Tinubu’s anti-graft posture on present, past government officials, commendable --Umenzekwe

Hon (Chief) Modestus Umenzekwe, a Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in this interview takes a deep look at the anti-graft stand of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration and passes a verdict of commendation on the government. He also speaks on other national issues. Excerpt:

First of all, people say the reason why Nigeria is where it is today, in terms of development, economy, is because of corruption in the Nigerian system, we want to find out, what do you think is the cause of so much corruption in the Nigerian system?

Well, that question is a bit difficult to answer. This is because some of what we call corruption, in the end may not necessarily be considered as corruption by the time such are subjected to the crucible of the law. Many a time people are accused of corruption without verifiable or empirical evidence and that is why most of the time when those saddled with prosecution of alleged corrupt officials take the suspects to the court, the court after due consideration dismisses such cases. Recall also that many a time people write petitions based on contracts that are awarded but they do not know the content of such contracts and what it entails, they just write petitions to the law enforcement agencies with insufficient knowledge, and such cannot stand the test of the scrutiny of the law.

Again we look at corruption only when we are talking about those in government, no. In as much as I would not say there is no corruption in the system, such interpretation should also extend to what people do at both community level, government level, and even places of worship, Nigerians must be accountable, we must be transparent in whatever we do, that is the only way, Nigeria can be free from corruption. This is because it is from this micro spaces that people are thrown up to become state or national leaders at one point or the other, and if you have been corrupt at that micro level, there is no way you would become a saint at the macro level overnight.

But what do you think is responsible for such high rate of the anti-graft agency losing some of their cases at the law court?

Some of these cases are jettisoned at the court due to the insufficient evidence, the inability of the ant-graft agencies to investigate these cases properly before prosecuting the suspects and when they get to the court, the court discard them for lack of merit and all that. More so some of these cases arise from vindictive petitions and the court as the last hope of the common man would definitely vindicate the person that is accused of corruption. But then, we must commend the Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), without these two agencies, corruption would have swallowed up this country.

So far can you say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing enough on issue of corruption?

President Tinubu’s anti-corruption posture is evidently clear and unambiguous for all to see. There is no one in this country that would not be happy with what the President is doing to sanitise the polity from corruption, first thing is his intention to make corruption a thing of the past. Other past governments, what they usually do was to shield members of that government or party, it is another government of another party that used to even try to look at the activities of their predecessors. Some time they don’t prosecute their members so as not to incur bad name for the party. But, you see, as soon as President Tinubu came to power, a very commendable novel practice was introduced, the trajectory, the dynamics of anti-graft war changed. If you are a corrupt official and you find your way into the government of Tinubu, be sure your days are numbered. It is not boasting, Tinubu warned his ministers at inception that there is zero tolerance for corruption in his government, and he also told them that he would assess them every six months, please crosscheck, that means if he finds you culpable, if you are corrupt or there is dereliction of duty on your part, you would be sacked and he would not end there, you would face the law.

You are a living witness, how he suspended Beta Edu, they are still investigating her, because Tinubu, as a democrat would allow you access to defend yourself. You would not be maltreated but you would face the law. Of course the suspension and investigation of Beta Edu, is indicative that there are no scared cows in the anti-corruption war of Tinubu-led government. Another case that is fresh in our minds is that of Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, who I learnt, is being accused of embezzling N80billion of Kogi funds is being requested to make himself available for questioning. Former Aviation Minister, Honourable Hadi Abubakar Sirika, is facing N8billion charges over Air Nigeria scandal. If you put your hand in the public till in Nigeria now, you would face the music, don’t pay any solidarity visit to the president, it will not work.

You see, when the President was campaigning, he was unequivocal in stating that he is ready to work. Ironically the naysayers continued to doubt him, some said he was sick, but today the whole thing is history. While people were away enjoying he quickly returned to Abuja and started work immediately. Just the first week of the year he indefatigably carried out commendable official assignments never seen before in the annals of this country

He signed the budget; he suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, and Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, Hajiya Halimotu Shehu, for alleged financial misdemeanors. He banned the money-for-degree universities in Benin Republic, Togo and other countries; embarked on the clearing of the N12billion outstanding allowances and other arrears for the Super Eagles, the same with arrears owed other national teams were also paid by the President.

The government has earlier started the payment of wage support benefits to civil servants, the disbursement of N105.5 billion for 266 road repairs, the coastal road from Lagos to Calabar, don’t mind the naysayers and their unfounded criticisms.

President Tinubu has approved the launch of Consumer Credit Scheme (CCS) for workers across the country; with initial take-off fund of N100billion, with this, workers in the country can apply for loan, it will also afford them the convenience of easy repayment of such loans. The launch of the automated passport portal and the unfolding of plans to build a new Chinese-funded plant in Nigeria which was hatched during the visit to China by the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaib Abubakar Audu. The students’ loan scheme has been signed into law; of course you read that over 1.4million students have applied.

