AUGUST 2011
MY MONTH OF DIVINE VISITATION (JOHN 5)
August is the last month of a prophetic order because September marks the beginning of another prophetic order. The year can be divided into 3 prophetic orders of 4 months each. The 1Kings 18’s, 3 times’ outpouring of 4 buckets of water by Elijah before the great revolutional conflagration is an example of strategic division of 12 in 3 places of 4 settings. 3 is the number of God and 4 is the number of divine intervention and 12 the covenant number of divine government. August, as I said, marks the end of the second order and launches into the scene of the 3rd order. This month, this year is prophetically marked as our month of Divine VISITATION. There is a transformational visitation you will experience this year that will reposition you, balance the equation of your deliverance and dominion.
John chapter five is where the clue is to fully receive the declaration and prophetic budget of the month. August carries an unusual grace and anointing that stand to change the order of things and defy the formular of man under which you have been subjected for so long time. Your story is about to change because the commander has come with a command to compose a song of victory for you in the midst of tragedy. Your complain will change and you will now start to command situation and event around you.
A visit to a scene at Bethesda fully unveils the divine intent for God’s people this month. The setting, the situation, and the restoration seen on the scene and the right interpretation of all will unpack this month’s prophetic package into you revolutionally.
1. POOL OF FIVE PORCHES
By the sheep market by the northeast side of Jerusalem was a pool with five porches. This is the setting of this great visitation. Several people awaiting God’s visitation were here. The pool is a sign of centrality of the source of grace and the five porches the diversification of the manifestation of this united grace. The church of Christ is exposed to the given ministry of grace through the effectual ministry working of the FIVEFOLD ministry of the church. There is a reality of “Bethesda” in the church; there is a need to connect with the ministry gifts available in the assembly of the people of God. Your worships in the church this month will directly connect you with Him in a transformational manner.
2. MULTITUDE IN NEED OF A MIRACLE (Vs.3)
The description of the crow at this Bethesda pool is unequal in the whole of the scripture. The impotent, blind, halt, withered, but waiting crowds. What kept many of them alive was the spirit of expectation. Their horrible situations qualified them as specimens for divine visitation and miracle. You must keep faith alive because you shall be divinely visited this month.
3. SENT AT A SEASON TO STIR Vs.4)
By tradition, an angel is normally sent seasonally on an errand to stir the water for the release of grace for just a specific, fast person to be liberated. There shall be angelic visitation this month that will bring transformation to some individual. The visitation of the angel has its season. I decree that your own season shall be now. In every visitation, there is a demand placed on the recipient (host). In this case of the stirred pool, the demand was quick stepping in. The man in this discourse was trying to meet this demand for 38 years!
5. A CERTAIN MAN WITH A CERTAIN CASE (Vs.5)
Around the pool were several people with diverse issues and problems, but this man was singled out. The Lord will single you out for outstanding miracle this month. It does not matter for how long you have been there. This man was there for 38 years with just single chance per year, but with this radical visitation, the equation of the pool side and the man’s situation changed just in a moment.
6. I HAVE NO MAN (Vs. 7)
The sick man must be a very good historian or at least an eloquent narrator. The man was prepared to write a thesis on all of his attempts the past 38 years. The issue is that the narration does not answer the question nor solve the problem. The conclusion of the whole thesis according to this man was “I have nobody”. Where do you want your help to come from? It is not that you don’t have anybody but that you are not looking up to God for a miracle. When you look down you go down and when you look up you will go up and soar high on wings like eagle.
7. RISE AND CARRY WHAT IS CARRIYNG YOU!
What a command! Jesus ordered the man to get up and carry what has been holding him down the past 38years. This month you will also arise and carry what is holding you down. You have a charge to now take full charge – an expected change that can only come after a divinely orchestrated encounter and visitation. May you receive this in Jesus name.
NAVIGATING PRAYER
1 Thank you God for this gift of this month.
2 I connect myself with the release of grace in my church. I tap into all available anointing of the body ministry of my church.
3 Lord, let me be a target of divine visitation this month.
4 Step into my situation and affairs that I may experience transformation.
5 Single me out for special outstanding miracle this month.
6 This month, I will not complain but commend my situation.
7 I look up unto you and not any person, let help come to me from on high.
8 From today, I step up to take full charge and I refuse to be under any circumstance!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
JULY 2011 MY MONTH OF EXPERIENCING JOY
PROPHETIC VOICE: JULY, 2011
MY MONTH OF EXPERIENCING JOY
J
uly opens the prophetic curtain of the other half of the year 2011 and for the Saints, the month is marked with the manifestation of joyful celebrations. The people of God are destined to experience the unspeakable joy issued only by the Holy Spirit. Anything outside of the configuration of joy will never come near your dwelling. I have an assignment in this prophetic declaration as God’s servant to unleash on you, the gracious anointing that will make you continually flow in joy, jubilation and unequal celebrations. There are certain things you need to know so as to have and experience this joy I am talking about; joy that does not depend on the happenings.
Joy is an experience and expression of the soul. The “State” of your soul determines its situation and expression. If you have not encountered His salvation you cannot experience His joy. The experience of God is the basis for the experience of joy. You must therefore seek His salvation. This joy will also put you far ahead of those chasing you and it will deliver you from the plundering power of the enemies.
“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD, it shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say LORD who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?” (Ps. 35: 9-10).
