This past Monday, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, held the fèèrè (flute) and blew it admirably. However, bystanders listening to the rhythm of his flute didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. Moyo Okediji, Assistant Professor of Art at the Wellesley College, Massachusetts, in his “Art of the Yoruba” Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies, (Vol. 23, No. 2) described the flute held by Shettima as a symbol of the trickster god Esu, also known as the divinity of the crossroads. According to Okediji, Esu was so powerful that he could help or hinder the craft and life of man. The fere was so influential in traditional Africa that it was equally a symbol of royal might. If you went to the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo during the reign of late Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, as you approached the palace court, traditional flutists demonstrated their craft in magnificent candour. As they blew the flute, their eyes popped out like an ostrich’s, cheeks inflated like the rotund belly of a toad.

It is the same with drums. Apart from the rhythm they provide, drums are communicative instruments. So, while blowing the flute and beating drums, the crafters are engaged in the powerful medium of communication. Oba Adeyemi once told me that, shortly after the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, was enthroned, he, Alaafin was with the Ooni at an event in Ile-Ife. Palace drummers, continuing the decades-long tiff between Oba Adeyemi and Ogunwusi’s predecessor, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, suddenly changed the tone of their drumming. They then began to drum out abusive messages to Alaafin with each descent of their sticks on the drum. Being ardent in the mastery of language of drums, 

Alaafin told me he immediately called the attention of Oba Ogunwusi to it. Ooni was apparently unschooled in drum language, and couldn’t penetrate the rain of expletives. “Kìlò fún awon onílù re” – warn your drummers – he told me he said to the Ooni to cease the tirades or he would storm out of the occasion.

The art and craft of flutists however arrest the attention of the audience who marvel at the beauty oozing out of their mouth. So, if a flutist is unfortunate to suffer from goiter, what the Yoruba call gègè, at the time he is blowing it, it will be double jeopardy for him. Goiter is an irregular growth at the thyroid gland which, as a result of its enlargement, makes its sufferer present with a big swelling on the neck. So, Yoruba say, the King who employed Onígègé– goiter patient – as a flutist will have a large audience of scorners watching his craft. In which case, the object to watch by the audience will be two – the flutist’s enlarged neck and the rhythm that comes out of the flute.

British-born Nigerian UK Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Adegoke, otherwise known as Kemi Badenoch, has been in the eye of the storm for her unflattering comments about Nigeria. Kemi became British as a result of her birth in 1980 at St. Teresa’s Private Hospital in London. Her professor of physiology mother, who taught at the University of Lagos and in America, had brought her pregnancy for birth in the UK on January 2 of that year before the British Nationality Act 1981 abolished the automatic birthright citizenship in England. She got married to Hamish, British banker. Since her climb up the ladder of British politics, Kemi has regaled Britons with the “very tough upbringing” she had in Nigeria, especially how it was enveloped by fear and insecurity. She had said, “This is my country. I don’t want it to become like the place I ran away from. I grew up in Nigeria, and I saw firsthand what happens when politicians are in it for themselves, when they use public money as their private piggy banks, when they pollute the whole political atmosphere with their failure to serve others… I saw poverty and broken dreams. I came to Britain to make my way in a country where hard work and honest endeavour can take you anywhere. I grew up in a place where fear was everywhere. You cannot understand it unless you’ve lived it. Triple-checking that all the doors and windows are locked, waking up in the night at every sound, listening as you hear your neighbours scream as they are being burgled and beaten, wondering if your home would be the next.” Apart from insecurity, Badenoch has consistently described Nigeria as a country plagued by corruption. Her family was said to have resided in the harsh middle-class nieghbourhood of Surulere in Lagos, while she schooled at the Lagos International School.

But, like an obstinate or deaf King’s flutist afflicted with onígègé,Shettima didn’t care about the embarrassing swelling on his neck. In the process, both his message and the affliction on his neck became a laughing stock for the global audience. During a speech on migration in Abuja last week, Shettima was quoted to have said that the Bola Tinubu government was "proud" of Badenoch, "in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin." However, Shettima said, "She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the ‘Kemi’ from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria." Continuing, the VP contrasted Badenoch's unpatriotic treatment of her country of birth to that of Rishi Sunak, her predecessor, who became UK's first Prime Minister of Indian heritage and noted that, Sunak was that “brilliant young man" who "never denigrated his nation of ancestry".

Badenoch’s office did not allow the melody from the “Onígègéonifere” – the flutist with goiter – to subside. It responded accordingly."She (Badenoch) is the leader of the opposition and she is very proud of her leadership of the opposition in this country," her spokesman told reporters. "She tells the truth. She tells it like it is. She is not going to couch her words.” 

What we should ask Shettima and people of his persuasion is, was Badenoch wrong because she is Nigerian-born or she was wrong by the certitude or otherwise of her claim? We must get his beef right. In other words, is Badenoch’s reminiscing a painful recount and frustration with the stagnation of her country of birth, or a mere demonization? Why didn’t she say this about Ghana? It is simply because she has no affinity with the Kwame Nkrumah country. Why would Badenoch take pleasure in the destruction of her fatherland? Let us even agree that those snide comments were meant to demonize; are the comments true about Nigeria? If they are true, should they be glossed over or spoken of, peradventure, the runners of Nigeria, who can be typecast as in the same trove with the Ifeoma Okoye novel’s title, Men Without Ears, (1984) can turn a new leaf?

