Category: worship

Addressing the surge in the population of youth in Nigeria and the role of the church, the Dean of Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, Rev Father Micheal Okonkwo spoke to Adeola Ogunlade about the launching of  Young Entrepreneurs Actualization Hub (YEAH) which target 1, 000 youths, and other sundry issues.

Why your interest in youth empowerment?                      

I have been into youth empowerment for a very long time. Every year during my special days, I reach out to the community, vulnerable and empower people around me. In different areas where I have worked in Lagos, I look out for ways to reach out to young people in different diverse areas; in music, food processing and packaging, and various forms of empowerment in terms of maybe buying grinding machines. This is basically more or less like a passion to me.

I see a lot of youths who come to me for contacts and jobs and I try to get jobs for them but it was difficult, I later thought of entrepreneurship instead of promising jobs for them that will not come. The idea of entrepreneurs came as a result of youths trying to get jobs. Some of them have been home for four to five years in search of jobs.

To what extent have you affected their lives?

I have been able to empower a lot of youths. I love music and I have taken some of them through music class and most of them have gone up to do music professionally. I am currently doing a programme around food processing and packaging and over 100 youths have benefited from that intervention in the last one or two year.  We have empowered them and set up a plant. 

Nigerian unemployment is huge and the government has come up with one form of intervention or the other, but the impact has not been felt?

Yes, it is sad that the government has carried out a lot of intervention but the unemployment figure is still huge. The youthful age is the best age to do something meaningful for themselves. It is also the time that they can put a lot of energy and guts into profitable ventures.  How do you provide an opportunity for them to get into entrepreneurship that endears me to do this? Some of the time is basically more like a passion for me. I decided to invest more in empowering the youths. What YEAH tends to actualize is to involve young people to travel through the journey of entrepreneurship and see what they can do with themselves rather than waiting for white-collar jobs.

 They need to use the skills, knowledge, energy, and ideas that they have to make a marketable venture. When a youth is idle, he may be lured into doing negative things. Young people are very talented and skillful and all they need is that guidance and support to actualise their dreams in life and that is what we are committed to doing.

We want them to come together and provide a form of a network where they learn and connect with each other and are empowered in areas of knowledge, skills, contact, and access to funding. We will leverage our partners, who have seen what we have done over the years. There are a lot of people who want to partner with credible foundations who believe that if the youths are engaged, the better for society. We want to reduce unemployment through unemployment.

How will you balance your priesthood service with humanitarian gestures such as this, is your intervention open to people beyond Catholic church members?

I’m busy but I will surely make sure to embark on this project vigorously. As they say, you create time for what you love. I love youths and to see how we can empower them a little bit more. In the next five years, I want YEAH to have empowered 1, 000 youths who will become success stories. We want testimonies of youths who will come back and say that they started from nothing but today are employing workers. Money is not everything in business, you need legal backing, proper accounting, and good human relationships, among others, and we are ready to journey with them until they can be on their own. We are ready to empower between 1, 000 to 2, 000 youths depending on the fund available. For now, we are starting with the faith-based community, I mean the Christian community around us as there is my constituency. In the years to come, we are planning to expand and will make it available to everyone irrespective of their faith or social inclinations. Unemployment does not know religion or tribe, it affects everyone.

What do you think young people should do from where they are to where God wants them to be?

Young people must believe that their idea is possible. A lot of them have disillusioned and they believe that they can’t make it.  They have the wrong mental understanding of what they want to do. They also have the wrong model or mentors.  They think making it is through short-cut. The first mental reorientation is key. Many of them want the easy way out.  We must be able to help youths access the right information. Though new digital technologies have opened us to much information, many youths do not access the right information.  Everyone is unique and they need to know that there is gold inside of them but when they keep looking at other people’s goals or dreams, they will not go far in life. We need to help them redirect their dreams. Also, it is important to tell them that success does not come easy and travel with them through that journey.  Once they have passion and the right mindset, they often surpass expectations. I have learned that in my journey with youths.

Advice to the President-elect as regard youth empowerment

 One beautiful thing about Nigeria is that we have huge human and financial resources. We also have beautiful ideas and lofty programmes that are top notch but the political will and sincerity of purpose in carrying them through with these programmes is the challenge.

The new administration should bring something fresh. Many youths have become disillusioned as successive governments have made promises that they have not fulfilled. You can attest to it that when our youths travel out they excel, so that tells you that it is not about Nigeria but the enabling environment for them to excel is the issue. Nigerians are innovative and energetic. Government must provide the needed environment and they will see young people fly high.

