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Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi Preaches Religious Tolerance, National Unity As Church Marks 16th Anniversary

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By Michael Effiong

Popular Preacher, Rev. (Mother ) Esther Abimbola Ajayi and Founder, Love of Christ Generation Church has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance and national unity if they desire the country to succeed despite our present economic circumstances.

Speaking at a media parley to announce the 16th Anniversary of the church and 2nd Anniversary of its Lagos Cathedral, Rev. (Mother) Ajayi stated that every Nigerian desires prayers and her church was open to all persons, no matter their beliefs or religion.

She affirmed that as a nation, apart from shunning religious intolerance, religion should not be a criteria for those we should associate with or appoint into positions. According to her the disunity caused by religious bigots has led us nowhere.

She stated that the anniversaries scheduled for September 3, 2023 in Clapham, London and September 10, 2023 in Lagos, would be used to thank God and also preach unity.

She urged leaders to always seek divine wisdom to lead the country right, while also calling for patience and steadfastness from the citizenry.

Rev (Mother) Ajayi who is fondly called Iya Adura, further admonished Nigerians to stop making negative pronouncements about our country, emphasizing that there is power in the tongue. Rather, she asked Nigerians to pray for and speak positively about the nation.

In her words, “ When Nigeria began, there was nothing like you are a Christian or you are a Muslim, we were one big happy family and I pray that God would come through for Nigeria to return us to those good old days. When Christians are celebrating, Muslim will come around and the same thing used to happen during Christian celebrations. We celebrated together, that is our foundation and we are trying in this church to bring that back.

“What I am preaching is national unity, you don’t have to be a Christian to enter this church, it is my Father’s house. If they come in and God wins their soul, that will be good after all, there is nothing God cannot do, but Love of Christ (LOC) is a place where the glory of God shines for everyone”

Speaking about the anniversaries, Rev. Mother Ajayi stated that the occasion will be used to thank God for his faithfulness through the years.

She stated that the anniversary activities will begin on Saturday, August 26, 2023 with a Youth Sports festival at Pinnock Estate Leisure Centre , Lagos, this would be followed on Sunday, August 27 with a praise and worship session handled exclusively by youths themed “Breaking Limits”.

Sunday, September 3, 2023, would be the turn of London, United Kingdom, where the church began. The event scheduled for LOC Clapham, London SW9 9DA will have Pastor and Pastor (Mrs) Ajitena of CLIWOM Sanctuary of Praise, London as special guests.

The Lagos celebration which would also be used to mark the second Anniversary of the LOC Cathedral, Lagos will begin on September 8, 2023 with a 7-hour praise & worship vigil. Sunday, September 10, would feature a Thanksgiving Service which will be the grand finale.

His Eminence, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) will deliver the sermon while former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Uinited Kingdom, Amb. Sarafa Tunji Ishola, Senator Gbenga Daniel, Chief (Mrs.) Onikepo Akande, Ooni of Ife, HIM Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, Dr (Mrs.) Quincy Ayodele,Mrs Afolakemi Omosalewa, Mr Rotimi George-Taylor, DIG Taiwo Lakanu (Retd), Dr. & Mrs Peter Obafemi have all confirmed Attendance.

She also revealed that the following artistes will perform during the anniversary: Lanre Teriba (Atorise), Big Bolaji,Tolani Qadri, Segun Hdonu Williams Addo (Eazy Entertainment), Aduke Gold and Yinka Alaseyori Bidemi Olaoba.

Reflecting on the last 16 years, Rev. Mother Ajayi noted that her most challenging moment was when court bailiffs came to evict her from a 10-bedroom rented property she was using as a church and residence in the UK.

“That day, Bailiffs came with police and even immigration officers and locked up the place. My husband was in the hospital that day and It was as if I would never smile again. They threw us out in the London cold.

“I could not tell my husband so as not to worsen his health condition but as it is said in Luke Chapter 1: 37, with God nothing is impossible. And also as it happened in Psalm 126, The Lord turned around our situation like He turned around the captivity of zion.

“I had only seven pounds on me at the time, I can never forget that occasion, but such affliction will not rise again. The thing about me was that I kept believing, like it is said in Jeremiah Chapter 29: 11. I knew the thought the Lord had for me was that of goodness and not evil, I knew that Jesus Christ would certainly do something. I held on to Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 that there is time and season for everything, I knew that period was just a season and it will soon be gone.

“And that is what I am telling all those who are going through tough times now, it will soon be over because like we all know, as captured in John 3:16, for God so loved the world and gave his only begotten son, God loves us and will always want the best for us. So tough times don’t last but tough people do.

She also used the occasion to appeal to Nigerian youths to remain focused and endeavor to get empowered through formal education. She noted that whatever skill anyone has or desires to acquire, he or she must be educated.

