The Nation Newspaper

Category: Worship

  • There is no marriage without storm -Ezekiel

    There is no marriage without storm -Ezekiel

    At the prayer camp of the Christian Pentecostal Mission, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, penultimate Friday, the National/International coordinator of the Church, Rev Mercy Ezekiel spoke to Charity Williams about her life, ministry, marriage and sundry issues.

     Why did it take this long for you to dedicate the prayer camp?
     We do not follow other people to do what they do. It is when God leads us that we move.
    You are a role model to women across the world, what is the secret of your  success?
     You sound so funny. The secret is commitment to God. When you have fellowship with Him, you are focused. A lot of us are not focused, a lot of us start to achieve; so when you start doing something noble you should not look back. So, I laid my hands there and I decided not to look back. I am not telling you it is easy; it is not. It has been rough but God has always been with us.
    You have a very successful married life, what tips would you give to other married women to build a happy family?
    That is a very big question . Marriage is from above; and it is God that does it, not man. Marriage is not easy. Marriage is you fall for me and I fall for you. I will not say that there are not hard times, there are; but you make up your mind to make it work. That is it. You make up your mind that this thing I am holding it and I will not let it fall. At times you feel like running away when it gets so tough, gets you mad; but when you look back at where you were coming from, you have to hold it on because a lot of blessings are tied to you. So, because of these blessings, you have to continue.
    Has there been any time you felt like quitting both the ministry and your matrimonial life?
    Several times; I am not a spirit, I am a person.  At times flesh talks; flesh will want you to get out of it. It is tough. But the Spirit of God will tell you to pipe down and then that boat will not sink, you will relax. There is no marriage without storm, no ministry without shaking. It is just when you know who you are and what you want that you go for it.
    Today, believers go for divorce even though the Bible forbids it, do you agree that divorce should be accepted among believers in this present age?
    Well I wouldn’t say yes, I wouldn’t say no. I don’t need to go into that, because I have seen a lot of women die because Bible says no divorce. There was a case of a woman in the U S A, she had five kids; and this man had been saying I would kill you. If you don’t leave me alone I would kill you.  And one day he came back, as the lady was sleeping; he took knife and cut her into pieces. The lady died. Today he is in jail, We have what we call staying apart which is not divorce; that is separation, which is not divorce. Instead of you to die, I prefer separation, stay on your own and you keep yourself. Don’t mess up. But if you are that woman that knows you can’t stay without a man, better stay there. But if you know that God has given you the grace, you can stay without a man; you know that this will kill you, better get out. I am not saying you should divorce; you can separate and remain single instead of dying in it.
    But we have also seen some men of God who divorced their wives and got married to other women while their former wives are still alive, what would you say about that?
    That is what I am saying; I wouldn’t want to dabble into it because a lot of ministers have been marrying, a lot of ladies have been marrying. We all have a choice. I am not saying they will go to heaven, I am not saying they will not go to heaven.
    You have been in the ministry for 34 years, what have been the challenges?
    A lot, number one is being a woman. You notice that in the social world, women are more acceptable than men. In  Christendom, it is a taboo which we need to quickly tackle. In the social world, women are more important associates, but when you come to the Christian world, they don’t want it. Number two, you have to study, you have to read and be intelligent, because you are a woman and many believe that ministry is for men. So, you have to study, pray and remain commited to the cause of the gospel.
    What is the secret of your youthful look?
    I do a lot of exercise and also eat good food. I don’t eat junks; I don’t eat anyhow,  I can eat once in a day, though I eat good one. I eat a lot of fruits, I get rid of stress; stress kills. Women are emotional and we die young. Apart from dying young, we get old because of stress. If you know that this world is a passing phase, stress must come and you will know how to manage it. If I have a problem; I think about it and I throw it away and move on, because if one dies now, life continues.
    Now you have been coordinating the operations of CPM worldwide, as a woman, how easy are you finding it?
    It is just the grace of God. We have a lot of churches outside; it is just the grace of God. If I tell you, you will say it is a lie. Even I don’t know how I am doing it. Many a times my husband will ask me, are you a man or a woman?
    You said something about opening a CPM bank here. What are we expecting from this CPM prayer camp?
    We are going to have  school here, we are going to have an hospital, we will have a university, it will be a city; we are going to bring our people here to build their houses. We will have petrol station, we will have market, we will have a mortgage bank to help the poor.
    Tell us how you began your Christian race and about your upbringing
    I was brought up by a pastor. My late uncle, John Oru, was a pastor; it was rough. The devil battled with my destiny; he saw what I was going to be. Somehow, God received our prayers.
    Was the pastor rich when you met him?
    You mean my husband? Rich? He was riding bicycle; he wasn’t rich. He was to preach at a crusade, a friend took me to the place and that was how we met.
  • Love Fever (contd.)

