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Prophet T. B. Joshua Receives Senate Of The Dominican Republic Highest Awards [2017]

The Senate of the Dominican Republic has conferred the chamber’s highest awards on the founder and spiritual head of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua popularly known as Prophet T. B. Joshua.

This was revealed at the end of the first session of the two-day crusade held at the Central Olympic Stadium, Felix Sanchez, located in the nation’s capital of Santo Domingo, on Friday, November 24, 2017.

While reading the letters of conferment of the Senate and Congress awards, the event had in attendance representatives of the governments of Russia, Spain, Brazil, Paraguay, Haiti, among others.

The Senate argued, among other things, that it reached the resolution of the conferment of the award on the cleric considering Prophet T. B. Joshua’s immense contributions to the growth and development of humanity, his wonderful and relentless social work, which he had tirelessly extended to impoverished regions of the world, his large donations to help widows, orphans, the destitute, the elderly and the physically challenged. Chief among the mention of the Senate was the humanitarian work spearheaded by the prophet after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, including supports to India, Ghana and the Philippines following various disasters.

The Senate further extolled the unrelenting commitment of the cleric in engendering global peace and therefore made him the spiritual guide of the nation.

While accepting the award in the company of his wife, Prophet Joshua thanked the government and people of the Dominican Republic for such recognition promising that he would continue to pray for the country while also making it his second home.

In the words of Prophet T. B. Joshua:

“I am very delighted. I am also very grateful to the government and people of the Dominican Republic. I dedicate this award to the people of this country. I will continue to pray for you and I will ensure that this country is my second home.”

The crusade venue witnessed a mammoth crowd of worshippers, government officials, politicians and the entire strata of the human society. Many had travelled far and wide to hear the cleric preach and pray for the sick and other miracle-seekers.

The crowd had continued to swell with over 60,000 participants in attendance. Despite the human traffic, no untoward incident occurred.

In his message, Prophet Joshua, taking his text from Romans 5:2 of the Holy Bible, called on his immediate and virtual listeners, to ensure that they sought the kingdom of God first while also seeking the happiness and joy of their neighbours.

According to Prophet T. B. Joshua:

“We live in a world where people measure their happiness with material possession. But this is not so. You must measure your happiness by ensuring the happiness of others. This is the example that Jesus Christ has set for us. You can bless others with your smile, your money, your material possession or even other things. Put a smile on people’s faces and you will be glad.”

During the prayer session, many who had various ailments and had travelled both far and wide were attended to by the cleric who laid his hands on them “in the name of Jesus”.

How Great Is Nigeria! By Udeme Akpan

How Great Is Nigeria! By Udeme Akpan

Arise o compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey… This is the first two lines of the National Anthem of my beloved country, Nigeria. Those words always brighten up my spirit whenever I voice it out or hear a beautiful harmonics of its song being played. I can still remember when I was a child battling with my pharynx in order to master and memorize each lines in its stanzas. Today, those words in the whole anthem planted seeds in my heart that have grown continually and built up patriotism in me which binds Nigerians all over the world.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a sovereign and democratic nation located in West Africa. She shares land borders with the republic of Benin in the West, chad and Cameroon in the East, and Niger in the North. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean. This is Africa’s most populated country, as well as the 8^th most populated in the world with a populated of over 160 million people. Nigeria is a developing country that struggled through the colonial era, got her independence in 1960 and later became a republic in 1963. All hail this great nation!

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3 Female Journalists Of WSCIJ 2017 Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship Programme Honoured

The Wole Soyinka Centre For Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) honour female journalists who were part of its 2017 Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship Programme.

Olufunke Fayemi of Voice of Nigeria, VON, emerged overall winner and was awarded a cash prize of ₦200,000.

Juliana Francis, a crime reporter with New Telegraph newspapers emerged the runner-up and was awarded a cash prize of ₦150,000.

Bunmi Yekinni, a reporter with Radio 1, emerged second runner-up in the programme. She was awarded a cash prize of ₦100,000.

All of the three outstanding fellows were given a laptop computer each.

The award and appreciation programme, which saw the best three fellows receive special prizes, held at the Central Business District, CBD, GRA, Ikeja.

The Leadership Fellowship, supported by the Free Press Unlimited, was designed to empower female journalists with the skills, finesse, support and tools to take bold steps that help position them for the highest leadership roles in their various media houses.

