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Does God Answer Our Prayers? What does it take for God to answer our prayer?

Posted by frank adeche Mr Netchurch on March 8, 2011 at 3:27pm

Have you ever known someone who really trusts God? When I was an atheist, I had a good friend who prayed often. She would tell me every week about something she was trusting God to take care of. And every week I would see God do something unusual to answer her prayer. Do you know how difficult it is for an atheist to observe this week after week? After a while, "coincidence" begins to sound like a very weak argument.

So why would God answer my friend's prayers? The biggest reason is that she had a relationship with God. She wanted to follow God. And she actually listened to what he said. In her mind, God had the right to direct her in life, and she welcomed him doing just that! When she prayed for things, it was a natural part of her relationship with God. She felt very comfortable coming to God with her needs, her concerns, and whatever issues were current in her life. Furthermore, she was convinced, from what she read in the Bible, that God wanted her to rely on him like that.

She pretty much exhibited what this statement from the Bible says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."¹ "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer..."²

So, Why Doesn't God Answer Everyone's Prayers?

It may be because they don't have a relationship with God. They may know that God exists, and they might even worship God from time to time. But those who never seem to have their prayers answered probably don't have a relationship with him. Further, they have never received from God complete forgiveness for their sin. What does that have to do with it you ask? Here is an explanation. "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."³

It's pretty natural to feel that separation from God. When people begin to ask God for something, what usually takes place? They begin with, "God, I really need your help with this problem..." And then there's a pause, followed by a restart... "I realize that I'm not a perfect person, that I actually have no right to ask you for this..." There's an awareness of personal sin and failure. And the person knows that it's not just them; that God is aware of it too. There's a feeling of, "Who am I kidding?" What they may not know is how they can receive God's forgiveness for all their sin. They might not know that they can come into a relationship with God so that God will hear them. This is the foundation for God answering your prayer.

How to Pray: The Foundation

You must first begin a relationship with God. Imagine some guy named Mike decides to ask the president of Princeton University (whom Mike doesn't even know) to co-sign a car loan for him. Mike would have zero chance of that happening. (We're assuming that the president of Princeton is not an idiot.) However, if that same president's daughter asked her dad to co-sign a car loan for her, it would be no problem. Relationship matters.

With God, when the person is actually a child of God, when the person belongs to God, he knows them and hears their prayers. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me...my sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."⁴

When it comes to God then, do you really know him and does he know you? Do you have a relationship with him that warrants God answering your prayers? Or is God pretty distant, pretty much just a concept in your life? If God is distant, or you're not sure that you know God, here is how you can begin a relationship with him right now: Getting Connected.

Will God Definitely Answer Your Prayer?

For those who do know him and rely on him, Jesus seems to be wildly generous in his offer: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."⁵ To "remain" in him and have his words remain in them means they conduct their lives aware of him, relying on him, listening to what he says. Then they're able to ask him whatever they want. Here is another qualifier: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -- whatever we ask -- we know that we have what we asked of him."⁶ God answers our prayers according to his will (and according to his wisdom, his love for us, his holiness, etc.).

Where we trip up is assuming we know God's will, because a certain thing makes sense to us! We assume that there is only one right "answer" to a specific prayer, assuming certainly THAT would be God's will. And this is where it gets tough. We live within the limits of time and limits of knowledge. We have only limited information about a situation and the implications of future action on that situation. God's understanding is unlimited. How an event plays out in the course of life or history is only something he knows. And he may have purposes far beyond what we could even imagine. So, God is not going to do something simply because we determine that it must be his will.

What Does It Take? What is God Inclined to Do?

Pages and pages could be filled about God's intentions toward us. The entire Bible is a description of the kind of relationship God wants us to experience with him and the kind of life he wants to give us. Here are just a few examples:

"...the Lord longs to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for [trust] him!"⁷ Did you catch that? Like someone rising out of his chair to come to your help, "He rises to show you compassion." "As for God, his way is perfect...He is a shield for all who take refuge in him."⁸ "The Lord delights in those who fear [reverence] him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."⁹

However, God's greatest display of his love and commitment to you is this: Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends,"¹⁰which is what Jesus did for us. And so, "If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?"¹¹

What about "Unanswered" Prayer?

Certainly people get sick, even die; financial problems are real, and all sorts of very difficult situations can come up. What then?

God tells us to give our concerns to him. Even as the situation remains dismal, "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you."¹² The circumstances may look out of control, but they aren't. When the whole world seems to be falling apart, God can keep us together. This is when a person can be very grateful that they know God. "The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."¹³ God may provide solutions, resolutions to the problem WAY beyond what you imagined possible. Probably any Christian could list examples like this in their own lives. But if the circumstances do not improve, God can still give us his peace in the midst of it. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."¹⁴

It is at this point (when circumstances are still tough) that God asks us to continue to trust him -- to "walk by faith, not by sight" the Bible says. But it's not blind faith. It is based on the very character of God. A car traveling on the Golden Gate Bridge is fully supported by the integrity of the bridge. It doesn't matter what the driver may be feeling, or thinking about, or discussing with someone in the passenger seat. What gets the car safely to the other side is the integrity of the bridge, which the driver was willing to trust.

