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Tag: Foundation

  • Foundation for a stable family (2)

    DEAR reader, you are welcome to another wonderful time in God’s presence. I thank God for the privilege to bring God’s Word your way again on this column with Family Forum. My prayer for you today, is that, God’s purpose and plans for your wonderful family shall be established.

    Last week, I taught on laying a solid foundation. I said, the foundation for securing a stable family is in your personal relationship with God.  You need a personal encounter with God.  God is the Author of marriage.  He is the One who founded the family.

    Today, I shall be exploring on a very vital tool that makes for a successful family.

    God instituted the family. The institution of the family is bigger than the persons in marriage. Therefore, the key to building a successful family is commitment to the institution of marriage, rather than just to the persons in it.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24).

    In essence, God is saying that a man shall leave his father and mother, and be committed to his wife as well as the institution of marriage. Then by virtue of that commitment, they become one flesh. The same goes for the wife. Husband, wife, how committed are you to your marriage and family?  If you must enjoy family success, then commitment is a must!

     

    What is Commitment?

    The Oxford Dictionary defines commitment as “an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.” In other words, there are some things you cannot do by reason of your commitment. The Word of God says: All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient (1 Corinthians 6:12).

    Commitment makes you choose the expedient above the lawful. It makes you forgo some things that you like or take pleasure in. Sometimes, rights and privileges that are lawfully yours may have to be forfeited in the interest of the family.

    Commitment is the backbone of any successful relationship, marriage and the family inclusive. It is the adhesive that holds a marriage together. When commitment is lacking in the relationship between a husband and wife, the chances of that family surviving are very slim. What the spinal cord is to the body is what commitment is to marriage and the family. Without it, the body will be limping and paralyzed.

    Families with great success potentials suffer severe setbacks and failure, as a result of lack of commitment. I once read the story of a 25-year-old marriage that ended in separation, due to a lack of commitment of both the husband and wife.

    To enjoy a stable family, you must be committed both to the institution of marriage and to your spouse. The Word of God says: What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Mark 10:9).

    Even though God has joined you together, you must be committed to one another, so that nothing is allowed to put you asunder. The Word of God says: Marriage is honourable; that is, respectable. The individuals in it sometimes may not be. Marriage, as an institution established by God, is perfect, but the individuals in it are not. People change as they grow, but marriage is constant. It is an unchanging institution. To build a stable family, therefore, those in it must learn to honour marriage itself. This is the secret!

    Young lady/man, before you agree to marry anyone, find out how committed he/she is to God and to marriage.  It is the level of his/her commitment to God that will determine how committed he/she will be to your marriage. Perhaps you married a man who was not committed to God, and now you are wondering why he is not committed to your family. He cannot, because the foundation is faulty. He needs to get “sold out” to God first! So, if you are not born again, there is no way you can be committed to God and you can never be committed to your marriage. You need to give your life to Christ.

    Would you want to be born again? Why not say this prayer of faith and mean it and let it be from your heart. “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood.  Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today.  Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, and conselling@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

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

  • Foundation sends displaced kids to school

    Foundation sends displaced kids to school

    odupe Ozolua and her organisation, the Body Enhancement Foundation, have been active in the camps of internally displaced persons. They have provided funds and jobs tools for displaced women in Gombe State to help them pick up their lives again after Boko Haram insurgents forced them from their homes.

    Now Ozolua’s team has turned to children in IDP camps in Adamawa State. The 501 children, as the team found out in one camp, have had no access to education since they fled from Boko Haram, so the foundation provided funds and learning materials in addition to paying teachers.

    The children whose ages range from one to 14 will be taught at the Lamido Lawal Model Primary School, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

    Upon visiting the camp, the team discovered the children were not having any form of education like their counterparts in some camps which have temporary schools for the children.

    At that point, the foundation immediately provided funds for school uniforms, shoes, books, writing materials, boards, chalk, rulers and hired teachers among the displaced Nigerians at the camp to start teaching the camp children. The foundation has also taken up the responsibility of paying the teachers monthly salaries. All the children between nursery and Primary 6 ages at the camp are beneficiaries of the Foundation’s benevolence.

    On February 25 items donated by the foundation were presented to the students at the camp, was the wife of Adamawa State governor, Mrs Hasana Ngilari who also helped distribute the school materials to the children.

    Modupe Ozolua thanked the governor, his wife the first lady, officials of Adamawa State SEMA and all other relief organisations that have worked tirelessly towards providing different forms of assistance to displaced Nigerians all over the country.

