Opinion
Food for Living: The Effect of Digital Age of Innovation
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Friends!
I will like to begin this article by thanking the first founders and inventors of internet, Robert E. Kahn Internet who developed protocol suite (TCP/IP) in the 1950’s, and Vint Cerf in the 1970s. It’s also important to mention the Computer Scientist, Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web. This giant idea led to other great inventions and innovations from great minds such as Warren Buffet – the inventor of Microsoft Corporation and Mark Zuckerberg the founder of Facebook.
Before we proceed proper, let’s have an overview or background information on digital information. There are two main areas where the nature of innovation has been changed as a result of the direct impact of the digital revolution: 1. Research and Development which is mostly used by big corporations and government agencies. R&D is one of the most important units of any organization because it helps to bring new products to the company in order to make it contemporaneous with the demands of the world. 2. Product and process innovation which is used by mainly used manufacturing companies. Digital technology made it possible for new products and services to produce quality advantages and business model innovation. This is mainly used by entrepreneurs and business oriented companies. 3. Business Model innovation which allow businesses to entirely re-imagine traditional business models by leveraging a powerful mix of emerged digital tools, advanced machinery and adjusted workforce, giving price and quality of service advantages over incumbents. The modern innovation of business models is originated by the tech professionals’ community and is taken further by business professionals that have acknowledged new opportunities
This is not really a technological and digital article per se, rather it is an article that sheds light on the effects of digital innovation. Today’s article will be a little bit controversial, but I will encourage you to think out of the box in order to appreciate the message inherent in it. It’s undisputable fact that the internet has made the world a small village. A lot of transformation has taken place between 19th century and now. The 2Ist century can literally be called the jet age. This progressive view of life has made many companies to scot for exceptional beings with ideas who will add value to their company as opposed to the theoretical knowledge (formal education) that comes with fundamental trainings and procedure. It is on this note we shall be discussing about the formal education and the informal education which we have been exposed to in contemporary times.
I strongly believe it will be right to say ideas rule the world. With the invention of technology, the world has seen and felt ingenuity of ideas which has led major innovations. This digital age of innovation has caused some controversies in some quarters because of the ingenuity of ideas that has sprang up from it. Some of this ingenuity of ideas has made many people to believe that skills, talent and ideas are the ultimate in life. No doubt to a reasonable extent, that is true because many companies are always looking for ideas on how to take their business to the next level in addition to maximizing cost, but at the same time they also know that having a form of theoretical and formal knowledge and background in the industry is also necessary.
This is a topic of interest to me because I see a lot information making rounds in the world with respect to people who have achieved success without formal education. Some of this people achieved success with their skills, network, ideas and talent. Some of them also achieved success with little or formal education. And even people who have formal education figured out that true success lies in thinking out of the box in addition to developing themselves by thinking out of the box.
As an advocate of education, I strongly believe a good education is priceless. Even though you are talented it is also good for you to attain some level of formal education if you have the opportunity because there are certain information which you may not be exposed to on the street or talent. Even the Book of life stated in Proverbs 4: 13 “Your education is your life, guard it very well”. Even though education is not the yardstick for success, but it helps to prepare the way for success. I think it’s only percent of the world who have been extremely humbled to have attained amazing success without having formal education. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gate attended one of the best schools in the world before dropping out when they discovered they had a lot to offer to the world. I recently gave a talk to the Urban Male Leadership Academy in Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York, and I remembered asking the students what does success mean to you? Most of the students gave various answers which sounded right and indeed were right based on the area their thought process. I explained to them success is indeed relative and true success is doing better than you did yesterday. I also enlightened them about skills acquisition and value creation which I call ideas for sustainable growth.