Tinubu also cut the cost of governance by drastically reducing the number of people in his entourage on local and international trips. He also directed that the top government functionaries, dignitaries and aides on his travels be slashed by 60 per cent, more than half. He ordered that in the area of security, his team should rely more on the capacity of the security establishment and existing protocols in the host states.

The importance of cutting the number in the President's travels, apart from reduction in total cost of the trip, first, it is in agreement with the difficulties of the present time when prices of goods and services have gone up owing to what many tie to the prevalent foreign exchange rate, of course you have seen that Forex is coming down on daily basis.

More so, by slashing the presidential entourage, President Tinubu has of course demonstrated leadership by example. He has shown he fully understands what the people are experiencing at present and shares in their pains, which he says will be temporary. It is already manifesting in the prices of things coming down, the forex, aviation and diesel prices crashing, rice is gradually coming down, things will get better, I believe so.

There is no gain saying the fact that, the cost of governance in Nigeria is high and it has become imperative to bring down this cost. Every possible avenue must be deployed to do this. According to the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Tunde Rahman, recently, it is estimated that the country mostly spends over 75% of her federal budget on recurrent expenditure, leaving less than 25% for capital expenditure. The present administration is set to change this governance narrative. For instance, in the N28.7trillion 2024 budget, recurrent expenditure was pegged at N8.7tr and capital expenditure at N9.9tr. Of course, there is every tendency that this trend is expected to continue for the betterment of the nation’s economy.

Are you saying it is now Uhuru, that Nigeria is now an Eldorado?

I am not saying that but with President Tinubu’s stance on ant-graft battle, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) will grow, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) will grow, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow, I am sure with what the executive arm is doing the legislature and judiciary have no excuse than to key into his ant-graft stance. I know it is not yet Uhuru, but President Tinubu’s anti-graft stand on government officials both current and those who have served out their tenures is very commendable and that is the only way people can be transparent, accountable and diligent in their assigned responsibilities. I said it is not yet Uhuru because he still has seven years to go. Right now it is evident that he knows where he is going, where he is taking Nigeria to, unlike before.

 

 

Omoragbon calls for National Health Forum to review, develop appropriate national adaptation, mitigation plan

Pastor Peters Omoragbon, the Executive President/CEO-Nurses Across the Borders International has made a clarion call for the organization of a National Health Forum on Climate Change.

Pastor Omoragbon made the statement while delivering a paper at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Centre for Sustainable Development, Effurun, Delta State at its Third Roundtable on Sustainable Development on Monday, 22 April, 2024.

The theme of the event was ‘Climate Change and Energy Transition: Pain or Gain.’

Omoragbon who is the First Designated Contact Person from Nigeria to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change while speaking on what the health community has done by coming together and calling upon the leaders of every nation to do everything that is needed to protect people’s health from the impacts of climate change,  stated that the aim of such forum would be to bring together all relevant stakeholders from organized agencies, UN entities, the private sectors, religious bodies and the civil society groups to help formulate policies that would aid in reviewing and developing an appropriate National Adaptation and Mitigation Plan to be driven by the FMOH and partners.

The internationally registered Medical icon in his proposal suggested October, 2024, which he suggested would serve as a Pre COP 29 activity with the FMOH and the CSOs. He said, “Nurses Across the Borders would collaborate in organizing a National Health Forum on Climate Change by October 2024 as Pre COP 29 activity with the FMOH and the CSOs. The aim is to bring together all relevant stakeholders from organized agencies, UN entities, the private sectors, religious bodies and the civil society to help formulate policies that will aid in reviewing and developing an appropriate National Adaptation and Mitigation Plan to be driven by the FMOH and partners. May I announce here that NABHI has just signed an MOU with the FMOH in this respect, and looking for funding partners and agencies to sponsor it.” 

He also recommended National Capacity Building programs for the healthcare professionals as agents of climate change campaign and as First Responders to climate change disasters and risk reductions. He said NAB would utilize its international networks to provide the needed coordination and the involvement of major stakeholders with the cooperation of the Federal Government through the FMOH. This, he said can be hosted by FUPRE-CSD, Effurun or anywhere. 

Omoragbon also disclosed that NAB would with its status in the UNFCCC process support the FMOH, FUPRE-CSD and other stakeholder in mainstreaming health into climate governance, fossil fuel phase out, international financing for climate and health and building a resilient and sustainable low carbon health systems.

