₦airaland Forum

In the early days of Christianity in Nigeria the church was at the forefront of society’s development building schools, hospitals, vocational skills acquisition centres, farms and cottage industries, among others.

They offered scholarships, gave free books and teaching aids, and gave food, clothing and shelter to those deprived of these necessities. Notwithstanding that the central theme of sermons was on preparing for the life after death, the church tried as much as possible to ensure that members and those who dared to come into God’s house had a good life before death.

The satisfaction of the church was the welfare of members and the success of the church was seen in the number of lives touched and it therefore offered safe haven to people in various distress situations such as those needing food, clothing, accommodation, financial relief, treatment of debilitating illnesses such as leprosy and mental disorders and several others.

As the church ministered to the needs of members and their lives got better they brought the proceeds of the works of their hands in form of tithes and offerings to God at Sunday services, thanksgiving and harvest ceremonies. With these, more cathedrals, mission schools, orphanages, maternity homes and farms were built.

Also more scholarships to even higher levels of education were awarded as the house of God indeed became the house of plenty. Pastors saved money for social development projects by living modest lives usually behind the church, riding bicycles and working their own farms in a clear example of storing up treasures in heaven as the Bible recommends.

Fast track to 2014, members minister to the needs of the church paying through the nose to fund broadcasts on television and chain of businesses including universities, publishing houses, nursery, primary/ post primary schools, as well as buy flashy cars and private jets. They are reminded daily that givers never lack.

In a bid to please “God” and achieve the elusive breakthrough parishioners squeeze themselves dry to contribute to various projects in the house of God. But surprisingly their situation never changes. The more they give the poorer they become and the richer the church.

Today’s church is an epitome of modernity operating from state–of-the–art, imposing edifices fully air-conditioned and complete with evolutionary camera, klieg light and other stage facilities for live broadcast from the pulpit. Yet poverty ravages the same establishment. Due to this religious paradox discerning Nigerians have begun to ask a pertinent question – has the modern church abandoned social service that the old church used so effectively to warm itself into the hearts of many?

Take this: July 6, 2014 in a church in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, a priest held the congregation spell-bound with his homily. His delivery was superb. Emphasis was to shift to appreciating what God has done for all by been generous in the Harvest contributions.

He started by calling on those who wanted to appreciate God with N200,000 to come forward for special blessing. From N200,000 it fell to N150,000, N100,000 and to N50,000 to N5,000 and below. Although nobody came out for a supposed N200,000 blessing, the priest at the end of the day asked the entire church to stand for general blessing.

To the conservative Catholics it was taking revenue drive too far. The scene at the Amuwo Odofin church is common in Catholic churches in the country now. Before now, the pentecostal churches appeared to enjoy the exclusivity of megabucks from members. Some church leaders even flaunt their wealth. Even in their jerry-curl hair style they defend their affluence on the grounds that “my God is not a poor God.”

The message is apparently for members to strive to be like them as they claim to enjoy the benevolence of God. And so the craze for miracles that could create rags to riches phenomenon is unabated in our churches. Although the pentecostal churches are in the lead for revenue drive that see churches embark on big projects only a few of them have programmes to help the poor. And it is in this area that the Catholic Church stands out.

The programmes of their Saint Vincent De Paul Society are geared towards alleviating problems of the poor in their various parishes. They visit, hospitals, prisons, charity homes to donate items to them. They identify with the poor in their parishes and lend a helping hand. The Church is known for their contributions in education and health care that is affordable by the poor. But unlike before, the Catholic church in Nigeria appears to have joined the race to grab and grab from church members or parishoners.

The harvest period in some churches last up to six months. The mass is usually longer for speeches and announcements that plead to members to appreciate God. Although members, in many cases, attest to what the church does with the money, the pressure on members to offer resources during harvest is unChatholic to many.

Mr. Gabriel Bolade, an accountant in a commercial bank who attends Baptist Church, Yaba believes the church has abandoned its members. He lamented that the church of today has abandoned the noble role of taking care of the weak and vulnerable in the society. His concern arose from the clear unwillingness to help enhance education in the country.

