News
Opinion: The Divine Principles of Greatness
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Principles are clearly penned and planned strategies of actualizing or fulfilling a purpose or goals, which are usually encrypted in simple modules in a bid to make it easier for whoever that is hungry enough to take the bold steps behind its creation. Talent isn’t just enough! Principles involves processes that polishes or fine-tunes our talents into effective skills, and skills into the realms of fulfilment that comes with the deserved profits.” – Tolulope A. Adegoke
A principle is a moral rule or belief that helps you to know what is right, which affects your life and outputs. It is a fact of life that can bring out something from nothing.
The principles that you subscribe to would determine the level that you operate on (Colossians 2:8, 20).
The Principle of Identity
Who are? Your identity speaks or describes your person and essence in life. If you do not know ‘who’ you are, you cannot know ‘what’ you are!
What are you? (Psalm 8:4)
There is a perception that man wants to see of you; if you fall for it, you will automatically subscribe to it. You can only know ‘who’ and ‘what’ you are by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). You are a spirit being, living in a body that consist of your spirit and soul. Your identity is critical. Check out your identity with God. The exemplars of greatness in the Scriptures knew who they were.
Identity is critical for manifestation of what you have been created to become by God! Your soul is the breath of God (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:7)! God has created us to be moral and intellectual beings. We have been sent to reign on gods on Earth…given us dominion to reign on Earth.
The Principle of Vision
Where are you going? When do you intend to get there? What are the pictures of your desires? What do you intend to achieve? You see with your subconscious (the combination of your spirit and soul). It is as far as your eyes can see…whatever you see in the spirit must be documented and worked upon (Habakkuk 2:2), because they will affect your being on Earth. Anything without ‘dating’ would not produce the deserved sacrifices needed or required for its clear manifestations. Believe in manifestation is what makes it happen. When you pray, you must believe to see it happen. What you do not believe, may not yield. Your confession depicts what is in you. Vision is spiritual, no matter your kind of business. Everyone, organization and nations have their vision; and that is what drives their mission. Looking is not seeing, and it takes sights to see depths! The following are kinds of vision:
The Eye-sight
The Insight
The Foresight
The Hind-sight
Activate your future by living in its realities, by writing it in past tenses.
The Principles of Limits
A limit is a boundary, restriction that creates hindrances to movements or progress. No matter how large your goals are, if you do not break out of your comfort zones, you will deliver as expected. You need a higher law to breakthrough in your values… you can only breakthrough through a higher law. The Airplanes flies through the law of lifts or flights. There are no limits! You, therefore, need to breakthrough in your thoughts and works.
The Principles of a Sound Mind
Your soul is the domain in-between the physical and the spiritual. It is in charge of your subconscious mind. Fear and Faith are forces that are powered through the mind! Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Fear is a limiting force that retards a person’s ability (divine or natural). which I suffice to say, Fear is simply believing in the power of the devil over God. And Faith is simply believing in the power of possibilities! That is God over the devil! 2 Timothy 1:7 reveals that “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. And the Holy Bible reveals that the word Fear not was mentioned (three hundred and sixty-five) 365 times, which means that it is a daily dosage for all. Fear distorts and distracts our sanity, and when one’s sanity has been tampered with, the sanctity of such a person may no longer be preserved. As soon as the sanctity on a person is polluted, safety is not guaranteed!
It is always about what you ‘want’, not what you do not want. You must develop yourself to decreeing and believing the positive sides of life…the ones you so much desire. Proverbs 23:7a reveals that “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:…”
The Principles of Alignment
Success and greatness are functions of alignment. The goal is the value…which are the principles you live by; it is the principles by which you believe! You believe drives you. Your values must, therefore, align with your core beliefs (vision).
The Principles of Power
Power is the ability to direct and influence yourself and others. One important thing about power is that “power only bows to Power! And God Almighty is the overall Power!” Greater is He that is you than he that is in the world! Romans 13:1 reveals that “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. While,1John 4: 4 confirms it that “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Your biggest asset are your thoughts, mindset, imagination and actions. They reveal what rules over you. You must activate the power within you! Power only answers to usage. Tshe powers you do not deploy will fade away. Use the power within you to influence the powers without. In the Holy Bible, Eve became a prey as seen in Genesis 3: 3-15 because she failed to use her inner power as given her by The Creator in Genesis 1:26-28.
