The Nation Newspaper

Tag: heaven

  • All set for Heaven’s Hell premiere

    All set for Heaven’s Hell premiere

    After about two years of being in the works, Heaven’s Hell, a psychological drama, set in Lagos, will premiere on Friday, January 23, producers have announced.

    According to the producers of the movie, the new flick is out to effect a change in the African movie industry, with a message supporting the fight against woman and child violence.

    Written by Tenyin Ikpe Etim, Uyai Ikpe Etim and Katung Musa Aduwak, Heaven’s Hell tells the story of two housewives and best friends; the loquacious and miserable Alice Henshaw, the pleasant and compliant Tsola Aliu and their husbands, the affluent and kind Edward Henshaw and the egotistical and brilliant Jeff Aliu, whose lives are held together by rock-solid friendship and unwavering love, yet laced by betrayal, deceit and a lurking darkness.

    Among the artistes featured in the movie are Nse Ikpe Etim, Bimbo Akintola, Damilola Adegbite, OC Ukeje, Fabian Adeoye Lojede, Chet Anekwe, Kalu Ikeagwu, Femi Jacobs, Gideon Okeke, Treasure Obasi, Bimbo Manuel, Wole Coker, Waje as well as Sarah Majekodumi.

    The Nigerian and foreign partners of the flick include One-O-Eight Media, BGL Asset Management Company Limited, Hashtag Media House and Del-York International.

    The movie is directed by Katung Musa Aduwak and co-produced by Katung and Tenyin Ikpe Etim.

  • Clark speaks for heaven

    Clark speaks for heaven

    The occasion was this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja. It was another opportunity for President Goodluck Jonathan to work out his boiling rage at elders behaving badly.

    Once he had the microphone in his grasp, the President said: “Sometimes I get worried when I listen to provocative statements that come from very senior citizens. People that ordinarily you perceive are very senior citizens. People who are probably 70 or 80 years who have seen it all and who ordinarily should know the unity of this country is more important than the interest of any individual.

    “Sometimes they preach hate and even encourage young people to carry arms and kill themselves.”

    Narrow that down to one elderly letter-writer who maintains a residence on one of Abeokuta’s many hilltops. I was certain there was no other sinner in this category.

    But this last week I suddenly remembered the presidential rebuke after reading the latest incendiary intervention in our national discourse by his political godfather and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark.

    Among other things he declared that after late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Yorubas had no leader and the likes of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu were wasting their time thinking they could play the part.

    He then rounded on all those criticising Jonathan’s second term bid. They were, he declared with celestial certainty, fighting God! Clark is at liberty to speak for the Ijaws and PDP on this matter, but he’ll be presuming too much by appointing himself heaven’s spokesperson.

    Accusing the president’s critics of being against God is not only cheap religious blackmail, it just betrays ignorance. Truly, God can allow situations and circumstances to cause the most unlikely persons to occupy the thrones of nations, but the Scriptures are also replete with cases of people whom God enthroned but later toppled after they departed from His ways.

    God enthroned Saul, Solomon and Nebuchadnezzer to name just a few. When they went bad the Almighty kicked them out. There would have been an abundance of critics of these deviant rulers in their final days. Rather than their voices being repulsive to their Maker, He most certainly responded to their cries for deliverance.

  • Heaven and hell side by side

    The Niger Delta is an interesting place. It is a place where you see wealth and also see poverty. The two cohabitate, but their relationship is a frosty one. If poverty has its way, it will attack poverty. As a matter of fact, there has been instances where they actually clashed.

    Some have said the best way to describe the relationship between poverty and wealth in the Niger Delta is to say heaven and hell live side by side. Wealth is heaven and hell is…poverty.

    Visit an average oil producing area in the Niger Delta and what you see is appalling. Move towards the residential areas of the oil giants and you see beautiful homes, where all the good things of life are in abundance. Electricity supply is taken for granted. You can as well say these people live abroad in Nigeria!

    Then go towards the area where the community people live and you see thatched houses and homes with rusty corrugated sheets. Most likely, you will see a child with protruding belly as a result of malnourishment. You may also see an elder with local alcoholic drink, a sharp contrast to the choice wines that are served in the residential areas of the oil giants.

    Except for a place like Bonny Island, where the NLNG Limited felt it was not good for its members of staff and management alone to enjoy 24-hour electricity supply and thus give the community near-free electricity, darkness is almost always the permanent neigbour of indigenes of oil-bearing nations.

    It was a way of ending a situation where hell and heaven are side by side that Chevron in 2008 conceived the idea of building 200 units of modern apartments for indigenes of Ugborodo, which houses its facilities, including the Escravos airstrip. Unfortunately, years later the $6 million project is yet to take off and has even precipitated crisis and the people are the worse for it.

    An Octogenarian, Pa JOS Ayomike, told reporters recently that “there is no community in Nigeria abused, cheated, maltreated and marginalised as Ugborodo. Visit there and you will be reminded of Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities. The old Ugborodo is dying away while he Chevron/EGTL sector remains the Paris of Escravos.”

    Yet the community is tagged the ‘Oil Capital of West Africa’ .

    Pa Ayomike accused Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of hijacking the money for the project. The governor has defended himself, saying the money is intact and that the arrangement Chevron made is such that no one can touch the money.

