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Tag: DAVID

  • Delta 2023: David Edevbie a true sportsman congratulates Oborevwori, rallies support for him

    Delta 2023: David Edevbie a true sportsman congratulates Oborevwori, rallies support for him

     

    … galvanise supporters to back his brother

    Fellow combatant of Sheriff Oborevwori at the law courts, David Edevbie has displayed rare sportsmanship as he congratulates his brother after the Supreme Court verdict on Friday.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports Edevbie in a speech he personally signed hailed Oborevwori and declared an unalloyed support for his guber candidacy in the 2023 elections.

    Hear him:

    “The Supreme Court’s verdict today brings closure to the process of determining the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 Delta State Governorship election. It has undoubtedly been a long, drawn-out struggle in which several long-cherished relationships were strained.

    “While the outcome was not what we desired or prayed for, as democrats, we accept it as final. To all our Party members and stakeholders, especially the youth and all the good people of Delta State in general who stood with us in our quest for the opportunity to deliver a modern State, I understand your disappointment.

    ” In the words of Senator Edward Kennedy, “the Dream lives on,” even as I say a huge THANK YOU from the depth of my heart.

    “Notwithstanding the outcome, we should all stand tall with our heads unbowed in the firm knowledge that we gave it our best. The court of posterity will undoubtedly judge us with favour.

    “At this stage, I congratulate the Delta State Gubernatorial flag bearer of PDP, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, and wish him well in the 2023 General Elections.

    “Finally, I would like to remind us all that the future of this State is far more important than anyone’s personal bias or interest, and I encourage us all to continue to strive for the good of every member of this commonwealth.

    #

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What you are doing today is important

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: What you are doing today is important

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: Psalm 78:70-72

    Meditation verse:

    “From following the ewes that had young, He brought him, to shepherd Jacob  His people and Israel, His inheritance” (Ps 78:71).

    Today’s work, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is not a wasted effort.  Whatever you are doing today is preparing you for tomorrow’s assignment. It is  storing up experience, skills, knowledge, and talents for future use. It is enabling  you create a reputation in a sphere of influence. And when you become known  for something, you will be sought after when that skill is needed. Little wonder  the bible says: “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might”  (Ecclesiastes 9:10a).

    David spent his early years shepherding sheep, without knowing that he was in  training for his future responsibility as king where he would shepherd God’s  people. (1 Sam 16:11-12). At the appointed time, God took him from caring for  sheep to caring for His people. The role of a shepherd is critical. The flock is  dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. So, when  God was looking for a king to care for His people and not just to rule them, David  was the right person. God had tested him with sheep, and he had done a  fantastic job. As king, he did a fantastic job too. “He shepherded the people  according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his  hands” (Ps 78:72).

    Several years ago, long before my purpose in life became clear to me, I began to  develop a deep hunger to acquire knowledge, so I invested a huge amount of  time and resources building my knowledge base. I studied God’s word like my  life depended on it and I went on to acquire two master’s degree in Psychology,  which is a subject that deals with human development and behaviour. I had no  idea that God was preparing me for the assignment of building, equipping, and  transforming lives. Yesterday’s work is ‘stored work’. So, approach whatever you are doing now with all the seriousness it deserves and work at doing it  excellently. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.  But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater  responsibilities” (Luke 16:10 NLT).

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • Okada rider beat, burn man to death over N100 Balance

    Okada rider beat, burn man to death over N100 Balance

    A young man, simply identified as David, has been lynched and burned to death in Lekki Phase 1, by a group of Hausa men, over #100 balance altercation with a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada rider, over N100 balance.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) learnt that things got heated up and resulted in a fight between David and one of the commercial motorcyclists.

     

    According to sources, the #100 balance issue soon degenerated as more motorcyclists allegedly pounced on David and his friends, beating them till they became unconscious.

     

    David, who was said to be a sound engineer, was on his way home from a club when the incident occurred at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, a few days ago.

     

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) gathered that the deceased was beaten alongside yet-to-be-identified men, said to be David’s friends.

     

    David’s friends, Frank (saxophonist) and Philip (keyboardist) are said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

     

    A tweet by Ufuoma (@thecoloredpen), said, “#JusticeforDavid killed in Lagos over #100 change #JusticeForDeborahSamuel killed in Sokoto #JusticeforPhillipandFrank fighting for their lives in the hospital.

