The Nation Newspaper

Tag: responsibility

  • ‘Home ownership a personal responsibility’

    ‘Home ownership a personal responsibility’

    Against  the backdrop of the shortfall in housing, the executive directors of Pertinence Limited, an investment firm, Wisdom Ezekiel and Sunday Olorunseyi, have said owning a house has to be a personal responsibility. One should not wait for the government to solve the problem, they said.

    The duo, who spoke on the sideline of the firm’s land seminar and promo in Lagos, at the weekend, said it would take an eternity for the government to provide the requisite housing units given its huge responsibilities and cash constraints.

    This, they said, informed the intervention of their firm, through its subsidiary, ABC Gardens, to proffer solutions to Nigerians desirous of owning their own homes.

    Ezekiel said the firm was doing this through buying large expanses of land at places people  think cannot be developed.   The parcels of land are divided into plots which are developed, he stated.

    These, he noted, are sold at reduced prices. “Somebody has to decide that he wants to solve his own housing problem by saving money monthly or contacting us to work out a flexible payment option,” he said.

    Olorunseyi said the firm assists Nigerians by reducing the cost associated with house ownership. Some of this costs, he said, are things that the firm has looked for a way to average it. For instance, to process the documentation of a land individually will cost a lot; but the firm does it in bulk for its customers to reduce cost.

    And as a means of rewarding and encouraging Nigerians to build houses, the firm gave out plots of land to some of its customers. The lands are located in Sango, and Ifo, in Ogun State. While some of the customers got the plot of land for free, others were given discount; and an all-expense paid trip to Dubai was won by a customer.

    “The empowerment of people is our focus. We want to provide solution to housing deficit challenges, having known that the land mass is not increasing but population of people is increasing,” Olorunseyi said.

    Beneficiaries of the land commended the organisers of the promo, saying it would boost Nigerians interest in building houses.

     

  • SEYI BABATOPE: BoI LOAN IS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR GROWTH

    SEYI BABATOPE: BoI LOAN IS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR GROWTH

    Director of ‘When Love Happens’, Seyi Babatope is taking another shot at the success of his movie, with the sequel, ‘When Love Happens Again’, courtesy of Bank of Industry’s NollyFund loan scheme. He tells VICTOR AKANDE of the need to explore the theme once again…

    WHAT informed a sequel your film, When Love Happens?

    The idea is to strategically grow an aspect of the industry organically by enhancing a talent demographic. W ith this film, we shot in Lagos and Washington DC.

    What is different in the cast and crew?

    Some of the original cast have returned with some new additions.

    Is it a direct continuation or some sort of retelling?

    It’s a completely different story from the first film. Here we meet some of the established characters at another point in their lives and the film picks up from there. It is still a romantic comedy and light fun.

    So what’s the strategy in holding on to the same title?

    Holding on the franchise name is important because of the growth I mentioned earlier. Nigerian audiences must be assured that they are getting value. And when you see the film, the name does fit. I felt that in our cinematic landscape in Nigeria, respecting the audience is important and giving them something to look forward to will show that filmmakers don’t take their patronage for granted.

    Would you say the returns from the previous film is what makes the funding of the sequel possible?

    BOI (Bank of Industry) is absolutely responsible for this film. They are making a big push to grow the industry. The few of us that have been able to access the facility must treat the access as a responsibility that can propel us to the heights we aspire to; industry and individually.

    How much was your loan and how would this impact on this production differently. Plus, would you say this one is a big budget movie compared to the previous?

    The loan ranges for each production. I don’t believe our industry can afford to do large films yet, my films don’t exceed a certain number. My personal ingenuity is what is most valuable in the budget because there is no line item for it. I have not made a film more than $100,000 at the old exchange rate. I’m not going to start now.

    Which of the NollyFund approved studios is handling this work?

    Afrinolly, without their understanding of my vision, I would have been lost in the Wilderness of bureaucracy – immensely progressive and partners in this film.

    So who among the cast is returning, and who are the new guys?

    Weruche, Oreka and Eyinna return, while the new cast members include Funnybone, Jimmy Akinsola, Diana Yekinni, to name a few.

    Why Funnybone, if I may ask?

    He is such a pure amazing talent, his skill on set goes beyond his day job as a stand-up comedian. The most importantly is, he represents the type of multi disciplinary talent our country and industry type casts into a hole. I am more than glad he is in the film.

    How much did the previous gross in the cinema or how else would you choose to rate it’s performance?

    Great question, we opened in four countries and the measure of the success of a film can be measured more than its receipt. The first film didn’t have any house hold names in it that is considered sexy. And it was considered as a film whose classification was non-linear vis-a-vis Ikoyi film or masses film. We have been able to pay our bills and made our cost back. Netflix just picked us up as well. We made more than 30m in Nigeria alone.

    Great! What stage is the current production and when will it be ready for the market?

