news
Adeboye leads RCCG in thanksgiving for Osinbajo after crash
Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), on Sunday morning led the congregation to thank God for saving the life of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in a helicopter crash in Kogi State yesterday.
He recalled that the word of prophecy came during the church’s Holy Ghost Service on Friday that no matter how hard the enemy would try there would be no mourning in our families this year.
“Would you please join me in thanking God that there is no mourning in our family this morning,” he said, inviting the congregation at the headquarters at the church at Ebute Metta, Lagos, and others who participated from various perishes of the church around the world to pray.
On Friday night, he had said: “The Lord has asked me to tell someone tonight that it doesn’t matter what the enemy might try there will be no mourning in your family this year.”
He had also called for prayers for the forthcoming general elections.
Calling for congregational prayers during his sermon, Adeboye said: “Pray for mercy for Nigeria. Pray for mercy before the elections, pray for mercy during the elections and pray for massive mercy after the elections. Nigeria needs mercy.”
He urged people to cast their votes and ensure the votes are counted before they leave polling centres if the security situation permits.
Earlier, his wife, Folu, who is also a pastor of the church, had prayed for peaceful elections during a congregational prayer for all nations. RCCG has a visible presence in 198 countries.
Preaching a sermon on Isaiah 60:1 – 3, under the theme, “Swimming in Glory 2,” the General Overseer reiterated a message he preached in January, that one can only arise and shine in light or Jesus and not in Satan, who represents darkness.
When he made an altar call for people to come into light, hundreds responded in the old and new auditoriums at the Redemption Camp.
The night’s sermon dwelt on one word from the text, “Arise,” which he said is not an advice or plea but a command from God for us to move ahead from whatever position we are in.
Taking the various positions one after the other and what the command means, he said arise to someone who is dead means come back to live; to someone to who is mentally dead is come back to your right senses; and to someone who is materially or financially dead is be debt-free.
“Arise materially means for loses to be restored,” he continued. “Arise to those who are dead spiritually is to come out of sinful life; arise from physical death, which symbolizes hopelessness is to refuse to lose hope in life.”
He illustrated this with the testimony of his uncle, who lost hope in life and planned to commit suicide but had an encounter with God during a church service.
He recalled: “There was this uncle of mine. He was very poor, so poor he could not afford decent clothing. One day he asked his wife to use her wrapper to make buba and soro with which he had planned what to do.
He had decided that enough was enough. So, he made up his mind he was going to die but that he was going to do so in style. He planned to go to church where he would sing and dance so much that everybody would notice him, and then come home and commit suicide so people would say, “Oh, we didn’t know he was celebrating his departure.”
Fortunately, my uncle was struck by the words of the preacher that fateful Sunday. When the preacher told of how Shedrack, Meshach and Abednego said, ‘We don’t know how God will deliver us but we know He will,’ my uncle changed his mind.
He said: “Aaah, I don’t how God can bring me out this storm, but I refuse to die.”
And the Prince of Peace spoke peace to his storm.
The day he was sharing his testimony, he had just purchased fourteen cars for his company.”
Continuing, he said arise to one who is sleeping means to wake up. He likened sleep to an invitation for the enemy to sow into one’s life; and could also mean unfulfilled dreams.
“Arise to someone sitting down means stand up. Sitting means resting too soon, or complacency or even retrogression.
“Arise to someone who is standing means jumping into action; keep moving or for one to take steps to fulfill their potentials.
“Arise to someone who is walking means start running; arise to someone who is running means to accelerate or do greater things.”
He recalled how he started serving God with zeal soon as he gave his life to Christ. He said at the University of Lagos, where he was teacher, he started prayer and Bible studies in his office during break periods with a small group of his staff, but his office soon became so small that they had to move to a classroom.
He said the numbers continued to grow with such rapidity that the late Chike Obi, who was his head of department complained it was difficult to get typists to work for him during Adeboye’s prayer meetings.
“Arise to someone who is already running means begin to fly, which also means for the Holy Spirit to take one to a height in life never imagined, a height one would know only God could make possible.”
Illustrating this point, he said earlier in life, the best he could do was to fast for three hours, and when he saw a small girl testify that she got a miracle after dry-fasting for three days, he was amazed. But by the Grace of God he can now fast for 40 days without food.
Finally, he said arise to someone who is already flying means move from glory to glory. He cited the example of Peter, who became increasingly powerful, performing miracles.
The general overseer rounded up the sermon with congregational prayers with 10 prayer points he gave.
Much earlier youth pastors from among the children from the headquarters of the church preached to the large congregation.
Testimonies shared by some members of the church that night included miraculous healings, raising the dead, and children for the barren.
news
From Construction Sites to Community Service: Temitope Akinyemi Emerges as a Model of Leadership and Impact
Energy experts in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector have defended the pricing structure of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing some fuel markers of attempting to blackmail the refinery and mislead the public over the recent increase in petrol prices.
The experts said reports suggesting that the refinery’s latest adjustment is solely responsible for the recent hike in fuel prices were misleading, noting that importers are also bringing in petrol at almost a N1,000 per litre, while the refinery’s coastal price is N948 and the gantry or ex-depot price stands at N995 per litre.
