Author: Uchenna Eletuo

SCOAN marching forward 3 years after TB Joshua’s death

SCOAN

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, June 6, 2024 (NAN) The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) has continued to expand in spite of the death of the Founder, Pastor Temitope Joshua (TB Joshua), three years ago.

The SCOAN Director of Public Affairs, Pastor Dare Adejumo, gave the assurance in an interview wiith the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

Adejumo said that  the church, now under the leadership of Joshua’s widow, Evelyn, had been full of  activities.

He said that SCOAN, with headquarters at Ikotun Egbe, Lagos State, had inaugurated its Akure Branch, conducted  several revival programmes, and continued with its global crusade tours and weekly charity works.

NAN reports that Joshua, also a philanthropist, passed away on June 5, 2020.

Adejumo said that three years after  Joshua’s death, his legacies of evangelism, philanthropy and charity remained  strong.

He said that the third anniversary of Joshua’s death presented another opportunity for SCOAN members to  celebrate his legacies and determine to emulate his lifestyle.

“It was a great moment to thank God for the times of Prophet TB Joshua.

‘He was a great man of God,”  Adejumo said. (NAN)

EUC/IGO

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Olumba Olumba hails Nigeria’s reversion to old anthem

Anthem

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, June 3, 2024 (NAN) The Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) on Monday  halied  Nigeria’s reversion to its old National Anthem, saying that the old anthem  preached  love, peace, justice and faith.

BCS, also known as Olumba Olumba Obu, made the commendation during a  courtesy visit to the Lagos Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The Leader of the team, Prof. David Irerin, said that the reversion was God’s will.

He said, “Part of it that says ‘In Brotherhood we Stand’ is in total submission to will of God in mapping out the area known as Nigeria.”

Irerin said that peace, love, justice  and forgiveness were necessary for societal growth.

He called on Nigerians to respect, honour and love one anther irrespective of tribe and religion.

“The reversion to the former anthem has divine a connotation with the vision of God for Nigeria, Nigeria’s development and her influence on the comity of nations,” he said.

A member of the team, Archbishop Okey Asoluka, said that BCS was committed to preaching love,  holiness and justice to  eliminate wickedness, corruption, idolatry, oppression, greed and other sinful acts.

He said that any  society obeying God would develop.

He added that the reversion to the old anthem would do Nigeria good.

“With the infusion of the brotherhood into our national life, a re-orientation is coming,” he said.

Asoluka said that there was the need for the citizens to pray for their leaders.

“It is our obligation as citizens to continue to pray for our leaders to be consciously linked to God  to remain on track.

“Respect all persons regardless of social status; love all, for it is God you are seeing in others,” he said.

Earlier, while receiving the team, the Head of Lagos Office of NAN, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, said that the agency  was a leading news purveyor with global reach.

Ajayi said that the agency provided timely,  balanced and accurate news and news material to diverse clientele.

NAN reports that President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, signed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law, reinstating Nigeria’s old National Anthem:  “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”.(NAN)

EUC/IGO

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Archbishop Martins advocates fiscal  federalism, state police for development

Federalism

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, June 2, 2024 (NAN) The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most. Rev. Adewale Martins, advocates a return to fiscal federalism and the adoption of state police for Nigeria’s growth and security.

The archbishop made the call on Sunday at a Thanksgiving Mass to mark his 65th birthday anniversary.

He said that the return of federal system and the implementation of the state police were in dire need to reposition the country for greater development.

Martins, known for his insightful stance on national issues said that those would end agitations for self determination.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, the event that afforded the High Priest and the lay faithful opportunity to exchange pleasantries and examine policies of government.

The event was held at the Holy Cross Cathedral.

Speaking on the return to the old National Anthem, the archbishop said the wordings of the reverted anthem could inspire the needed patriotism in Nigerians.

The Gospel preacher, said that there were many pressing issues that Nigerians are clamouring for such as the implementation of a workable federal system of government.

