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This eight-year-old girl needs N4m to live

A car accident has disrupted little Chinaemerem’s education and could well end her life, if her parents do not provide N4m for her treatment. UGOCH-UKWU UGOJI-EKE reports

Perhaps, the accident could have been averted. Against the norm, eight-year-old Chinaemerem Ikeri’s teacher sent her outside the school premises to buy a painkiller. As she made to cross the road, a vehicle knocked her down. She broke her legs, her spinal cord was affected and she also suffered some brain injuries.

Her parents have been agonising too. A paramilitary man who was said to have hit Chinaemerem denied the charge, saying he was only playing the good guy by taking her to hospital. On advice, the police were invited and arrested him, but he was asked to go after only a “few days” in detention. Soon after, the man was allegedly redeployed far out of town.

The pain of the Ikeris has deepened. They have no money to save their bedridden daughter.

Chinaemerem, who is in Primary Three in Ubakala Community Primary School in Umuahia South council area of Abia State, has been lying at the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia where she spent eight months.

A doctor said she needs a surgery around her brain areas for her to regain consciousness, a process that must be undertaken at a better hospital in the country or, better still, abroad and which will cost about N3m.

Already, Chinaemerem’s parents are indebted to the FMC to the tune of N1.3m, out of which they were only able to pay about N300,000.

The girl has received just enough attention at the FMC to sustain her travel to a better hospital for the surgery but she is still with the Umuahia facility, her parents unable to pay the initial bill.

Chinaemerem remains in pain and do her parents.

Speaking with The Nation, Chinaemerem’s mother said, “My child was hale and hearty and full of life when she went to school. On my way to the place I sell sachet water, I took food to Chinaemerem at school and exchanged pleasantries with her teachers and left, but a few hours after I left, China-merem’s teacher sent her to go and buy paracetamol tablets across the ever-busy road and in her total obedience to her teacher even when it defied the rule that a pupil should not be sent out during her study period, she has been rendered neurologically impaired.

“A neighbour came to my place of business and told me about the accident and immediately my whole life shrank and when I saw my eight-year-old daughter at Ubakala Road lying almost lifeless in a pool of blood I was traumatised.

“I realised how tough life would have been without my child whose father was in faraway Sokoto looking for greener pastures as a teacher just to fend for his family.

“After the driver was arrested by the police the unexpected happened, Ume after spending a few days in the police custody at Ubakala police station was left to go and he was transferred from Umuahia to Bayelsa State where I learnt he has continued his work and abandoned us here.

“I wondered how our society has degenerated so much that people place little value on human life and allow impunity to reign in our everyday living.”

The life of Chinaemerem is currently in limbo and her mother looked hopeless as she sat beside the sick bed of her daughter watching her as she writhed in pain hoping that one day her child would regain consciousness and talk to her again.

Mrs Ikeri is soliciting for the help of well-meaning Nigerians and the government to help in her daughter’s fight for life.

All donations can be made to her personally through her phone 07030394255, or through her United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. Her account name is Cecila Ikeri, account number 2032897658.

December 4, 2015
The amazing power of a Spirit-filled girl (VIII)

She has seen God’s most wondrous plans for her and she rejoices in it because they just must manifest.

Not only is she a mighty weapon in the hands of God as she is a terror to the kingdom of darkness, she is an invaluable asset to her entire generation and the world at large as her light ignites the stars of others.

(Excerpt of a poem-“The Amazing Power of A Spirit-Filled Girl)

My darling sisters and every wonderful fan of this page-God’s page,

I bring warm greetings to you from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the ancient of days, the lion of the tribe of Judah and the one who has the final say over your life. He says to tell you

“For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of Lord:”

2 Kings 3:17-18 KJV

That which you have been pining for over the years, I mean your greatest wishes which would give your life a good meaning is hovering over your head, about to land on your laps when you least expect before the end of this very year! Cheer up, be thankful and highly expectant. Congratulations for your restoration and victory at last! I welcome you all to school on Sunday.

