OA Fakinlede
Introduction
I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The Gospels tell us what Jesus did. The Epistles

1. Interpreted those acts to us.
2. Tell us how to appropriately respond;
3. answers any practical questions we have on how to be a Christian in our day.
   
   The Apostles are the certified bearers of the mysteries of God.
   
   Once you become so spiritual, that you know more of the purpose of Jesus in this world than the certified apostles, then you are no longer part of the Church of Christ described in the creeds. The one and only one; The Holy Church; The Catholic Church “Elect from every nations, yet one o’er all the earth”; The Apostolic Church – takes its instructions from the Apostles as revealed in the Epistles.This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful…. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
   Death & Judgment
   Death and heaven are two sides of the same coin. When somebody dies, there is a number of ceremonies. As Christians, one of the greatest words of comfort arise from the hymn:
   Jesus lives, henceforth is death
   Entrance gate to life immortal
   This shall calm our trembling breadth
   When we pass its gloomy portals, Alleluia!
   Jesu ye, nitorinaa
   Iku di ona si iye:
   Eyi yio je itunu wa
   Gba t’aba de boji iku. Halleluia!
   “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”. Hebrews 9:27
   The reward of a teacher is in heaven! It is a statement with plenty assumptions.
   Is there a heaven?
   Is there an admission policy? For example the fact that there are universities does not mean that everybody is welcome there!
   What if the teacher does not get admitted to heaven?
   The Bible tells us there is death, and that there is judgment. That judgment determines whether one goes to heaven or not. Don’t take my word for it. Let us read:
   31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
   41 “Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46
   Here the judgment is based on conduct. In another place, it is based on the stewardship of gifts, opportunities of “talents”.
   14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. Matthew 25:14-28
   Are we really going to heaven?
   Are you afraid? Can you make it?
   “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
   The idea of going to heaven; getting the kingdom, etc., is God’s. Adequate provision to get us, all of us there has been made. In fact, the whole purpose of the Church is to make people fit for the kingdom.
   There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:1-8
   God has arranged it that the righteous purpose intended by the law might be fully met in us. And, make no mistake about it, this is God’s way of populating heaven! If you continue reading that passage, you get to verse 18:,
   I am of the opinion that there is no comparison between the pain of this present time and the glory which we will see in the future. Romans 8:18
   Our life here should always be compared to the hope into which we have been saved! It should modify our desires, our expectations and comparisons.
   The Whole Purpose of the Church: The people of God!
   To create a people for whom this is a description of their conduct is the whole purpose of the church.
   For the grace of God has come, giving salvation to all men, 12 Training us so that, turning away from evil and the desires of this world, we may be living wisely and uprightly in the knowledge of God in this present life; 13 Looking for the glad hope, the revelation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, so that he might make us free from all wrongdoing, and make for himself a people clean in heart and on fire with good works. Titus 2:11-14
   As a church, all the means of grace: worship, prayer, meetings, fellowships, travel, etc., are useless unless they are directed as the Apostle says here:
4. That we might be free from all wrongdoing.
5. Turned to a people that specially belong to him.
6. A people that are clean in heart.
7. A people that are on fire with good works.
   That applies to us. That applies to every member of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church!
   As for heaven, “Fear not, little flock, it is the father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”!

