₦airaland Forum

APC, PDP and Others

By: Deji Yesufu

Sunday, 7th October 2018, was a historic day in Nigeria with the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential flag bearer for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), following a Presidential primaries that saw Atiku trouncing the likes of Aminu Tambuwal, Bukola Saraki and others. It is historic for Atiku because he has been pursuing a presidential ambition since 1992. This, apparently, would be his best shot at the presidency.

The news of Atiku’s emergence as Presidential flag bearer for a party like the PDP is news because the PDP is a party that had been in power in Nigeria for 16 years. Apparently the people of this country were not impressed with their manner of governance, especially in the time of Goodluck Jonathan, and they saw to it that the party was removed. The PDP has since reinvented itself and has come forward with a candidate in the Turaki of Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar.

My commentary today would not be on the process that produced Atiku but on the fact that as Nigeria approaches the 2019 elections there are only three political parties on ground. They are the All Progressive Congress (APC), which is the ruling party; the PDP, which is the leading opposition in the country; and others. These other parties would number no less than 90 political parties and that is the issue that I wish to discuss here today.

For six months, I was involved in the political movement of Omoyele Sowore: the #TakeItBack movement. That movement has since metamorphosed to a political party called the AAC: African Action Congress. Before I joined the movement, I had written an article that was widely circulated titled: “Why Sowore, Durotoye and Others Would not be President”: https://mouthpiece.com.ng/why-durotoye-sowore-and-others-will-not-be-president/. In the article, I stated that the reason why they would not win is that they lack political structures around the country; and not because they are not competent to govern. I counselled that they should work at building coalition to unseat the leading parties in the nation today.

When the PACT (Presidential Aspirants Coming Together) was born, I was overjoyed. Unfortunately it failed and all the individuals that had come together to coalesce as young people with energy and ideas, dispersed and nothing came out of it. Today each of these folks are running alone and hoping to rule a vast country like Nigeria, while they cannot succeed at producing a united front among themselves. With the failure of PACT, my trust in a youth presidency was dashed and I think the same happened to other people also.

Let me make it very clear to those who may wish to criticize some of us as being fickle and not committing to a course: the fact remains that formidable institutions that would take over systems and wrest power from oppressors, are built over time and never over night. The APC got to power after years of being in the opposition, while at the same time holding power in a number of States in the country. But they would not even get to the federal level until they entered into necessary coalition with others. This was their only way of wresting power from the PDP.

Today, the PDP is equally an established political entity. They were in government for 16 years. They have State Governors. They have people in the National Assembly. In other words they have political structures all around the country, built in time for the purpose of winning elections – regardless of the kind of person they put forward.

So, it does not matter whatever jargon we are throwing around. We may call ourselves youths, progressives, energetic, etc; if we do not get down into the painful work of building political structures around the country, we would not win elections.

The likes of Sowore, Moghalu, Durotoye, Ezekwesili and others have done very well in coming forward to run for Presidency. But it is not enough. They must work at a coalition between themselves that would produce political structures which will give them state governors, Senators, Federal House Reps, etc. These are the folks that would form the political base on which they would ride on to become President. If they are not ready to do this, they would not be President. And, personally, I do not have the time and energy to waste on fruitless ventures.

The elections at Ekiti and Osun State have shown to us that there are essentially three political parties in this country: APC, PDP and others. In each of those states, the combined number of votes received by the “others” did not equal anything that either the APC or the PDP received. So what are we talking about?

Politics is not child’s play. Those who want to rule a people must count the cost before jumping into the political fray. While many complain that Nigerian politics has been weighed down with money, we should also realize that there is nowhere in the world where money is not spent for politicking. If you don’t have money to run your campaign, please don not run for office!

And besides money, there is also the essential need for political structures to be on ground. Those who complain about not having money for their campaigns should understand that where there are political structures, the resources to run the structures at the Ward, Local Government, and State levels would be provided by the people there themselves. There would already be a gentleman agreement that when the party wins the elections, the people who provided the resources at all of those levels would be compensated with political offices.

Let all the Presidential aspirants go to the 2019 polls and let us see what they would all bring out of the elections. The next time there would be a PACT, everyone would be coming with their number of votes to the table. In fact there would be some people who would not be able to come to the table at all because their number of votes would be abysmally low. At that point, all those who seek a pact would put their numbers together and discover whether or not they can take power from the people ruling us today. If all the votes they can muster cannot reach 10 million, they should realize that a pact is not practical and that what is really practical would be to join existing political parties and work themselves up the ladder within those parties.

Until then, this country has only three political parties: APC, PDP, and others.

Deji Yesufu is the author of the book Victor Banjo. He can be reached on newdejix@gmail.com

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/apc-pdp-and-others/

CC: Seun, Lalasticlala

INEC, Prepare for Runoff Elections

By: Deji Yesufu

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is presently the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It is the commission that organizes elections in Nigeria. He succeeded the celebrated Prof. Atthahiru Jega, who presided over the 2015 general elections, that saw the defeating of an incumbent in the history of elections in Nigeria and saw the electing to office of Muhammadu Buhari.

A few weeks ago the INEC Chair granted an interview to Edmund Obilo and there he remarked that INEC was not prepared to organize runoff elections if it ever were to happens in Nigeria. He however said with the changes made to the electoral laws by the National Asssembly, the country was better prepared to handle runoff even though it would cost us a lot more money.

A runoff election is a type of election that follows the main election when a clear winner does not emerge. In a runoff, only the two leading presidential candidates would square up in the second round of voting in the country. In Nigeria, a person can only be said to have won an election if he wins at least 25% majority in two-third of the states in the country. Nigeria has 36 states and one Federal Capital City: Abuja. A person can only become President of Nigeria if he wins 24 of these states. As it stands, and as I hope to argue in this essay, no one would win majority in 24 states of Nigeria in the coming elections in 2019.

The last time Nigeria had something close to a runoff was the 1979 elections. Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) won majority in 12 states of the 19 states in the nation. Two-third of 19 is clearly not 12. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his close runner-up, took the case up till the Supreme Court but the court ruled in favor of Shagari.

Today, the leading contender for the 2019 elections is Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent President of the country. Buhari has a cult following in northern Nigeria and he is very likely to come away with majority of the votes in that part of the country. But other factors stand against him even in Northern Nigeria.

The leading contender against Buhari is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Buhari government and their lacklustre performance has spurred up a sea of persons who are pursuing after his job. In the PDP, the leading contender is Alhaji Kwakwanso, a former Governor of Kano State; who himself has a cult following in that state. If Buhari were to run against Kwakwanso, he would be loosing majority of the almost two million votes that he poles from Kano State and that would spell doom for his ambition.

If Alhaji Atiku Abubakar were to win the PDP ticket, he is likely to corner votes in the North Eastern parts of Nigeria; which also will not augur well with Buhari. If the PDP works together to produce a candidate and they all support that candidate, they would give Buhari a run for his money in the 2019 elections.

In the south-west, there is a general apathy against the Buhari government. Save for a few folks, most other people would vote anything but Muhammadu Buhari. And from the south-west has arisen a plethora of young Turks, who believe that the leadership of Nigeria belongs to the youths. The efforts of the likes of Omoyele Sowore and Fela Durotoye cannot be discountenanced with. These boys are building a following in the states of the South West. The best Buhari can get from the South West would remain some 30% of the votes.

Buhari would loose the South-east and the South-south. Whoever is able to get the remaining votes from these places where Buhari is clearly unpopular, would tag along the President as a close second in the election. Thereby bringing the nation to witness its first runoff in history.

One final reason why one candidate cannot win 25% majority in 24 states of the country is because of the emerging of a plethora of political parties in the country. At the last count, Nigeria had no less than 90 political parties. Most of them would present presidential candidates for election and these candidates have the likelihood of splitting up the voting numbers in the country.

This is why INEC must be ready for a runoff and going by the language of the INEC chair, the commission is not prepared for one. It is likely to cost the country two times the cost of organising one election. Thus, based on cost alone, INEC would prefer that one candidate wins. But the indices on ground do not suggest this.

If a runoff were therefore to occur in the country, I see the incumbent President defeated at the polls. It is quite simple: Buhari would lead at the presidential polls but he would not win because he would not have at least 25% majority in 24 states of the country. He would have a close contender who would go up and square up with him at the runoff elections.

Then the remaining number of folks who had voted for other candidates would join hands, and most of them would vote against Buhari. Thus leading to another defeat of an incumbent in the 2019 elections.

Nigerians are simply asking for good governance and the Buhari government has not given anything close to it. Most of those who voted for Buhari in 2015 did so not because they considered him competent but they were voting against Jonathan. Buhari has not faired better as President and the electorate are gunning to return the favor they granted him in 2015 by voting him out in 2019.

