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In Quest Of True Religion ( 1)- Aare Kola Oyefeso

Published

6 years ago

May 24, 2020

Editor

By Aare Kola Oyefeso

A baby is adjudged to
have become a “true” living human only upon inhaling what is known by the Alchemist as *Vital Life Force or Ether, also referred to as Nous* upon exiting the mother’s womb.In the womb,the baby survives on the mother. With that first time experience,the baby cries piteously in reaction to the uncongenial environment it has suddenly found itself. While the soul agonizes its arrival into an inhamonious domain,the mother,father and relations of the baby rejoice at the new addition into the family.

The moment the baby is able to see, it rolls its eyes from one end to the other, marveling at the huge and variegated manifestations that present themselves before its eyes.

As the baby continues to grow, it thinks everything it sees has been brought about by the parents.When he grows and becomes a thinking child, it dawns on him the parents couldn’t have created everything he has been seeing.This is because he could now discern other children and their parents laying claim to other houses and other things different from those of his own parents.

The next thing the child is confronted with is,who created all these? Since it is obvious they weren’t created by his parents and neither by other people in the Community they live, he started imagining a Creator somewhere.

It is in the midst of such bewilderment that the parents enroll him in school and he is taken to Church every Sunday, if the parents are Christians. If the child is born into a Muslim family, he may be enrolled for Arabic lessons. Similarly, if the parents are Traditionalists or idol worshippers, the child may not have the choice initially, other than willy nilly toe the way of the parents.

*All these to a large extent account for our life patterning ie; The family we are born into, our earthly schooling and the environment in which, we are brought up-all will to a large extent, condition the choices we would be making during our lifetime.This makes the realist to insist the freewill of man is conditioned and that we are not truly free in the real sense. More so, the setting of a totally freed individual and an omniscient God doesn’t gel*

How could it? *Omniscience implies all-knowing. A Perfect God surely must be omniscient. That is, a Perfect God must know the three periods of time, being the past,the present and the future conjointly, for Him to be deemed as an Omniscient Lord. If He doesn’t, hardly does He qualify to be called a Perfect Being*

Where do we place our fabled free will in all these, if the Lord knows already the choices we are going to make and what will happen before it happens? To the fickle minded, one can be accused of schism, but should one be blamed for using the boon of better brain than that of the lower species? Psychologists have confirmed man is using less than 10% of his brain’s faculty and the ideal man is the homosapiens who uses his brain to the fullest. Indubitably,the true homosapiens is yet to be born.

This matter of freewill shall be taken up extensively in future series.

In the meantime, it is safe to say that a good number of us, settled for religion in our quest for the reason behind it all. Invariably, we have equally being luring our children into our religions as our parents did to us, hoping that religion will answer those questions we ourselves as parents haven’t been able to find solutions to. This is more or less “forcing” our beliefs on our offsprings, in the name of keeping them on good tracks and the path of rectitude. Thumb up for the parents!!!

We must give big kudos to religion and the humanity that have embraced one religion or the other.This is for the good reason that religion has made us not to wake up and just hit the road, without remembering the Giver of Life, as we pray to Him daily. The reverse is the case with the beings of the lower species. They are not given the grace to acknowledge,talkless suplicate to the Force behind all manifestations and which Power, we regard,adore and worship as God, Allah, Chineke, Eledumare et al.

This underscores the sine-qua-non of all Religions. The word Religion itself was an adaptation of the Latin word-Religare. The meaning of religare is to rebind or to rejoin. That is, religion at inception, was a means of rejoining us with the Creator.

Building on this, Religion could be described as a set of beliefs, passionately held by a group of people and often involves actions, rituals and rites. These beliefs according to some religious sects, are often linked to supernatural beings such as God, or a number of imaginary lesser gods or spirits.

Religion in the real sense was established essentially for two purposes. *The first is to enable us live a life of true human beings through the observation of religious injunctions and chiefly among them, is for us to love our neighbors as we do ourselves. Virtually all religions lay emphasis on the importance of Love. Whether the religions’ practitioners being the Priestly class are themselves fulfilling this basic religious concept of Love,is a different kettle of fish altogether*

*The other motive of religion is to serve as a catalyst to unite us with our Creator, while we are still living and as Christ said; The Kingdom of God is at hand. Another Saint was sarcastic about it he said*;

*Reliance on salvation after death is the finest form of self deception humans practice on themselves through of course the Priestly Class. If there is no salvation while alive, it won’t come after death*

He continued; *An illiterate can not be a scholar at death and similarly, a man who lived his life on crime while in the world can not turn to Saint at death,irrespective of prayers offered them both during burial*. *Whatever we intend to be after life, we must be practicing it while living, because the so called death is just a change of appearance*

*What really happens at death,is a separation of the soul and mind from the body and the body merely undergoes a process of metamorphosis in the sense that all the five (5) elements the body is made of, being earth,water,fire,ether and air return to their kindred elements, through cremation or lowering into the soil*

