More militant groups declare ceasefire in Niger Delta

More militant groups in the Niger Delta have announced ceasefire, on a condition that security agencies should stop forthwith harassment and intimidation of their suspected members.
But peace is still elusive as yet another group, Niger Delta Greenland and Justice Mandate, has attacked a major delivery line operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) in Udu Local Council of Delta State. The group also warned that no repair should be carried out on the damaged pipeline.

Following the Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark-led peace initiative in the region, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) had, at the weekend, resolved to end all forms of hostilities, including jettisoning its avowed plan to declare a republic.
The group’s spokesman, Brig-Gen. Mudoch Aginigbo, announced on Saturday that it was ending hostilities and would support the peace initiative.

Also following the Pan Niger Delta Coastal States Consultative Meeting convened by Clark, the Reformed Egbesu Fraternities comprising Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, Egbesu Red Water Lions and Egbesu Mightier Fraternity announced yesterday a 60-day ceasefire.

They commended the convener and all the traditional rulers who participated in the meeting which the militant groups said reviewed the bombing campaigns against critical oil infrastructure and realised they were hurting not only Nigeria but Niger Deltans as well.
The Spokesmen of the Reformed Egbesu Fraternities, General Tony Alagbakeriowei and Commander Ebi Abakoromor, however underscored the big place of the neglected region in the country’s political economy. “ We are conscious of the fact that the Niger Delta alone accounts for 70 per cent of the annual national budget, 67 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product and 80 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange, yet the Niger Delta has nothing to show and remains plagued by serious environmental degradation and social dislocation of our traditional and customary rights.
“Between 1957 and 2016, over two trillion barrels of the finest quality and grade as well as 1.2 trillion SCF of gas have been exploited and exported from the Niger Delta, yet we remain the poorest in all ramifications among all the oil- and gas-producing regions the world over.

“Angered by the above basic facts and worsened by the realisation that over 90 per cent of the Oil Mining Leases (OML) are owned by Northerners and the South West indigenes, we commenced our symbolic protests in the creeks with a view to unilaterally declaring a sovereign state of the Niger Delta on August 1, 2016.

“Aware that our collective strength and efforts no doubt have had a very negative impact on the economy of the country, coupled with our commitment and determination to continue with our bombing of oil and gas infrastructure and the declaration of the Niger Delta Peoples Republic, we have been pressured and appealed to by the Niger Delta Coastal States Stakeholders Consultative Meeting convened by Chief Dr E. K. Clark and most importantly, the Niger Delta Dialogue Contact Group led by His Royal Majesty, King Alfred Diette Spiff.

“Nigerians from all shades of opinion pleaded that we come to the negotiation table. In view of the persistent pleas and appeals, we the Consultative Council of the Reformed Egbesu Fraternities unilaterally declare cessation of hostilities for a period of 60 days to enable the Niger Delta stakeholders to commence an all-embracing dialogue with the Federal Government.
“However, under this 60-day period, we call on all relevant security agencies to stop forthwith all military harassment and intimidation of suspected members of these and other organisations.

“We caution against the preconceived notion of the service chiefs of the armed forces who had persistently stated recourse to military option if dialogue fails. This, to the best of our knowledge, is an act of intimidation and a ploy to truncate the negotiation process if at all there is sincerity and commitment on the part of the Federal Government,” the group said.

In a statement, the Niger Delta Greenland and Justice Mandate said: “The formidable strike team in charge of ‘Operation Zero’ brought down another major trunk/delivery line operated by NPDC in Udu Local Council area (Urhobo) of Delta State. We would also like to warn that no repair should take place on that pipeline pending when signals come from us.

“Peace cannot be realised in an unjust environment. Like we said from the onset, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate is not just about causing calamity and delighting in chaos, rather a child of circumstance, born to correct an injustice that has lived with us, from the time of our fathers.”

‘‘We are in this struggle, not to create any acrimony with our friends and brothers in the riverine axis, who are equal citizens of this over-sapped region, but to call the attention of the world to our peculiar experience; that we, as people of diverse tongues and orientation, have kept faith with both the Nigerian government and oil multinationals over the years, by being peaceful, patient and law-abiding all through the years, but have in turn been abused and abandoned by these same supposed partners.

They have all along taken our quietness and disposition for peace and choice for orderliness for granted. We have watched and seen that they only encourage lawlessness and violence.’’

Niger Delta Avengers announce ceasefire

The Niger Delta Avengers have pledged to lay down their weapons and resume talks with the Nigerian government after months of attacks on the country’s oil and gas infrastructure that have crippled the economy.

In a message posted on the group’s website late on Saturday, the NDA said it would “observe a cessation of hostilities” in the Niger delta and would support any effort to negotiate with “the federal government of Nigeria, representatives from the home countries of all multinational oil corporations and neutral international mediators.”

“We will give our Niger Delta elders and genuine stakeholders that tacit support to the dialogue table with the government and the Multinational oil Corporations whenever the enabling environment prevails,” said Mudoch Agbinibo, the spokesman for Avengers.
The group, however, said it would only a negotiation team put in place by a Niger Delta elder, Edwin Clark, with the aim of “achieving the short, medium and long-term frameworks and objectives to de-escalating conflicts in the Niger Delta.”

“Most of the frameworks and objectives are clearly stated in various reports, declarations and recommendations of the likes of the Sir Henry Willinks minority rights reports of pre-independence Nigeria (1957-8), The Kaiama Declaration document, The General Alexander Ogomudia report, The Leedum Mittee headed Niger Delta Technical Committee report and restructuring to fiscal federalism,” Agbinibo said.
But the NDA warned that it would resume hostilities if “the Nigerian government and the ruling political APC continues to use security agencies/agents, formations and politicians to arrest, intimidate, invade and harass innocent citizens, suspected NDA members and invade especially Ijaw communities.”
Since the start of the year, the NDA has carried out a string of devastating attacks on Nigeria’s oil pipelines and facilities.

Oil majors including Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Eni and the state-run oil group NNPC have all been targeted this year.
The attacks have reduced Nigeria’s output by a third, hammering government revenue at a time of low global oil prices.

The oil sector accounts for 90 percent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings and 70 percent of government revenue.
The NDA has claimed to seek a fairer share of Nigeria’s oil wealth for residents of the region as well as self-determination and political autonomy.

