TheNewsGuru

Tag: KING

  • Trump signs order to declassify files on Kennedy, King assassinations

    Trump signs order to declassify files on Kennedy, King assassinations

    U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to declassify documents related to the assassinations of former president John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King (Jr).

    Trump instructed the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to present a plan within 15 days for the “full and complete release of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.”

    They have 45 days to review the files on Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King (Jr) and present a plan for the records’ release.

    “More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and the Revd. Dr Martin Luther King (Jr), the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events,” the order stated.

    “Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth.

    “It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay.”

    According to the U.S. National Archives, the majority of the roughly five million documents, photos, videos, audio recordings, and artifacts related to the assassination of JFK have been available to the public since the late 1990s.

    Trump had previously promised to release the files during his first term in office.

    In 2017, some previously classified documents were made public, but Trump decided to withhold others at the request of the CIA and FBI, citing national security concerns.

    Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, released thousands more Kennedy-related documents, but not all of them.

    With the latest release in 2023, 99 per cent of the documents are now publicly accessible, according to U.S. media reports.

    JFK’s slaying in Dallas on November 22, 1963, was a pivotal moment in U.S. history and has remained a popular subject for conspiracy theorists in spite of an official investigation’s conclusion that a lone gunman was responsible for the attack.

    King, a civil rights icon who in 1963 captivated Americans with his “I Have a Dream” speech, was shot dead in Memphis in 1968.

    Robert F. Kennedy was killed by a gunman while campaigning for the presidency in 1968.

  • The King’s cancer and state cancer – By Hope Eghagha

    The King’s cancer and state cancer – By Hope Eghagha

    The king of England has cancer; may the cancer be short-lived and may the king live long on the throne of his forbears which he mounted at 75. When the king catches cancer, or when cancer catches the king, the land is in mourning. For we know the unforgiving aggression and anger of a remorseless cancer. But hope there is. This cancer was caught early by eagle-eyed doctors and the king will be spared. Perhaps it was the prostate that saved the king, saved the monarchy, and saved the land. What a fitting tribute therefore to the power of the prostate and such allied matters!

    The king was unusually open about his prostate. That very sensitive and private part of male anatomy, for royalty or working-class folks, is not for public show. African elders have a proverb that ‘a child may play with its mother’s breasts, but not its father’s testicles! Flash back to 1951 when heavy smoker King George VI, father of Queen Elizabeth 11, underwent a left total pneumonectomy, euphemistically called ‘structural abnormalities’ but was indeed cancer. The physicians hid the diagnosis from him, the public and the medical profession. Although the king recovered slowly from the surgery, he died suddenly in his sleep on February 6, 1952, at the age of 56. And Elizabeth became Queen of England. Now, the Queen has passed on. There is no information on the cause of her death.

    So, we must commend King Charles for openness. The king’s private parts are not for public discussion. Indeed, the dead body of most African king is often hidden. Burial is often secret, except for some, like the last Ibadan monarch whose Islamic funeral was held publicly. But in the 21st century, the monarchy, especially the British monarchy, has become open and matters of their bedroom have entered social media and mainstream newspapers. NHS reports that after the king came open on his prostate, ‘visits to the NHS website prostate enlargement page were up by more than 1000%’. I went to check mine too! Be sure that the result is for my private consumption.

    Prostate enlargement is a health condition which affects half of all men starting in their 50s. It is also called ‘benign prostatic hyperplasia’. The chances of getting the condition increase with age. Some men in their 40s can also have an enlarged prostate. The main symptoms of an enlarged prostate are related to urination, either storage symptoms or voiding symptoms. Doctors say that being ‘proactive rather than reactive with the symptoms may be beneficial in preserving bladder and kidney functions. Here in Nigeria, the common attitude among men is that surgery should be avoided because it is a fifty-fifty success story. Whether this is tue I cannot say for certain. Bu the sheer number of herbs which Nigerians peddle and drink for prostate treatment is indicative of their attitude to orthodox treatment. Herbs which reduce the symptoms are found in the market.

