Opinion: The Secret Of Listening

Published

7 years ago

March 29, 2019

Editor

By Henry Ukazu

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply” –

Stephen R. Covey

Greetings Friends,

Today’s article will take a different route because it will be structured to empower any rational mind to

think out of the box. One of the greatest force in life is love. There’s an imaginary strength that comes

when we truly love. If you have truly loved, you’ll agree with me that you’ll truly listen to what your

other partner, friend, family have to say even how they feel. I once read a book by Gary Chapman “The

five love language Love language” where the author beautifully wrote about the five love languages

(Words affirmation, physical touch, gift, services and time). When you truly care, you’ll apply all this

love languages to your partner, friend, work or whatever you are doing. I choose to use love to buttress

the important of listening because in whatever you do in life, if you don’t love, you wont give in your

time to it and listening is one of the components of loving .

There are so many things we are stand to gain when we listen to people. One of the greatest things you

can do for anyone is to listen to them. It should be noted that listening comes with respect. Whether you

are in the cooperate world, self employed (entrepreneur), Non Government Cooperation or even in the

faith based organization, you are bound to listen to your audience because that is the best way to

communicate with them while serving them.

Listening is a choice, you decide to listen to what you like. It is really hard sitting or even standing up

listening to people you don’t value. When you listen to podcast or programs of interest, you select music,

talks or even comedy of interest that appeals to you. In this digital age, experience has taught me to pay

attention to what we truly matters to me. In fact, unless I am sacrificing my time for a worthy cause, if it’s

not taking me to the next level and if it doesn’t involve money, it doesn’t worth my time.

In any industry you are in, you need to practice good listening skills. Are you seeking for a job, or are you

currently working, you need a good listening skill to succeed in a job environment. With this skill, you

can navigate the politics of the job environment. Even a leader needs this skill the most. I have always

opine that one of the great art of a leader is the ability to learn. This is because you get more ideas when

you listen to your followers. Listening gives you ability to hear (feedback) what others feel about your

work. According to Bill Gates “your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”.

During the course of this article, we shall be discussing the different styles of listening and how we can

use effective listening to enhance our business or opportunity of interest.

1. Practice active listening: The most important thing you can give to a public speaker is your

ears. When you listen to someone you are not only giving the person your time, you are also

learning more about the person. There’s a saying you can learn more about a person by he what

he/she does than what he/she says. Practicing active listening to is a very good way to learn and

be engaged. In communication, what is important is not what is being said, but what is not being said, therein, lies the message. When you practice active listening you hear the unspoken

language from the other person in addition to being engaged. According to G.K. Chesterton

“there’s a lot of difference between hearing and listening.” This is because hearing isn’t

necessarily listening, nor is it necessarily listening well. This is because you can hear someone

but not present at the same time. Active listening makes you to be present. You may have heard

of the saying, the joy of life is not happy you are, but how happy someone can because of you.

Everyone loves to be listened and loved. In my book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your

Birthright To Success, specifically on page 111, I wrote about the four levels of gratitude

(Appreciation, administration, approval and attention). In order to understand this teachings you

must practice active listening to understand the unspoken words inherent in such deeds.

2. Eye Contact: A great communicator uses eye contact to deliver his/her message. One of the most

valuable ways a public speaker uses to communicate with his/she audience is by using eye

contact. With eye contact, you can tell if your audience is listening or feeling bored. Sometimes

you hear what the person is saying when you look directly in the eyes of the person, sometimes,

maintaining a visible presence by looking over the head audience gives them the desired space

they need. This is because some people don’t feel comfortable when they have direct eye contact.

Eye contact also goes with the body language of the speaker. In communication, sometimes,

somethings are better felt than spoken.

3. Don’t interrupt the speaker: A good way to know a great speaker is by looking how he/she

pitches his/point or message. Interrupting a speaker can ruin the flow of information. That is why

sometimes, it is good to reserve the questions towards the end of any presentation.

4. Listen without judgment: –: In communication, most times, people listen with the intent to

respond as opposed to understanding. This normally plays out most times in marriage. In law, a

good to way to apply justice is by listening to the other side. In applying this knowledge, the

judge normally use Audi alteram partem, a Latin phrase meaning “listen to the other side”, or “let

the other side be heard as well”. It is the principle that no person should be judged without a fair

hearing in which each party is given the opportunity to respond to the evidence against them.

5. Meditation: Mediation is a form of listening. According to Thomas Carlyle, “Silence is the

element in which great things fashion themselves together”. Meditation is truly a great form of

listening. According to Wayne Dyer, an inspirational author, meditation is simply the act of being

quiet with yourself and shutting the constant monologue that fills the inner space. Meditation

helps in self discovering. You learn more about yourself when you listen to your inner self as

opposed to what other people think of you. There are many benefits that comes with meditation.

Examples include, it reduces stress, helps you to focus very well, it reduces anxiety, and it gives

you better memory and enhances creativity.

In conclusion, a good listening skill if properly utilized will set you on a good path that will set you

before leaders, kings and Heads of Industries if properly applied.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with New York City Department of Correction as the

legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your

Birthright To Success.

Second Term for Tinubu Will Turn Governors into Total Slaves, Dele Momodu Warns

Published

2 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, and former presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, has expressed strong concern over what he described as growing political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu among state governors across the country.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Momodu said he was shocked by the level of backing the president is reportedly receiving, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious risks if the current political trend continues.

The media entrepreneur cautioned that allowing Tinubu to secure a second term in 2027 could, in his view, lead to excessive concentration of power. He particularly criticized what he described as a growing wave of opposition figures aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress> (APC).

Momodu referenced reports of opposition governors, including Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, allegedly moving closer to the ruling party, describing the development as politically troubling.

