WHO WILL SAVE NIGERIA?

But all of this pale in significance to the grave implications of the melodrama playing itself out at the National Assembly in Abuja. On the surface, it is a battle for supremacy between the two Houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives with the so-called lower house claiming equality with the upper chamber. You’ve heard it said that its all in the interest of deepening our democratic practice and that a certain group, has in fact taken the matter before a court for determination. It would be interesting to see how the law sorts out the issue. I have no doubt in my mind, however that it more politics than law; that what we are seeing is but the early stirrings of anti-Constitutional Review strategy. Whether the Representatives in the vanguard of the battle are willing tools or unwitting pawns is at this moment be a matter of conjecture, but there could be both in their rank.

It is difficult to be optimistic about the future of this nation. All you need to increase your heartbeat is read the newspapers, listen to the radio or watch the television. And even when you have allowed for the possibility of sensationalizing in many of the reports, you are still left with a sense of foreboding.

The other day, I chanced in on a discussion programme on one of the television stations. There was this guy reeling out the many incidences of violence in the South Western part of the country. It was simply unbelievable that this was happening in a civilian setting which by its rule of law essence ought to inspire peaceful resolution of conflicts. It is one of those seemingly inexplicable contradictions in the Nigerian setting.

Recall the mind-boggling violence that occurred as the immediate aftermath of local government elections in Jos, the Plateau State capital recently. The scenario still playing out in that part of the country, with the State and Federal governments competing on the rights to investigate the incidence, and Governor Jonah Jang alleging impeachment and assassination plans against him, and you cannot but wonder how it will end.

The crisis in the Niger Delta remains something of a low-intensity civil-war with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the government’s Joint Task Force making bloody claims and counterclaims, while sundry freelance hoodlums kidnap just about anybody in sight including, children, clergymen and assorted other relations of dignitaries.

But all of this pale in significance to the grave implications of the melodrama playing itself out at the National Assembly in Abuja. On the surface, it is a battle for supremacy between the two Houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives with the so-called lower house claiming equality with the upper chamber. You’ve heard it said that its all in the interest of deepening our democratic practice and that a certain group, has in fact taken the matter before a court for determination. It would be interesting to see how the law sorts out the issue. I have no doubt in my mind, however that it more politics than law; that what we are seeing is but the early stirrings of anti-Constitutional Review strategy. Whether the Representatives in the vanguard of the battle are willing tools or unwitting pawns is at this moment be a matter of conjecture, but there could be both in their rank

This issue is of great importance because, whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, what we do or fail to do with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, has everything to do with the future well-being, not to say, the continued existence of the nation. To put it mildly, it is a bad document, put together by a confused military, driven into disorderly retreat by a civil uprising gradually approaching a crescendo. But, because as one of my friends used to say, even a stopped clock is correct twice every 24 hours, it did serve two purposes. It returned Nigeria to civilian, even if not democratic, rule and; it put some people in office, some of whom would otherwise never have smelt office. It is this latter purpose that is at the root of today’s challenges.

Now, truth be told, it takes class suicide for a group benefiting from a given state of affair to work at changing it. That takes selflessness, courage and a zealous commitment to the greater good of the greater number within the polity. In this respect, I regret to state that in Nigeria, as the novelist would have put it, the beautiful ones are not yet born. In other words, it is unlikely that the 1999 Constitution will be reviewed. If it is, it will not be far-reaching enough to make any difference, because it is not in the interest of those currently at the helm of affairs to do so. Of course, there might be among them patriots willing to lose some privileges, if necessary, but they are in the minority. All of that is if we discount the fact that what Nigeria needs is a new Constitution and a sitting assembly is not equipped for such an assignment.

President Umar Musa Yar’Adua had the opportunity of boldly steering the nation along the right path when he assumed office in May 2007. He passed it up. In the June 17 2007 edition of this column, I dealt with the subject of the way forward then, but of course, it was probably unrealistic to expect a politician of any hue to accept the kind of suggestions made then. But because they are as valid today as they were back then, I shall quote from that piece which was titled, “THINK ON THESE THINGS, MR PRESIDENT”

I said then that he must be able to think out of the box, extra-constitutionally, if you like. I pointed out that the Interim National government option was worth exploring in these words:
“…Some have suggested an Interim National Government. This has been shot down by those who equate it with military president Ibrahim Babangida’s disingenuously constructed booby trap. According to those who argue this way, if it goes by the same name, it must have the same content and end up the same way! Many of this same people say that the ING has no place in our constitution. How simplistic! In a particularly disappointing intervention, a respected constitutional law teacher and columnist, writing in a respected newspaper on two different occasions hid his personal preferences under so much intellectual verbiage and ended up speaking from both sides of the mouth. ING, goes his argument cannot hold because it is unknown to our constitution which is our grundnorm. Then faced with examining whether Nigeria as was being run could be described as a constitutional democracy, he deadpanned: not quite! Now this later is the truth, the unemotional truth that must guide our search for solution to the existing situation.”

I did recognize that for Yar’Adua to even give thought to an idea like that would have amounted to throwing out his chance, and that of his part of the country, to rule the nation – with all the privileges involved. That is class suicide! That was why I counseled as follows:
“A time like these call for men; leaders with vision, able to see beyond self and own-group interests. The Lord Jesus Christ, who for us Christians, is the model (or ought to be) is the best known example of true leadership. He gave up himself for the good of mankind. In the men’s ministry in which I am deeply involved, it is said that “manhood and Christ-likeness are synonymous”. And believe me it is true. You have to resort to self sacrifice in this matter…You must now voluntarily go out of your way to vigorously work for restructuring of this blighted federation. Our current constitution is faulty.. You must find it in yourself to engage with civil society, the opposition and conscientious elements in the international community to put something more concrete, more enduring in place. You must do it quickly; within the shortest possible time, possibly within 18 months. We can then hold fresh elections. If the new arrangement allows you to run and you wish to, I am sure your people will give a clean mandate. On the other hand, if the new arrangement excludes you or you decide not to run, you would not have been the longest serving President in Nigeria, but you would be her greatest.”

