The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

  • Late Abuga’s wife loses property to in-laws

    Late Abuga’s wife loses property to in-laws

    BIOLA Olatunji, the wife of the late socialite, Lukman Alade Olatunji, aka Toto Abuga, who was dragged to court by her mother-in-law, Madam Kehinde Olatunji, has lost the battle over her late husband’s property. Four years after the demise of the socialite and a prolonged legal tussle between Biola and her mother-in-law over a three-storey marble building, one of the numerous properties the socialite left behind, the court has ordered her to vacate the property. Abuga was assassinated on the 8th of June, 2008. With a good number of choice properties and automobiles to his name home and abroad, he is survived by aged parents, siblings, three children, his wife, Biola, nee Oredehin, and divorced mother of his son, Monisola.

    The late Abuga was an amiable socialite and toast of musicians. He was said to be generous to a fault and always conspicuous at social events. Biola, who now lives in Magodo, was also a woman of means before she married the late Abuga.

  • ‘No credible elections in a dishonest nation’

    ‘No credible elections in a dishonest nation’

    Popular evangelist, Rev. Uma Ukpai, spoke with newsmen recently on affairs in the nation. Sunday Oguntola was there. Excerpts:

    Is Nigeria working?

    Nigeria is not only working, it is very healthy. You see part of our problem is what one can call the problem of ignorance.

    I am surprised that people expect the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Party (APC) to say the same thing always. No they shouldn’t say the same thing always. All of us learn by the opposite views. APC should give their opposite views; they should give us an alternative that the government is doing these but they should have done that. That is what the opposition is all about.

    Secondly a nation that has no problem has no future. Life has no trouble-free zone. I am yet to see a nation that has no problems. In fact, when we speak of corruption, people amuse me and this is because corruption is in every nation as well. The degree of corruption may not be the same but certainly corruption is in every nation.

    What I am trying to say is that Nigeria is in a beautiful shape. Life is made in way that we all grow by the lessons we learn, by the problems we solve.

    So, you consider the presence of the APC as a good omen for the polity?

    It is good, for life without problems is useless; any man that has no enemy is an idiot. We need people who will push us so that we can do better. Therefore, the emergence of (APC) is a beautiful and wonderful omen from my point of view. God is in control and command of the nation we call Nigeria.

    How would you x-ray the performances of President Goodluck Jonathan in critical sectors?

    Well, I am sure that the country knows that in the area of power reforms, he has tried and struggled to change things positively. Do not forget that it is not easy to change that sector within three years. So I score him very high because something is certainly happening.

    In the area of corruption, a country where you have so many illiterates and those who are poor is bound to be corrupt. I don’t know how others define corruption; corruption to me is an attempt to find the shortest road out of every given trouble.

    Refusal to follow the law to its logical conclusion and transmitting easy way out of problems, it is almost inbuilt in us all; nobody likes trouble. Nobody wants to be delayed by police officers when you can expedite all you want to do but you will be breaching the law by doing that.

    So corruption is almost part of our second nature and only God can change us. Therefore, for anybody to boast of giving us a government that will have no measure of corruption, that person is a liar. Will somebody please tell that person that he is telling us lies that a new person will emerge as a new leader and everything will change overnight? Some of us have lived long enough to know that things are not done that way.

    In the area of economy, I think the economy is doing fine. The value of naira in our hands has not yet gone down. The ability to confront government that abused Nigerians is something he has done very well also that is a plus for him.

    In the area of education, I may not know much why ASUU keeps going on strike but the little I know is that they don’t really have too many reasons on why they keep going on strike. However, the establishment of new universities is another plus.

    Security has improved a great deal at least where I live. I don’t stay in Abuja; I don’t know what they are going through but where I live, security has improved greatly. You hardly hear of kidnapping in Akwa-Ibom State and that is a big plus for him, a very big plus.

    I think these ones are enough to show that he is doing very well but I want to say that three years cannot be enough for any man to change things in this country even if you are a Nigerian.

    Do you think the forthcoming 2005 elections will be free and fair?

    That question amuses me. Don’t forget the fact that these elections we are talking about involve Nigerians and not Ghanaians. It will be done the same way we have always done things.

    Have we always been honest in the areas of elections? Can the first person that knows about election in Nigeria raise his hand and tell how elections are conducted in Nigeria? Those of them that know the secrets, the hidden things of election, can they please tell us how elections are conducted in Nigeria? Maybe they don’t know we know that there is no element of honesty in the whole game.

