'Prayer can stop Boko Haram insurgency’

Religious leaders have been enjoined to intensify prayers to address security challenges confronting the nation. Professor Joseph Otubu, General Evangelist Motailatu Church Cherubium and Seraphim worldwide stated that prayer should be applied as a weapon to checkmate the Boko Harram insurgency and other security issues wreaking havoc on our country. Speaking at the Adoption Thanksgiving Service of the Motailatu Church in Lagos, tagged, “Celebration of Spiritual Rebirth: The Future of Aladura Churches”, the professor of obstetrics and gynecology said churches have the responsibility to continue to preach peace and justice for the well-being of the nation. The General Evangelist admonished the church as followers of Jesus Christ to show love to one another as Christ himself exemplified, and also endeavor to make provision for the poor. He noted that the major problem confronting our nation is poverty, and, as such, the church must address it squarely by providing for the less privileged. The General Evangelist reminded the brethren at the thanksgiving service of the four responsibilities they owe God: Living a life of continuous praise to God, increase goodness to one another; allowing the goodness of God to lead them to repentance and reforming their lives; and approve themselves faithful to God as to allow his goodness and mercy to always follow them

I have no terminal sickness – Pastor Adeboye

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, yesterday, debunked the claim that he has a terminal sickness and is soliciting for funds to travel to India for medical treatment, saying the story was the handiwork of impersonators out to extort. The respected man of God, speaking during the just concluded 16th Holy Ghost Congress at the Redemption Camp on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, warned Nigerians to be wary of such dubious people parading themselves in social media purportedly soliciting for funds on his behalf. “Some people have been impersonating me on Facebook and other social media asking people to donate monies for unidentified orphanages or some sick persons who require urgent medical treatment abroad. Please do not believe them and do not give them money,” Adeboye said. “Somebody even went to the ridiculous extent of saying that I needed money to go to India for the treatment of an undisclosed ailment. Please do not answer them. As you can see I am not sick. I am hail and hearty. They are liars.” Continuing, he said some others are equally impersonating his wife, pointing out that such persons are not representing him or his wife. According to him, some other fellows are busy sending e-mails to people inviting them to fake programmes purportedly organised by the General Overseer. “If anybody invites you to any programme anywhere in my name, please confirm from me. There is also one that said I had a dream where I saw many of my people weeping because they could not make it to heaven. It is all lie! I did not have any dream and I know that you will all make it to heaven in Jesus name,” he stated. On recent stories by some persons who claimed they died and got to heaven but were sent back to warn brethren who are perceived to be wallowing in sin, Adeboye said such people should be ignored because God does not operate the way they are portraying Him. “There is woman who said she died and went to heaven where Jesus sent her back to warn people of the world against sin. If you do not know already, when the rich man died and saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, he requested that Father Abraham should send an angel to his relations on earth to warn them to repent and escape hell. He was told that there are enough prophets to accomplish such missions,” Adeboye stressed. The cleric explained that anyone who claims to have died and returned to preach the gospel; “please do not listen to them. Put your trust in the true Word of God. Some years ago, one man claimed to have died and came back and he started preaching that any Christian who acquired a car would go to hell. “This man produced a CD which he was selling to the people and he made a lot of money from selling the cassettes and CDs. Not long after, he bought a Land Cruiser and when people asked him why was opting for hell, he replied that he did not buy a car. He bought a Land Cruiser. Be careful, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free,” the RCCG General Overseer said Vanguard Newspaper

My encounter with the ‘devil’, by CAC Pastor Adeniyi

Pastor Augustine Afolabi Adeniyi is the General Overseer of Christ Apostolic Church, Egbe, Ikotun, Lagos. He spoke to Sunday Vanguard on how he became a minister of God. Establishing church seems to have become an all-comers affair. How did your own start? Christ Apostolic Church, Myriad of Miracle was planted in 1986. And we started the second service on October 2, 1986. I have been in the ministry since 1967. I started as a member and I was ordained as an elder. While I was an elder, I was working in the Ministry of Federal Ministry of Commerce, former Ministry of Trade. It wasn’t my wish to become a pastor. My intention was to travel abroad and you know…I had an encounter with the devil. It was a serious encounter. I visited so many hospitals. The last place was University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and they could not cure the sickness. As a result of that, I went to a herbalist, they still couldn’t cure it until finally when somebody introduced me to CAC in 1967. A sickness we could not cure for almost 16 years was cured within a week. It was a divine intervention. How would you describe the healing experience? When I got to the church (CAC), they prayed for me and asked me to go into a seven-day fasting. Since I had not been doing it, the day I started, my legs were shaking, my head was aching, my body was something else. Before I got to the place, for about 9 days, I couldn’t sleep, but the first day I fasted and they prayed for me, I was able to sleep. So I stayed in the mission, the fourth day of the fasting, in the afternoon, I dreamt that I saw an old man who came down to me and said: ‘My son, they told me about your plight I said, ‘Thank you, sir’ and he said: ‘Open your mouth’. I opened my mouth. It was around 1pm. As I opened my mouth, he put his hand into my mouth and removed a very big stone. I cried such that the people around heard and ran to me. They asked me what happened and changed my room. I slept again and saw the old man in another dream. He said, ‘My son, it remains only one thing’. I said, ‘What is the thing again as the first one was really painful? He said, ‘let me do this one’. He put his hand into my mouth again and removed a husk of maize, he removed it from my tummy. As he removed it, I cried and blood gushed out. People around came to me. When the pastor saw it, he said the work had been done, that it was the work of God. That’s how the sickness vanished and I became a strong believer in the power of God. What is unique about this ministry? We want to win souls for Christ, evangelise the whole world. And we are moving to every part of the country. All we need is God’s assistance and assistance from people. We also need finance to back it. You may have knowledge but you also need what it takes to carry it out, which includes prayer, finance, etc. We are planters of Christ Apostolic Church; we are not the founder. Christ Apostolic Church started as far back as 1930. It started in Ilesa, Oke-Oye where the dead rose. What is unique about the upcoming harvesting in the church? In Christendom, there are two ways to harvest – physical and spiritual. We are doing the physical to tell people how the invisible one will be done and that is why we are practicalising it. Let everybody bring what he started doing right from the beginning. When you look at our country, we have rainy season and dry season. In the rainy season, you plant. When it is ripe, that is during the dry season which is approaching, everything will be ripe for harvesting and we as Christians follow it by what our Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3 that there is time for everything. That is the reason this year people from all our branches will come together and do the harvest to tell the people that there will be a day that the whole world will be harvested based on whatever we have done. There is somebody awaiting us, to whom we would give account of what we have done. Then, the chaff shall be separated from the seed. The upcoming harvest will bring blessing by the grace of God. What is your advice to Nigerian leaders All leaders should acknowledge and seek God first. All Christians must pray for the country to survive. Also, I’ve travelled and seen a lot. Our leaders should follow the example of the developed nations Vanguard Newspaper

