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Tag: Family

  • Family government (2)

    Dear Reader,

    God instituted marriage to get a suitable help for man and that help is the woman. The woman is an ordained help for her husband. What are you to help your husband with?

    As wife, God expects you to help your husband bear the load of responsibilities he carries. The woman’s duty includes ensuring that the man does not fail, as the head of the family government. She is, in addition to submitting to her husband, a HOME MAKER.

    The home is what the woman makes it to be. She can either choose to make it a place filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit, laughter and free of tension or otherwise. The woman has the responsibility of keeping the home conducive, for the presence of God to dwell, thereby guaranteeing peace in the home.

    Peaceful homes are not wished into being. They do not drop from heaven, but are carefully and consciously cultivated into being by the parties involved in the family government. The woman is a major party to this assignment. God’s Word in Titus 2:4-5 says: That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to the husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Keeping the home requires diligence, spiritually and physically. It is energy and time-consuming, but the result speaks for itself. A lazy woman cannot keep a home. God will always supply the strength that is required.

    A woman is to keep her house spiritually by prayer and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Also she keeps it, practically by cleaning up and beautifying it. “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” they say.

    Another important aspect of being an effective homemaker in the family government, is the quality of food you feed your family with. Thank God for husbands who will help out in the kitchen, but it is your duty as a woman to feed your family well. Genesis 3:6 says: And when the woman saw that the three was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

    Unfortunately, Eve fed her husband with poison, instead of life. Woman, what are you feeding your family with? There is a popular adage that says, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Woman, your family is what they eat. If they are healthy, it can be practically traced to their eating habits.

    It is not enough to feed them sumptuously, but you need to feed them right. Are the foods they eat nutritious? Or do you give them just anything? Ecclesiastes 10:10 says: Wisdom is profitable to direct. Please secure the health of your family by feeding them with good food, especially in this day and age or processed foods, fast foods and snacks. Remember, “garbage in, garbage out”. You will not fail in Jesus’ name.

    The woman as a home-maker in the family government holds the key to family hospitality. The hospitality of a family depends largely on the woman. You can make it a point of duty to bring great joy and consolation to members of your family government. If a woman does not want a particular guest in the house, no matter how much the man tries to cover up, it will show in his wife’s reactions. The level of a man’s hospitality, is affected by the woman. So, every woman must learn how to be hospitable. Hospitality brings blessings like increases, angelic presence and honour (Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:12).

    I often encourage the women to always be hospitable, both at home and outside. One woman testified of how a visitor came to their house and did not have enough money with which to return to his station. He belonged to another branch of the church. She told him that her husband was out of town and the money he left wasn’t even enough for them.

    She, however, sold some foodstuff and gave him the money. Before the man left, he made some prophetic utterances, that God would surprise her.

    From the following week, God began to visit their home with money, materials and foodstuff like never before! Where there was previously insufficiency, became a place of abundance! Hospitality opens you up to blessings and ensures that you never lack.

    In the early days of this ministry, my husband and I had to share our home and toilet facilities with the whole church. We did it then without grumbling or complaining, knowing that it was just a phase and we would pass through it to a better phase. I believe that was one of the reasons why God blessed us with a larger place. However, caution should be exercised, before you throw open your doors to people, as there are some wolves in sheep’s clothing always trying to dupe people or perform evil. May God give you the needed wisdom in Jesus’ name.

    God is the true rewarder of the woman that is hospitable and embracing Him opens you up to His rewards. To accept Him through His Son Jesus Christ, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Family government

    Dear Reader,

    With great joy and happiness, I bring God’s Word your way today. I want you to be rest assured that God is going to visit you this month. All through this month, via the Word of God, I will be sharing with you, Family Government.

    A family is a group of people affiliated by blood or marriage. It is the nucleus of the Church and a nation. It is the fundamental social group in a society, typically consisting of a man and woman (known as husband and wife) and their offspring.

    The family can be likened to an organization involving two or more people, having certain rules controlling it. Family affairs must be directed and controlled by the individuals involved, or else there will be chaos and lack of peace.

