Nigerian Northern State Governor shuts down 2 churches, Seminary, church hospital

 Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State has orderd the immediate closure of two churches, a seminary and a church-owned hospitals and secondary school all in Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He said the closure was to avoid the eruption of violence among factions of the congregations whose leaderships’ positions he described as, “principally to preserve their personal interests with little concern for the common good, and the peace and security of Kaduna State”.
A statement on behalf of the governor sign by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan Wednesday in Kaduna named the affected bodies as: Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria, (TSNN), Shalom Comprehensive College, Assemblies of God Church, AGC, Nmbare all in Saminaka. The rest are: Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem) and AGC Evangelist Hospital, also in Saminaka:
Reads the statement: “The Kaduna State Security Council at its 15th meeting, held on the 15th September, 2015, deliberated on the leadership crisis in the Assemblies of God Church, AGC, Saminaka District, Lere local government area of the state.
“The council discussed this matter in the context of preventing threats to the peace and stability of the State.
“The Council noted that the leadership crisis has led to disintegration of order in the church, and raised tensions between the followers of the rival camps.
The crisis has also widened to the students of the church-owned school and seminary, who are now split and divided on factional lines.
“The Council reviewed previous efforts made to resolve the crisis. It noted that these were aborted by those involved in the leadership tussle, principally to preserve their personal interests with little concern for the common good, and the peace and security of Kaduna State.
“The Council unanimously agreed that if left unchecked, the growing tension may degenerate into total breakdown of law and order in the said area, with the potential to spread to other parts of the state.
“Therefore, the Council has taken steps to preserve the peace. It has unanimously directed the immediate closure of the following:
“Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria, (TSNN) Saminaka. Shalom Comprehensive College, Saminaka Assemblies of God Church, Nmbare, Saminaka and Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem) Saminaka AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka
“As a result of these measures, those who may be affected will be admitted into government schools or hospitals, if they exercise the option.
“The Council also directed that the status quo with regard to farmlands, houses and other assets of the church be upheld pending resolution of the leadership crisis, which is a matter before the Supreme Court.
“Kaduna State Government wishes to reiterate that it will not tolerate the use of religion and ethnicity to cause crisis in the state.
“The government has also announced that it will prosecute anyone, no matter his or her standing, that is implicated in fomenting crisis in whatever form in the State”, the statement concluded.
Culled From Vanguard Newspaper