Take inspiration from Mandela, archbishop tells C.Africans

A senior Christian leader on Sunday urged the Central African Republic to take inspiration from Nelson Mandela as he called for reconciliation after a wave of deadly sectarian violence that had turned people into “animals”.As South Africa buried its first black president, Catholic archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga told a mass attended by around 1,500 people that Christians should not respond to violence with violence.“Many Christians have said that they are going to seek revenge,” said Nzapalainga as he delivered his sermon in Bangui a day after a Muslim motorcyclist was hacked to death to death in the capital, where residents later brandished his cut-off hands.“We have become animals, the abuses go beyond reason when someone is killed and his arms brandished,” said the archbishop, before calling on the faithful to take inspiration from the “man of peace and reconciliation” that Mandela was.Violence between Christians and Muslims has been on the rise since a March coup by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group overthrew the president and installed Michel Djotodia, but the unrest has intensified dramatically in recent weeks.The United Nations has said 600 people have been killed in the carnage of the past 10 days, 450 of them in Bangui, prompting UN chief Ban Ki-moon and local authorities to plead for an end to the atrocities.Muslim leader Imam Oumar Kobin Layama has also called for reconciliation, saying Saturday that Muslims “must not give back as we were given” as he called for calm following the lynching of the motorcyclist.Djotodia, the majority Christian nation’s first Muslim president, said Saturday he was ready to “extend his hand” and “talk” with Christian militias on issues including an amnesty for their role in the unrest and including them in his transitional government.“They are not enemies. They are our brothers,” he said.Thousands of Christians in Bangui went to mass on Sunday morning despite the still tense atmosphere on the streets of the capital, where French troops are trying to restore security.Gunfire could be heard at dawn, and there was a report of a Muslim man being lynched by Christians in the south of the capital.Faced with reports of widespread atrocities in its former colony, France on December 5 decided to deploy 1,600 troops to prop up an African peacekeeping force already on the ground.The French-backed military force this week began disarming militias — many of them former Seleka rebels that had gone rogue.But bands of armed thugs continue to roam the streets, and France’s foreign minister said Sunday he would ask his European counterparts for more help.“Tomorrow I will go to the Foreign Affairs Council (in Brussels) and I will ask that there be more solid, stronger support,” Laurent Fabius said.He said Poland, Britain, Germany, Spain and Belgium were already helping with logistics and that two of these countries were considering contributing troops.“There are 4.5 million people in Central Africa, nearly half are in pre-famine conditions. Of these 4.5 million people, there are seven surgeons. So France, Europe, Africans, and the international community must mobilise (for the country).”Christians make up around 80 percent of the population of the Central African Republic, and lived in relative harmony with the country’s Muslim minority until the March coup.Fabius rejected accusations that the French army had precipitated the massacre of Muslims by disarming the former Seleka and leaving them at the mercy of Christian vigilante groups.“The Seleka… still have weapons and sometimes heavy weapons,” he said.“So the first task is to disarm these heavy weapons. We also go to the Christians to say ‘you must disarm’”, he said Vanguard Newspaper

Woman stabbed by pastor in critical condition

Men of Ogun State Police command have arrested a-45-year-old man, pastor Daniel Samuel for stabbing his wife over the later refusal to attend church activities. Daniel , an Apostolic Church pastor was reported to have used a cutlass to inflict a deep cut on his wife, Patient Samuel in her neck in Owode-Egba in Ibafemi Owode local government area of Ogun State. Vanguard gathered that, the offence of the 42 -year -old wife of the Pastor was because she gave preference to her work over the church programmes. It was further gathered that, shortly after the man attacked his wife with cutlass, he alerted the neighbours that his wife has been matcheted by some unknown men , urging the people to help him take his wife to hospital.