According to the organisation, the initiative, which is a part of the WSCIJ Report Women programme, is helping to mobilise a network of female journalists that are oriented for leadership as well as create a train-the-trainer team who better appreciate the importance of mainstreaming gender in news.

The pilot exposure of the fellows of the WSCIJ Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship Programme included a three-day training, three-month mentorship, a fair-share as well as leadership and story fellowship projects for 15 fellows spanning over six months.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Mrs. Motunrayo Alaka, the programme director at the centre, explained:

“The media itself has its own challenges and one of those things is the gender issues.

In management position, it is a 9-1 ratio in many media houses; many media houses don’t have women in their management (cadre). So how does the media set agenda for gender balance when it does not live gender balance?

The programme is meant to help the media become what it wants the society to become. The media must be able to walk the path that they are preaching and we want to help the media set the agenda. There is an imbalance in leadership.

This is not a women-take-over initiative; not a move from patriarchy to matriarchy but to address the imbalance in leadership in the media… (but) to address how the media write stories – political and social – to reflect society and shape the narrative.”

In her remarks, veteran broadcaster, Bimbo Oloyede, advised the fellows of the WSCIJ Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship Programme to remain outstanding journalists and role models to young females in their respective capacities.

$300 Million Dangote Cement Plant Commissioned In Congo

A new 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) Dangote Cement Plant built at a cost of $300 million has been commissioned in Mfila, in the Republic of the Congo.

The new cement plant has the potential for about 1,000 direct employment and thousands of several other indirect jobs.

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Samuella Sam-Orlu Wins 2017 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition

15-year-old Samuella Sam-Orlu of British Nigerian Academy, Abuja, has emerged the overall winner of the 2017 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.

Samuella Sam-Orlu wins an educational grant of ₦1,000,000.00 to study in any African university of her choice, as well as a laptop.

Samuella clinched the first position at the grand finale, which was held in Lagos, ahead of 11 other finalists selected from over 1,000 entries received by the UBA Foundation from students of senior secondary schools across Nigeria.

Samuella Sam-Orlu who was escorted by her guardian, Mrs. Jacqueline Uzoadibe said that winning the competition would propel her to do more in attaining her dreams of becoming a Medical Director.

The second prize was bagged by Deborah Chinwendu Innocent aged 15 of Enal International Schools Abuja, who won ₦750,000 educational grant and a laptop while the third prize went to Yahofon Ettah Essien of Nigerian Christian Institute Akwa Ibom State, coveting a ₦500,000 educational grant and a laptop. The other 9 finalists were given laptops. All 12 finalists also went home with certificates.

In his remark, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka said:

“Seeing past winners tell their stories on the impact the grants have made on their education and particularly how the financial burden was lifted off their parents, gives us joy that our foundation is unique and stands out from others in touching lives.”

He informed the gathering made up of parents, students and media that the essay competition had produced over 100 winners, since its inception in 2011 in Nigeria, with winners studying varied courses in universities in Nigeria and within the African continent.

Mr. Kennedy Uzoka further stated on the 2017 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition:

“I must also state here that we want to make sure that the grants are given to those who really need it. That is why we restrict the grant to schools within Africa alone. If by chance the parents of any winner sends his or her ward to an elite school outside Africa, we would not go ahead with that support, because what we are really after are those who need the grant as we contribute to the development of Africa.”

IKEDC Receives ISO 9001 & OHSAS 18001 International Certification

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Plc (IKEDC), has been conferred with the ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 International Certification, as a mark of its commitment to safety quality management of materials and resources.

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Plc (IKEDC) is Nigeria’s largest power distribution company.

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Nemitari Ajienka Emerge Youngest Lecturer At Edge Hill University

24-year-old Nemitari Ajienka has emerged the youngest lecturer at Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2017.

In the words of Nemitari Ajienka:

”Immensely Grateful. BSc & MSc distinctions & PhD. A new journey now begins at 24; youngest lecturer at Edge Hill University, UK. #PhD #brunel #MDX #Bham #nigeria #proudlynigerian #PortHarcourt”

Ajienka who now works as a lecturer in Computer Science at Edge Hill University appreciated the effort of one of his lecturers, Dr. Andrea Capiluppi for his unconditional support and PhD supervision.

The emergence of Nemitari Ajienka as another young Nigerian lecturing in the UK University comes barely two months after Nigerians celebrated 27-year-old Salihu Dasuki for becoming the youngest senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University in England.