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Sunday, 24 July 2016

NIGERIA'S STRATEGIC PROCESS TOWARDS ECONOMIC RECOVERY CANNOT BE FAULTED BY CHARLATANS!

ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 154. 24th July, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You Free! (John.8:32).

NIGERIA'S STRATEGIC PROCESS TOWARDS ECONOMIC RECOVERY CANNOT BE FAULTED BY CHARLATANS!

The present economic management team of the Change Administration has prudently decided to allow market forces to prevail and determine the true and factual economic indices that determine rates of goods and services in Nigeria as they are applicable to global economic international principles and best practices! First, the team took the painful decision of total deregulation of the dowmstream sector of the Petroleum Industry and raised the pump price of premium motor spirit (pms), or petrol to a market price of N145.00, per litre from N87.50; and, second, the Central Bank of Nigeria, was unhindered from adopting a flexible foreign exchange policy, which critics have dubbed "naira devaluation", but which in actual fact, enabled the official currency to find its level and value in the international monetary market, for real economic growth of the nation!
Before this brave economic policy, government pegged official foreign exchange transaction at N199.00 to 1US Dollar, which was very unrealistic, but now that it has found its level at between N250.00 and N300.00, import activities of all banned foreign goods through smugglers are now at their lowest ebb; while major industrialists are investing their funds to purchase Federal Government Bonds which would support the diversification of the economy to intensive and aggressive agricultural pursuit that would ensure food sustainance and food security for the masses of the people.
President Buhari's economic initiatives in the people-driven 2016 Budget of Change is similar to the United States President Roosevelt's formula of involving the unemployed in works projects administration of long-term nature, to ascertain social security measures which countered economic depression in America at the end of the II World War in 1945; and today, 240 years on, the US remained the strongest economy and commercial destination of the 21st Century world!
However, detractors of the new administration and some dubious international economic analysts have made much noise that Nigeria was drowning under the forces of hyper inflation/economic recession and the devaluation of the official currency (the Naira), by setting off fake alarms that the nation was at the point of total economic collapse because they could not comprehend the powerful under current revolution being vigorously pursued to put the nation on the global chart of the 20 most economically-viable global economies by the year 2020! Professional analysts believe that commodity inflation in Nigeria was not due to "demand pull", (which means an excessive pressure of demand on available resources), but "cost push", - a deliberate and counter-productive attitude of traders' unilateral price hikes on goods and services, which demand government's urgent attention through the Price Control Boards at federal and states level to halt the ugly trend!
In the past one year of the present administration, serious emphasis had been placed on the welfare of the people (who constitute the economic engine house and human capital), without which there would neither have been any form of economy nor a democratic government in place!
Although the APC Government at resumption on 29th May,2015, discovered an almost empty treasury bequeathed through institutional approval and consent of massive corruption by its predecessors in office, and was also confronted with the Boko Haram insurgency which had gained a ferocious dimension because of Mr. President's inaugural speech which set a target date for the cessation of terror in the North East and environs, it reinforced, strengthened and galvanized the otherwise institutionally discouraged armed forces to partner with the friendly neighboring military garrison to crush the terrorists at all battle fronts!
Simultaneously workers and pensioners salaries in twenty-seven states of the federation were owed in arrears of payment between six to fifteen months in some cases while startling discoveries that fiscal allocation of billions of United States dollars meant for defence hardware to prosecute war against Boko Haram terrorists in the North East, were diverted through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), into private pockets for the presidential ambition of Dr. Ebele Jonathan and his People's Democratic Party (PDP) while scores of innocent lives, properties and critical government infrastructures were ceaselessly destroyed by the terrorists on regular basis between 2013 and 2015! With the above complicated scenario, the economic "think-thank" of the new administration moved into action to succour the majority masses who bore the brunt of all misdeeds of financial recklessness of the bad leaders through monetary bail-outs to all indebted States, in order to alleviate the people's sufferings! But some State Governors reneged on the terms of the Federal Government bailout-loans to pay arrears but compounded the fate of the poor workers by diverting the funds into dubious projects only to return cap-in-hand to shamelessly request for further loans following ceaseless protests and strikes by organized labour unions of their various States!
The Federal Government, with the hind sight of the predicament of the workers and pensioners have agreed to release fresh bail-out funds but this time around, with very stringent measures that included deduction of the loans at source from States financial allocations through the Federation Account. ln his First Democracy Speech on 29th May, 2016, President Buhari described the first 366 days of his administration as, “a year of triumph, consolidation, pains and achievements" adding that by age, instinct and experience, his preference was to look forward, to prepare for the challenges that lied ahead and rededicate the administration to the task of fixing Nigeria. "We affirm our belief in democracy as the form of government that best assures the active participation and actual benefit of the people despite the many years of hardship and disappointment, the people of this nation have proved inherently good, industrious, tolerant, patient and generous," he added. In addition to all of the above economic and security challenges, the Change Administration was able to produce a masses friendly budget which took into consideration their basic needs of life and ensured that for the first time in this new attempt at fiscal and productive democracy since 1999, capital projects received more allocation than recurrent expenditures! These included, allocation to the following Ministries: Works, Power and Housing, N433.4 billion; Transport, N202.0 billion; Special Intervention Programmes (which includes market women empowerment, 500.000 jobs for teachers, employment opportunities for the youths especially in Agriculture, stipends for the poorest of the poor, etc,), N200.0 billion; Defence, N294.5 billion; Interior, N145.3 billion; Health, 221.7 billion; and Education, N369.6 billion. During his Budget Speech to the Joint Session of the National Assembly on 22nd December, 2015, President Buhari, promised to diversify the economy and shore up national revenue which was continuously depleted by the daily loss of 1.2 barrels of crude oil, Nigeria's major foreign exchange earner for a period of six months through vandalization!
In the words of Mr. President: "We will invest in equipping our farmers with the right tools, technology and techniques. "We will invest in empowering and enabling our miners to operate in a safe and humane environment. "We will invest in training our youths through the revival of our technical and vocational institutions to ensure they were competent enough to seize the opportunities that will arise from this economic revival". Though recent figures from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) index rating had contracted negatively, the threatening recession could still be doused through the strategic solutions now being implemented by the determined Presidential "think tank"! It is instructive to note that Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), recently briefed the Senate on the monetary and new foreign exchange management policies of the apex bank and emphasized that diversification of the economy would ensure optimum growth in the sector while the Minister of Finance also assured the lawmakers at plenary, that the Nigerian economy was on track, very strong and resilient in spite of pipeline vandalization in the Niger Delta region. The Minister disclosed that the Federal Government saved N6 billion naira monthly through prudent financial management of a cut down on Recurrent Expenditure, which is an effort towards an enabling fiscal discipline in the face of declining oil revenues adding that, "Buhari's government now spent N159 billion naira instead of N165 billion previously expended monthly, as recurrent expenditure.
Also in a very re-assuring move towards diversification of the economy, the Minister of Agriculture also on Wednesday, 20th July, 2016, presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), a strategic document titled "GREEN ALTERNATIVE POLICY", which spelt out in details how Agriculture would again occupy the front position as the largest supplier of local food consumption and eventually an export foreign exchange earner for the nation within a period of one and a half year and beyond! While we salute the courage of President Buhari and his management team, we make bold to suggest that the anti-corruption war should be intensified and remain the number one priority of the government of Change in order to recoup all stolen and looted funds, in order to increase savings of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). No looter of the treasury should be spared and stolen monies must be recovered to the last kobo or dime while we trust that the Judiciary would co-operate with the Executive as joint crusaders to dismantle the institutional impunity of corruption which had almost become a traditional way of life in the nation! Government must pursue total blockade of food imports, including exotic items that consume and deplete the national foreign exchange reserves; encourage more exports of solid minerals and textiles to all foreign business partners especially CHINA as we revitalize the Industrial Sector through the Power and Energy Sectors. The small scale entrepreneurs who form the backbone of macro economic drive should be encouraged with feasible loans to keep oiling exportation incentives of government.
Though the European nation of Greece had very serious economic challenges in the recent past, its leaders never gave up but employed all surviving strategies to keep afloat through faithful leadership. Nigeria's economy is neither being funded by the African Union (AU), nor by the World Bank (WB), but by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its patriotic citizens whose unflinching zeal and untainted love is their determination to support the Change Agenda to overcome the existing challenges!

