Metro
The Gift of Pain: Maximizing Adversity As a Builder!
By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Adversity is an adventure that develops a ‘venture’ at the junctures of ‘what’ would have destroyed the structures of your purpose on this plane called Earth, but eventually turns out to be a weapon and a builder towards fulfilling your destiny and lifting the weights of glory! How you see situations or challenges and confront them matters, and they are functions of your mindset as a being called MAN. You determine what (must) come out of it! Adversities are surmountable! You are the actor in the picture. Your posture influences the picture. I charge you to BE THE HERO, not a ‘zero’! So, maximize the scenarios in your favour! It is, therefore:
Acutely advertising
Destructible!
Vulnerable!
Episodic!
Revival!
Surmountable!
Impactful!
Terrifying! But, it is all about
YOU and what’s in you! ” —Tolulope A. Adegoke
John 16:33 (NKJV): ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. ‘
Romans 8: 37: ‘Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors. ‘ (NKJV)
ADVERSITY is a builder. It is to a man what fire is to gold! Fire purges, melts, heats the gold, and makes it SHINE!
It is the way that a man sees adversity that he gets from it. If you take it to be a builder or ladder, it would build and lift you (vis-à-vis).
It is the challenge that comes one’s way that brings out either the best or worst character in a man.
Winners today were once failures, but they were determined enough through the order of divine grace and strong-will to face it all and breakthrough, which eventually culminated in them being globally celebrated in their areas of calling!
It is the same adversity that breaks one person, that builds another! It all depends on the way we manage and wire our mental and spiritual focus. You either rise up or succumb to the pressures that come with adversity! It is left for you to pick yourself up, bounce-back like a palm tree, and encourage yourself to surmount the mountain (s) before you! Once the mountain is surmounted, you enter into glory.
Adversity is what builds our spiritual and physical muscles, so as for us to be fit enough to bear or carry the weight of glory.
Adversity is like an examination for a student; it gives him promotion or demotion, which is determined by his level of preparation and his level of mindset towards becoming a victor or victim, hero or zero!
It is based on our individual levels of reactions to ‘adversity’ that gives us the edge in surmounting it. It can make or mar you. It can make you in the sense that, if you embrace it with rugged faith, then, you will come out strong; but, if you submit to it, it will crush you. Kindly permit me to say that Dr Yomi Garnett, Yinka Oba, Fela Durotoye, Strive Masiyiwa, among others, are living proof [you could ask to interview them in person about how true this is.]. Even so, the testimonies of Job, Joseph, Paul the Apostle, and others in the Holy Bible lingers on and on.
You must not see ADVERSITY as a problem, but a challenge that must be confronted with hope, faith, love, and hard & smart work to conquer, which are the courageous weapons for success that lead to greatness in the face of tribulations, no matter how many times they come.
You must always see yourself on the other side of it. What you see attracts what you get!
A wise man once asked his children: Can you say a professor is a failure? They replied, “NO! The father responded: Wole Soyinka failed the West African Senior Secondary Certification Examination nine (9) times… The children screamed! But can you still call him a failure today? No, the children replied… The father then asked why? Then, the children responded, ‘because he confronted his fears and was determined enough to overcome them by hard work and with the influence of divine grace… and eventually succeeded.’
The moral of this illustration is that you are not a failure until you give up!
Today, you call him Prof. Wole Soyinka (a hero), but as at the time he was failing WAEC, most people called him a dullard (a zero).
Adversity is a ladder to greater levels of glory!
You cannot get your reward until you finish your course!
You can not get your crown until you are done with the cross!
No guts, no glory! You cannot overcome the wilderness until you grow wild!
You cannot get through to the promised land until you are completely processed (refined)!
No gold ever shines without passing through the furnace!
You cannot become more until you’ve been mocked!
You cannot have your prizes until you have fully paid your prices! What we regard as adversity is a setup for us to overcome and step up! It is a junction or curve on our journey to fulfilling our destiny! Don’t interrupt the processes of growth and sustainable development.
Adversity is an examination in disguise to build our muscles so as to be fit enough to carry or bear the weight of GLORY!
Therefore, adversity is:
Acutely advertising
Destructible!
Vulnerable!
Episodic!
Revival!
Surmountable!
Impactful!
Terrifying! But, it is all about
THANK YOU! You determine what must come out of it! Adversities are surmountable! You are the actor in the picture. I charge you to BE THE HERO!
You are not a failure until you give up! Adversity unveils us to realms of glory! It compels us to aim higher, while it charges us to take the stairs!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. reveals that: ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy!’
It is not easy to be EASY. We must be determined, we must work and do our best to escape genuinely, but only God can deliver us from all uneasiness. Only God gives us the grace to overcome all odds!
Stop being frustrated when you are confronted with challenges. Rather, engage in audacious faith to confront and conquer your fears! It is a revival, and you are in for a revolution that will propel the required evolution. Adversity is an advanced citadel of learning in disguise! I call it the advanced ‘universe’s-city’, where reality poses a great threat, just like examinations within the four walls of a university.
