Adekuoroye, Genesis, others shine as Bayelsa emerge overall winners

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The second Governor Seriake Dickson Wrestling Championships held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. PHOTO: Nigerianbestforum

Odunayo Adekuoroye (55kg) of Ondo State was yesterday declared the overall best wrestler of the second Governor Seriake Dickson Wrestling Championships held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Mercy Genesis competing in the 48kg for Bayelsa won the best female wrestler of the tournament, Amas Daniel (65kg) clinched the best male freestyle wrestler, while Emmanuel Nworie in 71kg from Cross River State won the best Greco-Roman wrestler. The best female team of the tournament went to Bayelsa State, coming second was Ondo State and the Nigeria Army placed third.

Bayelsa State, however, emerged the overall winners of the championship with a total of 22 medals with Ondo State coming second with 13 medals. Delta State placed third with nine medals and Plateau State fourth with eight medals.

In Bayelsa’s medals haul of 13 gold, six silver and three bronze, the athletes that won gold medal for the host include Sele Ere Matthew (46kg), Mercy Genesis (48kg), Blessing Oborududu (63kg), Kemasuodei (69kg) in the females’ category.

In the male cadre, Richard Seitonkimo (54kg), Ebike Welson (57kg) Firstman Victor (61kg), Amas Daniel (65kg), Opukiri Agala (74kg), Melvin Bibo (86kg), Sinivie Boltic (125kg), Greco-Roman Perefaghe Kiribein (75kg), and Nathaniel Samuel (85kg) all did the state proud winning gold medal too.

Ondo got six gold medals through Ohida Aina (44kg), Bose Samuel (53kg), Adekuoroye Odunayo (55kg), Aminat Adeniyi (58kg), Makanjuola Bisola (60kg) and John Emmanuel (70kg) from female and male freestyle, while silver medals were won in male freestyle wrestlers by Ijalade Timilehin (54kg) Kolawole Fisayo (61kg), Saliu Rasheed (65kg) Jackson Oluwafemi (74kg), and female wrestler, Eke Rachael (63Kg) and two bronze medals won in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers by Segun Awolade (52kg) and Idowu Ladoja (125kg).

For the Deltans, their medals comprised two gold, two silver and five bronze medals and Plateau had two gold, two silver and four bronze medals.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mGyn1F

Group takes fight against female genital mutilation to schools

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PHOTO: Public Radio International

Disturbed by the rising cases of female genital mutilation and cutting in some parts of the country, the Centre for Social Values and Early Childhood Development (CESVED), has said it would embark on awareness campaign against the practice in six states.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday in Owerri while presenting prizes to three secondary school students at Development Secondary School, in Owerri, the Imo State capital, National President of the group, Mrs. Gift Abu, accompanied by its state coordinator, Augustine Enyi, said the states to be visited include Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ebonyi, Imo and Cross River.

She insisted that women should be left the way they were created, adding that students should raise the alarm any time they see such acts in their vicinities and report to the appropriate authorities for action.

Abu regretted that the health hazards associated with female genital mutilation, especially among local women, cannot be over emphasized, adding that the practice had killed no fewer than 8, 000 women and girls.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mlAUf2

Delta State government adopts report of economic summit to create jobs

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Pledges to boost welfare of journalists
The Delta State government has approved the report of the state’s economic summit held last year as part of the strategies to boost employment generation.

The Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah, who disclosed this in Asaba after the State Executive Council meeting, explained that the state government would also review all activities of government so far.

He said that the initiative includes the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both local and foreign investors interested in investing and doing business in the state and by extension create jobs and wealth for the people of Delta State.

He said that the construction and rehabilitation of roads in the three Senatorial Districts to make more communities accessible and ease the plights of road users was also approved.

In a related development, Ukah said the state government places high premium on the welfare of journalists working in the state.

Ukah, who spoke at the formal opening ceremony of the secretariat of the Indigenous Newspapers/Magazines Chapel of the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of journalists (NUJ), said the press system in Delta State has been ‘so wonderful’ particularly in its interpretation of government policies, programmes and actions in the wake of the nationwide economic downturn that has negatively impacted the activities of governments in the country.

The Provost of Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Dr. Ignatius Ezoem, who was the chairman of the event, called on journalists to embrace professionalism and avoid the practice of ‘white journalism’ which favours blackmail at the expense of public service and interest.

Similarly, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Charles Aniagu, commended the Indigenous Newspapers/Magazines Chapel for enduring “a little discomfort just to get a more comfortable base”, assuring that the state government is ready to give listening ears whenever the need arises .

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mlMJBK

Journalists seek support for Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba’s family

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Adinoyi Onukaba Ojo

As a memorabilia for his brilliant contributions to the Nigerian media landscape, journalists have been urged to show support for the mutual fund scheme initiated for the children of their departed colleague, Ex-Managing Director of the Daily Times, Dr. Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba.

Late Onukaba, a journalist, playwright and university teacher, has been described by many as a doyen of the pen profession and one of the brightest minds in the anals of Nigerian journalism history.

At a gathering organised in his honour in Surulere, which was attended by top echelon of journalism profession that included Bayo Onanuga, Gbenga Omotoso, Lanre Idowu, Akeem Bello, Ayo Asagba, Chido Nwakanma, Niyi Obaremi, Bunmi Akinkugbe, Sunmi Smart-Cole, Nkanu Egbe amongst others, they agreed that the best way to remember him was to institute a memorial trust fund for his children.

Founder and Director of Journalism Clinic, Taiwo Obe, observed that Onukaba, while in active journalism, was a very serious-minded professional who demonstrated exceptional knowledge in aviation reporting, media management, very friendly, caring and a jolly good fellow who was ready to help at any point in time.

According to him, he was a proud son of Ebira land and a star to his people whom many of them have built their branding on. He noted that the only way to keep his memory alive was to read some of his writings as well as for colleagues to massively support the trust fund scheme put in place for the children.

Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bayo Onanuga, in eulogising Onukaba, pointed out that he was never a part of a cartel of journalists who enjoy laziness. Onanuga described his death as saddening and urged colleagues to learn from his life and time by putting their best in whatever position life bestows on them.

Also speaking, Mr. Sunmi Smart Cole, described him as a kind hearted man, peaceful and diligent and a man who never committed any crime throughout the period of their friendship. He called for a memorial service in his honour in an interdenominational church.

For Akeem Bello, the late Onukaba was a man who lived his entire life for others, a giver, and someone who cares about the growth and development of others especially those below him, friendly and brilliant in his writings.

According to Mr. Lanre Idowu, a close colleague while at The Guardian, Onukaba was a creative writer, who as an aviation reporter, made the pages of The Guardian very engaging and refreshing. He described him as a true professional, who believed in standards and maintained standards, stressing that though his demise was a sadden loss but the joy remains that he left a good name to keep his memory alive.

Onukaba worked as a journalist with The Guardian, Nigeria, the United Nations in Somalia and as a professor of Mass Communication at the College of New Rochelle in New York, a former Managing Director of Daily Times of Nigeria PLC, author of In the Eyes of Times, a biography of Olusegun Obasanjo, author of The story of Atiku Abubakar and a co-author of Born To Run, a biography of Dele Giwa, a play, The Killing Swamp, amongst other works.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mGmj06

Two herdsmen killed in Southern Kaduna, group threatens reprisal attack

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Soldiers, police deployed to strengthen security in Benue

Two Fulani herdsmen were killed Saturday afternoon in Southern Kaduna sparking fresh fears of renewed violence in the area.The herdsmen were reportedly shot at about 4:00pm while herding cattle in Unguwan Maiyaashi village in Jema’a local government area and Madakiya community in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.

Confirming the incident, Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Aliyu Usman, said that some suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and would be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

He said more policemen have been drafted to the troubled area to avert any form of reprisal or break down of law and order.Meanwhile, the leadership of Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide has warned that any form of violent attacks on the people of the South West will no longer be tolerated.

At a press conference in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the National President of the group, Aremo Oladotun Hassan further warned that the time is over when people from other parts of the country will willfully decide to wreck havoc on its people with impunity and believes that they can get away with it.

His words: “In as much as we are accommodating and ready to live in peace and tranquility with people from other geo-political zones in the country, our visitors should know we are not cowards. They should not take us for a ride. We will not allow any further hostilities in our zone again.’’