    Why? This is because we ourselves are not that honest. How do they expect a community of dishonest people to do things in an honest way? It is not possible. So, can we please continue with the game of fooling the non-politicians?

    If that will bring peace. But if you are asking that election be done the proper way, then all of us must repent between now and 2015 and practise honesty, sincerity and legality.

    If we cannot repent, can we all shut our mouths and stop these noise making and continue with the way we have always been fooled by the organisers of the election?

    But do we just shrug and continue like this then?

    It’s all up to us to decide if we really want a change. All the stakeholders should be honest and repent between now and 2015 and stop deceiving us because we cannot have credible elections without repentance.

    We have to repent first, everybody and then when we repent, we then practice honesty and sincerity before God and before our own conscience.

    The national confab kicks off soon. Do you think it will fix Nigeria?

    It was the former American President Bill Cliton that said contact dissolves conflict. If contact dissolves conflicts then let them meet and iron out our differences and maybe suggest how best to rule this country, it will help us.

    Do you agree there should be no-go areas at the confab?

    Whatever will bring confusion should be avoided. Only what will help us and build us up should be touched and focused on for discussions

    What fears do you nurse about Nigeria?

    Nigeria is a beautiful river that filters itself. So these things people are doing in our view shall certainly be filtered out at the appropriate time.

    The insurgency in the North continues unabated despite the emergency rule in the northeast. How can we destroy the Boko Haram menace?

    We need to tell ourselves the home truth that Boko Haram is a prepared organisation, prepared to harm and destroy Nigeria. An enemy of that class cannot be wished away, an enemy of such magnitude cannot be destroyed within days. As long as God is on the throne, Nigeria is on the safe side and we shall overcome.

    How do we move Nigeria forward?

    All that they need to know is to find out what are the questions.

    You cannot give or provide answers to questions you don’t know.

    What really frightens me is that the Bible says when God wants to punish a nation he gives them young men who don’t know the questions and to lead the nation. So when you don’t know what the questions are, you cannot give the answers. So all those who are stakeholders and all those who have interest in Nigeria should again find out what the questions are and find solutions to those questions.

  • Fountain of Praise lifts orphans with N3million

    A faith-based non-governmental organisation, Worship for Change, has donated over N3million to the Centre for Destitute Empowerment Idimu, Lagos and God’s Will Orphanage, Ayingba, Kogi state.

    The fund was raised during the Worship for Change benefit concert held at the Shell Hall, Muson centre Lagos last October.

    Artistes that graced the event include Bob Fitts, Muyiwa Olarewaju, Flo, Frank Umoh, PITA and Psalmos.

    The convener, Pastor Wale Adenuga, said the goal is to lift children in orphanages.

    The ace gospel musician said the orphanages were nominated through online voting by the general public.

    The lead worshipper of Fountain of Praise said: “I think there is a whole lot that needs to be done because everywhere around us there is so much squalor and poverty.

    “I think that if people realise that their lives is not just for themselves then the idea to make a difference will spring up in their mind.”

    The Centre for Destitute Empowerment Idimu with over 82 children received a cheque of N1.55 million.

    Its president and founder, Pastor Samson Okoliko, appreciated the gesture.

    He said: “The amount is not the important thing but the effect it makes on the lives of the children. We are assuring you that the money will be invested well and we would continue to update you”.

    Another 1.55million went to God’s Will Orphanage founded by Mrs. Elizabeth Opanachi.

    The home caters for 45 children.

    She said:  “I feel thrilled today because this work that we do needs support and without helping hands, you cannot succeed with the children’s needs.”

  • Greg Mbadiwe still steals shows

    Greg Mbadiwe still steals shows

    GREG Mbadiwe, one of the ‘legends’ of the night life and ex Nigeria’s ambassador to Congo, still rocks and steals shows.

    The apostle of the botched six-year tenure during the regime of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is a not-to-be-missed player in the night game of leisure.

    Mbadiwe, who is the son of late politican, Dr. Ozumba Mbadiwe, usually announces his arrival in his antique automobiles.

    Stylish in all ramifications, he was spotted recently at the grand opening of the latest Bazaar restaurant.

  • Understanding the blessedness of prayer and fasting! (2)

    Welcome to your regular column. Last week, I tried to explain what fasting is all about. Fasting, I said, is a big-time business with high-level profiting. It is not just staying away from food, which can be equivalent to dieting, but it includes fervent prayer in accordance with the will of God.

    Also, I gave some reasons why we fast and pray. I said, among others, that we fast and pray to overpower all the opposing forces on the path of our glorious destiny in Christ.

