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Tag: politicians

  • ‘Many altars of God sold to politicians’

    ‘Many altars of God sold to politicians’

    Rev. Miniabi Dagogo Jack is the International Director of Good Leadership Prayer Support Initiative and the General Overseer of Launderer’s Soap Evangelical Ministry. In this interview with TONY AKOWE and FRANCA OCHIGBO, he speaks on the role of the church in the politics of the country and other national issues. Excerpts:

    What is the Good Leadership Prayer Support Initiative about?

    On June 7, this year, God spoke to me to set up an army to pray for the people. So, I think it is time we prayed for those in leadership positions. We have seen people with outstanding credibility that had made their mark all over the world, but when they come to Nigeria, they can’t make good mark. What is it that we are not getting right? There is something we need to do that we are not doing and we need to ask God to do something. We need to pray for those in leadership positions because t is not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit of God.

    That informed the formation of the organisation. The specific message from God was to pray for good leadership. The organization is non-partisan and what that means is that no matter the political party, the leader should work towards addressing the plight of the common people. That is what we are doing and any leader that is not interested in working to address the plight of the common people, God should also remove him because it is God that makes and also destroys.

    With what is going on now, do you think the APC-led government will succeed where the previous governments failed?

    I will say yes because if I say no, it means that our prayers are not working. We started our prayers since June and since then, we have seen lots of changes. The Bible says that two cannot work together unless they agree. One of our prayer points is that God should put the spirit of agreement among the three arms of government.

    If you reflect on what is going on, this is the first time a thorough screening has been carried out in the Senate and also the first time more credible persons have been appointed as ministers. Our prayer is that God should open the heart and mind of the President to ensure that he uses people of credibility.

    I believe that they are doing very well. This is the first time Nigerians have been interested in the screening exercise. That they will seat down and listen to the screening is a plus and I must say it means that God is answering our prayers. If you look at the actions of the President, you will realise that this is a President that will tell you the truth. He openly tells whoever cares to listen that Nigeria is broke and that is what the APC was crying about during the last administration.

    There was a government that was covering the truth, but this is a government that will speak out the truth for investors and everybody to know the true situation in the country.

    There is a lot of awareness about the fight against corruption. We have also been praying against corruption and corrupt leaders. For these few months, I think that God’s hand has been on the government and we are ready to pray until we cross the bridge.

    You said the fight against corruption by this government is genuine. But there was a petition against Amaechi and he was cleared by the Senate and he is now a minister. Would you say that is a genuine fight against corruption?

    Amaechi’s matter is in court. The Senate has a standing rule which guides their conduct and one of it is that once a matter is in court, they don’t discuss it at all. I wonder why you should even talk about that at all and why a report of that committee should be relied upon when the matter was never discussed.

    Amaechi appeared before the committee and told them that the matter was in court and since you have not heard from him, you cannot pass judgment. You know well that legally, when a matter is in court, you cannot discuss it. We are aware of the matter involving Atiku where the Supreme Court ruled that until a court of competent jurisdiction adjudged somebody to be guilty of corruption; you cannot adjudge him to be so. Don’t forget that the commission set up by the government did not even indict Amaechi. It was only one-sided White Paper released by the government that indicted him and we all know the problem between Amaechi and Governor Wike.

    That was also subject to a court ruling and once a matter is before the court, you don’t discuss it, because that would amount to subjudice. Being a minister does not confer immunity on him and so, if you have any evidence against him, you can work on it.

    Also, the organisation that sent the petition to the Senate was not even registered. I wonder why the Senate would want to rely on a petition by an unregistered organisation. It means that somebody can just form an organisation for the sole purpose of discrediting another person. We have passed that level in our development process. So, I think Senate was right by clearing him.

    Nigerians criticised the President when he said he will not have 36 ministries. What is your take on that?

    Our constitution has a lot of loopholes because it is not the people’s constitution. I expected that by now, we would have put in place a people’s constitution, instead of till relying on the 1999 Constitution.

    The President was bound by law to appoint 36 ministers because it is constitutional. But we all know that he was not very comfortable with this because he knew that Nigeria is broke. The President is thinking of how to maximise what is available, pay workers and be able to attend to the needs of the society.

  • Politicians, Awori, others honour Jafojo at 80

    Politicians, Awori, others honour Jafojo at 80

    First Lagos State Deputy Governor Rafiu Jafojo celebrated his 80th birthday at the weekend with a lecture and party.

