Reports have it that a tragic ambush occurred on Friday in Niger State, where bandits attacked soldiers and civilians in the communities of Roro, Karaga, and Rumace in Shiroro Local Government Area of the State.

The ambush resulted in the loss of six soldiers, with an army captain reportedly abducted. Additionally, a hunter and two farmers were killed, and several properties were destroyed.

The incident occurred as the soldiers responded to a distress call, with the bandits launching their attack near Roro village. Despite attempts to reach military and police authorities for comment, there has been no official response.

However, the Commissioner for Homeland Security in Niger State, Bello Abdullahi Mohammed, confirmed the incident, pledging vigorous efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice and support the affected communities.

ISRAEL’S REPORTS

Erdogan meets Hamas leader in Istanbul, discusses efforts to reach Gaza ceasefire

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid there with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a meeting in Istanbul, state broadcaster TRT said on Saturday.

It was the first meeting between Erdogan and a Hamas delegation headed by Haniyeh since Israel began its military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Haniyeh's visit to Turkey took place three days after he met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Doha.

The visit took place amid escalating regional tensions following Israel's reported attack on Iran this week.

Israel's Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz commented on the meeting between the two leaders in Turkish. 

** IDF: IDF troops struck a launching pit in the area of Beit Hanoun shortly after launches were identified from the area toward the city of Sderot on Friday

On Friday, IDF troops in cooperation with IAF aircraft struck terror targets including a launching pit in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, shortly after a launch was identified and intercepted, crossing from the area into the city of Sderot.

Over the past day, IAF fighter jets and additional aircraft struck dozens of terror targets, assisting IDF ground troops. Among the targets were military infrastructures, compounds, and armed terrorists.

IDF troops are continuing to conduct counterterrorism activities in central Gaza. During one of the incidents, the troops identified a terrorist who posed a threat to them and eliminated him.

Attached is a video of the IDF strikes in the Gaza Strip: https://bit.ly/3wb1ikN

Attached are photos of the IDF activities in the Gaza Strip: https://idfanc.activetrail.biz/ANC200424505

** IDF: Close-quarters encounters, closing the combat circle on terrorists and targeted raids by the Nahal Brigade combat team in the central Gaza Strip;

On Friday, a situational assessment led by the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command was held in the area

The Nahal Brigade combat team continues to operate in the area of ​​the Karni Corridor, from where the soldiers carry out dozens of targeted raids on terrorists and terrorist infrastructure.

The forces eliminated terrorists in close-quarters encounters and, with the cooperation of the Brigade’s Fire Control Center, direct the IAF forces to destroy terrorist infrastructure in the area.

On Friday, the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG Yaron Finkelman and the Commanding Officer of the 162nd Division, BG Itzik Cohen, held a situational assessment in the area together with the forces. As part of the situational assessment, they discussed the further operating of the IDF forces in the area.

Attached is footage from the situational assessment: https://bit.ly/3JsjWrn

Attached is footage of the activity of the Nahal Brigade combat team in the area of ​​the Karni Corridor: https://bit.ly/4aHHuol

Attached are related photos: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC987653

** IDF: Earlier today, IDF soldiers identified a terrorist entering a Hezbollah military structure in the area of Ayta ash Shab. IAF aircraft struck the compound and the terrorist operating from it.

Additionally, IAF aircraft struck a terrorist who operated in Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in the area of Kfarkela in southern Lebanon.

Attached is a video of the strike in Ayta ash Shab: https://bit.ly/3w2ZAlG

Attached is a video of the strike in Kfarkela: https://bit.ly/3UnFifQ

HAMAS’ REPORTS

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Press Statement

We strongly condemn the brutal aggression on Saturday morning against the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces at the Kalsu military base in Babil Governorate, which caused material losses and a number of injuries. We consider it an assault and violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and security, and an embodiment of Zionist barbarism, which is constantly expanding its aggression throughout the region.

We also hold the administration of US President Biden responsible for the escalation in the region, through its supply and support for the Nazi war of genocide against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and we renew our affirmation that the region will not witness stability or peace except by ending the Zionist occupation of our occupied Palestinian and Arab lands.

Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas

Saturday: Shawwal 11, 1445 AH

Corresponding to: April 20, 2024 AD

** Targeting the occupation forces with a homemade explosive device at the entrance to Tulkarm camp.

** Al-Quds Brigades, West Bank

Within the battle of #Al-Aqsa_Flood

Al-Quds Brigades - Tulkarm Brigade: Our mujahideen continue with all strength and ability to confront and target the occupation forces with heavy volleys of bullets and explosive devices.

#Al-Aqsa Flood

** Continuing clashes with heavy weapons between resistance men and the occupation army in the Al-Mughraqa and Al-Zahraa areas, north of the Central Governorate

Prayers for the resistance

** Al-Quds Brigades: We bombed a gathering of Zionist enemy soldiers and vehicles in the “Netzarim” axis of advance, south of Gaza, with a barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells.

#Al-Aqsa Flood

** Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades: We bombed the concentrations of Zionist enemy soldiers located in the “Netzarim” axis with heavy caliber mortar shells.

** Hezbollah: In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, and in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and civilian homes, most recently in Aita al-Shaab, Kafr Kila and al-Jabayn, we targeted two buildings used by enemy soldiers in the “Shlomi” settlement with weapons. Occasion

** Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - Tulkarm:

With God's help and strength, our fighters are engaged in fierce clashes with the Zionist enemy soldiers in several areas in the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps with machine guns and explosive devices, causing direct casualties among the enemy's ranks.

