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Tag: faith

  • LOVE…The Most Excellent Way 2

    Now we know that love is a person and without knowing who love is we can not truly practice love- Love is God and God is love. Jesus made us to know that the greatest of the commandments is LOVE- love for God and love for our neighbours.  Today, we will be talking about LOVE FOR GOD. The first commandment says “You shall love the LORD your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, with ALL your mind, and with ALL your strength. To love God this way is to be totally obedient to Him. Ones love for God shows first in the acceptance and believe in His Son whom He sent to redeem us to Himself. God first showed us love by sending His Son Jesus to die for our sins and reconcile us to Himself- God has given us eternal Life and this Life is in His Son. He who has the Son has Life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have Life. Anyone who believes in Jesus have eternal Life, the one who doesn’t  believe is calling God a liar, because he doesn’t believe what God has said about His Son. Therefore, such is disobedient to God; hence he/she doesn’t love God. Your love for God shows in your obedience to God’s word. In order to have the right to be called a child of God, we must first accept and believe in God’s Son-Jesus. When this is in place then a relationship starts, Jesus begins to take us to loving God with our ALL as mentioned above- it’s a process, that no one can achieve in personal strength – God has given us Jesus to show us the WAY to Him-to loving Him, there is no other way. Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE; no one comes to the father (God) except through Him, as no one can truly love God except through Jesus.

     

    Whenever I think of a life without Jesus Christ, I find myself full of fear for such life which makes me start praying for the person to encounter Christ the way I did- the relationship gives inexpressible JOY, PEACE, HOPE, SATISFACTION. The fact remains that a life without Christ is full of struggles and emptiness- if that is you, please open your heart to Jesus and be saved so you can have the power to truly love God.

     

    If you love God you will put Him first in your life.  You will trust Him completely with your life and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.  You will choose to do His will at all times no matter how difficult it may seem. You will honour Him more than any man. Jesus told His disciples “he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me( cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also) is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will find it”.

     

    Most people are quick to declare love for God but when in certain situations of test for the love they so claim, they fail woefully. Note that your love for God will definitely be tested and this test is usually in the area of obedience to do what He says you should do; obedience to the point of death. Tell me, if you have given your life fully to follow God even unto death what else will matter, the world around can’t convince you otherwise.

     

    The test came for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to show if they truly love God. Then in Babylon, the king Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image and made a proclamation that at the sound of some musical instruments that everyone should bow down and worship his image and anyone refusing to bow will immediately be thrown into a flaming furnace. When these instruments sounded, everyone fell to the ground and worshipped the statue (including those who claim to love God). But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow and worship the image. Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury gave the command to bring these men and said to them “… if you fall down and worship the statue, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown into a flaming furnace. And what god can deliver you out of my hands then? Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”  Then, Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury and commanded that the furnace be heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And also commanded some of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.  Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who threw them into the fire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he arose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” they answered and said “True, O king.”  “Look he said, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came from the midst of the fire.  And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

    Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

    Do you serve and worship the only true God, man made god, money, or material acquisition? Your love and my love for God is tested everyday in our offices, businesses, and in our interpersonal relationships. If we trust Jesus to help us, we will be steadfast, faithful, courageous and strong like these three men, then and only then will the world see our God in us and then declare our God as sovereign like the king did- this is how to enthrone Jesus in Nigeria- by loving Him and showing it in every area of your life and living in righteousness.

    SONG/PRAYER:  

    1.  More love to Thee, O Christ,
      More love to Thee!

    Hear Thou the prayer I make
    On bended knee;
    This is my earnest plea:

    More love, O Christ, to Thee,
    More love to Thee.

    1. Once earthly joy I craved,

    Sought peace and rest;
    Now Thee alone I seek,

    Give what is best;

    This all my prayer shall be:
    More love, O Christ to Thee,
    More love to Thee.
    Text: 1John 5, John3:16, 1Corinthians13:13, Matthew22:37-40, Daniel 3.

     

  • Atiku to workers: keep faith

    Atiku to workers: keep faith

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged workers not to lose faith in President Muhammadu Buhari to surmount the odds.

    The former Vice President also proposed a fairer deal for workers in order to reduce the frequency of strikes in the country, which he regrets takes a heavy toll on the economy.

    In his May Day message, the former Vice President said despite the challenges the country and its people are facing, it will take the support of everyone working in tandem with the Buhari administration to lift the economy out of the doldrums.

    “President Buhari alone cannot turnaround the fortunes of the country. It requires everyone – elected and appointed officials, the legislature and the judiciary, the public and private sectors and ordinary Nigerians – working together in faith and commitment to bring about the desired change.”

    Atiku A noted that Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade when combined with curbing wastages and profligacy would free much-needed resources to jumpstart the economy by investing in infrastructure and high jobs yielding sectors especially agriculture as proposed by the government.

    The Turaki Adamawa said: “With dwindling revenue from oil, it has become imperative for us to bake a bigger cake that will be big enough for all partakers. To achieve this, we need to be more creative as a government and more productive as a people.”

    The former Vice President also observed that improved conditions of service for workers would help to reduce corruption and fraud among employees.

    Atiku said it is impossible to convince workers to make sacrifices while the public office holders live a life that is inconsistent with the economic realities of Nigeria.”

  • Bad faith

    •Nigerians must resist senators’ bid to amend CCB, CCT acts and ACJA 

    The senate is strangely claiming patriotic instincts in its ongoing attempt to amend the provisions of the law on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), both creations of the 1999 constitution. According to the sponsor of the bill, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP Delta), their effort is to remove the tribunal from the office of the secretary to the government of the federation. According to media reports, the bill has hurriedly scaled the second reading, even as the presiding officer of the senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, is standing trial at the tribunal.

