Support for the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun gathered momentum on Tuesday as prominent leaders of the party lauded his leadership qualities, describing him as “a man of honour, integrity and dignity”.
In a statement in Abuja by the Chairman of APC United Front, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, the leaders described as laughable the calls on Oyegun to resign as chairman of the APC by Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his co-travellers, saying the world has seen a more progressive party under his dynamic leadership
“Chief Odigie Oyegun is not under the influence of a powerful and sinister arm of government. He will never thwart the will of the people” the leaders said.
They praised the national chairman for his strategic roles in internal party governance and in the development and promulgation of party policy.
Listing intellectual depth, credible track record, futuristic vision and personal integrity as key requirements for a progressive leader, the leaders eulogized Oyegun for giving equal rights and opportunities to members of the APC regardless of status, class and affiliation.
“Leadership goes with creativity, sensitivity, compassion, innovation, courage, vision, character, competence, focus, passion, responsibility, self-discipline, service delivery and a very high dosage of patriotism. Oyegun is an embodiment of transparency and accountability” the statement said.
The leaders commended Oyegun for bringing about a more dynamic way of administering the affairs of the party, sacrificing his comfort to work tirelessly for the party and for allowing the wheel of democracy to run constitutionally.
“As a man with impeccable record in governance and party politics, Chief Odigie Oyegun will never derail from the path of honour”
The leaders, who also thanked Nigerians at home and abroad for the confidence reposed on Oyegun, applauded him for the pragmatic steps taken to address the problems in the party in Ondo State.
“Oyegun is an honest and highly effective leader. He has built a reputation anchored on integrity over the years. He is a fountain of quality advice, inspiration, encouragement and hope. He deserves the biggest thanks for being a team player and using his undivided and thorough leadership style in growing the party” the leaders said.
Identifying his commitment to principle in the practice of politics, the rule of law and the best democratic tradition of fairness as some of the attributes that brought him into collusion with Tinubu and others, the leaders commended him for enriching the development journey of the party and the country.
The leaders described the decision of the Appeal Panel as selfish.
“Oyegun is honest, dedicated, committed, and God fearing. He is a consummate politician, proven administrator and a bridge builder. He is a man of honour, integrity and dignity” the statement said.
The leaders while describing Oyegun as a true democrat, a hard-working, progressive person and leader with credibility, character and calm advised him to continue with his good work.
They also advised Tinubu not to destroy the party with his selfish and anti-democratic agenda.
The leaders, who also recalled the sterling performance of Oyegun during his days as governor of Edo State, said the current national chairman of APC performed excellently in all the sectors.
Sent in by Njamanze Fidel
SALUTARY IMPACT
SALUTARY IMPACT (HOSPITALITY AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT)CALL +33605867728
Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Trump vows to hit Clinton harder
from the Clinton-Trump debate
US Republican candidate Donald Trump has said he may hit his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton harder in the next presidential debate, following their first encounter on Monday.
Mr Trump said he held back "because he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings".
In a Fox News interview, he also accused moderator Lester Holt of being tougher on him than on Mrs Clinton.
Overnight polls with small samples were split on who won, but more rigorous surveys are due in the coming days.
Research firm Nielsen said 84 million Americans watched Monday's debate at home.
http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37486320
Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Open Heavens 27 September 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Great Provider
Topic: The Great Provider [Tuesday 27, September 2016]
Memorise: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
Read: Mark 6:35-42 (KJV)
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 17-18, Psalms 69:1-21
MESSAGE:
The Almighty God is well known as ‘The Lord who provides.’ God is the provider and supplier of the needs of all creation, but He gives special attention to His own people. Psalms 145:16 says:
“Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.”
He provides for all people.
Our God is a gracious Father, He does not only provide the needs of His children, He also protects their interest. He crowns His children with glory, and as a Consuming Fire, burns anyone that messes around with their royalty and honour. Three of God’s children, crowned by God with glory, found themselves in such a situation one day. A king, who virtually ruled the world of their day, thought too highly of himself and wanted to rubbish their glory. He dispatched some hefty men to tie them and hurl them into a burning fiery furnace. At the end, the men he sent were roasted by the fire he set up, while the Consuming Fire was with His children inside the furnace to protect them and His glory upon them. They eventually walked majestically out of the furnace into promotion and increased glory (Daniel 3:1-30). This season, any plan to touch God’s glory on your life shall be destroyed. Every fire the enemy kindles against you and your family shall devour that enemy in Jesus’ name.
You need to know the worth of your Heavenly Father so that you can tap into His resources. The lifestyle of a child is determined by the status of the father and the resources controlled by the father. Philippians 4:19 says:
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
If your father has a bicycle and you need to get to school, he will let your ride on it. If he has no means of transportation, you will trek. If he has a rickety car, you will ride in it, with passers-by looking with pity at its occupants. But if your father has an exotic car, you will ride in it and be admired by onlookers. Psalms 24:1 says the earth and everything in it belongs to our Father. Haggai 2:8 says He owns all the gold and slivers. Psalms 50:10 says He owns all the cattle upon a thousand hills. John 14:3 says in His Heavenly estate there are many mansions. No wonder Philippians 4:19 say my Daddy will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory. Needs are met by available resources. Since He has all things, then all your needs shall be met. Call upon the Great Provider and start tapping into the unlimited resources of your Heavenly Father by faith today.
Prayer Point: Father, You are the Great Provider, please meet all my needs 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: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
Read: Mark 6:35-42 (KJV)
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 17-18, Psalms 69:1-21
MESSAGE:
The Almighty God is well known as ‘The Lord who provides.’ God is the provider and supplier of the needs of all creation, but He gives special attention to His own people. Psalms 145:16 says:
“Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.”
He provides for all people.
Our God is a gracious Father, He does not only provide the needs of His children, He also protects their interest. He crowns His children with glory, and as a Consuming Fire, burns anyone that messes around with their royalty and honour. Three of God’s children, crowned by God with glory, found themselves in such a situation one day. A king, who virtually ruled the world of their day, thought too highly of himself and wanted to rubbish their glory. He dispatched some hefty men to tie them and hurl them into a burning fiery furnace. At the end, the men he sent were roasted by the fire he set up, while the Consuming Fire was with His children inside the furnace to protect them and His glory upon them. They eventually walked majestically out of the furnace into promotion and increased glory (Daniel 3:1-30). This season, any plan to touch God’s glory on your life shall be destroyed. Every fire the enemy kindles against you and your family shall devour that enemy in Jesus’ name.
You need to know the worth of your Heavenly Father so that you can tap into His resources. The lifestyle of a child is determined by the status of the father and the resources controlled by the father. Philippians 4:19 says:
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
If your father has a bicycle and you need to get to school, he will let your ride on it. If he has no means of transportation, you will trek. If he has a rickety car, you will ride in it, with passers-by looking with pity at its occupants. But if your father has an exotic car, you will ride in it and be admired by onlookers. Psalms 24:1 says the earth and everything in it belongs to our Father. Haggai 2:8 says He owns all the gold and slivers. Psalms 50:10 says He owns all the cattle upon a thousand hills. John 14:3 says in His Heavenly estate there are many mansions. No wonder Philippians 4:19 say my Daddy will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory. Needs are met by available resources. Since He has all things, then all your needs shall be met. Call upon the Great Provider and start tapping into the unlimited resources of your Heavenly Father by faith today.
Prayer Point: Father, You are the Great Provider, please meet all my needs 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.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu and those who want him dead - By FFK
I do not like to delve into matters touching and concerning the APC because I am not a member. However what is happening in the ruling party today transcends partisan politics and should be a concern to us all. At the very least we can learn some very hard lessons from it.
The truth is that the behaviour of Chief John Odige-Oyegun towards the man that single-handedly made him the National Chairman of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is reprehensible.
And neither does this matter begin or end with the way and manner in which the Ondo state governorship primaries were conducted or its final outcome.
It goes much deeper than that and the Ondo affair is only symptomatic of a much deeper malaise and wider conspiracy to humiliate the National Leader of the APC by forces within his party that are even greater than him.
Those forces represent the hidden hand. They are a small cabal of power-brokers who constitute the leadership of the Buhari-led CPC. These people believe that they were born to rule and that they own Nigeria.
They simply used Tinubu's old ACN as a compliant and ready piggy-back to catapult their way back to power and once they achieved that they never looked back.
Some of us warned Tinubu at the time about the dangers of riding the tiger and allowing himself to be used by these very dark and sinister forces but he would not listen.
No true student of history could have made such a cataclysmic and monumental error given the terrible experiences of others from the south-west, and indeed the entire south, who collaborated with such ultra-conservative, sectarian and arcane forces with a clear and distinct ethnic and religious agenda in the past.
Such forces can never be comfortable with a well-connected, highly sophisticated, independent-minded, strong, unpredictable, uncontrollable and experienced Yoruba leader and southern gladiator with a June 12th pedigree, a NADECO background, a massive war-chest and a widespread and formidable political base.
They may use him to achieve their objective but they can never trust him or allow him to have control of the party machinery or to wield any real power when it comes to running the affairs of the nation.
Most importantly once they have finished using him it becomes their duty and cardinal objective not just to cut him down to size but also to castrate and render him impotent and eventually destroy him.
That is their way. It is also a classic and vintage Nicollo Machiavelli move. This great writer that has had more influence on political thinking and strategies than perhaps any other author in human history taught us a critical and crucial lesson in his famous 14th century literary masterpiece and treatise on the power game titled "The Prince". He tells us that the first thing that a Prince must do once he has achieved power is to destroy those that put him there.
And that is precisely what those that seek to do Tinubu in are doing. Worst still they are using his own erstwhile discipiles as a first line of attack against him.
It is not just Odige-Oyegun that has turned his back on him but also his former political protegees and former ACN associates like Tunde Fashola, Ibikunle Amosu, Kayode Fayemi, Biodun Ajimobi, Olorunimbe Mamora, Niyi Adebayo, Rotimi Akeredolu and numerous others.
Pulling the strings from behind the scenes and encouraging and funding the rebellion are hardline Buhari-supporters like my good friend Governor Nasir El Rufai and a number of others.
Their objective is to establish a new political order in the south west which is beholden to them alone, to replace Tinubu as the National Leader of the party and to utterly demystify and crush him in order to prepare the ground for the emergence of a new and more compliant Yoruba running mate for either Buhari himself or El Rufai in 2019.
As a graphic illustration of this interesting and unfolding agenda, the powers that be in the APC, led by Buhari himself, fired six shots at Tinubu inmediately after they formed government.
The first was the Senate Presidency affair and the Bukola Saraki matter which saw the defeat and humiliation of Tinubu's prefered candidate for Senate President.
The second shot was the Speaker of the House of Representatives affair and the Yakubu Dogara matter which, again, saw the defeat and humiliation of Tinibu's prefered candidate for the position of Speaker of the House.
The third was the vital issue of Ministerial appointments in which not one single Ministerial nominee of Tinubu's was accepted and appointed as a Minister by Buhari.
Every single person that he nominated from the south west and elsewhere as Minister was rejected and instead the slots were filled by his political adversaries and/or their nominees.
Many erroneously believe that Mr. Lai Mohammed, who is from Kwara state, was Tinubu's choice and nominee for Minister of Information but this was not the case.
The person that he nominated for Minister of Information was not Lai Mohammed but Mr. Dele Alake, his former Commissioner of Information in Lagos state.
Again he nominated Mr. Wale Edun, his former Commissioner of Finance in Lagos state, for the position of Minister of Finance but this was rejected and Governor Ibikunle Amosu's candidate, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, got the job instead.
This went on across the board for every single person that Tinubu nominated and presented for the position of Minister last year and it was a terrible humiliation for him. It was a dirty slap in his face.
The fourth shot was the James Faleke matter in Kogi state where it was agreed by the real landlords of the APC in the core north that Tinubu must not be allowed to gain a foothold in the north central zone by getting his own Yoruba kinsman and candidate to be elected as governor of that state.
Hence Faleke was ruthlessly dropped and shabbily treated and another person was selected to be the gubernatorial candidate of that state. It worked, Faleke went to court and sadly he lost. That was the end of the story.
The fifth shot is the thorough and systematic, though subtle and covert, humiliation and relegation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a close associate and political protegee of Tinubu and a spiritual son of the reverred Pastor Enoch Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), to not just a spare tyre as Vice President but also to a very flat one.
Rather than being allowed to participate in the crucial decision-making processes on vital and critical issues of state and governance as any Vice President should, Osinbajo has been kept in the dark about virtually everything and he has little or no power to effect anything.
When such decions are to be debated, discussed and made the Vice President is never invited into the room and neither is he even aware that there is such a meeting going on.
Worse still he is constantly being directed to represent the President at official functions all over the country as if he were more his Personal Assistant, Special Advisor or Minister rather than the Vice President of the country. Osinbajo's crime is simply that he is loyal to Tinubu and he has refused to dump or betray him.
The sixth and perhaps most devastating shot is the fact that the party machinery has not only been taken away from Tinubu with the effective highjacking of Odige-Oyegun but that it has also opted to do the bidding of his mortal enemies and to fight him.
An eloquent testimony to this disturbing fact is the outcome of the Ondo state gubernatorial primaries where Tinubu's candidate was edged out and cheated of the nomination by the party leadership.
This was the last straw that broke the camels back and predictably Tinubu has reacted in a very loud, aggressive and profound manner by publicly calling for the removal of the National Chairman of the party.
Yet calling for the removal of Odigie-Oyegun is not enough. The whole situation calls for critical thiking, sober reflection and deep retrospection.
The point that needs to be clearly understood when considering these six shots and the unfolding anti-Tinubu agenda within the APC is the fact that, contrary to all pretensions, President Muhammadu Buhari is part and parcel of it and he is in fact the moving spirit behind the whole conspiracy.
Nasir El Rufai and a number of others are simply the strategists and enforcers. Buhari, Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari are the masterminds.
Given all this one thing is clear: these people want Tinubu dead. If he does not realign quickly and fight hard to save his dwindling political fortunes and empire his APC friends and allies will destroy him in a slow, clinical, sadistic and systematic manner. And they will do it with a big, beautiful and friendly smile on their faces.
The fact of the matter is that, right from the outset, Tinubu failed to accept the fact that he was in bed with demons.
He refused to appreciate the fact that he was sleeping with beasts that are hell bent on eating his flesh, driniking his blood and ruthlessly implementing an ancient ethnic and religious agenda.
He gave them his all, caused them to win an election and trusted them to honor their word and treat him with respect and decorum.
He failed to appreciate the fact that you cannot make a deal with snakes and expect them to honor their word.
He forgot that you cannot wine and dine with cancerous lepers and hungry tigers without ending up being served as the final dish in a long, blood-curdling and Byzantian satanic feast.