He pointed out that the adoption of a state police structure has been in the minds of Nigerians to improve the security of life and property.

“If the legislature and Executive can exert same energy and commitment they applied in the passage and signing into law of the reversed anthem on salient issues agitating the minds of the people such as state police, fiscal federalism and LG autonomy, the country will get better, ” he said.

According to him, Nigerians have become impatient of unending despondency that has caused many depression and loss of lives because of improperly administered policies.

The archbishop thanked God for the gift of life, and urged people to continue to pray for divine directives on the leaders to do what was expected of them.

He said that without prayers things might have been worse than it was today. (NAN)

EUC/BEN/VIV

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Edited by Benson Ezugwu/Vivian Ihechu

Pilgrimage

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, June 2, 2024 (NAN) The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has sent a team of its officials to the Holy lands of Israel and Jordan to ascertain the safety of intending pilgrims for the 2024 Easter Pilgrimage.

According to a document signed by the LSCPWB Secretary, Mrs Yetunde Gbafe, sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, the team includes the Special Adviser to the Governor on Christian Pilgrimage Matters, Rev. Bukola Adeleke and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrs Lolade Aina.

The rest are the Board Secretary, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mrs Yetunde Gbafe and some other members of the welfare board already in Israel and Jordan.

Gbafe said that as pilgrims were expected at the various holy sites during the exercise, the state officials embarked on a pre-visit to ensure the Holy lands were safe to visit.

“Inspection of the accommodations and sites to be visited during the forthcoming pilgrimage is essential to guarantee safety.

“It is important to have a first hand information about the safety and security of the Holy lands in order to reassure intending pilgrims of their well-being while on pilgrimage.

“The pre-visit is also aimed at making adequate arrangements for a hitchfree spiritually regenerating retreat.

“It’s an opportunity to make adequate preparation for logistics with ground handlers and to secure comfortable hotels amongst others,” the secretary told NAN.

Gbafe pointed that there were plans to explore Israel’s agricultural technologies to enrich the programme and add value to the Pilgrims.(NAN)www.nannews.ng

EUC/VIV

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu

Archbishop Martins clocks 65, counsels nation’s leaders, followers

Leadership

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, June 1, 2024 (NAN) The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most. Rev. Adewale Martins, on Saturday clocked 65, with a call on Nigerians to demand better governance from their leaders.

Martins, at media conference to commemorate the anniversary in Lagos, said that such action was necessary to ensure quality service.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Martins, at the conference, held at the Holy Cross Cathedral focused on the state of the nation.

He said that leaders have an obligation to give the people quality representation that would have positive bearing on the people.

The archbishop said that the best of polices should be implemented to give succour to the people.

According to him, the present administration since inception has instituted various policies: some laudable, but some with negative bearing on the life of the people.

“The manner and timing of the removal of the petroleum subsidy has adversely affected the life of the common man with its attendant high cost of staple foods, transport fare and poor medication because of increase in pharmaceutical products.

“The multiple taxes question the sensitivity of government toward the hunger the people are faced with.

“For the government to continue to ask people to sacrifice for a better tomorrow, the government should be seen to do likewise by cutting down the cost of running government, without which the government will be portrayed in a bad light.”

He urged the government to make drugs cheap by reduction of taxes to firms, noting that many of them were relocating to neighbouring countries because of high cost of doing business.

“Ensure constant electricity power supply to encourage small and medium enterprises to function for many idle youths to be employed,” he also advised government.

Martins regretted the mass failure in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, but noted that most candidates from Catholic schools, from his inquiry, scored above 200 marks.

He said that more funding was needed in the education sector to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

The archbishop called on the government to implement people-oriented policies that would not be too difficult for the populace to bear.

He also urged Nigerians to make their leaders accountable.

Martins thanked God for the gift of life and His direction in the leadership of the church.

Some Christian faithful, in an expression of joy for the archbishop’s milestone of 65 years, presented him with gifts.(NAN)

EUC/SOA

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle