The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

  • Remain hopeful, Kumuyi charges Christians

    The General Superin-tendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, has tasked Christians to continue looking up to Jesus as the surest refuge against life challenges.

    He spoke at the just- concluded annual Easter Retreat of the church with the theme: “Wonders of the cross and special touch of miracle”.

    The retreat held simultaneously in every state in Nigeria and virtually all Africa countries, including Europe and Latin America.

    Kumuyi noted that the beauty of Easter was the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for humanity, which facilitated a great power to save, heal and prepare believers for heaven.

    He said that the resurrection power of Jesus delivers from the corruption of sin into a new life of godliness and glory.

    The holiness preacher challenged Nigerians to put their trust in God.

    He said: “We can only become beneficiaries of Christ’s victory, healing, dominion and success in a world of crises when we repent of our sins and look up to Jesus who has the power to solve all the problems of mankind.”

    He urged participants to exhibit the virtue of endurance as there is always a price to pay for every achiever in life.

    On challenges facing Nigeria, he assured the nation will overcome.

    “We have passed through these testing times before and we overcame. We must lessen our negative sides and play down our perceived differences,” he stressed.

  • ‘How the church fuels corruption

    ‘How the church fuels corruption

    A radical preacher and non-conformist, Apostle Lawrence Achudume is the general overseer of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta, Ogun state. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the 21st anniversary of the church and sundry national issues. Excerpts:

    Did you ever imagine the church was going to come this far 21 years ago?

    Did I imagine the church would come this far? To imagine means a mere creation in one’s memory or head. But based on what God has spoken, I knew we would come this far. Even though many people prophesied the church was going to close down…

    …Christians?

    Not just Christians but pastors. Many of them threatened the church would close down; we would not go far or even survive the first three years. Someone just sent me a text that I can read out to you now. It says: God has been so faithful to us in VLBC in the past 21 years. Many started with us but today are no more. Some left the church because of arrogance… Some have left the church because they were looking for a man to help them. I remember a pastor who left and said in three years, VLBC will collapse. But here we are!

    I heard what the pastor and some many other people said then.

    What was their grouse?

    You know some people believe except they are the ones doing it, God cannot be there. If it is not them, it is not good. Only them were called, others were not called. I remember someone said we have kerosene anointing. You know when kerosene burns for sometime, it goes out. We heard all manner of those things then. But I never replied for once because there was no need.

    Never?

    I never did.

    Directly or indirectly?

    I never did either way for once.

    Why didn’t you, considering they were disparaging something dear to your heart?

    My brother, there was no need. I never even reacted from the pulpit. I realised a man is a man. The best of a man is a man. Man is not God. There is no point to reply what men were saying. God did not say so.

    But did you have cause to pray over such evil pronouncements?

    I never did. I knew what the Lord told me. I don’t pray about what man says; I pray only on the words of God. I don’t pray over man’s myopic, infinite opinion. Some are still saying it but I just switched off from such talks. So, talking about imagination, I did not imagine it. But I believed based on what God said. But I believe we are not yet there. We are just starting.

    You are just starting after 21 years of exploits?

    Yes, we are just starting. I see 21 as an age of maturity. We are about to enter a realm that will not command envy but peace. I believe we will command outstanding breakthrough and testimonies.

    How far have you gone on the proposed new church auditorium?

    We are going to lay the foundation the Monday after the convention. It will be located in the centre of the city, somewhere known as Olorunsogo. The land is there; a four-and-half plots that we are going to use. It will serve as the National Headquarters while where we are remains the International Headquarters.

    In 21 years, can you recall one or two outstanding testimonies that keep swelling your heart?

    Unfortunately, I am not one who records things God has done so that it does not look like I am the one doing them. But what keeps amazing me is people rising from glory to glory. I have seen people rising from nowhere to where God wants them to be. Apart from the joy of salvation, they live in total peace and rest. That amazes and swells my heart.. Yes, the dead have been raised and demons cast out but the greatest joy is the transformation among people here.

    One of the things people have against you is that you say things the way they are. Will you ever change?

