Seek Professional advise

(This post is for those living in Europe and America only)

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On immigration //

I have had private discussions on this matter with different people at different times, so I thought it's high time I aired my views for the benefit of all. Please read with open mind. I only take responsibility for what I write and not what you understand.

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1. Apart from those who are British-born (taking UK as an example), the rest of the migrants have had to explore means within or outside the law to regularise their stay in the country.

2. There are many who did not make use of the options available to them because of what they heard in church, and this is what I wish to address.

3. I personally feel it's not the duty of the church to judge/condemn people who are making efforts to regularise their stay, regardless of the means chosen. It is the responsibility of the HO and the judiciary to determine whether a person has acted in accordance with the law of the land or not. Even in cases where a person is known to have acted outside the law, the judiciary often consider mitigating circumstances and thereby determine the matter on the balance of fairness and justice. The church should stay within her boundary of preaching the gospel and allow the appropriate authorities to do their job.

4. For ministers who are fond of speaking for God, I advise they refrain from making absolute where the bible has not made absolute. Many of these ministers speak with no empathy because they don't know how it feels to be in such a situation. I'll advise they stop making laws where God has not made laws. Rather than misleading people with their limited knowledge, they should simply pray with them (if they wish to), and advise them to seek legal advice.

5. The people themselves should endeavour to stay on the side of the law and seek the right kind of assistance . From the part of the world where we come from I know it's very difficult to convince someone to go to a lawyer instead of a pastor, everything is spiritual! While i'm not saying don't pray, I'm saying SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP ON TIME. You cannot just be praying without submitting any application for the donkey years you have been in the country! Also, remember we live in a world that's governed by the principle of actions and repercussions, so If you can do the crime, you should be ready to do the time.

6. The only kind of spiritual help i'll advise you seek is for guidance to know if you are really sowing in your land or you should be somewhere else.

7. Lastly, the ultimate judgement should be left to God, the all-knowing and fair judge. He alone can judge rightly the motive behind every of our actions.

AV

Prayer

There comes a point in every man's life where one needs to un-learn the old/incorrect teachings, and learn the new/correct.

One of such things i wish to share today is PRAYER.

The concept of prayer we used to have is the vindictive, revengeful and herbalistic type, in which we send God on missions as if He were a hired assassin.
Also in our prayers, we send fire, thunder and tornado after the demons, forgetting that they can't die.
There are so many requests we make which are unnecessary, and time spent in this fruitlessness could have been spent in better productive ventures.

I'll like to share the concept of prayer as examplified for us by Christ, and with this knowledge comes the power to pray prevailing prayers because we pray aright.

Prayer is defined as TAKING GOD'S WORD BACK TO GOD.
Christ, throughout his earthly ministry based his prayers/requests on the WORD. He's always quoted to say "for it is written..." . When the Word becomes the foundation upon which we base our prayer requests, we can be sure to receive answers because nothing exists outside the Word.
When God said "come let's reason together...." He's saying come and hold me by my Word. Come and plead your case based on what I have said concerning you. God will never allow any of His Word to go unfulfiled because He elevates His word more than His name.

To pray in this manner requires you to know the Word.
To pray in this way requires you to believe in the Word.

There are so many prayers we ought not to pray any longer, but to simply use the Word to take our authourity. The Word has already settled some things, we only need to apply it to make it come into effect.

This is the same concept applied by the traditionalists when offering prayers to their deities. They base their requests on the Word. They use established convenants and evidences as the basis upon which they make their requests, and they get results.

Oftentimes, we pray with no basis and no authourity behind it. Such prayers are mere empty words spoken into the air. It'll bring back no result regardless of the drama displayed during the prayers.
Taking God's word back to Him is the surest way to pray through, because the Word is already settled in heaven.

You can scream, shout and roll on the floor and get no results, while somebody who appears to be simply mumbling but praying quality prayers based on the word will get results.
It's not the amount of time spent praying that guarantees result but the quality of the Word.

Everything you might be passing through has been settled in the Word. Dig out the Word and apply it. Confess the Word. Nothing exists outside it.

Always pray: For it's written.....


(NB: I have simply shared the truth and not brought any denomination into the spotlight, so let's not go there)

E-money visits Jagaban

(Jagaban invites E-money to his Ikoyi home)

Jagaban: You are welcome. Thanks for coming.

