tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73966989821223350392024-02-08T01:45:04.621+01:00=WELCOME TO THE BLOG FOR CRITICAL THINKERS=.............Happy To See You Here to Read the Blogs and Please To Be Here Is Not A Must, But As Long As You Are Here Use Your Brain Properly!!!Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-56369929447911470452016-09-05T23:29:00.000+01:002016-09-05T23:29:00.299+01:00BLASPHEMY: TIME TO END THIS PSYCHOSIS!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Christiana Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin, Florence Chukwu, Abdullahi Umaru, Methodus Chimaije Emmanuel, Bridget Agbaheme and Eunice Elisha all have one thing in common: they were gruesomely murdered in cold blood by religious fanatics acting on the disguise of impulsive cerebral dysfunction termed blasphemy. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>For Christiana, a mother of two and teacher at the Government Secondary School in Gombe, all that was needed to end her life was the allegation that she touched the bag of her student which contained a Quran, and such an act is interpreted as a direct defiling of the Holy Book. She was dragged out of her classroom by ‘Allahu Akbar’-chanting students and beaten to death. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>In a similar fate, Florence, a Christian teacher in Bauchi State, met the wrath of her students when she confiscated a copy of the Quran from a student who was reading it during an English class. She did not only pay with her life but for that single act, twenty other Christians in the school were also executed by the students. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>While Abdullahi was beheaded in Kebbi for his alleged provocative utterances against Prophet Muhammad, Methodus Emmanuel’s post on Facebook cost him his life. Can we forget in a hurry, the recent story of Mrs. Bridget, whose only sin was advising a customer to move forward a bit from the entrance of her shop before performing the Ablution? Bridget was lynched to death by fanatic mob while her husband watched helplessly. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Mrs. Eunice was hacked to death by errant mob in the Federal Capital Territory who felt uncomfortable with her early morning sermon about her faith. To them, such disturbance is unforgivable and the adequate reward is nothing but death. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What about the undocumented eight students who lost their lives over a mere argument at the Audu Gusau Polytechnic in Zamfara? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The unabated summary execution of Nigerians under the guise of defending a religious belief remains one of the most disgusting failures of government in protecting the sacredness of humanity. It is most shocking that perpetrators of these horrendous acts are not only unchecked but armed by section 204 of Nigeria’s Criminal Code. As a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the legalization of blasphemy by our Criminal Code contradicts Articles 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 18 and 19 of that declaration on which basis Section 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) were written.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A dissect of the aforementioned Criminal Code shows clearly wide lacunae. The section states:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>“Any person who does an act which any class of persons consider as a public insult on their religion, with the intention that they should consider the act such an insult, and any person who does an unlawful act with the knowledge that any class of persons will consider it such an insult, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and is liable to imprisonment for two years.”</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The section fails to provide answers to some fundamental questions on which premises fanatics have continue to operate. By failing to describe the act(s) which constitute an insult to religion, the law offers a get-out-of-jail-free-card to disgruntled elements who are at liberty to determine what is an insult or what is not. As in cases aforementioned, touching of a bag containing the Quran, posting on social media amongst others may be viewed as an insult. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The phrase ‘any class of persons’ is erroneous as it indicates that any individual, either with in-depth knowledge of the religion or not, can determine what blasphemy is. What this interprets to is that what it takes to arrest or kill (as in most cases) is a baseless accusation by someone without adequate knowledge of the supposed crime. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I believe it is merely intellectual laziness that our country still concerns itself with religion when making laws. While the argument is that laws are product of Custom, the neglect of native religions in the formation of the constitution erodes this argument. For Nigeria, imbibing Christianity and Islam as the basis of customary law contradicts Africanism which itself is the basic law. Enacting a law on the premises of these two religions constitute a direct infringement on equity which the likes of Ogun, Sango, Obatala, Amadioha, Bori, Alledjenu amongst others should enjoy. Religion is wide, hence should be considered as an individual belief practiced by faith and not made a subject of national embracement. Imagine, if like Christianity and Islam, other religions are also protected by the law, hardly would anyone remain if people were killed for ‘insulting’ Esu (a Yoruba god, [in]appropriately referred to as a devil). </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Finally, the basis of any religion is love, tolerance and humanity. If there is a G(g)od that requires its followers to take lives in other to prove its might then such G(g)od deserves no worship. If there is a G(g)od that sees death as the only punishment for abuse or insult against itself, then worshipping such G(g)od is a waste of time. If our G(g)od is one that demands intolerance of other people’s beliefs, then such G(g)od should be discarded. There is no reason whatsoever for anybody to take the life of another person. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>At a time when even the lives of animals are now sacred, the best we can do for humanity is to protect human lives with everything we have got. Nothing is worth killing anyone over, definitely not religion! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">By Adekoya Boladale</span></h1>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>You can follow Boladale on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/@Adekoyabee" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@Adekoyabee</a>.</b></span></em></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-806521585125136362016-08-09T15:26:00.000+01:002016-08-13T15:26:54.565+01:00WHY I AM CONVINCED THAT GOD DOES NOT SPEAK TO PASTOR ADEBOYE -By Dr. Ijabla Raymon<div class="first" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #606263; font-size: 18.7px; line-height: 30.8px; margin-bottom: 16.5px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; text-shadow: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week was quite interesting on Nigeria's social media space. It started with a video of Pastor Adeboye telling his followers <a href="http://twitter.com/SaharaReporters/status/760577601102544897" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff5300; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">not to marry a woman that can neither cook nor pray</a> for one straight hour. The question that has been on my mind is: does that mean God is deaf? What parent makes their child beg (for one hour) for something they know the child needs? The truth is that prayers, besides making the believer to feel good about themselves, are an absolute waste of time. They do not grow the economy or an amputated limb. Youth unemployment is at an all time high despite our regular night vigils, prayers and supplications - it is evident that a God who is interested in human welfare does not exist. If He did, malaria and cancers will not kill millions of children whilst He preoccupies Himself with consensual sex between homosexual couples.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In our country, pastors are marriage counsellors, psychotherapists, psychiatrists and financial advisers all at once even though they are not appropriately trained for these roles. They tell women to go back to their violent husbands because, according to them, divorce is a sin against God. Many a woman has lost her life because of this advice. People like Adeboye are so influential anything they say is taken as the literal truth. Sadly, his comments portray a man who is out of touch with the realities of modern family life. More and more women are now in employment and some of them are the main providers for their families. Marriage is now regarded as a partnership rather than as a master-servant relationship. Some of the most celebrated chefs in western cultures are men - what is wrong with teaching our boys and young men to cook for themselves? Adeboye has similarly instructed his female followers not to marry men without jobs. But what happens when a man loses his job - should his wife divorce him? </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel sorry for the people who think God speaks through this man or through any man at all.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want incontrovertible evidence that religion cannot reform the world, then consider the degree of theft and corruption in Nigeria. These problems have become endemic even though practically every Nigerian is a practising Muslim or Christian.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nigerian pastors have acquired a taste for private jets - ostensibly to reach the parts of the world that need the gospel of Jesus, except that they avoid such places as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Iraq. Charity begins at home - it is senseless to run off to put out the fire in your neighbour's house when your own house is up in flames.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nigerians and their country are in dire need of salvation from endemic corruption. It is evident that religion cannot tranform our nation because as our religious devotions have increased, so have our corrupt ways.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pastor Adeboye and his other pastopreneur friends need to sell off their jets, repent of their lies, stop robbing their church members through emotional blackmail, and give back what they have stolen. Their message has failed.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adeboye's gaffes were followed by the news that the Nigerian government is going to subsidise pilgrimage to Mecca by granting Muslims <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/2016-hajj-kano-kaduna-get-largest-share-as-fg-subsidises-pilgrims-with-n7-9bn/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff5300; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">concessionary exchange rate</a>.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That is almost N8 billion for an exercise that does not benefit our economy. Many businesses are failing, parents are struggling to send their children to school, our hospitals are poorly resourced but that is how our government chooses to spend N8 billion. And believers wonder why we cannot stop talking about religion. There would be no use to criticise religion if it is removed from public space and kept as a private matter. It is wrong for the government to use tax payer's money to subsidise religious rituals.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The week ended with the RCCG convention where Adeboye makes his usual wild claims but says nothing of consequence about our nation. Our Vice President and a professor of law, Yemi Osibanjo, who also happens to be a pastor in the Redeemed Church watched on as Adeboye went to town with his preposterous claims. For a man who claims to have resurrected dead people, cured all kinds of diseases and driven a car without feel, you would think Adeboye would have told Vice President Osibanjo by now where to locate the abducted Chibok girls, right? But no, another RCCG convention has ended and not a word about their whereabout. When Adeboye claims that his car drives without fuel or that he has resurrected dead people and there's a medical doctor, engineer, architect, research fellow, PhD holder or a professor in the congregation who believes this fantasy then I feel grief and have great concern for the education system that has nurtured such people.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Religion has caused more harm than it has done good to African societies. Without a doubt, Adeboye and his fellow pastopreneurs have been responsible for the corruption in the way a generation of Nigerians think. But judging by the reactions to his sermon on social media, I think it is safe to say that the scales are starting to fall off the eyes of believers. I believe that pastor Adeboye will think twice now before re-telling his favourite story of how his car drives without fuel. I am thankful for the Internet and how it has placed knowledge at the fingertips (literally) of ordinary people. I pay tribute to fellow secularists for their unrelenting effort to liberate the minds of our people from the shackles of religion. Despite my grief, I feel hopeful about the future.</span></b></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ijabla is a medical doctor. He writes from the UK and can be contacted at: ijabijay@me.com</span></b></em></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-6581941533323988102016-08-09T10:22:00.001+01:002016-08-09T10:58:47.165+01:00REVEALED: CHRISTIANITY IS A COMPLETE FRAUD: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some of us have been shouting that religion is a total scam and fraud aimed at the gullible, vulnerable, and desperate miracle hunters who can do anything at the mention of God or Jesus name. And those who call themselves men of God are nothing but self accredited con Men and scam artists under the cover of God, and graciously the statement accredited to the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) now serve as a credible vindication.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye is one of the most successful Private Jet Generation of Pastors in Nigeria, with his church branches scattered all over the world. He is equally engaged in building a three kilometer Church Auditorium worth Billions of Naira all to the glory of God. His sermons and preaching are always coated and garnished with prosperity, healing and deliverance. And to showcase his absolute closeness to God, he gave a testimony claiming that during a time of fuel scarcity that he drove from Ore to Lagos on empty fuel tank, which received a thunderous applause from his gullible members who usually call him Daddy. The distance from Ore to Lagos is more than 250 km and that is how mighty Pastor Adeboye’s God can be at the time of need.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">According to Sam Eyoboka and Olayinka Latona of Vanguard Newspaper reported on the 1st day of August 2016 Pastor Adeboye admonished all the Pastors taking care of his numerous branches not to grow beards. Adeboye said that " I dont want to see any of my Pastors looking like fellows from the training camps of Al-Qaeda" He also decreed that anybody who brings tribalism into the church should either LEAVE the church immediately or will soon die like Annanais and Sapphira. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This categorical statement that the Pastors must leave the Church if they disobey him shows that the Pastors are not really called to work for God but as ordinary employees of Adeboye helping him to defraud more people to maintain his private jets and his off the scale vanity lifestyle. And as such Adeboye can hire and fire Pastors who are generally considered to be working for God not man.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 74-year General Overseer also "enjoined all pastors in the church to regularly do a MEDICAL CHECK UP to avoid UNNECESSARY AND SUDDEN DEATHS that can be avoided if the proper thing is done". </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is the very statement that will make it very clear to all his deluded followers that they have been wasting their time and money for nothing. This is a Church known for its miracle peddling stories, healing and other irrational nonsense. Any time this Church want to organize crusade or other church programmes they will print their banners showing cripples that usually throwaway their wheelchairs, mad people that regained their senses, and even HIV positive patients showing their new negative medical results after being miraculously healed by God through the Pastors. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And if these miracles are real, the question that must be answered is this, are the Pastors exempted from the miracles? How can Pastors be going for regular medical checkup when they are the people directing God to perform the miracles for their gullible church members? </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is obvious that the Pastors rely on the tithe, offerings and donations from desperate miracle seekers to survive, and the implication of this is that the poor church members will converge and give money to the Church so that the Pastors can use part of it for their Medical checkup, while the gullible members will go home with their bad health condition thinking that they have received miracles. I cant imagine the number of people that are dying every day because they go to church to seek for miracles instead of going to hospitals for proper medication.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Most people even go to hospital when they are half dead after wasting their time in the churches thereby preventing early detection and eventual treatment. Since Adeboye is advising his Pastors to go for regular medical checkup is he also making fund available for other indigent Church members who cannot afford the money for medical checkup to do so? It can be inferred that only members of Adeboye's family, Pastors and friends that rely on the Medical experts for regular checkup while the rest must come to the Church for miracles. And i dont need to be a Prophet to know that Adeboye is equally going for his regular medical checkup. Why are they deceiving people about miracles?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pastor Adeboye also gave marriage advice to members of his church “don’t ever marry outside the church and YOU HAVE NO REASON TO MARRY OUTSIDE RCCG. The reason is that if you are both from the same church even when trouble comes it is easier for the pastors to handle it! </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Don’t marry a girl simply because she can sing! In the choir there are some people that can sing but they are fallen angels! Marry a prayer warrior! If <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">A GIRL CANNOT PRAY FOR ONE HOUR, DON’T MARRY HER</span>".</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Don’t marry a girl who is lazy! DON’T MARRY A GIRL WHO CANNOT COOK, she needs to know how to do chores and cook because you cannot afford to be eating out all the time" All these are divine instructions and marriage advice from God as revealed by Pastor Adeboye. What baffles me is how people can take this rubbish from self appointed parasites who claim to be working for God.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, the General Overseer also announced the establishment of an Investigation Committee to assist the mission on issues bordering on security". This is laughable because if the Church of God can have security problems to the point of setting up a committee i wonder why they keep telling people that God will protect them in their various families when the church of God itself is not secured. I think it is very reasonable to conclude that Christianity is a total fraud and scam, all for the benefit of the clergy, to the glory of God and to the horrible disadvantage of the gullible followers. Religion will always be a force for evil and until we abolish it, we will never know peace till "Jesus" returns!</span></b></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-14029237845287867392016-07-24T10:31:00.000+01:002016-07-24T10:31:55.844+01:00CHASING HEAVEN: FROM JESUS TO JUNO<div class="first" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #606263; font-size: 18.7px; line-height: 30.8px; margin-bottom: 16.5px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; text-shadow: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>While some of us are sure of the number of gates to heaven and the kind of visa needed to get in, some scientists are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to locate the 9th planet. Those who have mastered the layouts of heaven, including the postal code of their mansions, are waiting for death to come and take them there. Well, not really. Most of them are not in a hurry to make the journey. It is, however, slightly different for scientists. For scientists, they are willing and are working to send spacecraft on a journey of over 2.8 billion kilometers in search of the 9th planet.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>When most of us were in school, the 9th planet was Pluto. It used to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Venus and Saturn. In 1992, questions were raised about its status as a planet, following the discovery of several other objects of its size within the area called the Kuiper belt. In 2005, an object called Eris was discovered. It has mass that is 27% more than Pluto. So in 2006, Pluto was demoted from a planet to a mere dwarf planet for failing to clear the objects around its orbit. On July 14, 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft tapping the gravity of Jupiter flew by Pluto accurately measuring it and providing conclusive proof that it wasn’t a planet.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Scientists have since found out that there are thousands of such objects found beyond Neptune. Some of the objects orbit the sun at 140 billion miles away. Some, like Sedna, orbit the sun every 19, 000 years. It means that if the last time it came around was the year Jesus was born, the next time it will come around will be the year 21,016. Definitely, nobody who will live on this earth then will remember that anyone who lived in our time ever existed, including Albert Einstein and Bill Gates. Their accomplishment would have become so miniscule then that encyclopedia of the time will be very generous to give them one paragraph or a sentence. They will be like the great people who lived on this earth some 20,000 years ago. Yeah, there were great people then though we have no idea who they were.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pluto's demotion left a lot of holes in our understanding of how the planetary system works. Every model of our solar system suggests that there is a 9th planet. The gravitational pull and the orbit structure around our sun clearly indicated that something is pulling something from a distance and is keeping everything in place. Scientists could accept by faith that the thing pulling is the 9th planet. But they are not. They are looking for it with bigger and bigger telescopes. They are also sending space probes to travel billions of miles to find it. Looking at gravitational pull around the area beyond Neptune, Prof. Brown and other scientists at Caltech concluded that there is an unknown source of gravity at play.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Several hypotheses have been thrown out. Using computer models, some theories have been established. One of the most fascinating one is the possibility that 4.5 billion years ago, our sun stole a planet from another solar system. This planet is the 9th planet that is orbiting billions of miles away from our sun.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>If that is true, it makes that 9th planet one that is exoplanet- that is a planet in our system that came from another planetary system, which makes it an exciting possibility. Finding the 9th planet and possibly exploring it will give us insight into what is happening in places far deep in the universe that our technological prowess may not take us to in the next 100 years.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Such prospect is so exciting that our scientists are already on the case. The first sign that it would be possible to go there and find the 9th planet came with the successful arrival of Juno to the orbits of Jupiter on July 4th after a five-year journey that started on August 5, 2011.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>At the cost of $1.1 billion, Juno will study the magnetic and gravitational structure of Jupiter as well as the composition of the largest planet in our sun. Jupiter is 1000 times the size of the earth and is the planet that spins the fastest. For the last 150 years, a storm called the Great Red Spot has been raging in Jupiter. The temperature near the Jovian core of Jupiter is estimated to be over 20,000 Celsius, which is three times hotter than the surface of the sun.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jupiter is the third shiniest object in space after the moon and Venus. Long before Jesus came, ancient Romans named it after the king of Roman gods, Jupiter. Jupiter has 67 moons out of which four, discovered by Galileo Galilee in 1610, are very prominent: Europa, Lo, Ganymede and Calisto. Jupiter completes an orbit in 11.96 years but it rotates around its axis in less than 10 hours.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Nobody knows what is inside Jupiter. Some believe that Jupiter is the storage site of all the gasses that came out when the universe was formed. Juno will study the surface of Jupiter and help scientists understand how the planets came together 4.5 billion years ago.</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #606263; font-size: 18.7px; line-height: 30.8px; margin-bottom: 16.5px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; text-shadow: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The theories around Jupiter are interesting. It is believed to be the planet that kicked Uranus and Neptune to the outskirt of our planetary system. Some have theorized that it was Jupiter that hurled the asteroids that landed on earth and delivered water to earth upon which life started. In the last 40 years, eight spacecraft have visited Jupiter but there are still a lot that we do not know because cloud of gasses covers the surface.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>In the course of the mission, Juno will go round Jupiter 37 times. At some point it will be as close as 2,600 miles. It is currently orbiting Jupiter at one orbit every 53 days. On October 23, it will change course and move into an orbit that will loop around Jupiter every 14 days. All these are happening at a distance of 2.8 billion kilometers from Earth.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The scientists’ next target is to send another spacecraft to Jupiter’s moon Europa. The craft will fly by Europa. On June of 2022, a European craft called Juice will leave the earth and in 2030 arrive at Jupiter to study the moons and fly over the largest called Ganymede. These moons are covered in ice and believed to have water buried in them. Scientists believe that there are forms of life in these moons. It is the reason they are making sure that Juno does not crash into any of them. They do not want the unsterilized Juno to transfer Earth microbes that followed it to space and contaminate these moons.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>If the writer of the book of Revelation were to do so today, he will definitely update it with knowledge from the pictures Juno and other spacecraft have been sending back to us from space. His allegory on the struggle between good and evil as represented by the beast with seven heads and a great dragon would have been less bombastic and vague, and would have reflected the order we now know exists up in the heavens. The locusts wearing a human face and hair and having lion’s teeth would have borrowed a few gadgets from Juno for a long journey across space and time where stars are collapsing and rivers are turning into blood.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Nevertheless, in February 2018, Juno will commit suicide. It will do so by plunging into the magnetic field laden surface of Jupiter for its final scientific mission. It will do so, just for us. It will not be painful for we take comfort in knowing that our scientists are already working on more superior spacecraft as replacement. These are spacecraft that will be sent to watch out for silence in heaven as they do greater exploration for us in a continuing chase for heaven.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>.......................................................................................................................</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="container container-pod container-pod-short" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #898c8d; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 24px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 956px; padding-bottom: 28px; padding-top: 28px; position: relative;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #898c8d; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 24px;"></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo is the author of "This American Life Sef." He can be reached at okonkwo@gmail.com</b></span></div>
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<img src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/page_images/news/2011/correct-me%20if%20i%27m%20right%20Rudolph%20Okonkwo.jpg?itok=Dz7OoVp6" /></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-52097090260499743382016-07-14T09:50:00.000+01:002016-07-14T09:50:06.484+01:00SOLVED! HOW NOAH POPULATED THE ARK.<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/13627047_1276416595732331_8073231167347698179_n.jpg?oh=184aaa05c11bd25eb1b5206b823b335f&oe=57F866D5&__gda__=1479041157_2e82ef79f566f3dfb573addd2d9bca48" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been trying to work out how the Noah family collected all the animals for ark in seven days. I think I've figured it out.</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They divided the world up by continents. There are seven continents counting North and South America separately. My guess is Japheth took Australia/Oceana and his wife took Asia; Shem took Africa and his wife did Europe; Ham and his wife took North and South America respectively. That leaves the continent with the f<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ewest animals, Antarctica for 600 year-old Noah himself--it's a smaller job and, at his age, he probably wouldn't feel the cold too much.</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Noah's wife, Naamah, probably worked point from the ark to control everything. To get the job done in time, she would have needed to employ satellite imaging to find the animals and IsatPhones to communicate worldwide with her collection teams.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Naamah would have direct access to a master database of animals and would check them off as they were collected. This was a precision operation--if she missed one animal, it would be lost forever--God was out of the creation business!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Obviously, having the animals leg it back to the ark was a non-starter; they must have used transport. In fact, transport would have been the biggest problem, with vast distances to cover, huge loads and very little time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
These vehicles must have been enormous. There would be no time for multiple collect-and-return-to-base trips. To get an idea of size, think in terms of 75 railroad stock cars for each vehicle.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I'm guessing they used hyperdrivemobiles, with anti-gravity fields capable of hovering above land and sea. At the enormous multi-mach speeds necessary to achieve this task human control would have been impossible. Here I'm thinking GPS systems, directly linked to Naamah's database with radar and ultrasonic collision avoidance for day and night operation.</div>
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A suitable power source must have been a real headache. Nothing short of a fusion reactor would have the capacity and power for the job. So that's it. Job done.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
This is one in the eye for naysayers who bleat that this job was impossible. All the technology necessary is ALREADY IN USE TODAY (or will be soon), so it is completely feasible. And, if humans can invent these things, they would be trivial for God.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
All you need is a little faith.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
By Bill Flavell</div>
</span></b></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-73700654090566313222016-06-07T03:02:00.002+01:002016-06-07T03:02:17.118+01:00BEFORE THE NEXT BLASPHEMY KILLING<h3 class="first">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Last week Thursday, <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/agbahemes-murder-arase-promises-speedy-investigation/" target="_blank">a mob of self-appointed God avengers lynched a woman to death</a> for
'blasphemy' in Kano. A lot of outrage has followed that act of terror.
But to mourn Bridget Agbaheme properly would be to address the context
that empowered her murderers to make her the latest of the many
casualties of precipitate indignation against 'blasphemy': To grieve
over her meaningfully requires the transformation of the tragedy of her
violent execution into a platform for a secular, nationwide campaign for
the decriminalization of ‘blasphemy’ in Nigeria.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
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</span></span><span class="block-story-object-content-footer">
</span></span>
</span>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje, <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/ganduje-condemns-recent-murder-woman-market-promises-justice/" target="_blank">reportedly</a> condemned
the killing and "promised to unmask the perpetrators of the dastardly
act." That’s a deceptive gesture of lip service. He didn’t mean a word
of that vow. Ganduje <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/ganduje-condemns-recent-murder-woman-market-promises-justice/" target="_blank">celebrated a blanket death sentence handed down in another case of ‘blasphemy’</a> one
year ago. He "expressed satisfaction" when an Upper Sharia Court
sentenced nine people to death for ''blasphemy against the Prophet
Muhammad (SAW).''</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The so-called blasphemers were Muslims. They were followers of the
Tijaniya sect. They were alleged to have insinuated that the Senegalese
founder of their denomination, Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse, "was bigger than
Prophet Muhammad."</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The notoriously excitable Kano mob didn’t even judge the ‘infidels’
worthy of the protocol of a Sharia court trial. They lusted and angled
to kill the sinners extrajudicially. The fanatics were so desperate they
burnt down a section of the court building in a failed attempt to
retrieve their pet peeves for street execution. The judges were faced
with a fait accompli. They hurriedly condemned ‘the blasphemers’ to
death.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>It was this crowd of jungle justice agitators that Ganduje sought to
ingratiate himself with when he said that he ‘’appreciates the patience
and calmness with which the general public allowed the law to take its
course despite the unwarranted provocation.’’</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>He would even proceed to warn that "this will serve as a deterrent to
those who feel they can come and cause a breach of the peace…" and to
promise that he would request the state house of assembly to pass a law
authorizing the policing of religious preaching in Kano State.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The folks who hacked Bridget to death were the same bloodthirsty set
of people that Ganduje hailed as peacemakers for trying to kill
'blasphemy' suspects last year.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>To be fair, though, Kano has a history of ‘blasphemy’ holocaust that dates back twenty years.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>In December 1995, <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/beheading-stirs-nigerian-tension-1596448.html" target="_blank">a Kano mob beheaded Gideon Akaluka</a>,
an Igbo trader, and paraded his head on a spike throughout the streets.
The police had arrested and imprisoned Akaluka following allegations
that his wife had used the pages of the Koran as toilet paper for her
baby. Muslims broke into his cell, killed him there, and escaped with
the trophy of his blood-dripping head!</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>In August 2008, <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200808110940.html" target="_blank">a Kano mob besieged the house of a 50 year old Muslim man</a> in Sheka Aci Lafiaya quarters and beat him to death for allegedly ‘blaspheming’ the Prophet.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>In November 2012, in Bichi, 30 kilometers from Kano, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20448565" target="_blank">a mob capitalized on a literal slip of tongue to steal and kill.</a>
A Christian tailor, who was obviously yet to attain conversational
level of proficiency in Hausa language, mispronounced the name of a
dress while chatting with his Muslim neighbor, and uttered words that
transliterated to, ‘’the Prophet has come to the market.’’ The mob
punished that error with the looting of shops and the killing of four
people!</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Kano is Nigeria's capital of 'blasphemy' killing. But it has some competitors.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>A week before Bridget’s murder,<a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/204420-four-killed-niger-state-allegations-blasphemy.html" target="_blank"> some Muslim fanatics killed Methodus Emmanuel</a>, a
24 year old trader based in Padongari, Niger state, for ‘blasphemy’.
They also killed three officials of the National Security and Civil
Defence Corps. The Civil Defence men earned damnation for attempting to
stop the soi-disant defenders of the faith from executing judgment on
‘God’s behalf.’</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Of course, Kaduna gave us the mad <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_riots" target="_blank">Miss World riots of 2012</a>. A 21 year old Thisday fashion journalist, Isioma Daniel, had written what she thought was a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/27/jamesastill.owenbowcott" target="_blank">punch-line</a> that
could amuse Muslims who were against Nigeria's hosting of the global
beauty pageant. Her innocuous wisecrack was construed as ‘blasphemy.’ A
sitting deputy governor went on air and urged any Muslim who sees her to
kill her. 58 churches were destroyed. 215 people were slaughtered.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>President Muhammadu Buhari <a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/204685-buhari-condemns-blasphemy-killing-kano-police-arrest-suspects.html" target="_blank">condemned the killing of Bridget</a> and
prayed God to grant her husband Pastor Mike and her family ''the
fortitude to bear the loss.'' That's a condolence message too balmy to
pass for a presidential response. It was too evasive for a cowardly
crime that could have sparked a combustible mix of religious and ethnic
wars.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>President Buhari skirted the heart of the matter. The problem -it's
the elephant in the room! - is the presence of 'blasphemy' laws in
Nigerian jurisprudence and the popular perception that those laws
license Muslims to function as volunteer jury and executioners when
there is news of violation in their neighborhood. Nigerian laws enables
this continuing pattern of 'blasphemy' killings.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://emmaugwu.com/wp-admin/In%20December%201995,%20a%20mob%20beheaded%20Gideon%20Akaluka,%20an%20Igbo%20trader,%20and%20paraded%20his%20severed%20head%20on%20a%20spike%20throughout%20the%20streets%20of%20Kano.%20The%20police%20had%20arrested%20and%20imprisoned%20him%20following%20allegations%20that%20his%20wife%20had%20used%20the%20pages%20of%20the%20Koran%20as%20toile%5C" target="_blank">The two parallel legal codes that the Nigerian justice system stand on criminalize ‘blasphemy’</a> even
though the Nigerian constitution guarantees all Nigerians the freedom
of thought, conscience and religion and the right to freedom of speech.
