Jonathan: I Will Reveal Why We Lost In 2015

Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan said he would soon make public what happened in the 2015 general elections that led to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),losing the presidency.

Jonathan stated this while receiving members of the Forum of Ex-speakers of State Houses of Assembly, who visited him in Abuja on Thursday.

He said no matter what anyone says, the PDP recorded several achievement through the number of reforms its introduced and implemented in the 16 years it ruled the country.

According to him, “PDP is still the strongest party. We know the reason we lost elections.
“People maybe writing left and right, at the appropriate time, some of these things would be properly addressed because of history.
“There are certain things you don’t write now because it would be misunderstood as if you are playing politics.

“After some years, five, six or eight years, when the beneficiaries have left, you can state it in written and people will not fight with you.”

Speaking on the anti-corruption war, Jonathan urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to be intimidated by the manner it is currently being prosecuted in the country.

The former President said the issue of corruption in the country is worrisome, noting that there is need to combat it.

However, he noted that approach in the fight against corruption is also very important.

Jonathan said : “There are stories of corruption. I say this will always be there because if you read the statement of the organizers of the first military coup, their statement was attributed to corruption.
“It will continue to be, but one day we will get out of it. Most nations passed through this stage of life.

“The only thing I plead of you is not to politicize certain basic things. Issues of corruption, yes, it is worrisome. Nobody will encourage it.

“The society must come up with reform to reduce it, if you cannot eliminate it totally. No Society is 100 per cent free of some of these vices but the approach you go about it is key.

“You may approach it in a way that it will become detrimental to the society. It should be done in a way that will enhance the development of the nation. So we encourage people to do well.”

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Man lands in prison for impregnating neighbour’s daughter

A forty-year-old man, Mr. Yahaya Idris, has landed in prison for allegedly r*ping and impregnating his neighbour’s 15-year-old daughter.

Hajiya Falile Dikko of the Katsina Senior Magistrates’ Court on Thursday directed that Idris should be remanded in the prison custody till November 6, 2017 when his case would come up for mention.

The prosecuting counsel for the police, Inspector Sani Ado, had told the court that Idris resided in the same house with the victim’s father, Lawal Abubakar, at Gawa Village in the Bindawa Local Government Area of the state where the offence was allegedly committed.

Ado said Abubakar reported the incident to the police on September 23, prompting Idris’ arrest.

The prosecutor said by deceiving and raping the victim, who ended up being impregnated, Idris “committed an offence contrary to Section 283 of the Penal Code.’

He said investigation into the incident was in progress and requested for an adjournment.

The magistrate told Idris that the offence he was accused of was only triable at the high court, adding that he was only arraigned before the Magistrates’ Court “for cognisance purpose.”

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What To Do FIRST When The Going Gets Tough

They say that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

I don’t really know who they are and sometimes, I’m not so sure I agree with what they say. On the one hand I do. I totally get it. On the other hand, somewhere in this phrase and how it gets used, is something like a motivational pill which many of us swallow.

I wonder if we know what we’re swallowing.

What I see is that when the going gets tough, the tough often get stuck. Those who, like me, keep trying to do better, try harder, and believe more, but just find themselves unable to go very far. Sometimes, they can’t move forward at all.

So, how do we get going when the going gets tough?

We tell ourselves we can. And we can. There’s a lot we can do and it’s often more than we think we can. It’s important to remember there are is so much we can do.

Even so, what we can do and how we can do it, well, there’s a world of difference between two primary means.

We have choices to make. We can choose the way of man or the way of God. We choose our way or His.

When things are hard, our human inclination is to follow the proverbial protocol of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We muster up the strength. We look in the mirror and remind ourselves of all the things we want to hear and we choose to put on courage so we might forge a way through.

Who’s courage is it? Where does it come from? How are we brave in the face of hard circumstances?

Perhaps we do everything it takes to make our own way and it surprises ourselves and others around us. We might carry on in this manner for years, even decades, or a lifetime of weariness.

We’ve become so accustomed to the axes and shovels we carry to forge our own clearings that we often don’t notice the mess we’ve left behind.

We don’t see the way already paved for us. The way through has been made possible because the Son of God went ahead of us.

