Tobi Amusan: Athletics coach Ayodele Solaja reveals how he discovered Tobi Amusan

 In 2009, Ayodele Solaja was at the inter-house sports event of Our Lady of Apostles secondary school in Ijebu Ode for his regular scouting rounds for future athletic royalties in the unlikeliest places. Solaja, already an experienced athletics coach, watched as kids sprinted across the dusty tracks and leapt into the dirt in innocent competitiveness. He studied all the children, but one exceptionally tiny Junior Secondary School (JSS) girl caught his eyes the most. The girl did not let her diminutive figure hinder her performance as she left dozens of students, who were twice her size, coughing in the dust left behind by her short heels en route to the finish line. Solaja instantly recognised her as one of the dozens of students he had been giving basic athletics training at the Dipo Dina Stadium in the town. He noted her name. The tiny girl is Tobi Amusan, the first Nigerian to hold a world record in athletics after she was careened to a 12.12-second finish in the semi-final of the 100-meter hurdles at the 2022 World Athletics Championship.

“I was already training her, but that was when I saw her individual talent,” he said.

“I noticed her as a potential athlete.”

Thus, Solaja took a keen interest in the 12-year-old’s ability and consulted her parents to allow their child to join Buka Tiger Athletics Club. “At that time, she was so small. Even though she had that talent, she was tiny,” Solaja said. “We used to call her ‘Shanko’ at that time.”

Solaja unearthed a gem, and through six years of “sensibly pushing her to go beyond human limits,” she began a professional career festooned with prizes and medals and became a world beater.

A former amateur decathlete, Solaja specialised in all events that cover the whole range of athletics disciplines. He once dreamt of a professional career, but due to what he described as “low standard in Nigeria,” it failed to materialise.  Solaja stopped competing in 1996 and started training young athletes. ‘Buka T’, as he is fondly called, forrayed into coaching with a philanthropic philosophy. 

Nigeria is second on the list of countries with the highest number of impoverished people, with over 70 million people living below $2 per day, according to the World Poverty Clock (WPC).

For Solaja, sports was the best way to address the growing poverty in Nigeria.

“I use athletics as a means to elevate people from poverty,” he said. Especially those from humble backgrounds. The level of poverty in Nigeria today is high, and the youths are redundant. And sports is one of the ways that can be used to occupy the time and energy of the teeming youth. It can also help many from humble beginnings, and I know so many of those. It’s a calling for me, and I’ve been able to do so in the lives of so many athletes.”

Solaja founded Buka Tiger Athletic Club in 1997, where he began using his expansive athletics skills and techniques to achieve his altruistic idea.

While sorting the puzzles of his vision, Solaja earned a higher national diploma (HND) in accounting at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in Lagos.

He, however, described the certificate as “one of my greatest mistakes”.“Actually, going into accounting is one of the greatest mistakes I have ever made,” he said. 

“If I had stuck with a sport-related course, I probably would have been a better person than I am right now. I’ve never worked with an accounting certificate. Even when I did not have a coaching certificate, I was already earning salaries as a coach. Sport has always been my calling from the beginning. If someone had advised me earlier enough, I would not have gone for the accounting diploma, and maybe now I would be a professor in one sports-related course.”Refusing to dally on the disappointment of the derailing career move, he had gone to discover and refine track and field athletes who have represented Nigeria at international competitions. He has also been a mainstay in the coaching department of the national athletics team since 2011. 

Solaja’s on-the-track success is, however, not commensurable with his fortune. Despite nurturing Nigerian Olympians, the athletic coach still works as a commercial motorcyclist to provide for his family. 

“I’m a commercial motorcyclist. That’s what I do to survive,” he said.

“I’m not ashamed of it because I have to survive. It’s been tough. I wake up at 5:30 am, hustle till maybe 8:00 am, and then train athletes till 11 am. I go back to hustling after that, return to the stadium around 4:00 pm, and train the school students. I resume hustling around 5:30 pm before I go home.”

In the aftermath of Amusan’s historic feat at the world championship, Solaja revealed how he discovered her talent and his current financial challenges, among other topics, during this chat with TheCable.

