►Vol.
6 No. 64 August 26 - September 1, 2008
News:
BESAN Under Attack
- By Okechukwu Geoffrey
 The 23 Education Secretaries in
Rivers State
have described the purpoted Basic Education Staff Association of
Nigeria (Alias BESAN) Rivers Branch as not only illegal and
non-existent but has no – known national office or offices in the
length and width of Nigeria describing its activities as capable
of truncating the existing peace in the Amaechi – led new Rivers
State.
Dismayed by the recent letter written to the Governor by
the group accusing the UBE Board, Education Secretaries and
headmasters in the state over illegal deduction of the
teachers/staff salaries via newspaper publications in the state,
the Education Secretaries described BESAN as an unregistered body
in the country pointing out that all the allegations were targeted
to mis-in-form his Excellency and mislead the good people of
Rivers State on the genuine intentions of the UBE Board and the
education secretaries in Rivers State. Describing BESAN as one of
the remaining brain children of the former Chief of Staff (Mr.
Emeh Glory Emeh) to disparage and discredit the focused and good
governance existing in Rivers State, the education secretaries
said BESAN was neither recognized by Nigeria Union of Local
Government Employees (NULGE) nor an affiliate of Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) nor Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) as the group
only operated in Rivers and Bayelsa States. The Secretaries
pleaded with the state Governor, Rt (Hon) Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi
to unveil the faces-less BESAN in the state through the
instrumentality of relevant government security and law
enforcement agencies so as to expose those behind it, to arrest
and prosecute the criminal petition writers/political gossips
whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection between government
and its well meaning agencies as their activities were capable of
diverting the intention of Rivers State Government in its resolve
to carry out development programs and projects. They maintained
that the UBE Board in Rivers State through the Education
Secretaries have always paid complete salaries of teachers in the
state under its authority and control three days after vouchers
were prepared and cleared by banks handling the payment of
teachers salaries for the UBE Board as COT were deducted where
necessary and according to banking operations. They said that the
only regrettable delay in the payment of even the 15% consolidated
teachers salary structure (TSS) was occasioned by the desire of
the State Government to take over the payment of the said salary
structure from local government which they said was not as a mark
of failure by the UBE Board but to reposition the entire education
sector in Rivers State. They attributed the state government’s
decision to take over the payment of teacher’s salaries to the
sincere and concerned plea made to his Excellency by the UBE Board
and the Education Secretaries of the Local Government Education
Authorities in the State.
The 23 Education Secretaries which threatened to take legal
action against the purported BESAN and its cohorts who think they
can gain appointments in UBE Board through unfounded rumours and
allegations described the ANNEXUR I to BESAN letter as total
forgery as date of the alleged illegal deductions was not
indicated in Emohua, and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas and no
date and deductions in Ahoada – East, Asari-Toru, Opobo/Nkoro,
Okrika, Oyigbo, Ogu/Bolo and Bonny LGAs as others were not also
listed at all in the said report. They described the report as
ill-founded, ill-conceived and criminal in all its entirety. The
secretaries however expressed surprise that Basic Education Staff
Association of Nigeria (as acclaimed) has reared its nefarious
head to usurp the place of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and
cause confusion, acrimony and industrial apprehension in the rank
and file of teachers in Rivers State as it is not surprising then
that the so – called BESAN is raising a complain no one single
teacher or the umbrella body of the Nigerian Union of Teachers in
the state has made pointing out that what they have is but
teachers in Basic 1-9 of the UBE program and not 1-6 as said by
BESAN. Meanwhile, the education Secretaries have questioned the
place and relevance of Nigeria Union of Teachers Rivers Chapter
and the role of BESAN played in the recent agitation by NUT if at
all their name was heard and described BESAN as only relevant by
being funded by its founders who write fictitious petitions and
carry out protest and demonstrations unnecessarily.
In the meantime, the Universal Basic Education Board and
Education Secretaries in
Rivers State
have said they would do everything to remain loyal, supportive and
carry-out the educational policies, programmes and projects of the
Amaechi – led administration to ensure that every child in
Rivers
State
has basic education. They humbly requested the Government to
discountenance the BESAN letter in its entirety and prayed God
Almighty to protect and direct the Governor in the governance of
Rivers State.
It would be recalled that the National Association of
Education Secretaries of Nigeria emerged through the establishment
of education authorities, registered and affiliated to the Nigeria
Labour Congress, enjoys the support of the Nigeria Union of
Teachers and has national office in
Abuja and
chapters in all the states of the Federation.
However, it would interest His Excellency to note that the
same BESAN demonstrated two days to the court of Appeal judgment
in the gubernatorial election petition in
Rivers State.
back to top^^
How The
Niger Deltans
Can Get Their Freedom:
The Action Plan! (Part 6)
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation
determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."
Lou Holtz "A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to
victory." Arthur Golden. “The best way to predict the future is to
invent it. "Alan Kay. "The people of the Niger Delta will not be
silent until the battle is won. Internal colonialism will fail.
How can we drop the issue of resource control? That is our life."
Chief Edwin Clark. July 2008. "MEND will never sell its birthright
for a bowl of porridge when the impoverished masses in the region
continue to live in abject poverty. We are not a part of this
deal, the Chanomi Creek pipeline and other major pipelines will be
destroyed within the next 30 days."
Excerpt of press release from MEND.
"In the educated way of looking at issues, you may say that
Dokubo-Asari used foul language; but in the real sense of the word
that is what the North is, they are parasites. If they say they
are not parasites, let them call the bluff of the South and go
their own way, instead of using guns to force others to accept
them,"
Bright Ezeocha, president of Igbo Youth Congress (IYC).
August, 2008.
“I want to sound it clear that the people of the Niger
Delta have been oppressed, depressed and frustrated in this
nation. It is inhuman that the source of Nigerian wealth today is
being denied social justice. There is poverty, death and
sufferings in Niger Delta. The issue of the area alone could make
God angry with
Nigeria. Their
wealth is being used against them; some leaders in the area have
compromised the progress and settlement of the region due to their
selfish interest. It is time we faced the reality over Niger Delta
crisis. I was the leading counsel to Ken Saro Wiwa in 1995 and he
told me during the trial at the Kangaroo tribunal set up to murder
him that he pitied what would happen to his people and Nigeria
after his death. Then he told me to walk out on the tribunal. In
tears I did, but today we are all witnesses to what is happening.
I urge President Yar'Adua never to return violence for violence in
the crisis but rather look into the needs of the people. The Niger
Delta people deserve our apology in this country. Nigeria has
never been fair to them. No not at all. It is now a battle that
must be committed to God in prayers,”
Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) July, 2008.
