₦airaland Forum

Hmm

Check out this bizarre wedding photo.
See the couple dressed in white.
Not sure what to make of this but from the look
of things, it is totally inappropriate for a wedding
pose.
What will you do differently if this happen to be
your wedding day? Honest answers please

RadicallyBlunt:
Hope ur senses is not built on NL comments only.

lol not at all

Favour is deceptive, beauty is vain, but a woman that fears the Lord she shall be praised. Hop ur own relationship wasn't built on physical attraction only?

The bride price is the sum of money or quantity of goods given to the bride’s family by that of the groom in the Nigerian culture. Whereas some brides’ families demand for only money, some
demand for only goods, while some demand for
both. Some people believe the bride price shouldn’t cost a groom an arm and a leg, So is it right for a man to leave his fiancee because of hefty bride price?

More

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The Headies Award might have come and gone
but the Experience it left behind will forever be in
our Mind.
Nigerians will surely find a way to make
something look funny and even Interesting..
Olamide said something while on the Headies
stage and Nigerians are saying theirs…
See What they Are Saying below:-

rapmike:
this is infatuation not love...
real love will tell you her fauts and how to adjust to that or help her out of it while infatuation presents her as faultless.
true love will give both of you mental space to think about other things apart from him/her.
true love will tell u if he /she has bad mouth odour
true love will not give u heart attack....

I concur

@op stop being emotional cos u don't even know her yet you are saying u love. For me that's is not is just a fatal attraction

I raise my hands in prayer for you, any limitation or witchcraft decree or altar raised against your family, progress, marriage, breakthrough, happiness, success, favour, joy, health, work, career, future, peace and heart desires in 2016, God will destroy them all now. Wishing you a very happy and prosperous new year.

slimzypink:
simple...when u message him create an open conversation with him like him telling u how was his day..in turn he will ask u back

go on an on and on talking...

then lie ti him u feeling down..create a sad scenario blah blah blah!! he will start getting attached to u. trust me..

if it doesnt work tell him u like him daz all if it doesnt work give up

now I understand

Eminent Islamic scholar, Sheikh (Dr.) Ahmad
Abubakar Gumi has alleged that Islamic
Movement of Nigeria, the Shia Muslim sect led by
Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has been running a
parallel government in most parts of the north in
the last 40 years. Sheik Gumi spoke in Kaduna on
Tuesday, just as El-Zakzaky was arraigned at the
Chief Magistrate Court 1, Zaria Road, Kaduna and
charged with criminal conspiracy and inciting
public disturbances. Gumi said that ‘’the Shi’ites
have been embarking on military training and
producing cadets and soldiers,’’ adding that they
were ‘’operating a state within a state.’’
According to the Kaduna based eminent scholar,
‘’The Islamic Movement of Nigeria does not
recognise the corporate entity of Nigeria. The
group is not registered. They operate above the
law and they get direct foreign aid.’’ Gumi further
said that late President Umaru Yar’Adua had told
him of the massive importation of ammunition
and weapons to different parts of the country,
adding that the late president had mentioned Iran
as supplying arms to the Shiites. Sheik Gumi,
who is also a trained medical doctor, said that
the recent clash between Shiites and soldiers was
‘’a divine intervention to prevent us from a
catastrophe like that of Boko Haram. It came
sudden and powerful to eradicate and uproot any
plan that they must have been having to harm
the society.’’ Gumi said that he had written El-
Zakzaky about a year ago, warning him about the
dangers of blocking roads during the annual
Ar’baeen trek, where his follower travelled on foot
from all over the country to Zaria. He said that
blocking road is an abomination in Islam.
The scholar warned that the north will continue to
be under-developed if the twin evils of Shia and
Boko Haram are not eradicated, adding that ‘’the
strife and unnecessary blocking of roads and
shouting slogans on the way increases the
tension in the north.’’ Meanwhile, El-Zakzaky, who
was arraigned alongside some of followers by the
police, was however remanded in prison custody.
Contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer,
Olabisi Kolawole, said the Shi’ite leader was being
prosecuted for incitement and public disturbances
among other charges. She said: “The Shi’ite
leader has been arraigned in court where he was
charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting public
disturbances among others; he has been
remanded in prison custody and the case
adjourned.” The Shi’ite members had had a clash
with the Army about two weeks ago during which
about 20 persons were killed. El-Zakzaky was
subsequently taken into custody by the Army
before he was released to the police for
investigation. The Army had accused the Shi’ite
group of attempting to assassinate the Chief of
Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, but the Islamic
movement said the soldiers simply at