Source: http://mouthpiece.com.ng/inec-prepare-for-runoff-elections/

CC:Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Dino the Son of Melaye: Dino 1:1-10

by Kola Oyekan Collins

And it came to pass on that day when Dino the son of Melaye was going to the King's court and his adversaries saw him and said unto themselves,

Is this not Dino the son of Melaye? Let us pursue him so that we may take him into hiding.

And they pursued Dino the son of Melaye and caught up with him along Kogite road.

And immediately, the spirit of the lord descended on Dino the son of Melaye and he out ran his adversaries

And the spirit took him on top of a tree and he became invisible to his adversaries and the spirit of the lord led him back to his abode

And his people rejoice saying the lord has done a great thing.

CC: Seun, Lalasticlala

The following comment by Dr. Okey Ndibe on the killings in Jos and Nigeria's loss at the World Cup are probably the most solemn but aptly portrays the situation in the Nigerian nation presently. He wrote on Facebook:

"It strikes me as vulgar to discuss football misfortunes in a country where hundreds of humans are slaughtered as if they were inferior to cattle. One feels nothing but shame—even a sense of relief that football will no longer distract us from facing an untenable plague on Nigerian humanity."

CC: Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The #TakeBackNigerian Movement

By: Deji Yesufu

As Nigeria celebrates another Democracy Day today, it might be appropriate to talk about an emerging youth movement in this nation’s political sphere. It is the “Take Back Nigeria” (TBN) movement.

This movement is the political ideology of Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Saharareporters online news media. It is a movement that is announcing Sowore’s intentions to run for the Presidency of the Nigerian nation come 2019. The TBN movement is youth based and it is running through the nation at lightning speed.

The general consensus among Nigerian youths is that of anger, apathy and general hopelessness towards the future of this country. Nigerian youths observed how this country was pulled out of the grip of military rule. We saw how military men took up civilian toga and continued to rule this nation under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for sixteen years.

Then Nigerian youths took their destiny in their hands and joined forces with Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, removing an incumbent government and hoping that true change would come to the polity. The moment Buhari elected ministers who were clearly men from the old guard, it became clear to some of us that this government had only come to maintain the status quo. And the testimony of this government so far has been that there has not been any significant difference between it and those of Goodluck Jonathan.

Thus the youths of this nation have risen up and taken their destiny in their hands.

In an unprecedented manner, Omoyele Sowore has been touring the Nigerian nation and the world at large, meeting young Nigerians and selling his vision for a new Nigerian nation to them. The turn out to meet him at every one of these town hall meetings has been mind boggling. One common denominator in all these meetings is that youths, in and out of this country, want genuine change and they are ready to entrust the leadership of this nation in Sowore’s hands.

In Oyo town, which Sowore visited a few days ago, the turn out was simply astonishing. Sowore was to begin the town hall meeting at 3:00pm. He drove into the town at about 1:50pm and went straight to see the Alaafin of Oyo. The Alaafin had a long and fruitful discussion with Sowore and his team. The Alaafin said that he was in full support of youthful leadership in this country. He said that the founders of the Nigerian nation were youths in the days when they sought for independent rule and when they began to rule this country. He then wondered how come these same youths have been set aside today and the nation is being run by men who should be in their retirement.

Sowore could not leave the Alaafin presence until 4:15pm. Yet when he entered the Atiba hall for the town hall meeting at about half past four, the hall was jam packed with youths still waiting to meet with one who has promised to liberate them from the hands of neo-colonizers.

The “Take Back Nigeria” movement has come to stay. In a few weeks time, the movement would be metamorphosing into a political party, as Sowore officially declares the platform on which he shall be running as President.

The ideology behind the TBN is that Nigerian youths want their country back. We are tired of spent men ruling us in this nation.

The other day, someone remarked that Sowore had just arrived the nation and was already heading to Oyo town by road for a town hall meeting. He wondered at his of energy. I made him to understand that this is the difference between a youth leader and a geriatric one. Youths are designed by God to work. Old people should understandably be in their retirement home or nursing homes.

Another person remarked that Muritala Muhammed was referred to as being quick at his work. Do we remember that Muritala was in his late 30s when he took over leadership of this nation? Do we wonder why everything seem to be at “go-slow” in this country?

The need to join the TBN movement is very apparent to many. If you have not seen it, it is hoped that it would not be too late for you to join the band wagon.

Omoyele Sowore is a face of genuine change in this country. May Nigeria succeed.

CC: Seun, Lalasticlala

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1641531119256425&id=1505609702848568

Why Buhari Should not be President in 2019

by Deji Yesufu

Yesterday, 9th April 2018, the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, officially made his intention to seek re-election known to the Nigerian public. His body language had betrayed this position since December 2017 but the President had said nothing until yesterday.

Let us get it right from the onset that the Nigerian President has the constitutional right to run for Presidency for the second time. The trouble however is not with his right to run but on whether or not the he has earned this right. In this essay, I shall be stating various reason why Muhammadu Buhari should not be re-elected. As he exercises his right to run for presidency, my hope is that Nigerians would equally exercise their right not to vote for him.

To begin with I must state quite frankly that Muhammadu Buhari has not done the minimum to merit re-election. When ordinary Nigerian trooped out in 2015 to vote en-masse for Buhari, defying the odds and voting out an incumbent, they did not do it so that the status quo can continue. After close to three years in power, the Muhammadu Buhari government has not done any thing significantly different from what the government before them did. They have simply maintained the status quo and in some quarters, things have gotten worse.

This presidency promised Nigerians a lean government; they promised that corruption will be dealt a death blow; they promised us security; they promised social welfare for the weak, poor, old, sick and elderly; in short, the Buhari government promised Nigerian good governance. What any honest observer of this government has seen in the past three years is not good governance but lame governance.

While the President’s integrity and good intention is obvious to many Nigerians, it is clear to us today that integrity is not enough to run a government. The team that Buhari set up to work for him have simply not delivered. There is not one minister in all of Buhari’s cabinet that can be said to be exceptional. Allegations of corruption within his government is rampant and the President appears totally unable to curtail it. So that no matter how many people this government brings out on a list of alleged corrupt persons, Nigerians are not fazed.

The worst part of all these is that many men and women who supported Buhari to power in 2015 have today withdrawn their support. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had, in a widely publicized letter, made it clear that the President should not seek a second term in office. The President’s running mate in the 2011 elections, Pastor Tunde Bakare, himself has warned against the President running for re-election. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), led by the indefatigable Balarabe Musa, have also lent their voice to the President not running.

Besides the fact that the Buhari government has not earned for itself a right to run for re-election, the President is himself not fit to rule Nigeria for another four year. Muhammadu Buhari, when he was elected in 2015, confessed to Nigerians that he could not rule Nigeria in the same manner that he did in 1984 because he was a lot older. Is it not clearer to the President now that he is a lot older now than 2015? Does he not realize that he would be doing a lot lesser than he did in 2015?

At the moment when the President is informing Nigerians that he wishes to seek re-election, he is again preparing for a trip to the United Kingdom. A lot of people have said that this trip is another medical trip, just as he has taken twice now in his first term in office. This time we are not sure when he would be returning. Whether we wish to admit it or not, the Nigerian President is old and he is not totally fit health wise to govern a nation of 180 million people. This is another reason why this President should not seek re-election.

Muhammadu Buhari, obviously because of his age and health, has not shown a firm grip of his government. Too many times, agencies of government have appeared contradictory in public. There have been times when security agencies have themselves clashed in public. Not to talk of the numerous gaffes and mistakes of this government, like receiving an award from a fake Martin Luther King foundation. Regardless of the gaffes, no one is penalized and the government just continues as if nothing has happened. In the process embarrassing the country among the league of nations.

Recently supporters of this government were asked on Twitter to enumerate just one thing this government has achieved since coming to power and no one has been able to do so. Even security that appeared to have been this government main success story at the beginning of the administration, is fast eroding away. Boko Haram continues to run riot in the North East and the rampaging Fulani Herdsmen seem undeterred in their quest to wipe out whole communities in the country. Nigerians are as insecure in their homes today as they were in 2015.

For those who may wish to ask why anyone would say the Presidency should not run for re-election, I would answer by saying that some of us have earned the right to say some thing like this to him – with all due respect. When Buhari sought to be President in 2015, I used my defunct blog, www.yesufu..com, to write numerous articles, campaigning actively for him. While the “Sai Buhari” mantra was indeed a popular one, my writing were even more purposeful. I targeted the Christian community in Nigeria, convincing them that a Buhari presidency would do much better than Jonathan.

Others may use this opportunity to castigate us and say that we brought an incompetent government on Nigerians. But in response, we would to tell such persons that the victory of 2015 was not necessarily a victory for Buhari but a victory of the people over the powers that be. The then incumbent government deployed all available arsenal to perpetuate itself in government but the will of the people prevailed. Money failed Jonathan and the desire of the people to see better governance won the day.