“You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hands are pleasures forevermore.” (Ps. 16:11) – Those who will enjoy joy must desperately seek His presence. Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High are also those interested in following His direction. The only place to enjoy joy is God’s presence. The only pleasures that produce real joy is those that come from God’s hands. I decree that this month you will receive and enjoy divine pleasures all around.
“The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 29: 19 KJV).
“The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord…………………………….” (Isa.28:19 ESV).
One major prophetic key that will attach you with joy this month is humility or meekness. The heart of the humble will generate the oil of joy. Fresh joy is a progressive joy. Joy that increases is experienced only by those who live life humbly. May heaven connect you with the virtue of meekness so that the joy of the Lord may be your portion.
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. `16:5-6). This is a direct connection between “seeding/planting” and harvesting and between “sowing and joying”. The seasons of sowing provokes and enforces the experiencing of joy. This month, find a fertile soil to sow some seeds of help, gifts, counsel, encouragement, appreciation and support and watch to see the dividends as you reap the returns in over flowing joy. Those who want to experience joy must aggressively move through this month, sowing good seed in every available fertile land they can. God says I should tell you to sow into someone’s life this month and await the joyful harvest.
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name” (Jeremiah 15: 16). This declaration of Jeremiah gives a powerful revelation about the concept of joy from the Lord. Jeremiah located God’s word. The word of the Lord must be seen as a treasure that must be sought for. When found, it must be consumed, digested, assimilated and properly used. God’s revelation contains divine joy and celebration. Provoke the release of joy into your life by becoming addicted to searching for the treasures of the word. Swallow the word so you can wallow in God’s given joy; the joy unspeakable. “And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them” (Neh. 8:`1). The understanding of every prophetic declaration will provoke into the full manifestation and outburst expression of unstoppable, contagious joy. Joy will cancel your sorrow this month, it will grip and strangulate to death all of your grief.
I see a cloud over, your head and the cloud will surely deliver its good contents. The down pour you are about to experience will give you reasons to continually celebrate. This month, you are destined to receive joy in its freshness and fullness. I say again that anything outside of the configuration of joy will never come near you. I release you into this month like Nehemiah to eat, drink, rejoice and send portions to others.
KEEP REJOICING AND JUBILATING!
NAVIGATING PRAYERS
Thank you God for launching me into this month
I connect myself, family, land and Church with the prophetic provision for the month
I reject every agenda of hell for this month
Lord, deliver me from those who are stronger than me and insulate me against plundering attacks
I connect myself, family, Church, nation perpetually with your direction and enjoy the multifold blessings of your holy presence.
I will live my life in your pleasure and enjoy my days with your divine provisions.
I receive the holy virtue of meekness and humility even as I constantly enjoy refreshing and ever increasing joyfully re
As I continue to sow this month so I continue to joyfully reap according to your order.
Let me find your word this month and let it be the rejoicing of my soul.
MY MONTH OF EXPERIENCING JOY
J
uly opens the prophetic curtain of the other half of the year 2011 and for the Saints, the month is marked with the manifestation of joyful celebrations. The people of God are destined to experience the unspeakable joy issued only by the Holy Spirit. Anything outside of the configuration of joy will never come near your dwelling. I have an assignment in this prophetic declaration as God’s servant to unleash on you, the gracious anointing that will make you continually flow in joy, jubilation and unequal celebrations. There are certain things you need to know so as to have and experience this joy I am talking about; joy that does not depend on the happenings.
Joy is an experience and expression of the soul. The “State” of your soul determines its situation and expression. If you have not encountered His salvation you cannot experience His joy. The experience of God is the basis for the experience of joy. You must therefore seek His salvation. This joy will also put you far ahead of those chasing you and it will deliver you from the plundering power of the enemies.
“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD, it shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say LORD who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?” (Ps. 35: 9-10).
“You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hands are pleasures forevermore.” (Ps. 16:11) – Those who will enjoy joy must desperately seek His presence. Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High are also those interested in following His direction. The only place to enjoy joy is God’s presence. The only pleasures that produce real joy is those that come from God’s hands. I decree that this month you will receive and enjoy divine pleasures all around.
“The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 29: 19 KJV).
“The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord…………………………….” (Isa.28:19 ESV).
One major prophetic key that will attach you with joy this month is humility or meekness. The heart of the humble will generate the oil of joy. Fresh joy is a progressive joy. Joy that increases is experienced only by those who live life humbly. May heaven connect you with the virtue of meekness so that the joy of the Lord may be your portion.
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. `16:5-6). This is a direct connection between “seeding/planting” and harvesting and between “sowing and joying”. The seasons of sowing provokes and enforces the experiencing of joy. This month, find a fertile soil to sow some seeds of help, gifts, counsel, encouragement, appreciation and support and watch to see the dividends as you reap the returns in over flowing joy. Those who want to experience joy must aggressively move through this month, sowing good seed in every available fertile land they can. God says I should tell you to sow into someone’s life this month and await the joyful harvest.
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name” (Jeremiah 15: 16). This declaration of Jeremiah gives a powerful revelation about the concept of joy from the Lord. Jeremiah located God’s word. The word of the Lord must be seen as a treasure that must be sought for. When found, it must be consumed, digested, assimilated and properly used. God’s revelation contains divine joy and celebration. Provoke the release of joy into your life by becoming addicted to searching for the treasures of the word. Swallow the word so you can wallow in God’s given joy; the joy unspeakable. “And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them” (Neh. 8:`1). The understanding of every prophetic declaration will provoke into the full manifestation and outburst expression of unstoppable, contagious joy. Joy will cancel your sorrow this month, it will grip and strangulate to death all of your grief.