    Love Fever (contd.)

    But why was Tosin finding it difficult to submit and see things his way? Ladi wondered with a frown. There must be something they were doing wrong. They must be missing it somewhere, even though he couldn’t really place his finger on what it was.
    Determined, he stood up. He must find a way to break down this invincible wall that was between them. He needed his wife. He missed her love and her laughter. He had to make things right between them by all means. He knew there were times he was impatient with her and angry at her behaviour but he must bury that anger that had prevented him from reaching her somehow.
    “How was office today?” He asked her again.
    “It was okay.” Tosin answered. Should she tell him about the baby sitter now? What would she do if he said no again? But why should discussing a matter as trivial as this with her husband require so much planning? This wasn’t how they started, she thought angrily. In any case, the issue would probably bring an argument again, and she was too tired for that.
    Ladi sat beside her, putting an arm around her waist. She jerked upright immediately, removing his hand. Ladi sighed and dropped his hands in resignation, giving her another of those long stares. What’s wrong with this lady?
    She picked her bag and shoes and went to the bedroom. The room which was painted cream was huge and simply decorated. There was a king-size bed on a side of the room with two large pillows at its head. A painting of their wedding picture hung on the wall, which was a gift from one of Ladi’s friends.
    Tosin changed from her office dress and entered the bathroom leading off the bedroom. It had a light blue bathtub and a matching blue washbasin. She soon came out in her bathrobe. She wore a casual dress and slipped her feet into a pair of flat slippers and went out to the kitchen.
    There, she looked round; everything was clean and in place.
    The earliest time she got home every day was 9pm, and all she could do was eat and sleep. She had not been able to attend midweek services at the church for months now, and many weeks had passed since she had prayed, really prayed. She always came home tired. There were some weekends she went to the office, and on Sundays, she tried to catch up on some house chores, making Ladi go to church without her. Knowing this wasn’t good enough, she felt guilty, but what could she do? That was the nature of her job, it was very demanding.
    There was music coming from the guest room, where Sade was and Tosin hissed.
    Opening the food warmer on the table, she served her food and brought it to the dining table to eat. Ladi was playing with Tireni, looking carefree and cheerful.
    Later in the night, they lay in bed, with Tosin facing the wall, the coverlet pulled up to her chin.
    After a moment’s silence, Ladi broke the ice. “Tosin?”
    “Yes?” She answered, with a query obvious in her voice.
    Face me.” He demanded softly.
    Reluctantly, she turned around.
    Ladi pulled her into his arms and immediately she stiffened, pushing him away.
    Shaking her head furiously, though her eyes were closed, she gave the usual excuse. “Please, I’m very tired!”
    He expected to hear it, in fact, if she had allowed him to have his way, he would have been surprised, Ladi realised.
    “Yes. I know you’re tired but I need you.” He said, obviously trying to be patient with her, controlling his own temper but he was not enjoying his wife’s attitude toward him.
    Tosin wanted him too but she reminded herself she must not let him get to her. “No. I need to get some sleep. I think I’m developing a headache.”
    She knew she was only giving an excuse but she had to, she told herself. She wasn’t ready for any intimacy; he had hurt her deeply, several times.
    Undeterred, Ladi tried to draw her again. “Don’t worry, Tosin.”
    She removed his hands. “No!” She said with determination. “I’m not feeling fine.”
    Ladi frowned. That was the fourth excuse she would give within four minutes. There was a time she gave seven. He couldn’t continue this way. “We’re still married, you’re my wife. You can’t be telling me – no! “ He pointed out.
    Tosin opened her eyes. She decided that attacking him would get the work done. “You’re not being considerate! You’ve always been like that! Look at the time, almost ten o clock!” She said angrily.
    “And do you think you are being considerate to me? Is ten o clock too late to relax with my wife?” Ladi asked, an edge to his voice.
    Tosin was silent.
    Ladi raised himself up, supporting his body with his hand, his elbow in the bed. “We are Christians, Tosin. Remember that the Bible says we should not deprive one another. You are depriving me, you’re cheating me!” He sounded bewildered.
    “And you are being unfair to me! You can’t be trampling on my emotions and expect me to respond to you.”
    With his frustration clearly showing, Ladi asked, “How am I trampling on your emotions?”
    Tosin didn’t say anything. There was no point, he would always give an excuse, defend himself. How would she put her feelings anyway? What would she say – that last year when he was preparing for a professional examination, he had also abandoned her and starved her of his affection? He would work all week, then he would spend the evenings and weekends studying, letting her go to bed by herself night after night? Or that he prevented her from having a maid, which she needed? Or that he had stopped spending time to chat with her? There were times as well when she was really tired or not feeling too well to satisfy him, but he would have none of that, insisting on having his way.
    To be continued.
    For this novel and other books by the same author,
    Contact: 08023000773, 08058040949
  • God first, indication of revival

