John Kerry's unadulterated garbage and his new-found friends

(In his new piece, NAIJ.com’s contributor and former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has in strong terms condemned the visit of the United State’s secretary of  state John Kerry to some specific parts of Nigeria. He also criticised his meeting with selected notable Nigerians and some incidents that have taken place within the past few days). Now read on.

Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode

Mr. John Kerry, the American secretary of state, President Barack Obama’s confidante and Mrs. Hilary Clinton’s successor in office, came to Nigeria the other day. The first meeting that he had was with the Sultan of Sokoto, who is the supreme leader of the Fulani Caliphate, the spiritual leader of all the Muslims of the north and the man who said, only last week, that “Christians commit wicked acts and crimes against humanity” and that “the wearing of the hijab is the right of every Muslim”. The second was with the 19 northern governors, 16 of whom are Muslims. The third was our Muslim-fanatic and sharia-loving President who has refused to call his kinsmen, the Fulani herdsmen and militants, to order or to arrest and prosecute even one of them for mass murder and genocide.

 On the very same day that all this was happening the Islamic Development Bank visited the President and opened their first office in Nigeria. The government has also quietly put two separate pieces of legislation before the National Assembly for consideration which, if passed, would on the one hand legalize criminal sharia law and on the other give grazing land to the Fulani herdsmen in the middle belt and the south. The Christians of Nigeria should make of all this what they will. I wonder whether they still “love and trust” the “liberal” Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama? I wonder if they still believe that Clinton and Obama love ALL Nigerians and not just those that they helped to get into power last year?

John Kerry (left) sitting with the Sultan, Sa'ad Abubakar III in his palace .

Consider the religious war that took place in Lebanon years ago and that is taking place in Syria today. No-one wants a war because war is the ultimate evil yet the bitter truth must be told. And that bitter truth is as follows: if the radical Salafist and Wahhabist Muslim fundamentalists of the core north, with their powerful friends in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Obama’s America push us over the edge and such a war ever happens here, it will be 100 times worse than those two put together. Worse still it will go on from generation to generation. Do those that wish to Islamize us and wipe out our faith think it would be worth all that? Are they prepared to pay such a terrible price by trying? The truth is that they are playing with fire. They are playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun and the single bullet that is in the barrel is about to go off in their faces. The Bible says that knowledge is power. How many Nigerians know that Egypt and Turkey were once nations which were 100 per cent Christian until they were Islamized through the back door? It took hundreds of years but, slowly and surely and as a consequence of the total acquisition of political power by the Muslims in both of those countries coupled with the continuous display of complacency, ignorance, weakness, indolence, fear and cowardice on the part of successive Church leaders and leading members of the Christian community, they were totally and completely Islamized. Today the Christians in both Egypt and Turkey constitute a pitiful and tiny minority: 10 per cent in Egypt and 0.4 per cent in Turkey.

President Buhari and John Kerry

 I hope that the new leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as they prepare for their first meeting in Maiduguri, Borno state on the 26th of August, are taking note of all this. May God forbid that we should ever allow it to happen in Nigeria. Yet one thing remains clear: the Christians of Nigeria are not like their counterparts that once constituted a majority in Turkey and Egypt. They are much more resilient and they are much stronger. They are also much more capable of defending themselves when pushed to the wall. Despite consistently turning the other cheek and constantly striving to keep the peace, they are not ignorant, weak, cowardly, complacent, fearful or indolent. When push comes to shove, unlike the Christians of Egypt and Turkey, they will not go down without a fight. A word is enough for the wise.

As a graphic reflection of the anger that is slowly building up amongst Christians in the land, Mr. Kingsely Okah, a public commentator, wrote the following on Facebook: “John Kerry came for the Sultan of Sokoto’s birthday and not a state visit. He came to perfect the western seed of discord foisted on us by the ouster of President Goodluck Jonathan. He came to lay credence to the American support of an Islamic agenda in Nigeria. He came to endorse genocide being committed by some reprobate Muslims whose foot soldiers are Fulani herdsmen and their grand patron Buhari.”

