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Food for Living: Nigeria and 2023 Presidential Election
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Politics is one is of the most interesting games in the world. It is a game that naturally should be played with love and understanding. However, one of the most controversial factors that is always at play in politics is interest. This is because everyone has something to gain if their candidates win in an election. That’s why you will see family members, close friends, and religious congregations having different opinions during elections.
To buttress the seriousness of vested interest, imagine where a man is contesting to be the President of a country and his wife’s biological brother is also contesting for the same position in a different party. Who do you think their wives will vote for? Well, I believe every rational woman will want their husband to win the election because that will afford them the position of being the first lady. That’s to tell you how politics and interest can be a game-changer in a family and life.
In social parlance, it’s been said that there are three people you can’t advise; a woman in love, a rich man, and a religious fellow. I beg to add a fourth line to it – a member of a political party.
You may be wondering how that plays out.
Political parties are normally driven by ideologies and it is this ideology that makes citizens join them. For instance, in the United States, Democrats believe in a liberal form of government that supports the citizens while the Republicans are conservatives who believe in downsizing the government. Furthermore, while Democrats advocate civil liberty and social equality with support for a mixed economy, the Republicans on the other hand supports lower taxes, free-market capitalism, restrictions on immigration, increased military spending, gun rights, restrictions on abortion, deregulation, and restrictions on labour unions. Can you see why voters will find it hard to vote for another party, even if they will do so, it will be on a fundamental ground where they will put the country first as was seen during the Presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump where Red and swing States turned Blue for Democrats.
Let’s bring the conversation back home to Nigeria. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria, there are 18 registered political parties in Nigeria, but in reality, only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Party (APC) are the two main parties Nigeria. The question we need to ask ourselves is if these political parties have ideological differences? The answer is no. APC and PDP are basically the same parties. That’s why a member of PDP can wake up today and join APC and at night he/she can join APC. Nigerians are yet to mature like other civilized climes where the principle of probity and accountability is of the highest standard.
To a reasonable extent, the principle at play in Nigeria is “stomach infostructure” – a system where politicians have used poverty to weaponize the citizens to vote for them.
As the 2023 presidential election is fast approaching, Nigerians are concerned on who will lead the country. While some are clamoring for the South to produce the next president, other groups are clamoring for the North to produce the president, and this is where Nigerians have a say on what will happen. The electorates don’t seem to understand the power they have as electorates.
Please permit me to share a story I saw on Instagram last week – There were politicians eating on a table, which was resting on the back of electorates. The politicians were saying if only the electorate know that if they stand up the table will scatter meaning if only, they knew the power they have as electorate.
Politics is a game that Nigerian politicians have mastered by using tribalism and religion to divide the masses just for them to get what they want. What most gullible Nigerians don’t know is that leaders meet at the top while followers kill themselves. The interesting thing about Nigerians is that most times they don’t know those who love them. Most times they castigate those who are sent to help them, and embrace their oppressors. This is why during elections; career politicians use bags of money to deceive them. Nigerians on their part are not ready for good governance, and that’s why they end up with the kind of rulers they get instead of leaders they deserve. Isn’t it true that every nation gets the kind of ruler/leader they deserve? That’s the sad state of Nigeria.
As we approach the next general election, I will strongly encourage Nigerians to rise to the call and demand a representative government where the politicians will be answerable to them. Most importantly, Nigerians ought to quit playing politics of interest just because they have friends, they should support meritocracy as opposed to mediocrity. If you dislike any politician, criticize constructively and with love, don’t hate another candidate who supports another candidate. We can always disagree to agree. Nigerians ought to note that what binds us together is more than what separates us. Nigerians have to force interested candidates running for election to a healthy debate and hear from them out.
As citizens, we all have the power to ask our leaders questions and demand what is happening and why are acting the way they are acting. If you don’t ask, they may be tempted to leave the stage thinking they have done fairly well, not knowing they have done more harm than good. In a nutshell, they are disasters that sycophants have made them to understand they are the best things that have happened to Nigeria.
Why am I saying this, just a couple of days ago, the Minister of Justice was in New York to give a Public Lecture on corruption. I advertised the event on social media for interested persons to register and have an opportunity to ask the Minister hard questions, the event received poor response. The plan was for the public to register and have an opportunity to participate online if they can’t attend in person. But it’s quite unfortunate they prefer to reign insults on the Minster on social media when I posted the picture, I took with him. Some felt I was used to for branding purposes and PR. Some felt I have received a fat check for the publicity, while others felt that was a bad PR for me because of the credible reputation I have built over time. Some were kind enough to offer me their advice privately. The truth of the matter is that all that is far from reality. I attended the event just like any other person interested in the development of our country.
The reason I am stressing this point is that we need to do more as Nigerians. We need to be more engaging and critical on political issues. I don’t see any reason some people will hate somebody and expect another person to hate the person. Do you know your enemy’s enemy can be your friend? I get the whole negative vibe against the Minster, I also share similar sentiments based on some of his utterances and conducts against the judiciary and how he has handled the affairs relating to his office. But what I don’t understand is the idea of people trying to nail a fellow citizen who took a picture with the Minster without doing any form of PR for him. I am wondering if everyone who took pictures with the Minster is an enemy of the state.
As I conclude this article, I urge all Nigerians home and abroad who are not happy with the way the country is moving to join the political train and be more engaging by either registering with a political party, contesting an election, or becoming a stakeholder in the affairs relating to Nigeria as opposed to sitting on the fence or being on the internet using uncouth words to castigate those who are participating. A word they say is enough for the wise.
