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A Nigerian man, John Okoro, 35 convicted for drug-related crimes in India has escaped from prison few hours to his deportation.
Mumbai Mirror reports that he escaped from the Anti-Narcotics Cell’s custody around 2AM when he told officials that he wanted to use the toilet, and then jumped from the first floor of the agency’s Azad Maidan office where he was being held.
He crashed through the asbestos roof and fled on foot.
The report stated that the constable guarding him also jumped down with him in a bid to recapture him but got injured in the process. He is recovering at the Nagpada Police hospital.
“Around 2AM, Okoro told the constable on guard that he wanted to visit the washroom. He was being taken there when he jumped from the balcony. He landed on the asbestos roof, which immediately gave away,” a police officer said. “He ran in the directions of Mahapalika Marg.”

Okoro was convicted of selling banned substances in 2014 and recently completed his jail term. He was placed under the ANC’s custody on December 31 2016 to be deported on January 2.
A police officer said a manhunt had been launched and the Anti-Narcotics Cell had asked informants to be on the lookout. Okoro was wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and slippers.
Fresh charges stemming from his daring escape have been registered at the Azad Maidan police again.
Credit: Mumbai Mirror

 
Ghanaian superstar Stonebwoy has released the official video for his song “Enku Lenu“. The video shows the artist being kidnapped by a group of fine ladies. It’s really an interesting video and it doesn’t hurt that this song is a tune!
Stonebwoy honestly keeps giving us hits back to back. The video was tastefully shot by Alex Adjei and the song was Produced by Awaga.

Watch video HERE

The Senior Pastor of Champions Royal Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has released what he termed “prohetic insight for 2017…. for individuals and nations… to guide them into what’s at stake and take appropriate precautions where necessary.”

1 In 2017, I see more pressure on his excellency, Mr president to sack the incubent CBN Governor. It will take divine Grace for him to remain in that office.

 

2. Senator Saraki. The Senate president should not think that the trials are over. I see more storm and trials that will take a new turn from his enemies and political distractor. They will scheme  for his removal. He should be very careful  because I see much betrayal of promise. They might backstab him. I see promises made in the secret to him that will not be kept. He should pray that the people in his camp should not see the storm overwhelming him, thus leaving him in the storm.

 

3 The hardsip and poverty in Nigeria will increase. Mr president will do all he can in his power to reshuffle some of his cabinet in order to rescue issues but because his administration has more enemies than friends, they will frustrate all his efforts. However,  I see a light at the end of the tunnel but it will not free us from this hardship. Rather , it will increase, it will be strong but I have good news for you, those who know their God will be exempted.

 

4 I see a part in this country that the military will move swiftly to rescue because of the crisis that will come out of there. it will be like a tail of crocodile slapping the water. It is between 2018 – 2019 that this crisis will blow but in 2017, we will see a symptom of it splashing  the water. Sensitive crisis from one part of the nation that needs the current administration to be sensitive and pray about it.

 

5 I see the issue of flood resuming. I see heavy down pour. I see some of the corruption that has been there over 2 years ago to curb such flood will be exposed because  this will affect a lot of buildings.

 

6 Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Kaduna, Adamawa and Plateau should pray against serious attack like herdsmen, terrorism, radical extremist and religious attacks which will increase but God will give us Victory.

 

7. The dollar exchange rate will rise up above 600. It will go up.

8 – His Excellency, Mr President should pray for his health, I see him traveling out for an unscheduled health checkup. But this time, it will be more serious. He should pray for his health, God will keep him.

 

9 There will be serious attempt to frustrate the Vice President . This attempt will be so strong. There are some cabals  that will want him out of the seat. This attempt would not just be by political measures but an attempt through striking of his life as well. He should pray and be careful but the Lord will keep him.

 

10 The Churches in Nigeria will go through serious persecution. Some major ministries will receive serious court judgement that will be unfavourable but God will keep such ministries. There will be strong persecution. Lets Pray to God to keep the church in Nigeria. God spoke to me and said this is the time Nigeria should be ever united as it has been in the history of the country because what is ahead of us, one cannot fight. It will take measures of too many people connecting with heart and mind to fight.

 

11 The current government will prevail so much over the issue of Boko Haram but it will not die. Rather, it will take a new dimension. It will worsen but at the tail end between 2017 – 2018, most especially 2018, that’s when we will get the victory better on the issue of Boko haram.

 

13 I see another monster that will be created before the end of this regime meant to distract the incumbent President and his crew. Just as Boko haram was a distraction to the previous Government. I see another distraction that is coming. It will be stronger than what we heard about. That’s why we should continue to pray not to continue going from one circle of battle to the other.