     

    She added, “A group of musicians in Lagos had “regular” to play at Beer-bar along Admiralty road that evening. The sound engineer and keyboard player who mounted the same bike had an argument with the okada man (an aboki guy) which resulted in what became a cold-blooded night.

     

    “The other okada riders (that were of the same tribe) came out and tried to avenge their “brother”. To cut the long story short, try were beaten to a pulp and the sound engineer lost his life right there. “As if that was not enough, the sound engineer was burnt right there on the road. To make matters worse, the saxophonist that was to play for the night heard about what was happening while the fight just ensued and he went to try to settle not having a full grasp of what was really going on.

     

    “On getting there, he was also beaten to a pulp. The saxophonist (Frank) and the keyboardist (Philip) had to be taken to the emergency unit of the hospital where they were later admitted. Philip plays for D’banj Frank plays for Phyno.”

     

    This incident was also confirmed by someone who described himself as a friend of the deceased.

     

    The friend also wrote, “My friend was beaten and set ablaze at Lekki phase 1 two days ago. A father of 2 children was beaten into a coma and burnt. No to Jungle justice. A father of 2 little children died like that.

     

    “He was the sound engineer in my church. See how his life ended because of N100 change. Sometimes I wonder if the country Nigeria even started.

     

    “What exactly is going on in this country? Just see how Dave was set on fire over N100 change argument/fight with a Hausa Okada man. Two of Dave’s friends who were with him are currently in ICU. They were all lynched to a pulp. This happened in Lekki 1 oh, not Sokoto oh.”

     

    Meanwhile, the commercial motorcyclist, who had a disagreement with David before the matter degenerated further, has been arrested by the police.

     

    10 persons have been arrested in connection to the gruesome murder of David.

  • Avoiding generational curses [1] – By Femi Aribisala

    Avoiding generational curses [1] – By Femi Aribisala

    “It was David who sinned, but it was his son that died”.

    God says He visits the sins of the father upon the children in the Ten Commandments:

    “You shall not make for yourself a carved image — any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6).

    This word is repeated in Exodus 34:5-7, Deuteronomy 5:8-10, and Isaiah 65:6-7. Jeremiah also affirms the same principle: “Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their iniquities.” (Lamentation 5:7).

    The God who affirmed this principle in the Old Testament was Jesus. Jesus also confirms this in the New Testament by telling the Pharisees:

    “You are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” (Matthew 23:29;36).

    Family judgment

    It was David who sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba and by killing Uriah her husband, but it was his son that died.

    God’s judgment that the sword would not depart on David’s house was visited on his children. His son, Absalom, killed another son Amnon in revenge for raping his sister Tamar. Absalom himself was killed by Joab when he tried to overthrow David, his father. His son, Solomon, also killed his older brother, Adonijah.

    God’s other judgment that David’s wives would be abused in the sight of all Israel was executed by Absalom, who raped David’s concubines “publicly” to demonstrate that he would never be reconciled to his father.

    No revocation

    What seems to bring confusion is another statement in the Old Testament where God says:

    “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16).

    This is again repeated in Jeremiah: “In those days they shall say no more: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jeremiah 31:29-30).

    However, on closer inspection, we discover that there is no contradiction. Neither should it be said that one scripture revokes the other. Jesus assures us: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Matthew 24:35).

    The truth is that these scriptures refer to different judgments. It is important to identify precisely what each refers to and to make a distinction between personal judgments, generational judgments, and national judgments.

    It is also necessary to note that the innocent are often required to bear the iniquity of the guilty, and the principle of like father, like son, is actually set in nature.

    Gravity of sin

    Sin should never be taken for granted. Every sin does not just affect the sinner, it often has implications for the innocent. A drunk driver kills innocent bystanders on the road. An armed robber kills the innocent in the bank. This happens all the time.

    It is also evident that children often bear the traits, features, and characters of their parents. And so, the father is bad-tempered, and so is the son. The father is a womanizer, and so is the son. The father is a drug addict, and so is the son.

    Sicknesses are also passed down generationally. High blood pressure often runs in the family. So does cancer. If the trait is in the father, it is likely to also be in the son.

