In my piece of last week, I made a tangential reference to the place of African magic in modern matters. It was in the discussion of the calamity that befell Nigeria a few days to Christmas. Ibadan, the capital city of the Yoruba, had taken a sizeable chunk of the tragedy. Thirty five persons, the bulk of whom were kids, had been trampled to death in a stampede. The dead and a crowd estimated to be about ten thousand, had heeded invitation to attend a funfair where freebies, which included the sum of N5000, would be shared per attendee. Three persons were arrested and charged before an Ibadan Magistrate court on account of the deaths. They were Naomi Silekunola, an ex-Queen of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja I1; Oriyomi Hamzat, a popular radio owner and presenter and principal of the school that served as venue for the event.

Since the Queen’s somersault from the pinnacle of grace to the nadir of sharing smelly, dingy cell with ordinary criminals in the Agodi Correctional Centre, subtle, muffled and repressed thoughts have variously been expressed about what could have transpired. Questions asked range from, could there be a causal link between the fate of ex-Queen Naomi and her abandoned Queendom? Or, is it a reinforcement of the historical Yoruba wise-saying of fatalism, which says that, among the innumerable beheaded skulls quartered in Mògún, the ones belonging to unjustly beheaded ones were many (Orí yéye ní Mògún, ìpín àìsè l’ó pò)?

The truth is, as products of their past, many Africans still reason with the mindset of their genes. Over a century after the white man and Arabs brought Christianity and Islam to Africa, though they substantially succeeded in fumigating Africa’s mindset of magic and occult practices, they left a hugely syncretic Africa. Like Gabriel Okara painted in his poem, Piano and Drums, Africa carries its piano - a symbol of the Whiteman’s modernity - with his right hand, and holds fervently to his drum - symbolizing traditional Africa - with his left. In a world where science is king and defines every stratum of our existence, there is a great push towards voiding the power of metaphysics, the foundation upon which the drum, which Africa holds tightly by its left hand, rests.

In a December 2021 Instagram post, Naomi unilaterally announced her divorce from the Ooni. After “bless(ing) the Lord almighty for His faithfulness in the last three years of my marriage,” Naomi revealed that she “endure(d).. to make (the marriage) work” as she, “many times… smiled through the struggle.” Finally, the Queen revealed that she was “moving on,” stating that, “today, I announce the beginning of a new dawn and the close of a chapter. Today, I am a mother to God’s unique gift. I am no longer a slave to my thoughts of perfection. I, at this moment, announce that I shall no longer be referred to as wife to the Ooni of Ife or as Queen of Ile-Ife but as the Queen of the people and mother of my adorable prince.” Were the gods of Ile-Ife happy at that gloat over their king? Since then, she had indeed moved on. Once in a while, she advertised her sultry beauty on the social media and her Christianity. It was akin to the conquest smile of a conquistador. It was believed that the decision of the Ooni to embark on a serial acquisition of wives thereafter was a response to the subtle disgrace he suffered in the hands of a wife who divorced him on the social media.

Today, Africa scarcely sees with the eye of Africa but with the eye of western science, data and computer. So, the question is, is there any science to African magic? Or put differently, is there magic? Is there sorcery? Can our forefathers, whose systems of beliefs were woven round this corpus of knowledge of incantations, magic, sorcery, and the synergy between spirit and man for many centuries, be said to be ignoramuses? These were the same people who were credited with the great arts and science of carvings and bronze. The Benin Bronze sculptures, brilliantly and elaborately chiseled from metal and woods, became ornaments that white colonialists stole and kept in antiquities. Cast in plaques, commemorative heads, animal and human figures, ornaments, pieces of royal regalia, they adorned western museums until rescued and returned to Africa. The Nok people, now known to inhabit the northern and central part of Nigeria, existed from roughly 900 BCE to 200 CE. In their science and arts, they worked on iron to make terracotta sculptures. In the Alaafin palace of Oyo, a drainage system built over a century, exists which till today, drains rainfall in a twinkle of an eye, no matter its volume.

As brilliant as our forefathers were, they also engaged in the barbaric practices of human sacrifices, cannibalism, witchcraft and money rituals. They believed in the centrality of spiritual beings and relationship with the spirit world. This spirit world was believed by them to be responsible for happiness, protection, material wealth and health. They also believed that any dislocation from the spirit world led to sickness, barrenness, death, among others. It was probably why they engaged in human rituals. A scholar once explained that, in human body parts rituals, the soul of the sacrificed victim is sent on an errand to the supra-physical realm. There, the soul engages in the laborious exercise of harvesting wealth for the usage of the victimiser. In 1970s Nigeria, parents sternly warned their wards to avoid being alone in desolate places. It was the period when that caustic-mouthed Yoruba Apala songster, Late Fatai Olowonyo, released the vinyl that bore that iconic track entitled L’áyée Gbómogbómo (In this world of kidnappers). Padding the song up with his rhythmic acoustic guitar sound that literally sent dancers into gymnastic fits, Olowonyo warned, especially the young ones, to avoid lone-walking as kidnappers luxuriated in lonely places. When they grabbed their victims, he warned, such victims honked like trapped mice. “L’áyé gbómo-gbómo, ìwo nìkàn má se dá rìn mó, bí wón bá kì ó mó'lè l’ábé àgbàdo, wàá sì má dún fín ín  bí omo eku…” he sang. 