To buttress the point Mr. Aboki Galadima of the Christian Information Network, which is a powerful and fast-rising Christian platform on the social media, went further by writing the following to it’s members. He wrote: “This is such a significant event that minority nationalities and Christians all over the country MUST digest and act.

 1. John Kerry has just confirmed that spiritually, Nigeria is now an Islamic State.

 2. His inspiring attacks on corruption, bad governance and all that stuff are thrilling but only a facade. He and the government of the United States of America are here to divert attention from the real thing.

 3.They are pushing the absurd narrative that we should blame past governments, who they claim did not tackle poverty etc., for the rise of Islamic terrorism in the north and that the Sokoto Caliphate has always been the region which provides Nigeria with decent human resources for good governance. Haba!! Please somebody advise me to halt for now. These diversions should be rejected and resisted. The legality of using Islam to kill and destroy in Nigeria must be challenged. This Network should keep this fight alive and on the front banner of national discourse.

Both Mr. Okah and Mr. Galadima have spoken the minds of many in the Christian community. It would be most unwise for those that are now in power and their misguided friends and supporters to ignore them, attempt to silence them or to dismiss their concerns with the usual, insults, arrogance and contempt. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter US Secretary of State John Kerry recent I say this because there can be little doubt that Mr. John Kerry spoke nothing but unadulterated garbage.

 Permit me to end this contribution with the following. Mr. Jude Chijoke Ndukwe, a writer, a public affairs analyst and one of the most courageous and formidable intellectuals of the new generation of Nigerian leaders captured the mood rather well when he wrote the following in a powerful contribution a few days ago. He wrote: “A man named his dog ‘Buhari’, he was promptly arrested and prosecuted. 8 people are killed in Zamfara by Islamic fundamentalists, as usual no single arrest is made. Unless leaders of the Hausa-Fulani core north change their ways and mentality about religion, education, girl-child and women’s rights etc, their region will remain Nigeria’s most impoverished, most illiterate, most diseased, most malnourished and most backward even if Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Theresa May, John Kerry, Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton et al visit the Sultan on a daily basis”. Mr. Ndukwe has spoken the gospel truth. Let he who has ears hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying. Shalom.

Source: Naij.com

CAN denounces US govt’s attitude to Christians, says Kerry’s visit divisive

·    Rev. Ayokunle accuses Obama’s administration of supporting the excesses of the APC

·    Says Christians under siege

Rev. Supo Ayokunle, CAN president.

The United States Secretary of State, John Kerry has come under strong criticism by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), over his recent visit to Nigeria.

CAN described Kerry’s visit to Nigeria as discriminatory, personal and divisive.

Rev Supo Ayokunle, the President of CAN, alleged that Kerry’s actions during his visit would further the federal government’s plan to continue to persecute the teeming population of Nigerian Christians. During his visit, John Kerry only visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, he also met with the 19 northern governors, of whom only three are Christians.

John Kerry and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar III, during the US secretary
of state's discriminatory visit to Nigeria.

Also at the Presidential Villa, where Kerry was hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari, he met with select northern governors, which also led to criticisms about who selected the governors that were allowed to meet with him.

According to Vanguard, Rev Ayokunle, told journalists in an interview in Abuja that Kerry disrespected the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, while nakedly showing favour to northern Nigeria and Muslims to the detriment of the Christian community. Ayokunle said that the attitude and disposition of the US Secretary of State and the discrimination he adopted during the visit supports accusations that the President Barack Obama’s administration, alongside Kerry and other strategic US politicians in the Obama’s government openly supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2016 general elections, which produced the current leadership of the country.

 The CAN president also asked John Kerry to “stop interfering in Nigerian affairs”, explaining that as far as he was concerned the visit was a complete flop and exposed Kerry’s negligence of Nigeria’s unity in diversity, an ideology that has remained the bedrock of the country. He said: “Why did he meet with 19 states governors, without southern governors, is Nigeria the north alone, why did you go to the north alone?” There’s a siege on Christians. Kerry’s actions speak volume, his actions, body language were very divisive.

