George Weah of Liberia first sought for Liberian presidency (2005, aged 39) He failed, obtained his SSCE (2006, aged 40), his degree (2011, aged 45) and masters (2013, aged 47).
He won election to the Liberian Senate (2014, aged 48). He has just been declared the country's president (2017, aged 51) All under 12 years interval.
When you make up your mind to succeed, you must also be willing to act on your convictions! 2018 is another year, don't miss out.
Dr Abiodun Laja is the Executive Director of the Lekki British School, Lekki, Lagos. She started a private school at 27 and recently celebrated her 40th anniversary in the education sector.
In this interview, she told Samson Folarin how becoming pregnant at 19 changed her career path and the challenges she had faced over the years.
You started a private school at 27 at a time when such venture was a preserve of retired teachers.How did it happen?
Back in my secondary school days at St. Loius, Ibadan, I was good at mathematics and my father, who was an accountant, felt I would make a good accountant.
Unfortunately, I had a baby immediately I left secondary school. My father was very angry with me and I was angry with myself as well.He took the baby from me at 11 months and I went to London to study.
The early motherhood, however,changed my perception. While I was nursing the baby, my mind switched from being an accountant to education of children.When I got to England, I started doing child education as a course.
It wasn’t challenging enough and I wanted to pull out. However, I had a college mother who advised me to finish my first diploma in education before changing to accountancy. I listened. In the course of my first year, my interest got developed and I stayed in the field. After three years, I finished.
When I returned and my parents introduced me to my child, he started calling me aunty. He was calling my sister mummy. And it has been like that till date.However, I observed that I loved children. I taught atAdrao International School for two years. There I saw that not only did I love children, they loved me as well. At times they would go home and start writing notes about what I wore to school.
When I got to the school in my car, they would fight over who will carry my bags.I later moved to St Saviour’s School, Ebute Metta, which was headed by a British woman. I got fulfilment in that school and became attracted to the British curriculum.That summer, I went to Disneyland in Florida with my kids. I saw there was much to attract children.
I saw a lot of things and characters – like Mickey Mouse, and the rest of them. So, I decided to start aschool when I was only 27 years.
But why didn’t the early pregnancy break you down?This is what has damaged the future of many teenagers. Why was your case different?
It is because of my person. I don’t know how to giveup.
I have lived my life accepting challenges. I have never given up. I can cry all night, but once it is morning, I am done. But to say that something is impossible, it is never in my dictionary.
The man I had my first child with was the one I had all my children with. It was not planned, but I made up my mind not to abort, even though I was 19 years old then. I was telling my classmates that time that I was expecting a baby and they thought I was joking.
I was still the leader of the basketball, volleyball and netball teams.I believe it was to give me a turnaround in life. That time, it was like a crime as well. One cannot move forward; but I didn’t allow it to move me. The boy is now a brilliant lawyer; a New York attorney.
I once wanted to go into oil business and I met my uncle, the late Bank Anthony. I told him and he laughed and said it was a mafia thing. I laughed and told him to give me the form for mafians. He liked my aggressiveness in business and he supported me.
I run with three mottos in life which have kept me going: “Don’t let anybody disappoint you”, “Nobody is indispensable” and “Be politically and financially strong”.
Dr Abiodun Laja is the Executive Director of the Lekki British School, Lekki, Lagos. She started a private school at 27 and recently celebrated her 40th anniversary in the education sector.
In this interview, she told Samson Folarin how becoming pregnant at 19 changed her career path and the challenges she had faced over the years.
You started a private school at 27 at a time when such venture was a preserve of retired teachers.How did it happen?
Back in my secondary school days at St. Loius, Ibadan, I was good at mathematics and my father, who was an accountant, felt I would make a good accountant.
Unfortunately, I had a baby immediately I left secondary school. My father was very angry with me and I was angry with myself as well.He took the baby from me at 11 months and I went to London to study.
The early motherhood, however,changed my perception. While I was nursing the baby, my mind switched from being an accountant to education of children.When I got to England, I started doing child education as a course.
It wasn’t challenging enough and I wanted to pull out. However, I had a college mother who advised me to finish my first diploma in education before changing to accountancy. I listened. In the course of my first year, my interest got developed and I stayed in the field. After three years, I finished.
When I returned and my parents introduced me to my child, he started calling me aunty. He was calling my sister mummy. And it has been like that till date.However, I observed that I loved children. I taught atAdrao International School for two years. There I saw that not only did I love children, they loved me as well. At times they would go home and start writing notes about what I wore to school.
When I got to the school in my car, they would fight over who will carry my bags.I later moved to St Saviour’s School, Ebute Metta, which was headed by a British woman. I got fulfilment in that school and became attracted to the British curriculum.That summer, I went to Disneyland in Florida with my kids. I saw there was much to attract children.
I saw a lot of things and characters – like Mickey Mouse, and the rest of them. So, I decided to start aschool when I was only 27 years.
But why didn’t the early pregnancy break you down?This is what has damaged the future of many teenagers. Why was your case different?
It is because of my person. I don’t know how to giveup.
I have lived my life accepting challenges. I have never given up. I can cry all night, but once it is morning, I am done. But to say that something is impossible, it is never in my dictionary.
The man I had my first child with was the one I had all my children with. It was not planned, but I made up my mind not to abort, even though I was 19 years old then. I was telling my classmates that time that I was expecting a baby and they thought I was joking.
I was still the leader of the basketball, volleyball and netball teams.I believe it was to give me a turnaround in life. That time, it was like a crime as well. One cannot move forward; but I didn’t allow it to move me. The boy is now a brilliant lawyer; a New York attorney.
I once wanted to go into oil business and I met my uncle, the late Bank Anthony. I told him and he laughed and said it was a mafia thing. I laughed and told him to give me the form for mafians. He liked my aggressiveness in business and he supported me.
I run with three mottos in life which have kept me going: “Don’t let anybody disappoint you”, “Nobody is indispensable” and “Be politically and financially strong”.
