Charly Boy Now Born-Again, Says: ‘I Have Encountered A Radical Awakening’

March 1, 2018

Popular musician and activist, Mr. Charles Puts, popularly known as Charly Boy, has finally accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and his personal Saviour. He did so at the Christ Embassy in Abuja.

Charly Boy said: “An Awakening means you’ve come home to yourself; that consciousness has shifted back to its original nature.

“Three Gbosa for the man wey don dey remote me, one who broke all the rules and opposed the reigning culture of violence with his inner peace and love for his enemies. E no easy. Yes oo! This piece is about my radical Jesus, a determined and compassionate revolutionary.

“All my life I had always gravitated towards spiritual people and spiritual things. I have always known that life hides a deeper meaning than some of our pedestrian perceptions. Sometimes, I hear some people talk about Jesus as if they know him like I do. I just dey look, because I know that they know not what I know. Yes.

“No doubt, light attracts light. For the past forty years, I have been dedicated to one sublime cause; the cause for a free and fair society where everyone is a stakeholder. I have always desired for nothing more than a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of what they have or who they are.

“As fate would have it, I carry body join my sons and daughters; my comrades wey we been dey do the OurMumuDonDo struggle together, sey make we enter Believers’ LoveWorld Inc. a.k.a. Christ Embassy, to conscientize the congregation. It was my first time. “Interestingly, I connected with the Regional pastor of Christ Embassy, Abuja; Reverend Tom Amenkhienan in an extraordinary way that could only be divine. In all honesty, I was Teary eye when I got to learn about the massive humanitarian work the church had done over the years, and the incredibly magnificent ones it is planning to do. “Pastor Tom once again knocked me back on track. I believe that God has perfected the plan to rescue Nigeria through the OurMumuDonDo Movement. It was a divine encounter for me.

“I have always maintained that God gave each and everyone of us a gift, and not until we connect to God’s purpose can we live our lives on purpose. I may have fallen off the track more than a few times, but I have always remained focused on my purpose as authored by God. My love for the exceptional Nigerian youths has not only kept me youthful, but has also kept me useful. I have mentored many and have inspired a generation, no demo.

“I have a few things in common with this man from Nazareth. You can safely say that I am intrigued by Jesus, his life and his works. Believe me, it has nothing to do with being born again. So don’t get it twisted. Jesus is real, authentic, and ever-relevant. He spoke with honesty. He was a man on a mission. He was a radical, a revolutionary, yet tender, kind and loving.

“He was so misunderstood. He was doing things completely against the rules of the day. He was a troublemaker for the religious elite, the rulers, the war-making empire, and the establishment. Isn’t it a daring proposal with radical implications, a man who commanded his people to love their enemies? Sadly, we have not lived by the principles of Jesus.

“Let me say this, I don’t trust most pastors, I don’t trust most Christians, But I trust the man Jesus. It is my contention that Jesus did not die for us (contrary to the Catholic church), instead, he lived for us for he was indeed a determined revolutionary and an evolutionary forerunner for a state of love and soul consciousness which is also deepest within each one of us, no matter the gragra.

“I live for the Nigerian youths and the freedom of the suffering peoples, just like Jesus lives(sic) for the salvation of humanity.

“Everywhere that Jesus went after his 18 years sabbatical, the decadent Roman people were threatened by his teachings and rebelled against his message of love, inner freedom and individual power. “Today, Jesus would be considered not only a rebel, but also a terrorist, and if not a terrorist, most certainly a threat to the status quo, as he scathingly was 2000 years ago. I am happy that the truth I speak, upsets a lot of people, especially those yeye riffraff wey miss road enter leadership. I cannot and will not stop. And I really don’t mind taking a bullet for the Nigerian youths if that will free dem from der mumurization.

“Jesus represents the transition from an externalized old testament God of wrath and judgment to an internalized new testament God of love and a state of soul consciousness.

“I Twale For my Jesus!!! No try me ooooo!!!!!!!” [myad]

2019: Carry Go, Lagos APC Endorses Gov Ambode For Second Term

Greenbarge Reporters

March 1, 2018

The leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and members within the Lagos East Senatorial District, have unanimously endorsed the candidacy of the executive Governor of Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to run for a second term in office on the platform of the party.

The stakeholders made the ratification at the General Assembly of the Senatorial District chapter of the APC, held in Epe.

The motion for the endorsement of Ambode for a second term in office was moved by Otunba Olorunfunmi Bashorun on behalf of all the Leaders and the entire APC membership in Lagos East Senatorial District and seconded by the Senator representing Lagos East, Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

In the communiqué issued by the General Assembly, presented by former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Joko Pelumi, and the Secretary of the District said that the party in the district resolved as follows:

“that it fully supports the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu;

“The district also calls on all members of the party to give maximum and unflinching support to the State Chapter of the party under the leadership of the State Chairman, Otunba Henry Oladele Ajomale; The district calls on all well-meaning members of our great party to give maximum and unflinching support to the leadership of the party in the Lagos East Senatorial District ,under Otunba Bushura Alebiosu.”

