The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cleric

  • Cleric unveils new bible device

    Bible Technology, a new device for understanding life issues and confronting challenges, has been unveiled in Lagos.

    The designer, Apostle Toyin Praise, said the innovation is a

    mechanical device, which offers insights into biblical secrets.

    Praise told reporters in Lagos that the device will assist the new generation of Christians and political leaders with insights for their assignments.

    He defined Bible Technology as the “overt use of a higher or deeper understanding of the word of God.”

    Explaining the technicalities of the device, Praise, who is President of the Branch Ministry International, an Apostolic Outreach Ministry in Lagos said it consists of seven pillars, three of which can solve any problem under the sun.

    Mentioning the three pillars as Gate, Set and Cast, Praise said gate represents ordering of events from the spiritual realm to the physical.

    Gate, according to him, talks about access and barrier. “Anything that constitutes a hindrance, a barrier or an impediment to success or progress in the life of a man or a nation is gate.”

    Set, he explained, is the discovery of barriers

    and how they could be removed.

    Cast, he said, is demystification of all that God has hid away from the world.

    He assured that those who use the new device will receive solutions to long-standing problems in all facets of life.

  • Cleric seeks action on campaign promises

    Cleric seeks action on campaign promises

    How that you have won, you will do well to fulfil commitments made to your constituents.

    That was the message of the Bishop of Aba Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Christian C. Ugwuzor to politicians who won election into various positions in the country.

    Ugwuzor stated this at St. Michael’s Anglican Cathedral Church, Aba, Abia State where the member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Rtn. Ossy Prestige was in attendance.

    The Bishop noted that some politicians make certain promises to the electorate while seeking their votes, but abandon them soon after winning the election.

    The cleric added that some of the politicians go as far as diverting money meant for the public into their private accounts.

    He described Hon. Prestige, though, as one that has showed exemplary leadership and quality representation and one who is willing to affect the lives of his constituents positively, promising that the church would never relent in its prayers for Prestige and leaders in constituted authority.

    Prestige said that he was in the church to present himself before God on a day that coincided with his birthday and also thank the church for their prayers and support during the 2015 general election.

    Prestige used the opportunity to reiterate his campaign promises of touching the lives of his constituents positively and ensuring that they enjoyed quality representation during his time as the lawmaker representing the zone.

  • Cleric makes u-turn from divorcing fourth wife

    Cleric makes u-turn from divorcing fourth wife

    A 65-year-old Islamic cleric, Ibrahim Yusuf, who sought dissolution of his marriage to his fourth wife, Bolanle, on Thursday in Alimosho Customary Court in Lagos made a u-turn.

    Yusuf told the court that he was still in love with Bolanle, adding that he had forgiven her of her bad behaviours and ready to continue the marriage.

    “I don’t want to divorce my wife again, I still love her and she has promised to turn a new leaf,’’ he said.

    The court President, Alhaja S.O Mumuni, therefore, ordered the petitioner to write a letter of withdrawal and adjourned the case to Feb.10.

    Yusuf had pleaded with the court to dissolve his 27-year- old marriage to Bolanle for alleged battery of his new wife.

    The petitioner said that Bolanle with whom he had two children, had turned his new wife into a punching bag.

    “Bolanle did not allow my new wife to have peace in the house as she was always fighting and beating her at will,’’ he said.

    He described Bolanle as a troublesome woman, adding that respondent always fight him and in the process tore his clothes to pieces.

    “My wife is a good fighter; she fights me regularly and always makes sure that she tears my clothes into rags before leaving me,’’ Yusuf said.

    The cleric said that he married another wife because his fourth wife had stopped washing his clothes for more than seven years.

    “I married another woman because my fourth wife refused to wash my clothes and my other wives cannot wash them because it is the duty of the youngest wife to wash my clothes.’’

    Yusuf said he stopped eating foods prepared by Bolanle because he was afraid she might poison him through such process.

    “My wife always tells me that if she knew that I was going to marry another wife after her, she would have destroyed my life.

    “So, due to her statement, I stopped eating her food because I don’t want to die now,’’ he said.

    Also, Bolanle, 56, a trader, admitted beating her husband’s youngest wife.

    Bolanle told the court, “she looked for my trouble, when I came to the house to see my husband in respect of my children’s welfare, his wife started raining curses and abuses on me.

    “ So, I descended on her because I am not her mate,’’ she said.

    The mother of two, who pleaded that the court should not grant her husband’s wish, said that her husband begged her to marry him.

    “He swore with the holy Quran that he would not marry another woman; he promised me then that I would be his last wife.

    “I did not want to marry him because he already had three wives then. I later agreed to marry him when he swore with the Quran, but he failed to fulfill his vow,’’ Bolanle said.

  • Cleric adivses Fashola

    Power, Works and Housing Minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola has been urged to be wary of the people he engages in transactions in his bid to transform the country’s power situation.

