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Food for Living: The Choices We Make
By Henry Ukazu
Compliments of the season Dear Friends,
I congratulate everyone for making it to the last few days of 2019. The year 2019 has come and will end in about 48 or 72hours depending on your location. At the end of the year, rational minds will take a deep breath to see how far they fared in life; they evaluate all their actions and decisions and judge if they improved or not. Business leaders, managers, administrators, government officials, entertainers, etc. are not left out in this struggle. They all take inventory of how they fared in order to prepare for the next year’s activities. Amidst all this, one factor that played a critical role is choice.
Choice played a fundamental role in influencing the outcome of our decisions. As we prepare and plan for the next decade which begins in 2020, we all need to make the right choices, and the first step is by associating with the right people with the right vision and understanding to life.
What really is choice? According to Google “Choice is an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities”. We all make choices everyday consciously or unconsciously. Life is a matter of choice. We are making choices every day at every single step. According to John C. Maxwell, “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.” Before you wear cloth, eat a particular food, marry, watch a particular movie or channel, travel, apply for a job or school, etc., you made a decision to do that. That decision is what is simply referred to as choice. “In every single thing you do, you are choosing a direction. Your life is a product of choices.” It is this small choice and direction that leads to major success in life if properly articulated.
Growing up as kids, our parents and guardians trained and made decisions for us, but as we progress in life and become of age, we decide what works for us by making our own independent decision. It is sad to note that most people attribute their failures in life to their parents and the environment. This set of people fail to think outside the box to know that our parents and guardians may be responsible for where we are or even raising us up, but we are utterly responsible for what we become. Per Jean-Paul Sarte ” We are our choices”.
Your choice can make or mar you just like your decisions. However, it should be noted that, when you make the wrong choice, that is not the end of life, you can turn your failures into your friend by looking at the circumstances surrounding it. Our choice in life is responsible for stimulating our response and reactions in any circumstance.
In the course of this article, we shall be discussing how choice can play a unique and significant role in projecting us to destiny. The decision to succeed in life is up to the choice we make. It is a well-established principle that failing to prepare is preparing to fail. According to Pastor Reno Omokri, “People don’t succeed because they are destined for success, people succeed because they are determined to succeed, your destiny depends on your decision. Your luck depends on your work. Your prosperity or poverty is your choice”. Therefore, it will be right to say that, everything in life is centered on choice. We shall examine several component parts of life where choice plays a unique role.
Academic
Choice plays a unique role in our academics. Generally speaking, most people chose a particular major of interest while in College/University. A relatively low percentage chose or settled for a major based on “interest”. For instance, I have always loved to be a lawyer and by the special of Grace of God, I am a lawyer, I didn’t just get the title on a platter of gold, I earned it. However, when I emigrated to the USA, I did a graduate program in New York Law School that was totally out of my interest, but because I have a positive approach towards life, I had to turn a lemon into a lemonade with the profession and it has been one of the best choice/and decision I have made in recent times because it has really shaped me.
Relationship
According to George Eliot “The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.” As human beings, we are all social animals. Nobody lives in insolation, rather we need each other to survive. True friendship comes with value. If you will agree with me, your network determines your net worth. Great minds know that the business of business is human relations, but the business of life is human connection. Making the right choice in friendship, association or organization cannot be overemphasized. It takes maturely and understanding to relate with people because human beings can be the most difficult people on earth. The people you relate and allow into your space can positively or negatively influence your life either consciously or unconsciously.
Choice
Making a choice can be very hard and at the same time easy; it is easy when you have peace and listen to your heart desires, but it becomes challenging when we have so many things requesting our attention in addition to other vested interests. It is highly imperative to listen to the inner still voice in your heart before making a decision. Your conscience can hardly fail you when you’re at peace with yourself. According to Stephen Covey “We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals”. Most people attribute their failure to man-made situations or hard luck; they fail to understand that nobody owes us anything and we are responsible for our choice and lots in life.
Success
Succeeding in life can be a herculean task, especially when you don’t play by the rules. Most leaders sometimes find it hard to bring change while in government or large corporations or organizations due to various factors and interests that might be at stake. It takes courage, risk, and gut to bring lasting positive change especially when you have an idea that will change the status quo. For leaders and captains of industries who are serious of making a lasting change in their space, please note the word of Denis Whitley “There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” –
Let me share with you some tips on how to make a good choice.
1. Remind yourself your priority, goal, and future impact of the outcome while choosing or deciding to take a particular route.
2. Never allow emotions, sentiments or vested interest to sway your decisions. Moral, use your intuition and not your head when making a choice.
3. Always consider as many alternatives and options before making any decision. This will help you to make an informed decision.
The height of great men was not attained by luck, they were attained by hard and smart work and also careful plan. They also used sound polices and sound judgmental discretion backed by informed advice from reliable people. According to Jim Collins Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.” Therefore, the choice to succeed and fail in life is not up to anyone, but you. That is why Roy Bennett stated “You are not the victim of the world, but rather the master of your own destiny. It is your choices and decisions that determine your destiny.”
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. He can be reached via henrous@gmail.com
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
There’s no doubt that human beings by nature are insatiable. When we get one opportunity, we always look for another. When we attain one height, we always look for another accomplishment. Isn’t it true that the end of one mountain is the beginning of another.
