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  • 3,000 exhibitors from 60 countries to participate in trade fair

    Over 3,000 exhibitors from over sixty countries including Nigeria, Italy, China, Switzerland and the United States will gather at, Messe Dusseldorf , Germany between October 16, 2019 and October 23, 2019, to discuss current trends and set the future for the plastic and rubber industry for the K Fair international.

    According to a statement by the organisers, the trade fair will provide a robust platform for leading players and exhibitors in the sector to present and experience innovative developments that will shape their business.

    K  Fair, the statement said is held at tri-annual intervals and represents the plastics and rubber industry’s production chain in unparalleled depth and breadth.

    At the last K fair in 2016, 3,293 exhibitors gathered at Messe Dusseldorf, Germany, for eight activity-filled days of insights into the newest developments and technologies of the industry.

    This year, the focus at K Fair the statement added will be on plastics for sustainable development and circular economies, and will feature topics such as water management and renewable energy.

    In addition to this, K Fair 2019 will also focus on the digitalization of the value-added chain, system integration and promotion of young professionals for the industry.

    According to Global Portfolio Director for Plastics & Rubber at Messe Dusseldorf, Petra Cullmann, who spoke at the K 2019 press briefing, held in Lagos ,he  said “this year’s K trade fair will show an increased responsibility from the plastics and rubber industry’s dedication to designing machines that create products that are easily recyclable”.

    Read also: Lagos Trade Fair Complex not for sale, says BPE

    She also described the importance of “educating people around the globe about the value of plastics and how it should be used and re-used”.

    Sarsoli Industries, a Nigerian based plastics additive manufacturer, will be exhibiting at the K Fair for the third time. When asked about why Sarsoli Industries continues to exhibit at K, Managing Director of Sarsoli Industries, Jaiprakash Changrani, who also spoke at the press briefing said, “ K is a trade fair that attracts a high calibre of visitors and exhibitionists in the plastics and rubber industry. It is an honour to be placed within that category of the best”.

    He also hopes to see a rise in the number of African exhibitors at K, stating that Africa has a largely “untapped but valued market potential for plastics and rubber”.

    Visitors at K 2019 can expect an extensive line up of exhibitors and specially curated sections, such as the “Bioplastics Business Breakfast”, which focuses on the role and market potential for biopolymers, and the Science Campus, which encourages discourse between research and industry. They will also be able to visit one of the rubber hot spots at K 2019, the “Rubberstreet”, which is a window into the world of rubber and elastomers.

    K  Fair is the performance barometer for the entire plastics and rubber industry, and remains at the forefront for global innovations.

    It provides an indispensable networking community of industry leaders, producers and consumers. In the wake of current debates concerning the potential management of resources and efficient processing of plastics, K Fair  2019 promises to serve as an international platform for information, innovation and communication about the future of the industry.

  • Girl, 3, dies after falling into hot water

    A former private school  worker was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos High Court for the death of a pupil in 2015.

    Rukayat Amisu, formerly of Olab Private School, Lagos Island, was said to have sat Aliyah Ahmed, 3,  on a hot water container, which the girl later fell into.

    The charge against Amisu reads: “That, you Rukayat Amisu, on October 21, 2005, at about 10am, at Olab Private School, 11, Idowu Street, Lagos Island, unlawfully killed one Aliyah Ahmed by negligently allowing her to be burnt by hot water.”

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye ordered the defendant remanded in prison after she pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge of manslaughter preferred against her.

    Prosecuting counsel Babatunde Sunmonu alleged that the defendant unlawfully killed Aliyah Ahmed by negligently allowing her to be burnt by hot water.

    “The defendant negligently sat the little girl on top of a container containing hot water and the child fell inside the hot water,” he said.

    Justice Akintoye will on March 11 hear the bail application brought by the defendant’s counsel. A. O. Ladipo.

  • Navy seizes 3, 574 bags of rice worth N53.6m

    Navy seizes 3, 574 bags of rice worth N53.6m

    Men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Calabar, Cross River State, have arrested a large wooden boat with 3,574 bags of foreign rice.

    The items, worth N53.6 million, were smuggled from Cameroon.

    Three suspects were arrested.