 

13 The agitation of Biafra will take another turn. Pray so that this time it should not be bloody. We should pray for Kanu Nnamdi, the biafra leader, because I see an health challenge and I see bitterness and agitation from this same region he is coming from. And I pray the current admistration is very sensitive over the case of Nnamdi Kanu because what I see is not too good. May the Lord keep Nigeria. Will he come out? Yes! How will he come out? I can’t really tell. I see it as something divine. I don’t see legal issue as a means of removing him from there.

 

14 I keep repeating this prophecy for the past three years and I’m still repeating it. There is a great man of God whose candle light has finished. There’s nothing we can do about it. This is an home calling to glory and I keep saying this. God said I should re-echo it. This is an important but sensitive minister in the body of Christ. His candle light has gone down but is living by Extra grace. I still see this same prophecy in 2017. I pray God will show mercy and grace on him.

 

15 We should pray against another terrorist attack in Abuja. God will avert it!

 

16 A former president and great man should pray to cross this year 2017 to the next year.

 

17 The clamour for his Excellency, Mr president, to come back in 2019 will be very high. Buhari should be very careful. There’s a lot of judases around him. They are only digging his grave for him unknowingly. He should be very careful.

 

18 I see a shake in the Government. I see new ministers coming in.

 

19 The governor of Rivers state will suffer a lot of political persecution but it will not stop what God is about to do.

 

20 The Lord spoke to me and said what Amaechi was to the ex-president is what Ayo Fayose will become to President Buhari in this regime. The same persecution that Amaechi gave the previous Government is the same persecution Fayose will give Buhari. He should not be underestimated because I see him making a move that may result in revolution.

 

21 Rivers and  Ekiti state Governors  should be very careful. There will be attempt even over their lives. I don’t know by which party but that’s what I saw.

 

22 I see a governor that will narrowly escape death. God will keep him. Infact, he will have to go to the house of God thanksgiving.

 

23 APC has served its purpose. In 2017, the party will begin to see major Cracks and before 2019 there’s a powerful party that will merge out and will form strong alliance in 2017. It will become solid in 2018. APC has served it’s purpose. It’s like a piece of paper thrown away after being used. APC has served its purpose. A new party that will take Nigeria to the next level will rise up and I don’t know how but I see this party consisting of members of the ruling party and opposition party fusing together causing what I call unwanted diffusion that will lead to a future catastrophe but before it, there is going to be calm on the nerves of Nigerians. Even the new party that will come in is like joining petrol and Kerosine together and mixing it up with water.

 

24 I’m sorry to say this but it is what I Saw. Nigeria will continue to have old faces ruling this country. They will keep circulating powers among themselves. The faces we will be seeing won’t be really new. They will keep changing from one regime to another till 2031.

 

25. In 2031, I see a face rising up that will take Nigeria to where we ought to be. He is a true David we should look up to. A strong, vibrant, intelligent leader and a bridge maker. By this time, 3 major political fathers who caused change in this generation would have gone to glory.

 

26. God said there are some cabals he’s going to call to glory before the true David emerge.

 

27. I saw a mighty hand sweeping Nigeria. What I saw was a golden fork sweeping but it took time to gather the dirt. It took sometime that is the space of time I saw in my vision

 

28. In 2035, there will be a strong female politician that will rise. She will become very strong, fearless, confrontational and she will be a running mate. That’s a vice president position.

 

 29. Between 2039 – 2051, Nigeria will have a female President that will turn the country in another dimension.

 

30. The tension in 2019 will be worse than 2015 election. We must pray against military intervention, please let’s pray as it can be averted.

 

31. We must pray against cancellation of results after election in 2019.

 

32. I see the seat of an African leader empty because of death.

 

33. Some politicians are agitating to rule forever. As long as they are on the seat, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Hear what God said about them. He said ‘ Is it not the living that will rule? The dead body can’t rule.

 

34. I see thick dark cloud over sokoto.  Please pray for sokoto state in 2017.

 

35. Pray for the aviation industry. I saw thick dark cloud on one of the airlines. I pray and I cancel such aircraft crash in Jesus name.

 

36. There will be some cabal in the ruling party that will move the motion to remove the National chairman of the ruling party. They will pass vote of no confidence against him. They will cry and criticise him more. It will be very strong just as it happened in PDP , It will happen in APC. I see the seat of the national ruling party leader shaking before the next election.

 

 37. Buhari will do his best to move Nigeria forward but all his best will be thwarted by the enemies of Nigeria. It is not about Buhari, it is about some cabals who are enemies of Nigeria. Though we have angels sitting at the helms of affairs, if this cabal don’t die, Nigeria will remain in a cage.

