Thorian

By Nnamdi Ojiego New President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Dr. Aliyu Wammako, has made a call for the urgent recapitalization and streamlining of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). Wammako made the call at his investiture as the 4th President of REDAN in Abuja. The new REDAN boss stated that the FMBN had a low capital in the area of five billion naira with other institutions pegging about eight billion according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s indices. He added that its inadequacy makes the provision of more homes a herculean task for real estate developers. ALSO READ:   FMBN needs 500bn recapitalisation to provide affordable houses — Umar Abdullahi He advised the Federal Government to look into the challenges of housing development and the underlying responsibilities of the FMBN in providing affordable houses for Nigerians Wammako said Real Estate development contributed to about 6.4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of

By Victor ‘Tunde Oso Felix Aighobahi, Sales Director of Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Limited says the real sector, still reeling from the adverse effects of the 2018 Excise duty, face bankruptcies, which could render millions without jobs with the new Value Added Tax VAT. Aighobahi also speaks on the menace of illicit liquor producers, among other issues. Excerpts: New VAT rate hike against the backdrop of the 2018 Excise duty Government has to always think deeply before introducing new taxes because it adversely companies in the real sector of the economy. When the Federal Government introduced excise duty in 2018, we tried to enter into dialogue with government several times, which came into nothing. Stakeholders then, under the aegis of Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers of Nigeria (AFBTE) rejected the 500% increase in excise duty rates on alcohol by government. Although the Federal Ministry

By Femi Aribisala A woman brought an alabaster jar of very costly perfume and poured it all on Jesus. Jesus’ disciples were indignant, asking: “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” (Matthew 26:8-9). But ultimately, perfume is meant to be used. Even if it is sold, the person who buys it would still “waste it” by using it. Expensive perfumes are not intended for use by the poor. They can only be afforded by the rich. So, what are Jesus’ disciples saying inadvertently? Is Jesus not rich enough to use expensive perfume? If not, who then can use it without it being a waste? This raises a number of other questions. What makes something valuable? Is something valuable because of its cost, or is it valuable because of its use? Child of God, don’t make the same mistake as the disciples of Jesus. Don’t determine the value of something by its monetary price. The valuable things are those things that are useful to God. Overrated m

Oluseye Oladejo By Olasunkanmi Akoni Oluseye Oladejo is the Publicity Secretary of Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, Oladejo speaks on insecurity, Operation Amotekun and de-registration of parties by the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC, among others. Excerpts: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu initially didn’t speak on Amotekun. What happened? Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s position on the matter was very explicit. I think some people misunderstood the situation when some people went to make issue out of the silence of the APC National Leader on Amotekun. A notable leader will not speak on an issue when it is still germinating; a leader will need to wait till the fullness of time before coming out and expressing an opinion. And you will notice that when he (Tinubu) eventually spoke, it was actually more or less everything he said they are using as a template to drive Amotekun; asking them to follow the rule of law, follow the procedure while ask

Kumuyi By William Kumuyi Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” You will obtain the mercy of God today and your bitter nature will become a better life as you come to Christ in Jesus name! Ezekiel 34:25 “And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.” The Lord is calling you to step out of sin and He wants you to have a covenant (an agreement) with Him so that you will be able to enjoy the benefits of His divine pardon for your life and for your family. When you accept the offer of the Lord, He will forgive your sins and make peace reign in your heart and your family will also experience divine peace. He will also grant

By Pastor Oloruntimilehin Joshua Daramola The importance of appreciation cannot be over-emphasized. It is imperative that people should always show appreciation to person(s) that do any manner of goodness or kindness to them. In expressing the importance of appreciation, I want to look at it from three perspectives firstly God secondly Parent thirdly Others. God has been faithful and kind since we were in our mothers’ wombs; He provided everything required to survive in the womb. Eventually, we were born and started to grow into manhood, we have been able to walk, eat, see and do many things ourselves without a problem. In fact, God gave us the gift of life, joy of life and particularly the miracle of sleeping in the night and waking up the next day hale and hearty. Therefore, we need to appreciate HIM for all He has done for us till date. Imagine there some people who do not experience all these goodnesses, so we need to thank God and appreciate Him. Anyone that fails to appreciat

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. Exodus 15: 26 KJV In the life of the early fathers of the bible, people lived to a very long time. They slept in the Lord and there was no record of any dying because of sickness. At the beginning of time, man lived long as well as lived right because they were closer to God, however, as man becomes distant from God the length of their days became shorter. God’s original plan is for us to live in good health. He said, beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers. Therefore, God does not desire us to be ill. It is God’s desire that we are in good health.  Now, Elisha was falling sick of the sickness of which he died. 2 Kings 1

Jehovah-Shaphat (The Lord our Judge) Text: Judges 11:27; Isaiah 33:22 By J.K. Akinola. (Senior Pastor) Introduction This redemptive name of God is a crucial one, and the last we are treating in this serial, that has a lot of lessons for us to learn in our covenant relationship with God, especially as Christians, unto whom the end of the world has come. We shall look at this name of God in about 5-part serial, and may the Lord open our eyes to the truths therein and quicken us in accordance to His Word in Jesus name. When bringing issues down to the import of this name as it applies to us today, our Lord Jesus Christ will be seen as the embodiment of this name. This is because, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said it in John 5:22-23: “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son”. If God hath committed all judgment into the hands of the Son, for obvious reasons of His redemptive plan, what a shame then it is for anyone who refuses to believe in the S

