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  • ‘My works celebrate gifts of nature’

    ‘My works celebrate gifts of nature’

    Joshua Nmesirionye is a Fine Artist, a painter who is in love with impressionism and uses so to celebrate landscapes, images, figures and abstracts. In this encounter with Edozie Udeze in his studio at the Universal Studios of Art (USA) Iganmu, Lagos, he took time to explain certain things that make him show special interest in galaxies and other works of nature in his paintings.

    Joshua Nmesirionye is one of the artists operating at the Universal Studios of Art (USA) Iganmu, Lagos. He is a studio artist, well -known for his outstanding works that lay emphasis mainly on impressionism and landscapes. Most times when he is in his special mood, he experiments in abstract media. Meeting him in his studio on a Saturday was like seeing a craftsman or blacksmith at work on a very busy day. As he mounted his easel and board, brush in hand and with assortments of water colours littering here and there, he could hardly have time to engage in idle talk.

    He preferred to be seen or spoken to while at work. And it was really clear from the numerous works in his studio, some completed while others in different stages of completion, that Nmesirionye is a very busy painter. As he moved around painting away he wore some smile on his face, smile of deep satisfaction. As he did so he looked left and right at the work to ensure he was on the right track. The brush travelled up and down on canvass as he mused his face with professional effusion. Then he turned around slightly to answer one or two questions. While he did so one of his eyes was still keen on the board.

    ‘What is the title of this work? , was the first question thrown at him. “First and foremost I am an artist, a fine artist. I paint mainly. That is what I do, that is my profession. I find expression with the things around me, my imaginations as well as people. I paint landscapes, and very subjective subjects. I also do many more and what you see here is one of them. I do figures also. I do impression. I do expression. It is the way the spirit leads me that I operate. Yes that is the way it goes.

    “Most times issues on landscapes attract me. I like to express myself deeply. When an idea comes to me I like to interpret so into visual. And one of the ways to do so is to get it right. I also get inspiration from people around me. This work here is a series called galactic euphoria. It has to do with the galaxies. Euphoria comes into play because we can see a whole lot of joyful presence in the galaxy”.

    He went on “You can see some images in the galaxies. Those images are not formed by humans. That goes to show you the awesome aspect of nature, indeed the universe itself. The magnitude of it all, that people have not really come to appreciate is what I display in the painting. In it all you see all kinds of stars, heavenly bodies, the clouds. When you see the sky from space, you tend to enjoy it more. That is what the work embodies. It looks a bit abstract. Yes it is done on purpose. You can as well take your time to decode it, to see how nature itself can play out to the admiration of human beings”.

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    Like most artists that indulge so much on figures and landscapes, Nmesirionye loves colours, the deeper, the better and the more appeal for him. From the quantum of paints in his studio and the ones that he had already splashed on his works it was clear his love for expression and impression cannot be quantified. As for his works he feels that the more colours he applies, the more they appeal to the senses. As an artist, he loves the beauty of the galaxies, the sparkles of light and the stars that are so far away from us. “You can see how little the stars look yet they are bigger than our planet. So indeed it is awesome and painting them has given me some measure of joy. That shows that whoever formed the stars, the galaxies is not only a super intelligent being, he is a wonderful and master creator. So I find inspiration in all that. I like also to create hope in them and through them. In other words, I like to use this sort of work to give hope, not only to myself but to the whole humanity”.The sparkles on the work are like sentinels. You see several colours that make the galaxies special. Even as they are so far away you cannot but welcome the artistic beauties. Behind it all, you see them give enough illumination to our cities and to the whole human nature. “This one here is titled twinkles of hope. It tells you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That is what this work stands for. Of course, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We may face hurdles, problems, instances of gloom, hardship, but in the end, hope comes in to brighten our lives, to make life better. This is the whole essence of this work”, he said going closer to it to point out lines and contours that define its title more explicitly.

    As he kept busy rummaging through various levels of creating new works and perfecting old ones, Nmesirionye had a radio set blasting out local highlife music in the background. Obviously, the soothing voices of those musicians, their therapeutic words of inspiration helped to ginger him on. With the music it was clear that two forms of creativity had a meeting point. Visual and vocal meet in ways to accelerate creation and take it to a higher pedestrian. This is what Nmesirionye does all the time. For him therefore there is profound sense of inspiration derivable from good music while you create visuals for human needs and appreciation.