Yet if the truth is to be told, no matter what mistakes he may have made, Tinubu does not deserve to be treated in this way.
Up until the Presidential elections were conducted last year he led and held together the south-western wing of the APC with an iron fist and he was the undisputed leader of the APC in that zone.
All four APC governors from the south west and virtually every single party leader waited on his every word and he called all the shots.
Sadly today, just over one year later, he is a caricature of his former self. Today Tinubu can only boast of having the ear and the full support of only two of those govermors, namely Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state, who will NEVER betray him no matter what, and Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos state who will also stand firmly behind him until the very end.
The truth is that Tinubu has lost much ground and political mileage in recent times and, as more daggers are pulled out over the next few months and years it is bound to get worse for him.
Yet that does not mean that he is finished. I say this because he is a tried and tested fighter and a formidable adversary who is quite capable of pulling the whole APC house down.
It would be a fatal error for any of his adversaries, including President Buhari, Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Senate President Bukola Saraki, to underestimate him or dismiss his ability to fight back.
In July 2016, just after my release from detention and during the course of an interview with Channels Television (which can still be viewed on Youtube) Mr. Seun Okinbaloye asked me whether I could ever contemplate going back to the APC and how I thought the ruling party would fare into the future.
I told him that I would NEVER go back to the APC under ANY circumstances. I also told him that in any case by 2019 there would not be an APC, as it is presently constituted, left because the party would have spilt up into three separate and distinct political entities.
I told him that the Tinubu group comprising of men like Baba Bisi Akande, Rauf Aregbesola, Akinwummi Ambode and others would establish one party, the Atiku Abubakar group comprising of men like Bukola Saraki, Rabiu Kwakwanso and many of the former PDP leaders and governors that had left for the APC when President Goodluck Jonathan was in power would establish another and that the Buhari group comprising of men like Nasir El Rufai, Bello Masari, Aminu Tambuwal, Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha, Chris Ngige, Ogbonaya Onu, Adams Oshiomole and virtually the entire structure of the old CPC leadership in the core north would constitute yet another. I stand by this prediction.
These three strong and equally forceful factions can be likened to the proverbial three blind yet ravenous wolves.
They cannot stay in the same cage or remain on the same platform for long without tearing each other to pieces.
Eventually they will all go their separate ways and, hopefully, contend with a newly-branded and reinvigotated PDP in the field of battle in 2019.
What we are witnessing today in the ranks of the APC is the beginning of that bitter separation and messy divorce and it is going to get far worse.
It will be loud, bitter, acrimonious and rancorous and many political empires, careers and aspirations will be destroyed as a consequence of it.
My hope and prayer is that the PDP, which is also going through its own rigorous process of redefinition and reinvigoration, can get its act together before then, take advantage of the situation, pick up the pieces and win the presidential election in 2019. I am sure that we will.
Meanwhile my advise to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is to watch his back, consolidate his base, fight his enemies, reach out to new friends, accept the fact that he is at war and sleep with one eye wide open. The truth is that it will get far worse before it gets any better.
The truth is that the behaviour of Chief John Odige-Oyegun towards the man that single-handedly made him the National Chairman of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is reprehensible.
And neither does this matter begin or end with the way and manner in which the Ondo state governorship primaries were conducted or its final outcome.
It goes much deeper than that and the Ondo affair is only symptomatic of a much deeper malaise and wider conspiracy to humiliate the National Leader of the APC by forces within his party that are even greater than him.
Those forces represent the hidden hand. They are a small cabal of power-brokers who constitute the leadership of the Buhari-led CPC. These people believe that they were born to rule and that they own Nigeria.
They simply used Tinubu's old ACN as a compliant and ready piggy-back to catapult their way back to power and once they achieved that they never looked back.
Some of us warned Tinubu at the time about the dangers of riding the tiger and allowing himself to be used by these very dark and sinister forces but he would not listen.
No true student of history could have made such a cataclysmic and monumental error given the terrible experiences of others from the south-west, and indeed the entire south, who collaborated with such ultra-conservative, sectarian and arcane forces with a clear and distinct ethnic and religious agenda in the past.
Such forces can never be comfortable with a well-connected, highly sophisticated, independent-minded, strong, unpredictable, uncontrollable and experienced Yoruba leader and southern gladiator with a June 12th pedigree, a NADECO background, a massive war-chest and a widespread and formidable political base.
They may use him to achieve their objective but they can never trust him or allow him to have control of the party machinery or to wield any real power when it comes to running the affairs of the nation.
Most importantly once they have finished using him it becomes their duty and cardinal objective not just to cut him down to size but also to castrate and render him impotent and eventually destroy him.
That is their way. It is also a classic and vintage Nicollo Machiavelli move. This great writer that has had more influence on political thinking and strategies than perhaps any other author in human history taught us a critical and crucial lesson in his famous 14th century literary masterpiece and treatise on the power game titled "The Prince". He tells us that the first thing that a Prince must do once he has achieved power is to destroy those that put him there.
And that is precisely what those that seek to do Tinubu in are doing. Worst still they are using his own erstwhile discipiles as a first line of attack against him.
It is not just Odige-Oyegun that has turned his back on him but also his former political protegees and former ACN associates like Tunde Fashola, Ibikunle Amosu, Kayode Fayemi, Biodun Ajimobi, Olorunimbe Mamora, Niyi Adebayo, Rotimi Akeredolu and numerous others.
Pulling the strings from behind the scenes and encouraging and funding the rebellion are hardline Buhari-supporters like my good friend Governor Nasir El Rufai and a number of others.
Their objective is to establish a new political order in the south west which is beholden to them alone, to replace Tinubu as the National Leader of the party and to utterly demystify and crush him in order to prepare the ground for the emergence of a new and more compliant Yoruba running mate for either Buhari himself or El Rufai in 2019.
As a graphic illustration of this interesting and unfolding agenda, the powers that be in the APC, led by Buhari himself, fired six shots at Tinubu inmediately after they formed government.
The first was the Senate Presidency affair and the Bukola Saraki matter which saw the defeat and humiliation of Tinubu's prefered candidate for Senate President.
The second shot was the Speaker of the House of Representatives affair and the Yakubu Dogara matter which, again, saw the defeat and humiliation of Tinibu's prefered candidate for the position of Speaker of the House.
The third was the vital issue of Ministerial appointments in which not one single Ministerial nominee of Tinubu's was accepted and appointed as a Minister by Buhari.
Every single person that he nominated from the south west and elsewhere as Minister was rejected and instead the slots were filled by his political adversaries and/or their nominees.
Many erroneously believe that Mr. Lai Mohammed, who is from Kwara state, was Tinubu's choice and nominee for Minister of Information but this was not the case.
The person that he nominated for Minister of Information was not Lai Mohammed but Mr. Dele Alake, his former Commissioner of Information in Lagos state.
Again he nominated Mr. Wale Edun, his former Commissioner of Finance in Lagos state, for the position of Minister of Finance but this was rejected and Governor Ibikunle Amosu's candidate, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, got the job instead.
This went on across the board for every single person that Tinubu nominated and presented for the position of Minister last year and it was a terrible humiliation for him. It was a dirty slap in his face.
The fourth shot was the James Faleke matter in Kogi state where it was agreed by the real landlords of the APC in the core north that Tinubu must not be allowed to gain a foothold in the north central zone by getting his own Yoruba kinsman and candidate to be elected as governor of that state.
Hence Faleke was ruthlessly dropped and shabbily treated and another person was selected to be the gubernatorial candidate of that state. It worked, Faleke went to court and sadly he lost. That was the end of the story.
The fifth shot is the thorough and systematic, though subtle and covert, humiliation and relegation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a close associate and political protegee of Tinubu and a spiritual son of the reverred Pastor Enoch Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), to not just a spare tyre as Vice President but also to a very flat one.
Rather than being allowed to participate in the crucial decision-making processes on vital and critical issues of state and governance as any Vice President should, Osinbajo has been kept in the dark about virtually everything and he has little or no power to effect anything.
When such decions are to be debated, discussed and made the Vice President is never invited into the room and neither is he even aware that there is such a meeting going on.
Worse still he is constantly being directed to represent the President at official functions all over the country as if he were more his Personal Assistant, Special Advisor or Minister rather than the Vice President of the country. Osinbajo's crime is simply that he is loyal to Tinubu and he has refused to dump or betray him.
The sixth and perhaps most devastating shot is the fact that the party machinery has not only been taken away from Tinubu with the effective highjacking of Odige-Oyegun but that it has also opted to do the bidding of his mortal enemies and to fight him.
An eloquent testimony to this disturbing fact is the outcome of the Ondo state gubernatorial primaries where Tinubu's candidate was edged out and cheated of the nomination by the party leadership.
This was the last straw that broke the camels back and predictably Tinubu has reacted in a very loud, aggressive and profound manner by publicly calling for the removal of the National Chairman of the party.
Yet calling for the removal of Odigie-Oyegun is not enough. The whole situation calls for critical thiking, sober reflection and deep retrospection.
The point that needs to be clearly understood when considering these six shots and the unfolding anti-Tinubu agenda within the APC is the fact that, contrary to all pretensions, President Muhammadu Buhari is part and parcel of it and he is in fact the moving spirit behind the whole conspiracy.
Nasir El Rufai and a number of others are simply the strategists and enforcers. Buhari, Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari are the masterminds.
Given all this one thing is clear: these people want Tinubu dead. If he does not realign quickly and fight hard to save his dwindling political fortunes and empire his APC friends and allies will destroy him in a slow, clinical, sadistic and systematic manner. And they will do it with a big, beautiful and friendly smile on their faces.
The fact of the matter is that, right from the outset, Tinubu failed to accept the fact that he was in bed with demons.
He refused to appreciate the fact that he was sleeping with beasts that are hell bent on eating his flesh, driniking his blood and ruthlessly implementing an ancient ethnic and religious agenda.
He gave them his all, caused them to win an election and trusted them to honor their word and treat him with respect and decorum.
He failed to appreciate the fact that you cannot make a deal with snakes and expect them to honor their word.
He forgot that you cannot wine and dine with cancerous lepers and hungry tigers without ending up being served as the final dish in a long, blood-curdling and Byzantian satanic feast.
Yet if the truth is to be told, no matter what mistakes he may have made, Tinubu does not deserve to be treated in this way.
Up until the Presidential elections were conducted last year he led and held together the south-western wing of the APC with an iron fist and he was the undisputed leader of the APC in that zone.
All four APC governors from the south west and virtually every single party leader waited on his every word and he called all the shots.
Sadly today, just over one year later, he is a caricature of his former self. Today Tinubu can only boast of having the ear and the full support of only two of those govermors, namely Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state, who will NEVER betray him no matter what, and Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos state who will also stand firmly behind him until the very end.
The truth is that Tinubu has lost much ground and political mileage in recent times and, as more daggers are pulled out over the next few months and years it is bound to get worse for him.
Yet that does not mean that he is finished. I say this because he is a tried and tested fighter and a formidable adversary who is quite capable of pulling the whole APC house down.
It would be a fatal error for any of his adversaries, including President Buhari, Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Senate President Bukola Saraki, to underestimate him or dismiss his ability to fight back.
In July 2016, just after my release from detention and during the course of an interview with Channels Television (which can still be viewed on Youtube) Mr. Seun Okinbaloye asked me whether I could ever contemplate going back to the APC and how I thought the ruling party would fare into the future.
I told him that I would NEVER go back to the APC under ANY circumstances. I also told him that in any case by 2019 there would not be an APC, as it is presently constituted, left because the party would have spilt up into three separate and distinct political entities.
I told him that the Tinubu group comprising of men like Baba Bisi Akande, Rauf Aregbesola, Akinwummi Ambode and others would establish one party, the Atiku Abubakar group comprising of men like Bukola Saraki, Rabiu Kwakwanso and many of the former PDP leaders and governors that had left for the APC when President Goodluck Jonathan was in power would establish another and that the Buhari group comprising of men like Nasir El Rufai, Bello Masari, Aminu Tambuwal, Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha, Chris Ngige, Ogbonaya Onu, Adams Oshiomole and virtually the entire structure of the old CPC leadership in the core north would constitute yet another. I stand by this prediction.
These three strong and equally forceful factions can be likened to the proverbial three blind yet ravenous wolves.
They cannot stay in the same cage or remain on the same platform for long without tearing each other to pieces.
Eventually they will all go their separate ways and, hopefully, contend with a newly-branded and reinvigotated PDP in the field of battle in 2019.
What we are witnessing today in the ranks of the APC is the beginning of that bitter separation and messy divorce and it is going to get far worse.
It will be loud, bitter, acrimonious and rancorous and many political empires, careers and aspirations will be destroyed as a consequence of it.
My hope and prayer is that the PDP, which is also going through its own rigorous process of redefinition and reinvigoration, can get its act together before then, take advantage of the situation, pick up the pieces and win the presidential election in 2019. I am sure that we will.
Meanwhile my advise to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is to watch his back, consolidate his base, fight his enemies, reach out to new friends, accept the fact that he is at war and sleep with one eye wide open. The truth is that it will get far worse before it gets any better.
We will overcome our economic recession Pres Buhari assures African Development Bank
Receiving President of the African Development Bank (ADB), Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, at State House, Abuja, on Monday, President Buhari said:
"God has given us people and resources. It will take hard work on our part, but we will make it. We will get out of our problems. We are determined to produce what we eat, and stop importation. We will also chase those who stole, and get them to refund."
He said the country appreciates helping hands being lent by the ADB, assuring Nigerian-born Adesina, who was the immediate past Minister of Agriculture, that "we will not let you down. Your country won't disappoint you."
Adesina appreciated President Buhari for the support the country gave when he ran for ADB presidency, thus making him the first Nigerian to occupy such position since the bank was established in 1964. He also lauded the Nigerian President for successes recorded in securing the country, particularly in the North East, noting that "there can be no development without adequate security."
The ADB boss described recent economic decisions taken in the country as "bold, tough, uncomfortable, but right," adding that Nigeria would reap the dividends in the short and long run.
"You can count on the ADB as a true friend of Nigeria. You should support massive investment in infrastructure, and we are here to also support. Closing the infrastructure deficit will enable growth, and create employment. Nigeria is too big to fail," Adesina said.
The ADB President unfolded the packages his institution has for Nigeria, which include; $1 billion of budget support, $300 million to create jobs for 185,000 youths, $250 million towards North East infrastructure development, $1 million grant to deal with challenges of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), $300 million for infrastructure development around Abuja, $200 million for Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to deepen facilities, among others.
