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Opinion: Unraveling The Puzzles Of Earthly Life ( 4)- Aare Kola Oyefeso

Published

6 years ago

May 10, 2020

Editor

By Aare Kola Oyefeso

In the previous series,we touched on quite a number of issues that man is faced with in the earthly life, they are so many and if one has to write a book on them, however voluminous such book is, he wouldn’t have written enough.

My take therefore is, those problems would always confound us especially; The reality of human being, of the world, object of human life, reality of time and space,problem of morality, good and evil, how really free are we, impracticality of freewill and omniscient God, why was the world created, who created the world, the negative power, of course the Supreme Being, and a host of other questions too numerous to be listed lest;we make a surfeit of matters.

To try to offer answers to all these challenges of life, it is of essence we move to the level of determining our true nature which is defined as *Man Beyond The Stethoscope &* *Surgeon’s Scalpel*

The necessity for this is that not until we know our real Self and fine tune the instrument of sublime comprehension, that inheres in man, as an image of the Creator, can we fully understand the phenomenal world talkless the inner world.

Given the seriousness of the topic, we will be raising the intellectual bar of this discourse a bit. Those who are satisfied with their comfort zones might find the facts boring or confounding and may want to drop off. We wouldn’t have apologies for such, having made it unambiguous right at the outset that this discourse is targeted at those who are ready to use the boon of better brain available to humans alone, to rationalize, query,invent, adventure and to crown it all, to get in touch with the Creator, by the means of transcendental meditation.

Albeit; we mustn’t fail to remind those who are comfortable with their positions in life and wouldn’t want to bother about life hereafter that; They are compared with the sparrow that closes its eyes to a prowling cat instead of taking a flight. The eyes closing doesn’t chase the cat away, rather it makes the sparrow an easy prey-a good delicacy for the cat.

The objective is to further expand our understanding of what has sustained and improved life generally and thereafter move to the unfathomed inner world, which we seem to be quite oblivious of. We are thus borrowing a leaf from the British Poet- *The* *Great* *Alexander* *Pope* (1688- 1744) who said;

*A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep or taste not the prairian spring; There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain and drinking largely sobers up again*

On this premise i proceed infra;

At this crossroads of truth seeking, we are confronted with five (5) instruments or sources available to man to comprehend the created.

They are;
*LAW*
*Science*,
*Philosophy*
*Religion*
*&*
*Spirituality*

*Law* may seem not really within purview of trying to access God, but no society can thrive or survive without law.By the same token, to access God, we have to primarily fulfill the laws of man- being a pre-condition for worshiping the Lord in Truth.

Therefore, to assist our good living or call it neighborliness, it is deemed necessary to briefly discuss what law is all about although this is better handled by the legal luminaries.

It however goes without saying that whereas, man can live his life all through without bothering about other professions, every modern or city man requires a bit knowledge of law, to stay free and essentially to stave off criminalities, living as we now do in a society where it seems everyone is trying to outsmart or rip off the other. It is for this reason that law’s principal purpose can in a narrow but spiritual sense be described inter alia as; *Establishment of standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights*

There are however two major laws governing the Creation. One is the *Cosmic law* set up by the Creator Himself to operate His creation.We will dwell at length on this when we take up Spirituality. The other is that of human law and is very essential, otherwise things would have run out of control. That is saying, if we can do anything and get away without being made to account for it, we can imagine what a dangerous world that would portend.

All the Saints have always discerned the need of law to control human life. Moses went for the ten commandments and he gave us what is known as Torah or Mosaic law. Mosaic law is about an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

Christ operated at the level of the Supreme Lord and gave us a fundamental law of *Love*. Love had always been the basis of all infractions. This supreme law would be found in Matthew 22 vs 36-39 on quote;

*Rabbi,which is the greatest commandant? And Jesus answered; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, thy mind and body. He continued; The second is like unto the first,thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. As a corollary Jesus said; On these two laws hang all the prophets and commandments*

This law of *Love* was given over 2000 years ago.It contains truth eternal and direct from the Lord made flesh. Because it is unaffected by law of mutability, love holds true till date and shall ever be.

Embedded in all violations and transgressions-leading to litigations is the non-observance of Love by we human beings. If we had obeyed that foremost and all encompassing law of Love, all proclivity for greed, extortion, corruption, robbery,covetousness, and indeed all criminalities would have died of attrition.

Having failed to observe the fundamental law of *LOVE* it became a desideratum to establish laws to guide the conducts of man,coupled with enforcement agencies in all societies the world over. In any sane society devoid of military rule, we generally have four organs to maintain law and order.