This contradiction means that a supposedly secular Nigerian state
approves religious xenophobia and provides for your prosecution and
punishment if some other person invents a charge of "insult to religion"
against you.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>In some parts of the North where the Saudi import of Wahabbism has
taken root and reconfigured the people's concept of the Prophet's
teaching and tradition, the accusation of 'blasphemy' leads to instant
murder ...as surely as night follows the day. This makes everyone a fair
game. All you need to be killed in cold blood is to have the misfortune
of having a drunk fellow mutter ‘blasphemy’, like a holophrastic child,
while pointing at you. A mob of demons will coalesce around you in no
time and savage you until you become an ugly log of meat!</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>One of the prevailing orthodoxies in that region is that a
‘blasphemy’ alarm obligates all pious Muslims within earshot to rally
and kill 'the accused'. Nobody is required the substantiate the
particulars of the so-called 'blasphemy.' The claim of 'blasphemy' is
its own evidence. And when the mob appears, they have to kill the
suspect like a black snake: With so much fervor and fury!</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>To prove the point: what Bridget said that made Kano apoplectic
remains unknown days after her murder. Nigerian newspapers reported
conjectures as the precursor to her killing. This suggests that she was
probably lied against and wasted.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>It’s possible that that wife of a Deeper Life pastor was as peaceable
and quiet as serious members of Nigeria's foremost ultra-purist,
otherworldly church. She may have been an unlucky victim of envy or
hate. A rival trader may have invoked that charge to eliminate her.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>'Blasphemy' killing is a dumb atrocity. It is a man taking a putative
transgression against God personally. It is a mortal appropriating
God's prerogative to judge in eternity. It is human being answering a
misdemeanor with an infinitely greater iniquity.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>‘Blasphemy’ laws make killings like Bridget's legal. In a
multi-religious society like ours, they make persecution permissible and
acceptable. They energize bullies who consider themselves practitioners
of the stronger religion to plead that one 'blasphemy' provoked them.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>'Blasphemy' laws vest in some adherents the luxury of affecting
offense when they experience a persuasion that differs from or
contradicts their own scripture. They incentivize people to
instrumentalize violence in asserting their monopoly of faith. They
sanction the use of coercion in forcing religious uniformity.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Moreover, ‘blasphemy’ is a vague, ambiguous word. It is a fluid,
elusive notion. Like beauty in the eyes of the beholder, it is fraught
with potential for countless interpretations. Any hearer is at liberty
to decide or define the reality or otherwise of his encounter with it.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>For example, if this son of a pastor verbalizes one of the elementals
of his faith, he can be held as guilty of ‘blasphemy.’ If I declaim, in
Sokoto, that Jesus Christ is the son of God, a Muslim might take
offense if he is intolerant of or ignorant about Christianity. If he is
instinctively violent, he might rush for a machete because he heard an
allusion to 'the trinity', a trite theological construct in Christendom,
but one that is at variance with the Koran's characterization of Allah.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>And if I was raised to be touchy and defensive of my faith, I would
take umbrage when a Muslim jokes that Jesus was entirely human, that He
had a high libido, and impregnated the prettiest of his female
disciples. I may hasten to reply that trivialization of God with an
action that matches the gravity of that 'blasphemy.'</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>We must collectively discredit terrorism in all its guises. That Kano
mob killed Bridget as cruelly and gleefully as Boko Haram or Daesh
would have killed her. And it's a shame that we count as citizens
individuals who are capable of such inhumanity!</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>God is not an endangered species. He doesn't need 'blasphemy' laws or
killings to survive . 'Blasphemy' does not impact or diminish Him. The
word actually means nothing. Those who kill in defense of God, those who
project Him as a petty, peevish, puny Being, are terrorists with an
excuse!</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b> </b></span>By Emmanuel Uchenna Ugwu </h3>
immaugwu@gmail.com<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/emmaugwutheman?lang=en" target="_blank">@EmmaUgwuTheMan</a><br />
<h3>
</h3>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-70119455457355792652016-06-02T15:26:00.000+01:002016-06-29T15:27:34.830+01:00BACK TO THE TRENCHES AGAINST RELIGION OF INSANITY<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img height="320" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13332964_580442915470092_5968899410313544440_n.jpg?oh=78e1d3afa2807555c7a6365cb8648b44&oe=57EC8F93" width="240" /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I cant really control my tears writing this especially after going through the write up by </span></span></span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100004616167741&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A1429452130629840%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/declanonyebuchi.isienyi" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-decoration: none;">Declan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">. And any time i try so hard to wrap my head around any religion so that people will like me, the more i see reasons not even to shake hands with a religious person. Religion is so full of evil that we suppose to avoid any religious person like a plague. And when i say religion i mean also that your own version of Christianity, or whatever nonsense you may call it. When our late Brother Ikechukwu Anigbo was killed because of 10 Naira most you people prayed thus: God we need your intervention! Did He intervene? We pray against untimely death! Is that prayer working? God save your children! Is it working? What happened to all these over recycled prayers everyday? Because we are wasting our time talking to a God that is not even thinking about us and that is why He is so imaginary. And now we are facing again an untimely death of a beautiful man full of hope for grater survival, all because of a grand delusion called Islam (The Religion of Peace) Remember that the people that killed him are not Boko Haram, they are moderate Muslims who are very peaceful and they just reacted peacefully because somebody insulted their Mohammed (Nonsense Peace Be Upon Him NPBUH). And if you think they are just doing it because they are Muslims go and read your Bible, the two books was copied from the same source and Christians now claim to be peaceful just because we have decided not to take the Bible seriously. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said ""Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. So, no mater how foolish you are don't tell me that is old testament. In Deuteronomy 13:12 If you go to any City and they are worshiping other god, kill everybody in that city and burn all their properties and the Town should remain ruined forever. Also in Det 13:6 if your own brother, sister, daughter, wife tells you about any other God kill them with your own hands. Imagine what the world will be like if we listen to this kind of instruction coming from a Holly Book. Our sense of morality predates any religion, i am not doing good because of i am afraid of hell or to go to heaven, i do good for the sake of humanity. Even when the supposed Jesus Christ told His disciples that they should eat His flesh and drink His blood. His disciples started running away from Him because that is an insult to humanity. In John 6 51 "I’m the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he’ll live forever. And the bread I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 Then the Jewish leaders debated angrily with each other, asking, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ...And in John 6: 66 "As a result, many of his disciples turned back and no longer associated with him. I have gone through the wall post of </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100001737816595&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A1429452130629840%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/blemeche" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-decoration: none;">Blessing Emmanuel</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">, Our late Brother Chimaije called her and asked her to pray for him, which she did and also asked him to pray. What happened to those prayers? Is our own Almighty God playing the victim? The name Chimaije means God knows my movement, is our own God not aware that Chimaijem was targeted by people who claim to be protecting their own version of God? The whole religion is totally nonsense and we will continue to waste time calling on the imaginary God again to do something when it is already late, but then we can always foolishly console ourselves by saying that God will keep Chimaije in heaven which i also pray for. But if such God exists this is the moment He supposed to show that He is God, and unfortunately He was on sabbatical leave as always! As i say Goodbye to a Brother with tears, feeling what he must have felt when the enemy was so close to him and imagining the kind of prayers he must prayed to God frantically with tears and cry begging God to show His power and save his life, Asking the Mighty Man in Battle to prove His worth, shouting for the God that aswereth by fire to show His face,but our so called loving God is so wicked by abandoning His own follower to die in this circumstance. And please preach whatever nonsense you have to yourself and swallow your foolish claims in your numb skulls to protect your God. I am very happy living happily without Him or Her. </span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/religionissofullofshit?source=feed_text" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl" style="background-color: white; color: #4267b2; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-decoration: none;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-decoration: none;">ReligionIsSoFullOfShit</span></a></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Odoh Nwaobodagu</span></b>Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-91945322538438501382016-05-29T09:36:00.000+01:002016-07-08T09:37:28.395+01:00HOLDING CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE: HOW GOD DECEIVED THE DECEIVER<span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was not so much that the devil deceived Eve as that God deceived the devil into deceiving Eve. I know you were taught that the devil deceived Eve at the dawn of creation. But that is because our time-worn teachers have not grasped the full import of what happened in the Garden of Eden. It was not so much that the devil deceived Eve as that God deceived the devil. God deceived the devil into deceiving Eve. One of the biggest mistakes the devil ever made was to deceive Eve. If Eve had not been deceived, the devil would not have received God’s death sentence: “(Her descendants) will always be (your) enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:15). Hunger for God The scriptures are a litany of people thirsting and hungering for God often without knowing it is God they need. Collectively, they are one long, persistent and incessant cry for salvation. Accordingly, Paul cries: “What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die?” (Romans 7:24). It is God himself who was the architect of man’s predicament. He put yearnings in the heart of man that the world could not meet. Once Adam sinned, God unfolded a plan of salvation designed to teach us an eternal lesson. This plan included sending the seed of Abraham into Egypt where they would be in bondage for over four hundred years. Then God sent a deliverer in Moses who succeeded in giving the Israelites tests they did not pass and commandments they did not keep. There came many other saviours. There were saviours who helped to keep the Philistines at bay; saviours who helped to deliver the Jews from the hand of their enemies. There were saviours of all kinds and descriptions. But these saviours were mere men and therefore severely limited. These saviours also needed salvation. These saviours could heal the body but not the soul. These saviours could neither save from life nor save from death. Finally a Saviour is born, whose coming had long been foretold by the prophets, and whose arrival was heralded by angels. What would be the big deal about this particular Saviour? Why would his arrival bring “good tidings of great joy” not only to the Jews, but also to all people? (Luke 2:10-11). Why are we still be talking about this very Saviour today, 2000 years later? It is because this Saviour is no mere mortal. This Saviour is Christ the Lord. This Saviour is Jesus; the only begotten Son of God. Stumbling stone Nevertheless, Jesus himself turns out to be the biggest trap of all; not only for men but also for Satan. The bible had prophesied about him: “He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken, be snared and taken.” (Isaiah 8:14-15). In this regard, the crucifixion of Jesus was the outcome of a monumental set-up by God. Time and again, the devil tried to get Jesus killed, but he always managed to escape. When Jesus was born, the devil caused Herod to kill all the children in Bethlehem from two years and less. But before this heinous act could be executed, the angel came and told Jesus’ “parents” to flee with him to Egypt. Much later on, the devil tried to get the Jews to throw Jesus down from the brow of a hill, but he easily escaped by passing through the middle of the crowd. This hide-and-seek continued, leading the devil to the conclusion that all he had to do was to kill Jesus in order to short-circuit his ministry. And then one day, Jesus allowed himself to be arrested. Then he allowed himself to be killed. And suddenly, the devil discovered that he had been suckered into working for God all along. Suddenly, he discovered it was always God’s plan for Jesus to be killed. Comeuppance The wisdom of God meant that the greatest defeat of the devil was in the very victory he sought. Thus Paul says: “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). The devil and his cohorts killed Jesus and they ended up with one, two, many “Jesuses” in the form of regenerated believers. They killed the Lord of glory, but in the very killing was the redemption of mankind. God used the plans of the devil against him and to his comeuppance. Everything the devil did against Jesus turned out to be for the benefit of Jesus’ ministry. Thus, Jesus’ apostles would later testify to God in prayer: “For truly against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done. (Acts 4:27-28). It is not surprising therefore that Jesus himself encouraged Judas to go ahead and betray him without delay. (John 13:27). Judas’ betrayal was treacherous, but it was intended. His betrayal was heinous, but it nevertheless fulfilled the purpose God purposed for the salvation of mankind. Through it, the devil, like Haman, was hoisted on his own petard. Redemptive honour God has been more honoured in man’s redemption than would have been the case if there had been no fall of man. Through the redemption, the Lord displayed the majesty of his justice and the glory of his grace: “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” (Ephesians 3:10). Forgiven and regenerated, under the moulding influence of the Holy Spirit, the believer is now capable of virtues to which we could never have attained had we never sinned. Adam could not have hated sin with the same abhorrence as today’s man or woman with a renewed heart. Thanks paradoxically to Adam’s sin, we now behold with open faces the redemptive glory of God. God in Christ did not dwell in Adam. But now Christ is in us, and he is our hope of sharing in the glory of God. (Colossians 1:27). Thanks to Jesus, death; the penalty for Adam’s sin, has now become our means of escape into the bosom of our heavenly Father. If Eve had not been deceived, we would not have become partakers of God’s divine nature. If Eve had not sinned, we would not now be blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. If Eve had not been deceived, we would have remained marooned in a garden. Redeemed, we are now enthroned in a city; the city of God. If Eve had not been deceived, a man would not now be in heaven, seated at the right hand of God. This man, Christ Jesus, is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">BY Femi Aribisala</span><br style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;" /><br style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/holding-captivity-captive-god-deceived-deceiver/</span></span></b>Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-76816194110117889332016-04-03T00:21:00.000+01:002016-05-30T00:22:32.959+01:00SLIPPERY SLOPE OF CHURCH-MARKETING<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When Jesus multiplied loaves to feed the multitude, many concluded he was just the pastor they needed. As a result, they went to great lengths to relocate to his “church.” Some got into boats and crossed over from the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum in order to see him. But these people were not hungry for God. They came because they wanted bread. They came bringing their own five loaves and two fishes as offering in order that they might be multiplied. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>But Jesus is not one to encourage vain worship: “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him.’” (John 6:26-27). </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>For good measure, Jesus then preached one of the most spiritual messages in the bible. He told them he is the bread of life and insisted they must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to obtain eternal life. When he said this, he lost the church. Virtually the whole congregation left. Even many of his disciples concluded he was no longer the type of pastor they were looking for: “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.” (John 6:66).</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Attracting the crowd </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>How different Jesus’ position is from that of many pastors today. Rather than discourage those who only see godliness as a means of worldly gain, many pastors are determined to attract such people by even claiming they have a special calling or anointing to make people rich financially. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Why would Jesus preach a message knowing full well many would not understand it and leave? Jesus tells his audience they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life. Many found this unacceptable. But instead of simplifying his message, Jesus compounds it by telling them he is going to ascend to heaven. (John 6:61-62). When many of his disciples left in protest, he then turns to his core twelve disciples and invites them to leave also. (John 6:67). </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>In short, Jesus adamantly refuses to sugar-coat the gospel. It might sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow; nevertheless it has to be swallowed because it is the only way to spiritual healing. The gospel is inevitably offensive to the world. Jesus himself is described by Isaiah as a “rock of offence.” (Isaiah 8:14). But pastors repackage the gospel to make it attractive to the world. They see Jesus himself as a commodity to be marketed. As a result, they end up with a self-serving gospel.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Made-to-measure Christianity </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Churches now do telemarketing surveys, asking: “What would you like in a church?” In effect, many churches are made to measure, according to the greatest demand and not according to God’s prescriptions. They even have surveys now asking church-members what kind of messages they would like to hear. This is standard operating procedure in the world of business marketing where you find out what your potential customers want and give it to them. But it is totally inappropriate with regard to the kingdom of God which is based on the will of our Father in heaven. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Churches have become the jack of all trades. They use such non-spiritual activities as gymnastics, rock n roll, comedians, and a host of other gimmicks to entertain their congregation. The church service is often a carefully crafted and choreographed production designed to please and impress man and not God. Many churches put on shows with worldly celebrities to increase their numbers. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Now we see the next logical step in the process of marketing the church to the world: offer a free inducement to get them into your establishment. Put on a show, offer a free trial, give away something of value, and entice them with things to get them in the door. Today it is a regular practice for churches to offer some sort of inducement for newcomers.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>In one American church, they offered to pay for a portion of the visitor’s petrol in exchange for visiting the church. Another preacher offered non-members a certain amount of money for just sitting through a Sunday morning service. I suppose you might call this “avant-garde evangelism.” </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The worldly church </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The modern-day pastor is determined to change man’s perception of God and to make him more desirable and appealing; all in the interest of expeditious church growth. The flesh hates holiness therefore many pastors do all they can to make the church more like the world. Frankly, holiness is hard on the numbers and it has a way of offending the profane. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The choice is now towards promoting a casual, even cavalier, atmosphere in churches so as to make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. The truth, however, is that we cannot entertain men into the kingdom: but we can convict them. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>In this regard, the “purpose-driven churches” are true to their names. They are purpose-driven but their purpose is neither Christ nor the gospel. Their purpose is to fill the pews. Their purpose is to collect as much money as possible. Therefore they sacrifice the gospel on the altar of pragmatic purpose. Since they are keen to attract the world, inevitably they become worldly. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>As a result, we have today “church for people who don’t like church.” That is like saying “Jesus for the people who don’t like Jesus.” What is the point of a Christ-less church? A lady spelt out the evangelistic objectives of her church. She said: “We want to attract the world but in an unworldly way.” This is a contradiction in terms. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. Once we try to market a church, we go off the rails. Somebody out there needs to spell it out to Pastor Zerubbabel that the building of Christ’s true church is not by power or by might but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:5). </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Counter-productive evangelism.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>It is counter-productive to try and attract people to church. The question is for what purpose would we want them to come? God warned Isaiah that no matter what he does, the people would not listen to him. (Isaiah 6:9). Jesus also confirmed this. He says the people will not hear and they will not understand. (Matthew 13:13-15). Indeed, according to his teachings, God is not in the churches but in our hearts. (John 4:21-24). </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Therefore, true evangelism should not be embarked upon in order to bring people to church. Churches have been more effective in misleading people by showing them the highway leading to destruction instead of the narrow way leading to salvation. Today, pastors are the blind leaders that Jesus railed against. All they do is lead people into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14). The objective of true evangelism is to bring people to Christ, and no man can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws him. (John 6:44)</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>By Femi Aribisala </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>By Femi Aribisala The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. When Jesus multiplied loaves to feed the multitude, many concluded he was just the pastor they needed. As a result, they went to great lengths to relocate to his “church.” Some got into boats and crossed over from the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum in order to see him. But these people were not hungry for God. They came because they wanted bread. They came bringing their own five loaves and two fishes as offering in order that they might be multiplied. But Jesus is not one to encourage vain worship: “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him.’” (John 6:26-27). For good measure, Jesus then preached one of the most spiritual messages in the bible. He told them he is the bread of life and insisted they must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to obtain eternal life. When he said this, he lost the church. Virtually the whole congregation left. Even many of his disciples concluded he was no longer the type of pastor they were looking for: “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.” (John 6:66). Attracting the crowd How different Jesus’ position is from that of many pastors today. Rather than discourage those who only see godliness as a means of worldly gain, many pastors are determined to attract such people by even claiming they have a special calling or anointing to make people rich financially. Why would Jesus preach a message knowing full well many would not understand it and leave? Jesus tells his audience they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life. Many found this unacceptable. But instead of simplifying his message, Jesus compounds it by telling them he is going to ascend to heaven. (John 6:61-62). When many of his disciples left in protest, he then turns to his core twelve disciples and invites them to leave also. (John 6:67). In short, Jesus adamantly refuses to sugar-coat the gospel. It might sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow; nevertheless it has to be swallowed because it is the only way to spiritual healing. The gospel is inevitably offensive to the world. Jesus himself is described by Isaiah as a “rock of offence.” (Isaiah 8:14). But pastors repackage the gospel to make it attractive to the world. They see Jesus himself as a commodity to be marketed. As a result, they end up with a self-serving gospel. Made-to-measure Christianity Churches now do telemarketing surveys, asking: “What would you like in a church?” In effect, many churches are made to measure, according to the greatest demand and not according to God’s prescriptions. They even have surveys now asking church-members what kind of messages they would like to hear. This is standard operating procedure in the world of business marketing where you find out what your potential customers want and give it to them. But it is totally inappropriate with regard to the kingdom of God which is based on the will of our Father in heaven. Churches have become the jack of all trades. They use such non-spiritual activities as gymnastics, rock n roll, comedians, and a host of other gimmicks to entertain their congregation. The church service is often a carefully crafted and choreographed production designed to please and impress man and not God. Many churches put on shows with worldly celebrities to increase their numbers. Now we see the next logical step in the process of marketing the church to the world: offer a free inducement to get them into your establishment. Put on a show, offer a free trial, give away something of value, and entice them with things to get them in the door. Today it is a regular practice for churches to offer some sort of inducement for newcomers. In one American church, they offered to pay for a portion of the visitor’s petrol in exchange for visiting the church. Another preacher offered non-members a certain amount of money for just sitting through a Sunday morning service. I suppose you might call this “avant-garde evangelism.” The worldly church The modern-day pastor is determined to change man’s perception of God and to make him more desirable and appealing; all in the interest of expeditious church growth. The flesh hates holiness therefore many pastors do all they can to make the church more like the world. Frankly, holiness is hard on the numbers and it has a way of offending the profane. The choice is now towards promoting a casual, even cavalier, atmosphere in churches so as to make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. The truth, however, is that we cannot entertain men into the kingdom: but we can convict them. In this regard, the “purpose-driven churches” are true to their names. They are purpose-driven but their purpose is neither Christ nor the gospel. Their purpose is to fill the pews. Their purpose is to collect as much money as possible. Therefore they sacrifice the gospel on the altar of pragmatic purpose. Since they are keen to attract the world, inevitably they become worldly. As a result, we have today “church for people who don’t like church.” That is like saying “Jesus for the people who don’t like Jesus.” What is the point of a Christ-less church? A lady spelt out the evangelistic objectives of her church. She said: “We want to attract the world but in an unworldly way.” This is a contradiction in terms. The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. Once we try to market a church, we go off the rails. Somebody out there needs to spell it out to Pastor Zerubbabel that the building of Christ’s true church is not by power or by might but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:5). Counter-productive evangelism It is counter-productive to try and attract people to church. The question is for what purpose would we want them to come? God warned Isaiah that no matter what he does, the people would not listen to him. (Isaiah 6:9). Jesus also confirmed this. He says the people will not hear and they will not understand. (Matthew 13:13-15). Indeed, according to his teachings, God is not in the churches but in our hearts. (John 4:21-24). Therefore, true evangelism should not be embarked upon in order to bring people to church. Churches have been more effective in misleading people by showing them the highway leading to destruction instead of the narrow way leading to salvation. Today, pastors are the blind leaders that Jesus railed against. All they do is lead people into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14). The objective of true evangelism is to bring people to Christ, and no man can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws him. (John 6:44)<br /><br />Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/slippery-slope-church-marketing/</b></span></div>
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<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. When Jesus multiplied loaves to feed the multitude, many concluded he was just the pastor they needed. As a result, they went to great lengths to relocate to his “church.” Some got into boats and crossed over from the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum in order to see him. But these people were not hungry for God. They came because they wanted bread. They came bringing their own five loaves and two fishes as offering in order that they might be multiplied. But Jesus is not one to encourage vain worship: “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him.’” (John 6:26-27). For good measure, Jesus then preached one of the most spiritual messages in the bible. He told them he is the bread of life and insisted they must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to obtain eternal life. When he said this, he lost the church. Virtually the whole congregation left. Even many of his disciples concluded he was no longer the type of pastor they were looking for: “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.” (John 6:66). Attracting the crowd How different Jesus’ position is from that of many pastors today. Rather than discourage those who only see godliness as a means of worldly gain, many pastors are determined to attract such people by even claiming they have a special calling or anointing to make people rich financially. Why would Jesus preach a message knowing full well many would not understand it and leave? Jesus tells his audience they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life. Many found this unacceptable. But instead of simplifying his message, Jesus compounds it by telling them he is going to ascend to heaven. (John 6:61-62). When many of his disciples left in protest, he then turns to his core twelve disciples and invites them to leave also. (John 6:67). In short, Jesus adamantly refuses to sugar-coat the gospel. It might sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow; nevertheless it has to be swallowed because it is the only way to spiritual healing. The gospel is inevitably offensive to the world. Jesus himself is described by Isaiah as a “rock of offence.” (Isaiah 8:14). But pastors repackage the gospel to make it attractive to the world. They see Jesus himself as a commodity to be marketed. As a result, they end up with a self-serving gospel. Made-to-measure Christianity Churches now do telemarketing surveys, asking: “What would you like in a church?” In effect, many churches are made to measure, according to the greatest demand and not according to God’s prescriptions. They even have surveys now asking church-members what kind of messages they would like to hear. This is standard operating procedure in the world of business marketing where you find out what your potential customers want and give it to them. But it is totally inappropriate with regard to the kingdom of God which is based on the will of our Father in heaven. Churches have become the jack of all trades. They use such non-spiritual activities as gymnastics, rock n roll, comedians, and a host of other gimmicks to entertain their congregation. The church service is often a carefully crafted and choreographed production designed to please and impress man and not God. Many churches put on shows with worldly celebrities to increase their numbers. Now we see the next logical step in the process of marketing the church to the world: offer a free inducement to get them into your establishment. Put on a show, offer a free trial, give away something of value, and entice them with things to get them in the door. Today it is a regular practice for churches to offer some sort of inducement for newcomers. In one American church, they offered to pay for a portion of the visitor’s petrol in exchange for visiting the church. Another preacher offered non-members a certain amount of money for just sitting through a Sunday morning service. I suppose you might call this “avant-garde evangelism.” The worldly church The modern-day pastor is determined to change man’s perception of God and to make him more desirable and appealing; all in the interest of expeditious church growth. The flesh hates holiness therefore many pastors do all they can to make the church more like the world. Frankly, holiness is hard on the numbers and it has a way of offending the profane. The choice is now towards promoting a casual, even cavalier, atmosphere in churches so as to make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. The truth, however, is that we cannot entertain men into the kingdom: but we can convict them. In this regard, the “purpose-driven churches” are true to their names. They are purpose-driven but their purpose is neither Christ nor the gospel. Their purpose is to fill the pews. Their purpose is to collect as much money as possible. Therefore they sacrifice the gospel on the altar of pragmatic purpose. Since they are keen to attract the world, inevitably they become worldly. As a result, we have today “church for people who don’t like church.” That is like saying “Jesus for the people who don’t like Jesus.” What is the point of a Christ-less church? A lady spelt out the evangelistic objectives of her church. She said: “We want to attract the world but in an unworldly way.” This is a contradiction in terms. The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. Once we try to market a church, we go off the rails. Somebody out there needs to spell it out to Pastor Zerubbabel that the building of Christ’s true church is not by power or by might but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:5). Counter-productive evangelism It is counter-productive to try and attract people to church. The question is for what purpose would we want them to come? God warned Isaiah that no matter what he does, the people would not listen to him. (Isaiah 6:9). Jesus also confirmed this. He says the people will not hear and they will not understand. (Matthew 13:13-15). Indeed, according to his teachings, God is not in the churches but in our hearts. (John 4:21-24). Therefore, true evangelism should not be embarked upon in order to bring people to church. Churches have been more effective in misleading people by showing them the highway leading to destruction instead of the narrow way leading to salvation. Today, pastors are the blind leaders that Jesus railed against. All they do is lead people into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14). The objective of true evangelism is to bring people to Christ, and no man can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws him. (John 6:44)<br /><br />Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/slippery-slope-church-marketing/</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. When Jesus multiplied loaves to feed the multitude, many concluded he was just the pastor they needed. As a result, they went to great lengths to relocate to his “church.” Some got into boats and crossed over from the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum in order to see him. But these people were not hungry for God. They came because they wanted bread. They came bringing their own five loaves and two fishes as offering in order that they might be multiplied. But Jesus is not one to encourage vain worship: “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him.’” (John 6:26-27). For good measure, Jesus then preached one of the most spiritual messages in the bible. He told them he is the bread of life and insisted they must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to obtain eternal life. When he said this, he lost the church. Virtually the whole congregation left. Even many of his disciples concluded he was no longer the type of pastor they were looking for: “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.” (John 6:66). Attracting the crowd How different Jesus’ position is from that of many pastors today. Rather than discourage those who only see godliness as a means of worldly gain, many pastors are determined to attract such people by even claiming they have a special calling or anointing to make people rich financially. Why would Jesus preach a message knowing full well many would not understand it and leave? Jesus tells his audience they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life. Many found this unacceptable. But instead of simplifying his message, Jesus compounds it by telling them he is going to ascend to heaven. (John 6:61-62). When many of his disciples left in protest, he then turns to his core twelve disciples and invites them to leave also. (John 6:67). In short, Jesus adamantly refuses to sugar-coat the gospel. It might sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow; nevertheless it has to be swallowed because it is the only way to spiritual healing. The gospel is inevitably offensive to the world. Jesus himself is described by Isaiah as a “rock of offence.” (Isaiah 8:14). But pastors repackage the gospel to make it attractive to the world. They see Jesus himself as a commodity to be marketed. As a result, they end up with a self-serving gospel. Made-to-measure Christianity Churches now do telemarketing surveys, asking: “What would you like in a church?” In effect, many churches are made to measure, according to the greatest demand and not according to God’s prescriptions. They even have surveys now asking church-members what kind of messages they would like to hear. This is standard operating procedure in the world of business marketing where you find out what your potential customers want and give it to them. But it is totally inappropriate with regard to the kingdom of God which is based on the will of our Father in heaven. Churches have become the jack of all trades. They use such non-spiritual activities as gymnastics, rock n roll, comedians, and a host of other gimmicks to entertain their congregation. The church service is often a carefully crafted and choreographed production designed to please and impress man and not God. Many churches put on shows with worldly celebrities to increase their numbers. Now we see the next logical step in the process of marketing the church to the world: offer a free inducement to get them into your establishment. Put on a show, offer a free trial, give away something of value, and entice them with things to get them in the door. Today it is a regular practice for churches to offer some sort of inducement for newcomers. In one American church, they offered to pay for a portion of the visitor’s petrol in exchange for visiting the church. Another preacher offered non-members a certain amount of money for just sitting through a Sunday morning service. I suppose you might call this “avant-garde evangelism.” The worldly church The modern-day pastor is determined to change man’s perception of God and to make him more desirable and appealing; all in the interest of expeditious church growth. The flesh hates holiness therefore many pastors do all they can to make the church more like the world. Frankly, holiness is hard on the numbers and it has a way of offending the profane. The choice is now towards promoting a casual, even cavalier, atmosphere in churches so as to make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. The truth, however, is that we cannot entertain men into the kingdom: but we can convict them. In this regard, the “purpose-driven churches” are true to their names. They are purpose-driven but their purpose is neither Christ nor the gospel. Their purpose is to fill the pews. Their purpose is to collect as much money as possible. Therefore they sacrifice the gospel on the altar of pragmatic purpose. Since they are keen to attract the world, inevitably they become worldly. As a result, we have today “church for people who don’t like church.” That is like saying “Jesus for the people who don’t like Jesus.” What is the point of a Christ-less church? A lady spelt out the evangelistic objectives of her church. She said: “We want to attract the world but in an unworldly way.” This is a contradiction in terms. The world is sold on worldliness, so how can it be attracted to godliness? Moreover, godliness cannot be marketed. Once we try to market a church, we go off the rails. Somebody out there needs to spell it out to Pastor Zerubbabel that the building of Christ’s true church is not by power or by might but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:5). Counter-productive evangelism It is counter-productive to try and attract people to church. The question is for what purpose would we want them to come? God warned Isaiah that no matter what he does, the people would not listen to him. (Isaiah 6:9). Jesus also confirmed this. He says the people will not hear and they will not understand. (Matthew 13:13-15). Indeed, according to his teachings, God is not in the churches but in our hearts. (John 4:21-24). Therefore, true evangelism should not be embarked upon in order to bring people to church. Churches have been more effective in misleading people by showing them the highway leading to destruction instead of the narrow way leading to salvation. Today, pastors are the blind leaders that Jesus railed against. All they do is lead people into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14). The objective of true evangelism is to bring people to Christ, and no man can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws him. (John 6:44)<br /><br />Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/slippery-slope-church-marketing/</b></span></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-40447047469714733802016-03-16T15:35:00.000+01:002016-07-21T13:25:32.836+01:00RELIGIOUS INSANITY: THE TRUE FACE OF MISPLACED PRIORITY IN MY HOME TOWN<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<img src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1910413_548296645351386_427998234926204114_n.jpg?oh=f18e52fbeec0fdabe520413802deecdc&oe=5808FA0D" /><b style="line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The reason I am embarking on the voyage of looking into this religious matters is that when any believe system negatively affects other people, certainly we must rise against it. You can believe in a stone provided you don’t throw it at me and others. And it is in line with this understanding that we are doing our best to stop Boko Haram at all cost.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My Home Town Aku, have the highest number of academic Professors and legions of Associate Professors in Enugu State, and as such Education is our pride but the way things are going we may well be living in the past as other Towns will soon take our position.<br />To be fair, I just willfully decided to use four pictures above to buttress my points because if I try to present the true picture of the hospitals in my Town, the entire internet space may crash. We have Eight (8) Parishes in Aku and the two buildings at the top of the picture are just two parish houses. And there is an intense competition for other parishes to complete their Parish houses as soon as possible. So, within 2 years we will have 8 magnificent buildings all to the Glory of God while the parishioners languish in penury and abject poverty.<br />The house at the lower left side of the picture is Secondary School while the other is Primary School. What you are seeing outside is just the best look ever, because going inside will shock you to the marrows. These are few of the places we churn out students that will represent us at the University level. Most of the students will finish as science students without seeing a conical flask before because what supposed to be laboratories was just parking stores for petty traders in the school. There is no functional library for those that have the luxury of reserving a room as library while in most of the Schools there is nothing like library. If I continue to give graphic illustrations of what the Schools actually look like, this brief write up will be the size of Encyclopedia Britannica.<br />The Bible instructed Men of God in 1 Peter 5:2-3 “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing DISHONEST gains, but eager to SERVE; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being EXAMPLES to the flock”. What example are the Priests showing to the Parishioners by hoodwinking them to build such house? How can a Priest live in such house and tell you that Jesus is coming soon and you believe him? If you know that you are parking out soon to Heaven, why are you then wasting time and money to build a castle instead of managing ordinary tents temporarily?<br />How can our Community leaders, lead us into this spiritual and existential abyss all in the name of God? I doubt if any reasonable God of love will support the destruction of the future of our children for the comfort of His Men when He is a great provider Himself. Jesus said In Mark 9:37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Are we benefiting more from the churches than on our own children and good health? All these Reverend Fathers are under Private Health Insurance but they keep telling us that God will heal us. Is it not reasonable for Priests to manage modest apartments that are in sync with the financial capacity of the Parishioners? In Luke 5:16 “Jesus frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray”. If Jesus can pray in the wilderness why can’t the Men working for him live happily in more humble houses?<br />I know that some people will misinterpret my position as if I am fighting the "Men of God" No, far from it. My position is that we have more pressing needs to sort out at the moment and if we abandon that responsibility to the advantage of the "Men of God" we are mocking God. If we solve the problem that is making everybody uncomfortable in our Home Town we can then plan and even create our own Vatican City, but at the moment it is a clear case of misplaced priority.<br />How can we afford the luxury of outsourcing what we can even do for ourselves? We can do our prayers on our own for now and take care of our immediate problems. The Bible made it clear in Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." The Bible did not say where two or three are gathered and a Priest or Pastor is among them. Also in Psalms 145:18 “The LORD is near to ALL who call on him, to all who call on Him in truth”. The Bible did not say those who call on Him with the help of Pastor or Priests. And in John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son”. And finally in Psalm 5:3 says” In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly”. My point is that we can pray to our God directly without any immediate need for the middle men for now, if they cannot respect themselves and live humble life.<br />How are we even sure they are working for God? The Bible told us in Matthew 7:22-23 “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” So, you can see that even when a Pastor or priest performs miracles, cast out demons and prophesy, they may still not be working for God and we must be careful. Assuming we discover that these people are not working for God on the "last day" how can we explain to God that the reason we destroyed the future of our Children is because we believed the con men without using our brains. In San Diego USA the dioceses paid more than $198 million to 144 abuse victims. This was not sexual abuse as we know it but Priests molesting altar boys (Crude Homosexuality!). So we have practical evidence that most of these people are misbehaving and may not be working for God, then why are we gambling for their comfort at our own Peril?<br />If we convert these magnificent buildings to hospitals and use the daily offerings and donations to employ 4 doctors within 3 months our town will turn to Mecca for hospital tourism. We have the key to our own survival but we desire to put our scarce resources in the bottomless pit and blame the government for everything when we have the capacity to help ourselves.<br />If we collectively fail to be creative and look for a way to make our children fit properly into the society, with the basic training to take care of themselves and others, we better start now to look for another place to call Home because if we keep mass-producing charlatans with the pace we are going, our Town will likely be called scene of the absurd soon. I am just writing about the buildings for now, i am not in any way talking about the physical cash they are gathering for themselves and their Roman slave Masters.<br />Let us all bear it in mind that if the churches are truly creating positive impact in the society, there is no way the churches will keep growing and the crime rate keep increasing at the same time. Something is wrong somewhere and until we discover the anomaly, we will keep ruminating in the dark. Every positive thing starts from the foundation. The only thing that is built from the top is grave! Let us unite and give our children the future we desire by channeling our donations and resources to make their future brighter. The money spent on these buildings can transform all the Schools in our Town. It is unfortunate that our fore fathers awarded Scholarships in 1945, but now we have battalions of professors, and catholic of Elites nobody is talking about Scholarship again even when those who benefited from the 1945 Scholarship are still with us. To cross a bridge and destroy it is part of man’s inhumanity to man. Matthew 7:5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”. Thanks for your time!</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-top: 6px;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yours in the Lord,<br />Evangelist Odoh.</span></b></div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-73162525716752014592016-02-28T16:06:00.000+01:002016-03-11T16:07:22.478+01:00CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO SUFFER IN NIGERIA<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has peace in Christ. A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has trouble in the world. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jerry Brown-Johnson took his young son, Jedidah, to a children’s hospital. When he got there, he was told Jedidah would have to be given an injection. Because it is often difficult to find a vein in children, the injection would have to be inserted through his head. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jerry had to hold down Jedidah while a vein was provoked by slapping him repeatedly on the head. Then a needle was inserted. You can imagine how painful this must have been for a boy barely two years old. But Jerry was pleased for his son to go through the ordeal in order to prevent him from the greater agony of sickness and death. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Trusting God </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The truth is that Jedidah needs to be taught to trust his “old man” in pain as well as in pleasure. Even though he might not understand why he had to be given the injection, the presence of Jerry while the pain was being inflicted on him should be sufficient as a source of reassurance. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Job said of God: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” (Job 13:15). He asked a telling question of his wife who wanted him to curse God when he fell into adversity: “Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?” (Job 2:10). This shows Job’s commitment to God was on a solid foundation for better for worse. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To what exactly is the believer called? What kind of life can we expect in the world? Are we called to prosper in the world as many have led us to expect? The answer is an emphatic “No.” It is the ungodly who prosper in the world. (Psalm 73:12). As a matter of fact, the believer is called to suffer in the world. Peter says: “To this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Peace (shalom) is another word for prosperity in Hebrew. For a Christian to have peace in the world is to negate the ministry of Christ. The bible pronounces woe on those who are at ease in Zion. (Amos 6:1). If we have peace in the world, then we have no need for Christ. A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has peace in Christ. A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has trouble in the world.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Overcomers </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bad times are inevitable in a world of sin and sickness. Therefore, Solomon counsels: “Enjoy prosperity whenever you can, and when hard times strike, realize that God gives one as well as the other- so that everyone will realize that nothing is certain in this life.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14). Christianity does not promote expectations of worldly advantages, but of heavenly reward. Jesus says: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is a fundamental difference between gaining the world and overcoming it. The Christian faith is an instrument by which we overcome the world. John says: “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. (1 John 5:4.) </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When a man overcomes the world, he survives without those things the world esteems. When a woman overcomes the world, she sings even though she is barren. (Isaiah 54:1). She is unfazed, even though she is single. When a man overcomes the world, he is not ashamed to be born in lowly Nazareth. He is comfortable riding a donkey instead of a Cadillac. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The believer is called not only to suffer, but even to suffer unjustly. We are called to suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake. (Matthew 5:10). We are called to do good and suffer for it: “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">New wine </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Holy Spirit is given to prepare and strengthen us for the journey ahead. He is given that we may be supernaturally empowered to bear all our trials without complaining. He is given that we may be patient and longsuffering in the crucible of life, and that we may face its inevitable ordeals joyfully. (Colossians 1:10-11). The promise is that, after we have suffered for a while, God will restore, establish and strengthen us. (1 Peter 5:10). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God has left the new creation as new wine in old bottles? This is because he wants us to work out our own salvation. (Philippians 2:12-13). He wants us to take the kingdom by force. (Matthew 11:12). He wants us to strive to enter the kingdom through the narrow gate. (Luke 13:23-24). He wants us to labour for the food which endures to eternal life. (John 6:27). He wants us to labour to enter into the rest of God. (Hebrews 4:11). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For this reason, Jesus warns us to count the cost before accepting his invitation to discipleship. If we are not prepared to pay the price, we should not even embark on the project. (Luke 14:28-30). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Losing to gain </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A lady phoned me from the United States with a burning question. “Doctor,” she said, “since you committed your life to Christ, what have you gained?” I told her I had gained Christ but this was meaningless to her. She wanted to know what I had gained in the world. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She hit the nail on the head by asking the wrong question. I told her that her question came from lack of understanding of kingdom dynamics. In the world, you gain by gaining. But in the kingdom of God, you gain by losing. Her question should therefore have been: “Doctor, since you committed your life to Christ, what have you lost?” In order to know Christ, we have to lose so many things we have acquired in the world. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What are the Isaacs in our lives? What are those things that compete for the love of God in our lives? What are those things that compete with God for our attention and devotion? Is it our husband, wife or children? Is it our homes, jobs and possessions? Jesus requires that we give them all up for him. (Matthew 10:37-38). If we are not prepared to give them up we cannot expect to be heirs of God. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How do we recognise a true believer? Not by his church attendance record. Not from the number of scriptures he can quote. One of the ways we recognise a believer is by how he responds to affliction, to temptation and to difficulties. (2 Corinthians 6:4-10). Satan has a simple thesis: slap the Christian and his faith will be scattered. Kill his son and he will become an unbeliever. Break up his marriage and he will stop going to church. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, true believers put on the whole armour of God and are able to stand against all the devices of the enemy. They do not put on the armour of Saul: they put on the whole armour of God. (Ephesians 6:11). “Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for you have chosen this rather than affliction.” (Job 36:21). </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> By Femi Aribisala </span></h3>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A Christian does not
have peace in the world: he has peace in Christ. A Christian does not
have peace in the world: he has trouble in the world.
Jerry Brown-Johnson took his young son, Jedidah, to a children’s
hospital. When he got there, he was told Jedidah would have to be given
an injection. Because it is often difficult to find a vein in children,
the injection would have to be inserted through his head.
Jerry had to hold down Jedidah while a vein was provoked by slapping him
repeatedly on the head. Then a needle was inserted. You can imagine how
painful this must have been for a boy barely two years old. But Jerry
was pleased for his son to go through the ordeal in order to prevent him
from the greater agony of sickness and death.
Trusting God
The truth is that Jedidah needs to be taught to trust his “old man” in
pain as well as in pleasure. Even though he might not understand why he
had to be given the injection, the presence of Jerry while the pain was
being inflicted on him should be sufficient as a source of reassurance.
Job said of God: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” (Job 13:15).
He asked a telling question of his wife who wanted him to curse God
when he fell into adversity: “Shall we receive only pleasant things from
the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?” (Job 2:10). This shows
Job’s commitment to God was on a solid foundation for better for worse.
To what exactly is the believer called? What kind of life can we expect
in the world? Are we called to prosper in the world as many have led us
to expect? The answer is an emphatic “No.” It is the ungodly who prosper
in the world. (Psalm 73:12). As a matter of fact, the believer is
called to suffer in the world. Peter says: “To this you were called,
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you
should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21).
Peace (shalom) is another word for prosperity in Hebrew. For a Christian
to have peace in the world is to negate the ministry of Christ. The
bible pronounces woe on those who are at ease in Zion. (Amos 6:1). If we
have peace in the world, then we have no need for Christ. A Christian
does not have peace in the world: he has peace in Christ. A Christian
does not have peace in the world: he has trouble in the world.
Overcomers
Bad times are inevitable in a world of sin and sickness. Therefore,
Solomon counsels: “Enjoy prosperity whenever you can, and when hard
times strike, realize that God gives one as well as the other- so that
everyone will realize that nothing is certain in this life.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:14). Christianity does not promote expectations of
worldly advantages, but of heavenly reward. Jesus says: “In the world
you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world.” (John 16:33).
There is a fundamental difference between gaining the world and
overcoming it. The Christian faith is an instrument by which we overcome
the world. John says: “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And
this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. (1 John
5:4.)
When a man overcomes the world, he survives without those things the
world esteems. When a woman overcomes the world, she sings even though
she is barren. (Isaiah 54:1). She is unfazed, even though she is single.
When a man overcomes the world, he is not ashamed to be born in lowly
Nazareth. He is comfortable riding a donkey instead of a Cadillac.
The believer is called not only to suffer, but even to suffer unjustly.
We are called to suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake. (Matthew
5:10). We are called to do good and suffer for it: “For to you it has
been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also
to suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29).
New wine
The Holy Spirit is given to prepare and strengthen us for the journey
ahead. He is given that we may be supernaturally empowered to bear all
our trials without complaining. He is given that we may be patient and
longsuffering in the crucible of life, and that we may face its
inevitable ordeals joyfully. (Colossians 1:10-11). The promise is that,
after we have suffered for a while, God will restore, establish and
strengthen us. (1 Peter 5:10).
God has left the new creation as new wine in old bottles? This is
because he wants us to work out our own salvation. (Philippians
2:12-13). He wants us to take the kingdom by force. (Matthew 11:12). He
wants us to strive to enter the kingdom through the narrow gate. (Luke
13:23-24). He wants us to labour for the food which endures to eternal
life. (John 6:27). He wants us to labour to enter into the rest of God.
(Hebrews 4:11).
For this reason, Jesus warns us to count the cost before accepting his
invitation to discipleship. If we are not prepared to pay the price, we
should not even embark on the project. (Luke 14:28-30).
Losing to gain
A lady phoned me from the United States with a burning question.
“Doctor,” she said, “since you committed your life to Christ, what have
you gained?” I told her I had gained Christ but this was meaningless to
her. She wanted to know what I had gained in the world.
She hit the nail on the head by asking the wrong question. I told her
that her question came from lack of understanding of kingdom dynamics.
In the world, you gain by gaining. But in the kingdom of God, you gain
by losing. Her question should therefore have been: “Doctor, since you
committed your life to Christ, what have you lost?” In order to know
Christ, we have to lose so many things we have acquired in the world.
What are the Isaacs in our lives? What are those things that compete for
the love of God in our lives? What are those things that compete with
God for our attention and devotion? Is it our husband, wife or children?
Is it our homes, jobs and possessions? Jesus requires that we give them
all up for him. (Matthew 10:37-38). If we are not prepared to give them
up we cannot expect to be heirs of God.
How do we recognise a true believer? Not by his church attendance
record. Not from the number of scriptures he can quote. One of the ways
we recognise a believer is by how he responds to affliction, to
temptation and to difficulties. (2 Corinthians 6:4-10). Satan has a
simple thesis: slap the Christian and his faith will be scattered. Kill
his son and he will become an unbeliever. Break up his marriage and he
will stop going to church.
However, true believers put on the whole armour of God and are able to
stand against all the devices of the enemy. They do not put on the
armour of Saul: they put on the whole armour of God. (Ephesians 6:11).
“Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for you have chosen this rather
than affliction.” (Job 36:21).<br /><br /> Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/christians-are-called-to-suffer-in-nigeria/</span></h3>
</div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-63208063918899836212016-02-20T17:30:00.000+01:002016-02-21T18:35:23.762+01:00BIZARRE LAW: SINGLE WOMEN BANNED FROM USING MOBILE PHONES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/smartphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type2-1" src="http://www.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/smartphone.jpg" height="266" itemprop="image" title="smartphone" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>A village in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat has banned single women from using mobile phones, with elders deeming the technology a “nuisance to society”. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Members of the Suraj village council in Mehsana, the premier’s home district, passed a resolution in early February outlawing the use of mobile phones for teenage girls and young women. “Community leaders felt that just like liquor, the use of mobile phones by unmarried women was a nuisance to society,” village head Devshi Vankar told AFP, adding that a similar ban would be announced for school-age boys soon. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>He said mobile phones were distracting unmarried women from carrying out their studies and household chores in the village, which has a population of 2,000. If caught owning or speaking on a mobile phone, the violators will face a 2,100-rupee ($30) fine, according to the council, which is also offering 200 rupees to informers for tip-offs. However, they can talk on their parents’ or relatives’ phones. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The ban was imposed at a meeting originally called to discuss the community’s growing alcohol abuse problem. It comes amid a nationwide campaign by Modi to spread the use of technology in rural India. Last year the government launched its “Digital India” initiative to help boost connectivity in India, where nearly a billion people do not have access to the Internet. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>AFP</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>http://www.punchng.com/village-bans-mobiles-for-single-women/</b></span></h3>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-2594321478320058562016-02-18T12:41:00.001+01:002016-02-22T17:05:11.237+01:00WHY I HATE PRAYERS<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I’m
a big fan of meditation and personal reflection. I try to spend an
hour each day in thoughtful introspection. I’ve found that practice to
bring me inspiration, clarity and peace. While I no longer call this
exercise prayer, I’m comfortable with those who frame this experience as
a connection with something beyond themselves – be it god or some
power. Maybe it is. As long as your inner voice isn’t telling you to
hurt yourself or me, I’d recommend listening to it. That being said,
when it comes to making requests of god, I hate prayer.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Prayer</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I
haven’t always hated intercessory prayer – the type of prayer intended
to alter future outcomes. Indeed, there was a period of my life when I
often requested things of God and even thought some of those prayers
were answered. When prayers weren’t answered, I’d repeat the Christian
mantra – sometimes God says yes, sometimes God say no and sometimes God
says wait. This formula was fairly easy to sustain as an affluent
American Christian. All of my basic needs and most of my desires were
met. It seemed as if my prayers were often answered.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ironically,
it was in becoming a pastor that this understanding of prayer began to
fail. As a pastor, I was constantly asked to pray for some of the most
heart wrenching situations – physical healing, broken relationships,
destitution, addiction, and psychological trauma. Again and again, the
answers “no” or “wait” made no sense. “Yes” seemed the only appropriate
answer to such pleas. When I told people – in response to their
unanswered prayers – that God’s ways were mysterious, it rang hollow in
my ears. Answered prayers began to look more like happy coincidence
than divine intervention.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Even
before I became an atheist, I gave up intercessory prayer. When people
would stand up in church and celebrate the most trivial occurrences as
answered prayers, I felt embarrassed. I knew there were people in the
pews dealing with unanswered prayers about horrific situations. I began
to research the science behind prayer. I discovered there was not a
single study that found prayer capable of altering outcomes unless – and
this is very important – the persons being prayed for knew they were
the objects of prayer. In other words, telling someone you’re praying
for them has a positive effect on them, but praying for them without
telling them is useless. Obviously, the positive impact had nothing to
do with god and a lot to do with human psychology.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>So
for the last few years of my religious life, I tolerated talk of
intercessory prayer. What could it hurt? If people told others they
were praying for them, it brought that person some real comfort. If
people prayed for someone without their knowledge, it did no harm. Most
claims of divine intervention seemed expressions of gratitude rather
than of how the universe worked. People prayed and some disaster was
avoided. People wished for some good outcome and it happened.
Crediting such events to God was gratifying. While there was no
evidence I could see of God intervening in the world, people seemed to
like to think so.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Today,
I no longer see such sentiments as harmless. Hearing them from outside
the confines of religious culture, I am aware of an arrogance and
ugliness to which I had been oblivious. In the past year, I’ve begun to
cringe when I hear statements like “God answers prayer” and “Prayer
works.” I’ve bitten my tongue when people describe some trivial
occurrence as evidence of God’s responsiveness. Do they really think
they are so special? I finally understand why such claims are so
damaging both to the speaker and the hearer.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Consider
this example. When I was sixteen, one of my friends received a brand
new car as a birthday present. As a person driving an old beat up
truck, I was obviously envious, but I understood the inequities of
life. I didn’t get irritated until my friend made it a point at every
opportunity to announce, “Look at this car my parents bought for me.”
Eventually, I avoided him and his car. Of course, there was nothing
wrong with my friend being grateful for the present and for thanking his
parents. What was obnoxious was his constant need to make certain
everyone knew of his good favor.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>This
is how I feel about claims of answered prayer. If you really think God
has intervened on your behalf, thank God and keep it to yourself. The
minute you broadcast that good fortune as divine blessing, your purpose
is no longer gratitude. It is pride and arrogance. You are convinced
at some deep level of God’s special favor. In proclaiming this good
fortune, you are also calling into question the status of everyone
else. When you celebrate even the most amazing occurrences –
successfully overcoming cancer, surviving a tornado, or a sudden and
unexpected financial windfall – you are suggesting those who are dying
of cancer, killed in the tornado or poor and destitute are less favored
by God. Your prayers were answered, but not theirs.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Perhaps
the more graphic examples of this cruelty happened in one of my last
years of ministry. One Sunday, a woman stood to announce that – after
several months – her prayers had been answered and she was pregnant.
Everyone was excited and happy for her, except for me and one other. As
I looked out on the congregation I saw the crestfallen face of a woman
who had recently shared with me her long depression over her
infertility. It wasn’t enough that she would never have children. Now
she had to struggle with why her prayers went unanswered.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>If
there is a god who answers the prayers of some men, women and children,
but ignores the prayers of others, I have no interest in such a god.
That god would be source of inequity and not a god of justice. I would
hate a god who answered trivial requests while ignoring the pleas of the
parents of starving children. However, I don’t think that god or any
other god exists. I think what people claim as answered prayers are
happy coincidences. I don’t begrudge them their good fortune, but I’ve
come to despise their expressions of spiritual privilege. Isn’t it
enough that life is good? Why besmirch the character of those less
fortunate?</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Usually,
I say nothing when people celebrate intercessory prayer, but I don’t
know how much longer I can give my silent assent to such ugliness. I
wish far more Christians obeyed Jesus and did their praying – and their
celebrating of answered prayer – in a closet rather than in the public
square. Those who insist on flaunting their good fortune remind more
and more of my sixteen year old friend – insecure, immature and
insensitive.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b> ==================</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jim
Mulholland spent twenty-five years as a pastor. He wrote several best
selling Christian books and spoke nationally. In 2008, he resigned when
his faith faltered. After several years of transition, Jim published
the book Leaving Your Religion and began writing a blog on becoming
post-religious. You can read more of Jim’s story and reflections
atLeavingYourReligion.com.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>See more at: http://www.patheos.com</b></span></h3>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-84600614463800785672016-02-17T20:56:00.000+01:002016-02-17T20:56:01.188+01:00SCIENTISTS CRASH INTO GOD'S BEDROOM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/correct-me3.jpg?itok=YNdIYWT0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="media-element file-embedded" height="240" src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/correct-me3.jpg?itok=YNdIYWT0" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Five hundred years ago, people in the supposedly
civilized world of that time believed that men had one rib less than
women. The Bible told them that God used one of man's ribs to make a
woman.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span class="container container-pod container-pod-short"></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Nobody bothered to open up a man and count. And nobody asked the
people in other parts of the world who ate human flesh how many ribs men
had. That ignorance persisted until Flemish anatomist, Andreas
Vesalius, in 1543 opened up a man and found out that he had the same
number of ribs as a woman.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>It would take another 400 years before German scientist, Wilhelm
Conrad Roentgen, in 1895 discovered the X-ray. With the discovery of
X-ray we no longer need to open up a man before we can find out how many
ribs he has or which bone is broken or where the coin he swallowed is
lodged.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Until Thursday, February 11, 2016, our universe has been like man-
500 years ago. We cannot touch it. We cannot open it up. We do not know
much of what is inside of it. We call most parts of it dark matter,
black holes, supernova.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>And then, we got an X-ray, sort of.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>I don't know what you were doing on Thursday, February 11th, 2016,
but chances are that 200 years from now, nobody will remember. What
nobody will forget 1000 years from now is that on that day, Albert
Einstein's theory of relativity was proven right. And with that
accomplishment, the 200-year-old arc of wonders started by Michael
Faraday and advanced by Albert Einstein was completed.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Before February 11, 2016, the questions being asked were: Is there a
limit to science? What comes after science has ended? How are the
questions that science cannot answer different from the answers that
religion cannot prove? If laws created the universe as Leonard Mlodinow
and Stephen Hawking argued in “The Grand Design,” who created the laws?
Do laws really make things happen? If the universe did not create
itself, then who created the universe? If God created the universe, then
who created God? Why is the universe there? What is the universe
expanding into? Where did time and space come from and what were they
before they came into existence.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>It is in the nature of science to first study what we know and expand
on it by making a guess- a hypothesis. Using complex tests and
equations that originate from known laws, scientists predict what they
believe is out there- a theory. It is then followed by the difficult
task of proving it in experiments that can be replicated.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The last big puzzle piece of Einstein’s theory of relativity,
gravitational waves, was a path to finding answers to these questions
about our place in the universe. For the last 50 years, the National
Science Foundation had spent over a billion dollars trying to find the
gravitational waves. In the last 25 years, the foundation has spent half
of the money supporting two facilities for this purpose in a project
called Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in
Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington. The facilities house two
4-km long tunnels emptied of all air and at right angles with a mirror
at the end. A laser beam split into two was sent down one tunnel and
reflected back where they are recombined. When gravitational waves pass
the LIGO lasers they will change the pattern of the laser light. Over
one thousand scientists from around the world were working on the
project.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The simplest way to explain gravitational waves is that when you drop
a coin in a bucket of water it causes ripples. Likewise, when mass
moves in the universe it bends time and space, which in turn causes
ripples. This ripple is the gravitational waves. It is often referred to
as the ripple in the space-time curvature.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>On September 11, 2015, the two LIGO facilities detected gravitational
waves in space. The one in Louisiana picked it up first and 7
milliseconds later, the one in Washington picked the same waves up. The
gravitational waves occurred 1.3 billion years ago when two massive
black holes about 30 times the mass of the sun and travelling at half
the speed of light collided. Remember, 1.3 billion years ago when humans
had not appeared on earth and when we were beginning to see the spread
of multicellular life here on earth.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>This is how big a deal this is. In 2012, the CERN’s discovery of the
Higgs particle solidified the standard model of physics and opened up
new ways to understand our physical world. With the detection of
gravitational waves, our interaction with our universe has changed
forever. Not only did this discovery prove Einstein’s theory of
relativity, it also proves the existence of a binary black hole.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Since Michael Faraday discovered the electromagnetic induction in
1831, scientists have been fascinated about how energy is transported.
Working off Faraday’s law, James Clerk Maxwell discovered that magnetic
fields and electrical fields when coupled together lead to
electromagnetic waves. While mechanical waves need a medium to travel
through, electromagnetic waves do not. Meanwhile, German physicist
Heinrich Hertz applied Maxwell's theories to his work on radio waves. He
proved that the velocity of radio waves was equal to the velocity of
light and as such radio waves were a form of light. He also figured out
how electric and magnetic fields transform into electromagnetic waves.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>With an electromagnetic wave, scientists were able to see objects
that emit visible light, like X-rays and gamma rays. That could only
show us objects further back 400,000 years after the big bang. Beyond
that, we were blind. Light could not penetrate the earliest period of
the universe due to interstellar dust. Objects in those spaces do not
emit electromagnetic radiations but instead they emit gravity.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Unlike electromagnetic waves, gravitational waves will pass through
any matter without being distorted. In gravitational waves, we can
retrieve information about astronomical events that happened billions of
years ago. With the discovery of the gravitational waves, we will be
able to see what happened at the initial singularity. Which means it is
now possible to find out what happened seconds after the Big Bang.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>It is going to change everything we think we know.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1915,
it was not clear how to unify forces of nature and quantum gravity. As
scientists start to 'hear' and 'see' black holes, those remnants of dead
stars, the possibilities are endless.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Scientists say that the discovery of gravitational waves is like a
deaf person hearing for the first time or a blind person seeing for the
first time. "It's like Galileo pointing the telescope for the first time
toward the sky," LIGO team member Vassiliki (Vicky) Kalogera, a
professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern University in
Illinois, told Space.com.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Within the reach of scientists is an understanding of the inner
workings of the black hole; what happens in a supernova; what are dead
matter; and a possible look inside of the burnt-out stellar corpse
called neutron stars- a teaspoon of a neutron material weighs up to a
billion tons.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>An advanced LIGO three times more sensitive than the old LIGO that
discovered the gravitational waves is already in place to take mankind
to a new frontier.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Michael Faraday’s work on electricity and electromagnetic induction
made it possible for us to have electricity, satellite, cell phone,
cars, internet, and all the modern gadgets that make us have a better
understanding of our world. With the discovery of the gravitational
waves, we can now understand better how galaxies and stars are formed
and their evolution. One thing is for sure- just like the X-ray, the
radio wave and the electromagnetic waves have enhanced our knowledge of
our place in the universe, gravitational waves is poised to lead us to
objects we never imagined.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Scientists have crashed into God’s bedroom and in the fullness of
time, it will be clear that our understanding of our place in the
universe has changed forever.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">By Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo<b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>.................................................................................................................</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo's latest work is This American Life Sef! It is available on Amazon.com</b></span></h3>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-54360760440378452312016-02-16T17:34:00.000+01:002016-02-22T17:38:49.879+01:00WEIRD: A LIVING CHILD RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY PASTOR<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/1732485_chrisokafor_jpeg81f676b04fc821e3b742e01fac881eda" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/1732485_chrisokafor_jpeg81f676b04fc821e3b742e01fac881eda" height="228" width="320" /></a></b></span></h3>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Pastor Chris
Okafor, 45, the founder of Mountain of Liberation and Miracle ministry
(also called Liberation City) has further exposed the gullibility and
ignorance of the Nigerian christian when it comes to claims of miracles.
One week ago, I heard that he had raised a child from the dead, but I
did not write about it as I could find no video. I knew of course that
it was a lie, but I needed to prove it was, and the video below in which
he puts up a show for his congregation two Sundays ago was all the
proof I needed.</b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></b></span></h3>
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</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/--yrVMSTJkE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/--yrVMSTJkE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></h3>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>From around the
1:30 mark, he carries the 'dead' child to the altar where he lays her
down, and she can be clearly seen, as the camera zooms in, to be
breathing, and that her eyes are wide open. He then pours 'holy water'
on her and she of course reacts to water being splashed on her face to
a tumultuous applause from the congregation. The only extraordinary
thing that happened was that the thousands gathered there that Sunday
morning were too blinded by their utterly absurd christian beliefs to
even notice that the child was alive. What is wrong with these people?
The story was that the parents of the child who fell ill rushed her to
the church instead of a hospital, and this is actually a very
normal occurrence in Nigeria. It was reported that the child died just
before they got to church, and she was promptly handed over to the
pastor who resurrected her.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
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</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mr Okafor, also
known as 'the oracle' is separated from his wife, with whom he has four
children, amid allegations, from her, of physical abuse. His miracle is
no different from <a href="http://nigeriananarchist.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/nigerian-faith-healer-grows-shortened.html" target="_blank">this one</a>
I wrote about where another Nigerian pastor purportedly grew a
shortened limb. It is extremely saddening that these charlatans
and fraudsters are allowed to get away with so much flimflam. Those who
speak out against them are shouted down and warned not to invite the
wrath of the christian god for speaking out against a 'man of God'.
Well, I will continue to expose their deceit and villainy and wait for
the wrath of God. For now, God is certainly feeling mine.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>
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<span itemprop="name">Nigerian Anarchist</span></a></span></span></b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="post-author vcard"><span class="fn" itemprop="author" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Heading Edited by me. </span></span></span><span class="post-timestamp"><a class="timestamp-link" href="http://nigeriananarchist.blogspot.sn/2016/02/nigerian-pastor-resurrects-dead-child.html" rel="bookmark" title="permanent link"><abbr class="published" itemprop="datePublished" title="2016-02-15T19:19:00Z"></abbr></a>
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Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-43082369507603756322016-02-09T20:35:00.000+01:002016-02-10T20:36:07.957+01:00WHO IS GOD?<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><a data-beacon="{"p":{"mnid":"entry_text","lnid":"citation","mpid":0}}" href="http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/god" target="_hplink">"I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability." <br />
― Oscar Wilde</a></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Some time ago I was sitting with a group of people who were intrigued
by me; and kept on asking me questions about my work. One of them
finally asked "What religion do you follow?" I'm always weary of this
question so I said in a diplomatic way "Well I believe that there is a
superior being that has created us all, I call Him God. He is everywhere
and all around us and is plain simple love." And then the dreaded
question "What is your God called, who is He?"</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>It was one of those questions that had come to my mind so many times
before -- is my God different than yours? Is yours better than mine?
Does that mean that there is more than one creator of the Universe if
people from different religions have different gods? Am I right to
believe in a certain God while you are wrong because you don't agree
with what I call my God? Who IS God?</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>From the beginning of time humans believed in a higher power,
something bigger and more powerful than themselves. They needed to
believe in someone who had inconceivable powers and was so much bigger
than themselves and also to answer the big mysteries of the world. So
they worshiped the sun, the moon, fire and even created gods of the
seas. Anything explainable was considered an extension of the holiness
of God even love and beauty intrigued humans and they made goddesses of
love and beauty.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When I look into my heart and think about God or as I'm told "my God", this is who He is:<br />
1- He is my friend and confidant<br />
2- He is everywhere all around me in the littlest corners of the world<br />
3- God doesn't reside in some holy building where I need to go to find
Him; he lives inside of me in the deepest darkest corners of my heart.<br />
4- He is not there to just make me feel small but he sees my successes as his own, as I am created by Him.<br />
5- God is love, the love I see and feel everywhere<br />
6- He talks to me through my heart and soul- if I only listened <br />
7- Religious rituals don't bring me closer to Him but loving his creations does</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>I know that God, Allah, Jesus, Bhagwan, Buddha are all names of the
same higher power that created all of us. The same powerful being that
created all of us from love, yet we separate ourselves from each other
trying to prove that our religion is better than the other. We are
fighting wars, killing people trying to prove how we are the righteous
ones and it is our right to demean and destroy others who don't agree
with our religious rituals or the name we give to our creator. What we
need to remember is the <br />
My God or yours-God is Love and that is all that we need to know.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<div class="follow-author">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
Follow Tami Shaikh on Twitter:
<a class="follow-author__link" data-beacon="{"p":{"mnid":"entry_text","lnid":"citation","mpid":1}}" href="http://www.twitter.com/Tamik100" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/Tamik100</a></b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tami-shaikh/who-is-god_2_b_9165058.html?</b></span>
</h3>
</div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-10778128816914152202016-02-07T11:58:00.000+01:002016-02-07T11:58:46.840+01:00WHY 'MEN OF GOD' DONT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The kingdom of God is not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.” </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>In Nigeria, “Men of God” come by the dozen. You see them regularly on television. They are fixtures in newspapers and magazines. They always have something noble to say on the radio. They sit on the high table at every major social gathering or event. They are the counselors and prayer gurus of presidents, governors and other public officials. There is only one problem with “Men of God:” they don’t inherit the kingdom of God. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>“Men of God” don’t go to heaven for a simple reason; the kingdom of God is not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.” Indeed, it is not just for children, it is for “little children.” Jesus says: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jesus’ “assuredly” should be enough to convince the prudent. Nevertheless, many still insist on being “Men of God” instead of “little children of God.” Jesus says children are representative of the citizens of the kingdom of God. (Matthew 10:14). Therefore, every time you see a so-called “Man of God,” know that “of such is not the kingdom of heaven.” Like Nicodemus, “Men of God” need to be “born again” so they can become “children of God.” (John 3:3).</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Bigmanism </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Check out the handbill of a church crusade, outreach or any other program and you will see how boastful it is about the preacher and his ministry. “God has been using this pastor to depopulate hell.” “Pastor John has been raised by God to do mighty works in these end-times.” “This man is anointed for stupendous and bombastic signs and wonders.” The more boastful, the greater the public appeal. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>However, Jesus had a healthy disregard for public appeal. He shunned the glory of men. When the people insisted on making him a king, he ran up the mountain. When he healed people, he often instructed them to tell no one about it. (Matthew 9:30). When he raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead, he told her family members to make sure no one knew about it. (Mark 5:43). When a man in the synagogue acknowledged him grandiloquently as the Holy One of God, he told him to keep quiet and promptly cast the demon out of him. (Mark 1:23-25). </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The Zebedee brothers wanted to be “big men” in Christ’s kingdom. They even brought their Mama to plea-bargain with Jesus for such special status. But Jesus warned them and the other disciples that such striving for pre-eminence was inappropriate in God’s kingdom. He said to them: “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28). </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Celebrity pastors </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When a Lagos pastor invited Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House, Dallas (Texas) to minister in Nigeria, he spent over thirty minutes introducing the great “Man of God.” He ended the introduction literally on his knees before the bishop. The “great Man” accepted the worship. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Another church invited yet another American superstar to Lagos; the gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The pastor’s introduction was equally effusive. But when he finished, Franklin refused to get up from his seat. When he finally obliged, he complained that he was merely a singer and not Jesus Christ. Such an introduction, he insisted, was totally inappropriate. The psalmist prays: “May the LORD cut off all flattering lips.” (Psalm 12:3). </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jesus says all men will hate us because of him. (Matthew 10:22). This means if they love us, we are not his. He says furthermore: “You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14/16). How can we have a private faith when we are supposed to be the light of the world? Light must be seen. How can people see our good works and yet not glorify us? </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The difference between “Men of God” and “children of God” lies in the ability to unravel this kingdom dynamic. People see the good works of “Men of God” and glorify them. Because they receive glory from men, their good works in the world become bad works according to the estimation of the kingdom of God. However, people see the good works of “children of God” but don’t glorify them. They only glorify God. This happens because “children of God” consciously and deliberately leave themselves out of the equation. They do their good works in secret. Their right hand is not allowed to know what their left hand is doing. They don’t stand up or raise their hands in church to make lavish donations. Instead, they write anonymous cheques by issuing bank drafts. They give money to people and organizations that don’t know them and therefore cannot thank them in person. All they are able to do is to thank God for whoever they are.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Ungodly charity </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Where charitable acts are concerned, Christians should practice self-abnegation. We should not be seen. Our light must shine but we must not shine. Do we carry our bibles publicly? Do we litter our speech with vignettes of scripture? Do we drop one “hallelujah” here and another “praise the Lord” there? Do we hold hands to pray before eating at home or in a restaurant? Do we bring all-comers up to speed with jaw-dropping testimonies about the wonderful works we are doing for the Lord? Then we have missed the way of Christ. Then we are on “Broadway” and have derailed from the narrow path that leads to life. Jesus says: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1). This means conspicuous charitable organizations are ungodly. Yes, that includes even the Red Cross. Once they are formal and institutionalized, they attest to man’s righteousness and not to the righteousness of God. It also means charitable programs organized by churches are ungodly. They are acts of righteousness put on public display; therefore they do not speak the righteousness of Christ. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>God-ward devotion </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jesus warns that if our righteousness does not exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees we will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20). The righteousness of the Pharisee is public: the righteousness of the son of God is private. The righteousness of the Pharisee is designed to attract public commendation. Jesus says: “Everything they do is done for show.” (Matthew 23:5). But the righteousness of the son of God has just one objective: the keeping of God’s commandments. Jesus teaches that private faith is far more important than public faith. Private faith purifies the heart. It makes us honest and not two-faced. It makes our devotion God-ward. The wise man says: “The purity of silver and gold can be tested in a crucible, but a man is tested by his reaction to men’s praise.” (Proverbs 27:21).</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>By Femi Aribisala</b></span></h3>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>By Femi Aribisala<br /><br /> Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/why-men-of-god-dont-inherit-the-kingdom-of-god/</b></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The kingdom of God is
not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.”
In Nigeria, “Men of God” come by the dozen. You see them regularly on
television. They are fixtures in newspapers and magazines. They always
have something noble to say on the radio. They sit on the high table at
every major social gathering or event. They are the counselors and
prayer gurus of presidents, governors and other public officials. There
is only one problem with “Men of God:” they don’t inherit the kingdom of
God.
“Men of God” don’t go to heaven for a simple reason; the kingdom of God
is not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.” Indeed, it is
not just for children, it is for “little children.” Jesus says:
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little
children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew
18:3).
Jesus’ “assuredly” should be enough to convince the prudent.
Nevertheless, many still insist on being “Men of God” instead of “little
children of God.” Jesus says children are representative of the
citizens of the kingdom of God. (Matthew 10:14). Therefore, every time
you see a so-called “Man of God,” know that “of such is not the kingdom
of heaven.” Like Nicodemus, “Men of God” need to be “born again” so they
can become “children of God.” (John 3:3).
Bigmanism
Check out the handbill of a church crusade, outreach or any other
program and you will see how boastful it is about the preacher and his
ministry. “God has been using this pastor to depopulate hell.” “Pastor
John has been raised by God to do mighty works in these end-times.”
“This man is anointed for stupendous and bombastic signs and wonders.”
The more boastful, the greater the public appeal.
However, Jesus had a healthy disregard for public appeal. He shunned the
glory of men. When the people insisted on making him a king, he ran up
the mountain. When he healed people, he often instructed them to tell no
one about it. (Matthew 9:30). When he raised Jairus’ daughter from the
dead, he told her family members to make sure no one knew about it.
(Mark 5:43). When a man in the synagogue acknowledged him
grandiloquently as the Holy One of God, he told him to keep quiet and
promptly cast the demon out of him. (Mark 1:23-25).
The Zebedee brothers wanted to be “big men” in Christ’s kingdom. They
even brought their Mama to plea-bargain with Jesus for such special
status. But Jesus warned them and the other disciples that such striving
for pre-eminence was inappropriate in God’s kingdom. He said to them:
“Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And
whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28).
Celebrity pastors
When a Lagos pastor invited Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House,
Dallas (Texas) to minister in Nigeria, he spent over thirty minutes
introducing the great “Man of God.” He ended the introduction literally
on his knees before the bishop. The “great Man” accepted the worship.
Another church invited yet another American superstar to Lagos; the
gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The pastor’s introduction was equally
effusive. But when he finished, Franklin refused to get up from his
seat. When he finally obliged, he complained that he was merely a singer
and not Jesus Christ. Such an introduction, he insisted, was totally
inappropriate. The psalmist prays: “May the LORD cut off all flattering
lips.” (Psalm 12:3).
Jesus says all men will hate us because of him. (Matthew 10:22). This
means if they love us, we are not his. He says furthermore: “You are the
light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew
5:14/16). How can we have a private faith when we are supposed to be the
light of the world? Light must be seen. How can people see our good
works and yet not glorify us?
The difference between “Men of God” and “children of God” lies in the
ability to unravel this kingdom dynamic. People see the good works of
“Men of God” and glorify them. Because they receive glory from men,
their good works in the world become bad works according to the
estimation of the kingdom of God. However, people see the good works of
“children of God” but don’t glorify them. They only glorify God.
This happens because “children of God” consciously and deliberately
leave themselves out of the equation. They do their good works in
secret. Their right hand is not allowed to know what their left hand is
doing. They don’t stand up or raise their hands in church to make lavish
donations. Instead, they write anonymous cheques by issuing bank
drafts. They give money to people and organisations that don’t know them
and therefore cannot thank them in person. All they are able to do is
to thank God for whoever they are.
Ungodly charity
Where charitable acts are concerned, Christians should practice
self-abnegation. We should not be seen. Our light must shine but we must
not shine. Do we carry our bibles publicly? Do we litter our speech
with vignettes of scripture? Do we drop one “hallelujah” here and
another “praise the Lord” there? Do we hold hands to pray before eating
at home or in a restaurant?
Do we bring all-comers up to speed with jaw-dropping testimonies about
the wonderful works we are doing for the Lord? Then we have missed the
way of Christ. Then we are on “Broadway” and have derailed from the
narrow path that leads to life. Jesus says: “Be careful not to do your
‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you
will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1).
This means conspicuous charitable organisations are ungodly. Yes, that
includes even the Red Cross. Once they are formal and institutionalised,
they attest to man’s righteousness and not to the righteousness of God.
It also means charitable programs organised by churches are ungodly.
They are acts of righteousness put on public display; therefore they do
not speak the righteousness of Christ.
God-ward devotion
Jesus warns that if our righteousness does not exceed that of the
scribes and the Pharisees we will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven. (Matthew 5:20). The righteousness of the Pharisee is public: the
righteousness of the son of God is private. The righteousness of the
Pharisee is designed to attract public commendation. Jesus says:
“Everything they do is done for show.” (Matthew 23:5). But the
righteousness of the son of God has just one objective: the keeping of
God’s commandments.
Jesus teaches that private faith is far more important than public
faith. Private faith purifies the heart. It makes us honest and not
two-faced. It makes our devotion God-ward. The wise man says: “The
purity of silver and gold can be tested in a crucible, but a man is
tested by his reaction to men’s praise.” (Proverbs 27:21).<br /><br /> Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/why-men-of-god-dont-inherit-the-kingdom-of-god/</b></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The kingdom of God is
not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.”
In Nigeria, “Men of God” come by the dozen. You see them regularly on
television. They are fixtures in newspapers and magazines. They always
have something noble to say on the radio. They sit on the high table at
every major social gathering or event. They are the counselors and
prayer gurus of presidents, governors and other public officials. There
is only one problem with “Men of God:” they don’t inherit the kingdom of
God.
“Men of God” don’t go to heaven for a simple reason; the kingdom of God
is not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.” Indeed, it is
not just for children, it is for “little children.” Jesus says:
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little
children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew
18:3).
Jesus’ “assuredly” should be enough to convince the prudent.
Nevertheless, many still insist on being “Men of God” instead of “little
children of God.” Jesus says children are representative of the
citizens of the kingdom of God. (Matthew 10:14). Therefore, every time
you see a so-called “Man of God,” know that “of such is not the kingdom
of heaven.” Like Nicodemus, “Men of God” need to be “born again” so they
can become “children of God.” (John 3:3).
Bigmanism
Check out the handbill of a church crusade, outreach or any other
program and you will see how boastful it is about the preacher and his
ministry. “God has been using this pastor to depopulate hell.” “Pastor
John has been raised by God to do mighty works in these end-times.”
“This man is anointed for stupendous and bombastic signs and wonders.”
The more boastful, the greater the public appeal.
However, Jesus had a healthy disregard for public appeal. He shunned the
glory of men. When the people insisted on making him a king, he ran up
the mountain. When he healed people, he often instructed them to tell no
one about it. (Matthew 9:30). When he raised Jairus’ daughter from the
dead, he told her family members to make sure no one knew about it.
(Mark 5:43). When a man in the synagogue acknowledged him
grandiloquently as the Holy One of God, he told him to keep quiet and
promptly cast the demon out of him. (Mark 1:23-25).
The Zebedee brothers wanted to be “big men” in Christ’s kingdom. They
even brought their Mama to plea-bargain with Jesus for such special
status. But Jesus warned them and the other disciples that such striving
for pre-eminence was inappropriate in God’s kingdom. He said to them:
“Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And
whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28).
Celebrity pastors
When a Lagos pastor invited Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House,
Dallas (Texas) to minister in Nigeria, he spent over thirty minutes
introducing the great “Man of God.” He ended the introduction literally
on his knees before the bishop. The “great Man” accepted the worship.
Another church invited yet another American superstar to Lagos; the
gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The pastor’s introduction was equally
effusive. But when he finished, Franklin refused to get up from his
seat. When he finally obliged, he complained that he was merely a singer
and not Jesus Christ. Such an introduction, he insisted, was totally
inappropriate. The psalmist prays: “May the LORD cut off all flattering
lips.” (Psalm 12:3).
Jesus says all men will hate us because of him. (Matthew 10:22). This
means if they love us, we are not his. He says furthermore: “You are the
light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew
5:14/16). How can we have a private faith when we are supposed to be the
light of the world? Light must be seen. How can people see our good
works and yet not glorify us?
The difference between “Men of God” and “children of God” lies in the
ability to unravel this kingdom dynamic. People see the good works of
“Men of God” and glorify them. Because they receive glory from men,
their good works in the world become bad works according to the
estimation of the kingdom of God. However, people see the good works of
“children of God” but don’t glorify them. They only glorify God.
This happens because “children of God” consciously and deliberately
leave themselves out of the equation. They do their good works in
secret. Their right hand is not allowed to know what their left hand is
doing. They don’t stand up or raise their hands in church to make lavish
donations. Instead, they write anonymous cheques by issuing bank
drafts. They give money to people and organisations that don’t know them
and therefore cannot thank them in person. All they are able to do is
to thank God for whoever they are.
Ungodly charity
Where charitable acts are concerned, Christians should practice
self-abnegation. We should not be seen. Our light must shine but we must
not shine. Do we carry our bibles publicly? Do we litter our speech
with vignettes of scripture? Do we drop one “hallelujah” here and
another “praise the Lord” there? Do we hold hands to pray before eating
at home or in a restaurant?
Do we bring all-comers up to speed with jaw-dropping testimonies about
the wonderful works we are doing for the Lord? Then we have missed the
way of Christ. Then we are on “Broadway” and have derailed from the
narrow path that leads to life. Jesus says: “Be careful not to do your
‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you
will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1).
This means conspicuous charitable organisations are ungodly. Yes, that
includes even the Red Cross. Once they are formal and institutionalised,
they attest to man’s righteousness and not to the righteousness of God.
It also means charitable programs organised by churches are ungodly.
They are acts of righteousness put on public display; therefore they do
not speak the righteousness of Christ.
God-ward devotion
Jesus warns that if our righteousness does not exceed that of the
scribes and the Pharisees we will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven. (Matthew 5:20). The righteousness of the Pharisee is public: the
righteousness of the son of God is private. The righteousness of the
Pharisee is designed to attract public commendation. Jesus says:
“Everything they do is done for show.” (Matthew 23:5). But the
righteousness of the son of God has just one objective: the keeping of
God’s commandments.
Jesus teaches that private faith is far more important than public
faith. Private faith purifies the heart. It makes us honest and not
two-faced. It makes our devotion God-ward. The wise man says: “The
purity of silver and gold can be tested in a crucible, but a man is
tested by his reaction to men’s praise.” (Proverbs 27:21).<br /><br /> Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/why-men-of-god-dont-inherit-the-kingdom-of-god/</b></span></h3>
</div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-68661330586056272042016-02-02T14:57:00.000+01:002016-02-04T14:59:05.914+01:00WHEN "I DON'T KNOW" IS THE BEST ANSWER<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
Creation stories attempt to explain the creation of the Earth (or
universe) and the creation of humans (or of life on Earth). There are
hundreds of creation stories but let's just imagine there are only two:
the Jewish story and the Norse story.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> The Norse story says the
god Odin battled the ice giant Ymir. After an epic battle, Odin defeated
Ymir and used the giant's body parts to create the Earth--his blood
formed the rivers and seas, his bones the mountains, his hair formed the
trees, and the sky was made from his skull. Humans came from the
giant's armpits.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> The Jewish story says that Yahweh created the
universe by thinking it into existence. He made a man from dust and a
woman from the man's rib. He created everything that exists in just six
days.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> More than a thousand years later, humans invented a new way
of explaining things. They looked at facts (evidence) and formulated
possible explanations that were consistent with the facts. They called
these explanations 'hypotheses'. Then they asked, if this hypothesis is
true, what further evidence should we expect to find? And what evidence
would prove the hypothesis false? They searched for evidence or carried
out experiments and discarded falsified hypotheses. They continued to
test, debate and refine surviving hypotheses until they explained the
facts extremely well.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> This process has proven phenomenally
successful. It is now known as the scientific method. We know it works
because we create tools from its successful hypotheses and these tools
work. My computer is such a tool. So are passenger jets, cars,
medicines, televisions, eye glasses and space rockets. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> So here
we are in the second decade of the 21st century, and we have a choice.
What should we believe about how the universe came to be? We can chose
the Jewish creation story or the Norse creation story or we can see what
science can tell us.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Science has formulated a handful of
hypotheses to explain the origin of the universe but they are very
difficult to test. Work is proceeding but we cannot yet be confident
that any of these hypotheses are correct. Right now, science can only
say, "We don't know".</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> What will you bet on:<br /> The guess made three thousand years ago by the Jews?<br /> The guess made almost two thousand years ago by the Norse people?<br /> Or will you say, I don't know?</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Only one of these answers makes sense.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>By Bill Flavell </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span></span></b></span></h3>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-4894734862360564172016-01-23T11:40:00.000+01:002016-02-17T11:40:41.774+01:00NHS PSYCHIATRIST PRESCRIBES NIGERIAN CHURCH TO PATIENT<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA1L5OIMJAfShi-82BdUTUYqAHjHqmdt7BbqxxFsWktWxJXsKiH2ETy3E9F9G0VKcQOeHRBErPdwYmX0LHDDHYI6rtE6hHOYEdN6TLhyphenhyphenNZAvswwljeLCb6Ajup4hTw-h1rcIcH-4SJbk/s1600/kq9la7bc.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA1L5OIMJAfShi-82BdUTUYqAHjHqmdt7BbqxxFsWktWxJXsKiH2ETy3E9F9G0VKcQOeHRBErPdwYmX0LHDDHYI6rtE6hHOYEdN6TLhyphenhyphenNZAvswwljeLCb6Ajup4hTw-h1rcIcH-4SJbk/s320/kq9la7bc.bmp" width="283" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Dr Julius Awakame,
pictured above, a 50 year old Ghanaian psychiatrist in the UK, is in
danger of being struck off the General Medical Council's (GMC) register
for allegedly <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3409895/A-NHS-psychiatrist-told-satanist-patient-help-24-hour-church-TV-channel-Nigeria-possessed-demonic-forces.html" target="_blank">telling his patient to seek help from a Nigerian church</a> for her 'possession' by demonic forces. </b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>His
patient, who happens to be a satanist, was, according to Dr Awakame's
medical history notes on January 23 2014, the subject of satanic ritual
abuse and in his parochial opinion, she could not be helped by medical
science since there were special forces at play. He recommended the "<a href="http://nigeriananarchist.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/morning-water.html" target="_blank">nice holy water</a>"
from the church and even confided in a psychiatric nurse, who had
enquired about his patient's condition, that she was indeed possessed.