My anger with Jesus — Mike Awoyinfa

 Some 365 days after his death, celebrated veteran journalist and a former Vice Chairman of The Sun, Pastor Dimgba Igwe, literally returned to life last Tuesday at the conference hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, during the launch of ’50 World Editors,’ a book the deceased co-authored with Mike Awoyinfa, his ‘twin brother’ and colleague.
A hit-and-run driver had snuffed the life out of Dimgba Igwe in the morning of September 6, 2014 while he was on a work out, along with some other joggers near his Okota residence of Isolo local government area of Lagos state.
A year on, Awoyinfa, pioneer Managing Director of The Sun is still to come to terms with the reality that Dimgba Igwe is no more. “As long as I am alive, then Dimgba Igwe is not dead,” Awoyinfa affirmed, adding that the late Dimgba Igwe will continue from the Great Beyond, to co-author subsequent books with him.   “Every September, I am going to launch a new book here and I will always write the name of Dimgba Igwe as the co-author,” Awoyinfa said, flanked on the podium by his late colleague’s two daughters, Glory and Victory. Awoyinfa said death was not capable of separating him from Dimgba Igwe, describing the departed as the leader and voice of their partnership spanning about three decades.
Why I got angry with Jesus
Noting that he has since asked for forgiveness for   allowing his emotions to nearly betray his trust in God, Awoyinfa went down memory lane to relive his reaction in far away United Kingdom, at the news of Dimgba Igwe’s passage. For Awoyinfa, the impact of the news on him was so devastating to the extent that he   came short of challenging God to a wrestling contest, for allowing Dimgba Igwe to die. He said he rolled himself on the floor and continuously screamed, to the astonishment of those who were around him then, that, “my pillar of support is gone!” at which che wife reproached him and reminded Awoyinfa that, “Jesus is your   pillar of support.” But an inconsolable Awoyinfa retorted, “then why did Jesus allow this to happen? As a reporter, I must ask questions.”
For Dimgba Igwe’s widow, Obioma, efforts to hold back the tears when she mounted the podium were fruitless even after vowing to the audience that she was not going to cry in the course of the presentation of her written address. “This book meant so much to my husband,” she began, adding that, “it is one of the sweetest memories that will continue to live with me. Since death snatched away the love of my life, I have been overwhelmed by support from Nigerians some of who I did not even know…. Then the tears began to flow and from across the audience, a number of men and women reached for their handkerchiefs.
The Fashola challenge
President Muhammadu Buhari in his goodwill message at the ceremony lamented that the circumstances surrounding Dimgba Igwe’s death could be likened to what the President described as the impunity with which crimes are committed in Nigeria and the perpetrators walk away unpunished.
According to Buhari who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Mrs Oluseyi Adekunle, “Nigerians should learn from the partnership and friendship between Dimgba Igwe and Mike Awoyinfa to move the nation forward because in spite of our differences, partnership can still work.”
In a message he sent at the ceremony, immediate past Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, regretted that Nigeria lost a good man in Dimgba Igwe and insisted that, “the greatest duty we owe Dimgba Igwe is to unravel the mystery behind his death. We must do him this justice and keep on probing until we solve the mystery.”
Chairman of the occasion, Chief Segun Osoba, in his remarks said that, “Dimgba Igwe still lives.” He recalled that in August 2014, a month before Dimgba Igwe was killed, “we were together in Katsina where we discussed the future of newspapers in Nigeria.”
The ceremony attracted renown journalists and other media practitioners from within and outside Nigeria including Vanguard’s General Manager, Gbenga Adefaye, veteran journalists and publishers, Ismail Isa Funtua, Wada Maida, Mohammed Haruna, Ray Ekpu and Comfort Obi.
Some others also included, Odia Ofiemu, Dr. Amanze Obi, Tunji Bello, Tony Onyima, Bayo Onanuga, Kunle Ajibade, Kayode Komolafe, Adebayo Williams, Louis Odion, among several others.
The book
According to Awoyinfa, it took him and Dimgba Igwe 10 years to produce the 628-page ’50 World Editors.’ He explained that they wrote the book because of their passion, love and commitment to journalism, “the only profession we know.”
The book is a compendium of interviews with the cited editors from across the world including Nigeria’s Pulitzer award winner, Dele Olojede, Nduka Obaigbena, Babatunde Jose and John Momoh, among others.
Culled From Vanguard Newspaper

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Stop Complaining,Support Buhari, Kumuyi Warns Nigerians