“To demonstrate our seriousness to the
UK's support of
an injustice, MEND will be calling off its unilateral cease-fire
with effect from midnight, Saturday, July 12, 2008. Mr. Yar'Adua
in a fraudulent appeal to the Group of Eight richest nations'
(G-8) leaders in
Japan
misled the international community into believing that the unrest
and agitation in the region are due to oil theft which encourages
'blood oil'. The United Kingdom is part of this problem with the
politics it played pre- independence that gave leverage to some
sections of the country which has helped in marginalizing and
exploiting the region today. Should Gordon Brown make good his
threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil,
UK
citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences.
Thousands of Britons work in Nigeria, many of them in the oil
industry. Mr. Brown was "deceived by a clever but fraudulent
presentation of the Niger Delta unrest when Yar'Adua gave world
leaders at the G-8 summit the impression that the shedding of the
blood of the people of the Niger Delta was caused by bunkering and
not from the injustice and military brutality of over 50 years.
This fraud was perfected in collaboration with the Vice President
who made a remark about oil thieves. It is sad that the VP is
showing all the traits of a stooge. Every part of Nigeria has its
share of criminality. Let the British soldiers go to Sokoto or
Katsina to keep the peace there. We are not ashamed to declare
that our armed struggle will continue until we emancipate our
people. MEND fighters are willing to offer their blood for oil and
will do everything necessary to frustrate this dubious alliance.”
Gbomo Jomo. MEND spokesman. July 2008.
“The MEND has an advice for Yaradua, and it is to the
effect that the
United Kingdom
army alone may not be enough to handle the Niger-Delta situation.
He should as well visit the United States of America, Germany and
France to seek their support and military expertise. I wish to
reaffirm our stand that we are ready, and in fact, in a hurry to
contain any coalition of sorts. Resolving the Niger-Delta problem
is as easy as a snap of the finger. Rather the federal government
has not only gambled with the situation but has displayed so much
injustice and insensitivity to the Niger-Delta problem, which is
the sure cause of escalation we experience today. My heart is full
of pain, despite massive sufferings of my people, due to gross
disrespect and neglect by the Federal Government. We still share
our resources just to keep Nigeria going, and yet, you cannot find
roads in the Niger-Delta, no hospitals, no schools, no electricity
and in fact, nothing. We live in utter penury and squalor and
experience the height of pollution. Gas is flared at close
proximity to the host communities, and this has increased the
level of heat in the region, which results in constant sweating
and dehydration. Even the rain, which is meant to be a blessing to
us, has now turned poison, as it is simply acidic due to the gas
flaring, and this leaves our lands withered and parched. There is
so much injustice within the Nigerian state; it is so difficult to
believe that even a colonial government will be more reasonable
than a so-called democratic government. If a Commission during the
colonial period could appreciate the efforts of those who produce
resources, and give commensurate compensations accordingly, why
can't a democratically elected government do better? The federal
government is the biggest enemy of the people of the Niger-Delta.
Federal Government thinks that we are afraid of the zombie that
they call military, we can never be afraid of them. We only
sympathize with them and their families. We, therefore, call on
family members who have their relatives as military men in the
Niger-Delta to call them back home, as the federal government is
only using them to achieve their selfish aim, which is not in the
best interest of Nigeria but just to protect their loots. How can
a reasonable government approve N444.6 billion for security and
just N69 billion for development when you have security threat as
a result of lack of development, does it make sense? Have they
bothered to consider how much can be done with N444.6 billion in
terms of development in the Niger-Delta. In fact, they did not
even consider giving part of that money to NDDC to support their
activities; rather they said the NDDC money has expired. If
anything happens to me, I believe somebody will take over because
as I am talking to you, I have already possessed so many young
boys in different types of operations. We can attack you without
you seeing us, without us visiting you or anybody. We can attack
you anyhow we want to attack you, inflict destruction on
everything. That is the truth. So for me, I believe Nigeria is in
a problem because they have not seen the real brutality of the
real MEND. That is my own thinking but I believe that in a very
short time, they will see it. I told you that this government is
taking the Niger-Delta people as primitive people. Look, let me
give you an instance. You can build a house. They will lease your
house and ask you to do security in your own house and at the end
of the day, your rent will be paid to another person. How will you
feel? You know one thing, we need to know why they did all these
things. Many of the people in the system need money so much
because as I told you earlier, the government has spoiled the
psyche of Niger -Delta with poverty. So as they throw this
proposal, so many people will go for it. They need the money more
than anything but it won't work. The highest thing: if any
militant guides pipeline, the militant won't last. That is the
truth because there is no way we can be security in our own house,
where we are supposed to employ a security. We cannot be guarding
our property for the people that ought to be exploiting it for our
benefit, which is real foolishness. It won't even work; it is just
a stupid idea."
MEND leader, Second in Command to Henry Okah. July, 2008.
"Now that the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr.
Kofi Annan, has sealed the deal made between the Presidents of
Nigeria,
Cameroon and
the companies exploring oil over the blood of the Bakassi people,
the die is cast. Therefore, BAMOSD now declares as follows: That
with the withdrawal of Nigerian troops from the Bakassi Peninsula,
which takes away our last line of defense as Nigerian citizens and
exposes our people to perpetual and permanent bondage of
exploitation, under-development and death, which characterized
life in the larger Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea over the
last 50 years of multi-national oil companies occupation with the
connivance of Nigerian leaders, we are left with no other option
than to defend our land and people by any means necessary. That
our peaceful, social economic, historical and ancestral ties with
the rest of the people of the Niger Delta leave us not only with
no other frontier, but with no other option than to join forces
with the valiant and heroic freedom fighters of the Niger Delta.
That BAMOSD by this declaration is subsuming all its activities on
the Bakassi Peninsula into the larger war of liberation of the
Nigeria Delta, under the joint leadership of the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, and other joints commands
for the protection, defense and security of its people and
resources. Other forces or operators found within the territorial
waters of Bakassi shall be considered enemy forces and dealt with
accordingly. As we speak, half of our soldiers from all parts of
Niger Delta are in the creeks awaiting the dooms day. Nigeria
handing over Bakassi to Cameroon means that Nigeria has no right
to conf ront our soldiers, so we are calling for Nigerian
government to stay clear and allow us face our battle, because any
attempt to clamp on any of our soldiers means confrontation and we
shall react likewise. We also want to inform the world that
henceforth, Bakassi has become an independent state and shall
control its resources. To this effect, all operators, Nigerian or
foreign, exploring or exploiting resources on the Bakassi
Peninsula that has not consulted with the appropriate authorities
should leave the territory immediately. We emphasize again; leave
our waters immediately. Do not say you were not warned. There will
be no further warnings...”
Independence
Declaration by the Bakassi Movement for Self-Determination, BAMOSD,
July 25, 2008.