    This week, I will be teaching on the profitable approach to fasting and blessings that accrue to us in fasting. May God give you understanding.

    The profitable approach to fasting: For our prayer and fasting to deliver maximally, we must observe the following protocols:

    •Be thankful, praiseful and worshipful: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name (Psalm 100:4). You don’t have access in prayers, without following this protocol in prayer. Don’t come complaining, murmuring or accusing, because until we thank God adequately for the past, we do not qualify for further blessings.

    •Come boldly and not beggarly: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). If we must obtain anything from God, we must come boldly and not beggarly (Proverbs 28:1). Every child of God is the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. So, when you are confronted in life, no accusation permits the devil to defeat you. You wear His righteousness in battle.

    •Come with faith: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is a must. Prayer and fasting will be wasteful without faith.

    Faith is your covenant signature for taking delivery of your possessions in Christ. We are not begging the devil to leave us; we are commanding him to flee. Therefore, we must build our faith to a level of command. Faith comes by hearing and understanding the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

    •We must engage in Kingdom promotion as a priority in our prayers:

    After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10). The place the Kingdom of God occupies in our prayer life, determines largely the level of answers to prayers we can experience. So, by investing in the well-being of others, God takes care of our own. It is a mystery of the Kingdom that gives us mastery over the issues of life.

    Blessings that accrue to us in fasting:

    Fasting is a spiritual platform for outbreak of revelations: Every outstanding breakthrough you notice in the Kingdom, is a product of an outbreak of revelations (Isaiah 58:8, 10). Every time you experience an outbreak of revelation, a revolution takes place. Those that fly as the cloud are those that have received light (Isaiah 60: 1, 8). Therefore, as you engage positively in this fast, your light will come and it will shoot you up in the air.

    It empowers our access to the high places of life: Fasting and prayer are a spiritual platform for our flight into the high places of life (Isaiah 58:14). You will never meet a Christian in an extraordinary place, who is not given to the discipline of fasting and prayer, because oppositions will not allow him to get there.

    It facilitates empowerment for dominion: God has ordained that we rule in the midst of our enemies, and fasting is a platform that empowers us for dominion (Psalm 66:3). Therefore, as we build up spiritual empowerment, our dominion is enhanced.

    It is also common knowledge that every aircraft is powered from the ground for a flight. Until adequate power is generated, no aircraft takes off in the air. This shall be our most awesome and colourful year, but we must take responsibility to adequately power the year. Receive grace to engage maximally in this fast! Be blessed!

    Friend, the power to engage in a fast, is available if you are born again. You get born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are set for this, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Deliver me from sins and satan, to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now, I know I am born again!”

    Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, you can get my books: Winning Prayer and Keys To Answered Prayer and Born To Win.

    I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m. and 10.45 a.m. respectively.

     

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

  • Commit to giving, Adventist President charges Christians

    The Seventh Day Adventist Church in Nigeria has canvassed for more commitment to philanthropic gestures among Christians.

    The church said that is the only way to fight poverty among Nigerians and demonstrate the love of Christ.

    President of the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Ted Wilson, stated these last week during the centenary celebration of the church at the Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State.

    Wilson, who led other officials of the church in Africa and Nigeria during the thanksgiving service, stressed that giving is the best way to touch others and emulate Christ.

    He lamented that the middle class, which used to be the powerhouse of economic development, is gradually disappearing.

    According to him: “What we have now is the rich getting stupendously richer while the poor even become poorer.”

    He explained this is why the church is spearheading efforts to alleviate poverty and uplift the downtrodden through several outreach programmes.

    Illustrating with Mary of Bethany’s decision to pour expensive perfume on Jesus, Wilson said: “If the woman did not do what she did, when she did, I bet you that perfume will not have a better opportunity for its use.

    “Sometimes, you keep what you shouldn’t keep and it rots in your hand.”

    Addressing privileged Christians, he said: “Are you giving what you should give or you are keeping what you should give?”

    He wondered if contemporary Christians wouldn’t have diverted the resources that early missionaries used to build schools, hospitals and other facilities across the nation.

    The church, Wilson explained, is all about helping people and empowering them to do something good for themselves and the country.

  • Cleric bags NANS outstanding leadership award

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has conferred its outstanding leadership award on the general overseer of Faith Revival Apostolic Church (FRAC) Lagos, Apostle Paul Adenuga.

    The presentation, which held at the church’s headquarters along Idimu- Egbeda Lagos last Sunday, was attended by church members and executives of the students’ body.

