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Food for Living: Trust Your Wings
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By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Wing means different things to different entities. To a bird, it means the ability to fly; to an angel, it means a medium of delivering goodwill messages; to a bat, it’s seen as a form of movement from one spot to another, and many more. The million dollar question, therefore, is what’s the purpose of a wing to you as an individual? To fly, to jump, or have fun with?
We all have wings, no doubt, but most people are not in the habit of using their wings well. Some even use their wings for the wrong reasons. But your wings can serve as an asset to your personal and professional development if properly activated.
To drive home how wings can serve as a tool for enhancement, I will explain using a bird. As we all know, a bird’s wing is for flying. The eagle is considered the king of the sky or king of the air because its ability to fly far above the earth and reach great altitudes represents untethered freedom, liberation from bondage, and a perspective that rises above worldly troubles.
The reason the eagle can fly is simply because of its wings. The wing does not depend on the eyes to fly; no, the eye serves a unique purpose that enables the eagle to see what other birds can’t see. The eagle’s eye gives it clarity, hyper-focus, heightened awareness, and the ability to see the bigger picture beyond immediate distractions.
The birds are not an exception. Do you know that if a bird lands on a branch, the branch does not break; even if it breaks, the bird is not scared of falling because it trusts its ability to fly because of its wings. Let me ask you a question: when a bird lands on a branch of a tree, does it trust the branch not to break, or does it trust its ability to fly? One may say both to an extent; however, I will say the bird will trust its wings more because the bird ought to have common sense to know what can protect and sustain it, and that is its wings.
The main reason the bird won’t be scared is simply because of its wings. The bird knows that even if the branch breaks or falls apart, it won’t fall; rather, it will fly away to safety. This is how simple life works: most times, we depend on people, money, and other things to succeed, but the main person we ought to depend on is God, as well as believe in ourselves. And to believe in ourselves, we must have self-confidence.
One of the greatest limiting factors preventing us from succeeding in life is lack of confidence. Many people don’t believe in themselves; even those who believe in themselves sometimes have doubts. In some cases, they lack the confidence to take the bold step. If you have confidence like a bird, you won’t be scared if anyone leaves you. Even if you are fired from your job or experience challenges in life, you will know it’s for a short period of time and that you can bounce back.
Still on the story of the bird, the birds trust their wings to fly and not the branch. The birds know that anything can happen to the branch. For instance, a hunter may try to shoot the tree, and the force can affect the branch; a big animal with weight may try to attack the bird, and the weight may break the branch. It could be any reason.
So, in real life, we’ll be tested; life is going to test the branches we are relying on or standing on. These branches can be our friends, family members, our health, religion, business, money, relationship, academics, jobs, etc. All these branches will shake; some will disappear without warning. Question: What will you do when your “branch” falls apart? Do you cry over spilt milk, or will you activate your wings of perseverance? Let me tell you, your wings belong to you. Your wings are your power. They cannot be taken away from you no matter what, unless you give them up.
As mentioned earlier, your wings can be your confidence, perseverance, character, knowledge, skill, or even gift/talent. All these virtues don’t come from what you are standing on. They should come from inside of you. So, don’t give up that inherent power in you. Remember, if the whole world is telling you you can do something, and you know you can’t do it, you will fail, but if the whole world is telling you you can’t do something, and you know you can do it, you will succeed because 1 John 4:4 says, he that is in you is greater and strong than he that is in the world.
In my journey through life, I discovered that many people trust their branch for approval, comfort, and sustenance; they forget that they are born to fly.
It’s instructive to note that life doesn’t offer us a straight road. Life is not tested when everything is stable around us; rather, it is tested when there’s chaos and when everything around us begins to shake. And, as such, it does not punish you when your branch breaks; rather, it reminds you who you are, and it instructs you to remember what’s always yours from the start. All you need is the key to activate your wings so you can fly. Don’t allow failure to define you. Do you see why it’s important to trust your wings?
I need you to understand that if you learn to trust yourself by trusting your wings, you won’t be afraid of failing. Trust me, your wings are not safe because the world is safe. The world is not safe and will never be safe, so trust your wings because you can overcome any storm or challenges that come to you when everything falls apart
As I begin to wrap up, I need you to look into yourself and ask yourself, what’s the wing inside of me? What’s the wing I’m yet to activate? If you find it, please activate it and trust it. Remember, you’ll experience challenges and setbacks, but that’s part of the process of trusting your wings. So, my final message to you today is: Stop trying to fix the branch when it’s time to fly. Fly, because it’s your heritage.
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- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny, and The Six Pillars of Success. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Dele Momodu, has said no political permutation will save President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that widespread hunger and hardship will determine the outcome.
Momodu stated this on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, anchored by Seun Okinbaloye.
According to him, Nigerians across all regions and ethnic lines are united by economic hardship, which no amount of money or political calculation can overcome.
“The common factor now is the hunger in the land. No permutation can beat hunger. The Yorubas are suffering, the Hausas are suffering, the Igbos are suffering, everybody is suffering,” he said.
He argued that President Tinubu cannot buy the entire country, even if he was able to deploy money effectively in Lagos State politics in the past.
