In Africa, when a man loses his virility, he is subject of scorn, ridicule and disdain. Male impotence or infertility is not only disdained but tabooed. In a continent where child-making is almost an obsession, Africa couched a number of hurtful epithets for one who loses his virile member. Failure to get this critical member standing up leaves sour overtones of frustration, pain, social ostracism, stigma, marital instability, discomfiture and even sometimes, suicide. 

Among the Yoruba, virility victims are named Okobo. The rural Shona tribe in Mhondoro-Ngezi area of Zimbabwe could not stand the virility challenge. To ward off this evil spirit from their tribe, they deployed socio-cultural intervention strategies to ward it off. To do this, they devised indigenous systems of monitoring signs of impotence at infancy, puberty and even after marriage.

Moyo Stanzia of the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, in her “Indigenous knowledge systems and attitudes towards male infertility in Mhondoro-Ngezi, Zimbabwe” (Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2013 Vol. 15, No. 6, 667–679) attempted a study of the Okobo in this Zimbabwean village. One of her informant interviewees, 69-year old Ruzvidzo, volunteered his experience thus: “Traditionally, our uncles and grandfathers would take us away from home to a river with clear water. We were forced to masturbate and ejaculate our sperms in the clear water, one after the other. This was done in order to test the quality of sperms. It was understood that fertile sperms would sink in the water. However, if the sperms floated, it meant that the individual was weak and could be infertile – a problem regarded as requiring strategic intervention.”

Ousmane Sembene’s XALA (1975) film, considered one of the most successful films by the Senegalese writer and filmmaker, also explored the thematic preoccupation with the Okobo. Sembene uses sexual zero virility as metaphor. Situated among Black Africa's growing middle class of Senegal, Sembene weaves their challenge into the projection that they are doomed to lose their power unless they delink the Western world and identify with Africa and its masses. The film’s protagonist, El Hadji Abdoukader Beye, a successful middle-aged polygamous businessman, is preparing to take a third wife. On his wedding night, he suddenly discovers he cannot get his member up. Attributing this to a spell cast on him, he consults witch doctors. El Hadji’s Senegalese society ties social prestige to status symbol, which collectively speaks to ability to show manhood. This means satisfying one’s wives sexually and economically. Zero virility leads to El-Hadji being expelled from the Chamber of Commerce and confiscation of his most-prized possessions. He finds out that a Dakar beggar he cheated on several years back laced him with the spell. The beggar agrees to remove the spell only if he strips naked and he (the beggar) and his friends spit on him. 

In a piece I wrote which tangentially discussed male virility, (Atiku Abubakar and the sexual history of the Nigerian presidency, February 6, 2022) I related how rumours once had it that Zimbabwean former Prime Minister and presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, suffered “a nasty blow from below,” euphemism for zero virility. The news spread like bushfire. At about the same time, the virility-restoring prowess of Emmanuel Makandiwa, a ‘miracle-working’ Pentecostal prophet, froze the stratosphere like snowflakes in winter. Estranged wife of Tsvangirai, Elizabeth Macheka, had lit the fire. In an interview she granted The Herald, entitled, Why I ditched Tsvangirai: Wife, Macheka said she separated from Tsvangirai due to ‘sensitive personal issues’ and that this was known to her and Tsvangirai alone and only the two of them could resolve it.

For a Zimbabwean public that salivated riveting gossips and rumours in high and low places, Macheka’s statement was the confirmation it needed for a high-quality rumour. In whooshing whispers and mouth-to-ear transmission, the former prime minister was said to have been afflicted by an “under-neath,” below-the-trousers problem of ‘erectile dysfunctional disorder.’ The Herald did not also help matters. It immediately tagged what Macheka dubbed ‘sensitive personal issues’ as ‘a medical one.’ Thereafter, Fungai Machirori, Zimbabwean journalist and blogger, did a salacious piece on the issue which she entitled, Of Penises, Politics and Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe, an essay which she called an “exposé of trouble in the un-paradise that is Tsvangirai’s love life’’

Among the Yoruba, the Okobo is the butt of crude jokes. He is also called the Akura, one whose member had died. One of Akura’s characteristics is hyperactivity. If a man, like one on steroids, does the job of ten people at a go, Yoruba wonder if he is an Akura. When there is trust deficit between two people, and every action becomes suspicious, my people find a way to drag the Okobo into the conversation. So, they say, what we demanded of the sexually sterile is to penetrate but he boasts that, in a twinkle of an eye, he could make a thread penetrate 200 needles in the dark. In its rawest form, they render this as, “nkan ti won ni ki Okobo bo, ko bo; igba abere l’olohun le bo l’okun.” In a chapter I wrote in the book, Indigenous African Popular Music, Vol 1 edited by Biodun Salawu and Israel Fadipe, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) which I entitled, “Corpus of prophecy, philosophy and crusading in Ayinla Omowura’s music,” I explored the Okobo theme in the music of the late Yoruba Apala musician. In one of his vinyl, while trying to denounce charges of piracy of songs leveled against him by his colleague musicians, Ayinla magisterially replied that the mockery of a man afflicted by the venereal disease, gonorrhea does not lie in the mouth of the sexually sterile. Only a virile man can contract gonorrhea. He sang, “abosi alatosi ko si l’owo okobo…”

Last Wednesday, the rumour became real. President Bola Tinubu signed into law the bill to revert Nigeria to its old national anthem. By the way, even Tinubu’s supporters literally clothed themselves in sackcloth and ashes last week. They were probably reinventing the old Jewish response to devastating news concerning their race. It is the Jewish practice of showing intense grief and distress. The Tinubu supporters’ valiant war hero, who they boasted that, at each of his dancing steps while returning from a war of conquest as eight-year governor of Lagos State, he the crowd dashed him slaves (ajogb’eru), to their chagrin, now dances and all he gets is miserable cornmeal (ajogb’eko). As our elders say that, to find out how melodious or sour the rhythm of the Bata drum is, we should ask the Sango deity devotee whose god is the totem of the Bata drum. So, opinion samplers, recognizing that Nigerians are the Sango devotee and Tinubu, the Bata drummer, approached the common people to rate the melody of Tinubu’s one year drumming. The opinion moulders didn’t go to IMF. Nor to the Nigerian elite who, like bedbugs, drain quality blood from the Nigerian body.