He was fired the next month from the North Essex Foundation Trust, which
also passed his case on to the GMC.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>His misconduct is
being heard in Manchester where the panel was told that Dr Awakame gave
his patient the website of the church tv station (which he
said specialised in handling cases like hers) to access, even after
being made aware she had a Dissociative Identity, a personality
disorder. He told her that her demonic possession was a result of all
the static rituals she had undergone, and that she should consider
writing a book. The distraught woman said she had "switched off" after
hearing her doctor tell her that no psychiatrist or psychologist could
help her, the same way her parents had told her, throughout her
childhood, that no one would believe, or help her.</b></span></h3>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>I have no doubt
that the 24 hour online tv station is Emmanuel tv, owned by prophet TB
Joshua, the leader and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations
(SCOAN). Mr Joshua brazenly promotes his 'prophetic' and deliverance
(exorcism) abilities on his Emmanuel tv, and also the ability to heal
all sorts of ailments. He has been mired in more controversy following
the death of at least 108 persons after an illegal multi-storey
guesthouse which was still under construction near his church,
collapsed. He was also <a href="http://nigeriananarchist.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/where-was-tb-joshua.html" target="_blank">inexplicably absent</a> for at least six months, only to resurface dramatically a few days into the new year, and consequently <a href="http://nigeriananarchist.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/trial-of-prophet-tb-joshua-and-his.html" target="_blank">missed the first day of his trial</a>, last November, for his involvement in the deaths caused by his collapsed building.</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>It is not
surprising that Dr Awakame would do this, given his origins, but it
grossly undermines his education (he has a masters degree from the
University of London, and a PhD from the University of Leeds, as well as
a medical degree from Ghana) that he should even be party to such an
absurdity. Like they say, "you can take the monkey out of the jungle,
but you cannot take the jungle out of the monkey," and "a pig in a suit
is still a pig."</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Kudos to Vinotemia for the link.</b></span></h3>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span class="post-author vcard">Posted by
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<span itemprop="name">Nigerian Anarchist</span></a></span></span><span class="post-timestamp"><a class="timestamp-link" href="http://nigeriananarchist.blogspot.sn/2016/01/nhs-psychiatrist-prescribes-nigerian.html" rel="bookmark" title="permanent link"><abbr class="published" itemprop="datePublished" title="2016-01-23T08:51:00Z"></abbr></a>
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</h3>
</div>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-28546622290121375412016-01-17T23:50:00.000+01:002016-02-02T23:53:11.670+01:00GETTING CHIEFTAINCY TITTLES IN THE CHURCH<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When Christ called his disciples, he did not instruct them to
register in Bible schools, go to theological seminaries or get degrees
as Masters of Divinity. </b></span>
</h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When I wrote my first Christian book, I sent free copies to many
pastors in Lagos. One of those to whom I sent a copy sent it back with
“return to sender” written on the package, even though it was addressed
to his church office. I thought this was strange until Lucky Polete
asked to see the package. When I showed it to him, he said: “No wonder.
That is a wrong address.”</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>“What is wrong with it?” I asked. “He is not a pastor. He is a
bishop,” Lucky replied. “If you don’t address it correctly, it will not
be given to him.”</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>I thought Lucky’s idea a bit far-fetched. Why would a bishop return a
gift because it was addressed to him as pastor? But I was curious to
see if there was any truth to Lucky’s position. Therefore, I changed
the title to “bishop” and instructed my secretary to send the package
again to the same address. </b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Guess what happened? This time, not only did the book get to the man, he wrote me a reply in person, thanking me for it. </b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Vanity of vanities</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>How can anyone reconcile Jesus’ demand that his disciples shun
highfalutin titles with the myriad of chieftaincy titles Christians
award themselves today? We call some people Overseers, Wardens,
Provosts, Knights of John Wesley, Guild of Stewards, Cardinals and
Popes. We address some as those of old addressed God. We call them
“Monsignor” (“My Lord”), “Venerable,” “Your Eminence,” “Your Grace,”
“Holy Father,” and “Supreme Pontiff.” We even have a “Vicar of Christ,”
which means Vice-Messiah.</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jesus is particularly scathing about this. He says of the religious
elite: “Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer
shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the
head table at church dinners, basking in the prominent positions,
preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees,
and getting called ‘Doctor’ and ‘Reverend’. Don’t let people do that
to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher,
and you are all classmates.” (Matthew 23:5-8).</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Divine validation</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>True servants of God don’t need human pedigrees or validation. Amos
says: “I’m not a prophet! And I wasn’t trained to be a prophet. I am a
shepherd, and I take care of fig trees. But the LORD told me to leave my
herds and preach to the people of Israel. And here you are, telling me
not to preach!” (Amos 7:14-16). They told Amos not to preach because he
was not a graduate from their bible colleges. He did not have their
spiritual certification.</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>However, Jesus says: “that which is highly esteemed among men is
abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15). Titles and positions of
honour are highly esteemed among men. Therefore, they are abominable
to God. Seminaries and Bible Colleges need the approval of the state.
This makes them of men and not of God. Credentials are used to gain and
impress the world. But we are to love neither the world nor the things
in the world. (1 John 2:15).</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>When Christ called his disciples, he did not instruct them to
register in Bible schools, go to theological seminaries or get degrees
as Masters of Divinity. He taught them by himself then told them to
wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8). </b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The Holy Spirit is our certification. Jesus says: “when the
Comforter has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit
of truth who proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John
15:26). If we are truly working in the Lord’s vineyard, the Holy Spirit
will also testify of us. This is what happened with the Apostles: “God
also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with
different kinds of miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to
his own will.” (Hebrews 2:4).</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Validation of Jesus</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Everything physical or natural about Jesus was designed to make
natural men have little regard for him. It pleased God that Jesus
should be inadequate according to all those superficial standards the
world holds dear. He was born in a manger. He settled in a
non-descript town, so much so that someone asked: “Can there be any good
thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). </b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jesus came from a poor background. His father was a mere carpenter.
Jesus did not go to school. Neither was he a graduate of some
theological seminary. Therefore, the Jews marveled about him, asking:
“How does this man know letters, having never studied?” (John 7:15).</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>By God’s deliberate design, Jesus was not even a Levite but was from
the tribe of Judah. Therefore, he was not a priest and could not have
been a priest according to the Law of Moses. He had no civil or
ecclesiastical authority as a Jew. Nevertheless, signs and wonders
followed him wherever he went. Thus, the Jewish religious elite
demanded of him: “By what authority do you do these things? And who gave
you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23). </b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The Pharisees maintained only they and the rulers of the Jews had the
authority to validate a man’s ministry. So they denigrated Jesus:
“Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?” (John
7:49). Since they refused to certify that Jesus was a prophet, they
were convinced he did not have a leg to stand on. </b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Church of men</b></span></h3>
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</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>But Jesus was contemptuous of man’s validation. He did not only
refuse to submit to their authority, he insisted their authority was
invalid because it came from men and not from God. Therefore, he asked
them: “Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or
merely some human being?” (Luke 20:4). Clearly, John’s authority came
from God and not from men.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>John the Baptist did not establish a bible school and insist men must
register and take courses before they can be baptised. Nevertheless,
in most churches today, you have to take several weeks of bible study
before you can be baptised. Isaac and Rebecca did not have to take ten
spiritual classes before they were married. But that is de rigueur in
some churches.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Some even insist a man must have such worldly things as a cooker, a
fridge and a television before he can be allowed to get married. Some
have blood-tests as a prerequisite and refuse to marry anyone who is
HIV-positive. Others refuse to marry those whose blood-types makes them
susceptible to having children with sickle-cell anaemia.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>In short, our churches are the churches of men. They insist on the
credentials of men when God clearly has no regard for them. Our pastors
establish their own commandments that take men back to Egypt.</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jesus was oh so different from the pastors of today. Mark says Jesus
taught as one that had authority and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:22).
Jesus himself says the works he does in the name of the Lord are his
credentials. (John 10:25). When a man raises the dead back to life, he
does not need human validation. “If we receive the witness of men, the
witness of God is greater.” (1 John 5:9).</b></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> By Femi Aribisala </b></span></h3>
Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-85489299276717782972016-01-04T18:59:00.000+01:002016-01-04T18:59:05.949+01:00NIGERIANS ARE SLAVES TO DICTATORS ON THE PULPIT<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><img class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" height="320" src="http://www.konnectafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/idahosa1.jpg" style="height: 369px; width: 320px;" width="277" /> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>As
a child, I remember the antics of the likes of the late Benson Idahosa
(pictured above), Patrick Ngozi Anwuzia (Zoe Ministries), and later Ayo
Oritsejafor (current president of the Christian Association of Nigeria)
along with his regular guest prosperity preacher, Reinhard Bonnke, who
used to grace our screens with their miracle crusades which featured
testimonies of the blind regaining their sight, the deaf being able to
hear, and those in wheelchairs getting up and walking, or even running. </b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>One
thing that struck me then was the way my dad and his friends sneered at
these televised miracles while quaffing bottles of beer in our living
room. They doubted the veracity of these miracles, but they still held
strongly to, and never once (at least not to my hearing), questioned
their christian beliefs. Chris Oyakhilome (pictured below) enacted these
same 'miracles' in the late 90's and early noughties in his very
popular 'Atmosphere for Miracles' program which was banned by the
Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation in 2004, and South Africa did the same
to his miracle broadcasts sometime in 2011. Mr Oyakhilome was recently
divorced from his wife, pastor Anita, who has accused him of repeated
emotional, physical, and psychological abuse, and infidelity. Let me
share a personal experience of the deadliness of these miracle healing
pig fart. A friend of my younger brother suddenly 'disappeared' in their
fourth year of secondary school in the mid 90's. It turned out he had a
brain tumour for which he underwent a very expensive, but sadly
unsuccessful, surgery at the University College Hospital in Ibadan,
south west Nigeria. The symptoms included some really violent seizures
and very bad headaches. It was a traumatic time for this poor family
whose resources were drained by this unfortunate illness. One day, I saw
the young boy, on the tv, on stage with pastor Chris (as he is commonly
addressed) during one of his 'atmosphere for miracles' program. My
brother's friend claimed to have been healed and even did the usual
'victory (over the devil) lap' on stage with pastor Chris. He died at
home about a week later. His name was Eta Ikomi; I will never forget
him.</b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://cdn.akamai.thisdaylive.com/0bef99d6-acf5-4e2c-9779-8fa02ba3fcd4/assets/230912F.Chris-Oyakhilome.jpg?maxwidth=400&maxheight=540" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://cdn.akamai.thisdaylive.com/0bef99d6-acf5-4e2c-9779-8fa02ba3fcd4/assets/230912F.Chris-Oyakhilome.jpg?maxwidth=400&maxheight=540" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
<br />
Of course there are still those who claim to perform such miracles
today, but in this day of the social media and smart phones with HD
video recording capabilities, it has become quite difficult to stage
such 'miracles'. Many still do, but most of what they do today could
pass for a magic show on stage by a veteran illusionist, but the
difference here is that stage magicians do not claim any extraordinary
or supernatural powers. We all know they are tricks, but we continue to
be amazed at how they are able to fool us so convincingly. James Randi, a
sceptic and stage magician, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Popoff#Investigation_by_James_Randi" target="_blank">exposed Peter Popoff as a fraud in May of 1986</a>.
Randi was able to prove that Popoff relied on radio messages from his
wife to accurately tell those who came to him for 'healing' their names,
addresses and ailments. Megalomaniacs like David Oyedepo, who regularly
boasts about his relationship with God on the pulpit, is a seasoned
bully, conman, and liar. He has so far been unable to translate this
relationship into a cure for his diabetic wife. Mrs Faith Oyedepo has a
history of long absences from public appearances and nearly had her leg
amputated after a small injury following a fall. She spent weeks in
hospital in South Africa as doctors battled to save her leg. We can
begin to ask these people very uncomfortable questions, because our
monies, reverence for them, and culpable silence, keep them comfortable
and snug, and enable them to continue to devise ingenious ways to fleece
us.<br />
<br />
We should not forget the last moments of many dictators such as Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, and <span style="color: #1c1c1c;">Nicolae Ceaușescu </span>who had ruled their countries with iron fists<span style="color: #1c1c1c;">;
they were all scared to die in the end. Our prosperity preachers are no
different - they rule from the pulpit and enslave minds. They promise
eternal life where there is most probably none, allowing us to focus on
an afterlife while they enjoy all the best things that this world has to
offer. Nigerians were witnesses to David Oyedepo's scam when he led his
vast congregation to believe they were contributing to the building of
Covenant University, one which would offer world class education, and
not be plagued by the regular strike actions of grossly underpaid
lecturers which characterized Nigeria's state-owned universities. The
poor congregants were coerced into contributing to a special fund
separate from the normal church offerings, and after the university was
completed, a great majority of these people could not afford to send
their children to Covenant University with its prohibitive tuition. Mr
Oyedepo's excuse was that good education was not cheap. He (pictured
below) currently has under construction a 100,000-seater indoor
stadium-like church auditorium which will boast so many facilities, it
could pass for a town; that is how stupendously wealthy he has become,
in a country where at least 70 per cent of the population are poor and
even more lack access to potable water. This scenario is not so
different with other prosperity preachers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://faithtabernacle.org.ng/wp-content/themes/domi-revamp/images/doyedepo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://faithtabernacle.org.ng/wp-content/themes/domi-revamp/images/doyedepo.jpg" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>
<span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1c1c1c;">We are being bullied and raped by these
charlatans and despicable deceivers. They themselves are the very devil
that they accuse of being responsible for our faults and failures. And
like the victims of bullying and rape, we are too afraid, and too
ashamed to do anything about it. That period of fear and shame is over,
we can no longer watch these plunderers control our minds and take our
money. We refuse to be cash cows for these clowns who strut the pulpit
in their sanctimoniousness. They are not holier than we are; it is time
their filthy facade was stripped away to expose their even more putrid
interior. All the fake accents, false declarations and 'prophecies',
stage managed healings and miracles, and Jheri curled hair will no
longer impress us. We are not sinners from birth, we are humans with the
right to enjoy our lives free from the psychological bullying of an
oppressive and thieving clergy. Our women should no longer be labelled
"barren" nor should they be treated as second class citizens, our kids
are not witches and wizards, and disabled persons deserve the love of
family and friends, and favourable laws from the Nigerian government;
not the false hope of a miraculous healing. We are Nigerians; we are
loaded with so much potential, and we can certainly do without their god
who (which) is</span><span style="color: #131313;"> "arguably the most
unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust,
unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a
misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal,
pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully (thank you Richard Dawkins!).</span><br />
<br /><br />
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Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-46585519680819153942016-01-03T22:05:00.000+01:002016-01-04T22:05:59.435+01:00A CRITICAL PHENOMENOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS (3)<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Christian religion in its early form is the work and expression
of the Christian church. But we cannot say that, speaking of Jesus as an
individual man, we know that he explicitly intended to found the
Christian church.” Now that we have looked at Christmas and the views of
some scholars concerning the status and historicity of Jesus, let us
harvest the main fruits of our discourse.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First of all, whatever the historical status of Jesus of Nazareth, it
is incontrovertible that Christmas, as it is being celebrated
worldwide, has no biblical warrant. It is the crystallisation of
superstitious ideas and practices drawn from ancient Rome and other
Mediterranean communities that constitute the substance of the Gospels.
The Bible does not contain a precise statement of the actual day and
month when Jesus was born.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It follows that Christmas celebration is not based on actual
historical event. We have noted already how Pope Julius 1 imposed that
date on Christendom, although the Jehovah’s Witnesses have consistently
refused to mark the birthday of Jesus on December 25, or on any other
day, because, according to the sect, he never commanded his followers to
celebrate it. A devout Christian is likely to consider it sacrilegious
if anyone expresses scepticism about whether Jesus of the Gospels
actually lived.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, Christian dogmatism and sentiments apart, there is no solid
evidence to back the claim that he did, or that the narratives in
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are historical records of real events.
Indeed, there is abundant evidence indicating that Jesus is a composite
figure created from the synthesis of ancient Egyptian, Persian, Greek,
and Roman mythological traditions, blended with some strand of the
messianic tradition in Judaism. These facts, and more, are well known to
serious students of the New Testament.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore, as believers celebrate Christmas, they should bear in mind
that the event is more of mythology and fantasy than reality. And no
matter how blasphemous it might appear to the faithful, they should know
that there are good reasons for thinking that Jesus Christ, as depicted
in the New Testament, is a myth as well. There might well have been a
bohemian Jewish rabbi born around 4 B.C., who taught a form of Judaism
different from the conventional version. But all the supernatural
attributes and occurrences attributed to Jesus in The Bible were derived
from, and are analogous to, superstitions and legends in ancient
Mediterranean and Oriental worlds.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take the story of virgin birth, which is very popular in many
antiquated communities. In ancient Egyptian mythology, for instance, the
god, Toth, was said to announce the forthcoming birth of a son to the
virgin-queen Mautmes. In Persian mythology, Saoshyas, the future savior
of mankind and conqueror of death, was miraculously conceived by his
virgin-mother from the seed of Zarathustra, who himself was born of a
fifteen year old virgin, Dughdova, after the latter had been visited by a
shaft of light from the supernatural realm. Indian mythology proclaims
that Krishna was born from the rib of a virgin who belonged to the royal
line of Devaci. Even Buddha was said to have been born through divine
intervention, not through the natural process. It is clear, from the
foregoing, that the myth of virgin birth is not unique to Christianity.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have examined the Christian celebration, Christmas, and concluded
that it is not biblical. We have thrown doubt on the historicity of the
character named Jesus, indicated that even if there was one, he probably
was not born in December 25, and drawn attention to the fact that the
miraculous stories in the gospels stories about Jesus also exist in
other world religions. The implication of all this is that the
historical basis of Christmas celebrations is extremely weak.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Evidently, belief in Jesus, his virgin birth and alleged mission on
earth are both mythological and eschatological at the same time. They
are mythological because the key events, such as his virgin birth and
purported resurrection, are ruled out by science. They are
eschatological given the fact that Jesus’ birth is ultimately meaningful
because it has a redemptive mission for believers in the so-called
judgment or last day when God would judge humankind. For Christians, the
significance of Jesus’ birth does not lie in its historicity or in its
agreement with the research findings of science. Rather, the “coming of
the son of man” is a momentous event in human history since it provides a
unique opportunity for humans, especially “the chosen ones,” to be
reconciled with God after the Original Sin.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yet, for an unapologetic unbeliever like me, the Jesus narratives
instantiate the futile efforts of humanity to project its fears, hopes,
anxieties, dreams and aspirations to an imaginary divine realm where the
glaring evils and imperfections in the real world would be eliminated.
It is unfortunate that a religion, which ought to help humanity grow
spiritually, has become an instrument of deceit, glorification of
self-indulgent materialism, and plain fraud. Ordinarily, one would wish
that Christianity, and therewith, the Christmas celebrations associated
with it, would be consigned to the dustbin of history. Unfortunately,
that is not likely to happen any time soon, because religion is an
attempts to satisfy, in a grossly inadequate and mostly irrational
manner I must say, certain existential needs of humans. Moreover, as
long as human beings continue to waste scare resources of the earth in
planning to kill each other instead of deploying their incredible
cognitive and emotional intelligence to reduce drastically both manmade
and existential evils, religion will continue to play an important role
in the lives of billions of people globally.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With specific reference to the Nigerian situation, it is obvious that
for millions of people, this year’s celebrations would not be as
enjoyable as they expected at the beginning of the year. Things are
generally difficult, and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is
grappling with the serious challenges of nation building in a
stochastic economic environment characterised by dwindling crude oil
prices and steady decline in the value of the naira in relation to other
currencies such as the dollar, pound sterling and euro.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fortunately, Nigerians are very resilient people. Despite the
hardships, people would eat, drink and make merry during Christmas. In
my opinion, however, the best way to celebrate the occasion is for those
that have to share with those that do not have. It is silly for one to
have too much to drink, too much to eat and even throw away when there
are thousands of people who do not have enough to eat and enjoy the
festive season. At this time, and always, we should be our brothers’
keepers, in the knowledge that inspite of our differences, we are all
members of the same family who need one another to be fully human. Merry
Christmas in arrears to everyone. Concluded.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Douglas Anele</span></b>Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-8649309098877813912015-12-27T22:02:00.000+01:002016-01-04T22:03:03.746+01:00A CRITICAL PHENOMENOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS (2)<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any sincere open-minded person who investigates Christmas would
conclude that almost everything about the celebration is either
non-Christian in origin or a distortion of what is written in The Bible.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hence, Christmas is an accretion of myths and legends that allows
Christians to celebrate the purported saviour of humankind. Sometime in
the past, church leaders tried very hard to fight against “heathen”
customs in Christianity. But as time went on, they changed their
attitude and gradually condoned, and eventually embraced, those
practices. That change came about because church authorities were much
more interested in filling the churches with worshippers than with
spreading spiritual truth and enlightenment, an aspiration that has even
worsened today. Pentecostal pastors especially have perfected the art
of obtaining through false pretences and lies by teaching prosperity and
instant miracles.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the big Pentecostal churches are regularly filled to the brim
with gullible “customers” who are eager to swallow completely all that
they are told by their pastors. Thus, it is not surprising that a
celebration allegedly celebrating the birth of Jesus, a spiritual
leader, has become an excuse for drunkenness and debauchery of all
kinds. Supermarkets have become more popular than places of worship,
which are now looking more and more like corporate headquarters of
multinational companies. After Yuletide, many families sink further into
debt buying mostly what they do not really need, and many Christians
confuse fantasy with reality and Santa Claus with Jesus of Nazareth.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a word, the spiritual core of Christmas has almost been swallowed
up by crass materialism. But it is not just the spiritual essence of the
occasion that is endangered – more significant is that the whole
concept of virgin birth of “saviour of the world” is open to question
too. For centuries, serious investigators and scholars of the New
Testament have attempted to answer the deceptively simple question: was
there, in fact, a human being called Jesus, as described in the gospels?
It is obvious that this question is of fundamental importance to
Christianity, since if the gospel accounts of Jesus are largely
fabrication and myth, then the impressive edifice of Christianity would
come crashing down. Put differently, any good evidence that the stories
about Jesus are myths with very little basis in reality is a big blow to
the Christian religion, and seriously undermines its claim as the only
God-approved route to salvation.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, no “genuine” Christian would cast aspersions on the gospel
narratives concerning Jesus, knowing that unquestioned acceptance of
the Nazarene as the saviour of humankind is non-negotiable. Therefore,
let us briefly examine the views of researchers on the subject-matter to
help us arrive at a reasoned conclusion concerning it. Alfred Reynolds,
in his highly informative work, Jesus versus Christianity, stated
clearly that, going by historical sources, we know virtually nothing
about Jesus. He asserts further that the New Testament cannot be
regarded as a historical document since the extant copies were written
by believers, in foreign countries and in Greek language, over several
decades after the events they describe occurred. Without question, the
so-called synoptic gospels contradict one another to the extent that it
would be a grave mistake to accept them all as valid historical source
materials.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is remarkable that the great Roman historians of the first and
second centuries A.D. did not even mention Jesus in their works, which
suggests that probably they did not know him. Christian apologists
usually cite as historical evidence of Jesus’ actual existence the
statement attributed to Josephus, a Jewish priest and historian who, in
A.D. 93, was supposed to have written, inter alia: “Now, there was about
this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man, for he
was a doer of wonderful works; a teacher of such men as receive the
truth with pleasure.” But some scholars, for instance Edward Gibbon, the
English historian (1737-1794), have questioned the authenticity of this
passage, alleging that it was a later fabrication and interpolation
into the text of Josephus. George Brandeis, in his Jesus Myth, puts
forward the idea that Jesus never lived, and that all the legends
concerning him are mere accretions of mythical qualities on a composite
figure.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Similarly, an outstanding scholar of Christological research, Prof.
G. A. Wells, in two remarkable books, Jesus of the early Christians and
Did Jesus Exist? argued persuasively that the character Jesus, as
presented in the gospels, is a myth. There is a tendency among modern
theologians to reject the dogmatic components about Jesus’ birth, life,
death and resurrection; demythologising him without having the courage
to acknowledge or accept that the churches will collapse if the myths
and mystical elements in Christianity are so hastily abandoned. Another
serious scholar that expressed doubts about the actual existence of
Jesus is the missionary, philosopher and historian, Albert Schweitzer
(1875-1965), whose magnum opus, Quest of the Historical Jesus, is a
groundbreaking work in Christological investigation.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite the fact that he was a missionary, he was bold enough to aver
that: “The Jesus who came forward publicly as the messiah, who preached
the ethic of the kingdom of God, who founded the kingdom of heaven on
earth, and died to give his work final consecration, never had any
existence. He is a figure designed by rationalism, endowed with life by
liberalism, and clothed by modern theology in a historical garb.”
Schweitzer, along with one of the most eminent researchers into New
Testament history, Johannes Weiss, believe that the critical importance
of Jesus does not lie in his historicity but in the eschatological and
messianic teachings attributed to him.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The renowned English playwright, George Bernard Shaw, proclaimed that
although there was probably a man called Jesus, his relevance lay in
the political, economic, and moral ideas which he espoused. In Androcles
and the Lion, Shaw argued that: “there is a man here who was sane until
Peter hailed him as Christ, and who then became a monomaniac…his is a
common delusion among the insane…and such insanity is quite consistent
with argumentative cunning and penetration which Jesus displayed in
Jerusalem after his delusion has taken complete hold of him. He was a
communist…he regarded much of what we call law and order as a machinery
for robbing the poor under legal forms.”</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Josiah Royce, the American philosopher, suggested that the
significance of Jesus of Nazareth is attributable to “the vital impetus”
his teachings and activities had given to a powerful event, the
emergence of Christianity. According to Royce: “in answer to the
challenge, either you must believe that the founder of Christianity was
only a man, or else you must accept Jesus as the Christ, the divine man;
we must fairly reply…Whatever may be the truth about the person of
Christ, and about the supposed supernatural origin of Christianity, the
human origin of the christian doctrine of life, and also the human
source of all the latter Christologies, must be found in the early
Christian community itself.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Douglas Anele</span></b>Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-65969646176932538712015-12-20T21:58:00.000+01:002016-01-04T22:00:01.207+01:00A CRITICAL PHENOMENOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS (1)<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Five days from now, it would be Christmas once again, an indication
of the cyclic nature of time. As usual with the weeks and days leading
up to it, preparations for the celebrations are gathering momentum in
all the nooks and crannies of the globe. In the major cities of Nigeria,
Santa Claus’s white-bearded cheery face is emblazoned at shop entrances
and windows.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A visit to the major markets and shopping malls in Lagos and
commercial centres all over the country is a tedious undertaking at this
time, because everybody is hustling about, pulling and pushing all in a
bid to buy one thing or another.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, petty thieves and pickpockets are on the prowl, cleverly
stealing from people’s handbags and pockets. And given the ubiquity of
Internet technology and explosion in electronic transactions, fraudsters
are working hard looking for victims to defraud. Business people and
transporters are already implementing strategies aimed at profit
maximisation.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, with the growing hardship in the country right now,
millions of Nigerians would not enjoy the Yuletide the way they would
have wanted. Many of the roads in the country, especially federal roads
in the South-East, are in a terrible state of disrepair, which means
that road accidents will likely increase from now till after the New
Year celebrations.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to “The Truth about Christmas,” an informative essay on
Christmas published in the December 2010 edition of Awake, Christmas
celebration has spread to non-Christian countries such as China,
Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon and Turkey. The article reports that in the
West, Christmas has metamorphosed into a secular moneymaking enterprise,
with many advertorials blatantly targeted towards children. Millions of
Christians still go to church on Christmas day in the pretext of
commemorating the birth of the purported “saviour of mankind,” whereas
their real intention is to show off their expensive new clothes, shoes,
bags etc. Meanwhile, the well-decorated shopping malls playing Christmas
carols have become the new temples. Because of relentless
commercialisation, people are unduly agitated and worried over how to
buy Christmas gifts for their loved ones. Some of them borrow money in
order to meet the expectations of family members and friends.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overspending during Christmas has become an unfortunate feature of a
supposedly spiritual event. From the foregoing, there is no patina of
doubt that Christmas, which is supposed to mark the birthday of Jesus
Christ, the most iconic spiritual teacher in human history (according to
Christians), has evolved into the celebration of rabid materialism,
debauchery and showy exhibitionism. But how did this come about? Is the
transformation due to the largely non-Christian origin of Christmas
itself, or is it an inevitable product of rampaging capitalism? Looking
at the historical basis of Christmas, was the figure described as Jesus
of Nazareth a genuine historical figure or were the narratives
concerning him an admixture of fact and myth – more of myth, in fact? If
there was indeed a historical Jesus, was he actually born on Christmas
day, that is, 25th of December? What are the historical origins of
Christmas? Attempts to answer these questions can open up fresh and
interesting vistas of thought concerning one of the most celebrated
festivals in human history.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most Christians, particularly in Nigeria, do not know that Christmas
celebrations developed from non-Christian sources. Tradition has it that
Jesus was actually born on December 25, and his birthday is celebrated
on that date. Indeed, ‘Christmas’ means ‘Christ’s Mass,’ that is, the
mass commemorating the feast of Christ’s nativity, or birth. The
Christmas Encyclopaedia states that canonisation of December 25 as
Jesus’ birthday did not evolve from biblical precedent, but from Roman
festivals held at the end of every year, about the time of winter
solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Those festivals included the
Saturnalia, in honour of Saturn, god of agriculture, and the combined
festivals of two sun gods, Sol and Mithra from Rome and Persia
respectively.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Both birthdays were celebrated on 25th of December, the winter
solstice, according to the Julian calendar. The metamorphosis or
adaptation of these celebrations into Christian practice began in 350
A.D., when Pope Julius 1 proclaimed December 25 a Christ’s birthday. The
nativity gradually absorbed and supplanted all other solstice rites,
while solar imagery became increasingly prominent in depicting the
notion of “the risen Christ” or sol invictus, and the old solar disk was
transformed into haloes around the heads of Christian saints. Now,
granted that The Bible contains narratives of questionable historicity,
and although, contrary to what most Christians believe, the question of
whether the individual named Jesus in the Gospels actually existed is
far from settled, Christmas celebration was never recommended in the
Christian scripture. Indeed, The Bible did not state the actual date
Jesus was born – it merely gave geographical indications surrounding the
birth and early circumstances of Jesus.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Luke 2:8, for instance, The Bible suggests that when Jesus was
born, shepherds were living out of doors herding their sheep at night
near Bethlehem. Meteorologically speaking, October usually marks the
commencement of the cold rainy season in the area of Christ’s nativity,
and at such period shepherds, especially in the colder highlands such as
those around Bethlehem, brought their flock into protected shelters at
night. The coldest weather, occasionally accompanied by snow, usually
occurred in December, making that period inappropriate for shepherds to
tend their animals at night. Thus, it appears that, judging from
biblical account concerning the birth of Jesus and the weather condition
of Bethlehem and its environs, it is unlikely that he was born in
December.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another work published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, entitled Insight
on the Scriptures suggests, that Jesus was born during the ancient
Jewish month of ethanim, that is, in September or October. As already
indicated, The Bible does not contain any account about Jesus
celebrating his birthday, nor recommendation by Jesus or any of his
twelve disciples that it should be celebrated by his followers. The
pioneer Christians, some of whom accompanied Jesus in his missionary
work, never celebrated it on any date. But interestingly, during the
last supper with his twelve disciples, Jesus asked them to commemorate
his death, probably indicating that his death is a momentous event for
his followers (Luke 22: 17-20).</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two of the most popular manifestations of mythology in modern
Christmas are the phenomenon of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree, the
latter arising from ancient superstition connected to the god of
agriculture. In many countries today, including Nigeria, it is generally
believed by children that Santa Claus actually brings presents to them.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Children regularly write to Santa asking for presents which,
according to tradition, elves help him to manufacture in his
headquarters at the North Pole. There is a popular account of the myth
of Santa Claus which claims that it was invented by the legendary Saint
Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor (Turkey). Probably,
therefore, the appellation ‘Santa Claus’ could have originated from
Sinterklaas, a corruption of the Dutch expression for ‘Saint Nicholas.’
Needless to say, there is no mention of Santa Claus in The Bible, which
implies that the cheery, red-faced fabrication that goes by that name
has absolutely nothing to do with the birth of Jesus.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Douglas Anele</span></b>Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396698982122335039.post-3387231419526514752015-12-18T12:18:00.000+01:002016-01-07T12:19:37.970+01:00HISTORY AND TRADITION OF THE PEOPLE OF IGBO- ETITI LGA ENUGU STATE (PART 3)<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Ten</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
OZALLA COMMUNITY</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
By Daniel Enunwa</span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">INTRODUCTION</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION</span></span><br />
Ozalla is a community in the present Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area
of Enugu state of Nigeria. Ozalla is bounded in the west by Aku and
Lejja.in the south by Umuna .in the east by Ohodo and Ekwegbe towhs.
Ozalla is considerably large in terms of land area and population. The
community is estimated to occupy about seventy (70) square kilometers.
The poulation is large and dense for the estimated area of land. This
greatly results to shortage of land for both agricultural purposes and
settlement. According to the 1991 census, Ozalla recorded the third
largest populated community in Igbo-Etiti local government with
estimated population of 18,000.<br />
Ozalla is comparatively grassland with few hills and valleys. The
topography of the area made it possible for many development projects
like road construction, building of schools and hospitals. There is one
popular hill in the community called ‘Ugwueluaho’. This hill divides
the community into two equal parts: The Ozalla Uwelu with their three
quarters in eastern part and the Ozalla Uwani in the western part of the
hill. Another is ‘Ugwuagee’ which lies between Aku community and
Ozalla community. This very hill also covers some part of the boundary
between Ozalla and Ohebe-Dim. It is from this hill that the only stream
in the town is located. This stream supplys water during the dry
season for the people of Ozalla and Ohebe-Dim. The other known hill is
‘Ugwueleachara’. This one lies between Ozalla, Ohodoand Ekwegbe.<br />
Because of the presence of hills in Ozalla, the problem created by soil
erosion has been defacing the community. The major road linking
Igbo-Etiti local government headquarters through Ohebe-Dim has been
rendered useless.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF OZALLA </span></span><br />
Ozalla town in the present Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu
State has many divergent views that explain its origin. Such has been an
issue of controversy. However, information through oral tradition has
been able to shed light on its origin. There are two major schools of
thoughts about the origin of Ozalla Ugwueje community. One school
believes in independent creation, while the other school says that the
first inhabitants of Ozalla came from Nkitiba Udueme in the same
Igbo-Etiti local government area.<br />
Ozalla town is a community of six villages. In the order of seniority
they are: Naru, Ishiamaelu, Ikolo, Akaibite, Ijo and Ujoma. These
villages descended from a man called Ugwueje a son of Ugwunye. Ugwunye
had three sons. They were Ugwoke 1 (senior), Ugwoke 11 (junior) and
Ugwueje. It is strongly believed that Ugwunye originally settled
somewhere around the basin of Anambra river. As a result of constant
tribal wars, Ugwunye and his family left the Anambra river basin. From
here, they migrated, and in the process, Ugwunye and his descendants
founded five towns namely; Ozalla Ugwueji Ugwunye in Igbo-Etiti local
government area, Affa Ugwoke Ugwunye in Udi local government area, Abbi
in Uzo Uwani local government area, Egede Ugwunye also in Udi local
government and finally Lejja Ugwoke Ugwunye in Nsukka local government
area. Because Ozalla was founded by Ugwueji, it is called Ozalla Ugwueji
Ugwunye. It is most pertinent to note that the other sons founded
other towns, which are called after their names.<br />
The most acceptable historical origin of Ozalla was that the people of
Ozalla came from Nkitiba Udueme. It was from here Ozalla people came to
settle in their present abode. To confirm this oral tradition,
according to Chief Titus Ama there are still metal relics used by the
former inhabitants of these areas which have been discovered by some
archaeologists. ‘Okpo Ozalla’, is the name of the former place of Ozalla
in Nkitiba, and ‘Ama Ozalla’, the compound of Ozalla in the same
Nkitiba, in Udueme community. It was as a result of unbearable threats
to life from the then Igala that forced the people of Ozalla to migrate
from Nkitiba to their present place.<br />
According to D. E. Anih, the people on their way did not settle
instantly in their present abode, they first stopped at a place called
‘ohihia Ozalla Ugwu’, which today lies at the boundary between Ozalla
and Aku. After some time they made further movement to the place they
are settled today.<br />
On arrival at this present abode, they discovered that there were some
people already occupying some sections of the town. It is interesting
to note here that the original occupants were the ancestors of
Ishiamelu, now one of the six villages that make up the town. According
to Hon. Agbo D. C. U., they might be those that left ‘Ohihia Ozalla
Ugwu’ before others searching for safer location. His version may be
true because Ishiamelu occupies the center position in the town, while
other villages live around them. The other group that arrived later did
not fight them rather they both lived harmoniously as relations.
Sincerely speaking, the people of Ishamelu were the true premier
occupants of Ozalla community. They lost their seniority position in
the town to Nnaru through diplomacy. <br />
Conclusively, it was after the final settlement of those from Nkitiba
Udueme that Ozalla Ugwueji Ugwunye became what it answers today.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">CHRISTIANITY IN OZALLA</span></span><br />
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of current English defines foreign
as, “something not natural, something coming or introduced from
outside, e.g. foreign religion, foreign languages, foreign education
etc”. The same Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defined religion as
people’s belief in the existence of a supernatural ruling power, the
creator and controller of the universe. It is also one of the various
systems of faith and worship based on such belief.<br />
Ozalla people believe in the existence of a supernatural ruling power,
the creator and the controller of the universe known as God (Chineke).
