TheNewsGuru

Tag: Families

  • Families groan as Hunger, Insecurity and Covid-19 Rage – Michael West

    Families groan as Hunger, Insecurity and Covid-19 Rage – Michael West

    By Michael West

    This is not the best of times in Nigeria. Many families are in financial mess as the means to meeting the basic needs: feeding, rent, medicals and children’s school fees, are getting harder by the day. It is not funny at all.

    Families are caught in the webs of threatening hunger, worsening insecurity and ravaging health challenges as posed by Covid-19 and cholera. More than Covid-19, cholera has claimed far more lives in the last few months. A total of 816 deaths have been recorded in Nigeria due to cholera outbreak since the beginning of the year. This is according to a statement released during the week by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    Simmering Covid-19 third wave is claiming more lives on daily basis as sudden and shocking deaths in recent days were attributed to Covid-19 complications. It was shocking to read in the news that in Lagos alone, the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic has claimed an average of six lives daily in the last one week. Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced; thereby making a total of 42 casualties in Lagos State alone. This is a grieving development in our public health management. While nobody has been reportedly died solely due to Covid-19 infection, virtually all the casualties were reported to have had underlying health issues. The implication is that families are mourning daily for losing their loved ones to cold hands of death. The trauma and fresh challenges posed by the death of family breadwinners have further plunged some struggling homes into deeper misery.

    Yet, our medical infrastructure is allowed to depreciate without receiving deserved attention even as more doctors and medical personnel are leaving the country in droves. No thanks to poor working conditions, insensitive and nonchalant responses from the federal government to their situation and health sector at large. It is convenient for our political leaders and public office holders to junket around the globe patronizing the best medical facilities for their health. This is a luxury many of them could not afford on their own. Even General Muhammdu Buhari, who promised to fix the inadequate and fitful medical infrastructure if elected president in 2015 as a way of discouraging medical tourism abroad has become a regular medical tourist since he assumed office as president six years ago. Several other privileged people also jet out of the country to get medicare for themselves and their families.

    As at today, poorly fed, jobless and vulnerable masses are at the mercy of God for their wellbeing as they can’t afford the cost of medical services for themselves and their families. The same thing goes for security. innocent Nigerians have become endengered in the country. They prayerfully and consciously move around to avoid falling preys to ritualists in their communities, they nurse the fear of falling victims to armed robbers, kidnappers and murderous terrorists who masquerade as herdsmen and bandits on our highways. Living in palpable fear has now defined the perception and consciousness of an average Nigerian.

    The effrontery of the daredevil gunmen is becoming more worrisome. Breaching the security structure of military formations as witnessed early this week at the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna, further heightens the hopeless situation of security challenges. Even staying at home does not guarantee security as kidnappers have been going into houses and palaces to kidnap people for ransom in parts of the country. And in a situation whereby the family of the victim could not meet up with the kidnappers’ demand, the victim, in most cases, will be killed. Another sad dimension is the mass abductions of school children and undergraduates in the northern part of the country. The ease of abductions further lend credence to the suspicion that the insecurity is largely an organised crime cum business sponsored by some powerful elements in the country. Families have coughed out billions of naira as ransom for their loved ones apart from those who unfortunately died in the captivity of kidnappers. A report claimed that over N7 billion had been paid between 2011 and 2020. But in 2021 alone, close to that amount has been paid by pauperised families. There’s no day in Nigeria since January 1, 2018 till date without a bloodshed. This is obviously a satanic operation going on in the most praying nation in the world. On daily basis, families keep losing their members to assailants needlessly. It is apparent that people’s security lies in the hands of their Creator and the little defence they could build around themselves in the face of compromised national security architecture.

    Hunger in the land is evident as many families couldn’t feed themselves sufficiently. The level of penury in the land has projected about 20 percent of Nigerians as feeding on less than one dollar per day for more than five years till date. Gradually, famine is creeping in as the cost of food items is hitting the roofs. Hundreds, if not thousands, of famers across the regions of Nigeria could not work on their farmlands for fear of killer herdsmen, kidnappers and heartless bandits. Food shortage is imminent if the insecurity and threats to life keep scaring farmers away. Many income earners can scarcely feed twice a day. What obtains in many homes is a situation where one square meal is eaten while light food like crunches, gari, biscuits, bread and refreshments are served pending the time for the main meal for the day.

    Life does not offer equal opportunities to everyone. Some are born more privileged than the others but good governance should offer the enablement for every citizen to explore their potential to the fullest. Criminality thrive when ill-gotten wealth is flaunted, particularly so when the commonwealth of the people are being siphoned by those elected to hold in trust and administer the resources to the chagrin of the populace. The recent lavish wedding of the president’s son, Yusuf’, is a reflection of how insensitive and immodest some so-called ‘Puritans’ can be when tested with power and money.

