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Food for Living: Your Passion Will Be Tested
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
In the journey of life, everyone will be tested, and tests come in various ways. Someone can be tested with power, money, love, work, passion, etc. I think the ultimate test one will experience is the test for the love of God. One might be wondering why the test. Well, tests help to determine one’s interest in life. Tests help to know who someone is, and tests help one to be strong.
According to some schools of thought, if you want to know someone’s character, give him money and power. It’s easy for someone to say if I have an opportunity to be in government, I will do this and that, if I have money, I will help the less privileged, if I marry, I won’t cheat on my partner, if I’m employed, I will do my best, etc. The list is literally endless, but the truth is what will determine how effective one can be is the trial they will have to overcome, and this is where the test of life plays out.
Test is not as bad as some people will see it. Rather, it is used to determine how passionate someone can be to a cause. Just imagine someone saying I’m interested in serving humanity. The passion in that person will make the person look for an opportunity to make an impact in the lives of people. The test this fellow will pass might be leaving a well-paying job for a job that not only pays less, but also gives one the opportunity to serve people.
When you are working on passion, you will experience distraction, your love, loyalty, interest, personality, and faith will be tested in several ways. But if you believe in your cause, you will be determined to overcome it by seeing all the trial and challenges as distractions.
On a personal note, I have experienced my own test of passion. After studying Taxation Law at New York Law School, I refused to work in the industry which pays more and settled for a case manager job. In all sincerity, it wasn’t really a case of passion, but a case of lack of interest, joy, and fulfilment in the industry.
Again, writing and publishing articles every week is not an easy task, because it can be draining and energy sapping. If you think it’s easy to write an average of one thousand three hundred words every week consistently, please try it. Be advised, it takes more than passion to write every week. Discipline, interest and most importantly, the grace of God is at play.
It’s worthy to note that passion means different things to different people. Some people derive passion in acting, astronomy, science, computer programing, cooking, dancing, driving, exercising, family/relationship, fishing, health & wellness, investing, ministering, money, sports, praying, reading, singing, writing, teaching, travelling, swimming etc. This interest probably arose from childhood or experience of life.
Think back to when you were growing up, planning your future. What did you want to be when you grew up? A doctor? An engineer? An accountant, a pharmacist? A lawyer? A pilot? Etc. How did you come up with those occupations? It probably had something to do with things you lived to do or achievements you associated with those jobs.
Maybe you wanted to be a doctor because you had a passion for helping people; an athlete because you loved playing sports; a novelist because you were compelled to express yourself creatively.
Sometimes, I see entrepreneurs who have labored for a while and are on the verge of quitting, what comes to my mind is simply, they are not passionate about their business. Don’t get me wrong, one can still be passionate for a cause and still quit, especially when it’s not adding up, but the point I’m trying to share is the drive, believe, interest, determination, and test for the business will be determined by one’s passion never to give up when the challenges come up.
To determine one’s interest and passion, three ingredients come into play, they are love, faith, and hope. One interesting thing about this trial of excellence is that they are intertwined in one single umbrella – inspiration. According to Dr. Yomi Garnett, Faith- opens the doorway to inspiration. Hope powers the forward thrust of inspiration, Love gives divine direction to inspiration. Let’s analyze these qualities.
Love: As fondly stated, love is feeling, the same is applicable to passion. When you are passionate about a cause, the feeling will be different from that of someone who has a different passion. Your passion can be seen the way you love a person or business. You can’t love a person, business, or cause without making an effort to invest in it.
Faith: This is what opens the door to inspiration. Do you know some people can be inspired by the faith you have in a project? It’s your faith in your business or “cause” you believe that will enable you to invest time and resources into the venture. It’s only fools and uninformed people who invest their time and resources in business ventures or relationships they have no interest or passion about.
Hope: This is the lubricant that fuels the energy to drive home your vision. When people see the vision and passion you have for a project, they will be inspired to join you in bringing it to fruition or reality.
In conclusion, just so you know, regardless of what you are doing or passionate about, just know, you will be tested, but when you are tested, just know the test is to know how much you believe in a project or person.
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 Design Your and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday laid before the Lagos State House of Assembly a N4.237 trillion Appropriation Bill for the 2026 fiscal year, describing it as an ambitious, future-driven financial plan aimed at solidifying his administration’s legacy in its final full year.
Presenting the proposal, titled the “Budget of Shared Prosperity,” the governor said it reflects the collective optimism that Lagos will continue to expand opportunities, strengthen its leadership role, and reinforce its status as Africa’s foremost megacity.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the budget projects total revenue of N3,993,774,552,141, comprising N3.12 trillion in Internally Generated Revenue and N874 billion in expected Federal Transfers. The funding structure, he noted, leaves a deficit financing requirement of N243,332,457,167.
For the 2026 fiscal year, capital expenditure is set at N2,185,085,419,495, while recurrent expenditure stands at N2,052,021,589,812. He explained that the recurrent component covers overheads, personnel costs, and debt obligations.