    God first, indication of revival

    When revival comes, God takes His rightful place in our lives. That place is the first place. His presence becomes a home. We honour Him as the first. We see Him as the Alpha. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, begins with “In the beginning, God …” (Genesis 1: 1). Here, we see God, the alpha in manifestation. We see Him as the beginning of all things. The Word and the Spirit share the same attribute with God, the Father. To have God somewhere aside from the first place is idolatry. He does not manage even the second place.  Revival is loving and putting God in the first place. It is also about loving Him with our all. Moses told the children of Israel,
    “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6: 4-5).
    Whenever God is relegated to the second place, things begin to go wrong in virtually every area of our lives and ministry. We begin to run after men and trust in the arm of flesh – instead of God. The grace, the money and the things we need are held back. We know that God is a jealous God who demands total and unflinching commitment to Him.  Revival therefore is the only process that brings God back to the first place. Your wife or husband or children do not and should not occupy the first place. The first place belongs to Him that gave you the family. The blessing we receive should neither take the first place from the giver of the blessing Himself. We should understand that the blessing would cease the moment the giver is relegated to the second place. The secret of durable blessing is to have the first place permanently conceded to God. Revival rearranges our priorities and corrects every spiritual flaw in our lives. It brings God to the first place and keeps Him permanently there. At that point, God takes the first from everything we have. God told the Israelites,
    “Sanctify unto me all the FIRSTBORN, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine” (Exodus 13: 2 KJV).
    Samson was the first male that opened his mother’s womb. God took and used him to do great exploit against the Philistines. Samuel also came into this picture because as soon as he was weaned, Hannah, his mother, promptly handed the lad over to God. John the Baptist was the male that opened Elizabeth’s womb and he became the repairer of the bridge, the forerunner of the Lord. Christ himself was the first male that opened the womb of Mary. This ordinance of giving the first to the Lord is not limited to man, as God also demanded the first of the fruit of the ground. Moses said,
    “Of the FIRST of your ground meal you shall give to the LORD a heave offering throughout your generations” (Numbers 15: 21).
    This command subsists as long as the earth remains. It is a generational ordinance.
    When we collect our salaries, the tenth, which is God’s, is not only to be paid but has to be paid first. When the businessman or woman makes his or her profit, God is the first thought. In his or her projections, God gets the first place. Before any important decision is made in any area of human endeavour, God is the first to be contacted for counsel. May the Spirit of God bring all of us to this point.
    The widow of zarephath
    The encounter between Elijah the prophet and widow of Zarephath underscores the point I am stressing on honouring God with our first.  Ahab, one of the kings in Israel with his wife Jezebel, led the entire nation into sin. They worshipped Baalim and sacrificed to him. Elijah faced this great challenge and decreed that there would be no rain in the land for three and half years (see 1 Kings 17). This famine affected everyone and even Elijah. God sent him to the Brook Cherith where a ravenous bird brought him bread and meat in the morning and evening. It wasn’t long when the brook dried and God told Elijah to proceed to Zarephath where he would meet a woman He had prepared to sustain him. As soon as he entered the town, Elijah saw the woman who was returning from where she had gone to fetch two sticks to fry the last meal for herself and her son. Elijah told the woman, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” As the woman made her way to bring the water, Elijah quickly added, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” The woman replied Elijah,
    “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die”(1 Kings 17:12).
    This widow was faced with a great challenge with her son. They were left with their last meal that they hoped to eat and die. God had a plan unknown to the woman and her son. At this decisive point, God, using His servant the prophet, demanded to be served first. Hear Elijah, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it FIRST, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.”  Imagine God’s demand! The powder left was so meagre that the woman picked two sticks to fry it and God still demanded, in that situation, to be served first. As his children, God is calling us today to give Him the first place in everything we do and in every situation we find ourselves. The things that God demand from us may be highly challenging and difficult for us to obey. We can be rest assured however that when we do, He would release His own miracle, which is far and far bigger than anything we have given.
    You can reach the Bishop Olaleye for prayer and counseling through adeewumi@yahoo.com OR Call 0806 285 6991
  • WACC, NGO train church leaders on HIV/AIDS