Therefore as we approach another election year, the same drive that the people possessed in removing an incumbent, no matter how impossible it seemed then, is still available. This is what we told President Buhari when he came to power in 2015. We said if he would not deliver, we would gather ourselves again as a people and vote him out. At the moment, we are about to keep our promise.

The beauty of an article like this is the playing out of modern democratic processes even in our nation Nigeria. Prior to 1999, Nigeria was ruled for many years by the military. Our democracy was interrupted over and over again. Thankfully in 2007, there was a successfully transfer of power from civilian to civilian rule. That was the second major democratic victory this nation experienced after returning to civil rule in 1999.

In 2015, there was a removal of an incumbent civilian government. With a functional electoral process and the blessed at heart, Prof. Athahiru Jega, who ensured that he would not be blackmailed by the discredited ranting of Elder Godsday Orubebe, Nigerian saw the transfer of power from one party to another in a civilian government. This was our third major success since returning to civil rule

In 2019, Nigeria stands to effect a fourth major democratic success. It would be the removal of an incumbent government; to be replaced by a government of the people by the people.

These are the writing on the wall in Nigeria and those who have eyes to read should interpret the message to others. These are reasons why I say Muhammadu Buhari should not and cannot be President in 2019.

Source:

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/why-buhari-should-not-be-president-in-2019/

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1594762370599967&id=1505609702848568

Seun, Lalasticlala

Without making front page, this thread has gathered 15k views. It would be nice that the management of Nairaland recognize that Sowore is the leading news maker in Nigeria this moment. Not BBNaija. These are the things that will bring our national progress.

Why has Nairaland not placed this video in their front page?

Tolu Ogunlesi: Combating the Heat of Social Media

by Deji Yesufu

The social media exploded this evening with varied opinions on how Tolu Ogunlesi, one of President Buhari’s social media assistants, responded to attacks on President Buhari picture with Naomi Campbell. Some Nigerian Twitter users had insinuated that the President was in some amorous relationship Ms. Campbell. In reaction Mr. Ogunlesi responds in anger. Vanguard online reports it thus:

@toluogunlesi said: “Naomi Campbell met Nelson Mandela more than once. He hugged her, called her his “honorary granddaughter”. She visits Nigeria for a fashion festival and meets President @MBuhari, and some of you animals are slandering her.

“YOU’RE RAVING MAD WITH NOBODY TO TELL YOU.”

He also further clarified his tweet with:

“I’d like to clarify. I would NEVER describe/think of Nigerians, or those who disagree with me, as ‘animals’. My comment is specific to those who thought it appropriate to denigrate/“slander” Naomi Campbell. Tweet should have been worded clearer & less provocatively. Lesson learnt “

Thankfully, Mr. Ogunlesi has since apologized for his calling Nigerians “animals” and has in the process better qualified what he meant.

The fact of the matter is that the social media has changed our world completely. In the past, the print media used to be a dreaded entity. Politicians and other persons will pay anything and do anything to be portrayed right in the eyes of the media. Today, the print media has divided up into a million pieces with the advent of the social media.

Along with this comes the heat and not a few prominent personalities have experienced this heat. It was the heat of social media that drove Goodluck Jonathan and his wife out of Aso Rock, even though they contested 2015 elections as incumbent. When Buhari ventured into Aso Rock and social media pundits reached him, his senior media assistant, Femi Adesina, described them as “collective children of anger.”

Even the world wide revered Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, also came under social media attack when he decided to leave the USA in protest of Trump’s presidency. Very few things shake Wole Soyinka; but from his responses to the social media attack, it was obvious that even Soyinka was not left out of the heat.

So when Tolu Ogunlesi described social media users as animals, for some of us it is completely understandable.

Someone asked me how I handle literary attacks on my person. I made him to understand that my articles that generate the most reactions are normally attacks on particular persons or institutions. So if in reaction I am attacked, I just take it in its stride.

But I also have my limits. In fact, one day I will publish the list of the people I have blocked off my Facebook list and declare amnesty to them as long as they promise to behave themselves. The fact is this: these people are not a few.

My dealing at social media did not start with Facebook. It started on Nairaland. On that forum, it is deadly. People hide under an anonymous names and attack you, shred you into pieces and you cannot delete or block them. You just keep quiet.

It was there I learnt to take my hurts to God in prayers and find healing. It was there I learnt not to respond when I am angry. And it was there I learnt to apologize when I also make gaffes of attacks on people.

With social media our world has changed. Those who do not make any comment or post anything here are the safest. But where there is little giving, you get little back. Those of us who pour out views here on social media have seen our views reformed over and over again, so that today when we write, we write with a finesse. This is the product of years of heat: debates, enduring insults and thinking through thesis to make valid responses.

We have been the better off in the process. Tolu Ogunlesi will get better at his job.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1583899811686223&id=1505609702848568

Seun, Lalasticlala

The Prosperity Gospel and Me

by Deji Yesufu

Yesterday, good Friday, I took time off to attend to some private business.

I was at the home of a long time friend. My friend had invited me to his home to talk to me about my criticism of Pentecostal pastors on social media. He spoke sincerely and lovingly for me to cut it down. I listened to him and I told him I would consider it.

Back home now, and having again encountered the attached picture making the rounds on social media, I realize that I must make certain things clear to my friend and to all those who think there is something wrong with me for daring to criticize Pentecostal pastors and their ostentatious living, stemming from their false gospel.

The attached picture has Bill Gates, his wife Melinda, and some poor children in a neighbourhood, I believe in Nigeria, as they walk to church (so the source of the picture said). Contrast that picture with those of Ayo Oritsejafor and his wife in church, and as they sat on their royal thrones in their cathedral.

Gates, a non professor of God, has recently criticized the Nigerian government for its lacklustre attitude at attending to matters that pertain to the poor. Oritsejafor and friends have dined and wined with the most corrupt governments in Nigeria since 1999. They are never known to speak against any government policy, except those that threaten their fiefdoms.

Listen...

The 16th Century reformation bequeathed a tradition to all of Christendom: they challenged everyone to go to the Bible and find their religion from God’s revelation to us. The reformers ensured everyone had a Bible to read.

As the centuries passed since then, and the Bible was available to all men, Satan struck again. This time rather than deprive people of the Bible, it introduced the greatest attack on the Bible: poor interpretation or poor hermeneutics. So that with the same scriptures, Christians of varying denominations will offer varied interpretation. And churches remain divided.

But...

God’s word never changes. Jesus said in Matthew 7: by their fruits, you will know them. So, assuming we all come out with our various interpretation of the Bible: the reformed Christianity saying this and the Pentecostals saying that, Jesus is saying: you will know who is right by what they end up doing.

So, look at the attached picture and tell me there is something not fundamental wrong with it.

In the late 1960s and early 70s, controversy hit the University of Ibadan Chapel of The Resurrection, the assembly I attend today. A new breed of young Nigerian men came to church and began to teach the Pentecostal experiences they had imbibed on their trips around the world.

The white missionaries in the church then, many of them lecturers with the university, warned against these experiences and pointed the people back to the Bible. They will not listen. The Charismatics won the debate and up till today, there remains a deep preference for Pentecostalism in that assembly.

But this is where I am going:

After close to fifty years of Pentecostalism invading the University of Ibadan, their fruits are obvious for all to see.

We now have mighty ministers, pastoring mighty churches with large congregation but men who have very little voice to influence a country in the right direction. Many of these men have no reputation again as they have often been reproached by scandals after scandals.

Today, our country is deeply religious with no fruit to show for it.

I do not need a soothsayer to tell me that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way and manner Pentecostals interpret their Bible. There are no Christ honoring fruits proceeding from their lives and the lives of their followers. There are no role models among their pastors.

I have two young children and I would do everything within my power to keep them away from their evil influences.

Are all Pentecostals evil?

I have been warned over and over not to throw away the baby with the birth water. Let me say this in response: in the Pentecostal/Prosperity churches, there is no baby in the birth water. And if there ever was one, it has long been suffocated and it is dead! The whole movement should be discarded.

I do agree that not every person in this movement is evil; just as God will always have his elect in every sphere of life.

But I particularly warn against Pentecostalism because of its increasing popularity and pervasive influence on our young people.

So, beware.

As for criticizing known pastors on social media, sorry friends, I am not sure I am about to cut down on it. I would be betraying all that I know and be doing great disservice to my Lord and Savior if I keep quiet at a time like this.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1582945891781615&id=1505609702848568

Seun, Lalasticlala

Towards a Productive Nigerian Nation

by Deji Yesufu

I met Rotimi Odewale via discussions on Nairaland religion section. In the years 2013/14 I spent most of my free time on that section of Nairaland debating various religious themes. Odewale and myself agreed on most religious issues that were raised. So when I discovered that he lives in Ibadan, I found time to visit his home in Ring-road.