Catholic bishop flays Imo govt over discriminatory school fees

The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Anthony Obinna, has criticised the discriminatory school fees being charged by government in the state. Obinna spoke while addressing members of Owerri Archdiocesan Pastoral Council in Owerri. He said: “It is condemnable for government to discriminate against pupils and students in mission schools in the Imo State free education programme. “Nigerian youths at various levels, particularly university students and the unemployed, are going through extreme difficult times. Our governments should please help in alleviating their current and pitiable plight.” Obinna also .appealed to both the federal and state governments to redress the extreme difficulties of unemployment which the Nigerian youths were going through. He, however, asked members of the Pastoral Council in all the parishes within his jurisdiction to not only give youths more attention and support but also establish Youth Welfare Committees to help them. According to him, “it is part and parcel of our duty and mission to provide Catholic education to our children and others who love integral disciplined education.” Vanguard Newspaper

Pope Francis Named Time's Person of the Year

Time magazine named Pope Francis its Person of the Year on Wednesday, crediting him with shifting the message of the Catholic Church while capturing the imagination of millions of people who had become disillusioned with the Vatican. This is the third time the magazine has chosen a pope as its Person of the Year. Time gave that honor to Pope John Paul II in 1994 and to Pope John XXIII in 1963. The Argentine pontiff - who, as archbishop of Buenos Aires was known as the slum cardinal for his visits to the poor and penchant for subway travel - beat former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and gay rights activist Edith Windsor for the award. Other finalists included Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas. "What makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all," Time said in its cover story. "In a matter of months, Francis has elevated the healing mission of the church — the church as servant and comforter of hurting people in an often harsh world — above the doctrinal police work so important to his recent predecessors." Time said the final selection was made by its editors, who had considered suggestions from the magazine's more than 2 million Twitter followers. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Pope Francis, the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, the first from Latin America and the first Jesuit, was not seeking fame. "It is a positive sign that one of the most prestigious recognitions by the international media has been given to a person who proclaims to the world spiritual, religious and moral values and speaks out forcefully in favor of peace and greater justice," Lombardi said in a statement. "If this attracts men and women and gives them hope, the Pope is happy. If this choice of 'Person of the Year' means that many have understood this message, even implicitly, he is certainly glad." In September, Francis gave a groundbreaking and frank interview, in which he said the Vatican must shake off an obsession with teachings on abortion, contraception and homosexuality, and become more merciful. And in July, Francis told reporters he was not in a position to judge homosexuals who are of good will and in search of God, marking a break from his predecessor, Benedict, who said homosexuality was an intrinsic disorder. Francis replaced Benedict in March after he abdicated. The new pope's style is characterized by frugality. He shunned the spacious papal apartment in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace to live in a small suite in a Vatican guest house, and he prefers a Ford Focus to the traditional pope's Mercedes. A champion of the downtrodden, he visited the island of Lampedusa in southern Italy in July to pay tribute to hundreds of migrants who had died crossing the sea from North Africa. With the Catholic Church marred in recent years by sex abuse scandals, Francis formed a team of experts Thursday to consider ways to improve the screening of priests, to protect minors to help victims. Still, Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a victim advocacy group, said in a statement Wednesday that more action was needed. "After nine months of essentially ignoring the church's most severe crisis, (Pope Francis) hastily announced last week that he'll appoint an abuse study panel," Blaine said. "He has not, however, made a single child safer." Culled from Rueters

Mandela was a magician — Tutu

Nelson Mandela was like a “magician” who conjured a united nation out of a country teetering on the brink of war, South African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu said Monday. “Everybody was saying we would go up in flames,” the archbishop emeritus told a memorial service for Mandela in Johannesburg. “He really was like a magician with a magic wand, turning us into this glorious, multi-coloured rainbow people. “This repulsive caterpillar, South Africa, that used to be the world’s pariah, he turned into a beautiful, beautiful butterfly. “That is what we are celebrating,” Tutu told hundreds of mourners of all races who filled the memorial venue for an emotional service. Tutu said the world must not mourn his old friend’s death, but rather celebrate his life and example. “He emerged from that crucible of suffering and being dehumanised, breaking rocks… sewing post office bags, working in the quarry,” during his 27-year incarceration under the apartheid regime’s racial laws.“But instead of being consumed by hate and a lust for revenge, (he became) a stalwart for reconciliation… and forgiveness.”The moving gathering ended with singer Johnny Clegg performing the track “Asimbonanga” he had written for Mandela in 1976.The title means “We’ve never seen him” and refers to the long years Mandela spent in jail when all images of him were banned -