As mentioned earlier, the focus on this article is about making us to think out of the box by comparing and contrasting formal education and informal education. In as much I believe in informal education which I likened to skills, talent and ideas, I also believe formal education is the foundation of all information. Some schools of thought opine that life begins after High school and college. This is because it is what you do with the knowledge you have acquired that makes the difference and how you apply it to solve the problems in the world. In today’s labour market, employers also look for candidates who have really distinguished themselves with ideas because ideas truly rule the world. Yes, it is true, I however, think it also depends on the nature of the involved. Some jobs needed theoretical knowledge and expertise like medicine and law.
One of the major reasons some people agree that ideas are more valuable than formal education is because some of the disciples of this school of thought have been able to generate good money with their creativity. For example, the app and robot inventors. Without sounding immodest, I will like to state that formal education is still very important in today’s society. In fact, it is a plus for you if you have it and have other great ideas. Acquiring it will go a good a long way to create opportunities for you. I’m speaking from experience because I have seen and tasted it from various aspect.
I have a question of interest. Has the effects of digital age of innovation done more harm than good? I will say no because it has really made the world a better place. However, the only negative influence I can think of which is not really a negative influence per se is that it has influenced a lot of people to think formal education is not as important as it ought to be due to the ideas some creative minds have been able to conceive.
Further more, it is important to note a real education enables a rational mind to think out of the box. When you add your skills the value increases. I’m particularly interested in this article because contemporary youths are paying more attention to what the society is showing them, thereby making it hard for some students go to school or even concentrate while in school forgetting that rational and informed youths combine both academic knowledge and informal knowledge. As a matter of fact, if the only knowledge you have is what you have upstairs which is devoid of formal education, your chances of conquering new grounds might be limited. The world has truly grown and new business needs some form of knowledge and information which can come in form of formal education in order for it to properly executed.
Let me share a personal experience with you, I have a legal background, but that has not stopped me from exploring other options. During the course of writing my book, I shared valuable and resourceful information relating to my legal background, tax background and all my professional work experience and the message has really resonated with so many people when they read my book. Some of the opportunities I have received in recent times came from people who have interest in my professional and academic experience. All this experience add up to and make me a resourceful being when I write and speak. What people often see is the finish work (public speaking), but they don’t see the background work. To some people, I am a great public speaker and writer but I know for a fact a lot of factors and experience contributed to it. I didn’t allow my skills to overshadow my professional and academic accomplishment.
In conclusion, since we are all concerned about achieving success, the best way to do go about it is to know yourself just like Bill Gate, Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama, Richard Branson and Henry Ukazu did. By so doing, you’ll will be able to know the path to thread because each and everyone of us is different.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with 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.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Wealth is of the mind, and not necessarily the amount of money in one’s pocket or in the bank. It takes a great mind to know that if the only thing one has is money, that person is poor because at a stage in life, money may not play any role. It is worth noting that for one to pay for everything they need in life, it’s either they are poor, or you haven’t invested in anyone.
It’s always good therefore, to live for humanity. Life is not about ‘me’, but about humanity. When you consider other people, life works out for you. This is a timeless principle I have adopted overtime, especially when I see a progressive mind who is hungry to learn.
One of the reasons most people are poor is simply because they have the wrong mindset, ideology and information. It’s instructive to know that when you learn well, you stand a better chance of earning well because the more you know, the more you get paid. Nobody pays anyone what they desire, but what they deserve.
Let me explain a little; a poor mind will think a rich man is wasting money by paying triple for a three-bedroom apartment in a porsche neighborhood while a rich mind will think he’s paying for security, and peace of mind.
Again, a poor mind will think a rich man is being extravagant when he buys a luxury perfume or watch when he can buy a decent perfume which ordinarily will perform the same service, but a wealthy mind knows that in the real world, life is governed by perception. According to Dr. Joe Abah, “as a man, there are three things you shouldn’t compromise: solid watch, good shoes and nice perfume”. He further went on to state you can be as casual as you like but once those three things are present, you don’t need to tell anyone you are decently comfortable.
Do you see that life is not about how much you have, but how you manage what you have, but more importantly, how you people perceive you. Some people might have money, but they will find it difficult to invest in their outlook by buying decent clothes, perfumes, shoes and watches.
