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Food for Living: Living Above the Challenges of Life
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Challenges are regular occurrences in human existence, and so it is commonplace for them to be experienced in the cause of day to day activities. A living being is therefore licensed to encounter one form of challenge or another. Of a truth, challenges come in different shapes and sizes. It can be big. It can be small. It can come in the guise of losing a loved one, having setbacks in business, relationship/marriage, academic, or professional endeavours. However, what is important is one’s ability to handle the challenge. It is imperative to note that inability to handle or manage a challenge can lead to overwhelming disaster in an individual’s personal, romantic or professional life.
Challenges mean different things to different people. Sometimes when uninformed minds experience challenges, they feel there is a force behind them. They fail to understand that nature may have a hand in it. There’s no doubt a force might be a reason someone might experience challenges, in that case, you need to sit down and evaluate what’s happening to you or if there’s something you are not doing well. For instance, if the law of Karma is at play, you are bound to face the music of life. It might take a little bit of time, but at the end of the day, you will dance to the music you once played.
However, great minds who think out of the box know that these challenges are preludes to greater heights, and as such, must be tested in the process of weathering the storm.
That said, the biggest challenge we can face as human beings is ourselves. Nobody can challenge you to be a better person than yourself. I strongly believe that one of the biggest challenges of life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you be like everyone else. As human beings, there are so many things seeking our attention, some can be a distraction. Your ability to navigate these challenges can be the defining factor of your life.
It is important to note that the bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity for growth. Imagine contesting for the President of a country, what kind of challenges do you think you will face? Imagine winning the election, and the kind of opportunity and social capital that comes with it. It is strongly advisable to challenge yourself every day to do better than yesterday. It is the best form of challenge and competition you’ll ever face as a human being.
Let’s discuss some of the challenges we face as human beings.
Family:
The biggest challenge anyone can face in life is in the family. Whether you live in a nuclear or extended family, you are bound to experience challenges. Every family has a secret and every family plays what I call internal politics just like the church. In fact, according to some schools of thought, the highest politics is played in the family and in the church. Nobody knows you more than your family, that’s why when your family supports you, you already have fifty percent of the foundation you need to succeed in life. But when your family is against you, even your benefactors will distance themselves from you. Any way you look at it, the moral support of family is endearing and soothing to the heart.
Speaking on family, it’s only your family that knows most of the intricate secrets of your life, that’s why in politics, most people try to check out your background, your family, etc. to get information which they might use against you.
Setbacks:
Setbacks come in various forms. It can be in your business, loss of a loved one, failing an examination, or even health challenges. All these challenges either make you strong or make you learn. A good way of handling setbacks and the corresponding challenges is by having a positive attitude towards life, by this I mean, as you journey towards life always prepare for the best while expecting the best. If you have this mindset, you’ll be better poised to accept any negative challenges that come to you in good faith.
Relationship/Marriage: This is where the true test of a human being is displayed especially in marriage. In a relationship, you are merely courting to know someone to see if both of you are compatible enough to marry. In a relationship, each party can hide their real personality and character, but in marriage, there’s a limit to what you can hide. That’s why one of the best ways to succeed in marriage is to be vulnerable to your partner. Every relationship/marriage must be tested in one way or the other, but the prayer of every progressive relationship/marriage is to be strong enough to overcome any challenge that may rear its ugly head. Challenges such as financial, communication, sex, expectations, infidelity, conflicts, abuse, etc. will surely come in one way or the other.
Let’s take the case study of communication. Do you know the majority of the challenges couples face that lead to divorce is because of communication problems? There’s nothing that can’t be solved if the parties are intentional and deliberate in talking about it. It is the inability of partners to understand each other by resolving the conflicts amicably that results in divorce. For instance, when people have a misunderstanding the right use of words like am sorry, please, thank you, etc. can go a long way to solve the problem. How does this play out? There can be no problem, there’s a problem and there can be problems when there’s no problem. This is because when two people have a misunderstanding over a big issue, how they will handle it will appear insignificant, but if it’s a small problem, how they will handle it can escalate it to a bigger problem.
