₦airaland Forum

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/random-thoughts-service-delivery-in-nigeria/

Random Thoughts: Service Delivery in Nigeria.

I had a very embarrassing experience at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, when a power outage shut down the prime national airport. After three painful hours, the Airport authorities announced, with accustomed minimal apologies, that the problem was due to a power conflict between old and new terminals. I asked myself if it was not really due to a conflict between the experienced staff who prefer the old ways, and the new young officials who want to do things the modern way. “Please bear with us as our engineers are working hard to resolve the problem”. We later saw some technicians carrying tools that would be useful for a secondary school physics experiment, toiling away, pulling wires, and a lot of strained nerves. The other workers went about as if there was nothing really wrong, except that it made more passengers available for their usual alms extortion, accompanied by the usual greetings : “Oga, your boys are here o”. At check-in, it took four different security services to check my luggage, while we had the following conversation”:

Officer: “Oga, you look very nice this morning, young and handsome” (and who doesn’t need to be told some lies about his appearance and age from time to time?).
Me: “I always look like that when I am hungry” (which is not clinically true…ask any member of my family).
Another Officer: “Your boys have not eaten this morning, o” (why are the officers always referred to as “boys”, regardless of their sex?).
Me: “In that case, I will just stay with you here, so we can all be hungry together, and look nice and handsome “.
In Nigeria, every service provided is a favour, with greetings for every occasion, good morning, happy Sunday, happy Friday, happy weekend, happy everything. And you are expected to express your gratitude in pecuniary form, before, during, and after the service. A friend who recently relocated to Nigeria once remarked that service is not in our DNA. I am beginning to wonder if there is anything good, pure, and fruitful in our DNA. Or possibly, that we have no DNA.

A fellow passenger recounted an episode in which an Emirates flight was delayed which resulted in a missed flight connection. She wowed everybody who cares to listen how well the airline responded with profuse sincere apologies and good compensation of meals and cash bonuses. All because, as she concluded, Emirates has a name to protect: the economy of their country is built around commerce and tourism, where proactive service delivery is essential. Nigeria too has a name. In corruption and poor service delivery, Nigeria has a name, in fact a name above all other names. For at the name of Nigeria, every public asset and funds shall tremble, and every tongue shall confess that living in Nigeria is hazardous to your health, your life, your business, and your sanity.

As Aristotle famously remarked, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” If you do something long enough — anything, really — it becomes habitual. And we are doing excellently with corruption, and poor service delivery. If this wasn’t so sad, it would be funny.

But then, why would a nobody expect to be treated better?

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/random-thoughts-service-delivery-in-nigeria/

Movie Title: Unveil

His insecurity, Her Necessity. Unveil is a movie about a lady, Mag (Mother of two) who her husband does not want her to visit her family in Nigeria after 15 years of separation.

On getting to Nigeria, she met her old love and everything falls apart. She has to fight back for her life. Unveil movie is about love, obsession, passion and betrayer.

Starring: Desmond Elliott, Olu Jacobs, Reahel Oniga, Victor Olaotun, Vivian Williams, Yvonne Jegede, Bola Ninolowo, Babara Odoh, Nosh Joseph.

Genre: Drama

It is available in Cinemas:

Show time at Silverbird Cinemas, Ikeja Mall

Saturday: 2:20pm

Sunday: 2:20pm

http://silverbirdcinemas.com/ikeja/

Show time at silverbird cinemas, SEC Abuja

Saturday: 11:50AM | 2:20PM

Sunday: 11:50AM | 2:20PM

http://silverbirdcinemas.com/secabuja/

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/a-must-watch-movie-this-weekend/

Source: http://mouthpiece.com.ng/2525-2/

On our radar this week, we were able to capture 2 interesting and educating movies to wrap up your week in any of the Cinema nationwide.
The first on the radar is the second part of Mr and Mrs, a film directed by Teco Benson and produced by Chinwe Egwuagu.
Mr and Mrs Chapter 2
The romantic family drama movie, Mr and Mrs Chapter 2 hit the cinema, was rated high and it is full of action and suspense.
Mr. & Mrs. 2 is a story of a couple Rita Dominic who played Sharon and Chidi Mokeme who played Kobi, both had to put away their differences to safe their tearing apart family (one who is into drug and their daughter facing the surreal that she might be a homosexual as a result of her Tomboy act which she thinks might leads to a gay).
Speaking on the movie, the producer Chinwe Egwuagu said a lot of families have been separated as a result of things that happen in marriages especially in this present age and the movie tends to cover most of the factors that couples face in marriages.
Egwuage further promised that “The audiences are going to love this one because it is something everyone can relate to.”
Casts: Chidi Mokeme, Rita Dominic, Tana Adelana, Akin Lewis, Yaw, Munachi Abii.

It is available in Cinemas:

Show time at Ozone cinemas
Friday: 1:15pm | 7:00pm | 8:40pm
Saturday: 1:15pm | 7:00pm | 8:40pm
Sunday: 1:15pm | 7:00pm | 8:40pm
http://ozonecinemas.com/now_showing.htm

Show time at Silverbird Cinemas, Ikeja Mall
Friday: 4:50pm | 7:20pm
Saturday: 4:50pm | 7:20pm
Sunday: 4:50pm | 7:20pm
http://silverbirdcinemas.com/ikeja/

Movie 2: Okafor’s Law
This is a must watch movie for youths especially Nigerians and this you don’t want to miss.
Okafor’s Law is another Nigerian blockbuster movie telling a story of a guy named Chuks known as Terminator by his friends, who believes in the Okafor’s law which state that once a guy slept with a lady once and you hit her so bad, you will forever have access without her saying no.
In the movie, Chuks was challenged by his friends to proof that the law exist and hold within 21 days’ time bound which he accepted to prove by performing the law on 3 ladies (Ejiro, Ify and Tomi Tijani) from his school days.
Okafor’s Law was produced and directed Omoni Oboli with a running time of 112mins.
Starring Omoni Oboli, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ufuoma McDermott, Toyin Aimakhu, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ken Erics, Gabriel Afolayan, Lala Akindoju, Halima Abubakar, Mary Lazarus, Yvonne Jegede, Betty Iraboh, Uche Nnaji

It is available in Cinemas:
Show time at Ozone cinemas
Saturday: 4:25pm | 6:35pm | 8:45pm
Sunday: 4:25pm | 6:35pm | 8:45pm
http://ozonecinemas.com/now_showing.htm

Show time at Silverbird Cinemas
Saturday: 5:00pm | 6:55pm | 9:00pm
Sunday: 5:00pm | 6:55pm | 9:00pm
http://silverbirdcinemas.com/ikeja/

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/2525-2/

PROCRASTINATION THE GREAT ENEMY OF SUCCESS

“Oh my God I totally forgot to type the write-up… no p jor… I go write am later jare” this was the conversation I had with myself last Sunday evening and honestly these kinds of conversation happen to occur more frequently than I’ll like to admit, which I’m sure is the case with a lot of people.

It is a fact that we all procrastinate, some people just do it more often than others as most people tend to avoid difficult tasks or what we consider as boring tasks and we intentionally lean towards distractions that are interesting to us, which sadly are always available. From gadgets to television to entertainment even to friends and families, anything or anyone can easily become a distraction if we choose to do the wrong thing at the wrong time with them.

Procrastination in large part shows our constant struggle with discipline and self-control. It is one of the dangers associated with letting our feelings dictate our actions since when we procrastinate, our usual reason is ‘í just don’t feel like doing it yet’

Procrastination can be deadly to anyone as it can affect our health since it can cause you to spend all day worrying about the thing you were supposed to have done or even stay awake at night and this can actually weaken your immune system. Procrastination can also ruin relationships if it puts unnecessary strain on friends, family members or even co-workers. Imagine a scene where your sister or room-mate or friend is always cleaning up after you, doing your chores or a co-worker who is always doing your part of the work which you are being paid to do, these kind of situations tend to slowly create a strain in the relationship and if care is not taken these people may lose respect for you, some might even start to resent you.

