Mr Olumide's Blog .com |
- You're Braver Than You Know
- Dasuki’s Aide Under Probe Over Diversion of N36.4B
- Common Deep Frying Mistakes To Avoid
- PRAYER FOR TODAY
- Interesting Ways Wives Can Become Their Husband's Best Friend
- Open Letter To Aisha Buhari Over Cabal Controlling The Presidency
| Posted: 21 Jan 2018 01:23 AM PST  This hadn't happened with previous books. Women are usually eager to share parts of their story to help other women. My ministry tagline and the subtitle of my latest book Mentoring for All Seasons is: Sharing Life Experiences and God's Faithfulness. I knew women had experienced many occasions of bravery, but few were willing to share them... or at least that's what I thought. So I changed my story request to, Sharing a time God called you to do something you knew you couldn't accomplish without His help. Still, no stories. Then one woman responded and I understood: "Brave is not a word that I associate with myself or with any action I've taken!" Yet, this woman had bravely admitted to difficulties in her life that were hard to share openly, but she did it to help others. How Do You Define Brave? Synonyms for brave are valiant, resolute, unafraid, courageous, adventuresome, bold, fearless, spunky, gritty, spirited, undaunted, etc. Maybe I was using the wrong term, because I know many women would attribute some of those synonyms to themselves. Women may feel it's not humble to acknowledge bravery, or don't realize their actions are brave. Women just do what they have to do! We tend to categorize brave women as those who go on the mission field or into the military, willing to lay down their life for a cause they believe in, or we only attribute bravery to men. Courage might be a better word than brave. We can all identify with applying verses to our life, such as "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous" (Psalm 27:14). Or Psalm 31:24: "So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!" Although we have waited patiently for God to answer a prayer request, how many of us have considered that brave or courageous? Here are a few areas where women are braver than they think or give themselves credit. 1. Motherhood "We were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God's Good News but our own lives, too" (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8). When my daughter gave birth to her first child, she looked at every mother with new respect and thought: Wow, you did that, too! Sitting next to her in church recently, she gave her husband a knowing look when the pastor spoke of his wife giving birth and said, "She did something I couldn't believe!" Single moms are trying to make ends meet; their responsibilities not only consist of staying up at night with a sick child, but also protecting and providing for their family single-handedly. Most moms put their children's needs before their own and would lay down their life for them. Moms are braver than they know. 2. Defending Your Faith "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13). I'm bold about my Christian faith in social media, speaking, and writing, in spite of opposition from today's culture. I'll admit that when someone calls me brave, I'm surprised. Isn't that what every Christian is called to do? In Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I challenge all Christians to be brave: "Can you imagine the revival if Christians actively influenced the culture to remember God? My challenge to you is together let's start a bold and brave movement to create a God-centered culture that remembers the magnificent goodness of our great God in our homes, communities, and churches. Where has God been nudging you to be brave and bold about your faith? It will require getting out of your comfort zone, but comfortable isn't God's way. You won't be "politically correct," but that wasn't Jesus' way." If you evangelize and challenge the cultural norm, you're braver than you know. 3. Facing Fears "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). Fears are a natural part of life. We all have them. Each of us must face our fears to move ahead in life. Maybe it's leaving home for the first time, moving to a new area, flying or heights, a job interview, or starting a new job.... Fill in the blank with your fear. My fear is dogs. I live in a rural area and like to walk. Heading out for a walk, I pray the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), and in a particular area, I recite the 23rd Psalm. I refuse to let my fear stop me from enjoying a walk. My grandkids now have a cute little dog, and bravely I'm getting to know him. When you overcome a fear, you're braver than you know. 4. Confronting Addictions "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). Admitting you have an addiction and need help requires courage and bravery. No one wants to confront issues that make us uncomfortable or put us in an unfavorable light. But addictions control your life. God wants you to experience freedom regardless of how embarrassing, humiliating, or hard it is to break free. If you've sought help for addictions, you're braver than you know. 5. Making Changes "Be brave, determined! And do it!" (1 Chronicles 28:10). Many women attending Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry Orientation Coffees are apprehensive. It's a big step to be a mentor or find a mentor and be matched with someone they don't know. But these women want a spiritual change in their life, and they know that mentoring helps. In Mentoring for All Seasons, I describe Melanie, who called and asked me to mentor her: "You might be the 'Melanie' brave enough to make the phone call or approach the woman you want to mentor you." Making a change is braver than you know. 6. Illness "I try to make the best of it, try to brave it out" (Job 10:16). I'm a three-time breast cancer survivor and I know how hard it is to be brave with devastating diagnoses and treatments. There are times you don't feel brave and need to have a good cry. Having a down day doesn't make you any less brave. Only prayer and God got me through and helped me realize... I'm braver than I know. [written by Janet Thompson]  culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