Thank you all for reading this #EpistleForChampions
A gas-laden tanker overturned on a Lagos road on Monday after the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.
The General Manager (GM), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who made this known in a statement on Monday in Lagos, said that timely response of traffic officials, however, averted an explosion at the scene.
He said the incident occurred along the main carriageway at Chisco, before the traffic light inward Victoria Island area.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred when the driver of the truck, fully loaded with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn on the busy expressway.
“Given the highly volatile nature of the product, the situation posed an immediate and severe threat to human life and property, necessitating urgent technical intervention,” he said.
The GM said that LASTMA personnel swiftly cordoned off the affected area upon arriving at the scene, securing both the overturned vehicle and the CNG tanks.
According to him, this was done to prevent any leakage or ignition that could have triggered an explosive conflagration.
Bakare-Oki said that the LASTMA Rescue and Emergency Unit immediately activated a multi-agency emergency protocol, summoning key responders.
“The responders are the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Through this rapid inter-agency collaboration, the imminent threat was expertly contained, and normalcy was swiftly restored,” he said.
Bakare-Oki, who was physically present at the scene, lauded the prompt and disciplined conduct of his officers and partner agencies.
He disclosed that the upturned gas tanker was professionally recovered, using state-of-the-art heavy-duty cranes and recovery equipment mobilised to the site.
“Their immediate action in securing the environment prevented what could have been an unspeakable tragedy.
“We ensured that the recovery process was conducted under the highest safety protocols to eliminate any residual risk,” he said.
He further revealed that additional LASTMA personnel were deployed to the area to manage the resultant traffic congestion.
He added that the team guaranteed the safety of commuters navigating through the Victoria Island corridor.
“While the main carriageway was closed temporarily from Chisco inward Victoria Island, motorists were immediately diverted through the new coastal road and reconnected via Bar Beach.
“This ensured the continuity of vehicular movement till the recovery operation was safely concluded and the road reopened to normal traffic,” he said.
The GM emphasised that the incident underscored the critical importance of adherence to road safety regulations, especially among truck drivers and operators of articulated vehicles transporting flammable and hazardous materials.
He admonished such operators to strictly observe prescribed speed limits, maintain their vehicles in sound mechanical condition, and exercise heightened vigilance, particularly under wet weather conditions.
Leading communications network, Globacom, has registered another milestone with its ongoing investment in its people as the SheGlows Summit 2025 convened women from every division at the Alliance Française, Mike Adenuga Centre, Lagos.
This year’s theme, “Wellness for Growth,” underscored a simple truth: wellbeing is not separate from performance-it powers it.
From Mrs Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi’s reflections on rest, to Bunmi George’s insights on consistency, and Ifeoma Williams’s masterclass on confidence, every session linked personal wellness to leadership readiness.
The summit’s success mirrored Globacom’s broader commitment to a management culture that continually fosters spaces where women can learn, lead, and lift others.
While the spotlight shone on the female workforce, the quiet endorsement from senior leadership made clear that this vision starts at the top and ripples throughout the organisation.
Participants left with renewed clarity and community spirit, a testament that when companies nurture wellness, they unlock growth that lasts.
They lauded the experience as inspiring and transformative. Ifeyinwa Okoli, Team Lead, Customer Care, said, “The event was beyond my expectations; each speaker delivered her message beautifully, and I’ve taken so much home.”
Esther Ohiomoba from Enterprise Business added, “It touched my core. My biggest takeaway is to let my brilliance serve, not intimidate. I’d love to do this again and again.”
By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD
“Leadership is the sacred stewardship of the groan—the courage to lean into the tension of today to midwife the glory of tomorrow for people, corporations, and nations” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD
Introduction: The Universal Sound of Growth
If you have ever led anything—a team, a project, a family, a company, or even a personal dream—you are intimately familiar with the sound. It is not a scream of terror, nor a shout of victory. It is something deeper, more primordial. It is the groan.
It is the late-night sigh over a spreadsheet that refuses to balance. It is the fervent debate in a boardroom about a risky new direction. It is the quiet frustration of a community leader facing systemic injustice. It is the personal cost of upholding integrity when compromise would be easier.
For too long, we have mislabeled this groan as failure, burnout, or a sign to quit. But what if we have it all wrong? What if the groan is not the signal of an ending, but the essential, non-negotiable birth pang of a new beginning?
This profound leadership pattern is revealed in the ancient text of Romans 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
This passage reframes our struggle. The “groan” is the present suffering; the “glory” is the future revealed. The space between them is where true leadership lives. This is not a passive hope, but an active, gritty, and strategic journey of midwifing possibility into reality for people, corporations, and nations—all as an act of stewardship to God Almighty.
Part 1: Deconstructing “The Groan” – The Leadership Crucible
The groan is the pressure that forms the pearl. It is the tension between vision and current reality. For a leader, ignoring the groan is negligence; understanding it is wisdom; and navigating it is mastery.