E-money: (in thick igbo accent) Chief, I was about entering my private jet to fly away to abroad when I received your message to see you. Infact, I told my pilot to keep the engine running that I won't be long.

Jagaban: Thank you...thank you. I'm sorry I altered your plans. Where are you going by the way...hope you can still meet up with your appointments?

E-money: Well, well chief, I will manage. I'm just going to Switzerland to service my watch. I do it every 3, 3 months. I'll ask my PA to call them to wait for me until I arrive....Erm, don't worry chief. Let's go straight to business.

Jagaban: oh ok...thank you. Erm, I just want to...

(E-money cuts him short)

E-money: Erm, sorry chief...I hope this is not about politics. If it is, with all due respect sir, I don't want to be governor of this state yet. I'll prefer to start from the senate first, just like you, to gain small experience before I can become governor. It's the same thing i told them In my home state when the elders met me recently on the issue.

Jagaban: oh E-money, it's a different matter I invited you for, but equally important you see. Very important. Erm, E-money, I just want to find out from you where you bought that your money-spraying gun. And that your employee that loads the money is he trained in this country?

E-money: oh chief, is this what you wanted to discuss? You should have atleast contacted Limpopo to find out from me.

Jagaban: apologies. I never thought he'll know. I'm sorry...

E-money: issokay chief. Which of the currency one do you want, because I have for pounds, dollars, Euro..like that, like that...

Jagaban: so you don't use the same one for all the currencies?

E-money: no chief..not at all. The same way you can't use one condom for all the ladies.

Jagaban: (slap-shake E-money) E-money! E-money! Kura omo! Anyway, i'll need the one that can spray Naira. You know people like us spend old money and we spray only fuji musicians and area boys. So, the naira one will be good.

E-money: Ok chief. You'll hear back from me through Limpopo. Let me be on my way.

(E-money turns to his PA): Biko, call the pilot to put on the AC in the jet because i'm on my way now.

2016/17 Season

A work mate met me in the lift and I guess he was in the mood to talk.

Him: Did you watch the England match yesterday?

Me: Yes I did.

Him: Ohh....they didn't play well at all. I don't like it...

I didn't reply until I was about to exit.

I looked into his eye and said: Let's worry about ourselves and not these boys. They are ok. They'll be fine. Let me and you look after our own lives.

Him: hun hun...say no more!

...........

Trust me this is the mind set I want to take into the 2016/17 season. I don't want to get angry...I don't want to cuss any of these players again.
Even if Walcott can't score from a simple tap into an empty net, I just want to bless him and focus on my own destiny. What will my cuss do to him anyway? He's on £145k per week for godssake!

Even if Ozil start bringing sofabed to the pitch, I just want to bless him and focus on my destiny. I won't get angry and call him lazy again. Me that is hard working, I earn £200k in 5yrs? He earns this every 7days!- Sun, Mon, Tue, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat.

I no longer care if Wilshere comes dead drunk to training everyday. I just want to bless him too and focus on my destiny. I watched him debut for the senior team at 16yrs, and he has since then gone to play in the Champions league and the National team. Me wey dey drink only when I get awuf drink, se I don dey work for Shell?

I don't care anymore whether Wenger spends or he buys back Diaby. I just want to bless him and focus on my destiny. If im no sabi wetin im dey do, he won't be managing one of the best clubs in Europe for over 10yrs. He must be damn good at what he does.

These guys deserve some RESPEK! Even E-money wey nobody sabi im source of wealth sef dey get respect from people, talkless of these guys who made sacrifices to get to this level! They worked damn hard! Na for age I be dier senior, but for destiny, they are granpas.

 I remember one time like that wey Ronaldo crash im Ferrari on his way to training. He just stood there and called for another car. Within few minutes, dem don bring Bentley come for am. Me wey I go loss ordinary oyster card with 1 week travel pass on it, I go mourn like say person die.

Sebi me sef talk say I be footballer, which club sign me? If truly say I good, why I no play pass Saturday league? I don't want to abuse anyone of them again. They are not my mate.

 I'm only human and there are days i'll forget this promise I made to myself. Dear friends, this is when I need you to help me. Call my attention to it. Don't let flesh take over me. Remind me not to insult my seniors.

Good aftanoon!