The first is the Legislative House whose duty is to promulgate laws, then the Judiciary who is charged with interpreting and administration of
laws. After, we have the Police under the Executive arms. They are responsible for apprehending offenders and enforcement of judgement. We also have the lawyers who serve differently either as prosecutors or counsels to defendants,to Government and to all and sundry. By extension of the law enforcement system, Prison is established as reformatory and for convicts to serve out their punishments.

All these modern age necessities could be attenuated if we make Love our abiding principle. And if for any reason we fail in that regard, another chapter in the Bible comes handy for us in Matthew 5 vs 25 – 26 it reads;

*Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.Do it while you are still together in the way,or your adversary may hand you to the judge, and the judge may hand you to the officer,and you may be thrown into the prison.Truly i tell you thou shall not escape until thou hast paid the utmost farthing*”

Cognizant of this caveat, jurisprudence actually created a legal maxim for it. It reads; *Esto consetients adversario tuo cito dum es in via cum eo*
The maxim ended with; Neither the hazzard of litigation, nor the cost of proceedings must ever be underestimated. Thus; Amicable compromise early on is invariably the best policy.

As a spin-off, we are to remind ourselves of the attendant consequences of the two principal laws that operate in the World. The two laws are *Justice* and *Forgiveness* borne of *Mercy*.

From the canal perspective,Justice could be considered as good particularly,by the limited man, but what we can achieve by Mercy can not be achieved by Justice.

When we demand for Justice, we earnestly want to punish an erring individual. We are really trying to wash blood with blood. How could our vessel be cleansed by that approach? Yet,a cleansed vessel is a condition-precedent for our re-admission to the bosom of the Supreme Lord
Ergo; Once we punish the offending individual,we trigger off in him vengeance and he wouldn’t rest until he avenges the punishment meted out to him.

If he is able to revenge, we avenge back,he revenges again and this goes on like a vicious circle, until one side imbibes a forgiving spirit,forgives the other person and by so doing, he breaks the karmic chain once and for all.

On the other hand, if we practice forgiveness ab initio, we eliminate any thought of vengeance in the person that has been forgiven. He feels highly indebted to us and continally looks forward to rewarding us for forgiving him.

The drift in essence is; *Justice* belongs to the world of duality under the charge of *Licifer aptly reffered to as The Prince of the world* by Christ.

In the Court of the Lord what operates is *Mercy*. It is; *Go ye and be whole and sin no more*
Were it not so, Jesus wouldn’t be praying for His persecutors under a most excruciating pain thus; *Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing*

So, when next we are prone to sue anyone or practice vengeance let us remember the injunction of 1 Corrinthians 6 vs 2 -5 on quote;

*Dare any of you, having a matter against one another go to law before the unjust and not before the saints*?

*Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you,are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters*?

*Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life*?

This is a food for thought until i come your way next week to discuss *Philosophy*

-Aare Oyefeso, a businessman, writes from Lagos

Headline

Parties’ Deregistration: ADC, Not NDC, is the Target

Published

1 day ago

June 29, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

As the 2027 presidential election draws closer, intrigues, manipulations and maneuvers have continued to be the order of the day as political parties engage in one gimmick or another to outdo and undo one another.

While some are playing politics of numbers and conviction, others are engaging tendencies that tend to question the status quo and established principles under which genuine democracy is formed. As a matter of fact, fingers have been pointed at the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal government as the brain behind all machinations that have attempted to derail multi-party democracy, and institute a one-party state, which is alien to the Nigerian democratic roots. This is as a result of the constant imbroglio that has consistently engulf almost all the major political parties in the country.

Fresh facts have however, emerged to prove that every act of frustration thrown at the opposition has been indirectly aimed at the main opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

According to reliable sources, the recent deregistration of parties, especially the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), was actually targeted at the ADC.

Recall that the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, on June, 26, set aside its earlier judgement directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. A ruling that put a question mark on the eligibility of the party presenting candidates in the forthcoming 2027 elections

The presiding judge, Isah Dashen, held that all relevant parties must be heard before any substantive decision can be made in the matter.

The court upheld the application filed by a certain organization, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), ruling that the party was a necessary party to the suit.

According to the judge, the earlier judgement was constitutionally defective as it was delivered without hearing from all interested parties.

He declared that such an omission rendered the entire process null and void.

Mr Dashen further ruled that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 10, 2025 judgement, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

He also observed that certain material facts were suppressed in the earlier proceedings, which justified the decision to set aside the judgment.

Consequently, the court ordered that the substantive suit should begin afresh, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PMP and the NDC as parties to the case.