    Explaining the choice of the cleric for the award, NANS president, Mr. Yinka Gbadebo said: “It is an honour that is well deserved by him. He has stood by NANS over the years to promote peace and quality education.

    “He has come around on several occasions to defend the average Nigerian students. He has been very philanthropic to many students to enable them acquire good education.”

    Gbadebo added: “He has on so many occasions helped the association to rise above board. During the last ASUU strike, there was a time many people did not even understand the reason behind the strike and at that moment, we needed somebody that would broker peace for us to have a way forward and he came up and played that role.

    “We intend to involve him more in the building of NANS because a lot of us do not have character and charisma anymore because we are all interested in our personal gains.’’

    Adenuga appreciated the students for counting him worthy to receive the award and dedicated it to God.

    He said: “I dedicate this award to the Almighty God.  I appreciate the students because they are the future of the country. They love the truth that is why they are appreciating men of God that are putting more effort to preach undiluted word of God.”

  • Rededicate yourselves to God, cleric charges

    The General Overseer of the Miracle Prayer Ministry Ile-Ife, Osun State, Reverend Emily Orubu, has called on men of God across the country to keep praying for the nations and her leaders.

    She made the call as part of activities to round off a week-long programme organised by the church to pray for the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Eneuch Adeboye, who recently marked his 72nd birthday.

    Citing the security challenges and increasing rate of corruption in the country, she said they are signs of desperation on the part of the people because of the failure of the nation’s political leaders, but urged Nigerians to continue to pray for God’s intervention.

    Maintaining that God truly loves Nigeria, she called on Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the service of God to benefit from His blessings.

  • Nigeria’s ills diagnosed at convention

    This is an outing that every public office holder in the country should attend. It is one that everyone who is at a loss for the cause of the various catastrophes in the land should witness. The main solution to our various problems is here.”

    This was the submission of Ogbonnaya Okike after listening to various sermons that held guests spellbound at the kick-off of a three-day national conference of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), Christ Universal Spirited Children Fellowship (USCF).

    It held at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, with the theme: Unified universal theocracy on earth.

    From the soul-stirring renditions of members of the choirs who, like other members of the brotherhood, appeared angelic in all-white robes, to the priests, love was on the lips of everyone as the soul of human co-existence.

    To Pastor Sunny Ekanem, Lagos State leader’s representative and others who spoke at the gathering, unrepentant lovers of materialism are enemies of Christ.

    They said have no place in the kingdom of God, which the brotherhood represents.

    The mammoth crowd shook in awe-inspiring tumultuous ovation when the Chairman, BCS Executive Council, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu was ushered into the gathering by his pastors, led by the Chairman, Planning Committee of the convention, Anita Reginald Anyalor.

    After an outpouring of hearty songs by the various choirs and speeches that bordered on the need for love, righteousness and selflessness among humans, Obu blessed all and admonished the congregation never to depart from righteous ways.

    The brotherhood’s spokesman, Bishop Theophilus Idabre, debunked the seeming controversy surrounding the brotherhood.

    He said: “Brotherhood of the Cross is neither a cult nor a society; it is the kingdom of God on earth. It was established according to the prophesies of our Lord Jesus Christ.’’

  • ECWA Agbelekale celebrates 20

    •Elevates pastor

    It was triple celebrations for Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Agbelekale under Mushin District Church Council Lagos last Sunday.

    Members and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the church, dedication of the Walter Gowans Multi-purpose hall and elevation of the parish pastor, Femi Ikusagba, to a Reverend.

    Ikusagba said the assembly started as a prayer centre under ECWA Agege in January 1993 at one of the members’ residences in Ekoro area of Abule-Egba.

    ECWA General Secretary, Rev. Prof Samuel Kunhiyop, charged leaders to choose to be servants like Jesus did.

    According to him:”The rights and privileges of a leader diminish as his responsibilities increase”.

    He paid special tributes to pioneers of the assembly, saying their contributions and sacrifices made the church grow.

    Kunhiyop said every servant has rewards and charged the newly ordained to remain good ambassadors of Christ no matter where they find themselves.

    Former President of the church, Rev Anthony Farinto, advised the new reverend to stay clear of internal politics, saying it could overwhelm and cloud his ministry.

    Chairman of the anniversary committee, Elder Bamigbade, described Reverend Ikusagba as man filled with the Holy Spirit who has brought numerous achievements to ECWA Agbelekale.

    Ikusagba attributed his elevation to the hands of God, declaring that he remains a ready tool in the hands of God for propagation of the gospels.