Heavenly Piece

A couple of weeks ago my wife met a woman who needed a ride. She sensed that this could be from God, so she agreed to take her to her destination. During the ride, the woman revealed to my wife that she was a believer but she struggled with drug addiction. My wife listened to and talked with this hurting woman. As she gave her hope for a better tomorrow, I believe that the woman experienced in some small way a little piece of heaven on earth.

When God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle according to His specifications, it was so that God’s people would sense His presence. I like to think of it as a little piece of heaven on earth. The temple was a physical example of God’s presence on earth also (1 Kings 5–8). The purpose of these holy places was for God to dwell among His people. This was God’s plan when Jesus, the perfect temple, “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14).

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers (John 14:16-17), so that we would be God’s tabernacles and temples in the world (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19). As God’s representatives of His presence, let’s find ways to bring the peace and hope of heaven to others on earth.

For Further Thought
Ask God to use you in the lives of others and to show you some ways to apply this devotional at work, in your home, and in your neighborhood.

A Christian who is willing to do little things for others can do great things for the Lord.

My inclination your inclination!

I have learned much about the conscious remembrance of God from Brother Lawrence, a cook in a 17th-century monastery. In his book The Practice of the Presence of God,Brother Lawrence mentioned practical ways to “offer God your heart from time to time in the course of the day,” even in the midst of chores such as cooking or repairing shoes. One’s depth of spirituality, said Lawrence, does not depend on changing things you do but rather changing your motive—doing for God what you ordinarily do for yourself.

One of his eulogies said, “The good Brother found God everywhere, as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying . . . . It was God, not the task, he had in view. He knew that the more the task was against his natural inclinations, the greater was his love in offering it to God.”

That last comment affected my wife deeply. While working with senior citizens in downtown Chicago, she at times was called to do tasks that went beyond her natural inclinations. As she tackled some of the least desirable duties, she reminded herself to keep God and His glory in view. With effort, even the most difficult tasks can be performed and presented as an offering to God (Col. 3:17).

Follow with reverent steps the great example
Of Him whose holy work was doing good;
So shall the wide earth seem our Father’s temple,
Each loving life a psalm of gratitude. —Whittier

Duty alone is drudgery; duty with love is delight.

Dating: The dangerous contract

Not anymore will anyone think the advent of telecommunication and internets have brought less than endurable impact on our relationship globally. For as the world turns a global village by these powerful "impostors", so we have an increase in the patterns of relationship ranging from individuals, organisations to nations, many of which have their existence in the concomitant exposures.

And there is no disputing the fact that (as OAU Philosophy lecturers would say) "man is a social animal". This is because we find ourselves coming across hundreds of people through diverse means daily. But in actual fact, recent research shows that our present day relationships have incurred much adulteration leaving the bond at a fragile state compared to any period in the past. We conform this by the prediction of the Holy Bible which says: "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold". Little wonder the mass media, including the internet convey daily information have at least 85 percent of their news on broken homes, broken hearts, shattered trusts, mind blowing scary occurrences ranging from families to religion and politics.

The reason behind all these relationship hazards are not farfetched, most outrageous incidences have their genesis in small communities like campuses where some students’ mindsets are aimed at exploiting others in order to achieve their ends regardless of the means.

One of such means is called "Dating contract" (contract here may not necessarily require any financial implication whatsoever). I was at my school’s main library. Before sitting down to engage in some study in preparation for an examination, a captivating handwritten invitation note from a God-knows-who caught my attention. I will try to put the sentence in its own words: ‘Hi, I’m a 5.9 feet tall, dark complexioned, handsome looking guy in need of a sex partner. I possess… (Romantic expressions withheld). A trial will convince you. Interested? Then call 080… no flashing please". I had thought this to be a joke until recently.

Notwithstanding the fact that there have been enormous aftermaths of this same kind of phone-negotiated deal where people go into unwholesome partnership on campus, many still fall into these pools of errors. One of such was the shame of acclaimed sexual relationship when a guy set up a camera in the room to track the details of his sexcapades with a lady. This mobile phone became an application for many students to view, hence, a business make up!

