PaChukwudi44:

The encouragement is enough.BTW we have married priests in the Catholic church

Married Priests kwa. Continue smoothly in your delusion. It suits you well. After you don't have a choice. You must be deluded except God helps you

What did 1 Timothy 4 say
1 Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

It says that a time will come when men will forbid people from marriage. It's not from God. You don't know this one yet you gave us Bible and you are the first church. Nonsense. Do you know when Islam started and you can see how fast they are growing. When they started and their population doesn't make them a true religion.

analize701:

True.

They claim the gave the world the Bible, but can not bare to open it and see what it says.

No wonder they barred people from reading the Bible in the beginning, saying it's only for the Priests. This was an intention to maneuver the people like in payment of money for penance

PaChukwudi44:
have you heard about Rev Gene Robinson of the Anglican church.There are myriads of openly gay protestant clergies in hundreds if not thousands of protestant churches.You really do to do your research before coming out to point your fingers at Catholics

Taata

I don't like sharing minds with fanatics that defend falsehood like beasts. That's why whites are better off when it comes to seeking truth. They are open minded to receive even the truth they don't like. Unlike Pachukwudi44. That is mind civilization. Are you the only Catholic? or because your parents took you there? Don't you have minds to reason. I was born a catholic. Even now some use to think I am a seminarian. For instance, how can I defend say a Pastor for being gay or a rapist. So, my advice, go back to the drawing board of your mindset and rid it of foolish sentimentalism. By the way, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS FOR A PRIEST TO TELL HIS CONGREGATION DURING SERVICE THAT HE IS GAY AND THE PEOPLE GAVE HIM A STANDING OVATION. what audacity. It means they gave him support. If it's hidden we will say he is one of the Judases. But it's open. Yet, here you are saying.... Saying what again?

PaChukwudi44:


you want me to also report gay sex? Okay wait for me

You self, you are myopic in trying to defend the obvious. I said the number or the height of sodomy in the system is greater

PaChukwudi44:

again stories no evidence.I am not saying we don't have bad priests.But one coming out to say it is institutionalized is ourageous.There is no priest who has a credible evidence of child molestation against him who is still in the priesthood.That claim is the most outrageous.

we also have gay and paedophilic Pentecostal pastors.It has nothing to do with heterosexual marriage.If they were attracted to women then you would have started talking about marriage as a solution.

Many Priest who were gays were not defrocked. Make research very well. Like the ones I encountered, even my friend. How can you know if I don't tell you. Many are hidden. The system is the fault. Let's use our common sense, how can Priest or expect men to die celibate in this generation. You can't cheat nature. That is why even the papacy advocated for marriage in Priesthood

PaChukwudi44:
NASHVILLE, June 14 (AP) — The three companies that insure a majority of Protestant churches say they typically receive upward of 260 reports a year of children younger than 18 being sexually abused by members of the clergy, church staff members, volunteers or congregants

.Protestants’ numbers are harder to come by and sketchier because the denominations are less centralized than the Catholic Church. Many congregations are independent, making reporting even more difficult

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/16/us/16protestant.html

If the number of gay sex going on there is this huge. What of other sexual abuse. Heterosexual sin may be accepted from defenders but homosexuality among these folks shows the height of depravity and immorality in the church. This alone has covered every excuse of sexual abuses in other protestant organizations.

PaChukwudi44:


Abeg take it easy!!!! Did anyone offend you today? Me shouting? Do you read with your ears? You made some outrageous claims against the catholic church.The questions I posed to you was to ascertain the veracity of those claims. Seeing you have no answers to my questions, its now obvious those claims are concoted.You don't go about making ridiculous claims that cannot be substantiated

He didn't make an outrageous claim; it is true. How can you tell a man not to marry in this generation and expect him to remain a celibate. Many of the Priests you see today are gays, or womanizers. I am talking from experience. One wanted to commit gay sex with me. Another confronted my friend. It normally starts from seminary schools. I passed seminary school, went there for interview. We slept over. That night was something else. After, I couldn't study there again. The Reverend father in my secondary school who was the manager was carrying women like water. The students even filmed him 'dealing with women'. All these are real among us. The truth must be told no matter who is involved

Ubenedictus:
same sex attraction is a disorder, sodomy is the sin... this priest has a disorder as far as I can tell he hasn't committed any sin.



homosexuality can be a sin just like any other sin, I don't understand why you put it in a class of its own.

What are you even saying? Trying to defend what. Gay is different from sodomy? Don't be sentimental. He has been committing sin before he opened up

Ubenedictus:
it is not so clear cut... a lot depends on his Bishop.


there is a guideline that prevents people with same sex attraction from becoming priests. In fact the seminaries are suppose to make sure a same sex attracted person never become a priest.

But there is no law that says a same sex attracted person who is already a priest and is keeping all his vows and discharging all his duties should be pursued from the priesthood.

in fact I don't think his same sex attraction is enough reasons for him to be laicized.... he hasn't committed a crime worth such treatment...he is celibate.... he may be suspended and even curtailed but all that depends on his Bishop, he may also go scot free, he suffers from a disordered affection he hasn't committed a crime.