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, has emerged as the new chairman of the party.
Secondus defeated all the aspirants who contested the coveted position with him in the election which was held at Eagle Square, Abuja on Saturday.
The result of the election was declared in the early hours of Sunday.Details of the poll had not been officially announced as of the time of going to press.
Secondus received strong backing of the 11 governors elected on the platform of the party, as they stood in solidarity with him throughout the exercise.
PENGASSAN has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government to address injustice and lawlessness in the oil and gas sector companies or face a nationwide strike from December 18.
This is separate from the ongoing fuel scarcity across the country which the petroleum minister, Ibe Kachikwu, said on Thursday was based on inadequate supply.
Lumumba Okugbawa, General Secretary, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, gave theultimatum in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Mr. Okugbawa said this was imperative in order to address anti-labour issues and lawlessness by some indigenous oil and gas companies and marginal field operators by relevant agencies of government.
He said if this was not addressed properly, it would culminate into the shutting down of all oil and gas installations, including disruptionsto fuel supply and distribution across the country.
The unionist said the anti-labour practice includes the termination of employment of any worker who indicated willingness to belong to the union.“Those that are threatened and compelled to disown the union are then treated as slave workers within their own country.
“The case of Neconde Energy Ltd (of Nestoil Group of companies) is particularly worrisome as the issue of dignity in labour and infringement on workers’ rights to Freedom of Association is foreign to them.
President Muhammadu Buhari says his government has found corruption more difficult to fight than insecurity.
Mr. Buhari spoke at a town hall meeting in Kano on the final day of his two-day visit to the state.
The power of the corrupt Nigerians is so enormous but we are determined to deal with the situation headlong.
This is as been adjudged by what is happening today on ground,” he said.Responding to comments made at the town hall meeting, he said the democratic environment has made the fight against corruption even more difficult because of the power of corrupt Nigerians.
As Head of State I arrested some corrupt politicians. But shortly after I was arrested after my government been truncated, all the houses that I confiscated were returned back to the owners,”He said that was why in the current fight against corruption, “after confiscating properties from the corrupt Nigerians, we ordered that they should be sold and the money be deposited at the treasury.
To show our seriousness in this fight today, among those being investigated was a high court judge whose house was searched and several foreign currencies were found and some international passports.
President Buhari said the fight against corruption requires zeal, courage and full determination to succeed, saying his government has all these attributes to achieve the success.
On the war against insurgency, he said the success so far recorded is a victory for the entire nation, adding that already, the fight was tilting towards final victory.
Let me say, while linking the war against insurgency vis a vis the issue of smuggling asbeing raised, we have a duty to keep sound relationship with our neighbours, a reason why I went to Chad and Cameroon immediately after assuming office.
But in spite of continued smuggling, he said the ban on the importation of rice had been achieved by 90 per cent and that Nigerian farmers are the greatest beneficiaries of the ban.
- Premium Times
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has said achievements of the new Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment will shock critics of his administration.
Okorocha said the achievements of the ministry will be so amazing, that critics of the initiative will regret to have drawn the curtain for the new ministry even before it takes off.
This was even as the governor said former governor of the state, Ikedi Ohakim and the 2015 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Emeka Ihedioha are least qualified to criticise any of his policies orprogrammes.
His Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo,in a statement, yesterday, said: “Okorocha is a man of ideas who thinks about the present and the generations yet unborn.
He does not misfire on any issue, the attendant criticisms notwithstanding. When the new ministry begins to bear the expected fruits, the accolades will envelop the early criticisms.
We accept all the criticisms in good faith and commend the critics. That is what makesthe society dynamic and our democracy juicy.
The truth is that, the new ministry is not an accidental discharge but, a well-thought out idea that will benefit Imo people, in particular, and all men and women of goodwill in general. We only ask the critics to give us time.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday urged youth in the country to join political parties ahead of the 2019 elections to enable them to be voted into political offices.
Mr. Osinbajo, who was represented by Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, made the call at the Emerging Political Leaders Summit in Abuja.
He said that it was not enough for youth to always complain about bad leaders, but that they needed to break the status quo by taking the chance to be elected and create the transformation they needed for a change.
“Youth have a challenge in their hands for the future of our country; so, I advise you not to sit down and fold your hands and be lamenting over bad leadership or politicians.
“Get down to business, organise and do something to become elected political youth; after all, Enahoro became a leader in this country at the age of 23 and later moved a motion for the nation’s independence at the age of 27.“The leaders there today will vacate the place tomorrow.
So if you the youth don’t start preparing today by getting mentored and learning the ropes, there is no way you will perform very well if the mantle of leadership falls on you tomorrow. So thereis need for you to go in there and participate,’’ he said.
Mr. Osinbajo, however, advised youth not to expect that from the day they start participating in politics they would become the president of Nigeria.
He said that it was not realistic and could not happen, but that they needed to start gradually from the ward level and move up to local government level and to state “before the presidency’’.
– Premium Times
Emeka Ojukwu, son of late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu, says he was driven to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, by his belief that his home South-east region must belong in national governance and the political decision-making process of Nigeria.Mr. Ojukwu said this when he was formally received into the APC by the party’s leadership, led by its National Chairman, JohnOdigie-Oyegun.Mr. Ojukwu earlier declared for the APC from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Awka at a rally ahead of the November 18 Anambra governorship election.“I decided to lead by example. I have been talking about this for a while and I decided it was time to take the step forward,” he said onWednesday.“It is a challenge, there are some people that will not be happy about that.
But you have to be bold, take a step and let people understandwhere you are coming from and why you are doing what you are doing,” he said.“APC has been seen in our part of the country as the ‘other’ and I believe we are now showing that the APC is a party that can contend equally with any other party in the South East and do just as well.
We now know that Igbo people are part of the APC, the APC are part of Igbo and Igbo arevalued part of the Nigerian nation.
