Sunday, 24 April 2016

Femi Fani Kayode on FULANI GRAZING BILL

Gabriel Ogbonnaya wrote the following on his Facebook wall: "I decided to read a copy of the National Grazing Reserve Bill and I was surprised at what I saw.

         The Bill creates a Commission to be chaired by a Chairman to be appointed by the President, to be confirmed by the Senate. The Commission   shall have the power to take your land anywhere the land is located in the country and then pay you compensation.

         Your land, when taken, shall be assigned to herdsmen who shall use your land for grazing purposes. They shall bring cows to the land and you shall lose the land permanently to those   cattlemen. If you feel that the Commission was not right to take your land, you can go to court but before you go to court, you must first of all notify the Federal Attorney General of your intention to sue the Commission. Apart from notifying, you must get the consent and authority of the Federal Attorney General before you can sue. So that means that if the Attorney General refuses to give his consent to the suit, you have lost your land forever to the herdsmen.
     
        And this law, when passed, shall apply to the whole country, so it means that your land in the village or anywhere is not safe. The National Grazing Reserve Commission would have the power to take away your land from you anytime they want and pay you whatever they want as compensation (even when you don't want to sell, and remember that, for you to get compensation, you must have documents showing or proving ownership).

         So I think that we all in the South-West, South-South and South-East must rise up and reject this Bill. We must do all things to force our National Assembly members against passing that Bill into law. That Bill is a deliberate attempt to take our lands and hand the lands over to the Fulani cattlemen since it is only the Fulanis that rear cattle in Nigeria.

          That law, when passed, shall fulfil the directive of Uthman Dan Fodio and other northern leaders to take over other parts of Nigeria. I implore you to use all available means to implore your senator and Rep not to pass that law. That law will destroy Nigeria.

           All over the world, ranches are established and used to rear cattle. The farmers buy land and put their cattle there. There is no country where the land of the citizens are compulsorily acquired and given to others. This is evil, and designed to favor the Fulanis where the President comes from. We must resist the passage of that Bill into law to save Nigeria, and to protect our future generations".

         This is Yugoslavia and Rwanda unfolding right here in Nigeria. On April 18, Mr. Duru Collins wrote the following on his Facebook wall: "This National Grazing Reserve Bill, if passed into law, will just mark the beginning of apartheid in our country.
        When the government of Zimbabwe collected land from the white people who naturalised there, the whole world worked against President Robert Mugabe. Sanctions were stiffened against his regime even though the whites in Zimbabwe were not African by origin. In our country today, there are people that are not Nigerians by origin and these people are making law to take over our inheritance.

         This nation will burn once this law is passed". This is Lebanon and Zimbabwe downloading right here in Nigeria.

         On April 19, Mr. Oyinemi Nicholas Endeley wrote the following on Facebook: "The National Grazing Reserve Bill is the ticket to kill us ALL down South. This is not the time to sit and watch evil triumph over good. I have called the senator representing me and I have spoken common sense to him! He KNOWS what this is all about NOW. Listen people of God, it's time to get angry! You will come to understand how devilish Buhari's APC government is the moment you realise they are talking about a Bill that will protect the Fulani militants who, according to the Global Terror Index, are 'the 4th deadliest terrorist group' in the world, and neglect tens of thousands of victims that have suffered gory attacks by these daredevils.

          This government is gradually telling us their priorities and it's clear the lives of the southerners are not their priority. THIS GOVERNMENT IS EVIL. The ploy is on. They want to send the Trojan horses to our walls. They want to start the war from our lands. They will fail. They can't send their militants here in the guise of herdsmen. Those herdsmen don't own those cows, the rich Fulanis do.

            And I know their plans. Subsequently I will tell you guys more, you will be shocked. But for now, please get on your phones and call those representing you. Tell them not to accept this Trojan horse.   It will burn our region, it will kill our children's future. Let idiots that are southerners keep supporting APC. They don't care about you, they don't. You will BURN if their plans work!" This is colonial India (before she won her independence from the British and broke three ways into Pakistan, Bangladesh and India) downloading right here in Nigeria.

         Finally in an article, titled, ''The Outlaws Of Islam'' (Premium Times, April 15, 2016), I wrote the following: "And if they are still in any doubt about where all this is heading in the Nigerian context, they should consider the following: On December 30,1964, Mallam Bala Garba told the West African Pilot newspaper: 'The conquest to the sea is now in sight. When our God-sent Ahmadu Bello said some years ago that our conquest will reach the sea shores of Nigeria, some idiots in the South were doubting its possibility.