I see a cloud over, your head and the cloud will surely deliver its good contents. The down pour you are about to experience will give you reasons to continually celebrate. This month, you are destined to receive joy in its freshness and fullness. I say again that anything outside of the configuration of joy will never come near you. I release you into this month like Nehemiah to eat, drink, rejoice and send portions to others.
KEEP REJOICING AND JUBILATING!
NAVIGATING PRAYERS
Thank you God for launching me into this month
I connect myself, family, land and Church with the prophetic provision for the month
I reject every agenda of hell for this month
Lord, deliver me from those who are stronger than me and insulate me against plundering attacks
I connect myself, family, Church, nation perpetually with your direction and enjoy the multifold blessings of your holy presence.
I will live my life in your pleasure and enjoy my days with your divine provisions.
I receive the holy virtue of meekness and humility even as I constantly enjoy refreshing and ever increasing joyfully re
As I continue to sow this month so I continue to joyfully reap according to your order.
Let me find your word this month and let it be the rejoicing of my soul.
CITATION ON REVD. OLADELE OLUSOLA KOLADE
CITATION ON REVD KOLADE OLADELE OLUSOLA
Oladele Olusola Kolade was born to the family of Pa. Samson and late Dns. Odunola Kolade about four decades ago. His academic journey is as follows:
L.A. Primary School Idi-Ope Oyo 1979 - 1985
Oranyan Grammar School Oyo 1985 - 1989
St. Andrew’s College of Education Oyo
(Now Emmanuel Alayande College of Education) 1990 - 1994 (NCE)
International School of Christ Accra 1999
Ghana Baptist Theological Seminary Kumasi Ghana
(Now Ghana Baptist University College) 2000 – 2004 (B.Th)
University of Ghana Legon (Accra Ghana) 2002–2004(Dip. Theology
School of Post Graduate Studies
Nigerian Defence Academy 2011 till date (MIASS)
He completed his theological training as the best undergraduate student with first class results both for G.B.T.S and the University of Ghana’s Diploma program. He demonstrated transformational leadership skills as a student body leader during his theological training years.
His rich spiritual experience began so early while he was in secondary school. He was used by God along side with few others to bring about a great revival at his school’s Christian students fellowship that helped nurture many great people of God serving in several places today. He was nurtured and exposed to ministry works through the ministries of First Baptist church Oyo, the End Time Army Ministries (then a non denominational Christian ministry of gifted youth) the GLODET mission.
He was actively involved in the revival that swept his home church (FBC Oyo) in the 80s and 90s through the bible study group of the church (the group that produced the current President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention; Revd Dr. Supo Ayokunle). His deep spiritual experience began in December 1987 when he had personal encounter with Christ and totally surrendered his life to him. He began itinerary teaching and evangelistic ministries in 1989.
Following specific divine direction, he founded the Aggressive Christian Corps Ministries (now Global Deliverance Team GLODET), a non denominational ministry dedicated to spiritual warfare and missions. Through this mission he was in Kaduna between 1996 and 1997 training people for spiritual warfare. Around this time he helped trained members of the Nigeria Military Christian Fellowship of the Kalanpazin Artillery Barracks Kakuri. He proceeded to Ghana on this same mission 2nd of December 1997 where he trained very many people from various denominations on the subject of spiritual warfare.
In Ghana, he became actively involved with his denominational church, the Baptist denomination. He served the Ghana Baptist Convention in the area of church planting and growth. He worked with Bethany Baptist Church Senchi Ghana and then pioneered the First Baptist Church Akosombo Ghana where he was from 1999 till December 2006. He returned to Nigeria in December 2006. He joined the ministries of the Barnawa Baptist Church on 1st September 2008 as the Church Pastor, the ministry position he continue in till date.
He is a renown expositor of the scripture and well sought after teacher and preacher. He is a gifted and prolific writer. Some of his publications include:
Manual on Spiritual warfare.
Strategic prophetic prayers.
How to pray through.
Beyond the letter.
About a stone cast.
Prayer campaign Against Witchcraft.
Johanine Epistle.
Awon Episteli Johannu.
Didache.
Introduction to Spiritual Warfare (At advance stage of publication).
He is the writer of the popular monthly Baptist Prophetic Voice, a publication of the Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna. Apart from this, he is a strong advocate for a transformed Nigeria where there will be equity, accountability and socio-economic fairness and justice. He is a strong Pan-Africanist, a social and economic advocate of justice and transformation. He has been writing in the dailies and the internet. Much of his writings and researches can be accessed on his blog – www.delekolade.blogspot.com.
He is happily married to Omolara Atinuke nee Amusan and the marriage is blessed with 3 Kids: Favor, Mercy, and Faith. By his calling he is a Pastor, teacher and a prophet. Combined with his ministry exploits, he is equally undergoing a post graduate program with the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna (Master of International Affairs and Strategic Studies). Given his vast experience on cross-cultural mission and Spiritual Warfare, he has become a force to reckon with in the Christian faith community. He enjoys writing, driving, and teaching. He is currently the senior pastor of the Barnawa Church Kaduna.
