in addition to playing the associated game can be the game changer.
Health
Health is a personal thing. Nobody knows you more than you know yourself. To show you how secretive and important one’s health is, it’s been said that there are three kinds of life: Public life, private life and secret life.
Your public life is the life that is generally known by everyone. It is the character we exhibit in the public space. It can also be regarded as the image perception lifestyle; we don’t generally go around revealing our health status in the public domain except where necessary. The private lifestyle; this is the kind of life only our family and close friends know.
Again, we don’t disclose such pertinent information to them only where and when necessary, then we have the secret lifestyle which only us and our creator knows. In some cases, we go to the graveyard with this. Do you see why health is a personal issue which needs to be kept in a secret place?
Personal
As mentioned earlier, everyone is unique. One of the best things that can happen to anyone is knowing themselves, and knowing what makes them different. I strongly believe we all have seeds of greatness in us. What works for Mr. A might not work for Mr. B. Like I always say, you can copy my style, but you can’t be me because imitation is a limitation.
For instance, I have unique energy and inspiration when it comes to writing. I have developed a keen interest and passion for writing. If tomorrow I become very successful or attract a unique opportunity, and someone decides to try writing to attract similar opportunities, the person might fail because God is the one that decides what opportunities come to anyone nor matter how hard someone may work.
Spiritual
This is another interesting aspect of life. Life is indeed spiritual. There’s nothing that happens physically without taking place spiritually. Everyone has a covenant point that was assigned to them at birth. Once that covenant point is touched that fellow might lose their blessings, anointing or what makes them strong.
There have been many testimonies about this. For instance, in the Bible, Samson’s touching point was his hair. He knows his power lies in his hair, that’s why Delilah tried so many times to know the secret of his strength, but Samson refused to tell her. She tried to make him drunk, but Samson still has the power. Samson repeatedly lied to Delilah about the secret of his strength, first saying it was new bowstrings, then new ropes, and finally by weaving his hair into a loom. Each time, he easily broke free, but Delilah continued to pressure him.
Weary from her constant questioning, Samson finally confessed that his strength was tied to his hair, which had never been cut because he was a Nazirite from birth. Delilah then called for a man to shave Samson’s seven locks of hair while he slept in her lap. His secret was revealed. His hair was cut. He strength was gone.
Do you see that Samson’s secret place was his hair?
In conclusion, depending on what we are working on, we all have our secret strength and place. The onus is on us to cultivate and dwell on this secret place to avoid losing power and focus.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Amid growing insecurity in different parts of the country, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has urged residents to defend themselves against persistent bandit attacks.
He insisted that his administration would neither negotiate with nor pay ransom to criminals under any circumstances.
Bago made the declaration during a visit to the Rijau and Magama local government areas, where several communities were recently attacked by bandits operating from the Kontagora axis.
The governor said the State has reached a critical stage that demands collective action, warning that ransom payments would only embolden the criminals and turn kidnapping into a profitable venture.
“I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom.
“The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and continue kidnapping people,” he said.
“The situation has reached a state of war that requires collective resistance. We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up.
“The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that,” the governor added.
Describing the recurring attacks and displacement of residents as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” Bago announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 personnel into the state’s joint task force to strengthen community security and restore peace.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, the governor also announced a total ban on all mining activities across Zone C of the state.
The affected local government areas include Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara.
Bago explained that illegal mining had become a major driver of insecurity in the zone, noting that many miners had unrestricted access to forest areas considered unsafe for residents.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them. I have ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities,” he said.
Governor Bago also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence and restoring lasting peace throughout the state.