Dr Adesina expressed delight with what he called "President Buhari's push on anti-corruption, and stance on governance," adding that building institutions was critical. To that end, he said ADB would give a total of $4.8 million as grant for institutional support, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) getting $2 million, and $1million to Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). "You can always count on my support, and that of the ADB," he concluded.
"God has given us people and resources. It will take hard work on our part, but we will make it. We will get out of our problems. We are determined to produce what we eat, and stop importation. We will also chase those who stole, and get them to refund."
He said the country appreciates helping hands being lent by the ADB, assuring Nigerian-born Adesina, who was the immediate past Minister of Agriculture, that "we will not let you down. Your country won't disappoint you."
Adesina appreciated President Buhari for the support the country gave when he ran for ADB presidency, thus making him the first Nigerian to occupy such position since the bank was established in 1964. He also lauded the Nigerian President for successes recorded in securing the country, particularly in the North East, noting that "there can be no development without adequate security."
The ADB boss described recent economic decisions taken in the country as "bold, tough, uncomfortable, but right," adding that Nigeria would reap the dividends in the short and long run.
"You can count on the ADB as a true friend of Nigeria. You should support massive investment in infrastructure, and we are here to also support. Closing the infrastructure deficit will enable growth, and create employment. Nigeria is too big to fail," Adesina said.
The ADB President unfolded the packages his institution has for Nigeria, which include; $1 billion of budget support, $300 million to create jobs for 185,000 youths, $250 million towards North East infrastructure development, $1 million grant to deal with challenges of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), $300 million for infrastructure development around Abuja, $200 million for Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to deepen facilities, among others.
Dr Adesina expressed delight with what he called "President Buhari's push on anti-corruption, and stance on governance," adding that building institutions was critical. To that end, he said ADB would give a total of $4.8 million as grant for institutional support, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) getting $2 million, and $1million to Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). "You can always count on my support, and that of the ADB," he concluded.
Monday, 26 September 2016
Open Heavens 26 September 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Heritage of The Lord
Topic: The Heritage of The Lord [Monday 26, September 2016]
Memorise: And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. – Exodus 2:9
Read: Psalms 127:3-5 (KJV)
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 16, Psalms 68:22-35
MESSAGE:
The Bible presents the nation of Israel and the Church of God as the chief objects of God’s fatherly love. All of humanity have the privilege of becoming God’s children through faith and are then encouraged by the Scripture to imitate their heavenly Father in their daily living. However, as I have always maintained, you can choose to be anything you want before the Almighty God. You can be just a creature, a dog or a cow. You can go beyond being a mere creature to becoming a servant. Being a servant gives you more personal access to God. But you could go yet another step to becoming a son of God. Sons have tremendous opportunities that servants do not have. As a son of God, you become a co-heir with Christ. That means all that God has jointly belongs to Jesus and you. Besides, John 8:35 says sons abide in the house forever. No wonder David in Psalms 23:6 says:
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
He could say so because he had a Father-son relationship with the Lord. For such sons, even after leaving planet earth, Jesus promised to prepare His Father’s house for them to stay throughout eternity (John 14:1-3). Sons have eternal right to God’s house. Are you a son of God?
If you abide in God’s house, you would automatically flourish. Psalms 92:13 says;
“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
Beyond being rich or wealthy, you can flourish. Age will not erode your opportunities or harvests. In fact, the older you are, the more flourishing you become. This is not for those who merely visit God’s house. It is not for servants but for sons. Some people endure going into God’s house or presence. If they were asked to come for a big contract at 9 am, they will be there by 7 am. But if invited to meet with the King of kings for 8 am, they will stroll into church by 10 am. This attitude hinders people from attaining the heights they were created to achieve. If you find it difficult to stay in God’s presence, you can be sure you cannot have access into His Heavenly home. Those who will enter Heaven must desire to enter that city not made with hands (Hebrew 11:10, 16). It far excels the best of planet earth to the extent that it is simply incomparable. Do you qualify for Heaven? To what extent do you long for Heaven? How much do you crave to be in God’s presence? How much do you enjoy worshipping the Lord?
Prayer Point: Father, please help me to make it to Heaven and to abide in You forever 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: And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. – Exodus 2:9
Read: Psalms 127:3-5 (KJV)
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 16, Psalms 68:22-35
MESSAGE:
The Bible presents the nation of Israel and the Church of God as the chief objects of God’s fatherly love. All of humanity have the privilege of becoming God’s children through faith and are then encouraged by the Scripture to imitate their heavenly Father in their daily living. However, as I have always maintained, you can choose to be anything you want before the Almighty God. You can be just a creature, a dog or a cow. You can go beyond being a mere creature to becoming a servant. Being a servant gives you more personal access to God. But you could go yet another step to becoming a son of God. Sons have tremendous opportunities that servants do not have. As a son of God, you become a co-heir with Christ. That means all that God has jointly belongs to Jesus and you. Besides, John 8:35 says sons abide in the house forever. No wonder David in Psalms 23:6 says:
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
He could say so because he had a Father-son relationship with the Lord. For such sons, even after leaving planet earth, Jesus promised to prepare His Father’s house for them to stay throughout eternity (John 14:1-3). Sons have eternal right to God’s house. Are you a son of God?
If you abide in God’s house, you would automatically flourish. Psalms 92:13 says;
“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
Beyond being rich or wealthy, you can flourish. Age will not erode your opportunities or harvests. In fact, the older you are, the more flourishing you become. This is not for those who merely visit God’s house. It is not for servants but for sons. Some people endure going into God’s house or presence. If they were asked to come for a big contract at 9 am, they will be there by 7 am. But if invited to meet with the King of kings for 8 am, they will stroll into church by 10 am. This attitude hinders people from attaining the heights they were created to achieve. If you find it difficult to stay in God’s presence, you can be sure you cannot have access into His Heavenly home. Those who will enter Heaven must desire to enter that city not made with hands (Hebrew 11:10, 16). It far excels the best of planet earth to the extent that it is simply incomparable. Do you qualify for Heaven? To what extent do you long for Heaven? How much do you crave to be in God’s presence? How much do you enjoy worshipping the Lord?
Prayer Point: Father, please help me to make it to Heaven and to abide in You forever 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.
Bola Tinubu demands John Odigie-Oyegun resignation
This is not a good time for APC as National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, has reportedly asked for the immediate resignation of the party's National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun. According to Vanguard, Tinubu made the demand in a stinking communiqué sent to Oyegun and other party chieftains.
The former Lagos state governor in the letter accused Oyegun of interfering and sabotaging the will of democracy in Ondo State by overriding the decision of the party's appeal panel that asked for a fresh governorship primary following investigations that showed that the delegates’ list used had been tampered with.
He alleged that APC was now under threat of being suffocated by anti-democratic forces pretending to be progressives, His communique reads
“The APC, a party born of the quest for democratic good governance, is under critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but never of it. From the party’s inception, the principles of democratic fairness and justice were to guide APC internal deliberations. Party founders realized that only by intramural fair dealing could the party remain faithful to the progressive ideals that we presented to the Nigerian electorate as our governing creed. If the party could not justly govern itself, it would find it difficult to establish and maintain just government throughout the nation. In essence, the party was the embodiment of a democratic promise made between its members as well as a democratic vow made to the public. Evidently, some errant members believe promises and vows are mere words to be easily spoken and more easily broken.
Chairman John Oyegun has breached these good pledges in a most overt and brazen display. In doing so, Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help. Oyegun’s comportment regarding the Ondo State primary will become the textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order. In early September, the state primary was held. A purported winner was named. Having faith in the ways of the party, Tinubu publicly accepted what he assumed to be a verdict honestly derived. As a democrat, one must face the possibility of defeat and accept such as outcome with as much grace as one would embrace victory. One of the few bright spots during the conduct of the primaries was Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. He chaired the primary convention with decorum and impartiality. He was unaware that a tampered list had been slipped into the process. Indeed within hours of the announcement, news began to filter in that gravely disturbed me. Credible allegations of fraud troubled the waters. The delegate list had been materially altered by someone in a strategic position to so do. The names of over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors. This was not a clerical error. The alteration was wilfully executed that the primary would be directed toward a chosen end that bore nothing in common with the will of most state party members. A cunning few had tried to deceive the many into believing they were outnumbered. A conspiracy to steal the Ondo primary had been uncovered. Fortunately, the grand deception afoot had been unable to cover its tracks fast enough. Truth began to cry for justice. “Several candidates filed petitions contesting the result. The party established an investigative board to review the evidence.
In a two to one decision, the panel found the delegate roster had suffered tampering. The panel recommended that a new primary should be held using the valid delegate list. This recommendation was tabled before the National Working Committee (NWC). After many hours of deliberations spanning several days, a final vote was held by the NWC. Before hand, NWC members agreed that the decision of the majority would become the stance of the party. Such is the way of democracy. The NWC voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance.
However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise. After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman Oyegun proposed the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting. Contravening the NWC decision and in violation of all rules of fundamental decency, Oyegun decided to safeguard the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud. Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the candidate of the party. Truth has finally come to light. There exists a regressive element in the party that cares nothing for the progressive ideas upon which this party was founded. They joined the APC because it was the best ride available at the time. Now they want to guide the party into the ditch. They want to turn the party into a soulless entity incapable of doing good, just like they are. When such a person tastes power, they shed all good restraint. They come to abuse the trust given them as if they are the owners of that trust and not its mere custodians. These people did little to build the party but now will do much to wreck it. Our party was to stand for change. Oyegun and his fellows seem to be on a different wave length. They are the cohort of Unchange.
The APC wants to guide Nigeria into a better tomorrow. Oyegun and the cohort of unchange want to pull Nigeria back into the past where rigging and vote stealing were the old and new testaments of politics. They want the people to think that there is no alternative to their reactionary system of skewed politics and imperious government. Thus, they seek to turn the APC into a factory of the very political malpractices the people soundly rejected in the past election. To choke the APC in this manner is to kill the chance for progressive reform for the foreseeable future. Much more than the Ondo primary is at stake. Oyegun has revealed his team’s game plan: It is the destruction of progressive politics and governance on behalf of the people. As party chairman, Oyegun was supposed to protect our internal processes and be an impartial arbiter, a person in whom all had confidence. Instead, he donned the garment of a confident man, duping the NWC, the party, and INEC in one fell blow. He has robbed APC members in Ondo State of the chance to pick in a fair manner who they believe is the best candidate. As such, he has broken faith with the party and probably has broken a few laws. The consequences of what he has done are more expansive than a man of his scope can fathom,” Tinubu said as he said that Oyegun must have been under some major sinister influence as to allow what happened. “With strong expectation, we await a response to Oyegun’s wrongdoing from those who clamored so long and loudly about Tinubu’s alleged role in the Ondo primary. Leading into the primary, a prominent lawyer from Ondo published lengthy missives alleging that Tinubu was a malicious hand intent on rigging the primary. His letters spoke of his great love for democracy and justice. Though Oyegun has assaulted democracy in a most public and vulgar way, this lawyer’s prolific pen will remain stilled. He dare not publish a word about this travesty. His silence will be sign for all who care to decipher its meaning. The plan was to point the accusing finger at Tinubu. With everyone focused on Tinubu, they would have distracted all attention from the heist they had set in motion. As fate would have it, the trickery they hoped to conduct in the shadows has come to light. Those who so actively attributed imaginary wrong to Tinubu now stand dumb and mute in the face of confirmed impropriety. They remain silent for reasons they cannot divulge.
Oyegun and his ilk turn out to be gangsters adorned in the tunic of party authority. Oyegun has engaged in the strange math where five is greater than six. This smacks of how the PDP conducted its affairs and orchestrated its own downfall. Tinubu disparaged such malpractice when it was not in his party. Tinubu surely disowns it now that it has invaded the party he helped bring to fruition. Tinubu has consciously refused to hold any official position with the party to avoid the perception that he was trying to control all and sundry. Tinubu has even kept his peace for some time despite many things that happened within the party that were not quite right. He exercised this forbearance because the party is young. A collective endeavor cannot avoid the mistakes and errors of organizational newness and evolution. Yet, the wrongs Oyegun committed had nothing to do with newness or the mistakes occasioned by the path of reform. His actions are in the nature of the old wrongs that have afflicted our national politics much too long. If Oyegun wants to walk backward into the past, he has every right to it. However, he has no right to drag the party or any of us with him. Against our choosing. The informal title of national leader of the party was given to Tinubu at the onset which he accepted it as a sign from those who wished to recognize my contributions to the party’s formation. It is an honorific title which he has been proud to wear until today. I would rather not have any title yet reside in a party that honors democracy than hold a title in a party that says it honors me but that treats justice with indecency. I find greater honour and comfort where democracy and fairness are found and respected. Oyegun has done the irredeemable. His coup is an insult to party and to patriot, to reason and to the reform agenda of this government. To remain silent would be to admit the defeat of the reform and progressive change many have labored to bring forth.
While the forces resistant to change and reform are strong, Tinubu dare not submit to them. Tinubu encourages all party members not to submit to them. If we acquiesce in this wrong, the one greater than this shall cascade upon us. “Oyegun’s transgressions are a warning. He is but the mercenary of forces that seek to return the nation to the old ways. If they get away with this infraction, no telling what or whom they will undermine tomorrow. Much is at stake. On the chopping block, lies the future of the political party in which the majority of voters had placed their confidence. To rescue the party, Oyegun must go. He has shown that he and democratic fair play cannot exist in the same party at the same time. If Tinubu is to choose between John Oyegun and progress toward a better Nigeria, the choice has already been made. For those who care about the party, who care about Nigeria and its chance for a better tomorrow, now is the time to stand against this brewing evil before it grows to encompass all we have built and all we hold dear.”
The former Lagos state governor in the letter accused Oyegun of interfering and sabotaging the will of democracy in Ondo State by overriding the decision of the party's appeal panel that asked for a fresh governorship primary following investigations that showed that the delegates’ list used had been tampered with.
He alleged that APC was now under threat of being suffocated by anti-democratic forces pretending to be progressives, His communique reads
“The APC, a party born of the quest for democratic good governance, is under critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but never of it. From the party’s inception, the principles of democratic fairness and justice were to guide APC internal deliberations. Party founders realized that only by intramural fair dealing could the party remain faithful to the progressive ideals that we presented to the Nigerian electorate as our governing creed. If the party could not justly govern itself, it would find it difficult to establish and maintain just government throughout the nation. In essence, the party was the embodiment of a democratic promise made between its members as well as a democratic vow made to the public. Evidently, some errant members believe promises and vows are mere words to be easily spoken and more easily broken.
