Business

Exclusive pictures of proposed 50000-Seater auditorium by Prophet Samuel Abodunse

Published

7 years ago

July 3, 2017

Having laid his hands on many jobs in Nigeria, Brother Samuel Akinbodunse travelled to South Africa for greener pastures and for a better standard of living. As a typical young man, he toiled and suffered just for him to have a leeway, but things seemed not to favour him at the initial stage. It was so difficult for him that he had to lay his heads under flowers and also had to go through severe pains on different occasions. But with his call to the Lord’s vineyard, Bro Samuel soon realised that he was only wasting his time looking for jobs to do whereas God had already prepared him to be His servant. Today, the story of Bro Samuel has changed as his ministry, the Freedom for all Nations Outreach, FANO has not only carved a spiritual niche for herself but also won many souls into the Kingdom of God and he is also planning a 50,000 capacity auditorium . In this interview , Bro. Akinbodunse, a native of Ondo spoke glowingly on his experience and how he hearkened unto the voice of God and why he wants to build a 50,000 capacity auditorium

Excerpts:

People believe South Africa is not a conducive environment for Nigerian Pastors to establish a church, what would you say distinguishes FANO TV from every other ministry?

That is a very good question and it is something I should break for you, pastors in South Africa, especially Nigerian pastors, before leaving Nigeria they carry heavy anointing but immediately they arrive they attach themselves to things that will extinguish the fire of their anointing, so many of them now have been corrupted, God said to me that I should separate myself. Separation is what distinguishes me, I do not do what they are doing, if you look at them now, running after women and rich people, all kind of frivolities and vanities, I do not do that, since I came to South Africa, it has been only my wife, you see pastors duping people, going to clubs and hangouts, engaging in fraudulent activities, I do not engage in all that, even when I started, some people know me then and made comments that they know I will be a pastor because I have never done the illegal things they do there and that is it. In my Church now, I can say only ten percent of my congregants are Nigerians, I have 80% South Africans, 10% of other nationals.

A lot of people raise allegations that all churches are just interested in money, this is a strange one, can you tell us more about your ministry in terms of giving?

This is one of the things I also teach my fellow pastors especially some that submitted to me. Ever since I started Freedom For All Nations, I have never touched the church’s money, we have some treasuries and there is accountability, so what we do is whoever is in need, we give and pay our bills and from my own, I have a covenant I do not usually say it, 80% of whatever comes in , I return it to the ministry, I am only left with 20% so if I want to travel or go anywhere, it should be the church responsibility but I do not put burden on anyone, I do it myself and I have Sam Akinbodunse Ministry where we help people, there are some funds, like the scholarship I am giving out is not from the purse of the church, it is from my own account, we have very strong welfare committee that takes care of the needy through the account of the church.

We learnt there is a programme you do where you feed those who are hungry, tell us more about it?

Operation Feed the Nation came to being when I thought deeply and I saw that in those days when I was hungry and there was no food, there are some white people who brought food to us, bread and tea every morning, I remember I take it up to thrice in a deceptive way because I don’t have hope until they come back the next morning and there are some people in that situation now, so we are feeding 150 people every week

Within 5 years, your ministry has grown so big and the auditorium is becoming too small, what is your plan for expansion?

Actually, where we are now isn’t the vision, the vision God gave me is to build 50,000 capacity and you know we have to start from somewhere, the 8,000 capacity we have now, we will start from there, that is why if you come to our church, we put it far extreme so that it will not disturb the main auditorium and where we are now, as time goes on, we will leave it for the youths. The main auditorium is coming soon and we have targeted that by 2019, if it is not fully finished, it must have gotten to somewhere. We have acquired the land, structures are on it, we are just waiting for the date to start and also support, actually the people have estimated it and it costs 300million Rands

A lot of people are scared when it comes to prophecy and that is why they speak in parables, but we noticed something about you that you say it as it is like the issue of Cape Town and Zuma Prophecy, what gives you the boldness?

I know that people have bastardized the prophetic ministry and actually it has been known to everyone that wherever there is original, you will always see fake, and another challenge is that people cannot differentiate because devilish people also prophesy, the only thing that can make people differentiate Is character, the Bible says by their fruits you shall know them, I have a logo, I told my people that any prophet without the character of Jesus is fake, if it comes to prophecy and revelation, I am gifted to be sincere, I remember one of my fasting, what I asked God for was his power so my only prayer for those 40 days was his power and he gave it to me, power of revelation, knowledge, he gave it to me, like what you just mentioned, it came in the service, I was just ministering and I saw something just flashed on my eyes, when I looked, I saw flood coming out in Cape Town, I saw flood coming out of the Western part of South Africa that we should pray, who knows, if we didn’t pray, it could have been worse and sure, Zuma must go, I’m a man that devoted himself for South Africa, if you watch our programme, every Sunday we gather we pray for South Africa and Africa continent so as I was praying that time, God said I should go and warn President Jacob Zuma that he must not do re-shuffle or else he will mess up the country, I spoke and told people, he didn’t listen, he did it and up till now, the crisis are still there, we’ve not gotten over it and that is bringing forth different problems, to me, I am a man who isn’t afraid of anything when it is spiritualism, you can’t find me in a dirty place so when I speak and if it’s God that revealed and said I should speak, why should I be afraid, I am not afraid of anybody no matter who you are.