TheCable: When did you develop a passion for athletics?Solaja: My passion earlier was football. But along the line, I switched to athletics around 1986. That was when I started competing. First, in the long jump and then the decathlon. I stopped competing in 1996 and picked up coaching in 1997 at the police college ground in Ikeja. That was where I started my training career even though I was an amateur decathlete because the standard in Nigeria is a little bit low compared to the world. 

TheCable: You hold a higher national diploma (HND) in accounting; what made you stick with athletics when you could have gone for a white-collar job?

Solaja: Actually, going into accounting is one of the greatest mistakes I have ever made. If I had stuck with a sport-related course, I probably would have been a better person than I am right now. I’ve never worked with an accounting certificate. Even when I did not have a coaching certificate, I was already earning salaries as a coach. Sport has always been my calling from the beginning. If someone had advised me earlier enough, I would not have gone for the accounting diploma, and maybe now I would be a professor in one sports-related course. 

I use athletics as a means to elevate people from poverty. Especially those from humble backgrounds. The level of poverty in Nigeria today is high, and the youths are redundant. And sports is one of the ways that can be used to occupy the time and energy of the teeming youths. It can also help many from humble beginnings, and I know so many of those. It’s a calling for me, and I’ve been able to do so in the lives of so many athletes. 

TheCable: Have you ever been called to the national team set-ups?Solaja: Yes, I have. I got my first national team call-up in 2011 for the World Youth Championships in Athletics in Lille, France. Before then, I had trained Agnes Osazuwa, who won a medal at the Beijing Olympics. She was part of the Nigerian team awarded silver in the women’s 4×100 meters. I trained from scratch to that level.

In 2013, I was in camp for the World Youth Championships in Athletics in Ukraine. But eventually, I did not make the team. But that was where Tobi and the others started. I had three athletes that went to Ukraine. And later that year, I was also in the national camp for the African Junior Championship in Mauritius. I was on the team for the African Junior Championship in Addis Ababa. Then the 2015 All-African Games in Congo. Also, at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Azerbaijan in 2017 and the African Championships in Asaba the following year. 

TheCable: When did Amusan join Buka Tigers?

Solaja: I can’t say specifically the particular year because it was not a person-to-person thing. But they were a group of student-athletes, and I go to their schools whenever they are doing inter-house sports. I noticed them and invited them to the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode. I used to go to about six schools in Ijebu Ode with over 50 athletes that were coming at that time. But when they had an inter-house sport in Tobi’s school when she was in Junior Secondary School (JSS), I went there and noticed her talent. I was already training her, but that was when I saw her individual talent. I noticed her as a potential athlete. 

I noticed her talent and approached the parents to allow her to come to training. 

TheCable: When you started training her, did you foresee her talent breaking the world record someday? Solaja: At that time, she was so small. Even though she had that talent, she was tiny. We used to call her “Shanko” at that time. But as a coach, I expect the best from your athletes and hope that they can even go further than their talents and strength can carry them. I knew she had the talent to achieve big things in athletics. But world record? No, I was not thinking about that. 

TheCable: How can we ensure that Nigeria can have a steady conveyor belt of talents like Amusan?

Solaja: First and foremost is to get the private sector involved in athletics. We cannot reach our full potential with the government in charge of athletics and sports; because it will not be handled like a business, and this is business. We must eliminate this culture of “no money” or “I’m financing it with my money.” Once the private sector is fully committed, they will always want value for their money. They will always make sure the right pegs are in the right holes. 

We must also make sure that technocrats are in charge of athletes. People that know the system and know where the shoe pinches. We also allow continuity in operations, no break in transmission. 

Also, there must be an enabling environment for athletes to thrive. Facilities and equipment must be made available, exposing these athletes to the right techniques while they are young, particularly in secondary schools.

Like Tobi, she was lucky to be exposed to a good coach right from her secondary school days, and that foundation has helped her to the level she is now. 

TheCable: How is life, and how have you been coping? Solaja: 

I’m a commercial motorcyclist. That’s what I do to survive. I’m not ashamed of it because I have to survive. It’s been tough. I wake up at 5:30 am, hustle till maybe 8:00 am, and then train athletes till 11 am. I go back to hustling after that, return to the stadium around 4:00 pm, and train the school students. I resume hustling around 5:30 pm before I go home. 