** Hamas:

We mobilize the members of our Palestinian people stationed to ignite confrontations with the criminal Zionist occupation in all areas of the confrontations in the West Bank and Jerusalem in response to the criminal massacre in the Nour Shams camp in Tulkarm.

- The honorable martyrs of Tulkarm, who faced the occupation forces with all defiance and determination, bled. We affirm that the Zionist crime will not bring security to the occupation, and that the resistance of our people will continue, generation after generation, until victory and liberation, God willing.

We call on our people in the West Bank to commit to the general strike tomorrow, Sunday, and to turn all squares and points of confrontation into a bloc of flames in the face of the occupation, and to aim all the guns of the liberals at this occupation and its criminal settlers.

** Lions' den:

Over the past period, the Lions' Den groups have carried out dozens of shooting operations in the West Bank without announcement, and we are still insisting that the statements be silent and that the talking should be left to the guns.

And to the delusional delusional ones, we say to you, delusional, then delusional, who thinks that the resistance in the West Bank will end, delusional, then delusional, that he can end the Jenin Brigade, Tulkarm Brigade, or any of the brigades or groups that launched in the West Bank, and delusional is the one who plans, meets, conspires, communicates, threatens, carries out, and vows to end the lions’ den groups.

- The Lions' Den groups mourn the heroic martyrs of Tulkarm, their martyrs who rose, undefeated, in the battle of honor and pride, the Battle of Nour Shams.

- We call on our people in the West Bank, Jerusalem, the interior and the diaspora to go out and shout “Allahu Akbar” from the rooftops and in any square at exactly 3500 AM today. Hear the enemy that our people are alive and that our people, old and young, are with the resistance and with the martyrs, and listen to your “Allahu Akbar” to the thousands of mujahideen in Gaza who are holding onto Triggers who defended the honor of an entire nation.

- We call for a general mobilization from today in every city and village and at every point of contact. By God, we will be eaten on the day Gaza is eaten, God forbid. Leave the speeches and let the words be only the words of the guns.

Jerusalem Post/Israel Defense Forces/Hamas Brigade al-Qassam

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Zelenskiy says he is grateful for US House approval of Ukraine aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed gratitude on Saturday for the passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a military aid bill for his country and said the assistance would save lives and "bring a just end" to the war with Russia.

"I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track," Zelenskiy wrote on X.

The president said the bill "will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger".

Minutes later, in his nightly video address, the president said the assistance "will be felt by our soldiers on the front lines" and praised the role of "American leadership" in preserving a rules-based international order.

"We will certainly use American support to strengthen both our nations and bring a just end to this war. A war that Putin must lose."

The bills making up the legislative package provide $60.84 billion to Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities.

The U.S. Senate, which passed a similar measure two months ago, is expected to approve the current bills next week and pass them on to President Joe Biden to sign.

Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko pointed to the legislation's provision of $7.8 billion for budget support.

"This is the extraordinary support we need to maintain financial stability and prevail," he wrote in English on X.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, writing on Telegram, said passage of the bill was evidence that the United States showed "leadership and resolve" in fighting for peace and security.

Shmyhal expressed thanks for approval of provisions that would help set the stage for the United States to confiscate Russian assets and hand them over to Ukraine for rebuilding after the destruction of the war.

"We will receive an important resource for victory and reconstruction," he wrote on Telegram. "I call on other countries where Russian assets are held to follow this example."

** Ukrainian drones strike Russian fuel depot, substations in major attack

Ukraine attacked eight Russian regions with dozens of long-range strike drones, setting ablaze a fuel depot and hitting three power substations in a major attack early on Saturday, an intelligence source in Kyiv told Reuters.

The overnight attack, which was confirmed by the defence ministry in Moscow, comes amid a Russian airstrike campaign that has battered Ukraine's energy system and pounded its cities in recent weeks.

Facing mounting pressure on the battlefield more than two years since Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has tried to find a pressure point against the Kremlin by targeting oil refineries and energy facilities inside Russia using drones.

"At least three electrical substations and a fuel storage base were hit, where fires ignited," the Ukrainian source said, citing social media videos showing fires raging at different locations.

The source said the facilities were targeted for supporting Russian military industrial production.

Russia's defence ministry said it shot down 50 Ukrainian drones, including 26 in the Belgorod region, 10 in the Bryansk region, eight in Kursk region, two in Tula region as well as one in each of the regions of Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia's Belgorod region which borders Ukraine, said two civilians were killed as a result of the attack.

The strike targeted a fuel energy facility in the western Smolensk region's Kardym district, hitting a reservoir with fuel and oil lubricants, the local governor confirmed.

"As a result of the work of air defence forces, the aircraft were shot down. However, as a result of falling debris, a tank with fuel and oil lubricants caught fire," he said, adding that firefighters were battling to put out the blaze.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ex-Russian president slams ‘US bastards’

The military aid bill recently passed by the US House of Representatives will not stop the Russian army in Ukraine, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.

After months of delays and political wrangling, the House approved the much-needed $61 billion for Ukraine, whose forces have been suffering setbacks on the battlefield due to ammunition shortages. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky thanked American legislators for their support.