The Principles of Work
A work is an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result. The Holy Bible reveals that since the very beginning of creation, God worked as seen in Genesis 2:2 “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made…” And Genesis 2:19 reveals that “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. While Exodus 20:9 “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:”.
Proverbs 18:9 “He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.” Also, Ecclesiastes 9:7 (KJV) reveals “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 unveils that “Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whether thou goest.” For every work, there is a reward. No food for a lazy man. If you do nothing, you gain nothing!
The Principles of Time, Chance and Seasons
Ecclesiastes 9:11 “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” Time and chance happens to everyone under the sun. All we need to do is to know, have a clear understanding of what Time it is, and taking swift bold steps, so as to be able to maximize the chances unveiled in it, just like the sons of Issachar guarantees greatness as seen in the Scripture 1 Chronicles 12:32 “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment”.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Make good use of your times…it waits for no one, it respects no one except its Maker (God Almighty).
The Principles of Rest
Rest means to cease work or movement in order to relax or recover strength. It also means to allow to be inactive in order to regain strength or health. Genesis 2:3
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
If the Scripture above reveals that The Creator rested on the seventh day of creation, then as a human being you need rest after every labour. Ecclesiastes 5:12 says “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”
The Principles of Waiting
To wait means to stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or occurrence. It also means to defer something until a person’s arrival. This word has both spiritual and physical advantages as seen in Luke 24:49 where Jesus Christ was speaking to His disciples saying “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Also, a verse of the Psalm 37:9 “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.” That means, you do not wait on ‘who’ you do not trust. It is wise to wait only on God, because He does not fail nor falter.
The Principles of Gratitude
It is said that what you do not appreciate will definitely depreciate. Gratitude increases the value of a vessel (person) or in a thing. Gratitude emits love, then attracts grace which binds us together as one before God. Also, a portion of the Holy Bible buttressed it in Psalm 30:12 “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” As a people, we must always be grateful to the Maker, because He is the Giver to all that gives and receives. Also, you must appreciate one another as humans to continue getting or attracting the very best from ourselves.
The Principles of Fellowship
Two good heads are better than one. The power of a union can conquer oppositions. Matthew 18:20 reveals that: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Also, in Leviticus 26: 8 (KJV) “And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.”
The Principles of Quietude
In quietness lies the truth. As my daily mantra says “Calm, quiet and available is my soul before My Maker, God Almighty (The Creator of the Heavens and Earth).” Virtually all the great men of old and today practised and practices quietude as a daily routine. Another word for it is meditation. Meditation thrives in serenity. Meditation powers our souls to activate our spirit man which compels our bodies to obedience and align with the Divine will. Here is the factory of inventions. It is a process that leads as follows:
BrokennessàHumilityàCompassionàInspirationàRevelationàIlluminationàCreativity beyond human comprehension (Divine Order). A man who cannot quiet his spirit man will not consistently hear God. And, if you do not hear God, you will lack direction and productivity!
The Principles of Choice
God has given unto every man the free-will and determinism to choose according to how he purposes in his heart. Deuteronomy 30:19
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” The choice you make decides your future. We all are products of our choices.
The Principles of Planning
You must permit yourself to perform well. You must perform well to perfection by training well. Lean on knowledge, from it you may find wisdom. Acquire skills for accessing and actualizing desired intentions or goals. Never ever relent following the above steps over and over again. True vision exposes, then empowers our individual or corporate missions. There will be no fulfilment of mission(s) without effective planning. It is effective planning that compels you to sit well to strategize properly; if you do not sit well, you will never ever discover or unlock a passion (solution) to pass on unto the next generation.
The Principles of Impacts/Giving
A gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment or expecting anything in return for it. It is a present. The Bible records it in Acts 10:38
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Nothing that we have is really ours, we all our channels leading to one another to bless one another. Stop being a container! It has been given by God Almighty to be given unto men that needs it. God is a great exemplar here in John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 further reveals that “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” Jesus Christ lived a selfless life. He is our perfect example. Hebrews 12:2 finalizes it by saying “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The Principles of Submission
2 Corinthians 10:5 says “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;…” Learn obedience by what Jesus Christ suffered! Develop an attitude of victory through the finished works of Jesus Christ on the Cross!
Thank you for reading.
Please learn and apply where necessary.
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 Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced plans to commence an indefinite nationwide strike starting November 1, 2025.
NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the strike directive was issued after the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier given to the Federal government over unresolved demands.
This latest action comes after a five-hour meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Saturday.
