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Tag: life

  • The Cycle of Life!

    The Cycle of Life!

    Text: “…Peter remembered… He had said… Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice… Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:61)

    “All the world’s a stage,” wrote William Shakespeare, “and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.” Life, indeed, unfolds in stages, scenes, and transitions. One phase leads into another—sometimes in triumph, sometimes in tears. As the Lenten season draws to a close, it is essential to reflect on this reality: life is a cycle, and people are ever-changing. Those who sing your praises today may speak betrayal tomorrow. The only One whose love never changes and whose promises remain true is the Almighty God (Isaiah 49:15–16).

    Simon Peter’s journey is a compelling reflection of life’s changing scenes. In Luke 5:1–11, we see him as a hardworking and humble fisherman who obeyed Jesus despite a night of failure. He allowed his boat to be used for the gospel and experienced a miracle that shifted the course of his life. Yet, the same Peter, who passionately declared that he would never deny Jesus (Matthew 26:34–35), faltered when pressure mounted. In a moment of fear and confusion, Peter denied the Lord—not once, but three times—going so far as to swear he never knew Him (Matthew 26:72–74). When the cock crowed and Jesus turned to look at him, Peter was crushed and wept bitterly.

    Peter’s fall reminds us how easily human loyalty can shift in life’s unpredictable seasons. One day, you may be hailed with shouts of “Hosanna!” and the next, left standing alone. But just as Peter’s denial was not the end of his story, neither are our failures final. God’s mercy remains steadfast. Apostle Paul, despite being a pillar of faith, also faced despair during his mission in Asia (Acts 19:22–41). A fierce opposition led by Demetrius, a silversmith, stirred chaos because Paul’s message was disrupting idolatrous trade. Caught between danger and duty, Paul admitted that he “had the sentence of death… that [he] should not trust in [himself], but in God who raiseth the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9). In that dark phase, Paul surrendered completely to the one Source who never fails.

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    Sadly, many today continue to place their hope in fragile things—people, positions, possessions—that cannot sustain them when storms rise. As God lamented through the prophet Jeremiah, “My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). True stability in life comes only from trusting fully in the Lord, not in human wisdom, wealth, or worldly systems. Human beings are changeable (Micah 7:5–6), and even the best-intentioned individuals may fail (Jeremiah 17:5–6). Medical experts have limits (Mark 5:25–34), and even loving parents are not all-powerful (Isaiah 49:15–16).

    No matter what phase you are in today—joy or sorrow, confusion or clarity—do not lose heart. After the silence of Holy Saturday comes the glory of Easter morning. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead is still at work. He will raise you too—from despair to hope, from brokenness to wholeness, from obscurity to celebration. If your heart is weary, your dreams delayed, or your strength depleted, cling to the One who never changes. Life’s stages may shift, but Jesus Christ remains constant. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion for you in the name of Jesus Christ.

    Prayer: Father, thank You for this year’s Lenten journey. As the season draws to a close, grant me the grace to continually depend on You in this uncertain world. Strengthen my faith and help me to trust You above all else, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • When, really, does life begin… at 18, 21, 40, 50, or 74?

    When, really, does life begin… at 18, 21, 40, 50, or 74?

    On every 23, August, when I have to blow out old candles and light new ones, I have never ceased to wonder at how expansive the carpet of existence continues to widen for experiencing on earth and, simultaneously, in the regions of existence beyond the sensibilities or tangibility of our earthly senses.

    I was preparing to write this column about 15 minutes before the midnight of my 74th birthday when one of my acquaintances  informed me  of  a video in the THE FLAGSHIP, chat group of the THE GUARDIAN staff. The author, Dr. Ken, said that men who did not have sexual relationships 21 times  monthly  risked congestion in their prostate glands and could suffer from cancer.

    I made an immediate response at about 12:03 a.m. to warn against  wholesale acceptance of this notion. My response was informed by experiencing  expanded by age.

    When I was 18 and  a devotee  of James Brown and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, I thought that was the pinnacle of human experience. I was mentally and inwardly stimulated whenever I read of 16-year-olds or 18-year-olds in Europe and the United States bidding their parents bye and leaving home, getting married, and starting their own families.

    By 25, I was partly sanguine and partly melancholic, asking such questions of existence as: WHO AM I? WHAT IS LIFE? WHAT IS DREAM? IF MY FATHER MARRIED SOMEONE ELSE, WOULD I HAVE BEEN BORN? IF I WAS, HOW WOULD I HAVE LOOKED LIKE? WHERE ELSE WOULD I HAVE BEEN BORN? They stirred up in my soul because, the year before, at 24, I had my first OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE (OBE). More OBEs followed in the years after. In the first OBE, I came out of my body, which I saw fast asleep in bed in the  single room apartment assigned to me by my father in his first house in Lagos.  I cannot give the details of that first OBE here. That first OBE was devastating and challenging. A dark, male figure tried to overpower me. Intuitively, I sensed I should prevent him from doing so. If he did, I would be dead. I was to learn later, in the course of my struggles inwardly to understand why events are as they are, that no event takes place on earth without its model having been designed and accomplished in regions of existence that are above the earthly sphere. Thus, our dreams may warn us of coming events if we are not careless about them. They won’t be those dreams that are conjured by the overburdened and tired frontal brain, the cerebrum, or the intellect. They would be those ones in which natural colours vividly appear. They are passed by the spirit through its soul bodies to the back brain or the cerebellum, the spiritual brain, which “uploads” them on the RADIATIONS OF THE BLOOD from the SOLAR PLEXUS, from where they gain connection with the frontal brain.

