Sani Emmanuel! Synagogue Boy Shines Again, Wrecks Spain

If God is with you, no one can be against you…

Nigeria defeated Spain 3-1 in yesterday’s semi final match of the 13th FIFA Under-17 World Cup, but the two goals from My People Academy’s forward, Sani Emmanuel were all that the Golden Eaglets needed to book a place in the final.

Emmanuel, who has been an altar boy at The Synagogue Church of All Nations for many years, wrecked the U-17 team of Spain. His goals came after Stanley Okoro’s first goal while Borjan scored Spain’s only goal.

The youngster electrified the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos immediately he was introduced into the match. He was a thorn in the flesh of the Spaniards with his blistering runs and ball control, which earned him two goals in the match, watched by a capacity crowd.

Emmanuel, who was introduced into the match in the 48th minute began to do damage to their opponents barely 13 minutes later. He scored a brace to take his goal haul in the competition to five, making him a joint top scorer with two other players from Uruguay and Spain.

My People FC's Sani Emmanuel In Action

The player, who was literally raised in the Synagogue, owned by Prophet T.B Joshua, has been described as the hottest super-sub of the ongoing competition.

Eaglets coach, John Obuh says Emmanuel has been very instrumental to his team’s success at the Nigeria 2009 World Cup. “Emmanuel has become my joker and he’s playing to instruction,” Obuh said.

Apart from the praises he has received from his people back in Ikotun, it was a carnival-like atmosphere as the worshipers celebrated the performance of one of their own till late yesterday. An elated Joshua, said: “I’m happy for Emmanuel. When I noticed he’ll be a great footballer, I sent him to Sweden and registered him in my academy, My People F.C. So, I’m glad he’s making progress and the young boy will go places.”

Obuh has assured that his wards would be ready for their final match against Switzerland at the Abuja Stadium on Sunday.

Obuh, the former Kwara United coach said he was impressed with his team’s performance and disclosed that he would make some changes in the team to be battle-ready for Sunday’s clash.

“I’m really delighted that my players rose to the occasion; they played to instructions and I’m happy that we would play in the finals. It is a good thing that though we started slowly, we were able to put back smiles on the faces of Nigerians.”

On his expectations and what he knows about the European newcomers, Obuh says he knows little about them. But he believes with the right attitude and approach to the match, his team would retain the trophy in Nigeria.

He added that he is aware the Swiss are a very mobile side, but will get a strong team to beat them.

“I know them as a team that have qualified for the final. By the time we meet in Abuja on Sunday, we would get the better of them and win again for Nigeria.”

SOURCE: The PM News

CALAMITY!! In 2 Weeks Man Loses Wife, Shop and Money…

Another touching account of the charitable works in The SCOAN…

The story of Job in the holy book sounded like a fairy tale to Mr Ezekiel Ayodeji until the cruel hands of nature and man unleashed deadly blows on him in quick succession recently. Within two weeks he lost his wife to typhoid fever, his shop that was full of goods he had just purchased to fire and duped of the sum of N240, 000 by a close friend.

The physically challenged indigene of Ondo State had lived up to his dream of not being liability to anybody by acquiring skills in rewinding coils. In Year 2000, he married a fellow artisan, Medinat Omokeinde. Within five year of marriage, the family was blessed with three children. His business was also thriving. Consequently, he said they lived a life of paradise on earth.

Mr Ezekiel Ayodeji and his three young children

Filled with the joy of having a peaceful home and without any premonition of early exit of either of the couples to the world beyond, he averred that they drew out plans for projects they would execute over a period of time. But this was not to be as the wife fell ill along the line. She was diagnosed of typhoid fever and all effort by medical doctors to cure her of the sickness proved abortive.

According to him, she passed on a few weeks after, precisely on June 5, 2009. With the sudden exit of his wife, Ayodeji’s life was shattered. The sorrow of losing his heartthrob barely 9 years after marrying her and the pain of becoming a single parent of three children shattered his whole existence.

As a strong adherent of traditional statutes, he observed 7-days confinement at home as a mark of respect for his beloved wife after the burial. As the end of the confinement period drew near, he braced himself up for a return to his business in order to have the wherewithal to cater for his three children and other pressing needs.

It is a real privilege to be in a position to give - TB Joshua

Suddenly, another arrow was thrust into his heart when he got a call on his mobile phone informing him that the shop he just stocked with goods had been razed by fire. Having lost his wife and means of livelihood within a week, his every hope was instantly lost and committing suicide became the best option but for the love of his children.