Eventually, when things get really, really hard, we realize that our strength only goes so far. What we’ve mustered up internally starts to putter out externally. Our ways of courage are found wanting when they lack the fiery renewal made possible by the Holy Spirit.

We forget that we don’t have to do this on our own strength. We can’t. Not for the long haul anyway. Not if we’re desirous of following Jesus way and receiving all He offers.

Have you felt the weight of the tools you’ve carried and collected over the years? Are you tired of fighting to make it on your own?

It’s time to start doing something different. It’s time to start making choices that help cultivate a life well-lived.

Eventually, many of us find ourselves realizing human limitations met by supernatural affections. We may not recognize it when it’s there, but God is always working for our full reconciliation and so we, as ones who belong to the kingdom of heaven, are caught in the throes of eternal longing and fallible human striving.

What will we do when we awaken to this kind of tension, the one between our will and God’s?

Will we realize that we’ve been choosing our way and not His? Will we let our hearts shake and shudder so that in this we find the sweet kind of surrender which changes everything?

What will we choose?

As I’ve looked back at numerous times of struggle in my own life, I’ve noticed how we are given the gift of choosing. We have choices which allow us the opportunity to get up again and again. They help us get going when things are tough because truly, in Christ, we can.

If we want to stop feeling that heavy weight. If we want to see the way already made for us so we can walk in it. If we want to stop living stuck and start living well, we need to start making choices.

The first choice we need to make is that we need to Choose God.

His ways. His plan. His timing. Choose God over your own agenda, over the ways and means of your self and others.

We need to turn our minds and thoughts to God so we can start seeing where he’s taking us and what he’s doing. {Note: if you don’t have a relationship with Christ already and are curious to know more, please email me.}

When we choose God, we choose the one who created us, who gave us life, who redeemed our lives with the cost of His own son’s so we could live free. We choose the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Choose all of Him.

Today, you can start making choices towards living well by choosing God above all else.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. ~ Joshua 24:15

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. ~ Psalm 119:30

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:25

[written by Jolene Underwood]

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Widow Gets A New Bungalow As Gift In Abia (Photos)

Such a kind gesture. A man, identified as Chief Charles Nzechi, has put smiles on the face of an old and homeless widow, in Abia State.

According to report, Mrs Onyemechi Nwanmo from Isiadu Afarata Ibeku in Umuahia North area of the state, had been living in a dilapidated mud house for years.

Fortunately for her, she caught the attention of Charles Nzechi who demolished the mud house and built a new bungalow for her…

TEARS OF JOY! CHARLES NZECHI FOUNDATION BUILDS A BUNGALOW FOR A POOR WIDOW IN ABIA #By Ifeanyi

God will never plant the seed of his life upon the soil of a hard, unbroken spirit. He will only plant that seed where the conviction of his spirit has brought brokenness, where the soil has been watered with the tears of repentance as well as the tears of joy.

Ambassador (chief) Charles Nzechi, founder Charles Nzechi Foundation who was represented by Mr Apostle Chibuike on Tuesday, September 26, was present at the commissioning and handover of the new home to Mrs Onyemechi Nwanmo The people of Isiadu Afarata Ibeku in Umuahia North local government area, Abia state trooped out in mass to celebrate what God has done to them, as a worthy Abia son, A philanthropist and humanitarian, Amb. Chief Charles Nzechi, Founder and President CHARLES NZECHI FOUNDATION built,donated and commissioned one bedroom modern bungalow to the wife and son of late Mr. Nwanmo, who died years back.

We learnt that the project was known to the Foundation through one Mr. Apostle Chibuike who went for a visit in the village and saw the poor old widow,Ma Onyemechi living in a dilapidated mud house. When it seems hope was lost, the foundation sent Apostle to go and put a smile in the face of the poor widow by building her a befitting home. During the occasion,the village head made his speech;

He siad, “they are happy celebrating with their Sister and mother Mrs Onyemechi Nwanmo on this faithful day”
“We appreciate the Founder, Charles Nzechi Foundation and his entourage for coming to our community for the purpose of this ceremony. Our Community feels highly honoured and elated.