    Time is running out and people are getting agitated, impatient, hungry and angrier by the day. The good news that the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, has leaped from 0.51% in the first quarter to 5.01% in the second quarter should be consolidated and be made to reflect on the welfare and standard of living of the citizenry. Though governance is not an easy task but the will power to do the right thing without pandering to parochial sentiments, eschewing ethnic and religious biases or interests would have moved the nation forward than where it is.

    Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should be told in clear terms that all is not well with many families out there. The trio of insecurity, hunger and health challenges are squeezing the survival instincts out of many frustrated Nigerians. The leadership should please wake up, roll up its sleeves and do the needful.

    Please keep hope alive, and do have a restful weekend ahead.

    From the Mailbox
    Re: Erectile Dysfunction: In Limbo of Sexlesss Marriage

    “How about a man that claims he doesn’t like sex and suffers his wife? He can go for months without sex if I don’t ask for it, my husband doesn’t even mind. I would have to climb on top to have sexual satisfaction when I badly need sex, yet, he won’t respond at all throughout the time. What do you think of such a man? I need your input because as it is now, I’m at the breaking point and I don’t mind to quit. What is further infuriating is his nonchalant attitude towards his responsibilities as a family man.” Mrs. A. O.
    “Now that they have realised their folly, will they swallow their pride and allow people to help them? I left my first marriage because the man was an incurable womaniser who almost ruined my health with venereal diseases. I was constantly on strong antibiotics and injections for six years. I had to quit because he was not relenting.” Ms. E. M

    Quote:
    “The ease of abductions further lend credence to the suspicion that the insecurity is largely an organised crime cum business sponsored by some powerful elements in the country. Families have coughed out billions of naira as ransom for their loved ones.”

  • Why families must reduce intake of salt, seasoning

    Why families must reduce intake of salt, seasoning

    A don, Prof. Henrietta Okafor, has urged families to reduce the intake of salt and seasoning to protect the kidney from malfunction.

    Okafor, who is a Professor of Peadiatrics with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), made the call in Enugu during 163rd Inaugural Lecture of UNN titled: “Sustaining Healthy Kidneys from Nascence: The Role of Watchmen.”

    She said that families, especially mothers, had a lot to do to ensure healthy kidneys of their family members, particularly children, by ensuring healthy diet devoid of excessive salt and seasonings.

    She added that “members of the family as watchmen start with the mother who prepares the meal of the whole family.

    “Our mothers must help family members by ensuring that less quantity of salt or seasonings are added to
    meals.

    “Apart from kidney malfunction, which excess salt and seasoning can cause and can lead to hypertension and other complications for other internal organs.”

    Okafor, who lamented what she described as “increasing rate of chronic kidney disease among children”, noted that the challenge was also caused by environmental, hereditary and negative life-style of intake of hard drugs and alcohol among pregnant women.

    She urged mothers to monitor their babies’ kidney during ultra-scan before birth, as well as urination of their children and its flow up until two years.

    According to her, this is to detect if there is malfunctioning of the urinary track which might be caused by an unhealthy kidney.

    “Prevention and early detection of kidney problem in children is the key to allow for proper medical attention, monitoring and management by paediatrician and the family assisting as well,’’ she said.

    The don appealed to various level of government to assist in the treatment of kidney ailment especially that of children as it is obtainable in other countries.

    “Due to high cost associated with kidney management and cost of getting a kidney transplant; it is difficult for majority of families living under poverty to cope with it.

    “Some families when their tender child has been confirmed to have kidney problem; they loss hope on the child’s survival.

    “This leaves paediatricians like me devastated.”

    Okafor appealed to health policy makers and philanthropists to assist in making kidney treatment accessible.

    The don called on the media to project and promote healthy living and encourage people to take right and balanced diets throught their reportage.

    “The watchmen role of those in the media remain critical, especially in projecting healthy life-style and ensuring unhealthy substances were not promoted or projected in any form in the media,’’ she said.

    The lecture was attended physically by UNN management, deans of faculties, heads of departments and academia, while
    150 scholars joined virtually from all over the world.

  • Families in Tears, Anguish over SARS Atrocities, By Michael West

    Families in Tears, Anguish over SARS Atrocities, By Michael West

    By Michael West

    The appearance of scruffy looking, gun trotting rude guys on patrol in hijacked commercial or private vehicles do send jitters down the spines of Nigerians especially the youths. It is not because there’s any reported crime or breakdown of law and order but for the likelihood of being caught as preys in the web of ‘unquestionable’ Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, operatives who are on the prowl for who to extort, dehumanise and rape.