Speaking with National Life in Lagos last Sunday, Ayodeji tearfully recounted how joy and contentment that defined his life gave way to sorrow and gloom. “As you can see, I am physically challenged. But I resolved never to be a burden to anybody in my life. To live up to that, I learnt electrical rewinding and thereafter, carved a niche for myself in the job. My dexterity drew many customers to me and as a result, I delved into selling electrical wiring parts. When I had made enough money that I was certain would empower me to cater for a family, I married my late wife Medinat. She was such a nice wife that brought me good luck. Because of my turn around in my fortune, we started making plans for the future of our children and ourselves. But the whole plan suffered a serious setback when my wife fell sick. I took her to the hospital and spent so much all to no avail. One day, I was asked to go and buy drugs for her but when I returned, they told me that she passed on. The news devastated me a great deal. I got her family informed of the development and got no resistance whatsoever from them in going ahead to bury her.

“After the burial, I stayed back in the house for seven days as a sign of respect for her. When it was the seventh day, I heaved a sigh of relief that I would at least go back to my business to get money to feed my children. It was not long I thought about that that I received a call from my colleagues in the market that my shop had been razed by fire. When I heard the news, my whole life completely collapsed and various thoughts crossed my mind. Because I love my children so much I jettisoned all the unholy thought”.

His hope of living a meaning life again was rekindled when Governor Olusegun Mimiko visited the scene of the fire incident and promised to give financial relief to all the victims. What that, smile returned to his face. He then relied on a close friend who was saddled with the responsibility of giving details of each victim’s business financial worth to collect the governor’s monetary promise for him.

Even though, the governor made good his promise by approving the sum of N250, 000 for Ayodeji, the story became the third sojourn into another life of sorrow. He narrated that his friend who was very much aware of his predicament, collected the money on his behalf but merely sent him a token sum of N10, 000 and bolted with the remaining.

The gift given to Mr Ayodeji by Prophet TB Joshua and the Emmanuel TV team

Confused over what could have informed his friend’s inhuman action, Ayodeji explained how all efforts he made to retrieve the money from his friend proved abortive.

“I am very surprised by my friend’s action. He was put in charge of giving the government details of our loss to the inferno but after collecting N250, 000 on my behalf, he only sent N10, 000 to me and ran away with the balance. This is a person who was duly informed of my pitiable plight but still went ahead to confiscate the money that the governor approved for me to start up after the fire incident that razed my shop. I called him severally but he would not act accordingly. At a stage, he stopped taking my calls. I went and reported him to the Commissioner for Environment but all efforts to get him to return the money falied”.

Left with no money to make both ends meet, Ayodeji said he had his children sent out of school while his landlord threatened to eject him for unpaid rent. To save his children, from pangs of hunger, he stated that he had to take to the street to beg neighbours and privileged members of his community for help. “When I didn’t have money to feed my children, I resorted to begging people for help. I bought food on credit for a period of time and such opportunities closed I started begging people around for both money and food”.

Now a silver lining seems to have appeared at the end of his dark cloud. Besides being financial empowered, Ayodeji is now a proud owner of a Mercedes Benz and has fast forgotten his past. He explains to sudden turn around in his fortune to National Life.

God blesses us not only that we may be able to earn a living, but also that we may be able to give - TB Joshua

“I must confess to you that I was terribly weighed down by all those bitter experiences. One day, while ruminating on the way out of these problems, my mind went to Synagogue Church of All Nations. I had heard and seen how people who had problems were helped there. With faith, I went there and as God would have it, Prophet T.B Joshua revealed the whole problem in his prophecy.

“Thereafter, he gave me the sum of N300, 000 to start my business all over and also gave me a Mercedes Benz. Somebody had presented him with the car, but he gave it to me and made provision for the maintenance. Now my children can go back to school and I can live a meaningful life again”.

Written by Innocent Duru

SOURCE: National Life – VOL.2 NO. 68

TB Joshua On The Tragic Fort Hood Shootings

God is still saying something…

Amidst stunning revelations of Pastor T.B. Joshua’s prophetic involvement in FIFA’S U-17 and U-20 World Cups, another event of international magnitude has been added to the growing list of accurate prophecies pronounced by the Nigerian cleric…

Over a month earlier, T.B. Joshua had spoken forth a prophetic message regarding a strange event to occur at a place bearing the name, ‘Fort’. “This message is not even for Nigeria, but a super nation,” said the prophet during a live Sunday Service, alluding to the revelation about to be unveiled. “The name, ‘Fort’. We should pray for that name,” he continued. “It’s a parable because I’m seeing a strange person carrying something.” The pastor then demonstrated his hands cocked as if holding a gun. “We are praying for the whole world here”. The service was broadcast live via Emmanuel TV.