As I write this, whether at the Presidency or at the National Assembly, all I see are people more interested in sustaining the status quo; with a bit of tinkering here and there. But it is not going to work.

One wise man said, no matter how far you’ve gone on a wrong road, turn back! There is a Biblical principle for it - it’s called the ax-head principle and it’s based on an incident recorded in the second book of Kings Chapter 6. The so-called children of the prophets had lost the head of a borrowed ax. It fell into River Jordan in the process of cutting trees for use in the building of a new camp. They sought the help of Prophet Elisha. The story climaxed in verse six like this: “Where did it fall?" Elisha asked. The man showed him the place, and Elisha cut off a stick, threw it in the water, and made the ax head float.” It is generally agreed among dispassionate observers that we lost our way when we buried true federalism, and concentrated virtually all powers at the centre. We need to return to that spot to find our way forward. Will the beneficiaries of the aberration preside over the dismantling of their privileges? That is the question.

BENNY HINN, ISRAEL, HAMAS AND THE PROPHETIC

Benny Hinn recalled as “another major fulfillment of prophecy”, the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and three immediate neighbors, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria subsequently supported by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria and how “against overwhelming odds, this tiny nation defeated the best armies, navies, and air forces in the Middle East.” He cautioned: ”Today, as the conflicts of 2009 heat up, it is apparent that we are living in times as momentous as 1948 and 1967.” Of course, there are no shortages of other viewpoints on these issues, but to my mind, the uncanny, pin-point accuracy of Biblical prophecy should be food for thought for us all. It should lead us all to the one conclusion, which is the raison detre for this column: that there is a kingdom perspective to every issue and that is the perspective that endures.

By the time you read this, it is a possibility that another ceasefire could be in place in the undeclared, yet costly war in Gaza. Being canvassed by George Mitchell, President Barack Obama’s special envoy to the Middle East who arrived the region during the week, it would be a desirable turn of event in the bloody operation which began as the year 2008 was winding down.

How long such a ceasefire will last and how rapidly it takes the gladiators to the negotiating table can only be speculated about, but if you believe in prophecy, you probably have an idea how it will all end! It is precisely the prophetic element that has made the Middle East conflicts nightmarish for peace-seeking diplomats and even military strategists. And this phase of the conflict is already being situated in the prophetic.

Benny Hinn, the world renowned evangelist has been doing just that. According to him, the Lord showed him “early in the morning of December 26…through this dream that the nation of Israel would be involved in a serious military operation in Gaza and that a part of Hamas, the terrorist organization supported by Iran, would be destroyed at the cost of many lives…” Shortly after waking from his dream, he said “to my amazement I began hearing and seeing the news bulletins about the attacks and air-strikes taking place primarily in Gaza…”

Flowing from the dream and its tragic accuracy, he said he felt a leading to head for the region to “gather footage… to present a clearer view of what is happening in the Holy Land, but especially because of the need to talk and mediate with many of the leaders in this region.” One is not sure how much mediation he has succeeded in doing, but from what he has seen, he reports that, “it is as if we are literally seeing prophecy come to life in front of our eyes. What has happened during recent days has been amazing as my December 26 dream has also come true. The infrastructure of Hamas has been literally destroyed…”

To supporters of Israel, that would be good music to the ears, but what the man of God said next should be of greater concern and interest to all. “Still”, he continued, “any student of history knows that hatred toward Israel will continue. Already, reports are pointing toward a desire to rebuild and re-arm Hamas and other anti-Israeli terrorist groups as soon as possible.…That is also why I have taken such an interest in what is happening right now in the Middle East, for I believe these recent developments in Israel are signaling a hot, accelerated, and unprecedented prophetic season that will quickly change the course of history.”

In making the huge claim that the current relatively small military exercise “will quickly change the course of history,” Benedictus Hinn went down history’s lane drawing parallels between Biblical prophecies actual events. Urging the world, particularly the church to be alert to and seek to understand the “prophetic significance that these events are signaling,” he quoted from the Bible book of Ezekiel chapter 36, verses 22-24 which reads in part: “ Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went… and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

He noted that this prophecy was fulfilled with the restoration of the State of Israel in 1948, which in his words saw the Jews “being gathered out of all countries into their own land after twenty centuries.” He recalled “those momentous times leading to 1948…including the 1947 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, which sought to resolve the Arab-Jewish conflict by partitioning Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab”; the conflict that followed that partition and Israel’s declaration of its rebirth as a nation. He declared: “The miracles that led to Israel’s defense of its independence are truly remarkable, even to the fact that they had only one plane for its entire air force and only seltzer bottles for bombs, yet they stood against the enemy in such amazing ways and began establishing themselves as an increasingly strong nation.”

“Isn’t it remarkable” he asked “that God inspired the prophet Jeremiah to write these words around 26 centuries before 1948: ‘Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness’ (Jeremiah 31:23). When they left the land of Israel, they spoke Hebrew. When they returned, they still spoke Hebrew. Do you know the chances of that happening? In most cultures, people who move into a new culture discard their old language within two generations. Yet God preserved the Hebrew language, despite the fact that His chosen people were displaced throughout the world.”

Benny Hinn recalled as “another major fulfillment of prophecy”, the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and three immediate neighbors, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria subsequently supported by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria and how “against overwhelming odds, this tiny nation defeated the best armies, navies, and air forces in the Middle East.” He cautioned: ”Today, as the conflicts of 2009 heat up, it is apparent that we are living in times as momentous as 1948 and 1967.”

Of course, there are no shortages of other viewpoints on these issues, but to my mind, the uncanny, pin-point accuracy of Biblical prophecy should be food for thought for us all. It should lead us all to the one conclusion, which is the raison detre for this column: that there is a kingdom perspective to every issue and that is the perspective that endures.

