TEMPLATE OF A ‘FOR PROFIT’ BUSINESS CALLED – CHURCH

1. Instead of calling it ‘tithes and offering’,
let’s call it weekly investments and have
profit sharing based on how much you
invest.

2. Instead of saying the ‘church owns this
and that property’, it becomes, ‘WE’ own
this and that property and even if we leave
the particular church, our ‘investment’ is
intact and can be sold to someone or
cashed in.

3. Instead of having a ‘general overseer who
collects’ from a conglomerate of companies,
sorry churches, we will have an MD and
respective fund and project managers who
manage our portfolio of investments and
they can be removed for non-performance.

4. Instead of questioning ‘where all the
money raised truly went’, we would all have
access and a part to play in where the
money really goes.

5. Instead of having ‘ridiculous money lines
for healing’, we can all contribute to a fund
that will create financial miracles for those
who need to pay for expensive procedures
to save their lives. The in house and
outdoor miraculous healings will be free.
6. Instead of pastor being ‘the only one
driving around in the ‘gift’’ every exorbitant
gift is sold and re-invested so that ‘ALL’ can
partake.

7. Instead of ‘bodyguards’, surround the
pastors that feel their lives are being
threatened, with children, trust me, no one
wants to harm children,

8. Instead of building a school that ‘those
who have contributed to the fund cannot
afford to send their children to’, set it up in
such a way that members and contributors
pay a bare minimum and non-members help
to subsidize it, or better still, these
conglomerates have enough money that they
can afford to pay the teachers and maintain
the schools with ease without asking for
fees.

9. Instead of building ‘humongous elaborate
edifices’, how about using that money to
send some of our brighter ones to the best
schools, training them to be real leaders, not
just deacons and associate pastors in the
confines of the church, and then shooting
them into the world as arrows for CHRIST.
They cannot be denied access, because they
are qualified, they will be part of the law
making process so that we can effect for a
morally balanced society in regulating what
is shown on TV, what affects our children,
corruption et al. (it will be money well spent,
though it may start totally being effective
with our grandchildren, but still better than
the alternative, those buildings will be old
fashioned, burnt or even destroyed by then)

10. Instead of pastors claiming that ‘they
have been called’ and therefore must make
all decisions and have autonomy, people
can take back their investments from such
and shop for a better setting, or shall I say
‘soil’

11. Instead of that ‘puny over priced private
jet’, we could go for a bigger and more
practical 737 or something, so we can take
a team of evangelists to those hard to
pronounce places pastor talks about
needing evangelism and he needs the luxury
of a PJ for.
This is an unfortunate burlesque…

≈KDL®™©2013
#ifitistrulyoneforallandallforonethenthisshouldwork

This article was written by Kehinde Dacosta-
Lawrence
https://www.facebook.com/ kehinde.dacostalawrence

Justice Ministry to Spend 181.3 million Naira on clothing in 2014!

According to a report by Punch, the Federal Ministry of Justice
Headquarters will spend the sum of N181.3m on uniforms and other
garments in 2014, according to the budget estimates submitted to
the National Assembly by Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
A copy of the proposed budget of the headquarters of the justice
ministry, which was obtained by a Punch correspondent, revealed
that the sum of N181, 391,000 was allocated for “uniforms and
other clothing” in 2014.
The sum is part of the total N4.7bn allocated to the Federal
Ministry of Justice Headquarters in the 2014 budget proposal.
However, the nature of the “uniforms and other clothing” was not
disclosed.
The ministry is to spend the sum of N1.3bn on legal services in the
New Year, while N1.4bn is allocated for consulting and professional
services.
Travels, including local and foreign trips, formed a substantial part
of the ministry’s proposed budget.
The sum of N362.6m has been budgeted for travels and transport
(general).
Local travel and transport (training) and local travel and transport
(others) will cost N76.7m and N142.3m, respectively.
In the same vein, international travel and transport (training), and
international travel and transport (others), will cost N34.9m and
N108.5m respectively.
The sum of N371.7m was budgeted for materials and supplies
(general).
Also, the sum of N59.4m was set aside for foreign grants and
contributions, as well as grants to foreign international
organisations.
The proposed budget suggests that the Federal Ministry of Justice
Headquarters intends to upgrade its security system as the
purchase of security equipment as well as improvement of ministry
security system would cost N40m, respectively.
The same N40m is equally budgeted for the rehabilitation and repair
of office buildings, while the sum of N19.8m is provided for
maintenance of office building and residential quarters.
Other sums allocated for maintenance works include N9.9m for
maintenance of plants/generators; N27.7m for cleaning/fumigation
services; and N59.1m for general maintenance of motor vehicle/
transport equipment.
The proposed budget also reveals that the Federal Ministry of
Justice Headquarters will spend the sum of N55.8m on fuel and
lubricants.
Motor vehicle fuel will cost the sum of N24.7m, while plant/
generator fuel costs the sum of N28.3m.
N7.8m is provided for refreshment and meals.
Also, the sum of N56.9m is earmarked for a baseline survey of
justice institutions, while the sum of N16.5m is budgeted for ICT
consulting.
The proposed budget further shows that the ministry budgets the
sum of N37.2m for utilities (general).
Electricity charges will cost N31.5m, water rates 904,016, while
sewerage charges will take the sum of N4.8m while the ministry will
spend the sum of N14.6m on printing of security documents.

