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Food for Living: Juxtaposing Passion and Talent

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By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
In recent times, debates about following one’s passion as opposed to focusing on one’s talent, have been on the front burner. Some schools of thought believe that success entails following one’s passion of which consistency will play a great role in bringing about a breakthrough. These schools of thought believe that a person’s passion will always give him the strength to persevere. As a matter of fact, they believe that when one is passionate about a cause, they will go all out for it; wake early every morning to pursue it. Passion is ordinarily loving the job one does, and diligently appearing at it every day.
However, if anyone is not passionate about a cause, their energy will be low. As a matter of fact, even if you are paid a fortune to do the job, you will do it just because of the money and not because of the love for it, and at the end of the day, tiredness and frustration will set in.
One of the best ways to drive home this point is stooping low to marry for the wrong reasons. Imagine marrying a lady for the looks as opposed to character, and imagine marrying a man because of money as opposed to vision, character and values he represents. When the money is finished, you will be saddled with an empty vessel.
There’s no doubt passion is good, but there’s more to life than passion. As human beings, we are all passionate about a cause. While some people have causes that are of interest to them like helping the less privilege, eradicating hunger, injustice and improving the lifestyles of human beings, some other minds are interested in good governance, accountability, education and promotion of good moral values.
To understand the relativity of passion and talents, we must understand what passion and talent are. According to Britannica dictionary, passion can be as defined “as a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something”. When you see someone who is passionate about a cause, you will see how they invest their time and energy into the cause. As a matter of fact, the energy will be palpable. But when someone is not excited about a cause, they rarely invest their time, money and resources into the project.
I can relate to this having studied Taxation Law in New York Law School, a major I detest with passion. One might be wondering or surprised at why I majored on a subject I never had interest in. Well, the answer is not far fetched, I misinterpreted my late dad’s counsel upon arrival in United States. According to him USA, is facing a recession and any major I intend to study must be relevant to secure me a job. I told him, I don’t like tax, and my brain is not wired for tax concept. As a matter of fact, I hated numbers with passion. If there’s no major to study for graduate school, Taxation law was the last major I would like to study. But I had to do it because according to him, that’s the only major I can do to survive in the United States because of the prevailing recession at the said time.
There are certain things that interests us as human beings. These interests can be described as passion. These can be sports, academic, religious, entertainment, traveling, writing, dancing, and even praying. Just like every taste bud is different; every human is also different. The ability to understand every person and what works for them can be the game changer.
On the other hand, and according to Cambridge Dictionary, talent can be defined as the natural skill or ability to be good at something, especially without being taught. Talent can be likened to gift. We don’t pay for it. At creation, God endowed everyone with different talents and gifts to use for problem solving. But many has used their talents and gifts for mere entertainment or pleasure instead of earning income.
It should be noted there’s nothing we need as human beings that we don’t have in our body. God gave us hands to eat, but we manufacture spoons, God gave us legs to walk but invented cars, bicycles and planes. God gave us eyes, but we manufactured goggles. The list is endless.
If I may ask, between passion and talent which one should a progressive person focus on? This is a very interesting question. There’s no doubt, both are very important, however, if I am to chose, I will go with talent because one’s talent is like one’s purpose. When you focus on your talent, it can be developed into passion, but when you focus on your passion and leave your talent to die, there’s a tendency for failure because a certain component is missing.
It is generally said passion does not pay the bills. So, regardless of how good someone is at doing something, if it is not generating income, strife, anger, pain and frustration is likely to creep in.
According to Professor Ndubusi Ekekwe, “I can say that following my talent (here, inborn natural ability), and not necessarily my passion, helps me thrive. And for financial success, passion does not generate financial outcomes automatically. What makes money for you is your talent or skill you have mastered.
But if your passion falls within your talent or skill acquired, that is a huge blessing. But note this, it must be in this order: discover the talent or what you are good at, and develop and nurture it, over time, that thing will become your passion, because you have a deep mastery of it. In other words, your talent which is unlocked will boost your personal confidence, deepen mastery and success, and over time, it will converge as a passion.
But if you begin with passion, without the necessary talent, you could be frustrated, financially. It is very possible that people will tell you to follow your passion, and over time, you would use it to unlock financial freedom. That is wrong. If you develop your passion and it cannot earn you income, you have not helped yourself. Do this: check what you can do really well, focus on how you can develop yourself best in it, and that possibly will cushion more financial stability because you will be successful in it, and people will pay you for it. But following a talent-less passion will lead to frustrations. Of course, you could be among the blessed: your talent falls into your passion where you have inborn natural ability in something you are passionate about.
I personally concur with this assertion. We need to step into the contemporary style of thinking. Though passion is good, we need to live because passion alone does not pay the bills, what pay the bills is the work we do.
In conclusion, as your journey through life, ask yourself are you led by passion or talent.
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
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Dangote Refinery Sacks All Nigerian Workers, Cites ‘Reorganization’ As Reason

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The management of Dangote Refinery has terminated the employment of all its Nigerian workers.

