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

By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

“Leadership is the sacred stewardship of the groan—the courage to lean into the tension of today to midwife the glory of tomorrow for people, corporations, and nations” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

 Introduction: The Universal Sound of Growth

If you have ever led anything—a team, a project, a family, a company, or even a personal dream—you are intimately familiar with the sound. It is not a scream of terror, nor a shout of victory. It is something deeper, more primordial. It is the groan.

It is the late-night sigh over a spreadsheet that refuses to balance. It is the fervent debate in a boardroom about a risky new direction. It is the quiet frustration of a community leader facing systemic injustice. It is the personal cost of upholding integrity when compromise would be easier.

For too long, we have mislabeled this groan as failure, burnout, or a sign to quit. But what if we have it all wrong? What if the groan is not the signal of an ending, but the essential, non-negotiable birth pang of a new beginning?

This profound leadership pattern is revealed in the ancient text of Romans 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

This passage reframes our struggle. The “groan” is the present suffering; the “glory” is the future revealed. The space between them is where true leadership lives. This is not a passive hope, but an active, gritty, and strategic journey of midwifing possibility into reality for people, corporations, and nations—all as an act of stewardship to God Almighty.

Part 1: Deconstructing “The Groan” – The Leadership Crucible

The groan is the pressure that forms the pearl. It is the tension between vision and current reality. For a leader, ignoring the groan is negligence; understanding it is wisdom; and navigating it is mastery.

A. The Personal Groan: The Weight of the Self
Before we lead others, we must lead ourselves, and this is where the first groans are heard.

·         The Groan of Discipline: The 5 a.m. alarm to invest in personal development when comfort beckons.

·         The Groan of Failure: The sting of a missed opportunity or a flawed decision that becomes the crucible of resilience.

·         The Groan of Loneliness: The burden of confidential decisions that cannot be shared, borne alone in the quiet of one’s office.

·         The Glory: This personal groan forges character, wisdom, and resilience. The leader emerges not just smarter, but wiser; not just skilled, but grounded. They become a source of stability for others because they have been refined in their own fire.

B. The Organizational Groan: The Birth Pangs of Innovation
Corporations and institutions do not transform through comfort. They evolve through necessary, and often painful, strain.

·         The Groan of Innovation: The financial drain and uncertainty of R&D, where countless ideas die so that one might change the world.

·         The Groan of Restructuring: The difficult, people-centric process of dismantling outdated systems to build more agile, future-proof models.

·         The Groan of Cultural Shift: The exhausting, long-term work of rooting out toxicity and fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and empowerment.

·         The Glory: This organizational groan yields market leadership, sustainable profitability, and a legacy brand. The company transitions from being a mere participant in the market to a shaper of it, creating products and cultures that define excellence.

C. The Societal Groan: The Labor Pains of a Nation
The most complex groans are those of nations and communities. They are collective, historic, and deeply felt.

·         The Groan of Justice: The relentless, multi-generational struggle against corruption, inequality, and systemic oppression.

·         The Groan of Reform: The short-term political and economic pain endured for long-term national benefit—be it in education, infrastructure, or economic policy.

·         The Groan of Unity: The challenging work of forging a common identity and shared purpose out of diverse, and often divided, peoples.

·         The Glory: This societal groan builds prosperous, just, and stable nations. It results in a legacy of peace, a high quality of life, and a society where human potential can flourish for generations to come.

Part 2: The Global Landscape: Groans Heard Around the World

This “Groan to Glory” framework is not theoretical; it is actively unfolding on the global stage.

·         Local Context (Example: A Community Leader): A small-town mayor groans under the weight of a dying main street and youth exodus. The “glory” is not achieved by a single grant, but through the grueling work of rallying local businesses, attracting new investment, and revitalizing community pride—a glory seen in a thriving, vibrant town a decade later.

·         Corporate Context (Example: The Tech Industry): The entire tech sector is in a prolonged “groan” over ethical AI. The tension between breakneck innovation and societal safety is immense. The “glory” will belong to the leaders and corporations who navigate this groan successfully, establishing a new paradigm for responsible and transformative technology.

·         Global Context (Example: The Energy Transition): Nations worldwide are groaning through the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This involves economic disruption, geopolitical shifts, and technological hurdles. The “glory” will be a sustainable planet, energy independence, and new frontiers of economic opportunity for those nations that lead the way.

