Tag: Christmas

  • Christmas: First Lady calls for love, unity, environmental stewardship

    Christmas: First Lady calls for love, unity, environmental stewardship

    First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embody the spirit of Christmas by showing love to their neighbours and extending a helping hand to those in need.

    Speaking at a special Christmas brunch for children from two foster homes at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Friday, the First Lady encouraged citizens to embrace kindness and generosity.

    In a statement issued by her senior special assistant on media, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady said: “Christmas should remind us to love our neighbours and go all out to help others. Next year, let’s make it a year of love and a cleaner, greener Nigeria.”

    The First Lady pointed out that the federal government has been doing all to ensure that the lives of Nigerians get better and will continue to do so with all vigour in the New Year.

    She described the incoming year 2025 as one of hope, love, and actualization of God’s goodness in the nation.

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu urged the children to show love to their friends, sisters, brothers, and neighbours as exemplified by Christ who is the reason for the Christmas season.

    “The reason we are all here is to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ”, she read from the book she authored “The Christmas Story” which explains the birth, lif,e and times of Jesus.

    The book, “The Christmas Story’, reimagines the story of Jesus’ birth with Nigerian characters, bringing the message of hope and purpose closer home.

    The First Lady also answered questions from the children.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu urges unity, love at Christmas Carol of nine lessons

    Children from Abuja Children Home and Vine Heritage Home Foundation (VHHF) who were the guests at the annual Children’s Christmas Brunch, competed in a national anthem contest, receiving cash prizes, and were treated to gifts, food, and drinks.

    While speaking to journalists after the event, the First Lady reflected on her personal journey, encouraging Nigerians to approach the New Year with optimism and a focus on faith and hard December

    As the children left with gifts and smiles, the First Lady’s message rang clear: Christmas is a time to share love, spread hope, and work together for a brighter future.

    Also present at the Children’s Christmas Brunch were the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, the Wife of the Speaker House of Representatives, Hajia Fatima Tajudeen Abass, Wife of the Deputy Senate President, Hajia Laila Barau, wives of NASS members, Wives of Ministers and wife of the CG Nigeria Customs Service, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi.

  • Christmas as oyster

    Christmas as oyster

    Christmas season is here again. Soon, the hustle and bustle associated with most major cities would dim and Nigerians would go on holidays. The major markets, after the jostle of buying and selling, would be still, and only hum, till after the New Year. Many senior level workers would take their holidays, and the junior ones would go to the offices perfunctorily. The civil servants would watch the backs of each other, and those who haven’t been to the office for days, would be excused, as having gone to the bank, upon any official enquiry.

    Even with the augury weather of the run-away inflation and the scarcity of the naira ravaging the economy, markets are bubbling and some nearly bursting. The children do not understand the economics of parents not having money, whether in their banks or in their pockets. They expect to breast the season with new clothes and shoes, even if it comes from bend-down boutique. The ingenuity of parents is tasked, on how to raise money to buy food and the accoutrements of the season of celebration.   

    When we were younger, we heard tales of how ingenious poor mothers, would put frying pans on the fire, and while still retaining some water in it, would pour oil to have the ‘jiiii’ impact, as if frying something, to ape the next door neighbour, actually frying a stew. As the Igbo adage says, ‘afo ada aka ihe oriri’ meaning the stomach does not tell tales of what it has eaten. Once it is full and slightly distended, the presumption is that it has been well fed. 

    For the sellers in the market, it is the windfall season. Despite the best efforts of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission ((FCCPC), it is a season to exploit buyers. In the euphoria of the season, buyers like the lamb, submit themselves to the medicaments of sweet tongued sellers. When they get home, they wonder what came over them in the throes of the unequal haggling contest with the seller. Unfortunately, it used to be the buyer’s market, but now, it has become the seller’s market. The seller dictates at what price to sell, and the buyer nearly has no alternative.  And their gains would last, deep into the year, when economic activities would pick up again.

    With Christmas ashore, the roads would be empty of the long winding traffic that make life difficult in a city like Lagos, on bad days. Moving across the far-flung parts of any major city would become pleasurable, as the roads become unencumbered freeways. Those who drink and drive would, as my people would say, be pricing death cheaply with the freeways alluring and inviting the foolhardy for a speed contest. Party goers would zoom across the city centres, and touch all the clubs in town, without any stress.

    Day would grow into the night, and the night would bore the day, without a prolonged labour pain. It is a season to joist and jostle, as if the world is all about gain. Eating and drinking would become a contest that everybody wins, as no one remembers the amber of hunger and want that would become aglow again in January. In the ecstasy, school fees, rents and other bills pales far away. After all, we are in 2024, and the tumble for bills, is for 2025.