    We just finished last week, it will be ready later in the year.

    What development(s) would you say has/have happened to the Nigerian distribution platforms which you believe might help your returns on this new project, even better than the previous?

    Distributors are building more sites, which theoretically should bode better for filmmakers. The trust of the audience is the most important aspect I believe. For every one good Nigerian film they see, there is more to discourage them from trusting the Nigerian film. Once that can be overcome it should be better for all.

  • ‘Home ownership, a personal responsibility’

    ‘Home ownership, a personal responsibility’

    Against the backdrop of the shortfall in housing, the executive directors of Pertinence Limited, an investment firm, Wisdom Ezekiel and Sunday Olorunseyi, have said owning a house has to be a personal responsibility. One should not wait for the government to solve the problem, they said.

    The duo, who spoke on the sideline of the firm’s land seminar and promo in Lagos, at the weekend, said it would take an eternity for the government to provide the requisite housing units given its huge responsibilities and cash constraints.

    This, they said, informed the intervention of their firm, through its subsidiary, ABC Gardens, to proffer solutions to Nigerians desirous of owning their own homes.

    Ezekiel said the firm was doing this through buying large expanses of land at places people  think cannot be developed.   The parcels of land are divided into plots which are developed, he stated.

    These, he noted, are sold at reduced prices. “Somebody has to decide that he wants to solve his own housing problem by saving money monthly or contacting us to work out a flexible payment option,” he said.

    Olorunseyi said the firm assists Nigerians by reducing the cost associated with house ownership. Some of this costs, he said, are things that the firm has looked for a way to average it. For instance, to process the documentation of a land individually will cost a lot; but the firm does it in bulk for its customers to reduce cost.

    And as a means of rewarding and encouraging Nigerians to build houses, the firm gave out plots of land to some of its customers. The lands are located in Sango, and Ifo, in Ogun State. While some of the customers got the plot of land for free, others were given discount; and an all-expense paid trip to Dubai was won by a customer.

    “The empowerment of people is our focus. We want to provide solution to housing deficit challenges, having known that the land mass is not increasing but population of people is increasing,” Olorunseyi said.

    Beneficiaries of the land commended the organisers of the promo, saying it would boost Nigerians interest in building houses.

     

  • Responsibility, corruption and terrorism

    Boko Haram was cheering enough but  for the fact  that it claimed they  were those who benefitted  from the Dasukigate   $2.1  bn arms diversion scandals  in the  ongoing   sordid  revelations. This  was not helped by the accompanying  news that Boko  Haram  has again killed, through suicide bombers in, of all places,  Chibok from where the over 200 missing school  girls  abducted by the same terrorist group  had gone  missing over a year ago to date. If  you add  that to another  revelation   by the  new  Methodist  Church  of Nigeria  Prelate  that  the last ruling party  brought money  in Ghana  must  go sacks to  get  the Church’s support  but the  Church  rejected the money because it loathed  corruption but  instead asked them  to go  and campaign, then you see the rudiments for today’s analysis taking   shape rather quickly.

    Naturally  it is necessary  to analyse the  logic of these statements as well  as their  pragmatism  and practicality.  It  is also  necessary  to examine  if they are true or are indulgences in crude mendacity. We  must  also try  to see if  they are just mere excuses or cover ups for real  and unforeseen actions or inactions.  In effect we have quite  a plateful of issues  to tinker with.

    First  of all to say the beneficiaries of the arms diversion revelations are the cause  of the Boko  Haram  menace  is an oversimplification of the matter and is sheer  fallacy. At best the  arms diversion culprits,  if  and when found guilty, can only be punished for escalation and prolongation of the insurgency and as such can be  found  guilty  of treasonable  felony or crime against humanity .Nevertheless   it  is necessary  to remind the Borno State Elders Forum  that  Boko  Haram started as  an  Islamic protest group that wanted to establish Sharia law in the North East  and Nigeria and was able  to recruit jobless youths roaming Maiduguri  and the various capitals of the 6 North East states carved out of the 15m  people said to be living in the North East then. Mismanagement  of government resources, coupled with the big lie of a huge population claimed for the area  to  get huge  federal government funding, as well  as poor leadership and misuse of security  and infrastructural  funds are indeed the root cause  of Boko  Haram  and the North  Elders Forum  cannot claim ignorance  of this or claim truly  that it has no hand in it. After all,  Elders Forum anywhere do not just emerge in a vacuum.  They  emerge or  evolve from the  leadership,   over  time,  of any society  especially  from the ruling class which includes the clergy  or  religious  leaders, the traditional leaders and politicians – and the Borno  State Elders Forum  cannot  be an exception. To  look  for scapegoats for the emergence of Boko  Haram outside  Maiduguri and the North East states  capitals is a bitter  diversion, equal  in magnitude and  irresponsibility  to  the ongoing cruel arms diversion revelations we have called Dasukigate. It  is illogical  and dishonest. It can not gel in any way   with  reason ,or   even serve as an excuse which  certainly was  its  initial  and  ultimate  objective.

