CATHOLIC CHURCH: WHY WE OPPOSE USE OF CONDOM FOR FAMILY PLANNING!

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

 The Catholic church says it opposes artificial family planning techniques, because it encourages bastardisation of sexual activities by young people and “impedes normal procreation.”

The Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, made this clarification in a response to an enquiry by The Punch on Sunday.

He said, “The Catholic Church believes that modern means, including the use of condoms is morally bad because it impedes normal procreation. You can meet with your wife when you do not want children and those periods when the woman is not fertile instead of having to destroy the sperm and all other forms of artificial prevention.

“They are very artificial means and they do not really give the moral lesson that borders around the use of the sexual organs.

“The one that gives you the opportunity to exercise your sexual urge without the consequences is the natural method and the church says you should go for the natural means.”

According to him, the excuse that it reduces the spread of HIV/AIDS remains invalid and untenable, adding HIV/AIDS is a disease that is prevalent among young people.

Madu added, “When you are talking about condom among young people, you are also talking about promiscuity. People have adduced arguments in case of people with HIV/AIDS and especially couples who do not want children. The use of condom and other modern means are being bastardised among young young people because they will resort to the use of condom so that they can have sex freely without impregnating the woman or getting pregnant.

“Those are various artificial means and the church is strongly against them. Instead, the church endorsed the natural method of copulation.”

KETURAH HAMILTON: I WASTED SIX YEARS OF MY LIFE WITH JIM IYKE!

Keturah Hamilton and Actor Jim Iyke

By Olumide T.Agunbiade

"These days, I ask God: Why has thou forsaken me? How can a man with whom we had gone through the highs and the lows – a man who had professed so much undying love for me over the past six years just walk away like that? I don’t know what happened and I wish I could put a finger on it. He took away six years of memories, of support of love and all that I did for him – just like that. How mean and callous can one get?

Jim was supposed to come to New York and stay for six months, during which time, he would go to an acting school here in New York and then we would move to Los Angeles and get married and pursue our acting dreams. I was looking forward to that with eagerness and then he just walked away” she began to sob according to Diasporan Star.

WIFE BATHES HUSBAND’S MISTRESS WITH ACID!

The victim

By Olumide T.Agunbiade

 A housewife, Mrs Suzanna Fawole 38, has been remanded in Ife prisons in Osun State after she was arraigned in Magistrates’ court, Modakeke on Monday, June 3.

Fawole was accused of bathing one Funmilayo Aderibigbe 35, whom she suspected to be husband’s lover, with a liquid substance suspected to be acid, thereby causing her grievous bodily harm.

The acting Chief Magistrate, Mr O.A. Ayilara ordered that the accused be remanded in Ife prison custody while the case was adjourned till July 1 for further hearing.

May 6, was like any other day for Aderibigbe who resides on Adeboye Street, Ife-Modakeke road. Set for the day ahead, she went ahead to prepare herself for the activities she had lined up for herself, oblivious of what was in stock for her.

Before the end of the day, however, her once-beautiful physique which made her the toast of all, suddenly crumpled under the subduing power of acid. She was almost turned into a monster such as ones usually seen in horror movies after she was allegedly bathed with acid by Fawole.

Crime Reports gathered that Fawole had alleged Aderibigbe of having an affair with her husband. As a result, the suspect had sent a number of threatening text messages to the victim, warning her to steer clear of her husband. Aderibigbe reportedly ignored the messages and went about her life until the deadly liquid was used to arouse her from her perceived indifferent attitude.

ANGELICA ZAMBRANO: I MET JESUS CHRIST, HE SHOWED ME THE PEOPLE IN HELL AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!

