The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Unacceptable

  • Unacceptable

    •We reject the claim that Nigeria is not ripe for smartphone making

    THE report that Africa’s biggest economy, and indisputably its biggest smartphone market, is not ripe for foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of mobile phones to set up manufacturing plants locally, although unsettling, is not entirely surprising. According to The Punch in a report, not only are Samsung and Nokia – two foremost players in the global smart phone manufacturing scene – not coming into the country anytime soon, they may have “abandoned their plans to establish factories in Nigeria, citing entry barriers into the market as the problem.”

    The newspaper quoted the Chief Executive Officer, Samsung Electronics Africa, Mr Sung Yoon, during a visit to Lagos last year as saying “that the company would not establish a factory in Nigeria due to its low market share, infrastructural deficit and grey market in the country”. The paper also quoted James Rutherfoord, Vice-President /Managing Director, Nokia West and Central Africa in 2013 as saying that the idea of establishing a phone factory in the country did not make any economic sense, although he acknowledged that Nigeria was its strategic market on the continent.

    “At this point in time, it is a difficult one because most of our component suppliers, all the people that make chips, batteries and all the other components of the devices are not around here. They are all in the Far East. So it’s very difficult to create a factory very far away from them.

    “We need the whole ecosystem of people producing the components to be very close; otherwise, we will have products that cost higher, he said.”

    We understand that the constraints of infrastructure are certainly daunting enough. And this even without the additional burden of putting together a complex manufacturing operation in an environment where basic science, engineering and technology infrastructure is virtually non-existent, and where the petrochemical industry to supply a vast range of basic industrial raw materials is still largely underdeveloped.

    It is hard to conceive of a manufacturing operation let alone a globally competitive one as smartphone manufacturing in an environment with no ready pool of highly skilled workers to be drawn from when needed, or a reliable logistical system in place. And all of these with additional challenges posed by cheap, oftentimes fake or substandard products that readily abound in our markets, and to cap them all, a port system riddled with corruption and inefficiency. s

    The problems, certainly not new, have come to define the nation’s industrial/manufacturing environment. This is therefore a clarion call on the government to begin to address them in a systematic and sustainable manner. An environment where all manner of smart phones are allowed entry into the country almost without restriction, and without regards to standards, is unlikely to encourage investors to put their money. That has to stop.

    Moreover, nearly 18 years since the launch of GSM in Nigeria, it is high time the Federal Government took deliberate steps to ensure domestic production of smartphones, or at the very least, some of the basic components. Admittedly, an increasing number of local players have not only taken interest in manufacturing locally but have shown promises that, with the right policies and incentives in place, they can hold their own against some of the so-called big names.

    The least the government can do is to encourage them. And this is without prejudice to discussions with foreign OEMs also eager to have a slice of our vast market. With a mix of sound policies and incentives, there is a chance of getting some of those planning to exit to reconsider their plans.

     

  • Electoral committee’s decision unacceptable

    A front-runner for the NFF presidency Aminu Maigari has described as “unacceptable” the decision of the electoral committee to issue him “provisional clearance” after they had earlier cleared him for the polls.

    “The decision of the electoral committee is unacceptable after I was cleared to run for this elections. I believe that there is a deadline for the hearing of petitions, not just a few hours to the elections,” the former NFF boss told SCORENigeria.

    He further said he will appeal the decision of the electoral committee. Maigari also said the original copies of his school certificates are intact and are readily available for any examination.

    “I have my original certificates fully supported by all the necessary documentation and they are available for anyone who cares to examine them,” he maintained.

  • Wanton killing of Benue people unacceptable

    Sir: It is sad that when other communities in Nigeria are brazing up to the challenges of development, Benue people are burying scores of their own. It would appear that the intractable challenge of daily slaughtering of Benue sons and daughters has defied all permutations from Agatu to Guma to Logo to Buruku to Kwande to Vandeikya et al.

    It has been one story of wow and wanton destruction of lives and properties. It is the norm world over that the protection of lives and properties is the primary aim of government. For close to a decade now, Benue people have been murdered in their numbers and both government and the citizenry are still at a loss as to who these marauding hoodlums are, what their motives are and the cause(s) of their mindless killing of Benue people. The worrisome dimension of the recent heartless daily killings has made it imperative that government should take urgent steps to initiate policies and set up appropriate machineries to address this mayhem that has been unleashed on Benue people.