 

38. There will be mass loss of Job most especially in the banking industry. There will be lot of retrenchment.

 

GREAT FEDERATION MUSIC also known as ‘GFM GANG’  which houses  great acts like CRIZ GOLD, SPRINGSTEVE & STRETCHFLOWZ’ has finally released their popular hit track “GERRARA HERE” after much demand and request from fans to be put up online for download.
Download and feel the vibe and also share with friends and Djs.

DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY.

DOWNLOAD “Gerrara Here” HERE

 Sensational Rapper/Singer “CRIZ GOLD aka Tha Rap Prophet” is out with the video visual of his cover to the Famous “Adele” hit single “HELLO“.
 The hotly anticipated video was directed by one of Nigeria fast rising director “CHRISTOPHER OKONKOWO” and was shot at various locations in the city of jos, plateau state, Nigeria.
The Romantic video starring new face vixen “MONALISA” is a perfect touch.
DOWNLOAD,  WATCH AND SHARE

DOWNLOAD VIDEO HERE

WATCH VIA YOUTUBE HERE

J.T.E: BIZAKEEM Can We Know you?

BIZAKEEM: My Full Names are Akeem Yusuf Dusu,am from Plateau State and Berom by Tribe precisely.

J.T.E:You dont look like someone from the plateau Akeem!

BIZAKEEM: LOL{Laughs} yeah i get that from people alot.

J.T.E: How did you started your music career?

BIZAKEEM: I Started back then in secondary school in 2010 [Command secondary school Zaria Road.

J.T.E: Ok.

J.T.E: Can you describe your family interest towards your Career?

BIZAKEEM: Supportive, infact my dad has been there for me from the beginning, He is a music lover too.

J.T.E: Ok

J.T.E: You have been attending different shows round Nigeria,Do you really get nervous before performing on stage?

BIZAKEEM: LOL{Laughs} NO! But sometimes yeah especially when people i look up to are in the building.If i must say happens to everyone as far as you are a star

J.T.E: As a Artiste what do you think makes a good and perfect session?

BIZAKEEM: When the artiste and the producer are on the same page,Good music can be made.

J.T.E: OK NICE!

J.T.E: Do you do anything apart from music?


BIZAKEEM: Yeah,am into Fashion and Modelling too!







BIZAKEEM: I think am gonna keep my mouth shut on that till its official,but right now am being managed by space Boyz ent.

J.T.E: Thank you for the clearification!

J.T.E: Thanks For having you on this interview.Any Last Word to your fans and what advice do you have to those out there aspiring to be like you?

BIZAKEEM: I Just want to tell everyone out there supporting my music,you dont know how much fuel you put in my hustlee,Expect more fire! fire! from me coming your way soon THANK YOU!

 -And to those ones looking up to me,God will help us all just got a piece of advice for you just get your style,make good music, Know your Boundaries and be Prayerful...#OLUWATIDE!

   

By Evelyn Usman
LAGOS—FIGHT over a stolen Samsung mobile phone has led to the arrest of members of a gang of robbers that also raped their female victims around Charity area of Oshodi, Lagos State, by Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the state Police Command.
The arrested four members of the gang, who confessed to have lost count of how many ladies and married women they have so far gang raped, said in two weeks, out of the 12 persons attacked, nine women were raped.
The suspects, as gathered, would position themselves from under the foot bridge at Charity Bus Stop, opposite the Nigerian Army Resettlement Centre, Oshodi, to the bridge, which links Airport Road, pretending to be passengers waiting for commercial bus.
 

Thereafter, they would attack unsuspecting commuters waiting for buses or those who intended to cross to the other side of the road, dispossessing them of valuables. They usually operated between 4a.m. and 5a.m.
However, their female victims, single or married, were usually dragged into a nearby bush, where they would raped and then robbed of cash and other valuables.
Vanguard gathered that their female victims were usually businesswomen going to Ketu/Mile 12 market or those going to their work places. Among those who have fallen victims, were ladies waiting for their staff bus at Charity Bus Stop.

Arrest
They met their waterloo, following the arrest of a suspected member of the gang, Daniel Olayemi, while he was fighting with a member of a separate gang, during a misunderstanding over a Samsung mobile phone.
During interrogation, Olayemi confessed to have taken the phone from a lady after she was gang raped last week.
His confessional statement, as gathered, led to the raid of the spot by RRS operatives, weekend, where Abdulwahab Yusuf, 19; Saviour Daniel, 23; and suspected leader of the gang, Sunday John, 27, were arrested.
Olayemi further disclosed that members of his gang had gang raped nine ladies, out of 12 persons attacked in the last two weeks at the bus stop.
On his part, Daniel said he had only participated in the gang rape three times, adding “I didn’t partake in all the cases of gang rape. I was only involved on three occasions. John was the one who dragged the women into the bush and undressed them.
“Because he is our leader and also stronger than us, he only allowed us to take turns when he is exhausted.
“We took turns according to our age. When he finished, I would be the next to rape the victim. Daniel Olayemi usually went last because he is the youngest.”