    A lying spirit was evident in the house of Abraham. He lied to Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister. His son Isaac continued in this lying tradition. He also lied to the men of Gerar that Rebecca was his sister. In turn, Isaac’s son, Jacob, lied to his father by pretending to be his brother, Esau. Later on, the sons of Jacob also lied to him about Joseph who they sold into slavery.

    Sexual sin was evident in the house of David. David committed adultery with Bathsheba. His son, Amnon, raped his daughter, Tamar. Another son, Absalom, raped his concubines. Yet another son, Solomon, went nuts over women. He married 700 wives and had 300 concubines.

    For this and other reasons, it is imperative for the believer to divorce himself from his natural lineage and ancestry. Therefore, Jesus says: “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9).

    Ancestral sins

    What your ancestors did can affect you adversely if not addressed. So, be careful not to create problems for your children through reckless behaviour. The worst of this is idol worship. Let no problem, difficulty, or issue of blood take you to the Babalawo. By so doing, you are creating a problem that will last four generations.

    Observe the following. It was Achan who sinned by stealing the forbidden Babylonish garment, but judgment was passed on his entire house:

    “Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, ‘Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.’ So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.” (Joshua 7:24-25).

    It was Gehazi that sinned by seeking a present from Naaman under false pretenses, but the judgment was passed on him and on his descendants. Elisha said to him: “The leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” (2 Kings 5:27).

    The same thing happened with the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:1-13), as well as with the house of Ahab (1 Kings 21:20-29).

    By the same token, salvation is granted to a house. God decided to kill all mankind in the Flood. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8). However, the grace that Noah found was extended to his family.

    When the jailer asked Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved. They said to him: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31).

  • The sure mercies of David (2) – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    What would you do if God told you (a Christian) to attack some people and kill everybody, including women and children? You might decide to pity some of them.

    You might see a newborn baby and decide, out of the goodness of your heart, to spare him. In short, you might end up declaring that you are more righteousness than God.

    Several years ago, God told me to terminate the appointments of all the people working with me. He then said I should tell those who still wanted to work with me to reapply. He told me, furthermore, that two people would not reapply because He did not want them to continue working with me.

    So, I did as I was told, and the two people did not reapply. They asked when they could submit all the official paraphernalia with them, and we made an appointment for the next day. Then, I became very sad. I said to myself in my heart, I was not even talking to God mind you: “What a pity that they have to leave.” And God heard me.

    I got into trouble. The Holy Spirit rebuked me sharply. “Are you more righteous than God? I said some people should go and you are asking that they should stay in your mercy. What do you know about mercy?”

    I know nothing at all.

    Judgment of Amalek

    When God told Saul to attack the Amalekites and kill everybody, that extreme instruction came out of God’s kindness to Israel. God remembered the wickedness of the Amalekites in attacking Israel from the rear in the wilderness. He was also trying to prevent the Amalekites from attacking David’s people in the future.

    Do you know that if Saul had completely wiped out the Amalekites as instructed, they would not have attacked David’s people much later at Ziklag?

    “Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So, David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.” (1 Samuel 30:1-3).

    In effect, the judgement of God on Amalek reflects the mercy of God on Israel. This is how the psalmist expresses this kingdom dynamic. He says the mercy of the God who killed the firstborn of Egypt but brought out Israel safely endures forever:

    “To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His mercy endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever… To Him who struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever; a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:15-22).

    According to the scriptures, calamities occur because God’s mercy endures forever. The psalmist says God killed all the firstborn of Egypt because His mercy endures forever. He drowned all Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea because His mercy endures forever.

    In effect, the mercy of God to Israel is the judgement of God to Pharaoh. Israel knows that the mercy of God endures forever because in one day God killed all the firstborn in Egypt in one fell swoop and spared all the firstborn of Israel in Goshen. Had the two different acts of God not occurred simultaneously, Israel would have been oblivious of the mercy of God.

    Thus, the same Red Sea that was the instrument of God’s deliverance of the Jews was the instrument of God’s destruction of the Egyptians.

    Unmerited favour

    God did this so both the Israelites and the Egyptians can fully appreciate the mercy of God. Some people were destroyed so that their land may be given to the Israelites. In this way, all men everywhere would fully appreciate the unmerited favour of God.

    Thus, God says to Israel: “I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow. I have given you a land for which you did not labour, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.” (Joshua 24:12-13).