Business

UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

Published

12 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

The newly renovated departure section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, refurbished by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, was officially commissioned on Friday, December 20th, 2024.

The laudable project, which marks a transformative moment in Nigeria’s aviation sector, underscores UBA’s unwavering commitment to national development and highlights the immense value of strategic public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The ceremony was graced by distinguished stakeholders, including the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; other Directors, and Heads of Agencies operating at the Airport.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba,lauded the collaboration that brought the project to fruition as he emphasised the need for public and private institutions to come together to build and revamp the nation’s assets.

“This renovation is a testament of UBA’s belief in the transformative power of investing in national assets. By modernising our airports, we not only enhance infrastructure but also position Nigeria as a global hub for tourism, trade, and investment,” he stated.

Alawuba took time to highlight the broader economic impact of such initiatives, urging increased private-sector participation in national development. “Public-private partnerships like this demonstrate what can be achieved when we unite for a shared vision of progress and investing in infrastructure catalyses economic growth, improves travel experiences, and creates opportunities across various sectors of the economy,” he added.

Alawuba reflected on the power of unity and collaboration, quoting Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The commissioning of the renovated departure section serves as a reminder of what strategic partnerships can achieve in driving national development and elevating Nigeria’s global standing.”

While commissioning the project, Keyamo commended UBA for executing the project, a feat he termed a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s aviation sector. “This renovated departure section exemplifies the bank’s commitment to elevating aviation infrastructure, improving passenger experiences, and fostering international partnerships. It is a proud moment for the ministry and all stakeholders involved, and I thank the management of UBA for pioneering this initiative,” he remarked.

The minister highlighted other key achievements of his ministry, including compliance with the Cape Town Convention, the launch of a consumer protection portal, and advancements in major infrastructure projects such as the second runway at Abuja Airport and solar energy integration in airport operations.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, commended UBA and other stakeholders for their contributions, adding, “This project reflects FAAN’s dedication to delivering world-class aviation infrastructure. The enhanced departure section not only elevates passenger experiences but also strengthens Nigeria’s competitive position in global aviation,” she said.

She called for more private-sector participation, emphasising that “partnerships like these are essential to transforming the aviation sector into a beacon of excellence.”

The newly renovated departure section boasts cutting-edge facilities designed to enhance efficiency and passenger comfort. This upgrade reaffirms the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s status as a critical gateway to Nigeria and a major hub for international travel in Africa.

United Bank for Africa is Africa’s Global Bank. Operating across twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.

Business

Dangote Hails Tinubu on Impact of Crude for Naira Swap Deal

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Dangote Hails Tinubu on Impact of Crude for Naira Swap Deal

…As Dangote Refinery partners MRS to sell PMS at N935 per litre nationwide at its retail outlets

Sahara Weekly Unveils That The Foremost entrepreneur and President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the positive impact of the naira for crude swap deal on the Nigerian economy, which has led to reduction in prices of petroleum products in the country.

To provide succour to Nigerians, Dangote recently reduced the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N970 to N899.50 at its Refinery loading gantry and provided generous credit terms to marketers.

“To ensure that this price reduction gets to the end consumer, we have signed a partnership with MRS to sell petrol from its retail outlets nationwide at N935 per litre” he added. This price has already commenced in Lagos, and it will be offered nationwide from Monday.

In his statement, he called on other oil marketers such as the NNPC Retail and all other marketers, “to work with us to ensure that Nigerians enjoy high-quality petrol at discounted prices.”

According to him, “The Dangote Refinery is for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. We will therefore continue to work with various value chain players to deliver high quality petrol at cheaper prices. Our aim is for all Nigerians to have ready access to high quality petroleum products that are good for their vehicles, good for their health, and good for their pockets.

Recall that in September, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under the leadership of Mr. President approved the sale of crude to local refineries in Naira and corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira. The move, which commenced on October 1, led to reduced pressure on the dollar and ensured the stability of the local currency.

Dangote thanked Nigerians for their unwavering support and the government for creating an enabling environment for the domestic refining industry.

Business

Port Harcourt Refinery Stays Active: NNPC Denounces Sabotage Rumors

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Port Harcourt Refinery Stays Active: NNPC Denounces Sabotage Rumors

NNPC Debunks Shutdown Rumors, Confirms Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has dismissed reports circulating in certain media outlets claiming that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was re-streamed two months ago, has been shut down.

In a statement released by Olufemi O. Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, the company clarified that the refinery is fully operational. The statement noted that the facility’s operational status was recently verified by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC during a site inspection.

“Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing,” the statement confirmed, emphasizing that allegations of the refinery’s shutdown are baseless and intended to create panic or artificial scarcity in the fuel market.

NNPC Ltd urged members of the public to disregard such misleading reports, labeling them as the work of those seeking to exploit Nigerians.

The Old Port Harcourt Refinery has been in operation since its re-streaming, and the company remains committed to ensuring stability in the supply of petroleum products across the country.