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  • Bishop Oyedepo @ 65

    The Winner-Man, Bishop David Oyedepo, otherwise known as Papa by his teeming followers and admirers, is a no-nonsense fire-brand preacher, teacher and faith entrepreneur of the highest order. A stickler for excellence, this Christian professional (architect) is doubtless one of a kind! He has managed to form a perfect blend of discipline, spirituality, visionary leadership and entrepreneurship.

    Although his galaxy of achievements is up there for all to see, many still find it difficult to comprehend how an individual could consistently maintain such a flawless trajectory in life and still have enough smiles to spare.

    Bishop Oyedepo can safely be referred to as the Encyclopaedia Biblica. He reels out scriptures endlessly verbatim in his teachings and sermons even without opening the Bible. This is the result of ‘eating’ the word and ‘vomiting’ it fully digested, for the edification of his audience.

    The Bishop is also a voracious-reader of both scriptural and secular literature in an endless quest for knowledge. He is a believer in versatility and does not believe in mediocrity under the guise of spiritualism as lots of modern-day Christians are wont to do.

    In coming up with this write-up, it took a great effort to dig down deep enough to find any additional information about this exceptional man of God. Being an author par excellence, he has written a lot to provide uncommon practical ‘insights-to-life’ for his teeming audience. Similarly, a lot has been written about him, both online and offline. I discovered a key cited in the Biblical book of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verse 33. This seemingly innocuous scripture known to all is the driving force behind Papa’s colossal imagery. He has been able to master its simplistic implications and blended it with personal discipline, honesty, forthrightness and complete faith in God.

    Another open-secret of Papa’s success is his amiable wife and partner, Mama Faith Abiola Oyedepo. Papa received double ordination together with her, first by Daddy G.O. Pastor Enoch Adeboye and later by Kenneth Copeland. To any man of wisdom, it’s clear that behind every successful man, there is a woman dutifully fulfilling her God-ordained role of helpmate. It’s no mere coincidence that Mama was rechristened ‘Faith’, which is the central theme of the entire Winners Ministries. Mama Faith Oyedepo is an authority on family life, marital success, youth and women empowerment. She has produced great offspring in David Jnr, Isaac, Joy and Love. She consistently makes great impact in the lives of the underprivileged through her Faith Abiola Oyedepo Foundation.

    Papa’s humble beginning started on September 27, 1954 in the quiet, ancient town of Osogbo. He was born into a mixed-religion (Muslim/Christian combo) parental background, native of Omu-Aran in Kwara State. Papa inculcated spiritual discipline early enough, especially in the areas of prayerfulness and tithing. These virtues provided a solid foundation for Papa’s astronomical success. Papa officially became born again in 1969 under the guidance of his high-school teacher, Betty Lasher.

    As an architect, he had a stint with the Federal Ministry of Housing before resigning into full time ministry. Papa would later receive a PhD in Human Development from the Honolulu University, Hawaii, USA.

    His major break in life came through in an 18-hour vision from God in May 1981. The vision led him to establish the Living Faith Church Worldwide, initially called Liberation Faith Hour Ministries.

    The Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel International) started in Kaduna and later moved to Lagos and then to the present headquarters at Canaan Land, Ota. The land area here which was virtually a virgin land covering over 500 hectares is an example of a well-planned urban development, including a university, a mega housing estate, a mega power plant, a mega church auditorium and everything you will expect from a well-organized government. The 50,000-capacity auditorium presently runs about four services every Sunday, each always filled to capacity.

    The Ministry of Bishop Oyedepo has a unique signature, centred on the theme of Faith and Dominion Prosperity. It is built on the principle of putting God first, as captured in the verse in Matthew 6:33. The Bishop deliberately encourages all his followers, mentees and associates to spare no effort in planting sacrificial seeds in the vineyard of God as the master key to personal and corporate exponential growth. This principle is openly practiced by Papa himself.

    The fighting spirit in him also recognizes the need for effectual deployment of the entire Christian arsenal, including praise-worship, fervent prayers, prophetic utterances and blessings. The father-figure in Papa spans the Nigerian religious landscape with many notable men of God openly affirming him as their mentor.

    The ministry of Bishop Oyedepo transcends spirituality to include service to mankind in the areas of basic needs, such as housing, education, charity, entrepreneurship, leadership and a host of others. Based on his effectual teachings, the church has experienced monumental growth, locally and internationally. An insight into the magnitude can be gleaned from statistics. The Living Faith Church Worldwide is a mega church with a global network in more than 65 countries. Between April and September alone, over 5,000 new branches of the church were established.