She revealed that it is due to her passion for education and philanthropy in general that her foundation is sponsoring 128 students in various private universities in Nigeria.

She also had a word for singles, urging them not to go into marriage without preparation. According to her “Marriage is a life long thing. It is not like strolling into a supermarket, and if you don’t find what you want, you move to the next one. You need to pray and choose carefully before going into it. That is what we would be concentrating on after this anniversary. ” she stated.

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Health Challenge: King Charles May Relinquish Throne to Prince William

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Prince William and Kate Middleton are said to be secretly preparing for wearing the crowns as King Charles has reportedly decided to leave the throne for his eldest son amid worsening health challenge.

The Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, is ‘quietly preparing’ to become the new king as the monarch’s increasingly ailing condition is causing huge alarm inside the Palace, according to a news report.

The King is being asked to delegate more responsibility to Prince William, the local media reported.

“William is just as worried about his father and wants to take as much pressure off him as he can. Kate’s still being eased in, but she’s made it clear she’s keen to step up as much as possible,” according to the insider.

“It’s clear to everyone that William and Kate are quietly preparing to be king and queen themselves, and it’s only a matter of time before Charles formally hands it all over.”

“He’s already started the process and is delegating a lot more, which is why you’re seeing William’s schedule getting a lot busier.”

The Palace insider claimed: “Queen Camilla is convinced Charles is a workaholic and she’s pushing him to slow down and focus on his health.”

King Charles, who had been put on light duty following the diagnosis, has returned to his royal engagements and in September.

Queen Camilla reportedly said her husband “is doing very well,” while attending the opening of the new state-of-the-art Dyson Cancer Center at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England.

While the King and Queen are putting on a brave face, a second insider previously told the outlet things may be more grim behind the scenes, adding: “The palace is giving the impression that Charles is on the mend, but he’s still very sick.”

William has been slowly stepping up and preparing himself to replace dad, even as Princess Kate recovers from cancer too as she announced on September 9 that she has completed preventative chemotherapy.

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PDP Has Tolerated Wike for Too Long, Says Party’s Ex-Auditor Nnaji

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A former National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP,) Barr Ray Nnaji, has warned that the party has tolerated the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for too long.

Nnaji stated this during a media interview, while offering his view on the crisis plaguing the party.

This comes amid the challenge from Wike daring any governor or leader of the PDP to publicly call him a mole.

The minister threw the challenge when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

He had previously dared State governors elected under the platform of the PDP over his threat that he will put fire in their states.

Wike said he had no apology to anybody, insisting that heaven will not fall.

However, lamenting on what has become of the party, the former auditor stated that no right member of the PDP will commend what’s happening in the party, saying he doesn’t see Wike being in APC and the PDP at the same time.

Nnaji also said that the PDP wasted time in replacing its former National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, insisting that the vacuum created room for the crisis.

He said: “No right member of the PDP will commend what’s happening in the party.

“I don’t see Wike being in APC and the PDP at the same time. It’s the soul of Rivers State they are pursuing for the purposes of 2027.

“You know quite well that Wike used his power as a former governor to make sure that APC was assisted to come to power, that was why he was compensated with a ministerial appointment.

“He (Wike) wanted to pull the structure he had then into the APC. That explains why the APC dissolved its Rivers state executives, which prompted the members to go to the court.

“Wike himself, and those 25 State House of Assembly members who defected, when they found out that others weren’t following them, the problem in the state started.

“The main fact is that the acting Chairman failed to do what he ought to do. It cannot be blamed on the acting Chairman alone, it should be blamed on the Party entirely because the constitution is very clear.

“When a vacancy exists, what do you do? Of course, the constitution provided answers to all those things, but they failed to do it.

“Iyorchia Ayu was from North Central, when he left the position, Damagun came just to fill the gap.

“The party shouldn’t have wasted time in replacing Iyorchia Ayu. The party would have replaced Ayu with another person from that zone. If that would have been done, I don’t think we would have entered into this crisis.

“I don’t think it is as difficult with the party as it was with Amodu Sheriff, which ended up in the Supreme Court before the 2019 election.

“I still believe that the party will still come out of it, even though they didn’t do what they ought to have done early enough.”

On setting up a reconciliation committee, Nnaji had this to say: “I don’t know who they are reconciling with. Is it Wike or the governor?

“From the look of things, the government is not ready to play ball, when Wike wants the structure. And if you give Wike the structure, the governor becomes a follower of Wike.

“That is not what the governor wants, he’s supposed to be the leader of the party in the State and take charge.

“Wike, seeing what’s happening, believes he has done his parallel congress and produced a structure. Of course, the governor has his own structure, who the national picks will be another issue.