”“We hit around the 25 per cent mark in terms of votes in the Anambra election, which is not bad given where we are coming from. I think in the future, we are going to do a lot better.
”“Let me say this about my father: we shouldn’t take our history and our past to be shackles that hold us in one place. Rather they should be stepping stones and building blocks to get us moving towards the future.
When my father came back from exile, he had the option to join an ethnic-based party but he chose to move to the centre and there was a reason for that.
You need to be at the table where decisions are being made. If you are not there, you will always get the short end of the stick, you will be marginalised. That is the message I want to help to propagate.
This is a much bigger party than the one I came from, so I put myself at your service to help us achieve our dreams. For me, anyway that I can help to push this message forward, I am ready,” he told the party leaders.
Formally receiving Mr. Ojukwu into the party, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said his entry would be a major asset in the APC’s ongoing drive to mainstream the South-east in national governance and political decision-making process in the APC.
- Premium Times
It has been confirmed that Banky W and Adesua Etomi’s white wedding will take place in South Africathis weekend.
The couple who had a lavish traditional wedding on Sunday, November 19, and their private civil ceremonyon Monday, have flown out of Nigeria to Cape Town to finalize plans for their wedding which is holding this Weekend.“….And we’re off to Capetown
#mySAexperience#BAAD2017 #Finalstep #tooexcited #ohmylawddd???,” the excited new bride, Adesua captioned a photo she shared on Instagram.
Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says President Muhammadu Buharicannot get an automatic ticket for the 2019 election.
Tinubu made the statement less than 24 hours after Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, said 34 governors had endorsed Buhari for a second term.
Speaking in Akure, capital of Ondo state, on Wednesday, Tinubu said “governors cannot appropriate the power of endorsement to themselves”.
The APC leader maintained that leadership of the APC had not endorsed Buhari as its sole candidate for 2019.
He added that the flagbearer of the ruling party in the2019 presidential election would emerge through a democratic process.
Buhari is a believer in the process. He believes in the rule of law. We wanted him even before the last convention and primary of the party,” he said.
We followed all the constitutional provision and an individual or group’s opinion does not really matter at this stage, Buhari will want a normal process.
Buhari that, I know, who says he will lose at any convention? But if the national body, the national executive committee and all of us as members endorsed him as our single candidate, we will not be violating INEC regulations, we will not be violating our party constitution.“What you are hearing is just a campaign by other people who might like to do so.
Last month when he visited the presidential villa in Abuja, Tinubu told journalists not to discuss Buhari’ssecond term with him.
Although Buhari has not disclosed his intention about 2019, his supporters have started rolling out the drums.
– TheCable
Former President Goodluck Jonathan says the only thing that will make him sleep well is if the Peoples Democratic Party returns to power in 2019.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) ended the 16-year reign of the PDP in 2015.Taking responsibility for the poor performance of the party in that election, Jonathan said his focus now is to take the PDP to its former position.
He spoke when he received Bode George, a chairmanship aspirant of the PDP, at his Otuoke residence in Bayelsa state.“Whether I like it or not, I must take responsibility for the defeat because I led the party to the election,
” the media team of George quoted Jonathan as saying.“My priority now is how to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party regains the presidency in 2019… The only thing that will make me sleep well is to ensure that the PDP comes back to power.
The former president said he was working with other stakeholders to ensure that the party was well organised to take back power.Promising that the mistakes of the past wouldnot be repeated, Jonathan advised the party to take steps to regain the confidence of the electorate.
Earlier, George congratulated the former president on his 60th birthday.George urged the ex-President to ensure that the PDP emerge stronger from the forthcoming national convention slated for December 9.
- The Cable
A Pentecostal pastor has reportedly died during an alleged sex romp with a 19-year-old-girl in a hotel room in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta.
Delta Police Command Spokesperson, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed on Wednesday in Asaba.
He said the victim’s wife reported the incident to the police on November 19.He said the hotel workers were alerted to the incident after the girl raised the alarm for help when she noticed the pastor was gasping for breath.
The incident happened last Sunday evening. We learnt the pastor took the girl, who is said to be 19 years of age to the hotel room.“While they were in the room after some few minutes, the girl reportedly raised alarm which attracted workers in the hotel, who rushed into the room to find the pastor dead.
The wife of the pastor was called to the scene of the incident, where he met her husband stone dead.“She subsequently reported the matter to the Police Division in Kwale,” Aniamaka said.
The police image maker said an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause of death of the pastor, adding that the police had since launched an investigation into the incident.- NAN
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.BY
PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
DATE: THURSDAY NOVERMBER 23RD 2017
THEME: CHRIST OUR REST
Memorise:
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Isaiah 3:10
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:19-20
1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Message:
There is a time to work and a time for rest. Everyone who labors very hard always looks forward to a time of rest. Rest is so crucial that even God Himself rested after spending six days creating the heavens and the earth. It is therefore not a mistake that God programmed sleep into our body system. He knows that after we have worked hard and are tired, we would need to rest the body in order to get back on our feet. Psalm 127:2 says,
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”
Good sleep is indeed a blessing from God. However, rest for the body is not as important as the rest needed by the soul. If your mind is seriously troubled over an issue, even when you lie down on your bed, you will be unable to sleep. The only place to find rest for your soul is in Christ. No wonder He made a call for you to enter into His rest in Matthew 11:28-30. Have you been worried or troubled lately? Receive rest today in Jesus’ Name!
“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings”. Isaiah 3:10
One major reason why you as a true believer should be at rest is because of God’s promises. According to our Bible reading, the promises of our God are very reliable. Romans 3:4 says that even if all men are liars, this cannot compel our God to be a liar like them; He will always remain true.
Therefore, if He says your tomorrow will be alright, take it as a report card that you are getting even before sitting for the examination.