Sometimes you find yourself in some kind of situation, and instead of blaming anybody, just try to make the best while hoping things will get better. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had to work as a security officer in my community to survive; I was not in a paid job or something. I had to look inward for my family not to starve to death. I did the job for about eight months. 

Culled from the Cable Nigeria

PICTURES: GOV. SANWO-OLU ATTENDS THE COMMISSIONING CEREMONY AND OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF LAGOS COMMODITIES AND FUTURE EXCHANGE AT THE UAC BUILDING, MARINA, ON THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2022

 

PIX 4740 L-R: Board member, Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange (LCFE), Alhaji Rasheed Ola Yussuff; Board Chairman, Chief Onyenwechukwu Ezeagu; Executive Commissioner of Operations, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria, Mr. Temidayo Obisan representing the Director-General; Dr. Shamsudeen Usman; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Managing Director/CEO of LCFE, Mr. Akin Akeredolu-Ale during the commissioning ceremony and official launch of LCFE at the UAC Building, Marina, Lagos, on Thursday, July 28, 2022.

Board Chairman, Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange (LCFE), Chief Onyenwechukwu Ezeagu; Group Managing Director, GTI GRoup, Alhaji Abubakar Lawal; Managing Director/CEO of LCFE, Mr. Akin Akeredolu-Ale and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the commissioning ceremony and official launch of LCFE at the UAC Building, Marina, Lagos, on Thursday, July 28, 2022.

Board Chairman, Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange (LCFE), Chief Onyenwechukwu Ezeagu, Group Managing Director, GTI GRoup, Alhaji Abubakar Lawal and Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the commissioning ceremony and official launch of LCFE at the UAC Building, Marina, Lagos, on Thursday, July 28, 2022.

 Executive Commissioner of Operations, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria, Mr Temidayo Obisan representing the Director-General (left); Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu (right); Managing Director/CEO, Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange (LCFE), Mr Akin Akeredolu-Ale (middle) during the commissioning ceremony and official launch of LCFE at the UAC Building, Marina, Lagos, on Thursday, July 28, 2022.

Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on SDGs & Investments, Mrs Solape Hammond; Board Chairman, Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange (LCFE), Chief Onyenwechukwu Ezeagu; LCFE Managing Director/CEO, Mr Akin Akeredolu-Ale; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dr Shamsudeen Usman during the commissioning ceremony and official launch of LCFE at the UAC Building, Marina, Lagos, on Thursday, July 28, 2022. 

PHOTOS: GOVERNOR SANWO-OLU MEETS MINISTER FOR INFORMATION AND CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED AT LAGOS HOUSE, MARINA ON MONDAY, JULY 21, 2022

 

Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a meeting at Lagos House, Marina on Thursday, July 21, 2022.

PIX 1109 L-R: Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed receiving a compendium from Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, shortly after a meeting at Lagos House, Marina on Thursday, July 21, 2022.

IX 1319 L-R: Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed being presented with a plaque by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, shortly after a meeting at Lagos House, Marina on Thursday, July 21, 2022.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (5^th right);  Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (middle); Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm (Mrs) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf (4^th right); Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Tayo Ayinde (3^rd right); Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso (2^nd right); Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Oyinade Nathan-Marsh (3^rd left) and the entourage of the Minister, during a meeting at Lagos House, Marina on Thursday, July 21, 2022.

 

The Wonderful Law of Giving

Yemi Olakitan

The Law of Giving is a universal law. It is like the Law of Gravity; whatever goes up must come down. If you climb a tree and jump off it, you are coming down.

This is also similar to the law of Karma; you reap what you sow.

A farmer who sows maize cannot expect to reap cocoyam. A farmer who sows Mango cannot expect to reap Watermelon. We reap what we sow. it’s the law of the universe.

No man may expect to operate otherwise unless he wants to go against the law, and he will face the consequences. For, every cause must have an effect. No evil shall go unpunished. Every murder is a murder of self.

