Derrick Rose claims he's better than LeBron James

Derrick Rose says he's better than current MVP LeBron James

Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose believes he's still the best player in the NBA - better even than four-time MVP LeBron James.

Rose won the MVP award in 2011 - he became the youngest ever recipient at the age of 22 - but he's been plagued by injury since. He spent the whole of last season on the sidelines after tearing an ACL in his knee during the 2012 playoffs. But speaking to CNN, the Bulls guard believes he's still the top player in the NBA. When asked who's the best player in the league right now, the 24-year-old said: "Derrick Rose." Rose is expected to be fully fit for the start of the new season in October, and recently declared himself happy with how his pre-season preparations are going. Athletes - especially those at the top - are renowned for unshakeable self belief so perhaps it's not that much of a surprise to hear Rose claim he's better than James. But the Miami Heat superstar won his second NBA championship in June, along with another Finals MVP. He's widely regarded to be the best player in the world, and Rose did concede that the Heat star is the hardest player in the league to guard. "I would have to say LeBron," said Rose. "A 6-foot-8 guy that's 250 [pounds]. What do you think?"

 

“The Royal Baby Is The Antichrist”

The royal baby is the Antichrist, or so claims Mark Dice, a prolific writer who focuses on the Illuminati and the Antichrist from the Bible.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Kate Middleton’s royal baby was announced to the delight of both the British and Americans. But the royal baby hasn’t been popular with everyone. BBC presenter Simon McCoy bitterly related the announcement as “not that it’s news.” But Mark Dice is making a claim about the royal baby that would probably have most of the British population angry.

Mark Dice gain limited fame last Black Friday when he called American consumerists “brain dead, materialistic morons.” He’s more famous for going around asking people to sign a petition that says Obama supporters should have immunity for their President’s actions. Now Mark Dice is calling the royal baby an Antichrist. Mark Dice calls the royal baby a baby Baphomet, which is probably not one of Kate Middleton’s top baby name choices. Starting by calling the English “brain dead Brits,” following with “Moloch worshiping moronic Americans,” Mark Dice slices into the royal family of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Mark Dice claims the Windsor family secretly believes themselves the lost tribe of Dan from the Bible. The Windsors supposedly believe themselves the “true chosen people of God” over Jews, something Mark Dice compares to Nazi beliefs and their supposed ancestry with the lost city of Atlantis. When the royal baby becomes the King of England, Mark Dice proposes the royal baby will be the Antichrist, or at least an Antichrist of the “new world order” or the “new British empire.” Mark Dice says people like the royal baby are worshiped because of their power, linking back to Egyptian history and how royal families used to claim they were descendants of the gods due to their royal blood.

UEFA Shows Ref Red Card

UEFA has sent home a referee from the U-19 European Championship after the Bosnia-Herzegovina Football Federation opened disciplinary proceedings against him. UEFA says it learned Wednesday of charges against Emir Aleckovic, and “therefore decided immediately to send the referee home.” Bosnian media reported that Aleckovic is accused of inappropriate behavior. UEFA says the case relates to “alleged wrongdoings in Bosnia-Herzegovina” and doesn’t involve the U-19 tournament being played in Lithuania. The Bosnian Federation said in a statement it suspended Aleckovic during its investigation. Aleckovic, who is 33, was promoted to FIFA’s list of international referees in 2010. He was among six referees at the UEFA tournament and worked a 0-0 draw between France and Georgia on Saturday. He refereed a World Cup qualifier last September, when Hungary won 5-0 in Andorra.

Tragic: Man stabs pregnant wife over failure to bear male child

The Ondo State Police division has apprehended a man for allegedly killing his pregnant wife.  The 48-year-old man allegedly attacked her over her for failure to bear him a male child. The deceased, 46, simply identified as Mama Feyi, was heavily pregnant when she was allegedly stabbed to death by the husband during an early morning dispute. Reports say the alleged murderer who hails from Abusoro area in Akure, Ondo State, has since been arrested and is presently being detained at the Ala divisional police station. Eye witness accounts say the suspect has been having a running battle with his deceased wife for over two years shortly after the woman gave birth to their fourth daughter. Sources say trouble began a month ago before the brutal murder when the husband complained aloud that his deceased wife is incapable of bearing him a male child and the incident led to a fierce altercation between the couple. Shocked neighbours expressed disbelief at the death of mama Feyi when one of their next door neighbour, Mr. Isijola, said he was awakened by loud arguments coming from their room very early in the morning. “I ignored them as it is a norm for them to always argue and have altercations,” a neighbour named Isijola, said.  “I decided to ignore them at first but when the noise was getting unbearable, I stepped into their room only to find the lifeless body of the woman on the floor, lying in the pool of her blood. I saw the man holding a knife and he threatened to stab me if I don’t leave.” “It was when I discovered that he may abscond that I alerted the police who immediately came to arrest him.” Naratting the incident, daughter of the deceased, Feyisara, said, “It all started on Sunday after my mummy had cooked rice. She asked me to go and collect money from my father to prepare stew and on getting to him, he started shouting. But he later gave me N500 which my mum refused to collect. They both argued and had a fight. I had to make a distress call to neighbours to settle the dispute”. According to the daughter of the deceased, “the quarrel started at about 6am when my mum asked him to give her some money for her ante-natal but he refused. They started fighting and before we knew it, daddy brought out a knife and stabbed mummy to death.”

