Catholic churches in Nigeria all about money, fundraising – Chimamanda Adichie

Award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has said Catholicism in Nigeria is about money, thanksgiving, and fundraising.

According to her, this is one of the other reasons that made her stop attending Catholic churches in Nigeria.

The 43-year-old novelist made this known during an interview with media personality, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.

She, however, noted that she still considers herself a Catholic and only attends masses outside Nigeria when she comes across a “progressive” Catholic community that upholds humanity.

“I grew up as a Catholic. Catholicism was very important to me. It‘s almost like a culture, not just a religion. So even if you leave the Catholic Church, it’s in you.

“At the moment, I don’t like to talk about religion because I don’t know. There are so many rules about religion, It teaches you guilt in a way that I don’t think so many protestant denominations do.

“I’m Catholic, nominally but I do not attend it in Nigeria.

“Nigerian Catholicism is way too much about money, fundraising, and thanksgiving. Some in the east even look at who’s wearing gold. I think the focus of religion should be things Nigerian Catholicism doesn’t focus on.

“Culturally, I call myself a Catholic but if being religious means performing and going to confession, then I’m not.

“I go to church outside the country when I find a progressive Catholic Church,” Chimamanda added.

She, however, noted that she respects religion in general but questions some of its excesses.

- DAILY POST

COVID-19: Germany’s cases, deaths recede on New Year’s Day

 

On the first day of the new year, German health authorities reported 12,690 new coronavirus infections and 336 new deaths linked to the disease, lower than on previous days.

However, interpreting the data is difficult because fewer people are likely to be tested during the Christmas holidays and around the turn of the year, and not all offices may be submitting their data.

As a result, there may still be late reports, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control said on Saturday.

A week ago, on Christmas Day, 14,455 new infections and 240 deaths were recorded.

A peak of 1,129 new deaths was reached on Wednesday.

The RKI has recorded 1,755,351 confirmed infections since the beginning of the pandemic, while 33,960 people have died in connection with the virus.

- PM NEWS

2021 prophecy: Osinbajo will become Nigerian president – Ghanian Prophet reveals

 

A Ghana-based pastor, Prophet Nigel Gaisie, has revealed that Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo will become president in 2021.

Gaisie, who is the founder of the Prophetic Hill Chapel Prophet made the prediction during his crossover service on Thursday, BBC reports.

“Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will become president,” he said.

Prophet Gaisie also predicted trouble in the Ashanti Kingdom of Ghana.

He said: “I saw darkness around the Ashanti kingdom.”

The prophet assured of peace on the international scene.

He also predicted that a famous preacher would die in 2021.

“The world will enjoy peace, but America will have a terrorist attack,” he said.

- DAILY POST

#EndSARS: Oba of Lagos returns to palace — two months after mob invasion

 

Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, is said to have returned to his palace on Friday — two months after a mob invasion during the #EndSARS crisis.

In October, there were demonstrations against police brutality across the country, organised under the #EndSARS campaign.

However, hoodlums had hijacked the protest and launched attacks on various public and private buildings across the country.

On October 21, 2020, after the #EndSARS protest had degenerated into a crisis in some states including Lagos, a mob had broken into the palace despite the presence of soldiers, and attempted to set fire to the premises.

However, military officers intervened and Akiolu was rescued from the palace, while buildings within the premises were vandalised.

Akiolu’s staff of office was also seized, and a young man was later seen in a video on social media, running away with the item.

The staff of office was later said to have been found.

.The Lagos council of obas described the invasion as a “sacrilege”, just as other individuals and organisations condemned the attack

Confirming the Oba’s return after 10 weeks, Oreoluwa Finnih, senior special assistant to the Lagos governor on health, tweeted that the monarch returned to the Iga Idunganran palace on Friday.

She also posted a video on her handle, which showed the traditional ruler wearing a face mask and dancing — he was also surrounded by persons who appeared to be other title holders, praise singers, and guards.

“Our daddy is back home… Oba of Lagos, HRM, Alayeluwa Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu’s triumphant entry to Iga Idunganran Palace, today, Friday, 1st January, 2021,” a post on Finnih’s handle reads.

Our daddy is back home… Oba of Lagos, HRM, Alayeluwa Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu’s triumphant entry to Iga Idunganran Palace, today, Friday, 1st January, 2021. pic.twitter.com/nqMrQFKAKk

— Oreoluwa (@Oreoluwa_Finnih) January 1, 2021

- THECABLE

Bus driver, mechanic killed as hoodlums continue rampage in Edo

 End of the year and New Year celebrations turned sour for some families in Benin City, the Edo state capital, following the killing of a motor mechanic and a commercial bus driver.