Chairman John Oyegun has breached these good pledges in a most overt and brazen display. In doing so, Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help. Oyegun’s comportment regarding the Ondo State primary will become the textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order. In early September, the state primary was held. A purported winner was named. Having faith in the ways of the party, Tinubu publicly accepted what he assumed to be a verdict honestly derived. As a democrat, one must face the possibility of defeat and accept such as outcome with as much grace as one would embrace victory. One of the few bright spots during the conduct of the primaries was Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. He chaired the primary convention with decorum and impartiality. He was unaware that a tampered list had been slipped into the process. Indeed within hours of the announcement, news began to filter in that gravely disturbed me. Credible allegations of fraud troubled the waters. The delegate list had been materially altered by someone in a strategic position to so do. The names of over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors. This was not a clerical error. The alteration was wilfully executed that the primary would be directed toward a chosen end that bore nothing in common with the will of most state party members. A cunning few had tried to deceive the many into believing they were outnumbered. A conspiracy to steal the Ondo primary had been uncovered. Fortunately, the grand deception afoot had been unable to cover its tracks fast enough. Truth began to cry for justice. “Several candidates filed petitions contesting the result. The party established an investigative board to review the evidence.
In a two to one decision, the panel found the delegate roster had suffered tampering. The panel recommended that a new primary should be held using the valid delegate list. This recommendation was tabled before the National Working Committee (NWC). After many hours of deliberations spanning several days, a final vote was held by the NWC. Before hand, NWC members agreed that the decision of the majority would become the stance of the party. Such is the way of democracy. The NWC voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance.
However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise. After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman Oyegun proposed the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting. Contravening the NWC decision and in violation of all rules of fundamental decency, Oyegun decided to safeguard the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud. Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the candidate of the party. Truth has finally come to light. There exists a regressive element in the party that cares nothing for the progressive ideas upon which this party was founded. They joined the APC because it was the best ride available at the time. Now they want to guide the party into the ditch. They want to turn the party into a soulless entity incapable of doing good, just like they are. When such a person tastes power, they shed all good restraint. They come to abuse the trust given them as if they are the owners of that trust and not its mere custodians. These people did little to build the party but now will do much to wreck it. Our party was to stand for change. Oyegun and his fellows seem to be on a different wave length. They are the cohort of Unchange.
The APC wants to guide Nigeria into a better tomorrow. Oyegun and the cohort of unchange want to pull Nigeria back into the past where rigging and vote stealing were the old and new testaments of politics. They want the people to think that there is no alternative to their reactionary system of skewed politics and imperious government. Thus, they seek to turn the APC into a factory of the very political malpractices the people soundly rejected in the past election. To choke the APC in this manner is to kill the chance for progressive reform for the foreseeable future. Much more than the Ondo primary is at stake. Oyegun has revealed his team’s game plan: It is the destruction of progressive politics and governance on behalf of the people. As party chairman, Oyegun was supposed to protect our internal processes and be an impartial arbiter, a person in whom all had confidence. Instead, he donned the garment of a confident man, duping the NWC, the party, and INEC in one fell blow. He has robbed APC members in Ondo State of the chance to pick in a fair manner who they believe is the best candidate. As such, he has broken faith with the party and probably has broken a few laws. The consequences of what he has done are more expansive than a man of his scope can fathom,” Tinubu said as he said that Oyegun must have been under some major sinister influence as to allow what happened. “With strong expectation, we await a response to Oyegun’s wrongdoing from those who clamored so long and loudly about Tinubu’s alleged role in the Ondo primary. Leading into the primary, a prominent lawyer from Ondo published lengthy missives alleging that Tinubu was a malicious hand intent on rigging the primary. His letters spoke of his great love for democracy and justice. Though Oyegun has assaulted democracy in a most public and vulgar way, this lawyer’s prolific pen will remain stilled. He dare not publish a word about this travesty. His silence will be sign for all who care to decipher its meaning. The plan was to point the accusing finger at Tinubu. With everyone focused on Tinubu, they would have distracted all attention from the heist they had set in motion. As fate would have it, the trickery they hoped to conduct in the shadows has come to light. Those who so actively attributed imaginary wrong to Tinubu now stand dumb and mute in the face of confirmed impropriety. They remain silent for reasons they cannot divulge.
Oyegun and his ilk turn out to be gangsters adorned in the tunic of party authority. Oyegun has engaged in the strange math where five is greater than six. This smacks of how the PDP conducted its affairs and orchestrated its own downfall. Tinubu disparaged such malpractice when it was not in his party. Tinubu surely disowns it now that it has invaded the party he helped bring to fruition. Tinubu has consciously refused to hold any official position with the party to avoid the perception that he was trying to control all and sundry. Tinubu has even kept his peace for some time despite many things that happened within the party that were not quite right. He exercised this forbearance because the party is young. A collective endeavor cannot avoid the mistakes and errors of organizational newness and evolution. Yet, the wrongs Oyegun committed had nothing to do with newness or the mistakes occasioned by the path of reform. His actions are in the nature of the old wrongs that have afflicted our national politics much too long. If Oyegun wants to walk backward into the past, he has every right to it. However, he has no right to drag the party or any of us with him. Against our choosing. The informal title of national leader of the party was given to Tinubu at the onset which he accepted it as a sign from those who wished to recognize my contributions to the party’s formation. It is an honorific title which he has been proud to wear until today. I would rather not have any title yet reside in a party that honors democracy than hold a title in a party that says it honors me but that treats justice with indecency. I find greater honour and comfort where democracy and fairness are found and respected. Oyegun has done the irredeemable. His coup is an insult to party and to patriot, to reason and to the reform agenda of this government. To remain silent would be to admit the defeat of the reform and progressive change many have labored to bring forth.
While the forces resistant to change and reform are strong, Tinubu dare not submit to them. Tinubu encourages all party members not to submit to them. If we acquiesce in this wrong, the one greater than this shall cascade upon us. “Oyegun’s transgressions are a warning. He is but the mercenary of forces that seek to return the nation to the old ways. If they get away with this infraction, no telling what or whom they will undermine tomorrow. Much is at stake. On the chopping block, lies the future of the political party in which the majority of voters had placed their confidence. To rescue the party, Oyegun must go. He has shown that he and democratic fair play cannot exist in the same party at the same time. If Tinubu is to choose between John Oyegun and progress toward a better Nigeria, the choice has already been made. For those who care about the party, who care about Nigeria and its chance for a better tomorrow, now is the time to stand against this brewing evil before it grows to encompass all we have built and all we hold dear.”
Sunday, 25 September 2016
Open Heavens 25 September 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Are You a Fraudster?
Topic: Are You a Fraudster? [Sunday 25, September 2016]
Memorise: Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. – Proverbs 12:22
Read: Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 13-15, Psalms 68:7-21
MESSAGE:
A fraudster is a dishonest person. Someone with a disposition to tell lies, cheat or steal. Dishonesty is contrary to the will and nature of God, and so should not be found among the people of God. The Bible teaches that any prosperity obtained from deceit, fraud and lies will be short lived. Initially, it will appear as an increase but later it will leave you plundered. Some believers exploit fellow believers. This is a great evil because any wrong you do to your brother or sister in Christ is done to the Lord. Today, many people find it difficult to tell the truth. For instance, when asked to go and buy something for the church, they will not rest until they make profit for themselves. Some of those who ‘maintain’ church equipment will present certain equipment as write offs, receive money for another one only to refurbish that which was condemned. They then go on to use it either for themselves or put it out for sale. Who owns the equipment? Who owns the church? Who do you think you are deceiving; the pastor, administrator or Christ? Bread of deceit loads your system with gravel! Each time you deceive the church authority to make money for yourself, you give yourself wounds that may never heal. Jeremiah 17:11 puts it this way:
“As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.”
A particular brother received a contract for electrical works in the building of a church. While bidding for it, he presented certain standard of cables and materials but after he was awarded the contract, he bought sub-standard materials in order to make more profit. Nobody knew. About two years after, the building was on fire as a result of the poor materials used. Meanwhile, the contractor had died before his secret deal came to light. A number of people believed that his deception killed him. Don’t kill yourself; don’t die before your time! God cannot bless you if you deceive Him or His servants. Some people deliberately supply inferior goods to the church so that when they get spoilt, they will be recalled to re-supply such items. This is fraud! Remember Ananias and Sapphira lied about the offering they gave but never survived it! Neither will any who follows their evil path. Are you fraudulent, dishonest, or crafty? Be warned, the end result could be highly disappointing. Proverbs 23:5 describes this as an exercise in futility.
“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”
Prayer Point: Father, please destroy every seed of dishonesty and fraud in my 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: Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. – Proverbs 12:22
Read: Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 13-15, Psalms 68:7-21
MESSAGE:
A fraudster is a dishonest person. Someone with a disposition to tell lies, cheat or steal. Dishonesty is contrary to the will and nature of God, and so should not be found among the people of God. The Bible teaches that any prosperity obtained from deceit, fraud and lies will be short lived. Initially, it will appear as an increase but later it will leave you plundered. Some believers exploit fellow believers. This is a great evil because any wrong you do to your brother or sister in Christ is done to the Lord. Today, many people find it difficult to tell the truth. For instance, when asked to go and buy something for the church, they will not rest until they make profit for themselves. Some of those who ‘maintain’ church equipment will present certain equipment as write offs, receive money for another one only to refurbish that which was condemned. They then go on to use it either for themselves or put it out for sale. Who owns the equipment? Who owns the church? Who do you think you are deceiving; the pastor, administrator or Christ? Bread of deceit loads your system with gravel! Each time you deceive the church authority to make money for yourself, you give yourself wounds that may never heal. Jeremiah 17:11 puts it this way:
“As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.”
A particular brother received a contract for electrical works in the building of a church. While bidding for it, he presented certain standard of cables and materials but after he was awarded the contract, he bought sub-standard materials in order to make more profit. Nobody knew. About two years after, the building was on fire as a result of the poor materials used. Meanwhile, the contractor had died before his secret deal came to light. A number of people believed that his deception killed him. Don’t kill yourself; don’t die before your time! God cannot bless you if you deceive Him or His servants. Some people deliberately supply inferior goods to the church so that when they get spoilt, they will be recalled to re-supply such items. This is fraud! Remember Ananias and Sapphira lied about the offering they gave but never survived it! Neither will any who follows their evil path. Are you fraudulent, dishonest, or crafty? Be warned, the end result could be highly disappointing. Proverbs 23:5 describes this as an exercise in futility.
“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”
Prayer Point: Father, please destroy every seed of dishonesty and fraud in my 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.
Believe Me, This Buhari Cabinet Isn’t Flying - By Dele Momodu
Fellow Nigerians, let me start by thanking all the blogs, WhatsApp groups, Facebook and Twitter wizards who make the incredible efforts and sacrifice to mass-circulate my Pendulum column every week. I’m sincerely grateful for your abiding faith in the written word. Let me assure you that you push me to write this piece regularly no matter how tough. I must also salute all those who reach out to me via emails, SMS and telephone calls offering their appreciation of my humble contribution to nation-building. I’ve just received one such call from a businessman who believes so much in Buhari but feels the man has been encircled by desperate political jobbers who are not bothered whether he fails or succeeds. They are only interested in the allure and lucre of power, he says and he may not be far from the truth.
I truly appreciate the men and women of power who see my weekly sermon from the perspective that I mean no harm but that I am determined to prop up a government I helped bring to fruition in my own little way. It is impossible to forget and ignore my own critics who can never agree with my position on any national or international issue. Unknown to them, they keep me on my toes and force me to hone the elementary logic I learned as an undergraduate student at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
I wish to say categorically and with all emphasis at my command that the Buhari government is flailing. And only the ubiquitous hypocrites and cheer leaders would fail to say it as it is, that the grunts of the people are fast turning into deafening lamentations. No amount of approbation by a President Obama can detract from the plaintive suffering and cries of the Nigerian people. Indeed, much as I love Obama, we must remember that his primary interest is America and the fight against corruption which is a sub-plot in America’s fight against terrorism.
In case our dear President is unaware, and he feels only the wailing wailers are grumbling, I wish to assure him that this is not the case. Some of the President’s friends and supporters are deeply worried at the sad turn of events. They are wondering what went wrong and what can be done to turn the dangerous slide around. In fact, everything looks to them like a bad dream, a nightmare in reality. But on a personal note, I don’t think the situation is as irredeemable as it seems. The solution lies squarely on the President’s table. Only he can salvage his government from this stupendous slump from grace to grass.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s biggest equity is in his legendary incorruptibility. He must have assumed that this equity is rock solid and unassailable. But while the people truly want a reduction in the level of corruption and general indiscipline, you must replace something with something. Buhari’s team believes the problem they have is as a result of waging a relentless war on corrupt people and the freebies that have suddenly frozen up for their friends and acolytes. Not so simple folks. Where are the jobs to occupy and engage the innocent beneficiaries of corruption? A lot of those who had jobs have lost their means of livelihood. Companies are sacking their workers, as if with a vengeance. Foreign investors are running helter-skelter and many have closed shop already running back to wherever they came from. Everyone wants stability and not sermons. And there is no stability, either in the polity, in the economy, in our currency or indeed in our social life.
Unfortunately, this government has been very high on proselytising and low on performance. Their swansong has become abysmally boring. The people are now less interested in the results of President Jonathan’s recklessness in office but more in President Buhari’s remedial panacea. It is shocking that 16 months after our friends took over power they are not yet tired of moaning and groaning about Jonathan. But we sacked Jonathan because we knew and felt his case was very bad. We supported Buhari because of the mystic that he had the magic wand. We didn’t want to be accused in the future of wasting yet another best President Nigeria should have had, after Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. That is why we worked assiduously for a man we had rejected serially in the past. We must beg this government to wake up from its deep slumber. It would be a huge embarrassment and an unmitigated disaster if it fails. So many Nigerians risked everything to midwife this change. I’m willing to support this government to the very end but they should please listen to our pleas and humble suggestions.
The President needs to re-energise his team. Nigeria is too big and too bold to be controlled by a timid cabinet. We need eagles who can fly high. We should be able to find them in a country of nearly 200 million people. There is no doubt that President Buhari has some good hands in his team but most of them have refused to fly, because they are scared. Many have melted into oblivion and irrelevance. We do not need to mention names. Some jobs are so visible that we do not require masquerades to handle. Some jobs require common-sense and not loquacious rabblerousing. Some members of the team have attracted public odium to this government. They make Buhari look so pitiably bad and that should not be so.
The human rights records should also have been better handled and managed during this second coming after the massive damage he suffered in the past. Fighting wars on all fronts from day one distracted and occupied the government. That game-plan was clearly faulty. They should have known that the temperament and tone of a democratic government is ostensibly different from that of a military junta. I once read that too much anger sometimes beclouds reasoning. The government failed to take certain steps to mitigate against the expected backlash of its many wars. It did not reason that hungry people are not always reasonably tolerant of the cause of their social conditions.
