Aguata Anglican Youth Fellowship commends CAN, PFN for fighting materialism in the Church ----condemns killing of Christians at Ozubulu

 Moses Akam , the President of Aguata Diocesan AYF

ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU and CYNTHIA CHIDIMMA IGBOKWE report captured by www.odogwublog.com showed that the 12th Aguata diocesan council of the Anglican Youth Fellowship Nigeria at the end of its four day conference at St Luke’s Anglican Church Ekwulobia, condemned the killing of Christian worshipers at St Phillip’s Catholic Church, Nza-Ozubuu, Ekwusigo local government area, Anambra state.

The Anglican Youths asked the relevant authorities to ensure the perpetrators of the heinous crime are fished out and punished to serve as a deterrent to others who relish crime and evil in the society.

Earlier in his sermon, Rev Sunday Chijioke warned against imbibing immorality and ungodly acts as a way of live among youths while the President of Aguata AYF, Brother Moses Nnanyelugo Akam thanked the youths for their maximum corporation at all times.

The event witnessed AYF bible quiz competition with Umunze Archdeaconry coming first in the adult session while Uga Archdeaconry came first in the Youth star category.

The Aguata AYF aside thanksgiving to God for a successful conference, held an award ceremony where 28 people benefitted for their support to AYF, youths and the Church of God generally.

The awardees included Mr Okeoma Godson , Barr Osita Igbokwe , Mr Ifeanyi Nnopu, Sir Angus Nnolim, Sir Benneth Chika Okoli and Canon Chijioke Maduakoh (JP) as well as Ven J.C Nwankwo among others.

This is coming as the Communique presented at the end of the conference commended ‘’the Christian Association of Nigeria  (CAN)  and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) for their relentless effort at fighting for what we collectively believe in, that more effort is yet needed to denounce some doctrine of materialism, hyper-grace and indecent dressing that are messing up the Church of Christ. That these umbrella bodies should check the activities of some so-called "ministries" and "churches" who are channels of hell to pollute our churches with the "Strange Fires" of new doctrines especially as we see the Day of our Lord drawing closer (Matt 24).

The communique was signed by President of Aguata Diocesan Council of the Anglican Youth Fellowship , Nigeria Brother Moses Nnanyelugo Akam ,  Secretary Sister Patience Okereke , Central Chairman Conference Planning committee/Diocesan Financial Secretary, Comrade  Uche Nkeonye  and Media Coordinator, Brother Ibekwe Great. The four day was between July 27th to 30th July,  2017.

The conference under the theme "Give Thanks" (1 Thess. 5:18), was aimed at making an average Christian youth a vital member of our society, church and family.

AYF Aguata diocese resolved that: ‘’no matter the amount and level of satanic assault on the youths occasioned from unemployment, hunger and other inciting occurrences, we still have several innumerable reasons to continually offer God thanks. Our faith in Christ remains unshakable hence, our resolve to remain in an attitude of thanksgiving to God Almighty for the gift of salvation through the cross of Christ.

‘’That our Anglican heritage as transmitted to us by Christian Missionary Society (CMS) remains sacrosanct and sacred. That all the creeds of our faith especially as contained in the Apostles Creed and Scripture are ancient landmarks  that  must  never  under  any  situation,  be  toyed  with.  We consequently say an indefinite and unwavering "No" to all the anti-Scriptural and anti-Anglican practices that are subtly creeping into our common faith in the Church of Nigeria ably led by the Primate, Most Rev, Nicholas Okoh. We hereby say NO to gay-marriage, bestiality, indecent dressing, incest, adultery, fornication and other extra-scriptural practices as against the stipulations and traditions handed over to us by our fathers in faith.

‘’We are however saddened by an obvious marginalization and lopsided representation of appointments in federal parastatals. Principles of federal character are openly neglected. In addition, we also frown at the excessive use of federal security agencies in South-East and South-South Nigeria, while the brazenly violent Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram walk the streets freely. Assault on Christians and churches is condemnable too. Lives and property must be protected at all cost.

