Giving Up Is Not an Option: The Power of Reinvention and Relentless Pursuit of Purpose.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

In a world filled with turbulence, uncertainty and brutal distractions, many abandon their life’s mission at the first sight of adversity. Dreams dissolve like vapor not because they are unattainable, but because the dreamers grow weary. Relaxing or giving up on a mission you want to achieve is nothing but a sign of laziness, cowardice and a shallow understanding of life’s process. As harsh as it sounds, this truth must be stated boldly: WINNERS NEVER QUIT and QUITTERS NEVER WINS.

To abandon your mission is to betray your own destiny. It is to lay your future at the feet of mediocrity. History is replete with examples of those who persisted and changed the course of humanity and those who perished in the valley of excuses. The difference between success and failure often boils down to persistence. As Thomas Edison famously said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

Adversity Is Inevitable, but So Is Growth
Pain is not your enemy. Failure is not your nemesis. In fact, every obstacle is an invitation to greatness. It is life’s way of testing your resolve. Nothing in this life is final not even success, not even failure and not even suffering.

Everything is in motion and everything that happens to you is happening for you. What looks like defeat today is often a redirection to a more purposeful path.

According to Dr. Samuel Ekundare, a Human Kinetics expert and motivation coach, “The body achieves what the mind believes. When the muscles cry for rest, the mind must shout louder: ‘Not yet!’” Human physiology supports this assertion. The principle of progressive overload in strength training teaches us that muscles grow only when pushed beyond their limit, they tear, they hurt, but eventually they rebuild stronger.

So it is with purpose. The more you are stretched the more capable you become of achieving greatness.

Laziness in the Face of Purpose Is the Real Tragedy
It is laziness, not fate that kills dreams. Not the kind of laziness that sleeps all day, but the refined version: PROCRASTINATION, fear of failure, reliance on comfort and mental indiscipline. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come upon you like a thief,” says Proverbs 24:33-34.

When you give up or settle too soon, it is not life that has defeated you, it is your mind that has betrayed you. Pastor Paul Adefarasin once declared, “Comfort is the enemy of progress. You cannot be called to greatness and expect to remain in your comfort zone.”

Even in Islamic teachings, perseverance and hard work are divine commands. Sheikh Dr. Yasir Qadhi, a renowned Islamic scholar, once said:
“Our Prophet (peace be upon him) faced loss, betrayal and mockery, yet he never gave up. He turned obstacles into stepping stones. That is the Sunnah of success.”

The Holy Qur’an reinforces this principle:
“Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Qur’an 13:11)

This verse emphasizes the necessity of personal responsibility, action and persistence. Nothing IMPROVES until you do.

Reinvention: The Birthplace of Dreams
When life hits you hard, the answer is not retreat, it is reinvention. You were not made to collapse; you were designed to evolve. Every failure, every rejection, every betrayal is raw material for the new you. Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison, once said, “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

Reinvention is the art of shedding the past while holding onto your vision. It is about becoming the embodiment of your dreams and desires. When you refuse to give up, you send a signal to your soul: “I still believe in you.” And that belief alone is powerful enough to move mountains.

Neuroscience supports this. Studies in Frontiers in Psychology show that neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself becomes more active in adversity when paired with intentional focus. This means you are biologically wired to grow after failure not to shrink.

Faith, Fitness and the Fire Within
The spiritual and physical dimensions of perseverance are deeply connected. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.” Just as athletes train relentlessly for fleeting medals, you must train your mind and spirit for eternal impact.

Bishop T.D. Jakes once thundered, “You cannot conquer what you are not willing to confront.” Life’s challenges are not designed to defeat you. They are crafted to reveal you, the real you, the one who has courage, tenacity and a fire that cannot be quenched.

Islam teaches the same. Imam Suhaib Webb, a popular American Islamic scholar, once said:
“You cannot expect the sweetness of success without tasting the bitterness of struggle. Even the Prophets faced trials but they never surrendered.”

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was orphaned, mocked, exiled and attacked, yet he pressed on. He never abandoned his mission. He said:
“The strong believer is more beloved to Allah than the weak one, even though there is good in both.” (Sahih Muslim 2664)

Reignite the Fire
So how do you keep going when life is screaming for you to stop? How do you move forward when the results are not showing yet?

Remember why you started.
Purpose is fuel. Go back to the original fire that ignited your journey.

Surround yourself with fighters.
Motivation is contagious. Stay close to people who push limits not make excuses.

Reframe failure as feedback.
Every failed attempt is data, it teaches, sharpens and redirects.

Invest in your physical and spiritual health.
Exercise. Pray. Fast. Rest. Your body and soul must be in sync.

Speak life.
Your words shape your reality. Stop saying “I can’t.” Start declaring, “I will.”

It Is Not Over Until You Win
Les Brown, one of the world’s most acclaimed motivational speakers, said it best: “It’s not over until I win.” That is the mentality that separates legends from losers. The world is not waiting for your excuses, it is waiting for your example.

Giving up is easy. Anyone can do it. But pushing through when it hurts, believing when you see no results, trusting when the storm clouds gather that’s the stuff of greatness.

As Pastor E.A. Adeboye once stated: “If God gave you the vision, He will give you the provision. But He expects you to walk by faith, not by sight.”

And in the words of Sheikh Abu Yusuf Riyadh Ul Haq, a leading British Islamic scholar:
“Life will test you. But in every hardship lies an opportunity to return stronger. The believer never loses he either wins or learns.”

Final Word: You Are the Embodiment of Destiny
You are not just a human being. You are a carrier of purpose. You are the answer to someone’s problem. You are a blueprint for someone else’s breakthrough. But all of this becomes possible only if you keep going. Life is a marathon not a sprint. You must pace yourself, encourage yourself and above all, REFUSE to QUIT.