    Furthermore, Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi APC) has also sponsored a bill to amend the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA); which has helped put to proper trial, those who have allegedly committed crimes against the Nigerian state. In this group, include Senator Saraki, and other politically exposed persons in the immediate past regime, who are standing trial or have been accused of one infraction or another. With the proposed amendment, those involved would jump at the opportunity to tame the law, which has now enforced criminal trials, instead of the seedy interlocutory applications that was the order of the day, for years.

    So we ask, in whose interest is the Nigerian senate making the furious efforts to amend the relevant laws that have brought a modicum of seriousness in holding public officials accountable? With the senate president standing trial before the tribunal, is it not self-serving and a flagrant abuse of privilege for the senate to now seek to scuttle the trial, already sanctioned by the Supreme Court, through legislative intrusion? Unless the mores guiding the senators are different, has it not occurred to them that what they are engaged in was tantamount to an act of bad faith, in the circumstance?

    Again, unless the senators are reading a different constitution, our search has not shown the claims made by the senate that the CCB and CCT are under the control of secretary to the Federal Government. Evidently, the provisions of the constitution are unequivocal about the independence of the two bodies. For instance, section 157(1) and (2) provides that the chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Bureau can only be removed by the President acting upon address supported by two-thirds majority of senate, praying that the person be so removed.

    Furthermore, by the provisions of the fifth schedule, part 1 paragraph 15(3), the chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Tribunal shall be appointed by the president in accordance with the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission. Section 17(3) also provides for security of tenure, as the chairman or a member of the tribunal can only be removed by the president upon an address supported by each House of the National Assembly.

    So, where is the provision guiding the performance of the CCB and CCT that the senate complained about? Even as the senate may lack the ability to unilaterally amend a constitutional provision for a self-serving purpose, we urge Nigerians to keep watch over this senate that has shown a single minded determination to scuttle the legitimate trial of its president.

    Unless the senate can show publicly that the proposed amendments are intended to further strengthen the ACJA, which as we earlier argued has brought some sanity to criminal trials in our country; the fear out there is that they are seeking to weaken the act, to serve very narrow interests. With the glaring bad faith so far shown by this senate with a tainted leadership now seeking to make laws to preserve that leadership, Nigerians should get ready to get the senators to account.

  • Have faith, Adeboye urges Nigerians

    Have faith, Adeboye urges Nigerians

    The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has urged Nigerians to have faith in God, be prayerful and grateful.

    Pastor Adeboye spoke yesterday at the Special Prayer and Thanksgiving service for Landlords and Tenants by the RCCG, National Headquarters, Throne of Grace Parish, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

    The programme featured  prayers, song rendition, bible teaching and prophetic ministration.

    He said God owns all nations and he is the master builder and anyone who wants to enjoy His mercy and favour must have faith in him.

    His words: “Nigeria belongs to God. It is indeed a blessed nation. I have never seen a nation as blessed as Nigeria . We only need to put our faith in God to build our nation.

    “Psalm 127:1: Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

    “God is the master builder and when we let him know how much we depend on him for sustenance and be grateful with the little he has done, we will make it.

    “Our economy became awful when we forgot God and brought in idols.”

    Pastor Adeboye, speaking through his Special Assistant on Personnel and Administration, Pastor Johnson Odesola, said before Festac 77, the Naira was equivalent to a dollar and “our economy was stronger and better, until we forgot God and became the laughing stock of the world”.

    “It is only what He does that can stand and if we really want God to build this nation, we must return back to Him, know Him personally and let Him occupy our national life.”

  • Easter and many unresolved questions of faith

    Last week-end was another Easter week-end, a speed breaker of sorts from bread and butter life and another of those few golden opportunities to think and talk of something more sublime. That something more sublime in this case is the Divine Mission of the Lord Jesus, Son of God, to this part of Creation called the earth. Last Friday, it reminded Christians of a black spot in that Mission which man now calls Good Friday to hide his guilt. The guilt is what we now know as the Crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross but which, actually, is a dastardly murder. The sun protested the killing by hiding its face behind the clouds. Suddenly, we are told, a sunny afternoon turned dark, like night. The earth, too, angrily quaked. And wind rushed, perhaps with the ferocity of a hurricane. To cap the anger, Mother Nature abrogated the covenant which the Jews, as the “Chosen” or master race, said they had with the Almighty Creator. If the crucifixion was a part of the Divine Mission of Jesus, why would this covenant be abrogated? It is reported that unseen hands tore to shreds the curtain which shielded the Ark of the Covenant, kept in the Holy of Holies, the most sacred area of the Temple. The fact that the Ark of Covenant was now visible to every Dick and Harry was enough proof that the covenant no longer existed. There is no big deal about a “chosen” race or people. To be chosen means to be the most spiritually mature to receive and anchor the highest message being borne down from the Heights. At the time of the Lord Jesus, the Jews were, unarguably, the “chosen” race. They failed in the Mission to which they were a “called” race. The Germans replaced them. Before the Germans, there were the people of Isra, and the people of Ismanem.  Who, today, are the chosen people?

