Chidiebere Joshua Talking Point

07/12/2023

On behalf of the government and the people of Lagos State, we join family, friends, associates, and the entire congregation of Christ Embassy to felicitate with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome on his Diamond Jubilee Celebration.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has been a blessing, not just to members of his church but to millions of Lagos residents, who have benefited from his ministry and philanthropic gestures. We also appreciate his unceasing prayers and wise counsel over the years.

As Pastor Chris Oyakhilome celebrates his 60th birthday today, I pray that the Almighty God will grant him good health to enable him to render more service to humanity and God's kingdom.

07/12/2023

You have touched countless lives with the power of God's word and you are a testament to the transforming power of faith.

Happy Birthday, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome!

19/10/2023

Dear ,

Thank you for your feedback. It has nothing to do with genetics or DNA. If you are talking about genetics or DNA, Igbos probably have an edge. They tend to be bigger in size than other Nigerian ethnicities and are innately more intelligent, as well as driven. Also, they do have a slight edge over others in comeliness, with the exception of the Fulani.

Get rid of such thinking from your mentality. Igbo stock is one of the most desirable in Nigeria in terms of physique and other outward features.

What you complain about is a cultural thing. While the Yorubas have a conservative culture and moral values centred around Omoluabi to restrain them, and the North, especially the core North, have a conservative religion, in Islam, to restrain them, Igbo culture has no such restraints.

Their culture is very individualistic and, unfortunately, largely money-centred and male-dominated. For example, the authentic father of a child in their culture is not the man who impregnated the woman but the man who pays her rather costly bride price. And if no man pays it, the children belong to her father.

Women traditionally do not inherit in their culture, unlike Yoruba culture and Islam, which fairly guides inheritance without leaving room for controversy. If you look at lawsuits over inheritance in Nigerian probate courts, you will learn a thing or two about individual Nigerian cultures.

A man's worth in their culture comes from his material wealth and accomplishments, not his age or character. As such, where the Yoruba and Hausa or Fulani will respect age, they respect wealth.

Finally, they have never had central authority. They are republican egalitarians who exist in autonomous villages that did not even have kings until the British forced warrant chiefs on them. So, respect for authority is a recent phenomenon with them, unlike the Yoruba, who have had the Ooni of Ife as a central authority for at least 1350 years (the age of the oldest Ife Bronze statue of an Ooni).

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

19/10/2023

One of the worst things you can do is allow your friends who japa'ed to entice you to also japa because of the rosy picture they paint. One of the first things that will happen is that their attitude will change if you actually make it to the country they are in.

First of all, they stop taking your call once they know you have landed. They never really expected you to get that visa. Why? They are afraid you will come and stay with them. Secondly, they will avoid you because the picture they painted was a bit exaggerated, and the truth will embarrass them.

Immigrants who enjoy Europe and America are those who are independently wealthy. Those who make money from a business that does not require their physical presence 9-5. Or those with intellectual property, e-commerce, or monetised social media that brings money. Or old money from Nigeria.

The rest are running the rat race. Working two jobs. 9-5, five days a week on one job, evenings or the weekends on the other job. Without those jobs, all they flaunt, including house, car, and even phones, will be repossessed by banks if they miss three consecutive payments. No sorry. No, please. No, I beg! You don't don't pay, you don't stay. Period!

If you own a bungalow in Lugbe in the FCT, or a flat at Oworonshoki, Lagos, you are better than many of the japa people you see on social media, whose lives are mortgaged to the hilt. Not everything that glitters abroad is gold.

And the worst part is the loneliness abroad. Oyinbo may be a bit friendly to you, depending on where you live and how you act. Your fellow Blacks are less likely to. The Nigerians you meet will look at you 'one kind' if you try to be warm towards them, because they are either self hating, or think you have an agenda.

This is not to say don't japa. Do relocate. But don't relocate hoping to replicate a life that is a facade.

04/05/2023

Senate to regulate Christianity practice in Nigeria

A bill that would create the National Centre for Christian Education, which would “regulate and set standards” for the practice of Christianity in Nigeria has passed the second reading at the Senate.

Sponsor of the bill, Sen. Binos Yaroe of the Adamawa South Senatorial District, claimed that the centre would aid in resolving the nation’s “inappropriate practice” of religion, which has in the past led to issues.

On his part, Sen. Istifanus Gyang of the Plateau North Senatorial District, weighed in on the discussion, claiming that radicalism has been fostered by improperly practiced religion.

The federal lawmaker noted that, if followed properly, religion could be a source of strength and national solidarity, which is why the bill to establish the centre to create a curriculum for Christian education is very necessary.

Sen. Abba Moro, who represents Benue South in the Red Chamber, who also spoke, said the bill was ‘apt’ given that some youngsters had been duped by radical religious figures.

Sen. Moro emphasised that there was no denying that the misinterpretation of the Bible and the Quran has a contributing factor in some of the country’s problems.

After the discussion, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who presided over plenary, put the bill to a voice vote, and it passed Second Reading.

However, for additional legislative input, Sen. Lawan referred the draft to the Committee on Education.

04/05/2023

Doctors Peform First-ever Brain Surgery On Baby Inside Womb

Medical doctors have performed a first-ever brain surgery on a baby with a deadly genetic disorder while it is still inside the mother's womb.

The yet-to-be-born baby was diagnosed with a vein of Galen malformation at 30 weeks and children born with this kind of condition have a 30 per cent chance of dying before age 11, Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

The surgery which involved cutting into the womb, the baby's skull and then operating on the developing brain was carried out by a ten-man team of doctors at the Boston Children's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, United States.