I first came in contact with the epistemological body of knowledge of African magic in my pre-teen years. I lived with my parents in a town called Ikirun, in today’s Osun State. There was this highly dreaded spiritualist called Baba Iyanda Aladokun. It was not possible to live in Ikirun without a sniff of the whiff of Aladokun’s spiritual prowess. His magical powers were legendary. For seven years, boy Aladokun was said to have been declared missing, allegedly carried away by whirlwind called Àjà, only to surface thereafter. His known specialty was in the spiritual healing of mentally-challenged patients. He was my late father’s older friend. My father and I frequented his house almost every Saturday. Aladokun’s house was usually filled to the brim with all manner of patients. Dark, pot-bellied and most times wearing agbádá, Baba Aladokun sat cupped up in a corner of his herbal hospice, welcoming oncoming people afar off with his cryptic, “e wèé” - greetings which a pre-teen boy like me smothered the urge to laugh at. Many of the patients were brought to his herbal sanatorium from several lands away. Some were Igbo as well. When his patients were in the twilight of recuperating, Aladokun loaned them to farmers like my father to work on their farms for fees. The farmers in turn gave him reports of the perceived level of the patients’ sanity. On the farm, armed with cutlasses and hoes, my father would ask that we gave the recuperating patients some distance, lest they return to status quo ante and feasted their weapons on us. My father however engaged them in dialogues which were most times intelligible.

My father told me the story of how one of Aladokun’s daughters’ pregnancy was once disowned by the man who impregnated her. The case was taken to the Ikirun police station. Aladokun appeared  where his daughter and the man were, with the police. He promptly, with the sign of his hand, inter-placed the baby from his daughter’s stomach into the man’s. The man immediately appeared with an advanced pregnancy. There and then, he held his daughter’s hand, headed home with her and told the police he had no case against the man any longer. On another occasion, he had asked his daughter to go buy soft drinks for waiting guests. Uncomfortable with her long stay getting  the drinks purchased, Aladokun merely fiddled with the wind and on his palms were the soft drinks which he placed before the guests. The daughter merely came back and handed him the remainder of the money.

A few years after, Baba Aladokun was embroiled in allegation of human body parts rituals. The police criminal investigation department (CID) had received reports that the herbalist had veered into human body parts rituals. A female police detective who pretended to be mentally deranged was seconded to his sanatorium. In the course of simulating mental derangement, she reportedly witnessed the herbalist pounding the body of a newly born baby in a mortar which was then garnished with black soap and other accoutrements. Baba Aladokun was subsequently arrested, remanded in the Ilesa prisons and later released for want of evidence. I remember my father used to go pay him visits in the prison. Not long after, specifically in 1984, one of the old herbalist’s mentally ill patients suddenly ran amok and beheaded him right inside his sanatorium.

African kings, no matter their erstwhile religious backgrounds, are believed to be beneficiaries and inheritors of a system of African medicine, sorcery, magic and witchcraftcy which dates centuries. The late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, once let me into some of the details. For instance, a traditional DNA system exists in the Oyo palace which ensured that bastards cannot be brought into the palace as princes and princesses. In the palaces of many Yoruba towns are believed to be headquartered witches whose powers help the monarchy to fight its battles. This is most times unsolicited. Ile-Ife is said to parade several deities whose priests, at cock-crow, as custom, are expected to rain curses on the Ooni’s enemies and bless those who wish him well. Many people, however, believe that all these are a mythic system that has kept palaces fortified from invaders and evildoers.

So, when a 31-year old woman, who set out to favour the less-privileged in a fun-fair, suddenly landed in one of the most notoriously famous prisons around, a few days after this noble effort, to what do we put that: happenstance, fate; normal encounter of man or spiritual recompense for openly disgracing a foremost king in Yorubaland on the social media? At the wake of the calamity, the Ooni palace masterfully disconnected the monarchy from her travails, de-linked her and her action from the palace, while subtly empathizing with her. It was the last laugh of a scorned husband.

Some people have also argued that the fates of Naomi and Oriyomi Hamzat can be compared to the  historical Yoruba wise-saying that depicts fatalism. It is a philosophical school which subjugates all actions, events and occurrences to fate or destiny. The history behind the wise-saying is that, in ancient days, Mògún was where persons accused of committing heinous crimes were incarcerated. Once the King was persuaded of their guilt, he ordered their beheading right inside Mògún, which makes the prison a place where hordes of skulls were kept. However, many of them were victims of petty conspiracies who never committed the crime they were accused of. 

So, the saying goes that, of the innumerable heads quartered in Mògún, the ones belonging to unjustly beheaded ones were many (Orí yéye ní Mògún, ìpín àìsè l’ó pò). Today, prisons across the world are Mògún which house just persons unjustly incarcerated. Many have also died unjustifiably, either from the supple hands of the law or the coarse brunt of lawlessness. On June 16, 1944, for instance, 14-year old George Stinney, was executed in the electric chair of Columbia, America. He was accused of having killed two white girls who earlier approached him and his sister while playing in their yard to ask where they could find flowers. The bodies of the girls were later found the following morning. Seventy years after, a South Carlina judge held that Stinney could not have murdered the two girls. He vacated the conviction. So, are Queen Naomi and Hamzat victims of this ancient fatalism?

As we approach the New Year, I pray we will not be victims of an unjust world; now, in the new year and all through our sojourn on this divide.