Tokyo shares slump as yen rally hits sentiment

Tokyo shares slumped for a second session in thin trading on Tuesday after a sharp rally in the yen and disappointing Japanese second-quarter GDP figures hit investor sentiment.
The yen’s rise — a negative for exporters’ overseas profitability — came on top of below-par data Monday showing growth in the world’s number three economy was flat during the April-June period.

The figures missed economists’ expectations for a modest 0.2 percent expansion, as weak exports and a fall in business spending held back activity.
Trading was also thin with many investors away for Japan’s week-long Obon holiday.
On currency markets, the dollar fell to 100.17 yen from 101.25 yen in New York, its lowest in about a month.

“The yen is being driven by the dollar’s weakness, spurred on by increasing expectations the Federal Reserve won’t raise (interest) rates this year,” Nicholas Teo, a Singapore-based strategist at KGI Fraser Securities, told Bloomberg News.
“This complicates things for Japanese policy makers seeking to stimulate Japan’s economy.”
By the close, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 1.62 percent, or 273.05 points, to 16,596.51, coming off its highest levels since early June.

The broader Topix index of all first-section shares lost 1.38 percent, or 18.16 points, to end at 1,298.47.
Shares of Uniqlo-operator Fast Retailing, a market heavyweight, dropped 3.00 percent to 36,500 yen.
Toyota fell 1.26 percent to 5,875 yen, rival Nissan shed 1.73 percent to 980.7 yen and videogame giant Nintendo slipped 1.56 percent to 21,720 yen.

An overnight jump in crude prices lifted refiner JX Holdings 1.07 percent to 377.2 yen, while Showa Shell was up 0.93 percent at 868 yen.
An early rally in Inpex shares, which were up more than two percent by the break, fizzled, with the energy explorer closing down 1.02 percent at 837.5 yen.

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TUESDAY 16TH AUGUST,2016

THE PRINCE OF PEACE

MEMORISE:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

HYMN 7: 
HOLY HOLY HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

READ: 
Isaiah 9:2-7
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 28:1-30:17
Psalms 35

MESSAGE:
In recent times, the entire world has been troubled by one thing or the other. Government of nations all over the world have explored all avenues and different theories to solve their problems, yet the crises increase. So many budgets are being voted by members of different groups all in the name of providing peace, and the more the investment of time, meetings, mediations and reconciliations, the less the solutions. Until we come back to where we have missed it, we will just keep reinventing the wheel. Also, individuals go through different forms of troubles and worries with no solution. There is nothing like an atmosphere of peace either in a nation or in the life of an individual. It is the greatest thing the world is searching for today and it is the best thing that can happen to a person. 
Peace is saying no to violence and creating room for harmony and love. Those who do not have peace cannot experience wellness of life. When there is no peace in a place, it exposes everyone to hostility and aggression, but where there is peace, there is rest of mind and tranquility. I decree that you will find peace today in Jesus' name. Finding peace is finding Jesus Christ. He came to restore the broken relationship between man and God. He came to reconcile us back to the Father. Jesus is the one who broke down every wall of partition between us and God.

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Ephesians 2:14

No matter what you are going through in your life, there is a solution in Christ Jesus. In what area are you experiencing problems? Come to the Prince of Peace and He will give you rest. Are you have troubles and fierce storms in your marriage? Come to Jesus and He will step into the center of your home and give you peace.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John14:27

There will be trying times in the life of every child of God but you can be rest assured that in your troubled times, you are not alone. God will never allow the trouble to overwhelm you. He will make you experience calmness in the situation. It is important you know that peace is not necessarily the absence of war, it is the presence of rest and calmness in the time of war. Jesus will always bring light into every darkness. He will always speak peace into every storm. He presides over every unpleasant situation of life so that you can experience His peace.

PRAYER POINT:
Father let your peace overrule all my worries in Jesus' name.

Costa late show gets Conte’s Chelsea off mark

Diego Costa thrust himself back into the headlines with an 89th-minute winner as Chelsea edged West Ham United 2-1 in Antonio Conte’s first Premier League game as manager on Monday.

Eden Hazard, symbol of Chelsea’s slump from champions to a 10th-place finish last season, opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge with a penalty early in the second half, before James Collins equalised in the 77th minute.
Costa arguably should have been shown a second yellow card after catching West Ham goalkeeper Adrian with a late challenge, but he stayed on to steer a dramatic winner into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards.

The bruising Spain striker’s goal capped a positive night for Conte, who handed a full debut to former Leicester City man N’Golo Kante and saw another debutant, substitute Michy Batshuayi, set up the winning strike.
But it was a bitter defeat for West Ham manager Slaven Bilic, who lost debutant Andre Ayew to an apparent right thigh injury in the 34th minute.

With both managers spending the entire match on the edge of their technical areas, suited and gesturing animatedly, the game was characterised by hasty, imprecise football and full-blooded tackling.
Kante started at the base of midfield in the only change to the Chelsea team that started last season’s opening game — a 2-2 draw with Swansea City that gave the first hints of the rot that was about to set in.

Bilic fielded two debutants in Ayew and left-back Arthur Masuaku, but the former was forced into a premature exit after injuring himself chasing after the elusive Hazard.
The hosts’ high defensive line prevented West Ham bringing lone striker Andy Carroll into the game and the early chances were all Chelsea’s.
– Antonio storms off –
Branislav Ivanovic drew a save from Adrian at his near post, Hazard curled a shot a foot wide following a probing run and Willian obliged Adrian to palm a dipping free-kick over the bar.

West Ham’s resistance was broken two minutes into the second half after Cesar Azpilicueta charged down an attempted clearance by Michail Antonio on the edge of the visitors’ box.
In seeking to atone for his error, Antonio succeeded only in blundering into Azpilicueta from behind, obliging referee Anthony Taylor to point to the spot.
Hazard thundered the penalty into the roof of the net and within four minutes Antonio had been replaced by Sam Byram, the former Nottingham Forest player storming past Bilic and straight down the tunnel.
With West Ham offering next to no attacking threat, Chelsea continued to attack, Willian working Adrian with a crisp shot and John Terry heading over.

But the hosts should have been reduced to 10 men when Costa, booked in the first half for dissent, caught Adrian with an ugly late challenge as the West Ham goalkeeper dallied over a clearance.
West Ham looked to have pulled off a smash-and-grab with 13 minutes remaining when Chelsea failed to clear a corner and Wales international Collins lashed a left-foot shot past Thibaut Courtois.

