MOVE NIGERIA FORWARD PRAYER GROUP HOSTS PRAYER FOR THE COUNTRY

Cross section of church and ministry leaders in attendance 

A prayer coalition group in Ikorodu axis of Lagos State, Nigeria, Move Nigeria Forward Prayer Group, recently held a prayer session for the country - asking God for peaceful coexistence and unity among the tribes in the country.

Move Nigeria Forward Prayer Group is an interdenominational coalition Christian group whose interest solely lies in leading the country spiritually through prayers and fasting and other sundry religious rites.  

According to the President/Founder of the apolitical group, Pastor Michael Kenny Atanda in a speech delivered on the D-day, it reads, "My Curiosity and sense of justice has helped me to discovered the kind of people in the world especially in this part of the world known as NIGERIA; some groups are advisory while others are adversary, some group creates and attracts problem while other creates and attract solution, some group loves Nigeria while other hates Nigeria. The Summary is that those who hate Nigeria gives the President, Governors, the Law-makers and the Judiciaries bad advice that are capable of moving Nigeria backward and downward, but those who truly love Nigeria are fond of giving constructive advice and makes good suggestion to the President, Governors, the Law-makers and Judiciary in order to move Nigeria forward." 

speaking further, Pastor Atanda admonished Nigerians to uphold the unity of the country and challenged every individual to ensure that the development of Nigeria is his or her duty. 

"It is important to know that person or persons inside or outside Nigeria who speaks, writes, sings, acts or pray for the unity, peace and prosperity of Nigeria is considered a friend and a reliable agent of national development and reformation while those who do otherwise are considered as enemies of Nigeria and agents of destruction." He said.

The prayer session that has various denominations - such as CAC, Charismatic and Pentecostal groups, Gospel and evangelistic leaders, Catholic, Cherubim and Seraph movements worshipers and Celestial faithful to mention a few, in Ikorodu area in attendance - had as the day's business, Prayer for the Leaders of the nation with various emphasis and quotes from Bible.

In conclusion, Pastor Michael Atanda counselled President Buhari not to succumb to pressure, "I will advise the Nigerian President not to surrender to pressure from any greedy group of people to make him use the power of the law against other groups of people in Nigeria. Using the power of the law against some Nigerian citizens will tantamount to betrayal of trust and misuse/abuse of mandate given to him by the people."

He also advised the Legislators, the Judiciary, Workers in various strata, the Youth and other stakeholders that Nigeria should be prioritised in theur dealings if we are to uphold Nigeria's honour and glory. 

Unveiling JOSHUA ULOKO – the man made of more and made for more …

Joshua Uloko

Should there be a Nigerian journalist and publisher whose charisma and cha f ć  v 3vracter have paved way for; it is indefatigable Joshua Uloko that everyone refers to as good, humble, helpful and jovial – because he always go out of his way to lend a helping hand, believing that there is a place for everybody at the top. No wonder there was a standing ovation amidst pomp and pageantry when he was announced the Editor of the Year 2017 at the Nigeria Media Nite Award.

Joshua became a Publisher some few days before his 25^th birthday pushing through the crowd, fighting oppressions and militating against resisting factors tagged professionalism syndrome to carve a niche for himself in Security and Crime news where his reportage, views and analysis are considered deep, explicit and exact – to the extent that no security executives or personnel have turned down Joshua’s appointment and those he is yet to talk to are always yearning for his invitation.

How did Joshua Uloko become a Publisher? After graduating from the College of Health Technology, his passion to fight crime drove him into Police Recruitment College but he did not wait till the end of the training session before he left the boot camp as he discovered in a book he was reading that his net-worth in twenty years’ time will be the product of ten-percent of his annual salary multiply by twenty – and when Joshua made the calculation, he concluded, “This is not the place for me!”

Why? Joshua is a man of vision; though ambitious but also tenacious and focus.

On moving out of Police College, he picked his old camera, walked to a photography/colour laboratory in Ikeja area of Lagos State in Nigeria, negotiated for a place to pitch his tent saying, “Sir, I wish to be using your frontage for taking passers-by passport photographs and I will be printing from you.” The Lab Manager considered the offer as a welcome development and from there, Joshua began an enterprise.

Nobody can say how far he can go until he has taken the first step. God stepped-in for Mr. Uloko; one day, a man asked him if he would love to be a Photo-journalist, an entirely different field from what he had learnt or known. He joined the team of Global Excellence Soft-sell Magazine; served diligently and faithfully for five years – but the yearning in him kept telling him, you are made of more and made for more. He resigned his appointment and with the little savings of about 45,000 naira, Joshua started Daily Pride Communications Limited which today publishes City Pride bi-weekly magazine, Daily Pride news journal and Security Burster – and also hosts the annual City Pride Achievers Awards.

Joshua Uloko is an inspiration - - - his story is better interpreted, ‘Do not despise the day of a little beginning!’

My first Visit to Ikoyi axis in Lagos State, Nigeria

In 1986, my good friend, Murphy Gbadamosi and I, went to Hawksworth Road in Ikoyi to buy JAMB form. As soon as we boarded a taxi at Obalende and headed towards the Federal Secretariat at Alagbon axis, I was amazed at what I saw.

 The roads were clean and well tarred. The houses were beautiful and cute. The fences were not too tall but skilfully fabricated and painted. Their lawns were auspiciously manicured. Their cars were sleek and exotic and their manners of dressing were gorgeous and appealing.