"When you explode legitimately against the injustice that
has been heaped on you, they use the press to make it look like
you are a vandal. If you are a vandal, you have the right to be a
vandal. They master this imagery, this image-making. They give you
the image of an extremist, and from then on anything you do is
extremism. You can pull a baby out of the water and save it from
drowning - you are still an extremist, because they projected this
image of you as a subversive and you can go out dying for the
United
States - you are still subversive, because the press has made you
subversive. They can paint the image of you as someone
irresponsible, and you can come up with the best program that will
save the black man from the oppression of the white man and - when
I say oppression, that's where oppression comes from, the white
man. There are some oppressive black people, but they are only
doing what the Whiteman has taught them."
Malcolm X. Excerpt of speech.
THE TACTICS AND THE STRATEGY.
Before sitting down with the north for any negotiations to
resolve the Niger Delta crisis, the Niger Deltans must adopt a
strategy that will not only remove whatever invincibility the
north might seem to have, but that will as well make her come to
it like a wounded dog which can only bark but is no more capable
of biting.
So what strategy can should the militants adopt against
these 3 monsters?
1. The Federal
Republic of
Northern Nigeria.
The best strategy against the north is to destabilize
Yaradua's government and bankrupt
Nigeria as a
country. This strategy involves weakening Nigeria economically,
politically and militarily to the extent that it will no more have
the power or desire to stop them from realizing their aspiration
of forming their own sovereign country. In a nutshell, the
militants need to adopt a strategy that will weaken the north in
all aspects.
2. Multinational oil companies and Western countries.
The best strategy against them is to increase their losses
as much as possible and cut the supply of oil to them.
OUR HONOURABLE PROFESSOR SOYINKA GOT IT WRONG THIS TIME AROUND.
Before going
into the details of the tactics that need to be adopted by the
militants, I want to first comment on Professor Wole Soyinka's
call to the militants to lay down their arms and engage instead in
'intellectual militancy. Professor Soyinka, our beloved and
revered Nobel laureate, undoubtedly, is an intellectual giant and
his contribution to democracy in Nigeria is invaluable. At the
same time, with all respect to Professor Soyinka, our honourable
Nobel Laureate, I think that he got it wrong this time around. I
completely disagree with him on this.
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N.U.T
Expresses Gratitude To All For Their Support -
By Joe Kalu
 The
Nigeria Union of Teachers NUT, has expressed its gratitude to
everyone who stood by it during its face off with the Federal
Government recently. In a communiqué jointly signed by Mr. Niran
Ojo, National Vice President, NUT; Obong I.J. Obong
Secretary-General NUT; Mr. Lawal Mahmud, National President (COPSHON)
and Chief Nzemeka Olisah, National President (ANCOPSS) and made
available to the press at the end of its National Executive
Council, NEC meeting recently, the NUT said its gratitude goes
most to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for its timely
intervention in the impasse. “NEC-in-session appreciates the
chairman and the entire members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF)
for their intervention in the five-week strike action by teachers
in primary and post primary schools in the country which had
paralyzed the nation’s education system and attracted massive
public concern without as much as a whimper from the Federal
Government of Nigeria”. NUT said it was particularly grateful for
Governors acceptance of a bench mark of 27.5% increase on the
basic prevailing salaries of teachers in the country, though this
was a far cry from the 105% increase demanded and the 55% approved
by the National Council of Education (NCE), it noted. The union
pointed out that it accepted the offer as a mark of responsibility
and also considering it as an institutionalized take off benchmark
for the teachers. NUT therefore enjoins the NGF to keep faith with
the terms, letters and spirit of the agreement reached by ensuring
full implementation in the over all interest of the educational
system in the respective states.
The union further advised the state Governments and Federal
Capital Territory FCT, to set machinery in motion for
supplementary Budgets in 2008 to ensure that the approved
allowances are captured and accommodated for implementation within
the year. After due consideration of all issues, NUT decided to
suspend indefinitely the nation-wide strike embarked upon by
teachers since June 28, 2008, as a mark of honour and respect to
the state Governors. NUT used the opportunity to enjoin its
members to reciprocate the gesture through high productivity and
dedication to duty in anticipation of the implementation of the
agreement reached in the over all interest of the development of
the educational system. You would recall that the teachers’ stand
was sequel to the communiqué jointly signed by Obong I. J. Obong
Secretary General of NUT on behalf of his union and Dr Abubakar
Bukola Saraki chairman of NGF and Governor of Kwara State on
behalf of the Governors. In the communiqué 27.5% increase salary
was approved based on the recommendation of the National Income
Salaries and Wages Commission (NISWC). The detailed approval was
as follows:- Examination allowance got 5% of basic salary; Hazard
allowance 5% of basic prevailing in each state; learned society
allowance got 2.5% of basic salary prevailing in each state;
Teaching Inducement allowance was 15% of basic salary prevailing
in each state, emphasizing that only trained and professionally
qualified teachers will benefit from T.I. allowance.
In a chat with the
Rivers State
chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers comrade (chief) Chris Oruge
(JP) in his office expressed confidence in the ability of the
state chief Executive, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi to honour the
agreement.
“We don’t have any problem, my Governor is a listening one”
he stressed. Comrade Oruge who also doubles as the state Chairman
of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC used the opportunity to appeal
for the state Government to equip the public schools to standard
in order to make for effective learning and teaching to take
place. According to him, “there should be provision of good roads,
electricity, libraries, well furnished staff rooms and teachers
office as well as buses and boats for effective supervision. The
chairman maintained that the public schools can boast of qualified
manpower but regretted that they lacked motivation and
encouragement. On the threat of a group under the aegis of
Universal Basic Education Staff (UBES) Oruge dismissed them as an
illegal body with crop of confused truants as members. He noted
that it was this same group that demonstrated daily against this
administration at inception trying to mess it up and now they want
to claim the glory for NUT negotiations with the FG. He however
advised those behind the group to go and register it with the
Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity if they are qualified.
Chief Oruge used the opportunity to send a warning to the FG
against its planned increase of fuel pump price as well as the
salary increase of councilors and other political office holders
to avoid heating up the system. When it comes to increasing their
own salaries it will be hurriedly done without consulting while
that of workers will be a subject of long drawn battle before one
upwards review is considered”. The NLC state chairman made it
clear that the fund is for everybody and that Labour will resist
any attempt to take it for granted.
