AS REAL MEN BREAKFAST IN OGBA SATURDAY...

Rev David Abraham

Rev Dr Ayo Ayodele

"Organised by Christian Men’s Network Nigeria, Ikeja Chapter, one of the two Christian men’s ministries I am privileged to coordinate, the event is an outreach to all men seeking to become better men - as sons, brothers, husbands, leaders at every level; men seeking true fulfilment, which is attainable in not through bank account size, sexual exploits or political or corporate power. The theme, “His Kingdom, His Righteousness and the Real Man”, will be treated by two speakers who have the spiritual grounding and exposure to the world to be able to balance both, to point men forward in the journey to becoming real men – Rev David Abraham and Rev Dr Ayo Ayodele."

I have manhood on my mind. I always do. Understandably, because I am, thankfully, not just a man; I am a man, who, because God knows I need to consistently work at my manhood, he made a minister to men. It’s just like God to elect to work with the weak, that His strength might be perfected in them.

Events in our nation, of course, never cease to leave one wondering, what manner of men are leading us. We are a nation always dancing near the precipice and the music and dance is invariably orchestrated and choreographed by a band of men; hardly ever women. And I assure you, I have engaged with this conundrum long enough to know that it has little to do with statistics!  It’s just that we do not seem to have raised enough men of character, of courage of virtue; men who know that the destiny of our nation depends, not on their chauvinistic monopolisation of power and authority, but on the sense of responsibility that power demands.

It is for this reason that I wish dedicate this piece to preview an event holding Saturday, September 17, a few blocks away from the national headquarters of The Independent newspapers on Wempco Road, Ogba, on the outskirts of Ikeja, the Lagos state capital.

Organised by Christian Men’s Network Nigeria, Ikeja Chapter, one of the two Christian men’s ministries I am privileged to coordinate, the event is an outreach to all men seeking to become better men - as sons, brothers, husbands, leaders at every level; men seeking true fulfilment, which is attainable in not through bank account size, sexual exploits or political or corporate power.

The theme, “His Kingdom, His Righteousness and the Real Man”, will be treated by two speakers who have the spiritual grounding and exposure to the world to be able to balance both, to point men forward in the journey to becoming real men – Rev David Abraham and Rev Dr Ayo Ayodele.

Father Abraham, as the former is fondly styled by those who have benefited his gentle and fatherly style of dispensing godly counsel, is Managing Director, Managing Business for Christ (MBFC), a ministry founded and chaired by Dr Christopher Kolade, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Pan African University, Nigeria. If you are a man out there, wise enough to want to get better at whatever you do, you need to hear this man. If you are a female and you have a man in your life, in any capacity and you desire growth for them, you should encourage them to hear this man of God. You are even welcome to accompany them.

Ayodele on the other hand is a teacher in two senses. When he is not teaching the Bible to the congregation at the Ojokoro centre of Christ Chapel International Churches where he is centre pastor, he is teaching English Language at Lagos state University. In other words, while Pastor Ayo’s day job is in the high pressure environment of a university campus, where sex-for-marks and all kinds of corrupt practices are fair game, his calling, as a pastor, demands that he be different. And I can boldly declare that he has been a worthy ambassador of his calling. Wouldn’t you want to hear how he does it? Wouldn’t you want your son, brother, husband, friend, work colleague or even boss come learn how he does it?

Men’s Breakfast Plus, which opens at 8:00am and closes before noon, to enable you go about your other “manly” responsibilities, holds at Christ chapel International Churches (CCIC), Rehabiah Centre Auditorium, opposite Metalum Industries/D’Ivy College, has as one of its highlights, an interactive session during which questions are asked and ideas shared.

Our nation needs men, real men; men like Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego; men like  Joseph and David, men who fill their minds with, meditate on and stand for “things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8;Message).  I wish to be among them. What about you?