Also, a House of Representatives member from Benue State, Mr. Emmanuel Orker-Jevn yesterday enjoined the authorities to take immediate actions to stop renewed attacks by Fulani herdsmen on a Tiv community, Mkovughur village in Buruku local council of Benue State.He said the call was to avoid retaliatory action by the local community in the state.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in Buruku Local Government area of the state at the request of Governor Samuel Ortom with the deployment of more security personnel including soldiers and the police to check attacks on some communities by Fulani herdsmen.

Special Adviser on Security, Colonel Edwin Jando (rtd), in a statement yesterday said his office received reports of the killing of five persons yesterday, including a tax collector, whose bodies have been recovered.

The governor condemned the attacks and extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

He assured that necessary measures have been put in place to forestall the escalation of the crises adding that security personnel have been deployed to several parts of the state including Logo, Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Tarka, Gwer, Gwer West and Agatu to embark on patrols to check security threats.

The Special Adviser said operatives have also received instructions to track and arrest the attackers and appealed to Sole Administrators yet to set up security committees at the kindred and ward levels to do so immediately so that the committees would help in tackling the challenge.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2nuwmTw

FHA, private developer begin 260-unit Rockville Garden Estate in Abuja

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FHA’s Managing Director, Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin

Faced with dwindling revenue due to government’s withdrawal of funding and growing housing demand, the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has entered into a partnership with a private developer for construction of 260 housing units in Guzape District, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Rockville Garden Estate would epitomize a real smart community comprising 260 houses on the rocks, made up of detached duplexes, twin duplexes, terrace houses, two bedrooms and one bedroom luxury apartments.

Coming as a partnership between FHA and Bauhaus International Limited, the project is expected to be completed within 30 months. Federal Housing Authority Managing Director, Prof Mohammed Al-Amin said that the authority intends to achieve greater efficiency in housing delivery, encourage the use of modern technology and injection of private sector funding into the sector.

He noted that the project which was planned to add at least 1,500 housing units to the FCT housing stock, is sitting on part of the authority’s 100 hectares of land situated across two districts of Apo and Guzape acquired for housing development for the medium and high income groups.

According to him, the estate would provide a safe, comfortable, attractive and functional shelter utilising the ambient terrain and a functional neighbourhood.

Al-Amin observed that the FHA has developed not less than 15,000 housing units in the FCT since 1991, adding that the authority initiated the private, public partnership model of housing delivery after discovering that its capacity to deliver on her mandate was limited.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Bauhaus International Limited, Victor Onukwugha said that housing all over the world has become a hydra-headed socio-economic problem that needs to be tackled frontally.

He explained that the Rockville Gardens Estate will deploy smart technology-sensors embedded in streets and homes, Wi-Fi broadcasts and other Information and communication technologies for lifestyle living and also provide serenity, and security for its residents.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Barnabas Gemade pledged to review laws that Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and FHA, to enable them meet the needs of affordable houses for Nigerians,told The Guardian at a ceremony of Rockville Gardens Estate, confirmed the development said: “This noble gesture is aimed at housing at least 260 families, by any standard no means feat especially through partnership considering economic, business environment and current acute shortage of fund”, he added.

Gemade argued that it is significant for National Assembly to partner and work towards exploring different interventions to bridge the gap at all level to build more than 10 million housing units in the country.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mYE8Zh

Edo plans state burial for Ogbemudia, Obaseki, others pay tributes

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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki has paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, just as the state government has set up a 13-member committee to commence burial plans.

The late military governor of old Midwest and Bendel State, (now Edo and Delta states) would be given a state burial on Friday. This is in fulfillment of the elder statesman’s wish that his remains should not be allowed to stay too long before interment. 

The Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie would head the committee, while the Chief of Staff to Obaseki, Taiwo Akerele, would be the deputy. Other members include Secretary to Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC), APC governorship aspirant, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), two permanent secretaries, six persons from the Ogbemudia family and a representative of Delta State Government.

   
The Guardian gathered that the family had formally informed the palace of the Oba of Benin of his demise as required.Obaseki was received by the wife of the late Ogbemudia, Mrs. Clara Ogbemudia, and his eldest son, Samuel Ogbemudia (Jnr).Obaseki said: “Daddy was so good to us. He was a pragmatic person. Everything we have today could be attributed to him.”
  
Meanwhile, as more tributes continue to pour in, leader of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State and former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole yesterday described how Ogbemudia assured him of his safety during the days of late dictator, General Sani Abacha when Ogbemudia was Minister of Labour.

Oshiomhole said Ogbemudia was a fountain of knowledge he tapped from when he was governor and that he protected him when he was Deputy National President of the Nigerian Labour Congress.

“We appreciate all that God used him to lay for our state as a military governor. There is no part of Edo State where you will not find the footprints of our great father. I have had a long personal relationship with him.’’
 
The state chairman, Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sir Roland Osakue said: “A great leader and a rare gem is gone.’’
The Deputy Whip of the Senate and Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Francis Alimikhena said: “we have lost a resourceful human resource, because no one did more over many years as Dr. Ogbemudia both as a minister and as a governor in building the existing infrastructure that form the foundation upon which Edo and Delta was created.”

The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Monday Igbuya, described him as a leader of rare character.“Ogbemudia was an honest man, an extraordinary politician, a great leader and a man of principle. From 1957 when he joined the Nigerian Army to the day he died, Ogbemudia stood out,” Igbuya said.He said Ogbemudia served with distinction as an administrator and a governor of the MidWest State, later Bendel State.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mYE6AD

How safe to serve God in times of terror, adversity

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Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche

National President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Samson Ayokunle

Professor Nabi Coz Chaim Nwoye, Chief Rabbi Of Bet Knesset, Nigeria And Africa

Anthony Cardinal Okogie

‘The Torah Of Holy Adhonai Of The Hebrew Made It Clear That When One Wants To Kill You, Kill Him First’

It would be stating the obvious that this is a perilous period for Christians in Nigeria, especially those in the Northern part, where they are under incessant attacks and killings, with their churches either set ablaze or destroyed by unidentified raging groups. So far, there has been no recorded reprisal attack from Christians. While it is true the Bible enjoins Christians to pray for their enemies and those who persecute them, it is expected that the civil government will come to their rescue and protect them against harm. Where government fails repeatedly to do its job, what are those things Christians can do to defend themselves, without offending the Bible and disobeying government? CHRIS IREKAMBA and ISAAC TAIWO report.

‘It Is When Law Enforcers Fail That The Need For Self-defence Arises’
(Rev (Dr.) Samson Olasupo A Ayokunle, National President, Christian Association of Nigeria/President, Nigerian Baptist Convention)
SELF-DEFENCE is simply common sense, which God has given to all creatures, including animals, to defend themselves against impending danger and death. Every human being is to employ self-defence, when there is impending threat to his or her life. Some animals fight back, when humans move too close to their territories, because they feel their lives are in danger.

So, if animals defend themselves against impending danger, why should human beings be foolish or naive not to do so, when somebody is approaching with dangerous weapons that can terminate life and bury dreams?
In civilised societies, there are law enforcement agents, who are to make sure that no one is a threat to the life of another, and if there is any such, they quickly rise to the occasion to apprehend the individual and caution or bring him or her to book. It is only in a society, where law enforcers fail to do their duties or give various excuses, such as ‘unknown gunmen,’ that people take responsibility for their personal defence. In other words, self-defence means ‘being sensible enough to prevent impending danger from catching up with you.’ I don’t think any nation’s law is against this.

Why do we have to pass through scanning machines at airports before boarding a plane? Is it not to prevent the airport and travellers from experiencing danger? Why do we have to put barricades at some entrances, such as police barracks, churches and mosques? We do so in order to defend ourselves against terrorism and other dangers that may come through those entrances. Let the law enforcement agents in this country rise up to their duties of apprehending criminals that are on the increase these days.

Our law does not permit reprisal attack, as it is jungle justice. Any other attack, either in the name of religion or any other guise is criminal and perpetrators of such should be made to face the wrath of the law. If law enforcement agents and agencies do their work, occasions for self-defence would be reduced or may not even arise. They must, therefore, not only prevent criminals from having a field day, but also should also apprehend them immediately and make them face the wrath of the law. It is when law enforcers fail the people that the need for self-defence arises.

‘Every One Should Protect Himself/Herself Because Govt Has Failed In This Regard’ (Anthony Olubunmi Cardinal Okogie, Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos)
PEOPLE have taken Christians for a ride by misinterpreting the aspect of the scripture, which says: “If one slaps you on the right cheek, turn the left to him.” Everyone has the right to preserve his life.