    Also the colours of different works hanging or standing all around the room and well adorned in various orientation added up to the overall euphoria. Everywhere you looked all you saw were colours- landscapes, figures, images, abstracts and all forms of paintings that embolden the soul. You cannot but spend enough time to go round, noting, pointing, admiring and appreciating these great works of creativity.

    There is also a settee and a center table on one side of the room. This makes the setting pleasant. As he works and often welcomes visitors, Nmesirionye sometimes relaxes on the settee with his visitors to refresh and talk a bit of theoretical visual arts. Sometimes when he engages in such talk, new ideas could come; fresh concepts may crop into his subconscious. This is the life of an artist, someone who has chosen to create all his life. “This series of twinkles of hope, that I am doing, I have done four so far. I also have feminine figures here as you can see. Sometimes the figure I paint depends on inspiration. However, I interpret all figures appropriately. At times some of the students we teach here can be used as models for the figures I paint. That way it helps and makes it lots easier for me”.

    On the whole he loves vibrant colours. But sometimes the mood of the work will determine the colours to apply. At other times the subject determines the choice of colours to be used. In all these, he loves sweet colours when they juxtapose on issues of love and joy and so on. And so for him the beat goes on and on and on.

  • Korede Bello teams up with official DJ on ‘Celebrate’

    Mavin Records artiste, Korede Bello has teamed up with his official Disc Jockey, DJ Turbo D on new tune titled “Celebrate” to kick off the year 2019.

    ‘Celebrate’ is a follow up to his previously released “Unsual Naija Mix” that almost hacked everyone’s playlist. DJ Turbo D is being known as one of the hardworking Disc Jockeys out there in the Nigerian Music Industry, who has toured different countries alongside Korede Bello.

    While trying to collate songs for his yet to be released album, ‘Celebrate’ happens to be the first single off the yet to be announced project.

    “Hey you lovers of good music, this is something you can vibe to because, this tune is a song that is specially made to appreciate God for his kindness to us,” said Turbo DJ.

    While production credits goes to ace producer & hit maker, Young D, Korede Bello delivered pretty good lines and melodious lyrics to a well sequenced beat by Young D.

    Although ‘Celebrate’ was release few days ago but is already receiving massive acceptance from fans around the world following the posts and hashtags on Instagram.

  • Artists celebrate Nigeria, Wheatbaker

    As part of activities marking the seventh anniversary of Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, a group art exhibition, The Contemporaries 11, opened on Monday, featuring works of three contemporary artists: Kainebi Osahenye, Kenny Adewuyi and Kelani Abass. The exhibition is also to mark Nigeria’s 58th Independence Day. It will run till October 15. Simultaneously, it will open tomorrow till October 7 at 1.54 African Contemporary Art Fair in London, the largest fair of African Contemporary Art that attracts over 18,000 visitors yearly. The exhibition is supported by the Wheatbaker and Louis Guntrum Wines.

    Director, Wheatbaker Hotel, MrMosun Ogunbanjo, said celebrating Nigeria’s Independence Day together with Wheatbaker’s seventh anniversary as well as the exhibition reaffirms the hotel’s commitment to celebrate the very best of African creativity.

    ”The second edition of The Contemporaries continues the impressive standard set by the first quarterly exhibition we hosted in 2011, providing a regular platform for celebrating our exceptional local and international talents,” he said.

    Curator and Founder, SMO Contemporary Art, Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, who is delighted to showcase the artists on two important platforms at the same time said art is an important avenue for addressing global issues, adding: ‘We depend on our artists to be good global ambassador for Africa.’

    The group exhibition, which features 38 sculptures, paintings, and mixed media works from the artists, showcases strong visual narratives and powerful figurative abstractions, which explore historic socio-political narratives, the dignity of labour, technology, and the environment vis-vis unbridled consumerism.