As we discussed, I learnt that Odewale ran his own business from the comfort of his home. He builds refrigerators of every kind and sells to people. I listened to him as he explained to me the blessing of being productive – building something from almost nothing and earning good money while doing it. In the process of doing this, Odewale employs artisans that help in the work and they all earn something too.

Odewale made me to understand that his criticism of the Nigerian religious class, especially the Pastors, stems from his experience at his work. He finds it extremely difficult to respect a Pastor who does practically nothing but sits down in his office expecting members to give him tithes, offerings, firstfruits and other “prophet offerings”; while the whole world is running on a productive mind-set.

Odewale argues that the example these Pastors are setting for their flock is this: you can do religion and do nothing, while you grow stupendously rich. My encounter with Odewale led me to write an article “Predators and Producers”.

It was in that article I first deduced the thesis that Nigeria’s greatest enemies are her politicians and pastors – especially those of the Pentecostal/Charismatic sect. In this essay, I want to build upon the thoughts I expressed in that article some three years ago.

I do not consider buying and selling a truly productive venture. I have not said that those who buy and sell do not earn legitimate profit. I am saying that there is more to buying and selling as far as being productive is concerned.

Modern society thrives on a productive sector. This is the sector in a country with men and women who can build something practically out of nothing and sell that thing and make money.

Many times exporting the same product to other nations – this is the success story of Japan, China and other Asian tiger nations. It is how the United States of America became a super power and it is the reason that country remains the richest country in the world.

Take for example Microsoft and Apple. Bill Gates made his money from building and selling Microsoft operating systems and software. Apple made their money from building operating systems on computers.

If we think these are too far fetched, let us consider our local farmers here in Nigeria. They plant a crop and they reap a harvest. They sell their harvest and they make a profit. That is being productive. Reaping a harvest of crops from the planting of just one seedling of plant is practically getting something out of almost nothing.

Many times productivity will require that people spend hours thinking through a business model that can help people solve problems. At the close of the day, these people birth something that is intrinsically original and that can help so many people solve their problems.

Consider the case of Seun Osewa, the founder of Nairaland.com. The story goes that Seun was at his desk for months and even years, building websites that would catch the attention of Nigerians. Today, Nairaland is one the leading websites in Africa. It solves the problem of interaction between Nigerian all over the world – concerning varied topics. You go to Nairaland, paste a topic and people come there and their opinions. The website is not run by Seun primarily but by the people who go there to air their views. People run Nairaland and Seun earns the money.

But Nairaland did not come from heaven; it required that someone thought through the process of providing solution to a problem. The problem is that the world is a community and people wish to air their opinions from the comfort of their homes anonymously. Seun simply provided that avenue for them. Today, Seun is considered one of the few under 40 year old millionaires in this country.

The foremost secret to productivity is good thinking. This is why one of the best things parents can give their students is a good education. And not just any education but a productive education.

A few day ago, I was invited by the Proprietors of the American Christian Academy at Onireke, Ibadan, to be a judge in their children’s day on science, technology and creativity. On that day, from the nursery section of the school to grade 12, the highest class in the high school section, students displayed their inventions and creativity.

What I got off my visit to that school was that children, when given the right education and environment, can invent something out of nothing. I was the judge in grade 9, equivalent of JSS2, and I could not believe the things these children were doing.

They built things that were cost effective but very useful. One group built an application that could help other children learn easily. Another group built a water supply alarm – that will notify you that your tank was full. The latter used materials that were not up to N500.

To join the league of productive nations, Nigerians do not need to compete with the outside world. We are a developing nation and it is in an environment like this that productive minds sell the most. All we need are thinking persons that would provide simple solution based entities to solve our numerous problems and the producers of these things will just sit back and smile to the bank.

I have long joined the league of producers in this nation, as I trust God that by the end of April, the hard copies my book on the late Lt. Col. Victor Banjo would have been published. This book tells a true but tragic story of a Nigerian military officer killed in the Nigerian Civil War fifty years ago.

His story was first told by his elder sister, Prof. Mrs. Ogunsheye, in her book on him in 2001. To mark the fortieth anniversary of his death, his daughter, Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun, published the letters Banjo wrote to his wife while in detention, in the “Gift of Sequins”, in 2008. My book is marking the 50th anniversary of his death.

I think the reason why Banjo’s story is not well known and better appreciated by the reading public in this country is because the two books written on him have been monopolized by publishers to make profit at all cost.

My book is self published; it is written in a way to tell Banjo’s story at little or no cost to people. I have particularly written it in such a way that secondary school students will find it a rich source of Nigerian history, especially an aspect of the civil war. Now, here is where productivity and profit come in.

If, by God’s grace, the Ogun State government (where Victor Banjo hailed from), or any other state government in Nigeria agrees to it, they can make my book recommended reading for their students. This way, and by just sitting down and writing, I will make money as an author; the publishers will make money; the marketers will make profit; advertisers will make money; and students and all readers will be better informed of our history.

In this piece, I have simply suggested a practical means of how one can produce something out of nothing, in such a way that that thing solves a problem for the society; and in return, brings legitimate earning to the producers.

If we have a good number of Nigerians, especially our young people, being productive in this manner, Nigeria will be entering a new era of wealth.

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/towards-a-productive-nigerian-nation/

Seun, Lalasticlala

budaatum:
Thanks for for VBCampaign. The Jews were very adept at studying the Torah in this way, and in my opinion, it is the form of studying (believers might say, 'worship'), that has made them the formidable group of people that they are.

I myself studied the Gospel according to Luke in this same manner - "discussions, debates and questions on the text", with "everyone at liberty to speak" - and while it did not make me a believer, I learnt quite a lot from the study such that I felt like I went with a fishhead and came away with a whole fish and a loaf of bread.

I went on a study of the Quran and have been in a book reading club that ran on the same format and both have been of immense benefit. There's is no better way to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is within everyone, as opposed to it only being in the one telling everyone what to believe.

It is incidentally a common format used for learning at uni too incidentally.

The church, you may need to know is The Chapel of The Resurrection, University of Ibadan.

Nigerians and Our Inability to Listen

by Deji Yesufu

I teach Bible Study at church every Sunday and therefore I should be at the preparatory class that is held at church on Thursday evenings. I must say that since joining this group, my understanding of Christian fellowship has blossomed. I wish to state here that those who kick against going to church, in their campaign against pastors and churches, are doing their souls great evil. There is a blessing when Christians sit and discuss, especially when such discussions centre on the Bible.

The Bible Study preparatory class is for two hours. Our coordinator ensures that at most 90 minutes of that time is dedicated to discussions, debates and questions on the text. Everyone is at liberty to speak. We have people in their 80s and we have young students in their early 20s. It is such a blessing.

We have been studying the book of Exodus at church Bible Study. We had looked at Exodus 25, where God began to speak to Moses in a lengthy discuss that will not end until chapter 31. A brother then pointed us to the fact of Moses listening throughout as God reeled out instructions on the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and other issues. He then asked: have we ever wondered at how difficult it is to listen? He said that it is easier to talk than to listen to others.

Then another brother made a point. He said that during his trip to South Africa he discovered that about the first lessons Nigerians learn is the ability to listen. He said that usually when you see a loud and boisterous fellow in public, that person is very likely a Nigerian and it is possible he just arrived. He said with time, Nigerians realize that they are not as smart as they think. That the people who are not talking, have chosen not to talk, not for want of what to say but because they have learnt to listen to others.

For a person like me that is naturally sanguine in nature, that was very instructive.

There is a blessing in listening to others. At the close of the day, one learns a great deal listening than rattling off all that one knows. And if one were to speak, the wisdom gathered by listening to others will inform the wisdom in the words that one will finally speak with.

So, listen...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1579634075446130&id=1505609702848568

Seun, Lalasticlala

Other thoughts on the Dapchi Girls:

Random Thoughts on the Dapchi Girls’ Release

by Deji Yesufu

This Sunday, in “The Evangel”, my column with www.mouthpiece.com.ng, I shall be extolling the faith of Liya Shaburu, the Christian girl that was not released along with the other girls this past Wednesday by the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists group. I pray that the government’s promise to ensure she gains her freedom is kept.

Having said that, I must say that the commentaries that I am reading about the Dapchi girls’ release is quite unbelievable; to say the least, it is shocking. It seem to me that many people cannot separate their hatred for Muhammadu Buhari from issues that concern our national good. It is unfortunate that persons like the discredited Femi Fani Kayode and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will use such a time like this to score cheap political points.

Regardless of how this situation is interpreted, even the most naive person will conclude that the Buhari administration has handled the Dapchi situation better than Jonathan did with Chibok. If the release of these girls reveals further the ineptitude and irresponsible nature of the former government, people should have the decency of either admitting such a fact or keeping their mouths shut.

So, let us all agree that our girls, everyone of them (except for Liya) are back. Let us rejoice in this fact and let us trace the way forward.

