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Opinion: Reassurance of ‘Hope’: Don’t Give Up!
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“It is the ‘assurance of life’ that guarantees you a ‘living’… It is not to please nor oppress others, but to please God Almighty (The Maker) and grants you ‘fulfilment’ alongside divine blessings in these ‘appearance’ and ‘plain’ called ‘life’!” – Tolulope A. Adegoke
Having discussed the facts about discovering your Zero, working on your Zero, harnessing your Zeros towards emerging a HERO in my earlier articles, it was observed from feedbacks across the globe that some people may not really want to embrace new challenges, they do not want to risk losing that little piece of cake in their hands; they do not want to leave their comfort zones towards getting better and brighter opportunities…They want everything on a platter of gold which is not always so in reality. “There is no free lunch in Freetown, everything comes with a cost!” Get that straight
Many people lack the capacity to evaluate options and maximize chances (opportunities); while most people that emerged a HERO today rose up through the storm which came as a blessing in disguise to them, thereby compelling them to effect and accept change in reality! One thing that we must understand here is that vision is not blurred, it can never be hidden but most of the times, we only refuse not to see clearly due to our ignorance, shallow thoughts (mentality), negligence and other factors that limits us. Many, therefore, become frustrated when they do not see or understand their visions; hence, they become ungrateful to God Almighty.
In all honesty, everything we need has been encrypted into us in the forms of talents, potentials, so also, in the storm which is often blessings in disguise as our training ground to unleashing these natural endowments of ours! We need the sixth sense to discover what God has in stock for us as individuals, as an organization (Corporates) and as nations at large. Having discovered these facts, you must play your part of the deal by empowering these gifts, peoples, strengthen your weak areas so as not to drown in the pits of regrets, but emerge a HERO in your generation(s) by harnessing your ‘Empowered Zeros’ in your specific areas of calling. Your gifts/potentials comes (raw) as ‘Zero’ at first, but has the tendency to develop, advance and appreciate when empowered…. Even your storm connotes ‘Zero’, because it is an unpalatable situation (challenge), but can be solved or surmounted through empowerment strategies such as Latent Capacity Building, Understanding and Engaging Divine Wisdom, Appreciating and Engaging the Ultimate Gifts among others. After empowering your ‘Zeros’ to getting the best out of (refining) yourself and life situations, you must then go further to harnessing your ‘Empowered Zeros’ through diverse measures into solving life events, then you naturally emerge a HERO. I, therefore, illuminated further in those articles by ripping some carefully selected individuals/persons in a bid to help us know that it is applicable in true life issues (reality). These ones emerged from the levels of Zero to HERO! We must therefore note these blatant facts that:
Talents are useless until we put them to usage,
Seeds are useless until we cast them into the ground, not just any ground, but fertile ground(s).
You are useless (as ‘nobody’) no matter how gifted you may be, until you show case your gifts/talents…
You are not alive because you are smart, but because of what you have been called and chosen to do by the Almighty!
Every seed, talents or potentials in you are for specific purposes!
Therefore, you must understand your purpose (calling) and deliver your gifts to your world through positive impacts of lives, corporates and nations! What the world wants to hear are your breakthroughs (testimonies of possibilities), and not mere stories.
You are Heaven on Earth…Your gifts and talents are heavenly deposits inside your earthen vessel. (2 Corinthians 4:7: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us).
Empowering them all gives you full access into reigning (Heaven) on Earth…You are not of this world, neither are your potentials; but you must be on this Earth (i.e. stay alive) for your talents to function, for them to function as ‘you’, they are packaged in a body called MAN…Your true identity is not your body but the heavenly gifts that the body carries! You are the full identity of the power of God in action. And that is the basis and the peak of all Leadership!
It is your gifts that results to excellence, which attracts success when empowered (worked upon), then leads to the greatness that comes with posterity, while your earthen vessel(s) would decay as a result of the expiration of its existence on Earth.
The ‘Hero’ in you speaks for you even while you are gone! For by their fruits (deeds/levels of impacts) we shall know them!
Do not quit empowering your ‘Zeros’, they might end up becoming your ‘Heroes’ (strengths)!
Here are the powerful words of Edgar A. Guest:
“DON’T QUIT!
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you are trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must-but don’t you quit…!
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about.
When he might have won had struck it out;
Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow-
You might succeed with another blow…
Success is failure turned inside out-
the silver tint of the cloud of doubt-
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to fight when you are hardest hit-
It’s when things get worse that you must not quit!”
Dr. Robert Schuller further added his own bit:
“Don’t trust the clouds- trust the sunshine.
Don’t set your compass by the flash of lightning-
Set it by the starts. Trust the sun-don’t trust the shadows.
Believe in your dreams-don’t believe in your despairing thoughts.
Have faith in your faith-and doubt your doubts.
Trust your hopes- never trust your hurts. And you will on eventually, effectively, inspiringly to faith’s final phase which is the Crowning Stage.”
