Earlier today, online media platform, Premium Times, reported exclusively that President Buhari had taken ill and was being treated at the state house hospital (Read here).
The Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has debunked the report. In an interview with The Cable, Femi Adesina, said the report was not true and that President Buhari is as fit as a fiddle.
He said President Buhari only yesterday received Anglican bishops who paid him a courtesy visit at the state house Abuja yesterday June 3rd
"Didn’t you see pictures of him receiving Anglican bishops yesterday (Friday)? Did he look sick? The president is as fit as a fiddle. Anyone who says he is sick is telling lies. That is a figment of the person’s imagination. Just yesterday he received the primate of the Anglican Communion and arch bishops at the presidential villa. He also received former President Olusegun Obasanjo (pictured). He is hale and hearty. The imagination of whoever says that is on overdrive.”he said
Asked why President Buhari had in recent times delegated functions to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Adesina said
"The presidency is one. The president has a right to delegate duties to his deputy, who is the vice-president, and that is what he has done.”he said
LIB
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Saturday, 4 June 2016
Exclusive; President Buhari is not feeling well
Information gathered as Premium Times is exclusively reporting that President Buhari is ill and is being treated at the presidential villa. Read part of the report below...
"The president has an infection in his left ear, otherwise called Meniere Disease, a challenge which has drastically reduced his outings in the last one week. As a result of the infection, the president now suffers hearing impairment and routinely complains of severe pains and unusual sounds from that ear, those familiar with his condition told Premium Times.
Mr. Buhari, who clocked 73 last December, was said to have confirmed it to some dignitaries who visited him in the past days, explaining to some of them that that was why he was unable to visit Lagos and Rivers as scheduled. He was also said to have told some of his guests that he was struggling to give his failing health a major attention. He is currently being treated by his personal physician and other experts from the State House Clinic, our sources said.
An official said the president might seek treatment abroad if his condition does not improve in the next few days. Despite hearing difficulty, the president, our sources said, managed to attend Jumaat service and host some important visitors, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan as well as some clergymen on Friday. Presidential spokespersons could not be reached to comment for this story on Friday night. While calls to the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, failed to go through, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity did not answer or return calls.
"The president has an infection in his left ear, otherwise called Meniere Disease, a challenge which has drastically reduced his outings in the last one week. As a result of the infection, the president now suffers hearing impairment and routinely complains of severe pains and unusual sounds from that ear, those familiar with his condition told Premium Times.
Mr. Buhari, who clocked 73 last December, was said to have confirmed it to some dignitaries who visited him in the past days, explaining to some of them that that was why he was unable to visit Lagos and Rivers as scheduled. He was also said to have told some of his guests that he was struggling to give his failing health a major attention. He is currently being treated by his personal physician and other experts from the State House Clinic, our sources said.
An official said the president might seek treatment abroad if his condition does not improve in the next few days. Despite hearing difficulty, the president, our sources said, managed to attend Jumaat service and host some important visitors, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan as well as some clergymen on Friday. Presidential spokespersons could not be reached to comment for this story on Friday night. While calls to the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, failed to go through, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity did not answer or return calls.
Muhammad Ali 'The Greatest' is Dead
Legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali, is dead.
muhammad ali.jpg
The boxer who is popularly referred to as 'The Greatest' died yesterday, Friday, June 3, at a Phoenix-area hospital, where he had spent the past few days being treated for respiratory complications.
A family spokesman, Bob Gunnell, who confirmed the news to NBC News said: “After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died yesterday evening.”
muhammad ali.jpg
The boxer who is popularly referred to as 'The Greatest' died yesterday, Friday, June 3, at a Phoenix-area hospital, where he had spent the past few days being treated for respiratory complications.
A family spokesman, Bob Gunnell, who confirmed the news to NBC News said: “After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died yesterday evening.”
Open Heavens 4 June 2016: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Vessel unto Honour?
Topic: Vessel unto Honour? [Saturday 4, June 2016]
Memorise: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; – 1 Peter 2:11
Read: 1 Peter 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 20:24-23:15, Ecclesiastes 2:9-17
MESSAGE:
When we realise the extent to which God can go to cleanse humanity from the pollution of the devil, then we will realise that God is not interested in quantity but in spiritual quality. During the time of Noah, God wiped off the people from the earth because of their sins, but spared Noah and his family. Hence, salvation is a personal thing and if you are going to be a vessel unto honour, you must be ready to stand alone and do that which is right in the sight of God. Sodom and Gomorrah did not escape the righteous judgement of God because they had fallen far beyond the point where they could turn back from their evil ways, they had no desire whatsoever to turn from their evil ways and return to their Maker.
Those who are vessels unto honour will always live because Christ is alive in them. They have a living hope because the Living Word dwells in them. As vessels unto honour, you must not allow the nature of rebellion to find expression in you because you are the Lord’s own. You have direct access to God, because you have been separated from this world and unto Him. This is why we must always focus our attention on Jesus for direction in every aspect of our lives, so that we can be effective weapons in His hand. We must continue to spread the love of Jesus in our communities and beyond. We must awaken people to their spiritual needs because we have been called out of darkness into the light of God. God gives every one of us the opportunity to be useful in His plans on earth. The responsibilities are on us to determine the extent to which we will do exploits for the Lord. We must immediately respond to the prompting and instructions of the Lord before it is too late.
As we see all challenges confronting our world on a daily basis, there is the need for all Christians to come into a higher level of uncompromising commitment to the Shepherd of our souls. There is the need to connect with God in intimacy, so that we can have access to revelations of things to come. All those things which can easily distract us from reaching the ultimate height of God for our lives must be prevented.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” - Hebrews 12:1
As vessels unto honour, you must be ready to pay the price to be true disciples of Jesus. Others can, but you cannot, because you have been separated unto God for good works.
Prayer point: Father, help me to abide in You thoughtout my lifetime in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; – 1 Peter 2:11
Read: 1 Peter 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 20:24-23:15, Ecclesiastes 2:9-17
MESSAGE:
When we realise the extent to which God can go to cleanse humanity from the pollution of the devil, then we will realise that God is not interested in quantity but in spiritual quality. During the time of Noah, God wiped off the people from the earth because of their sins, but spared Noah and his family. Hence, salvation is a personal thing and if you are going to be a vessel unto honour, you must be ready to stand alone and do that which is right in the sight of God. Sodom and Gomorrah did not escape the righteous judgement of God because they had fallen far beyond the point where they could turn back from their evil ways, they had no desire whatsoever to turn from their evil ways and return to their Maker.
Those who are vessels unto honour will always live because Christ is alive in them. They have a living hope because the Living Word dwells in them. As vessels unto honour, you must not allow the nature of rebellion to find expression in you because you are the Lord’s own. You have direct access to God, because you have been separated from this world and unto Him. This is why we must always focus our attention on Jesus for direction in every aspect of our lives, so that we can be effective weapons in His hand. We must continue to spread the love of Jesus in our communities and beyond. We must awaken people to their spiritual needs because we have been called out of darkness into the light of God. God gives every one of us the opportunity to be useful in His plans on earth. The responsibilities are on us to determine the extent to which we will do exploits for the Lord. We must immediately respond to the prompting and instructions of the Lord before it is too late.
As we see all challenges confronting our world on a daily basis, there is the need for all Christians to come into a higher level of uncompromising commitment to the Shepherd of our souls. There is the need to connect with God in intimacy, so that we can have access to revelations of things to come. All those things which can easily distract us from reaching the ultimate height of God for our lives must be prevented.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” - Hebrews 12:1
As vessels unto honour, you must be ready to pay the price to be true disciples of Jesus. Others can, but you cannot, because you have been separated unto God for good works.
Prayer point: Father, help me to abide in You thoughtout my lifetime in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Friday, 3 June 2016
Stop the retrenchment as FG advises Banks
The Federal Government on Friday directed banks, insurance and financial institutions to suspend the on-going retrenchment in the sector.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Following spate of petitions and complaints from stakeholders in the banking, insurance and financial institutions, I hereby direct the suspension of the on-going retrenchment pending the outcome of the conciliatory meetings in the industry.
This is as a result of the apprehension by my office of the various disputes in the sector in accordance and in compliance with the provisions of the labour laws of Nigeria,’’ it said.
The statement said that the decision was further predicated on the fact that the continued retrenchment and redundancy by the sector were jeopardising the outcome of the reconciliatory and mediatory processes undertaken by the ministry.
In this wise, all the retrenchments and redundancies done in the last four months and all proposed ones should be put on hold.
Pending the outcome of the proposed stakeholders’ summit for the banking, insurance and financial institutions’ employers and employees, slated for the first week of July 2,’’ the statement read in part.
However, Ngige advised all parties in the interest of industrial peace and harmony to maintain the status-quo ante-belum.
flatime
This is contained in a statement signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Following spate of petitions and complaints from stakeholders in the banking, insurance and financial institutions, I hereby direct the suspension of the on-going retrenchment pending the outcome of the conciliatory meetings in the industry.
This is as a result of the apprehension by my office of the various disputes in the sector in accordance and in compliance with the provisions of the labour laws of Nigeria,’’ it said.
The statement said that the decision was further predicated on the fact that the continued retrenchment and redundancy by the sector were jeopardising the outcome of the reconciliatory and mediatory processes undertaken by the ministry.
In this wise, all the retrenchments and redundancies done in the last four months and all proposed ones should be put on hold.
Pending the outcome of the proposed stakeholders’ summit for the banking, insurance and financial institutions’ employers and employees, slated for the first week of July 2,’’ the statement read in part.
