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Personality in Focus

Henry Ukazu: Celebrating A Catalyst of Pathfinding

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By Abdulakeem Sodeeq Sulyman
In a world where everyone uses others’ yardsticks to measure their progress, the trailblazers are set apart by the utmost pursuit of their passion to actualise their purpose.” – Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN
Those who are familiar with Henry Ukazu would have heard about his life’s trajectory and a certain point in his life would prompt them to ask how a potentially-thoroughbred legal practitioner turned to a leadership trainer, self-discovery coach and youth advocate, using his platform to transform lives globally. For those who are still in the wilderness, imagining how Henry Ukazu settled for the path he had chosen, the answer is not far-fetched. The turning points in everyone’s life beckons when we realise what we have to do to carve a niche for ourselves.
The above assertion perfectly depicts the life of Henry Ukazu. Another aspect of Henry Ukazu’s life that can cause one to raise eyebrows is knowing that Taxation Law was his major during his master’s in New York Law School. Those who are familiar with the arithmetical demands of taxation would know that settling for it as a practitioner goes beyond being faint-hearted! Yet, Henry Ukazu overcame all odds by not only graduated in taxation; but also earning a laurel by winning the Dean’s prize.
Knowing that Henry Ukazu won the Dean’s prize in Taxation Law and still chosen another path makes it important to stress that the hallmark of every life’s achievement is the one connected with personnel fulfillment. It was the pursuit of this fulfillment that made Henry Ukazu swerved from legal practice and taxation into the pursuit of enculturing people for their purpose and nurturing them for lifetime impact. To me, Henry Ukazu is a replica of Robin Sharma, a trained lawyer, who abandoned one of the Ivy-league chambers, to pursue the quest of leading people to harness their healthset, heartset, mindset and soulset.
Don’t get me wrong readers. I am not saying that Henry Ukazu wouldn’t have attained greatness if he had chosen to venture into legal practice. I know many legal practitioners who are lightening people’s lives through their works; many of those lawyers I have unalloyed admirations for! What I am trying to say is that how Henry Ukazu abandoned the temptations of the social recognitions and financial rewards that accompanied the revered, learned profession is uncommon.
That reflects Henry Ukazu’s selflessness and dedication to worship God with everything he has. A revered pastor, Rick Warren, states that the human potential begins to manifest when they believe in God and allow Him to take absolute control of the courses of their lives. He cited the likes of Abraham, Joseph and others, who, despite being chosen by the Most High, faced their challenges with positive attitudes. Their beliefs in God slotted them in admirable places in the books of histories.
Henry Ukazu’s personality is one that exudes the aura of companionship and humanity. Any encounters I have with him always prompt me to think about the words of Gary Thomas, in the book, “The Sacred Pathways,” where he outlined nine ways human beings worship God, the supreme being. To me, Henry Ukazu is an enigma, who falls into the realms of Ascetics, Activists, Enthusiasts, Caregivers, Contemplatives and Intellectuals.
Henry Ukazu is an Ascetic because he devoted certain hours of his days to worship God in solitude and simplicity. There are certain hours of the day that he would neither receive calls nor respond to messages all because he is strengthening his ties with his Creator. Henry Ukazu is also an Activist by using his resources to battle evil, fight injustices and strive to make the world a better place. To him, nothing makes the world when its adherents are suffering! This justifies why Henry Ukazu is always ready to spend his last penny on appreciating talents and ingenuities.
Anyone who had witnessed Henry Ukazu’s celebration of successes and landmarks would attest to his Enthusiastic nature. No doubt that as today marks his birthday, it is very certain that his mouth would be full of praise for God’s favours showered upon him! Moreso, I can also say that Henry Ukazu is an Intellectual because he worships and loves God by studying other people’s minds. Anyone meeting Henry Ukazu for the first time without narcisurfing about him would never have a clue of his intellectual mettle. He is an intellectual of yore imbued with sound and robust absorptive capacity.
As the day breaks daily to set people apart for what they would be celebrated for, it is imperative to state that Henry Ukazu is one of the global icons that have deployed their intellectual and spiritual resources to brighten the lives of many. His utmost devotion to the pursuit of God’s purpose for his life has distinguished him, positioned him to stand with the giants and catapulted him to the heights of his ambitions.
Today, I joined other colleagues, acquaintances, protégés, well-wishers, friends, brothers and family members across the world to celebrate Henry Ukazu, thank God for his life; pray to God to continue to perfect his ways and crown his efforts with rewards that will elevate him to the league of change-makers and life-changers.
Many more productive, fulfilling and prosperous years!!!
Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN is an Author, Librarian and Researcher, who writes from Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. He can be reached via +2348132226994
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Personality in Focus

Anne Carson Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature Award

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Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature for her inventive writing and her engagement with the classical tradition. Her work brings together poetry, criticism, translation and narrative, expanding the forms through which contemporary literature can tell stories.