    To be sure, most presidents and Heads of State in Africa are emperors in temper and character. They are not to be challenged. They do not disclose their health challenges to mere mortals. There is the fear too that an open disclosure of one’s health status could invite evil forces to add fire to fire and make the ailment incurable! Superstition is a way of life for them. Former President Buhari stayed in London for months taking treatment for an undisclosed ailment at the expense of the state. If our rulers must receive treatment for any ailment, it must be abroad. No shame. No dignity. But King Charles simply checked into The Clinic in London for treatment. He did not fly to America or France or Dubai. Pause for a while and see the embarrassment it would cause if Britain did not have the facility to treat her king or Prime Minister!

    Kings, like the rest of us, are mortals. They are subject to the frailty of mortals. They could fall ill and recover or die. They will all die, ultimately. The news therefore is not that the King has cancer. The news is that he is open about it. There is amazing self-confidence that the public announcement of prostate and suggests. He has lived a good life. At 75, anything could happen. One must show courage and get on with life. Cancer is dreaded. The mere diagnosis of cancer has killed some. It changes everything. It brings one’s mortality very close. Some have been given three months to live after diagnosis. At such times, one must put ‘his house in order! Repentance, forgiveness, kindness, and charity could come into the equation to make peace with God.

    Scary as it is to have a national leader who has cancer, the greatest problem is when the king himself is a form of cancer to the state. A president or governor or prime minister who bleeds the state is a form of cancer. Such cancerous heads should be severed the way cancerous organs are surgically removed. This is the notion of the king as scapegoat. It is atavistic, but not uncommon in modern history, either through the ballot box or other legitimate means. Indeed, the mass of the people are likely to pray for cancer to take away a cancerous king! Luckily, Charlie is not in that mold, despite Diana and the rest of their history.

    If the king has cancer, the king can be saved, the king should be saved, and the land can be saved. But if the king himself is the cancer, there is no hope for the land. We sympathize with the king and wish him well. Both parents of his were nonagenarians when they took their exit from the world. It is my hope that he too would have the same grace extended to him. While nothing is automatic, there is no reason not to believe that with the best of medical care his lot would be like theirs. Long live the king!

  • DICTATORSHIP! Cambodia ruler, appoints son as successor after 38yrs rule

    DICTATORSHIP! Cambodia ruler, appoints son as successor after 38yrs rule

    The eldest son of Cambodia’s long-term ruler Hun Manet has been appointed as the country’s next Prime Minister in a formality confirming the transition of power.

    This came nearly two weeks after Sen stepped down as the world’s longest-serving leader.

    He issued a decree stating Hun Manet will succeed Hun Sen.

    Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, in July announced his retirement after nearly four decades in the power.

    According to BBC, Hun Sen, 70, said he was leaving his West Point-educated son Hun Manet to form a new government after the ruling party claimed a landslide election victory over the weekend.

    Hun Sen while speaking during a televised address said the situation in Cambodia would become unstable if he continued to stay in office and it’s “very necessary for a new cabinet of all young people” to assume control.

    Earlier on Saturday, the country’s electoral body announced the final results of the election, sealing a landslide victory for the ruling party of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen and a mandate for the next five years.

    In an announcement on TVK state television and government social media platforms, the country’s National Election Committee said Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won 120 of 125 available seats in the July 23 general election. The royalist Funcinpec Party won five seats, while none of the other 16 political parties gained any seats.

    Hun Manet won his first seat in Parliament in the July election, and the handover from his father is part of a larger, generational shift: Many younger lawmakers are expected to take up ministerial positions, including Hun Sen’s youngest son and others related to older party members.

    Many were educated in the West, like Hun Manet, who has a bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a master’s degree from New York University and a doctorate from Bristol University in Britain, all in economics.

    After the royal decree was announced, Hun Sen posted on Telegram and the X social media platform that he was stepping down to give a “chance to the successors to lead.”