Oladele Olusola Kolade was born to the family of Pa. Samson and late Dns. Odunola Kolade about four decades ago. His academic journey is as follows:
L.A. Primary School Idi-Ope Oyo 1979 - 1985
Oranyan Grammar School Oyo 1985 - 1989
St. Andrew’s College of Education Oyo
(Now Emmanuel Alayande College of Education) 1990 - 1994 (NCE)
International School of Christ Accra 1999
Ghana Baptist Theological Seminary Kumasi Ghana
(Now Ghana Baptist University College) 2000 – 2004 (B.Th)
University of Ghana Legon (Accra Ghana) 2002–2004(Dip. Theology
School of Post Graduate Studies
Nigerian Defence Academy 2011 till date (MIASS)
He completed his theological training as the best undergraduate student with first class results both for G.B.T.S and the University of Ghana’s Diploma program. He demonstrated transformational leadership skills as a student body leader during his theological training years.
His rich spiritual experience began so early while he was in secondary school. He was used by God along side with few others to bring about a great revival at his school’s Christian students fellowship that helped nurture many great people of God serving in several places today. He was nurtured and exposed to ministry works through the ministries of First Baptist church Oyo, the End Time Army Ministries (then a non denominational Christian ministry of gifted youth) the GLODET mission.
He was actively involved in the revival that swept his home church (FBC Oyo) in the 80s and 90s through the bible study group of the church (the group that produced the current President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention; Revd Dr. Supo Ayokunle). His deep spiritual experience began in December 1987 when he had personal encounter with Christ and totally surrendered his life to him. He began itinerary teaching and evangelistic ministries in 1989.
Following specific divine direction, he founded the Aggressive Christian Corps Ministries (now Global Deliverance Team GLODET), a non denominational ministry dedicated to spiritual warfare and missions. Through this mission he was in Kaduna between 1996 and 1997 training people for spiritual warfare. Around this time he helped trained members of the Nigeria Military Christian Fellowship of the Kalanpazin Artillery Barracks Kakuri. He proceeded to Ghana on this same mission 2nd of December 1997 where he trained very many people from various denominations on the subject of spiritual warfare.
In Ghana, he became actively involved with his denominational church, the Baptist denomination. He served the Ghana Baptist Convention in the area of church planting and growth. He worked with Bethany Baptist Church Senchi Ghana and then pioneered the First Baptist Church Akosombo Ghana where he was from 1999 till December 2006. He returned to Nigeria in December 2006. He joined the ministries of the Barnawa Baptist Church on 1st September 2008 as the Church Pastor, the ministry position he continue in till date.
He is a renown expositor of the scripture and well sought after teacher and preacher. He is a gifted and prolific writer. Some of his publications include:
Manual on Spiritual warfare.
Strategic prophetic prayers.
How to pray through.
Beyond the letter.
About a stone cast.
Prayer campaign Against Witchcraft.
Johanine Epistle.
Awon Episteli Johannu.
Didache.
Introduction to Spiritual Warfare (At advance stage of publication).
He is the writer of the popular monthly Baptist Prophetic Voice, a publication of the Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna. Apart from this, he is a strong advocate for a transformed Nigeria where there will be equity, accountability and socio-economic fairness and justice. He is a strong Pan-Africanist, a social and economic advocate of justice and transformation. He has been writing in the dailies and the internet. Much of his writings and researches can be accessed on his blog – www.delekolade.blogspot.com.
He is happily married to Omolara Atinuke nee Amusan and the marriage is blessed with 3 Kids: Favor, Mercy, and Faith. By his calling he is a Pastor, teacher and a prophet. Combined with his ministry exploits, he is equally undergoing a post graduate program with the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna (Master of International Affairs and Strategic Studies). Given his vast experience on cross-cultural mission and Spiritual Warfare, he has become a force to reckon with in the Christian faith community. He enjoys writing, driving, and teaching. He is currently the senior pastor of the Barnawa Church Kaduna.
ACHIEVING NIGERIA VISION 20 -20 -20, A NEED FOR A NEW ECONOMIC POLICY ORDER
ACHIEVING NIGERIA’S VISION 20-2020, A NEED FOR A NEW ECONOMIC POLICY ORDER
By Rev. Kolade Oladele Olusola
Senior Pastor, Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna
{postgraduate student of NDA Kaduna MIASS}
As a clergyman who is very much interested in the total “well being” and “being well” of my parishioners and my nation where God strategically positioned me, I watch with keen interest the very many “acrobatic economic policies” of the Nigerian government and the many oratory definitions of our economic challenges by the political and economic elites of my country. Sometimes I feel we are trying to profer answers to the questions we have not taken time to really understand. If Nigeria will truly become a major force to reckon with in terms of economic, social and political development in Africa, then we must go back to our drawing board to recheck the many economic and political issues we are trying to deal with. We need to be sincere and serious as we seek to solve our many economic woes and worries.
We need a radical shift from the rhetorical policy formulation to a more pragmatic policy order specifically designed to solve our economic problems and not the western tele-guided policy that will continue to make us junior partner in the global economic arrangement. We need to re-read our history using the African google, and then we can come up with African and Nigerian solution that will favour and address our economic needs and agenda. We need to learn some radical rudiments of economic growth that will localize globalization from emerging economies like Malaysia, India, China, South Korea, Singapore and the other emerging, fast developing nations.