     

    Not a few Nigerian families have suffered losses due to reckless extra judicial killings by SARS operatives on the pretext of combating crimes. How they conveniently operate callously without blinking an eyelid is surprising. No human feelings, no apologies for their wrongdoings. Behaving as if Nigeria is a police state is repressible and frustrating. Flagrant violation of human rights is a norm to them. I can’t imagine how the bad eggs in the Nigeria Police Force were weaned, raised and trained from good homes. Everyone is a product of his home and a reflection of his upbringing. Even while it is possible for children to veer off the tract of disciplined upbringing, acting wickedly like killing at will, extorting money forcefully, raping and abusing women anyhow is nothing but demonstrations of animalistic tendencies in them.

     

    It is a fact that not all of them are involved in the dastardly acts, but it looks like the bad eggs among them are too visible for wrong reasons. Fundamentally, it is their call of duty to protect the people they wilfully oppressed. I learnt that they have daily financial targets to be met. Apart from daily delivery at their offices, they also make daily, weekly and monthly contributions which are the reasons behind their desperate extortions, illegal arrests and forceful ‘ransom’ collected for bail from raided youths on the streets. The way they assault innocent people is very crude and brutal. If they ask you to wait or demand anything from you, any attempt to question their actions may earn you resounding slaps and jackboot treatment. Their refrain “I will waste you and nothing will happen” have truly been executed in many cases. The blood of innocent victims are crying for justice.

     

    The alleged incidents of rape and sexual molestation by SARS operatives are on the increase. According to several accounts, women, regardless of age, class and status, are being subjected to sexual molestation. They fondle of their boobs, ‘grab the pussy,’ rape and demand ‘sex for bail.’

     

    Many Nigerian homes are in ruins and anguish due to gruesome extra judicial killing of their innocent sons by SARS operatives. How the special unit became notorious for criminal activities is baffling. They are never remorseful for wrongdoings. Even as the protest rages, SARS operatives are still confident that they will return. Tacit support by the police high command for the unit seems to buoy their confidence.

     

    Both the regular and social media are awash with scary and provocative reports of abuse, intimidation, harassment, torture and practical robbery at gun points by SARS operatives. Sometimes I feel these elements are not human beings at all going by the level of cruelties ascribed to them by members of the public.

     

    Let me admit that the laudable purpose for which SARS was created in 1992 has achieved a lot in curbing and fighting crimes. Before they went hey wire, SARS was a nemesis to armed robbers many years ago. They scarcely take bribes from suspects or victims of armed robberies while discharging their duties. Back then in mid-1990s, their intelligence network was unassailable. They operated as undercover agents most of the time except when they wanted to effect arrest. In that fine era, they were not harassing anybody. They were polite. They were feared not for brutality but for integrity, discipline and crime fighting. As soon as they accomplish their mission in a particular location or scene, swiftly they vamoose. The tainted image of the bad ones have overshadowed the core civil operatives in SARS. As it is today, the rot in SARS has gone beyond reform or image laundry. Anything short of outright disbandment and immediate prosecution of erred operatives is not acceptable.

     

    A victim of SARS brutality in Lagos, Abdul Abdulkareem, who was quoted by an online reporter as saying “I would prefer to be attacked by armed robbers than to encounter SARS officers,” narrated his ordeal in the hands of the dreaded operatives. According to the report, Abdul and two friends were on their way home at Idi-Araba, Surulere, when operatives turned up in a minibus and arrested them. “It was around 10 pm, I stopped at a store opposite my house with two friends to pick up bread for breakfast the next morning. The officers appeared from nowhere and dragged us into their van without telling us what our offence was,” he said, adding that the operatives picked 12 others to Area D Police Command in Mushin and locked them in the cell.

     

    “On our way to the station, the officers kept picking up people randomly and throwing them into the van. Anyone that asked questions got slapped. They seized our phones and personal belongings and refused to tell us anything. I had to sleep in the cell that night with the others that were picked up. It was a bad experience.” Abdul and his friends were released the next day after paying the SARS operatives the sum of ₦20,000. “They laughed about what they did as if it was a joke. They told us it was normal,” he said.

     

    Abdul’s story is just one of many Nigerians who have suffered unjustly and illegally in the hands of SARS operatives. In 2016, an Amnesty International report showed how SARS officers frequently detained, tortured, and extorted young Nigerians. The report exposed detention facilities in Abuja, Enugu, and Anambra, where victims were tormented and coerced into confessing to crimes they did not commit.

    Tales of woes and traumas by the victims of wicked SARS operatives are too numerous to mention. There are Nigerians abroad who are stiff scared of coming home because of nasty experiences and raw deals some of them had had in the hands of unruly SARS operatives. I saw videos of women who were lamenting their ordeals in the hands of SARS operatives about the way they forcefully had sex with them – rape. I saw a retired colonel on a national television narrating his unpalatable encounter with the “boys.” Uncountable number of young boys and girls are still nursing the wounds of SARS illegal operations. The victims have lost thousands of naira individually through forced transfers to the bank accounts belonging to SARS operatives at the ATM and POS, coupled with seizure of their mobile phones, laptops and sundry harassments on the streets. The unlucky young chaps have been killed and their remains were either dumped somewhere or tagged as robbery suspects attempting to escape.

