WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine says Russia eases Bakhmut attacks, Kyiv talks up counteroffensive

Russian troops have temporarily eased attacks in and around the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to regroup and strengthen their capabilities, a senior Kyiv official said on Saturday.

Separately, senior Ukrainian officials indicated their forces were ready to launch a long-promised counteroffensive to recapture territory taken by Russia since the start of the war.

Russia's Wagner private army began handing over positions to regular troops this week after declaring full control of Bakhmut following the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.

Kyiv though has insisted that its forces still control a small part of the city.

In a statement on Telegram, Ukraine Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Russian troops were continuing to attack but that overall offensive activity had decreased.

"Yesterday and today there have not been any active battles - neither in the city nor on the flanks," she wrote, adding that Moscow's troops were instead shelling the outskirts and approaches to Bakhmut.

"(Russian) troops are being replaced and regrouped," Maliar said. "The enemy is trying to strengthen its own capabilities."

Kyiv is expected to launch a highly anticipated counteroffensive soon to retake Russian-occupied territory.

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, told the British Broadcasting Corporation that the push could begin "tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week".

Presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak, speaking to Britain's Guardian newspaper, said preliminary operations such as destroying supply lines or blowing up depots had already begun.

The governor of the southern Russian region of Belgorod said he had come under artillery fire on Saturday when trying to enter the town of Shebekino, which is only about 7 km (4.5 miles) north of the border with Ukraine.

"I couldn't even get out of the car. Shells were exploding in a neighbouring street," Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. This week Ukraine-based ethnic Russian fighters launched a cross-border raid into the region.

Ukraine's top general, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, posted a sleekly produced video on Saturday showing Ukrainian troops swearing an oath and preparing for battle.

"The time has come to return what is ours," he wrote.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

West’s involvement in Ukraine conflict grows day by day - Kremlin spokesman

Western countries are becoming more and more involved in the Ukraine conflict day by day, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the ‘Moscow. Kremlin. Putin’ TV program.

An excerpt of the program was posted by anchor Pavel Zarubin on his Telegram channel on Saturday.

"It’s hard to say where the breaking point is. In fact, the breaking point should bring nations of the collective West to senses, but regrettably, it is not happening. Obviously, the degree of direct and indirect involvement in this conflict by the countries of the collective West is surging day by day," he said when asked about limits of the escalation.

Peskov was asked this question in the context of new arms supplies to Kiev.

"This may protract the conflict, but will not turn the tide drastically. It cannot turn the tide at all," Peskov emphasized.

"Russia will press on with the [special military] operation, and Russia will ensure its interests one way or another and achieve the designated objectives," he added.

Reuters/Tass

Truce reduces fighting in Sudan, but little relief for humanitarian crisis

Khartoum was calmer on Saturday as a seven-day ceasefire appeared to reduce fighting between two rival military factions although it has not yet provided the promised humanitarian relief to millions trapped in the Sudanese capital.

A truce signed on Monday by the two fighting parties - Sudan's army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - aimed to secure safe passage for humanitarian aid and lead to wider talks sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia.

The conflict, which erupted on April 15, has killed at least 730 civilians and caused 1.3 million Sudanese to leave their homes, fleeting either abroad or to safer parts of the country.

On Saturday, witnesses said that Khartoum was calmer, although sporadic clashes were reported in the afternoon and evening in the city's southern districts and across the Nile in western Omdurman, a key entrypoint to the capital.

In a statement, the RSF accused the army of violating the ceasefire and destroying the country's mint in an air strike. The army had accused the RSF on Friday of targeting the mint.

It also late on Saturday said it would engage in talks aimed at extending the ceasefire, which is due to end on Monday night.

The army said meanwhile that its call on Friday for army reservists was a partial mobilisation and constitutional measure, adding that it expected large numbers to respond to the call.

Those who remain in Khartoum are struggling with failures of services such as electricity, water and phone networks. Looters have ransacked homes, mostly in well-off neighbourhoods. Food supplies are dwindling.

On Saturday, Sudanese police said they were expanding deployment and also called in able retired officers to help.

"Our neighbourhood has become a war zone. Services have collapsed and chaos has spread in Khartoum," said 52-year-old Ahmed Salih, a resident of the city.

"No one is bothered to help the Sudanese people, neither the government nor internationally. We are humans, where is the humanity?" he added.

The UN and aid agencies say that despite the truce they have struggled to get the bureaucratic approvals and security guarantees to transport aid and staff in safer parts of the country to Khartoum and other hot zones. Warehouses have been looted.

The UN World Food Programme on Saturday tweeted that it had begun providing food aid to people in Khartoum, but added that "safety, security, and access are critical so we can increase our support to 500,000 people".

RAPE REPORTS

Fighting also flared in the city of Al Fashir, capital of North Darfur state which had remained calm in recent weeks after a separate local truce there.

Heavy artillery could be heard near the central market and eastern districts, forcing many residents to seek refuge elsewhere in the city, said local human rights monitor Mohamed Suleiman. Several people were injured, he said, but Reuters could not confirm the number.

Outside of Khartoum, the worst hit city is El Geneina, on the border with Chad, which has seen an onslaught of militia attacks that have destroyed its infrastructure and killed hundreds.

The governmental Combating Violence Against Women and Children Unit said late on Friday it had received reports of 25 cases of rape of women and girls in Darfur and 24 reports of rape in Khartoum since the conflict erupted.

It said that victims had described 43 of the men as wearing RSF uniforms and either riding vehicles with RSF licenses or located in RSF-controlled areas.