It is only the potential that is consistently worked upon that (is transformed) delivers a sellable product…which would eventually command blank cheques. Even God Almighty did not wait for man to be perfect before He could love and empower him. God loved us, even when we were unlovable, in our weaknesses, in our sins, so he had to sacrifice His ‘best’ i.e. Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son (John3:16) for us to be saved (Empowered), for us to be joint-heirs with Jesus Christ in God Almighty, The Father! In spite of all of our weaknesses, God sees HOPE in us and He always ready to bless us to making better our FUTURE in Him. He gave us Jesus Christ (His Word, Empowerment, sacrifice) that we may dwell in Him and He in us (Christ in us, the HOPE of Glory) to be forever embodiments i.e. carriers of God’s glory, splendours and majesty. “for our body(s) is the temple of God!” God is always seeing a HERO in a Zero! And always ready to help (empower, bless) every “Zero” that submits to Him and subjects themselves to His ruler-ship for them to reign on Earth as kings (Heroes). He turns us into an attraction empire and global evidences of supernatural breakthroughs. He turns dusts into gold!
We can only achieve or attain greatness by wisdom, and wisdom itself is in levels: According to James3:15-17“This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be in-treated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (KJV)”. James1:5 says: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (KJV).” Job28:28 “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (KJV).” To acquire wisdom, we must avoid being defiled by the king’s meat just as Daniel and his friends did. Biblical character such as Joseph, Solomon, and Daniel among others, were definitions of divine wisdom which enabled them to live a life of impacts in their generations.
If you do not understand your calling, you cannot appreciate your gifting. Always remember that your gifting is your anointing! And your anointing is the presence of God in you, which must keep flowing to the world through you!
That’s what you owe your MAKER (God Almighty) all the days of your life. Therefore, do not abuse your gifting, they are sacred and must dished out with utmost humility and sanity! It is the ‘assurance of life’ that guarantees you a ‘living’… It is not to please nor oppress others but to please God Almighty (The Maker) and grants you ‘fulfilment’ alongside divine blessings in these ‘appearance’ and ‘plain’ called ‘life’!
Learn, Apply & Share.
Thank You!
Watch out for the Book titled: “The Power of an Empowered Zero” (From Zero to HERO) by Tolulope A. Adegoke. Foreword by Dr Yomi Garnett (CEO/Chancellor, Royal Biographical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S.A., U.K., Abuja, Nigeria.) Edited by Ola Aboderin.
The campaign team of Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has announced that their leader, who is Governorship aspirant, has formally purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections in Lagos State.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued on Wednesday by Gbenga Ogunleye, spokesperson for the Jandor campaign organisation, marking a significant step in Adediran’s bid to contest for the state’s top office.
According to the statement, the move underscores Adediran’s commitment to due process and strict adherence to the party’s internal democratic procedures.
The governorship aspirant also reiterated his alignment with the party’s decision to adopt direct primaries for all elective positions, expressing optimism that the process would enhance grassroots participation, strengthen unity within the party, and promote inclusiveness in the emergence of candidates.
Jandor further reaffirmed his loyalty to the National Leader of the APC and President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also paying tribute to party leaders in Lagos State for their continued guidance and commitment to progressive ideals.
He also extended gratitude to members of the JAGABAN–JANDOR 2027 Movement, young Lagosians, and supporters who contributed financially towards the purchase of the nomination forms, commending their dedication and belief in his leadership capacity.
Jandor assured party members and residents of Lagos State that his governorship ambition is rooted in unity, inclusiveness, and a commitment to sustaining and advancing good governance under the APC platform.
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Samuel Ajose, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the next governor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) will not stand.
GAC, regarded as the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, endorsed Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, indicating an early alignment within the ruling party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Speaking after the session, GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, said members unanimously agreed on Hamzat, expressing confidence in his ability to sustain and build on the state’s developmental progress.
Olusi explained that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the party’s forthcoming primaries and assess the governorship position ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking about the GAC adoption of Hamzat as Lagos APC consensus 2027 governorship candidate on Arise News on Tuesday, Ajose said that Sanwo-Olu and others are trying to force President Tinubu into making a decision.
“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing.
“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand.”
The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to borrow Five Hundred and Sixteen Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, seven ($516,333,007) US dollars in syndicated financing from Deutsche Bank AG.
The House approved it during the plenary on Tuesday in Abuja after the presentation of a report by the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Aids, Loans, and Debts Management, Abdullahi Rasheed.
The money is expected to fund the construction of sections of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway.
President Tinubu wrote to the lawmakers, seeking a $516.3 million loan from Deutsche Bank to support the construction of the road.
The president said the loan, to be sourced from a syndicated financing facility by Deutsche Bank, will fund sections 1, 1A, and 1B of the project, which covers about 120 kilometres.
Tinubu requested a resolution in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011, to enable the federal government to secure the financing for Sections 1, Phase 1A, and Phase 1B of the project.
The project is a flagship initiative of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is targeted at enhancing national connectivity, improving the movement of goods across key economic corridors, and drastically shrinking travel time.
The 1,000-kilometre project will link Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, connecting Illela to Badagry.
According to him, the financing arrangement will be backed by a partial risk guarantee from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
He said the Federal government will provide counterpart funding of over N265 billion for land acquisition, compensation, and related infrastructure.
The former Lagos governor said the loan is structured for nine years and includes a three-year grace period.
It has an interest rate pegged at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange SOFR plus 5.3 per cent per annum.
Already, the Federal Executive Council has approved the financing plan.
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