Biafra/IgboLand: A Nation That Shall Surely Come To Be

Couple of weeks ago, I was on a Lufthansa flight to New York to attend a seminar on ‘threats posed by Bitcoin against the traditional system of payment’. Bitcoin, by the way, is a digital payment system that occurs directly between individuals, which effectively eliminates financial intermediaries – such as banks and other financial institutions.

Anyway, seated next to me on the plane was a German whom, through our discussion, I found out was also going to New York for the same purpose as me. We chatted on different topics ranging from financial markets to terrorism to politics and etc. In the midst of our discussion he said; Oh I forgot to introduce myself – my name is… and I am from Germany. While he was waiting to know me, rather a big silence stood between us.

Then I regained my consciousness and noticed the bemusement on his face. I said to him, it is not that I have forgotten my name is…, but I was considering how to explain to you that I am from IgboLand. He asked where IgboLand is. It is a colony of Nigeria. He said then you should be a Nigerian. I said no.

Battered, But Resilient: The Citizens of Nigeria

Lord Byron, a British Poet, once wrote; “though I love my country, I do not love my countrymen.” He didn’t love his countrymen because, in his thinking, they didn’t understand him, especially when Lady Caroline Lamb described him as “mad, bad, and dangerous to know”.

Blasphemy: an unforgivable sin unlike Adultery - Apostle Suleiman on my mind

In 2005, while having my lunch at a cafeteria in Umuahia, Abia state, Nigeria, a well dressed young man approached me. He informed me that he had a message from God to me. Okay, let me hear the message. He introduced himself as a Pastor, and that God told him to tell me to provide some money to develop his ministry. After recovering from disbelief, I managed to ask him, what do I call that money, investment? He replied, you can call it that. Oh sorry brother, I don’t do that kind of investment.

Before he could add another word, I reminded him that the only time Jesus got angry, as reported by the bible, was when he saw some people trading in his father's house. Thus investing in your ministry may be construed as trading in God's house, which may be counted as blasphemy to me – using the name of God in vain.

The Messiah in President Donald Trump as seen by Igbo people of Nigeria

As I was driving down to the dentist with my young son, he suddenly shouted; “OH; Daddy, I have given him a bloody nose; I punched his face very hard…. Hahaha! For a moment I couldn’t workout what he was saying, but he was doing something on his iPad. So I asked him; who did you give a bloody nose? He answered Trump. Which Trump? He replied Donald Trump, the American president. He saw the surprise on my face and he added; it’s only a game - “Punch the Trump”.

I furthered the discussion by asking him why he punched Trump so hard to give him a bloody nose. He told me because he doesn’t like Donald Trump. In fact, “nobody in my class (primary 2) likes him”, he added. I immediately reasoned that some parents have been feeding their children with a lot of negative things about president Trump.

Religious, but Unrighteous: Making a mess of religion in Nigeria

According to Quran 2:139, Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) instructed his followers to ask the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians); " [why] do you argue with us about Allah while He is our Lord and your Lord? Ours are our works and yours your works. We look to Him alone”. This is the clearest acceptance by Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) that Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God. If that is the case, why are they fighting each other?

The Shenanigans of Apostle Paul

According to Matthew 16:18, Jesus told Simon; “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” - in other words, nothing will stop Peter from being the head of Jesus’ congregation. That was when Simon became Peter.

Happy New Year! What’s so happy about the New Year?

Christmas was a week today (25th December) when it was alleged that Jesus was born. But Christmas wasn’t celebrated until about 336 years after the death of Jesus, during the reign of Constantine, the Roman Empire. That means the earlier Christians didn’t know and never celebrated Christmas.

It’s Christmas; what are you celebrating? Think twice!

Santa Claus on the move

Every 25th December, the ‘world’ celebrates Christmas, which according to some Christians was the day Jesus was born. Thus, I wasn’t surprised when my son’s primary school invited us to their 2016 Nativity Play. Nativity is the stage performance of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. This year's Play was acted by pupils between the ages of 5 & 7.

Does Money Talk?

While on a visit to Johannesburg, South Africa to see a friend who transacts at Sandton city; a big argument was going on over who has more money than the other as I walked into his office. My presence kind of punctured the argument resulting to the other party leaving the premises. My host then turned to me and asked; does money talk?

Donald Trump: the President-elect that did everything to Lose

“My read is that he has learned something he didn't know before. It's a tentative hand position," Ms Wood said. “Trump holds his own hands as he begins speaking which is an indication he needs to comfort himself.” 

Generally, politicians play the human factor during election campaigns. They embrace diversity in order to win an election or get re-elected. They fake humility, hobnob with the rich, the poor, the vulnerable, etc.