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Criticisms Trail Doctors, Nurses At UPTH ...As Patients Allege
Maltreatment
By Okechuku Geoffrey
 Only
last week to be precise, patients admitted at the University of
Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) complained to our reporter
when he visited the accident/emergency wards about the
maltreatment meted out to them by the doctors and nurses in the
hospital. According to them, the doctors and nurses in that
hospital do not attend to patients at the appropriate time when
their services are needed as they were only interested in
attending to those patients that could foot whatever bill that is
being presented to them. The patients also complained that the
wards were so dirty and that one could easily contact any form of
disease since according to them, the nurses were not ready to do
any cleaning or mopping of the floor not even to talk of washing
the bedspreads and pillow cases. The most pathetic of it all they
said was the aspect of discharging patients when they have not
fully recovered because they needed fresh money from fresh
patients and described the condition of patients in that hospital
as most agonizing and called on the Rivers State Government under
the leadership of Rt. (Hon) Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to visit the
hospital unscheduled to see things for himself since seeing they
say, is believing. The patients have also appealed to the state
Ministry of Health to come to their aid in order to put all these
mess in the hospital to a stop pointing out that if urgent steps
were not taken the state Government must then be ready to bury at
least ten persons every week as a result of the condition under
which they are placed.
We also gathered that even though a patient was at the
point of death the nurses and the doctors would not attend to such
until you have undergone all the lengthy/rigorous processes
required which many say are contrary to the laws governing Federal
Hospitals in the country. It is no gainsaying that in
assumption of office as the Commissioner for Health Dr Sampson
Parker warned all the hospitals in the state especially the public
hospitals to hence forth shun the habit of demanding money from
patients before they could be treated. Meanwhile, when our
reporter called the office of the Chief Medical Director of the
hospital to speak on the development he was told that the CMD was
not on seat as efforts to contact the hospital’s Public Relations
Officer (PRO) also proved abortive as well.
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Imo Benefits From MDGs
From Emeka Iwuala, Owerri
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) office in
Abuja would be
investing the sum of N700M in
Imo
State
annually between 2008-2011 to provide free health care for
pregnant women and children under the ages of five.
Revealing this information to The Beam, the Executive
Assistant to the governor on MILLENNIUM Development Goals (MDGs),
Bar. Anselm Okorie said the state is the only state in the South
–East to benefit from the scheme Bar. Okorie said the free
maternal child healthcare project in
Imo
State
is the result of the pragmatism and doggedness of the governor of
the state towards the health of the citizens of the state.
According to him, the free medical services is not part of the
Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) which the state has earlier
submitted its application of a grant of N2billion, adding that the
project would be undertaken through the National Health Insurance
Scheme (NHIS).
The Executive Assistant disclosed apart from the free
medical services, the MDGs office in
Abuja has also
approved the construction of some roads in the state. One of the
roads is the one that cut across the Emmanuel Iwuayanwu glass
house in Orji to Amakaohia in Owerri North local government area
of the state. He revealed that there are many other projects from
the MDGs office which the state stands to benefit, adding that
approval is being awaited.
Speaking on the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) which the
state has earlier submitted its proposal of a grant of N2B for the
year 2008 and is awaiting approval, Bar.Okorie stressed that he is
confident that the state’s application would be granted noting
that the application was well articulated ,packaged and presented
.He said that the CGS this year 2008 was focused on water
,sanitation and youth empowerment in accordance with the
guidelines of MDGs office in Abuja. Bar. Anselm Okorie reiterated
that MDGs office in
Imo State has
the responsibility of ensuring that the state benefits from MDGs
grants and averred that the office would transform the face of the
rural dwellers in the state. He however pledged that any money
that comes to the state through the MDGs office via the CGS would
be well spent for the rural populace to benefit immensely.
He commended the governor, chief Ikedi Ohakim for
establishing the MDGs office in
Imo State which
he said has manifested itself within six months of existence.
The Millennium Development Goals are series of eight time
bound development goals that seek to address the issues of poverty
,education ,gender equality, health, the environment and global
partnership for development, agreed by the international community
to be achieved by the year 2011. The MDGs were agreed at the UN
millennium summit in September 2000.189 countries of the United
Nations pledged to ensure that the goals would be achieved within
the specified time frame.
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Chinda Scores Amaechi High
-
By Okechuku Geoffrey
A renowned chief in Rivers State, Chief Abel .A. Chinda has
on-behalf of the Apara Kingdom council of chiefs in Obio/Akpor
Local Government Area of the state lauded the development strides
of Rt. (Hon) Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and said that the only way
the people of Apara kingdom could thank him for his good works was
to endorse him for a second term come 2011. Chinda who described
the ongoing demolition exercise in the state as a welcome
development (especially Rumuokuta axis), told newsmen over the
weekend at his Rumuokuta palace that the road when dualized would
ease off the heavy traffic jam around Rumuokuta as well as control
erosion and flooding which had threatened lives and property in
recent times in the area.
The chairman of Apara kingdom council of chiefs also
condemned a recent publication in one of the local newspapers in
the state which stated that the Ikwerre people were prepared to
fight Amaechi. On the said issue, he emphasized that nobody from
Rumuokuta or Rumuigbo granted such interview stressing that these
two communities cannot influence the decisions of the entire Apara
kingdom not to talk of Ikwerre community and wondered how a chief
John Ogbondah a fictions name and fellow who does not live or
reside or hail from any of the two communities-rumuigbo and
rumuokuta in both Rumuigbo/Rumuokuta could grant such interview as
alleged by the reporter pointing out that Rumuokuta people did
not hesitate to remove all the illegal structures that were
earmarked for demolition as Rumuigbo community was not affected.
Chief Chindah who doubles as the Oloka 111 of Apara kingdom
however commended the Amaechi-led administration in the state for
the bold steps it has taken to implant development to all the
nooks and crannies of the state and assured the Governor of the
peoples’ total support in all ramifications and prayed God to see
him through in his bid to move the state forward. It would be
recalled that the state Government recently earmarked certain
roads and illegal structures living them in the state for
demolition with adequate compensation paid to the affected people.
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FG Restates Confidence In NDDC ...As Gov Uduaghan Commissions
Bomadi-Tuomo Road
 In
what appears to b e a renewed vote of confidence on the Niger
Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the Federal Government has
reiterated its desire to address the underdevelopment problem in
the Niger Delta through the instrumentality of the NDDC. Speaking
at the commissioning ceremony of phase one of Bomadi-Tuomo Road
project embarked upon by the NDDC and the flag-off of the second
phase of the Bomadi-Tuomo-Tamigbe Road, the Minister for Special
Duties-Presidency, Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe said NDDC has done
marvellously well with its people-oriented projects across the
region. Orubebe, who was visibly impressed with the road projects,
described them as a clear manifestation of the dreams of the
Federal Government for the region. “What the NDDC has done with
the completion of Bomadi-Tuomo Road phase one and the flag-off of
the second phase that will connect Tuomo with Tamigbe is typical
of what the Federal Government desires for the Niger Delta Region,
no matter how difficult the terrains,” he said. He stated that the
construction of a road through an entirely virgin and swampy area
from Bomadi to Tuomo by the NDDC shows that development is
possible in any part of the Niger Delta. “NDDC did almost the
impossible, this terrain used to be one of the most difficult, I’m
delighted by this accomplishment.”
