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Food for Living: Push Yourself Harder
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Life is indeed a journey! It’s a adventure everyone will continue to explore until they eventually bow out. But in order to explore life, and by extension, the world adequately, one has to explore many options, and that is where being tough and pushing yourself hard come into play. This is because when one door fails to open, it’s only wise to try another door, and yet another door.
There’s no area of life’s adventure that has proved so easy no matter the angle one is exploring from; as a child, youth, parent, clergy, entrepreneur or career professional. It’s worth understanding that anyone celebrating or at the top today never had it easy, and will never continue to have it easy. They must remain tough on the terrain and continue to push themselves harder with productivity. Everyone has experienced one challenges or another in life, but while one may think that theirs is more serious, they can never tell what the next door neighbor is experiencing.
Being tough or hard on yourself doesn’t in anyway conote negativity, it’s so positive that it inspires one to improve in productivity.
In my native Igbo belief, we say that all lizards lie prostrate, but no one can tell which one has a belly ache. This is literally true because just like our faces are different, so also our problems. Hence the reason one must treat other people with empathy.
Life can be tough; in fact, being alive on its own is tough. Not everyone likes to see you alive, not to talk of doing big things. Not everyone is happy seeing you in a position of honour. Trust me, it is difficult to stay alive because you must battle many wars to stay afloat. Just imagine being a family man/woman taking care of the bills with little or no support from your partner. Just imagine starting a business and trying to secure contracts or attract clients/customers. If you are a student, some people will feel jealous of your potential achievement and the corresponding success it will bring to you. The list is literally endless.
According to Dr. Yomi Garnett, an accomplished author, “there’s an inverse relationship between you and life. When you are tough on yourself, life will be infinitely easier on you. Conversely, when you take things easy, life will become very tough for you. The path of self and spiritual development is a very long and arduous one, but it’s a journey worth taking.”
This is so true because if one is interested in living and experiencing a soft life, one must be intentional in doing the hard work which entails being hard on yourself.
My late dad, Chief Lazarus Ukazu, use to say that “any name you want to be called, you must work hard to earn it”. Success does not come to you on a platter of gold; you must till the soil, read books, be above board at your place of work/assignment, invest in your business, learn new trades, skills and leave your comfort zone. All these entail being tough on yourself.
We are all capable of achieving success because we all have the seeds of greatness living in us. It is sad to see people who just live their life by luck. They are not eager to pay the dues which is likely to catapult them to the next level if judiciously implemented and executed.
As rightly stated by Dr. Garnett, when you are tough on yourself, life will be generally “easier” for you if you play by the rules of the game which will enable you to live the fame you desire. When I published my first book, I didn’t really know what’s ahead of me, nor did I know the book would bring me relative fame and opportunities. I can vividly remember the sleepless night and risk I had to undertake during the process of writing and publishing the book.
Today, the book made the New York Times to interview me. I became a regular guest on television because of the book. I got to meet Captains of industries and leaders of thought. Why am I saying this? Life has been fair to me by blessing me with opportunities. It’s important to state that I was tough on myself when I was working on the book. As a matter of fact, I can vividly remember that at a point in time, I was out of job. I used the time to concentrate and do befitting research for a book of that nature. Moral: When you pay your dues, people will pay your bills.
Question. What dues are you willing to pay so that people can pay your bills?
In conclusion, today, I charge you to be intentional in being “hard” on yourself so life can be relatively soft on you.
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
Presidential spokesperson, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, has launched a scathing attack on Rauf Aregbesola following the latter’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The exchange comes hours after Aregbesola, while speaking at the convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Tuesday, described the Tinubu administration as a government of “scammers”, urging Nigerians to block it from retaining power after the 2027 general elections.
“If allowed, this regime will continue to chant renewed hope till eternity. We have a duty to stop these scammers from retaining power,” Aregbesola said.
In a swift response, Onanuga dismissed the remarks and accused the former Governor of Osun State of hypocrisy and poor performance during his time in office.
“My attention has been drawn to Rauf Aregbesola’s attack on the Tinubu administration at today’s illegal elective convention of the ADC — a party of desperados and power mongers who, to date, have not articulated any credible plan for Nigeria,” he said.
Onanuga further criticised Aregbesola for failing to reflect on his own record before attacking his “former boss and benefactor.”
“Unfortunately, Aregbesola did not undertake any honest self-reflection on his own record in public office — as governor or as Minister of Interior,” he stated.
He alleged that Aregbesola’s tenure as governor of Osun State was marked by hardship and poor economic management.
“His eight years as governor of Osun State were characterised by unmitigated hardship for the people. Under his half-baked socialist policies, civil servants went unpaid for months, and those who were paid received only a fraction of their salaries,” Onanuga said.
“It is to Aregbesola’s infamy that Osun became known as a State receiving negative federal allocation and paying just 20 to 30 per cent of normal salaries. It was worse for pensioners in Aregbesola’s Osun State. Many pensioners who relied on their meagre monthly payments died because they were not paid at all.”
Turning to Aregbesola’s tenure as Minister of Interior under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Onanuga said it recorded major security lapses.
“As Minister of Interior under President Muhammadu Buhari, his tenure witnessed the highest number of jailbreaks in Nigeria’s history — including the infamous Kuje Prison escape in Abuja,” he said.
“During his four years, obtaining a Nigerian passport became a nightmarish process, and there were 15 major attacks on correctional facilities in Jos, Abolongo, Imo, Kabba, and Okitipupa, resulting in over 4,000 inmates escaping to join criminal elements.”
