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Food for Living: Keep Hope Alive
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
One of the major causes of death in the world is frustration. When we are frustrated, we become so uneasy that so many thoughts come to our minds. Frustration can lead to suicide, and according to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide is the leading cause of death in America.
As a Human Capacity Coach, I have seen and heard a thousand and one cases of the pain and psychological trauma most people go through. Some could be from failed relationships/marriages, businesses, academics, professions, or even personal issues. Many people are going through so many challenges, and in some cases, they are helpless about the situation.
It’s very easy for anyone to give up on life after exhausting all options. It could be more challenging when there is little or no hope to overcome the challenge. Imagine having a child who is sick or hungry and you can’t help the situation. Imagine being nominated for a lifetime dream opportunity of your choice and you were denied for no justifiable reason; imagine having all the right systems and structures in place in your business, and it still failed. These reasons are capable of sending one to the grave if proper care is not applied. That’s why I’m here today to tell you to keep hope alive.
What’s hope? Hope can positively mean: Hold on pain ends. Every pain has an expiry date. It is instructive to note that if you keep hope alive, it will keep you alive. Keeping hope alive entails having faith, believing in your work, having optimism that all will work out well. Above all however, it is the feeling that constantly reminds you that the universe will work in your favour. It is important to note that you will get everything you need when you have developed the capacity to receive it.
Regardless of any situation or challenge you may have faced, just keep hope alive. You may have been working on a project either with a team or personally. You may have wondered if your project will see the light of the day after investing so much time and resources, in addition to having numerous rejections, and the future appears bleak and insecure. Don’t give up. You may have many thoughts and concerns running through your mind on how to approach a plan. Listen, you don’t have to have a perfect environment before you hit the ground running. Whenever you feel the prompting in your mind, just move. Your conscience can never deceive you. You may not see it, but all that is expected from you is to keep hope alive and believe in your work.
There was a story of two men who went out to dig for gold. Mr. A dug halfway and found gold and left, Mr. B seeing what has happened thought to himself, am I doing anything wrong? I have dug digger than Mr. A, why haven’t I made any progress, or is there something am I missing? After much thought, he decided to leave his site and go to Mr. A’s position with the hope he may find gold, he didn’t realize he needed just a strike to get gold. This is what impatience and not having belief in oneself can cause.
As a leader, you must inspire hope in your subordinates. The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive. If you must lose all options, don’t lose hope. To keep hope alive is not easy, especially when the odds are against you. But then, that’s why we are human beings. To make hope work for you, you must be engaged in a business. Either you’re offering a service or selling a product. It is sad to note that there are some people who just believe things will work out by themselves without any effort on their part. It is instructive to note that during the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama said, things won’t change if we don’t fix the problem.
Irrespective of your age, or any category you belong in life. I have just one clear message for you, don’t give up, regardless of what life offers to you. Hope is the last resort you have as a human being. If you lose all options in life, never lose hope.
How to keep hope alive
You must express your feelings
As human beings, we all have emotions in us. Your ability to express your thoughts and feelings in such an authentic way that makes you feel good is highly recommended. Do you know that sometimes, sharing our pains with others can be therapeutic, healing, and soothing to the heart? Caveat: Be aware of the people you share your personal information to, they may be wolves in sheep clothing. This set of human beings are not interested in your progress. They like it when you have challenges or even fail in life. It wouldn’t be bad if you call them chameleon
If you don’t communicate your intentions, it will be hard for people to know how to assist you. Some may even hurt you without knowing. In expressing your feelings, you can decide to cry, stay aloof, sleep, watch movies, etc. provided it makes you feel good.
Play music
Music is one of the healing therapies on planet earth. Music has a way of relaxing our pains regardless of any setback you may have faced. Depending on the issue, playing a spiritual song, healing song, rhythm & blues, etc. can instantly revive you.
Leave Your Comfort zone
When stressed or after experiencing a devastating disappointment, it’s advisable to leave your comfort zone, you can travel to another country or look for hope in unexpected parlance.
Be Grateful
Gratitude is a rare practice that is being practiced in our society. Grateful people are happy people. In our society, we are used to celebrating our wins without showcasing our failures. We fail to remember, it’s our failures that humble and inspire us to work harder. To keep hope alive, you have to bee grateful for the experience because it will make you strong in addition to giving you a story tomorrow.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker. He works with the 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 and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Federal High Court In Abuja on Tuesday ordered the remand of the Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, also ordered the remand of his co-dedendants, his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives Bashir Asabe.
Justice Nwite made the order after taking arguments from the defence team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN) and the prosecution counsel Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count money laundering charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants conspired at various times to conceal, retain and disguise the proceeds of unlawful activities running into several billions of naira.
According to the charge, the alleged offences span several years and include the use of companies and bank accounts to launder funds, the retention of cash as collateral for loans, and the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations.
The commission further alleges that some of the offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sent a veiled message to Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying support for President Bola Tinubu alone will not guarantee any election ticket.
Wike made the statement on Sunday during a public outing in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
His remarks were widely seen as directed at Governor Fubara, amid lingering political crisis in the State.