"When men are cast down, then thou shalt say; There is lifting up and He shall save the humble person. "He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands." (Job.22:29-30).

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.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

ARE WE NOT PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE?

ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 153. 17th July, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You Free! (John.8:32).

ARE WE NOT PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE?

The clamour for the POLITICAL RESTRUCTURING of the geographical landscape of Nigeria had gathered the momentum of a wild fire through the instigations of political jobbers and had blindly attained a ridiculous national proportion which is utterly unacceptable, very unfriendly and inimical to our collective sensibilities! For any kind of restructuring to take place, it must be backed by a constitutional amendment which would need two thirds majority votes of both Chambers of the National Assembly and also an additional two thirds majority votes of the 36 States Houses of Assembly and that is why it has thus become more intriguing; because it is either that the agitators were completely ignorant of these salient facts or they were being deliberately mischievous!
What kind of political restructuring do small and selfish groups of the 250 identified Nigerian tribes of varied, social, cultural, and political ideologies who speak over 500 different tongues within the acclaimed "largest economy in Africa" bent on proposing or prescribing other than a break up? Some proponents believed that the creation of more States would solve the problem of ethnicity and marginalization while others proffer a return to the post independence Regional order in which the regions were self-sufficient; others solicit that the present Geo-Political Zones would strengthen the economic potentials of those areas and weaken the enormous financial influence of the government at the centre! Yet, there are those who preferred that the existing federating States should become autonomous, to manage all of their God-given economic resources and pay commensurate taxes to the Federation Account for the Federal Government to run constitutional statutory duties, to prove their emphasis on the crave for, DEVOLUTION OF POWER, RESOURCE CONTROL, DERIVATIVE PRINCIPLE, STATE POLICE, etc; which translate to FISCAL FEDERALISM! But recently, some other groups have emerged to agitate that restructuring was synonymous with SECESSION!

WHAT IS RESTRUCTURING?
To restructure is to organize a system, an entity, a company or business concern in a new way to make it operate more effectively and efficiently! In the case of the Nigerian nation, what is manifest in almost all agitations of restructuring are insincerity, selfishness, egotism, hidden agenda for financial/economic exploitation, tribalism, unhealthy rivalry and massive deceit of the illiterate, ignorant and most vulnerable poor masses, who wallow in abject poverty and whose opinions were never sought nor sampled! Can any government operate in a vacuum without its human resources to actualize political, social and economic empowerment? Can a group of people with inordinate political ambition force their interest on the majority in a democratic setting? Can the use of force prevail over the purposive Will of God?
For the people of a country to come together and dwell in peace, harmony, tranquility and prosperity, a global norm of the binding force of a CONSTITUTION, must be in place as the testimony of agreement and it is through such sacred document that law, order and good governance could be established!
Nigeria is not an exception to the rule and that is why the 1999 Federal Constitution remains the acceptable norm of her very existence as a corporate nation! Therefore for any agitation to attain national recognition, it must conform with the provisions of the constitution and receive the attention of the National Assembly legislators who as representatives of the people, would give such issue the due attention it deserves through open debates and wide consultations among all stake holders across the nation!
Recently, Vice President, Professor 'Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, was widely criticized for not supporting agitations of political restructuring of Nigeria in spite of his previous stand as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, in Lagos State, that political restructuring of the Nigerian federation was negotiable; but he was quick to defend his present position which he asserted was not different from the previous by stating that "any form of restructuring in Nigeria must follow constitutional due process".
In his words to an audience during the 13th Annual Daily Trust Dialogue in Abuja, titled: "50 Years After 1966: Is Nigeria Rising?” the Vice President said, Nigeria's size was not just formidable in the African continent, but also globally. "Our country has the potential not just to be the giant if Africa but a major economic giant in the world, adding that it is that giant of a nation that the Nigerian elites have a duty to deliver". He also said, among other things, that the size of Lagos State alone was larger in terms of economy than several African countries, and submitted that: "......Nigeria is better staying together and maintaining our unity."
At another forum hosted by TVC News recently, Professor Osinbajo, also put to rest, the criticisms that he was against the restructuring of the country and described the notion as unfounded. According to Sahara Reporters, he called for a deeper understanding of the current restructuring debate in the country, and supported the idea of having State Police in the country according to his spokesman, Mr. 'Laolu Akande who also stated that there had been different interpretations, meanings and purposes to which the restructuring debate was being put to. The Senior Special Assistant on Media, quoted the Vice President as saying that restructuring of the nation should not degenerate into elitists political rhetoric’s especially when the country's economy was at its lowest ebb adding that greater energy should be devoted to massive diversification to agriculture and harnessing of the abundant natural solid mineral resources available nation-wide, because whether more money was allocated to the States to strengthen their financial bases or that the States were to control their internally -generated resources of oil and mineral wealth and pay taxes to the Federal Government, nothing meaniningful would be achieved except the country united together to pull through the present economic quagmire!

Constitutional Amendment Is The First Point Of Call!
Without the backing of constitutional amendments, the whole clamour for any meaningful restructuring of Nigeria would amount to a scenario of "all motion but no movement", which will be most unsuitable, especially now that it is getting more difficult to execute almost every aspect of the 2016 Budget successfully due to the continued vandalization of crude oil pipelines in the Niger Delta Region!
Constitutional amendments which are regular occurrences of the National Assembly, suffered major setback at the close of the 7th Assembly when Ex President Jonathan refused the executive assent on a very sensitive bill which affected the masses of the people in respect of the "......introduction of compulsory and free education and health services for Nigerians", due to power tussle between the executive and the legislature over presidential veto over such amendments which could have ushered the "Fourth Alteration Bill" into law.
Because of the President's veto over that bill, all outstanding bills of the Seventh Assembly were invalidated through the rule of abatement without any consideration for all funds that went down the drain! It is therefore very expedient for legislators to quickly initiate an amendment that would ensure a continuum of parliamentary administration for bills to be carried over to new assemblies in order to avoid civil acrimony against parliamentarians and also the colossal wastages of scarce funds.
The same scenario should not be witnessed in this new dispensation; a repeat of past errors should be avoided in view of the fact that monies which ran into some billions of naira was wasted and because such amendments would begin from the scratch; that is, from the proposal levels to general plenary debates, then to committee levels and back to plenary for approval of two thirds majority votes by both houses of parliament; then, another two thirds majority votes of States House of Assembly, before the Presidential assent which could either be given or denied! Therefore, the most expedient and rational action in respect of further agitations for restructuring of the Nigerian project should be for all stakeholders to pursue their legitimate interests which should not suggest secession, through the appropriate quarters of the National Assembly and wait patiently for the process to pass through the rule of law in order to give peace and tranquility the desired place in the polity!