In the same way, God asks us to trust his integrity, his character...his compassion, love, wisdom, righteousness on our behalf. He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."¹⁵ "Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us."¹⁶

In Summary...How to Pray

God has offered to answer the prayers of his children (those who have received him into their lives and seek to follow him). He asks us to take any concerns to him in prayer and he will act upon it according to his will. As we deal with difficulties we are to cast our cares on him and receive from him a peace that defies the circumstances. The basis for our hope and faith is the character of God himself. The better we know him, the more apt we are to trust him...

For more on the character of God, please see "Who is God?" or other articles on this site. The reason for our prayers is God's character. The first prayer God answers is your prayer to begin a relationship with God.

Christians Protecting Muslims During Their Prayers In Egypt .Stunning pic of Christians protesters ,

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on February 3, 2011 at 9:33pm

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Christians Protecting Muslims During Their Prayers In Egypt ..

Amazing pic of Christians protesters protecting Muslims during their prayers in Egypt yesterday. Naija lets take note! Jos lets take note! We can too,

Nsugbe community under siege Indian Hemp Youths take over

Posted by 9jabook.com on September 19, 2010 at 2:49am

Many years ago, I found myself in Nsugbe as a student of the community’s famous College of Education. By the way, Nsugbe is a quiet town in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. As an agrarian community, the people love farming.

They also do a little of fishing because of their proximity to the River Niger. I still feel the warmth of those good days anytime I remember the Otite Yam Festival which holds around this time every year. Usually, people would come from far and near with their friends to mark the festival.

Earlier in the year, I returned to Nsugbe after several years to pay my last respect to a father- figure who assisted me in those days, only to discover to my chagrin, an unusual development in the community. Nsugbe has lost those virtues and accolades that once made it the envy of its neighbours. My host, a great brother and friend with whom I had navigated the town in those good old days was more explicit. “My town has lost its innocence and the glory has departed.”

What struck me first was the brazen use of cannabis, otherwise known as Indian hemp by the youths of the town. My shock later turned to sympathy as I watched the young smoke brazenly on the streets. I also observed that hemp smoking had become a fad among the town’s growing army of unemployed youths. This, naturally became a source of worry for the people of Nsugbe, particularly the aged who are witnesses to the drama that plays out almost every minute in the place..

Apart from alleged pilfering and burglary, there have been incessant incidents of rape and harassment of innocent visitors by the youths. Usually, the youths target burial and wedding ceremonies because such occasions attract a a large number of people from within and outside the community.

Literally Nsugbe is under siege. The people have been held hostage by a small group of irresponsible young men who live under the strong influence of hard drugs and alcohol. They wake up in the morning looking for what to steal or who to devour. Domestic animals that roam the streets freely are not spared from the onslaught. Farms and private plantations are routinely ransacked and crops and livestock carted away. Unfortunately, the police in Nsugbe appear to be helpless.

Unfortunately, the police have not done much to restore public confidence and I understand that they have no apologies. As I watched with a heavy heart during that burial ceremony, the tragedy that had befallen Nsugbe, certain thoughts crept into my mind. I am afraid the situation might deteriorate. Already, many of the prominent natives of the town have gone on self-imposed exile. The situation is really bad and I doubt if a quick solution is in sight.

An elderly woman once told me on the eve of my departure from Nsugbe how a team of policemen raided the town a few months ago and arrested some of the youths. After spending some days in police detention, they were reportedly handed over to operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for prosecution. To the shock of many of the indigenes, the boys soon returned to Nsugbe after it was alleged that money had changed hands. In fact, they came back celebrating and boasting that they were untouchable. According to them, they could always buy their freedom from security operatives, whatever was the cost.

This incident, I gathered, had an instant devastating impact on the entire community and its people. Fear returned to the town. Apart from the fact that the criminals became more emboldened, it also served as a tacit endorsement of criminality in the community.

This piece was actually inspired by these disturbing developments. I love Nsugbe, no doubt and I am sad at the gradual loss of almost everything that the people once held dear. Nsugbe is like other communities in the South-east crying for help. Meanwhile, I have already told some of my friends in the town to convoke a conference that would address the issue of insecurity because it is an enemy of progress.

As bad and hopeless as the case appears, it is not irredeemable and there could not have been a better time than now as tomorrow may be too late. I wish them all good luck.

Echezonam, an educationist writes from Umuahia

One woman, two husbands ...In Kogi, twins defy culture, take one wife and father two kids

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on July 11, 2010 at 11:24pm

A really Strange Tale indeed Read On !

By WOLE BALOGUN

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Marriage is a common cultural institution. In Nigeria, it comes in variants, according to the culture group. But it is not known of any ethnic group where it is allowed that a woman would marry two husbands at the same time.

But that pattern of marriage would not have happened until some 16 years ago when a set of twins in Kogi State introduced a strange dimension to marriage by taking one wife and having children from her.

