News
Opinion: It’s Now Your Turn
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Just as eagles turn the storms that come their way into propellers that aid them to their desired heights and PEAK of greatness; they get up daily to confront and fight against what other birds flee from in the form of storms and other intimidating factors that they strive and thrive on to be where they ought to be and not be where they ought not to be by the standards and forces that they are subjected to. It is important to note that you must wake up, dress up, gather your courage, overcome your fears and excuses, take charge, and win, because it is your turn to thrive and live – the journey to the PEAK begins within!” – Adegoke, Tolulope A.
All of the great conquerors we’ve looked at so far in prior posts, are great conquerors who refused to let their origins hold them back. They became champions by refusing to give up. They went through the incubation process, the heat of times (empowerment), and then emerged as bright stars, winners in their age.
I implore you, buddy, don’t give up on your goal; don’t dismiss your own ability. Time is a very sobering element that must be acknowledged, pondered, and dealt with if global effects are really and honestly desired. Crawl, walk, run, or fly! Soar! But don’t simply stand there! You cannot afford to be idle. God Almighty expects us to maximize, empower, and utilize our talents for the benefit of humanity, as well as for our own elevation, comfort, and, most importantly, for His eternal glory!
Remember that you are here on Earth on a mission of marvels, to provide extraordinary opportunities to individuals, corporations, and countries, thus leaving a better planet to future generations. Remember, as soon as we leave this world, we will all have to account to the Giver of Life for the life we have lived and the blessings we have received!
Knowing this, I challenge you to go outside of your comfort zone. Aim higher and stay up late working on your goals, visions, and potentials. Acquire relevant information via a variety of lucrative channels. Examine literature on your topics of interest. PUSH the doors till they open. Learn at the masters’ feet (your God-sent mentors or teachers). Stay humble; be devoted to God and to your fellow man; pray hard; contemplate in tranquility: seek quiet; rest well; eat well; network (meet people); start small; relate with respect and honour, and assist others in finding their feet.
Pursue excellence; transform your abilities into skills (products); comprehend business terminology and administration; spend your time; control your energy, and activate your visions; work on paper (Habakkuk 2:2). Read, learn, accept joy, and be happy no matter what is going on around you. Be thankful. Work with the clock. Flow beyond the current rhythm in order to safeguard the future!
It is my hope, and God’s hope, that you will join all of the wonderful men and women we have already covered here, as well as many others you may be acquainted with. While others see storms as obstacles or limitations, these people, like eagles, turned them into propellers that catapulted them to their PEAK of greatness. Remember that every other number, no matter how large, began with zero. Zero may represent the problems you are now experiencing, but there is a lot you can make of it if you don’t let it overwhelm you. Reread the success suggestions provided by the individuals listed above, as well as the ones you’ve already read here. Begin putting them into practice as soon as possible. God will soon locate you with His favour, and your story will change to GLORY!
Here is a charge from me to you to encourage and guide you and those around you on this plane called earth and the journeys that come with it, in order to maximize your potentials and the opportunities that come with time and chance. It’s called “A Teachable Spirit & A Deliverance Heart.”
“When learning to be humble, you must be willing to listen, learn, and grow, as well as be open to suggestions and corrections from others.
You don’t know everything, and you certainly can’t pretend to! So here is my daily mantra for all seasons: my soul is calm, quiet, and available before My Maker, God Almighty!
I will continue to be teachable.
I will not be stupid and exaggerate Myself!
I will sit at the feet of my God-sent masters to learn so that I may soar above the clouds.
I will stay modest for the rest of my life!
I will acknowledge my helpers and praise God in them, and I will establish peace with all mankind.
I will continue to develop my gifts/potentials with the goal of blessing people all over the world.
I will never look down on any guy I meet.
I will continue to do my best for God (Divinity) and the people (Humanity).
I will not give up until I have fulfilled my destiny.
I’m not going to let go until I’m completely exhausted.
I am simply a tool in my Creator’s Mighty Hands; He uses me according to His perfect Will, to fulfil purposes, all for His Glory!
The world will continue to see my Maker’s irresistible wonderfulness through me. He will continue to grow within and through me… I will not be a ‘wander-fool!’
I’m not ashamed of the decisions I’ve made or the steps I’m taking…
I will be happy and joyful for the rest of my life! It is not my life, but my Father’s… God in the form of a MAN (Me); with this, I am boundless, unchained, unbothered, and limitless.