Nigerians in Súàrá Sòbó bus

I have been asked severally what my opinion was on last week’s presidential media chat. First, I must commend the presidency for hosting the chat, though belatedly after 19 months of holding back. When the people hear directly from their leaders and not from third parties they didn’t elect, it affords them opportunity of psycho-analyzing the man at the helm of affairs, match his gestures with policies and project what the leadership’s future strides will be.

It was also gladsome to see the president radiating warmth, confidence and mastery of his craft. He appeared to have learned the ropes of a limitless presidential powers. He must have warmed himself up to the behemoth powers at his disposal, next to God’s. You could see this as he exuded confidence in himself and his office. Unlike the pre-and early Bola Tinubu presidency optics we had, the president appeared physically stable and in better health. I was glad to see stability as he raised his hands in gesticulation. We thank God for presidential health mercies.

As they say, the divide between confidence and arrogance, much as it is as long as the Zambezi River, could be paper-thin as well. Though clothed in a cloak of confidence, the Tinubu I saw in that interview wore arrogance on his lapel. Beneath that, you could see a God mentality. I didn’t hear anywhere throughout the interview where the president accepted that he was human, capable of frailties and wrongs. I saw King Herod and the clowns of power shouting “This is the voice of God, not man!” The tax bills were chiselled straight from the stone plate of Moses, he seemed to have said. They are irreversible. And to the north which thought it had him by the balls, like the man who knows tomorrow, the president proclaimed that he would live till 2027, go through the presidential election and win. He would not probe military top brass whose fat stomachs and fat epaulettes are euphemisms for the toads of wars - apologies to Eddie Iroh - which they have become from filching Nigeria’s wealth in an endless war. He didn’t err when, pounced upon by the Herodian spirit, he pronounced that “subsidy was gone,” he said. While Nigerians die in droves from hunger, the president literally clinked wine glasses for being the greatest reformist in human history.

When I heard the president compare his reform to a woman going through the pangs of labour - “and the child may die” - but at the end of the birth, everybody is happy, the mentality that drives the president came out vividly to me like the first flick of a movie in a dark cinema. I saw a heart scarred and scorched like the sand dunes of the desert. I didn’t see blood flowing through the veins at all. Immediately I understood. The political furnace has forged in the smithy a stone statue devoid of feelings.  

Nigeria of the 1950s and early 1960s had very many interesting personalities. Western Region had its fair share of such. One of them was a man named Súàrá Sòbó (Sobo pronounced as ‘Sorbor’). He was a prominent transporter who held the transportation industry of the time by its jugular. An Ibadan man of the Òópó 'Yéosà clan who lived in an area now known as Ring Road, Súàrá Sòbó was wealthy and had a fleet of lorries in his pool. As a trade logo, Súàrá Sòbó’s lorries always had monkeys chained to their entrance, which excited and attracted passengers to them. However, his lorries soon acquired a very unflattering typecast. Any passenger who boarded them was literally embarking on a journey that had no certain time or terminal point of disembarkment as the lorry could be arrested for having no particulars, and the inappropriate conducts of the drivers and conductors, which led to road accidents, were legendary. The otherwise pleasurable ride with a monkey on board to marvel at its close resemblance of man could turn awry. It thus became a peculiar refrain in the Western Region to say a man had entered Súàrá Sòbó’s lorry, an equivalent of today’s One Chance lingo among youth. Odolaye Aremu, then Ibadan-based, Ilorin-born dadakúàdà musician, once sang of the untimely passage of Súàrá Sòbó, years after. At a celebration in his house, said Odolaye, Súàrá Sòbó had hosted the crème de la crème of Ibadan, where roast mutton and turkey flesh were feasted upon. People were shocked when, six days later, Súàrá Sòbó’s sudden death was announced to the world.

As I stood up from watching the interview, I shook my head languidly. I was sorry for us. All I saw were 200 million Nigerians sequestered inside the Súàrá Sòbó bus. We must pray that the Herodian spirit which pounced on Olusegun Obasanjo doesn’t repeat its tragic pounce on Mr. President. If it does, Tinubu would have a third term and more, becoming an Hastings Kamuzu Banda at the drop of a hat. And nothing would happen.

One year after for Aketi and Aiyedatiwa

Last Friday was the first anniversary of the passage of Rotimi Akeredolu, ex-Ondo State governor. It was also the first anniversary of his successor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in office. We thus must be grateful to Aiyedatiwa for immortalizing Akeredolu, famously known as Aketi that same day. Aketi was an ecumenical spirit - borrowing from Wole Soyinka’s burial oration for Bola Ige. Aside naming a court after Aketi, Aiyedatiwa organized a lecture in the former NBA president’s remembrance. Stubbornly courageous, Aketi cared not whose ox got gored while he spoke his mind. You could be president or an emperor; Aketi brought out the muck in your eye, in your very before. I once wrote against his government’s 

stoppage of an ancient traditional festival in Akure, the state capital and asked him why he didn’t do same to the Igogo festival in his Owo country home. He had just lost his mother and I called thereafter to commiserate with him but he used the occasion to spank me. He told me I was talking nonsense and tutored me on what he called the security implication of allowing the festival. Till he died, his sobriquet for me was “Akure l’o kan” - it is the turn of Akure. Not minding him being my elderly friend, I didn’t support his governorship. I supported his opponent who was my kinsman. And he knew. But Aketi was indeed a great man.

Though the people of the state capital believed he preferenced his Owo home in infrastructure more than the state capital and that he disdained Akure and its monarchy, Aketi had some quite ambitious projects earmarked for the capital. Unfortunately, he couldn’t complete them.