Your foundation has made us feel belong. We say thank you as we can now open our mouth so wide and say…TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR THE GREAT THING HE HAS DONE” He also said, that they have never seen such before in their community,and they wish to acknowledge the impact of what the Foundation has done to them.

Meanwhile, Apostle Chibuike made a contribution that, Chief Nzechi is a man that practice what he preaches and the foundation has been doing a lot to touch lives.

Speaking, high chief Emeka Onuoha thanked the foundation for remembering the poor old widow through their son Apostle Today, Mrs Onyemechi Nwanmo, Members of Charles Nzechi Foundation, the village head of Isiadu Afarata Ibeku, Hon. Chief O.c. Chilaka and woman leader of the community led the villagers to commission the house to the glory of God. BRAVO AHA EJI AGA MBA 1 OF OHUHU KINGDOM!

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How To Raise Your Son To Grow Into A Better Man

Boys are often misunderstood and devalued in our culture. Their energy can be seen as disruptive, their competitiveness as presumptive, their tenacity as arrogance, their resilience as uncaring, and their inquisitiveness as disrespect for authority.

But God has created boys according to His good design. As the parent of a son, your sacred duty is to help him grow up to manhood in ways that honor that divine design.

Here’s how to raise the son (or sons) that God has given you according to His design for how boys should grow into men:

Recognize that male and female differences complement each other.

Boys aren’t meant to act like girls, since God has designed the genders differently so that they will complement and mutually benefit each other. Rather than expecting your son to behave like the girls you know, give him the freedom he needs to be himself – the way God made him to be.

Examine your gender biases and ask God to help you change them. 

Reflect honestly on the stereotypes you may have about boys and how you may be biased against them. Do you assume that boys will be disruptive, messy, inattentive, insensitive, disrespectful, unable to follow directions, tough, or unfeeling? If certain boys don’t act in those ways, do you think that they’re weak since they don’t fit your image of macho behavior? Ask God to show you which attitudes you currently have about boys that are inaccurate, and then pray for the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and give you the right perspective on boys.

Teach your son lessons he needs to learn from a mother or other caring people who can be maternal influences in his life. 

Give your son what he needs from maternal influences by assembling a team of people (including his mother, if she’s available) to invest in his upbringing by: bonding with him for long periods of time through shared activities, providing hands-on and needs-based attachment whenever possible, emphasizing multitasking in his development, helping him express his emotions in words, practicing and teaching direct empathy, providing an example of relinquishing personal independence to meet his needs, promoting his character development through communicating with words, and helping him feel his emotions and learn how to comfort him after he goes through stress.

Teach your son lessons he needs to learn from a father or other caring people who can be paternal influences in his life. 

Give your son what he needs from paternal influences by assembling a team of people (including his father, if he’s available) to invest in his upbringing by: bonding with him for short periods of time through shared activities, teaching him how to think in orderly and sequential ways, downplaying emotion and emphasizing performance, promoting risk taking and independence, teaching him how to fight against negative thinking from his peers, promoting respect for positive authority, encouraging him to build confidence through learning how to do things well, and helping him feel stronger – but not necessarily better – after he goes through stress.

Encourage your son to develop the character of a hero. 

Boys and men are naturally drawn to the hero archetype, since God has placed the desire for greatness within every male. If you view the word “hero” as an acronym, you can list key character traits that heroes develop: honor (adhering to truth, values, and principles beyond self), enterprise (working at important things, whether they seem or large), responsibility (carrying important people and things throughout life), and originality (being a dreamer, a thinker, and explorer in the world). Another key character trait of a hero is self-discipline, which will help your son build confidence as he disciplines himself to work toward his goals.

Help your son process his emotions in ways that fit his male design. 

Study your son’s emotional life for at least a week, noting the feelings he expresses about interactions he has with other people and the circumstances he goes through in various situations. Then consider how you can help him process his emotions in ways that can work best for males, such as: releasing stress through physical movement like exercise, using an object or a story to help express the emotions he feels, withdrawing from people so he can think more clearly about his emotions, or searching for a solution to the problem that has elicited challenging emotions. Be sure to give your son the freedom he needs to cry, as well; crying is a sign of strength, not weakness, because it signals healthy emotional processing.