Traditionalists, CAN disagree over Osun schools crisis

Traditionalists in Osun State under the aegis of Traditional Worshipers Association have blamed the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the state for allegedly inciting Christians against the state government over the recent merger of public primary and secondary schools in the state. The President of the association, Chief Idowu Awopetu, who spoke in Osogbo, yesterday, accused the leadership of CAN in the state of fanning the ember of discord among the people of the state on the education policy of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola led government. He alleged that the leadership of CAN has shown a high level intolerance with adherents of other faiths in the state, pointing out that the recent merger of public schools could not have generated crisis if Christians are accommodating and tolerant of other believers. He described as absurd a statement credited to the state chairman of CAN, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya that the recent merger of schools embarked upon by the state government was capable of triggering terrorism, saying that such statement, capable of causing crisis, should have been avoided by a religious leader. “We expect credible leadership of a religious organisation like CAN to be mindful of their utterances, especially those that can fan the ember of discord in our dear state, knowing the volatile nature of security and religion in our country,” he stressed. He also called on security agencies in the state to investigate the CAN chairman over the statement credited to him, just as he warned the CAN Chairman not to provoke the adherents of other faiths in the state. Chief Awopetu recalled that government had since 1975 taken over the ownership of schools from the missionary, and warned the CAN leadership in the state not to refer to any public school as missionary school irrespective of the name it bears. He also challenged the leadership of CAN in the state to present evidence of their contributions to the up-keep of the schools referred to as missionary schools in the last 35 years. CAN reacts Osun State chairman of Christian Association of Nigerian, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya in his reaction to the allegation, said the leadership of the association are people of peace, who have been co-existing with other religous leaders in the state peacefully. “We are not inciting anybody against the government in Osun State. What we are only doing is to protect the interest of Christians in the state and they are equally free to protect the interest of their members too.”

Kaigama urges Christians to emulate Mandela

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Jos weekend, called on Christians to emulate people with exemplary lives like former South African President, Nelson Mandela.Kaigama made the call during his pastoral visit to the Church of Immaculate Conception, CIC, Parish, Zaramaganda, Jos.The Archbishop said that by emulating good people, their legacy would continue to impact on society. “The Catholic Church had long identified such and had been immortalising people that lived righteous and exemplary lives as saints. “We cannot all be saints but I assure that you will be rewarded by God for your ways.“Mandela died and the whole world is mourning him because of his good deeds for humanity. “He loved humanity; he cared for humanity and he served humanity honestly and he was a unique man that left the world better than he met it.“Back home, we had our Mandela. He is late Solomon Lar. He was a man that loved humanity and a man that stood for the unity and peace of Plateau and beyond”, he said.The cleric charged the congregation to imbibe righteousness as a way of life, adding that whatever they do would live after them.Kaigama also urged Christians to reflect on the period of advent, meant for spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ.According to him, it is a period of sober reflection for Christians. “Reflect on your ways and let go things that are not in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.“Instead of spiritual preparation, many people concern themselves only with physical preparation”, he said.He charged the parishioners to pray for the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety and the fear of God.“These are gifts you should pray for during Christmas and not just the material gifts”, he added. Rev. Fr Dennis Kaye, Parish Priest of CIC commended the archbishop for the visit and urged the parishioners to use the opportunity to develop their spiritual lives.The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Kaigama inaugurated the parish hall and offices built by the Church. Kaigama is the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.

Five babies delivered at ongoing Holy Ghost Congress

Mrs. Ruth Kehinde Posu, 25, leaves at New Site around Festac Town in Lagos. She is a member of Living Faith Ministry aka Winners Chapel and was particularly keen on going the current convention of the church at Ota because there was no money for such a venture. She was nine-month pregnant but had no inkling of how the baby would be born as there was no money even to buy the initial required baby things. Somehow, she followed some persons to the ongoing Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God where she was delivered of a bouncing baby boy, yesterday. The baby weighed 3 kg. Mrs Posu is one of the five women who had been delivered of babies during this Holy Ghost Congress. Narrating her story yesterday, the 25-year-old lady expressed gratitude to the church leadership and particularly the nurses who took her in without even baby pants. The story of Mrs. Tubi Omolara, 28, was also very intriguing. She travelled from Akute in Ogun State with an abounding faith in God to deliver safely after she had been told by three other doctors that her baby was too big to deliver normally. She said: All hospitals, I went to had only one verdict for me; and that my baby was too big and so I should prepare for a Caesarian session. Much as I want the baby, we were not preparing for a CS for several reasons.” “So on Monday, the pain was becoming severe, I called my pastor and told him I won’t go for a CS and immediately he recommended that he would take me to the camp and at about 6.00 a.m. yesterday I was delivered of a baby boy.” The baby weighed 4.5 kg to confirm the fears of the earlier doctors. Mrs. Omolara wishes to christen her baby, Oluwasegunfunmi (God had given me victory). Mrs. Itoro Udoh, 34, is a resident of the Redemption Camp whose baby girl arrived at about 9.00 p.m. on the first day of the congress. This is her second baby, she weighed 3.5 kg. According to her testimony, there were lots of prophecies about the baby before she was born successfully at the Redeemed Maternity at the camp on Monday. She narrated that several persons had prophesied that she was going to have a still birth but at each of the occasion, they dismissed such prophecies while asking their pastors and other brethren to pray along with them. She said: “But yesterday (Monday) when I was admitted here, it was like the prophecy was going to come to pass because I just couldn’t push even as the nurses were urging me to do so. I was completely out of breadth and it was like I was going but through God’s intervention, the baby came out successfully.” As a result of the circumstances of her birth, if given the chance, Mrs. Udoh would want to christen her baby, Highly Favoured. The story was not different for Mrs. Oluwasusi Oluwaremilekun, 27, who travelled all the way from Ibadan in Oyo State even when she was overdue for delivery. She worships at Royal Priesthood Parish in Ibadan and she had been told that her baby would delay in coming. She had visited some hospitals in Lagos and the story is similar until she was directed to the Redemption Camp. Initially she was worried, wondering what would happen if the baby decides to appear in a public bus; but to God be the glory that did not happen and she was delivered safely at about 2.00 a.m. yesterday morning, bringing the number of babies born so far to five. Three boys and two girls. In unison, all the four women (the first one had been discharged before we got there) paid glowing tributes to the staff and managers of the maternity home. They commended the vision of setting up a maternity in different parishes of the church were women go for anti-natal and delivery free of charge. One woman was waiting for her turn as at the time of this visit.

