News
Food for Living: Overcoming Secret Frustration
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
If we are truly honest with ourselves, we’ll definitely know that, globally, the world is really experiencing challenging times as a result of the Coronavirus scourge. This has caused a lot of agonies for families, businesses, and governments. Many people have lost loved ones, businesses are gradually folding up, and the governance has really slowed down thereby leading to frustrations for many people. The question on the lips of everyone is, how can this virus be cured?
Today’s article is not about Coronavirus, I mentioned the term to introduced today’s article. Today’s article is focused on how we can overcome secret frustration. We all experience frustration in one area of our life unknown to anyone. This frustration can be in business, family, health, finance, academic, job-related, traveling, food, or even internal. The list is endless. We shall be exploring different areas of how we can deal with/overcome frustration.
Occasionally, we all get frustrated. Whether you are in traffic, or due to adversity, disappointment, belief or hope dashed to the wall or paying for consequences of our action that has caused us mental, psychological or financial pain. According to Wikipedia, “Frustration is a common emotional response to opposition. We experience frustration when our desires or targets are not met.
As you may know, succeeding in life is hard. It takes a lot of hard and smart work to break even. This is because a lot of factors come into consideration. For instance, you need a great network, you need knowledge and information, you need patience and perseverance, and more importantly, you need the “God factor” for those of you that truly believe in God. As an accomplished author and motivational writer, it can be very challenging to publish articles which no one reads. As a hard-working and dedicated student, it can be frustrating to read and prepare for an examination only to fail at the end of the exam. It can also be frustrating to be a talented singer, actor, comedian, public speaker, etc. and not get noticed for your work. All this can really be frustrating because the world might be seeing a huge potential/talent in you, but you’re yet to see the financial breakthrough you need.
It can also be that you have something you are craving for, but it’s yet to see the light of the day. For example, the world might be seeing a beautiful smart lady working in a reputable company; and endowed with a great character and vision in life. According to the perception of the world, the lady is complete, but inside her, she’s battling with loneliness and might be in dire need of a soulmate or husband as the case may. This is a classical case of secret frustration. If truth be told, we all have one form of secret frustration which the world does not know.
People may see you on the street or on the internet, but they won’t know what you’re going through. You may be blessed in many ways: good health, job, family, but you may be having pains in one area of your life which nobody knows. It can be desire for a child. You may have all the things the world considers good, but you don’t feel it because nobody notices your pain. This is part of the irony of life.
If we are honest, we all have this secret frustration living inside our body, but if you keep the right attitude, it will work for you. Don’t allow the vicissitudes of life weigh you down. Will there be problem? Definitely, there will always be problems and challenges in life. In fact, problems don’t go away, nor matter how hard you try to stay away from it, it always has its way of finding its way to you. That’s simply life.
You may be a good writer, public speaker, actor, dancer, etc. looking for opportunities to showcase what you have to the world, but no one seems to notice your work or talent. You may even be seeking platforms to partner or speak about your work, but the number of rejections and ill-luck you get on a daily or occasional basis makes you wonder if anything is wrong with you. The world has experienced cases whereby smart students with good GPA are still looking for a job. This might be there own secret frustration.
As a way of encouraging you, don’t put your life on hold because of the negative reports and energy you receive. Continue to do what you are doing; at the right time everything will add up. Never you give in to your secret frustration. Never you judge your life with that of another, they may even have more pains than you. The difference between your life and their lifestyle maybe how they manage their life and their problem in general. They may also have a great attitude towards life. Joyce Myers – a renowned preacher, in her book titled: Managing Your Emotions, urged us to manage our problems as opposed to bringing it out for the world to know our pains. No one is perfect. We all have one imperfection or the other. Informed and rational people major on their strengths and then work on their limitations.
Secret frustrations exist everywhere. Nobody opens us to the world, even if they do, they are mindful of the people/environment they share their pains with. Isn’t it true that the rich also cry? The same theory is applicable to business, corporations, countries and private establishments. Don’t allow your secret frustration to weigh you down. You have everything you need to succeed inside of you. Don’t get stocked up because of one inconvenience. We all have imperfections in our lives. Your secret frustration is one of the factors that will make you strong.
One of the best ways to live through life is by experience. Somethings you must learn through experience. For example, in reputable companies, you can’t be promoted without adequate preparation. It’s pertinent to note in this era of social media where most people only show you what they want you to know while leaving other shady areas behind. This set of individuals leaves you with the impression that all is well while leaving out their secret frustration behind.
The question we need to ask ourselves is how we overcome this secret fruition. The greatest way of overcoming this secret frustration is by affirmation. There’s big power in not only thinking positively, but also speaking positively. According to Lao Tzu “Watch your thoughts, they become your words, watch your words, they become your actions, watch your actions, they become your character and watch your character, they become your destiny”. This quote simply emphasizes the fact that our beliefs plays a fundamental role on how we overcome life challenges.
Whatever secret frustration you are facing, even it never changes, continue to believe by having good thoughts. It’s better to think/imagine good thoughts than having negative thoughts. You can do this by believing your dreams and living for your dream. Don’t let your secret frustration keep you from achieving your dreams.