The only issue I have with Kemi is her excessive patronizing of the British. While she may be British, she is not English. People have cited John Fashanu, the British footballer’s travails in the hands of the British press when he landed in trouble. It reminds me of Ilorin Dadakuada music exponent, Odolaye Aremu, who sang about the “Adìye òpìpí”, a rare species of featherless hen which looks like the hawk. It came into the world with scant feathers. In a moment when the Opipi hen forgot herself and identity, she thought herself to be hawk, until she was torn into pieces by this carnivorous bird.

Today, there are two schools of thought on the travails Nigeria is grappling with. None of them can be considered less patriotic than the other. While one believes in the methodology of alarm for redemption and shaming the devil, the other subscribes to the tactic of domesticating the rot (k’á se egbò l’égbò ilé). In other words, whilst both agree that there is a cancerous sore on the leg of Nigeria, one believes finding remedy should be domesticated, while the other says remedy should be escalated to the whole world. At the intersection where they both meet, however, there is an agreement that their country is the proverbial sickly child. Should its condition be broadcast so that intervention could come, perhaps off-coast or, the condition be lidded, in which case, it could worsen and the child dies?

Whether you are a Nigerian living in Nigeria, outside its shores, a friend of Nigeria or observant of Nigeria from afar, the truth is that Nigeria isn’t really a good story. Tomes of publications have been reeled out about our country’s journey into its present stasis. Political scientists, historians and anthropologists have struggled to locate the gene of destruction inside the pod of Nigeria that is responsible for its poor harvest. One of the most apt capturing of the Nigerian situation was given by foremost political scientist, Eghosa Osaghae who, as title of his book, called it a Crippled Giant. Whenever I remember Osaghae’s descriptive book title, I remember a line in the song of Ayinla Omowura, Yoruba Apala music songster. He sang, “ijó ńbe nínú aro, esè ni ò jé,” meaning that dance is innate within the bones of the crippled but they are disenabled by wobbly feet. Very many attempts to explain Nigeria have failed. Nigeria takes one step forward, ten steps backwards.

Let us even confine ourselves to the period between 1999 and now. For decades before military handover of power, Nigerians wasted blood, flesh, resources and hope believing that once the “enemy” – the military – retired into the barracks, an end had come to the underdevelopment of their country. However, 25 years down the ladder, we have lived ruinous years. The period is comparable to an attack by termites. Their comparison with termites here is instructive. Termites, over the centuries, are one of the greatest enemies of man. Wherever they strike, their presence is concealed and undetected, until they have visited the most rapacious and severest damage on timbers and woods necessary for man’s use. As the devastation goes on, while man sees a normal thin exterior layer of wood, at discovery, it is almost always too late to reverse the colossal ruins.

So, let us do a breakdown of Badenoch’s allegations. Is Nigeria broken? I recently saw a book entitled Leaders Eat Last written by Simon Sinek. It contains nuggets on how leaders, who are the highest ranking officers, should “be the last to fix their plate at mealtime in order to ensure the people in their command were fed and catered for.”  Is that what Nigerian leaders/politicians do as compared to other saner climes? Do our presidents, ministers, governors, legislators and their allies, since 1999, as alleged by Kemi, turn public money into private piggy bank? Is an Accountant General of the Federation on trial for stealing N109 billion? Did a public servant build 753 duplexes in Abuja? Do we know what job Bola Tinubu has done between 1999 and now that makes him one of the richest Nigerians alive? Is our judiciary corrupt, fantastically corrupt, a la David Cameron? Have Nigerian leaders failed in the last 25 years? Is our country plagued by corruption? Isn’t the Nigerian school so badly run that students carry chairs to school? Should Britain be a dormitory for residue of the failure of Nigerian leaders? Is everything broken in Nigeria?

It will be difficult not to answer the above posers made by Kemi in the affirmative. Only recently, David Adeleke, a.k.a. Davido, the singing sensation, courted the ire of those who are too blind to see the Nigerian situation. He, too, had thrown mud (ògúlùtu) at runners of Nigeria from far away in the United States. The Tinubu government is all movement and no motion, what in street parlance is called “efisi”. While Sinek tells us that leaders eat last, Tinubu and his minions are growing rotund cheeks while this Christmas, Nigerians face the most barren festivity ever. The ruining gang has almost finished the food on the dining table while even crumbs are not left for the ordinary people.

Whilst this column was going to bed, Badenoch’s reply to Shettima’s tirade and her late father, Femi Adegoke’s interview with the BBC Yoruba, surfaced on the social media. Kemi had been quoted to have said, “I am Yoruba: I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is.” If you listened to the elderly Adegoke’s interview, you will understand why Kemi’s bluntness and boldness are an inherited gene. In the interview, apparently conducted before 2022, the year of Adegoke’s passage, he said anyone who saw Tinubu becoming Nigeria’s president with the hope that he would right wrongs against the Yoruba, needed their head examined. In very sharp, deep Yoruba, Adegoke said the idea behind Tinubu’s “Yoruba” presidency was “òrò òpònú gbáà, tí kò m’ógbón wá” – it is a brainless argument. He based this on Tinubu’s silence as his kin were kidnapped and murdered by Fulani herdsmen whilst he mouthed the shibboleth of “gedegbe l’Èkó wà” – Lagos is non-aligned – all because of Lagos’ wealth. Adegoke believed that the 1999 constitution must be abolished if Nigeria wants to make any progress.