While brothers and close friends kill each other over a woman and for encroaching on each other’s territory, these strange ones scored a weird first in standing the culture of their people on the head. Because this was not acceptable in their world, their father fought the arrangement for as long as he lived. When his pestering became so unbearable, the first known woman to have married two husbands same time, same day and lived and had children for them had to dump the relationship.

Wags in the community have put their finger to the conviction that the strange twins eventually died after their peculiar marriage arrangement was forcefully severed. Yes, they accepted, to do their father’s bidding, but could not contract any other marriage as separate individuals, as demanded by family, until they both died mysteriously.

A peculiar world

The villagers of Ayetoro-Gbede and Ayekunle-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State witnessed the unusual two young men, who were born about 40 years ago and died the same year four years back. They carried on like they had their private world oblivious of what the tenets of culture taxed them to do. That defiance made them step outside defined lines to take one wife and had children from her.

They were simply known as Taiwo (Towo) and Kehinde (Koido), the general accolade for twins in Yoruba. But they called each other Oba, short for their surname - Obadero. Like an oba (king) even as they called each other, they carried like institutions to themselves and died as mysteriously as they lived.

Saturday Sun had to find out the truth in the story in Kogi State that the two were more than enigmatic. They had everything in common and did everything together. They said the same words, when speaking and joined their buttocks when defecating.

What was responsible for this unusual act was explained by their stepmother and aunt, Awawu Obadero and Racheal Ologe. “The reason for that unusual closeness and attachment was because they came with one placenta at birth and against our tradition of dividing it into two before burial, theirs was not divided. Thus, naturally, they began acting as an individual.”

Because the twins are late as well as their parents, the family home looked deserted when our reporter visited. But their stepmother, elder sister and son are the few inhabitants left. When asked to tell the story of the twins, the old woman, Awawu Obadero, excused herself and went to call the twins’ elder sister from a nearby market. They came back and the story began.

Reliable tale

“The twins’ mother had died when they were barely four years old”, their sister started. “Right from their infancy, they did things in common. They had left home to fend for themselves at about 10. Later, they settled in Ayetoro-Gbede doing bricklaying, farming and other odd jobs. It was there they met their wife, Toyin (not real name), who they shared, in defiance to everyone’s objection. She bore two children for my brothers - Kulu, a female and Ibrahim, a male. Kulu is now married, while Ibrahim stays here in the family house. It was at the time our father insisted that they got married separately that strange and tragic things began happening to them.”

Wife of two

Saturday Sun spoke to the twins’ wife, Toyin, who now lives in Ayetoro-Gbede. She pleaded that her picture should not be published because she has just moved on with another man after the double take.

She said: “I knew Taiwo and Kehinde (her late twin husbands) since adolescence. We met when we were laying bricks in Ayetoro. They were both strange and adorable to me because they did and had everything in common. Both had approached me the same time. They used to say the same word at the same time. Strange even to me, I did not accept or reject their advances. I soon became inseparable from them anywhere they went. I must have been carried away by the way they did everything in common. They felt hunger, urge to urinate and others, the same time. They even expressed love the same manner and time. They were very interesting lovers. So I could not resist them. Even the villagers used to say that only I understood their weird ways.”

The strange wife of two husbands had fondness for the two and possibly would have loved them dearly and equally as they did her. “I called one Iye-Oho, and the other Oba-Oho,” she revealed.

The special woman never held anything back about the affection she had for the duo. It would have been a sizzling double take for her as she revealed that her two late husbands had sexual urge the same time and expressed love, sex and romance the same way. You might be going too far to inquire if any of them was particularly better in bed than the other or if one of them gave her better deal.

Putting asunder

After giving birth to Ibrahim, the second child, father of the weird twins, Eleha Obadero, began putting pressure on them to marraige separate women, in line with customs and tradition. “They did not like that because they had grown so attached to me. I did not also like the idea and so I withdrew from them. It was then they relocated to Ayegunle-Gbede, their hometown. But they never married another woman. Though I was told they tried several women, it never worked out. I had to join them later, hoping things would be better, but their father gave no chance for this re-union till they died in strange circumstances. Then I left with my daughter, Kulu and returned here,” the woman of history narrated.

One child, two dads

Fourteen-year old Ibrahim, the only son of the twins, also confirmed that his granddad at a time pestered his late fathers to get married separately and it was not long after this that tragedy struck. He said: “It is true that my grandfather wanted my fathers to get married to different women. But it wasn’t long after this that strange things began to happen to them. He used to also say that Taiwo was more likely my father, as I behaved more like him.”

But the handsome teen knows, without any doubt, that he has peculiar identity, as, perhaps, the only young man in his world who could be excused to fill a form stating double paternity instead of one, like others. And as a young child growing up, he would not have lacked paternal care, not with two fathers ever present with him.

Strange deaths

Four years ago, after the twins had accepted to toe the line of custom and accept to marry the prescribed way, they died.