    However, the individuals concerned have different roles and duties to carry out. Ignorance of this, is one of the reasons why most families lack success and fulfillment.

    This month, I will be teaching on the various responsibilities and duties that are to be discharged, by the individuals involved in the family government. This week, I will like to begin by discussing the responsibilities of the man.

    The man is the head and leader of the family. He can be likened to the “President” in his own family government. Ephesians 5:23 says: For the husband is the head of the wife, eve as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the Saviour of the body. As the head, you are leader. Just as most of the blessings of successful leadership are first poured on you, so also, the blame and consequence of an unsuccessful leadership, will first and foremost be suffered by you. God sees you as the overall head of the family, and will hold you responsible for anything that goes wrong in your family government.

    This is clear as accounted in Genesis 2:22, when God brought Eve to Adam. In fact, it was Adam that named his wife Eve, but he failed in discharging his duties as the head and leader of his family in Genesis 2:16. Consequently, he suffered dethronement in Genesis 2:23.

    If your family fails, it is your fault, and you are the one that God will question. It was Adam that God called upon, not Eve, not the devil, even when God knew that it was the devil that had deceived Eve! God has committed the government of your home into your hands and therefore, He holds you responsible. You will not make the mistake which Adam made, in Jesus’ name!

    One major key that guarantees successful leadership, as the head of your family, is the key of LOVE. That same scripture in Ephesians 5:25 says: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it… and verses 27-33 says: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church … Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself…

    As a woman, let me tell you one secret: no woman hates to be loved. When you demonstrate your love to your wife, you will be able to govern your house with ease. This love is demonstrated in words and actions, irrespective of the weaknesses of the other members of your family involved. Your love should provoke you to honour your wife.

    God’s Word in I Peter 3:7 says: Likewise, ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that you prayers be not hindered. Honour, in this sense, means caring for her, providing financially and materially for her. Your role as the leader is not that of being selfish, maltreating, humiliating and beating your wife.

    As a father to your children, you are responsible for their training, in conjunction with your wife. Many men push this responsibility to their wives. It is supposed to be jointly done, with you as the man playing the role of training your children to grow in the fear of the Lord, like Jonadad did in Jeremiah 35:14, 18-19. You will definitely partake of whatever your child becomes in future, whether good or bad.

    Therefore, your office as the head and leader in the family government, is not that of a ‘dictator’’ or ‘oppressor’ but that of living up to the responsibilities of loving and providing for the welfare of your family as commanded by God.

    You are the driver of the vehicle of your family. You occupy a strategic position that can influence and determine what the lives of all the other members of your family will be like. You must live up to this expectation, so that God will not regret making you the head of your home!

    God is the author of family and your efforts outside His help will be tasking, except you accept Him through His Son Jesus Christ and become born again. Being born again opens you up to God’s help. He, alone, will release unto you the knowledge and wisdom from an understanding of His Word that will guarantee your success as a leader of your family government.

    If you will like to be born again now, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

     

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

     

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Nothing contests my time with my family

    Nothing contests my time with my family

    Ever dashing Prime Time Entertainment and Prime Time Africa Tv Presenter, Dayo Adeneye is a delight to talk to any day. Soft spoken he maybe, Dayo Adeneye, keeps a private lifestyle despite his conspicuous TV screen appearances. After a successful Grammy coverage in USA, he returned to Nigeria to mourn Goldie, a friend and artiste with whom he had worked so closely. He had to celebrate his birthday, on a day that coincided with Tuface’s wedding in far away Dubai. For him and his business partner, Kenny Ogungbe, their absence was a controversy not needed! Family-loving Dayo Adeneye tells why family comes first and more. He spoke to PAUL UKPABIO.