There is a song very popular with Nigerian Pentecostalists. And as usual, the blitzkrieg of Pentecostalism, because of its often-loud noise, imposes itself on the psyche of all Nigerians – even non-Christians (don’t like to call them unbelievers – cause they may believe in other things than the gospel). Somehow, it was hatred at first sight for this song and sometimes I wonder why my vitriol is so strong!
I think I found the fundamental error of this great song, Darling Jesus, darling Jesus, O my darling Jesus you are a wonderful Lord, I love you sooo much, Darling Jesus, etc.
Despite the noise, the pomp and the loudness, one of the things the gospel does to anyone with a modicum of understanding is to induce in the person a tinge of sobriety and some element of soberness. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the foolish son was merry and gay when he had a lot of cash. At that point, he had so many friends and, of course he had his Darlings. But once all the monies were gone, so went the merriment. It was at that point that he came to his senses! “I will return to my father!” That was a determination. At that point, away with the lewdness and the garish day! If he had a song at that time, it was NOT “Darling Daddy, Darling Daddy, …” Whatever he did, whatever he sang, whatever he thought, was about repentance and a seeking for forgiveness. His only fear would be, “Will he take me back?” The cockiness of Daling Daddy would be completely absent!
We Christians are easily confused by the language of the Bible. Often it is because some folks tell us that it is when we read archaic language that those of us that barely passed English language, or literature will necessarily find hard. Sometimes, it is mediocre preaching based on low quality understanding of the gospel. I blame the popularity of songs that lack edification and deep desire after God and godliness of these things especially when they are not attended by depth in thought. The final question should be, what really is the gospel? What is the gospel about?
From a deep theological lens of a martyr like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we have it that the gospel is about four “R”s. They are Repentance, Reconciliation, Regeneration, and Redemption. We shall leave delving into these topics one by one for later. A much simpler description of the gospel – essentially a summary of the testimony of the Apostles, Prophets, are encapsulated in a sweet song that used to taught to little children in days gone by:
The gospel bells are ringing,
Over land, from sea to sea:
Blessèd news of free salvation,
Do they offer you and me.
“For God so loved the world,
That His only Son He gave;
Whosoever believeth in Him,
Everlasting life shall have.”
Chorus: Gospel bells, how they ring,
Over land, from sea to sea;
Gospel bells, freely bring
Blessèd news to you and me.
That is the first stanza and perhaps the first issue about the gospel. They came to us like ringing bells from across the sea. It is an offer of a change of life, a change of perspective and an invitation to “Believe in the Son of God”.
What does it mean to “Believe”. This was, for many years a difficulty for me. People believe in tall tales that are unreasonable. Some doubt. Is God rewarding people for believism? So, if you just believe, everything is OK? The prudent man who takes his time to believe is damned? What of those that are so gullible and believe anything they are told and shift beliefs like shifting d=sand in the desert? Are they therefore accorded a higher place, ipso facto?
Alas, the word “believe” is much deeper than we may first imagine! Peter says “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17. Alas, alas, when the Bible asks us to “Believe the gospel”, it implicitly instructs us to “Obey the gospel”! The word “believe” there, is not a mere gullible accent! It is an active believing that leads us, as Paul says, to “Making good use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 For this reason, then, do not be foolish, but be conscious of the Lord’s pleasure. 18 And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit”; Ephesians 5:16-18
The gospel bells invite us
To a feast prepared for all;
Do not slight the invitation,
Nor reject the gracious call.
“I am the bread of life;
Eat of Me, thou hungry soul;
Though your sins be red as crimson,
They shall be as white as wool.”
It is a feast already prepared. But the invitation will not last forever! Jesus is the bread of life – but will not be so for ever! When the invitees in the parable started giving excuses, their places were given to others that were ready!
The gospel bells give warning,
As they sound from day to day,
Of the fate which doth await them
Who forever will delay.
“Escape ye, for thy life;
Tarry not in all the plain;
Nor behind thee look, oh, never,
Lest thou be consumed in pain.”
Escape ye for thy life! It is a serious matter! Do not take it lightly! Be thoughtful, be earnest! This is not a joking matter! But it is not all negatives. The song concludes on a joyful note:
The gospel bells are joyful,
As they echo far and wide,
Bearing notes of perfect pardon,
Through a Savior crucified.
“Good tidings of great joy
To all people do I bring,
Unto you is born a Savior,
Which is Christ the Lord and King.”
The gospel bells are joyful for those that obey! They will meet challenges here, but they will not be alone. The king and the mighty Christ will accompany them on the tedious journey through this difficult terrain!
“17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding”. Romans 14:17-19May our hearts be drawn to believe and to obey. Amen!