    Most of the achievements of Bishop Oyedepo are in the public domain. However, it is necessary to mention a few of the less visible ones, especially his authorship of many bestsellers on themes such as Faith, Destiny, Breakthroughs, Wisdom, the Supernatural, Prayers, Divine Health, etc. We capture some of his philosophies in quotes such as, “it’s character that gives birth to capacity. The loss of character is equal to the loss of everything”; “don’t let life master you. You must learn to master life”; “your dream of getting to the top may not be fully realized if all you are doing is merely wishing and not working”. Times magazine once asked Papa why he works so hard and does not take off time to rest, since as the saying goes, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. His response was simply, “it depends on the kind of work Jack is doing”.

    As the whole world celebrates Bishop Oyedepo @ 65, l do join others to wish him many more fulfilling years ahead. It’s my fervent prayer that God Almighty blesses this nation with more entrepreneurial champions of Papa’s ilk.

    May Papa’s later life be greater than the sum of his existence so far! Long live Papa, Bishop David Oyedepo!

     

    • Aibangbe, a Media & Public Relations Expert wrote from Lagos.

  • Buhari decries Nigeria’s loss of $157.5b to illicit financial flows

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigeria lost an estimated $157.5 billion to illicit financial flows between 2003 and 2012.

    He quoted the figure from the 2014 Global Financial Integrity Report in his address to the High-Level National Side-Event organised by the African Union Development Agency and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday in New York, the United States of America (U.S.A).

    The event was on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with the theme: Promotion of International Cooperation to Combat Illicit Financial Flows and Strengthen Good Practices on Assets Recovery and Return to Foster Sustainable Development.

    The Nigerian leader noted that such massive loss of assets resulted in dearth of resources “to fund public services or to alleviate poverty” in the country.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser (SA) on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President added: “This is why, as Africans, we have no choice but to break the back of corruption.”

    Acknowledging lack of sufficient capital and corruption as impediments to socio-economic development of the continent, the President emphatically restated his administration’s anti-corruption campaign.

    “That is why our government has made it a war we intend to win.  We will give all it takes to ensure there is no hiding place for purveyors of corrupt practices who are truly enemies of the people,” he said.

    Harping on the need to strengthen good practices on asset recovery and return, President Buhari said: “In the last five years, our government has made significant progress to curb corruption. We have recovered millions of dollars stolen from our country.”

    The President stressed that his administration faced some hurdles in the fight against graft and recovery of stolen public funds.

    “There are still a lot of other funds that are stuck in foreign bank accounts due to international laws, different jurisdictions and justice systems that make it difficult for repatriation,” he said.

    Describing Illicit Financial Flows as “illegal movement of funds from one country to another,” President Buhari regretted that “these flows deplete Africa’s internally generated revenues (IGR), foreign exchange earnings, reduce tax revenues, drain natural resources, facilitate corruption and stunt private sector development”.

    He cited tax avoidance as another form of illicit financial flow, quoting the Tax Justice Network and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that estimated over U.S$200 billion per year was “being lost by developing countries when multinational enterprises do not pay taxes in the countries where they made the profit”.

    “This amount is significantly higher than the annual development aid received by these countries which are estimated to be about U.S$143 billion,” President Buhari added.

    Commending the organisers of the meeting designed to finding “pragmatic ways to promote international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on asset recovery and return, as an arm of sustainable development policies in Africa,” the Nigerian President also lauded their “shared commitment to root out corruption from our continent”.

     

  • NGO helps parents pay fees

    After struggling to see that her daughter through primary school two years ago, Mrs Rosalind Olajide, a single mother can now breathe easy thanks to the Seed of Deborah Foundation, which will pay for her secondary education.

    Mrs Olajide said despite enrolling the girl in a public secondary school which offers free education, she could not afford the N20, 000 needed for her admission until the foundation stepped in through its Back to School Kids project.

    The trader who sells fried yam and bean cake said her daughter ought to be in JSS2 but could not go to school last year because of lack of funds.  She thanked the Foundation for stepping in.

    “I am so happy because they have wiped away tears from my eyes. I have been thinking of how to do this but now I am here,” she said.