The name, ‘Fort’. We should pray for that name.

On Thursday, November 5th 2009, a soldier carrying two handguns opened fire on fellow soldiers at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas, USA, killing 13 people and wounding 30 in a tragic event that elicited shock and grief throughout the nation and beyond. The incident in Fort Hood, the largest active duty armored post in the world, stands as the deadliest ever on a military base on American soil. Arguments have run awry as to the motive of such massacre, the perpetrator being a fellow American soldier, Dr. Malik Nadal Hasan, a trained psychiatrist and major decorated with a number of prestigious military awards.

These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis.

Addressing the nation, President Barack Obama said on the horrific shootings: “These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis. It’s difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas…But it’s all the more heartbreaking and all the more despicable because of the place where it occurred and the patriots who were its victims.”

Coming on the heels of recent confirmations of Joshua’s prophetic insight in the football arena from the likes of Sellas Tetteh, coach of Ghana’s victorious U-20 team and John Fashanu, Nigerian Ambassador for Sports and Tourism, events continue to unveil the authenticity of such prophetic pronouncements

SOURCE: All Voices, Modern Ghana,

TB Joshua’s Altar Boy Is Eaglets’ Super-Sub

Unknown to most Nigerians, Shehu Sani Emmanuel, the player who has caught the attention of the sporting world with his splendid showing for the Golden Eaglets, even as a substitute, is an altar boy in the Synagogue Church of All Nations.

A product of Pastor TB Joshua’s My People FC, the Edo State-born striker who now plies his trade with Bodens BK of Sweden, was literally raised in the Synagogue. A proven goal-scorer, Emmanuel caught the attention of national team coaches in friendlies involving My People FC, the Egypt 2009 Flying Eagles and the Golden Eaglets.

Emmanuel was top scorer for My People FC before he, alongside Eaglets teammate, Onazi Ogenyi, departed the shores of Nigeria, courtesy of Pastor Joshua’s sponsorship, to hone their skills.

A hattrick specialist, Emmanuel is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Swedish football. Saturday Champion Sports gathered that Bodens officials and Swedish sports journalists who have been following the Eaglets’ progress at Nigeria 2009, have called in to express surprise that the player was being used sparingly by Nigeria.

Sani Emmanuel - Thank You Jesus!

Meanwhile, Emmanuel, is confident the John Obuh tutored-Eaglets will survive Korea’s challenge during Monday’s quarter-final clash at the U.J Esuene Stadium Calabar.

Emmanuel, who currently leads Eaglets’ scorers chat with three goals, told Sporting Champion exclusively at the Abuja National Stadium, that the Eaglets are focused for the task ahead.

“We are not going to be carried away by the 5-0 win over New Zealand. Having got to this level of the competition, we are going to give all our best to ensure that we get the semi-final ticket and go all the way to clinch the ultimate prize,” he stressed.

The Nigerians were always in the driving seat in their round-of-16 clash against hopeful New Zealand. Scoring three goals in the first half, the Eaglets won the day 5-0 and fairly well cruised through their first knockout game to book passage to the quarter-finals, where they will lock horns with fast-moving Asian.

Edafe Egbedi opened scoring with a left-foot scorcher in the 14th minute after some clever work out wide by Terry Envoh. The stunned New Zealanders – playing in their first-ever knockout game at a FIFA finals – were in over their heads, and ten minutes later they were 2-0 down when Stanley Okoro hopped on the end of a spilled ball by New Zealand goalkeeper Coey Turipa.

Indeed, the Eaglets were having all of the possession and running circles around the Oceania lads. Egbedi grabbed his second goal of the game after 28 minutes when he collected a short pass in the area and curled another left-footed strike inside the far post.

SOURCE: Saturday Champion

“I Am A Gentle Donkey” – T.B. Joshua

Humility simply means total dependence on God for everything…

On the heels of the recent controversy sparked by insinuations that Nigerian Pastor TB Joshua had claimed glory for the Black Satellites World Cup victory through his prophetic insight to Coach Sellas Tetteh, a similar event seems to have thrown a spanner in the works of the pastors critics…

A mere fortnight after the Satellite debate was at its hottest, revelations have emerged how coach of the current Nigerian U-17 Team, John Obuh, also received prophetic insight from T.B. Joshua concerning the Golden Eaglets last match with Argentina in the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup. Prophet Joshua also debunked the allegations of claiming glory for the Satellites triumph, referring to such statements as blasphemous and uncalled for.