Medvedev, who serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, argued, however, that “the vote of gleeful American bastards”will only prolong the fighting and “increase the number of victims of this war.”

“Obviously, we will win, regardless of the bloody dollars shoved down the throat of the insatiable [American] defense industry. The strength and the truth are on our side,”Medevdev wrote on Telegram, branding the US “a despicable empire of evil of the 21th century.” 

House Republicans previously refused to back the Ukraine aid bill, while hoping to pressure the White House to crack down on the influx of illegal migration across the border with Mexico. Some legislators also accused President Joe Biden of lacking a clear strategy for ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Zelensky, meanwhile, has warned that Ukraine would lose if Congress fails to approve additional aid. Following criticism from Kiev and America’s allies in Europe, House Speaker Mike Johnson decided to put the bill to the vote this week, stating that Russia is part of a new “axis of evil.”

Reuters/RT

Native Brazilians arrest monkeys with what is called Cumbuca. They make a hole in a gourd that is big enough to accommodate the hand of a monkey. The gourd is then affixed to the ground of the place monkeys infest. Placed inside the gourd is usually a banana for the attraction of the monkey. The monkey then hops down the tree and aims to grab the banana. Expectedly, the monkey will foolishly hold on tight to the banana, his hand closed. With this, the monkey cannot take the banana out and will not leave his place of imprisonment. He will be there until he is made into a delectable barbecue. I will relate this presently.

Habeeb Okikiola, a.k.a. Portable, the weird head housing a huge cerebrum, proposed a thesis which I want us to examine together. In a viral video, Portable pleaded with the EFCC not to get him arrested. In the last three weeks or so, the EFCC has upped its proficiency in arresting those it labeled mutilators of the Nigerian currency. Last week, Pascal Okechukwu, famous socialite, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, got his full comeuppance. He was arrested by the EFCC and dragged before a Lagos Federal High Court which granted him a bail of N10 million.

Before then, in January, Nigerians were treated to the salacious broth prepared by Betta Edu. Edu is the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The 37-year old Edu had been enmeshed in allegations of fraud involving the sum of N585.189m. As we speak, Betta and her accomplices walk the streets free. There are strong allegations that the Edu you see is a butterfly, a mere façade covering a roiling colony of maggots in the Nigerian presidency. And that the EFCC’s dilemma in not replicating the clinical accuracy and Concorde-speed conviction it attained with Bobrisky in Edu, can be likened to a chemistry which the Yoruba forged between the shrub and the forest. It is their own simple law of gravity, their Archimedes Principle, if you like. So, they say, if you pull too hard on the shrub, it will pull the forest (Ti a ba fa gburu, gburu a fa’gbo). And trees will fall over trees.

A line from Sudanese novelist, Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North also interests me. Salih’s is a classic postcolonial Arabic novel published in 1966. The line is, "I am no Othello, Othello was a lie…I am a lie." The book revolves round a man called the “traveled man,” an African who just returned from schooling abroad in the 1950s. He came back to his Sudanese village of Wad Hamid, located on the Nile. He had just finished writing his doctoral thesis themed ‘the life of an obscure English poet.’ I found this ‘lie’ line the most profound of Salih’s conversations. What gave life to that conversation? When he arrived home, the unnamed narrator meets a villager named Musrafa Sa’eed, the main protagonist of the novel. Sa’eed is described as “a monstrous product of his time.” One drunken evening, the narrator encounters Sa’eed in his real self. So he asked him of his past. Sa’eed gave that curt reply of “I am a lie”.

“I am a lie” is almost synonymous with the life of a butterfly which my people call the “labalaba.” The butterfly is Janus, the double-faced god. When you think it is attempting to perch, that is when the poor fly is on the verge of taking off. In painting an ample picture of the ephemeral nature of the butterfly, my people conjured an incantation to explain its fleeting life. “Yio ba’le, yio ba’le ni labalaba fi nwo’gbo” they say. The life of labalaba is like a joke. A lie.

Like Sa’eed, Nigeria’s season of migration to the double life of a butterfly – the season of lies – seems to have come. Such seasons come and go like the ever changing colours of a chameleon and unfold like the rainbow. Beginning with the drama of power in Abuja last week which involved ex-Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello and the Nigerian state; the clowns in Ibadan who attempted to take over the Nigerian state; to the EFCC’s most recent tickling fancy in arresting “currency mutilators”, Nigeria has entered a full plumule of its season of migration to lies.

Last Friday in Ibadan, I sat beside former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Ibadan, Adigun Agbaje. It was at a reading and review session of Cyber Politics, a book authored by Omoniyi Ibietan, a man trying to cultivate a forest of a thousand – and one – grey hairs that could rival Wole Soyinka’s! And Agbaje propounded a thesis which seems to explain some of the labalaba stories that erupted in Nigeria in the last one week. He began by asserting that the politics of meaning is changing rapidly, not only in Nigeria but all over the world. In other words, the meanings we ascribe to political issues are fast changing their frontiers.

The politics of meaning was put in context by Michael Lerner in his 1997-published book, The Politics of Meaning: Restoring Hope and Possibility In An Age Of Cynicism. Lerner drew on ideas presented in the Bible, Jewish teachings, and his experience as a psychotherapist to examine the roots of discontent of many Americans about their political system. He also describes how values get lost in broken politics. Agbaje took on Max Weber’s classical definition of the state. The German sociologist had submitted, in what is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state, that the state alone has a monopoly of violence. In political science and sociology, the Weber definition of the state has influenced several theses of the state being the only one in possession of the right to authorize the use of physical force.