Part 3: The Leader as a Midwife of Glory: A Sacred Stewardship

Our role as leaders in every sector is not to avoid the groan, but to lean into it with purpose and perspective. We are, in the most sacred sense, midwives of possibilities.

Our core function is to “deliver possibilities.” This means:

1.     Seeing the Potential: Visioneering the “glory” hidden within the present struggle.

2.     Creating the Space: Building cultures and systems where the groan is acknowledged as part of the process, not a sign of failure.

3.     Providing the Resources: Equipping our people and our organizations with the tools, trust, and time to persevere.

4.     Guiding the Process: Steering the tension with wisdom, making the tough calls, and protecting the vision from short-sighted compromises.

And all of this is “to the glory of God Almighty.”

This is the ultimate “Why” that redefines success. When we lead with this mindset:

·         Our ambition is purified. Success is no longer about our ego but about our stewardship. The thriving corporation becomes a testament to God’s principles of order, creativity, and excellence.

·         Our endurance is fortified. Knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58) provides a resilience that worldly motivation cannot match.

·         Our legacy is eternal. The “glory” we help reveal—a transformed life, a righteous organization, and a flourishing nation—becomes part of a story far bigger than our own.

Conclusion: Embracing the Sacred Tension

The journey from groan to glory is not a straight line. It is a cycle, a spiral of continuous growth and challenge. The glory of one achievement simply reveals the next horizon, and with it, a new, necessary groan.

Do not despise the groan. Do not fear it. Name it. Honor it. Lead through it.

For it is in this sacred tension that true leadership is forged. It is here that we partner with the Divine in the holy work of unlocking the God-given possibilities buried within our people, our organizations, and our nations.

The world is waiting for leaders who are not afraid to groan, for they are the only ones who will ever truly see the glory.

Let us lead accordingly.

Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a Recipient of the Nigerian Role Models Award (2024), and a Distinguished Ambassador For World Peace (AMBP-UN). He has also gained inclusion in the prestigious compendium, “Nigeria @65: Leaders of Distinction”.

By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

“True leadership is not the exercise of one’s own power, but the stewardship of a power that is divinely bestowed. We do not conquer by our own hand, but through a grace that guides it. I therefore pause to say thank You, God Almighty: My Source, My Owner, My Helper, and My All in all” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

In the grand theater of human endeavor—from the halls of global corporations to the quiet labs of research scientists, from the strategic command centers of nations to the intimate classrooms shaping young minds—we are conditioned to celebrate the visible. We laud the innovative strategy, the decisive action, the brilliant intellect, and the relentless work ethic. These are the pillars upon which we believe success is built.

Yet, this focus on the tangible is to admire the grand facade of a cathedral while remaining oblivious to its unseen foundation. Today, we must pause to acknowledge the bedrock upon which all human achievement truly rests: the sovereign and sufficient grace of God Almighty. It is a profound and humbling truth that cuts across every culture, sector, and stratum of society: We lead, innovate, heal, govern, and ultimately conquer, not primarily because of our own merit, but because of the divine grace that empowers our efforts and crowns them with favor.

1. The Universal Law of Received Power

The principle of grace dismantles the modern myth of the “self-made” leader. In physics, no system creates its own energy; it merely transforms energy from an external source. So it is with human achievement. Our skills, our intelligence, and even our very breath are not self-generated; they are gifts bestowed.

• In Business and Innovation: A CEO may possess sharp acumen, but it is grace that orchestrates a chance meeting with a pivotal partner, sparks a moment of breakthrough innovation when logic has failed, and grants the wisdom to navigate an unforeseen market collapse. The idea that became a billion-dollar company did not emerge from a vacuum; it was a spark of insight granted to a prepared mind—a mind that itself was a gift.
• In Science and Medicine: A researcher dedicates decades to a problem, yet the final, elegant solution often appears as a flash of intuition—a “Eureka!” moment that feels less like a construction and more like a revelation. The healing of a patient, despite the most advanced protocols, often involves an inexplicable, supernatural turn toward recovery that humbles the most brilliant physicians. This is grace in the laboratory and the clinic.
• In Governance and Nation-Building: A political leader may craft a perfect policy, but its success depends on a thousand uncontrollable variables: the public’s reception, global economic tides, and the collective will of a people. When a nation avoids a crisis or emerges from disaster with renewed unity, it is not merely a political victory; it is a national testament to divine providence and restraining grace.