    Another parent, Mr Ejindu Nnachi, a commercial motorcyclist cried as he shared how his daughter dropped out of school two years ago for lack of funds.

    “I just want her back in school even if it is a government school. She is supposed to be in JSS 2 now but because of lack of money, I have not been able to put her back in school,” he said.

    Thanks to being active in church, Nnachi said his daughter learnt about the Foundation’s project from her pastor.

    Speaking on the project, Isimijola Titilayo, a member of the foundaiton said it was meant for single mothers whose children could not continue their education because of lack of funds.

    She said 14 parents and 16 beneficiaries had received N25,000 or N20, 000 each to pay school fees.

    Isimijola added that some school bags and school shoes were also available for the beneficiaries.

    She said members of the Foundation contribute from their personal funds to pay fees of beneficiaries.

    “One of us even had to take a loan for this project pending when his salary will be paid” she said.

     

  • ‘Navy using military grade phones to curb maritime insecurity’

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) has said it has been using military grade phones with inbuilt tracking facilities to tackle maritime security challenges.

    Already, Commanding Officers of NN warships carry such phones to enable them track vessels and their locations within the country’s territorial waters for improved operational efficiency, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas said.

    Ibas spoke in Lagos during an aside interview with reporters at the opening ceremony of a transformation workshop on performance thinking, leadership and organisational agility for naval officers within junior, middle and senior cadre.

    The CNS, who was represented by the Chief of Navy Transformation (CTRANS) Rear Admiral Ifeola Mohammed, said the Navy was running its operations with technology.

    He noted that the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) and Falcon Eye facilities, which cover the entire stretch of the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), were also practical examples.

    The Nation reports that 60 officers, from Commander to Rear Admiral, were undergoing the training organised by the naval headquarters in conjunction with the EMPRETEC Nigeria Foundation at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) QUORRA in Apapa.

    Ibas said: “Indeed, the Nigerian Navy has infused technology into most of its operations and, as I speak to you, we are able to cover the entire maritime space of Nigeria with the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) infrastructure. With this facility, we are able to see up to 200 nautical miles to sea.

    “We also have the Falcon Eye, which gives us not just the radar signature but also the live pictures of ships. With that, we are able to vector our various platforms to go and intercept any criminal activity that is taking place at the sea.

    “As I speak, most of our commanders carry phones with facilities that are able to track both our vessels at sea and vessels that are of interest to the Nigerian Navy. With this, we will know at any time where a particular vessel is and then deploy platforms on a particular operation and get feedback in real time.

    “The Nigerian Navy operations have improved significantly and we can beat our chests and say indeed our operational efficiency has improved through the transformation planning.”

    He expressed optimism that the workshop would improve the performance thinking, leading for organisational performance and transformational leadership of the participants.

    Ibas explained that 40 senior officers would benefit from two trainings in Abuja next month.

     

  • Read to write well, SAN counsels pupils

    The first woman to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Folake Solanke, has underscored the importance of healthy reading habit to gaining good writing skills.

    She counseled young people to read widely, just as she warned them against stealing content that is not theirs online.

    She spoke recently during the Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, which also served as platform to reward winners of the Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition for secondary school pupils.

    Mrs Solanke said young people must invest in improving their reading, writing and speaking skills and not depend on what she called “cut and paste” methodology from the internet.

    She said: “In this day and age, in the world, not only in Nigeria, there is a serious diminishing culture of reading.  It is to be emphasised that you must read well, so you can write well.  If you do not read well, you cannot write or speak well.  There is a dangerous misconception among students now in relying on the ‘cut and paste’ methodology which means copying other peoples’ brain work on the internet and not using their own brains. Concerning those who do not read, the world-acclaimed Wole Soyinka – the Nobel Laureate for Literature – has this to say: ‘Books and all forms of writing are terror to those who wish to suppress the truth.’”

    Mrs Solanke advised the pupils to use the internet properly – as a tool for learning, not for negative things like pornography, breach of privacy and the like.

    On her part, the chief examiner of the essay competition, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo, also expressed concern about the improper use of the internet by young people as evident in the entries received for the competition.  She said some of the entries received contained plagiarized content lifted from the internet without proper acknowledgement of the original owners.  She called for the inclusion of Internet Use in the Civic Education curriculum.