  • The king who never looks down – By Stephen Ojapah

    The king who never looks down – By Stephen Ojapah

    By Stephen Ojapah MSP

    The late Catholic bishop of Lokoja diocese Joseph Sunday Ajomo was a saintly man. I have never met him, but I have met many who have encountered him personally. And they still remember very vividly his fatherly care, love for the people and the church. Many still remember his wise and eternal stories which he usually tells at the beginning of the Mass and will eventually link the story with the readings of the day. One of such stories he told is titled: The king who never looks down.

    “In a certain town, there was a king who was so proud. He told himself, his face will always be up and will never look down, any time he moves around his kingdom his shoulders were always up and will never look down. One day as he was moving around the village, he matched some animal dung and it soiled his white gown, from his knee downwards, he saw people covering their noses and avoiding him. And he has told himself he will never look down. Anywhere he goes, people were avoiding him because he was smelling and he doesn’t know why people were avoiding him”.

    In the history of the Israelites, they have been blessed with all manner of kings, the good, the bad, and the ugly. In the coming months I shall be reflecting on some of these kings, and how our modern-day kings, queens, politicians, priests and bishops, can always learn to look down especially when the glory of the office we occupy is still controlling our affairs.

    In 2nd Chronicles there are 21 rulers of Judah and God put them all on the throne. In fact, many of them have names that include God’s name—”Yah,” in Hebrew. All the names that begin with “J” or end in “iah” reflect that, like “Uzziah” (“God is my strength”) and Abijah (Yah is my father”). Despite their religiously symbolic names, we’re dealing with a pretty mixed bag here. In this reflection, we will look at the life of Rehoboam and Jehoram. “After Rehoboam had consolidated his rule and had become powerful, he abandoned the law of the Lord, he and all Israel with….. He did evil, for he had not truly resolved to seek the Lord” (2nd Chronicles 12: 1, 14). Rehoboam might be Solomon’s son, but he totally mishandles the rebellion in Israel with his heavy-handed rule and causes the 10 tribes to break off and form their own nation. He’s unsuccessful in getting them to return to the fold. The Chronicler says, “he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord” (12:14).

    The second king in this reflection is Jehoram: “When Jehoram had come into his father’s kingdom and had consolidated his power, he put to the sword all his brothers and also some of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king” (2nd Chronicles 21:4-5). When this king takes over the throne, he kills his brothers to eliminate any competition. Even though he gets a warning letter from the Prophet Elijah himself, Jehoram ignores God at every turn. Finally, “the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease” and refused to pay for a colonoscopy (21:18). If that sounds painful, that’s because it totally was. His bowels eventually fall out and that’s it for him.

    Kings and Princes abandoning God, is not knew, in fact what will be new is such people following the dictates of the Lord and doing justice in ordering the society in the right way. Power is very corrosive, and it corrupts, only very few powerful people survive the corrupt and corrosive elements of power. During the years of General Sani Abacha, one of Nigeria’s former heads of state, he was a man of great honor and pride, he did his best to put Nigeria in the path of progress and peace, he had the best of intentions, but there were times he never looked down. This fact steered at me more vividly when I saw what Durban Hotel has been turned into now, a flat land with no single building standing. The hundreds of rooms and suites have been pulled down. 30 years ago, this General Sani Abacha owned hotel was the best and talk of the town. It had the best facilities and housed the VIPs of our generation. Thirty years down the line, another king who never looks down has pulled everything down.

    One of the most difficult aspects of our lives as men and women of privilege is our inability to look down. So even when we smell and people are pointing to us the dung we have matched, our eyes are so up and not willing to look down. In the Gospel of Luke, there is a very clear example of the king who doesn’t look down. “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores” (Luke 16: 19-21). At the end of the reading, we will see how the rich man was punished and Lazarus rewarded. The biggest sin of the rich man was his inability to look down, so, he never knew that Lazarus was there and what he was going through.

    Early this year, Channels Television Interviewed our dear president, Muhammadu Buhari. We all watched with kin attention, watching to see a man who looks down to know the plight of his people. The anchor, read the updates from the national bureau of statistics. The numbers of unemployment. The debt rate of the country, the price of the exchange rate of dollars and other foreign currencies etc. The response of the commander in chief does not reflect a leader who truly looks down.

