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Food for Living: Succeeding Through Relationship and Association

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3 years ago

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By Henry Ukazu

Greetings Destiny Friends,

A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people – Will Rogers

Success and failure have many components and characteristics, and one of them is association. However, many people don’t understand the power of association. Association works with relations. When you work and hang out with the right set of people, your chance of succeeding in life will be greater.

Did you know that your mindset contributes to success? As a matter of fact, your mindset can be described as the foundation of success because the success and failure of anyone starts from the mind. If you have the right mindset, you will think of the right relationship and association to belong to. If you have the right mindset, you will be concerned about your environment which can also contribute to your success.

Your attitude will change for the better if you have a progressive mindset, but if you have myopic and fixed mindset, your thoughts and experience will be limited regardless of your experience in a particular environment.

When people talk of relationship and association, it relates to the fabric of our society which starts from the family. A solid family where love and kindness are shown to the children, spreads love and unity among the siblings which in turn affects the society. When hatred, malice, wickedness, ungratefulness, and unhealthy attitude is sowed in the minds of children, they go out to the society with a hostile mindset. That’s why we have funny people and leaders who act like people without conscience.

Most people don’t know how blessed they are to be raised by decent parents in addition to having great siblings, until they meet people who have been damaged by society.

When one nurtures the right relationship, they are bound to reap the benefits when the right opportunity presents itself. It’s sad to note that many people have placed pecuniary gains and materialistic things above access and knowledge.

When you invest time and resources into the right relationship, it will germinate like a seed that is planted on a fertile soil. These relationships will introduce you to the right associations which will in turn provide you with the information you will need to succeed.

The power of information cannot be overemphasized. Information will only come to you when you have the right relationship and association. Did you know that if you are not informed, you are ill-informed and once you are ill-informed, you can’t perform because information leads to reformation and transformation. In fact, information leads to formation. You are a product of what you have learned, if you don’t read, you won’t know.

According to Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, “You are the same person today and in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”

On a personal note, I can attribute my success to the relationship and association I keep. Sometimes, people ask me how I do what I do and how I meet the people I meet. I simply tell them, I’m smart by association and I’m a voracious reader. I say this because I am very intentional in what I do and how I relate with people.

Still on association, when people join associations or live in a particular neighborhood, they do it for a reason. When people pay to attend certain events, schools or travel or even volunteer for certain people or associations, they are doing it for a reason. When people seek mentors, they are seeking for people they hold in high esteem either in their professional capacity or based on their principles or integrity. Even the book of life says Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (“Proverbs 13:20).

One may be concerned; how does one build these powerful associations? It begins with being selective and intentional. The first question, one needs to ask oneself is what do I want from this person or association?  It’s important to align yourself with individuals who share your values and aspirations.

The next step is to embrace diversity. It’s imperative that you connect with people from various backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to life. This will help to enrich your experience, worldview, in addition to making you more innovative and adaptive. We live in a global and social economy. Like I always say, why be local when you can be global?

Furthermore, according to an African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” You cannot do life alone. All you need is the right people and association. The right people will support your efforts and accelerate your success. The wrong people will retard your progress altogether. According to kola Adesina, CEO Sahara Group, what you need in life is the right people and not necessarily Presidents, Governors, celebrities or people with money.

In conclusion, do you want to succeed in life? Then be intentional with books, people and association.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator.  He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny.  He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
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Police Arrest Father of ‘Fake’ PFIPC DG, Falana Kicks

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11 hours ago

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July 7, 2026

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The police have arrested the father of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-acclaimed Director-General of the disowned Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Reports said that police officers, on Monday morning, stormed the family residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and picked up Adeyemi’s father alongside a family friend who was visiting at the time. The arrest reportedly left Adeyemi’s elderly mother in distress.

The development is connected to the ongoing PFIPC controversy. The Presidency has disowned the council, saying no such body exists under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Adeniyi Adeyemi is currently facing charges bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences.

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), confirmed the arrest and faulted the police action, describing it as a “substituted arrest” with no legal basis.

“The father has been arrested. There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has promised to show up in court, so why arrest his father?” Falana said.

Further reports quoting legal experts noted that under the 1999 Constitution, arrest and detention must be personal.

Section 35 guarantees the right to personal liberty and allows arrest only where a person is reasonably suspected of committing an offence. Section 42 further prohibits punishment by association.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled against “guilt by association,” holding that criminal liability in Nigeria is personal and cannot be transferred to relatives. Arresting a parent, spouse or sibling to compel a suspect to surrender is regarded as unconstitutional unless there is evidence that the relative aided or abetted the crime.

By that standard, detaining Adeyemi’s father solely because his son is facing trial would amount to substituted arrest, which courts have previously declared illegal and awarded damages against.

Adeyemi came under public scrutiny after the PFIPC was listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of about N1.3 billion, despite the Presidency’s insistence that the council was never legally created. The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has also stated that the council never completed requirements to operate a CBN account and has not received any government funds.

