Tuesday, 24 January 2017

ACHIEVING GREATNESS THROUGH DREAM REVELATIONS




THE TURNING POINT 


Although I have dreamt all my life, it was not until September 2016 that I resolved to give better attention to my dreams and use the lessons of every one of them to guide any step I take, including planning and execution. That is what I consider, “the greatest turning point in my life”.
That was perhaps the worse period of my life. I lost my son during labour on the 14th of that Month. It was the worst experience in my life. I cried and wailed openly, thinking my world was over. That child meant the whole world to me. He was conceived on our wedding night which was also the major encounter I would have with my wife. We had planned to celebrate big and to have him (Akachukwu was the name I gave him while in the womb) as reference to the age of our marriage. As a mark of honour for my “Isaac” I took two Months off work to nurse him to delivery and even canceled my oversea trip (I won a fellowship as the only from West Africa to travel to Hawaii, Honolulu, in the US) because it fell on the period of his birth. All that sacrifice and honour for a son abruptly came to a naught, when baby Akachi came out in state of comma, unable to open his eyes to see his parents and dozens of relatives who keenly awaited his arrival as the triumphant entry of a great king. Sad enough, the doctor and all other medical officers on duty claimed it was a strange situation, as there was no tangible reason they could lay their hands as potent enough to snap life out of the baby.
My son was such a “handsome creature” to behold-hefty of about 5kg weight, stout, ebony hairy skin and well-built face with a pointed nose. I couldn’t imagine losing such a precious gift, and I asked God, why. I cried like never before and the ceaseless thinking diminished my skinny flesh, reducing me to a “walking-skeleton”.
However, after some days and weeks have passed, I tried to draw strength from floods of advice from sympathizers, to pick the pieces of my bones together and move on. The summary of all the consolations from people was that, “baby Akachi had paid the noble price with his life to save his siblings coming after him”. I held that so tightly and assured myself “never again”. But it turned out that I was day dreaming as the greater plague was waiting for me and my innocent wife. That was revealed in what I call, “the turning point revelation dream”.
 THE TURNING POINT REVELATION DREAM
In that dream, I found myself in what appeared like an ancient village. Located in the middle of a forest, the village had very few obsolete mud houses with thatch roofs. The houses were separated by grasses. At the centre of the village, was a very tall palm tree and a mighty snake twisted itself around the plant but stretching its head to look over the village. Suddenly few villagers surrounded the palm tree in worship to the snake. I stood nearby crying profusely. Then a man who appears to the spokesperson of the deity came to me and telling me, “Have you not cried so much? See, since the child died, you have not stopped crying. There is no need for you to cry because it is based on agreement which your wife is aware of. The agreement is that, in alternating manner, your children would be sacrificed to god. For instance, while the first child belongs to you, the second comes to the deity, the third yours, fourth to the deity, and so forth. You see you are crying in vain”.
Those things he said made me uneasy. So I turned to my wife to know if what the man said was true. My wife nodded that the man was right. The man then left me. I cried even louder, asking my wife why she failed to reveal any of those things to me even before our marriage. I was still crying, and then I woke.
Panicking and panting like one pursued by a lion, I also woke my wife to tell her the latest dream. She was too so terrified. Then I told her, “no! Never again would I bury my child. We are going to devout all to worship God since we can’t be going to native doctors”. That same day in the evening, we went to Saint Mathew’s Catholic Parish, Amukoko to attend programme by the Catholic Charismatic Renewable group in the parish. We planned to at least meet a brother or sister to tell our problems. We were however disappointed when they told us we had to wait till Saturday during their programme known as “Faith Clinic” in the morning.
But on the D-day, before 7 am, we were already at the program venue. It was a power packed programme for mostly people in trouble. It was a day to remember. The preacher brother Linus spoke with so great a power and I told my wife, “Here lays our solution”. After the programme, my wife and I accosted the man of God to share our worries and for his counsel. When I had narrated our plight and the dreams to him, he was marveled and said, “This is more than ordinary dream. It’s a revelation that God gave you because he loves you and want to save your family from the attacks of enemies and ancestral curse”.
The brother paused to meditate and after which told us that he needed to pray over it because he was seeing a strong negative powers attacking us. I looked at my wife. Her face looked much depressed. But to me, it was a good day. At least the journey for my total freedom had begun. We left the church, while expecting a call from bro Linus and the next step for us.
Within the next week, he eventually called me. He said, “I am directing you to another brother called Cajetan in Saint Kizito Catholic Parish, Alaba. He is strong man in the Lord and can handle a case as big as yours”. We agreed to go to the parish with my wife on Thursday when the Charismatic group there usually holds its version of “faith clinic”.
On Thursday, we went as agreed and it was a superlative experience. Brother Cajetan that day preached the gospel as I have never heard. He preached as if in a trance, telling the story of my life as if I have held a press conference with him to inform him all about me. “Some parents are very careless. …………
Hearing all those words, I began the weeping again. I realized I had been spiritually careless not to have taken the right actions to save my son and marriage. For instance, i recalled that as soon as my wife took in, I dreamt where a crowd of people from a certain community (not mentioned for a reason) came to my community, saying the ball they were playing with went into my house and they had come to collect it. I had also dreamt of seeing my son in the middle of an expressway with fast moving cars. He was crying on top of his voice and shouting daddy! Again, I dreamt making fruitless efforts to rescue my son from a pit he was thrown into. On the other side of the pit where my son was, I saw people who were long dead. A few weeks to his death, I saw men in my village digging grave near my house. They started with a standard grave and latter resized it for a new baby and there I saw the man I had planned to name the baby after crying bitterly.  So say the least, God in dreams gave me countless revelations about attacks on my marriage and child, which I dismissed with some shallow prayers. After all people usually say, “once you wake from a terrible dream, pray to cancel it”. I did exactly those cancelling after every dream. But i was so disconnected from the realm of the spirit that I didn’t know that some cases require serious prayers and spiritual warfare that are better handled by people with greater grace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Those costly mistakes, brother Cajetan underlined in his sermon which touched me to the bone marrow. In all of that, I was grateful to God that I was able to recognize the great spiritual gift that the Almighty God has given me to guide my steps and help me in planning as I sojourn in this wicked world.
Since that encounter, I have closely monitored my dreams to great advantage. There is nothing that happens in my life that I do not know about, because I would have received the revelation in dream. All the traveling including those outside the country, failed contracts, opportunities and events I have embarked upon in recent times were foretold and I prepared for accordingly based on dream revelation.
 You too can discover your dream gift, but to do that, you certainly must do a lot of things differently.