Culled from Punch

In The Context Of Sexualities

The question isn't whether Mr Anonymous
is gay or not as I am not bothered about
that one bit. I`m however bothered about
the fact that an idiot will have just one look
at someone and ignorantly reach the daft
conclusion that he is gay simply because he
is not constantly seen hanging around with
girls regardless of the quality of the girls.

Sometimes, the misconstrued conclusion
arises when a metrosexual who places
strong emphasis on his appearance or
lifestyle is mistaken for a gay man simply
because he has put a lot of credence into
fashion trends. The fact that he wears red or
other neon coloured trousers doesn’t make
him gay neither does the fact that he
ex foliates/moisturizes his face, gets a
pedicure or manicure or stylish haircuts. It
simply means he is a young man with some
money to spend and living his life the way
he pleases whilst taking meticulous care to
manage his body or that he is simply
meticulous about his outward appearances
and invests whatever resources that is
available to him on his looks. Yes, these
may be attributes stereotypically related to
gay men, but they do not necessarily imply
that such an individual is gay. As a matter of
fact he may still find the thought of actually
getting intimate with another man truly
repulsive.

Some even call you gay simply
because you are not married. Now,I ask,how
stupid is it for someone to arrive at such a
narrow minded conclusion based on the
reasons I just mentioned? And oh,you could
also be tagged gay if some raggedy chic
was all over you like white on rice and you
sort of decided she was so raggedy that you
WOULDN'T even touch her with someone
else`s peanuts if you could borrow one. This
is becoming a sad mental trend and people
are hopping on it. We need to be more
open-minded people. If you are a nice
looking single chap and have not been
tagged as gay yet,don`t start rejoicing yet as
this could happen to you any time. Well, I
reckon you ain`t doing anything right until
you have been tagged gay in this city of
Lagos. Even Banky W has had a taste of it so
if it`s happening to you at the moment,I
advise you to accept if as a phase that will
soon go away. Jobless and inconsequential
folks must find something to occupy
themselves nah,abi?

I run into gays sometimes and never,repeat,never have I had issues with
them. A person’s sexuality does not affect
the amount of love or hate they get from
me,their character determines that. The last
time I checked Elton John is gay but does
more wonderful Charity work across the
globe than all our congress men who
recently promulgated anti-gay laws and
neglected more sensible ideas such as
creating a special court to try corrupt
government officials. I knew that was a
diversionary tactic right from the onset.

