₦airaland Forum

All is not well within the umbrella body for Christians in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as the Catholic Church has withdrawn its membership of the body.
The Diocesan Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala, stated this at a news conference organised as part of the activities to mark the 15th anniversary of the creation of the diocese.
Monsignor Ajala stated that the Catholic church suspended its activities in CAN because it was too close to government.
He alleged that the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led CAN had derailed from the objectives of the body, adding that the Catholic Bishops Conference was not comfortable with the development, hence its decision to pull out.
His words: “The Catholic Church took their stand before the purchase or the aircraft was donated to him. But what the Catholic Bishops Conference is complaining about is about the way they are running the national CAN now that is not meeting the objectives and the goals of CAN and the forefathers of CAN.
“CAN is now being run as part of the government and we said no.
“Because they (government) will dictate to us what to do and they will not take our advice seriously. The Catholic Church decided to withdraw from the activities of CAN at national level; we are still part of the state. We made our stand clear in November, last year, and by December, the man bought a jet. I don’t know how he got it but the president was there on that day the jet was delivered to him.
“So, what we are saying is that our religious leaders should be honest, upright and they should also be the conscience of this nation.
“If you are bought, the masses of this country are finished. If you can use money to buy our religious leaders, then there is no hope for the common man. That is the Catholic Church’s stand. We are supposed to speak for the people to correct the wrongs in the society and assist every government to know the will of God for them and we still stand by that” he declared.

A CNN Interview & The Waffling “bulb lighting” President by M.B.O Owolowo

The nation was agog about the President’s interview for obviously different reasons, both supporters and critics alike were waiting to hear their President discuss cogent national issues with Christiane Amanpour of CNN on Wednesday, January 23 2013. Initially I had mixed feelings before the interview, deciding whether to prepare for a laughter fest or watching-wall-paint-dry boredom. Though I must confess the Clinton- U.S Embassy in Libya Inquiry coming up at the slated time of the interview almost took off some of the steam. There were already jokes of the interview being so petrifying it was invariably postponed to discourage viewership. After waiting an additional 2 hours, the interview got on the way. As usual President Goodluck Jonathan didn't disappoint his teaming “fans” with another coxcombical showing.

Below are excerpts from the interview with Christiane Amanpour, among the key issues discussed are Security, Power and Corruption.

SECURITY

Amanpour: “Is Nigeria prepared in case there's a terrorist attack? (Like that of Algeria)

Jonathan: “.... what happened in Algeria is quite unfortunate.”

Amanpour: Others believe Boko Haram is about resisting misrule and corruption”

Jonathan: “No! No! No! Boko Haram is not as a result of misrule. Sometimes people feel it’s as a result of poverty, definitely not. We should not play politics with Boko Haram”

Amanpour: “The security forces are driving people to the hands of Boko Haram”

(Interjection)
Jonathan: How!? How!?

Amanpour: “One of the NGO's is quoted as saying: indiscriminate security measures, heavy handed crackdown, that rounds up thousands of people, whether they are civilian or children, people that have got nothing to do with Boko Haram. They are also saying the police in the last year or so have killed more people than Boko Haram. Do you admit that there is a problem in the security dealing with it?”

Jonathan: “That!-is not-correct. That!-is not- correct. I have said it severally; those are insinuations by some interest groups”

Amanpour: “One of those interest groups is the State Department of the United States”

Jonathan: “No! No! No! People get wrong information to the State Department of United States. They have the means of knowing the truth, they should try and “filter the truth”. They should not just listen to people who have access to them.”

Amanpour: “The United States Assistant Secretary of State has said: the methods of the crackdown is inflaming the population and inflaming the situation”

POWER (Electricity)

Amanpour: “When I interviewed you 3 years ago now, in your first interview as you assumed power. You said that the main issues for the people of Nigeria are corruption and even electricity, power you talked about. Today those are still the same issues. Some 60% of the people of Nigeria don't have regular power or electricity, 3 years later what do have to say about that?”