    What is important here is that whatever the problem is should be resolved and let the people enjoy this project. Or was it just a gimmick in the first instance.

    While action is being awaited on Ogborodo, similar projects should also be planned for other oil-bearing areas. The wealth from oil, if not stolen, is enough to give the residents of these areas decent homes. The only reason why this may not be possible is that there may not be enough for the greed of few.

    The good of all should, however, supercede. If not, one day there will be no environment for the oil giants to operate again!

  • No separate heaven for politician, says Baptist leader

    No separate heaven for politician, says Baptist leader

    The President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, has tasked Christians in politics to uphold the values of honesty, fairness, righteousness and integrity.

    He said God will hold politicians accountable just like any other person, stating that there is no separate heaven for those in politics.

    Ayokunle spoke recently during the conferment of the Grand Armour Bearer of Christ on the former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and his wife, Olufunke.

    He said God is angry with Nigeria because those who need to bear the armour of God in integrity, holiness, righteousness have derailed to idolatry, wickedness and corrupt practices.

    According to the Baptist leader: “There is a battle for the church and God is enlisting people who will join in the army as successful armour bearers. We must first receive the armour which is the grace of God.”

    Ayokunle, who was represented by Rev. Femi Okunola, noted that politics is part of the church life, stating that the devil is highly interested in politics, which can build or ruin the destiny of a nation.

    According to him: “We must focus more on heavenly demands, pray more for heavenly grace, trust more on heavenly father, who can keep, direct and assist us in bringing good govenance to the people and help us to make heaven at the end of life.”

    The visioner, Dr. Henry Ozomata, said that the award was in recognition of the recipients in blazing the trail in service to God and humanity.

    Daniel said that the award was a surprise and further motivation for him to do more for God and the Christian community as long as he lives.

  • Ndubuisi Nduka in seventh heaven

    Ndubuisi Nduka in seventh heaven

    Heartland coach, Ndubuisi Nduka has said he is the happiest man on earth at the moment following his side’s convincing 2-0 win against Nasarawa United in Wednesday’s Globacom Premier League Matchday 18 encounter at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.

    The victory has lessened pressure on the side following three successive defeats on the road to the Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars, El-Kanemi Warriors and Enugu Rangers.

    Striker and top scorer, Isah Akor Umoru edged his side forward in the 49th minute while former junior international, Osas Okoro doubled the lead in the 77th minute ending the encounter on a respectable 2-0 score line.

    A highly-relieved coach said the hard-fought victory will go a long way to ease off the already building pressure on the side as a result of their past three travel defeats.

    “Definitely, I’m happy over the victory against Nasarawa United for the obvious reason that the past three travel defeats have not been well received at home, so this victory will go a long way to calm frayed nerves, settle the dust as well as restore some form of confidence in the side.

    “I praise my wards for standing strongly against the visitors and resisting their forays to our vital areas. It’s a good game for both sides but won by the side that actually worked very hard for victory and that side are Heartland,” said the former Plateau United coach to supersport.com.

    The Nigerian Cup holders will be the guests of bitter neighbours and arch-rivals, Enyimba in the Glo League Matchday 19 at the Aba International Stadium on Sunday.

    Ndubuisi is confident that his wards will pull a surprise result in Aba once the officiating is balanced.

    “I assure you that with good officiating we’ll not leave Aba on Sunday empty-handed. Today’s (Wednesday’s) victory is a big boost going into the derby at Enyimba,” he said.

    Heartland have upped their points haul to 28 from a possible 54 and better placement from their hitherto fourth position.

  • Manna from heaven

    THE students were expected to be on holiday following the end of the rain semester at the Federal University Technology, Owerri (FUTO). Many of the students had left for home, leaving their graduating colleagues, who are working on their project.

    Unexpectedly, the marketing staff of Dufil Prima Foods Plc, drove into the campus with a truck filled with cartons of Indomie instant noodle. The campus, which was almost empty, started bubbling with activities again. Students started trooping in to partake on the ‘manna from heaven.

    The food company visited the campus to promote its products and services. The programme was organised in conjunction with the Students’ Union Government (SUG), and coordinated by Director of Welfare, Efe Efe, and Director of Socials, Paschal Anyanwu.

    The Indomie mobile kitchen was stationed in front of Hostel C, which was considered a strategic spot for students’ awareness. In no time, the news of ‘free food’ circulated among the students. Some came from their off-campus abode to get the free meal.

    The students gathered in groups as Indomie staff sensitised them on the company’s services and its ongoing promo. Fliers and some other promotional materials were shared among the students, who stared continuously at the mobile kitchen as the programme progressed.

    As the cooks prepared the sumptuous delicacy, students waited eagerly with their plates and spoons ready to relish the meal. As soon as the food was ready, they filed in a single row. The freshly-prepared Indomie was dished out to the insatiable students, who went back to seek for more after the first round.

    The exercise also featured stage performances by artistes and dancers, while comedians doled out jokes to thrill the students. While performances were going on, the marketers were selling the product to the students.

    Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, praised the initiative. Godswill Opara, 400-Level Agricultural Economics, said he was fortunate to have been present on campus when the show was organised, saying: “I don’t need to buy food again until later in the evening; I have been fed beyond my expectation.”

    Ifeoma Umeugoji, 200-Level Food Science Technology, was pleased with the way the event was organised. She said the freedom to eat the noodle in the open gladdened her heart.