    Sunday reminds us of the Resurrection of Jesus. This event is still shrouded in mystery like many other aspects of His Life and Work on earth. His Disciples said His physical body rose from the dead. But the apostle Paul would have us belief the body of Jesus he encountered was not the mortal, physical body. Even the two Disciples Jesus appeared onto on the way to Emaus did not recognise the Master they knew two or three days earlier. If we believe the Christian Catechism that the risen Jesus “descended into Hell”, for whatever reason, with what body would He have done so? Physical or spiritual body?  And what business Had He in Hell, anyway. From the observation of Nature, we know that substances of the same consistency cannot penetrate one another. Thus, my physical body cannot penetrate yours. If I try to hit you and my hand passes through you as though you were empty space, it means either of us is of a different consistency or make-up from the other, one finer, the other coarser or more physical. Radio waves or electromagnetic waves which bring telephone data and voice messages to our homes can penetrate the Walls to do so only because they are of a finer material consistency than the walls they penetrate. In like manner, if the Lord Jesus penetrated the walls of the Upper Chamber to re-unite with His Disciples after His Resurrection, was it the slain physical body which performed this feat orthe soul (finer) body?

    There are indications that the Disciples did not understand their Master on many counts, especially in respect of His to promise to “destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days” Thus, there are accounts that they feared He may not physically resurrect and, to hide their shame, they took the body into hiding. I often wonder about how much more interesting and illuminating these matters would have been if only we pay more than a passing interest to many teachings of Jesus, in particular for this instance, the teaching that He had not come to obstruct the law but to fulfil it. The law is not the earthly law which He thought was wrong in so far as it did not accord with the will of His father, which is the law. That law is the order in which the Almighty creator wants Creation to run or to operate. Like the Laws, God was perfect from the beginning of Time and like Him, the Law which issued from Him will remain so from eternity to eternity. A part of this law is that “dust will return to dust” and the soul which inhabited the earthly dust while on earthwould return to it maker. The earth is the home of the dust. The core of man, that is Spirit, belongs to the Spiritual world, which is paradise. Jesus is not man. His Divine core return to his source, the Father. That was why he would say, “Where I go, ye cannot come. But I will prepare a place for you….”

    Monday, 40 days after the Resurrection, reminds us of Pentecost which is riddled with confusion in the mind of man, for many people believe it was a one-off event. Yet, from knowledge on the face of the earth today, it is known among a small circle of believers in it that Pentecost occurs once a year in the early Calendar. The peak is May 29. Thus the closet semblance to this event is the human heart beat. The human heart beats about 72 times in one minute to pump blood round the body, the blood takes nutrients, exceeding oxygen, to all the 100 trillion or so cells in the adult human body and takes away for excretion all their wasteproducts and poisons. We have learned from Nature that what happens below is a microscopic image of an archetype or prototype “Above” thus, what we may liken to the archetype of the heart beats is what actually happens during Pentecost. Pentecost is when the Creator renews His power in creation for the maintenance of this gigantic work in which the human spirit is permitted the opportunity to grow, mature and exist consciously.

    Many Christians are familiar with the revelation of a Temple in the Divine World, that is the world of archangels and Angles, which lies far, far above the world of human Spirits, Paradise. This is the Temple in which 24 Elders sing Holy, Holy, Holy, God Almighty from eternity into eternity.

    Below this Temple, in the uppermost section of Paradise, is the Spiritual Semblance. In this temple, a Dove appears regularly in the equivalent of one earth year. It is the spiritually visible form of the Holy Spirit. Its presence in this Temple in Paradise informs these knights and guardians of the Temple of the renewal of this Power for Creation.

    Through tidings of these events borne down the Heights to humans who were spiritually mature enough to receive and hold them, some artist and even religious organisations may have come to recognitions of the Holy Dove. It took the loosening of his body from his soul on his dead bed for Joseph, earthly father of Jesus, to recognise Him as the coming One. Suddenly, according to the reports, the inner or ethereal eyes of Joseph opened and he beheld the Dove above Jesus and the equal-armed Cross before Him. These are Divine signs that He is the Son of God. Beside Him, only the Son of Man would bear these insignia. Among those Christians who are alive, who meticulously examine, (not just read through) Revelation 1:4-6, may those who are privileged to make the distinction between them. Irrespective of the confusion in some Biblical transmissions of the Son of Man and His Mission, Jesus gave His Disciples some hints when He said sins against Him as the Son of God and sins against His Father would be forgiven, but not those committed against the Holy Spirit. Jesus would later advise us of the coming of the comforter, the Spirit of Truth who would reprieve the world of sin and proclaim the judgment. After the departure of Jesus, the Revelation spoke of He “who was, who is and who is to come” as Jesus had proclaimed. The comforter, as I take it from these verses, is not this power which came upon the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost. That power, as already discussed, came from the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth or the Holy Spirit, for the renewal of Creation. Without this Power, Creation would be like the physical human body without the heart beat or without blood circulation. It would become devitalized, diseased, shrived or wither and pass away!

    We should now see that, just as the human heart beats is not a one-off affair or occurrence, Pentecost, too, cannot be. A small circle of human beings on earth today recognise this and still observe Pentecost every year. As stated earlier, the peak is recognised to be May 29. The power of Pentecost support regeneration on earth. For example, Nigerian, the rains come, and the greens come alive. All sort of food crops emerge again for the nurture of human body. The orange is becoming more juicy right now. Avocados pear has made its yearly appearance. Corn or maize is back in season.

    In the law of the cycle by which everything in motion in exorably returns to its stanting point to conclude its cycle, the power sent forth for the renewal of Creation must return to its starting points. It is this return of the currents of power to their starting points which give accounts of the spiritual well-being of earth-man. As reported in the Bible, so darkly had the earth become that, for the sake of a few souls beseeching God for help, the words rang out: “who will go for us, who shall we send”.And, as also reported, a voice answered”here am I. send me” because Pentecost predated the coming of Jesus to the earth, having been taking place since the beginning of Creation, He knew of the time of its occurrence and advised His Disciples to gather in the Upper Chamber. He would later ascend Homewards on the crest of the waves of this power about 40 days after His Resurrection. It is amazing how some Nigeria leaders were guided to choose May 29 as the date for the transfer of power from one government to another. The power of Pentecost can still be observed it was as in the days of Disciples, consciously or otherwise. It drives to a head the nature of every-one, good or evil, so that, in that heating up, everyone comes to judgment through his or her nature.

