We sold Primate Akinola’s N19m vehicle for N600,000

From Nigeria-

MEMBERS of a robbery gang which went against the warning in the Holy Book which says ‘Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm’ by attacking the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Peter Akinola on December 24, 2013, along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, are now singing like canaries at the Special Anti Robbery Squad unit of the Ogun state Police Command, after they were arrested in the process of launching another assault on unsuspecting members of the public.

Their arrest also revealed that the cleric was not the only popular victim of the gang members, as they opened up and confessed that they were the ones who dispossessed the notable football mathematician, Chief Segun Odegbami of his Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) sometime ago between Aro and Wasinmi along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway.

More here-

http://www.tribune.com.ng/crime-2/item/14107-we-sold-primate-akinola-s-n19m-vehicle-for-n600-000

My ordeal in the hands of kidnappers — Ex-CAN President, Peter Akinola

From Nigeria-

A former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Peter Akinola, who was kidnapped by gunmen on Tuesday, and freed later that day by a search party led by the Ogun state Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has narrated his ordeal in the hands of his abductors.

Speaking exclusively to PREMIUM TIMES at his Abeokuta residence on Wednesday morning, shortly before he headed out to church for Christmas service, the retired primate of the Anglican Church said the gunmen pounced on him and his driver as he was leaving this foundation’s office along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

He said the four-men gang blocked his car, and pulled him and his driver out at gun point. One of the bandits then took over the steering wheel while another member pinned down the cleric and his driver at the back.

Two other gang members followed behind in a Toyota Primera car they brought for the operation.
“We could not even identify the road the bandits were taking us through as we were ordered to lie face down or else they would blow us up,” the former CAN leader said.

More here-

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=140390

Nigeria: You Can't Defeat Boko Haram, Cleric Tells Jonathan

From Nigeria-

Former Primate of the Anglican Communion, Peter Akinola, has told President Goodluck Jonathan that the Boko Haram insurgents cannot be defeated as they are out to wipe out Christians and Jews.

He spoke at the National Christian Centre Abuja during a special inter-denominational service to mark this year's Democracy Day.

In his sermon titled: "Know the truth and the truth shall set you free," Akinola said the sect has been in existence since 1966 and cannot be defeated by the Federal Government.

He said Nigerians should not be deceived by the antics of Boko Haram, saying the sect is involved in a Jihad against Christians.

According to the cleric, "We have ignored the truth. Boko Haram must be seen in the right context. It is a continuation of the past. Shun all political claims that Boko Haram is not against Christianity. It is. It has been going on since 1966. They are committed to Jihad. You can't stop them.

More here-

http://allafrica.com/stories/201205280661.html

Conservative Anglican group met here over the weekend

From Bermuda-

A group of conservative Anglicans held a conference in Bermuda to discuss their disapproval of lesbian bishop.

And sources said many local clergymen did not attend the meetings.

The meetings took place April 5 to 9 where the group criticised the Episcopal church for the election of a "partnered lesbian", Rev. Mary Glasspool, as a bishop in Los Angeles. The group also decided on the new leadership for the Global Anglican Future Conference/Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Primates Council.

While there were public meetings, this newspaper understands discussions of Rev. Glasspool were held in private.

Rev. Canon James Francis said he didn't attend because he doesn't agree with the council.

"They are a religious group and they decided to form their own coalition and therefore they have the right to meet anywhere they want to meet. I prefer not to join them because they're not in communion with the Anglican church.

"I consider them to be conservative. I don't know why they were here. They pay their pay where ever they go. I don't know what they consider themselves to be."

More here-

http://www.royalgazette.com/rg/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7da472b30030002&sectionId=60

The Church in Nigeria

From Nigeria-

Archbishop Peter J Akinola recently retired as Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria after a very eventful and evidently successful tenure. He was also Bishop of Abuja; Chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa; Chairman of the "South-South Encounter" of the Anglican Communion and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria".

Bishop Akinola was most known worldwide for his opposition to the ordination of homosexuals within the Anglican Communion. In 2003, he led a revolt against the planned ordination of Jeffrey John and Gene Robinson as Bishops of Reading and New Hampshire respectively precipitating a crisis in the Communion when the US Episcopals proceeded with Gene Robinson's ordination. He became leader of a newly formed Convocation of Anglicans in North America, Anglicans who preferred to join with Akinola and the African Bishops who were irrevocably opposed to the ordain these homosexuals in the face of the explicit condemnation of homosexuality in several parts of the Bible.