“If a US Secretary of States is coming for official visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was selective. Has the Sultan’s Palace become another State House? Was Kerry invited by the Sultan? We have 36 States in Nigeria; he only selected northern governors to meet with them. It was a visit to the north, not to Nigeria. It was surely a very divisive visit. With the visit to the north, Kerry has heightened fear and tension among Christians in Nigeria. If they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs,”the CAN president said.

 Ayokunle while speaking on the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria, said that based on government the selective persecution of Christians mostly by the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Police, it was obvious the administration was anti-Christians. He said: “Have the DSS arrested the Muslim youths who burnt down a Catholic Church in Niger State because they were worshiping on Friday? What happened to the ECWA Pastor who was killed in his farm in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State? What has happened with Redeemed Preacher who was murdered in Kubwa, Abuja? Look at the recent case in Zamfara State, Christians where burnt alive. What has happened? They will tell you, they are still investigating. Have they been arrested and charged them to court? If the government cannot sit up and protect Christians, tolerance is going to break down, they should do the right thing, they should not provoke Christians. Have we ever seen this government bring anybody to book?”

Ayokunle tasked President Buhari “to come out clean”, adding that “a government that doesn’t listen is not for the people.” He said that the police were slow in persecuting Muslims, but fast in persecuting Christians. The CAN leader called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to intervene urgently in the case of Mr Joe Chinakwe who was arrested for naming his dog ‘Buhari’. He said: “The NBA should take up that case and ascertain whether the man has the right to give any name to a dog. They should come and protect the man’s human rights and set the record why the case is not a criminal offence.”

 Meanwhile, Femi Fani-Kayode also criticized the visit saying in part: “I wonder if they still believe that Clinton and Obama love ALL Nigerians and not just those that they helped to get into power last year? Consider the religious war that took place in Lebanon years ago and that is taking place in Syria today.”
Source: Naija news

Fani-Kayode reacts as Sanusi, Soludo criticise Buhari

 Femi Fani-kayode has reacted to the barrage of criticisms that have trailed the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari from prominent Nigerians who once supported the admiration.

 Former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has queried if Buhari had anything to offer. Recall that the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and now Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi recently warned President Muhammadu Buhari that his administration may end like the Jonathan administration if it fails to retrace its footsteps. Sanusi’s warning was followed by a critique of Buhari’s economic policies by another past CBN governor, Charles Soludo, where he faulted the federal government’s economic policies. In reaction, Fani-Kayode has mentioned the two past CBN governors and other prominent Nigerians who are now seriously lamenting over the policies of the Buhari regime. The former mister also queried if Buhari had anything to offer.

Meanwhile, the presidency on Monday, August 29, has dismissed social media reports that the tenures of Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi and Prof. Charles Soludo, as Central Bank governors, would soon be probed by the federal government. following their critique of the administration’s economic policies. Malam Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to president Muhammadu Buhari, in a tweeted message, said the presidency was not aware that the Emir and Soludo would be probed for offering suggestions to the president.
Source: Naija news

Ukah on benefits of Delta at 25 celebration

 Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, has said that with the celebration of the silver jubilee of the state's creation, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has placed the state in an irreversible path of progress as the state is now opened to the world.

Mr. Ukah

Mr Ukah made the statement during an inter-denominational thanksgiving service to conclude programmes for the silver jubilee celebration of the state. The thanksgiving service took place at St. Philip's Anglican Church, Asaba.

According to Mr Ukah, the 25 years anniversary celebration has opened the state to the world, revealing that from the economic summit alone, the state got commitments towards economic progress and the fact that the development programmes will spread throughout the state will make it a business haven for all.

