Headline

Opinion: Unraveling The Puzzles Of Earthly Life(3)- Aare Kola Oyefeso

Published

6 years ago

May 4, 2020

Editor

By Aare Kola Oyefeso.

Man is fearfully and wonderfully made we read in Psalms 139,but how many have really pondered on the true meaning of this statement. We seem to be generally obsessed with our physical nature and we believe all we see is all that exists. Very very few if at all are aware of man’s spiritual nature.

The purpose of this discourse is to bring us to the awareness of our spiritual dimension, beyond what the stethoscope can pick, and what the surgeon can see with his scalpel, upon dissenting a man either as a living being or cadaver. This is for the patent fact that it is through the recognition of our spiritual nature could we really worship God in Spirit.

In one of the ancient creed I culled;

“MAN TO MAN SHALL SPEAK, SOUL TO SOUL SHALL REVEAL”

The meaning of this statement is; Man can only speak to someone at his physical level. By the same token, only the soul which is the core-man and of divinity can reveal itself to the Oversoul, which we refer to as the Creator, God, Supreme Being and by other names in different climates.

Parri-pasu man being wonderfully made, we read in Psalms 46 vs 10;

“BE STILL AND KNOW AND I AM GOD”

Plainly, this chapter gives us the indication that we wouldn’t find the Lord in the hustling and bustling of the earthly life, but in the serenity of our inner closet, as emphasized by the Messiah. Communion with God is a one-on-One affair. It is for this reason Jesus will leave His disciples and go to meditate in the wilderness.

God nonetheless loves our assembly, but this has its limitation. Its purpose is simply to remind us of our mission in this world. To listen to good sermons on how we should love fellowbeings without which, we cannot truly worship God. Upon this, we must worship the Lord in Spirit. This is not a congregational affair.

Meanwhile,very negligible percentage if at all, know about the spiritual dimension of man, as a result of which, human lives lack balance. How wouldn’t it, when man is not conscious of the vital aspect of his four mutually related attributes which are, the physical,mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions. The very best of humans that we referred to as men of intellect may know of the first three, which are the characteristics of the mind. But the real essence of his existence-,the spiritual which is of the soul remains unknown and unexplored.

Unquestionably, modern man through the mind has made tremendous progress in worldly and external things particularly, in the last 50 years, but the body which housed his soul, he knows little or nothing beyond the physical aspects. It is like we haven’t even bothered to read its manual.

Yet, in order to live a purposeful life, a life of equipoise and experience our full potential,we need to develop all our four dimensions. These four dimensions of man may be compared to the four tyres of a motor car. If one of the tyres is flat,the car cannot function properly. This portrays the plight of man operating with one of his tyres flat out.

Ironically, the secret of a balance,meaningful and harmonious life lies in developing our spiritual dimension. To do this however, we need to reorient ourselves. This new orientation borne of clear thinking and towards spirituality, will earn us a new perspective-the spiritual perspective. It will affect the way we view and respond to the world. It will assist us define the way we approach daily life,redefine our values and priorities.

By so doing ,we will be able to discern the true picture of who and what we are. This understanding will offer us the key to a deeper and more constant happiness, as it will open the door to a more balanced and complete life, in the manner a vehicle with four good tyres runs smoothly, better than the one with a flat tyre.

Just as we had hinted in previous discourse, the fish needs fresh water to survive and the lion the wilderness to thrive, human beings also require spiritual life to feel well and to develop their full potential. The key to true happiness lies in bringing back spirituality into our lives. Likewise, the key to a happy,carefree and true living is to make spirituality our first priority.

Oblivious of how to search God within as taught by Christ that we should enter into our inner closet, and emphasized by other Saints that came before and after Jesus, that, transcendental meditation is the only way, most of the known religions have continued to point to externalities.We will explain what is meant by transcendental meditation as we continue.