Self Yabis

But o ye ki n joko ki n r'onu mi sha.

Rooney can travel from France straight to his Portugal mansion for holiday.

Sterling can decide he does not want to come back home with the team flight, and call for his private jet to come and air lift him to the Bahamas.

From Heathrow or wherever they land, Joe Hart will ride home in his Rolls Royce ghost.

Wilshere's dad will come and pick him with his White Range Rover Autobiography.

Here am I in my small cubicle making jest of them for losing to Iceland.
They are fulfilled. What have I done with my life? Even little Rashford don't need to pass his A-level to be successful. He's successfull!

I'm not worthy of laughing at any of these guys. Millions all over the world tuned In to watch them....who sabi me?

Win or loss, their endorsements, improved contracts etc are there for them. They can afford every good things of life that money can buy. They are performing at the world stage. They are operating in their destinies. What have I done with mine, yet i'm older than all of them.

I don't deserve to laugh at people who make in a day what I struggle to make in a year.

I'm sorry Rooney & co. I should have thought about all these earlier.

Mi o respect ara mi rara. I'm ashamed of myself.

Once again, I apologise.

Goodnight!

Hian Ekiti- 2

(In Ekiti)

All conversations in Ekiti dialect.

Lere: Oga mi, hian lo mo awon arabeyi mu o. Ba ti a mu rice ati ororo ko won se nian shange placard si 'Probe Fayemi ' lesekese!  Oga mi me rirue ri, a fi bi magiki.

Oshoko: Politics is my laife. That's the only game I know. Mo ti ri pe hianrabi feran ijekuje, nu je ki n introduce stomach infrastructure as the pillar of my governance. Ko si hian le da j'oba mi ru. Owo rice, ororo ati jedi nukan nian na mi.

Lere : Oshokooooo!!! Ijaya APC!!! Bet iyan ni a mo ti rian Ekiti nje, bi hian ti a succeed lati convert rian si Rice-eating society si baffle mi. Oga mi, I'm a learner.

Oshoko: Hian ri newspaper loni bei?

Lere: Rara oga mi. Mei r'aye joko rara. Kini hian tun ko pe oga mi se?

Oshoko: Gba, ki hian yen page 15 wo. Mo ti shange logo Zenith. Emi Oshokomole!

Lere: ha ha ha ha.....oga mi pa won o!!! Oshoko!!!!! Raluway ti n run won jegejege! Yerepe ti a nibikan a farakan! Oshoko ti a d'osa! Talo n je jagaban?!

Hian Ekiti- 1

In Ekiti:

(All conversations in Ekiti dialect)

Lere: Oga mi, hianrabiyi n carry placard o...Igboro ti a daru oga mi.

Oshoko: Kini yian fe for goddsake?

Lere: Hian APC a sise e ni.

Oshoko: Oya hian lo ko rice ko won...ati ororo.

Lere: Ok oga mi. Se kian release manager Zenith?

Oshoko: Release? Se e tian admit wipe awon la sponsor election mi?

Lere: Rara oga mi. O si stubbornly refuse pe kian se spokeman bank.

Oshoko: hian fi le sibe. If he does not admit, he'll kneel down for my entire tenure. Immunity cover mi.
Oya oya, hian lo ko rice ati ororo ko awon elebi nnu.

Our Wives

(At the market)

Woman 1: haha my friend, how you dey?

Woman 2: i'm fine o. Hawayu you too?

Woman 1: we thank God o. I just came to buy some vegetables and fruits. You look tired....

Woman 2: yes o...i'm just coming straight from work. I want to buy soup ingredients for the weekend. If I don't do it now, tomorrow will be very busy for me and my husband need to eat......you know as these our men be na.

Woman 1: Na you wan kill yasef o. I don tell you to follow my style. Me I don convert my own husband to vegetarian. I wan die with cooking? Now I just cut some slices of cucumber and put some lettuce and fruit Inside plate for him, na wetin im dey chop be dat o. Even the vegetable wey I come buy na Spinach, and na raw like dat im go chop am. I go just wash am, add small salt to taste.

Woman 2: my friend, if I try what you are telling me with my husband, na go I dey go so back to my parents. This one no be matter of referendum.  My husband wey be say if soup don pass 2 days Im no go chop am, na im you say make I dey give leaf chop like goat!
Abeg make I quick dey rush dey go....e be like say rain wan fall. I go dey see you some other time. Bye.