The Military Constitution for Democracy!
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which ushered a fresh hope for viable democracy like the 1960 Independence Constitution was enacted by "meddlesome interlopers", who pretended to have socio-economic and political interests of the masses at heart, but were in actual fact very smart to have crafted " a labyrinth of jigsaw puzzles" that would ensure their permanent vested interests in the nation's natural and especially crude oil resources, which administration was corrupted from the very onset! The 1960 Constitution was crafted by a British Order-in-Council for it to be in force from 1st October, 1960, and which retained the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, as titular Head of State; and the 1999 Constitution, was by the last Military Administration of General Abubakar, who with his junta claimed to be the, "We the People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:
HAVING firmly and solemnly resolved: .....", the preamble on page one of the document, which can be legally described as institutional forgery - seventeen years on - because of the various lapses like the ambiguity created in the issue of whether presidential assent or veto was actually necessary before a bill of the parliament could be passed into law or rejected! It is now very important that the rule of law must come to the fore in the Change Agenda in order to rectify all ambiguities created in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which had more or less thrown more "spanner into the work" as regards our diversity which should unite instead of creating a wide gulf, or chasm of incessant misunderstanding at every corner of our collective pilgrimage on this earth!
"COUNSEL IN THE HEART OF MAN IS LIKE DEEP WATER; BUT A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING WILL DRAW IT OUT." (Proverbs.20:5).
We hear that President Muhammadu Buhari has employed series of counseling strategies to calm strained nerves of all agitators - especially those who have gone to the extreme to take up arms against their fatherland! It is written, “Where no counsel is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs.11:14). Did the grape vine say that some disillusioned soldiers were thinking of overthrowing this anointed government of God? WOE BETIDE THEM SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL PERISH WITH THEIR THOUGHTS WHICH WILL NEVER MATERIALZE! Amen.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

HOW NEGOTIABLE IS NIGERIA'S POLITICAL UNITY?

ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 152. 10th July, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You Free! (John.8:32).

HOW NEGOTIABLE IS NIGERIA'S POLITICAL UNITY?

Unknown to mere mortals who are very ignorant of divine spiritual doctrines, UNITY was displayed as an attribute of God in the creation of Man in Genesis.1:26-27, when He said: "Let us, (the Trinity, ie, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit), create man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." The Psalmist in Chapter 133:1-3 also emphasized the necessity and importance of unity amongst men when he declared: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it us for brethren to dwell together in unity! "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments "As the the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." And the Lord Jesus Christ in His prophetic prayers for His disciples said: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me." (John.17:21).
On Wednesday 6th July, 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari, as the oracle of God, boldly told all those clamouring for secession, especially the Niger Delta oil pipe vandals that, "The Unity Of Nigeria Is Non-Negotiable" and regretted that while the anti- terrorism war was being won, the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta resurfaced! He also called on looters of the nation's treasury to return such stolen wealth through plea bargain, before the force of the law was brought to bear upon them! During his address, to Nigerians in the Diaspora about a year ago, he promised to defend the unity of Nigeria at all cost when he recalled the harrowing and gruesome experiences of the 30-month "Biafra War", (1967-1970), of which he was an active participant, when he said, and we quote: "I was in the war front for 30 months during the Civil War. I lost relatives and loyal people to the war. Considering that two million Nigerians died during the war, nobody should come forward to talk about a break up of the country. "My administration would kill corruption before it wrecks the nation. Nigeria would remain one country since God has given him another opportunity to re-organize its affairs. "What brought me back is the love for my country, APC will secure the country and improve its economy, create employment.

Political Pundits and Confused Ideologies!
A lot of outcry greeted the President's declaration of the gospel truth which was very categorical that, "To keep Nigeria one, is a task that must be done!" Beginning with the Nobel laureate, Professor 'Wole Soyinka, the Yoruba's Afenifere, the Igbo's Ohaneze, Niger Delta Avengers, IPOB and MASSOB; every group faulted the President's divine assertion and capitalised on carnality and frivolity! Let us assume that the Niger Delta Region or all oil producing South-South States seceded, would they all transform to same TRIBE, LANGUAGE, CASTE, CULTURE, TRADITION or ETHNIC GROUPS etc,? How many fragments would they break into after secession for sectional independence? The call for secession is not new to Nigeria! The Igbos of the old Eastern Region broke off from the rest of Nigeria in 1967 without any consideration for the views and agreement of the smaller ethnic groups like the Deltan Ijaws, Urhobos and Itsekiris; the Ishans of Agbor/Asaba, Auchi, and Etsako; the Efiks, Annangs, and Ibibios of the Cross River area; and after 30 months of unnecessary bloodshed, Lt Col. Phillip Effiong, NOT AN IGBO MAN, announced the surrender of "Biafra”, on Monday 12th January, 1970, following the escape of his Commander-In-Chief, Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, who deserted his troops in the face of defeat and sought asylum in Ivory Coast (Cote d'ivoire).
Excerpts of Effiong's statement are reproduced below:
"We have always believed that our differences with Nigeria should be settled by peaceful negotiations. A delegation of our people is therefore ready to meet representatives of Nigeria Federal Government anywhere to negotiate a peace settlement on the basis of the OAU resolutions. Any question of a government in exile is repudiated by our people............" "I Major-General Philip Effiong, Officer Administering the Government of the Republic of Biafra, now wish to make the following declaration: "That we affirm that we are loyal Nigerian citizens and accept the authority of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria. "That we accept the existing administrative and political structure of the Federation of Nigeria. "That any future constitutional arrangement will be worked out by representatives of the people of Nigeria. "That the Republic of Biafra hereby ceases to exist." (15th January, 1970). Phillip Effiong died on 6th November, 2003, at the age of 78. After several years in exile Ojukwu was pardoned and given amnesty to return to his fatherland Nigeria, was re-absorbed into the Nigerian Army, paid all his statutory gratuity and all benefits due to him, died peacefully, about eight years after Effiong, on the 26th November, 2011, in the United Kingdom, at the age of 78, after a brief illness and was given a befitting burial in Nigeria! Can any place ever compare to one's birth place and heritage! During the terrible 30 months of civil war, the greater casualties of about TWO million dead, were the peasants, who either died through the bullets or hunger/starvation due to complete ceasation of food and medical supplies! Whilst they survived on reptiles, birds, insects, and dead bodies of beloved children, parents or loved ones, the secession leaders and their top hierarchy manouvered through and survived with reserved victuals for as long as it lasted, but eventually surrendered when the heat persisted for longer than they envisaged! Neither the old nor the present South West is comprised of the Yoruba Tribe alone! They have the Aworis, Eguns, Ilajes, Akoko Edos etc, to contend with; which translates to the fact that without the collective support of the minority groups, the three major tribes, Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and the Igbos would find it difficult to secede!
Can cultural unity of inter-tribal/state marriages between the over 250 tribes of about 500 languages of the Nigerian State be divorced from political unity because the wild fire of current agitations for secession; permutations, confederations and amalgamations, of tribes and languages, would birth about 150 States out of the present 36 States of Nigeria and there is no doubt that IKENNE, the birth place and hometown of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Vice President Professor 'Yemi Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) would cut a niche!