    It was organised by committee of friends, family, friends and well-wishers.

    A guest lecturer, the Executive Chairman of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Ganiyu Sopeyin, spoke on the theme: “The role of the Aworis in repositioning Nigeria’s educational system for a livable social/political and economic environment”.

    He said Awori can reposition education by collaborating with government agencies and educating the community on the importance of education, provision of lands for educational purposes, provision of books and other school materials.

    Other areas are monitoring of pupils’ activities in and out of schools, constructive criticism of government policies and financial contributions.

    Sopeyin concluded that collaboration between the Awori and various levels of government would sustain and reposition the state’s educational system.

    “Therefore, all stakeholders, including the Awori, have a responsibility to collaborate with the relevant tiers of government to  develop education, particularly in Lagos State,” he said.

    The second speaker, a Political Science lecturer of the Lagos State University, Dr. Ayodele Ogunjobi, praised the celebrator’s contribution to the state politically and economically.

    Former Governor Lateef Jakande described the celebrator as an amiable person, who cannot be forgotten in Lagos State.

    “He will be remembered as an amiable fellow and a dependable deputy in Lagos State,” Jakande said.

    The celebrator’s wife, Mosunmola, described her husband as a man always there for the family.

    “He is a lovely and caring man who lives for his family. He is a good man who has the family’s interest at heart,” she said.

  • Politicians warned against donating incomplete transformers

    The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has warned politicians against donating what it describes as ‘Incomplete Transformers’ to communities. It said  the development portends great dangers to members of the community.

    Its Chief Operating Officer,  Sam Nwaire, said there has been an increase in the number of incomplete or unfinished transformers donated to communities in distribution  zone  in recent times, arguing that the idea amounts to nothing, when one considers the implications on people, who are already battling with problems such as power outage, lack of meters, and others.

    Speaking at a meeting   with residents of Ajeromi/ Ifelodun in Ajeromi Local Government Area of the state, who protested against the proposed increase in electricity tariffs, Nwaire said the issue constituted extra cost to the DisCo, just as it exposed consumers to dangers such as electrocution.

    He said incomplete  transformers are transformers that are lacking  components such as feeder pillar  units (FPUs), cables and other accessories  critical to the use of transformers.

    He likened such transformers to a car without engine, urging politicians providing such equipment under the guise of helping the government to promote socio- economic activities in the country to liase with experts before purchasing them.

    He said: ‘’There is socio-financial cost of unfinished transformers to people by the politicians. That is why, we  are appealing to politicians donating transformers to communities to liase with us. “The reason is because transformers are of different sizes, capacities and brands. For instance, when a  transformer fails to come with key components like FPUs and other accessories, the cost of installing it by DisCo is higher than the transformer itself.’’

    He explained that the failure of DisCos to identify their consumers is a problem in the industry, stressing that the development informed the decision of the firm to commence an enumeration exercise in order to know the actual number of consumers under its jurisdiction.

    He said the exercise would also enable the firm to know the capacity of consumers, and whether consumers are regulating the power load or not.

    He said if the company captures the data of its consumers well, it will help in determining and addressing the challenges facing them.

    According to him, the destruction of the power transmission plant in Asaba, Delta State has affected supply in the country, adding that transmission is a key element in the sector.

    He said the sector is standing on a tripod stand of generation, distribution, and transmission, arguing that people erroneously blame  problems such as infrastructural  deficiency and epileptic power supply on DisCos, without considering the roles of power generation companies (GENCOs) and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    ‘’The DisCos cannot operate in isolation;  they distribute electricity generated by the GenCos, while the Transmission Company of Nigeria wheel or evacuate energy from the grid  and pass it to the DisCos for growth,’’ he added.

  • ‘Many altars have been sold to politicians’

    The Deputy President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Rivers state chapter, Rev Dr Miniabi Dagogo- Jack has lamented that most preachers have sold their altars to politicians.

    Dagogo-Jack said most church leaders have been compromised by politicians because of quest for materialism.

    Reviewing the roles of the church in the last general elections, Dagogo-Jack, who is also the International Coordinator of Good Leadership Prayer Support Initiative, said:  “Well, I will not say that the church has failed Nigeria rather I would say that politics of the world has moved into the church. A lot of altars of God were sold to the politicians.”

    He claimed he made efforts to reconcile former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi with former President Goodluck Jonathan but said the activities of some unnamed men of God stalled the move.