You know what it means. First, Priests took a vow of celibacy. But homosexuality? It should not be mentioned

analize701:
ought not the priest be celibate? How does the issue of Homosexuality come in, or are they indirectly telling the world that they are indeed not celibate?

This is strange. Does this mean he engages in sexual activities with other men in the Priesthood? And he was given a standing Ovation.

Step by Step, the Catholic church is unfolding it's long term agenda.

Of course he was doing it with other Priests. Was it doing it alone. Homosexuality is a chain reaction. Even if they remove the Priest will they remove the others he was doing the deed with.

Google the Priest's name you will see the news for yourself even on National catholic website. The Priest has been living like that for years. The fact that the congregation gave him standing ovation means they are in support of it. In seminary school gay sex is like water.

Standing ovation!The catholic church should stop saying we are the oldest church or... I will build my church the gate of heaven... Blah blah blah. Things are getting out of hand. The kind of evil, immorality going on in that church. It's much. Anyway, like the Pope said Judge not. Nonsense. By the way, I was born a catholic. But left. Thank God. Now waiting for catholic defenders

What would you do if your Catholic priest comes out as a gay man?

pulse.ng

Dec 20, 2017 1:44 PM

This priest got a standing ovation from his congregation after hitting them with this news.

Fr. Gregory Greiten just told his congregation that he is gay  (ncronline)

A Roman Catholic priest has just come out as a gay person.

Rev. Gregory Greiten of Milwaukee’s St. Bernadette Parish made this startling revelation to his church members, whoresponded with a standing ovation.

Huffington Post reports that the priest, who is in Wisconsin, United States, opened up about his sexuality on Sunday, December 17, 2017.

He said, “I am Greg. I am a Roman Catholic priest. And, yes, I am gay!”



Fr. Grey was ordained in 1992  (ncronline)

The priest lets the entire world know

Rev. Greiten did not just enlighten his congregation. He went on to share the news with the rest of the world.

He did this on Monday, December 18, 2017, with a first-person column in National Catholic Reporter.

The priest wrote, “A few Roman Catholic priests around the world have mustered up the courage to break through the wall of silence and speak the truth about their sexual identity.

“I pledge to you that I will no longer live my life in the shadows of secrecy. I promise to be my authentically gay self. I will embrace the person that God created me to be.

“This fire burning deep inside my heart, I will no longer contain. I will not be silent any longer; the price to pay is way too great. I must speak my truth. I have lived far too many years chained up and imprisoned in the closet behind walls of shame, trauma and abuse because of the homophobia and discrimination so prevalent in my church and the world."



Fr. Gregory Greiten just told his congregation that he is gay  (ncronline)

“But rather, today, I chart a new course in freedom and in integrity knowing that there is nothing that anyone can do to hurt or destroy my spirit any longer. First steps in accepting and loving the person God created me to be.”

Rev. Greiten also chastised the Catholic Church for its stance on homosexuality saying, “By choosing to enforce silence, the institutional church pretends that gay priests and religious do not really exist.

“Because of this, there are no authentic role models of healthy, well-balanced, gay, celibate priests to be an example for those, young and old, who are struggling to come to terms with their sexual orientation.This only perpetuates the toxic shaming and systemic secrecy.”

How his church really feels about having a gay priest

Greiten may have gotten a standing applause from his congregation but it does not mean everyone is particularly happy about his announcement.

For Madge Powell, who has been a parishioner at St. Bernadette’s for eight years, his sexuality makes no difference.

Speaking with National Catholic Reporter, she said, “I love him for the person he is.”

However, Shawn Govern feels otherwise. Govern, who does not same-sex marriage, said, “He made a choice to walk in Christ’s shoes because he’s not going to be accepted by everyone.”


Pope Francis does not judge but he also approved of the 2005 policy that says that “persons with homosexual tendencies” cannot be admitted to Catholic seminaries  (cathnews)

Milwaukee’s Archbishop Jerome Listecki has also reacted with a statement released to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

He said, “We support Father Greiten in his own, personal journey and telling his story of coming to understand and live with his sexual orientation.

“As the Church teaches, those with same-sex attraction must be treated with understanding and compassion. As priests who have made a promise to celibacy, we know that every week there are people in our pews who struggle with the question of homosexuality.”

“Greg’s own story reminds each of us of God’s call to continue to grow in understanding and to live holy, chaste lives.”

Greiten remains unbothered with these reactions because he says his decision was a personal choice.

In an interview with NBC affiliate TMJ 4, he said, “The difference for me now is I get to live a life that’s open. It is honest and it’s full of integrity, and that’s what’s most important to me.”

Greiten says he accepted that he was gay on a five-hour drive back to seminary at age 24.

Now, he vows not to live in the “shadows of secrecy” after celebrating his 25th year as a priest in May 2017.