"The unit expresses its grave concern over reports of gang rape, kidnapping ... and reports of women and girls facing sexual assault as they go out to seek food," it said.

The RSF has denied reports that its soldiers are engaged in sexual assaults or looting.

Reuters could not independently verify the unit's allegations.

Reuters

Forget their pretensions and volte-faces, when outgoing Nigerian public officials wake up tomorrow, May 29, they will wake up into emptiness. That void cannot be filled by the wealth they acquired in office. Nor can it be impeached by Muhammadu Buhari’s reported haste to flee Aso Villa tomorrow. At the launch of a book on his administration at the Presidential Villa on Friday, the outgoing president had said: “I assure you, I have been counting the days; I am looking forward to Monday very desperately. I will use the weekend to sign some of the papers so that from Eagles Square, I will fly to Kaduna and eventually go to Daura.” 

Buhari's wife, Aisha, was to later rubbish his de-masculinity of Aso Rock. In its stead, she replaced it with a desire for the continuation of the flow of the free money and power of government. At the launch of a book entitled The Journey of a Military Wife on Friday, she asked for First Ladies whose roles the constitution does not recognize to be given parity of office privileges with their spouses. Under Nigerian law, presidents and allied officials are given their salaries for life, their medical treatments and that of their family members paid for by the state, with yearly procurement of vehicles and other benefits, among many others. 

“They should consider us as former First Ladies. They should incorporate the First Ladies, give us some privileges that we deserve as First Ladies,” she demanded. Aisha also further gave the issue a feminist re-reading, against the grain of the African masculinist cultural background which has ensured centuries of uneven devolution of powers. The system should not give these privileges “just to the former presidents,” she advised. 

Of all life’s existential acquisitions – wealth, fame, women, money, power and the lot – the most transient, most fleeting and ephemeral of all is power. Power is the most un-enduring. Former presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, put it in its crudest, street lingo form when he said, eight years ago, that his phone stopped ringing immediately he stepped out of power. Power is the fair-weather friend that will not be there for you in your time of loneliness. It perhaps was what the holy writ had in mind when it ascribed to life the fleetingness of vapour.

While all their acquisitions in office in the last four or eight years may still be there – cars, houses, money and the lubricants of power, (forgive my sexism) – by now, power must be carrying away its last portmanteau from the apartment of the yesterday public office holder. Yoruba put this existential emptiness starkly when they refer to ex-power wielders as eni ana – yesterday’s men. It was from Late Governor Abiola Ajimobi – God rests his soul – that I first encountered the Yoruba proverbial capture of the evanescence nature of life. Yoruba capture it in their wise-saying when they say that no one rushes to make way for he who once rode a horse – a kii yago f’elesin ana.

One of the reasons for the emptiness that these public officials will begin to encounter from tomorrow stems from the monarchical nature of Nigeria’s presidential democracy. Officials of western democracies where our system of government was inherited would find it easier to confront this emptiness of power and office. This is because, with them, office carries less indiscriminate wielding of power. Here in Nigeria, we are driven by the Kabiyesi syndrome perception of power. The public official is the unquestionable titular, second-in-command only to the gods. This is why, for these Nigerian office holders, the transition tomorrow from power to the streets is capable of making one miserable. It can be likened to the deposition of a king, a man who was once the Kabiyesi – the unquestionable.

Tomorrow, the baton of power will change. History has been unusually kind to Buhari. Like Olusegun Obasanjo, he has had the opportunity of being the Nigerian Head of State twice, both as military and civilian leader. He could have been killed in 1983 the same way his fellow coup plotter, Ibrahim Bako, had life snuffed out of him in the process of staging the coup. In their bid to dispossess Shehu Shagari of presidential power, Bako had been detailed to Shagari’s presidential residence. Wearing a civilian attire, Bako had come to Shagari’s residence in company of an armed detachment. As fire raged between his troops and the Brigade of Guards soldiers commanded by Captain Augustine Anyogo, Bako got shot dead as he sat in the passenger side of a Unimob Utility truck. Buhari survived to rule Nigeria.

Again, through what many called the uncanny but misplaced generosity of Providence, Buhari administered Nigeria for yet another eight years. Though he had recently engaged in a last-minute attempt to re-write his own history, the general impression is that he was a failure. The BBC said Buhari, “the last of a generation of British-trained military men who went on to govern the country” would be “leaving Nigerians less secure, poorer and more in debt than when he came to office in 2015.”

That same last Friday, Buhari took the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, round the Presidential palace on familiarization tour. This is the place that will be Tinubu’s abode of power in the next four years, all things being equal. His wife, Remi also went her own round, cosseted by Aisha. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had earlier conducted Kashim Shettima round the VP wing of the State House.

Thereafter, Tinubu made many promises to Nigerians, praying to God for good health to be able to deliver. He also promised to fight corruption. However, I think that the greatest task we must put on Tinubu’s shoulders is the task of restoring Nigeria to a country where the guilty get their deserved comeuppance, no matter how highly placed, while the just get their deserved dividends. He must return Nigeria to that critical stanza of the Nigerian national anthem which says that Nigeria’s goal is “to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign.” Those two variables – peace and justice – are not mutually exclusive. They are co-joined like a Siamese. To seek peace where there is no justice is inequity. Both go simultaneously. Jamaican reggae icon, Peter Tosh, put it succinctly when he sang, in his Jamaican patois, that “everyone is crying now for peace, none is crying now for justice; I don’t want no peace, I need equal rights and justice.” Once Nigeria arrives at that critical juncture where there is equal rights and justice, all other social indices will begin to fall in place. Nigeria fell on the social ladder because injustice grows lusciously daily in the land like ferns in a plantation.