    “When I was working with Amaechi, I moved other senior men of God in Rivers state to say the President is a Christian, Amaechi is a Christian. Why are they fighting each other and we keep quite?

    “I told them that we should meet with Amaechi and then with the President Jonathan. We met with Amaechi who told us in confidence that he was ready for peace. He also told us the problems between him and President Jonathan.

    “We assured him that we will meet with the President and later bring the two of them together with a view to settling this matter.

    “A very senior minister of God assured us that he will use his influence to ensure that we meet with the President. But the doors were not opened at the Presidency for us to meet with him and that stalled that reconciliation move.

    “I made efforts to ensure there was peace and if every minister of God had taken such a decision, this would not have arisen.

    “A lot of ministers were giving wrong prophecies. Two brothers will be fighting and a Pastor will go and tell one that God says you will be victorious and another pastor will go and tell the other brother the same thing.

    “Can God be an author of confusion? I think it is time for ministers of the gospel to know their mistakes and comeback to the altar of God.”

    He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a ethics and discipline committee to campaign against corruption across the country.

    Dagogo-Jack said: “It seems that the fight against corruption is targeted at those in government alone.

    “Corruption also means unethical practices and today, it is everywhere including the church. It is unethical for a policeman to say that he bought his uniform with his own money.”

  • Ministers: Of baron politicians and assets declaration

    Two leading front page reports of the Saturday Punch (October 31, 2015) are quite paradoxical and telling about the current epoch of Nigeria’s political development. The prime headline rendered in perhaps, the boldest of letters available screams: “NIGERIA BROKE, CAN’T PAY MINISTERS – Buhari”.

    But a less striking headline below the one quoted above reads: “Nigerians demand public asset declaration from Buhari’s ministers” while the ministers-designate are reported to have retorted that they would not make a public declaration of their assets. Even the bold cover photo on this page lends an epic corroboration to today’s thesis. It is the picture of a failed portion of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. It is an unsightly picture of vehicle wading through a deep, water-logged trough right in the middle of the road. It is a picture of abjection, stagnation and soulless dereliction seen only in extreme war conditions and failed states.

    Did you ever hear of the failure of a portion of highways anywhere else in this age? Let us take the liberty to point out a few more grisly stories highlighted on this front page: “South Africa to return seized $9 million currency to Nigeria on November 30,” it says. This is the story of Nigeria’s ‘raw’ cash, ignominiously caught-up in the middle of an official money-laundering heist last year under the guise of trying to purchase arms. And one more: “Customs retires three ACGs and 26 others.” Here about 40 senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service were swept out of office just by a wave of the hand. If they were found guilty of abusing their high positions and gouging themselves with revenues accruable to the nation’s treasury, we were not told. Whether they had tainted the high offices bestowed on them, it did not matter. They were just shuffled out. No points made, no lessons learned, highly trained top officers just flushed out: perhaps to go and enjoy their ‘good fortune’.

    But we digress. Today is actually about our ministers-designate and the question of public assets declaration. Some of the screened men and women who would handle some of the most important jobs in the land soon were asked if they would declare their assets following in the footsteps of their boss, President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB), but the majority of them had promptly objected to such prospect.

    According to the report, a good number of those called up on the phone noted pointedly that they were not constitutionally bound to make their declarations public. They did not have to follow in the footsteps of the president and his deputy, some of them said. Recall that President Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, recently set the example of making their assets public.

    Some ministers-designate indicating they would not let the people they would serve know what they are worth, immediately reminds one of America’s 19th century ‘robber baron’ businessmen, who deviously amassed wealth and became very affluent and powerful; often beyond the control of the state. But while those were businessmen who deployed rough and untoward tactics to corner the commonwealth, most of our politicians of today can easily pass for baron politicians or robber public officials who hijack premium political positions and offices and convert same to personal estates.

    Since independence and particularly in the last 16 years, having acquired a huge chunk of the state, they go on to begin to subvert the state and all her institutions or tinker with them to suit their purposes.

    Buhari’s Sisyphean huddles Over the years, Nigeria’s political robber barons have grown unchallenged and set in their ways. They had become the very bane of the country; growing in means, growing in number and making Nigeria a banana republic where the rule of law had taken flight. Now for Buhari, tackling this ugly phenomenon would be akin to Sisyphus the storied King of Corinth condemned pushing this giant rock up a hill and each time, being trolled back to the base.