When last week, one of Aiyedatiwa’s aides, Kikelomo Isijola, took to the media, on the anniversary of the governor’s first year in office, to commend him for some infrastructural projects she claimed her boss had pulled through, she received barbs severally from people who saw her effort as whitewashing a dirty boulder. Many people hold that, in the last 25 years of democratic governance, Ondo State has been extremely unlucky in the hands of its governors. Except under Olusegun Agagu and Olusegun Mimiko where the state received infrastructural lifting, the state is generally perceived to be backward development-wise. While the state collects one of the hugest federal revenues as an oil-producing state, its capital city is one of the most underdeveloped in the Southwest. Ado-Ekiti, which became capital about three decades ago, is rated far more developed than Akure.

During his swearing-in, Aiyedatiwa promised to complete the projects left by Aketi. One of these is the Oda-Ijoka dualization project in Akure, The uncompleted projects, according to Aiyedatiwa, would receive urgent attention. He specifically mentioned Oba Osupa–Oluwatuyi–Ijoka (Akure) dualization, completion of Oda dual carriage (Akure), completion of Akure flyover (Onyearugbulem-Shagari-Irese), construction of 15.89km selected roads in Ondo township among many others. A year after, none of them has been completed. Even Isijola claimed the projects are 60% completed, many of them almost six years after. The state football team has been playing its home matches in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, due to the infrastructural horror that the state’s stadium is. The internal roads in Akure are in impassable conditions with no modern developmental strides befitting of a state capital in the city.

If it is reckoned that, were Aketi to be alive, his joint ticket with Aiyedatiwa would expire in two months’ time for another government to take over, those projects would automatically have been abandoned projects.

Aiyedatiwa should make the people of Ondo State joyful as he vividly was immediately he heard of the passage of his boss. Office goes beyond the grandeur surrounding it; it entails responsibility and working for the people.

I will give her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth ~ Hosea 2:15.

Introduction:

This year is rapidly advancing to a close, with the prospect of greater opportunities ahead. No doubt, it has offered diverse experiences to different people in very many distinct circumstances. Whatever the case, God is saying that our springs of joy and gladness are not gone forever.

Please be informed that it is quite normal that certain experiences in the journeys of destiny show up with remarkable pains, especially in view of all the crises and the uncertainties that surround living in this world presently. Yet, no matter the circumstances, I believe as God has said: we shall sing again!

Good things can still come out of evil experiences, and sweetness can yet spring forth from any bitter despair.

Understanding the Fundamentals of New Songs

New songs are native to the realm of new things, new testimonies and new scintillating experiences in life. When the Lord dramatically delivered Israel from the terror of Pharaoh at the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel sang a new song (Exodus 15:1).

Basically, a song is an expression of an experience that is rendered with musical harmonies. That was what David did most of the time in the Book of Psalms.

When the Lord led him out of the wilderness of confusion, and changed him from an ordinary wanderer to a wonder, he sang (Psalm 23:1-6;  48:1-11; 71:7). And, he sang again when the Lord delivered him from the enemies that surrounded and troubled him sorely (Psalm 3:3).

Even in our contemporary times, we find many examples of this. For example, Horatio Spafford experienced a family tragedy, but he was comforted by the Holy Spirit and he sang the famous hymn, “It is well with my soul”. In a similar vein, Fanny Crosby also sang, “Blessed Assurance”.

Again, reminiscent of certain personal experiences of God’s intervention, the Nigerian artist, Sunny Ade, sang, “O ti mu mi gbagbe”. And, Aiyefele also sang, “Ta lo so pe ko si’jo mo?”

For those who operate under the mercy of God, new songs never cease because of new experiences: new houses, new cars, new levels of victory, new testimonies of divine intervention, glorious marriages after delays, new births, new family breakthroughs etc. You will sing new songs again and again in Jesus name. Amen.

The Valley of Achor and Our Doors of Hope

The Hebrew word “Achor” means "disaster" or "trouble". Hence, the valley of Achor (or, Valley of Trouble) was named after the unfortunate incident recorded in Joshua 7:1-8:28.

The valley of Achor was an emblem of failure and fainting. Down its long lane were terrified fugitives who had fled the battlefield, and were now bearing to Joshua horrible stories of defeat.

At that time, Israel was on the very threshold of Canaan, but  Achan’s misbehaviour jeopardised her progress, and cast a dark shadow over the entire nation. However, the story didn't end on that sad note.

After the defeat, they all gathered at the valley of Achor to chart a way out of their peculiar mess (v.24). Thereafter, the wrath of God was abated, His fierce anger was turned off, and Israel's journey to the Promised Land was marked by renewed hope.

The valley of Achor is a turning point for joy, and a special gateway of hope, opening to better days and fruitfulness (Isaiah 65:10). There, Israel’s trouble dramatically turned to testimonies, and they sang a new song as in the days of the exodus (Exodus 15:1-21; Isaiah 11:15-16; Revelation 15:2-3).

Please keep in mind that there is not a single life without its valley of Achor. But, each valley of Achor — a place of defeat, failure and fainting — also doubles as a place of celebration. Whatever the situation might be, a new song of joyful testimony is always a possibility.

Meanwhile, it must be settled in your mind that keeping God’s commandments, and staying connected to His promises and sure mercy are the major secrets that will guarantee your new songs.