Jonathan: “I would have loved that you asked an ordinary Nigerian in the streets of Lagos and Abuja or another other city this question about power. That is one area that Nigerians are quite pleased with government, that our commitment to improve power is working. So if you are saying something different, am really surprised. That is one area that even civil society members agree that government has kept faith with its promise.”

Amanpour: “What should I tell the people who keep contacting us and saying they hope they have electricity just to be able to watch this interview on their televisions, clearly it is still a big problem. Is it still a problem despite the progress you say you made?”

Jonathan: “We have not got to where we should be, the power infrastructure is one investment that must complete the chain before the bulb can light.

I promise you (promising Amanpour and not Nigerians) that before the end of the year, power would be reasonably stable.”

CORRUPTION

Amanpour: “...corruption which you say you are trying to tackle. When people look at Nigeria and see all your wealth, they say oh my goodness this is a country that is stealing and bleeding itself dry. Even your own Minister of Finance talked about 400,000 barrels of oil a day simply being stolen, simply disappearing without any account. One of your ministers has said the level of theft from the government amounts to about $7 billion (U.S Dollars) a year, that's still a problem isn't it?”

Jonathan: “This stolen crude is being bought by refineries abroad and they know the oil was stolen. The world must condemn what is wrong. The stolen crude is refined abroad; it’s not refined in Nigeria” END.

The words “stealing” and “bleeding” struck a chord with me. A nation stealing and bleeding itself dry. As I often posit and as many who can discern know, the President isn’t serious about tackling corruption. So his kinsmen and their business cronies can continue to steal the nation’s crude oil and siphon the treasury unabated. It would actually have been consolatory somewhat, if most of the loot and proceeds from crude theft had transformed, if not the entire country but the Niger Delta to another Dubai or a close semblance.

Some have also accused the government of using the nation’s insecurity as another means of siphoning public funds. Despite the huge sums budgeted to security yearly, the Boko Haram menace isn't exactly subsiding. If anything the security forces are exacerbating the situation. I wonder how the Nigerian armed forces would assist in combating the Mali insurgents, considering the atrocities meted out on innocent civilians in northern Nigeria combating Boko Haram.

It is also interesting to note the President stated poverty isn't the cause of the problem. In contrast, during a visit to Nigeria, Clinton blamed poverty for the violence in the north.

“Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says poverty is fuelling the religious violence tearing at Nigeria. In a speech Monday, Clinton acknowledged he was "really worried" about the security problems now plaguing the nation, which includes increasingly violent attacks by a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram. Boko Haram is based in and has launched attacks across the nation's impoverished Muslim north. "You can't just have this level of inequality persist. That's what's fuelling all this stuff," said Clinton”- Associated Press, Tue, Feb 14, 2012.

One of the vital areas for economic growth is power generation. Those who were fortunate enough to have had electricity during the interview or those who had fuel to power their generator sets would definitely have been appalled by the supposed achievements being claimed by the President in the power sector. Surely the President didn’t think he could fool the entire audience. All we ever hear or read about are the inaugurations of committees and their power generation targets, on paper and in their deluded minds they seem to be performing but in reality there’s no evidence of such. One begins to question, how long it really takes to generate power by a sincere and purposeful leadership.

Ironically, Nigeria supplies Niger Republic with most of its electricity, while Nigeria struggles to have stable electricity within. According to the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission (NNJC) website:

“Electricity is the basis of the development of modern economies. Availability of electricity in a country is an important factor for economic progress In this regard, the Agreement which has had a vital influence on Niger's economy in the past thirty (30) years and, consequently, on the day-to-day life of the Niger people has been and still remains the Agreement on supply of electric power from the Kainji dam (Nigeria) signed in January I 972 under the auspices of the Convention establishing the Joint Commission and renewed in 1992 between Societe Nigerienne d'Electricite (NIGELEC) of the Republic of Niger and National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The energy cooperation between the two countries has been consolidated and developed to the point where 90% of energy consumed presently in Niger comes from Nigeria.”

Evidently charity (power) does not begin at home in this regard.

During the interview, I noticed Christiane Amanpour was trying not to laugh at the responses she was getting from The President. The interview was unsurprisingly bland, so one wouldn’t blame viewers for resorting to the comedic side to mask the depression of watching the President of Africa’s most populous nation babble on CNN.