    Many of us do not remember our dreams or do faintly or remember them but do nothing about them. If we do not remember them or remember them faintly, it means the Spirit, that is the real us, cannot effectively communicate with the body, its earthly cloak and vessels, as a motorist may lose control of a motor vehicle. We lose control when the blood radiation cannot support the transmission, just as we complain about “network” problems when the person at the other end of a telephone conversation cannot hear us or vice versa. Effective blood radiation for high-fidelity communications between the spirit or the soul and the physical body  depends on optimal blood composition and, in part, on the equilibrium of vibrations of the Spirit and blood. When one part goes down, a loosening, separation, or falling apart, which we call “death,” may occur. Sometimes, the body’s blood radiation may be overwhelmed by vibrations of the Spirit. This has been noted to be the cause of SPONTANEOUS HUMAN COMBUSTION, in which the body burns to ash without a valid scientific explanation (please see the internet for spontaneous human combustion). These were some of the occurrences which engaged my choleric years. Spontaneous human combustion occurred in the United Kingdom in 1979 when I was 29 and on holiday there. The newspapers splashed the news. No scientist had a reasonable explanation. All that the leading scientists were asking, in summary, was: How does the human body, which generates between 36.5 -37. 5 degree Centigrade of heat, suddenly produce  between 760 – 980 degrees Centigrade or more  in cremation model to burn human flesh and bones to ash?.   In their book, THE CREATION OF HEALTH, U.S. Surgeon Norman Sheally and Caroline Myss (please see the internet) theorized 20 years later, in 1999, though on a different platform, of ENERGY MEDICINE, that life of a higher order than our earthly body’s origin resides inside the mortal flesh.

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    VIVID DREAMS

    I have had vivid dreams than I can share here due to the limitation of space. I cannot stop talking about one of them. This concerns my father’s passing on 26th August 1998, when I was 48. On 24 August of that year, my mother, who passed away on 5 August 1959( 39 years earlier), walked past me on a road, saying: BABA ETI JADE KURO L’AYE (Your father has left the earth). That day, I asked Mr. Gbenga George, who worked with me in the office, to run my car to his house and take him to Professor Bukola Adefule-Oshitelu, his eye doctor at LASUTH, for his clinic appointment. I promised to see him later, five days later, on Saturday, 29 August. That was a serious intellectual blunder. The Spirit warned me what had been designed and accomplished in a higher sphere of existence to manifest on earth, but I responded to it by relying on my earthly convenience. That Saturday was when his earthly remains were interred according to his WILL, which he reminded me of in a dream.

    At 3:40 a.m. on 26 August, he came to me in a dream, looking more than 20 years younger. He held my hand, placed one of my stepmother’s hands on it, and held both hands with his above, and then said: MO TI LO O, RANTI GBOGO OUN TI A JOSO SE EHIN MI NI RE O. I have gone, remember all that we discussed, tidy my affairs well. I rose from that dream at 3:40 a.m., 20 minutes after he passed, as I would learn later from my brother, Mr. Yinka Kusa, who lived with him.

    OBE NOT DREAM

    The OBE I spoke of earlier was not a dream. It was a real-life experience in the ASTRAL or ETHEREAL body. The physical or dust, earthly body is the  outermost covering of the Spirit. The other coverings and the Spirit minus the earthly covering is what we call the soul. Between the earthly body and the last of the ethereal bodies nearer to the dust body is the ASTRAL body. That is the one we call the GHOST, which a departing soul drags along and may be visible until the Soul is too distant to animate or energize it, and it falls away in a disintegration process.

    One of the wishes I was reminded of in that dream was the interment of the earthly remains not later than the Saturday which would follow the passage. I report these events in gratitude to those members of the staff of THE GUARDIAN who attended the interment at that very short notice. My first OBE was the preparation ground for this event 24 years later at 48. That OBE was not a hallucination as many psychiatrists may like to suggest. In that OBE, I saw and fought with a real person. His astral or ethereal body was tangible and close to mine. My dust body was deep asleep in bed. He wanted to approach it. My intuitive sensing was that this must not happen. In that ensuing struggle, a SINGER refrigerator in the room was overturned, and two props of the writing desk were broken. My OBE body found its way back to its earthly cloak. Meanwhile, co-residents of the house gathered by the door of my room. I opened the door. They saw my grandmother, who lived nearby and came that night to set up prayers till dawn. At dawn, one of my uncles, who heard of the episode, came to take me away. I became afraid to sleep at night, irrespective of traditional medicine approaches to help me. I was due to go to university the following month. Was this the way my life would give way?, I ask myself. If that fellow could come to me through the medium of the air, I wished to know the process through which he came so that, through it, I could protect myself in the future. That volition set me on the path of SPIRITUAL ENQUIRY, which began to give me a better understanding of different conceptions than culture and religion had offered.