    No, I won’t change. It’s too late to change. I am aware people have that against me but that is who I am. If I want to say you are a thief, I will say you are a thief. I won’t say you look like a thief. Before I call you a thief, you better believe you are though you may deny it. I will call you a thief because I want you to change not because I hate you or I am angry. I can’t stand compromises and half-truths.

    You have also taken on government officials at different times. Don’t you ever fear for your life?

    I told a governor recently ‘you better be careful because you have only eight years in office. Get rid of the sycophants around you’. The convoy will be gone and you will be left alone. I believe you cannot do anything against the truth but for the truth. If I say a governor or president will leave after eight years, is that not the truth? It is the truth. You cannot embellish that.. Other former governors have left and now walk without siren or escorts. It will happen to all incumbents now one day.

    I was in the airport one day when someone slapped a former governor. He could not do anything. He was just looking. You are just there for now. Being a governor or president is no big deal. You will be gone soonest, at most in eight years. I travelled recently with a former vice president and we sat close. He was without escort. That is how it is. You will leave one day whether you like it or not. All these things are too temporal and ephemeral.

    Are you bothered about the corruption in churches today?

    Yes, I am concerned. You see you cannot detach church leaders from the corruption in the society today. Pastors should be models of integrity and faithfulness. There are those who cannot preach without negotiation. There are those who feel bad when they are not paid certain amount after ministration. That is also a form of corruption. Once you are focused on money, you will always be angry and frustrated. If you are pastor and you cannot tell the truth, you are corrupt.. Government officials come around you but you cannot talk to them. You’d rather give them more honour than they deserve. That is a form of corruption.

    If you go to State House to beg for money from commissioners and government officials, it is corruption. You are making them to compromise. A pastor who doesn’t tell corrupt people he knows to change is also corrupt. When you live in immorality as a preacher, you are corrupt. A pastor who celebrates being close to the president is corrupt because he would never be able to correct or criticise the president. A president should be happy to be associated with you as a pastor, not the other way round.

    What is the way out?

    God is raising people full of integrity and honour. I see people without greed coming up. They are not motivated by money but consider it nothing.

    What is unique about this convention?

    Everything about this convention is unique. To start with, the theme is the oil of greatness. I have discovered it is not education that makes a man great. Education is good for integration and gives one a boost. But if you look at those who really amounted to somebody in life, they had more than education. Many of them were not even educated. Look at Steve Jobs, look at the 17-year-old boy that discovered software, which fetched him $30 million from yahoo. They were not educated. Bill Gates was not made in school.

    So, we are de-emphasising degrees and paper qualifications. You can destroy a certificate with an ordinary fire. So, what qualities make for greatness? It’s good to have a springboard to launch out in life but to depend means one is signing up to die in poverty. So, myself and invited speakers will be thrashing all these issues out.

    Do you believe Nigeria can be fixed?

    Of course, I do. I believe Nigeria is the greatest nation on earth. I have travelled far and wide but I am yet to see a nation as blessed as Nigeria. We have 67 untapped natural resources. I can’t think of any in the entire Western Europe. So, I believe this country is great. I was invited to a meeting somewhere in Europe recently to address doctors and consultants. I was shocked 60 % of them were Nigerians. I know several cities in Europe where Nigerians control the entire medical industry.

    I believe Nigeria will not break up. Those thinking we will break up are the ones that will break up. Nigeria will not break. It will only keep getting better. God had a reason for creating Nigeria and He has not changed His mind. I believe God will raise a leader that will revolutionise this nation. Just watch out. It will happen sooner than we all expected.

  • Church holds centenary celebration

    St Georges Cathedral of First African Church, Ipaja Town has concluded  plans to stage her centenary celebration from April 8-13  at the church cathedral in Ipaja, Lagos.

    The chairman, planning committee and award, Prince Owen Adeniran, told reporters the event with the theme This God is our God features revival service, colloquium, bible teachings, drama, thanksgiving and award ceremony to individuals with immense contributions in the private and public sector.

