Sudan's RSF says it seized police base as fighting rages

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said it had seized the main base of a heavily armed police unit on Sunday as it sought an edge in its war with the army during heavy fighting in the capital Khartoum.

The RSF in a statement said it had taken full control of the large base belonging to the Central Reserve Police southern Khartoum and posted footage of its fighters celebrating inside the facility, some removing boxes of ammunition from a warehouse.

It later said it had captured 160 pick-up trucks, 75 armoured personnel carriers, and 27 tanks. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the footage or the RSF statements. There was no immediate comment from the army or the police.

Since late Saturday, fighting has surged in the three cities that make up the wider capital - Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman - as the conflict between the army and the RSF entered its 11th week.

Witnesses also reported a sharp increase in violence in recent days in Nyala, the largest city in the western Darfur region. The U.N. raised the alarm on Saturday over ethnic targeting and the killing of people from the Masalit community in El Geneina in West Darfur.

Khartoum and El Geneina have been worst affected by the war, although last week tensions and clashes escalated in other parts of Darfur and in Kordofan, in the south.

Fighting has intensified since a series of ceasefire deals agreed at talks led by the United States and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah failed to stick. The talks were adjourned last week.

The Central Reserve Police has been deployed by the army in ground fighting in recent weeks. It had previously been used as a combat force in several regions and to confront protesters demonstrating against a coup in 2021.

It was sanctioned last year by the United States, accused of using excessive force against protesters.

'LEFT ALONE'

The army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been using air strikes and heavy artillery to try to dislodge the RSF led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, from neighbourhoods across the capital.

"Since the early morning in north Omdurman we've had air strikes and artillery bombardment and RSF anti-aircraft fire," 47-year-old resident Mohamed al-Samani told Reuters by phone. "Where are the Jeddah talks, why did the world leave us to die alone in Burhan and Hemedti's war?"

In Nyala, a city that grew rapidly as people were displaced during the earlier conflict that spread in Darfur after 2003, witnesses reported a marked deterioration in the security situation over the past few days, with violent clashes in residential neighbourhoods. A human rights monitor said at least 25 civilians had been killed in Nyala since Tuesday.

"Today I left Nyala because of the war. Yesterday there was bombardment in the streets and bullets going into homes," Saleh Haroun, a 38-year-old resident of the city, told Reuters.

There was also fighting between the army and the RSF last week around El Fashir, capital of North Darfur, which the U.N. says is inaccessible to humanitarian workers.

In El Geneina, which has been almost entirely cut off from communications networks and aid supplies in recent weeks, attacks by Arab militias and the RSF have sent tens of thousands fleeing over the border to Chad.

U.N. Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Saturday called for safe passage for people fleeing El Geneina and access for aid workers following reports of summary executions between the city and the border and "persistent hate speech" including calls to kill the Masalit or expel them.

Of those uprooted by the conflict in Sudan, nearly 2 million have been displaced internally and almost 600,000 have fled to neighbouring countries, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Reuters

This week, Muslims the world over will celebrate the eid-ul-adha or the “big eid” or “big Sallah”. We are, however, more interested in its meaning, implications and bearing on us as a nation. We need to look at spiritual milestones, hoping to find the seemingly elusive panacea for our ills.

Eid means feast, festival or celebration, while adha loosely means “sacrifice” (animal sacrifice), “offering” or “oblation”. It so got its name because it commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) devotion to Allah (SWT) and his readiness to sacrifice Ismail, his son, for His love.

The Qur’anic story has it that Ibrahim (AS) experienced a dream in which God ordered him to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismail (AS). At first, he was skeptical, and believed it was the trickery of the cursed devil. After experiencing the dream the following night, he then understood that it was a message and a command from Allah (SWT). Without hesitation, he prepared his son for the sacrifice. Ibrahim (AS) loved his son dearly, yet this was no obstruction to honouring his duty as instructed by Allah (SWT) and thus proving his full submission to Allah (SWT).

Ibrahim (AS) took his son to the top of Mount Arafat, and in his hands, he had a knife and a rope. Upon arrival, he mentioned the dream to his son Ismail (AS) and made him aware that Allah (SWT) has decreed for him to be a sacrifice and, in obedience, his son Ismail (AS) accepted what God commanded of him. Ismail (AS) asked that his hands and legs be tied to avoid struggling during the sacrifice and that his father should blindfold himself to avoid witnessing his suffering. Ismail was aware of his father’s love towards him and knew that this would be difficult to witness.

However, as Ibrahim (AS) began performing the sacrifice, Allah (SWT) replaced Ismail with a ram and Ismail (AS) was saved unharmed. Allah (SWT) tested Ibrahim (AS) to see his dedication in his submission (Islam) to his creator. In his willingness to obey Allah’s (SWT) commands, Ibrahim (AS) successfully passed the test and the act of the sacrifice serves as a reminder of Prophet Ibrahim’s dedication and devotion to serving Allah (SWT) obediently. Therefore, eid-ul-adha means the festival of sacrifice.

The lesson here is that of sacrifice for a better you. We mostly look at the sacrifice from the point of slaughtering a ram for its meat. Even at that, Islam recommends one to get a healthy, mature and meaty sacrificial lamb that will be a beauty to the eye. Looked at deeply, the sacrifice should translate to sacrificing what one loves in exchange for gaining spiritual upliftment.

Any man uplifted spiritually will spread the love around. He will not be where there will be an injustice. He will not be a party to corrupt activities. Above all, that man will not be where another human being is being harmed. Humanity will be safe with him. If the Nigerian Muslims who took part in the eid-ul-adha all take in the spirit behind the event, our country will be better than it is now.

It is a sacrifice in self-immolation that can only be compared to the myth of the Thornbird in the fictional book, Thorn Birds, a 1977 bestseller by Colleen McCullough. She set the story in Drogheda, a town that does not exist in Australia. In the front matter of the book, the myth is set out thus: There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest, it searches for a thorn tree and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only brought at the cost of great pain… Or so says the legend.

The spirit of eid-ul-adha teaches us to sacrifice ourselves for God. Ismail (AS) was part of Ibrahim (AS), do not forget. By sacrificing his son, he was sacrificing himself as well.

Nigeria, now more than ever in its history, needs countrymen who are ready to sacrifice for its existence. We should frown at a situation where leaders will call on us to change while they indulge in the perfidies associated with our leaders of old.

It is not fair, nor is it right, for leaders to ask followers to tighten their belts while they punch more holes in theirs to accommodate their ever bulging bellies.

It is also not indicative of leaders with the spirit of sacrifice when they take their children to the best schools around while the public schools are a little better than pigsties.

The spirit of sacrifice is no doubt lacking in the leader who, together with his family, can have access to the best Medicare, while a bigger chunk of the people does not have access to basic healthcare facilities.

How can a good Muslim’s conscience not disturb him when he buys good exam results or bribes for his child to get a well-paying job? Why should a good Muslim be happy when he collects money to pass a student or to give him a job?

We are talking of Muslims as citizens because we are referring to an Islamic event that just happened.

But come to think of it, Christianity attaches great importance and symbolism to sacrifices as well. Theirs is even directly and practically connotative of the denial of comfort. Their form of sacrifice focuses on the bodies of its members as a living sacrifice.

And I believe all Christians understand Christ’s death on the cross to be a necessary atonement for the sins of humankind. And if it was so, why should a Christian run away from discomforting himself for God to be happy with him?

In reality, all those who make up a nation must sacrifice for the nation to be great. All religions teach us to sacrifice and all our tribes have stories of legends who sacrificed their happiness for that tribe to survive.

The problem with Nigeria, as my friend Barrister Okoroafor Vincent always insists, is not the North as some southerners would want us to believe or the South as some northerners would insist. He believes it is not even Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw or Tiv, etc. He is also adamant that it is neither Islam nor Christianity. The problem with Nigeria, he opines, is individual selfishness and self-centeredness that border on ‘it is our turn to chop’ and myopia in putting the self first before the nation. And all people from the tribes have that tendency which is exhibited by adherents of both religions.

The lawyer says if we can put Nigeria first as our collective interest, then we would have a great nation. I cannot agree more.