BASIC CAUSES OF PROCRASTINATION

Doing wrong things at the wrong time …’’It’s time for me to read o but let me watch this movie first’’
Lack of effective planning or planning to do too many things within little time.
Overestimating the time you have left to perform a task …. “it’s still 6pm, I can sleep and wake up by 10pm to type the document jare”
Underestimating the time you need to finish the task … ‘’no problem nah, I can finish the laundry and pound the yam within 5minutes ’’
Letting your feelings control you all day … “I just don’t feel like doing my laundry today”
Intentionally searching for distractions … ‘’let me go and greet Dave, I’ll exercise at night’’

TACKLING PROCRASTINATION

According to Dr Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago, for anyone who is serious about getting rid of procrastination, you can tackle it by;

Making a list of everything you need to do: it is an established fact that effective planning is important for achieving your goals, so whether it’s the tasks you need to do over the weekend or the tasks you need to finish at work, try to make a list of those tasks in order of priority and paste list at a place where it is constantly visible to you.
Being honest to yourself and eliminating unnecessary tasks you didn’t plan to do: Life is filled with uncertainties and the day will always present you with occurrences where you have to make choices so be ready to avoid any unnecessary task that didn’t make your list like choosing to wash your half clean car when you are supposed to wash your dirty toilet.
Setting realistic goals: Some people aren’t really procrastinators, they just tend to plan to do too much and this often tells on their ability to do important ones and even tells on their health at the long run, so please set realistic goals and try not to overwork yourself.
Not letting your feelings rule your life: Emotional intelligence is also something you need to overcome procrastination, as the most common reason for procrastination is ‘i don’t feel like doing it now’ but try to pause for a while and recognise that you’ll probably not feel like doing it later too, so why not do it now and get it off your chest. You don’t need to feel like doing it, just get started anyway.
Reducing or getting rid of the distractions: Whether it’s our phones or the TV, distractions are great hindrances to our progress in the 21st Hence, try to reduce or totally eliminate the distractions around you, put your phone away, switch off the TV and you can even put yourself in an environment that won’t undermine your success.


Last but not the least from yours truly: try to keep a popular saying by an American rapper who goes by the name Drake in mind which says ‘You Only Live Once: YOLO’ which is true, so why not try to get the best from your life while you’re still alive, do the things you need to do at the right time, focus on your goals and don’t let short term pains hinder you from getting your long term gains. Don’t also forget to relax and have fun with friends and family; just remember that ‘progress is the key not perfection’!

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/do-it-later-the-reason-behind-failure/

By Okoli Chukwuka Ikenna

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/nigerian-laws-the-greatest-defenders-of-rapists/

An archaic law in a modern society(judiciary loopholes for sex offenders)
What are sexual offences?
The term “sexual offences” covers a variety of offences including rape, sexual assault, offences against children, and those related to prostitution, extreme pornography and the possession and distribution of indecent images.
For this article, I will be highlighting just 2 sexual offence(rape and pedophilia).
Let’s define the both before moving further..
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent. It is often interchange for sexual assault also.
Pedophilia or paedophilia is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to children.
Rape is condemnable, it is an unjustifiable act in our society and it is, finally, time that we rise as a nation to condemn and eradicate this despicable act.
Let’s go further..
Victims of sexual offence are made to suffer unquantifiable anguish, some become diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociation from reality, depersonalization, they endure physical violence, avoid social life, get infected with sexually transmitted infections, encounter serious difficulty in remembering events, relives moments of sexual assault and unwanted pregnancy amongst other ills.
The severity of the sexual offence cannot be over emphasized. Little wonder why a lot of pundits have advocated strict punishments for the offence.
Now looking at the Criminal Code of Nigeria…
Under the Criminal Code of Nigeria, Rape is defined, as having unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false act, or, in case of a married woman, be personating her husband. This offence is punishable by imprisonment for life, with or without caning
(Now this definition is stereotype in nature, who says it’s just female or girl child that is always a rape victim, male also get raped so this is so wrong a yardstick or definition)
In plain language, in Nigeria, a person has committed rape when he has sexual relations (carnal knowledge) with a woman against her will; or
• without her consent or,
• while putting her in fear of death or hurt or,
• misrepresenting as the husband of the woman or,
• having carnal knowledge of a girl under 14 years, with or without her consent or,
• having carnal knowledge of a girl with unsound mind.
Under the Penal Code (applicable in Northern part of Nigeria), it goes further to say even where the girl is a wife of the person, such person will be guilty of rape if she has not attained puberty.
Now let’s pause a bit and analyse some facts stated above according to the criminal code of Nigeria:
1. “having carnal knowledge of a girl under 14 years, with or without her consent” so it means if you have a carnal knowledge of a girl from 15 and above without her consent then this exempts you or doesn’t apply in such scenario
2. According to the penal code(applicable to the north) “where the girl is a wife of the person, such person will be guilty of rape if she has not attained puberty” let’s define puberty and see how this relates.
According to medlineplus, Puberty is the time in life when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. It is a process that usually happens between ages 10 and 14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys. It causes physical changes, and affects boys and girls differently. Having said that, it is obvious it actually contradicts between the penal code and criminal code because one gives attaining puberty as an access in having sexual intercourse while the other goes against it.
Hope we haven’t forgotten the case of an ex-zamfara state governor and a 13years old Egypt girl in marriage.
Now I get to ask why has there been a very little or low rate of prosecution of sexual offences?
Listed below are some facts as to why that is:
1. Inability of victims to report cases to the police(this is as a result of the stigma associated with it in the society).
2. Lack of proper investigation.
3. Weak legal sanctions and enforcement.
4. Legal requirement( In Nigeria, for the offence of rape to be properly established, there must be corroborative evidence which usually comes from eyewitnesses account or medical evidence), I wonder how an eye witness will be produced in such case.
The question I ask is this, is our legal system equipped to fight such crimes effectively given such laws and sanctions in the criminal code of Nigeria?

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/nigerian-laws-the-greatest-defenders-of-rapists/

Share you taught let’s interact.
Okoli Chukwuka Ikenna
Chuka_ik@yahoo.com

Why Rev. King Should Die by Deji Yesufu

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/why-rev-king-should-die/

“For rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have the praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he (the ruler) is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that forth evil” – Paul the Apostle.

It was a dreary evening this day in September, 2006 at the headquarters of the Christian Praying Assembly, Lagos, Nigeria. The leader of the sect, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, popularly known as Rev. King, was pacing the floor of his palatially built residence in the church compound. Rev. King had been informed by a reliable informant in his congregation that certain members were involved in formication. “In my church!”, he bellows. He orders for a number of church members to be brought in. He also calls for the cane. Testifying at his trial in September 2006, Rev. King says of his use of the cane on members of his congregation:

“I am a preacher. I know that the Spirit of witchcraft is against the Almighty God. If somebody is a liar, he is bewitching God. I don’t condone lie. Dr King does not condone sin. I flog a lot. I have canes. If husband and wife mess up by having misunderstanding, I have to settle them. But the person that is at fault, I must flog. If the person refuses to be flogged, I will send him out of the church.”

So Rev. King ordered for the cane to be brought in because he believed those accused were lying. In a few minutes, some nine adult members of his church, male and female, ranging from ages 22 to 31, were before the Reverend, while he descended on them with the rod. They were bleeding and weeping. In a moment of momentary madness, occasioned by his unbridled anger, King orders for petrol and matches. One account says that when it was first brought in, King said the petrol would be insufficient to roast all nine persons.

More was then brought in. King makes all the accused leave his living room and go outside the house so that his carpet and chairs are not burnt. Petrol is poured on all the nine persons and at the second strike of the match, they are all engulfed in fire. One Ms. Ann Uzoh dies from her burns and wounds. Others only escape death by the whiskers. King is arrested by the police and charged with murder and attempted murder. Judge Joseph Oyewale, on 11th January 2007, found King guilty of the two counts and sentences him to death by hanging. King appeals the judgement up till the Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the verdict of the lowercourts. Since then, Rev. King has been on deathroll.

