Founder of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry (CMDM), Effurun, Delta State, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin, has concluded arrangements for Prophetic Academy expected to gather Christians from across the country and beyond.
The man of God has set the balls rolling with prophecies with colours, shapes and inscriptions on clothes and shoes.
“If Daniel can interpret write-ups, prophets can also say they have been called in order to interpret write-ups. Anything you are putting on, there is a language they are speaking. I want you to understand the language,” he stated on why people must pay attention to what they see ans wear.
Text: “….. If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove… this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 17:20-21)
One of the maladies of the Christian faith is with regards to fasting, which is now being pervasively bandied in the body of Christ, as a mantra for resolution of problems or challenges. It is nowadays very common for certain people in the body of Christ to be hasty to recommend fasting to anyone with an untoward issue of life. It has also been observed that the spiritual ego of some church members is highly lifted when days of fasting are declared to by their leaders to either climax an outgoing year or to herald the birth of a new year. There is obviously no gainsaying the fact that fasting has the endorsement of our Lord Jesus Christ because of its capacity to activate miraculous happenstances and also it’s power to enhance the spiritual growth of believers (Matthew 4:1-17). It is however important to note that the effectiveness of fasting is hinged on the compliance of believers with divinely set order (Matthew 6:16-18). Any fasting carried carried with disregard to biblical dictates is a mere hunger strike and unacceptable by God. Isaiah 58:3-5 says that, “Why have you fasted, and you have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed? “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot do as you do today and have your voice be heard on high. Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this fast and a day acceptable to the Lord?”
The pervasive lethargy across the length and breadth of the body of Christ to critically study the Holy Scriptures has led to a gradual erosion of truth. It is this omission that has made believers have their residency with ignorance and falsehood. Paul told Timothy that, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth“ (2 Timothy 2:15). Please be informed that to receive anything from God, full obedience to His order or command is very key (Deut.. 28:1-13 cf 1Sam. 15:1-23). If you want to enjoy marriage as an example, submission to your husband in everything and to love your wife with all you are endowed with are non-negotiable (Ephesians 5:22-28). And, if you want to live long and be prosperous as a child, you must honour your parents (Ephesians 6:2-3) – any deviation from those set patterns is an invitation to crisis!
It is an axiom of our faith that any deviation from God’s set order or demand, which is a prelude to the fulfilment of His pledge, weakens the potency of His promises, because He is a God of order and the Lord of set patterns. It therefore behoves anyone who desires to enjoy the full value of God’s promises to follow very strictly His commandments because His promises are not free – they are predicated on fulfilment of certain terms and obligations. To eat the good of the land for instance is not free; it is grounded on firstly your willingness and then your obedience to His command – any action to the contrary is an invitation to destruction. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 1:19,20).
From the passage where we picked our text, a man brought a report to Jesus Christ concerning his son who was a lunatic and would usually fall into fire and water. The man brought his son to His disciples to heal him but all their efforts were in vain. With a word from Jesus Christ, He rebuked the demon and the son was healed instantly. The disciples now asked Jesus Christ why they were unable to heal the boy. Jesus told them, “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. However, this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:20-21).
For your fasting to have an effect on any mountain, and not serve as a sheer religious affair or a merely hunger-strike, for it not be for weight reduction or serve as a means of detoxification, it is imperative to first accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you must ensure that you don’t have sin in your life and you must have also genuinely forgiven all that have erred against you (Is. 1:15-18, 59: 1-3; Matt. 6:12-14). In addition to that, an effective fasting must be complimented with regular prayers, and the prayers must be said in absolute faith in His name and acknowledgment that He has the power to save and deliver, for “..without faith, it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). It is after you have done all those that you can be assured of an unhindered access to His throne of grace and mercy, and whatever human, official, spiritual, economic or matrimonial mountain positioned before you shall be lifted up and your life shall advance in the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayers: Oh Lord, help me during this time of lent to do your will, and do not allow me to fast in vain, in Jesus’ name.
Text: Acts 16:25-26 ……Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God ……….. doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.
“The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead”, said the writer of Proverbs 21:16. What this presupposes is that, understanding is very principal to divine benefits, otherwise one will be traversing roaming aimlessly in the wilderness of life. It is unfortunate that lots of people daily approach the seat of mercy of God for their promised full restoration while it is a negligible few that return with testimonies of the restoration. Kindly note dear beloved in Christ that the blessings of God are available for your take but they are not given automatically. His blessings are released on the satisfaction of certain demands. It is written in Deut. 28:1- 14 that, Full restoration of God’s blessings is dependent on your willingness to fully obey and carefully follow all the commandments of God. Anything to the contrary is a life of defeat and curses (Deut. 28:15-68).
The Gateway to full restoration means that there are certain highways to triumph over the issues of life with the capacity to lead one from glory to higher and greater glory. One of the highways to Full restoration is Praise. There is a highway of praise. Praise is appreciating God for who He is and what He is capable of doing. It is appreciating Him in words and songs for what He had done and more importantly for what you are trusting Him to do. High praises are the highways of God to the high places of life. This highway is a freeway that keeps you going from triumph to triumph, from victory to victory and from testimonies to greater testimonies.
From our text, Paul and Silas were brought before Magistrates for their works of evangelism and the deliverance of a possessed lady. The Magistrate consequently stripped them of their clothes and ordered that they should be beaten thoroughly. After he had satisfied himself, he cast them into prison and they were put into the inner prison, they had their feet fastened in the stock and were treated as hardened criminals. But at midnight, mindless of the situation they were in, Paul and Silas prayed and sang songs of praises. The moment they changed the gear from prayer to praise, heaven came down, there was an earthquake, the foundations of the prison shook, the chains of the prisoners were loosed, doors of the prison were opened, the narratives were altered, the captives became the captors and the ones to be destroyed became the deliverers.