Mis-translators

You have to be careful of those who reason ONLY in their local languages. They are easily offended because they interpret your English comments in their language, say Yoruba, and this sends the wrong message across to them that they have been insulted.

For example, Say to one of them: 'You are talking nonsense'. In English, nonsense means words spoken or written that makes no meaning or that is out of point.
If this is decoded in Yoruba it will mean 'E n soro bi eniti ko lopolo' or 'E n soro ti ko mu lakaaye dani'.
This is highly offensive especially to somebody older. Even if you respectfully add 'sir' to your statement, Won si ma binu buruku!

On Sunday while on our way home from church, I wanted to get an international calling card and I tried 2-3 corner shops and they didn't have. After my 2nd attempt and I returned to the car, my son said: 'Dad I think you are getting more and more terrible now and you don't know what you are doing." So I asked, haba kilode? He replied: "Because you keep starting and stopping, and going all over the place so I think you don't know what you are doing." If I were to decode this in Yoruba, the summary is that 'o ni ori mi o pe, mi o mo nkan ti mo n se'. That's a grave offence- o n soro si baba e!!! Eewo!
I understood his message and was reasonable enough to know that there was no other way he could have put it. So rather than screaming 'omo yi ma ri mi fin o....omo yi ma ri mi fin o....' I just explained to him what I was trying to do, and he said 'ok daddy'. Ce fini.

So caution is required on the part of the speaker, while reason is expected from the hearer or reader. Once you identify that they are bad at interpretation, speak the language they understand or put a disclaimer like I always do- I'M ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I WRITE AND NOT WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND. To the hearers, no be everything be insult. Please be reasonable.

AV

Wicked Elements

I think the set of Nigerians abroad who are at the forefronts of anti-corruption, anti-change, and anti-Buhari campaigns are simply WICKED ELEMENTS.

If the country was well-governed, why did you run away?
E ro wipe eyin ti goke odo ki afara to ja abi?
Because you have light and Internet, you think that gives you the liberty to talk recklessly?

Do they reward people who misappropriate public funds with chieftaincy titles in the abroad where you are?

Some of you travelled to the abroad where you are to study when your own country couldn't offer you qualitative education. Why haven't you returned back to your country since you completed your studies? Oh ho...you can't return back to the darkness you left some 15yrs ago.

And to those of you who came with 6 months visit visa since 22yrs ago, why haven't you returned back to your paradise?

You shameless people, you complain of being treated like second class citizens where you are and yet you won't condemn the evil that's going on in your country so that it can be cleaned up for you to return to enjoy first class treatment.

You won't even watch the correct channels in the abroad where you are to see how the public are scrutinising their leaders on live TV, and demanding the delivery of the promises of their campaigns, na stupid Nollywood movies una go dey watch. How would your mentality even improve?

When your country was recently referred to as fantastically corrupt, una begin foam for mouth say dem insult una yet there's no positive contribution you are ready to make to correct that perception. How dare you now condemn those who have put their lives at stake to confront this monster? What is your agenda against Nigeria becoming great again? Make up your minds on the real cause of your frustration because you seemed confused.

Many of you are age mates of those ruling the countries where you are- something that's not obtainable in your own country. Iyen o de to ironu fun yin? You are not even adapting well in the countries where you are since the donkey years you have come to settle. You still live and do everything with your small and corrupt Nigerian mentality. Who needs your opinion?

Animals even have rights in abroad where you live, yet human beings in your own country live worse than animals. Is it your wish that this continue? What do you stand to gain in this evil? Your lives might be hard wherever you are but you can still eat 3 times a day. Do you know that only sick people are entitled to drink milo that you take after each meal? Do you know that some people don't even know the taste of milk? And you think it's alright for this to continue?

You think it's ok for a country as wealthy as Nigeria to be In perpetual darkness in this age and time? Do you think it's ok for able-bodied youths to wake up in the morning and be attending church programmes- looking to God for hope, when they ought to resume to work and be productive? You think it's alright for religious centres to be more than factories and places of employment? Is that how it is in the abroad where you live? Do you hope that God will pay your bills at the end of the month or you go out and work?