Other gay priests

This is not the first time the Catholic churchhas had to deal with a gay priest.

In November, Rev. Steve Wolf of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, had a retreat for gay priests, religious brothers, and anyone involved in the ministry.


Father Steve Wolf of Immaculate Conception parish, Nashville, Tennessee is an openly gay priest  (newwaysministry)

The retreat was tagged, “ Following Jesus in Holy Honesty.”

Before that, Rev. Warren Hall came out as a gay man. He made this decision after he was removed as campus minister at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. for supporting a Facebook group that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and racial justice.



Rev. Warren Hall came out after he was removed as campus minister of Seton Hall University in May, 2015  (Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger)

Later, he was reassigned to a Hoboken, N.J., parish. The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record reports that he was suspended in September 2016 by Newark, N.J., archbishop for supporting a Catholic school staffer and girls basketball coach who was fired for being in a same-sex marriage.

He discussed the suspension in an email to Religion News Service. He wrote, “The problem is that we have an archbishop who doesn’t believe you can be gay and Catholic.”

In 2016, yet another priest named Michael Shanahan came out as a gay man in a Washington Post article titled, ‘I’m gay and I’m a priest, period.’



Rev. Fred Daley pictured with a church member came out in 2004  (washingtonpost)

What is the Church’s stance?

The problem is when it comes to the issue of homosexuality. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that being gay is “objectively disordered.”

He added that the church, “while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture.”


Pope Benedict XVI joins Twitter  (abcnews)

This decision was repeated by the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy on Dec. 8, 2016, who once again stated that men with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” should not become seminarians.

This seems pretty straightforward until you take into account Pope Francis’ famous“Who am I to judge?” comment when asked about gay priests in 2013.

For now, the Catholic church is still very opposed to gay priests but this is clearly not stopping the priests from coming out of the closets.

What of one of the ten commandment that catholics removed. The one about having graven image. Will the pope correct that one. Afterall, I think it is more important than the Lord's prayer. Just saying

Muslims are quickly dominating the south west. Before 2030,the region would have been colonized by Islam.

We Nigerians are hypocrites. Stop complaining. Many of us complaining against the government will do much worse when given the office. We are complaining now because we have not seen the opportunity. When we are given the opportunity you will see. Check the little positions we handle as normal people, you will notice how wicked and heartless and greedy we are. In that way and condition, the life cycle of evil and wickedness continues untouched.

talk2emekaezeike@gmail.com

Though a small number of Roman Catholic priests already exist including previously married Anglican vicars who have joined the church, Pope Francis has requested that Catholic priests be given the right to get married, a request which also applies to priests in Brazil, and is said to be on the agenda for an upcoming synod (church council) in the Amazon region.


The pontiff took the decision to put a partial lifting of priestly celibacy up for discussion and a possible vote by Brazilian bishops following a request made by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, the president of the Episcopal Commission for the Amazon, Il Messaggero newspaper quoted the sources saying.

Cardinal Hummes reportedly asked Francis to consider ordaining so-called viri probati, married men of great faith, capable of ministering spiritually to the many remote communities in the Amazon where there is a shortage of priests, and evangelical Christians and pagan sects are displacing Catholicism. He has also suggested that the bishops attending the synod in 2019 on the Amazon, now being prepared in Rome, should consider ordaining women deacons as priests.

In an interview with Germany’s Die Zeit newspaper, the pontiff said “We must consider if viri probati is a possibility. Then we must determine what tasks they can perform, for example, in remote communities,” he said.

In the Amazon region, for instance, there is just one priest for every 10,000 Catholics.

I Can't believe this. Wooden staff for miracles? This is a deviation from the truth, I must say