    It’s wonderful to see you at home, so involved with your family, we posed to Dayo Adeneye a.k.a D-One. He shot back: “My family comes first. I don’t put any job ahead of my family. You can ask my wife over there (points at her). I don’t leave this house until 10 am and by 4-5pm, I am back. I don’t care if you call me, ‘come and pick N20 million,’ I will tell you wait till tomorrow. My children know that too.
    “Sometimes, I come back home before they get back from school. Look, my philosophy is that ‘you don’t have to struggle.’ I deserve to have an amazing life. Won ni toba fe lowo laye, mase sole (If you want to be rich in life, don’t be lazy) but then again, the Yoruba also say, Kirakita ko dola (Struggles don’t guarantee wealth). I believe my God knows what I need and He awould take care of my needs.
    “I don’t need to work 18 hours a day. You don’t have to work 18 hours, 24 hours a day when you find your calling. When you are within the purview of your calling, it would be easy. God would make a way. He is an omnipotent God, He is God of abundance, He would give me everything I need. So, I make out time for my children. They are here, you can see them right here with me; at 5pm I am at home. Weekends, I am at home with them, Saturdays, Sundays, I am home with them. So, I don’t joke with my children even though I travel quite a bit. I travel a lot but we are on Skype everyday. I talk to them everyday. I talk to them every morning and they understand that this is what I do. This is what Daddy does”.
    And just as he spends much time at home with the family, D-One, as he is fondly called, cherishes his marital relationship. He is also quick to tell you, that his wife has been a blessing to him. Caroline Adeneye (Nee Negbenebor) a Bini princess, is his charming wife.
    “Ha, that’s my Oga on top! I hope you noticed I didn’t say ‘my oga at the top’, I said ‘my oga on top! ‘That’s because when I wake up in the morning, she tells me, ‘wear this trouser, wear this shirt, wear this shoe. This looks better, this looks trendy, eat this, eat that, it will make your day better’. And I thank God for her. I am grateful to God that I met this woman. I thank God that I married her; there have been nothing but blessings in my life. Blessings upon blessings since I married this woman. I mean, my life has been tremendously blessed. She is a plus to my life.
    “After Baba God, it is her. I mean she has done wonders in my life. I can leave this house for six months and when I come back, I know my house will remain intact because I know she will take care of everything and she will not bother me with phone calls saying ‘Omo need eleyi (I need this), diesel ti tan (diesel is finished) or “I need school fees etc,’ she would take care of everything. And that makes me proud to call her my partner”.
    Dayo Adeneye who has won style awards in time past believes that being a snappy dresser earned him the recent Best Dressed Television Personality Award.
    “I have always been like that, my pictures from secondary school can testify. I like the good things a lot; I like good shoes, I like good clothes, I like good cars. I have always had taste for good things of life”.
    D-One on set may instantly appeal to viewers at home as a brash, loud extrovert. What with the top range entertainers that get featured on Prime Time different entertainment programmes. However, meeting the same person at home is quite a different ball game.
    “Well, most people are surprised that I am a very shy person despite the fact that I am in entertainment; I am on radio and TV. I think that is also good for me because I am a very reserved person. I am a very private individual and I like to keep to myself a lot. But my wife is very outgoing and she loves people, she mingles with people. When I celebrated my 50th birthday recently, as at the day before the party, I had nothing of such in my mind. But people kept calling and saying ‘we are coming over to your house, we are coming to celebrate with you.’ So, we had no choice than to light stoves, like Nigerians will say. To light stove and buy drinks. But I am grateful to God. I think I have friends and people like to come and celebrate with me. I am grateful that I have the love of friends and family.
    However, we have to celebrate everyday. Everyday is a Friday, everyday is your birthday, everyday is Christmas. Don’t wait till Easter, don’t wait till Christmas to celebrate. Every single day is your birthday. When you wake up in the morning, thank God, give God all the praises and celebrate like it could be your last”.