Pas. Kumuyi

 General Superintendent of Deeper Christ-ian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi at the flag-off of a state-wide crusade in Lagos declared that he was praying for President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed in his administration’s war against corruption in the country. Kumuyi-1Addressing newsmen at the opening of the Lagos City-Wide Crusade organised by the church in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, he urged Nigerians to support the president rather than complaining. According to the cleric, Pre-sident Buhari needed the wisdom of God to pull through in the fight against corruption in the country, adding “My prayer for the country is that the mighty change, supernatural change that God has done for individuals, He should do for our country and you see, God works in diverse ways and as we see all the things happening, fighting against corruption and all that, we need the wisdom of God, power of God and the support of God. “My prayer is that God will assist the government to actually pull through until we get to the end of the tunnel in Jesus name. A change is coming and the change has started already,” he said, admonishing Nigerians to put their trust in God as there is hope for the nation. “The encouragement I want to give everyone is that we should have hope and we should look unto God Who is able and will definitely turn things around, it may not take place this very minute, but God is going to do wonders in our country and things will turn around for the better,” he assured. Kumuyi also assured that in spite of the socio-economic uncertainties in the country, there is still a strong hope for Nigerians. In a message entitled, “The Wonders of Supernatural Chan-ge,” he emphasised that God has power to change all negative circumstances, assuring the huge crowd of participants that no matter the challenges of life, which they had been facing and which they might have sought for solutions in different quarters, God would provide lasting solution to them. Kumuyi, who pointed out that the greatest problem of man was sin, urged those who were bound by chain of sins to urgently seek forgiveness from God. “The Lord does not condemn sinners but out to save them. Sinners must boldly take a step by confessing their sins. It is futile to think that it is impossible to live a righteous life. God is capable of saving sinners no matter the level of sin, which they have committed. “Every work of Satan in your life must be reversed. Bad luck has come to an end. Sorrow and reproach have come to an end. This is a time for supernatural change. You must leave all your sins behind. God has declared that this day, salvation has come into your life. God will not reject you,” said. One of the major highlights of the city-wide crusade which had continued in Ketu, Gbagada, Ikorodu and Festac Town is that despite the huge cost of organis-ing the programme the church has refused to collect offering at the venues. Participants at each of the five venues so far, had expressed pleasant surprise at the develop-ment with some arguing that several other churches would have taken advantage of the huge financial outlay involved to collect two or three offerings to offset the expense. A spokesperson for the church told our reporter that the church does not charge people to attend its crusades, insisting that it is rather more concerned about winning souls for the kingdom of God. One of the participants at the crusade, Ms Marvellous Archi-bong, testified how she regained her sight, disclosing that she was born blind, but that 18 after her birth, Kumuyi came to her state to preach and that after his prayer, she regained her sight. Archibong said: “After the Kumuyi’s prayer that day, I had a dream and in the dream, I saw a man in white robe operating a lady and the man told her that the lady is me. When I woke up the following day, I started seeing.” As he bring transfromation to Agege The General Superint-endent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi is bringing his message of spiritual, moral, physical, material, political and econo-mic transformation to the peo-ple of Agege in Lagos as the church’s state-wide crusade berths at the Agege Stadium on September 22. The crusade coming on the heels of a promise of the political change made by the new admini-stration in Lagos State. Clearly, since the anchor of the Christian belief is that things that are seen are made from the things not seen, there cannot be effective change unless spiritual change is first and foremost completed. This crusade is then a task consciously taken by the Man of God who under-stands the linkages of times and seasons in the move of God in providing transformation for His people. One crucial aspect of the state-wide crusade is the high level of partnership and collaboration that the quintessential pastor brought to play in organizing it. Deeper Life is working with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to ensure that the logistics and the spiritual support for the crusade is total. An indication that the people of Lagos are in for a spectacular time of the move of God, a list of expectation has been given for the people to benchmark the success of the event. One of them is that Lagos State will experien-ce a wave of change never felt before, in the spiritual realm that will enhance unprecedented moral and physical progress that will in turn bring material development to the people. There is the assurance that Agege and it’s environs will be turned downside up with the move of God for Jesus because wherever the spirit of God is there is liberty. Liberty has been programmed for Agege and there is the promise also that like in the days of Prophet Elijah fire will come down from heaven to consume everything that God has not put in place. In another dimension, mountains will be moved, valleys will be filled and all crooked places made straight through the power of God. Other areas where Pastor Kumuyi has promised that the mighty finger of God will do wonders is in the prosperity of the people. There will be spectacular miracles which have never been heard of or seen before in Agege. Businesses that have been dead, all others that are ailing, many that are not doing well will receive life and flourish again. This will be boom time for Agege to replace the pall of gloom that has been over the place. Pastor Kumuyi has held two similar crusades before and they were highly successful. The first was a one day-crusade just like the one scheduled for September 22 and it took place at Central College, then known as Dairy Farm College in 2004 and the second was at the Cocoa Ground, Ogba in 2009. The Dairy Farm College crusade was a spectacle to behold. The thronging crowd was to later extend beyond the major road, linking Agege to Akilo and Ogba. It also extended to Pen Cinema Junction. It was a lock down for Christ and Agege knew that the King of kings and the Lord of lords actually came down from heaven to be among His people. The second crusade at Cocoa Ground at Ogba in 2009 was also spectacularly successful. It was a three-day event which witnessed an extra-ordinary explosion of the power of God. Now, the G.S. is set for Agege and the awakening and trans-formation is about to shower. He is coming to demonstrate the uncommon grace and energy that God has bestowed upon him. At about 74 years, he is getting stronger with renewed vigour every day. For some months now, he has been traversing local governments and communities to bring salvation to those bound by the devil. He wants to cover the entire country even including territor-ies being terrorized by Boko-Haram. Pastor Kumuyi will also bring the strength and speed of God to wake up Agege, the residents and all those who will come into the area with the belief that God will bring great transformation to their lives. Culled From Vanguard Newspaper

