The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cleric

  • Cleric charges the rich over less-privileged

    The founder and General Overseer of Living Spring Church, Pastor Femi Emmanuel has appealed to well-meaning individuals to always show concern to the well-being of the less privileged and needy who are in their larger numbers in the society. He made the appeal while giving his word of exhortation at the launching of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) initiated and named after the wife of a popular gospel singer, Yinka Ayefele, christened Temitope Titilope Ayefele Foundation (TTAF).

    The event held at Music House Hall of Fresh FM radio station, located along Ibadan-Lagos expressway, Challenge, Ibadan. According to the cleric, no mortal will be remembered for the number of cars, houses, children or wives he has but rather, by the number of lives he has impacted positively, citing the examples of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, late MKO Abiola, Gani Fawehinmi and Nelson Mandela who are being remembered because of an impactful lives they had lived.

    In her remark at the occasion, wife of the former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Oluwakemi Alao-Akala, described the launching of the foundation as a welcome development which should be embraced and given maximum support by all and sundry bearing in mind the level of hunger and poverty across the country. Yinka Ayefele, husband of the convener, stressed the need for the well-to-do to always put smiles on the faces of the needy at all times as this is the only way they would be remembered when they are no more.

    Earlier In her welcome address, the convener, TTAF, Temitope Ayefele, disclosed that the vision of the foundation is to cater for the less privileged, the needy, physically challenged and the indigent in the society. She added that the foundation will move around different states in the country with the sole aim of helping the people who are in need in order to make the society better.

  • Our challenges surmountable, says cleric

    The socio-economic challenges facing the nation can be better handled with patience and prayer, Sheikh Al-Adabiy Adakeje has said.

    Sheikh Adakeje urged Nigerians to demonstrate increased faith and persevere.

    He spoke at the 2018 Lailatul Qadr of the League of Imams and Alfas in Ifo local Government Area of Ogun State.

    While applauding the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun for its good works, Sheikh Adakeje pleaded for more attention to Ifo town and environs.

    The host and Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo said peace, progress and prayer are the hallmarks of the true development.

    Oluomo implored the people of Ifo irrespective of religious leaning to keep faith with the current administration.

  • Cleric commends Ambode

    Founder and general overseer Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Warrior for Christ Mission, Prophet Dr. Solomon Ajao, (JP), has commended Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his impressive performance during his first three years in the office.

    Speaking against the backdrop of the anniversary service, Ambode attended in the chapel at Alausa secretariat on Sunday, Ajao urged Ambode to continue worshipping God regularly and getting close to his maker for direction continually.

    Commenting on his performance, the prophet said Lagosians should support Ambode to continue his good works in the state by giving him a second term.

    He said: “Look at developments going on at Berger, Agege and Abule Egba among others. See how he has transformed Lagos state and you will not deny the fact that his performance is enough to earn him a second term ticket.”

    He advised the Lagos state governor to continue to work hard in the area of security stressing that hoodlums have continue to harass law – abiding citizens who are doing their lawful businesses.

    Ajao said some criminals have made the railway line area in Fagba, Agbado – Ijaye council area their haven terrorising citizens and breaking into churches to steal phones and other valuables belongings to parishioners.

    He commended the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at Oko Oba, Red House and Iju – Ishaga divisions because their men were usually parading the black spot along the railway line.

     

  • 2019 election: Cleric counsels youth against political thuggery

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, a non-governmental organisation, Humanitarian Voluntary Association for Community Development (HUVACOD), has advised Nigerian youths not to allow themselves to be used as weapons in the hands of politicians.  Speaking at a lecture put together by HUVACOD in Lagos on Friday, the guest speaker Dr AbdulHakeem Lateef, who is the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, enjoined youths to be agents of good change while giving support to constituted authority.

    Delivering his talk on the theme, ‘Politics and Islam’, to commemorate the Ramadam period, Lateef noted that youths have a role to play towards establishing good governance and leadership. “I want to enjoin all to support the leadership of the day because leaders are made only by God and come 2019, come out and participate fully in the electioneering process not as thugs but as peaceful change agents.

    “We see the youth as leaders of tomorrow, hence the reason this organisation always targets them in our programmes. They are an integral part of governance at all levels. Before the 2015 general elections, we organised a similar forum, where youths were taught how to be a part of excellent electoral conduct devoid of violence and malpractices,” Kareem added.

    The well-attended programme had in attendance representatives of Surulere LG chairman, Hon. Tajudeen Ajide, House Leader, House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, and Lagos House of Assembly Surulere Constituency 1 rep, Hon. Desmond Eliot, market leaders, religions leaders and prominent politicians in Surulere. The organisation organises voluntary work camp, environmental management, youth volunteer corps training, community development, traffic control volunteer, disaster rescue management and good governance training.

     

  • Cleric advises Muslims to seek ‘Night of Destiny’

    An Abuja-based Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Yahya Al-Yolawi, has urged Muslims to seek the “Night of Destiny” as it is hidden in one of the last 10 nights in the month of Ramadan.