Many true Christians in Nigeria, including non-Anglicans (and this columnist) were justifiably proud of, and encouraged by the leadership and principled position taken by Akinola. TIME Magazine was also impressed and nominated the Bishop as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2006, recognising him in the category of leaders and revolutionaries. Bishop Akinola chose fidelity to the scriptures rather than bending to the will of the western Anglican Church, which appears to have lost its way. I have however wished that Bishop Akinola would devote the same zeal he put to work against homosexuality towards issues which plague the church and society in Nigeria such as witchcraft and occultism, polygamy, election rigging, poor governance and most importantly corruption!

More here-

http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9688:the-church-in-nigeria&catid=96:columnists&Itemid=350

Akinola tackles Gaddafi over divisive comments

From The Punch (Nigeria)-

The outgoing Primate of the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Peter Akinola, has described a call by Libyan leader, Mmammar Gaddafi, that Nigeria should split along religious lines as “unreasonable.”

Akinola made the remarks in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Thursday shortly after he performed the dedication of the St. James Anglican Church and the first phase of the Diocese of Kwara Guest House complex.

But Akinola said that Gaddafi’s suggestion was irrational and advised Nigerians to ignore him.

He said, “How can you be calling for the splitting of Nigeria into separate Christian and Muslim countries when you have Christians who are indigenes of the north and Muslims who are indigenes of the south and vice versa within the country.”

“I have said it many times that Gaddafi is not a reasonable person, and I want to advise that we should ignore him,” he added.

He maintained that the Libyan leader was not worth giving any attention, noting that in most parts of Nigeria, both Christians and Muslims were interrelated within families and communities.

He advised Gaddafi to keep quiet instead of making inciting remarks on sensitive matters.

“Gadafi is known for making outrageous and inflammable remarks. I think it will be better if he sits down quietly.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201003193432292

Controversial archbishop of Nigeria Peter Akinola steps down with purpose

From World Magazine-

It's a strange phenomenon when weather—or anything—slows the archbishop of Nigeria, Peter Akinola. But that's what happened when record snowfall in Washington last month forced the cancellation of a long-anticipated celebration, known among Anglicans as a festal eucharist, to commemorate Akinola.

The stout, 66-year-old clergyman, who friends say gets by on three to four hours' sleep a night and keeps a travel schedule to rival any gold-status f requent flier, will step down March 25 as head of the Anglican church in Nigeria—at 20 million, the largest Anglican communion in the world.

The event that was to include national and international church leaders would have displayed the significance of his six-year tenure, a time when the African primates began to lead rather than follow their Western counterparts. Instead the Nigerian is in a downtown D.C. restaurant—counting the hours until his plane departs ("six"), marveling at the snow ("a wonderful and fierce problem for me"), remembering what lies behind, and straining toward the future.

More here-

http://www.worldmag.com/articles/16455

Vacuum - Anglican Primate Berates Yar'Adua

From AllAfrica-

Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion),Most Reverend Peter Jasper Akinola, recently condemned the refusal of President Umaru Yar'Adua to hand-over to Vice President Jonathan Goodluck due to his ill-health.

Fielding questions from journalists on the state of the nation shortly after the inaugurating the newly created Diocese of Igbomina West and installation of the Rt. Revd. James Akinola as the Bishop in Iludun Oro, Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State, the Primate said "there is a vacuum in the leadership of the country and that is not right."

According to him, some 'evil' people were encouraging lawlessness because they were feeding fat in the confusion occasioned by the absence of President Umar Yar'Adua.

"All that is happening now is a contradiction of the position of Mr. President himself. He has always been an apostle of the Rule of Law. The constitution is very clear as to what is to be done if the president is not around. The constitution has made a provision. What we should do is to ensure we follow it. And Mr. President is very clear on this all the times. He believes in the rule of law, but he has refused to hand over to his vice. Where is the rule of law in this case now,?" the Anglican Primate said.

more here-

http://allafrica.com/stories/201001180684.html

Nigeria:Primate Akinola Tasks Politicians On Poverty Alleviation

From All Africa-

Most Rev. Peter Akinola, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, on Saturday urged Nigeria's political leaders to work toward the reduction of poverty in the country. Akinola made the call in Ile-Ife during the interdenominational service held to commemorate the 80th birthday anniversary of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II.