OA Fakinlede
Oda, September 8, 2024
There are two separate issues in dealing with the poor neighbour: 1. The command to love, and 2. What we must be to be able to obey

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

“The Law” refers to the Bible books of Genesis through Deuteronomy. “ The Prophets” refers to the prophetic books of the Hebrew Scriptures. However, when these terms are mentioned together, the expression could be understood to include the entire Hebrew Scriptures. -Google
“Wherever a man turns, he can find someone who needs him” – Albert Schweitzer
There was a lawyer, or a professor of law who asked our Lord Jesus: “And who is my neighbour”. Lk 10:29. This question arose, the Bible says, because he “wanted to justify himself!”.

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Luke 10:29-37

The Priest, the Levite: Highly regarded in the things of God
The Samaritan: The lowly, the despised. You don’t expect much from them. Their belief and faith suspect! They are like the tax collectors that oppress the people and have loyalty to the Roman Occupation forces!
The Oil, the wine: Not water – expensive stuff of value! Not a beggars tip!
Took him to an Inn: Took a detour from his journey – went to the hospital!
“When I come back”. Though the victim was a stranger, he planned to return to give more help!
Imagine that the Samaritan were to be on the road, and he could not afford transport: Therefore was waiting for someone to give him a lift!
But many times, especially in present-day Oda and Nigeria, we can honestly say that we do not have; in fact, we are so poor that we are supposed to be receiving! And that may be true. It therefore means that our first obligation is to remove ourselves from that state of dependency and want.
The Bible commands us in sundry places and divers manners to give. The idea of a Christian, whose disposition is that of a beggar, who simply waits for others to go and work so to give to him, is strange!
That we are the poor – is often not a poverty in material goods, it is, additionally, a poverty in the mind. See what Paul said to the Ephesians:
And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:32-35
What kind of work did he do to achieve this? We have a revelation “After these things, he went away from Athens, and came to Corinth. 2 And there he came across a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by birth, who not long before had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had given orders that all Jews were to go away from Rome: and he came to them; 3 And because he was of the same trade, he was living with them, and they did their work together; for by trade they were tent-makers. 4 And every Sabbath he had discussions in the Synagogue, turning Jews and Greeks to the faith”. Acts 18:1-4
What would be the equivalent of that in our day? Perhaps a mason or a carpenter? Paul could have stayed on a high horse and demanded to be served while he preached to the Ephesians among whom he lived! But no! He preached that we should not be highminded “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” Romans 12:16-17. Look also at the exhortation to Timothy: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” – ITim 6:17
Finally, we must remember that we are not proprietors of our lives, our talents or our possessions! We are but stewards. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Examples: 1. 12 year-old boy; 2. Servants in Lagos; 3. Getting my salary at First Bank.

Spirit of God, Descend upon my heart
Wean it from earth through all its pulses move
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art
And help me love Thee as I ought to love!

Has thou not bid us love Thee Lord and King?
All, all thine own soul, heart and strength and mind!
I see Thy cross, there teach my heart to cling
O help me seek Thee and O let me find!
George Croly