Mother Theresa ‘resurrects’ in Lagos

To adherents of the Catholic faith, Mother Theresa is associated with kindness and giving help to the helpless. In fact, her selfless services during her era turned her into a matyr and resulted in her canonization by Pope John Paul 11, after her death. Last week in Lagos, Mother Theresa resurrected in a middle-aged woman, Hajia Binta Bakari, who came all the way from Jos, Plateau State and was driving through Adeniyi-Jones in Ikeja when she noticed a lady lying helplessly on a foam, just by the major road, beside Asogbo Estate. She quickly ordered her driver to stop and on inquiry, she was told by sympathetic onlookers that the lady was thrown out of her apartment by her landlady because she was sick. This is in spite of the fact that her rent had not expired. Hajia Bakare who was in a hurry to finish her business and fly back to Jos there and then, abandoned all her engagements and sought a way of helping the sick lady. She was scorned, berated and even ignored by some of the people she approached including the Police until she proceeded to Alausa where the welfare department quickly listened to her pleas and rescued the dying lady. She narrated her story to Crime Alert. “I woke up this morning with lots of positive things going through my mind,like thank God its Friday and the weekend is here again,but that’s for me, Not Fumilayo who woke up this morning not in her usual comfortable bed,but on the street with no bed, no laughter from her room mates in the hostel where she used to stay. Why did Fumilayo find her self on the street? That is the baffling questions that came out from residents of Ashogbon street, off Adeniyi-Jones, Ikeja, Lagos and other passersby. Encounter with the landlady “This young woman is not mental, nor destitute and yet slept on the street,in the open for 24 hours, putting her life at risk of rapists or ritualists, anything is possible these days in our society. Her crime-she is a very sick woman in need of medical attention, but instead of her land lady or her room mates offering her the assistance she urgently needed,she was thrown out of her room (which has been paid for by Fumilayo ) until the end of the year by the very same woman who is eager to collect her rent but not eager to assist her in time of need simply because her land lady,lacks the maternal instinct of a mother and have no conscience as a human being. “I was on my way to the market around 10:30 am when I noticed a woman lying by the road side, I quickly asked my driver who she is? He told me that she has been lying there since yesterday. I asked my driver to turn back and let me find out why. When I interviewed the people around there,I was told that her landlady threw her out from the hostel. I went to the hostel to inquire, I was told by the security guard that there was no body to escort her to her village after Shagamu because the taxi he got was not willing to take her with out any escort or relation. So, I asked to speak to the landlady but instead of the landlady, a maid came out and told me that she was asked to go and get herself treated before coming back to the hostel which she did, and later returned only for her to get ill again. “I even offered to pay for her transport fare if the landlady could instruct any of her staff to do so. But after about 5 -10 minutes, the maid came back and said they are very busy and there is no spare staff that can escort Fumilayo to any where,the only solution is to leave her there to die. But my maternal instinct and conscience told me otherwise. I became frustrated and angry at the situation. Police reaction So, I headed to the nearest police station to look for a solution,because (I don’t live in Lagos. I came to Lagos for other business). I then went to Mancenter Police station. After narrating the incident to the police woman behind the counter, she was very sympathetic and immediately took me to the D.P.O. But, to my amazement, the so-called D.P.O. who was busy on the phone buying under wears at the station, did not even allow me to finish my story, he quickly and arrogantly dismissed me with the word, “this is not a police business, besides, this is not a welfare office.” I asked what do I do or where then do I go to for help since I’m not resident in Lagos? One of the officers told me to call 199,I dialed the number believing to get the response I needed but MTN told me this number does not exist. So, with no help from the police, I headed to the Lagos state Secretariat, Alausa, for assistance. It was from there I was given an emergency number(112) to call. Alausa to the rescue “To my amazement, a young girl’s voice came on the line with a soft, polite voice and asked me what was the emergency and I narrated the story and she promised that an ambulance will be dispatched immediately. After several phone calls from me and also from the emergency response unit, Fumilayo was finally taken away to the hospital. Now, the question I asked is, what do we do with the wicked landlady?what does it take to go the extra mile to save a life? After all, ain’t we supposed to be our brothers keepers? Well, thank God that we have a government in Lagos state that cares about the welfare of its citizens,God bless the government of Governor Fashola and his entire cabinet for coming to the rescue of Fumilayo.” Culled from Vanguard Newspaper