    For the first time since independence, Nigeria’s political robber barons are facing a modicum of scrutiny with the advent of the Buhari presidency and it seems now or never to break that killer mould. Does the president have the resilience, capacity and the ruthlessness to extirpate this monster?

    The matter of political robber baronage is exemplified by the current dilemma about making assets public. This is one huge test of his ability to crack the skull of this monster. Most of his new men cannot and indeed, would not dare to make full public disclosures of their net-worth. It would amount to the option of either the country going up in flames or the ‘culprits’ being set alight.

    One would wager that very few politically-exposed Nigerians today would be comfortable showing what they have to Nigerians. How would Nigerians react if they woke up one day to find on a minister’s assets sheets, a total worth of about N50 billion or more. Many are wealthier than their states or even a few states combined. That is why they cannot be brought to book. They can hire all the SANs in Nigeria to frustrate a cause.

    Now what would he do with these set of barons; some of whom he had nominated for the big jobs. When asked recently about the nature of some of his nominees, he had spoken candidly that: “This is a teamwork… there are people (nominees) I accepted from other people in our team that I trust without even knowing them… may be the one that had problem in the National Assembly, I doubt if I have ever met him in my life.”

    How far can he go if compromises such as he noted above have been made already. But the obverse is that how far could he have gone if he did not make such compromises in the first place. Let’s call the task ahead of the president the devil’s alternative. Meanwhile, Nigeria is broke according to the president, yet it is being run by some of the richest people in the world, who would not dare make public their assets.

  • Politicians are INEC’s greatest problem – Jega

    Politicians are INEC’s greatest problem – Jega

    Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega Thursday expressed disappointment over the attitude of some politicians in the country.

    Jega described their mindset to electoral process as ‘predisposition and reckless.’

    He said: “From my experience, I quite often say that Nigeria has a special breed of politicians (Nee: ‘Militicians’). They generally tend to believe that political power through elections has to be “captured”, and this has to be done by hook or by crook; and by any means necessary! Them, winning election is, literally, “a do-or-die” affair.”

    Jega who is now at the Department of Political Science Bayero University, Kano said the sad development remained a formidable challenge for future reformation of the Nigerian electoral process adding that: “As long as politicians continue to have this unwholesome mindset, efforts at electoral reform and deepening democracy would remain constrained.”

    The ex-INEC boss who spoke in Abuja at the first University of Abuja Public Lecture Series, with the theme: Electoral Reforms in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects disclosed that the 2007 elections were manifestly the worst in Nigeria’s history.

    His words: “INEC faced perhaps its greatest challenge in containing the predisposition and reckless mindset of Nigerian politicians. Any wonder then, that our political arena increasingly resembled a bloody battlefield, with maiming, killing, burning, and unimaginable destruction of lives and property. Navigating the ‘minefield’ of ‘do-or-die’ politicians as an impartial electoral umpire required nerves of steel, and we had to quickly the requisite thick skin, as well as appropriate containment strategies.

    “Compliance with the laws and insisting on same and respect for due process, as well as being none partisan and transparent, helped the Commission in navigating this ‘minefield.”

    He advised government to ensure that security plays a wise roll in future elections.

    Jega said further that: “A series of badly conducted elections could create perpetual political instability and easily reverse the gains of democratization. If adequate care is not taken, badly conducted elections can totally undermine democratization and replace it with authoritarian rule, of the civilian or military varieties. At best, they can install inept and corrupt leadership that can herald, if not institutionalize bad governance. There are many illustrations or manifestations of this throughout Africa. But nowhere is this as amply illustrated as in the Nigerian case, especially between 1999 and 2007.

    “The 2007 elections were manifestly the worst in Nigeria’s history, as declared by both domestic and international observers. The EU observer mission, for example, noted that the elections fell “short of basic international standards”, and were characterized by violence and crude use of money to buy votes.

    “There was reckless mobilization of ethno-religious cleavages and heightened use of money and thugs to influence results. The pre-electoral processes, such as party primaries were conducted in grossly undemocratic fashion. In many cases, the results were said to have gone to the highest bidder. The winner of the presidential election, late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, himself admitted on the day of his inauguration, that there were serious flaws in the election that brought him to power.

    “There are also other associated challenges. For example, meeting the production deadlines in the production of PVCs was seriously affected by power failures, which damaged equipment, which the vendor could not quickly replace. The use of the SCR was constrained by the fact that some polling units are located in areas where there was no Internet coverage! Or in schools, which used as Super RACs, with no electricity to charge batteries and SCRs!”