One of such opinion samplers was Africa Polling Institute (API). It did a Citizens Assessment Report of Tinubu’s one year as president. Its report was that, there was stark reality of hunger, poverty and mass dissatisfaction. 84% of people overwhelmingly expressed profound sadness with the Tinubu presidency, 81% felt Nigeria under him is headed in the wrong direction, 36% identified hunger, 28% inability to meet basic needs, 13% riled against unemployment, 9% insecurity and 5% poor electricity as the bane of his government. All in all, they were agreed that the last one year has been one of misery, pain, lies and grandstanding. In earlier pieces I did, I alerted Nigerians that some qualities were exclusive preserves of the typical Lagos Boy. He is bold and brash, rather than being courageous; he is dismissive of others’ feelings and believes he can wangle his way through the toughest of all calamities by deploying subterfuge.

In the midst of a plethora of Nigerian people’s agony, last Sunday, the Lagos Boy flew into Lagos. It was the flag-off ceremony of the highly demonized Lagos-Calabar coastal highway. Many commentators have concluded that, in the N15trillion road construction, you do not have to drill too deep down to see an army of maggots wriggling their milk-coloured bodies to the Bata drum being beaten by Tinubu and his Gilbert Chagoury business associate contractor. Rather than join the Nigerians in this sackcloth and ashes week, that Sunday, Tinubu dismissively looked into the eye of the camera and pronounced, “Today is my day to boast. My bragging day. Today, I hold the bragging right.” Now, I pray thee – apologies to students of biblical Old Testament – which leader brags when his people go to bed hungry?

The president then capped this contempt for the longsuffering people of Nigeria with the signing of the National Anthem Bill. To the people, ipso facto, he instantly became that proverbial Okobo who boasted that he could insert thread into 200 needles in the dark. On the streets of Nigeria, the people’s disgust with Tinubu’s hyperactivity and the supersonic speed with which he signed the bill made him that sterile man. Against the general wish that he should consummate the relationship with Nigerians, President Okobo boasted that he could get thread penetrate the eye of the needle.

Let’s be clear, national anthems are a people’s property. They keep the goals of heroes alive. this is done by transmitting culture and history to new generations, as well as establishing a close connection with the people’s ancestors. Anthems espouse passion, look into the people’s past and rally them into the future. It is a people’s identity symbol unique to them, specifies their way of life, their culture and worldview. Anthems also create bonds, and for citizens, they reinforce national goals. To some scholars, anthems even do more. They serve to embody collective memories of heroes who died to have a nation and the values they left behind. The wordings of anthems are carefully and emotionally constructed in such a way as to ensure that they can boost collective identification of a country’s self-identity, national history, values, bloody memory of war, heroism and victory. It could be memories of colonization or (de)coloniality but they clearly distinguish one nation from another.

You can know what makes a people thick by looking at the lyrics, rhythms and themes of their anthems. Anthems define the core values and convictions of a people. Adopted at independence in 1960, Nigeria’s first anthem, which Tinubu just legislated back to recognition, has become a subject of high national rage. Written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda, the anthem, which began with “Nigeria, we hail thee,” was replaced in 1978 by another that was themed around patriotism. Having its verse begun with “Arise, O Compatriots,” this 1978 anthem’s music was said to have been composed by Benedict Elide Odiase, director of music of the Nigerian Police Band.

Historically, national anthems began in 14th century Britain. Netherlands is reputed with the oldest anthem composed in 1568. Its music was from a popular French tune. Those who composed Britain’s “God Save the Queen/King” and Russia’s “God saves the Czar” in 1744 and 1745 respectively were not known because those compositions were regarded as sacred.

While the Nigerian independence was a collective fight against Britain for freedom so that the people’s customs, rituals and the like could survive, alongside their diverse tribes, cultures, languages, and religious groups, “Nigeria we hail thee” anthem reflects this. Many people have however deplored the derogative reference to Nigerians as “natives” in that anthem. They claim that, in the year 2024, what Nigeria needs most is the patriotism of the “Arise o compatriots” and not tribe and tongues that differ. This, in the people’s submission, has, in 64 years of independence, become a given. While both anthems are important bonding icons, one mirrors political sovereignty than the other. The 1959 anthem, written by a Briton, does not rally citizens for the task of showing loyalty to the state. This is a trait that has disappeared among Nigerians. The anthem however underscores servile abidance. All over the world, governments devise means through which citizens can show loyalty and patriotism to the state. Methinks, if patriotism is what the Tinubu government demands of Nigerians, there was no need to do away with “Arise o compatriots.”

The stark reality that confronts Nigerians is that, successive leaders have made the country such that, rather than hail Nigeria, the country is wailed, according to a poet, “for (Nigeria’s) fallen fences eaten by termites and (her) lifeblood sucked dry” by politicians and soldiers. It is a country in the hands of embezzlers of national patrimony, corrupt officials and a post-independent Nigerian state where endemic poverty, starvation, fear of disintegration, false and feigned freedom from colonialists, reign.