www.dailytimes.com.ng/shiites-training-soldiers-got-arms-sheik-gumi/

The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged that the proposed N1.84tn borrowing for the N6.08tn budget presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari has made the nation a borrowing country. It said that with this, the country was going the way of Greece. The National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, Chief Olisa Metuh, said this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. He explained that a breakdown of the N1.84tn showed that Nigeria would be borrowing N5bn a day for the next 365 days, starting from January 1, 2016, without corresponding provision for economic production and a clear repayment plan, a scenario he said spelled doom for the nation. Metuh said, “Some people may be wondering why we raised an alarm about the budget. The reason is simple. “When we analysed the budget, we discovered it is a misshapen attempt at a Keynesian economics of applying deficit spending to stimulate growth even when studies have proven that GDP growth rates decrease by over 50 per cent when debt goes from low or moderate to high. But then we know the borrowing here is to pay huge campaign debt and fund a political war chest. “By every standard, this budget is a booby trap against the nation. When you break down the proposed N1.84tn borrowing, you discover that it amounts to borrowing N5bn everyday for the 365 days in 2016. The questions are: for what specific projects are they borrowing N5bn per day and how do they intend to pay back? “The President should explain to Nigerians how they intend to pay back the loan. Is it by continuous borrowing to service the interests? And does he intend to accumulate a colossal debt for future generations of Nigerians? “The truth is that this administration cannot justify this proposal. There is no known economy in the world where you can justify borrowing N1.84tn without specific projects and precise repayment outline. “This is worse still in an oil-driven, mono-economy at a time crude oil is selling for $30 per barrel and is speculated to go down to about $20 or even lower in the next one year. The idea can only come when you diversify the economy and boost production capacity in manufacturing and other critical sectors, a direction, which the budget clearly failed to provide.” Metuh added that from all indicators, the borrowing would be negative, alleging that the President was driving the country towards the path of Greece. He said, “They are driving us to be like Greece, and to plunge us into an unnecessary debt. When the PDP took office in 1999, we achieved the cancellation of inherited debts. “This administration, in seeking to accumulate debts, should know that there is no possibility that any country in the world will give us debt cancellation anymore.” Metuh said he and members of his party were worried about what he described as the negative economic policies of the present administration and the copying of strategies that he said failed in other economies. He said, “Recall that we had earlier alerted on the negative consequences of the retrogressive foreign exchange controls wherein this government is making it impossible for honest Nigerians to engage in free trade and regulate their personal activities. “There seems to be the erroneous belief that the controls will create foreign exchange stability or strengthen the naira by limiting foreign currency outflows. “This policy had badly affected other countries in the recent past; including Argentina, whose new government had to reverse the policy to save the country’s economy. Why then are we copying a policy that failed in other countries?” Metuh added that in practice, the kind of control the Federal Government was implementing had been proven ineffective in preventing capital flight. He challenged the Federal Government to a public debate on the budget. But the Presidency has said the money that will be borrowed in the 2016 Budget is for capital projects. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, made the clarification in an interview with one of our correspondents. Shehu was reacting to a statement credited to the PDP that the proposed N1.84tn borrowing from the N6.08tn Budget as presented by Buhari had made Nigeria a borrowing nation. Shehu said the borrowings would not be spent on any recurrent expenditure. He added that the Budget Office was working on the figures and it would be made known to the public once job was concluded on the document. “The borrowings are for capital projects, they are not for recurrent expenditures like feeding, salaries among others,” the presidential spokesperson said.

www.punchng.com/buharis-budgetll-turn-nigeria-to-a-debtor-nation-pdp/

President Muhammadu Buhari will spend N18.1
billion in 2016 to run the State House, Nigeria’s
seat of power, an amount that is N11.5 billion
more than what his predecessor, Goodluck
Jonathan, spent in 2015.
The amount is also N5.9 billion more than what
Mr. Jonathan spent in 2014 on the State House,
details of the 2016 budget seen by PREMIUM
TIMES show.
Mr. Buhari will, however, reduce the cost of
feeding for the first and second families, when
compared to what the Jonathan administration
spent in previous years.
Mr. Buhari presented a N6.08 trillion budget to
the National Assembly last week, promising more
jobs, economic growth and a cut-down on
frivolous spending.
But details of the budget show that the State
House will cumulatively receive N18.1 billion in
2016.
In 2014, Mr. Jonathan spent N12.2 billion on the
State House, while in 2015, the government spent
N6.6 billion for the presidential office, amid
dwindling revenue occasioned by sliding oil
prices.
The costs cover the State House Headquarters,
the president’s office and the office of Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo.
They also cover the budgets of the State House
medical centre and the Lagos Liaison office.
One of the most outstanding State House
spending in 2016 will be the purchase of BMW
saloon cars at N3.63 billion. It is not clear yet
what purpose the cars would serve.
The state house budget also contains a repeat of
projects the Jonathan administration repeatedly
allocated funds for.
An example is the purchase of computers, which
has featured in budgets of previous government
each year.
In 2016, the State House will spend N27. 5 million
on computers, while N268.9 will finance computer
software acquisition.
Aso Rock will spend N764.7 million on
recreational activities.
The installation of electrical lighting and fittings,
which received substantial allocations in 2014 and
2015, will gulp N618.6 million next year.
The budgets are subject to the approval of the
National Assembly.
Presidential food
The president however proposed a reduction of
the feeding cost for State House in 2016.
If approved by the National Assembly, State
House will spend N445.5 million for all meal-
related expenses, a reduction from N542.86
million spent by Mr. Jonathan in 2014, and the
N526.17 million spent in 2015.
The meal bill includes the cost for the state
house headquarters, offices of the president and
Vice President Osinbajo.
Details of the proposed budget show that the
president would spend N114.97 million on food
stuff/catering materials supplies, as against
N16.68 million by his deputy during the year.
The vice president would also spend N7.55
million on refreshment & meals, and N2.49 million
on cooking gas/fuel costs.
The State House Headquarters will spend
N102.94 million on food stuff/catering materials
supplies; N104.744 million on refreshment/meals;
N89.17 million on purchase of canteen/kitchen
equipment and N6.95 million on cooking gas/fuel
cost.
Presidential feeding bill became a subject of
national attention in 2012 when PREMIUM TIMES
showed how Mr. Jonathan and Vice President
Namadi Sambo proposed to spend N993 million
for refreshments, catering services and purchase
of kitchen equipment.
That year, N477million was assigned for
foodstuffs and “catering materials supplies” for
the president’s office, while an additional N293
million was to provide “refreshment and meals”
for the president’s comfort at his home and
office.
An extra N45.4 million was earmarked to buy
canteen and kitchen equipment for the president’s
household, although similar purchases were made
the previous year.
That revelation aggravated public anger at the
time, and revved up resistance to government’s
plan, within the same period, to remove petrol
subsidy, and raise the pump price of petrol.
After the publication, the administration reduced
the budget by N147 million.
In 2013 and 2014, the government significantly
lowered the feeding bill with N717.3 million and
N542.8 million spent respectively for each year.
Total budget
2014
2015
2016
State House Headquarters
N8.739billion
N5.09billion
N11.9 billion
President’s operations
N2.995billion
N1.27billion
N1.89billion
Vice President’s operations
N461.726 million
N227 million
N321.8 million
Chief of Staff
N2.3 million
Chief Security Officer
N3.18million
Lagos Liaison Office
N126.7 million
State House Med. Centre
N3.87 billion
Total
N12.2 billion
N6.6 billion
N18.1 billion
Feeding
2014
2015
2016
Food Stuff / Catering Materials Supplies
N224.7 million
N189.39 million
N234.59 million
Cooking Gas/Fuel Cost
N13 million
N6.82 million
N9.44 million
Refreshment & Meals
N173.36 million
N92.6 million
N112.29 million
Purchase Of canteen / Kitchen Equipment
N131.8 million
N237.36 million
N89.17 million
Total
N542.86 million
N526.17 million
N445.49 million