    Next,  the  attack on  Chibok  again brings  to the fore the fact  that Boko  Haram has changed strategy from frontal combat to guerrilla warfare and that is not new and we do not need to invent the wheel  to combat it. It was the strategy  used  by the communists in Latin America against dictatorial US sponsored military dictatorships. Its  main hero in legendary and myth  context was Che  Gueverra the Argentine hero of the  Cuban revolution who was more popular  than even Fidel  Castro the leader  of the revolution. But even  Che, who  was my hero in my undergraduate days when I had his poster in my room at Ife was  killed  by organized government forces in a jungle somewhere in Latin America  where  he was leading another insurgency  for the establishment of communism.

    But Che  and the revolutionary forces he led were popular with the masses  who  helped and even hid them from government forces. Boko  Haram  however is not popular because  it is killing both Christians  and Muslims and even though it is claiming to be a borderless  caliphate,  most if  not all Muslims all over the world  have denounced it. How  come  then that it is still capable of killing people in broad daylight as it successfully did in Chibok this week? The  answer is simple. They  have willing collaborators  in Chibok and any where they kill  people and get away with it or kill  themselves in the process. That is where communal policing and intelligence gathering should be stepped up in areas in or regions of the North  East  where they have been prolific of recent in their nefarious guerilla warfare. Community groups,   age groups  and institutions  should be asked to police and guide  their members because as in the case of bank  frauds where connivance and internal  collusion play  a major  role in the success  of such frauds, Boko  Haram  has members living in our communities  as  such  people do not live in a vacuum. They  are  full  blooded Nigerians and when and where young girls detonate bombs to kill themselves  and innocent  people, their parents or kinsfolk  should  be cornered for  explanations and  responsibility for their wards murderous activities. On    the present Chibok suicide  killings those  interviewed said they  had always reported that Boko  Haram  was in the vicinity  to the authorities but their warnings were ignored. Police  and security institutions  should, in house, find out from their  members why  such calls were ignored and blacklist  such  officers on security  matters. They  can   post them out of the area or sack  them with  no benefits if found  to have connived or colluded with suicide  bombers  or their  relations. Really  it is high time mosques, schools  and public  institutions  in the North East did a Boko  Haram  staff  audit of their members and employees  to find  out the wolves in sheep’s  clothing in their midst who  are definitely helping Boko  Haram  to  kill innocent people as they did in Chibok  –  just  to rub it  in that the Nigerian state has not   only failed  to  find the Chibok girls they  abducted a year ago but that they  have the  audacity  and impunity to strike  again  where thunder should really  not strike twice  in our beleaguered North  East.

    On  the statement  credited  to the Nigerian  Methodist  Prelate  one should  certainly commend the bold  action of the Methodist  Church in standing up against  corruption. This  again is because the religious  institutions in our midst have  been  beneficiaries of looted funds one way or another as those involved with Dasukigate are well  known Church and Mosque goers. Have these  institutions tried to find out the source of the donations by politicians and businessmen who fund  projects so lavishly  and   so generously  and who  are praised  to high heavens for  their  gifts  by highly  appreciative priests  and imams during sermons  and every  opportunity  to show gratitude  for such charity? I  attended a funeral  where the Bishop   at  the  pulpit asked  those who have take Dasuki’s  money to return it  and the audience roared in  approval. Yet  politicians serving and retired  public officials   formed a large part of that audience. If  that is not a clear case of a pot calling the kettle back then I wonder what it is.  The  law  says he who comes to equity must  come with  clean hands. Religious  institutions  should sanitise  the opulent gifts they get   from their  rich  members as they are a cool  front for money laundry, diversion of funds  and other vices. This  society  is on an anti-corruption  drive and  the religious  institutions must  accept responsibility for the source and application of the gifts they receive as well as the social  responsibility and accountability that go with them. They  must  be seen  to be transparent not only  before men but also God whose representatives they are according to the belief of their followers.  That  is a very urgent strategy  to be adopted by them not only to defeat Boko Haram in particular  and terrorism generally,  but to defeat  corruption by showing that like  Caesar’s  wife they  are above reproach  as the Methodist Prelate  so clearly  illustrated on the  rejected  Ghana Must  Go  money  sacks.

  • Accepting responsibility in building your home (5)

    DEAR Reader, welcome again to another time of refreshing in the Word of God. I started this teaching by letting you know that you can build that glorious home, your desire. I also explained some vital ingredients for building a sweet home. Today, I want to teach on another enemy of peace in the home  Anger

    Every couple craves for a sweet home, but not every couple will experience it. This is because there are works of the flesh working against every home. As such, every couple that desires a sweet home should ask for the help of the Holy Spirit, in order to build a home free of strife and malice. Anger is a natural emotion that one exhibits at a particular time.  We all get angry at one time, but the difference between this and the work of the flesh, is sin. That is why the scripture says: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).