Leader’s confession

However, suspected leader of the gang, John, claimed that the operation at Charity Bus Stop and gang rape was not carried out by members of his gang alone. He revealed that different gangs come all the way from Agbado and Agege areas of the state to operate at Charity Bus Stop.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, who confirmed the arrests, stated that the suspects had given useful information that would help police arrest other members operating at the bus stop and its environs.
She said the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Yaba, for further investigation.

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor
Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is an accomplished banker of repute, unpopular presently, for policies considered injurious to certain vested business interests.   Some of the policies also came with pains considered necessary for sustainable economic growth.
Prior to taking the helms at the CBN in mid-2014, he had spent over 26 years in commercial banking, rising to the position of Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank PLC, one of Nigeria’s largest banks with subsidiaries in many African countries including South Africa, as well as China and the United Kingdom.

Under Emefiele’s leadership, Zenith Bank strengthened its position as a leading financial institution in Africa, winning recognition and endorsement at home and abroad for giant strides in key performance areas like corporate governance, service delivery and deployment of cutting-edge Information and Communication Technology.
Before his banking career, he was a lecturer in Finance and Insurance in two Nigerian Universities. Mr. Emefiele holds degrees in Banking and Finance from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and is also an alumnus of Stanford University, Harvard and Wharton Graduate School of Business, where he took courses in Negotiation, Service Excellence, Critical Thinking, Leading Change, and Strategy.
Since becoming Governor of the CBN, Mr. Emefiele has vigorously pursued his vision of financial system stability and development financing in view of his strong belief that central banks in developing countries cannot afford to sit idly by and concentrate only on price and monetary stability, given the enormity of their development challenges.