An Octogenarian, Mrs. Christian Oigiangbe has pledged to live the remaining of her life like Jesus Christ and serving him all through her life.

Oigiangbe, who is a native of Esan West Local, Iruekpen, Edo State, said this in a chat with The Nation, as she celebrate her 80th birthday today, “I thank God for sparing my life till this moment, I have seen the grace of God celebrating 80 years today, I am accomplished, I have seen the goodness of God in my life, my children and grandchildren,”.

“No words can describe my joys, at this stage of my life; I want to walk in God’s way, I have no ambition again, my children and grandchildren can continue. I am a contented person, wealth is vanity but having God is perfect”, she said.

The Diocesan Bishop of Lagos West, the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rt. Revd. James Olusola Odedeji, has stated his emergence as the Bishop of the Diocese ten years ago is a product of grace because he never lobbied for the exalted position.

Odedeji, who is also the Supervising Bishop for Lagos Diocese, spoke on the sideline of the one year remembrance service for the Rt. Dr. Peter Adelewa Adebiyi, the former Bishop of the Diocese at the Archbishop Vining memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said: “Every bishop should be approachable and friendly. After all, there is nothing we have that we have not received from God.

“So, I see myself daily as a product of grace. Because if age were part of the criteria, I will not be sitting here today. But one thing I know is that God has a way of lifting people.”

The outspoken cleric, who was consecrated as Bishop on February 24, 2013 and subsequently enthroned as The Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West (Anglican Communion) on April 28, 2013, said what gives him more joy is when other people are happy.

“This week is my 10th year anniversary as the Diocesan Bishop, and when I look at the journey so far, I give God all the Glory. Although the journey has not been easy, God has always been with me all the way.

“This is evidence in the many positive steps the Diocese has taken, and it is not limited to my diocese alone, in fact we have touched many lives, and are still reaching out to other dioceses, even across Nigeria.

“Apart from the many projects we have undertaken to enlarge the coast of Lagos West Diocese, we have also empowered over 500 people, paying school fees of many indigent but brilliant youths, also ensuring that we take youths off the streets through the many skill acquisition initiatives.

“I’m happier today. Whenever I go to churches, I see some of these youths that we have empowered and are doing well in their various chosen fields. We thank God for their lives, and intend to do more through various partnerships with Foundations and other well-meaning Nigerians.

“We have also bought an expanse of land. Fully paid for. We call it Clergy City. We encourage all our priests to key into the initiative by buying plots, I also bought, and we’re galvanizing resources around us to actually make it affordable to all our clergymen.

Speaking on late RT. Rev’d Peter Adelewa Adebiyi, Odedeji described him as a good Christian, teacher and spiritual leader who lived a worthy life committed to the service for God and humanity.

“Baba Adebiyi was totally committed to the service of God till he breathed his last at the ripe age of 79. We thank God because this is a celebration of life. He lived in God’s service, an evidence of the grace of God, he imparted many people and helped many to find purpose and meaning.

Dr. Odedeji explained that those who accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, here on earth should not fear death because they have a hope of eternity with God, just as he said the late Bishop Adebiyi gave his life and lived for God, which he said had given him a hope of a hereafter.

Bishop Odedeji also advised the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to see himself as father of the nation by reaching out to every part of the country and also make peace with his opponents in the last presidential election.

“The election has come and gone, and it is time for reconciliation. He has been declared the winner, the next stage is to bring everybody together because there is a huge task ahead, and he can’t do it alone,” he added.

The Chairman, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State Chapter, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, has called on Nigerians to pray towards the May 29 handing-over date, for peace to reign.

Adegbite made the call during the Providence News, 21 years thanksgiving /appreciation service, and the inaugural PROKIHA Lecture held recently in Lagos.

He said “Without peace, no one is safe. We should continue to pray together for the peace of Nigeria.”

Adgbite called on the president-elect and the incoming administration to be magnanimous in victory and bring everyone on board to build bridges across the different socio-cultural groups towards reuniting the country for holistic growth and development.

“Nobody can single-handedly solve the problems of Nigeria; it is the responsibility of all Nigerians. All of us must work together, both the leaders and the led.

“Moment we can do that, we are going to have a better Nigeria and it shall be well with all of us,” he said.

Following the outcomes of the 2023 general election, Adegbite admonished politicians and some clerics to be mindful of their statements and utterances to avoid heating up the polity.

