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Tag: mercy

  • It is His mercy and not your merit

    It is His mercy and not your merit

    • By: Henry O. Adelegan
    • Text:”…..Nebuchadnezzar……was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen…….” (Daniel 4:33)

    Whatever you are in the public space, whosoever you are in the polity, wherever you are in the sphere of decision making, your parental upbringing, your beauty, brilliance, talents or abilities, all that you have acquired in life and the position you are occupying in the family, place of work, church or nation are all products of God’s grace, and not predicated on your works (Ephesians 2:8-9; cf 1 Corinthians 4:7). All that you are flaunting which are giving you a false sense of importance are through His mercy and not your merit. The only character that can sustain His mercy on you, keep you standing and never allow you go down in relevance, influence and power soon is humility. Jesus Christ was an example of humility. Despite being God, He humbled Himself to the gruesome end on the Cross of Calvary. On the third day, God raised Him from the dead and rewarded Him with a name that is above every other names and that at the mention of His name every knee shall surrender (Phil. 2:6-11). It is based on this backdrop that Paul the Apostle admonished in Philippians 2:5 of the indispensability of having the same mind of humility like Jesus Christ – all are from mercy, and not merit.

    It is people who are either ignorant of the doctrine of times and seasons (Ecclesiastes 9:11) or that are a product of questionable parental upbringing who feel that they are above board and are consequently haughty, uncontrollable, unapproachable and wicked when they attain positions of authority. Perhaps it is important to remind such people that power is transient. Someone was where you are yesterday. You are there today and another person is waiting by the door to take over all of you from you. You are a product of His mercy and not absolutely based on your merit. The source of mercy has the final say. He said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So then, it is not of him who wills, not of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy”.(Romans 9:15,16)

    The truth of the matter is that God is the only Eternal Father and He is the Ancient of days (Daniel 7:9,13,22).  He said that, “By me, kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth” (Proverbs 8:15-16; cf 1Samuel 2:6-8).  He is the Almighty God (Gen. 17:1), He has all powers at His command (Psalm 62:11) and gives it to whosoever He wills (Romans 13:1). More importantly, He has power to install whosoever He wills as king; and, at His perogative, He can remove installed kings. When the Israelites demanded for a king, He was the One who gave them Saul the son of Kish, but when Saul went against His command, He didn’t look at Samuel’s penitent outlook and repentant heart to give Saul another chance; He removed and replaced him in a jiffy (1Samuel 15). He is the Brightness of God’s glory, the Buckler to the upright, the Captain of our salvation, the Breastplate of our righteousness, the Chief Cornerstone and the Jehohah Elohim.

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    King Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful King over Babylon, a king who had God’s delegated powers and authorities “… over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). One day, King Nebuchadnezzar became so self-conceited about all that God had blessed his life with and appropriated all the blessings to himself – he became so garrulous and egocentric like lots of leaders in our official spaces (Daniel 4:29-31). “…….But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him” (Daniel 5:19-29) King Nebuchadnezzar was chased out of the palace like an animal because of pride but when his sense was restored, he begged God for forgiveness and was restored after many years in the forest as an animal (Daniel 4:34-37). It is His mercy and not your merit!

    Brethren, humility is one of the hallmarks of Christianity. If you don’t want the hand of God to be against you, take stock of areas where you have been exhibiting pride, appreciate God for bringing you this and thus far, ask Him to forgive your sins, put off the garb of pride, ascribe all the glory and honor to whom it is due (God Almighty). Remember that you are a product of His mercy. Pride leads to shame (Proverbs 11:2), brings quarrels (Proverbs 13:-10), leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18) and brings down from the lofty height like King Nebuchadnezzar (Proverbs 29:23). It shall continue to be well with you in the name of Jesus.

    Prayers: Father, deliver me Your object of mercy from pride and clothe me with the garment of humility all the days of my life, in Jesus’ name.

  • Lord have mercy

    Lord have mercy

    I’m a patriot. I love my country, Nigeria. I wish I could ring changes on some of the 25 players listed in the country’s campaign at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations matches slated to be held in Cote d’Ivoire. I’ve been drinking water to push down thoughts of some of the misfits Coach Jose Peseiro has forced down our throats as those to actualise our dreams of lifting the Africa Cup of Nations diadem like we last did in South Africa in 2013.