    When the student is ready, the teacher will surface, it is said.  I found THE WORLD TEACHER  in His Work IN UYO, then in Cross River State, during youth corp camping in 1977, three years after that first OBE. By 1978, I had become unafraid of existence and even made a WILL at 28 for a quiet funeral whenever I would be called away. At 38, I was Editor of THE GUARDIAN newspaper, in succession to Lade Bonuola, the pioneer editor, and imbued with the lofty volition to expand not only the business reach and financial fortunes but also to lead the readers back to Mother Nature in respect of their health and spiritualize their ways and means. I need to state that spiritual life is different from religious life.Editorial dream  compartmentalisation of THE GUARDIAN bore witness to this dream with the emergence of such sections as PROPERTY and NATURAL HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION, and AGRICULTURE. It was the first newspaper content compartmentalisation in Nigeria, which unified editorial and advertisement content as a market and made the newspaper a real business bug as well as the “hammer and anvil of social solidarity”. I encouraged Mrs. Elizabeth Kafaru to write a column in the Natural Health section where I featured,as reporter, Adetutu Folashade-Koyi, the daughter of a Nigerian who in the decades before then produced two leading traditional pediatric medicine …OMO RE LA (baby survives) and OMOLAYO BABY MIXTURE (baby Is Joy…). So, to fellow was GBOMORO (baby sustainer). This section discovered JUBI BLOOD FORMULA now sold as JOBELYN.

    When Europe produced VIAGRA for male sexual virility, I found Delan Okpalaeke, a microbiology graduate of Lagos State University, to carry out a kitchen experiment I designed to prove that OGBOLO (d:m:m), a Yoruba parasitic root, could make men produce more sperm and semen with better morphology and motility. About 30 men and different laboratories participated. I presented the report in Okpalaeke’s name to the medical and lay communities. Our report won a €1.5 million First Prize in the CNN AFRICAN JOURNAL AWARD of that year!

    My interest in Alternative Medicine derived from an earthen ware pot of cowries and palm fruit kernel I saw in my mother’s wardrobe after her demise when I was nine. One of my aunts said it was to remind her to guide my paths in line with divination of a life in healing arts. One statement in the teachings of THE WORLD TEACHER about the health of the human body touched me. My own recall of it is that… NEITHER DRUGS NOR INJECTIONS BUT THE RIGHT KINDS OF FOODS AND DRINKS BRING LASTING HEALTH. The excitement plunged me into Alternative Medicine advocacy till this day.

    LIFE AT 50, 60

    It is wrong to assume life is all over at retirement from paid employment. It was in these years that I discovered more assuring that our universe is configured with several POWER CENTERS of our making by exercise of FREE WILL and that, in relations to and with them, we are like radio or television receiving sets and they are like broadcasting stations. Christians call the negative power center THE PRINCIPALITIES. Whenever we think of anything, we open ourselves to transmission from the homogeneous power centers. Thus, our thoughts can inspire us for good or ill, and we  would harvest the fruits of out actions.  If I was successful as Editor of The Guardian and later, as its Director of Publications/ Editor-in-Chief from tye age of 42, this knowledge was the enhancer of my abilities.

    LIFE AT 70 ONWARD

    Working in the knowledge of THE LAW OF MOTION that there must be NO STANDSTILL in human existence, I find joy in helping to correct misconceptions in all matters connected to the purpose of human existence, as advised by THE WORLD TEACHER. We talk so much about WEATHER CHANGE and the money we can make from it without linking it to three great events in the Universe, namely:

    • In The  COSMIC CALENDAR, the Earth has been shifted from the  Radiations of the PISCEAN AGE to that of the AQUARIAN AGE in  which we now exist.

    • Simultaneously, the gigantic Universe has completed a COSMIC TURNING POINT, which exposes all its forms to stronger Radiations.

    • A huge Star as powerful as the Star of Bethlehem is known to be on its way towards the Earth from the same origin  as the Bethlehem Star, this time not as a greeting from the Father but to close the cycle of the coming of the Son of God to the Earth and to open the cycle of the SON OF MAN (The Holy Spirit), which will proclaim the Judgement.

    Christians made a serious mistake by unifying the conception of the Son of God and the Son of Man, and not understanding the importance of those three events for increasingly traumatising conditions on Earth today, as everything outside the Will of God (The Holy Spirit or the Son of Man) is overturned. Didn’t Jesus, the Son of God, warn that the Holy Spirit would not forgive our sins? Jesus only came to forewarn that the judgement was coming. Lucifer was already bound for the Millennium; the Holy Spear, symbol of His Power, having been wrested from His Hands in a serious encounter with Someone from an Origin higher than His. Paradoxically, Adolf  Hitler conquered many European countries in search of the Holy Spear,  and the Chalice, believing they were on this Earth, and whichever country possessed it would rule the Earth. The Chalice, too, is by no means the cup in which the  Lord Jesus served wine to His Disciples during the last supper or tye one I which the Blood of Jesus on the Cross was caught. Nor was the Spear the one thrust into the abdomen of Jesus to confirm He was dead, and thereby prevent the breaking of His Bones by the Romans.