The people have their own style through which they worship Him.<br />
According to Chief Titus Amah, the entire people of Ozalla were
traditional worshippers of God the Supreme Being through their own
smaller gods/goddesses. Such gods like the Agbuyi (the nne muru oha) is
the goddess, which the whole community respected as its mother. There
are many other gods that come after Agbuyi. Each quarter as well as
every clan has other gods, which the quarter hold as the mother or
father of the quarter or clan after Agbuyi. In Akaibete quarter Eziyi
Ugbele is there, Ujoma has Ugwuzo, Ishiamelu has Emerenyegini, Ohihia
Ugwu is for Ikolo and Eke for Ijo etc. The above-mentioned gods are
under Agbuyi and take order from her. Ozalla people worship Anyanwu the
god of the sun. They believe that Anyanwu is the direct son of God,
that is why they call it Anyanwu nwaezechitoke and in worshiping it
they face eastwards where the sun rises. Ozalla people do also worship
Ifejioku the god of yam, the king and oldest of all crops. <br />
The truth of the whole thing is that though the people have other gods,
they still believe in God the Supreme Being. These gods function as
ministers to God the creator of the universe.<br />
As the wind of change is blowing throughout the whole universe, it
crash-landed in Ozalla unexpectedly in the early part of the twentieth
century. The wind brought along foreign ways of serving God, which are
purely different from the existing traditional systems. The coming of
the new system, Christianity, into Ozalla is to some people a welcome
venture and to some it is not. It is true to say here that the coming of
Christianity into Ozalla brought a sort of disunity among the people.
It was the same in the other Igbo communities. The people have been
divided into the believers and the unbelievers. <br />
Christianity came into Ozalla through two sources, firstly the Church
Missionary Society (CMS) and secondly the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM).
According to Chief Christopher Majindu, CMS came into Ozalla in 1933.
This group first took off from Gbudugbu hall in Nwakakwu Nwanibom clan.
Rev. Bernard, a British reverend priest, commissioned the Church
Missionary Society (C.M.S) in Ozalla in 1933. As the first church in
Ozalla, the C.M.S. had many converts. Some of the first converts of this
group were Mr./Mrs Emmanuel Duhunwagbo of Umudikwere Ujoma, Mr./Mrs
Samuel Agbowo, David Igara and host of others. To prove his devotedness
Mr./Mrs. Samuel Agbowo was the first to wed in C.M.S. The church later
shifted to its permanent site, now St. Philips’ Anglican Church housing
Central Primary School Ozalla.<br />
Few years after came the Roman Catholic Mission (R.C.M) to Ozalla
through a white man, Rev. Fr. James Millet. On the arrival of Catholic
Church in Ozalla many of the believers in C.M.S. dropped and joined the
Catholic Church. According to Chief Fredrick Etum, the mass movement
from Anglican to Catholic Church at this early stage drastically reduced
the number of Anglican faithfuls in Ozalla. St. Lukes’ Catholic Church
took off from Ukwuoto, the boundary between Akaibite and Ijo quarters.
From there it shifted to Ugwuelaho and finally to the place it is now,
housing Community Primary School Ozalla.<br />
According to Engr. J.C. Agbo, the reason why the space being occupied
by the C.M.S. is larger than that of the Catholic Church is that the
Church Missionary Society settled in Ozalla first before the Catholic
Church. The early converts of Catholic Church in Ozalla were Mr./Mrs.
Dominic Ishenyi, Vincent Oji both of Ndiugwu Amauwani Ishiamelu and
Francis Agubuzu from Akaibite.<br />
Chief Dominic Ishenyi was the first Catholic to wed in Ozalla. Chief
Fredrick Etum asserted that late Chief Dominic Ishenyi had been the
pillar holding Catholic Church in Ozalla till his death. He further said
that Dominic was the chairman of the committee that built the
permanent house of St. Lukes’ Catholic Church Ozalla. <br />
Comparing the strength of the believers and the unbelievers, Chief
Titus Amah said that the unbelievers are more in numbers because at the
earlier stage of Christianity in Ozalla both Rev. Bernard and Rev. Fr.
James came from Nsukka where the missionaries resided. Sunday services
and other activities of the church especially among the catholics were
done at Nsukka. To participate people had to travel from Ozalla to
Nsukka on foot. Many refused to join the new religion because of the
distance.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">IMPACTS </span></span><br />
Here we consider the effects of Christianity in the life of the people
of Ozalla. To be precise, the coming of Christianity had both positive
and negative effects on the life of Ozalla people.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">POSITIVE EFFECTS:</span></span><br />
(i) Christianity totally got rid of some bad aspects of our culture,
example killing of twins. It was an abomination for a woman to give
birth to twins. One of the babies must be killed.<br />
(ii) The western education we are enjoying today is a product of Christianity in Ozalla.<br />
(iii) Since the advent of Christianity in Ozalla widows are no more
forced into levirate marriage. Widows are free to remarry or refuse to
remarry if so wished.<br />
(iv) Trade and development of all kinds came to Ozalla through Christianity.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">NEGATIVE EFFECTS:</span></span><br />
Culture is an accepted way of living adopted by people inhabiting a
defined geographical location, which is for the common goal of human
happiness and fruitful existence.<br />
From the ongoing one can easily deduce that christianity distorted the
cultural values of Ozalla people, more so on the side of unity which
the people is known for and some other areas of the culture of the
people.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">EDUCATIONAL TREND AND DEVELOPMENT AND ITS IMPACT IN OZALLA COMMUNITY</span></span><br />
This topic is interesting but very wide in scope. To present something
meaningful, I have to ignore some aspect of education in Ozalla
community but focus on some aspects. The aspect most appealing to me and
any other reasonable individual is the area that presents education as
it is in the oxford advance learners’ dictionary of current English.
This dictionary defines Education as, ‘systematic training especially of
the young in schools, colleges etc’. This dictionary meaning of
education is referring to formal education otherwise known as western
education in place of informal education otherwise the traditional
system.<br />
This write up has little to do with informal type of education because
this system has no origin. It is just as old as the community in
existence. Fathers going to farm with their children and showing them
how to prepare seed yams and other crops is education of its own,
mothers teaching their young ones how to cook, is also a sort of
education but not organized. In this write up, the education to be
treated is the formal education, which has a systematic and organized
pattern of educating the young ones in a fixed place.<br />
Writing about education in Ozalla, mention should be made of the
missionaries in the community. Here one is free to present that the
formal education we are reaping its fruits in Ozalla came through
Christianity in the community. Therefore, the advent of western
education in Ozalla should be traced in the town from 1933; the first
time missionary came to the town. Viewing the date, it means that
education first came to Ozalla through the Church of Missionary Society
(CMS) as it came first into the town before the Roman Catholic Mission
(RCM). This face is proved true because the believers of Anglican
denomination were first to gain education in Ozalla. Such persons are
Chief Michael Omeje, a retired headmaster, who is the first Ozalla man
to gain admission into the teachers’ training college. Next was late
Chief Geoffrey Ukwuaku and the host of other believers. During this
early education in Ozalla, many fathers refused to send their male
children to school. Majority preferred taking their children to the farm
and/or sending them to rear their cows in the field to sending them to
school. The only few that attempted allowed only those male children
that are not strong enough or those that are stubborn to school because
according to them the weak ones should be brightened by the teacher’s
cane and the stubborn ones strangulated and tutored by their teachers.
According to Chief Christopher Majindu, the father of Chief Geoffrey
Ukwuaku vehemently refused his only son going to school but for the
efforts of Late Chief Emmanuel Agbo who prevailed on him to allow his
highly intelligent son live with the white man at Nsukka to go to
school.<br />
On the side of Roman Catholic believers and education, according to
Chief Fredrick Ettum, the first catholic missionary teacher by name
Okanama Ugwuanyi came to Ozalla by 1939. Okanama Ugwuanyi who was from
Obollo-Afor, single handedly constructed a thatched house at Ugwueluaho
that served as school, though he had very few people then.<br />
In summary, the following were the first to see the light of western
education in Ozalla. They are Chief Michael Omeje, Late Chief Sir
Geoffrey Ukwuaku and Late Mr. Ugwuja Arigo all from Umudikwere Ujoma
Ozalla and Late Mr. Thomas Obute from Umudim Ikolo Ozalla for the
Anglican believers. For Catholics, we have late Mr. Lawrence Nweze,
Chief Fredrick Ettum, late Mr. Paul Attah and late Mr. George Ugwu. In
1951 late Mr. Lawrence Nweze and Chief Fredrick Ettum got Standard Six
Certificate from St. James Catholic Primary School Egbaugwu Aku. At this
juncture no mention was made of women in the list because mothers
never allowed their female children to move outside. They used to keep
them inside preparing them for marriage. In Ozalla, at early stage of
education, parents saw no gain in educating their female children. Their
reason being that it was the duty of the husband to train the wife.
The true culture of Ozalla is that the moment one gets married she is
no more for the parents but purely for the man to whom her hand has
been given to in marriage.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">SECONDARY EDUCATION IN OZALLA</span></span><br />
In 1957, Chief Christopher Majindu got admitted into the Western Boys’
High School, Benin City. That year would have marked the first Ozalla
person in secondary school but for finance young Christopher could not
enroll. The gap remained till the year of our Lord 1960. This followed
an excellent performance of Mr. Benneth Ugwu from Uwelu Amaebor Akaibite
Ozalla. He passed entrance into the same Western Boys’ High School
Benin City. Fortunately, he was enrolled and he passed out in 1964 as
the first Ozalla indigene to possess the prestigious West African School
Certificate (WASC).<br />
On the side of our women, parents started realizing their mistakes.
Many started sending their female children to school. In 1970, Mrs.
Bernice Ikoha (nee Agbo) gained admission into secondary to become the
first Ozalla woman to enroll and complete a secondary education. She was
also the first woman to enroll into the University in Ozalla.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">HIGHER EDUCATION IN OZALLA</span></span><br />
In 1975, the first university graduate emerged in Ozalla. He is Sir
Euphraim Elejere of Uwani Amebo Akaibite, Ozalla. He majored in physics.
Since 1933, 1951, 1960, 1970 to date education attainment has been
growing in geometrical progression in Ozalla community. Today, almost
every family boasts of at least one university graduate. The turn out
every year is five to six graduates in all disciplines of human
endeavour.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">IMPACT OF EDUCATION IN OZALLA</span></span><br />
Education they say is light. The light of education is shining in all
corners of Ozalla. Education brought a lot of development in Ozalla. It
brought a lot of reformations in some of the bad cultural practices of
our people. It played several roles on the socio-economic and political
life of Ozalla people.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF OZALLA PEOPLE</span></span><br />
Right from creation, farming has always been the predominant occupation
in Ozalla. Farming and rearing of animals is and had been the economic
main stay of Ozalla people. How many barns of yams a man has and the
number of cows, goats and other domesticated animals are measuring
wealth in Ozalla.<br />
Initially farming activities were purely home based. Farmers cultivate
their crops in any available land around the town. This is true because
every village in Ozalla has many open lands where its people practice
crop rotation. Those areas are only for farming, no other economic tree
is seen around those areas, the reason being to maintain the fertility
of the soil. Ozalla people mainly use organic manure to enrich the
soil for farming. Today, Ozalla people still maintain the highest
producer of yams in Enugu state, not by quantity but the size of tubers
produced. Some big tubers of yams in Ozalla cost as much as N1000 each
while the small sized ones cost N600 each.<br />
Recently some great farmers who do not see enough land for pure
commercial agriculture shifted base from home to Uzo-Uwani in search of
fertile land. They lived in those areas with their families doing they
are known very well for – farming. In Ozalla, such crops like
cocoyams, groundnuts, cassava etc, are crops owned by women. The only
crop exclusively left for men is yam, the head of all crops.<br />
On the other hand, some women of the old earn their living from petty
trading. Skilled women engage themselves in weaving of local cloths
popularly called Ajima, which, they take to eke Aku market to sell.<br />
The influence of modernization has seriously worked against the
occupation. Women no longer weave cloth in Ozalla because modern way had
replaced their old style. Also farming is not left out by
modernization. Young men these days prefer trading and civil service
jobs to farming causing shortage of food in Ozalla. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Chapter Eleven</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
UDUEME TOWN</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
By Odo Emmanuel & Okpe Solomon</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">YESTERDAY AND TODAY</span></span><br />
This research work about the origin and tradition of Udueme Diobunike
community really opened a new page in our lives and the lives of those
that may come across this book as well as making it the object of their
daily bread.<br />
Udueme is situated at the front view of Ugwu Ozara and Ugwu Ikonu,
which is in a linear form. It has common boundary on the East with Aku
in Igbo- Etiti LGA., on the west with Ukpata in Uzo-Uwani LGA., on the
North with Akpugo, in Uzo-Uwani LGA and on the south with Nze in Udi
LGA. It comprises of three villages namely: Amaenu, Nkitiba, and Uwani.
The migration of some people from Udueme to other communities brought
about the decrease in her population. History has it that two fifth of
the entire population migrated in 18th century AD.<br />
Udueme is the second oldest community in Igbo-Etiti LGA. It is second
to Ochima community irrespective of its population. Udueme will
eventually grow to become a large community like the biblical story the
mustard seed. Determination is the key to success.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ORIGIN</span></span><br />
Frankly saying, it is an uphill task to trace back the historical
origin of a particular community especially when the first and second
generations are no more living. Every effort made to bring first class
information proved abortive. However, every information obtained here
was through the conduction of oral interview to the elders and historian
in the community. According to Ozor Ochi Ekwueme (the eldest man in
Udueme), “History proved it that Diobunike was the father of Udueme.
That was why Udueme was known as ‘Udueme-Diobunike’. <br />
The second Traditional Ruler of Udueme His Royal Highness Igwe J.U.
Ugbor, affirmed that a hunter whose name was Diobunike migrated from
Igala as he was doing his hunting expedition he found himself between a
linear hill and a lake (Oshaba Lake) and decided to settle there
because, everything he needed was there in abundance, visa-viz; wild
animals, water, richness of the soil and surplus land for agriculture.<br />
He called that place Udueme, which means, abundance of everything”. He
later went back to Igala and married a girl called Nenigwe Obigwo. Two
of them came back to Udueme and settled there permanently. They were
living at Onu-Diobunike. The wife later had three sons, Diyeke Dimeze,
Ezikarekegbe, and Ezikotue in the order of their seniority. The three
children married and each of them had a son, Diyeke Dimeze (Amaenu),
Ezikarekegbe (Nkitiba), and Ezikotue (Uwani). These three children
(Amaenu, Nkitiba and Uwani) formed the three villages in Udueme.<br />
History also has it that some children from Amaenu and Nkitiba migrated
to other communities within Igbo-Etiti LGA. This is as a result of
their inability to keep the law of the land, which forbids all from
eating monkeys, three leave yam (‘ona’) and millet.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">RELIGION IN UDUEME TOWN</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">TRADITIONAL RELIGION</span></span><br />
The people of Udueme believe in the God Almighty, though they venerate
through other gods (Odo, Anyanwu, Ezechitoke, etc). As history proves it
that Odo masquerade was first seen by some group of women as they were
harvesting black beans in their farm in Nkitiba village Udueme.<br />
When they saw the Odo masquerades, they ran back home and informed men.
As those men went back to the farm with those women, those two
masquerades came out from the bush and they were held and dragged into
Nkitiba forest (Uhamu Odo Nkitiba). Later other men were invited to
watch and know whether they could describe those masquerades. They named
them Okpanwu Odo. They spent four native days in Uhamu Nkitiba.<br />
After naming these Odo masquerades, they led them to Amenu forest (Uhamu
Amenu). Then, from there to Uwani forest (‘uhamu Uwani’) and back to
Nkitiba forest (Uhamu Nkitiba). It was during that movement (after the
first four days) that women were allowed to see them. After these
journeys the masquerades were then allowed to be coming out daily during
its period except on ‘orie’ day.<br />
The belief of people that time was that those Odo masquerades possess
human and spiritual quality because they were regarded as re-appearance
of dead men. These Odo masquerades later entertained Amaenu village
with their music (egwu odo ekwe), after which they also did the same at
Nkitiba within a native week and finally at Uwani village in the
following native week. Every activity of the entertainment took place at
each village’s Odo masquerades hall (Uno Odo). During “mgbafu Odo”
(massive display of other Odo masquerades), about fifty of them came out
to play at every village square for people to watch them (they were
regarded as children of Okpanwu Odo).<br />
Nkitiba-Odo- display (mgbafu-Odo) came up within five native weeks after
the coming of Odo masquerades (mgbafu-Odo) while Amenu and Uwani
villages follow suit after six native weeks.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">AMA-ODO
(ODO CULT INITIATION)</span></span>: This is only done during Odo period to male
children between the age of eight year and above. The purpose of
initiating every male child in Odo cult is to introduce him earlier to
Odo masquerade at the forest (Uhamu-Odo). In order not to let any female
know what happened that day, (day of initiation), those children
should be instructed to sleep at another man’s house so that they would
not let the cat out of the bag. This initiation opens their eyes and
they should be allowed to take part in every Odo activity formally
after the initiation.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">ODO
PRIESTHOOD (ATAMA-ODO)</span>: Odo- priesthood was a title set aside for
adult males only of unquestionable character. Before one could become a
priest of Odo, he should be able to present nine kola nuts for
pre-information to the entire odo priest in the community, after which
he would be asked to go and harvest every palm head from all palm trees
in his village. This feast is divided into two, small one (Ukpo-Nta)
and big one (Ukpo Nnukwu). In the small one, the person in question
should present a basin of cooked yam, kolanuts, and a keg of palm wine,
to the priest of odo within the town.<br />
In the same way, during the Ukpo Nnukwu, (big one), he should present
some basins of cooked cowpea (Okpa), colanut and keg of palm wine to the
priests of odo. These food should be sacrificed to odo at the shrine
(inside odo forest) after which the rest were to be consumed by the
priests and other people the man in question is expected to lead in
presenting sacrifice to odo (in its shrine) before any other person. The
priest is regarded as a holy or most sacred person before other
worshippers.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">ODO
PERIOD</span></span>: The period of Odo in Udueme community is between December and
August in every two years. That is to say that odo masquerades spend
eight months before their departure. <br />
Usually, Odo returns to the world on Nkwo native day and departs on
Nkwo native day also. Subsequently, all odo masquerades from the three
villages depart one day (Nkwo) except Ebune Uwani which comes back on
Eke (the next day) between six and twelve midnight before its final
departure. During this period (‘eke’), neither people see it nor does it
see people. It is assumed that whoever sees it dies immediately. In
the same token, it kills any one whom it sees spiritually. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">BENEFITS: </span></span><br />
The people of Udueme community (Odo worshippers) derive much benefit
from odo cult. Firstly, odo serves as a source of happiness to them.
This was so because every Udueme man believed that an idol man is the
devils workshop. Odo is also one of the major sources of unity, love and
relationship between the three villages, people and their friends,
people and their neighbours etc. Secondly, it was strongly believed that
there was a continuous interaction of the dead and living, which
epitomizes in people’s belief of, “life after death”. As a result of
that, those worshippers take refuge in it for physical and spiritual
protection and guidance.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ANI
UDUEME DEITY</span></span>: This deity is recognized as the most powerful spirit
that punishes those that commit taboos in the land so as to serve as
deterrent to others. Its shrine is positioned at the adjacent side of
Uwani village square, near Umu Okpeta Ugwuanyi family. The chief priest
of this deity is Mr. Ofia Nwokpe who is popularly known as ‘Atamah Ani
Udueme.<br />
Ani- Udueme deity is made with physical materials; wood metal and blue
coloured calico cloth (Okparukpu). However, the wood signifies the god
of land. The cloth signifies the sacrifies for living dead while the
metal represents the ancient remains.<br />
Ani Udueme deity had been the most powerful to be honoured and
dignified by people of the land. They regard it as their ‘chi’.
Moreover, in the old days, young girls, domestic animals and people’s
property were sacrificed to this deity in replacement of its wrath or
punishment against the offenders. No body or thing influences this deity
when its wrath comes up-unless a soothsayer is consulted in order to
find out the intention and solution to the situation.<br />
The celebration of Ani-Udueme comes up every first and last month
annually. During this period, the chief priest through sound of his
metal gong informs people. This date should always be proclaimed by the
soothsayer who is the mouthpiece of the deity before the dissemination
of the information to the public. During this celebration women cook
and present pounded yam with Egwusi soup (melon), dried fish or meat. In
the same way every man is expected to present a big plate of “Iwu”
(local salad) with dried fish/meat and a keg of palm wine. The
celebration is usually done in the night (as from 6pm to 9pm)<br />
The major benefit of this deity to people is that it punishes its
offender/s directly and restores peace and harmony in the town.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">CHRISTIAN RELIGION</span></span><br />
History had it that Christianity was introduced in Udueme in 1937. Mr.
Okereke Isi was the person that donated his house to be used as
Catholic Church. The missionary priest incharge of Nsukka was Rev. Fr.
James Millet.<br />
In 1952, the church was later shifted to Ikpogwu Amaenu by the school
teacher who also served as the catechist in the person of Mr. Nnadi
Moris. He hails from Amadim Nkpologwu in Uzo-Uwani LGA.<br />
In 1959, Mr. Agbo Boniface from Ohodo was also sent in replacement of
Mr.Nnadi. It was then that the Catholic Church in Udueme was given the
name- “Holy Trinity”. Rev. Fr. Mulqine, the parish priest, approved this
name. Rev. Fr. Eright was his assistant in the parish. It was during
this period that the first couple, Mr. and Mrs. Odo Francis wedded in
the Catholic Church. They became the first indigenous people that wedded
in the year 1964 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church Udueme. <br />
In 1974, when the Church was shifted to its present position at the
primary school building, indigenous catechists took over from the
non-indigens. For instance, Hon. Okwor Boniface served from 1960 to 1975
when Rev. Fr. Ikeme was the parish Priest in Aku. Other Catechists
that served after him are: Mr. Ogbu Luke (1976-1978), Mr. Ekwueme
Thaddeus, Mr. Odo Francis, Mr. Ogbuanya Alpheus, Mr. Ekwueme Josephant
(Acting Catechist) and Mr. Igboke Simon.<br />
Presently in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Udueme station, Mr. Enyi
Cletus is the catchiest while Mr. Odo Emmanuel assists him under the
leadership of Rev. Fr. Mama, the Parish Priest, St. James Catholic
Parish Aku.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">MARRIAGE CUSTOM IN UDUEME COMMUNITY</span></span><br />
When a man is willing to marry, he searches for a responsible young
girl whom he loves in order to marry. After both might have negotiated
with themselves, they introduce themselves to their parents
individually. Formal introduction should be done by the man’s (groom)
relatives to the girl’s (bridegroom) parents. Wine carrying begins after
the bridegroom’s family/ parents might have agreed to give their
daughter to the groom. The process of wine carrying begins in the
following stages bellow:<br />
1. Manya Oju ese Izizi (1st Enquiry wine) The groom’s relatives to the
bride groom’s parents, make an enquiry about the girl and go back to
their home in order to give these people more time to sit down on a
round table with their daughter and discourse on the issue. The parents
of the bridegroom should ask their visitors to come back on a
stipulated day in order to hear from them.<br />
2. Manya Oju ese nke abuo (2nd Enquiry wine): A keg of palm wine, cola
nut and one carton of beer should be taken to the bridegroom’s family.
According to the custom of Udueme, these two stages of wine carrying
mentioned above are non-refundable if the marriage is finally
disapproved. Nevertheless, if the bridegroom’s family accepts the wine,
then, the formal wine carrying commences.<br />
3. Mpafu Manya Nna (1st wine to the father)<br />
4. Mpafu manya Nne (1st wine to the mother)<br />
5. Mpakpo manya Nna (2nd wine to the father)<br />
6. Mpakpo manya Nne (2nd wine to mother)<br />
7. Manya Umunna (wine to the clan)<br />
8. Igba Nkwu (General wine)<br />
Traditionally, one may be allowed to go with his wife after he might
have completed from stage 1 to vii, if he is incapable to finish all the
wine carrying. However, he should promise to do it in previous time.<br />
In Udueme, once a girl is married, she is bound to live with her
husband through “Ije Di” (first formal visit to husband’s house).</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">IKPU EKWU CEREMONY:</span></span><br />
Ikpu Ekwu ceremony is the traditional wedding in Udueme. This ceremony
is meant for the wife, alone which is usually conferred on any married
woman from the husband’s family during cooking period. The only person
who is responsible to confer the ‘Ikpu Ekwu’ on the married girl is any
married daughter in the grooms family or clan. She does that by
touching the newly married girl’s hand with a pot guiding stone or half
burnt firewood as she was cooking in the kitchen. When this is done,
the girl’s (bride’s) action is to shade tears of joy showing that from
that moment onwards, she is confined with the customary bye - laws of a
married woman. She automatically faces the wrath of gods of the land
known as <span style="color: red;">‘ANI UDUEME DEITY’</span>, which may result in instant madness or
acute sickness as the case may be if she commit adultery.<br />
Though, to the Christians in Udueme, the above belief is fetish. It is
an object of obsessive attention or reverence to its worshippers. They
observed it immediately they have married and wedded.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;">
CUSTOMARY BYE LAWS OF A MARRIED WOMAN IN UDUEME COMMUNITY</span><br />
I. A married woman should not commit adultery<br />
II. She should not give or collect big thing like; money, cloths, cars
etc. without the knowledge of her husband or any of her husband’s
immediate relative.<br />
III. On no account should she desert her husband on Nkwo days as a result of misunderstanding or querrelling.<br />
IV. She should not tie or collect yam in the barn.<br />
V. On no account should she plant or harvest yam.<br />
VI. She should not tap or cut palm head from the palm tree.<br />
VII. She should condone fornication by his children or outsiders in her
own matrimonial room or bed, or allow any person to use her cloth or
wrapper while indulging in that act.<br />
VIII. On no account should she conceal within her if she offends any
before the revelation of the god’s of the land for easier atonement.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">TITLE TAKING IN UDUEME</span></span><br />
In Igbo land, title taking is a symbol of authority, wealthy and
honesty. Igbu-Ichi and ozo title are the two major titles among others
in Udueme community. Igbu-Ichi and ozo title taking is meant for the
wealthy men of any age who are willing to initiate into them.<br />
On the other hand, some people who are not willing or wealthy enough
borrow money in order to undertake them so that people would no look-
down on them or call them ‘Oheke (untitled man).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ORIGIN OF IGBU-ICHI AND OZO TITLE:</span></span><br />
Oral interview made Ozo Ochi Ekwueme and other titled men in the town
proves that IGBU-ICHI AND OZO title in Udueme originated from Nshi na
Amoke (Nri). They introduced it when they were visiting Udueme in the
old days. During that time, people were confused of where they came from
the route they used to take whenever they visit the community. They
(Nri people) never exposed or disclosed the position of their town to
anyone. The first man they confered ichi and ozo title was Diobunike. He
answered ‘Ozor Akoti isi Nganaba’ as his title name.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">INITIATION INTO IGBU-ICHI TITLE</span></span><br />
In Udueme community, one undertakes the title of “Igbu-Ichi” before
Ozor title. It may be done simultaneously or differently depending on
the purse of the person to be initiated. However, in the process of
Igbu-Ichi, the person in question invites the Idi-members with these
items: nine cola nuts, one big goat, dried fish, one jar of palm wine
and food. With these items, he can disclose his intention to them and
they go home bearing it in mind.<br />
Another day, they should also be entertained with food, nine kolanut
and one jar of palm wine. A feedback should be given to the man after
the third entertainment, which is done with one jar of palm wine, nine
kolanut and food (cooked maize flour with nice soup). This second to
last stage is formally known as “isi-Nri- ijiji- ebe”. The next thing
the person does is sharing of uncooked yam (Itu ahu), which leads him to
“Iba-ichi”.<br />
During this ‘Iba-Ichi, the person stays in-door for one month in order
the complete his final ichi-title stage. This final stage qualifies him
to be answering “Otuu-ji” as his title name.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
INITIATION INTO OZO TITLE</span></span><br />
In the process of ozo title, one (otuu-ji) has to invite the eldest man
in Umuokpe to confer ozo title on him. This is done with an
entertainment after which the person in question is prayed for so that
his ozor title should be successfully done.<br />
The next stages after this includes: <br />
i. Ikpu Ewu ozo (three goats)<br />
ii. Isi nri ozo (cooking and entertainment)<br />
iii. Iwete oba-ji (two full barns of yam)<br />
iv. Ibah ozo (one month in doors)<br />
v. Ila Ala Nne (visiting his maternal/mother’s home) <br />
vi. Igba-Akari ozo (To be done at ‘Ugwu ozo’)<br />
vii. Iputa otobo (coming out in the village square).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do’s and Dont’s Of Ozo Titled Men<br />
i. They always travel or attend occasion with their tusks<br />
ii. They must be honest and trusted<br />
iii. They do not put on trousers or shorts<br />
iv. They are forbidden to eat cassava, sheep or ram. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE INHERITANCE OF OZO TITLE</span></span><br />
In Udueme, the death of any ozor titled man introduces his eldest son
(biological or step son as the case may be) as the successor of his
father. This should be done in a ceremonial form with one goat and fowl.
After one month of his father’s death, the successor should give one
cow to those titled men, which they kill on top of the man’s grave.<br />
These processes qualify the man’s son to inherit his father’s title
name and share with other titled men. However, his father’s title loses
when the inherited son dies.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
KINGSHIP IN UDUEME</span></span><br />
Kingship is observed as the supreme traditional authority in Udueme
community just like other places in Igbo land. It is the greatest and
most dignified traditional stool in the community. King comes from
Amaenu village in Udueme because it is regarded as the eldest village.
However, the eldest man in Amaenu village inherits kingship immediately
the occupant dies. People accord a king a great respect and address him
as His Majesty. Whenever any big wild animal like lion, tiger etc, are
killed it will be taken to the king’s palace and he the king is given
the lion’s share.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Code of Conduct of A King<br />
i. A king does not leave his compound carelessly<br />
ii. He forbids passing a night in another town/place outside his town.<br />
iii. He hosts every community meeting in his house or village hall as the case may be.<br />
iv. A king should not do any work in the farm, etc<br />
v. He must be honest.<br />
vi. He concludes matters in every village/town meeting.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">TRADE AND COMMERCE</span></span><br />
In order to market their agricultural product, the people of Udueme had
much to do with trade and commerce. As a result of the richness of
their land, many of them are commercial farmers.<br />
History has it that they used to travel far places like; Oreeh
Nkpologwu, Nkwo-Ike Ozalla, Orie Ohodo, Eke Nimbo, Afor Opanda,
Ikedimkpa in Affa, Udi L.G.A.etc in order to sell their agricultural
products. These far places did not prevent them from attending to
near-by markets like; Eke Aku, Orie Nze, Nkwo Ogbede etc. One funny
thing was that these journeys were made on foot in the old days.<br />
However, today, the mode and means of trading in Udueme is less native
and more sophisticated than ever. There is no doubt saying that about
60% of the total quantity of palm oil (unadulterated) and palm cannel
that are sold at Eke Aku market are supplied by Udueme people. They are
also good at producing cassava, black beans, yams, cocoa yams etc in
large quantities.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">AGRICULTURE</span></span><br />
Agriculture, they say, is the mainstay of every given society. This
statement is made more practical in Udueme than other places since all
their sources of income depend more or less on agriculture and its
products. It is obvious that Udueme is blessed with a fertile land for
agricultural activities.<br />
Anybody that has visited Udueme should believe that it has the richest
soil for agriculture in Igbo-Etiti L.G.A as a whole. However, it is
appalling that the two neighbouring communities (which belong to
different L.G.A) have encroached on about 70% of the total landmass in
Udueme. People should understand that, the Almighty God used that rich
agricultural land to compensate Udueme becuase of their less population
size. The people of Udueme believed that, ‘he who holds a child’s cake
must return it when he feels tired of holding it”.<br />
As a result of the rich fertile land in Udueme, 75% of the total
population had chosen farming as their occupation. Subsequently, the
fertile land in this town even attracts farmers from other communities
to settle at Udueme to do their farming business. Those areas of
settlement are Ugwu-Ozara, Ugwu-Amaenu, Ujoma and Egbe-Dada (closer to
Adada River). These farmers plant wide varieties of crops like; pigeon
Pea, groundnut, yam, maize, black beans, cassava, cocoyam, palm tree,
plantain tree etc.<br />
In animal husbandry and management, the people of Udueme have little or
less to do with pastoral farming due to their serious engagement with
crops and plants production. Some people like; Odo Magbo, Mr Otti Simon
and Mr.Ugwu Thomas etc are rearing a given number of sheep within the
town. Recently, Mr. Ani Moses popularly known as “Eze na-Agu’ who hails
from Amogwu Aku in Igbo-Etiti local government area is rearing about
five heads of cattle where he resides in Nkitiba village. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">POLITICAL SYSTEM IN UDUEME</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">HISTORY</span></span><br />
Udueme was formally in Uzo - Uwani local government area during the
British colonial administration in Nigeria. Information came to them
from Nsukka through Nkpologwu and Akpugo, all in Uzo-Uwani local
government area. As a result of the political intimidation and
marginalization by Akpugo community in sharing of government relief, a
petition was written and forwarded to the Resident Officer, Mr. John
Udeh and District Officer, Mr. Mathias Ossai and it was approved that
Udueme should be separated from Uzo-Uwani L.G.A.<br />
When Igbo-Etiti local government area was created in 1976 Udueme became
one of the communities that made up the local government area. This
was also done during the military administration of Author Mkpere as
the governor of old Anambra state.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
POLITICAL RE-AWAKENING IN UDUEME COMMUNITY TODAY</span></span><br />
According to Aristotle, man by nature is a political animal. Going by
this aphorism, the year 1992 saw a monumental political re-awakening in
Udueme. This was during the military administration of General Ibrahim
Babangida (rtd). During this period in question, the community was made
a council ward. Hon. Enyi Clement (late) became the first Councillor.
The ward was later retrieved in the course of time by the alliance of
some bad men. This retrieval of Udueme ward VI (merging it with Ejuona
Aku ward brought a shame and total political slumber to the people of
Udueme. Through out this period, no Udueme man or woman had smelt even
the least political position in the local, state or federal government.<br />
No wonder the re-awakening of the community from its political slumber
must be traceable to Hon (Dr.) Martins Oke, an Honorable Member of
Federal House of Representative. This man has contributed and is still
contributing immensely to the political development of the community. In
fact, his effort to restore Udueme ward came to reality in 2004 when
Hon. Ugbor Jude was produced as a councilor representing Udueme ward.
His effort remains evergreen in the mind of every Udueme man.<br />
However, there is no doubt that the retrieval of the ward gave a
devastating blow to the spirit of the community, which inadvertently
alienated them from the political activities of the period. There is
every need for people to know that the community came into political
limelight and has always given adequate support to the government or the
local government authorities. It has also suffered crisis (both
individual and collective) in the course of pursuing party interest.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
EDUCATION IN UDUEME</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="color: blue;">BACKGROUND</span></span><br />
When the missionaries opened school in Nsukka, Chief Okereke Isi who
was a warrant chief in Udueme met the resident officer serving in Nsukka
and requested for school to be opened in Udueme. Few months later, Mr.
Moris Nnadi (a teacher) was sent to inform the people of Udueme that
approval has been given for opening of school in their town and it was
accepted.<br />
The first school was opened at Ikpogwu Amaenu village in the year 1937
with about twelve pupils in the persons of Mr. Odo Francis, Ugbor
James, Ekwueme Chibuoke, Ugwu Thomas, Udeji Pious, Odo Magbo, Enyi
Jacob, Odo Ekwueme, Ugwu Stephen, Ogbuanya Okpe, Egbujie Magbo, and
Oboduzu Nwode. Their first teacher was Mr. Moris Nnadi from Amadi
Nkpologwu, Uzo-Uwani LGA. He was paid 60 kobo monthly through the
monthly contribution of the community members. The order of classes
then were, three year programme for; A.B.C, primer, and infant. After
which they were transferred to Nkpologwu to read from standard one to
six but some of them dropped after three years and the school at
Ikpogwu-Amaenu Udueme closed down because of their skeptic behaviour
towards education.<br />
In the year 1943, during the regime of Chief Okereke Isi as a warrant
chief of Udueme community, a letter was written to inform the Resident/
District Officer at Nsukka to re-open school at Udueme. The man
approved it and it was shifted to Amaenu Village hall. Mr. Ugwuoke
Pious from Edem now in Nsukka local government area was posted to the
school as the only teacher. Their school programme started from ABC to
primer and finally, infant. Later, the school was shifted to Ngedenge
where Mr. Oyigbo Anthony served as a teacher and Rev. Fr. Horgan as a
visiting priest who resided at Nsukka. The school programme was
interrupted by Nigerian civil war between 1966 and 1970.<br />
Immediatetly after the civil war, Mr. Igbodomume and Mr. Okwo Boniface
from Aku and Udueme respectively, organized school children at Uwani
village hall Udueme. The school building was not a permanent structure
until 1973 when a permanent structure was built. It was in that
permanent site that the school was approved for six years programme
(that is from standard one to six). History has it that the first Udueme
man that passed standard six was Mr. Ugwu Fredrick in 1953 and
seconded by Mr. Odo Francis in 1966. They obtained their F.S.L.C. at
Sacred Heart School, Nkpologwu and ST. James Catholic School Aku
respectively.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">SECONDARY EDUCATION</span></span><br />
When Boys Secondary School Aku was opened in the year 1975, many
children who had finished and passed out in primary school enrolled into
the school. The first sets of students were, Okpe Celestine, Ugodu
Alexander, Ugbor Daniel, Igboke Simon etc. Some other people enrolled in
other secondary school around the neighbourhood and beyond.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">HIGHER EDUCATION</span></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Initially, the people of this community felt nonchalant towards
education. There reason was to make sure that they first grow in
population before any other thing. No wonder they regarded polygamous
marriage as their major priority. When they start raising children, they
found it difficult to cope up with educational demands of their
children; hence, their children became uneducated.<br />
To God is the glory that people of this recent era have come to realize
the impact of education in a given society. They had earlier regretted
the mischief and vow to keep the flag flying in order to correct their
past mistakes. Today, Udueme boasts of so many graduates in different
higher institutions of learning. The first believed to have broken the
jinx is Hon Aniokpe Kelvin. Others are, Mr. Ugbor Daniel, Mr. Odo
Emmanuel and Ekweme Gerald from different villages in Udueme.