Angelica Elizabeth Zambrano

 By Angelica Zambrano

WHETHER you believe it or not, Hell is real! For a period of 23 hours, I was shown the Kingdoms of Heaven and Hell, and the Return of Christ.  I witnessed Jesus weeping as He overlooked multitudes of souls lost forever, a world that has rejected Him, a Church that is mostly unprepared for Him, a people that have stopped witnessing to the lost, and an entertainment industry that even lures children to Satan. She witnessed many of our esteemed cultural icons suffering in the Pit; singers, entertainers, and even a pope.  I was also shown how the Kingdom of Heaven is all wonderfully prepared and ready, an unimaginable glorious place, where no evil exists. Though Jesus is ONLY coming back for a Holy People, and many of God's children will NOT be ready on that day, and will be left behind in a world that will fall apart.
WHO AM I?
My name is Angelica Elizabeth Zambrano Mora.  I am 18, and study at the "Colegio José María Velazco Ibarra", here at El Cantón, El Empalme, Ecuador.  I first accepted Christ when I was 12, but I told myself, "None of my friends were evangelicals and I felt strange amongst them", so I walked away from God, and lived a bad, terrible life.  But God pulled me out of there.  On, my 15th Birthday, I was reconciled to the Lord, but I was still double-minded.  The Bible says, "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:8) and I was one of those persons.  My dad would say, "You don't have to be like that, it looks awful, it's wrong," but I would reply, "This is the way I am, and how I want to be, nobody has to tell me how I should be, nor what I should do, nor how I should dress, or behave." He would respond, "God is going to deal with you.  He is going to change you."
During my 17 birthday, I came closer to the Lord.  On April 28th I came to Him and said, "Lord, I feel so bad, I know that I'm a sinner," and I told Him how I felt.  "Lord, forgive me.  I want You to write my name in the Book of Life and to accept me as Your child."  I repented and gave back my life to the Lord.  I said, "Lord, I want You to change me, to make a difference in me." I cried with all my heart, asking the Lord to change me.  But, as time passed by I felt no change.  The only difference was that I began to attend church, to read the Bible and to pray.  That was the only change in my life.
Then, in August, I was invited to fast for 15 days.  I decided to join, but before entering I said, "Lord, I want you to deal with me here."  During the fast, the Lord was speaking to almost everybody, except me!  It was as if the Lord had not seen me, and that hurt.  I would pray, "Lord, aren't You going to deal with me?" I would cry alone and continue, "Lord, do You love me? Are You here? Are You with me? Why don't You speak to me like You do to everyone else.  You speak so many things to other people, even words of prophecy, but not me."  I asked for a sign that He was with me, and the Lord gave me Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  I said, "Lord, did You just talk to me?” Because I heard His audible voice and had a vision of the words written in Jeremiah 33:3.
 I said, "Lord, is that for me?" I kept it to myself, while everyone else was testifying what the Lord had given them and what they had seen.  But I kept it secret and would only meditate on the words: "Call unto Me" means to pray, but what did "great and mighty things" mean?  I thought, "This can only mean heaven and hell." So I said, "Lord, I only want You to show me heaven, but not hell, because I've heard that it is a horrible place." But I then prayed with all my heart, "Lord if it is Your will to show me what You must, then do so, but change me first.  I want You to make a difference in me; I want to be different.”
When we finished fasting, there were trials and difficulties and sometimes I felt faint, unable to continue walking with the Lord.  But He gave me strength.  I started to hear His voice and know Him better.  We became good friends.  The Lord is our best friend, the Holy Spirit.  I told Him, "Lord, You are my best friend.  I want to know You better," and shared all my thoughts with Him.
I prayed during all of August and then in November, a servant of the Lord came to our house and said, "May the Lord bless you." I replied, "Amen."  He then said, "I am here to bring you a message from God...you must prepare yourself, because the Lord will show you great and mighty things which you do not know.  He is going to show you Heaven and Hell because you have been asking, from Jeremiah 33:3."  I asked, "Yes, how did you know?  I haven't told that to anyone."  He responded, "The same God that you serve and praise, that very same God I also praise told me everything."
 Soon we began to pray.  Some sisters from our church, and others from my family were there with us praying.  But as soon as we started praying, I began to see the Heavens opened.  So I said, "I see the Heavens are opening, and 2 angels are coming down!"  The man said, "Ask them why they are here."
 They were tall and beautiful; with beautiful wings.  They were large and shining, and seemed transparent, brilliant as gold.  They wore crystal sandals and had on holy garments.  "Why are you here?" They smiled and said, "We are here because we have a task to carry out...We are here because you must visit Heaven and Hell and we will not leave until all of this comes to pass." I responded, "very well, but I only want to visit heaven, not hell."  They smiled, and stayed there, but did not say anything more.  After we finished prayer, I could still see them there
I also started to see the Holy Spirit; He is my best friend; He is Holy, He is omniscient; He is omnipresent!  I could see Him, transparent and brilliant at the same time; with a brilliant countenance, I could see His smile and His loving gaze!  I can hardly describe Him, because He is more beautiful than angels.  The angels have their own beauty, but the Holy Spirit is far more beautiful than they are!  I could hear His audible voice, a voice full of love, a passionate voice.  I just can't explain His voice; a voice like lightening, yet at the same time He would say, "I am with you." so I would strive to continue walking with God, even as trials surrounded us.  We were going through very difficult moments, but victorious ones at the same time.  I said, "Lord, let Your will be done."  I continued to notice the angels even at school, and in my classes.  I was so happy, so full of joy because I could actually see them!
 The servant of the Lord, who visited my house, told me to prepare myself, because I was going to see Heaven and Hell.  But he also told me something difficult.  He said, "You are going to die." It wasn't easy when I heard this.