Speaking further, Omoragbon disclosed that the vacuum of the FMOH in the development of a comprehensive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) would be filled by supporting the representation of the health sector at national and international level in climate policy decision-making. 

He stated that an assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions of the nation’s healthcare facilities is long overdue. 

Present at the occasion were the Commissioner for Environment, Honourable Ejiro Tommy Jamani; Olorugun (Hon) Barr. Obukowho John Nani, who doubled as chairman of the occasion and the Chairman, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC); the Chief Host and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun Delta State and also the Special Guest Lecturer, Mrs Ibironke Olubamise; and the National Coordinator, United Nations Development Program GEF/SGP Nigeria were all present.

 

 

Celebrating a dogged fighter, Chief Dr Mike Adenuga Jr @ 71

By Cyriacus Nnaji

Let the drum beats be heard across continents and beyond the oceans, let the gongs sound, the tom-tom, timpani, the trumpet, and the samba, let them all simultaneously sound and announce to the whole world that today is the born-day of the cynosure of all eyes, the indescribably unmatchable Telecoms icon. Let the five different types of music instrument be assembled at the same time and let them sound: the percussion, the string, the woodwind, the brass and the keyboard, an assortment of instruments, gather them, the violin, the xylophone, the piano, the guitar, the cello, the harp, yes, because it is the day a king was born, the king of Telecoms and oil and gas magnet, Chief (Dr) Mike Adenuga (Jr), April 29, 2024. 

Do this with the best musical instrument in the world, express it in sounds and gesticulations in any language of the world in a manner of portrayal as a sign of your inner feelings for a man with limitless dreams and visions for the good of his country. Today marks his 71th year of his triumphal entry into this part of the world just for the reason to deliver his own people from the shackles and shylocks of the world. Nigerians are so lucky to have him, incidentally there is only one Mike Adenuga Jr, if they were two or three, the problem of Nigeria would have been over, a man that carries the burden of others on his shoulders, cerebral and down to earth, who painstakingly built his business empire through a sustained and verifiable legal means to arrive at where he is today. Nigerians doff their hat for you!

How else can you celebrate this man who bore the burdens of his own people on his shoulders, a man that talks less but full of action, look, we must dance, we must beat the drums, we must sing, we must make merry for what this man stand for Nigerians in the Telecoms industry, only God can do it, that Nigerians still enjoy considerable Telecoms service delivery that is not cutthroat in pricing must be attributable to the active and primus inter pares status of the Globacom Technologies, trying to argue this would not lead us nowhere.

Not only has Chief done extremely well in Telecoms, in the oil and gas, he is a doyen, in commerce, he is an enigma, in philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) he is simply the best.

Dr Adenuga, in a manner of speaking, is God's special homo sapiens who has taken it upon himself to lift millions of people out of poverty through job creation, and numerous interventions. His business acumen and visionary focused leadership has seen him grown steadily and sustainably despite the unsteady, unpalatable policies and unfertile environment that have truncated so many companies and organization. For him there is an answer to every situation.

What he has done in the Telecoms industry in Nigeria remains a talking point, an example truly worthy of emulation.

Coming to the Telecoms sector after the two precursors of the SM brand of technology, he did what none of the two have ever done or had even thought possible by turning around the Telecoms billing system from per minute to per second and till today the common man can enjoy what used to be an exclusivity of the rich. Initially call that terminated at one minute one second was charged as two minutes, which the two first Telecoms companies applied making them a Shylock so to speak, to the chagrin of Nigerians, but when Chief (Dr) Mike Agenuga entered the stage, everything was made okay, the bible says when the righteous is on the throne, the people smile and nothing can be added or subtracted from this truism. And steadily, Adenuga has seen in business, Nigerians first, nay, human beings first, hence he values humanity over and above money.

Look at their data subscription, Glo has remained number one for long time while other players have always trailed with distant second. Their data service is browse as you like, their berekete, GloReward CashToken Promo, Zero USSD charges when you buy Glo Airtime/data, Grab 6X More, in fact for Glo, it has always been pay less for more.

Chief Dr Mike Adenuga Jr, is an elephant, hence you describe him from the side you are standing, even the blind can describe him, all he needed to do is to touch any part of it and render his description of him as he feels it, he will certainly come up with kind words for the internationally acclaimed IT icon, a man of many parts, renowned so much both in oil and gas industry.

His humanitarian inclination, his philanthropic mien and programmes and projects for humanity sets him apart as a capitalist with human face. Of course, many in the industry amass profits and repatriate to home countries, Adenuga group of companies certainly has nowhere else to move their profits, hence Nigerians remain the ultimate beneficiaries as he ploughs his gains back into the economy and helping the poor.

Recently, Two new products, which provide internet connectivity solutions especially designed for Residential and SME commercial customers, was unveiled by digital solutions company, Globacom.

