The Man and His Star
Major-General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, was born on August 17, 1941, which makes him a Leo. What does that mean? Monthly Life astrologer writes:
People born July 23–August 23 are under the Leo sign. They are spirited and enthusiastic, arrogant and proud. Leo is a natural leader — the king of beasts. Challenge his rule or wound his pride and he will roar and pounce.
Lion or lioness, dazzlingly attractive, gracious and intelligent — the melting eyes and soft expression are deceptive, beware! Leos are rather vain, but dignified. Very gregarious, they like to hold court among their friends. They entertain lavishly, regardless of their means. They love splendour and luxury, the bright lights and the social whirl.
Generous to a fault, sympathetic and warm-hearted, Leos will be a tower of strength, caring and supportive to anyone in need. They are great organizers, astute in business and often very practical, despite the extravagant theatricality of their manner.
Wildly passionate, Leo is lost without romance. The partner who is prepared to adore, pamper and flatter will be amply rewarded by Leo's fierce loyalty, protective love, and great sense of fun.
Talking It Over With God...
As Nigerians celebrate 25 years of independence, eminent religious leaders offer special prayers..
Alhaji Liadi Ibrahim, Chief Imam of Lagos
MAY Allah remove suffering from Nigerians. May the government progress, lead us aright, may they be guided by Allah who alone can lead aright. All sufferings caused by our sins, may Allah forgive us and bring us into his fold once again. May life abundant be ours.
We also pray for school children in primary, secondary and higher institutions. May they always respect their elders. May Allah instil the spirit of humility into them. May they never do what will incur the course of elders on them.
To them I would hasten to add a word of advice: Allah does not want discomania and other such vices that characterize youthful exuberance. Face your studies for tomorrow is yours when the elders are gone.
We pray also for Nigerian workers. May they learn the true meaning of humility, hard work; may their guiding principle be "what can I do for my nation and not what can my nation do for me." May they also learn to fear Allah.
We also pray for our beloved nation. May Allah in his infinite mercy bring down pen robbers, armed robbers and other such people determined to bring this country to her knees. May He go into our hearts so that we do only that worth of the name of the nation.
We thank Allah for the opportunity of celebrating our 25 years of existence as a nation. May He inculcate the spirit of unity in us. Finally, may Allah's blessings and spirit abide with us all for ever.
Alhaji Liadi Ibrahim, Chief Imam of Lagos.
Monsignor Pedro Martins
GOD my Maker, I am not praying. Religion today has become a creak wheel spiritual exercise. Groans and means are all you get. I am not moaning or groaning. I just want to talk things over with you.
You gave me the right to address you Abba-Father. I am claiming the right now, more than I ever did before. Father-son relationship is frank, forthright and fearless.
The circumstances of life today find me in that mood expressed in the lamentation of Jeremiah. I shall therefore speak with the harsh accent of that holy man.
"Righteous art Thou, O Lord, when I plead with Thee, let me talk with Thee of Thy judgements. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper, wherefore are all they happy that deal treacherously?" (Jeremiah 12:1)
It is 25 years ago since Imperial Power at last acknowledged our right to be free and independent. Dear Father, "You brought us into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof." But when we entered, we defiled the land and made our heritage abomination. It has not always been plenty and peace.
Where are you Father who brought us up out of the Egypt of colonial bondage? We were led into the wilderness of operation "WET E". We were driven to war and destruction.
Father, "The priests said not and they that handle the law knew not me" (Jer. 2:8).
I hear you complain that we have committed two evils — we have forsaken You, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out broken cisterns that can hold no water. Consequently, you threatened, “I will not plead with you, with your children’s children will I plead.” Under the veil of this warning, Father, I can detect your loving care. I believe you have not written our generation off. It is a redeemable generation, “a humble and contrite heart Thou dost not despise” (Ps. 150).