For me, the way forward is to ask ourselves as a nation: how do we forestall a reoccurrence? There are hundreds of communities in Yobe and Borno states that can easily be ransacked by insurgents and whose young people, particularly girls, can be carted away. The debate should focus on how we can get the militrary to provide more security to these communities. Prevention is indeed better than cure.

The second thing we should be considering is this: how much more funding does the Nigerian government wish to continue to provide insurgents through these sorts of forced blackmail that they enact through kidnap cases and so on? If it is true that the Nigerian government gave Boko Haram $20M to secure the release of these young ladies, has anyone thought of what such an amount will do for these insurgents and their works? Each dollar given to them gives their organization greater strength.

If we can forestall reoccurrence of this sort of situation, then our military can focus on the business of finally routing these animals from the shores of our land and this country can return to peace, prosperity and progress again.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1575500099192861&id=1505609702848568

Liya Sharubu: The Dapchi Girl Not Released

by Deji Yesufu

At 7:45am on the 21st of March 2018, a Wednesday, strange vehicles drove into a Northern town called Dapchi, in Yobe State, Nigeria. Dapchi had recently come into global reckoning due to the abduction of 110 girls from the town by members of the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram, operating in the north eastern parts of Nigeria.

The vehicles that came into Dapchi this Wednesday morning had 105 of the abducted girls and one boy. The girls reported that a number of them had died, while they were being taken away to the terrorists hide out. One of the returned girls, Khadijat Grema, told journalists that a certain Liya Sharubu was the only one of the girls that had not been returned.

Grema says that Liya Sharubu had refused to put on the hijab that the terrorists had insisted for all the girls to wear. She had also adamantly refused to profess the Muslim faith as her abductors were pressing upon her to do. The terrorists had warned Liya that the consequences of refusing to profess Islam would be that she would not be returned with others to her home.

In spite of this threat, Liya stood her grounds. When Liya’s mother was informed of her daughter’s defiant behavior in the terrorists’ camp, it is reported that she fainted.

This article today is dedicated to the bravery and faith of the 106th Dapchi girl: Liya Sharubu.

I grew up in northern Nigeria. The first religious crisis I witnessed in Zaria, where we lived, was in 1987. I witnessed religious crisis that left churches that we attended burnt to the ground, I saw people displaced from their homes and I heard of many people who paid the ultimate price for their faith in Christ.

For this reason, I understood that there was a depth of Christianity that Christians in northern Nigeria professed that was uncommon to those in southern Nigeria where there was little or not threat to their profession of religion.

However, in spite of witnessing crisis in northern Nigeria and even coming to faith in Christ in that part of the country, I am still not sure that I would not have denied Christ if I ever was confronted with an option that called me to deny Christ for my freedom while I lived in the north. This thought is what leads me to appreciate more the faith that Liya’s is displaying at the moment in the den of one of the world’s most dreaded terrorist groups.

Many questions come to my mind over why Liya would not momentarily profess Islam to at least get out of these terrorists’ den and gain her freedom and then return to practising her faith. Who taught Liya the kind of Christian faith that she practices – a faith that is clearly not nominal, a faith that can stand the heat of threat to life?

What does Liya believe about Jesus that will not even make her deny her Master for a few moment? Does this sort of faith still exist in Nigeria today?

While a whole lot of reactions have followed the release of the Dapchi 105, very few people are talking about this lone girl that has stood her ground in the midst of a daunting challenge. Very few commentaries are being made on her courage. Clearly, some people would regard her as a fool for not taking advantage of an offer because of a certain fanatical stance.

Regardless of what people may say and regardless of what happens to Liya, I wish to state here that Liya Sharubu has become a hero to me.

As we celebrate the return of the Dapchi girls, let the Christian churches remember that there is a Christian girl in the den of lions. Let us pray to our God, the same God who saved Daniel from the den of hungry lions, to save Liya. Let us pray the God of heaven to strengthen her faith further in Christ by the Holy Spirit; that she would not relent in her profession of the living Christ. And let us pray that her witness to Jesus Christ, will come as a testimony to the terrorists holding her and that by God’s mercies, these men may consider the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as their God also.

May Liya be saved.

May the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be praised.

May God deliver our nation Nigeria from terrorism.

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/liya-sharubu-the-dapchi-girl-not-released/

CC: Seun, Lalasticlala

OkCornel:
Mbok...how do I download it?

Please help a brother out...

Go to https://definingdeception.com/about-us/

The book is available for sales only for now.

Defining Deception

by Mark Ruel

(This is a review of the book “Defining Deception” written by Costi Hinn, Benny Hinn’s Nephew, and Anthony Woods)

This is a bold book. It is a personally revealing and transparent book. It is a humble and sensitive book [see the Preface – “The Heart of the Authors”] It is a book that will make lots of people uncomfortable. I’m sure many people are angry about this book. It’s a book that will make many people stop and think about the music they listen to and the teachers they repost on Facebook and Twitter, and what they are actually teaching and promoting about the charismatic work of the Holy Spirit in healings, tongues, spiritual experiences, and prosperity. [Think “Word of Faith” and “Name it Claim It…” God wants me to have a car, I just have to speak it into existence and receive it with thanksgiving. A la Osteen and Copeland…]

Therefore, this is also a colossally important book at a very important time.

I have been looking forward to reading Defining Deception, since I stumbled upon the news of it’s upcoming release on the Twitter.

As a Pastor, one of the hardest parts of my “job” is to gently, yet clearly, identify false teaching and as a result have hard conversations with people about it. One of the worst parts of my “job” is the painful untangling of years of false teaching and helping sort through the spiritual corrosion that bad theology leaves behind in it’s wake. It shipwrecks faith, undermines marriages and relationships, and spreads like the flu on social media.
For this reasons and more, I’m very thankful for this book.

I was also surprised by the focus of this book. I was thinking with someone like Costi Hinn, nephew of infamously famous false teacher, Benny Hinn, that it would focus primarily on him. Indeed some time is spent on Uncle Benny – but Costi and Wood also present a balanced, comprehensive, and historical survey of the Pentecostal and New Apostolic Reformation landscape. To say the conclusions are terrifying would be an understatement.

Nearly 1/3 of the book is devoted to a history of Pentecostalism and it was well worth the history lesson to see the twisted theology of the forefathers of these modern movements.

However, one of the most noteworthy modern movements is Bethel Church, Bill Johnson, and their band Jesus Culture. Now, I get it. JC is a ridiculously talented group of musicians. Years ago, when I first heard “Your Love Never Fails,” I didn’t stop playing it for about a month. I even did it in church at a worship night. [I simply couldn’t wait to capo my Telecaster and chug it up.] The lyrics [at that time] didn’t have any red flags. But then I discovered the theology of the ministry at large and needless to say, I stopped listening and never lead that song again. Yet, so many simply don’t know. Yet, I didn’t know the scope and depth of the heresy. This book will help.

The authors spend a chapter identifying legit doctrinal errors in Johnson’s teaching with [jaw-dropping] quotes from his book that fly in the face of orthodox Christianity and are in direct contradiction to the Word of God. There are too many errors to list here, but this isn’t little stuff, this is HUGE stuff. Not squabbling over eschatology, but like the deity of Christ and the authority of Scripture over and above our experience. As the authors so clearly put – “A regenerated life surrendered to the Holy Spirit will always point back to Scripture for faith, theology, and practice. Christianity has held this truth for 2,000 years, and no self-professed modern-day apostle or prophet should lead us away from this foundational truth.” [105]

The book closes with a very helpful appendix section with an honest and personal testimony from Costi, amongst scores of others who have had their eyes opened to the purity and power of the true Word of God centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Another appendixes include a helpful FAQ section, clear teaching on what Scripture actually says about speaking tongues, being slain in the spirit and healings.

In this current spiritual milieu with so many voices, I’m very thankful for this helpful, clear, and strong voice crying out for a return to God’s truth in His Word. Our experiences and feelings cannot drive the bus, our hearts will lead us astray. This book defines that deception and it needs to be read. That is clearly what is happening with false teachers preoccupied with the supernatural and the experience. May we have the courage to call it what it is in our lives, pulpits, and relationships to the glory of God.

Source: https://mikeruel.com/2018/03/21/book-review-defining-deception/

More about the book “Defining Deception”: https://definingdeception.com/about-us/

Seun, Lalasticlala

nubianprinz:
Did you read the post I put up or you imagined some other things I never wrote and assumed I wrote it because I cannot see how something written in plain English could be so distorted. What gives u the impression that the pastor is in ministry for the money? If he was in the ministry for fame and money, would he have started from humble beginnings and grown through the ranks? We belong to the same body so the fallacious argument of chasing the members of other churches is risible to say the least. Yesufu himself said he has been going round tracking pastors or what was his goal for attending the conference, empowerment or criticisms? In his dumb post, he even wrote it there that he deliberately potrayed Pst Biodun in a negative light. what more could be dumber than that? I leave u with this nuggent which I believe will challenge your thinking if you really do. If God could bless you, what makes u think he cannot bless your pastor? So you think God will leave his servant at the mercy of his church members before he can live well? It is a shame that shallow minded people cannot look beyond themselves as the source of their pastor's blessing. I wont want u to draw ur conclusions based on what I or Yesufu wrote, come find out for yourself. This is an open invitation. Attend the church and draw your own conclusions.