Subsequently, many have also graduated after the above-mentioned people
while so many are still in higher institutions of learning.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
REFERENCES</span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">H.R.H Igwe J.U Ugbor (Ekwulora I of Udueme).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chief Ochinanwata Ekweme (the eldest man in Udueme).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Offia Nwokpe (Attama Ani Udueme)<br />
Chief Odo Francis (eldest man in Nkitiba village).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Ekweme Josephat</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Ugbor Daniel (A political scientist)</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Ugwu Thomas.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hon. Okwor Boniface (Supervising Councillor for Agriculture, Igbo-Etiti Development Centre).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ugwu Bethrand, Enyi Celestine, Ugwu Victor etc. </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
Chapter Twelven </span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
UKEHE TOWN</span></span><br />
By E. I. Itanyi & Nworga Felix</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">INTRODUCTION</span></span> </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">HER EARLY HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY</span></span><br />
Identity is an important aspect of man’s socio-cultural history. A man
without history has no past and hence could not trace his beginning and
/ or origin. Without the past, the future would not only be blink, but
blurred. For one to plan for his future, he must look into his past
records. By so doing, he would be able to re-discover his name and
hence, his identity. Historians were right when they noted that a man
without history is like a man who has lost his senses and like a ship
without a rudder or compass and hence no direction. <br />
African part is fromt with lots of distortions and Euro centric views.
This is partially due to the fact that African history was initially
written by non-Africans who always have is in their back minds
diffusionist views when ever any discussion on African historiography
was raised, and partially for the fact that Africans belong to the
non-literate and pre-literate or what some scholars of European
extraction referred to as the “ascephalous” societies. <br />
Whatever the case and whichever way, African history has become of age
and African historians and others in related disciplines like
archaeology, sociology and anthropology, to mention but a few, have
woken up the tasks and challenges of putting African history and culture
in their rightful prospectively. In addition, knowing fully well that
Africa had no earlier written record without distortion, bias or
malice, efforts are being made through the study of archaeology of
these pre-literate African societies to reconstruct their past. African
archaeologists have now put on their bots in place of the books and
have left the coffins of the classrooms to the field in search of
African past. The fruits of their endeavours can now be found and
reaped in the faces and pages of copious textbooks and journals of
African archeology, which deals directly with African past and cultural
patrimony. At this juncture, I would like to say kudus to eminent
African historians and archeology and others in related disciplines
that have contributed in one way or the other towards the positively
re-writing and reconstructing of African history. <br />
The early history and archeology of Ukehe town in the present day
Igbo-Etiti L.G.A of Enugu State Nigeria is not different from that of
any other Igbo community in the Eastern part of the country in
particular and African society in general. <br />
Commenting on the difficulties of writing reconstructing the history of
the non-literate African societies with special reference to Igbo land,
Afigbo (1981) has this to write, “my people of Ihube in the Otanchan
clan of the northern Igbo have a saying that “Ofe di oku, a na ara ya
mgbere, mgbere”! This when literally translated means that the hot soup
is, licked gradually from the periphery”. This version helps to explain
the problems reencountered by historians in an attempt to reconstruct
the history of Igbo land. In addition, in trying to express the myriad
of difficulties encountered in reconstructing the history of the
non-literate societies, he gave his book the title Ropes of Sand – which
means making rope out of sand. He further expressed there difficulties
in trying to account for the original and migrations of the Efik
speaking people: “there cannot be a more elusive aspect of the history
of the non-literate peoples, than those which deal with their origin and
migration, for these events are generally associated with very remote
past, unanimity therefore is last t be expected in account of those
events (Afigbo, 1965). <br />
Most of the history of the non-literate societies is embedded in myths,
legends and generally in oval tradition and any body working with this
should be cautious of the limitations of this sauce of history. One of
the most prominent limitations is romanticism coupled with the fact
that human retentive memory does not go far into the past. <br />
This piece of work was motivated by certain aims and objectives of which
the most pressing ones are; to reconstruct the early history and
archaeology of Ukehe community and part of her environs.<br />
Secondly to document how ever impeccable, the early history and
archaeology of the study area. This is in view of the fact that little
or nothing has been documented on the history of the community and if
care is not taken, our cultural patrimony would be lost to posterity.
There is the much hope that at the end of this work, a lot would have
been achieved towards the reconstruction, writing, re-writing and
documentation of Ukehe early history and archaeology now that the
research was conducted by an erudite scholar of both disciplines that
handles such matters that deals with the conservation of our cultural
heritage well- history and archaeology. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND RELIEF</span></span><br />
Anene (1965,) noted “there is no dispute about the fact that the history
of an area is written clearly in its geographical features”. Hence the
importance geography to the understanding of the history of an area
cannot be overemphasized.<br />
Ukehe town is located in the south western end of the present day
Igbo-Etiti L.G.A of Enugu State of Nigeria. She in inhabits the areas
lying approximately 60 40” north and 70 42” East (Fullard et al (eds)
1920). The height of the area is roughly 1936” above sea level. Barmby
(1929) has aptly noted “the country is broken and hilly except in the
extreme east where the settlers from Umunko and Ukehe have pushed their
farms and houses out into the plain”. Ukehe town is surrounded by hills
among which are; Ugwu Udo, Ugwu Ikpogwu, Ugwu Esa, Ugwu Efuru, Ugwu
Ifu, Ugwu Amakofia and Ugwu Nfola, just to mention but a few. This can
also be shown clearly with the writing of Barmoy (1934) “the village is
situated for the most part at the foot of the hills, the top of which
is grassy and innocent of trees”. This was as far back as the time when
Barmby was writing. Today, people who were made to disperse as a
result of population explosion and sanguinary wars inhabit most of
these hills. In addition, the people have domesticated and planted
certain tree crops of economic importance there and these have effected
a change in the natural environment of the area. Even to a large
extent, the hills have been terraced for agricultural purposes. <br />
Ukehe town is bounded in the east by Ugwogo Nike, in the North by Umunko
and Diogbe (Ngalakpu) communities, in the North West by Diogbe and
Ohebe, in the North east by Umunko and Nike/Agu Ekwegbe and in the west
by Ikolo, Ochima and Onyohor communities.<br />
There are many streams and rivers that supply water to the community.
The streams were mostly located at the upper escarpment of Ukehe called
Ulo or Uluo. These includes; Iyi-eja, Udo, Efuru, Aturi, Nfola,
Iyi-nyin etc. These streams prior and post to the peoples encounter
with the white man supplies them with water for all domestic purposes.
All the rivers which includes the Odome lake, Ezebinagu, Ngwogoro,
Ofie, Dugudu, Iyi-Ogbakpi and Ebuyi which form one of their sources of
economy as they supply the people with fish and other aquatic animals
are located at (Agu Ukehe) lower escarpment – large area meant for
agricultural purposes. <br />
The vegetation of our area of study is guinea savannah or what could be
aptly described as derived savannah mixed with some forest region
environment along the river courses (Menakaya et al 1992). The town has a
tropical climate with temperature ranging between 24.44oc and 29.44oc.
The mean annual rainfall is between 1m and 2m (Menakaya et al 1992)
like other parts of Eastern Nigeria, two winds, which divide the year
into two seasons, are noticeable in the area. These are the southwest
trade wind, which bring rain between April and October with a break in
August. The other is the Northeast trade wind, which is dry and dusty
and brings in chilly conditions popularly known as (Uguru) or
harmattan. <br />
It occurs intermittently between November and February. There are
patches of forests and groves, which mark shrines, oracles, and sacred
areas like (uham) Odo masquerade grove, which exist in the community.
The existence of these groves shows the natural vegetative cover of the
study area. Although the area has turned into a derived savannah, the
existence of residual forests in the area can give information on its
natural vegetative cover. Its turning into a derived savannah may be as a
result of human existence and exploitation. The then District Officer
in his annual report on Udi division (1937) rightly observed “in the
grass land particularly in ‘Eke’ area, damages are caused by annual
grass fire”. In addition, the residual forests noted during
archaeological reconnaissance of the area and some of her environs at
the site of Ozoumueleke in Idoha and Mbara Ogbudibia Odo masquerade at
Ndi-Nwara with other ‘Ekpe’ areas - a strip of land which serve as
boundary - can throw more light on the original vegetation cover of the
study area. <br />
The Ukehe soil does not give room for most Agricultural production. It
contained fewer nutrients and supports mostly the growth of palm tress
(Elaise guineensis) and yam (ji) disscarea spp at subsistence level
(Itanyi, 1985). <br />
Geologically, the area belongs to the Nsukka zone and according to
Ofomata (1975) was grouped under the upper coal measure (Nsukka
formation – Nadian), which succeeds the false-bedded land – stone. This
is well exposed in the valley Nadu River a few kilometers north of
Nsukka. In terms of relief, the area belongs to the Nsukka- Okigwe
cuesta (Ofomata, 1975). As for her drainage, the area falls into the
Udi-Nsukka plateau. This plateau has a low density of drainage and is
characterized by sand-filled dry valleys attributed to the influence of
lithology and the nature of past climate. <br />
Ifemasie (1977) writing on the vegetation of the pre-literate Igbo
society has this to say, ‘the apparent conversion of the natural
vegetation of the great part of the northern Igbo plateau (of which our
study is a part of) from rain forest to a derived savannah would also
suggest relatively early settlement and protracted utilization”. <br />
The archaeological discoveries in areas around our study area like
Lejja, Opi, Umundu, Owerer-Elu, Ekwegbe, Onyohor, Aku, Obimo, Orba,
Idoha-Iron smelting sites and Isi-Ugwu-Obukpa rock shatter and, that on
the University of Nigerian, Nsukka agricultural farm site – all in
Nsukka zone, when well analysed, will help throw move light into this
study. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">EARLY HISTORY, ORIGINS, MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT PATTERNS</span></span><br />
The problems encountered in the reconstruction of the history or the
past of the pre-literate African societies have been highlighted at the
on set of this work. Isichie (1976) expressed has own fillings towards
the problems encountered while embarking on the above subject.
According to her, “the centuries that lie between the 9th century and
the nineteenth are the most difficult for the historian of Igbo land to
write about. For the 9th century, we have the vivid retails of
archaeological discoveries, for the 19th, we have an over-swelling
stream of evidence both oral and documentary. But the thousand years
which lies between are full of question marks and obscurities”. <br />
Afigbo (1980) noted that “in the prevailing absence of conventional
record dealing with the early history of Igbo people, an attempt to
reconstruct how Igbo villages, village groups and clans came into being
as a coherent socio-cultural and, at times political units will have to
concern itself with the analysis of what social anthropologists have
probable aptly described as the ideological character validating
existing unities and relationship”. And now for the traditions, the
average Igbo village or even clan believe itself to be as Jones (1949)
has it “the descendants of a common ancestor whose sons begot either the
village sections or the village sub-section”. <br />
Based on the works of these authors and the problems encountered by each
of them on making an attempt to reconstruct the history of Igbo land,
one can easily agree with the present writer that Ukehe town, being
part of the area that make up the Igbo speaking people of South-Eastern
Nigeria cannot be an exceptional. There are problems of dates some of
the elders interviewed were so skeptical, some romantic while others
were eclectic. <br />
Whatever the case may be an attempt is being made here to use however
impeccable the evidence may be towards the reconstruction of the early
history and archaeology of Ukehe town in the present day Igbo-Etiti
L.G.A of Enugu State. According to Isichie (1976) “No historical
question arouses more interest among the present day Igbo society than
the inquiry “where did the Igbo people come from?” It is sometimes
discussed in the press and often put to the author in conversation”. The
history of Ukehe town is frout, just like any other Igbo society with
myths and legends of varied versions. In this regards two school of
thoughts emerged. <br />
One of these schools of thought claimed that Ukehe people came from
“Ebe” and had no blood relationship with her immediate neighbouring
towns like Idoha, Umunko, Diogbe, Ohebe, Onyohor and Umuoka. <br />
The second school traced the origin of Ukehe to be from Nkanu. According
to the first school, Ukehe is one of the seven towns founded by the
descendants of Ojebe-Ogene, wife of Igwe Onyi. Igwe-Onyi had many sons
of which Ojime was one. The last son of Ojebe-Ogene called Ojime founded
Ukehe. Other sons of Ojebe-Ogene in line of seniority and settlement
from south towards North were; Ebe, Abor, Ukana, Awhum, Okpatu,
Umulumgbe and Ukehe. All these towns with the exception of Ukehe are
found in the present day Udi zone in Enugu State. As stated earlier,
this claim in line of seniority was manifested in their settlement
pattern. These seven sons of Ojobe-Ogene were today referred to as
Umu-Ojebe-Ogene. They were all born at the present location of Ebe town
in Udi. When they grens up, due to population explosion which brought
about scarcity of land and the centrifugal nature of man, they had to
find new lands for habitation. Traditionally, Ebe being the first son
among them remained in their fathers original home, while the rest
migrated northwards. The first among the emigrants was Abor very close
to the 9th mile corner. He was followed by Ukana, then Awhuru, Okpatu
and Umulugbe. Ojime and his mother Nnahu (ojime le nnahu) were the last
to leave their fathers home town. <br />
Traditionally in Igbo land, the mother usually shows more maternal love
and care on the last son than others. Sequel to this assertion, Ojime
had to leave with his mother and founded his own place of settlement at a
place called Ukehe. This pattern of settlement can be supported with
the views of Ifemesie (1979) when he wrote “the Igbo people are very
local in their cultural orientation that they move very little and when
they move, they do not go far”. <br />
Ojima arrived first at the land area around the present location of
Omaru which literally according to Ukehe dialect means the ancastral
shrine (onual or onu ala) and the ‘Orie’ Ukehe (a market which holds on
‘Orie’ days and was attended and owned jointly by the entire Ukehe
community. <br />
Omani is the present village of Ezama or Ramma. Ojebe-Ogene had another
wife called Ugwunye that gave birth to Egede and Afa, both in Udi zone
of Enugu State. In his new abode, is Ukehe, Ojima gave birth to two
sons who in turn begot many sons. The first he gave the name, Ezi-Ukehe
and the second, Amakofia. Ezi-Ukehe had two sons that in town gave
rise to two clans. Thus we have Ekpu-Ato and Nkpologwu/Ukwaja. Ekpu-ato
comprised of Uwile-ukehe, Umulusi, Ndiugo, Umuoro and Ndi-ado. The
second batch was made up of Nkpologwu and Ukwaja <br />
Amakodi also had two sons that gave rise to different villages and
clans. Thus, we have Umudule and Amugwu; Umudule gave birth to five (5)
villages which include: Ube-Aworo, Umuchime, Umuofiagu, Ndinwara,
Agbabinanwankwo and Umu-Alaka. <br />
The sequence was in their line of seniority. Amugwu also had five (5)
sons that founded five villages. These also in line of seniority
includes; Ezi-Amugwu Uwani-Abaka, Uwele-Amakofia, Amadim and Amanafi
(fig 2: table 1). Due to the fact that Ojima fist settled at Onu-Omaru
(Ezeama), the people therefore became the eldest village in Ukehe.
Moreover, all sacrifices being made to the Onu-Omani Ukehe was done
through the chief priest of Onu-Omani shrime who is usually the eldest
man in Uwele-Ukehe presently Onu-Omani Ukehe is the highest and most
supreme shrine in Ukehe which every Ukehe man propitiates prior to the
inception of the white man with his domineering Christian religion and
culture. At this death of Ojime – Igweanyi, the body was taken to the
father’s home town ‘Ebe’ according tradition. But when Ojebe-Ogene the
mother died, her body was buried at Ukehe and this adds credence to the
reason why Onu-Omani shrine at Ezama was highly revered. <br />
The issue which remains unverified confusing and questionable is who is
the mother of Ukehe? Some of my informants were of the view that Ojime
married a woman called ‘Nnahu’ and that it was she who gave birth to
Ukehe. Thus, some of my informants referred to ‘Ojime-Lanuahu’ as the
putative progenitor of Ukehe (plate 1).</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES </span></span><br />
Prior to the coming of the white man, the entire Ukehe people were
farmers and this serves as their main sustenance of life. Ucheudu (1965)
noted that “farming is the Igbo staff of life”. Till present, most of
the people of our study area are farmers. <br />
Waddington (1926), in his annual report from Nsukka. Division for the
year 1926 has this to invite “the population of Nsukka division is
almost entirely agricultural but the crops raises – yams (dioscorea spp)
cassava (manihot spp) maize (zea mays), cocoyam (xanthasoina spp) and
beans (black) are grow for local purposes and only just sufficient to
fead the people? This further shows that the people in the pre-colonial
days practiced mainly subsistence agriculture though, they at times
produced surplus which they exchanged with their neighbours for others
scarce commodities land was the main factor in agricultural system and
except in few occasions belongs to the living and the dead. This
assertion was supported by the worship of the earth deity ‘Ala’ or
‘Ani’. The king of crops produced in the area just like in any other
Igbo community is yam (dioscorea spp). It is a tabio fore some one to
pre-harvest or steal yam or kill a son of the land. The labour required
for the planting of the crops in valves the entire house hold. At times
outside labour from friends, and inlaws are invited. Yam has an
elaborate ceremony associated with its planting and harvesting known as
Ifejioku or Fijioku. (New Yam Festival): Other crops cultivated and
referred to as women crops include; Maize (Azizi Oka) Cassava (Akpu)
Millet (Azizi-Enene) Black Beans (Akidi) Yam Beans (Azam) Melon (Egusi),
Guard (Obale) Pepper (Ose), Green (Inine) Okro or Okwuru (Okra) and
other vegetables. There are other plants/crops of economic importance
which are not being planted, but protected in their natural environment
with sanctions and taboos. Okigbo (1980) has listed a great number of
these plants and have shown some of the socio-political, cultural
economic and religions roles of these tree crops. Among home of them
are, Akwu (Elaise Guineensis), Palm Tree Ngwo–(Raphia Palm), Oji (Kola
nut) with its various species such as (Kola acuminate) Oji Igbo (kola
Nitida), Oji Hausa, Garcinia Kola (Akinu). Other tree crops are;
Udara-star apple (Chrisophylum Albidium) to mention but a few. Apart
from the growing of crops, the people kept and still keeps livestock
such as Goats – (Capra spp), sheep (Ovis spp), Pigs, Dogs, Cows, Cats
and Fowls. Another important economic source of the people is trade.
Generally in Igboland, trade was and still is an important economic
activity writing in this, Afigbo (1981:127) has this to say, “Although
subsidiary to agriculture, trade was none the less an important expect
of Igbo economic activity. Just as (Chukwu) God is believed to have
instituted agriculture, so is trade and marketing, by creating the Igbo
market days naming them after four generally fish mongers each of whom
went round Igbo-land establishing markets bearing his name”. Thus in
igboland, in generally and Ukehe in particular, we have (4) four market
days, “Nkwo, Eke, Orie and Afor”. These brought together make an (Izu)
that is one native week in Igbo traditional calendar. Trading within
the community was first conducted at Ukehe markets such as, Orie Ukehe,
Nwankwo, Eke-Ugwu, Eke-Echara, Ogbodo, Afo Umuani and Ogbede Igbodo
jointly owned by the entire Igbo Odo community. <br />
These markets apart from their economic roles perform some socio-
cultural, political, religious and touristic roles. They are important
in the dissemination of news and vital information and also acts as
relief and relaxation centers from the almost continous toil of hoeing,
planting, weeding and harvesting through out the year. This attests to
why we have the Eke-Echara have market which commences by 6.00 pm on
Eke days up till to day. Items of trade include mostly agricultural
products using the barter system prior to the coming of the pre-cinafe
currencies and the Elizabeth coins. <br />
Smelted iron from Ndinwara village and its sonthred products were also
sold and at times used as medium of exchanges, though this forms an
item of trade in their external trade with other communities. Slaves
were exchanged for imported items such as done guns and gun powdar, lot
drinks and at times jewelries. Later, cowries (lkiribia or Ego-Ayori)
and cast or smithed steel rods (Mkpara-Echi) were used a medium of
exchanged. Also manilas and copper rods must have been used. Anozie (of
the blassed memory) 1976) was of the opinions that “prior to the
coming of the white man, the people of west Africa who were already
advanced metal technology, infact made and used manilas of different
types”. <br />
The people of Ukehe also carried out external trade with other
neightbouring towns. In an oral interview with late chief Igwe J.U Nwodo
(1985) (per coaim), he has this to say “Ukehe people in the early days
were mainly traders and kidnappers. They kidnapped and took captive
form surrounding villages. These people were taken to Nike on their way
to Uzoakoh. They even at times stopped at Agekwu in the place or
premises of a man called ‘Ileukwumere’. Then they were taken to
Arochukwu where the trader or slave dealer conferred with the Eze Aro
who then sent them to the portugues at the coast through cross river.
In exchange, these man brought home enamel plates and dishes staff of
office, umbrellas etc. he also maintained that Ukehe people were mainly
farmers and did most f their farming at ‘Ime Agu’ Ukehe. Mr. Festus
Aroh (1980) (per-conrin) was also of the opinion that ‘Ukehe people
were traders and practiced horticultural system of Agriculture”. Ukehe
community traded and exchanged goods with Nkwo- Ozala, Eke-Irume,
Ugwuogo-Nike and Ukpata. They also had trade contact with Ogurugu,
Igala and Aku people. From Ugwuogo – Nike, they bought pots, and from
Igala and Ogurugu in Kogi state and Uzo –Uwani L.G.A. of Enugu state
respectively, they bought fish and raphia palm wine (Ogoro/Ngwo) in
exchange for palm oil and iron bar. They also bought salt from Uburu
people. The only means of transporting these trade items was by the
head portrage.<br />
In addition to trade there were crafts men and weaver. The people also
engage in hunting using locally produced implement like spears, dame
guns, matchets etc. they also trap animals using metal traps and snares.
The use of dog in hunting had been a hing of old with the Ukeche
hunters, both past and present. <br />
However and whatever the case may be, the economic life of the people
of our study area cannot be exhausted. This is in line with the views of
Hopkins (1977:30-31) when he states that due to lack of coherent
choronology, it is harder still to escape a static timeless account of
the local economy in the centuries before the coming of the European
rule.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">SOCIAL-CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL ORGANISATION</span></span><br />
There are many socio-cultural activities with which the people are
known in the pre and post independence Igboland. Educationally, the
people had informal or what Ngwu (2003) referred to as ‘non-formal’
education. Both male and female adolescents were brought up in the homes
by their parents according to the norms, ethics and tradition of the
people.<br />
Formal education in the study area started with the coming and spread
of Christian religion from the coast to the interior or trintenland of
West Africa in the 19305, this was sequel to the European whites
missionary activities most schools set up then were mainly missionary
schools. In Ukehe, one of the most outstanding schools set up them was
St. Peters primary school – Ikpogwu Ukehe followed by St. Mary’s
Ezi-Ukehe.<br />
There are many social activities starting from birth to death of an
individual. Among them were Afiaomugo which herald’s the outing ceremony
of a newly born child to Orie Ukehe market. Other socio-cultural
activities include death ceremonies, traditional marriage ceremonies and
Ozor title institutions. Others are, Odo masquerade in institutional
ceremonies which are also of great tourism importance.<br />
Religiously, before the Christian missionary activities, the dominant
religion in Ukehe was the African traditional religion. A typical Ukehe
traditional religionist believes in the God ‘Chukwu’ or ‘Ezechitoke’ –
God the creator and his messiahs represented by lesser gods made up of
shrines and oracles. Among them were, Ugwu amokofia (the warrior god)
Ezetinogu; Omani, Ogwugwu, Iyiokpani; Anyanwu (the sum god) Eguru etc.
It is through these shrines and oracles that the people communicate
(nuannanyi), other socio-cultural festival in Ukehe include, New yam
festival (ifejiaku or fijioku), Iyimiyi, Ogwugwu, Ukehe, Ugodu,
Ugwuezeja etc. There are also many traditional musics and dances such as
Ikpa, Igede, Odo Mbadnu, Oabara, Agba ekerechi and Ojorine. <br />
Politically, the people are democratic and egalitarian in nature.
Respect mainly came from the elders. The institution of chieftaincy was
maintained starting with the warrant chief system instituted they by
the colonial government. The family is the lowest unit of government
with the eldest male in the family as the head. At the village level,
the eldest male is the head and is supported by the council of elders
made up of the eldest male in all the lineages that make up the family
called the “Oha’ council of elders. In addition to the ‘Oha’ we also
have the ‘Ogbaniwu’ made up of able bodied young men in a village.<br />
At the town level, we have the Igwe who is supported by his cabinet and
“Ofbalele Ukehe made up of members or representatives council of
elders. In Ukehe, Igweship is not hereditary but rotational. There is no
institution establishing hereditary system of government in Ukehe. An
attempt at doing this in the 1980’s brought in a great lacuna and
nearly set the town ablaze. The embers of this ill-planned attempt and
its ghost are still hovering and blowing ill-wind throughout the length
and breadth of the town.<br />
The place of umuada (a guild or council of eldest female in every
family) is highly recognized and respected in Ukehe politica system from
the family, via the lineage/ clan to the village and town level. The
same is applicable to the village and town age grades </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">ARCHAEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS WITHIN UKEHE AND HER ENVIRONS</span></span><br />
The term archaeology has been variously defined by different scholars
within and outside the discipline. One should expect diverse
definitions. Originally, the word Archaeology was coined from two Greek
words – Acrheos – meaning ancient and Logos –meaning studies or
knowledge. Consequently, it became part of Greek-language meaning the
study of ancient things – buildings art works etc.<br />
Today, it is no longer an acceptable definition because it
(Archaeology) has got a much wider scope and goals and the methods of
inquiry have also been greatly remodeled and overhauled. Ogundele (2000)
defined the discipline as “that branch of Anthropology that is
concerned with the scientific recovery analysis and interpretation of
facets of the material culture of a past population at any given point
in time and space. According to him, this is with a view to obtaining an
understanding of the working of a society” simply put, archaeology is a
scientific and systematic way of finding out about the past of man
from the material remains left behind by the past or former
inhabitants. These remains are of several different kinds which include
the remains of his dwelling, collections of dwelling and buildings,
the remains of peoples rubbish, remains of fortification, groves,
religious centres, temples workshops, tools and weapons, objects of
adornment, domestic utensils etc.<br />
Most of these remains are found in archaeological sites which range
from habitation, kill, quarry burial, surface scatters and tell to cave
sites. All these material remains of man are unearthed or exhumed
from the soil through a scientific and systematic method known as
excavation’.<br />
In Ukehe and her environs, there are many archaeological
sites/formations which when excavated would help very much in the
reconstruction of the cultural history of the people. Among such
formations/archeological sites, some of which are also of great tourism
importance are; Ndinwara iron smetlting/smithing sites, Ozoumuaneke
iron something site in Idoha several ‘Uham’ Odo masquerade sacrade
groves, shirines, cares/ rockshelters, mounds and abandoned settlements.
There are also some monumental edifices like the monumental houses of
late chief Uwunwajangwu of Uwele Amakofia and Amadim Ukehe
respectively, (fig.3).<br />
Ekechukwu (1989) wrote the existence of a new fiancé type used for
iron-smelthing in Idoha near Ukehe. This is sequel to the excavation
which he carried but in that locality. An archaeological reconnaissance
conducted by Itanyi (1985) has reavealed many sites including a
cave/rockskelten in Onyohor, a town about one (1km) from Ukehe. <br />
There is the much hope that with were researches in this area of need
with regards to the reconstruction of cultural history of Ukehe, more
facts and evidences would be unveiled.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">CONCLUSION</span></span><br />
This paper generally exrayed “the early history and Archaeology of Ukehe
town in Igbo Eititi L.g.A. of Enugu State. Etc. tried and succeeded in
explaining the problems encountered by historians in the
reconstruction of the history of the pre-literate African societies of
which our area of study is a case at hand.<br />
Further more; it succeeded in tracing the early history and migration of
Ukehe right from an eponymous father and mother Ojime-Igweenyi and
Nnahu. Ojime is one of the seven sons of Ojebe –Ogene. This work further
x-rayed some of the socio-cultural, economic, political and belief
systems of the Ukehe people. <br />
Finally, from this study, it was discovered that there are many
potential archeological and tourist sites in our study area. The
excavation of the iron something site in Idoha hoe exposed the
technological ingenuity of the community prior to the coming of the
white man and has helped to debunk the another Eurocentric and
diffusionist views that Africans remained in the dark until the coming
of the white man and that whatever is good in Africa were introduced by
outsiders. At this juncture, one can only that an attempt has been
made. It is now a challenge on scholars of history and other related
disciplines to take up the baton where the present writer has dropped
it. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
REFERENCES</span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Afigbo, A.E. (1981). Ropes of Sand: A Stduy in Igbo History and Culture. University of Nigeria Press. P.ix.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Afrigbo,
A.E. (1965). “Efik Origin and Migrations Reconsidered Nigerian History
(ed) Ohoro Ikime. Ninaman Nigeria P.79. Magazine No 87.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Anene, J.C. (1965). Southern Nigeria in Transition C.U.P p.4.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Anozie,
F.N. (1976). “Reflections on the Origins of West African Manillas”
paper read at the inaugural Conference of West African Archaeological
Association (WAA) Enugu.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bamby, J. (1934). “Intelligent Report on the village of Ukehe, Onyohor…. Nsukka Division” p.2.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">D.O’s (1937). Annual Report on Udi Division P.8.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ekechukwu, L.E. (1989). “A New Furnace Type From the North of Igbo Land”, in Nnyame akume, A Newsletter of African Archaeology.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fullard,
H. and Darby H. C. (1992). (eds) The University Atlas. George Philip
and Sons LTD, London. 11th edition,
p.125. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hopkins, A.S. (1977). An Economic History of West Africa. Longman Group LTD, Third Impression P.P. 30-31</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Itanyi, E.I. (1985). “Archaerlogy and Early history of Ukehe/Idoha Community” (An unpublished B.A project, U.N.N.).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hemesie,
C.C. (1979). Traditional Humane Living Among the Igbo: An Historical
Perspective; Fourth Dimension publishers Enugu, p.21.<br />
Isichie, Elizabeth (1976). A History of the Igbo People. London p.12</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Jones, G.I. (1949). “Dual Organization” Africa. Vol. 19.No 2. <br />
Ngwu, P.N.C. (2003). Non formal Education Concept and Practices. Fulladu Publishing Company. Enugu, Nigeria. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Menakaya, G.C. and Floyd, B.N. (1992). ¬Junior Atlas for Nigeria. Macmillan. Nigeria. New edition. P.16.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ofomata, G,E.K (1976). Nigeria in Maps Eastern state. Ethiope pub. House Benin City.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Oluwole Ogundele.S (2000). Fundamentals of Archaeology. An Introduction. E.N.E. UI, Ibadan, Nigeria.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Uchendu, V.C. (1965). The Igbo of Eastern Nigeria, Holt Richard and Winston p.30.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Waddington, H. (1920). “Annual Report for Nsukka Division for the year 1960. p.15.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">APPENDIX</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Festus Aroh – Ukehe – A Retired Civil Servant </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chief, J .U. Nwodo (late) Ukehe-then Igwe of Ukehe - 1985</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Chapter Thirteen</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
UMUNA COMMUNITY</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
By Cletus Ugwuegede Ogbaji, Magnus Ejikeme Ugwu,<br />
Michael Ifeanyichukwu Okoro</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND </span></span><br />
Umuna is a town in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State. It
lies on a hill of about 420 metres above sea level. It is situated on
latitude 6.040N and longitude 7.020E. It covers an area of about 30
square kilometres with the population of about 25000. <br />
It is bounded in the East by Ekwegbe, in the West by Ohebe –Dim, in the
North by Ozalla and in the South by Diogbe, Ukehe and Ugwu Gburugburu.
Geographically, the soil is red – ferralitice (sandy-loam with porous
and non-gravelly sandy-loam with reddish brown colour. <br />
Umuna lies within the Tropical Hinterland. It is on a double maxims
rainfall. The total rainfall is between 150 centimeters and it has up to
four months of dry season, from November to March. The relative
humidity in Umuna is over 80% in the morning and 70% in the afternoon.
Despite the high annual rainfall of about 150 centimeters, the soil does
not retain water because the permeable nature of the parent material
which allows rainwater to permeate to great depths. In later shortage,
dry season is one of the great problems in the daily lives of Umuna.
Umuna lies within the Guinea Savannah region. The annual rainfall is up
to 100 – 150 centimeters and wet season lasts for 6 – 8 months. In
Umuna, there are luxuriant grasses and trees such as locust bean tree,
oil been tree, kolanuts, oranges, Iroko. The practice of rotational bush
fallow in Umuna makes for fixed settlements replacing the shifting
cultivation system as a response to the increased population.<br />
Umuna is blessed with good roads. The old road from Enugu to Nsukka lies
very close to the eastern border of the town. There is another road,
which also passes through Umuna. Inhabitants produce plenty of food
crops like yams, cassava, cocoyams and maize. In addition to farming,
Umuna is one of the largest producers of palm wine in Igbo-Etiti Local
Government Area. Goats, sheep and cows are reared. Livestock are
pastured on the hills tops but else where is little uncultivated land
even the precipitous hills sides been pressed into service for farming
purposes. <br />
The town comprises three main quarters Oreti, Ufu and Amokofia. Oreti is
made of Amewa, Diodeke, Isiamele and Umuohaka villages. Ufu is made of
Umeze-Umuna, Uwelu-Ufu and Umuezikoro, while Amokofia is made of
Ameze, Ezenushi, Ubeagu, Umueze - Amokofia, Amadiligwe and Dikwu. On
the whole, Umuna is made up of thirteen villages. The name Umuna was
used in the primeval past to refer to out town. Umuna means a family,
an extended family having patri-local residence. It means children of a
polygamene family. There is also Umuna in Okigwe and Orlu senatorial
zones in Imo State of Nigeria. <br />
Igbo Language is spoken throughout the town. The Umuna people are
argumentative and humanitarian, but they have many good points of which
sense of humour is not the least. Umuna people are not given
excessively to deeds of violence unless they are in a state of high
excitement and their anger is short-lived. At other times both men and
women are friendly, cheerful and courteous and appear to be contended
and very hard working.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ODO CULT (MASQUERADE) </span></span><br />
Odo is a secret cult performed by men in some parts of Nsukka cultural
zone including Umuna. Odo is believed to be the reincarnation of the
dead members of the society, village and /or family. It is believed to
be the dead who have come to earth to stay for a short period among the
living especially with their family members. <br />
Every odd year is an Odo year. The seven months of odo year is
exclusively devoted to its veneration, mostly men who anticipated, would
soon come to visit the living. Odo is entirely men affair. Only the
initiates take part in the odo cult, which is attended, in a secret
grove (Uhamu). Members swear never to divulge the secret of Odo. Odo is
saluted as Ndidi Koko, the name that signifies fear and wonder. Odo
music is thrilling and enchanting. It is the highest perfection of Umuna
artistry. It is not only music per se, but also artistic use of
language as a vehicle for cultural transmission and perpetuation. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ORIGIN OF ODO </span></span><br />
According to Mbiti (1969), “Practically every African society has its
own myth or myths concerning the origin of things. The origin of Odo is
shrouded in mystery and anything said about Odo origin is based on
speculations and hear-say which in turn was derived from oral tradition.