    The favourite TV Presenter has also in recent times featured in Nollywood movies. Asked if he was about to dump his radio and television jobs, D-One replied: “You know what they say ‘when you find your calling, you never have to work a day in your life.’ I actually started with acting in the days of ‘Palace.’ So, acting is a part of me, it is part of entertainment. It is something I enjoy, whether it is Radio, TV, Sports, I do the things that fulfil me in life. I don’t do anything for money. It is part of my philosophy in life, whatever I do, I believe, just be the best at it. And I go to schools, I go to secondary schools, I go to universities and I give speeches and I give lectures.
    Whatever you do in life, be the best at it. And whatever it is that I have to do, it must be something that I enjoy. I have been a teacher, I was a teacher for seven years. I left a tremendously good paying job to be a teacher because I just felt I have some knowledge to impact. And I dare say I was one of the best teachers in the State of California because my students won just about every award that was there to be won in the State of California. Right now I feel I am one of the best in what I do on Radio and TV. When I feel I am no longer happy doing it, I will move on to something else. But for now, it is what I do and I enjoy it. I have interests in other things; I do real estate. I do other things but for now, entertainment gives me the best motivation. Being able to help young people actualise their dreams whether it is singing, becoming an actor or actress, gives me joy, that gives me fulfilment. But the moment I get bored with it and I feel I have to move on to something else, weather it is politics, will move on to it. I do the things that make me happy, I don’t do anything for money”.
    At the end of the day, when all that concerns his life has been fulfilled, what would Dayo Adeneye love to be remembered for? “That rings in my head every morning when I wake up; what would I be remembered for? I don’t want to be remembered for how much I left in my bank account. I don’t want to be remembered for how many houses I have. I don’t want to be remembered for how many cars I drove or the brand of cars I drove. Nobody remembers you for those mundane things. If they ask you which kind of car did Late Pa Awolowo drive in those days, would you remember? But everybody will tell you Awolowo gave free education in the Western Region; everybody will tell you Nnamdi Azikiwe was the first president of Nigeria, they will tell you what Tafawa Balewa stood for. That is how I want to be remembered. I dare say that if they write the history of entertainment in Nigeria, you will at least leave one paragraph for Kenny and D-One and that gives me
    fulfilment. To feel that I have contributed my own small quota to the development of this country and that makes me happy.
    “I want to live long. I want to see my children marry and have a feel of the character of my grand children. We have contributed our own small quota but there is a lot more we can do given an enabling environment, there is a lot more we can do. But you know how the country is, you can talk and talk. Without money you can’t get anything done but even with the limited resources, you can see what the entertainment industry is today. The Idris Abdulkareem of this world, the Banky Ws, the Tiwa Savages of this world, all of them had to return to Nigeria. Even D-Banj would tell you he had to return home. So, we thank God that we contributed our small quota to that industry. Once government understands that and creates an enabling environment, we can do more”.
    The show biz personae used the opportunity to clear the air on why he was conspicuously absent at Late Goldie Harvey’s funeral and of course the much trumpeted absence at Tu face Idibia’s wedding in Dubai.
    “Well, the plans were already in place actually. I had appointments before we left Nigeria. I had scheduled meetings with some clients based in Atlanta, Anguilla and in Canada. And you know white people, even on your worst day, the show must go on. Even if your mother dies and they gave you that day, you have to be at the meeting. If you don’t make the meeting, it could be in the next six months before you get another schedule. So, I actually left herself and Kenny behind in Los Angeles to go for those meetings when I heard she had passed on. And I practise a philosophy, I don’t cry over things that are obvious. As close as we were, I didn’t cry. Yes, I didn’t sleep for five nights but I didn’t cry. Because I was happy that Goldie fulfilled her life, she did what she wanted to do in the very short time that she lived. At the age of 13, she had started dressing like Madonna and she said to her father, ‘Daddy, I am going to be a star’.
    “On Tuface however, I must congratulate him and his better half Annie. but their wedding day was also my birthday in Lagos! I couldn’t go because a lot of people started calling me, my uncles, my friends that they would be coming over to my house. Of course, I had the invitation from Tuface, he told me personally that he wanted me to come. I wish them nothing but the best in life. But I just couldn’t travel”.

