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Tag: word

  • Hear Word goes on World Tour

    Hear Word goes on World Tour

    The popular stage play Hear Word, is set to go on a world tour. The well-known cast presently promoting the play based on real life experiences target at real issues affecting the lives of women will be live on stage at the Harvard University on April 15 – 17: FrascatiTheater – Amsterdam on April 30th & May 1st, and Transcorp Hilton – Abuja on May 6, respectively.

    The play which according to the producer  is an exhilarating piece of performance art that combines artistry, social commentary and true-life stories of inequality and transformation, is delivered by some of Nigeria’s most talented actresses TaiwoAjai-Lycett, Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw, Bimbo Akintola, Omonor, ElvinaIbru, Ufuoma McDermott, Zara Udofia, LalaAkindoju, Rita Edward, Debbie Ohiri and Odenike.

    Hear Word targets real issues affecting the lives of women, which limit their potential for achievement, independence, decision-making and leadership.

    According to Joke Silva, “hearwordnaija is an exhilarating piece of performance art that combines artistry, social commentary and true-life stories of inequality and transformation, delivered by some of Nigeria’s most talented actresses.”

    She adds that the stories based on real life experiences are targeted at real issues affecting the lives of women, which limit their potential for achievement, independence, decision-making and leadership.

    “The show delivers an intimate view into the lives of women from all corners of Nigeria and crossing a variety of socio-economic levels. It provides a better understanding of the issues they face and shares their unique and universal challenges,” the veteran said.

  • Honour your word

    •National Assembly must pass Budget on March 17 as promised. It is getting too late.

    Stasis. That perhaps best describes the national economy as indeed the activities of the Federal Government at the moment. A third month into the fiscal year, nothing really significant is going on. At a time of grave emergency marked by plunging oil prices, of foreign exchange market running riot, and a collapsing national infrastructure, a Federal Government that ought to be calling the shots has practically gone missing in action. If we expected both the executive and the legislature to move swiftly to arrest the drift in the political economy, to demonstrate their understanding of the nature of the emergency, and to match the pace of action with the demand of the moment, it has been disappointment all the way.

    Nearly three months into the year, the 2016 Budget – the fiscal instrument on which the Buhari administration’s promised change is anchored – remains largely hung. We are not even talking of implementation yet, but rather the procedural matters of its passage into law.

    Right from the time it was presented to the National Assembly on November 22, 2015, it has been one controversy or another. First, it was the story of missing budget documents; soon after, the civil servants were alleged to have tampered with the subheads to such a degree as to make nonsense of the administration’s original fiscal projections. As a result, a budget initially projected for passage for February had to be shifted to the end of March.

    Now, the signal from the joint committees of the National Assembly on appropriation is that the budget would be passed on March 17. Considering that this is only a few days from now, Nigerians will hold the lawmakers to their words.

    Of course, were these to be normal times, the sloppiness and the inexplicable tardiness that it gave rise to would not have mattered much. After all, the budgetary process has never been known to be anything different in the last 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

    But then, these are extraordinary times. No thanks to the collapse in oil prices, the nation currently earns a fraction of what it earned two years ago. And this at a time of record unemployment, of yawning infrastructure gap, of shrinking industrial capacity, and reduced disposable incomes across board and of declining rate of accretion into our foreign reserves, etc.

    Unfortunately, if we expected a matching response to the looming emergency, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, by its snail-speed approach to the budget business, appears oblivious of the urgency required to turn the tide.

    We think it’s high time the administration sat up.

    Passing of the fiscal instrument on March 17 as promised would certainly be a significant step forward. To the extent that the budget constitutes the pivot of the government’s activities in the current year, its passage will certainly go a long way to douse the continuing apprehensions about the general economic direction of the Federal Government. It would give reassurances to the private sector that has largely maintained a wait-and–see attitude while the current delays lasted, that the government is finally poised for action.

    The greater and more compelling reason for its speedy passage however lies in the volume of the work to be done. We understand that at the best of times, our bureaucracy has been known to implement a fraction of the budget as passed. So, the earlier it is passed, the better the prospects of implementation. The second reason derives from the limited time for implementation. With the rains already set upon us, we wonder how much of road construction can be done with the remaining time left in the year. Would the latter not bring back that recurring alibi that has been recycled year to year?

    Bottom-line is  – Nigerians expect more from an administration that promised change; they want to see real, meaningful action in the coming days.

  • Experiencing the wonders in the word! (2)

    Last week, we began this teaching series with understanding that God’s Word is pregnant with wonders and this is why all miracle, signs and wonders are direct confirmations of the Word. We also explored some of the Wonders imbedded in God’s Word and how to access this wonders. This week, we will examine other virtues required to access the wonders in God’s Words, as we conclude this teaching series.

