U.S To Visit Ghana.

The proposed visit of US President, Barack Obama, to Ghana has whipped up frenzy among ordinary Nigerians and is now turning into a political and diplomatic ‘tug of words’. Mr Obama and his wife Michelle will visit Ghana in July, his fist trip to Africa as an American head of state.
Since the announcement was made earlier this month, some Nigerians, including some at the top of the political hierarchy are furious that Mr Obama’s choice of Ghana ahead of Nigeria, a strategic partner to the US and the ‘heavy weight’ of Africa, is not only a snub but a shame. But many simply argue that whilst Nigeria is a failed state Ghana is both a thriving democracy and a political success in Africa, thus Obama’s preference.
The latest to join the battle of words is the popular Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who indicated that Obama’s choice of Ghana is a wise decision: "If Obama decides to grace Nigeria with his presence, I will stone him. The message he is sending by going to Ghana is so obvious, is so brilliant that he must not render it flawed by coming to Nigeria any time soon," he said.

Joshua Under Fire...

There is no denying the fact that whatever brings a man to stardom lies in his vision and personal drive and that fame, success and recognition do not come by accident but through commitment and dint of hard work.

Interestingly, those who stand the test of time and reach the pinnacle of success will almost certainly attract both negative and positive attention, which, depending on the authenticity and how it is managed, would determine whether the person involved survives or not.

For now, it may be difficult to ascertain the extent of damage the ongoing war of words between embattled Prophet Temitope Joshua on the one hand and his estranged aides (Bisola Johnson and Paul Agomoh on the other hand) who accused the prophet of promiscuity, deception, manipulation and fake miracles, would cause.

But the truth is that the General Overseer of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet T.B. Joshua, is currently under fire as a victim of very incriminating allegations, especially on the veracity of series of miracles performed by him. Many therefore are wont to ask: Is T.B. Joshua a true prophet of God? Can he be classified amongst genuine men of God or is he a magician? Where do we place him?

First, the recent attack was in form of an open letter to Fatai Balogun aka T.B. Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos, as written and signed by Pastor Ladi Peters Thompson of Living Waters Unlimited Church, Lagos, in which the former was accused of casting a spell on his members and being engulfed in the 'perfidy of deceit'. It also gave an urgent call to the former to repent of his wickedness or face the wrath of God.

Militant Leader Killed in Nigeria

A Nigerian oil militant leader has been shot dead in police custody.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) claim Ken Niweigha known as "Daddy Ken" was executed by the police.
But the police say he was killed in a shootout after he took them to his hideout to surrender his weapons.
Human rights groups say extra-judicial execution is "shockingly common" in Nigeria, where the police lack the capacity to do their jobs effectively.
After his arrest on Tuesday, Mr Niweigha, who led the Egbesu Boys armed group in Bayelsa State, was paraded in front of journalists.
We did not know that he had arranged with his gang to attack us
Police Commissioner Onouha Udeka
Nigeria's infamous police executions
He then agreed to take the police to his hideout in Odi town and surrender all his arms, local media reported police commissioner Onouha Udeka as saying.
"He promised he was going to take us to his hideout in Odi where he hid his weapons," said Mr Udeka.
"But we did not know that he had arranged with his gang to attack us and possibly get him freed. Ken was shot trying to escape."
'Harbouring militants'
Mr Niweigha was the only person killed in the shootout, he said.

Thousands flee Delta fighting
Will Nigeria oil offensive backfire?
A spokesman from Mend - an affiliation of armed groups in the oil-rich Niger Delta - accused the police of "summarily executing" Mr Niweigha.
"The Nigerian government in authorising extra-judicial killings is sending a clear message to youths from the region that it is better to die fighting for freedom than be killed by a lawless system of government," Jomo Gbomo said in an e-mail to journalists.
Mr Niweigha had been arrested after 500 women from Odi demanded something should be done to stop militants fleeing from an army operation in neighbouring Delta State coming to the town.
The women told police "Daddy Ken" that was harbouring them.
It is unusual for people to turn in militants as they are often feared or pay Delta communities to keep quiet, but Odi residents said they feared a repeat of an army operation 10 years ago which devastated the town.
Military operation
US-based rights body Human Rights Watch reported 50 people were killed in that attack, which was provoked by the murder of 12 policemen, allegedly by militants led by Daddy Ken.
Other local accounts put the number of dead at much higher.
A security operation is currently under way in the swamps of Delta State where the military Joint Task Force (JTF) is hunting Mend fighters.
Militant groups in the Niger Delta have flourished amid a lack of governance and rule of law.
They claim to be fighting to help local people benefit from the region's oil wealth but fund their activities with oil theft, extortion and kidnapping.