S-African CJ at the Congress, as Adeboye preaches holy living

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, G.O, RCCG Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was one of the star attractions at the opening ceremony of the ongoing 16th Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God taking place at the Redemption Camp on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He was among the several delegations from different parts of the world including Japan, Germany, USA, Great Britain, Switzerland, South Africa who graced the opening ceremony of this year’s Holy Ghost Congress with a theme, ‘The Overflow'. Three spiritual heavyweights including the chief host and General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, spoke at the opening night on Monday, with Pastor Adeboye urging the gathering to live holy lives without which, according to him, they would be said to have run the heaven race in vain. The topic of his first message at the ongoing congress was ‘Beyond Salvation’, in which he admonished Christians to remain steadfast in their worship of God, saying that next year will determine the destinies of individuals, families and several nations of the world. “The coming year is a very crucial one for every citizen of the world,” he said, adding that Christians and indeed everybody should prepare adequately and pray with sincerity of hearts. The man of God did not, however, say the consequences if his listeners fail to heed his call. According to him, Christians’ acts of service in the church and benevolence to the less privileged in the society cannot guarantee their passage to heaven, stressing that the only guarantee was holy living. Illustrating with different sporting activities in the secular world, the man of God reputed to have actively participated in boxing in his formative years, said salvation should not be regarded as sprint, instead it should seen as a marathon which requires a lot of patience and due preparation. He maintained that the Christian life is a process which takes endurance to finish, urging Christians to steadily move from salvation to sanctification which can therefore move the converts closer to the end points of the race. Earlier, the Secretary General of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Prophet Emmanuel Kure took the opening prayer while the president of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, Bishop Francis Wale Oke took the first talk of the day entitled “I will bless The Lord at all times. "In between the different segments, there were high powered praises and worship of the Almighty God for His continued mercy and abiding love towards the church as well as the entire nation as a whole by participants Culled from Vanguard Newspaper

2014 will determine destinies of people,nations -Adeboye

With 20 days to go into the New Year, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has said that the much-expected 2014 will be the determining factor of the destinies of people, families and nations. This is just as he told Nigerians to intensify their prayers everywhere they go as 2013 gradually draws to an end. Pastor Adeboye, popular called Daddy G.O, disclosed this revelation late Monday night being the first day of the 2013 Annual Holy Ghost Congress tagged: “The Overflow,” holding at The Redemption Camp, Kilometre 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State. The man of God, while speaking on the topic: “Beyond Salvation,” monitored on the satellite in Warri, Delta State, hinted that although God had not availed him all the events that would mark the coming year, he has, however, told him 2014 will be crucial in determining the destinies of people, families and nations. “The Lord has not told me what He is going to do next year, but He has told me that the coming year is going to determine the destinies of people, families and nations,” the cleric stated. He advised worshippers to spend this week in absolute commitment to prayers, saying people should prepare themselves well for the coming year. “The year that is coming is a very important year. And if you are able to prepare yourself ahead of time, it will be a year you will never forget,” he promised, while welcoming worshippers who had arrived from all over the world. The six-day spiritual programme ends on Saturday

Pope meets with Netanyahu at Vatican

Pope Francis and Vatican officials expressed hope that Palestinians and Israelis can forge a peace agreement “as soon as possible” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the pontiff Monday, the Vatican said. The meeting with Netanyahu at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace comes months ahead of Francis’ anticipated trip to the Holy Land, a biblical region that includes Israel and the Palestinian territories. Netanyahu also met with the Vatican’s secretary of state, Archbishop Pietro Parolin. The discussions focused on “the complex political and social situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the reinstatement of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, expressing hope that a just and lasting solution respecting the rights of both parties may be reached as soon as possible,” the Vatican said. Pope Francis is expected to visit Israel on May 25-26, an official Israeli source told CNN last month. The Vatican would not confirm the exact dates of the trip. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas invited Francis to travel to the Palestinian territories during Abbas’ visit to the Vatican in October. Pope Francis met with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the Vatican in April. A Vatican communique issued after that meeting said they had discussed the hope for a speedy resumption of direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians. The Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, visited the Holy Land in May 2009. Pope Francis on Tuesday called for major changes in the Roman Catholic Church- from the top down- saying he knows it will be a messy business but he expects his flock to dive in feet-first. Pope Francis slams market ‘tyranny’ Pope calls for major changes in Church “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” the Pope said Tuesday in a major new address. “I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures.” The Pope’s address, called an “apostolic exhortation,” is basically a pep talk from the throne of St. Peter. Officially known in Latin as “Evangelii Gaudium,” (The Joy of the Gospel) the 85-page document is the first official papal document written entirely by Francis

"Catholics Will Go To Hell: Pope Francis Is Anti-Christ" - Nigerian Popular Preacher Declares

Pastor Chris Okotie left his congregation shocked on Sunday (yesterday) when he said that all Catholics in the world will go to hell when they die because they are worshippers of Satan and are led by a Pope who is Anti-Christ and a friend of the Devil. The fifty-five year old pastor made this controversial statement while he was preaching in his church, Household of God Church in Ikeja, Lagos. He said the Catholic church was a counterfeit church created by Satan. He accused Catholics of bowing to idols and crucifying Jesus by eating His flesh and drinking His blood every Sunday. photo “They are not Christians and have never been,” Okotie insisted, to the wide-eyed shock of his congregation. “They don’t know Jesus. They believe that when they eat bread on Sundays, they are eating the body of Jesus. It’s ritual." He said Pope Francis is Anti-Christ, doing the bidding of the devil and that it was only a matter of time before the Catholic church came out to declare full service to Satan. He urged his congregation to save the Catholics by evangelizing to them. He added that all he was saying wasn't out of disrespect. Rather, he was showing respect for the word of God. He added that it was only fair that those who knew the truth should bring it to those who didn't in the Catholic church. He said that Pope John Paul II, one of the most revered popes in recent Catholic history, had handed over the Catholic Church to Mary, earthly mother of Jesus, and that the current Pope (Francis) had done the same thing, instead of surrendering it to Jesus Christ Himself. He said that, while he didn't write the bible, it was obvious that Catholics aren't Christians and they do not serve the same Christ he preaches about in the bible. He added that Catholics didn't even believe in hell, but in purgatory ("the purgatory that they invented," he added) Pastor Chris Okotie has been married twice, and divorced twice, and he announced that there would be a beauty pageant to announce the most beautiful woman in his church next Sunday. His yearly "Grace Programme" will also hold next Sunday. The former music star, who is now a politician of sorts has always been a controversial character in Nigeria. He once said that it was the devil who informed him that he was going to be a preacher. Pastor Chris Okotie once said the famous Prophet T.B. Joshua was the son of the devil and his congregation will wind up in hell. Pastor Chris Okotie has announced frequently in recent times that God has anointed him to be president of Nigeria. Alas, the prophecy hasn't come to fruition yet, as he has lost in the two presidential elections he contested in. from news.naij.com