    Osahenye, who majored in painting, combines spray paint with oil, pastel and acrylic to convey the idea of melancholy in his isolation series like ‘The Sky Gets Brighter Than Grey Shades of Your Thoughts—you used to be as sweet as pink,’ and others like ‘Broken Spirit,’ ‘Some Have Eyes But Cannot See,’ and ‘My Eyes Have Seen and My Eyes Have Heard 11.’

    According to the artist, pain is a part of life. Pain can drive one to a place of isolation. “In my work, the weight of darkness seems to overwhelm the sometimes anguished form layered beneath the somewhat grey and bright surfaces. The surface can exude grief, but I also like to camouflage this somber mood with colours that radiate energy. The energy that I seek or display in my work, in a way, appears like a prayer. And prayer to my mind possesses the potential to deal with pain,” he said.

    Osahenye’s work, which explores figurative gestures that interrogate society’s insatiability, said Nigerians have had bad times and still treading on rough edges.

    “The marks of pain are now deeply edged on faces of people across our landscape. We continue to sit and wait for a change to come. Indeed, Nigeria has been in a reclining position for too long waiting for her light to shine. Blinded by her corrupt practices, she is unable to see and utilise the enormous treasures buried within her,” he said.

    Coming from a printing press home, Abass, who finished from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos with distinction creates intricate multi-media works, in which small mechanical parts retrieved from his family’s printing press, are layered with photographs and archival materials as the artist explores personal stories against the background of social and political events frozen in time and memory. His ‘man and machine’ series on canvas explore the interchangeable co-dependency between man and technology.

    Abass’s oeuvre questioned common history and character of men and machines through a wide range of different media including installations, acrylics, oils, pastels and charcoal,  ”I engage the use of technology with the printing press, which I use as metaphor for obsolete materials, transporting them into modern relevance, usurping outmoded machinery and tools such as printing cases, letterpress types, metal plates, rubber blocks and the stamping tool to generate new contemporary narratives,” he said, adding that he is intrigued by how the past and present blend.

    “I attempt to make a statement on the future that concedes the interdependence of different moments in time. I explore these themes through painting, photography and printing, using archival materials to highlight personal stories against the background of social and political events frozen time and memory, he added.

    Adewuyi, one of the leading experts of emotive sculptures of elongated figures and exaggerated limbs, uses it in recognition of humanity’s universal struggle for survival and sustained livelihoods. His iconic sculptures are cast in bronze using the lost wax technique dating as far back as the ninth century in eastern Nigeria, keeping alive an ancient artistic tradition.

    “My sculptures express my inner feelings and communicate how I interpret my immediate and extended environment. Humans are social beings who cannot exist in isolation. My figurative bronze sculptures, in exaggerated and elongated forms, explore the day to day difficulties and challenges of human existence,” he said.

  • Dignitaries celebrate Ray Ekpu at 70

    The leadership question was the subject of discussion as dignitaries converged on the MUSON Centre in Lagos to mark the 70th birthday of one of Nigeria’s foremost journalists Mr Ray Ekpu.

    The event also commemorated Ekpu’s 45-year career in journalism, the highpoint of which was the co-founding of Newswatch magazine with the late Dele Giwa, Mr Yakubu Mohammed and Mr Dan Agbese.

    The Ray Ekpu 70th Birthday Colloquium with the theme: Nigeria: The Leadership Question provided a forum for those whose lives were touched by Ekpu’s acts of kindness and mentorship to pay their tributes.

    The guest lecturer was former editorial board chairman of the Daily Times and The Guardian, Dr Chidi Amuta, who was represented by Agbese.

    Former External Affairs Minister Prof Bolaji Akinyemi chaired the event.

    The Nation Editorial Board chairman Mr Sam Omatseye, former Editor-in-Chief at The Guardian Mr Debo Adesina and Enough is Enough Nigeria Executive Director Ms Yemi Ademolekun were the discussants.

    Amuta was of the view that only strong and purposeful leaders could rescue a nation from the brinks of tragic failure to a new sense of direction.

    According to him, the crisis of leadership remains a problem in Nigeria.

    “We remain frozen in that moment and mired in that intractable crisis,” he said.