However, Ngige advised all parties in the interest of industrial peace and harmony to maintain the status-quo ante-belum.
flatime
Open Heavens 3 June 2016: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Child of Destiny
Topic: Child of Destiny [Friday 3, June 2016]
Memorise: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. – Matthew 1:21
Read: Jeremiah 1:4-5 (KJV)
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 18:1-20:23, Ecclesiastes 2:1-8
MESSAGE:
Before the earthly existence of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, His destiny had been foretold. Do you also believe that according to the Word of God, before you were formed in your mother’s belly, the Lord knew you? Do you really believe that before your physical existence on the face of the earth, the Lord had ordained you for His purpose? If you believe this, then I congratulate you. With this assurance, you can be confident of the fact that you are not an ordinary person; you are a child of destiny. God has a plan for you and it is a good plan. The most important thing you need to do is to find out what you must do to secure this glorious destiny in Christ Jesus. I have illustrated this several times through the story of two friends who decided to seek the help of an oracle to know what lay in the future for them. As for the first one, after due consultation with the oracle, he was assured that he would be a future monarch who would rule over a kingdom. His friend however was told that he would die a servant.Upon returning from the oracle, the one who had been told he would become a king decided to remain passive and crossed his legs, waiting for the day of his coronation. The one who had been destined to be a servant encouraged himself by saying “at least I can be useful to myself”. He went deep into the bush, far out of the town and began to farm on a large piece of land there. After several years, there was a heavy famine in the land. When the people discovered that there was someone somewhere in the wilderness who had a large farm to feed the entire community, they decided to make him their king as long as their feeding was guaranteed. The other man who was day dreaming and waiting for his coronation eventually became his servant. Even the wisest king ever said, “There is an evil which I have seen upon the earth. I have seen princes walking and servants riding upon horses.”
There is a part you have to play if you must arrive at the plan of God for your life. Moses, as a child of destiny, was destined to be a deliverer for the children of Israel. He had the full backing of the Almighty God and he remained supernaturally in command. Jesus Christ had a mandate to save the world, and He fully achieved that mandate. You also have a glorious destiny in Christ Jesus, and you must protect it and never allow anything to steal it from you.
The Christian life is that of continuous warfare. We are at war against Satan and he is trying all he can to take us down. You must resist him and not faint in your spirit. We must ask for wisdom from God so that we can put the devil where he belongs (under our feet). Be prayerful and continue to dwell on the Word of God at all times.
Key Point: Every child of destiny runs away from all appearances of evil.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Fayose vs Ekiti workers: Who blinks first?
The one and half years honeymoon between the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose and organised labour appears to have hit the rocks, as the two are currently at daggers drawn over unpaid salaries and sundry issues. Until, Thursday 26th of May, Governor Fayose enjoyed the confidence and absolute loyalty of the workers. It is not far fetched that the over 51,000 workforce in Ekiti State played a significant role in his resounding victory at the June 21, 2014 governorship poll in the state .
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/fayose-vs-ekiti-workers-blinks-first/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/fayose-vs-ekiti-workers-blinks-first/
Thursday, 2 June 2016
Revealed! Prince's cause of death has been revealed: he died of an overdose
As confirmed from the medical examination, "Prince died from an opioid overdose ... it's now official from the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office, and the drug is even more powerful than Percocet.
The M.E. performed toxicology tests on the singer and determined the singer died of an accidental overdose of Fentanyl -- a powerful synthetic opiate that is more potent than morphine ... often used for cancer patients to deal with severe pain.
Fentanyl is often used to treat people who have developed a tolerance to less powerful opiates such as Percocet and morphine.
And this is important ... there were several reports Prince had either AIDS or HIV, but the report says there were no "other significant conditions" that led to his death ... clearly refuting the stories.
According to the report ... Prince was discovered fully dressed ... wearing a black cap, black shirt, gray undershirt, black pants, black boxer briefs and black socks.
Also interesting ... Prince weighed a petite 112 lbs and stood 5'3" at the time of his death. Prince was addicted to Percocet.
His addiction was so bad his people called a rehab doctor in California to get him emergency help. The doctor's son flew out to Minnesota and was in the Paisley Park compound -- with a backpack filled with synthetic opioids -- when the 57-year-old singer was found dead. The doctor's son, who is not himself a doctor, denies giving Prince any of the pills.
TMZ/LIB
The M.E. performed toxicology tests on the singer and determined the singer died of an accidental overdose of Fentanyl -- a powerful synthetic opiate that is more potent than morphine ... often used for cancer patients to deal with severe pain.
Fentanyl is often used to treat people who have developed a tolerance to less powerful opiates such as Percocet and morphine.
And this is important ... there were several reports Prince had either AIDS or HIV, but the report says there were no "other significant conditions" that led to his death ... clearly refuting the stories.
According to the report ... Prince was discovered fully dressed ... wearing a black cap, black shirt, gray undershirt, black pants, black boxer briefs and black socks.
Also interesting ... Prince weighed a petite 112 lbs and stood 5'3" at the time of his death. Prince was addicted to Percocet.
His addiction was so bad his people called a rehab doctor in California to get him emergency help. The doctor's son flew out to Minnesota and was in the Paisley Park compound -- with a backpack filled with synthetic opioids -- when the 57-year-old singer was found dead. The doctor's son, who is not himself a doctor, denies giving Prince any of the pills.
TMZ/LIB
Open Heavens 2 June 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – God’s Time-Table
Topic: The Lord, My Healer [Thursday 2, June 2016]
Memorise: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. – John 2:4
Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 (KJV)
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 14:17, Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
MESSAGE:
God is a God of time and purpose. There is no lateness with God and in His own time, He does as He pleases and makes everything beautiful. There are many things you will never access from God until you have an understanding of the principles of timing. To have testimonies that will stand the test of time, you must learn to wait upon God in patience and perfect obedience. Unfortunately, many people are not willing to wait for God. In their own wisdom, they believe God’s time comes too late, so they go about ‘quickening’ things up. We live in a world where people want to be announced before their set time. They want quick fame and glory. They get carried away with the glories of others without asking about their stories. When things do not work out at the time they want, they begin to cut corners, unfortunately, every time they cut corners, they short-change themselves.
One of my sons said that “proper preparation prevents poor performance”. This is true because God will only reward those who wait and prepare for his appointed time. It doesn’t matter how fast others are travelling, just ensure you are in the will of God and all those you think have gone ahead of you will soon ask for the secret of your stability. There is the need to contentedly believe that God has everything under His control. In life, God has established seasons by which we will experience different phases. In the plan and timetable of God, there is a season to rejoice over things that are good and there is a time to identify with those who are experiencing joy. Never allow your own times of doing things be set at variance with God’s time.
The truth remains that no matter how far you think you can strategize, you can never have anything better than what God has in store for you. There are many people who are presently looking in the wrong direction, when God brings their blessings, they will miss the opportunity. Elisha never allowed the voice of the 50 sons of the prophet to distract him from God’s timing and purpose. There were several distractions and discouragements but he stayed to the end and got a double portion of his master’s anointing.
Are you tired of waiting upon the Lord? Don’t be. Every moment you spend waiting faithfully on the Lord can never be wasted. As you wait upon the Lord, you are saving time and not wasting it, you can be sure that at the end, nothing will be lost.
Prayer Point: Father, help me not to miss my time and chance.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. – John 2:4
Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 (KJV)
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 14:17, Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
MESSAGE:
God is a God of time and purpose. There is no lateness with God and in His own time, He does as He pleases and makes everything beautiful. There are many things you will never access from God until you have an understanding of the principles of timing. To have testimonies that will stand the test of time, you must learn to wait upon God in patience and perfect obedience. Unfortunately, many people are not willing to wait for God. In their own wisdom, they believe God’s time comes too late, so they go about ‘quickening’ things up. We live in a world where people want to be announced before their set time. They want quick fame and glory. They get carried away with the glories of others without asking about their stories. When things do not work out at the time they want, they begin to cut corners, unfortunately, every time they cut corners, they short-change themselves.
One of my sons said that “proper preparation prevents poor performance”. This is true because God will only reward those who wait and prepare for his appointed time. It doesn’t matter how fast others are travelling, just ensure you are in the will of God and all those you think have gone ahead of you will soon ask for the secret of your stability. There is the need to contentedly believe that God has everything under His control. In life, God has established seasons by which we will experience different phases. In the plan and timetable of God, there is a season to rejoice over things that are good and there is a time to identify with those who are experiencing joy. Never allow your own times of doing things be set at variance with God’s time.
The truth remains that no matter how far you think you can strategize, you can never have anything better than what God has in store for you. There are many people who are presently looking in the wrong direction, when God brings their blessings, they will miss the opportunity. Elisha never allowed the voice of the 50 sons of the prophet to distract him from God’s timing and purpose. There were several distractions and discouragements but he stayed to the end and got a double portion of his master’s anointing.
Are you tired of waiting upon the Lord? Don’t be. Every moment you spend waiting faithfully on the Lord can never be wasted. As you wait upon the Lord, you are saving time and not wasting it, you can be sure that at the end, nothing will be lost.
Prayer Point: Father, help me not to miss my time and chance.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Finally House of Reps Finally Amends Code Of Conduct Bureau And Tribunal Act
The House of Representatives has considered and passed an amendment to the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act
The Act makes it mandatory for the bureau to ensure that any one who is deemed to have breached the provision of the act is given the chance to explain before such a case is referred to the tribunal.
The amendment to Section 3 of the Act now includes a paragraph (e) which says “upon complaint(s) of any breach or where it appears to the Bureau that there is a breach of the provision or this Act, the person concerned shall be given particulars of such non compliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the tribunal”.
HouseReps.jpe
Section 4 (2) was also amended to substitute the word “President” with “the National Assembly” as the one to appoint members of staff of the Bureau and exercise disciplinary control over them.