    • To access the wonders in God’s Word, We must be Spiritual: It is one thing to be filled with the Holy Ghost but it is yet another to be spiritual. We can be filled with the Holy Spirit and still be carnal. For instance, the Corinthians church was not behind on the gifts of the Spirit yet they were carnal. It is therefore important to be spiritual because a natural man cannot understand the things of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. The more spiritual we are, the greater our access to the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:14).
    • We must walk in the Spirit: It is written, “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day and I heard….”It takes a man of the spirit to hear from heaven. It is not enough to be born again, filled with the Holy Spirit and be spiritual, we must be men and women that walk in the spirit, this is because God can choose to speak to us at any time. If we are not in the spirit, we are sure to miss His directives and continue with our struggles in life. Therefore, we must mind the associations we keep, because carnal men are sure to corrupt our spirituality (Revelation 1:10; Romans 8:6; 1Corinthians 15:23).
    • We must desire more Revelation: More often than not, when things are not working, it is because our insight is inadequate. As we are all aware, we don’t fail exams because we don’t know anything; we fail because we don’t know enough. However, we know that God hates waste and that is why He only unveils treasures to those who are truly thirsty for revelation. As it is written, “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry land.” Revelation answers only to the thirsty; it is therefore our crave to know that opens the doorway to revelation (Isaiah 44:3; 1Corinthians 8:2).
    • We must locate our God-sent ‘Philips’: There are men and women sent our way to provide us with access into the deep things of God. For instance, the Holy Ghost instructed Philip to join the chariot of the Ethiopian Eunuch in order to open up his spiritual understanding. In the same vein, there are individuals appointed to teach and pastor us, and we are sure to be limited in revelations until we find them and engage to maximize all the revelations they bear. However, we should not only receive what they teach, we must also study their lifestyle and see how they apply the things they teach. This is why the Bible admonishes that: “We must not be slothful in business but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Acts 8:28-36; Jeremiah 3:15-16; Isaiah 30:20-21; Hebrews 6:12).
    • We must engage our spirit in the search: Man is a three-in-one being: he is a spirit; he has a soul and lives in a body. The soul of man comprises his mind, which includes his intellect, his will and emotions. But our intellect is limited in capacity, because it cannot comprehend the things of God. It is only by our spirit that we can access the deep things of God. This is because, “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” It is also humbling to note that most of the channels through which the scriptures were delivered, were largely ignorant and unlearned men. God simply poured out His plan and purpose for mankind through these ‘ordinary’ vessels. Therefore, it is by engaging our spirit in the search that we can access the deep things of God. Remember, the spirit of the man is the candle of the Lord that searches the inward parts of God’s belly. We must lit this candle and engage same in order to access the deep things of God (Isaiah 26:9; Proverbs 20:27; Luke 15:7-8; 1Thessalonians 5:23; John 4:24).
    • We must engage in the Art of Meditation: We need meditation to access the mysteries in the Word. As it is written, “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom”. We need to separate ourselves and ponder on the Word, so we can access the mysteries in the Word. For example, the prodigal son meditated his way back to dignity. David also meditated his way into deep understanding. Furthermore, the Word admonishes that “We give attendance to reading, to exhortation and to doctrine, and to meditate upon these things; given ourselves wholly to the findings that we make, so that our profiting may appear to the world”(Proverbs 18:1;Luke 15: 14-20; Psalm 119:97-100; 1Timothy 4:13,15).

    Friend, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

    For further reading, please get my books: Maximized Destiny, Making Maximum Impact, All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met and Miracle seed.

    I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively.

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

  • Experiencing the wonders in the word!

    Welcome to August. The Wonders in God’s Word shall manifest in your life this month. You shall access them in Jesus’ Name!We understand from scriptures that God’s Word is loaded with wonders, but until our eyes are opened, we cannot access them. The encounters of the two disciples with Christ after His resurrection unveil this mystery. As it is written: “Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45; see also Psalm 119:18).

    Again, it is written, “Arise and shine, because your light has come.” The effect of that light is what empowers us to outshine those around us, so that kings begin to come to the brightness of our rising. This is because revelation has the power to change the story of any man supernaturally (Isaiah 60:1-3,8,22)

    Furthermore, the Bible says: For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant (Job 14:7-9;see also:Isaiah 55:1, 11; Ephesians 5:26).

    “Water” in the above scripture means the Word of God, as it is written:That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26). This helps to know that every encounter with God’s Word in a certain aspect of lives, springs up a new beginning in same.

    Also, we must recognise that God’s Word is pregnant with wonders and this is why all miracles, signs and wonders are direct confirmations of the Word. For instance, the Centurion who came to Jesus saying: “I am not worthy for You to come to my house, just speak the Word ONLY and my servant shall be healed.’ The Bible says that as the Word went forth, his servant was healed the selfsame hour. This validates the fact that God’s Word is truly pregnant with wonders (Matthew 8:8,10-13 Mark 16:20).

    Therefore, Let us examine some of the Wonders imbedded in God’s Word.

    The Word of God is the carrier of the Power of God: God’s Word carries the Spirit of Power; therefore, when we receive and believe the revealed Word, we are empowered to become what the Word says (Romans 1:16; John 1:12; Job 22:21-27).

    The Word of God opens new chapters to our Destiny: The Word opens our lives to new levels, as in the case of Joseph when his word came, a new chapter was opened to him. The Word has power to spark up a new beginning in our lives, no matter how uncertain or unthinkable it may appear (Psalm 105:17-22; Job 14:7-9).

    Supernatural Victory: When we are armed with what is written, we supernaturally gain command of the happenings around us. This is because the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and no force in hell can withstand His authority. For instance, when Satan tempted Jesus, He fired back saying, “It is written” first, second and third time after which satan gave up. Supernatural victory is domiciled in the Word because God still upholds all things by the power of His Word till now(Ephesians 6:17; Mathew 4:1-14; Hebrews 1:3; Matthew 21:44).

    Supernatural Breakthrough: This is provoked by applied revelation. When we encounter the light of the Word, and walk in the same, we supernaturally dominate the powers of darkness which culminates in our supernatural breakthrough. When we put on the armour of light, we become the envy of the world around us as His glory continues to distinguish us empowering us for a colourful flight, turning a little one among us to a thousand and a small one, a strong nation. It is interesting to know that everything we need is in the Bible; what we lack is the commitment to search them out (Isaiah 60:1-22; Matthew 21:24; Jeremiah 23:29; 1John 1:1-5,9).