Beloved in Christ, Praise is a command by God to every living being (Psalm 150:6). Praise is not focussing on happenings, praise is spotlighting God’s faithfulness and relying on the efficacy of the Scriptures. Praise is concentrating on the integrity of God and the insight received about His integrity. The Psalmist in Psalm 22:3 says that “God inhabits the praises of His people”. When God sees genuine praises, He brings heaven down and when heaven comes down, all natural powers, laws and restrictions are suspended.
Dear brothers and sisters, when praise becomes your lifestyle, victory over the devil and his agents becomes your heritage. Consequently, whatever cannot withstand God is not permitted to stand against you. Let me ask you, are people ganging up against you? Are you being maligned by friends, family or your church members? Is there a plot to bring you down or schemes from the kingdom of hell to exterminate you? I have good news for you, there is no loss in praise. When you step up your genuine praise, God will step into your battlefield, He will take over your fight, He will turn your enemies against one another, all those that are fighting you shall destroy one another and you shall possess the gates of powers that rose against you (cf 2 Chro 20).
As you step up your praises beloved, please know that your Full restoration is confirmed. The mountains of hindrance before you shall be brought down, that valley of death shall be lifted up and the crooked paths of challenges shall be made straight. You shall continue to live a life of victory and His name forever glorified in your life. It is possible to pray amiss but it is impossible to praise amiss. As you come to God with a penitent heart and praise the Lord with your heart during this season of Lent, I can assure you that your story will change of it’s own accord and people shall gather to celebrate God’s faithfulness to you in the name of Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, accept my sacrifice of praise and cause my raising to begin from now in the name of Jesus Christ.
The Deeper Life Bible Church, Ogun West, has thrown its weight to enhance evangelism through the procurement and distribution of daily manna 2024.
The state overseer, Pst. Phillip Ekunjobi, who made this known at the weekend, said the state will stop at nothing to spread the gospel salvation to all classes of people in the society.
Speaking during the International Friendship League (IFL) Ogun West chapter at its headquarters, Ilo-Awela Road, Ado-Odo/Otta Local Government Area, Ogun State, Ekunjobi said the need to reach all men with the gospel message was more compelling now than before.
The occasion was the promotion of daily manna 2024 to boost evangelism.
Ekunjobi, who said that Jesus Christ came into the world and died for the salvation of all men, added that the church cannot afford to be indifferent to all means and methods to save some.
Referencing the case of Cornelius in Acts 10, the Pastor said though the man had the comfort, influence in the world, and was a devoted religious man, he still needed to know more about Jesus Christ.
While noting that both Apostle Peter and Cornelius were led by visions, and they immediately complied, Jesus Christ has handed the work of reconciliation to the church.
He said: “Through the promotion of the Daily Manna 2024, Devotional For Evangelism, we, as a church through the IFL, will be able to reach more people, especially some highly placed people, who may not ordinarily attend church services or programmes.
“For us in Ogun West, we thank God for the vision of our General Superintendent, Pastor Williams Kumuyi of reaching everybody with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“And we shall do everything possible as the Lord helps us to spread the message of Jesus Christ with the manna.”
He expressed confidence that all region overseers and other strata of leaders and members in the church were solidly behind the initiative to expand the kingdom of God on earth and in the state.
The Editorial Board and IFL Chairman, Pastor Joshua Alabi, who expressed delight and satisfaction with the wide acceptance given to the project in Ogun West, said since the take off of the initiative, many souls have been brought into the kingdom of God.
“I can tell you that this project has made and is still affecting lives for God’s kingdom, hence, I appeal to you to take up nothing less than 5,000 copies of manna.”
He assured the participants of God’s blessings on whosoever that backs God’s own project.
While over 2,000 copies were immediately taken by the state, Pastor Gabriel Oke, a region overseer, gave an assurance that the state will not fail from attaining the 5,000 copies set for the state to take.
“Sir, let me assure you that we will take the 5,000 copies. We will return home to distribute it to the regions”, he assured.
Text:” ……if we ask any thing according to His will, he hears us” I John 5:14
One of the most spiritually heart rendering questions from believers in the world today is that, “does God still answer prayers?” Who will blame those skeptics when in actual fact a number of them have been praying without answer to their prayers; who will convince them otherwise when they have fasted and prayed and their ‘mountains’ have refused to move. John the beloved, from our text, confirmed that God answers prayers and that He is still in the ministry of granting triumph over circumstances and challenges of life. The Psalmist, while asserting the greatness of God said in Psalms 94:9 that, “He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see? (Psalm 94:9). The position of the Psalmist was further buttressed in the words of Jeremiah that, “Thus says the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is His name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not.” (Jeremiah 33:2-3). The precursor to prayers been answered, and a life of your Full restoration this year however, is that, it must be in tandem with His will. Anything outside that is a waste of time and efforts.
Beloved in Christ, kindly be informed that your Full restoration in all facets of life is guaranteed but what will qualify you for it is by staying in His will. If you are out of His will or wander off His commandment, your season of prayers shall be mere noise, your days on the mountain of prayers shall be merely for excursion purposes and your season of fasting shall be bare religious practice which amounts to nothing, and not acceptable to God. The answer to such prayers shall be held down by the accuser of the brethren called the Prince of Persia until the wrongs are righted (Daniel 10:12-13).
Who or what is this ‘Prince of Persia’? The ‘Prince of Persia’, apart from being a metaphor of the unseen, also stands for whatever is capable of not allowing believers have access to answered prayers. The ‘Prince of Persia’ that is reigning across the globe now, more that ever in history, is sin. We are in the perilous times that Paul told Timothy about, when people shall be “…. lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…(2Timothy 3:2-5)
Beloved in Christ, kindly be informed that the Almighty God is holy and He cannot behold iniquities (Habakkuk 1:13). The principal requirement of God before He answers prayers is the spotless state of man. God told the rulers of Sodom in Isaiah 1:15 that, “… when you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear for your hands are full of blood”. In Isaiah 59:1-2, God said further that “…..the Lord ‘s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness”.