He noted that Nigeria had abundant resources that could be harnessed and used to enhance the citizens' living standards, adding that the bane of the country was crass mismanagement, corruption and other forms of malfeasance."In the midst of abundance, Nigerians now use second-hand clothes, cars and other materials, as they cannot afford to purchase new products due to hardship," he said

Akinola, however, warned those in authority to exhibit the fear of God in their daily interactions and repent from their evil ways to avoid God's wrath.

The primate extolled the virtues of Sijuwade and urged him to move closer to God,

"You have accomplished your mission in life; if there is excess luggage, be it money, women, tradition or anything that can block your way to heaven, please let it go, shake it off, so that you can enjoy eternal life," Akinola said.

More here-

http://allafrica.com/stories/201001040757.html

Anglican Primate Akinola extols Ooni’s virtues

From Vanguard (Nigeria)

THE Primate, Anglican Communion, Rt Rev Jasper Akinola, has described the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, as a humble monarch, who has the fear of God at heart.

Akinola, who preached during an interdenominational church service organised to commemorate the Ooni’s 80th birthday ceremony, yesterday in Ile-Ife, said Sijuwade maintained a good relationship with God despite the allure of royalty.

He urged Nigerians to emulate the virtues of the traditional ruler, which he listed as humility, godliness and compassion.

The primate recalled that the Ooni removed his crown and went down on his knees during a prayer session, stressing that the act exemplified the traditional ruler as God-fearing.
Dignitaries from the public and private sectors graced the ceremony, which was the climax of a two-day celebration that witnessed presentation of chieftaincy titles to distinguished Nigerians and non-Nigerians.

Provost, College of Humanities, Osun State University, Ikire Campus, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, reviewed a book entitled, Ile-Ife, to commemorate the occasion.

Oyeweso, a professor of history, warned that Nigeria must not lose sight of its past in charting a course for the future. President of Republic of Benin , Dr Thomas Boni Yayi, was the guest of honour while the Asantehene of Kumasi, King Otumfuo Osei Tutu, was the chairman of the occasion.

More here-

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/01/02/anglican-primate-akinola-extols-ooni’s-virtues/comment-page-1/

Nigeria’s past heroes may have died in vain — Akinola

From Nigeria-

Chancellor, Bishop Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State, Most Rev. Peter Akinola, has said the situation in the country indicates that the vision, sacrifice and labour of “our past heroes are now virtually in vain.”

He berated the nation’s leaders for sending their children to foreign schools with tax payers money after grounding the educational system.

Akinola argued that between 1990 and 2002, the federal budgetary allocation to the education sector only existed on paper, judging by the disparity between published figures and disbursments.

Akinola, who is also the Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), spoke at the university’s maiden convocation on Monday. He spoke shortly after his investiture as the chancellor of the university by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olajire Olaniran.

Akinola said, “On paper, the percentages of the federal budget for education between 1990 and 2002 ranged from as much as 5.45 to 11 per cent, but what was disbursed and actually expended on our schools was a far cry from those high figures.

“The standard of education has so fallen that we produce largely unemployable graduates; as many of them can hardly defend their certificates.

“The irony of the matter is that it is those responsible for the bankruptcy in our (education) system that take the lead in the desertion of state institutions.

“(They go) not to local private ones (universities), but more painfully using tax-payers money overseas where patriotic leaders have laboured to establish reputable and sound education institutions. Sadly, the situation in Nigeria today is that the vision, sacrifice and labours of our heroes past are now virtually in vain. A writer, Prof. A. Ekwunife, attributes it to truncated, vitiated and dualistic leadership value systems in Nigeria.”

More here-

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20091202413821

New Primate elected for the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

From Anglican Communion News-


The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has elected Nicholas Orogodo Okoh as its fourth Primate in succession to the Most Revd Peter Akinola. The announcement was made on 15 September after an election at the Cathedral Church of Stephen, Umuahia, Abia State in which the new Archbishop secured a two-thirds majority in a four candidate contest.

Currently Archbishop of Bendel Province and Bishop of Asaba diocese, the Most Revd Nicholas Orogodo Akoh retired from the army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2001 having fought in the civil war.

He studied at Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan between 1976 and 1979, was made deacon in 1979, appointed Archdeacon in 1987 and subsequently, in1991, Archdeacon. He was elected Bishop of Asaba in 2001 and then in July 2005, Archbishop of Bendel.

http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/9/16/ACNS4651

Anglican head, Akinola, seeks end to ‘creek war

THE Primate of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Peter Akinola, yesterday, in Lokoja warned against the continued aerial attacks by the Joint Task Force on the Niger Delta, saying that unless urgent steps are taken to remedy the situation, Nigeria’s democracy was heading for a doom.