    Government must as a matter of urgency, set out to unravel the nature of the killings and the people who are involved. The characterization of every killing as the aftermath of the herdsmen-farmer clash and the discordant voices of government and government officials are becoming most worrisome and Benue people are paying very dearly for government’s ineptitude.

    Instead of displaying helplessness, government should commit to “never again” by initiating policies and programmes that will proffer solutions to the perennial problem of the Fulani herdsmen/farmers clashes and their attendant loss of lives. Government immediately should set up a comprehensive special committee made of critical stakeholders, the herdsmen, farmers, security agencies and government officials to oversee and superintend over the relationship between the herdsmen and farmers.

    The mandate of this committee is to engender a convivial environment for dialogue to continue to be held for all components of Benue State. Clashes must always be promptly investigated and concrete actions taken by government to unravel all matters connected therewith.

    Secondly, the implementation of the anti-open grazing law must be revisited to ensure that all stakeholders are carried along. The bloodbath in Benue State is most unacceptable and must stop.

    The anti-open grazing law is comprehensive but has far-reaching implications for all and therefore, must be handled with care. It is imperative that all herdsmen in Benue State must be registered to put paid to the allegation of foreign herdsmen involvement. Government’s special committee must constantly engage farmers and herdsmen every step of the way. Herdsmen, farmers and their leaders must be involved in policy initiatives and implementation.

    More fundamentally, government must open access to social amenities such as education, hospital et al. This way, herdsmen will feel a sense of belonging and will always resist the temptation of engaging in confrontation. Again, appointment of governors’ aides to include representatives of farmers and herdsmen to maintain a bridge between the people and the government is a critical palliative to solving the problem of incessant clashes and loss of lives. For a more comprehensive and permanent solution, government special committee must include traditional rulers.

    Government must assume responsibility for the protection of lives and properties of Benue people. Asking the people to adopt the medieval practice of fighting 21st century AK47-wielding herdsmen with stones and sticks is not an option. Government must know that the lives of every Benue person matters. Accepting that this is a national problem, the recent daily massacres of Benue people is unique and must be resolved by an indigenous Benue solution applying Benue wisdom.

    We can no longer wish away the fact of the reality that we must accept to live together as one. Even then, we must urgently assemble all retired Benue armed forces personnel to offer solutions on how to contain the situation. At this time, all hands must be on deck. Now that government has demonstrated helplessness, all citizens of Benue must stand up to defend our existence.

     

    • Abba Moro,

    Makurdi, Benue State.

  • ‘Our ‘exclusion’ from road unacceptable’

    The Jumbo Major House of Grand Bonny in Rivers State has protested its ”exclusion” from the Bodo/Bonny Road project, which Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo inaugurated last week.

    The project is funded by the Federal Government and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas  (NLNG).

    The group accused Bonny Council of Chiefs and NLNG of masterminding the plot to sideline it.

    Leader of the group and head of Jumbo Major House, Prof. Jasper Jumbo, hailed the Federal Government for “such a gigantic and laudable project, which the Bonny people have long desired.”

    But he wondered why the Jumbo Major House would be excluded from the inauguration after receiving an invitation from the Office of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing.

    Jumbo alleged that the move is to deny them their rights in Bonny Local Government.

    “I have been pushing for this road since 2000.

    “All I did as a core development protagonist and tested leader in Bonny and Niger Delta, a pro-government person, was to mobilise my people in solidarity support for the project.

    “I printed banners in its support, with inscription and none proved the contrary. What is simply happening is that the Bonny Council of Chiefs and NLNG do not want us, the Jumbos, to be a part of this project, which vastly traverses Jumbo land in Bonny.”

    Speaker of Ijaw Youth Council Mobile Parliament and President of Andoni Youth Coalition, Comrade Mkpon Ijonama, described the situation as sad.

    He lamented that it is against natural justice for an impacted cluster community, such as Jumbo, to be excluded from a project directly affecting them.

    The spokesman, who debunked an allegation that they were there to protest the project or carry placard for modular refinery, accused NLNG of applying divide-and-rule tactic in Ijaw land.