Dear brothers and sisters, when you pray according to the will of God, He will give you all that you asked for and spice them up with the things He believes are right, good and proper for you. In Isaiah 65:24, God said that, “…. it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear”. Besides that, because He is God, the creator of heaven and earth (Isaiah 40:28), He has capacity to “….do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think….” (Ephesians 3:20; cf 2 Chronicles 1:11-12)
For your prayers to be answered during this season of Lent, it is imperative of you to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, confess His Lordship with your mouth, acknowledge that He came to die for your sins, ask Him to forgive your sins (Romans 4:7,8), flee the appearances of sins, restitute your ways, separate yourself from people that influence you to sin and be a committed member of a Bible believing church. Following that, you must be thankful to God in all situations of life and stop complaining (Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; Hebrews 5:7). And when you pray to God, you must pray in faith without doubting (Hebrews 11:1, 6. Matt. 21:22; 1 Timothy 2:8;James 1:5-7) and avoid praying repetitively for showmanship ( Matthew 6:5-8). Quite related to that, you must check your motives for prayers and pray with the right intentions (James 4:3). This season of Lent is the time for your prayers to be answered. It has been divinely established that there is no plan of hell and there is no scheme of men that shall be able to hinder your testimonies.
Prayer: Oh Lord arise and deliver me from whatever is standing between me and my answered prayers in the name of Jesus.
In the course of fasting during the Ramadan season, it is important to note there are some devout Muslims who are automatically exempted and permitted by Allah from partaking in the holy exercise.
Below are some valid reasons for excluding oneself from the fast:
1. Sickness
Sickness means that a person is not healthy.
One of the great scholars of Islam, Ibn Qudamah said: “The scholars agreed that it is permissible for the sick person not to fast in general. The basis of that is the ayah in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days.” [al-Baqarah 2:184]
It was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When this ayah was revealed – ‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day)’ [al-Baqarah 2:184 – interpretation of the meaning] – those who wanted not to fast could do that, and pay the fidyah (i.e., feed one poor person for each day). That remained the case until the following ayah was revealed, i.e., the verse:
‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day)’
[al-Baqarah 2:184 – interpretation of the meaning] – so it abrogated it.”
The sick person who fears that fasting may make his sickness worse or that it will slow down his recovery or damage a part of his body has the option of not fasting, indeed it is Sunnah for him not to fast and it is makruh for him to complete his fast, because that may lead to his death. So he has to be cautious and protect himself. Moreover, if the sick person is very ill, that makes it permissible for him not to fast. But if a healthy person fears difficulty or tiredness, it is not permissible for him to break his fast, if all that happens to him when he fasts is that he becomes tired.
2. Travelling
For travelling to result in a concession excusing one from fasting, the following conditions must be met. The journey must be long enough that prayers may be shortened. The traveller must not intend to settle in the place to which he travels.
His journey must not be for any sinful purpose, rather it should be for a sound purpose, according to the majority of scholars. That is because being allowed not to fast, is a concession and relief that the sinner does not deserve on his journey, because the purpose of his journey is to sin – such as one who travels to commit banditry, for example.
3. Cancellation of the concession for travelling
This concession of travelling is cancelled for two things: When the traveller returns home and enters his hometown, which is the place where he resides.
When the traveller decides to stay indefinitely, or for a lengthy period in one place, and the place is fit for settling in. Thus he becomes a resident (or non-traveller), so he should pray in full and not break his fast in Ramadan, because the rulings on travel no longer apply to him.
4. Pregnancy and breastfeeding
The fuqaha agreed that pregnant and breastfeeding women may break their fast in Ramadan, on the condition that they think there is a risk that they or their children may become ill or more ill, or be harmed or may die. The evidence for this concession in their case is the ayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days.” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
This does not refer to merely being sick, for the sick person who will not be harmed by fasting is not allowed to break the fast; here sickness is mentioned as a metaphor for any situation where fasting when sick may cause harm. This is what is meant by sickness here. That may be the case in pregnancy and when breastfeeding, so these two cases are included in the concession of breaking the fast. The evidence that women in these cases are allowed not to fast is the hadith of Anas ibn Malik al-Ka’bi (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has relieved the traveller of fasting and half of the prayer, and He has relieved the pregnant and breastfeeding woman of fasting.”
5. Senility and old age
Senility and old age refer to one who is old and has lost his strength, or who is approaching death, so that every day he becomes weaker until he dies, or who is suffering from a terminal or incurable illness and has no hope of recovery. The evidence that it is prescribed for such people not to fast is the ayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day)” [al-Baqarah 2:184]
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that this ayah has not been abrogated, and it applies to old men and old women who cannot fast, so for each day, they should feed one poor person.
If a person is overtaken by intense hunger or unbearable thirst, then he should break his fast and eat just as much as he needs to ward off that hunger, then he should refrain from eating for the rest of the day, and make up for that fast later on.
The scholars added to intense hunger and thirst the fear of weakness when meeting the enemy, or fearing or expecting an attack, such as when one is surrounded. So if a fighter knows for sure or thinks it is most likely that there will be fighting because he is facing the enemy, and he fears that fasting may make him weak when fighting, and he is not travelling, then he may break his fast before fighting.
7. Compulsion
Compulsion means one person forcing another to do something or not to do something against his will, using threats. And Allah knows best.
A fast-rising ministry with it footprint around the world, Holy Spirit Mission was 50 years old yesterday. The General Superintendent (GS) of the ministry, Bishop Charles Ighele spoke with ADEOLA OGUNLADE on the ministry, its impact, challenges, the state of the church, and the need for church to regulate itself.
On how the ministry started 50 years ago, Ighele said, “The man God used to start the Holy Spirit Mission, Bishop Michael Marioghae, was deeply rooted in the Anglican Church. He was a preacher. The Anglican Church used him to give birth to some secondary schools including the famous James Welsh in Delta State in 1957 and Anglican Boys Grammar School also in Delta State in 1965. He was also a one-time principal in one of the best Anglican girl’s schools in the country.”