The cleric said reports of renewed fighting in the last few days between the troops of the JTF and militants which has led to loss of lives and displaced many was capable of sending a wrong signal to the nation's democracy.

The Anglican primate was in Lokoja to attend the church's provincial economic empowerment seminar which has attracted over 150 bishops of the diocese from within and outside the country.

According to him, the situation in the Niger Delta is one that needed to be addressed very quickly and it is high time that government began to live to its billings by making good its promises to the people of the region by providing employment to the unemployed young men in the area.

Government, he said, must be able to do that to the people directly and not through some middlemen or through some bureaucratic civil servants.

It was also high time for the government to give the people of the region a sense of belonging because, as he put it, “a situation were somebody with a diploma holder on religious studies from somewhere is made a General Manager over someone with a first class degree in a related field in the oil industry is not acceptable."


http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36198&Itemid=47

I'm not disturbed by my arraignment—Guobadia

FORMER chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC), Dr. Abel Guobadia, (pictured) declared weekend that his arraignment at a magistrate court in Benin City for alleged defamation against the Anglican Bishop of Benin Diocese, Rev. Peter Imasuen, was not an embarrassment to him.

He said that the situation could have been embarrassing if he had been convicted of the 4-count charge of defamation and publishing false information against the Anglican Bishop, just as he expressed his desire to ensure that the case got to its logical conclusion.
Guobadia, who spoke to newsmen at his GRA residence in Benin City, insisted that the Anglican Bishop was guilty of the allegation against him and said he was ready to go ahead with the suit as “ at the end of the day, the world will see that he is not supposed to be a Bishop in the first place”.

Dr. Guobadia traced the crisis in the church to the demand by the youths and elders of the church for the creation of an additional Diocese out of the present Benin Diocese in 2008.
He said that the Primate of Anglican Church in Nigeria , Rev. Peter Akinola, had visited Benin to mediate on the face off between the Bishop and the elders in which the bishop was made to apologise to the elders.

He stressed the need for the leadership of Anglican Church in the country to take an urgent decision on the crisis rocking the church in Edo state.
According to him, “ there are indications that more elders of the Anglican Church will be arrested in relation with the ongoing suit at the Benin Magistrate Court because, we as elders of the church must be on the side of the truth.

“ If you say you are a Bishop, why will you be arresting your members because of the truth? But we are not bothered because we believe that the leadership of the Anglican communion will find solution to the problem”.

Dr Guobadia was arraigned, alongside a prominent Benin-based lawyer, Mr. Samuel Urhoghide, in a Benin magistrate court last Wednesday for a four-count charge of defamation of the character of the Bishop of the Diocese.

More here-

http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/36075/44/

No change in attitudes. I'm proof that Akinola lied when he said there were no gay people in Nigeria.

From the London Guardian-

I am still recovering from the pains and stress of making sure members of Changing Attitude Nigeria were present at last week's hearing of the same-sex marriage prohibition bill in Abuja.

When we started Changing Attitude Nigeria in 2005, the first reaction I received from Archbishop Akinola was to allow his then communications officer to use his name to launch a smear campaign against me.

What is my crime? My crime is that I said I was a gay Nigerian Anglican who is tired of living in the closet over my sexuality, which already was an open secret.

Why was the church of Nigeria so angry with me? They were angry with me because at that time Archbishop Akinola, in collaboration with his western conservative friends, was saying that there were no homosexuals in Nigeria. My coming out showed their false claims up for what they were, and I am glad to see that they now acknowledge our existence, although they do not celebrate us.

I have repeatedly told Archbishop Akinola and his allies that what westerners introduced to Nigeria was the Christian faith and homophobia. Homosexuality has existed in Africa from the beginning, and we have local names for it in our languages, be they abusive or adored names. We have a name for it and people only give names to what they can identify.

More here-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/mar/20/nigeria-gay-rights

for some background see-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2009/mar/13/religion-anglicanism-akinola-nigeria

The latest hate speech from the Church of Nigeria

From the Guardian in London-

If ever you think the Anglican church of Nigeria cannot get more incoherently bigoted about gay people, you're wrong. The latest proof comes in a position paper (pdf)

http://thinkinganglicans.org.uk/uploads/CoNposition.pdf

submitted by the church to a parliamentary committee which is planning a law against gay marriage. Homosexuality is already illegal in Nigeria, of course, as is gay marriage. But the proposed law would provide three years in jail for gay couples who got married, and five years for any witnesses. Earlier drafts have proposed long jail sentences, also, for anyone who argues in favour of gay marriage.