In the words of famous Oyo state broadcaster, Edmund Obilo, it is not the national anthem that makes a nation great. It is the integrity, vision and selflessness of its leadership. A corrupt, wicked and uninspiring leadership cannot conjure patriotism, no matter how eloquent the lyrics of its anthem. Let Tinubu and his economic henchmen not continue on this path of the Okobo by leaving leprosy and seeking to cure eczema. Let them make life livable for the people; embody the values of transparency, accountability and justice, in the words of the inimitable broadcaster. Nigerians cannot see these values of leadership anywhere in Aso Rock. They see a bizarre anthem reversal as the usual antic of a fiddling Nero in a burning Nigeria.

Aso Rock inside Kudeti River

The poor governance of the last one year is apparently getting at President Bola Tinubu. He needs our collective pity. It is making him depressed, enough to enter into what lawyers call forum-shopping. Today, Aso Rock is clutching at straws. Its case is akin to that of the proverbial man inside raging waters which have overwhelmed him. The tidal wave is angry and is threatening to envelope the non-initiate, the Ogberi who jumped into the Kudeti River assuming it was a mere steady flow of run-off water. To overcome the anger of Kudeti, Tinubu is throwing tantrums, accusations and all-what-ought-nots as straws to salvage his drowning.

Last Thursday, the president met Northern leaders, the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. As things later turned out, the meeting was aimed at concretizing, in the minds of Nigerians, the suit instituted by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors at the Supreme Court. Specifically, Tinubu wanted the leaders to pressurize their state governors to account for their responsibilities. Fantastic. Like a grumpy school boy boxed to a corner, the president told the Northern elders that, while he was doing his utmost to raise the nation’s revenue, sub-national governments must make the needs of the locals the centerpiece of their governance.

“We are running a constitutional democracy. I will appeal to you to summon the governors. I am doing my very best to enhance the revenue base of the country. They must equally be sympathetic, and they must urgently consider the needs of the local people. People reside in the local communities. That is where they work, farm, and live. If the local governments are not effective in delivering services; as leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers. We have 774 local government areas, but are they truly effective? Do they solve problems for Nigerians? Do they coordinate development programming with the state and federal governments?” he asked, throwing rhetoric into the debate.

The president also asked for accountability in the performance of the 774 local governments. “Maybe we should look at recalibrating. What was good four years ago may not be good today. When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja,” he said pleadingly.

Since 1999, Nigerians have confronted sub-national governments who they accuse of performing beneath their optimal level. They also, in fact, accuse them of tampering with the stupendous cash that goes into their tills. Heads of those governments have even been jailed for filching their people’s patrimony. So, Tinubu’s cry-of-the-matricidal-wife (ekun ap’okoje) is not novel.

Same last week, the FG instituted a legal action against the 36 governors at the Supreme Court. In it, it alleged misconduct in the administration of Local Government Areas. Filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, the suit seeks full autonomy for all local government areas in the country. It also specifically prayed the court to issue an order prohibiting governors from embarking on unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders. In the same vein, it asks for an order that will permit funds standing to the credits of local governments to be directly channeled to them from the federation account. Another request was for the Supreme Court to stop the governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments because this is against the constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.

On the surface, we must commend this federal administration for this yeoman role. It goes without saying that governors are alleged to have literally asphyxiated the 774 councils. As an Ogun State former council chairman confessed recently, council bosses are even, in some cases, made to swear oaths to the various vindictive deities never to reveal the dirty details of governors’ heists.

However, we should tarry awhile and look at the intendments of the Lagos Boy. It should interest us that Tinubu, on this road to Tarsus, has morphed from Saul to Paul. This was the same man who fought Olusegun Obasanjo to the hilt in defending his rights to a sizeable portion of the patrimony of the local governments of Lagos State. When such a man suddenly becomes an apostate of that conviction, society should be wary of him. My major hunch is that the Lagos Boy wants to decimate the 36 state governors, elevate local governments and build a new outpost of command for himself. His gambit could be to castrate the stiff-necked states, project and promote the Superman in his conjured 774 new pseudo-centres of power. With humongous money coming to the councils, the 774 LGs would be his battle axe to fight the governors. More importantly, the councils would be vulnerable to federal blackmail. Whatever the newly curated Leviathan asks the new kids on the block to do, including becoming his poster-boys for the 2027 election, they will glibly do. Borrowing from that ancient proverbial quip, the Osanyin deity will thus become the slave.

It goes without saying that from 1999 to date, all Nigerian presidents have had issues with governors and had sought one way or the other to cut them to size over the issue of financial autonomy of local councils. We ordinarily should clap for a president who is poised to use the law to neutralize our enemy governors who have wasted our sub-national funds without any visible impacts. But, let us tarry awhile and ask ourselves how safe our cherished democratic government will be after the conquest of Napoleon. Does Napoleon, the Leviathan, have the pedigree of a people’s fight as the one he just entered into, without self-motive? Lest it turn out to be the proverbial case of the Iwofa who was mandated to take a thirsty horse to the riverside. When this happens, the Yoruba, in their infinite wisdom, say money (the Iwofa) is going after money (the horse). The Iwofa is actually not equivalent to slavery. It is a system of pawnship or peonage, otherwise known as debt-slavery. Extracted from two Yoruba words, iwo (act of entering into) and efa (six), in traditional Yoruba society, when a person owes money, he could volunteer his son as an Iwofa, 'a recurrent six-day service' agreement with the person he owes, to cancel out the debt.

In this rash race to demonize the sub-national governments and their heads and hand the states and local governments over to the Leviathan, we must remember that this cherished object we call democracy is incompatible with the rule of one man. Adolf Hitler began from same harmlessness, you remember?

There is a way Gboko boys hail you, when you yourself know they are  mocking you. "Ortamen, m nau ichivir" meaning,  "Elder I send my respects." The sarcasm of the  appellation becomes striking when you discover that the person being addressed is anything but an elder. During my years in Lagos, I occasionally encountered Janjaweed Area boys who called out to me menancingly; "Chairman, we hail you! Anything for the boys?" Of course, I was neither their chairman nor any person of consequence in their hierarchy of Area boys.