    Signs & Wonders: From the mystery of creation, we understand that God’s Word truly creates solutions supernaturally. This is why signs and wonders is all about creating supernatural solutions to the bugging questions of life (Genesis 1:1-3; Mark 16:20; Acts 14:3).

    But, what does it takes to Access the Wonders in the Word?

    • First, one must be born again: “Wonders” here connote mysteries, and mysteries are God’s secrets imbedded in biblical stories. Everyone can understand the stories of scriptures but only the redeemed can access the mysteries thereof. The stories are made up of letters but the mysteries are made up of spirit and life (Mark 4:11; John 6: 63).
    • We must be filled with the Holy Ghost: The Holy Ghost is our access to the mysteries in the Word and we are limited in access without Him (John 16:12-13; John 14:26; 1Corinthians 2:10).

    We must engage in the study of the Word:We must get addicted to the study of the Word and make it our lifestyle by feeding on the Word daily in order to stay alive and well (2 Timothy 2:15; Jeremiah 15:16; Joshua 1:8).

    Friend, access to the wonders of God’s Word is unlimited for the redeemed. You can accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord by saying this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

    For further reading, please get my books: Maximized Destiny, Making Maximum Impact, All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met and Miracle seed. I will conclude this teaching next week.

    I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively.

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

  • A word for Oliseh

    A word for Oliseh

    All hail Sunday Oliseh, the new Super Eagles chief coach, ex-international who Segun Odegbami ‘mathematician’ describes as the intellectual face of the Nigeria’s game in the 21st Century. Oliseh becomes the first Nigerian coach to assume the position with the certificate most European coaches have. So, nobody is talking about a foreign coach when there is a Nigerian, who is eminently qualified.

    Oliseh is accepting the world’s most difficult job. Yet he could write his name in gold, if he picks new players for the national team. It won’t be easy. He needs time to clear the mess of the past, including winning the confidence of the home-grown players who would cease to be training materials, if they possess the skills to displace the foreign legion.

    The best way to rejuvenate the Eagles is to create competition among the players. Such a setting would come from picking our best at all times, irrespective of what such players did in the past. The Eagles must be an embodiment of our most talented players here, in Europe and the Diaspora. The Eagles should never be a work- in- progress because we have the players to do the job. Those who were perpetually building the Eagles did that to satisfy players’ agents and scouts. This is the only team that we keep rebuilding even after winning trophies and matches.

    Traditionally, when a set of players wins trophies and matches, they are allowed to prosecute the next game to gel through matches, although with little additions for those who may have lost form or are nursing injuries. A wholesale dismantling of winning teams is the hallmark of a confused coach. This shouldn’t be Oliseh’s portion.

    Competition for places in the Eagles will be best espoused if players who fumbled in the previous game don’t return in the next match. It amounts to fixation on the part of the coaches if such fumbling players return, especially for a country like ours, which filled with talents waiting to grab an opportunity to wear the green-white-green jersey.

    In fact, any player dropped for poor performance will work harder to improve on his weak points. Such change of attitude would help him to regain his jersey. Of course, the player who replaces him would strive at all times to keep the shirt, like the other regulars.

    Happily, Oliseh said during his unveiling that only those who play in the elite leagues in Nigeria, Europe and the Diaspora would be invited to the camp. Good talk. But I must remind Oliseh that Obafemi Martins was picked from Inter Milan of Italy’s B team, although he had cameo appearances for the senior team. The coach should be flexible to accommodate exceptional talents. I also hope he doesn’t recant on this declaration when European scouts and agents pressurise him.

    The players will give their best to ensure that Oliseh succeeds, if he treats everyone equally and makes the right decisions- no matter whose ox is gored. Indiscipline starts when there are double standards. Disputes within the team should be handled internally. The coach will instill discipline in the squad when he obeys his own laws. These players are adults, who expect to be treated with decorum. He mustn’t be influenced by scouts and/or agents in picking his squad.

    Nigerians expect to see signs of his technical savvy on September 6 in Dar es Salaam when the Eagles file out against Tanzania. We expect to see changes the way the Eagles play- positively, not the boring first half and half-hearted second half performances that have characterised the team’s outings. Nigerians want to be excited watching the Eagles play. They want to celebrate goals scored from team play, which will be the result of what they practised in training. Nigerians want to see the Eagles score goals from set pieces. They want to leave the stadium or sit back in their homes recounting how the goals scored happened. Nigerians are discerning people and would clap for the Eagles if they play as if something is at stake, not in the lethargic manner in the past.

    The Eagles shouldn’t be the platform to teach players the basics of the game. Any player invited to the camp must be ready to fit into the opening which his inclusion is designed to fill. It is for this reason that Oliseh must have benchmarks with which his team can be evaluated.

    I giggle when I hear people talk about Oliseh’s conduct. I’ve confronted him many times and we’ve joked over my columns. What Oliseh doesn’t like is falsehood. He would be the first tell me, ”Ade oni jungbon. O mo pe football shoro gba (troublesome Ade; you don’t know football is not easy to play). We want to win not for the fans but even to boost our careers. Sometimes, it happens in football. You win some, you lose some. We don’t go out on the field to deliberately play badly or lose matches. We want to win all the games, if it is possible.”

    Who isn’t quick to temper? We all are when in foul moods or when we are taken for a ride. We must understand people and learn how to live with their shortcomings.

    I’m pleased that Oliseh has addressed his relationship with his employers creditably. It is the reason why Eagles have problems with the NFF. I have challenged people who allege that NFF chiefs take bribe from the coaches. Till date, no coach has told us what he gave to any NFF member during his tenure. Therefore, Oliseh’s foresight in accepting that a greater percentage of his ability to succeed in this daunting assignment rests on his relationship with his employers. It is disrespectful for any employee to discredit his employer.