    The attitude of leaders and people generally not looking down is not gender base. In the bible, we know the corrosive attitude of women like Jezebel. But we equally have queens like Queen Athaliah our one and only female ruler. She’s also the only monarch in Judah who’s not descended from David’s house. Things do not go well for her. After her son is killed, Athaliah sees a chance to “destroy all the royal family of the house of Judah” (2nd Chronicles 22:10). That means having her grandchildren murdered and taking the crown for herself. Not only is she a worshipper of Baal, she’s a terrible person who ruins just about everything. Eventually, her own people rise up against her in a coup and execute her in the streets. She lived her years as queen not looking down and connecting with ordinary people. Her inability to connect with the ordinary people became her waterloo.

    A poor beggar at a filling station stopped a military officer from moving after he finished refueling his car. The poor beggar shouted: Wait!!! And the officer waited angrily. The poor beggar went to the back of the officer’s car and picked up his cellphone to give to him. When the officer stopped to refuel his car, he left his phone at the back his car. If he had continued driving, his phone would have fallen off and certainly broken. Many have ignored the wise counsel of the poor and have broken their arms, legs, ribs and even reputation.

     

    Fr Stephen Ojapah is a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He is equally the director for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, a member of IDFP. He is also a KAICIID Fellow. (omeizaojapah85@gmail.com)

  • We applied key Liverpool tactic to beat Man Utd – Watford striker

    We applied key Liverpool tactic to beat Man Utd – Watford striker

    Watford striker Josh King admits they drew inspiration from Liverpool to thump Manchester United on Saturday.

    The Hornets claimed a 4-1 victory over United in the Premier League on Saturday, which saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked.

    King, who scored his side’s first goal against Man United, has revealed how Liverpool played a role in their victory on Saturday

    “I felt [the win] was deserved. We knew we had to start very aggressive,” King told Watford’s club website .

    “Before the game, the manager showed us a lot of clips from the Liverpool game and how they pressed their back line. We did that exceptionally today.

    “I think [the] first half was better than the second half in terms of pressing but at the end of it they tried to go for it, and we punished them with two goals.”

  • Ogun Assembly orders Nollywood actor’s arrest for calling himself monarch

    Ogun Assembly orders Nollywood actor’s arrest for calling himself monarch

    The Ogun State House of Assembly has ordered security agencies to arrest a certain Nollywood star, Goriola Hassan, for allegedly parading himself as the Oba-elect of Imobi in the Ijebu-East Local Government Area of the state.

    The Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, during plenary on Thursday ordered that Hassan should be arrested and presented to the Assembly within 14 days.

    The Assembly had in August threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on Goriola after he snubbed two previous invitations of the lawmakers over the allegations against him.

    Oluomo ordered his arrest following the presentation and adoption of the report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    The committee Chairman, Bolanle Ajayi, while reading the committee’s report, accused Goriola of converting a government building to private use.

    Ajayi also accused the Nollywood actor of defying the orders of constituted authority that asked him to stop parading himself as the Olu of Imobi.

    The committee affirmed that the Onitasin of Itasin remained the only king and prescribed authority in Imobi land.

    The committee recommended that the government building, which was the Government’s Community Dispensary House at Fotedo, Imobi, converted to private use by Goriola, be taken over by the community and he should be declared wanted and handed over to the security agencies.

     

  • King hat-trick gives Ranieri first win as Watford boss

    King hat-trick gives Ranieri first win as Watford boss

    Joshua King’s hat-trick helped Watford to a stunning first win under Claudio Ranieri as Everton collapsed in a pulsating Premier League game at Goodison Park.

    Tom Davies put the hosts ahead early on but Watford equalised before the break through King from close range.

    Former Hornets striker Richarlison put Everton ahead again but Juraj Kucka’s header drew Watford level.

    King, who didn’t score for Everton during his spell there in the first half of 2021, then struck twice inside six minutes before Emmanuel Dennis put the seal on an incredible comeback.