Elder Orubebe, however, called on other stakeholders not to
abandon the task of developing the region entirely to the NDDC,
stressing that with partnering and collaboration, development
would be more equitable. The Minister appealed to agitating youths
in the region to give peace a chance, adding: “We need peace, you
have made your point, sheathe your sword as development can only
take place in an orderly and peaceful environment.” In his speech,
the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who performed the
commissioning, described the NDDC as a worthy and dependable
partner in the task of developing the region. He noted that the
completion of the
Bomadi-Tuomo
Road and the flag off of the second phase was the result of good
partnering
“Delta
State government set the pace by bridging the
Bomadi
River
and the NDDC took off from there to connect other communities by
road. This is how it should be,” the Governor Said.
Elder statesman and foremost Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark
told the gathering that the NDDC has by this landmark achievement
corrected the impression that what the Ijaws desire is only river
and water transportation. “I am glad this is happening in my
lifetime, the world can see that motorable roads are possible in
the most difficult terrain of the Niger Delta Region.” Both Acting
Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia and
the Commission’s Managing Director, Mr.Timi Alaibe thanked the
benefiting communities for the cooperation given the contractors
to deliver. The two NDDC top officials assured that the flag off
of phase two of the road project signals commencement of work,
saying that the Commission would not relent in turning the
fortunes of the region around.
Also the
Agadame-Obi-Ayagha Road linking Imode-Oginibo in Udjievwen Clan in
Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State was
commissioned by Senator Prof. A.E Eferekeya, the Senator
representing Delta Central.
Speaking during the occasion, Senator Eferekeya commended
the NDDC for being focussed in its assignment of providing
physical infrastructure across the Niger Delta Region. He stated
that NDDC, despite challenges and the cynical attitude of
detractors NDDC has continued to justify the essence of its
establishment by the Federal Government. The Senator called on the
Federal Government to make more funds available to the Commission
to enable it carry out developmental projects through effective
implementation of the Niger Delta Regional Development Master
Plan.
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to top^^
Come Home, Ubima
People Tell Omehia By
Okechuku Geoffrey
 Ubima
people in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State have told
the former Governor of the State, Sir Celestine Omehia to come
back home as nobody was actually chasing him. They have also told
the former Minister of Transport Dr. Abiye Sekibo to stop
deceiving their son that he could fight Amaechi and his ideal cum
substantive government to finish. The people who over the weekend
had a chat with our reporter said Ubima Community was free and
most comfortable for Omehia to stay wondered what he was still
doing at Abuja when no person in Ubima has thought of harming him
in any way. They called on him to regard all that happened as an
act of God. They said that God who allowed him (Omehia) to rule
the oil-rich state for months had a purpose and advised him
against doing anything capable of truncating existing peace in
Rivers State with Abiye Sekibo whom they described as a curse to
Rivers State and Okrika (his home town) in particular. The people
who hailed Omehia for the little contributions he made while in
office as Governor urged him to come back home and join hands with
his brother (Amaechi) to make a difference in the governance of
the state. They also expressed worry that over a year now Omehia
had abandoned his family at home and his compound over taken by
weeds advised him to take away shame as the Governor Rt. (Hon)
Rotimi Amaechi was very much ready to receive him. Meanwhile, the
people of Ubima have thanked God Almighty for the honour done them
by placing two of their sons in the helm of affairs (before and
now) of the state and reminded Omehia that history would continue
to remember him as one time Governor of the state inspite of the
duration. The people however appealed to all those who are still
raising eyebrow to join hands with the Amaechi-led administration
to move
Rivers State forward.
Governor Ameachi the people averred had come to stay
whether the devil liked it or not and thanked God for bringing
Ameachi as the Governor of the State.
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Ohakim Heads National Gas Master Plan Review Committee -
From Emeka Iwuala, Owerri
 President
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has appointed governor Ikedi Ohakim as
chairman of the Review Committee of the National Gas Master Plan-(NGMP).
This was part of the outcome of the council’s meeting held
recently in
Abuja.
The committee also has six other state governors and stakeholders
in the oil sector as members.
Governor Ohakim had earlier during the meeting presented a
proposal for the modification of the existing master plans, which
he noted was lopsided and its framework not factored on the basis
of resources location, population density and industrial activity.
The paper also noted that
Imo State is
the only oil and gas producing state that has no facilities in the
said sector. It also proposed that gas must not leave producing
areas boundaries without processing and other value adding
activities.
Chief Ikedi Ohakim in his paper also pledged that
Imo State is
poised to play along with other regional stakeholders to improve
access of indigenes to gas sector activities in terms of
employment, equity participation, contracts and services as well
as products for power, domestic consumption and industrial use.
Concluding, the paper posited that for equitable guiding
principles to be achieved, the gas route of south /north
transmission line that runs through Imo state should be
established, and a gas flow station situated in Oguta and also the
introduction of an Imo/Akwa Ibom/Calabar gas line.
The review
committee is expected to submit its report before the end of the
year.
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NDDC Will Turn Niger Delta into Kuwait If Adequately Funded
~Osakwe
Former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta,
Senator Patrick Osakwe, has commended the Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC, for what it has done and what it plans to do to
facilitate development in the region. Senator Osakwe, who is about
entering his tenth year in the Senate, told a mammoth crowd which
came to witness the commissioning of the NDDC Power Improvement
project in Ekuku-Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta
State that “those who say the Commission is not working are
unrealistic.” He said “NDDC is even doing more than what it was
set up to do as an interventionist agency of the Federal
Government, considering the funds at its disposal.” Stressing that
the NDDC is financially handicapped, Senator Osakwe said that the
Commission is capable of turning the Niger Delta into
Kuwait
if it is adequately funded according to the Act establishing it.
Shortly before cutting the tape to commission the project,
Senator Osakwe thanked the NDDC for stepping in to boost power
supply in Ekuku-Agbor and environs, which happen to be part of his
Delta North senatorial constituency.
Delta State
Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was represented by the
Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Lawrence Osiegbu, described the
power improvement project as one, which the people of Ika have
been in dire need of. He said: “We are happy that NDDC is
complementing the efforts of the Delta State Government.”
Equally impressed by the NDDC, Representative of Ika
Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable
Doris Uboh, said “the power improvement project has positively
impacted on the lives of people in Ekuku-Agbor and seven
neighbouring communities.” Noting that NDDC is gradually and
successfully uplifting the lives of people in the Niger Delta,
Hon. Uboh, who is also an engineer, said that those calling for
the scrapping of the Commission do not mean well for the region.