The law of giving is the same. No man may expect to get anything from life unless he had given something into it. You cannot have unless you give. Success is completely unattainable without giving.

You must give efforts, time, talents, money, perseverance, resourcefulness, discipline etc. Unless you are giving all these and much more, you must be really poor indeed!

One may inherit wealth from one who has given his time, energy, talents and wisdom to achieve it. However, it cannot be sustained unless the one who inherits that wealth is willing to sustain the giving.

Jesus Christ, the great teacher said it all in the Bible, when he said,

‘‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:38

We also know that generosity is a key principle in the religion of Islam; the acts of selflessness and remaining humble are key traits of ideal character in Islam. With zakat being the third pillar of Islam, it is already an obligation upon able Muslims to share any wealth in excess of their needs.

Nature itself teaches us that the man who will not work will not eat. He must give his talents, efforts, its creativity to the improvement and advancement of humanity to the best of his ability.

Only then, can he legitimately hope to receive all that he needs for comfort, enjoyment and happiness in this life.

In the Bible King Solomon was an example of giving, the scriptures said,  

King Solomon went to Gibeon to offer a sacrifice because that was the most important high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. While Solomon was at Gibeon, the LORD came to him at night in a dream. God said, “Solomon, ask me what you want me to give you.” 1 King 3:4-28 ERV

Needless to say that Solomon was one of the richest men that ever lived. For we are told in the Bible that God gave him wisdom and understanding in all matters of life.

Solomon was emphatic in the book of Proverbs when he said, ‘‘Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;’’ Proverbs 3:9

You cannot hope to thrive in life unless you are a giver. There are many people who are pious and religious but they are in poverty simply because they are afraid to give either to man or to God.

Those people think that if they give, they lose. However, the reverse is the case.

Giving is the secret of the wealthy and unless you are giving value to humanity you cannot hope to rise above poverty.

All those who operate otherwise will receive their just reward now and the hereafter as revealed in the Holy books and in all the experiences of life.

Suppose we must rise above want and limitation, In that case, we must not only believe, but we must also give time, effort, money, perseverance, discipline, resourcefulness, solutions, help, and those things that make for a better universe. These are the things that make one truly rich.

‘‘There is one who scatters, yet increases more, and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. ‘’ Proverbs 11:24

Money is like blood. It must flow freely in the body. You can imagine, that if blood is not flowing freely in a man's body, he will soon die. 

Therefore, money must flow from hand to hand, by the exchange of value, talents, help, goods or services. This is the system that makes for a healthy society and the eradication of poverty. 

Anyone who does not believe in the efficacy of the acts of giving, generosity and of charity has never met a Jew. It is the reason the Jews are a prosperous people.

All the debates and argument in Christendom about giving is mostly from those who do not want to give a tenth of their income.

‘‘Oh don’t you know that tithing is a relic of the Old Testament laws. Christians are no longer under the law, for Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.’’ Galatians 3-13

‘‘Don’t you know that Jesus has fulfilled the Law of Moses? We do not need to operate under it.’’ Romans 10:4

Its true Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the Curse of the Mosaic Law but he has not redeemed us from the universal laws.

For example, if you put your hand in the fire, it will burn. The law of Gravity, for instance, has no respect for Christians or Muslims, if you jump off a plane, you will come crashing down.

The Subject of Tithing

Tithing is probably responsible for the extraordinary growth, funding and financing of the pentecostal church today. It is so, and that is why the devil attacks it. 

The law of giving is universal. Abraham gave tithes of all. He was the first man to give tithes before the Mosaic Law came and before Moses, the lawgiver was born. Abraham gave tithes of all to Melchizedek. Genesis 14:18-20

Abraham gave tithes and the Bible recorded that he was a prosperous man. Genesis 13:2

‘‘Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.’’ 

People despised tithing because of their stinginess of heart. They look at their wealthy Pastor who drives a big car and has a private jet and become offended in their spirits. ‘‘oh he must be living off our tithes, he must be fake’’

No Pastor can live off your tithes unless he has given commensurate value to his congregation. A Pastor who can command such luxury from his pulpit must have given to the congregation, through his messages; profitable inspirations, hope in times of despair, prayers in times of challenges, encouragement, faith, deliverance from the negatives and so on. It is impossible to operate otherwise unless he will steal it.