So you think because you can convert  that dollars, euro and pounds to Naira at high rate to be able to send your own children to private schools back home, other children should not have qualitative education since the public institutions have become dilapidated?
Do you work and not get paid in the abroad where you are? Do you beg to be paid? Do they pay you half and ask you to come back for the remaining 2 months later? So you think it's ok for some human beings to work and not get paid for 1year?

You know how tirelessly you toil in your abroad to be able to afford your annual 2-week holiday to Nigeria, where you flaunt your converted currencies and new clothes you purchased for the purpose of the short visit. All you do throughout is complain and drag your people In the mud because of their living condition. Dida lo da ti omo d'egbe. A mo wipe egbe kii se ile omo. You live in their midst like you have just come from heaven where your feet don't touch the floor. Yet we know that you usually return to your abroad broke, and go back to your slave jobs almost immediately.

Kilode ti e ya ika ati odaju enia bayi?

Whatever it is you are benefiting from the evil in that country which is making you averse to the cleansing that's going on will become a curse on you.

AV

(If I fall into the category of people I have described above, i'm not excempted from the rant)

Wicked but faithful tithers

Special Friday sharaout to all the wicked souls out there who are owing their landlords up to 6 months rent and more, but are still paying their tithes faithfully.

Thanks for denying the landlord returns on his investment, and the resource to care for his family.

E ku imura eviction. Jesu gan o ni le accommodate yin in any of his many mansions.

The return of Alhaji Super

Alhaji Super: Iwo omo yi, mo ni ko wa ki n ma fo e ni ido, o ni rara.

Babe: Alaaji, ha ha...isokuso yin ti poju. Warisdat? Ki lo nje ido, or warefa you call it. Anyway, emi naa ti nba yin so wipe mo fe lo si hajj. Mo fe ke sponsor mi. For instance, a tun ti wa ninu aawe bayi....right time ni yi.

Alhaji Super: Hajj se wa je nkan to le? Iwo se te mi. Walahi, se lo mo lo hajj lodoodun.

Babe: But se wa ro wipe o wa ok ki e ba mi sun lati sponsor mi lo si hajj? Right wo ni mo ma ni lati s'oko asetani ni ka'abba?

Alhaji Super: Iwo lo ro bee o. Lati ojo ti a ti n s'oko lu asetani, ojo wo lo gbo wipe o so ti e pada mo wa? Dakun gbe Kini jade o jee....

Babe: ohhh....alaaji....e Kai! no alaaji...e stop e....se mo wipe a wa ninu aawe..o alaaaji.....haram le nse yi o....oh..alaaji...are you not fasting? Oh oh oh....alaaji, alaaji, alaji, alaj, ala, al, a

Some things don't gel well

Bow legs and heels
False eye lashes and sunglasses
False long nails and touch screen devices
Fat lips and nude lipstick
Big nose and septum ring
Big tummy and Yoga pants

Please take note. God bless.

Osun Student swaga

I just dey imagine say I be student for Osun State presently:
Hmmm...this morning, I for don enter our church vestry go carry the People's warden robe wear go school.
The thing wey funny be say, na me go get swaga pass because regalia yapa!

All colours of choir robes dey, vicar's warden robe dey, my papa's cassock dey...Infact some days na only white Surplice I go wear, some days I go use the Stole join am, dis one sef, na different colours dey available. Days when I wan appear corporate, I go wear only the clergy shirt with a big cross on my neck. Anyday when important something dey happen for school, maybe Governor or one commissioner dey come, or we dey do inter-house sport or inter-school debate, na dat time I go finish dem finally with my ceremonial vestment- I go nack the Damask Cope, come use the pope's cap garnish am.
Iyalaya anybody!

Letter to myself

Dear Segun,

Result cancels insult.

Insult suggests that you are operating at a level that you should have risen above. So, Instead of responding back to insults thrown at you and making a further mess of everything, simply channel that same effort on improving yourself and let the new result address those issues.

Ti aye e ba ni itumo, awon oro kan wa ti won o ni so si e. Awon iwa kan wa ti won o ni hu si e. Awon egbin kan wa ti o ma jina si sakani ibiti o wa. Awon oro idoti kan gan wa ti iwo gan o ni r'aye ma ba won da si mo, nitori, wa ri wipe o kere si awon nkan ti o n f'ori ro lo.