But with full-time looming, former Marseille striker

Batshuayi flicked on a long ball to Costa, who steadied himself before guiding a shot between Collins’s legs and beyond Adrian’s despairing drive.

Ambode criminalises land grabbing in Lagos

Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has signed into law an act prohibiting the activities on land grabbers in the State.
The Lagos State Properties Protection Law, according to the governor, was enacted to save would would-be property owners and investors from harassed and exploited by land grabbers.
Ambode noted that the activities of land grabbers had discouraged investors and hindered the ease of doing business in the State.

“The Lagos State Properties Protection Law will give legal backing to the operations of our law enforcement officers,” said Ambode at the signing ceremony held in Lagos on Monday.
“The main objective of this Law is to ensure that our investors, businessmen and the general populace carry on their legitimate land/property transactions without any hindrance or intimidation henceforth.

“The Properties Law will eliminate the activities of persons or corporate entities who use force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent any person or entity from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property, ensure that the Special Task Force on Land-Grabbers work with all Security agencies to ensure enforcement of State Government and Private property rights in the State, and ensure proper coordination of the efforts of the various agencies of Government charged with enforcing the State Government’s rights over land in Lagos.”

The governor said the presence of the heads of the three arms of government – the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, at the signing ceremony was a confirmation of the seriousness and resolve of the government of Lagos State to address the issues once and for all.

‘What education is and it is not’

The well-researched opinion article in The Guardian titled “What education is and it is not” by F. E. Ogbumi is excellent and thought-provoking as it does try to address the issue of policy formulation for Education for development in Nigeria.

We must, however, appreciate that following the rise of modern science in Europe in the 17th Century that Science and Technology activities undertaken in Europe changed the scope and complexity of industry leading to an industrial economy. Science and Technology activities were introduced in Nigeria for the first time in 1899 in furtherance of the revolution going on in Britain and Europe…
It is the British Cotton Growing Association (BCGA) led by one Mr. Moor in its search for a suitable area for cotton growing in southern Nigeria that introduced Agricultural Scientific Research at Ibadan in an area now known as Moor Plantain in 1899. Although cotton was abundantly produced in Kano areas, there were then no roads, no railways to take them to the sea port in Lagos for their export to Britain. Ibadan apparently had a climate like Kano’s which gave the impetus to the cotton growing experimental station in Ibadan.
Science and Technology education for development in Industrial nations of Europe, North America and many countries in Asia consists of the following activities:

1 Training in the various disciplines of Science and Technology namely Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Medical Sciences all taking place in the universities or similar academies;
2. Scientific Research in the above disciplines of Science primarily to acquire knowledge or deeper understanding on the intricacies of above stated Sciences, which may lead to discoveries and inventions and or new scientific knowledge;
3. Training in the technics (Technologies) of production and services in the economy which take place in the Polytechnics, and or Colleges of Technologies to acquire the capability and or capacity to produce and manufacture technologies.
4. Research and Development (R&D) which take place in R&D institutions, universities and or at the ground floor of industry such as Engineering design and Fabrication, Technology innovation, and industrial production and manufacturing of capital goods, consumer items and industrial materials using such primary raw material as cocoa, corn, groundnut, and solid, liquid and gaseous minerals;
5. Mass production of modern technologies and industrial goods (capital, consumer items and industrial materials) using primary raw materials (agricultural and minerals including solid, liquid and gaseous raw minerals) for this purpose in the domestic economy; and
6. Technology Innovation capacity building. That is, capacity to modify, upgrade and or improve an existing technologies to become a new technologies in the economy.
Now the question is “can the education in Science and Technology now taking place in Nigeria fit into the above definition? If not why not?

My honest answer is that it does not. This is because Nigeria is yet to build the requisite capability and or capacity to produce and manufacture globally competitive modern technologies and industrial goods. We do not produce new technologies in Nigeria through technology innovation or through domestic R&D. This observation is fully supported by a statement credited to Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the then governor of CBN and now the Emir of Kano.
“We, in Nigeria (that is a country which began training and research in Science and Technology disciplines in 1899 at Moor Plantation Ibadan) produce crude petroleum oil, we have no refineries and even the refineries constructed and built for us are not functioning and we have no domestic endogenous capacity to repair or rehabilitate them, we produce gas, we don’t have gas processing plants, we produce cotton but the textiles plants (imported and installed for us) are not working and we cannot rehabilitate them.

We produce and export hides and skins but we don’t have leather and leather products industries. We have iron ore deposits we don’t produce steel including flat sheets, (that is namely sheet metal and carbon steel) (and one will like to add we all know that steel is the prime metal of all moving parts of a machine). We produce various primary agricultural commodities including tomatoes, cassava, maize, etc. but we don’t have tomato processing plants and industries for producing yeast, starch, etc. We have abundant natural minerals but we don’t have chemical industries (and one will add, to produce organic chemicals, inorganic and special chemicals such as fertilizers and explosives) etc. All of which have to be imported from industrial nations to sustain Nigeria’s manufacturing economy.

“In the absence of these industries or domestic industrial production base we cannot create jobs in the manufacturing sector of the economy, which now contributes very little to the country’s GDP, then the economy cannot grow and since we don’t have our own industrial production base, our market of over 150 million people is a market for fast industrialising and fast growing nations such as China, India and South Korea and the highly industrialised nations of Europe, North America and Japan.
“Now China’s industrial products are cheaper in this country and other African countries than the industrial goods of Europe and America and that is why America is today blackmailing and asking China not to devalue its currency, the Yuan, so that American industrial products can compete favourably in African countries, the main battle ground or markets for world industrial goods and services.”

Lord Fredrick Lugard, the first governor-general of Nigeria (1914-1918), in his book titled The Dual Mandate of Europe in Tropical Africa 4th Edition 1929, provided the answers on why Science and Technology activities undertaken in Nigeria could not build in Nigeria a domestic capability. “The tropics are a heritage of mankind, the exploitation of its vast primary raw materials cannot be denied to the Europeans who need them for their industrial classes (industrialisation of Europe). Let it be admitted that at the outset that European brains, capital and energy have not been and never will be expended in developing the resources of Africa from motives of pure philanthropy, Europe is in Africa for the mutual benefit of her own industrial classes and the native races of Africa, the source of some primary raw materials needed for the industrialisation of Europe.