When Obasanjo’s regime came up with the well articulated National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) in 2004, many people thought it was a brilliant policy idea to address economic, political and institutional issues. The plan was to create wealth, 7 million new jobs, alleviate poverty and eliminate corruption. By the end of his tenure it became crystal clear that the policy failed terribly in achieving its most basic objectives. Yar’Adua’s 7 point agenda which was anchored on vision 20:20:20 – the idea that Nigeria will be catapulted to become one of the top 20 economies of the world by 2020 – has failed. By the close of Yar’Adua’s era, it has also become crystal clear that the 7 point agenda was a mere rhetoric.
Nigeria urgently needs a comprehensive economic program with a very clear strategic focus and road map that will not blindly follow any ready made, westernly formed almighty formula that may further worsen the fragile economic situation we find ourselves now. There is a need for a new policy thrust. Whatsoever will be the policy idea and road map must also be properly co-ordinated and implemented.
We need a clear departure from the imperialist agenda we have been pursuing since independence. We must look within in developing the grassroot economy. We must sincerely target development of human and physical capital. Nigerian economy is largely one commodity export economy, a rentier approach to development that can never produce any lasting economic gain. The only thriving business in Nigeria as at today is “politics”. The capital flow direction is a “trickle down” system from the oil revenue instead of a “bubbling up” system that will empower the grassroot to generated wealth. We must define and adopt economic priorities and strategies in a manner that works for the majority of our citizens.
Those in charge of policy formulation and implementation must come to term with the reality and gravity of Nigeria’s problem so that they will take issues of economic emancipation of Nigeria serious. It is a known fact that:
1. About 60% of Nigerians live below $1 (N150) a day. This is the main reason for the many criminalities in the system. Some few people are eating to the point of vomiting while the larger majority is starving to death.
2. More than 6.9 million Nigerian children of primary school age are not in school. An uneducated mind is a potential danger to the society.
3. An estimated 800 Nigerian women die for every 100,000 live births.
4. About 200 out of every 1,000 Nigerian babies die before they are 5 years old.
5. Nigeria is losing about 350sq km to desert encroachment annually. With our gas reserve, no household in Nigeria should be using firewood or charcoal for cooking. The gas sector reform is tilted toward rhetoric and abysmal corruption. We also refuse to practically explore the technology of bio-gas.
We urgently need a policy shift that will increase social expenditure, inclusion of the poor in public budgeting, macroeconomic balance, effective resource utilization, strengthening of the public policy instruments that promote development and equality, radical reduction of recurrent expenditure, determined efforts at reviving non-oil sectors of the economy and accelerated industrialization. Infrastructures in Nigeria are in a serious state of decay. Investment and industry can not grow in an environment where basic infrastructures are not guaranteed. A nation of about 140 million people with the erratic power generation of less than 3,500 megawatt is only joking when talking of serious industrial revolution. Vision 20:20:20 can only be taken serious if government is practically serious about restoring infrastructures. We must equally create investment friendly climate through a combination of legal, tax and other measures that will encourage genuine investors especially the indigenous ones. Unless the current resource looting is stopped, and our resources are properly rechanneled towards real practical, evenly, distributed development, Nigerian economic situation may remain in that same coma. We must arise and together build a better Nigeria we can all be proud of! God is watching President Goodluck Jonathan to see if he will truly do what he was called by God to do. I pray he will be a true Goodluck to the drowning Nigeria Economic situation.
By Rev. Kolade Oladele Olusola
Senior Pastor, Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna
{postgraduate student of NDA Kaduna MIASS}
As a clergyman who is very much interested in the total “well being” and “being well” of my parishioners and my nation where God strategically positioned me, I watch with keen interest the very many “acrobatic economic policies” of the Nigerian government and the many oratory definitions of our economic challenges by the political and economic elites of my country. Sometimes I feel we are trying to profer answers to the questions we have not taken time to really understand. If Nigeria will truly become a major force to reckon with in terms of economic, social and political development in Africa, then we must go back to our drawing board to recheck the many economic and political issues we are trying to deal with. We need to be sincere and serious as we seek to solve our many economic woes and worries.
We need a radical shift from the rhetorical policy formulation to a more pragmatic policy order specifically designed to solve our economic problems and not the western tele-guided policy that will continue to make us junior partner in the global economic arrangement. We need to re-read our history using the African google, and then we can come up with African and Nigerian solution that will favour and address our economic needs and agenda. We need to learn some radical rudiments of economic growth that will localize globalization from emerging economies like Malaysia, India, China, South Korea, Singapore and the other emerging, fast developing nations.
When Obasanjo’s regime came up with the well articulated National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) in 2004, many people thought it was a brilliant policy idea to address economic, political and institutional issues. The plan was to create wealth, 7 million new jobs, alleviate poverty and eliminate corruption. By the end of his tenure it became crystal clear that the policy failed terribly in achieving its most basic objectives. Yar’Adua’s 7 point agenda which was anchored on vision 20:20:20 – the idea that Nigeria will be catapulted to become one of the top 20 economies of the world by 2020 – has failed. By the close of Yar’Adua’s era, it has also become crystal clear that the 7 point agenda was a mere rhetoric.