KAKA, THE MODEL AGAIN!
The football world is still reeling in amazement at the collapse last week of a transfer deal between AC Milan and Manchester City. According to intense media speculation, the deal would have seen Kaka, the Brazilian soccer superstar move from his Italian San Siro base to the English Premiership club for a whopping £100million, which would have handed him an estimated weekly wage of about £500,000.
In an industry where deals are hatched and crashed with considerable frequency, the collapse of the deal is not unprecedented. What is unique is why it failed. It failed because the young man at the centre of the deal, the 2007 European and World Footballer of the Year, whose current weekly wage is around £150,000 had the courage to turn down such a mouth-watering offer. His reason: “I listened to my heart.”
If you are wondering what that means, here in Kaka’s own words, as reported on BBC Sports website is his explanation:
"I believe I have made the right choice. To have gone to Manchester City could have been a great project but in the past few days I have prayed a lot to understand what the right team would be and in the end I have decided to remain here.
"I don't want anything else, I just want to be well and be happy in the place where people love me. From this story I have understood how people love me at Milan, the fans and my team-mates have helped me make this choice. ..
"No member of my family has pushed me to go anywhere. I have not had any arguments with my father. My family has been very supportive and at no time have they forced me one way or the other…”

Did you read that? He prayed, listened and responded, not to the pull of lucre, but to the voice of God and the love of the people. That is true Kingdom living; true Christianity. Indeed, out of the life of this young man, God is revealing and perfecting wisdom; the kind that will stand all who confess to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, out in these days of threatened global recession – whether we be young or old; sportsmen or businessmen, politicians or professionals, tradesmen and clergy men. God bless you, Kaka

NOW THE OBAMA ERA

His copious reference to the values and convictions of the founding fathers also resonates with me. And I hope and pray that he weans America away from political correctness by hearkening to the voice of America’s first president, George Washington who in his Farewell Address in 1796 warned: ” And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” Let him also take to heart the wise words of Washington’s successor, John Adams who said: "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

It’s over – the long nights of dreaming, that is. Now it’s time to live the dream, or more correctly, the reality. It has been a long, tortuous march through long stretches of dangerous valleys and daunting mountains; a long energy sapping swim through a vast shark-infested ocean. Now, the young man who dreamt of studying law and did it; dreamt of becoming a law professor and became it; dreamt of becoming a State senator and became it; dreamt of going to Capitol Hill as a Federal Senator and made it; who in his first term as a senator slugged it out with the best of them for his party’s presidential ticket and won it; who dreamt of becoming President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States of America is safely in the saddle at the White House of Pennsylvania Avenue! Dream fulfilled!

It was an electric moment. When Chief Justice Roberts spoke the last line of the presidential oath, it was a question: “so help me God?” Barack Hussein Obama replied in the affirmative: “so help me God.” And then, in the full view of millions of people across the globe, with his hands outstretched to the man who until then had only been president-elect, Warren spoke the final words: “congratulations, Mr President!”

And so, the skinny man with the strength of a hulk, in Davidic version, became the 44th president of the world’s most influential nation; the very first man of colour, to lead the white dominated rainbow commonwealth that used to be known as God’s own country. Or still is?

Through all the revelry, through the celebration of the historicity of the inauguration of the first black president in Barack Obama, it is this poignant irony that continued to haunt me. “God” was the last word this man had to mention before he became president of a nation whose founding fathers had nicknamed God’s own country. But God had long since been relegated to the background in this land of opportunities. He had been banned from the schools and from public places. The nature and form and extent of His involvement in the affairs of the State have to be negotiated among contenders who each claim to represent Him. He Has been democratized to the point of being indistinguishable! And whatever changes this celebrated apostle of change, this symbol of audacious hope, was promising held little hope that God and His values were on the road to restoration. Or perhaps it did and I had missed it.

So, I listened to his inaugural address. It was good. It was a beautiful piece of inspiring rousing rhetoric. “Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath,” he began. “The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.”

That got my attention. With rapt attention, I listened as he continued:
“That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. …Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.”
He went on and on, analyzing the challenges, hinting at the response of his administration to them and rationalizing those responses in broad colourful strokes. He was at his inspirational best. But it is his references to the ideals of their forefathers and the place of God in it that I chose to focus.
Making his only passing reference to the Bible he said: “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things…” and spoke about “that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
He said “Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake…Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. …Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history…This is the source of our confidence— the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. …Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations…”
All of these made good music to my ears. And for once, I am excited at the possibilities that an Obama Era might hold. He spoke of “the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.” How wonderful. Whom God calls, He equips by talking directly to and sending prophets of truth to for confirmation. So if as Obama says, this was a call from God, then he really has to stay close to the one he says has called him. Compromise might be the stuff of politics; it is anathema to an ever faithful, ever true, unchanging God. And He sure will accept no less from those who claim to answer His call to service.

His copious reference to the values and convictions of the founding fathers also resonates with me. And I hope and pray that he weans America away from political correctness by hearkening to the voice of America’s first president, George Washington who in his Farewell Address in 1796 warned: ” And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” Let him also take to heart the wise words of Washington’s successor, John Adams who said: "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

I have said it before and I’ll say it again and again. All the wisdom in the world will not rescue the US economy or guarantee her safety and security, if Obama does not back off from and actively resist policies that would replicate Sodom and Gomorrah in that wonderful land of opportunities. As Edwin Louis Cole once said, “a nation is not great by virtue of her wealth; a nation is great by the wealth of her virtues.”

Kingdom Perspective wishes Barack Hussein Obama, first black, first black president of the United States of America, a God-honouring stay in the most powerful office in the world.

CELEBRATING ADEBOYE…

That is why in spite of the fact that this man stands for everything they love to hate: the preeminence of the Holy Spirit in the affairs of man even today; a strong belief in the miraculous; the inviolability of Scripture and a strong moral code based on its dictates, Adeboye could not be excluded from the list. In spite of the fact that what Newsweek saw was "euphoria", when "hundreds of people rushed toward the stage from every corner of the arena" in response to the altar call, after "Adeboye and his ministers preached 12 hours straight to a crowd of 30,000…at a recent revival meeting in London", they couldn't deny the honesty of this man of God. Wrote Ms Miller, possibly with a tinge of regret: "Behind Adeboye's extraordinary success is his reputation for honesty. While other Pentecostal pastors, including some Nigerians, have been accused of financial misdeeds or faking supernatural powers, Adeboye remains above the fray…”

The Bible, the engrafted word of God, is forever true. When it says in
the book of Proverbs that "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7), it has to be true. That's demonstrated very powerfully by the inclusion of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye in Newsweek 50, the international magazine's list of the most influential persons on the face of the
earth at this moment.