Would all inter-marriages then be dissolved against divine injuction which states:
"And therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis.2:24), become a nullity? It was credited to Chief Awolowo that the clamour for States agitation would never come to an end until his native town, Ikenne, became a Nigerian State! The lesson to learn here is that those who plan secession or break-aways hardly suffered the consequences of their senseless rebellion predicated on avarice and greediness for short-cuts to illegal wealth but the foolish peasants who always supported such agitations forgot that they were doomed to be slaves and fifth-rated citizens under the smart 'guys' even if they succeeded and that positions of authority, political, economic and monetary gains from the venture would never be shared with them! Is it not an irony of fate that descendants of the major players during the "Biafran War" of the same old Eastern Region are now ready to damn the consequences of another bloody confrontation with the Federal Government of Nigeria in spite of the Olive Branch of peaceful resolution being extended to them by no other personality than President Buhari himself?

The Present Agitators Are Not Saying Anything New!
Lopsided Federal Government appointments; neglect of the principles of Federal Character of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government; principle of derivation and resource control, fiscal adjustment of the sharing formula from the federation account etc. are their rantings. Was Biafra before the civil war an Utopia? Were there no lopsided appointments, neglect of principles of Republic Character of proportional sharing of major and minor posts at all levels of government etc,?
Secession Agitators Are Ungrateful To God!
Twenty-six of the existing 36 States are barely viable and almost gone comatose! They have deliberately refused to generate funds internally but only collect monthly oil revenue allocations from the Federation Account instead of digging their God-given soils for agricultural products, and solid mineral resources with which all States are endowed with! For over one year of the new Change Agenda, State Governors still go cap in hand to beg Mr. President for financial bail-out and yet, some renegades still want to secede! Bayelsa State's workers have agreed to collect only 50% of their monthly salaries since the second coming of Seriake Dikson, because they were indebted several months of arrears of payment during his first term! Rivers State which swims in the ocean of crimes criminality, large scale militancy and agitations for secession is also neck deep in unpaid workers salaries indebtedness! The same challenge is applicable to other southern states that are spoiling for break-away! Latest reports show that the following 10 States have regularly paid workers salaries and allowances without fail; and they are: Edo, Lagos, Delta, Eboyin, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kano, and Enugu. When as States duly recognized by the1999 Nigerian Constitution, they are bedeviled by such irresponsibility’s, how would they fair when they become militant juntas where jungle justice would become the order of the day!

There Could Be A Permanent Solution!
If the agitators and their sponsors could for one moment put on their thinking caps and embrace dialogue, the following suggestion would proffer permanent and everlasting peace: Resource Control, Derivation Principle and Fiscal Federalism which translates into restructuring of the Nigerian Federation to produce stronger federating units that would explore, and exploit agriculculture, solid mineral resources, entertainment and the tourism industries within their borders for internally generated revenues and become fiscally responsible to contribute meaningful percentages to the Federal Government which is saddled with the greater responsibilities of overall national security and the effective control of the economy, without seceding would be appropriate and embraced by the agitators for peace to reign in the Niger Delta and for the economy to pick up again in the overall interest! The 2014 National Conference failed to recommend meaningful solution to the imbroglio which they described as very technical and should therefore be handled by a technical committee to be set up by the government and this omission had constituted the crux of present agitations by militants but we suggest that the Change Government should make an urgent pronouncement on these three critical issues to favour the Niger Delta States which represent the GEESE THAT LAY THE GOLDEN EGGS and pursue vigorously the aggressive diversification of the economy to the farmlands and encourage the local farmers who are the food engineers of the nation with modern agricultural equipments for the quick and expected turn around from an importing to an exporting nation, not only in food export but in textiles and solid mineral products to increase our dwindling and depleting foreign reserves and definitely peace will reign in Nigeria! Let all patriots say NO to secession!
RENDER TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESAR'S AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S! (MATTHEW.22:21).

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. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to: facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.
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.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

REFERENDUM SHOULD SERVE AS A PANACEA TO AVOID CIVIL UNREST AND BLOODSHED!

ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 151. 3rd July, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You Free! (John.8:32).

REFERENDUM SHOULD SERVE AS A PANACEA TO AVOID CIVIL UNREST AND BLOODSHED!

Between 931 and 587 BC, the nation of Israel was divided against itself and had to pass through a national period of incessant crisis of internal wars, invasions and an eventual captivity by foreign powers, of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, contrary to the purposive will of God! "To your tents O Israel..." was the rebellious call, by a renegade called Jeroboam in I Kings 12:16b, to a palace gathering due to disagreement against King Rehoboam's stringent policy of national "war against indiscipline", in the Old Testament Bible times and which birthed the schism that lasted for 444 years, inclusive of the 70 years of Exile under foreign Kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon which perpetrated continuous bloodshed, massive destruction of lives and properties - a period regarded as the darkest in the history of God's chosen people! Jeroboam was an insurgent who neither believed in the principles of democracy which spells out rule of engagement in respect of conflict resolutions nor in the amicable application of referendum as a democratic tool against civil disobedience or unrest and his unilateral action cost the nation of Israel its worst anguish! The Jews of the Dispersion cried to God during the long, hard years of shame and sorrow in exile and were graciously returned to their homeland as one united people in ideals and purpose, thoroughly purged of idolatry, greed, covetousness, corruption, unpleasant rivalries, tribalism, nepotism, maladministration, high handedness, and all forms of acrimonies etc, which were chief sins of national magnitude! The new settlers wasted no time in applying the principles of consultations as means of settling disputes, disagreement or conflicts quickly and in no time, Israel of the 20th/21st Centuries, turned out to become one of the major world powers of high reckoning and repute in all areas of social, political, economic, energy and military developments and conquests.