“The Colonies will take our (European produced) modern technologies and industrial manufactured goods (capital, consumer items and industrial materials) and we (Europe) shall get their (Africa) raw materials (agricultural commodities, solid, liquid and gaseous minerals) in return. They (the Africa native people) will get from us (Europe), industrial goods including equipment, machines, transport vehicles, modern medicines, movies, schools and professionals, etc. required to exploit their (Africa) primary raw resources (agricultural and minerals) to the mutual benefit of Europe and the African natives.’’
In this Policy no modern technologies and no globally competitive industrial goods will be permitted in British Colonies in Africa. Certainly this set the stage for Nigeria’s near total dependence on imported modern technologies and industrial goods inputs in order to sustain her domestic economy.
This Policy was sustained throughout the British Colonial Rule and inexplicably since the end of Colonial Rule in 1960. It is this policy that led to no Polytechnics, no Colleges of Technology no Technical Colleges for skilled technologists and technicians training required for industrial goods production, no R&D Institutions for converting the output of scientific research, inventions and discoveries into modern technologies and industrial goods.
What Nigeria, therefore, should do is to jettison Lugard’s policy on education that is certainly not appropriate for S&T activities for development in Nigeria and to embrace a more appropriate policy for S&T activities that can transform or leapfrog Nigeria into a domestic endogenous capability and or capacity for modern technologies and globally competitive industrial goods.

Oragwu is a Fellow of Science Association of Nigeria (FSAN),

CBN woos foreign investors with N206 billion debt at higher yields

Plans additional N110b on Wednesday, exchange rates remain unstable over supply shortages

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has auctioned N206 billion in excess of its planned treasury debts of N50 billion at higher yields, in a bid to attract foreign investors.
The move, which apparently is a part of the apex bank’s strategic plans to rekindle investors’ interest in the economy, would also help mobilise the scarce foreign currency inflow.Besides, with the economy now adjudged to be recessed, the regulator is scripting the monetary policy actions as a fresh boost to its revival and revving up foreign direct investments.

It also plans to raise additional N110 billion in local currency-denominated bonds on Wednesday, even as they continue to seek advisers and book runners to manage a planned $1 billion Eurobond it intends to offer this year. Specifically, the regulator raised raised N256 billion in six-month bill at the weekend, as N206 billion at a higher yield of 18 percent, which is also targeted at reducing the quantity of money in circulation.
Traders, who also pleaded anonymity, said the whole move is aimed at driving the economy with bills and bonds, especially its sustenance at higher yields.CBN, at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja, had increased interest rate to 14 per cent from 12 per cent in an effort to reduce the negative rate of -4.5 per cent to -2.5, as inflation rose sharply to 16.5 per cent.Consequently, the sale of the treasury instrument mopped up the liquidity level, stoking high rates of lending among the Deposit Money Banks.

The Overnight lending rate jumped to 23 percent at the weekend from 10 percent it previously closed, after the treasury bills were offered at higher yields to lure foreign investors.Also, the Open Buy-Back (OBB) surged to 22.5 per cent, up three per cent, against eight per cent on Thursday, on the back of treasury bills’ maturity worth N113.7 billion.

Besides, the banks were paying for treasury bill purchases, as well as the foreign currency purchases made at the interbank market on behalf of their customers, thereby tightening the liquidity level further.In recent times, the CBN has been offering treasury bills at high rates to attract offshore flows into Nigeria, which has been hit hard by oil price volatility in more than 24 months.
Meanwhile, the exchange rates at the interbank market since last week have been marked by huge initial trade loss and huge gain before the end of each day’s trade.At the weekend, with the intervention of undisclosed amount by CBN at the currency market, the local unit, which had hit an all-time low of N353.75, turned to currency appreciation at N310 per dollar.

The liquidity crunch in the foreign exchange market continued last week as the local unit remained under pressure, compared to previous week, when the Naira/Dollar exchange rate was less volatile.At the parallel market, trading at remained high at N395.00/$1 all week except Wednesday and Friday, when it traded at N394.00/$1 and N397.00/$1.
“We believe the exchange rate will remain pressured in the interim until autonomous players return to the market to relieve the CBN of its role of major dollar supplies at the interbank.“We are of the view that the depreciation of the naira, the reforms in the FX market coupled with current attractive yield environment should buoy foreign investor sentiment in Nigerian assets and aid the vital return of foreign capital to the market,” analysts at Afrinvest Securities Limited said.

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MONDAY 15th AUGUST,2016

NO HINDRANCE

MEMORISE:
Who are thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone therefore with shoutings, crying, Grace, unto it. Zechariah 4:7

HYMN 9: 
MY FAITH HAS FOUND A RESTING  PLACE,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
CHORUS:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

READ:
Zechariah 4:7-11
7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 24-27 and Psalms 34:11-22

MESSAGE:
You must never allow anything to hinder you from becoming what God wants you to become. Don’t give in to the lies and fear that the devil is sending against you. In 1981, before I became 40 years old, I had been General Overseer for just a few months. One day, I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw grey hair all over my head. We had many problems in the church then. The Lord said I was carrying a burden that was not mine and I responded by saying that I was carrying the burdens related to the church. He said the church belonged to Him and that He could take care of it. He said He just made me the General Overseer as a front so that people will see a visible representative. I relaxed henceforth, and all my hair became black again.
There are mountains that stand between us and the things God wants us to achieve. These mountains could be issues that are hindering the actualisation of our set goals. The mountain could be people who do not see or understand what God is saying to you yet; or it could be people who are falsely accusing you, but you can be sure that God will always reduce all your mountains into plains. There are certain burdens and problems that are too big for you to carry? All you need do is to hand them over to the Burden Bearer. In Numbers 16:1-35, three men; Korah, Dathan and Abiram, came with the intention of hindering the assignments that God gave to Moses. They accused him of turning the leadership of the congregation into a family affair. They said Aaron his brother was a priest while Miriam his sister was the Choirmaster. In the midst of this mountain, Moses turned to God for intervention. The Lord told Moses to stand aside and watch Him fight against the mountains that were rising before him to hinder the work He had committed into his hand. By the time God was through with the mountains, they had all become plains.

When mountains rise against you, don’t waste your time entertaining any fear. When the Almighty God is on your side, it does not matter the problems confronting you, testimonies will be the final result in your favour. The Bible says in Psalms 30:5:

“Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.”