| Dasuki’s Aide Under Probe Over Diversion of N36.4B Posted: 20 Jan 2018 10:03 PM PST  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced N3.12billion to the bank account of a company allegedly owned by a Special Assistant to a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). The sum is suspected to have been diverted from about N36.4billion voted by the Goodluck Jonathan administration for the protection of dams, wells and sources of water in the North-East against being poisoned by Boko Haram. Investigation by the EFCC shows that only N3.12billion of the N36.4billion was paid to a company allegedly owned by the suspect. A review of the company's account suggests that the cash may have been used for "political and personal patronage. Detectives of EFCC are working on the theory that the N3.12billion was shared by politicians, friends of the government and relations of the former NSA. It has already set up a team to interrogate suspected beneficiaries of the N3.12billion to explain the services rendered to deserve such a huge payment. The balance of N33billion which is supposed to be in an account domiciled in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is yet to be traced. It was operated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The Nation gathered that sometime in 2011, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan received a memo alleging threats by Boko Haram to poison all the dams, wells and sources of water in the North-East and other insurgency flashpoints in the country. Although Jonathan initially ignored the memo, it was exhumed in March 2014 by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) when the insurgency got ferocious. The memo recommended the need to protect the sources of water in the North-East. Investigators of the alleged diversion said: "Following the delay in attending to the request, a fresh memo was raised in March 2014. At the end of the day, about N36.4billion was approved and released to ONSA through the Naira account maintained by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation but operated by the ex-NSA and the Permanent Secretary, Special Services. "From the N36.4billion, about N3, 125,000,000 were released to a company already traced to a former Special Assistant to the ex-NSA. Detectives have discovered that the balance of over N33billion was diverted. "Even the profiling of the N3, 125,000,000 account of the slush company indicated that the cash was used for political and personal patronage including transfer to some relations of the ex-NSA." A highly placed source in EFCC confirmed yesterday that operatives "are working round the clock to track the whereabouts of over N33billion because no contract was executed for the protection of the dams and other sources of water in the North-East. "As for the beneficiaries of the N3.125billion, we are already on their trail through bank records, accounts and Bank Verification Number (BVN) which have proved useful to our operations. We will ensure the recovery of the diverted funds." The latest bend of the investigation also showed curious spending of N20billion by ONSA between March and May 2015. It was learnt that detectives claimed that "the purpose of the cash withdrawals from the government's account was unknown." Sources said: "Immediately after the Presidential Election on March 28, 2015, ONSA requested for another N10billion to prepare for the Governorship Election on April 11. It was approved again by the ex-President. "And in May 2015, another N10billion was approved and released to ONSA. All these funds were remitted to ONSA outside the budget allocated to security agencies for the 2015 General Elections. "Our operatives are investigating the rationale behind these releases; how the funds were diverted; culpable officers and how to recover the cash. "So far, our team of investigators cannot trace any project executed with the N36.4billion to protect water sources from being poisoned by Boko Haram." Responding to a question, the source added: "About one and half years after the N36.4billion were withdrawn, the Nigerian Army on September 2015 confirmed that some sources of water in Borno State were polluted and poisoned by the insurgents. "We strongly suspected that the votes for the protection of sources of water were diverted or converted into personal use." On September 15, 2015, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations said information reaching its Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole indicated that Boko Haram terrorists had now resorted to poisoning water sources like wells and streams in areas they were dislodged by gallant troops or areas threatened by offensive operations. He said the insurgents had allegedly "poisoned cattle water ponds in Kangallam village along Marte and Abadam axis in Borno State where a large number of cattle died after drinking water from the ponds." "The action of the terrorists is no doubt aimed at taking their own pound of flesh on the innocent citizens and livestock as a result of the unbearable offensive operations through the combined effort of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force to rout them out completely from their enclaves and hide-outs all over the North East. "In view of this development, citizens are called upon to avoid as much as possible drinking water from unverified sources, especially in locations that troops routed out Boko Haram terrorists." Dasuki is currently standing trial for corruption related cases.  culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