Their stepmother, Awawu Obadero said: “ Kehinde was smitten by snake in his farm one day and unusual of him, he did not reveal it until late in the night when it was too late to remove the venom. He died shortly after. After his death, Taiwo immediately became a shadow of his former self and was always saying he would join his brother. In less than a year later, he fell ill and died.

Okilo, the village ballad, told Saturday Sun: ‘If you asked one of them a question, the two will answer at once, saying the same word. They urinate on the same spot. They were very identical and so you cannot differentiate them. They had only one wife whom they were always going out with. They loved her so much. They reigned as strange twins in this village and died the same year.

Saturday Panorama: 62 9ja Senators in faulty Plane to World Cup also Sa babes go topless for soccer (Image Advisory)

Posted by 9jabook.com on June 12, 2010 at 12:00am

Nigeria Vs Argentina Today At

3:00pm

The Super Eagles team that would come face to face against the Argentinian side this afternoon includes Enyeama, Odiah, Taiwo, Shittu, Yobo, Kaita, Etuhu, Obasi, Lukman, Aiyegbeni and Nsofor.

The match which is scheduled for 3:00pm today (Nigerian time)would take place at the Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

Main Article Comments:

Are these fo&^%£$*ols going to South Africa to draft bills? Is senate on recess? How can 62 out of 108 senators leave at the same time to go and jolly with Goodluck Jonathan in South Africa ? How many countries sent more than 6 senators to the world cup ?

Na! They ain't there for you, me or Jonathan. . . SA babes have been welcoming teams by displaying the lovely pointies God blessed them with.

What a mishap,so the plane didn't crash!
We would have been atleast 62 thieves less by now.

Main Article:

NFF sympathises with 62 Senators

NFF President Sani Lulu Abdullahi said on Friday that the Football Federation was grateful to God for sparing the lives of 62 Senators of the Federal Republic who were involved in a near mishap in Lagos on Thursday.

The lawmakers, according to reports, had chartered an aircraft from France for the flight to South Africa to support President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at Friday’s opening ceremony in Johannesburg, to which the Nigeria leader was invited by President Jacob Zuma.

However, their aircraft developed landing gear fault just after take-off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and the pilot had to return quickly to base to avert disaster.

“We have the Almighty God to thank for this. What would we have been saying? God is great and it is important that we always give Him thanks anytime things like this happen,” said Lulu Abdullahi.

The Senators eventually arrived and joined a strong Nigeria reception team for President Jonathan who arrived in Johannesburg at about 6.30 pm South African time on Thursday morning.

Other News: SA Goes Nude for World Cup
Ooops! What an eye-catching scene over there in South Africa, venue of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in less than 24 hours.
If you aren’t feeling the World Cup excitement yet, then the body language of thousands of South African ladies across the country readily puts you in great competition mood.
The babes are baring everything they have; their beauty, curves and poise all to make the visitors feel at home during the mundial.
While many say posing unclothed is a normal way of life amongst young South African ladies, some believe that the trend is restricted to the grossly under-developed areas of the former apartheid enclave. Whatever the insinuations, South Africans are already in a joyous celebration of their country’s readiness to host the world and they are not hiding it.

South African dancers cheer Chile's national football team before their friendly international against New Zealand at the Kanyamazane Stadium near Nelspruit yesterday, two days ahead of the start of the 2010 World Cup football tournament. AFP PHOTO

Only yesterday during the pre-World Cup friendly match between Chile and New Zealand, thousands of South Africans, including their ladies, stripped themselves unclothed and filed out to cheer the teams at the Kanyamazane Stadium, near Nelspruit.
The pretty damsels appeared happy to showoff their bodies as they danced around in Sandton, north of Johannesburg city centre, where a big party was held in anticipation of the beginning of the world showpiece.

Many of the ladies who spoke to international journalists say whatever they do is ‘for the good of the game’ and an honour for their nation. Reports say the presence of the ladies is not only felt on the streets of South Africa, some unsuspecting players are getting distracted, especially when the babes come around their training grounds and near their hotels. It was gathered that security personnel have been up and doing to ensure that the 32 teams, including the host, Bafana Bafana, are focused on the mundial, the first to be staged on Africa’s soil.

SSS interrogate Arthur Nzeribe over call on the military to take over

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on March 21, 2010 at 9:03am

Indications emerged in Abuja on Friday that the State Security Service would interrogate Senator Arthur Nzeribe following his recent call on the military to take over.

Nzeribe:

It was gathered that the SSS had collated newspaper publications where the maverick politician made the call.

A security source told our correspondent that Nzeribe's statement had been analysed and that there were enough reasons for him to be questioned on the motive behind his statement.

The source said, "Yes, we have seen the publications and I can tell you that action is being taken on the issue. We have also seen the advertorial placed in a national daily after the man addressed a press conference. This shows that he is determined in this unpatriotic call to truncate this democracy."

Asked when Nzeribe would visit the security office, the source said, "I have not even said he was coming. Anyway, we will keep you posted anytime he comes."