It was grudging, to say the least. He was number 48 on a list that
featured such names as Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (11), North
Korean dictator, Kim Jong Il (12) and the enigmatic evil known as
Osama bin Laden (42). To the discerning, the headline was cynical and
the writer, Lisa Miller apparently laboured through the assignment. If
you doubt that, let's read it together.

Headlined, A Pentecostal Preacher from Nigeria Has Made Big Plans to
Save Your Soul, you could feel sarcasm dripping from the partly
uninformed piece, which is the result of the ultra-liberal worldview
of its writer. Read that headline again.

The introductory paragraph put out verifiable facts and figures only
as claims by the man of God. It reads in part: "…He boasts that his
church has outposts in 110 countries. He has 14,000 branches—claiming
5 million members—in his home country of Nigeria alone. There are 360
RCCG churches in Britain, and about the same number in U.S. cities
like Chicago, Dallas, and Tallahassee, Fla. Adeboye says he has sent
missionaries to China and such Islamic countries as Pakistan and
Malaysia. His aspirations are outsize. He wants to save souls, and he
wants to do so by planting churches the way Starbucks used to build
coffee shops: everywhere."

Ms Miller quoted Adeboye as telling Newsweek: "In the developing world
we say we want churches to be within five minutes' walk of every
person. In the developed world, we say five minutes of driving." She
then cynically added: "Such a goal may seem outlandish, but Adeboye is
a Pentecostal preacher: he believes in miracles…"

Lisa, Newsweek's Society/Religion Editor, whose most recent
contribution to religious education through the magazine, was a pack
of lies, laden with deliberate scriptural misquotations arguing that
gay marriages can be Biblically supported, proceeded to pour scorn on
Pentecostalism.

Under the guise of the sound professional practice of backgrounding a
story, she wrote: "Modern Pentecostalism was born in America in the
early 20th century, when a former Methodist minister named Charles
Parham began teaching that Christians who were filled with the Holy
Spirit could, like the disciples of Jesus, speak in tongues. (The
sound, for those who have not heard it, is extraordinary: like
crooning or keening or jibber jabber.) From the start, the faith
appealed across ethnic lines to the poor and the marginalized. Its
lack of denominational structure meant 'you didn't have to have a
highly trained and educated clergy with a long graduate education,'
says Vinson Synan, dean emeritus of the divinity school at Regent
University. 'Common people [were] pastoring common people.'
Televangelist healers like Oral Roberts helped keep the movement
growing."

To Lisa's trained liberal ears, when Pentecostals, of whom Adeboye is
an acknowledged leader, speak in tongue, they sound "like crooning or
keening or jibber jabber." Then of course, this brand of Christianity,
according to her and those of her school of thought, to whom she
turned for authentication of her views, appeals only to the "poor",
"marginalized" and "uneducated."

Even when she conceded some good to the movement, Lisa was
condescending: "An emphasis on prosperity and healing attracts
converts without savings accounts or health insurance. The emphasis on
Biblical inerrancy and on rigid social rules—no drinking, no smoking,
no premarital sex—offers structure for people whose lives have been
devastated by addiction or illness…" In Lisa's world, if you had a
savings account and can afford health insurance; if you are addiction-
or illness-free, Pentecostalism will hold little or no appeal to you.
In other words, Pentecostalism is for the scum of the earth.

For Newsweek and its Religion editor and columnist, it must have been
unthinkable, even painful that one of the leaders of this movement in
Africa could find his way into a group of people they describe as
Global Elites. They would rather have included many more notorious
terrorists and others of satanic influence, under the pretext of being
balanced, than to include this wonderful man of God. Incidentally,
Pope Benedict XVI is the only other Christian clergy man on the list.
But, like we said, the Bible remains true forever and ever. "When GOD
approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your
hand." That is why in spite of the fact that this man stands for
everything they love to hate: the preeminence of the Holy Spirit in
the affairs of man even today; a strong belief in the miraculous; the
inviolability of Scripture and a strong moral code based on its
dictates, Adeboye could not be excluded from the list.

In spite of the fact that what Newsweek saw was "euphoria", when
"hundreds of people rushed toward the stage from every corner of the
arena" in response to the altar call, after "Adeboye and his ministers
preached 12 hours straight to a crowd of 30,000…at a recent revival
meeting in London", they couldn't deny the honesty of this man of God.
Wrote Ms Miller, possibly with a tinge of regret: "Behind Adeboye's
extraordinary success is his reputation for honesty. While other
Pentecostal pastors, including some Nigerians, have been accused of
financial misdeeds or faking supernatural powers, Adeboye remains
above the fray. Nigerian government leaders seek his input on pressing
social issues. He recently made a public-service announcement
condemning discrimination against people with HIV… He distributes his
message globally through Facebook and MySpace…and a digital-cable
channel called Open Heavens TV."

Cynical to the end, Miller concluded her strangely ironic citation by
recalling what she described as a "miracle recently." We know it is no
longer recent! According to her, he was driving on a long and
dangerous stretch of highway near Lagos, when his car ran out of gas,
and the gas stations were empty. She quoted the man of God as saying
that God told him to keep driving and thereafter drove 200 miles on
empty. Doubting, she asked, could his gas gauge have been broken?
According to her, "No, he insists, God intervened 'because of the need
… in a crisis.'"

As the Bible clearly stated, whom God has lifted, nobody can pull
down. Therefore, to Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, OON, General
Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God worldwide, Kingdom
Perspective says a hearty congratulations, sir.

…AND KAKÁ
Also included in Newsweek 50 is a young man I have celebrated in this
column before. Kaka, the 2007 World Footballer of the Year was number
on the list and mercifully, Newsweek found an unbiased writer to
handle his citation in Kasey Keller, a four-time World Cup goalie for
the US who currently plays for the English Premiership club, Fulham.
Keller recalled his first encounter with Kaka during the 2003 CONCACAF
Gold Cup. He said he felt he was "something special"; and that he "had
the tools to become one of the world's top players".