    The roads leading into the villages would stretch like a carnival parade, with cars and legs jutting and jostling for the distances, as in a parade. Children would walk without complaining. Happiness and festiveness becomes an analgesic, for dumbness and weariness. Piles of kilometres would be covered, to see a daughter married to a neighbouring town, or an aunty, who is like a mother in another village. In the days of yore, only one word was the happiness of the childhood, and that is to ask, uncle or aunty: ‘celebrate Christmas’ for me.

    And to ‘celebrate Christmas’ was to be given a kobo or two, back in the days. With inflation eating up the kobo and making mincemeat of the naira, a child given ten naira now, would wonder, for what purpose? Even the village masquerades are only in the recess of the mind, as the young ones would consider it beneath them, to gather to practice how to dance to funny sounding beats, from drums and gongs when the hot beats of Davido, et al, are there to prance at.

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    With technology at their palms and ears, entertainment can be privatized, and everyone according to his or her choice. Organizing music for parties does not require the rigor of the last century, or even the early 21st century. With a torch-like equipment, or a flash fixed on a laptop, music can start blaring, and the party is on. Drinks and other enablers have also metamorphosed and the young get on the groove with ease, holding just one bottle of a heavy intoxicant. Some looking deceptively like a soft drink.

    Parents of the old school are warned that when their children sip what looks like a soft drink, regularly, they may be actually getting high, on a dangerous substance. The social media has become another dangerous addictive, such that some may be in Nigeria, and be celebrating Christmas in Asia, Europe or America. For such, Christmas is intercontinental. Even worse, abuses also come from such extra-terrestrial sojourn. Decades back, it would have been unimaginable what a little object, like an android phone, can be used for.

    With an android phone and a few gigabytes of data, the young literally have the world at their feet. On holidays, they listen and watch whatever pleases them. They engage, make vows, take oaths and entangle behind closed doors, and appear outdoor looking very innocent. The happy side is that with such little devices, they can also conquer the world, and bring accolades home. They can learn, earn and grow big barns. With that device, they can trade, train and rain in huge income.

    The season of Christmas should not be for anything ugly, as the reason for the season is Jesus Christ. In the Catholic Christendom, it is preceded by Advent, a season of Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace. But even for non-Christians, they are partakers in the oyster of Christmas. Our country needs hope, that we would get out of the challenges of the present times. Interestingly, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, promotes the Renewed Hope Agenda. Nigerians, need to have faith in their leaders, but the leaders must inspire it.  

    Joy and peace are intertwined in the season of Christmas. And amidst the challenges facing Nigerians, this writer wishes his readers, Nigerians and all mankind, joy and peace. Hopefully I will see you, next year.

  • 10 perfect gift ideas for your loved ones this Christmas

    10 perfect gift ideas for your loved ones this Christmas

    Are you struggling to decide on the perfect gift for your loved ones this festive season? You’re not alone, choosing a thoughtful gift can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

    Whether you’re shopping for family, friends, or that special someone, here are 10 heartwarming gift ideas to make their Christmas extra special.

    1. Personalized Gifts

    A personalized gift is always a winner. It could be a mug with their name, a photo book filled with cherished memories, or a piece of jewelry engraved with something meaningful. 

    These kinds of gifts show you’ve gone the extra mile and truly care.

    2. Subscription Boxes

    Subscription boxes are all the rage these days, and for good reason! 

    Whether it’s a monthly delivery of skincare products, gourmet snacks, or books, it’s a gift that keeps surprising them long after Christmas is over.

    3. Books

    There’s something magical about giving a book. Pick one you know they’ll love—a novel from their favorite author, an inspiring biography, or even a cookbook if they enjoy being in the kitchen. 

    Slip in a note explaining why you chose it for them; it’ll make it even more special.

    4. Tech Gadgets

    Who doesn’t love a cool gadget? From wireless earbuds to smart home devices, tech gifts are practical and exciting. 

    Think about something that will make their daily life easier or more fun.

    5. Handmade Gifts

    There’s nothing more personal than a handmade gift. Knit a scarf, bake some cookies, or craft a unique Christmas card. 

    Read Also: Musawa sparks Enugu Christmas festival with 500,000 lights

    These gifts aren’t just items—they’re pieces of your time and effort, which makes them priceless.

    6. Hampers

    Food is the way to many hearts! Create a hamper filled with chocolates, cookies, and other festive treats. 

    If they have dietary preferences, go for options like fresh fruit, nuts, or organic goodies. It’s a delicious way to show you care.

    7. Fitness Gear

    For the health-conscious folks in your life, fitness gear is a thoughtful choice. 

    It could be a yoga mat, a stylish water bottle, or even a fitness tracker to help them stay motivated in the new year.

    8. Cozy Home Essentials

    Sometimes, the simplest gifts are the most appreciated. Think cozy blankets, soft pillows, scented candles, or even a nice set of kitchen tools. These practical items can add a warm, comforting touch to their home.

