Nigerian Eye

Osinbajo tasks politicians on selfless service

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Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerian politicians to be selfless in their service to the nation. 
 
He gave this advice at a reception in honour of the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, APC,at the Oceanview Restaurant of Eko Hotels, Lagos, yesterday. Banire was last Monday decorated along with others as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. 
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While describing Banire as a selfless politician, an embodiment of good qualities, VP Osinbajo said “he was a serious minded student, consummate intellectual, a politician and a great scholar who deserves this great honour”. 
 
In his own remarks at the occasion, Banire expressed his appreciation to the dignitaries who attended the event for their goodwill messages. “ This will surely spur me to do more in my profession, my country and humanity,” he stated.”

Latest-News Osinbajo tasks politicians on selfless service

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerian politicians to be selfless in their service to the nation. He gave this advice at a re...

PDP senators plot takeover of Senate President’s seat

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Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were plotting to take over the position of the Senate President in the event that embattled Senator Bukola Saraki is forced to vacate the seat. 
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According to Vanguard newspaper,  as part of the moves to carry out their plans, PDP senators were holding meetings with some All Progressives Congress, APC, senators sympathetic to Saraki. 
 
The Senate President is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, following a 13-count charge brought against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, bordering on false declaration of assets in 2003. 
 
The APC, which initially had 60 senators, now has 59, following the death of Senator Ahmed Zannah. PDP has 49 senators. To elect a Senate President, a simple majority is required – whereas to impeach same, a two third majority vote is required. 
 
The Senate resumes on Tuesday. 
 
With 108 senators, a simple majority vote of 55 will decide who would become the new Senate President. 
 
The calculation is that if APC uses the CCT or other means to remove Saraki, the PDP would reach out to the Senate President’s core supporters in APC who sense that they, too, like Saraki, may become endangered. They will then try to get the number to make the balance and go ahead with either Senator David Mark or the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, as the replacement. 
 
One of the PDP senators told Sunday Vanguard , yesterday, that the APC should count itself lucky that PDP did not field one of its own for the position on June 9, 2015, when the Senate was inaugurated, adding, “We are already strategising ahead in case Senate President Bukola Saraki is removed, we are going to support a pro-Saraki Senator for the seat and with that PDP will be in charge of the Senate.” 
 
At inauguration, the 33 senators-elect committed to Senator Ahmed Lawan, the party’s official candidate, were still waiting to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari at the International Conference Centre, ICC, about two kilometres away from the National Assembly, when inauguration commenced. 
 
Having formed the quorum, Saraki was elected President of the 8th Senate with votes by 57 of 108 senators, while 51 senators, including Lawan, were absent. Saraki was the only nominee for the position. Ekweremadu of the PDP, interestingly, emerged Deputy Senate President, defeat ing Senator Ali Ndume of the APC with 54 votes against Ndume’s 20 votes. Both Saraki and Ekweremadu were immediately sworn-in by the Clerk of the Senate, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa. 
 
The APC leadership has consistently expressed its displeasure at the emergence of Saraki. 
 
Senator Peter Nwaboshi, PDP, Delta North, yesterday vowed that the his party would produce the next Senate President if Senator Bukola Saraki was removed – while at the same time expressing optimism for Saraki’s continued tenure as Senate President. 
 
Although he insisted that “there is no such plan to remove Senate President Saraki, but I bet you that if there is anything of such, the PDP will produce the next Senate President; we will get it”.

Latest-News PDP senators plot takeover of Senate President’s seat

Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were plotting to take over the position of the Senate President in...

Christ Embassy church adopts 10,000 kids

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The Christ Embassy Church on Friday said it had about 10,000 children under its care as a way of getting them off the streets. 
 
Pastor Ciji Darah, the Warri zonal head of Christ Embassy made this known while briefing newsmen on the 2015 Reach Out Nigeria (RON) project of the church. 
 
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Darah, who was represented by Mr. Yemi Morakinyo also said that out of the 10,000 children, 57 were adopted in Warri, pointing out that the ministry would continue to impact on the lives of the people through the spread of the gospel of Christ and other positive avenues. 
 
‘’We have 30 million copies of Rhapsody of Reality to be distributed this year and in Warri zone we are going to distribute 2.5 million copies within a period of three months,’’ he said. 
 
Darah said the theme of this year programme was ‘’Dawning a new nation”, adding that the annual event which started in 2007 would also feature a football tournament, youth empowerment as well as medical services. 
 
The pastor said the aim of the event was to further propagate the Word of God throughout the country and bring light to the nation.