No one is sure if President Buhari was ever inclined or advised by his team to plan its offensive well or if he thought he had the same omnipotent power he had from 1983-85. He would have waited a bit and stabilised his government before unleashing mayhem against the enemies of state. I’m told surprise is one of the deadliest strategies in warfare. Most of the looted resources would have remained in our banks if government had not shown its fangs too early. As a lay man in Economics, I will never understand and appreciate the decision to ban people from paying dollars into their own accounts. What did it matter if dollar was paid in cash or by transfer? That was the beginning of the free-fall of our currency down the economic ladder. A large chunk of the money looted has invariably vamoosed into foreign vaults or under some beds or dug-up holes. Shame!
I strongly recommend that the President rejigs his cabinet, especially his economic team and even replace some of the members. This is what a bank would do if some of its managers were not meeting their targets. No manager is too big to be fired by football clubs. There is nothing new under the sun about this approach to governance. There are so many global examples. In 2014, when Saudi Arabia experienced a surge after the outbreak of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS) disease, Saudi King Abdullah fired his Health Minister Abdullah al Rabeeah. In July this year, President Raul Castro of Cuba removed his Minister of Economy Marino Murillo from his portfolio amid the economic hardship that was plaguing the country. Just two weeks ago, Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos fired the country’s Finance Minister Armando Manuel. Manuel had presided over an economic recession caused by a sharp dip in oil prices that weakened dollar inflows, hammered the Angolan Kwanza, leading to heavy government borrowing.
The President should borrow from such examples and do the needful without further delay. I’m happy that even the National Assembly is thinking along the same lines. The government does not have time on its hands and at its disposal. Two years would soon evaporate and the third year will come knocking. It has to start working for those Nigerians who put their fate and faith in the hands of Buhari. We have had enough of the blatant excuses that sound more like expressions of hopelessness and helplessness, thus leading to deja vu.
A few priorities must be tackled speedily. None is greater than the issue of power generation which is already witnessing appreciable progress. I believe the Minister of Power, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, should be allowed to concentrate strictly on power and give his other portfolios to equally competent people. I would love to see a former Governor Donald Duke take over works. I do not care WHICH PARTY HE BELONGS. I have deliberately mentioned this great Nigerian who could easily have been our own Obama if we were a country where merit and achievement catapulted people into the highest office. This government would do well to consider a government of National Unity. Since the suffering we are enduring does not discriminate along Party lines, the solution should not ostracise any capable Nigerian.
On the economy, President Buhari should invite and involve the best brains at home and abroad including non-Nigerians. The Bank of England brought in an expert from Canada as its Governor. Dubai invited a Briton to run one of the most ambitious airports on planet Earth. The London Gatwick Airport was sold to a consortium led by a Nigerian. Ghana has just built a world-class Cargo section by Swissport. Before our very eyes, Ghana is attracting the biggest aviation businesses in West Africa. The world has moved beyond our jejune and archaic style of doing things. Our parastatals have become too unwieldy and totally wasteful. We have so many agencies all over the places managing nothing but eating everything. That does not mean a wholesale sale of our national assets but recourse to effective and efficient lean management wherever that may come from. I say emphatically, nothing would change unless we change our retrogressive ways.
Instructively, the National Assembly and the Executive arms of government must cut down on government expenditure drastically. The National Assembly is making sense with some of its recommendations but it is has to go beyond that by actually implementing those recommendations and putting pressure on the Executive to do the same. All the legislative aides, executive aides, delegations to foreign assignments and government’s fleet of aircrafts and motorcades are atrociously over-bloated and unnecessary. I stumbled on a video footage of President Vladimir Putin of Russia’s motorcade. It had nothing more than four (4) vehicles accompanied with escort motorbikes. In 2012, President Putin even went as far as announcing that he and his prime minister will work more from home to cut the disruption caused by their motorcades in the city of Moscow. That is Russia, a global super-power making an effort to run a leaner and more effective governance structure.
In Ghana where I have lived for over a decade, I have seen the simplicity of the Presidential system of governance from Rawlings to Kufuor to the late Atta Mills and now John Dramani Mahama. Her Majesty, the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II in all the glory of her monarchy goes around in a simple motorcade of usually two or three vehicles. The accompanying vehicles are oftentimes unmarked. But the case of Nigeria is a stark contrast. It sometimes looks as if we are war with some imaginary alien foe. Every security outfit competes to feature in the entourage of our respective leaders. Then there are the support vehicles, including ambulances, bomb disposal vehicles and anti-tank machines
Everything is collapsing except the business of politics. Every government that comes to power seems to be in competition with previous governments in the craze to practice capitalism without capital. Clearly, this is not sustainable and we cannot continue like this. Something has to give. President Buhari must restore confidence again by allowing the change millions of Nigerians voted him for in March 2015 to begin from his desk. It is commonly said that, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” Our time is now.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/09/24/believe-me-this-buhari-cabinet-isnt-flying/
I truly appreciate the men and women of power who see my weekly sermon from the perspective that I mean no harm but that I am determined to prop up a government I helped bring to fruition in my own little way. It is impossible to forget and ignore my own critics who can never agree with my position on any national or international issue. Unknown to them, they keep me on my toes and force me to hone the elementary logic I learned as an undergraduate student at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
I wish to say categorically and with all emphasis at my command that the Buhari government is flailing. And only the ubiquitous hypocrites and cheer leaders would fail to say it as it is, that the grunts of the people are fast turning into deafening lamentations. No amount of approbation by a President Obama can detract from the plaintive suffering and cries of the Nigerian people. Indeed, much as I love Obama, we must remember that his primary interest is America and the fight against corruption which is a sub-plot in America’s fight against terrorism.
In case our dear President is unaware, and he feels only the wailing wailers are grumbling, I wish to assure him that this is not the case. Some of the President’s friends and supporters are deeply worried at the sad turn of events. They are wondering what went wrong and what can be done to turn the dangerous slide around. In fact, everything looks to them like a bad dream, a nightmare in reality. But on a personal note, I don’t think the situation is as irredeemable as it seems. The solution lies squarely on the President’s table. Only he can salvage his government from this stupendous slump from grace to grass.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s biggest equity is in his legendary incorruptibility. He must have assumed that this equity is rock solid and unassailable. But while the people truly want a reduction in the level of corruption and general indiscipline, you must replace something with something. Buhari’s team believes the problem they have is as a result of waging a relentless war on corrupt people and the freebies that have suddenly frozen up for their friends and acolytes. Not so simple folks. Where are the jobs to occupy and engage the innocent beneficiaries of corruption? A lot of those who had jobs have lost their means of livelihood. Companies are sacking their workers, as if with a vengeance. Foreign investors are running helter-skelter and many have closed shop already running back to wherever they came from. Everyone wants stability and not sermons. And there is no stability, either in the polity, in the economy, in our currency or indeed in our social life.
Unfortunately, this government has been very high on proselytising and low on performance. Their swansong has become abysmally boring. The people are now less interested in the results of President Jonathan’s recklessness in office but more in President Buhari’s remedial panacea. It is shocking that 16 months after our friends took over power they are not yet tired of moaning and groaning about Jonathan. But we sacked Jonathan because we knew and felt his case was very bad. We supported Buhari because of the mystic that he had the magic wand. We didn’t want to be accused in the future of wasting yet another best President Nigeria should have had, after Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. That is why we worked assiduously for a man we had rejected serially in the past. We must beg this government to wake up from its deep slumber. It would be a huge embarrassment and an unmitigated disaster if it fails. So many Nigerians risked everything to midwife this change. I’m willing to support this government to the very end but they should please listen to our pleas and humble suggestions.
The President needs to re-energise his team. Nigeria is too big and too bold to be controlled by a timid cabinet. We need eagles who can fly high. We should be able to find them in a country of nearly 200 million people. There is no doubt that President Buhari has some good hands in his team but most of them have refused to fly, because they are scared. Many have melted into oblivion and irrelevance. We do not need to mention names. Some jobs are so visible that we do not require masquerades to handle. Some jobs require common-sense and not loquacious rabblerousing. Some members of the team have attracted public odium to this government. They make Buhari look so pitiably bad and that should not be so.
The human rights records should also have been better handled and managed during this second coming after the massive damage he suffered in the past. Fighting wars on all fronts from day one distracted and occupied the government. That game-plan was clearly faulty. They should have known that the temperament and tone of a democratic government is ostensibly different from that of a military junta. I once read that too much anger sometimes beclouds reasoning. The government failed to take certain steps to mitigate against the expected backlash of its many wars. It did not reason that hungry people are not always reasonably tolerant of the cause of their social conditions.
No one is sure if President Buhari was ever inclined or advised by his team to plan its offensive well or if he thought he had the same omnipotent power he had from 1983-85. He would have waited a bit and stabilised his government before unleashing mayhem against the enemies of state. I’m told surprise is one of the deadliest strategies in warfare. Most of the looted resources would have remained in our banks if government had not shown its fangs too early. As a lay man in Economics, I will never understand and appreciate the decision to ban people from paying dollars into their own accounts. What did it matter if dollar was paid in cash or by transfer? That was the beginning of the free-fall of our currency down the economic ladder. A large chunk of the money looted has invariably vamoosed into foreign vaults or under some beds or dug-up holes. Shame!
I strongly recommend that the President rejigs his cabinet, especially his economic team and even replace some of the members. This is what a bank would do if some of its managers were not meeting their targets. No manager is too big to be fired by football clubs. There is nothing new under the sun about this approach to governance. There are so many global examples. In 2014, when Saudi Arabia experienced a surge after the outbreak of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS) disease, Saudi King Abdullah fired his Health Minister Abdullah al Rabeeah. In July this year, President Raul Castro of Cuba removed his Minister of Economy Marino Murillo from his portfolio amid the economic hardship that was plaguing the country. Just two weeks ago, Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos fired the country’s Finance Minister Armando Manuel. Manuel had presided over an economic recession caused by a sharp dip in oil prices that weakened dollar inflows, hammered the Angolan Kwanza, leading to heavy government borrowing.
The President should borrow from such examples and do the needful without further delay. I’m happy that even the National Assembly is thinking along the same lines. The government does not have time on its hands and at its disposal. Two years would soon evaporate and the third year will come knocking. It has to start working for those Nigerians who put their fate and faith in the hands of Buhari. We have had enough of the blatant excuses that sound more like expressions of hopelessness and helplessness, thus leading to deja vu.
A few priorities must be tackled speedily. None is greater than the issue of power generation which is already witnessing appreciable progress. I believe the Minister of Power, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, should be allowed to concentrate strictly on power and give his other portfolios to equally competent people. I would love to see a former Governor Donald Duke take over works. I do not care WHICH PARTY HE BELONGS. I have deliberately mentioned this great Nigerian who could easily have been our own Obama if we were a country where merit and achievement catapulted people into the highest office. This government would do well to consider a government of National Unity. Since the suffering we are enduring does not discriminate along Party lines, the solution should not ostracise any capable Nigerian.
On the economy, President Buhari should invite and involve the best brains at home and abroad including non-Nigerians. The Bank of England brought in an expert from Canada as its Governor. Dubai invited a Briton to run one of the most ambitious airports on planet Earth. The London Gatwick Airport was sold to a consortium led by a Nigerian. Ghana has just built a world-class Cargo section by Swissport. Before our very eyes, Ghana is attracting the biggest aviation businesses in West Africa. The world has moved beyond our jejune and archaic style of doing things. Our parastatals have become too unwieldy and totally wasteful. We have so many agencies all over the places managing nothing but eating everything. That does not mean a wholesale sale of our national assets but recourse to effective and efficient lean management wherever that may come from. I say emphatically, nothing would change unless we change our retrogressive ways.
Instructively, the National Assembly and the Executive arms of government must cut down on government expenditure drastically. The National Assembly is making sense with some of its recommendations but it is has to go beyond that by actually implementing those recommendations and putting pressure on the Executive to do the same. All the legislative aides, executive aides, delegations to foreign assignments and government’s fleet of aircrafts and motorcades are atrociously over-bloated and unnecessary. I stumbled on a video footage of President Vladimir Putin of Russia’s motorcade. It had nothing more than four (4) vehicles accompanied with escort motorbikes. In 2012, President Putin even went as far as announcing that he and his prime minister will work more from home to cut the disruption caused by their motorcades in the city of Moscow. That is Russia, a global super-power making an effort to run a leaner and more effective governance structure.
In Ghana where I have lived for over a decade, I have seen the simplicity of the Presidential system of governance from Rawlings to Kufuor to the late Atta Mills and now John Dramani Mahama. Her Majesty, the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II in all the glory of her monarchy goes around in a simple motorcade of usually two or three vehicles. The accompanying vehicles are oftentimes unmarked. But the case of Nigeria is a stark contrast. It sometimes looks as if we are war with some imaginary alien foe. Every security outfit competes to feature in the entourage of our respective leaders. Then there are the support vehicles, including ambulances, bomb disposal vehicles and anti-tank machines
Everything is collapsing except the business of politics. Every government that comes to power seems to be in competition with previous governments in the craze to practice capitalism without capital. Clearly, this is not sustainable and we cannot continue like this. Something has to give. President Buhari must restore confidence again by allowing the change millions of Nigerians voted him for in March 2015 to begin from his desk. It is commonly said that, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” Our time is now.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/09/24/believe-me-this-buhari-cabinet-isnt-flying/
Saturday, 24 September 2016
Open Heavens 24 September 2016: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Power of Knowledge
Topic: The Power of Knowledge [Saturday 24, September 2016]
Memorise: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. – Hosea 4:6
Read: Proverbs 1:20-29 (KJV)
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 10-12, Psalms 67:1-68:6
MESSAGE:
Knowledge can be defined in two major ways; first, as an acquaintance with the body of truths, facts, or principles accumulated in the course of time from study or investigation. On the other hand, knowledge can also be defined as the illumination of the mind, especially by the Word of God, leading to delight and increased pleasure in God. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of knowledge as an illumination of the mind by the Word of God. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological, and spiritual knowledge; and this kind of knowledge is superior to any other. In reference to the knowledge of the Word of God Hosea 4:6 says:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
As I have always said, knowledge is power because it is a major factor that controls the process of decision making and therefore ultimately determines the course of life. It is the level of your knowledge about any particular subject that determines your ability to make the right decisions about the subject. It is in this light that Proverbs 1:29 says those who despise or detest knowledge do so at their risk. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge may lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success.
Do you know that if you know more about God and His Word, it will affect you in making error-proof choices and decisions? That is why Proverbs 1:23 says,
“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”
The elements you need in taking those crucial decisions are contained in the Bible, prophetic utterances of genuine men of God and what He would like to say directly to you. How much time have you given to studying at His feet? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible study while others are sleeping at midnight. No. You are gaining time. At the end, you will realize you spent far less time and effort in reaching your goal than the one who never cared to give priority to God’s Word.
