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Food for Living: The Power of the Mind
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Friends,
One of the greatest forces in the world if not the greatest force is love. I liken love to passion because if you have passion for something, you will put your mind into it. If you will agree with me, it takes strength to love somebody. A couple of months ago, I wrote an article entitled Passion Is Stronger than Power. It’s worthy to mention that passion, love, and power all starts in the mind. This is because everything we do to make a difference originates in the mind. Once the mind conceives an idea in the brain it sends the desired signals to the part of the body that needs the energy to work on the idea. Napoleon Hill in his book, “Think and Grow Rich”, he said, “Whatsoever the mind can conceive the mind can achieve it”.
Each and everyone one of us have this subconscious mind. As little kids in school, we all have dreams of becoming President, Governor, lawyers, doctors, engineers, pilot, soccer player, musician, etc. This dreams and vision will only be valid if we believe in ourselves and work hard towards achieving our set goals. Today, I am going to leave you with a puzzle on what you will like to do if you have everything in the world? If you answered the question in the affirmative, you are a step closer to knowing your passion in life and therefore you’ll have the power and passion to make your dreams come true.
As rational beings with rational minds, one of the greatest power we have in our possession is the power of choice. In everything we do, we make a choice. It is worthy to note that every great success in life started as an idea in the mind which later metamorphose to a product. According to Lao Tzu “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” That said, one salient point to mention here is that everything starts in the mind be it school business, education, innovation and writing a book. You can also look at the mind like a seed. When a seed is planted, it is watered and it then germinates and bears fruit. That’s exactly how our mind works. We must continuously strive to feed the mind with the right thought.
During the course of this article we shall be sharing shall be discussing how our mindset can act as a catalyst for our success. In order to appreciate the article very well, I will like you to think out of the box. Imagine a scenario where the whole the world is telling you, you can succeed in a particular task and you know within you can’t succeed in it, you’ll fail, but if the whole world is telling you can’t succeed in a particular task and you know you can succeed, you will succeed because he that is in you is greater than he that is the world.
Let’s see how the mind can affect our lifestyle…
Your thoughts have a powerful influence on your life because it affects and determines what happens to you.
Most of us go through life taking little or no notice of our thought processes or what goes into our mind. We allow so many information like music, videos, and conversations into our subconscious mind. They can be negative or positive. This information has a relative effect in our lives without us knowing. That’s why we are always enjoined to think and affirm positive thoughts, words, and actions regardless of what you are going through in life. Depending on what you allow in your mind, it will definitely affect how you think, your courage, your fears and how you see life generally. Today, I charge you to live up to your dreams by tapping into the subconscious power in your mind.
You attract what you focus
The law of Attraction is the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on. It is believed that regardless of age, nationality or religious belief, we are all susceptible to the laws which govern the universe, including the Law of Attraction. It is this Law of Attraction which uses the power of the mind to translate whatever is in our thoughts and materialize them into reality. It is what you focus your time and resources on that attracts what you need. If you focus on success, you will attract success. If you focus on fear and failure, you’ll attract failure. It is generally said that you attract what you wish. Your thoughts are the primary creative forces in your life.
Train your conscious mind to think thoughts of success, happiness, health, and prosperity.
According to Aristotle “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ” While thinking of success, learn to weed out negativity such as fear and worry. Keep your conscious mind busy with the expectation of the best, and make sure the thoughts you habitually think are based upon what you want in your life. The mind works like a computer, it is what you give to it that it gives back to you. (Garbage in garbage out).
To show you how powerful the mind can be, think of your subconscious mind as incredibly fertile soil that will grow any seed you plant in it. Your habitual thoughts and beliefs are seeds that are being constantly sown. Just as corn kernels produce corn and wheat seeds produce wheat, the contents of your thoughts will have an effect in your life. You will reap what you sow; this is a law.