Again, Kemi, Adegoke’s daughter, has come under visceral attacks for her latest remarks. As usual, that comment is perceived on the social media from an ethnic filter. Igbo compare her with the novelist, Chimamanda Adichie and Hausa/Fulani see her comment as the usual superiority complex of the Yoruba. An examination of it will show that every word Kemi uttered was in line with her avant-garde opposition role in the British parliament and reflects her usual down-to-earth-ness. Is Kemi Yoruba as she claimed? Very correct! Does she have anything in common with any other part of Nigeria? Certainly, not! Should she have? Yes. Today, many Yoruba, rightly or wrongly, believe that “the Gambari” is the axis of evil in Nigeria. Kemi belongs to that persuasion. Is the North the epicenter of many of Nigeria’s current challenges, including Boko Haram and out-of-school children, the latter which gave birth to the former and the former which manifested from the Vice President’s home state, Borno State in 1999, especially under Shettima’s leader, Ali Modu Sheriff? Yes. Nigeria spends a considerable part of her budget fighting insecurity, almost 80 per cent of which is located in the north. So, should Kemi have couched her words so as to patronize the rulers of Nigeria? Certainly, not! If she did, she would not be an Adegoke’s daughter, the man whose friends nicknamed “Fariga” – disputation.

It is obvious that Shettima is the orange which attracted bystanders to pummel its mother, the orange tree, with stones and woods (omo osàn tíí kó póńpó bá ìyá è). He is also the King who employed the services of a flutist afflicted with goiter to sing his praise. The lesson therein is that challenged flutists should not blow the flute. Shettima’s Nigeria is the flutist’s goiter that attracts mockery of the world. Let Shettima and his boss remove the goiter from Nigeria’s neck by doing right with the power given them.

To Kemi and her deification of the British system: Since she affirmed she is Yoruba, I enjoin her to listen to the counsel of her people to the “Adìye òpìpí”. Because she has no feathers which help hens to fertilize their eggs, keeping such eggs warm and thereby producing offspring, Yoruba warn the Adìye òpìpí to lay controllable eggs which her scant feathers can fertilize. This is to enable her be a mother like other hens. I hope Kemi understands this wisdom of her forefathers?

For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end ~ Jeremiah 29:10-11.

Introduction

Of a truth, God is always present with us. Albeit, there are spectacular times of supernatural visitation when God formally stops over and spends time with His people purposely to grant them heightened manifestations of His love and power.

Divine visitation describes that sweet experience of supernatural appearance, which effectively culminates in our individual manifestations and accomplishments. It’s the unfailing answer to every form of trouble, frustration and cruel famine (Ruth 1:1-6). Certainly, God does not step into any situation unannounced!

Whenever God shows up, He terminates satanic activities in the lives of His people, especially in situations that have been long standing and have defied all human solutions. When He formally steps in, He provokes for us heaven-on-earth experiences.

When He paid Solomon a formal visit, Solomon became blessed with an unusual wisdom, a long-life of peace, and staggering wealth of an unprecedented magnitude (1 Kings 3:5-13).

Concisely, divine visitation always puts broad smiles on the faces of the visited. God’s visitation doesn’t leave any man on the spot where He meets him. As He visits you this season, may He leave behind in His wake testimonies of loud accomplishments in your life, in Jesus name.

God could visit you no matter the situation (Matthew 8:6). He could visit you no matter who failed in that case before now (Mark 9:17-27). He could even visit you no matter how late it appears. If you doubt this, please ask from Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha (John 11:1-44).

Indeed, when God steps into any situation, no matter how difficult it is, His glory turns it around, and His mighty wonders become inevitable. Even bitter tears are wiped away by the Dayspring from on high (Luke 7:11-16).

For the avoidance of ambiguity, I must emphasize that all “divine visitations” are supernatural events, but not all “supernatural visitations” are divine in origin. Therefore, for our lasting joy, peace and spiritual sanity, we must strictly, solely and wholly follow the Lord and the course of His visitation.

Two Kinds of Divine Visitation

The path to fulfillment of destiny on earth is littered with desperate traitors and wicked predators. Albeit, our Father-God still wishes that we finish strong in the race of life, and accomplish our goals very graciously. Hence, He always chooses to visit us for good, in Christ Jesus.

Whenever God visits His people for good, He releases fresh glory upon them and brings them fitting miracles in order to preserve their dignity, restore their dominion and redeem their honour (Job 10:12; Luke 1:68).

He stepped into Egypt with signs and wonders and mighty acts, and He brought Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:16-17). He visited Abraham, and his wife, Sarah, gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 21:1-3)! When He visited Hannah, she conceived, and gave birth to three sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).

However, in the days of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Moses spoke thus: “If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me” (Numbers 16:29). Very clearly, Moses was referring to two different kinds of visitation: the visitation for preservation, and the visitation for vengeance.

Understanding The Vengeance of God

Whenever God visits His people for good, He simultaneously visits and handicaps their stubborn enemies with His vengeance (Hebrews 10:30). This is to ensure that His covenant children stay out of the reach of evil (Job 5:19).

The truth is, God doesn’t spare His enemies that reject His mercy. He doesn’t hesitate to pour out His vial of vengeance and wrath upon them, but, He readily avenges His covenant children to save them from troubles (Jeremiah 8:12; 10:15).

God’s vengeance is always swift as lightning and deadly sure, to vindicate His covenant people (Isaiah 26:13-14; 29:5-7). For instance, the rebellious three — Korah, Dathan, and Abiram — were  summarily buried alive with their entire households.

Now, the Lord’s “vengeance” must be understood in light of His full character, including His essence of justice. God would violate His own character if He overlooked wickedness, and didn’t bring it to justice: “They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish” (Jeremiah 10:15).