*Continues

Friday, 20 January 2017

WAIPEC unveils agenda ahead of next month conference in Lagos, Nigeria



The organisers of WAIPEC 2017 have unveiled an overview of their organization’s three day conference and exhibition billed for next month (21-23rd February) at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.
   
West African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference,(WAIPEC) was  launched to address the needs of companies seeking to showcase their innovative solutions and new technologies, and to support the development of major new business and partnerships to benefit West Africa’s petroleum economy.

This year’s convention is to be hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), a leading organization that represents oilfield services and technology companies operating across upstream through to downstream projects.

Speaking on the at a programme , the organizers of this year’s conference said , discussions would focus on how West Africa’s oil and gas sector can remain competitive in a tough global market, the role of technology as a transformer in the sector and setting out a realistic road map for valued-added local content and financing models in the region’s energy industry.

“The international exhibition is integrated with a first-class conference programme which has been specifically developed to provide real value and insight for all delegates. Through a series of plenary and industry panel sessions and topical presentations, delegates will discuss, debate and explore innovative best practices, technological developments and alternative business and financing models relevant to Nigeria and West Africa's upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas sectors”.

According to Chairman of PETAN, Bank Anthony Okoroafar “Under the lead of our steering committee, which represents a cross section of key stakeholders from the Nigerian oil and gas industry, WAIPEC’s programme has effectively been created by the industry for the industry.”

“Sessions are designed to illustrate solutions successfully implemented in the sector to boost levels of production during an uncertain industry environment and share policy, technical and financial models for achieving national aspirations in better domestic utilization of oil and gas.”

With 200 participating companies showcasing projects, the latest technologies and expertise; the oil and gas sector has embraced this important event.

As Sally Ikladious, Commercial Manager for WAIPEC explains; ‘there are commercial opportunities throughout Nigeria and West Africa and as the oil price recovers, Nigerian companies and Nigerian expertise will be at the forefront of the industry recovery. Hosting the event in Lagos makes sense as the commercial hub and ease of access for the majority of the industry.’