Onanuga added, “For someone who failed so woefully to secure our correctional centres and uphold his duties between 2019 and 2023, it is ironic that Aregbesola now seeks to lecture others on insecurity.”
He further accused Aregbesola and other ADC leaders of lacking credible policy alternatives stating, “The real scammers are the politicians inside the SPV called ADC.”
Defending the current administration, Onanuga said the government had acknowledged challenges arising from reforms but was implementing measures to mitigate their impact.
“The Tinubu administration has never shied away from acknowledging that policy reforms have brought unintended consequences, impacting the most vulnerable,” he said, adding that efforts such as wage increases, social support programmes, and economic reforms were underway.
He insisted that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was yielding results, including improved economic indicators and increased investor confidence.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a scam,” Onanuga said, maintaining that the government would continue its policies to stabilise the economy and address security challenges.
Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has argued that Nigeria’s lingering insecurity could be decisively tackled within six months if the Federal government demonstrates sufficient commitment.
Ndume stated this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, where he expressed concern over the recent escalation of violence, particularly in the North-East.
The lawmaker stressed that beyond complaints, what is required is decisive action and political will.
“It is not about complaining. It is not about asking somebody like me as a senator to say why these things. I always believe that if the President and the Federal Government of Nigeria are serious about this, we can end this thing (insecurity) in six months.
“All we need is to train our soldiers, equip them, arm them very well, and then motivate them,” Ndume said.
The senator lamented the continued loss of military personnel, including senior officers, noting that such incidents highlight deeper operational challenges.
“After killing their commanders, they now come back to kill our commanders and they are still taking about five, six, or even seven. Even today, around Northern Borno, we lost a colonel, I understand, with some soldiers. This should not continue. This is now the problem,” he said.
Ndume also attributed the worsening security situation to inconsistent and incomplete implementation of security strategies.
“The escalating security situation has really been enhanced by the challenge and the threat, and the actions that have been taken that have never been completely done. We have to be very serious about this matter; we have to walk the talk.”
Speaking on the issue of foreign support, the lawmaker emphasised the need for intelligence, technology, and specialised expertise rather than relying on external forces.
“What we need is intelligence. What we need is air support. We also need the expertise of those that are specialists. We even have some that were trained outside, special forces. We have capable hands already on the ground; all they need is equipment, ammunition, and motivation.
“We do not have enough drones. Look at what Burkina Faso is doing, it is technology. We can use technology to finish or minimise these things within the shortest possible time. If you deploy drones and have trained people to operate them, with proper command centres, we can achieve results,” he said.
The Borno South senator further noted that Borno State would have suffered greater devastation without the efforts of Governor Babagana Zulum and commended his interventions in stabilising parts of the State.
Ndume’s comments come amid renewed security concerns in the North-East and across Nigeria.
A recent airstrike at Jilli Market along the Yobe–Borno border on Saturday has come under scrutiny over reported civilian casualties.
The Nigerian Air Force said the strike targeted suspected Boko Haram insurgents and that it is investigating reported civilian casualties.
While casualty figures remain unclear, several deaths and injuries were reported, with victims receiving treatment in nearby facilities.
The incident also followed a deadly attack on Thursday on a military formation in Benisheikh, where troops repelled insurgents but suffered casualties.
Security challenges, including banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes, persist nationwide.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, during a recent visit to Bayelsa State, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
Earlier, the United States Department of State had issued travel advisories and begun reducing its staff presence in Abuja. Federal government, however, described it as a routine precaution and not a reflection the country’s security situation.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed carrying out an air operation in the Jilli axis of Borno State, describing the mission as part of ongoing efforts to sustain pressure on terrorist groups operating in the North-East.
The confirmation comes amid outrage that at least 56 people, mostly traders, were killed after an airstrike struck a busy weekly market along the Borno–Yobe border.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday at Jilli Market, situated between Gubio in Borno State and Geidam in Yobe State.
Reports quoting eyewitness accounts said that four fighter jets were involved in the operation, which was said to be targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents in the area.
A local councilor, Malam Lawan Zanna, also confirmed the attack.
He said people tried to escape when the jets began firing, but the strikes continued.
According to him, “more than 20 people were hospitalized,” and some of the injured later died, pushing the death toll higher.
Confirming the incident, NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated that the strikes were conducted based on credible intelligence and in coordination with ground forces.
According to him, the operation was aimed at restricting the movement of terrorist elements and preventing further attacks.
“The follow-up strikes were executed based on credible intelligence and in close coordination with ground forces to deny terrorists freedom of movement and prevent further attacks.
He explained that the mission formed part of a broader air-ground strategy designed to consolidate previous gains made by military forces in the region.
“The operation formed part of a broader air-ground integration effort aimed at consolidating earlier gains recorded by friendly forces,” he said.
In addition, Ejodame noted that the strikes successfully disrupted insurgent activities within the Jilli axis, an area long considered a strategic enclave for terrorists due to its challenging terrain.
He added that the operation highlights the increasing effectiveness of intelligence-led joint missions in the North-East.
Reaffirming the force’s commitment, Ejodame said the NAF would continue to prioritize surveillance, precision targeting, and rapid response operations in support of wider military objectives.
“The Nigerian Air Force will sustain the current operational momentum to protect innocent lives, secure communities, and restore lasting peace in the region,” he said.