On Sunday 4th November, a recorded conversation between the Nigerian cleric and Eaglets coach John Obuh was played back to The SCOAN congregation, an event broadcast live to the world via Emmanuel TV. Obuh was said to have called Joshua on Thursday, the day before the Argentine match on Friday.

“I told you in under 2 to 5 minutes they will score,” Joshua was heard telling the coach. “I want to assure you – your people are going home one ahead. That is the promise of God. But for five minutes they will be very dangerous – let us mark our home. 15 minutes to go will be for us – we must make use of it.” Coach Obuh told Joshua he had already informed the players of the prophecy. Another conversation was then played between Joshua and the Eaglets assistant coach Abimbola Samuel in which he told him in a local Nigerian dialect, “Your boys will work a penalty when it is 15 minutes to go…”

Prophet T.B. Joshua

As events would have it, the match followed in the footprints of the revelation, Argentina scoring in the first two minutes, Nigeria winning a penalty in the last 15 and eventually winning by one goal to top their group and advance convincingly to the knock-out stages.

Speaking to the enthralled congregants, Joshua clearly defined the role of a prophet in such scenario, demystifying the rumour that he was attempting to ascribe glory to himself. “I cannot help anyone to win any match – I am just a servant,” he carefully explained. “A prophet is to tell God’s opinion. It’s a blasphemy, sin against Holy Spirit if you say a prophet is the one who helped someone win a match. I am a gentle donkey. I am just a donkey Jesus is riding on. If somebody drops beautiful clothes, attires on the floor for the donkey to march on, it is not the donkey they dropped the attire on the floor for, but the One on top.”

He further explained how the opinion of God can guide the team concerned, but the prophet who delivers such message has no say whatsoever in the matter. “There is nothing I can do – I am just a servant. I cannot touch it, I cannot alter it. It is God that can alter anything. A prophet doesn’t make a team win – a prophet only tells you the mind of God. When we know God’s opinion, it will help us to guard against mistake and error…”

The storm that erupted in Ghana over the Satellites Saga seems not to have deterred or discouraged the Nigerian pastor, who is widely known as one of the most persecuted pastors in Africa. Using his own life experience, he encouraged the viewers and those present that they must pass through both schools of persecution and praise as part of the necessary preparation for the journey ahead. “I feel strong in challenges, believing that personal improvement and fulfilment come through the continual process of learning from both negative and positive experiences,” he explained.

Recalling the words of his late mother that have been a source of inspiration for him, Joshua lyrically expounded, “When times are stable, and the sea is calm and secure, no one is really tested.” “People will challenge you, question you, try to get you off track,” he bluntly told the audience. “Don’t listen to the temptation to act out of character.”

On the presumption that such precise prophetic revelations can be dished out according to his own will, Joshua made it clear that the God of all nations who reveals such mysteries shows no partiality, attending equally to all who come to Him in humility and sincerity. “A prophet is a prophet to all nations irrespective of where he is from, and God is the Father of all – and He treats His children equally. For those who come to Him in humility, He opens His heart – and if you receive a prophet because he is a prophet, you receive a prophet’s reward…”

On the reason for the seemingly sudden burst of prophetic revelations about football, the pastor explained it is simply part of God’s mission to save souls, especially those of young people. “God wants to win the souls of young people – and young people today are into games such as football,” he clarified. “If they now see God’s hand in their midst, they will begin to believe God. It’s a game that unites other religions and Christians, even pagans – everyone unites when it is time of the game.”

Speaking on the qualities of true ministers of God, Joshua pointed to the importance of contentment, saying it is the lack of contentment that often causes people to engage in petty and unnecessary criticism of others. “When you are content – you will not compare yourself to others, you will not stand and begin to accuse your fellow brother or pray to rebuke and destroy them… The principle of a contented man is ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” Instead of criticising from afar, men of God should do what is good to change the bad they see, Joshua admonished.

The same service also witnessed the testimony of an armed robber who had come to the church last week armed with a gun, and the presentation of a brand new Mercedez car to a physically challenged man who had been begging for food with his three children for many months, his electrical shop having burned down a week after his wife tragically died. The reformed robber was supported with N200,000 while the physically challenged man had earlier been given N330,300, all part of Joshua’s extensive charitable activities.

