TIMITALKS

Methodist Church Ordains Nkechi Nwosu, First Female Bishop In Nigeria

The Methodist Church Nigeria, Archdiocese of Kaduna, on Sunday ordained Right Reverend Nkechi Nwosu as the Church’s first female bishop, IGBERETV reports.

Right Reverend Nkechi Nwosu was formally enthroned as the Bishop of Jos by the Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Reverend Joseph Nnonah at the Christ Methodist Cathedral Church in Jos, North Central Nigeria.

The church service formally gave effect to the decision of the biennial Conference of Methodist Church Nigeria that was held in 2022 where Nwosu was elected as the Bishop of Jos.

Members of the Diocese of Jos converged to witness the enthronement service.

In her remarks, Nwosu said God has made all humans equal. She encouraged all Nigerians to always seeks the face of God, especially as the general elections in Nigeria begins on February 25.

“We must all go out there and agree with God, listen to the Spirit of God, and do what God said we should do,” the new Bishop stated.

“Do that so that God will use us and anybody he will put on that seat to restore Nigeria to a place of pride in Africa, and the world.”

Yusuf Datti Demonstrates How To Vote For Labour Party In Hausa

The Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has demonstrated in Hausa, how to vote for Labour Party.

Some supporters of opposition parties candidates have been asking what Datti is doing in the north and have sometimes speculated that he has abandoned the Labour Party Presidential ticket. But the recent outings of Labour Party in Kaduna and Kano have shut all their mouths.

Yusuf Datti is a doer and not a talker.

Tinubu Is The Incoming President - President Buhari

Why North should vote for ex-governor, by Lawan, Gbajabiamila

• ‘PDP abandoned region to Boko Haram’

“Tinubu is the incoming president,” he said while paying a courtesy call on the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwan Adamu, in his palace yesterday.

A huge crowd of party faithful and supporters welcomed the APC campaign train to Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi State.

House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila explained why the North should vote for Tinubu, saying that voting for him will validate their loyalty to the president and the ruling party.

He said Tinubu had stood behind President Buhari in two previous elections, adding that it was time the supporters of the president also rallied around him for the February poll.

APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yakubu Ajaka said the days of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were numbered in the State House, advising Governor Bala Mohammed to prepare his handover notes.

Urging the people to reject PDP, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, said the party had abandoned the Northeast to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Before kicking off the rally at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Buhari, Tinubu, APC National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu and other party leaders paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Bauchi.

The president was led to the ancient palace by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who thanked him for the Kolomani oil wells at the boundary of Bauchi and Gombe states.

President Buhari tendered his stewardship, saying: “In 2003 and 2012, I visited all the 774 local government areas in this country, and in 2019 when I was contesting for the second term, I visited all the states.

“So, there, I made the promise and the pledge that I will serve Nigeria and Nigerians to the best of my ability.”

The Emir thanked the president for the visit and urged politicians to play politics without bitterness.

While commending the governor for ensuring a level playing ground for all political parties in the state, the royal father wished the president a safe trip.

39 Catholic Priests Killed, 30 Kidnapped In 2022

At least 39 Catholic priests were killed by gunmen and 30 others abducted in the year 2022, says a new report by SBM Intelligence.

In the report titled “Attacks on Priests” released by the research outfit on Monday, 145 attacks on Catholic priests were recorded last year.

SBM Intelligence, a research organisation, compiles and analyses data about happenings in the country.

The north-central was the worst hit with 12 killings while the north-west recorded nine deaths. The south-east and south-south recorded five deaths each while the north-east and north-west had four deaths each.

SBM said out of the incidents, 28 were perpetuated by kidnappers, three by herdsmen, two by the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), two by Boko Haram, and one each by banditsand mob violence.

“2022 was an awful year for the clergy. None in that group suffered more than Catholic priests, who at a point, were subjected to near-daily abductions with ransom demands set at an average of N50 million per priest,” the report reads.

“Although there were quite genuine fears that these abductions were targeted persecution of the Christian faith, the financial imperative in a holy abduction has somewhat eclipsed such concerns.”

RECENT ATTACKS ON CATHOLIC PRIESTS

On January 15, terrorists killed Isaac Achi, a priest of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church in Kafin-Koro, Paikoro LGA of Niger state.

Achi was burnt to death at his residence in the early hours of the morning.

Wasiu Abiodun, police spokesperson in Niger, said the terrorists razed the building after failing to gain entrance into the priest’s residence and shot another priest who was trying to escape from the attackers.

Five days later, gunmen abducted Kefas Ishaya, the catechist of St. Monic catholic church in Kaduna.

While it may seem that the attacks have only become more prominent recently, they have been a matter of concern since the previous year.

In June 2022, Christopher Onotu, a Catholic priest, was abducted by gunmen in Obangede, Okehi LGA of Kogi state.

The gunmen reportedly broke into the priest’s rectory on a Saturday night before whisking him away leaving the congregation to know about the priest’s abduction on Sunday morning when they went to attend morning mass.

In November 2022, a Catholic priest, identified as “Father Kunat” was abducted in Kadunametropolis following an invasion of his residence.

A month later, gunmen abducted Mark Ojotu, a Catholic priest of Otukpo diocese in Benue state.

Reacting to the development, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressed concern over the spate of attacks on Christian clerics in the country.

The association described the country as a “killing field” and called on its members to adopt self-defence against future attacks.

“The continuous killing, as well as kidnapping of Christian clerics in Nigeria, is alarming. This has to be stopped at all costs,” CAN said.

“Nigeria is becoming a killing field where Christian clerics and its members are slaughtered like chicken.

“The Christian community must rise up and come together to put to an end this insult. They should take up arms and defend themselves legitimately.”

Is Government A Savings Account? Oshiomhole Challenges Peter Obi

Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, the deputy director general of the APC's presidential campaign, has attacked Peter Obi of the Labour Party for portraying himself as a wise leader who has conserved money for Anambra State.

In continuation of his ward-by-ward campaign for Tinubu's presidency and his own Edo North Senatorial ambition, Oshiomhole issued this challenge to Peter Obi at Owan LGA in Edo State.

Speaking with facts, he urged Nigerians to name one historic legacy of infrastructure that Peter Obi started and completed as executive governor of Anambra State, one hospital or stunning school that fulfills all international standards.

A governor cannot claim to be a democrat if he refused to hold local government elections for eight years until finally doing so a few months before his departure.

He said that Peter Obi had hidden all the funds intended for local government administration in Fidelity Bank, where Obi had a financial stake, and had utilised the proceeds to expand his own personal company.

Oshiomhole said "we dey save money but we have no light, we dey save money but we have no school, we dey save money we don't have this we don't have that, we save when we have met our basic needs, but Obi was saving the money in his own bank, people just say he save , he save money ...is Government savings account?

Oshiomhole really exposed Obi and his dishonesty in trying to convince the public that he was a responsible administrator while in office. According to a respondent from the audience, this typically shows Peter Obi was covered in dishonesty, which is why he was unable to develop Anambra and instead left it in a mess.

Here is a raw video of Adams Oshiomhole finishing Peter Obi and humiliating PDP presidential candidate Atiku.

Happy viewing.

Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah is the chairman and CEO of Bush Radio Academy.