Let us, for instance, examine the life of animals. When animals know that you do not have any intention of harming them, they will be friendly with you. However, if for any reason they have the inclination that you mean harm, they would attack you.

Even though a rational human being, but I am not dense at all. The saying that the law is an ass can be interpreted right, left and centre, as anyone wishes. We have seen that government is not coming up with enough protective measures, which compels everyone to protect himself/herself.

Only God can make life and if anyone allows his life to be terminated by those who feel they have the right to take it, the former would give account of his or life to God. It is, therefore, compelling that everyone should take precaution. No man is a fool!

‘…Except In The Case Of Self-defence’ (Professor Nabi Coz Chaim Nwoye, Chief Rabbi Of Bet Knesset, Nigeria And Africa)
ONE must defend himself/herself, when it is necessary to act so, for the book of Torah of the Jews stated in debarim (Deuteronomy) chapter 25:17-21: thee should remember what the Amalekites did to you as you were coming from mirzhim today Egypt.

They had no fear for Yahweh and so they attacked you from the rear when you were tired and exhausted and killed all who were straggling behind so then when the holy adhonai your holy Yahweh has given you the land and made you safe from all your adversaries who lived around you. Be sure to kill all the Amalekites that no one will remember them any longer, Do not forget.

Of course, other fact rebuild, for no circumstances will warrant you to kill, except in the case of self-defence was what the book of Torah of Jews vocalised, for who kills must pay with the blood. And ‘the holy Torah order for every Jews per person is worth of 100 non-Jews, and for a murderer is a brutal stainless, according to the Torah book of wayyiqra (Exodus). The tanak (Bible) of the Jews stated in the book of mishle (Proverb) chapter 18:21 ‘help your brother and he will protect you like a strong city tower, but if you quarrel with him, he will close his doors to you.’ You will have to live with the consequence of everything you vocalised. What you voiced out can preserve life or destroy it. So, you must accept the consequence of your utterances. See this tanak statement with book of mattithyahu (Matthew) chapter 11 v 12 from the time of yahchana (John) preached his message until this very day the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence attacks and violent man try to seize it, which indicated that the strife and offensive cannot cease in the existence of the domain of monotheism, for your eyes shall not have pity on a murderer for life shall be for life, eye for an eye, see the Debarim (Deuteronomy) 19 v 21 the further tanak (Bible) quotation stated that a sword to sword and whoever stone you, you should stone him or her back. All these quotations are words of revenge of the tanak (Bible), which also revealed that you should not revenge.

Do you observe that the tanak is a two-edge sword? See mattihyahu (Matthew) chapter 5 v 38-47, which advocated, you have heard that it was uttered an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but promptly I tell you, do not take revenge on someone who wrong you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap you on the left cheek too, and if someone take you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well, and if one of the occupation troops, force you to carry his pack one kilometer, carry it two kilometer, when someone asks you for something, give it to him, when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him.

You have heard that it was uttered love your friends and hate your adversaries. But promptly I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the son of your father in the holy heavens. For he makes his sun to shine on the righteous and evil people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should holy Yahweh reward you if you only love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagan does that! He further vocalised you must be perfect — just as your holy Father in holy heaven is totally perfect. So, in all this fact, we have seen that good and evil are working together to achieve the best optimist, but we can afford to be killed daily without revenge, for the Torah of holy adhonai of the Hebrew made it clear that when one wants to kill you, kill him first, for after demise comes judgment, which every one will conclave in Zion.

‘We Should Get Ready To Defend Ourselves…’ (His Eminence, Dr. Samuel ’Emeka Uche, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria)
IT is not that Christians should carry arms and begin to kill, as some people do. However, I believe now that Christians should be on the defensive. We should get ready to defend ourselves, but we should not be on the offensive. However, if anyone comes to me in my house to kill me, I will bite him. Even as a priest, I will bite him.

I am using a metaphor, when I say that I will bite him. People should know that they do not have the monopoly of killing. Other people can equally kill.

Christian Association of Nigeria has decided that our followers should defend themselves. It is high time we started to defend ourselves. This is, however, not the utmost. What we are preaching is that there should be harmony, tolerance and peaceful co-existence.

If as a Christian, a man like you comes to you with a knife and begins to harass you, use a stick and strike him on the hand so that the knife drops. If it drops, he has become a devil, then break his head. You are not killing him, but you are just breaking his head.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mdW5Pl

The call to holiness – Part 1

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Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

God requires that every believer live in holiness. And Paul the apostle, inspired by the Spirit of God, reminds Christians of all ages that: “…God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” God created man to be like Him; He created man to be holy in heart, nature and spirit, to be pure within and without. But through the fall, man lost that holiness in nature and life. God, in His love and mercy, sent Jesus Christ to die for our salvation and sanctification. Having redeemed and cleansed us from the defilement of sin, the Lord wants us to avoid and resist every temptation, tempter or temptress that can distract and lure us to perversion, pollution and perdition.

Christ came to the world to call sinners to repentance, not hypocrites and self-righteous people, who substitute religion for righteousness. “…They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Every sinner, who confesses his sins to God and exercises faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, receives forgiveness and pardon from the Lord, because it is not His will for anyone to be lost eternally.

Having responded to God’s call to salvation, the Lord now calls him to sanctification, so that he will be free from inward defilement and depravity. Apart from making our hearts, minds, thoughts and motives to be pure and holy, sanctification also make our hearts, souls and spirits to be acceptable unto the Lord. The call to holiness is based on God’s nature, character and attribute. Therefore, “…as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation… Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” Holiness is the foundational, irreversible and unchanging attribute and nature of God. Even angels appreciate His holiness. God’s love, mercy, faithfulness, power and judgment are anchored on His nature of holiness. His holy nature resonates both in the Old and New Testaments of the Scripture and no one, except a blasphemous infidel, will doubt this truth.

God is perfectly, permanently, unwaveringly, transparently, transcendently, uncompromisingly and eternally holy. From dateless past to dateless future, He has always been holy. If we desire to be His children and favourites, and seek to live with Him eternally, we must be holy. God’s holiness is intrinsic, but that of man and even angels is derived. While angels derive their holiness from God, our holiness at the point of sanctification came through Christ, Who shed His blood at the cross of Calvary.

God’s holiness saturates, invades, influences and affects everything He does. All His works, laws, ways, decisions, words, thoughts, judgments and attributes are holy. He is holy within and without, in dateless past, in the actual present, and in the interminable future. He is always holy and will always be holy. He cannot approve of anything or anyone that is unholy. Since God desires His character and nature of holiness for everyone, He calls and commands us to be holy. The call to holiness may appear to be beyond us, but God has made adequate provision for us to possess heaven-sent, genuine and heart-transforming holiness. The holiness of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is eternal. “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come”.

Further Reading (King James Version): 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Mark 2:17; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Peter 1:14-16; Isaiah 6:3; Exodus 15:11; Leviticus 11:45; 21:8; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 99:5,9; 145:17; John 17:11; Acts 4:27,30; Ephesians 4:30; Revelation 4:8; Leviticus 19:2; 20:7,8,26; Numbers 15:40; Psalm 4:3,4; John 5:14; 8:11,12; Romans 11:16; 1 Corinthians 15:34a; 1 Peter 1:15; 2:5,9; 2 Peter 3:11; Hebrews 12:14; Deuteronomy 14:2; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Timothy 2:8; Titus 2:3; 1 Peter 3:4,5; Titus 1:7,8; Hebrews 3:1; 2 Peter 3:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3,4; 2 Timothy 2:21; Romans 6:6,22; Ephesians 4:21-24; 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:8-10,15; Luke 1:74,74; 2 Corinthians 7:1.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mVBjs7

Anambra 2017: Still on the zoning controversy

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Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano

The twenty-one local government councils of Anambra State are equally spread across the three senatorial districts of the state. But although each of the three senatorial zones has seven local councils, there is no homogeneity or uniformity in their political orientation or voting preferences.

However, the disparity in political behaviour among the various councils and communities of the state could be explained by the political actors that held sway in various interregnums. This discernible trait played out succinctly in the second republic when some of the major players in the nation’s emergent presidential system of government hailed from the state.

Genesis Of Political Discrepancy
WHILE Nigeria’s founding ceremonial president, Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was the presidential flag-bearer of the defunct Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) hailed from Onitsha, in the present Anambra North senatorial zone, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) presidential running mate, who later became the Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, hailed from Oko, in the present Anambra South senatorial district.