As I mentioned last week, without the power of the Holy Spirit it is impossible to see God’s original and wondrous plans for our destiny. What a lot of people see is counterfeit because their souls are polluted by the devil. And you know what? A polluted heart is the devil’s playground while a pure heart is God’s power house. Certainly, there must be a captain steering the ship of your life. You can’t have two masters; it’s either God or the devil who is so damn smart and who knows how to mess around with willing souls. He knows how to confuse great destinies and ruin them by employing raging, mad spirits to infest their lives. These mad spirits are wicked, violent spirits who whisper into souls. These wild spirits are manipulative, they simply remote-control one’s life if they are given just a little space. They are dangerous and destructive and could hang on with one for life. They are behind terrible dream attacks and they are the master planter of evil seeds in dreams. They represent, among other things, wild animals and soldiers who pursue you in your dreams, they are the ones who feed you and contaminate your life, afflicting you with strange illnesses, they are the ones who press down your head etc.

You should know by now that dreams are a blue print of what happens in the physical. They represent our lives in the spiritual realm such that some of these dream attacks are programmed to take effect much later in life while others manifest immediately. These evil seeds are so powerful that they can turn one’s beautiful life upside down within a split second and turn one’s life into a nightmare. Unfortunately, a lot of people are too powerless to fight them immediately with the sword of the spirit – the word of God because they are bereft of it. By the time they rush to their pastors, the deed has been done and the trouble is already established. Why do we have to get ourselves into terrible trouble when we have a free, selfless helper-the Holy Spirit? Psychedelic Christianity cannot get you anywhere in this day and age; you need the raw power of God to achieve everything you want in life.

My friend, it is not enough that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal lord and saviour. You not only need a baptism of the Holy Spirit, you need a personal encounter, otherwise I’m afraid you are just wasting your time. You need to be on fire; the devil must recognize you as a trouble-maker and be wary of you. The heavens must recognise your voice as soon as you say …in the name of Jesus. The angels of God must love to be around you 24/7.You need to possess the raw power of God and it must show in your life style. How useful are you for God? A lot of people say they’ve been praying, praying, praying and praying on the same issue but God has refused to answer them. Though, God’s time is the best, are they invaluable and precious in God’s sight and too dear to God to be ignored? Are they too precious to God to be wasted by the enemy? Look, God needs you in His army. He needs you to help rescue lost souls. He needs you to deliver His people and save them from ruin just like He used Esther. Every single Christian ought to be a soldier of Christ. When your mates are talking about sex, cheating, lying, stealing and doing things which are an abomination to God, do you just watch and keep quiet or you correct them not caring whose ox is gored? Perhaps, you are too scared of what will be done to you if you talk. You know the truth and it has set you free and given you the best life ever, are you encouraging others to discover and experience the truth? May you not live a wasted life in Jesus name!

November 29, 2015
The amazing power of a Spirit-filled girl (VII)

She’s more intelligent than her teachers and is wiser than her ancestors. She never experiences heart-breaks because she is already programmed to wait for God’s choice. She has dominion over her destiny because she has subdued her flesh. She never suffers the pain of disappointment of any form because she knows that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him.”

(Excerpt of a poem-“The Amazing Power of A Spirit-Filled Girl)

My darling sisters and every wonderful fan of this page-God’s page,

I am most delighted to be with you again today, believing sincerely with all my heart that some girl’s life somewhere is finally aligning with God’s divine agenda after reading this series in the last few weeks. I welcome you to school on Sunday!

Last week, I told you that with a massive dose of the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, you would amongst other things through divine revelation know your examination questions even before they are set and this super power comes from constantly rubbing minds with God by reading the holy bible and living a holy life. No wonder David said

“I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”

Psalm 119:99-100

The point is if you are committed to God, He is committed to you, though that doesn’t mean you won’t go through trials. And in any case because you are carrying His presence, more often than not, He would inform you before those trials begin and not only tell you how to wade your way through the stormy sea, He would give you power to deal with it all so eventually nothing really takes you by surprise and you are fully armed. I tell you no matter how rough or painful it may be, there will always be one word He has spoken or a revelation He had shown you earlier which would soothe your soul and strengthen you till the end of that precarious situation. Sometimes you see people coming out better even after being badly bruised and battered by life and you begin to wonder how they dealt with the situation- it’s the power of the Holy Spirit.

