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The Divine Principles of Greatness (Pt. 2)
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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 productivities and fulfilment that comes with the deserved profits, from the values which commanded it to fruition.” – 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 Principles 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 consists 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 the 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 Principles 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. Believing 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, a 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 break through 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 break through 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 of 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 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. The powers you do not deploy will fade away. Use the power within you to influence the powers without. In the Holy Bible, Eve became 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
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 the understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; 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 and chances…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 the Book of 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 a hundred, and a 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.
President Bola Tinubu has extended his “working vacation” in Europe by a few days and is expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend, the Presidency said on Monday.
The announcement came as Vice President Kashim Shettima represents the President at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he is scheduled to deliver Nigeria’s national statement.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 to begin his working vacation in London. After spending one week in the United Kingdom, he proceeded to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
Bolloré’s media interests include Canal+, MultiChoice and Universal Music Group.
A statement signed on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu has remains in touch with developments at home and continued to direct the affairs of government despite being away from Nigeria.
One of the major decisions taken by the President during the period was his directive for an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Minna following their detention by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The deaths had raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the detention and treatment of the miners, prompting the President to order an independent probe.
Tinubu’s decision to extend his stay abroad means he will not personally attend the opening of the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly in New York. Shettima, who departed Abuja on September 20, is representing the President at the global gathering and will present Nigeria’s national statement.
The Presidency said the Vice President’s representation was part of the arrangements for Tinubu’s absence from the country.
With Shettima now in New York, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, will continue to represent the President at some official functions.
The Presidency said Tinubu had also delegated the Vice President to represent him at official functions while he was away, while Akume had similarly stepped in at other engagements.
The President’s extended stay in Europe also comes amid increased political activities at home ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the Presidency, the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abubakar Yari, has been leading notable leaders of the ruling party in consultations with prominent traditional rulers across the country.
The consultations form part of ongoing political engagements as the administration moves towards the next electoral cycle.
The Presidency also reacted strongly to criticism over Tinubu’s decision not to attend the UN General Assembly personally.
It described as irresponsible what it called a “baseless insinuation” by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying firm headed by an ex-convict regarding the President’s non-attendance at the global gathering.
The Presidency maintained that Nigeria would be adequately represented by Shettima, who will deliver the country’s national statement.
Tinubu’s latest trip began as an official working vacation, during which the President combined his leave with selected diplomatic, business and governmental engagements.
His meeting with Macron in Paris provided an opportunity for discussions on bilateral relations, while his engagement with Bolloré focused on business and investment interests involving Nigeria.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to reduce the cost of petrol, saying Nigerians are struggling with the combined impact of high energy, transportation and food prices.
Atiku made the call on Friday in Abuja during a press briefing on fuel prices, palliatives and the rising cost of living. His comments came amid renewed concerns over the effect of higher petrol prices on households and businesses.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate said the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023 placed additional pressure on families, workers, farmers and businesses.
He said the effect of higher petrol prices was not limited to motorists, as increased transportation and logistics costs had also pushed up the prices of food and other essential goods.
“When government makes energy expensive, it makes life expensive,” Atiku said.
The former vice president recalled that he had previously called for government intervention to reduce petrol prices, but said Tinubu had dismissed the proposal as showing “serious ignorance” of governance and the economy.
Atiku questioned whether the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), petroleum marketers, manufacturers and ordinary Nigerians who had raised concerns about rising costs could all be described as ignorant.
“When workers, producers, marketers and ordinary families are all raising the alarm, government must listen,” he said.
He said the government should be prepared to review its policies when their consequences become difficult for citizens to bear, adding that rising production costs were putting further pressure on manufacturers while families were finding it harder to afford basic goods.
Atiku also argued that government revenue and GDP figures did not necessarily reflect the economic reality facing ordinary Nigerians.
“If government receives more Naira while the citizen’s naira buys less food, less fuel, less electricity and less transportation, then bigger government revenues mean little to the family struggling to survive,” he said.
The ADC candidate urged Tinubu to use the remaining eight months of his first term to reduce the burden on Nigerians and consider any measure capable of lowering petrol prices, even if the proposal came from a political opponent.
“What matters to me is that Nigerians pay less,” Atiku said. “A sensible idea does not become a bad idea because it came from your opponent.”
He also offered to make his policy framework available to the Tinubu administration, saying Nigerians should not have to wait for a new government before benefiting from policies that could provide relief.
“If you need the framework, I will provide it. Implement it under your government. Give it whatever name you choose. Take the credit,” he said.
“I ask for only one thing: Let Nigerians breathe.”