It should be noteworthy at this junction that such dating contracts are in no way synonymous to marriage contract. Marriage contract is a situation when two people (usually male and female) agree to be legally married for as long as they live with or without the aim of child bearing. Dating contract on the other hand is an immoral act in which the parties involved (maybe more than two) are only sexually attached to each other. In addition, the deal is being carried out through the use of mobile phones and internet so that the perpetrators identity may be difficult to know.

At the University of Ibadan (UI), students are said to perpetuate this act through self prepared music rehearsed in a particular class at the late hours. They would start with singing and playing with different kinds of musical instrument till the middle of the night then all will gradually change to soft blues or R&B music, each person holding on to his/her partner till dawn. Such engagements are also endemic in several other campuses across the country.

It has been said that "you can no more blame your character on your circumstances than you can blame the mirror for your looks" and "if you are disciplined now, you probably will be in later years. And the reverse is just as true". The effects and future danger involved in this disguised prostitution can never be over-emphasized. So check out yourself on balance because a loss of integrity today might cost you a lot tomorrow.

In a nation where moral values are daily eroded, people always think they can get away with whatever mess they make on themselves. I must warn perpetrators of this act to know that those they think are their partners today are the same people who will come against them tomorrow to ensure that they are brought down from whatever high position they have attained then. So you need to have a rethink on how much this act can cost you.

Etiquette of visiting people

In our warm African culture, visiting people is a major part of our heritage. We visit people for a variety of reasons ranging from celebrations to commiserations and all other experiences in between. Some visits are short whilst some extend into a long day visit or even go on for a few days. I have heard of a supposedly "short" visit that lasted eight hours; interestingly enough this was not a case of a person who was invited but some one who had come to discuss an issue.

Our warmth and hospitality in this part of the world is almost unrivalled; we go all out to satisfy our guests and sometimes give our last portions to make a guest feel welcome. We also do not like confrontations and we are hardly ever direct with people in our dealings with them. So we do not know how to tell friends and family how we feel about a situation or an arrangement. We will rather suffer in silence than upset someone by stating an outright inconvenience.

It is in the light of the above that everyone would need to consider what is proper and fair when visiting people. As you may know, etiquette is about consideration, sensitivity and respect; not a list of dos and don’ts. So let us take a journey together to analyse what is acceptable and perhaps what we may need to change with regards to visiting people.

Firstly, a visit should be a happy experience between the parties involved. In view of this, as much as it is possible, it is better to only visit people following an invitation or after prior notification. A phone call, email, letter or even a text message to say that you are coming is in order; the medium you choose to convey the message would also depend on the kind of visit and the length of time it is supposed to take. When notification has been given; it is better to wait for an answer from the host before proceeding with your visit. This means you can not turn up at someone’s door to spend the night when you have only sent a text message for which you are yet to receive a reply.

Secondly, in seeking a reply from your host, it is advisable to make your intending visit known in a way that your host can easily say "No" if they choose. In other words, give your host the room to manoeuvre. After all what is the use of inviting yourself over to a friend’s house and they pretend you are welcome but in truth they detest your presence in their house.

Here is an example of a good way to invite yourself to visit someone; the question may be phrased as follows. "I was thinking of coming over to your place, are you free this evening?" The hearer can proceed to say "I am engaged this evening but we can meet tomorrow if that is okay with you". They may also say "I am sorry all my evenings are occupied this week, can I call you whenever I am free to arrange this visit". Of course, the answer may also be "Please come along this evening, it would be nice to see you".

It however appears that we prefer to impose ourselves on our friends and family because we think they should not have a choice whenever we are visiting whether it is convenient for them or not.

Unfortunately the fact that we Africans do not often voice out our opinion to guests (invited or not) makes it doubly mandatory for anyone who intends to visit family or friend to try not to make any visit whatsoever a painful experience or nuisance to the host.

Many people do not believe in the need to respect other people in this regard, they simply think it does not matter as "we are close friends or family". Because many people cannot directly say what they feel, they resort to lying and playing all kinds of tricks when they are in a tight corner.