          Today, have we not reached the sea? Lagos is reached. It remains Port-Harcourt. It must be conquered and taken''. This is an eloquent expression of radical Islam, with its pervasive use of violence as a tool of conquest and subjugation, in its purest and most obvious form. Inspired and equipped with this Janjaweed philosophy and ethos, the whole of core northern Nigeria was conquered by Sheik Usman Dan Fodio through jihad. Given the activities of Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen in our country today, it appears that some in our shores are still interested in continuing that jihad.

     They wish to continue where Usman Dan Fodio stopped and they wish to ''dip the Koran in the Atlantic ocean''. Their latest attempt is the introduction and proposal of what is known as the National Grazing Reserve Bill which will give the Fulani herdsmen the right to claim other peoples land all over the country and which will empower them by law to create their own settlements and communities in the territory of others. Brazilian grass Worse still, under that law, the government will be compelled to fund those settlements and put all that they need in terms of infrastructure in place for them. That is why our Minister of Agriculture is now talking about importing Brazilian grass for the Fulani herdsmen and their cattle.

         This subtle and exceptionally brilliant attempt to infiltrate and conquer by guile and assimilation reminds me of the frightful laws that were put in place in the old wild western prairies of 19th century America.Those laws gave the white settlers rights over the lands of the indigenous Red Indians and saw the Indians themselves subjected to genocide and ethnic cleansing and herded into barren reservations that were not fit for human habitation. It was in this way that the "wild west" was conquered and the once proud and noble war-like Indian tribes of the western prairies were subjugated and subdued.

          Sadly our legislators in the National Assembly from the South and the Middle Belt simply do not appreciate and cannot comprehend the serious implications of what they are doing by supporting this legislation and neither will the consequences of their naivety and folly be suffered by their constituents until it is far too late.

           If that law is ever passed and implemented, two years from that time, we will regret it deeply as a nation because it will result in nothing but conflict, chaos and strife between the Fulani herdsmen and settlers on the one hand and the local indigenous population on the other.

        The Jos tragedy The tragedy that unfolded in Jos, Plateau State between the indigenous Christian Beroms and the settler Muslim Fulani, for many years, is a graphic example of what will be replicated all over the South and the Middle Belt between the Fulani and the various local indigenous populations if that law is ever passed and implemented. As a matter of fact, it will be far worse than anything that Jos ever saw.

        The National Grazing Reserve Bill will not result in enhancing unity and peace but instead it will result in division, bloodshed, carnage and chaos". My conclusion? This is Iraq, Syria and Libya unfolding right here in Nigeria. When you create a conflict which has its roots in religion, ethnicity, land rights, the attempt to marginalize, dominate, subjugate and conquer others and the quest for liberation and freedom from slavery and bondage all mixed into one, you are toying with a conflagration that will not only be simply horrendous and that will not only affect the whole of Africa but will also last for the next 50 years. Let me be clear:

         The greatest evil that we are confronted with in Nigeria today is the National Grazing Reserve Bill. It is more evil than anything that we have ever seen before. It is more insidious and dangerous than anything that we can possibly imagine.
 
         It will do more harm to us than Boko Haram and the Nigerian civil war put together and it will result in open war. I am speaking prophetically and I am saying this under the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must stop this cantankerous and divisive Bill from seeing the light of the day and being made into law. There are some things that are bigger, greater and more important than partisan politics and this is one of them. We must all stand together regardless of our political affiliation and stop this evil Trojan horse from being smuggled into our ranks by those that seek to subjugate and conquer us.

      We must resist those that seek to strip us of our self-respect, self-worth, liberty and dignity. We must stand up against those that seek to destroy us and rob us of our faith and our ancestral lands.   We must say ''never" to those that seek to belittle and enslave us and that are hell bent on reducing us to nothing even within our own shores. May God help our people and our country and may He deliver us from evil

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/fulani-cows-grazing-reserve-bill-looming-trouble/

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

WE NEED GOD ALWAYS

What are three bad habits that will kill your spiritual growth as a Christian and stunt your faith? What things can you think of?

A BAD  TEMPER
One guy said that he lost his temper with his wife and said something he regretted. In actuality, he didn't lose it; he found it. But maybe he needed to lose it. Anger is almost always a pride issue when we lose our temper. Righteous indignation is not what I'm talking about here because when we see a child abused, children aborted, or rioting and looting, getting angry is a natural feeling. What I mean by losing our temper is when someone cuts in front of us in traffic or in line and suddenly we unleash the middle finger or profanity-laced words come flying out of our mouth. The thing is, you can't ever take words back. It takes 10 times the amount of time to clean up the damage by one single outburst. James wrote that "the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God," and so we should "put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness" (James 1:20-21). A bad temper can destroy your spiritual growth because you're always doing damage control by trying to apologize time and again, and it really does destroy your Christian testimony and kill your spiritual growth.


