T.B. Joshua’s foreign supporters blast Nigeria over building collapse ruling

T. B. Joshua

Supporters of controversial Nigerian pastor and self acclaimed healer and seer, Prophet T.B. Joshua, whose guesthouse killed 116 people in September 2013 when it suddenly collapsed in the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos have blasted Nigeria over the coroner’s court ruling which said on Wednesday that the six storey building came down, not as a result of a chemical or terror attack by an unidentified plane as the prophet had claimed in a video, but due to structural defaults, due to negligence.

About 116 people, most of them South African worshipers had died in the building collapse, and the court recommended on 8 July 2015 that the contractors be prosecuted for negligence.

T.B. Joshua himself refused to testify in court when he was invited, claiming that he was being witch-hunted by his enemies and detractors as he was not a building engineer, but only the head of a church, preaching the word of God to the afflicted.

The cleric’s supporters, mainly foreign supporters, expressed anger and dismay over the ruling on Wednesday, but did not remember the dead and injured of the collapsed building which was still being built and lodging foreign worshippers at the same time the day it collapsed on Friday 12 September 2013 in Ikotun area of Lagos.

“Do you know what this verdict will cost Nigerians both at home and abroad,” wrote a fan who claimed to be writing from the United States and gave his name as ‘Freedom’.”The Nigerian government should know the whole world has seen the footage of what happened in the incident. You cannot hide the truth.”

“I am a lawyer and I must say that indeed the coroner panel was biased,” wrote John Mooney, who claimed to be an Australian. “The Lord shall vindicate you and the entire church,” he added, commenting on the official statement released by The SCOAN which rejected the coroner’s outcome as ‘one-sided’ and ‘unreasonable’.

Morcie Tulloch, who claimed to be a Jamaican, stated,”This attack on your ministry is an indication that you are impacting the kingdom of darkness not only with your deliverance and healing ministries but your love and care for the poor and suffering.”

“What else do we expect from the so called coroner,” wrote Peter allegedly from United Kingdom. “The same people who masterminded the controlled demolition of the SCOAN guest house are also behind the coroner’s unholy verdict,” he said in anger.

John Parker, an American, stated,”The truth will eventually be revealed and may God have mercy on those who would bear false witness against a man of God!”

“Why is a bombed building said to have collapsed due to poor workmanship,” commented Zgambo Binford, a Kenyan based Malawian. “I now see why us Africans are 1000s of years behind Westerners.”

Dee Kivido from Holland was insistent that it was not a case of structural failure. “The way that building came down is CLEAR to anyone even with minimum construction knowledge that it was not caused by structural defects,”she stated. “I am a woman in construction and can attest to this.”

“Nigeria should know that human rights activists will not rest this case until justice is done,” added Matt Weller, a social activist from Germany. “The Nigerian government will be made to pay for this monumental cover-up,” he heatedly declared.

“This is further proof that the church is being attacked by darkness throughout the world,”wrote American Cindi Sherstad, comparing The SCOAN verdict with the recent decision of the US Supreme Court to approve same-sex marriage.

 “I pray that calmness shall come over this situation,” wrote Christian-Elizbe van Schalkwyk from South Africa, assuring Joshua that South Africans were behind him and his ministry.

The comments were posted on Prophet T.B . Joshua’s Facebook page.

In two months, it will be two years since the worshippers died in a place they had come to seek God’s face. While the controversy lingers and no one wants to take responsibility for their death but everyone is blaming the devil or satanic forces, for the families of the victims, their loved ones are gone, and gone forever. And in just two months, they will be the only ones remembering them in the silence of their broken hearts and empty rooms. For they were not just numbers, but fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers.

Credit: www.simonateba.com

Boko Haram prisoners moved out of South East

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, on Thursday explained why the planned protest by traders against the relocation of some Boko Haram suspects to Anambra State did not hold in the state.

Meet this Nigerian woman who is a professional painter, tiler, and plumber

Fatimah Ibrahim is a 39 year old widow, a mother of two, from Borno state. A chance encounter with her on the street would most certainly portray her as just one of the thousands of ordinary women walking the streets of Lagos. But meeting her at a building site would startlingly reveal the other side of her!