Humanity will always open its wallets to those who provide value. The Musician who provides great music for the elevation of the soul will always have fans in his concerts.

A brilliant lawyer who can argue cases brilliantly and win will never lack clients.

A medical doctor who can cure strange illnesses will never lack patients. Life is a continuous circle of giving and receiving.

It is the same with your Pastors, as long as he is giving robust and sincere spiritual benefits to the people he must, by the response to the universal law of giving and receiving, obtain material benefits.

‘‘Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.’’ 

2 Corinthians 9:6

The Law of Giving and Receiving is no respecter of persons.

Malachi 3: 9:10: 11

9You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me. 10Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. 11I will rebuke the devourer for you so that it will not destroy the fruits of your land, and the vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the LORD of Hosts.

These verses from the book of Malachi have been a subject of much controversy in the church of God but if just think a little, you will realize that it is the truth. If a man gives, he will receive, if he does not give, he will not have.

Compare the New Testament verse: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.’’

 2 Corinthians 9:6

If one man sows and reaps abundantly and another sows and reaps sparingly, Does it not appear like the man who reaps sparingly is cursed? Note the similarity between this verse and Malachi 3-9-10-11

The law of giving is the same, whether from the Old Testament scriptures or the New Testament scriptures. The Universe respond to the law of sowing and reaping. 

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”Genesis 8:22

Stinginess and miserliness are the devil’s game. It comes from a poverty mentality. People think supplies are limited and will soon run out, so they withhold the little they have and by the law of attraction they will become poor. Like attracts likes.

On the other hand, the giver gives in faith, although he may not have much at first. However, he will rejoice in the end because God rewards faith and not unbelief. Unbelief is sin. Romans 14:23

Giving is born from faith. 

Miserliness only serves Satanic aims. Poverty is from the devil. 

Any community where wealth flows from person to person will never lack increase. 

The Widow’s Two Mites

There is a certain story about Jesus’ comments concerning a certain widow;

21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.[a 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings [b]for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” Luke 21:1-4

Jesus Comments on Tithing

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

Abraham was the first tithe payer of record (Genesis 14:20). Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, paid tithes (Genesis 28:22). Scripture says that Levi, Abraham’s descendant and the father of the tribe from which the priesthood came, paid tithes in Abraham (Hebrews 7:9).

The Christian heritage of paying a tithe precedes the Law of Moses. As a child of Abraham and an heir of the promise of Abraham. They must acknowledge that family relationship by paying tithes.

 

Jesus said to the Jews, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). It would be strange to claim to be a child of Abraham and yet to neglect one of Abraham’s most fundamental and noteworthy acts.

Are New Testament Christians Heirs of Blessing of Abraham?

Galatians 3:29 makes this especially clear: "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise." Remember, this comes right after verse 28 which shows that Paul has in mind here male and female, slave and free, Jew and Greek. The most astonishing thing asserted here is that Greeks—uncircumcised Gentiles!—are heirs of the promises made to Abraham. You and I can become beneficiaries of God's promises to Abraham if we have the faith of Abraham and belong to Jesus Christ. (Romans 4:16, 17 also shows that Gentiles are made heirs of "the promise" because of faith. See also Galatians 3:14 and 4:30.)

Does Faith in Jesus Christ Exclude New Testament Christians from Tithing?

James 2:14-26

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith by [b]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works, faith was made [d]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Some people say, “Oh, we do not pay tithes, because tithing was under the law.” If that is a sufficient reason for not paying tithes, then we could also mistreat our parents, for the law said, Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). In actuality, we honour our father and mother and we give our tithes because the principles of the law are written in our hearts by the Spirit of God. We give willingly and liberally because the Spirit motivates us to give tithes.

Tithes help a Christian to cultivate a lifestyle of giving. If you cannot give a tenth of your income, how can you possibly give twenty or thirty per cent? People argue from dusk to dawn on tithing because of the satanic spirit of miserliness or because they hate to see their Pastors rich or his ministry grow prosperous. Only a pastor who is rich in both spiritual and material blessings can take the Gospel to the remote corners of the world as Jesus Christ commanded. Mark 16-15

The Example of the Early Christians

It is interesting to note that New Testament early Christians were recorded to have paid 100 per cent. They gave it all!