“Tinubu believes he can buy the whole of Nigeria, but my personal belief is that if he could buy the whole of Lagos, I doubt if he can use money to buy the whole of Nigeria,” Momodu stated.
The Ovation Publisher said Nigerians had become wiser and would collect any money offered to them during elections but still vote according to their conscience.
He cited the Osun State governorship election as a case study, noting that, despite the huge funds allegedly deployed, the people voted for Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“And a lot of people will take the money like they took it in Osun State. People’s eyes are wide open now. They brought a lot of money to Osun State, but they still lost the election to Ademola Adeleke,” he said.
Momodu also recalled that Tinubu lost Lagos State to Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, which he said proves that incumbency and financial muscle do not guarantee victory.
He maintained that President Tinubu would not win in 2027, claiming that many Nigerians could not imagine a second term for the administration.
“If you ask an average Nigerian today, do you trust Tinubu to conduct a free and fair election? 90 per cent will say no. Nobody trusts Tinubu, including his own supporters,” Momodu said.
On the detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Momodu described him as a “prisoner of conscience” who is being persecuted because of his political influence.
“Nasir El-Rufai is a lion. They caged him because he is a lion. Even when a lion is caged, it is still a lion. They want him locked up until after 2027 because they fear his influence,” he said.
He disclosed that El-Rufai’s appointment as Deputy Chairman of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council was in honour of his sacrifice and resilience.
“It is a way of honouring his sacrifice because his travails are quite political in nature. That is why Nasir has become a prisoner of conscience. He is in the hands of a government that he helped to midwife,” Momodu added.
He said the 2027 election would be a referendum on hunger, hardship and governance, and not on political permutations.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communications, Engagement and New Media Strategy, O’tega Ogra, has faulted Momodu’s comments.
Reacting to the interview, Ogra accused the opposition of embracing “perpetual negativity” and opposing government policies without objective assessment.
He said Momodu’s assertion ignored ongoing reforms and improvements recorded in key economic indicators, including foreign reserves, power generation and inflation management.
Ogra urged opposition figures to offer constructive criticism rather than painting a picture of total failure, stressing that President Tinubu would ultimately be judged by his reforms and track record.
The Tribune
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has denied asking Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to abandon relatives who depend on them for financial support, saying his message about hardship in Nigeria was distorted by political opponents.
Obi said he appreciates Nigerians in the Diaspora who make sacrifices to support their families at home, stressing that his concern is the country’s dependence on remittances to meet basic needs.
In a statement titled; “My Message Has Been Twisted”, posted on X on Tuesday, the former Governor of Anambra State clarified that he never asked Nigerians abroad to stop supporting their loved ones.
“I deeply appreciate Nigerians in the diaspora who work tirelessly and make enormous sacrifices to support their families back home,” he said.
“Their remittances pay for school fees, hospital bills, rent, and feeding expenses. Their patriotism and sacrifices deserve our profound respect. I never asked them to abandon their loved ones.”
Obi said his message was aimed at drawing attention to the economic conditions forcing millions of Nigerians to rely on relatives abroad for their survival.
“My concern is that Nigeria should not remain a country where millions depend on relatives abroad for basic survival,” he said.
“Our goal must be to build a nation that provides jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, and economic opportunities for its citizens.”
He accused political opponents of misrepresenting his comments, insisting that his position is about addressing the causes of hardship rather than discouraging financial assistance to families.
“Political opponents may twist my message, but the truth remains clear: I am not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families. I am advocating for a Nigeria that will no longer abandon its own people,” he said.
The clarification followed backlash over comments Obi made during a town hall meeting with Diaspora supporters in Manchester on Sunday.
In a video that went viral, Obi urged Nigerians in the UK to think twice before giving money to relatives and others at home who ask them for financial assistance, arguing that such support could ease hardship without addressing its underlying causes.
“You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no!” he said.
Obi attributed the country’s economic difficulties to poor leadership, urging Nigerians abroad to encourage their relatives and friends at home to vote for leaders who would prioritise productivity and economic opportunities.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has dismissed the EFCC’s appeal and affirmed the ₦12 million compensation awarded to Dr. Monday Ubani, SAN, for his unlawful 21-day detention in 2019. The court also awarded ₦300,000 in costs against the Commission.
Ubani was detained after securing administrative bail for a client accused of jumping bail. Despite a court order directing the EFCC to release him conditionally or charge him with any alleged offence, the Commission failed to comply, prompting his lawyer, Chief Professor Mike Ozekhome, to institute a fundamental rights action in his favour.
On January 5, 2022, the Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, ruled in Ubani’s favour. The EFCC appealed, challenging the trial court’s jurisdiction and the amount of compensation awarded.
In dismissing the appeal, the Court of Appeal rejected both arguments, holding that the compensation was justified and that the EFCC’s investigative powers do not permit arbitrary detention or disobedience of court orders.
The judgment reaffirms that law enforcement agencies remain subject to the Constitution and judicial authority. It also underscores the protection of fundamental rights, the limits of law enforcement powers and the consequences of unlawful detention.
Beyond the financial award, the decision highlights the responsibilities of sureties and the obligation of security agencies to obey court orders, making it a potentially significant reference in future fundamental rights litigation.