Sir,

Your church has been attended and the conclusions have been reached. Your pastors were quoted verbatim; events that went on at the "revival" were stated and you have not refuted any. Instead you choose to call somebody's article dumb all because it was critical of what you guys do there in the name of Christian ministry.

Have you seen the three minutes video of Fatoyinbo, were he first criticized Freeze and went on to raise an offering for Eboda. Did Deji publish that video? Did Deji direct the scripts in that video? If Eboda is not in ministry for money, why will he be making altar calls for people to give to his church when his mates are making altar calls for souls to come to Christ? Or you think we do not know what you "Pastorpreneurs" do it. How you invite ministers to your church to raise targetted offerings from the congregation. In case you, as a mere member, do not know I will tell you.

Pentecostal ministers use social gatherings like this one, the one they call "revivals", to gather money directed at specifics projects.

So, it would not be out of place for someone like Fatoyinbo to reach a deal with Eboda, while Eboda is to give him a percentage of amount raised. This is how it is done, friend. If you do not know it, Now you know.

nubianprinz:
After reading this post by the self-imposed investigator who goes about investigating pastors, I couldn’t help but laugh and laugh some more. This man called Deji Yesufu is not only mischievous but also ignorant and lazy with his investigations. His averagely lengthy post is riddled with lies which I wondered what he was hoping to achieve with it.

I speak for Deji Yesufu.

One thing that this response has revealed is this: Deji did not lie in his account. He told gave a vivid description of all that he saw and this writer has not refuted anything.

Oh, yes, clearly, we have more information on how Eboda has evolved and increased over the years but that still does not remove from the facts that Deji wrote in his essays.

This responder says that ministers on the same streets with Eboda attended the meeting. Yet he fails to mention one of such minister that did. Is it not a consistent testimony among Pentecostal pastors that they are ever at logger head with the neigbour pastors bc they are all pursuing the same members in the same neibourhood.

This responder has no shown anywhere that Eboda is not in ministry for the money and the fame like all other pentecostal pastors before him.

We wish the best in his business of deluding simple minded people.

By the way, Deji Yesufu does not have the time to go from church to church to investigate Pastors. Their stories are everywhere to tell; they do not need investigation.

See the signature to learn a little more on Deji Yesufu in case you are looking for some skeleton he has that you wish to expose. And if you have the time, download his book and learn a little of what true Christianity consist of; not this business centers you people run and call it an "Alpha" cathedral.

The Nigerian Senate: An Ignoble Assembly

by Deji Yesufu

April 2015 will remain a month that cannot be easily forgotten in the political annals of Nigerian. It was the month that saw the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan defeated by his leading rival, Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential poles of that year. Hopes were indeed high that providence had smiled upon Nigeria and that we had entered into a new era of progress, prosperity and purpose as a country.

This nation began witnessing a damping of this hope when the Nigerian Senate constituted to elect a Senate President. The ruling All Progressive Party (APC) had preferred another candidate to lead the Senate but right before our eyes, and virtually unopposed, some People Democratic Party (PDP) Senators, along with some Senators from the APC, came together and elected Bukola Saraki, former Governor of Kwara State, as their president. Many people consider the events of that day the beginning of the downward trend that the present Nigerian Senate seem to have been going since its inception in June 2015.

Having elected principal officers that were not the wishes of the ruling party, the Nigerian Senate began its duty at logger heads with the Executive arm of government and the APC party leaders. The President sensed this and called for a parley among politicians in the ruling APC. In that meeting, Buhari made the point that clearly the APC had won a battle by taking over power from the PDP. But he warned against his party loosing the overall war if members of the ruling party continue to tear at each other in the name of gaining position.

The Nigerian Senate comes to many Nigerians as a conglomerate of self serving individuals. Clearly not every Senator is like this but the leading members continue to make this impression on Nigerians. Once Nigerians youths got sick and tired of their ignobility and decided to #OccupyNass but with time even that campaign died down and these men and women of the red chamber continued in their ways.

Right from the inception of the fourth Republic in 1999, the Nigerian Senate has never really had a good testimony among Nigerians. But the presently constituted assembly seem to possess the worst testimony of all time. While the Senate’s main duty is to promulgate laws for the proper running of the Nigerian nation, it seem all the laws that our Senators enact are laws that will improve their own welfare. So much so that at some point, no one could say for sure what exactly a Senator in this country was earning.

The lead on this mystery was however recently blown open by Senator Shehu Sani who revealed to Nigerians in an interview he granted that each Senator is entitled to a monthly salary of N750,000. He also revealed that each Senator is given a sum of N13.5M as running cost each month. This is besides the N200M that is given to each of them for consistency projects. Non of the Senators have been able to refute this position; instead many of them are telling Nigerian, without shame, that what Senator Sani has revealed is not news.

Many prominent Nigerians, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Governor of the Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, have criticized the Nigerian Senate as a conglomerate of wasteful and irresponsible lot. Recently the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay, called on Nigerian not to refer to Nigerian Senators as distinguished. For stating this fact, which many Nigerians have always known, many Senators have called for Prof. Sagay’s head. Some of them are even calling his statement “hate speech”.

The subject of hate speech leads me to the lowest rung that the Nigerian Senate has recently sunk to. There is a bill before the Nigerian Senate that is called the “Hate Speech Bill”. It reads in part: “any person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes and/or direct the performance of any material, written and/or visual, which is threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words, commits an offence." This bill is being canvassed by our Senators and it comes with a penalty of 5 years imprisonment or a fine of N10M; or both. If, however, the hate speech leads to the death of another, the person who is found guilty of the offence of speaking hate to the public could be killed.

At face value this bill looks good and carries with it the notion of curbing statements that have the tendency to destabilize society. But at closer examination, one realizes that this bill is actually a hate bill designed to curb free speech, especially the kind that has continued to keep our Senators in check since they assumed office. The number one persons this bill will hunt if it is ever enacted are bloggers – those who have constituted themselves the leading voice against the excesses of Nigerian Senators.

For example, Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye have been two Senators that Saharareporters have investigated extensively and thus revealed much of their dirty linens to the public. It is believed that this bill is aimed to curb this sort of information sharing.

Those who have opposed the Hate Speech Bill have said that it runs contrary to the laws of the Nigerian nation as stated in the 1999 Constitution, chapter 4, sections 38-39; where freedom of thoughts, conscience and religion is guaranteed to every Nigerian. A Hate Speech Bill will be wrested by an irresponsible political class to gag free speech and information dissemination. The laws that set up cooperations like the Nigerian Broadcasting Cooperation, Advertising Practitioners Council and the Nigerian Press Code already discourage libellous statements from being made against any one. If the Nigerian Senate is really intent on curbing hate speech as they believe, they could instead update our existing laws.

In spite of all that might be said about the Nigerian Senate, all hope is not lost. Nigerians need to be more aware of the political realities of this nation. Before now, most Nigerians were content with voting in a candidate for President and Governor. Very little attention is paid to those vying for legislative seats. Now, and with the experience we have gone through with our “distinguished” Senators, every Nigerian must shine their eyes and ensure that credible person represent them at Abuja.

The experience of the people Kogi West, who have been at the process of recalling Dino Melaye for close to a year now and have not succeeded, should inform everyone of us that the moment we vote these legislators in, it is almost impossible to recall them.

If the Nigerian legislative houses from the local government level to federal will function as they ought to, the Nigerian state will experience unprecedented progress. Our major problem as a people is that most Nigerian are uneducated and hungry. Therefore many people make uninformed choices when voting and they are easily swayed by pecuniary reasons.

If Nigeria must succeed such institution as its Senate must wake up to carrying out legislative works that are truly people oriented and not this self serving activities of those who are mostly constituted in her midst today.

