Easter: Bishop Ezeokafor Celebrates With Less-Privileged



BY ABUCHI IFESINACHI, AWKA
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has urged Christians world over to always remember the poor, the physically challenged and the less privileged around them especially during this Easter period and always.
He observed that it was a blessing to help the poor and underprivileged in our society.
Bishop Ezeokafor who stated this yesterday at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka while presenting clothing materials, disinfectants, bags of stock fish, toiletries, bags of rice among other consumables and food stuff to the poor and less privileged in Awka and its environs.
His words: 'Most times, we are being distracted by the euphoria of Easter celebration, forgetting the poor and down trodden in our midst. What we are doing today is part of the cooperate social responsibility of the church and we do it on monthly basis but today being good Saturday is the climax because we reach out to more people and donate more items for your Easter celebration. We do this because God loves those who give back to the poor.

Muslims to outnumber Christians worldwide by 2070



There will be more Muslims than Christians in the world in less than sixty years, new research revealed.

The religion’s share of the world’s population will equal the Christian share – at roughly 32 per cent each – in 2070, analysis by the Pew Research Center showed. The number of Muslims will increase at more than double the rate of the world’s population, which is expected to rise by 35 per cent in the next four decades. By 2100 around one per cent more of the world’s population will be Muslim than Christian, with the largest proportion of followers in India. Several countries are also projected to have a different religious majority by 2050. The number of countries with a Christian majority is expected to decline from 159 to 151, the report claimed. Less than 50 per cent of the population will be Christian in the United Kingdom, Australia, Benin, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Republic of Macedonia. By 2050 Muslims will make up around ten per cent of Europe’s population. It is thought the religion will thrive due to its young population and high

I WILL SPEAK AT APPROPRIATE TIME – JONATHAN

 President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to break his silence on his experience in office and other issues at the appropriate time.
Mr. Jonathan however did not give an indication as to when will be the appropriate time.
He made the pledge when approached by journalists at the Presidential Villa for an interview, after the Good Friday Service organised by the Aso Villa Chapel.
“Don’t worry, I will talk to you at the appropriate time...,” the President said, smiling, as he made his way from the chapel to his official residence.
The seven short exhortations that accompanied the seven biblical lessons all centred on the sacrifice the preachers said Mr. Jonathan had made to keep the county united.
They likened his decision to concede defeat in the last Saturday’s presidential elections to the sacrifice Jesus Christ made to save mankind. They also agreed that the bold step taken by the President at the appropriate time was commendable and urged him to remain focused because his future was in the hands of God.

HOW WORLD POWERS PLOTTED JONATHAN’S DEFEAT

 OUTGOING President Goodluck Jonathan lost his re-election bid several weeks before the March 28 poll to a web of plots hatched at home and honed abroad, Saturday Tribune has reliably learnt.
Information also in possession of Saturday Tribune revealed a last-minute contest between forces that wanted him to bow out and those that wanted him to hold out for as long as necessary even when it was evident that the news from the field pointed at a possible defeat.
It was learnt that as of 5.00 p.m. on Tuesday, hawks around the president were still at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, piling pressure on him not to concede defeat.
Those working on him to concede and bow out, reportedly led by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, were also said to have stayed put in the same Presidential Villa, persuading him that it was the most honourable way to go since it was clear that figures from the field were not in his favour.

Ojukwu’s son set to drag PDP, INEC to tribunal

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Jnr. son of the late Ikemba Nnewi and Biafra warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu yesterday said that he has concluded arrangements to drag the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to the Election Petitions Tribunal in Anambra State to recover the mandate stolen from him during last Saturday’s National Assembly election for Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the State.

AMAECHI BEGS FOR FORGIVENESS

The Rivers State governor and the Director-General, Muhammadu Buhari/Osi¬bajo Campaign Organisa¬tion, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has apologised to those he offended, as a result of his political activi¬ties to, in the spirit of Easter, forgive him.
The appeal was contained in a pre-gubernatorial and state Assembly elections address, broadcast to the people, yesterday.

Ndigbo Are Not Buhari’s Enemy---Umeh

The National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Victor Umeh has described the APC president elect, General Muhammadu Buhari’s victory as divine and urged Him not to see Ndigbo as his enemies .
He stated this at the Cruisin  Mass at Saint Patrick Catholic Church Awka Diocese.He urged the new president elect to adopt the report of National conference, being the benchmark that made the easterners support President Goodluck Jonathan.
'Th president elect- General Muhammadu Buhari I Know is a good man and the right leader for Nigeria at this critical period, You heard him say he is on a critical mission to rescue Nigeria, But I want him not to see Ndigbo as people that hate him, but should us from the angle of people who are desperately in the need to  be fully integrated into Nigeria politics, we ae only seeking for a platform to show our solidarity for the nation progress'' he exclaimed.  

Easter Celebration: A Period For Forgiveness- Bishop Ezeokafor



BY ABUCHI IFESINACHI, AWKA

The Catholic Bishop of Awka His Lordship Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has described the 2015 Easter celebration as a period of forgiveness and time to show unconditional love to one another noting that God shows us his unconditional and immeasurable love by blotting out our offences through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ his only begotten Son.  

Bishop Ezeokafor who stated this while delivering  his Easter message at St. Patrrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka said, 'In Him, as St Paul rightly puts it, "We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Eph 1:17). In his last words on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34), Jesus highlights the deep mystery that his death inaugurates and which reaches its fulfilment in His resurrection."

I’LL NOT ACCEPT TENURE RENEWAL – JEGA

 The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, has declared that he would not serve another term as boss of the electoral body when his first tenure expires in June, even if he is asked.
Speaking in an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC Hausa) last night which was monitored by our reporter in Abuja, Jega said having played his role in the political space... for five years, it was time another person was given the chance to contribute his own quota.

Don’t declare any PDP candidate winner in

PEOPLE’S Democratic Party, PDP,  chieftain in Anambra State, Chief Chris Uba,  has  urged the Independent National Electoral  Commission, INEC, not to declare any  candidate of the party winner in the state and  National Assembly election.
The reason he adduced for this was the fact   that there were still pending cases involving all
PDP candidates in Anambra State at the  Supreme and Federal High Courts.
According to Uba, INEC will be erring in law, if any of the PDP candidates was declared winner
without the determination of the pending cases.