In what appears very elementary reading of Lerner and Werber, Portable, last week, explained the shifting sand of meaning and the power of the state. While begging EFCC not to arrest him, the weird musician had said that, “after God, na government; forgive me if you have videos of me spraying money.” The EFCC has over the years indeed shifted in meaning. Whenever he was to be vilified, opponents to the politics of Nigeria’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe, a.k.a. Zik, mocked him as having fallen from an Olympian height of Zik of Africa to Owelle of Onitsha. In 2003 when President Olusegun Obasanjo established the EFCC, criminal elements among the political class, like roaches at the sight of a hen, scampered for safety. The fate of the ones caught by the dragnet of the then no-smiling Nuhu Ribadu was akin to that of a man who carries a faggot laden with a thousand bees – “o ru’gi oyin!”. Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, became jelly when rounded up by Ribadu boys.

Ribadu’s adulterous romance with politicians can be explained. One by one, he unwittingly renounced all his lofty crime-fighting credentials. Today, Ribadu sits at table with same persons who dreaded his dragnet and takes orders from a man he almost hounded into jail. The lion is castrated and the sons of impala tug at the King of the Jungle’s naked “blokos”. From running after Yahoo Yahoo boys on university campuses, to pursuing social nuisances who defile the Naira, the EFCC’s season of shifting meaning, a migration to hubris, has come full throttle. I think the assignment given the anti-graft agency by the law is too monstrous for this fleeting role it casts for itself.

Gradually, the EFCC was struck by the nuke of a shifting politics of meaning. Ribadu himself became the proverbial fetus inside a cobra that kills the snake. I remember the saying that, the moment you thrust your hand forth for a handshake, your head will bow. Yoruba stretch this saying further, exploiting the alliteration in plantain – dodo – and truth, ododo – to say that the moment you eat the dodo, you can no longer be found in the comfort of ododo. Ribadu’s head became bowed the moment he coveted the sweet pancake in the hands of the political class. It was the case of the squirrel comfortably seated on a deathly trap to enjoy a dinner of banana that he loves so much. How was the squirrel to know that sweet things are most times expressway to death? Politicians seem to have discovered the EFCC's price-tag. So, Ribadu joined politics. The moment he did this, he literally got for himself a belt made of “yangan” – corns, which becomes his waistband. By so doing, the well-respected ex-cop became a fawning piece (alawada) for hens to play with. He also becomes the monkey that native Brazilians arrest with the Cumbuca.

Then came the melodrama starring ex-Governor Bello and the EFCC. Last week, after obtaining a court warrant for his arrest on the allegation of an N82 billion fraud, viral videos showed the commission’s futile efforts to arrest Bello at his Wuse Zone 4, Abuja home. The world watched the circus of our national shame. When Bello-installed incumbent governor of the state, Usman Ododo, made a serpentine sneak into his godfather’s Abuja house in his official convoy and allegedly whisked Bello away, the world was aghast. Rather than provoke laughter, the circus induced hot streams of tears. The EFCC has since declared the former governor wanted.

In the Kogi melodrama, you will find jutting out same 

labalaba story. It describes the politics of meaning and how that Weber definition of the modern state has suffered some shifts. With the helplessness that the EFCC showed in bringing Yahaya Bello to book, does the Nigerian state still possess the monopoly of violence? Where is the state? Where is the violence? What can explain an alleged felon outwitting the full complement of the arsenal of the state,? The only explanation I can readily find is in science. In human-animal relationship, (HAR) scientists found out that when you domesticate even a dreadful animal like the lion, a familiarity creeps in. Yahaya Bello must have fully understood this symbiosis between the political class and the anti-graft agency and was hell bent on exploiting it. So, he called on his lickspittle, Ododo, to come denigrate the power of violence of the Nigerian state. The EFCC looked on, helpless.

Now, a set of people who ex-Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, aptly described as high on cheap drugs, attempted to take over the Oyo State government last Saturday. It was another low layer in the confrontation against the Nigerian state. While Weber talked about the awesome omnipotence of the modern state, which Portable’s “after God, na government” statement corroborates, there is massive resistance against the state in Nigeria. It is almost useless in the lives of the people. It is perceived as aloof, unrepresentative, effete, distant and which only flexes its muscles against people at the lowest rung of the ladder. When it comes to exhibition of raw brunt, the Nigerian state is in a hyper mode.

Take for instance, the Gestapo-like arrest and detention for 14 days of FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji. He was clamped in a dark-tunnel military detention reminiscent of Frank Omenka’s Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) during the Sani Abacha years. In a supposed democratic government! Omenka was Abacha’s Director of Military Intelligence who inflicted gruesome mental and physical torture on journalists and pro-democracy activists. Olatunji claimed his arrest was in connection with a story written by his medium on alleged shady deals in the Tinubu presidency. He also alleged that his detention was at the behest of Tinubu’s mis-chief of serfs. As we speak, the government of a Tinubu who came to the democratic platform due to his recognition as fighter for the rights of the people, has said nothing about Olatunji’s detention.