About a month ago, the Senate suspended the planned amendments to the CCB, CCT Act due to public outcry of Civil Society Organisations.
At the time, the Senate passed it for second reading, the presiding officer, Deputy Senate, Ike Ekweremadu had stated that the amendment had nothing to do with the ongoing trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the CCT.
Channels Television
The Act makes it mandatory for the bureau to ensure that any one who is deemed to have breached the provision of the act is given the chance to explain before such a case is referred to the tribunal.
The amendment to Section 3 of the Act now includes a paragraph (e) which says “upon complaint(s) of any breach or where it appears to the Bureau that there is a breach of the provision or this Act, the person concerned shall be given particulars of such non compliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the tribunal”.
HouseReps.jpe
Section 4 (2) was also amended to substitute the word “President” with “the National Assembly” as the one to appoint members of staff of the Bureau and exercise disciplinary control over them.
About a month ago, the Senate suspended the planned amendments to the CCB, CCT Act due to public outcry of Civil Society Organisations.
At the time, the Senate passed it for second reading, the presiding officer, Deputy Senate, Ike Ekweremadu had stated that the amendment had nothing to do with the ongoing trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the CCT.
Channels Television
OMG! Former Miss Turkey sentenced to 14-months in jail for insulting the country's President on Instagram
A court in Istabul today, Tuesday 31, convicted a former Miss Turkey of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan through social media postings and gave her a 14-month suspended sentence.
27-year-old Merve Buyuksarac was found guilty of insulting a public official but immediately suspended the sentence on condition that she does not reoffend within the next five years.
Her lawyer, Emre Telci, said he would file a formal objection to the verdict and appeal her case at the Strasbourg, France-based European Court of Justice.
Buyuksarac, who was crowned Miss Turkey in 2006, was briefly detained last year for sharing a satirical poem on her Instagram account in 2014. The posting, an satarical adaptation of the Turkish national anthem, was shared thosands of times on social media, and it was considered by proscutors to be insulting to Mr Erdogan, who was then prime minister. Buyuksarac, however, denied insulting him.
Since becoming president in 2014, Erdogan has filed close to 2,000 defamation cases under a previously seldom-used law that bars insulting the president. Free speech advocates say the law is being used aggressively to silence and intimidate critics.
The trials have targeted journalists, academics and even schoolchildren. Coupled with a crackdown on opposition media and journalists, the trials have sounded alarms over the erosion of rights and freedoms in a country that was once seen as a model of Muslim democracy.
Erdogan caused an uproar last month when, on the basis of an archaic German law that criminalizes insulting foreign heads of state, he went after a German comedian who mocked him in a profanity-packed poem.
"These insult trials are being initiated in series, they are being filed automatically,'' Telci told The Associated Press by telephone after the verdict. "Merve was prosecuted for sharing a posting that did not belong to her. My client has been convicted for words that do not belong to her.''
Thousands of others also posted the poem. It did not mention Erdogan by name, but alluded to a corruption scandal that allegedly involved his family.
Before the verdict was announced, Erdogan's lawyer, Hatice Ozay, argued in court that Buyuksarac's Instagram post had gone beyond "the limits of criticism'' and amounted to "an attack'' on the Turkish leader's personal rights, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Source: AP, BBC, Turkish Minute / LIB
27-year-old Merve Buyuksarac was found guilty of insulting a public official but immediately suspended the sentence on condition that she does not reoffend within the next five years.
Her lawyer, Emre Telci, said he would file a formal objection to the verdict and appeal her case at the Strasbourg, France-based European Court of Justice.
Buyuksarac, who was crowned Miss Turkey in 2006, was briefly detained last year for sharing a satirical poem on her Instagram account in 2014. The posting, an satarical adaptation of the Turkish national anthem, was shared thosands of times on social media, and it was considered by proscutors to be insulting to Mr Erdogan, who was then prime minister. Buyuksarac, however, denied insulting him.
Since becoming president in 2014, Erdogan has filed close to 2,000 defamation cases under a previously seldom-used law that bars insulting the president. Free speech advocates say the law is being used aggressively to silence and intimidate critics.
The trials have targeted journalists, academics and even schoolchildren. Coupled with a crackdown on opposition media and journalists, the trials have sounded alarms over the erosion of rights and freedoms in a country that was once seen as a model of Muslim democracy.
Erdogan caused an uproar last month when, on the basis of an archaic German law that criminalizes insulting foreign heads of state, he went after a German comedian who mocked him in a profanity-packed poem.
"These insult trials are being initiated in series, they are being filed automatically,'' Telci told The Associated Press by telephone after the verdict. "Merve was prosecuted for sharing a posting that did not belong to her. My client has been convicted for words that do not belong to her.''
Thousands of others also posted the poem. It did not mention Erdogan by name, but alluded to a corruption scandal that allegedly involved his family.
Before the verdict was announced, Erdogan's lawyer, Hatice Ozay, argued in court that Buyuksarac's Instagram post had gone beyond "the limits of criticism'' and amounted to "an attack'' on the Turkish leader's personal rights, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Source: AP, BBC, Turkish Minute / LIB
Open Heavens Daily Devotional June 1 2016 Wednesday – Adeboye
Open Heavens Daily Devotional May 28 2016 – Adeboye
Read the Open Heavens Daily Devotional…
Date : Saturday 28 May 2016
Theme : Leadership By Example
Memorise :Open Heavens Daily Devotional May 28 2016 - Adeboye
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:14
Read : John 13:12-17
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Message
There is nothing more fulfilling than a life of service. Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples to set an example of what leadership is. Jesus Christ being our Lord and Saviour, our master and instructor has proven to us that leadership is not title but service. It is service that show relevance, one may have title and not be relevant in the scheme of things. That should not be heard among the children of God. Even though He was the master,yet, He condescended so low in humility to serve His disciples. This means a leader irrespective of the position he occupies, must never forget that essence of that position is to serve the people that God has entrusted in his care. Every leader must emulate people like Gideon and Abimelech who led by service. Judges 9:48 says:
“And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.”
As ministers of the gospel, we are to show grave, humility and love at every given time. We must serve the interest of those the Lord has put in our trust at every given time. You as a leader should not lord it over people. People should should not obey you simply because of the office you occupy. They should respect you for the value you adding to their lives. Our knowledge of Jesus as the creator of all things who still stopped low to clean the feet of those people He created should make us think twice. We must be able to go extra mile for physical and spiritual needs of the people we are leading. The Bible demands that whoever will be great should be a servant ( Mathew 20:27 ).
The essence of the anointing of God in your is not for show but for service. Service is a fundamental aspect of leadership. The moment you remove service from your life,there is no room for good leadership. People should see the good example you are showing and praise God for your life. There are people occupying one office or the other and they have become principalities and powers to those they are supposed to serve. They use the instrument of office to oppress others. This is not the example that Jesus set. Invest in people, and they will give you their commitment and loyalty. Value people genuinely, and they will respect you. A true leader is identified by the value he places on those under him. You must labour more than those under you. Apostle Paul was a latecomer but he laboured more than others, and he admonished us to follow in his footstep as he followed Jesus Christ. Leadership is awesome, but you need the wisdom of God to be able to lead well. The Lord will assist you in Jesus name.
Prayer Point:
Father, let my life be a good example for others to follow.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 Chronicles 1:1-5:1 and Proverbs 30:18-33
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 14: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see his banners go!
Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
2. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
Chorus:
3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
Chorus:
4. Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never ‘gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.
Chorus:
5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.
Chorus
Read the Open Heavens Daily Devotional…
Date : Saturday 28 May 2016
Theme : Leadership By Example
Memorise :Open Heavens Daily Devotional May 28 2016 - Adeboye
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:14
Read : John 13:12-17
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Message
There is nothing more fulfilling than a life of service. Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples to set an example of what leadership is. Jesus Christ being our Lord and Saviour, our master and instructor has proven to us that leadership is not title but service. It is service that show relevance, one may have title and not be relevant in the scheme of things. That should not be heard among the children of God. Even though He was the master,yet, He condescended so low in humility to serve His disciples. This means a leader irrespective of the position he occupies, must never forget that essence of that position is to serve the people that God has entrusted in his care. Every leader must emulate people like Gideon and Abimelech who led by service. Judges 9:48 says:
“And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.”
As ministers of the gospel, we are to show grave, humility and love at every given time. We must serve the interest of those the Lord has put in our trust at every given time. You as a leader should not lord it over people. People should should not obey you simply because of the office you occupy. They should respect you for the value you adding to their lives. Our knowledge of Jesus as the creator of all things who still stopped low to clean the feet of those people He created should make us think twice. We must be able to go extra mile for physical and spiritual needs of the people we are leading. The Bible demands that whoever will be great should be a servant ( Mathew 20:27 ).
The essence of the anointing of God in your is not for show but for service. Service is a fundamental aspect of leadership. The moment you remove service from your life,there is no room for good leadership. People should see the good example you are showing and praise God for your life. There are people occupying one office or the other and they have become principalities and powers to those they are supposed to serve. They use the instrument of office to oppress others. This is not the example that Jesus set. Invest in people, and they will give you their commitment and loyalty. Value people genuinely, and they will respect you. A true leader is identified by the value he places on those under him. You must labour more than those under you. Apostle Paul was a latecomer but he laboured more than others, and he admonished us to follow in his footstep as he followed Jesus Christ. Leadership is awesome, but you need the wisdom of God to be able to lead well. The Lord will assist you in Jesus name.
Prayer Point:
Father, let my life be a good example for others to follow.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 Chronicles 1:1-5:1 and Proverbs 30:18-33
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 14: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see his banners go!
Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
2. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
Chorus:
3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
Chorus:
4. Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never ‘gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.
Chorus:
5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.
Chorus
Corruption and the civil servant
Written by the Editorial board of The Guardian Newspaper
The tide may be beginning to turn and the fight against corruption would seem to have started yielding some results. A statement on this was made the other day when a former accountant with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) was convicted and imprisoned for six months without option of fine, for crimes that included stealing, abuse of office and forgery. Nigeria needs more of such convictions for the anti-corruption train to move full-steam!
The convict, Babatunde Abisuga who was reported to have fraudulently helped himself to the tune of N109 million from pension funds was prosecuted in a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Nailing the accused with clear evidence and proof of his culpability, Abisuga who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges against him turned to a ‘plea bargain’ that earned him not only six months imprisonment but also loss of all the proceeds of the crime. This came after four years of prosecution, as the case commenced in April 2012.
Although the judge who sentenced the culprit was said to have stated that his conviction was not just to punish but to reform offenders and deter the public from get-rich-quick syndrome, there is hardly any doubt that the jail term was a mere slap on the wrist. Such a conviction is impotent as a tool for reforming the culprit or anybody else for that matter. It was also meaningless as a deterrent to others. If anything, it could encourage weak-minded and valueless individuals to embark on similar escapades knowing, as it were, that the penalty for such abhorrent behaviour involving multiples of millions naira of the people’s funds would be a mere tap on the head.
The judge may not be blamed for the insignificant penalty imposed on the culprit because he must have been guided by what is provided in the nation’s laws, most of which are no longer in tune with current realities. But the statements that followed to justify the less than acceptable penalty on a civil servant that should be trusted beyond all reasonable doubts, especially if he is a professionally qualified and certified accountant, is an evidence of lack of appreciation of the weight of duty such a fraudster owes to his employers and the entire nation. He has not only betrayed the trust reposed in him by the nation, he has given a bad name to the institution of the civil service, disgraced his profession and brought odium upon his family.
Nonetheless, the fact that a civil servant has, through the legal system, been made to pay for his criminal, unethical and unprofessional behaviour, is a good sign that quest for zero-tolerance of corruption in the civil and public services is beginning to yield dividend. When people realise that once they violate the laws of the land, they would be confronted with the full force of those laws, circumspection and discipline would reign.
The most powerful restraints will even come from the realisation by people that they will be caught, thoroughly investigated as well as speedily and diligently prosecuted, if involved in any crime. Most assuredly, punitive and deterrent sanctions will further serve as excellent influencers to better behaviour by all citizens.
The EFCC, all the institutions and individuals that legally facilitated the jailing of the dishonourable civil servant, Babatunde Abisuga, deserve commendation and encouragement to do more to rid Nigeria of all forms of corruption.
The professional bodies to which Abisuga may belong should further subject him to their disciplinary procedures with a view to ensuring that he pays direly for the disrepute into which he has brought the accounting profession and the civil service. In this wise, the least expected is that Abisuga will be de-listed as a member of the accountancy profession and never again to practise as an accountant in any part of this country, if not globally, when he regains his freedom from prison. Many lessons are likely to be learnt from his experience by other professionals who may be contemplating indulging in corruption.
The government should also leverage on this successful prosecution to review the nation’s laws, especially the Evidence Act and Penal Code, with a view to ensuring that suspects are thoroughly investigated, diligently and speedily prosecuted. Those found guilty should be subjected to the severest of sanctions to serve as deterrent to intending corrupt persons.
The tide may be beginning to turn and the fight against corruption would seem to have started yielding some results. A statement on this was made the other day when a former accountant with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) was convicted and imprisoned for six months without option of fine, for crimes that included stealing, abuse of office and forgery. Nigeria needs more of such convictions for the anti-corruption train to move full-steam!
The convict, Babatunde Abisuga who was reported to have fraudulently helped himself to the tune of N109 million from pension funds was prosecuted in a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Nailing the accused with clear evidence and proof of his culpability, Abisuga who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges against him turned to a ‘plea bargain’ that earned him not only six months imprisonment but also loss of all the proceeds of the crime. This came after four years of prosecution, as the case commenced in April 2012.
Although the judge who sentenced the culprit was said to have stated that his conviction was not just to punish but to reform offenders and deter the public from get-rich-quick syndrome, there is hardly any doubt that the jail term was a mere slap on the wrist. Such a conviction is impotent as a tool for reforming the culprit or anybody else for that matter. It was also meaningless as a deterrent to others. If anything, it could encourage weak-minded and valueless individuals to embark on similar escapades knowing, as it were, that the penalty for such abhorrent behaviour involving multiples of millions naira of the people’s funds would be a mere tap on the head.
The judge may not be blamed for the insignificant penalty imposed on the culprit because he must have been guided by what is provided in the nation’s laws, most of which are no longer in tune with current realities. But the statements that followed to justify the less than acceptable penalty on a civil servant that should be trusted beyond all reasonable doubts, especially if he is a professionally qualified and certified accountant, is an evidence of lack of appreciation of the weight of duty such a fraudster owes to his employers and the entire nation. He has not only betrayed the trust reposed in him by the nation, he has given a bad name to the institution of the civil service, disgraced his profession and brought odium upon his family.
Nonetheless, the fact that a civil servant has, through the legal system, been made to pay for his criminal, unethical and unprofessional behaviour, is a good sign that quest for zero-tolerance of corruption in the civil and public services is beginning to yield dividend. When people realise that once they violate the laws of the land, they would be confronted with the full force of those laws, circumspection and discipline would reign.
The most powerful restraints will even come from the realisation by people that they will be caught, thoroughly investigated as well as speedily and diligently prosecuted, if involved in any crime. Most assuredly, punitive and deterrent sanctions will further serve as excellent influencers to better behaviour by all citizens.
The EFCC, all the institutions and individuals that legally facilitated the jailing of the dishonourable civil servant, Babatunde Abisuga, deserve commendation and encouragement to do more to rid Nigeria of all forms of corruption.
The professional bodies to which Abisuga may belong should further subject him to their disciplinary procedures with a view to ensuring that he pays direly for the disrepute into which he has brought the accounting profession and the civil service. In this wise, the least expected is that Abisuga will be de-listed as a member of the accountancy profession and never again to practise as an accountant in any part of this country, if not globally, when he regains his freedom from prison. Many lessons are likely to be learnt from his experience by other professionals who may be contemplating indulging in corruption.
The government should also leverage on this successful prosecution to review the nation’s laws, especially the Evidence Act and Penal Code, with a view to ensuring that suspects are thoroughly investigated, diligently and speedily prosecuted. Those found guilty should be subjected to the severest of sanctions to serve as deterrent to intending corrupt persons.
Open Heavens 31 May 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – A Glass of Water?
Topic: A Glass of Water? [Tuesday 31, May 2016]
Memorise: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. – Mark 9:41
Read: James 2:14-18 (KJV)
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 10-12, Ecclesiastes 1:1-5
MESSAGE:
The Bible has laid much emphasis on the art of giving, especially to God, the poor, widows, and our neighbours. Galatians 6:9 enjoins us not to be weary in doing good. One good thing we must not be tired of is sowing. To access your greatest financial harvest, continuous, consistent quality sowing is required. Your first seed may open the door to blessings, but keeping the door open requires persistent sowing. Are you already calling it quits with sowing just because you cannot quantify the returns of previous seeds? Don’t! You may be closing the door it took you so much effort to open! In the case of the widow of Zarephath, it took the sacrificial cake she gave on meeting Elijah the first day to open her door to abundance. If she had stopped at that, her miracle would have expired long before the end of the famine, but she did not. She kept the door permanently open by making cakes for Elijah daily for the entire period. Your first seed must have the backing of the other seeds if you will experience your ultimate financial breakthrough. Some people have pegged their blessing or limited the space through which their blessings come. James 2:14 says:
“For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Another relevant example is King Solomon. His first notable seed was when he sacrificed 1000 cows (1 Kings 3:4-15). This opened the doors of wealth, wisdom, and honour to him. But he did not stop there. In fact, immediately he got up from his revelational dream, he responded to God’s answer by offering more. And he continued and increased his seed. In 1 Kings 8:63, he gave God an offering of 22,000 oxen. Solomon continued to increase in wealth because he sustained his giving. He became so prosperous that they lost count of his wealth. In fact, 1 King 10:24-27 says the whole world sought after the wisdom of Solomon and choice things as silver and cedar become common place in his kingdom.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” - James 2:14 He later concluded that “faith without works is dead.”
Do you know that like King Solomon, God can bless you to the point that the business idea He gives you could be sought after by the whole world? It is possible for what people consider as priceless treasures to become common place to you. But there is a price you must pay continuously. You must not stop sowing. The door the Lord has opened to you which you were already closing by refusing to sustain your seeds will be kept wide open from today. However, play your part. Like Solomon continue to increase your seeds.