I feel  extremely sad that the Nigerian government has without any convincing reasons, jettisoned our national Anthem and in its place brought back the old one that  was composed at independence in 1960. The old Anthem of "Nigeria, we hail thee!" sounds to me every inch like the tongue in cheek appellation of the area boys of Gboko and Lagos. This is because upon critical examination, you would discover that the song hails Nigeria for nothing. It merely calls out Nigeria as our "Natve country" of different "tribes and tongues" and says  nothing else about its great attributes and people.

Mrs Lillian Jean Williams, the British woman who composed this song could not have been more patriotic or creative in defining our country than the quartet of Nigerians who composed the second National Anthem in 1978, "Arise O Compatriots." If not for anything, the generous use of pejorative terms like "Native" and "Tribes" by the British lady creates a strong sense of the pristine and the primitive. It is too late in the day to choose such words in Postcolonial discourse.

Those who masterminded the swap of the National Anthems gave an excuse that the second National Anthem was composed during the military era, and so it contains words and sentiments that were undemocratic. So it really begs the question why government has chosen to adopt the one with words and sentiments of colonialism instead of composing a befitting one for the epoch.

This action of  adopting the first national Anthem donated to us by our colonial masters after 64 years of independence is a demonstration  of the failure of our decolonisation processes  after flag independence. It is consistent with the idea of our leaders losing faith in our hospitals,  universities and other facilities and regularly visiting countries in  Europe and America to get fulfilment.

The central theme in the lyrics of the Anthem is the lamentation of the multiplicity of "tribes and tongues" in this primordial territory the British came to "discover,"and then the expression of hope in African or Nigerian brotherhood regardless the difficulty. You could sense the tone of mockery from the British colonial composer who falsely regrets the phenomenon of divergent tribes and tongues, foisted on us by the Europeans at Berlin in 1885/86 where there was no representative from Nigeria or from any part of Africa.

You could also see the patronising hypocrisy of the Europeans highlighting their experiment of foisting multi-tribal nations in Africa as a major achievement in bonds of brotherhood, when in fact, not many European nations are multi-tribal or multilingual in their composition. A few of their multi-tribal nations like Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union have since collapsed like a pack of cards.

Nations are not stagnant. They grow and change in many ways from time to time. They  also  develop  core values which are incorporated in their insignia of state like the national Anthem, Coat of Arms, Flags, Creed and constitution. A country could change the lyrics of its national Anthem to conform with the realities of the time, but no country has yet, as far as I know, gone back to the ideas of its colonial masters to define itself. At least, not now in Africa, where  even  smaller countries in West Africa with clear headed leaders are asserting total independence from European colonial mentality.

Nigeria is by all standards not lagging behind in creativity. We are ranking high as suppliers of expertise and professional manpower all over the world.  Our country is home to a galaxy stars in the arts too. Our Nollywood movie industry is ranked  among the top six in the world. Our pop stars are the envy of even the American popular cultural producers. Our own Prof Wole Soyinka was the first black person to win the Nobel prize for literature 38 years ago, and Nigeria still boasts of  literary giants like Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Helon Habila, Senior Atta and others with international acclaim. A nation with such creative talents has no business going  back to the lyrics of British colonial woman whose words have  neither proved to be prophetic nor adequately defined the proud  people of Nigeria.

Rather than hurriedly or secretly conduct a legislation to swap the new Anthem with the old, the government had a duty to organise an open national competition for creative artists to write a better and more appropriate National Anthem for us. An ideal Anthem should highlight the positive attributes of Nigeria and its people and should draw our attention to philosophical values and qualities that specifically distinguish us from other countries.

Just sample a few examples from other countries to appreciate my idea of how an ideal anthem should be. The Russian national Anthem is a praise song for the Russian federation, the triumph of the philosophy of communism and the beauty of the "land where the sun of freedom shines on us" The US national Anthem describes America as 'the land of the free and the home of the brave." The British national Anthem is a victory song that was composed after a war in 1745 led by the then king of England,  In it, citizens pray to God to save the King as well as pledge their loyalty to the throne. But by far, my most favourite is the Anthem of the defunct Republic of Biafra which describes itself as "Land of the rising sun and the beloved homeland of the brave."

The colonial era is certainly a wrong period to go in search an anthem for a nation that professes it got its independence 64 years ago.

I dare conclude that this choice of an obviously outdated national Anthem for Nigeria in the 21st Century is certainly not the best action taken by the government of President Bola Tinubu. This law should be repealed.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith ~ 1 John 5:4.

Introduction:

All men strive for greatness and gracious fulfillment in life. But, we have long known that the journeys of destiny are never simple and straightforward. The truth is, there’s no path to greatness without concrete obstacles. One wise man said, “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere”.

Many overwhelming obstacles will always seek to harm your confidence, passion and progress, even to the point where it may seem like your dream no longer holds value.

Israel had just been rescued from age-long servitude, and they were journeying to the place God had promised them, Canaan: a land flowing with milk and honey. And, quite unexpectedly, just a short while into the journey, they bumped into this strong obstacle: the Wall of Jericho!

The wall, no doubt, was quite insurmountable, humanly speaking. According to Josephus’ historical account, it was thick enough for six horsemen to ride side-by-side upon it. Even then, God knew how to handle it! And, He did (Joshua 6:1-20)!

Obstacles and stonewalls abound in the various corridors of life. Notwithstanding, as long as you’re alive in Christ, it’s never too late to become what you were created to be. But you must be ready to deal decisively with the enemies at the gates of your destiny (Luke 11:22).