** Hassan Gimba is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Neptune Prime.

“And fear the fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong.” – Quran 8 verse 25

The above is a verse from the Holy Quran, which my late father, Imam Abdulhameed Shuaib Agaka usually cited when trouble brewed and the community kept silent, without seeking to address it.

The Qur’anic verse cautions society against failure to act when atrocities are being committed because the repercussions of silence and inaction could be severe (painful), not only for the perpetrators but the society at large.

Since the return to a democratic system of government over two decades ago, Nigeria has witnessed unbecoming violent attitudes that were seemingly tolerated by the society, before they later snowballed into the nightmarish monsters that we have today.

For various reasons, including cultural, religious, social and political dispositions, the society had been displaying a nonchalant attitude to most of the ills that have come to afflict it presently. One wonders if the past inactions of the government, community leaders, traditional institutions and youth activists were not the enabling factors for the perpetration of the rot that we are witnessing today in society.

We can easily remember the introduction of ‘political sharia’ rather than true Islamic Law in Zamfara State in 2000, which imposed discriminatory punishments for offences including the amputation of the hands and limbs of the poor for lesser offences of theft, while the rich, who could be politicians and public office holders, rob the people of their collective patrimony through the pen, yet barely get a slap on the wrist when they are caught. The rich easily get granted bail, which is usually one step to their gradual discharge from the crimes committed. Today, Zamfara is the headquarters of banditry in the country.

We can recall the activities of the lawless kids of Maiduguri over a decade ago, which had then influenced my article, “Killing in the Name of the Devils”, in 2006, when they killed and destroyed the assets of non-indigenes and others in the city over flimsy excuses which triggered reprisal attacks somewhere else. Today, Borno State, with Maiduguri as capital, is regarded as the epicentre of terrorism in Nigeria.

Kaduna, which was earlier one of the most peaceful and secure states in Nigeria, has also tasted the fruit of lawlessness, when after the massacre of Shi’ite in December 2015, including pregnant women and kids by Nigerian soldiers, young miscreants sought recourse in looting the assets and corpses of the dead, yet the government and community kept mum as if the carnage was no big deal. Kaduna today hosts the dens of kidnapping kingpins and is location to recurrent ethnic flares of violence.

In Eastern Nigeria, we noticed how ferocious secessionist activities were condoned and celebrated in the past, but the region has woken up to the reality of control of non-state actors and vicious armed groups who have taken to imposing sit-at-homes on the people on Mondays. This has been going on alongside some of the most ruthless campaigns of extermination of the people and security personnel on a regular basis.

In the North-Central, while farmers and cattle herders had initially co-existed peacefully, however with the antagonism of political crusades, it was not long before states like Plateau and Benue become the hotbeds of communal clashes.

I can go on and on about how governments, community leaders and even different societies have failed to act decisively when the unbecoming attitudes of our kids, especially the youths, were gradually becoming a source of concern.

At this point in our collective experience, I am seized by a sense of foreboding in contemplating the disturbing activities of lawless kids and youth following the election of Abba Yusuf as governor of Kano State under the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Immediately after the election, as if in some coordinated form of assault on the social order, the properties of politicians, and celebrities like the popular musician, Dauda Kahutu Rarara, among others, were not only looted, they were also vandalised by youths in broad daylight, without being checkmated in the least by security agencies. That early period also witnessed a frenetic spate of daylight robberies, including phone-snatching. 

Still, at the inauguration of Abba Kabir Yusuf as the state governor on 29 May, 2023, many youthful miscreants, suspected to be supporters of NNPP, heckled the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and his younger brother, Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero. 

As security operatives went about rescuing the descendants of the most revered and longest-ruling Emir of Kano, the late Ado Bayero, these lawless urchins and guttersnipes kept shouting derogatory remarks at the humble traditional rulers, at the top of their voices.

A few days after the inauguration, Governor Abba gave a marching order to security agencies in the state to immediately take over all public properties believed to have been unduly sold by the previous administration of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Shortly thereafter, and particularly by midnight, the new state government rolled out bulldozers for the demolition of what it described as illegal structures, towards “restoring” the Kano master plan. Some of the structures pulled down included multibillion naira hotels, business premises, residential accommodations and even monuments.

In other common incidents, youths from far and nearby invaded some of the sites, vandalised and looted the premises, while others removed valuable building materials. In fact, in some of the videos that were trending at the time, a number of the miscreants could be seen struggling and fighting the police and other security personnel who were trying to stop them from their insidious plunder.

What is more worrisome is that these lawless kids are now awake most nights, either stationed close to or following bulldozers to planned demolition sites. The majority of these wretched-looking kids are drug addicts, poor, unemployed and untrained. It is also shocking that school children too and other youths have joined them in the looting spree that they popular tag ‘Ganima’. Meanwhile, Ganima or Ghanima is an Arabic word for “spoils of war”, which may include land, wealth, cattle, women and children.

The governor’s spokesman, Sanusi Bature, has said that the ongoing demolition across Kano was not an act of vendetta against any individual or group in any way. Bature emphasised that these demolitions were first set “of many to come in fulfilment of the governor’s campaign promises”.

This article is not about the merits or demerits of the governor’s action but rather the hasty manner in which some of the actions gravely impacting the state are being undertaken, which are neither sanctioned by the state executive council nor the legislators. It is about the fear of what would become of Kano if more destructions are unleashed under the guise of restoring a masterplan when those at the receiving end of the destructions are folks who actually have lawful official approvals for the structures now being pulled down.

While the administration of Ganduje ensured the safety and security of the state from banditry and terrorism, Yusuf should rather try to concentrate his energies on employment generation, wealth circulation and urban development to enable survival and prosperity in the state. It is very doubtful if potential investors would be willing to put their money in the current state of confusion that defines Kano as one of Nigeria’s most peaceful and populous states.

It is necessary to point out that most activities of banditry and terrorism are engineered by aggrieved victims of injustice, inequality and the burning desire for vengeance. As many might be aware, the targeted abductions of the family members of politicians, public officers and the rich in neighbouring states are usually perpetrated by faceless aggrieved sponsors.

I wish to, therefore, advise Yusuf and the new Kwankwasiyya administration in Kano to re-examine their actions and not allow the activities of lawless youth to degenerate into what we are currently witnessing in most Northern states of Borno, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara, to mention but a few that are bedevilled by activities of violent criminals.

The governor should put in place programmes for social and economic inclusion, youth empowerment, improved local governance, reconciliation and conflict mitigation, towards a more peaceful and prosperous state, which is much loved by all.

Some two out of five CEOs in South Africa believed that their company would no longer be economically viable a decade from now. Therefore, building business resilience was critical, according to PwC’s 26th Annual Global CEO Survey.

This was as the pressure to optimise costs and maximise productivity was at the forefront of all business leaders’ minds.

Today, this pressure was further exacerbated by disruptive technology, the increasing complexity of geopolitics and global trade, evolving risk and regulation, and the ongoing race to find and keep the right talent with the right skills.

Marthle du Plessis, PwC Africa Workforce of the Future Platform Leader, said businesses were grappling with a continuous and speedy work, workplace and workforce evolution. ‘’Going forward, a new norm will become more prevalent-that is, managing teams of three which will see managers overseeing the workforce, borrowed skills (contingent workers) and bots. Getting this right amidst constant change and disruption is no small task. The more prepared a business is to manage a state of continuous change, the less destructive and long-lived the disruption will be for the enterprise,’’ du Plessis said.

In the firm’s newly released report, Your workforce: your value driver, it took a more detailed look at whether the workforce was ready for reinvention, how to prepare for the future of work, and the value of Strategic Workforce Planning in an effort to build business resilience.

PwC’s 2023 Global Hopes and Fears Survey, which details the responses of nearly 54,000 workers across 46 countries and territories, highlights that skills gaps were growing.

A majority of employees did not display the urgency to upskill, as only 39% of employees believed their job would require a significant change in the next five years. Of those who believed that the skills their job requires would need to change significantly, only 71% have a clear sense of how. However, what was very clear was that employees with specialist skills were more ready for reinvention, recognising the need for upskilling and how to upskill.

Bernice Wessels, PwC South Africa People Analytics Leader, said to be prepared for the future world of work, specialist skills would be needed at scale to deliver CEOs’ plans for reinventing business strategies. ‘’The clear disjuncture between executives’ outlook on their business and employees’ belief in their skill set to deliver what is required highlights the need for business strategies to prioritise the development of tangible skills that will be able to execute on these strategies.”

In an effort to do this, Wessels said organisations needed to be proactive, agile and embrace technology to undertake the projection of how work, workers and the workplace will evolve. “With up to 85% of costs tied up in people, leaders will need to predict their strategic and operational requirements and allocate resources accordingly,” she said.

In order to align business reinvention strategies with the skills needed to bring them to life, it was fundamental for executives to proactively anticipate the future of work to assess possible implications on the workforce. “Through a qualitative and quantitative exercise, organisations are able to make sure they have the right people with the right competencies in place to achieve their business strategies,” du Plessis said.

What remained imperative here was that organisations prioritise a ‘skills first’ approach and, in essence, have a clear mandate to attract and retain the right talent with relevant skills despite economic shifts and global disruptions.

In the report, the company outlined eight steps involved in the SWP process, which speaks to the process of building business resilience. Nomalungelo Biyela, PwC South Africa People Analytics Senior Manager, said the purpose of SWP was to “enable organisations to realise their dream workforce by gaining insight into workforce flows and optimisation of people interventions.”

In the report, the firm detail how organisations could leverage SWP to interrogate the possible impacts of business closure on the workforce, as well as how it could be used to model an organisation’s holistic future workforce requirement (not just from a human element, but also bots as they relate to the technology aspect of SWP).

Du Plessis said by incorporating lessons learned and leading global practices and standards, proper SWP could help South African businesses withstand disruption and reduce the overall impacts of various disruptions.

“The four basic principles of SWP are to ensure that your organisation has the right people with the right skills in the right place and time, and at the right cost. It has never been clearer; organisations need a strong workforce strategy that helps them take action today to prepare for tomorrow’s world of work. By understanding the possibilities of automation, organisations can harness the potential of human skills and the needs of the business in a changing global business landscape to nurture and incentivise the people they need for the digital age.”

DFA

The world is in a mourning mood. After a fruitless five-day search for a missing deep-sea submersible vessel with five passengers on board, its wreckage was eventually found last Thursday. The five occupants on board were killed in the process. The search had been spearheaded by a robotic diving vehicle deployed from a Canadian ship. The five were on a voyage to see the century-old wreckage of the famous Titanic by the time this catastrophic implosion occurred. The robotic vehicle had found the debris of the submersible Titan on the seabed, “some 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic,” reported Reuters. Named the Titan and operated by OceanGate Expeditions, a U.S.-based company, its passengers included the company's founder and chief executive officer, Stockton Rush who also doubled as pilot of the Titan; British billionaire and explorer, Hamish Harding; Pakistani-born businessman, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman, as well as French oceanographer and famous Titanic expert, Paul-Henri Nargeolet. They had gone on the adventurous undersea expedition at the cost of $250,000 to each of the passengers.

The original British passenger liner named the Titanic, which its moulders claimed was unsinkable, had sunk on April 15, 1912, 111 years ago. It had collided with an iceberg. After several unsuccessful years of efforts to discover the wreckage, 73 years after, in 1985, a joint French-American expedition eventually found it out. Salvage operations to recover items in the Titanic which is said to lie in the ocean at a depth of about 12,500 feet on the coast of Newfoundland, have resulted in thousands of items found and now conserved by being put on public display. The bodies of the passengers could however not be recovered. A total of 2,208 passengers had sailed in the early morning of that day, on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City. Out of them, 1,503 died.

The crash of the deep-sea submersible vessel has provoked some interests and comments. One of such was a piece entitled The Titan disaster shows the effect of human hubris in the deep sea written by Karen Attiah, a columnist with The Washington Post. In it, she drew an inference of a probable anger of the Yoruba goddess of the ocean, Olokun as cause of the disaster. This connect was further reinforced when renowned Hollywood director and Titanic researcher, James Cameron, told the BBC in an interview that there was a definite link between the tragic crash of the two Titans as well as similarities in the crashes’ circumstances. Cameron, a submersible designer, had directed the Oscar-winning blockbuster Titanic. He had said: "I'm struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship, and yet, he steamed up full speed into an ice field on a moonless night. And many people died as a result and for us very similar tragedy where warnings went unheeded to take place at the same exact site."

Samuel Johnson, the iconic Yoruba historian, in telling the story of the dreaded Bashorun Gaa of the Old Oyo Empire, unknowingly explained the Atlantic economy of centuries ago among the Yoruba. In his narration, Johnson drew a link between the river goddess, Olokun and ancient Yoruba cowries, the only legal tender of transaction that began in the 16th century. As Prime Minister of Old Oyo from 1754–1774 circa, Gaa, according to Johnson, once requested his babalawo to make charms that would enable him acquire “plenty of cowries.” He had complained to them that, in spite of his enormous powers and wealth, he had little cowries to flaunt as symbol of his political power. In reality, this was a manifestation of the competition Gaa faced from other power wielders in the empire, that they might use their financial capacity to undermine his political base. Gaa’s cash crisis was also said to have been worsened by his incorrigible children, who, like the biblical sons of Eli – Hophni and Phinehas – lorded "it all over the country (Old Oyo provinces) (and which) deprived him of the revenues which might have come to him."

Anyway, these medicine men then gave the Prime Minister ose dudu, a medicinal soap, with which he was to take his bath. They thumped their chests as they asserted that, before sunset, humongous wealth would flood his palace. Unconfirmed reports claimed that the babalawo had secured the soap from the bowel of the Atlantic, specifically from the hands of Olokun. After the bath with the soap, a mysterious fire suddenly engulfed the Gaa compound which burnt virtually all his belongings to the hilt. However, due to the awe and dread of the Prime Minister’s powers, virtually all sectors of the Empire, from the capital to all the innumerable provinces, upon hearing of this destruction, rose in his support. Gaa’s venomous powers were such that, he could incinerate provinces that failed to contribute to the rebuilding of his lost assets and compound. Not only did they rebuild the compound, but the gifts Gaa also received in cash and materials were overwhelming. Ultimately, the Prime Minister emerged, like the mythical Phoenix, from the ashes of the disaster richer than he once was. Astounded by the link between his Olokun-given wealth and the disaster, Gaa had asked his babalawo for an explanation. According to Johnson, he had asked, "Is this the way you promised to get me cowries?" and their reply was, "Yes ... by what other means could you have amassed such an abundance in so short a time?"

In a journal article written for the Boston University African Studies Centre by Akinwumi Ogundiran, entitled Of small things remembered: Beads, cowries and cultural translations of the Atlantic experience (The International Journal of African Historical Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2/3 (2002), pp. 427-457) the author told the story of how Benin oral traditional history also speaks to the intervention of the Olokun in the prosperity recorded during the reign of Oba Eresoyen. He ruled from 1735 to 1737. By the way, Olokun, in Yoruba-Edo belief, was not only revered as the deity of the ocean, she was also known as goddess of wealth. Eresoyen’s cowry boom was said to have occurred when he made a peace pact with the Olokun. Palace remembrancers speak of how Oba Eresoyen initially engaged in an unending tiff with Olokun by using his spiritual powers to close tributaries in his kingdom which denied Olokun access to her waters. A palm wine tapper then mediated between Eresoyen and the Olokun which resulted in the restoration of water to the goddess. In appreciation, Olokun made a pact with Eresoyen that she would requite his restoration of access to her waters with massive wealth. She then heaped mounds of cowries, which were within her territorial grip, in the sky for Eresoyen which his palace courtiers shouldered into the palace in massive quantity.

I gave the two anecdotes above to highlight, not only the fertile beliefs, imaginations and rumours that thrived centuries ago, especially in the Atlantic commerce of the time, but also the dominant perception of the powers of the Atlantic Ocean called Okun and the lord of the ocean. 