A lot of our parents, ignorant of this power, took wrong steps early in life which is affecting a lot of youth today and these steps have derailed too many destinies such that it would only take the mighty power of God to move in the life of the average youth and align him to God’s agenda.

“With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. With Him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.” Job 12:12-13

While coasting through life, we encounter all sorts at every stage. And if you are a child of destiny; a child destined to do exploits and be very great, your life would certainly be under attack by the enemy. It is normal to seek the counsel of people who have been in this world long before us and experienced similar situations. Truly, they may have answers and the wisdom to counsel, however, do they understand the language of your star as God? Do they know why you are passing through that fire? Do they know the actual path God has designed for your destiny to pass through? I doubt. If care is not taken one could be pushed out of the path of one’s destiny. But with the Holy Spirit, you can never miss it. You have the torch light your life needs and no amount of darkness can dim that light and stop it from illuminating your path except you allow it.

So many girls are so in love with their boyfriends that they simply act as though they are in the world just to have a guy drooling over them. And when they get their hearts broken, they almost want to commit suicide. Over what? Today’s girls are so badly distracted; even when they can’t speak good English least of all write a good sentence in English and pass their exams, their boyfriends appear to be their priority. These boyfriends eventually steal what should make them great in life. They steal their precious time and energy which should be spent on studying their books, the word of God, laying a proper spiritual foundation for their future. They steal their virginity, pollute their lives, desecrate them and make them unfit for God’s purpose. It is normal for every girl to desire to be loved. However, there’s time for everything. With the power of the Holy Spirit, you are not interested in whatever is not recommended in the bible. You don’t get heart-broken over a guy. You are led by the spirit of God in everything you do. Or have you ever come across boyfriend in the bible? With the presence of the Holy Spirit, your flesh is subdued and under control. Fleshly lust is a spirit and holiness is a spirit as well. Your holiness and the fire of God burning in you suffocate lust of the flesh. It’s easier for you to resist the devil and his wiles, all you concentrate on is your future and how to amass all what God has planned for you which He constantly shows you. Now, without the Holy Spirit and in a highly competitive and evil world as this, how can you even discern and fight for that which belongs to you?

November 22, 2015
Hoodlums set girl, 8, ablaze in Ogun

•Sangotoki

AN eight-year old girl, Abosede Sangotoki, has been set ablaze by hoodlums at Amode Oke-Ore in Ado-Odo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Her father’s building was also torched when the hoodlums stormed the village.

Eyeswitnesses said the hoodlums wet the girl and the building with petrol before setting them ablaze.

Eight other houses were also razed.

Baale Samuel Olawale Sangotedo, who is also Abosede’s grandfather, said the hoodlums came in five commercial buses and many motorcycles around 2pm on August 19.

“Everything happened so fast we could not wait to pick any of our valuables. We fled into nearby bushes and they still came after us. We ran far into the bushes before they turned back.

“While some of us are now managing at our relatives’ homes, others are sleeping in churches, mosques and shops. We cannot go back to Oke-Ore because the hoodlums are still there. They are threatening to kill whoever comes back”, Sangotedo said.

•Hannah

His wife Hannah described the incident as barbaric and shocking, adding:

“Abosede was on holiday when I went to pick her at her parent’s home to come and spend the holiday with me. She did not really understand the intrigues surrounding the village land ownership tussle. Immediately they came, we all dashed into the bush, but she waited too long”.

Baale Sangotedo traced the cause of the incident to a land tussle decided by an Ota High Court in April.

His family, he said, won the case, adding that since the verdict, the other party has resorted to lawlessness and hooliganism.

He said the Ogun State House of Aassembly tried to resolve the matter, all to no avail.

Inspector-General of police Solomon Arase has drafted detectives from Abuja to investigate the matter.

