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Food for Living: You Are Responsible for Your Success
By Henry Ukazu
“There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.” J.K. Rowling
Dear Destiny Friends,
It is human nature to apportion blame to people when life and situations don’t seem to favour us. We are quick to lay blames on our spouse, friends, children, siblings, parents, supervisors, government/economy, pastors, and even our enemies as the cause of our misfortunes. Don’t get me wrong, all these factors might play a role in one way or another, but the truth is that it is not always the case. The irony is when attaining success in life, we don’t usually have the same feeling compared to our failures.
If you blame the government or economy, just know that government or economy will always be around; if you blame it on negative people, you don’t have to be around negative people; if you blame it on background, there are people with a more disadvantaged background who weathered through the storm to succeed. If you blame it on not having a formal education, there are people who used the internet to learn free online classes. Moral: There’s no time life will be good and fair to all. You just must take each day the way they come.
If there’s one power every human has, it is the power of choice. At creature, Adam, was given the choice to eat from any tree apart from the forbidden tree, but due to the curiosity, Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden of Eden as they tasted the forbidden tree.
That singular act of Adam and Even can be regarded as the origin of failure of every living creature on earth. As a rational being, you have been given the power to control your life, but sometimes we give other beings power to control us. Imagine cooking food and disliking it because it doesn’t taste good as you may like it and then you turn around to blame someone as the cause.
If you are truly desirous of making an impact in your life, you must get up and do the needful. Nobody will do it for you.
Life is not easy anywhere. But the interesting part of life is that when you begin, the universe has a way of aligning with you. Nobody likes to help someone who is not willing to help himself/herself. All you are required to do is take the bold step.
It is always easy to wish for a good job, but sometimes we don’t put in the work of learning the necessary skills needed in the job, getting good grades, getting theoretical and practical training like internship/volunteer and even professional experience. Some people don’t even take the extra step of researching about the company and learning interview skills.
Even in marriage, many men/ladies want to get a good partner, but they fail to realize that they have to put in the work by first being a good partner because you attract who you are.
The hallmark of taking ownership of your success is accountability. You cannot take responsibility for your life without being accountable. Taking reasonability entails owning the situation. The problem with most people is that they are just too lazy to get up from their bed to do the work.
In the journey called life, you will not necessarily get what you desire, but you will certainly get what you deserve.
According to Dr. Yomi Garnett, when faced with a difficult situation of any sort, you must acknowledge it by not running away from it; you must accept the problem and see it as an opportunity to grow, and adjust by learning from it.
In order to take responsibility for your life, you must decide within yourself, you are not willing to accept the status quo, then set boundaries on what you are willing to tolerate. People without boundaries can be trespassed upon.
Taking responsibility of your life entails thinking through your actions. Taking responsibility creates trust. When you practice authentic responsibility, you will be authentic and accountable for your thoughts, words, and action. Being responsible and accountable is not easy if we are honest with ourselves. It involves being disciplined.
In conclusion, I will conclude with great quotes to keep you inspired on taking responsibility for your life.
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” Jim Roh
“The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you can change anything in your life.” Hal Elrod
“There are two primary choices in life: To accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” Dr. Denis Waitley
“You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. Remember, that.” Anonymous
“Accountability breeds responsibility.” Stephen R. Covey
“One day I realized that everything that I get out of life, is exclusively a result of my actions. That is the day I became a man.” Nav-Vii
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi
“Personal responsibility is the willingness to completely accept choices that we have made throughout our life.” Asa Don Brown
“Who we become is the result of our disciplined actions.” Brendon Burchard
“It is only when you take responsibility for your life that you discover how powerful you truly are.” Allanah Hunt
“My life is immeasurably enriched by taking personal responsibility to do what I can, with what I have, where I am.” Rob Waldrop
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a mindset coach and 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
The Rivers State Government has clarified that the withdrawal of Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s appeal at the Supreme Court regarding the 2024 budget does not affect the legitimacy of Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The appeal, which challenged lower court rulings to represent the 2024 budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly, was deemed unnecessary and withdrawn by the governor.