    In the 70s and probably well beyond it, persons who have been touched by the teachings of THE WORLD TEACHER stand in duty to help ignorant humanity. Thus, life cannot come to a standstill at any age under whatever condition. Did Moses and Elijah not appear with Jesus in Gethsemane during His Transfiguration? Were they in any graves resting, as many Christians believe departed persons do, another grave error of human teaching of God’s Will?

    Dr. Ken’s suggestion that men should have sex 21 times a month for a healthy prostate gland must devitalise them in various ways and be very counterproductive.  Sexual intercourse is normal, but is not too much of anything destructive? Sex is like food, water, and rest to the healthy human body. Were it not so, the Creator would not have placed the sexual instinct in the body, which, being of animal origin, defined sexual intercourse as an animal act. Dr. Devendra Vora, author of “Health in Your Hands,” limits some adult stage categories to no more than one time in a month for optimal health and well-being. He was a much sought-after reflex zone physician of the hands and feet who saw about 2.5 million patients a year, more than some orthodox medicine doctor saw in a lifetime. He probably knew of the purpose of human existence in a physical body made from dust, of the generative power produced when the indwelling human spirit glows into the dust body, of how this dust body is to serve the spirit as a vessel during its sojourn on earth, of how generative power supports this venture as a bridge across which the spirit connects to the physical world through the dust body, of how sex may dissipate the generative power and weaken those spirits’ activities. Some doctors have worsened matters by saying pregnant women should have sex to relax their pelvic muscles for easy childbirth. They forget that babies in the womb may be really enjoying the sexual activities of their parents-to-be. The Bible reports that the Lord Jesus and John the Baptist, His forerunner, as babies in their respective mothers’ wombs, leapt for joy (on seeing each other during the visit of  Mary, mother of Jesus,  to Elizabeth,mother of John  the Baptist. When we say young women and men of today are sexually loose, could this be because they participated in the sexual experiences of their parents before they were born?

  • 10 essential life skills to thrive

    10 essential life skills to thrive

    In today’s world that’s constantly evolving, possessing a set of essential skills can profoundly impact your daily life, well-being, and personal growth. 

    Here’s a comprehensive guide to skills everyone should thrive for: 

    1 Basic cooking skills
    Home cooking promotes healthier eating, saves money, and improves creativity. This requires learning how to cook a few versatile dishes, investing in essential kitchen tools and exploring online cooking classes or tutorials to build confidence. 

    2 Personal finance management

    Effective financial management enhances stability and reduces stress.
    Educating oneself on savings strategies, investment basics, and debt management through books or financial education platforms 

    3 Basic first aid

    First aid knowledge can be lifesaving and reduce the cases of injuries. Familiarizing oneself with basic procedures for common emergencies like CPR and keeping a well-stocked first aid kit in your home and car incase of emergencies. 

    4 Effective communication

    Strong communication skills improve relationships and professional interactions. Practicing active listening by summarizing what others say before responding. Working on articulating ones thoughts clearly and concisely. 

    5 Time management

    Efficient time management boosts productivity and reduces stress. Adopting different techniques for work periods, task management etc is very essential. 

    6 Basic home maintenance

    Knowing how to perform simple repairs saves money and maintains your home’s value. Learning basic repair skills such as changing a light bulb, or unclogging a drain.  YouTube is a great resource for tutorials, and having a toolkit with basic tools can be helpful.

    7 Critical thinking and problem-solving

    These skills help you make informed decisions and solve complex problems effectively. Engaging in activities that challenge your thinking, such as puzzles or strategy games. Practice evaluating different viewpoints and solutions to problems. Consider reading books on logic and reasoning to enhance your critical thinking abilities.

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    8 Basic technology skills

    Technological proficiency is essential in today’s digital world. Getting comfortable with basic software like word processors, spreadsheets etc is essential. Understanding online security principles, such as using strong passwords is also important. 

    9 Emotional intelligence

    Emotional intelligence improves interpersonal relationships and personal well-being.
    Practicing self-awareness by reflecting on your emotions and responses. Developing empathy by actively listening to others and understanding their perspectives is essential. Techniques like mindfulness and journaling can help manage stress and enhance emotional regulation.

    10 Self-care practices
     Regular self-care is crucial for maintaining mental and physical health. Establishing a routine that includes exercise, adequate sleep, and balanced nutrition. Incorporate activities that bring you joy and relaxation, such as reading, hobbies, or meditation. Setting boundaries and taking time for yourself are key to managing stress and preventing burnout.

    Mastering these essential skills equips one with the tools needed to navigate life’s challenges and opportunities with confidence and ease. 

    By investing in these areas, you build a foundation for a more balanced, productive, and fulfilling life.

  • Book outlines life lessons in resilience, self-acceptance

    Book outlines life lessons in resilience, self-acceptance

    Literary enthusiasts and guests gathered to celebrate the launch of Imperfectly Awesome: Embracing and Becoming a Wholesome You, an inspirational book, by Dr. Omotola Bamigbaiye.
    The author shares her stories of how to help people love, reinvent themselves, and bloom.
    “Adulting can be chaotic. But it can also be a hilarious and thrilling ride. From career expectations to motherhood, relationships, and nagging whispers of imposter syndrome, there’s always something to grapple with. The world may only play off-tune beats, but you can create your rhythm and dance to it gracefully… or however else you please”, the author wrote in the book.