    Here, the Bible warns that if you are angry, do not allow your anger to lead you to sin. Anger is a canker that has destroyed many marriages and rendered many children hopeless. Therefore, don’t sin by nursing your grudge and letting the sun go down with you still angry; get over it quickly. When you are angry, you give a mighty room to the devil.

    If you allow your temperament to boil, you open the door to sin. If you get upset about the way your spouse reacts to certain things at times, do not explode and speak cruel words, which can cause irreparable damage (Ecclesiastes 7:9). What makes you a mature individual is your ability to control your emotions until your anger simmers down.

    A sister was upset by her husband and angrily packed her things out of the home. The husband with other good neighbours pleaded with her to return home, but due to stubbornness she refused. She thought that her husband, being a Christian could not look for another woman. After a few months, her husband stopped pleading for her return. Later, she decided to return home but to her surprise, she met another woman. Her husband had taken another woman as a wife. Do you see what stubbornness and anger can cause? Though, they were believers, they were still robbed of a successful marriage. You shall not lose your home to anger.

    You don’t have to boil like a kettle of water on fire, just because your spouse expresses a different opinion.  Sometimes you get angry, lose your temper and allow unseemly words pass your lips just because your spouse advises that the action you are about to take is contrary to the Scripture. Watch it!

    Furthermore, some spouses try to suppress anger.  They get angry but swallow it by pretending everything is alright, and then plaster a smile on their faces. They are like shaking hot bottles of coca-cola. Once the lids are opened, the hot liquid rushes out in torrents. Bottling up anger is risky; it steals away the harmony in the home. Never give it a trial.

    You can let off the steam by discussing the issue of the anger at the appropriate time. Call upon the Holy Spirit to help you keep your temper so that you can live a life of love and peace, and not one filled with anger.

    Furthermore, it is important to know that anger is a killer. God’s Word says: Simeon and Levi, who slew the men of Shechem because of their uncontrollable anger got a horrible sentence: Simeon and Levi are brethren; Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7). Anger must be dealt with, if you want to avoid the shame that division and scattering brings to a marriage.  Anger puts an end to a sweet marriage faster than adultery or fornication. One may not kill physically, yet by anger or even silence, you can kill your spouse’s spirit.  Watch it!

    You do not solve family problem(s) by strife but by the help of the Holy Spirit. You need a nature when you want victory over anger; one which lives for Jesus Christ and is controlled by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus possesses your home, He also possesses your tempers and keeps you from sinful anger.

    You can pray the following prayer for God to deliver you from the spirit of anger: “Lord, by Your grace, help me to be victorious over all thoughtless angers and bitterness that are harmful to my family member and myself, in Jesus’ mighty name!”

    Are you born-again? If you are not, you don’t have genuine access to operate the mind of Christ and that is one of the tools needed to control your anger (1 Corinthians 2:16). If you desire to give your life to Christ, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood.  Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today.  Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Accepting responsibility in building your home (3)

    Dear Reader, You are most welcome to this week’s teaching. For the past weeks now, I have been teaching on the above subject. I have been able to make you understand that you are the builder of your home. I, also, gave you one of the vital ingredients for building a sweet home  Praise.

    This week, we are going to examine two other ingredients that make for a glorious and sweet marital life. I would like to refer to them as the nuggets for Christians, who desire to reap all the blessings of the marriage covenant.  These ingredients are: LOVE and EXCITEMENT

    Love is a potent force in the quest for a sweet home. It is the magnetic force that binds couples together. Love is a vital force for sweet relationship. No wonder Mother Theresa (Late), the noble peace prize winner, when asked, “What is the solution for world peace?” She answered, “Let everyone go home and love their families.” Love is the solution to every marital crisis! The Word of God says: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always, trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

    The above scripture enumerates the characteristics of love. You can’t claim to love your spouse or family members when any of the qualities mentioned in the above scripture, is missing in your attitude towards them.

    The opposite of love is selfishness. This is a plague that has destroyed many homes and rendered many innocent children homeless in the society today. It is an abnormal affection for self and pursuit of selfish desires at the expense of your spouse or other members of your family.

    Selfishness is one of the traps of the devil. Thus, if you desire a sweet home, you must not give room to it. Instead, maintain a standard of self-control and discipline in your home, by running your home in accordance with the Word of God.

    Another plague that prevents love from flourishing in most Christian homes is anger. It carries very costly consequences. It has ruined the destiny of most homes. It steals the seeds of love from homes and replaces it with the seeds of discord, hatred and strife. Watch it! Stop it before it rubs you of a sweet home!