Overstaying your welcome may vary from not announcing your visit to coming in and refusing to leave after a few hours. An eight-hour visit is simply unacceptable except in cases where there is a prior arrangement for such a visit.

Below are a few points to consider: except in cases of emergency, it is better to phone or text your host before arriving at their door. When you are given an audience, it is wise to judge the situation and act appropriately; do not overstay a welcome. If your host seems to be going out, do not prolong your visit unnecessarily even if you are enjoying yourself. Accept whatever you are offered, no demands should be made on the host. If a carton of juice or a 1.5-litre bottle of Coca-Cola is placed before you, do not finish the drink. Having only one glass shows consideration to your host and good breeding. If you overdo it, you may never get offered any next time. Give due consideration to the convenience of your host at all times.

We all benefit when we do things right!

Who will save Nigeria?

Paris is a city to gaze at, with its wide boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magical lights. It is a city of taste, with its great cheeses, chocolate, wine, bread and processed meat products. It is a city to hear whether you like opera, jazz or any world of music; it’s a city to smell, perfume boutiques, cafes fire in winter. It is a city to feel: the wind on your face as you cycle along the seine. Above all, Paris is a city to discover.

Can it then be an understatement if one says that Paris is a paradise on earth? Paris cannot be the only wonderful city in the planet, most European and American cities are also masterpieces. Little wonder that many of our leaders, wealthy elites, politicians and celebrities choose to spend their vacations abroad or even send their wards to school abroad.

El-Rufai tried when he was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to include Abuja in the list of the beautiful cities in the world but he was given all sorts of names, no wonder Nuhu Ribadu faced the same persecution. For how long are we going to be doing it the same way? Is it not a thing of shame for Nigerians to be travelling abroad to treat ordinary ailments like headache and fever? All our hospitals are left uncared for; they are in different degrees of dilapidation: no drugs, no competent personnel to attend to patients and the hospitals rely on generators to perform surgical operations where they are to be performed. Education which is supposed to be the right of every Nigerian is now a privilege. With the incessant increase of school fees, how many Nigerian youths are privileged to be in school today?

Government cannot even provide water. A natural gift from God has been turned to luxury or ostentatious commodity. Our roads are death traps. Unlike most major cities in the world, I wonder if there is any city in Nigeria that can boast of all infrastructures despite the natural, spiritual and human endowments.

Who will save Nigeria? Why is it that the ugly both in physique and mind are the ones parading themselves at the corridors of power, playing and exchanging us like relay batons? They always come with all kinds of lies, where most of them have travelled to almost all parts of the world. I think it is high time Nigeria stopped calling itself giant of Africa.

Anytime a foreigner comes to Nigeria, one must surely believe that his mission is to come and invest, to enslave us indirectly and to exploit us. Or what can we call what all these multinational companies do in Nigeria, something nobody can do to them in their country.

Let us work with the rule of law if we want positive change. Almost all the governors, ministers, commissioners, public office holders and political appointees embezzle money. But why is it that very few are being brought to book and others exempted? A thief is a thief irrespective of the amount or the designation of the person.

Enough is enough, since Rome was not built in a day, Nigeria too cannot be built in a day. A new Nigeria must be born, a thousand kilometers journey always start with a step and all hands must be on deck to move Nigeria forward.

Education in Nigeria: Flaws and sighs

When the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) went on strike for close to four months last year, one of their main reasons for embarking on the action was the need for the Federal Government to address the educational system in federal and state universities. In my opinion, this is an understatement as all the sectors of education in the country need thorough "rebranding" starting from the primary, secondary to the tertiary institutions.??

Since there is no more common entrance from primary to secondary schools, most secondary schools end up producing half baked secondary school leavers. One need not be surprised that the in the just released National Examination Council (NECO) and GCE results, only just 1.8 per cent of the students passed. In fact, most of the students who passed were at credit level. This is so disheartening because a student, even though is unable to perform well in West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), usually would pass NECO which is our locally made product but in the last few years, mass failure in both exams is becoming the new trend.