    Winners of the competition, Esigbone Ferdinard of Roshallom International Secondary School, Egbeda, Lagos; Oluwaseun Aremu of Shepherd International College Ado-Ekiti ; and Adeola Ifeoluwa of Chrisfield College, Itamaga, Ikorodu got N100,000, N75,000 and N50,000 each.  Their schools also got computers. Four other finalists will get a consolation price of N20,000.

     

  • Don warns govt, farmers, on fertiliser use

    A Professor of Soil Science and Environment Conservation and Dean of Postgraduate School, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Mrs Nnenna Oti has warned farmers, state and federal agencies to use fertilisers with caution as the toxic content is harmful to human health and wellbeing.

    Delivering the 35th inaugural lecture of FUTO titled: “Man and his Environment”, the erudite professor said that the continuous use of large doses of fertilizer and waste products could lead to accumulation of toxic levels of heavy  metals such as arsenic, cadmium, nickel, lead and mercury which are injurious to human health and wellbeing. “Therefore, fertilizers should be used with caution,” she warned.

    She noted that even though Nigeria is a signatory to most environmental protection protocols, state and federal agencies are reluctant to fully implement the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports even when such are commissioned.

    “Authorities tend to downplay negative impacts and are reluctant to grant access to sensitive information. This should change,” she said.

    She said that emphasis in soil science should shift from soil resources management, increased crop yields, characterisation and soils mapping, to food quality, human health, climate change, environmental protection, ecosystem services and alternative energy production.

    As this shift happens, she advocates that soil science should be domiciled in faculties of Natural and Environmental Sciences, adding that soil quality and human health should receive a lot of research attention in the universities.

    “We must improve the research culture of Nigerian universities, by attracting and keeping the best brains, regular training workshops in the fundamentals of basic and applied research, enhanced funding, linkages with other institutions and reward for excellence, ” she said.

  • President nominates replacement for Sunday Dare on NCC board

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday nominated Mr. Adeleke Adewolu as an Executive Commissioner of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Board.

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan read a letter from President Buhari requesting the Senate to consider and approve the nomination of Adewolu for the position on the floor of the Senate.

    The President’s letter, dated August 21, reads: “In accordance with Section 8(1) of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Act, 2003, I hereby present Adeleke Moronfolu Adewolu for confirmation as Executive Commissioner of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “While hoping that this request will receive the usual expeditious consideration of the distinguished Senate, please accept, Mr. Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration”.

    Adewolu is expected to replace Sunday Dare, who is the Minister of Youth and Sports, as the Southwest representative on the board of the NCC.

     

  • President hails Bill Gates, Dangote for service to humanity

    President Muhammadu Buhari has applauded the contributions of Bill and Melinda Gates as well as Aliko Dangote foundations to humanitarian and developmental activities in Nigeria.

    Meeting with the duo on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the President said they had touched humanity in many positive ways.

    He ad congratulated them “for achieving what you had set out to do”.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser (SA) on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, the President added: “Thanks for deriving pleasure in helping people. Congratulations to you for returning part of your wealth to the people in diverse ways. Whatever we save in areas in which you have intervened, we can deploy to other areas, like building of infrastructure.”

    On agriculture, in which Dangote makes huge investments, President Buhari noted that farmers are very happy in Nigeria now “as we have made fertiliser available, cut the price by half and given many other incentives. They have no regret going back to the lands. The more we invest in agriculture, the better for us”.

    Mr Gates congratulated President Buhari “for assembling a cabinet that excites us”.

    The American philanthropist said he was pleased that one of the priorities of the administration was human capital development, of which health, nutrition and education are key components.

    He said the Bill and Melinda Gates and Aliko Dangote foundations kept track of Nigeria’s attainments on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as enunciated by the United Nations (UN).

    The global businessman submitted that the foundations were encouraged that there was improvement in reducing child mortality.

    “Every local government area has better health/education situation today than in year 2000. We are delighted about that. Nigeria is our biggest commitment in Africa. It’s only in India we do more in the world,” Gates said.

     

  • NAF destroys terrorists’ training camp in Borno

    •Show no mercy to Boko Haram, collaborators

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said it destroyed terrorists’ training camp and logistics base in Kusuma, Borno State.

    Its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore, Daramola Ibikunle, announced this in a statement in Abuja.

    The statement said the Air Task Force (ATF) detailed by NAF destroyed a major logistics base and training camp of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

    It reads: “Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has recorded another major success in its sustained air offensive against terrorists’ targets in the Northeast. The feat was achieved on September 25, 2019, when NAF aircraft, detailed by the ATF, destroyed a major ISWAP logistics base and training camp at Kusuma on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno State.