    President of Bonny Indigenous Guide (BIG), Owunabo Brown, expressed shock that while his group mobilised to receive the Federal Government to Bonny Island, Bonny Council of Chiefs colluded with NLNG to shut them and other  stakeholders out of the event, noting that such action is not in the interest of Bonny people or peace.

    Chairman of village heads of Jumbo George Sunju Jumbo condemned the exclusion, insisting that they have a right to benefit in what comes to their land, claiming that a large stretch of the road runs through mostly Jumbo communities.

    President of Jumbo Youths Comrade Dagogo A. Jumbo described their exclusion as an aberration and embarrassment, adding that such move is provocative and unacceptable.

    He, however, however enjoined Jumbo Youths not to take laws into their hands or breach the peace in the area, saying Jumbo Major House, under the leadership of Prof. Jasper F. Jumbo, had resolved to peacefully take steps in addressing the matter through Federal Government agencies.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • ‘High women illiteracy rate unacceptable’

    ‘High women illiteracy rate unacceptable’

    Iyalode of Lagos Chief Bintu Fatima Tinubu yesterday lamented the high illiteracy rate among women.

    According to her, the statistics that 60 per cent of Nigerian women are illiterates is unacceptable.

    “In Nigeria today, statistics shows that women constitute 50 per cent of Nigerian population but ironically, less than 39 per cent of the total female population is literate as against the 63 per cent of literate male population. This is because within parts of our society, it is still considered irrelevant and a waste of resources educating the girl-child. A notion which is completely wrong and primitive; the girl-child must be trained to be a responsible member of the society, seen as the bedrock and future of any community or nation aspiring sustainable development,” she said.

    Mrs Tinubu spoke yesterday during the fourth edition of the Iyalode of Lagos Mentoring Initiative held at Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, with the girl-child as the primary focus.

    The event, chaired by the Africa’s richest woman and Famfa Oil Vice-Chairman Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, featured wife of Solid Minerals’ Minister Mrs Bisi Fayemi, as guest speaker.

    Others who spoke at the event include wife of Lagos state governor Mrs Bolanle Amode, wife of Power, Works and Housing Minister Mrs Abimbola Fashola, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly Adefunmilayo Tejuoso, former Lagos State Deputy Governor Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, Queen’s College Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Chairman Mrs Beatrice Akhetuamen, the Principal Dr Lami Amodu, wife of Secretary to the Lagos State Government Prof Ibiyemi Bello.

    Over the years, Mrs Tinubu said, the nation has witnessed a decline in the moral consciousness and societal values among the youth, especially the girl-child.

    She said: “Decency, courteous behaviour and a sense of doing what is right is viewed as out-dated. As mothers, grandmothers, and nation builders, we cannot sit back and fold our arms, wishing these problems would disappear. This challenge poses a unique opportunity for every adult female to partner in the quest of sensitising and re-educating our female children on the need to develop worthy self-esteem.

    “The theme of today’s occasion “building the winning attitude in every girl-child” is a vital and relevant topic of discuss at this time. As it not only helps to break down the pre-conceived idea of the irrelevant of the girl–child and branding them as second class citizens, but also empowers them with information and knowledge so as to stand in the place of victory over every societal barriers imposed on them

    Mrs Ambode said “we live in a challenging times that have made our girls to be wrongly exposed. Some of these challenges include assault, child labour, open discrimination, rape, early forced into marriages and domestic violence among others.

    “These challenges have clearly taken a toll on them, by gradually destroying their sense of security and self confidence, making them fall short of expectations. At times, the challenges come in the area of education, where the girls suffer discrimination, by not enjoying equal opportunities with the boys.”

    Mrs Ambode urged the pupils to believe in themselves and adopt the ‘I can’ attitude that leaves them with the confidence that they too can do it.

    “It equips you with courage and assurance that, if that boy can do it, I can do it even better. It is the sort of spirit which declares that physics, chemistry and further maths, are not for boys alone.

    “I am sure that a number of you saw the recent West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) results where some girls top with nine distinctions. This is the winning attitude we are talking about. If they can do it, then why can’t you?” she queried.

    She implored the girls to work hard in whatever they do.

