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Food for Living: Take a Deep Breath

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By Henry Ukazu

Dear Destiny Friends

One of the best things God has given us is the gift of breath. Imagine we are to buy breath, that would be tragic because many of us won’t be alive. Wealthy people would buy up the breath of poor people and store for generations unborn. It will be safe to say your breath is your life because, without it, you won’t be in existence. In my humble opinion, your breath is the most important part of your being. Just so you understand how important it is, a normal human being can hardly stay alive for more than three minutes without breathing. That’s why athletes are always asked to breathe in and out. This is because their coaches know the effects it has on their bodies. Deep breathing helps you to lower stress in your body because when you breathe deep, it sends a message to your brain to calm down, and ultimately makes you relax. Since the brain is regarded as the compass of the body, it sends messages to the other parts of the body for stability.

Disclosure

Be informed, I’m not a medical practitioner, neither am I a health practitioner of any kind. This article is not centered on health or exercise, but rather on the importance of taking life easy as opposed to being hard on yourself when things don’t add up for you.

It’s always painful to feel bad when you fail an examination, especially after spending countless hours reading and sacrificing other engagements just to prepare for the exam. It is also very painful when you spend hours learning a trade, investing in a business, and building a global brand only for it to crash for reasons you can’t understand. The most painful experience might be a man who has spent a fortune to train a lady in school and empowered her to be financially stable only for her to ditch him for a flimsy excuse at the slightest opportunity. Alternatively, as a lady who loved a man with everything in you, you stood by him and supported him wholeheartedly for him to get his act together, and only for him to ditch you for another guy at the slightest provocation. Such is life. There are many reasons to feel bad and used in this journey called life, but I have good news for you; just be glad it happened because you never can tell what would have happened in the nearest future if it didn’t happen. This is the more reason I always pray to fail fast.

You may be wondering what message I’m trying to send? Just hold on for a minute and you’ll understand. Have you ever wondered why you didn’t get a promotion, why you weren’t hired for a job, denied an opportunity of meeting a high-profile person who can change the course of your destiny, or even feel bad if life is not adding up for you? There may be a thousand and one reasons out there. But I have good news for you, take a deep breath.

Again, you may be wondering why I said, take a deep breath, the answer is not far-fetched. Most times as human beings, we don’t take time to take stock of our life and examine why lines are not adding up as expected. Sometimes, we feel the universe is against us. We think there are “physical & spiritual forces” working against our progress. All these thoughts can make us assume there’s a reason why the lines are not falling in place.

Again, take a deep breath.

According to Socrates, an “unexamined life is not worth living”. One of the worst things you can do as a human being is to assume. I have always admonished my friends, when in doubt do not act. That’s why it’s always good to ask questions for clarity.

Taking a deep breath in life allows you to think out of the box and re-strategize on why things are not adding up. Taking a breath allows you to create boundaries by accessing what’s working and what’s not working and what needs to be done. But the biggest gain in taking a breath is making you understand you have done a good job. Once you have done all you are supposed to do in life or any project and the lines don’t add up, please don’t be hard on yourself. There are many lessons for you to learn. Most times, we don’t look at the inherent lessons life is giving to us either because we are “physically or spiritually blind” or we don’t have a grateful heart.

Let’s take a case of a man/woman who wants to get married but it didn’t work out. It will surely be painful after investing time and resources to the person only for it to crash at the end. You may be wondering what happened, why the person acted in a particular way, why the family rejected you, or even why or how a particular incident happened which led to the separation. The funny thing is that you might be feeling the issue was because of you or maybe it wasn’t properly managed, or probably ego was at stake. There may be many reasons out there but again, I say, take a deep breath. Do you know that it’s better to appreciate what didn’t happen because it would have prevented you from what would have happened? That’s food for thought.

One of the best things that can happen to you in life is taking a breath. Many people underscore the importance of taking a deep breath in life. When you take a deep breath, it helps you appreciate yourself by patting yourself. Remember, nobody can console you more than yourself. Nobody can inspire you more than yourself, especially when your force is internal, and nobody can see, feel and experience what you are seeing, feeling, and experiencing more than you can do.

When you go through a tunnel of challenges, it is important to take a deep breath. When you do, you will realize that the feeling is different. In our contemporary society, we have seen numerous examples of people who are validating their life with social media while some people get depressed thinking they are not doing well for themselves or their life is messed up. My dear friend, please calm down, each and every one of us is battling with a secret frustration. Do you know that your life might be much better than that person you are admiring? Do you know if that person has peace of mind? Do you know if that person’s marriage is in shamble? Do you know if the person has an underlying ailment/disease? Do you know if the children are a bunch of disappointment? There are a litany of reasons out there. That’s why is it’s always good to take a deep breath because it’s not always green on the other side of the grass.

In conclusion, I don’t know what your situation is, but don’t allow your peace of mind to be threatened, don’t allow anyone to rent space in your head. You are doing well for yourself. Everyone is on a journey and our paths are different. It might take you 10 years, 20 years, or even 30 years to get to your destination, but the important thing is that you got to your desired destination. So, while you are on your journey take a deep breath along the way, appreciate those who have gone before you, and support those who are coming behind.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a  public speaker. 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

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100 Days in Office: I’ve Kept Faith with My 10-Point Strategic Road Map – CP Fayoade

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The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Adegoke Fayoade, has said that he has kept faith and delivered on his 10-point strategic plan to rid Lagos of crime and criminality since assuming office on December 14, 2023, exactly 100 days ago.