What is that sickness hindering you? The Almighty God will be your personal Physician. If it is poverty that wants to hinder all the great dreams that the Almighty God has given to you, do not fear the hindrance because He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Are there people standing up against you? Are they persecuting you and distracting you from that which God has designed you for? Just relax; God who levels all mountains knows the best judgement for your enemies. He has assured you that when the enemies come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against them. He has assured you that no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper. He will supply you with the strength to succeed when failure rises up. He will still all the storms rocking your boat and at the end you will look for the mountains but you will see them no more in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT:
There is no mountain that is beyond God.

Experts rue prevalence of unaccredited courses in public universities

Education administration experts have blamed the existence of unaccredited courses in universities on underfunding of education by government, noting that majority of the universities whose academic programmes failed to scale through National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation process are from public institutions.

A breakdown of the 37 affected universities, showed that government owned institutions carry a larger chunk of 29, with federal universities accounting for 13, while state and private universities had 16 and eight respectively.

Also, a further breakdown indicated that out of the 150 unaccredited programmes, government owned universities recorded 136, while private universities had 14 courses unaccredited.
Commenting on the development, a professor of Education Administration, Ebelechukwu Onyene, explained that since education is underfunded in Nigeria, there cannot be adequate resources, thus making managers of the universities to try breaking coconut with bare hands.
She noted that Nigeria has not realised that ignoring education was doing the nation a lot of harm, adding, “Even the corruption level in Nigeria is because of the problem in the education system, caused by underfunding.”
On his part, Professor Philips Okunola, an education administration expert, said majority of the institutions that had courses that did not scale through accreditation are public universities, maintaining that it is as a result of failure on the part of government.

As education is underfunded by government, he said, whether at federal or state levels, none is meeting the UNESCO benchmark for minimum funding, while some other countries on the continent had raised theirs to about 30 percent of their annual budget.

While arguing that there is no reason for any university’s courses to be unaccredited if resources are adequately mobilised for those programs, Okunola stated: “In public universities, some of them are just coming up, and the state government might find it difficult to give adequate financial support, especially state universities, so the administrators of these universities find it difficult to meet the financial backing that is needed for the smooth running of the universities.”

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST,2016

RELEVANT TO EACH OTHER

MEMORISE:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Romans 12:5

HYMN 5:
Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come!

Chorus:
The Comforter has come,
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n,
The Lord’s dear promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found,
The Comforter has come!

READ: 
1 Corinthians 12:18-25
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 19:16-23:18
Psalms 34:1-10

MESSAGE:
The church is an assembly of the called out; people who have been called out of darkness into the marvellous light of Jesus. We have become vessels unto honour unto God and also unto one another in righteousness. It is upon this that Apostle Paul admonished us in Philippians 4:8:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things".

As people who have received the grace of God, we must be concerned about one another. We should live our lives helping others to become what God has destined them to become. We must give ourselves in service to other brethren. Our minds must be directed by purposes higher than the material world and selfish ambitions. We are what we are by the Grace of the Almighty God, and everyone cannot possess the same measure of grace and abilities, hence the need to encourage one another and not engage in envy and strife. 
No matter how highly placed you are, you must never look down on others, neither should you write anyone off because the weak person of today can become the strong person of tomorrow. The people in David's army were once called vagabonds, but they were the same people who eventually became mighty captains of his army. There must be unity amongst us, because we are members of the same body. The entire body needs every member in order to function as a whole. You cannot do everything all alone, you need others to succeed. There are great people that are your destiny ties. The moment you identify them, you need to also invest in them and leverage on their grace. Every member must be encouraged to use his God given abilities to profit the entire body. The church is like a chain and everyone is very important in the scheme of things. No one should claim superiority over others because this will not encourage Unity. Unhealthy competition  should not be allowed in the Body of Christ. We are one and we need one another. There is no one who is an island. Let those who are strong help those who are feeble. Let those who are rich help those who are in need. Let those who are matured help those who are coming behind. Let those who are at the top encourage those who are climbing. 
Jesus specifically instructed Peter to strengthen his brethren. You must contribute to the success of others. Great leaders who gain respect are the ones who constantly add value to others. You need to be a source of hope to those around you. Your life must demonstrate the competence and chemistry that attracts others to the grace of God upon your life. This starts by respecting yourself and respecting those that God has given to you. People will naturally submit to your leadership when you take them from where they are to where God wants them to be. You must see the good in people. Encourage people to do their best and when you have to correct, let it be done in love. Do not take any failure or criticism personally. Treat everyone you meet as important because they are. 

ACTION POINT:
You are very important to God. If you fail to play your role in the Body of Christ, it could bring losses to God's Kingdom. Determine to play your role today.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SATURDAY 13th AUGUST,2016

SELF DISCIPLINE

MEMORISE:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:27

HYMN 2: 
O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED. 
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 14:28-19:15 and Psalm 33:12-22

READ: 
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 14:28-19:15 and Psalm 33:12-22

MESSAGE:
Self-discipline is a personal commitment and decision to voluntarily yield every aspect of ones life to the Almighty God. This is ensuring nothing controls or influences your life outside the power of God. You must make no further provision for anything else to rule your life except the power of God. For this specific reason of desiring to be vessel unto honour, you deliberately narrow your choices to only what Jesus will have you do at any given time. When a man is self-disciplined, he will no longer entangle himself with the affairs of this life or with those things that add no significant value to his life as a Christian. Presenting your body as a living sacrifice is one of the ways to impose discipline on yourself.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” Romans 12:1

The fact that some people are not determined enough to pay the price of self-discipline is a major reason why things will not work for them the way they expect. In life, nothing goes for nothing. Until there is a departure from certain things, there can never be a discovery of great things. No one will amount to something great until they are ready to make certain sacrifices, which must come through self-imposed discipline.
Having been a boxer myself, I can tell you that you can never become a champion in the world of boxing if you are not programmed to be self-disciplined. When an individual is not disciplined, he or she will not be able to go far in life. A believer will have to be disciplined when it comes to certain issues like eating, sleeping, talking etc. Some people cannot do without comfort for a while. There are some that are slowed down in life because there are numerous weights that they are entangled with. When you are not self- disciplined, it will lead to your being unfruitful and unproductive in the business of God. There are people who cannot pray as they should because they cannot allow anything to deny them of their sleep. Some people will always eat when they should be fasting just because they cannot deny themselves of food.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one recieveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain”.
1 Corinthians 9:27