Prayer Point: Father, please give me enlightenment and understanding by Your Word 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: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. – Hosea 4:6
Read: Proverbs 1:20-29 (KJV)
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 10-12, Psalms 67:1-68:6
MESSAGE:
Knowledge can be defined in two major ways; first, as an acquaintance with the body of truths, facts, or principles accumulated in the course of time from study or investigation. On the other hand, knowledge can also be defined as the illumination of the mind, especially by the Word of God, leading to delight and increased pleasure in God. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of knowledge as an illumination of the mind by the Word of God. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological, and spiritual knowledge; and this kind of knowledge is superior to any other. In reference to the knowledge of the Word of God Hosea 4:6 says:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
As I have always said, knowledge is power because it is a major factor that controls the process of decision making and therefore ultimately determines the course of life. It is the level of your knowledge about any particular subject that determines your ability to make the right decisions about the subject. It is in this light that Proverbs 1:29 says those who despise or detest knowledge do so at their risk. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge may lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success.
Do you know that if you know more about God and His Word, it will affect you in making error-proof choices and decisions? That is why Proverbs 1:23 says,
“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”
The elements you need in taking those crucial decisions are contained in the Bible, prophetic utterances of genuine men of God and what He would like to say directly to you. How much time have you given to studying at His feet? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible study while others are sleeping at midnight. No. You are gaining time. At the end, you will realize you spent far less time and effort in reaching your goal than the one who never cared to give priority to God’s Word.
Prayer Point: Father, please give me enlightenment and understanding by Your Word 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, 23 September 2016
If You Forsake Him, He Will Forsake You
A Promise For You From Bible Promises:
Topic: If You Forsake Him, He Will Forsake You [23/09/2016]
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles 28:9. Read: 1 Sam 2:30
The above scripture goes against the erroneous teaching of Eternal security which means, "Once saved is forever saved". On his sick bed, David gave this ever relevant admonition to his successor - Solomon, he advised him to serve God who has chosen him with a perfect heart and to be careful not to forsake Him because if he does, God will not hesitate to cast him away. But Solomon fell short of his father's admonition when he went after strange women who turned his heart against God who chose him to be King after his father. Like David told him, God cast him out by stirring up an adversary against him until his kingdom was torn into twelve and was given one portion for his father's (David) sake. 1 Kings 11.
No matter what promises you've received from the Lord, if you forsake Him, He will also forsake you. It's as simple as that, let no one deceive you. In spite of God's covenant with Eli's lineage, God forsook him because he and his household forsook Him. It's wisdom not to take God's grace for granted but to stay put to Him. Bible says in Romans 6:1-2, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.
#BiblePromisesPrayer
Father, the grace not to forsake you till I see you in glory, release upon me in Jesus Name.
By Emode Victor
Topic: If You Forsake Him, He Will Forsake You [23/09/2016]
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles 28:9. Read: 1 Sam 2:30
The above scripture goes against the erroneous teaching of Eternal security which means, "Once saved is forever saved". On his sick bed, David gave this ever relevant admonition to his successor - Solomon, he advised him to serve God who has chosen him with a perfect heart and to be careful not to forsake Him because if he does, God will not hesitate to cast him away. But Solomon fell short of his father's admonition when he went after strange women who turned his heart against God who chose him to be King after his father. Like David told him, God cast him out by stirring up an adversary against him until his kingdom was torn into twelve and was given one portion for his father's (David) sake. 1 Kings 11.
No matter what promises you've received from the Lord, if you forsake Him, He will also forsake you. It's as simple as that, let no one deceive you. In spite of God's covenant with Eli's lineage, God forsook him because he and his household forsook Him. It's wisdom not to take God's grace for granted but to stay put to Him. Bible says in Romans 6:1-2, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.
#BiblePromisesPrayer
Father, the grace not to forsake you till I see you in glory, release upon me in Jesus Name.
By Emode Victor
Open Heavens 23 September 2016: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Sure Solution
Topic: The Sure Solution [Friday 23, September 2016]
Memorise: Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Read: James 5:13-16 (KJV)
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 7-9, Psalms 66:10-20
MESSAGE:
Prayer is a means of communicating with God, it is primarily offered by addressing God directly in the name of Jesus. Prayer may include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament. The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and commends a life of prayer that is characterized by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in God’s ability. It is important to note that prayer plays a vital role in our quest to access more of God’s glory. It is a ladder we can climb to enter into God’s presence. The more you pray, the more of His presence you will encounter, leading you into more of His glory. At the mount of Transfiguration, when the Lord moved His prayer gear to a higher level, He saw Himself in the presence of His Father and His clothes shone with God’s glory (Luke 9:29). After this experience, Jesus returned to the domains of men, empowered to gain victory over men, demons and challenges that came His way. Prayer is the sure answer and the ultimate solution to all problems and challenges of life. God commanded us to pray in Jeremiah 33:3 by saying:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Through the instrumentality of prayer, there is no problem too big that cannot be solved; the issue is: many people are too lazy to pray their way into God’s presence to enable them access the level of glory they require to reign over Satan, situations, circumstances and their fears. Wake up! Rise up in prayer and begin to pray your way into His presence today! Bear in mind the evil judgment and all manners of calamities always befall those that do not pray. God wants His children to develop the habit of praying always, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: “Pray without ceasing”; Romans 12:12 talks about “…Continuing instant in prayer”; and Luke 18:1 says, “….men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Children of God have no excuse for operating a prayer-less life. James 4:2 says:
“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”
The Word of God makes it very clear that the failure of many among the people of God is not due to laziness, lack of ambition, or poor preparation, but to a lack of prayer. According to 2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray…”
Many personal problems of individual Christians and some corporate challenges in the Body of Christ will turn to testimonies if only God’s people will pray.
Prayer Point: Father, please rekindle the fire of prayer in my 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: Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Read: James 5:13-16 (KJV)
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 7-9, Psalms 66:10-20
MESSAGE:
Prayer is a means of communicating with God, it is primarily offered by addressing God directly in the name of Jesus. Prayer may include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament. The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and commends a life of prayer that is characterized by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in God’s ability. It is important to note that prayer plays a vital role in our quest to access more of God’s glory. It is a ladder we can climb to enter into God’s presence. The more you pray, the more of His presence you will encounter, leading you into more of His glory. At the mount of Transfiguration, when the Lord moved His prayer gear to a higher level, He saw Himself in the presence of His Father and His clothes shone with God’s glory (Luke 9:29). After this experience, Jesus returned to the domains of men, empowered to gain victory over men, demons and challenges that came His way. Prayer is the sure answer and the ultimate solution to all problems and challenges of life. God commanded us to pray in Jeremiah 33:3 by saying:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Through the instrumentality of prayer, there is no problem too big that cannot be solved; the issue is: many people are too lazy to pray their way into God’s presence to enable them access the level of glory they require to reign over Satan, situations, circumstances and their fears. Wake up! Rise up in prayer and begin to pray your way into His presence today! Bear in mind the evil judgment and all manners of calamities always befall those that do not pray. God wants His children to develop the habit of praying always, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: “Pray without ceasing”; Romans 12:12 talks about “…Continuing instant in prayer”; and Luke 18:1 says, “….men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Children of God have no excuse for operating a prayer-less life. James 4:2 says:
“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”
The Word of God makes it very clear that the failure of many among the people of God is not due to laziness, lack of ambition, or poor preparation, but to a lack of prayer. According to 2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray…”
Many personal problems of individual Christians and some corporate challenges in the Body of Christ will turn to testimonies if only God’s people will pray.
Prayer Point: Father, please rekindle the fire of prayer in my 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.
Thursday, 22 September 2016
Open Heavens 22 September 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Demon Possessed?
Topic: Demon Possessed? [Thursday 22, September 2016]
Memorise: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. – Acts 10:38
Read: 1 Samuel 16:14-23 (KJV)
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 4-6, Psalms 66:1-9
MESSAGE:
The use of the term “demon possessed” in the Bible is always in reference to a person operating under the influence of a demon or evil spirit. The Bible describes demons as evil, spiritual beings or malevolent forces that are opposed to God, and are in the habit of influencing human beings to disobey God. However, demons always bow in the presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God’s presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples and they surrendered without much argument. I have always told my children that if we have enough of His presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious; heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word.
As a matter of fact, until you carry a higher level of His presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His presence in your life, there will be commotion because demons recognise the presence of God and they can’t be at rest in His presence. Even in church, while God’s anointed Word is being taught powerfully, demons will not be able to withstand the power in the Word, this happened when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Mark 1:12-26. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God’s vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God’s presence in them. If only you carry a higher level of His presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.
Furthermore, every encounter with the Word releases a measure of Truth that sets free, and just as the level of bondage varies in the lives of the captive, so also, the dose of Truth needed to bring total liberation varies. If you can expose yourself to more and more of the Word and allow the light of God’s Word to shine on you, captivity will give way and you will be free. God desires your absolute freedom (John 8:36). Yet, beyond this, Jesus wants to empower you to set other captives free (Mark 16:17). What level of freedom are you experiencing? Everything that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus’ name. Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become a means of liberation to others in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, please let your presence and the power of your Word fill my life completely 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: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. – Acts 10:38
Read: 1 Samuel 16:14-23 (KJV)
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 4-6, Psalms 66:1-9
MESSAGE:
The use of the term “demon possessed” in the Bible is always in reference to a person operating under the influence of a demon or evil spirit. The Bible describes demons as evil, spiritual beings or malevolent forces that are opposed to God, and are in the habit of influencing human beings to disobey God. However, demons always bow in the presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God’s presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples and they surrendered without much argument. I have always told my children that if we have enough of His presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious; heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word.
As a matter of fact, until you carry a higher level of His presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His presence in your life, there will be commotion because demons recognise the presence of God and they can’t be at rest in His presence. Even in church, while God’s anointed Word is being taught powerfully, demons will not be able to withstand the power in the Word, this happened when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Mark 1:12-26. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God’s vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God’s presence in them. If only you carry a higher level of His presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.
Furthermore, every encounter with the Word releases a measure of Truth that sets free, and just as the level of bondage varies in the lives of the captive, so also, the dose of Truth needed to bring total liberation varies. If you can expose yourself to more and more of the Word and allow the light of God’s Word to shine on you, captivity will give way and you will be free. God desires your absolute freedom (John 8:36). Yet, beyond this, Jesus wants to empower you to set other captives free (Mark 16:17). What level of freedom are you experiencing? Everything that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus’ name. Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become a means of liberation to others in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, please let your presence and the power of your Word fill my life completely 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.
Wednesday, 21 September 2016
Open Heavens 21 September 2016: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Soldiers of The Cross
Topic: Soldiers of The Cross [Wednesday 21, September 2016]
Memorise: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. – 2 Timothy 2:3
Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 1-3, Psalms 65
MESSAGE:
The word ‘soldier’ appears in the Bible quite frequently, along with a number of synonymous terms. A soldier is a person involved in military activity, one who is specially trained for war. In Bible days, the phrase ‘men who drew the sword,’ was commonly used to identify a soldier’s primary function as a combatant and to symbolise warfare in general. Ephesians 6:11-17, is a Bible reference comparing the weapons of a fully armed Roman soldier to that of a Christian’s spiritual armour. In recruiting earthly soldiers, some are chosen while others who are unfit are dropped. The fact that you are born again shows that you have scaled through the first selection hurdle. The next thing is to prove that you are a good solider of Jesus Christ. Why? There are bad soldiers of the Cross. There are many supposed soldiers in God’s army who are no better than earthly civilians. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul enjoins fellow Heavenly soldiers to fight the good fight of faith. We have been called into a fight. It is a fight that is based on your faith in Christ. 2 Timothy 2:4 says:
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
The chosen is also expected to be a soldier. Therefore, if you cannot fight to resist and terminate Satan’s operation in your life, family or church, you are a civilian not a soldier. If you cannot fight for God’s promise to be fulfilled in your life and circumstances, you are a civilian, not a soldier. Can you imagine a soldier who is armed and at the battle front drops his weapons, only to plead with fellow soldiers to assist him in shooting at his enemies? That is a civilian soldier! In the Christian faith, there are many civilian soldiers. If you keep relying on others to pray for you, you are a civilian solider. If you pay prayer contractors to go to Prayer Mountains on your behalf while you are asleep at home, you are a civilian soldier. Civilian soldier make God nauseous. If you are a soldier of the Cross, you must endure hardness. If because of little trials- delayed conception, no money, or some persecution, you decide to call it quits with your faith in Christ, you become a deserter, not a soldier. Soldiers are tough and able to go through tough and difficult terrains. What would stop civilians cannot stop soldiers. They are armed, disciplined and operate according to the orders of their superiors. They are faithful to their oath to defend and kill identified enemies of the kingdom. They fight, putting their lives on the line. The big question that every Christian must answer with all sincerity is, are you a soldier of the cross, a deserter, or a civilian?
Prayer Point: Father, I am determined to be a soldier of the cross, please help my resolve to stand for you and the Gospel 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: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. – 2 Timothy 2:3
Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 1-3, Psalms 65
MESSAGE:
The word ‘soldier’ appears in the Bible quite frequently, along with a number of synonymous terms. A soldier is a person involved in military activity, one who is specially trained for war. In Bible days, the phrase ‘men who drew the sword,’ was commonly used to identify a soldier’s primary function as a combatant and to symbolise warfare in general. Ephesians 6:11-17, is a Bible reference comparing the weapons of a fully armed Roman soldier to that of a Christian’s spiritual armour. In recruiting earthly soldiers, some are chosen while others who are unfit are dropped. The fact that you are born again shows that you have scaled through the first selection hurdle. The next thing is to prove that you are a good solider of Jesus Christ. Why? There are bad soldiers of the Cross. There are many supposed soldiers in God’s army who are no better than earthly civilians. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul enjoins fellow Heavenly soldiers to fight the good fight of faith. We have been called into a fight. It is a fight that is based on your faith in Christ. 2 Timothy 2:4 says:
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
The chosen is also expected to be a soldier. Therefore, if you cannot fight to resist and terminate Satan’s operation in your life, family or church, you are a civilian not a soldier. If you cannot fight for God’s promise to be fulfilled in your life and circumstances, you are a civilian, not a soldier. Can you imagine a soldier who is armed and at the battle front drops his weapons, only to plead with fellow soldiers to assist him in shooting at his enemies? That is a civilian soldier! In the Christian faith, there are many civilian soldiers. If you keep relying on others to pray for you, you are a civilian solider. If you pay prayer contractors to go to Prayer Mountains on your behalf while you are asleep at home, you are a civilian soldier. Civilian soldier make God nauseous. If you are a soldier of the Cross, you must endure hardness. If because of little trials- delayed conception, no money, or some persecution, you decide to call it quits with your faith in Christ, you become a deserter, not a soldier. Soldiers are tough and able to go through tough and difficult terrains. What would stop civilians cannot stop soldiers. They are armed, disciplined and operate according to the orders of their superiors. They are faithful to their oath to defend and kill identified enemies of the kingdom. They fight, putting their lives on the line. The big question that every Christian must answer with all sincerity is, are you a soldier of the cross, a deserter, or a civilian?