The district also commended the performance of Senator, Gbenga Ashafa for his impressive and resourceful delivery of the mandate of the district adequately and thereby, passed a vote of confidence on his representation; and finally that all aggrieved members of the party be reconciled forthwith to enable a common front on the coming elections in 2019.

The General Assembly of the party in the Lagos East Senatorial District, was convened by the leadership of the party based on the directive and approval of the foremost leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While addressing the press at the event, Ashafa described Governor Ambode as “well-deserving of the endorsement of the party at the district level as well as across the state.”

Ashafa stressed that his developmental achievements across the state had earned him the unanimous support of the people.

The Senator also briefed the press on some of his efforts through the instrumentality of the legislature aimed at complementing the achievements of the State Government to include ensuring that Lagos State and Lagos East benefit from the rail way modernization projects of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration through the inclusion and guaranteed funding of both the Lagos to Kano modernization project and the Calabar to Lagos Standard Coastal railway project.

He highlighted the pivotal role he has played in the process of rehabilitation of the Ikorodu-Sagamu highway, which would be commencing very soon. Ashafa also mentioned other interventions to include, the facilitation of water and irrigation projects within the district, installation of transformers, distribution of entrepreneurship empowerment tools and entrepreneurship training programs, several medical outreach programs across the district, to mention a few.

He therefore, urged his constituents to give Governor Ambode their unalloyed support stating that “Our goal is to continue to do as much as we can to complement the immense effort and laudable achievements of the administration of our dear Governor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in our Senatorial District and the State.

“I therefore call on all well meaning constituents to continue to give our unalloyed support to our dear Governor in order to continue enjoying the development and growth that his administration as brought to us all.”[myad]

Federal Information Ministry Appeals Against Re-Instatement Of Ex NEMA Spokesman

Greenbarge Reporters

March 1, 2018

The Federal Ministry of Information has appealed against a judgment by the National Industrial Court (NIC) for reinstatement of the former Spokesperson of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Yushau Shuaib into the civil service.

Justice David Isele of the National Industrial Court, had on November 22, last year, ordered the immediate reinstatement and payment of compensation to Shuaib after being forcefully retired in 2013 over an opinion article he wrote on former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The court had declared that the letter retiring Shuaib from service had no force of law and was therefore illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever being in flagrant violation of the civil service rules.

But the Federal Ministry of Information urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of NIC and to dismiss the suit. Joined in the original suit, as a defendant, is the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

In the Notice of Appeal, the Ministry of Information rejected the whole decisions by the trial court on the grounds that the learned Judge erred in law when he held that the Ministry violated the provisions of the Public Service Rules by not first interdicting or suspending the officer before he was retired and that he was also denied fair hearing guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

When contacted on the appeal by the Ministry of Information, Shuaib expressed surprise that the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed could approve the rejection of the judgment just a few years after condemning his sack and praising him (Shuaib) for his courage and candour in his writings for justice.

“I didn’t believe Lai Mohammed as an opposition leader, was lying when he was defending my right to freedom of expression in 2013. I, therefore, doubt if the Minister is aware of the appeal rejecting the entire judgement of a competent court for my reinstatement and compensations on that basis. I still don’t believe Mr. Lai could be lying with his public support for the freedom of expression by tolerating the unfathomable decision of his Ministry in 2018.”

Shuaib asked the minister to be wary of fraudulent antics of some civil servants who could mislead him.

Narrating his ordeal before the purported retirement, Shuaib said: “in a deliberate effort to nail me at all cost after my article on Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in 2013, the directors in the Ministry of Information ignored my various initiatives and efforts in promoting the image of the government while in the service. I had issued countless press releases and articles as well as received awards and commendations even from government agencies in about 20 years’ career in the service.

“The directors met and insisted on my dismissal over the same article ignoring my written defence. They even made a mockery of the Automatic Employment the government offered me as a recipient of Presidential National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award for meritorious service in 1994.

“In page 6 of the minutes of their meeting of June 11, 2013, the Directors of the Ministry indicated their disdain for merit and demonstrated their jealousy when they stated that ‘the officer (Yushau Shuaib) came into the service by accident and it was advisable that he should go the same way.’”

When he was eventually retired, Shuaib sued the government for the unlawful retirement over his opinion article. In his statement of defence before the Court, Shuaib had stated that he was not giving fair hearing by the ministry and that the Public Service Rule 030421 gave him the right to write an article. The section states that “Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to prevent an officer from publishing in his own name, by writing, speech or broadcast matters relating to a subject of general interest which does not contain a critic of any officer.”