Again, while the state chairman of NPP hailed from Ozubulu, in Anambra South, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, was from Ogbunike, in the present Anambra North. Even when the Ikemba, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, returned from exile and pitched tent with the ruling NPN, he was to lose the Anambra South senatorial seat to Dr. Edwin Onwudiwe of NPP, from Ogbunike, Oyi local government council of present day Anambra North.

The membership and predominance of the NPP cut across Onitsha, Idemmili north/South, Ihiala and Anaocha down to the present day Enugu and part of Ebonyi States. During that era, Enugu State was not yet created. But the voting pattern in those days continued to influence political decisions and choices in the prevailing fourth republic.

Consequently, when Anambra was created as a state in 1991, the contest for political ascendancy raged between the conservative Anambra South Senatorial zone and its liberal democratic Anambra Central counterpart, much to the near exclusion of Anambra North, with its insular politics.

Enter Money, Men And Mandate
THE governorship election organised by the military shortly after the creation of Anambra, revealed the lopsidedness of political exposure among the different zones of the state. Okey Odunze from Umunya, Oyi local council was on the road to becoming governor on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Owing to inexplicable political brinkmanship and high wire intrigue, Odunze, a businessman, was supplanted with Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a retired federal permanent secretary and Economics graduate of Havard University.

The kite that was flown was that Odunze’s academic record was hazy, but in actuality the powers that be, including the military, preferred Ezeife, who hails from Igboukwu in Aguata local government council of Anambra South. It happened that despite the fact that Odunze had financial muscle, his reach was minimal.

Consequently, when Ezeife eventually picked the SDP ticket, influential players in the party, including the political strategist, Okadigbo rallied Anambra North to accept the position of running mate handed over to Chudi Nwike from Ogbunike, a neighbouring town to Odunze’s Umunya. Although Ezeife and Nwike won the governorship election, the administration did not last following the overthrow of that democratic experiment in 1993, a kind of political rivalry had ensued between Anambra South and its North senatorial counterpart.

In 1999 when Nigeria returned to the path of constitutional democracy, the political ascendancy of Anambra South played out, ostensibly on account of the fact that the area boasts of more politicians with ways and means. Backed by influential business moguls, particularly the multi-millionaire oil magnate, Dr. A. B. C. Orjiako, a little known Onitsha-based legal practitioner, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, emerged as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As governor, Mbadinuju went through a turbulent tenure defined by elongated industrial actions and bloodletting, accentuated by the notorious Bakassi Boys. The governor was troubled by certain disagreement with his godfathers over predetermined arrangements of sharing the booties of the office, including the Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) he signed, which authorised monthly withdrawals of certain sums of money at source from the federal allocation accruing to the state.

It was the fallout of the disagreement and political machinations of influential PDP stakeholders that combined to deny Mbadinuju a second term in office, quite unlike his other PDP colleagues in the 1999 class of governors. Dr. Chris Ngige, whom the political power mongers selected in place of Mbadinuju for the 2003 governorship poll, was later to fall out of favour with the godfathers.

Pained by the second round of disagreements, especially his decision to renege on the favour sharing arrangement by the “obdurate Ngige”, his backers went for his jugular. They decided to release sensitive documents showing the electoral heist that robbed the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) of its deserved victory.

It happened that the PDP governorship candidate, Ngige and the APGA challenger, businessman, Peter Obi; were both from Anambra Central Senatorial district. And by the time Ngige was relieved of the disputed mandate, the Alor-born medical Doctor had occupied the office of Governor for three years.

While rounding off his eight years in office as governor, Peter Obi, looked towards Anambra North with the eyes of history and favoured the zone as where his successor would come from so as, according to him, “bring about equity, fairness and stability.”

Obi’s advocacy for zoning or power rotation gained currency, raising the political consciousness of the Anambra North zone, otherwise known as Olu N’Adagbe. The mobilization was so effective such that combined with the power of incumbency; it was unthinkable that any other party, save APGA could win the governorship. The North presented as a bloc waiting for Obi’s preferred candidate.

Convinced about the potency of the bloc vote, the outgoing governor jettisoned Dr. Chike Obidigbo, the consensus candidate selected by the zone and settled for a former banker, Chief Willie Obiano. Obi had explained that with the foundation for fiscal prosperity he laid through investments and debt free treasury, he wanted a banker to consummate the financial plan.

Return Of Zoning Debate For 2017
HOWEVER, after nearly three years in office, the propriety of zoning has become a hot issue in the state. While some people argue that it is undemocratic, others maintain that zoning was necessary to curb the desperation that attends governorship election in the state.

Recently, the people of Anambra north, led by former chairman of APGA Board of Trustees, Dr. Tim Menakaya, met and endorsed Obiano for a second term.  The leaders noted that Obiano was as yet the only person from Anambra north that has a ready ticket.

But PDP faithful from the zone faulted the endorsement, pointing out that the meeting at Aguleri was attended by only Obiano’s loyalists, who they allege did their master’s bidding for parochial considerations.

Others contended that the zoning known to Anambra north remains the one that culminated in the selection of Obidigbo, which they claim had the inputs of various social strata of the Anambra north population.

National Auditor of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. George Muoghalu, told The Guardian that the issue of zoning “does not make any meaning to me.” “Did Anambra South, where I come from, do two terms? The answer is no,” he noted, recalling that Mbadinuju did one term and it was taken to Anambra central.

Faulting the idea of zoning further, Muoghalu remarked: “It was not by consensus; it has not been by consensus. Why would it start now? If there was no consensus in the past, why are we starting it now? It won’t be fair.”

But the greatest challenge to zoning is coming from a socio-political pressure group, Movement for National Integration (MNI). The organisation, which worked for the integration of late Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1983, presented what it called major criteria for choosing a governor in the state.

The group condemned the exclusion of the business class in the state in decision making, saying that it has decided to endorse and encourage one of them, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo to prepare and present himself as a contestant for the governorship on the platform of United Progressives Party (UPP).

Rising from its extraordinary emergency meeting in Neni, Anaocha local government council of the state, MNI resolved that no longer would an outsider be supported to become governor of the state.

In a seven-point communiqué read to journalists by the National Chairman, Chief Ben Ezeibe, the group frowned at the idea of incumbents using government machinery and resources to prosecute second term mandates, adding that only persons with proven character, integrity and held in honour by the people should aspire to be governor.

While insisting that “religious politics, clannish and sectional zoning shall no longer number among criteria for the office of governor,” MNI declared that “merit, courage, honesty and respect for order and rule of law shall be supreme qualities of the next governor of Anambra State.”

The group declared “no more returnees from Europe, Asia, America, and people who never participated in social lives and socio-economic activities in Igbo land should come here to govern Anambra State.”

Ezeibe told The Guardian that instead of talking about zoning their emphasis is on a candidate “that is home grown, good team player, highly exposed politically, with a strong credential for consistency, understands plight of NdiAnambra, intelligent, humble, with good character, and willing to build other leaders.”

Acknowledging the stand of MNI, Okonkwo said: “I sympathise with those who believe that zoning is a criteria for leadership, they need pity. I must also tell everybody that my life is not contingent on satisfying sectional interests.”

Partisan Calculations Versus Political Arithmetic
AS the field appears surfeit with governorship aspirants from the three senatorial zones and the absence of a powerful individual to underpin zoning, the various political parties may be guided to respond according to political exigency.

Observers of the emerging election environment in the state believe that what APGA faithful from Anambra North did by endorsing the incumbent for a second term, was to ambush other political parties to follow suit. But the snag there could be the likelihood of a replay of Ezeife versus Odunze scenario, whereby a powerful political force in either the APC and PDP fetches a running mate from any town other than Aguleri, where Obiano hails.

Yet those conversant with the voting dynamics in the state know that the bulk of winning votes in governorship polls usually hauled from Idemili north and South. Some analysts believe that should APC decide on zoning to avert acrimonious governorship primary, Obidigbo and Hon. Tony Nwoye may be easy aspirants to appease given the possibility any of them could be offered the senatorial ticket.

All the same, how that arrangement could douse the fire power of any of Senator Andy Uba, Barth Nwibe and Dr. Obinna Uzoh, would be left to be seen. But those who insist that the field be open for Anambra people to choose their governor may have a point based on the interplay of political arithmetic.