    The General Overseer of Hour of Mercy Prayer Ministry, Prophet Moses Muyideen Kasali, said this was necessary to ensure that the hangers-on bidding to corner all transactions in the sector and consequently compound the power situation for their selfish gains were not allowed into the system again to dash the hopes of the citizens.

    Kasali, who spoke at the grand finale of the 9th Annual Convention of the church, with the theme, “But the Fruit of the Spirit is…” at Ori Oke Alaseyori, Moniya Ibadan Oyo State, said: “Fashola should ask for the spirit of wisdom to be successful. With prayers, the vultures will have no place in the ministry again”.

    The cleric said the minister needed prayers to be able to replicate the transformation that he brought about in Lagos State in the ministry so that he would continue to be in the good books of Nigerians.

    Kasali, who said divine intervention was necessary to avert calamities, urged Nigerians to pray individually and collectively against partaking in the cries and pains, especially widespread inferno, which might occur in the year.

    The cleric, who predicted that “there would be a lot of political storm this year”, also sought prayers to stave off the abduction of a prominent Nigerian leader and political office holder to prevent a situation which would shake the country and create a lot of tension.

    Kasali, who advised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid moves capable of breaking the party into factions, sought prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari to be able to achieve his mission for the country.

    “President Buhari has good plans for Nigeria. This is shown in his seven-point agenda. But he needs a lot of prayers to deliver. As things are, Nigerians should pray for the manifestation of God’s plan for the country,” he said.

    Highpoint of the event was the investiture of the Kasali; Pastor Jacob Gbolawo Adekanye; six pastors; seven evangelists; six deacons; four deaconesses and 200 disciples.

    The Provost of Trinity International Theological Seminary, Ado-Ekiti, Bishop Joseph Odu, who presided over the investiture, enjoined them to see it as yet another opportunity to step up in their service to God and humanity.

    No fewer than 500 people with various ailments were treated while over 400 were tested and given eye-glasses under the free medical services at the convention clinic in addition to screenings for HIV/AIDS.

  • Cleric donates food items to IDPs

    Cleric donates food items to IDPs

    It was another joyous moment at the internally-displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Abuja when Word and Spirit Assembly Church donated food items and other relief materials to them.

    The church, which has its headquarters in Lagos, visited the camp in Karamajiji to present the gifts which included bags of rice, gallons of groundnut oil, yams and cloths, among other items. The members were led by Senior Pastor Chris Ekeh.

    Speaking at the event, Pastor Ekeh said: “The gesture was our way of giving back to the society.”

    Pastor Ekeh urged Nigerians to shun religious sentiments, saying there was need for Nigerians to treasure the lives of fellow humankind.

    He also called on government, organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to assist the IDPs who were forcibly driven out of their ancestral homes by insurgents in the Northeast.

    While receiving the gifts, the representative of the IDPs and Secretary to the Emir, Mohammed Dantali, commen-ded Pastor Ekeh and his church for the gesture, saying the IDPs need permanent accommo-dations, electricity, market place and schools for their children.

  • Cleric predicts national restoration in 2016

    God is ready to restore the nation’s lost glories in 2016, the general overseer of Christ Salvation Christian Center (Aka Son Of Jehovah Outreach) Lagos, Prophet Adesoji Abegunde, has declared.

    Speaking to reporters in the Ikorodu headquarters of the church, Abegunde said though restoration needs gradual process, it will happen this year if Nigerians give God a chance.

    According to him: “God revealed to me Nigerians should start rejoicing because 2016 is going to be a year of great restoration.

    “Although restoration is a gradual thing but I see that the government of President Buhari is going to do better for Nigerians if they can be patient to allow him gather all that have been scattered and put together all that spoilers have destroyed in this nation.”

    The former vice chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kosofe council stated that if Buhari refuses to tackle corruption that has become a national monster, Nigeria can never progress.”

    He encouraged Buhari to be strong in his bid to rid Nigeria of corruption, pointing that that he will excel though such stance will naturally create challenges for him.

    Abegunde added: “God revealed to me that between 2016 and 2017, the President’s seat will be shaken. People will attack his government but those who plan the attack would be exposed.”

  • Cleric urges churches to provide affordable education

    The General Overseer of Omega Power Ministry (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, has urged churches to set up training ventures that are affordable and can ease social and economic problems of the society.

    The cleric criticised churches that established academic and other training institutions and made them unaffordable for the poor, describing the practice as a contradiction of the tenets of Christianity.

    Chinyere spoke when he inaugurated the second phase of the renovation of 12-classroom block, computer centre with Internet facilities and Corpers’ House at Ikwuorie Comprehensive Secondary School, Abia State.