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/the-nigerian-senate-an-ignoble-assembly/

Seun, Lalasticlala, do consider this piece for front page. I appreciate your sharing my other articles in the past. Thank you.

cowmanager2000:
My Deji Yusuf
I am not a regular commentator on this forum but sometimes it pricked my heart to see a good writer like you that could have turned this your writing prowess to writing a ‘novel for elementary schools children or a motivational books for your graduates ..wasting this rare endowment to criticizing a gentleman that have ‘a thousand youths of the street’ we are a nation against ourselves.. and it stinks over here in the diaspora.
A-z of Christianity is LOVE.. anything outside of Love is not Christianity..
My advice .. 1. If you have anything against Fatoyinbo .. write him .. email him.. it will not cost you a dime but LOVE
2. Your area of gifting is ‘writing’ among others..why not look for an area of interest.. and commercialize this your gifts..send downloading links to us on Nairaland and that I think will make Nigeria a better place...just my opinion

Here is a book by Deji Yesufu. It is called "Half a Millennium". It is the account of 500 years of Christianity, following the Protestant revolution. Click on the link below and get a PDF copy from Google drive:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1LY60JyeMKK08HDXFzDYeEbwN35LHzZud

Also, by the close of next month, Deji Yesufu will be publishing his first ever book: a historical account on Victor Banjo, a military soldier killed during the Nigerian Civil War. Links will be made available here on how to get it or follow Deji's magazine page on the link below to see when it the book will be released. You can buy online copieis for those in diaspora.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1570041316405406&id=1505609702848568

Lastly, some times the most loving thing you can do is to provide a healthy rebuke. We see a consistent testimony of this all around scriptures.

You live in the diaspora. How many times times have you seen young people sell their time and brains to preachers there? We are were we are in this country because our people are not thinking. This post is designed elicit thinking in our people.

SpoiltVirgin:
If u think prosperity preachers are the problem, then attend deeper life or orthodox church and leave us alone. I believe there is more to thhe relationship between ese walter and the pastor, ese is not telling us the complete truth, I respect adeboye, kumuyi, olukoya, etc but there is a limit to what they will tell me to do that I will do. How can an educated woman sleep with a pastor just because he is a pastor, there is something fishy about it.

A lot of educated women will sleep with their pastors. It is called mind game, brain washers, etc.

Biodun Fatoyinbo aka "Robust Reply" Visits Ibadan

by Deji Yesufu

A few weeks ago, I saw a billboard that announced that Biodun Fatoyinbo was coming to Akobo, Ibadan. He would be guest minister to Gbeminiyi Eboda’s church – the Harvest House Christian Centre. I made up my mind that I was going to attend.

At least to behold this gentleman who had long promised Nigerians a “robust reply” but whom somehow has refused to speak on the matter almost five years after the allegations of his sexual philandering hit the news in this country.

Gbeminiyi Eboda is the reigning “man of God” in Akobo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, this moment. Mr. Eboda has not always been big. He used to pastor a tiny congregation in Basorun, Ibadan, in a certain building called “Iya Ni Wura House”. There his church shared the building with two or three other churches within the office complex. Today he pastors the “Alpha Cathedral” in Akobo.

The one and only time I listened to Mr. Eboda was when he was a guest speaker at the Vine Branch Church, Mokola; where he ministered at a Tuesday service – about 7 years ago. That day I was not impressed with his preaching at all. For whatever reason best known to him, he chose to preach like T. D. Jakes. Mimicking his manner of speaking and all that. When I saw Mr. Eboda this last Wednesday, he had indeed “evolved and increased”. He was no longer preaching like T. D. Jakes.

Gbeminiyi Eboda and his congregation have built something close to a cathedral at the Iyana Olopa Bustop at Akobo, Ibadan. It is arguably the fastest growing congregation in that vicinity of Ibadan. Populated mostly by young people, some of whom are young and rising professionals in various fields of occupation in the humble city of Ibadan.

On the street that Eboda built his church, there are no less than seven other churches – all competing for members. I noticed that even the break away Bishop Bolu Martins, who left David Oyedepo a few years ago, also has his church facing that of Eboda. I also noticed the conspicuous absence of the pastors of these churches in Mr. Eboda “revival” meetings.

I arrived the opening night of the meeting on the 14th of March, 2018 on top of an Okada at exactly 6pm. It was my first time at Mr. Eboda’s church. As I paid my fares, I noticed Mr. Eboda arrive the same venue in a Pajero Jeep. Two rows of about 30 young men and women had been set up, in the midst of which Mr. Eboda walked into the church. As he walked, these young men and women were singing his praise, while he waved at them like a newly elected government official.

That night, Mr. Biodun Fatoyinbo was to be the guest preacher. Mr. Eboda introduced him to the congregation with fanfare and after a short “worship” session, Fatoyinbo launches into the meat of his discuss for that night. Usually in meetings like this, the invited minister spends the first few minutes of his message to “praise” his host; stating that he is the best to have happened to that congregation since the invention of pounded yam.

Fatoyinbo said nothing less; just that he said a little more and I just could not but wonder at how things have deteriorated in these charismatic assemblies since I stopped attending them some four years ago.

Fatoyinbo said “I knew that Pastor Eboda will make it…” That statement is pregnant with meaning because Fatoyinbo goes on to explain how he had always been friends with Eboda when he was little known.

How he used to visit his home when he was a student in Ilorin. He states that this was his first time visiting Eboda’s church. And I just could not but wonder at the dichotomy of these words: you never visit your “friend”, until this friend of yours built a cathedral – one large enough to contain your person.

These prosperity preachers never change, I said to myself.

Fatoyinbo continues: “Heaven has come to Ibadan…” I say to myself: I can imagine. “Eboda is a great man. He oozes out wisdom. He is a genuine man of God. Pray for the gift of such a friend… This is a church to cling to… Only beautiful people come to my meetings… I have come to master three things in life: what I say, what I think and where my money goes to…”

The last remark elicits a lot of laughter from the congregation as the guest minister invites us to take our seat. He launches into his text for the night and this is where I must make a point. Fatoyinbo is preaching a message in this opening night of the meeting themed “evolve and increase”.

It is incumbent on him to find a biblical text that will support this theme. The trouble however with preachers like him is that they go into the Bible, find a text that supports a particular theme or topic, reap it out of context and make that text say what they want it to say; not what it really says.

Fatoyinbo goes for the mother text of all Faith Preachers: Mark 11:24. It reads: “Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”.

Mr. Fatoyinbo closes his Bible, turns to the congregation and asks: “when do you have them?” He goes on to answer: “You have them the very moment you pray.” Then he ditches the text and proceed to tell the congregation what he wants them to know and not what the text is saying: “You are made for movement… God expects you to go forward… You need to continually evolve and increase… There is more out there for you… Everything you will be, you are already… Not one person here will miss their destiny… This is the least that you can be… The Lord has instructed me to declare things… Prayer is not only the key, it is the master key…”

Preaching the same sort of nonsense that prosperity preachers long before him have been preaching, Fatoyinbo fans the embers of the congregation’s ego and self, and positions their mental state to believe that God exists to satisfy their lusts.

He takes a perfectly spiritual tool, prayer, and uses it in a clearly unspiritual manner, to bring about the desires of the congregation. The prosperity theme of the meeting remains: evolve and increase.

It is the same with all the other big churches in Nigeria, including the “Open Heavens” and the “Shiloh” or whatever “Experience” that people are seeking in these churches. The aim is to use God to satisfy human lust. God somehow has lost control of his world and he is now depending on men to make him do certain things: particularly to brings blessings and prosperity on all men, so preach these men.

To drive home his point, Fatoyinbo laces his messages with anecdotes that will arouse the greed of the congregation. He explains that he does not think he has arrived. He has a friend in the USA who pastors a big church – this guy is just 36 years old. He explains that Beyonce once visited this church and gives this young man $10 million to advance the gospel. In the midst of the hues and cries, I wonder at the congregation and thought to myself: do these people know who Beyonce is? What has Beyonce done to ever advance the gospel through her music that to plainly glorifies sex and vanity? Will a gift of $10M suddenly absolve her of all her ways?

Fatoyinbo is not done with stories. On his second night preaching, he tells the story of how he was given a beautiful car which he discovers that his five year old son loves so much. So one morning, he calls the boy and gives him the car. He told that story to say that although his son owns the car, he cannot drive it. He wanted the congregation to grow in maturity to be able to own and use the things God wants to give them.

While the congregation hails his point, the other fact of how pastors subtly or directly compel members to give them things is carefully overlooked. The vision of the pursuit of mundane things etched on the listeners is not seen. And the disguised pride in his own wealth comes out in a veiled form. He tells us of how he had to silence a proud preacher once. He simply took the man around his congregation and showed him his wealth. The congregation was just like “wow!”

I have intentionally reported Fatoyinbo in the negative in this article because I am hopeful that Nigerian young people would some day discover the deceitful manner ministers like him can defraud them.

But Fatoyinbo was not all negative in the two nights encounter I had with him at Eboda’s church. He came out to me as a man that has minimum education: he speaks very well. His father was a politician and he and his siblings were raised with some silver spoon.

He regarded himself as a “rich kid”, who got away with certain things in the home of his relatives when he visited them in the village because his father had money. After making that statement, Fatoyinbo prayed that the congregation will have the kind of money that will make them “somebody” in society.