The products, Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and Fibre to the Business (FTTB) were packaged for Glo customers to enjoy reliable and high speed internet through linked fibre services.

Globacom said “With these services, businesses and homes can access dedicated internet speeds of up to 1GBps, allowing unlimited internet usages for seamless video calls, video and music streaming and a whole lot of other dedicated usages to promote business success and equally provide endless entertainment for homes.”

For the records, Globacom was the only operator in all of Africa to launch its operations on the superior 2.5G network that ensured the convergence of voice, data and multimedia technologies – an innovative platform that not only enhanced unparalleled voice clarity and low drop calls, but also enabled the offering of value-added services previously unavailable on the 2G technology – such as vehicle tracking, mobile internet, mobile banking, multimedia messaging service (MMS), voice SMS, Magic Plus and Text2email.

While above feat was going on with celebrations, Globacom launched another first, which firmly established the network as the acknowledged pioneer in the industry, was the introduction of the 3G Plus technology, an event that marked the second time that Globacom would be at the forefront of birthing the latest transmission network in Nigeria. This new technology enabled a much faster transmission of data, voice, broadband internet and multimedia services over a range of frequencies, and it allowed customers to make video calls, video streaming and high-speed mobile internet access, amongst others, just from their 3G mobile handsets.

Globacom also became the first network in the country to test the 4G-LTE network, a revolutionary fourth-generation mobile technology, that enhances data transfer rates, delivers unmatched mobile broadband experience and the highest data speeds and reliability, thus putting Nigeria in the league of nations where long-term evolution (LTE) has continued to gain a grip. 

No doubt its commitment to relentless network expansion, in terms of both quality and quantity, so as to give its customers top-notch service, is squarely in line with the company’s mission statement: “To be the largest, most successful entertainment, information and telecommunications solutions provider, in Nigeria and Africa”. And in the last 20 years, it has invested billions of dollars in extending its long reach to ever more nooks and crannies of Nigeria and beyond – most notably via the deployment of the most extensive fibre optic backbone across the country. The fibre optic cable was built to further enhance voice and data transmission for mobile and fixed telephone operations in the country, and is complemented by a microwave backbone that serves as backup. The cable helps ensure that calls on the network are crisp and clear, without the interference of breaks and drops. 

Above the ground, below the ground and even undersea, Globacom’s game-changing innovations took another leap forward. In the area of broadband connectivity, the launch of Glo-1, the intercontinental submarine cable linking Nigeria with the outside world, not just a giant feat, costing over $250 million dollars, this project marked the first time a single company in Africa would implement such a massive undersea project. Glo-1 is an expansive trans-Atlantic cable designed to provide internet connectivity between Europe, America and the West African coast.

It is no longer news that this 9,800 km-long cable which has landing points in Lagos, Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal), Nouakchott (Mauritania), Casablanca (Morocco), Vigo (Spain), Bude (England), among other points delivers a much faster and robust connectivity for voice, data and video. Of interest also is boosting the provision of services to telecom end-users, the facility is currently providing much-needed connectivity to critical sectors of the Nigerian and international economies such as oil and gas, manufacturing, banking, commerce, education and health, and a host of others.

Two decades on, Nigeria’s active phone lines climb sharply from about 400,000 in 2001 to over 200 million as at April 2023. Internet access rose from less than 1% broadband penetration in 2001 to 48% (which translates to 157 million subscribers). Of course while other mobile operators cumulatively lost about 100,000 internet subscriptions in one month, according to the industry regulator, Globacom gained over 200,000 subscriptions in the same period. 

The memory is still fresh when 20 years ago, Glo in a triumphal entry like lion in a tribe stamped its feet on the telecommunications firmament of Nigeria, from that momentous beginning, Globacom Telecommunications Company Limited took over the frontiers of Nigeria’s telephony, for the benefit of an ever-expanding customer and client base. Today, millions of Nigerians and citizens of some West African sub-region are not only showing gratitude to Glo, they are using its many platforms, products and offerings to Rule their World – and in the process discovering unlimited possibilities in their business, career, educational, health and wellness, and relationship journeys.

In fact, one can go so far as to assert that Globacom is the catalyst that revolutionised the mobile telecommunications ecosystem in the country, and placed her entire economy on the pedestal it is on today, as well as positioning it for greater growth in a future in which new work and social paradigms and cutting-edge technologies will define the way we work, live and interact with one another. 

When GSM first cast its anchor on the shores of Nigeria in 2001, Nigerians believed their prayers had at last been answered. The new telecoms regime was rightly seen as a clear departure from the egregious failure of the state-owned monopoly that had gulped so much public expenditure in the form of subventions and taxes without a commensurate return in services. 