They stressed that public comparisons fail to consider the differences in pricing structures and supply channels.
According to the experts, N948 per litre represents the coastal delivery price, which refers to petroleum products transported by marine vessels or barges from the refinery to depots along the coastline. On the other hand, N995 per litre represents the gantry or ex-depot price, which is the rate paid by marketers who load petrol directly from the refinery into tanker trucks at the loading gantry for onward distribution across the country.
The experts explained that the two figures should not be interpreted as conflicting prices but rather as different logistics arrangements within the petroleum distribution chain.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, energy expert David Okon said the pricing adjustments were inevitable given prevailing market conditions.
According to him, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals operates in a deregulated market and procures crude at international prices, which have risen sharply due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“The refinery is already absorbing part of the cost to cushion the impact of the crisis on Nigerians. We can see what is happening in other parts of the world where shortages and scarcity are being reported despite higher prices, yet the Dangote Refinery has continued to guarantee domestic supply,” he said.
Okon explained that when the refinery previously sold petrol at N774 per litre, crude oil was landing at about $68 per barrel. However, with crude now arriving at roughly $95 per barrel, the cost difference of about $27 per barrel translates to nearly N40,000 per barrel when converted to Naira.
“You cannot expect a refinery to continue selling at the old rate under those circumstances,” he added.
“If imported products were truly cheaper, importers would still be selling at the previous prices.”
He warned that without local refining capacity, Nigeria could have faced severe fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a resurgence of black market sales.
“Without the Dangote Refinery, many filling stations would likely shut down, queues would return across the country and black market traders would exploit the situation, hawking four litres keg at N20,000 or more. The refinery has effectively prevented that scenario,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohammed Ibrahim, also faulted narratives circulating in some quarters suggesting that the refinery’s pricing adjustment was responsible for worsening economic hardship in the country.
Accusing some importers of attempting to manipulate public perception, he said, “What we are seeing is nothing but deliberate blackmail by some fuel importers who feel threatened by local refining.
“They are twisting the pricing structure to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary panic in the market.
“By exaggerating the refinery’s gantry price and ignoring the comparable costs of imported fuel, they are trying to make it appear as though Dangote Refinery is the cause of rising prices and economic hardship. This is a calculated attempt to protect their import businesses and undermine local refining, which is meant to reduce our dependence on imported petrol.”
Ibrahim added that such narratives were aimed at portraying the refinery as the reason Nigerians were struggling with higher petrol prices.
He stressed that petrol pricing in Nigeria is largely influenced by global crude oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and distribution logistics, noting that these factors affect both locally refined and imported fuel in the country’s deregulated market.
Afolabi Olowookere, Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term.
“Therefore, improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long term benefits of local refining for the economy,” Olowookere noted.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions along key shipping lanes have tightened global oil supply, pushing crude prices past $90 per barrel, a development that directly raises the cost of both imported and locally refined petrol in Nigeria.
The unrest has pushed up fuel costs and transportation in several countries, including Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, and Japan, as rising crude prices increase the cost of refining, distribution, and logistics globally.
CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON EMPOWERS 300 WIDOWS IN IMO
A renowned humanitarian and proud daughter of Mbaise in Imo State, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, has empowered over 300 widows and vulnerable women across the Owerri Zone, in a remarkable demonstration of compassion and service to humanity.
The empowerment programme, which took place at the Palace of the Eze of Ngor Okpala, HRH Eze Engr. Fredrick Nwachukwu, brought together community leaders, traditional rulers, women groups and beneficiaries from different communities within the zone.
During the event, the widows received food materials and cash support, aimed at helping them meet basic needs and strengthen their small-scale businesses.
The initiative was widely applauded as a timely intervention to support women who often face severe economic hardship after losing their spouses.
Many of the beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation to High Chief (Dr.) Nwoga-Ecton, describing the empowerment as a lifeline that would help them take better care of their families.
Some widows, while offering prayers for the philanthropist, noted that the gesture had restored hope and dignity in their lives.
Fondly known as Ada Imo and Adaure, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton has earned widespread admiration for her consistent humanitarian efforts both within Nigeria and internationally.
Through her philanthropic activities and foundations, she has continued to support widows, children, and vulnerable communities with interventions in healthcare, welfare and economic empowerment.
Community stakeholders who attended the programme commended the Mbaise-born philanthropist for her generosity and dedication to uplifting the less privileged, noting that her actions reflect true leadership and compassion.
Observers say the initiative further reinforces her growing reputation as one of the most impactful humanitarians of this generation, whose commitment to humanity continues to inspire hope across Imo State and beyond.
-
society6 months agoReligion: Africa’s Oldest Weapon of Enslavement and the Forgotten Truth
-
news3 months agoWHO REALLY OWNS MONIEPOINT? The $290 Million Deal That Sold Nigeria’s Top Fintech to Foreign Interests
-
society6 months ago“You Are Never Without Help” – Pastor Gebhardt Berndt Inspires Hope Through Empower Church (Video)
-
Business7 months agoGTCO increases GTBank’s Paid-Up Capital to ₦504 Billion
You must be logged in to post a comment Login