News
The Potential Game-Changer (Pt. 2)
By Tolulope A. Adegoke, Ph.D.
“The ‘Zero’ that isn’t empowered will never Emerge a HERO; Reason being that Opportunities without adequate and necessary preparations would always yield to futility (vice-versa).”
The Potential Game-Changer in this context is the number “Zero”. It is used in this context to describe someone who has the potential to cause a massive transformation, despite having the similitude of a failure. It was Abraham Lincoln who said: “Nobody had ever expected me to become president.” He contested and failed severally before eventually becoming the President of the United States of America.
Lincoln aside, the success of Portugal at Euro 2016 football tournament has a powerful message for every one of us, in every sphere of life. That Portugal beat France 1-0 to become the European Football champion in July 2016 is no longer news. The big news however is the fact that it was a substitute player who was not considered fit to start the same game, who scored the winning and history-making goal. Before the game, all eyes had been on the great Cristiano Ronaldo. But just in the 14th minute, he was carried off the field on a stretcher with a knee injury!
Naturally, with Ronaldo, the star player, injured, panic erupted amongst football fans worldwide and the Portuguese team in particular. In all truth, Portugal probably thought their end had come! But Eder, a substitute from the bench, scored an epochal goal during the extra-time, thereby securing Portugal’s first European Championship title.
Interestingly, when the trophy was presented, it was lifted by Cristiano Ronaldo, who had broken down in tears at the final whistle. That day, he and the watching world had learnt an unforgettable lesson: If you desire to see true success and progress, never underrate anyone. If you wish to see outstanding results in every area of life, you must be determined to pursue total unity and team work because a tree cannot make a forest and nobody is indispensable!
Portugal won without King Ronaldo on the field! Never underestimate any man. Don’t despise your zero because it might end up being your HERO, just as Eder proved to be. We also have the biblical example of David, who emerged from being a mere shepherd boy in the wilderness to becoming a military general, and then, the king of Israel!
The other side of the “ball game”
So far, we have considered zero as a positive potential that must be nurtured from dormancy to vibrancy and greatness. However, there is something else that zero could represent and unlike the previous representations of zero, this does not require being nurtured but being neutralised. This is because like other forms of zero, this also has the potential to grow – in this case, though, into something destructive. This zero is the ‘zero of the weak point’
The story of some individuals would only revolve around their weak point, especially how it limited them from fulfilling their purpose and destiny. A weakness is often a behavioural flaw that prevents or limits someone from being (a game changer) fully effective. Whichever way this flaw is handled can result in great consequences. Both the Bible and contemporary history are replete with stories of individuals who had great potentials but did nothing to neuter their weaknesses and thus exposing themselves to failure and regret.
We have the example of Moses who was called by God to the lead the Israelites out of Egypt, their land of slavery. The exceptional grace on his life made him a HERO. The Lord used him to perform many miracles in Egypt. Through him, God afflicted the Egyptians with ten plagues. The Lord also used him in parting the Red Sea and in demonstrating other wonders in the wilderness (Exodus 33:22-23). Yet, his weak point of anger terminated his mission of leading the Israelites to the Promised Land (Exodus 17, Exodus 32:19-20).
As the Bible records, the congregation of children of Israel had journeyed from the wilderness of Sin. Thus, the people began to reproach Moses and Aaron, their leaders. Moses had gone to God to present the complaints of the people and God had instructed him to speak to the rock for water, but he had struck the rock instead, as a result of his anger at the attitude of the Israelites. God was not happy with this. Eventually, Moses only saw Canaan from afar but didn’t get there.
Samson is another good example to be used here to describe the flaws of mighty individuals. In spite of his great strength, he was eventually captured and became a victim. Ironically, he had been born to be a deliverer of the Israelites (Judges 13). Due to the anointing of God upon him, he had become the most powerful man on earth. He could face 10,000 soldiers all alone, and he once killed a lion with his bare hands. At the height of his strength, the Philistines were afraid of Israel. However, he had a character flaw, which he considered to be a zero – that is, an insignificant weakness. That flaw was the love of women, especially wayward women, which was against the conditions given to him by God. That seeming zero would eventually lead to his downfall, when he revealed the secret of his power to Delilah, one of his wayward women (Judges 16). Towards the end of his life, the same Samson who had been a terror to the Philistines ended up as their puppet and slave. They blinded him and turned him to an object of scorn.
In our contemporary times, there are many whose “zero” character and behavioural flaws such as careless use of the tongue, addictions to drinks and drugs, lust for the opposite sex, love of money, uncontrolled temper, have cut short their lives and destinies. The reason being that they did not realise where their unchecked flaws or could lead them until it was too late.