When you are being insulted, it's a time for you to admit that you need to get better. When issues you are fighting over are irrelevances, admit you need to change your game.
The best way to do this is to change level.

Segun, do not respond back to insult. Just work on yourself and get better.
Do not try to explain your way out, rather reflect on what's happening, and think of how to get away from that situation so that it does not become a common occurrence.

Segun, do not use insult to correct insult. Work more on yourself and get better.

Yours,

AV

BE INSPIRED TO LIVE - Don't just exist

If i'm asked to submit my CV, these are some of the tangibles i'll be proud to present.
Many have fantastic qualifications on paper that'll put me to shame, but not many can produce real evidences of what they can do or have done.
The proofs attached are my creation. The expression of my soul. My essence. Everybody don't need to like or accept them, but they are indestructible. They are my footprints on earth that I ever lived.

Equally, my over 10yrs of combined work experience in the property and health sectors is nothing to brag about because I was in those places simply for economic reasons. I didn't have to contribute anything special other than to turn up to work and follow procedures. Anybody can do that and It's no wonder why employees are replaceable-- hire the next mankind, give them the template, rinse and repeat.
One principle I have however stuck with over the years is not to take any employment that's choking (gives no room to do what I love), or that can kill my creativity. I'm an expressive person with wild imagination. I write and sketch on impulse. My mind is always wandering to pick ideas from strange places, yet there are days when i'm completely blank. I'm spontaneous and can only thrive in an environment that offers me this space and flexibility. So for me, It's not all about money. It's about freedom.

I appreciate people who can introduce themselves with proofs of what they can do or have done. Therefore, I have promised myself that when I become an employer of labour, the maximum academic qualifications i'll demand are reading, writing, and comprehension. If you want to work for me, you must be able to prove to me what you can do practically.

----------------
I'm a singer/song-writer, creative/inspirational writer and founder/creative designer of a contemporary African clothing label, listed among the best 50 in London.
As things stand today, my combined academic qualifications won't even get me an interview at any top corporation, so it's of no use listing them here.

AV

Tomatogelism

(Service in progress. A young lady of about 16yrs ran into the auditorium, screaming, "Jesu gba mi! Jesu gba mi! Mo sa di o....")

G.O asked the ushers, who by now have pinned her down, to allow her come forward.

G.O: Ki loruko e? What's your name?

Girl: Alira

G.O: Ki lo sele? Ki lo fe ki Jesu se fun e? Whatapun? What do you want Jesus to do for you?

Girl: Mo fe ki Jesu gba mi lowo oga mi to fe pa mi? I want Jesus to save me from my boss who is after my life.

(The whole church groaned. Some started speakin in tongues straightaway)

G.O: Oga e fe pa ke?! Ese wo lo se? Your boss want to kill you?! What crime did you commit?

Girl: Won ni ki n din eyin, mo wa fi tomato meji fi din. I was asked to prepare fried egg, so i garnished it with 2 pieces of tomatoes.

(The whole church screamed and different comments started to fly about)

Church: onigbese! ......ika! ....tomato meji to fry egg?! .....even the Jesus you are seeking his refuge will be angry!

G.O: Quiet everybody! Pulease i want silence.

(Turning to the girl):
Se wa fi aye e fun Jesu? Will you give your life to Jesus?

Girl: To ba ti le funmi ni tomato. If he can give me tomatoes.

G.O: Jesu kii se agbe. Ko le fun e ni tomatoes, sugbon o le lo mi lati fun e. Jesus can't give you tomato because he's not a farmer, but he can use me to give you tomatoes.

Girl: Mo se tan, ma f'aye mi fun. I'm ready to give my life to him.

G.O: Oya kunle. Ti mo ba ti gbadura pelu e tan, ma fun e ni one bag of tomatoes ko lo fun oga e. Ok, kneel down. I will give you a bag of tomatoes to give to your boss after i have finished praying with you.

Ma wi tele mi......Say after me.....

PHONOGRAPHY

This is my new found passion. Taking classic photographs using mobile phones.

Preach the gospel....make disciples

As a matter of personal principle I don't collect church leaflets on the street. If I stop for you to speak to me and you tell me about church and not Christ, i'll simply walk away and leave you standing there.