    WACC, NGO train church leaders on HIV/AIDS

    Hundreds of church leaders in Lagos last week received trainings on reduction of stigmatisation and discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in their worship centres.
    The 3- day training was organised by World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and Hope for Aids International (HFA) Lagos.
    The training, which held at Ifako-Ijaiye local government, was the 8th of its kind in Lagos.
    An officer of HFA, Mr. Tunde Fowe, underscored the essence of the training.
    According to him: “these trainings are important because many are still ignorant about HIV/AIDS and dissemination of the right information about the disease cannot be over emphasised.”
    Fowe said the decision to focus on religious leaders was strategic.
    “They are opinion leaders who command respect in their various communities,’’ he explained.
    Another facilitator, Mrs. Gbemisola Olayinka, encouraged participants to step down the training in their various worship centres.
    She urged religious leaders to avoid words that could fuel stigmatisation, stating that infection with the virus is not a death sentence.
    Mr. Ibukun Raji said with the conclusion of the exercise, the train will move to Oshodi/Isolo and then Ojo local government areas.
  • ‘Ministers must have healthy homes to prosper’

    ‘Ministers must have healthy homes to prosper’

    The home front is the biggest credential of gospel ministers, President of International Church Growth Ministries, Dr Francis Bola Akin-John, has declared.
    He spoke last week at the International Renewal conference of the ministry with the theme “healthy homes, healthy ministries”.
    Akin-John said ministers whose families are in tatters and unenviable have lost the moral right to point others to Christ.
    According to him: “When the home front is healthy and fruitful, we can preach Christ better.
    “We can lead others easily to Christ because they can see how the saving grace is making a difference in our families”.
    He lamented that the marriages of many ministers are threatened and disintegrating, saying the development is a big minus to their gospel credentials.
    “When you divorce or separate as a minister, what else is there to tell others? How can others want what you have?” he queried.
    He tasked ministers to work on their marriages and devote more time to their partners to have fulfilling ministries.
    The Church Growth expert also challenged men of God to improve their parenting skills, saying that once their kids do not imbibe gospel traits, nobody will give attention to whatever messages they have.
    He urged them to at least work towards saving their family members, even if they cannot save the whole world.
    The week-long conference featured a red carpet and couple’s dinner all geared towards renewing marital bliss among ministers.
  • Cleric to Nigerians: be positive

    Cleric to Nigerians: be positive

    The Senior Pastor of Crown of Christ Victory Church Lagos, Pastor David Ayilara, has tasked Nigerians to utter only positive statements about the nation.
    He warned against being negative, saying whatever Nigerians say about the country will always come to pass.
    Ayilara, who spoke with reporters, said being negative will not change anything but further drag the nation down.
    He noted that Nigerians have no other country, saying all hands must be on deck to help the nation achieve greatness.
    According to him: “We must say positive things about this country. It is only when we believe in this country that other countries will believe in us.’’
  • VLBC empowers entrepreneurs with N2m

