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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
Glo subscribers who use Palmpay app to recharge their lines are in for an exciting time as winners have begun to emerge in the ongoing second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza”, a collaborative promo between Palmpay and Globacom.
The promotion rewards Glo users who recharge their lines via the Palmpay app with a chance to win premium prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and several other exciting giveaways. According to a joint statement from both companies, the initiative is designed to encourage seamless digital recharges while rewarding customer loyalty in the process.
So far, winners have been announced from the latest draws, with several participants winning brand new Infinix Hot 40 smartphones and other prizes. Among the lucky winners are Basirat Mayowa Opatunji from Osogbo, Osun State, Wisdom Anayo Uzoma, Afeez Akanfe Muraina, and Oyedikachi Herbert.
To ensure convenience, winners outside Lagos will have their prizes dispatched to the nearest Palmpay office for pickup.
Participation in the promo is open until August 8, 2025, and is as simple as recharging a Glo line with ₦500 or more via the Palmpay app. Each qualifying transaction automatically enters the subscriber into a draw for a chance to win. In addition, a daily social media challenge offers more opportunities to win cash prizes.
Palmpay users also enjoy up to 6 percent cashback on Glo airtime and data purchases during the promo. Even better, customers who haven’t activated a Glo data plan in the last 90 days are eligible for a 100% bonus on their recharge.
One of the winners, Basirat Mayowa Opatunji, couldn’t hide her excitement after winning an Infinix Hot 40 smartphone. “I’ve always recharged my Glo line through the Palmpay app, but I never imagined I’d actually win a phone,” she said. Currently studying at Ekiti State University through the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun study centre, Basirat added that she would be picking up her prize in Osogbo.
To participate in the ongoing bonanza, Glo subscribers can simply visit: http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms
The Federal government has responded to the United States’ recent visa rules that reduce how long Nigerian visitors can stay in the United States and limit them to one entry per visa by calling on Washington to reconsider its new visa policy.
The U.S. Department of State had recently updated its non-immigrant visa policy for several countries, including Nigeria, on Tuesday.
Under the new rule, most non-diplomatic and non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be valid for only three months and allow just a single entry into the United States.
The changes took effect immediately.In a notice published on its website, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria state: “Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore, that as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.
“The Federal government responded to this by describing the new US directive as “misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect” that ought to govern bilateral engagements between friendly nations in a statement released on Wednesday through Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson.
The Federal government said it views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“The attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to the recent decision by the United States Government to revise its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigerian citizens, limiting the validity of non-immigrant visas including B1/B2, F and J categories to three months with single entry,” it stated.
“The Federal government views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries. The decision appears misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect that should guide bilateral engagements between friendly nations.”
It also claimed that this restriction places a disproportionate burden on Nigerian travellers, students seeking academic opportunities, professionals engaging in legitimate business, families visiting loved ones, and individuals contributing to cultural and educational exchanges.
The government also said it understands that every country has the right to make its own immigration rules, but it hopes the U.S. will “reconsider this decision in the spirit of partnership, cooperation, and shared global responsibilities.”
It also added that diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to pursuing a resolution that reflects fairness and upholds the values of mutual interest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.
The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.
The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.
He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.
The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.
“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.
According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.
“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.
Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.
“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.
Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.
“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.