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    The book, she noted, is a rallying cry for anyone who felt inadequate, struggled with imposter syndrome or lost in the corporate world. With its relatable narrative and practical advice, it is inspiration, hope and comfort for readers on the journey towards self-love and fulfilment.
    Bamigbaiye stressed that the book is about building ladders, one rung at a time, with laughter, tears, and maybe a little lipstick smeared on the way. Imperfectly Awesome is about learning to love yourself, and embrace the messy, beautiful chaos that is life.
    She advises everyone to build their resilience table, do what works for them and do away with things that no longer serve them., noting there is no manual to teach how to navigate the world of work or life, but learning from experiences.

  • What a cruel life!

    What a cruel life!

    When death strikes a home and takes away a younger person, leaving the elderly, the grief is unspeakable. When such happens, we find solace in God, the giver and taker of life. The death in a plane crash of Access Holding Company chieftain Herbert Wigwe, his wife and son, as well as a family friend Abimbola Ogunbanjo, on Friday has left people wondering about the ways of the Almighty. Why take the younger Wigwe when his octogenarian parents, Pa Shyngle and Mama Stella, are still alive and well? We cannot question God, as the scriptures say.

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    There is nothing more heartbreaking than to break the news of a dead child to his aged parents. I know because I have walked that road before. Tears welled up in my eyes as I beheld the pictures of Wigwe’s friends and associates who visted his parents on Monday to condole with them. The photos were at once moving, touching and heartrending. No parent should predecease his child. This is our wish as humans.

    But, at times, God’s plan as we have seen in this case, may be different. My heart goes out to Papa and Mama Wigwe. May their eyes never behold this kind of tragedy again. May their son and others find rest in the Lord’s bosom.

  • Life hosts media parley to announce Hi-Life Fest 2019

    LIFE Lager has unveiled the 2019 edition of its talent hunt competition, Hi-Life Fest.

    The announcement was made on Sunday, May 26 at a special media parley hosted in Sky Garden Bar, Onitsha.

    Present at the event were actor/musician, David Jones-David, ko and highlife legend, Bright Chimezie, as well as the brand manager of Life Lager, Chidi Egwu.

    Following successful editions in 2017 and 2018, the 2019 edition of Hi-Life Fest, themed ‘The Rhythm of Progress’ will be broadcast to millions of viewers on local and cable TV, with Soundcity set to chronicle the show with episodes airing shortly after each stage of the competition.

    Hi-Life Fest kicks off on June 3, with the regional auditions to be staged in Enugu, Asaba, Awka, and Aba. Winners from these regions will be taken to Lagos for a week of mentoring by some of the most respected acts in the Nigerian highlife music scene. After this, contestants will head back to the East for the quarter-finals in Port Harcourt on July 14.

    The semi-finals and finals are scheduled to hold in Enugu and Onitsha on August 4 and August 18 respectively.

    Nollywood star, Gideon Okeke, has been announced as the official TV host for the show.

    Speaking after the event, Egwu shared his vision for the 2019 edition of Hi-Life Fest.

    “This is one of the ways we connect with our consumers and celebrate our shared love for highlife music,” said Egwu.

    “After two successful editions, which produced two remarkable talented musical acts, we’ve decided to take this competition a step further and showcase these talents to the whole of Africa. Our partnership with Soundcity will see us release episodes of this year’s competition. This television treatment will not only showcase the talents of our contestants but will also profile their evolution as they go along the tournament and expose them to a wider audience. We want to celebrate their progress and show the world that some of the best musical talents can be discovered in South-Eastern Nigeria.”

  • Life after death

    In LUKE 16:19 says: “There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.” In verses 22-23, Jesus says the rich man died and was buried. And in hell, the rich man lifted up his eyes, being in torments. While in torments of hell, he remembered his five brothers and prayed that Abraham, who was in Paradise with Lazarus, should send Lazarus to his father’s house that he might witness to them so that they also would not come into hell. Abraham made the rich man to know that, it was an impossible thing to do.

    In Luke 16:26: Abraham told the rich man, who found himself  in hell that between Paradise and hell, there is a great gulf fixed, hence the souls of those in hell cannot cross over into Paradise and vice versa.

    This word of truth, spoken by Abraham, is also a contradiction of Purgatory, which is the doctrine of Satan. Hebrews 9:27 states it was appointed unto the rich man once to die and after this the judgment of hell.

    And it was also appointed unto poor Lazarus, once to die and after death he was carried by the angels of God into Abraham’s bosom.  The soul of Lazarus is already in perfect peace in heaven, while the soul of the rich man is troubled because of the torment of hell.

    The prayer of any clergyman will never change the destination of the soul of man after death. Neither can it make any soul, cross over from hell to heaven, or vice-versa. Hell was originally prepared for the devil and his fallen angels as written in Matthew 25:41.