He also cited Section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution which states that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”

Shuaib, an award-winning writer, was offered automatic employment by Delta State and the federal government after winning state and presidential awards of NYSC scheme in the 90s.

He had served at various organizations as Public Relations Officer and Press Secretary including Delta State Govt House, Asaba, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), National Press Centre, and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.

After his purported compulsory retirement, Shuaib activated PRNigeria, a press release platform for critical institutions in Nigeria serving the military, security, intelligence and response agencies among others.

No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the appeal. [myad]

Anambra Police Gives People 21-Day To Turn In Weapons In Their Possession Or Face Prosecution

Greenbarge Reporters

March 1, 2018

Anambra State Police Command has given people in the 181 communities of the state 21-day ultimatum to voluntarily submit to the state command, all illegally acquired firearms and ammunitions or face prosecution.

The directive came on the heels of some communities and the state government that have regularly been empowering youths with arms to serve as internal security, leading to the proliferation of small weapons in the state.

And, acting on the recent directive of Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to mop up arms in states, the Anambra State commissioner of police, Garba Umar said that he would arrest and prosecute any individual or groups of persons found with any kind of prohibited firearms in the state, who fail to turn them in within the grace period given.

Addressing newsmen in Awka, the state capital, Umar said that the command has set up a 9-man task force chaired by ACP Baba Maiyaki to ensure strict adherence to the directive, adding that the mop up operation is targeted at full enforcement of the Firearms Act of 2004.

He listed the firearms affected by the exercise to include artillery, apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusion projectiles, rocket weapons, bomb and grenades.

Other weapons enumerated by the commissioner were machine guns and pistols, military rifles, revolvers and pistols, pump action gun of all categories as well as any other firearms weapons fabricated to kill.

Umar advised members of the public, individuals and groups such as Vigilante, neighborhood watch, Town unions, hunters, watch night men or any group or association under any capacity to surrender such prohibited arms before the expiration of the date of the ultimatum. [myad]

Daily Independent’s Management Cries Out Over Ill-Health Of Detained Bureau Chief

Greenbarge Reporters

March 1, 2018

Management of The Independent newspaper has cried out over the ill-health of its Abuja Bureau Chief, Tony Ezimakor, who has been in Department of State Security (DSS) detention since yesterday, Wednesday.

A statement from the management today, Thursday, said that Ezimakor had walked into DSS headquarters in Abuja about 10.30am on Wednesday to honour an invitation from the security agency.

The statement said that the journalist was then shunted from one office to the other on Wednesday and was asked to wait for a particular officer who was said to have been away from his office.

“The management had made frantic efforts through its lawyer, Douglas Ekhator, since Wednesday to see the detained Ezimakor but with little result.

“As at Thursday (today), the management had received no news about Ezimakor, though Ekhator (the lawyer) returned to the DSS office on Thursday morning.

The management added in the statement: “one thing is certain, Mr. Ezimakor was not given his medication though the lawyer who took it to him late Wednesday.

“We hereby alert the world to this real and present danger that Mr. Ezimakor is a high blood pressure patient and apart from taking his drugs, needs to see his doctors at very short notice.

“The implication is very clear; any outfit holding him for days is endangering his life.

“We reiterate that Mr. Ezimakor’s wife said the husband left home on Wednesday without medication and did not eat any food before leaving home Wednesday morning.

“She lamented that her husband’s health must be in grave danger, especially as DSS operatives have denied him access to his prescribed drugs.

“INDEPENDENT, therefore, is asking for its Abuja Bureau Chief’s immediate and unconditional release, otherwise his life is in serious danger.” [myad]

Woman Divorces Husband For Abandoning Her Because Of N24,000 Rent

Greenbarge Reporters

February 28, 2018

A 29 year old mother of three children, Funke Adeyemi, has secured court divorce from her husband, Wasiu Adeyemi, for abandoning her because of N24,000 unpaid rent on their apartment

Funke told an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, today, Wednesday that her husband of 12 years ran away from their home when the landlord demanded for payment of the outstanding rent, leaving her and their three children.

She said that the husband had refused to pay the debt and had not been seen since June, 2017. ”The landlord has ejected me from the house and I have been living with my parents since then. ”All efforts to contact him proved abortive and I have been shouldering the responsibility of the three kids alone.

”I pray the court to dissolve our union and order him to be responsible to his paternal roles,” she pleaded.

The husband was not in court to defend the allegation, but the court registrar said that he (Wasiu) was duly served the court summon.

President of the Court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, said that evidence before him, coupled with the deliberate non-appearance of the defendant in court, had proved that there was no more love in the union.

Balogun dissolved the marriage and ordered the defendant to pay N12, 000 monthly for the upkeep of the three children.