    Al-Yolawi, who is also the Chief Imam of Area 10 Jumma’at Mosque, Garki, Abuja, gave the advice while delivering sermon titled “Last 10 Days of Ramadan” yesterday in Abuja.

    He explained that the last 10 days of Ramadan were special days in the life of every Muslim, adding that they were the most blessed days in the Holy month of Ramadan.

    According to him, Muhammad, the Holy Prophet of Islam used to devote himself in worship during the last 10 days of the month, hoping to be closer to Allah.

    He said the Prophet used to pray all night and used to keep his family awake for prayers, stressing that “for Muslims, the last 10 days in the month of Ramadan should be a period to perfect one’s fast and avoid anything that may break it.

    “It is a time to give more charity, settle disputes and forgive one another. It is also a time for soul searching, evaluating one’s life, supplicating, and asking for forgiveness.

    “This should be done sincerely because if Allah accepts one’s supplications, the reward is the expiration of one’s sins.

    “We must not miss this great opportunity, otherwise, we will regret it forever.”

    Al-Yolawi said witnessing the night of destiny in worship was better than 1000 months or 83 years of worship and admonished Muslims to rededicate to Allah during the days.

  • Cleric: killings should draw Christians closer to God

    Spiritual leader and International Director of the Holiness Revival Movement, Pastor Paul Rika, has encouraged Christians not to be ashamed of the suffering and persecution they are passing through provided they are committed to God.

    “Those suffering according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good,” Rika said.

    The spiritual leader was in Taraba State during the weekend, training pastors and preaching the gospel to multitudes.

    He was invited to the crisis-torn State by the United Methodist Church, for its “revival programme.”

    Rika told our correspondent: “My counsel is: make sure you suffer for doing the right thing; suffer in righteousness; suffer because of the holiness of God.

    “Don’t suffer because of crime, sin or evil because you yourself have done wickedness to others.”

    “We are emphasising transformation of life, true repentance and righteousness before God.

    “As for healings and miracles, surely, they follow us as a shadow follows a person.”

    Rika was accompanied to Taraba State by some coordinators of the Holiness Rival Movement, including Pastor Philip Dzer, who is the Coordinator of Benue state.

    On violence, Dzer said: “These are signs that the end time is here: wars, killings and the children of God being persecuted. Though, as the bible says, no one knows the exact time,” he said.

  • Cleric backs Ambode’s re-election

    The Chief Imam at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque, Alausa, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakri Raji, has called on Muslims to support the re-election of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    This, he said, will ensure continuity of achievements witnessed in the last three years.

    The cleric said Ambode has brought modernisation and infrastructural growth to Lagos.

    He spoke in Alausa at a Special Jumat Service organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs to mark the governor’s three years anniversary.

    Alhaji Raji urged civil servants to pray for continuity of peace-coexistence and religious harmony in the state.

    According to him, Ambode does not discriminate.

    “He is passionate about Lagos and cares for Lagosians; he is very responsive to their desires. These are sterling qualities of a good Muslim though our governor is a Christian. He has the qualities of a righteous Muslim. In the past three years of his administration, he has worked assiduously to develop the state. Ambode deserves a second term,” he said

    He said Ambode should be commended for ensuring security in the state.

    “The governor’s prompt actions to stamp out Badoo cults and kidnappers when they threaten the state with their devilish and dastardly acts are commendable. He should be supported for bringing development to the grassroots and impacting positively in the lives of ordinary Lagosians,” he said.

    Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would not relent to transform Lagos to a Smart City that would be the pride of all Africans.

    Lagosians, he said, should continue to keep fate with the governor as he (Ambode) would always implement programmes and projects to keep the state in the forefront of development.

  • Cleric tasks govt on moral instruction in schools

    The Senior Pastor of Praise Arena, Pastor Jummy Adetoyese-Olagunju, has appealed to relevant authorities to reintroduce moral instruction as a main subject in the educational curriculum.

    He challenged them to set up programmes that would help in celebrating honesty, faithfulness and patriotism among youths across the nation.

    Adetoyese-Olagunju spoke at the 2018 couple’s dinner of the church in Lagos.

    He warned Nigeria would only be building learned but unpatriotic and inhuman monsters if moral instruction is not reintroduced into the educational curriculum.

    He noted that there are more educated people in positions of authority across the country but recent statistics shows that Nigeria is still high up in the global corruption index.

    According to him: “We need to reintroduce moral instruction as main subject that will teach leadership, selfless service, patriotism, respect for rule of law and compulsory community service which would prepare today’s children to become selfless leaders who will serve the Nation with love of the people in mind.”

    He added that corruption will be nipped in the bud when honest and transparent lifestyle are celebrated and rewarded in schools across the country.

    He lamented that many youths join cultism and engage in nefarious activities because they are disillusioned with the system that does not have reward for honesty and faithfulness as corrupt people keep getting accolades for all the wrong reasons.