All Christians have the authority to defeat their enemies and the persistent difficultiesthey bring. Waging prophetic warfare is one of the major tools available to us to defeat them and fulfill our assignments on Earth. Thus, the overcomers are those believers in Christ who forcefully resist and successfully repel the myriads of satanic manipulations in this present world.

A long time ago, I knew a Christian sister in our church who, before she encountered the Lord’s victorious power, was so hindered by invisible obstacles that she was literally using her HND civil engineering certificate as a dust packer. Afterwards, by mercy, she overcame and recovered her lost glory.

Meanwhile, whenever God allows His people to go through great trials, He is certainly preparing them for great comforts. In other words, “where you are” presently may be because of “where you’re going”. Press forward, your tomorrow is still very colourful!

Our Faith In Christ Secures The Victory

Unarguably, there are certain proper processes that throw up breakthroughs in life, and it’s my well-considered belief that faith in Christ’s finished atoning work is a foremost step towards a boundless and truly victorious life.

Jesus Christ overcame the prince of this world, Satan, by His death and resurrection (John 12:31; 16:33). He vanquished the great foe, and triumphed over all that would work our ruin. And, having trounced him, Jesus laid the foundation for our timeless victory over sin, Satan, sicknesses, poverty, fear and death.

Now, this affirmation is for all who are born of God on the ground of Christ’s vicarious sacrifice. Every believing soul today, and all those who would repent and embrace the love of God before the imminent rapture of saints may enjoy total victory and abundant life. Indeed, Jesus Christ has brought us unfailing help and strength from above.

Gleefully, our victory over the world is a present and a continuous victory: “overcometh the world” (1John 5:4). We overcome Satan, the god of the world, thelusts of the flesh and all the wicked menand women of the world, continuously. And, the means of partaking in this victory is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1John 5:5).

This faith is embraced via genuine repentance and confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:15). When we believe thus, we are automatically brought into union with Christ, become partakers of His victory, and overcome the world (1John 3:17; 4:4).

Emphatically, we’re not just fighting for victory, but rather claiming our possessions from the position of the victory that Jesus Christ has won for us (John 16:33; 1John 2:13-14). Our victory is a done deal (Revelation 12:11)! Alleluia!!

We are free men and women, with secure victory in Christ! The world, in its maxims, precepts and customs, has no further audacity to rule us (1 John 5:4). Nevertheless, we must resolve in all practical terms, to take no denial of this privileged position of victory we have obtained in Christ.

Whatever the issues are per time, by faith we must bring the Lord into the picture, immediately. And, we must choose to see clearly at all times. Whatever causes fear, should drive us to our God in prayers. Times of fear should be times of prayer!

We must see victory before we can expect to enjoy victory (Numbers 13:30). What wesee is what we get! Even our identity is very closely associated with our thoughts and feelings. Thoughts are things, people say. And, in the province of the mind, what one believes to be true, either is true or becomes true eventually (Psalms 27:13)!

We must also walk the Bible patterns in every detail of our lives. Even in prayers, the best we can say to God in prayer, is what He has said to us in His Word. We generally mess up in life when we miss the patterns. We miss roads when we ignore the maps.

Insist on living by divine precepts and instructions. Jesus said, what I do is what I see the Father do (John 5:19). This is the secured lifestyle that insures your tight covenant walk with God.

Furthermore, we must be very passionate about the sound of Jubilee. We must proclaim the love of God and the lordship of Jesus Christ with greatest passion, energy and enthusiasm. Passion is life. Albeit, we mustn’t forget to regularly give God all the glory with thanksgiving. In it all, He alone deserves our stewardship!

When all these precepts are in their right places in our lives, the power of the Lord swings into action to disable the powers of evil, and all the hitherto insurmountable obstacles to our progress fall flat. Thereafter, the rest is an unending story of miracles!

Friends, Satan is a humbled foe! Hold that tight!! All that we believers have to do is to put our trust in Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation, and putting on the whole armour of God, we must be fully assured that our victory is a foregone conclusion.

Fellow saints of God, you’re the overcomer! The Greater One, Jesus Christ, is in you (1John 4:4). Relax with Him in the overcomers’ throne, and begin in earnest to eat and enjoy the tree of life, even from this side of eternity (Revelation 2:7; 3:21). Yours is the decided victory. You won’t miss it, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

____________________

Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Connect with Bishop Akinola via these channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bishopakinola

SMS/WhatsApp: +234 802 318 4987

God’s open reward comes to those who pray without ceasing. This means praying at all times. It is not about praying in churches or at prayer meetings. It is about praying as Jesus commends, in spirit and truth. (John 4:24).

Those who pray without ceasing think about the Lord at all times. We live in the consciousness of God. Paul refers to this as: “walking in the spirit.” (Galatians 5:16). We try as much as possible not to lose our consciousness of God, not even for a moment.

Some people thought I was crazy when I said having sex with your wife provides the avenue for exuberant praise. But David says: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Psalm 34:1).

If we are enjoying something, we should praise God in our hearts. This is because: “(It is) the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17). Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, gave thanks to God before every meal. (John 6:11). It is God who: “satisfies the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:16).

We become candidates for God’s open reward when all our terms of reference come from God. If we watch a film, we watch it with God. We converse with Him about what is happening on the screen, even if fictional:

“Oh my God, why do You let this kind of thing happen?” “Oh my God, look at what You did for that man.” “Oh Lord, when will you turn this kind of thing around?” “Oh God, You are such a wonderful person.”

Thinking God

David observes that God is always thinking about us: “How precious it is, Lord, to realise that you are thinking about me constantly!” (Psalm 139:17). He says to God by revelation: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.” (Psalm 56:8).

If God is always thinking about us, then we must always be thinking about God. Indeed, the psalmist describes the wicked man as one who does not think of God constantly: “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (Psalm 10:4).

