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Food for Living: See the Big Picture
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
The future means many things to many people.
As a doctor responding to questions about the cure and future of the COVID -19 pandemic, your response will definitely be different and maybe uncertain. As an undergraduate, graduate, or a Ph.D student, your response will also be different when asked about your plans upon graduation. What of a business man/woman, a teenager, a parent, an entrepreneur, an organization, association, politician looking at the picture with a lens of the eye about what the future holds? If you’ll agree with me, your response to these questions will definitely mean different things to you.
If I may ask, what does the future mean to you? Depending on how you see the future, one certain thing is certain; you can create the future you want to see. During the course of this article, we shall be discussing the future from a transformational mindset approach. According to Abraham Lincoln, “the best way to predict the future is to create it”. Abraham Lincoln was literally saying that the way you make your bed is the exact way you’ll lie on it. Alternatively, you can say, your life is “technically” in your hands.
Ben Carson advised us in his book “Think Big” to always see the big picture about life as opposed to thinking like a mediocre. The journey of succeeding has many roads. During the course of the journey, you’ll experience many roadblocks, bumps, green light and red light. Despite all these challenges, one thing is almost certain, you’ll get to your destination if you play by the rules and do what you are supposed to do in addition to having your creator’s presence.
I used this illustration to show how challenging life can be as an individual, corporate organization, or even public sector entity desirous of bringing change to the sector.
It is generally expected that you will face challenges as an entrepreneur or business person trying to introduce or market your product. It is generally expected that as a single male/female believing your creator for the right partner, you will feel a certain way, especially when you feel you are mature for marriage; it is expected of a student to feel disappointed after investing time and resources to prepare for an examination, but fail. It is also expected for a Job seeker to feel frustrated when he receives rejection letters from prospective employers. The list can be literally endless.
If I may ask again, what’s the big picture you see ahead despite the circumstance you are currently facing? Do you see light at the end of the tunnel? If you’re determined to succeed in life, you must see the big picture. Your present situation does not determine how your life will end, regardless. It is normal to feel bad. It is okay to cry. It is okay to feel disappointed. It is okay to be vulnerable. It is normal to fail, but one thing that is not normal is for one to live in regret. Be rest assured that everything happens for a reason. Wisdom makes us understand that your eyes and feet are forward looking for a reason. Does that tell you something? Whatever has happened to you is an experience, don’t allow it to define you. Move on! They are all part of the learning curve. Remember, if you don’t have experience, it will be hard to tell your story. People resonate more with stories than action.
As a mentee, you may have reached out to mentors, potential investors, friends or even family members to support your business, but all effort seems to be hitting the rock, please hang in there. Don’t feel too dejected to the point of giving up when people reject your product or fail to support you; please don’t take it personal, or ever think that humanity is not helpful or kind. Remember, nobody owes you anything. Everyone has his/her own issues. For instance, someone might not feel attracted to your product, or might not be in the right position to support you, it can even be that he/she has another cause he’s passionate about. It is also possible that corporate originations might have exhausted their corporate social responsibility incentives by the time you reach out to them.
Great minds like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Tony Elumelu, Femi Otedola, Dr. Dele Momodu, Dr. Mike Adenuga, Nelson Mandela, Henry Ukazu among others are always concerned about the big picture. They have been able to rise from ground zero to shape the world with their products and thought-provoking ideas.
It is important to note that great minds have eagle eyes and are capable of rising above others and elevating their game. Seeing the big picture entails preparing for the big future you desire. Isn’t is true that words not backed by action are dead. As you may know, nothing good comes easy, you must be prepared to meet unforeseen challenges and be prepared to fight for the cause you truly believe in, and believe the universe will find favour in it and complement your work.
Your desire for success should always outweigh your fear for failure. Today, I charge you to think big, don’t settle for less, aim for nothing but the best in all you do and if you get the second best manage it but don’t aim for whatever is available. Raise your benchmark high like a lady with high moral standards, strong enough to attract a marriage partner.
What’s the big picture you are dreaming about, and hoping to achieve and what are you putting in place to bring it to reality?
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 and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), in collaboration with the Body of Banks’ CEOs, hosted an engagement with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, in Lagos.
The meeting, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reinforced the shared commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system as a critical pillar of national stability and economic growth.
In his remarks, the IGP underscored the strong nexus between financial security and national security, noting that the resilience of banking operations is central to investor confidence and Nigeria’s global credibility. He highlighted the evolving threat environment, emphasizing that beyond traditional risks such as armed attacks, the sector now faces increasingly sophisticated challenges, including cyber-enabled fraud, identity compromise, insider facilitation, and illicit financial flows.
To address these risks, the Nigeria Police Force continues to advance an intelligence-led approach to protecting financial infrastructure. The IGP referenced recent operations that dismantled violent crime networks, disrupted kidnapping syndicates, and recovered illegal arms, thereby strengthening the enabling environment for business continuity. He further noted his recent engagements with the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja and the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), both aimed at enhancing financial system integrity and investor protection.
In line with the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Force is enhancing the recruitment, training, and deployment of Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy Police) to meet the specialized security needs of banks and other critical financial institutions.
In conclusion, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the banking sector as a strategic partner in safeguarding the stability, integrity, and international reputation of Nigeria’s financial architecture.
Passengers aboard an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt experienced moments of anxiety on Wednesday morning after the aircraft developed an engine issue mid-air, forcing an emergency diversion to Benin City.
Following established safety procedures, the pilots immediately diverted the flight to the nearest airport as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely at Benin Airport without further complications.
Arik Air said all 80 passengers and crew members onboard disembarked safely, with no injuries recorded. The airline added that arrangements had been made to convey affected passengers to their intended destination in Port Harcourt.
“The safety and wellbeing of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air. We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted,” the statement read.
The Senate may release records of how lawmakers voted on the controversial electronic transmission of election results, Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, has said.
Ningi spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, ahead of the emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, convened amid mounting public criticism over the Senate’s handling of the Electoral Act amendment.
Asked whether Nigerians could be allowed to see which senators supported or opposed real-time electronic transmission of results, Ningi said such disclosure was possible under the Senate’s rules.
“I think it’s possible. It depends on the presiding officer because the law provides that,” he said.
Explaining how the process could be made transparent, the lawmaker added: “You can stand up and say, ‘I, Ningi, I accept e-transmission in real time.’ I sit down. It’s recorded every other senator, and that is the only way we need to move forward.”
Ningi said the controversy surrounding the amendment was partly due to gaps in the official record of what transpired during deliberations.
“One thing that is very important is that the votes and proceedings have not been captured. So tomorrow (today), we need to look at what the votes and proceedings captured are. Is it a transfer?” he said.
He further questioned how the amendment to the electronic transmission clause was handled on the floor of the chamber.
“There was a motion for amendment by Manguno, and then the question was put. Who asked the question? Why was the question raised?” Ningi asked.
According to him, the matter required clearer deliberation before any decision was taken.