Because of this vision, I am neither ashamed nor afraid of this mission…
I will continue to be honest, wise, and grateful!
I will make certain that my impacts are felt all over the world, while remaining grounded in order to be launched into the yonder beyond the skies, where the realms of impacts flourish on a continuous basis…
I will never give up, I will build castles in the sky and leave footprints in the sky…
Yes! Footprints can be seen in the sky… Visionaries are the only ones who can see them…
An eagle’s strength lies in its flight and vision!
I keep my head down to avoid stumbling and fumbling!
True strength, true vision, and flights into the unknown are all found in humility!
I will be quick and totally obedient till the finish… My prospects of honour and grace are based on my faithfulness.
I will fly on the wings of the Holy Spirit to overcome all obstacles and oppositions…
I’m not going to concentrate on the cross, but on the crown… Not the exams, but the testimonials; not the cost, but the reward… Not the grains, but the profits, not the hisses, but the ease, not the bugs, but the rest that will come when all the labour is done… I will have my crowns of glory, sitting in glory and splendour, praising my Creator, my Master, for bringing me this far without giving up on me, against all odds!”
This is when a tool transforms into ‘The Tool’!
We are nothing more than tools in the Creator’s Mighty Hands, used to carry out His flawless plan on Earth: to love, repair, construct, solve, touch, bless, and impart. His brand is at risk in your life; don’t sabotage it! Only your sacrifices will persuade Him to work with and for you.
Envy the sacrifice, not the success!”
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Tolulope A. Adegoke’s book “The Power of an Empowered Zero” (Awakening The Giant Within You!) is one to look out for. Dr. Yomi Garnett (CEO/Chancellor, Royal Biographical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, United Kingdom, and Abuja, Nigeria) wrote the foreword. Ola Aboderin edited the piece.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Experience, by every standard, is a prerequisite for any human to move to the next stage of growth and existence. Experience comes in different forms as one journeys through life, covering health, finance, relationship, marriage, family, personal development or spirituality. We gain valuable experiences that help us see life or understand it in more ways than one.
It is right to say, we are shaped by the experiences life gives to us. It is always advisable to look at life more wholistically as opposed to concentrating on its negative aspects. Sometimes, our experience can serve as the game-changer we need to move to the next phase of our life, but before that can be done, we have to appreciate the experience.
For instance, when we go through turmoil, we experience discomfort, no doubt, but the inherent lessons lie in humility, prudence, patience, and even leadership. In some cases, the experience might be for someone else whom the universe might bring our way for us to teach them how to navigate the problem.
It is generally said that a smart man learns from his mistakes, but a smarter man learns from another person’s mistakes, and this is where the experience of life comes in. As progressive minds, we need the experience of mentors and those who have gone before us to teach us what we don’t know.
In business, an apprentice needs the tutelage of their boss to understand how to succeed in a particular industry or business. A mentee needs the experience of their mentors to succeed. A newly married couple needs the experience of seasoned couples to navigate the challenges of marriage. Even adults need the experience of their parents to know how to raise their children. The list is endless.
To understand how experience works, consider the story of a young man whose car broke down along the road. All efforts to fix the car proved abortive. While he was wondering what to do, an elderly man who was driving by stopped beside him, and inquired if there was a challenge. He stated that his car broke down and he’s having a hard time trying to fix it.
The old man offered to help. Though the young man hesitated, wondering what an old man could do, he yielded on second thought, and gave the old man a chance. After all, he had done all in his capacity, and yet, no solution. The old man opened the bonnet, hit a knob, and told the young man to restart the car. To his amazement, the car buzzed into life. In excitement, he asked the old man, ‘who are you?’, and he replied, ‘I’m Mr. Ford, the owner of Ford Motors’. The young man was humbled.
Now this is what I call experience. You can’t beat a man with experience. If Henry Ford didn’t have experience with his products, he wouldn’t have been able to fix the car.
There’s another story where a mentor was teaching a mentee about the importance of experience. According to the mentor, when the man with experience meets the man with money, the man with money will have to lose his money to gain experience, and the man with experience will have to use his experience to gain money.