    He said the church established in February 1913 with 27 members has grown in leaps and bounds to the glory of God blazing the trails of evangelism and discipleship within the African church.According to him: “God has been faithful to us as there is no doubt the fact that the church planted one hundred years ago like a mustard sees has passed through different stages of development and today as the parish has become a cathedral, but an enviable one among the existing cathedrals.”

    The cathedral vicar, Venerable Moses Adeniran, urged the church to remain steadfast in all good works and the teaching of the scriptures so that the glory of this present age will be greater than that of the former.

    Guests expected at the celebration include the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, Executive Chairman, Ayobo-Ipaja, Local Council Development Area, Hon Yusuf; traditional rulers, Primate of the Mission, Most Rev E. Koya, the Archbishop, Rev Paul Onanuga, and others.

     

  • ‘Sacrifice vital for nation-building’

    Nigerians have been urged to sacrifice and invest their lives to make the country better.

    The District Superintendent of the Apostolic Faith, West and Central Africa, Rev Adebayo Adeniran, made this call last Sunday at the annual Easter concert of the church with the theme “I gave my life for you”.

    He called on leaders to rid themselves of sin and corruption, stating they were called to eradicate suffering from the nation.

    According to him: “A nation rid of corruption is what befits us. Only righteousness exalts a nation and only God can free us.

    “So we must turn to God as a corporate entity and avoid corruption which is a reproach to us and God. Thus, Easter is the most important feast of Christendom.”

    There was a drama presentation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and orchestra music by the 2000 man choir on classical Beethoven; Geo Bernard; W.A. Mozart; Joe Paterson.

    Present at the concert were former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan and former Governor of Lagos, Brig Gen Mobolaji Johnson (rtd), among others.

  • Ola Orekunrin’s rising profile

    Ola Orekunrin’s rising profile

    DR Ola Orekunrin, founder of The Flying Doctors – the first air ambulance service in West Africa – born and raised in England, made history at the age of 21 when she became one of the youngest medical doctors in England. She started her medical degree at the University of York and passed with flying colours.

    Still not resting on her oars, Orekunrin and other hard working and worthy Nigerians have made the Young Global Leader’s list at this year’s World Economic Forum.

    With history written and the celebration of these great heroes and contributors to development of the human society, there will always be motivation for the coming generation to strive for greater achievement in life. Therefore, the yearly celebration of the World Economic Forum to bestow honour of Young Global Leader on distinguished individuals below 40 for their roles in charting a new course for the world is laudable.

  • A decade after, Taraba remembers great cleric

    A decade after, Taraba remembers great cleric

    A section of Nigeria’s anthem which reads: “the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain” manifested on Easter Sunday when the people of Taraba State converged in Bete, Takum Local Government Area, to remember the good works of one of their late fathers, Rev. Andrew Useni Bako.

    If life was a movie, Bako acted his part well on the planet-stage before the final curtain.

    In any movie, the actor, unlike the boss, never dies.

    Bako was the actor: although he gave out his ghost, his spirit lives.

    His role was evangelism, and he brought the Good News which the people of Bete said has shaped their lives.

    The clergyman was born in the diminutive village of Bete on March 14, 1942 to the family of Mallam Bako Rishante and Ladi Bako. Bako’s father -a Jukum man, who got the sobriquet ‘Bako Mission’, was one of the first few people to denounce idol worship in Taraba.

    The young Bako had the desire to serve God as a cleric, which was bolstered by the training he received from his parents.

    In 1967, he got married to Mrs Pantuvo Bako, a teacher of Christian Religious Studies.

    The good couple was blessed with eight children. One of them is Hon. Mark Useni Bako, who organised the Memorial Thanksgiving Service of the late great man of God who died of illness in 2002.

    The service held at the Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN) in Bete.

    To immortalise the deceased, a temple in the church premises was christened Rev. Andrew Useni Bako Memorial House.

    The occasion witnessed many dignitaries across the state. Among them were the deceased’s friends in the priesthood, his teachers, classmates and students. They all paid glowing tributes to the late cleric.