He noted that Marioghae’s Anglican background was deep. His father was a catechist in the Anglican Church. At a stage, he got baptized in the Holy Ghost, and this marked the beginning of his problems with the Anglican Church. People who wanted Holy Ghost Baptism came to meet him in his house and many got filled with the Holy Spirit. The Anglican Church of that time could not tolerate this.
“The disagreement was a front-page national issue. It was in the course of all these that the headquarters of Benin and Delta Dioceses of the Anglican Church in Benin City summoned him and he was told to renounce the person of the Holy Spirit on a Sunday service and that the Holy Spirit only operated in the time of the Apostles- the likes of Apostle Peter, Paul and the rest. He refused and he was booed. He and his wife were then excommunicated from the Church. It was at this stage that the Lord told him to start a ministry.”
When it was time to name the church, Bishop Marioghae asked, “What is the nickname that is being used to mock and abuse you?” Ighele said: “Holy Spirit people”.
Ighele was advised to add the word ‘Mission’ thus ‘Holy Spirit Mission’, was born.
Marioghae and Ighele had become inseparable, “I accompanied him to where he ministered in an Anglican Church. He was happy to see that the Anglican Church started welcoming the person of the Holy Spirit.
“He was happy to see that his efforts and those of others who sowed this seed in the Anglican Church never ended in vain. When he eventually died, Anglican bishops came to personally pay their respects. Moreover, about four or so years ago, a service was held where the excommunication was lifted even after his death.”
Fifty years of the ministry and its impact?
The Holy Spirit Mission GS disclosed that aside the anointing of God upon his life, what he cherishes most is integrity, and honesty. “It was the integrity I saw in Bishop Michael Marioghae that made me join the Holy Spirit Mission in the 80s. I have seen that honest leaders are few.
“I was personally quite happy when Reinhardt Bonkke sent for me years before he died and told me that he had heard of my high level of integrity and that I should keep it up.”
Ighele now supervises about 160 pastors in Holy Spirit Mission.
He recognizes that his honesty with others endeared him to them.
“I learned this from Bishop Marioghae and also from others and some ministries can learn this from us”.
The cleric further said “When I started out in ministry, I looked out for pastors with a high level of anointing to push the work forward but after about six years or so, I changed my style. I stopped looking for the anointed and started looking for the faithful. The anointed may give you an immediate impact but with bad character. But the faithful may not give you immediate results but will certainly bear fruits that will endure.
“I lay more importance on the fruit of the Spirit than on the power and gifts of the Spirit because it’s the fruit that will take you to Heaven and not the gifts. That was why Jesus said “by their fruits, you shall know them “and not by their anointing or largest churches. So for me, the character of a man and how the man of God uses the anointing with good character is more important than the anointing that brings scandals and makes one in the news for the wrong reasons. I have peace and I like peaceful people and I like to be with peaceful people
Recognising that in ministry, there can be great misunderstandings, dissatisfaction, and disappointment, he said “There is no growing ministry that does not have problems. We had problems but these were early during my tenure as the GS of Holy Spirit Mission. Some of the problems were caused by some people who had their own agenda while some were also caused by my inexperience and youthful exuberance. For the past many years, I have had a team of pastors whom I seriously believe in. My work is to use my office to build up my pastors and not to be angry with them or humiliate them when anyone sins or does not behave too well.”
On what the church is looking to achieve in the years ahead as a ministry, he said: “We are a ministry with a sanctified ambition to make an impact. So, in the next few years, we should be in at least 50 other nations of the world. By the grace of God, we should go beyond that”.
Overcoming temptations and stable marriage
The cleric who has been married for 38 years said before he joined the Holy Spirit Mission, revealed that he stood on the altar of a church and made a vow that no lie would ever come out of my mouth. “I also made a vow that I would never commit fornication and adultery. I told God that I prefer to die if that’s the only way of preventing me. I asked for His grace to see me through because by my power I could not because females used to like me a lot. I was handsome. Like in Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart,’ like a bird, I had to learn to fly without perching when men had learned to shoot their catapults without missing. “Moreover, I have always had this principle of not allowing married or unmarried females who have no sense of shame to be in my inner circle or very close to me. Once I discover, I will distance such a female from me. As for money, I have a very sensitive conscience and so does my wife. Church money is church money and my money is my money.”
Married 38 years to his wife Carol, he said: “I believe that every living thing should grow and that love is a living thing. So we deliberately fire our love for each other. We create time to play. We kiss each other a lot and we enjoy each other so much.
“I take her out to eat out about once or twice a week. We chill out from time to time. We look for new ways of showing our love to each other because love that is not expressed is dead like faith without works is dead”.
He continued: “We have worked on ourselves to be a highly romantic couple. We trust each and our love keeps growing.1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love never fails, that is, love never packs up. I will advise ministers whose love lives have remained stagnant to join the group Carol and I set up and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, it is known as Marriage Promise Keepers (MPK).
Churches infiltrated by witches
On the state of the Nigerian Church, Ighele lamented that the church is highly divided and seen as a cash cow business for many people.
According to him, many so-called pastors without genuine repentance and deep conviction about Christ and his sacrifice on the cross for our redemption have started a ministry and have brought in strange doctrines. “Comedians now make jokes of us because of the present state of the Nigerian church. To make matters worse is the fact that it has been highly penetrated and polluted by many witch doctors, diviners and demonic intermediaries. Some have pulled down their shrines, raised money, and put up a church building and church sign board.
“With the Bible in one hand and charms and objects of divination and the ability to “see” in the other hand, they are trying to redefine Christianity” Ighele asserted.
He added: “This should not be strange because, in Acts 16:16-18, the Bible tells us that a girl who has a similar demon that enabled her to “see” and “prophecy ” was part of Apostle Paul’s company for a period. The girl’s prophecy was correct but it came through an evil spirit that wanted to penetrate and pollute the Christianity of that era”.