    In addition, she informed the displaced families that they should be hopeful because God has not forgotten nor forsaken them. She also told the children that their destinies are not tied to a refugee camp, so they should not feel they can’t be as great as they wish to be.

    Ozolua stated the Body Enhancement Foundation’s sponsored school programme is part of the organisation’s rehabilitation plan for the internally displaced Nigerians, which will impact all camps in Nigeria.

  • Foundation for a stable family

    HELLO Reader, with joy and gladness I welcome you to this edition of Family Forum.  In this third month of the year of Heaven On Earth, I shall be teaching on The Foundation for a Stable Family. In our Christian journey, a call to a constant examination of our foundation is a major prerequisite and cannot be over emphasized.

    Instability is one of the circumstances facing the average family around the world today.  It has ravaged many homes causing separation, infidelity, sorrow and non-fulfillment.  The good news is that there is a solution to this instability in families.  You don’t have to go through any of those heart-shaking experiences; in fact your family can become so stable that you will not be aware that others are collapsing. For you to have a stable family, you need a solid foundation.  That is why today I shall be examining: Laying A Solid Foundation.

    The foundation of a house is what determines how stable and strong the building will be.  The Word of God says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3).  There is nothing anyone can do if the foundation of a building be destroyed. So, also, if the foundation of your family life be destroyed, every other part will be faulty.

    The foundation for securing a stable family is in your personal relationship with God.  You need a personal encounter with God.  God is the Author of marriage.  He is the One who founded the family.  So, the starting point is, your relationship with the Almighty Father will affect and determine your relationship in your marriage.  How vital and strong the quality of your relationship with your heavenly Father is, will determine the quality of the relationship in your family.

    God is the only source of true and lasting relationship.  When you allow God to enter into your ship, your ship will never sink.  As singles, I want you to know that it is the will and intention of God for you to enjoy a sweet home but it is very important to know that, your true and lasting satisfaction, joy and fulfillment in life is rooted in your  relationship with the Almighty God.

    A good understanding of this will help you to walk in life with confidence. I want you to know that your spouse is not your source of joy.  God is the only source of joy.  If you understand this, you will be ready to walk by the Word of God, to secure stability in your home.  If you know this, that God is the only source of joy, happiness and contentment in the family, you will know that changing spouse like changing clothes is not the solution to your contentment in the family.  Looking for the latest models in town will never bring you contentment.  God is the source!

    Your problem today may be, ‘Oh! My husband is not good, I will look for another one. My wife is not good, I will get a better one.’ May be you are even contemplating of divorce, as you are reading this material right now, the light of God will come on you and God will restore dignity back to your marriage.  Stop that divorce plan; divorce is not the solution.  It is your relationship with God that makes all the difference and you will make progress in your family life.  Whatever has caused you heartache and tears before, your relationship with God will cause a change and you shall have stability in your family.

    Family stability is a possibility, but it is not a gift, you have a responsibility.  Bishop David Oyedepo, whom I am privileged to be married to, said: “Faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the events of your life is an irresponsible faith”.  You have a part to play!

    You need to be born again to have a relationship with God that Father, Who founded the family. God is the only true source of joy.  Allow God to come into your life so you can have a relationship with God.  You can say this prayer of faith: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood.  Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today.  Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, and conselling@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

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

  • Synagogue foundation was faulty, says Lagos govt

    The foundation of the last September 12 Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) collapsed building was faulty, the Lagos State government told a Coroner yesterday.

    Saheed Ariyori, a consultant to Lagos State Material Testing Agency, told the Coroner, Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, that the “building failed because the base that was supposed to take the load was grossly inadequate”.

    He was testifying at the resumed hearing of the coroner inquest into the incident in which 115 persons mostly South Africans died.

    His evidence varies to that of his fellow engineer, Oladele Ogundeji, who said last Friday that the foundation met approved standard.

    Ogundeji, who supervised the construction for the contractor, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Limited, ruled out foundational defect as a possible cause of the collapse.

    Yesterday, Ariyori, led in evidence by counsel to the government, Akingbolahan Adeniran, said he was part of the team of structural and geo-technical engineers that carried out Structural Integrity Test on the building after its collapse.

    He said the team took samples of the materials for testing and also took measurements of the foundation bases.

    The team, he said, simulated the building to arrive at its conclusions because the church did not provide the designs.

    Ariyori demonstrated the defects of foundation before the court with calculations on a board using a marker after being provided with a copy of the structural design.

    He said based on all the tests and the calculations, “we discovered that from inception, the building failed because the base that was supposed to take the load was grossly inadequate

    “The minimum base that will be required should have been 4.5 metres by 4.5 metres but what we had there was 2.2 metres by 2.2 metres.