  • Family of three dies in Oyo trailer accident

    A woman and two of her children were yesterday killed at Ijawaya, Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo State, by the tyres of a trailer.

    The driver was trying to avoid some pot holes when some of its tyres fell off.

    The tyres hit the victims, who were cooking in front of their home, killing them instantly.

    Their remains were taken to the Durbar Police Station before they were deposited at the mortuary of the State Hospital.

    The husband and father of the deceased was on his way home when he saw a crowd of people weeping opposite the station.

    He stopped to find out what was going on and was shocked to find the bodies of his wife and children lying there.

    The man fainted, but he was revived by sympathisers.

    The Principal Medical Officer of the State Hospital, Dr. Musbau Opabode, confirmed the incident.

     

  • Family Day

    Lack of convergence time for the family is allowing people to go their separate ways, often ending in prison cells, rehabilitation, the psychiatrist’s chair or the electric chair

    I consider myself privileged to have grown up in a large family whose habits knotted ties around us all that mercifully still binds us together today. It also keeps our sanity intact. The most distinct for me is not the talking time; oh no, it was the early Sunday morning ritual of kettle tea and bongos coffee. Oooooh, believe me, that sure was a binding tie. There was first the task of filling and placing the only pot large enough to take all our yawning mouths on the tripod-balanced fire, a duty us littler ones were only too delighted to carry out. As a matter of fact, that was the only duty we delighted in.

    Listen as I tell you, we eagerly forced that pot of water to its boiling point, either by sitting with and chattering to it, or by the divine will of God; we never knew the difference. Then the minute our mothers poured out the sachets of kettle tea or bongos coffee, we were lost in the wafts of aromas that just drew out the craziness in our heads. Hums of songs began to escape out of our thin little mouths, dance steps uncontrollably took over our tiny feet as we shuffled ungainly in tea-induced happiness, and finally, stories of the week’s schooling experiences buried under hopes of future glory found their ways to the surface. In short, our spirits found renewal in that blessed pot.

    Till this day, I have associated my family with that tea experience. I have even grown to associate the word ‘family’ with a particular odour, aroma or scent. Children grow up with it, and it congeals into tissues of memories that impact and influence their adulthood actions. If it is an odour, it scars them for life; if an aroma, it keeps them permanently hungry for mama’s food; and if a scent … Ha, Ha, Ha, if a scent, then my friend, you need to be careful. One little boy told his mother that her scent reminded him of the one that was used on his grandma as she lay in the coffin. Once, my son walked in and declared that the house had this… this… this… intangible aroma of fresh baking cake. Thank God, I sighed; better cake than coffin.

    Anyway, the Encarta defines family as a group related to each other by birth, marriage or adoption. I’m sure you can see all kinds of faults with this definition. One, it does not quite include all the strays that African families tend to gather onto themselves: ‘don’t you remember, she is my great-great-great uncle’s wife’s sister’s grand-daughter-in-law’. Now, did you catch that, because I sure didn’t? Did you say that’s still family? Well then, so is my dog. Indeed, these days, I think I get more family out of my dog. For instance, he recognises me on the street by jumping all over me with muddy paws and all, while my great-great-great uncle’s wife’s sister’s grand-daughter-in-law just nods to me when we accidentally meet on the road. I think it’s so that, presumably, people will not be tempted to associate her with me. Well, she’s young, and I’m old; she’s hip, and I’m all hip; she’s with it (trendy), and I’m without it (good sense).

    Then two, it does not include all the sense of family that all blacks seem to share in this troubled world but which makes them all sisters and brothers, a quite political family. My brother, it’s no small joke o. With all this colour persecution mixed with economic strangulation, it’s all we can do to stay together. Family is the key.

    Three, it certainly does not include the number of people in your neighbourhood who have given it unto themselves to intrude into your world and even take your personal decisions for you. ‘YOU WANT TO BUY A FORD CAR?! ARE YOU MAD?! Let me tell you, you and me, we’re practically brothers even if we are only neighbours in this house, so I can tell you the truth. A Ford will take all your salary.’

    For ease of reference, let’s just put it this way. A family is that group of people who lives in your home and has your best interests at heart. You are lucky if they are also the same people that you make provisions for from your monthly wages. Many times, they don’t coincide; but, like I said, you’re lucky if they do. For instance, you may find yourself using your provisions for people who go by the name of family but who may just wake up one day to tell you that actually, you are not related to them; so you can’t control their lives. Clearly, the family is no longer what it used to be.