www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/195903-buhari-to-spend-more-than-jonathan-on-presidential-villa-to-spend-less-on-food.html

The Nigerian Rapper shared this semi unclad photo of himself on Twitter and has received major backlash on Twitter.

Most people said they fall in love with people they hardly know please that's not love it's a fatal attraction

To all nairalander good nd best marriage is possible nd even common as long as u follow the guidelines that God laid down but many of us find it to do nd think marriage is a war. To all the people that are still single pls note don't be forced to enter any relationship maybe because you feel lonely. "loneliness is not the absence of affection, loneliness is absence of directions". To both guys nd ladies just retain ur healthy self esteem nd have good character and am assuring you someone that has almost the same life purpose nd direction will surely come ur path.

The House of Representatives said on Sunday
that the 2016 budget would require “thorough
overhauling” by the National Assembly to bring it
in tune with current economic realities.


It said it was unlikely that the N6.08tn budget
would return to President Muhammadu Buhari in
the same content and structure that it came to
the National Assembly.


Buhari had laid the estimates before a joint
session of the Senate and the House of
Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday last week,
amid tumbling prices of crude oil.


He had pegged the crude oil benchmark at $38
per barrel while actual price had dipped far below
the projected budget figure.
On Sunday, House Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor,
lent his voice to concerns on whether the budget
was implementable.


Ogor said the President should know that
whatever estimates he sent to the National
Assembly were “mere proposals”, which might not
stand eventually.
“What we have before us are mere proposals.
None is sacrosanct.
“That is why we are the legislature, which has the
power of appropriation.


“The proposals will be subjected to thorough
overhauling, taking into cognisance the current
economic realities of the country and our revenue
expectations from funding sources,” Ogor added.
Also speaking with The PUNCH , the Chairman,
House Committee on Media and Public Affairs,
Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, said he had heard
complaints about the crude oil benchmark, the
cuts in the allocations of the National Assembly
and the judiciary.


However, he clarified that the House had not
taken a position on any issue yet since members
were still observing the Christmas and New Year
break.
Namdas also stated that the breakdown of the
budget had not been made available to members;
hence, it would be difficult to say how they would
treat the proposals.


But, he confirmed that the budget would not be
returned to Buhari the way it came.
He added, “We don’t have the details or
breakdown as yet. The budget was laid and we
proceeded on break immediately.


“It is only when we resume in January that work
on the budget will start. It is hasty to say, yes,
we will increase this allocation or reduce that
one. No, I can’t say so now.
“But, one thing is certain, no budget ever returns
to the executive the way it came to the National
Assembly.”

www.punchng.com/well-overhaul-buharis-budget-say-reps/

I had always believed that beauty is one of the
major criteria men use to measure wife materials,
but that seems to be a bit far from the real deal!
Well, if not why are these extremely beauty
queens still dragging the single's lane with the
likes of me.


1. MUNACHI ABI; She is seen as most friendly and
soft spoken diva and was rumored pregnant some
months ago. Then, many people were so happy
for her and willing to know the lucky man as well
as when the wedding will come up, but sorry my
peeps from what I later gathered, Muna is not
even in a serious relationship ,let alone getting
pregnant or fixing royal wedding..
From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of my
fellow Amebos, we wish you well. We all know its
not easy, especially seeing your friend [Adaeze
Yobo}married with two kids. It is well you have a
good heart,a nice man will show face soon, Ok?