SPECIAL REPORT:WILL MORTGAGE RATE SURGE HURT HOUSING MARKET IN NIGERIA?

By Olumide T. Agunbiade |Nigerian Writer and Blogger

I

F Nigerians were not buying homes when rates were 18%, what happens now that rates have been increased to over 20%?

Back In October 2011, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in an emergency session to bail the depreciating currency, stabilize the naira and peg the inflation pressure; announced the following rate changes: Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) was increased by 275 basis points from 9.25% to 12%. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also maintained the current symmetric corridor of +/-200 basis points around the MPR. Also, the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) was increased from 4 to 8%.

Before seeking and sampling the opinions of experts on these astronomical hikes, several questions besieged my thoughts: Should the quest to save the naira be a singular reason to hike? Did the MPC consider the impact on the real estate sector?

Was the timing right, considering the fuel subsidy removal already generating heated debate? Does saving the depreciating naira and foreign reserve have a huge economic impact as to adjusting rates and fiscal measures to impact on agriculture and housing market?

Increasing rates do not make it any easier for homeowners to sell and for existing mortgage borrowers to maintain their loan facility. But, how much will it hurt? Economists say, mortgage loans are the quickest loan basket to get re-priced upwards in such market conditions.

Today, Michael Brown, 35, web designer, is drawing his retirement plans. Recently, he inspected and planned to acquire a property on mortgage; near Eleko beach road, Lekki Peninsula, close to the new Airport, new Seaport and the Free Trade Zone.

 Before the hike, he was at an advanced stage of securing N15million loan to purchase his dream home at an interest rate of 18%. Now at 22%, he needs an additional N600, 000 in order to qualify for a loan on the N15million home he plans to purchase. How many first-time home buyers have access to that kind of money?

In Nigeria, there is no mechanism for risk sharing that will encourage banks and other financial institutions to extend loans to people at the lower income level. Yet, if loans are less expensive and easier to qualify, then the property becomes more liquid.

 Also, the absence of Credit Information Database [CID] that financial institutions provide information to and can get the history of all information from-as available in developed nations-ensured, Nigerian financial institutions settle for lending to the rich.

Primary Financial Institutions [PMIs] typically at the moment, offer equity loan rates of around 20%. In addition, the borrower will pay 2% management  fee charged quarterly, 20-30% home equity contribution, legal fee charged by the real estate attorney recommended by the bank and all title registration fees required by the State government.