    Someone once said that a family is obliged to feed you, even if in Christian charity or because they share ancestry with you, whether you are mad or rich. Truth is that the family is now no longer obliged to own anybody because it does not have the time of day for anybody. Previously, morning time marked the day’s departure point: parents went off to work or farm, children to school and the dog stayed at home. Evening time was for convergence when everyone would meet on the family hearth with stories of how ‘everybody out there is mad!’ Now, parents still go to work but do overtime from evening to morning, children still go to school but do lessons till supper time, while the dog, bored from staying home all day, wanders off into the sunset at sunset. No more convergence time. This is why it has sort of allowed people to go their separate ways; and these ways somehow seem to end in prison cells, rehabilitation, the psychiatrist’s chair or the electric chair. Occasionally, the ways end in the CEO’s chair.

    Actually, I have put it rather mildly. Truth is, the family is now an endangered species. It is dying. Right now, it is suffering from the assault and battery of new definitions (such as ‘partnerships’ of two men or two women living together and raising children, or ménages-a-trois). It is also suffering from modern economic programmes that have left ninety per cent of families in the third world impoverished, forcing mothers to work just to ‘keep things together’. This means that the most important contact for a child is no longer there at the right time: the mother. It is incredible that the world is ready to do anything, give anything, to save an endangered species of animal, like a particular kind of snake, yet would not move a finger to save the most important specie in the world: the family!

    Worse still, in many families, there is a great deal of substitution going on. Many a father has cleverly substituted himself with money; many a mother has done the same with gadgets, and love is now measured in weights. A gift such as a sponsored foreign education for a child equals a good deal of love; a gift of a house is a lot of love; a car gift is some love. Anything below that is just love, thanks. This is why many parents do their utmost to please their little ‘uns: they dip their hands in the nation’s till to show their children a good deal of love. They call it family maintenance.

    Listen. Family Day is the day when we are all asked to take our families out of the cupboard for an airing, and to ask ourselves some questions: What have we made of ours and our duties? What truths and values have we imparted to our family? So, dear reader, when is your family day?

     

  • Heritage School holds family funfair

    It was let-your-hair-down day at the family funfair programme of the Heritage House Montessori School, Yaba organised to usher in the second term holidays.

    The school was transformed to an amusement park of sorts with various games ensemble that kept the pupils excited and occupied for hours.

    There was no dull moment and parents were delighted to find that their wards were neither tired nor interested in eating as they moved from stand to stand to participate in whatever game they fancied.

    There were boat rides, go-cart, bouncing castle, body jump, water cross in an air-field balloon, train ride, swings, obstacle course and the like. All the pupils had to do to take part in each activity was to present tickets equivalent in value to the cost of the game.

    Head Teacher of the school, Mrs Yvonne Osunde said the programme was organised to help teachers, parents and their wards relax. She added that the cost of setting up the equipment in the school was worth it.

    “We just felt this should be a time to set aside for parents, children and members of staff to just relax. It cost a lot of money, and involved a lot of time and planning but going round and seeing the children laughing and having fun makes it worth all the trouble,” she said.

    Chairman of the school’s PTA, Mr Muyiwa Adeboye, lauded the school management for initiating the programme which he said also gave opportunity for parents to network.

    “The school played a major role in bringing the day to pass. The planning was done by the school. The PTA only contributed but the director of the school put down a substantial amount for the programme. It has been a good opportunity for parents to get to know themselves, and also to open up the school to outsiders because it is a good school,” he said.

     

  • Family urges court to uphold ownership of land

    The Oduwole family of Ishashi in Ibeshe community,Ikorodu, Lagos has asked the state’s High Court to uphold its claim to the ownership of an expanse of land in Megun village (Ishashi) and void the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued to a businessman, Bashiru Olaide.

    The family argued that the C of O and other documents obtained by Olaide on the land, and purportedly registered at the state’ Land Registry, were allegedly obtained illegally because his claim to the land is being disputed.

    This is contained in a counter claim the Oduwole family filed in a suit before the Lagos High Court, Ikorodu, instituted by Olaide, who claimed to have lawfully purchased the land measuring about 66.436 acres.

    It is Olaide’s contention in the suit marked: IKD/112/12 that he bought the land from the Olubeshe Palace chiefs, who he believed are the rightful owners of the land.