    9. Experience Gifts

    Rather than a physical gift, why not give them an experience? Book a spa day, a cooking class, or tickets to a concert or play they’ve been wanting to see. 

    These kinds of gifts create lasting memories.

    10. Charity Donations in Their Name

    If you’re shopping for someone who loves to give back, consider donating to a cause they care about in their name. 

    It’s a meaningful gesture that reflects their values and spreads goodwill.

    This Christmas, remember that it’s not about how expensive or flashy your gift is—it’s the love and thought behind it that matters most. 

    Whatever you decide to give, make it something that comes from the heart, and you’ll make someone’s holiday truly magical.

  • Lagos diverts traffic for Christmas youth parade

    Lagos diverts traffic for Christmas youth parade

    The Lagos State Government has announced traffic diversion on a section of Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, for Christmas Youth Parade billed for Dec. 8.

    The parade will start from 6.00 a.m. and end at 3.00 p.m.

    The state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, made the disclosure  in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

    Read Also: Ten visa-free countries Nigerians can visit for Christmas

    Osiyemi urged motorists to use  alternative routes.

    “Motorists heading to Eko Hotel Roundabout from VCP Hotel will be diverted to Jubril Martins Street, to turn right into Muri Okunola Street to connect Ligali Ayorinde Street and link Bishop Aboyade Cole Street to Tokunbo Ademola Street to connect their desired destinations.

    “Traffic from Ligali Ayorinde Street heading to Eko Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to Bishop Aboyade Cole Street to connect Adetokunbo Ademola Street and continue movement to desired destinations.

    “Motorists inward Ajose Adeogun Street from Eko Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to Adetokunbo Ademola Street to turn right into Bishop Aboyade Cole Street and link Muri Okunola Street to connect Jubril Martins Street and link Ajose Adeogun Street for their desired destinations,” he said.

    He urged motorists to be patient, and gave the assurance that officers of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority would ensure seamless traffic flow and safety of motorists.

    (NAN)

  • Maduro’s Christmas

    Maduro’s Christmas

    When is it Christmas typically across the world? You may wonder if that isn’t  a dumb question, since everyone knows Christmas is a yearly festival that falls on 25th December. If you would make allowance for the entire season of Yuletide, you could say all of December is game for celebration. But have you ever envisaged Christmas kicking in from October? Come along to Venezuela for that experience.

    President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, recently ordered Santa Claus in for his country from the beginning of October, this year. Coming from a contentious presidential election in his country that he claimed to have won whereas the Venezuelan opposition, neighbouring southern American nations and the United States of America refused to recognise the victory arguing that he stole it, Maduro announced early Christmas festivities for his compatriots by presidential fiat. “This year and to honor you all, to thank you all, I am going to decree the beginning of Christmas on October 1,” he told Venezuelan people in his weekly television address, adding: “Christmas arrived early for everyone, in peace, joy and security!”

    Read Also: Fed Govt okays N350b to support dams, irrigation facilities, says minister

    The Venezuelan leader perhaps needs the festivity mood more than anyone else to ease his own embattlement. He faces pressure at home and abroad over the July presidential poll victory that few countries in the world recognise – significantly, not so Venezuela’s opposition coalition, neighbouring south American governments and the U.S. that have insisted on verifying officially announced results with parallel computations. Besides, it was recently that U.S. authorities announced the seizure of a Venezuelan aircraft used by Maduro for international travels in the Dominican Republic after determining that its acquisition was in violation of sanctions by Washington, among other criminal charges. The American government got Dominican Republic courts to demobilise the aircraft while on their territory and flew it back to Florida, alleging it was illegally procured through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Maduro and his cronies.

    Early Christmas is big deal in Venezuela because the festivity period often comes with extra bonuses for public service employees and more lavish gifts in government handouts. Reports said it wasn’t the first time Maduro was using the gesture as  an administrative largesse to the citizenry, but this is his earliest start date yet for the holiday. Only that critical stakeholders weren’t on board his train. Among them, the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference protested the declaration, warning that the religious holiday should not be used for politics or propaganda. “Christmas commences on December 25,” the group asserted in a statement. But it may be Maduro needs Santa to bring him a new aircraft before then.

  • Tourism: Abuja to get tallest Christmas tree in Africa

    Tourism: Abuja to get tallest Christmas tree in Africa

    As part of efforts to promote tourism in the nation’s capital city, plans have been concluded to construct the tallest Christmas light tree in Africa.

    The move, which is private sector-driven, is aimed at bringing people together, to create a landmark that transcends borders and cultures.

    Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Abuja, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, noted that the endeavour would serve as a shared value and collective strength, stressing that it will shine brightly as a symbol of hope and resilience.

    “This extraordinary tree, when completed, will stand as a testament to our collective spirit and creativity, symbolising much more than just the holiday season.