    God’s remedy for anger is: Let every man be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to be angry (James 1:5).

    You should, therefore, encourage your family members to love one another so that you can escape every trap of the enemy and enjoy the blessings of God as a family.

    Excitement

    Joy and excitement are the spices of life. Unfortunately, they are the major things lacking in most homes today. Some couples even find it difficult to smile at one another. But the Word of God says: Rejoice, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4). The home is not meant for silence and dull atmosphere, resulting from cold wars between husband and wife or lack of love between family members. The home is meant to be a place of excitement.

    Look at this testimony:

    “I have been married for over 12 years, but what I am enjoying now, I’ve never enjoyed since I got married.

    During one of Pst. (Mrs.) Faith Oyedepo messages, she laid emphasis on wives being submissive to their husbands in everything, just like the Church submits to Christ. My understanding opened and I told God, “Lord, from this day, I know that obedience is the key.” Since that day, I have been enjoying what all my fasting and binding couldn’t deliver to me. I thank God because now, I feel as though I am wedded anew. To confirm God’s faithfulness in my home, my husband gave me a cheque of one hundred thousand Naira! I now enjoy peace, love and harmony. Adebayo, L

    The Word of God say: If I make you sad, who is going to make me happy? You are the ones to do it, and how can you if I cause you pain?” (2 Corinthians 2:2TLB). God created the family in such a way that the joy and pain of each member affects the other family members.  You are the one to create excitement in your home. Instead of being a problem to your family, why not create excitements? Don’t give room to sadness in your home.

    In addition, you need to give your life to Jesus in order to maximise all it takes to building a sweet home. If you are ready to do so, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Accepting responsibility in building your home (2)

    DEAR Reader, Today shall be a good day for you! Your home will not fail; it will only get sweeter by the day in Jesus’ name! Last week, I started this teaching and I told you that you need wisdom to build your home. Today, I want to show you one of the vital ingredients for building a sweet home. That vital ingredient is Praise! It is important for you to know that God instituted marriage and He intended every home to be a sweet and peaceful place. When it is not so, it is evident that something is missing. A lot of people dream of a perfect home: a place where joy, peace, prosperity and fruitfulness abound. But they are not ready to pay the price. Thus, making their dreams seem far-fetched. However, I would like you to know that building a sweet home is possible, but it does not happen by chance. The Word of God says: Every house is builded by some man… (Hebrews 3:4). Just as it is in the natural, you cannot own a house by merely wishing it. Similarly, you cannot have a peaceful and exciting home except you play your part by accepting responsibilities.

    One of the ways of building a sweet home is by locating the good qualities in your spouse and children, and to praise them for it, rather than focusing on their areas of weakness and mistakes. Praise is the master key to an enviable Christian living and that is the missing ingredient in most Christian homes today.

    I remember the story of a woman who went to a counsellor and said, “My husband is very bad; I want to leave him.” The counsellor drew a circle and said, “Put a dot in the circle for every fault your spouse has committed.” The woman started putting dots in the circle for as many offences as she could remember: He insulted me; he didn’t give me money. She continued until she could remember no more. The counsellor then said, “Madam, the undotted space in the circle is still larger than the dotted part. That means your husband is not as bad as you want me to believe.” The woman was advised to go home and make things right with her husband. You need to appreciate God for your family members and be determined to be happy with them. Cast away bitterness from your household and let every unpleasant situation in the past be forgiven and forgotten for good.Below is a testimony of the proof that praises work.

    “In October 1995, my marriage witnessed the hardest and most shocking heat of breaking! My husband was charmed as he returned from the village. When he got home, situation in the house changed. He no longer ate the food I cooked and subsequently ordered me to pack out of the house. But God the Creator of heaven and earth, Who knows every home, restored mine!

    During the October 1995 Breakthrough Seminar, a friend invited me to that service.  In the course of that service, God spoke through the Bishop concerning married couples, especially those whose parents were controlling their family affairs. He also spoke about men who used their wives as punching bags. Fortunately, my husband was at that service. He didn’t know that what he was doing was wrong, until he attended that service.

    After that service, we bought a bottle of the anointing oil and blessed it. When we got home, we sprinkled it and drank some.By the end of that Breakthrough Seminar, my home was calm! The Lord visited us in a unique way by sending His messenger to tell us to restore our home and cast out the hand of the devil in our lives.

    Thereafter, a woman visited and preached to us concerning marriage and home-breaking, yet we never told anybody about the problem. That was God sending His Words in our direction.

    Even angels visited us! In fact, from then on, we started to hear the direct voice of God concerning our lives and to receive divine direction in all our endeavours! Today, my home is blessed in numerous ways and I no longer have prayer requests because the Lord continually directs my steps. All I do now is praise God because praise brings about my raising, according to my Bishop.”

    -Enwere, B. C.