    Similarly, God gave me a fellowship that I did not start. He gave me a house in exclusive Victoria Island, Lagos that I did not build. He gave me a school, Nouveau International School, Lagos that I did not establish. He gave me a car, Toyota RAV4, that I did not buy. My house in Lagos is full of very expensive paintings that I did not pay for.

    As for you reading this, some people have died of Covid-19 but you have survived, for God’s mercy endures forever. Some people contracted Covid-19 and died while you contracted Covid-19 and survived, for God’s mercy endures forever.

    Therefore, from today, never talk about God’s unfairness again. What do you know about fairness? Who taught you fairness? Is it fair that your name should be written in heaven? It is fair that some should be in the hospital now but you are at home? Is it fair that you can see, but some are born blind? Is it fair that you should know the Lord and others don’t?

    Any insistence on fairness would cost you your salvation. The person who insists on fairness, or vengeance, is the person who despises the grace of God.

    Double-edged sword

    Therefore, if your father should die, if your brother you have an accident, if you should fail in your exams, if your husband should leave you for another woman, from now start seeing everything that happens from the perspective of God’s mercy.

    The word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword. Jesus is both a sanctuary and a rock of offence. He is a sanctuary and a gin and a snare at the same time. This is because for God to be merciful to us, he has to be merciless to somebody else. For us to live, Jesus Christ had to die.

    In your life, the mercy of God endures forever. You are born again, you are in the ark of Jesus Christ, for His mercy endures forever. From the ark, Noah must have seen a lot of dead bodies floating on the water and rotting in the sun, for God’s mercy endures forever. You have received what God promised: the sure mercies of David.

    “Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” (Romans 11:22-23).

    CONTINUED

  • The sure mercies of David

    By Femi Aribisala

    To be kind, God had to be cruel. That is kingdom dynamics.

    Someone asked me a question. She said: “What can I do to provoke the Holy Spirit?” I told her: “To provoke the Holy Spirit, you must be very provocative.”

    You could not be more provocative than Solomon. Solomon went to Gibeon to offer burnt offerings. He offered 1,10, 50, 100, 200, 300, 500, 700, 900. When he got to 1,000, God was provoked. He appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked: “What do you want?”

    “Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’” (1 Kings 3:4-5).

    God gave Solomon wisdom, that made him wiser than any man that ever lived. Then He made Him the richest man in the world.

    Promise of God

    You never know what you are going to do that will trigger God. As the owner of the biggest video rental outfit in Nigeria, I made a lot of money and God made me give it all away. I had 11 different outfits, all successful. God said to me: “Sit down and write the names of all those working with you.”

    When I did, He then dictated their salaries one-by-one.

    The first salary He dictated for someone exceeded what I was earning at the time as a Senior Research Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos.

    I did not buy a plot of land. I did not buy a house. I did not buy a car. But I bought cars for some members of my staff.

    But one day, the editor of a Nigerian newsmagazine was running out of the country from the clutches of Sani Abacha. The American government had offered him political asylum and he needed some money to escape to Benin on the way to the USA. On his way out, he came to my house and asked for financial assistance.

    I did not give him naira: I gave him all the dollars with me that I used for business purposes. As I closed the door of the taxi he was taking, God spoke to me. I heard him as clear as a bell. He said: “Femi, I will make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

    Without planning it, God had given me the grace to provoke Him. That was some 25 years ago. This year, on January 1, He renewed that covenant with another scripture: “My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).

    Unchangeable God

    If God promises to be good to you today, rest assured He was good to you yesterday, whether you realised it or not. If God heals you today, know for certain that He healed you yesterday. It also means he will heal you tomorrow. He says: “I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” (Malachi 3:6).

    Sit down and examine your life. You will discover some grace of God that has always been operating in your life. God is the same yesterday and today and forever. If he is your provider, then He was your provider and will be your provider forever. If He is your Saviour, then He has always been your Saviour. He does not just become your saviour when you answered an altar call.

    “(God) does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17).

    Provocative David

    David was jealous for God. He was living in a palace and the Ark of God was in a tent. David felt uncomfortable about this and decided he must build a befitting temple for the Ark of God. When He made that decision, God was provoked.

    God sent Nathan to David and turned the tables on him. Instead of David building a house for God, God told Nathan to tell him: “The Lord declares to you that the Lord Himself will establish a house for you.” (2 Samuel 7:11). “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before Me; your throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16).