In The Name Of The Lord

Religion remains one of the most
controversial topics for discussion, yet.
Some days back I encountered a factor that
motivated me to write this – I learnt from a
dear friend who works for one of the
numerous churches that a mutual
acquaintance that also worked as a staff in
their church and defended the church and
pastors with his blood had left the same
church he lived for. He left on the grounds
that he had discovered certain irregularities
amongst the leaders of the church,
irregularities that shook his faith.
Apparently, the remarkable awesome
immense faith which the guy professed was
anchored in all the wrong places; guess
what, this guy is just one of the millions of
Christians whose faith seem to be rooted in
the wrong places.
Most will wonder - ‘what is religious talk
doing on a social platform such as
this’. Well, that question will be answered
once you realize that religious faith is
apparently the most primordial phenomenon
that has had overwhelming ubiquitous
influence on humanity’s social, economic
and political undertakings. From the earliest
times, mankind’s decisions on agriculture,
politics, fashion, marriage, war and other
significant pillars of society, have been
mostly guided by religion. A look at ancient
Egypt, Israel, Greece, Rome, Babylon and
host of other powers from back then will
throw light on how mankind has lived, ate,
drank and breathed various religious forms
through time. Back then the temporal sword
(secular political power) and spiritual sword
(divine religious power) were practically
fused together and was such that, if the
chief priest wasn’t the paramount ruler of
the society, then it was most likely he/she
will be the most trusted adviser of the
paramount ruler and thus indirectly the most
powerful person still. In more recent history,
an example of the power of religion has
been exhibited in the era when the ‘Papal
Bull’ from the papacy could grant a
sovereign entity permission to invade and
occupy another sovereign (a specific
example is the papal bull ‘Dum Diversas’
issued by Pope Nicholas V to the
Portuguese Monarch King Alfonso V
granting him the right to attack, conquer and
enslave Saracens, Pagans and ‘enemies of
Christ in general’). The bull was absolute in
its mandate as it gave the entity to which it
was granted title to the lands and every
possession owned by the other entity that is
subjected to colonization. In contemporary
times the temporal and spiritual swords
have been more distinctly removed from
each other but that hasn’t overly diminished
the power of religion over people; the
economic billions controlled by religious
bodies which are practically transforming
into multinationals and political conflicts
(terrorism, civil wars in certain regions, et
al) are testimonies to the sustained clutch of
religion on international affairs. (NOTE THAT
RELIGION AS USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH
INCLUDES OTHER FAITHS BESIDES
CHRISTIANITY).
I believe I have justifiably established in the
paragraph above that a little talk about
religion isn’t so out of place here as the
phenomenon permeates every facet of our
lives; our socio-economic, political and
general lifestyles, which are the primary
concerns of this platform. Like Shrek said to
Donkey in the first installment of SHREK -
Shrek – “Ogres are like onions.”
Trust Donkey to come up with some stupid
remark – “They stink? Oh, they make you
cry. Oh, you leave them out in the sun, they
get all brown and start sprouting little white
hairs.”
Eventually an exasperated Shrek screams –
“Noooo, layers! Onions have layers, ogres
have layers, we both have layers.”
Well, most of us have layers too and know
that there is more to life than the mundane
stuff that occupy us daily. Balance within
one is key for social, political and economic
wellbeing, hence a little religious tonic here
might just do us all some good.
Before I proceed I want to emphasize that I
would subsequently focus on Christianity
only, not because I don’t have regards for
Islam and any other belief system (as it is
only GOD in his infinite wisdom that can
disapprove of any faith. Even Christ in John
10:16 talked about ‘his other sheep from
other fold’), rather I will focus on Christianity
to keep this write-up simple, brief and
because I have been a Christian all my life,
thus I am better equipped to stir this
discourse in more familiar waters. I hope my
Muslim and other brethren will find common
grounds from which to draw some wisdom
and make contributions as well, I am sure
that as we have plenty of people
misinterpreting, misrepresenting or misusing
Christianity, so also it is in other faiths.
Now, my concern here isn’t with doctrine
and conduct in the various ‘church brands’
which litter our society (Lord knows I have a
healthy amount of qualms with a whole lot
of stuff going on in most churches), my
concern is with the ESSENCE of our faith. I
spoke about the gentleman who pulled out
of a church he seemed willing to die for
because he discovered certain anomalies in
its high places; this begs the question –
where was his faith really anchored, men or
God? Judging from his action, the answer is
quite obvious, his faith was anchored in men
and when those men failed him, he simply
decided to change brand (as if he was
changing a mere brand of detergent).
The core of every religion is faith and hence
the foundation of that faith is of utmost
importance because that’s where the life
blood of the religion stems from. In the case
of Christianity, the bible makes it explicitly
clear from whence we should draw our faith,
in – Mark 11:22, Acts 20:21, Rom 10:17,
Gal 3:26, Eph 3:17, Heb 11:27, Heb 12:2 – I
won’t bore you with long grammar on these
passages, just read them (and many others
not quoted here) and listen to God’s still
small voice lay the necessary explanations
bare. I always told my friend and the
gentleman who left their church not to
anchor their faith in men because while no
man is infallible, some are out rightly
dubious. Being staff of the church meant
they would discover certain information
ordinary members were blissfully ignorant of
and being a logical and pragmatic person, I
knew that unless they really held fast to
God, the things they would encounter as
staff will really shake them; hence I always
exhorted them to keep their eyes on God. We
often had arguments in which these
gentlemen defended their pastors and other
church leaders. As I expected, in time,
things began to unravel and the gentleman
who left just couldn’t take it at a point.
However the funny thing is, unless he
remains a carefree floor member in his new
church, he is bound to move again once he
burrows deep into his new brand because
there isn’t any church without its share of
rotten apples. Like every institution run by
man, the church has its elite class, some of
who subvert it for their own personal
yearnings. So if one is naïve enough to
totally place one’s trust in such elite who
outwardly seem like shining examples, your
guess is as good as mine. 1Tim 4:1
succinctly captures most of what is
happening in churches these days, hence
1John 4:1 enjoins us to test every spirit so
as to know which is which. I believe the
quoted verses and many others not quoted
here will inform us adequately on how not to
anchor our faith in our pastors, deacons,
deaconesses, elders, knights, dames, et al,
so much grammar isn’t required. Don’t get
me wrong, by all means cherish these
people, respect them, love them, appreciate
them, but do not adore or revere them.
Adoration and reverence are a level of
respect reserved for God and only God.
In conclusion, the moment Christ cried out
and gave up the ghost, Matt 27:51 recorded
that the veil in the temple, which separated
us sinners from God’s presence in the holy
of holies, was rent. The consequence of the
rending of that veil at that moment was that
a DIRECT LINE, SPIRITUAL CORRIDOR,
CELESTIAL SUPER HIGHWAY, was activated
for us by Christ and as he said in John
16:23&24, we can all go directly to the
father and ask in his name. Please do not
give up this privilege to your church leaders.