He has not disappointed, he said as he has since then been "named
both FIFA World Player of the Year and European footballer of the year
in 2007" and "helped his club, Italy's AC Milan, to European and world
titles last year. He's an attacking midfielder with tremendous
technical ability and great size, and is good in the air. He is the
total footballer."

Continuing, Keller said "there is, however, more to him than sport. In
2004, Kaká became the U.N. World Food Program's youngest ambassador.
And he is devoted to his faith. An evangelical Christian, Kaká has
talked publicly about becoming a minister when he retires from the
game. After winning the European Champions League final last year, he
took off his jersey to reveal a T shirt that read, 'I Belong to
Jesus.'"

His conclusion: "I might question whether soccer stadiums are the
right venue for promoting religion, but in an age in which many
professional athletes care more about cars, women and controversy,
it's refreshing to see one who is committed to having a positive
impact on the world around him."
Bravo, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, aka, Kaka.

NO HIDING PLACE!

Pope Pius XI, described the operators of the system like this: "…It is patent that in our days, not wealth alone is accumulated, but immense power and despotic economic domination are concentrated in the hands of the few, who for the most part are not the owners but only the trustees and directors of invested funds, which they administer at their own good pleasure…This domination is most powerfully exercised by those who, because they hold and control money, also govern credit and determine its allotment, for that reason supplying, so to speak, the life blood of the entire economic body, and grasping in their hands, as it were, the very soul of production, so that no one can breath against their will..."

This may sound alarmist, but it is not. It is the stark truth that
2009 is going to be a tough year, in every sense of the word,
particularly on the economic front. This seems obvious enough from the
experience of, at least, the last quarter of 2008. But incurable
optimist that mankind is, we are hoping it will get better soon, but
will it?

The situation used to be that if things got tough in Nigeria, you
endured whatever humiliation they heaped upon you at the United States
embassy, get a visa and bolt. If the United States won't do, you tried
the United Kingdom or Ireland, or Japan, or China or wherever else
seemed likely to provide succour. But, just look around you. Virtually
every major economy in the world is either on the verge of recession,
already in recession or is unofficially already in depression.

In recent times, Nigeria had been one of the most lucrative
destinations for investible funds in the world. Portfolio investors
were falling over one another for a piece of the action. Nigeria was
the emerging market to watch. The Lagos Stock Exchange was yielding
earnings that were literally out of this world. Then the bubble
busted, as bubbles were wont to. Portfolio people smelt it from a
distance; they scrammed, hastening the burst, leaving thousands of
fringe players holding on to thin air. Now the infamous global markets
meltdown is taking its toll on the crude oil market, crashing prices
hitherto headed furiously northwards to $200 back to an earthy $40 at
one point. That, for an economy like Nigeria's dependent on oil
revenue for about a quarter of its revenue, was the equivalence of a
hurricane, even if government officials, understandably, deny the
obvious. All of which is saying, barring any miracle, Fiscal 2009 will
be tough in Nigeria and for Nigerians.

So, if Nigeria's economy looks unstable, where do you run to? A
January 5 Bloomberg Worldwide report published by news media across
the globe paints a graphic picture of what is likely to happen in the
first half of the year in terms of corporate profits. It's a sobering
picture.

Written by Katie Hoffmann and Joseph Galante, the report gives its
backdrop as "the first simultaneous recessions in the U.S., Japan and
Europe since World War II." It opened by forecasting that "earnings at
Standard & Poor's 500 companies will probably fall in the first half,
marking eight straight quarters of declines". The report went on to
quote data compiled by Bloomberg as declaring that profit at
companies will fall 11 percent in the first quarter, followed by a 6.2
percent drop in the following three months, though "earnings should
improve in the second half, driven by a rebounding financial
industry…while profits will rise 4.3 percent for the full year…"

Standard & Poor's 500, by the way is widely recognized as the best
single gauge of the equities market in the United States, featuring
500 leading companies in leading industries of that economy covering
approximately 75% of its equities. The fortune of S&P 500 companies
therefore substantially mirrors and influences the US economy in
general.

Attempting a sectoral projection of the US economy, the report
fingered the energy industry as likely to "lead U.S. declines, with
earnings estimated to drop 29 percent in 2009" and named the largest
three oil companies as candidates for profit dips resulting from
recession-induced fall in fuel demand, which has led to a 78 percent
drop in crude-oil prices…" Exxon Mobil, said to be "the world's
biggest publicly traded company", will according to a Bloomberg survey
of analysts quoted in the report, probably see its earnings "tumble 39
percent to $28.2 billion, the first decline since 2002."

Turning to the US retail sector, the report said earnings "will fall
20 percent this year, according to analysts' estimates. The
International Council of Shopping Centers in New York predicts 73,000
U.S. stores may shut in the first half of 2009 after what may have
been the worst holiday-shopping season in 40 years. That's after about
148,000 stores closed last year, the most since the 2001 recession,
according to the trade group."

While the report holds out hope of a second-half rebound in the US,
predicated obviously on the success of an Obaman stimulus package
especially on the financial sector, it held no such hope for Europe
and Asia. Earnings in Europe, says the report, are projected to
decline for all of 2009 and analysts predict worsening reports out of
Asia because the recession hasn't fully hit there yet."

According to the report while profits at Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index
companies may fall marginally by less than 1 percent this year,
compared with a 17 percent decline in 2008, the Oil and gas companies
will face the heaviest declines. "Earnings at European oil companies
may drop 21 percent in 2009, compared with a 4.7 percent gain last
year, according to estimates. Profit at Royal Dutch Shell Plc,
Europe's largest oil company, may drop 27 percent. The company
postponed projects in Canada and Australia as demand for oil
declined."

Quoting Nick Hood, an analyst at Begbies Traynor, the report said
"European retailers may post a 12 percent drop in earnings this year"
explaining that discounts of 70 percent or more during the holiday
shopping season by U.K. stores hurt profit margins and may lead to a
raft of bankruptcies." Nokia, famous in these parts "could decline 14
percent in 2009, according to analysts' estimates."