Ikoyi was not overcrowded and noisy like Agege where I came from – even the breeze blowing there was like ‘an answered prayer.’ The joy beaming on the faces of the people was extraordinary if compared with the ghetto’s – and their smiles were contagious. The elegance of their gaits was welcoming and the simplicity of their lifestyle was worth emulating.

Wow! I loved every detail of my findings. “Who are the people living here?” I asked.  I discovered they were neither monsters (because they did not have more heads or limbs than those in my neighbourhood) nor were they angels (because they had no wings); they were purely human-beings like those I’d met every day of my life.

Then, why were they so different from those in my neighbourhood? I asked again.  They belonged to the power bloc; the movers and shakers, people of timber and calibre, crème-de-la-crème of the society, the civilised and educated, the elites and affluent, and probably the richest and influencers of Nigerian commerce and industry.

Then, I asked myself the following questions:

·  Why are we not living in a place like this?

I wanted to live in a place like Ikoyi.

·  What can I do to reside in a place like this?

I was willing to pay the expected price.

·  What is the secret of these people living here?

I wish to be among them.

·  Are there any special qualifications to reside in a community like this?

I cannot afford to leave anything to chance.

Over time, I discovered a lot about the exotic people of the highbrow. I knew so much about their glamorous lifestyles. I coveted their associations, desired their companies and after several years of learning, working, serving, watching and growing, I found several other areas that ranked in the class of Ikoyi and met arrays of men and women in the category of Ikoyi residents and I have discovered a simple fact that I have been living with all my life and everywhere I have gone – which is;

From Oregun to Oregon … from Isolo to Oslo … whether in Banjul or Berlin,

Ecuador or Equatorial Guinea, Mushin or Mississippi … the fact remains the same: No community developed on its own; the people with DEVELOPED MIND living in a community are the ones that add value to their communities.

How? If people with ghetto mind are relocated to a highbrow area without proper orientations, they will, within a twinkle of an eye, convert the once beautiful environment to a dirty slum - and if the people with proper orientations living in a highbrow area are relocated to a slum, they will within a short time renovate the once dirty environment into a prim and proper, serene, exotic and expensive estate.

Why? Their mind-sets – and that's the more reason why some areas are cities and others are towns or villages … and countries are rated as developed, developing and under-developed – not because of the availability or non-availability of natural endowments but because they have different priorities.

Is your community or country developed? THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR COMMUNITY BEGINS WITH YOU … In this book, you will discover how nobodies became somebodies and it will move you from nowhere to somewhere.

The Perfect Love (part 1)

Love is an intense fondness or deep devotion to someone or relationships or objects. Love is not only in words; it’s an expression, an act … or a deed.  You have heard and read about different love stories including that of Saint Valentine; some are exaggerated and some are diluted, either to hide the truth or to make it romantic – but this is sure; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 It was prophesied 600 years before it happened – and it is still true many years after it occurred.

Types of Love 

There are different types of love – Eros, Philo and Agape 

Eros, from which the word eroticism or erotic is taken, is a sensual, stimulating, or erogenous type of love. It is majorly expressed through emotional exchange such as sexual intercourse or love making which is not bad for legally married couples but morally and spiritually unfit for unmarried people because it may be pleasurable in the beginning but it will be bitter in the end. Sex outside marriage has an ungodly attachment which may be exploitation, cheating, abuse, disappointment, disgrace, pain, unforgiveness, trap, blackmail, murder – or even death. 

The best way to overcome it is to avoid it and if you have been engrossed in it, stop immediately. Proverbs 6:32 as paraphrased says that anyone who engages in sexual immorality is an utter fool because s/he intentionally destroys his/her own soul. Avoid the trap of fornication (making love when you are not married) or adultery (extra-marital sex, infidelity, betrayal). 

Any partner or friend who loves you will love your soul and if s/he loves your soul, s/he will not pester you with sex. 

The second type of love is Philo, from which the word Philadelphia is coined. It is best interpreted as ‘brotherly or fraternal love.’ Philo is a great kind of love that shares the burden of others. It sympathises and empathises, gives and cares, supports and sponsors, feeds and feels. 

On its bedrock, most families are held together, organisations grow, communities thrive and churches are kept warm. 

Philo is sweet when there is equality in its sharing formula and it is sweeter when it can be reciprocated but it is sweetest when you are the one making the sacrifice because it is more blessed to give than to receive or else, you will become a parasite. It is expected of everyone to practice this type of love – are you? 

The Agape, God’s type of love is the most phenomenal thing that has happened to mankind. It is unconditional, it is free, and it is life – full of joy, filled with hope and peace.

The most beautiful thing about agape is that while Philo is expecting something, agape surrenders all. 

As God surrenders all, He wants us to surrender all. When you show love, let no strings be attached – this is why agape is better than philos. God is love and love is God. 

“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 

1 John 4:16 

God lives in the hearts of those that care to love. This is true for all eternity; when God’s love overwhelms you, all you want to do is to love in return. Nobody practices the nature of God in him/her if s/he doesn’t know how to love. 

Imagine a boy with a broken leg; if a doctor sets the bone – that is kindness, he only does his job but if the bone is set by his mother - she would do it with lovingkindness, because it takes more. That is how God has dealt with us ... tenderly! 

And that is how we should deal with others.