The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Thousands

  • Thousands walk for healthy living

    Over 2,000 members of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN), Lagos State Women Council, walked through streets in Oshodi last Saturday to raise awareness on healthy living.

    Clad in their traditional green and white colours, the women from different parts of the state, sang, danced and educated residents, passers-by and motorists on the benefits of regular exercise.

    They were joined by a few men.

    The two-hour walk began from the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Secretariat near Bolade and ended at ADSN Oshodi Secretariat.

    It was sponsored by The Tempo Group, makers of Tempo Sudrex drugs.

    ADSN Lagos State Women Council Chairperson Alhaja Safirah Animashaun told The Nation that the annual programme was meant to increase the physical fitness of their members.

    “We do this every third Saturday in March. Elections made us change this year’s edition to today (Saturday). It is for healthy living and propagation of our religion,” she said.

    Alhaja Animashaun added that the walk will make them burn a lot of calories and make them live healthily.

    Women, she said, should engage in it regularly.

    “Experts have made us realised that physical exercise, such as walking, is important for weight control because it helps you burn calories. If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn a lot of calories a day. We have also directed our 37 branches in the state to domesticate it in their various areas. Some will hold theirs next week,” she said.

    ADSN Women Council State Treasurer Alhaja Idiat Owolabi Faruq said the benefits walks are numerous.

    “It is supposed to be done daily or three times a week. It makes the body system work well. It gives you good health and your shape looks well. People will envy your stature,” she said.

    Alhaja Faruq, a retired Chief Nursing Officer from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), enjoined the women to continue doing exercise but not the strenuous ones.

    The Tempo Group National Sales Manager Allan Sonza said he was impressed with the large turn out

    “I am not expecting plenty of people like this. I’m very glad that we join them for the walk. This is our fifth year of sponsoring them. It is good to see over 2000 women turning up for the event. They are our family. This walk is not easy, kudos to the women,” Sonza said.

  • Thrills as thousands gather for RCCG concert

    No fewer than 10,000 worshippers attended the annual praise encounter concert of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Province 58 on Easter Sunday in Ikorodu, Lagos.

    Among them were royal fathers, gospel artistes and upcoming stars.

    The Province Pastor, Godwin Obadan, said the all-night concert was informed by the desire to teach Nigerians the wonders of praise.

    When Nigerians learn to worship God, he said all the challenges in the nation such as insecurity, economic hardship and others will disappear.

    Obadan recalled receiving the vision to start the event in

    September 2016 as an offshoot of the annual praise programme of the Lagos Province 22, the mother province.

    “The project would definitely impact lives both spiritual and physically and impact Ikorodu in no small way,” he assured.

    The Special Assistant to the General Overseer RCCG on evangelism, Pastor Johnson Kalejaiye, spoke on the significance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus to Christians.

    The preacher, whose ministration coincided with his 58th birthday, was also celebrated.

    Gospel music star, Tope Alabi, thrilled the crowed with worship songs.

    She presented her latest album “Yes and Amen” and taught worshippers a track titled “ta lo da bi re?” (Who is like unto thee?).

    She said the 12-track album is a product of instruction from God to touch lives through worship some three years ago.

    Pastor Chigozie Wisdom, a gospel artiste, also ministered at the concert.

    He advised youths to imbibe the lifestyles of Jesus Christ and embrace hard work so that God will bless the works of their hands.

    The Provincial mass choir performed in Zulu, Ashanti Ghana, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik and Niger Delta languages, immaculately dressed in the different ethnic attires.

  • Thousands dump parties for APC

    Thousands dump parties for APC

    Thousands of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD) members have defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of Saturday’s local government election in Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area in Lagos State.

    The Chairmanship candidate, Augustine AdeoyeArogun, promised to run a transparent administration that would enable himdeliver all his campaign promises.

    Some political groups under the aegis of De-Fash Movement (DFM)-Awori Vanguard (AV), Lagosians Future Group (LFG), Asiwaju National Forum (ANF) among others, have appealed to Lagosians to vote for APC’s candidates across the local governments in the state for continuity of  good government of Governor AkinwunmiAmbode.

