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Food for Living: Succeeding with Grace and Favour
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Everyone needs a support system as they journey through life. This support system can come from any source; family member, friend, associate, colleague, mentor, mentee, boss, spiritual leader, or even a stranger. Without a strong support system, the journey to life will be an arduous task.
It’s imperative to note that we live in a wicked world where not everyone wants to see you succeed. They fail to understand they are not the creator who destined everyone to succeed at different times and seasons. These set of people have the Pull Him Down (PhD.) mentality, and don’t want to see the success of their perceived enemy.
Success is not limited to any shape, size and colour, it only produces results, and that’s what people care about.
It’s worthy to note that nobody achieves genuine success without favour and grace. Favor is like a perfume, which when sprinkled on someone, the aroma will attract people to them.
Overtime, I have come to the sublime realization that when you shower people with favour and love, it has a way of coming back to you in ways and manners one may not understand. However, some uninformed people think that when they have money, they are blessed and favored.
I agree that money is necessary for success, but there are certain levels of blessings that money cannot buy, and this form of blessings come with favour and grace, especially when one is not qualified to have it. Just to give you an example; there are people money cannot buy, and so, one’s prayer should be they agree to work with you because they are literally priceless.
In life, we all need the blessings of our parents, mentors, boss, and authentic spiritual leaders to speak into our life. This is because no matter how hard you work in life, there’s a limit you can go, especially when you don’t have a favor following you. You can have favor, but favor comes in different ways. For instance, if you are destined to be an Accountant, and you decide to study Law or Business Administration just because you feel they are lucrative courses or you just like the name, you might “succeed” but may not get the true fulfilment.
To understand how this works, at creation, everyone has an assigned angel following them. This angle is designed to help you succeed in your place of assignment.
Did you know there are people who have been positioned to assist you in your place of assignment?
So, imagine if you decide to study Law while your destiny helper is an Accountant, you might be frustrated having a boss, who is an accountant or even a colleague who is making life unbearable for you despite having money. This ordinarily might not happen if you have studied Accounting. In fact you’ll thrive with relative ease in the profession and might be offered more lucrative offers just simply because the universe is working in your favour.
To understand how the grace of success works, when you have it in your journey, you will attract favour from men, you won’t have to work as hard as your counterparts, your product will receive recognition even though it might not be the best. In the journey of life, most of us struggle too much and get little or no result, while some of us work less and get more results. One may be wondering why. Well, the answer is not far-fetched. I call it the spirituality of success because the universe has a way of connecting people when they are working according to its purpose.
Let me share a practical experience: In 2019, I met a great mind, Sulyman Sodeeq A’akeem who reached out to me on X According to him, he has been following me on the app. He requested me to be his mentor, an offer I gladly accepted, especially when he showed me a series of quotes he got from reading my articles.
When we began to relate closely, he shared touching information based on his trajectory in life. We didn’t spend more than six months relating closely, I made him the Chief Operating Officer of my company when I saw enormous and ingenious talent in him. For a lack of better word, he is extremely resourceful. He’s simply awesome! I call him an ideal hand for every progressive mind interested on resourcefulness.
Fast forward to four years, many people have a disdainful attitude towards him and look up to him for succor. The moral of this post is that not only did I bless him, but I also became the greatest recipient of his knowledge, wisdom, loyalty, profound articulation and understanding and most especially, honesty and steadfastness. The interesting part of our friendship and brotherhood is the grace that has found both of us. It’s instructive to note that, I’m not the richest nor the best to work with, neither is he the best of the most resourceful, but we tend to have bonded and mutually benefited from each other because we greatly share similar interests and values. I call it grace and favour.
When you have the grace of success following you, you will attract favour like a magnet. Whether you are in business, academic, pastoral ministry, or marriage, you will receive mercy wherever you step.
You might be the least in a company, you may not even look or have all the qualifications or experience, but when favour locates you, the rules will not only be broken for you, you will see people agreeing to work together just to make sure you succeed.
Did you know that when favour is at work, people will buy your books and share it among their friends and network as an author; your business will be referred to people of interest, people will unusually trust and like you. When people google your kind of business, despite seeing other people doing what you are doing, they will be attracted to settle for you for reasons they can’t understand or explain. When you have favour and grace following you, it will be easier for your talent to be unleashed.
While most people work hard, strategic, and smart people understand the role luck has to play in order to actualize their vision.