A breakdown of recurrent spending shows total overhead costs of N1,084,245,843,091, including general overheads, subventions and dedicated expenditures, while personnel costs amount to N440,494,339,384. Recurrent debt charges are projected at ₦143,876,701,943, with debt repayments estimated at N383,404,705,394.
Sanwo-Olu also outlined the sectoral distribution of the 2026 budget. General Public Services will receive N847,472,071,966; Public Order and Safety, N147,040,088,897; and Economic Affairs, N1,372,307,808,626. The Environment Ministry is allocated N235,957,235,138, while Housing receives N123,760,310,429.
The Health sector is earmarked N338,449,258,945; Education gets N249,132,921,287; Social Protection, N70,024,171,038; and the Recreation and Culture sector will take N54,682,339,586.
The governor said the year 2026 carries special weight as the last full calendar year of his administration, describing it as a period crucial for consolidating achievements and ensuring a “strong, successful finish.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to completing all ongoing and newly initiated projects, adding that his administration will continue to prioritise citizen engagement to ensure government decisions reflect the needs of Lagosians.
According to him, Lagos is entering a new phase of “accelerated impact,” driven by sustained investment in infrastructure, human capital, social welfare and governance systems that are “intentional, inclusive and future-oriented.”
Sanwo-Olu reiterated his administration’s core mission: “To keep Lagos secure, to keep Lagos working, to keep Lagos growing, and to make sure the prosperity we build is shared by everyone who calls this centre of excellence home.”
He commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for its consistent partnership, describing the lawmakers as steadfast allies in the state’s development journey. He also praised the civil service for its hard work in translating government vision into measurable progress.
DailyPost
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has disclosed that armed personnel have been deployed to all parts of Lagos State to protect schools and other public places.
CP Jimoh disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the activities of the command in the last few months.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 56 criminals have also been arrested for different crimes in the last few months.
The police, however, stressed that the crime rate in the State has gone down significantly during the period under review.
The reinforcement of the security around the State may not be unconnected with the recent resurgence of kidnapping and violent attacks in some parts of the country.
According to police boss, the command also recovered ten exotic vehicles from robbers in different parts of the state.
CP Jimoh said: “The security situation in Lagos is not alarming, and we are firmly on top of the situation. During the period under review, there have not been any extraordinary or significant security problems throughout the bigger city.
This is not due to the police effort alone, it is due to the whole population and the collaboration and support of the public, individuals and other members of the public that have come to identify with the police and ensure the safety and protection of life and property throughout the State.”
CP Jimoh continued: “We are making significant progresses in the area of crime fighting and prevention. This with the introduction of new strategies.
It is due to the positive result that has led to the recovery of about 10 vehicles within the last few weeks.”
He stressed that during the month under review, the command recovered 10 vehicles stolen and one motorcycle removed from park.
Across multiple operations in November, the Command recovered six firearms, including locally made pistols, cut-tosize guns, a single cut-to-size barrel gun, multiple live cartridges, dangerous weapons such as a machete, a battle axe, and an assault dagger, as well as Nigerian military m camouflage, charms, and fake currency valued at four thousand dollars. ”
“These achievements are a testament to our sustained November strategy aimed at dismantling criminal gangs, intercepting stolen property, removing illegal firearms from circulation, and strengthening public safety across Lagos State.
“The total number of weapons and items recovered are: one machete, one battle axe, one assault dagger, one Nigerian military camouflage, one charm, and fake 4,000 USD,” the CP also stated.
He added: “These items were seized during intelligence-driven operations aimed at neutralising gangs responsible for violent crimes and coordinated attacks in different parts of Lagos State.
The recovery of these weapons and materials significantly disrupts the capabilities of criminal groups and enhances the overall security landscape of the State.”
CP Jimoh also urges people who may want to come and celebrate the Yuletide period in the state not to entertain any fear.
He noted that increased police surveillance had been put in place to prevent any breakdown of law and order during the celebration.
He added that he had also directed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Tactical Squads, and Unit Commanders to fortify worship centers with adequate security during services.
The United Kingdom Government has rejected Nigeria’s request to deport former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to serve the remainder of his prison term at home, insisting he must complete his sentence in Britain.
Ekweremadu, 63, is serving nine years and eight months after he, his wife Beatrice, and their associate, Dr Obinna Obeta, were convicted in 2023 for conspiring to exploit a young Nigerian man for his kidney. The organ was intended for transplant to Ekweremadu’s ailing daughter, Sonia, in what became the first conviction for organ trafficking under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.
While, Beatrice, who received a four-and-a-half-year sentence—with half served in custody—was released earlier this year and has since returned to Nigeria, however, a delegation led by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, met with officials of the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) last week to discuss the possibility of transferring Ekweremadu to Nigeria. A report by The Guardian UK, said a senior MoJ source confirmed the request was declined. The UK was reportedly concerned that Nigeria could not guarantee that the former lawmaker would continue serving his sentence if deported.
While the UK government declined to comment on the specific case, a spokesperson stressed that prisoner transfers are approved only when they align with the interests of justice. Another official added: “The UK will not tolerate modern slavery and any offender will face the full force of UK law.”