     

    Bereaved families should speak out. Those who have been forcefully extorted through money transfer should also signify by presenting details of the illegal transfers for refunds. Those maimed, injured, unjustly detained should incident their cases for adequate compensations. It will be a call for prolong agitation and eventual shutdown of the country if the federal government subtly retains SARS under a new name.

     

    Let us return to the basics where home-grown discipline that is rooted in the fear of God, equity and care for fellow human beings are guaranteed. On this note, let’s take the agitation back to the homestead and “Train up a child in the way to go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov 22: 6. The call for #EndSWAT, #EndSARS must continue until sanity is restored in the Nigeria Police Force.

     

    Quote:

    “Not a few Nigerian families have suffered losses due to reckless extra judicial killings by SARS operatives on the pretext of combating crimes.”

     

  • Schools, Families and Politics of Covid-19, By Michael West

    Schools, Families and Politics of Covid-19, By Michael West

    By Michael West

    Apparently caving under intense pressure, the federal government has agreed to partial reopening of academic activities in schools starting with students in terminal classes in secondary schools. Till now, government is yet to convince the public on its rationale to open economic and political activities while schools remain on lockdown. Nigeria is fond of doing the right thing at the wrong time.

    Since schools have been shut in March, academic life, like other sectors, has been in limbo. The worst affected are the teachers in private schools whose salaries have since been stopped and several of them already laid off. For these category of Nigerians there’s no succour coming their way from any quarters. Largely, they didn’t benefiting from the sparsely distributed Covid palliatives. It has been hellish for many of them to survive and feed their families.

    Parents appear to suffer double jeopardy from the lockdown. Their children are back home, feeding and living on them as always. Many parents are into education business either as teachers or investors. Education in Nigeria, especially in the south, is considered a family business. And since schools are on lockdown, there’s no income for such families. Consequently, the burden of survival becomes heavier and almost unbearable.

    Keeping schools on lockdown for too long is unjustifiable. I appreciate the fact that Nigerian government acted promptly in shutting down schools and other public institutions as a feasible measure to contain the pandemic. In no small measure, this has greatly helped but sustaining the lockdown for too long and beyond its usefulness is where the problem lies. There’re no medical records to validate the notion that children of school age including those of tertiary institutions are under serious threats from Covid-19.

    Statistics of coronavirus infections and the causality rate in the United States by age group (Feb.1 – June 17, 2020) shows that school age children between one and 34 years were less than 0.05 percent whereas more than 80 percent of deaths occur in people aged 65 and above. Analysis of the US CDC report states that “one thing that is often forgotten is that people of all ages are dying all the time. Each year, about 2.8 million Americans pass away.” According to the statistics, “deaths in young people (from babies to college students) are almost non-existent.” I used the US data to analyse the situation because it is the most affected with the highest death figures (about 150,000 casualties) among the Covid-ravaged nations.

    For many infectious diseases young children are most at risk. For instance, in the case of malaria, the majority of deaths (57% globally) are in children under five. The same was true for the largest pandemic in recorded history; during the ‘Spanish flu’ in 1918, children and young adults were at the greatest risk from the pandemic but reverse is the case in Covid-19 pandemic. Children and youths are largely the least infected with almost nil percentage of deaths.

    Of the roughly 1.2 million American deaths that occurred between February 1 and June 17, almost nine percent were due to coronavirus. Below that, the proportion of deaths due to coronavirus fell dramatically. Thirteen children of primary and middle school age (5-14 years) died from COVID-19, but this represented only 0.7% of all deaths in this age group; 1,742 kids died of other things during this same time period.

    Checking through the available data on the percentage of Covid-induced deaths across the globe especially in the heavily affected countries, it is discovered that extremely low number of casualties have so far been recorded among children of school age. In Brazil, Britain, France, China and Iran for example, so far, records show almost nil casualty ratios of deaths involving school age children and youths. Back home in Nigeria, the situation is the same and even better.

    In Nigeria, it is reported, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that more deaths were recorded among 61-70-year-old. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says people within the 31 to 40 years age bracket are more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus in the country. It, however, said more deaths have been recorded among older people of 60 years and above.

    In a report made available to the NAN last week in Abuja, the NCDC said data also showed that “Age 31-40: Male – 797 infected with seven deaths; female – 324 with four deaths but lower mortality compared to older persons,” it said. According to the report, in spite of this, older people die more due to several factors from co-morbidity. The data showed more deaths among 61-70 years, though the lowest rate in confirmed cases. Meanwhile, 11-20 years were infected, with three deaths. Persons under the age of 10 were also infected at lower rates, with one death, which was also a male. In view of the NCDC data, children of school age and the youths are at almost a zero percent of the fatality index. We should not lose sight of the fact that people of different ages die daily but it is speculated that most deaths are now attributed to Covid especially in government hospitals.