Here, Paul was portraying the struggles that one must contend with in the Christian walk if one will have to make full proof of his ministry. Apostle Paul was willing to make all sacrifices and commitments required in evangelising to the world. He was obedient to the demands of the gospel because of the assurance that He who called him was faithful to reward him in due time. 
As believers, there is the need to show commitment in self-discipline to the task of our calling as ministers of the gospel. Those who prepare for competitions with the mind of receiving perishable rewards still give the competition all the sacrifice required, this is a big lesson for those of us preparing for eternal rewards. One must exercise no less commitment or sacrifice. As long as we faithfully run the Christian race, we can be assured of the gift of eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter the difficulties we encounter, we can be rest assured that the grace of God can be relied upon.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please remove anything that will hinder my greatness from my life in Jesus’ name.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 2016

THEME : THE CHRISTIAN RACE

Memorise:

And if a man also strive for masteries, Yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2nd Timothy 2:5

Read: Philippians 3:13-17, (KJV)

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, 
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those 
things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing 
ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, 
let us mind the same thing.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

MESSAGE

Apostle Paul admonished us in his epistle to forget those things that are behind us as we journey through the pilgrimage of this earth. We should not allow the things of this world to distract us from the goal of eternal dwelling. A Christian cannot lay hold of that which he strives for if he is still distracted by the ephemerals of life. The greater a person grows in the knowledge of Christ, the greater his desire to be with Jesus will be. This is why my hope for Heaven is strong.

As a Christian who wants to dwell with Jesus, you have to deliberately submit yourself to the narrow way of Christian living. We must give our attention to those things that will endure the passing of this material world. As a soldier of the cross, you must allow your life to be influenced by those whose minds are set on things above. We must live up to the spiritual nature of the gospel after which we are called. We must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of God.

It is necessary to allow the Word of God to direct your life as you press on to greater spiritual heights. This is the only way you will be able to communicate the nature and character of God to the world. We have to submit ourselves to the gospel, and allow the Head of the Church (Jesus Christ) to give us direction in all our ways if we are to end as divine champions. Those who will be champions for Christ will be people of rugged determination who have set their minds on certain goals. They will pursue these goals relentlessly until they begin to see the kind of reward they desire in Christ. You will never find a believer who understands the nature of the Heavenly race retreating because he is being discouraged. They will never give any excuse for non-performance neither will they allow failure to be placed at their door step. They have only one life to live and they do everything to please Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of their lives.
There are many people who have lost their miracles and blessings because they stopped too soon. They were not determined enough, they gave in to certain impossibilities as they journeyed through life. This is a lie of the devil to cheat you of your blessings in Christ Jesus. Nothing is ever impossible before God according to Luke 1:37. In my little walk with Jesus, I have met a lot of people who said what they wanted to do at some point in their lives was impossible. The moment you agree that it is impossible, it becomes impossible. There are people who believe that it is impossible to live holy and this is why holiness is not a venture for them. Unfortunately, it is a strategy of the devil to deny them the blessings of living a holy life. There are young converts who have been discouraged by their leaders. They discovered that there is a great difference between what their leaders teach and what they practice, hence they give up their faith. This is why it is very dangerous to put your trust in any human being. Put your trust in God because He is the only one who will never fail you. Make Jesus your Senior Partner. Know that if God is for you, nobody can be against you. Know that if God is the one backing you up, there is no amount of conspiracy against your life that will ever come to pass. No matter the size of the enemy and the direction of the attack, you are divinely secured.

Prayer Point:

Father, please let me finish my race without losing any battle in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year: Isaiah 11:1-14:27 and Psalms 33:1-11

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 11TH AUGUST 2016

THEME: THE CARNAL MAN

MEMORISE: God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

MESSAGE: 
If you want to do great exploits for God you have to rise above your carnal mind because no serious exploit can be done in the flesh. One of the things responsible for the miraculous events in the early church is that everything was done in atmosphere of God's Spirit. This is why we need to thirst for more of His presence in our midst if we want an outpouring of His spiritual blessings. It takes the Spirit of God for one to have access to deeper revelations of God. 
"For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father." Ephesians 2:18

Anyone who wants to experience and encounter the glorious presence of God must be ready to let go of the flesh and allow the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Truth to take over. The carnal man is manipulated by his emotions and thinking. The carnal man is vulnerable to lust. The carnal man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. The carnal man is always a victim of strife and questionable actions. The carnal man will always be found in questionable environments and circumstances, but the man who allows the Spirit of God to dwell in him will always be sensitive to the leading of the spirit.

To effectively deal with the problem of carnality, wisdom demands you take it from the root. A tree that is cut down but not uprooted will grow again; it is only a matter of time. The only time you can be assured of permanent victory over the flesh is when you uproot the carnal man from its root. The moment you turn on the light, darkness automatically ceases. There is a need for you to turn on the Spirit man, who is nourished through a life of holiness and consecration to the Almighty God. As long as the Spirit is in charge, you cannot be defeated. You remain a champion and everything that is not of God will keep its distance from you, but the moment you give the carnal man a little attention, it begins to take over again. The best way to deal with the carnal man is to flee from every appearance of evil. One of my spiritual sons once told me that anytime it is Friday, he was always looking forward to the weekend being over because he wanted to be in the office on Monday. He was always looking forward to Monday mornings because of his secretary in the office whom he had grown fond of. I told him he was playing with a cobra in his bed and at anytime, the cobra could bite him. I asked him to kill the cobra once and for all by sacking the secretary that was unknown to him, feeding his flesh to destruction. Out of wisdom, he heeded to my counsel and sacked his secretary, who in turn verbally insulted him and all those who had advised him. After she left, my son found peace in his spirit. Anything done with carnal mind will always bring problem and fear, but where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty and rest of mind. Are you toying with sin? Repent and come to Jesus for restoration. Are you in the company of those who will feed your flesh? Return to Jesus, His grace will overcome the works of the devil. Obey His Word, walk closely with Him and you will see yourself exercising victory over your weaknesses.

PRAYER POINT: 
Father, mortify every deed of the flesh in my life in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 8-10 and Psalms 32

AUTHOR: Pst E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

WEDNESDAY  AUGUST 10  2016.