    He urged the youths to be interested in the electoral reforms for a better country.

    Jega advised government to sustain the current ongoing reforms in the electoral process and ensure that the players and other stakeholders abide by the rule at all time.

    He commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the choice of his successor affirming that he can do the job.

     

  • Top politicians praise Tinubu

    Top politicians praise Tinubu

    A Politician, Chief Babatunde Olorogun-Etti, has identified fair-mindedness, trust building, and good gatekeeping as virtues of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    He also praised him for respecting the wishes of the people, demonstrating democratic efficacy, finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts and enhancing the legitimacy of democratic institutions.

    At a ceremony where some politicians defected to the APC in Lagos, Olorogun-Etti, Hon Muiz Aregbe-Obanikoro and others described the former governor as the best politician in the country.

    They also praised him for making the south-west part of the mainstream politics in Nigeria

    “In a lot of ways, he’s a very good politician. He has a fine political mind and a real commitment to public service. He is a man of real talent and real principle.” Olorogun-Etti said.

    The APC chieftain promised to deliver the party’s message faithfully and sincerely and to toe the party line.

    Attributing their defection to leadership greed and selfishness, they urged other Lagosians in PDP to quit the party.

    “The leaders do not have the interest of members at heart”, he said.

    Among those who defected to the APC are Chief Ibrahim Babatunde Olorogun-Etti, Hon Muiz Aregbe-Obanikoro, Alhaji Yakub Yusuf, Mr. Sunday Ayinde, Mr. Wale Ramous, Alhaja Kuburat Salami, Alhaji Lateef Lamidi and Mrs. Adijat Jaji.

  • Politicians, royal fathers, captains of industry storm Ekiti for Modupe Jemibewon’s father’s burial

    Businessman and educationist, Chief John Bosede Ajayi, went home in grand style penultimate week in his hometown Erin Ekiti. The carnival like event lasted three days, between Thursday August 6th and Saturday August 8th 2015, witnessing a traffic if people from Ibadan where the final burial rites started, to Erin Ekiti where the revered Roman Catholic gentleman and author, was finally laid to rest.

    •From left: Chief Modupe Jemibewon with daughter, Temidayo, Dr. Ajoke Akintade and Barrister Abimbola Ajayi’s wife
    •From left: Chief Modupe Jemibewon with daughter, Temidayo, Dr. Ajoke Akintade and Barrister Abimbola Ajayi’s wife

    Late Chief J.B. Ajayi died on Monday June 22nd 2015 at his Ikolaba Estate home in Ibadan at the ripe age of 85. He was the father of six children namely; Chief (Mrs.) Modupe Jemibewon, the Yeye Oge of Ikeja Land and the wife of former Governor of the old Western Region and a former Minister of Police Affairs, General David Medayese Jemibewon (Rtd); a foremost Nigerian surgeon and the first medical doctor from Orin Ekiti, Dr. Dayo Ajayi; a lecturer, Dr. Tunde Ajayi; a leading USA based pediatrician and first female medical doctor from Orin Ekiti, Dr, (Mrs.) Ajoke Akintade; a Lagos based banker and lawyer, Barrister Abimbola Ajayi; and a USA based Pharmacist, (Mrs.) Funmilayo Jegede.

    Born on 31st July 1930 as the first of late Baba Raphael Ajayi’s 4 sons, his mother was the late Chief (Mrs.) Mary Aina Ajayi (Iyalode of St. John’s Catholic Church, Orin Ekiti till death). The late Baba Raphael Ajayi was one of the earliest large scale merchants in Ekitiland and he was equally a friend and business partner of Late Chief Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, father of the  late Igbo war lord and Ezegburugburu, Chief Emeka Ojukwu.