    As a family, find time to praise God together because it will fill your home with God’s presence. Remember that wherever God is, there is fullness of joy and pleasures forever more (Psalm 16:11).

    My husband says, “Until you learn how to be grateful, you don’t taste greatness.” This is because the depth of your gratitude determines the depth of God’s commitment to your lifting. Do you want greatness in your family? Then learn to appreciate God and your family members.

    If you are not acquainted with the mystery of praise, you may miss all the goodness of life in your family. Though, God’s plan and determination is to bring your family into laughter this year, in 1 Samuel 12:30, He says: …For them that honour me I will honour …. This means that even though God has committed Himself to make you enjoy heaven on earth this year, it will take your praising Him to make it a reality in your life and family.

    Remember, as you want others to do to you, do the same to them! Therefore, praise God and He will raise you; Praise your family members and you will get the best out of them.

    Are you born-again? If you are not, you need to be. If you are ready to be among the redeemed, say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Accepting responsibility in building your home

    Dear Reader, I welcome you to another time of insight in God’s presence. By the special grace of God, all through this month, I shall be discussing on Accepting Responsibility in Building Your Home. For this week, I shall discuss one of the vital keys you will need for the effective building of your home, which is wisdom.

    What is Wisdom?

    Wisdom is hearing the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing them. It is the correct application of knowledge. Therefore, wisdom demands that you take steps in applying correctly all that you will learn from God this month concerning your home. Only then, will you begin to reap the fruits of a sweet and a successful home. The Bible says: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24).

    The place of wisdom in building a successful home cannot be overemphasized. The Word of God says: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

    Wisdom is the principal thing on which all other things rest. A home is meant to be built in order for it to be successful. The Bible says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3). Therefore, to build a successful home, wisdom is required. A wise man once said, “Courtship brings out the best, marriage brings out the rest.” That is why you need the God-given wisdom to know your spouse, adapt to him or her, and bring out the best that God has designed for your home.

    You are the builder of your home. Therefore, accept responsibilities and stop wishing. Work on making your home a success, and you will reap the fruits of your labour. Expectation, as often said, is the mother of manifestation. Therefore, what do you expect your home to be? Success or failure; stressful or stress-free; full of troubles or peace?

    If you expect success in your home, then get down to work by applying the wisdom of God. Be a doer of the Word. Do whatever God tells you to do; that is wisdom. When you do your part, God is committed to making your home a success. He can never fail.

    In addition, the Bible instructs all husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge (1 Peter 3:7). This means that you should understand her nature. When a man understands the nature of his wife and works according to that understanding, problems are less likely to arise in that home. You must realise that she is a wife, mother and homemaker all at once, and these place demands on her. Therefore, be considerate towards her and be available to minister to her needs. Don’t wait for her to play her part first; live by example. Wives are not to be treated as slaves or inferior human beings. Rather, they should be held in respect. This is the wisdom of God! Men, who beat their wives, exhibit folly and sin against God.

    Woman! God has placed the building of the home into your hands. That is why the Bible says: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1).

    Therefore, don’t pluck down your home; operate in the wisdom of God. Don’t operate in foolishness; abide with God’s instructions; they are not grievous (1 john 5: 3). Even if you happen to be married to a man whose level of understanding is lower than yours, remember Abigail. Through her wisdom and understanding, she saved her home even though she had a foolish husband (1 Samuel 25:1-27).

    Identify your husband’s weaknesses and help him to work on them. Learn to appreciate his good points and always point out his mistakes in a kind and loving manner. This is God’s wisdom; embrace it. If you abide by God’s instruction, it will make your home precious before God and before men. Remember, as husband and wife, you are the builders of your home.

    Moreover, marriage can be likened to a physical house and as such, it does not just happen; it is consciously built. For instance, you don’t just wake up one day and see a physical house grow up somewhere. It takes conscious effort and input to make it happen.  In the same manner and even much more, a good marriage doesn’t just happen; it is consciously made to happen. The Word of God says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3).

    You have the duty to build your home the way you want it to be. Therefore, stop shifting your responsibilities to God. As my husband would always say, “Any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the happenings of your life is an irresponsible faith.” The act of building is your responsibility.  You must fulfill your own part before God would fulfill His.

    Here is the testimony of a sister who wisely applied God’s Word as she was taught and obtained a positive result:

    “Throughout the last Breakthrough Seminar, My husband did not attend any of the programme. I did not know what was wrong, so I put it in prayers. When the Bishop asked us to write a list of what we don’t want to reoccur in our lives, I wrote that my husband would return and give his life fully to Christ. He used to attend services before but suddenly, he stopped. He also stopped participating in the prayers we held at home.

    I knew I am more than conquerors.  So, I said, ‘You this devil, you must get out of this home. There is no room for you here’. I also believed God to grant all my desire. Miraculously, the following day being a Sunday, my husband came to church. Since then, he is the one that wakes us up for prayers!”