This woman is a professional painter, tiler, and plumber! When asked how and why she entered into professions dominated by men, she had this to say:

“I have always loved painting .My friend’s husband who is a painter taught me how to paint, and I started painting even when my husband was alive.

Later, I picked interest in tiling and plumbing profession, and I went for the training. Right now, after my husband’s death, I am proud to say I am a professional painter, tiler, and plumber. To me being a woman doesn’t really matter”

As must be expected, Fatimah is confronted with some challenges which centers mainly on gender disparity. “It’s been hard getting work. Some people give me jobs to do, and they are never disappointed; but others are just reluctant to trust me with their buildings, because they still find it difficult to believe the fact that a woman can do these jobs, and even do them better than men.

She called on the public and the government to give her contracts and test her level of capability. She also stressed that these were her means of livelihood.

“I am a widow. I have two children aged 13 and 9.I am not begging the public for food, as I have been blessed with the means of providing for my children. All I am asking if for Individuals, contractors, Government to give me jobs so I can make money and take care of my children and other widows who are not so fortunate to have vocations like mine”.

LIB

Insurgency worsens under Buhari – Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, says insurgency has worsened since the inauguration of the present administration. He said Boko haram was already being rolled out of Nigeria before the elections but surprisingly they have increased their attacks and spread to other parts of Nigeria.

"I am worried about the insurgence of the Boko Haram activities in Nigeria.  Shortly before the inauguration of the present government, the country had almost rolled back Boko Haram and its activities in every part of Nigeria, from Adamawa to Borno to Yobe.

I was hoping that when we come back in the 8th Assembly, that I will work with our colleagues from the North-East to develop a plan of action that will help to rehabilitate that part of Nigeria.

I feel so concerned about the suffering of our people from the North-East of Nigeria. I had hoped that by now we would be tasking ourselves on how best to rebuild that part of Nigeria. Regrettably the actions of Boko Haram seems to have resurfaced now not only in Borno, they have carried out their activities also in Plateau, they have gone to Adamawa, Kaduna.

I am worried that if nothing is done, the next target would be Abuja. Maybe they start going to South. It is important for us as those in government, whether Executive or Legislature, to come together to find solutions to these problems.” he told newsmen

Credit: Punch

No sex for my husband until he pays his debt - 39-year-old trader

 

 A 39-year-old trader, Mrs Modinat Idowu, told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos state on Thursday that she would continue to deny her husband, one Akeem Idowu, sex until he has paid the debt he is owing her.

Fayose drinks palmwine with Ekiti residents at a local joint

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, photographed drinking palmwine with other residents at a palmwine joint in the state capital, Ado Ekiti yesterday afternoon.

He shared the photos on his twitter handle and wrote "At home with my people at a Palm Wine Joint at Omisanjana area of Ado Ekiti today. Works and no play”.

Photos after the cut...

Buhari rejects N400m armoured cars

President Muhammadu Buhari has turned down an offer by the Federal Government to buy 5 new armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222) cars for his use. The cars which cost is about N400m were planned to be purchased by the State House.

A source close to the presidency told journalists on Thursday that Buhari found out about the plan when the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emodi, briefed him of his ministry’s activities on Wednesday.

Angry at the revelation, the President was said to have told Emodi that the purchase was unnecessary. Describing it as a waste of scarce resources, the source said Buhari told the permanent secretary that the cars he inherited from former President Goodluck Jonathan were good enough for him.

“I don’t need any new cars. The ones I am using now are just fine,” the source quoted the President as saying.

Top government officials, however, said Buhari welcomed other initiatives presented by the permanent secretary to reduce the operating costs of the State House and strengthen its Finance and Accounts Internal Control Mechanisms.

However he directed that more efforts be made towards the capture of all State House expenses within the approved national budget, in order to avoid the frequent recourse by past administrations to “Presidential intervention funds.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, confirmed that Buhari had withheld approval for the purchase of the new cars. Shehu said the President would continue to use the cars left behind by Jonathan in keeping with his commitment to prudent management of national resources.

Credit: Punch