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Food for Living: Understanding the Principles of Life
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Life is governed by laws and principles. If one misses the principles and laws, it might be difficult for them to succeed.
Life has many dynamics and navigating through life can be very challenging.
In the course of this article, I will share some insights on how one can overcome the challenges of life. This article will focus on human relationships because that’s one of the best ways to live through life.
Whether in marriage, business, academia, politics, leadership, or entertainment, there are principles, ethics, codes of conduct, laws and rules governing them. When you miss any of them, there’s bound to be consequences. In marriage, for instance, when there’s constant infidelity, domestic violence and lack of communication, there’s a huge tendency for the marriage to break down.
In business, when you don’t have the right systems and structures, it will be difficult to scale up. The same applies to leadership, politics, and professional establishments; when you go against the rules or code of conduct, you are bound to pay the price. The inherent message here is that life is governed by laws and principles, nothing exists on its own. There’s always a corresponding reaction from every action.
It is very sad however, to know that many people just live their life carelessly with hope that life and things will align for them. This is a wrong notion and understanding of life. These shallow minds fail to understand that you can’t build something on nothing, nor can you give what you don’t have. It’s quite unfortunate to know that some people even live their life based on luck, failing to understand that luck only meets prepared minds.
It should be noted that there’s nothing in life that doesn’t have a pattern. Everything in life is governed by a process. Nothing exists on its own, just as no human being exists on their own. We all need one another to thrive. Again, look at the human body, no human organ exists on its own, they all depend on each other to function well.
For one to succeed as an individual, you must learn the art of human relationship. It’s a skill you must learn whether you like it or not. Human relationship is a currency which can attract goodwill if properly harnessed. It should be noted that in this kingdom called life, who hates you does not matter but who likes you really matters. Who likes you can create a million dollar opportunity for you that can change the course of your life. The question you should be asking yourself is how do I attract these people into my life? Your greatest prayer is for these men and women to find favour in you. When they do, they can break protocol for you. Do you know that men can redefine the possibilities of your life? This will only work when you know how to tap into the right principles of life.
You may be wondering what these principles are? While there are a million and one principles, your major concern is to identify the right principle that will work for you. To attract great people into your life, you must study their work, know the causes they support, the kind of principles they adopt, the books they read, the mistakes they made, their vision to life and their attitudes to life. These will give you an insight into their personality. When you do so, you have answered fifty percent of the questions.
Do you know that there are people you can’t cast away even if you don’t like them. Your ability to decipher the right form of wisdom to relate closely with them can be the game changer of your life. When you meet this set of people, your greatest prayer should be “Lord grant me favour to pass through their gate. This set of people may not fit into your ideal man/woman, but the truth is that you need them to get to your destination, and this takes humility to come through. Note that you will be making a big mistake when you talk too much instead of listening more.
These set of people might be the gatekeepers, custodians or even the influencers that can change the trajectory of your life. You will be foolish to disregard them and say, you’ll pray your way out. When these people despise you, it will take divine intervention for you to overcome their rejection. Nor matter how bad they are, they have favours, graces and opportunities coming to them by virtue of their position or gift which you must tap into to succeed. These sets of people may be planned by God to do a particular job or fulfil a particular role. They may not even look it or qualify for the position, but again, that’s how life and nature programmed it. A typical example is the former President of the United States of America Donald Trump, who many people were surprised at how he was able to beat Hillary Clinton to become the US president. President Trump simply applied the right principles which in this case can be the language the people the people wanted to hear. Moral: God can place certain people in different positions to fulfill certain purposes for his glory or for someone. Be smart.
In our contemporary society, we have seen people who pray and do little or no work. My humble advice to them is don’t pray blind prayers or read to get good grades and forget the value of human relationships and mentorship, which place you ahead of your contemporaries, who were getting good grades.
In life, sometimes, you must roll your sleeves and ask how it’s been done technically, professionally, spiritually, socially, and academically. If it entails speaking the ‘street language’, please do. That goes to show how smart you can be when you think out of the box. After all, if you want to get something from a child, you’ll have to bend down, true or false?
Another way to understand the right approach to prayer can be seen when people pray. There are right ways of praying and there are wrong ways of praying. According to the Holy Book, it was recorded that a certain man was praying to God and he said, he was a good man who doesn’t commit sin like his tax collector colleague. At the end of the day, his prayer was not answered, God answered the prayer of the other man who asked forgiveness and admitted he was a sinner. The inherent message here is that of understanding. One of the men prayed right and the other had a proud outlook.
In conclusion, as you approach life, be mindful of how you relate with human beings through your thoughts, words, and action. Your ability to apply the right principles, laws, codes, rules and more importantly, attitudes will determine how far you will go in life.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer. 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
The Federal High Court In Abuja on Tuesday ordered the remand of the Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, also ordered the remand of his co-dedendants, his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives Bashir Asabe.
Justice Nwite made the order after taking arguments from the defence team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN) and the prosecution counsel Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count money laundering charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants conspired at various times to conceal, retain and disguise the proceeds of unlawful activities running into several billions of naira.
According to the charge, the alleged offences span several years and include the use of companies and bank accounts to launder funds, the retention of cash as collateral for loans, and the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations.
The commission further alleges that some of the offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sent a veiled message to Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying support for President Bola Tinubu alone will not guarantee any election ticket.