Men of God failed to deliver Jonathan from a spell – Bishop Mike Okonkwo

 Dr Mike Okonkwo is the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM, with over 160 branches in Nigeria and across the globe. The top Evangelist who will celebrate his 70th birthday come September 6, in this interview shares his life challenges, his turn around as well as the present anti-corruption crusade in the country. Excerpts. My Parents and career My parents were angry with me for choosing the Ministry. They did everything they could to stop me but I was resolute. They could not understand why of all professions, I chose the ministry. I was working in the bank, and very comfortable. They said I had bright future in the then African Continental Bank, Lagos. And to worsen it all, of all places in the Pentecostal church, they maintained that if I want to answer the call of God, I should go and answer from the Anglican or Catholic. At a stage, they went and arranged for police to arrest me, frame me for something in order to distract me and change my mind. But nothing was going to change my mind. So, in another four years, I refused to have contact with them so that I would not be distracted. But I am glad to say before my father died, he was able to see and rw that this is the ministry God has actually called me. Growing up My parents were disciplinarians. My father was a civil servant in the then Post & Telecommunication. My father sent me to Offa in 1957 to live with a teacher. There, I passed my entrance exams to Mayflower Grammar school, Ikenne. Because of the need to understand my native language, after two years, I changed to Merchant of Life in Oba, a school close to Onitsha where I graduated in 1963. When I left school, I worked in Ports Authority in Lagos for a few months. What I saw there was frightening – how money changed hands. I was not comfortable in that environment and I told my parents, that the place was not for me. So, again, I had to leave. I moved to African Continental Bank. Even as cashier in ACB, I remember one day, as I went for lunch, somebody followed me and asked that I should change some counterfeit money for genuine ones for him, saying he would give me a share from it. I was afraid and I ran away because I felt somebody would be listening. It was during the civil war and we were afraid as non-indigene, so, I asked for a transfer and I was moved to Onitsha. Thereafter, the civil war intensified, the Nigerian troops conquered Onitsha, we then moved to Awka and from there again, to Port Harcourt. At that point different branches of ACB were moving, eventually, we came to Owerri. In Owerri, the manager did not like me and it had nothing to do with my job. He felt I should be coming around him like other people but I felt there was no reason for that. When the war intensified, they were now recruiting people into the army by force. Although banking was viewed as part of essential services during the war, as the war intensified, they had to recruit from the banks as well. One of the days they came to recruit, they conscripted some people into the army but they missed me because I went to buy cigarette. The manager was not too happy that I was not part of them. I did not understand why he would want me to go to the army. He went to the camp and secured the release of those selected and asked that the exercise should be repeated and through a ballot system. Again, we did ballot and I won that I will not to go to the army. He was not still happy. Again, he organised that the military people should come to the office and pick whoever they wanted perhaps with an indication that they should pick me. We were busy at the counter that day and suddenly the manager called me and two others. We went to his office and we met a military captain and his assistant. The manager said, ‘gentlemen, the headquarters said we should hand you over to the Captain.’ I wanted to run, and the Captain said he would shoot me if dared. Then I said okay, they should at least allow us to hand over our official duties. They agreed, and as soon as we stepped out of the manager’s office, we ran away. I ran for miles and again, I found myself in a military camp where one of my class mates was in charge. I told him what happened. That was how I stopped working in ACB. From there I went to look for my parents where they were being held as refugees. By then, Dr Iloh was in charge of the Red Cross. I stayed with him for a few months. The war intensified and I was afraid they were going to catch me on the streets to join the army because that was the norm. So, when I found out that I could not escape it, I told my parents that my brother and I have to willingly go and register in the military. So, we did, and the training went for three months and throughout the period, we never fired one shot. After the third month, we got a pass to see our parents and that same day, we were told they were moving us to the force headquarters and to Gabon for further training since Gabon had recognised Biafra. They distributed riffles and bullets to us, but I told my brother, he should not take the arms and ammunition. He asked why, but I said he should follow me. We went back through the gate we came in and the Sentry was there who sensed we wanted to run but we told him that one of the officers left his cloths half way and he sent us to get the cloths. Surprisingly, he agreed, and as soon as we got out of the gate, we disappeared into the bush. The next day, the war ended while every person, sent to war the day we escaped from the headquarters were all killed. Those who were alive did whatever they wanted like smoking, womanising and all kinds of things. That was the turning point in my life. And