We need to stop evangelising to fill church seats.
Spiritual growth is not measured by numbers but by the quality of life (fruits) exhibited by believers.
So many churches have grown in status but the people in there have stunted growth. So much focus is on the building and not building the people.
Evangelism is a commission to make disciples of all nations, not a denominational competition.

The instruction left by Christ is to raise world changers not church goers.
How can this be done?
Through the WORD. The quality of the word determines the quality of the people.
Much of the word coming from the pulpits today are religious heresies.
The church is fast becoming a play ground where religious nepotism, hero-worshipping, hypocrisy, and all sorts of other games are taking place.

We can still get it right if we can concentrate on the ONLY commission given to the disciples by Christ in Mark 16:15, and forget about every other distractions. 

Listen to WORLDSHIP here: https://m.soundcloud.com/akinvogg/worldship

AV

The Academic Grading System

Disclaimer: This is written out of my personal meditation and experience. It is a suggestive rather than exhaustive treatise on the subject, with the main objective of stimulating readers to the discovery and perception of the truth that- "there's more to life than academic grades". I, therefore, will only take responsibility for what I write and not what you understand.
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A contributing factor to so many truncated destinies around today can be traced to the ACADEMIC GRADING SYSTEM.

The Academic grading system says that the compiled result of series of 1hr 45mins exams taken over a period of 4-7 yrs, depending on the course of study, is enough to determine whether an individual will succeed in life or not.

Let's look at how this plays out under the following categories:

The first category are the under-achievers.  These people only push themselves just enough to meet the required minimum grade because the grading system says the minimum is enough to get them by in life. So they never operate at their optimum level. They work-pay bills-repeat.

The second category of people are those who fails to meet the minimum requirement and are placed in the lower/failure category by the Academic grading system. They are made to believe that since they can't even meet the bare minimum required to work for somebody else, they can't achieve anything worthwhile on their own. These people too will simply give up trying for this reason. Going forward, they lose every form of self-belief to aspire for greatness and rather settle for whatever life offers them. They settle for scraps.

The last category are those who are adjudged to be genius by the Academic grading system. They are usually placed In the upper class and made to believe that the world is theirs to conquer. They are primed with self-confidence, which is not bad, but what the system however fails to tell them is that, talent is not enough. They are pushed out into the world with a false sense of superiority, believing that they have no defects or weak areas to improve on. The genius therefore when confronted with non-academic challenges become stultified.

Way forward:

While none of us can change the Academic grading system, I think we can develop what I call the inferential comprehension ability, that is a high level of reasoning to analyse and interpret our success/failures beyond the face-value statistics.

Through your thoughts, you can weave ignorance and pain or wisdom and happiness into your destiny. It's your choice, it's your call.

AV

Waste of time

While they were teaching us how to label the parts of a Grasshopper, our Chinese counterparts were being taught programming, and how to build the technology required to do surgery for the Grasshopper. 

See as we dey today.
Na monkey disvirgin some girls because dem want tablets and mobile phones wey secondary students for China produce.
With all our fanciful certificates, we no get answers to anything.
Common power we no fit generate.
Ordinary ear infection, President dey go abroad go find cure.
Graduates with their Bsc, Msc, Phd...dey carry placards line up for streets dey beg for employment.
Every year our Universities dey produce tons of Lawyers, Doctors and Engineers - see our shambolic legal system. Typhoid still dey kill people for our country. Structures dey collapse everywhere.
How many chartered accountants/ economists are being certified yearly by ICAN and other professional bodies, yet we can't find a team of 7 to prepare a solid budget! So tey we go dey plagiarise budget like we used to plagiarise final year projects at graduate school. So tan!

A whole State, including their governor dey on strike because no money to run the government, and sense no dey to generate any internal revenue.
Ordinary Aboniki balm, we still dey sell fake.
No standard, no control.

We have youths who are smart enough to empty the vault of the Bank of England, but none capable to configure a database system to hold the records of the citizens, which would facilitate better welfare system.
No accurate population census. Na so so population approximation wey dey do. Our government matter come be like father wey wan buy clothes for im pikins but no know how many yards to buy because im no sure how many pikin im born.

Only to dey blow grammar for social media na im we sabi.
If na to die for church and mosque we sabi, yet our hypocrisy stinks to high heavens.
If na to do wedding for Dubai, we sabi.
If na to drink the whole Ciroc distillery, we sabi

Nothing original wey we fit point to say we do...only to dey do copy-copy:
If dem wear crazy jeans, we go wear.
If dem put ring for nose like cow, we go do.
If dem dey carry Dre headphones, we go wan carry.
If dem wear Yeezy trainers, we go wan wear.
If dem drive G wagon, we go wan drive.