    Commander Julius Nwagu said the arrest was made on the Calabar waterways on February 27 when they got information about activities of suspected smugglers.

    He said the boat came from Cameroon and was heading for Calabar.

    Addressing reporters at NNS Victory jetty before handing over the items and suspects to the Customs, Nwagu said: “In the early hours of February 27, we received information about a boat laden with rice.

    ‘’My patrol team impounded the boat and nabbed three suspects. We brought the boat to base and offloaded the rice. After counting, we got 3,574 bags of rice, valued at N53.6 million.

    ‘’We will hand them over to the Nigeria Customs Service for investigation and prosecution.”

    The Calabar Area Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Omachi Joshua, who received the items and suspects, hailed the Navy for its effort.

    He said the rice would be evacuated to the warehouse of Customs Area Command in Calabar, while the suspects would be prosecuted.

    One of the suspects, Moses Azazi, from Bayelsa State, said they were aware that they had contraband on board.

    “We were bringing the rice from Cameroon and were arrested by the Navy. We were aware it was a contraband. I don’t know the owner of the rice. We were just asked to transport it to Calabar from Kondo in Cameroon,” he said.

  • Police arraign man for stealing cooking pot at Ibadan Poly

    Police arraign man for stealing cooking pot at Ibadan Poly

    An accused criminal pretending to be scavenging around the premises of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Olalekan Rauf, 33, was Wednesday arraigned before a Magistrate court holden in Iwo-road area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful possession.

    The accused was arraigned with charge number MNE/35362017.

    The prosecutor, Inspector E. Adeyeye told the court that the defendant and one other person on October 12 around 2pm entered the house of one of the senior staff of the institution to steal some valuable items.

    A security officer of the institution who arrested the accused, Mr. Yahaya Taofeek said Rauf pretending to be a scavenger‎ picked some unuseful metals around the institution but later burgled a three bed-room flat belonging to one of the senior staffs of the institution who was outside the state on an education tour.

    According to Taofeek, before the defendant was arrested, he had destroyed all the stolen iron and metal items included in the items he stolen so as for people to believe the items are no more useful.

    The stolen items include; cooking iron pot, stabilizer, computer set, palm slippers, electricity change over and cooking gas.

    He said when he apprehended him, the defendant pleaded that he was going to cooperate with the security of the institution if they promise not to injure him, adding that the other member of the gang had fled.

    However, the accused, pleaded not guilty of the charges when it was read to him in court.

    The senior magistrate, S. O Babalola granted him N20,000 bail with two surety and adjourned the case to November 20thfor the further hearing.

  • A Valedictory speech to all SS3 pupils (3)

    Parents, art thou asleep?

    Rape of minors seem to be on the increase and is causing alarm in the society. I have read horrifying cases of rape crimes against infants a few months or years old that left me numb. Some of the victims have not survived the ordeal.

    Two stories of sexual abuse, one local and the other foreign, struck me during the past week. The local story, told in the voice of the child victimn detailed how a teacher’s instruction to her pupils to share hugs revealed that the child’s definition of a hug was to undress, lie down and wait for daddy to poke his fingers into her privates. The whole class was horrified. The teacher and school head later learnt the girl’s mother had endured the abuse with many tears because she was deaf and dumb (although I don’t believe that part – you know you’re never sure what to believe on the social media).

    The foreign story, I read in the Daily Mail. A 12-year old repeatedly raped his 4-year old half sister, buying her quiet with sweets. The little girl however, finally, confided in her mother. The heartbroken mother reported to the police. Investigations revealed the boy had pornographic content on his cell phone. The boy is being tried and would be punished for the offence at juvenile level.

    Please pray, why should a 12-year old have sexual content on his phone? If I ask why should he have a mobile people would say that is the demand of today’s world – that people must communicate and monitor their wards so it is necessary they have phones. Ironically, the lewd content on the youngster’s and the consequent crime are however evidence that no monitoring occurred.

    Should a child have access to Internet on his phone? If you ask me, I say not. A ‘palasa’ phone that performs the basic call and texts functions will do. Yes, access to the Internet is good for learning but it needs to be strictly controlled. It is a big world and children need to stay in their lanes.