WHAT BETTER WAY TO END A YEAR AND
BEGIN ANOTHER? PROJECT 2013 IS A
WRAP, HELLO 2014. HAPPY NEW YEAR
FOLKS AND REMEMBER ‘WE ARE ALL JOINT
HEIRS WITH THE SON’.

This article was written by Chuddi Madu
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/
ChukwudiMadu

How Useful Or Useless are New Year Resolutions?!

Every new year, people come up with their
resolutions, proclaiming to turn a new leaf
(this new year, imma quit smoking; imma
move closer to God (this one is so on the
regular. lol); I’ll be good, no more promiscuity
(wash of life); I will be this, I will be that…
blah blah blah ) and first opportunity, when
the solidity of the resolution is tested,
people fail!

Why do you/they(noticed the absence of
“we”,well, NYRs are for you mortals, writer
obviously not included) feel the need to
make these decisions. Why do you feel that
changing or rectifying a unit/part of your life
is advantageous to you? How do you
measure the success or not of such NYRs
like planning on being closer to God; who
said drinking is wrong(some would refer to
the wedding at Cana as a reason to drink,
the water to wine miracle; and no, I don’t
drink).
So many people with their resolutions, some
may have up to 20 things they want to
change about themselves. Do you not even
stop to wonder why they are so much?
Don’t you think it might be because these
things are your fundamental psyche make-
ups; the things that define who you are.
I understand that we all want to change for
the better and that we are so much excited
about the new year and what it holds for us
but I also believe it is a grand scam and a
waste of time to expend so much time on
decisions based on an abstract thing. The
only thing new is the day. The fall of night
and the break of dawn; those are the real
indicators of the passage of time. New year,
new month, new week are all abstract. So, if
you are making decisions on how to live
your life, make it daily; one day at a time.
As an aside, I am trying to understand this
new craze for re-spelling things. Now, I
understand the abbreviations that is the
domain of cyber chat. Where “to” is
“2″, gtg, brb, etc exist but what’s with the
“tew” for “to”, “fenk” for “thanks”.
Sometimes enof isn’t enough.(Did you see
what I just did there?! My awesomeness
sometimes surprises me).

Have you a good life!

If Martinez was really better coach than Moyes, Martinez wouldn’t be coaching Everton, would he? So shut it all!

To be honest, hanging out in ninth in
the log at December is by no means
what Sir Alex, Sir Bobby and the
Masters Glazers had in mind when they
endorsed David Moyes as gaffer for
United. Nah, they had dreams and
believe of a more eminent, loftier
station. But they knew the ride after
Fergie’s departure may be full of a lot of
down shifting and screaming gears.
That is why they tucked a bulky six-year
contract in David Moyes’ pocket and
patted him on the shoulder
reassuringly. ‘You’re in here for the
long haul, matey and we’re in with
ya.’ But an inconsistent run in the
league and back to back lose at Fortress
OT would have made the Glazers glance
fearfully at Sir Alex and Sir Bobby.
‘Gentlemen, er, you sure about this?’
Of course, Fergie and Sir Bobby are
absolutely sure about David Moyes.
They could have picked Mourinho, they
could have spoken to Pep Guardiola,
even Harry Redknapp. But they chose
David Moyes. ‘ Dithering Dave.’
‘Gollum .’ And I’d like to believe they
have best interest of United at heart
and would hardly sabotage the club.
If course with the less than impressive
results United is churning out under
David Moyes, fan is within his right to
give him the stick. What I will not
countenance however is labelling the
fella a muppet and glorying every coach
who manages to get a result against
him. So what, Roberto Martinez won
with Everton at Old Trafford for the first
time in twenty-one years and under
Moyes’ watch. There’s always a first
time for everything! So what, Newcastle
won at Old Trafford for the first time in
fourty years and also under David’s
watch. Big deal! It proves David Moyes
is into record breaking!
United is still in two domestic cups and
one continental cup. All is by no means
lost. I have personally ceded the league
trophy to any of City (what heart ache!),
Chelsea or Arsenal (elephants can
indeed fly! If Liverpool were to win the
league however, my grief would be
complete.) And if United were to make
some smart acquisitions in January, who
knows?
My belief will of course be tested if
United were to finish outside the top 4
this season, but I just do not see
Manchester United slipping into
obscurity like Liverpool. Something
would give. Tides will turn, mermaids
will cry. United is just too big to become
average within 2 years. Call it blind
faith. Call it stupidity. Football isn’t
exactly a logical enterprise, hombres.
Thank you, I’ll keep my faith.
My counsel to all those gloating at
United so far. Take all that United gives
right now. It’s Christmas and it’s the
season for giving and charity. Mark my
words, United won’t be this charitable
for ever!