*The mind itself doesn’t belong to the earthly plane per se, but the causal plane where it must return to with all the impressions of the previous lives. Ditto the soul- deathless because it is of Divinity, the soul will reach back to the bosom of the Creator, provided it is free of sins and shorn of attachment for the earthly field. If it is not, certainly, the soul can not merit the bosom of the Creator and as Christ admonished, no re-admission to the unsullied state of the Supreme Lord, without the wedding garment*

*Whether any of the religions we have in the world today is still able to fulfill the latter purpose and for which all religions were at the outset set up to promote, is for the readers to judge by themselves, as we spread out facts on all the main religions of the world, because of the unfettered freedom that one is not under any oath as the Priests are,to defend their religions with all the imperfections. We are thus in a no-holds-barred voyage irrespective of whose ox is gored*

In the world today there are countless number of religious movements, but research has shown all of them are offshoots of the 12 main worldly religions. These prime religions in alphabetical order are;

Baha’i
Buddhism
Christianity
Confucianism
Hinduism
Islam
Jainism
Judaism
Shinto
Sikhism
Taoism
&
Zoroastrianism

Of the twelve (12) religions,three viz; Christianity, Judaism and Islam are mainly known to the people of the West. They are regarded as Abraham religions because their founders or major figures descended from Abraham. The expanse world was barely known then hence; People took what was happening in their divides as the be-all-and-end-all. They couldn’t imagine life happening else where.

*Because of this limitations, little did the writers of the Bible, Quran,Vedas, Adi Granth and other scriptures acknowledge that life existed long before their religions and that the Word of God was taught elsewhere as the only way to God*

*Jesus acknowledged this when He said; I have not come to erase the laws,but for the fulfilment of them. Who gave those laws to the world before Jesus?*

We must nonetheless, acknowledge the tremendous advantage of Religion because without it,the world might have run out of control. *Irrespective of the perversions introduced into different religions by the challatants and latter day Pastors, that have turned religion to merchandise, it was essentially through religion that the world’s populace have come to know what is right and wrong. What is immoral and what is righteous. After all, we are not all morally inclined*

Unquestionably, parents have tried in their own way to guide their children along the righteous path, but since children can not live with their parents all the days of their lives,religions took over from the parents and have continued to guide the conduct of man through countless homilies. Thus; It would be unfair to say religion has not positively impacted on our lives’ patterning.

This discourse is aimed at examining the impact of religion in shaping our lives in the earthly field and also to what extent religions are faring in uniting us with the Creator.

We are to assess and determine by ourselves which of the religions we know of anywhere in the world still teach or have idea of the primeval lofty aim of religion which is, uniting us with our Creator.

We must however make it clear that the facts contained in this discourse are far from being exhaustive and neither all inclusive. *Albeit; If we spend our lives inquiring about the true religion it is a life well spent instead of being led astray. This is provided we continue to practice Love all along our search*

*Readers are therefore encouraged to expand on this review and form their own opinions. To rely on the opinion of someone else presents us as slothful. Surely humans are not born to vegetate. Ipso facto,slummocking is not true living*

We will be evaluating from next week the extent some of the religions go if at all, in uniting us with the Creator, but the takeaway this week is;

*Religion is a necessity. Without religion, man is scarcely better than a wood that has no feelings. Nonetheless; If we are displeased with the mode of worship, or antics of the latter day Pastors that have turned religion into instrument of commerce and to oppress their followers to no ends,the fault is not with the religions and neither the Pastors, but the gullible followers who sheepishly follow religious leaders, who themselves are veritable victims of the mind. It all sums to the blind leading the blind

*Ramadan Kareem to the Muslims!!!

Aare Oyefeso, a businessman, writes from Lagos

Headline

The Search for Justice: ADC vs Tsoho

Published

1 day 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

6 days 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.

Headline

Adeboye Proposes 90 Days Ultimatum for Security Chiefs to Eradicate Terrorism or Resign

Published

7 days ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on the Federal government to issue a 90-day ultimatum to security chiefs to end terrorism in Nigeria or step aside.

Adeboye made the appeal in a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, expressing deep concern over the country’s deteriorating security situation.

He emphasized the need for urgent and decisive action, stressing that security chiefs must be held accountable for tangible results in the fight against terrorism.

According to him, while citizens can only advise the Commander-in-Chief, it is within the government’s power to set clear expectations and timelines for security leaders.

“If I were to make a suggestion, I would say the government should act swiftly and direct the service chiefs to eradicate terrorists within 90 days or resign,” he said.

The cleric also urged authorities to go beyond targeting terrorists alone, insisting that their sponsors must equally be identified and dealt with, regardless of their social or political influence.

“When issuing directives, it should be made clear that both terrorists and their sponsors must be eliminated, no matter how powerful they are,” he added.

Adeboye recalled that a former Nigerian president had once issued a similar three-month directive to security chiefs to end the Boko Haram insurgency but failed to enforce the order after the deadline expired.

Reflecting on his interaction with the late president, Adeboye noted that although initial efforts were made, the lack of follow-through undermined the directive’s effectiveness.

He maintained that his current recommendation is informed by that experience, urging the government to ensure strict enforcement if such a timeline is adopted.

His comments come amid renewed concerns over persistent terrorist attacks, banditry, and kidnappings across the country, with increasing public pressure on authorities to take stronger action against insecurity.