The detectives arrested six persons, who were arrainged before an Ota Chief Magistrate Court on a six-count charge of conspiracy, arson, murder and kidnapping.

Their plea was not taken. The court ordered that they be remanded in prison custody, pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

November 18, 2015
The amazing power of a Spirit-filled girl (VI)
Because she’s constantly flowing in the super-natural, nothing takes her by surprise. She already knows her examination questions long before the time-table is set. She’s more intelligent than her teachers and is wiser than her ancestors.

(Excerpt of a poem-“The Amazing Power of A Spirit-Filled Girl)

Hello Aunty Temilolu,

Thanks for raising a voice for the Nigerian girl. This page has always been my reason for reading The Nation newspaper on Sundays. Honestly, I believe that this inspirational column of yours would change many young minds including parents who have been misled by the traumatic side of life. I pray God will continue to give you the wisdom to accomplish this great task. May God bless you ma.

Sarah, Enugu

Dear Aunty Temilolu,

Please how can I be a devoted woman of God? Love you!

Anonymous

How to be a devoted woman of God-
1. Be a friend of God, receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour
2. Live your life strictly according to His principles as written in the Holy Bible like the only reason you are in the world is to please God.
3. Ensure you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
4. Renew your mind and ignite your spirit daily by studying and meditating on the scriptures.
5. Be determined to live a holy life. Be disciplined. Guard your heart with all diligence.
6. Do something to promote the kingdom of God. In your church, school, office or anywhere you find yourself – be an ambassador of God, win souls and preach the gospel.
7. Pray at every given opportunity. Form a habit of constantly communicating with God.
8. Be the first to get to church, fellowship etc.
I love you too. May God bless you and make you VERY GREAT. May He make you an unusual weapon in His hands and make all your dreams come true in Jesus name.

My darling sisters and every wonderful fan of this page – God’s page,

Last week, I began discussing a weapon of mass destruction which a lot of Christians have at their disposal but just ignore, a shield for our defenceless heads, our power generator, a balm of Gilead which would soothe us and free us from every burden, God’s pronouncements upon our lives which no devil can alter unless we don’t put them to use, the key to unlocking the greatest and darkest mysteries, the solution to the vagaries and vicissitudes of life, the lamp for our feet and the light on our path through life, the wisdom we need to coast through life, our strength, the enemy’s dread, our spiritual sword, sharper than any double-edged sword – the word of God. When last did you study it outside church? How many verses can you recite offhand? I welcome you all to school on Sunday!

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

Psalm 119:130 KJV

The word of God is so powerful that it has the antidote to every difficult situation we may ever find ourselves in life, situations which all the money in the world and even your G.O. cannot solve. When you allow the word of God to saturate your senses, the power of God moves over your life and His light beams upon your life. You instantly become your own prophet because it opens up your understanding and reveals all you need to know about your life and the paths to follow to your promised land while showing you pitfalls to avoid and traps set by the devil. It even reveals to you the mind of others towards you and a lot of things which don’t even concern you because you are already carrying God Himself. Doesn’t He know everything? When you begin to soak yourself in the word, believe me, you will always know the examination questions even before the time-table is out because the Holy Spirit will always act as your spy. Whoa! Now, can you ever fail? You will always cart all the prizes on the prize-giving day. How I wish I knew all of this as a teenager!

When you are daily loaded with the word of God, you will always be surrounded by the angels of God and they would always bring you super information which all the world’s greatest G.Os put together can never give you. That one information could be all that you need to become that which you are destined to be in life which is why the enemy has fought you tooth and nail and thrown all sorts your way just to ensure you don’t get to your beautiful throne; the reason why your life has been like “hell on earth” so far. God wants you to be what He created you to be. You need to start getting all the information and your weapons and ammunition right away. Time is running out fast. What would make you shine now may never make you shine later in life – in fact, you may never have the energy to pursue it. Pick up your bible and start digging deep. Refuse to be distracted by anything. Forget your friends on face book etc. and concentrate please. By the time your glory arrives, they’ll be the ones to broadcast. Pick up your bible now and draw up a daily reading plan. I pray the mighty power of God rests upon your life and open up your understanding in Jesus name. AMEN!
November 15, 2015
The amazing power of a Spirit-filled girl (V)

