RCCG PASTOR KILLED IN OGUN STATE

Reports say a Senior Manager at the Red Star Express, a courier company, Tunde Olawuwo, has been killed by unknown assailants.

Mr Olawuwo, who is an Area Pastor of Mount Zion Parish, with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Ogun State, was reportedly killed at about 4am yesterday, at his residence in Magboro area of Ogun.

Witnesses said the assailants gained asses to the building through the window and began shooting into the ceiling where the pastor was said to have hidden.

ANAMBRA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION HOLDS JANUARY 11

No fewer than 25 political parties will participate in the Anambra Local Council poll slated for Jan. 11.

The Acting Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Sylvester Okonkwo, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on the preparedness of the commission on Monday in Akwa.

The chairman said that the number of political parties was the highest in the country in the conduct of any local council polls.

He said that some of the parties included: the Peoples Democratic Party, Action Alliance, All Progressives Congress, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Accord Party.

Okonkwo, however, said that he only received a text message from the APC stating its withdrawal from the poll but there was no official letter.

According to him, the text message which was simply signed “SDS’’ was also sent to the state governor.

“I only got a text message from them saying that they will not participate because of the flawed voters’ register used in the governorship poll.

“They noted that since their candidate in the last governorship poll was in court challenging the same register, they will not take part in any election where the same register will be used.

“But we already have names of some of their party members for the poll,’’ he said.

Okonkwo said that adequate security had been made for the conduct of the election.

He denied an allegation that the commission had concluded plans to ensure victory for APGA, saying that the sensitive materials for the poll were intact.

“It is a figment of imagination of those making the allegation,’’ Okonkwo said.

He urged voters to come out en masse to vote for the candidates of their choice on Jan. 11.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that local council election was last conducted in the state in 1999.

The local government election had been postponed more than seven times since then. (NAN)

NIGERIAN DOCTORS SUSPEND PROPOSED NATIONWIDE STRIKE

The Nigerian Medical Association, has called off its proposed nationwide strike.

The industrial action was earlier scheduled to commence tomorrow, (Monday) across the federation.

Announcing the suspension today in Abuja, NMA President, Dr Osahon Enabulele, said their action was to allow full implementation of all the issues in their agreement with government.
Dr Enabulele, therefore directed all medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria to continue their services to Nigerians.

He however said that the NMA will meet on February 7, with representatives of government to reappraise the level of implementation of the MoU and take actions as she might deem fit.

Enabulele regretted that: “The decision was a very hard one to take because when you have a people who have been pushed for too long into the ambits of despair, you do not get surprise when several strategies are devised to actualised their overall objectives. 

 “Also we recognised that we are custodians of the health of the people, we also feel to heed to the several appeals by ordinary Nigerians in spite of our deprivations.  This, to us is a very great sacrifice made by our members and you know a lot of Nigerian doctors are still exiting the shores of Nigeria for other countries where there is better working tools and enabling environment.” 

Dr Enabulele spoke after an National Executive Committee Meeting of the NMA in Abuja.

HUMAN BODY PARTS DROP FROM THE SKY IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

Human body parts fell from the sky in the city of Jeddah Sunday, with police saying they could be the remains of a person trapped in an airplane’s wheel bay.

“Police received a telephone call at 2:30 am from a witness reporting the fall of human remains at an intersection in Mushrefa neighbourhood” in the Red Sea city, spokesman Nawaf bin Naser al-Bouq said in a statement.

Initial indications were that the remains “fell from a plan’s landing gear,” said Bouq, adding that investigations were ongoing.

In a desperate attempt to cross borders, some people at poorly monitored airports climb inside the bays holding the landing gear of planes. Most of them freeze to death once the aircraft reach cruising altitude, but some survive.

In 2010, the head of Beirut’s airport security resigned after the death of a man who managed to sneak onto a runway undetected and hide in the wheel bay of a Saudi-bound jet.

The man’s body was found by a maintenance worker in Riyadh who was inspecting the landing gear of the Saudi-owned Nas Air Airbus 320 after it touched down there.  PMN

PDP RESCHEDULES NEC & BoT MEETINGS

Peoples Democratic Party, has rescheduled its Board of Trustees and the National Executive Committee meetings.

A statement by the party, announced that its national caucus meeting will now hold on the 14^th of this month, while its Board of Trustees meeting will hold on January 15, just as the NEC meeting was rescheduled for January 16.

A statement by the National Secretary of the Party, Professor Olawole Oladipo explained that the change in date was to allow full participation of all members.

The meetings were earlier slated for the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th of this month.

POPE FRANCIS DOUBTS THE EXISTENCE OF HELL SAYS ADAM AND EVE...A FABLE

 For the last six months, Catholic cardinals, bishops and theologians have been deliberating in Vatican City, discussing the future of the church and redefining long-held Catholic doctrines and dogmas. The Third Vatican Council, is undoubtedly the largest and most important since the Second Vatican Council was concluded in 1962. Pope Francis convened the new council to “finally finish the work of the Second Vatican Council.” While some traditionalists and conservative reactionaries on the far right have decried these efforts, they have delighted progressives around the world.
The Third Vatican Council concluded today with Pope Francis announcing that Catholicism is now a “modern and reasonable religion, which has undergone evolutionary changes. The time has come to abandon all intolerance. We must recognize that religious truth evolves and changes. Truth is not absolute or set in stone. Even atheists acknowledge the divine. Through acts of love and charity the atheist acknowledges God as well, and redeems his own soul, becoming an active participant in the redemption of humanity.”