APC woos Atiku, plans to meet with Obasanjo

former Head of State, Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari, said the All
Progressives Congress (APC) was working
on modalities to meet with former
President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He made this known to newsmen in Abuja
on Wednesday after the APC chieftains met
with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar,
to woo him over to the party`s fold.
“We have the intention of meeting with
former President Olusegun Obasanjo as
soon as he is available so that we will tell
him how we evolve APC.
“And then, we will ask for his
understanding and cooperation. This is
what we have been doing,’’ Buhari said.
Atiku, who spoke at the meeting, said that
a strong opposition was necessary in
every democracy to checkmate the
activities of the government in power.
The former vice president said the APC was
a strong opposition that would give
Nigerians better alternatives in every
election.
“I will consult with my political associates
all over the country and then make an
announcement later,’’ Atiku said.
Earlier, the ACP Interim National Chairman,
Chief Bisi Akande, said that the party was
consulting with political stakeholders in
the country to salvage the country`s image.
“We had worked with you before and we
know you. The country is being discredited
and we feel we should meet with men of
good will to right the wrongs,’’ Akande
said.

FINALLY: ASUU SUSPENDS STRIKE AFTER 5 MONTHS

The meeting, Vanguard gathered was attended
by ASUU branch chairmen and secretaries, the
national executive members of the Union,
coordinators and past leaders, including
members from 52 universities.
Public universities lecturers have been on strike
since July 1, 2013. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),
has suspended its over 5months strike.
ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge disclosed this in
Minna while briefing newsmen.
The Union suspended the strike after a
marathon National Executive Committee meeting
held in the Niger State capital, yesterday.
The different chapters of ASUU are expected to
hold congress meetings on Wednesday, following
which academic activities will resume in the
universities.
The marathon NEC meeting was held to
deliberate over the agreement signed
Wednesday, last week, by the union executives
and the federal government.

The meeting was attended
by ASUU branch chairmen and secretaries, the
national executive members of the Union,
coordinators and past leaders, including
members from 52 universities.
Public universities lecturers have been on strike
since July 1, 2013.

“We Steal Because You Never Stoned Us For It” – Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers State Governor

At a tribute event for Nelson Mandela in Lagos,
Mr. Amaechi said Nigerians have not shown
enough aggression or resistance against stealing
by political office holders.

Citing recent examples, including the Fuel
subsidy removal and the theft of $50billion, the
Governor said stealing is good, when the people
don’t fight back.

“Even the musicians, you’re singing about us,
the leaders? If you see a thief and you allow
him to be stealing, what do you do? You have
stoned nobody that’s why we are stealing. Who
have you stoned? We came out and you started
dancing, the oil subsidy, we told you they stole
N2.3trillion, what did you do? Instead you’re
protesting. The oil subsidy that is not reaching
the poor, few individuals are going away with
the money, you have done nothing, you are
mourning Madiba, 95 years.
It’s good to steal if you can’t fight back. You
have heard about $50billion, nobody is talking,
we are debating whether can he talk to the
president like that. In some countries people will
be on the street, until they return that money. $
50billion is N8trillion, it will change Nigeria. Me I
want to steal only $1billion, let them bring it.”

His statements strike very close to home among
a generation that is often content to do nothing
more than on-line activism.
Why, as a people, do we feel so helpless in the
face of abuse and corruption?
Are we merely ignorant or afraid?
When will we face the reality of the cost we will
have to pay to make this country better?
And when will we be willing to pay it?