Pastor killed during argument with neighbour

The police in Lagos have commenced investigations into the death of a 67-year-old cleric, Monday Ojajuni, who was allegedly killed by a woman, Temidayo Oladele, in front of his church in Mile 12.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased, who was the Superintendent Evangelist of Celestial Church of God, Mile 12, died during a confrontation with Oladele over the latter’s decision to scoop some sand in front of his church. The 19-year-old daughter of the deceased, Oluwaseun, said she witnessed the incident on July 19, 2013. She said, “The woman (Oladele) came to pack sand in front of the church and another cleric, Assistant Superintendent Evangelist Samuel Oteghene, told her not to pack the sand. When my father arrived at the scene, Oteghene went inside. “But the woman rebuffed all entreaties not to pack the sand, instead, she turned violent and tore my father’s robe. “My father then told her that she would run mad within seven days. When she heard this, she pushed my father and he fell, hitting hit his head on the ground and died. I reported the matter at Mile 12 Police Post. From there it was transferred to Ketu Police Station.” PUNCH Metro learnt that members of the church had earlier prayed for Monday with the hope that he would wake up, but to no avail. It was learnt it was after a medical doctor confirmed Monday’s death that it dawned on them that he was beyond redemption. Police sources said Ketu Police Division had arrested Oladele, while the case had also been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba. At the SCID, the suspect, who claimed to be 65 years, said she did not kill the cleric. She explained that he died during a struggle with her. She said, “Around 11.30am on Friday, I went with a shovel to the front of the church which is behind my house to pack some sand. I was challenged by members of the church. “The pastor (Monday) started struggling for the shovel with me. The shovel tore his clothes. He cursed me, saying that I would die within the next seven days. We struggled until he fell to the ground and I left. I did not injure him and I did not know that he was dead until later.” Our correspondent, who visited Monday’s family home on Omobanta Street, Mile 12, observed as sympathisers condole with the family. A banner, hanging in front of the house, displayed the picture of the deceased. The banner read, ‘Monday Elijah Ojajuni, 1947-2013, Rest in Peace’  The eldest son of the deceased, Moses, described his father as an easy-going man.  He said, “My father was fasting on that day, but he went to the church to conduct a programme. Who would have known that that was the last time we would see him?” He said his father was survived by 11 children and two wives, many of whom were still dependent on him. “My father was a retired civil servant. He worked at the Lagos State Ministry of Works for many years. He had four sons and seven daughters,” he said. He added that the suspect’s account of what happened on the day was not correct.  He said, “The woman had earlier come to pack sand from the front of our church prior to my father’s death and she had been warned not to come back. “After my father confronted her, he attempted to go back into the church, but she pulled him by the cape. Because it rained on that day, the sand was slippery, causing him to hit his head against the ground.” Our correspondent, who also visited the church, observed a condolence register in front of the church gate. The members, however, refused to talk to our correspondent, saying they had left everything to God. When contacted on the telephone, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, confirmed Oladele’s arrest. He said the matter was being investigated at the Homicide Department of the SCID.

“Were You Born Out Of Homosexuality?” – Mugabe Asks Obama

President Mugabe has taken a swipe at United States President Barack Obama for trying to “arm twist” African countries into submission by reportedly tying aid to African countries to the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Mugabe criticised US president Barack Obama’s conditional aid and said western countries have targeted him for his stance on homosexuality. Addressing thousands of party supporters at a campaign rally in Mutare, President Mugabe reminded Obama that he was not born of out of homosexuality. “Then we have this American president, Obama, born of an African father, who is saying we will not give you aid if you don’t embrace homosexuality,” President Mugabe said. “We ask, was he born out of homosexuality? We need continuity in our race, and that comes from the woman, and no to homosexuality.” President Mugabe, however is been criticized too for pointing a finger at others when prominent officials in his party, Zanu Pf are allegedly gay.

“Negotiations for Fabregas are ongoing” – Moyes

David Moyes has confirmed that the club are still trying to sign Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona. When the Manchester United manager was asked about the latest developments on their attempts to land the midfielder, he said: “It is ongoing”. United are prepared to send in their third offer for the former Arsenal skipper, amidst stories that Barca president Sandro Rosell, had written to them to warn them off the Spain international. Gerard Pique, who played at Old Trafford at some point in his career, also reiterated the La Liga side’s stance. “United are wasting their time. It took a long time for Cesc to get his dream move back home, and he won’t give it up,” he told the Sun. “This is home, it is where his family is, and he is playing with his closest friends. He has told us he is happy, and that he intends to stay with Barcelona.”

South Africa’s ‘Worst Rapist’ Hangs Himself Before Trial

Sifiso Makhubo, aged 42 known to be South Africa’s worst known rapist has been found dead in his prison cell hours before he was to go to trial.

Sifiso was facing a total of 122 charges for murder, rape, sexually assaulting 34 children, kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder by infecting his victims with HIV/AIDS. He was found hanging from his blanket in his prison cell. Investigations are currently going on concerning the circumstances around his death. The horrific nature of the crimes committed by Sifisi Makhubo shocked South Africa, a country accustomed to some of the world’s highest levels of sexual violence. It has been recorded that in April 2012, more than 64,000 sexual offences, including rape, have been reported in South Africa. Of these, more than 25,000 were assaults on children. South Africa in 2010 reported over a hundred cases of rape per 100,00 people, by far the highest among countries that reported statistics to the United Nations compared to the 27.3 in the United States as the frequency of rape cases differs from country to country.

Couple, two-month old baby die in midnight fire outbreak

Residents of Kajola, a suburb of Osun State were thrown into heavy grief Wednesday, following the tragedy that befell a two-month-old baby and her parents in a midnight inferno. According to a resident, the couple and their baby were roasted in the raging inferno before anyone in the neighbourhood could notice. However, the source could not ascertain whether the incident occurred before a light rain on Wednesday or after the rain. One of the children of the deceased, who miraculously escaped the tragedy because she went for a vigil, wept bitterly when she returned home to see her dead parents and sibling. DailyPost gathered that all the household gadgets of the family were razed by the fire suspected to be caused by electric spark. The state Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, who visited the scene, expressed shock and sadness over the incident. Laoye-Tomori, who gave an undisclosed amount of money to the family, said, “The government will henceforth be responsible for the upkeep of the surviving children.” Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps took the corpses of the victims to the mortuary. The Public Relations Officer, Ife-Ile PHCN Business District, Mr Akin Otaraki, said the fire outbreak could not have been caused by power surge because the area had been disconnected from power supply by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria. “The community and some others have remained in darkness since Saturday, July 20, 2013 due to a yet-to-be identified fault. The fact on ground is that the inferno could not have been caused by a surge in powe because there has not been power supply to the affected communities, including Kajola,” Otaraki said.