“Through humility, soul searching, and prayerful contemplation we have gained a new understanding of certain dogmas. The church no longer believes in a literal hell where people suffer. This doctrine is incompatible with the infinite love of God. God is not a judge but a friend and a lover of humanity. God seeks not to condemn but only to embrace. Like the fable of Adam and Eve, we see hell as a literary device. Hell is merely a metaphor for the isolated soul, which like all souls ultimately will be united in love with God” Pope Francis declared.
In a speech that shocked many, the Pope claimed “All religions are true, because they are true in the hearts of all those who believe in them. What other kind of truth is there? In the past, the church has been harsh on those it deemed morally wrong or sinful. Today, we no longer judge. Like a loving father, we never condemn our children. Our church is big enough for heterosexuals and homosexuals, for the pro-life and the pro-choice! For conservatives and liberals, even communists are welcome and have joined us. We all love and worship the same God.”
One statement in the Pope’s speech has sent traditionalists into a fit of confusion and hysteria. “God is changing and evolving as we are, For God lives in us and in our hearts. When we spread love and kindness in the world, we touch our own divinity and recognize it. The Bible is a beautiful holy book, but like all great and ancient works, some passages are outdated. Some even call for intolerance or judgement. The time has come to see these verses as later interpolations, contrary to the message of love and truth, which otherwise radiates through scripture. In accordance with our new understanding, we will begin to ordain women as cardinals, bishops and priests. In the future, it is my hope that we will have a woman pope one day. Let no door be closed to women that is open to men!”
In addition to the Pope’s sweeping calls for tolerance and a new progressive understanding of Catholicism, he condemned racism, raising his voice and pounding the podium in front of him. Pope Francis spent over an hour castigating anti-immigrant politicians, parties and individuals. Wagging his finger sternly with righteous indignation, the Pope shouted “Racism today is the ultimate evil in the world. When Italians, Spanish or French turn back the boats of African migrants seeking a better life, are they not like the inn keeper who told Mary and Joseph that there was no room for them and the infant Christ? These migrants are children of God and we are commanded to love them!”
His voice loudly echoing through St. Peter’s basilica, the Pope stated “those who would dare to turn immigrants away, be they legal or undocumented, turn their backs on Christ himself! A racist is not a true Christian. A racist casts aside his humanity to become a beast, a demon! He is the embodiment and personification of evil, a Satan!”

To a chorus of thunderous applause, Pope Francis stated “because Muslims, Hindus and African Animists are also made in the very likeness and image of God, to hate them is to hate God! To reject them to is to reject God and the Gospel of Christ. Whether we worship at a church, a synagogue, a mosque or a mandir, it does not matter. Whether we call God, Jesus, Adonai, Allah or Krishna, we all worship the same God of love. This truth is self-evident to all who have love and humility in their hearts!”
In a announcement that shocked many people, Pope Francis warned that “those who seek to deny a home to the migrant, to the African and the Muslim, risk their membership in the church. We will consider excommunication for those whose souls willingly dwell in the darkness and evil of intolerance and racism. Satan himself is a metaphor or a personification, for the collective evils of mankind. Today, these evils manifest foremost as racism, intolerance, religious persecution and bigotries of all kinds.”
A couple of prominent Catholic cardinals have responded to Pope Francis’ declarations by leaving the church. Cardinal Arinze of Nigeria asked, “what do we stand for if we declare that truth is relative? On the contrary, truth exists independently of our personal feelings. All of this talk of love and tolerance is hollow if we have no identity of our own, if we stand for nothing. I charge that Francis has become a heretic, and that he is not a valid Pope. Indeed, Francis is no longer even a Catholic. The seat of Saint Peter is vacant. I am now a Sedevacantist. I should have become one long ago. The Vatican has embraced ecumenism in the past, but worse than that, it has now embraced moral relativism on abortion and homosexuality. At the same time it is embracing moral absolutism in favour of illegal immigration and cultural genocide against Europe.”
In his most controversial statement, Cardinal Arinze said “Islam has overrun my own country, and now it threatens to overrun Europe. Some parts of Nigeria now live under Islamic Sharia law. Catholics there are no longer free to practice their faith publicly. Francis is a fool if he thinks that his liberal immigration policy will end well. He has betrayed western civilization. Vatican City will one day become a giant mosque if things continue in Europe along their present course. Those in the West who ignore this truth, do so at their own peril.”
In an angry and vitriolic rant revealing deep self-hating tendencies, the African Cardinal Arinze stated “There is nothing wrong with Europeans who want to protect their borders. The problem is that there is not enough border control and the immigration policies are far too lenient in Europe. Is it racist to desire to preserve one’s own home? Why is it racist to want to preserve your own culture and a future for your people and your children? Have white people gone stupid today?”
This much is clear, the Catholic Church has made a decision to rejoin humanity and to reject intolerance and extremism. The church has lost a few narrow-minded bigots, with reports of some small parishes and a few cardinals and bishops defecting, but Pope Francis has gained the friendship of the world. Pope Francis deserves praise for taking a humane stand in defence of human rights and against bigotry.
Source-diversitychronicle