Before now, the system gave the right measurement to both the high and the lowly. Judicial scale of judgment did not discriminate between the high, mighty and the peasant, the lowly. I will cite four instances in history, two pre-colonial and two post-colonial, which indicated that Nigeria was once a country where justice reigned.

Two depositions of highly rated Yoruba Obas during the pre-colonial era come first. They are followed by the execution of a Yoruba Oba and the fourth, a top-rate elite in the Nigerian society who was hanged for murder. Obas constituted the highest echelon of the Yoruba society of the time. These depositions, rarely talked about in history, were that of Ijebu Obas, Akarigbo Oyebajo (1891-1915) and Awujale Adenuga (1925-1929). Oyebajo had become Oba in his mid-20s in 1891. Akarigbo Oyebajo apparently basked in his belief in the permanence of his position as an Oba and the power of his cordial relationship with Governor Gilbert Thomas Carter and his successor, McCallum, Henry Edward. 

This apparently led to the Akarigbo being appointed in February 1902 as a member of the Central Native Council. Oyebajo was thus prompted to become high-handed, especially in his relationship with his chiefs. The result was a widespread dissention from them. He began to monopolize the accruing stipends that came to him from the colonial government and refused to share them with these chiefs who custom required him to so do. The chiefs, in 1911, then got him tried in court for extortion and larceny. His situation was worsened by the fact that the District Commissioner, H. F. Duncombe, could not stand him and in spite of Horatio Jackson, editor and publisher of the tabloid Lagos Weekly Record’s plea on his behalf to the colonial office, the Akarigbo was subsequently deported to Calabar and died on July 11, 1932.

Adenuga, 33 years old when he was appointed Awujale, from the word go,showed immense immaturity in superintending over the enormous judicial, executive and legislative powers he wielded as Oba. He began to abuse them from day one of his kingship. A few months into his being in office, the colonial government reprimanded him for extorting forestry fees from his subjects and in 1928, he got two other reprimands for grafts, one of which was collecting bribe in February of the year to favour ascension to the Onipe of Ibu stool. In March of same 1928, he was implicated for attempting to cover up a case of homicide. In the October of the same year, he was alleged to have attempted to rid the town of Joseph Igu, also widely known as Frugality, an anti-corruption crusader who was a pain in the neck of maladministration. 

Inundated with complaints of the Akarigbo’s excesses, the colonial government instituted a judicial commission of enquiry with a charge to assess the Ijebu Native Administration, vis a vis the Akarigbo’s style of governance. In the report submitted on January 18, 1929, Adenuga was found guilty of corruption and deposed to Ilorin. In 1934, he was tried alongside a Yesufu Idimota and ten others, for attempted assassination of his successor Akarigbo. Adenuga was then imprisoned in Abeokuta and went through the indignity of being manacled in public and publicly carrying latrine buckets from his cell corridor to the main latrine. He was however acquitted by the West African Court of Appeal on May 27, 1935 and at the age of 58, he died miserably.

The third case had to do with the first Yoruba Oba to face public execution. It occurred in the current Ekiti State in 1949. This was the 43rd Alaaye of Efon-Alaaye, Oba Samuel Adeniran, the Asusumasa Atewogboye II. He, his herbalist, a servant and another named Gabriel Olabirinjo, after the end of their trial for murder, were all hanged by the colonial state, having been found to have murdered a 15-month-old baby girl by the name Adediwura. On January 10, 1949, the baby, who was hitherto seen playing in her father’s compound, suddenly disappeared. Oba Adediran was promptly informed and he publicly pretended to have joined in the baby’s search. The prosecution later found out that after young Adediwura’s kidnap by Oba Adeniran’s herbalist, she was brought to the Alaaye’s palace where she was butchered, right in the Oba’s presence. He then swore all the dramatis personae in this killing to an oath of secrecy. That same police from whose body wriggles out maggots today, in 1949, swung into action upon the matter being incidented. Three suspects, Enoch Falayi – the herbalist, Gabriel Olabirinjo and Daniel Ojo, were promptly arrested. One of them eventually spilled the beans, incriminating Oba Adeniran.

The trial judge, NS Pollard then delivered his judgment: “With acceptance of that statement as evidence of tacit admission of the facts therein, there is not only ample corroboration of the evidence…it goes further and is evidence of admission of facts from which no other conclusion is possible than that the appellant counseled and procured the murder of this child and was rightly found guilty thereof.” With this final pronouncement, Oba Adeniran, Asusumasa, the palace herbalist, one of Kabiyesi’s servants and a Gabriel Olabirinjo, were eventually hanged by the neck “until you be dead.”

The last case is the notorious and infamous case of Ibadan-born land baron, Jimoh Ishola, a.k.a. Ejigbadero. Ejigbadero was a mascot in the Papa Ajao, Mushin, Agege and Alimosho areas of Lagos during his notorious reign. Ejigbadero was also the Chief Executive of Jimsol Nigeria Limited, a company that specialized in nail manufacturing on Matori Road, Mushin in the 70s. More importantly, he was a land baron of note who was dreaded for his shrewd disposition towards lands. He had sold land to a man simply known as Raji Oba in Alimosho and wanted to retrieve it from him.

Thus, on August 22, 1975, which incidentally was his child-naming day, Ejigbadero, an illiterate, perfected the plan to dispossess Oba of the land. He had a bandstand readied at the front of his house and a huge crowd, which had come to celebrate with him. He came out resplendently dressed and sprayed a huge wad of naira notes on the face of the musician, enough to arrest the crowd. Amid hails, Ejigbadero retreated into his house, changed into a French Safari suit, a gun tucked in his pocket and hopped inside his Peugeot 504 saloon car. Through the back entrance, he and six of his thugs sped to Alimosho where he confronted Oba and shot him point blank in the head.

Ejigbadero came back home, changed into his resplendent dress and sprayed noticeable cash again. Unfortunately for him however, the deceased’s wife, Sabitiu recognised him from where she was hiding. He was subsequently arrested by the police and slammed with a two-count charge of murder. Ejigbadero’s alibi was that he never left the party which dragged on from 6.30 pm till the wee hours of the morning of August 23, 1975. From the High Court judgment of guilt and hanging by the neck which was pronounced on him by Justice Ishola Oluwa, his appeal, presided over by Justices Mamman Nasir, Adetunji Ogunkeye and Ijeoma Aseme, down to the Supreme Court where Darnley Alexander, Atanda Fatayi-Williams, Ayo Irikefe, Mohammed Bello and Chukwunweike Idigbe held fort, on October 22, 1978, Ejigbadero was found guilty and sentenced to death. One funny drama at the Supreme Court was that, as Idigbe pronounced the lead judgment, being illiterate, Ejigbadero kept asking his lawyer, in conk Ibadan dialect, “Sowemimo, emi ni won so?” (Sowemimo, what did the judge say?)

Ejigbadero was connected in the social and political circuit of Nigeria at the time, even being friends with high military epaulettes at the time, including the high and mighty in decision-making cadre of Nigeria. Musicians struggled to sing his praises. One of them sang that as inscrutable as it was to find out the source of water inside the pod of coconut, so was it unfathomable to locate Ejigbadero’s wealth. Yet, the system gave him his right comeuppance. In fact, the Obasanjo government quickly ensured that he was executed before the October 1, 1979 handover to civilians, nursing the fear that with Ejigbadero’s links, he might secure undeserved pardon.

Gradually, justice began to die in Nigeria. Today, the Nigerian landscape is littered with the blood of the righteous and the gloat of the powerful. With it came the death of shame and the ascendancy of shamelessness. Not long ago, the children of Ejigbadero remembered their executed father in a lavish ceremony that spoke to this level of societal shamelessness. Soon, the children of one of the most notorious and infamous armed robbers in Nigeria, Ishola Oyenusi will troupe out to celebrate his own passing too. It is a reflection of the societal loss of shame. Oyenusi, popularly known as Dr. Ishola, hailed from Araromi in Okitipupa area of Ondo State. Renowned for carjacking, bank holdups and heists, Oyenusi, on September 8, 1971, with six other members of his gang, were executed.

Going by logic and antecedents, it will be difficult for Tinubu to properly situate the scale of justice in Nigeria. His IOUs will predictably tilt towards those same principalities and powers for whom injustice is a core condiment in their broth. I pray however that he pleasantly shocks cynics like me. If he does, hope will begin to build in the Nigerian people, as Maya Angelou wrote in her poem, Still I Rise, “With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high.”

The Lion of Ojiagu at 63

My ex-boss, former governor of Enugu State and Senator representing Enugu East, Chimaroke Ogbonnia Nnamani. will be 63 years old on Tuesday. At different fora in the last 16 years since I left Enugu State, many people have demanded that I availed them the chemistry that ensured that I succeeded in working in the Coal City State. My submission is always that, Nnamani protected me from the sharks of government who you would find in every polity across the three regions of Nigeria.

Nnamani gave me my first public service teeth. Before Enugu, I was a mere theoretician who didn’t know that life existed outside of the confines of theoretical postulations. He was detribalized and ethnic-blind, to the core. I left my Imalefalafia, Oke-Ado, Ibadan office in 2003, pregnant with stereotypes about the Igbo man. One by one, those stereotypes collapsed, like the walls of Jericho. If I had been to the southeast before then, it was scant. My sojourn however afforded me a peep into the purity of the mind of an Igbo man and knowledge of virtually everywhere in Enugu State. With Nnamani, where I hailed from did not matter; it was my contributions that defined me.

At meetings when my colleagues naturally veered into discussing issues in their mother tongue, Nnamani cautioned them: “Do you want Adedayo to think we want to sell him?” he queried and in his characteristic jocular manner, he turned to me to ask when I would be marrying an Igbo lady so that I could break the language barrier logjam!

The height of it all was sometime in 2005 when he asked Osita Ugwuoti of blessed memory to hand over to me as head of the governor’s media and Special Adviser on Media. With Nnamani, your output, not your ethnicity, mattered. When we left office in 2007, he insisted I must also go to the Senate with him, where he entrusted his finances in my care, without knowing, as the Yoruba say, the bird that laid my egg. When the world expressed shock that he queued behind Bola Tinubu in his quest for the presidency, rather than his kinsman, I saw a recreation of my Enugu experience in that equation. Yoruba constituted the core of his personal relationships as governor.

Nnamani is not your run-of-the-mill man. He requires hyper activity from anyone who works with him. He is composed of a tireless, boundless energy, the type that is rare among leaders.

Here is wishing he Lion of Ojiagu, Agbani, a very happy 63rd birthday.

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ ~ 1 Corinthians 3:11.

Introduction:

There are many couples out there these days who seem to be in perpetual emotional pain because of certain agonizing marital issues. These harrowing experiences are most noticeable in marriages that are contracted on faulty foundations, especially in homes plagued with gross ignorance as to how to tackle the inevitable mess of such foundational errors.