Out of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Igbo have by far the worst politicians.
Among the different ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Igbo are without a doubt, one of the most remarkable. So remarkable, indeed, that some have even traced their ancestry to biblical Israel, as the far-flung descendants of Jacob, the Jewish patriarch.
Gad, Jacob’s seventh son, is said to have had three sons who settled in South-eastern Nigeria. These sons; Eri, Arodi and Areli, are believed to have fathered clans in Igbo-land and to have founded such Igbo towns as Aguleri, Arochukwu, Owerri and Umuleri.
Femi Aribisala
Igbo genius
Even the bitterest adversaries of the Igbo cannot but admit that, as a people, they are very resourceful and ingenious. Indeed, this has often been the cause of their envy and dislike by others. However, more enlightened non-Igbo Nigerians see this as a cause for celebration. While today, the centre-point of Nigeria’s manufacturing is situated in the Lagos/Ogun axis, there is no doubt that the real locomotive of Nigeria’s indigenous industrialization lies farther afield in Aba and in the mushrooming cottage-industries of the Igbo heartland.
In one of the paradoxes of Nigerian history, the terrible civil war provoked homespun industrialization in the South-East. Military blockade left the Igbo with little alternative than to be inventive in a hurry. While Nigeria as a nation failed woefully to harness this profitably after the war, it has nevertheless ensured that the Igbo are at the forefront of Nigeria’s economic development today.
Indeed, the way we disregard “made in Aba” today is the same way we disregarded “made in Japan” yesterday. For those of us who believe against the odds that Nigeria is the China of tomorrow, we equally recognize that the ingenuity of the Igbo is an indelible part of the actualization of that manifest destiny.
Hall of fame
The Igbo have been a great credit to Nigeria. They have given us a great number of our favourite sons, including international statesman Nnamdi Azikiwe; military leader Odumegwu Ojukwu; regional leader Michael Okpara; vice-president Alex Ekwueme; mathematical genius Chike Obi; literary icon Chinua Achebe; world-class economist Pius Okigbo; world boxing champion Dick Tiger; international statesman Emeka Anyaoku; and world-class artist Ben Enwonwu. Pemit me to include in this illustrious list even some of my very good Igbo friends: Pat Utomi, Ojo Madueke, Olisa Agbakoba, Joy Ogwu, and Stanley Macebuh.
Let us get one thing straight: Nigeria would be a much poorer country without the Igbo. Indeed, Nigeria would not be Nigeria without them. Can you imagine the Super Eagles without the Igbo? Not likely! Who can forget Nwankwo Kanu, Jay Jay Okocha and our very own Emmanuel Amuneke? Can you imagine Nollywood without the Igbo?
Impossible! Just think of Stella Damascus-Aboderin; Rita Dominic and Mike Ezuruonye. And then there are the diaspora Igbo who many are unaware are of Igbo descent, including concert singer and actor Paul Robeson; Oscar award-winner Forest Whitaker; mega-pastor T.D. Jakes; Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu; and BAFTA actor award-winner Chiwetel Ejiofor.
You may well wonder why I have found it necessary to present this small litany of Igbo who-is-who. I think it is important to emphasise how the Igbo have been very vital to the Nigerian project. They have more than represented Nigeria creditably in virtually all walks of life. This makes it all the more absurd that this same people have been consistently denied the position of executive president of the country in all but six months of Nigeria’s 54 year history.
Civil-war legacy
Of course, a major reason for this was the 1967-1970 civil-war which had the Igbo on the losing side. But that was over 40 years ago. If there is really to be “no victor, no vanquished” in anything more than mere rhetoric, then the rehabilitation of the Igbo back into post civil-war Nigeria will not be complete until an Igbo man finally becomes president of the country.
That imperative should be of interest to every Nigerian nationalist, committed to the creation of one Nigeria where everyone has a deep sense of belonging. The problem, however, is that the Igbo themselves seem to be their own worst enemies in this regard. They appear to be doing their very best to ensure that this inevitable eventuality continues to be denied and delayed.
The Igbo need to forgive Nigerians. No one who lived through the horrors that precipitated the secession of Biafra and led to the civil-war cannot but admit that the Igbo were abused and mal-treated in one of the worst pogroms ever. It was not just that they were senselessly massacred in their own country; it was that they were butchered. I remember vividly gory pictures of scores and scores of the Igbo with hands chopped up and with legs amputated. And then there were the ravages of the three-year civil-war itself, resulting in the death of millions of Igbo; many through starvation and attrition.