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 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.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Ever wondered how one sleeps and wakes up? Ever wondered where the spirit goes while we sleep? The answer is hidden in mysteries because life, and by extension, existence, is full of mysteries.
On a personal note, I do believe that whenever we sleep, we are basically practicing how to die because no one knows the whereabouts of the spirit and souls. All we know is that we wake at the break of dawn, or when there’s a stirring, either naturally or artificial. That is a mystery!
Have you also ever imagined how a man will have sexual intercourse with a lady and a child is born? Have you also ever wondered about the mystery surrounding death? Have you also imagined how human beings fall in love with the opposite sex despite various variables. Again, each time I fly in the air, I begin to wonder about the invention surrounding the aeroplane. So many questions begging for answers. The mysteries surrounding life is inexhaustible.
For the benefit of hindsight, life is indeed a mystery. Sometimes, we think we understand it, and other times, it humbles us with its complexities. Life can be likened to a woman; the more you try to understand them, the more confused you become.
I had to give this introductory analysis to buttress the significance surrounding the mysteries of life. Why do I say this? Nothing is permanent in life, and as such anyone can be great and successful tomorrow. In my native Igbo (Nigerian) language, we have a saying that “nobody knows the stomach that will birth a king tomorrow”, and “tomorrow is pregnant”. These are evidence of the mysterious nature of life.
In my journey through life, I have met angels and devils in human form, who have played different roles in shaping my thoughts and outlook towards life. While I thought certain people will bring smiles to my life, they turned around to make me question their intentions and mindset. But the people I had some reservations with turned out to be some of the best things that have happened to me. For instance, I have a dear friend turned brother, whom I hold in high esteem. His name is Sodeeq Sulyman. He is the Chief Operating Officer of my company.
As a matter of fact, today is his birthday. He met me on X and reached out to me to be his mentor. I was literally humbled because that was the first time someone was making a firm request of me. I gladly accepted the request, and today our friendship, brotherhood and relationship has truly blossomed. This young man is literally one of the best things that has happened to my life. If I was told he will change the outlook of my life, business and life generally, I wouldn’t have believed it.
But as my late mother would always say, when you meet people just take the good part and leave the bad part. In all sincerity, I strongly believe our meeting was predestined, and mysterious if the circumstance of our meeting is x-rayed.
Here is the message, never look down on anyone except you are helping them to do something or pick something. Another message is don’t give up on anyone because you don’t know what tomorrow will unfold. Even the Bible book of life states in Proverbs 118:22, “the stone which the people rejected has become the cornerstone”. So, it’s instructive for one to be kind, courteous and humble in relationship with human beings because nobody knows what life will unfold tomorrow.
Imagine, if I had not treated this young man very well or even accepted him, I would probably have met other minds, who would have given me an experience of a lifetime I wouldn’t forget in a hurry.
The mystery of life can be seen in wealth creation. A man of means today can become a beggar tomorrow if the wealth is not properly managed, and the child of a certified pauper can become a man of means tomorrow. There have been stories of wealthy men whose children mismanaged their parents’ and became hungry, while slaves of wealthy men became stupendously wealthy. What does that tell you? Nothing is guaranteed in life. I often wonder how people take life very seriously thinking everything is about them. They don’t even know they can sleep and not wake up the next morning, nor are they aware of the fact that pride and ego are the two greatest enemies that can fast track the downfall of a man, while humility can jump-start their elevation.
As human beings sometimes, we wonder where our next meal will come from. Where would our next business, money, spouse, opportunity come from are some of the questions that bug our minds? One might have a business that has little or no hope of succeeding, but with determination and favour from God, the business will turn around for good.
On a personal note, I have been in a scenario where I lost hope of succeeding or moving to the next round, but I was surprised when the universe came through in ways and manners I couldn’t comprehend. I believe we all have one story or another to share as it relates to the mysteries of life. I can vividly recall when my late dad was very sick in the hospital. As a matter of fact, he was adjudged to be the sickest patient in the hospital. The doctor who was treating him said, he lost his mother to the exact sickness my late dad was facing. But with prayer, my late dad was able to survive to the amazement of everyone. He was later adjudged to be a miracle patient because he was given a slim opportunity to survive.
I don’t know what your storyline might be nor do I know what you are experiencing in your academic, business, health, career, or family life. One message I have for you is that nothing lasts forever. If you give it time, one day you’ll laugh and thank God for the experience and lessons life has offered you because life is a mystery one may not understand. It unfolds as it chooses.
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
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, has questioned the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu and silence of the Federal Government amid reports of a United States–led military operation against terrorist targets on Nigerian soil.
Momodu raised the concern in a post on his various social media handles, including Instagram, reacting to the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that American forces had carried out airstrikes in Nigeria with the cooperation of the Nigerian government.
He expressed concern over what he perceived as a lack of visible leadership at a critical and historic moment, stressing that national sovereignty and public confidence demand prompt and transparent communication from the country’s highest authority.
Momodu urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he referred to as Nigeria’s “Master Strategist,” not to abdicate responsibility in the face of such a significant security development.
“We implore our Master Strategist not to abdicate responsibility and our sovereignty at this crucial and historic moment, but to stand beside America in this fight against terrorism,” he said.
He concluded his remarks by noting that the country remained in prayers amid the unfolding security situation.