    These promises provide the foundation for what is called: the sure mercies of David: “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” (Isaiah 55:3).

    Merciful God

    God is merciful. He does not claim to be fair, as men call fairness. “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

    God says furthermore: “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” Romans 9:15).

    So many things in life are unfair. Men will cheat you, rob you and despise you. You will work and not get paid. You will help people, but the same people will refuse to help you. You will help people, but the same people you help will despise you.

    Stop complaining. Don’t be offended. Life is not fair, but you have God. The person who has God never loses anything in the final analysis. God is a covenant-keeping God. Therefore, He promises to redeem all our losses. He says: “All flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:26).

    Cruel to be kind

    God told Saul to go and attack the Amalekites with the following strange instructions: “Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:3).

    Was God being cruel or was He being kind? To be kind, God had to be cruel. That is kingdom dynamics. God is kind to Israel, but because of His kindness, He has sworn to be cruel to Amalek forever.

    The Amalekites made an unprovoked attack on the Israelites in the wilderness. After God gave the Israelites the victory, he made an ordinance that because of that assault, He will fight against Amalek for all generations:

    “Moses built an altar and called its name, THE-LORD-IS-MY-BANNER; for he said, ‘Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’” (Exodus 17:15-16).

    He made this ordinance because He is very jealous for Israel. Indeed, God is extremely passionate about His people. That is why Paul asks the rhetorical question: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

    Only a fool, an idiot, a nincompoop.

    Some people are in danger of being God’s enemy for life because they dared to be against the sons of God. That is partly why you need to pray for your enemies. If you don’t, they are in mortal danger.

  • David vs Goliath: Jonathan’s ex-aide, Omokri challenges Chief of Army Staff, Buratai to one-on-one fight

    David vs Goliath: Jonathan’s ex-aide, Omokri challenges Chief of Army Staff, Buratai to one-on-one fight

    Former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has challenged chief of army staff, Lt.General Tukur Buratai to a one-on-one fight.

    In a proposition, now being touted as David versus Goliath battle,, Omokri said he wants to avenge the killing of unarmed protestors.

    According to him, he wants God to use him to avenge the death of the slaughtered unarmed peaceful protestors at Lekki tollgate on 20 October.

    “My greatest desire in November is to be in a room with General Buratai. No weapons. No referee. Man to man combat.

    “Only one man coming out alive. Let God use me to avenge the cowardly slaughter of peaceful, unarmed, #EndSARS protesters at #LekkiMassacre by that spineless coward!”

    The tweet, which has now been restricted, has gone viral with over 5000 retweets.

    One Twitter commenter warned him that General Buratai will beat him up as he is a field officer, still full of strength despite his age.

    Omokri responded by saying that Buratai should take up his challenge first.

    Another commenter said Omokri holds a black belt in karate.

    It was not clear whether Omokri really wanted to face the general, or was just joking.

  • David and the abuse of power, By Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    David and the abuse of power, By Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    When a person is given a position of authority, his attitude to wealth, wine and women reveals the real person. The greatest warrior in the world is a person who wield victory over his or her temperaments. A follow up to this is the extent a person can control his appetites for food, drink and sex. Abuse of power and authority can be perceived in the desire for illegitimate private gain in carrying out official duties. This takes the form of bullying, harassing behaviour, using staff for personal favour, pressuring staff to distort facts and encouraging corruption. Abuse of power can occur when those in authority assume absolute freedom to create a high self-esteem with the money that is budgeted for the common good. To think that you are not accountable to anybody or those you serve except your Superior is dangerous. This is a serious disservice to the people (cf. https://www.google.com, May, 11, 2018).

    David was a man of integrity who earned fame by killing Goliath (1 Samuel 17). He was a warrior who had conquered the lion and the bear such that “David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:34-37). David saved the life of Saul who wanted to kill him out of jealousy. He respected the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 24: 1-22). He knew the value of friendship and so wept for Jonathan his friend and King Saul (2 Samuel 1). He did not celebrate the death of his son Absalom. He mourned him even though he committed treason by trying to overthrow him and kill him (2 Samuel 18).