    The groups spoke through their leader, OluwaseyiBamigbade, at a house to house campaign in some local governments, soughtsupport for the party’s candidates across the state.

    He said the victory of APC in the local governments will add to the success of Ambode in his relentless effort to build and develop Lagos.

    The group mobilised grassroots team to move round the nook and cranny of the state soliciting for support of the voters.

    Bamigbade hailed Governor Ambode for his efforts in making life easy for residents of the state, saying the excellent performance of Governor Ambode has renderedother political parties irrelevant in the state with particular reference to forthcoming council polls.

  • Thousands of youths rally in Buhari’s support

    Thousands of youths rally in Buhari’s support

    About 50,000 youths in Daura, Katsina State, President Muham-madu Buhari’s home town yesterday rallied in solidarity with his administration.
    The youths rallied under the auspices of an NGO, “Buhari Youth Congress for Change.”
    Musa Badamasi, the secretary of the NGO, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the rally was accompanied with marathon prayer.
    He said the youth found it necessary to organise the rally to make their position known on the style of governance by Buhari.
    Badamasi described most of the speculations regarding the health of Buhari as nothing but calculated attempts to tarnish the image of his administration.
    Sani Altine, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter in the local government, commended the youths for organising the rally and prayed for the safe return of the president.
    He said the chapter would continue to support the policies and programmes of the federal government.
    The Daura Emirate Council on Friday conducted a marathon prayer session for Allah to continue to protect and grant him good health.
    The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk, led the prayers at his palace in Daura.
    In attendance at the prayer session were thousands of Daura residents.
    The emir said that Buhari needs prayers not only for his health, but also divine guidance to lead Nigeria to greatness.
    “Mr President is our son and he deserves much more than this,” he said.
    Farouk told the residents that there was no cause for alarm about the President’s health, pointing out that “going by available contacts we have on a daily basis, the President is in high spirit.”
    The emir said leaders need constant prayers from their subjects, hence the decision by the emirate to organise the prayer session.
    Chief Imams of major Juma’at mosques in Daura, Mai’adua, Zango, Sandamu and Baure Local Government Areas under the emirate conducted the prayers, which included recitation of the complete Qur’an eleven times.

  • Thousands observe Eid el-Fitri prayer in Ibadan

    Thousands observe Eid el-Fitri prayer in Ibadan

    •Ajimobi appeals to workers to embrace dialogue

    Thousands of Muslim faithful in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, yesterday observed the Rakat prayer to commemorate this year’s Eid el-Fitri festival.

    Worshippers, as early as 7.30 am, converge on prayer-grounds,  to observe the yearly festival.

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi worshipped at the popular Yidi prayer ground with hundreds of other Muslim faithful.

    He appealed to striking workers to suspend the one-month-old industrial action, calling on their leaders to meet with government representatives to share the available fund in the state’s coffers.

    The governor made the appeal in an interview with reporters after observing prayers at the Eid ground.

    The governor stressed the need for labour to show understanding by coming to a roundtable to discuss how the outstanding salaries of workers could be paid as well as the new education initiative of the state government.

    Ajimobi said: “I am using this opportunity to call on labour and stakeholders in the state, including teachers, workers, students, traders and even thugs to come together and join hands with me to improve Oyo State.

    “Let us live peacefully among ourselves. We don’t want anything else, but peace. Where there is peace, there will be progress. Democracy is about dialogue, not about fighting.

    “We must come to the roundtable. So, I am appealing to labour to imbibe peace and dialogue. We will pay outstanding salaries when we have the fund. But let them come so that we can sit together to discuss how to allocate the little money that we have now.”

    The governor admonished the Muslim faithful to imbibe the lesson of the Holy month of Ramadan in their daily affairs, urging them to guard against returning to some of the sinful acts they dropped during the fasting.

    In his message, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik Abubaker Agbotomokekere, called on Muslims not to go back to their bad ways, which they left before the month of Ramadan.