This ideological predisposition formed the basis for this Award, in that he came to office at the apex bank when Nigeria needed a critical reset in the economic behavior and policy positions.
Few weeks into his job at CBN, the economy, being largely driven by oil exports, began to slide under the weight of oil price crash in the international market. This challenge was also coming at the end of the US Fed’s Quantitative Easing Programme, which meant reversal of capital back to USA from most developing countries such as Nigeria.
These two major international developments were complicated by several other domestic challenges on the heels of the hottest national electioneering season.
Thus, Emefiele inherited adversity. But it is in this era of adversity that we measure the quality of leadership more appropriately.
In 2015, when he was barely one year in office with the avalanche of challenges he inherited, a change of government was added to the basket of what he had to deal with, at a time when all other external sector challenges were escalating.
It was against these inclement circumstances that Emefiele began to work a tight rope of leading monetary policy efforts to deal with the spillovers. The new government had taken a very long time to settle down into fiscal policy complement of the monetary policy efforts, thereby forcing Emefiele to walk a difficult and lonely economic management path. Consequently, results of his efforts at the end of the fiscal year 2015 were obviously muted, signaling a more challenging 2016.
By mid 2016, the economy had slid into recession, inflation had escalated, capital flight had heightened, foreign reserves had declined further, while the Naira had depreciated across all market segments.
It is noteworthy that Emefiele kept his eye on the ball despite these huge distractions, which came with castigations and even threats to his personal integrity.
But how did Nigeria get to this point? The country had opened up its economy to “all-comers” and dropped all capital controls. At some point, the country had more than US$23 billion in Foreign Portfolio Investments, (FPIs), a clear “hot money” that could easily evaporate at the slightest hint of an economic slowdown, and it happened following the drop in oil price.
Recall that in September 2008, Nigeria’s foreign reserves was at a whopping US$62 billion, even after spending about US$12 billion settling external debt obligations.    Emefiele was left with barely half of that on assumption of office eight months later. What happened to the money?
Beyond the sharp drop in crude oil prices and reserves, there was also a plummeting of the CBN’s monthly foreign earnings, from as high as US$3.2 billion to current levels of as low as US$700 million monthly. Yet, the demand for foreign exchange by mostly domestic importers has risen by almost 750%.
To avoid further depletion in the reserves, the CBN, under Emefiele, took a number of countervailing actions including the prioritisation of the most critical needs for foreign exchange. In this regard, and in order of priority, it decided to provide the available but highly limited foreign exchange to meet the following needs: matured Letters of Credit from commercial banks; importation of petroleum products (another problem Emefiele inherited from a badly structured economy); importation of critical raw materials, plants, and equipment; and payments for school fees, BTA, PTA, and related expenses (yet another problem he inherited arising from poor domestic educational system).
We noted that these policies yielded some positive developments, though with some pains expected of any major bone-setting exercise.
In particular, Emefiele managed to reduce the rate of depletion in external reserves, recording, in the process, significant increases towards the end of 2016. More importantly, the reserves remained robust and is able to cover more than five months of Nigeria’s imports (Dec. 2016) as against the international benchmark of three (3) months. His policies have largely eliminated speculators and rent-seekers from the Foreign Exchange Market.
Given the scarcity of forex inflows into the CBN, and the penchant of Bureau De Changes, BDCs, to abuse the system, the CBN moved to fund the market from remittances through International Money Transfer Organizations (IMTOs) – in recognition of the enormous potential of Nigerians in Diaspora to adequately fund the forex market, a creative decision which has improved forex supply to the markets.
It is also noteworthy that following the re-introduction of the Flexible Exchange Rate System, FERS, he cleared the backlog of forex demand through a combination of spot and forward sales.
More rewardingly, domestic production of items prohibited from the forex market is picking up nationwide, thereby creating more jobs for many more Nigerians.
Emefiele has gone beyond the regular call of duty to help in addressing fiscal and other macroeconomic challenges. As part of its long-term strategy for strengthening the Nigerian economy, Emefiele established initiatives to resolve the underlying factors stoking challenges to long-term GDP growth, economic productivity, unemployment and poverty that had pervaded the economy over the past decades. Hence, he took measures to increase credit allocations to pivotal productive sectors of the economy. This is with a view to stimulating increased output in these sectors, creating jobs on a mass scale and significantly reducing import bills that mount pressure on forex.
So far, the targeted interventions have impacted on the following sectors:
Agriculture 
Four commodities – rice, fish, sugar, and wheat – which consume about N1.3 trillion annually in import bill, are on his focus.  Specifically, Emefiele introduced  the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, ABP, kick-started in Kebbi State has already yielded results with about one million metric tonnes of rice pumped into the Nigerian market. This represents 20 percent of total consumption and it is estimated that by the time this is fully implemented nationwide, Nigeria will not only be self-sufficient, the country will become a major global producer/exporter of rice.
Power
In conjunction with stakeholders in the power sector, CBN, under Emefiele, established a Special Purpose Vehicle in the form of a low interest facility, to discharge existing legacy gas debts that had undermined gas supply to generating power plants in the country. The investors now have financial stand point for a take-off of sustainable improvements in investment and production in the power value chain, while rescuing the power sector from total collapse.
Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs)
These are recognised globally as the nucleus of sustainable growth, job creation and poverty reduction. In Nigeria, the greatest challenge confronting the 17.3 million MSMEs in operation is constrained access to affordable financing. Under Emefiele, the CBN is implementing a ¦ 220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) to provide concessionary finance to MSMEs. This has stepped up self employment generation in the economy.
Workers’  Salary/Pensions Assistance Fund 
One of the critical challenges of economic growth faced by Nigeria now is weak demand occasioned by weak or absence of income amongst vast number of the population. This is also partly as a result of huge salary arrears in the public sector – clearly a fiscal policy challenge. But under Emefiele CBN has assisted more than 30 states of the federation with concessionary loans to offset salary arrears for their workers to stimulate demand and the economy. This also came along with the apex bank’s disbursement of N10 billion each to all 36 States to finance specific infrastructural development projects in their states, another economic stimulation action.
In addition, the apex bank has disbursed about N350 billion to the Federal Ministry of Finance for emergency spending that would boost the economy in the wake of the economic recession.
For these reasons  – and many more too numerous to put on paper – we, the editors of Vanguard, voted Mr Godwin Emefiele as VANGUARD PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR, 2016,  in a year that created a  dilemma for the editors in identifying  individuals  who were able to profoundly affect the lives of Nigerians (whether for good or  of  ill).

 
Dear Folake,

(Sips cocktail) Ah! Sweetie, you need to have a taste of this cocktail I’m drinking! It is the tears of sexists, who cried because I told them I want a wife. (Laughs) Ordinary wife they are vexing. I didn’t know having ovaries meant I shouldn’t want a helper. Wives are helpers. Anyway, God has been faithful, gals-dem have been sending applications to be my wife. Babe, ask your other friends to apply. Move My Ministry (MMM).

Babe, you won’t believe my current location. Well, I’m writing from a place in Lagos and (screams like a deranged sociopath) oh my gwash! I just saw a unicorn prance over a mass of snow. IT WAS FARTING RAINBOWS!
Ehen, lately, I heard you have joined gals-dem that agitate for gender equality. Don’t you know getting equal treatment as men would wreck society? Any small thing, you guys will be saying, “Female oppression is the glue binding society.” As one gal I follow on Twitter, @NeNeEugene_, tweeted, “You need to perm your attitude. Relax.” Uh-hmm… Gals-dem need to perm their unruly attitude the same way they perm their beautiful afros.