“The NEC has marshalled out minimum demands, strike monitoring directives, and ‘no work, no pay/no pay, no work’ resolutions needed for a successful execution of this action,” the statement reads in part.
According to Suleiman, the decision followed the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal government to address its demands.
“Today, after a 5-Hour Extra-Ordinary National Executive Council Meeting, the Members of NEC have issued out new marching orders to us once again.
“The NEC has unanimously directed us to declare a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action to commence on Friday 31st October 2025 at 11:59pm.”
Suleiman said the National Officers Committee (NOC) has been mandated to ensure full compliance with the directive and to implement strike monitoring and enforcement measures across all centres.
He added that the association’s centre presidents and general secretaries have been directed to convene emergency congress meetings to brief members on the resolutions.
“We have reported to NEC and NEC has decided. The NOC will carry out this directive to its latter and in full compliance.
“NEC has also decided that centre Presidents and General Secretaries shall go back and call Emergency Congress Meetings to brief Members on the details there-in.
The NARD President accused some government and non-government actors of “evil and exploitative plans” against resident doctors, adding that the union will “collectively resist” such moves.
He also called on members of NARD to use the next few days to hand over patients, engage community and religious leaders, and sensitise the public ahead of the strike.
The industrial action is expected to cripple medical services in hospitals nationwide, as resident doctors constitute the backbone of clinical care in the nation’s healthcare system.
On September 26, NARD issued one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the lingering issues affecting the welfare and training of resident doctors and medical officers across the country.
Part of the grievances listed by the association are excessive and unregulated work hours, nonpayment of outstanding arrears from the 25 and 35 percent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and the unjust dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
The resident doctors also expressed frustration over the non-payment of promotion arrears to medical officers in various federal tertiary hospitals, as well as the failure of the government to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance despite repeated assurances from the Ministry of Health.
They further cited bureaucratic delays in upgrading resident doctors’ ranks following the completion of postgraduate medical examinations, leading to non-payment of new salary scales and accumulated arrears.
NARD also condemned their exclusion from the specialist allowance, despite their critical role in providing specialist-level care to patients across the country.
The association faulted the exclusion of medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme — a policy it said denies them rightful salaries, professional recognition, and career progression.
NARD also decried the downgrading of newly employed resident doctors from CONMESS three Step three to CONMESS two Step two, resulting in reduced earnings and unpaid salary arrears in several federal hospitals.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Secrets are exclusive preserves of certain individuals or institutions. They are one’s advantage over others, in the sense of ‘there’s something I know, which no one else knows. No one can ever claim that they don’t have a secret, either in the good or bad light.
Secrets therefore, exist in the family circle, business terrain, academic environment, career/professional pursuit, health management, spiritual connectivity and even in everyday personal living. It is an undeniable fact that everyone has a secret that works for them.
Let’s take a minute to discuss some of the aforementioned secrets.
Family
Every family has a secret. It will be foolhardy for anyone to disclose family secrets. Most families die with their secrets. To understand how family secrets work, imagine the Coca-Cola company. The family is said to be the only one in the world that has the formula for the beverage; a trade secret that originated with its creator, John Pemberton.
It is said that not even all family members enter the room where Coca-Cola is mixed or manufactured for fear of the secret being divulged. Imagine where spouses have access to the room and the marriage goes south, there’s a tendency that a spiteful divorced partner might leak the secret and the rest as they say is history.
There are many secrets that bind many families which only the immediate family members know. In some cases, only the parents or grandparents know. They can decide to share the secret to either the first male child, first female child or even a member of the family that one considers rational. For instance, imagine where a family is faced with a peculiar life threatening illness which ordinarily might scare anyone who wants to get married into that family, it will be stupid for anyone to spit it out, that act alone can make the intending spouse to reconsider his/her plan to marry from the family.
Business
Every business has a trade secret. Trade secrets are what makes a business unique. Every business has a unique selling point. (USP), which is a distinct benefit that sets the business or product apart from its competitors. A shrewd businessman will never leak his secret to his employees or competitors. The best his employees will know are the values, the operational systems or structures of the business and how his mindset works. But what makes the business stand out is the mystery that one will need to unravel.
Academic
Every student has a distinct trait that makes him/her succeed academically. This unique trait makes the student exceptional. For any student to succeed in their academics, he must know himself and what works for him. While some might study at night, some might study during the day, others might just listen during the lecture and understand the key points.