    VLBC empowers entrepreneurs with N2m

    No fewer than ten young entrepreneurs last week obtained non-interest loans courtesy of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta Ogun State.
    The scheme under the Youth Empowerment Trust (YET) of the church is designed to promote economic self-reliance and greater productivity.
    YET’s co-ordinator, Dr Eniola Fabusoro, said the beneficiaries underwent one year free entrepreneurial training courtesy of the church to enhance their skills.
    He said entrepreneurship remains the surest path to lasting wealth and national development, pointing out that fewer companies are offering employment these days.
    Fabusoro said: “The jobs are getting tougher to come by and more people are leaving paid employment. This means only entrepreneurship can sustain people and that is why we are doing this”.
    The beneficiaries received loans ranging from N100, 000-N250, 000 to run their businesses.
    Fabusoro said they were carefully screened and given between 3-6 months to commence repayment.
    The repayment plan, he said, was conceived to ensure their businesses survive, which is why the beneficiaries have been given 18-24 months.
    One of the beneficiaries said she intends to run a hairdressing business in Ita-Eko area of Abeokuta.
    She expressed belief her business plan will succeed, stressing that repayment will never be an issue.
    According to her: “I have strong faith in God and the plan I have drawn up. This model will succeed and I should re-pay before the stipulated period”.

  • ‘Pastors in politics have derailed’

    ‘Pastors in politics have derailed’

    The General Superintendent of Christ Redemption Bible Church Ketu Lagos, Pastor John Ogundare, spoke with Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie on sundry national issues and the church’s 15th anniversary, among others. Excerpts: 

