Ahead of the 2011 general elections, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria is assembling some 15,000 youth leaders from across the country to sensitize them on their expected roles of working against voting for corrupt politicians in the 2011 general election.
The delegates are expected to mobilize other youths from the 36 states to register when INEC begins the revalidation exercise, and to also prepare their mind on the qualities of candidates they should support.
According to the PFN national youth president, Dr Abel Damina who is the organizer of the summit, the ultimate aim is to mobilize up to 50 million youths to resist election rigging and all forms of electoral vices during future elections.
Dr Damina said in a statement on 21st April: “We have to be involved in how our leaders are chosen. The process begins with the registration of voters. So, we will get the youths to register and be ready to vote. We also want to sensitize them on the virtues of character building; they should no more allow themselves to be used as thugs during elections. http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Also in a similar vein, the top echelon of the Christian community in the country is organizing all-night prayer meetings for the liberation of Nigeria at all state capitals at dates to be announced soon. These would be preceded by regional all-night meetings at Port Harcourt (May 14), Abuja (May 21st) and Lagos (May 28th). Watch out for the announcements and plan to participate fully.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
JUBILEE NIGERIA: JONATHAN ON THE SADDLE
President Umar Yar Adua mercifully escaped the clutches of those who over the past several months had been using his name and office to perpetrate pure evil, calculated to keep Nigeria from realizing her Jubilee, as he came to the inevitable appointment awaiting every man (saving the Rapture) on Wednesday May 6. Some have insinuated that the life-support machine might just have been simply switched off, when these unpatriotic cabal discovered that the game was up. A few days earlier, even the influential core-North political interest group, the Arewa forum had demanded the resignation of the late president.
Fortunately, Nigerians are not confused about the ploys and antics of this self-serving cabal; and the sterling records (or at least patriotic efforts) of Yar Adua fondly remains in the memory of most Nigerians. In his very difficult circumstances, he certainly did his patriotic best. We pray his departure marks the permanent end of those unpleasant circumstances in the life of Nigeria.
The ascendance of the unassuming, level-headed Goodluck Jonathan to the Presidential office is a clear testimony as to Who really is at work in Nigeria. There were such unanimous vociferous opposition to Dr Jonathan from his fellow politicians and co-party members that the powerful Governors’ Forum, even bluntly told him, via a press statement, to forget the dream! It is thus clear that the new president has absolutely nothing to gain (and perhaps much to lose!) playing the traditional politics in Nigeria. With his personal disposition and the circumstances he faced, President Jonathan is God’s joker for getting the stage set up for what promises to be the first real democratic elections in Nigeria. An election where people will be able to freely vote, and where those votes will not only be counted, but will be made to actually count! Christians need to give all necessary supports to see this opportunity fully realized. God bless Nigeria.
Fortunately, Nigerians are not confused about the ploys and antics of this self-serving cabal; and the sterling records (or at least patriotic efforts) of Yar Adua fondly remains in the memory of most Nigerians. In his very difficult circumstances, he certainly did his patriotic best. We pray his departure marks the permanent end of those unpleasant circumstances in the life of Nigeria.
The ascendance of the unassuming, level-headed Goodluck Jonathan to the Presidential office is a clear testimony as to Who really is at work in Nigeria. There were such unanimous vociferous opposition to Dr Jonathan from his fellow politicians and co-party members that the powerful Governors’ Forum, even bluntly told him, via a press statement, to forget the dream! It is thus clear that the new president has absolutely nothing to gain (and perhaps much to lose!) playing the traditional politics in Nigeria. With his personal disposition and the circumstances he faced, President Jonathan is God’s joker for getting the stage set up for what promises to be the first real democratic elections in Nigeria. An election where people will be able to freely vote, and where those votes will not only be counted, but will be made to actually count! Christians need to give all necessary supports to see this opportunity fully realized. God bless Nigeria.
JOS UPDATE: PROSECUTION IN VIEW
Steady progress, so far, is being made in ensuring the prosecution of the Hundreds of suspects arrested over the recent slaughter of Christians on the Jos Plateau in Nigeria. According to reports from the Agence France Presse, the Plateau State police spokesman Mohammed Lerama said they hope to go to court in the week of 21st March and begin the prosecution of about 200 suspects.
The suspects were detained after a number of predominantly Christian villages in the Jos area were attacked by machete-wielding Muslim extremists on March 7. About 500 villagers, mainly women and children were brutally butchered in that attack. A second attack a week later left an additional 13 people dead.