If somebody sew lovely shirt with Ankara, instead make we promote am, na to condemn am. When we come see Rihana wear Ankara, everybody go dey share the picture.
Even good music wey we sabi before sef don become a thing of the past.

Gbogbo nkan ti baje tan patapata bayi o! Aja 3 Nigeria o gbera mo o.

'Amukun eru e wo'.....de loro yi. Foundation wa ti rotten. Nothing we try to build on this can stand.

AV

Watch out for the signs

Aja to ri ni tele to n ju'ru, to wa ri ni to bere si gbó; apere buruku ni.

There are usually warning signs preceding any incident but many simply do not possess the ability to detect them early enough, while others who can recognise these signs lack the knowledge to correctly interpret their meanings, so they just ignore them.
The inability to detect and correctly interpret warning signs ahead to take appropriate actions has led to many ugly fallout of relationships, groups, business collaborations and friendships.

Bi onile ba ti n fi apari isu han alejo, ile to lo niyen.

You must possess the ability to pick the right moment to bow out on a high. Watch out for the signs telling you that you have over-stayed your welcome so as to avoid public disgrace.

Won o fe o l'awujo, o tun da orin. Ta lo fe ba o gbe?

Never ever stay a moment longer in a place where you are no longer wanted. Watch out for those signs telling you that you are no more of value or importance to them. Don't stay there forcing yourself to be accepted.

When a friendship no longer offer joy but strife- don't force it. End it.

When you sense envy in a collaboration that used to seek your elevation- don't carry on. Exit.

When you are no longer respected in a place where you used to be honoured- don't tarry there. Bow out honourable before you are publicly disgraced.

Where your worth and value are no longer appreciated- recognise the sign that they are tired of you. Move on.

Where you are being hindered to operate at your full potentials or asked to play roles you are not comfortable with- it's a sign that you have outgrown that environment. If you remain, your growth will become stunted. Go out and explore new possibilities.

If a partnership is no longer achieving its  purpose- shake hands with no hard feelings and part ways.

If you belong to a group that no longer share the same ideologies with you- admit that you have become a misfit. Leave and find your fit somewhere else.

Be bold, be man enough to take decision. The word NO is not always a negative word. Try to use it more often rather than remain unhappy.

Read those signs now and pick your moment carefully to act.

AV

The power of thoughts

Everything you find around today are products of a thought.

The global companies, the smart gadgets we use daily, and even the laws that are used to rule us, are some people's thoughts.
Man is a product of God's thought.
When you patronise a business, you are paying for their thought and not that product itself.
Where you are today is a summation of your thoughts and decisions you have made or allowed others to make for you.

Your circumstances cannot change until you change your thoughts, and this is because you do not attract what you desire, but what you are-- and what you are is your thought. You life is the evidence of your thoughts. Prov 23:7

If you want to change your life, start by changing your thoughts.

AV

I am VòGg

Maybe they don't know the meaning of my name- 'VòGg', hence they think I can still be bound by the chains of legalism.

I'm a VICTIM OF GOD'S GRACE. I walk, live and exist in grace. I can't boast of anything today that I achieved by my own strength, not even my salvation, neither can any man stand in my presence today, look into my eyes, beat his chest and say 'if not for him I wouldn't be where I am today'. GRACE MADE IT ALL HAPPEN FOR ME AGAINST ALL ODDS.

This is the reason why I won't trade the freedom grace has afforded me for anything else. I'm not a difficult person, I simply won't give up the truth I know and which has set me free- I WON'T.

I will continue to speak about it so as to help others too come into the freedom it gives.
I don't struggle for fame or position. I just want to live a quiet and comfortable life.
I have no point to prove to anybody. I simply live with intention and purpose to positively affect those whom I cross paths with, while I also learn and improve on the person I am from others who have been equally graced.
I don't intend to change the world, but to inspire those who will.

Not many victims live to tell their stories but Grace made mine possible.

VICTIM OF GOD'S GRACE.

AV

NB: I even sang about it: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SLEs-ZcYSvs