The former Governor of Rivers State said political loyalty must be tested during difficult times, not after power has been secured.
He mocked those he described as late supporters of President Tinubu, insisting that sudden alignment would not earn political rewards.
He said: “So the issue is not whether you are supporting Tinubu. That one, we have taken too long, long… Yes, oh. So Tinubu’s issue is not an issue again. Yes. Do you understand me? Yes. Tinubu’s issue is that nobody should be coming here to tell a day. We are for Tinubu; I am against you. Who is for Tinubu University? (laughs) That cannot give you any ticket oh! (laughs again) Direct, direct. It will not. Direction. Direction.”
Wike stressed that his political camp stood with Tinubu when the decision was unpopular. He said that support given under pressure carries more weight than alignment after victory.
He also recalled how the Rivers State House of Assembly openly backed Tinubu early, long before the election outcome was certain.
According to him, some of those now making public declarations were absent during the critical period.
“The same people now who came to declare, put them to God… But they should declare they are saying it for a candidate. Yes. Don’t you see characters? (laughs) So I send the sword far ahead of them.”
Wike further spoke on governance and continuity. He defended projects and agreements initiated during his tenure as governor. He said it is often difficult for successors to acknowledge past efforts, even though government is a continuous process.
His comments come weeks after Governor Fubara formally aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party of President Tinubu.
The move followed months of political crisis in Rivers State, which led to federal intervention and a declaration of emergency rule.
Political watchers believe Wike’s remarks constitute a direct response to Fubara’s recent positioning as a key Tinubu ally in Rivers politics. Critics argue that Fubara’s support surfaced only after the political storm had settled.
Wike, who remains a dominant force in Rivers State politics despite serving in Abuja, appears to have drawn a clear line ahead of the 2027 elections.
He suggested that political tickets would be decided by proven loyalty, not convenience.
Videos from the event in Rumuche, Emohua, spread rapidly on social media. Many users described the speech as a coded warning to the governor.
As of press time, neither the Rivers State Government nor Wike’s media team had issued an official clarification.
The comments, however, suggest that the political rift between both camps is still active, despite earlier peace moves brokered at the national level.
The opposition African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party on Sunday criticized President Bola Tinubu for departing Nigeria for Europe on holiday at a time the country is grappling with rising insecurity, including foreign military interventions in the North.
The Presidency announced on Sunday that Tinubu left Lagos for Europe for his end-of-year holiday ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he is scheduled to attend the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the trip was by invitation from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to participate in the summit, which gathers global leaders from government, business, and civil society to advance sustainable development strategies.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January,” the statement read.
Reacting to Tinubu’s departure, the ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, faulted the timing as inappropriate given the security challenges facing the country.
The ADC noted the deadly terrorist bomb blast in Zamfara and the ongoing foreign military involvement, calling the President’s move insensitive.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s lack of care is alarming. In the wake of another deadly bomb blast in Zamfara, and following an unprecedented foreign military attack on Nigerian soil, the nation is waiting for reassurance from its leader. Instead, we learn the President has gone on holiday. What a President!” Abdullahi said.
Similarly, LP’s acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the trip as “insensitive and devoid of empathy” for Nigerians facing violent attacks and humanitarian crises.
Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, she stressed that the President should have remained in the country to coordinate security responses.
“This is the most inauspicious time for the President to leave the country. Even the Christmas holiday in Lagos seems ill-timed, given that a bomb exploded in Zamfara today, killing nine people,” Usman said.
She further alleged that Nigeria was under external attack and accused the government of downplaying the severity of the situation.
“Nigeria is under attack by a foreign nation. No matter how the government tries to frame this, it is a violation of our sovereignty. This is the time for the commander-in-chief to coordinate the response, not embark on a holiday,” Usman said.
She added that the President had not convened critical security meetings since the U.S.-led bombardment of terrorist camps in Kwara and Sokoto States and condemned the perceived lack of engagement with military leadership.
The President’s trip comes amid heightened security concerns. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump authorised AFRICOM to conduct airstrikes on terrorist camps in Sokoto State, hours before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the operation. A deadly bomb blast in Zamfara on Friday claimed several lives.
The 17th edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will run from January 11 to 15 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go.”
The event aims to connect innovation, finance, and people to advance sustainable development.
Onanuga confirmed that Tinubu would return to Nigeria after the summit.
Hosted by Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy company, the summit will feature the invitation-only ADSW Summit, the World Future Energy Summit, the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, and specialised sessions on hydrogen, climate finance, water security, and utilities in the Global South. Organisers expect more than 50,000 participants from over 170 countries, featuring over 700 global brands and exhibitions of emerging clean technologies.
The UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, noted that ADSW 2026 builds on two decades of the UAE’s leadership in renewable energy.
Tinubu previously attended the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2025, where he held meetings with Gulf investors and officials on trade, energy cooperation, and climate finance.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu has undertaken at least 46 foreign trips, spending an estimated 192 days abroad as of October 2025. In 2025 alone, he travelled internationally no fewer than 15 times to countries including Ghana, the UAE, Tanzania, France, Italy, Saint Lucia, Japan, and Brazil for summits, bilateral engagements, and holidays.