The end of the war brought no respite, as the Igbo were pauperized by fiscal decrees that wiped out their savings and their properties were blatantly sequestered by opportunists. All this is more than enough to destroy the spirit of any group of people.
But God has been on the side of the Igbo. It is a testament to their resilience that, in spite of this terrible affliction, they have survived, bounced back and have even triumphed in Nigeria. Forty years have now gone by. The Igbo may never forget what happened to them and, indeed, should never forget. But it is past time for them to forgive.
We are sorry
This is one voice in the Nigerian wilderness saying to the Igbo from the depth of his heart: we are sorry. We are sorry for the way we mistreated you. We are sorry for the way we abused you. We are sorry for starving your children to death. We are sorry for killing your loved ones. We are sorry for stealing your properties. We are sorry for making you feel unwanted in your own country. Please forgive us. It is time to forgive us. It is way past time for the Igbo to forgive Nigerians. We beg you in the name of God.
There was a civil war in the United States, but the defeated South rose from the ashes. Five of the last nine presidents of the United States have been from the South, including Jimmy Carter from Georgia, George Bush from Texas and Bill Clinton from Arkansas. The time is overdue for an Igbo president of Nigeria, but it is not going to happen as long as the Igbo continue to hold a grudge against Nigeria and Nigerians.
There is no question about it: the Ibos cannot elect a president of Nigeria on their own. To do so, they have to join forces with others. They have to form alliances with people from other parts of Nigeria. That is not going to happen as long as the Igbo continue to bear a grudge against practically everybody else.
The Igbo have a gripe against virtually all the people they need. They have this tendency to antagonise their possible alliance partners. They keep dredging up the past, refusing to let sleeping dogs lie. Until they drop these gripes, they are not likely to realise their dreams.
Demonising Yorubas.
For example, the Igbo have this tendency to demonise the Yorubas. It is alarming when reading the Vanguard blogs today to see the animosity often expressed between Igbo and Yoruba contributors. The hatred is most unhealthy. Insults are traded with abandon. What is the point of this? For how long will the Igbo demand emotional retribution from every Yoruba for the betrayal of Awolowo? Most of the contributors were not even born when the civil-war took place more than a generation ago.
There is now even transferred aggression against Babatunde Fashola, who made the blunder of repatriating some destitute Igbo from Lagos back to their home-states. The man has apologised for the infraction. He should be forgiven. Blunders are not the exclusive preserve of the non-Igbo. The Igbo have made more than a few themselves and will yet make others.
Paradoxically, the redemption of the Igbos to prominent national office moved apace under President Obasanjo; a Yoruba man. Recognising that Igbos are some of the most seasoned, competent and experienced public-servants, Obasanjo relied heavily on their expertise.
Thanks to him, we got Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at Finance, Charles Soludo at Central Bank, Obiageli Ezekwesili at Education, Ndidi Okereke at the Stock Exchange, and Dora Akunyili at NAFDAC. Indeed, Igbo statesmen came into more prominence under Obasanjo than did Yoruba statesmen. But for some strange reason, this does not seem to have succeeded in assuaging the ill-feeling of the Igbos toward the Yorubas.
Bad politicians
Within the framework of Nigerian politics, the Igbo also have a fundamental problem. Out of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Igbo have by far the worst politicians. They have no recognizable leaders, and have no discernible strategy as to how to negotiate power at the centre. As a result, the Igbo have tended to be short-changed at the federal level. Traditionally, the inconsequential ministries, such as the Ministry of Information, have been zoned to them.
The Igbo need to work out a plan that will take them to Aso Rock. First, they need to choose and groom a de-tribalised leader of the Azikiwe mould who can be sold to non-Igbos. Then, they need to give him undiluted support. At the moment the internal politics of the Igbo militates against this.
The Igbo seem to hate themselves as much as they hate others. They seem to fight themselves with as much venom as they fight others. Every potential Igbo leader seems to have more enemies within than without. This must not be allowed to continue.
The Igbo need to help themselves in order that their friends can help them. In this centenary of Nigeria’s amalgamation, as we embark on the arduous process of crafting our future through a National Conference, we salute the Igbo for their fortitude and implore them to stake their claim in Nigeria. Nigeria cannot survive without the Igbo