    Given these qualities, David became the King of Israel and Judah by popular demand, choose and acclamation. David was a warrior over everything except his own selfish temperamentsand passion. He could not win victory over his lust. He was ready to do evil to satisfy his lust. The people of Israel demanded a king who would lead them to war. David ignored his role of Commander in Chief who was anointed to lead the people to war (1 Samuel 8: 4-6). “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11: 1). “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant” (2 Samuel 11: 2-4)

    David responded like a dictator. He “sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house (2 Samuel 11: 6-9).David did not bother about the ethics of war whereas Uriah who was a Hittite kept the rule of not sleeping with his wife during war. “Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing” (2 Samuel 11).

    David proceeded to commit murder by killing Uriah the Hittite”(2 Samuel 11:14-17). In the platform of Mission and Dialogue, different scholars commented on this incident of David in African context. Sr. Prof. Teresa Okure SHCJ says that,“Dictators and tyrants succeed because people sheepishly obey them against their own God-given conscience. David asked someone to call him the wife of Uriah, a “pagan”; the person did. He sent message to Joab to send Uriah to him; Joab did. He did his very best to get Uriah to go home and have intercourse with his wife so as to cover up his sin. Uriah refused because military law forbade sexual intercourse during combat time. Had Uriah lost or betrayed his personal integrity, there would have been no story such as we have today. David sent Uriah back to Joab with gruesome instructions to kill him and many others in the process. Joab did. Uriah died. But lives on in the story. Without his integrity, David would have used his kingly power and authority to commit crime and get away with it. We need to be aware of the different ways in which we participate in collaborative criminality.”

    Here the Nigerian rulers need self-examination. God forbids that the cunny way David enabled the death of Uriah is not what is happening to the Nigerian Soldiers who are being killed by the terrorists! Fr. Dr. Clement Anaedevha from the Mission and Dialogue platform “strongly suggest that the sincerity of the government and the governors of the states where the highest percentage of perpetuation are recorded must be questioned and brought to book before constructive dialogue can continue. At the moment, what we are doing lacks true foundation that can endure the test of time. Yet, whatever must be done should be urgent.” On the killing of many innocent people just because David want to kill one person, Uriah to cover his iniquities, Fr. Charles Esirah Bassey from the same platform expressed the pain he is feeling for the innocent people that are being killed and displaced in Nigeria. He calls on the Religious leaders to be the voice of the voiceless because “we do not want the disaster of another civil war.” When incessant killings and deaths occur when there is no war, it becomes abnormal and evil.

    This is why the political leadership should ensure that people are put in positions based on pure merit and be courageous to remove those who are not performing up to expectation. Would the call by the Nigerian House of Representatives for the removal of Military Service Chiefs change the insecurity climate in Nigeria (https./www.cfr.blog-nigeria)? I think the Honorable House could go beyond this given that the average Nigerian needs mental re-engineering, clear vision, change of negative attitude, redefinition of values, and aggressive recognition of professionalism of Nigerians in executing individual and national missions. The killers in Nigeria need to be arrested and reformed instead of a distinguished member of the house to take the floor of the house and talk nothing but a display of his four wives is an abuse of power and disservice to a nation where uncountable wives and children are kidnapped and killed on a daily basis. We need to reexamine our psyche, attitude, orientation and horizon. So help us Oh Almighty God.

    Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua is the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC -nirec.ng@gmail.com) & The Secretary General of the West Africa Inter-Religious Council (WA-IRC – wairc.rfp@gmail.com).

  • Davido’s unborn son clinches endorsement deal

    Davido’s unborn son clinches endorsement deal

    David Adeleke, Nigerian Afropop singer better known as Davido, has stated that he has clinched an endorsement deal from a diaper-manufacturing Nigerian brand, for his unborn child.

    The versatile music star took to his Instagram page on Tuesday to share pictures of himself flanked by two men as he shows off a pack of diapers.

    “I’m super excited my unborn son, OBO Jnr, already getting big bags. Dude coming into the world super-rich, Mario & Juliet Baby Diapers & Wipes,” he captioned the post.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Xk4S6Fwg_/

    After Davido proposed to Chioma Rowland, his fiance, the duo’s families celebrated the union in a delightful introduction ceremony .

    The singer also claimed that Chris Brown, US singer, indicated interest to be on his groomsmen train. Although the precise date is yet to be fixed, the ‘Assurance’ crooner told his fans that 2010 is going to be the big year.

    Fans of the singer were stunned when Davido broke the news that his wife-to-be was pregnant.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B3XwiYPhnOZ/