Boston hospital cleaning 2,500-year-old Egyptian mummy!

                                                                                                                                                                

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

A 2,500-year-old Egyptian mummy came out of his coffin Friday to undergo cleaning and restoration at .Massachusetts General Hospital.

The mummy known as Padihershef has been on display at the third oldest general hospital in the United States since it received him as a gift from the city of Boston in 1823 as a medical oddity. He is one of the first complete mummies brought to the United States.

A conservator trained in restoring ancient artifacts removed him from his coffin Friday and began using cotton swabs dabbed in saliva to wipe away salt deposits from his face. The salt has been slowly seeping out of his tissue, a result of the mummification process. Experts are also expected to do minor repair and stabilization work on his coffin.

Container truck crushes man to death in Lagos!

Scene of the tragic incident

    By Olumide T. Agunbiade

A heavy loaded 40-foot container fell on a government meat van yesterday, crushing a passerby and wounding several others. The sad event took place at Ikeja  on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway in Lagos.

 Eyewitnesses said the truck had swerved off the road to avoid colliding with some policemen, who were chasing a motorcycle rider, before the incident occurred around 9am.

Nigeria's Central Bank Governor, Sanusi, Unable To Shake Off Sex Scandal As More Evidence Surface!

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

       By Olumide T. Agunbiade
  Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Nigeria's Central Bank Governor, appears unable to shake off a report that he funneled public funds to Maryam Yaro, a married mistress whom he gave a job at the bank he oversees.
 Premium Times was first to report the scandal in which Mr. Sanusi was accused of abusing his office in order to advance an amorous relationship with a woman.
 Several sources told SaharaReporters that Premium Times has been under intense pressure from associates of the CBN Governor since the expose was published. In the wake of the report, the CBN also issued a widely circulated rebuttal claiming that Ms. Yaro was never a staff of the bank, that she was employed at Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing Systems For Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), and that the governor had no hand in her recruitment.
 But records obtained by SaharaReporters suggest that the bank's claims are an attempt to muddle up the facts. NIRSAL, to which Ms. Yaro is attached, is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by the Federal Government through a partnership between the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Besides, the project is domiciled in the Development Finance Department of the CBN.

More than Algebra: Female teacher confesses to seducing 2 underaged students!

Jamila Love Williams

    By Olumide T. Agunbiade
A Michigan high school math teacher seduced two students at her home and may have had sex with “many” more, police said.
Jamila Love Williams, 35, has allegedly confessed to conducting sexual relationships with a 16-year-old and 15-year-old attending her algebra class at University Preparatory Academy in Grand Rapids.
The older teen reportedly had sex with the mother-of-four teacher at several locations, including her home, in her car and in a park.
The younger alleged victim told cops he had sex with her in an alley behind his house and in her vehicle.
Williams turned herself into Kent County Jail on Thursday afternoon. No bond was set.
She faces four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and could be jailed for 15 years if convicted.
Grand Rapids cops launched an investigation after parents and students reported about the teacher’s suspicious behavior.

2015: M.K.O Abiola’s Wife Want To Take Over From Fashola

Governor Fashola

  By Olumide T. Agunbiade                                                                                                                      Mrs. Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, one of the wives of the late Chief MKO Abiola, on Friday declared her intention to contest the 2015 governorship election in Lagos State.
 Onitiri-Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential elections, however, did not mention the party's platform on which she would contest.
 She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

in Lagos that her motive for seeking the votes of the electorate was to assist in poverty eradication.
 Onitiri-Abiola said that she worked with her late husband in the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12 elections annulled by the military regime of former president, Ibrahim Babangida, in 1993.
 According to her, the country needs to start practicing true democracy at all levels of government to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
 The aspirant said if she becomes the state governor, poverty eradication would be the focal point of her administration.

$3m Scam: How Fake EFCC Officials Attempted To Defraud Benue State governor!