since then, every step I took has been a miracle. Challenges Here were several challenges, and even now there is no end to challenges. The first one as a Minister was when I lost my first child. I got married to my wife in 1980 and we had our first daughter in 1982. We went to a crusade in Abeokuta in December 1984, we came back before the Christmas and on the Christmas eve, She developed high fever and early morning of 26th she died. It was a day I was going to preach. After praying and she did not come to life again, I left her in the room and still went to preach. I did not mention what happened to anyone. As a minister, that is one of the challenges you face. Another experience was that my immediate younger brother who was the only support I had when I went into a ministry. We were six boys and four girls our parents had. He had passed the high level exams and was to go for Medicine. But my parents did not want him to go as a way of punishing him for supporting my cause as a minister. They wanted to know if that could make me change my mind. But as God would have it, he still went to the University, passed as a medical doctor, joined the Navy and still joined me in the ministry. He was one of our praise and worship leaders. So, in the late 80s, I was traveling out and I asked him to conduct an interview on my behalf. It was when armed robbery began as an issue then. Some robbers followed him to his car, closed-in on him inside the church compound and asked him to bring the key of the 504 car. I think the military instinct in him made him to resist and started fighting them and he was shot. They took him to one hospital in Akoka, that could not manage the situation, yet did not refer him. I was abroad, I got wind of the situation and I asked that they moved him to a better hospital, but unfortunately, it was late, he died. It was very devastating to me. But I made up my mind, challenges should not make me reject the call of God. I told myself that the best I could do is to be the best in my calling. There are also challenges of not having enough funds to do the calling of God. For me, if everything you need is already there, then you don’t need God. So, if it is God that provides everything you need, you must depend on God for your needs. About Nigeria I have always said it that God’s hand is upon Nigeria. If not it would have been Nunc dimittis long ago. But God has a prophetic hand upon Nigeria. It is not an accident, irrespective of our different challenges, and contradictions. So, whether the devil likes it or not Nigeria is going to be very great. On Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade Everybody knows that corruption has killed us. It is not only endemic, in fact, the level is that if you are not corrupt, you will not be a good Nigerian. That is the level we have degenerated. And it is unfortunate calling Buhari Mr. Go-slow. How do you want him to come and clear the mess of 16 years in two days? I don’t know why we are never truthful with ourselves. If the only thing Buhari can achieve is just to instil fear of corruption, and all the machinery of government and agencies are working to dissuade corruption, then we would have achieved a lot. Have you noticed that suddenly, electricity is working? EFCC has come alive? Where have they been all these years? The reason they were not working before was that no one would indict or punish them. I admire ex-President Jonathan so much, but he didn’t have the gut to fight corruption. I will also blame the men of God. I will say the men of God, failed Jonathan. Because Jonathan was operating like somebody under some spell and we (the men of God) had the responsibility of taken him out of the spell, pray with him even for three days and whatever was holding him would have been removed. But we did not do that. Probably, he had the intention of doing the right thing but forces were against him and don’t forget he was not a matured christian. We would have taken him out and probably we would not be in this mess today. On same sex marriage The church should not be shocked about this because they are the part of the end time event. Don’t also be surprised if other strange things follow. I wont be surprised if bestiality is introduced. I will only be shocked if the church gets involved in it. If nations endorse it, nations don’t go by the Bible. They play politics. Parents must talk to their children and let them know that that is not the right thing. On his wife I don’t think I would have been able to achieve what I have achieved if not for the wonderful wife God has given to me. One of the things that is common to those who are called is that they are not only husbands to their wives, they are husbands and fathers to a lot of people. So, if you have a wife that does not understand this fact or that is possessive, she could destroy your work. If everyday we are always fighting at home, with the huge responsibility I have in the church, I don’t know how I would have survived. I thank God for having an understanding wife, as people often come to thank her for something I had done. Again, she has covered a lot of my weaknesses, reaching out to people and places that I was not able to reach out to. She is certainly a huge contributor to the work God has called me. Physical exercise and food I do a little exercise, I don’t do exercise for Olympics. I eat red meat and little carbohydrate. I also swim even though I don’t have a swimming pool in my house. I do that occasionally when I travel. So, it is not about what I eat or how I exercise but the grace of God. And if there is anything I should ask from God more, it is His Grace. CULLED FROM VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