He went further to advocate that the true Church in Nigeria should propose a bill to the National Assembly to make the church regulate itself and discipline its erring pastors just as the medical, dental, nursing, engineering professions, and legal professions do. Jesus said that by their character (fruit), we shall know them but millions who patronise them do not give a damn about so-called pastors’ character. It is a pity.
Illuyomade’s wife’s birthday and matter arising
Bishop Ighele pointed out that from what he knows about how ministries operate having been the General Superintendent of a 50 years old ministry for the past 27 years, “I can tell you that branch pastors do not need to take permission from the General Overseer to celebrate their birthdays or the birthdays of their wives and children. I am not aware of the birthday celebrations of pastors in our ministry. That is the position with many other General Superintendents.”
He noted that as large as the Redeemed Christian Church of God is, I do not expect our highly respected Pastor Adeboye to be involved in such matters.
“Even if he was informed by the branch pastor of the City of David that his wife would celebrate her birthday about 2 weeks after the death of their prominent member, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, it is not always possible for one to remember all things all the time including the names of some of your children. We forget our children’s names and some important things sometimes”.
He, therefore, advised that Pastor Adeboye’s name should be left out of the controversy.
“As for the pastor of the City of David and his wife, they are highly responsible people. It is because of their level of responsibility and accountability that they have been able to attract equally highly responsible people to be part of their congregation”.
“But I also know that highly responsible people can make big mistakes due to errors of judgment or the temporary departure of emotional intelligence. I have made mistakes.
“When Papa Adeboye’s son died some years ago, my wife and I quickly canceled her birthday celebrations even though we are not members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. But I have made mistakes in other areas of life.
“I seriously think that by now, Pastor Illuyomade and his wife might have realized that they made a mistake. I am not sure they are aware that they will be in the news for this reason. If they had known, they might have canceled the birthday celebrations or shifted it to when the mourning period is conveniently over.”
He further said “as a part of the Body of Christ, we, I appeal to Nigerians to forgive and be merciful and pay all attention to mourn the departed Mr. Herbert Wigwe. I know that Pastor Illuyomade and his wife and worshippers at the City of David are also in deep mourning right now outside public view. They are mourning uncomfortably. I pray that they will receive wisdom from God to make peace with the Wigwe family. The Illuyomades should keep stooping until they appease the Wigwe family and friends. They should stoop to conquer.”
A one-day revival crusade themed “Freedom from Affliction” will be held on Friday 22nd March in the Oko- Agbon area in Sabo, Yaba, Lagos. The crusade being organised by the Celestial Church of God, Olaiya Bethel Parish, will feature over eight great anointed men of God.
According to the organisers, the crusade is targeted at setting people free from various afflictions that may have been affecting them for several years.
According to the Shepherd-in-Charge, Olaiya Bethel Parish, Prophet Olaiya Daniel, the crusade will lighten up the Oko-Agbon area of the state and captives will be set free from various afflictions that may be holding them down.
“It will be a refreshing time before the Lord and afflictions shall not rise again in the lives of God’s people. The Lord is set to liberate His people, therefore I enjoin everyone to meet with the Lord at this special open ground crusade believing that there is nothing impossible for the Lord to do,” Daniel said.
In a similar vein, the Assistant Shepherd-in-Charge, Prophet Olusola Fatunke, said the Bible text for the crusade is taken from the book of Nahum 1:12. Fatunke assured that the mighty power of God is set to restore his people as long as they are ready to meet with him.
“The Lord’s promise to us is that the Egyptian we see today we shall see no more. The Lord delivered the Israelites from the land of Egypt; by His mighty power, He parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross to safety. This same power of God is still available to set His people free from any form of affliction at this one-day power crusade,” Fatunke said.
A member of the organizing committee, Prophetess Imoleayo Bankole, urged the general public to always remember that the power of God as of the days of old is still in abundance today. She assured that God is waiting to set captives free and break all forms of shackles of oppression or bondage in anyone’s life.
“Come and be set free and give your life meaning,” Bankole said, adding that it promises to be a refreshing time before the Lord.
•Lawmakers, govt functionaries prescribe way forward
Regulating social media has continued to gain international attention in recent years. To put an end to the online threat to national security and its illegal activities through different platforms, IBRAHIM ADAM evaluates solutions from experts and stakeholders.
For years, terrorists have held Nigeria’s northern region by the jugular, maiming, killing, abducting and raping. Alongside this has come banditry, with pretty-much the same consequences, except that they make no pretences about their criminal intentions, demanding humongous ransom to free their captives.
Unlike Boko Haram, ISWAP or any other religious puritan group, the bandits do not hide under religion or any pretentious crusade to perpetuate their crimes.
In the South, the story is different only in the sense that the criminals have yet to summon the kind of boldness that’ll see them attack communities and kidnap people in numbers. But kidnapping reigns nevertheless and is on the rise.
Most painful is the fact that these criminals, aside coordinating and perpetrating their efforts using technology tools, especially the various social media, also use them to disseminate their terror message far and wide. This can be seen in the way Shekau, the leader of the dreaded Boko Haram group, following the kidnap of over 200 Chibok school girls in 2014, consistently used the social media to send messages to the federal government and parents of their captives. One will also recall the Abuja train kidnap two years ago, where the bandits perpetually sent images of how they tortured the captives to the world, threatening even to kill them if their demands were not met.
The irony is that Boko Haram, which claimed to be fighting Western civilisation, did not see anything wrong in using a Western tool to push their message.
There have also been several news of how terrorist groups use technology to monitor, counter or sometimes thwart military onslaughts.
Big concern
Terrorists exploiting social media have become one of the world’s biggest concerns. Domestic terrorist groups have a symbiotic relationship with international terrorist organisations, which worsens the situation. Notably, terrorist groups also use social media platforms to recruit, train, and communicate with their followers and contributors because it is less expensive, easier, faster, and effective.