If He said it, He will surely do it. God’s word has integrity. Based on His words that cannot fail, I know my tomorrow will be alright. Irrespective of the raging storm, I will simply rest in Him. Beloved, let Jesus Christ be the One you lean on. Who or what you lean upon in the time of trouble is very important. If you lean on human beings, they will most likely compound your situation because every human being is prone to failure due to so many factors within and outside their control. In contrast, if you lean on human being, they will most likely compound your situation because every human being is prone to failure due to so many factors within and outside their control. In contrast, if you lean on the Eternal Rock of Ages, you can be reassured of true rest, joy and peace.
Action Point:
Take every issue that is bothering your soul before the throne of grace today. Ask Jesus, the giver of rest, to give rest to your soul.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 38-43
Jonah 4
Father please we need You more than never before.
GOOD MORNING!
HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
4. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan says people have been asking him to contest the 2019 election.
In an interview with Dele Momodu, Ovation magazine publisher, the immediate past president said he is moved to tears seeing people shouting “GEJ, we want you back”.
Jonathan, who ruled out the possibility of returning to office, said reflections on his achievements and mistakes make him sober.“I’m not God but I sincerely doubt the possibility,” Jonathan was quoted to have said in response to a question on the next election.
People come to me every day saying they want me back. I’m always moved to tears whenever I go out and see the huge crowds shouting GEJ, we want you, even in the north.
Instead of getting swollen headed, I actually reflect on my achievements and mistakes and feel humbledand feel very sober…“I have never been a man of inordinate ambition. I’m a man of very modest means. I hardly travel because of the logistical costs.
I’ve played my part and I have moved on.”Asked what he would do if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gives him its presidential ticket in 2019, he said: “Are you not aware that our party has zoned the presidency to the north, and the chairmanship to the south?
“Even Fayose that has declared his interest may face big challenges because of the decision of our party.”
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is set to unveil the statue of another African president, weeks after a national outrage over the unveiling of a multi-million naira statue of South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent in Owerri reports that Okorocha’s latest statue, a monument of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, is scheduled to be unveiled on November 9.
The statue and two others, including that of Zuma, occupy a pride of place at Freedom Square on Wetheral Road in the Imo State capital.
Zuma’s 30-feet statue was said to have cost a whopping N520 million.
Okorocha displayed Johnson-Sirleaf statue on his twitter handle: @GovernorRochas, saying that the Liberian leader would be honoured during her visit to Imo on Nov. 9.
“The Liberia President, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is set to arrive our dear Imo State for a two-day working visit on Thursday, 9 Nov. 2017,” Okorocha twitted.”On Oct. 15, Okorocha unveiled Zuma’s gold-cast monument, drawing intense criticism from critics nationwide.
The critics accused the governor of spending huge money on `meaningless projects in a state that had not been able to pay workers and pensioners as and when due’.
The critics also cited various corruption cases linkedto Zuma and the recurring killing of Nigerians in the former apartheid enclave, arguing that giving such honour to Zuma was wrong.
They wondered why Okorocha would choose to honour Zuma, ignoring South African anti-apartheid icons, including Nelson Mandela, Oliver Thambo and Walter Sisulu.
-NAN
The federal government said it had received reliable report from its mission in Rome concerning the 26 suspected Nigerian migrants whose bodies were discovered in the Mediterranean on Sunday.
A statement from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed by the spokesperson, Tope Elias-Fatile, on Wednesday said the federal government had been in touch with the mission.
The mission confirmed that the 26 migrants, all females between the ages of 14 to 18, were recovered from the Mediterranean by a Spanish Warship, Cantabria.
The report indicates that a Spanish Warship, Cantabria, brought the remains of the migrants to Southern Italian Port of Salerno.“The Italian security officials who made this discovery are yet to confirm if they were purposely killed and why all who died were female.
It also added that the Italian Police Chief in Salerno had inaugurated an investigation intothe cause of their death to ascertain if they were either tortured or sexually assaulted.
The government further described the incident as a “monumental loss and a sad moment for our country” and added that more investigations were being conducted.“Federal Government wishes to commiserate with the families of the victims,” it added.
- NAN
Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday said the agency recovered $43 million from Diezani Alison-Maduke, former minister of petroleum.
Speaking at the ongoing 7th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UnitedNations Convention Against Corruption holding in Vienna, Austria, Magu said the commission had recovered $2.9 billion between May 2015 and October 2017.
In a presentation titled: ‘International Cooperation in Relation to Technical Assistance: The Nigerian Experience’, Magu said the sum was exclusive of smaller currencies in Durham, CRA and British Pound.
He said the commission had made a lot of recoveries locally using the mechanism of thenon-conviction based forfeiture provided under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.“Within this year alone, the commission recovered stolen assets running into several millions of US Dollars and billions in naira,” hesaid.
These include the sum of $43 million recovered from Deziani Allison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum and N2billion spread in seven accounts within three Nigerian banks laundered from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command Salary Accounts.”Magu, who was a panelist at the Implementation Review Group attended by over 100 delegates, detailed the Nigerian efforts in asset recovery.
He said the country had also made progress in specific cases related to Abacha loot, Malabu Oil, Diezani and associates, and the arms procurement scandal.
These efforts, he said, cut across Switzerland,USA, UK, UAE, Jersey Island and Panama.In his recommendations, the anti-graft czar sought improved coordination and cooperation among state parties in asset recovery.
- The Cable
The family of former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, has dismissed the report making the rounds that the elder statesman is dead. The family said the posts, which emerged on social media, yesterday, were unfounded as the elder statesman isstill alive and his health condition improving.
In a statement, yesterday, by the family spokesman, Mr. Uche Ezechukwu, the Ekwueme family said: “The wicked rumour making the rounds about the deterioration of the condition of Dr Alex Ekwueme is totally untrue.
The truth is that the elder statesman is alive and well. His condition is not only stabilizing but improving considerably.“In fact, the former VP has moved from a stage of unconsciousness to a state whereby he now receives visitors, sits up and eats.
It is also important to inform that Dr Ekwueme is yet to be taken abroad, as the necessary documentation and preliminary arrangements are on course and are being completed.