Latest-News Christ Embassy church adopts 10,000 kids

The Christ Embassy Church on Friday said it had about 10,000 children under its care as a way of getting them off the streets. Pastor Ci...

Beware of Celebrity Pastors and Mega-Churches

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By Femi Aribisala 
 
According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead. 
 
In many churches today, pastors are preoccupied with the size of their congregation. Some take a census every church-service. Others keep statistics of the number of people who answer their altar-calls. When pastors meet socially, how big their church is determines their social status and prestige; ensuring that many are prone to exaggerate their numbers. The bigger the church, the more highfalutin and celebrated the pastor. 
 
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However, the wisdom of God is contrarian, she shouts in the street; she lifts her voice in the public square: “No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.” (Psalm 33:16-17). 
 
Let me apply this scripture more precisely to the context of mega-churches. No man is saved by the size of a church, neither is the wicked delivered by the great charisma of a pastor. When we are preoccupied with size in churches, we are guilty of trusting in the multitude of our mighty men. (Hosea 10:13). 
 
First become last 
 
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!’” (Zechariah 4:6-7). 
 
One of the great mountains before Zerubbabel was Solomon’s temple. Those charged with rebuilding it were concerned the new temple would not have the splendor and majesty of the old. But God is not concerned with size and other physical attributes. Through Haggai, he declares: “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former.” (Haggai 2:9). Accordingly, Zechariah asks: “Who has despised the day of small things.” (Zechariah 4:10). 
 
Indeed, according to God’s kingdom dynamics, “every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low.” (Isaiah 40:4). God says: “All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish.” (Ezekiel 17:24). 
 
This indicates in the day of the Lord, we are likely to discover that the big church is small in the sight of the Lord and the small church is big. Before Zerubbabel, even the great mountain of Solomon’s temple becomes a plain. 
 
Preference for small things 
 
In the kingdom of God, good things come in small congregations. Jesus says: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.” (Matthew 18:20). In effect, we don’t need to be in the thousands and tens of thousands in order to feel the presence of God. But because Jesus says where two or three are gathered, and not where at least two or three are gathered, he is actually expressing a preference for small gatherings. 
 
According to Jesus, the appropriate size of a church is not “mega” or “big,” but “little.” Thus, he reassures the small congregation: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32). It is the “little flock” and not the big flock that the Father has decided to give the kingdom. Mega-church pastors are akin to the Israel of old: “Israel has forgotten his maker, and builds temples.” (Hosea 8:14). 
 
As a matter of fact, the large size of a church is eloquent testimony of spiritual deficiency. Jesus says: “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in through it. Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13). 
 
It is the stone the builders reject that becomes the headstone. (Psalm 118:22). This prophecy is bad news for mega-church pastors because they are currently the accepted stones. Indeed, according to Jesus, “the first will become last and the last first.” (Mark 30:31). This means today’s “first-class” pastors will ultimately turn out to be “last-class.” 
 
Few are chosen 
 
Because the gospel is naturally unattractive to the large flock, Jesus says: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). Therefore, numerical church-growth is an unrealistic index of success in ministry. When we are focused on the numbers game, we become ashamed of the words of Jesus, and readily sacrifice his doctrine on the altar of attracting a large following. 
 
Indeed, God is contemptuous of size; he prefers the mini to the mega. He says: “Woe to the multitude of many people who make a noise like the roar of the seas, and to the rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; but God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.” (Isaiah 17:12-14). 
 
David got into trouble with God because of his preoccupation with numbers. When pride moved him to conduct a census in Israel in order to determine the size of his kingdom, God responded by decimating it with pestilence, killing seventy thousand men. (2 Samuel 24:1-15). Jesus himself was not the product of a big church but of little Bethlehem Ephrathah. (Micah 5:2). 
 
Fake pastors: dead churches 
 
Speaking to his disciples, Jesus provides this simple kingdom dynamic as their mark of distinction: “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19). 
 
Therefore, the very fact that the world loves mega-pastors indicates there is something wrong with them. If something is very popular, it is not of God. The evil spiritual “ruler of this world” will not allow what is godly to be well-liked. Therefore, Jesus says: “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26). Mega-pastors are in trouble with the Lord because all men love them. 
 
The people of this world do not like the doctrine of Jesus. Neither do mega-pastors otherwise they would be mini. If the general public like what a pastor preaches, it is a sure sign it is not of God. God and men hardly ever see eye to eye. Jesus says: “That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15). 
 