| Common Deep Frying Mistakes To Avoid Posted: 20 Jan 2018 09:33 PM PST  Using the Wrong Oil The best and most appropriate oil to use for deep frying is one that has a high smoke point. The smoke point of oil is the temperature at which smoke starts to form and oil starts to break down. When oil breaks down, its quality and favour changes, this can then cause your food to have an unpleasant taste. Refined groundnut oil has a neutral flavour (which makes it unlikely to impart any unwanted flavour into your fried food) and it also has a high smoke point, which makes it one of the best oils to use for deep frying. Vegetable and sesame oils also have high smoke points that make them suitable for deep frying. Reusing Old Oil Without Filtering Old oil can be used for deep frying but it is important that you first filter it. 'Dirty' oil typically results in food with a darker and 'dirtier' look, more greasy taste and might even end up making your fried food taste burnt, even though it might not actually be burnt. Additionally, it is also important to note that it is more appropriate to reuse oil that has been used to fry fish to fry seafood because the oil will be heavily laden with the fishy flavour. Avoid Frying at Too Low or Too High Temperatures For the best deep frying results, you will need to maintain a relatively steady high temperature between 325 – 390 degree Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too low, then the food will end up being soggy as too much oil would have seeped into the food making it practically impossible for the food to crisp properly. If the temperature is too high, you might end up with a food with burnt crust and an undercooked interior. So, you can clearly see that the oil temperature plays an important role in deep frying. Overcrowding the Oil Putting too much food in the fryer at the same time will end up interfering with the perfection and crispiness of your fried food. Overcrowding the oil causes the oil temperature to drop, causing it to take a while before it is able to rise up again. In that time, oil would have seeped into the food and you might eventually end up with a soggy food. It is best to deep fry in small batches and stir the food from time to time to prevent them from sticking together. The food would also be able to crisp properly. Deep Frying Large Chunks of Food It is better to deep fry smaller cuts of food as that will provide the best results with a faster frying time, resulting in a crispy exterior and tender interior. When the food is in smaller cuts, it will be easier for the food to cook more uniformly. Never Leave Your Pot of Oil Unattended As much as possible try to remain where you are deep frying your food, please don't walk away to answer a phone call or to attend to other house chores leaving the pot of oil unattended. This is because a grease fire can start in split seconds when the oil is over-heated, or the boiling hot oil can spill over and start a fire. This is why it is extremely important to be attentive and present when you are deep frying food.  culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
| Posted: 20 Jan 2018 09:33 PM PST   culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
| Interesting Ways Wives Can Become Their Husband's Best Friend Posted: 20 Jan 2018 05:08 AM PST  It's a lot to ask of a marriage. And on your wedding day, you probably only thought about the first two titles. They are the reason you married your husband. You wanted to spend all your time with him, and it didn't matter what you were doing, so long as you were doing it together. Enter life. The need to talk about everything you think and for your husband to listen. Somewhere along the way, you discovered that in order to be together, you had to put up with things you didn't really enjoy... Marriage is changing both of you. You've learned to compromise and take turns having your own way. But you're starting to notice that all those little sacrifices—all those activities you're giving up for the sake of peace—aren't drawing you into a more intimate relationship; they are drawing up battle lines. You have lost yourself, and the replacement wife is not pretty. Without friendship in your marriage, you will begin forming a new identity: either a resentful spouse who gives in or a controlling spouse who doesn't. Or, you opt for becoming a marriage partner, with the freedom to do what you want by taking relatively separate journeys through life. It makes for less confrontation, less arguing, but more loneliness in your marriage (definitely not the path to deeper friendship). The secret you're hoping to find is how to become your husband's best friend without losing your identity, and without him losing his. After all, you chose each other because you loved what you saw. You're wondering what kind of companion you'd have to be to make your husband happy, without making you miserable. Is it even possible? Take a look at this "friend" criteria of what men look for in each other (not their wives), when they hang out:
The modern marriage paradigm has a solution to this problem: Take turns with everything. Set up a rotation for doing chores, choosing activities, enjoying guys' night and girls' nights, taking care of the kids. Just split everything 50/50. Then everyone's happy and everything's fair. While the sharing of duties is necessary, please consider that the modern paradigm of fairness in marriage is not scriptural, and it will likely endanger your relationship. Ephesians 5:25 and 33 say, "Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church" (no equal split in that relationship — this love gives until it hurts), and "the wife must respect her husband." (no criteria for respect, just a command to swallow your know-it-all attitude). God knew what challenges married couples would face, so He told us straight up: Put the other person's needs first. That's unconditional love. But isn't that how you lose yourself? No, that's how you love a soul-mate. It's how you make a best friend for life. Instead of both of you giving 50 percent and hoping the other person will come through, you can both give 100 percent, believing that the other person is worth the effort. When both partners value each other first, both end up being satisfied, with all their needs met. As both of you feel loved unconditionally, you will