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Federal workers in Nigeria have expressed hopes that the present administration would soon fix an acceptable living wage to cushion the hardships and sufferings of workers on the land.

The workers made this known through a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''Workers in Nigeria are full of  hopes that the Federal Government would soon announce a living wage that would put an end to their sufferings and tales of woes. In this respect, N300,000 is a living wage,''Comrade Emelieze stated.

He also called on labor leaders to be democratic by embarking on exhaustive consultations before reaching decisions,  adding'' rather than hasty decisions taken by labor bureaucrats without consultations.''

The Oluwo of Iwoland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi has disclosed that there are no slaves in his palace in Iwo, Osun state, Nigeria.

Oba Akanbi made this disclosure recently in a lecture titled CONSTITUTIONAL ROLES FOR ROYAL FATHERS at the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers' Union of Nigeria(RATTWU) Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo state(BCOS) chapter, Oyo state, Nigeria.

''I don't have slaves in my palaces, all those in my palace receive monthly salaries,'' Oba Akanbi stated.

In his remarks, the RATTAWU chairman, Comrade Kolapo Carew,  expressed gratitude to God for protecting members of the union all through the year, adding, ''our governor paid our Christmas salaries on the 14th of December. He has also paid the wage award, and he will soon pay the 13th month salaries.''

However, federal workers have lamented the stoppage of the N35,000 wage award.

The workers made this known through a former chairman of the Trade Union Congress(TUC) in Oyo state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''Salaries have remained the same while prices of goods and services have tripled within this period. We are surprised to note that the meager 35,000 naira wage award grudgingly given to the federal workers by the federal government to cushion the effects of the economic crisis caused by the subsidy removal has been stopped. The federal government paid only one month out of the six months promised. ''

''We, the federal government workers feel betrayed by the federal government. Our employer has been very unfair and unfaithful to us. We have not been treated as if we matter. We are citizens, we are not beggars, and we are supposed to be worthy of a fair wage. We, the federal workers, feel cheated. ''

Former Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu has described the death of the Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu(SAN), as an irreparable loss to Ondo state and Nigeria as a whole.

Dr. Shittu made this assertion in a chat with New Federation.

''My heart-felt sympathy goes to the family, the people of Ondo state and Nigeria as a whole. May God grant the family, the people of Ondo state  and Nigeria as a whole the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. He was a governor who performed wonderfully well. His sickness destabilized Ondo state for more than six months, only to result in his death. I pray that God will stabilize the state government, '' Dr. Shittu stated.

Nigerians have been called upon to give their lives to Jesus Christ as they go into the new year.

This call was made by Prophet Timothy Arabambi of the Christ Apostolic Church(CAC) Reformation land(Ile Atunse)Olunloyo-Akanran road, Ibadan, Nigeria.

''With Jesus Christ all things are possible. I am  appealing to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to give their lives to Jesus Christ as they go into the new year. Jesus Christ is the hope for the hopeless. Nigerians should accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal savior.''

Despite the economic hardships brought about by the removal of the fuel subsidy, millions of Nigerians are still smiling because they have Jesus Christ in them. I am appealing to all and sundry to accept  Jesus Christ  as their Lord and savior,'' Prophet Arabambi stated.

The strangulating inflation, prohibitive prices of goods and services and the poor performance of the Naira in the exchange market are all signposts of a faulty leadership foisted on Nigerians.

This assertion was made by a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''The inflation in the country has brought about untold hardships, sufferings and difficulties for millions of Nigerians, coupled with the poor showing of the Naira in the exchange market. All these are credible indicators that faulty leadership has been foisted on Nigerians and the World Bank knows this fact and is utilizing it to the fullest. It is very glaring in all sectors of the economy,''Comrade Emelieze stated.

The Holy spirit's work is a gift  of God that is freely given on the basis of faith and faith only.

His Spirit is given to us to accomplish His purposes, not ours.

The Spirit cannot be bought or bargained for.

Acts 8 : 9-25

9But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

25And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

The Federal Government has been called upon to account for the deductions of the National Housing Fund from workers' salaries.

This call was made by a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''The National Housing Funds deductions from the salaries of workers has been non-functional as workers do not have access to the loans as a result of the stringent conditions attached to the loans. The government should account for the deductions, otherwise the widespread feeling is that the NHF is a ploy to swindle workers of their hard-earned money,''Comrade Emelieze stated.

Similarly, the N35,000 wage award  cannot solve the problems workers are presently experiencing.

This assertion was made by a former chairman of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP) University College Hospital(UCH)Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Olusegun Sotiloye.

There is no way that N35,000 can alleviate the sufferings of workers. It is a drop in the ocean. How can N35,000 be enough for one using a car and buying 10 litres at N600.00 per litre, calculate the cost of this for one week. What about workers without cars, they spend as much as N2,000 per day on transportation. N35,000 is not enough to take care of transportation. The wage award is a good gesture, but it is not what will solve the myriad of problems brought about by the fuel subsidy removal, Comrade Sotiloye stated.

The attitude, behavior and activities of millions of Nigerians are crucial to the visibility of the positive impact of education on their lives.

Even when the whole annual budget, once the needful by Those-in-authority is not done, salvaging the deteriorated standard of education would just be an exercise in futility.

The open display of lawlessness, indiscipline, criminality and evil in different parts of the country are pointers to the unwavering fact that education is yet to achieve its purpose in Nigeria.