“I learnt Wike was invited to the disciplinary committee, I don’t know the outcome of the invitation but they waited too long to allow Wike to this point.

“He was not part of the formation of the party but he’s the most beneficiary of the PDP. Going ahead to seek the destruction of the party he has benefited a lot from doesn’t augur well for him, especially in the future.

“If he destroys PDP, who’s sure the APC will be a comfortable place for him to stay?

“I don’t think he’s thinking from that angle. It is his personal interest that matters most for him now.

“The PDP has to make sure it puts its house in order to see if it can liberate the country come 2027.”

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Dele Momodu Makes Case for Osun As a Strong Investment Destination

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By Eric Elezuo

Notable media entrepreneur and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Aare Dele Momodu, has declared Osun State as a strong investment destination, with evidential circumstances that set it apart among a comity of states.

The veteran journalist made the revelation at the just concluded Osun Industrial Investment Summit, held in Osogbo, the state capital, where he was the guest speaker.

He eulogised the state as the cradle of the Yoruba nation as well as the heartland of South Western Nigeria, blessed economically and academically amongst other natural and developmental advantages.

Momodu further informed that the state “possesses a rich investment landscape across the sectors. From agricultural to mining processing to digital economy, the state of the living spring confronts potential investors with enticing possibilities. From the richly, European like Owalla dam for inland beach resorts to the mesmerizing Erin Ijesa waterfalls to the multi-billion dollar cultural assets, there is no better place to invest than Osun.”

Here’s a text of his full speech at the event, which had the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and other notable state officials in attendance.

“Osun State is the cradle of Yoruba nation, the heartland of South Western Nigeria. This is the cultural capital of highly developed Yoruba people with descendants in South and North America;

“Osun State is an economically and educationally rich state, boasting of huge solid mineral resources, highly literate  population, heavy multiple University presences, varied agricultural potentials and a billion dollar developing cultural industry;

“Osun is an unusually peaceful state within a turbulent but extremely great nation, a state that accepts non-indigene with open arms and support non-native business ventures and activities with native hospitality and patronage;

“Osun is a natural tech hub of the Federation as its sons and daughters dominate the tech innovation world and with the state already building a digital economy to tap into the acknowledged talents of young Osun tech enthusiasts;

“We are all gathered here to drum up support for inflow of investment into a state with an ambitious Governor, a widely traveled leader and a 21st century manager who is positioning the state as investors’ first choice within the comity of states;

“My pitching Osun today is not out of mere filial affiliation. I am Osun and Osun is me. But it is more than that. The case for Osun as an investment destination is strong and evidence based;

“The state possesses a rich investment landscape across the sectors. From agricultural to mining processing to digital economy, the state of the living spring confronts potential investors with enticing possibilities. From the richly, European like Owalla dam for inland beach resorts to the mesmerizing Erin Ijesa waterfalls to the multi-billion dollar cultural assets, there is no better place to invest that Osun;

“Beyond the natural investment potentials, I review trade logistics and I am confronted with appealing reality. One is the national railway line that traversed the heartland of the state. Then I saw the government masterplan for an international airport with a cargo terminal integrated alongside a free trade zone;

“Free trade zone? Yes. Airport of international standard?  Yes. Railway link directly to Apapa port in Lagos? Yes. Trade logistics and connectivity are top notch;

“What of internal infrastructure? Osun as a highly urbanized city is implementing a multi-sectoral , multi-billion naira infra upgrade across health, education, roads , water and environmental sectors. The major towns are construction sites alongside huge construction ongoing across the local governments to enhance rural – urban connectivity;

“As an investor, the destination is not ripe by possessing all the above. There must be something else which can actually tip the balance of decision making;

“Are there legal frameworks? Are there policy frameworks for the various sectors?

“Again, Osun beats all limitations with the state Governor running a battle of policy coverage for the state economy. From November 2022 to date, my investigation showed that the state has successfully established state policies covering several critical sectors;

“Aside the state Industrial Development Policy, Osun now has a state ICT policy, State Tech Innovation Policy, State Electricity Market policy, State Transport policy, State Mining policy among others;

“Investors thus have nothing to worry about in the area of policy frameworks. In many cases, the policies are being transformed into actual state legislations. This deepens assurance frameworks for investors;

“One of the biggest unique selling points for the state aside from all the above rare features is the Adeleke family, a dynasty with entrenched interest in the national economy and the entertainment world. The Governor and his family are in reality one of the biggest insurance and magnet for investors;

“To the diaspora population,  my charge is to make hay while the sun shines. Rush to Osun to take a piece of the pie;

“To the global investment community, Osun is a goldmine that has more than gold. As a globally traveled serial entrepreneur myself, Osun represents the first choice. No investor will regret putting his money into such a potentially buoyant state economy.

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