    Oliseh said during his inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday: “I have come to serve, and the NFF has promised to give me all the support I need to succeed. They are the employers and I am the employee. That distinction has to be appreciated at all times.”

    “One thing I will say, dear compatriots, is that I am not a Messiah. I have come to do my very best, give 150%, to take Nigeria football to the next level, with the support of my assistants, the NFF and relevant stakeholders. I am optimistic that we will lift the Nigeria game to a new height.”

    Well said Oliseh. It is, however, expected that coaches should ensure that their contract is not a one-way document. If any employer fails to pay his coach, for instance, there should be sanctions.

    We don’t expect Oliseh to run to the media over salaries because of the federation’s antecedents on such matters. His contract must contain sanctions against the NFF if they default on his salary.

     

    Remembering Yekini

     

    When you appoint knowledgeable people into any endeavour, you expect changes. And so, when the new League Management Company (LMC) decided to name the gold trophy for the highest goal scorer in the domestic game after Rashidi Yekini, I unwittingly shouted “Eureka!”

    I’m sure that Yekini would sneeze, if it is possible, wherever he is. He was the goal merchant for all the teams that he played for.

    From Nigeria through Cote d’ Ivoire to Portugal, Yekini was renowned for scoring goals. Little wonder, he was the first to score a World Cup goal for Nigeria. He achieved that feat in 1994 against Greece.

    I hope that LMC men would allow Yekini’s kids, not some Agbada-wearing politicians, to do the presentation to the winner. That way, they would know that their dad didn’t die in vain.

     

    Thank you Falconets

     

    When the news broke a few weeks ago that Ebola had returned to Liberia, my heart skipped a beat. I nursed a serious fear for Super Falconets players who were billed to visit Liberia for the first leg of an elimination game.

    Would it be worth the effort for the Falconets or will CAF consider a rescheduling of the game to another country? The Falconets soldiered on with their preparations, leaving the logistics for CAF and NFF. The Falconets made the trip to Monrovia, whipped their hostesses 7-1and returned home hale and hearty. Quickly, I tried to guess the scenario if it had been Super Eagles’ turn to play a game in Liberia under the same circumstances?

    Where do we start Eagles complaints? Is it from goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama whose voice would be the loudest, even if he has not been to Liberia in two years? Or would it be the noise from football fans crying more than the bereaved? Or is it the vituperations from habitual NFF critics over the propriety of playing against Liberia, in a place where “fresh” outbreak of Ebola has been reported? How about the National Sports Commission (NSC) warning the NFF against honouring the game? What won’t the NSC chieftains do to show that they are in charge when it concerns NFF? Do they really care for other sports? Eye service merchants, if you ask me.

    Many questions with no answers. But these questions weren’t applicable to the Falconets? We seem to over-pamper the Eagles, yet they give us more pain. Falconets went to Liberia, won and no one remembers about the Ebola outbreak in Monrovia.

    I doff my heart for those brave girls. I hope the Eagles can emulate the girls by playing the game and leaving other jobs for those whose duty it is to do them.

  • Matching word with action

    Those who have any skeletons in their cupboards regarding the running of public offices in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan now have reason to be concerned.

    This is because President Muhammadu Buhari last week earnestly began probe into some fraudulent practices that have almost milked the nation dry.

    Buhari, during his campaign period prior to the March 28 Presidential election, had put no one in doubt as to his determination to kill the corruption monster that has dwarfed Nigeria and prevented it from adequately providing basic infrastructural facilities for Nigerians over the years.

    Knowing Buhari as a no-nonsense man and one who means what he says, some of the key actors in Jonathan’s administration, probably out of fear of what they have done wrong in office, did not wait for the May 29 handover ceremony to take place before jetting out of the country.

    While many ex-government’s agency heads in this group have not returned to the country after five weeks that Buhari assumed office, many others in Jonathan’s administration, under one guise or the other, have also travelled out of Nigeria since May 29.

    Though some Nigerians might have misconstrued part of Buhari’s inaugural speech to mean that the sins of corrupt officers in Jonathan’s administration have been forgiven and that he will only look ahead, signs from the seat of power in the last two weeks have shown that it is not going to be the case.

    Buhari, who kept his plans against corruption in the past administration to his heart, at the beginning of his government had stopped immigration and other government agencies from preventing members of Jonathan’s cabinet from travelling out of the country.

    Even if he wanted to close his eyes to financial wrongdoings under Jonathan’s administration, what he met in the treasury on assumption in office couldn’t allow him.

    What he met on the ground was so bad that his administration could not pick up and move with the speed it wanted to.

    Unable to keep calm over the issue, Buhari a forthnight ago raised the alarm that he virtually met empty treasury on assumption of office.

    As if the empty treasury left behind by the last administration was aimed at crippling the nation, Buhari then vowed to recover the stolen money.

    Seeing the predicament of Buhari’s young administration, the United States and other nations, where most key actors in Jonathan’s administration have relocated to, have promised to help Buhari in his drive to recover the stolen money.

    While these happened two weeks ago, the Buhari’s administration last week Monday put action to its words.

    It sets up a four man panel comprising state governors, Edo – Adams Oshiomhole, Gombe – Ibrahim Dankwambo,

    Kaduna – Nasir el-Rufai and Akwa Ibom – Emmanuel Udom, to probe the oil sales and expenditure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) between 2012 and May 2015.

    The panel, which is expected to report back to the National Economic Council (NEC), headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, by 23rd of this month, is also to probe expenses and other payments out of the Excess Crude Account.

