If I should die, cry not for me for angels beckon where I go. If I should die, weep not for me for it brings an end to pain afflicted. If I should die, mourn not for me for it ushers in peace eternal. If I should die hurt not for me but remember the good and dwell not on injuries past.
The Lord will guide you and protect you through this year and beyond. He will make his face to shine upon you. Your feet shall not slip and neither shall you suffer want. You shall live long and prosper and your joy shall be full. You shall not be cut short because long life is your portion. The Lord shall give you the fat of the land and a place of honour in the land. You shall increase. The Lord shall enlarge your coast and he shall exalt your horn.
There is so much death in this country. So many tears. So much evil. So much betrayal. So much sadness and so many tragedies. So much corruption and deceit. So many shattered dreams, broken hearts and wounded souls. So much injustice and insensitivity. So much greed and want. So much bloodshed, blood-letting and blood-spilling.
The Lord Himself said ''I shall build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail''. Nothing gives the believer greater strength and comfort than these beautiful and prophetic words. It speaks of our ultimate victory over satan and the inevitable triumph of light over darkness. Whatever may be happening in our lives or in our nation the Church is constant and true and she is always there for us. And what a joy it is to know this and to appreciate the fact that in the Lord and in His bride, we have a blessed assurance of salvation, deliverance, peace, joy and fullness of life. I love the Church. Yet the truth must be told. That truth is unpleasant and bitter and it is as follows.
In the last few days the following contributions from two eminent personalities have inflammed passions and been the topic of heated debate all over the country. The first came from Alhaji Lawal Kaita, a respected elderstatesman and a former Governor of the old Kaduna state on the platform of the defunct NPN. He was qouted as saying that "a northerner must emerge President in 2015 or we will divide".
In an interview with the Punch newspaper on 30th November 2013, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, a great nationalist, a two-time former Commisioner of Education of the old Western Region, a former Governor of Oyo state, one of our few remaining elderstatesman and a man that played a prominent role in the politics of both the First and Second republics said the following-
It is not often that I am left speechless and at a loss for words. Yet this is how I felt yesterday as my friend and brother Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo state took me on a 5 hour personal tour of his state and showed me some of his landmark achievements. As they say, seeing is believing.
Eagles do not hide when they see a storm gathering, lions do not retreat when the enemy threatens and kings do not run when they hear the sound of battle. Rather the eagle flies boldly into the eye of the storm without a trace of fear but with power, majesty, grace and passion. The lion rises and roars with courage and strength as his adversary approaches. The king does not yield one inch of the field to the marauding enemy but rather he gallantly and boldly leads his captains and princes into the most bitter part of the battle. This surely is our calling and the essence of our lives.
''Do people shape society or does society shape people?'' This is the question of the century and my answer is as follows. The sheer power of vision, creativity and strength that the human mind harbours and is capable of harnessing is truly remarkable. If properly channeled and developed it does not only have the potential of shaping sociey but it can also change it and alter destinies. This ethos and philosophy is well enunciated in William Ernest Henley's 19th century poem (which happens to be one of my favourites) titled ''Invictus''. It's most famous line where he confidently asserts that ''I am the captain of my ship, I am the master of my soul'' resonates deeply with me.
So precious you are to me and so blessed am I to have you. You are my light, my strength, my pride, my joy- my everything.
May God grant you long life, good health, peace, joy and prosperity. May you excel in all your ways. May you continue to be the great blessing that you are to me, your mother, our family and all those around you. I live for you, I cherish you, I adore you, I love you with all my heart and I always will.
Nigeria is in the grip of fascism again. The G7 governors met at the Kano states governors lodge last night in Abuja. As they were holding their meeting the DPO of Asokoro police station burst in with his men and tried to stop them from meeting citing ''orders from above''.
In Nigeria politics and the power game is a terrible business which, more often than not, comes with pain, anguish, humiliation, hardship, death and tragedy for those who reach the top. It is rather like playing Russian roulette. Let us look at the facts.