News
Food for Living: Mindset As Tool for Success
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Life is governed by principles, and principles are products of mindset. When the right principles are applied, one is bound to get the right results. Amidst the principles of life, it is imperative that the right thoughts are applied. The right formula to any mathematical problem will always create easy access to the solution.
What really is mindset? Mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how people see themselves and the world around them. It can also be described as one’s thoughts towards life.
Mindset works with your energy. Did you know that your mindset towards life shows your understanding about life. As a student of mindset, and mindset coach, I look beyond someone’s words by looking deeper at their subconscious thoughts. My late mother once advised me, that when someone is talking, I should pay little attention to their words, but focus more on what’s inside their mind.
One’s understanding and perception towards life can be seen in their mindsets. This is because everything starts first in the mind before it sees the light of the day. Love starts from the mind. It’s from the mind that attraction comes in. Success and failure start from the mind. If you believe you will succeed, you will succeed, if you believe you will fail, you will fail.
According to Napoleon Hill in his book, “Think and Grow Rich”, whatsoever the mind can conceive, it can achieve. Even the book of life says in 1 John 4:4, he that is in you is greater and stronger than he that is in the world.
The mind is powerful just like the brain. It’s what you believe in that will work for you. If you don’t believe in anything, you will hardly get anything.
The mindset of a child is different from the mindset of a parent. The mindset of a student is different from the mindset of a professor. The mindset of a doctor is different from the mindset of a lawyer. The mindset of a businessman is different from the mindset of a clergy. The mindset of a student or employee is different from the mindset of an employer. The mindset of a regular citizen is different from the mindset of a president. The mindset of a poor man is different from the mindset of a rich man.
To give a proper perspective to mindset, it’s instructive to note that there are different attitudes to life and success. Whatever you want to accomplish, it’s important to connect with that spirit. Someone in a relationship has a different form of mindset, just as a student operates with a different form of mindset, and a businessman has a different form of mindset. Again, a clergy, Governor, President, and others, all have different forms of mindset depending on what they want to achieve.
Do you know that mindset works with values? It’s the value you place in someone, commodity, place, religion, policy, and deity that will determine how you will relate and engage with the person. It’s unfortunate to see uninformed minds requesting financial assistance from people instead of seeking opportunities to learn and serve. This set of people operate from a lack mentality.
It’s sad to note that most people don’t understand how powerful the mindset is. Do you know your mindset is like a magnet? You can connect and attract forces farther than you. If you want to connect with a resourceful person, your ability to know what works for the person will go a long way to determine if the person will connect with you. For instance, if an entrepreneur wants to get a grant from a businessman or a company, the entrepreneur must speak in the language the donors will understand and what appeals to the mindset of that person.
Let me share a practical example of how my mindset played a game-changer role in my life. In 2017, after I published my first book, I traveled to Nigeria to see my grandmother after seeing her in my dream a couple of times begging me to come back. I initially downplayed it because I felt it’s just normal for a grandmother to miss her grandchildren, especially since my younger brother has given her a copy of my book to bless me. She still insisted she want to see me.
After giving it a serious thought, I decided to resign from my job and traveled home to see her. It’s important to state that the decision appeared unpopular among my family members and friends for several reasons. I believed my instincts, and took the risk. Be advised, my grandmother was hale and hearty without any health challenge before I traveled. One may wonder, what gave me the courage; well, I just have the belief that my grandmother’s prayers will play a big role in my life.
Trust me, it happened the exact way I thought it would. When I came back to the USA, I had no job and had to resort to selling my book on the streets of New York. On one fateful day, I met a news anchor on the street of New York and told him about my book and my plans for the youths. He was impressed and gave me his number. We couldn’t communicate for three years until President Trump issued a travel ban against Nigeria. His boss read my interview in the New York Times and reached out to him about my interview. He told his boss he knows me. He reached out to me via Instagram and texted directly on my phone inquiring if I can do an interview with respect to the travel ban. I agreed. He was impressed with my interview and my composure on the television and stated that since I do lots of work on youth advocacy, he will send his team to my house to interview me.