According to a renowned Economist and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, luck played a big role in making him who he is today. While he acknowledged the role of hard work, he knows truly well, there’s a limitation to hard work because luck can trump hard work.
Did you know that if you can do everything in life without anyone assisting you, you are not favored. You should be able to get to a stage in life where people will naturally assist you in doing somethings for free. For example, if you are a success, you don’t need to pay for all the services you get.
In conclusion, as your journey through life, be intentional in seeking favour because it will save you numerous stress.
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
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Each delay is perfectly fine, for we are within the safe hands of God – Madame Guyon
Many principles, other than perception, govern life and living, and they include, no pain, no gain; seed time and harvest time; Karma and gravity. There’s however, another principle called delayed gratification. A thorough understanding, and successful application of these principles will yield positive results.
But uniformed minds are still at sea as regards how the principles of life work. They feel and think life is a function of chance, connections, forces of the universe and divine providence. Yes, all these acts play a role in influencing how life operates, but the ultimate and universal truth is that, apart from God, life is governed by principles. Even nature made it possible for a woman to conceive for nine months all things being equal, before she is delivered of her child.
It is worthy of note that there are principles that are endearing to the heart. They are the principles of honesty, integrity, courage, humility, love, responsibility, service, and discipline; all these make one to be unique. People will respect and work with you when they know you, and what you represent. They will adjust to suit you.
Here are a few examples that illustrate life as governed by principles:
Spiritual Growth Principle:
This principle refers to a belief in something greater than oneself. It involves finding purpose, meaning, and inner strength through connecting with a higher power or connecting with one’s own inner wisdom. It is what you believe that will work for you. If you keep thinking about lack, the spirit of lack will gradually come to you without knowing. But if you are thinking about wealth, riches, abundance, the spirit of greatness will gradually attract opportunities that will usher you into the reign you desire and deserve.
Did you know one can have spiritual delays? You may be wondering how spiritual delay can affect you. You may have received a prophecy or proclamation from someone in authority, revelation via dream or even parental blessing; that’s very okay, but its manifestations will come through if you abide by the rules governing the revelations or proclamations. But when you decide to do otherwise, the blessings and opportunities will be delayed.
Spiritual principles work with the mindset. It attracts what it likes. Spiritual growth encourages individuals to cultivate gratitude, find peace within, and seek guidance and support in their recovery process.
The Principle of Service:
One of the best ways to get an opportunity is through service. Sometimes, opportunities come to you when you decide to intern, volunteer or even within communities. Trust me, people see people who participate. This principle works with leadership. You can’t be a great leader without being a good servant.
Through service, individuals not only assist others in their own recovery journey but also experience personal growth and fulfillment. By extending a helping hand, individuals create a sense of community, find inspiration, and reinforce their own commitment to sobriety. Service can take various forms, such as sharing experiences, providing support, or volunteering organizations.
These principles serve as guiding lights for individuals navigating the path of addiction recovery, emphasizing self-reflection, spiritual growth, and helping others.
One of the principles of life that is not properly understood is the principle of delayed success. As human beings, we sometimes experience delays in our business, academic, marriage, career or vocation. We may be thinking it’s over, but it’s not yet over, rather, it’s been packaged for a better time. One may be thinking life, and circumstances may be working against their interest, but that’s not the true position of things. According to Joel Osteen, it’s a setup for success. When life doesn’t go as planned, instead of questioning the moment, learn to appreciate the moment, especially when you have done what you are supposed to do.
To understand the relativity of destiny and delayed success, one’s destiny can’t be denied, at most, it can be delayed, and if it’s delayed, it’s for your own interest. One may be exploring an opportunity which is yet to manifest, rather than become anxious and desperate, be happy it didn’t happen yet because you may not know what would have happened assuming it happened.
Furthermore, to appreciate how delayed success works, as human beings, sometimes, waiting can be traumatic. This is because delays can make one to be unnecessarily anxious, impatient, and annoying. If it is not properly managed, it can cause more harm than good. Sometimes, we may ask ourselves, for how long will this suffering end, we fail to understand that delay can be orchestrated by the creator or universe to teach us humility, serenity, strength, and patience.
Did you know that delayed success if not properly managed can affect future opportunities especially when one is concerned about the past as opposed to enjoying the present? If you live in the past, you are likely to be stuck in the “why” mode. That means you always think about why things happened. That’s a recipe for unhappiness.