    The strength of the bubbling, healthy children and young adults lies in their immunity which is stronger than those of adults in their late 40s and above. About three weeks ago, Boss Mustapha, chairman of Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 had warned the youths to stop the spread of the infection saying that they were largely responsible for infecting their parents at home through disregard for safety rules against Covid-19. While the youths are enjoying their stable health condition despite carrying the virus in their body system, their ageing parents are the sufferers.

    The youths daily engage in sporting and commercial activities in crowded environments with little or no regard for safety regulations. This is not limited to Nigeria alone. We watch on international television stations across the world where tourist and commercial centres are thickly populated by the youths. Despite the fearsome number of casualties in some the Covid-ravaged countries, they have opened their schools and businesses to restore life back to normal.

    The bottom line of the contrived pandemic lies in the economic interests of the pharmaceutical giants, public health stakeholders, New World Order strategists and American politics. It will be naive to wave aside the intensity of politics entrenched in Covid-19 by the world super cabals. Wasting human lives was all they needed to justify the introduction and implementation of anti-humanity agenda to achieve global population reduction, mandatory vaccination and eventual introduction of digital currency which will usher in a New World Order. Caught in the web of the superpower politicking to change the world system is the hapless humanity.

    It is sheer insensitivity on the part of government through the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to contemplate collecting stamp duty on rents. From who? From jobless tenants that struggle to pay their rents? With thousands job losses in Nigeria and millions across the world, from where do FIRS expects pauperised Nigerians to get extra income to pay? Meanwhile, while other countries were doling out palliatives to their citizens in form of debt, rent and mortgage reliefs, months of free power and water supplies in addition to free medical services and stimulus packages for different levels of businesses to stream back to life, none was provided by our government. Rather, we are being treated to daily heart-breaking disclosures of humongous embezzlements of our commonwealth by people in authority. As shameless as the spectacle is, one does not expect the callous idea of stamp duty on rents as it amounts to adding additional burden on the masses of this country. Enough of this nonsense!

    Quote:

    “The bottom line of the contrived pandemic lies in the economic interests of the pharmaceutical giants, public health stakeholders, New World Order strategists and American politics. It will be naive to wave aside the intensity of politics entrenched in Covid-19 by the world super cabals. Caught in the web of the superpower politicking to change the world system is the hapless humanity.”

  • Families confirm sudden death of Ibidun Ituah-Ighodalo

    Families confirm sudden death of Ibidun Ituah-Ighodalo

    The Ighodalo and Olaleye Ajayi families have announced the “sudden loss” of Ibidunni Ituah -Ighodalu.

    She was known as the wife of a popular Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.

    A statement by the families signed by Asue Ighodalo did not state the cause of the “sudden loss.”

    According to Asue Ighodalo, “The Ighodalo and Olaleye Ajayi families are deeply saddened to announce the sudden loss of our beloved wife and daughter Mrs. Ibidunni Ituah-Ighodalo who passed away in the early hours of today.

    As you will understand, this is a difficult time for our families and we will appreciate some privacy during this time. All information on burial proceedings will be provided in due course.”

    In the last few years, Ibidun Ighodalo, the former Miss Lux has used her own life’s experience as the platform through which to extend a helping hand to those going through the same journey.

    She is blessed with two cute adopted kids, Keke and Zenan, Ibidun floated the Ibidun Ighodalo Foundation to bring succour to those who cannot afford the expensive pregnancy procedures.

  • An unforgiving and stone heart – Francis Ewherido

    Francis Ewherido

    A horrific and sadistic drama was staged at the God’s Glory Ministry, Jos last Saturday. The ‘actor,’ a certain Rufus Aplang and his fiancée, Judith, were billed to exchange marital vows.

    It was reported that when the presiding pastor asked Aplang if he was ready to take Judith as his wife for better, for worse, he answered ‘no.’ It was reported that the Pastor repeated the question and Aplang replied, “Pastor, I heard you clearly, and understand English very well and my answer is still, no.”

    The news report said “the curious Pastor then asked him ‘but you are well dressed and came ready for this wedding. Why?’ To which Aplang replied, ‘sorry, I made up my mind 10 years ago to disgrace her on our wedding day.’” He was reported that he left the church thereafter. The stunned bride fainted and was rushed to the hospital.

    As I read the story, many thoughts rushed into my head. First Judith’s family and well-meaning friends need to rally round her so that she does not do anything stupid to herself. They should keep a vigil around her. Aplang’s action is devastating, but she has to get over it and move on with her life. My people say that if you want to consider the length of a snake, you will never get a stick long and big enough to kill it. If she wants to keep remembering the 12 locust years she spent with Aplang, she will never recover from the shock. It hurts, but that too like some other heartaches she has had in life will pass. Time and family support are mighty healers.