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/nigeria-cannot-survive-without-the-igbo-by-femi-aribisala/

University of Ilorin is the most sought after university in Nigeria

- University of Benin only came behind in 2012

The Joint admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the most sought after universities in Nigeria.

According to JAMB'S statistics, University of Ilorin had the highest number of admission applications for any university in Nigeria between 2012 and 2016.
Premium Times recently obtained figure of 10 most sought-after universities in Nigeria in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

However, details for 2015 and 2017 were not included.

The statistics shows university of Ilorin leading the way as admission seekers' favourite for three years.

University of Benin only came behind in 2012.

Consequently, in all four years covered, UNILORIN had 411,340 or 25.76 per cent total applications for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

UNIBEN came second with a total of 331,178 or 20.56 per cent applications.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, had third highest number of aggregate applications of 305,790 or 18.65 per cent.

University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and University of Lagos respectively held the fourth and fifth places.
Imo state University, Owerri, was the only state university that appeared on the ranking twice, that is 2012 and 2013.

Here are the tables below:

2012 UTME applications statistics by institution.

Top 9 institutions (universities)

why are you laughing?

The struggle for recognition by the Afonja family, whose great grandfather founded Ilorin before the Fulani hegemony led by Alimi, betrayed his trust and usurped political power has been on for generations. The descendants of the Yoruba 6th generalissimo, as represented by the Afonja Descendants Union (ADU), remain unrelenting. Sina Fadare, who recently visited Ganmo, the village where members of Afonja family sought refuge, when their projenitor was killed, reports that the people still nurse the hope of reclaiming what belongs to them.
THERE was agony in his voice, though very articulate and combustive. If there truly is anything called re-incarnation, Comrade Olola Kasum, President, Afonja Descendants Union (ADU), will surely come back to the same Afonja warrior family.
All his adult life has been that of struggle for the recognition of the Afonja dynasty in Ilorin, as founder of the land which was treacherously schemed away by the Fulani hegemony led by Alimi (Islamic scholars from Sokoto) from their fore fathers. Ever since then things have never remained the same.
Kasum however maintained that the recommendation of the Ekundayo panel of enquiry set up to put a lasting solution to the lingering crisis is the only panacea.
In the Beginning
Afonja was the 6th Are Onakakanfo of Yoruba land. He came from the Laderin, Pasin and Alugbin lineage, who were all warriors. The formidable warlord, who is a prince from his mother’s side immediately became an enemy of the king of Oyo Empire, Oba Aole.
Aole subtly wanted Afonja out of his way but did not know how to do it because Afonja was not only the Are- Onakakanfo, but very formidable and had a lot of fortification charms which made him fearful to his friends and foes. He therefore sent a war message to him to go and wage war against the people of IwereIle.
In Oyo Empire, the word of the Alaafin must be carried out to the letter by any Are-Ona kakanfo; anyone who disobeyed such an order usually had the message of his death brought to the Alaafin. Historically, Afonja could not attack the people of IwereIle because a curse had been placed on any Are-Ona Kankafo who dared attempt to attack the town by Alaafin Ajagbo who instituted the title. Incidentally, Iwere-ile was also the birth place of his mother and that of Alaafin Abiodun.
The army led by Afonja turned against Oba Aole and he was sent a calabash, which traditionally symbolised that he should commit suicide. He however refused and saw Afonja as a traitor. But before Oba Aole was killed, according to Rev. Samuel Johnson in his book ‘The History of Yoruba,’ he invoked the spirits of his fore-fathers and shot three magical arrows into the three tripod on which the kingdom was believed to stand. “My curse be on ye for your disloyalty and disobedience, so let your children disobey you. If you send them on errand, let them never return to bring you word again
“To all the points I shot my arrows will ye be carried as slaves. My curse will carry you to the sea and beyond the sea, slaves will rule over you and you their master will become slaves” he said.
Thereafter, the kingdom never knew peace.
Afonja returned to his home in Ilorin, where his friend Solagberu introduced him to an Islamic cleric known as Soliu, who later became Alimi, who had come from Sokoto. Alimi had become popular after he killed a mysterious snake that was swallowing children with the recitation of some Quranic prayer that produced thunder and eventually killed the snake.
Afonja was of the view that with such power, he would fortify himself against his enemy and therefore made Alimi his priest. Alimi, who was living on the outskirt of Ilorin at a village called Kuo, on becoming Afonja’s spiritualist, was invited to live in Ilorin by Afonja and he commanded all his Jamas to be under the care and control of Afonja who was equally fascinated with their war strategy.
When Afonja saw the bravery of these Jamas in their subsequent wars, he made the grave mistake of disbanding his own previous army to rely on the Jamas. History had it that this costly mistake eventually led to his death.
The treachery
Alimi quickly cashed in on the trust Afonja had in the Jamas to plot evil against him. After the war, the Jamas became uncontrollable and became a thorn in the flesh of the people they professed to be protecting.
At will, they looted, maimed, killed and confiscated cattle’s and livestock found in the town. The people ran to Afonja and complained bitterly that he should check the excesses of these Jamas but he took it with levity.
Afonja, who thought he was at the peak of his power, became naughty and sought no advice from his chiefs anymore. He refused to listen to his able lieutenants and nobody could talk to him, especially on the recklessness of the Jamas.
Afonja was power-drunk and started scolding his warrior kinsmen in favour of his friend, Alfa Soliu Janta’s jihadist army. Ironically, he never knew he was inching gradually towards his end through his obsession for political power. So he continued falling to the seductive bait being spewed by his visitors, who later not only ousted him from his home but also murdered him.
According to Johnson, “Fagbohun, the chief of Jabata alone had the courage to warn Afonja on the excesses of the Jamas by virtue of his office as the commander of the left wing of the Kakanfo army and he incurred his displeasure for his boldness.