    What one finds disturbing is the invitation extended to injured players such as Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho who both play regularly for Leicester City in the English Championship. You don’t need any special skill to find out why hitherto regular players are exempted from a winning team’s matches.

    You don’t need to be physically present to uncover the reasons why big stars in the Championships or any other cadre of the leagues in Europe are watching their team’s matches from the stands. Commentators spot them at the stands or by the way they walk into the stadium wearing mufti clothes to tell listeners why Ndidi and Iheanacho aren’t playing games. Of course, during pre-match discussions with the media and post-match analysis, mention would be made by the pressmen wishing to know when they would be back onto the pitch to play for the club.

    What is clear from Iheanacho’s and Ndidi’s invitation is a failure of leadership in the NFF. It puts a lie to the public that the NFF’s technical committee is functional. It is just a rubber or at best existing only in name. If the NFF did their homework well by watching European league matches regularly, especially those involving Nigerians, they would have known that the duo had been missing from games. If NFF members had been listening to news belts on European matches on DSTV, they would have seen the visuals where the duo were taken out of the pitch at different times.

    Most disturbing is the fact that Peseiro didn’t do enough due diligence of the health of his players before listing them for Nigeria’s AFCON matches. The practice would have been for Peseiro to visit those he shortlisted in their different clubs to physically assess them to know those who are recuperating from injuries. The reason most Nigerians root for foreigners to train the Super Eagles rest with the fact that clubs would easily open up to them about their players’ medical history. Peseiro can’t commit this kind of blunder in saner climes, yet keep his job. This is a kindergarten error in coaching. It shows clearly that Peseiro has no cordial relationship with his players and their different clubs’ coaches.

    In quotes relayed by LeicestershireLive, the Foxes manager, Enzo Maresca said: “Kele and Wilf are both injured, but they are now going to be with the international team.

    “We’ll see if they’re going to keep them or send them back. But they are both injured unfortunately for us. “

    Iheanacho missed the Foxes’ 2-0 win over Cardiff last Friday. He was also not named in the match-day squad in the Championship table-toppers victory over Huddersfield on Monday,  revealing further doubt over his fitness. Foxes’ boss Enzo Maresca virtually mocked Nigeria over the poor decision of inviting sick players to camp. Indeed, if there was a line of communication between the coach or the federation’s technical department, they would have known the players’ current health conditions and advised the NFF President forthwith, if the coach picked them. No foreigner would love the country more than Nigerians.

    It has taken the alarm raised by the Foxes’ manager for Peseiro to accept that Ndidi is out of Nigeria’s plan to lift the African Cup of Nations trophy. But what amazes followers of the game is Peseiro’s stoic silence of another big Eagles star,  Iheanacho’s inclusion in Nigeria’s final 25-man squad. Words from Iheanacho are that he would make the country’s squad going through his recovery processes with the medical crew at Leicester City. What Iheanacho doesn’t understand is that recovery from injury is a different exercise from being match-fit to prosecute Nigeria’s AFCON game. AFCON is a competition for the fittest and the best African players, not for recuperating or orthopaedic patients.

    The flipside to Ndidi’s and Iheanacho’s absence is that it throws the door wide open for others to seize the opportunity of their absence to unseat them. It also reduces the selection challenges Peseiro would have faced in picking his first team players and knowing who should be deployed during games as substitutes. While one wishes both players a quick recovery from the injuries that would keep them out of this edition of AFCON, they should take solace in the fact that the platform of playing at the next World Cup begins in March, barring any form injuries.

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    Perhaps, it is important to plead with the NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, to leave the aspect of picking the Nigerian squad to Peseiro. It is the only measure to judge the coach’s tactical savvy during the competition. Besides, it would be easier to sack the coach if all the decisions were Peseiro’s, not Gusau’s. This writer isn’t impressed with Gusau’s comments on Iheanacho’s role in the team, especially as he hasn’t been part of the squad which trained in ABU Dhabi, in the past 10 days.

    Iheanacho is nursing a muscular injury, but the NFF president said the player is recovering well.

    “I have spoken to Iheanacho, he’s recovering fast and has even started running,” he told Totori News.