People tend to locate the silence from the Villa in that profound allegory of obligations put together by the Yoruba. You can liken it to what lawyers call the responsibilities of the delegatee, delegator and the obligor. Yoruba tell it as an allegory. There was once an assembly of some poisonous and powerful reptiles. The cobra – Oka – was cooking the broth for all to eat; the python (Ojola) was washing the dishes where the food would be served. When Scorpion, the Akeeke, was sent on an errand and he began to worry that he could be stung by a poisonous animal on the road, Yoruba wonder whether a shield greater than the python and cobra exists anywhere for the scorpion. (“Oka nda’na, Ere nfo awo; won ni ki akeeke lo ra nkan wa l’oja, o ni kinikan a ta ohun”). Who dare lights a lamp to look the face of a leopard? In law, it is represented as three parties who are concerned with an act. The three of them form a whole. It can be likened to the impression out here that, in this Omenka-lization of the Nigerian presidency, the mis-chief of serfs apparently has the full backing of the lord of the Villa.

Postscript: Last week, a close ally of Olabode George called to make representations on my piece, The Lagos Boy’s coastal highway. He stated as follows: George was Military Governor of Ondo State for four years and not the two years I stated. Yes, an African Concord magazine report accused his regime of presenting refurbished canoes as new but it was part of a gang-up against George by those who couldn’t stand him. MKO Abiola’s personal intervention halted actions George was prepared to take against the magazine. The slap story between Mrs. George and the then Ondo State Permanent Secretary never took place. It was part of undying concoctions to disparage the Georges. Mrs. Feyi George was an urbane character, from a very respected family, who helped the cause of women as First Lady. She was responsible for bringing women into the military cabinet of Bode George. She was far from being the arrogant and garrulous character painted in recordings of her time as Ondo’s First Lady, said the George ally.

Tolu: The Nigerian who won a game of greed

When a few Nigerians bring disrepute the way of Nigeria abroad, some others uplift it. Tolu, daughter of Grace and Gbenga Ekundare, is in the latter category. Born in 1996, Tolu is an American celebrity in the entertainment industry accorded for her brain and passion. She was one of the cast of Netflix’s The Trust: A game of greed. In this game, total strangers to one another are handed $250k to divide among themselves. Miss Ekundare, Houston-based model and marketing manager, whose father hails from Ilesa in Osun State, strategized in that reality competition to take out the first player. While doing this, she exhibited the consistency that is the hallmark of a Nigerian and left the show as one of the five winners, going home with the sum of $73,600 as winner of the second-largest prize out of the group.

When the Nigerian Channels television interviewed Ekundare a few months back, she evidenced a spirit that borders cannot limit. The reality show didn’t go without her encountering that undying ghost of race in America. She confronted a huge pall of tokenization and racism which every Black person doing the exemplary encounters in America. A memorable scene in the show exemplifies what she went through. It was a tear-provoking conversation between Jake and Ekundare. Perhaps egged on by the Osomaalo spirit of industry and resistance that is said to be genetically woven into the constitution of every Ijesa, she did not hide how uncomfortable she was at being typecast as the “African queen sister” of the house.

“I think I did amazing, especially considering how even with the whole house gone, I clawed my way out of the corner,” Ekundare told a magazine, Vulture. “I think my gameplay was on point. It was just who I was aligned with that was the issue.” Asked about the financials of the win, Ekundare said, “I can’t speak for everyone else, but the premise was so crystal clear to me, Winnie, and Julie. Mind you, $250,000 … if it was one person, that’s life-changing amounts of money. But divided by 11, pre-tax, we are at $22,000 [each], and then Uncle Sam is going to take his cut. I can’t even buy me a little Toyota Corolla with that.”

Congratulations to Tolu, daughter of my childhood friend, Gbenga, with whom, in the company of our late friend, Adeyoju Peter Aiku, I walked the length and breadth of Ilesa, Osun State in the late 1980s and 1990s.

The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men ~ Joel 1:12.

Introduction

Real life experiences show that one’s attitude to life is  paramount to his/her accomplishments on earth. This is so because the way we think will, by and large, determine the way we perform.

Your attitude defines your general outlook: how you see things around you, how you feel about what you experience, how you deal with the situations you face, and what you think about life in general.

A positive attitude of gratitude, thankfulness, optimism and joy in the Holy Ghost works like a magnet in attracting supernatural help to you, and positioning you to experience the wholeness you are frantically looking for, regardless of the situation you presently find yourself.

I am aware that you may not always be able to instantly control all the issues around you, but you can receive grace to control your attitude while they last and give thanks to God in everything.

What Is Gratitude?

From the perspective of men’s mental health, a popular  magazine, “MensLine Australia”, recently made the following basic observations on this subject, saying:

“Gratitude is pausing to notice and appreciate the things that we often take for granted, like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends and family. It's taking a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are. Being grateful for all that we have in life is one of the keys to true happiness”.

Gratitude is an attitude in acknowledgement of a benefit that you have received from God, or hope to receive by faith. It is a deliberate and sincere appreciation for the blessings or help we have received or will receive from the Lord.

No doubt, the El-Shaddai God is the Selfless Giver of all good things, and our gratitude is an acknowledgement of this divine generosity (James 1:17). A clear understanding of this should shape our thoughts and actions at all times.

Gratitude is a basic Christian attitude and an essential part of true worship. It is at the heart of the gospel; Christians are therefore strongly encouraged to constantly express gratitude to God as their Creator and Redeemer.