From the children's day party organized by the First Lady, Dame Edith Okowa, which did not only put the children in the mood of celebration but their parents, the cultural carnival was an eye-opener that the state has a money-spinning machine in the tourism sector that have not tapped in any way, and of course, the economic summit was the success story of Delta succeeding without revenue from oil, he said. 

According to Mr Ukah,  some states are begging to have one sea port, but Delta State is blessed with four and with an international airport, people can come in from any part of the world not only for business but for tourism."

He specifically thanked Governor Okowa for attracting such personalities like the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, and financial egg-heads of the nation, adding that the financial situation of the country did not deter the state from celebrating its oneness 25 years after, rather, the economic situation opened our eyes to the fact that we have not fully harnessed our potentials as a state.

 The Information Commissioner reiterated the fact that the state did not spend a kobo in the one week celebration that was beamed to the world, stressing that this was only possible because, there are still corporate organizations that believes that they can tap into the state and make it a pride of Africa where return-on-investment is very high because of its numerous blessings.

He stated that God has blessed the state with rich soil, a lot of notable rivers, including the coast of Atlantic Ocean, beautiful sand beaches that have not been tapped, a lot of natural resources and above all, with mineral resources.

Mr. Ukah said that it is because of this that the state capped the celebration with a thanksgiving to God for His blessings emphasizing that when you appreciate God for His goodness, He will do more for you.

Be positive about State's Devt, Okowa urges Deltans

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has called on Deltans to play their roles to ensure that Delta State attain an enviable height.
The governor made the call on Sunday (28/08/16) during an inter-denominational thanksgiving service held at St. Philip's Anglican Church, Asaba as part of activities to commemorate the silver jubilee celebration of the state's creation.

Governor Okowa, his wife, Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro (2nd left) with
Church ministers 

He said: "We need to co-operate for us to succeed because things are very tough, by partnering together, we will be able to surmount our challenges.
"For our state to move forward, everyone has a role to play, your role may be different from mine, but, we have to play positive roles for our state to succeed.

"Our individual and collective efforts matter a lot because our state which used to receive N20 billion and more is now receiving N3 billion as allocation from the federation account and salaries of workers is still above N6 billion."
He used the occasion to call on those engaging in vandalism of pipelines to have a rethink disclosing, "for every pipeline you blow up, it is affecting the revenue of our state."
While expressing confidence that the outcome of the silver jubilee celebration will put the state on a progressive course, Governor Okowa thanked those who sponsored the celebration observing that but for the sponsors, the state would not have had the economic summit.

Former deputy Gover, Prof. Amos Utuama and his wife, Dr. Nelly Utuama at
the church service.

Delivering a sermon at the service, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Delta State chapter, Rev. Gideon Oyibo said, Deltans have every reason to celebrate 25 years of existence, noting,  "What we have in Delta State today is more than what we had in 1991, but we must challenge ourselves to achieve the Delta State of our dream.
"If the glory of Delta State must be restored, the personal interest, ethnic interest, religious interest must be put aside for corporate interest, as we match forward to achieve the state of our dream, there is no Senatorial district that can lay ownership of the state, it is not owned by a political party, Delta State is about Delta State, it is only our commitment that will restore the Delta State of our dream and the prudent management of resources," he said.
Governor Okowa took the first reading, his deputy took the second lesson at service which was attended by past governors, deputy governors, captains of industries, members of National Assembly, elected and other political office holders.

Delta @25: 30 enrolled into honours’ list

Let’s Build A New Delta, says Okowa; unveils New Delta Logo

It was a night of glitz and glamour as the Delta State Government enrolled 30 distinguished deltans into its Delta @25 Honours’ list with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa urging Deltans to embrace peace, love and cooperation in building a greater Delta.

Governor Okowa (in red cap) pose with some recipients of the award.

Speaking at the Grand Gala and Award Night which climaxed the activities marking the state Silver Jubilee celebration yesterday [27-08-16] in Asaba, Senator Okowa called on Deltans especially those in the diaspora to invest in the development of the new Delta State.