Nzeribe had at a media briefing on March 9 said, "For how long will the military take all these praises for doing nothing? How long will soldiers accept praises for merely sitting by and watching as their old relatives are kidnapped in their villages and they are asked to pay ransom?...My position is that the military should strike if they think the environment is ripe for that."

I 'll take over when I recover fully - Yar'Adua .Refers to Jonathan as 'Vice-President' .Jonathan won't be surrogate president

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on February 25, 2010 at 5:28am

I 'll take over when I recover fully - Yar'Adua *Refers to Jonathan as 'Vice-President' *'Jonathan won't be surrogate president'

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar'Adua, on Wednesday, officially announced his arrival in Nigeria from Saudi Arabia, where he had gone for medical treatment. However, he stated that he would not take over the running of government from Acting President Goodluck Jonathan until after his recovery.

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In a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr Olusegun Adeniyi, the president said his Saudi Arabian doctors had discharged him and that he returned early Wednesday morning.

Yar'Adua also thanked members of the National Assembly, Nigerian groups and security agencies for their roles in maintaining law and order while he was away.

Full text of the statement reads: "After being discharged by the team of medical experts overseeing his treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President Umaru Yar'Adua returned to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, early this morning.

"President Yar'Adua wishes to express his profound gratitude to all Nigerians for their prayers for his recovery, their exceptional generousity of spirit and their appreciation of the fact that all mortals are subject to the vagaries of ill health...

"President Yar'Adua is grateful to the vice-president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, for competently overseeing the affairs of state in his absence.

"The president also wishes to thank the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the entire membership of the National Assembly, the Governors' Forum, the Judiciary, the Armed Forces and other security agencies, former heads of state and other eminent Nigerians for their roles in maintaining order and stability during his absence.

"President Yar'Adua wishes to reassure all Nigerians that on account of their unceasing prayers and by the special grace of God, his health has greatly improved.

"However, while the president completes his recuperation, Vice-President Jonathan will continue to oversee the affairs of state."

Meanwhile, this week's Federal Executive Council (FEC) was cancelled by Acting President Jonathan after keeping ministers and cabinet members waiting for more than two hours.

Ministers, who as expected, came early, began waiting before 10.00 a.m., the commencement time of FEC meeting and stayed till 12.15 p.m. when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mallam Yayale Ahmed, announced the cancellation.

The SGF, who was part of the FEC delegation to Saudi Arabia, walked into the Council Chambers and said, "the acting president has directed me to announce that this council meeting is postponed.

"Accordingly, we are to go back to our offices. A special meeting with the acting president with all ministers in attendance is being convened by 2.00 p.m. in the acting president's conference room. Attendance is mandatory. Thank you and God bless," he concluded.

The meeting was fully attended and the absent ministers were the six sent to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Cabinet members started arriving for the meeting early on Wednesday with some smiling while others wore long faces.

Ministers who are known to be pro-Yar'Adua were once again seen smiling and chatting away after more than two weeks of carrying long faces over apparent loss of influence as a result of the absence of the president.

The acting president was said not to have shown up in his office until afternoon, same with his personal aides, fuelling speculations that he might have decided not to attend the FEC because he was not sure in what capacity he was to attend.

Yar'Adua's aides became very visible from early in the morning and it was obvious they had taken over from the VP's men who were nowhere to be seen around the council chambers.

Yar'Adua's aide-de-camp (ADC), chief security officer (CSO), spokesman and other aides were running round to put everything in order for the much-expected appearance of the president to chair the FEC meeting but he did not show up.

The Commander-in-Chief's seat, which was the one meant for the president, remained unoccupied throughout the waiting period. Jonathan had been sitting in it since he was made the acting president, a development which was said to have angered Yar'Adua's loyalists.

Meanwhile, the plan by the kitchen cabinet of President Yar'Adua to turn Acting President Jonathan into a surrogate was said to have been the major reason Jonathan cancelled the FEC meeting, on Wednesday.

Jonathan, according to sources, insisted that he must hear directly from his boss and cannot take orders by proxy.

The development, which was described as a set-up by government sources, played out when two aides of the ailing president walked to the acting president's office and told him that the ailing president had asked him to go and lead the FEC meeting of Wednesday.

But Jonathan refused to carry out the said order. He was said to have attempted to reach his boss without success and then communicated to ministers that the FEC meeting had been put off.

He also gave the order that the ministers should meet with him in his office by 2.00 p.m, with the hope that he would have seen Yar'Adua by then.

At the 2.00 p.m meeting with the ministers, Jonathan informed them that with the return of President Yar'Adua, there was the need for him to see him, adding that there could not be two Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces in the country.

Sources said the plan by those who invited Jonathan to lead the FEC before hearing from Yar'Adua was to precipitate crisis at the FEC meeting, such that the scenario would be painted that Yar'Adua's men and Jonathan's men were fighting over the control of the presidential seat.

Some diplomatic sources, on Wednesday, said the plot was tantamount to orchestrating an undemocratic move as a result of the said scuffle which might have occurred.