It was at the second night of his ministration that Mr. Eboda introduces Fatoyinbo as “his lordship”. Where I sat, I just cringed at the manner to which these men take the praise of other men to.

I have long suggested that two of Nigeria’s leading trouble are her politicians and her preachers – especially those of the Prosperity/Pentecostal ilk. While Nigeria’s politicians defraud her, the preachers lend legitimacy to their actions. Fatoyinbo himself alluded to this when he said that what most young ministers do now is to come to Abuja and be errand boys to politicians. He says these young men will spend hours praying for politicians and when they are done, they are rewarded with some cash as honorarium. As he recounted this story, I say to myself: but, sir, you also left Ilorin for Abuja at some point too now. It is working for you; hopefully, it would work for these boys too.

I end this essay by stating emphatically that there is nothing Christian in many of the gatherings that call themselves “revivals” in Nigeria Pentecostal churches today. They are simply the gathering of a people to rub the ego of one man and to source for more membership for him. Pentecostal churches are ponzi schemes that cause the people at the top to increase in wealth as their base line followership increases.

These gatherings are devoid of the Christian gospel and the foremost call of the Christian church, which is to make disciples for Jesus, is not even a motive for them. The whole motive is to get members, so as to grow a church, that will have people “sow” into the life of the “man of God”.

In late 2013, a young woman by the name of Ese Walters came out to accuse Mr. Biodun Fatoyinbo of indulging in months of sexual philandering with her. She claimed that they both carried out the acts in hotels far away from this country. She had severed relations with the pastor as of the time of making these allegations. Her own way of finding healing was to make the whole matter public.

Mr. Fatoyinbo came under fire from that moment on. The Sunday after the scandal broke out, he promised Nigerians to give a “robust reply” to the allegations. Five years down the line there has been no response. Rather, Mr. Fatoyinbo has only continue to “evolve and increase” in ministry, bringing his friend, Gbeminiyi Eboda along with him.

These men are in their early forties and they are the new face of Pentecostalism in our nation. As they continue their business, some of us will continue to track them and hold them accountable to their words and ways. The only people one pities in this whole drama are the young men and women, whose mental faculties these men eat into with their nice words. Their judgement lingers not (2 Peter 2:1-4).

I spent fifteen years of my youth in these environment and I know the toxin these people are instilling into the life of young people. I advise that parents should guard their children and wards, and keep them from these people.

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/biodun-fatoyinbo-aka-robust-reply-visits-ibadan/

Thank you Seun and all other super mods. i hope this gets to the hearing of the Oyo State government.

Challenges of a “Marwa” Transporter in Ibadan

by Deji Yesufu

For Sheu Gaozu, a “Marwa” transporter on the streets of Ibadan, the race to “deliver” is a rat race against survival. And since he is left with very few available means to livelihood, he must take the bull by the horn.

Marwa or Keke transportation is a popular system of transport here in Ibadan. It involves the use of a tricycle to transport passengers from one destination to another.

The tricycle transport, Marwa, is named after the former military Governor of Lagos State, retired Brigadier Buba Marwa.

Marwa was Governor from 1996-1999 and had introduced the tricycle as a system of transport to aid low earning individuals to make a living in the state.

Soon enough this mode of transportation had caught on in Nigeria; especially in places where cars would not ply and where motor bikes were too dangerous to use for transport.

In many respect, Marwa has turned out to be safer and even more economical than the bikes that many use for transportation.

The story of Sheu, however, unveils the ugly side of Marwa transport business in Ibadan.

Sheu Gaozu acquired his brand new Marwa tricycle at higher purchase from a Microfinance Group. The vehicle cost them N650,000. Each of the vehicles were given to Sheu and his friends at N950,000.

They are required to pay back the money on the tricycle each week. This pay back is called deliver in local parlance. Everyone chooses what amount will suit him best. Sheu chose to return N16,500 at the end of each week. It would take him a little over 14 months to complete payment. If he defaults to pay, the tricycle would be collected from him and the money he had paid up till that moment would be forfeited. If Sheu completes paying the money on the bike, the vehicle becomes his.

Sheu does not think that the deal is impossible to surmount. The trouble is not in the deliver; the trouble is the reality of the streets!

Sheu plies his trade on the long stretch of road that links the popular Gate in Ibadan with New Garage, somewhere after Orita Challenge. When business is good, Sheu makes an average of N25,000 every week. His real pursuit daily is to get hold on the N3,000 – N3,500 deliver money each day. That way, he is confident that he can give at least N21,000 to the Cooperative Group by the close of the week.

Sheu has a mandatory N300 ticket he must purchase at Gate. This ticket costs N150. But for reasons best known to the Road Transport Workers at that end, Sheu and his fellow tricycle transporters must cough out another N150 that is not receipted. If his daily charges as a transporter had been N300 only, Sheu would have no problem. But this is the beginning of his challenge each day.

At every bustop, there are other monies that Sheu and his fellow Marwa riders must pay. This money is called “Owo-ita” – translated literarily: “outing money” or the money a transporter gives for coming out to work that day. This Owo-ita costs N50 and on the Gate/New Garage stretch of road, Sheu pays this money at Gate, Bere, Ojo-Oba, Idi-Arere, Molete, Challenge, Orita and New Garage. He gives the money when going and also while returning, thus sealing his due for that day. If he were to pay all these monies, it would amount to N800 each day.

This Owo-Ita is not receipted and no one knows who authorises the collecting of these monies and where it goes to. Rumour has it that even top politicians in the State get their share of these largesse.

Then at each of these bustops, there are police men and women who also collect their own N50. The police people on duty in the morning will collect their share and the ones in the afternoon will also collect their share. Amounting to another N800 daily. Marwa transporters must pay the police this money or their vehicles will spend the day at the police station and they would be required to pay another amount for its release.

The total amount doled out illegally by Sheu each day will be N1,750; instead of the paltry N150 he is to pay for his daily ticket at the Gate end of business.

So, beside N3,000 deliver money, Sheu must work to get another N2,000 to pay off his illegal dues before he begins to think about his own profit. He has to also service his tricycle every two weeks and this will cost N3,000. If the tricycle is not serviced, its lifespan will be shortened and he may not be able to complete his deliver money.

This cost is also besides the ten litres of Petrol he must purchase each day for his business. At N180 per litre, Sheu is spending close to N2,000 for fuel too each day.

To run his Marwa business, therefore, Sheu must make at least N7,500 each day to offset running cost, before he begins to work for his profit that day.

Sheu thinks business is not bad and that he still makes sufficient profit to take home and look after his wife and new born child; but this is done at a price to his health and even danger to his life. While the money demanded by the police cannot be avoided, the real drama of the streets are the stunts Sheu undertakes to avoid paying Owo-Ita.

Sheu says to make sufficient profit each day, he has to resort to “ogboju” or “were” to avoid paying Owo-Ita. Ogboju is to deal a strong face at the area boys that come for this Owo-Ita. Were is a show of madness.

Sheu knows the streets very well and the area boys know him too. He has had to fight his way to freedom on many occasions , to avoid his trouble, the area boys leave him to his madness. He recalls how one day he had worked very late and had still not made enough for that day. He was due to pick his wife and young child at her shop and was trying desperately to get passengers to his tricycle.

This area boy comes out of nowhere; apparently he was new to that scene. He demands that Sheu pays Owo-Ita. Sheu refuses. The area boy seizes Sheu’s foot mat. Sheu parks his bike properly and launches a physical attack on the area boy. There is a scuffle. The area boy realises that Sheu has were. He releases his foot mat to him. Sheu drives off with a passenger who had observed everything that had happened that night.

Incidentally, Sheu drops this passenger off right where his wife and child were waiting for him. The passenger looks carefully at him and says “looking at you, no one would know you could act the way you did back there…” Sheu’s wife asks him whether he had been involved in a fight again. Sheu ignores her question as he roars his tricycle to life and drives home.

This is just one out of many ways young men and women are trying to survive the harsh economic reality that they have found themselves in within Nigeria. When a transporter is supposed to pay N150 but ends up paying N2,000 as dues daily, he is left with such a little amount to add to whatever profit he must make to keep body and soul together.

And this challenge is not peculiar to Marwa transporters alone. The taxis and motor bike riders face even more challenges. Sheu states that he prefers to ride the Marwa because he has experience in this field of transport. Besides driving, he can repair the vehicle when it is faulty.

The Oyo State government would need to look into this situation. If the illegal Owo-Ita and monies collected by policemen is removed, transporters will make a lot more profit each day and the cost of transportation would even fall.

Government must consider this matter very carefully. If the ordinary man who is trying to eke out a living is continually frustrated from doing this legitimately, he would be forced to employ illegitimate means to survive. For others who cannot do this, when their frustrations exceed a certain level, they may turn against their oppressors – precipitating a revolution.

Source: http://mouthpiece.com.ng/challenges-of-a-marwa-transporter-in-ibadan/