“Any statement I make on the elder statesman is impeccable and have full authentication of the family.”Also, yesterday, close family friends asked the Federal Government to fulfil its promise to fly Ekwueme abroad for adequate treatment.
– Vanguard
Nigerian male barbie Bobrisky, was reportedly arrested in Lagos yesterday. According to reports, Bobrisky’s arrest may be connected to his social media post recently, where he came out as ‘GAY’, a criminal offence with a 14-year jail term in Lagos State.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented an appropriation bill of N8.612 trillion for 2018.
While presenting the document before the joint session of the national assembly in Abuja, the president said the budget was meant to consolidate the achievements of previous budgets.
He said the 2018 budget was also to deliver on Nigeria’s economic recovery growth.The proposed budget had a 16 percent increase compared to the 2017 appropriation.Here are the estimates of the budget.
ASSUMPTIONS, PROJECTIONS
• Benchmark crude oil price-US$45 per barrel
• Oil production estimate – 2.3 million barrels per day
• Exchange rate – N305/US$ for 2018
• Real GDP growth of 3.5 percent• Inflation Rate of 12.4 percent
EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES
The proposed aggregate expenditure of N 8.612 trillion (16 percent above 2017 budget estimate) will comprise
• Recurrent Costs of N3.494 trillion
• Debt Service of N2.014 trillion
• Statutory Transfers of about N456 billion
• Sinking Fund of N220 billion (to retire maturing bond to local contractors)
• Capital Expenditure of N2.428 trillion (excluding the capital component of statutory transfers)
RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
A substantial part of the recurrent cost proposal for 2018 is for the payment of salaries and overheads in key ministries providing critical public services such as:
• N510.87 billion for Interior
• N435.01 billion for Education
• N422.43 billion for Defence
• N269.34 billion for Health
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
Key capital spending allocations in the 2018 Budget include:
• Power, Works and Housing: N555.88 billion
• Transportation: N263.10 billion
• Special Intervention Programmes: N150.00 billion
• Defence: N145.00 billion
• Agriculture and Rural Development N118.98 billion
• Water Resources: N95.11 billion
• Industry, Trade and Investment: N82.92 billion
• Interior: N63.26 billion
• Education N61.73 billion
• Universal Basic Education Commission: N109.06 billion
• Health: N71.11 billion
• Federal Capital Territory: N40.30 billion
• Zonal Intervention Projects N100.00 billion
• North East Intervention Fund N45.00 billion
• Niger Delta Ministry: N53.89 billion
• Niger Delta Development Commission: N71.20 billion
.PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2018
• N9.8 billion for the Mambilla hydro power project, including N8.5 billion as counter part funding
• N12 billion counterpart funding for earmarked transmission lines and substations
• N35.41 billion for the National Housing Programme
• N10.00 billion for the 2nd Niger Bridge
• About N300 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of strategic roads
SPENDING PRIORITIES FOR PEACE, SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT
• N65 billion for the Presidential Amnesty Programme has been retained in the 2018 Budget
• Capital provision for the Ministry of Niger Delta increased to N53.89 billion from the N34.20 billion provided in 2017
• Completion of East-West Road, with a provision of about N17.32 billion in 2018
-NMM
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY
PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
DATE: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8TH 2017
THEME: WHEN THE BEST COMES LAST
Memorise:
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Matthew 19:30
Read: Genesis 1:26-31
1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Message:
A look at the creation story as recorded in Genesis Chapter 1 shows that man, the most important of God’s creation, was created on the sixth day. He was the last of God’s creation, even though he was the most significant. After man was created, God then rested from His work. One vital lesson here is that being first may not always mean being the most important, while being the last may not always mean that you’re the least important. Further reinforcing this truth, Jesus said:
“And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.” Luke 13:30
This is good news to us all. Are you the last child of your family and consequently you’ve believed yourself to be the least? You are simply short-changing yourself! Joseph was the 11th of 12 brothers but he was the one who became a father to them all. Concerning Joseph, it is written:
“And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.” Genesis 50:18
There are many children who were born last in their families that are presently graced with the gift of becoming the light that every other member of their families looks up to. From today, you will come to the limelight in Jesus’ Name! The lord will lift you up. However, you need to drop every faulty mindset you have now.
Moreover, another lesson here is that God can reserve the best for the last. When men have exhausted all their efforts and failed, God can show up and intervene in that particular situation.
At the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee, Jesus waited for the wine to run out before He supplied a more superior wine (John 2:1-10). Sometimes when God wants to assist us in certain situations, we shove Him aside, telling Him we are mature and can help ourselves. He therefore steps aside and allows us to exhaust our abilities. If you are wise, you will agree with God early enough so that you do not have to waste so much effort in the long run.
Yes, you can have the best towards the end! Indeed, do you know that God has reserved the prosperity of some people till they are in their late forties and above? Probably because He wants them to first mature spiritually, mentally and physically, knowing that after maturing, such people will be able to easily cooperate with Him over how He wants the blessing used. Whatever stage your life may be in right now, don’t discount yourself. It’s not over until God says so.
Key Point:
Whether you arrive now or later, what is important is that you manifest at your appointed time.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Job 9-12
Joel 2:1-17
Amen!
GOOD MORNING!
HYMN 3: HOW GREAT THOU ART
1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
2. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
[Chorus]
3. And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
[Chorus]
4. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
[Chorus]
Two hundred and fifty victims of snake bite have died in the last three weeks in Plateau and Gombe states, following an acute scarcity of snake anti-venom drugs in the country.
The figure represents the number of confirmed deaths from three snake treatment centres – General Hospital, Kaltungo, Ali Mega Pharmacy, Gombe and Comprehensive Medical Centre, Zamko, Plateau State.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria who visited the three medical outfits, met other victims in critical situations, with some of them left on bare floors as the doctors said they were helpless without the anti-venom.