Rev. King’s dealings with members of his congregation brings to light the rampant cases of abuses in Nigerian churches. While no academic studies has been done to confirm how widespread abuse is in churches in this country, one can glean from studies done in other climes. In 1992, Ronald M. Enroth publishes a book “Churches that Abuse” in the United States of America. In it he lists sundry cases of abuse of people by church leaders. The book documents cases of churches and other organizations that are said to be spiritually abusive and the effect these groups have had on their members. The author says that “spiritually abuse can take place in the context of doctrinal sound, Bible-preaching, fundamentalist, conservative Christianity”. What I find intriguing about the book is that all the case studies were of churches in the United States.

Thus if people could be fragrantly abused in a developed and enlightened society like the USA, how much more shall people be abused in a Nigerian society were ignorance prevails, where there is very little enforcement of the law and where there is very little sound doctrine. Another thing that could be gleaned from that book was that no less than 85% of the case studies of churches that abuse had the congregations being those of the Pentecostal/Charismatic tradition. It is a common thing for adherents of these movement to sell their thinking to their pastors in a desperate bid to find deliverance from life ills. Therefore the Pastors very easily takes advantage of these people’s vulnerability and ignorance, and then dominate them.

This is how Rev. King came to lord it over his congregation and the truth is that the Nigerian church environment is replete with many Rev. Kings. For example, besides the very unscriptural enforcement of a paying of a monthly tithe regiment, there are prominent churches in this country that urge members to deposit their whole January salaries to the church in the name of giving a firstfruit offering. This is apart from the regular offering given during church services, the prophets offering given, and the endless call to make financial commitments in the name of “pledging”. And this is just financial abuse. Other types of abuse abound and one can only urge Christians to read books like those of Enroth, to be able to guard themselves from abusive churches.

A few days ago, both the print and electronic medias reported that the Lagos State government was considering cases of persons on death roll in the state’s prisons. Particular mention was made of Rev. King and it was reported that since past governments in the state were naturally dilly dallying about executing fellows on deathroll, deathroll inmates were developing some unhealthy confidence and were becoming impudent. This is besides the fact that the prisons are over populated and condemn fellows are being sustained by the state’s scarce resources.

Rev. King should be killed because the Bible says so. In Romans 13:3-4, where the quote by Apostle Paul is taken from, the Bible regards rulers as God’s ministers that bear a sword. They hold the sword to punish the guilty and discourage law breaking in the land. Ann Uzoh who was killed by Rev. King was a Nigerian who deserved to have been protected by the state. Now that she has died by the hands of another man, it is incumbent on the state to wield the sword bestowed on it by holy scriptures and approved by constitutionally institututed judges of court in our country. It will be a disservice to the dead if King is still permitted to live when all indices calls for his neck.

Secondly, King’s death will act as a deterrent to other abusive churches and their leaders. It will send a note of warning to those who think they can run the church as if they were overlords over it. It will restore some sanity to the chaotic Nigerian space. It will give the Nigerian people a sense of security and an understanding that their government is sincerely committed to protecting them. It will brings some fear and order on many Pentecostal/Charismatic churches where incidence of abuse usually abound in.

Along with urging the Lagos State government to kill King, that is Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, I’m calling on all Nigerians to be discerning of abusive churches. There is nowhere written in the Bible that pastors are to flog church members for whatever reason. Pastors as forbearers of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and ought to be patient fellows, apt to teach and should lead by example. It was alleged by many congregants in King’s church that the man was regularly sexually abusing ladies, married and unmarried, in his church. This is far from leading by example and the very first indication for any discerning person to flee such a congregation.

In the final analysis, besides loving admonition and patient teaching of the word of God, no pastor has the right to instruct an adult member of a church to do anything. Christian obedience must be the fruit of a willing heart and Spirit induced motivation. Anything beside this is control and witchcraft in the extreme. Christians must beware. If a church member is openly unruly and proven to have indulged in flagrant sin, the church should institute a careful process of church discipline. And when such a member does not submit to these processes, the church as a whole, not the pastor alone, should excommunicate such a fellow.

As strange as it sounds, this writer urges the Lagos State government to kill Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, aka Rev. King. He has been proven to be a murderer by the highest courts in the land and there is no reason why the earth should not be rid of him as early as possible.

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/why-rev-king-should-die/

Prof. Wole Soyinka should be one of Nigeria’s most accomplished personalities. His accomplishments are the results of his own works and are genuinely meritorious. Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 – the first African to do so on pure merit. As a humanist, he has remained steadfast to his personal commitment to bettering the lives of people all around him – especially the Nigerian people. His humanist beliefs have led him to champion the course for a better Nigeria through various activisms. Even till now, the Professor would very willingly join protest groups on matters germane to his heart.

Wole Soyinka has been protesting for a long time. He broke into national reckoning in 1965 when he held up a radio anchor with a gun and made them play a tape of his own reading of the results of the Western Region’s elections – to the chagrin of the Akintola Government. Justice Kayode Esho will later discharge and acquit the young Soyinka. Wole Soyinka has since gone on to help inaugurate a Road Safety program for the country, which has helped to curtail the high rate of vehicular accidents on our roads. From an account in his Memoirs: You Must Set Forth at Dawn, one could guess that among Soyinka’s greatest accomplishments will be fighting the Sani Abacha despot and seeing that man’s end.

A brief article like this is insufficient to chronicle Wole Soyinka’s achievements and I do not intend to do that at all. Rather I want to express in writing my evangelical thoughts on Prof. Wole Soyinka. I had thought to write the great man an open letter but I feel so terribly inadequate to address him directly that I will rather do so indirectly through my personal musing, or if you like, daydreaming, about a Christian Wole Soyinka. I understand that Soyinka is neither Muslim nor Christian. Judging by what I’ve read about him, I believe that the Prof is a traditional worshipper of one of the old Yoruba gods – probably Ogun.

In his writings Wole Soyinka can be seen as someone who is very conversant with the Christian religion. His native land of Egba was one of the earliest budding points of Christian missionary activities in the early 20th century and young Soyinka, who was exposed early to Western education, would certainly have gone to Church. Soyinka refers to his mother as “The Christian”. I suspect she might have been a devout Christian and must have instilled in the young Soyinka some basic Christian values. I have not read any account of where and how Prof. Wole Soyinka finally renounced belief in the Christian God but it certainly must have come at some point in his life.

An account in his Memoirs reveals his disdain for many Christians and their hypocrisy. As the account goes, Soyinka has a collection of images somewhere in his house. Each of these little images represents one of the African gods. When he needs to relax or gain some inspiration for his writing, he would go and sit among these collections and meditate. They were quite a number but he knew each of them well enough and where they stood. About that time, 1968-70, Soyinka had been incarcerated by the Gowon Government for his role in the Biafran crisis. After he was released, his first port of call was his collection of images. Lo and behold a number of them were missing. Before he went to prison, Soyinka’s younger brother was beginning to profess to be “born again”. Soyinka was suspicious of him but said nothing. Eventually it was discovered that it was this “Christian” brother of his that had looted his collections and sold them to a foreigner. Reading this account in the book, one could discern that Soyinka was still hurt from that incident. No wonder his disdain for Christianity.

Another account of Soyinka’s encounter with Christianity was his famous media debate with Prof. Muyiwa Awe. Incidentally I met Prof. Awe through my wife and we visited his home in Ibadan in 2009. He was also at our wedding. Soyinka, Awe and five others founded the Pirate Confraternity in University of Ibadan in the early 1950s when they were undergraduates. The humanist tendencies that have driven the Professor’s actions up to now, were the driving motives behind the formation of that confraternity. Unfortunately it has led to many cult groups on our campuses and this was the crux of the debate Soyinka had with Prof. Awe.

Prof. Muyiwa Awe had become a Pentecostal Christian and had joined a committee in the University of Ibadan to help end cultism on the campus. Up till his death Pastor Awe, as I knew him, had a ministry for exposing cults. At some point, Awe and Soyinka got into a media war on this matter of cultism. Awe had suggested in a write up that certain elements, which himself and other founders of the Pyrate Confraternity had instituted at the founding of the group, were at the root of the violence among cult groups in the country. Soyinka responded by denying that fact. The media exchange between the two went on for quite a while.