Jonathan successfully waffled through the interview, evading critical questions begging for answers, but one of the highlights for me was his fallacious poker-faced responses to questions relating to the power sector. One of the piteous responses from the President was; “The power infrastructure is one investment that must complete the chain before the bulb can light.”
This bulb lighting analogy typifies the leadership vacuum and general state of affairs in contemporary Nigeria. May be the President needs to be reminded Edison, Tesla and others inventors lit the bulb in the 19th century. By reducing the mechanisms of power generation to simply lighting a bulb in an age where vacations are being planned to other planets just about sums it up for me.

Timeline 2013, Nigeria - let there be “LIGHT”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwGzypkUS8A

POVERTY CAN MAKE SOME PEOPLE TO GO 4 CRAZY THINGS

GMD IN ONE WORD

Chongaiman: Another 'face-me-I-face-you' thread. Usually our sentiments get the better of us even in the most well-intentioned of threads. In this case, the poster's intention is just too obvious. (Spits generously. . .)

what r u talking about////// hv speak nothing but the truth and above r my facts

**Vice President - North
**Senate President - North
**Speaker House of Reps - North
**PDP National Chairman - North
**PDP acting BOT chairman -
North
**Head of Service - North
**INEC Chairman - North
**Inspector General of Police -
North
**CBN Governor - North
**Chief Justice of federation -
North
**President Court of Appeal -
North
**President Federal high court -
North
**National Security Adviser -
North
**Chief of Defense Staff - North
**Controller, Customs Service -
North
**Controller Prison Services -
North
**Richest man in Africa - North.
**85% of Petroleum Marketers in
Nigeria - Northerners
**80% of Oil Block Owners in
Nigeria - Northerners
Yet, the Poorest states in Nigeria
and Educationally backward areas
in Nigeria are in the North.
Now ask yourself, who is the
problem of the North? GEJ or
Northerners?
AND WHAT DO BH REALLY WANT

blame on bad government also, GEJ his responsible and must resign baaaa//////// Nigerian and northern sucking brain

Vice Chairman of the Council of Village Heads in Imo State, Chief Sylvester O. Dimunah, has said he accepted Islam due to the truthful nature of the religion and the steadfastness of Muslims.

Speaking when he visited Media Trust Office yesterday in Abuja, the traditional ruler whose name is now Musa Dimunah, said he was particularly influenced by the good nature of the former secretary of the council and the executive secretary of Justice Mamman Nasir Islamic Centre for Peace and Research, Malam Ibrahim BioboNlomije.


“I did not accept Islam, I only revert to the religion that our forefathers practice and the universal religion of humanity. I’m impressed by the good nature of Muslims’ love for everybody and hatred for none apart from the way they revere Allah and all the Prophets without discrimination.

“I am also impressed by the brotherhood and mutual respect for each other and other members of the community,” he said.

He also said he was not under any pressure to drop his old name for becoming a Muslim and that his children and other family members did not oppose his being a Muslim.

http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11799%3Awhy-i-accepted-islam-imo-traditional-ruler&catid=40%3Acover-stories&Itemid=26

Respected for the accuracy of his predictions, Prophet Marcus Tibetan who is widely referred to as the Nostradamus of our time predicts that ten Ministers in the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan would be dropped this year for being ineffective and incompetent.
President Goodluck Jonathan, says the prophet, should pray against losing loved ones in this year 2013.
These are some of the predictions of Prophet Marcus Tibetan, the Parish Head of Celestial Church of Christ, Elisha Parish, for the year 2013.
The President should pray very hard against a situation that would arise and make him spend at least seven years in jail after his tenure as President of Nigeria.
‘Four members of the House of Representatives will die this year and there will be two major air disasters in the months of May and June 2013!’
He further predicts that the Senate President, David Mark, should begin to wind up and prepare for his exit from politics as disgrace is imminent.
The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, should forget any ambition of being the Vice President of Nigeria again after this first term. Bamanga Tukur may be the last PDP Chairman as the party would suffer a lot of crises and setbacks in 2013.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo needs to do more for the Yoruba race in particular and Nigeria in general. He should perform the assignment of putting the Yoruba race in the forefront with zeal as this could be his last assignment.
Prophet Marcus Tibetan’s earth shaking predictions for the year 2013 are presently being compiled into a book which will be in circulation within the first quarter of the year. The Prophet who is loved and respected in his native town of Ode-Aye has visited more than eighty countries.
His mastery of the Bible can be seen in his in exhaustive quotations from the Holy book.
The man of God is able to cure chronic diseases and ailments such as sickle cell anaemia and diabetes, amongst others.