Meanwhile,every religion has its own idea of how to realize God.Certain similarities,however appear in most of their objectives. Patently,they show evidence of;

1, Rituals and Ceremonies
2,Holy Places of Worship
3,Temples and houses of worship
4,Holidays and Festivals
5,Fast and Penances
6,Formalized Prayers and Recitations
7,Identifying dress and symbols
8,Most Importantly,a priestly or ministerial class

The problem we encounter when confronted with the various external ideals of worship is how to determine which one contains the essence of truth. We have to individually scrutinize before embracing any religion otherwise, we are simply sheepish followers, who blindly continue with what we met our parents doing. NOTHING qualifies any parents and indeed anyone for that matter to choose a religion for us. At the end of the day it boils down to a personal cross which no one can carry for us.

In trying to determine which religion to adopt,we found out that the Muslims feel we must make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca in our lifetime. To the Christians,Jerusalem is where the holy land is. The Sikhs prefer Amritsar to both Mecca and Jerusalem. Other countless religions across the globe have their different holy places.

Should we believe the Lord who fathers us all would feel strongly about Jerusalem over Mecca or Amritsar over Jerusalem or vice versa? Or in the manner of dress the Lord prefers those who cover their heads to those who go bareheaded to worship Him?

In all of these,we seem to forget we have overtly introduced customs and traditions into these religions. Or how do we explain a situation where Christians think it is sacrilegious to enter Church barefooted, while some sects of the same Christianity particularly, the Celestial Church would insist wearing of shoes into their Church is a taboo? Some say Friday is a day that is holy to the Lord,while others think it is sinful to work on Saturday,Sunday or Monday.

All these continued in spite of the fact that the Messiah deprecated such beliefs in Matthew 12 vs 11 by performing healing on a Sabbath day saying;

“If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on a Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and pull it out”

Does this not clearly tell us every day is holy and indeed every second of the day.

And jocularly, we all want to have electricity everyday including Sunday or any holy day, if the operators of electricity don’t work on our fabled holy days, can we imagine the catastrophe in some of the developed worlds that can’t do without electricity for 10 minutes. Patients in the surgical tables will die while their worlds would stand still more than what Covid-19 has wrought the world over.

To push forward, we have heard of thousands of zealous seekers who have suffered untold deprivations,such as rolling on the floor, ,sitting on hot plates,standing in one place for hours on end,refusing to take drug during illness, while some have allowed disease to ravage their bodies thinking any of these would bring them nearer to God?

These austerities such as penances,pilgrimages,rituals,recitations and the likes may to a good extent, purify thoughts somewhat or lull us into a feeling of attainment,but all of them are a far cry to the ultimate desire of merging the soul into the Lord. It is against all these Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 1 vs 1 admonished;

“For what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me sayeth the Lord. I delight not in the blood of bullocks,of lamb,of he goats.When you come to appear before me,who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Bring no more vain oblations; Incense is an abomination unto me;the new moon and sabbath,the calling of assemblies,I cannot away with; it is iniquities,even the
solemn meetings. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth

And when ye spreads forth your hands,I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers,I will not hear ; your hands are full of blood”

The truth of the matter is that in all we read,and daily listen to as sermons, we can only succeed in sifting the truth from them, even discern what seems contradictory in the scriptures, when we are able to realize how wonderfully and fearfully man has been created.

To underscore the extraordinary nature of human beings, in the days of yore, it was written “Gnothi Sauton” on the doors of all the Greek Temples. The meaning of Gnothi Sauton is “Know Thy Self” The charge then was, before you worship God you must first and foremost know thyself.

Other sects put the same charge differently, in unison they concluded;

“SELF REALIZATION PRECEDES GOD’S REALIZATION”

That is bluntly insisting that we cannot really worship God without primarily determining who we truly are. Similarly, all laws such as love thy neighbor, do good to fellow beings et al, are easily doable, once we come to terms with our true nature.

We will only discern divinity in fellow beings having discovered it in ourselves. Discovery of our true nature neutralizes our self importance and neither would we ascribe superiority or inferiority to fellowbeings, as we will come to the understanding that we are all working out our lot or deal, in the evolutionary scale of our souls, otherwise known as the school of Life.