According to NAN’s reports, the applicant’s lawyer, Chikezie Ekeocha, told journalists that the PMP approached the court after discovering that NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.

According to Mr Ekeocha, the court agreed that the applicant’s rights had been affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgement.

“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of 10 December 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” he said.

He explained that the implication of the ruling is that every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment stands reversed.

“The recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgement must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” Mr Ekeocha stated.

He, however, clarified that the substantive case remains before the court and has not been decided.

“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached.”

Mr Ekeocha also dismissed suggestions that the court merely ordered parties to maintain the status quo, insisting that the ruling specifically directed a restoration of the position that existed before the 10 December 2025 judgement.

The ruling effectively returns the dispute over the registration of the NDC to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, with all relevant parties expected to participate before a new determination is made.

It would also be recalled that a few weeks earlier, the Federal High Court in Abuja, had ordered the deregistration of five political parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The others are Action People’s Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Accord Party.

However, on June 16, the Court of Appeal in Abuja halted the enforcement of the judgement, ruling that it violated its earlier ruling staying proceedings before the Federal High Court.

While INEC awaits the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment to deregister the NDC, the NDC has reacted, rejecting the judgment as travesty of justice.

Lending credence to the notion that the President Tinubu-led administration is basically targeting the establishment of the ADC as a party, and the candidature of its presidential flagbearer, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is also the presidential candidate of the ADC, has stated categorically that there are plots to prevent the party from participating in the 2027 general election.

Atiku’s position is stated in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu on Monday, notifying the public that he had received credible information suggesting that political and legal manoeuvres were being deployed against the ADC, stressing that the persecution that has been thrown towards the NDC was a clear distraction as the main target is the ADC.

Atiku alleged that anti-democratic elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were working to ensure that the ADC is excluded from the ballot.

“We are fully aware of their plots. While they seek to sow confusion within the opposition, we know their real target is the ADC because it represents the most credible alternative,” he said.

Atiku called on Nigerians to reject any attempt to determine which opposition parties participate in the election.

“We therefore call on all Nigerians — not just ADC members and supporters — to rise in defense of democracy and reject any attempt by the ruling party to cherry-pick which opposition parties are permitted to participate in the next general election,” he said.

“Our message to the APC and the hooded men plotting in dark chambers is simple: you may conspire, but you will not succeed.

“If the APC is truly confident in its popularity, why is it so terrified of the ADC?”

He said he hoped the information available to him would not materialise but argued that recent political developments made such concerns difficult to dismiss.

“The pattern has become all too familiar. First, institutions that ought to be neutral are drawn into partisan contests,” he said.

“Then, frivolous litigations suddenly gain unusual momentum. Administrative powers are selectively deployed.

“Political pressure is mounted behind closed doors. Before long, democracy itself becomes the casualty.”

Atiku alleged that the ruling party has focused more on weakening the opposition than addressing the country’s economic and security challenges.

“The obsession with silencing the opposition has become so consuming that governance itself has taken a back seat,” he said.

“At a time when Nigerians are battling hunger, inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and collapsing purchasing power, those entrusted with public office appear preoccupied with political survival rather than national survival.”

Nigerians recall that ever since the official rejuvenation of the ADC in June/July of 2025, where the duo of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola emerged as the party’s chairman and secretary respectively, the party has not known moments of peaceful coexistence as litigations from corners unknown have sprang up in a bid to destabilize the party and deprive it of the opportunity of featuring on the ballot paper come 2027.

ADC, as a child of circumstance emerged from the rumbles of the litigation-ridden former main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where two factions have consistently remelained at loggerheads over leadership. While the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is working assiduously to ensure the reelection of Bola Tinubu, leads one faction, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who became a defacto head, leads the other faction. In all, PDP appeared to have no direction, forcing many of its members to jump ship, thereby birthing the ADC, and to a large extent, the NDC, which is presenting Peter Obi as the presidential candidate, with former Kano governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as his running mate.

Sources also informed The Boss that the hasty reading and passage of the Electoral Act 2026 by the Godswill Akpabio-led National Assembly, with many great areas left unattended to, were also part of the grand design to deprive the ADC the constitutional rights of presenting candidates for the 2027 elections.

But both the ADC and the NDC has vowed that they would follow every process to ensure that the crackdown on opposition parties by the Tinubu administration comes to an abrupt end.

But beyond the intrigues, Nigerians are gearing up to participate fully in the forthcoming election with cross sections of the population either hailing Tinubu for his policies or knocking him for the untold hardship in the land.