    While Watford had never won at Goodison in any competition before this match, Ranieri has happier memories of trips to Everton – this was his fifth consecutive win at the ground.

    It is a second successive home defeat for Everton’s former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and some boos greeted the Spaniard’s decision to replace Anthony Gordon with Richarlison in the second half.

    He seemed vindicated when the Brazilian struck with a fine diving header just three minutes after coming on, but Benitez then saw his side’s lead evaporate in a disastrous final 10 minutes that leaves his side in eighth place.

    Watford, having started life under Ranieri with an emphatic defeat against Liverpool, climb the table to 14th – suddenly well clear of the relegation zone.

  • Battle over who is a first class king rages among monarchs in Delta State

    Battle over who is a first class king rages among monarchs in Delta State

    A battle over who is a first class king in Delta State is presently raging among monarchs in the State.

    Trouble started when the Dein of Agbor referred to himself and the Olu of Warri as the only first class kings in the State.

    The development forced a meeting of traditional rulers in the State under the aegis of Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, following which the traditional rulers released a communique.

    In the communique obtained by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG), the traditional rulers faulted the position of the Dein of Agbor.

    The traditional rulers especially cautioned the Dein of Agbor over the comments he made on the classification of kings in the State.

    The monarchs said the Agbor king would have sought more information and education on how kings are graded in the State before making such a comment.

    The council, arising from its monthly meeting at its secretariat in Asaba, the State capital, frowned at the comments of Dein of Agbor wherein he was alleged to have stated that the Olu of Warri and Obi of Agbor were the only first class kings in Delta State.

    The monarchs, who picked holes in the assertion, condemned the action of the Dein in a communiqué jointly issued and signed by the Chairman of the Council, His Majesty Dr. E O Efeizomor II, the Obi of Owa; the Vice Chairman of the Council, His Majesty Major General Felix Mujakperuo (rtd), Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe, and the second Vice-Chairman, His Majesty S P L Kalanama VIII, Pere of Akugbene-Mein.

    In a letter titled: ‘Rejoinder: The unfortunate and the regrettable claim of being a first-class king in Delta State by the Dein of Agbor, properly and legally known as Obi of Agbor’, the traditional rulers said: “The attention of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council has been consistently drawn by the public to the rather unfortunate publication made by the Dein of Agbor, properly and legally known as the Obi of Agbor, referring to himself and the Olu of Warri as the only first-class kings in Delta State in a recent newspaper report.

    “The council had initially assumed that the Obi of Agbor was quoted out of context in the said publication and dismissed same with a wave of the hand, but after a careful and thorough investigation, it became clear that the publication is properly attributed to the Obi of Agbor.

    “In view of the above confirmation of the publication accredited to him, the council will respond as follows: ‘That by the express provision of Section 45(3A) of the traditional rulers’ council and chiefs law CAP T2, Delta State, upon which the Obi of Agbor is operating and functioning as a king, declares all traditional rulers of the state as co-equals.

    “The in view of the law cited in paragraph (A) above, there is no rating or special classification of traditional rulers in Delta State as claimed by the Obi of Agbor.

    “That all traditional rulers in Delta State and indeed the public are advised to ignore and disregard the said publication of the Obi of Agbor, as same is only targeted at self-aggrandizement to the irritation of the traditional institution in Delta State.”

    The Monarchs also used the occasion to laud Governor Okowa’s developmental strides in the state saying it has helped to provide democratic dividend to the three senatorial districts in the state.

    They urged the state government to consider the creation of a local government monitoring project performance committee to ensure effectiveness.

    They also threw their weight behind the State government directive which ordered all political appointees to return to their constituencies to mobilize their people on the essential working of government.

    No less than sixty traditional Rulers in the state attended the meeting.

  • Husband – A king and Labourer/Commoner, By Joe Eboigbe

    Husband – A king and Labourer/Commoner, By Joe Eboigbe

    By Joe Eboigbe Esq

    Some 23 years ago I went to my Father’s office to collect monies for some school supplies including books. His Orderly asked that I wait that my Dad was in a certain rush but I had to go back to Ekpoma from Benin the same day so I walked into the office. I saw the rush as he was standing to leave, but seeing me he had to attend to my needs. My father is or was not one who would give you money without justification, so he scrutinised my list and I defended every kobo. Suddenly his doors was pushed open and I heard his loud voice….. Morning Sir, it was his Boss, the Commissioner of Police Edo state.