However, the euphoria of the coming of GSM services soon gave way to bewilderment. Doubt quickly replaced hope, as Nigerians were confronted with the reality or shall we say, double jeopardy – of both the high cost of mobile lines and the N50 per minute billing system. In a more subtle replication of the “Telephones are not for the poor” attitude, the legacy mobile operators insisted that it was ‘impossible’ to sell lines at more affordable prices. Not only that, they also ruled out per-second billing (PSB) as being unrealistic, owing to the cost of obtaining licences and the humongous funds needed for network expansion. One of the networks even condescended to say that per second billing could only happen in 2010.

So, GSM services, like those of NITEL, seemed destined to remain the exclusive preserve of Nigeria’s rich and middle class for the foreseeable future. But Globacom came and rescued Nigerians from the jugular of these shylock tech companies in 2003.

From the iconic and eagerly anticipated events which light up the nation’s cultural calendar, such as the Ojude Oba Festival and the Onitsha Ofala Festival (to name just two) to the numerous talent, reality and game shows that have produced stars who have gone on to become global icons in music, movies, comedy and so forth, Globacom’s sponsorship footprint is everywhere, and its logo is a conspicuous and familiar sight. Nigeria’s ascendancy on the world stage as an emerging cultural superpower has GLOBACOM written all over it. Not long ago, for example, Globacom launched an online streaming app. Known as GloTV, it is an innovative TV streaming service on Android, IoS and Web for watching live TV; video on demand; and Catch-up with premium content. 

It is no secret that Nigeria’s quest to develop a functional, profitable and dynamic football league and general ecosystem capable of sustaining itself and becoming profitable enough to wean itself of its long-standing dependence on government subventions has motivated Globacom, since its inception, to support Nigerian football in various ways – a support which culminated in the heartwarming triumph of Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the 2013 African Nations Cup (AFCON), among other feats. Globacom was, for many a season, the sole sponsor of the Glo/CAF Awards which honoured individual and team excellence from the continent.

Undoubtedly the company has consistently maintained top position in the data subscription category for many years. Of course, in this age and time, data is life, any individual, organisation, company, government that is out of data is out of life; data improves your businesses, and this is where Glo is called the grand master of data. The efficient data service delivery by Glo from inception marked it out as a company with consciously designed effort to live the dream of its customers, empowering them to realize and excel in whatever their aspirations are through Glo business intuitions which it showcased through its per second billing.

Today, the patriarch of Nigerian telecommunications technology is 71, lut us all rise and pop champagne.

Go for political power, Omoragbon urges nurses

With the immediate Past President of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Alhaji Adeniji, the Chairman to the Board of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr Bola Ofi, and a Madam Stella Director in the Nursing Council,  Nigeria at the ongoing Nigerian Nursing Leaders Conference in Abuja

Pastor Peters Omoragbon, the President of the Nurses Across the Borders International, has urged nurses in Nigeria to do everything possible to seek political power for the benefit of the members.

Omoragbon gave the advice in his intervention at the 2024 Nigeria Nursing Leaders Conference which took place in Abuja, on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

He said, “As much as I encourage and I appreciate the need for us to read up to the highest level, I also want us to be more interested in political power.”

Omoragbon while espousing the need for political power enlightened his colleagues on what is obtainable in the Federal Ministry of Health and the need for nurses to head some of the departments that should ordinarily be under the purview of the nurses. “Now if you look at the structure of the federal ministry of health, there are eight departments of the federal ministry of health, and all the eight departments are all occupied by one single professional group. The ministry of health is a multi-disciplinary ministry where you have many professional groups, not just doctors and nurses, but nurses form the single largest professional group within the health system anywhere in the world. Now a situation where you have a department of hospital services and you have a division of nursing services under the hospital services headed by a director of nursing services, and hospital services is headed by director of hospital services, the question I want to ask is, do you have two directors, that is lower director and senior director?. In the civil service, a director is a director, and their grade level is grade level 17, so it depends on when you are promoted a Director or employed that determines your seniority level. And so the argument that, the departments were created for administrative purpose is deliberate ploy to deny nurses their autonomy by the Federal Ministry of Health is untenable. We must resist this continuous subjugation and oppression.

“How are directors appointed, they are appointed at the recommendation of the minister of health who is appointed by president but there is this general notion that it is only one professional group in the ministry that can occupy the office of the minster. The office of the minister is a political appointment, it is not based on whether you are a doctor or you are a nurse. It is purely administrative not professional or clinical. That is why every professional group within the ministry is headed by a Director. So the Minister of health could have been a nurse, a doctor, a pharmacist or even a non-healthcare professional. In United Kingdom, you don’t have doctors occupying the office of the secretary for health, he is a civil servant, and so, I want us to remove this mentality from our collective psyche, as we are progressing, that only a particular profession can occupy the office of the Minister” Omoragbon advocated.