Reinvent yourself. Refuse to relax until the mission is accomplished. Nothing in this life is final, except the moment you stop trying.

So keep pushing. Keep praying. Keep building. You are becoming the embodiment of every dream and desire your soul has ever imagined.

Nigeria on the Brink: Terrorists Advance as Military Struggles to Hold the Line

Nigeria is staring down the barrel of failure. Over two million citizens have been displaced by unrelenting terror attacks, many now languishing in insecure and overcrowded IDP camps.

The country’s military, already stretched thin, is locked in simultaneous battles across multiple fronts—fighting Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits, militias, and deadly Fulani herdsmen. Adding to the crisis, porous northern borders allow for a steady flow of illegal arms from the conflict-ridden Sahel, enabling insurgents to wreak havoc with impunity.

The military high command has acknowledged the role of these smuggled weapons in the growing tide of violence aimed at carving out ungoverned spaces for terrorism, kidnapping, and other illicit trade.

Compounding the security disaster is a deepening socio-economic crisis. Harsh government policies—chief among them the abrupt removal of petrol subsidies and naira flotation by President Bola Tinubu in 2023—have plunged millions into poverty and despair.

Perhaps most alarming is the relentless assault on the Nigerian military itself. Since January, terrorists have intensified attacks on military bases, seizing weapons and overrun positions with growing confidence. The battlefield reality suggests a nation steadily losing control of its territorial integrity.

Infamous bandit warlord Bello Turji demonstrated the depth of state failure during Ramadan when he roamed freely between Zamfara and Sokoto, slaughtering over 10 people during his journey. Shockingly, security agencies could not agree on who had the authority to apprehend him, while Defence Headquarters weakly insisted he was “on the run.”

Zamfara lawmaker Aminu Jaji recently shared a chilling testimony in the House of Representatives: a pregnant woman kidnapped by terrorists gave birth to twins in captivity—only to have the newborns fed to dogs by her captors. “Our people are no longer safe,” Jaji lamented. “They cannot farm, they cannot trade, and many are internally displaced, unrecognised by both state and federal authorities.”

In some rural communities, bandits now collect taxes, adjudicate disputes, and enforce their own rules—clear signs of a weakening state losing its monopoly on violence.

Soldiers themselves are paying a heavy price. Several military formations in Borno and Yobe States have fallen to insurgents since the beginning of the year. In one viral video, a soldier could be seen comforting a grieving comrade after a brutal attack on their base. “Stop crying, please,” he repeated helplessly.

In early May, Boko Haram fighters attacked a military base in Marte, Borno, killing five soldiers and torching the facility. Within hours, coordinated attacks followed in Rann, Gajiram, and Dikwa. Four soldiers were killed and six injured in Rann, while the other bases narrowly avoided being overrun.

Lawmakers like Yusuf Gagdi have warned that the value of weapons seized by insurgents over time runs into trillions of naira—turning taxpayers into unwilling suppliers of terrorist arsenals.

Despite military reassurances that thousands of terrorists have been neutralised, frontline troops continue to operate under-resourced and under pressure, often facing insurgents equipped with drones and advanced technology.

The defence sector has been allocated a record ₦4.91 trillion in 2024—more than double last year’s budget—but without a radical shift in strategy and stronger international support, Nigeria risks spiraling further into insecurity and chaos.

The time for denial is over. The government must face the stark reality: unless it retools its military strategy and acknowledges the severity of the crisis, Nigeria may slip beyond the point of rescue.

Suit Challenging President Tinubu’s Release of Rivers’ funds to Military Administrator Abruptly Transferred from Port Harcourt to Federal High Court Abuja

By Al Humphrey Onyanabo

A relatively obscure legal battle filed by an equally low-profile NGO has suddenly gained traction following the unexpected transfer of the case from Port Harcourt to Abuja.

The Incorporated Trustees of the Rivers Bridge Peace Initiative, a Rivers State-based organization led by Rufus Oba, is challenging the legality of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to release state funds to the military-appointed sole administrator of Rivers State. Their counsel, Clifford N. Chuku Esq.—a known and reputable Port Harcourt-based lawyer—is leading the charge.

Until recently, the matter—Suit No. FHC/PHC/43/2025—was being heard at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, in Court 5 presided over by Hon. Justice A.T. Mohammed. But claimants were surprised when they arrived in court to find the case had been abruptly transferred to the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“No reasons were given. We haven’t received any official communication, which is the standard procedure,” Oba told our reporter.

“No Abuja court has even been assigned the matter yet. We were only informed by the clerk.”

The next hearing which was fixed for Port Harcourt has now been move to Abuja, it is not known if the matter would be heard in Abuja on Monday, May 26, 2025 as no hearing notice has been issued to that effect.

At the heart of the suit is a challenge to what the claimants describe as an unconstitutional release of Rivers State funds to the military administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd). They argue this violates a Supreme Court ruling stating that only a duly elected governor, with a passed and approved state budget by the Rivers State House of Assembly, can receive state allocations.

The defendants include President Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Accountant General, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Vice Admiral Ibas. Court documents show that Ibas is represented by a formidable team of 21 lawyers—all based outside Rivers State—including several Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) such as Chief Akin Olujinmi, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Tijani Gazali, and Babatunde Ogala.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has also assembled its own high-powered legal team, led by Sam T. Ologunorisa, SAN, and Moses A. Ebute, SAN, among others.

The scene is set for what is shaping up to be a classic David-versus-Goliath courtroom showdown, now playing out on a much larger stage in Abuja.