    CP: Mr. Eboigbe you must be an idiot

    Dad: Yes Sir

    CP: How dare you keep me waiting, are you normal?

    Dad: I am very sorry Sir.

    CP: I better not get to my office before you……. and the semi illiterate, poor diction, ill mannered young Man with harsh northern accent went on hurling insults on my Dad, while he stood at attention.

    Without looking at me, my Dad said Son wait for me at home.

    Seeing the great Alpha Male, King and Supreme Ruler of his household in that state broke me. My journey back home was tormentous and depressing.

    Later in life I came to my own realities that The King must submit outside his Kingdom to bring bread to the table.

    Today’s post is not about my Dad, for the old man has retired and he is enjoying his retirement his own way.

    This post is about Husband – King and Commoner and an awakening in the hearts of Wives.

    The only place in the world where a Man is truly a King is his home and as soon as he steps out in search of daily bread he automatically becomes a commoner; he begs, he weeps, he is insulted, sometimes humiliated and humbled. He Knees before lesser Men, demeaned by Clients, Superiors, Customers, Employers etc. All these he takes undignified but internally proud knowing that it is in and by his submission that bread is guaranteed on the table of his family. He knows that submission is the SURVIVOR’S APPARATUS.

    When labour is over, he picks himself up adorning his Kingly Robes and returns to his Kingdom.

    Wives when he returns and if he returns, remind him that here is his kingdom where he reign supreme. Husband, Father and King.

    Happy Fathers’ Day in advance!

  • The Skeleton of the King, By Stephen Ojapah

    The Skeleton of the King, By Stephen Ojapah

    STEPHEN OJAPAH MSP

    Today Catholics all over the world celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the Universal King. This feast marks the end of the liturgical cycle. And from next week, we will be turning a new leaf into another, of the church’s liturgical year. For the sake of my readers who are not Catholics. Let me briefly explain. The entire Bible is divided into three cycles. A, B, C: In three years, a faithful reader of the daily readings would have read the entire Bible, with ease. The feast of Christ the king marks the end of each liturgical cycle.

    The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, or Christ the King Sunday is a relatively recent addition to the Western liturgical calendar, having been instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI for the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. In 1970 its Roman Rite observance was moved to the final Sunday of Ordinary Time. Therefore, the earliest date on which it can occur is 20 November and the latest is 26 November. The Anglican, Lutheran, and many other Protestant churches also celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, which is contained in the Revised Common Lectionary.

    According to Cyril of Alexandria: Christ has dominion over all creatures, by essence and by nature. His kingship is founded upon the hypostatic union The Word of God, as consubstantial with the Father, has all things in common with him, and therefore has necessarily supreme and absolute dominion over all things created.

    From this it follows that to Christ angels and men are subject. Christ is also King by acquired, as well as by natural right, for he is our Redeemer. We are no longer our own property, for Christ has purchased us with a great price; our very bodies are the members of Christ. A third ground of sovereignty is that God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and dominion. “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).

    The Feast of Christ the King has an eschatological dimension pointing to the end of time when the kingdom of Jesus will be established in all its fullness to the ends of the earth. It leads into Advent, when the Church anticipates Christ’s second coming. We commemorate Jesus who is king over all the earth. In Mathew 25: 31-46: Jesus gave a beautiful story of the judgment day by the king when he returns. “Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me” (Mathew 25: 33.37). When the faithful servants received these encomium from the king. They expressed surprised at the king and asked, when exactly did they offer to him all these kind gestures? And he replied with these words that are filled with wisdom and inspirations. “Whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers you do unto me” (Mathew 25: 40).