    “It will represent the unity of our nation, the strength of our cultural heritage, and the boundless potential that lies within us all”, she stressed.

    Mahmoud, further stated that the event was not just the laying of the foundation for the groundwork for countless future celebrations, but also for family gatherings, and community events.

    According to her, “This towering symbol will soon illuminate our nights, embodying the festive spirit of Christmas and showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of our beloved continent.

    Read Also: Violators of airport rules will face justice, FAAN vows

    “This project is not merely about height or grandeur; it is about the light it will spread, the smiles it will inspire, and the warmth it will share with everyone who sees it”.

    The minister expressed the commitment of the FCT Administration to support and promote tourism in the Territory, noting that the project underscores the spirit of collaboration that would make the tree a cherished landmark for generations to come.

    Speaking on behalf of the organisers, the Director of Jav Events, Jennifer Fatorisa, stated that the project was in partnership with the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Events.

    Fatorisa, also revealed that the lighting of the tallest Christmas light tree in Africa would be unveiled on December 7th, 2024, adding that from inception till date, Jav Events have attracted over 300,000 visitors.

    “During the event, we will be unveiling the Jav Christmas Village 2024 plans in partnership with the Abuja Continental Hotel, a flag off project of Jav Festive destination, which promises to be a ground breaking tourist attraction in the heart of Abuja, pulling in thousands of visitors from all over the continent and beyond,” Fatorisa said.

  • Christmas 2023: Nearer my God to thee (3)

    Christmas 2023: Nearer my God to thee (3)

    What we earthmen call LIFE is not money or whatever it can buy… Pleasure, leisure or splendour. It is that inner spark in an earthman from out of the radiation of the Almighty Creator, that radiating treasure or breath of life from his benevolence, which must always be made to glow and to burst into flame irrespective of the cold, icy or other inhospitable existential environment. It is a spirit seed germ entrusted to every earthman to tend and to nurse to become a conscious, flowering and fruiting spiritual ego, the human spirit, who will return to paradise someday, fully conscious of God and His Holy Will, of self, of the structure of creation,  and of fellow creatures of different specie in the wonderful household of The Almighty Creator. We are created to be Lords of our environment, surmounting obstacles and becoming stronger with every conquest. We were unconscious spirit sparks in the radiations of God in which exist everything capable of existence outside of him. Earlier parts of this series mentioned the promise of the Lord Jesus of expansions in spiritual knowledge at about this time and suggested ardent Christians oil the lamp of the soul, like the five wise virgins, and light them up for intuitive differentiation between  “the Bread of Heaven” and material tinsel. The curtain falls for now today on those endeavours to make Christmas 2023 a living opportunity for us to have better understanding of the mission of the Lord Jesus to the earth and to adapt our existence to it.

        The athmosphere of Christmas 2023 is still aromatic on this fourth day of 2024. Everyone made of Christmas 2023 whatever it was thought to be. On Christmas Eve, the night in my neighbourhood was disturbed by heavy club music about 200 meters away. From the high pitch of that noise, I wondered why the patrons would not suffer hearing loss later in life. Many of them must be christians who ought to have buried themselves in solitude somewhere introspecting on what they have made of   THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE LORD’S PRAYER. We may excuse the sanguine teenager, but not melancholics, cholerics and phlegmatics of adult life who should be struggling to know why they exist. Thus, on 2023 Christmas Day, I struggled through this column despite generator noise and blaring music from pleasure seekers even around my house, mindful that one man’s meat is another’s poison.

       We live in an amazing country. If you guage the pulse of the nation only from newspaper headline reviews on Lagos radio stations, you would believe outright famine was sweeping through the land and there were corpses on the streets. Where did all the money come from to innundate the Lagos open markets before and even on Christmas Day, I wondered, when I learned the two hind limbs of a goat cost N25,000 at the Abbatoir Market in rustic Agege, downtown Lagos, and some folks bought as many as four. The head went for N3,500 and the neck N7,000.

        The new year

      There’s nothing new about a New Year. It is just another spartial delienation of  a new orbit of the earth around the sun. Nevertheless, the great souls in the beyond who packaged the knowledge for us, and the devoted great minds on earth who received it, deserve our gratitude.  Without this information, we would not know how much of our earth life  has been expended on triffling and how nearer to the Day of Reckoning we are. Beyond this, I cannot understand all the agitation and vehemence which greets a new year. Many persons are just happy that they are still breathing, eating and walking around, even if they are “walking corpses”. For others, it is  another golden opportunity to beg the Almighty Creator for improved material life. Few people think of the real purpose of  existence or of the meaning of the song Nearer my God to Thee

