Why I am Part of Ewohimi's Problems and the Solutions.

Samuel Adegboyega University in Ogwa, Edo State, is starting its Law Faculty very soon. The Dean of the emerging Law Faculty was my Classmate at Ekpoma. She announced her new appointment yesterday on Facebook. How does that concern the Ewohimi Community Development Association? Simple.

Ogwa, like Igueben, is not as big and populous as the Okaigben community in Ewohimi. When I was growing up, the story was that Ewohimi was the second largest town or village in the Esan Tribe, after Uromi. In the past twenty or so years, Ekpoma, because it is now a university community, has beaten us to the third position. 

There is no Ife village without the University of Ife or Obafemi Awolowo University. And it is the same story with a town or village in Massachusetts, called Amherst. Amherst in the middle of nowhere is basically a University Town. 

Educational institutions, like industries and commerce, drive development. Uromi has no institutions of higher learning, but it has infrastructural facilities and thriving commerce. And it is today, developing faster than Auchi. 

That said, at my age, educational background, and exposure, I am supposed to be driving and influencing developments and infrastructural facilities in my beloved Ewohimi. I have not done that, and that's why I consider myself a part of the problem. And resolved never to blame my fellow Ewohimi brothers and sisters again for what is happening or has happened to Ewohimi. 

MOVING FORWARD.

I understand that the reason for the discontinuation of the new Bank that was established at Ewohimi about three years ago was the unavailability of Electricity. I know we have different groups in the community working on different projects. Concerning electricity and power supply, I suggest that we raise funds to pay off whatever it is the community owns to the DISCO lady and her company and make her or any DISCO operating in Ewohimi provide and install a prepaid meter in every house. And I will personally take up this issue with NERC - Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission at Abuja. 

Banks will come from left and right if we have a steady power supply. We have a huge market - Ewatto, Ekpon, Ewosa, Ohordua, etc. 

God willing, with PBGSE or other higher institutions coming alive, private investment will grow, commerce will grow, and our friends and family members stranded in Lagos and Benic City will be motivated to come back home. 

So, let's see if we can resolve the electricity wahala for good between now and the end of August. I know that Mr. Erabor Okogun has a robust package for power generation. With additional support on the ground, he has the capacity to generate power supply at an affordable rate to the whole of Ewohimi and the environs. I saw his proposal. It is achievable. But he needs support. 

I know I am in the position to provide him that missing link, but I have not made myself available. And that's the reason I am casting myself as part of the Ewohimi problems. The blueprints that Mr. Erabor articulated on Dr. Chris Adubor's Ewohimi Adhoc Team, I can accomplish bring them to life within a few months if I am on the ground. 

I ask for your forgiveness for not taking advice

Teaching the Christ-Like Gospel

 "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Those are some of the pronouncements of Jesus Christ, emphasizing love, the forgiveness of sins, playing by the rules, and absolute faith in God. Today, emphases are now on deploying holy ghost fire to strike and scatter demonic forces and spiritual enemies tormenting us and holding our breakthrough hostage. That explains why most churchgoers are inundated with fear, suspicions, and hatred when they walk out of the church today, rather than being enriched and bubbling in Godliness, Christlike attitude, and dispositions, as well as love and kindness.

Without any doubt, Jesus Christ is missing in modern-day evangelism. Killing, kidnapping, and armed robbery are on the rise. Ritualists are unrelenting in their harvest of human parts. Politicians and public servants are perfecting new tactics to deplete our treasury. And poverty, banditry, and insurrection are exploding with no end in sight. Yet, Nigeria has the largest number of Christians and Muslims in Africa as well as the largest number of places of worship.

Go to the Nigerian National Assembly at Abuja, I do not think there is a member who is atheist or worships Olokun or Ogun, the god of iron. They are Christians and Muslims who serve God and Allah and donate handsomely to their places of worship. Whether they do it diligently, faithfully, and with all their heart is a function of what the pulpit has become. And that's the thesis of this essay. I am not blaming the ills at Abuja or in African capitals on our God's Servants, but that a shift in tone will go a long way in enabling peace, tolerance, fear of God, and a sense of accountability on the congregation and political leaders.

Today, because most of the governments in African countries have failed in their responsibilities - not doing what they are elected into office to do - the people are now gravitating towards places of worship; meeting with prophets and spiritualists to solve problems that are not spiritual-related.

It is about demand and supply. There is an ongoing surge in the number of men and women seeking salvation and transferring the search for breakthroughs in their career, finance, business, and marital life into the hands of our Pastors and Bishops to do the impossible. Thus inducing some of these men and women of God to be very creative in concocting and displaying healing power and spirituality that are inherently bogus and superficial at best.

So, it is no longer about the gospel in the spirit and like Billy Graham. The transformation the place of worship has undergone is massive, debilitating, and corrosive of societal values. Most of them can now openly dehumanize and physically assault their members, and subject their female members to the worst form of sexual abuse in the name of cleansing in other to get a husband or the fruits of the womb.

I am not disputing the existence of demons or spiritual attacks. But suffices it to say that when the elected government provides the basic necessities of life - peace and security, electricity, water supply, and reliable transportation networks - entrepreneurial zeal will skyrocket and investment opportunities will follow suit, culminating in expansion in job opportunities. , I can assure you that we will experience a surge in the number of men running to the altar to take the marital vow with their sweethearts. That's by the way. Please, forgive me for always finding ways to structure my theory to hold governments responsible for every ill in our society.

On Wikipedia and Citations

Please, no one should take this comment as a personal attack. I did not have anyone in mind before writing it. Only Nigerian writers or commentators cite Wikipedia or rely on Wikipedia for their research work. Wikipedia is NEVER a reliable, authentic, or dependable source of your information. And it is forbidden in academic settings. 

I am not the only one holding this position.  It is the standard all over the world, except in Nigeria and by Nigerian-based writers and commentators. For instance, if you go to the commentary sections in most of the stories in Sahara Reporters, Vanguard, or Punch newspaper, you will come across foreign-based Nigerians, especially the younger generations who got their degrees from overseas, lampooning home-based commentators for engaging in cut-and-paste from Wikipedia. 

Citing Wikipedia is the second warning they give to you during your orientation or first class in graduate schools in the US, especially to foreign students. The first warning is Plagiarism. Citing Wikipedia is automatically a failing grade in that course or assignment. Plagiarism, on the other hand, most often leads to the withdrawal of your degree or certificate. 

Please, this is not an issue for debate: tell your friends, tell your co-workers, and tell your children. And if you are a Lecturer in the house, please, tell your students to abstain from citing or relying on materials from Wikipedia. They are forbidden fruits.

So, why is Wikipedia forbidden in academic settings? Simple. The materials or information are not verifiable. And though substantive in most cases, they can disappear, be edited, or corrupted by anyone at any moment.