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We want our heroes to remain on their pedestals, so that we who aspire to be like them may hope one day to share in the honor and privilege they enjoy.

Jesus Christ's humility shows itself in his readiness to serve us.

Ours shows our readiness to receive His service.

It is said that it is better to give than to receive.

But it is sometimes harder to receive, it puts us in debt to the one who gives and robs us of the pride of being in the position of giving to others.

Read-Luke 16:13, Joshua 24:15

There is no distinction between the vine and its branches. From the moment it emerges from the soil, the vine begins to spread.

It is its branch.

To belong to Jesus Christ is to be part of the true vine.

For this reason, we can pray in complete confidence, because when our wills are united with his, we will pray as part of the living vine.

The image of Jesus Christ is all about growth, which happens organically, from within the very substance of the vine.

Nourished by the sun, by rain and chemicals which feed it from the soil in which it is planted, the vine forces its way into the light.

We have here an image of growth which gives us a powerful understanding of what it means to belong to Jesus Christ.

Mao Zedong, popularly known as Chairman Mao, was successful with his noble goals for China through despotic means.

His leadership was severe, dictatorial and personalized.

For as long as Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution lasted, thousands of Chinese died of starvation and inhuman labor.

Mao and his co-travelers argued that the same was the price their people had to pay for re-education.

This brand of governance ensured the extermination of the heroes of the civil war and the old party chieftains by the President's armed squad.

Chairman Mao is perhaps the role model of those who hold sway in Nigeria today.

Indeed, the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai is among several other political office holders, who adore President Muhammadu Buhari.

Those in support of this argument insist that on a number of occasions, the Kaduna state Governor knelt down to greet and/or consult with the President. They maintain that this is only a sign of respect in the traditional African setting.

However, those against this order of things, stress that the underlying factors revolve around hypocrisy and boot licking.

Nigerians are yet to stop complaining of constitutional breaches and the unabated trampling of the rule of law in the dust, without noticeable changes by the powers that be.

From recent events in the country, the economic reform programs of the All Progressives Congress(APC) led government at the center and in the states, are modeled along the thinking of a free market economy.

It is doubtful if the government, in most recent times, has managed the economy for the benefit of Nigerians.

Of worry is the state of manufacturing industries, which could be said to be epileptic, even as food security is a mirage, insecurity is the chorus everywhere, while crude oil remains the major hope of the present administration.

Interestingly, the future growth of the Nigerian economy rests comfortably on diversification and focus on visionary and creative people-friendly economic policies, although the government still over-relies and over-depends on crude oil to fund its programs.

Can the present administration turn around the troubled economy ? Nobody knows.

Workers in a number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the federal civil service have expressed disappointment over the discovery that only 40, 000 Naira was added to each worker's monthly salary in the guise of the new national minimum wage.

 The workers insisted that the government,''in the process has caused great problems for them, saying,''workers have been defrauded, there is nothing like consequential adjustment. Just 40,000 Naira was added to the salary of every worker under the pretense of the new national minimum wage.''

''Workers have never had it this bad. The 70,000 Naira as announced by the Federal Government is mere window dressing and a deceit of the highest order. We are now finding it extremely difficult to survive and meet their various obligations,'' they stated.

Avoid sowing evil, it only results in destruction. The word of God brings about happiness and peace. The devil is the enemy in the home, who influences all that is evil.

Husbands killing their wives and wives killing husbands is common place in society today. Why is this so ? The devil has infiltrated several homes. Fathers and mothers no longer bring up their children according to the word of God.

Teach your children the ways of the Lord, so that when they grow up they will not depart from the word of God.

Don't give the devil the opportunity to take over the affairs of your home, build your home on the foundation of the word of God.

(A Psalm of David.) Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

18The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

​Teachers in Oyo state have pledged their continued loyalty to the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde for his good deeds to them.

The teachers made this pledge on Saturday through the chairman of the state wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT), Comrade Raji Oladimeji during the 2024 World Teachers Day celebration in Ibadan, Nigeria.

''On behalf of all the teachers in Oyo state, I say thank you father, we will remain loyal. We appreciate the governor for so many things he has done for us. Kindly permit me to mention a few of the laudable achievements so far recorded since the assumption of office as the Executive Governor of Oyo state: 1)Prompt and regular payment of teachers' salaries on the 25th day of every month or earlier should that date fall on a holiday or weekend; 2)Payment of N25,000 palliative to teachers since October 2023, to cushion the negative effect of the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government. 3)Mass promotion of qualifed secondary school teachers to salary Grade Level 17. First of its kind in the annals of the history of Oyo state. 4) Mass promotion of graduate teachers in primary schools to a salary of Grade Level 15, among others.''

Not surprisingly, parents and guardians in the state have continued to express mixed feelings about the behavior and conduct of pupils and students in public and private schools spread across the state.

In a show of appreciation, the NUT chairman named the NUT(Endwell)Model College sports complex, Owode Housing Estate, Apata, after the state governor.

Similarly, in his remarks, the chairman of the state council of the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC)Comrade Kayode Martins commended the state governor for all his good gestures to workers in the state, saying''we want to appreciate you for giving us so much. You have done so much for us. The NLC Oyo state council appreciate you.''

Awards of excellence were given to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, the majority leader of the state House of Assmebly, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin, the commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, the chairman of the state Teaching Service Commission, Pastor Akinade Alamu, the chairman of the state Universla Baisc Education, Dr. Nureni Adeniran and a member of the ninth assembly of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Shina Peller.

However, the chairman of Jogor Events Center, Engr. Femi Babalola, also an awardee, was conspicuously absent.

At the 2023 World Teachers day, the special guest of honor of the state council of the NUT was a reputable business executive and philanthropist, Engr. Dotun Sanusi.

Teachers in primary and secondary schools in Nigeria have expressed worries over their poor salaries and despicable conditions of service.

The teachers, who lamented that they were experiencing great difficulties in meeting up with their domestic obligations, stressed that the new minimum wage of N70,000 may not be realistic in a number of private schools in the country.

Mrs. Memuna Ibrahim, a teacher in the Lube area of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) disclosed that salaries in private schools were very ridiculous,''most of these schools pay below N25,000''

However, Ejembi Ada, a teacher in a private school in Akwanag in Nasarawa state, maintains that most private schools don't issue letters of appointment and conditions of service, these schools treat teachers like casual workers.''

Interestingly, Matthew Audu, a teacher in a private secondary school in Lokoja, Kogi state, noted that the poor treatment of teachers in private schools has negatively affected the performance of pupils and students in internal and external examinations.

October 5, annually, is set aside to commemorate international teachers' day.

Teachers in Nigeria, however, insist that they have every cause to celebrate the gift of life, despite the prohibitive prices of foodstuffs, transportation, other goods and services which have gone beyond the reach of millions of disillusioned Nigerians.

People are uncomfortable with language, which suggests hierarchies and power relationships. However, we are happier with the language of equality.

None of us is entirely happy with the thought of being a prisoner of a servant.

These are words which have few honorable associations with us.

 So what is the mystery which Christ proclaims ?

It is precisely the liberty we most desire, a liberty which is a mystery or infinite treasure because it makes us all members of the body of Christ.

In Christ, we are offered the true equality of belonging.

These days it is very difficult for people to feel that they belong to anything.

We are deeply scarred by the kinds of greed or apathy which set whole communities against each other.

Let us pray for global healing between nations which have made servants of each other and prisoners of debt; let us pray for world unity.