    Upon his retirement from Public Service in 1980 after 34 years of meritorious service, Baba founded the Business Group of JB Ajayi & Sons with interest in construction, automobile, distribution and agriculture. He was involved in several developmental projects for the Catholic Church both at Ibadan and his hometown Orin Ekiti. As an author he wrote: “St Jude’s and Other Societies in Church of the Ascension, Bodija-Ibadan; 1981-2012”. At the time of his death he was working on the book “A history of the Catholic Church in Orin Ekiti”

    •Barrister Abimbola Ajayi with his siblings at the church
    •Barrister Abimbola Ajayi with his siblings at the church

    Top government functionaries at the burial were: Sen. Ayo Arise;  Sen. Bode Mustapha, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose; Kogi State Deputy Governor, Chief Yomi Awoniyi; Ekiti State Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, Governor Mimiko’s Chief of Staff Dr. Kola Ademujimi. Others were: Her Royal Majesty, Princess Effiom Bassey Pelebo Banigo; wife of former Federal Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman of defunct All States Trust Bank turned king, HRM King Ebitimi Emmanuel Banigo; The Amanyanabo of Okpoama Kingdom in Bayelsa State. It was Pelebo Banigo’s first major outing in a very long time. Bishop Felix Femi Ajakaiye, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Ibadan High Chief and Media guru, Akogun Lekan Alabi; wife of late minister of internal affairs SM Afolabi, Chief (Mrs.) Hannah Afolabi, Former Aviation Minister Aborisade, Amb. Tunde Adeniran, Princess Bunmi Jegede (Honey Bee), Honorable (Mrs.) Olanike Omoworare, the first female Deputy Speaker of Osun state House of Assembly, Lagos based business woman and CEO, Goldrush Textiles Ltd, Captain Mother Joko Oni, Chief Remi Adikwu Bakare, Dupe Ositelu, Jumoke Peters Ayeni, Dr. Paul Alabi a former deputy governor of Ekiti state, Peter Obafemi, Tunde Oshinowoveteran actress Funmi Tijani, Tessy Alero Yembra and several others.

    Chief Ebenezer Obey delighted guests afterwards with his juju music.

  • Politicians urged to shun sentimental criticism

    The National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) Ambassador Dickson Akoh has urged politicians and others to remove sentiment from any criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that it is too early to lampoon the new government.

    Akoh pointed out the dangers of such attack, saying it can distract Buhari and his government.

    The PCN boss spoke in Abuja at the 17th anniversary of the PCN.

    He commended Buhari for the financial bailout granted the state governments to enable them offset the backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances to workers who are being owed for several months.

    His words: “The PCN believe that Nigeria has passed through a phase and now has a growing opportunity for the desired change under the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We are of the view that it is indeed too early to embark on any form of sentimental criticism of the new government, as such posture is capable of distracting an administration that needs proper and careful planning before hitting the ground running.

    “I hereby enjoin Nigerian youths, particularly members of uniform youth organisations, as agents of change and social order worldwide not to join any dissenting force but align themselves with the Buhari administration in the onerous task of nation building.”

    Akoh said the major task ahead is to work relentlessly to ensure the passage of the bill seeking for an Act for the Establishment of the PCN by the 8th National Assembly adding that: “You are quite aware that the bill which scaled through second reading in the 7th Assembly and was slated for public hearing could not be concluded because of the electioneering campaign embarked upon by the legislators.”

     

  • Stop diversion of public funds, cleric urges politicians

    Stop diversion of public funds, cleric urges politicians

    Political leaders have been urged to eschew corruption and inordinate diversion of public funds which have stifled the nation’s development.

    The Pastor-in-charge of Province 9 the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Remi Oluboba, stated this at the July meeting of RCCG’s Christ Redeemers Friends International in Lagos.

    Oluboba, who lamented how bitter jostle for power in the country, said Nigeria would be a better place to live if politicians across put the people first and seek power for the purpose of solving national challenges.

    He called on politicians to play by the rule and eschew

    corruption if they ever wanted the nation to grow.

    While speaking on work life balance for executives, the provincial pastor said all men must live by godly principles to ensure they balance the pressure of work and life’s challenges.

    Expatiating on Ecclesiastes 3:1, Oluboba said though life is a bowl of conflicts and stress, the latter occurs when competing forces interfere with what man sets out to do.

    To avoid the stress that attends the conflicts of life and work, all executives must keep track of their time, set prioritize, and always re-evaluate them while always focuing on one thing at a time, he charged.

    “Besides all of these, you must respect your private time, constantly examine your personal habits to remove negative habits, take a holiday, when you take your family out on holiday and set time apart for physical exercises,” he advised.

    CRFI’s President Hon. Kayode Aremo said the association, which was an initiative of the RCCG General Overseer Enoch Adejare Adeboye is targeted at drawing the elites and captains of businesses to Christ.

    He said the group, which has continued to deliver on its mandate, would keep drawing businessmen and women closer to God, using referrals from members who are encouraged to preach Christ while networking with their colleagues and fellow business associates.