THEME : SUPERNATURAL LIFTING.

MEMORISE : But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head. PSALMS 3 : 3.

READ : DANIEL 3 : 15 - 20 :

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was won’t to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

MESSAGE :

There is nothing as good as having God as your ally. I pity those who make men their shield. It is foolishness to do so because man is limited and cannot even help himself when he becomes overwhelmed with the circumstances of life. There is nothing impossible with God and there is no situation that is beyond Him. This is why I want to abide in Him always, because I know He alone will never fail.

“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head.”
Psalms 3 : 3.

This was the voice of David when he confronted a situation that was beyond him. His son conspired with others, not only to take away his crown, but also to take his life. Who do you run to when people are not only interested in taking your position but also taking your life? Who do you cry to when that strange woman is not only interested in taking your husband but also taking your life? God is the only one who can lift one supernaturally.

There are people who have grief in their hearts. There are those who have been praying and crying for help. There are those who have been sowing in tears. If you are included in these groups, I want you to be comforted because the Almighty God will lift you higher than your problems in Jesus’ name. Do not lose hope in the ability of God to deliver you from any plot against your life. Just call upon the Lord and you will see Him destroying your enemies with their own hands. It does not matter how many enemies are surrounding you at all sides, there is protection for you in God. God is the one who lifts up the heads of His children. He puts great honour upon them and removes everything that has to do with shame and reproach. He is a deliverer to those who run to Him and He ensures all things work out together for their good. Are you in any situation in which the number of people rising up against you are on the increase simply because God is on your side? I want to assure you that the Almighty God will give you peace and calm in the midst of the storm. God will deliver you out of every hand that is holding you down. The fact that God has been fighting on your behalf in the past should give you an assurance that you are a permanent candidate for supernatural lifting, as long as you are at peace with God. All you need to do is ensure that there is no unrighteousness or ungodliness in you. Do not follow the path of the wicked. Live holy and be obedient in faith. Give yourself to prayers always, so that you can put the devil where he belongs. Those who walk in the truth of the gospel will always enjoy glory and honour from God. Be strong in the promises of God and be fully persuaded that all God has promised you will surely come to fulfilment.

From our Bible reading, we see how the three Hebrews boys moved from being slaves to being condemned and then to being promoted all in one day. After God had shown up for them, the king immediately commanded that any people, nation, and language, that speaks against their God shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because no other God can deliver like Jehovah. There is no one that God cannot use for His glory. As long as He sees your heart, He will meet you at the level of your desire. Seek God. Those who follow God will always see good things following them ( Matthew 6 : 33 ).

KEY POINT : Who you follow determines what follows you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  ISAIAH 4 - 7 AND PSALMS 31 : 19 - 24

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

Hymn 11: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST OUR KING

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,  Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:

5. Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus.

PDP Convention : Mark warns Against Imposition Of Candidates

Former Senate President , David Mark , has warned leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party , against impunity or imposition of candidates ahead of the August 17 national convention of the party in Port Harcourt , Rivers State .
He reminded the party leaders that the defeat suffered in the last general election was self- inflicted as a result of non- adherence to democratic ideals.
A statement by Senator Mark ’s media assistant, Paul Mumeh , quoted him as saying this when members of the Benue State chapter of the PDP paid him a visit at his country home in Otukpo .

It said the former Senate president noted that “it is incumbent on our leaders and members to allow the popular will of the people prevail at the congresses and convention ” .
It also quoted him as calling on PDP members to remain steadfast , just as he frowned against defections at will because of the present challenges facing the party.
Mark stressed that such inconsistencies neither enhances the democratic culture nor the integrity or credibility of politicians who defect .
He said : “ If we must uphold the sanctity of democratic culture , we must follow the path of honour like the Democrats and Republicans in the United States of America or the Labour Party or the Conservatives in the United Kingdom , who hold on to their political ideologies, no matter the odds ”.
Mark restated that no matter the challenges , he will not leave the PDP , a platform he said afforded him the opportunity to contest and win elections since 1999.

He reminded party faithful to work hard in the days ahead as credible opposition and overcome the challenges .
The statement noted that the Benue PDP Chairman, John Ngbede, who briefed Mark about affairs of the party, said the party now works as one family .
It said Ngbede listed one of their challenges as cash , and appealed to the former Senate president to help address the issue

Fayose begs teachers over unpaid five months salary

Edo government denies responsibility for workers’ woes

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has pleaded with teachers in both primary and secondary schools over five months unpaid salaries and allowances.The governor, who blamed government inability to meet its financial obligations to the teachers on economy recession the country is passing through said he was not oblivion of their plights.
Fayose met with the teachers at Oshuntokun House, inside Government House.In spite of the initial confrontation and display of anger occasioned by non-payment of five months salaries, which had unleashed hardship on the workers at large, Fayose was able to reach a compromise on how all the benefits will be paid in due course with the teachers.
Speaking on the challenges confronting the teachers, Mrs E. A. Olaoye and Mr Adetunji Akinyemi, spoke on behalf of the public primary and secondary schools’ teachers respectively.
Part of their demands was: Payment of March to July 2016 salaries,Payment of 2014 September salary to primary school teachers, recognition of degree holders in primary schools, promotion of teachers beginning from 2010, 2016 salary increase, Core Subjects
Allowance for primary school teachers.Others include: stoppage of deductions on loan repayment and other sources, over-deduction of salaries of members from Accountant General’s office, payment of duty post allowance, payment of Leave bonus for 2016, stoppage of arbitrary cooperative deductions, robust car and housing loans, renovation of schools and effective inter-cadre policy for teachers.

The teachers said though they were not oblivious of the financial difficulty being experienced across the 36 states of the federation, reiterating that they must be given adequate recognition within the limit of the revenues accruing to the state.
However, the major roads linking the Benin City centre; Akpakpava, Mission Road, Sapele Road, Airport Road, Sokponba Road, Forestry and others were locked yesterday as thousands of members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in Edo State to demand their salaries arrears ranging from five to 18 months.
The NULGE members dressed in all black attires also claimed that a middle aged man who they said is a staff of the Esan North East, Uromi slumped and died immediately.
The workers threatened to vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming September 10 governorship election.
The National President of NULGE Ibrahim Khaleel, said “We are here in Edo state today to show solidarity with you. We are aware that you have been owned between 7 -18 months of salaries by the Edo state government. What we are saying is that your salaries must be paid and the government must stop using our money to pay SUBEB staff.