    The world is a dangerous place for a child to navigate alone. Parenting is no easy task but it is one that should be done with all sense of responsibility. When it comes to a child’s welfare, parents need to question everything. Parents should not blindly trust relatives that share caregiver roles with them. Ordinarily, a child should be safe with blood relatives. But experience has shown this is not always the case. Or how else can we explain abuses by fathers, uncles and half brothers? Young boys also get abused by women, so men are not the only guilty party.

    Regarding academics, parents have to be vigilant as well. An unforgivable percentage of our school-aged children are not achieving the required learning outcomes in numeracy and literacy for their levels. It is not enough to enrol your child in a fancy private school. My experience is that parents just have to be hands on about their wards’ education. There are no shortcuts. Not all schools care whether children learn all they should learn for each level. Because of profit, they push the children to the next level regardless of whether they deserve the promotion or not. They do not tell parents the truth. So parents themselves should monitor to ensure their wards are really making progress.

     

     

  • Boy charged with defiling girl, 3

    A teenage boy, Emmanuel Gabriel, who allegedly defiled a three-year-old girl, is facing trial at an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Gabriel, 18, a cleaner, who resides at Shasha, a suburb of Lagos, was arraigned for child defilement.

    Inspector Clifford Ogu, the prosecutor, told the court that the offence was committed on July 25 at Air Force Primary School, Shasha, Lagos.

    Ogu said the accused, who is a cleaner in the school of the minor, was caught by one of the teachers.

    “He was caught when he was busy fingering the minor.

    “The accused ran away since then and efforts by the police to arrest him proved abortive until he was apprehended at his friend’s house,” he said.

    The offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Chief Magistrate Taiwo Akanni granted the accused N250,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned the case until September 20 for mention.

  • Ambode seeks NERC’s approval for 3,000MW power project

    Ambode seeks NERC’s approval for 3,000MW power project

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Friday sought a no objection letter from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the State Government’s Embedded Power Programme.

    Governor Ambode, who led some members of the State Executive Council, lawmakers and other critical stakeholders to a meeting at the NERC’s headquarters in Abuja, said the embedded power project was designed as his administration’s flagship programme for direct intervention in the power value chain towards achieving a 24-hour power for Lagos.

    He said the proposed power programme would generate up to 3,000MW of power through accelerated deployment of various power plants in strategic locations across the State by private sector power providers within three to six years.

     He noted that Nigerians’ aspiration to create a secured and prosperous nation that is globally competitive will be difficult to achieve without stable power supply.

    Governor Ambode posited that while efforts are ongoing to resolve the power crisis, it had become increasingly clear that the problems in the energy sector could no longer be left to the Federal Government alone to solve.

    “Embedded power was designed as our flagship programme for direct intervention in the power value chain towards achieving a 24-hour power for Lagos. Lagos State has always demonstrated its capacity and willingness to play a leading role in resolving the power sector challenges in the state, subject to the limit of the federal authority allowed regulations.

    “Having succeeded in powering government facilities, the next level of intervention for our government is to collaborate with other stakeholders in the power sector to design and implement a roadmap for uninterrupted power supply to homes and businesses in Lagos State.

    “The draft of the Lagos State Embedded Power Bill was finalised in May 2017 and submitted to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission for clearance before same can be forwarded to the State House of Assembly.

    “The stakeholders’ meeting holding today is a continuation of the ongoing engagement between NERC and the Lagos State Government on the Lagos State Embedded Power Programme.

    “We are convinced that the offer by our government to deploy the state’s balance sheet in support of power generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply, metering, collection and enforcement in Lagos State will significantly relieve the national grid and free more energy for distribution to other parts of Nigeria.

  • We’ll rather perish in the desert (3)

    We’ll rather perish in the desert (3)

    After failing to actualise their ambition of crossing into Europe through the desert, many returnees in Edo State who took to agriculture in order to stay away from crime appear to have had their expectations dashed. In this report, INNOCENT DURU examines the frustrations of the returnees in their venture into agriculture and the implications for the fight against illegal migration which is thriving in the state.