    But it has enlarged itself to accommodate the wicked and those nations who forget God as Psalms 9:17 states. Amongst the people of God are found many wicked men, amongst whom are also found workers of iniquity. They will say to the Lord, in that day, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name, have we not cast out devils, and in thy name, have we not done many wonderful works? (Jeremiah 5:26; Matthew 7:22)

    The souls of these workers of iniquity, even if they are men of God, will not rest in perfect peace after death because they have been resisting the Holy Ghost by not obeying the doctrines of Christ, especially the doctrine of separation.

    Jesus said in Luke 6:46 “AND WHY CALL ME, LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT THE THINGS WHICH I SAY?” And the most important thing amongst all other things that Jesus is saying to the people of God is that they should NOT love the world and the things that are in the world because He has chosen them out of the world as 1 JOHN 2:15-16 and JOHN 17:16 state.

    Death comes like a thief in the night. Therefore repent NOW, before it is too late.

    George is a member of Christian Gospel Church (The Truth Centre) on 4, Christian Gospel Avenue Beside Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu,  Benin City, Edo State.

  • ‘What life has taught me at 60’

    Senior Pastor of Christ Living Apostolic Ministry (CLAM) Lagos, Apostle Wole Oladiyun celebrated his 60th birthday and 21 years anniversary of the church last week. He spoke with newsmen on the journey so far, national issues and how the church can contribute to the polity. Olusegun Raphael was there

    IT is your 60th birthday and 21years anniversary of your ministry. How do you feel?

    I want everybody to know it is by the grace, mercy and favour of God. I want to appreciate the great and men and women of God who been working with me in the ministry for the past 21 years. The executive heads for different portfolios in the ministry, including the Chief medical director, Clam medical arm, Soteria Maternity and hospital, Dr. (Mrs.) Moyosore Makinde.

    What would a man say, when God has made success out of his life? Someone who finds himself in a family, where everyone wakes up in the morning by 5am and  go to one old Christ Apostolic church in Ile Oluji to pray.

    You carry your portmanteau on your head, which is today’s backpack and trekked to school. On your way back, you passed your father’s workshop, you entered prayed and later go and greet your father.

    Someone who knew Jesus early in life. You have been trained to talk to God first before your parents.  Between ages 7 and 10, you are conscripted into dry fasting on mountaintop of the late Pastor Ayo Babalola with only well water to break your fast. Psalm16: 8, which says lines are fallen in pleasant for me and I have a goodly heritage is my testimony.

    The foundation of anything matters a lot. By the grace of God I am an Engineer and I have been privileged to build houses all over this country and my engineering dexterity still stands.

    I grew up in the family of seven, the second child but first boy. My late father was an elder in the church and leader of the then prayer band of the late Ayo Babalola while my late mum was just a petty trader, Mama Onigarri.

    My father died when I was 11 and we saw the ancestors of suffering. But by providence, my father’s cousin who was a diplomat came home and took me to Ibadan. He has another brother who always saw me with my Lacombe.

    He asked me if I wanted to go to school. I responded that I want to be an engineer like him. I was enrolled in school and studied hard, eventually I won a scholarship. I finished secondary school and went to study Civil Engineering at the then University of Ile –ife now Obafemi Awolowo Univerisy.  I later did my Masters at Netherland business school.  I am highly indebted to the Akintomides and the Adewakuns.

    I have always known that I have a calling because God used to appear to me even at 7. My father took me to a pastor who confirmed it but he requested that I should be educated for the betterment of the call.

    I served in Ramat Polytechnic, Borno State. After my  NYSC I wanted to join the police but I met one man, Mr. Mshelia who asked me why and I told him I wanted to work in the works department to tackle injustice. He said to me that was not a good reason to join police. So,  I decided to face my engineering.

    I later travelled to Germany briefly for 9 months but the Lord told me I can’t fulfill my destiny there. I returned home and founded a company. I ventured into other businesses like supplying skimmed powder for production companies, spare parts, pharmaceutical products.

    I was a member of Full Gospel businessmen fellowship. I was ordered back to CAC. I repented because God said he wants to use me. I later joined Deeper Life. I also served under Pastor Anayo Iloputaife. I was with Pastor Wole Aboderin of Faith Bible Church. Due to my passion for engineering, I was struggling with the call but after God packed the businesses up for three years, I surrendered. I was sent forth by Pastor Aboderin.

    I got the name of the ministry after serious prayer through the inspiration of the  story of the woman by the well in John  4verse 4-26  where Jesus told her if you had given me water I would have given you ever flowing spring. It is an Apostolic ministry, which started April, 2 1998 with monthly revival and vigil at Dansol School.

    In the last 21 years what would say are your challenges?

    When things are going smoothly I am afraid but because I am connected to the source he gives me solution at every crossroads. I hear from Him expressly. But I would say initially I was not a good human manager.  When I tell you we must get this thing done in seven days, I forget that we have different temperaments but I have been able to understand now and manage people well.

    What are your landmarks?

    For landmarks, Hebrew 4: 15- 16 emphasised four major acts of God that have been working for us mercy, grace, favour and help. If you are counting ministries that are still doing what is heartbeat of God, soul winning in Africa CLAM will be among the first 10.