Happy, healthy, successful, harmonious and lifelong marriages don’t just happen, neither can they be willed into existence by wishful thinking. They’re usually worked out: built on the solid foundation of God’s Word and continuously spiced with the ingredients of bible virtues (Philippians 2:12-13).

Now, the foundation of every structure is of paramount importance, and very crucial to its future. It’s the foundation that determines how long the building can keep standing. Structural stability and durability are dependent on the depth and strength of the foundation.

Oftentimes, wall cracks, broken tiles and uneven floors are indicative of foundational failures. Again, if doors become jammed or windows don’t close properly, the problems are sometimes traceable to the foundation. Normally, fixing foundational issues requires professional expertise to maintain the structural integrity of the building.

No matter how beautiful, fanciful, attractive, splendid, magnificent or grandiose a building is, if its foundation is not as solid and deep as it should be, or if it is deficient in any way, the building is doomed to collapse eventually. A building is only as strong as its foundation.

One important factor that’s often considered in designing a foundation — shallow or deep, solid or otherwise — is its load-bearing capacity. When a foundation is loaded beyond its bearing capacity, the structure built on it is bound to collapse ultimately.

Meanwhile, these principles that go for physical buildings also go for homes and marriages. The foundation of a marital relationship determines its strength, health, durability and success. Yes, a marriage is as strong as the basis on which it is founded.

Truth is, virtually every marriage is bound to experience storms, wind and rain occasionally, no matter who the couple is or the level of the anointing they carry. The storms could be financial, child-bearing, health-related, etcetera. But, at such times, it’s your belief system that will determine how you’ll weather the storms.

Marriages built on the strong foundation of God’s Word will not only survive but also thrive amid the terrifying storms of life. Contrariwise, marriages built on faulty foundations risk ultimate collapse (Matthew 7:24-27).

It’s quintessential for Christians, therefore, to settle for nothing less than godly Christian partners with whom they can effectively weather the storms when they come, and rescue their homes when the winds become contrary.

No matter what you put into your marriage, if the foundation is faulty, it may collapse anytime if nothing is done to rescue it. It’s very important, therefore, to carefully investigate the foundation upon which your marriage is built, and effect repairs where necessary to rectify the situation and reset your family life.

The Causes of Faulty Foundations In Marital Unions

We generally describe a thing as being faulty when it has unattractive or undesirable features. A faulty marital foundation, therefore, refers to the presence of flaws or anomalies at the lowest bearing of the marriage relationship, which may eventually give rise to major catastrophes in the union.

Foundational problems are usually deep-rooted, and can manifest in marriages for various reasons, namely, satanic manipulations, socio-cultural dissonance, marital illiteracy and evil seeds from third parties.

Marital fault-lines are clearly evident where relationships are based on lies, ill-motivated acts of charity, societal/parental pressure, premarital sexual intercourse, materialistic tendencies, chronic class consciousness, selfishness, competition, selfish ambitions, immaturity, inadequate preparations for marriage, traditions and cultural impositions, etcetera.

Moreover, there is a spiritual foundation for every marital failure. The only viable basis for a happy marriage is God’s Word (Psalms 127:1-2). Our Creator God is also the founder of the marriage institution; thus, He’s the only Inerrant Matchmaker. Once this foundation is sick, the marital union will then be exposed to demonic pollutions that may ignite troubles anytime, degrade marital harmony or even totally destroy the union.

Furthermore, a marriage without proper premarital courtship is built on a faulty foundation. Many unmarried people take many important things for granted during courtship. Such attitudes invariably lead to pains, with stubborn issues they may find hard to correct during marriage.

Marriage isn’t a joke, and human beings are complex in nature (Jeremiah 17:9). Hence, it’s too simplistic to assume you know any man or woman just by his or her face value at first sight. A lot of problems in marriage could be avoided if couples took time to truly know and understand each other before going into it.

Partners should trash out gray areas, such as family background, old habits, addictions, shared visions, joint responsibilities, financial philosophies, health status, faith status, and prospective family size before going into proper marriage. Preferences for management of disagreements and crises should equally be ironed out during courtship.

Courtship generally involves careful observations of each other’s attitudes, likes, dislikes, facial reactions to situations, temperaments, etcetera. If you lack these information about someone with whom you intend to live for the rest of your life, and you assume that the union will be harmonious, you may be a stunning joker.

Again, a marriage relationship founded on beauty alone is unfortunately built on a faulty foundation, and may not last. Beauty doesn’t last! When beauty forms the only basis for a marriage, it is simply built on vanity and as with all vanity fare, such a marriage is always short-lived (Proverbs 31:30).

From my counseling experiences, I discovered particularly that people who unduly consider themselves as being alluringly beautiful, and set much store by it, can be self-absorbed, callous, conceited, very arrogant, patronizing and overtly entitled. Such wrong attitudes could constitute major threats to proper marital relationships. Remember Vashti (Esther 1:9-22)!

Now, the important questions are: how can these foundation-related challenges be tackled, and how can couples re-ignite the flame of love and keep it burning in their homes?

Biblical Tips for Repairing Faulty Marriage Foundations

The Bible says, "If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). However, this isn’t auto-suggesting that the righteous is any way hopeless in the face of a faulty marital foundation. No, not at all! The righteous can choose to rectify his marital fault-lines by trusting in the Lord God, and by following His guidelines (Jeremiah 32:17).

The following drastic measures must be taken to repair the fault-lines and rescue the otherwise doomed marriage: identification of family foundation, confession of sin and genuine repentance, aggressive prayers and intercession, breaking of evil covenant and curses, and restitution where applicable. The Axe of God must be readily engaged to uproot every unprofitable implants that cause painful cracks in the home.