Attiah had delved into what she called “the Yoruba religious tradition” where “divine spirits known as Orishas (sic) rule over various cosmic forces and elements of nature. There is Shango (sic) the king orisha of thunder and fire; Yemaya (sic) the orisha of the ocean; and Oshun (sic) who rules rivers and lakes” and what she called “a lesser-known orisha, Olokun, who is androgynous and rules the deepest parts of the ocean where light does not penetrate.” Attiah further wrote that “the Olokun is an extremely fearsome and vengeful orisha, upset with humans for not showing proper reverence… (and) chained to the bottom of the ocean so as to restrain (her) from destroying humanity. The pressure of the deep ocean represents the origins of life and threatens gruesome, instant death for humans. It is for all these reasons Olokun is rarely challenged or disturbed, even by the other orishas.” She concluded in this piece that the submersible’s disaster is a reminder to the world that in spite of humanity’s inventions, it cannot dominate the deep, deep sea.

How true is Attiah’s linkage of Olokun to the submersible’s disaster and how dissimilar or similar is this tragedy from centuries-old mythic perception of traditional Africa? This debate about the existence of gods, goddesses and attempts to spiritize disasters like the Titanic of 1912 and last week’s have provoked philosophical debates about the existence of spirits and metaphysical objects. Are spirits real? Are there evil spirits? Is the physical the only real thing? If it isn’t, what then makes Attiah’s explanation for the crash of the Titanic unreal, mythic and fabulous, while we concentrate on what we are only able to cognize?

While the particular configuration of the Olokun is unknown, the Yemoja, another goddess of the river or water deity, is widely iterated in Yoruba folklores. Many claimed to have encountered this fish goddess who also, like the Olokun, resides in the heart of the waters. Indeed, the Yemoja, taken from Yeye Omo Eja – mother of fishes – has devotees who honour her as a source of life, fertility and abundance and built temples for her. Some people even claimed to have encountered her in the depths of rivers with dual features of a fish, complete with fins but with human shoulders and head. She is carved out as the Mother with weeping breasts and venerated for her kindness. Yemoja is also the Queen Mother who lives in the depth of the water – the Ayaba ti ngbe ibu omi. Yemoja shares her maternity renown with three other water goddesses, Osun, Oba and Oya water deities.

Janet Langlois, of the Folklore Institute, Indiana University, citing ethnographer Ellis A. B, retold the Yemoja story that had often been told as folklore in Yorubaland. Ellis had narrated the legend in his 1894-written The Yoruba-speaking Peop1e of the Slave Coast of West Africa. It goes thus: “Oduduwa, the Earth, given birth to by Obatala, who was the Heavens, also gave birth to a son and daughter. The son was named Aganju and he represented dry and barren land. He then married the daughter, Yemoja, who was life-giving water. They both jointly had a son named Orungan, who was the sky between heaven and earth. One sad day when Aganju was far from home, Orungan ravished his mother, Yemoja. She sprang from him and ran quickly, blindly away. He pursued her and was overtaking her and about to touch her when she slipped and fell, striking her head against a stone. The impact sent jets of water gushing up from her huge breasts. These waters joined to form a sweet lagoon. Her huge belly burst open and many Orisas sprang from her.”

Among the Yoruba, water has a powerful force. Waters are sacred sites with presiding spirits which act as intercessors with the ultimate divine. This provides the reason for the worship of the Yemoja in Osun as the river goddess of fertility. She is referred to as the Ajeje, a mother who has herbs in the river with which she takes care of her children and gives them longevity. Devotees say they revere the waters of Osun just as Christianity reveres rivers in its baptism phenomenon and River Jordan in particular for its spirituality. In Africa, many groups don’t go to the rivers on certain days, believing that those were the days the water spirits come out.

From their manifestations, Olokun and Yemoja are different. The differences are in their temperaments and habitation. While Olokun resides in the Atlantic, Yemoja lives in rivers. Yemoja is benign while Olokun, though is mythically perceived as the god of wealth, could also be a jealous woman who can be deadly. In spite of scientific explanations of the Bermuda Triangle, otherwise known as the Devil’s Triangle, traditionalists believe the calamities wrecked by it in the mid-20th century were caused by the Olokun who, in her anger, and in mysterious circumstances, brought about the disappearances of some aircraft and ships. Some meteorological studies have however referred to Olokun and the Bermuda as an urban legend, ascribing the calamities to “diffraction heat patterns (which) give rise to corresponding weather and ocean patterns which, to a large extent, account for the mysteries already noted in the Bermuda region.” The Bermuda is located in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean.

So, could Attiah have been right about the anger of the Olokun as cause of the crash of the two Titanics? Should we be bothered and seek extra-scientific answers to these tragedies so as to guard against them in the future? Attiah buttressed her claim with allusions to what she called the social value of certain perilous journeys. On the social media, many have wondered why such potentially perilous elite fancy should detain the rest of humanity. The world had literally been frozen due to the deaths of these voyagers while thousands of immigrants have perished in the Mediterranean without as much as a whimper from the same world. These were, in the words of Attiah, “migrants who are arguably much braver but have far fewer resources… demonized and left to die, despite the fact that all they want is the opportunity to work, to contribute value, to live.” In the same vein, the west has literally shut its ears from cries of reparations for sunken slave ships which Attiah calls “the true symbols of Europe’s ability to enslave people and exploit nature in faraway lands.”

Brandon Presser, an Op-ed writer with the Post, had joined in affirming the reckless audacity of man in going behind its province to seek to dominate the aquatic province of fishes. “Water is our birthright but also a force of great destruction, holding a record of everything it claims. To visit the depths of the ocean is not an act of arrogance, then, but something quite the opposite: an acknowledgment of our obsolescence. It’s fitting that the desire to blindly careen toward the ocean floor goes hand in hand with our curious obsession with the Titanic. The felled ship, once touted as the world’s greatest, has remained a parable for nature’s power over the mightiest efforts of humankind to assert its dominance over the planet,” he had written.

While the world is shedding tears about the recent Titanic disaster, Attiah has given us thoughts to ponder on. Why is the world obsessed with technological dominance like the Titanic, which “allow(ed) Europe to explore and pillage other countries, wipe out entire peoples and enrich itself by exploiting the Earth’s resources”? The Titanic, she said, “might be a reminder that the deep ocean is the only resource-rich realm on Earth with the power to keep White men from exploiting it.” Is Olokun then that power?

So, is Olokun angry that man is going beyond their earthly borders? Or, in the words of Attiah, “are (there indeed) some realms on Earth that are meant to be mysteries — not to be mastered”? Is humanity suffering from what the Yoruba call agbere, arrogant audacity? Or, is this absolute nonsense, in the words of Austrian philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, who saw anything metaphysical like the link being drawn between the Titanic and an angry sea goddess, as such?

Akinteye: Toast to a humble judge

On Friday, the crème de la crème of the Nigerian bar, its first chapter, fondly called the Premier Bar, having been formed in 1954, converged to honour Honourable Justice Solomon Adegboyega Akinteye (Rtd) on his 70th birthday. Born on June 23, 1953, in Igbo-Ora, Ibarapa Central Local Government of Oyo State, Akinteye is an alumnus of the then University of Ife, graduating in 1980 and called to the bar in 1981. From a legal practice that began in 1982, he got elevated to the bench of the High Court of Oyo State on January 30, 1997 and got sworn in as one of eleven judges on that day by the then Military Governor of Oyo State, Hammed Usman.

While he was at the High Court of the Oyo State judiciary, Akinteye served in Ibadan, Ogbomoso, and Oyo judicial divisions, as well as serving as Chairman of Election Petition Tribunals at the state and federal levels. He was Member, Governorship and Legislative Houses of Assembly Election/Tribunal in Enugu State in 1998; Chairman, Oyo State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, 2004; Chairman, Oyo State Local Government Election Petition Appeal Tribunal in 2009; Chairman, National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Katsina State in 2011; Chairman, National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal 2, Cross River State, in 2011.