According to him, some governors are allegedly competing to demonstrate loyalty to the president ahead of future elections.

“The governors are fighting to ensure Tinubu wins a second term, fighting to be the biggest thug for him. If a man in his first term can capture the bodies and souls of Nigerians this way, imagine what he would do with a second term. It will be a full-blown dictatorship, and the governors will regret it as they become total slaves to him,” Momodu said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively protect democratic institutions, warning that unchecked consolidation of political power could threaten the nation’s democracy and future stability.

Gistmania

Headline

Court Validates PDP 2025 Convention in Ibadan, Affirms Turaki-led NWC

Published

22 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Eric

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the 2025 Elective Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which produced Dr. Kabiru Turaki as the substantive National Chairman of the party.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the convention in its entirety, ruling that it was conducted in full compliance with the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions governing party elections in Nigeria.

The decision marked a significant legal victory for the party’s leadership and brought clarity to the dispute surrounding the convention’s legitimacy.

The ruling followed an amended originating summons filed by Misibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, in Suit No. I/1336/2025.

In a comprehensive judgment, the court granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, effectively endorsing the processes and outcomes of the Ibadan convention.

Justice Akintola held that the convention, organised by the recognised leadership of the party, satisfied all laid-down legal requirements as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The court found no breach of due process or statutory non-compliance in the conduct of the exercise.

In the same proceedings, the court dismissed the Motion on Notice seeking a stay of proceedings and suspension of the ruling, filed by Sunday Ibrahim (SAN) on behalf of Austin Nwachukwu and two others. The applications were described as lacking merit.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court had also rejected a bid by Ibrahim to have his clients joined in the suit.

Justice Akintola ruled at the time that the joinder application was unsubstantiated and consequently dismissed it.

Headline

Opposition Parties Reject 2026 Electoral Act, Demand Fresh Amendment

Published

2 days ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

Opposition political parties have rejected the 2026 Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly, which President Bola Tinubu swiftly signed into law.

The parties called on the National Assembly to immediately begin a fresh amendment process to remove what they described as “all obnoxious provisions” in the law.

Their position was made known at a press briefing themed “Urgent Call to Save Nigeria’s Democracy,” held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Thursday.

In a communiqué read by the Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Ahmed Ajuji, the opposition leaders stated:

“We demand that the National Assembly immediately commence a fresh amendment to the Electoral Act 2026, to remove all obnoxious provisions and ensure that the Act reflects only the will and aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process in our country. Nothing short of this will be acceptable to Nigerians.”

Some of the opposition leaders present in at the event include former Senate President David Mark; former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, all from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ahmed Ajuji, and other prominent members of the NNPP, notably Buba Galadima, were also in attendance.

The coalition said the amended law, signed by Bola Tinubu, contains “anti-democratic” clauses, which they argue may weaken electoral transparency and public confidence in the voting system.

At the centre of the opposition’s concerns is the amendment to Section 60(3), which allows presiding officers to rely on manual transmission of election results where there is communication failure.

According to the coalition, the provision weakens the mandatory electronic transmission of results and could create loopholes for manipulation.

They argued that Nigeria’s electoral technology infrastructure is sufficient to support nationwide electronic transmission, citing previous assurances by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The parties also rejected the amendment to Section 84, which restricts political parties to direct primaries and consensus methods for candidate selection.

They described the change as an unconstitutional intrusion into the internal affairs of parties, insisting that indirect primaries remain a legitimate democratic option.

The opposition cited alleged irregularities in the recent Federal Capital Territory local government elections as evidence of what they described as a broader pattern of electoral compromise.

They characterised the polls as a “complete fraud” and said the outcome has deepened their lack of confidence in the ability of the electoral system to deliver credible elections in 2027.

The coalition also condemned reported attacks on leaders of the African Democratic Congress in Edo State, describing the incidents as a serious threat to democratic participation and political tolerance.

They warned that increasing violence against opposition figures could destabilise the political environment if not urgently addressed.

In their joint statement, the opposition parties pledged to pursue “every constitutional means” to challenge the Electoral Act 2026 and safeguard voters’ rights.

“We will not be intimidated,” the leaders said, urging civil society organisations and citizens to support efforts aimed at protecting Nigeria’s democratic system.

On February 18, 2026, President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) 2026 into law following its passage by the National Assembly. The Act introduced several reforms, including statutory recognition of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and revised election timelines.

However, opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have also called for further amendments, particularly over the manual transmission fallback clause, which critics say leaves room for manipulation.

The president said the law will strengthen democracy and prevent voter disenfranchisement.

Tinubu defended manual collation of results, questioned Nigeria’s readiness for full real-time electronic transmission, and warned against technical glitches and hacking.

The Electoral Act sparked intense debate in the National Assembly over how election results should be transmitted ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Civil society groups under the “Occupy NASS” campaign demanded real-time transmission to curb manipulation.

In the Senate, lawmakers clashed during consideration of Clause 60, which allows manual transmission of results if electronic transmission fails.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South) demanded a formal vote to remove the proviso permitting manual transmission, arguing against weakening real-time electronic reporting.

The move led to a heated exchange on the floor, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio initially suggesting the demand had been withdrawn.

After procedural disputes and a brief confrontation among senators, a division was conducted. Fifteen opposition senators voted against retaining the manual transmission proviso, while 55 supported it, allowing the clause to stand.

Earlier proceedings had briefly stalled during clause-by-clause review, prompting consultations and a closed-door session.

In the House of Representatives, a similar disagreement came up over a motion to rescind an earlier decision that mandated compulsory real-time electronic transmission of results to IReV.

Although the “nays” were louder during a voice vote, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas ruled in favour of rescinding the decision, triggering protests and an executive session.