    The cleric recalled in his childhood days, a jingle was run on radio to exemplify and instill patriotism among young people, adding Nigeria needs to set up monuments and pillars to celebrate good people, especially the youths making positive changes in our society.

    He said: “I read recently about the child of one of the richest men in Canada, who was happy picking up trash in a Recreational Park and helping to wash clothes in old people’s home under the community service developed as part of the curriculum in High Schools.

    “These acts of love and selfless service would instill good leadership character in the child as he grows up,” he stressed.

  • Cleric canvasses peaceful co-existence

    The Bishop of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Lagos Mainland Diocese, Rt Rev. (Dr) Ayo Olawuyi, has encouraged Nigerians to live harmoniously with one another in the country.

    He stated this in Lagos last week during the Diocese’s 24th Annual Synod.

    Speaking on the theme of the synod Strive for peace and holiness, the cleric urged Nigerians to strive for peaceful co-existence because it guarantees unity and progress.

    Olawuyi reiterated that theme for the synod is timely, looking at the insurgence in the north east, the rampaging killer herdsmen, kidnapping and even corruption that has been a monster in the nation.

    He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the blame game and swing into action on insecurity and blood-letting that had almost turned Nigeria to a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

    The Bishop tasked Nigerians to defend themselves with the words of God, intelligence and Constitution against aggressors.

     

  • Cleric tasks leaders on unity

    AS the general elections draw near, the General Overseer, Love of Christ (LOC) Generation Church, United Kingdom, Reverend Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi, has urged political, traditional and religious leaders to shun statements and actions that have the tendency of causing division and disaffection among Nigerians.

    The Reverend Mother, who is also the founder of Esther Ajayi Foundation, made this charge at a briefing in the Presidential Suite of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    With the mind of uniting Christians across the world, the church is set to host this year’s edition of its yearly convention tagged “Celebrate The Comforter 2018”. She announced that this year’s event will be held at the United Palace, Broadway, New York, United States of America on Saturday, July 28, 2018 with herself and other anointed preachers on hand to minister.

    “Nigeria is God’s own country. Nobody will destroy our land. Ignorance is one of the most painful things in the world; lack of understanding is why we are having religious crisis. As a church, we have always preached humility before honour. Leaders, both religious and political, should cultivate the spirit of tolerance, and abhor those things that tend to cause disharmony, division and disaffection. They should seek humility, integrity and morality: service should come before honour,” she said.

    While urging religious leaders to preach more about moral and values, and less about prosperity, she noted that with the right values, the youths, who are the future, will grow up to cherish excellence over mediocrity.

    Furthermore, she urged Nigerian youths to shun illegal migration, noting that there were so many opportunities in Nigeria that could be positively harnessed.

    It is for this reason that the General Overseer pledged to use the opportunity of the convention in New York to celebrate youths that have excelled in their academic pursuit, while urging religious leaders to do same in their various churches as a means of encouraging the youths.

    She noted that the annual fiesta is principally tailored towards evangelism, freeing people from the shackles of poverty, winning more souls for Christ and celebrating the wonders of God, adding that of more importance is the fundamental objective of the meet, which is to bring Celestial and Cherubim and Seraphim churches together in a bid to change misconceptions about ‘white garment churches’ and their modus operandi.

    “The fundamental objective of the Comforter 2018 is to bring the Celestial and Cherubim and Seraphim churches together, and to tell the world that we believe solemnly in the Word of God, and have a unity of purpose,” she said.

    Reminiscing on the previous edition of 2017 tagged ‘Celebrating the Comforter’ with the theme ‘Unity in the Holy Spirit’ held at the Excel, London, which recorded ‘huge success’, Rev. Mother noted that the 2018 edition will sure surpass it in both content and achievement as ‘God is set to give His people double portion of anointing that will release them from the bondage of captivity and the kingdom of darkness’.

    Rev. Mother Ajayi was flanked at the briefing by her loving husband, Rev Ademuyiwa Ajayi, and her daughter, who doubles as her Personal Assistant, Olawunmi Ajayi.

    She noted that the Esther Ajayi Foundation has made amazing impact since inception, even as the seven persons empowered during the Ovation Carol of December 2017 are doing very well, and even empowering others. However, she modestly stressed that:

    “Our joy is not only about the amazing impact… but seeing it become so successful that those we have empowered have themselves started touching other lives positively.”

    She reiterated the desire of the Foundation in considering the Libya returnees, first, as a multi-purpose facility being constructed in Odogbolu, Ogun State for teaching of vocational, courses is almost ready. She praised the likes of Ovation CEO, Bashorun Dele Momodu,  and the founder, Focus on Disability Foundation, Mr Abiodun Paseda, for their support of her philanthropic efforts.

    In continuation of her trips towards affecting lives, Reverend Mother Ajayi, who declared that of the proposed one million lives to be touched this year, over 600, 000 has been affected so far even as the year is still young, will soon be in Turkey to visit Refugee camps and get a first-hand knowledge of their experience with a view to lend a helping hand.