In the first incident, a Volkswagen mechanic, identified as Emmanuel Michael, was shot dead on Wednesday, at about 6 pm, while working at his workshop, located at Osasogie street, off Oguola/Artilerry road.

The gun-wielding men were said to have stormed the mechanic workshop, shot sporadically into the air to scare off resistance, before shooting their target at close range.

A witness said upon noticing that he was their target, the assailants immediately went straight for him, fired several gunshots into his head, killing him on the spot.

The gunmen later went berserk, as they were said to have engaged in a manhunt looking for more persons to kill in the area.

The situation forced the residents to flee the area while owners of shops quickly locked up and fled.

It took the intervention of the Edo State Joint Security Team to restore normalcy to the area.

In the other incident, a yet-to-be-identified commercial bus driver was on Friday shot dead by gunmen who disguised as passengers.

The driver who plied the Sapele Road route was said to have met his death in the hands of his assailants at Siluko Road, by Oliha market.

The gunmen, who entered the bus at the popular Ring Road, allegedly diverted the driver at gunpoint, from his normal Sapele road route, to the Siluko road axix of the metropolis.

It was gathered that immediately they passed Oliha Market, by former Ovator Cinema house at Siluko road, the hoodlums used an axe to attack the driver, before he was finally shot dead.

A passerby, who did not give his name, alleged that he saw the commercial bus zoomed pass with its full headlights on and some persons dragging the steering wheel with him.

He added that they suddenly heard gunshots which scared them and they scampered for safety.

“A moment after, the young boys came out of the bus and entered another vehicle and fled the scene, leaving their victim in the pool of his own blood,” he said.

Meanwhile, a three-man robbery gang said to have been on the police wanted list has  been smashed by the police in Benin.

It was gathered that the suspects, Junior Ojo, Destiny Etu and Itose Osayande, belonged to an alleged gang of armed robbers terrorising Abehe, Lagos street, Ibiwe, Aragua, Iwehen, Wire road and environs.

It was further gathered that people returning from church along Mission road have lost their mobile phones, money and other personal items at gun points to the suspects.

Edo police public relations officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said the police are now in various strategic locations in Benin city and environs to tackle criminals now holding the state by the jugular.

- PM NEWS

I killed my girlfriend because she was pregnant – 29-year-old confesses

 

A 29-year-old, identified as Mustapha Idris, has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Jigawa State High court for killing his pregnant girlfriend, Nafisa Hashimu.

Mustapha and late Nafisa, a divorcee, resided in Daneji village in the State.

Following the police investigation, it was discovered that Mustapha slit the throat of late Nafisa, leaving her to die in the pool of her blood.

When interrogated, the suspect initially denied the allegation but later confessed to committing the crime.

Idris confessed that he killed Ms Nafisu after she told him she was three months pregnant.

“I killed her to avoid the shame of giving birth outside wedlock.

“I am ashamed of how the society will see us after she delivers the unborn child out of wedlock, and thus I decided to terminate her life to stay away from shame,” he said in court.

In a ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Kazaure, found him guilty and sentenced him to death by hanging.

- DAILY POST

Five new deaths as Nigeria records 1,074 fresh COVID-19 infections

 

Nigeria opened 2021 on a high COVID-19 count, as for the third consecutive day, more than 1,000 new positive samples were recorded on Friday.

The new cases, which were confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), were recorded in 14 states and the federal capital territory in the country’s COVID-19 update for January 1, 2021.

Lagos alone had more than half the total number of infections recorded on Friday with 642 new positive samples.

After Lagos was Kaduna with 92 new cases, followed by Rivers with 78 infections, while FCT and Gombe confirmed 66 positive samples each.

The daily count of fatalities dropped slightly, with five new deaths confirmed on Friday, increasing the current total figure to 1,294.

However, the number of single-day recoveries increased significantly over a 24-hour period with 660 patients discharged on Friday.

According to the NCDC, the patients discharged on Friday included “459 community recoveries in Lagos State and 156 community recoveries in Katsina State managed in line with guidelines”.

A total of 88,587 positive samples have now been confirmed across the country over the past 10 months, but 74,347 persons have recovered, while 12,971 are still active cases.

- THECABLE