    He prayed the court to, among others, declare him the rightful owner of the land, to which he was issued a C of O dated October 5, 2011 and registered as 45/45/2011T at Land Registry, Alausa, Ikeja.

    Mrs Bola Kalejaye, Tabura Anifowoshe, Jamiu Anifowoshe, Rasheed Akanni and Muraina Oduwole, who are representatives of the Oduwole family and named as defendants in the suit, stated that there was never a time that anybody outside the family exercised any possessory right over the land.

    They added that although the land has been a subject of litigation since 2005 any other person, who is laying claim to the land, outside “the Oduwole descendant family is a land speculator.”

    The family’s representatives stated that the land was vested in the Olubeshe in Council because their ancestors had planted crops on the land in dispute, together with other parcels of land belonging to Shogabi Olutokun Ashashi, the progenitor of the defendants.

    They argued, in the 66-paragraph counter claim, that that the large expanse of land was bequeathed to them by their progenitors and that none of the “Oduwole descendants has never sold, alienated, partitioned, or in any way, transferred their interest in title of the vast land area” to anybody.

    They stated that they have exercised continuous and uninterrupted possession of the land for over two centuries, until recently “when the claimant’s vendors forcefully entered the land and began to sell the land to innocent Nigerians under the pretext that they were acting on behalf of Olubeshe-in-council and Balogun family.”

    The defendants argued that the land is covered by a registered survey plan carried out by Surveyor O. Olokun dated May 20, 1980 with plan No. LAKS/LA/1980/121.

    Members of the Oduwole family therefore pray the court to declare that they are the persons entitled to the customary right of occupancy over the land.

    They want the court to declare that they are the persons entitled to exercise acts of ownership and absolute control of the land and that the alleged “forcible entry of the claimant into counter claimants’ said land and purported erection of fence thereon were wrongful and illegal.”

    They urged the court to declare that the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, dated October 5, 2011 in favour of the claimant (Olaide) with respect to the disputed land was wrong, illegal and fraudulent.

    The defendants further urged the court to set aside the purported purchase of the land, and the C of O registered at land registry, Alausa, Ikeja. They are claiming N1 million as general damages against the claimant (Olaide) for alleged trespass on the land.

     

  • Immortalise Justice Araka, family urges Obi

    Immortalise Justice Araka, family urges Obi

    The family of the former Chief Judge of the old Anambra State, the late Justice Emmanuel Nnanyelugo Oseloka Araka has asked the governor of Anambra State, Chief Peter Obi, to immortalise him in view of his contribution to the development of the judiciary.

    The Late Justice Araka, who became a Queens Counsel (QC) in 1963, was chief judge of the old Anambra State from 1978 till 1985 when he retired and died on January 21, this year at the age of 87.

    His son, Martin Araka, a lawyer, told a news conference in Lagos, on behalf of the Araka family of Odoje quarters, Onitsha, that the family had forwarded their request to the state government and that they got a condolence letter from the government in return.

    “We have a little wish to ask from the government. We expect the state to immortalise him. A street or a complex could be named after him to immortalise him,” he said.

    Justifying the request of the family, Martins argued that the tenure of his late father as chief judge of the old Anambra State was remarkable adding, “as Chief Judge, he held an admirable tenure until his retirement in March, 1985. In 1983, he was conferred with the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Shehu Shagari. As a judge, several cases he handled stand out. His legal mind was legendary and always a point of reference.”

    Martins argued further that his late father was also a very distinguished and courageous judge while in office and listed some of the landmark cases he decided to include that of Chief Jim Nwobodo versus Chief Onoh, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe versus FEDECO on payment of tax, Chief Micheal Ajasin versus Chief Akin Omoboriowo among others, to buttress his assertion.

    Martins, who is the chief mourner, also named the contemporaries of the late Justice Araka to include Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, Dr. Dike Nwokedi, Chief M.T. Mbu, G.C. M. Onyiuke and the late Chief Rotimi Williams while his classmates include the late Justice Kayode Eso, Chief F.A. Ajayi (SAN) and Ambassador Haastrup, a lawyer, among others.