What is the guarantee that all the political parties would abide by zoning? What could be the impact of a possible emergence of a candidate from Anambra central on the interplay of forces between Anambra North and South? Immediate past Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, from Obosi, in Idemmili north council of Anambra Central, recently threw his hat in the ring for the guber chase.

Not long ago, the Anambra Union, at a meeting presided over by former Health Minister, Dr. A. B. C. Nwosu, enjoined Anambra voters to support only candidates fielded by PDP and APC, insisting on the condition that the candidates must hail from Anambra North.

As the caliber of governorship candidates are yet to be known, how such template could be implemented in an election expected to be not only free and fair, but by secret ballot, leaves a lot to conjecture.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mdXYeW

The damage fear has done to evangelism

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General Overseer, The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka

Beloved, it is very clear, even to a blind man, that the pulse of far-reaching evangelism has dwindled. When it would have been expected that revival would blossom, particularly in this part of the world, the reverse is what we are witnessing. This is as a result of many factors, of which fear has been identified as one. Fear of molestation, persecution and character assassination has actually distorted the progress of evangelism in our country. Only a few churches have taken the bull by the horn and are doing what our Lord commissioned us to do.

Although this is a time of fear, when everything seems to be going negatively, when the big and strong are trying to exert their influences upon others, when those with political and financial muscles are brandishing their might, so that they will be feared, but we, the genuine Christians, must not follow the negative trend of the multitude to destroy our souls.

Many Christians have abandoned evangelism because of fear of their bosses, neighbours, friends and colleagues. The tempo of revival evangelism has taken a nosedive, because lots of Christians have felt intimidated and are thus no longer keen on pursuing their divine commission. Though Christians’ lives are more threatened now than at any other time, the fear of God must still dominate that of man.

Luke 12:5 says, “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, Who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.”

In the above passage, Jesus was speaking to His disciples and those that claimed to be children of Abraham and practising righteousness, not to let the fear of man make them act hypocritically, or conceal anything, which He had commissioned them to do. He warned them of the dangers hanging over their heads, if they would derail from obeying God’s commandment because of fear of man.

In the present time, many Churches that have given up on evangelism are joining hands with haters of Christianity to oppose the ones that have taken up the challenge of evangelism and causing revival all over the world. Some have gone as far as forcing those wearing the apron, which is the instrument of their publicity, to remove it. On many occasions, born again Christians’ megaphones were snatched and confiscated or destroyed. The irony is that the people committing this crime are mostly of same faith and are influenced by their overseers and captains of ministries.

Ecc. 12:13-14 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Beloved, a man has but one life to lose, and one soul to save; and it is madness to sacrifice the salvation of the soul to the preservation of the life. Denial of Christ through fear of man has always been a very common form of hypocrisy. However, the consequence of fearing man ends in this physical world, as it has no effect on the soul. Therefore, the fear of God, as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even on every true believer.

Jesus has foretold us that the preaching of the gospel will indeed stir up many enemies against us, who will malign and oppose us, but He counseled us not to fear those, who can only kill the body, rather we should fear Him, Who, if we fail in our duty, can cast both body and soul into hell.

Beloved, the persons for whom this duty of fear is recommended and bound upon are the real Christians. We not only may, but also ought to fear Him, not only for His greatness and goodness, but also upon the account of His punitive justice, as being able to cast both soul and body into hell. Such fear is not only lawful, but is also laudable, commendable and commanded and by it, we shall revive the fire of evangelism again.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mViFQV

Ogunbor: How to keep your kidney healthy

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Ogunbor

Ahead of the 2017 World Kidney Day coming up on Thursday, Dr. Chukwuma Ogunbor, a Consultant Family Physician and Chief Operations Officer with Cedar Group Hospital, Festac Town Lagos told PAUL ADUNWOKE how to prevent, treat and manage kidney diseases.

What is kidney failure?
Kidney failure, renal failure or renal insufficiency is a situation, whereby the kidney is not be able to eliminate waste products in the body systems. For instance, urine is a waste product. All the waste products in the body pass through the kidney. The kidney filters out waste products and leave healthy ones.

So, the kidney is said to fail, when it would not perform these functions. When the kidney cannot eliminate waste products in the body system, it becomes toxic to the body systems. Kidney diseases are on the increase these days, as it is estimated that one in every five patients has kidney diseases.

What causes kidney failure?
There are several causes of kidney diseases that may lead to kidney failure.

Some of these include uncontrolled hypertension, chronic inflammation of the kidneys from infections, diabetes, use of skin bleaching and lightening cream or soap, use of herbal concoctions, un-prescribed medications such as, antibiotics and painkillers, HIV infection, polycystic kidney disease, birth defects, urinary obstruction from fibroids and prostrate enlargement, among others.

What are the signs and symptoms of kidney diseases?
Signs and symptoms of kidney diseases include, excessive passage of urine, especially at night. When you pass urine and you notice that it is foamy, you should go for kidney check up. In some cases, people would start to have swelling on their faces, arms and legs, including other parts of the body. Some people would have diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, body weakness and sleeping problems, among others.

What should be the next step after these symptoms?
If one has any symptom, the next step is to see the doctor, who would conduct some special medical tests. The patient should go for medical check ups, which include kidney function test and urine test. The patient should go for blood pressure and diabetes check ups.

What are possible ways to prevent kidney diseases?
The prevention of kidney diseases is to stay hydrated at all times. Drink a lot of water, as water helps kidney to filter out waste products in the body system. When one takes a lot of water, the kidney functions optimally, and the person would stay healthy. Again, it is important to eat healthy foods and avoid unhygienic foods because most of them contain unhealthy ingredients, which is not good for the body.

Those who smoke are advised to stop it. We also advise people to reduce their alcoholic intake, just as people using bleaching cream should stop it, because it contains heavy metals that damage the kidney.

Those suffering from obesity, we advise them to cut down their weight. Obese patients should engage in exercises for at least 30 minutes daily. People should use the staircase rather than the lift. All these would go a long way in helping you to stay healthy and fit.

What are possible treatments for kidney failure?
Kidney failure treatments depend on the severity of the case. If it is ordinary kidney failure, the patient would take drugs and it would stop. But if it is chronic kidney disease, the patient should tackle the causes, which might be uncontrolled diabetes or blood pressure.

But in cases, where it would not stop, then the patient should go for dialysis, which is why we are here to serve patients better. Dialysis machine is like additional kidney to the patient, as it does the same work by washing away waste products, such as toxins and keep healthy ones in the body system. Dialysis machine is an option for kidney transplants.

What types of foods would help the kidney stay fit?
People should eat the right foods and avoid oil and fatty foods. Too much salt is not good for the body; you should not eat more than 5.8 grams of salt daily. Avoid eating too much meat, as too much protein in the diet is harmful to the kidneys. Protein digestion produces ammonia toxins that are very destructive to kidneys.

Our kidneys should be hydrated properly to adequately perform their functions. This is done by drinking a lot of water. If we do not drink enough water, the toxins can start accumulating in the blood, as there is not enough fluid to drain them through the kidneys. We recommend people drink more than 10 glasses of water daily.

Taking drugs not prescribed by doctor or intake of herbal concoctions is very dangerous to the health. Herbal concoction contains ingredients and chemicals that are not good for the kidney. It is healthier for one to take more fruits and vegetables.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mFocf5

Saved for greatness!

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Davids. PHOTO: Youtube

Welcome to another amazing week!
What you believe is what you become. The report you believe about God determines the extent of His performance in your life.

If you believe that God only cares about the forgiveness of your sins at salvation and nothing else, you are limiting His performance in your life.

Our faith determines the extent of God’s performance. If you believe that the only thing God has done for you is the redemption of your soul you may miss out on the other benefits God has for you here on earth.

Psalm 103:1-5 offers a robust example of the other benefits of salvation: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowned thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things: so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles.”

Christ has made provision for your total healing, total protection, total favour, total prosperity, etc. as you open yourself to the reality of all God has provided, you will benefit from these provisions.

The Blessing of Abraham
Galatians 3:13-14 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law…. that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith.”

At salvation, we have the awesome privilege of receiving the Abrahamic blessing. This means that through the sacrifice of Christ we have a covenant inheritance according to the words God spoke to Abraham. You are entitled to the same package of blessings conferred on Abraham. You need this understanding to fully sink into your heart.

The hallmark of Abraham’s blessing is ‘Greatness’ so you are destined for greatness.

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee …. unto a land that I will show thee: and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Gen 12:1-2.