    Briefing journalists on behalf of NEC last week Monday, Oshiomhole said: “This is the first time we had a National Economic Council meeting in which under the instructions of the President, NNPC and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation was compelled to provide information in black and white on issues as it relates to the total sales of Nigeria crude from 2012 to May 2015. This has never happened before and for us this is profound.

    “What we saw from those numbers, which I believe Nigerians are entitled to know, is that whereas the NNPC claimed to have earned about N8.1 trillion, what NNPC paid into the Federation Account between 2012 and May 2015 was N4.3 trillion and NNPC withheld and spent N3.8 trillion.

    “Which means the cost of running NNPC is much more than the cost of running the Federal Government. That tells you how much is missing, what is mismanaged, what is stolen, there are huge figures.

    “President Buhari has promised to do that henceforth all monies must go to the federation account. What you need, you budget for. Nigeria cannot continue with you earn the money and spend it. Where is transparency? Where is the role of the National Assembly?”

    On Excess Crude Account, he said: “We looked at the numbers for the ýExcess crude account, the last time the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, reported to the Council and it is in the minute, she reported by November 2014, that we had $4.1 billion but today the Accountant General Office reported we have $2.0 billion. Which means the Honourable Minister spent $2.1billion without authority of the NEC.” He added

    But barely 24 hours after the move by Buhari’s administration to look at past records, fuel scarcity and long queues, under whatever guise, appeared in many petrol stations across the country.

    It is not clear whether the fuel scarcity is a way the marketers, who are mostly used to hoarding fuel in their filling stations, wanted to fight Buhari’s anti-corruption drive in the sector, which may end up with total deregulation of the sector.

    Many Nigerians, no doubt, trust Mr. President will not allow the few saboteurs to continue to hold the country to ransom and make Nigerians to suffer the man-made fuel scarcity for long.

    No matter what is really causing the fuel scarcity, the masses on the street are fully behind the government in the effort to fight corruption to a standstill for the betterment of the country.

     

    Depleting Boko Haram’s foot-soldiers

     

    Besides going all out in military battle against the terrorists, Boko Haram, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is also  embracing ways to deplete the sect’s foot-soldiers without firing bullets.

    This move is in line with the positions of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some other retired army generals, who believed that military option alone cannot end terrorism in Nigeria.

    The Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Department in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has started to disabuse the minds of some Boko Haram members and rehabilitate them back to the society.

    Apart from drawing out those already operating within the sect, the department is also concerned with shrinking Boko Haram’s recruitment pool.

    The aims of the CVE programme in Nigeria include identifying the underlying causes of radicalization likely to be social, cultural, religious, or economic factor, and developing strategies to tackle them.

  • A word for Ndigbo

    SIR: Today, I will be speaking directly to our compatriots from the South East for two reasons through Chief Lamidi Adedibu’s stories shared five years ago by Tade Ipadeola in his “Adedibully: A Dinosaur’s last Dance.

    Firstly, I served in Adu Achi, Orji River Enugu in 2000 and I was fairly treated. Secondly, I have Igbo family friends-The isiolu’s from Arochukwu, Abia State who are detribalised Nigerians. Because of these two personal facts, Ndigbo must re-appraise their political exploits in the context of Nigerian State.

    Last week, electoral blitzkrieg seriously altered the Ndigbo political equations leaving in its wake a despondent and despairing Igbo nation. Ndigbo became dazed because of the disoriented leadership who misled many people to always go with the conservative centre. I know they will rise AGAIN. Ndigbo must make a hard resolve now. The kind of resolve Lamidi Ariyibi Adebibu made one day in 1967 at age 39 when he decided that he would live the rest of his life a teetotaler. Before that fateful day he drank sixteen bottles of stout on the average daily.

    1967 was also important in the life of the man for another much less personal reason. In that year, he decided that he would seriously pursue political relevance and power. He was in his own words,”errand boy” in the Action Group up until that point. For good or ill, Lamidu Adedibu has been true to himself in this regard also, and Ibadan, the seat of political power in Oyo state felt his exploits throughout his lifetime.

    The feat performed by Adedibu in local power politics through sheer resolve is the mental equivalent of becoming a grandmaster playing blindfold chess. Unlike inanimate pawns in the game of chess however, the many years of Chief Adedibu was full of many casualties, who bled and die.

    The positive sides of Adedibu’s resolve despite all his atrocities and shortcomings are still relevant to many people today. The coming governorship elections provide good opportunities for Ndigbo to pitch their tents towards the incoming progressive Centre.

    Civility and maturity have always guided my engagement on national discourse but there come a time when your primary identity cannot be wished away even if you want to do so before I’m accused of ethnic sabre-rattling or raking up old wounds.

    Attempting to use Lagos to replicate last week fantasy in the South East will not STAND. Never in history has success brought so much profound contradictions. How come they are claiming political sophistication in Lagos and not the South East? Let the re-organization starts from home and not abroad. As they say charity begins at home and they must be guided accordingly. They must exercise their civic responsibility in Lagos and throughout the country with clear conscience. It must not be based on parochial prejudices or trying to prove a point.

    It is my wish that other zones should support Ndigbo for Presidency after Buhari’s administration but they must not rock the boat of progressivism so that they do not become a decaying animal in Nigeria political environment. I trust Ndigbo to make right political decisions this time around.

    God Bless Ndigbo!

    God Bless Nigeria!

     

    •  ’Leke Odumuyiwa

    Lagos

  • Experiencing the wonders in God’s word!

