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Reject Treasury Looters, Osinbajo Tells Church

Published

9 years ago

June 19, 2017

Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo says people who loot the public treasury or their organizations are doing so out of greed, and not because of any political objective of keeping a war chest for the future.
Osinbajo made this remark, yesterday, at the celebration of Fathers’ Day at Aso Villa Chapel, during which he also challenged the church to teach the lessons of honesty and integrity.
“Many would say the reason why they steal is because they want to have an arsenal for future political exploits. It is a lie. It is greed. In any case, even if you want to do that, you have no right to do it,” he said.
His message from the pulpit certainly strikes a chord against the backdrop of the avalanche of corruption cases the Buhari administration has been pursuing.
The campaign had suffered some setbacks of late, with controversial verdicts by the court that tend to let go the accused.
Osinbajo, a professor of law and also a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God felt the church has a role to play.
“If the church says we will not accept you here or that we will expose you if you are stealing the resources of the country or stealing the resources of a private company or other establishment where you work, we would not have the type of problem that we have in this country.
“In Genesis 18:19. God was speaking about Abraham. And God said he had known him or called him in order that he may command his children and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord with righteousness and justice that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He had spoken to him.
“In other words, God was saying that He called Abraham, in particular, because he realizes that Abraham will command his household, will command his children to do righteousness and justice and to fear God. And if you back this up with Genesis 12:2, God has spoken concerning Abraham, that He will make Abraham a great nation. Genesis 12:3 says, God said, I will make you a great nation.
“In other words, the role of the father is supposed to be that of building nations, building generations. And Abraham is the example God set for us; of a man who God wanted to be the exemplar of the type of conduct that God expects of fatherhood; a man who will teach his children and children thereafter the way of righteousness and justice and the way of fear of God.
“When I listened to His Eminence, the Prelate of the Methodist Church a few minutes ago, talking about the importance of the type of training that he received as a child in his family. I’m sure many of us here are reminded of that type of training. A type of training where you are taught and reminded about integrity, primarily as the first order of business; that you must be a person of integrity.
“You must be truthful, you must be trustworthy, you must be honest, you must be forthright. That is the foundation. And in the days he referred to, Catechism was an important part of our lives. Even just knowing the 10 Commandments was enough to teach you about righteousness, teach you about the way of truth and I think that is very important, especially for us today as Christians.
“Christian fatherhood in particular is a position that God has placed us as exemplar to our nation. The Christian father is the one referred to in Genesis 18:19; the one who will teach the way of righteousness and justice to his children and would teach the fear of the Lord. And I just want to say to all of our leaders (and I was speaking with few of our Christian leaders just last week, both of the PFN and CAN just last week on various occasions) that it is the role of the church to build this nation. And the church has that role because God has said concerning us that we are the light of the world and we are the salt of the earth. That role is a very, very difficult role.
“We are not to teach the world how to be like the world but to teach the world how to be like the one who saved the world, how to be like Jesus. It is not easy.
“Every time that we come to church, we are told about giving. But we need to talk more about honesty. We need to talk far more about honesty. In the same way we talk about giving, we need to talk more about honesty because just like His Eminence said, Nigeria’s great problem is not the absence of prosperity. It is as he so eloquently put it, that we have enough for our needs but we don’t have enough for our greed.
“The greed of many is what has landed this country where it is today. It is the greed of so many; many who have been placed in position of authority. It is their greed that has landed us where we are, where it is difficult to do the sorts of things His Eminence saw in Washington and so many other places. You cannot steal half of the resources of the country and expect to build the sort of things you see in other places.
“And if the church says you are not allowed to steal and we will ostracize you in our midst if you did. If what a man has does not measure up to what he has, if we found that a man has more money than he should have, if a man is earning a salary of a civil servant or a public servant and he has houses everywhere, we have to hold him to account. But he must be held to account in the church.
‘He must be told first in the church we will not allow you here. If the church says we will not accept you here or that we will expose you if you are stealing the resources of the country or stealing the resources of a private company or other establishment where you work, then we would not have the type of problem that we have in this country. If only the church does so. Just the church.
“Just as Christian fathers today, it is our duty as God spoke concerning Abraham in Genesis 18:19, it is our duty to build up a generation of righteous men and women, a nation of just men and women who fear God and puts God above everything else. And I believe that the Almighty God will help us. I just pray that the Father of fathers, the One who has called us, one who has saved us will bless each and every father here today in the mighty name of Jesus. The Almighty God who is the great Father of all fathers will ensure that we get everything we need to make our families, to make communities truly great and to make our nation great.”