“He fell indeed like a hero. So covered was he with darts that his body was supported in an erect position upon the shafts of spear and arrows showered upon him. So much dread had his personality inspired that these treacherous Jamas whom he had so often led to victory could not believe he was really dead; they continued to shower darts upon him long after he had ceased fighting. They were afraid to approach his body, as if he would suddenly spring up and shake himself for the conflict afresh.
However, Johnson emphasised that “The late Afonja was a native of Ilorin.” The city was built by his great grandfather, Laderin, whose posterity ruled in succession to the fourth generation. Laderin the founder was succeeded by Pasin, his son, a valiant chief, who opposed the renowned Gaha, when he was at the zenith of his glory.”
According to Comrade Olola Kasum, following the death of Afonja, his people ran away to re-settle at Ganmo, at a place called ‘Maaro’ river while their ancestral home, Idi Ape in Ilorin was rebuilt and exist till today.
Dimmed hope
As faith would have it, the semblance of what Afonja lost in the past came to reality when one of the great grandsons of Afonja, Mohammed Lawal became the governor of the state in 1999. Lawal took two fundamental steps that shook the state to its foundation. Firstly, he re-graded the traditional stool and the four prominent Yoruba chiefs in the state, Mogaji Are, Balogun Ajikobi, Balogun Gambari and Baba Isale were promoted to first class traditional rulers; a step which the Emir of Ilorin vehemently opposed, though he had no choice.
Lawal also set up a committee headed by Engr. Aliyu Idris to look into the agitation of more local governments in the state and based on its recommendation, a referendum followed. On June 29, 2002 the referendum vote produced 508,171- Yes and 4062 No. Against this backdrop, Lawal announced additional 18 local governments from the previous 16 local government Council.
The proposed 18 new local government councils are Cekpan, Guruten, Ifedapo, Ilorin Central, Ilorin North, Ilorin North West, Ilorin South Central, Ilorin, South East, Ilorin South, Ilorin West and Ilorin West Central. The others are Irewolede, Kajola, Maaro, Odo-Ogun, Offa North, Owode, Oyun, Tsaragi/Tsongo and Weru. Incidentally, Maaro a place that harboured the relics of Afonja was not left out of the largesse.
As a follow up to the exercise, the state governor, Alhaji Lawal, on Tuesday July 2, 2002 sent a bill to the State House of Assembly, seeking the amendment of the state’s local government law of 1999 to pave way for the creation of additional local government areas in the state. The governor said the presentation of the bill to the House was in line with section 8; sub-section 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
After a series of heated debate, on the issue, the House approved 17 of the proposed LGAs and ordered fresh and immediate referendum in eleven local government areas of the state.
However the joy of the people of the state and particularly the Afonja dynasty was short-lived. After the exit of Lawal in the 2003 election and Dr. Bukola Saraki became governor of the State, he over-turned the whole set-up.
On 19th September 2003, The Kwara State Government through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Victor Bisi Oloruntoba, at a Press Conference, touched the heart of Ilorin history. This was by the announcement of the dethronement of the incumbent Magaji Aare, Alhaji Busari Alabi Alasa, father to the immediate past governor of the state, Mohammed Alabi Lawal.
His words: “With the repeal of Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) Amendment Law 2003, the old law of 1930 on the appointment and Deposition of Chiefs applicable in all Northern States of Nigeria is thus still in force.”
Oloruntoba declared that, “It follows therefore that the mass grading and upgrading exercise of traditional chiefs carried out by the immediate past administration, which took effect from 2nd August 2002 and 13th March 2003 respectively, which were done without complying with the due process of law and without consultation with the Kwara State Council of Chiefs, are declared null and void. Therefore, all the chiefs affected by the last mass grading and upgrading exercise are reverted to the status quo and so also their salaries and entitlements.”
According to him, “In the light of the foregoing and in the interest of peace and tranquility in the state all the mass grading and upgrading exercise which took effect from 2nd August 2002 and 13th March 2003 are declared null and void.”
However, the Afonja Descendant Union (ADU) insisted that the dynasty has been agitating for what belongs to her in a legal and constitutional way since 1976 and will not relent on its efforts until justice is done.
According to him, ADU on the 10th of February 1976 petitioned the former Governor of the State, Late Col. Adetunji Taiwo, where it stated its own side of the story and demanded for justice. The Union demanded that “the present one-line ruling dynasty in Ilorin is not only a legalised injustice but a travesty of history.
“In the supreme interest of social justice, tribal harmony, political stability, peace and in the overall interest of one united Nigeria, we of the Afonja Descendant Union of Ilorin hereby repeat our earlier call upon your government to appoint a commission of inquiry to examine the justice and desirability of creating an alternative ruling house in Ilorin.”
It went further to state that “All we are asking for is that our house should be included in the ruling dynasty of Ilorin. This is a just and hereditary right because our forefathers were the unquestionable founders of Ilorin, having ruled to the fourth generation before the advent of the Fulani’s.”
Kasum pointed out that the fallout from their agitation gave birth to the Ekundayo Commission of Inquiry set up by the then government but unfortunately, the report of the committee did not see the light of day.
He emphasised that the government should re-visit the commission and make its recommendation available to the public, adding that this is the only panacea to the crisis on ground; otherwise the evil day has just been postponed.
Speaking in the same vein and with agony in his voice, the Imam of Yoruba in Ilorin Alh. Sheik Abdulraheem Aduranigba, who waxed a record on the secret of Ilorin, pointed out that history cannot be faulted, as it is glaring that the Yoruba who are in the majority in Ilorin through their progenitor Afonja, has been marginalised, but would soon rise again.
He lamented that the Fulani hegemony has done everything in their power not to accord the Yoruba who are the founder of Ilorin the legitimate right to be part of the ruling class in the chiefdom, noting that all the Yoruba traditional rulers within the so-called Ilorin emirate have been relegated to the background, which should not be.
“How can the owner of the land be treacherously relegated to the background and the Fulani minority immigrant suddenly become the ruler of the chiefdom.?” he queried

