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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
Glo subscribers who use Palmpay app to recharge their lines are in for an exciting time as winners have begun to emerge in the ongoing second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza”, a collaborative promo between Palmpay and Globacom.
The promotion rewards Glo users who recharge their lines via the Palmpay app with a chance to win premium prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and several other exciting giveaways. According to a joint statement from both companies, the initiative is designed to encourage seamless digital recharges while rewarding customer loyalty in the process.
So far, winners have been announced from the latest draws, with several participants winning brand new Infinix Hot 40 smartphones and other prizes. Among the lucky winners are Basirat Mayowa Opatunji from Osogbo, Osun State, Wisdom Anayo Uzoma, Afeez Akanfe Muraina, and Oyedikachi Herbert.
To ensure convenience, winners outside Lagos will have their prizes dispatched to the nearest Palmpay office for pickup.
Participation in the promo is open until August 8, 2025, and is as simple as recharging a Glo line with ₦500 or more via the Palmpay app. Each qualifying transaction automatically enters the subscriber into a draw for a chance to win. In addition, a daily social media challenge offers more opportunities to win cash prizes.
Palmpay users also enjoy up to 6 percent cashback on Glo airtime and data purchases during the promo. Even better, customers who haven’t activated a Glo data plan in the last 90 days are eligible for a 100% bonus on their recharge.
One of the winners, Basirat Mayowa Opatunji, couldn’t hide her excitement after winning an Infinix Hot 40 smartphone. “I’ve always recharged my Glo line through the Palmpay app, but I never imagined I’d actually win a phone,” she said. Currently studying at Ekiti State University through the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun study centre, Basirat added that she would be picking up her prize in Osogbo.
To participate in the ongoing bonanza, Glo subscribers can simply visit: http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms
The Federal government has responded to the United States’ recent visa rules that reduce how long Nigerian visitors can stay in the United States and limit them to one entry per visa by calling on Washington to reconsider its new visa policy.
The U.S. Department of State had recently updated its non-immigrant visa policy for several countries, including Nigeria, on Tuesday.
Under the new rule, most non-diplomatic and non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be valid for only three months and allow just a single entry into the United States.
The changes took effect immediately.In a notice published on its website, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria state: “Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore, that as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.
“The Federal government responded to this by describing the new US directive as “misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect” that ought to govern bilateral engagements between friendly nations in a statement released on Wednesday through Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson.
The Federal government said it views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“The attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to the recent decision by the United States Government to revise its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigerian citizens, limiting the validity of non-immigrant visas including B1/B2, F and J categories to three months with single entry,” it stated.
“The Federal government views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries. The decision appears misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect that should guide bilateral engagements between friendly nations.”
It also claimed that this restriction places a disproportionate burden on Nigerian travellers, students seeking academic opportunities, professionals engaging in legitimate business, families visiting loved ones, and individuals contributing to cultural and educational exchanges.
The government also said it understands that every country has the right to make its own immigration rules, but it hopes the U.S. will “reconsider this decision in the spirit of partnership, cooperation, and shared global responsibilities.”
It also added that diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to pursuing a resolution that reflects fairness and upholds the values of mutual interest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.
The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.
The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.
He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.
The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.
“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.
According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.
“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.
Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.
“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.
Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.
“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.