        I appreciate, nevertheless, the need to be happy for surviving 2023. The earth has been revealed as the only place in the universe we,  the spiritual seed grain planted in the material soil, can sprout, germinate, flower and fruit fastest because of the heterogeneity of the impressions or frictions which assail us every moment, the messages they bring and the lessons they teach. Elsewhere, it takes much longer than on the earth to spiritually mature. For example, an earth man possesed by 10 weaknesses such as envy, hate, gossip, lust, thieving, brigandage or murder may encounter all of them from fellow earthmen in one day. If they disgust him, and he is wise, he would discard them from his character and become a purer soul better set for ascent homeward. In the beyond, based on the expansion of spiritual knowledge promised by the Lord Jesus, we now know the soul will have to live in the plane of existence of one weakness at a time to get rid of it. If it takes 10 years to get rid of one, it may take100 years to get rid of 10, whereas a serious soul on earth may get rid of them all in one day or even six months, depending on how seriously it struggles against them in self- purification. In the so-called beyond, we would live in the world of only gossips, if we are one, until we purge ourselves of this spiritual dirt, or in the world of prostitutes, if we are one. Over there, it takes much longer for dirty souls to clean up than on earth. Do many of us who survive survive 2023 see our existence in this light? If we are only happy that we survived 2023, of what use is this to us, to other creatures in creation and to creation as well… We are on earth not only for spiritual maturation but to also pass on to other creatures below our orign, such as the Lords of the elementals, elemental beings, animals from the animistic realms etc, Power from on High which sustains us but they cannot directly draw upon. They built the material worlds to the limits of their abilities. Supporting them with this power would have made the material worlds bigger and better than it is today with probably a new variant of nature, different and better foodstuffs, improved nutrition, health and longevity etc. Didn’t our forebears inherit from them the highest developed animal body which we transformed into the present human body?

    There is a serious purpose man is on earth. In the Will of the Creator, these beings brought about the constellation of stars, the galaxies, the solar systems, the planets, the myriad of yet unknown cosmic forces and the seven universes. Remember that the book of revealations announces: “… To the seven churches of Asia”. “Asia” is the spiritual name of CREATION in which exists “seven universes” (“churches”). The “seven churches of Asia” does not refer to seven churches in the Continent of Asia but to the seven universes in Creation. Spiritually, our universe is called EPHESUS. The Lord Jesus taught us: “IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE, there are MANY MANSIONS”. Attentive christians with oil in the lamps of their souls, like the Five Wise Virgins, should wonder how “many mansions” can exist in a “house”. The message from the revealation gives us a clue. Everything which exists outside of God exists in creation. The Lord spoke of the “heavens”. In the expanded spiritual knowledge He promised, we now know of several spheres of existence of vast distances from one another unfathomable by earthly knowledge of mathematics, limited by space and time. On earth, we see the hands of the elemental beings and nature beings in forests, mountains, oceans and seas, Rivers and streams, rocks, the climate and the weather, land forms, elements inside the earth, the earthquakes, floods, climate change etc. Man is meant to unite  with these forces and, by now, to have made the earth paradise like. He does not require laborious studies of several years in the university to do this. Do the nature beings who move the earth around the sun in 365 (6) days and on its axis in 24 hours go to university? What of the architects and builders of the great pyramids in Egypt? What of the mankind behind the STONEHEDGES of England? Some of them weigh about 20 tonnes and were moved over about 20 kilometers between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago and arranged in a straight line over several kilometers in a geometric marvel which still baffles our generation. Do the water sprites in the village streams or rivers go to university to learn how to make streams or rivers or to direct their current to wherever they flow to? Is the orign of man not higher than that of elemental beings, and is he not capable of higher possibilities? 

    Read Also: Plateau Christmas Eve killings a genocide, says Mutfwang

        The bottom line question is: What are we happy to be alive for ? to just occupy space? Can we not relate the PARABLE OF THE SOWER and THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS with the PARABLE OF THE FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS and THE PARABLE OF THE HUSBANDSMEN to spiritually bestir ourselves?

    Clean slate

    YEAR 2024, like every New year, is a clean slate. It will bring no one nothing that that person has not written on it in advance or during proceedings. Every year ends up as an unproductive year for us because we do not examine  ourselves for the content we loaded into it. In the expansion of spiritual knowledge, we now have inklings that there is a LAW OF THOUGHT. As we think, so it is. We cannot rise beyond our thoughts.The thought, like the spoken word, is inseparable from us. This is what many priests fail to tell their congregations. Of course, there would be no need for a pastor in the life of anyone who knows he  can have a direct link with the power of God through connection to and understanding of the expanded spiritual knowledge on earth today in fufilment of the promise of the Lord Jesus. This leads us to the meaning of PRAYER and why so-called “prayers” are not answered.