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Thursday, 19 January 2017

Senegalese troops lead offensive to send Jammeh packing

Senegalese troops have entered The Gambia to ensure Adama Barrow assumes power as the country's new president, a Senegalese army spokesman has said.

It comes shortly after Mr Barrow took the oath of office at The Gambia's embassy in the capital of Senegal.

He has been recognised internationally. But strongman Yahya Jammeh has refused to quit and is backed by parliament.

West African leaders have threatened to remove Mr Jammeh by force. The UN has backed their support for Mr Barrow.

The 15-member Security Council stressed on Thursday that this should be pursued "by political means first".

*Adama Barrow's inauguration: Question Gambians are asking
*Some Gambians angry that Barrow's inauguration was held abroad

Senegalese army spokesman Col Abdou Ndiaye was quoted by news agencies as saying the country's troops entered The Gambia on Thursday afternoon.

Troops advancing to forcefully remove Jammeh
Nigeria said earlier in the day that its "armed reconnaissance air force are over Gambia", AFP reports.

"They have the capacity to strike," Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ayodele Famuyiwa told the news agency.

After the swearing in ceremony, Adama Barrow ordered Gambian soldiers to remain in their barracks.

West African military forces have made it clear they are ready to enforce a transfer of power in the country, a popular beach destination among European holidaymakers.

Mr Barrow took oath at the Gambian embassy in Dakar.

In his inauguration speech, he ordered all members of The Gambia's armed forces to remain in their barracks.

"Those found illegally holding arms will be considered rebels," he warned.

Western ambassadors to Senegal, the UN envoy for West Africa and officials from the regional bloc Ecowas (Economic Community of West African States) attended the ceremony, while hundreds of Gambian expatriates gathered outside the compound.

Meanwhile, Mr Jammeh's term in office has been extended for three months by a two-thirds majority in parliament. Some experts say he still has a legitimate claim to be called the country's president.
Gambian Information Minister Sidie Njie told the BBC on Thursday that Mr Jammeh would not leave his office.

BREAKING: Police raid PREMIUM TIMES head office; arrest publisher, journalist

The Nigeria police have raided PREMIUM TIMES head office in Abuja, and arrested the newspaper’s publisher.

The publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, was arrested alongside the paper’s judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu.

Plain-clothed officers conducted search at the office shortly after 5p.m. Thursday, and said they were acting on a complaint filed by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

The arrests came days after PREMIUM TIMES turned down the army’s demand to retract news stories about the Nigerian Army and its operations.

The paper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, condemned the raid.

“They should stop deluding themselves that they can muzzle the press and intimidate PREMIUM TIMES,” said Mr. Mojeed. “They should know that our loyalty lies with our readers and the Nigerian people who have a right to know.”

He said the paper will continue “to discharge its responsibilities in line with global best practices, social responsibility and patriotism, even at great risk to our personal liberties”.


*** From Premium Times

Abdulsalami, Sultan, Kukah storm Southern Kaduna for peace

Former military head of state, General Abubakar Abdulsalami (rtd); the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji  Muhammadu  Sa’ad Abubakar III; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr.Matthew Hassan Kukah; and other members of the National Peace Committee  yesterday launched a fresh initiative  to restore peace to Southern Kaduna.

Abdulsalami
Hundreds of lives have been lost in repeated attacks on villages in the area by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, heightening   tension in the state.

The delegation met with Governor Nasir El-Rufai on the issue.

General Abdulsalami told reporters at the end of the meeting with the governor that peace could only return, if the people were ready to dialogue and forgive one another.

“Within the week, we are going to meet with other stakeholders, religious leaders,  chiefs in the area and also visit the sites where these problems are and discuss with the people,” he said.
“We will later sit  down and see what we think should be done.

“Then, we come back to the governor and if necessary to the federal government.

“These clashes and killings are not limited to Kaduna State; it is something that is engulfing the country. So we want to make sure that peace reigns in Nigeria, to make sure that people know that we are together. We have to live in peace with each other and we have what it is to give and take.

“We are reaching a situation in the country where human life doesn’t mean anything to people and this is wrong.

“There is no religion on earth or anywhere that preaches violence. So this is why we are here today.

