ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER. [ A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja.] Vol.15. 24-11-13. MONEY AT ALL COSTS! Not long ago, a Nigerian housewife, domiciled in a satellite community of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), of Nigeria, was roasted in a dawn petrol inferno, inside her living room. A naked lamp ignited the plastic container of commercial fuel, stored at home, for customers! She was a member of the, ‘illegal small-scale industries of the premium motor spirit’, dotted across the nation. Statistics of such avoidable deaths are even higher during pipeline vandalism and subsequent petroleum scooping by Nigerians, who are ever ready to make money at all costs, even, at such high risks! Oil Bunkering, which means, illegal hiding/stealing of crude oil and its by- products by economic saboteurs, during exploration/exploitation, is as old as, ‘Oloibiri’, in Rivers State, where it was first discovered in commercial quantity, in January 1956. Although this economic crime is an act of sabotage, especially in a country like Nigeria, which still relies on mono-product, and we are aware that there are several legislations in place, to punish offenders, this crime escalates instead of abating because a sizable number of the population, who are end-time disciples of the ‘evil spirit of the love of money’, is involved in illegal macro and micro oil bunkering booming business! As the ’big players’, employ their surrogates to invade oil fields with highly sophisticated weapons and lift by force, as much quantity as they desired, the, ‘small players’, employ, their wives, children, (from, ages 6 and above), siblings and house helps, to also ‘invade’ the fuel stations and purchase in large quantities, for retail trading. On their part, the oil marketers, connive with the two groups and ensure that everybody is in business! There is virtually no part of the country, where the oil-bunkering business, is not thriving to keep the nation moving, even, when oil workers embark on nation-wide strikes. We must as a nation give all glory to GOD, who has graciously excluded Nigeria, from global disasters and calamities such as, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, typhoons, forest-fires; etc. Economic crime is also very prominent in the area of smuggling of all manner of goods, finished or raw, through the many porous routes along Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries. The Nigerian Customs Service, though, legislatively saddled to check smuggling across our borders, and is supported in this onerous task by The Nigeria Police, Nigeria Intelligence Agency(NIA), Special Secret Service(SSS), men and officers of the Armed Forces, yet, large-scale smuggling, is at its peak, not only of goods, but also of, arms and ammunitions of arsenal dimensions! There is also another economic crime classified as Money Laundering, which is, a procedure, by which the proceeds of illegal acts are converted into apparently legal activities, with a view to concealing their criminal origin. This crime involves, the transformation of illegal proceeds from hard drugs, arms deals, armed robberies, embezzlement of public funds, contract scams, etc, which are crimes against the State, and streamlining such proceeds or funds into the main stream of legitimate finance and genuine businesses, with a view to concealing the criminal sources and nature of such funds to make them appear ‘clean’, through the aid of communication technology! A recent legislation from the Central Bank of Nigeria, supported by the Money Laundering Act, stipulates that an individual must disclose the source of any lodgement above 1million Naira and a corporate body, 2million; but we are aware that these enemies of the State involved in economic crimes, have bigger vaults than the Central Bank, from where they disburse their illegal loots into the system, thereby creating serious inflation in the legitimate distribution of goods and services. It should not surprise our readers to learn that Nigerians are the key-players in all of the above-mentioned malpractices targeted at acquiring money at all costs! Some, in a maddening desperation, resort to, ‘getting what they want with what they have’; that is, going into prostitution with their bodies to make the money in a suicidal manner. It is on record that in the last 4years, Nigeria has lost 3.209 citizens to HIV/AIDS; but this shocking statistics, has not engendered any change of moral attitude in die-hard professional prostitutes! *Why are our fellow Nigerians so desperate to make money at all costs? *Why is there very little regard for the sanctity of life, even by those divinely endowed with such lives? *Why is there much clamour for ephemeral and carnal things by those who profess to be children of God? * Why do people easily forget that, no tiny bit of all worldly acquisitions would be buried with them at death? * Why would anyone in his/her right senses, die in a desperate bid to get rich? Open graves of our unfortunate brethren, who attempted, but, never got close to the money, are scattered all over the Sahara Desert, sea beds of the Atlantic, Pacific and the Indian Oceans including the deep dangerous jungles of Africa. Majority of those who smuggled themselves into overseas countries in search of greener pastures ultimately got imprisoned for possessing false immigration papers. In October 2013, the British Government repatriated, 267 out of 534 Nigerian prisoners to the country under a special arrangement, for them to complete their various terms at home. In other climes, Nigerian prisoners died under suspicious circumstances, while others were executed with no one to mourn them! We believe that no matter the poor state of the Nigerian economy, coupled with the poverty level ratio, the brazen impunity and display of ill-gotten riches by the few in position of authority, we can still collectively, by faith in God , salvage our dear nation from an imminent and self-induced economic collapse. Our weapon of warfare is our God-given sovereignty, through the ballot boxes during coming elections. We need not run away like cowards and shed our blood for unworthy causes and the heartless minority, whom we can overthrow with majority votes. We can compel the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC], to live up to its name by appointing credible officials from among the civil society pressure groups, to supervise all future elections. It is gratifying that INEC accepted responsibility for the flaws which characterised the recent and inconclusive Anambra Gubernatorial Elections. We must hold them to ransom when we make legitimate demands for future free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. This amazing, divinely-endowed country, studded roundabout with abundant wealth and riches in agricultural products, crude oil and mineral resources, belong to all Nigerians and must be a blessing and not a curse! * Henceforth, no Nigerian should die in foreign countries as illegal immigrant. * All outward-bound prospectors in areas of commerce, education, tourism, technology, etc; should embark through the legitimate channels of emigration and make Nigeria proud while abroad. * Those of us who are home-based and are in the majority must fight for our inalienable fundamental human rights which include, social, economic and political, to drive out, with our votes those ‘lovers of money’, who are still in office, and establish good governance that will encourage our brethren in the diaspora to join our crusade of achieving the Vision 20-20-20. The quest for money must be pursued diligently and legitimately for it to be an asset and not a liability; for the Word of God says that, ‘Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth, adding that it is God who gives the ability to produce wealth.’ [Prov.10:4; Deut.8:18]. Money is biblically described as a defence or shelter and that it proffers answer to all things; but when it becomes an obsession, it is termed, ‘the root of all kinds of evil.’ Some people, desperate to possess money, have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs, as discussed earlier, while many are not even alive to narrate their awful ordeals to anyone! We are not unmindful of the fact that, not everyone believes in God’s providence or His expectation of diligence at work, but it is instructive to remind all of us that God will demand stewardship from all of His creation, whether poor or wealthy, in the long run. This treatise cannot end without the impartation of this Word of Wisdom, from the Throne of Grace; “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.”[Mat.7:13-14]. Let us always walk by faith and not by sight, to remain relevant in the sight of our Creator. . If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations. Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. Iam, Yours sincerely,Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor.08058436756 08098194390.g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com