Furthermore, the couple must resolve to keep God first in the marital relationship, being Christ-centered in everything and striving to maintain a good biblical family relationship always (Ephesians 5:21-25).

The couple must also become readily open to sound biblical counsels at all times, demonstrating kingdom-mindedness in their togetherness, laughing together and making time to converse and to communicate as one body in Christ.

Friends and brethren, these useful steps require committed efforts on your part, but the blessings and the rewards of such efforts are priceless and immeasurable. You must determine today to remain faithful to your marital vows. May God’s grace sustain you and your home until the end, in Jesus’ Name, Amen. You won’t miss it. Happy Sunday!

** Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

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I wrote in my new book, Kingdom Dynamics: The Day of My Death, that Jesus saved my life and then took my life. He saved me because He wanted to kill me. As a result, my Saviour became my adversary and killer. That is kingdom dynamics.

Similarly, Jesus frees slaves from bondage and then enslaves them Himself. Indeed, the greatest slave trader of all is Jesus Christ. If Jesus enslaves you and you try to escape, you are going to get into trouble.

Enslaved Jews

When the king who did not know Joseph became Pharaoh in Egypt, the Jews became the slaves of the Egyptians. Later, God sent Moses to rescue them, and he did this by a strong hand.

When Jesus, the Messiah came, He also declared that He came to proclaim liberty to captives and to set those who are oppressed free. (Luke 4:18). As a result, many reached the conclusion that God is against slavery. Liberation theology maintains that slavery must be resisted by the righteous.

The general conclusion is that slavery is evil. The British, who were the chief slave traders, maintained that they would never be slaves. They sang an anthem saying: “Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves. Britons never, never, never will be slaves.”

Righteous men, like William Wilberforce in England and Frederick Douglas in the USA, fought to get slavery abolished. The American civil war was fought over slavery. Today, slavery is proscribed in modern society.

God and Slavery

But God’s attitude to slavery is ambivalent. Slavery was legitimised under the Law of Moses. Under the law, you could own a slave, but after six years you must let him go free. When he is set free, he must not go empty-handed. A six-year slave can then elect to be a permanent slave.

Women could also be sold into slavery under the law. But female slaves were given special protection. They could not be sold into prostitution. Owners of female slaves had to marry them or give them as wives to their sons. Therefore, fathers could sell their daughters into slavery as a means of securing their future.

Although God liberated Israel from slavery in Egypt, He later sent them back into slavery in Babylon when they offended Him. Thereafter, they looked forward to a Messiah who would liberate them once again.

Disinterested Jesus

But when Jesus came, He was completely disinterested in liberating the Jews from Roman oppression. Many hoped His powerful anointing could be used politically, even militarily. They wanted to make Him a king to lead a liberation movement. But Jesus did not accede to their wishes. (John 6:15).

When He rose from the dead, His disciples became convinced that it was time for Israel’s liberation. And so, they asked Him: “Lord, are You going to free Israel [from Rome] now and restore us as an independent nation?” (Acts 1:6). But Jesus simply fobbed them off.

Slavery in Christianity

Paul enjoins slaves to obey their masters: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is a slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5-8).

Peter also expressed a similar viewpoint: “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.” (1 Peter 2:18-19).

When the slave, Onesimus, escaped from Philemon, his owner, Paul sent him back, showing that Christianity does not put any premium on the freeing of slaves. Instead, Paul says:

“Usually, a person should keep on with the work he was doing when God called him. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you – but of course, if you get a chance to be free, take it. If the Lord calls you, and you are a slave, remember that Christ has set you free from the awful power of sin; and if He has called you and you are free, remember that you are now a slave of Christ. You have been bought and paid for by Christ, so you belong to Him – be free now from all these earthly prides and fears. So, dear brothers, whatever situation a person is in, when he becomes a Christian, let him stay there, for now the Lord is there to help him.” (1 Corinthians 7:20-24).

Jesus’ Slavery

Jesus calls believers to slavery. He says: “Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave –  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:27-28).

Many Christians fail to recognise is that Jesus Himself is a slave trader. The gospel says Jesus purchased slaves from slave-owners and then established His own slavery. As a result, Paul tells believers: “You are not your own. For you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

The Lord says in Isaiah: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” (Isaiah 52:3). As foretold, Jesus bought us back “with His own blood.” (Act 20”:28).  

Believers are now the slaves of Jesus. The only difference in God’s slavery from other forms of slavery is that, in the case of Jesus, the slave must agree to be a slave.

Jesus says: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

The disciple of Jesus is required to take the yoke of Jesus and put it on himself by himself. In that way, he agrees to be Jesus’ slave and to do all His bidding.

However, if He refuses to be Jesus’ slave, there will be trouble. Those who rebel against Jesus’ enslavement are in for difficult times. The psalmist warns:

“What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! For a summit conference of the nations has been called to plot against the Lord and His Messiah, Christ the King. ‘Come, let us break His chains,’ they say, ‘and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.’ But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans. And then in fierce fury He rebukes them and fills them with fear.” (Psalm 2:1-5).

So, Jesus chains people down and makes us His slaves. If we rebel, we get into trouble. Jesus says: “Those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them — bring them here and kill them in front of me.” (Luke 19:27). CONTINUED.