    Thus, the worst riots in Nigeria have happened around this time. So have the most noble deeds. As the knowledge on the face of the earth today explains it, everything that slumbers in every-one, be it love or hate, is awakened to grow from strength to strength. Watch the world this season. The findings cannot be otherwise.

    JAB-ADU

    During the observation of Pentecost with my small group of acquaintances this year, one Person I will miss is Mr. Jab Adu who was known as Basey Okon in the village headmaster of the 1970s. The Village Headmaster was a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Programme which depicted rustic life in the village. Easily it was one the popular television programme and ranked along with the likes of BAR BEACH SHOW under presenter Art ALADE. I was a University student then, and hardly thought of meeting Mr. Adu one day. As his obituary revealed last month, he was almost 20 years older than I am. Our part were to meet in the course of each person independently seeking deeper meanings to serious questions of life.

    In this quest, he became inwardly advised to vacate that stage role and, together with his wife, develop programmes with new thrusts of messages in consonance with his changing and improving understanding of life. On one occasion, he got involved with a millennium project which was to pull by the ear or the shirt collar, so to say, in alert or sleeping souls. The message was to be that the Trumpets of the world judgment which the book of revelations speaks about are not going to be musical instruments. The images of them which many Christians carry in their heads and hearts are mere allegorical renditions. In reality, these trumpets are the multiplicity, intensity and rapidity with which these events occur. Nothing is new on earth no doubt. Even the flood of all floods in the days of Noah wasn’t new when it began to build up. It is the sheer quantum, rapidity and impact which suggest that something unusual may be on the way. Mr. Jab Adu titled his projects FOOTPRINTS IN THE SANDS OF TIME. These are markers that indicate a build up to a crescendo. They may be air crashes in particular months, number of deaths from a strife at a specific period in the year or something like these. We may argue back and forth that air crashes today are more than thewere ten years ago, we can say more people are dying in them today because they are more planes and more people flying. But do we even stop to think that air travel technology has in that period so grown in such leaps and bounds that, today, fewer air crashes, if any, than occurred in the dark age of aviation safety should be occurring today? The slot Mr. Adu gave me to fill in opened my soul more to world events. By world events I do not mean events of this earth but sign post or beacon-type events in the spiritual history of humanity. That history began with the of expulsion of the human spirit kernel from Paradise,  is journey through the World of Matter, bellow Paradise, for their sojourn and maturing, the expulsion from paradise and the role of Lucifer, a beautiful Archangel, in helping them through the principle of Supporting Love to achieve this, how Lucifer fell out of the grace of God by introducing thePrinciple of Temptation instead, how Jafdah, first incarnation of John the Baptist Loving guided the first humans on earth, how Lucifer and His minions menaced humanity, how it became expedient for Jesus to come before the final judgment for earth dwellers, how after the ascension of Jesus another divine Mission was prepared (Revelation 12) that would put Lucifer in bonds and set the stage for the much talked about Millennium, how, through Lucifer, all efforts to help mankind have  been riddled with confusion, how simple concepts are no longer understood because of their distortions, how, irrespective of thesedistortions the world events move on towards their inexorable conclusion in the  World Judgment, how the Trumpets are sounding loud and clear but no one  seems to hear, listen or care about them.

    Mr. Jab Adu has done his bit to pull us by the ear or the shirt collar, and gone his way. May he awaken to joyful life on the other Side. While he was here, it was a delight for me to have a handshake from him. His shake was firm and warm, did not betrayed age, or signs that he may soon leave the flesh With thoughts such as these engaging the minds, Easter season is no time for those feast and revelry which are founded on the wrong concept that the death of Jesus was willed by God to wash all the sins of humanity away, so we can eat, drink and be merry for being covered by His Blood. Anyone who has a faint idea of what STIGMATISM and STIGMATAS are will never pray to be covered by the Blood of Jesus thus, at Easter and Christmas, I break away from bread and butter to reflect on questions of existence, improve on my understanding of them and, with the new concept define or deepened, bring about new changes in my conduct and life. May Easter afford us all the opportunities to become really BORN AGAIN………..AMEN.

  • Clerics preach faith

    The General Overseer, Deeper Life Christian Ministry (DLCM), Pastor William Kumuyi and the Bishop of Christ Holy Church aka Nation Builders, 7b Ibo Road, Aba Province III Headquarters, His Eminence Rt. Rev. Nathan Umeh have asked their parishioners to increase their faith in God.

    Kumuyi in a message at the DLCM camp ground at Flyover, on the outskirts of Aba to conclude his 5days spiritual tour in Abia State preached on the topic “God’s Miracle Working Power in your Life”.

    The cleric taking his scriptures from Mark 2 : 3-10, narrated how the faith of the man with paralysis earned him his healing and told the congregation to hold on to their faith at all times.

    “When the sick man saw that the crowd could not allow him access to Jesus, he looked up and told his friends to look up and open the roof to let him down from there.

    “His friends did as he told them and let him down through the roof and when Jesus saw his faith, Jesus said to him “Son, thy sins are forgiven you, rise up, take your bed and go home” and urged them to have the right attitude in the worship of God if they must obtain God’s blessings.