Yes, human beings always frown at the idea of God’s vengeance; even then, none that breaks the “hedge” can escape it, except by God’s grace and mercy (Deuteronomy 32:39-43). He’s the God of mercy, but mercy requires that there be justice. That’s the reason why Jesus Christ died to pay the price for our sins, to satisfy the demands of justice (John 3:16; Colossians 2:14; Romans 3:20-26).

Meanwhile, vengeance belongs to God alone (Deuteronomy 32:35). Thus, the Bible prohibits the believers, under any guise or circumstance, from taking personal revenge upon their enemies (Leviticus 19:18; Romans 12:19). Rather, the power to execute vengeance has been divinely delegated to human governments on earth.

In conclusion, please keep in mind that divine visitation is connected to a sense of divine timing, and it draws heavily on divine promises. But, it’s provoked through supplication. Hence, God said, “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together …. that thou mayest be justified” (Isaiah 43:26).

It is your declaration of God’s promises in prayers that justifies you for His visitation. And, whenever God shows up, Satan automatically bows out. Why? Light and darkness don’t cohabit. God always shows up in the glories of His Shekinah Light — His natural habitat — and darkness in all its shades naturally disappear at His appearance!

Friends and brethren, I see God showing up in your address this season. He will visit you with land-mark miracles. He will bless and settle you, and you will have many reasons to testify. You won’t miss this, in Jesus Name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

____________________

Archbishop 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

When we come to Christ, we must forsake not only our ways but also our thoughts. Isaiah says: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:7).We must also jettison the traditions of men. Jesus berated the Pharisees for teaching: “Man-made laws instead of those from God.” (Matthew 15:9). 

God says: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Therefore, child of God, forget your logic, your conspiracy theories, and your principles: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

You ask a Christian a question and he answers by saying: “I think…” Nobody cares what you think. The question is: What does God think.” 

You seek someone’s counsel, and he tells you: “In my opinion…blah, blah, blah.” Nobody is asking for your opinion. Your opinion is irrelevant. We are only interested in the opinion of God. What do the scriptures say?

We never need man’s advice. We only need God’s advice. The counsel of man is irrelevant. It is designed to land us in the ditch.

Stranger Than Fiction

The ways of God are strange. Indeed, in so many instances, God’s ways are foolish. But the scriptures tell us that: “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

Does this mean God is foolish? How can He be? On the contrary, the bible affirms that we serve the only wise God. (1 Timothy 1:17). But for God to be able to relate to man, he must become foolish. For God to fellowship with man, he must come down to our level. 

You cannot dangle a baby on your knees and discuss Quantum Physics with him. No! You might start making idiotic cooing sounds and might even start making stupid faces.

God is El Shaddai: The Almighty and the all-Sufficient. But surely, the all-sufficiency of God must include the ability to come down to man’s level to relate to us, communicate with us and interact with us. If he is unable to do this, then He is not God, for surely God is able to do all things. 

And so there must be foolishness to God and that foolishness must be to man’s advantage and justification. Certainly, the wisdom of God must be far beyond man. Therefore, there must be a foolishness of God to accommodate man’s foolishness, so that the all-wise God can also be the God of foolish man.  

For as David said: “O God, you know so well how stupid I am, and you know all my sins.” (Psalm 69:5).

The Incarnation 

The God who created the earth decided to visit His creations on earth. In His foolishness, He then decided to come as a man. He did not fly down from heaven like an angel. Instead, He came in through the womb of a woman.

Can you imagine how foolish that was?

And so, God was born of a woman as a baby. God sucked a woman’s breast. God crawled on the ground and learnt to walk and to talk. In His foolishness, God grew in wisdom and in stature. God then died a shameful death on the cross as a man. But in His divinity, He rose from the dead with power and glory.

Isaiah asks: “Who has believed this report?” Without the help of God, we would not have believed it either.

In conversation with God the Father: “Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight’” (Matthew 11:25-26).

I did not believe the story of Jonah spending 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a fish until one day God demonstrated it to me. He took me by revelation under the sea and kept me in an air bubble. I looked up and fishes were swimming all around me.

Peculiar Goodness

The God of the Bible is not nice as men define niceness. He could not have been because His kingdom is not of this world.

What kind of father tells his son to marry a prostitute? What kind of person tells Ezekiel to announce to the world that his wife would die the next day in order to prove a point, and he tells him that he is not allowed to cry? What kind of person tells the Levites to carry a sword and kill members of their own family and relations?

What kind of person instructs Isaiah to go around without his trousers for three years? What kind of person instructs Saul to attack Amalek and kill all the men, women, children, babies, sheep, camel, and donkeys? What kind of person kills off the Israelites one by one over forty years in the wilderness? What kind of father sends his children into captivity in order to teach them a lesson?

God is that kind of person.  

David sinned by numbering Israel. For this, God killed 70,000 Israelites without including David. Was that fair? The Ark of God was falling down, Uzzah tried to prevent it and God killed him. Was that nice?

If God were a man, He would not be a nice man at all. God’s concept of goodness is different from that of man.

Rock of Offence

When through Jesus, God became a man, the bible describes Him as a rock of offence. 

As a twelve-year-old, Jesus stayed all day and night in the temple for three days without telling his parents where he was. He called Peter “Satan.” He made a whip, beat the people in the temple, and smashed their wares. He did not just lecture them or tell them that what they were doing was wrong.

He called a woman who came to request healing for her child a dog. He encouraged Judas to go and betray him. He refused to help John the Baptist when Herod arrested him. When told that his good friend Lazarus was sick, he said he was glad. He refused to budge until the man died.