“Most of the private universities are owned by well established churches who charge fees far beyond the means of ordinary members who contributed to the establishment of these higher institutions. Fees in the region of N1.5 million to N3 million per session are charged which can only be afforded by the wealthy.

The ordinary members who helped in donating materials, cash, labour and even by praying and fasting for the universities cannot afford such fees for their children and wards.”

ugoezeik:
I didn't read ur comment oooooo

MadCow1:
And tomorrow they will blame 'Ghost Workers' for the uselessness of the civil service..



Nigerians are busy pursuing DSTV for 13'k cable subscription.. Meanwhile our real problems that we see daily are being ignored.

Dame P.. who is as horrendous in english language as that teacher in Edo state who could not read her own sworn affidavit has resigned from the bayelsa state civil service.. Remember that she has worked as;

A teacher in Stella Maris secondary sch

Bayelsa state ministry of Education (ironic)

And Permanent secretary bayelsa state gov.

3 roles that require 'reading and writing' english language perfectly..





Dame P.. A walking indictment of Nigeria's failed education system and failed civil service.



God bless nigeria..

Caracta:
Thanks thanks thanks...a lot

PapiWata:
My opinion based on the burnt appearance of that poor woman, is that she is a victim of a mob attack, and that the mob set her alight, while as usual concocting a tall tale about the woman being a species-transformed bird, to justify, in their sick and depraved minds, that murder in progress. Anyone who finds the condition of that woman in the pictures amusing, and who is convinced that she is a witch simply because some lying bastard SAID SO, is a potential murderer without question, in that they could EASILY be persuaded to join in the unprovoked attack on ANY person, and for NO logical reason at all, particularly since mob killers are generally left alone by the police to enjoy their sport with no fear of the prosecution that would send them straight to jail in any civilized nation.

For the record I do NOT believe that there is such a thing as a witch that can defy gravity and fly like a bird, or even do anything at all that defies the fundamental laws of physics. Conversely, I am painfully aware that the bogus accusation of witchcraft is THE most commonly used pretext shouted by killer mobs in Nigeria, when they descend on a new victim in the mean streets of Nigerian towns and cities.

In my humble opinion, mob killers are the most cowardly and utterly disgusting humanoid life forms in existence on the surface of this planet, and one can only HOPE that the federal and state governments in Nigeria will start SOON to identify, arrest, try and jail FOR LIFE all mob killers spotted in the country, in order that such sub-humans can be removed from society until they rot and die in jail, far away from the civilized world to which they NEVER belonged.

iwakolewa:
we too fear juju for this country. ...nigerians,just too superstitious.

iwakolewa:
All the pics look weird but nice,if it's here in naija,you can't even get a peek at a pregnant woman's belly o,you'll only see the baby bump,and nine months later,baby is out.

mystiqueDZ:
Pls remaining 12...6 seen..

OkikiOluwa1: I won't vote for any of them.

Onuh loves his job, which, he says, has given him much exposure. He has visited the United States, Libya, Venuzuela and Jerusalem, to name just a few. “I have always derived pleasure in serving others. It also brings one close to the people that matter,” he said.

Lilimax: This Mr Onuh truly loves his job and he's worth the commendation.

Having served different heads of state and presidents for 30 years as a steward meritoriously - Shehu Shagari,Major, General Muhammadu Buhari General Ibrahim Babangida, Ernest Shonekan , General Sani Abacha and to mention but a few.

He truly deserved the honour.

He waited and God remembered him through GEJ.

Anyi3: Mehn served all those heads of states. Give this man the CFR seriously.

Adetula1: i understand better now.....he truely deserves it

Many Nigerians would like to think that having a job in the Presidential Villa would be the opportunity to avail oneself of his/her share of the national cake. That, however, is not the case with the presidential steward, Mr. Micheal Onuh, who lives in a rented apartment on the outskirts of Nasarawa State and survives on two hours sleep daily.