Lerama told AFP that 49 Fulani herdsmen will be charged with homicide and terrorism in connection with the March 7 violence. Another seven will face similar charges over the second wave of killings.
Persecution watchdogs have called for security for Christians in the West African country. Open Doors, which is based in the U.S., says the atmosphere in the Christian villages remains tense. Open Doors' Africa director reminded the public that this is a spiritual battle and that some Christians "react to the honor of God and others don't."
"I think it is also important to understand that the Nigerian Christians are not super human beings. We need to understand that those Christians in northern Nigeria face discrimination, humiliation and attacks on almost a daily basis," the director said. "They have built and rebuilt homes and churches so many times. They have gone to morgues to look for the bodies of their loved ones so often. (From The Christian Post, March 23, 2010)
The suspects were detained after a number of predominantly Christian villages in the Jos area were attacked by machete-wielding Muslim extremists on March 7. About 500 villagers, mainly women and children were brutally butchered in that attack. A second attack a week later left an additional 13 people dead.
Lerama told AFP that 49 Fulani herdsmen will be charged with homicide and terrorism in connection with the March 7 violence. Another seven will face similar charges over the second wave of killings.
Persecution watchdogs have called for security for Christians in the West African country. Open Doors, which is based in the U.S., says the atmosphere in the Christian villages remains tense. Open Doors' Africa director reminded the public that this is a spiritual battle and that some Christians "react to the honor of God and others don't."
"I think it is also important to understand that the Nigerian Christians are not super human beings. We need to understand that those Christians in northern Nigeria face discrimination, humiliation and attacks on almost a daily basis," the director said. "They have built and rebuilt homes and churches so many times. They have gone to morgues to look for the bodies of their loved ones so often. (From The Christian Post, March 23, 2010)
Short time to go: 176,000 Christians martyred globally in one year
The cases of martyred Christians that are highlighted on the pages of Church Arise! are only a few drops in the bucket compared with the actual onslaught against Christians. For instance, as collated by a very respectable and credible ministry coalition, an estimated 176,000 Christians around the world were martyred – killed for their faith – in a one-year period from the middle of 2008 to the middle of 2009.
That's 482 deaths per day, one every three minutes, round the clock for a year! Talk of the devil visiting earth with great wrath (Rev 12:12)!
The new coalition that has been formed to further publicize the fact of on-going intense martyrdom in our generation is comprised of three partners - Open Doors USA, actor Kirk Cameron of "The Way of the Master" ministry and evangelist Ray Comfort of Living Waters ministry – all based in the United States. http://www.wnd.com/
That's 482 deaths per day, one every three minutes, round the clock for a year! Talk of the devil visiting earth with great wrath (Rev 12:12)!
The new coalition that has been formed to further publicize the fact of on-going intense martyrdom in our generation is comprised of three partners - Open Doors USA, actor Kirk Cameron of "The Way of the Master" ministry and evangelist Ray Comfort of Living Waters ministry – all based in the United States. http://www.wnd.com/
India Evangelist Hacked To Death
An evangelist with the Bethel Assembly church in Jamalpur, India was brutally murdered in the night of Sunday May 2, after participating in the showing of the “Jesus film”. The mutilated body of Ravi Murmu, 30, was found with his right hand cut off, and deep cut wounds on his neck and other parts of his body, according to witnesses. The killing had all the regular signature of Hindu militants as the attackers did not confiscate personal belongings, including his motor bike, mobile phone, watch and Bible. Ravi who is survived by his wife Rinku, eight-year-old daughter Celesty, and his widowed mother was buried the next day, Monday, May 3. Details at http://www.worthynews.com/8067-india-evangelist-hacked-to-death
Such deadly attacks against devoted Christians by Hindu militants are unfortunately increasing in frequency in several parts of India. Only two weeks earlier, on Saturday April 17, some “10 Hindu extremists” forced their way into an evangelistic event organized by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the town of Betul in Madhya Pradesh. According to a statement by the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) , the militants "broke glasses of vehicles, electrical lights, furniture and mercilessly beat the Christians with their sticks." The response of the Christians was to scatter, each trying to escape. It was soon realized however, that Pastor Amit Gilbert was missing. A search party was constituted, and the dead body of the Pastor was found in a well. His hands were tied, and a post mortem showed he had "a big wound on his head and back." See details at http://www.worthynews.com/8094-india-christians-pray-after-militants-kill-pastor.