Love affair: Pastor arrested in policeman’s bedroom

A Nigerian pastor serving in of one of the pentecostal churches met his waterloo on Tuesday, as he was arrested while allegedly trying to make love to a police officer’s wife. The randy pastor and father of four, who shares same building with the police officer’s family at Iyaba Umudim, Nnewi in Anambra State was caught inside the officer’s bedroom. However, he was unlucky as unknown to him, the policeman was lying in wait for him. It was gathered that the pastor, an indigene of Ngwa in Abia State has been making love advances to the policeman’s wife, promising to give her N50, 000 for a start if she allowed him have sex with her. The woman, it was gathered, always turned down the offer, and relayed the pastor’s advances to her husband who asked her to play along with the pastor. According to the police officer serving with Mopol 29, Awka, the pastor called him on phone at about 4:00 p.m asking him whether he would return to Nnewi after work. The policeman, DailyPost learnt, told him (the pastor) that he had a special assignment in Asaba, Delta State. “The pastor apparently happy started praying for me that God would protect me in my journey, and all that, and I said Amen, but he did not know that I was already in Nnewi when I answered his call”, the policeman revealed The police officer said he later secretly returned to his house having arranged with his wife to catch the randy man. According to him, “It was around 2:23am when the pastor came and we left the sitting room open. He tiptoed into the sitting room with only his trousers and singlet on him, coming bare-footed and sat down in the palour. “He called my wife who came out from the bedroom to welcome him. Minutes after, he requested that he and my wife should go into the bedroom and he was ushered in. He flashed his torchlight in the bedroom and appeared to have a premonition as my wife went back to luck the door at the sitting room. Then he had taken his position on the bed and suddenly, I came out from my hiding place in the bedroom and gripped him and a fight ensued. “He gave me several bites on my left arm and fingers. By then the fight had taken us to the sitting room where my plasma television, handset and other property were destroyed in his struggle to free himself. If not for other sympathizers who were attracted to the noise he would not have been over powered”. It was further disclosed that the pastor pleaded for forgiveness attributing his action to the work of the devil and promised to pay for the damaged property and any amount of money for him to be set free and the incident concealed. Members of the vigilance group who were later invited to the scene handed the suspect over to Nnewi Central Police Station for further investigation.

ASUU strike: We cannot implement 2009 agreement without adequate negotiations – FG

The Federal Government on Tuesday, gave a hint that the ongoing strike by the university lecturers may not end soon, as it insists that it would not implement the 2009 agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities,ASUU, without amending the contentious issues. The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, stated this at a news briefing, at the end of a meeting with members of the National Working Committee,NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, in Abuja.

He said it was wrong for anyone to blame the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for the ongoing strike, saying “the agreements was made before the present administration came to power, hence making it difficult to succumb to the letters of the agreement that is forcing it to seek renegotiation.” According to him, “We have held series of discussions with ASUU and those discussions are centred around the 2009 agreements which predate this administration, which equally has to be re-negotiated.

“The terms of that agreement have created problems, not only for this administration, but the former administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua. Wogu said “What we are doing now will be long standing if ASUU will give us the opportunity to continue with these negotiations that have been on-going. The Minister added that “We made an offer to ASUU, it was not acceptable to them. So the right thing for everybody to do is to come back to the negotiation table.” Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress ,NLC, has threatened to join the ongoing ASUU strike. NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the ‘2013 Rain School’ in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, called on the Federal Government to have meaningful dialogue with ASUU with a view to implementing the agreement. “The state governments should equally obey the law and pay minimum wage to teachers and the local government workers as well as the 27.5 percent teachers’ enhanced salaries, he added, warning that “Should this strike persist, workers of Nigeria will not hesitate to join them in solidarity,” he stressed. Meanwhile, Joint Action Front,JAF,on Tuesday, enjoined Nigerians to support to save public education in the country. Disclosing plans to go on a nationwide protest, JAF appealed to Nigerians “to see the current struggle by ASUU “and the inconclusive struggles of other unions in the education sector as the struggle of the Nigerian oppressed masses.” A statement jointly signed by Dipo Fashina and Abiodun Aremu, said “JAF has agreed on a template for national mobilisation and urges all stakeholders in the education sector – parents, students, ASUU, ASUP, SSANIP, COESU, National Union of Teachers ,NUT, Non-Academic Staff Union,NASU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ,SSANU, professionals and workers’ unions in the NLC and TUC and the oppressed masses of Nigeria to hold consultative and mobilisation meetings and rallies, in view of the programme of action to be made public in the next one week. “The national protest is against the current trend of poor funding and neglect for public education by government at all levels. “We appeal to Nigerians to support the coming national protest to save public education from collapse. “We use this opportunity to remind Nigerians of some of the demands by the academic unions that centre around failure by governments (federal and state) to fund facilities and infrastructure in the universities, for the revitalisation of the facilities and academic programmes; failure to implement the NEEDS Assessment Report as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 24, 2012 on the standardisation and effective running of the universities; and failure to pay legitimately earned allowances of the academic staff.” Also speaking, National Treasurer of ASUU, Ademola Aremu, has advised the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the education sector. According to the immediate past Chairman of the University of Ibadan,UI, chapter of the union, “It is better to close down universities in Nigeria than to continue to produce ignorant people. He lamented that “Ghana is now the home to Nigerian students and children of the elite in particular because Ghana shut down the education system for two years and now they are enjoying the gains of the struggle. “We may have to borrow a leaf from them and put our education on sound footing to stop outsiders from making us a laughing stock. Aremu added that Nigerians pay close to N100 billion to access education in Ghana, “These were the same Ghanaians that were here doing menial jobs,” he decried.

Igbos are not ready to produce Nigeria’s next president – Arthur Nzeribe

Less than two years to the 2015 general elections, frontline politician and Southeast leader, Senator Arthur Nzeribe, Wednesday called on his Igbo brethren to bury the idea of producing Nigeria’s next president. His argument was anchored on the ground that it would be difficult for the region to produce a president due to lack of political cohesion. Nzeribe, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, observed that the Igbos are not just ready to spearhead the affairs of Nigeria. The respected elder statesman called on the people of the Southeast geo-political zone to put their house in order, before seeking for the number one position. He maintained that previous unsuccessful attempts by the region to produce a president was what gave him the impression that the next efforts would be an attempt of the venom on the rock. He voiced his conviction thus, “Until we start speaking with one voice, we cannot get the Presidency. We should not try it now. We are not just ready for anything like that, we must get our acts right.” On the presidential primaries of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the erstwhile Senator of the Federal Republic hinted that those saying that President Jonathan must not go through the rigorous process of primaries before emerging as the Presidential flag bearer were only raising their personal opinion on the matter. He added that, President Jonathan must present himself with others at the party’s presidential primaries. His words, “It is the personal opinion of those who said President Jonathan must not go through primary election. He must present himself for that. I can bet that President Goodluck Jonathan will win at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries”. Speaking on the current crisis rocking the acclaimed largest party in Africa, the Orlu, Imo State born politician averred that for the turbulent party to get it right, the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, members of the National Working Committee, NWC must be fired, stressing that, “the PDP must clear the desk, including Bamanga Tukur, to get it right.” Nzeribe however, warned that politicians must consign their selfish interest in their handbags to salvage the country ahead of the 2015 general elections, noting that Nigeria was bigger than anybody, irrespective of status or rank. The former Senator, however, urged all those who left the party to return and embrace the on-going reconciliatory moves, with a view to repositioning the party.