    Mrs Fayemi urged the pupils to keep good company and invest in themselves.

    This, she said, could be done by creating their own anthem; having a plan; identifying a role model or a mentor; reading and writing often.

    She urged them to make responsible use of social media tools and be of service to other people, adding that they should not prioritise relationships with boys/men, but be close to God.

  • ‘Remarks against me unacceptable’

    ‘Remarks against me unacceptable’

    Ex-Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has described remarks against him by Chief Benjamin Apugo as unacceptable and a clandestine motive to attract Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s attention.

    A statement by his media adviser, Mr. Don Norman Obinna yesterday wondered why Apugo, who did not support Ikpeazu throughout the campaign, suddenly backtracked after the Supreme Court’s judgment.

    Orji described Apugo as a political subversive, whose selfish interest has alienated him from almost all Abia State statesmen, reputable politicians and family members, adding that despite the alleged financial support given to him by the All Progressives Congress (APC), he worked against the APC gubernatorial candidate, Anyim Nyerere in the 2015 elections.

    He accused Apugo of allegedly contributing immensely to the impoverishment of his kinsmen.

    “Since the creation of Abia State, tell me one politician that is in good terms with Apugo-none. Is there any development project or achievements which the people have benefitted from Apugo? He is scared of my status and achievements which have changed the status quo in Abia , especially Abia Central where he made himself a tin god.

    “I am focused on ensuring that the people who voted for me benefit nothing less than qualitative representation at the Red Chambers. I have not interfered and will not interfere in Ikpeazu’s government because I believe so much in his ability to move Abia forward,” Orji said.

  • ‘What is unacceptable to God should not be offered’

    ‘What is unacceptable to God should not be offered’

    Bishop Mike Afolabi is the Presiding Bishop, Hand of Grace Christian Centre Ibadan,  in Oyo State, which clocked one recently.  The cleric, who turned 60, last week, spoke with Bisi Oladele, on his life and ministry.

    IN all of your 26 years of ministry, what would you consider the most challenging?

    The most challenging is that many people have shifted focus; and once you shift focus from Christ, you will discover that you are doing another thing. They have shifted focus from preaching Christ which is the core of gospel.

    Like I was sharing this morning, Christ is the foundation; people are building on things that have no foundation. The foundation has been tampered with and if you are building any structure on it, it will collapse after some time. That is why the characters of people are not changing in Nigeria of today.

    That is why people will say that our behavior and character as a people are not changing, despite the growing number of churches. That is the greatest challenge we have now.

    Do you think the entire body of Christ can do anything to address it?

    Yes. At least in our own little corner, we should make sure we’re leading people to Christ and teaching them the truth. You know materialism has taken over people’s heart. And how they get the material things does not seem to matter anymore. It is as if the conscience of people is dead.

    That is why someone can wake up and say gay marriage is the main thing. There are things that are called abomination which people now fancy; things that used to look very bad that now looks very good. God will help us, but men of God should wake up and make sure the emphasis is on how to mould the character and destiny of people.

    As a pastor, if you have sufficient information that a church member, who is a generous giver, has a fraudulent source of income, would you reject his tithe and offerings?

    If I have such information and it is genuine, I will call him and let him know that it is not acceptable to God. Whatever is not acceptable to God, should not be offered because you may be bringing a curses on yourself.

    Instead of having benefits for the giving, one will be having losses. God does not take just any offering from us. We read in the Bible that He rejected the offering of Cain.

    So, I will tell the person that God is not accepting his offering because it is from a wrong source.

    What is Hand of Grace Christian Centre all about?

    The focus of the church is inspiring people with the love of God. It also centres on making people to focus on God. We are also out to address unhappiness in the world. There are some people who are unhappy in the church and in the world.

    Through grace, all these areas can be addressed. So, Hand of Grace Christian Centre is given that assignment. And that is what God has called us to do.

    What was your Christian life like as a young boy?

    I could remember that as a young person, I used to go to Baptist Convention to do recitation. It is not that I was ignorant of the religion. In our time, we crammed the scriptures. Once you were ‎able to recite it, they picked you.

    I used to go to Baptist Convention and I recited the scriptures. My parents are very religious. You don’t see anything wrong in them and their lifestyles. They made sure they go to church; they were serious about religious activities. I was in the choir.