FAILING  to ASSEMBLE  YOURSELVES  in WORSHIP
I knew a couple that had problems coming to church. Their attendance was very sporadic. They would be gone about two out of every five Sundays, and then it got to be three out of every four. Over time they stopped coming to church altogether. The man started drinking and became hooked on pornography. His wife was on the verge of leaving him, and that was when he contacted me for some counseling. What he and his wife were doing was "forsaking the assembling of [themselves] together, as is the manner of some" (Heb 10:25), and they missed the encouragement of one another in the church (Heb 10:26). Not being within the Body of Christ, they missed out on worshiping God and the joy that brings. They missed out on the fellowship of the saints, and they missed out on being fed the Word of God on a regular basis. They were literally starving to death from a lack of the Bread of Life. This really stunted their spiritual growth, and it about caused them to divorce.

ABSENCE  of PRAYER  and BIBLE  READING
One of my old seminary professors wisely said that prayer is the pulse of the believer's spiritual temperature. If there's a slowing or decreasing pulse in prayer, then there is spiritual decay, and the fellowship between them and God is affected. Add to that a lack of regular Bible reading and you have a recipe for killing your spiritual growth. I have counseled so many people who are struggling with their faith. They begin to doubt their salvation, and then they stop reading the Bible altogether. It is a self-replicating cycle. They pray less; they read less. The less they pray and read, the more they get into the habit of doing neither. Reading the Bible will lessen your doubts. Not reading the Bible will increase your doubts. The exact same thing goes for prayer.

CONCLUSION
Take your spiritual temperature once in a while and ask yourself: Is my temper ruling me, or am I ruling my temper? Am I failing to assemble and worship with the saints? Then I may be failing in other areas, too. Is my prayer life and Bible reading declining? If so, my spiritual growth is, too. Those are three bad habits that will kill your spiritual growth for sure.
May God richly bless you,
Pastor Jack Wellman

Source http://faithinthenews.com/3-bad-habits-that-will-kill-your-spiritual-growth/

Friday, 13 November 2015

ALTERNATIVES APPEAL TO FEELINGS


ALTERNATIVES APPEAL TO FEELINGS

Alternative is seeming the opposite of indispensable. While the fomer is about a noun " offering or expressing a choice," indispensable connotes that which is "not subject to being set aside or neglected. It is a thing or a person that is regarded as absolutely necessary and essential."  Even to a medicine that can cure an ailment, the alternative to its non availability is death. God forbid!

God made man to realize his limitations. No man can add a cubic to his lifespan. God can raise stones to serve his purpose in the land of the living. Donkey had spoken to human being before. Fish was used to bring forth money.  Fish had carried a man ashore from ragging waters. Water had been made a rammed  ground for people to walk upon. A bird was assigned to and brought food for God's servant during drought. There's always an alternative to anything, any place and any individual.

We must see life as filled with alternatives.  Leaders must see their lives as transient. Couples must enjoy themselves fully.  It should be noted that whatever you refuse to give or accept from your spouse may be gotten from an alternative. Ungodly as it sounds, sooths or serves, it is not the original nor be regarded as the best,  but an alternative.

Alternative can not always offer  originality in continuity of service. Hence, we must insist on the best and not the alternative. Your being indispensable should advise you to do your best and make needed sacrifices to keep any relationship you enter into to work. In marriage , finance, romantic sex dynamics, communication and related matters must be shared intimately.

Alternatives are outside,  no one is indispensable. That is the foundation of discretions and discrete lives. Let us learn from the indispensable God and be so close to each other and see the alternatives as inferior to the original. Sustain every relationship with sacrifice . You must realise that alternative is appealing to an individual who is not fulfilled. Be fulfilled in one another. Avoid alternatives.

@okbabarinde
Relationship Advisor for Maximum Output
Nov 11, 2015

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

5 Essential Lessons From The Life And Times Of Deacon Gamaliel Onosode

5 Essential Lessons From The Life And Times Of Deacon Gamaliel Onosode

October 2, 2015 Inspirational Stories
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When the news of the death of Deacon Gamaliel Offoritsenere Onosode filtered the media some days ago, Nigerians from all works of life cannot but pour in their condolences. There is no doubt the country has lost one of its greatest technocrats and seasoned administrators.

Different names were used to describe the impact Onosode made in Nigeria's public and private sector; boardroom Czar, Colossus etc. The fact is; Deacon Onosode is true to type and has set his mark on the sand of time and engraved his name among Nigeria greatest citizens that ever lived.

But how was he able to gain such kind of influence and affluence in his lifetime? Looking through his biography, one can easily spot five markers that set him apart from others. These markers are worthy lessons anyone aspiring to rise to prominence should learn.