NDDC Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Elder
Power Aginighan, who stood in for the Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer, Mr. Timi Alaibe, at the commissioning,
applauded the people for their peaceful conduct and urged them to
guard against vandalization of the project facilities.
The event
attracted a very large crowd, including youths, who carried
placards with various inscriptions conveying gratitude to NDDC,
women groups and many chiefs from the benefiting communities.
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Poverty Is Responsible For Niger Delta Problems ~Amaechi
The Executive Governor of Rivers State Rt. (Hon) Rotimi
Chibuike Amaechi has described poverty as the main factor
responsible for the problems in the Niger Delta region. Governor
Amaechi stated this during a meeting he hosted for the nine
Governors of the
Niger Delta
States and the NDDC top-notchers in Port Harcourt recently. Amaechi who said that the Niger Delta Development
Commission must be refocused to enable it achieve its aims and the
purpose for which it was set up by the Federal Government decried
a situation where so many projects had been abandoned by the NDDC
due to lack-lustre reasons or the other and told his colleagues
that the only way forward was for the nine Governors to partner
with the NDDC. He maintained that Governors of the nine states
must begin to think of how to attract investors to their various
states, build factories where the jobless youths could be employed
and pointed out that the moment the boys were meaningfully engaged
the issue of militancy and all what not would be a thing of the
past and solicited the co-operation of the NDDC in the task of
bringing development to the door-step of the Niger Delta people.
Meanwhile, the new Chairman of the NDDC board chief Dan
Abia has promised to synchronize with the state Governors to
refocus the board and assured the Governors that he would do all
his best to take the board to higher glory. It would be recalled
that few weeks ago the former chairman of the NDDC board
Ambassador Sam Edem was disgraced out of office following his
involvement in fetish abracadabra aimed at eliminating Chief Timi
Alaibe the board’s Managing director and to hypnotize the Vice
President Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of his state Obong
Victor Akpabio among others as he was said to have wasted close to
one billion in that regard. Be that as it may, majority of the
Niger Delta people have condemned the act perpetrated by the
former chairman of the NDDC board and have called for the removal
of Timi Alaibe and his group in the NDDC as they have all
disappointed the people.
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Rsg
Approves Building Of 10 More Model Schools
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved the
construction of three additional Model Secondary Schools in the
state, bringing the total number of Model Secondary Schools to be
built to 10. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Ogbonna
Nwuke who announced this today while briefing Government House
Correspondents on the outcome of today’s State Executive Council
in Port
Harcourt said three schools would be built in the Rivers East,
four in Rivers South-East while three would be built in the Rivers
West Senatorial Districts.
The Commissioner, who announced that two foreign countries,
Canada
and Russia have shown interest in the educational development of
indigenes of the state, said the programme is under a partnership
arrangement and enjoined indigenes of the state to key into the
advantage programme when it commences.
He said the Executive Council also gave approval for the
establishment of Community Police Corps as part of government
effort to boost security, as well as provide a more peaceful and
secured environment for our people. Mr Nwuke who encouraged
interested persons including those who had earlier, to attend the
recruitment interview which would be conducted by the Nigeria
Police, said the Executive Council is satisfied with the efforts
being made so far to ensure that the people go about their normal
businesses in
Port Harcourt . Also speaking, the Commissioner for Works, Mr Dakuku
Peterside, said the Council restated its readiness to relocate the
motors pares parts traders along
Olu-Obasanjo Road
, and building materials market, to a more convenient site at
Akpajo in Eleme Local Government Area.
The Council he said, directed the Commissioner for Urban
Development to liaise with his Housing and Lands counterparts to
ensure that affected traders are moved to a more convenient area,
as part of government vision to transform
Port Harcourt
to a modern city where people can live and do business.
Mr Peterside disclosed that Council equally directed the
Commissioner for Power to come forward with proposal that would
ensure that every part of
Rivers
State
is linked to the National Grid, or to an alternative power supply.
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Imo
LG Funds: Some TC Chairmen Disagree With Ohakim -
From Emeka Iwuala, Owerri
Despite the governor of Imo state‘s statements that no
local government money is missing, some of the TC chairmen in some
of the local government areas in the state who were recently
dissolved by the government have voiced out their opinions
discrediting such statement. Some former transition committee
chairmen who preferred anonymity wondered why a local government
would receive an allocation much less than the amount announced
over the air at the Joint Allocation Committee (JAC) meeting,
stressing that the governor should come out and clear the air.
Investigations carried out by one of our reporters in the state in
this regard in one of the local government areas in the state
revealed that a particular local government received N48m as
allocation for the month of July on paper while only a paltry sum
of N16m was given to the LGA in the actual sense. The TC chairman
was bold enough to give the reporter a photocopy of the cheque
issued at Bank PHB Okigwe road branch. However, reacting on the
issue during a telephone interview the special adviser to the
governor on chieftaincy and local government affairs, Bar. Kezie
Ogaziechi frowned at some of the media reports on the local
government activities in the state which he expressed does not
happen in other states. He said such reports make local government
attractive. Bar Ogaziechi disclosed that the lack of
correspondence and discrepancy in the local government allocation
is as a result of the deduction from the local government fund,
adding that the former TC chairmen were instructed not to embark
on any project. The special adviser stated that the ENTRACO which
is the hub of the present administration is funded through the
local government allocation However political observers in the
state see a situation where the men of Economic and Financial
Crime Commission (EFCC) would flood the state to ask questions on
this disparity of local government funds.
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N1.6 Trillion Not Remitted To Federation Account In Ten Years~Bankole
From Kenneth Mebrim,
Abuja
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji
Bankole, yesterday took a swipe on the nation’s revenue generating
agencies and revealed that N1.6 trillion was not remitted in the
federation account for the last ten years. He particularly
fingered the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as one of the
culprits even as he stated that only about 10 percent
investigation was done before such huge unaccounted public fund
was discovered, an indication that more rot might be uncovered in
due course. Besides, he stated that he would not fail to present
the Report of the Power probe stressing that ‘nothing will stop me
from presenting the report of the power probe’, despite the
criticisms in some quarters. He regretted that between N16 to N18
billion was spent on power, ‘yet there is no power’ a scenario he
noted that would hamper all aspects of development in the country
adding that ‘we must change’ the ways and manners we do things in
Nigeria . The number one lawmaker in the Lower House who gave this
indication at the opening ceremony of the Annual Conference of the
Nigerian Bar Association [NBA], in Abuja Monday said that the
House has been able to uncover the misdemeanor in the nation’s
revenue generating agencies even without the enhancement it would
have enjoyed had the Freedom of Information Bill [FOI] been passed
into law The legislator used the opportunity to highlight on the
importance of the Bill as it relates to accountability,
transparency and due process. He however, did not hide his
displeasure regarding the media dishing out false information to
the public.