“Everybody is aggrieved in one way or the other, so what we beg of people is to be patient; try as much as possible  to forgive and to be each other’s keeper. We must live together; we must find solutions to the problems; we must sit down and talk to ourselves because there is no problem that cannot be solved when you are talking to each other.”

 Bishop Kukah also said: “I think the visit  is more of a solidarity with the people of Kaduna State. We are here to hear for ourselves what exactly is happening and what we can do in  the hope that we can find a way forward based on the situation.

“We are part of the delegation. I convened the peace committee and what we are doing now is trying to bring about peace.  We are looking at how we can achieve peace and stability.

“I think what the people of Kaduna State, including the government, should be doing now is to look into how we can achieve peace and development and I think that is the reason we have democracy.
“So whatever contributions anybody can make, we need to make them. People have expressed their minds.

“What is going on now is a very sad phase in our history, but I believe that we can get over it and we will get over it and come out stronger and committed to peace”, he said.

Adama Barrow's inauguration: Question Gambians are asking

Adama Barrow
The masses of the Gambia are shouting down heavens with jubilation over the successful inauguration of their President Elect, Adama Barrow, even-though the exercise took place outside the country, in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

But due to the atmosphere of fear in their country, the people are celebrating mainly on social media platforms, especially Facebook.

Bah Amadou, a journalist wrote, " There is jubilation everywhere. Congratulations His Excellency President Adama Barrow, President of the Third Republic of the Gambia. Just finished his official swearing-in and administration of oaths of Office in Dakar now".

" From now on President Barrow is the legally and international recognised President of the Republic of the Gambia. He is the President of the Republic Gambia from now on and will soon be in Gambian soil to rule the Country".

However many of the people said they need clarification on how Barrow will be leading their country following refusal of Yaya Jammeh to relinquish power.


Aisha Ottun Raheem, asked "Will he be ruling from Senegal now Bah Amadou? Please explain to some of us here".

Sophiyah Ceesay, "Am also asking the same Question,Is he ruling the Senegalese or the Gambian?"

In the vein, a Gambian sympathizer, Deborah Eneojo Samuel , asked "So Gambia have two Presidents now, one at home and  one in Diaspora?"

Meanwhile, it is reported that in some Gambian cities, the masses who could not hold back their ecstasy actually stormed the streets to celebrate the swearing-in of Barrow.

See some pictures:




Some Gambians angry that Barrow's inauguration was held abroad

Many citizens of the Gambia are aggrieved that the inauguration their President Elect, Adama Barrow, was taken to the country's closest neighbour, Senegal.

President Adama Barrow arrives for Swearing in CEREMONY at Gambian embassy in Dakar
Gambians , especially youths  who have been keenly following the tensed political developments in their country, flooded the social media to express their grievance.

Sainey Marenah, based in Senegal's Capital, Dakar, after sit-tight president, Yahaya Jammeh made the country uncomfortable for him, wrote on his Facebook wall; "I don't like the idea of our president being sworn in a foreign land. This is total unacceptable and an insult to our sovereignty. If Barrow cannot to be sworn in Banjul is better to cancel the inauguration until the situation normalise".

Many others who commented on his post also expressed regret that the inauguration was not conducted on their home soil.

One of them Ibou Dogo Thiam, said "Why  should he be sworn in somewhere else than Gambia?Yaya Jammeh went too far". 

On the other hand, some others said holding the inauguration abroad should be commended, given the bad political atmosphere in Gambia, adding that the country's embassy anywhere in the World is its home.

Alieubadara Jabbi writes ,"Brother  but this not about your likeness or hate but it is all about constitutions and legality of the law. In this kind of conditions what do you expect from Gambians? If he did not sworn-in then he will not have executive power to run the affairs of the country. What do you think now?"

From Ras Mako , "Its alright. Let Him be and it can be remembered. All because of donkey babali man sah!!".

To Diarre Drame, "Sometimes you do whatever works. And besides he is being sworn-in on Gambian land, Gambian embassy being in Senegal or anywhere else is Gambian soil. So let's not get ekky about that and focus on the bigger picture".

Meanwhile , Sainey who is on ground at Dakar to give live broadcast of the event, reported that, "Adama Barrow sworn in as third PRESIDENT of The Gambia by Gambia Bar Association President, Sheriff Marie Tambadou".