How i wish christianity can be re-invent. . . This is not what jesus died 4

Following the alleged flogging of an officer of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to a comma in public, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, threatened to shut down all economic and commercial activities in Sokoto State should Governor Aliyu Wamakko refuse to apologize.
In a statement signed by NLC’s President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, the congress argued that the action of the governor was unacceptable in any decent society, uncivilised and an undemocratic behaviour least expected of anyone elected to serve the interests of the entire citizens of the state.
NLC said the action of the governor was a violation of the fundamental human rights of the PHCN worker and also exposed the limit of the governor’s exposure to democratic ideals.
It therefore called on Sokoto State House of Assembly to take urgent steps to save the citizens from suffering the consequences of the governor’s action.
“Since the governor has opted to ignore the union’s modest request for apology and consequently put the whole state in total blackout, it is clear that his intentions were not just to violate the rights of the PHCN worker but also to inflict deeper hardships on the citizenry.
“By any standards, what the governor did was not just barbaric, irresponsible but coming from a man of his political standing, it also sends a disturbing signal to ordinary citizens who may decide to follow the governor’s example by opting for jungle justice rather than follow legal and constitutional procedures.
“A governor should behave differently from a tout. A street fighter is not fit enough for any public office in a decent country.
“We will invoke our collective slogan of An Injury to One is an Injury to All.
“Congress is, therefore, putting every worker in both the public and private sectors in Sokoto State on notice by directing all unions to commence mobilisation towards a solidarity action by the entire workers of the state against this barbaric act by the governor, if he does not accede to the demand of the union to apologise,” the statement read in part.

666 AND CUP OF GARRI

"The biggest country in Africa that the United Kingdom colonized is Nigeria. The biggest country that the United Kingdom colonized in Asia is India (which then comprised the prese...nt Pakistan and Bangladesh).When the UK came into Nigeria and India, like all other countries they colonized, they brought along their technology, religion (Christianity), and culture: names, dressing, food, and language, among others.

Try as hard as the British did, India rejected the British religion, names, dressing, food, and even language, but they did not reject the British technology.

Today, 80.5 per cent of Indians are Hindus; 13.4 per cent Muslims; 2.3 per cent Christians; 1.9 per cent Sikhs; 0.8 per cent Buddhists, among others. Hindi is the official language of the government of India, but English is used extensively in business and administration and has the status of a “subsidiary official language.”

Interestingly, it is rare to find an Indian with an English name or dressed in suit.

On the other hand, Nigeria embraced, to a large extent, the British religion, British culture – names, dressing, foods, and language – but, ironically, rejected the British technology.

The difference between the Nigerian and the Indian experiences is that while India is proud of its heritage, Nigeria takes little pride in its own heritage, a situation that has affected the nationalism of Nigerians and our development as a nation.

Before the advent of Christianity, the Arabs had brought Islam into Nigeria through the North. Islam also wiped away much of the culture of Northern Nigeria.

Today, the North has only Sharia courts but no Customary courts. So from the North to the South of Nigeria, the Western World and the Eastern World have shaped our lives to be like theirs and we have lost much or all of our identity.

Long after the Whites and Arabs left Nigeria, Nigeria has waxed strong in religion to the extent that Nigerians now set up branches of their home-grown churches in Europe, the Americas, Asia and other African countries. Just like the Whites brought the gospel to us, Nigerians now take the gospel back to the Whites.

In Islam, we are also very vibrant to the extent that if there is a blasphemous comment against Islam in Denmark or the US, even if there is no violent reaction in Saudi Arabia, the Islamic headquarters of the world, there will be loss of lives and destruction of property in Nigeria.