1. He was raised with discipline and the fear of God

Of many things that contributed to his success, Onosode was always making reference to the strict family background he had. Not only was the background strict, it was also one that was filled with instructions about God. Little wonder why Deacon Onosode grew up as a devout Christian who was proud of his faith and preferred to be referred to as Deacon even in boardroom meetings.

I'm convinced that his appellation as 'Mr Integrity' didn't just come from discipline alone but also from the fear of God that ensues from understanding biblical principles. He took his faith to the public and private sector and has no stain. That's worthy of emulation! Here is what former President Goodluck Jonathan wrote about him:

In the difficult ter­rain of public service, Onosode excelled through dedication and selfless service, resulting in his immense contributions to the nation's development and economic growth. He operated ahead of his time by striving to introduce a controlled ap­proach to public finance, at a time when prudent management of resources was largely ignored in many public offices. He was a devout Christian whose ex­emplary life positively affected the lives of many Nigerians.
2. He was a man committed to excellence and growth

Onosode would not have risen to prominence if he had not been committed to excellence, growth and personal development. He was said to have 'operated ahead of his time'. This shows that even when the examples around him were not looking like what should be, he took a step further to break new frontiers and set a pace for others to follow. That's the power of vision! One would never be able to attain excellence unless one is being driven by a great vision. His commitment to excellence and growth brought him to the limelight and attracted patronage from all and sundry.

3. He did not follow crooked means to rise to prominence

We have had it several times that if you want to be successful in life and especially in a country like Nigeria, you may have to be dubious or fetish. Many people of his rank rose to prominence either by dubious or fetish means. Even with hard work, some still believes in some quarters that you may need to join occultic groups to aid your rise in life. Onosode's life has proven that those are not required for prominence in life. He proved with his life that biblical integrity, hard work and dedication are enough to rise to any height in life.

4. He was a man of many hats

Since success principles are universal, they are also replicable. Onosode replicated his successful life in virtually all his endeavour. He started a church (Good News Baptist Church) in his sitting room in Lagos on 1st February 1984. The church boasts of over 2000 members today, one that is well reckoned with in his Baptist denomination.

He served as Pro-Chancellor for quite a number of top universities and tertiary institutions in Nigeria. He was chairman board of directors for many private companies in Nigeria and was at a time the Presidential Candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party. He made his mark all around. Onosode also maintained his root with his native Urhobo community and sometimes dressed in his native attires to functions. He was once said to have delivered a poetic speech absolutely in Urhobo language to the amazement of his fellow kinsmen.

5. He lived long enough to fulfil his dreams

When you see Deacon Onosode even at his old age, he still looked fit and wears a countenance that is appealing. That must have been born out of a life of discipline that must have included proper diet, exercise and a good approach to life. It's not far-fetched to see people with growing wealth to begin to grow bellies. Old age is a gift from God, but human beings have responsibilities to keep fit too. He must have strived over the years to keep his body in good condition. Even at 82, he wasn't preparing to die as he told a close source he would be back soon in Nigeria from his trip abroad. But as God would have it, he was back home to go home.

The article '5 Essential Lessons From The Life And Times Of Deacon Gamaliel Onosode' appeared first on Temitope Akinola's Blog

GOOD SUCCESS OVERSHADOWS WEAKNESSES

GOOD SUCCESS OVERSHADOWS WEAKNESSES

Disabilities  and limitations are human. To be weak is temporary. To manifest weakness requires intentional effort so that such is overcomed.

Grace has been a divine solution to man's weaknesses. Knowledge is a remedy to weak points or areas. We all need the sufficiency of the  unhindered grace of God  that is powered by the Lord's fortitude given unto us to move forward.

Wether it is your weak points or your weaknesses, God can make you strong. Believe and confess that  " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

We are all destined for success. Good success is a product of keeping to the word of God. Human factors,  administrative procedures and we ourselves can be instrumental to an experience of failure.  Success is equally not achieved based on energy or human capacity to make things work.  It is not he that planted,  not the specialist in irrigation that waters but ultimately, it is God who alone blesses and brings increase.

Success is possible. The road to success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion, it's possible to achieve it. The limiting thoughts are not good. Slothfulness will not help the matter.  Only the visionary and those that refuse to quit when failure is experienced in an experiment will end up with invention.

Mentors are pathfinders.  Guardians are good.  Leaders must be followed. Ideas of Spiritual Directors must not be jettisoned. Success is easily achieved when you follow the principles and the path of those who have succeeded before . Choose to follow those who are following the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Hold on to the WORD of God and his promises.  I see you succeeding in the name of Jesus Christ

You are a carrier of grace for success. You are destined for maximum output.

Rev Dr Kehinde Babarinde
@okbabarinde
Relationship Advisor for Maximum Output