You see, social institutions have scheduled how women should be in society. Men and women are different thus; they have different roles in the society. Why are you guys fighting for equality? You can never be equal to a man. Ah! This is where you say, “We are not trying to be equal to men. Men are not the yardstick of being human. We flatter men when we say we are trying to be equal to them. We only want a society where men and women have equal opportunities to make the best out of their lives. Giving your kids equal opportunities doesn’t mean you want them to compete for…” (Rolls eyes to Ibadan) Blah-di-da-di-da. Ruh- what? Rubbish!

Folake, I love you so much and I think you should drop this feminist attitude. What man wants to marry a woman that would be his superior? I know what you are thinking. In your mind, you’re saying, “Matrimony is not the validation of being human. Besides, only an insecure person would feel he/she is in a power tussle with anyone. Wanting equal treatment for everyone is not a competition. It’s only logical to treat everyone equally regardless of their creeds, sexes, and races.”
Anyway, you guys need to understand men are the leaders in society. Hope this is not the part where you start thinking along the lines of, “What makes men leaders; A part of their anatomy or their natural abilities?” Please, elaborate on this in your next letter.

Ah-ha! I recollect trying to give you reasons why women should accept their roles. All you said was, “These roles are mostly sociological, not biological. The only difference between men and women is the reproductive organs. (The) differences in brain structure vary from people to people, not from sex to sex. Research shows gay men have a slightly…” Whatevs!
You almost won me over to your side when you said, “People should be treated as people before being regarded as members of a certain social group/label.” With a sly grin, you asked, “Did we choose our sexes? Should anyone suffer prejudice, discrimination, and inequality based on something he/she did not choose?” I still do not have an answer.

One day, I will come up with an answer for you. Babe, I will ask around and get back to you. Is it not me? I will tell you why society should oppress people based on circumstances they did not choose.
But seriously, forget all this equality talk. Have you forgotten God made men first before women? Please, don’t ask how I know this brilliant fact. I read it from the scriptures written by people that watched the creation of humans. Okay, they did not watch the creation process, at least God whispered (explains how they, Israelites, were the ONLY society that heard the story) in their ears that he made Adam first. A snake LITERALLY walked and talked. I don’t even believe evolution, adaptation, and mutation. It’s a miracle Adam and Eve, two Middle-Easterners, mutated into four distinct races. Don’t tell me I sound illogical. Don’t tell me religion defiles logic. Don’t tell me religion supports racism and slavery, too. Last time, you had to quote Colossians 3:22 and Titus 2:9.  You even went on to say, “All forms of oppression are deeply rooted in religion.” Babe! I tire for you! If I ask you to stop questioning religion, you will say, “God gave me intellect, not religion. Religion emerged from man’s desire to understand the things in nature that exceeded the scope of his cognition. Science keeps unravelling…” Nne, durrh!

Folake, my dear friend! I’ve missed you! I can’t wait for you to write back! Hope you’re still in love with Tekno. When are you guys getting married? I can’t wait for BellaNaija to carry you guys’ wedding story. You can use chartreuse and burgundy. I still owe you a reply to that question. Be safe, sweetie! No find trouble. I hope you consider your feminist ways, though.

Cisi

P.S. Eh-hen! Do you remember that my neighbour I told you is in an abusive relationship; that one that her husband turned her skin to a canvas by painting her blue, black, and red? A snake just walked and talked to her o. It told her, “Some things are useful, not necessary. Gladly, those useful things have substitutes.” You should help me figure out this snake’s riddle. I remember you saying, “Genesis story is but an allegory. Why should we base female oppression on a myth, an allegory? (…) The snake in that story represents wisdom. This explains why religion is to logic what water is to oil (…)”  Maybe this snake here has said something wise. Babe, do and write back, joor! I miss you! I should definitely get us twin unicorns this New Year. Bye, lover! Mmwaah! (That’s a big kiss.)
Photo Credit: Mheim301165 | Dreamstime.com