    I am an addicted soul winner. For the past 20 years our evangelical arm CLAMGO has not taken any kobo from anybody and we have been to villages that others dread for land deliverance and also to give the people succor.

    We introduced medical ministration 8 years ago mobilising medical workers to do free surgeries. We started in Ile –oluji. My wife and I built children hospital fully equipped that children should be treated free of charge.

    The former governor Olusegun Mimiko dedicated it. In Lagos, we have a 56 -bed CLAM Soteria hospital where we have done four brain operations successfully. An operation that should cost N2m in India was done for N900, 000.

    God helped me to do these through the tithes and offering coming to the church. So people should stop emphasising the ills of the church. Where you have counterfeit, there are also originals. We also have Soteria farms where 4000 youths are presently working situated in between Foursquare camp and the border of Ibadan. We have 50 hectares of land for tomatoes and Ogbono plantation. We want to model it after the Songhai farm. The people are living there. There will be school and hospital and all these from tithe and offerings.

    We are also working on CLAM soccer club with a full time coach. There is also Wole Oladiyun foundation through which over 60 people have benefitted from our scholarships. We are presently training a female pilot in Philippine. The latest is the prayer parliament.com that God gave me where people can log in and get prayer interventions.

    We have a vocational centre where miscreants are trained in skills, free of charge. We give them food, and the word of God.

    What lessons has life taught you?

    Life has taught me to fear God. That for everything you achieved it is by the sovereign grace of God.  To help humanity, be simple, once you have a simple life it is easier to maintain. We brought nothing to this world and we are not going to take anything.

    Life has taught me to judge people less because we are created differently. It has taught me that creation is a mirage, an illusion. What you give is what you receive. It has taught me to smile at all times and be myself. Everything in life is seasonal no one rules forever. Have focus and be patience. Have eternity in view.

    To be a dutiful husband to my wife who has been patient with me over the years. She is a fantastic, great woman of few words. She gave me free ambience to operate.

    Is there anything you want to do differently now?

    I have one ambition to go back to university to lecture in engineering and management free. I want to raise more people and for CLAM Prayer centres to be at designated places all over the world.

    Are you satisfied with way the country is having seen the independence and post- independence era?

    God has spoken prophetically that other countries will come to us. Nigeria is easy to manage if we get some things right. When we profile Nigeria from the time of the late Sarduna of Sokoto to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, we discovered so many states are sick, so many states are moribund.

    What they do is just to go to the centre to take. I am trusting God that by the time are through with the national conference, we should focus on the six geo-political zones. There is none of these zones that do not have mineral resources. For example in Ogun, we look at Iwopin, Ilaje coastal areas. Ikale has deepest harbour created by God meaning big ship can berth

    There is Olokoola free trade zone should be developed, the bitumen in Agbabu should be developed. We have been importing $ 4.7b worth of bitumen into this country whereas we are seated on bitumen. Underneath the bitumen, we have stock fish after Venezuela ours is the second. We must have the political will to work on the bitumen. It will give us jobs and our crave for dollars will be low.

    Ekiti is seated on minerals. These should be brought out. The steel rolling mills in Ajaokuta where people are stealing trillions of dollars over the years should be worked on. We must have the political will to develop Tin at Jos, coal at Enugu.

    South Africa is generating energy through coal. The federal character should be removed. For our national team for instance, we need 12 players. If the good 12 are from Borno, let them represent us. Don’t put someone from Ondo, who is less qualified.

    The issue of federal character is choking us. Many people representing us are round pegs in square holes. Leadership is a major problem because we lack the political will. We must come to a roundtable look at our grievances and ways to proffer solution into them.

     

  • ‘Reading transforms human life, society’

    Reading stimulates the imagination, while also encouraging quick learning, and expanding horizons. It encourages imagination and curiosity. Reading enhances acquisition of skills for handling complex ideas or issues. Also, it is the mother of strategic planning.

    “But it is frightening how this practice, which used to be common among Nigerian students, youths and even adults, is fast eroding in our society at a speed faster than a jet,” said Prof Shittu Kelani Okunade, at the 69th Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMINNA), in Niger State.

    Speaking on the topic: “Reading nations are leading nations: Whither Nigeria?” Okunade decried the poor reading culture in the country.

    “Nigeria was rated, not too long ago by the World Culture Score Index (WCSI) as one of the countries in the world that has the lowest reading culture. A recent survey on hours of reading per week/person by the WCSI showed that India leads other nations in reading with a score of 10.42 hours per week/person, followed by Thailand with 9.24 hours and China having eight hours. Only two African countries, Egypt occupying fifth position (with 7.30 hours) and South Africa at 15th (with 6.18 hours) were listed in the survey, with Nigeria not being listed at all.

    “According to a study carried out by Henry (2004), about 40 percent of adult Nigerians never read a non-fiction book from cover to cover after they finish school. While the average Nigerian reads less than one book per year,” said the Professor of English.

    Underscoring the importance of adopting a good reading culture, Okunade said that leading nations of the world prided themselves in their promotion of reading for intellectual growth and national advancement.