This according to Vasina (1965) is the same as all verbal testimonies
which are reported statements concerning the past.” <br />
In the words of Mr. Innocent Ogbuka, there are four versions of Odo
origin in Umuna. The first version claims that Odo simply walked into
the town and the first village it settled was at Ezenushi. In this
village it met a woman called Osuma Aja who after seeing the masked
figure went and called a herbalist from Dikwu village who boldly took
the ‘masked figure” into a forest. The second version says that Odo was
first seen by a woman fetching firewood in a thick jungle with a great
pond Iyi-Uzu in Ikolo Community. This version claims that the woman saw
a gigantic figure behind an unknown big tree. However, it was this
woman’s husband that came and shouted Ndidi Koko and Odo responded. The
man haboured it for few days and built for it a house. The name Odo
Achi, Obelebe, Odo Aji, Uruoko, Agrinye and others like them derived
their names from the unknown big tree. <br />
The third version claims that odo was founded in Umuna by a man called
Dikwu one of the leaders of Dimaleke family during the settlement of
Umuna in her present place of abode. One of these travelers called Dikwu
saw a spirit that later revealed itself to him. The spirit also
instructed him to build for it a house. After that, other villages in
the town followed. The fourth version claims that an Umunko woman
married at Ezenushi Village in Umuna first saw the masked figure when he
was visiting her family members at Umunko. She went back and called
her husband who saw the figure behind a tree. The figure charged the
men never to allow his women to see him naked. The man ordered the wife
to leave. Then the figure was taken to Dikwu who made it known to the
community that the figure is Odo - a dead person who came to visit the
living members of the family.<br />
Finally, almost all the versions claimed that a woman behind a tree
founded Odo Umuna, yet it is a taboo for a woman to see it naked. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">WORSHIP OF ODO: </span></span><br />
The worship of Odo can be regular or occasional in Umuna unless
otherwise prescribed by a diviner. A “diviner” or “Dibia” according
Arinze “is the person who tells future, is consulted before any
sacrifice(s) or offer(s) are made.” People come together to worship odo
when misfortune calls, when they are asked to offer sacrifice by a
diviner and when they went to show their gratitude for the blessings,
which they have received, from Odo. The rites of Egorigo, Ntiye Odo onu
are some of those traditional rites, which are being performed in the
honour of Odo publicly. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">INITIATION OF NEW MEMBERS:</span></span><br />
The process of becoming a member of odo is long and arduous. It is
believed that no woman no matter how highly placed in Umuna is supposed
to know the secret of Odo. So, also, any male child that is not
initiated, no matter his age is equal to a woman before Odo. Before a
boy is initiated into odo, according to Mr. Godwin Anyanwu, He must
perform a ceremony called Oho-Odo. This Oho-Odo is a title, which gives
him the right to see Odo in the house and grove. The Oho-Odo ceremony
starts about six months before the return of Odo. <br />
On a Diligwe or Nwa Njereke festival, continued Mr. Anyanwu, any man
who has a boy of fifteen years and above will inform his village people
that he will perform Oho-Odo ceremony for his son. When those to
perform the ceremony must have been made known to people, the eldest
man in the village will peg the number of those to be initiated
according to his wish. The father of the eldest boy among them will
fix the date the ceremony will take off. This Oho-Odo ceremony takes
place only on Nkwo day.<br />
On the day of the ceremony according to Mr. Remigius Ugwu, the father
of the boy to be initiated brings four big pots of palm wine to the male
folk of the village in a village hall. About two months before the
return of Odo, the candidates for initiation present some money or
Ngwugwu Okpa each to the nine functionaries of odo in his village. This
is called Ngo Odo. In the words of odo Igwe “Ngo Odo is a lobby on the
part of the boy to be initiated so as to make the Odo be mild and less
violents on them on the day of initiation.” <br />
About four days to the initiation day, those to be initiated will shave
their hair in beautiful patterns called Ishi Nfa-mma and decorate
themselves with car wood lotion and drawing beautiful intricate patterns
on their body with indigo called Uri Nfa – Mma. It is a taboo for any
person to dress his hair or draw such beautiful pattern on their body
in the town except those to be initiated into the Odo Ancestral cult.<br />
When the long expected initiation day comes, the boys are lined up on
the part leading to the groove in the order of seniority. They are led
to the groove blind folded by Dioke or his representative. When they
come in, they are made to undergo certain ordeals in the hands of the
dead represented by Odo. Many questions will be asked to them. They are
made to eat some types of food. All these are to prove their power of
endurance, courage and perseverance. Failure to perform or answer the
questions means severe punishment or death by Odo the unsuccessful ones
are severely punished while the successful ones come out joyfully to
meet their friends, relations and well-wishers who make different types
of presents to them. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">DIFFERENT ODO MASQUERADES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS: </span></span><br />
In the words of Ozor Richard Ntikiri, the following Odo Masquerades performs the underlisted functions. <br />
1. Ishi-Odo/Odoegu Ali – This goes from house to house, cleansing people
and removing poisonous and dangerous medicines planted by enemies. <br />
2. Obodike- Settling immediate family disputes, restoring moral
behaviours among youths by chasing and whipping the offenders especially
the woman folk <br />
3. Ihi-Odo - Plays with young men, corrects any young men who live immoral life. <br />
4. Ike Nwakpakpa – Performs no specific functions. But frightens people
both male and female with whips and knives. He has neither friends
nor relations on earth.<br />
5. Aroke, Njo Adihere, Ugwu Nwaimoka: These masquerades entertain people with stories. Each finding the weakness of the other. <br />
6. Okikpe: Foretells the community problems and their immediate
solutions. It also entertains people with its kind of performances. <br />
7. Okokoro: Heavy masquerades with little ones in her head. He entertains people with dances. He also cleanses people.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
OZO TITLE</span></span><br />
Ozor Title: Ozor title otherwise known as Idi in Umuna is performed in
six stages. The stages according to Clement Okogu are:<br />
1. Echi Idi. Presentation of Kola nut and money to the initiated ones. <br />
2. Nri Echi: Feeding of all the titled members by the person who wants to be initiated. <br />
3. Okputukputu: Feeding of all males and Umuada of the persons village. This involves both the initiated and uninitiated ones. <br />
4. Owa Onu Idi: This is the initiation proper. The person concerned will
feed the titled members sumptuously. It is highly expected that there
will be left over of meat, wine and food. This is the day the person
will get his title names. The names must be not less them three.<br />
5. Ohuji – Idi: All the titled men in the village will gather in his
house and formally welcome him as a full fledged member of Ozor or Ndi
Idi<br />
6. Afia Idi: The newly initiated person with his wife/ wives will now
perform the outing ceremony on this day. Friends, relations, in-laws and
well-wishers will present gifts to him. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
ARMS OF GOVERNMENT IN UMUNA</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">UMUNA GENERAL ASSEMBLY</span>: This is the highest ruling body in Umuna. Every
other arm is answerable to the General Assembly Executive. The
Executive is made up of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Asst.
Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, publicity secretary, Provost
II and I. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">UMUNA
COUNCIL OF ELDERS (NDI OHA)</span> This council consists of the Eldest male
adult from each of the 13 autonomous villages in the town. They are the
custodians of the culture, customs and traditions of Umuna. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">YOUTH
ORGANIZATION:</span> Membership of this organization is open to any
indigenous adult both males and females between the ages of eighteen to
sixty years. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF UMUNA COMMUNITY</span><br />
The aim of this note (write up) is top do a survey of typical Umuna
man’s socio-political activities within and outside his community. This
study also will attempt to supply answers to questions as to her
political culture and psychology and to what extent these have
influenced her external political transactions and what gains, losses
and lessons learnt.<br />
The study also tries to examine the economic activities of an Umuna
person in order to survive. Even though the socio-political activities
of Umuna date as far back as the history of the community already
aforementioned, one of the major problems of the history of the
community is lack of written documents which could serve as sources of
information. This of course is not peculiar to Umuna as this is a
common phenomenon in African history. There is no evidence or records to
provide answers as to what methods used for recruiting leadership, for
managing and sharing powers and for mobilizing consensus in
prehistoric Igbo societies of which Umuna is one. <br />
Economic Activities: A layman’s definition of economic activities may
simply mean what a person does in life through which such person can
generate money for himself/family upkeep or simply put what one does to
earn a living. Going by this, there are a lot of activities in the
Umuna community. A typical average Umuna man is egalitarian in nature.
This means that an Umuna man will always try to be self-independent
hence he must do one thing or the other provided he feeds himself, his
family and always able to pay kinship or community levies. This urge or
motive to survive economically has lead to professionalism and
division of labour among the people. Hence we have a variety of
occupation and professions among the people. The occupations or
economic activities of the Umuna people could be classified into the
following main sub-headings: - </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(1) Farming, (2) Trading <br />
(3) Artisans (4) Civil service <br />
1. Farming: Farming is a major source of economic sustenance in Umuna
Community just like most African societies. Many young men involve
themselves in farming activities. This makes it possible for the
production of foods like yams, cocoyams, cassava etc. Almost every
household is involved in livestock productions such as rearing of goats
local chickens and cows. <br />
There are also a lot of tree crops like kola nuts, coconut, oranges and
prominently palm tree. There exist a lot of palm trees which provides
palms wine that is why most rural men in Umuna are wine tapers and they
make money enough from such activities. <br />
2. Trading has become a very good occupation for the growing population,
in Umuna, more than 30% of the youths are involved in trading. This is
one of the consequences or effects of transportation and communication
on the community hence these youths carry their trading activities in
such big cities like Onitsha, Enugu, Katsina, Kaduna etc. <br />
3. Artisans, this includes all the crafts or professionals like
carpentry, brick layers, driving, tailoring, just to mention a few. In
Umuna Community now, consequent upon the introduction of electricity one
can find a lot of hair saloons, welding workshops, and a lot of
artisan activities. Through these activities, they earn their
livelihood. <br />
4. Civil Service: With the advent of western education into the
community, a lot of the children (sons and daughters) from Umuna
acquired certificates of various cadres, which enables to get employed.<br />
In Umuna today, one finds a lot of government workers in the local,
state and federal employs. In this category of workers we have teachers,
lawyers, engineers, civil servants in different careers and offices.
When all these fail, an Umuna man resorts to farming to eke out a
living. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN UMUNA TOWN</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In tracing the political developments of the Umuna town, it
has been observed that their political activities are as old as the
community. There have been a lot of leaderships and leadership tussles
in the community. Due to lack of written documents, most participants,
their activities and names have been lost to memory as a result of time
factor, however, the political developments could be approached in the
following periods: -<br />
(1) Pre-colonial period <br />
(2) Colonial period <br />
(3) Post colonial or independence period </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(1) The
pre-colonial period refers to time before the coming of the white men
(Europeans) into the Igbo County. This period, the Igbo state was known
as stateless state meaning that they did not believe in kingship or
dynasty hence the popular proverb “Igbo Enwe Eze.” Umuna Community being
one of the communities in Igbo race is not different from such
political situations. Be that as it may, the community was not entirely
left without leaders. Leadership was provided by prominent strong men
of the time who could protect his people from outside attacks, who
could lead his people to wars, which characterized the period. It is
more or less a kind of jungle politics. Leadership was provided by the
council of elders, (Oha), the Umuezugwu ie council of eldest indigenous
married women representing various villages. The law enforcement came
from youths and at time Odo masquerades. <br />
The council of elders was the highest ruling body in the town, they
formulated and executed policies in Umuna town. This group saw to the
protection and preservation of the customs, traditions and culture of
the people. Their female counterpart saw to the protection and
preservation of women dignity. Any attempt to defame, assault or
dehumanize the women folk would ensure the wants of the Umuezugwu.<br />
In times of inter community disputes, some strong men and at times
deities like Odo Masquerade emerged to emancipate the people. According
to Chief Ugwuja Nwozor, there were some strongmen and some powerful
orators in those days. It is possible that due to time names of such
people can no longer be remembered. <br />
(2) The colonial period: this is a period marked by intervention of
foreign powers in the political administrations of the town. In history,
these were the days of colonial regime by the British Government,
which marked the total conquest, and occupation of West African States.
Since there were not enough administrative personnel on the past of
the Europeans, they decided to introduce Indirect Rule system of
Government, whereby some people were selected at Community levels to
represent the interest of the whites. Their method of selection was not
clearly spelt out as it was based on the physical smartness of the
appointees.<br />
This period could be said to have taken place the yea 1948 till
independence. According to Chief Felix Anieze, he said that the year
1948 was the year when Chief Aniaku Nwabodi was crowned the traditional
ruler or the “warrant Chief” of Umuna and this marked the effective
administration of the white man’s government in Umuna.<br />
Late Chief Aniaku Nwabodi was the warrant chief of Umuna between 1948
and 1955 when he died. During his regime Chief Aniaku Nwabodi according
to sources made use of his cabinet in addition to the council of
elders. Like most warrant-Chiefs, Chief Aniaku Nwabodi was strong,
progressive as he attracted primary schools and rain water harvest
reservoir to the town. Comments by some people about his regime
described him as tyrannical and speculations also had it that his
activities might have contributed to his early demise in 1955 at an age
that could be described as his climax. However, it is true that his
regime did not last, a lot of people believe that he achieved much
especially in the encouragement of western education in the town. He
inspired and even forced many youths to school. Since the time of his
demise to 1976 there has been no other traditional ruler or warrant
Chief. In the interim, some people like Ugwu Awuyin, Gugu Eze just to
mention but a few have featured prominently in Umuna politics.<br />
(3). Post Independence/ Post colonial regimes: after the death of Chief
Aniaku Nwabodi in 1955 the few years that followed immediately i.e.
between 1955–1960 was a period of Nationalistic movements and serious
agitation for independence in Nigeria. This among other reasons delayed
the selection of another warrant chief. So Umuna remained without a
leader. Leadership services was offered by some elite in conjunction
with council of elders and some times elected councilors like Omeje
Michael. Some of that elite class includes Chief Anthony Okogu, Sir
Christopher Okogu, Chief Dominic Amoke, Chief Fidelis Odo, Chief Prince
Pius Aniaku, Chie Ogbaji Donatus, Chief Francis Omeje etc. These
educated elites often times played advisory roles in Umuna town <br />
Since nature abhors vacuum, the hiatus created in political scene of
Umuna continue to be felt and therefore there was the need by the
people to have a leader. In 1976, a new warrant Chief or traditional
ruler in the person of Chief Ugwuegede Nwezike emerged. He was crowned
the Ejiofor I of Umuna. From hence forth, the mantle of leadership fell
on him. He had his cabinet and advisers. However, the council of
elders of the town (the Oha) played their own roles as before helping
the Igwe formulate and execute his policies. <br />
Given his level of educational attainment, which of course was below
literate level, he performed to the best of his ability. He was
instrumental also to the execution of a second-class block at Central
School Umuna. The Ejiofor I ruled from 1976 to 1991 when he joined his
ancestors at ripe age estimated at about 90 years.<br />
Ever since his death Umuna has remained again without a traditional
ruler. Efforts are being made towards having another political leader,
but up till now no success. Such efforts include drafting a constitution
for the community in 1993. The draft was unfortunate as it was
frustrated by the powers that be in the town. A second and a final
attempt were made to review the constitution in 2003 under the
chairmanship of Mr. Cletus Ogbaji. The constitution has been signed and
became functional since September 2005. <br />
Since the community cannot remain with out political activities, the
town has been lead by different communities prominent among was the
Umuna Development Consultative Committee (UDAC) with the Chairman as Mr.
Donatus Ede Ogbaji. This committee leads Umuna from 1986 to 1977. A
lot of progressive Development Projects were handled and completed by
this committee. These include Community Secondary School Umuna, Umuna
Water Bore hole and Ufu Primary School Umuna. This community initiated
electricity project for the town. <br />
It is worthy to note that the group never had it smooth as this period
was characterized by attack upon attack by different interest groups’
in the town. The Umuna man has never occupied elective position either
at Local Government or State level. This could be either as a result of
their numerical strength when compared with our neighbours of Ekwegbe,
Ukehe and Aku just to mention but a few. It is hoped that hence forth,
there is that need for the people to muster courage and be ready to
take political risks. In conclusion, it is sad to observe that an Umuna
man is politically aware but due to some factors he has never been
heard of outside the community. The only serious attempt once made was
by Chief Donatus Onyebuchi Igbeaku who contested for the chairmanship
seat under the NRC in 1991 but due to the already mentioned population
factor lost to Charles Ochi. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">IMPACT OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE UMUNA COMMUNITY</span></span><br />
Prior to the arrival of and eventual settlement of foreign religion -
Christianity in Umuna community, the people were notoriously religious.
They believed in the existence of God and goods. The religious practice
of the Umuna people dovetails into their cultural practices. In fact
it is almost impossible to separate the religion of the people from
their culture. <br />
Quite frankly, Umuna holds highest, the supreme deity, “Ezechitoke
Abiama” as the ultimate source and summit of life. Besides the deified
deity, other pantheon gods are revered and worshipped. These range from
Ala – the earth goddess, Shujioku – the god of agriculture, Eja – the
god of yield and harvest, Enyanwu – the Sun god, Edemii – the god of
thunder and rain. The most notably 1worshipped among these gods is the
Odo masquerade. These masquerades are believed to be the spirits of the
dead, which descended from the realm of the spirit world. Animism is
also a popular religious practice in Umuna. Yes, treess, mountains,
rivers, streams, valleys, etc, are worshipped and adored.<br />
The hand of religion appears prominent in every aspect of the culture
of an Umuna man, be it marriage, burial ceremonies, Ozor title–taking,
agriculture, commerce and industry; e.t.c.<br />
Then suddenly came, the visitor - Christian religion. “This religion
which, was based on the Teachings of Jesus Christ and on the belief that
he is the Son of God”, Christianity, though uninvited disembarked at
Umuna and settled in the early thirties. This “visitor” on arrival and
settlement impacted seriously on the culture and lives of the people. It
became so pervasive that it permeated all the nooks and crannies
producing palpable influences. These impacts are effecting as they are
affecting. <br />
Consider the following.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
(1) EDUCATION </span></span><br />
It remained an incontrovertible fact that the first primary school in
Umuna was built by the Catholic Church. The first teacher Louis Okananma
posted by the Catholic missionary attending to the first pupils posted
to the school. As people began to attend schools their ways and views
of life began to change thus blazing the trail for western education,
better understanding and appreciation of the society at large. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
(2) MORALITY AND ETHICS </span></span><br />
In Umuna Community, the introduction of Christianity diametrically
brought to a halt some contemptible inhuman practices. Such odious
practices as slave trade, Osu, human sacrifice to idols, rampart
poisoning, killing of twins, use of unorthodox medicine in the treatment
of certain diseases, belief in “Ogbanje” etc., the arrival of
Christianity actually lessened their firm belief in diabolical
practices, fetishes and unfounded superstitions. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="color: red;">(3) IMPROVEMENT IN THE PSYCHOSOCIAL SYSTEMS. </span> </span><br />
The arrival of Christianity saw to a change from total nudity to decent
dressing, raw and rustic approach to solving problems to ordered
behaviour; in-fact crudity gave way to some elements of modernism.
Roads, electricity, pipe born – water became the in-thing.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
(4) ECONOMY /AGRICULTURE:</span></span><br />
New methods of farming came with the Christian religion replacing the
subsistence agricultural methods. New agricultural crops were equally
introduced such as peas, cashew, mangoes, pineapple, and pawpaw. The
system of trade changed from the barter system - trade to the exchange
of goods for money. The community witnessed changes as a result of the
advent of Christianity.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
NEGATIVE IMPACTS</span></span><br />
Every aspect of the culture of Umuna has been dislocated and
dismembered. We no longer act like one nor reason like one. The
Christian folks see every religion cum cultural practice as a “sin”. In
fact the “holy water has slapped our cringing brows “and: the centre
can no longer hold” culturally, Umuna can be said to be “floating on
the surface”. Christian names have replaced Igbo names.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">RELIGIOUS CONFLICT </span></span><br />
The arrival of Christianity sparked off a conflict between the Bible
and the Ofo. Any form of worship or practice that is not amenable to
the Bible is branded paganism, fetish and Idol worship. This has led to
the destruction of certain vital cultural artifacts in an attempt to
destroy the devil. This very impact has been repudiating, as it is
distasteful.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">END OF POLYGAMY </span></span><br />
The arrival of Christianity killed polygamy. This practice has become
moribund as its adoption is prescribed for childless couples. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">MULTIPLICATION OF EVIL </span></span><br />
Christian religion, which was believed to have panacea for social
problems, engendered much more problems than it can solve. Such problems
as prostitution, rape, homo-sexuality, adultery, lesbianism gay
marriages, women trafficking, marital infidelity, divorce, waywardness,
family anarchy, and such social evils of unimaginable proportions. Like
ritual murderrobbery with violence, child trafficking etc.<br />
There is no gainsaying the fact that the impact of Christian religion
has brought along with it more worthy values for the people of Umuna.
The impact indeed has been paradoxically positive and negative, tasteful
and distasteful, commendable and condemnable. It was inevitably a
necessary evil.<br />
On a final note, it is an unmitigated fact that in spite of the fatal
blows the Christian religion punched on the entire life of Umuna people,
it must be agreed that without it the early man’s status could have
lingered longer in our society and environment, however, “a religion
that took no account of people’s way of life, religion that did not
recognize spots and beauty, was useless. It would not be a living
experience, a source of life and vitality. It would only main a man’s
soul”. Think of that.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
REFERENCES</span></span><br />
Arinze, F.A. (1970), Sacrifice in Ibo Religion, Onitsha.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Barmby,
D.O.(1934), “Intelligence Report on the villages of Ukehe, Umuna,
Onyohor, Ochima, Umuna, Ikolo Aku, Ohebe, Ngalakpu and Umunko” Nsukka
Division, Onitsha Province, National Archives, Enugu, On Prof. 8/1/4724.
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Berthrand Russel (1967), Why I am not a Christian, London: Union Books.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Edmond Ilogu (1985), Christianity and Igbo Culture. University Publishing Company. Onitsha.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ekwunife A.N.O. (1995), Spiritual Explosions, Reflecting on Christian lives and Practices in Nigeria. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ezikeanyi, F.U. (1982), “Odo Ancestral system in Aku” Okikpe: A Publication of Diewa Writers Clubs; Vol. 2, No. 1, </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Idowu, E.B. (1973), African Traditional Religion, London; S.C.M. Press Ltd </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Iloeje, N.P. (1963), A New Geography of Nigeria: Longman Press Ltd. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Jennings, J.H. (1963), Elements of Map Interpretations. London Cambridge University Press. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mbiti, J.S. (1969), African Religion and Philosophy, London: Macmillian Press. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ogbaji,
C.U. (1984), Odo Ancertral Cult in My Town – Umuna Problems and
Prospects (Unpublished) NCE Thesis, Dept of Religion. C.O.E. Nsugbe. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ogbaji, D.E. (1980), Pre-colonial History of Umuna (Unpublished) NCE Thesis, Dept of History C.O.E. Awka. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Vansina, J. (1965), Oral Traditions, Chicago, Chicago University Press.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Constitution of Umuna Town, Igbo Etiti Local Govt. (2005 Unpublished).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chapter Fourteen</span></b></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">UMUNKO TOWN</span></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
By Chief (Bar) Kris Onubuleze & Mr Frank Agbowo</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” John chapter 1:1 </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">LOCATION OF UMUNKO</span></span><br />
Umunko otherwise known as Umunko Nejele Ogu is a town, in Igbo-Etiti
Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria. The word Umunko simply
means ‘offsprings or children of hospitality’. Etymologically, the word
Umunko is derived from the words ‘Umu’ meaning children or offsprings,
and ‘Nko’ meaning distinctly magnanimity, hospitality, mercy, humane,
cleverness, sharpness etc as in ‘Omiko or Ominko’.<br />
The people of Umunko, not withstanding their lion heartedness, brevity,
etc live every letter of her name. Umunko is also etymologically and
etiologically seen as meaning sharp children. Ejemezu (1994:p3) in
Nejele Light said, ‘the biological offsprings from these couples who
were born and seen to be (Nko) very sharp, clever, strong, and have lion
heart joined together to make up a town. Then a name to reflect these
qualities was given to the town as Umu di nko Nejele Ogu’ meaning sharp
children of Nejele Ogu and that in coining Umunko the word ‘di' in the
middle was dropped and UMUNKO was formed.<br />
Umunko though previously bounded in the East by the Nike communities of
Neke Ulo, Ugwogo etc is today bounded in the East by Ukehe Agu, which
now lies, between Umunko and those communities in Nike. Some people
like Nwele Agbo and Ozo Akunaguanya in an interview attributed this
phenomenon to some obvious factors of population advantages on the side
of Ukehe people as against Umunko people as Umunko community is one of
the minority communities in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area.<br />
In spite of some of these obvious realities, some scholars still hold
that Umunko has its boundary in the eastern front with Neke Ulo, Ugwogo
communities etc. They argue that those who cut Umunko off and now
occupy the area between Umunko and Nike communities are no more or less
than tenants of or residents in umunko land. They hope and argue
further that one day, at God’s own appointed time, such land must be
returned to Umunko, perhaps by some divine touches of the Holy Spirit
on the holders.<br />
In the west, Umunko has its boundaries with Diogbe and Ukopi
communities; in the north with Ukopi community and in the south, with
Ukehe community. All these communities surrounding Umunko, except Nike
communities, are all in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State
of Nigeria.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">AREA OF UMUNKO: </span></span><br />
Demographically, the population of Umunko going by population
projection on the 4,504 of 1991 population census figure is estimated to
about 7,000 people. Umunko community land covers an area of
approximately thirty (30) square kilometers. The limitation is equally
attributed to some parts and portions of its land now in the possession
of some of her surrounding communities without exception and according
to Ugwuele, ‘Umunko community occupies a very vast area of arable land
endowed with natural mineral resources’.<br />
The community has many sources of water such as streams, lakes and
springs, thick forests, which harbour wild animals of various types and
hills of varying degrees and dimensions also abound. The presence of
these features may be responsible for Umunko people being great hunters,
farmers and warriors. “It may also be responsible for the covetous
quests and encroachments into Umunko community land.The brutal murder of
two brothers Messrs Joseph Odo and Bernard Odo in 2005 AD by the
Fulani itinerant cattle rearers speaks eloquently for this. May their
souls and souls of other late patriots Rest in Perfect Peace.” </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">ORIGIN OF UMUNKO</span></span><br />
Umunko is etiologically, such a mystified community that several origins
are attributable to and associated with it by several scholars and
resources persons. While some people claim that Umunko people migrated
from Ikem, some others claim that Umunko people came from Mbu, and
others view that Umunko came from Eha Amufu and Neke, all in the present
Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Some other
significant few believed that Umunko migrated from Abriba in Abia State.<br />
According to Ugwuele, ‘it is assumed that the father of Umunko
community, Dulunankwa migrated or came from Ikem area… hence Umunko
tradition/culture and that of Ikem community are identical.’ Ejemezu
(1942:2), while expressing the myth behind the origin of Umunko, said
that there are two versions as to the origin of Umunko viz: from Ehamufu
and Igalla in Kogi State. He however, did not throw much light on
this. This does not however, deny his findings some elements of truth.<br />
From the foregoings, it seems obvious that Umunko community migrated
from its Northern axis, especially from the present Isi-Uzo Local
Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. In the first instance, there
are still two adjacent places in Ehamufu called Umunko and Ngalakpu, the
old name of Diogbe. The adjacent nature of such two sister communities
Umunko and Diogbe (Ngalakpu) in Ehamufu in Isi-Uzo LGA; and the
similar adjacency of the same communities Umunko and Ngalakpu (now
Diogbe) in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area has a lot to be desired and
lend credence to the thought.<br />
Also in the vagaries of views about the myth of Umunko’s origin is the
fact that the Traditional worshippers in Umunko today believe that
their Odo masquerades return from Ikem and go back to Ikem after some
months sojourning in Umunko. It is also part of their belief that the
people who send the masquerades forth spiritually follow the
masquerades to Ikem where they stay for seven native weeks which are
equivalent to four Gregorian calendar weeks of sojourning in Ikem
before returning spiritually back to Umunko, and on their return, the
hairs in their heads are shaved, and merriments thrown for their
successful return or home coming.<br />
As regards the claim of originality of Umunko from Mbu town, still in
Isi-Uzo LGA, it becomes very important to examine the myth in the claim
of Amagodo village, the first village in Umunko that they are
“Ama-Mbuji Eze Utazi, Igbo n’aru ji abara nkashi” meaning a village in
Mbu, a community noted for its yam and cocoyam production.<br />
The next in this work’s list, is the version that ascribed Neke town in
Isi-Uzo as the traditional origin of Umunko community. It is obvious
that Umunko people were being equally regarded and treated like Neke as
brothers by the Neke people in Neke community especially on the matters
of Odo masquerades and some other related matters. What is important
to note here, is that some other towns or communities were not being so
treated by the Neke people. In the domain or shrine of the dreaded
‘Odo Neke’ in Neke town, people from Umunko unlike people from other
towns, were not pulling off their shoes or slippers, and were
participating fully as members in the sharing of the proceeds from
consultations made to the ‘Odo Neke’ deity or Masquerade.<br />
According to Onubuleze (2005), the school of thought that ascribes
Umunko town as having migrated from Abriba in Abia State, the proponents
argue as follows:<br />
1. That Umunko people are warsome as Abriba people.<br />
2. That Umunko is one of those hired warriors or mercenaries from Abriba
hired by the Umunko’s neigbhouring communities and who stayed back
after the wars.<br />
3. That the claim of originality to Isi-Uzo in Umunko’s Northern front is a claim to another war some-like zone.<br />
4. That the link between Umunko community and other communities in
Isi-Uzo LGA is an exchange of some cultural aspects, like masquerades,
as masquerades were instruments of war, and moreso when ‘Odo’ means
warior. In Igalla or Idoma language where the Isi-Uzo people must have
borrowed their Odo cultural menu, that was later lent to Umunko.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">SETTLEMENT:</span></span>
On the issue of settlement of Umunko people, it is believed that
Dulunankwa the father of Umunko, a great warrior, a hunter and farmer
discovered the rich potentialities of the area and therefore decided to
settle there to tap the rich endowments of the land. (Ugwuele, 2005:1)<br />
According to oral tradition, the said Dulunankwa married Nejele Ogu who
begot him the following six sons in their order of seniority;<br />
1. Dim-Ekwesu 2. Dim-Obuleze<br />
3. Diogu 4. Okpara-Alugwu <br />
5. Eze Nwanshieya 6. Dulunshi.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
Then the entire families including these six sons were before living
together, but later they lived apart as they came of age in what is
today called village arrangement.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">VILLAGE
FORMATION IN UMUNKO</span>: Upon the growth and maturity of the six sons of
Dulunankwa, he allotted a portion of land to each of his sons, and from
such allotments made, and the resulting children from each of the sons,
families, clans, and villages emerged in this order of their seniority
and based on age.<br />
1. Amagodo village begotten by Dim – Ekwesu the first son of Dulunankwa,<br />
2. Amaokpuhu village begotten by Dim – Obuleze the second son of Dulunankwa,<br />
3. Ohene village begotten by Diogu the third son of Dulunankwa,<br />
4. Amadime village begotten by Okpara – Alugwu the fourth son of Dulunankwa,<br />
5. Amaho village begotten by Ezenwanshieya the fifth son of Dulunankwa,<br />
6. Amadulu village begotten by Dulunshi the sixth son of Dulunankwa.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. <span style="color: blue;">AMAGODO</span>: Dim –
Ekwesu himself begot (a) Dienechi who begot (i) Agogwu-Obere the father
of Elechi the father of Elechi Onuoha, and Onyima the father of
Umuonyima and Eworo-Obere the father of Umunwokpe, and Ologwu-Obere the
father of Umuodibe Nwanshi. (b) Eloke Oga the father of Umueloke
Oga. (c) Dimeworo-Ogodo the father of the present Amagodo Uwani.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2. <span style="color: blue;">AMAOKPUHU</span>:
the son of Dim-Obuleze begot (a) Okaelenyi the father of Ani Nwalolo
the father of Umuani, (b) Nwele Nwoka the father of Umunwele, (c)
Ugwueke Nwalolo the father of Umunwugwueke (d) Ani-Eworo the father of
Umuani-Eworo and (e) Ezeode the father of Umuezeode.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3. <span style="color: blue;">OHENE</span>:
the son of Diogu begot (a) Dimewa the father of Umudimewa, (b)
Ezeanwugumma the father of Amadimgbemgbe (c) Amankashi-Etiti and (d)
Amankashi Uwani.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">4.
<span style="color: blue;">AMADIME</span>: the son of Okpara Alugwu begot (a) Elemule Nshinye the father
of Umuelemule (b) Oke-Udele the father of Umuoke-Udele and (c)
Odufu the father of Umuodufu.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">5.
<span style="color: blue;">AMAHO (AMAFOR)</span>: the son Eze Nwanshieya begot (a) Atu-Ugwunye the
father of Umuatu (b) Edumoga the father of Umuedumoga (c) Ugwunye the
father of ugwunye, (d) Asogwa Ugwu the father of Umuasogwa Ugwu, and
(e) Amaebo.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">6. <span style="color: blue;">AMADULU</span>: the son of Dulunshi begot (a) Oda the father of Umuoda (b) Ajima the father of Umuajima and (c) Uwelu.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
CULTURAL ASPECTS OF UMUNKO</span></span><br />
Umunko is one of the communities in Igbo-Etiti LGA with rich cultural
heritage worthy of sustaining and perpetuating. According to Biesanz and
Biwanz (1964), culture, in general refers to the learned portion of
human behaviour, the ways of thinking, feeling and doing things that man
himself has developed as part of his environment.<br />
The Webster’s Encyclopedia unabridged Dictionary of the English
language gives the sociological meaning of culture as: “The sum total
ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from
one generation to another”.In his own submission Rev. Fr. Onyeneke
(1993), sees culture as: “The way of life of a given society which is
transmitted from one generation to another”. Continuing, he said that “a
group of people, organized in their distinctive way is a society,
whereas, their distinctive way of organizing themselves, learned by
individuals as members of that society and transmitted from one
generation to another is their culture”.<br />
From the fore-going, one can easily deduce that culture is the totality
of the ways of life of a people inhabiting a defined geographical
location. These ways of life are tranmitted from one generation to
another. For the sake of growth and development, and peaceful
co-existence of any human society, the culture of that society should be
dynamic and not static. Rev. fr. Onyeneke is quite sure of this when
he said, “the culture of a society is in no way static. As creative
responses of the people to adapt to their environment, culture has to
sdhift and change as people’s environment similarly changes”.<br />
To buttress it more, Rev. Fr. Iyidobi (1998) has this to say: “Culture
is always a creature of man, since he continues modifies his way of life
as his environment changes or demands. At the same time culture
“creates” man, beats him into shape, makes him act, behave, speaks,
dance, eat, worship, etc. in a particular manner making him or her an
Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, English, French man or woman. Man is therefore,
both a creator and a creature of culture. It is in dynamics of man
creating culture and creating man that we find the possibility of
cultural, and that is to say, human developments”. <br />
Since culture is a way of life of a given human society, Umunko, as a
biological human society, also has its own way of life (culture). The
cultural life of Umunko community is, therefore, discussed below in
synopsis under the following headings inter alia: Agriculture, Religion,
Festivals, Marriage, Ozo title taking, Oha holding, Umu-Ezugwu,
Umuada, Age grade, etc. However, for want of space and time our focus
of discussion shall be on Agriculture, Religion, Festivals and
Marriage.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">AGRICULTURE</span></span><br />
Umunko Nejele Ogu is an agrarian community with vast fertile arable
lands and other natural endowments like rivers, streams, lakes, timbers
and other forests and water resources. Umunko has very good soil and
environmental conditions which favour the growth of many agricultural
crops. Although her farming is purely based on subsistence level, the
community produces enough food for consumption, and for sales in her
local Afor market. In fact, <span style="color: blue;">UMUNKO IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FOOD BASKETS OF</span>
Nigeria in general and in particular, Igbo-Etiti LGA. (Agbowo, 2005)<br />
People from far and near come to Afor Umunko market to purchase food
items like yams, cassavas, cocoyams, vegetables, fruits – both
cultivated agro cashews, mangoes, pears, and forest/wild fruits like
‘utu’ and livestock of different species. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Umunko
is also the chief supplier of honey, bush and aquatic animals and
meats, high quality palm wine popularly known and referred to as
‘Umunko’, pure palm oil and palm kernels, oil beans, kola nuts and a
host of other products of cash crops in the Igbo-Etiti Local Government
Area and environs.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Agricultural
operations in Umunko to a very large extent are not mechanized. Land
clearing and cultivation are done manually with traditional crude
implements like cutlasses and hoes. The sources of farm labour include
the farmer and his family members, hired labourers and organized
community/village labour which is rotatory among the participants. The
use of chemicals or synthetic fertilizers is not common at all; instead
organic manure is greatly used.<br />
The major farming areas (Agu Umunko), as we said earlier, are located
at the eastern part of the community, a distance of about 13 to 25km
away from the residential areas. Some farming activities are also
carried out at the residential areas. All the natural resources like
streams, rivers, lakes, etc. are found at the major farming area (agu).
It is the existence of these resources that make the land in that area
to be very fertile and productive too. <br />
Very few people live at the said Agu Umunko, and even at their death,
their corpses are carried home (‘N’ulo’) for burial. In fact, that area
Agu Umunko, is an Umunko Reserved Area (URA) for agricultural
activities. Still related to agriculture, the people extensively do
fishing and hunting. They do these especially during the dry season,
which is the off-season for some other agricultural activities.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
RELIGION<br />
Before the advent of western religion, African Traditional Religion
(ATR) was the only religion that was in practice in Umunko. But today,
there are two main religions – African Traditional Religion (ATR) and
Christianity, which came to Umunko around 1930. Recently, the existence
of the two religions is no more cordial. Christianity is taking and
assuming very much ground. In some kindred today, there are few or no
traditional worshippers but Christians.<br />
For the ATR worshippers, there are many deities or gods and Odo
masquerades. Some of these deities are not, however, popular. Today, Iyi
Ojii Amagodo, is the most popular and dreadful deity in the community
and its adherents have high regards for it, especially in the nature of
justice dispensations. According to the worshippers, it is a male
deity. The deity even travel to other communities around Umunko for
oath takings and administrations especially in very sensitive,
controversial and serious issues. Because of the power it exudes, it
has been titled EZEVUDE, and in many quarters, it is branded ‘BAKASI’.<br />
The feast of Iyi Ojii and other deities in the community are celebrated
twice every year. Taking Iyi Ojii as an example, the first one is
termed Iyi Ojii “Uya”, which is celebrated during the planting season,
around the months of July and August. During this period, most of the
agricultural crops are not yet mature. The items then taken to its
shrine include kolanuts, palm wine, black beans and cocoyams,
domesticated animals like cows, rams, goats etc. The second one is
termed Iyi Ojii “Udumii” and is celebrated during the harvest season
between the months of October and November. By this time, most of the
agricultural crops are mature and are being harvested. Generally, the
‘real’ Christians do not participate in the feast of deities in Umunko.
It is purely for the ATR worshippers.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">ODO MASQUERADE</span></span><br />
Umunko, as an Igbo-Odo community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area,
has Odo masquerades of various types and sizes. The feast of Odo is a
celebrated biennial event, and the Odo masquerades return in four
phases. The first to return is ‘Odo Ishi Aha’. This is followed by
‘Mbata ulo Odo’, that is the return of the musical troupes of Odo. Women
are forbidden from seeing musical troupes of Odo because the Odo
troupes are not masked. They go about naked beating their musical
instruments. After the ‘Mbata ulo Odo’ the next category to return is
‘Odo Agu’ and finally ‘Okanrido’ which return twice within one Odo
period.<br />
The return of ‘Okanrido’ in each case is not characterized by festive
mood because special foods and drinks are not usually prepared to mark
the event. It stays for four days in each occasion humourizing, cracking
jokes, ridiculing people, clashing heads of families, relations, and
friends and thereafter, goes back to the assumed ancestral spirit world.
Women do not like Okanrido at all because during its return and stay,
women are kept indoors, and their movement restricted.<br />
‘Odo Ishi Aha’, being the first to return, is celebrated with
conspicuous quaffing of palm wine. Both Okanrido and Odo Ishi Aha return
in mask of young palm leaves (‘omu nkwu’). Odo Ishi Aha also have an
eagle feathers piled on its head. During the first return of Okanrido
another category of masquerades called ‘Mluamlua’ also return. It does
not return twice, and it returns in a mask of young palm leaves. This
acts like a security agent (police). It helps to maintain law and order.
It hates people quarreling and fighting. In the past it use to compel
women to keep roads clean, and women entertain it with wine and
tobacco.<br />
Odo Agu is the mostly lavishly celebrated phase of Odo festival in
Umunko. The believers usually kill different species of livestock; buy
foodstuffs, wine and friends invited from far and near. The Odo festival
is believed to be men affairs and because of that, men use to buy
dresses for themselves and costumes for their masquerades. There are
many types of this category including ‘Okokoro’, Odo opipi and Agu.
These are their umbrella names. The members of the category, except the
Agu, are richly and elegantly costumed. Agu is usually masked in empty
jute bag, old clothes and other tattered materials, and arms itself
with canes, thorny sticks, and other dangerous objects like knives etc
and as it moves about, it beats and harasses people indiscriminately.
