Religion
FCTA Tasks Clergymen in Fight Against COVID-19
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory Administration,, has tasked clergymen in Nigeria to support the government in the fight against the global novel Coronavirus pandemic.
The Chairman, FCT Task Team on Enforcement, Mr Attah Ikharo made the call during an enforcement exercise on Sunday in Abuja.
Ikharo, while preaching the danger associated with congregational prayers at this period, urged the clergymen to engage their members into worship through online and diverse social media platforms such as WhatsAPP, facebook and instagram.
Attah who was satisfied with the level of compliance by the FCT residents in some of the areas the team visited, rated the success at 96 percent.
He urged them to continue to collaborate with the government and report any worship center and social gathering within their vicinity that failed to comply with the stay at home directive by the government at this trying period.
” Well I think we went round most part of the metropolis, we went round Kubwa, Byanzhi, Gwarimpa and I think the compliance from my own point of view from the churches, I can put it at 96 percent which is total compliance.
“They all work closely with government, they all shot down worship center and so far so good, they are all home praying and doing their prayers. I think for compliance to me is very very high”, he reiterated.
The Chairman who addressed a community at Byanzhi in Kubwa, stressed that government is not banning Church or Mosque services for ever but it action was just for this trying period and was optimistic that very soon it will be over and people will go back to their live.
According to him, ” We have move round Abuja and all churches and Mosque are closed and the one that is opened is around this place. Please we are begging all of you, is your own area, so please, we are begging all of you, we are not saying any church or mosque is banned for ever, no. Now that we all know that we get problem, we all know Corona. Those of us who are Muslim, do ablution and pray in your houses and those of us who are Christian, make we sing praises prayer for our family and the country”.
In one of the worship centers the team visited in Byanzhi at Kubwa, a suburb of the FCT, ” Rhema Assembly Church”, the Pastor of the church, Pastor Prince Onyekachi and three other members were seen playing gospel music and engaging other members of the church at home through online worship.
While speaking to Journalists, Pastor Onyekachi who commended the government for taking such action noted that, government is after their health and that they don’t have any reason to disobey them.
” So this morning what you met here is not a church service. Most of the people you see here leave here which if you go in there you will see their bags and clothing. So we just came out to make sure we get to the rest members at home through social media which if I get my tablet and open it, you will see the messages that I sent to them this morning which we did from here”, he added.
It could be recalled that FCT is second in the country with recorded cases of 45 with one death after Lagos State which has recorded more than a hundred cases with two deaths.
Religion
Not Everything on Social Media Should Feed You- Cleric
The Senior Pastor of Streams of Joy International, Jerry Eze, has urged Christians not to feed on everything they see on social media.Eze made the call during his sermon at the church service on Sunday in Abuja.He noted that certain contents on social media could corrupt the minds of God’s children,negatively influencing their thoughts,spirit and behavior.
“Don’t let everything feed you. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Not everything on social media should feed you.“You remember the vile words of the enemy more than you remember what is in the word(the Bible).“I didn’t even want to talk about it, but I do recognise that when you head Equatorial Guinea, it fed you and re-fed you, “he said.He said that God has unique plans for His children, but required them to be in tune with Him.He added that they also need to be intentional about the information they consume on social media, the company they keep, and the places they go.Eze urged the congregants to guard their vision in accordance with God’s instructions, just as a pregnant woman was advised on what to consume to keep her body safe and healthy.The cleric prayed for wisdom and understanding for the congregants, asking God to guide them on their unique life paths.He added that they should not dwell on their fears and insecurities, but instead look to God for the fulfillment of their new seasons.According to the pastor, some difficulties are allowed by God to build and prepare his children to handle greater responsibilities in the future.(NANReligion
Bigard Seminary has Produced 4 Cardinals, 37 Bishops– Rector
The Rector, Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, Very Rev. Fr. Albert Ikpenwa, says the seminary has produced four cardinals, 14 archbishops, 37 bishops and thousands of priests since it officially opened in 1924.
Ikpenwa disclosed this on Tuesday at news conference to give insight on Bigard Centenary Celebration scheduled to begin on Nov.
10 in Enugu.He said the seminary had also produced thousands of priests working in Nigeria, Europe, America, Australia and other parts of the world.
Ikpenwa listed the Cardinals to include Francis Arinze, Dominic Ekandem, Christian Tummi and Peter Okpalaeke.
According to him, some of the archbishops are Valerian Okeke, Bishops Callistus Onaga, John Okoye, Albert Obiefuna, among others.
He added that the seminary had also served in the formation of seminarians from Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Liberia and produced professors in many universities as well as other individuals who studied there but did not serve as priest.
The rector said Bigard Memorial Seminary started as St. Paul’s Seminary, Igbariam, Anambra, in 1922, an initiative of Bishop Joseph Shanahan, the then Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Southern Nigeria.
“The seminary was, however, officially opened in 1924 to teach theology and philosophy following Pope Benedict XV’s 1919’s letter that emphasised the need and urgency of establishing indigenous clergy in mission lands.
“In 1928, the seminary was moved to Onitsha and a senior seminary was opened at Eke in Enugu State in 1934 to separate it from the junior seminary.
“The senior seminary was later transferred to Enugu in 1939, then to Okpala, Imo, in 1942, and finally back to Enugu in 1951 where it has remained as Bigard Memorial Seminary,” he said.
He explained that seminary was named Bigard to honour Stephanie and Jeanne Bigard, the mother and daughter foundresses of the Opus Sancti Petri Apostoli society, which funded the building of the seminary.
Speaking on the 100 years anniversary, the Chairman Planning Committee, Rev. Fr. Kelvin Udenwagu, said the event was going to be a great and unique one as it would be a reunion of the people that passed through the seminary in the past 100 years.
He listed the activities to mark the event to include inaugural Mass, inauguration of academic year and award to distinguished students, cultural event, Biblical quiz, symposium, football match and dance.
The clergyman added that the celebration would begin on Nov. 10 and end on Nov. 21.
The highlight of the conference was a media facility tour that included the new student hostels built by Ikpenwa. (NAN)
CRIME
Chief Imam’s Sallah Ram Stolen in Jos
There was a drama as the sacrificial ram of the Chief Imam of the Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Imam Abdulkadir went missing on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
Abdulkadir’s ram was reportedly stolen during a downpour in the area on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
An Imam in the community, Haruna Yaqub, disclosed this during the sermon, shortly after the two Raka’at prayers.
Yaqub, who condemned the incident, described it as “insensitive”.
He added that the act showed that people lack fear for God.
The Imam said, “The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely brought to sacrifice, has been stolen in the night.
We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story. This means that people are not God-fearing.“It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity.”
Speaking further, he urged people to be God-fearing and not engage in either stealing or any act of criminality.
He stressed that everyone will account for their actions on earth and hereafter.
“It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments,” he urged.