According to Adegbite, “No one should play god. God has clearly spoken through the electorate and INEC has declared the results with the winners emerging. Everyone must obey the voice of God through the outcome of the election results, instead of claiming God says this or that will happen.

“Politicians and clerics should stop making unguided and inflammatory statements capable of igniting and threatening the peace of the country. They need to be careful, not to mislead the people,” he said.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Archbishop John Osa-Oni, the Presiding Archbishop, Vineyard Christian Ministries and deputy national president (South-West) Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), represented by one of the associate ministers, Rev. Philip Modo, commended the publication’s doggedness and focus to spread kingdom information and celebrating the glory of God in the life and endeavours of people.

 He spoke on a reward system that recognises kingdom services. “Give a good reward; give something that will value the kingdom and appreciate people,” Osa-Oni said.

Osa-Oni further urged participants to as a matter of necessity develop the attitude of giving gratitude to God, and individuals that have been used in one way or the other to impact lives, society and the church.

Meanwhile, in his welcome address, the editor and publisher of Providence News, Gracious Akintayo attributed the sustainable and consistent publication of these 21 years to God’s grace.

Renowned cleric and the presiding bishop of Christ Vessels of Grace Church Inc, Bishop Kayode Williams has sent a word of caution to fellow clergymen, stressing that those threatening to instigate a breakup of the country over the outcome of the 2023 general elections should stop fanning the embers of war in the public interest.

The cleric who spoke against the backdrop of the rising attacks by so-called men of God on the person of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said those portraying ill-feeling and bitterness against Tinubu are simply playing God, hence should desist from it.

“It’s rather sad that supposed men of God have been hitting up the polity ever since the 2023 general elections were concluded. Many of them have assumed the position of God cursing, swearing, and proclaiming doom for the country. My question is this, why are they playing God? A winner has emerged from the election already. Yes, they don’t like the choice of the president-elect.  No problem. But is it enough to rain curses on the country and its people? No. Why not allow the court to decide the fate of all the contenders?”

Bishop Kayode, who also doubles as the National Coordinator, the Integrity Ministers International Ministry Incorporated (IMIM) declared that the erring clerics should be ready to face God’s wrath for the creating tension capable of leading to bloodletting. 

“God said that He will discipline some of them because He doesn’t want them to die now so that they will see the glory of God in Nigeria, a new Nigeria. He said that He will punish them for misleading the people, for saying God said what when God has not spoken.

“You need to listen to what some people are saying that they will burn Nigeria. Majority of them have become demonic. God said that I should go and warn them that any man of God that said that there will be confusion on that day May 29. He said that I should tell them that He will put confusion in their midst.

 God said that there will be no bloodshed. God said that Nigeria will be congratulated worldwide. God will use Tinubu to turn around Nigeria’s fortunes for good.”

While reiterating that the May 29th inauguration will be heavenly celebrated, the cleric said the Tinubu’s programme encapsulated under the name ‘Renewed Hope’ is indeed a divinely inspired message, noting that God has a hand on it.

“Within four days of his inauguration, Tinubu will come out with people who will show that it is a government of integrity, and they will work well to improve the economy of the country. God Has said He will give him (Tinubu) the energy to pick the right people to join him to do the work. He will touch so many areas that will rebuild the nation and put it in the spotlight.”

As Nigerians anxiously await the May 29 inauguration date of the in-coming administration, the spiritual and administrative leader of the Holy Throne of the Most High God on Earth Ministry, Daniel Ayoola, spoke to Adeola Ogunlade at the 2023 celebration of the Birth of the Throne of God on Earth, on the need for the president-elect to seek spiritual intervention and other sundry issues.

Nigerians are anxiously waiting for the inauguration of the new administration; what is your message to the president-elect?

It is important for the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sit down and begin to trace the problem of Nigeria, beyond political, beyond economic, beyond rivalries, and all of that to spirituality. Visit it spiritually, and it’s important to seek what the kingdom of God we preach has to offer because it’s about rulership. I’m talking about the dominance of Satan the devil, he should trace it beyond the material or beyond the political economy; look at the spiritual angle to it. That’s very serious, because no matter how wise humans are, no matter how much effort is put in place; “unless God watches over the city, they labour in vain that built it.”

Earlier in your sermon, you spoke about the final agenda; can you explain further on that?

Well, precisely we are talking about the situation of our world here, that is man’s and we don’t have a different planet. The earth is the planet that is given to the sons of man to manage.  