Teach your son how to develop a healthy s*xuality. 

Talk with your son openly about s*x, answering all of his questions honestly and always presenting information from the perspective that his sexuality is a good part of the way God has made him (rather than something dirty that should make him feel ashamed). Explain the many benefits of saving s*x until marriage – as well as the physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of ignoring God’s design for s*x – so your son will understand why it’s important to wait. Encourage your son to use physical exercise as a way of releasing pent-up s*xual energy and don’t worry about masturbation, but try your best to keep him away from pornography, since porn can be very dangerous for him.

Help your son do his best in school. 

If you homeschool your son, make sure that his active mind is engaged and challenged. If he attends school elsewhere, serve as your son’s advocate with his teachers and school administrators to help him be engaged and challenged, and give him the support and encouragement he needs to do his homework well.

Encourage your son to use technology for good purposes. 

While you should limit your son’s daily screen time (in front of screens such as computers, television, and video games) since too much screen time will stunt his development, you should also encourage your son to use technology in ways that help him pursue his interests, learn new skills, and put his God-given talents into action.

Help your son measure his progress toward manhood. 

Talk with your son about what it means to become a man and what steps he can aim to take along the way to manhood. Celebrate his progress with some rites of passage, such as an event through your church or a special trip or outing that you take with him.

Lead your son to an active faith. 

Pray often for your son to enjoy a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that, for faith to be relevant to males, it should be part of a heroic and wholehearted adventure for Jesus in which they continually submit their own wills to God’s will. Join a church in which your son can actively participate as He grows, and aim to be the best role model you can be for him through your own relationship with Jesus.

[written by Whitney Hopler] 

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Assistant Commissioner Of Police, Others Kidnapped

While traveling with members of his family along the Birnin-Gwari-Funtua road on Wednesday, an ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) identified as Emmanuel, who is serving in Gusau, Zamfara State, was reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen.

Accoridng to Daily Trust, the police boss and three members of his family were said to be travelling in a Hilux van when they ran into the gunmen who forced their vehicle to stop and whisked them away in another vehicle.

A source said immediately policemen patrolling the route got information that some persons travelling in a Sharon bus had been abducted, they raised an alarm as one of them had during a stopover at a police post identified himself as their colleague and inquired about one of them who he said is his friend but was told had been transferred to Maiduguri.

There was no official reaction as at the time of reporting.

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4 Things A Service Business Should Get Right

Any service business that intends to be successful and sustainable needs to know these four things and get them right. Jumia Travel shares 4 things a service business should get right.

1. Its Customer Management 
This involves tailoring your service offerings to meet the specific needs of your target customers. When your service offerings cater adequately to the needs and desires of your target customers, you’ll be able to get the most value for your services. Customer management can be done by setting up an efficient and effective customer service department to cater to the requests and needs of customers. It can also be done by setting up efficient self-service options to clients, and basically making your customers feel safe every step of the way in their business and financial transactions with your company.

2. Its Offering 
This is a very important aspect that service businesses need to get right. A service business can’t last long with a flawed service offering. The service offering of a service business should effectively meet the needs and desires of target customers, and should also be able to support the longevity of the business, not cripple it. In other words, a service business should be able to find a balance between getting its service offerings to satisfy consumers and sustain the business at the same time.

3. Its Funding 
A good funding mechanism is needed to sustain a service business. One great thing about a service business is that it’s not particularly capital intensive, however to sustain the business you can’t afford to have a weak funding mechanism. Pay attention to how you charge your customers and have a basis on which you charge them for your services. For example, will it be based on quality like Starbucks, for which you can decide to charge a premium on your competitive advantage like Starbucks does etc. Also, you should find ways to enhance customer experience while spending less.

4. Its Employee Management 
The wealth of a service business is its employees. This is because a service business depends heavily on the knowledge and skills of its workforce. It is therefore important for service businesses to ensure that employee management activities like recruiting, selection, training, job design etc., are good enough to empower employees to deliver excellently and efficiently on your service offerings. This will help you build a great image for your business, help with word-of-mouth (since customers will hardly be able to stop talking about your great services), and can be the basis on which you charge a premium on your competitive advantage of excellent and efficient service offerings.

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