Parents, who have wards in private secondary schools, not only pay exorbitant fees for WAEC and NECO exams, they also pay school fees without their wards having anything to show for it. In fact in those days when there were just public primary and secondary schools, the standard of education was higher and better than we have it now.

Individuals, groups, top government officials have talked and are still talking about the mass failure without really talking about what could be done to save the education system from total collapse. I think it’s high time those concerned wake up from their deep slumber.

Several people have talked about the causes of mass failure which include lack of conducive learning and teaching environment for students, lack of adequate infrastructural materials for students, lack of well-equipped science laboratories for students and so on and haven’t really talked about the attitude of teachers themselves to their work.

The teachers really have a lot to do in improving the standard of education. They should try as much as possible to attend to the students as at when needed, attend classes always and they should know that the future of this great nation lies in their hands. The Federal Government must try to organise and create avenues for teacher’s training periodically and also increase the teacher’s salaries scale.

Also, parents should try to checkmate their wards. In addition, students themselves most especially the ones in secondary and tertiary institutions should know that they are the architects of their fortunes and misfortunes as the case may be so diligence, effective reading etc are keys to attaining success.

In conclusion, the government, teachers and those concerned should know that we are the future leaders of this great nation and like Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change a nation".

My land of absurdity

Heaven knows I have come to accept my being a Nigerian as my fate. I often wish God could turn to a man so I can slap Him each time I remember that I belong to this land of absurdity called Nigeria. Although, I am not the type that loves or advocates enumerating Nigeria’s problems yet at this point, it is necessary to say I am fed up of watching and living in this land where anything goes.

Nigeria is one country I have never stopped believing in. but I am seemingly becoming a Thomas as everything is at a standstill. I had no choice than to agree with a friend who recently said on Facebook that Nigeria is the most interesting film he is currently seeing. How am I supposed to defend myself (an advocate of a new and better Nigeria) when everything around me keeps voicing out words of antagonism?

Do I continue yelling and shouting "Nigeria, good people, great nation" when an ugly cabal keep bridging the law of integrity in governance? Our leaders and the members of their cabinet have become men with swordish mouths that bear two sharp sides that can kill, because their mouths are full of lies. Absent and silenced are those with knife-like mouths. A virtue that keeps clamouring for more like Oliver Twist among our leaders is candor.

If the good book has refused to teach them about sincerity, let me preach a little sermon about things they can relate with in the physical, maybe their wax-clogged ears will melt:

Egbemi is an undergraduate who recently returned home for her session’s break. In her thoughts before her arrival, she has been raining aspersions on the insensitive leaders of her land who have made her and thousand of other student spend a session plus four months. No thanks to the FG vs. ASUU battle round 10. Little did she know that heavier blows of the government’s inadequacy await her.

Her long stay in school where there was little or no interruption of power supply has somewhat turned her to a princess in the palace who knows no lack. Reality dawned on her when during her first few weeks, her body got bombarded with heat-rash. Guess what a friend said to her, "Welcome on board". She wondered if the ailing administratio’s age-long promise of an upgraded electricity power supply is near fulfillment.

Fear gripped her every morning at the voice of the newscaster on her Kchibo. She owed profound gratitude for this to the Bruce Willis and Wesley Snipes of the Nigeria governing caucus for every minute of suspense she experienced as a non-fiction, action-packaged film kept unfolding.

The daunting existence of poverty around her threw her into a state of uttermost depression. Sometimes she was motivated towards achieving greatness at the sight of it, other times she felt like give up and ending it all. Her heart bled for every new born baby in this land. She felt they have arrived in the wrong place where suffering has become a tradition. If only she could tell the baby Nigerians are people who are accustomed to allowing and accepting things just the way it is. In fact, a typical Nigerian will make a way out even after been pushed to the wall. That explains why an average Nigerian has taken to the use of an "I pass my neighbour" instead of taking actions towards getting what is their right.

Let’s continue hoping that the change we really need will come someday. But as for me I will continue to savour every moment of this laugh out funny film titled Nigeria.