Such deadly attacks against devoted Christians by Hindu militants are unfortunately increasing in frequency in several parts of India. Only two weeks earlier, on Saturday April 17, some “10 Hindu extremists” forced their way into an evangelistic event organized by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the town of Betul in Madhya Pradesh. According to a statement by the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) , the militants "broke glasses of vehicles, electrical lights, furniture and mercilessly beat the Christians with their sticks." The response of the Christians was to scatter, each trying to escape. It was soon realized however, that Pastor Amit Gilbert was missing. A search party was constituted, and the dead body of the Pastor was found in a well. His hands were tied, and a post mortem showed he had "a big wound on his head and back." See details at http://www.worthynews.com/8094-india-christians-pray-after-militants-kill-pastor.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
ICC IS HELPING NIGERIA IN HER CRITICAL TIMES
These days are certainly VERY CRITICAL for our beloved country, Nigeria. And one foreign organization that is actively playing a pivotal role has been the Washington DC -based International Christian Concern ICC.
For Nigeria to realize the fulfilment of the promised Jubilee which is due at this time (Lev 25:10), Power, as they say, must change hands. While the on-going ripples (storm?) at the Presidency and Federal Executive Council, are quite visible, it would appear all these are actually only preparing the grounds to allow for more fundamental power shifts to occur.
There is a power that has been responsible for the care-free shedding of the blood of over 13,000 Nigerians, mainly in Northern Nigeria under the platform of Islam, since the new democratic dispensation, which unexpectedly ushered in a Christian in 1999. That power has managed to continue to flourish, as, despite the flagrant abuses,no one has dared demand it be subject to the Constitution of the Land.
All that is about changing now, as the International Christian Concern has launched a sustained and intensifying campaign, making the simple demand that those who murder innocent men, women and children should be brought to justice in line with the nation's constitution! Powerful interests are being rallied round this demand, and the government structure in Nigeria is currently divinely positioned (as never before) to acceed to these demands. Now, the ICC is appealing that everyone who is able, should help give publicity to the efforts. This is certainly the minimum and genuine peace-loving and Jubilee-anticipating Nigerian can do!
Below is a copy of a letter sent by an influential US senator to the leaders of Nigeria's Legislature on the matter:
Please check the details of these efforts at http://www.persecution.org/slaughter/
Samples of the Coverage:
Setting the ‘revenge’ story straight.
Why are women and children being targeted? Why were the attackers wearing military uniforms? Was is it really a Muslim village that was attacked in January?
ICC’s President, Jeff King, interviewed CSW Nigeria representatives to find out the real story on the ground in Nigeria. Check out our full audio interview above (just click play!) to hear their answers to some important questions like these:
Why women and children? http://www.persecution.org/slaughter/
Why were the attackers wearing military uniforms? http://www.persecution.org/slaughter/
The media is calling these attacks revenge for a January attack by Christians on the Muslim village Kuru Karama. What’s the real story?
“The Kuru Karama story has still not been proven. I know Al Jazeera and, I think, Human Rights Watch, spread this story because they were informed by random Muslims on the ground that this was an attack on a Muslim village by Christian militias or Christian youths that ended up with Muslims being stuffed into wells and Muslim houses burned.
However, Kuru Karama was never a Muslim village. That’s point number one. When these people went there, they did not look for the village head, which is what you traditionally do when you want to find out what’s happening in a village… The village head is a non-Muslim. There’s no way a Muslim village would have a non-Muslim village head. And he tells us a completely different story.
He actually had to flee from the area… and he also relates that houses that were burnt and shown as Muslim, were actually Christian. And that some of the bodies were Christian. So it was not a massacre of 150 Muslims by Christians. http://www.persecution.org/slaughter/
… The fact that [the January attack] is now being used to stoke up hatred… I think those who, first of all, came up with that story, need to go back to the whole source and correct what they said.”
http://www.persecution.org/slaughter/
Mar 17 2010
Muslim Attackers Slice Baby from Belly of Pregnant Woman, Remove Victims’ Tongues
Muslim Attackers Slice Baby from Belly of Pregnant Woman, Remove Victims’ Tongues
Christian Women and Children Slaughtered in Another Jihad Attack in Nigeria
Washington, D.C. (March 17, 2010)–International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Nigerian Muslims slaughtered at least twelve Christians with machetes this morning in the village of Bei, Nigeria.
The attackers, who were dressed in military attire, removed the baby from the belly of a pregnant woman and cut out the tongues of their victims. The Muslims murdered three children, four teenage girls, three women (including the one pregnant woman) and two men. They also injured six Christians and burned down four houses.