    “A reading nation is an informed nation. Nigeria cannot be regarded as a reading nation because the younger generation of Nigerians does not consider reading a leisure activity.The poor reading habits of these younger Nigerians affect their performances at school and during examinations. Children with poor reading habits may engage in anti-social behaviours such as rioting, bullying and examination malpractice. These set of children receive poor grades at school, get easily distracted and frustrated, have behavioural problems, seem to dislike school, and often fail to develop to their full potential’’, he said.

    To develop good reading culture, Okunade advised early introduction of children to books, reading contests, establishment of classroom libraries, and training of teachers who will teach the children how to read.

    The inaugural speaker observed that since Nigeria was yet to move from 40-45 percent current literacy rate, there was need to passionately promote the culture of reading that could create a network of like minds that can contribute to national development.

    “The ability to read is an art which is capable of transforming life and society. No society or nation can dream of meaningful developments if its citizens cannot read. An educated citizenry can be easily mobilized for political, social, economic and technological development. Reading therefore is the bedrock of national transformation and development’’, the don said.

    Highlighting the individual benefits of active reading, Okunade said: ‘’Reading improves vocabulary, gives a glimpse into other cultures and places, improves concentration and focus, builds self-esteem, improves discipline, improves creativity, enables one to contribute to various discussions, improves reasoning skills, builds expertise, decreases mistakes, decreases boredom, reduces stress, improves writing skills, gets one away from digital distractions, change ones’ life, makes one to discover surprises and can attracts additional money.’’

  • When somebody loves you back

    LIFE certainly is good when you have an affectionate heart caring for you. Every moment is cool and exciting and you are grateful falling for someone who truly cares. That perhaps is what inspired Teddy Pendergrass’ lyrics, “When somebody loves you back”. He goes on to say that to love and be loved in return is awesome and amazing. For lovebirds who have mastered the emotional terrain, it is indeed the only thing that the heart desires and it surely helps to do the emotional lifting up taking you and yours to electrifying heights.

    A loving heart therefore multiplies the emotional goodies and you just want to be loyal, kind and generous. Happily, together, lovebirds build a world of love, a life of joy together and the ultimate goal is each other’s happiness.

    The park was calm and serene. Just a few passengers (lovers) were on board the bus and it made her really tense. Oh dear! When would they (jolly good fellows) get here, how long would she have to wait in this cold environment before moving to her desired destination (Love)? The calmness changed and it was replaced by noise (confusion). This, unfortunately, wasn’t the way she planned to start her day. A queer fellow with kolanut-stained set of teeth kept on staring and smiling at her. Nonsense! Who told you that your attention is needed here? If he was the last heart in town, then it was better to stay lonely for life.

    Angry and frustrated with everything around her, Sophie just wanted to get away and forget the haunting memories garnered along the emotional corridors in the past three months. Luckily, the escape that she so much desired final came when she was invited to Bayelsa by an old classmate who was getting married. Even though the escape was going to be temporary, at least it would make her get her life back.

    Two lovebirds walked towards her holding hands and clinging nicely together. Jealous? Not really! She had been there twice or can we say thrice now. Let them enjoy the thrills as long as they can. It brought tears but somehow she was able to control herself. There is no point crying over spilt milk. The truth of the matter is that our dear friend was never going to be the same again. If you cling desperately to the hurting stage, what you are going to feel and taste is not but the sour remnants.

    Instead, it is better to learn from hearts that are drinking positively from the emotional stream. Perhaps, she would learn a lesson or two. Young and dashing, they obviously were in the same age bracket. The babe was simply on the receiving end, enjoying every moment from this lavish heart. Is this emotional generosity for keeps or would he turn around to be nothing but a swindler? Love was deeply etched in his eyeballs and you could see that he loved his babe to pieces. The feeling is just right; what a wonderful world that they both are in!

    How come she never met a guy like this, how come she keeps slipping into the hearts of handsome dudes with ugly hearts? Wait a minute! This love-struck folks are actually deaf and dumb. They are totally lost in their world; no intruder, no confusion and no distractions. Next, she began to imagine what it would be like to fall in love with a heart in this category. Fifty, fifty love……So, so good.

    Sadly, the scenario took our dear friend down memory lane remembering that she once had a heart like this. Even though he was not physically deaf and dumb, his heart was deaf to her inadequacies. He loved her more than himself, he gave her all the ‘loving’ but somehow she was damn to young and immature to appreciate his emotional generosity.

    Even when her sister, Emmanuella, tried to convince her to make emotional hay while this sunshine lasted, she did not listen. “I am not sure this is what I want. He is always monitoring me, he is too possessive and I just need my freedom. I just don’t want anybody to choke me with love.”

    She then began to do things that would discourage the guy and get him off her back. Poor Dotun! He had fallen heads over heels for the girl he considered as the love of his life. Determined to win this heart, Dotun did everything to convince this stubborn heart that this really was love. She won the emotional battle and they finally parted ways. Good riddance! Now, let’s cruise ahead and find something more interesting. It was cruising on the fast lane and in the process she ran into bumps, emotional somersaults and accidents. The last straw plunged her into the deep sea. And ever since the last disaster, life just seems unbearable. Now, she just does not know where or how to ever find love again.