2. OMOWUNMI AKINNIFESI: She's stylish and a
designer lover any day. Always appearing
stunning on all red carpets. She killed it recently
at the last Lagos Fashion week in October rocking
a black and white strip by Nigerian designer Lanre
da silva.
People had felt that after she grabbed her
masters degree from the prestigious Kings college
London and became an ambassador for
environment in lagos state she would crown it all
with marriage but Wosai!
Her fans have even started to do a countdown for
her, hoping on the day she will announce her
wedding date. But no omowunmi moved on to
open her modeling agency and kept attending
more red carpet. Abi shey Omowunmi dey Shako
for the guys ? Sister please calm attend oh and
attend to them good guys.


3. SYLVIA NDUKA: Pretty and lovely Beauty, who
still maintained her colour became the Most
Beautiful Girl in 2011. Sylvia is controversial
amongst them all, she was rumored to be dating
billionaire Aliko Dangoke at a time and as you
know rumour don’t stay for long, the story later
went low. Sylva has a sweet life going on for her
as she's now in hair and beauty called SYLVA
GALLERY is doing well. But we want to hear when
the wedding bells will ring.


4. ANNA EBIERE BANNER: Hmmmmm! Baby sweety
queen with oyinbo colour. I just love almost
everything about Ms Banner, especially her
innocent face.
Anna did the unthinkable by getting pregnant
while schooling abroad. Its good that the father
of her baby accepted it but still don’t change the
fact that she's so young to join the league of
Celebrity single mothers of Nigeria.
The famous artiste who is the father of her baby
Flavour Na'bania,took up his responsibility till she
gave birth to her baby girl.
In fact Nigerians think she is the chosen BRIDE
for the Golibe crooner because she's younger than
her co- baby mama, but I don hear say oga
Flavour put her for pending too ooo! May be dem
get future arrangement sha or better still make
him free the babe joor.

Very often, this question has been asked by well-meaning Christians who are plagued by the torrents of appeal from churches for funds. Thrown into these appeals is the standard request to pay your tithes and offerings. Let me say from the very beginning that there is a distinct difference between giving to God and giving to "the church". Giving to God is a scriptural concept (Matt 22:21); Giving to "the church" could just be an emotional response to a well-orchestrated man-made appeal which is out of God's Will and God's Word. So it is important for us to study God's Word so that we are able to discern whether funds being solicited in a particular church are based on sound New Testament Scriptural principles. Prayer is the other means of helping to discern God's Will in a particular area of financial need (of such a church).


LAW OF FIRST MENTION
It is important when attempting to derive spiritual principles from the Bible on a particular subject to go back to the time it was first mentioned. When was "the tithe" first mentioned?
Gen 14:18-20
18 "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,
19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth".
20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
(NIV)
Verse 20 says Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. What is a tenth of everything?
Here we turn to The Living Bible for more clarification...
Gen 14:15-16
15 "He divided his men and attacked during the night from several directions, and pursued the fleeing army to Hobah, north of Damascus,
16 and recovered everything-- the loot that had been taken, his relative Lot, and all of Lot's possessions, including the women and other captives.
(TLB) Emphasis mine.
Gen 14:19
19 Then Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: "The blessing of the supreme God, Creator of heaven and earth, be upon you, Abram; and blessed be God, who has delivered your enemies over to you." Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the loot.
(TLB) Emphasis mine.
From the verses above, it is clear that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth or ten percent of all the loot that has been recovered (verses 16 and 19 above) not of all that Abraham possessed. See also Hebrews Chapter 7 verse 4.
This is important because the tithe is based on the increase, not the capital.
The next time we hear of the word "tithe" is in Bethel after Jacob had his famous dream of angels ascending to and descending from heaven.
Gen 28:22
22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth." (NIV)
Notice that Jacob promised a tenth of what God intends to give him not a tenth of what he already had (not much though at this point in time). So once again we find that tithing is based on increase not capital.


TITHING IN THE GOSPELS


In the following two Scriptures, Jesus commanded observance to tithing as part of the Mosaic Law (which he was under).
Matt 23:23
23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (NIV)
Luke 11:42
42 "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. (NIV)
Jesus said that it was not wrong to tithe the spices (which appear to be trifles to some) but that these teachers of the law and pharisees should also practice the other important matters OF THE LAW i.e. justice, mercy and faithfulness and the love of God. In the above context, Jesus implied that the pharisees were fastidious when it comes to tithing and other legal issues but they did not show the love of God in them. This, He defines as hypocrisy. Tithing to them is just an outward show of their self righteousness (see also Luke 18:12). Just as a reflection on this passage, if tithing was compulsory for the New Testament Christian, wouldn't it be a a sin if he forgets to tithe the "spices and herbs" or "flowers" he receives (as a gift)?

"TITHING" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH


What is mentioned in the Scriptures with reference to the New Testament church is now relevant to all christians of all denominations.