Finally, but not the least, you can practice patience. Not heals more than time. Nor matter your pains and expectation towards life, having patience will enable you to attract the positive laws of attraction into your life.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. 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. He can be reached via henrous@gmail.com
Three Nigerian secondary schools are in the ring for the grand prize of N5m in the ongoing Glo Innov8 National STEM competition for girls in Senior Secondary Schools across the country.
The three top finalists were selected for their originality and innovation in the different entries for the competition. A total of 20 secondary schools were picked from over 200 schools which registered for the competition. After a series of considerations, 10 of them made it to the semifinal from which three; Ephraim High School, Isolo Campus, Lagos; Regina Pacis International School, Onitsha, Anambra State; and Peakfield Academy, Jos, Plateau State eventually coasted home to the finals.
Schools from Plateau, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Edo, Borno, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Oyo, Anambra, FCT, Delta, Kaduna and Adamawa states had signified intentions to participate following a call for entries by Glo Foundation, Globacom’s corporate social responsibility arm as part of its celebration of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
Glo Innov8, a STEM-driven challenge, has scheduled prizes worth N5 million to the three schools in the finals. The competition “is geared at inspiring young girls to Compete, Innovate and Win, while also strengthening their confidence and expanding their knowledge in STEM subjects”, Glo Foundation explained.
The eventual overall winning school will go home with a cash prize of N2,000,000 while the 2 students representing the school will each get a laptop. The Teacher/Mentor/STEM Coordinator also gets N200,000.
The schools that come second and third places and their Teachers/Mentors/STEM Coordinators will also receive mouth-watering consolation prizes.
The three female judges of the virtual phase of selection of the top 20 schools said they were excited by the quality of presentations by the competing schools. One of them, Tosin Olabode said: “I was particularly impressed by the prototype presentations from some schools. They demonstrated that they had done their homework”.
In the same vein, Amina Gabriel disclosed that she was thrilled by the variety of ideas that the schools came up with. “The schools presented innovative solutions tackling issues in agriculture, security, waste management, and firefighting. The top 10 schools showcased outstanding prototypes, from apps to robots, making the judging process truly competitive. I’m grateful to Glo Foundation for the opportunity to serve and support young girls in STEM”, she said.
According to Sharon Ibejih, the third judge, “This competition has showcased a highly competitive next generation of women leaders in STEM. This was an excellent exercise and a means to encourage more students in STEM to develop problem-solving and innovative thinking skills”.
The overall winning school will emerge at an event set to hold later this year at the Mike Adenuga Centre (Alliance Française), Ikoyi, Lagos.
The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a motion to stop the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in his trial for alleged terrorism.
Justice James Omotosho, on November 7, fixed November 20 for judgment on the case.
The judge fixed the date after Kanu’s defence was foreclosed following his insistence that he would not enter his defence under a repealed law.
However, in the motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, he personally filed, the IPoB leader sought seven reliefs.
In the application dated November 10 and filed same date, Kanu sought an order arresting the delivery of judgment in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.
The document was made public on Tuesday.
In it, he alleged that the proceedings were conducted under a repealed and non-existent statute and in disobedience to the Supreme Court’s directive contrary to Section 287(1) CFRN 1999.”
He sought a declaration that by virtue of Section 287(1) CFRN, the trial court was constitutionally bound to give effect to the Supreme Court’s finding that count 15 (now count 7) “does not exist in law,” and its failure rendered all subsequent proceedings null and void.
He also sought a declaration that the court’s failure to take judicial notice of the repeal of the 2013 Terrorism Act, contrary to Section 122 Evidence Act 2011, vitiates all steps taken thereunder.
The IPOB leader equally sought a declaration that by virtue of Section 76(1)(d)(iii) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to try him in the absence of proof that the alleged conduct constituted an offence under Kenyan law or of any Kenyan judicial validation or extradition order.
Besides, Kanu sought “a declaration that the plea purportedly taken on March 29, under a repealed and non-existent statute and in violation of Section 220 ACJA 2015 is void and incapable of conferring jurisdiction.
President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a strong delegation to London to address the situation of Ike Ekweremadu, a former Deputy Senate President, who has been imprisoned in the UK since March 2023.
The delegation includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.
The team arrived in London on Monday and held discussions with officials from the UK’s Ministry of Justice.
Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for Tuggar, said on Tuesday that the presidential delegation was in London to engage with UK authorities to consider the possibility of Ekweremadu serving the remainder of his prison sentence in Nigeria.
The London Metropolitan Police detained the Ekweremadus in June 2022 after a man was deceitfully presented to a private renal unit at Royal Free Hospital in London as a relative of their daughter Sonia, in what turned out to be a failed attempt to convince medical professionals to perform an £80,000 transplant.
The 21-year-old man, who had allegedly been promised employment in the UK, reported the incident to the police in May of that year, saying that he had been brought to the country for an organ transplant.
In March 2023, the former presiding officer of Nigeria’s Senate was convicted of organ trafficking by a UK court. Beatrice, his wife, and Obinna Obeta, a doctor connected to the case, were also found guilty.
This verdict marked the first of its kind under the UK Modern Slavery Act.
On May 5, 2023, Ekweremadu received a nine-year and eight-month prison sentence, while his wife was sentenced to four years and six months, and Obeta was given a ten-year prison sentence.
In his ruling, Judge Jeremy Johnson determined that Beatrice should serve half of her sentence in custody and be supervised for the remainder. However, she was released from prison in January and has since returned to Nigeria.