Awards were given to past military administrators and governors of the state, captains of industry, academia, entertainment industry, arts, and community leaders including Air Commodore Luke Ochulor [Rtd], Navy Captain Walter Feghabo [Rtd], Air Commodorre Ibrahim Kefas [Rtd], Olorogun Felix Ibru, Chief Onanefe Ibori, and  Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Others were Mr Jim Ovia, Mr Tony Elumelu, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Senator Stella Omu, Prof J.P. Clark, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mr. Austin Avuru, Mr Peter Igho and  Chief Eddie Ugbomah.

 “We have come a long way since the creation of the state, this celebration has shown the resilience of Deltans even in this difficult time, I believe in God and the resilience of the people, let us not lose hope, let us not be  depressed by the present economic challenges, it is a passing phase, this is the time to rethink our role in the development of the state; we need  to embrace peace, love and trust in our ability to diversify the economy; it is time for Deltans especially those in diaspora to give back to the state”, he said, adding “Delta State in the next 25 years will achieve greatness when we all work together to bring about a new Delta State.”

Governor Okowa, left, presenting award to the son of late Governor Felix Ibru,
 Dr. Paul Ibru who received it on behalf of his father.

He commended Deltans especially participants in the various activities marking the 25^th anniversary saying that the experience was enriching to those in governance.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Deputy Governor, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro said that the Gala and Award Night was the climax of an eventful and purposeful week in commemoration of the state silver jubilee which has deepened the administration’s knowledge of the best practices in governance.

The ceremony was attended by top government functionaries, members of the National and State Houses of Assemblies including Senator James Manager and Chief Monday Igbuya, former Deputy Governor Chief B.I C Elue, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and other prominent Deltans from all walks of life

Highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of the new Delta State Logo and anthem by Governor Okowa amid firework displays.

Niger Delta Crisis: Okowa, Tambuwal canvass dialogue

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and his Sokoto State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal have said dialogue rather than violent agitations would bring about speedy development of the country.

Governor Okowa of delta state (left) with Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto State at
the Delta State economic summit in Asaba.

The two governors made the submission Saturday (27/08/16) in Asaba during the second day of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit.

According to the governors during the summit which was organised as part of activities to celebrate the silver jubilee of the state’s creation, the security challenges in the Niger Delta region in particular could not have degenerated to the situation where the country was losing huge revenue as a result of destruction of pipelines if the people involved had applied dialogue, noting that the region has great potentials for growth when the resources of the region is harnessed which can only be done in a peaceful environment.

Governor Tambuwal (right) about to shake hands with Air commander Ibrahim
 Kefas a former military administrator of Delta state.

“I bring you felicitations from the Nigeria Governors Forum on  your state’s silver jubilee celebration, Delta State is known for peace, and a lot can be achieved when dialogue is applied; I want to call on the youths of the Niger Delta Region to embrace dialogue and peace in their agitations, let us have dialogue on the various issues affecting the region; we need peace and tranquility in the country so that we can harness all our resources for development; I urge the youths of the Niger Delta to engage the Federal Government through dialogue so that solutions can be found,” Hon. Tambuwal said.

Governor Okowa on his part said “we seek peaceful environment from our people, so that a lot of development can take place; we need to cooperate with ourselves so that we can right the wrongs of the past.”

“A lot of the investment community are ready to partner with us to develop the state, but, we need to ensure that we sustain the peace and security in our communities so that investors can come in; it is not wrong to agitate but we can do that through dialogue, we will get better result when we agitate through dialogue,” the governor emphasized.

He assured the people of the state especially the participants of the summit that government would take all necessary measures to implement its resolutions asserting, “the presentation at the summit gives us hope for the future, this summit would not end up as a mere talk show; I have instructed my executive council that all the suggestions and resolutions at this summit should be brought up at  a special Executive Council Meeting within the next two weeks so that we can begin to implement them.”

While commending all the participants especially the former administrators and governors of the state for charting the way forward for the state, the governor called for the cooperation of all to provide an enabling environment for investment to thrive.