Making Rooms for Your New Songs

You want to sing new songs? First of all, you must deal ruthlessly with the accursed things in your life. That was what opened the camp of Israel to new songs. They dealt with the Achan in their camp, and God put new songs in their mouths (Joshua 7:26).

God detests and abhors sin in all its appearances. Achan traded in the accursed thing contrary to the clear commandment of God, and he opened the doors for a curse of false security, the fierce anger of God and an agonising defeat for the entire nation (Joshua 6:18). Israel didn’t spare him though.

Yes, through the blood of Jesus Christ, we already overcame the beasts, and the gateway of hope is flung open for us to sing new songs (Revelation 12:11). Albeit, we must be ruthless with sin and our negative character bents.

Never spare wickedness, immorality, pride, unbelief, hard-heartedness, bitterness, double-mindedness, unfaithfulness, inconsistency, grumbling, disobedience, lukewarmness, self-pity, negative attitudes to life, cultural attachment to evil, unyielding lifestyle to the Holy Spirit, etc.

Punch hard at them, you will definitely taste afresh the glad sense of God’s pardoning love, and the accursed things holding the upper hand against your destiny will lose their holds, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Next, in order to sing new songs, you must be ready to compose them in the place of prayers. David did, and the Lord put new songs in His mouth (Psalms 40:1-3).

Above all, you must never forget to sincerely invite Jesus Christ into your situations by faith. When we encounter Jesus, like one of the rulers of the synagogue did, our new songs become perfectly composed (Mark 5:21-24; 35-42).

God always wishes to give us new revelations of His love, to draw us into His most tender fellowship, and to lift us up into the lifestyle of victory and new songs. But, a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ is our assured guarantee for these. He alone is the Spring-force of every new song of joy.

Dear friends, who lied to you that you must go on mourning all your days because of sin, poverty, joblessness, barrenness, delay in marriage, demonic harassment, diseases and pains? Who lied to you that there is no way out of that mess in which you have found yourself?

Please throw those lies into the rubbish bin because God already said He would put a new song in your mouth! Undoubtedly, there is still beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3)! Alleluia!!

Attack the spiritual enemies of your new songs, rapidly. Deal with them, viciously. No matter the odds, keep punching them ceaselessly in prayer; your new songs are just around the corner, in Jesus Name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

____________________

Archbishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Connect with Bishop Akinola via these channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bishopakinola

SMS/WhatsApp: +234 802 318 4987

Grace is the highest expression of God’s love and blessings showered on us. It is God’s special favour reserved for a chosen few. God says: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Exodus 33:19).

So, “It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” (Romans 9:16).

Grace is when God gives us what we do not deserve. As someone who has received grace upon grace from God, the Lord gave me a directive: “Femi, never give people what they deserve. Always give people what they do not deserve.”

The testimony of my life is about receiving grace upon grace from God. When I did not know God, He introduced Himself to me by saying: “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.” (Matthew 13:16). He then showed me: “Great and mighty things, which (I did) not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3). He taught me to see Him with the eyes of my heart. (Ephesians 1:18). 

He opened my ears to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. (John 10:27). He told me that God does not desire sacrifice and offering but an obedient heart that delights to do His will. (Psalm 40:6-8). 

I am grateful to God that I see what others do not see, and hear what others do not. God made me a promise: “(I will) make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8-9).

I testify that in my life of faith in Christ, He has kept this promise repeatedly. Indeed, God’s grace has been more than sufficient for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9).

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” (Zechariah 4:6-7).

Who are you, indeed? Who are you, O great mountain,? Before Femi Aribisala, you will become a plain.

You see, the grace of God does not just enable us to succeed in something. It also ensures that we: “Bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7). It even gives us the strength to endure failure. It empowers us to face whatever situation we find ourselves in.

How will we survive this disastrous “Emilokan” economy?

The answer is by the grace of God.

How will we afford the high cost of food and groceries?

By the grace of God.

How will we pay for the high cost of petrol?

By the grace of God.

How will we afford the high cost of transportation?

By the grace of God.

How can we pay the high cost of rent?

By the grace of God.

What about the skyrocketing cost of school fees?

By the grace of God.

The grace of God provides the answer to every challenge and prevails over every adversity.

Here is grace. Paul says: “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Blessed be the Lord our God.

The grace of God enables us to endure persecution, adversities, difficulties, disappointments, bereavement, and every other situation and circumstance. God is a redeemer. He does not often deliver us from bad situations. In most cases, He gives us the grace to endure them.

Paul wanted deliverance from a thorn in his flesh. But Jesus refused to deliver him. Instead, He told him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Therefore, Paul changed his tune. He said: “Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. “By strength, no man shall prevail.” (1 Samuel 2:9). “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2).

God does not fight Goliath with another Goliath. He fights Goliath with little David and prevails over him. Therefore, we are strong when we are weak. Joel says: “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” (Joel 3:10).

Foundation Stone

God is the Alpha and the Omega of everything. (Revelation 1:8). He is the Uncaused cause of everything else. Therefore, He orchestrates everything that happens to us. Since that is the case, how can we pray for deliverance from anything since God is the cause of everything?

What are we going to pray for? Jesus says when we pray, we should ask for God’s will to be done. (Matthew 6:10). That means believers are the people who pray for God’s will to be done. We must not pray to God against God’s will. We must pray that we should learn what God wants us to learn from whatever situation we are in. We should ask God for the grace to learn whatever He wants to teach us in any situation or circumstance.