    In line with the promises of successive governments in the country to provide farmers with the necessary support to succeed in their endeavor, many Libya returnees from Edo State took to farming, believing that it would end their misery and make them self-reliant. Not only did they take to farming, they also formed cooperative societies through which they train members and also campaign against illegal migration, using their unsavoury experiences as examples.

    The venture, according to the President of the Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Development and Re-integration (IYAMIDR), Comrade Solomon Okoduwa, took off well with many returnees joining the cooperative groups and jettisoning their plan to embark on illegal migration.

    Narrating how the idea began, Okoduwa said: “When I was in Libya, I emerged the secretary of the Nigerian Community. Then, things were working very well until the crisis that ousted Momar Gadaffi.  When we returned to Nigeria, we met a country that only said welcome without any concern for our wellbeing. We had nothing to fall back on. Along the line, we were able to start a programme, using the idea we got from Libya to mobilise our people.

    “It was then that we formed and registered the IYAMIDR. We registered it with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Youth and Sport in Edo State. We collaborated with like-minded organisations and spoke about the dangers of illegal migration and the benefits of getting engaged back at home.

    “In 2012, we were able to set up Returnees Re-integration Farm with the help of the monarch of Benin Kingdom. We paid him a courtesy call and told him the plight of our people. He said that he would advise us go to our various local governments and start farming. With his support, we went back to our communities and people gave us large expanses of land to farm. The royal father told us not to sell the land but use it to propagate the gospel that we believe in.

    “As we speak, we have 15 hectares of land in Ekiadolor area. We also have another 60 hectares in Oke Irhue community. We have not cultivated half of that land. This was an initiative that we adopted to engage our members because we know that government cannot employ everybody.

    Most of the returnees did not go to school before they left the country, so they needed skill. We have cassava cooperative, rice cooperative, plantain, poultry, piggery cooperatives, and so on.”

    Laudable as their plans appeared, Okoduwa noted that the absence of capital made it impossible for the members to put the skills they had acquired into practice as most of them returned to the country poorer than they were before they embarked on their failed attempt at going to Europe.

    Okoduwa said: “A ray of hope eventually appeared when the Central Bank launched the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. Our members keyed into the programme and fulfilled all the requirements registering the cooperative groups and opening accounts with two banks, namely Bank of Agriculture and Sterling Bank. Unfortunately, we are yet to get a dime from the N220 billion while farmers from other states have received loans.

    “The official banks are Sterling Bank and the Bank of Agriculture. Each of these two banks collected N10, 000 from each cooperative society. We have 32 cooperative farmers’ groups in all. Each cooperative group has about 25 members. Each member of the cooperative society paid N2,000, making N50,000.  If you add this to the N10, 000, it will amount to N60,000.

    “In all, each group paid about N60, 000 to each of the banks to open accounts. The poor returnees have put over N3 million into this and have got no penny. The painful thing is that the Edo State Government has paid the counterpart funding. We don’t know why the money has not been released to us.

    “Members travelled from distant places to come to Benin for this purpose, but it is an effort in futility. Our members cultivated land from January up till now but have not planted corn. How do you want food to be available? The reason why people are leaving the country on a daily basis is hunger and unemployment.

    “The government must stop paying lip service to the issue of illegal migration. They have been trivialising and politicising it instead of facing the problem squarely and tackling it from the roots.”

    A member of the Dosaro Multipurpose Cooperative Group and the Head of Department of poultry farmers, who gave her name simply as Idonije, said many of her members have been going through depression as a result of the frustration they are going through.

    Her words: “We cleared the ground but didn’t have the resources to buy the seeds and other things we needed to plant. We have not been getting support from anywhere.

    “The loan we were looking forward to is not forthcoming. So many people who started this project with us have left to take another shot at going abroad. They are leaving for the desert on a daily basis. They would tell you that they cannot cope because the situation here is worse.

    “I must tell you that those of us who decided to stay back are going through frustrations and depression. Many of our members are incapable of feeding and some who have health challenges don’t have the means of going to the hospital for proper medical attention. We are looking for money to boost our business since the government is not helping us.

    “We have poultry farms with over 500 birds, which we borrowed money to start. If we have enough resources to enlarge the farm, we would be able to make better profits that can sustain us. If the government supports us, we would not have any reason to think of traveling again.”