Brexit: Britain Exits The European Union Club!
1. The United Kingdom remains at a crossroad inspite of a partially successful referendum which was conducted to exit the nation from the European Union (EU)! To remain or not to remain a member of the EU would still be in contention for a long time to come though the referendum of 23rd June, 2016, midwifed a majority decision of 53.4 % for England and 52.5% for Wales, to opt out of the club. The exact process for the withdrawal under EU's law, could take longer than TWO YEARS according to Article 50. which gave right to such decision since 2007, but expects approval of the leaving agreement by at least 72% of the continuing member states representing at least 65% of their population and the consent of the European Parliament! The reason for that window period was meant for such outgoing member the opportunity for a re-think or change of mind in the case that earlier reasons for disengagement might have been ameliorated! Presently, both Scotland and Northern Ireland which, together with England, Wales form the UK, have declined to endorse the referendum and also refused legislative consent to dropping EU law which meant that they maintained status quo and membership, according to reports.
It had become an acceptable way of life that people disagree to agree and vice-versa, agree to disagree but collective decisions had to be made regularly as panacea for mutual political, economic, and social progress!
BREXIT is a pithy abbreviation for "Britain Exits" the EU after 43 years of membership! What went wrong? Was UK short-changed, side-lined, or marginalized in the process of time? It is reported that the EU is Britain's biggest trading partner and that British citizens were free to work in any EU country. EU funding is spent on supporting farmers, boosting jobs in the UK, redeveloping rundown areas and grants for university research. The EU has also contributed to cheaper travel by challenging monopolies and boosting competition. It has reduced the cost of mobile data roaming and set water quality standards in Europe but critics believed that Britain was being held back by EU and that it got little in return for its huge financial contributions and would be better off in taking back the control of its borders! Critics also said that EU had taken too much power from the UK government and that its regulations were costly to the British economy and without them, Britain would be able to sign other trade deals with growing economies like CHINA and INDIA! "EU wastes 180 million Euros (£136m) taxpayers’ money annually on excessive bureaucracy in monthly trips to Strasbourg", they concluded. Britain contributed £8.5billion or 12.6% to EU coffers in 2015 according to Treasury figures!
Conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron who canvassed fruitlessly for the UK to remain has thrown in the towel and would hand over to a successor by October, 2016, to keep his integrity intact since he failed to convince the electorate! He wanted his country to remain in the EU if certain changes were made to the rules - including lower benefits paid to migrants and greater protection for states not in the euro zone. In the past, the UK opted out of some key EU decisions like the single currency (euro), and the Schengen Treaty which relaxed border controls. The EU was formally known as the European Economic Community (EEC), or the "Common Market", a platform to foster economic cooperation and political partnership involving several advantages among 28 European member states with a total population of more than 500million! EU was designed as a trading forum after World War II to encourage economic partnerships and discourage mundane issues of military superiority that could lead to another war and had since inception in 1957 grown to become a veritable avenue for international market among member states and a binding force that united them like one indivisible nation!
EU apart from its currency, the euro which is of legal tender in 19 member countries, also has a Parliament, a Commission, a European Council and Court of Justice; all of which engage in social issues including agriculture, transport, communications, consumer rights etc. The ECC, according to a BBC report, started out as a trading bloc - with free movement of goods and services within the Common Market but now its interests include reducing regional inequalities, preserving the environment, promoting human rights and investing in education and research.

Display Of Voters Ignorance!
It is reported that majority of the 17.47 million Brexit voters were totally ignorant of the reasons for the referendum, they just followed the crowd of "popular opinion" because from all available records and statistics, the UK stood to gain more benefits for its citizens - especially the immigrants, middle class workers and farmers. The possibility of a fresh referendum when a new Prime Minister takes over in October 2016 should not be ruled out but we advocate that voters education must be vigorously pursued through relevant agencies as post Brexit agitation still favours UK's continued membership!

What Lessons For Nigeria's Many Political Crises?
A civil war of secession which lasted for 30 months engulfed Nigeria between 1967-1970, when the then Eastern Nigeria decided to opt out of the family and over one million people died while quantum critical government and civilian properties were vandalized and dastardly destroyed! Descendants of the secessionists who did not witness the "Biafra War" have begun to agitate for the actualization of the sovereign state of another Biafra which should be carved out from the present Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia States of Nigeria. This Movement which includes another group identified as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had lost hundreds of members in confrontational protests against institutional law enforcement authorities and agencies since 1999! Emerging militant groups of the Niger Delta Region were also agitating for secession so that they could take over 100%, the entire crude oil exploitation and keep all accruable revenues for their social development which have been neglected by consecutive administrations. Yoruba Elders of the Oduduwa Fraternity in the South West, irked by incessant invasion of the region's farmlands, by Fulani Herdsmen, had declared that they would reconsider their position in the Nigerian Project and possibly opt out of the federation if urgent action was not taken by the Federal Government to redress the very horrible situation!
Before all of the above, there was the Kano Riot of April, 1953 triggered by lack of consensus between the North and the South over the debate on "self government" in which 36 people were killed and a motion by the joint Northern Assembly and the House of Chiefs over the conflict, if passed in the month of May of that same year would have led to secession of Northern Region from the Federation! Another disagreement was the Census Crisis Of 1962/1963 in which the North had a population which doubled those of the West and East put together but was diplomatically but not amicably resolved to make room for peace! Also on the list of crises were the following: (a) Action Group Crisis, 1962; (b) Federal Elections Crisis, 1964; (c) Western Nigeria Election Crisis, 1965; (d) General Election Crisis, 1979; (e) Kaduna State Executive/Legislative Crisis, 1981; and (f) General Election Crisis, 1983. All of the above could have been avoided if care was taken to allow for dialogue and consensus of opinions!

National Conference Recommendations of August 2014.
If the Chief Convener of the 2014 National Conference ex-President Ebele Jonathan were sincere and had not flown the event as a kite for his political inordinate ambition for the 2015 Presidential Elections, critical, sensitive, thorny and controversial issues like Resource Control, Derivation Principle, Land Use Act, National Security, Public Finance/Revenue Allocation, Immunity Clause, and even "Self Determination/Government" etc, could have been amicably thrashed out without rancor!

Critical Issue of Referendum or Plebiscite.
Since referendum is a vote in which all the people in a country or an area are asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question:
1. Were all Israelites in agreement with Jeroboam's rebellion?
2. Are all Igbo Tribe in support of secession?
3. What about the Niger Delta militants, on whose behalf are they vandalizing the crude oil pipe lines? Are all the poverty-stricken, weather-beaten, and acid-rain battered citizens of that region behind these vandals?
4. Not all the Yoruba’s would support the statement of the Odua Yoruba Elders in respect of secession of the tribe from the rest of Nigeria!

Hear what God said to the Israelites: " Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isa. 1:18-20.KJV). If God would humble Himself to dialogue with Man, while would men detest one another and always settle scores with battles and wars?

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

PDP SENATE CAUCUS SHOULD NOT ROCK THE BOAT!

ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 150. 26th June, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You Free! (John.8:32).

PDP SENATE CAUCUS SHOULD NOT ROCK THE BOAT!

No man can be an island unto himself because the entire universe has become a global village where the constant need for human interactions, integration, communal co-operation, cordial communications, and the marriage of arts, cultures and traditions will always occupy the front stage!
There was once upon a time when some socialists/communists ideologically-oriented do-gooders decided to segregate some free people of the world in Russia and China against their wishes from interacting with their kith and kin from across the universe but their plan failed because the wishes of the electorate was not put into consideration while working out their crooked ideologies! Before the close of the 20th Century, the Soviet Union, and the Chinese Republic fell like pack of cards according to the prevailing forces of the common wish of the peoples to interact with other races, dwell in economic comfort and peace with their families!
A similar scenario is now playing out in Nigeria as a disgruntled group of very selfish and greedy politicians of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who did not succeed in rigging the last 2015 General Elections and are now in the opposition, are bent on rocking the boat of democracy! Secession, like the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB), and Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), is their sing-song! Shortly before the National Assembly's three-week Ramadan break, the clueless caucus members, 48 of them, released a statement signed by four Senators on 21st June, 2016, that it would no longer "support the APC government until they cease the belligerent attitude towards PDP members".
It has been revealed that there was a clandestine plan by this group of legislators in the upper chambers, to unilaterally heat up the polity and plunge the nation into a fresh economic crisis without seeking any approval from their constituencies! They had neither regard nor respect for the Constitution and the masses of people who normally suffered in the event of needless show of rivalry and power tussle between the two arms of government!