News

Cleric Predicts Breakthrough, Warns of Political and Security Challenges in 2026

Published

8 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Founder and Senior Pastor of Liberty Hour Ministry, Port Harcourt, Apostle Chikadibia John Wodo, has expressed optimism that 2026 will usher in uncommon breakthroughs and good fortune for Nigeria, particularly in the areas of political, economic, and spiritual development, with Rivers State playing a key role.

Apostle Wodo made this declaration in his special New Year message, where he stated that individuals and forces standing as obstacles to the manifestation of God’s will in the new year would face bitter consequences. He cautioned that corrupt political leaders risk backlash from the very people they govern if they fail to change their ways.

The cleric warned against the escalation of political tension in Rivers State and called on residents and religious leaders to intensify prayers for lasting peace. He also urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to remain resolute in leadership, reminding him to uphold his vows to God by continually seeking divine guidance in decision-making and governance amid evolving challenges.

Assessing the broader national situation, Apostle Wodo called on Nigerian leaders to repent and govern with a heightened sense of responsibility, noting that the cries and supplications of the masses have drawn divine attention. He further warned of alleged plots to disrupt a smooth democratic transition in 2027 and appealed for prayers to avert such an agenda.

According to him, Nigerians are yearning for genuine socio-economic transformation and freedom from political oppression. He challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeem its credibility by ensuring free, fair, and credible elections devoid of undue political interference.

The cleric also predicted that insecurity could worsen in the coming year and warned of the possible emergence of a strange ailment, stressing that Nigeria’s political challenges can only be resolved through equity, fairness, and justice, especially in the treatment of minorities, the vulnerable, and the disadvantaged.

Apostle Wodo further claimed that some clerics and General Overseers have compromised their faith and incurred divine displeasure, calling for sincere repentance to restore their relationship with God. He also advised early preparedness to mitigate natural disasters such as fire outbreaks and flooding, particularly in rural communities.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain prayerful, vigilant, and united as the nation navigates the opportunities and challenges of 2026.

News

Ado Royal Family Disowns Alleged Installation of Amanyanabo of Okrika

Published

8 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Ado Royal Family of Okrika has firmly disassociated itself from the alleged self-enthronement of Hon. Godknows Tam George as the Amanyanabo of Okrika and Clan Head, describing the action as unlawful, illegitimate, and a threat to the peace of the ancient kingdom.

The family, which described itself as the sole legitimate custodian of the history, traditions, and stool of the Amanyanabo of Okrika, stated that it has not installed any king and has not commenced the formal process for such installation.

This position was contained in a statement jointly signed by Prof. Sotonye Fyneface-Ogan (Ogan Ado Royal House), Alabo Engr. Henry Semenitari Abam (Abam Ado Royal House), and Alabo Prince Oriyeorikabo Fibika (Fibika Ado Royal House). The statement was presented to journalists on Friday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

According to the statement, the purported action by Hon. Tam George amounts to “a blatant assault on the collective integrity of the Okrika people” and constitutes “a criminal act of impersonation with the potential to destabilize the peace and socio-political fabric of our ancient kingdom.”

The family stressed that Hon. Tam George was never presented as a candidate by the Ado Royal Family and did not undergo any of the mandatory rites, consultations, or confirmations required by Okrika customs.