In conclusion, as you journey towards life, always have the attitude of preparing for the best while expecting the worst. By so doing, you will be able to overcome any challenge with a positive mindset.
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
Fresh facts have emerged over the abduction of school pupils and the killing of two teachers alongside an okada rider in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as investigators uncovered how suspected informants allegedly maintained communication with the abductors through telephone conversations.
The Oyo State Police Command disclosed that investigators tracked the suspects through calls believed to have been exchanged with the bandits during and after the operation.
According to the police, the conversations allegedly contained details on how the criminals could successfully navigate routes within the National Park to hidden locations used as safe havens.
The breakthrough led to the arrest of no fewer than six suspects, who are currently in police custody and assisting security agencies with ongoing investigations into the gruesome incident.
Confirming the development on Tuesday morning, the State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the suspects were apprehended during coordinated security operations across different locations in the State.
“We have six suspects in custody and they are assisting the investigation,” Ayanlade said.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly served as informants to the bandits responsible for the abduction and killings.
“Our findings showed that some of the suspects were in contact with the abductors through telephone conversations and investigators are analysing those communications as part of efforts to uncover the full network behind the crime,” he stated.
Ayanlade further disclosed that security agencies uncovered discussions allegedly centred on routes through the National Park and locations believed to have been used by the criminals as hideouts.
“The conversations contained information on how the abductors could move through the National Park undetected and reach safe locations,” he added.
The police spokesman explained that the suspects were arrested during joint operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Agro-Rangers.
“The arrests were made possible through intelligence-driven operations carried out by joint security operatives working collaboratively to dismantle the criminal network,” Ayanlade said.
He assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate linked to the attack.
“We are committed to ensuring that every individual connected to this criminal act is identified, arrested and brought to justice. Investigations are still ongoing,” he said.
The incident, which claimed the lives of two teachers and an Okada rider while school pupils were abducted last Friday, has continued to generate concern among residents of the affected communities and neighbouring areas in Oyo State.
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has confirmed that one of the teachers abducted during the recent terrorist attack on schools in Oriire LGA of the state, has been killed in captivity.
Speaking on Sunday during a press briefing on the incident, Makinde described the situation as “difficult and challenging”, saying the state government is intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining victims.
On Friday, gunmen riding motorcycles invaded communities within the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire, Ogbomoso, and abducted students and staff members of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.
The attack left an assistant headmaster, identified as Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist dead.
According to Makinde, a video received by the state government confirmed the killing of one of the abductees identified as a mathematics teacher.
“What we know is that seven teachers in all were abducted and unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, the maths teacher, was killed by the terrorists this morning,” Makinde said.
Authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of schoolchildren abducted.
In the aftermath of the incident, videos recorded from captivity began circulating on social media, showing abducted teachers pleading with the government and Nigerians for urgent intervention.
One of the viral videos featured Rachael Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, appealing to the government to help secure the release of the victims before they are killed.
Makinde detailed that six persons had been arrested within the affected locality over alleged links to the attackers, and that another three “persons of interest” were also arrested in connection with the attack.
“The information available from the Commissioner of Police is that six individuals have been arrested within the locality. Some of them were believed to perhaps be informants to people running logistics for the terrorists,” he said.
Following the attack, the Oyo Police Command announced the commencement of an intensive manhunt and rescue operation involving multiple security agencies.
Makinde said personnel of the police, military, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, and local hunters were mobilised immediately to pursue the attackers.
The governor said, however, some Amotekun operatives sustained injuries after encountering improvised explosive devices planted by the terrorists during the operation.
“After the incident, Amotekun, the police, military and hunters were mobilised to go after the terrorists and it was along that line that they ran into IEDs and some of the Amotekun operatives were wounded,” he said.
Sources told TheCable that the terrorists had initially opened fire on the security operatives who were approaching the Old Oyo national park on motorcycles, causing them to flee.