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South Africa Nothing Without Africa – MTN Boss, Mcebisi Jonas

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2026

Eric

The MTN Group Chairman, Mcebisi Jonas, has condemned the ongoing anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa, describing it as a symptom of State failure being cynically exploited by politicians with no interest in genuine solutions.

The speech is seen as one of the most substantive interventions by a senior business figure into xenophobic crisis currently plaguing South Africa.

Delivered during the funeral service of Zimbabwean-born activist and public servant, Thokozani Damasane, Jonas’ words have sparked a wave of discussion across South African civil society.

“I was thinking, what is home to Damasane?” he said. “Because I understand, and I understood very early in life, that home is where humanity is. Home is about humanness. It is about the good of humanity and striving for the good of humanity.”

Thokozani Damasane was born and educated in Zimbabwe before relocating to South Africa during the post-apartheid transition period. Jonas described him as arriving “as an outcast” into a country still finding its post-liberation footing – and choosing, nonetheless, to commit himself entirely to its struggles and its people.

“He immersed himself deeply into the struggles, into the pains of South Africans, and he became one of us,” Jonas said.

“In Damasane’s strength, our strength as South Africa and South Africans is reflected. And in his weaknesses, our own weaknesses are reflected.”

Speaking further, Jonas blamed the state for the failure being witnessed, emphasising that if foreigners leave South Africa today, the country’s problems will still persist.

“Foreigners can leave tomorrow – inequality will be with us,” he told the congregation.

“Foreigners will leave tomorrow – unemployment will be with us. Foreigners will leave tomorrow – our police will remain corrupt. Foreigners will leave tomorrow – our politicians will still be concerned with one thing: being elected and re-elected.

“The problem is the failure of the state. The State doesn’t manage immigration. It doesn’t manage its borders. It doesn’t enforce
law enforcement. It doesn’t manage education. What are you expecting?”

Jonas argued that this failure created fertile ground for political manipulation. “When people feel the burn, they become vulnerable to politicians whose sole purpose is to be elected and re-elected. Some of them have no credibility whatsoever. But they lead marches and tell our people that the problem is not us – it is foreigners.”

Jonas recounted a conversation he had witnessed between Damasane and a young man who had challenged the right of foreigners to be in South Africa. Damasane’s response, Jonas said, had stayed with him ever since.

“Damasane said to this guy: Just wait fifteen or twenty years. You will also want to leave your country.”

Jonas told mourners those words now carry a weight Damasane may not have anticipated. “As I stand up today, I look at South Africa. The level of oppression and inequality, the level of exclusion of our people, the level of corruption, the betrayal of the dream of liberation – those words of Damasane ring very loud in my ears.”

South Africa is nothing without Africa

Jonas closed with a call for what he described as a return to “national consciousness” – one rooted in continental solidarity and economic interdependence rather than ethnic exclusion.

“We are a nation embedded in Africa,” he said. “And without Africa, our growth as a country – economically – our fortune is intertwined with the growth of Africa. South Africa is nothing without Africa. And Africa is nothing without South Africa.”

He also reframed the question of legacy and identity for Damasane’s children, who were present. “Sometimes this thing called meritocracy is measured in wealth. No. It is values, it is principles, it is integrity. And your father had all of that.”

“We cannot judge people by their origin,” he told mourners. “We cannot determine the legal status of people by their origin.”

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NDC Rejects Court Ruling on Party’s Registration, Heads to Appeal Court

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2026

Eric

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), on Friday, vowed to challenge the judgment nullifying its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that it would exercise its constitutional right of appeal.

Reacting to the ruling on Thursday, the party’s spokesman, Osa Director, said the NDC was still awaiting the certified copy of the judgment before making a comprehensive statement on the court’s decision.

He, however, confirmed that the party had resolved to head to the appellate court.

“We are still waiting to obtain a copy of the judgment. After reading the comprehensive judgment, we will make a detailed statement,” he said.

The spokesman added: “For now, what is certain is that we will exercise our right of appeal.”

Insisting that the party would challenge the ruling, he said: “It is our constitutional right to appeal, and we intend to exercise that right.”

When asked specifically whether the NDC would appeal the judgment voiding its registration, the spokesman replied: “Yes, the party will appeal the case.”

The party’s reaction came shortly after a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, in a judgement that nullified its registration by INEC, a development that could have significant implications for the NDC’s participation in the country’s political process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The NDC, however, maintained that it would refrain from making further comments on the substance of the judgment until it had studied the full text of the court’s decision.

The party’s planned appeal is expected to set the stage for a fresh legal battle over its status and continued existence as a registered political party.