That was how I got featured in News12 and since then I have been a regular guest on television. Now, what’s the moral of this story? Imagine if I didn’t believe in my instinct to travel home, maybe today, I wouldn’t have been featured on the television in addition to attracting the attention I have today. Above all, nothing gave me joy more than the ten minutes of prayer my grandmother showered on me. And guess, what she passed on to glory a year later.
In conclusion, if you want to bring a positive change in your life, consider changing your attitude to life, because it’s your attitude not your aptitude that will determine your attitude to life.
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 Your and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, over alleged money laundering, misappropriation and diversion of funds amounting to N36.54bn and $30m.
Ayeni, a businessman, was arrested in Abuja on Thursday, and is currently being held at the commission’s facility.
The arrest followed an EFCC probe into alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds said to have been obtained from Polaris Bank through multiple entities linked to him.
“Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a former board chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc and businessman, Tunde Ayeni, in connection with alleged money laundering, misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N36,540,058,400.00 and $30m.
“Ayeni was arrested sequel to the investigation of the EFCC into alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N36,540,058,400.00 and $30m obtained from Polaris Bank Plc by different entities linked to him.
“The funds were loans obtained allegedly for specific investment projects but subsequently transferred to other entities’ accounts. Investigations showed that, though the loans were obtained for purposes such as finance of marine security activities, electricity distribution contract, estate development, they were diverted to the NITEL/MTEL asset acquisition through NATCOM account,” one of the sources said.
Another source said the commission is currently probing 12 companies allegedly linked to Ayeni, which it said were used to obtain the loans from Polaris Bank.
“Twelve different companies linked to Ayeni are being investigated by the EFCC. They are entities he allegedly used to obtain loans from Polaris Bank for his shady activities. The loans are depositors’ funds fraudulently obtained and frittered into diverse wasteful purposes. Ayeni will be arraigned in due course upon conclusion of investigations,” the source said.
When contacted, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest but declined to give further details.
The Punch
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
To be fruitful is to be productive, profitable, and successful in all areas of your life. When one is fruitful, he will attract many opportunities and values. When we are fruitful, we won’t be barren because we will be producing fruits and results with our work. Even the book of life said no woman will be barren in your land. That’s being fruitful.
Fruitfulness permeates every area of our life. When you are fruitful, your life, marriage, business, academic, ethics, relationship/network will flourish. Our business must be fruitful to survive, otherwise it will be out of business. We shall discuss several areas where one can be fruitful.
Parents
The joy of every father is for the child to be greater than him. Any father that wants to be greater than his son is not a good father in my understanding. Parents, mentors, government, teachers, leaders of faith, etc. all want us to be fruitful.
Let’s take a case study of parents. They sacrifice their time, resources and health just to give us a decent life. They do it because they want us to be successful in life.
Personally, I watched my late father and mother deprive themselves of the luxury of life just to give me and my siblings a decent life. My late parents never had the opportunity of having a decent education, it won’t be out of place for one to say they are unlettered, but they knew the value of education.
My late dad will always say, he’s not concerned about building houses, or living a luxury lifestyle, to him, those are secondary needs of life. His primary concern is for his children to have a good education. My late dad will always say assuming he’s educated, he would have excelled higher in life.
My late mother is not an exemption. I vividly remember one day my late mother said to me, her colleagues are buying jewelry, shoes, clothes, making their hair, etc. to fit into trends, but she’s not concerned about that, her major concern is for her children to have a decent education and look good.
Most people don’t understand the inspiration behind why I do what I do today. My late parents were and remained my biggest supporter. Apart from going to heaven, my greatest goal is to make my late parents and children proud. The moral of this analysis is my late parents sacrificed even their life for me and siblings just because they want us to be successful and fruitful.
Mentors
Mentors are not left out of this equation; mentors can be regarded as gatekeepers because they have paid the price of success. It is the fruitfulness of mentors that attracts values and mentees to them. When a mentor accepts a mentee into his fold, he’s simply telling the mentee, “I want you to be successful, I don’t want you to fail. However, it is important to state that before a mentor can accept to mentor a mentee, the mentor would have seen some potential in the mentees.
It’s instructive to mention that there are five types of mentors namely:
- Position Mentor: People follow you because they have a right to follow you which can be because of the position you occupy.