SOURCE: The Ghanaian Journal, Modern Ghana, All Voices

Vote Sani Emmanuel as MTN African Player Of The Week!

My People FC’s Sani Emmanuel has been chosen as one of MTN Football’s African Players of the week following his sterling performance for the Golden Eaglets against Argentina, where he netted the winning goal for Nigeria!

You can Vote for Sani at MTN Football’s website!

What a God we have to worship, what a Son we have to praise, what a future lies before us!

Sani Emmanuel Weaves Past Two Argentine Defenders

The Power Of Prophecy!

Another moving story from Nigerian newspaper ‘The National Life’, detailing an incident in Akwa-Ibom state, and the way in which God used T.B. Joshua to intervene in the issue…

The joy of Ubong Enah Willie, a native of Ndoneyo in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria, having completed his house suffered a fatal blow as tragedy struck his family and the team of prayer band invited to dedicate the house.

In the course of dedicating the house, two of Ubong’s children mysteriously dropped dead, while a pastor lapsed into coma, which ultimately took his life. Other members of the prayer band sustained serious injuries. Ubong, a spare part dealer explained that he had managed to make some savings from his meager income with which he purchased the land on which he built the house.

Ubong - Saved from the stigma of murder allegations

He revealed that he bought the land against prior warning by some men of God that he consulted about the dangers inherent in procuring the land and building on it. Tired of being hounded by landlords, Ubong said he over a period of time succeeded in erecting a 3-bedroom apartment on the said land.

Amidst savouring the joy of having become a landlord, Ubong explained that as a devout Christian, he invited a team of prayer warriors to cleanse the house of demonic and satanic powers and presence. Convinced of their divine anointing to uproot satanic powers, he said the pastors swung into action, binding and casting out demonic forces with him and his family members in attendance.

However, midway into the prayer session, Ubong said the whole exercise changed, and tragedy struck. According to him, he said that just as the prayers were going on, evil spirits invaded the building, shutting the doors and invincibly hitting everybody present with what was like a hammer, killing two of his four children instantly an leaving his wife and others seriously injured.

The pastor who led the prayers, he said died few days after while another member of the prayer team till date has lost sensation in his right hand. In his own words, the embattled Ubong said: “I bought the land with my hard earned money although I was warned against buying it. After the purchase, I went ahead to start building on it. At the end of the day, I was able to put up a 3-bedroom apartment. As a Christian who believes in committing everything into the hands of God, I invited some pastors to come and pray over the house before we move in.

“On the day that they came, my family and I were around. Surprisingly, as the prayer was going on, I just experienced a strange feeling all over me and I felt like I had rashes all over my body. As I was wondering over what was happening, others were also having their own very unpalatable experience. There was no way out for any of us because everywhere was locked. At the end of it all, my two children died immediately. One of the pastors died about three days after”

TB Joshua - The ministry of reconciliation

Bassey Monday Udoh, another member of the prayer band explained that their mission to pray over Ubong’s new house was not the first time he would go out for such. Stunned by the bizarre experience, he recounted:” I have always gone out to pray for people in their houses and shops. Ubong’s case wasn’t the first time I went for such but it turned out to be a very terrible experience. While we were saying our prayers, some evil spirits just entered the house hitting me all over the body with something that felt like a hammer. I fell and it continued to hit me. After the medical attention that I received, I have lost feeling in my right hand. I have not been able to do anything with it since then and it still gives me serious pains. Apart from my hand, I have not been able to also reason very well as I used to do before now as a result of that demonic torture.”

Pointing to a particular part of his body, he said, “Look at this side of my head, (he shows it), hair has not grown there since the incident” As if the cruel blows he received were not enough, Ubong, who was still dazed by the incidence that still defies comprehension and still mourning the demise of his children and his beloved pastor, was in for another shock when the community accused him of killing his children and the pastor for money rituals.

Aside the pain of having lost his beloved ones, the community’s allegation festered the sore in Ubong’s heart as he faced threats of various forms, including banished from his fatherland. With his whole world apparently crashing, the saying that failure is an orphan dawned on him.

Despite losing his children and his pastor in a prayer session, Ubong’s faith in his creator remained firm. Without any one to lean on, he solidly believed that his God was capable of setting him free.

With this conviction, he left his home town for the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos. At SCOAN, he recounted that while Prophet T.B. Joshua was prophesying, he mentioned that there was a man present at the service who was alleged of murder and asked such person to come out.