These are the challenges that I find myself faced with as I nonetheless endeavour to present the gospel to a humanist. It might help my discussion here if I begin by stating that the God of the Bible is a humanist (John 3:16). Humanists do everything for the good of humanity: God sent his Son Jesus to redeem humanity. Some humanists believe there is no life after this one and so we will do well to live this one well enough, and leave behind a better world. Well, Christians do believe there is a life after now but they are also committed to leaving the world better than they met it, thus the Christian championing of education, health and a just society. Christianity also broached the idea of a communal society. In the historical book of Acts, the Bible records that the first Christian group lived together in a community and had all things in common (Acts 4:32). While humanists are not necessarily communists, they share in this socialist idea and we see in Acts that it is Christians that first started healthy socialism.

Despite the aforementioned, humanists have many differing points with Christianity. There is no point spending time to list them here for a debate since all religions and philosophies will always propose a certain first principles that their adherents cannot compromise on. For example, Islam considers the Qur’an as God’s revelation to humanity while Christians regard the Bible as that revelation. Except God proves either of these first principles false for either of these adherents there can be no meeting point. In spite of this challenge, I will take the chance of looking at one problem with humanism – one challenge that all humanity shares; It is the humanist’s self-righteousness.

If one were to ask a humanist why he does not consider Christianity as a religion he may wish to practice, it is likely he would respond by saying that there are very little Christians do that he does not do. In fact where Christians have been known for their hypocrisy and moral failures, humanists have triumphed. A typical example is the subject of our discussion today, Soyinka. What other person, Christian or otherwise, have done more to better the lives of Nigerians? I will willingly admit there is none. In fact I alluded to that fact in the beginning of this article.

But therein lies the challenge with self-righteousness. If the Christian message is ever relayed correctly to anyone, it usually states that human good is not sufficient to merit God’s approbation. This is the essential difference between the Christian faith and other religions, including humanism (If humanism can be called a religion). Every religion upholds its good works to earn divine approbation. In a sense, Christians uphold their unrighteousness to earn divine approbation. This is the crux of the theology of men like Apostle Paul, who taught that all men have sinned and come short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). And lest the Jew will glory in his covenantal relations with God and his ability to keep the Mosaic laws, Paul says even the Jews were equally sinners before a just God (Romans 2:23).

Therefore to earn divine approbation, the Christian admits his sins, his failures, his self-righteousness, his idols and his total unworthiness. It is in the light of these that he repents and confesses the righteousness of another – the righteousness of the Son of God – Jesus Christ. This is the biblical concept of grace: partaking of God’s largesse for the unworthy. Not based on one’s merit but on the merit of another, even Jesus. When the humanist presents his good works before God, the Christian Bible teaches that he would be condemned. For God is too holy to behold unrighteousness. Because even if a man were to possess a billion good deeds but has just one sin along with them, he stands condemned before a holy God. Therefore obtaining God’s approbation must come via a righteousness that is outside of us. This is the Christian gospel.

I end this discussion with the story of my encounter with a man. He was born a Muslim. He got converted to evangelical Christianity in his youths. He yet again practised the white garment religion at some latter point. But the moment he was sixty years old, he realized the end had arrived. He took a sincere look through his odyssey with various religions and converted back to Islam. I suspect that he must have remembered the religion of his childhood – a religion free from all hypocrisy and decided on that. I said that with the hope that Wole Soyinka may consider the religion of his parents, Christianity, and make a commitment to Christ in the twilight of his life. May the God of heaven, with whom nothing is impossible, grant that the Professor consider this request in the privacy of his hearts.

These are my evangelical thoughts on Wole Soyinka and may God bless these words on the hearts of all sincere readers. Amen.

Read more at www.mouthpiece.com.ng

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/why-you-have-to-see-these-movies-this-weekend/

LOTANNA

Lotanna (Remember Your Father) is an anticipated Nollywood movie telling a story of a young boy Lotanna who lost his dad at a tender age. Growing up to face the adventure of life, he discovers his dad incurred a huge debt of money which he had to pay by force.

Lotanna is an 1hr 40min movie filled with suspense, action and crime. It was directed by Toka Mcbabor, produced by Ifan Ifeanyi Michael and was screen played by award winning Kemi Adesoye

The movie stars Jide kososko, Chris okagbue, Ama K. Abebrese, Kenturah King, Meg Ontanwa, Victor Olaotan, Liz benson Ameye, Chris Attoh among others.

It is available in Cinemas:

Show time at Silverbird Cinemas, Ikeja Mall

Saturday: 2:00pm, 7:10pm, 9:00pm

Sunday: 2:00pm, 7:10pm, 9:00pm

http://silverbirdcinemas.com/ikeja/

Show time at Genesis cinemas

Saturday: 4:00 PM, 6:00pm

Sunday: 4:00 PM, 6:00pm

http://www.genesiscinemas.com/lagos.html

OMUGWO

Omugwo is another great entertaining, family and comedy Nollywood movie directed and produced by award winning actor Kunle Afolayan.

Omugwo is story of an Online Air Personality, OAP Raymond married to a Young Civil Engineer, Omotunde from a wealthy background.

On the arrival of their first child, Raymond’s mom had to move in to perform the Igbo child-care rite called Omugwo (‘Ojojo Omo’ in Yoruba) and this led to Omotunde’s mom moving in as well. But instead of relieving their children of the burden of childcare, the mothers’ rivalry complicates life for the happy couple to comical effects.

CAST: Patience Ozokwor aka Mama Gee, Ayo Adesanya, Omowunmi Dada, Ken Erics

It is available in Cinemas:

Show time at Silverbird Cinemas, Ikeja Mall

Saturday: 1:15pm, 7:10pm, 9:20pm

Sunday: 1:15pm, 7:10pm, 9:20pm

http://silverbirdcinemas.com/ikeja/



Show time at Genesis cinemas

Saturday: 12:00pm

Sunday: 12:00pm

http://www.genesiscinemas.com/lagos.html

Show time at Ozone cinemas

Saturday: 11:10am

Sunday: 11:10am

http://ozonecinemas.com/now_showing.htm#

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/why-you-have-to-see-these-movies-this-weekend/

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/how-not-to-end-up-in-an-hospital/

Just like a driver who uses a single ride everyday but doesn’t maintain the car proficiently, he services the car quite late and with the wrong grade of engine oil, never takes enough time to check the state of the vehicle’s engine and hence after few years the vehicle starts giving him problem, then he subsequently spends colossal amount on repair than he ever did on the maintenance and even after that everyone can still see the vehicle is in a really bad condition. It’s a really gloomy truth that with the way most of us treat our bodies, we are exactly like this driver, only much worse as the ride is our own body, we all labour just to acquire money but when we get the money, we in fact do not know how to take care of that body doing the labour. We use up energy, nutrients and enzymes in these bodies but do not try to replenish these nutrients and this is one of the major reasons some people end up in hospitals and spend wades of cash on ailments or conditions which a simple act of care towards their body would have prevented.

Just like water, one of nature’s pre-eminent gifts to humanity is fruits and nature gave us these things not just to fill up our bellies but to also nourish and heal our bodies. The benefits of fruits can never be overestimated and it is exactly what our nutrition in this country needs more of. I see fruits and vegetables as nature’s own way of curing us.

Now let’s talk about the benefits of fruit, I’m going to limit the fruits I will mention to those i know are available to us in this country. These are fruits you can easily purchase with a few bucks in any market near you.

APPLE;

Yes, for a fact an apple a day can keep the doctor away as eating apple everyday can keep Alzheimer’s disease away and keep you alert.
Apple has been proven to reduce risk of lung cancer, bladder cancer, stroke and even some heart diseases.
Apple is a source of something called flavonoid which helps the lung to function well and reduces coughing and breathlessness.
An apple a day can also lower your cholesterol and hence put your heart in a better condition.
A study even found that people who ate up to three apples a day were able to lose weight while dieting than people who didn’t eat apples.