    He disclosed that the family has fixed April 13 for the burial of the old Anambra State(now Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states) while the event would be preceded by a valedictory court session in his honour on April 12, at the Anambra State High Court.

    The late Justice Araka was born at Agbor, Delta State on September 16, 1925. He attended Hope Waddel Training Institute, Calabar for his secondary education between 1939 and 1942. He finished his secondary education at Ilesha Grammar School in 1943.

    In 1946, he proceeded to Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and graduated in 1950 and was enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in March 1951.

    In 1962, he was a member of the Federal House of Representatives. He became a judge of the High Court of the East Central State in 1972 after being sworn in with the likes of Justice Rowland Okagbue,Justice Francis Nwokedi, Justice A.I. Aseme, Justice Abai Ikwechegh and Justice T.C. Umezinwa.

     

  • God’s master plan for the family

    Dear Reader,

    Attempting to put up any physical structure, without a master plan, will certainly end in futility. Once a master plan is drawn, all the builders have to do is to follow it explicity, thereby ending up with a beautiful building.

    Marriage and family are not exceptional. Every architect knows the futility of attempting to put up a structure without a master plan.

    Marriage can be likened to a house. The Architect who drew the master plan is God. God’s Word says: For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God (Hebrews 3:4).The husband and the wife are the builders, who must painstakingly follow the design of the Architect, to arrive at success in their family. Under the topic, God’s Master Plan for the Family, this week, I shall be teaching on, The fundamental nature of The Family.

    Marriage is the foundation for the family. After marriage couples no more live like single individuals. After marriage, children are added (either by birth or adoption) and additional parties (related either by blood or association) come into the home. A family then is established. Families are products of marriages.

    The essence of the family is to create an enabling environment for effective upbringing of children, so they can grow and properly pursue the plan of God for their lives.

    The home is where the character and destiny of an individual should begin and take proper shape. The future of humanity depends on the family because it is through the family that we all come. No matter how good or luxurious a school is there is no better environment than the home.

    Abraham understood this and by that understanding, he was able to order his household aright. God’s Word says: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him (Genesis 18:19).

    If God were to comment on your family, would He say something positive about it? Abraham and his family were successful in all that they did, because their lives were patterned after God. The question is, are we fulfilling God’s plan for our family? We desire our families to be the best for our children, so they can make the most of life.

    When families operate according to God’s plan, they become successful. Family success is the foundation for all-round success.

    There is only one right way to live, and it is laid out for us in the Bible, which is the Word of God. A man’s testimony is incomplete without a mention of the state of his family.

    Is your marriage and family experiencing a crash or turmoil? You need to make a decision to belong to God. You need to be born again. This is done by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.

     

  • Family petitions police over son’s death

    Family petitions police over son’s death

    The family of the murdered 28-year old, Goodnews Udo, has written the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, demanding for justice.

    Udo, an indigene of Akwa-Ibom was stabbed at Apo District of Abuja on November 6, by two brothers. The case was reported at Apo Police Station before it was transferred to the homicide department.

    In a letter by its lawyer, Austin Uzendu of Apostle and Raji Solicitors; the family is asking for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of Autopsy and Coroners’ Inquest Reports.

    In the letter to the FCT Police Commissioner, Aderenle Shinaba, the family condemned the way the case is being handled by the police.

    It also accused the police of shielding the assailants.

    Uzendu said: “Our enquiry at the Homicide Department reveals that the case is presently being investigated by a team of police officers headed by Dr. Emenike (ASP) and assisted by one Inspector Philibus inter-alia. However, Dr. Emenike (ASP) is said to be on annual leave but his subordinate officer said that he is not briefed of the facts of this case and as such he was not able to give us concrete information about the case such as the names of the suspects and or the place where the corpse is deposited.

    “Upon further inquiry as to whether the Autopsy and the Coroners’ Inquest have been conducted respectively according to Law, we did not receive any answer.

    “Be that as it may, we require the Certified True Copy of the Autopsy and Coroners’ Inquest Reports and do hereby apply for them respectively to enable us to adequately advise our clients on the desirability or otherwise of applying for the release of the deceased corpse for internment.”