He directed the court registrar to serve the defendant with a copy of the judgment. [myad]

Alleged Double INEC Registration: Senate Moves To Investigate Kogi Governor

Greenbarge Reporters

February 28, 2018

Nigerian Senate has set in motion, a plan to investigate the governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello over the alleged double registration with the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senator Mohammed Hassan (PDP-Yobe), who made the move today, Wednesday, through order 43, called for investigation of the circumstances that led to Governor Yahaya Bello getting INEC’s Temporary Voters Card (TVC) despite his “involvement” in double registration.

He recalled that Yahaya Bello was involved in double registration which led to sack of some staff of INEC, adding that it would cast aspersion on the electoral body if the governor is not investigated.

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, you recall that Kogi State governor was involved in double registration which led to dismissal of some INEC staff.

“As a governor he cannot be prosecuted, but could be investigated. I therefore urged the Committee on INEC to investigate the governor. I so move.”

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has referred the motion to the Senate Committee on INEC, even as he directed that the committee should revert in two weeks. [myad]

I’m Embarrassed By Cycle Of Violence Amongst Ethnic Warriors, Militias – Atiku

Greenbarge Reporters

February 28, 2018

Former Vice President of Nigeria, who is currently a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed disgust over what he called ‘continuing cycle of violence, revenge and counter revenge’ by ethnic warriors and militias in the country that had led to needless waste of precious human lives

In a statement today, Wednesday, Atiku Abubakar condemned the latest sectarian crisis, which claimed the life of the Adamawa State PDP spokesperson, Mr. Sam Zadock and 12 other victims. He also condemned similar crisis in Kaduna and other places that have led to avoidable loss of lives in the country.

The former Vice President said that the reckless disregard for the sanctity of life is not only disturbing, but shows the failure of local leaders to manage differences and grievances even as he stressed: “bloodshed cannot be the solution to those grievances.”

According to him, “our common humanity is greater than our ethnic and religious differences and that the frequent resort to violence is inconsistent with the teachings of our religions about the sanctity of life.”

Atiku Abubakar said that no society can achieve peace and happiness when love is replaced with violent and destructive hate and bigotry even as he called for cool headed approach to conflict resolutions instead of incitements to violence by ethnic and religious leaders.

He said that those who encourage the destruction of life are unfit to lead others, even as he called for increased vigilance and prompt response to early signs of developing violence or conflicts in order to nip such crises in the bud.

He said that the deployment of troops after lives have been lost “is tantamount to locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.”

He however praised the efforts of the security personnel and their sacrifices, and called for improved strategies and the use of human intelligence to foil mass murderers before they strike.

Atiku Abubakar condoled with the Zadock family, families of the other deceased and the Adamawa PDP over the loss of their loved ones. [myad]

Table Tennis: Rivers State Catches Them Young, By Gladys Nweke

Greenbarge Reporters

February 28, 2018

Rivers State is set to establish what it called ‘Tennis clinic’ to train children from primary to secondary school levels in the efforts to popularize the game in addition to enabling the participants to make good money out of it.

Chairman of the table tennis in the state, Chief Ikenna Okafor, who made this known today, Wednesday in Port Harcourt, capital of the state, shortly after his meeting with the stakeholders and multinational companies, said that the state would also employ coaches to conduct the training.

Chief Okafor said that plans have been made to go round all senatorial zones of the state to search for the younger generation to form the nucleus of the table tennis.

He said that the organization is currently working with the state government which has shown more interested in sports. [myad]

Trailing Of Kidnappers Turns Bloody In Kogi: 3 Kidnappers, A Soldier Die In Gun Battle

Greenbarge Reporters

February 28, 2018

Attempt by soldiers to rescue an oil magnate, Momoh Otinau, from the suspected kidnappers that abducted him on February 17 turned bloody yesterday, Tuesday, when the kidnappers engaged the soldiers in gun battle, resulting in the death of a soldier and three of the kidnappers.

It was gathered that a relation of the kidnapped victim who has been negotiating with the kidnappers was said to have informed the soldiers believed to be part of those prosecuting “exercise cat race” of his intention to go and drop a ransom for the kidnappers.

The soldiers then decided to follow him with the intention to rescue the victim and arrest the suspects, but the rescue mission turned fatal as the kidnappers on sighting the relation approaching the designated point with the armed soldiers immediately opened fire on them.

Otinau was kidnapped in front of a mosque in Okene while relaxing with friends.

Meanwhile the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Command Army Records in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, Weri Finikumor has confirmed the killing of three kidnap suspects and a soldier.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone in Lokoja that some of the suspected kidnappers have been arrested and are helping the military in its investigations.

Finikumor assured residents that operation “exercise cat race” was ongoing to curtail criminality and boost security in the state.

He said that the army would make details of the exercise public as soon as it is concluded.

Source: NAN. [myad]

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