The operation requires slicing into the pregnant woman's abdomen and using an ultrasound to identify the artery and guide the surgery.

After the operation, the baby's mother gave birth to a healthy baby boy two days later without birth defects.

01/05/2023

NLC to create 'Hall of Shame' for tribunal judges who are compromised

Ajaero said that the mantra “Go to court“ was shameful, adding “when people tell you to go to court, they are telling you that that’s the end of the matter.“

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has cautioned the election petition tribunals against being compromised as they look into suits arising from the just concluded 2023 general polls.

Mr Joe Ajaero gave the advice on Sunday in Abuja at a news conference organised by the Labour and Civil Society Movement Front.

He said that organised labour and civil society movements might establish a ‘Hall of Shame’ for any judge that jeopardised the process.

Although President-elect Bola Tinubu is set be inaugurated as the nation’s new president on May 29, there are a number of suits before the Presidential Election Tribunal challenging his victory.

Ajaero said that there were growing worries that the election petition tribunals have yet to commence sitting regarding petitions from aggrieved candidates who participated in the exercise.

“We identify with all the views expressed here because we believe that the mission is geared towards rescuing Nigeria and rescuing the judiciary as the latter is clearly down.

“The judiciary has set many states and institutions on fire. The judiciary has set Imo State on fire and up till now, people are wondering how a person who was not a candidate of his party be declared the governor?

“The judiciary has so many questions to answer. If they failed to answer those questions within a short time, we would create a Hall of Shame for those judges that come up with some judgments and that could happen soon,“ he said.

The NLC president said there was a need for the Nigerian Bar Association and all arms in the judiciary to speak out on what was happening in the judiciary.

He said that Nigerians would want know if the judiciary was still the last hope of the common man.

“Now the destiny of the country hangs on them. It is either they fulfill the role of being the last hope of the common man or they betray it, he said.

Ajaero said that the mantra “Go to court” was shameful, adding “when people tell you to go to court, they are telling you that that’s the end of the matter.“

He said all hands must be on deck to rescue the judiciary.

“The NLC identifies with this body not necessarily on political basis but in order to rescue this country. You can see the youths struggling these days to see whether they can make any impact.

“You can see that there’s a curve between those in government and the youth. There is no connection anywhere. There is no hope for the youths, so it is time to look at it. There is just no hope politically.

“What hope do they have that when they complete their studies. Will they will get jobs. What is the number of vacancies declared annually?

“How many people graduate from our schools? What percentage of them gets employed? So the time to rescue Nigeria is now,” Ajaero said.

Also, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, Convener of the Labour and Civil Society Front, noted that ripples from the 2023 elections have been worrisome and frightening.

Tokyo said some Nigerians, who are architects of Nigeria’s current democratic experience, had watched with utter astonishment how the processes and procedures, meant to consolidate the 24 years of democratic wins, had been greatly eroded during the 2023 general elections.

“This dark cloud of angst arising from a terribly mismanaged 2023 General Elections has jolted the confidence and hope of many Nigerians, thus propelling us as “Citizens of Conscience” to take the bold step of beginning to resist and mitigate the intended and unintended crisis looming over our dear country.

“We condemn the outright manipulation of the electoral process and abdication of responsibility by INEC as it has not only destroyed trust in the democratic process,“ she said.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

28/04/2023

Dual citizenship doesn't disqualify anyone born in from contesting elections - Former AGF Michael Aondoakaa

Former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa, has said that having dual citizenship cannot disqualify anyone who is a Nigerian by birth from contesting elections in the country.

Aondoakaa said this during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, April 25, following the controversy that trailed claim of President-elect, Bola Tinubu, allegedly obtaining citizenship of Guinea.

Reacting to the controversy, the former AGF said;

“But assuming it was in the petition, the position of the law is that a person who has dual citizenship by naturalisation or registration cannot contest for president in Nigeria.

“But a person who is born in Nigeria, and acquired citizenship in another country, has the right to contest an election. It would be strange to say that the winner of the election, Tinubu, has the citizenship of another country. You must prove first that he is not a Nigerian by birth. That is the first challenge and if you can prove that. Then you can bring up the issue of acquiring another citizenship.

“I have seen the petition of the Labour Party and it was not an issue in the petition. I am also sure it is not an issue in the petition presented by former vice president Atiku Abubakar. The argument is more of an academic exercise. It is not a ground in the petition, and at this moment, you cannot amend the petition.”

27/04/2023

27/04/2023

PHOTOS: 22-year-old Conjoined Twin Sisters Open Up About Their Dating Lives

Twenty two-year-old conjoined twin sisters, Carmen and Lupita Andrade, who are attached at the body and share a reproductive system have revealed how they coordinate everything from dating to deciding what to wear and where to be.

Because they have so many internal structures, according to Carmen and Lupita, having separation surgery would be far too risky for them, DailyMail reports on Wednesday.

“If we had separation surgery, either one of us would die, both of us would die or we’d end up in the ICU and never get out.” Lupita said.

Speaking of their romantic relationships. Lupita is asexual, whereas Carmen started using the dating app, Hinge, a few years ago to look for love.

In October 2020, she met a man named Daniel on the app and the two soon fell in love.

Carmen said, “I knew right off the bat that Daniel was different from the others, because he didn’t lead with a question about my condition.

“We’ve been together for two and a half years, and we’ve discussed getting engaged, but we want to live together first.”

She added that when she goes on dates with Daniel, she tries to make it fair for Lupita, who is forced to accompany her, by letting her choose where they eat or what activity they'll do.

Credit: DailyMail