God is particular about this. He is described in the Bible as: “The desire of all nations.” (Haggai 2:7). A Book of Remembrance has been opened in heaven for those who think constantly about God:

“Then those who feared and loved the Lord spoke often of Him to each other. And He had a Book of Remembrance drawn up in which He recorded the names of those who feared Him and loved to think about Him.” (Malachi 3:16).

Accordingly, Paul says: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8).

God is the only Person in the universe to whom all these accolades apply.

Divine Particularism

I had just finished writing a book of 100,000 words when God suddenly said: “Femi, every time you write about Me, start with a capital letter.” The Bible does not even do that consistently. But now I have to do it. I had to go through every sentence changing every he that applies to God or Jesus to He, every him to Him, every me to Me, and every my to My.

I had to search with a tooth-comb every sentence in over 300 pages to make these alterations. I do not have to tell you that it was tedious.

But God says: “Those who honour Me I will honour.” (1 Samuel 2:30). One of the ways He honours us is with open rewards. God rewards us openly when we are focused on Him in our hearts. He desires “truth in the inner parts.” (Psalm 51:6). He is the truth. (John 14:6).

Open Secrets

We must not forget that everything we do secretly is open to God. God sees everything we do in the dark in the light of day. The writer of Hebrews says:

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable.” (Hebrews 4:13).

A pastor asked an usher: “Is there any door through which I can enter the hall and join the service without being seen? The usher replied: “There is no way to enter the hall without God seeing you.”

Christ’s Ambassadors

Jesus says: “Woe to you when all men speak well of you.” (Luke 6:26).

It was well known that Jesus was indifferent to public opinion. Trying to set Him up, His adversaries said: “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.” (Mark 12:14).

Paul equally disdains public opinion. He asks: “Do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10). “We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

At first glance, he seems to contradict himself when he tells the Romans: “Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification.” (Romans 15:2). He also tells Timothy: “(A bishop) must have a good testimony among those who are outside.” (1 Timothy 3:7).

But there is no contradiction here. Without seeking the praise of men, and not caring what others think of us, we must care what they think of Christ. We are ambassadors for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20). We represent Christ so we must be godly. Christ must be shown to be excellent by the way we live.

We do not try to gain the approval of Christ by unbelievers. They may not like Him. They may be blind and resistant to His truth. Nevertheless, as His disciples, we must represent Christ truthfully. We must be careful to epitomise the truth of Christ.

Thus, Peter says: “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbours. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will give honour to God when he judges the world.” (1 Peter 2:12).

Open Reward

Some years ago, I was driving a van in Lagos. When I reached a roundabout, I heard a siren behind me. It came from an ambulance, so, I moved to one side to let it overtake me. When I wanted to continue on my way, a policeman of sorts blocked me and accused me of obstructing the traffic.

“Did you not see I was giving way to an ambulance?” I asked. But he was not interested. “You are under arrest,” he barked as he jumped into my van. He took me to their headquarters just off the roundabout. He then fined me N7,500 for obstructing the traffic, and N1,500 for not having a radio permit.

I asked him if he could see any radio in my car since I had none. He just smiled and said I could get my van out of there only if I paid N9,000.

For some strange reason, I did not argue further. I paid the fine and left. But when I got home, I became angry. I went down on my knees and complained to God:

“What kind of cheating is this? Your word says: “In righteousness, you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.” (Isaiah 54:14). “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17).

God told me to go back there the next day. “When you go, do not go in the van. Go in Karen’s Nissan Altima, and with her driver. Wear a suit and a tie.”

I did as God told me. When I arrived, a man stood on the sidewalk as I exited my car. I greeted him and he replied. Then he said:

“I know you from somewhere. Did you have a shop in Ikoyi at one time?”

“Yes, I did,” I replied.

“I used to be in Ikoyi, but I am now in Victoria Island,” he offered. “My name is Onikoyi, and I am in charge here. What can I do for you?”

I told him: “You are the person I need to see.” 

I told him my predicament: “I made way for an ambulance and one of your boys arrested me for obstructing the traffic. He brought me here and fined me N7,500. Then he fined me N1,500 for not having a radio licence. But my van did not even have a radio.”

The man invited me into his office and told me to sit down. Then he asked: “Can you identify the officer who did this if you see him?”

“Yes, I can,” I replied.

Then he called one of his workers: “Call all those working under me and tell them to line up in front of my office.”

Immediately after he said this, the offending officer walked into his office for some reason.

“This is the man,” I exclaimed.

When the man saw me, he knew instinctively why I was there.

“So you are the one?” asked Mr Onikoyi. “Your job is finished here. You are fired.”

There was no discussion about his offence. It was understood. My tormentor of yesterday was now rolling on the ground, begging for mercy.

Mr Onikoyi said: “This man is a fool. He has two wives.”

I do not know how the matter was subsequently resolved. Mr Onikoyi gave me his complimentary card. He said: “If anybody bothers you again in Victoria Island, just phone me.” Then he instructed that my money be refunded.

I thanked him profusely and left. But the glory belonged to God.

Jesus says: “Talk to your Father in the closet and He will reward you openly.”  The open reward came a week or two later.

We wanted to turn from a main street to a side one. The traffic warden directed us to go. The car in front of us did as directed. But when we followed, the officer stopped us and complained that we moved without authorisation.

He told us to park on the roadside. When we did, he entered the car, sat beside my driver, and said he would give us a traffic violation.

I was at the back and said nothing.

“You are saying nothing, oga, I will have to take you to Muri Okunola.”

I ignored him, so he told my driver to proceed to Muri Okunola.

When we arrived, he came out of the car, and I also came out.

Suddenly, we were surrounded by a large number of the officers.

“What are you doing here, Sir?” they asked in a chorus.