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

What does it mean?
I am often disappointed when the instruction given to our young people, especially women, is that the goal of their lives is to live passively and unobstrusively – do not rock the boat; do not dress indecently; do not engage in prostitution; etc. Young men: do not become “Yahoo” boys, do not engage in criminality; etc. To interpret it this way is to restrict our understanding of the goal of the gospel, and our leadership in it, to “training to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.” But we need to move forward to “living self-controlled, upright and godly lives”. And we need to live “in the present age”. Even that, unfortunately, is still not sufficient!
We need to be people whose lives are marked by a deep consciousness of “the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ”. This same Jesus that, “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness”. But that is not all. He did all this in order “To purify unto himself, a people for his own possession that are zealous for good works.”
If we do not get anything from this passage, we should at least see immediately that the goal of the gospel, and of leadership in it is NOT something passive. It is active.
The Author, Finisher
The first worker is Jesus Christ: He did the dying, he is actively working on the purification, he is constantly interceding for us; He is pleading our case with the father; And all he wants from us is our cooperation! (I remember taking my younger daughter for her injection in the hospital: She will not cooperate. I had to bind her hands and legs, force a cooperation so she did not get wounded) Lack of cooperation can be deadly! The Apostle Paul, with all his compassing land and sea going without a home, or a family, spreading his whole life to preach the gospel, realized, that the first worker is God himself “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
The first duty of the Christian, and the leader, is to cooperate with the Master Jesus in his effort that, after dying for us, he is trying to “purify, unto himself, a people that are his very own known to all the world for their zeal to achieve God’s good purpose”.
In telling us to be careful of anger, the Apostle James warned us with this same thought: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-21. Human anger does not achieve the righteous purpose of God. So, we must always ask ourselves, not if we are dressed in a way not to attract unnecessary, ungodly attention, or whether we are cheating to live, but “Are we accomplishing the righteous purpose of a God, whose primary work right now is to ‘purify for himself, a people of his own possession, zealous unto good works?’ ”
The Present Age
We are to accomplish God’s holy purpose “In the present Age”. Look at the passage again: “to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”. What is the “Present Age”. We are living in a Nigeria of 2024 where there are essentially only two types of jobs: Begging and Looting! The beggars are those that are unemployed or underpaid and can barely survive from month to month. The looters are those that have devised a method to profit from the mess Nigeria is going through. They may be politicians or Civil servants. They are often not part of the economy and are usually being begged for favours by the rest of the population. We, as Christians, have a high calling to be neither Beggars nor Looters.
What did the Apostle say? “and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:27-29
It is our duty to always find ways to do honest labour. That is precisely what Nigerians, in the present Age, do not want to do.
Churches are filled to the brim because certain people are telling them there is a trick where God will cause to happen, a miracle of favour, where you will get a jackpot by praying very well and having sufficient faith! Of course, not everyone in such gatherings is wrong: the preachers themselves are correct, as they usually receive that miracle of favour and are usually well kept and provided for. Only problem is that the number of unemployed people, widows, orphans, destitute, etc., are not reduced by all the proclaimed faith! It is a lie that such preaching have helped Nigeria. It has not. I started working in 1978 as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Lagos. My salary was about 320 Naira per month. One Naira, at that time was closer to two US dollars. Today, 46 years later, I make slightly more than 500,000 Naira each month. Convert it and see that Nigeria has marched backwards. Non-Christian societies such as China and India have multiplied their per-capita GDP 10 to 50 fold in the same period!
What is more damning, is the fact that the Apostle and the whole scripture do not agree with this “favour” principle! “Let him labour, doing honest work with his own hands” ni Apostle wi o!
Furthermore, the Apostle, in a direct speech to the same Ephesians in Acts he showed that he did not only preach this idea of hardwork with your hands, but that was how he lived openly among them: “34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:34-35. And the Apostle was telling them the words of our Lord Jesus Christ! These are not the words of Fakinlede! Words of Jesus Christ! “Labour, work with your own hands”!
Slothfulness
My third point is related, it is the immorality of Slothfulness. This point, if not understood correctly, may appear controversial. Or it may look like an unnecessary emphasis. But it is deep. It is so deep that we will not have time to deal with it, sufficiently, is a three-hour sermon. It flows from Point 2. The word “moral” is usually interpreted in most Churches as “sexual morality”. That interpretation, in comparison to the entire history and faith of the Church of our Lord Jesus, is entirely in error. Seven immoralities, to avoid, are taught in the Bible. You may be surprised to know that, lust, the one pertaining to sex, that the church fantasizes every day about is NOT even the worst of the immoralities. This erroneous approach makes people interpret every note on morality as sexual morality. Important, as that is, the confusion caused is immeasurable. I will refer any interested person to go to my personal webpage and read a series of sermons preached by a great Christian lady – nearly 80 years ago, where she painstakingly listed and elaborated on each morality.
My beef today in on just one of these. It is called slothfulness. A slothful person is immoral! You do not have to sleep with another man’s wife to be immoral! Are you covetous? OK, let me list them all: pride, avarice (greed), envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth or acedia.
Point three is that we should avoid slothfulness. It is a deadly sin; it is an immorality. It is as serious as the sin of lust or the favorite sexual immorality that keeps us talking all day! And the church is often guilty of slothfulness!