‘’Finally, we reiterate that the 1st October deadline from Arewa Youths for Igbos to leave the North is not being handled with requisite and satisfactory vigour it deserves. The leaders of Arewa Youths, are not fit to be walking the street freely. We are consequently pleading with our brothers in the North too, as a matter of urgency, to start thinking home. Life has no duplicate: the earlier, the better.

Aguata youths as well commended Sen. Dino Melaye (Kogi East) for his outspokenness in burning national issues; Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia) for carrying the interest of youths at heart; Sen. Andy Uba for several youth empowerment drives and Mr. Godwin Ezeemo for Philanthropy, Church development, Youths Empowerment and think-home philosophy as well as Governor Willie Obiano for security of lives and property in the state.

They also commended His Grace, Most Rev’d C.O. Efobi JP, Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, Archbishop of the Province on the Niger and Bishop of Aguata who they said is a father indeed and great inspiration in youth empowerment. The President Mothers Union province on the Niger/ diocese of Aguata , Dame J.E Efobi , the youthful Chaplain, Rev. Osita Nwofia JP of the Diocesan Youth body and Assistant Chaplain of the diocese Rev ThankGod  Onwuka as they have been an encouragement both in season and out of season.

Our host Archdeacon and Cathedral Administrator in this year's conference: Ven C. J. Nwankwo is God-sent as well as the vicar of St Luke's Church Ekwulobia, Rev'd Ekenechukwu Ezenwinyinya has been a great bulwark of support. They showed us love, care and concern. They thanked the diocesan Youth Star coordinator Bro Mmaduabuchi Ofobuike and chairman local organizing committee of the conference Bro Okechukwu Ihemelu among others for making the event a success’’.

SEDFA raises alarm over corruption in Imo state , points at non Budget implementation and monitoring

EVEREST EZIHE reports that Self-Help Development Facilitators (SEDFA) a Non – Political, Non-Governmental Development Organization (NGO), in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council has raised alarm that the non-implementation of budget and monitoring as the bane of corruption in Nigeria using Imo State as a case study.

Mr. French Edosonwan, the Facilitator of the NGO disclosed this in Owerri on Thursday at NUJ Press Centre while briefing selected media executives on what his organization christened Empowering CSOs for Active Involvement in The Anti-Corruption War; the “Ask The People Initiative’.

Edosonwan said the essence of the press briefing is to alert the general publics, the outcome of the work of their organization following the publicly advertised anti-corruption-related request proposal by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and funded by the 10th Europeans Development Fund (EDF).

He pointed out that over the years, SEDFA has established that unaccountable governance and lack of governance capacity, negates the current administration’s determination and commitment to entrench good governance, accountability, transparency and Security in order to improve the welfare.

However the facilitator observed that despite all these, it seems Nigerians have accepted corruption as a way of life, hence the often said derogatory slogan “This is Nigeria for you”.

Edosonwan also noted: “SEDFA strongly believes that a sustainable and proven modality for combating corruption remains the active involvement of citizens. This they have established by simply asking the targeted beneficiaries of public services to rate the quality of services  provided to them as this constitute the simple and most authentic way to truly rating the performance of public officers, holding them accountable and thereby enhanced accountability” he insisted.

The facilitator further stated that to justify his organization’s instance in participation of the citizens in budget implementation and monitoring as an antidote to checkmate corruption that SEDFA recently used Imo State as a case study in its pilot scheme of community intervention cum participatory mantra by selecting 14 LGAs in the state which cut across the three Senatorial zones of the state, held sensitization meeting in 151 Communities with their Community Leaders and members and tracked 166 projects captured in the state 2016 Budgets and the Federal Constituency Projects.

Edosonwan reported that as a result of the awareness they created in the 151 communities during the projects community interventions, that they observed that some contractors were seen going back to site to continue the already abandoned projects or starting up a new project as budgeted for and contracted out.

This in turn he said has brought about positive change in infrastructure in some of these communities because the people are now asking their Leaders questions regarding the utilization of their common wealth.

The facilitator while revealing further the findings of his organization in Imo Communities lamented that in some communities, the number of abandoned projects is worrisome.

He also informed that they observes the on-going projects were being executed at a snail’s speed while some completed projects are unusable due to the usage of  inferior materials for the construction of the projects.