PRINCIPLE NUMBER ONE


Giving is proportionate to the degree that God blesses a person without an obligatory figure being mentioned.
1Cor 16:1-2
1 "Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do".
2 "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made". (NIV)


PRINCIPLE NUMBER TWO


Giving is from the heart.
In fact giving should be more appropriately termed free will offerings in the context of the New Testament Church for Paul commanded us to give as we purpose in our heart. If the amount is a fixed one, there will be no need to purpose in one's heart anymore!!
2Cor 9:7
7 "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver". (NKJ)
I repeat there is no curse for "NOT TITHING" in the New Testament church (as is often implied on sermons from Malachi 3:10-12).We should not go back to Melchizedek (where tithing was an example and may be taken as a guide-line) or the Mosaic law (where tithing was by compulsion.) Our Lord has fulfilled all the requirements of the Mosaic Law and taken the curse of (not obeying) the Law away from us (Galatians 3:13). The New Testament Christian should abide by the teachings of the Apostle Paul (which has superseded Moses' Law.)
Christians who insist on keeping the Law of Moses or part of it are under a curse!
Gal 3:10
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." (NIV)
So in summary, 'Giving' is a New Testament 'Church' Principle as opposed to tithing by Law (by compulsion.) Jesus clearly commanded (take note that it was not an option) that we have to give to God.
Matt 22:21
21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (NIV)
"What is God's" implies a fixed sum. But we must remember that Jesus made the above statement in the context of the Mosaic Law which was still existent in His Time. Further on in the epistles, the Apostle Paul qualifies this "giving" as "from the heart" and proportionate to the degree that one is blessed. He specifically spoke against "compulsion" (from sources outside). Manipulating a person to give (whether directly or indirectly) is a form of witchcraft.
2Cor 9:7
7 "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver".
(NIV) Emphasis mine
"What he has decided in his heart to give" clearly has to be some amount (not zero). It may be ten percent or more. Well, it may even be less, but give as the Holy Spirit directs your heart; NOT AS THE PASTOR DIRECTS YOU. This is the distinct difference between giving to God and giving to the church.

Answer: Working on Sunday is definitely not a sin. Working on Sunday is not prohibited in the Bible. The idea that Christians should not be working on Sunday comes from a misunderstanding of Old Testament Sabbath-keeping for the Israelites and its relation to Sunday worship for Christians. According to Exodus 20:8–11, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week on which the Israelites were to rest in remembrance that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day. “Keeping the Sabbath holy” was defined as not working on the Sabbath.

When God provided manna in the desert during the Exodus wanderings, He commanded that the manna was to be gathered for six days only with enough gathered on the sixth day to feed the people during the Sabbath rest. Gathering the manna was considered to be work, just as planting and harvesting was considered work. Exodus 31:14–16 and 35:2 prescribed death for anyone who worked on the Sabbath. Buying and selling on the Sabbath day was also considered a desecration of the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15–17). Clearly, keeping the Sabbath day “holy” required the cessation of all work for the Israelites.

The Sabbath day was established so the Israelites would rest from their labors, only to begin again after a one-day rest. Why, then, do Christians not have to observe the same law? The key to understanding this is to see that the various elements of the Sabbath symbolized the coming of the Messiah, who would fulfill the Law by providing a permanent—as opposed to a one-day—rest for His people. With the establishment of the Old Testament Law, the Jews were constantly “laboring” to make themselves acceptable to God. Their labors included trying to obey all the commandments of the ceremonial law, the temple law, and the sacrificial law. Of course, they couldn’t possibly keep all those laws, so God provided an array of sin offerings and sacrifices so they could come to Him for forgiveness and restore fellowship with Him, but only temporarily.

Just as they began their physical labors after a one-day rest, so, too, did they have to continue to offer sacrifices. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law “can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” But these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Jesus rested after performing the ultimate sacrifice—He ceased from His labor of atonement because there was nothing more to be done, ever. Because of what He did, we no longer have to “labor” in Law-keeping in order to be justified in the sight of God, and this includes the observance of the Sabbath. Jesus was sent so that we might rest in God and in what He has provided.

By saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), Jesus was restating the principle that the Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve man of his labors, just as Jesus came to relieve us of our attempting to achieve salvation by our works. We no longer rest for only one day, but forever cease our laboring to attain God’s favor. Jesus is our rest from works now, just as He is the door to heaven, where we will rest in Him forever. There is no other Sabbath rest besides Jesus. He alone satisfies the requirements of the Law, and He alone provides the sacrifice that atones for sin. He is God’s plan for us to cease from the labor of our own works.

In Colossians 2:16–17 the apostle Paul declares, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” We are no longer commanded to cease working on the Sabbath, nor is Sunday now the “Christian Sabbath.” Although many Christians prefer to take Sunday off and spend at least part of it in corporate worship, working on Sunday is not sin. Many Christians, such as doctors and nurses, have no choice but to work on Sunday and, as a society, we should be very grateful to them. But Christians who work on Sunday should do so with the understanding that worship is not limited to any one day of the week but is to be an ongoing part of their lives.