NAN reports that the snake anti-venom drugs– Echitab Plus ICP polyvalent and Echitab G monovalent – had not been supplied to the country since August, throwing the treatment centres into crisis after the last vials were used up in the first week of October.
Echitab Plus ICP, produced at Instituto Clodomiro Picado, University of Costa Rica, treats bites from all venomous snakes in Nigeria, while Echitab G, produced by Micropharm Ltd, United Kingdom, is solely forcarpet viper bites.
Medics, who spoke with NAN at the three treatment centres, said that the cases of snake bites were usually very common duringthe harvest season.
-NAN
At least 26 people are dead and 20 are injured after agunman opened fire on a congregation at the First Baptist church in the small town of Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Sunday. 23 people died inside thechurch, two were found dead outside and one died on the way to hospital.The age of the victims ranges from five to 72.
Several are still in hospital with injuries ranging fromminor to life-threatening. The gunman was described by police as a white male aged in his 20s wearing tactical-style gear and a ballistic vest.
He was first seen at a gas station in Sutherland Springs at about 11.20am, before he started shooting at the church and then walked inside and continued shooting. He was tackled by a local as he exited the church.
He fled the scene in his car and was found dead after a brief chase near the county line after the vehicle crashed.
It is not known if he died from a self-inflicted wound or a shot fired by the local who intercepted him. Multiple US news outlets have named the suspect, but officials have not confirmed his identity.
President Donald Trump, in Tokyo, has said the shooting is a “horrible crime” and an “act of evil.” Texas governor Greg Abbott said it was the worst mass shooting in modern Texas history.
Authorities have not named any victims, but First Baptist churchpastor Frank Pomeroy said his 14-year-old daughteris among the dead.
APC Chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu via his official twitter page has confirmed he lost his eldestson, Jide Tinubu who was 37. Tinubu said Jide diedof Cardiac arrest and thanked Nigerians for standing by his family at this time.
His tweets...ABOUT JIDE: (Kazeem Olajide Babajide Tinubu, Born October 12th 1980)
Deep appreciation to all who have demonstrated their sympathy and expressed their condolences over the loss of our eldest son, Jide.
I want to especially thank President Muhammadu Buhari, VP Yemi Osinbajo, the state Governors, distinguished Senators...particularly Senate President Bukola Saraki, members of the House of Representatives, APC leaders and members and indeed all Nigerians.
I thank the traditional rulers for their display of support.My son was a highly intelligent person with a vibrant personality and a zest for life.
He followed his own course and made his own way on his own terms.Yet, he was taken away by cardiac arrest when it seemed he had so much life to still live.
This is a reminder that we must live each day to its best as none of us know when our last day shall be.Your reaction to my son’s passing has taught me that we can be a people of profound love and humanity when we want to be.
People of every tribe, region, faith and every politicalaffiliation have expressed their sympathy andextended to me brotherly embraceEven those who don’t agree with me politically haveshown strong support and care indistinguishable from that of my associates.
This says so much about the innate goodness in all of us. For no matter what, we are not foes or enemies. We are all of one human stockI wish I could bring my son back but I cannot.
However, what I can do is to be more caring and helpful to the living as I know this is what Jide would want to become of his passing.Let us all take a lesson from this and think a bit more about our fellow man, our neighbor, our fellow Nigeria.
Again, as we are away from Lagos, we thank you forthe love you have shown and ask that you not only show it to us but to each other.
Please continue to pray for him wherever you are.
An Ebuta-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Friday, ordered the remand of a 16-year-old Hannah Osazuwa in Ikoyi Prison for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend to death in Lagos.Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, gave the order when the defendant appeared before him on a one-count charge of murder.
Elias ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) while the accused should remain at the Ikoyi Prisons pending a legal advice.
He adjourned the case to Dec. 12.Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Kehinde Omisakin, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Oct. 16 at 9.00 a.m. at No. 34, Road K, Close, Gowon Estate, Egbeda.She said that the accused had stabbed her boyfriend, Tomide Akintewe, 20, on his chest with a pair of scissors, resulting in bleeding that claimed his life.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which prescribes a death sentence for convicts.
- NAN
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4TH 2017
THEME: DON’T FAINT!
Memorise:
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 Corinthians 4:1
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:15-16
4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Message:
As children of God, one lesson we derive from Luke 6:38 is that giving precedes receiving. Those who expect to receive when they have not sown are waiting for an empty harvest. Some people may contend with this truth by citing John 4:38, which says,
“I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”
Yes, it is possible to reap where you did not sow, but you will always reap what you sow. If you check the scriptures, you will find out that the privilege of reaping where you did not sow is reserved for the hardworking fellow and not for the lazy.
If you consider the parable of the talent in Matthew 25:14-30, you will discover that the servant who had 10 talents was given the extra talent that was taken away from the lazy servant. The Lord justified this action with these words in Matthew 25:29:
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”
If you work hard and excel in whatever assignment the Lord has given you, if you make sacrifices in doing God’s bidding beyond every other person, or if you out-give everyone else, you will not only enter into abundance, but you may also qualify to receive the harvest of the lazy.
Moreover, we see that the lazy servant lost his harvest. May you not lose your harvest to someone else! It is interesting to note that some people lose their harvest not only to laziness but also as a result of lack of patience. A story was told of the pastor of a local assembly, who fasted, prayed and evangelized his community but could not get a harvest.
It appeared as if the ground was iron. Unknown to him, God was working out something that would bring a lot of people to that community. Sadly, before God could finish what He was doing, this pastor got discouraged and quit ministry. Just about the same time, another pastor started a ministry in the same community. The people that God caused to relocate to this community as reward for the toiling of the pastor that quit now became a harvest for the new pastor.
This new pastor must have concluded that ministry was so easy, without knowing what really happened. In light of this, never give up on your assignment! No matter how tough things may be, remain with God and you will reap your harvest.