Senator Nzeribe called on President Jonathan to help in the development of the Eastern part of Nigeria, as he had not really impacted much on the people of the zone, stating that the people wanted good roads, especially the construction of a second Niger Bridge, among other things.

Train Crash: Spanish PM Declares 3-Days National Mourning

At least 78 people have been killed in the passenger train derailment in north-western Spain on Wednesday.

 

 

In respect to the train crash which occurred in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has declared a 3-day National mourning for the victims of the Galicia train crash. PM Mariano Rajoy said: “Today is a very difficult day. Today we have lived through a terrible, dramatic accident, which I fear will stay with us for a long time. For someone from Santiago, like myself, believe me, this is the saddest Day of Saint James of my life.” Mr Rajoy, who was born in Santiago de Compostela, has been visiting the scene of the accident. “I want to express my affection and solidarity with the victims of the terrible train accident in Santiago,” Mr Rajoy said earlier. The black box of the train is now with the judge in charge of the investigation. It is one of Spain’s worst ever train crashes

Read full story here!

‘Honourable And Dignifying Child Marriage Better Than Child Prostitution’

A Non Government Organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed to Nigerians to be tolerant on the raging controversy surrounding the child marriage debate. MURIC’s Director, Ishaq Akintola, made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan. The statement said that in line with the tenets of Islam, age was not part of the conditions which must be met before marriage could be solemnized. It said that where the bride was a ‘minor’, Islam prescribes protective solemnization of marriage to shield the bride from abuse. “This means that the girl who is deemed to be of tender age is left untouched by the man until she attains puberty. “Another major condition for child marriage is that the girl herself has the right to repudiate the marriage when she attains maturity if she does not like her spouse. “MURIC believes that honourable and dignifying child marriage is better than child prostitution which is rampant in Nigerian cities and red light zones,’’ it said. The statement compared the globalisation and promotion of homosexualism, lesbianism and same-s*x marriage as a direct challenge to God’s divine order. The Senate, on the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee, rejected the deletion of the clause on renunciation of citizenship. The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, said that the clause was recommended for deletion because it was considered discriminatory. He said the clause, which had been in the Constitution since 1979, had nothing to do with child marriage as was being insinuated by some Nigerians.

(NAN)

Death Of First Lady’s Mum A Great Loss – Judith Amaechi

Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s wife, Dame Judith, has commiserated with the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan over the death of her foster mother, Mrs Charity Iwari Oba (Sisi Mama). The Rivers State governor’s wife in a press statement signed by her media aide, Dike Bekwele, described the death of Mrs Oba as a great loss to Rivers State. Mrs Amaechi said she was very devastated by the news of the death of Mrs Oba, who died in a fatal auto crash on Elele road en route Bayelsa State on Monday. She stated that Mama Oba’s death occurred when her motherly role and wealth of experience was needed for the nation’s building and prayed the almighty God to grant the First Lady and Oba’s family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Jesus and Islam: By Marilyn Adamson

This will be a very respectful presentation to anyone who wants to know about Jesus. No challenges. And there will be no criticism of any religion, in any way.

Here are six questions that followers of Islam, and others, often ask about Jesus...

1. Has the Bible been changed from its original?
2. Does God say that one religion will replace another: Judaism, then Christianity, then Islam?
3. Is it not blasphemy to say God has a Son?
4. Did Jesus die on a cross?
5. If Jesus died on a cross, was God dead for 3 days?
6. Why not view Jesus as a prophet?

Here are six questions answered in this article:

1. Jesus and Islam: Is the Bible God's Word? Or has it been changed, or corrupted over time?

Just as introduction, here are a few statements found in the Bible: "Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will by any means disappear, from the Law until everything has been accomplished."¹ The Word of God will not disappear. Everything in it will be accomplished in its entirety till the very end. Again it states, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away."² Also, "All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."³ All scripture is inspired by God. And, "the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever."⁴ We need to ask ourselves, "Is God able to protect his word? Is God able to fulfill these statements, that his word will never disappear, never go unfulfilled?" Is God capable? Yes, of course. This is God's word to all people. Are we accusing God himself by saying that He was not able to protect it from being changed? Nothing has been changed. That is only a rumor. The Quran does not say the Bible has been changed. Just the opposite. It honors the Torah and the Bible. It mentions the Torah, and the "Zabur" (the Old Testament and Psalms) and the "Injil" (the New Testament) many times. When Islam began in the 6th century, 600 years after Jesus Christ, the Bible was accepted as true. So, you might ask, has the Bible changed since the 6^th century? No. All you have to do is compare today's Bible with a Bible written long ago. We can find complete Bibles, all the way back to 300 A.D., hundreds of years before the Quran. You can find one in the London Museum, in the Vatican, and many other places. If you compare today's Bible with the Bibles of 300 A.D., the Bible we have today is the same as then. Did you know that there exists today nearly 25,000 hand-written copies of portions of the New Testament? As historians have compared these manuscripts, they have concluded that the New Testament we have today is at least 99.5% accurate to the original. No change. (The .5% differences refer to spelling, but no change in meaning.) Also, you might be familiar with the more recent archeological findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls. These were found in caves of Qumran, just off the northwest corner of the Dead Sea. Researchers have compared the Bible we have today with what they found, and they remained highly similar, nearly 100% identical. Don't let anyone tell you that the New Testament or the Bible has been changed from its original writing. That simply is not historically accurate. The Bible has not been changed. 

Ok, but what about having four Gospels? Aren't those different Scriptures, different from each other?