Prayer Point: Father, I am determined to be a soldier of the cross, please help my resolve to stand for you and the Gospel 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.
Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Unfreeze my accounts in 14 days or face N5 billion lawsuit says Patience Jonathan
Former Nigerian first lady Patience Jonathan has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) a fourteen-day ultimatum to unfreeze her accounts or face a N5 billion lawsuit.
In a letter issued by her attorneys, First Law Solicitors and signed by its Senior Partner, Timipa Jenkins Okponipere and addressed to EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, Mrs. Jonathan described EFCC as “a big thief” for freezing her accounts with Skype Bank, containing more than $15million.
The letter reads: “Sir, it is our client’s brief that there is no formal criminal complaint of economic and financial crime as defined by the EFCC Act 2004 written by any person or institution against her which warranted the EFCC to freeze her accounts. It is also our client’s brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a court order as required by Section 34 of the EFCC Act before her accounts were frozen.
“It is our client’s further brief that, up until the writing of this open letter, she has not received any formal invitation to appear before the commission for questioning; whereas her accounts domiciled with Skye Bank Plc have since been frozen by the commission without recourse to her.
“We are very much aware of numerous instances where EFCC used strong-arm tactics to dispossess hard working Nigerians of their legitimately earned money; only to turn around to brazenly and shamelessly loot the recovered loot. This is one of such unfortunate instances. Clearly, it is a failed politically-motivated attempt by the EFCC to steal our client’s money using the cover of the present political climate.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be counter-productive and inimical to the public interest if the Attorney General of the Federation and/or the EFCC heeded the irresponsible calls to commence the arrest and prosecution of our client based on suspicion. If they did otherwise, they shall be violating the extant provision of Section 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which clearly prohibits criminal proceedings that were not in the public interest. Besides, suspicion; no matter how strong it may seem; cannot ground a conviction.”
“TAKE NOTICE; AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that if the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS at The Gambia demanding FIVE BILLION NAIRA in exemplary and punitive damages.”
Find the full statement below:
1. By virtue of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, we are Solicitors to HER EXCELLENCY, MRS. PATIENCE IBIFAKA GOODLUCK JONATHAN, the wife to the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR. We shall hereinafter, refer to Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan as “OUR CLIENT.”
2. Our Client is a respected senior citizen of international repute, a retired Permanent Secretary and the immediate past First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our Client is a law-abiding citizen who has never or at all been the subject of any criminal and/or financial investigation, whether at home or abroad. Accordingly, she has not been found guilty of any criminal conduct throughout a sparkling public service career spanning over 35 years.
3. During the 5 years our Client served as First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between May, 2010 and May, 2015; she was the Initiator/Founder of the A. ARUERA WOMEN FOUNDATION as well as the WOMEN FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE; both of which Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) substantially contributed to the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in the country. Our Client is the recipient of numerous local and international awards in recognition of her untiring commitment towards uplifting the living standard of women, children and the aged in Nigeria.
4. Sir, it is against this sterling and meritorious background of our Client that we most respectfully, write to draw your attention to the numerous breaches of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004 committed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in cause of the Commission’s illegal and unlawful investigation of our Client for alleged money laundering. These investigations have reportedly led to the freeze of our Client’s accounts and led to untold consequences to our Client’s health and wellbeing.
5. Firstly, the EFCC must realize that the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (ESTABLISHMENT) ACT 2004 is inferior in content and quality to both the 1999 CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA (AS AMENDED) and THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS 2004.
6. To that extent, it is trite law that, where there is a conflict or an inconsistency between the EFCC ACT, on the one hand; and the combined provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 2004, on the other hand; the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 2004 must necessarily prevail to the extent of the said inconsistency.
7. However, we note, with regret, that in the current matter involving the curious and bizarre investigation of our esteemed Client, the EFCC under your watch has not only undermined the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights; the Commission has actually conducted itself in a most desperate, despicable and arrogant manner. This is rather unfortunate.
8. Sir, one of the cardinal principles enshrined in both Nigerian and African jurisprudence, is that of the presumption of innocence which is guaranteed to all citizens, including our Client.
9. Consequently, the SPECIAL POWERS of the Commission as defined by SECTION 7(1) & (2) of the EFCC ACT 2004 to, among others, “cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the Commission that the person’s life style and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income,” is inconsistent with and contrary to the mandatory requirement of SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states thus:
“Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to – (a) be informed promptly in the language that he understands and in detail of the nature of the offence; (b) be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence;”
10. The necessary implication or import of SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is that the EFCC’s so-called power to arbitrarily and unlawfully investigate our esteemed Client and thereby, freeze her accounts with total sum in excess of FIFTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS which are domiciled with SKYE BANK PLC is NOT ABSOLUTE.
11. Sir, it is our Client’s brief that there is no formal criminal complaint of economic and financial crime as defined by the EFCC ACT 2004 written by any person or institution against her which warranted the EFCC to freeze her accounts.
12. It is also our Client’s brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a Court Order as required by SECTION 34 of the EFCC ACT before her accounts were frozen.
13. It is our Client’s further brief that, up until the writing of this Open Letter, she has not received any formal invitation to appear before the Commission for questioning; whereas her accounts domiciled with SKYE BANK PLC have since been frozen by the Commission without recourse to her.
14. Sir, the argument put forward by the Commission in the public domain that, “investigations are ongoing…Mrs. Patience Jonathan shall be invited in due course,” are not only vexatious and provocative. They constitute an outright violation and rape of the fundamental right to fair hearing and ownership of property as guaranteed to our Client by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 2004.
15. Indeed, SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), contains or laid down a sequence or pattern of commencement of investigation which MUST BE FOLLOWED STRICTLY, to wit:
a. Persons charged with a criminal offence must be informed in the language they understand and in detail of the nature of the offence;
b. Such persons must be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence; etc
16. Sir, instead of strict compliance with the above pattern, as laid down by SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the EFCC went after our Client’s money by ordering a freeze of her accounts. With all due respect, the EFCC is a BIG THIEF!
17. We are very much aware of numerous instances where EFCC used strong-arm tactics to dispossess hard working Nigerians of their legitimately earned money; only to turn around to brazenly and shamelessly loot the recovered loot. This is one of such unfortunate instances. Clearly, it is a failed politically-motivated attempt by the EFCC to steal our Client’s money using the cover of the present political climate.
18. We are sufficiently convinced that prebendal politics of the sort that smears the image and reputation of former public office holders, together with that of members of their families – which automatically, distracts from governance and slows down the nation’s pace of development – is one of the major reasons for the persistent and unrelenting politically-motivated attacks on our Client who is extremely popular with Nigerian women, children and the aged.
19. We have rightly observed that each time a new Government was sworn into office, political jobbers such as the EFCC promptly mobilized themselves to throw mud, blackmail and/or otherwise label members of the immediate past Government; all in a desperate bid to accomplish or satisfy narrow and base political interests to the detriment of the entire country. This disturbing familiar pattern of unjustifiable, bankrupt and hollow harassment of the nation’s former leaders is deplorable.
20. Our Client has unfortunately, come under the vice grip and stranglehold of the cabal of political jobbers who would not allow her concentrate on her private life in retirement. Ironically, our Client’s most virulent critics and traducers come from the human rights community in Nigeria which benefited immensely from her husband’s fairly commendable human rights record, while he served as President.
21. Notably, we recall that the Freedom of Information Act 2015 was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Criminal Justice Administration Law 2015 was also signed into law by the former President. Needless to say, these extant laws have strengthened Nigeria’s civil society to act effectively as the nation’s “fourth arm of government.”
22. For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be counter-productive and inimical to the public interest if the Attorney General of the Federation and/or the EFCC heeded the irresponsible calls to commence the arrest and prosecution of our Client based on suspicion. If they did otherwise, they shall be violating the extant provision of SECTION 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which clearly prohibits criminal proceedings that were not in the public interest. Besides, suspicion; no matter how strong it may seem; cannot ground a conviction.
23. We hereby categorically and emphatically state that, HER EXCELLENCY, MRS. PATIENCE IBIFAKA GOODLUCK JONATHAN SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE!
24. Furthermore, there is no established legal or political precedent for what the EFCC is currently doing to our Client. How many former First Ladies in Nigeria have received the Patience Goodluck Jonathan Treatment (PGJT) to have warranted the EFCC to engage in the effrontery to freeze our Client’s accounts and subject her to public opprobrium, ridicule and disgrace? This nonsense must stop forthwith!
25. Consequently, we urge the EFCC to de-freeze our Client’s accounts WITHIN 14 DAYS from today, September 18, 2016 and tender a public apology to our Client.
26. TAKE NOTICE; AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that if the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS at The Gambia demanding FIVE BILLION NAIRA in exemplary and punitive damages.
Yours faithfully,
FOR: FIRST LAW SOLICITORS (Legal Practitioners)
SIGNED:
TIMIPA JENKINS OKPONIPERE, ESQ.
Senior Partner
September 18, 2016
In a letter issued by her attorneys, First Law Solicitors and signed by its Senior Partner, Timipa Jenkins Okponipere and addressed to EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, Mrs. Jonathan described EFCC as “a big thief” for freezing her accounts with Skype Bank, containing more than $15million.
The letter reads: “Sir, it is our client’s brief that there is no formal criminal complaint of economic and financial crime as defined by the EFCC Act 2004 written by any person or institution against her which warranted the EFCC to freeze her accounts. It is also our client’s brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a court order as required by Section 34 of the EFCC Act before her accounts were frozen.
“It is our client’s further brief that, up until the writing of this open letter, she has not received any formal invitation to appear before the commission for questioning; whereas her accounts domiciled with Skye Bank Plc have since been frozen by the commission without recourse to her.
“We are very much aware of numerous instances where EFCC used strong-arm tactics to dispossess hard working Nigerians of their legitimately earned money; only to turn around to brazenly and shamelessly loot the recovered loot. This is one of such unfortunate instances. Clearly, it is a failed politically-motivated attempt by the EFCC to steal our client’s money using the cover of the present political climate.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be counter-productive and inimical to the public interest if the Attorney General of the Federation and/or the EFCC heeded the irresponsible calls to commence the arrest and prosecution of our client based on suspicion. If they did otherwise, they shall be violating the extant provision of Section 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which clearly prohibits criminal proceedings that were not in the public interest. Besides, suspicion; no matter how strong it may seem; cannot ground a conviction.”
“TAKE NOTICE; AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that if the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS at The Gambia demanding FIVE BILLION NAIRA in exemplary and punitive damages.”
Find the full statement below:
1. By virtue of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, we are Solicitors to HER EXCELLENCY, MRS. PATIENCE IBIFAKA GOODLUCK JONATHAN, the wife to the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR. We shall hereinafter, refer to Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan as “OUR CLIENT.”
2. Our Client is a respected senior citizen of international repute, a retired Permanent Secretary and the immediate past First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our Client is a law-abiding citizen who has never or at all been the subject of any criminal and/or financial investigation, whether at home or abroad. Accordingly, she has not been found guilty of any criminal conduct throughout a sparkling public service career spanning over 35 years.
3. During the 5 years our Client served as First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between May, 2010 and May, 2015; she was the Initiator/Founder of the A. ARUERA WOMEN FOUNDATION as well as the WOMEN FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE; both of which Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) substantially contributed to the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in the country. Our Client is the recipient of numerous local and international awards in recognition of her untiring commitment towards uplifting the living standard of women, children and the aged in Nigeria.
4. Sir, it is against this sterling and meritorious background of our Client that we most respectfully, write to draw your attention to the numerous breaches of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004 committed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in cause of the Commission’s illegal and unlawful investigation of our Client for alleged money laundering. These investigations have reportedly led to the freeze of our Client’s accounts and led to untold consequences to our Client’s health and wellbeing.
5. Firstly, the EFCC must realize that the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (ESTABLISHMENT) ACT 2004 is inferior in content and quality to both the 1999 CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA (AS AMENDED) and THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS 2004.
6. To that extent, it is trite law that, where there is a conflict or an inconsistency between the EFCC ACT, on the one hand; and the combined provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 2004, on the other hand; the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 2004 must necessarily prevail to the extent of the said inconsistency.
7. However, we note, with regret, that in the current matter involving the curious and bizarre investigation of our esteemed Client, the EFCC under your watch has not only undermined the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights; the Commission has actually conducted itself in a most desperate, despicable and arrogant manner. This is rather unfortunate.
8. Sir, one of the cardinal principles enshrined in both Nigerian and African jurisprudence, is that of the presumption of innocence which is guaranteed to all citizens, including our Client.
9. Consequently, the SPECIAL POWERS of the Commission as defined by SECTION 7(1) & (2) of the EFCC ACT 2004 to, among others, “cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the Commission that the person’s life style and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income,” is inconsistent with and contrary to the mandatory requirement of SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states thus:
“Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to – (a) be informed promptly in the language that he understands and in detail of the nature of the offence; (b) be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence;”
10. The necessary implication or import of SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is that the EFCC’s so-called power to arbitrarily and unlawfully investigate our esteemed Client and thereby, freeze her accounts with total sum in excess of FIFTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS which are domiciled with SKYE BANK PLC is NOT ABSOLUTE.
11. Sir, it is our Client’s brief that there is no formal criminal complaint of economic and financial crime as defined by the EFCC ACT 2004 written by any person or institution against her which warranted the EFCC to freeze her accounts.
12. It is also our Client’s brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a Court Order as required by SECTION 34 of the EFCC ACT before her accounts were frozen.
13. It is our Client’s further brief that, up until the writing of this Open Letter, she has not received any formal invitation to appear before the Commission for questioning; whereas her accounts domiciled with SKYE BANK PLC have since been frozen by the Commission without recourse to her.
14. Sir, the argument put forward by the Commission in the public domain that, “investigations are ongoing…Mrs. Patience Jonathan shall be invited in due course,” are not only vexatious and provocative. They constitute an outright violation and rape of the fundamental right to fair hearing and ownership of property as guaranteed to our Client by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 2004.