The picture in Asia is not any prettier. Says the report, "half of
Asia will probably be in recession this year as a $700 billion drop in
export earnings causes economies in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South
Korea and Taiwan to shrink, according to Macquarie Group Ltd.
Japanese corporate earnings may extend their slump after the yen rose
against all major currencies in 2008 and eroded the value of exports.
Credit Suisse Group AG estimates earnings will be weakest in the first
half at carmakers, machinery producers and technology companies.
Japanese automakers are slashing output, jobs and profit forecasts as
the global recession deters consumers from buying new cars and
sport-utility vehicles. Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's biggest automaker,
last month predicted its first operating loss in 71 years for this
fiscal year because of the slump and a stronger yen. Vehicle demand
from emerging markets, where automakers had counted on sales shoring
up collapsing demand in the U.S., Europe and Japan, is also likely to
decline as fallout from the credit crunch and economic slump spread,
said Song Sang Hoon, a Seoul- based analyst at Kyobo Securities Co.
"No one will be immune from this downturn. It's time to see who's
losing least, not who's winning more," he said.

Now, what's the point of this copious use of a largely uninspiring
report? Is it simply to show how bad it has gotten and how bad it
could get in order to scare you? No way! The point is that the divide
is not that of geography; it is spiritual! The point is that the
wisdom of man is failing, just as the Bible says it would. It is to
show that your socio-economic well-being and mine cannot be guaranteed
by the system of the world, the Babylonian dog-eat-dog system run, in
truth manipulated by a few ungodly people.

Pope Pius XI, described the operators of the system like this: "…It is
patent that in our days, not wealth alone is accumulated, but immense
power and despotic economic domination are concentrated in the hands
of the few, who for the most part are not the owners but only the
trustees and directors of invested funds, which they administer at
their own good pleasure…This domination is most powerfully exercised
by those who, because they hold and control money, also govern credit
and determine its allotment, for that reason supplying, so to speak,
the life blood of the entire economic body, and grasping in their
hands, as it were, the very soul of production, so that no one can
breath against their will..."

Would you rather continue to put your trust in a system run by people
such as this; people who love dishonest gain and would sacrifice you
to retain their power and comfort; people who in spite of their
expertise keep getting caught in the contradictions of their evil
methods? Wouldn't you rather switch over to God's economy, run by
principles that do not change, motivated by love, utilizing strategies
supplied by His omniscient Spirit and operated with the sole purpose
manifesting the blessings that the Bible says have been yours from the
very beginning? That is the challenge before us all in 2009.


--

CK, KPERSPECTIVE HERO 2008

I started experiencing the CK essence when I and my colleagues on the coordinating team of Christian Men's Network Nigeria invited him to speak at one of our quarterly outreaches early this year. He spoke on the subject, "It's a Heart thing." His emphasis was on love - love for God - saying that it is that love that should be the propellant for every action that we take wherever we may find ourselves whether in private or public life. Even the anti-corruption crusade that was at its peak then, he said must have the love for God as its primary motivation. You can read my report of that meeting on the weblog, http://thegreatcompany.blogspot.com. But it should suffice to say here that he received an unprompted standing ovation from the men-only crowd that listened with rapt attention to him that wonderful afternoon.
Since then, I have had the privilege of seeing and listening to him at close quarters at the monthly Breakfast with the Lord outreach of Managing Business For Christ (MBFC) of which he is founder and chairman. At every one of those encounters I have had no doubt that this is a man completely sold out to God. His commitment to the vision of that ministry, which is to bring business people and business practices to Jesus Christ, is simply is total. Except on one occasion when he was abroad, he attended all the sessions and was usually among the first to arrive. Even on the occasion that he was absent, he was ministering at a similar meeting of MBFC, in London.

The godly people in the land are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!

(Psalm 16:3)
When I started this exercise of selecting one or more persons as KINGDOM Perspective Hero(es) last year, I said I was operating a principle espoused by the late Edwin Louis Cole, the famous founder of Christian Men's Network. He had declared in one of his teachings that only the godly would be his heroes, that he would expose himself and his family members to the influence of only such people. I was later to discover the scriptural basis of his declaration, thanks to the New Living Translation of the Bible's rendition of Psalm 16:3 quoted above. This has further strengthened my conviction that what I had been led to do was actually a spiritual exercise, based on scripture. That then is why I can boldly continue this year.

As a reminder, apart from the qualification clearly spelt out in the theme scripture above, the only other qualification is that that hero had caught the attention of this column to warrant a write-up or more during the year. That, admittedly, is limiting, but it shall suffice for now.

Dr Christopher Kolade, Kingdom Perspective Hero 2008, needs little introduction, if any. He is well known as a very successful public officer, who served as Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and crossed over to the private sector. He subsequently became Managing Director/Chief Executive and later Chairman of multinational food and beverages giant, Cadbury Nigeria Plc. On retiring from Cadbury he went into private business, only to be called and to public life, this time as a diplomat. And his diplomatic posting was to the revered Court of St James's as Nigeria High Commissioner to Great Britain. His spectacular performance in the Unuited Kingdom is already the subject of a book by a UK-based Nigerian journalist, Mrs Pamela Chinekwe. I shall return to that presently.
CK, as he is fondly called, has in all of his assignments been a godly man; by which I mean a man who puts God first in all his activities. His success at both FRCN and Cadbury has been attributed, by those who should know, to an acute awareness that everything he does must be "as unto God". His extra-curricular activities included leadership roles in such institutions as World Association of Christian Communication, Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Institute of Personnel Management, among many others. He still teaches Corporate Governance and Human Resources Management at the Lagos Business School.

I started experiencing the CK essence when I and my colleagues on the coordinating team of Christian Men's Network Nigeria invited him to speak at one of our quarterly outreaches early this year. He spoke on the subject, "It's a Heart thing." His emphasis was on love - love for God - saying that it is that love that should be the propellant for every action that we take wherever we may find ourselves whether in private or public life. Even the anti-corruption crusade that was at its peak then, he said must have the love for God as its primary motivation. You can read my report of that meeting on the weblog, http://thegreatcompany.blogspot.com. But it should suffice to say here that he received an unprompted standing ovation from the men-only crowd that listened with rapt attention to him that wonderful afternoon.