BANANA;

Bananas are powerful source of energy as eating just two bananas can give you enough energy to exercise for more than an hour. So if you get tired easily, eat more of bananas.
Banana has been known to contain some chemicals like serotonin that can naturally help to overcome depression. So try to get yourself a banana anytime you’re feeling down.
Bananas are rich in vitamins B6, vitamin C, fiber, magnesium, potassium and all these are essential for smooth functioning of our bodies.
Banana has been known to help with regulation of blood pressure and may reduce risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
Since bananas are sweet, they can be used to satisfy unhealthy sugar cravings.
CARROT;

Carrots contain carotene, a chemical that is converted to vitamin A by the body and can prevent night blindness and improve eyesight.
Carrot can improve appearance of the skin, hair and nails.
Carrot can also lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Carrot even contains a chemical known as beta-carotene that can prevent cancer.
Carrot can increase menstrual flow and enhance quality of breast milk.
Carrot juice taken every day can prevent bodily infections.
Carrot can regulate blood sugar, promote colon health and reduce risk of heart attack.
Carotene in carrots is an anti-oxidant that is known to prevent degeneration of cells and so is considered to have an anti-aging effect. So if you want to be healthier and look younger, eat more carrots.
LEMON;

Yes, lemon has been known to be a quick home remedy for various illnesses as lemon can relieve indigestion, hiccups, heartburn, nausea and bloating.
Drinking lemon juice mixed with warm water lemon acts blood purifier and body cleansing agent.
Lemon is good for the stomach and the bowels as it helps wastes to be eliminated efficiently in the body.
Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic by making the liver produce more bile and has been known to even help dissolve gallstones.
Lemon is also an excellent means of skincare as it contains anti-aging chemicals that can reduce wrinkles, scars and black spots while also rejuvenating the skin.
Lemon water is excellent for dental care as it can cure toothache, throat infections, bleeding gum and other dental problems.
MANGO;

Mango is high in iron; hence it is very good for pregnant women as well as people suffering from anaemia.
It is an anti-inflammatory fruit.
It is high in anti-oxidants and that means it can prevent some form of cancer like breast or prostate cancer.
ORANGE;

Orange is known to be high in vitamin C which is quite helpful in boosting the immune system in the body. Hence, taking natural orange juice regularly makes it less likely for you to catch a cold or flu.
Various medical studies have shown that natural orange juice can help lower both cholesterol levels and blood pressure level which are two common health problems in humans.
It is also high in anti-oxidants and contains fairly large amount of potassium.
Studies have shown orange juice can reduce the risk of heart disease which is because it can help improve circulation.
Orange juice contains Folate which plays a major role in the production of new cells and can help with healing process.
Research has also shown orange juice can help relieve or reduce arthritis-related pain.
PAWPAW;

Pawpaw is a fruit which is great for the body as well as it contains proteolytic enzymes which are enzymes that aid digestion.
Pawpaw also has rejuvenating properties especially for the control of premature ageing.
Pawpaw can act as a cleanser for the body.
Pawpaw contains an enzyme called arginine which is essential for male fertility.
Pawpaw is also good for the heart.
Pawpaw also boosts the immune system and can relieve spasms and cramps.
WATERMELON;

Watermelon is a fruit which is great for energy production so whenever you feel weak or stressed, get yourself some watermelon.
Watermelon has been proven to fight some heart diseases.
Watermelon can also prevent erectile dysfunction.
Watermelon reduces the risk of having cancer.
It is a great source of vitamins and essential minerals which our body needs.
Leading to my all-time yummylicious, finger-lickinglicious, tongue-bitinglicious favourite which is:

PINEAPPLE;

Pineapple is a very good source of vitamin C and it offers the body excellent protection against free radicals that attack healthy cells. A build-up of these free radicals can be quite deadly as it can cause diabetes, heart disease, increased asthma attacks, even some kind of cancers like colon cancer.
Pineapple has also been shown to be very good for the eyes as it aids in preventing age related eye conditions.
Pineapple is rich in iron meaning it can also strengthen weak bones so if you’re the type who hears a slight pop of the bones whenever you kneel down then try to eat more pineapples so that the pop won’t turn into a snap. Pineapple can also reduce pain from a bone condition known as arthritis.
Pineapple has also been proven to be great for the gums holding your teeth in position.
Whenever I implore people to take care of their body by taking more fruits, the only excuse they always seem to give is how expensive fruits can be but I believe as low as two hundred naira is not too much to spend on your body after seeing all the benefits associated with fruits. So next time you want to get snacks, give your body an apple instead of a donut, oranges instead of soft drink, watermelon instead of ice cream, nourishing fruits instead of fattening junks. So, ‘please eat the fruits of your labour’ because as usual it all boils down to showing how much you love yourself

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/how-not-to-end-up-in-an-hospital/

What a relief! So, the Big Brother Naija reality television programme is finally over. It ended Sunday evening with 23-year old Efe Michael Ejemba, University of Jos graduate of Economics and singer winning the N25 million + SUV at stake, with 57.6% of the votes from over 24 million voters across Africa. Warri, where Efe’s family lives, erupted in excitement. At the Multichoice viewing centre in Ikeja, Lagos, where Katung Aduwak took charge so brilliantly, there was a similar eruption of incandescent joy. I was relieved because for about 70 days, the Big Brother Naija show was a big distraction, crass capitalism at its most cynical edge, a source of unmanageable madness in homes and on the streets. Now that it is over, it is time for some honest frank talk for the attention of all stakeholders involved.

Let me start with the lessons, on a positive note, before delivering the blows. Lesson one: In a very instructive manner, the Big Brother Naija reality television show promoted the ideas of choice and people power at the heart of democracy. Televised across Africa, the viewers had the final say in determining who stayed in the house or left during eviction moments on Sundays. The votes were collated, audited and confirmed by Deloitte, a firm of auditors and thus, the viewer as the voter determined the outcomes. In that regard, a reality show of that sort promoted a consciousness of democracy, choice and influence and it further explained why the people from Nigeria to Cape Agulhas all the way up to the Mediterranean sea took fierce ownership of the programme. In a continent where power is the ultimate aphrodisiac and every access to power, fame and influence is seen as an opportunity to oppress and demean, whatever is done to promote a consciousness of choice and the civil society is laudable. Multichoice, thanks.

Lesson Two: in every business concept, perseverance pays. Multichoice has been running its Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Africa concepts for a number of years. Apparently, this year’s Big Brother Naija has been the most impactful, the most profitable and probably also, the most exciting. In one week, over 11 million persons voted to determine the eviction. In the final week of the programme, over 24 million persons voted – that is more than the total number of persons who voted in the Nigerian Presidential election in 2015. This year, Multichoice has made more money from the Big Brother franchise than it has ever done. The programme was sponsored by PayPorte, and with all the voting, and the money spent on recharge cards, Big Brother and Multichoice are the biggest winners. In the end, it is all about business and profit. Everybody has been used. In business, once you have a good, attractive product and you can capture the market, you can fool everybody and make profit. Multichoice, weh done – in Falz, the bad guy’s voice.

Lesson three: humility pays. At the end of the day, in the last week of the programme, the decision by the viewing public was a moral, sentimental one. The biggest star of the programme was, I don’t know what you think, TBOSS (real name: Tokunbo Idowu), half Nigerian, half-Romanian. She dominated the space with her Jezebelic antics, even got some of the male participants ousted by entrapping and outsmarting them with her sexual wiles. She projected herself as a sex object, the ultimate manipulator, the champion Delilah of the Big Brother Africa series. She even made a joke of the entire Big Brother concept by saying she didn’t need the money and if she won, she would spend it in two weeks to pay off debts, and in any case, she had men hitting on her, offering to take her on a ride in their private jets. She played the role of a female barracuda.