    I welcome you to the month of August. It shall be a month of new beginnings for you! Whatever you missed last month, you will, this August, collect them in many folds! This is why the teaching this month is unique- The Wonders in God’s Word!

    Recognize that God’s Word is loaded with wonders. Until your eyes are opened, you cannot access them. No wonder, God’s Word says: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law (Psalm 119:18). Revelation has the power to change the story of any man supernaturally (Isaiah 60:1-3,8,22).

    God’s Word is pregnant with wonders and this is why all miracles, signs and wonders are direct confirmations of the Word (Mark 16:20).

    But what does it take to Access the Wonders in the Word?

    • One must be born again: Wonders here connote mysteries. But mysteries are God’s secrets behind biblical stories. Everyone can understand the stories of scriptures, but only the redeemed can access the mysteries thereof. The stories are made up of letters, but the mysteries are made up of Spirit and life (Mark 4:11/ John 6: 63).
    • We must be filled with the Holy Ghost: The Holy Ghost is our access to the mysteries in the Word, and we are limited in access without Him. The Holy Spirit brings us into realms of unlimited access to the deep things of God (John 16:12-13; John 14:26; 1Corinthians 2:10).
    • We must be Spiritual: It is one thing to be filled with the Holy Ghost, but it is yet another to be spiritual. We can be filled with the Holy Spirit and still be carnal. For instance, the Corinthians church was not behind in the gifts of the spirit, yet they were carnal. It is therefore important to be spiritual, because a natural man cannot understand the things of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. The more spiritual we are, the greater our access to the deep things of God  (1Corinthians 1:7; 1Corinthians 3:1-3; 1Corinthians 2:14).
    • We must walk in the Spirit: It is written, “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day and I heard…”It takes a man of the spirit to hear from heaven. It is not enough to be born again, filled with the Holy Spirit and be spiritual, we must be men and women that walk in the spirit. This is because God can choose to speak to us at any time. If we are not in the spirit, we are sure to miss His directives and thereby continue with our struggles in life. Therefore, we must mind the associations we keep, because carnal men are sure to corrupt our spirituality (Revelation 1:10; Romans 8:6; 1Corinthians 15:23).
    • We must desire more Revelation: More often than not, when things are not working, it is because our insight is inadequate. As we are all aware, we don’t fail exams because we don’t know anything; we fail because we don’t know enough. However, we know that God hates waste and that is why He only unveils treasures to those who are truly thirsty for revelation. As it is written, “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry land.” Revelation answers only to the thirsty; it is therefore our crave to know, that opens the door to revelation – Isaiah 44:3/ 1Corinthians 8:2.
    • We must engage in the study of the Word: We must get addicted to the study of the Word and make it our lifestyle, by feeding on the Word daily in order to stay alive and well. The Bible admonishes that we meditate on the Word day and night; then, we will make our way prosperous and have good success (2Timothy 2:15; Jeremiah 15:16; Joshua 1:8).

    Friend, the power and grace to access the wonders in the Word of God, are the preserve of those who are children of God. Are you a child of God? You become a child of God, by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You can be God’s child now, if you haven’t been, by saying this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again!”

    I will continue with this teaching next week. Exceeding Grace and the Unspeakable Gifts of God are your portion this month!

    Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books: The Force Of Freedom, Walking In Dominion and All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met.

    I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. respectively.

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

  • TUNJI OYEBANJI: My word is my bond

    TUNJI OYEBANJI: My word is my bond

    Tunji Oyebanji, Chairman/Chief Executive, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, has come a long way. He started off as a mere petrol attendant in Mobil, and now leads one of the most successful multinational companies operating in Nigeria. In this interview with IBRAHIM APEKHADE YUSUF he shares his philosophy of management, among other views. Excerpts:  

    Tarting off at Mobil

    I started working with Mobil Producing close to 34 years ago. Interestingly, I worked as a petrol station attendant on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. I started my training there for six months, selling petrol among other things that I did. So, I actually started by selling petrol at the pump. That was the basic training that I received and of course, from then I have done many other things.

    The first assignment after the training was to sell kerosene. You may have seen kerosene sold in small trucks of say 8, 000 litre trucks. I used to have a driver and myself and we will drive into the hinterland and sell kerosene to people in 200 litre drums. And basically, that was the job I did for about two years.

    One of the lessons, of course, we learnt is the fact you should never despise days of small beginnings.

    Everybody starts small somewhere and if you have a vision of where you want to go, the sky is just the beginning, as I always like to say. So, I progressed from selling kerosene to become what I will call a proper marketing rep.

    At that point, I graduated to having my own Peugeot 504 car. I had a sales territory. We started on like that and I moved to various other assignments.

    At some point, I decided to take time off work to take a masters degree in the UK. So, I did that for a year and half and I came back to the same job.

    First breakthrough on the job

    The first breakthrough I had in my career, I think came from networking. I recalled we had a group of visitors who came from the United States. And basically, like I said, I came back to my old job after my masters degree and I felt I needed to move from the department where I was working. So, these visitors came and as is our usual practice, we took them on tour of our retail outlets and luckily, I was in charge of the particular sales territory they visited.

    Normally, small people like me were not called to attend the dinner at the end of such visits. But in this particular occasion, I was very lucky my boss asked me to join the crew. And I told myself, well, this is a unique opportunity.

    So, naturally, what I spent the evening to do was to disturb the men who came from the United States. I was just moving around and saying, well, in your own country, if you go and take a masters degree, will you still be working in this same department, shouldn’t you be moved into another department and all that? I pestered them a bit.

    Anyway, they left and about a week later, I got a call by the Corporate Planning Manager of Mobil, an American. Before you know what was happening, I had been moved to Corporate Planning.