He said the nursing authorities should step up their game by not only fighting for salary increment but to also seek political power for the members. “Enough of the fact that you begin to fight for enhance salary structure, whatever, in our days it was enhanced university structure, we cannot continue to do the same thing over and over again, and expect a change; it doesn’t work that way. As you improve on your training, also begin to show interest in political power, because if you don’t have anybody there to speak for you, you will waste your time, that is just what I want to appeal to us. So whichever way we want to go about it, we can also include political studies in our curriculum.”

 

Octogenarian, Very Reverend Father Michael Umenzekwe-Azike marks Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination, April 21

The entire Catholic Community of Achina in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, the laity, the religious and the faithful, have concluded arrangements for the golden jubilee celebration of the priestly ordination of the Octogenarian, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Umenzekwe-Azike.

Speaking to Journalists on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 in Lagos, the nephew to the priest, Hon (Chief) Modestus Umenzekwe, congratulated his uncle for upholding the catholic faith and being a pillar of the church in Achina community. 

“It is a welcome development, his life in our family, the life of Achina Community and the life of the Catholic Church, it is not easy to attain the golden age in a particular profession or vocation. Despite the fact that Rev. Fr. Mike entered seminary as an adult, he was a civil servant based in Lagos, and all of a sudden he decided that he would be a Catholic Priest, despite the fact that his parents were pagans, he summoned the courage and the Catholic Training Centre, All Hallows Seminary Onitsha graciously admitted him, from there he ascended till he became a priest.

“Since then he has been doing the job he chose to do. He brought in the experience he has in the civil service, combined it with the vocational training, that is why he excelled. But he is on the quiet side, but he is thorough, very unassuming, he doesn’t play to the gallery, not materialistic and very disciplined. In short, his character and behavior is synonymous with cleanliness,” Umenzekwe said.

Hon. Umenzekwe disclosed that Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ndukuba Umenzekwe-Azike is the type that works underground for the benefit of his community. “He is the type that works underground, unannounced. He helped so many people in our town and beyond to get admitted into the seminary, a greater number of them are today retiring from priesthood, people he trained. Even in creation of parishes and all that, he worked underground to make sure that various parishes we have in Achina today came to limelight. In other parishes he has worked, his footprints are there. First he served at St. Mary's Church Osumoghu; St. Mary's Catholic Church Nnokwa; worked at  Nkwerezunaka; St. Teresa Catholic Church Obosi; Osumenyi; St. Pius X Seminary Akwukwu; St. Joseph Catholic Church Aguleri; St Mary's Catholic Church Ukpo Centre Nnewi; St John The Cross Egbo Nnewi; among others.

“You see, he is among the class of Reverend Fathers that believe in having their Sutan and their footwear, he is among those that believe in being mobile to do their work whether it is bicycle, motorcycle or anything. He is among reverend fathers that believe in the efficacy of prayer, leveraging on the assistance of our blessed mother Mary. He is among the reverend fathers that believe in the sanctity of the Eucharist, the body of Christ. If you go to catechism class through him, it may be difficult for you to pass, not that he is wicked but he must make sure that you must understand the teachings and injunctions of the Catholic Church.”

Hon. Umenzekwe disclosed that the event will be semi low key. “The celebration is going to take place on the 21th April, 2024, at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Achina, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. The Mass is billed for 9:30am, we expect church leaders and numerous guests will be there, including the laity and faithful. The entire catholic church is expected to be there.

“It is what I may call semi low key, in the sense that the celebration was being planned for November, 2024, but the Reverend father for reasons best known to him and the church authority, which I don't want to go into, they called us last week and said the celebration has now been shifted forward on the day he was ordained. So that made us to start making contingency arrangements. Again considering his age and strength he is close to 90, if I am not mistaking, so we decided to do it, and decided to concentrate on very necessary things. After the Mass, he would retire to the family compound and entertain the guests, various types of music will be on standby to entertain the guests, and there will be enough to eat and drink,” he said.

 

 

 

Very Reverend Father Michael Umenzekwe-Azike marks Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination, April 21

In this interview, Honourable Chief Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina) speaks on the Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination of his uncle, Very Reverend Father Michael Umenzekwe-Azike, and urged him to keep doing good and that God will reward him more than his expectations.

Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ndukuba Umenzekwe-Azike will be marking his Golden jubilee of his priestly ordination on April 21, 2024, how do you feel?