It’s sad to see students, who haven’t discovered who they are and what works for them following students who have discovered who they are. For example, while some students have good listening and understanding ability, and can listen to lectures and read a little and pass their examinations, some other students will have to read the course material before the lecture, listen during the lecture, read after the lecture and read thoroughly for examination before they can get a decent grade.
In some cases, they might not get the desired grade. Some students will even party hard during the day and at night they study, while some will party at night and study during the day. So, you can see that while some students have discovered themselves and what works for them, some others follow them sheepishly. Moral: Know what works for you and do what works for you because according to Oscar Wilde, “be yourself because others are taken”.
Career/Profession
Every career professional has a secret that works for them. In the same way, every industry knows what makes it stands out. The secret of what makes someone in the entertainment industry successful is quite different from what makes someone in politics or law enforcement, energy, education, legal, or health sector different. They all have different strokes, and the ability of one to do the needful in addition to playing the associated game can be the game changer.
Health
Health is a personal thing. Nobody knows you more than you know yourself. To show you how secretive and important one’s health is, it’s been said that there are three kinds of life: Public life, private life and secret life.
Your public life is the life that is generally known by everyone. It is the character we exhibit in the public space. It can also be regarded as the image perception lifestyle; we don’t generally go around revealing our health status in the public domain except where necessary. The private lifestyle; this is the kind of life only our family and close friends know.
Again, we don’t disclose such pertinent information to them only where and when necessary, then we have the secret lifestyle which only us and our creator knows. In some cases, we go to the graveyard with this. Do you see why health is a personal issue which needs to be kept in a secret place?
Personal
As mentioned earlier, everyone is unique. One of the best things that can happen to anyone is knowing themselves, and knowing what makes them different. I strongly believe we all have seeds of greatness in us. What works for Mr. A might not work for Mr. B. Like I always say, you can copy my style, but you can’t be me because imitation is a limitation.
For instance, I have unique energy and inspiration when it comes to writing. I have developed a keen interest and passion for writing. If tomorrow I become very successful or attract a unique opportunity, and someone decides to try writing to attract similar opportunities, the person might fail because God is the one that decides what opportunities come to anyone nor matter how hard someone may work.
Spiritual
This is another interesting aspect of life. Life is indeed spiritual. There’s nothing that happens physically without taking place spiritually. Everyone has a covenant point that was assigned to them at birth. Once that covenant point is touched that fellow might lose their blessings, anointing or what makes them strong.
There have been many testimonies about this. For instance, in the Bible, Samson’s touching point was his hair. He knows his power lies in his hair, that’s why Delilah tried so many times to know the secret of his strength, but Samson refused to tell her. She tried to make him drunk, but Samson still has the power. Samson repeatedly lied to Delilah about the secret of his strength, first saying it was new bowstrings, then new ropes, and finally by weaving his hair into a loom. Each time, he easily broke free, but Delilah continued to pressure him.
Weary from her constant questioning, Samson finally confessed that his strength was tied to his hair, which had never been cut because he was a Nazirite from birth. Delilah then called for a man to shave Samson’s seven locks of hair while he slept in her lap. His secret was revealed. His hair was cut. He strength was gone.
Do you see that Samson’s secret place was his hair?
In conclusion, depending on what we are working on, we all have our secret strength and place. The onus is on us to cultivate and dwell on this secret place to avoid losing power and focus.
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
Amid growing insecurity in different parts of the country, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has urged residents to defend themselves against persistent bandit attacks.
He insisted that his administration would neither negotiate with nor pay ransom to criminals under any circumstances.
Bago made the declaration during a visit to the Rijau and Magama local government areas, where several communities were recently attacked by bandits operating from the Kontagora axis.
The governor said the State has reached a critical stage that demands collective action, warning that ransom payments would only embolden the criminals and turn kidnapping into a profitable venture.
“I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom.
“The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and continue kidnapping people,” he said.
“The situation has reached a state of war that requires collective resistance. We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up.
“The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that,” the governor added.
Describing the recurring attacks and displacement of residents as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” Bago announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 personnel into the state’s joint task force to strengthen community security and restore peace.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, the governor also announced a total ban on all mining activities across Zone C of the state.
The affected local government areas include Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara.
Bago explained that illegal mining had become a major driver of insecurity in the zone, noting that many miners had unrestricted access to forest areas considered unsafe for residents.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them. I have ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities,” he said.
Governor Bago also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence and restoring lasting peace throughout the state.