    The crème de la crème at the event included: Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Istifanus Haruna Gbana, member, House of Representatives, Hon. Sam Tsokwa, Chief Judge of the State, Justice Josephine Tuktur, Deputy Speaker Abel Peter Diah, Chief of Staff, Mr. Garvey Yawe, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Ambassador Emmanuel Njuwah, commissioners and advisers, other members of the legislature, the head of service, permanent secretaries and chairmen of local government councils, among others. Acting Governor Alhaji Garba Umar was represented by the Adviser on Security Matters, Rt Group Captain Sule Gani. Other guests, mostly senior lecturers, came from Benue and other neighbouring states.

    That day Bete, which is usually a rustic settlement, came alive.

    The newly built church which was also dedicated to God was filled to capacity with many hanging outside.

    Rev. RY Shamaki preached at the event. He said: “In this world, some people collect debts here and there. When they die their creditors will line up to register the debts.

    “The late Bako brought relief to his people. He is no longer living but his name has brought us [together] here.”

    He advised Hon. Mark Useni (Bako’s eldest son) to continue with the good works of his late father by using his position to open the doors for other people to better their living.

    A friend and schoolmate of the late cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Nungala, said: “Bako was a spiritual man.”

    He added: “I know Bako as a pupil in the primary school many years ago when he was not a pastor. He was a spiritual man and he hated lies in all his life. We called each other ‘yo’ (meaning friend). We were friends within our colony of friends.

    “We moved together, even in the House of God. We also served together as members of the state Christian Pilgrims Board. Bako was always very straight forward.”

    Nungala’s sad moment, however, came when “I spoke to Bako but he couldn’t answer me.”

    He said: “My friend is there with God.”

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, one of Bako’s students, said the late spiritual leader was a thorough-bred scholar and arguably one of the most endowed Taraba indigenes that had the rarest privilege to school in America in those early days.

    “So, Rev. Bako had just returned to Nigeria as a brilliant teacher. His accent and writing on the chalkboard were fascinating for every student to cherish. I am missing him as a teacher and mentor,” he said.

    Bako’s teacher, Mallam Ibrahim, said he loved people.

    “For that reason, we called him Pastor Useni Bete instead of Useni Bako. I knew him in 1953 before he became a pastor.

    “But even then he behaved as though he was a clergy. He always came to discuss with me on key issues affecting the community.”

  • Be committed to your priesthood, Martins urges priests

    The Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Martins, has called on priests and members to remain faithful and steadfast in their services to God and humanity.

    He spoke while delivering his homily during the Chrism Mass celebration held at St. Michael, Raphael & Gabriel, Satellite town Lagos.

    Martins urged priests to keep the dignity of priesthood and not forget the grace and honour given to them to serve in the Lord’s vineyard.

    He said: “God has given us the responsibility to keep intact the dignity of priesthood hence the need for us to be faithful in our service to Go and humanity.

    “Let us listen to the spirit of God and wholeheartedly commit to our primary assignment which is to preach the gospel of Christ and not political theology, football analysis, economy issues. We are specialists in promoting encounter with God and people.”

    He explained the special mass is a yearly event which usually takes place during Holy Week in every Catholic diocese.

    During the period, he stated, the clergy of the dioceses renew their priestly vows and the bishop blesses the holy oils that will be used in Catholic ceremonies throughout the year.

    The parish priest, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Odoemena, described the mass as historic in the archdiocese because the bishop is celebrating his first Chrism Mass in the Parish under a new pope.

  • The great commission

    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).

    The great commission is very crucial. The last words of a man before leaving the earth are regarded as sacrosanct. The Lord Jesus Christ when he was leaving the earth uttered what was uppermost in His heart.

    And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark16:15).

    All the four accounts of the gospel ended with the account of the great commission (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21). Even, in the first chapter of the book of Acts of the Apostles, Jesus was still reminding the disciples about the great commission (Acts 1:8). The supreme task of the church is to preach the gospel to every creature. That is the assignment we are given and we are not to fail in it. The commission is great because of seven vital reasons:

    •All men are lost (Romans 3:23, Luke 19:10).

    •The devil is on rampage (John 10:10a).