Chris Okotie Under Fire Over Comment on Catholicism

Nigeria’s controversial preacher and former presidential candidate of Fresh Democratic Party, Rev Chris Okotie has been widely criticised by Christians and non-Christians alike over his comments that all Catholics in the world will go to hell because they worship Satan and are led by an anti-Christ Pope whom he described as a friend of the devil. The comments of the once popular rock star turned celebrity preacher and politician provoked Catholics and members of other denominations who questioned his moral rectitude to make such comments. Although journalist was informed at St Leo Catholic Church located on Toyin Street in Allen - Opebi area of Lagos that the Catholic Church will react officially to the comments, some members of the church said Okotie’s utterances were too reckless for someone who lays claims to pious credentials. Reacting to Okotie’s utterances, Pastor Kingsley Onyekanna appealed to Catholic faithful not to ridicule the Christian religion by joining issues with the pastor, saying the matter should be left in the hands of God. He said, “I don’t want to probe the veracity or otherwise of Reverend Chris Okotie’s allegations against some churches and prophets. I will rather leave that to the all-knowing God to prove who is His and who is not”. He added that his grouse with the preacher is his resolve to organise a beauty pageant in his church next week, wondering if the preacher is set to marry another wife, having married twice and divorced twice. For Mathew Ahiante, a devout Catholic, Pastor Okotie has committed heresy for describing the Pope as an anti-Christ and a friend of devil, saying the preacher should be critically examined to ascertain his state of mind. “Catholic system has the largest number of Christians in the world today. Pastors like Okotie are appendages of the breakaway faction of the Christian faith and all of them are called churches and allowed to use the title Reverend. “But when you look at what pastors like Okotie do and their lifestyle, it contradicts what the Bible says. So, they are the anti-Christs, not the Pope”. Also reacting to the utterances, Paul Chukwudima said Rev Chris Okotie should be ignored, saying the preacher thrives in controversies. From news.naij.com

Catholics Battle Chris Okotie Over Comment

This is a ‘complicated’ season for popular Lagos Pastor, Rev. Chris Okotie, even as he prepares to honour the first female one-star General in the Nigerian Airforce, Air Commodore Habiba Garba. She is the winner of Okotie’s Household of God Church’s Karis Award for the year and she will be honoured on Sunday at the Church in Lagos. Damning widespread criticisms continue to hit a statement credited to the controversial preacher and televangelist, declaring that all “Catholics will go to hell.” Indeed, this seems to be threatening to take the shine of the annual Karis Award. The event is a brain child of Okotie who established it to honour Nigerians who have excelled in various fields, but who may not have been recognised by the larger society. The pastor is alleged to have made the remarks while delivering a sermon last Sunday. The controversial statement partly goes thus, “The Catholic church is a counterfeit church set up by Satan. Catholics bow to idols and crucify Jesus every Sunday when they eat bread claiming they are eating Jesus’ body.” Okotie tried to justify his claims by adding that his statements are “not out of disrespect but out of respect for the word of God.” Apart from the fact that he has not debunked the claim, a post on his Facebook account on Tuesday afternoon reinforces the argument. It simply read, “Re- Catholicism: Truth is bitter. It lacks saccharine delights.” The statement has further led to more outrage by his Facebook fans and other aggrieved persons, just as his Facebook page has been besieged by angry Nigerians who have failed to see reasons with him. Not surprising, most of the comments have been uncomplimentary as the Man of God has been tagged with unprintable names. The ensuing controversy has also pitched Okotie and Catholic faithful against one another on Twitter and Facebook. A group called Nigerians Catholics on Facebook have issued a statement to this effect. The body claimed that Okotie was simply seeking cheap publicity in its statement. The administrator of the page wrote, “The unguarded utterances of Chris Okotie to fellow Christians who chose to practise their dogma in their own way shows how irresponsible and ill-mannered he is. “Antagonising another church with a different principle of worshiping, but with no difference in faith professed, portrays Christ Okotie in bad light and casts negative shadows on his purported ministry in Christendom. “Chris Okotie should know that if over 1 billion Catholics will go to hell because of the way they worship their God, he too is not exempted. “I want to state clearly to Chris Okotie that over 1 billion Catholics going to hell will only happen in the figment of his imagination. “In fact, if I am to use what is written in the Bible concerning marriage and divorce to humanly judge Chris Okotie, then he is already number one candidate of hell.” On his part, Kingsley Williams wrote, “ l think we all need to pray for Pastor Chris; honestly, before it gets out of hand.” Ifeoma Goodluck, only offered prayers for the Catholic church, as she also posted, “No weapon formed against Catholic Church shall prosper, In Jesus name. Amen.’’ However, some people came to the defence of the controversial pastor, with one of them being Wilfa Wilfred, who simply said, “Please, insulting Chris and calling him names shows a lack of faith by baby Christians. Just pray to God to forgive him. I am not a catholic but it is only God that knows his true worshipers.” Just like Wilfred, a certain Peter Edaile also stated on Facebook, “It also lacks sugar and honey delights but contains salt.” Enough on the controversial statements, anyway. Mixed reactions have also greeted what many members of the the public termed a decision to hold a beauty pageant in the church this Sunday. But the church has since taken to its official Facebook to explain the concept behind what is perceived to be a beauty pageant. It explained that the competition tagged Queen Esther pageant competition is geared towards selecting an ambassador for the church. “The evening usually features the parade and display of beautiful women in costumes inspired by popular female bible characters. The contestant with the most creative costume is then crowned as the Queen Esther and gets a cash prize of one million naira,” the post read Culled from news.naij.com