Our role is to diligently till the soil and sow the seeds. But the germination, the growth, and the harvest are miracles of grace. To claim otherwise is like a farmer boasting that he created the rain and the sun.

1. Grace as the Antidote to Leadership’s Twin Poisons

Understanding this universal law is the most powerful strategic and psychological advantage a leader can possess. It serves as the definitive antidote to the two toxins that corrupt leadership: pride and despair.

1. It Eradicates Destructive Pride: When success is internalized as a personal creation, it breeds an arrogance that isolates a leader. They begin to believe their own press, seeing subordinates as instruments and competitors as enemies. This pride inevitably leads to a fall. Conversely, the leader who sees success as a stewardship of God’s grace remains humble. They lead with a sense of awe and responsibility, knowing they are managing assets they did not create. This humility fosters collaboration, attracts loyalty, and enables course correction.
2. It Prevents Paralyzing Despair: The weight of leadership can be crushing. Failure, criticism, and unforeseen crises can lead to burnout and cynicism. If a leader believes they are the sole author of success, then they must also be the sole bearer of failure. But when a leader is anchored in grace, setbacks are re-framed. They are not definitive indictments of their ability, but rather part of a larger, divine curriculum. This perspective fosters resilience, allowing a leader to get up after a fall, learn the lesson, and continue with renewed hope, trusting that the same grace that opened past doors can redeem present failures.

III. The Evidence of Grace in the Tapestry of Life

This is not abstract theology; it is observable reality. Let us trace the fingerprints of grace across the facets of our collective experience:

• The Wisdom We Claim: That moment of perfect clarity in a tense negotiation or a complex coding problem—was it not a gift that arrived precisely when needed? That was the grace of divine insight.
• The Doors That Opened: Consider the promotion that came from a departing superior you didn’t orchestrate, the investor who believed in your vision against conventional wisdom, the visa that was granted against all odds. These are not coincidences; they are the grace of divine favor.
• The Strength We Found: In our moments of profound exhaustion, grieving a loss, or facing immense pressure, did we not discover a well of fortitude we did not know we possessed? That was the grace of divine sustenance.
• The People We Encounter: The mentor who guided us, the team member whose unique talent complemented our weakness, the spouse who offered unwavering support—these individuals are not random occurrences. They are living, breathing manifestations of God’s grace in our lives.
• The Restraint We Experienced: The catastrophic mistake we were unknowingly prevented from making, the harsh word we were restrained from speaking, the disastrous partnership we were diverted from—these are evidences of a protective grace, operating silently behind the scenes.

1. Cultivating a Posture of Grateful Stewardship

Therefore, the most critical leadership competency is not strategic planning or financial modeling, as vital as those are. It is the cultivation of a heart of gratitude. This is the lens that brings all of life into focus.

A leader grounded in this truth leads not as an owner, but as a steward. They understand that their organization, their nation, their talents, and their platform are on loan from a higher authority. This transforms their entire approach:

• Decision-Making: They seek wisdom beyond their own, praying for guidance and listening for the divine “nudge.”
• Resource Allocation: They manage people and capital with justice and generosity, knowing they are handling resources that belong to God.
• Legacy Building: Their goal shifts from building a personal monument to fulfilling a divine purpose, leaving a legacy that benefits humanity and glorifies the Giver.

Conclusion: The Conduit of Conquest

Let us then move forward with a renewed paradigm. Let us work with impeccable excellence, as if everything depends on us. But let us pray, trust, and give thanks, knowing that everything ultimately depends on Him.

Our skills are the conduit; His grace is the current. Our plans are the vessel; His providence is the ocean.

We are the conduits of effort, but grace is the current of conquest. To mistake the one for the other is the height of leadership folly.

The most dangerous leader is the one who believes they are the architect of their success. The wisest is the one who knows they are merely a steward, building upon a foundation laid by grace.

Our skill prepares the vessel, but only grace can fill it. Lead accordingly.

I pause to say thank You, To God Almighty—the unseen Architect of our triumphs, the silent Partner in our ventures, and the ultimate Source of every victory across every facet of life—we ascribe all wisdom, power, and glory. For it is by His grace that we are positioned, it is by His might that we persevere, and it is for His purpose that we ultimately conquer.

In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.

Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a Recipient of the Nigerian Role Models Award (2024), and a Distinguished Ambassador For World Peace (AMBP-UN). He has also gained inclusion in the prestigious compendium, “Nigeria @65: Leaders of Distinction”.