He always kept company with disreputable people. He took sides with a woman caught in adultery. He asked a woman who had been sick for 38 years if he would like to be healed. In a crowded scene of the sick, He only healed that one man and left all the others unhealed.

He pronounced woe on the Pharisees and abused them, calling them white-washed tombstones. He called people fools. He told the Jews that the devil was their father. He denied his own mother and brothers.

Nevertheless, this same Jesus is now our righteousness: “For (God) made (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

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

Often, centenarians, people ages 100 and up, say their purpose in life keeps them going, which is why some never retire.

Deborah Szekely, 102, still runs her fitness resort and spa and shows up to work three days a week. She walks every day, sticks to a pescatarian diet and values her friendships.

“My life is healthy, and it is structured to be healthy,” Szekely tells CNBC Make It. “You don’t get to be 102, like, ‘Oh, well, I’ll make an exception here, an exception there.’ I don’t do exceptions. I enjoy my healthy life.”

Here are some pieces of advice that Szekely has for living a long, happy life.

On working at 102

“I’d be very, very sad if I didn’t feel I was helping people to have a better life,” Szekely says. “It makes a change, and they tell me that.”

“When I go and have breakfast, always right in the front of the dining room on the patio [of the resort she owns], people can come and tell me wonderful things,” she says. “They all come to greet me and I’m there to be greeted. So they get happy and I get happy.”

“When nature says, ‘You got to stop Deborah.’ Deborah will stop, until then she’ll keep going.”

On mindfulness and gratitude

“I don’t really meditate. I don’t. I meditate in action, in walking, in doing things,” Szekely says. “My life is a meditation. I don’t [focus on the] negative.”

“I count my blessings, and I’m so blessed. [It’s] very easy. I could spend all day and all night counting millions of blessings. I’ve been very blessed.”

On friendship

“If you were to call them in the middle of night and say, ‘Help!’ [and] they’ll be in their car in five minutes. Then there’s the kind of friends that count.”

“Friendship is understanding your friends, helping them. You know, recommending good books, movies, things we can do together.”

On regrets

“I don’t believe in looking back. I look ahead. I don’t say, ‘Oh, well, I wish I could do that or that.’ That’s a game. It doesn’t give me any strength, any energy. I would rather read a book than look back.”

“Don’t waste time looking back. That’s a total waste of time. You can’t do anything about it, it’s done. Look forward, and look forward to things that you want.”

On dreaming

“Don’t run out of dreams. Keep your dreams flowing. And realize as many of those that are feasible, and have friends to join those dreams. It’s much more fun with friends.”

CNBC

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed a substantial N1.72 trillion among Nigeria's three tiers of government in November 2024, marking a significant increase of N310 billion from October's allocation.

Key Highlights of the November Allocation

Overall Financial Breakdown

- Total gross allocation: N3.14 trillion

- Distributable amount: N1.72 trillion

Distribution by Tier

- Federal Government: N581.85 billion

- State Governments: N549.79 billion

- Local Governments: N402.55 billion

Notable Financial Components

- Oil-producing states received N193.29 billion (13% derivation)

- Cost of collection: N103.3 billion

- Transfers, intervention, and refunds: N1.31 trillion

Revenue Streams

Gross Statutory Revenue

- November 2024: N1.82 trillion

- October 2024: N1.33 trillion

- Increase: N490.3 billion (36.7% growth)

Value Added Tax (VAT)

- November 2024: N628.9 billion

- October 2024: N668.2 billion

- Decrease: N39.3 billion

Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL)

- Total distribution: N15 billion

  - Federal Government: N2.2 billion

  - States: N7.5 billion

  - Local Governments: N5.2 billion

Revenue Trends

The Finance Ministry, through FAAC's December meeting chaired by Wale Edun, noted significant increases in oil and gas royalty and CET levies. Conversely, excise duty, VAT, import duty, petroleum profit tax, companies income tax, and EMTL experienced considerable decreases.

Melissa Rudy

Researchers have revealed another potential reason to avoid ultraprocessed foods.

Seed oils — which are plant-based cooking oils that are often used in processed, packaged foods — have been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer, according to a new study published this week in the medical journal Gut.

Researchers at University of South Florida (USF) Health and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute analyzed 162 tumor samples from colon cancer patients, according to a USF press release.

They found that the tumors contained "an excess number" of molecules that cause inflammation and "a shortage" of healing molecules.

"It is well-known that patients with unhealthy diets have increased inflammation in their bodies," said study author Timothy Yeatman, professor of surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and associate center director for Translational Research and Innovation at the TGH Cancer Institute, in the release. 

"We now see this inflammation in the colon tumors themselves, and cancer is like a chronic wound that won’t heal – if your body is living off of daily ultra-processed foods, its ability to heal that wound decreases due to the inflammation and suppression of the immune system that ultimately allows the cancer to grow."

The findings highlight the potential harms of the Western diet, according to Yeatman. In addition to "inflammatory seed oils," he also cited culprits like added sugars, saturated fats, ultra-processed foods and chemicals.

"A human’s immune system can be extremely powerful and drastically impact the tumor microenvironment, which is great if harnessed correctly for health and wellness — but not if it’s suppressed by inflammatory lipids from processed foods," the researcher said.

In prior studies, the same research team found that an "imbalanced diet" also increased the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, the release stated.

Based on these findings, the researchers recommend treating cancer with "resolution medicine," which would aim to reverse inflammation using healthy, unprocessed foods rich with omega-3 fatty acids and derivatives of fish oil, according to the above source.

Regular exercise and balanced sleep would also play important roles in the resolution medicine approach.