Born in Toronto in 1950, Carson trained as a classicist and has combined writing with university teaching and translation throughout her career. Her interest in the origins and meanings of words informs both her scholarship and her poetry. Ancient texts provide material for her explorations of desire, grief, identity and human relationships.

Her translations include If Not, Winter (2002), a rendering of Sappho’s surviving poetry that preserves the gaps between fragments. She has also translated plays by Sophocles and Euripides, bringing the language and conflicts of Greek tragedy into contemporary expression.

Carson’s writing gained increasing recognition during the 1990s. “The Glass Essay,” published in Glass, Irony, and God (1995), combines the experience of a relationship’s end with reflections on Emily Brontë, family life and solitude. Its movement between personal narrative and literary interpretation demonstrates her freedom in working across genres.

Autobiography of Red: A Novel in Verse (1998) remains among her most celebrated works. Drawing on fragments by the ancient Greek poet Stesichoros, Carson reimagines the winged red monster Geryon as a young person discovering photography, desire and heartbreak. The book places his experiences at the centre of a story traditionally associated with the exploits of Herakles.

Her later publications continue this experimentation. Float (2016) consists of twenty-two chapbooks that readers can approach in any order. Wrong Norma (2024) brings together varied prose pieces, extending her interest in the possibilities of short, loosely connected forms.

Carson has also collaborated with visual artists, choreographers and theatre and opera directors. These projects carry her writing into performance and establish connections between literature and other arts.

The award recognises a career devoted to close attention to language and continual experimentation with form. Through translation, poetry and collaboration, Carson has made classical literature an active part of contemporary writing.
Souce:Classic Books.

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Personality in Focus

Otti, Kalu Mourn Abia-born NAF Pilot Killed in Ondo Plane Crash

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Abia State governor, Alex Otti, and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, have expressed sadness over the death of Abia-born Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, one of the pilots of the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, which crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday.

Governor Otti, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, described Squadron Leader Man-Ugwueje’s death and those of other military personnel aboard the Nigerian Air Force plane as painful and devastating.

“This accident is both painful and devastating, because it has brought untold sorrow and anguish to the victims’ families, their friends and loved ones, the Nigerian Air Force, and the nation at large.”

Governor Otti regretted that Squadron Leader Man-Ugwueje perished in the air disaster barely two weeks after he wedded his beloved wife, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, in Abuja, a sad development he said has robbed the couple of the opportunity of spending their lives together as husband and wife.

The governor, on behalf of his family, the government and people of Abia State, commiserated with the families of the victims, the people of Umuahia where Squadron Leader Man-Ugwueje hailed from, the Nigerian Air Force and the Federal Government of Nigeria, and prays for the peaceful repose of their souls in God’s bosom.

In his own message, Senator Kalu commiserated with the Nigerian Air Force over the loss of the Air Force personnel and others in the Ondo plane crash.

The former governor of Abia State, while expressing sadness over the loss, extended his heartfelt sympathy to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the entire Nigerian Air Force and the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident.Describing the incident as painful and heartbreaking, Kalu said the death of personnel who devoted themselves to the service of the country is a huge loss to the Nigerian Air Force and the nation.

“I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and the entire Nigerian Air Force over this painful loss.

“My thoughts and prayers are especially with the families who have lost their loved ones. Losing men and women who dedicated themselves to serving and protecting our country is indeed a tragedy for all Nigerians.

“At this difficult moment, I pray that God comforts their families, colleagues and loved ones, and gives them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.

“May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Kalu said.

He urged the Nigerian Air Force to remain strong in the face of the tragedy, noting that the sacrifices of its personnel in the service of the country would always be remembered.

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Personality in Focus

Tinubu Celebrates Ogunsan at 50, Urges More Dedication to Security

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President Bola Tinubu has sent warm greetings to the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, on the occasion of his 50th birthday on October 6, 2026.

In a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, the President indicated acknowledged Dr. Ogunsan’s commitment to institution-building and promoting partnerships among government, the private sector, and other stakeholders to advance security and development.

Tinubu also commended the celebrant for his dedication to serving Lagos State and his contributions toward strengthening the security architecture, public safety, and public confidence through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

Before becoming the Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr. Ogunsan served on the Board of Trustees of the LSSTF. He has held other significant responsibilities in the security and community-safety space, including as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), Lagos State, and Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC).

The President noted that under Dr. Ogunsan’s leadership, the Trust Fund has continued to play an important role in supporting security agencies with critical equipment, infrastructure and other resources necessary to enhance their effectiveness in protecting lives and property.

“As you mark this significant milestone, I urge you to sustain your dedication to the security and progress of Lagos State and Nigeria. I wish you many more years of good health, wisdom and fulfilment, as well as continued success in your service to humanity and our nation,” the President charged.

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