TWO TRAVELLING ANGELS

keep reading to the bottom of the page -- don't
stop at the feet (You'll see).
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night
in the home of a wealthy family.
The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.
Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.
As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. 
When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, 
'Things aren't always what they seem.' 
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. 
After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. 
When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. 
Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. 
The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? 
The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. 
The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die. 
'Things aren't always what they seem,' the older angel replied. 
'When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I 
noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. 
Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the 
wall so he wouldn't find it.'
'Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him 
the cow instead.Things aren't always what they seem.' 

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WE NEED BOTH BLESSINGS AND DIFFICULTIES

You need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither.
People who live in affluence for all of life (such as many people in Nigeria) can easily become so accustomed to wealth, blessings, and prosperity that they can easily forget what blessings they actually have. However, if those possessions are taken away, those people will certainly look at life with a new perspective, realizing how much they really had.
You don't realize how much you have until you don't have it anymore.
God knows the importance of balance; that is, the importance of having both blessings and difficulties. There are several scriptures that speak about this balance. For example in 1 Peter 4:13, we are told: Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Notice how we participate both in suffering and in joy.
Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 1:7, Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth: And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. They experienced both suffering and comfort.
Don't become too comfortable with what you have, because when you forget that the things you have are a blessing from God and when you start to assume that they are guaranteed possessions, it is quite possible that God will take them away from you in order to teach you that you need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither.
The people who hear God's voice best are the ones who know his word most.
Jesus said to his followers, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). If we hold to his teaching, meaning live in it, abide in it, and follow it, then we will know the truth. That's exactly the way hearing from God works. When we abide in his word, we will know his voice, which is truth.
All of scripture is God talking to his people. So, in order to hear from God, you must know scripture.
God has given us scripture, and he calls it his word. It is the word of God. And we refer to it as God's word. So, how do you know when God's talking to you? Because he talks through his word.
In order to hear God talking to you, you must know his word. The more you know his word, the better you'll hear his voice.

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NAFDAC BANS 22 NIGERIAN,INDIAN COMPANIES

By Victor Sam
Published: Wednesday, 22 Oct 2008
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control on Tuesday, banned from any further operations in the country, 22 national and Indian companies.
It also blacklisted 40 other brand of drugs from further production and sale within Nigeria, asking people never to buy and consume such drugs.
It said the companies had indulged over time in the forgery of NAFDAC registration numbers and those of other companies to sell their fake and substandard products.
The Director-General of the agency, Prof Dora Akunyili, stated these during a meeting with the new Country Representative of United Nations Children’s Education Fund, Dr. Suomi Sakai, in Abuja.
She said the companies would never be allowed to do business again in Nigeria because ‘they have refused over time to stop the forgery of NAFDAC registration numbers’.
Akunyili said the Indian companies would ‘never be allowed again in Nigeria because despite entreaties, they were hell-bent on producing drugs that would kill millions of Nigerians.’
She said, “NAFDAC has just released a list of additional companies which have indulged in producing and selling fake products to Nigerians.
“They have over the years, forged NAFDAC registration numbers and also copied the registration number of other products to perpetuate their criminal acts.
Henceforth, those companies and drugs would never be allowed to be sold and consumed in Nigeria again and by next week we will begin the mopping up of these drugs and companies.”
The banned Nigerian pharmaceutical companies are Medicare Pharma Limited, Maza-Maza, Lagos; O’Nell Pharma and Healthcare Limited, Baptist Church Street, Lagos; Food and Pharma Limited, Ijora, Lagos; and, Sped Pharmacy Limited, Fegge, Onitsha.
Others are Nexus Pharma Limited, Idumota, Lagos; M/S Sanchuks Global Associates Limited, Onitsha; and, M/S Tmoore Int’l Co. Nig. Limited, Kano.
The India companies banned are Empree Medicament (I) Pvt, Honga; Baader Schullz Laboratory; S.I.R. Pharma Pvt Limited; M/S Europa Biocare P Limited; and Alpa Laboratory Limited.
Meanwhile, the director-general, said on Tuesday in Abuja that more than 100,000 applications were received for less than 1,000 vacancies declared by the agency recently.
Akunyili told the News Agency of Nigeria that the number would not deter the agency from employing qualified professionals that would prosecute the war against fake drugs.

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HOW TO GROW SMALL-SCALE BUSINESSES

Culled from the punch, Tuesday, October 7, 2008, page 4.

It is true that doing business in Nigeria can sometimes be frustrating. The situation is not help by pervasive decay of supporting infrastructure. This reality puts a lot of pressure on small businesses.
But experts say that no matter how harsh an environment may be, an entrepreneur can scale the hurdle if he adheres to certain rules.
They also say that how fast a business grows depends on the vision of the owner(s). A management consultancy, Mr. Cajetan Chukwuma, says that every businessman must know that the world is a global village and that businesses are competing across borders. According to him, size is not always an issue, noting that a business that starts small can become big if the owners have the right vision.
All one needs, according to him is environmental scanning, which involves identifying the opportunities in one’s business environment and the use of the relevant tools to access them. He explains that for anyone to succeed in his chosen business, he must be sure that a market exists and that he is the right sector at the right time.
He advices that for a business to grow, the owner must leverage on proven strategies, which include the use of internet, imbibing networking, moving to the international scale, developing a value chain and utilizing a franchise. On the benefit of using the internet, he says. ‘’ The use of internet allows small businesses to establish effective inter-business collaboration and also achieve global competitiveness since all site on the internet are equal.’’
Chukwuma also explains that imbibing networking allows small firms to establish formal and informal cooperation. He says, ‘’ Networking with research centres, local institutions and others provides external support at different stages of the business.’’ On the application for franchise to expand a business, he says it is a symbolic relationship between two businesses with specific roles, responsibilities and reciprocal obligations. From the franchise’s perspective, he explains that it enhances expansion rate through lower capital and staff requirements that are needed for growth through operating in branches. Commenting further, Chukwuma adds that franchising also aids in improving market penetration and reduces risks.
He says ‘’For the franchisee, it opens new business opportunities, creates access to well-established production systems and procedures; provide expert services and opens new markets.’’ He also says that developing a value chain through consumers and supplies help every business. This, he notes, is done with the objective of maximizing revenue and profitability by accessing higher value market and creating an environment that drives higher quality.
Experts also assert that in order to grow a business, particularly in Nigeria, the owner must take a comprehensive view and scan the environment through the use of SWOT analysis. This, they opine will help entrepreneurs understand the peculiarities of the environment and the ways to operate optimally.
The managing Director, Global Access Consult, Mr Ismaila Yusuf, says that SWOT, an acronym for STRENGHTS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES and THREATS, is a strategic planning model that is used to evaluate and specify the objective of the business. Yusuf adds that internal analysis examines the capabilities of the firm’ internal environment, which is done by looking at the organization’s strength ( the core competence of the business) and the weakness ( a limiting factor that can inhibit growth).
Yusuf explains further that the external analysis helps a firm to identify the factors that pose opportunities ( importance business areas that have not been explored) and those that pose threats ( obstacles that could make a business lose focus). He says that a business that intends to compete favourably with others in the same industry must be ready for continuous innovation and acquisition of knowledge. According to him, an important point in growing a business is that the owner of a business must show adaptive thinking by embracing change. This way the turnaround period is shorter and the business booms.

ESSENTIAL TIPS

· Use the internet extensively.
· Get a franchise.
· Be focused.
· Embrace change.