       What is prayer

    My Octogenerian friend now knows I do not seek to connect with ArchAngels and angels in my existential struggles. There is room wide enough for us within the kingdom of God called paradise in which, in his wisdom, The Almighty Creator has permitted our specie, the human spirits, to exist, flower and fruit. Paradise is governed by laws, one of which is  the law of Sowing and Reaping.

    If you tune to Lagos FM radio station  from about 4a.m till about 5.30 am, you would feel disgusted. Before I come to them, I must quickly say prayer is not what we say even in the bigger and better structured churches. It is BEGGING. Do we not say the Almighty Creator did not create beggars? Why do we make beggars of ourselves in the halls  dedicated to  worshipping him? Worship is UNCONDITIONAL FUFILMENT OF HIS HOLY WILL. This means that our thoughts (serious or fleeting) words and actions must always agree with His Commandments. We can learn these commandments from Mother Nature, because everything in Nature obeys this Will. Does the day not gradually break, and does the sun not gradually set? Can we not observe THE LAW OF GRADUALISM in whatever we do? 

    The writhing of hands, stamping of the feet on the floor, shouting at the top of voices, moving up and down pointificating, hitting hands in the air on fellow congregants is nothing but BEGGING and makes us no better than BEGGARS in a place we call the House of the Lords. It is THANKSGIVING we are meant give there. Did we forget that, before the creator sent us to the earth, he had prepared for all our needs in his Wisdom and Love? Where should we turn, if not into ourselves, if anything goes wrong with our lives? This is where a conception of prayer different from Begging should make some sense. Over the years, I have come to the recognition that whatever we do with our thoughts, tongues and hands constitute PRAYER. Didn’t the Lord teach us that WHAT WE SOW, WE SHALL REAP? If we send thoughts of envy or hate to other persons, we sow seeds of envy and hate. These seeds of envy and hate develop into thought forms of the nature and intensity of the seeds. Clairvoyants see these thought forms attached to their authors  and attracting similar thought forms to themselves and to their authors. Thus, if your environment swells in envy or hate against you, blame no one but yourself. If you stop sending thoughts of envy or hatred to other persons, your negative environment should become purified. That is the law of Sowing and Reaping. These thought forms are either demons or phantoms. We encounter them even in dreams. It suggests to us  the type of “heaven” in which we may find ourselves after “earth life”. It mirrors, also,  our self created earthly environment. Some people  are shot at in their dreams. How many times in one day do we not kill the reputation and the livelihood of other people with our tongues either through gossip, slander, bearing of false witness etc, thereby directly or indirectly instigating negative physical and spiritual activity against them?  The Lord Jesus cast out demons in one man and warned him to not let them return. This man received helped only because, like the repentant thief on the cross, he was willing to change his ways. Indeed, phantoms and demons are attracted to one another and may move in armies in which the group helps the individual to achieve its objective after it has helped some group members to achieve theirs. They do constitute themselves into “power centres” which some Christians call principalities. There are beautiful power centres, too. A power centre is like a broadcasting radio or television station. The earthman is like a radio or television receiving set. A soul prone to fear, envy or hatred etc, or to heroism, admiration or love is automatically tuned to the appropriate power centre which reinforces his ideas with mega ideas and promptings. Some persons say suicide thoughts always cross their minds. They may be despondent persons. In despondency, the will to live is almost lost. The soul is thereby tuned to power centres of despondency from where there may be streaming ideas or promptings to end it all, and how to. Some women mention “SPIRITUAL” husbands, suggesting that, subconsciously, in dreams, they are taken by men. This may not be a spiritual event. Many persons cannot distinguish between the spirit and the soul or the  external layer of the soul, the astral body, which connects with the physical body. Their tormentors may be astral demons and phantoms generated towards them by the lustful thoughts of “dirty” men which found appropriate soil in the auras of such women and, accordingly, firm anchorages therein.

       If you remember the story of Balaam in the old testament, you may easily fathom existence of elemental beings assumed by him to be angels. These beings are everywhere. They are responsible for the soil, rocks, rivers, ocean, seas, forests, earthquakes, the sun and the stars, rain and air etc. A special breed of them weaves our thoughts, words and deeds into our carpet of fate on earth and in the beyond.

        On MELODY 107.7 FM radio station in Lagos last forthnight, a dejected woman appealed to the government to re-open the borders for more rice to come into the country  and force down the price. She said the borders could be shut after. Her concern was for more rice imports to crash Christmas season price. Another caller replied her that it was shameful that smaller nations were feeding Nigerians who were cursing their land and refusing to tend it, whereupon the land gave them back the harvests of their thoughts, tongues and lazy hands. That is a prayer answered which begging cannot forestall.