It is a welcome development, in his life, the life of our family, the life of Achina Community and the life of the Catholic Church, it is not easy to attain the golden age in a particular profession or vocation. Despite the fact that Rev. Fr. Mike entered seminary as an adult; he was a civil servant based in Lagos, and all of a sudden decided that he would be a Catholic Priests, despite the fact that his parents were pagans, he summoned the courage and the Catholic Training Centre, All Hallows Seminary Onitsha graciously admitted him, from there he ascended till he became a priest.

Since then he has been doing the job he chose to do. He brought in the experience he had in the civil service, combined it with the vocational training, that is why he excelled. But he is on the quiet side, he is thorough, very unassuming, he doesn’t play to the gallery, not materialistic and very disciplined. In short, his character and behavior is synonymous with cleanliness.

What are his contributions to Achina community, the Catholic Church and humanity at large?

“He is the type that works underground, unannounced. He helped so many people in our town and beyond to get admitted into the seminary, a greater number of them are today retiring from priesthood, people he trained. Even in creation of parishes and all that, he worked underground to make sure that various parishes we have in Achina today came to limelight. In other parishes he has worked, his footprints are there. First he served at St. Mary's Church Osumoghu; St. Mary's Catholic Church Nnokwa; worked at  Nkwerezunaka; St. Teresa Catholic Church Obosi; Osumenyi; St. Pius X Seminary Akwukwu; St. Joseph Catholic Church Aguleri; St Mary's Catholic Church Ukpo Centre Nnewi; St John The Cross Egbo Nnewi; among others.

You see, he is among the class of Reverend Fathers that believe in having their Sutan and their footwear, he is among those that believe in being mobile to do their work whether it is bicycle, motorcycle or anything. He is among those reverend fathers that believe in the efficacy of prayer, leveraging on the assistance of our blessed mother Mary. He is among the reverend fathers that believe in the sanctity of the Eucharist, the body of Christ. If you go to catechism class through him, it may be difficult for you to pass, not that he is wicked but he must make sure that you are thorough, you must understand the teachings and injunctions of the Catholic Church.

If he is a bishop, I would tell you that he would have been very thorough like the Bishop then that ordained him, who became a cardinal in Rome, Cardinal Francis Arinze.

What are the things that are put in place for the occasion, is everyone invited. What are the highlights?

The celebration is going to take place on the 21th April, 2024, at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Achina, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. The Mass is billed for 9:30am, we expect church leaders and numerous guests will be there, including the laity and faithful. The entire catholic church is expected to be there.

“It is what I may call semi low key, in the sense that the celebration was being planned for November, 2024, but the Reverend father for reasons best known to him and the church authority, which I don't want to go into, they called us last week and said the celebration has now been shifted forward on the day he was ordained. So that made us to start making contingency arrangements. Again considering his age and strength, he is 89, if I am not mistaking, so we decided to do it, and decided to concentrate on very necessary things. After the Mass, he would retire to the family compound and entertain the guests, various types of music will be on standby to entertain the guests, and there will be enough to eat and drink. 

What are you telling the celebrant? Your advice; your good wishes

Well, he is a preacher, by virtue of his profession. The only thing I can tell him is that let him keep to the ten commandments as he used to tell us, as he used to explain or interpret to us. Since he has given his life to God, since he has maintained the celibacy life, taking the oath of celibacy and chastity, let him keep to that. Let him keep on maintaining the tempo of peace he has been championing even though he is now old, and I believe, in the end, our lord Jesus Christ will reward him beyond his expectations.

 

 

God is not happy, Rev JNG Okafor, tells Nigerian political leaders

Lagos District Superintendent, Assemblies of God, Nigeria, Rev. JNG Okafor, in this interview in his office at Ismaila Estate in Maryland, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, advises upcoming pastors on what God expects of them; he also speaks on the nation Nigeria, even as he discloses his next step after retirement from active service. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports:

Your advice for the upcoming pastors
I want to thank God, I want to look at it from Biblical background, who is a pastor? In other word, who is a shepherd? One called to see to the needs of humanity, called of God to disseminate gospel information to mankind, one who is to act as Christ by bringing people, humanity to the knowledge of God, catering for the congregation and he is supposed to be a role model. But what we are seeing these days, even the pastors themselves are trying to compete with the world. And then I would want to say that anyone who is called by God to shepherd His people should strive to live out the life of Jesus Christ for people to follow. They should not be too mindful of the world because their Saviour and Chief Shepherd also warned them about that. If anyone happens to love the world the world will, that means the love of the father is not in him. So they should live out Christ like life for the congregation to emulate.
My advice for them is for them to retrace their footstep from that particular fault, although one person has said that some people has the call of God while some people receive a flash of a torch light so they so they move into what they do not understand, but I want to believe that someone who has God calling him, into the ministry to shepherd the people will not toe such line of the popular people, he must be restricted to that counsel which the chief Shepherd has given to him.