The Odo masquerades stay for about seven months before they go back to
the ancestral spirit world where they will sojourn till their next
returning period. During their stay, the believers are performing
different activities and ceremonies. <br />
According to Onubuleze, some Odo masquerades are significantly being
used in settling disputes, maintaining peace, enforcing environmental
cleanliness, enforcement of rules and regulations in Umunko, evening
relaxations, hypertension reducing devices, entertainments etc. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">NEW YAM FESTIVAL IN UMUNKO</span></span><br />
In Umunko, New yam festival traditionally and popularly called
“Ovu-Eja” in Umunko dialect is an invaluable and historic cultural
festival. It is a festival celebrated annually by the natives to say
thanks to the Supreme God, personal gods and gods of agriculture for
keeping them alive and strong during the planting period. It is also the
feast during which the people formally harvest and eat the new yams,
and ask more favours from God, and the gods of agriculture. In Igbo
land, new yam festival is a prominent event with varied dialectical
nomenclatures.<br />
In Umunko the festival is celebrated between the months of September
and October every year, and a lot of preparations are made ranging from
the purchases of different items such as food stuffs, livestock,
decorative materials like cloths, camwood and other cosmetic products,
clearing of roads, harvesting of yams to be consumed and taping of palm
trees extensively to produce palm wine during the period. Friends and
well wishers from the neighbouring communities, as well as various tiers
of government are also invited to witness the occasion.<br />
In traditional way, the actual celebration is performed throughout the
community in the morning hours of ‘eke’ day with thanksgiving at the
individual hamlet’s/kindred’s shrine, and churches. Some of the ritual
items are kola nuts, palm wine, yam tubers, ‘odo’ (gorizza powder) and
young palm leaves ‘omu nkwu’ to produce “Obara n’abo” which is placed in
each of their shrine spots. The eldest male head in each
hamlet/kindred or priests of different shrine perform this sacrifice.
In the evening of the same day, the second activity characterized by
dancing the “Ugeleji” music takes place at the ‘eke’ Umunko square.
“Ugeleji” music is the most popular traditional music played during the
new yam festival in Umunko, and a particular village, Amadime village,
plays it. On this day, the mothers-in-law will invite their
sons-in-law and their wives, and prepare delicious foods for them. In
order to reciprocate this, the sons-in-law and their wives will carry
kegs of palm wine to their mothers-in-law at “Afor” Umunko market
square on Afor day during the outing ceremony which marks the end of
the event.<br />
In the preceding day, that is the orie day before the afor day, which
is another festive day, the traditional worshippers (males), visit every
member of their respective hamlet/kindred from house to house and
perform certain rituals. These rituals are performed in the shrines and
churches. This to the traditionalists is carried out inside the yam
barn, which is dialectically referred to, in Umunko, as “Onu shujioku”,
that is, the shrine of the gods of agriculture. The items for rituals
are kola nuts, palm wine and domestic fowls. At the end of the visits
they will go back to their respective houses and reconvene later in the
eldest man’s house with food, cooked fowls used for the rituals, and
possibly, where applicable. <br />
The last day being “Afor” is the traditional outing to afor market and
women and youths mostly perform this outing ceremony. In most cases the
women will appear in their new attires. This day the women who take
the new title called “Igba Echi” within the period of the festival will
also appear in the market to dance, demonstrate and showcase the “Echi
Ukwu” round the market. All mothers-in-law are expected to get kegs of
palm wine from their sons-in-law at Afor Market Square on Afor day to
mark the end of the event in the community. <br />
Christians do not participate in the rituals performed by the
traditional worshippers. Rather, they celebrate the “Ovu-Eja” festival
by attending the church services, and offering sacrifices in the church.
They participate on the outing day because it does not involve any
rituals.<br />
New yam festival (“Ovu-Eja”) is a period of relaxation, a period of
reunion of relations and friends. It is also occasions during which
people return en-mass and assess the degree of development projects
embarked upon, and lunch new ones. In fact, it is a period for
merriment, reunion, exchange of gifts, stocktaking, future planning etc.
for the community. (Onubuleze: 2005)</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE SYSTEM IN UMUNKO</span></span><br />
Marriage ceremony is another of cultural institution in Umunko
community. Before the advent of western civilization, marriage
institution in Umunko was done in the traditional ways. Certain
procedures and steps were undertaken during the processes of instituting
marriages.<br />
But with the over increasing and assuming position of Christianity,
modern education and social mobility, some of these all important
cultural values have been thrown over board. Nowadays, youths travel far
and wide and get married to anybody they like with little or no regard
for culture. <br />
The intention of this paper is, therefore, to discuss the traditional
marriage in Umunko community starting from the time of our forefathers.
The discussion is purely based on the sequential manner of the
activities performed. Traditionally, all the marriage ceremonies are
performed on Orie day because the community regards Orie as a female
day, and the ceremony pertains woman. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
ONE</span>: The first stage is “Ibuyi mmanya n’eju”. This stage was in
practice during the time of our forefathers, but it was no longer in
vogue. The ceremony was performed as soon as a female child was born. In
this case, the parent of the would be husband would carry a keg of
palm wine and some kola nuts to the family of the new born baby girl
for an engagement. The acceptance of these items was an indication that
they had agreed to their request. The dating of the marriage would
start from this stage and the girl would then become senior in rank to
any other woman to be later married into the same family, village or
kindred notwithstanding who is older by age.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
TWO:</span> This is enquiry stage (Iju ajuju). This stage is still in
practice, and it starts as soon as the girl reaches marriage age. The
desiring man makes enquiry about the family background of the girl and
about the girl to be married. If the enquiry proves positive and
satisfies the man’s quests, then, the man can now proceed to the next
stage.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE THREE</span>:
This is the stage of the invitation of the girl’s mother to and by the
family of the suitor. At this stage, the man or his family invites the
mother of the proposed wife. During this stage a reasonable quantity
of palm wine, of about two gallons, and some kola nuts, are presented
to the mother of the girl.<br />
After taking some of the kola nuts and wine, the purpose of the
invitation will be made known to the invitee by the man’s father or his
stepfather. Normally and ordinarily, the woman will not give an
immediate reply. The popular reply is that, “I have heard when I go I
will tell ‘Amadia’”, that is her husband. While going, she will be given
some of the kola nuts and wine to take to her husband.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
FOUR:</span> This is the stage of the invitation of both parents. At this
stage, the suitor will invite both parents of the girl, usually a week
after the first invitation. Usually, he will present more wine of about
two or more gallons and some kola nuts. After breaking and taking some
of the kola nuts and wine, the purpose of the invitation is officially
made known to the father of the girl by the father of the suitor or any
other elder relation, if the father of the suitor is no more alive. As
usual there will still be no immediate reply from the guests.<br />
While going back, they will take some quantities of wine and kola nuts
home, which they will use to inform their own relations. It is at this
stage that proper enquiry about the man himself is made. For
traditional worshippers, it is at this stage that they will consult
with fortune-tellers ‘Ndi afa’ before sending a reply “Aka ekwe” to the
suitor and his family.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
FIVE</span>: When the suitor gets positive response Aka ekwe from the would
be parents-in-law, he will again invite the girls parents and her grand
parents, both paternal and maternal to disclose the same intention to
them.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE SIX</span>:
this is the stage of presenting kola nuts “Ipa oji” to the parent of
the girl to be married. At this stage, an intermediary (go-between)
popularly known as “Onye ozi” is appointed or chosen. “Ipa oji” is one
of the most important stages in marriage ceremony in Umunko, because it
is the official and legal means of authenticating a marriage engagement
in the community. Once this marriage rite, “ipa oji” is performed,
both the man and the girl are then, being regarded as husband and wife,
and then, they are no longer treated as a bachelor and spinster
traditionally.<br />
This stage is also the parameter used to determine the seniority of
women married into the same kindred or village in Umunko. This marriage
rite is performed with the following items; kola nuts of not less than a
hundred seeds, wines of different brands and money. Thereafter, the
girl is expected to return to her husband with the empty calabash used
to carry the wine to her parents. This will indicate total acceptance of
the kola by the parents-in-law.<br />
After this stage of “Ipa oji”, the girl can now visit her husband to
help him and his parents in some domestic chores. The husband is also
expected to visit and help his in-laws in some farm work and other
domestic activities.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
SEVEN “ICHO OKU”</span>: This marriage is performed after the “Ipa oji”
ceremony, and it involves the husband sending the intermediary to his
in-law with some quantities of palm wine and kola nuts. The essence of
this is to beg them to allow his wife to come and stay with him for some
weeks/days. This stage is the preparatory stage for the payment of the
actual bride price of the girl. The usual period of stay is about one
month and “Udu oku” ceremony will be performed.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
EIGHT: “UDU OKU”</span>: This ceremony actually symbolizes the payment of the
bride price of the girl by her husband. This is what is today
generally called “Igba Nkwu” in Igbo land. On this day the girl’s
mother-in-law that is the mother of her husband (“Nne di”) is expected
to buy cloths and other gift items for the girl for the first time. The
relations of the man as well as their neighbour hood are also expected
to present gifts in appreciation to the girl, for having stayed with
them for some days or weeks.<br />
The following items are used for the ceremony; a reasonable amount of
money, reasonable quantity of wine of different brands, kola nuts and
tobacco. The intermediary takes all the items for this ceremony to the
girl’s parents with the girl. The girl is also expected to return to her
husband together with the intermediary with the empty calabash/gallons
used to carry the wine.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
NINE</span>: After the “Udu oku” ceremony, the parents of the girl will for
the first time invite their son-in-law, his parents and relations to
their house to perform the “Mara be” ceremony, that is knowing their
house. The parents-in-law use the occasion to show appreciation for what
the son-in-law has been doing for them since the marriage started.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">STAGE
TEN “MMANYA IKWU NA IBE”</span>: This ceremony is the final presentation of
wine to all the relations of the girl by her husband as far as the
marriage is concerned. The ceremony is performed at the husband’s house
and the quantity of wine depends on the number of the relations of the
girl as all the extended relations of the girl are expected to be
there.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: blue;">STAGE
ELEVEN: “IHE NWA ESEGO”</span>: This is the final stage in traditional
marriage system in Umunko. It is performed by the husband of the girl to
inform his parents-in-law and their other close relations that their
ward has come of age to live permanently with him. Kola, food, meats,
drinks and some amount of money are presented during the occasion. At
this stage the woman will no longer be thinking of going back to her
parents again.<br />
After this stage, the man if a traditional religionist, goes ahead to
cohabit with his wife, and there and then, their marriage could be
consummated. But where the young man is a Christian, the seventh stage
“icho oku” as discussed above serves to inform his parents-in-law that
their daughter has come of age and that he wishes to embark on taking
her to the alter (wedding). If approved by the parents-in-law, the young
man arranges for a suitable and convenient date for their wedding and
takes his girl to the altar and weds her, and family life immediately
starts, marriage consummated, and the couple becomes husband and wife on
license.<br />
From the fore-goings, one sees that the traditional marriage system in
Umunko is worthy of emulation. According to Frank Agbowo (2005), it
enables both parties to have a thorough knowledge of each other before
being deeply involved in the system. Traditional marriage is much better
than the contemporary method of marrying at first sight without proper
enquiry about the family backgrounds of both parties. The modification
needed is the introduction of modern scientific approach in the system
in Umunko.<br />
All hands must be on deck to ensure that the intending couples are
genetically compatible before contracting marriage. When this is
achieved, traditional marriage system will ever remain and suppress the
modern method being introduced into the community. </span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">OTHER CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN UMUNKO</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">THE
“OHA” UMUNKO</span>: This is the council of elders from different villages
and hamlets. However, not all hamlets as at today are represented in
“Oha”. The “oha” Umunko is the highest law making body in the
community. They decide and settle cases and conflicts among individuals
and different interest groups. They meet as soon as the need arises.<br />
<span style="color: blue;">OZO TITLE TAKING:</span> This is for men. It is the only established and
institutionalized title taking in the community, and like in other Igbo
community where it is taken, it is for the riches. Ordinary people do
not take it because of the cost effectiveness. The holders have their
own code of conduct, and are respected everywhere in our society today.<br />
<span style="color: blue;">THE AGE GRADE</span>: This is an association of people born within the same
year or period. Both males and females have their age grade associations
separately. They take their names between the age of twenty and twenty
five years. In Igbo land generally, age grade system is one of the
recognized cultural institutions. Age grades participate actively in
community tasks like road construction, peace keeping and maintenance
etc.<br />
<span style="color: blue;">UMU-ADA</span>: this is the association of daughters born in each of the
kindred but at the community or village level, it is loose. The
association at the community/villages level is for the contemporary
society and as such, membership is not usually compulsory.<br />
<span style="color: blue;">UMU-EZUGWU:</span> This is the council of women elders married in all the
kindreds in the community. The eldest woman married in each kindred
attend the meetings of the council of “Umu-Ezugwu”. Membership is only
for the women who hail from Umunko. Those married from outside the
community do not attend the meetings of “Umu-Ezugwu” even if they are
the most seniors in their kindred. All these institutions discipline
their erring members according to the gravity of the offence committed.
Very grave offences may even attract complete sanctions.<br />
Worthy of note is that Umunko community is a human biological society
with many and diverse cultural values worthy of preservation for the
posterity. Cultures, as we have known, is the instrument which shapes
human society as any society without sound cultural values is destined
to be ruined when faced with violent attacks of confused modernity.<br />
The culture of any society should be dynamic and not static in order to
accommodate the changing environments and circumstances. In view of
this, the Umunko community should, from time to time, evaluate and
modify some of her antiquated cultural aspects to make ways for the
changing environments it is therefore, recommended that any culture that
is no more in consonance with the contemporary society will be laid to
rest forever.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY ON THE SOCIO-CULTURAL LIFE OF UMUNKO</span><br />
What is Religion? Religion, as defined by Encyclopedia (African)
includes beliefs from all parts of the world about God. Chambers
Twentieth Century Dictionary defines religion as a belief in,
recognition of, or an awakened sense of a higher unseen controlling
power or powers with the emotion and morality connected there with;
which may be a site or worship or a system of belief or worship. Karl
Marx observed religion as a bourgeois attempt to feed the masses with
opium, the elixir that numbs the sense from a correct perception of
reality. Karl Marx also saw religious era as an era of darkness and a
scientific era as an era of light.<br />
Religion is the strongest element in traditional background and exerts
probably the greatest influence upon the thinking and the living of the
people concerned. Kris Onubuleze (1983) defined religion as the bread
of life, the moderator of moral, the belief in, worship of, fear of,
and respect for supernatural being or beings, believed to have infinite
powers. The conceived supernatural being may be God, gods, spirits, or
objects. “Remove religion from man, blot out of his mind the belief in
his maker, who rewards the good and punishes the wicked, the fact that
he has an eternal destiny, and what we have left in him, is an animal
who acts out of sheer material and egoistic motives and sheer
convenience, one who obeys the law out of fear of punishment or hope of
material gain or for pure intellectual satisfaction” (Amuchiazi: 1980
in Onubuleze: 1983).<br />
Why religion? (Origin of religion): According to Chief Kris Onubuleze
(1983), religion is anthropocentric and, therefore, centers on man. Like
culture, religion is man made. It is also by man and for man hence all
aspects of religion and belief in it revolves on man in his
relationship with the supernatural. It starts from the limit of man’s
courage, endurance etc. When therefore, a man’s courage, endurance etc.
which are limited in scope, reach their tether, to say the least, man
starts to look for supernatural beings he believes are more powerful
than he is to help and protect him.<br />
According to J.P Jordan in his book “Bishop Shanahan of southern
Nigeria” at pg. 115, in man, nothing was farther from his mind than in
materialistic philosophy of existence. Religion must have evolved from
man’s fear and insecurity – the fear of death for example can be
overcome by the simple religious belief that there is “life after death”
(after life) with God.<br />
In Umunko community for instance, when somebody feels being unsafe, the
person uses to invoke God for help by saying ‘Chukwu Nsoo’ – God
protect me or ‘Chukwu, a dim gi n’aka’, - God, I am in your hands. In
the dictum of late Chief Ozo Ezevude Onubuleze, religion is as a result
of man’s fear and his inability to champion all his causes and his
beliefs and this realization of beings with much more power than he has.
For instance, in the bible, God was always severally in invocation
whenever the people of Israel were confronted with problems.<br />
Religion as a Culture: Firstly, culture according to Bar. Kris Onubuleze
(1983: 6), refers to people’s way of life, the distinctive way of life
of a people, their complete design for living. It is the resume or the
some total of all the aspect of life of a given society or people.
Such aspects include marriage, music, language, religion, dressing,
greeting etc. Every aspect of culture has a systematic and patterned
ways of observing it by its adherent’s right from the simple
rudimentary eating.<br />
Similarities between Religion & Culture: Like father like son,
religion is like culture because it is a complex whole – complex whole
in the sense that people under one religious umbrella have well
organized, systematic and stereotyped ways of doing their own things
like marriage, dressings, greetings, worship, etc. of which prescribed
punishment or doom awaits any defaulters. Beside, religion resembles
culture in the following ways:<br />
1. It has already made solutions to all problems.<br />
2. It is man made.<br />
3. It is anthropocentric – focused on man.<br />
4. It is a body of different aspects of life.<br />
5. It provides a nice forum for moral training.<br />
6. It provides a nice arena for socialization.<br />
7. It has a set pattern and stereotyped ways of doing things.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Roles played by religions in our society:<br />
(a) Religion is an important aspect of social disciplines and therefore, conditions the behavoural pattern of our society.<br />
(b) It leads to the understanding of the social actions since societal
behaviours are mostly determined by what they believe in – “People act
as they believe”.<br />
(c) Religious studies facilitates the understanding of the
relationships between different religions and among religions and other
social sciences like Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology,
Political Science etc.<br />
(d) Religion helps in leadership training since it has a hierarchy of
officials – it teaches role-play, leadership and followership
responsibilities – “a good follower makes a good leader”.<br />
(e) Religion plays a key role in the natural and national development,
moral development attitudes and disciplines that are contributory to
development. ‘Development’, according to Mr. E. F. Schumacher, in his
book titled “A study of economics as if people mattered”, does not start
with goods; it starts with people and their education, organization
and discipline.<br />
(f) Religion preaches love, unifies men, individuals, communities, states, nations and leads to a healthy society.<br />
(g) Religion offers answer to man’s various and infinite metaphysical problems.<br />
(h) Religion provides a forum for socialization of individual in his relation to others, since man is a social being.<br />
In Umunko today, Christianity has effected its so many socio-cultural
changes. Such changes that are ushered in by this new religion, like
coins, have two sides. One side of the changes favours the community,
while the other side does not. In this section, the focus and attention
of this discuss will be on the socio-cultural changes – positive and
negative as brought about by Christianity in Umunko community. Here
below, are the highlights of the changes extracted from consolidated and
in-depth research, information, knowledge, observation, intuitions and
experiences:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
POSITIVE EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY IN UMUNKO COMMUNITY</span></span><br />
(a) Before the coming of Christianity in Umunko, only one religion
religious type – Traditional Religion had been in practice, but with the
advent of Christianity the center no longer holds, the center has been
divided and Christianity has evolved from, and in the town. This no
doubt has broadened the minds of the people in the community, by
providing them with an alternative religious system, which helps to
create a sort of checks and balances between the two religions.<br />
(b) Social Systems: Christianity brought with it education and this
education ushered in new language; new and better methods of dressing,
better road networks, better environmental conditions, hygiene,
varieties of music, etc. It therefore, makes life to be much more
enjoyable and hopeful than before.<br />
(c) Education: It will amout to injustice for any person in Umunko to
think of education in the town without associating or attributing it to
Christianity. The advent of the missionaries according to Onubuleze
(1983 and 2005) and Lawrence Ugwu (2005), introduce a kind of
Educational system branded 3Rs in Umunko around the year 1935. This 3Rs
Education system was based on Reading, Writing and Arithmetic for
keeping of accurate records and accounts. In view of the above, one can
say that Christianity through Education brought total emancipation of
Umunko people from abject illiteracy, superstitions, fear, and ignorance
etc. (Kris Onubuleze: 1983).<br />
(d) Ethics and Morality: In Umunko community, since the introduction of
Christianity, slave trade, incessant mini-wars, and practice of killing
twins etc. have become historical materials and therefore, no longer
obtain. In the words of Onubuleze, (1983) this is a movement from
barbaric state of nature to civilized world of accommodation and
harmonious co-existence.<br />
(e) Economy: The economy of the Umunko town has increased tremendously
since the advent of Christianity. For instance, many new fruits like
mangoes, cashews, paw-paw, etc. have been introduced into the town. Some
aspects of technology also came into the town with Christianity, and
crude and subsistent agriculture, which had been the ruleand practice in
Umunko, is fast giving way to mechanized agriculture.<br />
(f) Health: On health sphere, Onubuleze (1983), observed that
Christianity played some key roles in the promotion of the health of the
community people. According to him, Christianity did this through
education. With education, people no longer shy away from disclosing
their sicknesses for some therapeutic attention and solution, and the
rule of the thumb method of treatment without diagnosis has been
replaced with modern scientific diagnostic therapeutic method.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY IN UMUNKO </span>
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
A critical analysis of the positive and negative consequences brought
about by foreign religion (Christianity) in Umunko community shows that
Christianity has created more problems than it tends to solve. This
highlights the saying that “any system, religion, politics etc. that
does not take cognizance of the culture, norms, values and attitudes of
the people in the community where it is going to operate, that such
system is bound to create more problems than it intends to solve.”
(Onubuleze: 1983). The community, in short, has fallen victims to
Christian religion for a long time now. Such areas of victimization
among others include:<br />
(i) Cultural Neglect: The people of Umunko before the coming of the
early missionaries with their Christian religion had been under one
religious umbrella – Traditional Religion, but with the coming of
Christianity, the centre no longer holds; many citizen have joined them,
and these new converts were taught to look down on the culture of
their land sequel to a betrayal of identity, as a community without a
culture cannot stand on its feet in the comity of communities.<br />
(ii) Social Segregation: The advent of Christianity in Umunko, marks a
period of social segregation, religious discrimination and domination in
Umunko community. On the introduction of the system in Umunko by the
early missionaries, they imbibed in their converts, the spirit to
disassociate themselves with their relations in traditional religion,
the people they branded pagans. This seed of discord sowed by
Christianity invariably affected the social and religious psyche of
Umunko people, and had caused some breakages of so many families, with
the resultant effects of sons rising against their fathers, and
daughters against their mothers.<br />
(iii) Cog in the Path To Development: In Umunko community today,
non-conciliation, non-alignment and non-compromising of Christianity
with the traditional religion tend to hamper developments in the
community. “No wonder, the natives dodge the calls made to them for
development fund raising, rates and launchings on the conception that
the motive behind such calls is to raise fund for the Christians to
appropriate”<br />
(iv) Problem of Monogamy: According to Chief Bar. Kris Onubuleze (1983),
before the introduction of Christianity in Umunko community, the
marriage system had been that of voluntary system, where one had to
choose for himself, whether or not to marry at all or to marry one or
two or more wives. But today in the community, with the Christians
monogamous principles, many Christian families are facing some cultural
dilemma as the result of the one-man one wife monogamous rigidity of
Christianity.<br />
Most of them who are childless more often than not have no alternatives
as the result of the over-rigidity of the Christian doctrine, than to
remain childless “in the name of Jesus”, an aspect, Jesus himself while
alive, never preached nor decreed more so, in a world of our time
where the population of unmarried women is far and much more
out-ragingly above the population of the unmarried men. The resultant
effect of this phenomenon is the inevitable multiplication and
propagation of sexy-social immorality of prostitution, rapism,
adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism or gayism, woman trafficking,
sexual abuses of sorts, voyeurism, insincerity, infidelity etc. <br />
(viii) Family Problems and Disintegration: Many a family has been
shattered as the result of incompatibility of Christian religion with
the Traditional religion. For example, in a family where the man, his
wife and children belong to different religions, the tendency for
misunderstanding, disagreement and quarrel to crop in is very high. <br />
This is because, “people are to act according to their beliefs”. Also
many young ladies had divorced their early husbands on the ground of
religious differences. Before now also, many a family had refused to
train or send their children to school for fear that their sending them
or training them might lead to the disintegration, relegation,
abandonment and possible extinction of their cherished traditional
religion.<br />
(vi) Socio-Religious Anomie: Anomie is a state of hopelessness in a
society or in an individual caused by some breakdown of rules of conduct
and loss of belief and sense of purpose. In Umunko today, there are
many people who though are in the minority – “the
falling-away-Christians,” who are confused on what belief they are to
hold – Traditional or Christian religion, and who can neither go back to
Christianity nor fit in with the Traditionalists.<br />
(vii) Waywardness: Since the advent of Christianity in Umunko with its
monogamous style of marriage, the number of ripped but unmarried ladies
has been growing in an alarming rate – a rate T. R. Malthus, a renowned
economist would call – a rate in geometric progression. What happens
is that at a certain age, parents of these ladies tend to be tired of
sponsoring them, and for them the girls to make ends meet, these ladies
tend to become subjected and vulnerable to multiple temptations, and as
humans, some of them roam about our streets and tracks, social centers
etc looking for “a catch” that is, men to trap.<br />
(viii) System of Naming: As a result of their sociological and
anthropological ignorance, of Umunko community, the early missionaries
according to Onubuleze (1983), on reaching Umunko, as they also did in
other communities unguardedly over-assumed that they were coming to fill
a cultural vacuum in the community. Based on this their
over-assumption the said missionaries on arrival at Umunko started
tagging their early converts names – foreign in character, with no
Cultural, Local, Tribal or National identity as if they were dogs. <br />
For this reason a school of thought asked, “Is the root of Christianity
in the tagging of names?” It is noteworthy that the converts did not
receive this attitude without some skepticism, more so when somebody’s
name, which is so meaningful, is rejected, and a name without social,
spiritual, or otherwise is given to him.<br />
The still unanswered question is, “why should a name like” ‘Chidinma’
meaning, “God is good” be rejected and such name like “Martin” meaning
“a bird” be preferred?” This is but prejudice arising from jaundice
mind. In reaction to this, very recently, many Christian families have
recovered and recollected themselves and have started giving their
children some very meaningful Igbo names during baptism – names like
Okechukwu, Chigbo, Chiwike, Kosisochukwu, Chideraa, Ukamaka, Kelechi,
Nnaemeka, Nnedi, Anayo, Chikodili, Ngozi, etc. In deed this is a
cultural resurrection, and some progressive revolution against religious
relegation and subjugation (Kris Onubuleze: 1983 and 2005).<br />
All said and done, from the foregoing, it is highly recommended that for
a harmonious socio-religious co-existence, intercourse and interplay,
some maximum restraints are required from and among varying religious
groups and adherents, who must realize that we are all “Godman” “bearing
witnesses to the Universality of God’s love – Bro. John Colriveau OFM.
CAP – His message to the Secular Franciscans in Nigeria from Collegio
Internationale S. Lorenzo Da Brindisi, Rome on Saturday the 15th
October 2002</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
EDUCATION IN UMUNKO: THE TREND</span></span><br />
“The faith of empires depends on the<br />
education of the youths” – Aristotle.<br />
Education generally is the acquisition of knowledge. According to
Onubuleze, it is the all-round development of a child, and or an
individual for the development of the society. Therapeutically,
education is the cure for ignorance and superstitions. Education is an
age life continuous process, which starts from birth, continues with
life and invariably ends with death. It could therefore be informal or
formal with its agencies as the homes, peers, churches, schools, work
places, media, etc.<br />
Chief Lawrence Ugwu (2005:1) citing Chamber’s Dictionary defined
education as “bringing up and instructing or strengthening of the powers
of the body and mind.” According to Ugwu, education in Umunko helped
to shape and change the bloody power exercise and heavy-hearted style
of life, coupled with wanton antagonism which made Umunko Community
very dreadful and famous to a life style of communalism as they were
invaded by the Europeans who killed some of her citizens, burnt down
some of her ancestral central village halls and masquerade halls and
houses.<br />
The trend of formalized education in Umunko is not much of chequered
origin, as it started in the 1930s. According to Chief Alexander Eze
(Ezeity) in Onubuleze (1983), Rev. Fr. Millet the then Priest in charge
of Nsukka Parish and his agents consulted and agreed with Umunko people
around 1934 for the erection of a multi-purpose thatched building at
Eke Umunko, for the said building to serve as school, church, and
meeting place, etc.for the people of Umunko.<br />
Upon the completion of the said building, according to Onubuleze (1983),
a son of the soil Chief Alexander Eze (Ezeity}, who had just in 1934
completed his standard four (Std. 4), and was in 1935 sent from St.
Theresa’s Catholic Mission, Nsukka to be the first Cathecal Teacher of
the school. <br />
The site of the school was later transferred from Eke Umunko to a
portion of land along the Old Enugu/Nsukka Road, the portion which had
since been retrieved by Amafor people, and which has since been
partitioned, sold and or shared among Chief Silas Ugwu-Nwokolo, the
principal seller and Chief Basil Ugwuanyigbo, Marcel Odoke (Anibuodi)
and Anthony Oka (Ojijieme), and James Asogwa. From this portion or
site, the school was later further transferred to Afor Umunko market
site where since it has remained till date. Also inclusive among the
early teachers in Umunko, were Basil Nwugwunwarua of Ekwegbe, John Nwike
of Amagodo village Umunko, Simon Ezugwu etc. (Onubuleze, 1983).<br />
It should be noted that prior to the establishment of any school in
Umunko, Christianity was already on the ground in Umunko; and before
even Christianity was introduced in Umunko some citizens of Umunko were
already Christians. The first ever-converted Christian in Umunko was
Chief Patrtick Odo Agu (Odo Aguogwu). He was already a Christian before
Christianity came to Umunko, and it is on note how he assiduously and
untrammeled worked harder to see that Umunko people embraced
Christianity, and communally built the multi-purpose building for
school, church, meetings, etc. (Onubuleze, 1983).<br />
The said multi-purpose building used for school, church, meetings and
occasions etc. was a product of joint and united efforts of all Umunko
Adult Natives financially and otherwise – Traditional Religionists and
Christians alike. According to Chief Odo Ugwu in Kris Onubuleze (1983),
during the construction of the school/church block, the natives
cooperated, and without their joint efforts, the building should not
have been a success. According to him, it was the natives that provided
the sites, the building materials, and moreover, financed the
construction of the building from foundation to roofing (Onubuleze,
1983).<br />
Despite all the efforts exerted by the natives, it is interesting to
note that on the invitation by the missionaries to the natives for them
to send their children to school, the natives became very reluctant to
send their children to school to the extent that some of them even
accused the missionaries of exploiting them, the natives, of their sons
and daughters, hence they branded the missionaries with the name “Onye
ocha na amu na Ishi-nne” to mean “the white man that beget children
when the children have already grown up.” (Onubuleze, 1983:26).<br />
The people of Umunko at the early stage of their educational development
viewed Christianity with its attendant school and style with some
degree of skepticism, suspicion and fear. Christianity as viewed by
Kris Onubuleze (1983) came to Umunko community in Western personnel,
Western culture, Western philosophy, Western Theology and Western
psychology and cultural values like monogamy, institutional celibacy,
flowing garments reminiscent of the Roman Toga or of medieval Europe,
Western names an d concepts of authority etc. and all these contributed
in scaring some natives from joining the missionaries and attending
their schools. <br />
Continuing, Kris Onubuleze (1983:27), viewed Christianity as exhibiting
some cultural disregard and subjugation, and social degradation. He
also observed that in revolt, some of the Christians in Umunko
especially the opportunists among them in the community, devised means
of having their one leg in Christianity and another leg in the African
Traditional Religion (ATR), while others unequivocally denounced their
membership and or association with the Christian Religion and their
schools. To Chief Lawrence Ugwu (2005:5), “the missionaries on arrival
under-rated the Umunko cultural heritage, vandalized and cajoled our
ancestral worship, desecrated protective forests and vegetations,
introduced divide and rule system in the native courts and polity.”</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT</span></span><br />
The coming of the missionaries according to Chief Ugwu (2005:3) brought
with it love, equity, justice, fair play and unity in Umunko. The
missionaries came in with three Bs (BBB): Bibles, Bullets and Business.
With the bible, Umunko were taught about God; bullets were used to
bring about colonization through fear and intimidations; and, business
brought about trade in Umunko which was used as vehicle of exploitation.<br />
Then education was before based on 3Rs, that is Reading, Writing and
Arithmetic, until later when the 3Bs were introduced, and both methods
have uncountable impact on the education and development in Umunko
community. Umunko, which before had no functional literate indegenes,
today has many functional graduates in the varying fields of human
endeavour. According to Chief Ugwu (2005:6), the introduction of UPE in
1955 in the Western Nigeria and 1973 in the old Anambra State of
Nigeria marked the explosion of school population and encouraged the
recruitment of many teachers, which Umunko is among of the
beneficiaries. It is on record that Umunko had between 1950-1960, only
about three trained teachers. But today, Umunko can boast of many
trained teachers and who are variously and gainfully employed.<br />
Notwithstanding the population inadequacy of the community, she achieves
what she wants to achieve through adequate attention and educational
trainings she gives to her children (Onubuleze, 2005). As at today, she
has produced many men of timber and caliber. In the words of Chief
Lawrence Ugwu (2005:7), “She can today boast of a Chief Magistrate in
the person of Chief Kris Onubuleze, and several other lawyers, sound
educationists, a Chief Medical Consultant and Neuro-Surgeon in the
person of Prof. Dr. G.O. Eze, and other medical and veterinary doctors
and other Para-medical practitioners, engineers of assorted disciplines
and majors, business magnates, eminent politicians like Hon. Ig.
Ishienyi, Hon. Okey Agu, Hon. Dr, Lasbon Onubuleze; seasoned and
renowned administrators, engineers, top business men, scientists,
linguists, clergies, Reverend Fathers, and other religiosities,
technicians and artisans of repute, men of civility, etc.”</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">
SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN UMUNKO</span></span><br />
“For any society to be stable, it must have sound social, economic,
political and educational systems. The absence or inadequacy of these
systems in any society will bring woes, rancour, disunity, anarchy,
character assassination and battered economy in that society. In very
severe cases, it may even lead to extra judicial human killings,
kidnappings etc. Such phenomena can never bring meaningful development
in any society. (Frank Agbowo (2005:1).</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
Social Sphere – Umunko people have very high regard for social
activities. Many ceremonies, feast and festivals are celebrated every
year, and they spend ostentatiously on them, but because of crumbled
economy in the country today, little attention is being paid to some of
the smaller feasts. A lot is still being spent on death and second
burial and funeral ceremonies annually. Such festivals as masquerade
(Odo) festival and New Yam festival are very much attended to. Birth
and naming ceremonies are other areas, which the people do not joke or
play with.<br />
According to Godwin O. Eze (2005:1), socially, Umunko has abundant
interactive activities. Such activities are marriage ceremonies,
funeral ceremonies, Odo festivals, Ozo title taking ceremonies,
Echi-ukwu, naming of newly born babies, Ama ceremony and “Shujioko: (new
yam festivals). However, with the advent of development in religion
and ardent instructions of religious leaders, the center can no-longer
hold as it was in the past. There is now serious impairment and the
shadow of the social activities in the recent times has greatly been
severed.<br />
Youths of Umunko according to him, are also very much engaged in
sporting activities. During Christmas periods, the youths in all the
villages in the community engage in friendly football matches among
themselves. Such friendly matches also extend to their neighbouring
communities like Diogbe, Ukopi, Ekwegbe, Ukehe, Umuna etc. According to
oral tradition, during the time of their forefathers, wrestling was
very much in vogue especially during the new yam festival (“Ovu-eja”)
celebration. Then, people from other five villages in the community and
neighbouring communities used to go to Amagodo village for the purpose
of wrestling and other social interactions.<br />
The Economy – from time immemorial, agriculture has been the main
occupation and economic base of Umunko people. These include also
farming, tapping, fishing, hunting, animal rearing etc. Other activities
like hunting and fishing are done on part-time basis. This is,
probably, because the father of Umunko by name Dulunankwa was a farmer
cum hunter. So, it is a legacy transmitted to them from their
ancestors. <br />
Although, agricultural activities are carried out in traditional ways
with crude implements like hoes and cutlasses, the community has been
able to produce enough food for family consumption and for sale in her
local market. However, today the occupation of the people has been
diversified. Many people are today civil servants of different
categories. Others are engaged in businesses of different scopes and
dimensions. Some are petty traders while others are giant merchants,
drivers, farmers, etc. The people of Umunko get their livelihood form
these exercises. (Godi Eze: 2005)<br />
According to Eze in the past most of our residential houses have
thatched roofs with mud walls, but today, many modern houses with
varying architectural designs are being built because of the improved
economy and civilization. The community also has many other
infra-structural facilities such as rural electrification, pipe-borne
water, Health Center, Secondary Schools, Primary Schools, Civil Centers
and established market called “Afor Umunko” where they showcase their
agricultural and other economic products. All these are as a result of
the economic awareness and desire for development of the people of the
community.<br />
The Political Sphere – In the past, the only system of administration in
Umunko was the traditional system of government. The Council of
elders, made up of the clan heads, was the highest organ of
administration. During that time, the community experienced many
inter-tribal wars, but in the present dispensation, there are the Town
union, Youth’s associations and women organizations, which help to
foster developmental activities in the community. In the modern system
of government, Umunko is not left out in Igbo-Etiti Local Government
Politics. (Eze: 2005).<br />
According to him, Umunko ranks the third community as far as the
political administration of the Local Government Area is concerned. He
said that their people participate actively in politics today and
occupy very important political positions. In his words, “Umunko
community is a politically peace-loving society, and embrace the
politics of “No victor, No vanquished”, playing like the players in the
football field, not daunted, but fighting to win or lose gallantly”. <br />
From the foregoing, it could be deduced that sound social, economic,
political and educational systems bring about even development in a
society, which is a change from one stage to another. In Umunko today,
there are a lot of social, economic, religious, political and
educational improvements. As a vibrant and dynamic society, Umunko
community is a community to be proud of and emulated, especially in its
drive for peace, security and development.</span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">
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Frankline Rosedale http://www.blogger.com/profile/10896990726403378392noreply@blogger.com0