Then they begged me that I should not go to see Mr. Onikoyi.

They prevailed on me to leave without making a complaint and without incident.

Since then, nobody has harassed me on the road in Victoria Island, Lagos. God rewarded my secret prayer openly. CONCLUDED.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; www.femiaribisala.com

Everyone's life is different — yet most people still utter one of four common phrases on their deathbeds, according to Pulitzer Prize-winning author and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Each of the phrases offers an important lessons for leading a fulfilling and successful life, Mukherjee said during a commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania last week. "Every person that I've met in this moment of transition wanted to make four offerings," he added.

The phrases are:

I want to tell you that I love you. 

I want to tell you that I forgive you. 

Would you tell me that you love me? 

Would you give me your forgiveness?

People who know they're dying often express some variation of one of those four themes — indicating that they waited until it was late to show their appreciation for others or right their interpersonal wrongs, said Mukherjee, author of the award-winning 2011 nonfiction book "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer."

Instead, they harbored grudges, lived with unresolved guilt or spent years being too afraid to be vulnerable, Mukherjee explained. The ensuing remorse, stress, poor mental health and even hormonal and immune imbalances can stunt your personal and professional growth, neurobehavioral scientist J. Kim Penberthy wrote in a 2022 University of Virginia blog post.

"Love and forgiveness, death and transition. Waiting [to express yourself] merely delays the inevitable," said Mukherjee, adding that young people should, "take this seriously. You're living in a world where love and forgiveness have become meaningless, outdated platitudes ... They're words people have learned to laugh at."

Coming to terms with the fact that you've wronged or hurt someone can be difficult. Try following these four steps, recommends Richard Cowden, a social-personality psychologist with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard's Institute for Quantitative Social Science:

Take responsibility for your actions.

Allow yourself to experience negative feelings, like remorse and guilt.

Give a sincere apology and try to make amends.

Learn from the experience and move on.

"It's uncomfortable to admit you've done something wrong, and it's natural to protect one's self-esteem by dismissing what happened or making excuses for your behavior," Cowden told Harvard Medical School in 2022. "[But] it can free you from your past mistakes and help you live more fully in the here and now. You might be surprised how much better you feel if you can work through the process of forgiving yourself."

You can also show appreciation for people by speaking their love language: Take your partner's vehicle to the car wash without them asking, or surprise your mom with flowers. Go out to dinner with your friends or give someone a hug. Simply say, "I love you" or "I appreciate you."

Just make sure you actually mean words like "love" and "forgiveness" when you use them, said Mukherjee.

"I dare you to use these words," he said. "But not as empty clichés, imbue them with real meaning. Do it your way, whatever your way is."

CNBC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared an indefinite strike in response to the federal government’s refusal to raise the new minimum wage above the N60,000 offered.

NLC spokesperson Ben Ukpa announced that the strike is set to begin on June 3. "The strike is due to the government’s refusal to increase the minimum wage and to reverse the electricity tariff hike," Ukpa said.

The labour unions had issued an ultimatum to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the federal government to reverse the electricity tariff hike by May 31.

On April 3, NERC approved an increase in the electricity tariff for customers in the Band A classification—from N66 to N225 per kWh. This tariff hike sparked public outcry and demands for its reversal.

The unions also demanded that the federal government finalize the new national minimum wage process for workers by May 31. The federal government proposed minimum wages of N48,000, N54,000, and most recently, N60,000, all of which were rejected by the NLC and TUC. The unions insist on N494,000, citing the high cost of living.

In a statement released on Friday, the labour unions expressed their frustration with the government's neglect of its responsibilities despite repeated warnings.

"In light of this persistent inaction, we, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), hereby issue a notice of commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike to the Federal Government," the statement reads.

"We reiterate that since the national minimum wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded, the agreed wage has not been passed into law, the electricity tariff hike has not been reversed, and the categorization of consumers into Bands has not been stopped as demanded; Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June, 2024, to press home our demands."

"The NLC and TUC are united in this cause, and we call on all our affiliates, state Councils, Civil Society Organizations, market men and women, and the general populace to prepare for decisive action. We cannot and will not accept any further delays or excuses."

The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, has disclosed that electricity distribution companies have disconnected over 100 manufacturing firms.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH at the annual general meeting of the MAN’s food, beverage and tobacco sector, on Thursday in Lagos, he revealed that 10 of the association’s members had been disconnected in Kano.

“We do not favour legal action against the Discos and NERC. We do not want to go there. One of our branches has done so, and that subsists. The Disco in Kano is still disconnecting our members despite the injunction. As an association, we do not want to engage in such (legal action) but it comes as a last resort.

“You can imagine that as of today, more than 100 of our members have been disconnected, which means that their workers have been asked to go home. It means that their production processes have been halted. It means that they are not able to fulfil their obligations to their suppliers, and they have started to lose money,” he explained.

According to the MAN DG, the crux of the matter is that manufacturers are asked to pay electricity bills that will take manufacturers out of business.

“A company told me that it was paying N7-8m before, now it is paying N32m. The calculation is that the profit you could have made, you are not able to make it. So, you need to decide to go ahead and produce and pay an electricity bill that is more than the profit you would have made or shut down.

So, we are gradually seeing a situation where more and more industries are shutting down, because if you disconnect an industry that does not have an alternative source of power, it practically goes out of business,” he declared.

Meanwhile, the immediate past Chairman of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Sector of MAN and Managing Director of Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Patrick Anegbe, stated that the spate of insecurity in the country was hampering backward integration in the food industry.

“How do you backwards integrate when you are talking about insecurity? The insecurity in the country poses a very serious threat to backward integration,” he averred.

He added that multiple taxes had also eaten deep into the profit margins of manufacturers, noting that production costs had continued to skyrocket.