Akinteye was subsequently appointed by the then Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, as the pioneer President of the Customary Court of Appeal of Oyo State, a position he occupied from February 12, 2018 to the date of his retirement. He spent 21 years, four months and twenty days on the Bench, out of which he spent four months and ten days as President of the Customary Court.

The Nigerian judiciary, especially the bench, is today being pelted with rotten tomatoes. This is especially coming against the backdrop of a recent outlandish confession by a Nigerian senator, Adamu Bulkachuwa, that he influenced judgments in matters before his wife, Zainab, a retired judge and President of the Court of Appeal. There is no doubt that the Bulkachuwa confession has totally destroyed public confidence in the Nigerian judiciary. Apart from financial inducements that have become a pestilence in the judiciary, many judges have also rubbished the ancient Lord Denning qualities in a judge, becoming indistinguishable from social rats. Not only do some of them mingle openly and without any restraint in places of comfort, they daily drag down the renown of the judiciary. An Akinteye is a testimony that there are still persons in the Nigerian judiciary who wear their judicial chastity proudly on their lapel.

During the birthday celebration, the humility, modesty and incorruptibility of Akinteye were on hand for celebration. On a personal note, he has taught me the lessons in contentedness with the modesty that is his life. Here is wishing MiLord a happy celebration.

Newly-appointed Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, on Saturday, approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army to command, instructional and staff appointments across formations and units.

This, according to him, was an effort to reposition the Nigerian Army for operational efficiency and functional administration.

The Chief of Army Staff also directed all newly appointed senior officers to redouble their effort and commitment to duty in ensuring the sustenance of the ongoing onslaught against terrorism, insurgency, and other threats to national security, as they assume their new appointments.

A statement by the Director,  Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, said those affected by the recent redeployment include some Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders and  Commanding Officers, among others.

Some of the senior officers appointed as PSOs of the AHQ include Maj Gen AB Ibrahim who was posted from Headquarters  3 Division NA to the Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj Gen BR Sinjen posted from Nigerian Army  Corps of Artillery (NACA) to the Department of Army Operations (DAOPs) and appointed Chief of Operations (Army) and Maj Gen OR Aiyenigba from Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police to Department of Army Standards and Evaluation and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation (Army).

Others are Maj Gen NC Ugbo from Nigerian Army Signals School to Department of Civil Military Affairs and appointed Chief of Civil Military Affairs and Maj Gen E Akerejola from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport to Army Headquarters Department of Logistics as the Chief of Logistics (Army).

Senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding are Major General BA Alabi from Army War College Nigeria to Headquarters 1 Division as GOC, Maj Gen AE Abubakar from Headquarters 7 Division to 3 Division as GOC 3 Division/ Commander Operation Safe Haven and Maj Gen PP Mala, who was posted from Depot Nigerian Army to  Headquarters  7 Division as GOC/ Commander Sector 1 Joint Task North East  Operation Hadin Kai.

Others are Maj Gen GU Chibuisi from HQ Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena to Theatre Command Joint Task Force NE Operation  and appointed Theatre Commander, while Maj Gen IS Ali was redeployed from Theatre Command Joint Task Force NE OPHK to HQ MNJTF as the Force Commander and Maj Gen EAP Undiandeye whose

redeployment from Martin Luther Agwai International Peace Keeping Centre to Defence Intelligence Agency as Chief of Defence Intelligence has been formalised.

Senior officers appointed as Corps Commanders include Maj Gen OO Oluyede as the Commander Infantry Corps, Maj Gen MG Kangye from the Department of Civil Military Affairs to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and appointed Commander. Others are Maj Gen AA Adeyinka from Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport and appointed Commander.

Other senior officers also affected in the redeployment are Maj General KO Aligbe who is appointed as Commander Training and Doctrine Command, Maj Gen JO Ochai, from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and appointed  Commandant, Maj Gen IB Maina posted from Department of Policy and Plans to Army War College Nigeria and appointed Commandant.

Equally redeployed are Brig Gen TB Ugiagbe who is appointed Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Brig Gen OG Onubogu from Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre to Martin Luther Agwai International Peace Keeping Centre as Commandant, while Brig Gen N Ashinze moves from Department of Civil Military Cooperation to Defence Intelligence Agency as Director Fusion. The Nigerian Army has also formalised the redeployment of Col AO Onasanya from Army War College Nigeria to Headquarters Guards Brigade as Acting  Commander.

Punch

Vehicles plying Lagos-Ibadan Expressway inward the Ibafo-Mowe, Ogun State axis were again grounded by traffic on Saturday as a result of the ongoing reconstruction of the expressway.

The four-lane road was collapsed into one, affecting the flow of traffic.

Passengers had to alight from their buses to trek from the Otedola axis to Berger in search of respite from the situation.

Our correspondent, who observed the development from the Secretariat Bus-stop, saw passengers lining the road in their droves, walking briskly down towards the Berger Bus Stop, even as it drizzled.

A truck had broken down right after Otedola Bridge, worsening the traffic situation.

A nursing mother, Mrs Bisi Akinola, who backed her child and carried a small bag on her head, said she joined a bus from the Toll Gate Bus-stop and was charged N500 as fare to Berger Bus Stop.

She, however, abandoned the bus and joined the other passengers who trekked to Berger.

According to her, it was better than waiting in the car, as the traffic did not seem to move.

“I live at Lotto, Ogun State. If I keep waiting, what time will I get home? I have left the N500 for the driver. He refused to give me a refund. I will trek with my child to Berger and take a motorbike down to my house. It is better for me. I don’t mind the rain,” she said.

She also begged the government to urge the construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria, to complete the construction speedily and ease traffic on the expressway.

A construction worker, Samuel Okaka, said he left Iyana-Oworo at 12pm and was yet to get to Berger as of 5.34pm when our correspondent spoke to him.

“As you can see, the traffic is terrible. Nothing is moving. I am tired. All my body aches from the stress I have gone through today. It is better I trek. I have begged the driver to give me some refund so I can begin my journey,” he said.

At the New Garage area, the entire road was reduced to one lane as construction activities took one-third of the road.

Lagos State Ministry of Transportation had in a traffic advisory issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abduhafiz Toriola, on Friday, urged motorists to avoid the expressway, urging them to take alternative routes.

This, according to Toriola, was in line with the Federal Government’s announcement of traffic diversion on the expressway, as construction works on the corridor reached the concluding stages.

According to the diversion plan as announced by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, motorists were advised to take the exit from the New Garage Bus Stop on Lagos bound carriageway en route River Valley Estate, Isheri and Ogunusi Road will be closed to traffic.

Punch

Three miners were shot dead on Friday at a mining site around Tanjol in Jol community of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

National Publicity Secretary of Berom Youth Movement (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the incident to our correspondent yesterday, adding that other miners and farmers around have fled the area.

According to Tengwong, the incident occurred at about 11am when everyone around the area were going about their activities, adding that two other persons were injured.

The publicity secretary, who described the attack as one too many, called on the government and security agencies to intensify efforts towards the safety of lives and property in rural communities.

He said despite the deployment of mobile police officers in the area, the killings have continued unabated.

Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Plateau, Alfred Alabo did not pick several calls to his line, but a top police officer who didn’t want to be mentioned confirmed the attack.

Daily Trust

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Wagner PMC ‘armed coup’ attempt in Russia: All the latest news

Evgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group private military company, has been accused by the government of staging an armed insurrection.

The charges were brought late Friday night after Prigozhin accused Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, the chair of the Russian general staff, of serious crimes.

Prigozhin claimed to have ordered troops loyal to him to move towards Rostov-on-Don, a major city in southern Russia. Security measures were also reportedly beefed up in Moscow.