The fact, as has been stated, is that everyone has a weak point which can be easily dismissed as a zero. This means that within every hero, there lies a zero. Or to put it in another way, “there is a kid in every king.” What this requires is for you to tackle your zero so as not to be drowned in the valley of life. Starve your weak point to develop the hero in you, though the journey to achieving it may not be smooth, because it is truly not easy to be easy! Crave for a good change, work on yourself, by allowing the Potter (God Almighty) to break, remould, bake and make very good use of your earthen vessel for His glory; only via this means would you be able to overcome your flaws and emerge a global game-changer in your area(s) of calling(s) or purpose.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has released the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following outrage over what she described as an unlawful and politically motivated seizure of her travel documents at a Nigerian airport.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was reportedly stopped by immigration officers on Tuesday morning, who withheld her passport without any official explanation.
The lawmaker, visibly frustrated, went live on social media to protest the action, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of ordering the seizure.
“I have committed no offence and there is no order from the court to withhold my passport and deny me travelling. The last time this happened, the officer in charge told us that the Senate President, Godswin Akpabio instructed them to withhold my passport and prevent me from travelling because he said each time I travel out of the country, I spoil the country’s image by granting interviews out in international media.
“Please, can you tell them to release my passport and this embarrassment should stop? You have no right to withhold my passport.
“You have no right to deny me exit and entrance into my country. I have not committed any offence and this must stop. No, this must stop.
“As a matter of fact, I think I have to sue you for continuously embarrassing me. No, don’t tell me sorry. Can I please have my passport? You can’t keep doing this to me all the time,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was recently celebrated her second year in office, described the incident as a continuous pattern of harassment.
She noted that her passport had previously been seized under similar circumstances, only to be released after intervention from someone influential.
The female Senator said, “I’ve been standing here for the past 20 minutes. Why are you doing this? What have I committed? The last time it had to take someone influential to call you to release my passport. That was what allowed me travel.
“Now again, you’re withholding my passport while I’m making calls. Is Godswin Akpabio so important? Why is he overruling boundaries? Godswin Akpabio, the Senate President, has instructed the Comptroller General of Customs to deny me exit, to withhold my passport. This is wrong.
“Yes, I know I have two federal government cases against me, of which the president of Nigeria instructed the AGF to cancel the cases, to withdraw the cases.
“This president, Bola Tinubu, actually spoke with Godwin Akpabio to terminate all the cases against me because he admitted, he agreed that they were politically witch-hunting cases. So there is no reason why my passport should be withheld at the international airport.
“There is no reason why. You have no right to do that, madam. You have no right. You are taking laws into your hands. There is no court order. I have not missed any of my court appearances.
“I have attended all my court sessions. I am not a flight risk. I am not a risk to my country. So why are you treating me like a criminal? Can I have my passport, please? Thank you very much. Sometimes I think you just have to be a rebel to get things right. Then you keep asking Nigerians to be good citizens.
Minutes after her public protest gained traction online, the NIS reportedly bowed to pressure and released her passport.
“If I had not gone public, would you have given me my passport,” she added.
News
Would You Rather I Travel with My Enemies’ Children, Wike Defends Traveling with Sons to Official Assignment
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reacted to viral photos showing his sons accompanying him on local and foreign trips, saying he has the right to carry them along.
He argued that his sons, as master’s degree holders, need the exposure.
“What law says that my sons shouldn’t travel? Let the FCT say where they paid ₦1.
“What official matter? Did they sign any document? It doesn’t need to be a personal trip.
“What’s wrong? So, I can travel with anybody from the FCT. I can travel with anybody in Nigeria. I have that right.
“Oh, come on, they have to know how Nigeria is. They have to learn about government,” Wike said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
Asked whether he was teaching them to become politicians, he said, “No, that’s not correct. My first son is a lawyer. He said, ‘No, I’m not going to practice. I want to be a farmer.’
“I said, ‘What do you mean by this? He said, ‘No, this is what I want to do.’ I said, ‘Okay’. What do you do?
“They’ve gone for training in Spain. They’ve gone for training in Lisbon.
“My second son finished from King’s College — a master’s degree in Economics. He said he wants to be in real estate.”
The former Rivers State governor also said he is happy that his sons behave responsibly and give him comfort.
“I’m so happy that I have children who have given me comfort, who have not given me problems.
“Assuming they were somewhere smoking. You would have said, ‘Oh, look at these children now. Who are they? I will not travel with my enemy’s children,” he added.
Wike has been spotted with his sons at official events, including the commissioning of projects in the FCT.
Last week, he was criticised by some Nigerians for taking them to a summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Last week, I began an exposition on the above topic, only to discover that I have so much to share, and that prompted the decision to spread it into two parts. In part one, I simply laid the foundation and overview of how the secret place works.
In my home country, Nigeria, we have an adage in my native Igbo language that when the road is good, an individual goes through it again. What this really means is that when an article or food is good, it is normal for one to ask for more.