The five-point official complaint against the Executive included,
(a) Unwarranted threats and intimidation to the legislative arm particularly the Senate leadership through illegal deployment of State instruments of coercion and intimidation;
(b) Glaring witch-hunt of the opposition and loop-sided and selective war against corruption especially the freezing of the account of Ayo Fayose, the Ekiti State Governor;
(c) Probing of campaign funds which should not be limited to the PDP but extended to the All Progressives Congress (APC);
(d) Accusation of Executive acts of lawlessness typical of military dictatorship; and
(e) Need for the APC-led government to concentrate on the existing economic and security challenges that was threatening the survival of the nation.
Although the APC promptly dismissed the accusations and threat by the PDP Senate caucus and had also challenged the group to petition security agents in respect of any of the APC's members involved in corrupt practices, the issues involved are more delicate and sensitive in nature and must be handled with great care!
An African adage states that, "When a bird perches on a rope, both the bird and the rope would be threatened and stressed"; and another states that," If a rat finds it difficult to eat unharvested groundnuts, it would despoil the nuts by digging, scattering and rendering them unfit for consumption"; while yet another states that, “He who is down fears no fall!"
PDP members were desperate to be relevant since they lost woefully in the last general elections and they grabbed with both hands, Saraki's offer of Senate's deputy presidency position to perfect his "coup de tat" for an ephemeral and transient position of life! Though they supervised over the 16 years of institutional corruption (1999-2015), in a free-for-all, roller-coaster, unbridled accumulation of illegal oil wealth that festered competitive rivalry amongst emerging Nigerian multi-billionaires of the 21st Century and also the amassing and proliferation of sophisticated weapons into wrong hands to maintain their status quo, yet they do not want to give account of their stewardship through anti-corruption probes! The kind of insurgency and militancy witnessed in the country during that period in question and till date were not experienced during the 30 years of military rule which proved that the desperate political class of the PDP's ilk cared less whether Nigeria survived or perished and they were quick to fit into the alliance of the APC black sheep who would sell their birthrights for coveted political positions and temporary offices!
The PDP Senate caucus are only 48 bitter Nigerians who are representing themselves and not the 48 Districts within the larger Constituencies of the 170 million population but who are determined to heat up the polity and rock the boat of Nigeria's new democratic government which is being commended globally for its determination to restore the economy through righteousness, probity and accountability if care was not taken!
It is to the credit of this new administration that looted monies and immovable properties illegally acquired, were being returned voluntarily by those who connived with the past PDP Governments to ravage the treasury! It is also to the credit of the Buhari Administration that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recorded 164 convictions in just one year of the war against corruption which must be intensified!

The Hidden Agenda Of The Caucus!
Grapevine revealed the following: *Vehement opposition against the raging fire of the anti-corruption crusade which was bound to consume most of the PDP politicians who have skeletons in their cupboards! *Disguised support for militancy and continuous criticism of APC's Government inability to improve on the economy and the reverberating new PDP's slogan tagged "CHANGE THE CHANGE"; that the anti corruption crusade should give way for more corruption in 2019, when they believed to "regain power"!
Subtle support for the purported rumour credited to the Niger Delta militants, of a planned military coup against the incumbent administration, by the Nigerian Army, which had been denied by Government and the Military High Command as the figment of the imagination of detractors!
A desperate plan to instigate orchestrated disaffection against the person of President Buhari through allegations that his wife, Aisha Buhari, was involved in the Halliburton Bribe scandal, which indicted three former Nigerian Heads of State, a former Vice President and several high ranking government officials, but which had not been investigated since 2002! Deliberate attack on the health condition and comportment of President Buhari, before, during and after the elections that brought him to office and insinuations that he was not well disposed to rule the country!
And most recently, another smear campaign in respect of President Buhari’s academic qualifications!
There is no doubt that there is a well calculated attempt by the PDP Senate caucus to heat up the polity and truncate the gains so far made by the incumbent administration, but we must advice for uttermost caution by the APC leadership in handling the very delicate and fragile situation which is a time bomb!

Issues To Be Sorted Out Before Next Plenary!
There is divine angle to the imbroglio since God is very patient with His creation whom He preferred should be saved than perish! Those impetuous Senators have been given a window of opportunity to repent since it is very obvious that they had acted without the mandate of their constituents and would never enjoy their approval! All PDP Talakawas are President Buhari's strong supporters!
The Word of God which states that, "If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land"; (2 Chronicles. 7:14), is very instructive for a moment such as this! We therefore advocate that before the next plenary of the National Assembly slated for 12th July, 2016, a middle ground for reconciliation and amelioration of all grievances must be ploughed for peace to reign and for the economy to improve! The two Parties must unite for the sake of the Nigerian TALAKAWAS!
Since the militants of the Niger Delta region took to vandalization of the crude oil pipelines, economic prosperity of the nation sank more and more into the "miry clay". These renegade Senators are capable of causing similar harm if the Executive stuck to their guns that they could pilot the boat alone! APC should be told that the household enemies within their fold are ready tools to be bought over to truncate Nigeria's nascent democracy because what they failed to achieve during the NASS inauguration by producing all principal officers to form a formidable opposition against the ruling party, could still happen!
All Saraki needed do is to jump ship with the rest of the APC black sheep and return to their parent PDP fold! Before the Rammadan Break, the Senate rejected the Executive List of all Ambassadorial Nominees over the flimsy excuse that it did not follow due process! It was high time both parties worked together in the interest of the suffering masses who are finding it very hard to make ends meet!
In spite of the present economic crunch, the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary, are all enjoying payment of salaries and allowances while all public and private sector workers wait grudgingly for crumbs from the masters table! Both APC and PDP are servants to the people to whom the sovereignty belongs! The time to sheath their swords is now but everyone must go through the cleaners of the rule of law and be purged if found culpable!
"If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (I Corinthians.12:15).
A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE!

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

APC'S FREE PRIMARY SCHOOL FEEDING PROJECT IS A MISPLACED PRIORITY!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 149. 19th June, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

APC'S FREE PRIMARY SCHOOL FEEDING PROJECT IS A MISPLACED PRIORITY!

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has put the cart before the horse in its education policy by introducing free primary school feeding instead of catching pupils young through a reading culture of well-studded school libraries and compulsory computer literacy for early exposure of the future leaders to global civilization! Apart from the provision of basic amenities of life, through an opportunity to secure adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunity to secure suitable employment, health, medical and safety guarantees which must be safeguarded and not endangered, as entrenched in Nigeria's 1999 Constitution, so also should Government direct its policy towards ensuring that education opportunities was equally adequate! According to Chapter II 18- (3), Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy; and to this end Government shall as and when practicable provide - (a) free, compulsory and universal primary education; (b) free secondary education; (c) free university education; and (d) free adult literacy programme. The good intentions of the ruling party is not in doubt but such "laudable" policy would neither amount nor translate to anything without incisive and detailed feasibility reports or blue prints that would analyze the entire project from incubation to fruition through expert administrators!

From all of our researches, the following are the available information:
1. Federal Government intends to feed only pupils of primaries one to three of some 18 unidentified States without others in Primaries 4-6!
2. It is yet to be disclosed whether the children would be served free breakfast or lunch.
3. We are aware that pupils in most primary pupils in Nigeria spend between five to six study hours daily, Monday through Friday; but we are yet to know how many hours would be spent to feed a population of 850 pupils of a rural school or 2.500 of a city school and by how many caterers per school on daily basis!
4. It is yet to be ascertained whether caterers would carry prepared "nutritious" meals to the schools or would prepare such meals within school premises under the watchful eyes of appointed nutritionists and official supervisors because Government was yet to publish any feasibility documents in respect of this gagantuous project that would gulp at least billions of naira annually at such an austere period of a lean purse and deficit budget!