The late pastors wife

Stunned by the correctness of the prophecy, Ubong said: “I just came here to pray for God to deliver me from my problems and show to my people that I was innocent of the allegation leveled against me. To my surprise, Prophet T.B. Joshua, in the course of his prophecy, narrated everything that happened. He said the person concerned was innocent and asked that such person should come out for prayers. I did and he prayed for me.”

While away in Lagos seeking spiritual help, Ubong’s community back in Onna had gone to consult witch doctors to ascertain his culpability in the ugly incident. Without prior knowledge of Ubong’s visit to the SCOAN, the community head, he said put the oracles’ revelations aside and said he would have to hear from Prophet Joshua before he could accept that Ubong was not responsible for his children and pastor’s death.

Thus, he arranged that a delegate from the community, the pastor’s family members and Ubong visit SCOAN. Prior to that, the late pastor’s son who was said to be violent had threatened to avenge his father’s death by killing Ubong in return. After some appeals from the community, he was said to have rescinded his decision but demanded that Ubong should pay the sum of N4million for his father’s burial.

Gift given to the family of the late pastor by Prophet T.B. Joshua

A bloody clash which would have ensued as a result of the crises was averted when the whole party involved in the crises visited Prophet Joshua. Meeting with the late pastor’s family and the community head’s delegate, Prophet Joshua informed that Ubong was innocent of the murder allegation leveled against him. To save the insolvent Ubong from being further hounded because of the huge sum the late pastor’s son demanded for his father’s burial, Prophet Joshua gave the family a sum of N500,000 and went ahead to assure the widow, Comfort Kiddy of his support for the upkeep of the family.

The widow had also requested that Ubong should be responsible for her mother’s burial which she said the late pastor was supposed to do before his untimely death while praying at Ubong’s new house. Propitiated by the Prophet’s intervention and benevolence, the late pastor’s son, Victor said that they were convinced that Ubong was not responsible for his father’s death and assured that peace would reign hence forth.

SOURCE: The National Life – Vol. 2 No. 68

TB Joshua’s Solution: Trade Mineral Resources For Technology

An intriguing and informative article posted on the ‘Nigeria Village Square’…

I class myself as a friend of Nigeria, being currently on my 48th visit to your country from my native UK. While in Nigeria, I have gained first hand experience of what we call the digital divide. This simply means the division between those who have and those who don’t have access to modern information technology.

The proportion of households that have broadband connections to the internet is now 63% in the UK, while in Nigeria it remains well below 1%. In the UK the cost is £10-20 (N2,300-4,600) per month – or even free bundled with a telephone package – while in Nigeria it can cost at least ten times that amount outside the major urban centres.

A true Government is mirrored through conducting free and fair elections, with the participation of informed citizens. Citizens need access to information and in today’s world this means digital connectivity. Where are the reliable, secure and affordable broadband internet connections throughout Nigeria? In many places you need a satellite link, and solutions with a high level of security and privacy are very expensive.

The need for connectivity is there, the thirst for information among citizens is there, and there is no shortage of valuable natural resources to generate the necessary national wealth. But not enough is happening. There seems to be a massive gap to be bridged. The wealth is not being connected quickly or directly enough to the public benefit in this, as in a number of other areas of public life in Nigeria.

What can be done? There has been much debate on questions like this, but recently I heard a fundamental answer coming from what seemed to be an unlikely source –T.B. Joshua speaking in a church service shown on Emmanuel TV. There are fine aspirations from the communications regulator for ubiquitous broadband in Nigeria, but interestingly it is a pastor who has put forward a principle which could go a long way in helping to achieve it.

He said that countries in Africa should stop trading their mineral resources for pounds and dollars and instead trade them for technology.

This is a very interesting way forward. Let the nation be given direct help from more developed countries with technology in exchange for oil and other mineral resources, and then use honest principles to deploy the technology for the benefit of all and not just the privileged few. This would avoid the corrupting influence of money and channel resources more directly where they are needed.

Everything big has to start small. It is not too late for Nigeria to reap the economic and social benefits of advanced technology. Indeed when it comes to the deployment of new technologies, there are advantages in starting later than the more advanced countries. You can leapfrog the intermediate technologies and go straight to the latest without the inertia of everyone having to change over.