Just as these social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have offered terrorist organisations new options, it has also created new challenges for law enforcement and intelligence agencies. While terrorist organisations’ use of online resources is not new, national intelligence services have shifted their focus to the growing threat of home-grown insecurity.
The November 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks remain memorable for the wrong reason. The Islamic terrorist organisation from Pakistan, in a well-coordinated effort, struck more than ten targets in the densely populated Indian city. According to Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of the most serious issues arising from the attacks was the terrorists’ technological competence. All of the attackers had BlackBerry smartphones and didn’t just use VOIP to communicate.
This inadvertently underlines the fact that the social media has a competitive advantage beyond political activism and business.
The adoption of the social media in Nigeria can be traced to the rise of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), which began in the 1990s. According to Golub (2018), the first technological progress seed was placed on Nigerian soil in 1995, when UNESCO supported the Regional Informatics Networks for Africa (RINAF) project.
German online data platform, Statista, estimates that there are 31.6 million active social media users in Nigeria from 2017 to December 2023. WhatsApp is the most popular platform in the country, with about 95% of users while Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are Nigeria’s most popular social media networks.
Recall that the issue of social media regulation lingered throughout the eight-year administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, with the then Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, consistently advocating for its regulation.
Things got to head in June 2021, when the Buhari-led federal government banned Twitter (now known as X), two days after the social media company deleted a tweet on the president’s account. The ban lingered for seven long months before it was lifted.
In October 2023, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) sent a bill for the regulation of social media to the National Assembly. The intention of the regulatory body was to abolish and re-enact the NBC Act, CAP L11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
While hosting the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the NBC Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah, referred to the social media as a ‘monster’.
Section 39 of the 1999 constitution provides that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information without interference.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) then urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, “to reject the recently reintroduced Social Media Regulation Bill, which, if passed, would unduly restrict the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.”
Even before the dawn of the social media, there have been quite remarkable innovations in ICT, starting with the creation of the telegraph in 1792, the radio in 1891, the world’s first super computers in the 1940s, the lunch of the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1991, Linkedin in 2002, Myspace in 2003, Facebook in 2004, Reddit in 2005, Youtube in 2005, 2go in 2007, Whatsapp in 2009, Instagram in 2010, Snapchat in 2015, etc – each, usually a step further from the preceding ones.
These inventions have gone on to impact the world today, the social media especially affecting every aspect of man’s existence and becoming an integral part of daily life. Social media can be used for a variety of purposes, including connecting with friends, assisting people in finding employment opportunities, assisting business owners in reaching and gaining a larger customer base, staying in touch with family members, keeping up with current events and happenings around the world, promoting knowledge sharing, and spreading information.
Aside from its positive uses, social networking has been known to have negative impact on society. Some of these negatives include distributing misleading information, supporting criminal actions, and facilitating the rapid spread of vices and delinquencies among juveniles. It is also addictive and can preoccupy a person, preventing him or her from attending to more essential matters.
Jocelyn Bolos Benter of Bulacan State University and Robino D. Cawi of the University of the Cordilleras stated in their 2021 study titled: “THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CATALYST TO INSURGENCY” that social media, particularly the internet, is becoming a catalyst for insurgency acts.
They claim that the internet facilitates the dissemination of extremist beliefs and propaganda, as well as the acquisition of terrorist skills such as how to manufacture bombs and other explosives.
“Recruitment and propaganda distribution through social media remains a security concern in the Province of Bulacan, particularly since it is locally driven and not easy to detect. Further, the continued existence of private networks of communication means that efforts to eradicate public expression of violent extremism will only have limited effect.
“The study aims to know the role of social media sites in terrorism in terms of recruitment and propaganda distribution by identifying the different social media platforms used, means to disseminate, techniques employed, and the initiatives of the local government to counter the online recruitment activities.
“Through social media platforms and advanced technologies, recruitment in insurgency is made easier.”
The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police of Nigeria have used social media channels to disseminate information on bombarding, dislodging, and repelling terrorists’ attacks, destroying illegal crude oil refineries, and showcasing their accomplishments in apprehending criminals in every part of the country.
Social Influence Theory
Kelman’s social influence hypothesis, established in 1958, provides that: “an individual’s attitudes, beliefs, and subsequent actions or behaviour are influenced by reverent others through three processes: Compliance, Identification, and Internalisation.”
Kelman believes that social influence causes varying degrees of change in attitudes and actions. Individual differences play a role in the various stages of transformation because people accept influence differently.
It has become a menace, says Gbajabiamila
President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, maintains that social media has become a societal threat that must be addressed.
“As citizens become more interested in governance, the government must ensure that engagement with citizens springs with shared agreement on what the truth is, what is real, and what is not. Social media has become a societal menace and must be regulated.
“Many people do not understand that once the send button is hit, there is a potential to reach millions of people around the world, which is capable of causing a great danger, not just in the society but even unintended consequences to the individuals that are receiving information which may include security of life.”
Ayade calls for strict regulation
In the same manners, former governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, has blamed social media for insecurity in the country and called for its strict regulation.
Ayade added that social media users have lost respect for values.
“If there is anything to regulate, it is the social media. In China, social media is regulated. Dissemination of falsehood must have its penalty. Social media is causing divisiveness in the country.
“The theme is very relevant. Freedom is not absolute anywhere on earth. False information threatens security. We won’t have the kind of peace we have now in the next 20 years if social media is allowed to continue this way.
“Social media is destroying our country, our values. Those who publish horrible pictures should go to jail. Animals are becoming more human while humans are becoming more animalistic,” he said and called for stricter broadcasting regulation in the country.”
Social media may worsen insecurity, says NASS clerk
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, also expressed concern regarding the escalation of insecurity via the use of the social media, emphasising the need to enhance the country’s security architecture.