    “The air strike was executed after credible intelligence reports had established that a section of the settlement was serving as a training camp for the terrorists, while some buildings within the camp were being used to store their fuel, arms and ammunition as well as other logistics supplies.

    “The pre-attack surveillance showed scores of fighters attempting to flee the location upon hearing the sound of the attack aircraft. They were engaged by the attack aircraft in successive passes, neutralising many of them. The terrorists’ logistics supply store, which was also hit, was seen engulfed in flames due to the raid.

    “The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the Northeast.”

    Also, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, has urged troops of the theatre to show no mercy to Boko Haram terrorists or their collaborators.

    Adeniyi also told the troops to move swiftly and engage the insurgents in their hiding places and finish them without delay.

    The theatre commander was on operational visit to Sector II of the theatre in Damaturu, Yobe State.

    He advised the troops to deal ruthlessly with Boko Haram and anybody seeing to be supporting insurgency.

    According to him, the soldiers are capable of doing the job, and should not be deterred by any obstacle that will stand on their way to finish the job.

     

     

     

  • Council wants end to sugar importation

    The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has moved to put an end to sugar importation by pegging imported refined sugar at 20 per cent duty, plus 75 per cent levy. This is one of the ways the Council intends to checkmate the importation of the product and encourage the growth of local sugar production companies.

    The Council lamented that Nigeria has been turned into a dumping ground for cheap sugar from other countries, thereby stifling local production.

    Local top sugar producers are Dangote, Bua and Golden Sugar. The latter is a subsidiary of the Flour Mills Plc. To encourage local investors, there is zero-per cent duty for any machinery or imported spare-parts.

    Under the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), the target is to produce an annual volume of 1.8 million tons of sugar; 161.2 million litres of ethanol; 4000MW of electricity; 1.6 million tons of animal feeds; 37, 378 permanent jobs; and 79, 803 seasonal jobs. By this, the country is expected to save $416 million (N68.6 billion) in foreign exchange over a 10-year period.

    However, last year’s Crushing Season is still ongoing; and consumption is taken as simple addition of yearly production and importation.

    Stakeholders in the sector dread the risk and challenges associated with investment in the sugarcane to sugar value-chain.

    So, the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) has become inevitable in order to reduce loss due to natural disasters such as fire and flood.

    The Council has put reliance on imported raw sugar at 98 per cent, forcing the decision to promote increased production to generate employment, foreign exchange savings, renewable energy production, ethanol and electricity, rural poverty alleviation and rural development.

    According to the Council, Nigeria’s refined sugar exports from 2019-2020 will amount to MY300, 000MT, a volume unchanged from MY 2018-2019 estimate.

    In 2016, the devaluation of the local currency made sugar exportation attractive in the Sahel region, as well as West and Central African markets.

    Lagos forecasts Nigeria’s ending stocks in MY 2019/20 at 100,000 MT, a volume unchanged from the MY 2018/19 estimate. The Federal Government’s sugar policies have not yet led to production increases that can boost stock levels.

    The Executive Secretary of the NSDC, Mr. Lateef Busari, has urged stakeholders in the sugar sub-sector to approach the Council for clarification on issues on its scope of activities. He said the council has put in place a system that upholds transparency, accountability and honesty in carrying out government business.

    Busari assured that information relating to the Council’s activities can be accessed freely without going through unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks.

    Busari said: “Interested parties in the sugar sub-sector should always approach the Council for clarifications on issues relating to the industry as a whole. The Council has since keyed into the anti-corruption policy of the present administration which stresses the need for openness, transparency and due process in the discharge of government assignments”.

    Speaking at a recent event organised by the NSDC, the Council’s Deputy Director (Procurement), Dr. Abiodun Adeyemo, said local sugar production has received increased attention in recent years, which he said, has provided an avenue for the country to improve its diversification strategy. The Nigeria sugar output barely accounts for seven per cent, with demand gap soaring to 900, 000 metric tons. States such as Adamawa, Kano, Katsina and Taraba top the list of sugarcane growers.

    Industry experts posit that for the demand gap to be kept stable in spite of the health consciousness across the country, sugar is still worth investing in.

    For instance, the demand for ethanol, which is a by-product of sugarcane, has continued to be on the rise.