    I progressed through that subsequently. I went to the United States for a couple of years, where I worked at the company’s global headquarters. When I came back to Nigeria, I was posted to the north as the Regional Manager for about three years. I came back to Lagos, took on some additional assignment.

    Eventually, I was called to the board in 2002. After that I had some assignments. For instance, I went to head the operations in Cameroon. I also went to head the operations in Ethiopia and later became African and Middle East Manager for industrial and whole belts. In 2007, I was called back to Nigeria and in 2008, I took on my current role as Chairman/Chief Executive.

    Experience managing a multinational company

    For many years I have to stand in front of the shareholders and give account of my stewardship. I know that if I don’t make a profit consistently over some years, the people will begin to throw chairs at me… (laughs). But the organisation can still continue to run even if it doesn’t make profits.

    But if it doesn’t have any cash and it cannot meet its obligations anymore that is the end. Then, it would have to close its doors because it cannot meet up to its creditors. Therefore, how you manage the cash is very key. No matter what the size of your organisation is, whether it’s a big or small organisation, multibillion naira company and what have you, if you don’t manage your cash well, between what is coming in and what is going out, you’re in trouble. And the key element of managing that cash is how you manage credit.

    I have had to speak with small business owners, especially people who are into buying and selling and the complaints they always give is that people often defaults when it comes to making payment and as a result they run into serious problems and they are not able to withstand the shock simply because they have given all their products out on credit.

    The question I usually ask is, what is your policy on credit and they say if we don’t give credit, we won’t be able to sell. Well, to me, it’s a yes and a no. No because you can still sell without giving credit. The difference is yes, you may not be able to sell as much as possible.

    But the fundamental rule in marketing is that if you have not collected money, the sale is not complete.

    In downstream sector, our retail margin today which is fixed by the government is N4.60 kobo. If you sell a truck of PMS, which is about 40, 000 litres, the cost of that is close to N4million. So, the profit you ought to make per litre is N4.60kobo. Assuming you sell that truck close to N4million to somebody and the person doesn’t pay and goes away with that money, how many litres do you have to sell at N4.60kobo to make up for that one truck?

    If you do the maths, it’s about 21 other trucks to make up for what you have lost, if you don’t manage your credit process very well.

    One of the reasons for the demise of many institutions, especially government institutions in the past such as Nigeria Motels, Nigeria Airways, Nigeria National Shipping Lines and many more had one weakness: all these institutions, to a large extent, collapsed because of the fact that they had offered credit to various other institutions without collecting their money back. So, to succeed in any management endeavour, always know when to apply the breaks.

    Management style

    Well, l think if l was to talk about my management style, l’ll say l have an open management style. I believe in taking feedback, getting people involved because l believe everybody has some value they can add to the system. You get better ideas from the people who are actually doing the work; they give you better ideas sometimes than what you have.

    I know that as a person because l started from the grassroots. I know a lot of the fundamentals that drive the business. So, l’m able to know those areas l should focus on.

    Another thing is that as the boss; make sure your word is your bond. So, if you promise something whether internally within your organisation or externally, make sure you meet up to it. That way you build a reputation over time as a performer.

    On micromanaging

    No l don’t. What l do is set boundaries for people within which they should operate. So, within those boundaries you’re at liberty to achieve the goals and objectives in whichever way you deem fit.

    So as long as you operate within those boundaries l set for you, you’re free. For instance, if you have a particular budget, you have to be able to operate within that budget.

    But how you go about it is entirely left to you.

    On staff motivation and punishment

    I think l motivate people by challenging them, expecting more from them than they think they can deliver. Sometimes until they’re pushed and challenged, they don’t know they actually have the ability to do much more than what they do. But when you show them that this thing is possible and challenge them to go and do it, you find that many people rise up to the occasion and perform.

    Well, for punishment, it’s always the last resort. I don’t like talking about punishment per se. But at the end of the day, what l try to do is to make sure that l put people in a situation where they themselves will know that they have not performed or delivered on their given targets. So it makes it easy.

    The fact that they have found out that they have even disappointed themselves is sometimes enough punishment for them.

    Worst or toughest decision as CEO

    Well for me, there is no perfect or worst decision. I think what is important is that you always strive for the best. Not doing anything at all is always worst.

    For me, you can’t always get every decision right. It’s not possible that 100 per cent of your decisions would be right. Some would be good and some would be bad.

    But you’ve got to take action rather than sit on the fence because if you have problems you face them squarely rather than wish and hope they will disappear and go away. So what l have found out is that you must try to take decisions whether they work out or not

    And l’ll be honest to say, sorry this or that didn’t work, so we need to try a different approach.

    Legacy

    Well, l want to build a stronger company than l met. You know we have existed for over  100 years. So, l want to build a company that can have the basis of existing for another 100 years. We’re looking constantly into the future, making sure that we bring new, fresh blood into our organisation, making sure that we train people, so that if we put adequate investment in place the company can continue to remain strong into the future.

  • What has the word availed Nigeria?

    Since, The Nation berthed on July 31, 2006, it has grown into a household name in news venture in the country. While some dailies have made one or two of the economy, commerce and crime their foci, the paper’s forte has always been politics. Can this be faulted? Hardly. Is not politics the determiner of who gets what, where, when and how across ages and climes? Is not politics the driver of the economy, commerce and crime in an inextricably twined web of statistical interconnectivities? What aspect of our national life in Nigeria deserves better attention than that which has enabled self-anointed/appointed stakeholders across space and time more than a fair share of the proverbial national cake?