    The event featured special prayers for parishioners, DLCM and the country in general.

    In a related development, Bishop Umeh in his first homily as the Bishop of CHC Aba Superintendency and Province III after the retirement of His Eminence Rt. Rev. Aaron Eziuzor described Christians who lacked hope in God as people that are being guided by the flesh.

    The preacher who took his text from Luke chapter 5 vs 1-6 urged his parishioners not to say that “you are tired in worshipping God or doing His work(s) or maybe that you are confused because of the challenges that may come your way”, but to be patient and wait for Gods promises which shall come to pass even if it tarries.

    “God doesn’t want to hear any complaint but obedience to His word which will bring challenges in all the spheres of your lives. The reason why you see people suffering is because they lack faith in God” and added that if they (parishioners) abide my Gods words which he said was going to bring salvation and would strengthen their faith and commitment in God”.

  • Keeping faith with a legacy

    When a despot becomes too overbearing, his subjects put on masks to give him a collective piece of their minds.” – Anonymous

    The present age has witnessed the depletion of the tribe of despots in the world. Although, there are still some of them around but their number is becoming fewer each day. People have become vociferous in rejecting despotic tendencies from their leaders and it takes courage before any leader see despotism as virtue in a world whose tentacle of freedom extends each day.

    The crux of this article is to discuss some issues discussed in articles published in the journal of Law students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. One was the issues concerned the police and human rights volitions.

    It is a cliché to state that Nigerian police have a long and ugly history of brutality against the citizens. Their brutal actions, over the years, have negated the spirit of freedom and constitutional rights of the people. The slogan – policeman is your friend – is, to the ordinary people, the greatest and most heinous lie ever told by the people empowered to protect the citizens.

    If policemen know that they are friends of the people, why are they indulging in terrorising, intimidating, and with unconcealed impunity, carrying out abuses of human rights and violations of civic rule daily?

    Like an aged vice, this culture of unprovoked brutality and harassments has been integrated into the psyche of the police, making it almost unlikely for victims of their brutality to seek redress in court.

    It would appear the police are empowered to trample on human rights and harass the people at will.

    Successive governments have watched the police inflicting pain of the people without restraint. The enlightened citizenry and public commentators have also been seen to have succumbed to the impunity.

    A student, Ezenwaka Macdonald Chijioke, re-awakens the gory details of cruelty, hostility and convention of impunity of the police in an article titled: The Nigerian police force and human rights violations implication for the nigeria democratic stability, published in the journal. The article internationalised the crime of police brutality and the writer dug deep into the injustice being meted out to the people.

    His arguments were well articulated and his facts were marshaled to bring out a new dimension of human rights violation by the police.

    Another article that has a sound intellectual delivery is the one written on whether or not, the religious institutions should be taxed. This issue was courageously addressed in an article also published in the journal titled: Shall God’s money be taxed? I recommend that every student should get a copy of the journal and read.

    The law publication, which is dedicated to Barrister E.E. Egbunonu and to the memory of the late Prof. A. Amadi, is timely and it is coming at a time the youth are rising up to the task of nation-building. The journal is a good advocacy platform for human development. The exploits of the late Prof Amadi, the former Dean of Faculty of Law should be espoused by contribution of life-changing articles to the journal, which is being generously sponsored by Mr Uche Anyadiegwu.

    I must commend the journal’s Editor-in-Chief in the person of Nwaora Obiora, a final year students, who combined his excellence and brilliance to make the publication readable. The journal is, indeed, an uncommon academic feat for Law students of the UNN.

     

    Ezugwu is a Law student, UNN

  • Wema Bank’s leap of faith

    Wema Bank’s leap of faith

    Wema Bank Plc has improved its profit and customer growth despite intense competition in the industry. The regional lender, which marked its 70th anniversary on May 2, intends to reapply for a national banking licence to enable it serve its customers better. Its Group Managing Director/CEO, Segun Oloketuyi unfolded the bank’s plans at the anniversary grand ball held in Lagos last weekend, COLLINS NWEZE reports.

    For Wema Bank Plc, 70 years is a milestone worth celebrating. So, the bank saw the landmark as an opportunity to assure customers, shareholders and regulators that it is moving to greater heights.

    It’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Segun Oloketuyi said he is humbled that the mantle fell on him to steer the bank to its 70th anniversary. The bank chief also told stakeholders that the bank is taking giant steps that will move it from a regional lender to national bank.

    Oloketuyi unveiled a new logo and look of Wema Bank, which he described as “a contemporary symbol that is youthful”. He said just as the bank was committed to offering quality services to its customers in 1945 when it first started business, so it is doing today, and will continue to do. He said the new logo depicts the bank as modern, bold, good business partner and forward looking.

    Oloketuyi said the lender needs a national banking licence to enable it meet the increasing financial needs of its customers, adding that it has already secured the needed regulatory capital that will aid its comeback as a national bank.

    “We will come back as a national bank. We now have the required capital to achieve the feat,” he told guests at the grand ball anniversary.

    The bank chief reiterated that as a regional bank, the bank has been able to boost its e-payment infrastructure, and now has over 200 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) that make banking easier for its customers. He said the bank is also always willing and committed to offering its customers the best quality of services through its e-payment channels and face to face transactions.

    Oloketuyi said the bank has survived the worst of times, and attributed the feat to the great support it enjoyed from customers, shareholders and regulators. “Seventy years in the life of a man, if he looks back, he will see ups and downs. Same thing applies in the life of a bank. There have been ups and downs but we have reasons to come out and celebrate. We have gone through circles, but we are here celebrating,” he said.