More Than One Billion Naira Daily On Eggs Alone?
The Minister of Information and Culture would not seize to amaze Nigerians with contrary outbursts in respect of very serious government policies; below are excerpts of some of his outbursts on the daily free meals:
(a) "Deregulation of Petroleum Downstream Sector would improve on the School Feeding Programme first through the employment of 500.000 unemployed graduates.
(b) "Second, employment of 100.000 non-graduates, technicians and artisans;
(c) "Third is one- meal-a-day programme targeting 5.5 million pupils all over Nigeria. This is the most exciting of all our programmes. Even if we are going to give these children one egg a day - it means we will need 5.5 million eggs and in one calendar year of 200 days, we will need over a billion eggs"!
From the information at our disposal one standard egg, even in the rural area costs N30 naira, while the Federal Government intends to spend the sum of N70 naira per pupil per day which translate to N165,000,000million and N385,000,000 million naira respectively on daily basis! Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State who had embarked on the free primary school feeding claimed that the pet programme would save parents a sum of N3.7billion naira annually while his Osun State counterpart claimed that a total of N2.2 billion naira would be disbursed annually for the feeding programme which is also on stream in his State!
Feelers from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Social Welfare Change Camp, has revealed that the Acting President, 'Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday 9th June, 2016, launched the much publicized National Home Grown School Feeding And Health Programme (HGSFHP), at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, with several State Governors in attendance. The project was one of the several campaign promises of the ruling party to feed millions of primary school children with highly nutritional foods that would enhance their learning capabilities, battle hunger among the less privileged families, attract and entice out of school children back, and make learning more conducive and comfortable! Professor Osinbajo was quoted to have said at the occasion that the Federal Government School Feeding Programme, among other benefits, would create 1.4 million jobs, increase food production by 530.000 metric tons annually and attract fresh investments of up to N980 billion naira.

The Education Sector in Nigeria had no doubt suffered tremendous set backs in the area of funding by previous administrations which treated the acquisition of knowledge with so much disdain and levity through a platform that produced mediocres, even at the tertiary level to the extent that most Nigerian graduates were unemployable due to inadequate tertiary knowledge, educational and mental capabilities!
The result of deliberate discrepancies of short-funding had over the years birthed thousands of restive illiterate youths in virtually all the six geo-political zones of the country who possess distorted or concocted world views on every topic or subject under the sun!
1. Boko Haram's ideology posits that Western education was harmful and detrimental to their religion.
2. The Niger Delta Avengers believed that the destruction of critical government infrastructures would be the only avenue to attract the leaders attention for a truce and peace dialogue!
3. Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), posit that it was only through outright secession of the South-East Geo-Political Zone from the rest of Nigeria that peace could be ascertained!
4. All misguided militants of the Niger Delta Region believe that there would be peace only if they had 100% resource control of all crude oil extracted from the region without amending the nation's Constitution!
5. All detractors of the APC Change Government constitute themselves to ignorant arm-chair critics of every government policy and insisted that the Party had failed in its first year of administration but are very clueless on the way forward in view of global recession caused by international crude oil price fall since 2014!
According to the United Nations (UN) 2015 statistics, Nigeria has over 10 million out-of -school children, a figure that is regarded as the highest in the world - with the Northern States accounting for majority of the outrageous number! Whether the information in respect of the HGSFHP launch was true or false, was yet to be seen, felt or confirmed by all stake holders - schools authorities, parents, pupils, farmers associations caterers or event managers of the targeted States! As stated earlier, only 5.5 million pupils of 18 out of the 36 States of the Federation, would benefit from the "Father Christmas" largesse while others would watch from a distance and just "lick their tongues" or petition their Governors who have failed to pay workers salaries for the past five to twelve months in most cases, except their own salaries including all manner of allowances and those of their political jobber partners/cronies, for redress and inclusion!
HGSFHP in all intent and purpose constitutes a misplaced priority that is bound to create more disaster that would aggravate the flagging economy as a drain pipe! Meaningful and sound education for the grassroot children is what is needed to groom these endangered species who from now on must take their rightful place as future leaders in this multi-cultural and multi-ethnic egalitarian society which had drifted gradually into an abyss of the educationally backward nations!
The Word of God says: "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs. 22:6). The biblical emphasis is on training of the boy and girl child and not on institutional luring with ephemeral things like food instead of a more enduring divine gift of acquiring information, inspiration, education, reformation and transformation into the 'crème' de la crème’ of the society instead the dregs, misinformed and misguided! Parents could be gainfully employed or financially empowered by government to continue to feed their wards - a duty they have fulfilled from time immemorial no matter how poor they were!
FREE SCHOOL FEEDING IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH SERIOUS LEARNING AND THE KIND OF EDUCATION NEEDED FOR GRASSROOT CHILDREN! IT IS A BIG DISTRACTION BECAUSE MUCH PRECIOUS QUALITY TIME FOR ASSIMILATION WOULD BE LOST TO THE MUNDANE! WE NEED WIZKIDS NOT DULLARDS WHOSE ONLY INSPIRATION FOR ATTENDING CLASSES WOULD BE HINGED ON ONE-FREE-MEAL PER DAY! Governments have no business in feeding pupils but since APC made such a blunder of electioneering campaign commitment, all it needed do was to back-pedal and explain the impossibility of fulfillment to the electorate and reveal palliatives that would be more economically viable to the pupils as suggested in the first paragraph! Every primary school should be equipped with text books on all subjects - which could be borrowed on agreeable terms by pupils to enhance their studies while computer education should also be made compulsory with the provision of the sufficient hardware and educationally enhancing software from primary one! This would form the legacy for equitable spread of quality education from the primary to the tertiary and the immense benefits would be unquantifiable to all and sundry as these youngsters would acquire and cultivate not only the art of reading but also of studying from that tender and formative ages to become learned and patriotic future leaders who would show gratitude to the country that had properly educated them and not those we now witness in Boko Haram of the North East, the crude oil pipeline vandals of the South-South and secession agitators of the South-East States of Nigeria! Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo in 2015, was reported to have toyed with the idea of feeding at least 25 million children in a programme christened, "Home Grown School Feeding Programme," aimed at "improving their nutritional intake" but failed before it could take off for the enormous infrastructural financing and outrageous logistics involved! President Buhari should not create a fresh avenue for massive corruption across the nation by turning the laudable caring youth programme into a GREEK GIFT that would turn out be the undoing of his party! WOULD APC SPEND THE ENTIRE N5 BILLION INTERVENTION FUND ON THIS FRIVOLOUS AND CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAMME ALONE? A WORD IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE WISE!

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. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to: facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

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.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066   g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

Friday, 17 June 2016

THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL CONFLICTS IN NIGERIA!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 5. NO 148. 12th June, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL CONFLICTS IN NIGERIA!

Political conflicts escalated on June 12, 1993, during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, when he unilaterally and corruptly annulled the Presidential Election that was adjudged to be the most credible since Nigeria's independence and which was believed to have been won by late Chief Moshood Abiola, a Southern Nigeria politician and many lives and properties were destroyed in the ensuing process of national protest! Today marks 23 years of that great and popular election though not celebrated by subsequent governments but would remain unforgettable water shed in the annals of the Nigerian history which would be incomplete without its mention! With the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 Presidential Elections and with 23 States in the All Progressives Congress (APC's), kitty, the electorate heaved a sigh of relief because the new leader was acceptable to all patriotic citizens across the entire nation in view of his impeccable antecedents and righteous pedigree - a man full of love and not hatred like most of his predecessors in office!

