www.thesparkng.com <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong> | Ignite/Connect/Achieve L and. Lots of land. That’s what you see as you travel from one state to the next, in between towns and villages of different ethnic groups. It’s everywhere, in different shapes and sizes, but unified by one colour. Sticking your head out the window of a moving vehicle is not usually advisable, but regardless, you can still spot the tall trees, the big ones, the hideous ones, and those that look like masquerades. Some of these habitations are still yet untamed, home to wild life, yet hold some of the hidden secrets to poverty alleviation, remedies to lifethreatening illnesses, and are a source of livelihood to the unemployed. For those discovered, they have been abused, cut down, tread upon, and underutilized in a way that only benefits the manipulators who hold the chainsaw and determine what lives and what dies. Regardless of this, these trees still retain their evergreen colour signifying growth, life and hope. Some may be cut down, but more will spring up to stand for what they know is right. After all, the land is fertile. <strong>The</strong> land is green. From the Editor Green Is <strong>The</strong> New GREEN chose to feature the story of Rotimi Williams, an industry leader in the Agricultural sector to inspire and educate anyone looking to make great feats in the industry. In planning this first edition of <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, the crew had to accept an ugly truth - not every youth has what it takes to lead the nation. We spent hours expressing personal opinions and arguing about the fact that if not for the good meal of noodles and fried plantain which we had afterwards, you won’t be reading this letter today. <strong>The</strong> truth is some will be cut down, tread upon and manipulated. But more will rise and continue making a difference in their own little way. To make this happen, the best we can do is contribute our quota by providing the guidance and information we all need. <strong>Jan</strong>uary is a great time to set things in motion. With the many resolutions and goals you may have set for this year, let this edition guide you in implementation. It is also an opportunity to explore new frontiers and learn from different industry leaders who have presented their practical knowledge to us in ink. This is the case of the Nigerian Youth - a large percentage still underutilized and yet oblivious to the innate abilities they have to solve the problems that plague the nation. Without proper guidance and exposure to the right information, many will still take on different hideous forms scaring away the very people they are to help. Regardless of the looming problems we see, the nation has seen an emergence of a new breed of people who have decided to continue leveraging what has always been there - land. But this time using it as a source of sustainability and growth. Agriculture as we know it, is the first form of employment known to man. And if after millions of years, it hasn’t gone out of fashion, then it only makes sense to leverage it and bring about the change we seek, creating massive wealth in the process. Green is the new GREEN. That’s why we This magazine presents you with different avenues to achieve the success you seek. With <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong> Freestyle, creatives have the opportunity to freely express their heart and share their art. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong> Connect gives young entrepreneurs the leverage they need to grow, through access to practical empowerment. <strong>The</strong> platform also offers free business consulting, free legal and mental health counselling, free publicity and loads more. With this, including articles ranging from leveraging new emerging technology to serve customers better, to experiencing growth through partnerships, strategy, self-discovery and empowerment, you’ll find enough practical information within these pages to make <strong>2018</strong> your best year yet. And on a final note, in line with the theme of Agriculture for this month, in order to help you bring that agro-business dream of yours to reality, Rotimi Williams will be empowering you with 0.2 million Naira cash grant and all access to his wealthy bank of knowledge and experience. Publisher: CEO & Head of Business Development & Client Services Ikenna Onuorah COO & Head of Digital Akintunde Marinho Head of Business & Growth Oghenevwoke Ighure Editor Anthony Osae-Brown Creative Director Segun Adekoye Art director Kola Oshalusi Head of Advertising Linda Ochugbua Head of Strategy & Planning Bankole Jamgbadi Managing Editor Lanre Solarin Project Manager Lehlé Baldé Specialist Editor Michelle Edoreh Associate Editor Ayandola Ayanleke Design | illustration Sodeinde Oladapo Fashion Director RTFCOMPANY Make-up Artist Lillian Paul In-house Photographer James Otihi Lanre Solarin Managing Editor Contribute to <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong> is the Youth Empowerment Arm of BusinessDay and needs passionate contributors. If you’d like to showcase the average Nigerian Youth doing something, anything positive, and provide practical, enriching information, email us at info@thesparkng.com. Address: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Spark</strong>: 21, Military Street, Off King George V Street, Lagos Island. BusinessDay Media Ltd: 6 Point Rd, Apapa, Lagos. Enquiries: +2348123183458, +2347030951270, +2348182799268 Email: info@thesparkng.com Website: www.thesparkng.com Social media: @thesparkng @thesparkng 1