    He said the bank’s first priority remains providing superior returns to its shareholders, adding that in the last few years, it has been carrying out some internal restructuring on its processes, people and technology.

    He said that Wema Bank continues to record year on year, improvement in its financial performance adding that it has improved significantly on its profitability and customer growth despite shrinking margins and intense competition.

    The bank’s Chairman, Adeyinka Asekun, praises the customers for their loyalty and commitment to the success of the lender. “It has been seventy years of building business relationships with customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. We delight in giving every customer a memorable service experience. Experience can accomplish a lot but true professionalism and exceptional service delivery will bolster customer satisfaction. At Wema Bank, we breed professionals who strive valiantly to deliver a delightful and memorable service experience,” he said.

    Former Managing Director/CEO of the bank, Tunde Lemo, who represented past CEOs attributed the survival of Wema Bank to divine mercy. He said the bank is celebrating the faithfulness of God, who has preserved it in the midst of storms. He praised the bank’s management for its visionary leadership and commitment to customers’ needs.

    Lemo, who was Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor, Operations, said the future of the bank remains bright, adding that the lender has a good brand that is widely accepted. “Wema Bank is a giant in the making. It has a bright future,” he said.

    A representative of the bank’s Founding Family, Alaba Okupe, said his family has by founding Wema Bank, contributed to the development of the Nigerian economy. He thanked the management of the bank for recognising the family at this milestone, even when it is not bound to. “When people talk about a bank, they never related it to who the founder is. God enlightened the founder of Wema Bank. The family has contributed to the development of Nigeria’s economy by founding the bank. Thank you for recognising us because you are not bound to,” he said.

     

    Banks’ groupings

    Although it obtained a regional banking licence in the wake of the regime of classification of banks by the CBN, the management of Wema Bank Plc has lined up processes to go for a national licence.

    In Nigeria, international banks require minimum capital of N100 billion under the new regulatory regime. National banks require minimum capital of N50 billion while regional banks, which can operate in only six to 12 states are required to have about N25 billion.

    Banks that got international banking licence include Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, and First Bank of Nigeria Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc.Under the national banking category are banks, which include Citibank Nigeria Limited, Ecobank Nigeria Plc, Stanbic IBTC Plc, Standard Chartered Limited, Sterling Bank Plc and Unity Bank Plc.

    Wema Bank Plc and the defunct Equitorial Trust Bank applied for a regional banking licence. The latter has since merged with Sterling Bank Plc. Other banks that were being speculated for regional licence were Societe Generale Bank Limited and Savannah Bank. The two institutions were said to be at the verge of returning back to business although nothing concrete has happened in that direction so far.

     

    Financial highlights

    Wema Bank Plc announced its full year audited results for the 12 month ended December 31, 2014 during which it declared a 58.8 per cent growth in profit before tax from N1.95 billion in 2013 to N3.09 billion in 2014.

    The bank recorded a 19 per cent growth in customer deposit volumes largely from the commercial and retail space despite the tightening government regulation on cash-reserve. Its loans and advances to customers increased by 51 per cent, as the bank was able to lend more to productive sectors of the economy. In addition, it has continued to ensure strong risk management, and this is evidenced by the level of non-performing loans ratio at 2.5 per cent.

    The bank’s total assets up 16 per cent to N382.6 billion compared to N330.9 the previous year while gross loans and advances to customers up 51 per cent to N149.3 billion against N98.6 billion previous year.

    Speaking from the bank’s headquarters in Lagos, Oloketuyi said: “It gives me great pleasure to report that Wema Bank continues to record year on year improvement in its financial performance. The bank has improved significantly on its profitability and customer growth despite shrinking margins and intense competition. This progress recorded is a result of the continued execution of our three-year growth strategy – Project LEAP.

     

    “The “New Wema Bank” that has now emerged is a stronger, more efficient, resilient and customer-focused organisation with a robust risk management and corporate governance structure. The bank has realigned its business focus to concentrate on its key area of strength – Retail Banking. We have used technology to our advantage, deploying in-branch solutions, mobile and internet banking applications and other social media tools to drive customer patronage and reduce our cost to serve.  We have continued to contain our operating expenses despite the increased inflationary environment while at the same time improving on our fee-based income lines,” the bank chief said.

    Speaking further, he said: “In this year that we turn 70 as the premier indigenous financial institution in Nigeria, we are glad to unveil a “New” Wema Bank that responds faster and better to customers’ needs whilst adapting more quickly to the ever-changing dynamics of the industry. We remain firmly committed to being the financial institution of choice in Nigeria whilst ensuring that we consistently deliver superior returns to all stakeholders”.

     

    Int’l trade, structured finance

    Wema Bank Plc has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting international trade. Oloketuyi disclosed this during a forum the lender organised on trade and structured finance for stakeholders in Lagos.

    The forum, tagged: “Supporting Businesses through renewed Trade Focus” brought together regulators, various stakeholders and regulators in the international trade business in Nigeria.

    He said the trade forum was part of efforts at sensitizing stakeholders on developments within the sector as well as brings various parties – stakeholders and regulators together to discuss issues, challenges and chart a way forward for future development and policy formulation.

    Oloketuyi  said as part of the ongoing positive transformation, Wema Bank s well poised to support businesses in the areas of trade and structured finance, adding  that in recent times, Wema Bank has attracted over $100 million line of credit dedicated to foreign trade and another $50 million in structured finance line from various institutions.

    The Deputy Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Services, Aber T Benjamin spoke on the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) scheme, which was introduced by the Nigerian Customs Service in 2013 to fast-track the clearance of cargo and reduce costs at the nation’s ports. He also introduced the new web-based trade portal of the Nigeria Customs Services to handle a customer’s end-to-end trade needs.