 Little wonder Christianity became the greatest faith in the world. 

Is it not alarming that in contrast to the early Christians, many of today’s Christians complain about 10 per cent!

Acts 2:45

All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need. 46 With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

They Died For The Gospels

It is noteworthy that many of the apostles and early Christians died for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

PETER

Peter was crucified around 66AD in Rome under the persecution of Emperor Nero. He was said to have been crucified upside down because he didn’t consider himself worthy to die the same way Jesus did.

 

JAMES

James was the first of the 12 to be put to death. King Herod had him killed by the sword in Jerusalem (Acts 12).

JOHN

The writer of the Gospel of John, the book of the Revelation and three epistles bearing his name, John is the only one of the 12 that history says was not put to death for his faith, although he suffered greatly because of Jesus throughout his long life. Tradition says he ended his life ministering in the region around Ephesus in modern-day Turkey and was buried there.

ANDREW

The brother of Peter, Andrew travelled north, bringing the good news to what is now Russia and the western regions of the former Soviet Union. He later travelled through modern-day Turkey and Greece where he was martyred.

PHILIP

Philip ministered in North Africa and then Asia Minor. Traditions say that a Roman Proconsul was so enraged that his wife had converted to Christianity because of Philip’s preaching that he had Philip brutally put to death. There is disagreement about the manner in which he died but no matter the method, it was because he fully believed that Jesus had died and risen from the grave. It is possible that Philip’s tomb was recently discovered.

 

BARTHOLOMEW/NATHANIEL

 

Bartholomew was apparently someone who loved to travel. Some accounts have him going to India with Thomas, then Armenia before heading along the trade routes between Ethiopia and the southern Arabian regions. He was martyred for his faith. In some places, he is listed as “Nathaniel” which could have been a family name or a name he was known by in the church.

MATTHEW/LEVI

The gospel writer who had previously been a tax collector, Matthew travelled to modern-day Iran and then down to Ethiopia, probably following established trade routes and preaching the gospel along the way. He was said to have been stabbed to death in Africa.

Like Bartholomew, Matthew was known by more than one name: Levi. This other name is easier to pin down and is probably a family or tribal identification.

THOMAS

Thomas gets a bad rap. Although he doubted the resurrection at first, Thomas’ faith in the risen Jesus was strong enough to send him to travel east to Syria and Iraq to preach the gospel, eventually ending up in India where the Marthoma Christian tradition considers him to be their founder. The Marthoma tradition says that Thomas died by stabbing at the hands of four soldiers.

JAMES THE SON OF ALPHAUES

Very possibly the brother of Matthew/Levi, James is believed to have preached in the regions north of Israel. A non-Christian historical account says that he was stoned and then clubbed to death. He is sometimes known as James the Younger (younger brother of Levi?) or James the Lesser (which would have had different connotations than it does for us today).

 

SIMON THE ZEALOT

 Simon was sawn in half in Persia. 

 

PHILIP

 He preached in the Phrygia region of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and was martyred for his faith in Jesus in the town of Hierapolis.

 

JUDAS THADEUS

He preached the gospel in Northern Syria, Iraq and Turkey. He was said to have been killed with arrows in Turkey’s mountainous northern region.

 

MATTHIAS

Tradition says that Matthias travelled north, possibly as far as the Caspian Sea. He was martyred for his faith

PAUL

Paul suffered for the Lord throughout his life. In addition to imprisonment and multiple threats to his life, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:25 that “Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.”

Paul was beheaded in Rome in 66 AD, possibly at the same time as Peter.

 

JUDAS

 Judas committed suicide after betraying Jesus. I mention this because every one of Jesus’ followers died. 10 of them as martyrs. John died of old age. But Judas chose a cursed path. He was not the only one who betrayed Jesus; all of the other disciples abandoned Jesus, and Peter directly denied knowing him. Paul persecuted Jesus’ followers. Yet all of them embraced God's grace and forgiveness, and that same grace was available to Judas.