 
Perhaps by now you would have seen a status update by a friend on any of the social media, saying “new year, new me!” and you would have scoffed at it.
Why do you scoff? Perhaps you don’t believe that your friend can change –can become new.  Perhaps you don’t even know what that means.  What does a “new me” even mean?
If I saw a friend who suffered some burns on his face, from an accident.  At first,  I may not recognise him because his face has changed.  But as we get talking, I will know who he is. And from what he says, I can determine that the incident did not change him.
However, if I saw a friend who I didn’t know was suffering from some form of amnesia, I would recognise him by his face rightaway but upon talking with him, I will get to find out that we cannot relate; he can’t seem to identify with many of the things I talk about, as though he didn’t share those memories with me.  Worse, he might not even be able to recognise me!
I would certainly leave that meeting with a firm conviction that my friend has “changed”.  He’s a new person now, and I want my old friend back!
Similarly, if I went to visit a friend who I always knew to be a morally upright person –a “holier than thou” brother who would not behold evil with his eyes.  Upon getting to his house, I meet him about to put on a ski mask to go with his suspicious-looking black-on-black outfit.  I ask him “what’s going on?” and he answers “oh the gang and I are going out to rob a bank this evening, you wanna join?”, as he puts on his mask and then holsters his gun.
I would probably run away from there convincced that I met the wrong person.  That is not the friend I used to know, he has “changed”!
My point? There are two broad things that make a person unrecognisable  and neither of them has to do with physical appearance.  They are the two Ms –Memory and Morality.  Changing anyone of these in any direction, positive or negative, will change how others see you, including yourself (being the last to notice most of the time though).  You become a “new you”.
Interestingly, these two areas broadly sum up the human mind.  Therefore, to change yourself, you have to change your mind.  You can only be transformed through the renewing of your mind.
This is 2017, a new year! I am committed to becoming a new me, a better version of myself, a person who is constantly trying to improve his mind and, consequently, his whole being as a human.  Not to worry, I won’t forget you. I will be posting some tips on how to achieve this, continuing next week, as we renew our minds together, choosing the road less traveled –the road to personal development.
Happy New Year, beautiful people!
Photo Credit: Tyler Olson | Dreamstime.com

Sometime last year, I started to look more into meditation and mindfulness. I was looking to reconnect with myself on a certain level, and I knew what I needed to do.

My god mother and her husband are mindfulness meditation instructors and naturally I turned to them. My god mother gave me two books written by her husband on the subject. And guess what! He signed them, whoop whoop!


Both of these books were written by The Happy Buddha aka Suryacitta Malcolm Smith. You can get both books at £9 each on Amazon and be sure to check out their website here
Here are some things that stood out to me in the books. Everything under here will be partly my thoughts but most of it from the two books.
Ever noticed how we try to run away from our feelings especially when they are bad?
We are unhappy because we are unaware. Allow yourself to feel those emotions, do not push them aside or will them away.
Feeling is normal and it is okay. Be aware of what’s going on in you; that way, these emotions will not overwhelm you, but you’ll have better control of your reaction to emotions and feelings because you understand them. Embrace them and rid yourself of the effort to constantly suppress them, we do not have total control of life. With awareness comes healing in different aspects, for example, unacknowledged pain from past experiences. Feeling in the moment leads to healing, not endlessly thinking about the emotions. Feeling = being alive.
‘Me/selfishness’ ‘materialism’ is taking over the world. If we always get what we want, there will be no opportunity to exercise self control. Mindfulness is learning how to relax into our agitation and distress, then melting resistance to connect with our inner selves. Sometimes we believe every thought that comes, that is the source of distress. Thoughts are like hooks, the more we struggle, the deeper we go, just stop fighting them. Let some pass, address the ones that need to be addressed.
Do not choose what you feel, feel everything, whether good or bad. When we shut out sadness and bad experiences, we shut out other things. To be able to experience the joys of life, we need to be able to experience the sadness of life too.We must be willing to face our experiences in the moment.
A silent mind is alive, clear and unclouded by fear and craving but has thoughts. It just has minimal attachments to them. For the good thoughts, act on them and for the bad that you’ll need to let go, allow them to pass. For the bad that needs to be felt and dealt with, do so.  The silent mind responds to life from wisdom and compassion. Listen to your thoughts but learn not to take them too seriously when they should be left alone. Wisdom and  compassion grow out of our experience of life.
Many times, we look for the special and exciting, but the everyday normal should be the peak, we should be able to bring life to everyday activities. We need to be able to dwell in the present and not try to resist or get away from it. Learning to come back to the present moment when in the midst of pain is what matures us as human beings. To be at peace, we need to be able to think about the past and future without anxiety.
We look to relationships, work, travel etc to quench our thirst for happiness, but that lasts only for a while. The only thing that can bring absolute happiness is to know ourselves deeply and see that these views about getting satisfaction are flawed. It is the quality of our relationships that determine the quality of our lives.
Mindfulness meditation is about finding out who we are, here and now, in everyday life. Don’t miss life, live it. And trust the goodness that lies within you.
I would like you to take a moment and do one very simple exercise. I fell in love with it from the books.
Choose a comfortable position, relax, listen to your breath and think deeply about the following words:
1) Say to yourself, ‘may I be happy, may I be well’

2) Bring a good friend to mind and wish them well the same way. ‘(insert name) may you be happy, may you be well’

3) Bring a neutral person to mind and wish the person well the same way.