Prayer point: Father, please make me a giver and use me to provide solutions to the problems of many in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. – Mark 9:41
Read: James 2:14-18 (KJV)
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 10-12, Ecclesiastes 1:1-5
MESSAGE:
The Bible has laid much emphasis on the art of giving, especially to God, the poor, widows, and our neighbours. Galatians 6:9 enjoins us not to be weary in doing good. One good thing we must not be tired of is sowing. To access your greatest financial harvest, continuous, consistent quality sowing is required. Your first seed may open the door to blessings, but keeping the door open requires persistent sowing. Are you already calling it quits with sowing just because you cannot quantify the returns of previous seeds? Don’t! You may be closing the door it took you so much effort to open! In the case of the widow of Zarephath, it took the sacrificial cake she gave on meeting Elijah the first day to open her door to abundance. If she had stopped at that, her miracle would have expired long before the end of the famine, but she did not. She kept the door permanently open by making cakes for Elijah daily for the entire period. Your first seed must have the backing of the other seeds if you will experience your ultimate financial breakthrough. Some people have pegged their blessing or limited the space through which their blessings come. James 2:14 says:
“For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Another relevant example is King Solomon. His first notable seed was when he sacrificed 1000 cows (1 Kings 3:4-15). This opened the doors of wealth, wisdom, and honour to him. But he did not stop there. In fact, immediately he got up from his revelational dream, he responded to God’s answer by offering more. And he continued and increased his seed. In 1 Kings 8:63, he gave God an offering of 22,000 oxen. Solomon continued to increase in wealth because he sustained his giving. He became so prosperous that they lost count of his wealth. In fact, 1 King 10:24-27 says the whole world sought after the wisdom of Solomon and choice things as silver and cedar become common place in his kingdom.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” - James 2:14 He later concluded that “faith without works is dead.”
Do you know that like King Solomon, God can bless you to the point that the business idea He gives you could be sought after by the whole world? It is possible for what people consider as priceless treasures to become common place to you. But there is a price you must pay continuously. You must not stop sowing. The door the Lord has opened to you which you were already closing by refusing to sustain your seeds will be kept wide open from today. However, play your part. Like Solomon continue to increase your seeds.
Prayer point: Father, please make me a giver and use me to provide solutions to the problems of many in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
South-East burns as Biafra Day turns bloody
In the commercial city of Onitsha, our reporters quoted eye witnesses as saying that about 40 people, including a soldier, were killed, while over 50 were arrested. The incident, according to eye witnesses, started at about 3 a.m. when security forces entered the premises of St. Edmund’s Catholic Church, Nkpor Agu, near Onitsha and allegedly opened fire on the worshippers, accusing them of being Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, members, during which five were killed, while 10 others were injured. The source further stated at 8 a.m., the security forces, who patrolled all nooks and crannies of Onitsha, Nkpor, Ogidi and environs, allegedly swooped on another batch of suspected IPOB members, where about 20 were allegedly killed and scores injured. At about 11 a.m, the patrol team allegedly killed another 15, thus bringing the total casualty rate to about 40. However, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, said it was not involved in the protest that paralyzed commercial activities in the area. It was alleged that at 6 a.m, members of IPOB took to the streets, some naked, and were confronted by soldiers of the 312 Artillery Brigade, an action that allegedly led to scores of people losing their lives. The pro-Biafra groups blocked most major streets in Onitsha and Niger Bridge head, which made most people to remain indoors. All markets in Onitsha were also closed. Most of the killings were done at Nkpor, a suburb of Onitsha, where IPOB had chosen to celebrate Biafra Day. Two killed at Niger Bridge head According to Area Administrator of Nnewi Region of IPOB, Mr Sonny Chukwuebuka, two of IPOB members met their untimely death at the Niger Bridge Head as they were coming from Asaba, Delta State capital, with others to join their Anambra State counterparts in the celebration. They were said to have ran into soldiers, who denied them passage into Onitsha and in the process, a heated argument was said to have ensued. Vanguard learned that this later resulted in a bloody clash and consequently, a policeman was killed, while a soldier was stabbed. MASSOB not involved MASSOB leader, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said in a telephone interview that his organization was not involved in the protest, explaining that he had earlier issued a statement that this year’s Biafra Day should be celebrated quietly and that all MASSOB members should stay at home. Madu said though MASSOB was not involved in the protest, it was not enough reason for securitymen to open fire on innocent people. He said: “Security operatives of the Federal Government are arresting and killing people who are non-violent. Is it because we are not armed? It appears the only language the Nigerian security understands is violence. “This issue is not about MASSOB or IPOB. It is about Ndigbo generally. In the ongoing killings, innocent people were also targets.” IPOB protest illegal —Anambra govt In its reaction, Anambra State government said the protest by IPOB, in Onitsha was illegal, noting that the group did not obtain the necessary police permit for the rally. In an announcement shortly after the Onitsha incident, government, through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications Strategy, Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta, said: “The attention of Anambra State government has been drawn to illegal demonstration by a group of individuals causing anxiety at Nkpor/Onitsha axis of the state. The law enforcement agencies are on top of the situation and are currently working to restore normalcy and free movement for all law-abiding citizens. “Ndi Anambra are, hereby, advised to remain calm and vigilant and go about their lawful businesses. All should note that there are laws against disturbance of public peace.” 50 members arrested, IPOB alleges Also reacting to the clash, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, alleged that apart from about 40 people killed, security operatives also arrested over 50 members of the group and took them to an unknown destination. He said: “We were celebrating Biafra without any form of violence and the question we are asking is whether we no longer have our fundamental rights.” National Publicity Secretary of Campaign for Democracy (CD), Mr. Dede-Uzor-Dede, said the Federal Government should arrest those involved in the killings of the harmless youths, with a view to bringing them to justice, in line with Chapter 4, Sections 33 to 41 which centred on fundamental human rights and in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/646391/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/646391/
Monday, 30 May 2016
Charly Boy writes open letter to Pres. Buhari on behalf of all voiceless and abandoned youths
In celebrating democracy through knowledge and vision. Charly Boy writes an open letter to the President as Nigeria celebrates her 56th Democracy Day. Read below;
My Dear Presido,
You know how hard and for how long you have fought for this your job, now that you have it, we cant wait to see how our lives will CHANGE!! People already don begin dey throw stones, but me know say many things spoil, one year no fit balance anything.
How far? You see say this matter no dey as easy as you think am, but I know say many of your yarns before you enter, Na political, rhetorical acrobatic, jingoism. Na him make I talk say I go ride my bike reach China if one dollar equal to one Naira. I know that was part of your sound bites during your campaign.
Now, work don set. I know you understand why our expectations are high, so you can't blame us too much, because we have been lied to, over and over again by most of our insincere leaders. By faith or design, you have become a symbol of renaissance for a nation that has been battered by mismanagement and unprecedented corruption.
Kai! Odiegwu!
Weather or not you live up to that billing, time would tell.
Many Naijas were sold on your Change Campaign, tired of the usual statuesque and many more just wanted a better life for themselves and their loved ones. All eyes are on you, I trust you know that by now. Let your actions and words demonstrate to us possibilities, hope again for the youths of this country and a channeling back to those core values which we hold sacred. Anything less will be same of the same. Shey you get?
I would want to believe that you have come to heal and fix the rot.
It will never be easy because of the wolves and sharks amongst us who benefit big time from the corruption, the poverty, the confusion and hopelessness they inflict on Nigerians.
All I ask of you, is to pay attention to the youths of this country whose future has been stolen by the fantastically corrupt leaders.
Oga me, e don set oooooo.
Beast Regards.
Charles Emeka Oputa. ( CEO )
PRESIDENT
All Frustrated, Abandoned and Voiceless Youths.
My Dear Presido,
You know how hard and for how long you have fought for this your job, now that you have it, we cant wait to see how our lives will CHANGE!! People already don begin dey throw stones, but me know say many things spoil, one year no fit balance anything.
How far? You see say this matter no dey as easy as you think am, but I know say many of your yarns before you enter, Na political, rhetorical acrobatic, jingoism. Na him make I talk say I go ride my bike reach China if one dollar equal to one Naira. I know that was part of your sound bites during your campaign.
Now, work don set. I know you understand why our expectations are high, so you can't blame us too much, because we have been lied to, over and over again by most of our insincere leaders. By faith or design, you have become a symbol of renaissance for a nation that has been battered by mismanagement and unprecedented corruption.
Kai! Odiegwu!
Weather or not you live up to that billing, time would tell.
Many Naijas were sold on your Change Campaign, tired of the usual statuesque and many more just wanted a better life for themselves and their loved ones. All eyes are on you, I trust you know that by now. Let your actions and words demonstrate to us possibilities, hope again for the youths of this country and a channeling back to those core values which we hold sacred. Anything less will be same of the same. Shey you get?
I would want to believe that you have come to heal and fix the rot.
It will never be easy because of the wolves and sharks amongst us who benefit big time from the corruption, the poverty, the confusion and hopelessness they inflict on Nigerians.
All I ask of you, is to pay attention to the youths of this country whose future has been stolen by the fantastically corrupt leaders.
Oga me, e don set oooooo.
Beast Regards.
Charles Emeka Oputa. ( CEO )
PRESIDENT
All Frustrated, Abandoned and Voiceless Youths.
Open Heavens 30 May 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Always on Time
Topic: Always on Time [Monday 30, May 2016]
Memorise: Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. – John 11:21
Read: John 11:21-26 (KJV)
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 7:4-9:31, Proverbs 31:16-31
MESSAGE:
Situations in life sometimes portray God as being insensitive to human suffering, sorrow and pain. On this account People tend to blame God by asking questions such as, where was God when the bad act was taking place. Why did God not intervene on time? Our memory verse says,
“Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” - John 11:21
By this statement, she was implying that the damage had been done, if the Lord had really wanted to help the situation, He would have arrived much earlier. But I have good news for you, God is never late, He is always on time. He is omnipresent; He is not bound by human timing. He knows the end from the beginning, He does not sleep or slumber, He can do all things, and forgetfulness is not part of His nature. David was obviously in the spirit when he penned Psalms 102:13 which says:
“Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.”
When talking about favour, generally, there is a time requirement involved. Some are born into favour from their first day on earth. Some enter into favour in their childhood or teen years. Others encounter favour as adults while some experience it at old age. In the same vein, some experience favour in one or two areas of their lives, while for some, when favour comes, it covers every department of their lives. Whether it comes early or later, or covers one or all areas of life, the coming of favour is characterized by a chain of goodies: bountiful joy, breakthroughs, miracles and blessings. In the scriptures, the time of favour has been termed a time of divine remembrance.