Still on the FOI Bill the speaker said that the passage of
the bill will be much enhanced when the media stops publishing
incorrect information although he assured Nigerians that the Bill
will definitely scale through. On the issue of Niger Delta, the
lawmaker wondered why the State House of Assembly members in the
region are not asking questions concerning how their leaders spend
allocations to the area including the 13 percent derivation.
Against this development, the speaker recalled that the Vice
President, the NDDC chairman, the Chief of Defense Staff, IGP
among others are all from the oil rich zone yet there is the cry
over infrastructural decay. Also speaking, former Chief Justice of
Nigeria
[CJN], Justice Alfa Belgore expressed displeasure over
indiscriminate removal of State Chief Judges and incessant
election petitions saying that such a development cannot help
democratic growth.
Belgore who also condemned the impeachment of state
governors by state legislators with less than the constitutionally
required number equally frowned at the appointment of electoral
officers by government in power. In addition he advocated that
INEC should be allowed to make rules that would make it easier for
them to conduct elections in the country. In his opening speech,
president Umar Musa Yar’Adua promised to keep faith with his
avowed principles of rule of law and due process in his
governance. ‘My administration shall continue to give the
judiciary the necessary support it needs to continue to function
in an independent, impartial and courageous manner’, he said.
Yar’Adua, who was represented by the Attorney General of
the Federation [AGF], Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa [SAN] said his
administration was determined to translate the ideals of the
constitution into practical benefit. In her goodwill message, the
EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri said the new leadership of the
commission would build structures around institutions rather than
individuals even as she promised not to detain any suspect beyond
48 hours as required by the law. She assured that the new
leadership would be proactive in its investigations not
necessarily waiting for petitions and that she would lead grass
root based crusade aimed at restoring moral values that frown at
criminalities especially economic crimes. Also speaking
Lagos State
governor, Babatunde Fashola said that the nation requires some
constitutional amendments especially in the areas of clear cut
powers between federal and state government.
For instance, he noted that federal government were
encroaching into the jurisdictional powers of the state citing
instances with tourism, where he noted the federal government has
entered into hotel registration.
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Igbo Language To Be A Course In Harvard University USA -
From Emeka Iwuala, Owerri
Efforts are under way to introduce Igbo language as a
course of study at
Harvard University,
USA. This is a way of re-awakening the Igbo language consciousness
in the minds of the Igbo people. Revealing this information to the press recently in Owerri
as part of events to mark the 2008 Archdiocean Odenigbo
celebration, the Archbishop of Owerri archdiocean, Most
Rev.Anthony Obinna said since the beginning of the archdiocean
Odenigbo celebration in 1996 ,a good number of Igbo people have
started to use the Igbo language without shame ,adding that there
had been publications in Igbo language towards the celebration of
the event. Rev Obinna said the celebration has been a grateful and
joyous way of proclaiming the goodness of God to all humanity and
afforded the Igbo in Nigeria the opportunity to educate themselves
about the prominent virtues and values that need to retrieve
,cultivate imbibe and propagate whether from the old Igbo world in
which our ancestors lived or the new world in which we currently
lived .He however said he is happy on the progress the Odenigbo
celebration is making.
The Archbishop disclosed that the 2008 Odenigbo lecture is
titled ‘OKE CHI NYERE IGBO ;KEDU EBE ANYI NOZI(GODS GIFTS TO THE
IGBO ;HOW WELL ARE WE USING THEM?) and the Lecturer is Dr Ihenacho
Emeuwa .from Ovim .Isikwuato ,Abia State.Dr Ihenacho is a
distinguished medical doctor specialist practicing in the
Riverside/Los Angeles USA . Arch Bishop Obinna said the lecture as
usual would be delivered in Igbo language as one of God’s gift to
the Igbos and in order to challenge the Igbos to appreciate, learn
and use their language effectively and joyfully. The celebration
is a two day event .It begins on Friday 5th September with
cultural activities and ends on Saturday 6th of September with a
holy mass. He however urged the public to support the celebration
financially.
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Religion
Premise For Spiritual And Truthful Worship
To BE BORN AGAIN IS TO HAVE GOD’S LIFE IN YOU (John
1:12-13). In
John 3:5-8, “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can
enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the
Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit. 7you should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be
born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its
sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is
going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. “
It means receiving Jesus Christ as Lord, and this involves
forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God by faith (Ephesians
2:89; John 3:16; Romans 5:1-3; 8:1-2). It means having a new
heart, a complete change of mind about sin. It means becoming a
new creation as desires, friends and attitudes change. It is
immediate, gradual’ and continues till we see Jesus Christ. It Is
The Imparting Of The Divine Life (Holy Spirit) Through Faith, And
By Grace Alone, To A Sinner. It Is “Christ In You, The Hope Of
Glory.” It Is To Believe In Jesus As The Messiah. To be truly born
again is different from an honest belief that one is born again.
Great stringent insistence on the existence of truth does not
establish it, nor do bold and loquacious denials of truth negate
it. Truth is truth independent of our belief or lack of belief (2
Corinthians 13:8). So, “unless you are born again, you will not
enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus had said. But just what does
it mean? How born-again are the born-agains? A life that is born
again is humble and yielded to the control of the Holy Spirit. It
is a life made wise enough to know that this special grace is not
because of any intrinsically good quality of ours, but because of
the magnificence of God’s mercy. A born again life is charitable
enough to tarry in prayer and battle in witnessing so that such
graces may be the portion of other creatures of God (2 Corinthians
5 :20). A lot of people declare that they are born again merely
because they honestly wish to be born again. But being born again
is more than a wish. To be born again is to make the apostolic
commitment of declaring oneself a slave of God. Merely announcing
that you are born again does not make you born again. That you can
quote crammed Bible passages or recite accurately the creeds of
salvation does not bestow salvation. Salvation is a deliberate act
of the will, emotion and intellect as one humbly yields the
control of his life to another Jesus Christ. Revelation3 :20,
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he
with me”.
Being born again is by the word of God. 1 Peter1:23, “You
have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding word of God.” What is salvation?