Since then, I have had the privilege of seeing and listening to him at close quarters at the monthly Breakfast with the Lord outreach of Managing Business For Christ (MBFC) of which he is founder and chairman. At every one of those encounters I have had no doubt that this is a man completely sold out to God. His commitment to the vision of that ministry, which is to bring business people and business practices to Jesus Christ, is simply is total. Except on one occasion when he was abroad, he attended all the sessions and was usually among the first to arrive. Even on the occasion that he was absent, he was ministering at a similar meeting of MBFC, in London.

As I said earlier, Dr Kolade's achievements as Nigeria's envoy in the UK was so impressive a book was written about it. It's the story of how he did what many Nigerians and Britons alike had thought was impossible – run an embassy that works! In closing this brief piece, I wish to quote from one of the testimonials in the concluding chapter of the book, now published in Nigeria by our company, KP Books. Signed by Dr & Mrs Albert Odulele of Glory House, UK, it reads in part: "Thank you, sir, for your tremendous contribution to the current improved and positive image of the Nigerian and Nigeria in Britain you have built during your tenure of office. Your unflinching testimony as a minister of the gospel of Jesus, and unrelenting input to the Church of the Living God in the UK and beyond, is remarkable and historic. Thanks for setting new standards of integrity, service and care…"

As we affirm together in the words of David in the Good News translation of the theme scripture: "How excellent are the LORD's faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be with them", please join me, dear readers, in proclaiming Dr Christopher Kolade as KINGDOM Perspective Hero 2008. The tribe of godly heroes will never dry up in our land, in Jesus' mighty name.

READERS OF THE YEAR 2008

A column without readers is a waste. It's a waste of the efforts of those who labour to put it out – the writer, the editor and all down-line operators who get the medium into the hands of the users of the medium. That is why it is stating the obvious to say that the reader is king. It is for this reason that I chose to salute you, all the wonderful readers of this column. You have, next to my Father, my ultimate Muse, been my inspiration. Many of you have through engaging comments in agreement or counterpoints made the exertions worthwhile. And I truly cannot thank you enough.

But, as I reflected on the past year, I couldn't but wonder what a more joyful ride it would have been, were more of you as responsive and debate promoting as the three I seek your permission to mention today, not in any particular order.

Uche Biosa is a very busy woman - a wife, mother, an HR professional and an ordained woman of God. But as other readers may have noticed, she has been a regular correspondent to Kingdom Perspective. Her impassioned, incisive and informed responses to my serial on the United States Presidential elections of last November showed her commitment to the objectives of this column which is to promote healthy discourse of all issues from the perspective of the Word of God. Her support for Obama was clear and unequivocal but was based, not on the man's sharp good looks or rousing rhetoric, but on her conviction that his candidacy was a move of God. Thanks sis; please keep the discussion alive.

Another of my readers whose contributions have been elevating of the values that are the raison d'etre of this column is Akintunde Makinde. As a Federal civil servant who works with the Nigeria Shippers' Council, an IT specialist and a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, he certainly has his plate full. But, he finds time not just to read, but to respond to occasionally to this column; pointing out, at least once, an error of fact. Thanks, my brother. Let's do it together again this year.

My third reader of the year is much more than a reader who contributes; his involvement in my affairs goes beyond Kingdom Perspective. In his gentle manner, he keeps asking those seemingly innocuous questions which together lead one to depth analysis of on-going projects and intended course of action. David Abraham, the man who MBFC Managing Business For Christ) members like to call "Father Abraham" is indeed one of the pillars behind the KP vision. God bless you, sir.

To these KINGDOM Perspective Readers of the Year, I say hearty congratulations. A copy of the book, "He Made the Difference, the Dynamic Story of Ambassador Christopher Kolade in Britain" is on the way to you as a token of my appreciation. You will continue to make the difference wherever it shall please God to lead you, in the peerless name of Jesus.

2008: A PERSONAL REFLECTION

… The year also featured the painful departure of two gentlemen with whom I had the honour and privilege of associating with at different phases of my life. Sonny Okosuns, was a man I had a great deal of respect for; and I have good reasons to believe that the feeling was mutual. I met him at a very crucial turning point in his musical career. He had just originated a
brand of music. The music had its roots in the culture of his Bini people, steeped in percussion and sonorous melody. It was also message music. The days of lyrics that contribute nothing to society were over for him. It was a departure from rock and reggae music that were in vogue at that time in the early 1970s which were of foreign origin. Sonny was a nationalist. The change had to be total; he sought to do
what you would call re-branding today…Being an entertainment writer, among other
things, at the time, I had a ring-side ticket and my opinion was not infrequently sought by many artistes. Somewhere along the line, I got credited by him as the one who named his music "ozzidism". But this year, he was felled by colon cancer…”

Another friend of mine who departed this year was Yinka Craig. Best known for his exploits in television journalism, as a sportscaster and later, as one of the brains behind possibly the most successful newsfeature programmes on Nigerian television, Newsline, he was, unknown to many, one the most versatile men Nigeria has ever produced. There aren't many areas of art, culture and technology that Yinka did
not excel in. He played many musical instruments with dexterity. Back in the pre-Windows days of "Dos"; before computers had "mouse" and were tower cases only, I particularly found his interest in, and quick grasp of, the uses and possibilities of the computer truly amazing. I owe my own enthusiasm for the emerging technology to him!... I had the opportunity of doing things with this truly talented and selfless Nigerian. Yinka was that guy you could call upon at short notice to weigh in on any worthy cause, or even personal project and he would joyfully "own" the assignment..."

Three days from now, if the Lord tarries, we would be ushered into a
new year. 2008, the year widely acknowledged among Pentecostals as the
year of new beginnings, would have taken its place in history. All
glory to God, the highermost, for His goodness over us all.