• 24 June 2023
  22:34 GMT
  Russia’s federal road agency, Rosavtodor, told TASS news agency that all restrictions on traveling on roads and highways have been lifted.
  The traffic on some roads was suspended on Saturday as the Wagner fighters were moving towards the capital.
• 22:16 GMT
  The regional governor, Vasily Golubev, said that the Wagner convoy has left Rostov-on-Don and is now heading back to the company’s field camps. 
• 21:46 GMT
  The Kremlin has revealed the details of the agreement with Wagner PMC. According to spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the criminal case against Prigozhin will be dropped and he will leave Russia for Belarus. Wagner troops will not be prosecuted, and those who did not take part in the insurrection will be permitted to sign on with the Russian Defense Ministry.
• 19:54 GMT
  A Wagner Group tank, which had been “stuck” in the gates of the Rostov-on-Don circus near the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District has left the location, footage from the scene shows.
• 19:40 GMT
  The Wagner Group PMC contractors have begun leaving the premises of the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don. Footage from the scene shows the fighters packing their belongings and weaponry, and boarding combat vehicles.
• 17:32 GMT
  Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has held negotiations with the leader of the mutinous Russian PMC Wagner Group, Evgeny Prigozhin, and found an “absolutely beneficial and acceptable” way to end the crisis. The development was announced by Lukashenko’s press service, with the breakthrough reached after tense “day-long” talks.
  The negotiations were conducted after speaking with and in coordination with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the press service noted. Prigozhin has accepted the offer to “stop advancements” of the PMC’s companies across Russia, it added.
• 16:38 GMT
  US President Joe Biden has discussed the ongoing insurrection in Russia with Washington’s closest allies. “President Biden spoke today with President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom. The leaders discussed the situation in Russia. They also affirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine,” the White House press service said in a statement.
• 16:24 GMT
  Multiple shots were fired outside of the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, RT correspondent Ilya Vasyuninn reports. Footage from the scene shows a Wagner Group PMC contractor firing an assault rifle at the entrance of a local office of Rostelecom, Russia’s biggest digital service provider, in an apparent attempt to break into the building.
• 15:42 GMT
  An anti-terrorism operation has been launched in Moscow, the city’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has announced, describing the ongoing situation as “difficult.” The upcoming Monday has been declared a non-working day in order to “minimize risks,” the mayor added. Sobyanin also called upon the city’s residents to reduce travel across the city, warning that road traffic in certain areas may be halted completely.
• 15:27 GMT
  A major bridge over the Oka River has been barricaded with heavy vehicles in the Russian city of Kolomna 114km southeast of Moscow. A large military column was spotted in the city heading to the southeast towards the city of Ryazan, unverified footage circulating online shows.
  14:24 GMT
  Tehran has called the ongoing insurrection an internal matter for Russia. “Iran supports the rule of law in the Russian Federation,” the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, said in a statement.
• 14:01 GMT
  Fighters of Akhmat, an elite National Guard unit from Russia’s Chechnya, have reached Rostov-on-Don, unverified footage circulating online shows. Multiple armored vehicles and trucks carrying personnel can be seen driving on the outskirts of the city, which has become the hotbed of the insurrection by the Wagner PMC.
• 13:54 GMT
  Wagner Group forces are moving through Lipetsk Region, located some 370km to the south of Moscow, local governor Igor Artamonov has said, urging civilians to stay at their homes and avoid unnecessary travel. “The situation remains under control,” the governor said, adding that the region’s critical infrastructure continues to operate without incident.
• 13:05 GMT
  Russia’s closest ally, Belarus, condemned the mutiny, with the country’s security council stating that Minsk remains committed to standing with Russia and fully supports the ongoing military operation in Ukraine. The council also branded the attempted coup a “gift to the collective West.”
• 12:45 GMT
  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin press service said.
  “The Russian President briefed [Erdogan] on the situation in the country amid the attempted armed insurrection. Türkiye’s President expressed his full support towards the steps taken by the Russian leadership,” the press service said in a statement.
• 12:32 GMT
  Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) chief Sergey Naryshkin denounced the ongoing coup as “treason,” branding it “the most terrible crime, which cannot be justified by any past merits.” Meanwhile, he said that the attempt to spark a “civil war” in the country has already failed, with Russian society demonstrating “civic maturity.”
• 11:43 GMT
  A loud explosion has been heard in the vicinity of the headquarters of the Russian southern military district in Rostov-on-Don, RT correspondent Roman Kosarev, covering the coup attempt, reported on Saturday.
  He posted a one-minute clip on social media showing a crowd of people running away from where the blast apparently occurred. There has been no immediate data on casualties, or whether the building sustained any damage.
• 11:11 GMT
  Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, “the most important thing for defeating the external and internal enemy who is hungry to tear our Motherland into shreds… is to unite around the president and supreme commander of the armed forces.”
  “Split and betrayal lead to the greatest tragedy, to a universal disaster,” he warned in a post on Telegram, vowing that the Russian authorities will not let this happen.
• 10:40 GMT
  The head of Russia’s Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, called the insurrection by Wagner's chief a “hideous betrayal” adding that it should be quelled in order to protect the nation’s unity amid the conflict in Ukraine.
  Chechen members of the Defense Ministry and the National Guard have already headed out to the regions where tensions are high. “The insurrection must be quelled, and if harsh measures are required, we are ready for them!” he stated in a post on Telegram.
• 08:56 GMT
  Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said the Russian military is “carrying out the necessary operational and combat measures” in the region as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism operation, without providing further details.
• 08:15 GMT
  St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said that the situation in the city, which is a home to the Wagner Center HQ, remains stable, with increased security measures put in place. He also noted that “lawful actions of law enforcement agents, including those in the Wagner Center building, have no impact on the ongoing activities in the city,” apparently referring to earlier reports that operatives were conducting searches there.
• 07:54 GMT
  The situation in Rostov-on-Don is tense but with no disorder, a Ria Novosti correspondent reports from the scene. Earlier in the day, several media outlets shared clips of tanks moving around the city, with unidentified soldiers patrolling the streets.
• 07:11 GMT
  All who consciously stick to the way of treason will receive imminent punishment, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to the nation. He added that the country’s armed forces have been given all necessary orders.
• 06:35 GMT
  Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has canceled all mass public events, while adding that there are no restrictions on movement around the capital.
• 06:26 GMT
  The Russian Ministry of Defense has urged Wagner Group private military company soldiers to cease their armed insurrection, urging them to return to their bases. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry claimed that members of the PMC “have been tricked into taking part in [Wagner group chief Evgeny] Prigozhin’s criminal gamble,” adding that some Wagner fighters “have already understood their mistake” and have asked the authorities for help in safely returning to their permanent deployment areas.
• 06:03 GMT
  Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee (NAK) has announced a “counter-terrorist operation regime” in Moscow and Moscow Region to prevent potential terrorist attacks.
• 05:50 GMT
  Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would deliver an address soon.
• 05:49 GMT
  Lipetsk Governor Igor Artamonov said the decision to block traffic on the M-4 highway leading to Voronezh resulted in a traffic jam. However, he said that the authorities promptly organized the distribution of food and water in the area while notifying drivers about the restrictions in advance. As a result, the length of the traffic jam decreased by three times to just 1km, he added.
• 05:34 GMT
  Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev announced that all local mass public gatherings in the near future have been canceled, while stressing that the overall situation remains stable.
• 05:04 GMT
  Russian security operatives have entered the PMC Wagner Center in St. Petersburg, indicative of imminent searches, local media reports. It added that two buses with riot police pulled over near the building. Earlier, TASS news agency reported that the situation in the area remained calm.
• 04:38 GMT
  Vasily Golubev, the governor of Rostov region, has announced that all public mass events in the city scheduled for the weekend have been cancelled. He noted that public transport was operating, but downtown routes have been altered, adding that some restrictions have been put in place on roads leading to the city of Taganrog, west of Rostov-on-Don, and to the north of the city.
• 03:59 GMT
  The governor of Moscow Region, Andrey Vorobyov, has announced that authorities in the territory surrounding the Russian capital have ramped up security. He added that as part of “counterterrorist measures” in place, law enforcement agencies may organize additional vehicle inspections to the south of the Russian capital. He also urged local residents to refrain from using personal transport.
• 03:23 GMT
  Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin has announced on Telegram that local authorities are implementing “counterterrorist measures” to maximise public security. He added that the steps could involve additional roadblocks and temporary restrictions on public events.
• 03:11 GMT
  Vasily Golubev, the governor of Rostov region, urged residents to avoid downtown Rostov-on-Don and, if possible, not to leave their homes. The statement comes amid videos circulating on social media appearing to show tanks and armored vehicles on the move in the city center.
• 02:28 GMT
  A military column is on the move on the M-4 highway connecting Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don, local authorities have announced on Telegram, asking local residents to temporarily refrain from using the road. The statement adds that law enforcement agencies in the region are “taking all necessary measures to ensure public safety.”
• 02:01 GMT
  A video purportedly filmed in Rostov-on-Don shows a tank and an armored personnel carrier (APC) driving past a group of police officers who are guarding a fuel station. More military hardware, including another tank, another APC, two armored cars and a truck, follow shortly afterwards.
• 01:56 GMT
  The road connecting the city of Rostov-on-Don with the Azov Sea port of Taganrog, some 60 km to the west, has been fully shut down for traffic, a TASS correspondent has reported. Similar restrictions have also been reported relating to north-bound traffic on the M4 highway, which leads to Moscow. Other exits from Rostov-on-Don remain available, according to the report.
• 01:36 GMT
  Igor Artamonov, the governor of Lipetsk Region, has announced increased security measures, with particular focus on protecting critical infrastructure. He called on residents to avoid traveling to southern parts of Russia, including the neighboring Voronezh Region.
  “The latest events have disturbed all of us. But I ask you all to keep calm,” he said on his Telegram account.
  Lipetsk is located some 370 km south of Moscow and 590 km north of Rostov-on-Don.
• 01:35 GMT
  The Rostov Region branch of the Emergencies Ministry has warned about a fake post issued in its name on social media. The message falsely claims that a curfew has been imposed in the region, adding that those spreading the message are apparently seeking to cause panic.
• 01:25 GMT
  The Russian social network VK has blocked one of the statements released by Prigozhin’s press service on the platform. The post now states that the message is not available in Russia, based on a decision by the Prosecutor General’s office.
  There are also claims that some news about Prigozhin’s latest steps are being blocked by Yandex, the Russian tech giant that runs an eponymous web search engine.
• 01:09 GMT
  Rostov Region Governor Vasily Golubev has urged residents via his Telegram channel to “keep calm and not leave home without need.” He added that law enforcement was doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of civilians.
• 00:54 GMT
  No unusual activity has been noted near the Wagner PMC headquarters in St. Petersburg, according to a TASS correspondent at the location. The news agency added that security guards have also denied reports that a search was underway in the building.
• 00:47 GMT
  Traffic camera video feed from Rostov-on-Don, which could have shown the alleged columns of Wagner military hardware moving through the streets, is presently unavailable. When trying to access the feed, users are greeted with a message saying ‘Access to the broadcast is temporarily limited’.
• 00:44 GMT
  The Russian Defense Ministry has warned on its Telegram channel that Ukrainian forces were preparing to use “Prigozhin’s provocation” to launch an assault in the vicinity of Artyomovsk. The Donbass city, which Ukraine calls Bakhmut, was the focal point of an intensive months-long battle, in which PMC Wagner played a significant role. The city was taken by Russian forces last month.
• 00:33 GMT
  TASS has reported increased security on the highway connecting Rostov-on-Don with central Russia, including Moscow. Police presence has been increased, and inbound traffic is kettled and subject to inspections. Vehicles are not allowed to travel from the city towards the capital at all, according to the news agency.
• 00:29 GMT
  The situation in Rostov-on-Don appears to be relatively calm, according to media reports from the city. Troops are deployed at the headquarters of the Russian Southern military district, but there are no signs that they are preparing to fight off an attack, according to Kommersant daily.
• 00:23 GMT
  Despite claims by Evgeny Prigozhin, there appears to be no video or photo evidence of any PMC forces moving through Russia. There are also no reports of any battles or skirmishes.
• 00:22 GMT
  The White House has said it is “monitoring the situation” in Russia. President Joe Biden has been informed about the developments, National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge told the media. US officials indicated that they consider the situation 'serious' and beyond Prigozhin's previous statements launched against the Russian military leadership in the past, according to CNN.
• 00:00 GMT
  Senior Russian military commanders, including Deputy commander of the Russian Joint Forces, Army General Sergey Surovikin and Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev have recorded public video addresses to Wagner troops. They denounced Prigozhin’s actions and called on the fighters to stand down.
  “This is a stab in the back to the nation and the president,” Alekseev said, warning that there was a risk of a civil war in Russia. Surovikin urged the soldiers to return to their positions and seek a peaceful resolution of the situation.
• 23 June 2023
  23:55 GMT
  Putin is being informed on all the latest developments regarding the ‘armed coup attempt’ by Wagner PMC and its boss Evgeniy Prigozhin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated, according to TASS news agency. Peskov said Russia’s Ministry of Defense, FSB and National Guard are feeding information after ‘receiving orders from the president’.
• 23:54 GMT
  Moscow’s police have increased their presence in the city, taking additional measures to protect the Russian capital’s ‘most important buildings, public authorities and transport infrastructure’, the news agency TASS has reported. Several pictures and videos of military hardware moving through the city's streets have appeared on the web.
• 23:53 GMT
  The Defense Ministry denied the claim. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Prigozhin of staging an armed coup and called on Wagner fighters to apprehend him.
• 23:53 GMT
  Later in the day Prigozhin claimed that the Russian military had attacked Wagner reserve positions. Prigozhin announced that forces loyal to him were moving towards the city of Rostov-on-Don.
• 23:52 GMT
  On Friday, Evgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military company Wagner Group, claimed that senior Russian commanders were traitors and demanded the prosecution of Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, the chair of the general staff.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Rebel Russian mercenaries halt advance on Moscow, Kremlin says fighters to face no action