We must acknowledge Him for Who He is, and for all He does for us, especially in Christ Jesus. You cannot truly or spiritually worship the God, whose peculiar goodness or matchless assistance you don’t acknowledge to start with.

Gratitude is a powerful force that opens the door to God’s greater blessings of grace, favour and supernatural empowerment. It should be a part of our everyday lives.

Constant gratitude also showcases real humility. When you walk with the spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving, you cannot walk with arrogance, self-conceit and egotism at the same time.

Understanding The Mystery of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is always good and highly commendable (Psalm 92:1). More so, giving thanks to God is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus (1Thessalonians 5:18).

Irrespective of our circumstances, class or social standing, we must recognize that God is pleased to demand of us to give Him thanks in all situations. “In everything give thanks” is a clear command from God, not a piece of advice or a suggestion.

Please understand that God has no special relish for praise singing, neither does He savour, enjoy or take undue pleasure in the praises of men. But, being our Creator, He certainly knows best what is crucial to our total wellbeing (Proverbs 17:22).

He knows that the grateful heart is akin to godliness. The command to be grateful and thankful to God is like His command for us to be holy, godly, spiritual and genuine in our walk with Him, to activate His supernatural provisions in our lives.

You can never give thanks to God in error, and your thanksgiving can never be too much. Gratitude supernaturally takes you into higher altitude, and establishes you in supernatural platitudes in life. The more you give thanks to God, the more of His glory you access and the better your destiny becomes.

We Must Embrace a Lifestyle of Constant Gratitude

As mentioned earlier, we are unequivocally and expressly commanded to “give thanks unto the Lord” (1Chronicles 16:34). Why? The command came with the answer: “for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever”!

No matter what may be happening in the world around you, you can always find something good to thank God for. Please, search out and think deeply about that (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Moreover, constant gratitude proves your faith in God. Not only should you thank Him for what He has done in the past, including the gift of eternal life, you should also thank Him for what He will do in the future. And, it’s that kind of faith that pleases God.

Again, the attribute of gratitude makes whole. The ten lepers were cleansed by Jesus, but it was the only one that returned with thanksgiving that was made whole (Luke 17:11-19). Obedience may attract the power of God, but it’s our grateful hearts that attract wholesome interventions.

Whatever we duly thank God for is what He protects, prospers and multiplies. Jesus gave thanks for seven loaves of bread and small pieces of fish. Thereafter, He comfortably fed a great multitude of hungry people, and they still had several baskets full of leftovers (Mark 8:1-9).

He also gave thanks for His privileged access and powers with God in prayers, and none of His prayers ever lacked potent answers (John 11:41-42).

Yes indeed, God vigorously intervenes in the affairs of those who demonstrate the attribute of gratitude: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalms 22:3).

Friends, as you choose the attitude of constant gratitude, you’ll experience His mercy and loving-kindness in greater ways. You’ll also be filled with His peace, joy and such other benefits of abundant life He has prepared for you!

Please always keep in mind that ingratitude comes with immense dangers. It is the reason behind the sorrow and dryness of many people. Everything around them is dried up, having been cut off from the Source (Joel 1:12).

Most times, God wants to step into our situations, but it is our attitudes of gratitude and thanksgiving that will create that necessary atmosphere for His intervention. Besides, whatever is done grudgingly attracts no return because it is totally unacceptable to God.

Be ever grateful and thankful, cheerfully. Don't wait any longer; start thanking God for His goodness and mercies, right now! Start praising the Lord with great joy in the Holy Ghost.

Soon and very soon, the outstretched arms of the Almighty God will appear for you in all dimensions of your destiny. You won’t miss it, and you shall not fail, 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

In 1996, God gave me a prophecy in a dream. I had a video shop in Victoria Island, Lagos, and I was flipping through the account book. Suddenly, I opened a page and discovered it was recorded that my shop made N23,000 on a certain day. Then I woke up.

I was excited. The maximum the shop had made in a day since I opened it in 1993 was N7,000. But now God showed me it would make N23,000.

God says in Isaiah: “Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” (Isaiah 46:11).

So, I knew that: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but (God’s) words will by no means pass away.” (Matthew 24:35). Therefore, I decided to run with this prophecy. I poured resources into the shop. Where I used to put 10 copies of a video, I put 50.

Some clients warned me that I was wasting money. But I refused to listen. Theirs was the voice of a stranger. (John 10:5). I so ran with this prophecy that God spoke to me again about it. He said: “Femi, because you believe the word I gave you, I will tell you when My prophecy will be fulfilled. It will come to pass on 29 December 1996.

 This propelled me to an even greater level of determination. But something baffling happened. On 29 December 1996, my Victoria Island shop did not earn N23,000, according to God’s prophetic word. Instead, it earned N29,000.

 I took the matter to the Lord and sought His clarification. “I am not complaining, but You said N23,000 and it was not N23,000. Instead, it was N29,000. How come?”

The Lord’s reply took me to another level of faith. He said to me: “Femi, you exceeded the prophecy!”

Exceeding Prophecies

A year later, in 1997 God gave me another prophecy. I rented a house in Victoria Island as the headquarters of the ministry He gave me. But then He told me that He had given me the rented house.  

I decided to act immediately as if I already owned the house. I spent over N6 million renovating it to my taste. When it was time to renew the rent after two years, the landlady sent her lawyer to me. She told me the landlady said she wants to sell the house, and she specifically wants to sell it to me.