    “He will most likely join us in Lagos, where the team will be hosted to a dinner on January 9.”

    My dear President, I appreciate your concern towards Iheanacho’s health. But, medical clearance for any medical issue should come from Leicester City’s doctors not from the player. It is out of place for the President to clear Iheanacho. It would send a wrong message if Iheanacho makes the team. Muscle strains don’t heal quickly. The game is a contact sport, making a reoccurrence most likely; and with Iheanacho avoiding crunchy tackles. This crop of Super Eagles has enough prolific strikers not to miss recuperating Iheanacho.

    I’ve been waiting for Peseiro or the NFF’s President’s comments on the absence of Victor Osimhen from the camp as of Wednesday. Indeed, Italia Serie A’s defending champions Napoli released the Nigerian one week before the last round of matches in December. The striker was seen at different functions to celebrate his African Footballer of the Year crown. Why Osimhen isn’t one of the early birds in Abu Dhabi is still a mystery. One hopes that when Osimhen starts to fluff goal-scoring chances during AFCON, we will all know why.

    Osimhen should know that he would be the poster boy for the competition, not just Nigeria, as the reigning Africa Footballer of the Year. Osimhen ought to be the pivot of the Eagles’ attacking foray. Yet, he left the team in the lurch in Abu Dhabi.

    I’ve refused to discuss the Eagles’ chances at big competitions because they are full of surprises. When you write off the Eagles, they perform. When you shout to the rooftop about their potential, they fall like a pack of cards to minnows in the game. So, dear reader, if you insist on knowing my predictions on the Eagles’ chances of lifting the 2023 AFCON trophy, I will say, ”Lord have mercy”.

  • Why I didn’t rekindle old flames with Mercy – Ike Onyema

    Why I didn’t rekindle old flames with Mercy – Ike Onyema

    BBNaija reality star, Ike Onyema has disclosed why he would not reignite the romantic relationship he had with Mercy Eke.He said he didn’t attempt to rekindle their relationship in the just concluded All-Stars edition because they are better off as friends, adding that exes’ reunions often don’t end well.

    Ike was a guest starred in Cool FM Nigeria’s Big Friday Show hosted by reality star, Tacha.

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    He said: “I didn’t rekindle my relationship with Mercy in the just concluded Big Brother Naija All Stars season because we are better off as friends.

    “At least for me, I always feel like when you go back to an ex, you might not always get what you want.”

    Recall that Ike and Mercy fell in love during the Big Brother Naija ‘Pepper Dem’ season in 2019, but their relationship hit the rocks shortly after the show.

  • I will be hurt if Mercy toyed with my feelings – Pere

    I will be hurt if Mercy toyed with my feelings – Pere

    Former Big Brother Naija All-Stars housemates Cross and Pere in a brief conversation spoke about the latter’s love situation outside the house. 

    Pere revealed that he might never forgive himself if he discovers he’s being deceived by Mercy Eke after leaving the house.

    It’s worth noting that both Pere and Mercy Eke, fellow housemates, have shared kisses and romantic moments on several occasions within the house.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Pere evicted from BBNaija All Stars House

    However, their exact relationship status remains undefined.

    In the midst of this ambiguity, Pere discusses his genuine intentions and feelings for Mercy Eke with his friend Cross, emphasizing that he would never forgive himself if he finds out he’s been deceived.

  • BBNALLSTARS: Mercy Eke friend-zones Pere, crash hopes on in-house ‘ship

    BBNALLSTARS: Mercy Eke friend-zones Pere, crash hopes on in-house ‘ship

    With the reality show’s finale just around the corner, the finalists, including Mercy and Pere, have been using this week to deepen their connection.

    However, in a private conversation within the locker room, Mercy Eke made it clear that their relationship is purely a friendship, despite the playful exchanges they’ve had throughout their time on Big Brother Naija All-Stars.

    Mercy advised Pere to value and prioritise their friendship, emphasising that this is the best opportunity he has to strengthen their bond before the show concludes.

    She said: “You see in this house, we are the last-standing friendship. If you lose this opportunity to be my friend, you’re on your own.”

    However, Pere assured her that he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity of being friends with her in the house, even though he didn’t agree with the friend zone at first.