Given her looks and talents, she would have been a perfect winner. She would have looked good on the billboards. But she lost because of her arrogance. Attitude is everything: this is the lesson of TBOSS’s disgrace and humiliation. When she was sent out of the House as the second runner up, the viewing centre in Ikeja, Lagos, including Kemen whose nemesis she was, danced in joy. “They are taunting me?” she asked Ebuka, the anchor. No, sweetheart, they were making a far more serious statement about you. The melodramatic ending of Big Brother Naija 2017 is its only redeeming outcome. Bisola, the first runner up does not even have a degree but she showed talent and resolve, even if her whorish flirtation with Thin Tall Tony is so cheap and self-denigrating. Her One-Nigeria consolation prize is something big she should take seriously. Efe won because of his humility. He is considered the poorest and the most needy of the contestants. Patrons of the programme chose to vote for the contestant who looked and sounded like he would need the money and the opportunity. They gave him a chance in life, although the organizers must ensure that going forward, the show does not become a poverty alleviation scheme. Bisola came second because she too looked like she needed help. Debbie Rise and Marvis also made the finals, but that was meant to be a great compliment to their good conduct, but they didn’t have enough support to make it to the top. TBOSS is the main star who lost. I hope she was taken out of South Africa with a private jet or maybe a submarine! Beauty is not everything, baby.

Lesson four: Marketing helps. Branding is everything. Propaganda is profitable. Packaging is nice. Big Brother Naija is nothing but marketing, branding, propaganda, and packaging. A reality show is supposed to be nothing but reality, virtual reality as it happens, but let no one deceive you, everything that happened in the 70 days of BBNaija was packaged, marketed, carefully branded and manipulated. Ebuka, the Big Brother, thumbs up, the scenic designers, kudos, the content developers, three hearty cheers, Multichoice, you guys are the smartest capitalists around, well done! The finale was a bit overdone though, dragged out, over-delayed. Tiwa Savage (hey baby, watch that growing fat around your waist and thigh), Tuface (thanks TuBaba but next time tell Annie to twerk for us- what was that!). In all, the power of television was well advertised.

Now the hard knocks: I rate the theatre high but I consider the whole show a sham, a 419 manipulative effort by a corporate agency, long overdue for an ethical review and scrutiny, a bad influence on corporate ethics. The owners of the programme are just a bunch of insultive, manipulative and exploitative capitalists, feeding on public need for distraction and the negligence of the authorities. Big Brother Naija 2017 is something that should never happen again in the shape we have seen. If Multichoice as a corporate investor wants to make a contribution to Nigeria, it must find ways of doing so in more meaningful forms.

Reality shows have become an established form on television, but whereas there are reality shows that promote talent, music, human capability and genius, enhanced relationships, and intellect, Multichoice, through its Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Africa franchises seems committed to the promotion of base values, chiefly adultery, prostitution, love of money, nudity and sex. What just ended as Big Brother Naija 2017 was nothing other than the corralling of some human beings into a zoo, pressured to behave like nothing but animals. The organizers made money devaluing other human beings. Multichoice and Payporte, the sponsors, turned alcohol and pornography into legitimate sport.

TBOSS and the other girls kissed and got groped by the boys on live television putting their upbringing to shame. TBOSS, who claimed she didn’t need the money even exposed her breasts on live television more than once. I have seen better breasts TBOSS. I am not too sure those private jet owners will be excited by your fluffy, South-looking, slightly bigger than mangoes breasts. If the same men see bigger assets, I mean, those interesting Ojiakor-like ones that look like papayas, pineapples and watermelons, they will not send private jets, they will deploy submarines and fighter jets! And that ‘s why you got N500k in the end, way back behind Bisola with her hard facial features, and Efe whose victory is based on poverty logistics and appeal. But I have no doubt that TBOSS will end up doing better in the larger, outside market than the other finalists, because even those who did not vote for her, know in their hearts that she represents the message of the programme.

It is a wrong message and that is why Big Brother Naija drew more audience in Southern Nigeria than in the North. In the last week of the programme,, every town in Southern Nigeria was seized by the #BBNaija fever. Prayers were offered in churches for Efe. One lady threatened to commit suicide if Efe did not win. Another one said she would not stop crying until Efe won. Nollywood stars declared support for housemates. There was Team Bisola, Team Efe, EfeNation, TBOSSNation, TeamDebbieRise (small), TeamMarvis (even smaller). There were public processions even in universities. We were told how to vote. Twitter was on fire. What I saw was nothing but sheer madness. T-shirts were printed. One musician turned his personal car into a billboard. Nigeria became a mad house because of one reality television show. It looked like mass hypnotism at work.

But it should not be allowed to happen again. BBNaija should not be hosted and staged in South Africa as has been the case. Multichoice, Payporte and their partners made crazy money and got brand promotion off the back and sweat of Nigerians. Do the maths; we got peanuts in return. We were told BBNaija could not be staged in Nigeria due to electricity problems so the studio had to be in South Africa. And the Nigerian government looked the other way. Wawu! All the billions that the South Africans are running away with, after giving our boy a Kia SUV and some N25m, who is going to collect the Value Added Tax on that? Nigeria or South Africa? See the real Gobbe! All the staff who worked on the programme with extremely marginal exception were South Africans. Where were the Nigerians? Abi, Lobatan oh.

The Nigerian government must assert itself. Nobody henceforth must brand anything involving primary production, Nigerian off Nigerian soil. We can’t get far by wearing made-in-Nigerian clothes on Mondays and Wednesdays, turning the country into an extension of Nollywood, but we can gain a lot by insisting that economic production and profit based on Nigerian talent and resource must have significant Nigerian content.

Congratulations Efe; the grace of God is forever sufficient, but sorry Nigeria.

Aliko Dangote at 60

Alhaji Aliko Dangote is 60 and understandably the entire country is busy paying tributes. He is the richest man in Africa, but more than that he is one of the most successful, forward-looking and resourceful entrepreneurs in the entire continent. He has investments and connections virtually everywhere.

I think a special remark should be made about his less known attribute – his humility and humanity. Aliko Dangote, for all those who have related with him closely, is a very humble man. His life is not driven by money, but belief in hardwork and the impact that he is able to make. He is helpful, supportive and kind, always believing he can make a difference. I offer a special testimony.

Many years ago, before the Abuja job, I used to visit Aliko at home, sometimes on my own and sometimes with my family. On one occasion, he gave my first son money as he saw us off to the door. It was that kind of money that caused a fight between father and son. My son wanted to hold on to it, and there I was insisting the boy must hand over the money because it was enough to pay his and his sibling’s school fees. The innocent boy said the money was for him. How could it have been for him? We resolved the fight, big fight, right there, with Aliko pretending not to notice.

On another occasion, Aliko asked if I had built a house and I told him I was building a house somewhere in Ajah. This was in 2006. He said we should go there. He jumped into my miserable Tokunbo car and followed me to the uncompleted building. He walked round the building and asked me what I wanted. He ended up giving me enough cement to complete the house and the money to paint it. He told me I should contact him if I wanted to build any other house, but after that other house, I stopped bothering him, because it was obvious the bricklayers knew cement was free, and they were busy taking advantage.

I went to Abuja to work. The true story of that job is best told by Aliko Dangote, Mr Alex Ibru, Rotimi Amaechi, Femi Otedola and Ojogbane Adegbe. They supported me as best as they could without interference. It was Oronto Douglas who made the phone call. One day, every story will be told. Thank you Alhaji, for being a friend and a brother. Thank you. May you see many more seasons.

By Reuben Abati

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/bbnaija-a-sham-and-a-419-manipulative-effort-by-a-corporate-agency-reuben-abati/

Source: http://mouthpiece.com.ng/is-peer-pressure-still-your-boss/

From requesting for a certain kind of schoolbag in primary school to having my second ear piercing in secondary school and even to having my first boyfriend in the university, all these were not really what I truly wanted or liked or what was best for me at those times yet they all had a single driving force that made them so ridiculously desirable I just had to have them and that driving force was PEER PRESSURE.