A drunk policeman, Stephen James, on Saturday
shot dead three male customers at a hotel in the
Ketu area of Lagos State.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that among the deceased
were twin brothers identified as Taiwo and
Kehinde Oyesunle and their friend known simply
as Jeje. The twins were the only children of their
mother.
The tragic incident; which happened outside the
premises of Paulson Hotel on Anibaba Street
around 4:20pm, threw the entire neighbourhood
and its environs into chaos with passers-by and
residents scampering in different directions.
According to eyewitnesses, trouble started when
the police sergeant with Force number 217884,
threatened to shoot customers if they failed to
buy him an alcoholic drink. The policeman, who
was said to be a habitual smoker of marijuana,
however, felt offended after the victims – Taiwo,
Kehinde and Jeje – cautioned him to comport
himself as an adult and a responsible policeman.
The eyewitnesses said the policeman ambushed
and killed the three young men, who were in their
early 30s, as they stepped outside the hotel
premises where they had gone to celebrate Jeje’s
birthday.
When the gravity of his act dawned on him, the
policeman reportedly shot himself in the chest.
A guest at the hotel, who witnessed the killings,
told SUNDAY PUNCH that the policeman had
boasted about wanting to kill people hours before
the incident happened.
The customer, who identified himself only as
Femi, said all efforts to pacify the policeman
proved abortive as he kept fomenting trouble and
harassing visitors with his gun all afternoon.
The Policeman
“I was in the bar when the policeman first came
in and threatened to shoot customers if they
failed to buy him drinks. He boasted that he felt
like killing someone today, but other customers
and I pleaded with him.
“When the three guys walked in and sat, he went
to them and threatened them too. But the guys
told him to calm down that they would take care
of him but he should comport himself as a
responsible police officer.
“Nobody knew he took offence with their
statement. The police officer shot the three guys
one after the other as they stepped outside the
hotel before killing himself. The whole thing
happened like a movie,” he said.
Another resident Ladipo Idowu told our
correspondents that the policeman was known to
foment trouble in the area.
He said James usually fired his gun
indiscriminately and the residents had warned the
hotel authorities to caution him but nothing was
done about it.
Another eyewitness, Dada Salawu, said, he was
passing by when he saw the policeman and the
three friends exchanging words. He said hardly
had he left the area when the policeman opened
fire on the victims.
A former girlfriend to one of the slain twins told
SUNDAY PUNCH that they were the only children
of their parents.
The lady, who was inconsolable as she spoke to
one of our correspondents, said the twins were
still mourning the death of their father who
passed away in June 2014 when their lives were
cut short.
Refusing to have her picture taken, she said, “I
called them very early on Saturday morning not
to go outside their compound after I dreamt of
seeing blood. I called them again at about
2:00pm to warn them. The twins, however,
decided to drive a vehicle a relation had just
bought at about 3:00pm. They drove to Paulson
Hotel.”
The Sports Utility Vehicle which the victims drove
was still parked in front of the hotel by the time
our correspondents left the scene.
An angry mob, which later gathered at the scene
of the tragedy, attempted to burn down the hotel
and destroy properties within its premises.
As irate youths threw bottles and stones at the
hotel, lodgers ran out of their rooms with their
luggage and fled the scene. As at the time of
filing this report, the hotel had been completely
deserted by staff and guests.
The youths also wanted to burn the corpse of the
policeman, but policemen, who later got to the
scene pleaded with them.
Policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer of
the Ketu Police Station arrived at the scene at
about 5.30 pm to carry the corpses away.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joe Offor,
confirmed the killings to our correspondents on
the telephone. However, he said he had not yet
received the full details of the incident.
DSP Joe Offor said, “The policeman was on duty
at that hotel. He was attached to Mopol 22, Ikeja.
He was drunk while on duty and he acted under
the influence of alcohol.”
Efforts to speak with the management of the
hotel on the incident proved abortive as it was
deserted as of 6.30pm when one of our
correspondents left the scene.
When one of our correspondents visited the home
of the twins at No. 3, Dairo Street, Ketu, a sea of
sympathisers were gathered, while friends of the
victims vowed to revenge the killing. The entire
neighbourhood was in tension with nearby hotels,
drinking joints and shops closing for business
earlier than usual.


www.punchng.com/lagos-policeman-kills-twin-brothers-their-friend-himself/

A suspected Boko Haram member has been
apprehended in a failed attempt to detonate an
explosive device in a crowded area.
Imam Imam, Media Aide to Governor Aminu
Tambuwal of Sokoto state today, 25th of
December, tweeted a photo of a suicide bomber
who was arrested in Gombe state.
Reports have it that the male suicide bomber in
the Billiri area of the state who disguised as a
woman was nabbed before he was able to
detonate a bomb attached to his body. The
suspect was malhandled by the angry mob before
he was handed over to security operatives for
investigative purposes.
Tragedy was averted as a major bloodshed would
have taken place barely 48 hours after the
honourable Minister of Information, Lai
Mohammed declared that the Federal Government
has won the war against Boko Haram insurgency
in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

www.news7ng.com/2015/12/see-the-face-of-the-suicide-bomber-nabbed-in-a-failed-attack-in-gombe-photo/

