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Food for Living: The Opportunity You Need in 2021
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
“The secret of success is to be ready when your opportunity comes” – Benjamin Disraeli
Happy New Year. It is a thing of joy to celebrate a new year. Today being the first of January 2021 is very symbolic because it gives us an opportunity to make new resolutions, it ushers in new opportunities and new vision depending on what you are working on. It should be noted that the new year doesn’t come with opportunities, you create the opportunities, and in creating the opportunities, you have to be intentional and deliberate on what you are doing.
What really is opportunity? Opportunity means different things to different people. Opportunity can be defined as a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. As we journey into 2021, the task before us is how we can create the right opportunity in order to have a fruitful year. We shall be looking for how to create the right opportunity.
In 2021, everyone’s desire is to succeed and achieve greater success than they did in 2020. Some people had amazing opportunities in 2020, while some had, but could not make use of it. Opportunity comes to everyone in several ways. For some, it literally makes itself available and expects one to grab it. For others, the opportunity must be created by thinking out of the box.
Just like Coronavirus pandemic caused so much harm to many people through loss of loved ones, and businesses which couldn’t function at optimal capacity, any longer, yet, it created the opportunity for creative minds like Eric Yuan, the creator of Zoom to become a billionaire because of the demand for zoom meetings.
The point here is that in whatever circumstances you find yourself, an opportunity will always present itself for you if only you can think out of the box. For example, the right opportunity enables you to acquire new skills, financial gain, greater access to leadership roles.
What most people don’t understand is 2021 won’t offer you the right opportunity you need, in most cases, you will have to create the opportunity in order to fulfil the yearnings of your heart; in our search for financial stability, we have to the right opportunity in our search for fulfilment in life, we have to create the right that opportunity will make us happy.
The new year definitely offers new opportunities to succeed, but the question we have to ask ourselves is, how do we take advantage of those opportunities?
Look for opportunities
Opportunities don’t come to us, rather it presents itself to us. For you to take advantage of any opportunity, you must be prepared for it. As a rational mind, your focus in 2021 is to look for the right opportunity which could be via networking, serving, travelling, attending professional events among others. It can also involve going to odd places which ordinarily may sound foolish to most people, but as a rational mind who is able to think out of the box, you can create an opportunity when you see a market to sell a product or convert people to buy your idea.
Be willing to read and research
This is another great way of creating opportunity. A philosopher once said, if I can’t find the answer, I know where to find it. He was basically talking about researching. It is generally believed that knowledge is power, but in reality, knowledge is information, and it is the application of that knowledge or information which gives you power.
Be clear on what you want.
The more specific you are with respect to your business and what you want generally, the better it will be for people to assist you. When you know what you want, you’ll take proactive steps to create the right opportunities you need. When you don’t really know what you want, it will be difficult to know when an opportunity arrives.
When you are clear about what you are looking for, it creates a road map and avenue that causes you to see opportunities that match your interest and disregard other opportunities that are just distractions.
Know what steps are necessary to achieve it
If you really know what you want, you will make necessary efforts to achieve it. In this age where technology rules, it’s literally easy to get what you want if you’re internet savvy. Identifying the necessary steps is a key part of the process that may require investigating, studying and learning lots of new information.
There are several ways to attract the right opportunities. For example, you must decide on what you want, know when the right opportunity presents itself, you must pay attention, be diligent and be able to network strategically.
Think about services people need
In order for you to create wealth, you need to create a service or product people are willing to purchase. Before starting a business, ask yourself if there is a demand for the product. There was a story about two friends who were walking in a village and one discovered there’s a market for them to make footwears for the villagers, who weren’t wearing any footwear, while the other was seeing lack of market based on the fact the people won’t be able to purchase the product.
Surround yourself with the right people
In 2021, try to surround yourself with the right people. It is widely acclaimed; your network is your networth and if you’re the smartest person in the room, leave the room. Having the right people around you can create numerous opportunities for you. The right people can be the right mentors, mentees, friends, books, etc. For instance, if nine of your friends are billionaires, it won’t take long for you to become the next billionaire.
According to Olajide Abiola “Opportunities do not wear name tags.