Just what does it mean to be saved? One fact evidencing conversion
to Christ is a positive change of character. A changed life is the
most powerful proof of the gospel. Titus 2: 11-13, “For the grace
of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, 12training us to
renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober,
upright, and godly lives in this world, 13 awaiting our- blessed
hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God mind Saviour
Jesus Christ. “ 1 Peter 2:1-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; James 1:2627;
Hebrews 10:28-30; 2 John 2:3-6 all show that the power of the
gospel, its goodness, is its ability to change our lives. Without
this change, we have what the scriptures call a form of godliness
but are denying the power (2 Timothy 3:5). Romans 1:16-17 says
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for
salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to
the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed
through faith for faith; as it is written, “He who through faith
is righteous shall live.” Read the examples of Paul in Acts
9 and of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. The story of Cornelius in Acts
10 illustrates that it is more than having religious gifts or
credentials. The person of the Holy Spirit is God’s proof, His
rubber stamp and seal on a life. 2 Timothy 2:19, “But God’s firm
foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who
are his, “and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord
depart from iniquity.”
Therefore, before you rest on the assumption that you are
born again, make sure you are truly born again. Presumption is the
counterfeit of faith. Real faith is rooted in God’s word. If you
are really saved, then work out your salvation with fear and
trembling. Grace can never lead to loose living and compromise
with the world. Grace leads to a change of character and.
godliness (Titus
2: 11-14).
To be born again means total commitment to Jesus Christ as
Lord and Saviour through the forgiveness of sins. Acts
2:36-38 says
“therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this
Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. When the people
heard this; they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the
other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ 38Peter replied,
Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. “
Romans
6:23, “For the
wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus or’ Lord. “To be born again is to put your neck into
the same yoke as Christ’s (Matthew 11 :28-30). It is to carry his
burden and lay your life on the cross. It is not an easy path but
the Master Jesus has promised to be with us always (Matthew
28:20).
Paul, assessing the cost of true Christianity’ said, But if
there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been
raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in
vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be
misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised
Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not
raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been
raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and
you are still in your sins…If for this life only we have hoped in
Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. “(1 Corinthians 15:
13-17,19) The Lord’s presence makes all the difference. To be born
again means a commitment of your emotion, intellect and will. Any
omission of these means that the surrender is incomplete; this
often lead to repeated doubt about your conversion and causes
endless and repeated coming out to answer altar calls. It is not
enough to like Christ, Christians or Christian fellowship; you
must be willing to make a commitment to Christ and Christianity.
This commitment of body, soul and spirit, this total surrender of
intellect, emotion and will, followed by a deliberate decision to
follow Christ as Lord and Saviour is what we mean by being born
again (Matthew 13:38,19:23). The way Jesus illustrated this in His
parable is very instructive. The first group of listeners (Matthew
13:34,19) are those on the wayside We call them excited listeners,
the happening crowd, usually more in number than the wheat of
God’s planting. They have no opinion about anything; their opinion
depends on whom they met last. Read also Luke 8: 11-12.
“The First Level of attempted converts (Matthew
13:56,2021;
Luke 8:13) are quickly excited about Christ. On the emotional
level their felt need was met. Perhaps they were healed, or some
sin or guilt was removed, but they had no depth. They may appear
to be Christian for one to four years or all through school life
but they are not really converted. They are like the man in Luke
9:57-62. The1 a: are excited about Christ, emotionally drawn to
Him yet they don’t want any skin pain in following Christ. They
cherish a cross-less Christianity, and a cross-less Christianity
has nothing to do with biblical Christianity. John 6:25-27 says,
“When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to
him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly,
truly, I say unto you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but
because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labour for the
food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal
life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God
the Father set his seal.”
The Second and Fourth Levels (Matthew 13:7-22; Luke
8:14) are those
who have some kind of depth; their emotion and their intellect
were touched by the word. They carry on even after school. They
can go for five to ten years as apparent Christians. However since
they have not made a conscious decision for Christ, when issues of
Christianity are pressed, they give Him up. Like Demas, they love
the world more than Christ. 1 John 2: 15-17 is known but not
applied. It reminds one of the men in Luke 9:59-62. They are
easily distracted. Their emotion and intellect are involved but
their will is still un-surrendered, hence the sustained
distraction. A born again, converted soul, becomes a slave of “the
Master, Jesus Christ. He labours for the Master joyfully without
expecting praise or reward; Luke 17: 5-1 0, “The apostles said to
the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had
faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine
tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey
you. “Will any of you, who has a servant ploughing or keeping
sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at
once and sit at table? ‘Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare
supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and
drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink’?
Does he thank the servant because he did what was
commanded? So you also, when you have done all that is commanded
you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was
our duty. “ Our profitability is only seen as we radiate the glory
of God. Like the moon, with all its brilliance, we depend entirely
on another light for our light - the Son of God. The Third Level
(Matthew 13:8, 23; Luke
8: 15) are
those who are genuinely converted emotionally, intellectually and
by an act of their will. Like the house built on solid rock
(Matthew 7:2425), they have made a decision to follow Christ. They
know the claims of Luke 14:26-31, “1f anyone comes to me and does
not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and
brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my
disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me,
cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a
tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has
enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation,
and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
saying, ‘this man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ Or
what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit
down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand
to meet him who come against him with twenty thousand?”
They have probably counted the cost and decided to pay the
price. They may not be perfect, but their song is clear, “I have
decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”
FACT ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?
For you to be truly converted, you must know basic facts
about Jesus Christ and accept them. The Bible says in 1 John 3:8,
“He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from
the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy
the works of the devil.” In 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul
states other facts we must know and believe about Jesus Christ and
the faith we profess. 1 Corinthians 15:2-9, “by which you are
saved, if you hold it fast unless you believed in vain. For I
delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that
he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance
with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the
twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at
one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen
asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostle. Last
of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am
the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle because I
persecuted the
church of God”.
See also Act 2:23-38. That risen Saviour ascended to heaven
and is today at the right hand of God (Act 1:8-11). These facts of
history must be accepted to make the Christ of history the Christ
of faith.
INTELLECT
Intellectual surrender to the Master as part of Salvation
is instant, progressive and futuristic. This intellectual
commitment accept the reality of who Jesus is: a man from
Galilee anointed by God. This historical fact must be the
Son of God. This historical fact must be accepted. It is not
enough though, to believe intellectually that Jesus Christ is real
and Lord. This intellectual belief should affect your emotions.
EMOTION
Our
emotional commitment can be likened to marriage. A young man may
know intellectually that Ifeoma is the woman he wants to spend his
life with but he feels absolutely nothing towards her. No
emotional pull. Companionship, therefore, is impossible because
marriage is not just a matter of having the right statistics, it
is being involved. So also is being born again. It -is not enough
to intellectually believe the Jesus of history as Christ the Lord.
This belief should elicit an emotional response. The emotional
response to the fact of Christ’s death, our sin and forgiveness,
may differ from person to person; nevertheless, there must be an
emotional response. Some come to an awareness of their lost state
with tears; with others, it may just be a calm realisation.
Whatever it is, if the heart is sincere Romans 1: 17 will come
alive to them. God is dependable.
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