“The Ado Royal Family has never presented him as a candidate, nor has he undergone any of the prerequisite rites, consultations, or confirmations. His actions are those of a lone interloper, operating in a vacuum of legitimacy,” the statement read.

It further emphasized that the stool of the Amanyanabo of Okrika and Clan Head is a sacred institution rooted in centuries-old traditions and spiritual heritage, not something to be claimed through academic qualifications, political ambition, or personal interest.

Speaking during the briefing, Prof. Sotonye Fyneface-Ogan reiterated that the process of crowning an Amanyanabo is clearly defined and has not yet begun.

“To crown a king, there is a process, and those processes have not taken place,” he said. “We are the chiefs; we are the ones that will be part of the selection. Honestly, we have not started the selection process; we have only begun discussions.”

He explained that during the proper selection process, chiefs supervise nominations from each constituent house, with each house expected to nominate two or three candidates—steps which, he noted, have not been carried out.

“I want to assure the public that none of the Ado family chiefs has given Hon. Tam George any sign of approval,” Prof. Fyneface-Ogan added.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of Hon. Godknows Tam George proved unsuccessful. Repeated attempts through phone calls, text messages, and WhatsApp messages were unsuccessful, as he did not respond as of the time of filing this report.

By: Tonye Orabere

News

PH Traders Laud RSG’s Fire Safety Sensitisation Campaign

Published

9 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Traders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have commended the Rivers State Government (RSG) for its ongoing fire emergency and safety sensitisation campaign across major markets in the state.

Speaking on behalf of traders at Nowa Market, Borikiri Old Port Harcourt Township, the market chairman, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, praised Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara for initiating the awareness programme in designated markets and public places.

Chukwuma described the exercise as timely and impactful, noting that it was the first time the Rivers State Government had carried out such a campaign in Nowa Market. According to him, the sensitisation would educate traders on fire emergencies and the necessary precautions to prevent outbreaks.

He urged traders to strictly apply the safety measures taught during the campaign, both during business hours and after closing their shops.

“I want to thank the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the Ministry of Special Duties for coming to our aid, especially during this dry season,” Chukwuma said.

“This is the first time we are seeing government presence in our market in this manner. We lack words to thank our God-sent governor, particularly for providing us with fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment.

“We will do exactly what we have been taught today to ensure there is no fire incident in our market. We will always switch off all electrical appliances before closing for the day,” he added.

Similarly, the Chairman of Mile 3 USTRE Modern Market, Mr. Gift Nkesi Benjamin, applauded the state government for the distribution of fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment.

“We will adhere strictly to the safety guidelines and instructions given to us today to ensure there is no fire outbreak in our market,” Benjamin stated.

“On behalf of Mile 3 USTRE Modern Market, I sincerely thank the Rivers State Government and the Ministry of Special Duties for bringing this important campaign to our market.”

At Rumuwoji Market (popularly known as Mile 1 Market), the Chairman, Chief Hon. Godpower O. Wobo, also expressed gratitude to the state government for the sensitisation exercise. He assured that traders would comply fully with government directives to prevent future fire incidents.

Responding on behalf of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Mr. Sokari D. P. George, thanked the traders for their cooperation and warm reception.

He emphasised that safety remains paramount, especially during the dry season, and urged traders to be cautious in their daily activities.

Mr. George disclosed that the theme of the 2025 fire safety campaign is “Controlled Fire Is a Friend, Uncontrolled Fire Is an Enemy.”

He cautioned against refuse and bush burning around buildings and warned traders not to store fuel in unauthorized places such as homes, offices, markets, or public buildings.

“Follow all fire safety guidelines and instructions,” he urged.

The permanent secretary also noted that Governor Fubara prefers a zero-fireworks approach during festive periods to ensure public safety, stressing that the government has invested heavily in markets and expects traders to take responsibility for protecting them.

By: Kiadum Edookor