If ever a law were a simple incitement to hate, this is it, and here is Archbishop Akinola of the Church of Nigeria cheering them on:

Same sex marriage, apart from being ungodly, is unscriptural, unnatural, unprofitable, unhealthy, un-cultural, un-African and un-Nigerian. It is a perversion, a deviation and an aberration that is capable of engendering moral and social holocaust in this country. It is also capable of existincting [sic] mankind and as such should never be allowed to take root in Nigeria. Outlawing it is to ensure the continued existence of this nation. The need for doing this is urgent, compelling, and imperative.

His statement also suggests that the penalties in the law be changed around, so that the happy couple be sentenced to up five years in jail, and individual witnesses to up to three years. If witnesses were to be charged collectively, the archbishop suggests, there should be a mandatory sentence for all of them of one year in jail.

More here-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2009/mar/13/religion-anglicanism-akinola-nigeria

Orthodox Anglicans Don't Expect Unity for Long

Days after Anglican leaders came out of a global meeting pleased with the respect and graciousness that were exchanged despite ongoing internal conflicts, one prominent conservative bishop demanded that the "bitter truth" be acknowledged – that their differences are irreconcilable.

In an open letter addressed to Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, who is considered the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, Nigerian Archbishop Peter J. Akinola expressed his discontentment with the churches in North America and their continued pro-gay actions.

"It now seems increasingly clear that without a radical change of behavior on the part of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada the only possible outcome of such a process is acknowledgment of a bitter truth that the differences in the words of Archbishop Idris Jones are 'irreconcilable,'" Akinola wrote in the letter, released Tuesday.

During a Feb. 1-5 meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, Anglican leaders agreed to maintain a moratorium on the ordination of openly gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions as they try to move forward to mend their rifts and re-establish mutual trust.

http://www.christianpost.com/Intl/Church_bodies/2009/02/orthodox-anglicans-don-t-expect-unity-for-long-10/

The Economist on Lambeth and Africa

Another look at Anglicnaism in Africa and its effects on the coomunion.

"It is true that Africa’s Christianity, even among august denominations like the Anglicans, is more passionate than it is farther north. Apart from the contest with Islam, this also reflects the need to offer as intense an experience as do the Pentecostalists. On the other hand, many African Anglicans love the idea of an episcopate that goes back to the dawn of the Christian era, something the Pentecostalists can’t provide. In Kenya, Anglicanism offers social cachet; and in Rwanda, Anglicanism attracts those who prefer the Anglophone Commonwealth to the Francophone past."

http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11791572

A gay Nigerian Anglican activist has been granted political asylum. Why won't the bishops stand up to his persecutors?

Manchester Guardian commentary on the political asylum granted a gay Nigerian Christian as well as the state of the Nigerian Anglican Church. The claim is that the hierarchy is autocratic and membership numbers inflated.

"When Mac-Iyalla first surfaced three years ago, organising a local chapter of the Changing Attitude pro-gay Anglican group, the Nigerian hierarchy refused to believe he existed - their line was that there were no homosexuals in Nigeria and, anyway, such people were worse than beasts. Then, when he produced proof that he was not only a practising church-goer but also had formerly been assistant to a Nigerian bishop, who had since died, the press officer of the Nigerian archbishop Peter Akinola shamelessly claimed that Mac-Iyalla had embezzled church funds - an allegation for which he provided no proof."

"Surely it could not be, could it, that worldwide Anglicanism's voice is a bit like the Wizard of Oz's: booming, surrounded by an imposing edifice, but concealing a very small presence?"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/29/religion.gayrights

Akinola threatens discipline for any Nigerian Bishop who goes to Lambeth

Archbishop of Nigeria, Peter Akinola (pictured) talking with George Conger about the Lambeth conference.
Just a question, but if Lambeth is immaterial then why would you need to discipline a Bishop who went?

"Initial claims that a Nigerian bishop had bucked his Church have proven false.

However, Archbishop Peter Akinola told ReligiousIntelligence.com the whole issue of who was or was not at Lambeth was immaterial. “At this point it is a non-issue for us. After Lambeth, any Nigerian who may have chosen to flout our provincial and collective decision will have to answer to the general synod. Its as simple as that.""

http://www.religiousintelligence.com/news/?NewsID=2361