    -Okorie, T.

    I see God giving you your own testimony!

    You need wisdom to build your home and God is the source of that wisdom. In case you are born again and you need the wisdom of God to build your home, God is no respecter of persons; He will give you.

    If you are not yet born again and you want to do so, you have to surrender your life to God by confessing your sins. You also need to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Just say this prayer of faith and you shall be born again: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood.  Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • The responsibility to choose

    The responsibility to choose

    There is a good reason that democracy is described as the best form of government. That reason is certainly not because democracy is the most efficient or effective means of getting things done. Dictatorship is far more efficient and effective. With a simple command, the dictator gets things done and almost always to his satisfaction; otherwise heads might literally roll.

    Democracy is described as the best form of government because it is a system that involves all citizens in governance. On the legitimate assumption that every citizen has a stake in good governance, democracy gives them the opportunity to participate. But since modern republics boast of populations that are far too large to accommodate all citizens in day-to-day chores of governance, democratic systems come up with the practice of representative democracy whereby every citizen participates, not directly in governance, but in the choice of those who represent their interests in government, and in monitoring their performance.

    Notwithstanding the aberrations, democracy and the party system that it features is still preferable to dictatorship. By granting electorates the right to vote for candidates of their choice, it places on them the responsibility to choose. If they choose to squander their future because they are deceived by a fleeting present, it is their prerogative and they would only have themselves to blame.

    If voters choose on the basis of promises that fly in the face of good judgment, they can only live to regret it. And should they choose on the basis of sentimental attachment to a candidate because of affiliations of religion and/or ethnicity in the face of visible evidence that the one with whom they share these characteristic features doesn’t give a damn about their well-being, it is again their call. Democracy has put the voter at the driver’s seat. Where they choose to go and how they choose to get there is their responsibility.

    This campaign season has been nothing but disappointing. Issues have been left unattended to while political parties and their spokespersons have taken to negative and hate campaigns in ways that show contempt for voters. If voters are taken seriously, candidates and their parties would reach out to them with solid programs that aim at their welfare and interests. Instead we are treated to name-calling, hate-mongering, and silly tales in the name of campaigns. Promises that can never be fulfilled are made. Van-loads of dollar bills are dispersed to various groups in a bid to buy votes and delude the people. It is simply bewildering.

    In a last minute move by the ruling party, it engaged the service of a foreign lobbyist—David Grenell—who wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Times, a conservative leaning paper in the United States. PDP presented Grenell as a former United States envoy, implying that he not only has a good knowledge of Nigeria but is also close to the seat of power.

    The gist of the piece is that electing General Buhari will be a disaster for Nigeria. What is amazing about this is that the argument is based on General Buhari’s religion and professional background and service as Head of State. Grenell suggested, counter-intuitively, that Buhari will introduce Sharia throughout Nigeria, when in fact he had the opportunity to do so as a Military dictator but refused. How will he now opt for it as a democratically elected president and expect to get it through the National Assembly and State Assemblies? But the illogical mind disdains reason.

    Shortly after General Buhari returns from his trip to Chatham House in London, the propaganda wing of PDP accused him of having entered into a deal with Western powers to legalize same-sex marriage in Nigeria. This is the same man they have accused of being an Islamic fundamentalist! But what is more incredible in their latest negative campaign with the help of Grenell is that Grenell is an openly gay Republican who in 2013 submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage during the Hollingsworth v. Perry case, according to Wikipedia. Yet with their possession of such information, neither Buhari nor APC has accused PDP of making a deal with foreigners to legalize same-sex marriage. Seriously, which of the two parties has a rational basis to make that accusation?

    Campaign has ended. It is time to choose wisely because on several levels, the future is at stake. First, the future of a united Nigeria, where though tribe, tongue, and faith differ, we stand in brotherhood, is at stake. All these have been destructively exploited in this campaign. There is plenty of blame to go round, but an unbiased judgment will place a larger amount of the blame at the doorstep of the ruling party if only because much more is expected of it. Demonizing an opponent as a religious bigot and his political party as an Islamic party is beyond the pale in a multi-religious society in which adherents of every faith populate every party. Can a reelected Jonathan be expected to heal the wound of divisiveness that he has unabashedly inflicted on the body politic?

    Second, the future of a corruption-averse nation is at stake in the face of the shameless use of filthy patronage by the president and his party in this campaign. Whether it is in the form of unmerited appointment to political offices (how else does one describe Obanikoro’s ministerial appointment?) or in the form of the rain of dollar on traditional rulers and ethnic champions, or in the form of contract awards to militants, team Jonathan has polluted the political terrain beyond imagination. That he still has the courage to mount the soap box and rail against corruption is the highest form of hypocrisy. Do we really expect a reelected Jonathan to seriously fight corruption?