The implementation of a broadband infrastructure is one key area of technology in which direct assistance could be provided under this new approach. One option for a low-cost solution outside the major urban centres might be to employ neighbourhood mesh networks using wireless technology sharing the UHF TV bands on a licence-exempt basis. This is an area of active development in the US and UK but its greatest benefit is likely to be felt in countries like Nigeria which do not already have a ubiquitous wired infrastructure.

This is just one example. There are many others in the field of communications, as well as in other areas such as healthcare and transport, which could be provided by the more developed nations under this proposal and would enhance public life and help generate economic growth in Nigeria.

My hope is that Nigeria’s government will be foresighted enough to listen to its own man of wisdom, and not leave it to other countries alone to reap the benefits.

Written by William Graville

SOURCE: Nigeria Village Square

TB Joshua’s Boy ‘Emmanuel’ Grabs Winner For Eaglets

Two members of ‘My People FC’, a club set up by T.B. Joshua to assist less-privileged footballers, are currently playing for the national Nigerian U-17 Team, the Golden Eaglets, at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. One of the boys, Sani Emmanuel, scored the winning goal for the Eaglets in their match with Argentina… Africa News reports…

NIGERIA TOP GROUP IN PULSATING ARGENTINE ENCOUNTER

Local supporters witnessed a hard-fought victory at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi as Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets came from an early goal down to earn an impressive win against their Argentine counterparts…

Sani Emmanuel in action against Argentina

With Argentina already assured of a place in the next round of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the onus was on Nigeria to build on their victory against Honduras and guarantee their place in the knock-out stages. Honduras and Germany playing simultaneously in Abuja, Friday saw the final matches of Group A, billed by local media as ‘The Group of Death’.

In an action-packed opening, the South Americans took a mere two minutes to start the scoring when Esteban Orfano wove through a crowded Nigerian defence to fire deftly past a hapless Dami Paul. Three minutes later however, the hosts defiantly responded as Terry Envoh’s corner nicely fell for Omoh Ojabu to stab home from close range, levelling the scores.

Playing at a slower pace induced by the humid Bauchi climate, both sides had chances to increase their lead in the first half, the closest falling to Eaglets substitute Sani Emmanuel, whose rebound shot went agonisingly over the bar from eight yards out.

The results remaining even at half time, the Argentineans seemed content to play for a draw as the second half kicked off with the Eaglets providing most of the attacking impetus. A steady stint of Nigerian pressure finally paid off in the 72nd minute when substitute Lanre Kayode was brought down inside the 18-yard box by Federico Rasmussen. With Nigeria’s Stanley Okoro substituted moments earlier following a disappointing performance, Sani Emmanuel stepped up to coolly fire home an almost perfect penalty, sending the local fans into ecstatic celebrations.

John Obuh - Coach of the Golden Eaglets

With 15 minutes remaining, the Argentineans began to pile on pressure in search of an equaliser, but were unable to penetrate the solid Nigerian defence, the Eaglets holding on to secure a deserved victory. 2-1 was the final score, the result leaving Nigeria on top of group A with 7 points, followed by Argentina with 6. Germany, who recorded an easy 3-1 victory against Honduras, will be left to hope their efforts are enough to secure a slot as one of the four lucky losers to progress to the next rounds.

With more impressive performances from midfielders Abdul Ajagun and Ramon Azeez, as well as striker Sani Emmanuel who plies his trade with Pastor TB Joshua’s ‘My People FC,’ Coach John Obuh can be confident that his boys are waxing stronger as the tournament progresses to the final stages.

SOURCE: Africa News

FREEDOM: Delivered From Spirit Of Snake!

An encouraging testimony! When the Son of God sets you free, you are free indeed…

Slightly intoxicated from the evening’s drinks and mind ablaze with the night’s exhilarating liberty, a sardonic smile marked Chichi’s countenance as she walked briskly through the dark Lagosian streets. Could life be better! With no cares to check her, responsibilities to tie her down or plans to restrict her, life was without limits, each new day birthing new opportunities to exercise new independence. Suddenly, the silence was shattered: “Hello Chichi…” Whipping around in a myriad of shock and wonder, Chichi beheld the intruder of her solace to discover a dark man with an eerie countenance, smiling softly. Thoughts began racing – moments earlier she had surveyed the empty street opposite the graveyard. Where did this man come from? “I like you… come with me.” Chichi stared on, caught in the conflict of reason and freedom. ‘Well, why not? Should be fun!’ Reason waned and Chichi followed. It was a decision ever etched in the echelons of her life experiences, a decision she would later describe with the term, ‘disastrous’, a decision that left her enslaved in the hands of evil for seventeen years of torment.