“You’ve been socialized wrongly if you believe opportunities must announce itself with a public address system. Most or all of us are constantly presented with opportunities. There is hardly anyone who doesn’t get an opportunity. That people are unable to recognize or interpret situations to identify the opportunities doesn’t invalidate the opportunity. Opportunities do not wear name tags and aren’t pre-announced. You cannot stereotype how opportunities manifest.
Opportunity can manifest through misfortune.
Opportunity can manifest through crisis.
Opportunity can manifest through pain.
Opportunity can manifest through disappointment.
Opportunity can manifest through inconveniences.
Some opportunities have to be cultivated, watered, fertilized et al. Some opportunities require you to prune things. The reason many miss opportunities is because they see opportunity as a RIPENED fruit that should simply be plucked out. There are opportunities for everything all around, you just need to have an enlightened mind. You must also know that you may have to plant an opportunity, water an opportunity, fumigate an opportunity, fertilize an opportunity”.
In conclusion, what opportunity are you willing to create in 2021 by thinking out of the box?
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a mindset coach and transformational coach. 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
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Samuel Ajose, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the next governor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) will not stand.
GAC, regarded as the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, endorsed Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, indicating an early alignment within the ruling party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Speaking after the session, GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, said members unanimously agreed on Hamzat, expressing confidence in his ability to sustain and build on the state’s developmental progress.
Olusi explained that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the party’s forthcoming primaries and assess the governorship position ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking about the GAC adoption of Hamzat as Lagos APC consensus 2027 governorship candidate on Arise News on Tuesday, Ajose said that Sanwo-Olu and others are trying to force President Tinubu into making a decision.
“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing.
“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand.”
The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to borrow Five Hundred and Sixteen Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, seven ($516,333,007) US dollars in syndicated financing from Deutsche Bank AG.
The House approved it during the plenary on Tuesday in Abuja after the presentation of a report by the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Aids, Loans, and Debts Management, Abdullahi Rasheed.
The money is expected to fund the construction of sections of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway.
President Tinubu wrote to the lawmakers, seeking a $516.3 million loan from Deutsche Bank to support the construction of the road.
The president said the loan, to be sourced from a syndicated financing facility by Deutsche Bank, will fund sections 1, 1A, and 1B of the project, which covers about 120 kilometres.
Tinubu requested a resolution in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011, to enable the federal government to secure the financing for Sections 1, Phase 1A, and Phase 1B of the project.
The project is a flagship initiative of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is targeted at enhancing national connectivity, improving the movement of goods across key economic corridors, and drastically shrinking travel time.
The 1,000-kilometre project will link Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, connecting Illela to Badagry.
According to him, the financing arrangement will be backed by a partial risk guarantee from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
He said the Federal government will provide counterpart funding of over N265 billion for land acquisition, compensation, and related infrastructure.
The former Lagos governor said the loan is structured for nine years and includes a three-year grace period.
It has an interest rate pegged at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange SOFR plus 5.3 per cent per annum.
Already, the Federal Executive Council has approved the financing plan.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, over alleged money laundering, misappropriation and diversion of funds amounting to N36.54bn and $30m.
Ayeni, a businessman, was arrested in Abuja on Thursday, and is currently being held at the commission’s facility.
The arrest followed an EFCC probe into alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds said to have been obtained from Polaris Bank through multiple entities linked to him.
“Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a former board chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc and businessman, Tunde Ayeni, in connection with alleged money laundering, misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N36,540,058,400.00 and $30m.
“Ayeni was arrested sequel to the investigation of the EFCC into alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N36,540,058,400.00 and $30m obtained from Polaris Bank Plc by different entities linked to him.
“The funds were loans obtained allegedly for specific investment projects but subsequently transferred to other entities’ accounts. Investigations showed that, though the loans were obtained for purposes such as finance of marine security activities, electricity distribution contract, estate development, they were diverted to the NITEL/MTEL asset acquisition through NATCOM account,” one of the sources said.
Another source said the commission is currently probing 12 companies allegedly linked to Ayeni, which it said were used to obtain the loans from Polaris Bank.
“Twelve different companies linked to Ayeni are being investigated by the EFCC. They are entities he allegedly used to obtain loans from Polaris Bank for his shady activities. The loans are depositors’ funds fraudulently obtained and frittered into diverse wasteful purposes. Ayeni will be arraigned in due course upon conclusion of investigations,” the source said.
When contacted, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest but declined to give further details.
The Punch
