By David Owei, Bayelsa

Christian leaders and organisations have again been admonished to set aside every form of unhealthy competition among themselves in order to win more souls for the Kingdom of God.

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the admonition when the National Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), South South, Archbishop Emmah Isong, paid a courtesy visit to his office in Government House, Yenagoa on Monday.

The Deputy Governor expressed concern that rivalry among various denominations of the Church promoted through teachings by some ministers of the gospel, was doing untold harm to the spread and impact of Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He, therefore, advised Christian faithful to pursue the fulfilment of the Great Commission by embracing oneness and unity of the faith in propagating the gospel.

According to the Bayelsa Number Two Citizen, “it is rare to hear the undiluted message of salvation from the pulpit nowadays”, noting however that the real Church that was refined by fire on the Day of Pentecost would re-emerge when the various branches of the Church stopped the unhealthy competition.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who thanked the PFN bloc for their unrelenting support for the present administration in the state, urged them to sustain it, particularly their prayers for the continued peace, security and success of the government and people of the state.

While assuring the visiting National Vice President of the PFN of government’s support, the Deputy Governor promised to relate their requests to the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri for consideration and necessary action.

Speaking earlier, the National Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), South South, Archbishop Emmah Isong, described Bayelsa State as a fortress of the Christian faith in the South South geopolitical zone of the country.

Bishop Isong, who pointed out that the PFN was quite delighted with the various contributions the State Government had made to the body of Christ, solicited the state’s support towards its 40th anniversary celebration, as well as the construction of the new PFN national Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The PFN National Vice President was accompanied on the visit by the State PFN Chairman, Pastor Tam Seth Eyedoude, and other executive members of the Christian body in the State.

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

To prevent future recurrence of critical service failures observed during the 2025 Hajj operations, a civil society organization, CSO, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON and the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, SMPWBs to immediately organize an appraisal of this year’s holy pilgrimage.

The organization, in a statement signed and released on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed, urged NAHCON and relevant agencies to establish an open platform to review the 2025 operations.

IHR emphasised that the review should be a candid self-evaluation based on factual references, avoiding self-congratulations or political grandstanding.

While acknowledging improvements in some areas, such as the first phase of the airlift and services in Mina, the group highlighted the need for an investigation into sensitive failures in security and medical screenings.

Specifically, the IHR called for a probe into how dangerous criminals found their way into the pilgrims’ registration database without detection, which led to the arrest of wanted kidnappers during the outbound and return flights.

It also urged authorities to revisit the widespread complaints regarding inadequate medical attention both in Makkah and Madinah, and why the system failed to spot a nine-month-old pregnant lady from Zamfara State who gave birth during this year’s Hajj.

The statement also addressed the embarrassing situation surrounding the payment of allowances to some ad-hoc officials in Makkah and the uncoordinated flight manifest and issue of inadequate bed spaces in Madina, stating that these issues should be on the review agenda.

“Most state pilgrims’ accommodation during this year’s Hajj is located far away from the Grand Mosque in Makkah, thereby denying pilgrims the opportunity to regularly observe prayers at the Haram. There is a need to revisit pilgrims’ accommodation guidelines to prevent a repeat in the 2026 Hajj,” it stated.

The IHR noted that the 2026 Hajj preparations have already begun, and therefore, urged NAHCON to promptly implement the newly released calendar of events from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

It stressed that the calendar allows no room for delays in implementing Hajj activities, particularly concerning services in Saudi Arabia and pilgrims’ registration.

By Our Reporter
A Catholic Priest, Rev Fr  Maurice Emelu of the Gratia Vobis Ministry ( CVM ) Thursday, at St Jude’s Catholic Church personally fed about 5, 000 poorest of the poor from Umuchima Community in Ideato South local Government Area of Imo State

Apart from  personally  serving  the target group,  food, Fr  Maurice Emelu also donated a 50kg bag of rice to each person and an of some money for the condiments

Speaking shortly after the mass preceding the event, Fr  Emelu explained that as a covenant he had with God, he decided to relate and feed the poorest of the poor in the society pointing out that these category of persons are human beings created by God and  deserves to be recognised and related with as human beings

He explained  further that his decision to carry out this exercise occurred  when  he was  praying on one of the days, a message from God came to him asking  that the poorest of the poor in the society needed to be  related with and treated like kings and queens

Fr Emelu exptessed satisfaction saying, ” today I am fulfilled and satisfied that I was able to achievey  heart desire of  feeding the poorest of the poor in our midst and treating them like kings and queens ”

He however urged the rich in the society to always remember the  poorest of the poor in the society and be in the position to help them saying that  the GRATIA VOBIS MINISTRY, ( C V M ) stands for this

Giving credence to the ministry stand, His Eminence, Cardinal  John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja noted  that the occasion of the celebration of the Jubilee year 2025, in Umuchima Community is very great

According to him, the occasion was by  divine inspiration giving  to Fr Maurice Emelu an illustrious son of Umuchima Community

Cardinal  John Onaiyekan noted, ” thousands are flocking to Rome on pilgrimage for the Jubilee  of hope” pointing out, ” the local celebration is no less important and rewarding as  we believe many people have testified to

He  further  said that this celebration coincides not by  accident but by  Providence with two milestone in the life of the celebrant  Fr Maurice Emelu  which  are his fiftieth birthday and  the twentieth anniversary of his priestly ordinary

Onaiyekan beloved that, ” there can be no better context  to celebrate  these anniversaries than what has brought people together.at Umuchima

He said the Jubilee year 2025 was declared by the late Pope Francis and confirmed  and  continued by the new Pope Leo XIV explaining that the desire of Pope Francis was to inspire hope in a world that was drawing in hopelessness being abhorred and saddened by the avoidable deaths and pains caused by violent conflicts in many parts of the world

According to him, ” the Pope was particularly pained by the recklessness of the lose of lives in Ukraine and Gaza nothing the growing  injustice in the world economy order and the refusal of the rich nations to listen to the warning about global warming

He said that the politicians are talking about renewed hope with little or no effort to sustain  such  hope which has turned to hopelessness pointing out that the Jubilee hope is of a different nature

According to him, ” it is hope in God  who never disappoints

However, the event was witnessed by top people from parts of the country, including the target group, HRH, Eze DAC Okwara the traditional ruler of the community, the president general,  key members of the ministry and large number of both Catholic and non Catholic Priests

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