    How come a nation as religious as Nigeria is still corrupt?
    It is true that Nigeria seems to be a religious country. And I still want to say that that aspect is what has been keeping this country one till today. One way or the other, everyone keeps praying for the country. They are always praying that there should be peace in Nigeria. But it is not enough for a country to be a religious country. The most important thing is that people are seeking for material things today than really showing love for God.
    If you look at those people that we call Christians today, you can see many in the church on Sundays. But every other activity like the weekly programmes in the church, Bible study where they can hear the word of God, you will never see many people there. They don’t want to go to a place where they will know that they will correct the mode of their lives. If you see somebody committing fraud and he goes to a place where the undiluted message of God is preached, if such a person continually hears such messages, before you know it, he would be withdrawing from such a church.
    My only advice is that our men of God should go back to the old- time religion where undiluted messages are being preached. That is how this country can be better off. We have it in history when our leaders in the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo would go to the church to recruit for the civil service in the old Western Region. Why is that not happening today? Because the so-called Christians and Muslims today are the ones you would find in this fraud and corruption we are talking about. Don’t be surprised to find even pastors, elders, imams, those who are still in the civil service. So what I would tell Nigerians is let everybody return to Jesus. When we return to Christ Jesus, the situation of this country will become normal. Fraud will become a thing of the past. It’s not just that ‘I want to go to church for protection, I want to go to church to keep my job, I want to go to church because I need a house to change my car.’
    What is the responsibility of men of God?
    If men of God could reduce emphasis on material things, I’m not saying don’t preach prosperity but let our messages not be one-sided. If holiness, if sanctification are messages that we preach along with prosperity and material things, you will discover that this problem will reduce and no member will have the guts to steal money in his company and bring it to the pastor or the church.
    He will have some fear in his mind. He would have known the kind of person his pastor is. He will know that even if I take this to the pastor, he will reject it. But today, I’m not judging or condemning, we have abandoned what we are supposed to do to help the society from all this corruption as a church. Because if the minister sees that a member of his church is driving a brand new SUV, he also wants the same and he does not mind where the money comes from. I want every minister of God to know whether we like it or not, rapture will soon take place, and everyone shall face judgement on the last day.
    How do we solve the problem of Boko Haram?
    I remember when President Obasanjo was in government, there was the issue of Sharia in some Northern states. But he diplomatically handled the issue and it died. I think Boko Haram is more of a political issue. Let Nigerians not deceive themselves. Those behind Boko Haram know themselves. And that is why our president should use every human connection to resolve it. If I were him, I will call a national prayer day. On that day, no company, no organisation, no school, no ministry will open. Everybody must gather at one particular place and pray for our nation. I can assure you the people behind Boko Haram are human beings and they were created by God. And the Bible says with God, all things are possible. God has the ability and power to put a stop to it. After all, he said the heart of the king is in the hand of God. I know that some people are bent until this man finishes his four-year term, he will know no peace. And when there is no peace, how does he want to seek a second term? I was surprised recently when the president said he could not even face the issue of power; that all his attention is on security. That, to me, was saying that the government has failed. What would have given his government some credits is this issue of electricity. But for him to have uttered those words means that they have collapsed his government. So the issue of Boko Haram is political and it has gone out of hand. It is political. If they don’t handle it well before 2015, only God know what would happen.
    Should Christian leaders condemn government, participate in politics or just sit and watch?
    A servant of God is called to the ministry. Our job is to pray for the peace of the land. I don’t encourage any minister of God to go into politics. Because the moment you do that, especially in a country like this, you have lost your focus. You have lost your calling. And such a minister of God would be messed up. If they have money, you may struggle to make yourself relevant again but that purpose of your calling is lost. Look at those who have done that in this country, they are still struggling to come back. Our mission is to stand in the gap for our land and preach peace. Pray for peace and unity. Once in a while when the opportunity comes, you may advise the government. The Bible says we should pray for them, not to start fighting them.
    How has the church been in the past 15 years?
    We thank God. We just have to start by giving the praise to the Almighty God. You know to get to 15 years is not something that is easy. We thank God for being there for us. We still have a few challenges but that is normal in a ministry like this. But God is faithful. He has been the one that has been seeing us through.
    What was your vision like then?
    What God gave me as a vision and direction then was “Go, and depopulate the kingdom of the devil and increase my kingdom.” That is the vision. And that has been our mission in the past 15 years. So that is what we do: preaching the gospel, undiluted; showing to the people that they need to give their lives to Jesus. There are many lives that God has been able to use us to touch through our teaching. That God has changed from evil to the way of God today. And we give God the praise. I remember when we started, it was just like we were playing. It was just like a fellowship. We never knew it was going to turn into something big like this. We give God the glory.
    What would be your message to Nigerians?
    I have no other message apart from the one I’ve been preaching in the church and on TV. Nigerians should return genuinely to God. Like I am talking to you now, there are thousands of people on the mountains, in the camps, in many other places, praying for the unity of this country. If we are all doing it genuinely without waiting for a material reward, America will be coming behind this country. And I want to assure you, in the next five years, this country will be getting better. But we all need to return to God.  It is not about going to the church or mosque. I must make sure I pray for my country and my leaders even though they are getting certain things wrong. We should remain one. I’m an advocate of a united Nigeria. There is no country that separated without a war.  All the advocates of disintegration will run away from here as soon as it happens. Ghana, Togo, can’t take us.
    How do you plan to mark the 15th anniversary?
    Well, our first aim is just to thank God for what he has done in our lives in the past 15 years. And for the first time, we want to really move out and help our immediate community to see what we can do in terms of giving them health support, counselling, cleaning the environment etc. If you look around the church, you will see the drainage that we are constructing. We also plan to visit orphanages and help them. We will also hold a crusade to depopulate the kingdom of darkness. So we will have that programme and we will have a lot of God’s anointed ministers who would be doing this with us. On September 22, we are going to dedicate our international headquarters which, to the glory of God, has been under construction for about three years now.

     

  • Oritsejafor celebrates 40th anniversary on pulpit

    Oritsejafor celebrates 40th anniversary on pulpit

    The National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, will mark his birthday and 40th anniversary in ministry next November.
    His church, Word of Life Bible Church (WLBC), Warri Delta State, will also be 30.
    Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, will deliver a lecture titled “The Nigeria of our dreams: Towards the consolidation of the national unity” on November 13 to commemorate the milestones.
    A statement by matriarch of the church, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor, said eminent Nigerians, including politicians, academics and businessmen have indicated willingness to attend the lecture aimed at proffering solutions to the nation’s challenges.
    She said activities line up for the triple celebrations include a novelty football match that will feature ex-internationals such as Taribo West and Kanu Nwankwo.
    They are expected to trade tackles with officials of the Delta State government.
    Mrs. Oritsejafor added that there will be comedy extraordinary and other varieties to mark the occasion, which begins with on November 3.