"They wanted to precipitate a crisis to create the scenario that the two leaders were fighting over the president's seat. That could be very dangerous for the survival of Nigeria's democracy," the source said.

Another source said Jonathan, who had read a book on the gang of four, which ruled China by proxy while Chairman Mao was sick, would not want to be a victim of "the president said."

"When the two presidential aides came to the acting president to tell him that the ailing president said he should lead the FEC, they did not know that the man has read the Gang of Four written on the activities of the group of four who ruled China by proxy when Chairman Mao in China was sick. He did not want to do anything without hearing from his boss," the source said.

Sources also said what happened in Nigeria, early on Wednesday, was near military takeover, as the powers of the acting president and Commander-In-Chief were breached when some persons deployed soldiers without informing Jonathan.

There was said to be confusion as to who deployed the soldiers between the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff, but sources said men of the 4th Battalion of Nigerian Army, as well as the Guards of the Brigade Garrison, were deployed and armed without informing the acting Commander-in-Chief.

"That is what happened, but it is never done. If there is a Commander-In-Chief, it is through that hierarchy that orders can be given. Over 25 vehicles were used to convey troops numbering over 300 men.

"At the airport, they sealed off the place and took over the whole international wing. All roads leading from the airport to the Presidential Villa were blocked with soldiers manning every 100 metres. They drove away journalists and protocol men from the presidential wing," a source said.

How Yar'Adua arrived

A source vividly described the scene at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Wednesday.

"When the air ambulance conveying President Yar'Adua arrived, only the Ford ambulance was allowed to move close. He was conveyed on a stretcher in an ambulance to the Presidential Villa. It took 50 minutes for the officials manning the air ambulance to move him into the Ford ambulance because of the gadgets on him."

Yar'Adua brought in unconscious

It was gathered that the ailing president was brought in unconscious and he was yet to regain his consciousness on Wednes-day evening.

Sources close to the government informed the Nigerian Tribune that as of 2.00 p.m on Wednesday, the man was not aware of situations around him, adding that the decision by the kitchen cabinet to bring him to the country was aimed at stalling some decisions which they said were to be taken by Jonathan.

It was gathered that the decision to relocate the ailing president was aimed at ensuring that power reverted to the kitchen cabinet.

Jonathan not aware of Yar'Adua's coming

Besides the plot against his control by the kitchen cabinet, it was gathered that Acting President Jonathan was not officially told of the return of the ailing president.

He was said to have been informed by diplomatic and other sources.

It was gathered Jonathan got information from diplomatic sources and he spent most of Tuesday night talking to power blocks in Nigeria and others across the world.

He was telling them that the country was stable and that there was nothing untoward that would happen to the country.

Senate leadership cancels parley with Jonathan

The leadership of the Senate was to hold a parley on the state of affairs in the country with Jonathan, on Wednesday night, but the parley had to be called off, following the unexpected arrival of President Yar'Adua.

No official word came on the cancellation of the parley.

Fear of OBJ, impeachment

It was also gathered that the fear of impeachment by the National Assembly and the fear of former President Olusegun Obasanjo bouncing back to reckoning in a Jonathan presidency led the kitchen cabinet to take the only available option of forcing Yar'Adua home.

There is also the information that the Saudi authorities came under serious pressure from the international community on why it was hiding Yar'Adua from the Nigerian delegations.

Ship of state on course

Acting President Jonathan has assured Nigerians that the ship of the state was on course.

Speaking at the State House, Abuja, on the return of President Yar'Adua, he commended Nigerians for their prayers, both for the president and the nation.

He said the president's return was a pointer to the fact atht the prayers of Nigerians were being answered.

Jonathan called on Nigerians to continue to strive for the well-being of the nation, adding that "it is at a time like that that all patriots must rise to the occasion and place the interest of the country above every other considerations.

POSTINGS IN THE ARMY: Soldiers grumble *As Kano, Katsina officers take over strategic positions

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on February 19, 2010 at 8:51pm

POSTINGS IN THE ARMY: Soldiers grumble *As Kano, Katsina officers take over strategic positions *FG, ECOWAS condemn coup attempt in Niger

Written by Taiwo Adisa, Leon Usigbe, Okey Muogbo and Christian Okeke

Friday, February 19, 2010

THERE is a growing concern by some officers over recent postings in the Army. Their grouse, Nigerian Tribune gathered, has to do with the failure of the military authorities to adhere to the Federal Character Principle in the Nigerian Constitution.

Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune indicate that top commanding positions had been taken over by officers from Kano and Katsina, while Borno and a few states of the North complete the postings.

A review of recent postings, according to sources, showed that 90 to 98 per cent of soldiers in the Guards Brigade are from the Kano -Katsina axis.

Investigations also revealed that the command of fighting units, such as the one located at Jaji, Plateau State, had been ceded to candidates from the North.

It was also gathered that the 3rd Armoured Division in Jos was recently taken over by another candidate from the North-West during the recent Jos crisis.