    Leader of Returnee Group 2 Cooperative group, Kelvin said: “When we came back home, we were thinking that we would be reintegrated into the society. But after several months of waiting, the government failed to respond to us. We formed these cooperatives since 2012. About 280 members have received training in various areas of agriculture but got no financial support to start what we learnt. They just abandoned us thereafter.

    “We need equipment to farm but when we approached the government for this, they didn’t respond. We met TB Joshua in 2012/2013. He sent his men to Edo to come and assess the farmland. When they came, somebody started demanding huge money for the land that was given to us free of charge, and by so doing discouraged the TB Joshua team.”

     

    Implications of returnees’ predicament

    Examining the effects of the returnees’ challenges on the fight against illegal migration in the state regarded as the hub of the menace in the country, Okoduwa said: “We have become objects of ridicule before vulnerable youths we have been discouraging from embarking on illegal migration. How can we convince them to stay back in the country and take to agriculture when all they see in us is poverty and want?

    “Our people are not finding fulfillment in the agric programme because we started it with the hope that it would make us to have a means of earning a living, but that is not happening. We have been hoping since 2012 to get help, but that is not forthcoming. We have not been able to access help from anywhere, making members to be quitting. We have vast land to farm but members have abandoned it because there are no resources.

    “In fact, many of our members are leaving the country to go and face the dangers squarely. You will not blame such people; it is the government that is to blame. This time around, they are going with fresh, vulnerable youths. Each returnee will take along at least 10 new people who would each pay them at least N300,000.

    “When you get this number, you have N3 million within a space of time. The profit margin in human trafficking is very high but totally immoral because a trafficker doesn’t care about what happens to the victims.

    “We will continue to blame the government for the lives of Nigerians who died in the Sahara Dessert.  We will continue to blame the government for the lives of many Nigerians that drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. We will continue to blame the government for the lives of many Nigerians who are languishing in Libya because they pay lip service to the problems of the people. The primary responsibility of the government is the welfare of its citizens.”

    Decrying the alarming rate of illegal migration and human trafficking in the state, Kelvin said: “We can’t stop this illegal migration, and that is just the truth. Out of about 500 that came recently, 450 are from Edo State. Tell me how crime rate will not be high. These people are already on the street idling away because there is no empowerment or encouragement from anywhere.

    “As I am talking to you now, many are still embarking on that dangerous journey. If we had been given a soft loan after the training, we would have started something. Only some of us who could raise money from elsewhere are left in the farming business. If I see anybody who wants to embark on illegal migration, I will not discourage the person. Because if the person asks me to empower him, do I have the means?

    “If we had a system that is working, why would I go and risk my life when I know the dangers?”

    In spite of the huge challenges confronting the cooperative groups, Okoduwa still believes there is a silver lining behind the cloud.

    He said: “The future of our cooperatives is bright, because I believe in God. We made good money from the sales of palm oil recently because of the price increase. We were able to make more than N500,000 after expenses, and it is a manual milling machine we are using.

    “With government support, it will improve and encourage our people and also enable us to employ others in the business of farming. Nobody is asking the government to give us money to go and eat or get married.

    “If interest-free loans are given to potential farmers who are potential migrants, things would be better. After all, what they do in Libya is to care for Arab man’s farms. If Ghadaffi was able to turn the dessert into arable land, we can do better here in Nigeria where we can even grow crops without using fertilizer.”

    Buttressing Okoduwa’s statement, Kelvin said: “The cooperative farming will work out if we get some soft loans. Commercial farming requires money. Some of us who sold our properties to embark on the journey to Europe were imprisoned in Libya for between six months and two years and came back with nothing. How do you want us to get money to start commercial farming? We already have the zeal to go into agriculture, but we need the support of the government to make it work.”

    The optimism of Okoduwa and Kelvin was not shared by a cleric in Upper Sakpoba who gave his name simply as Pastor Henry.

    The cleric, who claimed to have spent some years in Libya before returning to the country, said: “The government is only deceiving those returnees. Has anybody given them any attention since they have been making noise? This is why illegal migration cannot stop. Here, there are no companies, no industries and nothing meaningful for people, especially the youth, to engage in.

