News
Opinion: All for Good
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Good is a path. Also, it is a choice. It is a choice that must be made. Every man is born with the ability to choose! Your decision determines your fate. Find your ‘good,’ and then choose your ‘good.’ Re-unite with your ‘good’. Stick to your ‘good’, even when tempted by ‘bad’! You don’t get rid of ‘bad’ by being bad. You can only triumph over ‘bad’ by being good” – Tolulope A. Adegoke
Your determination determines your outcomes. What’s good?
Good is simply when a crisis works to restore peace, and I will say it’s all for the better.
When both the positive and negative agree to power energy, it is good, and I will say it is all for the better.
Good is when noise submits to quietness for the sake of sanity.
It is when the soul opens up to divinity for the great alignment of spirits with that which is holy, pure and kind.
Good is when war submits to lasting peace,
It is when someone humblely admits his or her mistakes and maturely seeks forgiveness.
Good is when both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ things happen for the benefit of those who love God, and I’ll say it’s all for the better.
What’s good? Good is a rare virtue, one of the most genuine forces that breeds sanity, sanctity, and a good life.
Good is God stepping into the darkness, like a lamb among wolves; a light in the darkness; a stream in the wilderness; a force for the fall of the false, for what is true and real to be revealed; and I will say it’s all for good.
There is a pull of faith in fate to fulfill our destinies.
Goods may be mocked, but that doesn’t mean an authentic product isn’t good.
Good may be frustrated out of your abode, but without you, good is still good, and would always find a place of abode conveniently, honourably and peaceably accommodated by those that truly value the virtue of its versatility because it is a university that requires sanity, sanctity and maturity to overcome adversities… and I will say it’s all for good.
Let me paint you a picture of a good story about what it’s like on the canvas of reality without any gullibility:
“Bad and good started living under the same roof, but one had to leave for the other to reign, and one thing is constant about good. It flows naturally and doesn’t struggle to be heard, to be seen or to be felt.
Eventually, there was a cold rift between the two forces, but instead of warring, they left for good. After three (3) months, the oil in the lamp that powers the light in the home and environment ran out, and they had to rely on candles for illumination. Ooh, gross darkness has emerged as a result of the absence of good, as a result of the absence of light.
The light was obtained from Good, because the only thing that Good took with it while leaving was the power of light. Because there was no light, no warmth, no sight, the dog became very ill and grew old in its weak condition. Because of pride, the bad refused to look for the good.
Truly, bad was bad, and bad is bad; but good was busy illuminating those that accommodated it after leaving its previous abode.
The good news of good things has spread throughout the world. became a strong nation, stronger than the greatest. After being battered and beaten by bad people, everyone began migrating to secure their destiny and fulfill their purposes. They’d been raped so badly by bad people.
Good became HOPE, FAITH, DELIVERANCE; good became HELP, HOPE; good became the last resort for their determination.
One day, I had to look for, and invited Bad to a meeting alongside her supporters.
He stood up and asked the congregation: “Why do I live there? Why do you think I am here?” And the supporters screamed: “because you are good, because you are kind, because you are hope, deliverance, and our last resort and resolve.”
And Good asked again: “What has offered you so far?” And there was deep silence atmosphere became so cold, it was so touching, mournful and sorrowful. People become so broken, because virtually all of them have lost one or two things to being followers of bad things, either consciously and unconsciously; either ignorantly, lackadaisically and adamantly.
The bad became so sad, but the good also made a good and godly statement. “Everything, both good and bad, happens for the good of those who love God,” he said.
Good continued, “I am a creation with a purpose of illumination, sanity and sanctity by divine order, while it is a creation with a purpose of pollution instigated or permitted by divine order to help understand, reveal, appreciate the course and cause of. Would any of you present here understand the value of good if there were no bad? If there were no darkness, would there be any need for light to be valued? If there is no blindness, would there be any need for sight? If there is no hunger, would there be any need for food?
Value is understood, respected, honoured, acknowledged properly through lack. Would there be a valuable peace if there were no war? If there is noise, would there be any value in quietness or silence? Is there any value in wisdom that comes from good if there is no foolishness?!!If there is no death, would there be any value in life? If there are no illnesses, would there be any value or need for cure or healing?”
Everyone was astounded, and they were all broken. Good further said “I say to you again, everything, both the good and bad, happens for the good of those that love God.
The most genuine force for healthy living is good; bad is the path to destruction. Bad turned bad; bad turned sorrowful; bad turned humbled; bad turned broken. He had no choice but to renounce himself for being bad.
Everyone applauded and praised him, saying, “Good is the deliverer of eternity.”
But I have to tell you today that there is also a good path. Also, it is a choice. It is a choice that must be made. Every man is born with the ability to choose! Your decision determines your fate.
Find your best, and then choose your best. Re-unite with your family. Stick to what is good, even when tempted by what is bad!