The statement to this effect was shared on X, Wednesday, by a political commentator, Imran Wakili.

“Dangote Refinery has officially laid off all of its Nigerian workers under the guise of “reorganization”, less than 24 hours after 90% of them joined PENGASSAN,” he wrote.

Wakili said the development comes less than 24 hours after 90 percent of them joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN.

According to a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, Wakili posted on X, the company said the decision was taken as part of a “total re-organisation” of the plant following reported cases of sabotage in different units of the refinery.

The notice directed affected staff to surrender all company property in their possession to their line managers and obtain exit clearance.

The finance department was also instructed to compute benefits and entitlements for payment in line with terms of employment.

The refinery’s management thanked the dismissed workers for their services while in its employment.

DAILY POST reports that Dangote refinery and PENGASSN have been embroiled in a trade dispute over unionization issue.

DailyPost

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Law Firm Drags Ibas to ICPC over N283bn Spending As Rivers Sole Administrator

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been asked to investigate the financial activities of the former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.).

Human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, through a public interest law firm, has petitioned the ICPC Chairman, stating that Rivers State received at least N283.3 billion under Ibas’ watch between March 18 and September 17, 2025, excluding Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

According to figures cited from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the amount comprised N36.6 billion in local government allocations for January and February 2025, previously withheld, and N246.7 billion in state and local government allocations between March and June 2025.

Despite these massive inflows, there is little to no evidence of projects or tangible development carried out by his administration,” the petition alleged.

The group claimed the only visible project was the “cosmetic renovation and painting” of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.

The law firm further accused Ibas of failing to publish the mandatory budget performance reports for Q2 2025, in violation of transparency laws.

It also faulted comments attributed to his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubu, suggesting that the former administrator was not accountable to the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Equally troubling are recent statements credited to him, dismissing the authority of the Rivers State House of Assembly to probe his financial conduct. He insists that because he was appointed by the President and supervised by the National Assembly, he was only answerable to them,” the petition read.

The firm urged the ICPC to probe how the ₦283.3bn was applied, determine if misappropriation occurred, and hold Ibas accountable if wrongdoing is established.

It is in light of the foregoing that we respectfully demand that the ICPC probe the financial expenditure of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.), ascertain how the total amount of N283.3bn was applied, and investigate whether any acts of misappropriation, diversion, or abuse of office occurred during this period,” the petition stated.

Ibas, a retired naval chief and former Chief of Naval Staff (2015–2021), was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025 as Sole Administrator of Rivers State after the declaration of a state of emergency.

His six-month appointment sparked controversy over its constitutionality and the concentration of executive powers in an unelected administrator. He handed over on September 17, 2025, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers House of Assembly were reinstated.

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Tinubu’s Wife Raises N20.45bn from 65th Birthday Donations for National Library

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The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, disclosed that her 65th birthday anniversary fund-raising drive has so far yielded N20,456,188,924.93, with donations still trickling in.

Speaking at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu said the donations would go toward completing the long-abandoned National Library project, a cause she described as deeply personal.

“This is not the first or second time I have raised money for a worthy cause,” she noted, recalling that at her 45th birthday, she raised N50 million for the completion of the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre, and at 50, mobilized N200 million for the New Era Foundation and other charities.

She dismissed speculations of political undertones behind the project, insisting that her focus was on nation-building and giving back.

Citing inspirations from writers like Khalil Gibran and former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the First Lady said: “It doesn’t take much to do good. Most of the work I’ve ever done is not something new; I just make it look big, and at the end of the day, it turns big.”

Mrs. Tinubu traced the history of the National Library project, initiated in 1981, approved in 2006 with a budget of N8.2 billion, and later reviewed to over N23 billion.

She emphasised that with collective will, Nigerians can deliver the 11-story structure within two years.

“I have played my part. The Oluremi@65 Fund will close in December. Nigerians can still donate until then. But to the glory of God, we already have over N20.4 billion and it is still growing,” she declared.

The First Lady expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and his wife Nana, former First Ladies, National Assembly leaders, state governors, captains of industry, including Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Dr. Jim Ovia, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), as well as royal fathers, among others, for their goodwill and support.

She pledged that the names of all donors would be published in national dailies as a mark of respect and accountability.

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