"This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes," Yeatman said. 

"It’s a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start."

The new USF study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

There are currently clinical trials underway at TGH Cancer Institute to study the potential benefits of resolution medicine in treating and preventing disease.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.

Dietitians weigh in

Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietician and expert from the Atlanta metropolitan area, said she doesn’t think it’s accurate to suggest that seed oils cause cancer.

The expert pointed out that there is an "overwhelming body of scientific literature" that shows the positive health benefits of replacing saturated fats (like lard and butter) with unsaturated fats (like safflower oil). 

"This includes a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease, which is the No. 1 killer in America," she told Fox News Digital. 

However, Collins said, "It is something to watch as we continue to better understand why colon cancer has been on the rise, and how diet impacts that increased rate."

Seed oil isn’t the only problem with ultraprocessed foods, the dietitian pointed out.

"They tend to be very high in sodium, fat and sugar," Collins said. "Lacking fiber and nutrients, but high in calories, they taste delicious, but don't promote good health."

To reduce the risk of colon cancer, dementia and many other diseases, Collins recommends cutting out smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a fiber-rich diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

In terms of cooking oils, Collins recommends using olive oil, noting that there’s a "significant body of evidence" for its use as part of a Mediterranean approach to eating.

"Extra-virgin olive oil can be a wonderful, versatile oil to use in low-medium heat cooking and it tastes great, and has a very good fatty acid profile," she told Fox News Digital. 

"For higher-heat cooking, I like avocado and peanut oils for their high smoke point and neutral flavor, and they too have good fatty acid profiles." 

Collins agrees with the researchers’ recommendation to increase the intake of omega-6 fatty acids, as the American diet is "woefully deficient."

"Fatty fish, like salmon, is the best source — these can also be found in some nuts and seeds, including walnuts and chia, but they are not as bioavailable or absorbable as those of fish," she added

Jason Fung, a Canadian nephrologist (kidney specialist), noted that the study is "preliminary and far from definitive."

"The hypothesis is that eating too many seed oils means we have too many omega 6 fats, which are pro-inflammatory, and inflammation can be an important contributing factor to cancer," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"It's an interesting and plausible hypothesis, but not definitive."

Even so, Fung confirmed that he does not keep any seed oils at home.

"I only use olive oil and butter for my cooking at home. Why take a chance?"

Fox News

Dutch court rejects bid to stop arms exports to Israel

A Dutch court on Friday rejected a bid by 10 pro-Palestinian NGOs to stop the Netherlands exporting weapons to Israel and trading with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

The Hague district court stressed that the state has some leeway in its policies and courts should not rush to step in.

"The interim relief court finds that there is no reason to impose a total ban on the export of military and dual-use goods on the state," it said in a statement.

The plaintiffs, citing high civilian casualties in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, had argued that the Dutch state, as a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention, has a duty to take all reasonable measures at its disposal to prevent genocide.

The NGOs cited a January order to Israel by the International Court of Justice to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.

Israel says accusations of genocide in its Gaza campaign are baseless and that it is solely hunting down Hamas and other armed groups who threaten its existence and hide among civilians, something the groups deny.

The judges at the Hague district court sided with the Dutch state, which had said it continually assesses the risk of arms and dual-use goods exported to Israel being used in a way that could lead to violations of international law, and that it occasionally refuses certain exports.

In a ruling in a separate case in February, a Dutch court ordered the government to block all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns they were being used to violate international law during the war in Gaza. The government has appealed that ruling.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Large-scale missile strikes reported across Ukraine

Numerous missile strikes were reported across Ukraine on Friday, causing power outages in Kiev and several other cities.

Energy infrastructure in all parts of Ukraine has come “under a massive attack,” Kiev’s energy minister German Galuschenko said. Power engineers are working to minimize the negative effects of the bombardment, he added.

According to accounts on social media, explosions have been heard in Odessa, Ivano-Frankovsk and other regions. Strikes have been reported in the town of Burtysh in Ivano-Frankovsk Region, where a key power plant is located.

Ukrainian media have reported emergency power outages in Kiev, Odessa and elsewhere. In Ternopol Region, some 50% of residents are currently without electricity, according to local authorities.

Residents of Kharkov Region have reported sightings of missiles heading towards Dnepr (Dnepropetrovsk) Region, where Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric station is located.

According to national media, air defenses have been activated in Lviv Region, which borders Poland.

Warsaw has said its Air Force has raised jets over the border area, in response to the Russian missile bombardment in Ukraine.

The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet officially commented on the strikes.

Ukraine’s state-run energy company, Ukrenergo, has warned that 50% of the population could be left without power on Friday due to the attack.

The reported bombardment comes two days after Ukraine fired six US-supplied ATACMS missiles at a military airfield near the southern city of Taganrog, inside Russia’s internationally recognized territory.

According to the Defense Ministry in Moscow, two of the missiles were shot down and the rest were diverted using electronic warfare. The fallen debris resulted in some injuries and minor damage to two buildings and several vehicles, it said.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s response to the strike on Taganrog with Western-made weaponry “will follow at a time and in a manner deemed appropriate. But it will definitely follow.”

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces advance towards strategic city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine's east

Russian forces are just 1.5 km (1 mile) outside the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk after Russian units pushed up from the south, and some advance groups of special forces have even entered the road and rail hub, pro-Russian war bloggers said on Friday.

Russia controls a large chunk of Ukraine and is advancing at the fastest pace since the early days of its invasion in 2022, according to open source maps.

The focus of Russia's advance since Ukraine carved out a slice of Russia's Kursk region in August is on the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk where Russia currently controls over 60% of the territory.