    Once she stabilizes, she must head to church and do thanksgiving to God for saving her from 12 years of slavery (not courtship) and a potential lifelong servitude, if she had gone ahead with the marriage. Beyond the pains, she has every reason to thank God.

    This marriage would not have gone anywhere and it is better it ended before starting. I often tell my marriage course participants that a break up, even at the altar before exchange of vows, is better than an unhappy marriage. Aplang is not her God-given husband. If he were, he would not have hurt her this bad. Her next task is to pray to God to send her the husband the author of marriage has destined for her. I intend to join her in that prayer.

    Judith has every reason to thank God. Anybody who bears a grudge for 10 years is not a marriage material; he cannot be a good spouse. Forgiveness is at the centre of every happy and successful marriage. We all are fallible beings and we go into marriage with our good, bad and ugly traits. Every spouse must be ready for the total package. A happy marriage is not that where there are no conflict, but that where there are conflict-resolution mechanisms. Couples quarrel, argue, get on each other’s nerves and then reconcile. No marriage can survive without forgiveness.

    Is Aplang a Christian? If they were at a registry, I would have concluded he is not, but they were to be joined as husband and wife in the church. The bible is replete with passages on forgiveness.

    The Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus personally gave us said “…forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…” Another passage says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

    A good Christian cannot bear a grudge against someone he intends to spend he intends to spend the rest of his life with for 10 years!

    Aplang is also very petty. At a time his mates were planning their families, careers and future, he was hatching and perfecting a plan to disgrace Judith on their supposed wedding day. Did he succeed? Hell, no. He only succeeded in making a complete fool of himself. If we were operating in a more nuclear space, Aplang will never get married again because who will allow his/her daughter to marry such a vindictive man?

    I hope Aplang is not preparing to get married anytime soon. He is not only mean but too immature for marriage. The Gospel of Matthew 1: 18 – 20 records that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was engaged to Joseph, but before marriage, Joseph found out that she was pregnant. Being a man of honour, he did not want to disgrace Mary publicly, but wanted to quietly break the engagement before the angel intervened. He wanted to break up the engagement immediately he found out, not 10 years later. That is class and maturity.

    What did Judith do 10 years ago to merit such treatment? Did she sleep with another man? Did she kill Aplang’s relative? Whatever she did, Aplang had two options: Break up the relationship 10 years ago or forgive her. To carry a grudge for 10 years? I am shocked he even spared the life of Judith. With this kind of bitterness, he could have killed her. He could also have destroyed himself because of hate. He could have suffered stroke or heart attack…all because he wants to carry out a mean act.

    It is not only Judith that Aplang left in shock; he also left both families and his childhood friend and best man, Peter Sani, in shock. Sani attributed Aplang’s strange behaviour to “something diabolic.” I differ. Aplang knew what he was doing; he is just an unforgiving person. Aplang never really loved Judith and I am stunned Judith never knew for over a decade. You do not hurt someone you love this way. Those of us in marriage know that there are times your spouse hurts you and you really want to get back at him/her. Then you remember this is the love of your life and relent. Some couples talk things over and move on.

    The other bit that did not make sense was the length of the courtship. There is no universally agreed timeframe for courtship, but 12 years is way too long. I can understand two years and tolerate four years, but what are you court-shipping for 12 years for? Is courtship a university course? Any focused student, who spent 12 years in the university, will come out with a Ph.D and an extra bachelors or master’s degree.

    What did Judith get after over 12 years of courtship? Heart break. It means she learnt very little in 12 years. If she was very observant, she would have seen the handwriting on the wall long ago. May be, like many people in lust, she was blinded. But better late than never. Subsequently, she should know that courtship and marriage are schools. You go in there, learn and get wiser and better every day. She should be a diligent student and learn. An animal that has been previously ensnared runs away from any stick that is bent.

  • Two families staged Indonesia suicide bombings – Police

    Two families staged Indonesia suicide bombings – Police

    A family of five, including a child, carried out the suicide bombing of a police headquarters in Indonesia’s second city Surabaya on Monday, police said, a day after a deadly wave of attacks on churches staged by another family.

    The spate of bombings has rocked Indonesia, with the Islamic State group claiming both the church and police station attacks, raising fears about its influence in Southeast Asia as its dreams of a Middle Eastern caliphate fade.

    Indonesia, which is set to host the Asian Games in just three months, has long struggled with Islamist militancy, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people — mostly foreign tourists — in the country’s worst-ever terror attack.

    Security forces have arrested hundreds of militants during a sustained crackdown that smashed some networks, and most recent attacks have been low-level and targeted domestic security forces.

    But that changed Sunday as a family of six — including girls aged nine and 12 — staged suicide bombings of three churches during morning services in Surabaya, killing 18 including the bombers.