She feeds on the word of God which transmits divine energy into her and gives her fire to fly. The word of God is constantly in her heart shut up in her bones like a burning fire.” (Excerpt of a poem-“The Amazing Power of A Spirit-Filled Girl)

Hello friends, I’m happy to be in touch again with you all today. I pray God’s mighty power rests upon your life and part a way to your long-awaited promised land even before the end of this year in Jesus name. No matter what disappointment this year has brought you contrary to what you expected, I implore you in the name of God to be happy and hopeful against all odds. There’s nothing strange about your predicament, hold on to your faith, thank God from the bottom of your heart and watch how God will turn around your situation and push you to outstanding greatness and everlasting joy much to the enemy’s chagrin. So shall it be in Jesus name. Amen!

Before I discussed the International Day of the Girl 2015 some weeks back, I started enlightening you on the above topic. I hope you’ve learnt something so far. The year is running to an end and you could still make use of this power to achieve all that you were set out to achieve in this year. I welcome you all to school on Sunday.

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8 KJV

In one of the text messages I get daily, a young lady wrote that she didn’t think being chaste and keeping one’s virginity till marriage still exists and according to her she had always thought it “old-fashioned.” And the first thing that came to my mind was could the word of God be old-fashioned? Are today’s teenagers and youth generally acquainted with the word of God? Sadly, I doubt.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)

“Soul and spirit” are like “bone joint and bone marrow.” “Soul” is that invisible dimension of our life that we are by nature. “Spirit” is what we are by supernatural rebirth. Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Without the awakening, creative, regenerating work of the Spirit of God in us we are merely “natural” rather than “spiritual.” We must not forget that the bible tells us we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. What this means is for us to enjoy life and wade through the mysterious ocean of life, we need to be very spiritual. Unfortunately, too many people only start becoming spiritual when they get into trouble and I tell you sometimes it may be too late. They may not even have the required energy to fight such battles.

The best thing that can happen to any girl right now is to love reading the word of God like love letters and let it imprint on her soul to carry her through life. The word of God is light and darkness can never over-shadow light. The word of God is reading God and communicating with Him. Before you know it, you are carrying Him in you. The bible tells us our God is a consuming fire. Therefore, any life daily soaked in the word of God is resistant to the wiles of the devil. A lot of afflictions which manifest in our lives later in life were already planted when we were young. And I must say, you never know the type of star you carry. The greater your star and greatness, the greater the battles you have to contend with such that you could fight the same battle for years and wish you were never born. The only way out is to be plugged to God our source. Remember, “…not by power, nor by might but by my spirit saith the lord of Hosts.” Zech.4:6

These are the last days when the bible says wickedness will wax stronger and stronger. Which power, my darling sisters, do you have against the enemy? The earlier you kit yourself the better. The earlier you begin to eat the word of God the better for you. What accrues to your destiny in life is much too great and beautiful to be missed. Learn to daily memorise scriptures and see the power of God move in your life. As you master these verses and they resonate in your spirit, your mind would be illuminated and your senses would be sharpened. As you daily rub minds with God, you know God more and would start doing exploits! Daniel 11:32. All your divine abilities, gifts and talents would explode and manifest with speed. You will not only display unusual intellectual prowess, you will develop prophetic gifts, have revelatory knowledge almost about everything through dreams and visions. And if you get used to this daily exercise, you can never miss a step in the journey of life. Also, your imagination would carry so much power that whatever you imagine will come to pass because it’s incubated in the Holy Spirit.

November 8, 2015
Girl child education, key to national development

The Executive Director, Women Protection Organisation (WOPO), Mrs Oluwatoyin Towobola, has called for the education of the girl child, saying, this is crucial to national development.