PRIVATE JETS, THE CHURCH AND NIGERIAN PASTORS

Recently, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, claimed to know the source of the plane owned by the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. It is now running into weeks and he is yet to tell how the Pastor got his plane.The annoyed Pastor has threatened to sue. If suing is best the way to deal with this type of man, he should be sued to tatters. Litigation is perhaps the only language such a man will understand, since he obviously has no respect for servants of God. In his book the Accidental Public Servant, he took a swipe at OBJ under whom he served as a Minister. At one time he thought,laughably, that Igbos were not well educated; at other times he seemed to be against everybody and everything Nigerian. I pray he gets a good trouncing from the Pastor. There are many Nigerians who consider themselves wealthy enough to own private jets; why should that of Pastor Oritsejafor be his problem? El-Rufai must learn to respect Men of God, and stop the jabbering with Christianity and Church leaders. Period! Nigerians, they say, top list of private jet owners in Africa, spending N1.3 trillion on these big flying toys.Our aviation sector has brought into sharp focus, the paradox of a nation that is endowed with huge oil resources but where only a few are wealthy. In a country where the average Nigerian lives on less than $1 a day, there is a super-rich class of business moguls, bankers, preachers, politicians and oil magnates whose private ownership of jets is more than that of any other country in Africa. In fact,the ownership of the state-of-the-art jets in Nigeria had grown from only 50 in 2008, to over 200 in 2012. Their planes mostly carry foreign registration credentials rather than Nigerian registration, for which the owners have their reasons, while Nigerian money continues to flow from our super-rich to other nations because of the hostile registration environment. The chief of the many factors that have encouraged the rise of acquisition of customised jets, which cost between N2.4 billion and N9 billion, is the fact that flight schedules in the aviation industry are no longer flexible.In a situation like this, wealthy Nigerians would opt to acquire their own private jets to save time that would have been wasted waiting for flights whose times of departure are not known. The FG has begun to impose a luxury tax on the non-scheduled flights of private jet owners and operators in Nigeria. A tax of USD4, 000 is now to be levied on the owners and operators of foreign-registered private jets for every flight departure within Nigeria, while Nigerian-registered private jets have to pay USD3,000. The tax has to be paid before each departure. Private jets are for the super-rich. How right is it, therefore, for a Pastor, or an Alfa, to own a private jet, being a person managing and running a non-profit organisation per se? There are two sides to the question: On one side are those who say the work of God is a big business, and also with big rewards. The pastor needs to take the advantages of the private jet to cope with the ever increasing challenges of his work, both as a preacher and an evangelist. After all, he is serving His Father in heaven who owns all the gold, silver and wealth on earth. Jesus died poor that His believers may become rich. Wealth, affluence and opulence become proofs of serving a rich God. On the other side, are those who think that modesty and humane standards should define the life style of Church leaders. As servants of God, most of their wealth should be spent on humanitarian works rather than on pleasure. They are thus expected to be pious and humble, helping in the reduction of the spiritual and physical sufferings and groans of the people around the world, victims of wickedness in high places, deceit, bad rulership and bad governance all over the world, especially in Nigeria. They argue that Christians should live in modesty and humility, shunning boisterous life styles. The early missionaries were not men of super affluence. They had the money from their home countries, but used this money to introduce and enhance human development in the world around them. Money is of no use if it cannot be channeled to change the life of the majority of the people for the better. Politicians, business men, and others, may live as they like, servants of God are not expected to follow the world. Many out of ignorance and lack of knowledge have therefore argued that churches and mosques should be taxed.Where the clergy has accumulated wealth, using his gifts, influence and time well, nothing excludes him as a person from being taxed based on his known income. But the Church and Mosque being charitable organisations involved in humanitarian non-profit ventures cannot and should not be taxed. Whereas there are a few religious leaders who are very affluent, an overwhelming majority of the rest struggle over their annual budgets.Non-governmental organisations, NGOs, cannot be taxed because of their services to humanity. The multiplicity of religious and non-governmental organisations in Nigeria make it mandatory now that a Charities Commission be set up by government to register,regulate and control all charity organisations and their activities in Nigeria. The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, should be relieved of the burden and responsibilities of registering, regulating, controlling and monitoring all charities, including NGOs. This way, the CAC will be more focused on the creation of the necessary enabling environment for company development in Nigeria. The Charity Commission should be a non-Ministerial Government Department, part of the civil service which registers and regulates charities in Nigeria. Charities are accountable to the public, so the Charity Commission will prescribe the rules and regulations of registered charities in the best interest of society.