Causes Of Societal Voices Of Dissent In Nigeria Is Absence Of Love!
Dissenting voices are commonplace phenomena in the market place of human activities! The possibility of unity of mind, soul or spirit among peoples of identical language or dialect had failed the litmus test of peace or togetherness while those with diverse languages, cultures, traditions and origins had perpetually dwelt in chaotic situations of daily conflicts that defied religious, spiritual and even divine solutions because of the absence of love! When arguments, quarrels and altercations were not predicated on marginalization or tribalism among geographical entities of any form or style of government - capitalist or socialist inclined or oriented, they could take the forms of nepotism or favoritism in political appointments, breach of manifesto promises or the sharing formula of natural resource earnings of the conglomerate and incensed people were ever quick to forment trouble over any issue and even kill one another; no matter the triviality!
Biblical Cain clandestinely and cruelly clubbed his only sibling, Abel, to death because God accepted the latter's offering which was produced from the best of his flock of animals and rejected Cain's paltry presentation of some fruit of the ground, and since that murder, men had been at each other's throat! (Please read Genesis. 4:1-13, 23-24 and 6:11-13). The loveless and corrupted mind of Cain culminated in the first recorded global homicide and that wrong footing turned out to become the Achilles heel and genesis of heinous crimes of murder, robbery, assassinations, arsons, burglaries, homosexuality, gang rapes, incest, etc, that have permeated every generation of Man since the Creation!
The Word of God states as follows: "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. "Not as Cain who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." (1John.3:11-12).

Grand Corruption in Government!
1. Celebration of institutional deceit of unkept promises amidst wallowing poverty of the masses in Nigeria had been largely responsible for restiveness among youths and conflicts by pressure groups, communities and societies against insensitive governments which had reneged on all social contracts!
2. Land disputes among various clans of common dialect had resulted into communal clashes and loss of hundred of hundreds of innocent lives through the use of force instead of amicable dialogue and peaceful resolutions.
3. Religious fanaticism among the various tribes was still responsible for gang attacks and jungle justice kind of termination of the lives of people of opposite faiths in Nigeria of the twenty first century world!
4. Election riggings in which all manner of fraudulent practices were employed to keep dubious characters perpetually in positions of authority where they could continue to deprive the electorate of the dividends of democracy through the embezzlement of funds meant for their welfare!
5. The most outrageous and the root cause of all vexations was institutional corruption which was judiciously perpetrated by the custodians of the treasury and nurtured by a cabal in power for 16 years years of horrible administrations!

Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. (2016).
The most recent Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, which ranked Nigeria very low at 136th out of 168 countries for two consecutive years was based on expert opinions of public sector corruption but emphasized that criterion for being corrupt was a lot more that missing monies!
Key characteristics considered according to the report included:
1. Level of Press freedom.
2. Assess to budget information so that people would know how money was spent.
3. Levels of integrity among the people in power.
4. Impartial judiciary.
5. Strength of public institutions. etc.

Head of Transparency International, Jose Ugaz, strongly believed it was time to tackle grand corruption in governments because it has been established that the most corrupt countries of the world are the least peaceful! Nigeria' history did not begin with the love "Amalgamation" in 1914! Long before that deliberate effort by Great Britain in the 19th Century at consolidating its position on the West African Coast as a frontline colonial power, Portuguese explorers with the expressed connivance of the natives had introduced slave trade into an otherwise peaceful commercial businesses of grains, gold and ivory which were in full throttle during the periods between the 15th and 16th centuries in which a lot of human lives were wasted! All heinous crimes are still with us in Nigeria including Slave Trade which is now described as Human Trafficking
Presently, the crime of human trafficking, and militancy have become very lucrative in spite of the rigorous efforts of law enforcement agents and counter-insurgency operations across the nation to curb the crime because in some cases some kidnappers have been found to have been aided and abetted with logistics by some black legs among the security operatives who benefit from illicit business. The spate of insecurity is increasing by the day because politicians who failed at the last 2015 General Elections have sworn to disrupt and thwart all efforts by the Change Administration to win the war against terror, Presently some unpatriotic youths of the Niger Delta origin operating under several pseudo identities had consistently vandalized the crude oil pipelines belonging to the Federal Government and international oil companies within the riverine areas of the South-south Geo-political Zone, with terrible financial losses to the economy!

First, crude oil exportation figure had declined to 1.4 million barrels per day from 2.2million! Secondly, international oil prices have risen to over $50 USdollars in the last two weeks but Nigeria cannot benefit from the windfall though the 2016 Budget benchmark is fixed at $38 US dollars per barrel! Thirdly, though the war against the Boko Haram is dwindling with continued onslaught by the Federal Troops and the Military Joint Task Force (MJTF), on their pockets of resistance, detractors of the new administration have infiltrated the rank and file of the Fulani Herdsmen with dangerous weapons to create panic across the nation through destruction of farmlands and also of several lives and properties in the process while the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State Of Biafra (MASSOB), in the South East are also flexing muzzle to become autonomous entities outside of the Nigerian nation! Fourthly, Niger Delta greedy and misguided youths are now on the rampage, in the Creeks and have vowed to continue their treasonable acts until the region could have total control of all oil resources, and all revenues accruable therefrom because they had been marginalized and sidelined by the older militants in the past!
Constitutionally, all extractive mineral resources derivable in any part of the Federation have been placed under the control of the Federal Government for equitable distribution of their accruable monies among all States of the country and presently, the Niger Delta Region is allocated with the 13% derivation formula outside of the other allocations from the Federation Account, above other regions because of land pollution through oil spillages. The question to be addressed now should be; how much of the all the huge funds got to the grassroot people who suffer the environmental degradation most when all past allocations were made? Virtually nothing trickles down to them in view of their predicaments of lack of all the basic amenities of life and while the Federal Government tries to ameliorate the very bad situation, more pipelines were vandalized on daily basis by restive youths of the region!
While the clean-up of Ogoni land is already in progress on the western flank of the Rivers State, more crude oil spillages are devastating the precious agricultural lands and fishing ponds of the eastern flank of the Delta State of the oil rich south-south! Do they prefer to remain in perpetual slavery to the God-given mineral resources meant for their well being through the existing constitutional arrangement and co-operate with the Federal Government or keep wasting the collective economic resources to the detriment of all? Apart from the 13% derivation fund paid to the Niger Delta oil producing States, the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs are on ground to actualize all of the social and economic needs of the people but care should be taken to ensure probity and sincerity among the Governors and officials who have been saddled with the responsibility of managing the funds judiciously.

It is on record that monetary allocations never trickled down to the grassroot peasants for health, housing and education facilities because they were looted by those who were trusted with the disbursements while the unemployment and death statistics remained on the high side! The major solution to the several conflicts around the nation lies in truthful process of accountability to the people in respect of faithful deliverance of the dividends of democracy to the grassroot electorate without further delay!
However, it is important that the militants of the Niger Delta trust the genuine concern of Mr. President, who has promised to proffer permanent solution to the imbroglio through peaceful dialogue.

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. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to: facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

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.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066   g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

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Friday, 17 June 2016

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