Key Point:
If you remove people out of their rightful harvest, get set to be thrown out of your own harvest, unless you fully restitute.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 John 2-4
Hosea 12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
Refrain:
3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
Refrain:
4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
Refrain:
5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
Refrain:
A nephew of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Oguanisi Akpusu, has been arrested in Bayelsa State over the alleged shooting of two persons during a masquerade in Emeyal 1 community in Ogbia Local Government Area.
He has since been released as the police said the shooting was “accidental.The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, Mr. Asuquo Amba, made this disclosure whileparading suspects before journalists in Yenagoa.
The CP made no comment about how Akpusucame to be in possession of a gun.Amba said the victims of the accident sustained gunshot injuries in their legs and thighs.
He explained that Akpusu was part of the ongoing masquerade in Ogbia kingdom, during which he shot two persons at Emeyal 1 and was arrested by policemen attached to the Kolo Police Division.
He said the case had been moved to the Serious Crimes Unit of the state police command in Yenagoa.
-Punch
President Buhari on Friday ordered that ailing formerVice President Alex Ekwueme be flown abroad for medical treatment.
Mr. Buhari authorised the trip after being briefed on Mr. Ekwueme’s condition.The former vice president, who turned 85 in October, reportedly collapsed in his Enugu residence on Sunday.
On Monday, his family said in a statement that the former leader’s health was stable.Mr. Buhari’s directive covers “the immediate charter of an Air Ambulance for the emergency movement and the cost of treatment”, a statement signed by spokesperson Garba Shehu said.
Mr. Buhari “prays that God will grant the elder statesman speedy recovery”, it added.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4TH 2017
THEME: DON’T FAINT!
Memorise:
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 Corinthians 4:1
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:15-16
4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Message:
As children of God, one lesson we derive from Luke 6:38 is that giving precedes receiving. Those who expect to receive when they have not sown are waiting for an empty harvest. Some people may contend with this truth by citing John 4:38, which says,
“I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”
Yes, it is possible to reap where you did not sow, but you will always reap what you sow. If you check the scriptures, you will find out that the privilege of reaping where you did not sow is reserved for the hardworking fellow and not for the lazy. If you consider the parable of the talent in Matthew 25:14-30, you will discover that the servant who had 10 talents was given the extra talent that was taken away from the lazy servant. The Lord justified this action with these words in Matthew 25:29:
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”
If you work hard and excel in whatever assignment the Lord has given you, if you make sacrifices in doing God’s bidding beyond every other person, or if you out-give everyone else, you will not only enter into abundance, but you may also qualify to receive the harvest of the lazy.
Moreover, we see that the lazy servant lost his harvest. May you not lose your harvest to someone else! It is interesting to note that some people lose their harvest not only to laziness but also as a result of lack of patience. A story was told of the pastor of a local assembly, who fasted, prayed and evangelized his community but could not get a harvest.
It appeared as if the ground was iron. Unknown to him, God was working out something that would bring a lot of people to that community. Sadly, before God could finish what He was doing, this pastor got discouraged and quit ministry. Just about the same time, another pastor started a ministry in the same community.
The people that God caused to relocate to this community as reward for the toiling of the pastor that quit now became a harvest for the new pastor. This new pastor must have concluded that ministry was so easy, without knowing what really happened. In light of this, never give up on your assignment! No matter how tough things may be, remain with God and you will reap your harvest.
Key Point:
If you remove people out of their rightful harvest, get set to be thrown out of your own harvest, unless you fully restitute.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 John 2-4
Hosea 12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
Refrain:
3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
Refrain:
4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
Refrain:
5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
Refrain:
The manner in which Jide Tinubu, first son of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC)Bola Ahmed Tinubu, died has been revealed.
According to a member of the Tinubu family, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, Jide suddenly collapsed and died from what was suspected to be a heart attack around 9 pm on Tuesday.
However, after the incidence, close family members rushed him down to hospital on Lagos Island where he was confirmed dead on arrival,” the source told journalists in Lagos He added that the tragic news was kept secret because the father, Bola Tinubu, was in Abuja for the National Executive Committee (NEC)meeting of his party, the APC.
Chairman of APC in Lagos,Otunba Henry Ajomale confirmed Jide’s death in a short statement he (Ajomale) issued on Wednesday.
It’s with regrets that I inform you ofthe demise of Mr. Jide Tinubu, the Son of Our dear and esteemed Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement said.
Daily Post
A 17-year old student, Goodness Akpan has confessed that she slept with countless men as such she did not knew among them that actually inpregnated her.
She made the confession on Monday at the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja, Lagos where she was paraded along other suspected criminals by the Commissioner of police, Mr Fatai Owoseni.
Akpan said she was a student of Comprehensive Secondary School in Akwa Ibom State before she became pregnant and wanted to abort it before her sister brought her to Lagos.
She also denied that she was a se x worker and explained she was lured into the s ex world and she liked it and could not control it any longer.She said she became pregnant after sleeping with so many men and would not actually know who among them that impregnated her in their community.Akpan said when she told one of them that slept with her and he denied, she became so confused because they were many and does not know the father of the baby.
She said when she became confused, she contacted her sister and wanted to terminate the pregnancy, she said her sister prevailed on her and brought her to Lagos.She said she was taken to a church where she stayed and delivered the baby girl.
If I tell you that I knew the father of the baby, I am lying because I slept with many men and they were countless before I discovered that I was pregnant,” she told P.M..EXPRESS.Akpan was rescued by the police on suspicion of being a human trafficking victim after she delivered her baby in a church.
There was an alleged plan to sell the baby.The police also arrested the owner of the church, a female pastor, Pemi Udoh for her alleged role in human trafficking.
Udoh, who is the founder of Divine Yard of God Ministry, Iyana Ota area, said she did not know anything about plans to sell the baby as alleged by the police.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY
PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
DATE: TUESDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2017
THEME: PRAYERLESSNESS DISALLOWED.