Fayoade made the remarks while addressing members of the fourth estate, including the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) at the Police Office Mess in GRA, Ikeja, to mark his 100 days in office, and parade criminal suspects as part of his achievements since assuming office.

“Upon assumption of duty, I presented to Lagosians my ten-point strategic road map. I have kept faith with that document and have ensured that all the goal-oriented plans therein are actualized,” CP Fayoade said.

He further noted that “Since I assumed duty, a total of 2,329 suspects have been arrested for crimes ranging from cultism to armed robbery leading to the recovery of stolen property. In the same vein, a total of 2,253 have been prosecuted while many others are currently been processed for prosecution.”

To buttress his point, CP led the media to inspect suspects on parade, who were breakthroughs of the last one month.

“Specifically in the past month, the Lagos State Police Command have arrested sixty-four (64) suspects who have engaged in varying crimes including armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms, unlawful possession of illicit drugs etc., and recovered a total of twenty (20) firearms including four toy guns, (120) rounds of toy ammunitions, twenty-eight (28) live ammunitions, fifteen (15) live cartridges and three (3) expended cartridges alongside recovery of (4) vehicles, POS machine, (7) cutlasses, illicit drugs and various charms,” he informed.

CP Fayoade’s last 100 days has been eventful, as he has reduced the highway and traffic robberies to the barest minimum.

“In the past days, I have piloted the affairs of the Command with all sense of professionalism, charging my men to be up and doing and not sparing the big stick on officers found wanting. We have rejigged our township patrol, paying special attention to high-risk areas especially at peak periods. This has helped a lot to reduce traffic robberies,” the Commissioner of Police said.

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Adron Homes Boss Hosts REDAN Chair Aspirant, Advocates Consolidation

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Executive Chairman, Adron Homes and Properties, Aare Adetola Emmanuel-King, has declared his support for the chairmanship aspiration of Dr. Segun Oshundairo for the Lagos chapter of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), advocating consolidation first before transformation.

He made his position known when he hosted the REDAN chairman Aspirant, Dr. Oshundairo, who is the CEO of Arcview Investment Limited. During the Aspirant’s visit, Aare Adetola admonished him on steps to take to ensure that his tenure birth policies that would revolutionize the Real Estate Industry. He urged the Aspirant to embark on Intense Media publicity and collaborative advocacy efforts to influence government policies and decisions affecting the Real Estate Industry.

During this Meeting, The Aspirant talked about his Manifesto which he would implement once he emerges the Chairman. He declared the following Intentions:
– Create a Developers Mortgage Plan. With this, he would be collaborating with the government to create a plan that would ensure that developers can buy affordable estate from the government which would facilitate their ability to create reasonable and affordable houses for the masses.
– Establish an Advisory Board for REDAN. He stated that he would create an Advisory Committee that would consist of 7 stakeholders to advise and train members of the group every quarter on the right policies and procedures to implement.
– Open up lands in rural Areas and convert them to Mega cities. He revealed his intention to collaborate with the government in order to open up lands in Ofada, Papalantoro and environs as well as create affordable real estate in such areas.
– Rebrand and Publicize REDAN: The Aspirant stated that under his tenure, REDAN would have a new look, which would include a new logo, better policies as well as increased visibility .

Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, In addition to advising the Aspiring Chairman on Strategic Media Publicity for REDAN, also implored him to pay attention to increasing the number of members in the group as well as present comprehensive strategies poised to shape the future landscape of real estate in the country.

He admonished and stated that “There can’t be a greater Lagos without REDAN” He further advised the Aspirant on the need for a Universal market price of Landed Properties for Real Estate Developers in Lagos State when purchasing from the government. Also, this would foster and aid the creation of affordable housing for the good people of Lagos State and Nigerians at large.

The interview session concluded on a positive note in which Dr Segun Oshundairo expressed his enthusiasm and appreciation for the collaboration between REDAN and the CEO of Adron Homes. The Interview Session laid the foundation for future partnership opportunities aimed at driving positive change within the real estate industry. Dr Segun reiterated that once elected, he would set up a board of trustees that would consist of veterans and real estate pillars to serve as an advisory board for the pressure group.

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WAEC Elects Thomas Yormah As New Chairman

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By Eric Elezuo

The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has a new Chairman, he is Prof. Thomas Brima Rick Yormah, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Fourah Bay College and former Pro ViceChancellor, University of Sierra Leone as the 21st Chairman of Council.

According to a statement signed by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, the Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Yormah was elected during the just concluded 72nd Annual Council Meeting of the body, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He succeeds Prof. Ato Essuman from the Republic of Ghana.

The highpoint of the week-long Council meeting was the recognition and honoring of three Ghanaian candidates with the WAEC International Excellence Award for their outstanding performance in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023. They were Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi, (1st Prize), Master Dzandu Selorm, (2nd Prize), and Master Asenso-Gyambibi Daniel (3rd Prize). The three candidates were selected from 2,327,342 who sat the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In the same vein, the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, 2023 also went to Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi. In addition, two candidates from the Republic of Sierra Leone were honoured with the National Distinction, while one candidate received the National Merit Award. They were Miss. Mammah E. A. Raymonda, (1st Prize), Master Bangura Joshua, (2nd Prize), and Master Fillie Sahr Edward (Merit Award).

While the 71st edition of the Council meeting was hosted by Gambia, the next edition, which will be the 73rd in the series, will be hosted by Liberia.

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