Another great source of wealth is information. Like I always say, information is power. 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. So, it’s fair to say information leads to formation. You are a product of what you know.
It’s sad that many people don’t take time to invest in themselves by buying books of interest, paying for certification courses to enhance their knowledge, or even volunteering their time to intern to learn how great or successful people think.
When rich minds invest their minds to seek knowledge to gain information and knowledge which will set them apart from their contemporaries, they tend to gain access to opportunities in which they can earn decent money, entitled minds will begin to beg for money. That’s poverty mindset.
It should be noted, nobody owes you anything, most people worked hard to get to where they are today. They didn’t succeed because they looked nice, or luck favored them. Yes, those might be contributory factors, but the sacrosanct truth remains that, in civilized climes, they did the work, after all, luck is opportunity meeting preparation. If they were not prepared, the opportunity would have slipped by, and they would not have succeeded.
When we talk of wealth, it doesn’t only relate to money, wealth can also relate to how one thinks, speaks, acts, and prays. All these play critical roles in defining a human being. According to the Bible in Proverbs 17: 28, “Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue”. So if you are unsure about something, it is better to keep quiet because when you open your mouth, you tell the world who you are. So, when you meet a great mind, be careful how you engage them. That’s why it’s generally stated that it takes a minute for a great man to know if he likes someone who is seeking an opportunity. These great minds have six sense perception. They have the discerning minds to see through your mind.
There was a story I recently read from Dr. Femi Otedola’s book, “Making it Big”. The story is that of a young man who was trying to strike a deal with the business mogul. He came in an inferior car and was looking for a multi-million naira contract, Dr. Femi Otedola, being a shrewd businessman, evaluated the man and priced the him low, forcing him to grudgingly accept.
When the contact was sealed and the young man was about to leave, Dr. Femi called him back and asked him, do you know I priced you low? The man said no. Dr. Otedola said, it doesn’t make business sense to come with a cheap car to seek a multi-million business contract. What that really means is that you ought to dress the way you want to appear. Mr. Otedola, went on to inform him that in life, especially in business, perception rules.
Did you see it would have been better for the man to come in a decent car even though it doesn’t belong to him because he wouldn’t have been prized low. As a matter of fact, his value would have been elevated. The car opened a lot of canker worms about his mindset. Did you see that this statement corroborates with what the Bible stated in Proverbs 17:28.
The power of the mind can’t be overemphasized. Mindset cuts across every corner of our life. My late dad used to own a hospital with his brother, the motto of the hospital was “we care, but God cures”. That to me was very inspiring to know that doctors and nurses were limited in their thought process.
Furthermore, I once visited a general hospital in my hometown in Nigeria, each time I visited the hospital to see a patient, I discovered there’s always a gospel song in the background with a melodic soothing message to comfort everyone. In all honesty, even if one has given up hope of recovering, the song is capable of restoring hope. Again, that’s the power of the mind.
The moral here is that the mind controls everything. Napoleon Hill stated in his famous book, “Think and Grow Rich”, that “whatsoever the mind can conceive, believe, it can achieve it’.
In conclusion, if you want to be wealthy, please consider working on your mindset because that’s where everything, including success and failure start and end.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD
“Leadership envisions the future, Power builds it, but only Control ensures it endures. In their deliberate synergy lies the architecture of all human progress,” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD
Introduction: The Tripartite Foundation of Progress
At the heart of every significant human achievement—from the ascent of a thriving corporation to the resilience of a prosperous nation and the self-actualization of an individual—lies the potent interplay of three fundamental forces: Leadership, Power, and Control.
These concepts are often conflated or misunderstood. Yet, their distinct roles and synergistic relationship form the very bedrock upon which possibilities are envisioned and delivered. Leadership provides the vision and the compass; power furnishes the engine and the tools; and control ensures the steering and the governance. Together, they create an “architectonics of influence,” a deliberate framework for building a better future across all sectors of human endeavor.