prefer being together over being apart. Your marriage will become the one place where you feel completely known and completely safe. After years of marriage counseling, we've seen the proof to back up Paul's commands in Ephesians. Marriages centered on the fairness principle of 50/50 don't last. Unless something changes, this selfish paradigm, which values protecting one's own rights more than elevating your partner's, leads to a 50/50 divorce settlement or at best, an unfulfilling and lonely marriage. On your wedding day, you were all about "becoming one," so I'm betting that dividing up everything equally is a far cry from what you hoped for when you said, "I do." How is this fixable? This collision course toward alienating your husband in an attempt to maintain your personality? What if you don't like the same things? Do you have to fake it? How can you become your husband's best friend and maintain the "oneness" objective? In a recent poll, I asked husbands "For those of you whose wives are your best friends, what makes her your best friend?" Their responses might surprise you:
You overlook it. You focus on the parts you love. (Isn't that what you did when you were dating?) Maybe you're reading this and thinking, I've been married too long to date my husband. I've got kids, for crying out loud. We're running their schedules. I don't have time to fall in love with my husband again. But you want to. You may have suppressed your disappointment with your marriage, but you still crave the connection. It's why you got married. (So it's not too late.) Friendship with your husband does not follow the same rules as friendship with someone else. If you look again at the husbands' list about their wives, you will notice a common thread: vulnerability. Your husband doesn't need roommate or a sports buddy. He needs a guardian for his soul. He longs for someone (and he wants it to be you) who cheers when he cheers and cries when he cries and laughs when he laughs. That's what close friends do. It's what close married people do. Here are some suggestions to build trust with your husband, which in turn, will earn his friendship: Don'ts—
I remember one evening, years ago. My husband hadn't spent time with his friends for quite awhile, so I encouraged him to join them on a "guys night," even though we'd had a busy couple of weeks. By 8:00, he was walking back into the house. (I'm not tattling, but he might have had a chick flick in his hand.) "You're home early," I said. He smiled sheepishly. "It was fun, but I had to say, 'I'm sorry, guys. I've got to get home.'" "Really? How'd that go over?" I was surprised. He shrugged, smiling. "They said, 'Wow, she's got you whipped.'" "What did you say?" He laughed. "I said, 'Nope, I just miss my wife, and I'm going home'." That's intimate friendship and a whole lot more! [written by Sue Schlesman]  culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
| Open Letter To Aisha Buhari Over Cabal Controlling The Presidency Posted: 20 Jan 2018 04:38 AM PST  Your Excellency, let me start by telling you that this letter is not intended to flatter you but to show my profound appreciation, and that of so many like minds, for your uncommon sagacity at a time it seems wisdom has taken leave from most people in our dear beloved country and they are more engaged in flights of fancy. You are a classic example of that adage that says "behind every successful man is a woman." Let me assure you that, you are in a class of your own. And I thank God for blessing Nigeria with your kind. I decided to write this letter only yesterday when I came across your tweets, or retweets, of the Oak Television videos that have since gone viral. I have never seen any wife of a Nigerian President who would openly criticise a government in which she is a major beneficiary. I'm even more surprised that you would voluntarily endorse and promote videos that criticised your government on social media. You may not know it but you're setting new standards in our country. You shall be called a quintessential pacesetter, when tomorrow comes. I have no doubt that no matter what, when all is said and done, and the present administration is long gone, you would have left behind a positive enduring legacy, an epitome of womanhood and wifely rectitude. My prayer continues to be that we will be able to say the same of your husband, our dear President Muhammadu Buhari, notwithstanding the fact that he now has little time to address and redress so many shortcomings. I'm certain that if your husband had listened to your wise counsel much earlier he would have, probably, averted the mess in which he is currently enmeshed. Your husband rode to power with so much love and goodwill, the type we've not experienced since June 12, 1993, when Chief Moshood Abiola won the Presidential election, fair and square. The expectations were very high, in a similar fashion, in 2015, when majority of the voters, including former critics of your husband chose to support or vote for him. His was a miraculous resurrection. No one expected him to waste such humongous goodwill at all and, nevertheless, not so soon after his return to power. But before we blinked our eyes, things had started falling apart. It took forever to assemble his team. And when he finally did, many wondered why they could not have been selected much earlier, given the nature and calibre of people selected. Indeed, it was as if Nigerians expected that your choices were going to descend from heaven and some angels were going to be appointed. The government started losing steam and stamina from that moment. Not just that. Your husband's ruling Party, APC, started a war of attrition in the National Assembly. Some of his biggest supporters were suddenly pounced upon and humiliated publicly while your husband kept a straight poker face, as if he knew nothing or it was not any of his business. This fierce battle inadvertently united and aligned some of his own party faithful with the opposition and they even succeeded in sharing very powerful positions