When I had the inspiration to write about the secret place, many thoughts flooded my mind, so I decided to write about different aspects of secret which are relatable. There is no doubt everyone has a secret, and this is responsible for the mystery or aura that makes other people surprised at how the person does certain things. It is therefore, foolhardy for anyone to divulge their secret.
If you are asked the secret that makes you successful, what will be your answer? Most rational minds will say, hard work, consistency, networking, value, continuous quest for knowledge, etc. All these are good points no doubt, but those may not really be the key factors to success. They are the general approach an insightful person can adopt. For instance, one might do all the aforementioned points and still fail, especially when the grace of God is not at work in the life of the person or where that’s the not calling of the person.
One might be wondering how that works? At creation, God gave everyone a talent/gift to serve the world, but some decided to give themselves another skill instead of honing what God has given to them. One might succeed in their chosen area, but they may lack fulfilment. But when one is working in their area of purpose, it hits different because they will not have to stress too much to make an impact. The universe will conspire to make the person successful.
Another secret to one’s success might be their access. Some people might have all they need but lack access to certain people and information. Another person’s secret might be giving, kindness and favour. Let’s speak a minute on this. Some people don’t know the role of giving, and how giving can open a closed door. It’s not just about giving, but the mindset involved in the giving.
Let me share some personal experiences I had a couple of years ago.
One day, one of my mentors breezed into New York for a meeting. He called me and I was elated because I have been looking forward to meeting him. Because another of my mentors have counseled me on the importance of giving mentors and resourceful people gifts, I bought a decent wine for him as a token of appreciation for him.
I could see the surprise on his face when I presented the wine and copies of my book to him. When I inquired why he was surprised, he said, “Henry, it’s not the amount of the gift that matters or the gift itself, rather, it’s the thought that went into it. That hit me differently.
To my amazement, he requested my account number. He was gracious enough to send me $1,000. In all honesty, my joy knew new bounds. It’s important to note that it is not the person who has money that gives, rather it is the person who has heart that gives. It’s sad to see young minds, who find it difficult to give to their mentors. They feel their mentors have more than them, but their ignorant mind fails to acknowledge that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
Another dimension of giving that has continually opened doors for me is a principle I learnt from one of my mentors, Dr. Yomi Garnett. According to him, “you will get what you want faster when you assist other people to achieve what they want”.
This principle is a game changer for me. It has opened my doors for me. One of such doors that stood out for me was meeting a great mind, Mr. Sulyman Sodeeq Abdulakeem, a rare breed. I met this young man on X, formerly Twitter, when he reached out to me informing me of how he has been following my weekly articles. He went further to produce a compilation of my quotes from my work.
That I was surprised is an understatement. Even if I wanted to say no to him when he requested I become his mentor, but for his dedication, I opened my valve to him. Today, he’s the Chief Operating Officer of my company. I saw value in him, and gave him some percentage of my company even when we are yet to make money in the company.
Now, here is where it gets interesting; what I did for him for a mere favor anyone can do without blinking an eye. But his young man has gone further to be a priceless blessing to me in ways and manners I cannot explain here. As a matter of fact, I feel I give him 10% and he gives me 90%. In all sincerity, he’s one of the best gifts and blessings God has given to me, and I will be eternally grateful to him (God) for the gift of Sulyman.
Imagine if I had not opened my doors to him, I wouldn’t be a beneficiary of his ingenuity.
Another person’s secret might be an unusual favour. Some people are favored where others fail. It’s instructive to note that different things work for different people.
As an author and creative writer, one of the secrets behind my strength and inspiration to write on a weekly basis in addition to publishing books with relative ease is God. I am not ashamed of the role the God-factor is playing in my life. This is because we live in a society where some people are shy or even ashamed of identifying with God, for reasons best known to them.
For me, I can boldly say, I’m super proud of what God is doing in my life. He’s my source and strength. One prayer I always say is, God, when you take me to the top and I become successful, any day I decide to take your glory and say it’s because of my hard work, intelligence and network, may your glory depart from me. I’m that intentional. Apart from the work I do, I have seen and experienced the hand of God upon my life, and the experience is summed up in one word; encounter.
Another secret of my success is my interaction. By God’s grace, I know how to relate with people. If I decide to meet someone, how I engage them can be fascinating. I think God gave me a discerning spirit, wisdom and the right diction to meet people where they are.
Back to the article; secrets work in different ways, and for different people. It’s just like a man who wants to talk to a lady. The ability for the man to know what works for the lady can be the game changer. According to Gary Chapman in his book, The Five Love Languages, it is important to know what works for anyone. For instance, while some ladies love language is words affirmation, other ladies love language might be gifts, services, time or physical touch.
In conclusion, life is a secret, to discover the secret, you will have to have the code and the code can be found in the secret. So, where is the secret? The secret lies in God. Seek God, and He will surely give you the needed secret to triumph.
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