Some beneficiaries of the recent postings include Brigadier-General Ram Mustapha (Guards Brigade), from Kano State; Lieutenant-Colonel M. Musa Gar; Commander, Guards Brigade Abuja, from Kano State; Lt. Col. U. T. Musa, Commander 4th Guards Brigade, Abuja, from Borno State.

There is also Brig.-Gen. S.N Muazu, Commander 9th Brigade, from Katsina State, while Brig.-Gen. Minimah, regarded as a professional officer, was moved to Defence Headquarters as staff officer. The Commander of Artillery Corps, who is described as another professional soldier, was recently retired.

A source said that some agencies monitoring the unfolding situation were planning to petition the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution indicates that all sectors of the country are to be carried along in the affairs of the country.

"14. (1) (c) the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. (3) The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few state or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.

"(4) The composition of the government of a state, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the government or council, or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the federation."

Sources said that some officers from other parts of the country were raising concerns that they were not being carried along in the unfolding exercise.

The issue of postings to the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta is also causing concern, according to a source. He said that the reality of the recent postings was fuelling insinuations that a section of the country was being unduly and strategically placed in command positions in the military.

It was gathered that some states in the Niger Delta spent between N200 and N300 million on JTF activities on a monthly basis but that fewer officers from the Niger Delta were being retained in postings to the operation.

Said our source:"There are strong grumblings among officers that they are being sidelined. Some of them are of the view that all recent postings in the military should be published. The Middle Belt is also being marginalised."

A source said that the current fate of the Middle Belt is pathetic, as the leaders of the area believe that they have not reaped the benefit of helping to unite the country by fighting the civil war.

Grandfathers take over scam market .Nigerians respect elders be warned !

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on February 14, 2010 at 8:53pm

Grandfathers take over scam market

It is no longer news that many youths today spend their time and energy hacking the web to dupe any gullible target.

Oshinusi

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But the news from recent Saturday Sun finding is that the scam world in Lagos has been hijacked lately by old men, grandfathers, who se target can never suspect of nursing any harm.

Many of these men are not less than 60 years, and they parade themselves as responsible elders who their victim would gladly entrust their money in their hands. Their style of operation is to advertise in the newspaper that a certain property is for sale and convince their prey they would refer him to the landlord who in turn would prove with documents that the property belongs to him.

To further deceive their target, they would come in flashy cars and take them to choice restaurant or an arranged home. Immediately the buyer pays the landlord would cease to exist and the estate agent would pose as one also duped by the landlord while heaping the blame on his client for failing to make proper investigation.

Recently, the police cracked tracked down some of these men who for years had successfully duped clients. Some of them have track record of several previous arrests and their agents who are mostly lawyers would come to bail them, while they return to the same business. Among those arrested were, Babatunde Oshinusi (62), Olushola Ajayi (58) and Dele Adebayo. Saturday Sun spoke with some of their victims who explained how they were deceived to part with millions of naira for property that don’t exist.

Ivy Nkanor, a retired civil servant lost N1m to them. Months before the journey into the hands of these men, Ivy who had received her gratuity, decided to move into a better flat. On Monday April 6, 2009, she saw an advert in The Guardian Newspaper announcing a three-bedroom flat at Ilupeju for lease and called the agent.

The agent’s numbers listed in the advert were 08096757290 and 08052834181 for Akinremi Demilade and one Wale respectively. “They actually took me to the apartment at No. 2, Oremeji Street, Ilupeju. I liked the house and took my son there for inspection. We were taken to the so-called landlord, Mr. Olukayode Abisarin with telephone No. 08023137262 at 5B, Abimbola Okunuga Cresent, Ikeja off Harold Shodipo Street on Easter Monday, April 13, 2009.

Abisarin claimed he was the owner of the property at Ilupeju and would ensure it would be completed for living on May 1, 2009. Based on the assurance, I wrote a UBA cheque of N1m in favour of Mr. Abisarin on April 13, 2009. He confirmed he cashed the money the following day.

“Two days after picking the money, the fake landlord rang her and fixed an appointment for a joint inspection of the flat on Sunday, April 19 at 3pm. On the way to the apartment on the appointment day, the fake landlord reneged with the excuse that he was involved in a serious meeting. Since we were close to place, my son and I decided to go ahead to see it.

“After the inspection, we were accosted by a well dressed man who alighted from a jeep that he was the legitimate landlord of the property. On hearing that I had plan for the flat, he advised me to lodge my complaint with the police to recover the money I paid. When the case was referred to the Commander of Area F, the man who rented the house at 5B Abimbola Okunuga, Mr. Tokunbo Olawale where I was duped was arrested. He claimed he had lived there for 13 years but had no knowledge of the dubious act with his property.”

Another victim, Lina Ohazurume, a banker saw another advert on January 10, 2009 in The Guardian Newspaper about a 3-bedroom flat in No. 1 Ramonu Street, Surulere by Moshalashi Bus stop. She alled the agent, Samson on 07090029516 and booked an appointment to meet by him at the AP station close to the house. To further convince her, she was referred to a lawyer called John with phone number No 07090029508 and 07089369034.