4) Bring a difficult person to mind and wish the person well the same way.

5) Bring all four together and wish them all well.

Take as much time as you might need, feel your breath, feel your emotions, meditate on the words and it is okay if you get upset or angry or pleased or even feel indifferent. Be honest about your feelings and do not try to push them aside. Especially for number 4!
I found this to be quite profound and somehow, it is a step to healing/reconciliation.
This comes to wish you every happiness in 2017. . . ‘may you be happy, may you be well’!

 I heard the whole thing– it was a shocking news – about your order that Tosing’s name and pictures should be removed from the billboards and posters and digital designs produced for the end of the year concert; despite the fact that the same materials have been used for publicity for over a month. You de-invited him! I don’t even know if there is any English word like de-invited, but bro, you know what you did.
Dude, what is wrong with you? Now, I know the look on your face when you get to this point. You’d want fire from above to consume me, or the ground to open up to swallow me because I call you dude. I have disrespected a man sent from above!
Dude, if fire has been consuming your critics since you’ve been issuing your anger-ignited decrees, how many people do you think will be left in this country?
Youths look up to this guy because his songs inspire them, this guy is talented and humble, this guy lives a scandal-free life, with over a million fans this guy still lives like the reason for Christmas. I can’t even say the same about you!
You’d want your critics to face the wrath of God when they talk about your yacht party in the Bahamas; you’d want God to destroy those who laughed when your wife said her final goodbye because she couldn’t continue to handle the pretty women in tight skirts who follow you everywhere like the disciples followed Jesus; you’d want the ground to swallow journalists who write about the fact that your sermons are always about seed, and the only seed in your world is money.
Not forgetting the gorgeous twin sisters who accused you of having threesome sex with them in a five-star hotel in Cape Town; when the whole thing got to the cyber you promised to tackle it with a robust response, you said it will happen very soon. Aren’t we all waiting for that robust response till now?
Look, you need to read Acts 11:2 to 18 and see how a wise man dealt with criticism, and learn from the way Paul confronted Peter – I’m talking about the biblical ones, not P Square – so that you’d know that your title doesn’t mean you cant make mistakes.
Don’t have this idea that the most high is this super-sized man-like being sitting on a giant chair in the sky, waiting to slam a big hammer on your critics.
We – I’m not talking on behalf of the congregation but this is the general feeling – are all pissed that you removed Tosing’s name from the billboards. This guy travelled all the way from Lagos and had to hear about your sudden change a few hours to the concert. If he had been a bit like you he would have sued, for loss of income and breach of contract. Do you think he had no engagements in Lagos for that time? If he didn’t come, you’d have been one of those talking about folks who are too big for Akure even when Akure produced them.
That’s not even my main reason for writing you.
My main reason for writing you is about the 50 million. Yes, the money you invested in The People’s Project, TPP.
How can we get our money back? Because I will not keep quiet about this, and I’m not the only one. You can’t sweet-talk yourself out of this one, I promise you.
When you called the council meeting two months ago, talking about the way God has provided for the church to defeat the systems of this world through TPP, I warned you about this Makoti guy – the TPP founder.
You need to google his name, just so you know that Makoti is not a masculine name. Your Makoti was in prison for fraud in South Africa, he was there for eight years.
But you wouldn’t listen, you’ve heard from God, you had this revelation, life is about taking risks and sowing a seed is a risk, you want your ministry to go to the next level, you inspired greed in a few other members; and now…here we are.
50 million is gone!
“Fifty million is a single person’s tithe in Lagos!” That’s what you said.
When I asked you why people like you in the good book you preach from do not have chariots and mansions and bags of gold, you said it is because they did not have the understanding of covenant wealth.
With your rare understanding you have invested money that took us two years to gather in a scheme that promises a return of a hundred million. Now the big rat has eaten the “one” out of “one with six zeros”; all we have left is zeros, and you are now at war with everyone because they keep talking about your greed.
Look, I am a man of God too; I may not make a show of it like you do, I may not package myself the way you have done, I may not wear a suit, I may not jerry-curl my hair, I may not call God gahd, I may not have a crowd listening to me every Sunday and Thursday, I may not talk about higher dimensions of grace, yet I know who I am.
When they call you “Pastor”, it is not a title, it is a ministry which is not exclusive to you. So when I ask about this mismanagement that has resulted in the loss of 50 million naira, don’t talk to me as if I’m talking rubbish, as if you can just burn a truckload of cash and I’d just fall on my knees like thousands of other fools because you are a man sent from above.
By investing our money in TPP, you have revealed yourself as a man. That’s why I’m asking questions, because even the ones they call Kabiyesi among us still get to be questioned.
Photo Credit: Caesar joewi photography