According to Abraham Lincoln, “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four of them sharpening my axe”. A man without experience might spend the entire six hours cutting down the tree, and that alone can be exhausting and draining. This goes to tell you the importance of mentors. Without the experience of mentors, one may work harder, but with the influence of mentors, one will work smarter.
In the course of life, many people think they can navigate life hurdles on their own. This set of people gets burned out; they fail to understand that mentors are lifesavers.
According to an African proverb, ‘if one wants to go fast, he will go alone, but if he wants to go far, he must go with a team’. Another African proverb states that “What an old man sees while sitting down on a tree, no matter how tall a child grows, he won’t see it”. These two quotes emphasize the importance of mentors in the life of a progressive mind.
One of the most uncharitable disservices I can do in life is to attribute my success to myself as a result of my hard work. My life has literally been shaped by the role of mentors and elders whom I hold in high esteem. In some cases, I seek the counsel of younger people who are knowledgeable than me in a particular area, and their suggestions have worked like magic.
Sometimes, I laugh at people who attribute their success to their personal development. In some cases, they say they are self-made. Don’t get me wrong, personal development and hard work contribute to the success of human beings because even if you have mentors and elders, who guide and support you, if you are not determined to succeed, success will definitely elude you.
Let me share a practical experience with you. I was given an opportunity to publish my weekly articles on a notable platform by one of my mentors. This mentor of mine is not responsible for writing the articles; he just gave me a platform, and each time I write, I have an editor who reviews my work before it gets published. Now, somebody reading my work will think I’m a smart man, but the truth is that I’m not just smart; rather, I am smart by association because I have a team that assists in shaping my work. Do you see that nobody is self-made?
Furthermore, there are opportunities and doors I know for a fact I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to penetrate if not for the role of mentors and elders in my life, whom I occasionally seek their advice. They serve as a strong support system to me both in my personal and professional development.
As you journey through life and experience, please don’t take it personal. Sometimes, the trials, setbacks, and challenges we go through are targeted and structured in such a way that God is positioning you to use them to counsel or assist someone in the near future. In some cases, it might be to strengthen or benefit you.
In summary, we all need the experience of life and mentors to navigate through life.
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
The Nigeria Police Force has suspended the nationwide enforcement of its tinted glass permit policy following an interim court order that restrained the move.
The Force announced on December 15, 2025, that it would begin enforcing the policy starting January 2, 2026, citing its responsibility to ensure public safety and internal security.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Force Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin, the police revealed that they were served with an interim order on December 17, 2025.
The enforcement will remain suspended pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit or the vacation of the interim order.
“The Nigeria Police Force was served with an interim order of court in Suit No. HOR/FHR/M/31/2025, issued on 17th December 2025, restraining the Force from proceeding with the enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit policy pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit or the vacation of the order,” the statement said.
The police also confirmed that they had entered an appearance in the case, raised preliminary objections, and formally requested the vacation of the interim order.
The case has been adjourned to January 20, 2026, for further hearing.
“In line with constitutional obligations and respect for judicial authority, the Nigeria Police Force has entered appearance in the matter, raised preliminary objections, and formally applied for the vacation of the interim order. The court has adjourned the case to 20th January 2026 for further proceedings,” the statement added.
The statement noted that the suspension of enforcement is being carried out in strict adherence to the ongoing court order.
“Accordingly, and strictly in compliance with the subsisting court order, the Nigeria Police Force has placed the enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit policy on hold nationwide, pending the decision of the court.”
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to upholding the rule of law while fulfilling its duty to protect lives and property.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, affirms that the Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in upholding the rule of law while discharging its primary mandate of protecting lives and property. The Force will continue to deploy lawful, intelligence-driven strategies to address security challenges and safeguard public safety across the country,” the statement added.
The Force also assured members of the public that it would communicate further developments and issue clear guidance as appropriate, following the court’s determination of the matter, in the overriding interest of public order and national security.
The Federal High Court In Abuja on Tuesday ordered the remand of the Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, also ordered the remand of his co-dedendants, his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives Bashir Asabe.
Justice Nwite made the order after taking arguments from the defence team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN) and the prosecution counsel Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count money laundering charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants conspired at various times to conceal, retain and disguise the proceeds of unlawful activities running into several billions of naira.
According to the charge, the alleged offences span several years and include the use of companies and bank accounts to launder funds, the retention of cash as collateral for loans, and the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations.
The commission further alleges that some of the offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