“Social media is having a field day feasting on such conflicts, especially the inter-agency rivalry, as have been witnessed between security personnel arising from the circulation of texts, pictures, and videos.
“It is our duty as citizens to support our security agencies and not to escalate situations through social media. These counter-productive challenges need our conterminous attention, or may worsen.”
Social Media has disconnected us from our neighbours
Security expert, Smith Dibia, has blamed the ‘period of social media’ for people’s seeming failure to interact and get to know their neighbours.
This comes after some residents in Rumuekini, Rivers State, expressed shock after security personnel invaded their estate, detaining approximately five of their neighbours accused of kidnapping and freeing some supposed kidnap victims from their one-bedroom apartment.
Dibia explained that nowadays, people would rather communicate with persons outside the country than get to know their neighbours.
“Most times you see we spend time chatting with people abroad and outside here while leaving to chat with the next-door neighbour,” he stated.
Every military action scrutinised on social media
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, claims that globalisation, international enmity, and social media are impeding Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
Musa stated that the peculiarities surrounding the military’s actions in its efforts to restore peace and security in Nigeria were not the same as those observed during the ECOMOG era.
He said every action of the military is currently under scrutiny in the social media space and is frequently visible to the public, including insurgents.
He pointed out that the arrival of social media, without monitoring and regulation of bloggers and social media influencers, is affecting the Nigerian military’s response to security concerns.
“Consequently, members of civil society organisations and other activist groups levy unfounded allegations against the troops that serve as huge distractions. The consequences are that the troops are more careful in dealing with the insurgents.
“Some of the insurgents could form various right groups or become activists or social media influencers while they carry out activities against the Nigerian military. This was not the case during the ECOMOG operation period.”
General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, and Chief of Military Affairs of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. NC Ugbo both indicated that the Nigerian Army recognises the importance of bloggers and social media influencers as credible partners in shaping the narrative to improve national security.
“The social media platform has reengineered social interaction among peers, businesses, governments, and so on. Social media platforms are used to advance social and national insecurity, such as the situation in the northern and south-eastern parts of Nigeria.
“Some groups use online media to propagate their agenda, and the general public also uses social media platforms to escalate this propaganda, which sometimes is fake news.
“The platform provided by the social media seminar has allowed the Nigerian Army to interact with influencers of the social and cyberspace on how to responsibly use the various assets to foster security and peaceful coexistence.”
How to curb the spread of fake images
Speaking on the dangers of false information, Kemi Busari, the Editor of fact-checking platform, Dubawa, recalled an event in Plateau State, where a photo spread on Facebook alongside a false claim heightened ethnic tensions and resulted in numerous deaths.
On that occasion, a graphic image of a mutilated baby, killed in Congo Brazzaville in 2012, was shared with the claim that the act was perpetrated by the Fulani against the Berom in Jos, in June 2018.
According to media reports, Berom youths took to the streets and seeking out Fulani men for reprisal attacks. This, in turn, spurred more attacks and many lives were lost.
“That’s to show how false photos could cause grave harm to any society,” he said.
Busari emphasised the importance of fact-checking in reducing the spread of false information.
“Fact-checking is very important in curbing this, especially when we think about the present security situation of the country. We have security challenges, ethnic issues, and elections are coming,” he explained.
Idayat Hassan, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), added that there is a need to raise the awareness of fact-checking tools like TinEye and Wayback Machine, so that the average person may use them to verify the validity of images.
“Government response is often too slow. That is another challenge. There is a need for capacity-building programmes for law enforcement agencies to immediately identify fake pictures and respond to them before it reaches so many people.”
Battleground shifted to cyberspace
The brain behind the 2016 Global Award winner in Crisis Communication and expert in social media, Yushau Shuaib, remarked that the battleground has migrated from physical battles to cyberspace, with social media serving as a medium of engagement.
He said: “The military needs to train and equip social media warriors whose responsibility is to engage the audience with truthful, factual, and convincing arguments of operations towards the well-being and better-informed public.
“The enemies are hidden in their cocoon using the social media in recruiting volunteers, mobilising resources and attacking public consciousness, mostly through threats of violence and terrorism”.
“The military as an institution that can effectively counter terrorism should realise that conventional weapons have their limitations in psychological warfare. They should therefore explore the benefit of Social Media which is cost effective for engaging large audiences; providing adequate information; responding timely to enquiries; sharing educative media data and coordinating activities with different groups,” he said.
Shuaib added that the future of social media is already revealing itself in the current generation.
“The future is already here and now. Officers responsible for information management and communication should realise that an office is no more confined to a physical wall. We are in an age of mobile offices, working 24/7, streaming live videos in real-time to the satisfaction of our audiences.
“In the next few years, wearable gadgets will become the major tools while stiffer competition between the Media Houses and in-house PR teams will become prevalent, as each party competes for large followership on social media,”
While observing that some security agencies and officials have refused to embrace social media for primordial reasons, Shuaib urged them to change their mindset.
“It is baffling that some top officials take delight in discrediting social media and refuse to embrace the technology. Their reluctance and absence on social media only compels fraudsters to clone their identities on the platforms for nefarious activities
Recommendations
The United States Department of Justice summarised an NIJ-sponsored study titled: “The Role of Social Media in the Evolution of Al-Qaeda Inspired Terrorism,” when it stated that Jihadist terrorism activities in the United States are linked to a global terrorist movement that uses modern communication technologies, media, and a globalised social consciousness to promote its belief system and radicalise vulnerable people who have access to internet media.
The NIJ-sponsored study conducted an analysis that compared the network structure of American terrorism offenders inspired by Hezbollah, Sunni extremist groups aligned with Al Qaeda, and ISIL. Young men and women have joined the Islamic State in patterns similar to chain migration, following in the footsteps of others from their town or neighbourhood and bonding with friends or peers who nurture and reinforce their views.
