Yesterday was Easter Sunday, right? And we all went to our churches and wore our best and feasted on the occasion of the anniversary of the Lord’s triumph over death? Quite commendable acts indeed but how many of us remembered that one small girl called Leah, who is holed up in God knows where by the dreadful blood suckers, called Boko Haram? Did she know it was Easter; how was your Easter without Leah?
As we ate and generally made merry, did we spare a thought for Leah? Did she eat at all? Is she still alive or violated or mutilated? What state is she in right now? Is her faith still strong or flagging?
Yet instead of organising prayer retreat for Leah, some people are nursing invidious dreams about building empires on her plight.
Like the post on my community’s WhatsApp platform that made my heart to bleed. It purportedly emanated from Omega Power Ministry (OPM) Dr. Jesus, Port Harcourt in Rivers State and highlighted some niceties the church plans to do for our beloved Sister Leah Sharibu, who elected to remain in the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents rather than renounce her Christian faith. A telephone number, 08033385271, was also included for further information and people were urged to keep spreading the post until it reaches Leah’s family.
I got so pissed off by subtle play at publicity and wondered if truly this came from a true church, and from OPM, Dr. Jesus, in particular.
The extent churches go these days to court the limelight is very unfortunate and sad. Churches are now filled with soulless beings, who come as sinners and remain unchanged or become worse because the pastor’s focus is on something other than Christ crucified. The church should be a sanctuary for sinners becoming saints but unfortunately, the little semblance of righteousness one had before venturing into some churches are eroded along the line by wishy washy and insipid messages.
I don’t know how this information that should have been conveyed privately, at least, till the poor girl is released, will help her cause. Couldn’t Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, or Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, been better channels to reach Leah’s family if ‘OPM’ was not up to some game?
It is highly objectionable to make capital of our heroine’s travails because of cheap publicity for a church or anybody. The world doesn’t need to know whatever deed this church or any other individual or group purposes to give or do for this young lady. At least, so the scriptures teach us. After all, is it not unto the Lord that sees in secret but rewards in the open?
I only pray God will not allow this selfish propaganda to imperil Sister Leah in anyway. People should stop circulating this trash. Enough of this mess of the gospel of Christ, please!
Let us pray!
Immortal King of kings, you taught Sennacherib and his armies that you are the battle is yours and rained bombs on their heads from heaven; you opened the Red Sea like a book and let the children of Israel pass through the dry highways in the midst of the waters; you set the walls of impregnable Jericho tumbling down at the blast of mere trumpets; we praise you now o’Lord on behalf of our daughter and sister, Leah. Discomfit her captors and break the bonds on her limbs and set her free this hour, o’Lord! Ancient of days, to whom even the elements are subject, steal the mockery in the hearts of enemies of Christ and turn their sneers to pain, o’Lord. Rise and defend your child, o’Lord, if not for anything but that your name be not reproached among the heathen. Nevertheless, whatever, o’Lord, you remain God forever. Let your will be done!
Thank you, Lord, for your strength and grace upon Leah till the battle is won, in Jesus matchless name, Amen!
Think Ndigbo, Think!
Someone sent me this and I think it’s worth sharing:
While your Ohanaeze Ndigbo President is busy flicking his ego with IPOB, crying daily from speech to speech, your governors in the South are speaking grammar all over the place.
A multi-million dollar sugar factory was declared open by the president; a new sugar factory constructed on a 10,000 hectares of land along the banks of River Niger in Niger State. A system of canals and dykes would provide irrigation during the dry season and flood protection during the wet season.
Same way, few months ago, Olam launched the largest integrated poultry facility in Kaduna State with the capacity for 1.65 million chicks per week, to produce four billion eggs, 100 million kilogram poultry meat yearly in addition to 180,000 metric tonnes of corn and 75,000 metric tonnes of soya beans, which would be sourced locally.
Last year, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, commissioned Africa’s largest parboiled rice mill in Argungu, Kebbi State. The project, with a N10b investment in the rice mill, will engage about 50,000 farmers in the next few years. Wacot Rice Mill is capable of producing 120,000 MT of paddy per annum, thereby creating about 3,500 direct and indirect jobs.
From Niger, Kebbi, Kaduna, Gombe, Kano…all over the North, the governors are positioning their states for DFI thereby creating job opportunities and economic prosperity for their people in spite of whatever shortcomings we label them with. The question is what are governors in the South doing?
The other day, I saw advertorials of a state in the South, promoting nothingness as an achievement to showcase after three years in office despite huge federal allocations every month. Rochas Okocha has used money meant for real projects to mould statues and you all sit there and bow before him and his status idols.
How many times will the rain beat us before we learn to plan before going out? Later, some of you will blame the Diaspora for opening your eyes to injustices that you allowed to exist. Ndigbo! Ndigbo! Ndigbo!! Search for the black goat before darkness falls on us all.
The Yoruba have their capital – Lagos; the Hausa have theirs – Abuja; Ndigbo, where is yours? Or I forgot the Hausa/Fulani stopped us, abi?
We have the best medical and ITconsultants in the world yet has the worst hospitals. Ndigbo think! Think! And stop allowing them take us for a fool. The North is not our problem. Our own surrogate governors and leaders sell us short. Think Ndigbo, THINK!
Also, social media critics are so preoccupied with Buhari bashing but I think down South, we are suffering from what I call superiority complex. We always sneer at the North and declare, can anything good come from them? Hmmmm… I pity you all.
Are you aware that in the last three years, solid minerals yields into the federation account has gone up by about 60 per cent? Where is the proceed coming from? Of course, from the North.
Make una siddon there, una go drink that oil very soon