Groans for Grace

Shall we pray for deliverance? Shall we pray for strength? Shall we pray for endurance? There is no way of knowing. That is why we have the Holy Spirit. He is the One who guides our prayers along the path of life.

“The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26).

Thank God for the Holy Spirit. Thank God for Jesus. He is our prayer partner: “He is at the right hand of God, making intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34).

Jesus says: “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19).

Join faith with Jesus. Agree with Him and it shall be done.

Lessons from Gethsemane

What did Jesus receive at Gethsemane? He did not receive deliverance from the cross. But He received the grace to endure the cross. 

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Jesus received the grace of God.

“He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.” (Luke 22:41-43).

Jesus received the strength to endure. He received the grace to prevail. He received the grace to succeed in the purpose that was purposed for Him. We also need that grace. The grace to prevail in the challenges of life.

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Athena disappeared from her Florida home on Dec. 15 and had her family worried they would spend the holidays without their beloved pet

The return of Athena the dog is the best gift her family could ask for.

According to First Coast News, the German shepherd dog disappeared from her Green Cove Springs, Florida, home on Dec. 15. After searching for the canine over a week, Athena's family began to fear the pet wouldn't be home for the holidays.

But in a Christmas miracle, Athena returned home on Christmas Eve, and the heartwarming moment was caught on camera. When the dog returned home alone, she walked up to the door and rang the doorbell, triggering her family's doorbell camera.

"It was about 2:30 a.m. when she was ringing on the doorbell and pawing on the door. This was Christmas Eve morning. I woke up from it and saw her on the Ring camera," Brooke Comer, Athena's owner, told WJAX.

Comer was excited and relieved to see Athena had returned safely after nine days of grueling searches and heartbroken meltdowns from her kids. The mom said since it was early in the morning, she tried to keep the pet's return a secret until later in the day, but the children woke up "from the excitement."

Athena's community was also happy to hear the dog had returned home. Comer told WJAX that her neighbors spent hours combing through their doorbell camera footage, looking for the canine. Dog lovers as far as Jacksonville and Saint Augustine reached out to Comer with tips and offers to help with the search for Athena, per WFOX.

Overall, Athena seems in good health despite spending nine days away from home, but Comer has noticed one change in the dog.

"She has not stopped whining or howling since she's come home. She's definitely found her voice now," Comer said.

Footage from Athena's return home shows the 4-year-old dog hopping up repeatedly to paw the door and doorbell. After a few seconds, someone inside the house opens the door and excitedly greets the pet.

According to WJAX, Athena's family plans to have the dog microchipped and spayed in the new year to prevent further disappearances.

People

A recent report, titled *The Situation Analysis (SitAn) of Children in Nigeria*, has revealed alarming statistics about the state of child poverty in Nigeria, with 54 percent of Nigerian children classified as multi-dimensionally poor. The report, launched on November 20, 2024, during the World Children’s Day celebration, was developed by the Federal Government with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to address critical child welfare issues in the country.

The findings of the report identify several factors contributing to this severe deprivation, including corruption, widespread unemployment, lack of political will, ongoing violence and insurgency, and insufficient investments in essential social sectors. Displacement caused by conflict and violence exacerbates the situation, further depleting already strained resources.

Defining Child Poverty

The report defines child poverty as the deprivation of essential resources required for survival, development, and well-being, such as material, spiritual, and emotional needs. The inability of children to access these resources hampers their ability to achieve their full potential and participate equally in society.

The report highlights seven key indicators used to assess child poverty: health, water, sanitation, nutrition, shelter, education, and information. The multidimensional poverty of children varies significantly across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with stark regional disparities. For example, while Osun State has the lowest poverty incidence at 17.5 percent, Sokoto State has the highest at nearly 90 percent.

Urban-Rural Divide

The report underscores a significant urban-rural divide in child poverty. In urban areas, 29.7 percent of children are multi-dimensionally poor, compared to a staggering 65.7 percent of rural children. States like Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara face the worst levels of deprivation, with over 70 percent of children in these states experiencing severe poverty. In contrast, urban states like Lagos and Edo have poverty rates below 20 percent.

Impact of Education and Household Structure

The analysis also links education and household structure to child poverty. Children in larger households, as well as those with uneducated parents, are more likely to experience deprivation. In particular, children with illiterate mothers face higher rates of poverty than those with educated mothers.

The Almajiri Crisis

One of the most troubling revelations in the report is the plight of Almajiri children—many of whom are forced into itinerant lifestyles, deprived of basic needs such as food, water, sanitation, healthcare, and education. These children often face abuse, exploitation, and are vulnerable to being recruited into armed conflict.

Recommendations for Change

The report calls for urgent actions to address child poverty, stressing the importance of family support, public healthcare, education, and social services that are accessible, inclusive, and affordable. Effective governance at all levels is critical to ensuring equitable distribution of resources, improving household livelihoods, and fostering an environment where children’s rights are protected.

Stakeholders are encouraged to provide sustainable income support to households, ensuring financial barriers do not prevent children from accessing their full potential. The report also advocates for strategic investments in child welfare programs to break the cycle of poverty.

Implications for Nigeria’s Development

The findings of this report offer stark insights into the multi-faceted challenges Nigeria faces in addressing child poverty, which in turn has profound implications for the nation’s broader development.