In summary, always have the end picture at the back of your mind. Your vision and mission in life should always align with your passion and what you really want to do in life. So if you have a dream, don’t allow it to die, try and pursue it to a logical conclusion. In conclusion, never you relent to failure until you have made your last attempt and never you make your last mistake until you seed.
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.
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SPIN Hosts Inaugural Scientific Induction Committee, Makes Case for Reseach-Based Sustainability
The Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) convened its inaugural Scientific Induction Committee on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
The virtual event, themed “Mainstreaming Sustainability in Africa: Professionalism, Standardization, and Capabilities,” brought together distinguished scholars, industry leaders, and sustainability professionals to chart a path for Africa-centric sustainability solutions.
Moderated by Dr. Mories Atoki (Hon.), SPIN’s Legal Director, and headlined by First Bank of Nigeria PLC, the event featured keynote addresses and panel discussions with globally recognized experts. These included Professor Kenneth Amaeshi, President of SPIN and Professor of Sustainable Finance at the European University Institute.
Professor Amaeshi stressed the importance of “decolonizing sustainability frameworks” and prioritizing local contexts. He noted, “Africa must redefine sustainability on its own terms, balancing environmental, social, and economic imperatives unique to our realities.”
Vice President Ini Abimbola, while administering the SPIN induction oath, charged the newly inducted scientific committee members to advance professionalism, drive standardization, and strengthen capacity building in sustainability, ultimately shaping the future of sustainability in Africa.
The newly inducted scientific committee of the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) comprises seven distinguished scholars and practitioners. Professor Emmanuel Adegbite, Professor of Accounting and Corporate Governance at Nottingham University Business School, emphasized the critical role of corporate governance in driving sustainable business practices.
Professor Judy Muthuri, Professor of Sustainable Business and Development at the University of West Indies, stressed the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge and community-led approaches into sustainability strategies. The committee members highlighted the complexities of sustainability in Africa.
Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, Professor of Global Climate Governance and Public Policy at the University of Bristol, advocated for justice-centered policies that address historical inequities.
Professor Uwafiokun Idemudia, Dean of the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences at the University of Guelph, called for multi-stakeholder collaboration to mitigate environmental degradation.
Dr. Adaeze Okoye, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead at the University of Brighton, underscored the need for regulatory frameworks that promote equity and inclusion.
The committee emphasized innovative approaches to sustainability, featuring expert insights from renowned thought leaders. Dr. Natalie Beinisch, Co-founder of the Circular Economy Innovation Partnership, shared insights on leveraging circular economy principles.
Professor Tazeeb Rajwani, Chaired Professor of International Business and Strategy at Surrey Business School, analyzed geopolitical shifts impacting sustainability practices and emphasized the need for African businesses to develop resilient, context-specific strategies.
Building on these insights, Ismail Omamegbe, SPIN’s Director of Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement, outlined the committee’s roadmap. “We look forward to our new scientific committee members’ insights in shaping our research agenda, policy formulation, and capacity-building initiatives,” he stated.
In her closing remarks, Mrs. Eunice Sampson, SPIN’s Director of Learning and Development, reaffirmed the committee’s vision. “Through this distinguished committee, we will transform sustainability in Africa by localizing solutions and decolonizing approaches. Our focus remains on driving inclusive, data-driven growth through strong political commitments and cross-sector collaboration.”
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Gatmash Partners Access Bank to End ‘Period’ Poverty in Nigeria with ‘PAD Me a Girl Initiative’
Access Bank Plc, a leading financial institution in Nigeria, is partnering the “PAD Me A Girl Initiative,” a project of GATMASH MEDIA, to launch a ‘Pad Bank’ aimed at providing free sanitary pads to girls and women in need.
The groundbreaking initiative is founded by Theresa Moses, a renowned journalist and Editor-in-Chief of GATMASH NEWS. The project seeks to address the pressing conundrum of ‘period’ poverty, which is affecting millions of girls and women in Nigeria.