5 bishops ‘banned from officiating in N-Delta’

Five Pentecostal bishops have been banned from officiating in any bishopric gathering in the Niger Delta. A terse statement, issued yesterday by Pentecostal Bishops in the Niger Delta and signed by the acting National Secretary of the organisation, Bishop David Benedict, said the unnamed bishops committed a sacrilegious act when, in company of seven other clerics from the region, indulged in alleged disgraceful act “without minding their highly exalted position in Christendom”. While commending the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, and the South-south Chairman, Arch-Bishop God-dowell Avwormakpa, for suspending the bishops, lauded the CAN President for his effort to religious body in the country. The group called for peace between Governor Chibuike Amaechi and President Goodluck Jonathan.

Archbishop docked for alleged illegal N7m land deal

A self-acclaimed archbishop, John Okeke, 59, was, Tuesday, brought before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere for allegedly selling a land worth N7 million belonging to someone else. Okeke, founder of God’s Pentecostal Ministry World Wide, Iba, Lagos was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a nine-count bordering on stealing, forgery and impersonation. At the resumed hearing, EFCC counsel, A.M. Ocholi, told the court that the trial could not go on due to absence of a witness (one Nurudeen Bello) who took his two-month-old baby to the hospital following complications. Responding, the defendant’s counsel, U.C. Ikebulu, argued that the prosecution had nine witnesses, and could have called another witness since they could not go on with Nurudeen (witness). The presiding judge, Justice Aishat Opesanwo, after listening to both counsel, adjourned the case to February 8, 2014 to enable the prosecution produce its witnesses. It will be recalled that a businessman, Ignatius Ozorumba, had on January 31, 2013 told a Lagos High Court in Ikeja how the archbishop (defendant) allegedly stole his land worth N7 million. Testifying in the case, Ozorumba, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mrs Atinuke Daramola, said he was a former member of the defendant’s church. He said sometime in 2005, Okeke informed him that the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) had instructed all persons allocated plots of land in FestacTown to pay their land rents. Ozorumba, who is the director of Immortal Impex Limited, said he asked the archbishop to help him process the payment so that the land would not be revoked. The witness said:“I gave him N200,000 to help me pay eight years rent at a cost of N25,000 per year, for my land known as “Plot H1”, located on 2nd Avenue, FestacTown, Lagos. “I also gave him photocopies of the Title Deed and other relevant documents to facilitate the process.” Ozorumba explained that the defendant later told him to bring the original documents for “sighting” purposes by the authorities of the FHA and he complied. According to him, after the defendant took the documents, he failed to return them, claiming that they were in the custody of the FHA. He later discovered that the defendant had sold the property to the trustees of Mainland Motorcycle and Spare Parts Dealers Association for the sum of N7million. Ozorumba alleged that the archbishop had forged documents, including a change of ownership form purportedly issued by the FHA, to facilitate the transaction. The witness further alleged that the defendant misled the buyers that he was the original owner of the property and had sold it since September 2005. He said this led to a dispute between himself and the archbishop which prompted him to petition the EFCC. from Vanguard Newspaper

Pastor Docked for Alleged Impersonation

A 50-year-old pastor, Keiggy Ogarekpe, on Wednesday, appeared in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates' Court, charged with pretending to be a brother to the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS). Mr. Ogarekpe was charged with impersonating a public servant and cheating. The prosecutor, Paul Igoche, told the court that between October 20 and 26, the accused pretended to be the younger brother of the DG, and collected N800, 000 from one David Solomon with a promise to influence a contract for him with the NNPC. Mr. Igoche said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 132, 322 and 324 of the penal code. When the charges were read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty and denied all the allegations. The counsel to the accused, Felix Ipogah, applied for the accused to be granted bail on liberal conditions. Mr. Ipogah told the magistrate that the accused had been granted an unconditional release by Justice Abubakar Mohammed of the FCT High Court. "The case before Justice Mohammed is an enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights case," he said. The Senior Magistrate, Christopher Oba, admitted the accused to bail in sum of N1 million and a surety in like sum. Mr. Oba ordered that the surety must be a civil servant not below Grade level 10 and residing within the court's jurisdiction. He adjourned the case to February 17, 2014 for further hearing