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In today’s rapidly advancing world, technology plays a crucial role in shaping our lives and society. As emerging technologies continue to evolve, their impact on various aspects of our lives becomes increasingly significant. From transforming industries to revolutionizing communication, emerging tech has the potential to bring about both positive and negative changes. In this report, we will explore some of the most important technologies of our time and delve into their impacts on society, the economy, and individuals.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has emerged as a game-changer in various fields, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and even NHL expert picks. It involves the development of intelligent machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI technologies, such as machine learning and natural language processing, have revolutionized industries by automating processes, enhancing decision-making, and improving efficiency. However, as AI continues to advance, there are concerns about job displacement and ethical implications that need to be carefully addressed.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the network of interconnected physical devices embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity. This technology enables devices to exchange data and communicate with each other. The impact of IoT can be seen in smart homes, smart cities, and industrial automation. IoT has the potential to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance quality of life. However, it also raises concerns about data security and privacy.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has gained significant attention due to its association with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. However, its potential extends beyond digital currencies. Blockchain is a decentralized and transparent ledger system that can verify and record transactions securely. It has the potential to revolutionize industries such as finance, supply chain management, and healthcare. Blockchain technology offers increased security, transparency, and efficiency. However, challenges related to scalability and regulatory frameworks remain to be addressed.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies have transformed the way we experience the world. VR immerses users in a simulated environment, while AR overlays digital information onto the real world. These technologies have applications in gaming, entertainment, education, and training. They offer immersive and interactive experiences, enabling users to explore new realities. VR and AR also have potential in industries such as architecture, healthcare, and tourism.

Automation and Robotics

Automation and robotics have revolutionized industries by streamlining processes and increasing productivity. With advancements in robotics, tasks that were once performed by humans can now be automated. This technology has impacted manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare sectors, among others. While automation improves efficiency and reduces human error, it also raises concerns about job displacement and the need for upskilling.

Big Data and Analytics

The proliferation of digital technologies has led to the generation of massive amounts of data. Big data refers to large datasets that cannot be easily managed or analyzed using traditional methods. Analytics techniques and technologies enable organizations to derive valuable insights from big data. Big data analytics has applications in various fields, including marketing, healthcare, and finance. It helps in decision-making, identifying patterns, and predicting trends.

Cybersecurity

As technology advances, the importance of cybersecurity becomes paramount. Cybersecurity involves protecting computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, theft, and damage. With the increasing reliance on digital technologies, the risk of cyber threats also grows. Cybersecurity technologies and practices aim to safeguard sensitive information, prevent data breaches, and ensure the integrity of systems.

Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering

Biotechnology and genetic engineering have transformed various fields, including healthcare, agriculture, and environmental conservation. These technologies involve the manipulation of biological systems to develop new products, treatments, and processes. Biotechnology has led to advancements such as gene therapies, genetically modified crops, and renewable biofuels. However, ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure the responsible use of these technologies.

Renewable Energy Technologies

The urgent need to address climate change has led to increased focus on renewable energy technologies. Solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power are among the sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. They offer cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy, reducing dependence on non-renewable resources. The widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies is crucial for mitigating the impacts of climate change and transitioning to a greener future.

Impact on Industries

Emerging technologies have a significant impact on industries across the board. They disrupt traditional business models, create new opportunities, and enhance productivity. Industries such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and transportation have experienced substantial transformations due to technological advancements. Embracing these technologies is crucial for organizations to stay competitive and thrive in the digital age.

Impact on the Economy

The integration of emerging technologies into the economy has far-reaching implications. It drives innovation, enhances productivity, and fosters economic growth. AI, automation, and big data analytics, among others have the potential to create new industries and job opportunities. However, there are concerns about job displacement and the need for upskilling to ensure a smooth transition in the workforce.

Impact on Jobs and Employment

The rapid advancement of technology has led to changes in the job market. While technology has created new jobs and industries, it has also automated routine tasks, leading to job displacement. The adoption of AI, automation, and robotics can reshape the employment landscape. It is essential for individuals and organizations to adapt to these changes by acquiring new skills and embracing lifelong learning.

Impact on Communication and Social Interaction

Technology has transformed the way we communicate and interact with others. Social media platforms, messaging apps, and video conferencing tools have made communication more accessible and instantaneous. However, concerns about privacy, digital divide, and the erosion of face-to-face interactions have also emerged. Finding a balance between the benefits and challenges of technology in communication is crucial for maintaining social connections and well-being.

Ethical Considerations and Challenges

As emerging technologies continue to advance, ethical considerations become increasingly important. Technologies like AI, biotechnology, and big data analytics raise questions about privacy, data security, and the responsible use of technology. Ensuring ethical practices, transparency, and accountability are essential to harness the full potential of emerging technologies while mitigating potential risks.

Conclusion

Emerging technologies have a profound impact on society, the economy, and individuals. From AI and IoT to blockchain and renewable energy, they offer immense potential for progress and innovation. However, it is crucial to navigate the challenges, address ethical concerns, and ensure that the benefits of technology are accessible to all. By embracing emerging technologies responsibly and fostering collaboration, we can shape a future where technology serves the common good and contributes to a better world for everyone.

ReadWrite

Brazil cruised to a 2-0 victory over Nigeria’s Flying Eagles at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup on Saturday, thanks to two quick-fire first-half goals.

Brazil thus took over the first position in Group D, while Nigeria dropped to third.

Coach Ladan Bosso’s boys went into the final group game high on confidence after back-to-back wins over the Dominican Republic and Italy. With six points already in the kitty, the Flying Eagles needed just one point to finish as Group D winners.

It appeared the Flying Eagles understood the assignment as they held their South American opponents for the first 40 minutes.

The Brazilians overcame their poor start in the competition and consolidated their resurgence with the 2-0 win over Nigeria.

The game

The first half at the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata began with both teams exhibiting a strong desire to take the lead.