I agreed to buy the house at the ridiculous price of N26 million. The landlady even agreed that I should pay for the house in instalments over two years. But after two years, I still had not finished paying for the house. N10 million was still outstanding.

So, I borrowed N10 million from First Bank to pay off the landlady. The papers for the house were then given to First Bank pending my redemption of the loan. I paid the loan down to N5 million, fell on hard times, and it grew back to N10 million with penalties.

Then God appeared to me in a dream and promised to send me the money. Within eight days, I received N11 million in unsolicited gifts. I paid off my N10 million outstanding loan for an agreed N8 million and the house became mine.

That house that I bought for a song at the agreed price of N26 million in 1999 is now worth over N1 billion in 2024. That is the amazing grace of God

Nouveau Schools

Some years later, God gave me another prophecy. He showed me a group of children from different countries running around in front of the building He gave me. I did not exactly understand what this meant. I assumed it meant I would have an international ministry somewhere in Europe. But then, the children were running around in front of the building in Lagos.

Some 10 years later, two Indian women came to see me. They said there was a 35-year-old international school fifteen minutes’ walk from mine. (It was rather hidden, so I was totally oblivious to this). The owner was retiring and going back to England. Would I be interested in inheriting her school free of charge?

That is how God gave me an international school. I came to work one day and saw some 60 children from different parts of the world running around in front of the building God gave me. It blew my mind.

Thus fulfilled one of the promises of God to give His people: “(A) land with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant.” (Deuteronomy 6:10-11).

But the question remains. Why does God keep giving me these prophecies which I am then required to run with to their fulfilment?  

He says to Habakkuk: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

Messianic Prophecies

The answer to my question comes through the study of Jesus.

The entirety of the Old Testament is a collection of prophecies about Jesus. Indeed: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10). When Jesus finally arrived on the scene He was determined that every single prophecy about Him must be fulfilled.

When He rose from the dead, He reminded His disciples: “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And He said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.” (Luke 24:44-46).

Jesus was so determined that the prophecy of His death and resurrection must be fulfilled that when Peter tried to dissuade Him from the cross, out of the misguided kindness of his heart, Jesus shut him up in the most extreme manner:

“Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” (Matthew 16:21-23).

Jesus was so determined that the prophecy of His crucifixion be fulfilled, that He even encouraged Judas to go ahead and betray Him without delay. He knew Judas planned to betray Him to the Jewish authorities and He said to Him: “”Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” (John 13:27).

Immediately, Judas got up, and went out to betray Jesus.

We can see, therefore, that it made no difference if the prophecy was good or bad, if it was about Jesus then Jesus was committed to its fulfilment.

Thus, Isaiah prophesied about Jesus the Messiah:

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6).

On His resurrection, Jesus berated His disciples who refused to believe this prophecy. He said to the two He appeared to on the way to Emmaus: “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:25-26).

Prophecy About Believers

In this way, I discovered that God was giving me prophecies and fulfilling them so that, like Jesus, I would be committed to their fulfilment. But the lesson was so much bigger than my puny businesses, my school, and my finances. It was intended that I should be conformed to the image of Jesus,

It was because God had predestined His elect to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29-30).

So, what are some of those prophecies about believers that we must be determined should be fulfilled?

Here is perhaps one of the most important ones. God says the time is coming and now is when the children of God will not be able to commit any sin whatsoever: “(God) will subdue our iniquities. He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19).

The prophets say the time is coming when God will rain righteousness on us. (Hosea 10:12). So much so that we will not only not want to sin, but will even discover that we cannot sin: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9).

Should we believe this prophecy? Yes, of course! But if we believe, what should we do about it? How should we show our commitment to its fulfilment?

James says: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:18/20).

John even poses the challenge more succinctly: “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3).

If we do not keep ourselves pure, that is eloquent testimony that the prophecies about God’s sanctification of His saints do not apply to us. Those who believe must be determined, like Jesus, that everything written about us in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, the Psalms, and the New Testament must be fulfilled in us. TO BE CONTINUED.

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

In a world increasingly powered by machines and artificial intelligence, our human qualities have never been so crucial. Good and trustworthy leadership has become more important than ever before. Even the best-engineered technology and honed strategy will fail without good leadership to guide and inspire people. Leaders drive projects, and people deliver results.

International performance coach and public speaker Alvin Govender sees leadership as the missing piece when tackling the crisis and opportunities around us.

"Leadership is not a person. It's a system that supports values, creates continuity, and encourages trust in leaders and also the people next to us. Leadership is about direction and results, but in the modern era, it's also about empathy and emotional intelligence. When we can use machines to do most of the work for us, what is the value of a human being? It's in their understanding and perspective, and it's a skillset that everyone can develop."

Leadership grounded in research and experience

Govender's career focuses on bringing the best out of people and organisations. For over twenty years, he has engaged audiences as a professional speaker, and since 2013, he has worked with enterprises to help boost their performance. During that journey, he encountered the good and bad of development strategies.

"It's easy to go onto a stage, talk about what a nice car I own, and give the audience some feel-good advice. But does that lead to lasting change? No, it doesn't. And then you step into a boardroom where executives don't tolerate nonsense. They want facts and data. How do I know what I say is true and works? This helped me realise that productive change needs several ingredients. It needs to be relevant and grounded in real-world case studies and observations. You must show and tell, and start by understanding what the company and its leadership want to achieve."