Memorise:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
Read: Mark 13:32-37
13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
13:34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Message,
Prayerlessness is a major challenge facing contemporary believers. Many refused to pray as they ought to because they have become overconfident and proud. The more you pray to God, the less dependent on yourself you become. As young Christians, some people prayed quite often. When they became workers in God’s vineyard, they sustained their prayer tempo, but the moment they became pastors, their prayer-life nosedived.
Why the decline? It is because such people began to believe that they could now do things on their own. This is the highway to ruin. Are you praying less after God has elevated you spiritually? If your answer is yes, check yourself very well, you will discover that you now have more faith in yourself to succeed by your effort than by God’s support.
This is one reason why God keeps a distance from the proud: He knows if He helps them achieve a feat, at the end, they will not think twice before taking His glory.
Besides pride, another reason for prayerlessness is carelessness. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Also, in Mark 13:32-37, the Lord emphasized the need to watch. You cannot afford to be careless. You can’t afford to be cold, lukewarm or carefree in these days that we live in. Praying goes along with watching. You cannot pray effectively if you fail to watch as well. If you watch effectively, it will help to give your prayers direction. You will know what trending issues to lift before God’s throne.
You will have some burdens in the place of prayer that will only be lifted after you have prayed through. Similarly, if you watch as you should, you will be able to relate events that are happening around you with the second coming of Jesus Christ. If you are keeping watch, you will be on your guard and on your toes. If you watch, you cannot be asleep. Beloved, this is not the time to sleep but the time to be spiritually awake, alert and prepared.
This is the time to pray about virtually everything that comes across our path. It is a time to wholly depend on God, who knows the way, to show us the way in the midst of growing confusion and evil spreading around the world. Wake up! Fast more! Watch more! May the Lord guide you in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point:
Father, please silence everything in me that is working against me having an effective prayer life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
James 1-3
Hosea 8
IN JESUS CHRIST NAME. AMEN!
GOOD MORNING!
HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
4. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.
Wife of the Kogi State Governor, Barrister Amina Yahaya Bello has revealed the many evils meted out to physically challenged children in the society.
Founder of the Hayat Foundation, Barrister Bello, who desires to create a haven for physically challenged children, confessed she was advised to kill her son who suffers from cerebral palsy.
With stigmatization from friends and some family members who mocked her for having a son who has cerebral palsy, Bello confessed she was advised to inject her son with a lethal substance to end the insults
She said, “There is the stigma which starts from your immediate environment. People will be whispering when a child with special needs or his parents are around.
This has made a lot of parents to live in depression. This is the reason why some parents choose to live in denial and lock up such children. I was advised to inject my son with harmful substance and some people advised me to take him to the village.
Urging government (states and federal) to enforce the provision of wheelchairs for physically challenged children, Bello said the Hayat Foundation will establish an institute that will focus on severe cases of cerebral palsy and open a training centre for behavioural and occupational therapists.Also, she called on government to make it compulsory for schools to provide wheelchairs for affected kids.
“Schools which discriminate against children who are living with physical and developmental challenges should be shut down. Before you set up a school, it must be accessible to these children with special needs.
You must have special teachersor therapists in every class and of course you should be certified fit to open a school for special needs children,” she said.
The Nigeria Police Force has risen to the defence of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Idris Ibrahim, denying claims that the police boss donated two Sports Utility Vehicles, SUVs to the first lady, Aisha Buhari.
The force in a statement on Thursday said the vehicles, which it insisted were not SUVs, were givento police officers serving as aides to the wife of the President.
The senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Isa Misau, on Wednesday opened another can of worms when he accused Mr. Idris of donatingtwo SUVs to the First Lady under yet unclear but alleged illegal circumstances.
The senator, who has been in the news lately after he accused the police boss of nepotism, tribalism, favouritism, cash for promotion and diversion of funds including involvement in amorous affairs with female junior officers, was recently charged to court for defamation of character and peddling of falsehood by the office of the Attorney General of theFederation, AGF.
Mr. Misau, a former cop, who was also accused of deserting the police by the spokesperson of the force, has however maintained that he was being victimised by the authorities for saying the truth.
Mr. Misau made the latest round of allegations whenhe appeared before the Senate ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the allegations levelled by the lawmaker against the IGP.
Mr. Misau explained how the IGP gave Mrs. Buhari the two cars, saying the details of the donation were contained in the documents the police boss submitted to the court in the suit instituted against him by the AGF, Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the Federal Government.
While Mrs. Buhari’s spokesperson, Suleiman Haruna, said he had no knowledge about the allegation, the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that the allegation was “baseless and outright falsehood”.
It is pertinent to state that at no time did the Wife of the President and Commander in Chief of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria, Mrs Aishat Buhari requested (sic) directly or indirectly for vehicles for her use from the Inspector General of Police and no vehicle whether Jeep or SUV has ever been given for her personal use,” the statement said.
The statement said the police boss gave out two buses to the police aides of Mrs. Buhari for their official use and not as a donation to the first lady.
-Premium Times
Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, reportedly left the presidential villa in Abuja in a state of anger on Thursday.
A source told TheCable that the duo had led some top members of the national assembly to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over the 2018 budget.
The source said trouble started after the security operatives at the villa insisted on screening the lawmakers.After efforts to make the security guards see reason fell through, making the nation’s number three and four citizens to have left in protest.
The lawmakers, who went said to Aso Rock in a coaster bus, were said to have converged on the residence of Saraki before dispersing.
However, President Buhari has tendered an apology to members of the national assembly over the row with security personnel earlier on Thursday.
When Buhari reached out to them, majority of the lawmakers had left the residence of Saraki where they converged after the embarrassing encounter.Saraki and Dogara returned to Aso Rock and were hosted to a dinner.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president; Ita Enang and Sulaiman Kawu, presidential aides, attended thedinner.
The Cable learnt that Buhari instructed Kyari to collect the names of all the principal officers of both chambers of the national assembly and ensure tags are issued to them ahead of the meeting rescheduled to Tuesday.
Saraki confirmed to state house correspondents thatthe issue had been resolved.