This shows the true Church of Christ is inevitably anathema to the world. Jesus insists his kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36). Therefore, his Church cannot be worldly; neither will his disciples preach the world in order to attract a crowd. 
 
According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead. He declares: “To the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says he who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.’” (Revelation 3:1).

Latest-News Beware of Celebrity Pastors and Mega-Churches

By Femi Aribisala According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead. I...

Labour unions urge Saraki to resign

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Nigerian workers, under the umbrellas of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, have asked the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, to vacate his office pending the determination of his case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. 
 
The workers, who spoke across the country, said although Saraki is still on trial and has not been found guilty of the allegations against him, it is morally right for him to vacate his office as Senate President to defend himself. 
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The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation is prosecuting Saraki for alleged false declaration of his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau. 
 
Saraki had, last Tuesday, stepped into the dock at the CCT in Abuja, where he was arraigned for false assets declaration charges. 
 
He pleaded not guilty to all the 13 charges slammed on him by the CCB and his trial has been scheduled to hold on October 21, 22 and 23. 
 
Leaders of the NLC and the TUC, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said it had become necessary for Saraki to step aside from Senate presidency to answer the charges preferred against him. 
 
Organised labour had on, September 10, 2015, held nationwide protests against corruption, while seeking death penalty for public treasury looters. 
 
Labour said it was only by killing looters that the anti-corruption crusade being championed by President Muhammadu Buhari could succeed. 
 
President of the TUC, Mr. Bobboi Bala, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said Saraki has a moral burden to resign. 
 
He said, “Resignation is a moral burden on people. But if somebody feels that he will carry his cross, go to the courts and try to exonerate himself, he should be given the opportunity. But it would be too bad if at the end of the day, he is found guilty. It does not speak well of public office holders. 
 
“In other climes, as soon as such things happen, people tender their letters of resignation. Obviously, it is a moral burden on him. We hope all politicians will begin to know that no matter how highly placed they are, one day, they will definitely have to account for their stewardship.” 
 
Several chapters of the NLC and the TUC across the states also asked for Saraki’s resignation on Saturday. 
 
The Chairman, TUC, Ogun State, Mr. Olubunmi Fajobi, told one of our correspondents that if it were in a civilised clime, the Senate President would have stepped aside to allow for free and fair trial. 
 
He said, “As it were, the Senate President is sitting on a delicate seat. If it were a civilised society, he would have stepped aside to allow for a fair trial, so that he won’t allow his official position to influence the decision of the tribunal.” 
 
Also, the Ekiti State Chairman of the NLC, Mr. Raymond Adesanmi, advised Saraki to step down from office. 
 
He said, “If it were in other climes, he would have resigned. My advice for him would be to step down as the Senate President to answer the charges against him. If at the end of the day he is not found guilty, he could return to his position.” 
 
Adesanmi’s TUC counterpart in Ekiti, Mr. Adesoye Adedayo, corroborated him. 
 
He said, “Although the case against him has political undertone, I would advise him to resign to prove his innocence.” 
 
In Cross River State, the Chairman of the TUC, Mr. Clarkson Otu, who noted that labour unions had yet to meet to take a definite position on Saraki’s trial, said the Senate President should resign his position. 
 
He said, “This whole thing is politics. The said irregularities allegedly discovered in Sariki’s assets declaration are issues before the CCT, but having got himself involved in this controversy, he should quit as senate president based on moral grounds. 
 
“If he does not quit, he will keep battling to retain that position. This is my personal view and not that of the TUC.” 
 
The factional Chairman of the NLC in Delta State, Mr. Williams Akporeha, the state chapter of the union was in support of Saraki’s resignation. 
 
“We are saying that he should step aside because he is facing trial that borders on allegations of fraud and misinformation. He should resign on a clean slate instead of his continued stay in office in shameless aberration,” he said. 
 
In the same vein, Chairman of the TUC in Delta, Mr. Myke Arinze, said, “Senator Saraki should resign and set the record straight because he cannot be facing trial and be dictating as Senate President.”

Latest-News Labour unions urge Saraki to resign

Nigerian workers, under the umbrellas of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, have asked the President of the Sen...

Secession not in Igbo’s interest, Ohanaeze tells MASSOB

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The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio- cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has told the leadership of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra that seceding from Nigeria, as being agitated by the group, would not be in the interest of the Igbo. 
 
The National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro stated this on Saturday during a press conference in Umuahia, Abia State, to unveil plans for this year’s Igbo Youths Day slated for Monday in Umuahia. 
 