before you know it they might divorce. that's the life of celebrities. They are actors.They can sing about loving a man,just to leave when things go wrong. That's not love, because love abides

spartan07:


[color=#006600][/color]
DID YOU READ THE PORTION OF THE BIBLE WHERE THE ISRAELITES WERE BITTEN BY SNAKE IN THE WILDERNESS AND GOD COMMANDED MOSES TO MAKE AN IMAGE OF A SERPENT ON A POLE, THAT ANYONE WHO LOOKS UPON THE IMAGE WILL BE SAVED.

NOW MY QUESTIONS TO YOU ARE:
1. WHY WERE THEY BITTEN BY THE SERPENT
2. WHY DID GOD ASK THAT AN IMAGE BE MADE SINCE HE "FORBIDS IT", DOES THAT MEAN GOD IS CONTRADICTORY?
3. IS IT THE IMAGE THAT SAVED THEM FROM DIEING FROM THE SNAKE BITES?

IF YOU OR ANYONE ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS THEN I WILL ADDRESS YOUR IGNORANCE ON THE USE OF IMAGES BY CATHOLICS.

IN THE INTERIM PLEASE KNOW THAT CATHOLICS DON'T WORSHIP IMAGES

if you are a good bible reader later the Israelites started worshipping that molded serpent and God was angry with them.

Yoruba kind of Christianity.They marry both Christianity, paganism and any other religion. It's only that side that this can happen. These were not Christians or pastors.

gemale:

U r nt speaking d truth. U r twisting it. I'm nt saying dt deres no occurrence of sexuality perversion among priests & every priest is a saint. I'm saying dt d percentage is very little so its highly ignorant 2 generalize & condemn d entire lot because of d actions of a few bad eggs. Its obvious u hvnt even attended 1 mass in a Catholic church b4 because ur rant abt Knights sitting in front of church is a total lie. All d Catholic parishes I've bn 2 don't reserve seats 4 Knights & ladies. U occupy ur seat on 1st come, 1st serve basis. D only tym I've seen dem reserve front seats in any parish was 4 d elderly & handicapped. As 4 Knights being occultic, can u prove it? Or r u an occultic person dt u know ur fellow occult members? If dere r some, no doubt, dey do it under d cover of secrecy because if d church gets a wind of it, dey wld be instantly excommunicated. My uncle by marriage is a Knight of St mulumba & I hv neva seen him do anything remotely connected 2 occultism. Wt u r doing is bearing false witness & spreading rumours & aspersions when it's obvious u r bereft of facts.

friend, it's obvious you don't know what is happening.Sitting in front seat is figurative,meaning running things.Again,if someone is occultic you expect them to tell you.Try to go to the secret meetings of Knights.Yet again ,you don't know me to say I have never been to catholic because I say things that we fear to say. A person born in catholic, been to seminary is well enough to know what is happening there. I said even one Priest wanted to sleep with me. The other after interview started talking nonsense.Some of them travel in mufti to places that they are not known and turn to something else. I said the majority, not all.Some have good morals. Many were pushed into becoming priests by their parents. As one that wanted to sleep with my friend confessed. I didn't say he was a priest until my friend ransacked his room. this has been the problem in Rome. Many faithfuls have been discouraged. on Sundays I don't go to any church or denomination. Please don't try to defend what you don't know. Have you been a mass servant as a young boy. if you haven't, why are you so quick to counter what you don't know. this is probably my last post on this. Just confessing many secrets. Don't expect you to believe

gemale:

Dude u r really ignorant. U lack knowledge & u r astonishingly narrow-minded & bigoted. What concrete evidence can u tender 2 support ur claim dt majority of Catholics r gay? D fact dt u hv freedom of speech doesn't mean ur mouth shld run unchecked lyk d anus of a cholera patient. As 4 d pope visiting mosques & d dalai lama, dt is him being a true Christian after all didn't Jesus eat, drink & go in2 d house of sinners? U sound more lyk d hypocritical scribes & pharisees who saw demselves as more righteous dan odas. If u read d bible u profess 2 blv in well, u wldnt ask wt peace a Christian shld hv wt a non-Christian. Wasn't it written in 1 of St Paul's epistles dt we (as Christians) shld strive 2 live @ peace wt ALL men? As 4 ur last accusation, r u nw God dt knows who is sinful or nt? Did God delegate his judgment duties 2 u? So u know who's sinful or nt in all d denominations of Christianity? So u think dt by acting holy & nt wearing trouser or makeup, 1 is saved? Stop judging by appearances because appearances r deceitful. Only God knows d deepest content of a person's heart.

you have to read my posts very well. I didn't say the congregations are mainly gay's. I said the priests. I know you can die for catholic but you to know have start reasoning. I am not talking about trousers or stuff like that. if you see evil condemn reprove it. Some of these mushroom churches are into some things evil, if I condemn what they are doing you will say I am judging them. I can't because I belong to Catholic Church and not speak the truth. Don't think you are more catholic than others. Even in Vatican you see the issue of homosexuality in priesthood with boys and how the Pope has been apologizing on their behalf. Truth is bitter and hard. you have to pause and ask questions. I also said :
just for instance, the people that occupy the front seats are knights. Majorly occultic men. Pray for God to show you what I am saying. if he shows you,then you will know. for now you walk by sentiment. Have you gone to their meetings. How can God touch men that want to know him where the people in front are devilish. I know what I am telling you. Ask God deep questions and he will start answering you gradually, not from any man.

If we should go by your words you too are judging me because you said some rash things.