BusinessDay 21 Jan 2018

Sunday 21 January 2018
BD SUNDAY 29
SundayBusiness
Spiritonomics
Growth for success
Debo Atiba
www.spiritonomics.org
A
portion of the
scripture that never
ceases to amaze
me and on which
faith is anchored
is found in Heb.11:1, “Faith is the
substance of things hoped for...”
Many a time we adjudge God
to be unfaithful to His words.
Though we may not out rightly
say that, our actions and reactions
show it, when what we
have asked God for does not
show up, or when it looks as
though it is taking too long.
Silently we have licked our
wounds and our inner systems
begin to interpret God to be
unfaithful. The Bible says the
labour of fools weary them
because they are not wise unto
what they are supposed to do
(Eccl.10:15 paraphrased). In the
kingdom of God you do not get
result by magic or luck. You get
results by understanding and
following the principle. Hope
is defined as “a feeling of expectations
and desire for a particular
thing to happen”. Many
believers profess faith in God
for great things but deep down
in their heart, the image they
carry is contrary to what they
profess with their mouth. As a
result there is no way they are
going to experience the power
of God in their situation. The
truth also is that your life will
print out the picture in your
heart. If you are poor, check
the picture in your heart. For
us to get result in the kingdom
of God, the picture in our hearts
must align with the scripture in
our mouth. So when we miss it
in this regard it looks like God
has failed us.
When occurrences like this
become too frequent, we begin
to operate in great unbelief and
our systems harden up to receiving
from God. Outwardly people
see us as being prayerful and
devout, our church attendance
has not dwindled, but inwardly
we are hurt and bitter.
Many times, as believers we
operate on assumptions not on
the truth as designed by God.
We are like a fresh student in the
primary school just enrolled, enthusiastic
and excited only about
being a student but never ready
to study to pass as a student. We
put on the uniform, we carry our
bags and school bus drops us in
school but we are neither reading
not studying. We participate
in the extra curricula activities
but not in the exact things that
makes us student. The world
sees us as dutiful and serious
minded student but never know
we only have the appearance but
the substance is missing. You
can guess what becomes of such
student when it is time for exam,
they fail woefully.
The same thing happen to us
in life, we possess the form of
godliness, very pious looking,
but when we are confronted
with the EXAMS OF LIFE, the
result is there for all to see. So
sad! Scripture says... When we
fail in the days of adversity, or
the time of our testing then our
strength is small (Prov. 24:10).
The intention of God for His
children is to do as admonished
in Matt. 6:33 ...seek ye first
the kingdom of God and its
righteousness... What is being
communicated to us in all seriousness
is to exercise ourselves
in the operational methodology
of the kingdom of God. The emphasis
is so great and the result
will be grave if we fail to do as
admonished. If you look at the
problems that men face in life,
the same scripture made it clear
to us that as we give attention
to this understanding, those
problems will be non-existent in
our lives. He even said we would
have the things that the gentiles
seek after. The day we receive
Jesus is the day we are given
birth to into the kingdom of God
as new born babies, irrespective
of chronological age. God knew
the importance of this hence, the
reason He gave us 1Pet.2:2, that
as new born babies we should
desire the sincere milk of the
word of God that we may grow
thereby. Growth in every area of
our lives, which implies understanding
of the purpose of the
kingdom, our own purpose in
the kingdom, and working of the
kingdom etc. They all form part
of our growth and are critical to
our performance in life. Once
we are not in on this truth, our
growth will be anemic and we
would be so frail in the affairs of
life that instead of us being victors,
we would be victims.
Remain blessed as the expectations
of your heart match your
conversation.
‘We want to strengthen capacity in nutrition, dietetic’
KELECHI EWUZIE
Dufil Prima Foods Plc
as part of its effort at
building capacity and
assisting in training
high level Nutrition and Dietetic
manpower in the country
has awarded 12 Msc students
of Nutrition and Dietetic with
scholarship worth N5.4million in
its yearly MSc Nutrition Award.
Tope Ashiwaju, Group Public
Relations and Event Manager,
Dufil Prima Foods Plc speaking
during the cheque presentation
ceremony at the 9th edition of the
programme said that the scholarship
scheme is a noble course the
brand is pleased to be associated
with, as it serves as a means of giving
back to the society, in order to
produce highly trained nutritionists
that would drive development
in the food sector.