        In the radio sermons I earlier spoke of, the so-called prophets dictated their bank account details to the audience. They ask listeners to bring out N2000 as convenant money, lay hands on it and ask the creator to fufil whatever convenant they make with him when they pay the money into the said bank account. In some cases, listeners are asked to pay money into other special accounts for business doors to be opened for them on that day. They are to symbolically hold the doors of their sitting rooms and open them wide as the priest, on radio, is shouting on  the Almighty Creator to open the doors of business to His complying children that day. There is more to say which space does not permit today of this cash and carry and beggarly christianity which an inwardly well spent Christmas season should strenghten an upward striving Christian to turn away from and do away with.

  • Five reasons why Christians celebrate Christmas

    Five reasons why Christians celebrate Christmas

    The Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, Bishop Mike Otunyo has urged Nigerians to utilise the opportunity provided by the Christmas celebration to renew their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by showing love to fellow citizens.

    Bishop Otunyo, who is the General Overseer of Alive for Life Gospel Church, Jesse, Delta State, said Christmas is a season of love, as epitomized by the love of the Almighty who sent His Son, Jesus to bring enlightenment to humanity by showing them the way to overcome the shackles of the darkness.

    In an address he delivered at his church headquarters in Jesse, Delta State, Otunyo said the celebration of Christmas is not meant for everyone, because as unbelievers some people have naturally excluded themselves.

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    Those who fall within this category, he said, “are idol worshipers, such as Igbe and Olokun who do not believe in Jesus Christ”. He added: “Even if they celebrate Christmas, they celebrate it in the wrong way, and not in the manner prescribed by the Lord, Jesus.”

    He said those who celebrate Christmas but are still living in sin are doing so in error. “Such persons need to know Christ and they need to seek the assistance of prophets or men of God for deliverance,” he added.

  • The Smile Initiative fetes 30 widows at Christmas

    The Smile Initiative fetes 30 widows at Christmas

    “I am grateful for this kind gesture done to me and my children to celebrate this year’s Christmas season. I and my children have been abandoned by my husband’s family for years and celebrating precious moments such as Christmas with little or nothing has been of great concern. This gesture has made our Christmas a memorable one for us.”

    A widow, Mrs. Abosede Omodenriwa said this in an interview with The Nation recently as The Smile Initiative through Widow’s Might reached out to 30 widows in Abaraje, Lagos with food items, clothing, money, and plaiting of their hair for free as support for the Christmas celebration.

    The event also featured enlightenment sessions and special prayers for the widows and their families.

    Omodenriwa, a retired civil servant, whose husband died six years ago, said that since her husband’s demise, things have not been easy for her and the children. We are just managing; I am impressed at this show of support to us as it means a lot to my family at this time.

    Speaking at the event, the Founder of The Smile Initiative, Ameachi Ifeoma, said that the gesture was intended to put smiles on the faces of the widows.

    She said that the initiatives were put together to help lighten the burdens and pressures Widows face around this Yuletide season.

    “Helping widows is very important because being a widow is the hardest thing that can happen to a woman especially when she has children and there are no support systems. Widowhood in most cases leads to mental and emotional stress that is why it is important to step in to help them in any way possible” she said.

    Ifeoma, who restated the commitment of the organisation which is to enliven the plight of the poor and vulnerable people in our society, said that the initiative is also providing educational scholarships to the children of the widows and grants to 30 widows for them to expand their businesses.

    In her speech, the Founder of the CBA Foundation, Mrs. Chinwe Bode-Akinwande challenged the widows to be resourceful and skillful in whatever they do as widowhood is just a happening and not a dead sentence, they have their lives to live.

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    Bode-Akinwande lamented the growing rate of widows who are going down with hypertension and stroke, said: “The world is not coming to an end because you are a widow, you must choose to be happy and take care of yourself and your health because of your children”.

    She implored the widows to learn to save and multiply what they are doing. Don’t be afraid of tomorrow, deal with the challenges of today, adding that they should cultivate the habit of prayer as God is the husband of the widows and he hears when they call on him.

    On her part, the Founder, of The Widow’s Might, Regina Chris-Ogbodo, who was elated at the intervention provided by The Smile Initiative, said that the intervention has helped to enliven the widows and given them so much hope during this yuletide season.

  • So much for Christmas

    So much for Christmas

    By Valentine Obienyem

    The truth is that nobody knows for sure the exact day that Jesus Christ was born.  The choice of December 25 is symbolic.  Pope Julius I chose that day in the 4th century as a subtle way of blighting pagan celebration of Saturnalia in the bud.  This has been a consistent feature of Christianity and the logic is simple: by superimposing Christian celebrations on pagan own, especially in the infancy of Christianity, the influence of paganism waned.  Even till now, most churches are built in forests that were considered as belonging to evil spirits.  This is a proven evangelism tool, and this is the same logic by which Christmas came to overshadow the pagan saturnalia

    A yearly ritual, it has come to be associated with fanfare of the Epicurean dimension.  People now look longingly to its coming.  Because of its very nature, it is only a few that even know that Easter is considered as more profound and by far more significant than Christmas.