If the United Arab Emirates, a country with 75 per cent Muslims, is erecting the tallest building in the world and encouraging the world to come and invest in its territory by providing a friendly environment, Boko Haram ensures that the economy of the North (and by extension that of Nigeria) is crippled with bombs and bullets unless every Nigerian converts to Boko Haram’s brand of Islam.

We are indeed a very religious people.

Meanwhile, as we are building the biggest churches and mosques, the Indians, South Africans, Chinese, Europeans and Americans have taken over our key markets: telecoms, satellite TV, multinationals, banking, oil and gas, automobile, aviation, and hospitality industries among others.

Ironically, despite our exploits in religion, we are a people with little godliness, a people without scruples. It is rare to do business with a Nigerian pastor, deacon, knight, elder, brother, sister, imam, mullah, mallam, alhaji or alhaja without the person laying landmines of bribes and deception on your path. We call it PR, facilitation fee, processing fee, transport money, financial engineering, deal, or whatever. But if it does not change hands, no show.

And when it is amassed, we say it is “God’s blessings.” Some people assume that sleaze is a problem of public functionaries, but the private sector seems to be worse than the public sector these days. One would have assumed that the more churches and mosques that spring up in every nook and cranny of Nigeria, the higher the morals in our society. But it is not so. The situation is that the more religious we get, the baser we become. Our land never knew the type of bloodshed experienced from religious extremists, political desperadoes, ritual killers, armed robbers, kidnappers, internet scammers, university cultists, and lynch mobs. Life has become so cheap and brutish that everyday seems to be a bonanza.

We import petrol even when we have crude oil in abundance. We also import rice and beans that our land can produce in abundance. We even import toothpicks that primary school children can produce with little or no effort. Yet, we drive the best of cars and live in the best of edifices, visit the best places in the world for holidays and use the most expensive electronic and telecoms gadgets. It is now a sign of poverty for a Nigerian to ride a saloon car. Four-wheel drive vehicles are the in thing. Even government officials, who were known to use only Peugeot products as official cars as a sign of modesty, have upgraded to Toyota Prado as official vehicle without any iota of shame, in a country where about 70 per cent live below poverty line. Private jets have become as common as cars.

A nation that imports toothpicks and pins flaunts wealth and wallows in ostentation at a time its children are trooping to Ghana, South Africa and the UK for university education and its sick people are running to India for treatment. India produces automobile and exports it to the world. India’s medical care is second to none, with even Americans and Europeans travelling to the country for medical treatment. India has joined the nuclear powers nations. India has launched a successful mission to the moon. Yet bicycles and tricycles are common sights in India. But in Nigeria, only the wretched of the earth ride bicycles.

I have intentionally chosen to compare Nigeria with India rather than China, South Korea, Brazil, Malaysia, or Singapore, because of the similarities between India and Nigeria. But these countries were not as promising as Nigeria at the time of our independence. Some would say that our undoing is our size: the 2012 United Nations estimate puts Nigeria’s population at 166million, while India has a population of 1.2 billion. Some would blame it on the multiplicity of ethnic groups: we have 250 ethnic groups, India has more than 2,000. Some would hang it on the diversity in religion: we have two major religions — Christianity and Islam; but India has many.

Some would say it is because we are young as an independent nation: we have 52 years of independence; India has 65 years. Apartheid ended in South Africa only in 1994. I am a Christian, and nothing can change me from Christianity. But I think that our country is daily sinking into religiosity to the detriment of godliness. Our land is sick and needs healing. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” is still a saying that is germane to our current situation. We need more godliness than religion; more work and less of hope; and more action and less of words. Let everyone tidy up his or her corner first and demand fervently that our leaders tidy their areas of governance. Our nation is degenerating at a fast pace and we need to save it now or it may be too late".

https://www.facebook.com/stfidelix.inegbedionsnr

The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has applauded federal government’s acceptance of the offer of negotiation by Islamic sect; Boko Haram, hoping that the initiative will bring in peace, security and tranquility in the country after years of bloodshed.