Some of us are familiar with the song that talks about the blessing of Abraham belonging to us but do we really believe it? You are blessed not cursed; the blessing of Abraham will swallow every curse in your life.

There’s a seed of greatness within you, which when cultivated and properly nurtured will make you a blessing to all around you. You are not a non-entity. You are not a liability to your family, you are a blessing.

There are several examples of inventions that have transformed the world i.e the invention of cell phones, computers, automobiles and several others.

You have the capacity to develop an idea, product or a business plan that will greatly impact the world. Supernatural deposits on your inside when given proper expression will eventually translate to global impact.

In his days, Joseph interpreted dreams that led to the economic dominion of Egypt – the whole world responded to a man’s idea. What God did for Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah and many others, He will do much more for you. He only needs you to agree. You have the capacity to be a blessing to your world.

I would love to hear from you; @yemidavids, pastoryemi@globalimpactng.org or visit www,globalimpactng.org or The Goodland, Ifako bus stop along Ogudu-Oworo Expressway, Lagos. @Globalimpactng. See you next week!

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lLYKjS

‘Too many brilliant, fantastic minds doing something very good, but their presentation is poor’

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Adedayo

‘Dayo Adedayo trained as a photographer at Wesminster College and University of Wesminster, U.K., and has done great works on various aspects of Nigeria. He hopes that his works will add to the growing canon of contemporary African photography that seeks to challenge perspectives, broaden audiences and show the world the beauty of Nigeria like never before. In this interview with ANOTE AJELUOROU, Adedayo bares it all’

How commercially viable is photography art in Nigeria?
Very commercially viable and, viability is relative, depending on the work and the inputs you choose. The truth of the matter is, people are looking for a very good product, which is lacking in our environment. It has to be very well packaged because those things are not there at the moment. For example, you are looking to make a book on the portraits of great Nigerians, not in terms of politics, but people who have made their marks, whether in arts, or in business or social-economic development of the country; there is nothing like that.

So, people will buy into it, but are you ready to invest in it? The answer is ‘no,’ because we have this notion that art doesn’t sell; but for me, art sells. It all depends on the way it is packaged and the way it is marketed. Unfortunately in Nigeria, majority of artists put a lot of technicality into what they are doing, forgetting that they have their family to feed, they have a life to live and they just dabble into arts, into the creative industry, whether it is music, whether it is the proper art itself, whether it is photography, whether it is in Nollywood.

Money is not coming out because people don’t know how to make money. Majority of them do not really study the profession. They dabble into it because it is the next available thing and they believe that it is the way it should be, but the most important thing is how we ought to learn. I mean, you watch some Nollywood movies and you see bottles of beer, raspberry and cars with their logos showing. Nobody does that abroad. They have to sponsor with the names of the brands showing but here they don’t do that. They just drive around; ‘oh, I’m driving a car, a jeep,’ instead of approaching Toyota and the rest of them to say, “Oh, we are having this movie o,’ or approach Nigerian breweries – ‘we want to use beer in our movie, let’s talk.’

Abroad, in Hollywood, you see people using these things and deliberately they will use the logo of that phone without you knowing. But here, because people don’t study the art of film, they dabble into it and that is why a lot of people are hungry. Generally, art is something that is commercially viable. The good thing about art, for example, is that if you ask me how much I’m worth, I will tell you all the money that Nigeria has, what CBN has, is not up to what I’m worth because you can’t buy yesterday, no matter how rich you are and I have it in my hand. Yesterday is gone but I have it in my pocket. I have it because I documented it and anyone who needs it will come to me.

For example, if you need the picture of old Bar Beach, Ahmadu Bello Way, when it was really flooded and all that, I have those pictures. So, if you want them, what do you do? It is going to be on my basis, not on your basis. It is my account.

For a majority of individuals in the creative industry, how to successfully market their talent is a great issue. How do you advise on defining the relationship between art and business in Nigeria?
One, you have to create a market niche for yourself. You don’t do things because people are doing it. Business is about creativity. It is about innovation. If you do things like everybody, of course, you will be like everybody. You don’t follow the crowd. If you are doing it like everybody, then how do you market it? Why should I pay more for it when I can get it for less from somebody else? But if you are doing it differently, something they have never seen before, that is the only way you can differentiate yourself and name your price. That is the first rule.

The second rule is, no matter what you do in life, education is key. So, I will advise anybody who is going into the creative industry to get education. Even though you know what you are doing, the question is, are you properly trained in what you are doing? If not, you have to go back to school to know what you are doing.

That is very key. It could be good. In fact, it is good. They didn’t go to school, but even those who had even gone to school properly still grope in the dark on how to market their art properly.

It is only in Nigeria that someone will say, ‘Oh, Dayo, come and snap me!’ They take your photograph but they don’t even see the value in what you have done. In most cases, the artists look and act very hungry. They act very desperately. In that kind of situation, people will take you on the face value. There should be a correlation between your image and what you are selling. For example, you can’t call Ali Baba to come and host your event. Even his presentation alone, where he lives, what he eats, what he drives is all part of it. You see a lot of artists with dreadlocks, smelly jeans; no matter how good your work is, no matter how beautiful you are, people will not see you that way.

There are too many brilliant and fantastic minds that are doing something very good, but unfortunately, their presentation is poor. Presentation matters a lot in everything you do. A fantastic picture, if not presented well, becomes a problem. Look at the painting we have on the wall, fantastic; but look at the presentation; it is crap. So, what is going to attract the buyer? That is what we are saying.

All these things are not what you can pick up on the street. What stops someone working in the creative industry to have an MBA? What stops you from going to the market to talk people, go to university to have doctorate degree? Go out, read. That is where education comes in. You have to read autobiographies of successful people in the world, not just in Nigeria. Unfortunately, most successful Nigerians don’t even write their stories so people don’t know where they started from and how they made it.

There is someone I really respect a lot in this country and the country has not even taken him serious. He is Razaq Okoya, the owner of Eleganza. Education itself doesn’t necessarily mean success. Some things are in-born. For Razaq Okoya to know so much, to impact so much, the man is a genius. I have not read about him anywhere. The government is not celebrating him. Instead, we are celebrating people who are failures in their personal lives, but just because they can fight their way into political leadership, we now think that they are great.

You also mentioned something about art appreciation. How can we get people to see art as something that should really command real value?
It boils down to the education of the society as well. It boils down to the values we have in the society. In a situation whereby people who are going to buy your work are the same people who buy pirated works, what happens? We don’t have values. If not, you see a bricklayer living a wretched life and you are told that bricklayer built a $10 billion house you are looking at, but you don’t see N1,000 on that guy! It shows the value system of the society. Personally, I can’t turn that around. I am neither Jesus nor Mohammed. There is little you can do in the society.

So, my business idea is, I draw a triangle. At the tip of the triangle is little space. At the bottom, we have a lot of volume. My work is not pure water. I only work four times in a year, maximum. We are in July going to August, I have not done any job this year but I am not bothered. I want to work with the pinnacle of the society. If I can get just 50 clients, which is quite a lot a year, I am okay because you have to make your work not to be all over the place. It is not the volume of what you produce that counts. It is like a photographer opening studios all over the place; it becomes commercial as anybody can just come in and take photos.

But when you don’t have a studio and someone tells you to come and take their portrait or painting, on that basis, you can charge what a bank MD earns a whole year. So, you have people who can pay N1 million; not a lot of people have that kind of money in Nigeria, but I bet you that there are 20 people who can pay for that in Nigeria.

So for me, my own strategy is to work like a cockroach and eat like an elephant rather than work like an elephant and eat like a cockroach! Why do I have to work everyday? Why do I have to wake up everyday and rush to work? You have to be contented within you. I love what I do. I love myself. When money comes, I speak to it. So that is my own formula for the way I work. Initially, it was not about money. Unfortunately, not everybody will be able to key into that. There will be some special people who can key into that. The way people look for money is different. If you are comfortable in your skin and don’t compare yourself with other people, i.e. you are working on your own trajectory, then money will come if you know what you are doing. If you are doing your work conscieniously and with love, someone up there will look at you and say ‘this guy has really tried; let me patronise him!’

How do we differentiate between photography as an art and photography as a commercial venture?
It is really tough, but thank God things are changing a lot. Nigeria wasn’t like this 10 years ago. People are now appreciating photography as art and photography as a commercial venture. The commercial photography is not something that lasts for long. It fizzles out after a while. Even across the world, you see people having studios.