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

The fake EFCC officials

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 3, 2013, told Justice E.N. Kpojime of the Benue State High Court, Makurdi how the quartet of Mark Gbaa (alias Nasiru Nasamu), Ezekiel Ajik Azi, Bulus Ashom Agwom and Nuhu Bawa Atangs conspired to impersonate officials of the Commission in an attempt to swindle Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State of US$3million.

At the resumed hearing of the case on June 3, 2013, Julius Donmo, a member of the Police Mobile force and orderly to Governor Suswan and Aliu Dikko, a senior DSS officer were led in evidence by counsel to EFCC Joseph Uzor. They gave detailed account of how the accused persons attempted to deceive Suswan into believing that they were Operatives of EFCC investigating a non- existent fraud perpetrated by his Commissioner for Finance.

A statement from the EFCC revealed that Donmo, narrated how he was contacted by the first accused person, Mike Gbaa claiming to be a high level officer from EFCC wishing to see the governor to help stop investigation of fraud against his government.

He revealed how after series of calls and text messages, Bulus Ashom Agwom and Nuhu Bawa Atangs were arrested when they came to collect the agreed sum of $3million by operatives of the Department of State Security. The 1st accused was later arrested through his phone.

Local News: Babcock student loses 8 family members in car accident on their way to her graduation!

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

One of Babcock's best graduating student, Margaret Okwuikpo, lost eight members of her family in a horrific auto accident on Friday May 31st in Port Harcourt. Margaret's father, grandmother, sisters, brothers and a cousin were on their way to her graduation ceremony, which was to take place on Sunday June 2nd, when the commercial bus they were traveling in crashed.

United in grief.

Margaret's mum, brother-in-law and two other people survived the accident and  currently are being treated in the hospital.

LOLA OMOTAYO: THE CHALLENGES OF DATING A CELEBRITY!

By Olumide T.  Agunbiade |Nigerian writer and Blogger

PETER AND LOLA.

Q: What are the challenges?

Having a relationship with a musician is one of the most challenging situations to be in. There are things you have to deal with; a lot of women, intruders, fans. You have to appreciate and respect the fans, but you also have some of them who are thinking of other things. I think it’s one of the most challenging relationships one can have.

 You won’t even spend much time with your partner because he’s on the road most of the time doing shows and concerts; even during holidays like Christmas, Easter and New Year, they are not around. So I’m not really enjoying that part. But I thank God that we are managing it very well.

Q:  What attracted you to Peter Okoye?

Peter has drive. He has vision and pursues it. He doesn’t let anybody distract him from that vision and that I saw in him, which a lot of people didn’t see. Some people were like, ‘what are you doing with a musician? Are you crazy?’ but I saw something very different and unique about Peter.

I saw the goals he set for himself and how he accomplished those goals step by step, and I was very impressed with that. I also saw that he wasn’t a selfish person.

He was a generous person from the outset, even though he didn’t have much then, he was always generous. I like a man who is generous, not for the financial reason, but also to see how he can add value to other people’s lives; that is very important to me. He is also a good listener; he listens to people, listens to me…those are the things that attracted me to Peter. He’s an amazing guy.

Michael Adebolajo appears in court; wants to be called Mujaheed Abu Hamza !

Michael Adebolajo

   Olumide T. Agunbiade | Nigerian writer and Blogger

Dressed in all white with his left arm bandaged, the 28 year old, who is accused of murdering Lee Rigby, 25, a fortnight ago, stood in the dock flanked by two police officers and a prison guard. As he arrived in the courtroom he appeared to blow a kiss to a friend in the public gallery, gripped a copy of the Koran throughout and refused to stand in the dock.

He was remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey within 48 hours. Earlier he was swept into Westminster Magistrates Court in an armoured vehicle led by a police convoy. A number of armed officers formed a ring of steel and shut off roads around the court in central London.

Meanwhile the other key suspect in the Drummer Rigby case refused to appear at the Old Bailey today. Michael Adebowale, 22, told prison staff he did not want to go on video link to the court for a statutory bail hearing.