    Third, while it is common thinking that politics is dirty, there is also a reasonable expectation on the part of right-thinking people that a holder of the most important office in the nation will stand tall above board, no matter the temptation. However, the stench that oozes out of the presidency in the last six years has been mind-boggling. Recall the handling of the National Governors’ Forum election. Remember the use of the Nigeria Police in Rivers and Abuja. Reflect on the Ekitigate audio tape scandal. How about the clampdown on APC lawmakers in Ekiti and the use of a minority to pass budget and approve commissioners?

    Think about ministerial corruption and the president’s response. What about the final onslaught against the people through the selfish drive for the postponement of the elections? If that was not an in-your-face use of power I don’t know what is. In all of these actions that erode democracy and demean the people, President Jonathan just turned the other way. Everything is politicized and the presidency is no longer a bully pulpit for national redemption. Can a reelected president rise up to the self-imposed challenges to democratic norms?

    Fourth, I have not referenced the issue of insecurity and the fact that despite the politicization of security in pursuit of a political agenda, Chibok girls are still held in Boko Haram camps and the Northeast still groans under the deadly grip of beastly and brutish insurgents. This week over 400 women were kidnapped in Damasak. Does this president have any new tricks up his sleeve?

    If the answer to each of the questions I posed in the last four paragraphs can be truthfully answered only in the negative, is continuity a rational option? There appears to be a resounding affirmation of the need for change among Nigerians who want to send a strong message to leaders that citizens must be taken seriously.

    The question now is this. If citizens vote for change, will their votes count or will the impunity that has characterized the regime in the last six years extend to the election? Will the ruling party militants and security agents allow the election to proceed freely? If the ruling party loses, will it handover? Or will it opt for an interim government contraption or a military take-over? The world is watching.

  • Boko Haram and northern leaders’ responsibility

    SIR: Since the outbreak of violent attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in 2009, the group’s mode of operation, style and pace have changed markedly.  Whereas, in the beginning, the attacks were wider in scope and directed mainly at government installations – which included the United Nations building and Police Headquarters in Abuja – they are now restricted to the fringes of the affected three States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, with vulnerable civilian populations, especially school children, as targets.

    Military experts interpret the change to soft targets as a sign that the insurgents are retreating and that the war is about to end.  However, the opposition and critics of the government claim that insofar as the casualty figures, in human and material terms, are still rising, the war against Boko Haram is far from over.  Irrespective of political persuasions, Nigerians should be worried about the current security situation.

    It is frightening that within the last one or two weeks alone, as many as 200 defenceless and innocent people, including school children, have been killed by members of the Boko Haram sect.   Of these, women and children are the worst-hit.

    It is true that the Boko Haram operations are now restricted mainly to the three affected states.  There can be no doubt that their activities have paralysed the economies in much of the North.  Indeed, the negative effects of their atrocities cut across the entire country.  For the national economy to thrive, there must be uninterrupted flow of investments within and from international investors.  That flow is not possible in an unstable social and political environment such as the one that now exists in the affected states.  Apart from the US and some European countries that have issued travel alert to their citizens against travelling to Nigeria’s northern states, foreign direct investments in the states have dropped significantly.  The three states are now regarded as a pariah zone by international investors.

    It is true that Nigeria had, before Boko Haram, experienced insurgency, militancy or religious fanaticism.  However, none of these past experiences was as senseless as the Boko Haram insurgency.  When someone tried the other day to compare Boko Haram with the Niger Delta militancy, his error was glaring: while the Niger Delta militants were identifiable youths – Tompolo, Atake Tom, Boyloaf, etc – who made clear their demands, the Boko Haram insurgents are faceless operators with an unspecified mission, except that they want to Islamize the entire nation and obliterate Western education!

    The truth about Boko Haram is that those who knew how it all started would agree that it was politically motivated.  Unfortunately, the terror sect has grown into a Frankenstein’s monster such that even those who created it now distance themselves from its destructive activities.

    Northern leaders owe the nation the duty of helping to salvage the situation by virtue of their status as leaders of the various communities that produced the insurgents.  To claim that the young men (and perhaps women too) have outgrown their communities is unacceptable.  Boko Haram members, no matter their degree of indoctrination, still belong to the normal Nigerian extended families; they are under family heads, ward leaders and chiefs, and the insurgents are still subject to kinship discipline.

    If the Northern leaders are looking for an example to learn from, it is readily provided by elders of the South-south zone who took charge when the unrest in the Niger Delta was at its peak.  Leaders such as E.K Clark, Tony Anenih and then Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, had to go into the hideouts of militants to preach the urgent need for peace in the region.  Based on their efforts, the militants accepted the amnesty deal and surrendered their weapon in 2009.   Northern leaders should take a cue.

    • John Udumebraye

    Port Harcourt.