Despite their best efforts, neither side could break the deadlock in the opening 15 minutes. Nigeria came close to opening their goal account through Emmanuel Umeh, but his shot struck the crossbar.

Brazil, however, capitalised on their chances. In the 44th minute, Jean rose to Simon’s corner kick and executed a well-placed header, which the Nigerian goalkeeper palmed into the back of his net. His starting position for the corner kick was faulty.

The Brazilian fans erupted with joy as their team took the lead. The South American dominance continued just before the halftime whistle.

The Flying Eagles turned over the ball on the edge of the Brazilian, from which they countered, and Savio orchestrated a brilliant run, piercing through Nigeria’s defence before he delivered a precise pass to Marquinhos, who calmly slotted the ball past Kingsley Aniagboso.

With a two-goal advantage, Brazil headed into halftime with confidence, firmly in control of the game.

Nigeria sought to rally and mount a comeback in the second half, but Brazil’s resolute defence proved a formidable obstacle.

The Flying Eagles struggled to create scoring chances, and the best they got was hitting the crossbar for the second time through Haliru Sarki.

Final placements

With Brazil maintaining their two-goal lead until the final whistle, they affirmed their position atop Group D in the 2023 U-20 FIFA World Cup.

In the other Group D game, Italy defeated the Dominican Republic 3-0, moving the Italians into second place ahead of Nigeria.

The Flying Eagles are in the pot as one of the best losers in the Round of 16 and could face hosts Argentina or the USA in the knockout phase.

PT

The federal government unveiled Nigeria Air, the national carrier, on Friday in the country’s capital city.

The unveiling ceremony was held at the airline’s operation centre situated in the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, said partnership with the Ethiopian Airlines (ET) consortium, the preferred bidder for Nigeria Air, will connect the market of both countries.

Sirika said a demonstration flight would commence soon as part of the procedure to commence operations fully.

“This is one infrastructure that has been missing in general aviation in dynamics of the country; the airline that is equal to the size of dynamics of the market in Nigeria for its geography and fortune. Indeed, we do need the kind of infrastructure that we are having today in the name of Nigeria Air limited,” he said.

“This Nigeria Air Limited is obviously an entity known to Nigerian laws and the partnership between entrepreneurs in Nigeria and entrepreneurs in the Ethiopia Airline consortium.

“The consortium is a company belonging to many partners and it is a very long journey that we started in 2016 and ended up today.

“There were challenges but we did not allow them to make us lose focus and today we are here. We pray that it will be good for our country, its people, its future, and humanity.”

Speaking on when the flight operations will commence, Sirika said in the process of establishing an airline, “there are conditions set by the regulator which is the NCAA”.

“So, this airplane will be here and we will commence the demonstration flight to show that we can do it. It is normally around 0-40 hours but it can be less. It can be five or even two hours and this is to ensure that we are able and have the capacity to do it,” he said.

“So, I know the NCAA will give clean bills to start to fly. So, this is part of the process and it is the beginning of the establishment of the airline.”

The minister added that more aircraft are expected to arrive until the airline reaches the 35-aircraft mark in the next five years.

“It is envisaged that it will hit the 35 aircraft mark but you do not come in one day to dump the airplanes and you don’t come in one day and start going to London. It is a gradual process and the aircraft will be coming one after another until the five years that we reach the 35 aircraft mark,” he said.

“This is a private sector-led airline with only five percent and there is no stopping right by the government. So, Nigerians are welcome and I am sure the five percent will go to the public for sale at some point.

He added that the airline will begin with local flights, saying “it is a Boeing 737 capacity aircraft”. 

NIGERIA AIR — THE GENESIS

In 2018, under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Sirika unveiled the name and logo of the new national carrier.

The minister had said the airline would have flights on 81 domestic, regional, and international routes.

Sirika, in November 2021, said Nigeria Air would commence operations with three wet-leased aircraft. 

A wet-lease is an arrangement covering the hire of an aircraft, including the provision of a flight crew and sometimes fuel.

Although the commencement of the airline’s operation had missed the deadline several times, Sirika recently reiterated that the national carrier would fly before May 29.

Meanwhile, domestic aviation firms, under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), had opposed the floating of the airline, saying a federal high court in Lagos had restrained the government’s actions. 

The Cable

Nigeria’s currency weakened in the parallel market to the lowest level in a year on expectations of a possible change in exchange-rate management after Bola Tinubu takes office as president on Monday. 

The naira dropped to 775 per dollar on Friday from 762 the previous day in the unauthorized market in Lagos, said Umar Salisu, an exchange-bureau operator who tracks the data in the nation’s commercial capital. The unit has weakened steadily in the parallel market since last week after stabilizing for most of this year.

Expectations that the incoming president will push for harmonization of foreign-exchange rates is encouraging currency substitution and a preference for dollars, Aminu Gwadabe, president of the Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria, said by phone.

Under outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari, whose second four-year term ends on May 29, Africa’s biggest economy has largely operated a multiple-rate regime with a tightly controlled official rate that has little liquidity; and an uncontrolled, unauthorized parallel market, where most residents source their dollar needs. 

Tinubu pledged during his campaign to allow more flexibility in the exchange-rate regime, raising expectations he’ll ease government controls and allow the naira to fall. Absa Group Ltd. projected this month the new leader will likely allow a devaluation of about 15% after he’s sworn in, to alleviate trade imbalances and dollar shortages hampering the economy.

The naira’s official spot rate has also come under pressure this month, weakening to a record 465.07 to the dollar on May 18. It was trading at 464.60 per dollar at 4:15 p.m. local time on Friday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Bloomberg