    On Monday members of another family blew themselves up at a police station in the city, wounding 10.

    “There were five people on two motorbikes. One of them was a little kid,” national police chief Tito Karnavian said. “This is one family.”

    An eight-year-old girl from the family survived the attack and was taken to hospital, while her mother, father and two brothers died in the blast, he said.

    “A martyrdom-seeking operation with an explosive-laden motorcycle hit the gate of an Indonesian police headquarters,” IS’s official Amaq agency reported, according to SITE.

    The children were likely led to their deaths without a full awareness of their fate, said Ade Banani, of the University of Indonesia’s research centre of police science and terrorism studies.

    If a family believed in traditional roles, the father “has the power, so everyone has to obey”, Banani said.

    “The children probably don’t know what’s going on or don’t understand.”

    The father of the church suicide bombers was a local leader in extremist network Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) which supports IS, and the second family was also linked to JAD.

    “It ordered and gave instructions for its cells to make a move,” Karnavian said of the Islamic State’s role in the church attacks.

    He added that the bombings may have also been motivated by the arrest of JAD leaders, including jailed radical Aman Abdurrahman, and were linked to a deadly prison riot staged by Islamist prisoners at a high-security jail near Jakarta last week.

    Abdurrahman has been connected to several deadly incidents, including a 2016 gun and suicide attack in the capital Jakarta that left four attackers and four civilians dead.

    Despite their apparent allegiance to IS, the church-bombing family were not returnees from Syria, police said Monday, correcting their earlier statements.

    However, hundreds of Indonesians have flocked in recent years to fight alongside IS there.

    Its ambitions have been reined in after losing most of the land it once occupied in Iraq and Syria, and there are concerns that jihadists will now turn their focus on establishing a base in Southeast Asia.

    – ‘Increasingly proficient’ –

    On Sunday evening, just hours after the church bombings, a further three people in another family were killed and two wounded when another bomb exploded at an apartment complex about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Surabaya.

    That explosion appeared to have been an accidental detonation that killed a mother and her 17-year-old child who was not identified.

    The woman’s husband — a confidante of the husband behind the church bombings, Dita Oepriyanto — was badly injured in the explosion.

    Police said they arrived after the explosion and shot dead the injured man, Anton Febrianto, as he held a bomb detonator in his hand.

    “When we searched the flat we found pipe bombs, similar to pipe bombs we found near the churches,” said Karnavian.

    Police said they also shot dead four suspects,including the second-ranking member of the JAD cell in Surabaya, in raids on houses and offices Monday while nine others were arrested.

    Indonesian police have foiled numerous terror plots, but the coordinated nature of Sunday’s church bombings and the subsequent blasts point to more sophisticated planning than in the past, analysts said.

    “There is definitely a growing technical proficiency,” said Zachary Abuza, Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington.

    “To pull off three near-simultaneous bombings is the hallmark of a group that is thinking.”

    Abuza questioned the police suggestion that the attacks were ordered by the IS leadership abroad, but said it would likely boost its presence in Southeast Asia as it fades elsewhere.

    “(They’re) going to continue to benefit from operating transnationally in Southeast Asia,” he said.

    AFP

  • Ozubulu: ‘Killers threaten to attack four more families’

    One of the witnesses in the Ozubulu Church killings in Anambra state, Chukwuemeka Obi, Friday told the court in Awka, Anambra state that those who masterminded the killings have threatened to carry out more attacks in four families in the community.

    Not only that, he also told the court that they equally threatened to carry out such attacks on other members of the community based in South Africa and Brazil.

    The revelation came at the Nnewi High court now sitting in Awka because of threats on witnesses, which is being presided over by Justice F I Aniukwu.

    It would be recalled that on August 6, 2017 unknown gun men stormed Saint Philip’s Catholic Church Amakwa Ozubulu and killed 13 persons, while 29 others were seriously injured.

    Obi, who was a witness from Johannesburg, South Africa, revealed the threats by the suspects as he was being led in evidence in Chief by his lawyer, Jay Jay Ezeuko SAN.

    According to him, “The killers have threatened to kill my father in Ozubulu, attack four families in Ozubulu; kill my younger brother who is living in Brazil and myself who is living in South Africa”

    “They are demanding one million dollars from us or they will wipe all us. We have been receiving strange phone calls from these people”

    “They accused me of being a betrayer because on one occasion, I traveled with Bishop (Aloysius Ikegwuonu) from South Africa to Nigeria; rode in his (Bishop’s) car from Lagos to Ozubulu”

    The witness further alleged that one of the suspects, Chinedu Akpunonu, who was equally standing trial in the matter, was working with two persons he called Gozila and Afam

    Both suspects, he said, were in jail in South African prison to terrorize the people of Ozubulu at home and abroad.