Deconstructing the Core Concepts
- Leadership: The Compass of Purpose
Leadership is not merely a position; it is a process of social influence that maximizes the efforts of others toward achieving a goal. It is the domain of vision, inspiration, and emotional intelligence.
- For Peoples: Leadership manifests as mentorship, parenting, and community organizing. It empowers individuals to transcend their limitations, fostering personal growth, resilience, and a sense of agency.
- For Corporates: Leadership sets the strategic direction, cultivates culture, and inspires innovation. It is the force that aligns diverse talents toward a common mission, navigating market volatility and competitive pressures.
- For Nations: Leadership, at its best, articulates a national destiny, unites citizens around shared values, and steers the country through crises and opportunities on the global stage.
- Power: The Currency of Action
Power is the capacity to influence the behavior of others or the course of events. It is raw potential energy that, in itself, is neutral—its morality defined by its application. French and Raven’s classic bases of power provide a useful lens:
- Coercive & Reward Power: (Sticks and Carrots) Effective in the short term but often unsustainable, as they rely on external compliance rather than internal commitment.
- Legitimate Power: Derived from a formal position or title (e.g., CEO, Prime Minister).
- Expert Power: Granted based on knowledge, skills, and competence.
- Referent Power: The most potent form, earned through charisma, respect, and admirable qualities.
- Control: The Rudder of Stewardship
Control represents the systems, processes, and ethical frameworks that guide the application of power. It is the essential counterbalance that prevents power from becoming corrupt, arbitrary, or inefficient. Control is not about restriction, but about direction and stewardship.
- Mechanisms of Control: These include transparency, accountability, checks and balances, legal and regulatory frameworks, ethical codes of conduct, and performance metrics.
The Synergistic Equation: Leadership + Power + Control = Delivered Possibilities
The true impact occurs when these three elements are harmonized. Leadership without power is impotent; power without leadership is directionless; and both without control are dangerous.
The Formula for Impact: A visionary leader (Leadership) must wield appropriate forms of power (e.g., Expert and Referent) to mobilize resources and people. This application of power must then be channeled through robust control mechanisms to ensure it is effective, ethical, and aligned with the overarching goal. This synergy unlocks possibilities.
The Perils of Imbalance:
- Leadership without Power: The inspiring visionary with no authority or resources becomes a frustrated prophet, their ideas never materializing.
- Power without Leadership: The powerful but visionless authority figure (a tyrannical manager, a despotic ruler) creates chaos, stifles innovation, and leads to oppression or organizational decay.
- Power without Control: This is the definition of tyranny and corruption. It leads to the abuse of resources, the suppression of dissent, and ultimately, systemic failure (e.g., corporate scandals, state collapse).
Delivery Across Sectors: Peoples, Corporates, and Nations
- For Peoples: The Realm of Personal and Community Agency
- Leadership: Self-leadership—taking responsibility for one’s own growth and actions. Community leaders articulate a shared vision for neighborhood improvement.
- Power: The power of knowledge (Expert), the power of a strong network (Referent), and the collective power of organized action.
- Control: Personal discipline, ethical codes, and community-agreed rules of engagement.
- Delivered Possibilities: Empowered individuals achieve self-actualization. Cohesive communities solve local problems, foster social capital, and create environments where people can thrive.
- For Corporates: The Engine of Innovation and Value Creation
- Leadership: The CEO and C-suite set a compelling vision and culture. Middle managers translate strategy into action and empower their teams.
- Power: Legitimate power of hierarchy, expert power of specialized teams, and the referent power of a strong brand and respected leadership.
- Control: Corporate governance, board oversight, compliance departments, performance management systems, and a strong ethical culture.
- Delivered Possibilities: Sustainable profitability, market innovation, employee engagement and well-being, and long-term value for all stakeholders.
- For Nations: The Framework for Collective Prosperity and Stability
- Leadership: Elected officials, civil servants, and a judiciary that provide direction, uphold the law, and steward national resources.