However, I don’t think it’s selfish for anyone to dare to succeed.
Being ambitious doesn’t make one an opportunist or disloyal. It all depends on one’s perception or outlook to life. It’s just natural for one to dream big. It’s only ugly when the process one chooses to achieve his desires becomes dirty and nasty.
According to a former Nigerian presidential candidate and seasoned Economist, Mr. Peter Obi, “if you must be referred to as “Your Excellency”, then the process through which you arrived in office must be excellent”.
If you desire to be reckoned with on the journey of existence, you must be legitimately hungry for success. One’s hunger for success will facilitate the drive to accomplish great tasks despite daunting obstacles posing as challenges.
When one has this mindset, one will not be bothered by the noise which serves as obstacles and challenges along the way. Negative and weak minds are always concerned on why something won’t work. They tend to focus their energy and reasons on the obstacles facing them. But great and productive minds always focus their energy on the reasons why it will work. This is the spirit of an insatiable mind who is a goal- getter.
It’s instructive to note that we can’t please everyone. According to Bill Cosby, a famous actor, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.” Isn’t it true that when you talk, people will still talk about you, when you don’t talk, people will talk about you, so whether you talk or not, people will still judge you, so, do what’s best for you. There’s nothing you can do to please human beings. Your best option is to live your best life.
To understand how the insatiable nature of man works, one must be oneself. You don’t have to “please” anyone. Be yourself, and don’t try to be like anyone just to curry favour. It’s important to note that when you are yourself, the people that matter will come through for you, and the people that don’t matter will gradually find the bearing in another space because those that truly care don’t bother and those that bother don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Life has truly taught me to focus on the important things of life as opposed to the mundane things. It’s truly sad to see people spending more time on the little things of life, and spending little time on the important things of life. That’s just a misplaced priority.
When you are yourself, the best people can do is to copy or imitate your style. They can never imitate your creativity nor can take your originality from you.
We live in a world or society where people don’t generally care or show empathy. Most people tend to live around themselves, their family, and close associates. They generally find it hard to lift a finger to assist others for reasons best known to them. Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka once said, “we live in a wicked generation”, re-echoing the voices of a lot of people of the world. Some people in authority just have criminal expertise in amassing wealth of opportunities meant for the citizens without thinking of the citizens they are meant to serve.
It’s worthy of note that not everyone will like you nor support your work, but when you find people who truly care about you; please hold them tight. This is because despite having family members you have shown love and compassion, they might not still appreciate you even if you lay your life for them, they will still find something to say. Again, this is the insatiable nature of man.
It’s okay for everyone not to like you, normalize living your life for God, yourself, family and those that care about you. If everyone likes you, you have a problem.
Did you know that you can get a new family from friends, strangers, and acquaintances? These sets of people might appreciate you more than your own family members. They might not demand or under appreciate you like your family members and close friends or associates. Any little support you give them will be highly appreciated. Their focus is to see you do better.
In conclusion, as you desire to succeed in life, never give in to failure until you have made your last attempt, and never make your last attempt until you succeed. This literally means whatever you desire, dream it, think it, say it, and believe you can achieve it. This principle is generally applicable to relationships, businesses, family, personal and professional development.
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
A federal judge in the United States, on Thursday, put a temporary block on President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship.
The ruling imposes a 14-day halt on the enforcement of one of the most controversial executive orders Trump signed hours after being sworn into office for a second term.
It comes after lawsuits were filed by a total of 22 states, two cities and numerous civil rights groups.
“This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” senior US District Judge John Coughenour was reported as saying during the hearing in Washington State.
“I’ve been on the bench for over four decades, I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is,” said Coughenour, who was appointed to the bench by a Republican president, Ronald Reagan.
Birthright citizenship is fundamental to America’s national identity, with the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution decreeing that anyone born on US soil is a citizen.
It says, in part: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Trump’s order was premised on the idea that anyone in the US illegally, or on a visa, was not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the country, and therefore excluded from this category.
AFP
The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital has upheld the death sentence of Ramon Adedoyin, a prominent businessman and hotelier, for his involvement in the murder of one Timothy Adegoke, a former postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the court affirmed the earlier verdict of the Osun State High Court, which had sentenced Adedoyin to death.
“The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part,” the court declared in part.
The Court of Appeal, however, set aside some aspects of the lower court’s orders, including the forfeiture of the Hilton Hotel and the order for Adedoyin to pay for the education of Adegoke’s children.
Furthermore, the court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to impose penalties outside the statutory provisions
Adegoke’s death was reported in November 2021 after his corpse was found at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he had lodged.
The hotelier had travelled from Abuja for an examination at a distance learning centre in Moro, Osun State on November 5 of that year.
He had checked into the hotel but was reported missing after two days. However, Adegoke’s body was found days later, leading to a probe that linked his death to Adedoyin and others.
In May 2023, Adedoyin and others were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder.
But dissatisfied with the judgement, Adedoyin approached the Appeal court to dismiss the sentence and conviction.
The court of appeal, on Thursday, however, upheld the conviction and death sentence of the hotelier.