    Do you still sing?

    Yes, I do. I love singing as it is part ‎of me but not for commercial purpose. At least, I sing to worship God and inspire myself before I preach.

    You said you later had an encounter with Christ?

    Yes.

    What makes the difference between the kind of Christian you were and your  encounter with Christ?

    The difference is relationship. Christianity is about relationship. Until a young man has a relationship with Christ, he cannot know Him.

    So, you didn’t have a relationship with him  while you ‎were a Baptist, as a young man?

    When you are in religion, you are just carried away‎ by the crowd. There was no personal touch or interaction. And you are active but you don’t know the reason why you are doing what you are doing. Some people don’t know the reason why they are doing some things. You met it so, and you have to continue doing it.

    Do you acknowledge that some people are still operating at that level in the church?

    Yes, definitely!

    What is your message for ‎them?

    You know there is what we call self development; nobody can develop yourself for you. It is just like physical growth; a child is born and so when someone is born again too, that is the spiritual birth. A baby born physically is helpless; they have to help him do everything: breastfeed him, bath him, dress him; but he cannot remain like that.

    If a baby remains like that for many years, then something is wrong. A time will come when he will be walking on his own, feeding himself and doing virtually everything by himself.

    That is how spiritual things are also. But if the baby does not do anything on his own, he will remain undeveloped.

    So, many people remain undeveloped in the church or maybe we should call them canal Christians because they are not growing, and because they are still involved with the system of the world. But a Christian that is spiritual is one that is ruled by the word of God. A canal Christian is still being ruled by the world.

    You talked about encountering Christ. We read in the Bible how Saul encountered Christ on the way to Damascus. We also read in the Bible how Peter encountered Christ when he allowed Christ use his boat. Was your experience similar to these ones?

    Well, it does not need to be like that. God does not have a conventional way of doing things. It may not be the way Paul had it that there was a great light that struck and said “Paul, Paul, why persecuted thou me?” One does not need to have that kind of experience.

    When you have a kind of encounter, you have a conviction by the spirit; the Holy Spirit will convict you of sins; confirming that this is not the way to live, this is the way to live.

    It will dawn on you that the life you are living is not in conformity with the word of God. And if you want to be sincere, you will know that what you are doing is out of order.

    So you can now re-order your steps. So, that is what it means to encounter Christ. There are people Christ appeared to, like these Muslim converts; Christ appeared to them that this way you are living cannot take you anywhere, you are going to destruction. So, God may decide to reveal Himself in different ways to different people.

    God knew the kind of person Paul was; he was a stubborn person and so if he did not appear that way, Paul may not be converted. Don’t forget that this was somebody who had been persecuting the church and killing people. God saw that he did not need soft words.

    When I was in secondary school, I was very religious. I attended fellowships and thirsted after God; I wanted things of God and I knew I was not there. So, going to fellowship and hearing the word of God, without conviction, that this was my way. But if you follow God’s way, there will be no confusion.

    I did not know I was going to be a pastor; I did not dream of it. I knew that for me to have a good life; I needed Jesus and I was committed to finding out things in the word of God; if you are interested in the things of God, He will begin to show himself more and more.

    Were you involved in terrible acts before Christ saved you?

    No, I think the way I was brought up helped me to be disciplined and cool-headed. The family I came from is not known for violence; we were never involved in trouble. So, it helped me. My parents, especially my father, were quiet persons.

    In fact, in the village, they called him ‘jejeniwa’ (complete gentleman). If you go to the village and say you are going to Matthew Jejeniwa’s house, they will take you there.

    So it never occurred to you that you could end up a pastor?

    Anyway, I was in the building industry‎. I studied building at Kaduna Polytechnic and worked as site engineer and project engineer, even with the Air force in Kaduna as a civil servant; but I felt that this was not enough; that I could be practising my profession and still serve God.

    What informed y‎our choice of Winners’ Chapel?

    Living Faith just started when we joined; there was nothing on ground as it were. That was in1984. I was in Jos, working as an engineer for three years with Enamy Construction Company before I came back to Kaduna. We were doing some construction works in a federal secondary school in Jos and some residential buildings for the Air Force with a foremost architecture company, Niger Construction Architect.