1. Impact of Worsening Insecurity

   The role of violence, insurgency, and displacement in exacerbating child poverty is particularly concerning. Regions affected by insurgencies, such as the Northeast and parts of the Northwest, are seeing a dramatic rise in child poverty. As the conflict deepens, children become both direct victims and indirect casualties, trapped in cycles of deprivation and displacement. This destabilizes communities and creates a generation vulnerable to exploitation, recruitment into militant groups, and an inability to participate in nation-building.

The link between insecurity and child poverty highlights the urgent need for peacebuilding efforts that address the root causes of conflict and the provision of humanitarian aid to displaced families.

2. Economic Growth and Social Investment

Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges, including high unemployment and underinvestment in public services, contribute to a widening gap between rich and poor children. The report’s findings suggest that without substantial investment in healthcare, education, and infrastructure—particularly in rural areas—Nigeria will struggle to achieve sustainable development. Inequality in access to these resources only deepens divisions within society, with the poorest children growing up in environments of neglect, which hampers the country’s future workforce and economic stability.

3. The Role of Governance

Effective governance is central to tackling child poverty in Nigeria. The report underscores the need for a transparent and accountable government that prioritizes child welfare through inclusive policies and the judicious use of resources. This aligns with the broader challenge of improving governance across sectors to ensure that the benefits of development reach those who need them most.

4. The Human Capital Crisis

The failure to address child poverty and related deprivations creates a human capital crisis that will have long-term consequences for Nigeria’s growth and development. Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to face long-term health issues, limited educational opportunities, and diminished prospects for employment, contributing to a cycle of poverty that perpetuates socio-economic inequality. If Nigeria is to harness its demographic dividend, it must address child poverty as a fundamental component of its development strategy.

5. The Almajiri Problem: A Humanitarian and Security Concern

The plight of Almajiri children represents both a humanitarian crisis and a security threat. Their vulnerability to exploitation and recruitment into armed groups during times of conflict poses a significant challenge to national stability. Addressing this issue requires both social interventions to reintegrate Almajiri children into formal education systems and long-term efforts to alleviate poverty in the Northern states.

In conclusion, the high rate of multi-dimensional poverty among Nigerian children highlights critical structural challenges that must be urgently addressed if the country hopes to achieve long-term peace and development. Solutions will require a concerted effort from government, civil society, and international partners to break the cycle of deprivation and provide all children in Nigeria with the opportunity to thrive.

Nigeria and China have renewed their 15 billion yuan ($2 billion) currency swap agreement, extending the arrangement for another three years to strengthen economic cooperation and boost bilateral trade.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) confirmed the renewal in a statement on Friday, noting that the agreement, initially signed in June 2018, can be extended further by mutual consent.

The currency swap allows for the direct exchange of Chinese yuan and Nigerian naira, eliminating the need for US dollars in transactions and reducing trade costs. The facility was originally introduced to address liquidity challenges faced by businesses in both countries and to promote trade in local currencies. Under the deal, up to 15 billion yuan can be exchanged for 720 billion naira, facilitating smooth transactions and investments between the two nations.

The agreement also enables the central banks of Nigeria and China to inject liquidity into their financial systems through bi-weekly auctions, providing yuan for Nigerian businesses trading with China and naira for Chinese firms operating in Nigeria. This mechanism enhances market efficiency and supports bilateral investments.

As one of China’s largest trading partners in Africa, Nigeria plays a significant role in the economic relationship, with trade volumes between the two countries exceeding $22.6 billion in 2023. Nigeria exports crude oil and agricultural products to China, while Chinese goods, including electronics and construction materials, dominate Nigerian markets.

The renewal of the swap deal comes amid Nigeria’s efforts to stabilize the naira, which has depreciated significantly following the liberalization of its exchange rate earlier in 2024. By improving access to yuan, the agreement is expected to ease pressure on Nigeria’s dollar reserves and strengthen its trade position with China.

This move highlights the growing economic ties between Nigeria and China, emphasizing the shift towards direct currency exchanges to reduce reliance on the US dollar and foster cross-border trade.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has revealed that 190 flights were cancelled and 5,225 delayed across domestic airlines in September and October 2024.

Chris Najomo, the acting director-general of the NCAA, disclosed these figures on Friday during an engagement session with airline operators in Lagos. Najomo expressed concern over the growing frequency of flight disruptions, emphasizing the need for better management to minimize inconvenience to passengers.

“Delays and cancellations are sometimes unavoidable, but poor management of these disruptions is not,” Najomo stated. He urged airlines to handle operational, technical, and weather-related challenges professionally, particularly during the harmattan season when poor weather conditions frequently impact flight schedules.

Providing a breakdown, Najomo said 5,291 domestic flights were operated in September, with 2,434 delays and 79 cancellations recorded. In October, 5,513 flights were operated, with 2,791 delays and 111 cancellations.

He reminded operators of their obligations under the Nigeria Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection) Regulations, 2023, which outline passenger rights during disruptions. “These regulations are not optional; they are mandatory obligations,” Najomo stressed.

The NCAA also disclosed that on December 24, it had sanctioned five airlines—two international and three domestic—for violating Part 19 of the 2023 regulations. Violations included failure to refund passengers within the stipulated timeframe, non-responsiveness to directives, issues with missing or damaged luggage, short-landed baggage, and mishandling of flight delays and cancellations.

The NCAA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that airlines prioritize passenger rights and adhere to regulatory standards to enhance service delivery in the aviation sector.

Israeli jets attack Syria-Lebanon border crossings to stop arms smuggling

Israeli jets struck seven crossing points along the Syria-Lebanon border on Friday, aiming to cut the flow of weapons to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in southern Lebanon.