15. Indeed, SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), contains or laid down a sequence or pattern of commencement of investigation which MUST BE FOLLOWED STRICTLY, to wit:
a. Persons charged with a criminal offence must be informed in the language they understand and in detail of the nature of the offence;
b. Such persons must be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence; etc
16. Sir, instead of strict compliance with the above pattern, as laid down by SECTION 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the EFCC went after our Client’s money by ordering a freeze of her accounts. With all due respect, the EFCC is a BIG THIEF!
17. We are very much aware of numerous instances where EFCC used strong-arm tactics to dispossess hard working Nigerians of their legitimately earned money; only to turn around to brazenly and shamelessly loot the recovered loot. This is one of such unfortunate instances. Clearly, it is a failed politically-motivated attempt by the EFCC to steal our Client’s money using the cover of the present political climate.
18. We are sufficiently convinced that prebendal politics of the sort that smears the image and reputation of former public office holders, together with that of members of their families – which automatically, distracts from governance and slows down the nation’s pace of development – is one of the major reasons for the persistent and unrelenting politically-motivated attacks on our Client who is extremely popular with Nigerian women, children and the aged.
19. We have rightly observed that each time a new Government was sworn into office, political jobbers such as the EFCC promptly mobilized themselves to throw mud, blackmail and/or otherwise label members of the immediate past Government; all in a desperate bid to accomplish or satisfy narrow and base political interests to the detriment of the entire country. This disturbing familiar pattern of unjustifiable, bankrupt and hollow harassment of the nation’s former leaders is deplorable.
20. Our Client has unfortunately, come under the vice grip and stranglehold of the cabal of political jobbers who would not allow her concentrate on her private life in retirement. Ironically, our Client’s most virulent critics and traducers come from the human rights community in Nigeria which benefited immensely from her husband’s fairly commendable human rights record, while he served as President.
21. Notably, we recall that the Freedom of Information Act 2015 was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Criminal Justice Administration Law 2015 was also signed into law by the former President. Needless to say, these extant laws have strengthened Nigeria’s civil society to act effectively as the nation’s “fourth arm of government.”
22. For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be counter-productive and inimical to the public interest if the Attorney General of the Federation and/or the EFCC heeded the irresponsible calls to commence the arrest and prosecution of our Client based on suspicion. If they did otherwise, they shall be violating the extant provision of SECTION 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which clearly prohibits criminal proceedings that were not in the public interest. Besides, suspicion; no matter how strong it may seem; cannot ground a conviction.
23. We hereby categorically and emphatically state that, HER EXCELLENCY, MRS. PATIENCE IBIFAKA GOODLUCK JONATHAN SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE!
24. Furthermore, there is no established legal or political precedent for what the EFCC is currently doing to our Client. How many former First Ladies in Nigeria have received the Patience Goodluck Jonathan Treatment (PGJT) to have warranted the EFCC to engage in the effrontery to freeze our Client’s accounts and subject her to public opprobrium, ridicule and disgrace? This nonsense must stop forthwith!
25. Consequently, we urge the EFCC to de-freeze our Client’s accounts WITHIN 14 DAYS from today, September 18, 2016 and tender a public apology to our Client.
26. TAKE NOTICE; AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that if the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS at The Gambia demanding FIVE BILLION NAIRA in exemplary and punitive damages.
Yours faithfully,
FOR: FIRST LAW SOLICITORS (Legal Practitioners)
SIGNED:
TIMIPA JENKINS OKPONIPERE, ESQ.
Senior Partner
September 18, 2016
Open Heavens 20 September 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Oldest Workman of God
Topic: The Oldest Workman of God [Tuesday 20, September 2016]
Memorise: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1
Read: Proverbs 8:22-35 (KJV)
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Bible in One Year: Lamentations 3-5, Psalms 64
MESSAGE:
The very first indication of God’s work in creation is recorded in the book of Genesis chapter one. The oldest workman of God would therefore be referring to a character involved in the activities at the beginning of all things. Proverbs 8:22-23 hints as fellows:
“22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.”
And John 1:1-3 says,
“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
The oldest worker of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:3), is a personality having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is without father, without mother, no descendants; He lives in eternity and abides forever. The Bible says that the Almighty God possessed Jesus in the very beginning, before His works of old. This is a mystery. He was with God in the beginning of creation and all things were made by Him, whether visible or invisible, physical or spiritual. Psalms 19:1-2 says:
“1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”
His excellent knowledge and perfect wisdom is visibly evident everywhere in creation. The Heavens declared His glory, and His perfect creativity is revealed in nature; the beautiful landscape, waterfalls, mountains, valleys, and all the rivers in their places; the beautiful flowers and birds that sing, all the small and great animals of the earth, and the abundant life under the seas; the moon, the stars and the heavenly hosts, the appointed seasons, all these are wonders of His creation. Also by Him, God established the clouds above, and strengthened the fountains of the deep. He decreed to the sea, that the waters should not pass the set boundary when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Our Lord Jesus is great in power and excellent in glory, may His name be praised forever. Let somebody shout Hallelujah.
Prayer Point: Father, thank you for a beautiful world, and a magnificent universe.
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: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1
Read: Proverbs 8:22-35 (KJV)
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Bible in One Year: Lamentations 3-5, Psalms 64
MESSAGE:
The very first indication of God’s work in creation is recorded in the book of Genesis chapter one. The oldest workman of God would therefore be referring to a character involved in the activities at the beginning of all things. Proverbs 8:22-23 hints as fellows:
“22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.”
And John 1:1-3 says,
“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
The oldest worker of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:3), is a personality having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is without father, without mother, no descendants; He lives in eternity and abides forever. The Bible says that the Almighty God possessed Jesus in the very beginning, before His works of old. This is a mystery. He was with God in the beginning of creation and all things were made by Him, whether visible or invisible, physical or spiritual. Psalms 19:1-2 says:
“1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”
His excellent knowledge and perfect wisdom is visibly evident everywhere in creation. The Heavens declared His glory, and His perfect creativity is revealed in nature; the beautiful landscape, waterfalls, mountains, valleys, and all the rivers in their places; the beautiful flowers and birds that sing, all the small and great animals of the earth, and the abundant life under the seas; the moon, the stars and the heavenly hosts, the appointed seasons, all these are wonders of His creation. Also by Him, God established the clouds above, and strengthened the fountains of the deep. He decreed to the sea, that the waters should not pass the set boundary when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Our Lord Jesus is great in power and excellent in glory, may His name be praised forever. Let somebody shout Hallelujah.
Prayer Point: Father, thank you for a beautiful world, and a magnificent universe.
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.
Monday, 19 September 2016
Open Heavens 19 September 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Fulfil your Promise O Lord
Topic: Fulfil your Promise O Lord [Monday 19, September 2016]
Memorise: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – Matthew 28:20
Read: John 14:12-18 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Bible in One Year: Lamentations 1-2, Psalms 63
MESSAGE:
A promise is an express assurance to fulfil an intention upon which expectation is based. The promises of God reveal His specific and eternal purpose to which he is irreversibly committed and upon which Christians can totally depend. These promises are conditional upon obedience on the part of Children of God. God’s promises are irrevocable and He is absolutely trustworthy to make good His promises to His children.
Whenever the fulfilment of a long standing promise is overdue, God will create an opportunity for divine favour, and God does not only give you an opportunity to key into it by sowing, but will also personally make a demand of you. When the time Heaven has set to favour a person comes, the promises suddenly assume the form of being ‘Yes and Amen’ in the life of the favoured. After waiting for 24 years of a promise from God, at the time of God’s favour, the Lord suddenly changed His promise to Abraham into an irreversible decree. Similarly, after Peter was promised a harvest of men in Luke 5:8-11, nothing happened for the first three years. Peter must have wondered if the Lord had forgotten, but He did not. Finally, at the arrival of the Holy Ghost, being the day of his favour, the one who could not ‘catch a human fish’ started to harvest thousands from every sermon. When God gives you a promise, wait on it until the day of your favour. Do not let go until that day, for that is the time of its fulfilment. Every promise the Lord has made to you shall come to pass this season in Jesus’ name.
In 1979, I went with my Father in the Lord in the company of four others to a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting in the United States of America. That was our first trip to the USA. As the meeting ended on Saturday, we decided to worship in a local church the following day. While translating the message to my father in the Lord, since he could not speak, read, write or understand English, the preacher suddenly walked to him and said: “Thus saith the Lord, What I told you several years ago will soon be fulfilled”. And he returned to continue his message. When we got to our hotel later that day and I told him what the preacher said, he broke down in tears saying that when RCCG started, the Lord promised that if he would keep to certain conditions, He would ensure that the church spreads throughout the world. As at the time of this camp meeting, the church had only 39 parishes in addition to the Headquarter church. Not so long after my father in the Lord went home to glory in 1980, we had over 4,000 parishes in Lagos State alone; today our presence is felt in all 36 states in Nigeria and in more than 178 nations of the world because our time of favour came. This season, the Lord will fulfil pending promises in your life.
Prayer Point: Father, please my eyes are on you, fulfil your promises in my 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: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – Matthew 28:20
Read: John 14:12-18 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Bible in One Year: Lamentations 1-2, Psalms 63
MESSAGE:
A promise is an express assurance to fulfil an intention upon which expectation is based. The promises of God reveal His specific and eternal purpose to which he is irreversibly committed and upon which Christians can totally depend. These promises are conditional upon obedience on the part of Children of God. God’s promises are irrevocable and He is absolutely trustworthy to make good His promises to His children.
Whenever the fulfilment of a long standing promise is overdue, God will create an opportunity for divine favour, and God does not only give you an opportunity to key into it by sowing, but will also personally make a demand of you. When the time Heaven has set to favour a person comes, the promises suddenly assume the form of being ‘Yes and Amen’ in the life of the favoured. After waiting for 24 years of a promise from God, at the time of God’s favour, the Lord suddenly changed His promise to Abraham into an irreversible decree. Similarly, after Peter was promised a harvest of men in Luke 5:8-11, nothing happened for the first three years. Peter must have wondered if the Lord had forgotten, but He did not. Finally, at the arrival of the Holy Ghost, being the day of his favour, the one who could not ‘catch a human fish’ started to harvest thousands from every sermon. When God gives you a promise, wait on it until the day of your favour. Do not let go until that day, for that is the time of its fulfilment. Every promise the Lord has made to you shall come to pass this season in Jesus’ name.
In 1979, I went with my Father in the Lord in the company of four others to a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting in the United States of America. That was our first trip to the USA. As the meeting ended on Saturday, we decided to worship in a local church the following day. While translating the message to my father in the Lord, since he could not speak, read, write or understand English, the preacher suddenly walked to him and said: “Thus saith the Lord, What I told you several years ago will soon be fulfilled”. And he returned to continue his message. When we got to our hotel later that day and I told him what the preacher said, he broke down in tears saying that when RCCG started, the Lord promised that if he would keep to certain conditions, He would ensure that the church spreads throughout the world. As at the time of this camp meeting, the church had only 39 parishes in addition to the Headquarter church. Not so long after my father in the Lord went home to glory in 1980, we had over 4,000 parishes in Lagos State alone; today our presence is felt in all 36 states in Nigeria and in more than 178 nations of the world because our time of favour came. This season, the Lord will fulfil pending promises in your life.
Prayer Point: Father, please my eyes are on you, fulfil your promises in my 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.
Sunday, 18 September 2016
Open Heavens 18 September 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Know your Limit
Topic: Know your Limit [Sunday 18, September 2016]
Memorise: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. – Romans 12:3
Read: Romans 12:3-10 (KJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 52, Psalms 62
MESSAGE:
The common saying that no man is an Island comes to play in a very strong way here. The meaning of the title ‘Know Your Limit’ as explained in the memory verse for today can only be properly understood in the light of Biblical doctrine. Theology is a big word that simply means the study of God; it is an indispensable part of spiritual learning. Divine truths are closely related to each other, and cannot be viewed in their right proportions or taught rightly except in their mutual connection. God inspired several individuals in the writing of the Bible, there is no book of the Bible that is complete in itself, each one depends on others to give complete knowledge of any aspect of Biblical Doctrine. Some tell the beginning, while others tell the middle or tail end of the story. For example, the doctrine of salvation, baptism, communion, divine healing, sin and the second coming of Jesus, cannot be fully understood by reading any one book of the Bible. This is the reason why 1 Corinthians 2:13 says:
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
Therefore, in order for us to remain in tune with the Holy Ghost, we as Christians must be conscious of our limitations as human beings. First, we only know in part, our knowledge of anything is at best partial or subjective and dependent on available information. We must therefore acknowledge the general human limitations and our individual limitations in accordance with the mighty knowledge of God. This is the only way to remain humble and teachable, the only way to focus on the Spirit of the Word always, rather than the letter which kills (2 Corinthians 3:6)
This is the only way to be “approved unto God” and to “rightly divide the word of truth.” Note that the study of any particular Bible truth in isolation, without considering its relations to other Bible truths, is a common cause of narrowness which frequently produces heresy.
Prayer Point: Father, please help me to know my limits and be focused on the spirit 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 I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. – Romans 12:3
Read: Romans 12:3-10 (KJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 52, Psalms 62
MESSAGE:
The common saying that no man is an Island comes to play in a very strong way here. The meaning of the title ‘Know Your Limit’ as explained in the memory verse for today can only be properly understood in the light of Biblical doctrine. Theology is a big word that simply means the study of God; it is an indispensable part of spiritual learning. Divine truths are closely related to each other, and cannot be viewed in their right proportions or taught rightly except in their mutual connection. God inspired several individuals in the writing of the Bible, there is no book of the Bible that is complete in itself, each one depends on others to give complete knowledge of any aspect of Biblical Doctrine. Some tell the beginning, while others tell the middle or tail end of the story. For example, the doctrine of salvation, baptism, communion, divine healing, sin and the second coming of Jesus, cannot be fully understood by reading any one book of the Bible. This is the reason why 1 Corinthians 2:13 says:
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
Therefore, in order for us to remain in tune with the Holy Ghost, we as Christians must be conscious of our limitations as human beings. First, we only know in part, our knowledge of anything is at best partial or subjective and dependent on available information. We must therefore acknowledge the general human limitations and our individual limitations in accordance with the mighty knowledge of God. This is the only way to remain humble and teachable, the only way to focus on the Spirit of the Word always, rather than the letter which kills (2 Corinthians 3:6)
This is the only way to be “approved unto God” and to “rightly divide the word of truth.” Note that the study of any particular Bible truth in isolation, without considering its relations to other Bible truths, is a common cause of narrowness which frequently produces heresy.
Prayer Point: Father, please help me to know my limits and be focused on the spirit 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)