Peers are mostly people in your age group, could be classmates, friends, co-workers or even people you have never met before as in the case of virtual peers which are peers on social networks. When these people now influence how you live, act, talk or think, this is Peer Pressure. The influence could be positive, I mean didn’t we all have that smart friend who tutored us before exams or that friend who is really spiritual and preaches to us? So yes, peer pressure can be positive if the peers are people with values but the influence of peer pressure could also be deadly if those peers are unruly people as in the case of peer pressure induced alcoholism, drug addiction, cultism, prostitution etc.

As kids, we did lots of silly things just from the influence of peer pressure and our parents believed we will outgrow this phenomenon as we approach adulthood but sadly sometimes this is not the case, hence, lots of young adults and adults are still under the deadly influence of peer pressure. From worries about how we look to the desire to want social peers to think we’re cool all the way to the readiness to do some things just to fit in, no matter how silly or dangerous we know that thing is, negative effects of peer pressure could be toxic.

When it comes to young adults, quite a lot of them started taking alcohol due to peer pressure and some research have shown some do not even like the taste of alcohol, they simply take it because people around them do and they don’t want to be tagged the dull one who doesn’t know how to have fun. Some even became sexually active at the wrong time also due to peer pressure; as friends made fun of their virginity and also introduced them to the act and even encouraged them to have many sexual partners and many have contacted STDs as a result of this, hence the devastating effect of peer pressure cannot be overestimated.

Likewise as we get older we’re usually faced with challenging decisions that can sometimes put us in a dilemma and whether we realise it or not our peers mostly determine our actions and reactions in these cases.

Even as adults Peer pressure can strain us physically; when a friend convinces you to do something physically strenuous which you know your health can’t handle yet you do it anyway. It can also strain us mentally and psychologically; when peers laugh at your ambitions or goals and tell you that thing is impossible and sooner or later you start to believe it is impossible too no matter how enthusiastic you were about the idea initially. Peer pressure can strain us financially; when peers convince you to buy something you don’t need or can’t afford. Peer pressure can strain us maritally; A classic example is the case of a woman whose friends influence how she behaves to her husband because he comes home late or doesn’t give her money as much as her friend’s husband gives to her friend or a man whose friends implore him to marry another woman because his wife is stubborn or unable to bear him a male child. Peer pressure can even strain us socially; when peers even as full grown adults convince you to get drunk, use drugs or cheat on your spouse. Virtual peers can also cause your hateful comments, immoral acts on social media. These are all ways peer pressure can affect us as adults.

I admit overcoming peer pressure can be a bit challenging as some of these peeers are friends or people you love and respect. Yet, unlike a kid in primary school or a gullible teenager, you are an adult and you should have full and total control over how you live your life. Unlike a kid too, no one will try to understand you or pity the repercussions of your mistakes and you can’t even blame it on peer pressure either. You and only you will be the one to blame and bear the results if you mess up your life.

According to Dr Shilagh Mirgain, an American psychologist, to overcome peer pressure you have to;

Know Yourself;

Whenever you’re faced with hard decisions, take some time to find your inner compass and find yourself first and discover yourself and the things you want in life.

Ask Yourself;

What feels right to you? Can you make daily choices by yourself?
What activities make you feel good about yourself?
Where do you want your life to head?
Are you susceptive to negative peer pressure whenever in you’re in a particular mood?


Your body will give you clues about the answers to those questions by being relaxed or tense. So just give yourself some time to determine what feels right to you.

Be Assertive;

Whenever someone is pressuring you to do something unhealthy, use direct eye contact and say NO without wavering. If you have to explain to them, do it in a confident manner.

Validate Yourself;

To paraphrase a speech given by Teddy Roosevelt, ‘’ it’s not the critics that count but the person doing the deeds’’ So know there will always be people to question your choices or criticize your beliefs and that doesn’t matter. What really matters is whether those choices reflect your values and support your efforts at the long run.

Also my advice to you;

Please keep good company, move with people who influence you positively.

Know that ‘misery loves company’ and so miserable peers will want you to be miserable too so keep it in mind that when some friends pressure you to drink more alcohol, to not quit smoking or to sleep around, they do that to justify their own actions not necessarily because they care about you.

Don’t let anyone direct your life for you and so reply with a strong NO when you don’t want to do something and try not to live to please people or copy their lives.

In cases where these peers are people you love, try explaining to them how those actions make you unhappy and undermine your progress.

Last but not the least LOVE YOURSELF!

Source: http://mouthpiece.com.ng/is-peer-pressure-still-your-boss/

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/gift-giving-and-receiving/

Gift giving should come from the heart and not an obligation.
It is a show of joy, love and appreciation.
Be sure of the time, purpose. Is it for wedding anniversary, birthday, house warming, child christening.
Then choose appropriately.
Have a budget. How much to spend on a gift.
Keep an open eyes.
Is it a gift I would enjoy receiving.
Research on the favourite things of the receiver, so the gift is meaning full.
As for an input if not sure of receivers favorite things.
Get organized and shop a head of time.
Be sensitive. Take into consideration personal, religious, cultural persuasions.
For example. Do not buy fur coat as gift for someone living in temperate region.
Giving a bottle of alcoholic wine to a religious figure or someone that does not drink alcohol.
Do not send intimate gifts like pants to someone other than your spouse.
If corporate, use proper name, logo and slogan to show interest in the organization.
Wrap in style. Use colourful, quality wrappers to show class.
Present your gift in style. Holding it with both hands as though holding a fragile ornaments.
Place your business card and or hand written note.
When you receive a Gift
Show appreciation. receive the gift, maintain eye contact and smile.
Say thank you even when the gift is sent in.
Let the giver know as soon as you receive. Send a text, mail or put a call through.
Open the gift privately except if the sender has requested it should be opened and seen by all as a show of love or by way of making an announcement.
Write a thank you note whether you like the gift or not.
Send flowers chocolate and return the favor as occasions present s.
The essence of gift giving and receiving is to make it memorable and uplifting.
Make it so because it brings good feeling.