    Read Also: I will pick Whitemoney over Pere, Kiddwaya – Mercy Eke

    Mercy further threatened Pere with Whitemoney being able to beat him up if he came too close to her.

    She joked about the comparisons between their muscles and the possibility of a rivalry between them over wanting her.

    She had earlier on in the show, openly kissed both of them on the same day, which raised the suspicion of a love triangle going on between them.

    Although Pere and Mercy shared what looked like a passionate kiss on Monday, September 25, 2023, this friendship discussion crashed the hopes of them being the final romantic ship of the season.

  • Mercy deserves to win #BBNaijaAllStars – Whitemoney

    Mercy deserves to win #BBNaijaAllStars – Whitemoney

    Evicted BBNaija All Stars housemate, Hazel Oyeze Onou, aka Whitemoney, has made a case for his in-house buddy, Mercy Eke aka Lambo, as a ‘hopeful’ second winner of the almost concluded show.

    He said despite having previously won the ‘Pepper Dem’ season four edition, Lambo still deserved the winning spot this time.

    This was stated by the “Shine Ya Eye’ season 6 winner during a recent interview with media personality, Hero Daniels.

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    He also chastised individuals attacking Mercy and him for competing in the All-Star edition after winning previous shows.

    Using a sports analogy to accentuate his point, the 31-year-old singer stated: “If you play a championship cup and win, you’d go home the next season and say don’t wanna play again? No! You have to keep winning.

    “Mercy does deserve to win. If she wins it, that’s good for her profile. It’s good for her prestige. It’s good for whatever she is trying to build.

    “So, if she wins it again that would be very nice. No cap,” he added.

  • Ike hits Maria over mocking post on Mercy’s final slot

    Ike hits Maria over mocking post on Mercy’s final slot

    Ike Onyeoma, one of the evicted BBNaija All Stars housemate, has clapped back at his co-reality TV star, Maria Chike for calling him out after Mercy became a finalist in the almost concluding show.

    Mercy Eke, became the fourth confirmed finalist on Monday night. 

    The “Pepper Dem” season four edition winner was announced as a finalist after she escaped eviction.

    She joins the HOH Ilebaye, Cross and Cee-C in next week’s finale where the winner would walk away with N120 million cash prize with additional prizes.

    Excited over the development, Maria, in a tweet, scorned Ike who had vowed to jeopardise Mercy’s chances of winning the show.

    She tweeted: “@ikeonyema How far???? Mercy is a finalist and 99% possibly winning the show!”

    But Ike seemingly displeased about the turn of event on the show, asked Maria if she was sane seeing the mother of one tagged his handle to her tweet.

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    The model and blogger warned Maria who he described as ‘low-budget clown’ not to incur his wrath.

    He wrote: “Are you normal? She go come out and we go dey alright.

    “Can’t say the same about you. Don’t let me enter you because when I start, I won’t listen to Lekki boys. 

    “Low-budget clown. #BBNaijaAlIStars #Bbnaija   

  • Mercy Eke future husband will be very lucky, says Omashola

    Mercy Eke future husband will be very lucky, says Omashola

    Big Brother Naija All-Stars Housemate Omashola Oburoh aka Sholzy has revealed a touching story about what his friend and co-house mate, Mercy Eke, did for him.

    He shared this anecdote during his diary session with Big Brother who asked him why he chose Mercy as one of his BFFs (Best Friends Forever).

    Omashola explained all of the amazing things Mercy Eke had done for him and his family.

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    According to Omashola, when he announced to the housemates that he would be getting married in December, Mercy had a private conversation with him about it.

    During the discussion, Mercy offered him her car and a full four-bedroom flat for his family so he wouldn’t have to spend so much money on hotel fees during his wedding.

    He asked; “Big Brother, tell me who does that? Whooo? Who does that?”

    He added: “A true friend..“Big Brother, that is more than a true friend. Mercy is pure Gold. The girl off me. I love that girl dye. Whoever she is going to marry is a lucky guy. The girl too much. I love her.”

  • Polls: Nigeria needs mercy, says Adeboye

    The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye has appealed to Christians to pray for God’s mercy before, during and after the general elections.