The matter was first flagged in October 2025 after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) raised concerns that the purported council was performing functions similar to those of the NIPC. The Office of the Chief of Staff subsequently petitioned security agencies over alleged forged presidential documents.

Police authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the grounds for the arrest of Adeyemi’s father and the family friend. Legal observers say they will be monitoring developments closely, with the possibility of a fundamental rights enforcement suit if the detention continues without charge.

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Falana Asks Gbajabiamila to Step Aside for Probe over Alleged PFIPC Fraud

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1 day ago

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July 6, 2026

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Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has charged President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff (CoS), Femi Gbajabiamila, to step aside and give room for investigation into the allegation of fraud involving his office and the self-acclaimed Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi.

On June 11, 2026 Gbajabiamila denied knowledge of Adeyemi when he presented himself as the Director General of PFIPC which he claimed was non-existent.

Gbajabiamila said he petitioned security agencies in October 2025 after forged appointment letters surfaced and Adeyemi was later charged before the Federal High Court for forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.

In his reaction, Adeyemi dismissed all the allegations against him, saying he was ready to clear his name in court.

Adeyemi called for an independent panel from Tinubu because those behind the allegations were trying to silence him, stressing that Gbajabiamila issued him an appointment letter.

However, Falana said the Presidency has explanations to make to Nigerians on Adeyemi’s travail.

Speaking on Eagle 102.5 FM, Falana insisted that the presidency has exposed Nigeria to “unprecedented ridicule.

He said: “How did an agency that is not created by law find its way into the Appropriation Act of Nigeria? How did that body get an office in the Federal Secretariat? How did that body successfully open accounts in the Central Bank of Nigeria?

“How did the Head of Service post about 300 staff to that office? The government will have to explain to Nigerians how a sum of N24 billion was budgeted for an unknown agency, as well as how that agency had accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“If this is a conman that can con the Presidency into issuing a letter of appointment, con the Central Bank into opening accounts, con the National Assembly into inserting the agency into the budget, I think the government is kidding.”

Falana said the National Assembly must explain how an “agency unknown to law” was inserted into the budget. Citing Section 81 of the Constitution, he noted that appropriation bills originate from the Executive.

“You cannot have an agency that is not created by law in the budget of a country.

“The government has a duty to ask Mr. Gbajabiamila to step aside to allow for a full investigation in the interest of the country and even in his own interest.”

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Sack Gbajabiamila Now, NDC Tells Tinubu Amid Fake Agency Scandal

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4 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to an alleged multi-billion-naira corruption scandal involving a purported non-existent  government agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party described the allegations as grave and said Gbajabiamila’s continued stay in office could compromise any credible investigation into the matter.

The NDC’s demand follows allegations made by Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has publicly denied exists.

According to the party, the allegations raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability and integrity within the Tinubu administration.

The NDC alleged that despite the Presidency’s denial of the agency’s existence, the PFIPC purportedly secured budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and opened a domiciliary account, a Pound Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account (TSA) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The party questioned how an agency described as non-existent could allegedly establish multiple high-level government financial accounts without official approval or the required documentation.

It also called on the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to explain whether forged documents were used in processing the accounts.

The statement further alleged that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation approved 314 staff positions for the purported agency, describing the development as another issue requiring urgent explanation.

According to the NDC, the allegations also include claims that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, reportedly valued at N27.39 billion, a request Adeyemi allegedly rejected.

The party also cited Adeyemi’s claim that he secured his appointment through the Chief of Staff after allegedly paying N600 million, of which N400 million was allegedly paid through proxies, while N200 million remained outstanding.

It said the alleged unpaid balance reportedly contributed to the Presidency’s subsequent denial of the agency’s existence.

The NDC further alleged that the claims point to a wider pattern of institutional corruption, including the alleged sale of public appointments.

The party also linked the controversy to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom it described as an intermediary between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff.

According to the statement, Tanimola reportedly died in a fire incident at a hotel in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after the police reportedly received a petition from the Chief of Staff.

The NDC also referenced Adeyemi’s claims that he survived multiple assassination attempts, including an attack along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on September 7, 2025, and alleged that certain individuals within government are plotting to eliminate him.

Against the backdrop of the allegations, the party demanded the immediate removal of Gbajabiamila to allow what it described as a full and impartial investigation.

It also called on President Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine the alleged operations of the PFIPC, including its budgetary allocations, financial transactions, account openings and staff recruitment.

The NDC further urged investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding Tanimola’s death and the alleged assassination attempts on Adeyemi, while recommending that Adeyemi be granted witness protection.

The party also demanded that the Chief of Staff produce all official documents signed since assuming office for forensic examination.

In addition, it called for the questioning of officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation over their alleged roles in the matter.

The opposition party also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force to commence what it described as a thorough investigation without fear or favour.

“The NDC will not accept the usual tactic of issuing a mere defensive press release from the Presidency as a deflective ploy. Nigerians deserve to know the truth through a transparent process that promotes fairness and justice,” the statement said.

The Presidency has previously maintained that the PFIPC is not a recognised government agency.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency nor Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila had responded to the fresh allegations contained in the NDC statement.

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