Dateline Kaduna

The last week has been different in drama, trauma and in death. The calamity has been extensive as terrorists focused intensive attention on Kaduna, the historical capital of Northern Nigeria and Abuja, the political capital of the Nigerian Republic.
First, they invaded the Airport on Saturday march 26, 2022. Two days later, Monday, they bombed Kaduna Abuja rail track, derailed a moving train, killed some killed, injured many and kidnapped many more. Feeling unchallenged and more confident, four days later, they invaded an Army barracks, killed 16 soldiers, injured 40 and according to vanguard of 6th April carted away arms and ammunition after burning down 3 army Attack Tanks.
With clear agenda coupled with flawless demonstration of capacity, they acutely dominated and morbidly choked the Armed forces and cut off the transport infrastructure of both critical cities. It is as if the refrain is: “Take over the two Capitals simultaneously, subdue the Army, break communication completely, and match from there onwards to take over Nigeria.” Not a sound from our President. The stark reality today is that Abuja and Kaduna have been intensely and robustly isolated by land, rail and air and the two zones completely insulated from each other and totally and entirely choked up.

Kaduna as Foundation of Nigeria’s Security
Those who know Kaduna State will tell you it is not just the historical capital of Northern Nigeria; it is the seat of the entire foundation of the Nigerian Security system. Look at the Institutions domiciled here:
1.    1 Division Nigerian Army
2.    Nigerian Army Depot Zaria
3.    Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji
4.    Nigerian Defense Industry Kaduna
5.    Nigerian Air Force Training School Kaduna
6.    Nigerian Police College Kaduna
7.    Nigerian navy School of Armament, Kachia Kaduna
8.    Nigerian Army School of legal Services, Bassawa Zaria
9.    Nigerian defense Academy Kaduna
10.Nigerian Army School of Artillery Kachia
11.Nigerian Army School of Military Police Bassawa Zaria
12.Army Operation base Southern Kaduna
For a rag-tag so called ‘Bandit’ formation to think of, dare to and directly challenge all the forces massed up in this State should make you suspect monkey business in Government. And our elders are expressing suspicion openly. Listen to a quote attributed to General I.B.M. Haruna: “We are in for sensitive happenings. I think the attack on the rail lines, airports and roads are all processes of de-democratization of Nigeria. The situation makes one suspect that either the present administration wants a situation of self-succession or an emergency Government which would come under its leadership.” Even the usually restrained and calm cleric of the Redeemed Christian Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye expressed doubts about the future of this Country. Hear the man of God: “God has not told me there will be an election next year.” He continued: “For now, so many things are on my mind. Most especially, the attacks on Kaduna State. Why Kaduna? Who is trying to isolate Kaduna and why? And after Kaduna, which State next?”

What gives Boko Haram Such Swagger?
With all these in mind, Nigerians would wish to ask a few questions
1.    What is the State of our intelligence services?
2.    If Mallam Sheikh Gumi could locate terrorist camps, go there and take high fidelity photos, why can’t the DSS or any other of our Intelligence service find these bases and get the military to annihilate them?
3.    Why are our very expensive military so successful in West African flash points but now being eliminated and disgraced by ill constituted, scantily trained and equipped rag tag insurgents?
They won’t tell us but we can guess. I will start with a few illustrations.