“He should start paying his counterpart funding for primary school teachers salaries and pay the 10 per cent accruable to Local Governments from the allocation due to the state“We are ready to vote out this government if it does not listen to our plight and pay what is due to us. We will vote out this government if the need arises should he fail to pay our salaries.
Also the state chairman, Comrade Young Ilemikhena urged the workers not to be discouraged adding that victory will be achieved at the end of the struggle. “I call on all of us here to observe a minute silence for our comrade from Esan north east local government area who slumped and died this morning while we were gathered for this struggle.”

In his reaction, the state commissioner for information and orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua told The Guardian “We are not responsible for the payment of local government staff. We also do not touch local government money.. what we have done was to intervene by way of insisting that the right financial discipline applies. We are aware that the PDP slaughtered the nation’s economy for which the nation is sti;ll groping from. We hope things improve in order that states and local governments are able to cope”.

Ronaldo, Bale, Kroos out of UEFA super cup

Real Madrid will be without five star names for their UEFA Super Cup clash against Sevilla today.Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Keylor Navas and Pepe were all first-team regulars last season who were not named in the club’s 20-man squad for the match in Trondheim.

Ronaldo’s absence as he rests a knee injury picked up at Euro 2016 was known, while Bale, Kroos and Pepe – who were given extended holiday following the tournament – have not recovered enough fitness to play.
Goalkeeper Navas, meanwhile, underwent surgery on an Achilles problem in June and is hoping to be fit for the start of the new LaLiga season, with Kiko Casilla set to deputise.

Karim Benzema, though, was included after battling a hip problem, with the club’s only signing – Alvaro Morata – also available.
www.Soccerway.com

Government begins airlifting of 80,000 pilgrims

Senator Aliyu Wamakko

Kogi gov, Wamakko urge prayers for Nigeria
No fewer than 80,000 pilgrims have been scheduled to be airlifted for this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia.The airlifting exercise, which began yesterday at Sultan Abubakar III Airport, Sokoto, will last five weeks.
Pilgrims from Sokoto and Zamfara states were among those airlifted on the inaugural flight.According to a Director in the Ministry of Transport and Chairman of the Aviation monitoring committee, Adamu Wakil, the pilgrims would be airlifted from 17 airports.
Wakil said safety and security infrastructure were being given priority in airports to ensure seamless passenger facilitation.In his welcome address, chairman of the National Hajj Commission (NHC), Abdullahi Muktar Mohammed, urged the pilgrims to be good ambassadors and shun acts that could dishonour their faith.

Meanwhile, Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto) has called on pilgrims to seek Divine intervention for Nigeria to overcome its current economic and security challenges.
Wamakko, who told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Sokoto that Nigerians expected fervent prayers from the pilgrims for God to turn around the nation’s socio-economic activities, said that with God, all things were possible; hence, the need for Nigerians, irrespective of religious and political differences, to pray for leaders to ensure good democratic governance.

Also, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State cautioned intending pilgrims from the state to take the hajj exercise as a serious religious obligation.Bello, who stated this yesterday at the Abuja hajj camp in his farewell message to the pilgrims, said adequate accommodation had been provided for them.

Tension as militants kill three soldiers in Bayelsa

IYC urges security agencies to identify avengers

The fear of a reprisal by the military has gripped the residents of Nembe Local Council of Bayelsa State following the killing of three soldiers attached to the joint force known as ‘Operation Delta Safe’ (ODS) by suspected militants.The killers were said to have also made away with military gunboats, rifles and other ammunition, after they ambushed operatives of the ODS at a checkpoint.
Meanwhile, the splinter group of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has urged the security agencies to intensify efforts to identify the real faces behind the Niger Delta Avengers.
The attack on the soldiers occurred about 9:30 a.m. yesterday at a military checkpoint which has been mounted at the entrance of the Nembe community since the beginning of militancy in the Niger Delta.

It was learnt that there were deafening sounds of gunshots in the community during the surprised attack that lasted for about 30 minutes. There was pandemonium as residents who thought their community was under siege ran in different directions for safety.
The gunmen, who operated from an unspecified number of speedboats, were said to have dressed in white attire to hoodwink their targets. The attire, it was learnt, was designed to create an impression that the attackers were in a funeral procession.A resident of Nembe who spoke in confidence to our correspondent said there was general apprehension in the community.
He said: “The attack was deadly and well-planned. Nobody had expected that such a thing would happen at such a time when the jetties were busy with people preparing to go about their normal business activities.
“I am sure even the soldiers did not expect such an incident to happen at that time. Some persons who were already sailing out of Nembe said they saw the gunmen but dismissed them as mourners because they were dressed in white robes.”

The source further said that following the incident, some residents in Nembe had started fleeing the community, while others were still contemplating to do so following a widespread fear of a reprisal.
Efforts to get the reaction of the spokesman of the Operation Delta Safe, Lt. Col Olaolu Dauda, were not successful as he promised to call back through a text message but was yet to do so at the time of filing this report.
The President of the IYC splinter group, Mr. Elvis Donkemezuo, who spoke against the backdrop of an allegation by the reformed Niger Delta Avengers that the council and some notable Niger Deltans were sponsoring the militants, urged the fighters to leave IYC and the Ijaw nation out of their antics.
Donkemezuo said his group had been intimated on reports in an online medium containing a statement from a group, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers that named some Niger Delta leaders as sponsors of the NDA.

“But for the fact that our noble organisation, the IYC, was mentioned in relation to our erstwhile interim President, Udengs Eradiri, who the RNDA claimed is also known as ‘Brigadier General Murdoch Agbinibo’ and ‘serves as the NDA’s chief spokesman’ and the enormity of our ignoring this lame attempt at linking the IYC to the hostilities of the Avengers, we would not have dignified them with a response.

“Nonetheless, given that our silence would mislead the unsuspecting public and embolden the source of the publication, we have decided to set the record straight.“For the sake of clarity, we want to state unequivocally that Eradiri is no longer the President of the IYC. IYC is not Eradiri’s private estate.“Therefore, we urge those who have personal or business quarrels with him not to drag the name of the council into their tussles.“The IYC and the entire Ijaw nation distance ourselves from the NDA and any splinter group from it as well as all their sponsors,” Donkemezuo said.