Nigeria urgently needs a comprehensive economic program with a very clear strategic focus and road map that will not blindly follow any ready made, westernly formed almighty formula that may further worsen the fragile economic situation we find ourselves now. There is a need for a new policy thrust. Whatsoever will be the policy idea and road map must also be properly co-ordinated and implemented.
We need a clear departure from the imperialist agenda we have been pursuing since independence. We must look within in developing the grassroot economy. We must sincerely target development of human and physical capital. Nigerian economy is largely one commodity export economy, a rentier approach to development that can never produce any lasting economic gain. The only thriving business in Nigeria as at today is “politics”. The capital flow direction is a “trickle down” system from the oil revenue instead of a “bubbling up” system that will empower the grassroot to generated wealth. We must define and adopt economic priorities and strategies in a manner that works for the majority of our citizens.
Those in charge of policy formulation and implementation must come to term with the reality and gravity of Nigeria’s problem so that they will take issues of economic emancipation of Nigeria serious. It is a known fact that:
1. About 60% of Nigerians live below $1 (N150) a day. This is the main reason for the many criminalities in the system. Some few people are eating to the point of vomiting while the larger majority is starving to death.
2. More than 6.9 million Nigerian children of primary school age are not in school. An uneducated mind is a potential danger to the society.
3. An estimated 800 Nigerian women die for every 100,000 live births.
4. About 200 out of every 1,000 Nigerian babies die before they are 5 years old.
5. Nigeria is losing about 350sq km to desert encroachment annually. With our gas reserve, no household in Nigeria should be using firewood or charcoal for cooking. The gas sector reform is tilted toward rhetoric and abysmal corruption. We also refuse to practically explore the technology of bio-gas.
We urgently need a policy shift that will increase social expenditure, inclusion of the poor in public budgeting, macroeconomic balance, effective resource utilization, strengthening of the public policy instruments that promote development and equality, radical reduction of recurrent expenditure, determined efforts at reviving non-oil sectors of the economy and accelerated industrialization. Infrastructures in Nigeria are in a serious state of decay. Investment and industry can not grow in an environment where basic infrastructures are not guaranteed. A nation of about 140 million people with the erratic power generation of less than 3,500 megawatt is only joking when talking of serious industrial revolution. Vision 20:20:20 can only be taken serious if government is practically serious about restoring infrastructures. We must equally create investment friendly climate through a combination of legal, tax and other measures that will encourage genuine investors especially the indigenous ones. Unless the current resource looting is stopped, and our resources are properly rechanneled towards real practical, evenly, distributed development, Nigerian economic situation may remain in that same coma. We must arise and together build a better Nigeria we can all be proud of! God is watching President Goodluck Jonathan to see if he will truly do what he was called by God to do. I pray he will be a true Goodluck to the drowning Nigeria Economic situation.
NIGERIA'S ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION, THE WAY FORWARD
NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION, THE WAY FORWARD
That Nigeria is very strategic in God’s prophetic agenda for Africa and the World at large is a clear fact. Nigeria is a nation of destiny with the highest concentration of blacks. God has equally deposited enormous resources in Nigeria, an investment that must bring corresponding dividends. It is however, a tale of woes as we refuse to fully fulfill this great destiny. The economic situation of the country is a sorry case and this has produced very many other serious problems. I believe strongly that God has brought President Goodluck Jonathan on scene to fix the problems and set a new leadership paradigm that will reposition Nigeria in the new global order. I continue to see my President as the modern day Moses to lead the long awaited emancipation of this country as the nation is reformed and her history re-written. If President Goodluck Jonathan will not disappoint God like Saul, then he must be prepared to align himself with God as he assiduously work to tackle the following menace and change the current socio-political and economic equation of Nigeria.
1. Wealth Distribution: We do not need a seer to predict the danger inherent in a society that has the gap between the rich and the poor so vastly wide. The dangerous situation in Nigeria now is the gradual elimination of the social and economic middle class. It is either you are highly rich or you are poor. The situation keeps degenerating and the attendant frustration of the inability of the government to arrest the trend is the increase in criminality in the society. The economic situation of Nigeria now is “murdering”. The cost of a normal plate of food is averagely N200 and to eat three (3) square meal a day means an average person will spend N18, 000 a month on food alone. If government is struggling to pay N18, 000 minimum wages and it can afford to pay some few selected individuals more than 400 million naira per head in the same economic situation, then you can understand why it will be very difficult to curb criminality in our country. It is the contradictions in the system that is producing criminality. We need a new political and economic order that can expose the in-equities, unequal power relations, inequalities and hegemonic class relations that underpin conflict in the country. National wealth must be redistributed. Government cannot afford to pay terribly fat salaries to political officers when it cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wages which is even grossly inadequate. When we bridge the gap between the rich and the poor we will be addressing many other issues. President Jonathan must be sincere to work toward wealth re-distribution then he will have peace in governance.