Knowing oneself will earn for us our homosapiens status-that being that has been fashioned in the image of God. Then and then only would all the achievements of modern science and invention, in control of the earth and nature’s forces pale to insignificance to what man could achieve with mind and soul working together under the full light of spiritual illumination.

Only by true worship can we subjugate our passions, not by any other means all of which sums up to the covering of a burning fire with ashes. True worship is the worship of the Word. It will make our soul stand unfettered, its light undimmed by sins and attachments. Only at this stage we could say eureka, when we begin to get some idea of our exalted birthright.

How do we discover the true nature of Man? To be continued

-Aare Kola Oyefeso, a businessman, writes from Lagos

Headline

Akpabio Lashes Out at Tinubu’s Critics, Says Nigeria Safe Despite Insecurity

Published

3 days ago

June 10, 2026

Eric

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has urged Nigerians to be careful of those trying to kidnap for ransom.

Akpabio argued on Tuesday that those behind kidnapping are perpetuating the activity to create an impression that Nigeria is not safe.

Speaking in Abuja during the commissioning of road projects to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third year anniversary, Akpabio said some of the president’s critics have resorted to paying youths to cause mayhem.

Akpabio accused Tinubu’s critics of focusing on insecurity instead of policy and infrastructure.

“Minister you said that people claimed that nothing is happening in Nigeria under the administration of President Tinubu. If they did not say that, how will they go for election? he asked rhetorically.

“If you realize what is happening recently, when they realized that they can’t talk about projects, performance, good laws, transformation in the Petroleum industry, subsidy removal that have been promised Nigerians for decades, they can no longer talk about the high-rise buildings in Abuja such as the NRS building, they resorted to paying young people and recruiting them to cause mayhem in the country.

“Be very vigilant and be careful about people trying to kidnap for ransom. They are kidnapping in order to give the impression that Nigeria is not safe.

“Our men and women in uniform have done tremendously well but many people will not know and that is why I keep saying that the devil you see today, you will soon see them no more.

“Elections will come and go; elections will never be our end; we will see the end of elections; it will never see our end,” he said.

Headline

The Search for Justice: ADC vs Tsoho

Published

5 days ago

June 8, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

From the first day the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new shape in July, 2025, in readiness to wrest power from the government of the day, crises, allegedly engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC), have remained its lot.

From the struggle for leadership positions to the fight to save itself from deregistration, the hitherto coalition and main opposition party, has remained in a battle for its life and existence. And has not relented in the search for lasting justice. This time, it has taken the law itself to court to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to have been done.

It would be recalled that shortly after the the party ratified the election of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, skirmishes were noticed among the rank and file of the party as a supposedly former deputy national chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, claimed chairmanship of party, saying that since the founding chairman had resigned, it is constitutionally incumbent upon him to automatically assume the chairmanship role.

Gombe’s claims came on the heels of his ‘resignation’ from office, which paved the way for a new national executive of the party to be constituted. But his claims did not deter the party from carrying on with the formation and running of the party, including holding a keenly contested presidential primary election, which produced His Excellency, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. So Gombe went to court. Yet, Mark and Aregbesola carried on the running of the party.

As a result, Gombe had approached a court for an order restraining Mark leadership from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC pending the hearing and determination of his suit challenging their leadership.

He had also asked the court to issue another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), restraining it from recognizing the Mark leadership.

But in his ruling in the interlocutory application, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered Gombe to put the defendants on notice so that they appear before the court to show cause, why the application should not be granted.

Rather than appearing before the trial court to show cause, the defendant appealed to the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to dabble into the matter they described as internal matters of the ADC.

The appellate court in dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit, ordered accelerated hearing in the suit and further ordered all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Dissatisfied, Mark had approached the appellate court but, his appeal was dismissed and the matter returned to the trial court.

With the to and from nature of the cases involving the ADC leadership crisis, the party has accused judges of bias in favoring party detractors and disobedience to court rules among other malice, the party has taken a new route to obtain the much eluded justice, and that involves charging the custodians of the law to court.