Worried youths from Ekiti state have described
their state governor, Ayodele Fayose as a social
disgrace to the common pride of the people of
the state due to his unwholesome behavior.
The youths, under the aegis of Ekiti Kete Youth
Forum, EKYF, said Ekiti State used to be known
for academic and moral values, even before its
creation and was endowed with professors of
local and international reputes, youths with
academic and moral backgrounds, but that it is
disheartening and regretting that the state has
lost its pride under Fayose.
EKYF, in a statement issued its Director of
Publicity, Tope Idowu condemned Fayose’s idea
of mocking the sensibility of Ekiti people,
especially the less educated by taking the
advantage of their status and celebrate poverty
for them like Christmas instead of eradicating it,
under the deceit of “Stomach infrastructure.”
“It is unheard of that Governor Fayose, instead of
facing serious governance, has rather become
common in the market as a seller of pepper,
meat, fish, palm oil and so on. An act which has
not only denigrated the highly esteemed office,
but also deceitful as it aims at distracting the
people from noticing his criminal tendencies
towards serious governance.
“Since Fayose resumed office as the Governor of
Ekiti on16 October, 2014, Ekiti has always been in
the news for wrong reasons, due to series of
shameful and uncultured acts being exhibited by
Mr. Fayose on a daily basis, as he has also
neglected his responsibility as a governor of a
state and unofficially assumed the responsibility
of the spokesperson of the opposition party
(People’s Democratic Party) in the country.
“We are not unaware of what can least be called
the highest level of irresponsibility on the part of
the Governor, the idea of importing Sex Workers
from Canada, South Africa and Ghana everyday
for all night-party in the government house and
these girls path everyday with thousands of U.S
dollars, while the workers go home every month
without being paid their due entitlements,” the
statement said.
“We also lament the high level of unemployment
of youths in Ekiti State, as it is most unfortunate
that Mr. Fayose has not created any meaningful
job opportunity for youths in the state since he
became the Governor. Rather, he derives pleasure
engaging them in immoralities and mobilize them
as praise singers and social media propagandists
by giving them peanuts, thus subjecting them to
financial slavery and moral relegation, while his
sons are flexing exotic cars which they bought
with the commonwealth of Ekiti people,” it stated.
The youths also condemned the inability of
Fayose to meet up with his obligations as the
governor by paying the arrears and the salaries of
the workers, even after getting bailout from the
federal government.
They said the fact that Ekiti State is only a civil
service, and that the civil servants were not being
duly paid and businesses not moving, “yet Mr.
Governor is less concerned about their welfare,
this has informed our strongly condemning his
idea of imposing heavy tax on the governed even
with their small scale businesses, the tipper
drivers and meat sellers who are struggling to
feed their families.
The group also said the recent act of
insubordination exhibited by the Governor in the
House of Assembly while presenting the 2016
budget, calls for serious condemning, as it was a
clear mockery of the legislature, which is a
reflection of his lack of regard and respect for the
legislative arm since he resumed office in 2014.
“After critical rumination over these reasons, we
are of great concern over the humiliation and
shame that the style of leadership of Mr. Ayodele
Fayose has brought upon the people of Ekiti
within his short time in office, we hereby pray
that as a matter of urgency, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission wades into the
financial situation of Ekiti State, and conducts a
financial auditing from the 16th October, 2014 till
present the present month, and asks questions on
how the fund Ekiti State government got from the
federal government as bailout was appropriated
or misappropriated.
“We also call on the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency to conduct a serious search
on the Mr. Fayose, and his personal business
associates. As we are not unaware that Mr.
Fayose most times acts under the influence of
hard substances (drugs) and his involvement in
illicit business transactions. We pray that quick
medical attention is granted to Mr. Fayose, as we
are of strong believe that he is psychologically
unstable, thus requires psychiatric attention,” they
said.



www.naijagists.com/ekiti-kete-youth-forum-ekyf-urges-efcc-to-probe-fayose-over-looting-of-fund-calls-him-a-disgrace/

The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said that state-owned refineries would make direct payments into the federation account from 2016. The refineries are subsidiaries of the NNPC, which is the body expected to make the payments. However, according to a report by The Cable, Kachikwu said the NNPC was adopting a plan that would give the refineries some sort of autonomy, without privatising them. In a statement by Ohi Alegbe, the corporation’s spokesperson, Kachikwu was quoted as saying high level discussions were underway with local and international investors to bridge funding gap in the sector. Kachikwu said, “The new model is that refineries would now buy their own crude oil, refine it and make remittances to the federation account allocation committee. “They would operate a semi autonomy system that would enable them to run in a profitable manner.” The statement expressed the federal government’s readiness to raise funds from international investors and the private sector in 2016 to fund the joint venture cash calls between the NNPC and international oil companies operating in the country. Kachikwu said the initiative was geared towards preventing the government from bearing the burden of funding capital intensive projects in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. The minister assured that the NNPC’s over 5000 km of pipelines across the country would be privatised in order to enhance efficient management of the infrastructure and bring pipeline vandalism to the barest minimum. According to him, in another 24 months, Nigerians would see a positive change in the refinery model, to meet needs not only in Nigeria but in the West African sub region. Speaking on the December deadline for the refineries, Kachikwu said the reports before him showed that, two of the refineries were likely to meet the deadline.


www.punchng.com/refineries-to-pay-into-federation-account-from-2016-kachikwu/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday
expressed his administration’s readiness to put
machinery in place to persuade the Boko Haram
sect that has been unleashing violence in some
parts of the country to embrace peace.
.

Buhari made the promise while playing host to a
delegation of residents of the Federal Capital
Territory which included the President of the
Senate, Bukola Saraki, who paid him Christmas
homage in his official residence at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.


The promise came less than 24 hours after the
President claimed that the Federal Government
has “technically won the war” against the sect.
In an interview with the BBC, Buhari had claimed
that the militant group could no longer mount
“conventional attacks” against security forces or
population centres, adding that the militant group
had been reduced to fighting with improvised
explosives devices and remained a force only in
its heartland of Borno State.