A statement by the forum made available to Channels Television in Minna, the Niger state capital, stated that “dialogue rather than use of force, would help find a lasting solution to the worsening insecurity of lives and property in the country.”

The 19 northern governors also condemned Friday’s attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State in which a civil war veteran and former member of the Supreme Military Council, General Mamman Shuwa was gunned down.

According to the governors, this is one attack too many, as they urged all terrorists across the country to immediately stop their attacks.

The statement also expressed the forum’s condolences to the families of General Shuwa as well as families of 40 other people that were reportedly killed in similar attack saying, “no grievance can justify such dastardly acts against innocent people.”


http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/03/northern-governors-welcome-dialogue-with-boko-haram/

While speaking on the series of killings and unwantom destruction of property that took over Maiduguri recently, Abu Abdulazeez disassociated the group from such act, pointing out that such attacks were politically motivated by those seeking for power in the Borno Emirate council, government or otherwise, but not in line with the ideology of the sect who are fighting for the cause of Allah.

He also said that,the burning of old and newly constructed primary schools witnessed across the state were not masterminded by the sect, insisting that the burning of such places were carried out by aggrieved politicians who were denied contracts from the state government.


if u didnt do all that then why dialogue wit u, abeg let the real boko haram come forward[i][/i]

Wen kids start smoking weeds, this is what u get

commisioner of police/''/# we r on top of the situation

A suicide bomber this morning attacked St. Rita Catholic Church, Angwar Yero, Badarawa area of Malali, Kaduna (northern Nigeria).
At present, two others have been confirmed dead apart from the bomber. The total number of casualities is not yet known.

Apart from the church, the explosion damaged other surrounding buildings.

Men of the Nigeria Police Force are trying to control the situation as the explosion has heightened tension around the area and there are fears of further voilence being triggered by the attack.

Also, Kaduna State Government, through the governor’s media aide, Reuben Buhari, has called for calm, dispelling rumours of violence.

The state government also said that anyone caught spreading rumours would face the full wrath of the law.

He condoled those that lost their loved ones and properties in the blast.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Adenaike, has visited the scene of the blast already.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/179785-suicide-bomber-attacks-kaduna-church

[quote author=ebamma]I saw a man die today and i have come to realize that every thing on this earth is vanity,what makes me happy is that death is inevitable for us humans,one day this killers will also die and will face God's judgement for their actions while the were alive. [/quote
and be rewarded with 20 vir/////

emmysenior: Religion has robbed many people of the ability to completely think with their brain and has bestowed on them a weakened reasoning. Does the mockery of Muhammed justify the killing of innocent people? Would Muhammed himself have done that were he to be alive?

YES

Water don pass gari ba amagamated criminal fools

When alot of nigerian still believe in a caller numbers that kills, its a sign that this people are not ready for scientific development. When men are thinking, africa is still sleeping and the youth sleeps and allowed their fathers to eat up there future and that of its generation and only wake up to use social network to spread superstition.

THE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, yesterday said that world leaders had failed in their quest to restore global peace and resolve conflicts.

Adeboye spoke when he was hosted to a day of tributes tagged: “This Is Your Life” by interfaith groups from Israel, Korea, Indonesia, Austria, UK, U.S. and Nigeria to mark his 70th birthday anniversary in London.

“It is clear that politicians have failed to solve the problems of conflict and violence all over the world. You kill a terrorist today; a dozen others are rising up to take his place,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Adeboye as saying.

He said religious leaders across the world needed to come together to speak against global violence, including the use of religion to perpetrate evil, in order to achieve peace in the world.

Adeboye said although God had assigned him to preach His word in all the nations, his bigger assignment was to bring religious leaders from across the globe to find lasting solution to violence in the world.

“I believe a bigger part of the assignment is beginning to surface; that is why you can see several people of different faiths gathering here today. I believe God wants to use me to bring together religious leaders who will ultimately bring peace to this world,” he said.

http://www.informationnigeria.org/2012/04/adeboye-tasks-world-leaders-on-violence.html

clean the lens with spirit if it doesnt pick get another one and install