Heavily armed Russian mercenaries who advanced most of the way to Moscow halted their approach, de-escalating a major challenge to President Vladimir Putin's grip on power, in a move that their leader said would avoid bloodshed.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former Putin ally and founder of the Wagner army, said his men reached within 125 miles (200 km) of the capital on Saturday. Earlier, Moscow deployed soldiers in preparation for their arrival and told residents to stay indoors.

The Wagner fighters captured the city of Rostov hundreds of miles to the south before racing north in convoy, transporting tanks and armoured trucks and smashing through barricades set up to stop them, video showed.

On Saturday night, they began withdrawing from the Rostov military headquarters they had seized, a Reuters witness said.

"In 24 hours we got to within 200 km of Moscow. In this time we did not spill a single drop of our fighters' blood," Prigozhin, dressed in full combat uniform at an undisclosed location, said in a video.

"Understanding ... that Russian blood will be spilled on one side, we are turning our columns around and going back to field camps as planned."

Reuters could not independently verify how far Prigozhin's mercenaries had reached. Video earlier showed convoys of Wagner vehicles less than 310 miles (500 km) from Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that under a deal brokered by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, the criminal case opened against Prigozhin for armed mutiny would be dropped, Prigozhin would move to Belarus, and Wagner fighters who joined his "march for justice" would face no action, in recognition of their previous service to Russia.

Peskov, who called the events of the day "tragic", said Lukashenko had offered to mediate, with Putin's approval, because he had known Prigozhin personally for around 20 years.

LITTLE PUSHBACK FROM ARMED FORCES

Wagner's lightning insurrection appeared to develop with little pushback from Russia's regular armed forces, raising questions about Putin's hold on power in the nuclear-armed nation even after the abrupt halt to Wagner's advance.

Earlier, Prigozhin said his "march" on Moscow was intended to remove corrupt and incompetent Russian commanders he blames for botching the war in Ukraine.

In a televised address, Putin said the rebellion put Russia's very existence under threat.

"We are fighting for the lives and security of our people, for our sovereignty and independence, for the right to remain Russia, a state with a thousand-year history," Putin said, vowing punishment for those behind "an armed insurrection".

In later outlining the deal brokered by Lukashenko, Peskov said the agreement had the "higher goal" of avoiding confrontation and bloodshed.

Peskov declined to say whether any concessions were made to Prigozhin, other than guarantees of safety for him - something he said Putin gave his word to vouch for - and for Prigozhin's men, to persuade him to withdraw all his forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the developments, which sparked a flurry of high-level calls between Western leaders, exposed turmoil at the heart of in Russia.