- Permission Mentor: People follow you because you allow them. For example, in relationships when you decide to allow people to build relationships with you.
- Production Mentor: People follow you because of what you have done for the organization or association. This is result oriented.
- People Development Mentor: People follow you because of what you have done for them.
- Pinnacle Mentor: People follow you because of who you are or what you represent. The question now is where do you belong?
For the umpteenth time, I am a product of mentorship. My mentors have really shaped my life.
Teachers
Teachers are not left out. Teachers are generally regarded as professional educators who play a critical role in fostering student achievement, personal growth, and social development. They are seen as the “lifeblood” of the education system, often serving as mentors, role models, and agents of social change.
There are many components of teachers namely:
- Professional Experts: Teachers are trained specialists in pedagogy (the art/science of teaching) and subject matter, holding degrees and certifications that qualify them to guide learners.
- Facilitators and Mentors: Beyond delivering content, they act as guides who help students acquire critical thinking skills and knowledge, shifting from “information dispensers” to active facilitators.
- Lifelong Learners: Effective teachers are viewed as individuals who continuously learn and adapt their practices to new technologies, curricula, and student needs.
- Moral and Cultural Guides: Teachers are often expected to act as stewards of community values, maintaining student safety, and cultivating civic responsibility.
- “Backbone of Society”: They are considered crucial to a nation’s social and economic development by preparing the future workforce. Above all, they assist in making us fruitful human beings.
Leaders of faith
The leaders of faith are regarded as the molders of the human faith because they help to build our faith. When the scripture says in Genesis 1:8, be fruitful and multiply, the scripture is also referring to them because they are regarded as shepherds. As Christians, we expected to be fruitful because our heavenly father is fruitful. Being fruitful here entails bearing fruits with our life and this entails using our life to attract people into the kingdom of God as evidence of our heavenly father who expects us to be Christlike.
Government
Let’s talk about the government. When a government is fruitful, it will reflect on the lives of her citizens, but when the government is performing below expectations, the citizens will be on the receiving end. The principal responsibility of the government is protection of life and security for her citizens. Every other thing is secondary. The government is also responsible for creating job opportunities for the citizens. However, it should be noted the government cannot create for all her citizens, and as such they provide an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.
Employers/Supervisors/Leaders
These sets of people are regarded as people of influence. You need them at your corner, if you intend to move higher in life. Your employers and supervisors are regarded as your leaders. You can never outsmart them; the best one can try is to be in their good books and tolerate their excesses. When an employee is fruitful and exceeding expectations at work, they tend to be rewarded by their supervisors or employers because of the value they create and the problem they solve
In conclusion, whatever you do in life, please try and be fruitful.
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
Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to the first week of June, 2026.
El-Rufai is being arraigned on multiple charges bordering on alleged financial crime and abuse of office by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
“Similarly, another charge, number KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26, against Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i and one Amadu Sule (LEDA) has also been filed before a Kaduna State High Court in the Kaduna Judicial Division,” the ICPC said last month.
“The charges in the State High Court case range from abuse of office, fraud, and intent to commit fraud to conferring undue advantage, among others. Both charges were filed by the ICPC on the 18th of March, 2026.”
Speaking after the court session, counsel to the former governor, Ukpon Akpan, kicked against the lingering adjournment of the bail hearing by one presiding judge as politically motivated.
The high-profile case has drawn significant public attention, with heightened security presence observed around the court premises.
The former governor had arrived at the court at about 9 am in a convoy accompanied by ICPC officials and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
During the proceedings, supporters of the former governor gathered outside the courtroom, while security agencies maintained order and restricted movement within the vicinity.
Inside the courtroom, journalists, as usual, were not allowed, as proceedings are expected to focus on arguments presented by both the defence and prosecution regarding the bail request.
At the last sitting, the defence team had maintained that their client poses no flight risk and is willing to comply with all conditions set by the court.
Meanwhile, the prosecution has urged the court to carefully consider the gravity of the charges.
The 66-year-old former governor of Kaduna has been in ICPC custody since February 19 following his release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
El-Rufai, a former minister of the FCT, was, however, released on March 27 based on compassionate grounds following his mother’s death