- Power: The sovereign power of the state, derived from the consent of the governed (Legitimate), and exercised through institutions (military, judiciary, executive).
- Control: The Constitution, separation of powers, an independent judiciary, a free press, transparent elections, and anti-corruption watchdogs.
- Delivered Possibilities: Economic development, social justice, national security, public health, and the preservation of fundamental rights and freedoms—the foundation for a flourishing society.
The Indispensable Role of Control: From Stewardship to Possibilities
Control is the often-overlooked hero in this narrative. It is the difference between a dictator and a statesman, between a reckless conglomerate and a sustainable enterprise.
- Control Fosters Trust: Transparent and accountable systems build trust among citizens, employees, and investors, which is the currency of long-term collaboration.
- Control Enables Scalability: Without control mechanisms, organizations and nations cannot grow beyond a certain size without descending into inefficiency or chaos.
- Control Mitigates Risk: It provides the early warning systems and corrective actions that prevent catastrophic failures.
- Control Ensures Legitimacy: Power is seen as legitimate and worthy of support when it is exercised within a known and fair framework.
Conclusion: The Call for Conscious Stewardship
In a world of increasing complexity and interconnectedness, the deliberate and ethical management of leadership, power, and control is not a theoretical exercise—it is a practical imperative.
The ultimate delivery of possibilities—be it a child reaching their potential, a corporation pioneering a world-changing technology, or a nation achieving lasting peace and prosperity—rests on our collective ability to:
- Cultivate Leaders who are not only visionary but also humble, ethical, and empowered by referent and expert power.
- Wield Power consciously, recognizing its sources and its profound responsibility.
- Design and Uphold Control systems that are robust yet adaptable, ensuring that power is always a force for creation, not destruction.
The future does not simply happen; it is built. It is architected by those who understand that true, lasting power is the capacity to unlock human potential, and that the highest form of leadership is the stewardship of possibilities for all.
Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History and International Studies, Fellow Certified Management Consultant & Specialist, Fellow Certified Human Resource Management Professional, a Recipient of the Nigerian RoleModels Award (2024), and a Distinguished Ambassador For World Peace (AMBP-UN). He has also gained inclusion in the prestigious compendium, “Nigeria @65: Leaders of Distinction”.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
To some people, giving is a lifestyle while to some others, it is a burden. However, it should be noted that it is not only the person that has enough that gives, rather the person with a heart of giving.
Overtime, I have discovered that giving means different things to different people. While some people genuinely give to show concern, some people give to show appreciation and gratitude for favors received. A lot more others give for economic reasons like in the United States of America, where charitable giving can be considered for tax deduction. So, some people give to write off debts for taxable purposes. Maybe, they wouldn’t give if the tax code didn’t make that provision. Who knows? Some people even give because it is spiritually advised so that they can receive from the creator (God).
If you are asked why you give or what’s the reason behind your giving, what will be your answer? Personally, I love to give because giving makes me happy. This is how I see giving. Whenever I see anyone who is going through a lot, I feel much better when I assist them in alleviating or solving their problem. One of my favorite lines in the Bible is Matthew 11:28 which says, “Come to me all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. What the passage means is that God is our greatest succor whenever we are stressed. He advises us to bring our burden to him, and he will make us feel good.
Unfortunately however, we live in a society that loves to receive as opposed to giving. Many people derive joy in seeking assistance whether it relates to money, resources, or knowledge, but very few people selflessly bring their time to give and share their time and resources. One of my mentors once said, the givers hand is always on top while the receiver’s hand is always below. So, the question one needs to ask himself is, where do you want to belong?
One of the best things that can happen to anyone is to have a heart that gives. I recently read a book titled “Making it Big” by Dr. Femi Otedola, a global philanthropist. In his book, he stated that he got to a stage in life where he had to ask himself what makes him happy? He reflected deeply on that question and pondered on it for a while only for him to discover that giving is one of the greatest things that makes him happy. He went further to list all his philanthropic works which have endeared him to the hearts of people.