    Also Emeka Nzelu, another witness based in South Africa, told the court that another suspect standing trial in the case, Onyebuchi Mbanefo, called him on phone and threatened to deal with “bishop”(Aloysius Ikegwuonwu) for abandoning him when he needed his help.

    According to Nzelu , “Mbanefo told me that he would now join forces with Akpunonu to deal with bishop for failing to assist him to foot his bill for bullet wound surgery, despite the fact that it was because of bishop that he sustained the wound”

    “He refused to accept all appeals I made to him to forgive bishop (ikegeuonwu)

    Asked by Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, who is the defence counsel, whether he reported that such threat to the police in South Africa or Nigeria, Nzelu answered in the negative.

    Rather, he said he reported the matter to the chairman of Ozubulu Development Union O D U in South Africa.

    However, after listening to the witnesses and their Counsels, the trial judge, Justice Aniukwu refused bail application for the four suspects standing trial in the August 6 killings.

    The Judge in his ruling said the risk of releasing the suspects outweighed their freedom.

    The Justice said, the suspects did not prove exceptional circumstance to warrant their bail.

    The suspects had stated in their bail application that they were innocent of the charges against them

    They maintained that before the law they remained innocent and entitled to bail.

    They also stated that they had health conditions that the prison health facilities could not handle.

    Agreeing that ill health was a ground to grant suspects bail in criminal matters, the judge said in his thinking since the prosecution was handling the matter expeditiously, it was better to keep the suspects intact to face their case than risking granting them bail where they might abandon the case or jump bail.

    Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Festus Keyamo, after the session, told reporters that he had got the brief of his clients to go on interlocutory appeal on the bail.

    The presiding judge, Justice Aniukwu, adjourned the matter to May 16th and 25th, June 8th and 22nd; and July 6 for continuation.

  • Meningitis: Atiku urges more action, condoles with families

    Meningitis: Atiku urges more action, condoles with families

    Former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed concern on the high death toll so far recorded this year following the outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in parts of the country.

    In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku called for concerted efforts to forestall further spread of the disease and attendant deaths.

    The former vice president described as worrisome the death toll, which currently stands at 366.

    “I understand that the heat-induced illness which causes the swelling of the outer part of the brain has also affected 2,996 cases in 16 states and 54 local government areas.

    “For me it implies a lot of effort is required to stop these deaths,” Atiku said.

    He also called on the international community and donor agencies to come to Nigeria’s aid on the grounds that “it is an emergency situation”.

    Besides, the APC chieftain urged relevant agencies of government to take precautionary measures to ensure that preventive measures were in place in states prone to the health challenge.

    He also called for serious inter-agency collaboration involving the Ministries of Health, Housing, Environment, Information, metrological agency as well as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

    According to him, the inter-agency collaboration would lead to the development of a comprehensive preventive and treatment master-plan that would ensure that the carnage recorded in 2017 is avoided in future.

    The former vice president also called for sustained research on the ailment to avoid new challenges being experienced in treating victims of the outbreak of meningitis this year.

    Atiku further called for appropriate budgetary allocations by government at all levels, to ensure the availability of funds for early procurement of vaccines and other items needed for better medical response to outbreaks.

    He also appealed for a preventive package that includes a robust enlightenment and educative programme on the disease.

    “The package should clearly explain how the disease should be avoided; signs of contracting the disease as well as what to do when there is such an outbreak,’’ he said.

    He said by providing the enlightenment and educative programmes, individuals and families would become part of efforts to kick meningitis out of Nigeria.

    The APC stalwart said that traditional rulers and religious leaders should be part of the campaign since they are closer to the people, especially in the rural areas.

    Atiku prayed for the repose of the souls of those who died from the outbreak of the disease and the quick recovery of those receiving treatment.

    He also prayed that God gives the bereaved families the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved ones.

     

     

    NAN

  • Tambuwal advocates support for families of fallen heroes

    Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has said one of the best ways to honour Nigeria’s fallen heroes is to take care of the loved ones they left behind by providing opportunities for their children, and empowering their widows.

    Speaking at an event to commemorate the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day held in Sokoto Sunday, Tambuwal commended the military for their sacrifice in helping to secure the nation.

    He said as people who have given their lives to protect others, members of the armed forces deserve the nation’s gratitude at all times.

    “Today’s event is significant because it shows that we are a people of history who also appreciate our history. It also shows that there are people who paid the supreme sacrifice for us to get to where we are today as one, united and happy nation.

    “We should continue to learn from their sacrifices to ensure that Nigeria remains a united country where everyone is enjoying the freedom as enshrined in our constitution. We should at all times make our contributions to national development.

    “On this important day, we should always continue to support their families and encourage the ones still in active service to give their maximum best in the service of the fatherland,” Tambuwal added.

    This year’s event, which held at the Maigero Theatre Complex in Sokoto, featured medical outreach organized by the armed forces, parade and laying of wreath in honour of the fallen service men.