    The company was very popular as it had a lot of jobs. Later, I served in Maiduguri, Bornu State with the Ministry of Works and Housing. They wanted to retain me after service‎.

    Why did you choose Living Faith?

    Living Faith just started when we joined; there was nothing on ground as it were. That was in1984. I was in Jos, working as an engineer for three years with Enamy Construction Company before I came back to Kaduna. When I came back from Jos, I was asking the Lord to direct me to a church. Although I had a Baptist background but you know, now I have known Christ and I wanted to grow vibrantly where the word of God is being preached.

    One day, a lady from my village started going to that fellowship; the church was small at the time though. So, I went there and I discovered that at least this one can help someone grow spiritually. That was why I joined.

    When did the journey of servant hood begin and how did it happen?

    That was in 1988, four years after I joined Living Faith. You know there is a way God speaks to people. What normally comes up is: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. You will hear a word from my mouth and you will teach them. If they hear or if they don’t hear, speak to them.”

    Several times, indications showed that God was calling me. I was thinking I should start it on a part-time basis and be practising my profession on the other hand. It lingere for a long time, but I eventually decided that I needed to resign from my job and join full-time ministry.

    You started your ministry in Kaduna?

    Yes. And I was a project pastor‎. In fact, it was still in line with my profession. I saw it as bait. I was still handling church projects. I never knew I would pastor people. I thought I was going to be in charge of church projects as a project pastor. But eventually, I found myself in the church.

    How has pastoring been?

    Interesting. Life is about learning and you draw lessons. Also, someone is growing. After I worked on project for two years, in 1990‎, I was transferred to Bauchi as the pastor. That was my first pastoral experience before a congregation.

    God used all these avenues to build me and prepare me for future challenges. I was in Bauchi for four and a half years‎. In 1994, I was transferred to Ilorin where we also spent about four years.

    From Ilorin we came to Ibadan in 1998. We were in Ibadan for six years and 13 days when we went back to Ilorin from where we went to Warri. We came back again to Ibadan from Warri and then to Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009. And we came back to Ilorin.

    From there we were transferred to Lagos, then to Ikorodu. In 2010, we moved from Ikorodu to Kaduna where we spent two years and in 2012 or thereabout, we went back to Ilorin and in 2013, we felt we had to disengage. I was with Winners Chapel for 25 years.

    Why did you leave?

    I listened to the voice of God. He gave us another assignment.

    How would you describe the experience of pastoring people of different cultures across Nigeria and even outside?

    I have learnt so much about how to relate with so many people, in love and how to be patient with people. You have to be accommodating; you have to be tolerant, and you have to be ready to help people.

    Our joy is that we are affecting people positively. Our fulfillment is that God is using us to affect people’s lives positively.

     We have also learnt that people need help. It may be little but you may not know what it means in the future. There are people God used us for. We have even forgotten some people but they cannot forget; they still remember.

    There are people we meet today that tell us we’ve helped them but we don’t even remember the year. And you are not the one doing it but God who should take the glory. It is God that did it. So you don’t neglect people.

    Human beings must touch lives positively. That makes life more relevant. We learned that you have to be relevant and when you are relevant to people you are eager to do little things God has given you power to do; that is life. By God’s grace, we’ve also learnt humility and meekness. By nature, I hate arrogance and pride. As much as possible, I make people to be humble before God and man.

    Do you regret abandoning your building career to answer  the call‎?

    No, I don’t. The joy is that I am spiritually building people’s life and then, there are opportunities for me to build physical buildings. It is 2-in-1 now. Like now, I am ministering, and very soon, I will be building.

    After 26 years of pastoring, would you say you are fulfilled?

    When you are talking about fulfillment, it is when somebody has finished his work. I have not finished the work and so I cannot say I am fulfilled. I am just happy being in the will of God and that is success.

    Success is not measured by material things. When you are in the will of God, you will be fulfilled and satisfied. Now, I am fulfilled in the sense that I am in the will of God.

    I cannot say I am fulfilled because I cannot achieve everything I say I want to do because there would be restraints, but by God’s grace, I have been able to do some things in line with what God has asked me to come and do.

    Why the choice of Ibadan?