2. Absurdity of one commodity Export economy: One other major distortion of our economy is the failure of the government to diversify the economy stay. After more than fifty (50) years of existence as a nation, we have not been able to develop the various facets of our economy. We still continue in the “rentier” economic style. Nigeria’s oil wealth and the revenue derived from the industry over the decades have not manifested in improved, corresponding infrastructural development, wealth generation, poverty reductions and appreciation in living
- 2 -
standard for majority of Nigerians. Other sectors of the economy have been neglected instead we have taken to “share-share” life, resulting in political instability and the horrendous level of corruption that is visible everywhere. The political and economic capitalist elites are bent on not allowing the oil revenue to be channeled toward holistic development of the various aspects of the economy but rather confine the wealth only within their enclaves. President Jonathan must rise up to the task of using the oil wealth for massive development of other sectors and a radical transformation of the nation’s infrastructure. It is a shame that South Africa deployed 5 billion dollars to generate additional 3,000 megawatts of electricity whereas after Nigeria spent more than $16billion over a period of about ten (10) years, our electricity generation rather dropped below 3,500 megawatt. Part of individual’s building project now is the sinking of boreholes because the State cannot adequately provide water for the citizen. Virtually every road you travel in Nigeria today is death traps, “pot holes” and “man holes” everywhere. V.I.O is checking vehicles for road worthiness but who is checking the State for the “driving or car worthiness” of the roads? After fifty (50) years, what can we say about the agricultural sector of the economy? What has happened to our cocoa, coffee and palm? Sometimes, I wish oil should stop flowing in Nigeria so that we can wake up from our economic coma or slumber.
President Jonathan must not disappoint God in revitalizing our country’s economy by coming up with a radical economic approach that will eradicate economic and political elites motivated by the terrible, desperate, greed-driven quest to corner oil wealth and rents only to their enclave. Jonathan must help build a new social pact with the people based on an emancipatory, transformative, and participatory developmental democracy.
3. Strangulating, global economic system: If Malaysia could do it, Asian power could achieve it, small Singapore nation succeeded in attaining breakthrough, then Nigeria under the leadership of Goodluck can equally attain it. If we don’t “localize globalization”, we may not be able to break even. I want to seriously beg President Jonathan not to fall victim to Bretton Wood Institutions’ diabolic economic template, the agenda of which will only favour the industrialized capitalist nations. We must come up with our own realistic economic policies that will help in industrializing our country instead of being the “junior partner” and supplier of raw materials and capital for the foreign countries. Why should we continue to export crude oil and agricultural raw produce and importing the finished products at very exorbitant prices? Some “local cartels” are bent on making Nigeria to continue to export crude oil and import petrol, kerosene, diesel and other oil products at unbelievable prices.
- 3 -
4. Dieing Education Sector: Nigeria economy is going down but the rate at which education is going down is faster than the general economic situation. The current situation of the nation’s education sector is terribly saddening. The corruption in the society has eaten very deep into the education sector. Learning from Ghana, when her economy was down in the 80s, education sector was not allowed to go down. It is very hard to get any WAEC/NECO Examination Centre where cheating is not the order of the day. The worst offenders are the unbridled private Secondary Schools where their owners in collaboration with the disappointing parents are bent on finding easy way avenue for the unserious students. Government should set up independent examination monitoring task force to randomly check exam centers to arrest the situation. Any school caught in any examination malpractices should be immediately closed down. Unless an independent task force, the education system is so corrupt that no rescue policy may succeed. In the gang-up against educational progress in our country, are the many elements in the Ministry of Education, WAEC and NECO and the dangerous greedy private school owners who are greed driven. These elements connive together, feeding corruption in the system and encouraging examination malpractices. The earlier government does something, the better. One major reason for the mass failure is the reliance of students on examination leakages. Our students will only seat up when they discover there is no room again for examination malpractices.
We also need to redefine our tertiary system to make its focus relevant to the current national needs. There is no serious link between our tertiary educational system and industrial/manufacturers world. We need a complete “reconfiguration” of the content of our tertiary education to make it relevant to our context.
Mr. President, heaven is counting on you to lead this new dispensation that will bring about radical emancipatory transformation and reposition Nigeria as a leading economy – a pacesetter for the whole of Africa. You can do it, we can do it!
Revd. ‘Dele Kolade
Senior Pastor, Barnawa Baptist Church,
P. O. Box 4337,
Barnawa, Kaduna.
E-mail: kolade2002@yahoo.com
www.delekolade.blogspot,com
The writer is also currently a Postgraduate Student of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna (Master in International
Affairs and Strategic Studies (MIASS).
That Nigeria is very strategic in God’s prophetic agenda for Africa and the World at large is a clear fact. Nigeria is a nation of destiny with the highest concentration of blacks. God has equally deposited enormous resources in Nigeria, an investment that must bring corresponding dividends. It is however, a tale of woes as we refuse to fully fulfill this great destiny. The economic situation of the country is a sorry case and this has produced very many other serious problems. I believe strongly that God has brought President Goodluck Jonathan on scene to fix the problems and set a new leadership paradigm that will reposition Nigeria in the new global order. I continue to see my President as the modern day Moses to lead the long awaited emancipation of this country as the nation is reformed and her history re-written. If President Goodluck Jonathan will not disappoint God like Saul, then he must be prepared to align himself with God as he assiduously work to tackle the following menace and change the current socio-political and economic equation of Nigeria.