He has served different heads of state and presidents for 30 years as a steward. He started his work with Shehu Shagari, witnessed the coup d’tat of Major- General Muhammadu Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida. He prepared the table of the interim government of Ernest Shonekan and witnessed the brutality reign of General Sani Abacha. He was also at the Villa when General Abdulsalami Abubakar handed over power to the Civilian reign of Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999.

In spite of his rare dedication to duty, the father of four children admits that he faces a challenge in his job, and also has regret. “The regret I have is that for someone that has been working for his country for over 30 years, it is not good that I don’t have my own accommodation. I live at the outskirts of the city (in Karu, Nasarawa State) in a rented house,” he confessed.

Many Nigerians would like to think that having a job in the Presidential Villa would be the opportunity to avail oneself of his/her share of the national cake. That, however, is not the case with the presidential steward, Mr. Micheal Onuh, who lives in a rented apartment on the outskirts of Nasarawa State and survives on two hours sleep daily.

He has served different heads of state and presidents for 30 years as a steward. He started his work with Shehu Shagari, witnessed the coup d’tat of Major- General Muhammadu Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida. He prepared the table of the interim government of Ernest Shonekan and witnessed the brutality reign of General Sani Abacha. He was also at the Villa when General Abdulsalami Abubakar handed over power to the Civilian reign of Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999.

The intrigues and drama of the Umaru Musa Yar Adua’s administration did not deter him from doing his work.

At present, he is the head of presidential stewards at Aso Villa. One would expect someone who is very close to power to have some of its trappings, but the 59-year-old lives in a rented apartment at Karu, Nasarawa State.

In spite of his rare dedication to duty, the father of four children admits that he faces a challenge in his job, and also has regret. “The regret I have is that for someone that has been working for his country for over 30 years, it is not good that I don’t have my own accommodation. I live at the outskirts of the city (in Karu, Nasarawa State) in a rented house,” he confessed.

“My greatest challenge is coming all the way to work from a very far distance every day. Waking up by 3am to be at work and closing in the early hours of the morning only to be back again very early to work is a big challenge for me.”

The Cable, quoting Villascope, an in-house magazine of the State House, said the native of Kogi State maintains a strict code of not asking for favours because it is against the ethics of his job.

“I cannot approach anybody for anything. We are trained not to beg anybody for anything. Do your job and leave everything to God,” he said.

Describing Onuh, Villascope wrote: “Quiet but unassuming, Micheal Onuh has seen it all. From the first executive president of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari to Dr Goodluck Jonathan, he has been in the inner recesses of power attending to the domestic needs of the first family of the most populous and powerful black nation in the world.”

Meanwhile, in the 2014 budget, the Presidency had allocations of about N108.2 billion ($650 million). About N200 million was allocated for the provision of foodstuffs/catering supplies while it plans to expend another N162,556,500 on meals and refreshments for the year.

For honorarium and sitting allowances, the Presidency allocated N320 million with the sum of N33.8 million set aside for the office of the Vice-President to take care of his foodstuff and catering supplies as well as meals and refreshments in the year.

Recall that N34.5m was budgeted for two animals for the Villa Zoo.

Onuh loves his job, which, he says, has given him much exposure. He has visited the United States, Libya, Venuzuela and Jerusalem, to name just a few. “I have always derived pleasure in serving others. It also brings one close to the people that matter,” he said.

“I am happy to take care of the people that serve the nation. It means a lot to me. I believe it is my contribution to my fatherland to be in charge of taking care of the little stuff of the presidents.” Onuh, the longest-serving staff member at the Presidential Villa, will be bestowed with the honour of Member of the Order of the Niger.

Onuh will join 306 other Nigerians and friends of Nigeria to be conferred with National Honours Award on Monday, September 29, 2014, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The man who many call the pauper in the villa will stand on the same podium with the Chief of Staff, service chiefs, the acting Inspector-General of Police, eight governors, nine ministers, captains of industry, politicians and traditional rulers.