What has been constant from time immemorial is fine art photography that Sunmi Smart Cole did some years ago before people started knowing what fine art photography is all about. That is what George Esiri is doing. You see things and you will be wondering, ‘What is this? How did it happen?’ You find it very hard to place what the object is. That is fine art and that stays forever. It commands a lot of money because a lot of thinking, a lot of creativity goes into it. You find serious photographers doing such work.

Of late, some of the young ones have started doing fine art photography. But their major challenge is how to market for the generality of the public and it seems a lot of them want to be doing the same thing, which is going to kill the market. When supply is more than demand, what you realise is loss and your price will just drop. But if you are doing yours differently, then you can command more patronage. In Nigeria, I have sold one image for N5 million. The way I work is different. You work with the people that appreciate what you are doing.

What kind of image are you talking about here? Human image or nature?
It is an image of nature. When I was taking the image, I was with some people in the car and I said, ‘Stop!’ They asked why but I answered that they shouldn’t worry. After I finished taking the image, I spent about 30 minutes on that spot. Thereafter, we got back into the car. This was where they lived. They passed there everyday but couldn’t see it. I have sold several of that same image, but I promised the first patron that nobody would have the kind of presentation I did for him.

Do you exhibit your photographs?
No, I don’t. How much money can one realise from exhibition? That’s part of what I am saying. You exhibit and at the end of the day, what is next?
How many people come for exhibitions in Nigeria?

How many coffee-table books have you done so far?
Six. I have done Nigeria. I have done Lagos State. After that I did Nigeria the Magical and Nigeria the Magical. So, that is part of the creativity we are talking about. You have to be different. You see, it is not about doing the regular thing; money is very good in life. That is the first thing I usually tell young people. The most important thing is yourself, your work, and your name. When we were growing up, the cliche was ‘always remember the child of whom you are’ so you don’t ruin the name of the family. You have to add value to that name.

When I was in school, I hardly did research before doing my work, which shouldn’t be. Most times, I just do what comes to me. You have to do research before doing your work. I have done up to six books, the new one is Nigeria 2.0.

For me, this book is something that every Nigerian should see, including friends of Nigeria and foreigners alike, who are interested in Nigeria. We all complain about power failure and bad roads in Nigeria, but do we really see the beauty of Nigeria? As far as I am concerned, Nigeria is the most beautiful country in the world. I want somebody to come and tell me the country that is more beautiful than Nigeria. The person should come and debate with me and I will give that person one million and one reasons why Nigeria is the most beautiful country. Let’s forget about the infrastructural part of it. The best thing a country can have are its people. Nigerians are the most fantastically good people in the world.

Ask every foreigner: what is your perception about Nigeria now that you are here? What was your perception before you came into Nigeria? I won’t say it more than that. A lot of foreigners are coming into the system to milk us and we are not seeing it. All we see is the bad government. That is what brought me to what I am doing. Are we all going to be politicians? The answer is no. Are we all going to be doctors? The answer is no.

There are better people who are more knowledgeable than I am. The way we apply our brains is just different. What I am trying to say now is that I am a photographer. This is the way I would like my country to be seen.

All images of Nigeria were done by Europeans. If you google Nigeria images, all you will see are dirty and rough images. That is not my country. Can a foreigner know my country more than I? The answer is no. I can’t go to America and take a shot of America. What do I know about America? I don’t know the culture. But here, I know so many things because I am a Nigerian, born and breed in Nigeria. I have seen Africa’s beauty. I have seen the dew, smelt the rain. I have gone into the forest and more. When I put them into perspective, I will come up with a beautiful Africa, which nobody talks about. Art is like food. Even food is art. Once you put food into your mouth, you say this is nice. That is the way I see it. Probably because I work in the creative industry, I see things differently. I am working on a book, The Art and Facts of Nigeria, to bring out the beauty of Nigeria. I am not doing it from the intellectual perspective. I am doing it from the common man’s perspective so that people will be able to relate with it.

But here you are, a private individual not commissioned by the government, but who is doing these Nigeria-centric projects. Who is the target audience?
There are too many people who can buy it. To be very sincere with you, I can see over 100,000 people buying the book. You won’t tell me that we don’t have up to 100,000 educated Nigerians who are interested in Nigeria. We should not always wait for government. As a matter of fact, it is not something government should do. It has nothing to do with the government. If the government should do it, how will the money come into the private sector? That will be so impossible. So it is the private sector that will bring the opportunities and people will say, ‘Wow! This is a land of opportunities.’ That was what happened to me. My first time in Nigeria in 2003, and passing through Murtala Mohammed Airport, I told I am going to be a multi-millionaire in this country. I just told myself that I am going to make it. I gave myself two years. Probably you may have to leave Nigeria. Nigeria is a country whereby, you live in it but you don’t value it. But when you leave Nigeria for one reason or the other, you then come back. Nigeria is a land of opportunities.

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I invented medicine to cure HIV/AIDS not vaccine, says Ezeibe

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Ezeibe

Recently, the head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) in Abia state, Dr. Maduike Ezeibe, addressed journalists in his office and told them how he invented a Medicine he called MSAMS with the capacity to cure Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) including how he achieved this glorious feat and what followed after, that certified or confirmed his claims/assertion of success. GORDI UDEAJAH reports.Below are excerpts of the interview.

How long did it take you to find cure for HIV/AIDS?
After about twenty-two years research that started in 1995 with the target to invent Nigerian made anti-retroviral medicine that can, at least, suppress the infection so that people can live their normal lives.
The Chairman of National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) of the Federal Ministry of Health has requested your University to provide details of the clinical trial of the claim for cure of HIV/AIDS. Are you aware of this?

My comment on the statement by NHREC (if it is true) is that it appears that agencies of Federal ministry of Health have left medical review of the invention and are resorting to legal review. I am in medical sciences.

All I am telling Nigeria is that Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (Nigerian anti-retroviral medicine), because of small size of components of its molecules reaches HIV anywhere in the body and mops it out by electrostatic attraction between negative charges on their surfaces and the positive charges on HIV.

The medicine being a silicate also causes proliferation of lymphocytes. Synergy between antiviral effects of the medicine and the increased lymphocytes population leads to cure of HIV/AIDS.

Nigeria is thus first country to get 10 people recover from HIV/AIDS. If anybody challenges this claim, I will argue with him/her, but if we choose to talk of ethics, the little I know is that ethics demand that we give HIV/AIDS patients the best treatment available. So, let us verify the claim so that if it is as reported, we treat patients for cure. Otherwise we all would be guilty.

If the NREC has sent the letter to my university, the authorities will respond and all the universities will also look at it to ensure it would not infringe on our mandate to teach and research.

Are you saying for sure you have invented a cure?
With this invention, we have succeeded and also defended it. The invention was taken to scientific journals for peer review because you do not announce inventions over the media. You do so through the journals for scientists to do a review of it. The publications we made were reviewed and accepted worldwide. Through our laboratory tests, we found out that the medicine, Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate (MSAMS), was able to inhibit the virus. We then sent it to British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research (BJMMR). After its success and confirmation, they published it.

In January 2014, we read from this BJMMR publication that our medicine, which we call the MSAMS, was found to be effective against HIV, in vitro (in the laboratory).

But before then, once we made that publication, I reported myself to the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) after which this NUC gave me a mandate to present whatever I thought I had achieved before all Nigerian universities.

Consequently, on August 12, 2014, the NUC organized an online lecture where I lectured all Nigerian universities and told them what I invented and none queried it. This is available in the publication.

How did you certify that the medicine had desired effect on or cured HIV/AIDS patients?
Sequel to that online lecture and other publications, people (HIV/AIDS positives) started coming. So I made a rule knowing people would talk about ethics. Ethics rule implied that when a new medicine is invented, it should first of all be tested on animals and if proved effective, not toxic, then it could be applied on human beings.

We have done extensive tests on animals because that is my own area, I am a veterinarian. We have so many publications, we have tested it on chickens, dogs; it was working and they were safe. We then decided that human beings could take it.

When human beings started coming, our ethics demand that before you give a new medicine to a patient, you have to explain to him or her how the medicine works or will work for him to enable him or her to volunteer. You cannot give it to him by force or secretly.