For 16 year old Chichi, life revolved around going from one party to the next. It seemed the pinnacle of enjoyment and the height of delight, until the carefree attitude landed the teenager in a predicament she never anticipated. The problem’s genesis stemmed from her strange encounter with a man who simply asked her to follow him. Chichi explained, “He brought me to a house, and it was completely empty. There was only a foam mattress inside the house, nothing else! I didn’t even recollect the way we moved that night or the road we walked down. During that process, we made love together. The following day, he told me he was going somewhere – and left at five in the morning. That was the last I ever saw of the man physically and the last I ever saw of the house.”

From that day on, life for Chichi became miserable – anything she put her hand to suffered while any promise to help her was left empty. At night, the torment continued as a strange figure in the form of a snake came to make love with her, calling her his wife, shattering her peace and destroying her future.

“Each time I sleep, in the dream this person will come as a snake and we make love in the dream. Since then, anything I lay my hands on, everything will end in disaster and disaster. My life has not been the same. Even though people give me money, the money will be scattered. People will promise to marry me but along the line the whole thing will be in vain, and they will say that they are not interested again, In short, I have not been myself for the past seventeen years and I am never happy. He will come in the form of a human but change into a snake down the line and make love with me – every night. On two occasions he told me that I am his future wife and that I should never date another man. He said we are going to have 22 children before he puts a ring on my hand and weds me. I have had four children in the night. He would normally say that these are his children, that they don’t belong to anybody – and that anytime, he will come and take them. When I wake up after these dreams, all my body will be wet. It was a very terrible experience.”

Deeming life of slavery to a snake worse than worthless, contemplations of ending the nightmare once and for all filled her senses. Was life really worth living again? It was in such a state that a flick through the channels on her DSTV satellite revealed a renewal of hope, Emmanuel TV, run by The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. After barely a week of viewing, Chichi resolved to visit The SCOAN, knowing only divine intervention could prevail. The resolve was not without its challenges, as Chichi explained, “The night I decided to come to The Synagogue, when I slept, he still came and made love with me, but he said I should not make a move to the place I wanted to go and I should not leave him alone. He said I should not disown him and that I am his wife and must remain his wife. I woke up in the morning and said ‘Devil – you are a liar. I must go to The SCOAN. God has spoken to me that I must go there and that he will use the man of God, Prophet TB Joshua, to deliver me.’ Through watching Emmanuel TV, I had courage.”

The following Sunday, Chichi was arranged in the prayer line of The SCOAN. It was a date with destiny, and one she will not soon forget. “As TB Joshua was praying for me, I felt something suddenly came off my head as if something just flew out. I knew that something was going out of me. Then I actually saw these snakes surrounding me and I started shouting, ‘Snake! Snake! Snake!’ He stretched his hands over me – and I saw many snakes running away. There were more than twenty – both little and big ones going out of me. When he placed his hand on me, I felt, something cold cooling my head and going right over all my body. I just felt free like a new born baby.”

After seventeen long years of captivity, Chichi was instantly and remarkably delivered! But the story was not yet over. As the church service progressed, TB Joshua gave a word of prophecy in the midst of the congregation, saying, “There is a newcomer here with a ‘rasta’ style haircut. A snake has been making love with you in your dreams every night. This problem came from the time you slept with a man. The man came from a graveyard.” Chichi rose from her seat in amazement. She was hearing her life experience from a man she had never personally met. In fact, she had only disclosed the strange dreams to a few close colleagues. Coming forward, TB Joshua told her, “That man you slept with was not a human being – he was a ghost from the graveyard!” It all made sense – the man’s sudden appearing out of thin air, the strange house he brought her to, the terrible experiences since then.

Prophet TB Joshua

Reaching home that night following the incredible service, Chichi experienced real peace of mind for the first time in seventeen years. Lying on her bed, she slept soundly with no dreams, or strange encounters with the ‘snake-man’! The nightmare had finally ended! Brimming with joy, Chichi now has hope for the future. Her words to the youth are clear: “I know a lot of young ladies out there like me and I know what I went through in life. My experience is a very big one – a disaster experience. I will advise them to give their lives to Christ and come close to God. You should not allow anyone to come and deceive you into the party lifestyle. By the time you keep on doing it, you will find yourself empty and you will gain nothing. Stop going to parties because there is danger in it. In the process, they will experience what they don’t expect and it will destroy the person. So my advice is simple – to come to God.”

SOURCE: All Voices