with them. I'm sure your husband had been misled into thinking he still had the power of life and death like he did as a military Head of State after the overthrow of the Shagari regime in 1983. He also forgot an important characteristic of Nigerians, our ability to forgive and forget easily. The same Nigerians who would shout "crucify him" today are the same people who would scream "don't kill him" for various reasons, ranging from ethnicity to religion or even pecuniary gains. There is also the quotalisation of corruption, a situation where stealing enjoys Federal Character. As if that was not bad enough, the Nigerian economy suffered its worst cataclysmic fall in decades, perhaps, because of the ill-informed decision of your husband's government to ban people from depositing United States Dollars into their accounts. As interpreted by laymen like me, a country that desperately needed an injection of foreign exchange into its Central Bank was actually rejecting the medicine it badly needed. Maybe this was the beginning of the end. All manner of freaky controls followed. Kids who were schooling abroad began to suffer untold hardships. Those with scholarships from home were being dishonoured. I remember writing a memo to the President begging him not to offend those kids. Education had always been a major investment in Nigerians and any attempt to deprive our youths the best education at home and abroad was an invitation to trouble. Before the decision was properly sorted, many young people had given up on this government to protect their future. In a country that found easy money for pilgrimages, it was very unfortunate that education was never a priority. You blew me apart when you found your voice and spoke up openly and candidly and lamented the way your husband's government was shattering into smithereens. You were in a position to know, and very right to tell the whole world, that your husband was not in charge and that if the situation continued unabated, you were not likely to support his second term bid. Though you were told to mind your own business at the time, the point had been made so eloquently and poignantly. Today, and looking back, it seems, you're indeed a prophet without honour at home. Everything you said has become gospel truth. One more example of your admonition to our President. Why would he abandon the key figures who made his winning the election possible? Those Party Chieftains who ensured his electoral victory were either studiously ignored or conveniently abandoned. It was as if the President had laboured alone on what had been a remarkable collaborative effort. As you rightly noted, Ma, the people you started seeing in the Presidential villa were strange faces that you didn't see in the heat of the battle. I'm aware of the personal efforts you made reaching out to some of such people to appease them and assuage their sore feelings. That is what every good woman and supportive wife should do in the face of wanton disregard and disrespect of the gallant warriors who fought to demolish the PDP behemoth when it was least expected. Today, the chickens have come home to roost. It appears the President has suddenly woken up from his slumber or maybe the mask of the evildoers has suddenly been lifted and the President we all voted for has come back from the deep. Our President is now under pressure to reach out frantically, and desperately, to the same people who were used and dumped after that landmark election in 2015. The same people you pleaded for and urged should be absorbed and assimilated into an all-inclusive government of patriots who worked to enthrone democratic principles and the change philosophy you became known as the apostle of. Now, the President is working extra hard, using extra time and effort, to bring back some of those who have been ostracised for no justifiable reason. Suddenly, he is now making appointments which were pencilled in almost 3 years ago, leading to an understandably botched exercise. The flaws notwithstanding, key national institutions will be properly administered for the first time in your husband's tenure. We hope that the necessary refinement of this list of appointees will not take forever again. Time is fast spent and your husband will do well to quickly confirm the authentic list and let those appointed get to work. Others may see iit as largesse to the Party Faithful but why not. However, as discerning administrators and observers will know, the essence of these appointments is not just in rewarding Party members but in your husband fulfilling his statutory and constitutional responsibilities and not being seen as running an autocratic, exclusive government. Every government that observes the rule of law and not merely pays lip service to it is on the path of righteousness. More recently and commendably, Mr President is digging deep. He is now interacting with the people that he needs to move the country forward and ensure that he himself has a lasting legacy. It is gratifying to see the President having meetings and dinners with members of his Party, principal officers of the National Assembly and other key stakeholders. God is indeed wonderful. Those who felt you were seeking relevance, and personal comfort, have now realised your level of patriotism and love for Nigeria, as those things that you yearned for and spoke out about at great peril to your personal comfort and safety are now beginning to happen. It is my prayer that you will yet have the last laugh over the ignominious cabal that seemed to have held your husband hostage and attempted to strangulate our nation in the process. You are a woman of virtue and honour and Nigerians can't appreciate you enough. So this weekend, on behalf of my fellow citizens I say bravo and doff my heart to a gentle Amazon, beautiful soul, visionary woman and invite my fellow Nigerians to do the same! May God continue to bless and protect you and your family.  culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
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