    Deputy Director, Trade & Exchange Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Onyinye Ahuchogu, commended Wema Bank for the strides it has made in recent years. She also spoke of the CBN’s partnership with other relevant institutions in making the international trade process simple and effective in Nigeria. One of the initiatives that came into being as a result of this partnership is the electronic form ‘M’.

     

    Recent transactions

    Wema Bank Plc recently secured a $10 million development finance loan to support the real estate sector for Shelter Afrique, a Pan-African development finance institution focused on financing affordable housing in Africa.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Oloketuyi, said the facility underscores the confidence of local and international partners in the lender’s capacity to handle such transactions.

    He said Wema Bank is deeply committed to supporting the growth of real estate and affordable housing financing in the country, by providing access to loans as well as other value-added services, including financial advisory from its expert team of corporate banking professionals.

    Oloketuyi said Wema Bank remains a premier financial institution and Nigeria’s longest surviving lender with branches spread across 125 locations, adding that the bank provides a host of corporate banking, retail banking, electronic banking, treasury and trade services to its customers.

    The Managing Director, Shelter Afrique, James Mugerma, said his organisation remained committed to providing affordable housing in Africa, stating that the partnership with the bank through the grant of this facility, is another step in the right direction. He said strong mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that the viable projects get access to this fund. He also praised the unique nature of this transaction which not only provides project funding but also includes mortgage financing.

    Other stakeholders insist that Wema Bank has all it takes to make significant progress in the coming years.

     

  • Yes, the Yoruba have kept faith

    Yes, the Yoruba have kept faith

    It is necessary in the light of my previous appeal to the Yoruba nation and especially considering the conduct and consequences of the last Presidential Election to revisit my position. In my article, I posted the popular belief that the Yoruba never picked the crumbs. I was jolted by the responses, mostly favourable which I received from across the nation, some in print media, and many more in the social media.

    My position then was, and still is, that the Yoruba as a nation has never been opportunistic; they give fair hearing to all contestants in a dispute and they apportion blame or right whichever is appropriate. The results of the last election must be a lasting lesson to many Yoruba leaders especially octogenarians, who despite their age, experience and exposure chickened out like banana fruits. These people have deceived us for a long time with their assumed posture as progressives, activists and welfarists. Up till today, some swear by Awolowo’s name. the question is why should these people fall prey to the entirement and maneuvers of mischievous politicians? Is it poverty? No, it can’t. Is it greed? Yes, it could be. Is it envy or perceived enemy within the Yoruba nation? Most probably.

    The carrots thrown up about the last Confab that the resolutions would be implemented has earned them the sticks. None of our leaders needs to be deceived that it is only the National Assembly, and at least two thirds of State Assemblies can effect any change in the constitution of the land.

    Many Yoruba leaders including this writer cautioned these people into attempting to put into the compartment the whole nation. That we, as a people, have never been known to speak with one single voice. That we inherit a culture of high integrity and diversification of views. That we never sleep in one room, all facing one direction.

    The above position was borne out vividly during the Awolowo days. Sure, Awolowo had his Ayo Fasanmis, Akin Omoboriowos, Sam Alukos but so he had his S. G. Ikokus, A. U. Umoren, he also had his J. S. Tarkas and Olawonyins who operated freely in their environment and who gave necessary advice to the leadership of their party. Hence, the Awolowo group though mainly in South/Western Nigeria also had its tentacies in the Cross Rivers that now constitute Cross-River and Rivers State. The party also was substantially represented in what is now Middle Belt Region especially Kwara, Kogi, Plateau and Benue.

    Let us admit it, the voting pattern for the various major nationalities that constitute the Nigeria nation shows the culture, the openness, the healthy diversity and civic orientation of the Yoruba people. In the elections in South/West, APC scored 2,433, 193 while the PDP made 1,821,416. In almost all of the States that constitute the zone, the two main parties achieved the minimum requirement of 25%. That is how it should be. But the story is different in the South/South, South/East and North/West in particular where some candidates scored less than 5% of the votes cast in some States. The efforts of the do-gooder leaders and self appointed Yoruba crusaders fail to measure up to civilized behaviour.

    Now looking ahead, the new Federal Administration should be inclusive. Some people have already been biting their fingers for their brazen and thoughtless mindset. A situation should be avoided by Gen. Buhari whreby a group could corner 70% of Senior Management positions in government. A recent story in one of the national dailies indicated that out of fifty top positions in the Federal setup, the Yoruba occupy only two while a particular nationality had above twenty –five. Nigeria is a country of nationalities and should be so represented in all organs of government especially at senior political and public service levels.

    Another thing which the incoming administration should have a good look at is the allocation of resources at Federal level. Presently, about 85% of the nation’s revenue go to recurrent expenditure comprising mainly salaries, wages, other benefits and overheads. In a country crying for development, this is unacceptable. In particular wages and other benefits that are now enjoyed by National Assembly men deserve public scrutiny. It appears the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has been completely incapacitated that it can no more carry out its constitutional duties. Key of these duties are:  Recommending revenue formula among the three tiers of government to the National Assembly. I am not sure this has been successfully done in the last fifteen years; this is due mainly to the impunity of the occupiers of Aso-Rock who unilaterally alter the figures and ratios recommended by the Commission. The duty of the President is to forward the recommendation to the National Assembly unaltered, but the Executive distorts them.