Yes, there are four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in the New Testament. These actually help show that the Bible has never been falsified. These are four witnesses, four accounts of Jesus' life, what he said, what he did. Imagine if one or two, or let's say four people, witnessed a car accident on a corner of a street. And each one was asked to write up their account, their witness of the accident for the court. Do you think that each one would give the exact same description, exactly the same witness, word-for-word? Obviously not. Each one would write from his or her own perspective of what he or she saw. And that's what happened when each of these witnesses wrote their account of Jesus, as eyewitnesses of Jesus. For centuries judicial systems have involved witnesses. And, on very important matters, it cannot be one person's word against another's. Often, you need more than one witness. Here's a statement in the New Testament, quoting from the Old Testament, "Every matter must be established by the witness of two or three people."⁵ Not only are there four witnesses about Jesus who wrote the gospels, but there are many more witnesses. James, Paul, Jude, Peter, and others wrote the rest of the books in the New Testament. John said, "[We write] what our eyes have seen, what our hands have touched."⁶ They were eyewitnesses to Jesus. So they wrote what they saw.

What about all the languages that the Bible is written in, all the translations?

The Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek. Any Bible, no matter what year it was printed, is always a translation from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. (Bibles are never translated English to English, for example. They always start with the original text.) There are some Bibles that are paraphrases, not translations. And they are identified as paraphrases. However, translations, are just that -- translating what the original Hebrew and Greek text states. The Hebrew and Greek writings of the Bible have been translated into thousands of languages. Why? Because God wants every person in the world to know the good news of salvation. And the Bible is not difficult to translate. There are portions of the Bible that are poetic (the Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, the Psalms). But the heart of the Bible itself is a very simple language that deals with our daily lives. It is not hard to translate. The fact that the Bible is a straight-forward, simple account is another reason to trust the Bible. Here's a true story. "My son called me one day. He was in another country, in the middle of a big highway, in a car accident. His car was hit by another car, and was turned 180 degrees, landing in the middle of the highway, in the wrong direction. He said, 'Dad, I'm ok. But what do I do now?' He's in trouble. He needed help. Well, do you think this is the time that I will send him a poetic message? A poem that I have memorized? No. This is the time to simply say, 'John, here's what you need to do. You're in deep trouble and here is how to get out of it.' And that really is the heart of the Bible. Humanity is in trouble, heading for hell. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And we need a simple message of salvation. The Bible tells us how we can be forgiven, how we can be brought into a close relationship with God that begins now and lasts eternally. It is a message that changes our lives.

2. Jesus and Islam: Does God say that one religion will replace another?

Does God intend that we would start with Judaism, then change to Christianity, then change to Islam? No. God has been consistent. He has never been interested in building a religion. Beginning with Abraham, God has been clear about revealing himself to us so that we could be in relationship with him. A relationship, not a religion, is God's ultimate purpose in creating us. Let's look at the beginning, with Adam and Eve. They had direct communication with God, and all of their needs were met. Then Satan appeared to Adam and Eve as a serpent, and tempted them. Unfortunately they chose to believe Satan and disobey what God told them. As a result, Adam and Eve fell out of relationship with God. But do you know what God immediately told Satan? God said that a woman's child would be Satan's enemy. God said that Satan would have partial victory, bruising the child's heel. But the child would deal the final blow, crushing Satan's head.

Here it is:

"Then the Lord God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."⁷ Satan will have a short-lived victory, striking the heel of the woman's offspring. Throughout all of history, who is the only man born of a woman, and not from a man and a woman? Jesus, the Son of Mary, right? Satan would strike the heel of this offspring of a woman. But the offspring would strike a blow to Satan's head. And the only way to kill a serpent is to strike its head. What does this mean? There is only one explanation to it. Satan dealt a blow to Jesus on the cross, when Jesus' feet and hands were nailed. But Jesus' delivered the crushing blow to Satan. On the cross, Jesus overcame Satan. Jesus paid for the sins of all humankind, offering everyone forgiveness and a way to come back into relationship with God. The prophet Isaiah wrote about this offspring: "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed.

We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."⁸ Who is the prophet Isaiah talking about? It's very clear. He is talking about Jesus. And when was this written? More than 600 years before Jesus Christ. From the beginning, through thousands of years, God always said that Jesus will come and he will die, just like we read from Isaiah. What would you think of God if, at the very last moment, he changed his mind? What if, after thousands of years promising Jesus, God would change his mind and not have Jesus die for us? God does not change his mind.

3. Jesus and Islam: Is it not blasphemy to suggest that God would have a Son?

God is spirit. And Jesus is only God's Son in a spiritual sense, not in a physical way.If someone says, "You are the Son of the Cedars" it means that person is from Lebanon. Or, if from Egypt, "You are the Son of the Nile." To say that Jesus is the Son of God, means that Jesus is from God. It is like a title. When the angel appeared to Mary, the angel said, "the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God." A title. Christians do not believe that God had any sexual relationship with any woman. Isaiah said, "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."⁹ He is God, who became a man, through Mary. He is God and Son at the same time, born of the virgin Mary. Why do you think God allowed Jesus to be born from a virgin Mary? To be born of a woman, and not from a man & woman, means he did not take on the sinful nature of Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve fell into sin, they passed on the sinful nature from one generation to another, through their own children, down to us. We are all born as sinners. We're all born with a tendency toward doing things our way, instead of God's way. We all sin. That's why the prophet David cried out, "With sin, my mother conceived me." We all were born with sin. We live as sinful people and we all need a redeemer. But for Jesus to redeem us, he needed to have a different nature. He needed to be from the spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, no sinfulness at all. Isaiah said, "No deceit was found in him." No sin in him. In Scripture, God took on the form of a burning bush when revealing himself to Moses. He took on the voice of heaven when speaking to Abraham. Who is to say that God is not allowed to take on the form of man in order to reveal himself to us?