By: Mr. Clement Udegbe, A Lawyer in Lagos
Source: Vanguard

EPL TITLE CHASE: Now it's really begining to get to me, this Arsenal run. They are growing in belief and that's quite a dangerous thing for every EPL title contender

You asked yourself what has changed about Arsenal's opening day defeat to Aston Villa on August 17th, physically it is Mesut Ozil, spiritually, it's new found belief. They play like they know they will win. There is no real hurry. They take their time, pass the ball around, pass it to Ramsey and he scores! Aaron Ramsey - Whatever happened to the lad? Family kidnapped and he needs to score 50 goals as ransom? And to think Jack Wilshere is scoring goals, quite a damn thing too! I haven't seen Arsenal quite as strong and confident since 2004. The irony that the threat about them does not stem from a single player. The whole team is all up for it. And Oliver Giroud. So much is going to Ozil right now, but Giroud is just as important. The steel that Arsenal has lacked in recent years is coming back in.

I do of course hope they do not get Luiz Saurez in january. Church don close be that!
Surely they're god for the title, no?

1. Damn it, how did they get it so right this tme?
2. Do you think Arsenal will wn the league this time?

IS WIZ-KID BEING CYNICAL?

CHECK OUT OLAMIDE'S NEW ALBUM COVER!

Olamide has unveiled the cover of his highly anticipated new album titled 'Baddest Guy Ever Liveth' which will drop sometime in November. What do you think of the cover?

SAY WHAT? BBC WORLD NEWS CALLS ABUJA "The Unfinished Capital".

Sorry about the Lol, it's not funny I know but I just couldn't resist. The 'unfinished capital' cracked me up. So BBC says Abuja was built on stolen land, stolen from who? Continue to read the pic's accompanying article


Written by By Alex Preston for BBC News

When one of Nigeria's long line of military rulers, General Olusegun Obasanjo, seized the land on which Abuja was to be built in the late 1970s, he could hardly have imagined that the city would remain unfinished 35 years on.

Abuja has a makeshift, haphazard feel to it: A place of bureaucrats and building sites, its streets eerily empty after the buzz of Lagos or the enterprising bustle of Kano.
It is one of the most expensive cities in Africa, and one of the most charmless.
The skyline is dominated by the space-rocket spires of the National Christian Centre and the golden dome of the National Mosque, facing each other pugnaciously across a busy highway at the city's centre.
Its other striking landmark is the vast construction site of the Millennium Tower, which, if it is ever completed, will be Nigeria's tallest building.

The skyscraper was intended to mark Abuja's 20th birthday in 2011. Now delayed until who-knows-when, hugely over-budget and the subject of numerous official investigations.

 

 The National Mosque stands at the side of a busy road in the city centre

 

All the people of Abuja have to show for the billions invested in the project are two stunted fingers of scaffold-clad concrete.
I had been in Abuja for three days - about two-and-a-half too many - when my friend, Atta, a sociologist, picked me up from my hotel.
We drove out towards Aso Rock, the monolith looming over the presidential palace.
On either side of the road there are complexes of bulky, imposing mansions, most of them unfinished.
Some had empty swimming pools; others had mock-Tudor timbering, but were windowless and often roofless.
Atta told me that 65% of the houses in these developments were uninhabited, put up only to launder Abuja's dirty money.
Like the Millennium Tower, these grandiose schemes are ruins before they are completed, bleak monuments to a city built by kleptocratic politicians on stolen land.
We pulled off the Murtala Mohammed Highway at Mpape Junction, and immediately the road deteriorated.

 

There are many uninhabited mansions near Aso Rock

 

"I am going to show you the real Abuja," Atta told me, as his car struggled up a deeply-rutted dirt track.
A warm wind from the desert to the north - the Harmattan - whipped clouds of red dust around us as we climbed through rocky scrubland into the hills.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Life here is difficult. Often we can't see across the street because of the smoke and dust”

Mary

People began to appear on the streets - men carrying ancient Singer sewing machines, women balancing baskets on their heads.

We entered a vast shanty-town of shacks with corrugated iron roofs, slums stacking to the horizon.
Nissan minivans scuttled past - they are called "One Chance" buses, as they barely stop on their manic journeys through these uncharted streets.
Crowds thronged between skinny cows, beneath posters advertising beaming televangelists.
Dance music blared out, interrupted by a muezzin's call to prayer. Bright-eyed children kicked footballs about.
This was the home of the Gwari people, the original inhabitants of the land where the capital was built.
Hundreds of thousands of them were summarily evicted in the 1970s, and now scrape a living in the hills.

 

Many of the original owners of the land around Abuja are now living in poverty

 

Abuja is itself a Gwari word and, although the city of generals and politicians below us had barely 700,000 inhabitants, two or three million people live in these shanty towns, many of them Gwari.
The Gwari people continue to fight for compensation for the land wrested from them by the Obasanjo government, land now worth more per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in Africa.
We got out and walked through the smoke and dust towards a row of shacks.

