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Food for Living: The Turning Point of Your Life
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Everyone of us has experienced a turning point at one time or another in life. The turning point can be when you marry; when you achieve academic excellence; when you meet a great man/woman; when you get a job/promotion; when you travel; when you became financial independent; when you are blessed with a new child; or even when you experience spiritual deliverance. Turning points are times that change your outlook & attitudes towards life. It can affect your relationship with people. Question: At what point will you say is the turning point in your life? For me, when I published my first book, got a decent job, and married, were times my life literally took a new shape.
We all need a turning point in our life, but that turning point will not come unless we take the necessary decisions. While going up, we all must have faced one form of challenge or another; the challenge can be due to poverty or education. Have you ever been in a position where due to poverty you weren’t able to access the basic needs of life? That is the story of many people. Poverty can make you decide, you’ll no longer want to remain poor, especially when you experienced poverty growing up. At that stage, you will decide to do whatever is legitimate to eradicate poverty from your life.
In the same vein, when you experience the pain of not being educated, you can decide to get an education to change a narrative. Having a good education is priceless because education is one of the greatest levelers.
For you to turn your life around, you must know yourself. Self-discovery is the first key to success. You must know what you are passionate about, you must know what works for you and most importantly know what change you will like to see in your life. For instance, if you want to study any professional course, you must know what is required to make the dream come true.
Turning point can result from an unpleasant situation or incident which you or the world might have experienced. For instance, when you experience injustice in the system due to rape of a loved one, death of a loved one, shooting of a loved one, or a scene that makes you feel uncomfortable, you can decide to run for election to bring change in order to fix the system.
When you decide to have a turning point in your life, you are literally taking your destiny into your hands. You will focus your energy on doing the needful, you will remove any form of distraction. It’s instructive to note that your life is your life, your joy is your joy, your sorrow is your sorrow, no one can share it with you. The moral of this statement is that you are the architect of your life and as such you don’t need to live your life for anybody.
In turning your life around, you must do whatever works for you. You can’t please anyone neither can you please the world. Human beings by nature are insatiable. According to Bill Cosby, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody”. So when you decide to live your life for anyone, just have it a the back of your mind, the world is not literally concerned about your absence except when you have left your footprints in the hearts of humanity, even at that, there will come a day when the world will experience the same love and affection from another resourceful being. For instance, imagine if you are an entertainer or social media influencer when you leave planet earth, nor matter how rich, influential or fun your content maybe, after you must have completed your time on earth, the world will not take much time to find someone else to replace you. That’s how basically life works. So, don’t think you are irreplaceable.
In conclusion, decide today what you are not comfortable with and make an internal and conscious decision to fix it. It all starts with an idea. When the idea is conceived, you must nurture it by working on it. It’s only by so doing, you will get people who will buy into it. Remember, the change you want to see in the world begins with you.
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
By Eric Elezuo
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, has announced the release of the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2025–Second Series.
The examination, according to a statement signed by the Ag. Head, Public Affairs, Ms Moyo Adesina was written between Tuesday, November 11 and Wednesday, December 17, 2025 with a total of
SIXTY-NINE THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED AND FOUR (69,604) candidates, in 370) centres across the country.
The statement noted that “Out of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, SIXTY-ONE THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE (61,943) candidates, representing 94.21 % have their results fully processed and released while THREE THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINE (3,809) candidates, representing 5.79% have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors traceable to them.”
It further added that “THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-NINE (33,989) candidates representing 51.69% obtained credit and above in a minimum of FIVE (5) subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics) while TWENTY-SEVEN THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN (27,727) candidates representing 42.17% obtained credit and above in a minimum of FIVE (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Council said that a total of 1,899 Candidates’ results, representing 2.89 % of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice, and that the cases are being investigated.
The Council therefore, advised candidates to check their results by visiting www.waecdirect.org to ascertain their status before visiting the Digital Certificate platform (www.waec.org) to access the digital copies of their certificates, which have been released along with the results.
The Federal government has filed a three-count charge against a former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over the alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Last week, El-Rufai claimed in an interview that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.
However, the Federal Government, through the Department of State Services (DSS), filed charges against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the charge sheet obtained by Channels Television on Monday, the government stated that El-Rufai admitted that he and his cohorts allegedly intercepted the NSA’s phone conversations.
The charges:
Count 1
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count 2
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant Security agencies and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count 3
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131 (2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
News
INEC Consults, Seeks Legislative Intervention As Reactions Trail Release of 2027 Election Timetable
The Independent National Electoral Commission has acknowledged public concerns over the timing of the 2027 general elections, which coincide with the holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting and prayers for Muslims, and said it may seek legislative intervention if necessary.
This was disclosed in a statement by the National Commissioner, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, on Friday.
The commission explained that the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general election was developed in strict compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, and INEC’s own Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of Elections, 2022.
The statement highlighted that the Regulations and Guidelines, issued since 2019, prescribe the dates for elections:
Accordingly, INEC fixed Saturday, February 20, 2027 for the presidential and National Assembly elections, and Saturday, March 6, 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly Elections.
However, the commission acknowledged public concerns regarding the timing of the elections, which coincide with the holy month of Ramadan.
INEC said it is sensitive to such considerations and remains open to adjustments.
“Notwithstanding the foregoing, the commission has taken due notice of concerns expressed by stakeholders regarding the coincidence of the scheduled dates with certain nationally recognised holidays and observances.
“The commission wishes to assure the public that it remains sensitive to all legitimate concerns that may impact electoral participation and the overall conduct of elections.
“In view of these representations, the commission is currently undertaking consultations and may, where necessary, seek appropriate legislative intervention to address the concerns raised, while ensuring that any adjustment remains consistent with constitutional and statutory requirements,” the statement said.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and the credible conduct of the 2027 general elections, promising to keep the public informed of any changes.
The commission had earlier scheduled party primaries between May 22 and June 20, 2026, for the nomination of candidates, alongside the general election dates.
Recall political figures like former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to reconsider the February 20, 2027 date announced for the next general elections.
They expressed concerns that the timing coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, which could affect participation by Muslim voters.
The Punch