The digital era emphasises our need for human connection and intuition, and the post-COVID era doubled down on opportunities and problems. It's terrific that we use technology more comfortably to achieve extraordinary results. But there is also a greater urgency to address mental health issues, exhaustion, nihilism, and the quest for purpose.

These elements don't magically arrive from a single philosophy, self-help books, or a boisterous conference presentation. They require a system of leadership that understands how people's needs interconnect with their abilities. Authentic modern leadership embraces the complex modern world but doesn't take it for granted. The best leaders understand that tomorrow's success depends on balancing business and human needs today.

"We have become fixated with the cult of personality, that one person has extraordinary leadership gifts and we need that one person to guide us into the future. This mindset permeates across our businesses and governments. However, my experience working with top leaders and corporates around the world showed me the opposite is true. You get great leaders, but true leadership is a system of values and goals. It's something we all participate in and can take with us, and it's how we ensure stability, resilience, and continuity in a fast-moving era."

Building leadership for the digital era

Govender's career as a performance coach and speaker focuses on helping his clients create that system. By combining real-world examples, research findings, and case studies with his robust presentations and sly sense of humour, Governder has helped organisations in South Africa and across the globe to enhance the quality of their leadership, boost performance, and address staff morale, mental health, and participation. 

His clientele across various sectors, from insurance and banking to mining, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical, have gained from his knowledge and perspective. Leadership is a universal concept, so Govender works to bring his ideas and strategies to as many organisations as possible, from executives to graduates.

"What is it that makes us humans effective? It's our emotional intelligence, intuition, and esprit de corps—our power as a group. I firmly believe that many of our crises result from a leadership crisis. How do we change the picture? Answering that for my clients is my goal, and I get results because I focus on what the client wants. They know their business, and I know how they can get where they need to be by focusing on those qualities that make us uniquely human."

Whether he speaks at conferences, leads employee workshops, engages with graduates, or steps into the gauntlet of executive meetings and boardrooms, for over 20 years, Alvin Govender's passion for leadership as a system has helped dozens of organisations boost their performance and helped their people grow. What can he do for your business and people?

** Alvin Govender is an international performance coach, inspirational speaker, and facilitator.

Inc

Nigeria is poised to descend to the fourth position among Africa's largest economies in 2024, a stark contrast to its long-held status as the continent's largest economy since the GDP rebasing in 2013. According to forecasts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for April 2024, Nigeria's GDP is projected to amount to $253 billion, primarily attributed to the devaluation of the Naira.

The IMF predicts that South Africa will reclaim its position as Africa's largest economy, boasting a GDP of $373 billion, followed closely by Egypt with $348 billion and Algeria with $267 billion. This projection marks a significant shift from previous years, highlighting the evolving economic landscape within the region.

In 2023, it was anticipated that South Africa would surpass Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, a forecast that has materialized according to the IMF's latest estimates.

Nigeria's GDP in US Dollars has seen a notable decline from $477 billion in 2022 to $375 billion in 2023, and is further expected to drop to $253 billion in 2024. However, in Naira terms, Nigeria's GDP has shown improvement, reaching N234.4 trillion in 2023 and projected to hit N296.4 trillion in 2024.

The devaluation of the Naira, coupled with economic reforms in Egypt and minor fluctuations in South Africa's Rand, underpin these shifts in economic rankings. Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the official exchange rate of the Naira has depreciated by over 55%, exerting a substantial impact on the country's GDP computation.

Similarly, economic reforms in Egypt have led to a rapid decline in the value of the Egyptian Pound, while South Africa has experienced comparatively marginal currency fluctuations.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total of N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024.

According to a statement by Mohammed Manga, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Finance, the allocation was derived from a gross total of N1.867 trillion.

This allocation breakdown includes N345.890 billion for the Federal Government, N398.689 billion for states, and N288.688 billion for local governments. Oil-producing states received N90.224 billion as part of the 13% mineral revenue derivation.

The statement also highlighted a notable increase in the gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) for March 2024, amounting to N549.698 billion. This represents a significant rise of N89.210 billion compared to the previous month, reflecting the country's economic growth and improved tax compliance.

However, despite the positive trend in VAT revenue, the Gross Statutory Revenue for March was N1.017 trillion, which is lower than February's figure of N1.192 trillion by N175.212 billion. This decrease has been attributed to reductions in excise duty, oil royalty, petroleum profit tax, customs external tariff levies, and electronic money transfer levy.

Meanwhile, the balance in the Excess Crude Account as of April 2024 was $473,754.57.

Nigeria plans to acquire 24 fighter jets from Italy's Leonardo to modernize its fleet and bolster its air force, air force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said on Friday.

The aircraft will arrive the country in four batches of six jets each, the air force said. Africa's most populous nation will receive the first six M-346 fighter aircraft before the end of the year, Gabkwet said in a statement.

The news followed a visit by Claudio Sabatino, Leonardo vice president, to Nigeria's air force chief in Abuja on Wednesday.

Leonardo will provide a minimum of 25 years maintenance support, the air force statement said.

Nigeria is trying to boost its ability to combat insurgency especially in the northeast of the country where Boko Haram militants and the Islamic State regional affiliate is active. Also kidnapping and banditry is rife across the country.

Reuters