    •Hell is real (Psalm 9:17, Luke 16:22-23).

    •Heaven is real (John 14:1-3, Rev. 21:1).

    •Jesus is the ONLY SAVIOUR of mankind (John 14:6, Acts 6; Acts 4:12).

    •He died for mankind (Philippians 2:8).

    •He gave us the command to do it (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21).

    Jesus Christ already paid the price for every soul to be saved. Anybody that is not born again is lost no matter his appearance. So, we must preach the gospel if we don’t want people, including our loved ones to go to hell. We must not sit back and allow the devil take what does not belong to him.

    Moreover, in witnessing, we are to go out and chase the devil out wherever he has occupied. By virtue of creation, every soul belongs to God and by virtue of redemption every soul belongs to God. The devil has no claim over anybody.

    You are to go out and lay hands on the sick and get them healed, you can do it in Jesus’ name.

    Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (I John 4:4).

    The greater One lives inside of you to do this great task.

    I am ready to stretch myself beyond limit to preach the gospel because Jesus has paid the price. We must not allow the devil to rob us of what Jesus has already paid for. You have been blessed to be a blessing to your generation. You must never be at ease concerning the great commission (Amos 6:1a).

    It is time for everyone to arise and get involved in soul winning.

    For further information, counseling and prayer, please contact me on telephone number: +234 816 308 7780, +234 816 363 6364 or send an email to bishop-waleoke@sotsm.com. You may also write to P.M.B 60, Agodi Post Office, Ibadan.

     

  • Let’s seek peace, says Muoka

    The General Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, has tasked Nigerians to seize opportunity of the Easter period to foster peace and love in the nation.

    In his Easter message, he said the concept of the occasion is inextricably tied to hope and peace.

    He said: “The world’s peace is only a freedom from outward trouble, but Christ’s peace is a deliverance from inward guilt, though it does not give us an exemption from outward trouble, yet it assures us of joy, peace and deliverance.

    “To show appreciation of what our Lord Jesus Christ achieved for us and at same time mark the final defeat of our enemy, the devil, we should use the occasion of this Easter to promote peace and love among ourselves.

    “We should reflect on the essence of Easter and see if our life style is measured in line with His teaching of peace and love.”

    Urging Nigerians to accept the peace offered by God, Muoka added: “The peace brought to humanity as a result of His suffering, death on the cross, burial and final resurrection is the peace that lasts.

    “It is not peace from without, but from within. It is not such as promised to pacify and quell the persecutors, but a promise of inner calm amidst the storm.

    “It is not a stinted measured store such as the world bestows, but a full, free gift from the overflowing bounty of God’s love.”

  • ‘Why I want to return to Nigeria after 47 years in U.K’

    ‘Why I want to return to Nigeria after 47 years in U.K’

    Dotun Adebayo is an accomplished Nigerian media professional who has lived in the United Kingdom for almost fifty years. Honoured by the Queen of England with the prestigious Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award in 2009, Adebayo has published three bestseller novels, has been presenting the award-winning global news magazine programme All Night for BBC Radio 5 Live in the last 12 years and runs his own TV Channel, Colourtelly. In this interview with Editor Online, Lekan Otufodunrin, Adebayo shares his dream to return home to Nigeria

     

    AFTER living in the United Kingdom for about fifty years, at what point did you start thinking of returning home?

    It is incredible to think that I have been living in Britain for 47 years now. It seems like just yesterday that I left the comfort zone of my grandparent’s house on Oke-Ado Market Road in Ibadan to face the harsh winters and the frosty welcome of Britain and the British.

    I have been thinking of returning home for most of that time. Since the first day I arrived. My father beat the desire out of me at the age of six. And before I know it I was 50 years old and time was slipping.

    But when you have family (two daughters in my case) it becomes trickier and trickier to return home. Your desire is further complicated by the passing on of your relatives in Nigeria which makes a homecoming more and more distant, or at least the compulsion to return home becomes less and less imminent.

    In short, I have been thinking of coming home for nearly fifty years.

    What exactly would you say is your motivation for wanting to return to Nigeria?