Ashiwaju re-emphasised that
Dufil is a socially responsible
brand that is committed to the
development of manpower in
the field of nutrition and dietetic
in which the brand is a
major player.
“Aside from the company’s
desire to build manpower and
impact positively in the health
sector, owing to the fact that a
lot of sicknesses and diseases
are caused by malnutrition and
intake of the wrong diet, Dufil
Prima Foods Plc is positioned as
one of the health-friendly food
companies in Nigeria, and in
order to maintain this, the organisation
would need the services
of well-trained nutritionists and
dieticians, which we hope this
initiative will go a long way in
achieving.”
According to him, “It is the
hope of the Dufil that in the nearest
future, Nigeria can boost the
quality manpower in the area
of nutrition and dietetics as very
few universities offer nutrition at
the first degree and Master level
at the moment, a situation which
has led to shortage of manpower
in this sector. We want to re-write
the nutrition template of our dear
country, and Dufil as a brand is
committed to raising seasoned
professionals in this field who
in the nearest future can place
us as a nation side by side other
developed nations in this regard.”
He said.
Tunde Oguntona, coordinator
of the Dufil M.Sc. Nutrition
Award from the Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics, Federal
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,
commended Dufil Prima
Foods for responding positively
to sponsor the scholarship award,
which he said had recorded huge
success and growth since its inception
in 2009.
Explaining the aim of the
scholarship, Oguntona said the
scheme is meant to promote the
study of Nutrition in Nigeria. According
to him, “Nutrition is the
bedrock of medicine, and healthy
living starts with the kind of food
we consume.”
The 12 recipients of the scholarship
grant which were drawn
from a pool of over two hundred
entries received nationwide came
from different universities, and
have their origin from twelve
different states which cuts across
the six geo-political zones of the
country.
The awardees were encouraged
to be committed to their
studies. Each of the awardees
received a total sum of N450,
000 which covers their tuition,
research grant, study materials
and stipends for the duration of
their Post-graduate programme.
Akwa Ibom takes delivery of manufacturing
equipment to boost industrialisation
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State
government has taken
delivery of plastic manufacturing
equipment
worth millions of naira as part
of efforts to boost its industrial
development programme.
The state government has
already set up toothpick and
pencil factories as part of efforts
to facilitate cottage industries that
would create jobs for the youths.
In addition, a metering solution
firm, as well as, a syringe
manufacturing factory believed
to be one of the largest in the
country, had already been established
by the state government.
Ufot Ebong, Senior Special
Assistant to the governor on
Technical Matters and Due Process,
who confirmed the arrival
of the machines, said it would
encourage the growth of cottage
industries to provide employment
in the state.
Ebong who spoke in an interview
explained that the cottage
industries would be concentrated
within certain locations to enable
them ‘share their services and
boost economy of scale’ as well,
would produce plastic utensils,
like cups and buckets among
others. He expressed the commitment
of the state government
towards its industrial development
agenda.
“The machines have arrived
and we are preparing the factory
for installation of the equipment,’’
he said.
The senior adviser noted the
plastic factory would be commissioned
later this year in line with
the pledge made by Governor
Udom Emmanuel while presenting
this year’s budget adding that
the vision behind the establishment
of cottage industries such as
the toothpick and pencil factories
is to create wealth and reawaken
the spirit of entrepreneurship
including good work ethics.
“Some of the mega projects
take long time to be set up, so
while waiting for them , we are
using the Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) to create jobs
for the youths,’’ he said.
He also disclosed that a tomato
processing plant would be set up
in the state as the state government
has no business importing
tomatoes and urged indigenes
to be involved in productive
ventures.
Ebong who denied reports
that the pencil factory has been
shut down due to default in the
payment of workers’ salary explained
that the delay in the payment
of their entitlements had
been resolved with the strengthening
of the firm’s management.
Ebong disclosed that much has
been achieved in the industrial
sector and the provision of basic
infrastructure due to due diligence
by the state government.
He denied that the Ibom Tropicana
project has been abandoned
saying that the state government
has given approval for the
commencement of work on the
project which was initiated by the
immediate past administration.
Ebong who blamed poor project
management for the delay
in the completion of projects
explained that the Ibom Deep
Sea Port at Ibaka in Mbo Local
Government Area of the state was
on course and that the project is
in its procurement phase.