A key part of the strategy is to take Pokrovsk, which would allow Moscow to disrupt Ukrainian supply lines along the eastern front and boost its campaign to capture the city of Chasiv Yar, which sits on higher ground offering potential control of a wider area.

Yuri Podolyaka, a prominent Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, said Russian forces were now just 1.5 km from Pokrovsk after a push from the south.

Podolyaka said members of Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups, essentially small special forces units which penetrate the front ahead of the advance, were already in the city.

Other Russian war bloggers such as Boris Rozhin gave similar accounts. Reuters was unable to verify battlefield accounts from either side due to reporting restrictions.

The Ukrainian military said on Wednesday that Russian troops had destroyed or captured several Ukrainian positions near Pokrovsk. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv on the latest developments.

The war is entering what some Russian and Western officials say could be its most dangerous phase as Moscow's forces advance and Ukraine fires U.S.-made ATACMS missiles into Russia.

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov visited the Eastern Grouping of Russian forces that is fighting south of the strategic town of Kurakhove, about 35 km south of Pokrovsk.

Lieutenant General Andrei Ivanayev said the Eastern Grouping had taken over 300 sq km (116 square miles) in Ukraine over the past month, the defence ministry said.

The fall of Pokrovsk, an important logistics centre for the Ukrainian military, would be one of Ukraine's biggest military losses in months.

Squeezing the Ukrainian military's access to the road network in the vicinity would make it harder for Kyiv's troops to hold pockets of territory either side of Pokrovsk, which could allow Russia to consolidate and advance the front line.

The city also hosts a mine which is Ukraine's only domestic coking coal supplier for its once-giant steel industry.

RT/Reuters

One of the tenets of a democratic society is the assurance of freedom of speech and expression for its citizens. This includes the right to speak and criticise to ensure that society does not derail in upholding its values. The test of democracy is not at the point of comfortable tolerance of these rights but in allowing everyone to, even at the greatest inconvenience, manifest the utmost freedom granted to them by law and nature.

Criticism is an innate attitude. Humans criticise others and themselves, either when they achieve something or when they disagree with an act. It is not for us to decide but for us to tolerate. But would one be allowed to act and enjoy those rights perpetually without any form of constraint? When does a right become a burden or an infringement on the same or other rights enjoyed by others? Could the concept of a free person truly mean freedom in all ramifications? Would this not put others in bondage, too? While these rights abound, they are qualified by the right of others to protect their dignity, reputation, and the hard work they have built over decades.

I see the brawl between Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi as the clash of these two rights–the former defending dignity and reputation and the latter exercising the freedom of speech and criticism. Farotimi has built a reputation as a respected activist, author, and social commentator, even more so than as a lawyer. His views on equity, justice, and the actual enjoyment of human rights have recently topped the voices of freedom in the country. He has waged war against corruption and inequalities, often dragging inefficient and corrupt politicians for public evaluation. As an activist, Farotimi has championed causes aimed at encouraging citizens to believe in a promising future for the country, as he often calls for the dismantling of the very foundations on which contemporary Nigeria is built. However, one thing is fundamental about Farotimi: he does not hold back or fear–he speaks out, regardless of who is affected.

Babalola is a famous Nigerian who represents the echelon of success in many endeavours. He has climbed up the professional and social ladder to the point that achieving half of his accomplishments would be enough to say an individual has led a good life and to write such a person’s name in history. Babalola is a foremost educationalist, legal practitioner, and philanthropist,among other worthy achievements. Having built a reputation over 70 years of active service, business, and engagements, he is one of those whom we could conclusively say has a name to protect and would go to great lengths to do so.

It is within Farotimi’s right to make accusations based on facts he knows and can prove. The hallmark of freedom guarantees that he is afforded the right to express himself if his claims are based on verifiable facts. Farotimi makes some accusations in his book, and I am convinced that he is not a man who would make unfounded propositions against someone of Babalola’s status, so I expect him to prove his claims. Likewise, Babalola has the right to preserve and defend his rights and reputation. I am convinced that many of those who have condemned his actions would have gone far and beyond to protect their accomplishments, just as he has allegedly done.

Well, this is not a piece to decide who is right or who is overreacting. While clashes often arise from the exercise of these rights, as is common in many cases, societal institutions like the Nigerian Police are charged with the duty of ensuring orderliness. It is the legal and professional duty of the Nigerian Police and other law enforcement agents to ensure everyone’s equal standing and fair hearing in the prosecution of matters, with the goal of ensuring that justice is served. The aim of the law is not to persecute but to prosecute offenders, yet the Farotimi saga suggests that the Police are standing in the ease of the former rather than the latter. I mean, it has been reported that the Nigerian Police, with remarkable agility, tracked Farotimi from Ekiti State to Lagos to effect his arrest.

One of the common complaints and excuses the Nigerian Police often give victims of crimes and alleged crimes is that the Force lacks the facilities and means to effect arrests and investigate troubling situations. They claim a lack of vehicles or even money to fuel them. These excuses have allowed countless dangerous criminals to escape justice. What about the criminal herdsmen who disturb people’s farms and livelihoods yet remain at large? What about the hardened criminals who do not look one in the face twice before ending it all? The security challenges on highways and other problems militating against the peace of the nation? Is it that the Police now feel the headache more than the owner of the head, or is their commitment to the protection of a stateman suddenlybecoming a matter of national interest?