    “It was a wrong choice of foundation base. The foundation should have been continuous base and not a pad as was used in the construction.”

    He said the load on the foundation was far more than it could bear, hence the collapse.

    SCOAN’s counsel Olalekan Ojo urged the court to adjourn his cross-examination of the witness to enable him consult with his client’s engineers.

    According to him, there are some discrepancies in the building design which must be examined before the witness is cross-examined.

    He recalled that Ogundeji last Friday testified that a raft foundation was not ideal for the structure.

    Chief Magistrate Komolafe will visit the site tomorrow. Ariyori’s cross-examination will also come up tomorrow.

  • Foundation sponsors 5001 displaced children

    Belief came the way of over 500 displaced children in one of the Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Yola, Adamawa State.

    The Modupe Ozolua Body Enhancement Foundation has sponsored the education of children between the ages of one and 14 at the Lamido Lawal Model Primary School, in Girei Local Government Area (LGA), of the  State.

    Following a visit,  the team discovered the children were not in schools unlike some camps where temporary schools are provided.

    At that point, the foundation immediately provided funds for school uniforms, shoes, books, writing materials, boards, writing chalk, rulers and hired teachers amongst the displaced Nigerians at the camp to commence teaching the children. The foundation has also taken up the responsibility of paying the teachers monthly salaries. All the children between nursery and primary six ages at the camp are beneficiaries of the foundation’s benevolence.

    Last Wednesday, the items were presented to the students at a ceremony, which held at the camp. The first lady of Adamawa State, Mrs Hasana Ngilari, who gave appreciation speech, joined in distributing the school materials to the pupils.

    Ozolua thanked the governor, the first lady, officials of state SEMA and other relief organisations that have worked tirelessly towards providing different forms of assistance to displaced Nigerians all over the country.

    She informed the displaced families that they should be hopeful because God has not forgotten nor forsaken them. She also told the children that their destinies are not tied to a refugee camp, so they should not feel they can’t be as great as they wish to be.

    Ozolua said the Body Enhancement Foundation’s sponsored school programme is part of the organisation’s rehabilitation plan for the internally displaced Nigerians, which will impact all camps in Nigeria.

     

  • Dakuku Youth Foundation reaches out to the sick

    Dakuku Youth Foundation reaches out to the sick

    A non-governmental organisation, the Dakuku Youth Foundation, has started free medical care in some Local Government Areas in Rivers State. The exercise, which kicked off on St. Valentine’s Day (February 14) in two local government areas ofAkuku-Toru and Asari-Toru, is aimed at bringing medical services free and nearer to senior citizens and those who cannot afford it.

    Dr. (Mrs) Gift Tom-George, medical coordinator of the outreach who led 10 other doctors to the two local government areas, said the doctors were inspired by the outstanding leadership qualities of Dr. Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers State.

    According to her, “as young doctors, the least we could do for a man who represents our collective hope and future is to deploy our services free of charge for the less privileged.

    ‘We are doing this because we care about the health and wellbeing of our people. As you can see, we are all volunteers because we believe in Dr. Dakuku Peterside, APC candidate for office of the governor and Hon. Dawari Geroge who represents Akuku-Toru Asari-Toru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

    “As we marked St. Valentine’s Day, we wanted to show our love to the people in a different way by providing free access to health care. We also used the opportunity to appeal to our people to vote for APC because we trust and believe Peterside can make a huge difference in the life of our state. As professionals, we know he is committed to running a Rivers State where everybody can have access to quality health care in line with his Road Map to Prosperity.”

    “As you are aware, young people in Rivers State hold the APC governorship candidate in very high esteem because he is not only highly educated and competent, he is also one of us, he is a youth.  Therefore we know what his administration will do to the lives of Rivers people. That is why we are encouraged to take this message of love and hope to the grassroots. We believe we must make this sacrifice and our people are happy, after all health is wealth.

    The doctors and support staff conducted blood pressure checks, random blood sugar tests, simple ocular (eye) checks and rapid diagnostic tests for malaria parasites. They later administered anti-worm medicines and handed over analgesics, antibiotics, anti-malaria, anti-hypertension and anti-ulcer drugs to the people.

  • Elumelu foundation appoints chief executive

    Elumelu foundation appoints chief executive

    The Board of Trustees of the Tony Elumelu Foundation has announced the appointment of Prof. Reid E. Whitlock as its chief executive.

    Prof. Whitlock’s appointment followed Dr. Wiebe Boer’s movement as director of Strategy at Heirs Holdings, Mr. Elumelu’s pan-African proprietary investment company.