Speaking at a programme organised by WOPO in conjunction with Schools Based Management Committee (SBMC), Mrs Towobola said there is need for more sensitisation and enlightenment programmes to educate the public on the need to give priority to girl child education. A nation that neglects the education of the girl child is heading for peril, Towobola warned.

She called on all to see the education of the girl child as a priority, saying there is need to work more against their violence.

“Education is very important because when you train a child, you have trained a nation. We also believe that training a child will boost the economy of the nation,” she said.

While praising governments’ effort at giving the girl child the right to education, Mrs Towobola noted that government alone cannot do it hence the reason for her organisation’s decision to come in to assist.

“The government is trying but it is obvious that they cannot do it alone; that is why we took it upon ourselves to help. We also call on well-meaning Nigerians to come to our aid in the struggle to give the girl child the right education,” she said.

Director of Community Engagement Unit Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Adebodun Dosunmu, said girl child education is not negotiable, adding the girl as the pillar of the society.

“It is the girl that develops into a woman, so there is need for her to be taken care of and given proper education. When this happens she will be able to take care of herself and the society at large,” she said.

Dosunmu called on the community to take precise actions when any child is abused in their communities and report such case to the appropriate authority.

The guest speaker, President, Old Students Association Methodist Girls High School Yaba, Mrs Yomi Afolabi, said education is not limited to school work.

“Education is not limited to school work; it is about what they (girls) can know and what they should know about how to protect themselves against abuse,” she said.

She blamed the violence and abuse of young girls on parents’s lack of attention to the victims’ plights and partly on the girl for lack of knowledge on how to defend herself.

“Negligence from the parents is one of the major causes of abuse on the girl; it is also from the girls because they lack the knowledge of what to do in the face of abuse and violence,” she said.

November 5, 2015
Defilement: Court to protect 10-year-old girl

An Ogudu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has ordered a Probate Officer to find out whether a 10-year-old girl allegedly defiled by her mother’s neighbour, Mr Mayowa Adeyemi, is safe at her residence.

The girl’s mother, Mrs. Omowunmi, told the court that she and her daughter still live in the same building with the accused.

Adeyemi, she said, lives a few doors from her single room apartment, adding that their paths cross on daily.

She was, however, interrupted by the defendant’s counsel, Mr Kayode Rufus, who informed the court of the innocence of his client.

Rufus told the court that he even had a credible witness – the defendant’s landlord – who was willing to testify on his behalf.

However, Magistrate Sule Hamzat stopped his address on the grounds that proceedings had not reached that stage.

Hamzat said: “My concern at this stage is the victim’s safety. The court needs to find out whether the the victim is protected at her home.”

She ordered the Probate Officer to locate the victim’s residence and find out whether it was safe enough for her to reside there.

Mayowa was first arraigned by the police on August 24 at an Ikeja Magistrate’s court in Ogba, on charges on child molestation and defilement, but he was granted bail and the case file was transferred to the Ogudu Division of the court.

The Nation learnt that the accused was arraigned following the outcome of an examination carried out on the victim at the Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

From the Mirabel Centre, the matter was referred to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

The DSVRT, a department in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, has offered to provide free legal aid for the victim.

Magistrate Hamzat fixed November 11 for the probate officer’s report.

October 19, 2015
Policeman defiles 3yr-old girl

A police corporal, Samuel Okere serving at Ugbodo Division in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi State has been arrested by the state Juvenile Welfare Centre (JWC) for allegedly defiling a three-year-old girl.

Okere was said to have committed the act in Ugbodo at the victim’s father’s house when she returned from school.

The victim’s parents had gone for their teaching jobs when the police officer allegedly committed the act.

When the parents returned from work, the little girl started complaining of pains in her private part as she could not walk properly.

When the father, Emmanuel Iyiekuna asked the girl what happened to her, she told him that the policeman inserted something inside her.

Iyiekuna subsequently went to Okere’s house and he(Okere) allegedly admitted committing the crime but said he only used finger on the girl and did not insert his manhood.

He appealed to Iyiekuna not to disclose the matter to anyone and reportedly offered N50, 000 to take care of the victim which was rejected.