So I council them to retrace their footstep, be devoted, do the work that God has called you to do, look after the sheep under your care, be an example to them, so that you can faithfully say like Paul follow me, and they followed him.

What is the secret that made you to succeed as the District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Lagos? And your advice to political leaders

What makes it, if I have succeeded, as you have also mentioned; devotion to service, commitment, knowing who has called you and what he demands of you, so I key in to such, not minding the forces around me, maybe requiring me to do. That is just the main thing. Knowing who has called me, and following his footsteps.

Then for the political leaders, the scriptures tell us that no leadership is in place without God knowing about that, and that the people in authority, we should respect them, honour them, and those that God has allowed to control human lives, they should be very very careful. The Nigerian politicians are not like the politicians from countries where say we are practicing the same system with, like The US, UK, but we have found out also that it is only the bad side that  the Nigerian politicians can only emulate, but on the good side of the US, because Nigerian politicians would always mention the system of United States of America, this is what they do, but they have also forgotten that those people they see the right of the led as very important, you don't see the leadership there amassing wealth for themselves, they are there to see how they can affect the lives of the people. When one person passes on there you see how the whole place would react, but here, see how human being are being slaughtered here and there.

God almighty so blessed this nation, among the whole nations of the world, the mineral resources that God deposited in this nation, he also foresaw the strength, the human population, he gave us these minerals that if the political leaders are using such blessings for the good of mankind and not amassing wealth for themselves only, Nigeria would not be where it is today. I never knew but I want to find out if it is as a result of the scriptures being fulfilled, I never thought in life, you know one of the states of the federation is called food basket of the nation, Benue state, but today, I see the Nigerian people starving, starvation everywhere. Why? Our leaders are not mindful, we have allowed segments of some people to take over Nigeria. And because some of our leaders are interested, if a proper investigation is made, you would find out that some leaders are involved in what we are passing through in this country, I can't see how a handful of persons will overrun a nation; we are already on our knees. Our political leaders are only mindful of themselves, and I want to tell you that God is not happy, and when the poor cries out, God listens to them, and do not be surprised when God will virtually intervene in the affairs of this nation, people will be surprised, and I want to assure you it will happen, why because, day and night people have been crying to God in this nation.

Your view on the disunity in the body of Christ and what can be done to resolve it?
I think what is mentioned there is to speak with one voice but not on the outfit. If we are to uphold the bible we are holding to, and not interpreting it to suit our purpose, that is where we have problem. The bible is there to guide us on what to do, the bible is there. If we will hold to the tenacity of the bible, we will not err but do the right thing that is required, I know sometimes what happens to us is that Individually people tend to find one verse of the scripture that suits their purpose, and they will begin to fly out everywhere, not quite long, one went about talking about tithe and all that, and if you look critically at the scriptures you would see that he was talking out of point. In the context of that scripture, it is the Sadducees and the Pharisee who wanted to justify themselves, we pay tithe, we pay this, we pay that. I think Jesus Christ was trying to correct them, you say you pay tithe and neglected righteousness, you have neglected how to handle human beings created in the image of God, you have neglected holiness, this you ought to have done and not leaving the other undone. So when you look at it he was striking a balance, the tithe he was speaking about never came through law, it was voluntary, Abraham did that, Jacob did that, the law for paying tithe never came into existence then, so Jesus Christ was telling them, you don't need to begin to say, I pay tithe this and that, he also compare two people who went to the temple to pray, one was saying don't mind the other one, he is a Pharisee, he is a sinner, I pay tithe, I fast two times in a week, exulting himself, thinking that by paying tithe he has created a way to the kingdom for himself, neglecting the right thing to do, so one thing that will make us speak with one voice is to handle this scripture as it is directed, not seeking your own pleasure. Problem we are having is people seeking for what will please them and not what will God who has created them, so I want to advise that we return to status quo, read this bible with understanding and trusting in the lord.

 
Your next plan of action after retirement
What is my next plan? Rest a while...

...And Japa..
No, nooo, rest a while, wherever that rest is taking me to, but I am not running away, my children may invite me, but not Japa, that language, I don't want to hear it, Japa is the language of people that are tired of this nation, I am a trained professional counselor, I read Guidance and Counseling at the University of Lagos, and also a pastoral counselor, so I believe if I team up with this two, I will be a good professional counselor.

Then, for relaxation sake, if you look behind there you will see my guitar there; I will also like to improve my knowledge on computer. I also want to play the piano, I have all those ones, but time never permitted me, so all these are meant to keep myself happy and I have in mind also to attend seminars and conferences, because when you stop to learn, you start dying.