    One of the things that make Christmas popular is the fact that it takes place towards the end of the year, an ideal time for stock-staking, to determine how one has fared for the year.  The fact that it is usually a public holiday has contributed to its popularity.

    By third week to Christmas, its preparations are usually at a crescendo.  Traffic all over the country becomes heavy because of so many people travelling home for the celebration.  It is a month of joy, a month of sharing and a month of introspection.  It is a month that is particularly gratifying to our parents/relations in the villages, whose food stores will be replenished.  It is also a month with a fair share of troubles and tribulations.  We have actually seen people who committed suicide because they felt they were denied what it takes to celebrate a worthy Christmas.  See these people’s reactions whenever Christmas approaches.  Some will roll while others will wail on the ground.  Their tales are usually that of a year bent on frustrating them and their efforts.  As a way of keeping themselves out of circulation, against popular tide, they will decide not to travel home for Christmas, until, perhaps, the economy improves.

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    Honestly, Christmas drives a lot of people out of their wits.  It may sound incredible, but it is true that some people’s ideas about Christmas end with a great celebration, where people go and show of.  The people that think thus are those that will take all the money they have or even borrow from friends to buy cars for Christmas.  They do not end at this.  They also spend their last money in buying expensive cloths; jewels and other ornaments.  This is the epicurean dimension earlier talked about.

    To some women, Christmas is a time of dressing competition.  There are many social occasions lined up; each has its own dress.  Women at this time are usually moving showcases of their husbands’ prosperity.  Even though Christmas is for festivity and is longed for, some women actually decline travelling on the reason that they are not prepared.  Preparations in this case have to do with being unable to procure enough cloths to terrorise other women.

    Youngsters are not left out. Those in the flower of their maturity, in whom the light of puberty has just been lit, often have in mind to travel and announce to everybody that they have come of age.  They dress in inconceivable manners that will drive beholders eyes all the more to wantonness. They will, however, discover that even those in the villages dress likewise.  In their inexperience, they strive to be the talk of the town.  Some of them, the grown up ones, who have come of age to marry are made to travel home for Christmas – the possibility of catching the prancing eyes of some eligible bachelors.

    Christmas, in its very conception, is supposed to be a positive feast/celebration, but like everything else, it has been corrupted.  Wait till January, after the effects of Christmas festivities wear down, you will hear the tales of people suffering from one outrageous disease or the other.  Some of these diseases are only metaphysically explicable.  Also, by January, most of the housemaid that travelled for Christmas will be sent back to their homes.  Tongues will wag; people will guess why the sudden “repatriation” until their tummies start to bulge in four/five months’ time.   So much for Christmas!

    Frankly, Christmas is supposed to be a joyful season.  Is it?  It is a temptation-filled season instead.  Come to think about the antics of the boys who are undergoing apprenticeship in different places (umuboyi). From January to December, these people will start saving monies they pilfer from their masters.  By December they will have a few thousands.  Guess what?  They will spend it in such a vulgar manner as if they were going to die the next day.  They drink, they spray, they give to girls, they go to parties, and they indulge in other vices common to their ages.  After seeing such indulgence, some boys of their age will think that all is now well with them.  In their delusions, they will announce defiantly their intentions to stop schooling and take to trading.  They do this without realizing that most of those boys actually live like slaves under the tutelages of their masters.  So much for Christmas!

    Christmas lasts for a few days, but its disturbing memories linger on.  At Christmas people make friends.  Adolescents meet each other, go to functions together, attend night masses together, and get infatuated with one another.  Very soon they go back to their respective schools.  The first few months of getting back to schools are usually characterized by tension between studies and the 6th commandment.  You will see students who cannot hold the definitions of subjects that have been taught many times retaining the pictures of the fair forms they have seen but once.  In attempting to read, they will, rather than see the letters they are reading, be confronted with the images of those fair forms.  So much for Christmas!

    Christmas is also a period that brings out the true images of some of us.  Look at what our church founders do in this season.  It has become a season of crusades, with pastors advertising for people to come for miracles, prosperity, signs and wonders.  Preaching at this time is usually tailored to remind people who have made it to come and thank the Lord with their tithes.  They also remind those who have not made it to come and draw spiritual strength to enable them make it the next year.  They all clothe material demands in scriptural quotations.

    Christmas is a feast which very conception is noble and spiritually enriching.  The fact now is that different forces, which are struggling over its soul, have hijacked it.  It is supposed to be a season of joy and peace.  It is inconceivable that some people in an attempt to enjoy it do grievous harm to themselves.  Some spend recklessly only to turn round and look for where to get money to pay the children’s school fees.  A lot of things are wrong about our own conception of how Christmas is celebrated.  It is yet another season that tests our maturity and calls for circumspection.