Israeli troops also seized a truck mounted with a 40-barrel rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, part of a haul from various areas that included explosives, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and AK-47 automatic rifles, the military said.

The commander of the Israeli Air Force, Major General Tomer Bar, said Hezbollah was trying to smuggle weapons into Lebanon to test Israel's ability to stop them.

"This must not be tolerated," he said in a statement.

Under the terms of a Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement, Israel is supposed to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon in phases while unauthorised Hezbollah military facilities south of the Litani River are to be dismantled.

However, each side has accused the other of violating the agreement, intended to end more than a year of fighting that began with Hezbollah missile strikes on Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza.

On Thursday, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon called for Israeli forces to withdraw, citing what it said were repeated violations of the deal.

Israel, which destroyed large parts of Hezbollah's missile stocks during weeks of operations in southern Lebanon, has said it will not permit weapons to be smuggled to Hezbollah through Syria.

Israel has also conducted attacks against the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen in recent days and pledged to continue its campaign against Iranian-backed militant groups across the region.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine's Zelenskiy: North Koreans suffering battlefield losses, unprotected by Russian forces

North Korean troops deployed in Russia's Kursk region are suffering heavy losses and being left unprotected by the Russian forces they are fighting alongside, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday.

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said Russian troops were sending the North Koreans into battle with minimal protection and that North Koreans were taking extreme measures to avoid being taken prisoner.

"Their losses are significant, very significant. We see that neither the Russian military nor their North Korean overseers have any interest in ensuring the survival of these North Koreans," he said.

"Everything is set up so that it is impossible for us to capture them. There are instances in which they are executed by their own forces. Russians send them into assaults with minimal protection."

Ukrainian and Western intelligence reports say there are about 12,000 North Korean troops in Kursk, a Russian region on the border where Ukrainian forces are holding chunks of territory after staging an incursion in August.

Earlier this week, Zelenskiy said more than 3,000 North Koreans had been killed or wounded.

He said Ukrainian forces had managed to take a few North Korean soldiers prisoner "but they were severely wounded and it was not possible to save their lives".

Zelenskiy said the Korean people "should not be losing their lives in battles in Europe. This is something that Korea's neighbours, including China, can influence."

"If China is sincere in its statements that the war should not expand, it needs to exert appropriate pressure on Pyongyang."

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

West ‘must’ send Ukraine more – Zelensky

The West “must” send Kiev more weapons and faster in order to help the war effort against Russia, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has said

Since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, Ukraine has received over $200 billion in military, financial, and humanitarian aid from the US and its allies. Kiev is now completely dependent on the West for military logistics, according to the US media.

“It is crucial that the US is now increasing its deliveries, this support is essential to stabilize the situation,” Zelensky said in a video message on Thursday evening.

“I thank our partners for their assistance, but the pace of deliveries must accelerate to disrupt the tempo of Russian assaults. We need more strength in weaponry and strong positions for diplomacy,” he added.

The video was in Ukrainian but had English subtitles, while two lines were posted in English on Zelensky’s X account.

Following Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election last month, President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to send as much money, weapons, equipment and ammunition to Ukraine as possible before handing over power on January 20.

On December 2, the White House announced a $725 million package of military aid from Pentagon stockpiles under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). Five days later, Washington said another $988 million worth of drones and missiles had already been supplied under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

A third package followed on December 12, consisting of $500 million worth of drones, armored vehicles and ammunition for HIMARS rocket launchers.

Congress approved a $61 billion request for Ukraine funding in April. The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has since ruled out the White House’s request for another $24 billion. The $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) approved earlier this week did not include any aid for Kiev.

According to Al Jazeera, the White House may have up to $3.5 billion left in the PDA and another $2.2 billion under the USAI that it could “surge” to Kiev before Biden’s term expires.

Russia has maintained that no amount of Western aid will change the ultimate outcome of the conflict or prevent Moscow from achieving the goals of its military operation.

Reuters/RT

In a surprising incident in India, a man who accidentally dropped his iPhone into the donation box at a Hindu temple was informed that the device was now the property of the temple’s deity and could not be returned.

The man, identified as Dinesh, was visiting the Arulmigu Kandaswamy Temple in Thiruporur last month with his family to offer prayers. While making his donation, his iPhone slipped out of his pocket and fell into the hundial—a metal box used to collect offerings. Dinesh immediately approached temple authorities to explain what had happened and requested the return of his phone. However, officials refused, citing temple rules that forbid returning anything deposited into the hundial, whether intentionally or accidentally, as it is considered the deity’s property.

Determined to retrieve his device, Dinesh filed a complaint with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, requesting to be informed when the hundial would next be opened. This month, when the donation box was unlocked, Dinesh was present, hoping to recover his phone. Despite his efforts, temple authorities upheld their stance.

“Anything placed into the offering box, even by mistake, becomes part of God’s account,” explained Sekar Babu, Minister of the HR&CE Department. “According to temple tradition, offerings made into the hundial are considered contributions to the deity, and rules prevent returning them to devotees.”

Dinesh was given the option to retrieve the data from his phone but was not allowed to take the device itself. Minister Babu also mentioned that he would consult with temple officials to explore possible ways to compensate Dinesh.

The incident has gone viral on Indian social media, sparking widespread debate. While some defended the temple’s adherence to tradition, many criticized the decision as unjust and inflexible.