The Police are charged with the duty of maintaining law and order while protecting the interests of the citizens. However, theiractions in this case seem to align with an agenda to suppress freedom of expression, a perennial complaint of the citizens. With this duty to maintain order comes the responsibility to investigate without bias to give both the victim and the defendant equal playing grounds. Still, they have acted with such conviction of guilt and are ready to take Farotimi to the slaughter.

The Nigerian Police’s reaction only reinforces the people’s fear of the Force being used to pursue personal interests. What immediate benefit would the urgent and aggressive prosecution of Farotimi bring, compared to the already many pressing issues the Police are faced with? It only allows the citizens to suspect foul play. Do not get me wrong: my position is not that Farotimi should not be tried for any suspicion of criminal infractions, but he should be prosecuted, not persecuted in the way the Nigerian Police have handled the matter.

Remanding Farotimi is an unnecessary and apparent misuse of state power, seemingly aimed at punishing a “child” for insulting an elder. The charges against him do not warrant that the accused be incarcerated while an investigation is done. The Nigerian Police have granted administrative bail to people who have committed more serious crimes. Farotimi is a well-known public figure with an office, family, and other responsibilities attributable to him, which should guarantee his responsiveness.

It is now clear that when there is enough motivation and interest in a case, the Police will act accordingly and within the required time. This highlights the need for greater accountability and reform within the Nigerian Police. The Nigerian Police must evolve beyond being mere instruments in the hands of the powerful. They must prosecute when the state is offended, not to persecute when private interests are affected. Farotimi has been taught an unnecessary lesson, but the joke is still being broadcast to the Nigerian Police!

In every thriving democracy, the opposition plays a vital role in ensuring accountability, transparency, and good governance. One of the most effective mechanisms through which an opposition party fulfills this responsibility is the formation of a shadow cabinet. A shadow cabinet is not a parallel government, nor does it usurp the constitutional powers of the ruling administration. Rather, it is a legitimate and strategic structure that enables an opposition party to scrutinize, checkmate, and criticize the actions, policies, and programs of the government in power. The aim is to protect the public interest and prevent abuse of power or erosion of democratic norms.

Regrettably, the proposed formation of a shadow cabinet by the Abia State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been met with hostility by the state governor, Alex Otti, of the Labour Party (LP) or Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Shockingly, Otti has declared the move “treasonable,” a claim that is both undemocratic and unprecedented. This raises a fundamental question: Why is Otti afraid of the Abia PDP’s shadow cabinet?

A shadow cabinet, as practiced in advanced democracies, is a group of senior opposition figures assigned to monitor specific ministries or sectors. Their responsibility is to hold the government accountable, challenge policies that do not serve the public interest, and propose alternative solutions where necessary. By so doing, the shadow cabinet ensures that governance remains focused on the people’s needs and that those in power do not abuse their mandate.

Far from being a parallel government, a shadow cabinet serves as a constructive watchdog that strengthens democratic institutions and practices. It represents the voice of the people who did not vote for the ruling party, providing balance and diversity of thought in the political system.

The dangerous precedent in Abia today is Otti’s declaration of the shadow cabinet as “treasonable.” This is not only a distortion of democratic principles but also a dangerous affront to the constitutional rights of the opposition. Even more troubling are reports of intimidation, harassment, and arrests of PDP leaders in the state.

Otti was recently quoted in the media as saying: “What they have set up is, in essence, a government in exile, and since it is not recognized by law, it is treasonable. We are a serious-minded government, guided by the law. If a faction of the PDP sets up a government in exile, we will treat them as such. Let the law take its course. People must understand that politics is not synonymous with foolishness.”

In what appears to be a fulfillment of this threat, the Abia State Police Command has invited the state chairman of the PDP, Abraham Ama, along with other key members of the party, for questioning. Credible sources suggest that this action was taken on the orders of Otti.

Even more alarming is the arrest and detention of Henry Chilaka, a prominent PDP leader, simply because his name was included in the proposed shadow cabinet. These actions not only undermine the constitutional role of the opposition but also threaten the democratic fabric of Abia State.

This situation demands urgent attention from the Federal Government of Nigeria, the international community, and global democratic institutions. The suppression of opposition voices in Abia State is a direct assault on the principles of democracy and good governance.

The Inspector General of Police must investigate the actions of the Nigeria Police in Abia State, who appear to be acting as instruments of political repression rather than protectors of citizens’ rights.

Otti’s hostility toward the opposition’s shadow cabinet is not only undemocratic but also raises serious questions about his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability. Why would a government confident in its policies and performance view constructive criticism as a threat? What does Governor Otti have to hide that he would label a legitimate opposition practice as treasonable?

The Abia PDP, as the leading opposition party in the state, has both the constitutional right and moral obligation to checkmate the government in power. No amount of intimidation, arrests, or harassment can deter the party from fulfilling this role. The shadow cabinet initiative is not an act of provocation or rebellion; it is a democratic tool designed to ensure that the people’s mandate is not abused.

Otti’s actions betray a fear of accountability and an intolerance for dissent. These are hallmarks of authoritarianism, not democracy. Rather than stifling opposition voices, the governor should welcome the scrutiny of his administration as an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to good governance.

The intimidation of opposition figures in Abia State is an affront to democracy and a violation of constitutional rights. Otti must understand that democracy thrives on debate, dissent, and accountability. Suppressing the opposition will not strengthen his administration; it will only erode public trust and undermine the state’s democratic progress.

So, we ask again: Why is Otti afraid of the Abia PDP’s shadow cabinet? Is it fear of exposure or a reluctance to face the checks and balances that come with democracy? Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: no amount of intimidation will silence the opposition in Abia State. Democracy must prevail.