    Given such a situation as we lament daily and for the change we all crave, what have The Nation’s inimitable wordsmiths and others in some other news-based establishments not said that need to be re-said. Despite efforts of the Wole Soyinkas and now late Chinua Achebes, what has the word really offered Nigeria, a nation where milk and honey literally flow but where facts and truth have merged to affirm a minimum of 9 in every 10 of its citizens as living the unliveable and enduring the unendurable. Such horrifying litany of award-winning oddities the whole luckless lot daily endure!

    In spite of its 160 million population and a gargantuan wealth, petrol and non-petrol, electricity supply has remained far less than 10 per cent required capacity, and this after the billions of dollars sunk into revamping the energy sector; importation the only significant source of supply of petroleum products in a country in which the crude was discovered over 50 years ago; infrastructural facilities, including road and rail network, entirely fallen with no appreciable efforts at reversals.

    The hospitals, including so-called first rate tertiary ones, barely fortified to muster beyond primary roles of minimal diagnosis and drug dispensing;

    inflation at double digit and cost of staple foods infernally intolerable for a masses pummelled by a concourse of unfriendly measures by a federal admiralty that seems located in the moon.

    How can we have improved electricity, roads, rail system, education and health system, reformed police/revamped and redirected security system, reduced poverty, maternal/child/infant mortality/morbidity and desirable social security payments for the elderly and the teeming unemployed Nigerians when the proverbial national cake must go in slices to placate the ever ravenous

    gluttony of only the political leadership!

    What better explanation for the vanishing trillions and the under-performing economy between our so-called young democracy and our malformed hearts? Should we as Nigerians not begin to question the ages of socio-economic dislocations which fertilised foundations for the emergence of the Boko Haram?

    A recent comment by Joel Brinkley, former correspondent of the New York Times, was meant to be a stinker which failed to stink being too familiar. Opening his write-up on a piece he titled “Nigeria’s squandered opportunity”, Joel explained how 17 well-fortified ambulances meant to service only President Goodluck Jonathan during health and other emergences which had lain unused months in front of his office vanished into thin air just after being exposed through a newspaper photo publication.

    This is, according to him, while most healthcare centres in the country’s localities cannot afford ambulances and lacking in other basic enablement; despite a daily earning of 224 million dollars from oil.

    One seems needlessly worried to realise why it has always been Nigeria’s so-called leaders who see bloom/hope where doom/gloom reside; why it has always been the Minister of Finance who sees the economy performing and Gross Domestic Products (GDP) on the rise when an extreme majority can hardly manage one square (meaningful and health giving) meal on an average day!

    Remember, the now jaded conclusions of researchers and economists that majority of Africans live below the poverty line as they (on average) subsist on less than one dollar (about N180) a day. Really? But, I know single mothers whose entire family of four (mother and three children) live on less than N400 a day!

    Our leaders contend the health sector is comparable to any other while they, the purveyors of power, would junket to America, Germany and India each time they have headaches and other vamped emergencies. How can we believe our lives are not cheap when police bullets and trucks are sending us in scores to undeserved graves daily? Our courts have become punishment centres for ‘small mortals’ while the ‘big fishes’ who daily purloin the trillions off the common till in turns remain not just untouched but even better protected with state might!

    That lone woman, Ruth Adehwe Aweto, former head of the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan in Oyo State and her lieutenant, are currently in jail for inflating the college’s staff figures. Yet, those who have stolen nearly Nigeria’s entire mint still strut the streets as free men.

    As the mortars maul the supposed insurgents, as the streets of Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto and Kaduna are plastered in the blood of the enemies of the state, properly so-called, Nigeria’s political leadership should admit significant responsibility for the errors which engendered the mutation of humans to vampires. Indeed, from the famished jungles of Ibadan/Lagos, the despoiled creeks of Bayelsa/Rivers to the arid wastes of Sokoto/Kaduna, poverty, in its virulent consumptive power, has neither distinguished in colour nor spared in content. We must just admit there is a Boko Haram in waiting in one form or another across other settings in Nigeria’s much raped landscape!

    Yes, only a deeper-going and genuine overhaul of the traditional conduct of governance by governments in our country can meaningfully reverse the hate-filled atmosphere that we have today. But, is government attuned to such alerts and ready to do the needful? Messages seem to have been cast overboard alongside the messengers. Baby and birth water useless? The word might not have failed Nigeria but Nigeria has failed the word. In spite of ages of robust messaging through pre-eminent messengers in news dailies, weeklies and in printed forms of higher hues, Nigeria remains in flux and fixated: governance in shambles, corruption, which defines wilful defilement of essences, the commonest quality of public officials. Nigeria’s seems to be the story of the aberrant son whose conducts consistently inverse wise counsels of his father. Our figures (both petro-trillions and sheer population) have not affected our fortune: our politics is for poverty. We lament devaluation when we cannot produce common bolt; we complain of inflation when we have not learned how not to be fed by others. We talk of hoisting a satellite when we cannot fly common balloon!

    Most entities (where transparency in governance is a fixed certitude, where life counts and excesses bridled by impartial laws) have moved to the computer age and beyond when we have not entered even the machine age, a necessary start for masters of the art and science of survival in a world of competition.

    Our democracy has been a demon which only consolidates our location in the worlds of the undeveloped. Lo, what has the word availed Nigeria, a country where everything is available but where nothing is on offer? How really can the word be made to work for the country? How can politics be tuned to the cause of hope for the teeming disoriented 90 per cent? How can this country be steered away from a steady and predictable slide into an Egyptian/Tunisian Hobbesian status. Now nasty and brutish with all auguries of long and consistently sought cataclysm, life has stopped just of being entirely short here. The messengers may have to recast strategies if Nigeria must work.