    To him, Nigeria needs the kind of leadership with the ability to develop a vision of community and the capacity to translate that vision into beneficial reality in a manner that carries the followership along.

    A leader, he said, must be enlightened to envision an alternative higher reality; must have the executive capacity to translate the vision into reality, and must possess personal electricity or charisma, including integrity, to attract and carry the followership.

    “The consequences of past leadership missteps and failures now haunt us all,” he said, adding that they manifest in dangerous highways, insurgency and general insecurity to the extent that life in villages has been rendered “even more capricious, brutish and short.”

    “Let us not be deceived. Leadership can kill or save a nation. History is as full of nations that have been ruined by bad leadership as it is of others that have been saved and resurrected from Hell because of the emergence of true leadership in the midst of disaster,” Amuta said.

    He cited instances of countries that have been transformed by quality leadership, such as Singapore and Botswana.

    “Only leaders that have personal integrity, decency and moral stature can respect and preserve the institutions for the common good,” he said.

    Among his recommendations on how to get the leadership question right is the outlawing of the concept of zoning.

    He said political parties should rather zone the leadership to merit, which he said can be found all over the country.

    He also wants the constitutional guarantee of immunity removed, emphasing that a polity that allows unfit persons to occupy high office cannot also grant them immunity from prosecution.

    He paid tribute to Ekpu, saying: “The real significance of the leadership of Ray and Newswatch is not in the sacrifices they had to make as leaders.

    “It is in their legacy in Nigerian media and journalism. The abiding gospel of Newswatch is possibility. It is possible to liberate the voice of the people, to give meaning to the freedom of expression as a cardinal aspiration of a free society.”

    Prof Akinyemi decried what he called “confusing” political developments in the country.

    “We applaud those we called villains last year and now they’re saints. We don’t know whether to applaud or cry. It’s confusing,” he said.

    He urged the media not to sell its soul. “If you sell your soul, you sell our souls. If something goes wrong, you the media will not be spared,” he warned.

    He paid tribute to Ekpu, hailing him for surviving the toughest of times in his career, including life behind bars.

    Omatseye recalled how Ekpu offered him after job after reading his unsolicited informal letter and was impressed by the quality of his writing.

    To him, while the likes of Ekpu and his partners blazed a journalistic trail, Nigeria was yet to blaze the trail in leadership.

    “Leadership in Nigeria was tribally imposed and tribally inspired,” he said, emphasising that tribal politics resulted in strong men and weak institutions, politicians rather than statesmen and “ideas submerged in money rather than in direction”, as well as the search for tribal heroes.

    Omatseye believes that to build a nation with the right leadership, the nation has to have a soul.

    To underscore his point, he cited the example of an 83-year-old Imam in Plateau State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, who saved about 300 persons on June 24 when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded about 15 communities in the Barkin Ladi local government, killing over 200 persons.

    Omatseye said Abubakar hid Christians in his mosque, risked his life by lying that they were not there, and succeeded in averting a bloodbath.

    “He was standing there between life and death. He chose to sacrifice himself without thinking whether this people called Jehovah or Allah. But he saw them as human beings with hearts beating like his own.

    “Until we have leaders with that kind of compassion and empathy, and a sense of sacrifice, we have not started,” Omatseye said.

    A former Ogun State Chief Segun Osoba disagreed that Nigeria had lacked quality leadership.

    He said there were “firebrand” governors in 1999, who he said kept former President Olusegun Obasanjo in check, otherwise “he (Obasanjo) would have gone haywire”.

    He said the Alliance for Democracy (AD) governors gave a Obasanjo a tough time that the former president eventually “rigged” them out of the Council of State.

    “I’m sorry to say it. People say I keep talking of Obasanjo. The day Obasanjo rigged AD governors out of the Council of State, that was the beginning of the downward trend of leadership in this country,” Osoba said.

    Also at the event were former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah, Akwa Ibom Secretary to the State Government Emmanuel Ekuwem, who represented Governor Udom Emmanuel; Dr.Pat Utomi, presidential aspirant Kingsley Muoghalu, Dr Reuben Abati, Vanguard Publisher Sam Amuka Pemu and Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy Kehinde Bamigbetan.