According to him, it is better for Ndigbo to remain in Nigeria and struggle for their fair share of the ‘national cake’ than fight for self-determination with its attendant consequences. 
 
He said, “ It is better we remain in Nigeria and fight for our rights than secede. We have been patient enough and in 2019, it will be our turn to produce a Nigerian President. It will take a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction to heal the wounds of Biafra.” 
 
He called on the Federal Government to unconditionally release all members of MASSOB and other Biafran activists detained in various prisons across the country. 
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Isiguzoro also appealed to the Federal Government to address what he described as injustices against Ndigbo in the country, which he said were the major reason for the agitation for self-rule by MASSOB and other pro- Biafran groups. 
 
He further argued that it defied logic for members of MASSOB who are non-violent to continue to be held illegally for years in detention, ‘‘while the same government is busy releasing captured members of violent groups like Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants who have taken up arms against the state.” 
 
“Since the Federal Government is secretly negotiating with Boko Haram terrorists, why can’t it also negotiate with MASSOB, which is non-violent? Since it is releasing some Boko Haram fighters, it should also consider MASSOB members detained illegally in prisons.” 
 
The OYC helmsman however declared support for the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari, arguing that those responsible for the woes of Nigeria should be brought to book. 
 
He also said the Igbo Youths Day would be used to sensitise Igbo governors on the urgent need to invest in agriculture for youth empowerment. 
 
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the organising committee and National Vice-Treasurer of OYC, Dr. Lawrence Dozie, said the theme of this year’s celebration is “Ndigbo: The Challenges of our Youths.”

Latest-News Secession not in Igbo’s interest, Ohanaeze tells MASSOB

The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio- cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has told the leadership of the Movement for the Actualisati...

Suspected Boko Haram members invade Kogi DSS office, release 30

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About 30 people detained at the Kogi State office of the Directorate of State Service were freed on Friday night when it was attacked by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect. 
 
This was as four people, including an anti-riot policeman, were reportedly killed in the attack by the invading insurgents. 
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The attackers were said to have immediately made for the cell of the DSS office located along Hassan Katsina Road, Lokoja, and released all suspects kept there after gaining entrance. 
 
Our correspondent gathered that around 9.45pm on Friday, the gunmen with sophisticated weapons invaded the DSS office. 
 
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the heavily armed men that stormed the DSS office appeared to have overwhelmed the DSS officials present, prompting a Deputy Director of the agency, whose name is yet to be ascertained, to quickly put a distress call to the police at about 10:40pm. 
 
It was gathered that combined patrol teams of soldiers and policemen were later drafted to the place and they engaged the invaders in a gun duel for over seven hours. 
 
The source said the security operatives later overpowered the attackers and some of them (invaders) fled into the bush. 
 
He added that at the end of the shootout, the bodies of a policeman and three of the attackers were discovered. 
 
The source further said two of the attackers fled to Otokiti Housing Estate and forced themselves into one of the flats occupied by a woman. 
 
It was gathered that the woman quickly invited soldiers who responded immediately, arrested and took them away. 
 
The Kogi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirmed the attack to journalists in Lokoja. 
 
He said at about 9:45pm on Friday, criminal elements invaded the DSS office in Lokoja. 
 
According to him, the prompt response of the police command led to the death of three of the attackers, while at the end of the operation the command lost a policeman. 
 
He said he could not confirm whether or not the invaders succeeded in entering the DSS office. 
 
Ojukwu said, “We are still investigating and we cannot say much for now until we are able to lay our hands on the suspects. 
 
“We are working assiduously with other security agents in the state to ensure that we get to the root cause of the attack.” 
 
Meanwhile the DSS has deployed operatives from its Abuja headquarters to Lokoja, Kogi State to hunt down Boko Haram suspects that escaped from its detention facility in the state. 
 
Sources told our correspondent that the DSS was yet to have a definite number of the escaped suspects, adding that the Kogi State directorate was in the process of submitting the full list of the suspects to the DSS headquarters in Abuja. 
 
A DSS source said, “The service is yet to ascertain the exact number of terror suspects that escaped during the attack, but the headquarters is expecting a full briefing on the incident, including the number of escaped suspects, number of dead or wounded personnel, number of re-arrested suspects and a detailed explanation of how the facility was attacked. 
 
“A probe into the security breach has been initiated by the service headquarters and a squad has been dispatched to the state to help in re-arresting the fleeing insurgents; we expect recapture of some of the suspects within 24 hours.”