Iyiekuna later took his child to a nearby clinic where after examining the girl, a nurse told him that the girl’s hymen has been broken.

The case of defilement was reported to the state family law centre, a special court in charge of treating such cases and other issues.

At the court, the suspect denied having carnal knowledge of the girl.

The Chairman of the court, Mrs. Elizabeth Nwali petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, CP Peace Ibekwe over the matter, calling for her intervention and investigation.

October 18, 2015
The power of the adolescent girl (International Day of the Girl Summit 2015)

HELLO my darling, precious, glorious, dignified, world-famous and heavenly celebrated Nigerian sisters and other fans of this column,

I am most delighted to be with you today which marks a very special day in the life of every girl in the world. I’ve never heard of a day set aside for boys or girls, so we are indeed very special and are meant to live our footprints in the sands of time. In the last few weeks, I’ve been discussing “The amazing power of the Spirit-filled girl” but would have to take a break and discuss the crux of this year’s day of the girl.

The United Nations marks October 11 as the “International Day of the Girl Child.” The day promotes girls’ human rights, highlights gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys and addresses the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world. This year’s theme is The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030.

This year, the Working Group on Girls and IDG Summit Community ask girls all over the world to use their imagination, as they set the stage for the most amazing Girls Speak Out event, ever at the United Nations. Imagine: The year is 2065. Girls hold all leadership positions at the United Nations. More than half of the governmental positions in countries around the world are held by girls. Girls’ rights are honoured, respected and the global economy is booming. Why? How did this happen? What was the event that changed everything? This is what the IDG Summit laid a foundation for on Friday, October 9 with thousands of girls and girl-serving organisations participating and lending their voices to the cause of girls who unfortunately have become victims instead of bundles of virtues to be nurtured into greatness.

Are Nigerian girls speaking out about their discomfort and expectations? Do they realise they have a right to speak out and be heard? Are you aware, my darling sister, that you are an institution and a nation builder? Are you aware that you carry enormous power that can make things happen and change the world to a better place? Are you aware that you are the solution the world has been waiting for? Are you aware that you were created a heroine and already empowered to have your name engraved in gold? The tragedy is a lot of you don’t know. Now, I won’t be quick to blame you because you may just be dealing with issues teenagers deal with. But getting carried away and ignoring your potential and capabilities when they are best used turns against you in future. Take it or leave it, there’s time for everything. And what should make you shine as an adolescent or youth can never make you shine later in life or in your middle age. Yet again, Nigerian women have been “used” and are about being “dumped” if not already “dumped” in this new administration after screaming change in the hot sun at the risk of their lives and even marriages. This is despicable, unjust, insensitive, unreasonable, awful, badly bad, wickedly wicked; I could go on and on. There are only eight women out of 109 members of the Senate, 14 women out of 360 members of the Federal House of Representatives, four female deputy governors and now out of the 21 ministerial nominees, we have just three women! Whoa!

My sweeties, I don’t know how soon the real change is going to take effect but if you don’t want to suffer more in future, you need to start asserting yourself by stretching your vivid imagination and diverting your youthful energy on making a difference in your home, community, school etc.

As early as age 11-12, Malala Yousafzai created a blog detailing her life under Taliban occupation and her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley. Before long, she rose in prominence, giving interviews in print and on television and she was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize. In 2012, she almost died in an assassination attempt by the Taliban. God kept her alive because she used her talents – the weapon He gave her to better the lives of others. She eventually became the most famous teenager in the world and at age 17, the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.

Funke, Chioma, Saratu, who says you can’t do better? It’s all in your mind and entirely in your hands. No one can stop you! But if you don’t start concentrating on your innate abilities now, I’m afraid no one can help you. Start as soon as you are done with this article. Think of what you can do to effect the needed change around you and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how the heavens would ignite your feet with fire, announce you in the world with the transformational impact you are able to make and help you rewrite your family history. May the mighty power of God rest upon you in Jesus name. AMEN!

October 11, 2015