    Also present were Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) President Mrs Funke Egbemode, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Chief Dubem Onyia, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, former Vanguiard Editor Muyiwa Adetiba, Vanguard General Manger/Editor in chief, Gbenga Adefaye, Thisday Deputy Manging Director Kayode Komolafe, among others.

  • ‘Celebrate the Comforter’ Conference a success, says Rev. Mother Ajayi

    The ‘Celebrate the Comforter’ Convention held at the United Palace, New York, United States, was a success, General Overseer of Love of Christ Generation Church, Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi, has said.

    The Founder of Esther Ajayi Foundation said the 2018 edition was attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Evang. Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi and Ovation publisher Dele Momodu, among others.

    Many Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) and Cherubim and Seraphim faithful were also in attendance as Rev. Mother Ajayi described the turnout as “overwhelming.”

    She said: “Apart from Christians and non- Christians that came, the highpoint was that my beautician, Jenny , who is a North Korean, received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

    She added: ”I had never witnessed such and her testimony was that she did not know what came upon her. I am now giving her all the encouragement. That was not all, many other people also gave their lives to Jesus during the programme.”

    The third edition of the event next year will take place at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

    She said: “That will be the first time the convention will hold in Nigeria and I can tell you that we will shake the country with the word of God and the country will never be the same again.”

    The Shepherd in charge of Genesis Model International CCC, Prophet Israel Ogundipe, said the convention had proved that white garment churches believe in Jesus Christ.

    He said: “The Convention is an avenue to bridge the gap that exists in the body of Christ because other churches are always invited and carried along. Evang. S.K. Abiara of Christ Apostolic Church, His Most Eminence Prophet (Dr.) Solomon Adegboyega, Rev. Emmanuel Mobiyina Friday Oshoffa and some Bishops of other churches were present”

    The highlight of the gathering was the conferment of honours on Rev. Mother Ajayi as the Grand Matron of the Super Eagles Supporters Club by the club members and officials.

    President of the Supporters Club Vincent Okumagba said Rev. Mother Ajayi was honoured for her exploits in Christendom and philanthropy.

  • Celebrate the Comforter holds in New York July 28

    Founder and General Overseer of UK-based Love of Christ Generation Church C&S (LOC) Rev Mother Abimbola Esther Ajayi has said Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) and Cherubim and Seraphim will not merge despite the partnership between the two churches to promote the yearly Celebrate the comforter.

    She said the bond between the two churches is fortified by the Holy Spirit, the Bible and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ- the body of Christ, which is not divided.

    “The two churches cannot merge. They are both garment churches, but the essence of the revival is to tell the world that this is a new era among the Cherubim and Seraphim and the Celestial. And the thing that binds us together as Christians- the Holy Spirit, the Bible and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ- bringing it to the fore front,” she said.  Last July, the two churches organised a revival tagged Celebrate the comforter in Excel, London.

    Rev Mother Ajayi, who spoke in Lagos,  disclosed that this year’s edition of Celebrate the Comforter organised by CCC and C$S will hold at the United Palace, New York, United States, on July 28.

    The yearly joint  revival, which made its debut last year at Excel London, would feature crusade, prayer sessions, drama presentation, musical concert and top flight gospel musicians and men of God.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Prophet Solomon Adegboyega Alao, Supreme Head of the Celestial Church of Christ, Pastor Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa, among other dignitaries, are expected to grace the event designed to serve as a bond between C&S and CCC – working in one accord, in unity and in love for the glory of God.

    The event will feature performances by C&S choir, Ebenezer Obey, LanreTeriba and Sir Shina Peters, as well as drama presentations, speeches and prayer ministrations, which will be televised live.

    Convener of the revival, Rev Ajayi said the crusade was initiated to evangelise, win souls for Christ, take people from the shackles of poverty and celebrate the wonders of God in people’s life. She stated that the first two editions of Comforter were held outside Nigeria for strategic reason to promote the awareness of the white garment church, adding that CCC and C&S are well known in Nigeria unlike UK and America.