By Sam Eyoboka with Agency reports MORE people than usual attended Ash Wednesday Mass in Nigeria following an appeal by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, to use the day as one of national mourning, prayer and reflection for Nigerians – especially Christians, kidnapped or killed by terrorists or criminals in the country. Paul Samasumo – Vatican City The record attendance was confirmed by Nigeria’s Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo Diocese who is also Africa’s Bishop-President for Social Communications under SECAM, the continental body of Bishops. Bishop Badejo told Vatican News that according to reports he had received, from across the country, many of the faithful have turned up in numbers for Ash Wednesday Masses. This was in response to a call by Nigerian Bishops in a Pastoral letter addressed to the faithful. Nigerian Bishops also recommended that the faithful turn up for Ash Wednesday Mass dressed in black –an appropriate Nigerian expression for mourning. The Pasto

CATHOLIC Archbishop of Lagos Metropolitan See, Most Rev Alfred Adewale Martins By Sam Eyoboka CATHOLIC Archbishop of Lagos, Most Reverend Alfred Adewale Martins has urged Christians in Nigeria to take advantage of the Lentern period to intensify a Holy war against current unbridled spate of killings, shameful insecurity techniques at all levels and a sheer lack of respect for our common humanity. In a statement titled: “War of non-violence”, Archbishop Martins said: “In the midst of these threatening and highly inflammable times, Christians must stand to ‘wage war’ against these menaces that give us a horrific stare, with all the weapons of Christian moral values and a surprising attitude of non-violence to a violent society. “Our war isn’t that of bloodshed, vengeance, anger, hatred but the conquering of evil and its perpetrators with the light of truth and the balance between faith and reason that exalts humanity as the centre of every endeavor,” he maintained. According to hi

By Perez Brisibe ISHERHE Primary School and Adagwe Grammar School in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State are places where pupils and students sit on the bare floor to learn despite provisions by the state ministries of Basic Education and Higher Education. Founded in 1980, Adagwe Grammar School, located in Eruemukohwarien, plays host to hundreds of students from Ekrokpe and Ekakpamre communities while Ishwrhe Primary School, founded in 1929, accommodates pupils from Oviri, Orho-Agbarho and a host of other communities. While Eruemukohwarien also plays host to the Transcorp Power Station, Beta Glass Company, the OML30 and 34 and a tank farm, known as the Ughelli Pumping Station, UPS, owned by ND-Western/Shoreline/NPDC joint ventures, Agbarho is the traditional headquarters of Agbarho Kingdom. READ ALSO: Low turnout, late arrival of materials mar LG election in Enugu State Similar to the Success Adegor story of the Okotie-Ebor Primary School, Sapele, who protested aft

By Dele Sobowale Executive Governorof Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai “Why the Presidency should return to the South in 2023 by El-Rufai” – VANGUARD, Monday, February, 24, 2020, front page. Wonders never cease! Just as I was getting prepared for a stiff opposition to the idea an Igbo President in 2023, part support came from an unexpected source. Until I read that statement in the VANGUARD newspapers nobody could have convinced me that Governor El-Rufai would not be one of the strongest stumbling blocks to what some people have already started telling me was an exercise in futility. Everywhere I have gone and opened my mouth to advocate for an Igbo President, people have given me two reasons it is a pipe dream. Even when they acknowledge that my previous venture into political advocacy was a success against all known odds, they are also very quick to point out that Lagos is not Nigeria. What worked in Lagos cannot be presumed to be a good template for pan-Nigeria advocacy. Let me q

By Chris Onuoha & Kennedy Mbele In the aftermath of the alleged attack on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, when he visited Benin-City, Edo State capital, last weekend, by suspected loyalists of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Comrade Peter Esele, a former Trade Union Congress (TUC) President and former governorship aspirant in the state, speaks on how the raging feud can be resolved between Obaseki and Oshiomhole. What do you make of the penuItimate Saturday incident in Benin-City? I think one of the major challenges facing the party is non-adherence to its rules and protocols. For example, in Benin, what happened is very unfortunate and it is not right to have a former governor and Chairman of a party to be attacked or embarrassed. What should happen to the National Chairman is that people should have come to the open to show solidarity but what is happening right now is that we have two factions. And when that happens, you are go

By Bose Adelaja Before the index case of Coronavirus was recorded in Nigeria, Sunday Vanguard had commissioned this vox pop to find out the level of awareness in the country. How well do people really know of this deadly virus? This was the question presented to people on the streets of Lagos. The responses showed that much sensitisation needs to be done. What they said: Coronavirus is not hereditary but can be contacted through air pollution. Although we have been advised to be conscious of it through body contacts, this won’t solve the problem until the government finds a solution to air pollution. The solution to this disease is to safeguard the air and observe personal hygiene because many Nigerians tend to be careless about their health. They should know that the disease is not a respecter of persons. The way out is for government to sensitise people through the National Orientation Agency, NOA, and ensure that all vehicles that are not worthy to move on Nigerian roads for e

By Douglas Anele Every columnist who writes regularly for a newspaper or magazine faces some fundamental challenges. The first one is the problem of topic or theme to discuss in each edition. Generally, there are innumerable things to write about, but the columnist has to choose the ones that are interesting, informative, educative, and relevant to a wide variety of potential readers. Concerning the second challenge, revolves around the question: to whom is the essay targeted? Different topics appeal to different audiences such that one must endeavour to capture the widest variety of readers with each essay. Another issue is the restriction either from the management or editor of the magazine that publishes the article. As a columnist who has been writing consistently for the past twenty-one years, the various editors that handled my column sometimes either remove words or paragraphs in the essays I submitted or inserted words that water down unnecessarily the point I was making. O