At a personal level, the year 2008 has been as exciting as it has been
sobering. In a number of respects it did prove to be a year of new
beginnings in my life, ministry and business. And I shall share some
of my testimonies with you, as God's plans unfold. 2008 is the year
that I turned 60, and as the year wound down, my wife turned 50.
These, while giving us cause for celebration, has also caused us to
reflect on the paths that we have trodden together. It is has enabled
us to appreciate the love of one another and of family and friends.
The joy of having so many wonderful people including our children and
many members of our church family, around us during the prayer and
open house we held to mark my wife's birthday two days before
Christmas, still lingers in our hearts and is palpable in the
atmosphere all around us. Added to the multitude of love that we
experienced three months earlier when my own birthday was celebrated,
one cannot but thank God for His mercies and favour. For, of a truth,
it can only be God's love manifesting through His chosen vessels. We
give Him all the praise even as we acknowledge the men and women, old
and young who have so generously allowed the Lord to love us through
them. They will not be in want of love and honour, in the precious
name of Jesus.

There was however a twist to the tale. The year also featured the
painful departure of two gentlemen with whom I had the honour and
privilege of associating with at different phases of my life. Sonny
Okosuns, was a man I had a great deal of respect for; and I have good
reasons to believe that the feeling was mutual. I met him at a very
crucial turning point in his musical career. He had just originated a
brand of music. The music had its roots in the culture of his Bini
people, steeped in percussion and sonorous melody. It was also message
music. The days of lyrics that contribute nothing to society were over
for him. It was a departure from rock and reggae music that were in
vogue at that time in the early1970s which were of foreign origin.
Sonny was a nationalist. The change had to be total; he sought to do
what you would call re-branding today. He rested his group, Paperback
Limited. Somewhere along the line, he came up with the name Oziddi,
which, was a throwback to his days in art and drama and which
resonated with him since it was the name of a hero of one of Riverine
ethnic nationalities. Being an entertainment writer, among other
things, at the time, I had a ring-side ticket and my opinion was not
infrequently sought by many artistes. Somewhere along the line, I got
credited by him as the one who named his music "ozzidism".

When there was market resistance to Sonny's creation, one had the
priviledge being among those who counselled that he used what the
people wanted (reggae) to sell them what he knew they ought to
embrace (ozzidism). Two or three albums later, Ozzidism had gained
enough acceptability to stand on its own! Our relationship waxed
stronger.

Then something happened. My immediate boss recommended me for a
promotion that he felt I richly deserved. But the divisional boss
refused to approve it, wondering why a reporter "enjoying himself at
the expense of the company", should be further compensated! That was
how he saw the expenses claim I had to make for assignments that
regularly took me to nightclubs and other event venues. That I was
responsible for about 50% of the content of SPEAR, the highly
respected general interest magazine didn't change his mind, for a
while. Any way, I had to reduce my involvement in entertainment
journalism, to save my professional career. This, of course, put a bit
of a distance between me and many of the artiste-friends, including
Sonny. Later in life, however, fate was to bring us together again, to
live in the same neighbourhood in Ogba and the relationship continued
at a different level. And then, somehow, we both also went into
ministry, he eventually as founder of a church named House of Prayer
while God led me to Christ Chapel International Churches.

But this year, he was felled by colon cancer. I wasn't around to pay
him my last respects, being abroad at the time of his burial. So I
seize this opportunity to say a belated "good night" to a wonderful
artist who loved his nation, stood up for the black race and
thankfully found and served Christ. Sweet is the memory of the
righteous.

Another friend of mine who departed this year was Yinka Craig. Best
known for his exploits in television journalism, as a sportscaster and
later, as one of the brains behind possibly the most successful
newsfeature programmes on Nigerian television, Newsline, he was,
unknown to many, one the most versatile men Nigeria has ever produced.
There aren't many areas of art, culture and technology that Yinka did
not excel in. He played many musical instruments with dexterity. Back
in the pre-Windows days of "Dos"; before computers had "mouse" and
were tower cases only, I particularly found his interest in, and quick
grasp of, the uses and possibilities of the computer truly amazing. I
owe my own enthusiasm for the emerging technology to him!

I knew Yinka in his days at NBC (Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation),
Ibadan where he was the celebrated sportscaster in the ancient city
that prides itself as the home of broadcasting. He relocated to Lagos
before I did, and I found the ease with which he fitted into the Lagos
scene, joining Benson Idonije on the very informative youth programme,
The In-Crowd on Radio Nigeria, Lagos, soon after arriving in Lagos
astonishing. Beyond knowing one another professionally however, there
was no real interaction until I was already out of the Daily Times
and joined one of our mutual friends, Tunde Fagbenle in establishing
the well-known public relations and publishing outfit, Alfa
Communications. There was also the Segun Odegbami link. From that
point on, I had the opportunity of doing things with this truly
talented and selfless Nigerian. Yinka was that guy you could call upon
at short notice to weigh in on any worthy cause, or even personal
project and he would joyfully "own" the assignment.

Strangely, I must have been one of the very few people who did not
hear about Yinka's plight until the eve of his departure to the United
States for treatment, a trip, he didn't return from! It was from a
chance reading of Tunde Fagbenle's Sunday Tribune column on his
encounter with some of the donors to the huge medical expenses that I
first got wind of it. In the event, I didn't have the opportunity of
seeing him. Neither did I have the privilege of paying him my last
respect, being unavoidably absent at the burial programme. So, here's
my respect to a gentleman with a heart of gold. To Kehinde who gave
her all to save the love of her life, and the children, all I can say
is: let the memory of his life, which as I had occasion to say about,
yet another friend, thankfully still alive and well, preached more
enduring sermons than many a pastor's weekly pulpit exertions,
strengthen you. May his soul continue to rest peacefully, in the Lord.

At the level of this column, 2008 is ending without the publishing of
the book, "The Flood Next Time," which is a collection of the pieces
carried on this page in 2007. The plan was to launch the book at a
public event and use the proceeds to resuscitate the magazine,
KINGDOMPeople which was rested after two abortive attempts. That the
project did not take off speaks volumes about how difficult it can be
to interest many top Nigerians in things of the Kingdom. But, I do not
plan to give up. So, I trust that I shall have a positive report this
time next year.
In concluding this personal reflection, please permit me, dear
readers, to apologise for the occasions during the year that the
column went awol. It is my pledge that I shall do my very best to
avoid recurrence in 2009. Thanks for always being there. May your
Christmas be filled with Christ. (NEXT: KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE HEROES AND
READERS OF 2008).