If you live in the future, you live in the “what if” mode. That state of mind causes anxiety about everything that might happen in the future. Again, that’s a recipe for living a timid life. How about living in the present mode and enjoying the vicissitudes life is bringing to you? You may stand a chance to learn one or two things.
In conclusion, as you journey towards life, endeavor to learn the associated principles, and one you experience delay, also learn the associated lessons because, above all, the principles will help you to relate with any situation.
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
The much awaited annual National Security Conference and Awards of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), has finally arrived with the who is who in the Nigerian Security, cybersecurity, media and technology sector headlining the all important intellectual discourse.
Scheduled to hold at the Ballroom of the prestigious Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Conference, with the theme, CONNECTING THE DOT BETWEEN IDENTITY TRACKING AND NATIONAL SECURITY, has been described by the Association’s national president, Mr. Oki O. Samson, as the mother of all Security discourses in recent times.
Speaking in a statement signed by the Association’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Eric Elezuo, the president noted that security giants in the Nigerian body polity are expected to grace the event. Some of them are the Honourable Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hajia Imaam Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who will be the Distinguished Keynote Speaker, having dedicated her service years to projection of intelligence gathering and extraordinary policing, and the hardworking and he for she Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.
Others are the Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, who has remained a Security giant, leading Lagos State to the forefront of perfect safety and funding of agencies through provision of apparatuses and equipment required for excellent policing; the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Aare Dele Momodu.
Also making the list of notable personalities expected at the meet are Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed A. Audi; Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun; the Managing Director, Executive Trainers Ltd, Dr. Mrs. Ajoke Ogunsan; Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs, CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NASENI, Engr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu and Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada.
Also confirmed among the attendees are Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), CM Shehu Mohammed; GMD/Chairman of Adron Homes and Properties, Aare (Dr.) Adetola Emmanuel-King; Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Zone 2, AIG Adegoke Fayoade; Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (Retd); Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Ishola Olarenwaju Olawale; MD/CEO, Lagos State Bus Service Limited, Mr. Idowu Oguntona; CEO, Lagos Computerised Vehicle Inspection Service, (LACVIS), Prince Segun Obayendo; Board Member of Abia State Security Trust Fund, ASSTF, Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma; and Commander, TRACE Ogun State, Commander (Dr.) Abdulfatai Olaseni Ogunyemi.
The statement hinted that the 2024 National Conference, which is in its 5th edition, is an avenue for the stakeholders in the private and public security sectors to brainstorm, and proffer solutions to the perennial security challenges that have bedeviled the nation across the regions.
“This is going to be a total shutdown in security conferences as an array of security giants are scheduled to attend and lend their professional opinions to the rising insecurity in the country, and provide sustainable solutions.
“The Association has put in so much in organizing the conference, and the impact is expected to arouse a new consciousness in safety, and a redefinition in security awareness.
“It is about connecting the severance dots that exists between identity tracking and national security towards ensuring that diverse security agencies synergise to protect the security architecture of the nation,” the statement noted.
Other personalities expected at the annual fiesta are GMD/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji; MD/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna; GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Oliver Alawuba; GMD/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe; Founder, Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM), Prof. Daniel K. Olukoya; Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut; Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, Special Adviser to the Senate President on Legal Matters; Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN.
Executive Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Mayor Hon. Dele Osinowo; Commandant, NSCDC, FCT Command, Commandant (Dr.) Olusola Odumosu; General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki. Evangelist Ebuka Obi of Zion Movement, CEO, Badinson Security Services, Dr. Matthew Ibadin and Force PRO, Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The event starts at 10am prompt.
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama has granted a N150 million bail to a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku.
Ishaku was arraigned on Monday alongside Bello Yero, former permanent secretary, bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs.
Both men are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds.
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them.
At the court session on Thursday, the defendants’ respective counsels moved their bail applications.
Rotimi Jacobs, prosecution counsel, said he would not object since the defendants have been granted administrative bail.
Sylvanus Oriji, presiding judge, granted the bail application.
He held that the defendants must produce two sureties each in like sum. The two sureties must be responsible citizens of Nigeria and must be residents within the FCT, with verifiable office and residential addresses.
One of the sureties produced by each defendant must be a director in the civil service.
The defendants must not travel outside the country without the court’s permission and must deposit their travel documents to the court.
Ishaku, 70, was governor of Taraba from 2015 to 2023.
In July 2023, the EFCC invited the former governor over some financial transactions conducted during his spell in office. He was later released on bail.
On September 27, 2024, Ishaku and Yero were arrested and detained by the commission.