But the President said on Friday that he would
use government institutions to persuade members
of the sect to allow peace to reign.
He, however, did not disclose the nature which
the persuasion would take and those who would
be involved.


“On Boko Haram, this government is determined
to make sure that we persuade them if they can
be persuaded, we will use government institutions
to persuade them to allow peace to reign,” he
said.


The President stressed the need for all Nigerians
to come together and pull the country out of the
problems that it has found itself.
He said while everybody in the world believes that
Nigeria is a lucky country because of its natural
resources, the country’s problem remains how to
organise its citizens and how to get the right
leadership in place.


He recalled that from the analysis of the All
Progressives Congress during campaign, the party
discovered that the country’s three biggest
problems are security, unemployment of youths
as well as bribery and corruption.
He noted that while the youth make up 65 per
cent of the country’s population, 65 per cent of
them are unemployed.


Buhari reiterated his position that there could not
be any development without security.
He said, “We appreciate that the security agencies
are doing their best and their best is showing and
we have to continue praying for them. There can
be no development without security; we have to
continue to pray for them.


“We have two million people who are Internally
Displaced Persons and 70 per cent are women
and 70 per cent of them are children, some of
them are orphans; they grew up not knowing their
parents, tradition or culture.


“As leaders, we have a weighty responsibility to
ensure that infrastructure for the orphans are
taken care of.
“As leaders, we wake with the feeling for those
children; the most important thing is that they
must not be denied education. Schools must be
rebuilt. We also thank Danjuma and the G7 led by
the United States. They have been doing their
best to help Nigeria train our military.”


Earlier, the Minister of the Federal Capital
Territory, Muhammadu Bello, who led the
delegation consisting of Christian and Islamic
leaders told the President that they were at the
Presidential Villa to wish him a merry Christmas.
Bello observed that the celebration of the birth of
Jesus Christ coming a day after the celebration
of the birth of Prophet Muhammed was a unique
message to adherents of the two religions to live
in peace.


www.punchng.com/well-persuade-boko-haram-to-embrace-peace-says-buhari-2/

She posted the photo few minutes ago with the caption, ‘My Little Christmas Teddy Bear’. So cute

Hmmmm

"Nigeria is broke, we find it difficult to pay salaries - Buhari admits ( Friday, October 30, 2015)"

" The Senate on Sunday, December 13, confirmed
that it ordered some cars, SUV cars that would
gulp N4.7bn. The plan to buy the cars came months after the legislators were given car allowance. A senator said they were given N8m each for the purchase of cars in August."




Yet workers that are working are yet to receive salaries. Indeed Nigeria is broke. SMH!

The Leader of Biafra Independent Movement
(BIM) Chief Raph Uwazuruike has said that
ethnicity and tribalism still dictate the affairs
of Nigeria indicating that the country is not
yet a nation.


Uwazuruike, who delivered an address titled:
‘Anti-graft war: Why Ethnic Sentiments Will
Always Frustrate Government’s Efforts,’ to
mark the end of 2015 BIM security meeting at
Mgbago, Umueri in Anambra East Local
Council yesterday, decried the level of
corruption ‘in high places of government’ and
regretted that “Nigeria is the only country in
the world where leadership offered political
leaders the best opportunity to steal public
funds and go scot-free”.


According to Uwazuruike, Nigerian politicians
are mere pretenders who are ready to die for
one Nigeria because of the opportunity the
country offers them to steal from public
coffers and “not because Nigeria holds any
bright future for their children and children’s
children.”


While predicting that Nigeria will continue to
have problems because of persistent failure of
her leaders to tell the masses the truth and
because none of the leaders sees himself as a
Nigerian first, he said: “Nigerians see
themselves as Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo,
Kataf, Tivs, Ijaws. That is why the Yoruba
sentiment will always protect their own sons
who looted Nigerian treasury. That is also why
the Arewa sentiment will do the same for any
Hausa/Fulani leader who starched away
public money; and that is why the Igbo
sentiment viewed a call to probe any of their
own kinsmen who stole Nigerian money as a
witch-hunt.”


In a statement issued by the national deputy
director of Information for BIM, Mazi Chris
Mocha, Uwazuruike said Nigerian leaders
“are pretending that all is well with Nigeria
when indeed the country is burning” and
emphasised that, in Biafra, everything about
corruption would be eliminated.


According to him, “Nigerian leaders have
always pretended to have a nation, when
actually they have been fumbling and
wobbling since independence in 1960, and
recall that before independence we had
Sabongeri quarters in the North where non-
northerners, mostly people from Eastern
Nigeria lived. Also in the West, one could
easily see people of northern region in
isolated spots, insisting that forcing such
angry and desperate people who felt being
cheated to live together as one people is trying
to mix water and oil.


“That was why we had the pogrom and the
wickedness with which it was carried out.
“That was also reason why we had the July
29, 1966 coup with the hatred behind its ugly
execution and that was why we had the
Biafra – Nigeria civil war with the bitterness
with which the war was fought”.


He lamented that Eastern Nigerians had been
the most tragic victims of religious crises in
Nigeria and there is no end in sight just as
“they had been as our people had been
massacred in pogrom, felled in a coup,
decimated in a war even as our women had
been raped by lepers in the northern region
of Nigeria”.


www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/12/nigeria-not-yet-a-nation-says-uwazuruike/

Hmmm