In Genesis 30:22-24, we see the case of Rachel. For many years, her womb was closed. There could be several factors responsible for this ranging from biological to divine. Although, her husband loved her very much, his love could not terminate her childlessness. Meanwhile, her sister Leah had become a baby making factory. The anguish of the barren in the midst of fruitful people can best be imagined. Genesis 30:1 says it got to a point Rachel preferred death to the unending embarrassment she was going through. Have you been in a similar situation where your high school pals are gainfully employed, own cars, and live in their personal houses while you are still combing the streets looking for a job? How do you feel when you all have to attend a meeting and everyone cruises in with their brand new cars except you? You may be compelled to keep away from them in order to avoid embarrassment. Don’t despair! Thank God Rachel’s time of favour came and God remembered her. At last, apart from having two children, Joseph, her firstborn, became an Egyptian Prince – ruling over the world. Do you know your time of favour is coming? It is around the corner. God will remember you and could even make you overtake those who started much earlier than you. It may appear as if God forgot you all these years, but your time of divine remembrance have come. Celebrate Jesus as you step into your time of divine favour in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, let my time of favour come now in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. – John 11:21
Read: John 11:21-26 (KJV)
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 7:4-9:31, Proverbs 31:16-31
MESSAGE:
Situations in life sometimes portray God as being insensitive to human suffering, sorrow and pain. On this account People tend to blame God by asking questions such as, where was God when the bad act was taking place. Why did God not intervene on time? Our memory verse says,
“Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” - John 11:21
By this statement, she was implying that the damage had been done, if the Lord had really wanted to help the situation, He would have arrived much earlier. But I have good news for you, God is never late, He is always on time. He is omnipresent; He is not bound by human timing. He knows the end from the beginning, He does not sleep or slumber, He can do all things, and forgetfulness is not part of His nature. David was obviously in the spirit when he penned Psalms 102:13 which says:
“Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.”
When talking about favour, generally, there is a time requirement involved. Some are born into favour from their first day on earth. Some enter into favour in their childhood or teen years. Others encounter favour as adults while some experience it at old age. In the same vein, some experience favour in one or two areas of their lives, while for some, when favour comes, it covers every department of their lives. Whether it comes early or later, or covers one or all areas of life, the coming of favour is characterized by a chain of goodies: bountiful joy, breakthroughs, miracles and blessings. In the scriptures, the time of favour has been termed a time of divine remembrance.
In Genesis 30:22-24, we see the case of Rachel. For many years, her womb was closed. There could be several factors responsible for this ranging from biological to divine. Although, her husband loved her very much, his love could not terminate her childlessness. Meanwhile, her sister Leah had become a baby making factory. The anguish of the barren in the midst of fruitful people can best be imagined. Genesis 30:1 says it got to a point Rachel preferred death to the unending embarrassment she was going through. Have you been in a similar situation where your high school pals are gainfully employed, own cars, and live in their personal houses while you are still combing the streets looking for a job? How do you feel when you all have to attend a meeting and everyone cruises in with their brand new cars except you? You may be compelled to keep away from them in order to avoid embarrassment. Don’t despair! Thank God Rachel’s time of favour came and God remembered her. At last, apart from having two children, Joseph, her firstborn, became an Egyptian Prince – ruling over the world. Do you know your time of favour is coming? It is around the corner. God will remember you and could even make you overtake those who started much earlier than you. It may appear as if God forgot you all these years, but your time of divine remembrance have come. Celebrate Jesus as you step into your time of divine favour in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, let my time of favour come now in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Sunday, 29 May 2016
The Second Coming of President Buhari (Part 2) – By Dele Momodu
Fellow Nigerians, I’m back this week to continue where I stopped last week. If you missed the first part, let me summarise quickly. The piece was largely historical as I took the readers on a tour de force of how we arrived at President Muhammadu Buhari, a stone repeatedly rejected but has now become the cornerstone. I concluded that the second coming of President Buhari was a miracle and that the high expectations would naturally place a heavy burden on him.
Without doubt, life has not been rosy for our dear President and Nigerians in the last one year. What Nigerians expected from Buhari was nothing short of a magical revolution that would transform Nigeria, without military power this time around. The joy that heralded his coming was surreal and uncommon. For once, since June 12, 1993, when Chief Moshood Abiola won the most monumental election since our Independence, Nigerians united in celebrating President Buhari’s superlative victory. Everywhere I went, Nigerians were proud that Buhari had won and world leaders saluted our incredible achievement. In Dubai, where I travelled to shortly after the election, taxi drivers congratulated me once they confirmed that I was from Nigeria. The story was virtually the same in London, a city with probably the second largest concentration of Nigerians outside our dear beloved country. Indeed, we never had it so good.
So what seems to have gone wrong and how did we somehow wasted the momentum that was galloping us to prosperity, given where we have now found ourselves? Nigerians expected our President to have spent the transition period to assemble and get his team ready. His economic team was supposed to have been identified and put on notice and standby. We now know that the outgoing Government did not co-operate as fully as it should have done and the President did not have hand over notes on time, according to some impeccable sources.
Once the newly elected representatives of the people got inaugurated, one expected that everything would be smooth sailing, as APC had the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly. However, the election of principal officers of the National Assembly which was meant to be a simple and straight-forward affair since the ruling party had a simple majority already in its kitty turned out to be anything but that. No one anticipated the raging inferno that would erupt from contending ambitions and conflicting egos. The Eighth National Assembly has never known peace since inception and the rest would be history by the time the gladiators finish tearing themselves to pieces in the market place.
The selection, screening and confirmation of Buhari’s cabinet took place at snail-speed. Nigerians mumbled and grumbled like the Biblical Jeremiah about the time it was taking for the President to pick his men and women. It did not seem the President understood that his people are probably the most impatient human beings on earth. Perhaps, he would have jazzed up the tempo and tenor of his administration by announcing his cabinet long before he eventually did.
The steam started cooling down like melting dew and before long the mumbling turned to moaning and grunting. Those of us perceived to be part of the Buhari Movement have not been spared by those who would never see anything good in our President. We’ve been treated scornfully and attacked as those who brought this scourge on Nigeria. All explanations and entreaties have fallen on deaf ears.
The situation was further compounded by the war against corruption which has been waged with religious fervour by the Buhari government. The horrendous stories of stealing in high places are stranger than fiction. All well-meaning Nigerians have been scandalised by the gory tales of brigandage and high larceny that we have been subjected to. Most Nigerians are happy and pray that maybe Buhari would be able to win a war that was apparently responsible for the abrupt termination of his military rule in 1985, during his first coming. Many big personalities have been arrested, detained and prosecuted, though only one case has been concluded and most are yet to be brought to judgment and conviction.
The Judiciary that should be the last bastion of justice and the ultimate hope of the common man has been on trial and ostensibly nailed to the cross. There have been allegations of bribery and bias. Such an important institution has been weakened miserably and how it would wriggle out and cleanse its self-deprecatory mess remains to be seen. The Buhari government does not seem impressed even though it would need a willing and ready partner in the judiciary in its volatile crusade against corruption.
Security remains a huge challenge. Though our irrepressible military appear to be pushing forward in its efforts towards the obliteration of the terror group, Boko Haram, there are still some skirmishes here and there. Kidnapping is back big time. Just days ago, my young cousin, John Fatoye, a fresh graduate was abducted as he boarded a fake taxi and found himself journeying through places that he would never be able to identify since he was blindfolded. He survived by the whiskers as God miraculously touched the hearts of the bandits who dumped him somewhere on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. This has become rampant.
We didn’t hear of the Shiites, New Biafrans, Fulani herdsmen and Niger Delta Avengers this time last year. But these groups have managed to force their ways to the front pages of our newspapers and the forefront of our attention and reckoning because of their agitations and restiveness. The Amnesty Programme that was meticulously put in place by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has virtually collapsed. The Avengers have wreaked unprecedented havoc on our crude oil supplies and operations. It is reckoned that we’ve lost our production capacities by about one million barrels per day at a time we are grappling with abysmally low income from oil.
By far the greatest albatross of the Buhari is the comatose economy. Many are wondering what suddenly happened to the robust and rambunctious economy that was celebrated globally less than three years ago. Our economy under the government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathain was supposed to have overtaken that of South Africa to become the front leader. It has nosedived to an all-time low in just one year. We have studiously ignored the fact that we’ve catapulted ourselves into recession. That oil prices crashed calamitously when President Buhari took over power and the profligacy and impunity of the previous administration became manifest as there was no money to cover up and paper the cracks that had been obvious to the discerning public.
The truth is thus that the times have not been kind to this administration. President Jonathan had devalued the Naira twice in the space of six months in the last days of his administration. The effect of that devaluation is only just being felt in the course of this Buhari administration because, in the euphoria of the elections, everyone forgot about the economy. The parallel foreign exchange market took on a mind of its own and defied all permutations as speculators held sway. Prices of food and other essentials have gone haywire. In the end the Central Bank had to capitulate to those clamouring for devaluation by recently announcing a flexible exchange policy. This will naturally mean further economic woes for the long-suffering masses of our great country but we must have faith and believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
No one is sure if we’ve finally done away with the ubiquitous petrol subsidy or whether there is now deregulation of the petrol pricing regime. Only time will tell. Thank God however that the unbearable queues at petrol stations have disappeared and we pray it is final this time.
Unemployment has become dangerously massive. In fact, we are now rated as the country with the largest army of unemployed youths in the world. And the list of our woes is full and unending.