In a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joseph Johnson, explained that the appeal had become an academic exercise since the 2024 budget cycle had already concluded.
Johnson stated: “The 2024 budget became spent on the 31st December of 2024 fiscal year. The appeal is of no useful purpose. The only reasonable thing left to do is to withdraw the appeal and have it dismissed.”
He emphasized that the Supreme Court’s decision does not invalidate the legality of the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly, affirming that Oko-Jumbo remains the authentic Speaker. “The Supreme Court is a very busy court. It will be most unwise to belabour the Honourable Court with academic appeals without any practical or utilitarian value,” Johnson added.
He further dismissed claims by political opponents, stating: “That is the appeal that the urchins are celebrating. There is no Supreme Court judgment against Gov. Fubara, ignore the outdated political propaganda by some desperate politicians.”
Johnson reiterated: “Supreme Court ruled on the Appeal over the 2024 budget voluntarily withdrawn by Gov. Fubara because 2024 budget cycle have ended and no need wasting time discussing a budget that have been fully spent and implemented. Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo is still authentic speaker and nothing can change that.”
The clarification comes amid political tensions in the state, with the government reaffirming its commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the stability of the legislative process under Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo’s leadership.
The gunmen who abducted a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Maharazu Tsiga, have reportedly demanded N250 million for his release, a family source revealed on Sunday.
Tsiga, a retired Brigadier-General of the Nigerian Army, was kidnapped from his home in Tsiga town, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
The attackers also kidnapped several other residents as they raided multiple communities in the neighboring Kankara Local Government Area.
According to the family source, the kidnappers made contact on Friday, insisting on the ransom before negotiations could begin.
Confirming the incident, Katsina police spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq, said officers responded to reports of an attack in Tsiga but arrived after the gunmen had fled.
“Unfortunately, before the arrival of the operatives, the hoodlums had already succeeded in their mission,” he said.
The attack left two residents injured, while one of the assailants was reportedly shot dead by his group.
Katsina, like other Northwestern states, has seen repeated attacks by criminal gangs who raid villages, abduct residents, and demand ransoms.
A federal lawmaker representing Bakori/Danja Federal Constituency, Abdullahi Balarabe, described Tsiga’s abduction as concerning and called on security agencies to intensify efforts to secure his release.
A former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki (SAN), has been arraigned before a Magistrate Court at Zone 2 in Abuja on allegations bordering on false marriage, adultery, among others.
Turaki pleaded not guilty when the First Information Report (FIR) was read to him in the dock on Thursday before the presiding Magistrate of Court 9, Abubakar Jega.
He insisted that the alleged offences are not true.
According to the FIR, the former minister is accused of “deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage, adultery by a man and criminal intimidation, contrary to sections 383, 387 and 389 of the Penal Code.”
The prosecution stated that the investigation of the case followed a petition dated August 9, 2024, received by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force FCID, Abuja.
It further stated that the investigation revealed that “you Barrister Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN), between December 2014 and August 2016, deceitfully cohabited Ms. Hadiza Musa Bafta at a hotel called Han’s Place.
“You also co-habited her at Ideal Home Holiday, Asokoro between August 2016 and November 2021.
“You hired a place for her at No. 12 Clement Akpagbo Close, Gauzape from November 2021 and made her believe you were married to her and continuously had sexual intercourse with her, which resulted to a baby girl.
“You abandoned Hadiza Musa Baffa with her only child and denied the paternity. You threatened to use your influence and position to terminate the lives of mother and child.
“You are thereby suspected to have committed the above offences.”
Shortly after Turaki:s arraignment, the prosecuting lawyer , Chijioke Okorie urged the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.
Turaki’s lawyer, A. I. Mohammed, who did not object to the prosecution’s request for a date for trial, applied for bail for the defendant on the grounds that he would be available whenever he is required to attend court.
Magistrate Jega granted bail to Turaki at N1million with two sureties in like sum.
He said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must provide evidence of the residences.
The magistrate then adjourned to March 11 for the commencement of trial.