    “Even though I am a pastor, I don’t see illegal migration ending in this state. I have a cousin who left for Europe through the desert two years ago and has built a beautiful two-bedroom flat within that short time.

    He sent a message to his brothers that all he does in Europe is begging. It was begging that gave him that huge house that people who work like jackal here cannot afford all their life. Two of his brothers have also gone to join him, and before you know it, they will begin to live big too.”

    When The Nation contacted the Head of External Communication of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Isaac Okoroafor, he declined comment, saying “call the Bank of Agriculture and Sterling Bank.” He also declined comment when he was asked whether the CBN had released funds to the banks.

    The spokesperson of Bank of Agriculture, Aderemi Olaoye, said the apex bank had not given them any money to disburse to the aggrieved farmers.

    Olaoye said: “We don’t have that money and you can find out from the Project Management Team (PMT) of CBN in Edo. The money has not been released to us. They don’t allow us to keep the money for more than five days the moment it is released to us. If we have not disbursed it, it means we don’t have it yet. CBN gives us as per client and when they give us, we release it.”

    Calls and text message sent to the mobile phone of the Chief Marketing Officer, Brand Management and Communications Group, Henry Bassey, had not been responded to at press time.

     

    How government empowers returnees

    Speaking with our correspondent, the spokesperson of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Josiah Emereole, said the federal government had through the agency been empowering some of the returnees.

    “The returnees are a mixed bag. There are those who are victims of human trafficking. There are those who committed one crime or the other and were brought back. There are some who committed immigration offences and were brought back. Those we are interested in are those who are victims of human trafficking and the suspects.

    “We always give the victims protection because we know that even when they are rescued, their traffickers will still be lurking around, looking for them. Our job is to ensure that they are protected until such a time when we know that they can stand on their own.

    “One of the things we do is to counsel and remove from their minds some of the things that have happened to them, because they have been abused and exploited in diverse ways.

    We also expose them to skill acquisition. There are some of them who go back to school, based on their qualification.

    “Many have actually graduated through the university while some are still in the university today based on sponsorship by the agency.

    After the skill acquisition, we empower them so that they can go and do their own work. We even help those who have learnt one trade or the other to look for shop and be monitoring their activities.”

     

    Edo begins clampdown on traffickers

    The anti-trafficking team recently set up by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, is said to have begun a total clampdown on traffickers in the state.

    According to Okoduwa, who is a member of the team, “We have arrested six traffickers. Just on Tuesday, we arrested two people, bringing the total number of arrested traffickers to six within this short period. We would leave no stone unturned in making sure that our state is rid of traffickers. We appreciate our able governor for taking the bull by the horn.”

     

  • The single life (3)

    Dear Reader,

    Are you due for marriage? God’s Word in Isaiah 34:16 says: Seek you out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it has commanded, and his spirit it has gathered them. Please be aware that God has not forgotten you! God cannot mismanage your life. Stop searching for a marriage partner at all cost. Make Jesus your Lord, your Boss and be deeply committed to Him. This is the excellent foundation for your future.

    In this teaching, I will be looking at “Godly Character.” I would like us to look at the life of Joseph who exhibited a godly character, even in the midst of negative circumstances.

    Joseph’s life provides us with a beautiful example of a person who was totally committed to living a godly life, regardless of the circumstances he encountered. Joseph exhibited the character of God through his faithfulness, integrity, purity and mercy, even while he was forced to endure intense pressure and difficulty (Genesis 37 & 39). The whole life of Joseph teaches us something about Godly character.

    The Bible tells us that Joseph was hated by his brothers, who were jealous of him.  He was only a teenager when they decided to kill him and cruelly threw him into a pit. Think of the problem from Potiphar’s wife. Joseph could have, as well, used loneliness, bitterness or self-pity as an excuse for giving in to this woman. And since he was totally alone in a foreign land, no one would ever have known but Joseph had only few seconds to decide if he would maintain his integrity, righteousness and purity or trade them for a few moments of pleasure. Joseph’s choice in this moment of test and temptation would affect his future and the future of Israel forever; so, he decided to flee. To be single is to be whole, outstanding, unique, separate and positively different!