The regular excuse for the woeful economic quagmire we have found ourselves is that the past governments created this volcanic eruption. While this is a fact, many have argued that the time for buck-passing is far gone because that is the reason Jonathan was sacked by Nigerians.
Where then do we go from here? I shall endeavour to put my humble suggestions forward. I’m aware that some aides might be dissembling to the President and telling him all is well. But Baba, there is fire on the mountain. As one of your foot-soldiers, I remain committed to telling you what the voices on the streets are saying. I will now take the challenges and prospects together, one by one.
The priority of every nation is to build a buoyant economy. Truth is that would be difficult under the current climate. There is too much tension in the land, and the uncertainties can only scare away any investor. For example, foreign airlines are jittery and United Airlines only just announced that it was closing its operations in Nigeria. The almighty British Airways is exploring its options. Even Virgin Atlantic is shedding a few flights on our routes. These are not good signs. We must douse the tension urgently.
The banks are panicky and rocking although we are all afraid to openly say this for fear of precipitating a grand collapse. This probably accounts for all manner of unsavoury charges that are being levied on unsuspecting customers. The Central Bank must intervene and save the already overburdened populate. The manufacturers are angry. They are being ravaged by epileptic power supply and uncertain currency regulations. Every type of power generation must be explored speedily. Ghana has convinced me that this can be fixed quickly as demonstrated by President John Dramani Mahama. This has made most Nigerians living in Ghana very hopeful that Nigeria would break our electricity jinx one day soon. If Mahama can perform such miracle, we too should work harder.
Farmers are being kicked aground as they are overrun either by diseases or murderous herdsmen and their rampaging herds. No one should play politics with lives and livestock. It should not matter that some of the herdsmen are kinsmen of our President. They should be tackled seriously and I’m sure our President would safeguard every Nigerian soul and property. Once the perpetrators know the President is not on their side they will simmer down quickly.
The major bright spot is the war against corruption which the Government is largely seen to be winning. I would like to sound a note of caution though. While it is good to fight corruption, it should be done systematically. Otherwise, what we lose might be bigger than what we gain. I learnt from Chief M.K.O Abiola that there are two ways of shouting Yeee. He said “you can shout YEEE and people will run and you can shout YE-YE-YE and people will dance.
We can investigate and prosecute corruption without employing gestapo style operations. The President must insist on respect for the rule of law. One must never fight illegality with illegality. We must avoid anything that would suggest that enemies are being hounded. No crime could be worse than apartheid yet Dr Nelson Mandela chose peace over crisis. I recommend that corruption can be fought without making it appear like grandstanding. The looted funds will be recovered when a thorough but fair investigation has been carried out. No Nigerian should be detained on experimental basis at this time and age. We should always embrace dialogue as means to conflict resolution. Great Britain, USA, and other European countries sometimes even negotiate with terrorists. Those asking for blood today will sing a different song and tune when tomorrow comes.
We must do everything possible to secure the cooperation of every Nigerian no matter our ethnic, religious and political differences. In this regard, I implore President Buhari to hold steadfast to the notion that nothing should be done to humiliate a man who voluntarily gave up power when he could have opted for bloodshed. I will always admire and appreciate the sacrifice of President Goodluck Jonathan. We should remember that he was the first man from South South to govern Nigeria by divine intervention. He paid dearly for fumbling in power and that is enough punishment. Other leaders who wasted our resources since Independence are roaming around freely. If they cannot be subjected to a similar treatment, then Jonathan should be left to his conscience and should be allowed to enjoy his retirement without harassment. No man is perfect and we should not sow permanent seeds of discord that may eventually ruin our nation. That does not mean looted funds must not be substantially retrieved from all public office holders without fear or favour. Many in all the Political Parties and civil service fall into this category. The pursuit of one man as is now being advocated by some can only be an unwarranted provocation and unnecessary distraction.
It is never a sign of weakness to run away from danger and regroup. It is for this reason that I urge that we must not add the Avengers to our political and economic lexicon. I pray it is not too late. President Yar’Adua did the wisest thing when he drew the embittered militants closer. The people of the Niger Delta have every reason to be bitter. Their representative was sacked and not allowed to return to power. Yet the Asari Dokubos, Tompolos and others left quietly without a conflagration and it was indeed a miracle. We must not go and wake up unnecessary trouble. Our pots are full already.
Nevertheless, the Avengers have no right or justification for the atrocities and crimes they are committing. All they are doing is contributing not only to the economic woes of the country and even the world but more importantly they are destroying the communities they claim they are helping through environmental degradation and economic deprivation. The President must help these communities, and turn them away from the romantic notions spawned by these militants, by giving them a sense of belonging once again!
According to an old British Telecom advert: “It is good to talk…” Our problems are solvable if we embrace dialogue no matter how difficult it seems.
Without doubt, life has not been rosy for our dear President and Nigerians in the last one year. What Nigerians expected from Buhari was nothing short of a magical revolution that would transform Nigeria, without military power this time around. The joy that heralded his coming was surreal and uncommon. For once, since June 12, 1993, when Chief Moshood Abiola won the most monumental election since our Independence, Nigerians united in celebrating President Buhari’s superlative victory. Everywhere I went, Nigerians were proud that Buhari had won and world leaders saluted our incredible achievement. In Dubai, where I travelled to shortly after the election, taxi drivers congratulated me once they confirmed that I was from Nigeria. The story was virtually the same in London, a city with probably the second largest concentration of Nigerians outside our dear beloved country. Indeed, we never had it so good.
So what seems to have gone wrong and how did we somehow wasted the momentum that was galloping us to prosperity, given where we have now found ourselves? Nigerians expected our President to have spent the transition period to assemble and get his team ready. His economic team was supposed to have been identified and put on notice and standby. We now know that the outgoing Government did not co-operate as fully as it should have done and the President did not have hand over notes on time, according to some impeccable sources.
Once the newly elected representatives of the people got inaugurated, one expected that everything would be smooth sailing, as APC had the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly. However, the election of principal officers of the National Assembly which was meant to be a simple and straight-forward affair since the ruling party had a simple majority already in its kitty turned out to be anything but that. No one anticipated the raging inferno that would erupt from contending ambitions and conflicting egos. The Eighth National Assembly has never known peace since inception and the rest would be history by the time the gladiators finish tearing themselves to pieces in the market place.
The selection, screening and confirmation of Buhari’s cabinet took place at snail-speed. Nigerians mumbled and grumbled like the Biblical Jeremiah about the time it was taking for the President to pick his men and women. It did not seem the President understood that his people are probably the most impatient human beings on earth. Perhaps, he would have jazzed up the tempo and tenor of his administration by announcing his cabinet long before he eventually did.
The steam started cooling down like melting dew and before long the mumbling turned to moaning and grunting. Those of us perceived to be part of the Buhari Movement have not been spared by those who would never see anything good in our President. We’ve been treated scornfully and attacked as those who brought this scourge on Nigeria. All explanations and entreaties have fallen on deaf ears.
The situation was further compounded by the war against corruption which has been waged with religious fervour by the Buhari government. The horrendous stories of stealing in high places are stranger than fiction. All well-meaning Nigerians have been scandalised by the gory tales of brigandage and high larceny that we have been subjected to. Most Nigerians are happy and pray that maybe Buhari would be able to win a war that was apparently responsible for the abrupt termination of his military rule in 1985, during his first coming. Many big personalities have been arrested, detained and prosecuted, though only one case has been concluded and most are yet to be brought to judgment and conviction.
The Judiciary that should be the last bastion of justice and the ultimate hope of the common man has been on trial and ostensibly nailed to the cross. There have been allegations of bribery and bias. Such an important institution has been weakened miserably and how it would wriggle out and cleanse its self-deprecatory mess remains to be seen. The Buhari government does not seem impressed even though it would need a willing and ready partner in the judiciary in its volatile crusade against corruption.
Security remains a huge challenge. Though our irrepressible military appear to be pushing forward in its efforts towards the obliteration of the terror group, Boko Haram, there are still some skirmishes here and there. Kidnapping is back big time. Just days ago, my young cousin, John Fatoye, a fresh graduate was abducted as he boarded a fake taxi and found himself journeying through places that he would never be able to identify since he was blindfolded. He survived by the whiskers as God miraculously touched the hearts of the bandits who dumped him somewhere on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. This has become rampant.
We didn’t hear of the Shiites, New Biafrans, Fulani herdsmen and Niger Delta Avengers this time last year. But these groups have managed to force their ways to the front pages of our newspapers and the forefront of our attention and reckoning because of their agitations and restiveness. The Amnesty Programme that was meticulously put in place by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has virtually collapsed. The Avengers have wreaked unprecedented havoc on our crude oil supplies and operations. It is reckoned that we’ve lost our production capacities by about one million barrels per day at a time we are grappling with abysmally low income from oil.
By far the greatest albatross of the Buhari is the comatose economy. Many are wondering what suddenly happened to the robust and rambunctious economy that was celebrated globally less than three years ago. Our economy under the government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathain was supposed to have overtaken that of South Africa to become the front leader. It has nosedived to an all-time low in just one year. We have studiously ignored the fact that we’ve catapulted ourselves into recession. That oil prices crashed calamitously when President Buhari took over power and the profligacy and impunity of the previous administration became manifest as there was no money to cover up and paper the cracks that had been obvious to the discerning public.