4. Jesus and Islam: Did Jesus die on the cross or not?

How did God test Abraham? He asked Abraham to put his son on the altar. As they were going up the mountain, the son asked, "Where is the offering?" Abraham answered, "God will see to it. He will provide the offering." And God did provide a lamb, which Abraham then sacrificed to God. Look at the consistent message God gives us. God spares, he saves the son of Abraham with one lamb. Then in Exodus, we see the importance of a lamb again. In Exodus, God warns his people in Egypt that he is going to strike the Egyptians. If those who believe in God will put the blood of a lamb on their doorpost, God would have the angel of death go past them, saving them from death. A nation of believers were saved by one lamb. Then we see a lamb again in Leviticus. Every year the priest is told to take one lamb out of the city and sacrifice it for the sins of those people who believe in God. Each year, one people saved again by one lamb. Then we hear John the Baptist addressing a crowd, saying this about Jesus: "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"¹⁰ One lamb, who will save the whole world, for all who will believe in him. What would have happened if Abraham had not listened to the voice of God, or had not believed that God was speaking to him? That's right, his son would have been killed! What if the people did not believe God and did not put the blood of the lamb on their doorpost? So now is the question. Some 2,000 years ago, Jesus, the Lamb of God, hung on a cross, and gave his life for you. We are clearly told, "God shows his love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."¹¹ What if you said, "No, they did not crucify him. He was not killed." This Lamb of God was sacrificed to pay for your sins, and the sin of all the world. What if you say that he was not killed, that this Lamb of God did not die for your sin, for your forgiveness?

5. Jesus and Islam: If Jesus died on the cross, and was buried for three days, does this mean that God was dead for three days?

A great question. An illustration will help answer it.

Let's say we have a vase. It has no flowers, no water in it. It is merely full of air. What is the difference between the air outside the vase and the air inside the vase? The air inside the vase has shape, right? It is the same air in composition, but the air inside the vase has shape. If we take that vase and smash it against the wall, what happens to the air inside of it? Does it die? No, air cannot die. The vase can be in thousands of pieces, but nothing happens to the air, except lose its shape. When Jesus died on the cross, his body died, but the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of God never dies. God took on the form of man, in Jesus. He took on the shape of man, but Jesus was never only man. On the cross, Jesus paid for our sin and removed the barrier that stood between us and him. Because of his death, we can be at peace with God. Though we were guilty, the justice of God was fully met by Jesus, the Lamb of God who suffered for us. And the love of God was fully expressed in that Jesus willingly laid down his life for us. You may say, "That's not fair." And you're right. We don't deserve Jesus' dying for us. But this was God's solution for us. Do we tell God how it must be? Jesus paid our penalty of death, so that we would not need to die for our sins. He wants us to come into relationship with him, to know his love, and to have eternal life. One more story. A true story, to help you understand what Jesus did for us. There was a righteous judge who would not take bribes. He was just. Honest. A lady was caught and brought before him. The penalty she might have to pay was a life sentence or a huge sum of money which she did not have.

The judge asked her, "Are you guilty or not?"
And she cried out, "Your honor, I cannot pay the sentence. I cannot pay the money. Please have mercy on me."
The judge said, "I am asking you, 'Are you guilty or not? Do you confess?'"
Finally the young lady said, "Your honor, yes, I am guilty."
He said, "Then you pay the price. Life sentence or the sum of money." And he closed the case.

She starts screaming and wailing, and they dragged her out of the courtroom to prison. The judge took off the robe, and walked out of the court. He then walked to the treasury. And right there at the treasury, he paid all the money he had and paid the ransom for that girl. Why? Because he loved the girl very much. She was his daughter. And he redeemed his daughter himself, with everything he had.

When the judge took off his robe, he became like any other man. And that's exactly what Jesus did. He left heaven, took off the robe of glory, and became like any other man. And he died for us, so our sins would no longer condemn us and keep us eternally separated from God. All the prophets said that Jesus would come and die for the sins of the world. Jesus is the only hope for mankind to have eternal life. Back at the beginning with Adam and Eve, God told Satan that an offspring of a woman would crush Satan's head, and mankind would be redeemed. Jesus' death and resurrection overcame the power of Satan. Jesus overcame sin, death, and our separation from God...delivering a crushing blow to Satan.

6. Jesus and Islam: Why not view Jesus as a prophet?

There is only one God. Here is what we know is true of God:

God is eternal - has always existed, exists now, and will always exist.
God is holy - without fault, perfect.
God is truth - his word stands always, unchanging, reliably true.
God is present - everywhere, at all times.
God is powerful - no limit to his power.
God is all-knowing - he has full knowledge of everything, always.
God is creator - nothing exists that is not created by him.

There is only one God. And all of the above is true of him. We know this because Scripture reveals this to be true of God. He has chosen to make himself known to humankind, to reveal this about himself to us. Scripture also reveals that Jesus possesses these exact same characteristics as God. As does the Spirit of God. For example, let's take eternal. Scripture says of Jesus, "He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him."¹² Also, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him."¹³ But, if there is only one God, how could Jesus also be God? On earth, we live in a three-dimensional world. Each person has height, width and depth. Two people might look something like each other. They might have similar interests, similar occupations. But a person cannot actually be the same as another person. They are distinct individuals. God, however, lives without the limitations of a three-dimensional universe. He is spirit. And he is infinitely more complex than we are. That is why Jesus the Son can be different from the Father. And, yet the same. The Bible clearly speaks of: God the Son, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. But it also clearly tells us that there is only ONE God. If we were to use math, it would not be, 1+1+1=3. It would be 1x1x1=1. God is one. When Isaiah stated, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."¹⁴ Immanuel literally means "God with us." Jesus said that to know him was to know God. To see him was to see God. To believe in him was to believe in God. To see more about Jesus life and how he proved these statements, please see the article "Beyond Blind Faith." However, there is something else about God that you should know. He loves you and cares about you. Jesus tells us, ""As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."¹⁵ Jesus invites us, "Come to me, all who labor 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."¹⁶ All of the struggles to try to do enough for God...Jesus offers us a new freedom. We experience his love, and we have a new motivation to please God. It is not out of fear, but out of joy in knowing him. One of Jesus' followers, Paul, experienced this and commented: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."¹⁷

 

Pastor Maintains Daughter Held At Etsu Nupe’s Palace Was Forced To Convert To Islam

A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Raymond Uzoechina has called on security agencies to investigate activities at the palace of the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, to ensure that many people there had not been forced to convert to Islam and held against their will. This came as the pastor claimed his daughter, Miss Charity Uzoechina had been forced to convert to Islam. “Apart from my daughter, there are so many people at the palace. There is need for the police to investigate and ensure that the people are not suffering the fate of my daughter,” Pastor Uzoechina told Vanguard on phone, yesterday. Charity had left their Abuja home to further her studies at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State recently. Reports however said she has not returned home since March, and has allegedly been at the palace of the Etsu Nupe on her own volition, after converting to Islam and changing her name to Aisha. Pastor Uzoechina wouldn’t hear any of the claims that her daughter willingly converted to Islam. He believes his daughter was kidnapped and hypnotised and could never abandon the Christian faith for Islam.The Etsu Nupe argued otherwise and produced legal documents where his daughter said she had converted to Islam and alleged that his father could kill her for the action hence the need to seek protection from the Palace and the Sharia Court, which the court granted.