Capturing Nnamdi Kanu
From the rumours, this was the brilliant operation that captured Nnamdi Kanu:
The DSS had studied and gathered copious human and electronic intelligence on Kanu, identifying his two key passions; Biafra and sexy ladies. They tested his appetite in England with some of their fine female agents, planted electronic surveillance devices and gathered robust intelligence. They now arranged some funds for his other passion, Biafra and thus set him up in Kenya. They organized, through the Government of Kenya to grab and fly him in a private jet to Abuja.
Now, if that is not a incredible Intelligence system, effective, efficient and coordinated, tell me what is. In one fell swoop, they coordinated local DSS, foreign NIA and bilateral Nigeria Kenya agencies and synchronized all like a clock. This should tell us that our Intelligence system is super.

Questions for Government
There is an interesting quote making social media rounds attributed to late General Sani Abacha: “If insecurity lasts 48 hours, then Government is involved.” If I do not know whether Government is involved, I sure know that they know who is, how the cycle or chain can be broken and Nigeria brought back from the precipice. If our DSS is so efficient and capable to coordinate very complex International, Inter-agency project to capture Nnamdi Kanu, I have no doubt that it has the operational competence and proficiency to bring Boko Haram sponsors to book. But is it not strange that not a single Boko Haram member, their officers or sponsors has been brought before our courts even as United Arab Republic has jailed 6 of them in far away Abu Dhabi? Rather those arrested are quickly sent to ‘rehabilitation’ camps without accounting for the murders they commit.
It is a well-known fact that these terrorists live in camps, we should ask DSS and Military Intelligence if these camps are located on Mars. How about their supply chain? Granted that they can get hold of motor cycles, can these bikes run without fuel? If they cannot, where are these fuels procured from and why has Government not cut off these supplies? We are even told that they get most of their arms and ammunition from Military Ordinance, can the army swear they do not have inventory control over their arms and ammunition. If they do, how many of those in charge have they court marshaled? The way they walk casually into Army Barracks to kill our soldiers and cart away arms and ammunition indicate internal sabotage and local espionage within the army. How many Boko Haram soldiers within the armed forces have been identified and punished? We can go on ad infinitum but it is very clear that many fingers point to Government.

My Worries
My apprehension is two dimensional. They cycle around our National flag, the uniforms designed to protect it and effect of President Buhari on both long after he is gone.
Remember our first national anthem which General Obasanjo changed?

Our flag shall be a symbol That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d; And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children; A banner without stain.

O God of all creation; Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation; Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty; Nigeria may be blessed.

A nation’s flag expresses the idea, ideology and aspiration as above. Now, this administration has damaged and stained this flag. It no longer stands for truth and justice but for hate, ridicule and oppression.  A flag designed for all now serves the interest of tribe, tongue and religion. The military and other services in uniform mandated to protect the nation now recruits those who continuously kill their comrades in arm. Boko haram has been inching towards Abuja. Will this Government donate us to them? How do we get our Country back after Buhari? I worry.

Adewale Adesulure (a.k.a Ade Barna) (S.J.C 582) 1967 – 1971 Retired Tutor General/Permanent Secretary,Ondo State.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it”

Brother Francis Thomas McCrea successfully played the role of a father who took good care of his numerous children by molding our lives in preparation for adulthood.
My first close interaction with him was in my first year at St. Joseph’s College (SJC) precisely sometimes in April 1967 (my first term in form one)
On this day, the Principal of Ondo Boys’ High School who was my uncle then (Late Rev. Canon J.A. Iluyomade) arrived at the office of our Principal (Bro. Thomas) to inform him about the demise of my father whom I had visited at the University College Hospital (U.C.H) Ibadan few weeks earlier during our midterm break.
Bro. Thomas sent for me from the classroom and on getting to his office he handed me over to his colleague i.e., my uncle (Principal O.B.H.S). The sad news was broken to me and my elder sister (a form 3 student then at St. Monica’s Girls Grammar School, Ondo) at the Principal’s residence in Ondo Boys High School.