The truth is thus that the times have not been kind to this administration. President Jonathan had devalued the Naira twice in the space of six months in the last days of his administration. The effect of that devaluation is only just being felt in the course of this Buhari administration because, in the euphoria of the elections, everyone forgot about the economy. The parallel foreign exchange market took on a mind of its own and defied all permutations as speculators held sway. Prices of food and other essentials have gone haywire. In the end the Central Bank had to capitulate to those clamouring for devaluation by recently announcing a flexible exchange policy. This will naturally mean further economic woes for the long-suffering masses of our great country but we must have faith and believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
No one is sure if we’ve finally done away with the ubiquitous petrol subsidy or whether there is now deregulation of the petrol pricing regime. Only time will tell. Thank God however that the unbearable queues at petrol stations have disappeared and we pray it is final this time.
Unemployment has become dangerously massive. In fact, we are now rated as the country with the largest army of unemployed youths in the world. And the list of our woes is full and unending.
The regular excuse for the woeful economic quagmire we have found ourselves is that the past governments created this volcanic eruption. While this is a fact, many have argued that the time for buck-passing is far gone because that is the reason Jonathan was sacked by Nigerians.
Where then do we go from here? I shall endeavour to put my humble suggestions forward. I’m aware that some aides might be dissembling to the President and telling him all is well. But Baba, there is fire on the mountain. As one of your foot-soldiers, I remain committed to telling you what the voices on the streets are saying. I will now take the challenges and prospects together, one by one.
The priority of every nation is to build a buoyant economy. Truth is that would be difficult under the current climate. There is too much tension in the land, and the uncertainties can only scare away any investor. For example, foreign airlines are jittery and United Airlines only just announced that it was closing its operations in Nigeria. The almighty British Airways is exploring its options. Even Virgin Atlantic is shedding a few flights on our routes. These are not good signs. We must douse the tension urgently.
The banks are panicky and rocking although we are all afraid to openly say this for fear of precipitating a grand collapse. This probably accounts for all manner of unsavoury charges that are being levied on unsuspecting customers. The Central Bank must intervene and save the already overburdened populate. The manufacturers are angry. They are being ravaged by epileptic power supply and uncertain currency regulations. Every type of power generation must be explored speedily. Ghana has convinced me that this can be fixed quickly as demonstrated by President John Dramani Mahama. This has made most Nigerians living in Ghana very hopeful that Nigeria would break our electricity jinx one day soon. If Mahama can perform such miracle, we too should work harder.
Farmers are being kicked aground as they are overrun either by diseases or murderous herdsmen and their rampaging herds. No one should play politics with lives and livestock. It should not matter that some of the herdsmen are kinsmen of our President. They should be tackled seriously and I’m sure our President would safeguard every Nigerian soul and property. Once the perpetrators know the President is not on their side they will simmer down quickly.
The major bright spot is the war against corruption which the Government is largely seen to be winning. I would like to sound a note of caution though. While it is good to fight corruption, it should be done systematically. Otherwise, what we lose might be bigger than what we gain. I learnt from Chief M.K.O Abiola that there are two ways of shouting Yeee. He said “you can shout YEEE and people will run and you can shout YE-YE-YE and people will dance.
We can investigate and prosecute corruption without employing gestapo style operations. The President must insist on respect for the rule of law. One must never fight illegality with illegality. We must avoid anything that would suggest that enemies are being hounded. No crime could be worse than apartheid yet Dr Nelson Mandela chose peace over crisis. I recommend that corruption can be fought without making it appear like grandstanding. The looted funds will be recovered when a thorough but fair investigation has been carried out. No Nigerian should be detained on experimental basis at this time and age. We should always embrace dialogue as means to conflict resolution. Great Britain, USA, and other European countries sometimes even negotiate with terrorists. Those asking for blood today will sing a different song and tune when tomorrow comes.
We must do everything possible to secure the cooperation of every Nigerian no matter our ethnic, religious and political differences. In this regard, I implore President Buhari to hold steadfast to the notion that nothing should be done to humiliate a man who voluntarily gave up power when he could have opted for bloodshed. I will always admire and appreciate the sacrifice of President Goodluck Jonathan. We should remember that he was the first man from South South to govern Nigeria by divine intervention. He paid dearly for fumbling in power and that is enough punishment. Other leaders who wasted our resources since Independence are roaming around freely. If they cannot be subjected to a similar treatment, then Jonathan should be left to his conscience and should be allowed to enjoy his retirement without harassment. No man is perfect and we should not sow permanent seeds of discord that may eventually ruin our nation. That does not mean looted funds must not be substantially retrieved from all public office holders without fear or favour. Many in all the Political Parties and civil service fall into this category. The pursuit of one man as is now being advocated by some can only be an unwarranted provocation and unnecessary distraction.
It is never a sign of weakness to run away from danger and regroup. It is for this reason that I urge that we must not add the Avengers to our political and economic lexicon. I pray it is not too late. President Yar’Adua did the wisest thing when he drew the embittered militants closer. The people of the Niger Delta have every reason to be bitter. Their representative was sacked and not allowed to return to power. Yet the Asari Dokubos, Tompolos and others left quietly without a conflagration and it was indeed a miracle. We must not go and wake up unnecessary trouble. Our pots are full already.
Nevertheless, the Avengers have no right or justification for the atrocities and crimes they are committing. All they are doing is contributing not only to the economic woes of the country and even the world but more importantly they are destroying the communities they claim they are helping through environmental degradation and economic deprivation. The President must help these communities, and turn them away from the romantic notions spawned by these militants, by giving them a sense of belonging once again!
According to an old British Telecom advert: “It is good to talk…” Our problems are solvable if we embrace dialogue no matter how difficult it seems.
Open Heavens 29 May 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Trial of Faith
Topic: The Trial of Faith [Sunday 29, May 2016]
Memorise: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: – 1 Peter 4:12
Read: 1 Peter 1:1-7 (KJV)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 5:2-7:3, Proverbs 31:1-15
MESSAGE:
Faith, by its very nature, must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life. Much that we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him – ‘I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do’. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” – this is the most sublime utterance of faith.
Trials of faith are difficult to bear; for they cause heaviness or depression of the mind, (Hebrews 10:32). “Why art thou cast down, O my soul! And why art thou disquieted within me?” is often the language of the child of God. But ought he ever to be cast down? Ought he not to be superior to the trials of life, and to soar above them as on eagles’ wings? No; Christianity is not Stoicism, and, if a believer does not feel his troubles, there would cease to be such, and it would not affect their purpose and design. While, he does not yield to a spirit of dejection, or allow it to overcome him, he must feel when in the furnace or trial even as did our Lord Himself. In the presence of others, however, he should endeavour to be cheerful, and the more so if he occupies a public position in the Church, so that he doesn’t discourage those around him. When Joseph’s brethren appeared before him, he felt deep emotions, and could scarcely restrain himself. He left them, therefore, that he might weep in secret before God, and then he returned, relieved of the oppressive load (Genesis 43:30-31).
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” - 1 Peter 4:12
Trials of faith should be endured because they are temporary. Trials are not supposed to be permanent fixtures in life, they are for a season. A day of adversity comes, when darkness intercepts the skies, when the storm sets in on every side, when not a gleam of light shines upon the path you tread; and then, perhaps, you hastily concluded that it will always be so. But no; sorrow endures for the night, but joy comes in the morning. It is only for a while that the trials lasts, and before long there is an opening in the clouds, the sun’s bright beams burst through them again, and you are filled with hope and joy. There are some trials, which are life-long in their effects, and can never be forgotten, like a deep wound in the flesh which, though healed, leaves a scar which must be carried to the grave. But the longest trials, and those which leave the deepest wounds, are only for a season – the season of our earthly life, and in a brighter sphere we shall forget them all, or remember them only as the wounded soldier remembers what he has passed through when he returns victorious from the field of battle. May you receive strength to bear your trials and to overcome all in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, please don’t let me fail in the trials of life in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: – 1 Peter 4:12
Read: 1 Peter 1:1-7 (KJV)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 5:2-7:3, Proverbs 31:1-15
MESSAGE:
Faith, by its very nature, must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life. Much that we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him – ‘I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do’. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” – this is the most sublime utterance of faith.
Trials of faith are difficult to bear; for they cause heaviness or depression of the mind, (Hebrews 10:32). “Why art thou cast down, O my soul! And why art thou disquieted within me?” is often the language of the child of God. But ought he ever to be cast down? Ought he not to be superior to the trials of life, and to soar above them as on eagles’ wings? No; Christianity is not Stoicism, and, if a believer does not feel his troubles, there would cease to be such, and it would not affect their purpose and design. While, he does not yield to a spirit of dejection, or allow it to overcome him, he must feel when in the furnace or trial even as did our Lord Himself. In the presence of others, however, he should endeavour to be cheerful, and the more so if he occupies a public position in the Church, so that he doesn’t discourage those around him. When Joseph’s brethren appeared before him, he felt deep emotions, and could scarcely restrain himself. He left them, therefore, that he might weep in secret before God, and then he returned, relieved of the oppressive load (Genesis 43:30-31).
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” - 1 Peter 4:12
Trials of faith should be endured because they are temporary. Trials are not supposed to be permanent fixtures in life, they are for a season. A day of adversity comes, when darkness intercepts the skies, when the storm sets in on every side, when not a gleam of light shines upon the path you tread; and then, perhaps, you hastily concluded that it will always be so. But no; sorrow endures for the night, but joy comes in the morning. It is only for a while that the trials lasts, and before long there is an opening in the clouds, the sun’s bright beams burst through them again, and you are filled with hope and joy. There are some trials, which are life-long in their effects, and can never be forgotten, like a deep wound in the flesh which, though healed, leaves a scar which must be carried to the grave. But the longest trials, and those which leave the deepest wounds, are only for a season – the season of our earthly life, and in a brighter sphere we shall forget them all, or remember them only as the wounded soldier remembers what he has passed through when he returns victorious from the field of battle. May you receive strength to bear your trials and to overcome all in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, please don’t let me fail in the trials of life in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
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