You don’t overcome adversity by being adversity. You can only triumph over adversity by being a good person. Your decision determines your fate. Both bad and good are established and determined by your strong decisions and choices. Both life and death are choices you resolve to make.
Life is good. Death is bad. Death gives room for a fresh life. And when a seed is planted in the earth, it must die. It must decay, and that would give room for a new life, for a NEW DAWN… And I would say, “IT’S ALL FOR GOOD!”
Thank you for reading.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has released the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following outrage over what she described as an unlawful and politically motivated seizure of her travel documents at a Nigerian airport.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was reportedly stopped by immigration officers on Tuesday morning, who withheld her passport without any official explanation.
The lawmaker, visibly frustrated, went live on social media to protest the action, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of ordering the seizure.
“I have committed no offence and there is no order from the court to withhold my passport and deny me travelling. The last time this happened, the officer in charge told us that the Senate President, Godswin Akpabio instructed them to withhold my passport and prevent me from travelling because he said each time I travel out of the country, I spoil the country’s image by granting interviews out in international media.
“Please, can you tell them to release my passport and this embarrassment should stop? You have no right to withhold my passport.
“You have no right to deny me exit and entrance into my country. I have not committed any offence and this must stop. No, this must stop.
“As a matter of fact, I think I have to sue you for continuously embarrassing me. No, don’t tell me sorry. Can I please have my passport? You can’t keep doing this to me all the time,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was recently celebrated her second year in office, described the incident as a continuous pattern of harassment.
She noted that her passport had previously been seized under similar circumstances, only to be released after intervention from someone influential.
The female Senator said, “I’ve been standing here for the past 20 minutes. Why are you doing this? What have I committed? The last time it had to take someone influential to call you to release my passport. That was what allowed me travel.
“Now again, you’re withholding my passport while I’m making calls. Is Godswin Akpabio so important? Why is he overruling boundaries? Godswin Akpabio, the Senate President, has instructed the Comptroller General of Customs to deny me exit, to withhold my passport. This is wrong.
“Yes, I know I have two federal government cases against me, of which the president of Nigeria instructed the AGF to cancel the cases, to withdraw the cases.
“This president, Bola Tinubu, actually spoke with Godwin Akpabio to terminate all the cases against me because he admitted, he agreed that they were politically witch-hunting cases. So there is no reason why my passport should be withheld at the international airport.
“There is no reason why. You have no right to do that, madam. You have no right. You are taking laws into your hands. There is no court order. I have not missed any of my court appearances.
“I have attended all my court sessions. I am not a flight risk. I am not a risk to my country. So why are you treating me like a criminal? Can I have my passport, please? Thank you very much. Sometimes I think you just have to be a rebel to get things right. Then you keep asking Nigerians to be good citizens.
Minutes after her public protest gained traction online, the NIS reportedly bowed to pressure and released her passport.
“If I had not gone public, would you have given me my passport,” she added.
News
Would You Rather I Travel with My Enemies’ Children, Wike Defends Traveling with Sons to Official Assignment
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reacted to viral photos showing his sons accompanying him on local and foreign trips, saying he has the right to carry them along.
He argued that his sons, as master’s degree holders, need the exposure.
“What law says that my sons shouldn’t travel? Let the FCT say where they paid ₦1.
“What official matter? Did they sign any document? It doesn’t need to be a personal trip.
“What’s wrong? So, I can travel with anybody from the FCT. I can travel with anybody in Nigeria. I have that right.
“Oh, come on, they have to know how Nigeria is. They have to learn about government,” Wike said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
Asked whether he was teaching them to become politicians, he said, “No, that’s not correct. My first son is a lawyer. He said, ‘No, I’m not going to practice. I want to be a farmer.’
“I said, ‘What do you mean by this? He said, ‘No, this is what I want to do.’ I said, ‘Okay’. What do you do?
“They’ve gone for training in Spain. They’ve gone for training in Lisbon.
“My second son finished from King’s College — a master’s degree in Economics. He said he wants to be in real estate.”
The former Rivers State governor also said he is happy that his sons behave responsibly and give him comfort.
“I’m so happy that I have children who have given me comfort, who have not given me problems.
“Assuming they were somewhere smoking. You would have said, ‘Oh, look at these children now. Who are they? I will not travel with my enemy’s children,” he added.
Wike has been spotted with his sons at official events, including the commissioning of projects in the FCT.
Last week, he was criticised by some Nigerians for taking them to a summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Last week, I began an exposition on the above topic, only to discover that I have so much to share, and that prompted the decision to spread it into two parts. In part one, I simply laid the foundation and overview of how the secret place works.
In my home country, Nigeria, we have an adage in my native Igbo language that when the road is good, an individual goes through it again. What this really means is that when an article or food is good, it is normal for one to ask for more.