The Etsu Nupe who had promised the lady protection, therefore refused to release her to Uzoechina, citing the sharia court ruling. The pastor who is appalled by the situation wondered how an Islamic court would judge a Christian. “They (sharia court) have fixed Thursday, August 1 for ruling on our appeal that they don’t have jurisdiction. You can’t judge a Christian in a Muslim court. I am appealing to them to vacate the judgment because they don’t have jurisdiction.” Uzoechina described as ridiculous the claim that her daughter was being kept at the Etsu Nupe palace so as to protect her from him. Even if she converted to Islam on her own volition, Uzoechina wondered if that was enough reason for any father to kill his daughter as alleged by the Etsu Nupe. “That is not true. My daughter cannot make that allegation,” he said. “Why should I kill her? We asked them to bring her to the court so that my lawyer can cross-examine her but they refused. “If she has converted to Islam, must she practice at the Etsu Nupe’s palace? Is Etsu Nupe the chief security officer now? They should not separate me from my daughter. She has stayed in the palace for six months. If they say I will harm her, let them release her to the Inspector General of Police, leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN or ask me to write an undertaking. Why is my daughter still under Etsu Nupe’s enclave? I am only talking about my daughter; there are so many people at the palace. There is need for the police to investigate and ensure that other people are not suffering the fate of my daughter. They did not allow my wife to see my daughter when she visited the palace.” The matter is now causing a big row among the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led CAN, the Bida Emirate and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA.

Oshimohole Denies Signing Another Execution Warrant Of Two Death Row Prisoners

The Edo State Government has denied latest reports making the rounds that Governor Adams Oshiohmole has signed the execution warrant of two more prisoners on death row in the state. This is contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria and issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Benin. The statement described reports on the issue as false and intended to cause disaffection in the state. It, therefore, advised members of the public to disregard the information, adding that the governor would not shy away from carrying out his constitutional duties when the need arose. In another development, the state government has appointed Mr. Aremiyau Aligame-Momoh, as the Executive Director on revenue matters, as part of effort to improve on its revenue generation and effectively monitor same. The appointment took immediate effect, according to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere. The statement was quoted as saying that the office would henceforth handle the functions of the former task force on revenue generation. (NAN)

Jonathan Felicitates With Bayero At 83, Extols His Uncommon Leadership Qualities

President Goodluck Jonathan has conveyed warm felicitations to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Bayero, on the occasion of the monarch’s 83^rd birthday. This is contained in a congratulatory letter to the Emir on Wednesday in Abuja. Mr. Jonathan extolled the monarch’s “uncommon leadership qualities”, and prayed that God Almighty would grant him many more years of service to the people of Kano and Nigeria. “As you mark your 83^rd birthday anniversary which comes up on Thursday, July 25, I write, on behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to extend warm felicitations to Your Highness. “Only recently, you marked 50 years of unqualified success on the throne as the Emir of Kano”, the president noted, adding “Your uncommon leadership qualities and evident faith in the peace, unity, progress and prosperity of our dear nation, have combined to make you one of the most highly respected monarchs in Nigeria today. “As you continue to use your exalted throne to build bridges of friendship and harmony across our nation, it is my prayer that Almighty Allah grants you many more years of abounding health, prosperity and enduring fulfillment,’’ the president wrote. Jonathan wished the Emir very happy birthday celebrations. (NAN)

Oil Spillage: Gov. Dickson Accuses Oil Companies Of Nonchalant Attitude

Governor Seriake Dickson has lampooned International Oil Companies (IOCs) for showing more concern about oil they derive from Niger Delta than the welfare of the people of the region. Governor made this position known Wednesday when the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Ambassador Bert Ronhaar, paid him a visit in Yenagoa. He also expressed dismay that the oil companies have refused to embrace international standards and best practices in their operations in the Niger Delta, a development he said had negatively impacted the environment and led to endemic poverty. He decried what he described as “the brazen manner resources of the Niger Delta are expropriated,” adding that activities of the companies had placed the region in a precarious situation. “The ecosystem and livelihood of people in the Niger Delta have been negatively impacted upon as a result of oil exploration and exploitation activities over the years,” he said. Mr. Dickson went down memory lane recalling that the Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum Company struck oil in commercial quantities at Oloibiri, Bayelsa in 1956, but lamented that the area had suffered neglect. He said: “We have major issues of how to combat flooding, erosion of our communities and damaged ecosystem. There are also frightening scientific predictions that if urgent steps are not taken, most of the communities in the Niger Delta will be wiped away in the next couple of years. “There is now a disconnect arising from the decades of what is perceived to be nonchalant attitude by the international oil companies. The communities now see the operating companies as buccaneers who do not care about them and their conditions. “Their (IOCs) concern is only the oil and not the people’s well-being. The activities here are such that you have double standards in terms of adherence to environmental rules, regulations and procedures.” He vowed that his administration would join hands with other stakeholders to champion the need for environmental rights and justice in the country. “The environment has to be respected in the Niger Delta the same way it is protected and preserved in Europe and America. “An oil spill is an oil spill wherever it occurs, whether it is in the Niger Delta or in the Gulf of Mexico,” he said. He, however, commended Mr. Ronhaar for deepening diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the kingdom of the Netherlands.