Consequently, the ADC has filed a lawsuit before a High Court in Abuja involving the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over concerns arising from the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

Also joined in the suit is the National Judicial Council (NJC), which the party said had not addressed issues it raised regarding the handling of a case challenging the leadership of former Senate President, Senator David Mark, within the ADC.

The lawsuit, dated June 4, 2026, was filed by the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who is seeking to be joined in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership of the party.

According to the suit, Ukandu expressed concerns about the handling of the matter and alleged that the actions of both Justice Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu, the judge assigned to hear the case, could affect confidence in the proceedings.

The lawsuit further stated that the assignment of the case to Justice Lifu stirred concerns among some members of the party, who believe the process may not guarantee a fair hearing.

The legal action marks a fresh twist in the leadership dispute within the ADC, which has attracted significant political attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aside Justice John Tsoho, other defendants are the National Judicial Council (NJC), and Justice Peter Lifu, a judge newly assigned to hear the suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of ADC.

The plaintiff, who was seeking to be joined in the Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership, accused the chief judge and Lifu of manifest bias, and willingness to do the biddings of persons against the interest of the party.

Ukandu, in the suit he personally filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, faulted the chief judge for reassigning the suit to Lifu, in alleged disregard of the orders of the Supreme Court as well as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, who initially heard the suit brought by Gombe against the party.

The plaintiff, in the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 1165/2026, recalled that an appeal from an interlocutory decision of Nwite rose to the Supreme Court, wherein the apex court on April 30, 2026, “made an order of remittance of Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025: Nafiu Bala Gombe VS. ADC & 4 ORS back to Justice Emeka Nwite for continuation of hearing of pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.”

He stated that upon resumption of hearing before Nwite, the plaintiff wrote to the chief judge praying for a reassignment of the matter to another judge of the Honourable Court.

Ukandu stated, “All the defendants’ counsel, including counsel to the applicants seeking to be joined in this matter, opposed the said application by the plaintiff’s counsel and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter sine die pending the service of the said letter by the plaintiff’s on all the parties in the matter, outcome of the letter by the 2nd defendant and the furnishing of the CTC of the judgement of the Supreme Court to the court.

“Without complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, the 2nd Defendant in abuse of his judicial powers reassigned this matter,” to Lifu.

He added that the third defendant, on his part, pretending not to see the order of Nwite, went ahead and fixed the matter for hearing for June 3, 2026.

Ukandu further recalled that ADC had on May 7 informed the public through a press release that the chief judge had planned to reassign the case to another judge favourable to the plaintiff.

He said the party had “warned against such unethical practice but the 2nd Defendant despite the public outcry reassigned the suit to the 3rd Defendant who have been nick-named as ‘Wike Judges’.”

He stated that the third defendant had started presiding over the matter, despite taking judicial notice of the orders of the Supreme Court and Nwite, and that the matter came up for hearing before the third defendant.

Though neither the Federal High Court nor the National Judicial Council had publicly responded to the issues raised so far, it is imperative to to state that the ADC appears to have lost interest in both the judiciary, which it believe is kowtowing to the dictates of Gombe, and by extension the body language of the Federal Government.

The ADC appears to have managed to draw the sympathy of the public as a group known as the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), has lent their voice to the supposed injustice leveled against the Mark-led ADC, raising concerns about the handling of the matter, and calling for transparency in the judicial process.

The group alleged that the judiciary was being used to target opposition parties.

The group expressed concern over what it described as growing public distrust in the judiciary and called on relevant authorities to ensure fairness and transparency in the handling of politically sensitive cases.

While Nigerians await the outcome of the litigation, and other resolution of other sundry issues arising from the ADC and the judiciary, the party is going ahead making last minute transparent efforts to nominate a suitable running mate to bear the presidential flag with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Among the party’s shortlists are the first runner-up in the presidential primary, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwumi Adesina, Emeka Ihedioha, Emeka Nwajiuba and Chief Dele Momodu.

Headline

Gunmen Abduct Ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Her Two Sons in Ibadan

Published

1 week ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.

Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.

The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.

While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.

The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.

It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.