“Multiple taxation is really affecting our business. Taxes here and there. The cost of production has gone up very high to the extent that margins are so low. We are just barely surviving.

“The government should look for a way of reducing these multiple taxations and eliminating some of them,” he asserted.

He revealed that the food, beverage and tobacco sector’s production value rose by 68.2 per cent or N614.0bn in the first half of 2023 compared to N900.45bn recorded in the second half of 2022.

“The sector’s local raw material sourcing for the period under review saw a decline from 70 per cent in H2 2022 to 66.8 per cent in H2 2023, though this is an improvement from 62 per cent in H1 2022 (MAN H2 Economic Review),” he explained.

The newly elected Chairman of the sector of MAN, and Managing Director of La Casera Company, Chinedum Okereke, noted that the importance of the food sector cannot be undermined, as it guarantees the country’s food security and plays a vital role in job creation.

“We will collaborate and engage more with the government. Most time, the government may have good intentions but the lack of engagement with stakeholders is a problem. So, we will not sit back and wait for them to engage with us, but we will proactively go to them for engagement,” he stated.

The Deputy Director of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Olugbenga Aina, who was one of the speakers at the AGM, advised manufacturers not to see regulation as a burden.

He noted that the best form of regulation is self-regulation, adding that manufacturers must be innovative.

“Fostering competitiveness in the food, beverage and tobacco industry with regards to ensuring that local content production meets international best practices for increased export demand and national revenues, is key to the Renewed HOPE Agenda and revitalising the Nigerian economy.

“The significance of the food, beverage, and tobacco sector in Nigeria cannot be overstated. Food, beverage and tobacco is the greatest contributor at N3,814.50bn or 52 per cent of the Nigerian manufacturing sector total in 2013, according to National Bureau of Statistics,” he stated.

According to Aina, aligning with global standards opens up new export opportunities and enables manufacturers to tap into new markets and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Also, the Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Rite Foods Limited, Ekuma Eze, who was one of the speakers at the event, stressed the need for food industries to invest in research and development to create innovative technologies and solutions that differentiate.

He added that they must build strong partnerships to combine strength and resources to create value-adding products.

Punch

Some members of the House of Representatives are seeking to limit the central bank's control over economic policy by proposing to set up a committee to coordinate monetary and fiscal policies, headed by the finance minister, according to a bill in the Senate.

The proposal by a member of the ruling party, APC, comes as inflation in Africa's most populous nation hit a 28-year high of 33.69% in April amidst sluggish economic growth and currency woes.

Under the proposed law, the central bank would be in charge of monetary policies as before, but a new committee headed by the finance minister would be responsible for coordinating monetary and fiscal policies.

Some economists said that adding a committee to coordinate monetary and fiscal policies could severely weaken the central bank. The proposal is so far backed by 32 members of the ruling party and the bill would need to be approved by the Senate and then President Bola Tinubu's signature to become law. The government has not given its view on the bill yet.

"You will have the federal government tampering with the autonomy of the central bank. You cannot have external parties making decisions about monetary policy, which is the exclusive preserve of the bank," Abuja-based economic analyst Kelvin Emmanuel said.

The International Monetary Fund has previously warned Nigeria about interfering with the independence of the central bank, arguing that it could hamper the country's ability to tackle inflation and restore stability.

The central bank governor would also serve a single six-year term instead of a maximum of two five-year terms currently.

Godwin Emefiele, who was governor until June last year, was the first to get a second term as central bank head, where he implemented currency restrictions which harmed the economy and Nigeria's ability to import goods, thereby stoking inflation.

Senators have also proposed to decrease the amount of temporary advances the central bank can grant the government as budget support. It was increased under Muhammadu Buhari who was Nigeria's president from 2015 until May last year.

Reuters

The Federal Government has announced the temporary suspension of the contentious $300 helicopter landing fee imposed on operators. The levy, managed by consultant Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited, sparked protests from helicopter operators.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, initially defended the fee, which was instituted by his predecessor, Hadi Sirika. However, in response to mounting pressure, Keyamo announced the suspension on Friday in a statement signed by Ministry spokesperson Odutayo Oluseyi.

The statement indicated that further action would be determined after a review committee submits its report. "Following a meeting with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) executive regarding the helicopter landing levies at aerodromes, helipads, airstrips, etc., Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has temporarily suspended the enforcement granted to Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd by the Federal Government," the statement read.

The suspension, effective from May 30, 2024, responds to calls for a review by industry stakeholders. Keyamo has formed a committee comprising members from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, its relevant agencies, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), International Oil Companies (IOCs), and Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd. This committee is tasked with addressing the concerns raised and is expected to submit its report by the end of June 2024.

Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd was previously granted the exclusive right to collect these levies, which many stakeholders questioned. The committee's recommendations are anticipated to provide a way forward.

Cocoa’s shortage this season will be bigger than previously expected as consumption holds up despite higher prices, according to the International Cocoa Organization.

Demand will exceed production by 439,000 tons, driven by higher cocoa grinding in consuming countries, the ICCO said in its second estimate for the current October-September year. That compares with a Februaryprojection for a deficit of 374,000 tons.

“Current available data reveal that cocoa grinding activities have so far been unrelenting in importing countries despite the record cocoa price rallies,” the ICCO said.

“As the 2023-24 season progresses, it is certain the season will end in a higher deficit than previously expected.”

Futures surged to a record of more than $11,000 a ton in New York in April as poor harvests in West Africa curbed supplies, stressing buyers and making chocolate more expensive. Still, prices have eased back below $10,000, and some analysts have said the rally has peaked.

The ICCO raised its estimate for global grindings to 4.86 million tons, from its initial outlook of 4.78 million tons. It raised its production projection by 12,000 tons to 4.46 million tons.

Bloomberg