The initiative will help address pads deficit among the less privileged members of the society as its aim is to promote menstrual health and hygiene, as well as provide educational materials, and support girls and women in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
The Access PAD Me A Girl Initiative is also partnering with several organizations, including Checkers Custard, Empowered Girls for Christ Foundation, Jeffrey Kuraun Foundation, ProStar, Vita Baites Foods, and many more.
This is a unique and innovative concept, designed to store and distribute free sanitary pads to the needy. The ‘Pad Bank’ will be stocked with sanitary pads donated by Access Bank, other corporate organizations, and individuals. The idea is to collect and distribute over 1 million sanitary pads annually.
“We are excited to partner with Access Bank to launch the Pad Bank,” said Theresa Moses, Convener of the “PAD Me A Girl Initiative.”
“Access Bank is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of Nigerians. Therefore, Access PAD Me A Girl project is a testament to its dedication to creating a more inclusive and equitable society that every girl and woman deserves access to sanitary pads.
“The Pad Bank is a game-changer in the fight against period poverty, as it will provide a safe and accessible space for girls and women to access sanitary pads, promoting dignity and empowering them to reach their full potential.”
The Access PAD Me A Girl Project aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
In addition, the initiative will provide educational materials and support (Exercise books and pen), thereby helping to promote literacy and educational attainment, in consonance with SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empowering all women and girls to reach their full potentials.
The Access PAD Me A Girl Project, which includes the launch of the Pad Bank, will kick off on April 3rd, 2025, in Gofye Community, Kuje Area Council, New Kunchingoro, Opposite Games Village, Kaura, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, and on April 5th, 2025, in Ortese IDP Camp, Guma LGA, Benue State.
Ondo State is historically a giant in agriculture which is the mainstay of the economy of Nigeria. This is despite being listed as one of the states rich in crude oil and other minerals in Nigeria.
For a long time, Ondo State has been the biggest producer of cocoa in Nigeria. Further, the state is blessed with large fields of fertile soil which supports high yield of oil palm, rubber, cassava, among others cash and food crops.
This is why the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Gov. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has vowed to continue to support initiatives which will bring back the glory days of Ondo State in agriculture. His efforts are beginning to yield immense gains as one of the largest agricultural investments in the recent history of the state has just been established. This is the JB Palm Plantation and Processing Mill, Ore, Ondo State which is bankrolled by the Managing Director/CEO of JB Farms limited, Mr. Ajibola Adebutu, MON in the oil-rich State.
The remarkable investment by Mr. Ajibola Adebutu is a significant milestone in Ondo State’s progression towards taking back its pride of place as leader of the agricultural revolution in Southwest Nigeria, nay Nigeria as a whole. This huge investment in oil palm production which is needed for food products like cooking oil, margarine, soaps, cosmetics, and biofuels will undoubtedly set Ondo State as the hub for agricultural production and processing.
On the other hand, this grand investment by Ajibola Adebutu may also help to reverse the trend of kidnapping and criminality in Ondo South Senatorial district where it is located. The place was a hiding haven for criminals as it used to be a thick forest.
Paying a working visit to the JB Farms in Ore, the visibly elated Executive Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa stated: ‘This is a very large plantation. It is the biggest I have seen. So much has gone into this place including road infrastructure. This is about 400km of roads leading to the various clusters in this farm. They have taken it to another level. We have to support large scale mechanized farmers. We will give them all the required support, security, and enabling environment.’
While appreciating the Governor for his visit, Mr. Adebutu noted that this oil palm investment ‘is capable of producing about 800 tonnes of palm fruit everyday. With this, security wise, kidnappers will not have a place to hide. We are encouraging people. We are challenging people to invest because this is part of the future of Nigeria.’
Governor Aiyedatiwa also planted a palm tree in the Farms to affirm his unrivalled commitment to promoting food sufficiency, sustainable agriculture and profitable agribusiness in the state.
Culled from Trek Africa Newspaper