Now, talking about what happened which allowed the devil to intrude into our world, and in that exposition I was discussing primarily that it is man that actually allowed the devil to get in. So, what I was talking about is the compromise of patrons or compatriots because the devil himself without man compromising to allow the devil in penetrating human lives and activities. But in the first place, we’re discussing how the devil came to the earth first, before penetrating into man in the Garden of Eden.

So, I was saying in that teaching that the devil’s mission was to deal with God in His understanding. How is it going about that? This is the earth created by God, which was good, to make a mess of the earth to destroy the earth.  That is the situation in our world. So, to attack the sons of God to destroy anything that is God.

How do you relate this to the current situation in Nigeria?

If you heard clearly, I was talking about the activities of Satan in the world and the plan of God to end it. So, that plan is what God has started. We are talking about the beginning of the end. I was talking about the final offensive. I’m not saying that the devil is out of our world, but that God has started to end his reign and end his rule. Now talking about the situation of the world, Nigeria as it relates to God’s plan, you know, whatever suffering that we have in Nigeria, is not the same thing physically in other nations.

In Nigeria, it means that Nigerians are suffering, and in another country, they are not suffering. Does it mean that the devil is not there? No. But what we’re saying is that the situation of Nigeria,  or the majority of citizens of the world, is the activities of the devil. And God has a plan to end it

Talking about the final agenda and offensive; what is God’s plan?

The devil has been having a field day. He has been making strides, a giant leap in the human world and we all can see this. Now we started talking about the agenda of the kingdom of God. And God started rebuilding this clearly in the book of Daniel. That is very clear about the agenda of God setting up the kingdom on earth. But we need to understand the power of that Kingdom. In that message, I was also sharing how God has been demonstrating the importance of his kingdom, the supremacy of his kingdom over that of the devil.

These days, many people don’t really have much regard for men of God, and the church; so what is the message to preachers who have compromised?

It’s not surprising because, from this revelation, you have seen the beast struggling against the saints of God. That’s easy. Most people that claim to be children of God or men of God, most of them actually probably started well, but along the line, there was a compromise. I am not judging anyone but everybody sees what is happening in our world. So that’s why I was talking about compromise and giving in to the devil. The devil initiates most trials in our world, but that does not mean that God is losing in heaven. So, in our world, people are compromising, men of God, religious leaders, and all. But God’s agenda is still standing to end the reign of Satan.

What then is the implication for the church?

If we are preaching that the reign of God has come; if we are preaching the kingdom of God has come – is for them to accept the gospel and partner and be part of this gospel of the established kingdom. The Church of Jesus is great. I have said it. You know the devil cannot prevail against the church because the bible tells us that the gates of hell will not prevail and the devil needed to fight the church because the kingdom will come to be, and the reign of the prophecy will be fulfilled with the instrumentality of the church itself. And if the church has failed, it means that maybe it will delay more, because God cannot fail.

So, it is for them to join forces with the kingdom that has come on earth and maybe I would say if they are to hear, our doors are open, irrespective of your religion or faith because people are so religious; men are religiously minded. I have my church and my faith, but you know the deceit in the world. Many people are losing their faith in God, because of the failures of these religious leaders, but telling the world that salvation and the kingdom of God are here, even if only they can believe and come and join the kingdom of heaven.

The General Overseer of Christ The Light Gospel Church Ministry (Inc), Ibadan, Bishop Solomon Aremu has urged Oyo State Government to urgently review the recently installed traffic light at a junction linking the Nigeria Television Authority, (NTA) Agodi Gate to the Total Garden-Goverment House Area.

Speaking in Ibadan at the church headquarters, Aremu said the step becomes necessary to avert accidents that can lead to death within the axis.

Aremu explained he narrowly escaped death on Thursday morning after obeying the NTA Agodi, traffic light.

Aremu, whose ministry is celebrating the 33rd anniversary, urged the State Government to look at the possible ways of averting such crisis in the future.

According to him: “it was just simply by God’s grace that I survived the accident even with my granddaughter sitting beside me.

“If not for the traffic light just installed at the NTA junction, I would had moved a bit forward to see the traffic coming from the Total-Garden end of the road.

“Unknown to me, a trailer was ascending the Total Garden-Gate road and to avoid collusion with the trailer which refused to stop for the traffic light passing the traffic from Total-Garden end of the road hits a Toyota Camry coming from the Govt House route.”

The Cleric, whose Toyota Forerunner was badly damaged, thanked all those that assisted during the incident.