    Adeboye said this at the February edition of the Special Prayer and Thanksgiving service for parents, guardians, single mothers, mature youths and their families at RCCG, Throne of Grace Parish, National Headquarters, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

    He said that Christians should pray before, during and especially after the election for God’s load of mercy for hitch -free elections.

    Adeboye said: “It’s an obligation and a commandment from God that we should vote.

    “We are already praying as a church for mercy, we are in the mood of fasting till the end of the election.

    He stressed Nigerians should not entertain any fear “because the country is in the hand of God and we have been praying for mercy and God must show us His mercy.

    “People should be bold because many a times, the fear of what does not exist only comes to peoples’ mind.”

    Adeboye, who spoke through the Assistant General Overseer, (RCCG) Personnel and Administration Pastor Johnson Odesola, charged candidates to educate their supporters that it is only in the atmosphere of peace that we can move forward or govern the people.

    “There is no cause for fear because God has promised to give us peace but the people that are seeking political offices should preach peace instead of violence.

    “Political office is not do- or- die, democracy is government of the people, for the people and by the people,” he said.

    Adeboye noted that if a political office seeker fails this time, he can come back and win if he succeeds in convincing voters.

  • Prof…Mercy on your boy

    Prof…Mercy on your boy

    My column a fortnight ago titled ‘The man who made Jonathan’ did not sit well with Prof Itsejuwa Esanjumi Sagay. In the view of the respected lawyer, I rambled and was not coherent in the piece. Sorry Prof, I will take a refresher course.

    He also said I showed laziness by not getting the spelling of his first name right. I deserve to be given six strokes of the cane for this terrible error and will present myself for the punishment in due course.

    Prof Sagay added in his reaction to the column that I accused him of professional misconduct.  The erudite lawyer made reference to journalists concocting stories and interviews. Not long ago, an interview supposedly conducted with him, which turned out fabricated, appeared in a newspaper. I believe he is still pained by this. I will still be pained if I were in his shoes.

    But for the records, I did not fabricate anything and will never do in order to make my column interesting. It is not my style. The aspect linking him to the British government’s quest for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition was picked from a report in The Punch and Channels. I am not gifted enough to create that. It also featured on The Punch’s verified Twitter handle as ‘Britain right to demand Alamieyeseigha’s extradition – Sagay http _t.co_TQJza9eCKv…’.  According to the newspaper, its reporter said he spoke with Prof and ex-presidential spokesman Dr. Doyin Okupe.

    Here is a portion of Channels’ version of the October 5, 2015 report, which can still be read on their website via http://www.channelstv.com/2015/10/05/uk-wants-alamieyeseigha-extradited/:  “The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, was quoted as saying that the President Buhari-led government is prepared to assent to the request of the British Government.

    “’The UK is in principle correct to be making such a request based on the fact that the crime was committed on the British soil. However, when there is delay in trial as a result of time, there may be consideration on legal grounds so that the trial is not seen as oppressive,’” he said.

    It is not impossible that Prof later dissociated himself from this report and this escaped me. The part of the article where professional misconduct was mentioned is a quote from a group supporting the late Alamieyeseigha following the report on Channels and The Punch. I do not share the group’s view. I only quoted the group to buttress the extent many were willing to go for the late governor.

    My reading of Prof’s reaction is that contrary to the report quoted above he believes his late client paid enough for whatever sins he committed and extradition would have been an overkill. This negates the impression that he felt Alamieyeseigha allegedly committed a separate crime by laundering money in Britain.

    I hold Prof in high esteem and will not deliberately malign him. I will not even malign anyone deliberately. Who am I to dare the great Itse Sagay who is over-qualified to be my father? As a father, he has the right to tongue-lash me and he did more than that with his reply to my ‘satanic’ intervention. I am still weeping.

    My wife is partly Itsekiri and for this also I dare not offend Prof so that this angel will not be withdrawn from me with our two kids.

    Prof’s choice of adjectives made me wonder if I was the one being referred to. Do not mind me; I am used to being described as hardworking and hailed as a good writer—even honoured multiple times for my writings.

    Prof Sagay, I sincerely believe, is an institution. Having in his days in Ife and Benin lectured many of the leaders in this country today, he is a leader of leaders.

    Prof, Prof, have mercy on your boy for getting on your rough side unknowingly. Long may you live. Soon, I will present myself for the six strokes of the cane.