But come to our children's children, you promise to plead with. They are giving us concern. There is little to inspire them with hope, to provide them with motivation. The circumstances of our growing them little time and space for growth. They now live in a world of uncertainty. Examination results do not always reward genuine effort. Admission to secondary schools is a nightmare to these young ones as well as to their parents. The quota system contributes a quota too to the anxiety of children and their parents. The night schools and the learning centers turn out with degrees to cool off in the unwelcome shade of unemployment.
Dear Father, why should these children suffer with us who made such things up for them? Why must these children wander in the wilderness of crime (Numbers 14:32). Father, there is no long rod to hear Thee. Thou showed loving kindness unto thousands and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them (Jer. 32:18) and thou promised too “like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised.” (Jer. 32:42).
Those who plundered the nation are waxing fat in other lands. Their children thrive in the midst of plenty. Many of them are settled in comfort, safe from the hassles of inadequate social services, while their children get men and menial jobs. They are paid off regularly from their parents’ foreign bank accounts. They attend wedding parties in America, go to school in chauffeur-driven cars, live in bought flats and villas where they entertain their friends. Upon graduation, they swarm back home to continue the lavish lifestyle their parents left them.
Dear God, surely you do see all these. Will it continue to be so? Must the poor children of honest men and women continue to suffer? We have strayed. Our young ones have followed us. We have led them into aimless adventure since we ourselves have no goal, no destination. Some of these young ones, we have sent to their death. They are fodder for the powerful ones, the mighty ones craving of death — cocaine, hashish, marijuana. These mighty ones sit and watch to see these poor things die.
Father, you seem to abhor variety. You created us white, yellow and black. You gave us diverse tongues and tribes. Yet in all this variety there is manifest unity. It is our duty to keep the unity of our planet in our regards. That unity gets less and less emphasis. Why couldn’t I pack my bag and hike off to Nguru or Mambilla? You made this fair land wide enough to contain us all. Whence is that groundless fear which pretends to seek the interests of the local inhabitants by restricting non-locals?
There was a time when we thought Nigerian. Now we think tribal and identify tribes with an implication of discrimination. Surely, you couldn’t have intended that when you created us. It appears the spectre of inadequacy haunts some of us. Surely the existence of such fears is proof of individual limitation; that individual will never be a man or a group. Nobody is self-sufficient. We all at one time or the other need the assistance of others. We are encouraged by your wise design to impress us that we are each others keepers.
Let me take stock of events for the past 25 years. It was a period of tension. The score is 15 over 25 and the failing margin greed, avarice, dishonesty, discrimination, drug addiction, robbery, corruption, decadence, fraud, wastage, decay, selfish individualism, dishonesty, avarice, dishonour and debasement. Who can survive this filth?
Father, give this country a new generation, a new breed with vision. And convince this new breed that it belongs to Nigeria and Nigeria belongs to it.
Monsignor Pedro Martins
Senior Evangelist Gilbert Jesse, Celestial Church of Christ:
As Nigeria celebrates 25 years of independence, I pray that God lift the yoke of suffering from us. We are a stubborn people and bound to suffer through our misdeeds and evil thoughts. God, in your infinite mercy forgive us and not punish us for we are like children. Most importantly, God, make Nigerians move nearer to you for a nation without God is doomed.
In the old days, a certain country refused to acknowledge the existence of God and suffered untold hardship as a result until Christ came to dwell there. May we not end up like that country. I therefore pray to God to dwell in each and everyone of us, guide our leaders aright and give them foresight, so that they can make the right decisions at the right time.
God, rekindle the spirit of unity, hard work, dedication and honesty, courage and patience in us individually and collectively so that Nigeria can achieve ultimate greatness that is truly hers and her glory shine for all to see. May we never know famine, untold grief and coups d’état.
Finally, as we celebrate our 25 years of independence, God please give us the strength and courage to face the mighty task ahead — that of building a strong and virile nation and may the younger generation know peace and hard work.
Senior Evangelist Gilbert Jesse, Celestial Church of Christ.
Source: ThrowbackTimes.com.ng
1985: Monthly Life