The President of Anchor International Outreach Ministry and Chairman Board of Trustees of Anchor Humanitarian Care & Social Medical Initiative, Dr. Bolarinwa Omotosho, has been named world citizen peace ambassador.

This was contained in a letter by the Coordinator of the World Citizen Peace Lisa Krupp.

The letter stated the recognition was based on his contribution to the promotion of five peace actions in diverse ways.

“We encourage you to reflect on the five Peace Actions and the many ways you can embrace these actions. Getting to know them well and sharing them, will lead you to your goal, seek peace within yourself and others reach out in service project the environment respect diversity be a responsible citizen of the world,” She added.

Reacting to the appointment, Omotosho said it was not a position to be filled or a chieftaincy title but a call to be more committed as a peace educator and humanitarian.

He added the appointment will enable him to create a more peaceful world through personal actions and projects.

‘’As a humanitarian and World Citizen Peace Ambassador, this is a platform for me to furtherance my community engagement projects without discrimination and with full attention to youths and women,’’ he stressed.

Omotosho, a humanitarian, veteran youth worker and Pastor, is a certified leadership coach. The peace educator is the author of over 30 resources and books on youth culture.

He is a member of the International Association of Study of Youth Ministry in Africa (South Africa) and a member of the Youth Work WA, Australia.

As President of Anchor International Youth and Teen Work Academy, Lagos, he has offered 100% tuition scholarship to over 470 students of the academy between 2021 and 2023 February.

He expressed gratitude to God and his team for the appointment, saying it would afford him the opportunity to impact peace-building process to participants at the Peace Building and Reconciliation Conference in September 2023.

The conference, he explained, is designed to create a base for hundreds of peace-building leaders in schools, communities and organisations in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Senior Pastor of Word Alive Ministries, Ibadan Alex Adegboye has urged Nigerians to return to God and live in righteousness, to overcome many tribulations facing Nigerians.

Speaking in Ibadan, as the Ministry popularly known as ‘Stone Church’ prepares for its 30th Anniversary, Adegboye also said Nigeria is created by God for a purpose.

He charged Nigerians to carry out the will of God, assuring God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy will come to the land soon.

Adegboye stressed that God will reign in Nigeria despite the challenges facing the nation.

The cleric, who expressed displeasure at the rate Nigerians break law with impunity, urged them to adhere to the stringent laws of the land for the country to be better.

He said: “Our nation is so programmed with unrighteousness, that it has become second nature for us. We break every law with impunity and that is why Nigeria is what it is today”.

Adegboye prayed that Nigeria, by the spirit of God will submit itself to the will of God.

Chairman, Convention Planning Committee, Dr. Sola Akande announced the 2023 edition of Dunamis with the theme:”Thy Kingdom Come”.

According to him, the programme will be hosting ministers and leaders from the United Kingdom and Nigeria from April 25-30 at the church headquarters, Ibadan.

The Head Prophet of Christ for All Souls Ministry, Prophet Ezekiel Olawumi Odedoyin has warned politicians to desist from spreading racial bigotry among the different tribes in Nigeria.
Odedoyin made this statement during a press parley with journalists in Egbeda, Lagos recently.
He noted that Nigeria is known to be a united nation despite the ethnic differences, but the people were torn apart during elections.
“Politicians are sponsoring bigotry; they set the people against each other to achieve their aim. Different tribes in Nigeria have always been one. So, anyone kicking against a particular tribe is not from God.
“Anyone who kicks against another tribe is an animal because we are all created equally. Yorubas are not above the Igbos. Hausas are also good people. So, we must come together and embrace love,” said Odedoyin.
He added: “The best security is God himself. We must allow God to protect us. But there will be changes when the new government gets into power.
“There will still be calamity until Christ comes but the lives of those who run to God will be better. The incoming president must perform the work assigned to him by God. And he must not forsake any tribe. He must rule according to the standard of God.”
The cleric noted that the President is the father of the nation, not the president of a particular tribe, adding that the incoming government must choose carefully members of the cabinet. “Cabals will rise up and will try to hijack the government.
“I prophesy about the emergence of Bola Tinubu, but he is not the saviour, Christ is the Messiah, but Tinubu will clear the road for the saviour, many people who will come to rule,” he said.
The cleric, however, revealed that plans are ongoing to relocate the church headquarters to Lagos.
According to him, “Christ for All Souls is coming down to Lagos in another package; we are bringing a Solution Centre to Lagos. A ground where people will come from every part of the world to see that God is performing miracles, and they will testify to what God is doing.”