    Speaking on Islam as a religion of peace, the cleric urged Muslim adherents to live peacefully with brethren from other faith and avoid utterances and actions capable of causing religious crisis.

    Agbotomokekere prayed for sustenance of peace, progress and development of the state.

    At the University of Ibadan, the Chief Imam of UI, Prof.  Abdulrahman Oloyede, enjoined the Muslim faithful to be patient, saying the economic crisis would soon be over.

  • Thousands wave final bye to Audu

    Thousands wave final bye to Audu

    •Drama at country home

    At a solemn ceremony  — with a touch of drama and emotion— the remains of the icon of Kogi State politics and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in last Saturday’s election, Prince Abubakar Audu, were yesterday interred at his country home in Ogbonicha, Ofu Local Government council. He was 68.

    His remains were lowered into the grave at about 1.50pm, amid tears.

    The Chairman, Kogi State Council of Ulama, Sheikh Salmam Adam, assisted by the Chief Imam of Anyigba, Alhaji Yahaya Musa, and other Islamic clerics, led the prayers.

    An Islamic scholar, Alhaji Kassim Imam, in a brief funeral oration, said only God had the right to give or take life.

    He said Audu’s death should not be ascribed to the making or wishes of any man, adding that it was his time to go back to his creator

    As early as 6am, sympathisers, friends and political associates from far and near had begun to converge on Ogbonicha, about three hours drive from Lokoja, the state capital, to sympathise with the family and to pay their last respects to the former governor, who ruled the state between 1991 and 1992 and between 1999 and 2003.

    A mild drama was witnessed around 10am.  Shortly after the arrival of former Governors Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Abdulkadir Kure (Niger), Senator George Akume (Benue) Saminu Turaki (jigawa) and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), there was jubilation followed with shouts that Audu was back to life.

    It started all when a 22-year-old woman and self-acclaimed pastor purportedly told the security personnel that God sent her to pray for Audu, and that he was not dead.

    She came out of the house and told the crowd that she had prayed and that Audu was back on his feet. The crowd erupted in jubilation.

    The episode was repeated before Audu’s body was committed to mother earth.

    Many of the dignitaries declined to speak to reporters. They wore sombre faces.

    Some of those at the burial are: APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Jibrin Usman (rtd) and the Kogi APC governorship running mate, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke.

    Others are: Senator Dino Melaye, former acting governor of Kogi State Chief Clarence Olafemi, House of Representatives member representing Lokoja Koton-Karfe Federal Constituency Hon. Buba Jibrin and the son of the immediate past governor of Kogi State and former House of Representatives member, Alhaji Mohammed Idris. Audu’s son Mohammed also witnessed the burial.

     

  • Thousands pray for nation’s health

    Thousands pray for nation’s health

    Thousands of worshippers have prayed for the well-being of the country and its leadership. For President Goodluck Jonathan, ministers and leaders of the tiers across the country, members of Assemblies of God Church sought God’s inspiration and guidance.

    The worshippers, drawn from the Badagry District of the church, converged for this year’s Solemn Assembly session in Okokomaiko on the outskirts of Lagos.

    Rev J. N. Ojukwu, who led the prayers, stressed the point that Nigerians, especially Christians, should pray for their leaders, for “God to control their hearts”. He also sought intercession for the police, urging everyone not to make a habit of criticising the law enforcement agents.

    “They need our prayers,” Ojukwu enjoined.

    The worshippers prayed for divine guidance so that leaders will take the right decisions that will bring relief to the people.

    They also prayed for peace, asking God to intervene against “ritual murderers” and forces of violence.

    Rev Henry Ogbonnaya, pioneer superintendent of the district, reminded Christians of Prophet Elijah’s labours. In his message entitled “A time of refreshing”, Ogbonnaya said Elijah worked hard to reconcile idolatrous Israel with their God.

    The Badagry District Superintendent urged Christians to toe the prophet’s line, saying they will also be refreshed, just as Elijah was.