Some recommendations for dealing with these influences include focusing on community education, establishing a duty to report, developing court-enforced treatment programs, disrupting and preventing the development of localized extremist hubs, monitoring cumulative influence networks, continuing to disrupt and intercept travel to foreign terrorist organizations, and suppressing producers rather than consumers of terrorist propaganda online.
The ancient city of Benin, the Edo State capital, will not forget Osariemen Angel Asein in a hurry. The young lady drew global spotlight with her attempt at Guinness World Record longest read-aloud marathon. The feat has attracted significant attention and commendation from both local and international communities. In this write up, EVELYN OSAGIE traces Osariemen’s journey from Edo to global limelight.
The Record-breaker
In the world of record-breaking achievements, there are folks who take their passion and dedication to heights of novelty. Osariemen Angel Asein is such an individual, setting out on the remarkable journey of etching her name in the Guinness World Record book for the longest read aloud marathon dubbed ‘read-a-thon’.
When Osariemen, a native of Edo State, set out to break the Guinness World Record with a 200-hour and an eight-day of continuous reading, she did not know the feat would attract the kind of global attention it has brought to her and her home state. But like the legendary Benin heroines of old times, she is a young woman on a mission, who beyond the event, had envisioned that it would provide a unique opportunity for her to inspire individuals to explore the world of literature, especially Benin literature and culture heritage. She hoped to spread awareness about irregular migration, human trafficking, climate change, and life below water.
Osariemen is indeed a strong woman, who was ever so willing to talk about her passion. Hear what she tells The Nation in an exclusive interview after her eight-day achievement: “As a passionate indigene of Edo State, I am using this initiative to showcase the profound heritage of our region to the world at large, fostering tourism and promoting the cultural heritage of our great state. My aim was to particularly shine a light on the intricate facets of Benin’s culture, arts and renowned bronze work; transcending mere record setting to illuminate the depths and beauty of our cultural legacy.
“For me it is not about the Guinness World Record or winning; I just used Guinness as a platform to elevate my voice to cry out for the Edo youth and Nigerian youth as a whole. We still read, we still have dreams, we, as youths, are still pushing, and we still hope for a better tomorrow.”
From 200 to 230 hours
She had initially announced before the event that she would be reading for 200 hours, thereby surpassing the then 124- hour record held by RysbaiIsakov (Kyrgyzstan) in Bursa, Turkey. But her resolute spirit propelled her to stretch the arm of the reading clock by 30 hours more, ultimately reaching an impressive 230 hours; and surpassing the attempt of another Nigerian, John Obot, who reached 145 hours.
Osariemen set out on her mission on February 23, 2024, reading through until March 3, 2024.The record-breaking event was held at the Edo State Library inside the Edo State Secretariat Complex, marking a historic moment. The whole eight-day effort was streamed live, and witnessed by government officials, school teachers, students, entertainment industry practitioners and book enthusiasts.
With an air of excitement and festivity, Osariemen embarked on the challenging endeavour; she immersed herself in books on Benin history and various other subjects. And as she read on, all eyes eagerly awaited the positive end of the epoch-making event.
The carefully curated books for the attempt, include: Great Benin by NekpenObasogie, Tori by Kingsley de comedian, Sweet Sixteen by Bolaji Abdullahi, Naked drum and others poems by Goodluck Osama Ogbeide, Uzama& the Benin Monarchy by Sam O.U Igbe, The Glorious reign of Omo n’ Oba Erediauwa Edited by Prof. .G.I Akenzua O.O.N, From birth to death by Sam O.U Igbe, A – Files by Victoria AfeInegbedion etc.
A worthy Adventure
On how easy the adventure was, the diploma graduate of Maritime Engineering from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and currently a 500 level final-year student of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Biology at the Lagos State University (LASU), said: “It wasn’t easy at all; the preparation had its ups and downs but we were able to overcome them. We had huge support from the government and people of the state. However, there were times it felt like it won’t be possible but my passion to make a difference by doing my bits in changing the negative narrative of prostitution placed on the Edo girl child kept me going. During the reading, my strength almost failed me, but I was determined to not give up.”
Asked if it was all worth it, she replied: “It was way worth it to me…seeing those school children coming around to watch me read and cheer me up, seeing them motivated to keep pushing in the right part was worth it.”
But she was not alone; she had behind her a dedicated team, known as Team Angel Riemen, led by the team’s manager, Comrade Amienye Omorogie.
At the moment, she awaits a confirmation by the Guinness World Record, which will officially make her the World Record Holder for the longest marathon reading aloud attempt by an individual.
The recognition
Her feat has not only garnered widespread admiration and support, it has also left a lasting impact on her community, state and nation at large; inspiring generations to come to embrace the power of reading and the pursuit of knowledge.
A closing ceremony was held in her honour in Benin on Thursday, March 7; the feat also earned her the sum of N20million gifted to her by Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, in recognition of her remarkable dedication; even as he commended her efforts, emphasising the significance of nurturing a culture of education and aspiration among the youth.
His wife, Betsy Obaseki, also noted: “When young girls like her see what she is doing, it will inspire them, encourage them, give them hope, and push them to break records.”
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), at the event, also appointed her as a Copyright Ambassador.
Noting that it was instructive that the marathon reading took place at the Edo State Library, Dr. John Asein commended the Edo State government and the Ministries of Education, and Arts, Culture and Tourism for the official endorsement of the read-a-thon. He called on the state government and other stakeholders in the book industry to see the event as a catalyst for reviving the reading culture in Nigeria and encourage school children to use the library.
The Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Uyi Oduwa-Malaika, expressed immense pride and joy in Osariemen’s extraordinary achievement in completing the reading marathon, when he said: “Championing the rights and dignity of every girl child isn’t just noble; it is downright smart. Let us create a world where she is free to dream, learn, lead, and hey, even break records.”
Isimeme Whyte, CEO of Genius Hub and Angel’s official Public Relations Agency, also reiterated their unwavering support for Angel’s vision to promote education and reading.