Wike made the statement on Sunday during a public outing in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
His remarks were widely seen as directed at Governor Fubara, amid lingering political crisis in the State.
The former Governor of Rivers State said political loyalty must be tested during difficult times, not after power has been secured.
He mocked those he described as late supporters of President Tinubu, insisting that sudden alignment would not earn political rewards.
He said: “So the issue is not whether you are supporting Tinubu. That one, we have taken too long, long… Yes, oh. So Tinubu’s issue is not an issue again. Yes. Do you understand me? Yes. Tinubu’s issue is that nobody should be coming here to tell a day. We are for Tinubu; I am against you. Who is for Tinubu University? (laughs) That cannot give you any ticket oh! (laughs again) Direct, direct. It will not. Direction. Direction.”
Wike stressed that his political camp stood with Tinubu when the decision was unpopular. He said that support given under pressure carries more weight than alignment after victory.
He also recalled how the Rivers State House of Assembly openly backed Tinubu early, long before the election outcome was certain.
According to him, some of those now making public declarations were absent during the critical period.
“The same people now who came to declare, put them to God… But they should declare they are saying it for a candidate. Yes. Don’t you see characters? (laughs) So I send the sword far ahead of them.”
Wike further spoke on governance and continuity. He defended projects and agreements initiated during his tenure as governor. He said it is often difficult for successors to acknowledge past efforts, even though government is a continuous process.
His comments come weeks after Governor Fubara formally aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party of President Tinubu.
The move followed months of political crisis in Rivers State, which led to federal intervention and a declaration of emergency rule.
Political watchers believe Wike’s remarks constitute a direct response to Fubara’s recent positioning as a key Tinubu ally in Rivers politics. Critics argue that Fubara’s support surfaced only after the political storm had settled.
Wike, who remains a dominant force in Rivers State politics despite serving in Abuja, appears to have drawn a clear line ahead of the 2027 elections.
He suggested that political tickets would be decided by proven loyalty, not convenience.
Videos from the event in Rumuche, Emohua, spread rapidly on social media. Many users described the speech as a coded warning to the governor.
As of press time, neither the Rivers State Government nor Wike’s media team had issued an official clarification.
The comments, however, suggest that the political rift between both camps is still active, despite earlier peace moves brokered at the national level.
The opposition African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party on Sunday criticized President Bola Tinubu for departing Nigeria for Europe on holiday at a time the country is grappling with rising insecurity, including foreign military interventions in the North.
The Presidency announced on Sunday that Tinubu left Lagos for Europe for his end-of-year holiday ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he is scheduled to attend the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the trip was by invitation from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to participate in the summit, which gathers global leaders from government, business, and civil society to advance sustainable development strategies.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January,” the statement read.
Reacting to Tinubu’s departure, the ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, faulted the timing as inappropriate given the security challenges facing the country.
The ADC noted the deadly terrorist bomb blast in Zamfara and the ongoing foreign military involvement, calling the President’s move insensitive.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s lack of care is alarming. In the wake of another deadly bomb blast in Zamfara, and following an unprecedented foreign military attack on Nigerian soil, the nation is waiting for reassurance from its leader. Instead, we learn the President has gone on holiday. What a President!” Abdullahi said.
Similarly, LP’s acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the trip as “insensitive and devoid of empathy” for Nigerians facing violent attacks and humanitarian crises.
Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, she stressed that the President should have remained in the country to coordinate security responses.
“This is the most inauspicious time for the President to leave the country. Even the Christmas holiday in Lagos seems ill-timed, given that a bomb exploded in Zamfara today, killing nine people,” Usman said.
She further alleged that Nigeria was under external attack and accused the government of downplaying the severity of the situation.
“Nigeria is under attack by a foreign nation. No matter how the government tries to frame this, it is a violation of our sovereignty. This is the time for the commander-in-chief to coordinate the response, not embark on a holiday,” Usman said.
She added that the President had not convened critical security meetings since the U.S.-led bombardment of terrorist camps in Kwara and Sokoto States and condemned the perceived lack of engagement with military leadership.
The President’s trip comes amid heightened security concerns. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump authorised AFRICOM to conduct airstrikes on terrorist camps in Sokoto State, hours before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the operation. A deadly bomb blast in Zamfara on Friday claimed several lives.
The 17th edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will run from January 11 to 15 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go.”
The event aims to connect innovation, finance, and people to advance sustainable development.
Onanuga confirmed that Tinubu would return to Nigeria after the summit.
Hosted by Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy company, the summit will feature the invitation-only ADSW Summit, the World Future Energy Summit, the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, and specialised sessions on hydrogen, climate finance, water security, and utilities in the Global South. Organisers expect more than 50,000 participants from over 170 countries, featuring over 700 global brands and exhibitions of emerging clean technologies.
The UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, noted that ADSW 2026 builds on two decades of the UAE’s leadership in renewable energy.
Tinubu previously attended the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2025, where he held meetings with Gulf investors and officials on trade, energy cooperation, and climate finance.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu has undertaken at least 46 foreign trips, spending an estimated 192 days abroad as of October 2025. In 2025 alone, he travelled internationally no fewer than 15 times to countries including Ghana, the UAE, Tanzania, France, Italy, Saint Lucia, Japan, and Brazil for summits, bilateral engagements, and holidays.