It is the 100 per cent sacrificial giving of the early Christians that is responsible for the worldwide, extraordinary growth of the Christian faith. 

Those who are afraid to give ten per cent, cannot give 100per cent. If anyone truly loves the Lord, he will trust to give to the cause of His kingdom. 

 

 

 

Femi Falana Spits Fire:How can a serious nation be giving oil blocks to individuals when states are broke

 Femi Falana, SAN:

“On May 23, 1986, four young people were killed at the Ahmadu Bello University. I am saying this because somebody has said we are supporting this quit notice. Prof. Ango Abdullahi was the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University.

“When those students were killed by the police, he came out and said only four students were killed. That angered Nigerians, particularly Nigerian students, and there were protests. One of the universities where that protest was very successful was the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“The man who led that protest was the late Chima Ubani. The state did not like that there was a national protest against the killing of students. The government did not arrest people in the North; they did not arrest students who were demonstrating in the West.

“The Babangida regime went for Chima Ubani and arraigned him and eight of his colleagues under a military decree that required that they be sentenced to death. I left Lagos and went to Enugu to defend those young men and we got them freed. When they returned to campus, the Vice Chancellor expelled them. Again, I went to court and got them freed.

“This story is important because a Hausa Vice Chancellor invited police and they killed four young Hausa people. Nigerian students protested and an Igbo young man led that protest in the East against injustice. There are lawyers in the east, but a Yoruba lawyer from from the west went to free them.

“So, we must look at those things that tie us together and not those ones that the ruling class are using to divide our people. Poverty is the same all over the country; injustice is injustice all over. So, there is no nation without challenges and there is no nation without problems. It is the ability of a nation to rise to the challenge that matters.

“Those who are talking about restructuring, many of them are talking in the air. We must concretise this now. You can’t have political restructuring without economic restructuring. If you are talking about restructuring, you can’t be selling the assets of the country to individuals.

“How can a serious nation be giving oil blocks to individuals when states are broke. You are not giving these oil blocks to states. States are not buying electricity companies. We have just been informed that what is owed to pensioners who have served our fatherland is N300 billion. Just this week, the Federal Government released N701 billion to those who bought our electricity companies. Initially, they were given N300 billion. That is over one trillion naira to manage darkness in our country. So, please, let us begin to ask relevant questions.

“On the national conference, don’t be carried away because power is not given without a fight. Those who want implementation of the recommendations of the conference should be prepared for a struggle with Labour and with progressive extraction of the civil society.

“The most important recommendation is never touched by the ruling class. The most important recommendation is chapter two of the constitution that the fundamental objective of the state shall be made justiciable. In other words, right to education, right to health, right to unemployment benefits and living minimum wage, which are all set out in that chapter.

“Those who are talking of restructuring and federalism are not interested in these areas. But we must all remind them that the Awolowos, the Ahmadu Bellos and the Azikiwes of this world addressed social services for our people. That is no longer the case. So, please this talk about restructuring and federalism must be concretised.

“You can’t be going to Abuja every month to take money and yet, you are talking of true federalism. True federalism means you must produce what you need in your area and then, we can ask everybody to pay."

BREAKING: Security agents slap Odumeje, as Soludo Government demolishes prophet’s church+PHOTOS

Media reports say security officers have physically assaulted the General Overseer of Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere otherwise known as Odumeje.

The security agents, attached to the Anambra State Ministry of Environment reacted and pushed the preacher around, slapping him in the process when he tried to stop them from demolishing parts of his church.

The church, located around Nwagene, Fegge Onitsha, is one of the numerous buildings the Anambra State Government marked for demolition.

The state governor, Professor Charles Soludo had in earlier broadcasts, informed Anambra people that some buildings located by water channels will be demolished to allow free flow of water across the cities.

It was gathered that the demolition exercise started on Thursday morning. In a video clip, Prophet Odumeje was seen asking the officials to spare his church when security personnel slapped him, and he was pushed to his vehicle. Another video also shows the church being brought down by a caterpillar.

 

 Source: Jungle-Journalist.Com