1. Wealth Distribution: We do not need a seer to predict the danger inherent in a society that has the gap between the rich and the poor so vastly wide. The dangerous situation in Nigeria now is the gradual elimination of the social and economic middle class. It is either you are highly rich or you are poor. The situation keeps degenerating and the attendant frustration of the inability of the government to arrest the trend is the increase in criminality in the society. The economic situation of Nigeria now is “murdering”. The cost of a normal plate of food is averagely N200 and to eat three (3) square meal a day means an average person will spend N18, 000 a month on food alone. If government is struggling to pay N18, 000 minimum wages and it can afford to pay some few selected individuals more than 400 million naira per head in the same economic situation, then you can understand why it will be very difficult to curb criminality in our country. It is the contradictions in the system that is producing criminality. We need a new political and economic order that can expose the in-equities, unequal power relations, inequalities and hegemonic class relations that underpin conflict in the country. National wealth must be redistributed. Government cannot afford to pay terribly fat salaries to political officers when it cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wages which is even grossly inadequate. When we bridge the gap between the rich and the poor we will be addressing many other issues. President Jonathan must be sincere to work toward wealth re-distribution then he will have peace in governance.
2. Absurdity of one commodity Export economy: One other major distortion of our economy is the failure of the government to diversify the economy stay. After more than fifty (50) years of existence as a nation, we have not been able to develop the various facets of our economy. We still continue in the “rentier” economic style. Nigeria’s oil wealth and the revenue derived from the industry over the decades have not manifested in improved, corresponding infrastructural development, wealth generation, poverty reductions and appreciation in living
- 2 -
standard for majority of Nigerians. Other sectors of the economy have been neglected instead we have taken to “share-share” life, resulting in political instability and the horrendous level of corruption that is visible everywhere. The political and economic capitalist elites are bent on not allowing the oil revenue to be channeled toward holistic development of the various aspects of the economy but rather confine the wealth only within their enclaves. President Jonathan must rise up to the task of using the oil wealth for massive development of other sectors and a radical transformation of the nation’s infrastructure. It is a shame that South Africa deployed 5 billion dollars to generate additional 3,000 megawatts of electricity whereas after Nigeria spent more than $16billion over a period of about ten (10) years, our electricity generation rather dropped below 3,500 megawatt. Part of individual’s building project now is the sinking of boreholes because the State cannot adequately provide water for the citizen. Virtually every road you travel in Nigeria today is death traps, “pot holes” and “man holes” everywhere. V.I.O is checking vehicles for road worthiness but who is checking the State for the “driving or car worthiness” of the roads? After fifty (50) years, what can we say about the agricultural sector of the economy? What has happened to our cocoa, coffee and palm? Sometimes, I wish oil should stop flowing in Nigeria so that we can wake up from our economic coma or slumber.
President Jonathan must not disappoint God in revitalizing our country’s economy by coming up with a radical economic approach that will eradicate economic and political elites motivated by the terrible, desperate, greed-driven quest to corner oil wealth and rents only to their enclave. Jonathan must help build a new social pact with the people based on an emancipatory, transformative, and participatory developmental democracy.
3. Strangulating, global economic system: If Malaysia could do it, Asian power could achieve it, small Singapore nation succeeded in attaining breakthrough, then Nigeria under the leadership of Goodluck can equally attain it. If we don’t “localize globalization”, we may not be able to break even. I want to seriously beg President Jonathan not to fall victim to Bretton Wood Institutions’ diabolic economic template, the agenda of which will only favour the industrialized capitalist nations. We must come up with our own realistic economic policies that will help in industrializing our country instead of being the “junior partner” and supplier of raw materials and capital for the foreign countries. Why should we continue to export crude oil and agricultural raw produce and importing the finished products at very exorbitant prices? Some “local cartels” are bent on making Nigeria to continue to export crude oil and import petrol, kerosene, diesel and other oil products at unbelievable prices.
- 3 -
4. Dieing Education Sector: Nigeria economy is going down but the rate at which education is going down is faster than the general economic situation. The current situation of the nation’s education sector is terribly saddening. The corruption in the society has eaten very deep into the education sector. Learning from Ghana, when her economy was down in the 80s, education sector was not allowed to go down. It is very hard to get any WAEC/NECO Examination Centre where cheating is not the order of the day. The worst offenders are the unbridled private Secondary Schools where their owners in collaboration with the disappointing parents are bent on finding easy way avenue for the unserious students. Government should set up independent examination monitoring task force to randomly check exam centers to arrest the situation. Any school caught in any examination malpractices should be immediately closed down. Unless an independent task force, the education system is so corrupt that no rescue policy may succeed. In the gang-up against educational progress in our country, are the many elements in the Ministry of Education, WAEC and NECO and the dangerous greedy private school owners who are greed driven. These elements connive together, feeding corruption in the system and encouraging examination malpractices. The earlier government does something, the better. One major reason for the mass failure is the reliance of students on examination leakages. Our students will only seat up when they discover there is no room again for examination malpractices.
We also need to redefine our tertiary system to make its focus relevant to the current national needs. There is no serious link between our tertiary educational system and industrial/manufacturers world. We need a complete “reconfiguration” of the content of our tertiary education to make it relevant to our context.
Mr. President, heaven is counting on you to lead this new dispensation that will bring about radical emancipatory transformation and reposition Nigeria as a leading economy – a pacesetter for the whole of Africa. You can do it, we can do it!
Revd. ‘Dele Kolade
Senior Pastor, Barnawa Baptist Church,
P. O. Box 4337,
Barnawa, Kaduna.
E-mail: kolade2002@yahoo.com
www.delekolade.blogspot,com
The writer is also currently a Postgraduate Student of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna (Master in International
Affairs and Strategic Studies (MIASS).
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