"Today the world can see that the masters of Russia control nothing. And that means nothing. Simply complete chaos. An absence of any predictability," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

EX-CONVICTS IN WAGNER RANKS

The fighters led by Prigozhin, a former convict, include thousands of ex-prisoners recruited from Russian jails.

His men fought the bloodiest battles of the 16-month Ukraine war, including for the eastern city of Bakhmut. He railed for months against the military's top brass, especially Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of incompetence and of withholding ammunition from his fighters.

This month, he defied orders to sign a contract placing his troops under Defence Ministry command.

He launched the apparent mutiny on Friday after alleging that the military had killed many of his fighters in an air strike. The Defence Ministry denied this.

He said he had captured the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District without firing a shot in Rostov, which serves as the main rear logistical hub for Russia's entire invasion force in Ukraine.

Residents of the city had milled about calmly, filming on mobile phones as Wagner fighters in armoured vehicles and battle tanks took up positions.

Western capitals were closely following the situation. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to G7 counterparts. The top U.S. military officer, Army General Mark Milley, canceled a scheduled trip to the Middle East.

UKRAINE ATTACKS NEAR BAKHMUT

The insurrection risked leaving Russia's invasion force in Ukraine in disarray, just as Kyiv is launching its strongest counteroffensive since the war began in February last year.

Some Ukrainians were gleeful at the prospect of a split in Russian ranks 16 months after the Kremlin's troops invaded their country.

Ukraine's military said on Saturday its forces made advances near Bakhmut, on the eastern front, and further south.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said an offensive was launched near a group of villages ringing Bakhmut, which was taken by Wagner forces in May after months of fighting.

Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, commander of the southern front, said Ukrainian forces had liberated an area near Krasnohorivka, west of the Russian-held regional centre of Donetsk.

Tarnavskiy said the area had been under Russian control since separatist forces backed by Moscow seized it in 2014.

RT/Reuters

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake ~ 1 Thessalonians 1:5.

Introduction 

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God actively working in His people today. Nothing moves except as He directs; nothing happens except as He permits; and nothing will be except as He allows.

Indeed, every day can be exciting for the Christian who intimately knows the reality of being filled with the Holy Spirit, lives constantly under His direction and operates absolutely under His unction. He is the Unfailing Enabler of our destinies.

The Holy Spirit is the Eternal Spirit of the Living God, and the Third Person of the Triune God. He’s ageless just like the Father and the Son (Genesis 1:2; Hebrews 9:14). He’s all powerful (Luke 1:35); He’s everywhere (Psalms 139:7); and He knows everything (1Corinthians 2:10,11)!

The Holy Spirit is not a mere experience, or just a latent force; neither is He another spook by fairytales. He is a Real Person, who may be grieved, and can lead, teach, guide etcetera (John 14:26).

He chooses people as He wills, and fills them with wisdom and strength for specific assignments (Judges 3:9-10; Exodus 35:30-35). Indeed, no one can serve God acceptably without His supernatural enablement (Psalms 110:3).

Understanding the Holy Ghost And His Ultimate Power

Jesus Christ made it abundantly clear that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples would result in them being wrapped up with the power of God (Luke 24:49). Through His manifold operations over the ages, we can confirm that the Holy Ghost is synonymous with Ultimate Power in the spirit realm.

Even Jesus Christ ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14-15). God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost to enable Him do the mighty works recorded about Him (Acts 10:38). If Jesus had to, I much more need to rely heavily upon the Holy Spirit. It is only in Him and through Him that we can find answers in the world and for the world today.

Understanding the Concept of the Power

Power depicts “might”; authority depicts “right”. Deploying brute “might” without authority makes you a common criminal; claiming “right” without power also makes you a foregone loser. Hence, power is always required to back up any essential authority, just like the police force backs the constituted authority of a sovereign state.

The Holy Ghost’s superpower bestowed upon the Christians is very essential in this world, or else we won’t be able to enforce the Lordship of Christ on earth, nor will we be able to truly enjoy our sonship authority in Christ Jesus (Luke 10:19).

The Greek word, “dunamis” is commonly translated “power”. “Dunamis” is also the root word for “dynamite”, an explosive of great energy. Hence, Acts 1:8 connotes a sense that an explosive spiritual power or force comes upon the believer at the instance of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

However, the Holy Spirit’s empowerment is not only in terms of signs, wonders and explosive spiritual gifts. In fact, the word translated “power” also means “ability”, which applies in practical ways to everyday life (Acts 1:7-8, MSG).

The Holy Spirit supplies the ability, whatever it takes, to help Christians accomplish whatever they need to accomplish. See, that’s all we really need in life —whatever it takes!

Vital Purpose of the Holy Spirit Infilling

The main purpose of the Holy Spirit baptism is for effective witnessing, that is, influencing the world for Christ and manifesting as sons of God in our generation.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, and the grand consequence was the spread of the gospel, region by region, throughout the entire world (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4).

The religious oppositions admitted that Jerusalem was promptly reached (Acts 5:28) and soon thereafter, Judea was touched (Acts 8:1; 8:4). Next, the “Jesus’ message” entered Samaria (Acts 8:5-6) and, finally, the gospel percolated the then known world in very quick succession (Colossians 1:5-6).

Moreover, even Peter who had hitherto been very timid was able to preach the gospel boldly after he was baptized in the Holy Ghost. Of a truth, the Holy Spirit enables ordinary people to do extraordinary things, particularly helping us to witness for Christ in the Holy Ghost power and with full conviction (1 Thessalonians 1:5; Acts 4:29).

Unfortunately, however, many people equate being a witness merely with speech, or what we commonly term, “witnessing.” But effectiveness in reaching the spiritually lost requires witnessing beyond words.

This is the age of the Holy Spirit! Our witness is comprised of what we say, how we say it and who we are. The Spirit moves us in our witness with a sincere and compelling passion, and He enables our character to become what God has called us to be.

The Holy Spirit Then And Now!

Pursuing and performing in the power of the Holy Ghost is not an option but a command: “As ye go, preach …. Heal ….” (Matthew 10:7-8). It is imperative for us, Christians, to use our position well to glorify God, and to rescue the oppressed and the perishing (Mark 16:15-18; Ephesians 6:10-12).

As part of the regular works of the Holy Ghost on earth, He enables desirable changes in the lives of men (Jeremiah 13:23; 1 Samuel 10:6; John 1:12). He convicts men of sin (John 16:7-14). He also incubates power for inexplicable miracles (Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-5).

Again, the Holy Spirit imparts grace, strange power and boldness to make Christians valuable, vocal, vital and valid witnesses of the power of God (Zechariah 4:6; John 7:37-38; Romans 8:26). This He does in order to reveal the love of Jesus in the hearts of men.

Now, recall that the Holy Spirit is eternal; hence, there is nothing He has done before that He cannot do again and again, if only He finds Christians who would maintain a real close touch with Him.

Maintaining A Close Touch With The Holy Spirit

After our initial experience of Holy Spirit baptism, we need regular recharge for renewed vigour and boldness in the work of the Great Commission. The outstanding impacts that the disciples made in Acts 4:13-31 in spite of their generally unimpressive human credentials are very noteworthy.

What made the huge difference was that the men had spent time with Jesus, had been impacted by Him, and were now walking in the strength of His Spirit!

Where the Holy Spirit is present, He influences and controls every destiny connected with Him (Romans 8:14). The influence of the Spirit would lead any man to glorious destinations, but when neglected, rejected or despised, the man goes down to a hell of aborted destiny (1 John 2:20).

Beloved brethren, the Holy Spirit is still at work here on earth, enlightening, quickening, strengthening and guiding true disciples of Christ who are born of His Spirit. Only that He’s waiting for them to readily pay the price for renewed experiences of the Pentecostal infilling.

Friends, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might (Ephesians 6:10-12). Swing to a lifestyle of accord with the Holy Spirit. Be at one with Him, yield fully and He will suddenly enable you for enhanced performances upon the earth. You won’t miss it, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

** Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

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