    Dr. Boer was the foundation’s inaugural chief executive.

    The foundation – which was founded in 2010 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu – is Africa’s leading advocate for entrepreneurship.

    It was responsible for programmes designed to ensure that entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship become the primary driver of Africa’s economic growth and social transformation.

    Prof. Whitlock brings 30 years of experience to the foundation as a business school rector, diplomat, entrepreneur, strategy consultant and adviser to leaders in Africa, Asia and the Middle East on economic development.

    He received his PhD and law degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

    He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and is a cum laude graduate of Princeton University.

    Commenting on Prof. Whitlock’s appointment, the foundation’s founding patron, Professor Michael Porter said: “Tony’s commitment to African entrepreneurship is unshakeable and I salute his appointment of Prof. Whitlock as the CEO of his foundation.”

  • Foundation gives to school

    The Nigerian Turkish International Colleges Foundation (NTICF) has donated some educational materials to pupils of St. Peters Nursery and Primary School, Ikeja.

    The foundation distributed 200 packs of exercise books, mathematical sets, pencils, colour pencils, drawing books, crayons, and chocolate drinks to some pupils of the school.

    Director of the foundation, Mr Fettullah Celik, who was represented by the principal, Nigerian Turkish International College, Opebi, Mr Yunus Dogan, said the foundation focuses on relieving the challenges in the areas of education, health, water and orphanage homes.

    He said the foundation, which was formed in 2013, is supported by the Nigeria Turkish Nile University, Nigeria Turkish Nizamiye Hospital, and the Association of Business People and Investors of Nigeria and Turkey.

    Head Teacher of the school, Mrs Fumilayo Tuoyo, appreciated the gesture. She said it would go a long way in helping some of the pupils whose parents cannot afford some of the necessary learning materials.

    “This will be in the heart of the children that an organisation once gave them learning materials.  The necessities to cater for the number of public schools in the state are quite enormous. So, we welcome this kind of philanthropic gesture,” she said.

    She also thanked the Lagos State government and called for assistance to renovate a portion of the school.

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, praised the foundation for giving attention to primary education because it is the foundation of the education sector.

    Mrs Oladunjoye, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Omolara Erogbogbo asked for more to be done for children whom she believed will find the materials very beneficial to enable them do well in their studies and prayed to God to continue to bless the Foundation.

     

  • Foundation unveils Sally The Artist

    Director-General, of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation Dr. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo, will on February 22 exhibit some of works as part of activities to mark her 50th birthday. She will present a charity art exhibition tagged: Sally The Artist,  featuring her paintings and a coffee table book containing over 150 of her paintings at the Banquet Hall of the Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos at 4pm. It be followed by a dinner at 6 o’clock.

    Earlier in the day, a thanksgiving mass will hold at the Holy Cross Cathedral (Catholic Church), Lagos Island, opposite City Hall, Lagos, by 8am. On Monday, there will be a service at the Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Musa Yar’Adua Street on Victoria Island, Lagos, at 1p.m.

    A statement by The Sally Mbanefo Foundation (organisers of the event), said the  would be hosted by Mbanefo’s expatriate friends, brothers and sisters in Lagos. The proceeds from the sale of the coffee table book will be used to build vocational skills acquisition schools for the under-privileged, starting with Lagos State. The statement added that subsequently, It is intended that the school will be run from proceeds of the annual auction of Mbanefo’s paintings and sculptures.

     

  • NAFDAC backs ‘Arise Monalisa Foundation’

    NAFDAC backs ‘Arise Monalisa Foundation’

    The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has entered into a partnership deal with ‘Arise Monalisa Foundation’ (AMF), to help fight Uterine Fibroid, prevalent among women in Nigeria.

    Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony in Abuja, founder of AMF, notable actress, Monalisa Chinda, said, “…We appreciate NAFDAC for this strategic partnership, as we look forward to propagating awareness of this fast spreading, yet widely neglected Uterine Fibroid, which has become very common among women, due to ignorance and stigmatisation.”

    Meanwhile, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, expressed joy at partnering with AMF while announcing that the project marks the beginning of NAFDAC’s activities for 2015. “We are proud to partner with the Arise Monalisa Foundation in mobilising this timely project throughout the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, and this also marks the flag-off of our projects for this year.”

    Chinda’s charity project has been on for over eight years, supporting major campaigns against autism, funding education for the less privileged, making charitable visits to orphanages and prisons, among others.

    Established in 1993,  NAFDAC is saddled with the  responsibility of  regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sales and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical services, chemicals and packaged water.