“Our restraint is taken for weakness. The security is not protecting life and property of Christians. This is a religious war. The military is helping the Muslim people. We have evidence about the Military helping the Muslims. We ask the government to withdraw the military and allow the police to take over the security,” said Reverend Chuwang Avou. Reverend Avou is the General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Plateau State.
This latest attack came on the heels of another jihad attack just ten days ago in the village of Dogo Nahawa in which 500 people, mainly Christian women and children, were slaughtered by Muslims. Over 13,750 Christians have been killed by Muslims in northern Nigeria since the introduction of Sharia law in 2001.
ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho, said “We are deeply saddened by the latest jihad attack against defenseless Christians in Nigeria. Women and children have born the brunt of Muslim aggression. This demonstrates the senselessness of the attacks and the cruelty of the attackers. Unfortunately, the media and politicians wrongly label the attacks as ethnic violence instead of telling the truth about the ruthless Islamic jihad attack that is bent on driving Christians from northern Nigeria.”
Please go to www.house.gov to find contact information for your representatives and tell them to pressure Nigerian officials to bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice and protect vulnerable Christians from further violence.
http://www.persecution.org/slaughter/
Monday, March 22, 2010
In whose hands is the Destiny of your country?
Christians who do not know the purpose of their salvation are actually just mediocre people. Their thinking reflects their life. These people’s influence on their surrounding reality equals to zero. This is not the intention of God because He knows that the destiny of the earth and people depend on His children. We do not have any excuse whatsoever before God if our nation and people are suffering as a result of our complacency.
We have to understand that we are the children of God who are called to overcome the world and set the people in the world free from slavery and bondage, be it spiritual, social, economic, cultural or political.
Until we realize that we are the children of the Almighty God and start acting like His representatives on the earth, nothing will change in our country. The destiny of your land is in the hands of the church and her willingness to declare the position of God in the society.
Neither the president nor the parliament can change the life of any country and make it better: Only people who know their God can do it. Therefore the time has come to change the position of the church, and hence, the position of every Christian.It is time for Christians to come to an active civil position, it is time to act, knock on doors, and see results. The time has come for God to be manifested to people through our good deeds, so that they see and start following God.
As citizens of a nation, members of the church need to start social organizations, charities, or other non -governmental organizations which will begin social movements. The purpose of these organizations should be geared towards radical changes in the difficult social situations of the people. Representatives of the church should help guide people in resolving their crisis. Many people, who are united by these organizations, will be able to declare freely their civil positions, going against social viruses and evil in society. People who represent social organizations in a society are a force in that country. The creation of such organizations will give God room to move in the land without the government clamping down on the church.
The world is dying waiting for us. The Promise Land is waiting, expecting our actions. Nobody can help deliver the people of the world besides us. Their lives depend on whether or not we will be obedient to God’s charge to us to be an active church.
Pastor Sunday Adelaja
Culled from chapter 2 of his book, Spearheading a National Transformation. The Untold story of the Orange revolution in Ukraine.
We have to understand that we are the children of God who are called to overcome the world and set the people in the world free from slavery and bondage, be it spiritual, social, economic, cultural or political.
Until we realize that we are the children of the Almighty God and start acting like His representatives on the earth, nothing will change in our country. The destiny of your land is in the hands of the church and her willingness to declare the position of God in the society.
Neither the president nor the parliament can change the life of any country and make it better: Only people who know their God can do it. Therefore the time has come to change the position of the church, and hence, the position of every Christian.It is time for Christians to come to an active civil position, it is time to act, knock on doors, and see results. The time has come for God to be manifested to people through our good deeds, so that they see and start following God.
As citizens of a nation, members of the church need to start social organizations, charities, or other non -governmental organizations which will begin social movements. The purpose of these organizations should be geared towards radical changes in the difficult social situations of the people. Representatives of the church should help guide people in resolving their crisis. Many people, who are united by these organizations, will be able to declare freely their civil positions, going against social viruses and evil in society. People who represent social organizations in a society are a force in that country. The creation of such organizations will give God room to move in the land without the government clamping down on the church.
The world is dying waiting for us. The Promise Land is waiting, expecting our actions. Nobody can help deliver the people of the world besides us. Their lives depend on whether or not we will be obedient to God’s charge to us to be an active church.
Pastor Sunday Adelaja
Culled from chapter 2 of his book, Spearheading a National Transformation. The Untold story of the Orange revolution in Ukraine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)