    My main motivation for returning home is to be part of the explosion of the media and in particular radio and television that is happening in Nigeria. And I want to be part of that. If it continues at this pace, Nigeria could quite easily be the world centre for television, just as we are the most prolific of all film industries, thanks to the enthusiasm and enterprise of our great Nollywood industry.

    What is the right offer that will make you pack your bags and head for Nigeria?

    The right offer has to match what the BBC is paying me, which is a LOT of money. I would consider several parties coming for me at a lower rate as long as it matches my BBC contract. I know what I’m worth and I am not worth a penny less than the BBC pays me. In fact, I’m worth more.

    What have been the reactions to your decision by family, friends and colleagues at work?

    My wife understands. My daughters understand. My brothers understand. No doubt my colleagues will give me their reaction when they read this article.

    How much of the Nigerian media landscape do you know and what is your assessment of the organisations?

    My father started out as features editor of the Daily Times in the 1950s. Then he went on to NBC as a broadcaster in the early 1960s. When I returned to Nigeria in 1977 as a teenager, I wrote several plays for Bendel Playhouse which was the Bendelites big drama production on Bendel State TV in those days.

    I have freelanced for several Nigerian publications in the past and I keep abreast with particularly the newspapers online and the likes of Arise and BEN Television from the UK side on cable TV. I don’t get to hear as much Nigerian radio as I would like to. As far as the newspapers are concerned, Nigeria has one of the most vibrant press cultures in the world. Our columnists are second to none. I can’t wait to cross swords with them all.

    As far as television presenters are concerned, I’ll give them 7/10 – see me after class. They could try harder.

    Do you have any particular big new channel in mind?

    Yes. I have had a couple of offers. One serious one with a channel that is due to launch in the summer. But, like I say, I’m open to offers.

    What are the advantages of the media explosion Nigeria is experiencing and how best can we maximise it?

    The media explosion can only be sustained if the people are lifted up and are able to shore it up with their buying power. The Nigerian explosion has to bypass the politicians and fight for and reflect the aims and aspirations of the Nigerian middle class so that everybody can have a goal to head for.

    I don’t want to see negativity. We can’t afford that. That media explosion can not only make Nigeria great, it can make Nigerians great.

    How did you accomplish so much in the print, book and broadcast industry in U.K?

    I work very hard. I work harder than anyone else. If I see someone working harder than me, I lose sleep to catch up and overtake them.

    Is it not arguable that you are the most successful Nigerian broadcaster in U.K?

    It is without question. Who else would contend with me?

    How have you coped with racism and prejudice being of Nigerian decent?

    We are born strong. Racism is a weakness. We stand strong and fight it on a daily basis. Institutionalised racism is the trickier beast. For that we have to build our own infrastructure so that we don’t need to rely on anyone else.

    Hence my self-sufficiency in publishing – my own publishing house, in media – my own internet television company and so on.

    What is your background in terms of your family, education and other things Nigerians need to know about you?

    I come from a family of accountants, the exception being my father. My grandparents were very good friends of Fela Kuti’s parents. Fela and my dad and my uncle were great friends. I went to school with the children of Tafawa Balewa (the original Corona School on Victoria Island). I am 100% Nigerian and will always be.

    What do you mean that Nigeria is the future and Britain is the past?

    Britain’s time has come and gone. Nigeria’s time is just head of us if we seize the time and make use of it. Yes, I can see a time in the next fifty years when we are sending aid to Britain.

    Supposing you don’t get the kind of offer you want, will you still be interested in returning home?

    I’m coming home, no matter what. Without that big transfer deal it might take time, but I long for my real pounded yam. I’m tired of the powdered stuff.

    Many Nigerians will do anything to live in U.K. What is your advice for such people?

    Do anything? That’s up to you. I have lived there so I won’t stop you. But don’t kill yourself to get there.

    Are you bothered about the negative reports about life in Nigeria?

    All I’m worried about is armed robbers. Boko Haram doesn’t worry me. Just armed robbers. The only thing that stops expatriates like myself from returning home is the lack of security which the state is supposed to be providing – not just for itself but for the rest of us.