When they noticed she could not be convinced that the she is dealing with a genuine agent, they referred her to meet the landlord, Oshinusi,who claimed to be a pastor of Christ Deliverance Apostolic Church and Miracle Centre, 12, Oredapo Street, Shasha Akowonjo. On January 23, they visited the church and met the landlord who just stepped out of the church in suits. He directed them to enter his jeep as he intended to entertain his new tenant.

They took Lina to a restaurant, entertained her, while she issued a cheque of N1.2m which was addressed to the landlord. I had to escort him to Zenith Bank Akowonjo to cash my cheque with an international Passport bearing Oladunjoye Gbadegesin.

“On the same day, his lawyer collected N200,000 cash. On getting to the house I was told that I paid to the wrong person. The story changed that the owner of the house is an Alhaji and a lecturer with Unilag. I called back the Gbadegesin man and he ordered me to come and pick my money back. I rushed back to Zenith bank and they gave me some policemen, we reported the case at Idimu police station and from there we carried a search to the house and nobody was found. Few days after, I got a call from DPO of Idimu inviting me to come and identify the people they arrested.

I was able to identify two of them who were later taken to Panti and many of them were arrested and released. Few months after, I saw the Gbadegesin man (Oshinusi)on the road and arrested him. He spent few days in Panti and was released. Till date the other set never showed up again. Some of the properties recovered from them had already been given back to them and since then I have been going through stress trying to see how I can get him. I sold my car and borrowed to pay that amount only to be duped.”

A recent victim is a widow Mrs. Onwu who deals in industrial spare parts. She was convinced to part with N600,000 before she realized that she was duped. Few weeks before they called her, the group did a thorough investigation into the background of the woman and her family. Weeks later they sent a convoy to console her on the death of her husband who according to their investigation died just recently.

When they visited, they introduced themselves as business partners of her late husband. They gave her gifts promising to assist her should the need arise. So when she received a phone call on the January 13 from one Engineer Emma who claimed to be the H.O.D Maintenance of Port Oil Company in Port Harcourt claiming to be one of those who visited sometime last year, she wasn’t suspicious. The story was that her husband was a contractor with him and he would want her to continue with the business assist her to support her family.

Excited, she agreed to go on with the business. Engineer Emma who is in her late 50s gave Mrs. Onwu a number to contact to assist her to buy some quantity of oil pipe cork which she is to supply. The business Emma encouraged would fetch her millions of naira. “He directed me to Mr. William Oni at Ayobo power plant Iyana Ipaja New Road, Lagos who was to assist me procure the goods. Oni told me that a pack of the product would be sold for N210,000. I paid for two packs and called Emma who promised to meet me at the airport.”

Because of her lack of knowledge in the business, she never knew the cork she paid for is meant for bicycle tyres. The next day, still keeping in touch with Emma she was told to go to the international Airport to meet the person directly involved with the business. When she got to the Airport she met another fraudster who called himself, Dr. James Jonathan. The conman who was dressed in a flowing gown told her that his decision to still do business with her was because her husband performed very well. “I met Dr. Jonathan at the arrival point of the international airport and he took the sample I brought. He took me to a fast food joint where he ordered me to eat whatever I wanted while he inspects the sample product.

After some fiddling on his computer, he said that it was perfect but that he would need four more packs to be able to pay for the supply. Hoping that they were real, I rushed to the bank, withdrew some money and went back to the warehouse to collect about 6 cartons of the product. They kept on demanding till I had sunk about N600,000. My eyes opened when they kept on demanding for more money without coming to see me again.”

Nigerians respect elders

Oshinusi who lives at No. 11 Akorohunfayo street, Fadeyi, Yaba, and has been in the business for two years told Saturday Sun that their age is a capital in the game as the victims never suspect they could be dupes especially with the respect Nigerians have for elders and conceive them as people who would not involve in dubious acts.

He revealed that part of the deal is to hire posh cars and well furnished apartments where they would take their victim. He said: “Because we are not greedy, we spend much on entertainment just to convince our target. We hire clothes and settle the gateman of the property who will ensure that we have unhindered access.”

According to Dele, the adverts are made based on what the landlords who came to their office gave them. “Sometimes, they would come with various addresses and hoping that he is right, we would advertise on their behalf. In other cases we would find an incomplete building and take the number to advertise in the paper. When prospective buyers come, we offer to sell the property very cheap. We later send some of our boys on ground to take the person to the landlord who is part of the syndicate. The job of the landlord is to convince the client”.

He is also expected to refer him to his lawyer who in turn would encourage the buyer to pay. “We do that to create the impression that the sale is genuine by allowing him to do part of the transaction with the purported landlord. If the land is not genuine, as soon as the client pays, the landlord will disappear.”

So, Why Doesn't God Answer Everyone's Prayers?

How to Pray: The Foundation

Will God Definitely Answer Your Prayer?

What Does It Take? What is God Inclined to Do?

What about "Unanswered" Prayer?

In Summary...How to Pray

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