    Godly character earned Joseph favour in the sight of God and He was with Joseph. God did not leave him alone in that dungeon. God’s Word says: But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison……. (Genesis 39:21-23). Also, as a slave, Joseph rose from the dungeon to the second highest position in the massive Egyptian empire, where he had enormous power and riches. He was second only to Pharaoh as God rewarded him generously for his righteousness. But he paid the price for the reward. He was abused, hated, betrayed, enslaved, tempted, tested, lied upon, unjustly imprisoned and forgotten (not by God) in a dungeon for many years. But he refused to do evil; rather, he walked in holiness, waited patiently, and maintained a soft and grateful heart before God.

    Do you feel imprisoned by circumstances that seem to be beyond your control? Don’t be anxious. Do not panic. Don’t lose hope. “Why?” You know what? I can assure you that it will work out for your good, not against you. This word of assurance in Romans 8:28 is for you. Receive it today. It says: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. You don’t know what God has in store for you – no matter your age! You know what? God is still in the business of divine connections!

    That you are single now does not mean that you are a sub-standard or incomplete being. No, never entertain such feelings or thoughts! In fact, let me state categorically here that being single is not a curse neither is it a disease. It is a blessing, a plus, not a minus, an addition, not a subtraction. It is not weird to be single and is certainly not an evil thing. It is simply a phase of life that holds undeniable benefits for those who utilize it.

    God is not an unrighteous God and He certainly is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). What He does for one, He is willing, ready, and able to do for another. He is not more righteous to one as to favour him than He is to another. He is rich unto those that call upon His name and that include you! He knows every phase of your life and He has not forgotten you. Don’t live your single years wondering if God has forgotten you or you are under a curse. No! Never! God is too faithful to fail, He is dependable, and He is more than enough – I am a living proof!

    Life, as you know, is in phases and singleness is a phase that everyone must of necessity pass through in the journey of life: whether as a married person, a eunuch, a celibate, a career person or whosoever you are. Every stage or phase in life has its inherent benefits, which should be harnessed and singleness is no exception. May you enjoy the added benefit inherent in the single years!

    Singleness is a phase of life that you must pass through and the faster you are able to maximize the season and pass the examinations of that phase of life, the faster you move on to the next phase of your life.

    When I was single, some of my colleagues only focus on marriage. Nothing else had meaning to them except marital issues. Most of them don’t have much to show for it even now! This is obviously misplaced priority. Life is much more than that. It is very important that you get your bearing in life, now that you are still single.

    Godly character brought Joseph in favour with God. Until you exhibit godly character, you can never matter in life. Surrendering your life to Christ is the foundation for godly character. You surrender by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this simple prayer of faith with me: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    Congratulations! You are now born again! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name. Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Man jailed three years for $3,650 fraud

    Man jailed three years for $3,650 fraud

    An Ikeja High Court yesterday sentenced a middle aged man, UwalaIkechukwu Brown, to three years imprisonment for fraud.

    Justice Josephine Oyefeso found Brown guilty of an amended one count charge obtaining money under false pretence from Thomas Nublin.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its prosecutor, Mrs V.O. Aigboje arraigned Brown in March  n a one-count chargeof obtaining $3,650 from Nublin contrary to Section 312 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    She said the offence was committed in Ikeja between August 22 and November 23, 2013.

    Yesterday, the prosecutor told Justice Oyefeso that the convict had entered into plea bargain and refunded the money he got from his victim.

    His counsel, Uche Chikelue, pleaded for mercy, describing his client as a first offender. But Justice Oyefeso held that Brown could not escape justice because he has entered into plea bargain.

    “I have considered the allocutus for mercy by defence counsel, the fact that he is well behaved, that he cooperated with the EFCC during investigation, that he is remorseful and has refunded  $3,650 to his victim. I also considered that he has saved the precious time of the judiciary by entering into plea bargain”, the judge said.

    She held that the convict painted the nation in bad light, saying: “Justice must, therefore, be seen to have been done for the victim, justice for the defence and justice for the society. Although the Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 prescribes 15 years for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence, I sentenced the defendant to three years imprisonment”.