    I prayed and that is where God said we should go. It would have been easier if I go to my state of origin because there is house there but God said we should stay here. It is not something someone just decide on.

    Naturally, people may want to pin your disengagement from Winners Chapel to crisis; have you heard any such comments? And how do you react to them?

    People insinuate things; they want to know the‎ reason why something took place. That is normal. They will say all manner of things including a rift. But there is nowhere someone lives, we will all leave.

    Whether we like it or not, even the so-called founders will leave. You know when your time is up, you’ll go. God told us that our time was up. That is just it.

    There is no quarrel, no misunderstanding. Valedictory service was conducted for us. That was done 15th November 2013 in Ilorin because that was our last station. The ministry was well represented. Bishops Ade and Aremu were there. It was a church service.

    You are 60‎ years old this week. How has it been? Do you feel 60?

    Life has been interesting and I give God the glory, because to be alive for 60 years is not a joke. It is God’s mercy and faithfulness that have kept me alive.

    It has been interesting because whatever you call challenge, God always turns it around for the good. God has given me victory over all battles and opposition in the past 60 years; so I am a product of His faithfulness, mercy and favour.

    How has it been in the last one year?

    It has been glorious, without any exhilaration. What God has done in the past one year, three months is unquantifiable. People around can testify. Some people cannot even believe that our ministry is just a year old. Many people are testifying to the glory of God.

  • Saraki’s election unacceptable, says Abdulsalami panel

    Saraki’s election unacceptable, says Abdulsalami panel

    With the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee declaring Senate President Bukola Saraki’s and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu’s elections “unacceptable”, the bitter row sparked by the exercise may take some time to go away.

    The committee faulted the process that led to the election of the key principal officers of the Senate in a statement signed by the Convener, Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah.

    The National Peace Committee 2015 played a pivotal role in ensuring peaceful elections. The group facilitated a peace pact between former President Goodluck Jonathan and his then challenger President Muhammadu Buhari to douse the tension in the land ahead of the crucial general elections.

    The group also spearheaded the post-election peace management.

    Apart from Gen. Abubakar, a former Head of State, and Rev. Kukah, who is the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, other members of the group are: Former Chief of General Staff (CGS) Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President Mrs Priscilla Kuye, Abuja ArchDiocese Catholic Bishop John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Nicholas Okoh and Africa’s richest Man Aliko Dangote.

    Saraki was elected by less than 60 of the 109 senators on June 9, with minority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members behind him.

    The Deputy Senate President is a member of the PDP.

    Yesterday, the committee said it was important for the highest legislative body to uphold moral authority and value.

    It said: “We must have all arms on deck so that we can quickly rout Boko Haram, restore law and order and proceed with the much-desired change of cleansing the Augean stable and delivering quality services to the Nigerian people.

    “The story of the process leading to the elections of the principal officers in that august body last week is well-known to all Nigerians. Given the maturity, track record and experience of the body, we wonder why a routine process has turned into an ugly, selfish dogfight.

    “This is unacceptable to Nigerians. It neither dignified the Senate nor does it honour what Nigerians voted for.”

    “Even the most optimistic of us did not imagine that we would be where we are today in our country. Up till the last elections, the atmosphere after every election since 1999 has been poisoned by endless quarrels among political elite, long drawn out appeals at Tribunals and occasional violence leading to loss of lives. Happily, this has not been the case since the last elections.

    “It is not the way to thank God for what he has done to those who were lucky to be elected to that high office, nor does it honour what He has done to our country.”

    However, the Committee lauded members of the House of Representatives who successfully concluded their process, ready to begin their legislative duties.

    Describing the crisis between the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership and the Senate as a “family quarrel”, Kukah said the disagreement should not become a public show.

    “The challenge now is for the APC to justify the confidence that Nigerians placed on them when they bought into their mantra of Change. We expect this change to be marked by personal and institutional acts of patriotism, altruism, discipline, decorum, maturity, sacrifice and decency,” he added.

    The committee also sought support for the Federal Government in the battle against the Boko Haram.

  • It’s totally unacceptable, says party

    It’s totally unacceptable, says party

    A Major crisis has broken out in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with the party describing as “totally unacceptable and the highest level of indiscipline and treachery”,  yesterday’s inauguration of the National Assembly.

    Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon Yakubu Dogara emerged as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    ‘Bukola and Dogara, the party said, are not its candidates. Neither are they candidates of a majority of its National Assembly members-elect for Senate President and House Speaker, it said in a statement signed by its spokesman Lai Mohammed.

    “The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives. All National Assembly

    members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that decision.” It said, adding: ‘’The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members,’’ the party said in the statement.

    ‘’Consequently, the APC leadership is meeting in a bid to reestablish discipline in the party and to mete out the necessary sanctions to all those involved in what is nothing but a monumental act of indiscipline and betrayal to subject the party to ridicule and create obstacles for the new administration.’’

    APC decried a situation in which some people, based on nothing but inordinate ambition and lack of  discipline and loyalty, will enter into an unholy alliance with the very same people whom the party and indeed the entire country worked hard to replace and sell out the hard won victory of the Party.

    ‘’There can be no higher level of treachery, disloyalty and insincerity within any party,’’ the party said, vowing to resolve the matter using all constitutional and legal means available to it.

    The APC asked all its loyal senators-elect to please report to the Senate to be sworn-in in order to discharge their constitutional duties.

  • It is unfair. It is unacceptable

    It is unfair. It is unacceptable

    – The U.S. push for a Gaza cease-fire should empower moderate Palestinians

    AS EFFORTS to forge even a temporary truce in Gaza founder, the Obama administration is indignantly protesting that its diplomacy has been unfairly maligned by critics, especially in Israel. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, officials say, has merely been trying to stop the bloodshed on the basis of previous cease-fire agreements, including an Egyptian plan that Israel accepted just two weeks ago.

    The U.S. account is mostly correct, and even some Israeli officials have acknowledged that the bitter and sometimes personal criticism of Mr. Kerry in Jerusalem went too far. Yet there is a good reason why Israelis across the political spectrum, as well as the Egyptian government and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, reacted badly to Mr. Kerry’s efforts. U.S. strategy has failed to take into account how the fighting in Gaza during the past two weeks, as well as the Middle East’s shifting political alignments, have changed how its closest allies view the conflict’s endgame.

    The big revelation of this Gaza fight has been the degree to which Hamas has invested in stockpiling missiles capable of striking Israeli cities and constructing cross-border tunnels whose only purpose is to carry out offensive attacks inside Israel. Israel is insisting, reasonably, that its troops remain in Gaza at least long enough to destroy the tunnels. It is also making the obvious point that a solution to the conflict must prevent Hamas from focusing Gaza’s economy on the production of more missiles and tunnels.

    Mr. Kerry’s proposal did not directly tackle that problem. While promising vaguely to “address all security issues,” it offered Hamas the explicit prospect of a border opening and funding to pay its government employees. These terms were promoted by Hamas’s regional allies, Turkey and Qatar. Mr. Kerry’s resort to them as mediators was another questionable call: It had the effect of sidelining the secular governments of Egypt and Mr. Abbas, which stand on the other side of the Middle East’s divide between pro- and anti-Islamist forces.

    Israel is demanding that Hamas be disarmed as a part of any peace. While the Obama administration rhetorically endorsed that goal, it doesn’t seem to regard it as feasible in the short term. In our view, the objective should be explored more seriously. It might be possible, for example, to make Hamas’s surrendering of its missiles the condition for steps that would enable Gaza’s economic development, such as the opening of a seaport — a trade-off that most Gazans would welcome. At a minimum, new security provisions should aim at preventing Hamas from importing more military supplies.

    More broadly, the Obama administration should be working with Egypt and Mr. Abbas, as well as Israel, to end the conflict in a way that reduces rather than reinforces Hamas’s power over Gaza. This is not unrealistic: A recent agreement between Mr. Abbas’s Fatah movement and Hamas to form a single government for the West Bank and Gaza, followed by elections for new leaders, could provide a mechanism. Mr. Abbas, who has been working closely with Egypt, is reportedly proposing that his U.S.-trained security forces secure the border between Gaza and Egypt, displacing Hamas.

    In its zeal to stop the bloodshed in Gaza, the Obama administration may have set back such creative and constructive solutions. Now it should get behind them.

    – Washington Post