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Passion and purpose are among the most debated topics in the human development space. It’s a grey area that has attracted a lot of attention. While some schools of thought believe it’s better to focus on passion, other schools of thought believe that it’s profitable for one to focus on a job that pays the bills.
According to the latter school of thought, passion doesn’t pay the bills. Well, depending on the schools of thought one subscribes to, I personally believe it pays more for one to pursue passion than profit, and I will explain in a minute.
I strongly believe passion is stronger than power because when one loves what one is doing, there’s an inherent strength that comes with it, but if one doesn’t like what they are doing, they’ll lack the moral strength to forge on.
Let me share a practical example with you. My late dad encouraged me to study Taxation Law at New York Law School, a major I didn’t like. He had the mindset that money rules the world, which I tend to believe because when money talks, the world “generally” seems to move around. That mindset and principle is relatable; however, it’s not applicable in other cases because there are some people or situations where money doesn’t move around.
My late dad believed it makes no sense for me to read a major and remain unemployable or poor. So, when I arrived in the United States, the economy was experiencing a recession, and there were no jobs at the time. So, while I was passionate about studying International Relations, Energy Law, or Communications Law, my late dad sat me down and said, based on the information he was receiving from his friends, these are great courses, but when I graduate, it will be hard to find a job because most people in those firms are laying off employees.
According to my late dad, his friends suggested that since I have a legal background, tax law is the only major I can study and be guaranteed a job because people and corporations will always file their tax returns. I initially objected to this advice because my brain is not wired for numbers. I really struggled to accept this advice because I hated numbers with passion.
My late dad would later tell me, you know we are from a humble background, and so we need money. My late dad would always say, “You wouldn’t want to study international law or communication, and the only thing you can do very well is speak English while remaining poor. One fact about my late dad was that he liked money to a stupor. According to him, after God, the most important thing in the world is money.
After much hesitation, I decided to study the major to make my late dad happy because I saw how happy he would be when I studied tax law. If truth be told, I wasn’t happy studying the major. I really struggled with the major. I managed to get a scholarship and graduated with a decent grade, but getting a job was challenging because employers could see that I didn’t like the major each time I went for an interview.
At the end of the day, I managed to get a job as a Case Manager for a private organization and later as the Legal Coordinator for the New York City Department of Correction. An important point to note here is that, after I left the tax firm, I was intentional about applying for jobs I was passionate about. Money to me was a secondary concern because I strongly believe that when you love what you do and you are good at it, money will surely find you.
I had to share this practical experience to give an insight into the importance of focusing on passion. Don’t get me wrong, money is good, but I personally feel there are more valuable things than money, and a perfect example is marrying a kind man as opposed to marrying a man with money, or marrying a lady with good character as opposed to marrying a lady with a good physique.
It’s instructive to note that when I began to focus on what I love to do, I had to spend time on honing my skills, developing myself by attending relevant training sessions and taking courses that would distinguish me from my contemporaries. It didn’t take long for me to receive recognition for my work. I was celebrated for being a trailblazing author of three books on television; I was interviewed by The New York Times in addition to meeting resourceful global leaders. In all sincerity, I doubt if I would have received accolades assuming I focused on taxation or doing what would give me money.
The moral of this analysis is that while profit is good, passion is much better because it will give one the necessary satisfaction and fulfilment they deserve. To understand how this works, one might make good money in a job but won’t be happy, but someone else might make little money and be happy in what they are doing. If research is done on what makes one happy, most people will likely say it is their passion or what they love to do that makes them happy as opposed to the job they do. It’s only a fragment of people who will attribute their happiness to the job they do, and that’s simply because they have truly figured out who they are or are probably happy and passionate about the work they do.
Let me explain a little: your profession is what you are trained to do as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, or engineer. Your vocation is what you are trained to do as a skilled worker or one with a 9-to-5 job, but your ministry is your calling, and that’s why you find your talent or gift and passion. So, one’s passion can be found in what they love to do.
When one’s profession is aligned with one’s vocation and ministry, then success is bound to be present because passion is at play.
It’s instructive to note that most of the great people I know in the world have become famous because they were doing what they love to do. I recently attended an award ceremony where my alma mater, Baruch College, celebrated alumni who have distinguished themselves. One of the award recipients, Ms. Doris Gonzalez, stated in her speech, “Of all the jobs I have had in my life, this is my best job. I really love my job”. I strongly believe there is a form of spiritual blessing and success that comes when one is happy doing what one is passionate about.
In conclusion, if one is desirous of succeeding in life, please endeavor to focus on your passion; if you can’t find it, explore what makes you happy. When you find what makes you happy, develop and monetize it, and in no distant time, opportunities and recognition will begin to triple in.
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- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny and The Six Pillars of Success. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