“When the shooting subsided, the operatives decided to go for their motorbikes. Unfortunately, a dynamite exploded against one Amotekun corps member and he was wounded. He has been taken to the hospital for medical attention,” a source said.
“Apart from air raid, the Old Oyo National Park Area can’t be easily accessed through infantry. It’s a long distance from the Oowe River which forms a natural landmark boundary for the park. Motorcycles would have to be used for the journey, but the noise of the approaching motorcycles alerted the terrorists.”
Makinde linked the attack to increasing pressure being mounted on terrorist groups in the north-east, warning that fleeing armed groups are moving into other parts of the country, including the south-west.
“With the pressure on the terrorists in the north-east theatre, they will keep moving southwards. Today, the governor of Kwara state has spoken to me. But the problem we have is that when you have pressure in one place, we must be prepared on this side to either repel or neutralise any terrorists fleeing the pressure,” he said.
The governor harped on the need for sustained government and security presence in vulnerable communities, warning that temporary military operations without long-term security measures could leave residents exposed to future attacks.
“If all we can do is clearance operations for a week or two and leave that place, the terrorists will come back and the people will become vulnerable,” he said.
He assured residents that the state government would be deploying military and non-military strategies to secure the release of the abducted victims and tackle the growing security threat.
“We have decided that we will adopt not just the kinetic approach. We have not taken this lightly,” he added.
Makinde also appealed for calm and patience from residents, acknowledging the complexity of the operation.
“I want to appeal to everyone that we are doing everything within our power to ensure that this would be resolved quickly and we bring our children back safely, but it is a very difficult and challenging situation so there may not be quick fixes,” he added.
Source: TheCable
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Complaining is part of human nature. We complain about our health, school, family, friends, work, finances, government, and life in general. Human beings literally complain about everything and anything.
Over time, I have come to discover something about life: complaining doesn’t solve a problem; it adds to it. According to the Book of Life, why worry when you can pray? The moral of this statement is that instead of worrying, why not look for solutions? When you worry, it only accumulates the problems, but when you explore avenues to solve a problem, you’re literally praying.
Complaining is like having a problem and apportioning blame to another person instead of fixing it. One of the hallmarks of great minds is the ability to solve problems, while little minds complain.
In the world of visionary leaders, they don’t complain; rather, they see complaints as challenges of life, while lesser minds see complaints as problems of life. Again, while great leaders see problems as a gateway to make money and succeed by proffering solutions, little minds see problems as obstacles limiting their growth to succeed. Same action but different results and consequences.
As human beings, we tend to focus on what we don’t have instead of focusing on what we have. It’s only when we appreciate what we have that we give room for opportunities and favors to come to us. It’s unfortunate some of fucus on what we are going through instead of what we are becoming.
It’s instructive to note that complaints don’t lead us anywhere, rather it hinders our progress. Nobody likes complainers; complainers are usually seen as energy suckers because all they do is take without giving. Instead of complaining, why not practice gratitude? Gratitude helps to draw and attract opportunities.
In the world of human relations, the ability to manage people is an uncommon skill. One must learn to nurture relationships. Human beings can be difficult to manage. While some exhibit meekness, gratitude, cheerfulness, and loyalty, some exhibit bitterness, frustration, depression, sadness, and sorrow. What most people don’t know is that we have the ability to change how we manage our lives and how we react to what life throws at us through our attitude.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not insinuating that complaining is wrong; rather, I’m insinuating it’s not healthy for our mental health. The only time we can complain about something is when we are proffering a solution; by so doing, we have highlighted the problems and proffered the solution.
Complaints make us blind to see the good in others. As a word of advice, if you focus exclusively on the shortcomings of the people with whom you have to relate and forget that they have a good point, it will be difficult to see the good in them.
According to Yomi Garnett, focus on the good side of people and be intentional in learning about their mindset and inquire what made them who they are. Also, focusing on the good side of people despite their bad or weak side makes them feel valuable as human beings, and by so doing, we show our empathic personality.
In conclusion, resolve today to stop complaining and start appreciating the challenges of life with gratitude.
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