Pope Francis Condemns Christian Persecution

Pope Francis, in a letter to the church community on Friday in Jordan, slammed the “atrocious, inhuman and inexplicable” persecution of Christians and minorities, urging the international community not to remain silent. This is contained in a message carried by the Secretary General of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), Nunzio Galantino, to the ecclesiastical community in Jordan, a country that has taken in a large number of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. “They are the martyrs of today, humiliated and discriminated against for their loyalty to the Gospel.’’ The Pontiff renewed his “solidarity appeal” on behalf “of a Church that does not forget and does not abandon her children exiled on account of their faith. “They know that we raise a daily prayer for them, together with gratitude for the testimony that they offer us.’’ Francis also said his thought goes to the communities that took in these brothers and sisters, not looking the other way He told the Catholics of Jordan “You have announced the resurrection of Christ with the sharing of sorrow and the solidarity that you have provided to the hundreds of thousands of refugees. He said they did this “With your bowing to their suffering, which can stifle hope; and with your fraternal service, which also illuminates such dark moments of existence.’’

RCCG donates $20,000 to renovate Vanuatu State House

The Redeemed Christian Church of God says it has donated $20,000 towards the renovation of the dilapidated State House of the Republic of Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. The church said in a statement that a temporary residence was being used as the State House after the original was destroyed by Cyclone Uma in 1987. The statement read in part, “Receiving the donation, the Head of State of the Republic of Vanuatu, Baldwin Jackson Lonsdale, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Redeemed Christian Church of God for being one of the very first organisations to respond to the office’s appeal. According to the statement, the recent heavy rainfall experienced in the island has forced the already deteriorated state office to close its doors as appeals were sent to business organisations, donor partners and interested parties to help fund the renovation of the office. It added that the high office confirmed that the money had been deposited at the finance department to ensure that there was accountability and transparency for all the funds coming in towards the renovation project. Lonsdale was quoted as saying that one of the most important priorities that needed urgent attention was the construction of a presidential house. “The conditions of the current presidential residence is deteriorating so much that we have to be accommodated in a rented premises. Our office is being housed in one of the colonial residential premises; and 35 years on since independence, we are still without a presidential palace,” he said. Culled from Punch Newspaper