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/gift-giving-and-receiving/

I will begin this piece by telling three stories. There is this story credited to Pastor Tunde Bakare. The good Pastor was in his office one day when a lady walked in for counseling. She wore some very scanty and revealing clothes. Being a gentleman he overlooked the scenario and asked the lady what ails her.
They were only a few minutes into the discussion when the lady stooped down to pick something up from the floor. All of a sudden her two breasts plunged out of her blouse. The Pastor, thinking they were going to hit the bare floor, surged forward to prevent them with his two hands. He however restrained himself but only after he had let out a shout. He eventually asked the lady to leave his office.
When I was 13/14 years old, I developed a crush on a girl at Sunday School and it was almost going to drive me crazy. Till this moment, I never asked the girl to be my girlfriend. I was content with simply liking her from a distance. But alas we were in Sunday School, where God’s word was being taught and the Holy Spirit existed and still brought men to conviction of sin. One day I was reading the Bible and I saw this scriptures from the Living Bible edition: “…treat the younger women as sisters with all purity.” (1 Timothy 5:2).
I understood immediately that God wanted me to end my crush on that girl. It was not easy. What I never knew was that that was going to be the beginning of my heart dealings with the opposite sex. I am to always treat young ladies as my blood sisters and think pure thoughts towards them. God has been extremely merciful to me in this area and has given me a very beautiful wife who satisfies me greatly. I am right now without excuse.
The third story is the reason for this piece. Right now an Ibadan blogger like me, Kemi Olunloyo, has been arrested by a Port Harcourt Pastor for publishing a story on this Pastor’s alleged sexual escapade with another woman. The woman had sent the story to Kemi. She published it and the Pastor got the police to arrest her. She is still in detention in Rivers State as I write. All these are coming on the heels of the much publicized allegation of “Apari” Suleiman’s sex romp with Ms. Otobo. If we are to begin to tell the story of all sex allegations, we will not finish this piece.
In the relationship between men and women, Christianity is very much unlike Islam. It is taken for granted in Islam that if men and women have unrestricted access to each other, sexual immortality will occur. Therefore a strict separation of men and women is always exercised. In fact in an ideal Muslim society, women will wear the hijab, covering themselves from head to toe, and they will stay at home. Christianity does not practice this because we understand that what brings about sexual sin is the content of the heart and not what people wear. So if the heart is perverse and there is a red sea between the sexes, men will still swim through and commit whatever they wish to do.
The number one duty of a Christian minister is to guard his heart and to put on a holy garment: 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.” The will of God for every Christian is our sanctification, particularly regarding abstaining from sexual sins. It is not God’s will for men in the pew alone but particularly for the clergy.
Secondly, Paul the writer of that scriptures says everyone should know how to possess his body in sanctification and honor. He is saying that regarding relations to the opposite sex, every man must device an art of either avoiding sex sins or overcoming its temptations. Nobody graduates this school. It is a daily exercise and a continual discipline. While one can be better trained at it than before, no one in the flesh has ever perfected the art.
Sexual immortality does not happen in a day, it takes a period. It starts from a moment of fruition in the heart to the moment when the act is actually done. And the wise know how to nip it in the bud. We must guard our hearts carefully. We must think about ladies with pure heart. We must perfect the art of possessing our vessels in holiness and sanctification.
And here is a word to the Christian minister’s wife: your husband is everyone’s husband. The only difference is that you alone have the duty to satisfy him with your bosom. There is no greater evil under the sun than for a Christian minister’s wife, whose husband is daily bombarded with women, both of questionable and unquestionable motives, to deny that man sex when he desires it. It puts the pastor in a dire strait because at a stroke of a finger he can get what you are denying him outside. I am convinced that God will judge many more pastors’ wives, than the men themselves, as being the cause of their husbands’ infidelity. When it comes to the marriage bed, the command is not to deprive one another or you will partake of the consequences of each other’s sins when it occurs.
Then we must proceed quickly to the ministers themselves and ask them how have they been handling the various means of grace that God has made available to the saints regarding matters of sin. The fact remains that if a minister is a man of prayer, quickly confessing his deepest lusts to God and finding healing from God, he will continually find grace to overcome sex temptations when they come. There is also the place of continual feeding on the word of God and finally the place of doing God’s word. The beauty of ministering the Bible is that one is both instructing others and oneself. And God gives more grace to the minister in these matters.
The reason why a minister’s failing at a moral issue like sex is such a grave thing is because it is a betrayal of trust. And no man ever hits that dust who has not degenerated terribly in the place of personal sanctification. The Christian tradition I subscribe to frowns heavily at sexual immortality among its ministers that it doesn’t just discipline the minister, it could actually signify the very end of his ministry.
It brings me to the increasing matter of sexual immortality among pastors today. What is clear is that there is a fundamental problem somewhere and it should be traced first to the conversion of these ministers themselves and secondly to the messages they preach. God, as Father, is committed to his children and to the church as a whole. God grants restraining grace at sin. In other words, let Satan rage as he wishes, for the sake of his honor and for the preserving of the saints, God keeps his own from mortal sin. It does not mean Christians do not sin; it means that God helps them not to – especially grave ones Therefore when we learn of ministers falling to sin we should ask whether they are sons of God in the first place.
Secondly, what is the message these ministers preach? If the message they preach is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, that tells the story of his redeeming humanity from sin, then its two main components should always be present on their lips: 1. The component of grace: what God has done to save sinners. 2. The component of duty: our daily call to holiness. The messages carry in them restraining grace against sin.
If however the gospel these ministers preach are those of signs, wonders, breakthrough, prosperity, deliverance, etc, the gospel of God’s saving man from sin will be left out, and the accompanying grace not to sin will be lost. So that the result will be a ministry with a lot of activities but with immorality raging in the background. This is the true story behind many of these new generation Pentecostal churches. For those who care about their young daughters, you will want to warn them against going to these places.
After the Christian minister has put on his physical cloth, it behooves him to put on a garment of holiness. It will demand the utmost integrity of him, it will require that he be above board concerning financial matters. It will demand that he is accountable to people above him and to the people he ministers to. And finally, it will require he possesses his body in holiness and honor.
So help us God. Amen.

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My colleague at the office queried me for calling Johnson Suleiman “Apari”. Apari is a derogatory term for a bald man in the Yoruba language. I explained that it was intentional and I will use this post to shed some light on why.
I am not calling Suleiman “apari” because he is bald. That will be extremely petty of me and in any case, in a few years, I myself will likely be joining that club and so I know better than using a term that I will not like to be used on me.
I call Suleiman “apari” because I cannot bring myself to calling him an “apostle”. The apari is my caricature of his own type of apostle. If Suleiman is intent on bearing the title apostle, I choose to be kind enough to accord him the first two letter of the word (ap), while I add others of my own making (ari), thus we have: apari. It is simply incidental that he is bald and I will always be thankful to the anonymous comment on Nairaland that broached the idea to me.
Theologically, there are three ways to know who is not a man of God – what we will call a false prophet according to biblical terms. They are: 1. When a man prophesies and the prophecy fails, he is a false prophet (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). 2. When a man teaches false Bible doctrines, he is a false prophet (Galatians 1:6-9). 3. And when a man fails morally in a consistent manner, he is a false prophet (1John 3:9; 2Peter 2:14). Unfortunately, Apari Suleiman meets all of these standards and graciously surpasses them.
What brought the Apari to limelight were his New Year prophecies that were incredibly accurate at the onset. Gradually his prophesies began to miss the mark. The most celebrated being his prophesy that Goodluck Jonathan will be winning reelection to office in the 2015 Presidential Elections. The prophesy failed soundly and Buhari came to power. He had also said that El-Rufai will not be Governor. That one also failed.
Then he had a well publicized spat with the Kaduna State Governor that led him to declare that El-Rufai will die. The man is still alive and well. A few days ago, he declared that all those publishing news on him to bring him down would soon be discovered to be possessed of some evil spirits. That has also failed, with the result being an ever increasing number of allegations of the Apari’s philandering with other women besides Ms. Otobo. For this reason Suleiman is worse than a mere Apari, he is a false prophet.
Concerning the doctrine he preaches, Apari Suleiman is an unrepentant Pentecostal Prosperity preacher and he lives the message to the full. The number one sign of a true prosperity preacher is that he promises heavenly blessings to his devotees and in return the gullible ones give him their money in tithes, offering, prophet offerings, first fruits, etc. Suleiman sells the Christian faith for money and he lives large. This is the source of the alleged $76,000 car, houses and other unaccounted for gifts given to his female friends.
The Bible is clear about folks like him: 2 Peter 2:3 “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” He makes merchandise of the gospel and for this, he is not a mere Apari, he is a false prophet.
The allegations of sexual impropriety leveled against Suleiman are the least of the reason why I call the man Apari. To be certain these matters still remain allegations until they are proven true. But some of us know these men very well. They can use the money they have to buy the media and kill the story as the case was with Biodun Fatoyinbo, Chris Oyakhilome, and Sunday Adelaja. The allegations will simply fizzle out, Nigerians will forget and these men will return to business as usual. This is the reason why the biggest threat against these men’s reputation is not the conventional press but the unconventional ones, especially Facebook. How many of us can they bribe on Facebook? I hear that the Apari has instructed his church members to unfriend anyone criticizing him on Facebook.
Apari Suleiman started this whole matter and it has returned back to his backyard to roost. For me, the name “Apari” is just incidental. The real matter for me is that these allegations bring forth a new opportunity for those who can think to weigh the gospel they have believed within Pentecostal circles. What is abundantly clear is that Charismatic Pentecostal Prosperity theology and practice is on trial. Those who consider this doctrine to be true and regard Suleiman as an apostle will line up behind him, defend him, attack his critics and continue to give evil legitimacy. Those who think he is a fraud: a false prophet at worst and an Apari at best, will keep their distance from him, warn others and examine what they have believed in the light of scriptures.
These are the end times. The hallmark of these times will be prevalence of false prophets in the churches. The least thing to worry about wil notl be whether or not Suleiman should be called Apari. Rather we should labor to know those truly sent of God – the true apostles of the faith.

By Deji Yesufu

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