    Apart from giving to the school, he said the ministry has a number of other ventures that have improved the social status of many people in Port Harcourt, its base, and Abia.  For instance, he said about 6,000 people have benefited from the Free School Graduates Scheme in Oil and Gas run by the ministry in Port Harcourt since it started four years ago.

    He said the beneficiaries who were trained at a pilot centre located at Circular Road, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, have since set up their own oil and gas businesses while several others have also secured employment with reputable firms.

    Chinyere also said the beneficiaries of the oil and gas training cut across religious denominations with a good number of them being Muslims.

    He said the OPM has also provided free computer and driving trainings and runs free Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools in both states, which are all funded by the OPM Foundation.

    Attributing the ministry’s success to obedience to God’s commandment, he urged other church leaders to provide similar services for the society, saying the church was established on earth for such purpose.

    “The underlining truth is that each time we do these, God blesses our members immensely. As God blesses them, they in turn give offerings and pay their tithes. It becomes possible to execute these free training schemes while also reaching out to the poor and needy in our churches and the larger society,” he said.

    Chinyere urged the pupils of Ikwuorie Comprehensive Secondary School to make good use of the donated facilities and protect them from vandalism.

    The Principal of Ikwuorie Comprehensive Secondary School, Dr Sophie Nnadozie, praised the OPM leader for transforming the once abandoned classroom block into a model one.

    “Any investment in education is a rightly placed priority which will affect generations yet unborn. Posterity will uphold the indelible foot prints of this our magnanimous son,” she said.

  • Cleric cautions against frivolous spending

    The President of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide, Pastor Abraham Akinosun, has urged the Federal Government to cut frivolous spendings.

      He said this would mitigate the effect of falling petroleum prices in the international market.

     The cleric spoke yesterday during the dedication of the church’s complex and auditorium at its General Secretariat, Anlugbua, Basorun, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

     Pastor Akinosun said the predictions on the economic horizon for Nigeria in 2016 were not encouraging because of falling petroleum prices.

    He added that the country can survive and emerge stronger economically, if the executive, legislative and the judicial arms cut frivolous spendings and make frugality their watchword.

     The cleric recommended that the Federal Government should intensify its fight against graft and improve the tax system by ensuring the rich pay rates commensurate with their legitimate earnings.

     Pastor Akinosun maintained that the country should utilise its abundant petroleum resources to generate electricity, ensure self sufficiency in local refining and stop swapping crude for refined products.

     He extolled the virtue of the first President of the Church, Pastor Isaac Babalola Akinyele, who provided the land on which the secretariat complex was built.

  • Cleric donates food items to IDPs

    Cleric donates food items to IDPs

    It was another joyous moment at the internally-displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Abuja when Word and Spirit Assembly Church donated food items and other relief materials to them.

    The church, which has its headquarters in Lagos, visited the camp in Karamajiji to present the gifts which included bags of rice, gallons of groundnut oil, yams and cloths, among other items. The members were led by Senior Pastor Chris Ekeh.

    Speaking at the event, Pastor Ekeh said: “The gesture was our way of giving back to the society.”

    Pastor Ekeh urged Nigerians to shun religious sentiments, saying there was need for Nigerians to treasure the lives of fellow humankind.

    He also called on government, organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to assist the IDPs who were forcibly driven out of their ancestral homes by insurgents in the Northeast.

    While receiving the gifts, the representative of the IDPs and Secretary to the Emir, Mohammed Dantali, commen-ded Pastor Ekeh and his church for the gesture, saying the IDPs need permanent accommo-dations, electricity, market place and schools for their children.

  • Cleric advocates English Language lessons for Al-majiri students

    Cleric advocates English Language lessons for Al-majiri students

    An Islamic Scholar, Alhaji Miftaudeen Balogun, on Thursday advocated for English Language lessons for students in Almajiri Integrated Schools in the country.

    Balogun, the leader of Abuja Chapter of Dairat Jafariyat Fitorikat Tijaniyat Islamic organisation of Nigeria, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said that understanding English language, which was general language of communication in the classroom, was one of the major problems faced by the students.

    The cleric said that this challenge scared many students to escape from the school and return to the streets to beg for alms.

    “The school should organise extra lessons for the students, especially in English language and Mathematics.

    “The school environment should be made more convenient and conducive for learning.’’

    Balogun stressed the need for school administrators and teachers to be closer to the students and give them listening ears.

    “Adequate and updated instructional materials should be provided by the government, NGOs, philanthropists, and other stakeholders in Almajiri education.

    “Other major notable problem is the inadequacy of food given to the students.

    “However, the schools have qualified teachers who are NCE and university graduates.

    “Likewise the teachers are not only experienced but also punctual and committed to their duty.’’

    Balogun said the food supply to the school should be adequate and regular.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government established the Almajiri Integrated Schools (AIS) to curtail the menace of street begging by children and youths in the name of pursuing Qur’anic Education.