Four Family Members Burn To Death In Osun

Tears flowed freely in Kajola-Ijesha, Atakumosa West Local Government Area of Osun State, following the death of four members of a family who were burnt to death in a mid night inferno that gutted their house, Monday night. The family of six lost the father, mother and two children in the fire. The two other children were away on vigil when the incident happened. Sources said they urged other members of the family to join them but they declined. Property,  including furniture, electronics, cooking utensils and other household materials were burnt in the inferno. An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, said the fire was as a result of power surge. He said the entire house was affected. “We have been to the scene and found out that the incident happened as a result of the return of power to the house by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. “There was no light when the family slept but the high voltage power came at midnight and caused the incident,” the NSCDC officer who craved anonymity said. Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori, who visited the scene of the incident expressed shock and concern at the death of the four family members, promising that the state government would take care of the remaining two children. Tomori gave an undisclosed amount to the eldest child of the deceased parents during her visit.

Underage Marriage Is Our Rights As Muslim – Asari Dokubo

The Niger Delta self declared militant, Mujahid Abubakr Asari Dokubo has given his opinion concerning the Underage Marriage Bill recently approved.

He took to Facebook page to expressing his opinion on the issues.

“People should learn to respect other people’s sensibilities. We Muslims have the right to marry when we want or give out our daughters at any age we want. It is not your business and the law must respect our right to do so. Anything short of that is an infringement on our rights.We did not ask you to marry ladies of that age or give your daughters out in marriage at that age. Plzzzzzzzz respect our sensibilities.”

AU Observer Mission: Obasanjo Denies Reports Of Removal

Reports that he had been dropped from the African Union, AU, Observer Mission to Zimbabwe’s forthcoming general elections has been dispelled by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo said yesterday said he was headed for Zimbabwe on his assignment as head of the AU Observer Mission to monitor the July 31 elections, although reports said he is presently in China. Chairperson of AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, recently named Obasanjo as head of a 60-man observer mission for the Zimbabwean election. The international observer mission also includes former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Reports, earlier yesterday, said Obasanjo had been dropped both as leader and team member of the observer mission. Asked if he was still going to Zimbabwe yesterday, on telephone, Obasanjo quipped: “Who said I am not going?”

Expel Amaechi If He Refuses To Resign Honourably, S’South Elders Tell PDP

Frontline Ijaw leader and Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, some South-South elders and stakeholders have called on the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to expel Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State if he refuses to resign honourably from the party. Calling on the governor to resign from the PDP, they said this would enable him focus on his confrontation with the leadership of his party, adding that if he failed to resign his membership of the party, the national leadership should expel him from the party to restore sanity to the PDP as well as serve as deterrent to what they called “renegade members.” The former Federal Commissioner for Information and the South-South elders made the call after assessing the state of the nation with particular reference to the lingering crisis in Rivers States. The elders also took some of the northern governors, who visited Governor Ameachi as well as Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka to the cleaners saying: “We find it difficult to understand why Nigerians, including those acclaimed to be academics of international repute and serving governors have decided to fan the embers of disrespect, arrogance, and absolute insolence of Governor Chibuike Amaechi. “We cannot comprehend the basis of the meddlesomeness of particularly some Northern Governors and busy body professors who have decided to carry the banner of the Rivers State internal crisis on their heads. When Gov. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, uncouth, ill-mannered, reminiscent of chequered upbringing, derogatorily undermines President Goodluck Jonathan, and unruly labels him as an ‘authoritarian dictator’ it is seen by these disgruntled apologists to be within the frame of normal political discourse. “But when the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan makes an innocuous comment on the Rivers State crisis, these professors use the most virulent despicable grammar in the lexicon of Nobel laureates to qualify her. It is fictile, untraditional and unethical for a man to publicly insult another man’s wife as Africans. It is therefore confounding to see a supposed role model and responsible ‘husband’ in the mould of our obtrusive professor to throw decency in the winds to publicly denigrate and disparage the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. We doubt if there is a woman of honour in his house”, they said. While acknowledging, as democrats that power belonged to the people, who are custodians of sovereignty, they said that “The emergence or otherwise of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 should he decide to contest, shall be the determinate responsibility of Nigerians. “We, therefore, wish to caution that Nigerians, particularly those in authority should guard their utterances and actions to avoid over-heating the polity. The South South will hold any such persons wholly responsible should their overheating vituperations serve as a conductor to derail our hard won democracy particularly at this time when a son of the South South is privileged by the blessings of God and Nigerians to provide leadership.” On moves by the group to reconcile both Amaechi and Jonathan, Clark said that he had personally made spirited efforts to seek audience with Amaechi but failed as the governor always absent himself from such meetings. According to him, “When the trouble started, we know it will escalate, I had discussion with elders of Rivers State and we agreed to have a meeting with Amaechi but he did not show up. “We have called several meeting which he did not attend, he is not picking my calls again, we have done everything to settle this matter, Amaechi is being used by people who want to destabilize this nation.”

Five Killed In Ogun Cholera Outbreak

An outbreak of Cholera in Abeokuta South and North local government areas of Ogun State has claimed five lives, reports have said. The state government confirmed the outbreak, but claimed that only one person died as a result of poor hygiene on the part of the residents. The outbreak, it was gathered was linked to a septic tank which spilled its content into major water sources in the area, thereby contaminating them. Residents of Abeokuta are now reportedly apprehensive about drinking water from water pipes in their areas. The State Commissioner for Health Dr. Olaokun Soyinka who confirmed the incident also named Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South council areas as being sources of the outbreak ”with poor sanitation, particularly faecal waste management.” Soyinka said, “there was a sudden upsurge in cases of gastroenteritis in some communities in Abeokuta, first noted on Friday, July 5. In a press release yesterday, the state government admitted that only one person had died as against reports of five deaths from some quarters. While tracing the source of the disease to poor level of hygiene, the state Ministry of Health added that it had moved to stem the outbreak in two communities in the state.

Nigerian Army Uncovers Live Bomb On Disputed Land In Ebonyi

A live bomb has been uncovered by the Nigerian Army at the construction site of the proposed 344 Artillery Regiment at Ezillo in the Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State This is contained in a statement from Capt. A.M. Sa’ad of the Nkwegu Military Cantonment, Abakaliki. According to Sa’ad, the regiment was being constructed on the disputed land between Ezza and Ezillo communities that had claimed more than 50 lives. “The bomb was discovered during supervision of the project located on the ever-busy Abakaliki-Enugu expressway,” he said However, he said the bomb would be detonated on location. The statement urged members of the public to go about their businesses and not to be frightened as the detonation was in their over all safety.