In one of them, a woman knelt on the ground plucking a chicken, a man above her leaning on a makeshift bar.

They were Frank and Mary, Gwari people in their thirties, children of one of the thousands of families originally evicted during the foundation of Abuja.
The four of us sat in the shack sipping Fantas, staring out at the swarming life of the shanty town: Motorbikes and cattle and people, all of them through a veil of reddish dust.
"I trained as an architect," Frank told me. "I have an education. But I do not have money, I don't know the right people. So I work here with my sister. In Abuja, money defines everything."
I ask him about the empty mansions lining the roads into the city.
"That is pseudo-Abuja, a false place. It's unjust - we should be living in those houses. Instead…" He gestured to the squalid lean-to that jutted from the back of the bar.
Mary looked up from her chicken. "Life here is difficult," she says.
"Often we can't see across the street because of the smoke and dust. If it rains, you can't move for the mud. But we pray hard."

 

Thick dust and smoke often fill the streets 

 

Frank pulled out a CD. It was Fela Kuti's Suffering and Smiling.
"This," Frank said, as the music coiled out from an ancient hi-fi, "is the compressed statement of Nigerian society. We suffer, but we smile. Nothing will change until we get angry, until we stop smiling."
A storm was coming in, red clouds rolling overhead and thunder crackling down the valleys.
Frank and Mary stood waving to us, the music playing still, as we drove off down the hill, towards pseudo-Abuja.

STUNNA: LIL WAYNE TO QUIT AFTER CARTER V!

Lil Wayne says he's calling it quits following the release of Tha Carter V, which is expected to drop sometime next year.
After failing to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live a few times due to health issues and just because, Wayne finally appeared on the Los Angeles-based late-night TV show on Tuesday. The rapper talked about his favorite basketball team the Miami Heat, his recent hospitalization after experiencing multiple seizures and even dropped a bomb: He's planning his retirement.
Wait... haven't we heard this before? Kimmel wasn't buying it.
"Will this be a real retirement or one of your usual retirements, or a rap retirement when you make 12 albums after that," Kimmel cracked. "I mean Tupac died and he's still making albums."
"Yes that is true," confirmed Wayne. "I want to retire after Tha Carter V."
"What will you do when you retire? Be a Walmart greeter?" Kimmel responded.
Wayne said he wants to hang up his cap and do regular things, like a drive a car and spend time with his kids

ALUU 4 UPDATE: FOUR MEN GRANTED BAIL

A high court sitting in Port Harcourt this morning October 17th granted bail to four out of the twelve persons facing trail in the murder case of the four Uniport students. The four are: Omoikiri Aluu monarch: Alhaji Welewa, Okoghiroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel.

Presiding Judge, Justice Letan Nyordee granted them bail on grounds that their offense is not a capital offense and is bailable. They were granted bail to the tune of N2 million with two sureties and the court asked the sureties to submit their passports. The sureties mus also have landed property in Port Harcourt and must show means of livelihood and evidence of paying tax for two years. The other eight suspects were refused bail due to the murder charges against them.

The court also admitted the photographs negatives and the Youtube CD of the incident tendered as exhibits in the matter.

Dear Nigerian police, please also arrest and prosecute the men who murdered 2 innocent young men in Badagry in July. Thank you! The sooner we criminalize jungle justice, the better for us all!

NEW MUSIC: FAZE releases two hot new singles!

Former Plantashun Boiz member Chibuzor Orji popularly known as Faze is back with two hot new singles. Ifeoma and Lambo.

DSTV CATCH UP: Why does my DSTV signal disappear when it’s ONLY ABOUT TO RAIN? Abi it’s only my area or dish?

No one should tell me about some damned physics theorem or satellite technology limitation! I’m paying top Dollar…well, top Naira, for that service and I expect to have it, rain or shine. Period! Besides, I can’t remember encountering similar
problem abroad, satellite signals scramming on you when it rains or about to rain. And I’m not talking
Mars! The Champions League final. 92nd minute Bayern was up 2-1. I was gnashing my teeth and
biting my nails desperately wishing Dortmund would equalize. The ref puts the whistle to his lips
and…coitus interruptus. Not of my making. The signal goes. The moment is lost, never to be recaptured by a million replays. What I don’t get is why my analogue reception (terrestrial broadcast, NTA and co) never jilts me at any trying moment. Worse, GOTV signal, vended by same Multichoice, never disappears when it rains. So what is the big deal about satellite technology then? See, I really don’t care about the technology; all I want is uninterrupted service. If some annoying number is not showing on your screen, it’s some damned E14 or F9 message. What, you guys make fighter jets now? Not complaining. Just pissed!

OR ARE YOU NOT???