    “In Nigeria, white garment churches are not new to the people despite the misconceptions. Whereas in the UK and America, there is a great need to educate the people of what the church is all about and the essence of the white garment being worn by its members. In fact it is to disabuse peoples’ minds about white garment churches. And also to tell them that there is power in unity because we are not focusing on Cherubim and Celestial alone as the event is reaching out to Christendom, the body of Christ, which is not divided.

    “We want to tell the world that this is a new era among the Cherubim and Seraphim and the Celestial. And the thing that binds us together as Christians- the Holy Spirit, the Bible and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ- bringing it to the fore front. The more we do this, the more people are educated about us. A lot of people don’t even know us, it has been a mouth to mouth talk that we have been doing.

    Rev Ajayi said by next year, Celebrate the Comforter will hold at Tafawa Balewa Square, after which it will move to Brazil in 2020. She disclosed that proceeds from the revival would be donated to charity organisations while participants would get free Bibles and gifts. “We are not doing this to make money,” she noted.

    Local Organising Committee Chairman, Dr. Richard Fasunloye, said the two churches are united in one God. “There is only one Christ, one God and one love. We are united and we are proclaiming the name of the Lord and preaching the Bible. The two churches are Bible-believing churches coming together to showcase the white garment church. That is what makes us unique and different from other churches,” Fasunloye said.

  • Small Doctor, others to celebrate Nnenna and Friends at 10

    Entertainers including Small Doctor and comedian Jimboi have been slated to entertain at the 10th anniversary and live show of the popular kids television program Nnenna and Friends, on Children’s Day, May 27, 2018 at the National Theater, Iganmu, Lagos.

    Other entertainers enlisted to serenade guests at the over 3,000 capacity hall include Papa Ajasco and company, N Stars, PEFTI band, Desmond Osorebe, and Mc Prince.

    For this special edition of the live show which attracts a N1,000 gate fee, organisers say families are going to have a swell time at the show with loads of freebies.

    For 10 years, Nnenna and Friends show has been impacting children’s lives positively with series of educative kids programs in Nigeria, including Brainpower Game, the TV show, the magazine and Live show.

  • Dapchi: before we celebrate

    It is heart-refreshing 104 of the abducted Dapchi School girls have been freed by suspected Boko Haram captors. Whatever efforts that led to their freedom after a harrowing 33-day captivity is worth the while.

    The government said it was made possible through back-channel efforts with the help of some friends of the country without any ransom paid. But they were not forthcoming on the fate of six girls yet to be returned by the insurgents even as five of them were reported dead as they were ferried away. One girl identified as Leah Sharibu, a Christian, is still with the terrorists for refusing to denounce her religious faith.

    It is sad five of the innocent girls died due to stampede as the terrorists made away with them. Our hearts go to the parents of the poor girls. But the star of the abduction saga is Leah Sharibu, the Christian girl who in the face of death refused to denounce her religion. One can conjecture her feelings as she watched her school mates leave the detention camp. It was a real display of uncommon faith in her religion even in the face of death. May the almighty God protect her life in the hands of that criminal gang whatever their motive.

    Buhari regime is taking credit for facilitating the release. For them, it was the fruit of the president’s directive to security agencies to deploy everything possible to secure a quick release of the girls. One official was even beating his chest for the prompt release against what he described as the tardiness with which the previous regime handled the Chibok abduction. That could as well be. The government can take all the credit for the release of the girls. It is also at liberty to seek political capital of the processes culminating to their freedom.

    Before it celebrates; it must rise to the challenges which the abduction and subsequent freeing of the girls have elevated to public domain. The way these cloudy issues are resolved, will determine whether in all fairness, the government’s image has been enhanced or dented by the Dapchi saga. Its outcome is bound to colour perception and redirect attitude on the continuing war against the Boko Haram insurgency.

    First was the controversy over the withdrawal of troops from Dapchi shortly before the abduction. Initial reports had denied there was any such withdrawal. But the army was later to admit it withdrew troops to beef up its fighting strength at the Niger- Nigerian boarder where they had come under serious attack. The issue is still hanging.

    There was also the initial report by the Yobe State government that the abducted girls had been rescued by the army. That statement was recanted the following day by the same government citing inaccurate information fed it by an unnamed military source. That knot is yet to be untied. There was also the curious doubt by Governor Geidam on the veracity of the abduction even when parents of the girls and those on ground had incontrovertible evidence of what transpired.

    Why the governor who had announced the rescuing of the abducted girls by the military turned round to doubt the possibility of the abduction is still confounding. It raises posers regarding the source of his initial information and that which led him to doubt if there was any abduction at all. There are issues to tidy up here for the discerning public to be in a proper stead to ascribe any measure of credit to the government for its role in the tangle. Geidam requires serious interrogation on what led him to the irreconcilable positions he took when the abduction took place. It is either he is an absentee governor or he knew more than he made the public to believe for some reasons. Whichever the case, he failed to give a good account of his position as number one citizen of a state under serious security emergency.

    Again, just two days before the girls’ release, Amnesty International came out with a damning report alleging military authorities and the police received multiple calls up to four hours before the Boko Haram raid but did practically nothing to avert the abduction. It gave a graphic account of the movement of the terror group, the places they stopped and the time lag that would have enabled the attack to be checkmated but all to no avail.

    But the military denied the allegations; questioning their motive accusing them of spreading falsehood to whip up sentiments, demoralize friendly nations and others collaborating with the security echelon in the fight. It challenged Amnesty International to make public the officials called and the phone numbers used to contact them. When you pair Amnesty International’s allegations with the withdrawal of troop prior to the attack, they inevitably point to a predictable direction.

    As the altercation was still trending in public space, there emerged the sudden news of the girls’ release. That appeared to have pushed the controversy to the back seat. But it struck as a weird coincidence especially given the very casual manner the girls’ release was done. Accounts from government and independent sources had it that the insurgents drove into Dapchi town in a convoy of vehicles and dropped off the girls. Villagers said they had copious interaction with the insurgents, took pictures with them with their handsets in very relaxed mood. The zoomed off after spending not less than an hour with villagers.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed corroborated this when he disclosed that one condition the terrorists gave was they would drop off the girls where they picked them. That was the only condition to the negotiation and we either take it or leave it. For this, security had to be stood down to allow the release take place without endangering the lives of the girls. That appears a good answer to why the military could not confront them.

    Sadly, the circumstance of the release has thrown up more riddles than it can possibly answer. There are serious issues with the claim that there was no other condition to the negotiation except the patronizing demand by the insurgents to drop off the girls where they picked them. That seems a curious condition. They had to fuel their chain of trucks at their expense, wade through their fortress only to drop off the girls. Such act of charity is uncommon in negotiations involving such a complex, very sensitive and dangerous warfare. It casts the terrorists as negotiating from a point of weakness when they were in very strong position to dictate the terms. It requires further explanation.

    Aside ransom, it will remain largely curious that the insurgents brazenly drove out of their camp in a convoy of trucks into Dapchi with the full knowledge of the military and back without our security forces having inkling of their hiding places. Is it possible for the terrorizing contingent to operate within our shores or outside of it with such impunity without the knowledge of their hiding places by our internal security or the Multi-national Joint Task force?

    Before now, we had been told that Boko Haram no longer occupies any territory in this country. From whence did they take off and anchor at the completion of their mission? And why have their armada of trucks and military arsenal continued to escape the prying eyes of the security forces?

    The unfortunate outing casts serious slur on the war against Boko Haram. More than ever before, it has reinforced accusations that the terror group is a protuberance of political and economic agenda masquerading under religious garb. At the point we are, the war has already atrophied. With the touted friendly and patronizing disposition of the insurgents, an end to it should be a fait accompli. There is no reason for the war again if the Dapchi comedy denotes its current form.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Why we celebrate Eledumare Festival, by Adams

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo of the Yoruba, Aare Gani Adams, has given reasons for the celebration of Eledumare Festival.

    The Yoruba Generalissimo spoke at the grand finale of the festival at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

    He restated the need for the Yoruba to celebrate God by organising a festival solely for the Supreme Being.

    Adams said the eighth edition of the festival began 21 days ago with several activities, including Harvest of Praise, a football competition and fashion show.

    He added: “God is worthy of worship. Praise is the only key that opens all doors. Our organisation, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), through Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), is the only group that celebrates Eledumare Festival. I am very grateful to God that we are all alive to witness this glorious day.

    “Considering the tremendous growth in our group, most especially on the strength of our group in the Diaspora, on behalf the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU) – in 79 countries – I am pleased to tell you that our best is yet to come.”

     

     

  • You can celebrate your champion

    You can celebrate your champion

    Beyond mid-week activities, many churches usually draw amazing crowd of worshippers to their Sunday services. To some extent, some people have, erroneously, come to believe that the parameter for measuring a success in ministry is a church which commands huge fellowship and can boast of huge edifice as a place of worship.

    But do the crowd pulling potentials of churches amount to anything? One has often been caught in traffic jams orchestrated by influx of vehicles around worship arenas on several occasions. Incidentally, one honestly can’t question that because, the constitution of Nigeria guarantees her citizens freedom to congregate and freedom of worship.

    Secondly, one wonders what our drifting world will become if society is devoid of the vital character molding role and other moral needs that the church plays in society.

    Hence, while church operation cannot but flourish in line with the command of the Master and Savior Jesus Christ, offering and tithe collections have made many some servants of God supper rich.

    In the days of early European missionary, the church catered for the spiritual, social and economic needs of their converts. It also blazed the trail for human and societal development.

    Many have argued that today’s church operators rather feed fat on tithes and offerings paid by worshipper while majority of their followers suffer abject poverty to the extent that their wards can’t even afford to go to the missionary schools built with income from the offerings and tithes that their parents paid to the church.

    However, a recent survey shows that this is not entirely correct. Quite a good number of churches are pace setters in different areas. A South African national simply identified as Betty spoke after fellowship at the Ikotun headquarters of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

    She said that Prophet T B Joshua is a clear champion of what he described as ‘reversed mission to Africa.’

    According to her, a constant scenario at the SCOAN depicts foreign worshipers who are attracted by Joshua’s miracle making prowess and massive charity globally.  ”Streams of religious tourists also troop into Nigeria just because of the Ministry of the man of God and Africa has indeed swapped roles which early European missionaries who used to be the source of spiritual solace for Africans,” Betty added.

    A Peruvian national, Sophie, last Sunday said: “Gone are the days when foreign missionaries brought the good news to Nigerian and the rest of Africa, do charity, built schools, hospitals and rehabilitations centers here.

    “The founder of SCOAN is currently providing succor, charity and meeting spiritual need of religious pilgrims from every part of the globe. He has built schools; rehabilitated communities devastated by natural disasters, provided food for the hungry in different parts of the world.”

    She added: “T.B. Joshua is the only black missionary who has attracted more foreigners to his country. In those days, especially shortly after the abolition of the slave trade, white missionaries brought the gospel to Africans but today, the whites are the ones trooping to Africa in search of spiritual succour at The Synagogue Church of All Nations.”

    But why do foreigners flood the SCOAN when Joshua is more or less ostracised by fellow ministers in his own country? Jackson, a visiting American worshipper said: “Is the answer not found in the Bible. A prophet is definitely not honoured in his own native home, If Prophet T.B. Joshua has nothing to offer, we will not be coming out here week in week out.

    ”Outside his healing and deliverance ministries, Prophet Joshua is an internationally-acclaimed philanthropist whose acts of charity, has caught the attention of the United Nations.

    “According a Forbes report, the man of God has spent over 20 million dollars in humanitarian aid in different parts of the world. Together with his Emmanuel TV Partners, succour and financial aid has gone to many people, nations and institutions around the world. You can celebrate you champion; why not?” Jackson asked.

    Recently, Prophet Joshua had challenged fellow ministers of God and indeed other Nigerians to stop thinking of what aid they can get from foreign donors and cultivate the habit of sending help to nationals of other countries.

    Other Nigerian clerics that have left indelible marks in ministry include Dr. Tony Rapu of This Present House. His church is famous for providing a center where socially maladjusted youngsters, drug victims ad harlots are rehabilitated.

    Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock, went into the records for turning thousands notorious area boys to Jesus boys who are today useful to society.

    From time to time, different churches organize training and empowerment programmes for indigent members of the society.

    Oga writes from Lagos.