When I had the inspiration to write about the secret place, many thoughts flooded my mind, so I decided to write about different aspects of secret which are relatable. There is no doubt everyone has a secret, and this is responsible for the mystery or aura that makes other people surprised at how the person does certain things. It is therefore, foolhardy for anyone to divulge their secret.
If you are asked the secret that makes you successful, what will be your answer? Most rational minds will say, hard work, consistency, networking, value, continuous quest for knowledge, etc. All these are good points no doubt, but those may not really be the key factors to success. They are the general approach an insightful person can adopt. For instance, one might do all the aforementioned points and still fail, especially when the grace of God is not at work in the life of the person or where that’s the not calling of the person.
One might be wondering how that works? At creation, God gave everyone a talent/gift to serve the world, but some decided to give themselves another skill instead of honing what God has given to them. One might succeed in their chosen area, but they may lack fulfilment. But when one is working in their area of purpose, it hits different because they will not have to stress too much to make an impact. The universe will conspire to make the person successful.
Another secret to one’s success might be their access. Some people might have all they need but lack access to certain people and information. Another person’s secret might be giving, kindness and favour. Let’s speak a minute on this. Some people don’t know the role of giving, and how giving can open a closed door. It’s not just about giving, but the mindset involved in the giving.
Let me share some personal experiences I had a couple of years ago.
One day, one of my mentors breezed into New York for a meeting. He called me and I was elated because I have been looking forward to meeting him. Because another of my mentors have counseled me on the importance of giving mentors and resourceful people gifts, I bought a decent wine for him as a token of appreciation for him.
I could see the surprise on his face when I presented the wine and copies of my book to him. When I inquired why he was surprised, he said, “Henry, it’s not the amount of the gift that matters or the gift itself, rather, it’s the thought that went into it. That hit me differently.
To my amazement, he requested my account number. He was gracious enough to send me $1,000. In all honesty, my joy knew new bounds. It’s important to note that it is not the person who has money that gives, rather it is the person who has heart that gives. It’s sad to see young minds, who find it difficult to give to their mentors. They feel their mentors have more than them, but their ignorant mind fails to acknowledge that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
Another dimension of giving that has continually opened doors for me is a principle I learnt from one of my mentors, Dr. Yomi Garnett. According to him, “you will get what you want faster when you assist other people to achieve what they want”.
This principle is a game changer for me. It has opened my doors for me. One of such doors that stood out for me was meeting a great mind, Mr. Sulyman Sodeeq Abdulakeem, a rare breed. I met this young man on X, formerly Twitter, when he reached out to me informing me of how he has been following my weekly articles. He went further to produce a compilation of my quotes from my work.
That I was surprised is an understatement. Even if I wanted to say no to him when he requested I become his mentor, but for his dedication, I opened my valve to him. Today, he’s the Chief Operating Officer of my company. I saw value in him, and gave him some percentage of my company even when we are yet to make money in the company.
Now, here is where it gets interesting; what I did for him for a mere favor anyone can do without blinking an eye. But his young man has gone further to be a priceless blessing to me in ways and manners I cannot explain here. As a matter of fact, I feel I give him 10% and he gives me 90%. In all sincerity, he’s one of the best gifts and blessings God has given to me, and I will be eternally grateful to him (God) for the gift of Sulyman.
Imagine if I had not opened my doors to him, I wouldn’t be a beneficiary of his ingenuity.
Another person’s secret might be an unusual favour. Some people are favored where others fail. It’s instructive to note that different things work for different people.
As an author and creative writer, one of the secrets behind my strength and inspiration to write on a weekly basis in addition to publishing books with relative ease is God. I am not ashamed of the role the God-factor is playing in my life. This is because we live in a society where some people are shy or even ashamed of identifying with God, for reasons best known to them.
For me, I can boldly say, I’m super proud of what God is doing in my life. He’s my source and strength. One prayer I always say is, God, when you take me to the top and I become successful, any day I decide to take your glory and say it’s because of my hard work, intelligence and network, may your glory depart from me. I’m that intentional. Apart from the work I do, I have seen and experienced the hand of God upon my life, and the experience is summed up in one word; encounter.
Another secret of my success is my interaction. By God’s grace, I know how to relate with people. If I decide to meet someone, how I engage them can be fascinating. I think God gave me a discerning spirit, wisdom and the right diction to meet people where they are.
Back to the article; secrets work in different ways, and for different people. It’s just like a man who wants to talk to a lady. The ability for the man to know what works for the lady can be the game changer. According to Gary Chapman in his book, The Five Love Languages, it is important to know what works for anyone. For instance, while some ladies love language is words affirmation, other ladies love language might be gifts, services, time or physical touch.
In conclusion, life is a secret, to discover the secret, you will have to have the code and the code can be found in the secret. So, where is the secret? The secret lies in God. Seek God, and He will surely give you the needed secret to triumph.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