    Kings are traditionally associated with pomp and pageantry; wars, empires and kingdoms. In 2 Samuel 5:1-10, David was anointed King of Israel. In the history of the Jews, David is one of the most revered kings, because he fought numerous battles and won. He destroyed one of Israel’s most dreaded enemies; Goliath. (2nd Samuel) David unified the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, and under him, there was some level of peace, or rather freedom from wars.

    The pomp and pageantry that were and are still associated with both ancient and modern kings have never been associated with the life and style of Jesus. Jesus’ kingship completely unsettled all we ever understood about power, authority and kingship. In Jesus we see a king whose emphasis is service over command and control. The solemnity of Christ the universal king reminds us of the importance of serving him in one another.

    As I prepared for this reflection I took some time off to visit the graves of two powerful ‘kings:’ a former Head of State and a former President of the federal Republic of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha and Umaru Musa Yar Addu’a respectively. These men remind me of the Oratory of Santa Maria dell’Orazione e Morte (Holy Mary of Prayer and Death) in Rome that has thousands of Skulls in its crypt: One of the skulls has this engraving: hodie mihi, cras tibi. Today me tomorrow you. As I watched the graves of the former Head of State and President, I remembered how these men once had over two hundred soldiers guarding them while they were alive. I remembered how all flights are delayed because the President is about to land or take off. As I watched their graves I could imagine the skeletons that remains in the earth. Nobody is there to guard the skeleton of the king. How empty and useless, our craving for earthly power and glory can be most times.

    The solemnity of Jesus as the universal king teaches us all the ephemerality of earthly power. For many, that is all that matters. Power!!! At the end of time, faithful servants were rewarded for simply visiting prisoners, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked. It is instructive to note that Jesus did not specify the type of poor people to feed or the tribe of the prisoners to visit, or the religion of the hungry that needs to be fed. He simply said. Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me.

    Nigeria like many other nations would fail this test of treating people for who they are. Most times people would treat others for what they have and how much they are worth. For example, a convicted person would be regarded as a less citizen or even a nonentity. In fact, some countries do not offer job opportunities for ex-convicts. In the eyes of the people they deserve no more chance. But how would Jesus treat ex-convicts and their likes? How would the King treat the “basket of the deplorable” in our midst? Stephen Covey in his book. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective people; enumerated seven habits, that account for the positive energy and results in the lives of some individuals we term successful. The second Habit should help us to always remember the skeleton in the kings.

    The second habit talks about Beginning with the End Mind: See yourself driving going to the funeral of a loved one. Picture yourself driving to the funeral parlor or chapel, parking the car, and getting out. As you walk inside the building, you notice the flowers, the soft organ music. You see the faces of friends and family you pass along the way. You feel the shared sorrow of losing, the joy of having known, that radiates from hearts of the people there. As you walk down to the front of the room and look inside the casket, you suddenly come face to face with yourself. This is your funeral, three years from today. All these people have come to honor you. To express feelings of love and appreciation for your life.

    As you take a seat and wait for the services to begin, you look at the program in your hand. There are to be four speakers. The first is from your family, immediate and also extended – Children, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents who have come to attend. The second speaker is one of your friends, someone who can give a sense of what you were as a person. The third speaker is from your work or profession. And the fourth is from your church or some community organization where you’ve been involved in service.

    Now think deeply. What would you like each of these speakers to say about your life? What kind of husband, wife, father, or mother would you like their words to reflect? What kind of son or daughter or cousin? What kind of friend? What kind of working associate? What character would you like them to have seen in you? What contributions, what achievement would you want them to remember? Look carefully at the people around you. What difference would you like to have made in their lives? Would Christ say to you whatsoever you do to the least of these people you are sitting next to, you actually did it to me? Let us be kings who serve others, come rain come shine. At the end, our skeletons will certainly remain without guards, wealth, pomp and pageantry. Jesus, the universal king reminds us that the only treasure we carry beyond this life is the charity, which we demonstrate to people in need. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers that you do unto me” says Jesus.

    Fr Stephen Ojapah is a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He is equally the director for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, a member of IDFP. He is also a KAICIID Fellow. (omeizaojapah85@gmail.com)