We went beyond that, knowing that a sick person, not to talk of one suffering from HIV, is ready to take anything. We decided that not the patient, but he/she should go and tell his/her doctor to read what we have published so that if their doctors now believe the medicine can work, he will apply to the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Michael Okpara University if Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU). A doctor is not desperate because he is not the person that is sick. No doctor will write that application if he is not sure because that will be an insult to him.

So, when the doctors read our articles and applied to MOUAU VC that they want the medicine we invented for their patients, if the VC approved and directs me accordingly, I would give to them. That is what they are doing, even from outside the country.

We have got a report from Jamaica. I am quoting the Jamaican man because he is the only person that succeeded in getting the medicine. South Africans have been applying. But there was the problem of how to send the medicine to them because of the rules, controls – customs, -etc. But the Jamaican man insisted until he got the Jamaican Import permit. We sent the medicine to him, but in Lagos, the thing was intercepted. Jamaican government intervened and the medicine was released and sent to him. He phoned me few days ago. I think he has recovered. He said he wants to know whether he would test negative, I said you would test negative if you have fully recovered, go and do your test.

So more patients started coming and what did you do?
When people started coming for treatment, we now made this publication we entitled “In Vitro (Laboratory) Anti-retroviral Effects of Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum Magnesium Silicate “ because we saw that those treated for four weeks, the viral will reduce, by eight weeks, it will reduce more, by 12 weeks, it will reduce more. It continued reducing until we saw that viral load could come below 50.

Any medicine that causes viral load to reduce below 50 is called Highly Active Anti-retroviral Medicine. So we have Anti-retroviral Medicine, we have Highly Active Anti-retroviral Medicine and, so far, in the whole world, those so-called Anti-Retroviral Medicine are combinations of, at least, three medicines.

When they combine them, they are able to reduce below 50, but this one achieved below 50 alone, not with another combination. So, we published Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate, The Highly Anti-retroviral Medicine. This encouraged us to say, may be, if we continue this medication, we may come to zero. We continued. We now organised clinical trial.

Any specific or special instance on the cure?
A doctor wrote me from Abuja that he had ten people he will organise. We agreed. We designed experiments. So those 10 patients, comprising three men and seven women, we placed them on medication. The viral loads, during first month, went up, while CD4 count, which should normally be going up, went down. The doctor panicked. I told him not to panic because when we tested effect of the medicine on HIV in the laboratory mean viral titre of plasma samples (specimens we collected from Federal Medical Centre Umuahia) also went up from four to 14, but when the treatment was repeated, it reduced from 14 to 6.5, which is what was published. By the second month, the viral loads started going down, while the CD4 counts started going up.

We continued and in eight months, the three men recovered, they tested HIV negative.

So, the ninth month, two women, out of seven, recovered, tested HIV negative and by the 10th month, all of them tested HIV negative. The viral load came to zero. Now, not only it came to zero, the CD4 count increased from average of 400, but also when we finished the treatment, CD 4 count was 2, 707. Normal CD4 count of a human being, the maximum should be 1, 500.

I was even surprised, I was even confused until one small girl reminded me and said have you forgotten what we call lymphocytes, which means that when there is viral infection in a human being, the body responds by multiplying lymphocytes, just like an army. A country has been invaded, you recruit more soldiers. That is what the body should be doing against any viral infection. But HIV happens to be a special viral infection; it knocks off the army, which instead of increasing, they reduce. So the body has now recovered its ability to multiply lymphocytes so that lymphocytes will now increase from 400 to 2, 707 on the average and they tested HIV negative. This was published in another BJMMR publication.
How many persons have been treated and cured of HIV/AIDS with your invented MSAMS Medicine so far?

Beside organised clinical trials, over 500 Nigerians and foreigners have been treated. An Abuja based couple has had their viral load reduced to 21 and 20. Going by this, in the next month or months, the two will become HIV negative.

What does it cost to get treated with your MSAMS?
All the treatments so far have been free of charge. I have spent over N5 million. I need support to continue because many people are coming daily. To prove the efficacy of MSAMS and to show you that the world has accepted what we are claiming, I received a letter this January from Scientists Research Publishing Company based in the United States, to write a book on this medicine. I have written this book and sent it to them This letter is an agreement which they sent to me, that I am the author of the book and that they will publish and market it and give me some percentage of the proceeds and we are signing this agreement.

What other diseases does MSAMS cure or what are its other uses beside HIV/AIDS?
Let me add that apart from being an anti-retroviral medicine, MSAMS has capacity to make other medicines work better. This is why we are publishing Enhancing the Efficacy of Antimicrobials with the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate. In other words, I am saying that Nigeria is wasting time because we have something that can give us plenty money, that can even compete with petroleum because HIV, by God’s grace, will soon disappear.

But other medicines will always remain there; there are thousands and millions of them that need to be potentiated. When we use this medicine to treat chloroquine, it will clear the plasmodium, which causes malaria. We have also used it on Ampicillin and it led to quick recovery of the patients. The anti-retroviral, yes, there is money to make there; there will be more money in using it to potentiate other drugs.

So MSAMS is unique. In what way does it differ from other medicines or vaccines used to treat or cure HIV/AIDS treatment?
Those who think about vaccines for HIV/AIDS may not have understood HIV because I don’t think it is possible to produce vaccines for HIV. Maybe they had to consult Veterinary Doctors – those of us in veterinary medicine. However, we have a disease that works like HIV that affects chickens.

We veterinarians claim we have vaccines, but those vaccines cannot protect for more than one month. What we do is to vaccinate the chicken repeatedly until they are up to 12 weeks old. Beyond the three months, the disease cannot affect the chicken again unlike HIV that can affect a 100-year old person. HIV needs vaccines that can work for life. And because of the stigmatization involved in HIV, it is not proper; it will not even work to see a man going for the vaccination every year.

It is impossible for somebody to develop a vaccine that can protect against HIV for life because why you are sending vaccine is to give signal to lymphocytes to produce protection and this HIV is targeting the lymphocytes. Other viruses target other cells so that the lymphocytes can now be free to protect but this one is targeting lymphocytes, I think what they are doing is academic exercise. They may produce something that will protect somebody for one month, two months, or even for one year, but we should be thinking of cure and I think we have found cure.

What is unique or peculiar about this Virus called HIV?
In HIV, they talk about sanctuary, which means a place of protection. Because of the small size of viruses, they can cross what we call physiological barriers and go to some conserve cells. Remember that what we also call medicine is also toxins. God created these conserved cells so that these toxins cannot get there. But if it is any other virus, that does not affect immune cells, when you treat human beings properly, the immunity will now go there and remove those infections.

But because HIV has knocked off the immunity, when the medicine cannot reach there, nothing reaches there, that is why they are said to be in sanctuary, to be in safety.

But to treat HIV, you need something smaller than HIV that can get there. Smallest HIV is 110 nanometers and that is wonderfully small. But this medicine (MSAMS) we are using is 0.96 nanometers, it is not even up to one nanometer. So you need something smaller and we have something super smaller. If you go and research, silicates are immune stimulants.

Apart from being small, getting to HIV, it also stimulates immunity, and that is why we are saying we have seen practically people’s immunity riding from 400 to 2, 707. So, if you have 2, 707 soldiers in the body parading, where is the hiding place? There is no more sanctuary for HIV because they are searching for it. It cannot hide anywhere because the lymphocytes that were knocked off have recovered.

You are optimistic that the treatment and cure for HIV/ AIDS have been found and by the grace of God through you?
To God be the glory.

Why did you not consider giving the medicine a name that would reflect your as the Inventor, a name like EZEIBE-MSAMS?
Ezeibe-Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate would mean me taking some glory from the invention. All the glory shall ever be to God. The invention did not come by hard work or intelligence, but by divine providence. Even now that people who should encourage me have chosen to look for loop holes, in order to hang me, He / God will still see me through. You will be my witness of His power to deliver those who trust in Him.

What should now follow your Invention?
I pray that Nigeria patents this medicine globally. I have been given the patent right in Nigeria; I have the sole right to produce this medicine in Nigeria. But this cannot apply outside Nigeria, the law cannot protect me outside Nigeria and I don’t have the capacity to pursue it outside Nigeria.

This is why I should want the government to take it over and patent it internationally so that it becomes a national resource because what we are using to produce the MSAMS are available locally in the country, it is even in Abia state here. What we did was that we reacted locally available raw materials here in Abia to get what we got – Aluminum Magnesium Silicate, which we don’t have in Nigeria. So, all these things are natural resources that we can exploit to create wealth for the country and, of course, create a name.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mFdB3H