News
Opinion: Now It’s 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 to which 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!” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD., MNIM, FIMC, CMC, CMS
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, don’t give up on your goals; don’t dismiss your own ability. Time is a very humbling element that must be acknowledged, pondered, and dealt with if global impacts are really and honestly desired. Crawl, walk, run, fly! Soar! But don’t just 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 nations, 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, God Almighty 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 literatures on your areas 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; meditate in tranquility; seek quiet; rest well; eat well; network (meet people); start small; relate with respect and honor; and assist others in finding their feet.
Pursue excellence; transform your abilities into skills (products); comprehend business terminology and administration; invest 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 favor, 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 anyone 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 fulfill 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, but wonderful!’
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 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 honor 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 gains, not the hisses, but the eases, not the bugs or stress, but the rest that will come when all the labor 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’ for The Maker which makes even his or her enemies a footstool for his or her comfort in the realms of glory!
We are nothing more than tools in the Creator’s Mighty Hands, used to carry out His flawless plans on Earth: to love, repair, construct, solve, touch, bless, and impart. His brand is at risk on 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.
Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke is an accredited ISO 20700 Trainer CMC- GLOBAL
Three Nigerian secondary schools are in the ring for the grand prize of N5m in the ongoing Glo Innov8 National STEM competition for girls in Senior Secondary Schools across the country.
The three top finalists were selected for their originality and innovation in the different entries for the competition. A total of 20 secondary schools were picked from over 200 schools which registered for the competition. After a series of considerations, 10 of them made it to the semifinal from which three; Ephraim High School, Isolo Campus, Lagos; Regina Pacis International School, Onitsha, Anambra State; and Peakfield Academy, Jos, Plateau State eventually coasted home to the finals.
Schools from Plateau, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Edo, Borno, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Oyo, Anambra, FCT, Delta, Kaduna and Adamawa states had signified intentions to participate following a call for entries by Glo Foundation, Globacom’s corporate social responsibility arm as part of its celebration of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
Glo Innov8, a STEM-driven challenge, has scheduled prizes worth N5 million to the three schools in the finals. The competition “is geared at inspiring young girls to Compete, Innovate and Win, while also strengthening their confidence and expanding their knowledge in STEM subjects”, Glo Foundation explained.
The eventual overall winning school will go home with a cash prize of N2,000,000 while the 2 students representing the school will each get a laptop. The Teacher/Mentor/STEM Coordinator also gets N200,000.
The schools that come second and third places and their Teachers/Mentors/STEM Coordinators will also receive mouth-watering consolation prizes.
The three female judges of the virtual phase of selection of the top 20 schools said they were excited by the quality of presentations by the competing schools. One of them, Tosin Olabode said: “I was particularly impressed by the prototype presentations from some schools. They demonstrated that they had done their homework”.
In the same vein, Amina Gabriel disclosed that she was thrilled by the variety of ideas that the schools came up with. “The schools presented innovative solutions tackling issues in agriculture, security, waste management, and firefighting. The top 10 schools showcased outstanding prototypes, from apps to robots, making the judging process truly competitive. I’m grateful to Glo Foundation for the opportunity to serve and support young girls in STEM”, she said.
According to Sharon Ibejih, the third judge, “This competition has showcased a highly competitive next generation of women leaders in STEM. This was an excellent exercise and a means to encourage more students in STEM to develop problem-solving and innovative thinking skills”.
The overall winning school will emerge at an event set to hold later this year at the Mike Adenuga Centre (Alliance Française), Ikoyi, Lagos.
The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a motion to stop the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in his trial for alleged terrorism.
Justice James Omotosho, on November 7, fixed November 20 for judgment on the case.
The judge fixed the date after Kanu’s defence was foreclosed following his insistence that he would not enter his defence under a repealed law.
However, in the motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, he personally filed, the IPoB leader sought seven reliefs.
In the application dated November 10 and filed same date, Kanu sought an order arresting the delivery of judgment in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.
The document was made public on Tuesday.
In it, he alleged that the proceedings were conducted under a repealed and non-existent statute and in disobedience to the Supreme Court’s directive contrary to Section 287(1) CFRN 1999.”
He sought a declaration that by virtue of Section 287(1) CFRN, the trial court was constitutionally bound to give effect to the Supreme Court’s finding that count 15 (now count 7) “does not exist in law,” and its failure rendered all subsequent proceedings null and void.
He also sought a declaration that the court’s failure to take judicial notice of the repeal of the 2013 Terrorism Act, contrary to Section 122 Evidence Act 2011, vitiates all steps taken thereunder.
The IPOB leader equally sought a declaration that by virtue of Section 76(1)(d)(iii) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to try him in the absence of proof that the alleged conduct constituted an offence under Kenyan law or of any Kenyan judicial validation or extradition order.
Besides, Kanu sought “a declaration that the plea purportedly taken on March 29, under a repealed and non-existent statute and in violation of Section 220 ACJA 2015 is void and incapable of conferring jurisdiction.
President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a strong delegation to London to address the situation of Ike Ekweremadu, a former Deputy Senate President, who has been imprisoned in the UK since March 2023.
The delegation includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.
The team arrived in London on Monday and held discussions with officials from the UK’s Ministry of Justice.
Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for Tuggar, said on Tuesday that the presidential delegation was in London to engage with UK authorities to consider the possibility of Ekweremadu serving the remainder of his prison sentence in Nigeria.
The London Metropolitan Police detained the Ekweremadus in June 2022 after a man was deceitfully presented to a private renal unit at Royal Free Hospital in London as a relative of their daughter Sonia, in what turned out to be a failed attempt to convince medical professionals to perform an £80,000 transplant.
The 21-year-old man, who had allegedly been promised employment in the UK, reported the incident to the police in May of that year, saying that he had been brought to the country for an organ transplant.
In March 2023, the former presiding officer of Nigeria’s Senate was convicted of organ trafficking by a UK court. Beatrice, his wife, and Obinna Obeta, a doctor connected to the case, were also found guilty.
This verdict marked the first of its kind under the UK Modern Slavery Act.
On May 5, 2023, Ekweremadu received a nine-year and eight-month prison sentence, while his wife was sentenced to four years and six months, and Obeta was given a ten-year prison sentence.
In his ruling, Judge Jeremy Johnson determined that Beatrice should serve half of her sentence in custody and be supervised for the remainder. However, she was released from prison in January and has since returned to Nigeria.