Dr. Femi Otedola, despite being a shrewd businessman has a large heart when it comes to giving. I have personally discovered that when one gives genuinely without any sentiments or emotions, it has a way of coming back to them in a hundred fold.
When one gives with love, God, in His infinite mercy might not give you back money, he might decide to give you good health, good children, good employees, mentors, opportunities etc. But ignorant minds won’t understand that these are what truly matter.
Uninformed minds would like to receive financial rewards, but they fail to understand that if you are given money, one might use that same money to treat oneself in the hospital or buy luxurious vehicles that might crash leading to their death. They can even use the money to build houses, factories, companies, etc. which can be consumed by fire. Do you see how God blesses one?
Having written about the importance of receiving, the big question we now must ask ourselves is how do we receive? To receive or attract favour, one must either give, solve problems or add value. These three principles are the factors responsible for changing the fortunes of any progressive mind.
Let’s take them one after another:
Giving
I call the act of giving, a womb opener. When you give, the style, manner and mindset of giving can be the game changer of your life. I can’t explain how giving has opened doors for me. Giving is one of the secrets that endeared me to a lot of resourceful minds. When I talk of giving in this context, I’m referring to both financially and resourceful. I give to my mentors, friends, mentees, family, relatives, strangers, God etc., and trust me the rewards have been fulfilling.
Over time, I have had conversations with people who feel giving to mentors is a waste of money because they are already rich and wealthy. I have a different mindset to that thought pattern. Your mentors or benefactors are always on the givers side, and it’s okay for one to think they don’t have any problem, but the truth is that they might have more problems than me and you, but they tend to manage or keep it close to their heart. Trust me, great men have deeper needs, so when someone gives them money or gift, it hits them differently. But more importantly, it separates you from the rank and file of people who might be classified as beggars.
It is generally stated that givers never lack, but I stand to disagree slightly, givers do lack when they don’t give with wisdom. Some people just give indiscriminately when they hear pitiable stories. While all these things are capable of making someone give, one has to be mindful of being moved with emotions and sentiments because when problems come, it won’t come with emotions and sentiments. As a matter of fact, when people see you can be swayed by emotion they can manipulate and play with your brain just to squeeze some money from you. Here is what I will advise, have a charitable benchmark for giving. I say this because when you don’t plan for your money, other folks will plan it for you.
Solve Problems
This right here is one of the best ways if not the best way to receive money. Nobody just gives their hard-earned money for fun because they like just like you without attaching the money for a cause. If you don’t have money, the reason is often because you are not solving a problem, or you are not solving enough problems, or you are not solving the right problem or you are not solving problems for the right people.
There’s so much money everywhere. Money surrounds us in the form of problems. It’s up to you to look at your community, company, institution etc. and ask, what can I do to fix these problems or challenges? When you proffer a solution with a better quality, money will come to your pocket. As one of my mentors will say, when the man with money meets the man with experience, the man with money will lose his experience to gain money and the man with experience will part with his experience to gain money.
Here is my advice: instead of begging people for money, ask them what can you do for them?
Add Value
The final but not the least is value. It’s instructive to note that the more you learn, the more you earn. Just like, network, access, education, money, relationship, are regarded as currencies. Value is the new currency. In fact, value is the center of all currency because they have something which people need. If you don’t have value, you won’t be respected or valued. Most times people just think they are nobody, maybe because they think they are poor, or not from a rich family. No, we are all relevant. It’s due to an inferiority complex that will make one to believe they are nobody. Everyone has a value. Provided you are a human being, there is something you can do.
Just like the poor man needs the rich man, the rich man also needs the poor man. Just like the USA doesn’t have all the resources despite being the most powerful nation on the planet, they also have needs, for instance they need some resources from other countries to supplement their needs.
In summary, if you want to receive, ask yourself, what am I giving?
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