A. The Personal Groan: The Weight of the Self
Before we lead others, we must lead ourselves, and this is where the first groans are heard.
· The Groan of Discipline: The 5 a.m. alarm to invest in personal development when comfort beckons.
· The Groan of Failure: The sting of a missed opportunity or a flawed decision that becomes the crucible of resilience.
· The Groan of Loneliness: The burden of confidential decisions that cannot be shared, borne alone in the quiet of one’s office.
· The Glory: This personal groan forges character, wisdom, and resilience. The leader emerges not just smarter, but wiser; not just skilled, but grounded. They become a source of stability for others because they have been refined in their own fire.
B. The Organizational Groan: The Birth Pangs of Innovation
Corporations and institutions do not transform through comfort. They evolve through necessary, and often painful, strain.
· The Groan of Innovation: The financial drain and uncertainty of R&D, where countless ideas die so that one might change the world.
· The Groan of Restructuring: The difficult, people-centric process of dismantling outdated systems to build more agile, future-proof models.
· The Groan of Cultural Shift: The exhausting, long-term work of rooting out toxicity and fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and empowerment.
· The Glory: This organizational groan yields market leadership, sustainable profitability, and a legacy brand. The company transitions from being a mere participant in the market to a shaper of it, creating products and cultures that define excellence.
C. The Societal Groan: The Labor Pains of a Nation
The most complex groans are those of nations and communities. They are collective, historic, and deeply felt.
· The Groan of Justice: The relentless, multi-generational struggle against corruption, inequality, and systemic oppression.
· The Groan of Reform: The short-term political and economic pain endured for long-term national benefit—be it in education, infrastructure, or economic policy.
· The Groan of Unity: The challenging work of forging a common identity and shared purpose out of diverse, and often divided, peoples.
· The Glory: This societal groan builds prosperous, just, and stable nations. It results in a legacy of peace, a high quality of life, and a society where human potential can flourish for generations to come.
Part 2: The Global Landscape: Groans Heard Around the World
This “Groan to Glory” framework is not theoretical; it is actively unfolding on the global stage.
· Local Context (Example: A Community Leader): A small-town mayor groans under the weight of a dying main street and youth exodus. The “glory” is not achieved by a single grant, but through the grueling work of rallying local businesses, attracting new investment, and revitalizing community pride—a glory seen in a thriving, vibrant town a decade later.
· Corporate Context (Example: The Tech Industry): The entire tech sector is in a prolonged “groan” over ethical AI. The tension between breakneck innovation and societal safety is immense. The “glory” will belong to the leaders and corporations who navigate this groan successfully, establishing a new paradigm for responsible and transformative technology.
· Global Context (Example: The Energy Transition): Nations worldwide are groaning through the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This involves economic disruption, geopolitical shifts, and technological hurdles. The “glory” will be a sustainable planet, energy independence, and new frontiers of economic opportunity for those nations that lead the way.
Part 3: The Leader as a Midwife of Glory: A Sacred Stewardship
Our role as leaders in every sector is not to avoid the groan, but to lean into it with purpose and perspective. We are, in the most sacred sense, midwives of possibilities.
Our core function is to “deliver possibilities.” This means:
1. Seeing the Potential: Visioneering the “glory” hidden within the present struggle.
2. Creating the Space: Building cultures and systems where the groan is acknowledged as part of the process, not a sign of failure.
3. Providing the Resources: Equipping our people and our organizations with the tools, trust, and time to persevere.
4. Guiding the Process: Steering the tension with wisdom, making the tough calls, and protecting the vision from short-sighted compromises.
And all of this is “to the glory of God Almighty.”
This is the ultimate “Why” that redefines success. When we lead with this mindset:
· Our ambition is purified. Success is no longer about our ego but about our stewardship. The thriving corporation becomes a testament to God’s principles of order, creativity, and excellence.
· Our endurance is fortified. Knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58) provides a resilience that worldly motivation cannot match.
· Our legacy is eternal. The “glory” we help reveal—a transformed life, a righteous organization, and a flourishing nation—becomes part of a story far bigger than our own.
Conclusion: Embracing the Sacred Tension
The journey from groan to glory is not a straight line. It is a cycle, a spiral of continuous growth and challenge. The glory of one achievement simply reveals the next horizon, and with it, a new, necessary groan.
Do not despise the groan. Do not fear it. Name it. Honor it. Lead through it.
For it is in this sacred tension that true leadership is forged. It is here that we partner with the Divine in the holy work of unlocking the God-given possibilities buried within our people, our organizations, and our nations.
The world is waiting for leaders who are not afraid to groan, for they are the only ones who will ever truly see the glory.
Let us lead accordingly.
Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a Recipient of the Nigerian Role Models Award (2024), and a Distinguished Ambassador For World Peace (AMBP-UN). He has also gained inclusion in the prestigious compendium, “Nigeria @65: Leaders of Distinction”.