    One other important duty of RMAFC is to specify the numerations of political office holders and judicial officers of the country. Today nobody knows what our Senators and Members of House of Reps are earning. It is a secret that is not known even to the President. Unconfirmed reports state that a Senator earns more than twenty million naira including other benefits per month. This a atrocious to say the least as  our legislatures represent the highest paid lawmakers in the world. The new administration should roll back this national extraordinary bonanza and let the recommendations of the RMAFC stand.

    As we are now embarking on a new journey, the incoming administration should identify such projects that are of benefit to the Nigerian people and should actively pursue them. Not all aspects of our life were totally bad; some programmes after evaluation should be continued. Meanwhile, our do-gooder and false social activities should step aside for once and let this country move forward. God help new Nigeria.

     

    • Deji Fasuan writes from Ekiti State.

     

  • ‘We have lost faith in Idris’

    ‘We have lost faith in Idris’

    The four LASU teachers, Mr  Sunday Afobunor, Mr Ayodele Asokere , Dr  Rasaq Olowu and Dr Olawale Olateju, who are behind the LASU-ASUU faction, say Idris-lhas lost focus.  They are seeking the national ASUU’s intervention.

    Mr Ayodele Asokere (speaking)

    Why are you suspending the Idris-led executive?

    After a very thoughtful deliberation, we concluded that the past executives displayed gross incapability to hold the union as one leading to disunity. Therefore, an investigation panel comprising five eminent scholars has been set up to probe Idris-led executive and report back to the congress within 14 days. The entire public is hereby notified of the Idris’ suspension including his executives.  Therefore, they should cease to parade themselves as members of ASUU with immediate effect. Finally, an interim executive led by my humble self is to stepping into the union, until a properly constituted executive is put in place.

    Have you communicated your decision to management?

    There were many decisions made at the congress, and part of it was that all the decisions made be communicated to all relevant bodies, including LASU management. We have also reached out to ASUU National and the Lagos zone. We also took decisions in respect of the check-off dues and actions are being taken in accordance with the decisions made.

    You said the Idris-led executives did not carry the union along. In what areas specifically were members kept in the dark?

    Generally, apart from training, there are individual traits and there is what we call leadership style. Adekunle Idris had grossly displayed that he lacked the capability and willingness to hold his subjects together and an ability to harmonise various views as an ingredient for successful leadership. This has led to various crises and divisions that had been identified in ASUU-LASU and we thought that this trend must be arrested otherwise most, if not all of us, will lose what we have laboured for all these years.

    You claim to be on a rescue mission.  But don’t you think in trying to solve a problem, you are creating another?

    Dr Olateju Olawale (speaking)

    The entire problem started during the last strike action. We had a national strike; we had some internal problem with the students that had to do with the closure of portal. Shortly after then ASUU-LASU declared another strike action. Some of us felt that the strike was getting too much that we needed some level of stability in LASU and that was where the problem started. Some members felt whatever problems we had with the management, we should develop other means to handle them. So we said no to strike.  That was why some members were suspended because we want stability in LASU and that is what we stand for and that is what we fight for. We don’t want any more strike in LASU.

    But did you not consider the fact that ASUU-LASU was fighting the members’ cause?

    That is also why we want the leadership of ASUU to be called to order to use the right approach in channelling grievances or whatever is disturbing us. We all belong to the same ASUU; we don’t want anyone to divide us. The problem we have is not ASUU but the EXCO that is why we are putting in an interim executive until we get the right people that will guide us.

     

    Mr Ayodele Asokere

    We found out that Idris and his co-sailors have failed in their primary duty to articulate our demands. For instance, the university for over six years owes salary arrears.  Though his predecessors made several efforts, Idris did not make any efforts to get this money back. He has failed to achieve anything.

    Before Idris came on board, there had being issues on ground in respect of retirement age of our members in the professorial cadre. The age is put at 70 years so that the university can benefit maximally from them as a professor It led to agitations and strikes in 2009. Many universities in Nigeria have implemented it because there has been an agreement between ASUU National and Federal government but LASU never implemented it and Idris never thought of asking for it. Therefore, he has left the substance and now chasing shadows.

     How many members does the new ASUU now have on its side?

     

    We have about 700 members and out of this number over 200 are on various study leave. The remaining are about over 400. Check the attendance register of ASUU-LASU congresses.  Attendance is not up to that number. It is very rare to have up to 100 people in attendance in any congress.

    Many a times, we are less than 50 in congress but at our own congress, we had about 150 people which means that many of our members are of the opinion that there is an urgent need for us to take drastic action to arrest the situation in LASU.

    What we have is focus. We thought they had focus before but we discovered they don’t.

    Before Idris’ executive, we never had a division. At our congress, it was observed that we have at least three groups of ASUU-LASU. This is what we are trying to arrest; there must be no division in ASUU-LASU and that is one of our primary goals.

    But Idris-led executive said you were suspended on anti-union activities

    You have to understand the procedure of ASUU. ASUU is like a cult, if you have any information for national you have to go through ASUU-LASU chairman (Idris), and that is where the problem started from. Some of us went to class to teach against ASUU warning, which was clear. We were accused of involving ourselves in anti-union activities and the basis for doing that was that we wanted stability in the calendar of LASU and that is what we stand for.

    A panel was set up to try us, but it was biased. Actually we already knew what the outcome would be so we did not attend the panel. So we are using this opportunity to tell the public to call the attention of ASUU national. There is problem in LASU, they should come and assist us and that is why we are coming in this way.

    You have been alleged of being used by management against the union

    Management has its own problems. If management were perfect, there would be no grievances to address. LASU is not about Prof Obafunwa, or Idris.  LASU is a project and the project must survive. We are not here because Obafunwa sent us; we are not working for anybody. We don’t have any financiers; we just want a medium so that we can be heard.