The Real Easter Celebration

The Real Easter Celebration

Sunday, 27 March 2016 /

Sopuruchukwu Egbodo

Written by Sopuruchukwu Egbodo @SopuruEgbodo

All around the world today Christians remember the (death and) resurrection of Jesus Christ through Easter, here in Nigeria it has become a tradition to the Nigerian Christian every year to celebrate this day by cooking and hosting their loved ones to sumptuous meals. Two days ago I personally had to decline a neighbourly offer for a “Combo” easter shopping. Since I became independent, it has become somewhat a habit not to join in sumptuous cooking for Christian occasions, not because I loathe sumptuous meals (who doesn’t like that?), but because Nigerians (generally speaking) love celebrations a lot that occasions such as easter loose the impact it should be making in our lives. Do you really understand what easter means and what it should remind you?

Easter is a time that should remind every Christian of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the messiah or savior of the world. By his death and resurrection we were meant to be set free from the captivity of Satan and eternal damnation in hell. Simply put, he died and resurrected to save us eternally from the grip of Satan.

But all around me I still see a nation of people who do not give a damn about the real reason for easter. A nation of people who prefer meat and booze to the reality of easter. I see a nation of people who can read and perfectly interpret the holy scriptures but their lives lack Christ the message. A nation of Christians who co-habit outside of marriage and fornicate at will without remorse. I still see a nation of Christian cheats in all sphere of life you could think of. I still see a nation of Christians who prefer sorcery to prayers. I still see a nation of Christians who are so comfortable with sinning that Christ’s death and resurrection becomes insignificant. A nation of Christians who have chosen to patronize corruption for immediate gains. Christians by mouth not in conduct, that's all I see.

Just like every other day, this easter day presents another chance of redemption from sin to righteousness. It presents another chance to let go of Satan and seek for the Lord we celebrate. It presents everyone of us another shot to heaven. Yielding your life to Jesus’ call for repentance, that’s the beginning of the real easter celebration.

Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook

WARNING: No article from The Truthden Blog can be copied without the prior permission of the editor. The editor can be reached on truthden1@gmail.com .If permission is granted, reference must be made of this source and the writer.

Activities

Activities

Friday, 25 March 2016 /

International Day for Street Children

April 12, 2016 was the International Day for Street Children, The Truthden Blog in partnership with @Nwuliareads and others marked the day hosting street kids to educating activities at Association Badamia Port-Harcourt Nigeria. See the pictures below.

Event banner

Contact us

Contact us

/

For enquiries, suggestions and partnership on projects and adverts,
Call: +2348020881151
E-mail: truthden1@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +2348139552223

To hire our writing services
E-mail:Truthden1@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +2348139552223
Call:+2348020881151

You can also follow us on the social media:
http://www.facebook.com/Truthdenblog
http://www.twitter.com/@Truthdenblog

For article contributions send entries to
E-mail: truthden1@gmail.com
 *Please read the ABOUT US and WRITE FOR US pages for guidance before submitting.

Facts From The Ese Oruru Story

Facts From The Ese Oruru Story

Monday, 21 March 2016 /

Ese and other victims

                  “When the breeze blows, the fowl’s anus becomes exposed”- Igbo proverb

Ese Oruru has been united with her parents, the episode is gradually winding up, but as we await verdict on the arraignment of the culprit Yunusa, let us take a look at the few facts about Nigeria as a nation which the incident helped expose.

LAWLESSNESS AND HEAVY INTERFERENCE IN POLICE AFFAIRS
As a fact, we in Nigeria already know that the police in Nigeria is a puppet and an instrument in the hands of Nigerian politicians and elites, but we never knew they wait for orders from them too to do the most basic of their jobs. That the constitution of the federal republic was set aside and a whole nation of angry citizens had to wait for the emir of Kano who had gone to Saudi Arabia before the inspector general of police could do his work is not just an insult on the psyche of Nigerian citizens, but also shows the height of lawlessness in Nigeria. The law is enforceable only on select members of the Nigerian populace, while approval is needed from above to enforce others in which the high and mighty have an interest.

THE POWER OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA
The social media proved to be the catalyst for the eventual release of Ese Oruru to her parents. With the Punch newspapers spearheading the campaign with hash tag #FreeEse, the case became a trending issue on twitter and facebook. The Truthden Blog, other blogs, and  good thinking Nigerians took up the issue condemning the act and calling for the unconditional release of Ese. Those involved in the case did not have a choice than to do the needful.

NIGERIA’S UNITY IS PRETENTIOUS
From the kidnap to the actions of the Nigerian police on this matter especially the statement credited to the inspector general of police (which suggested that some Nigerians are more Nigerian than others) to the Southern – Northern division in reactions to the crime from Nigerians, one could feel the raw sense of dis-unity among Nigerians.

That the constitution of the federal republic was set aside and sharia a wholely religious law only acceptable to a section of Nigeria was adopted and had to bear on a federal police on this matter shows that Nigeria actually belongs to a section of Nigeria. One reason why issues like the Biafran agitation is getting legit.

RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY IS A NIGERIAN
Ese Oruru had to be converted to islam and (from the Pictures and video I saw) adorned with hijab to marry Yunusa. That many Nigerians from the north with an islamic orientation have condemned the kidnapping but justifying it again by saying it was a case of teenage elopement and also that many christians brought a religious dimension into the case means that religious bigotry is a total Nigerian with a GCON (Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger).

To the elopement propagandists making themselves unsolicited spokespersons for their religion, “Adults are meant to guide the young ones aright and not deceive or take advantage of their naivety.”

That the older Yinusa Dahiru who is 25 years old (if the elopement theory were to be followed) failed to let the younger Ese Oruru who was 13 years old see reasons why elopement was a wrong choice for them means he kidnapped her. Only a pedophile (And a religious bigot) will dispute this fact.

Ese before and after her conversion to Islam

AN UNOFFICIAL CULTURE OF KIDNAP, CONVERT AND MARRY IN PARTS OF NORTHERN NIGERIA
In my initial reaction on the Ese Oruru issue I had mentioned that judging from the way the case was handled there might actually be an “Unofficial” culture of Kidnapping, conversion and marriage of underage young Christian girls by men of islamic orientation from some parts northern Nigeria.

The reports of more cases of abduction, conversion to islam  and marriage inspired by the success of the #FreeEse campaign confirms this.

Click here to read of similar cases

Sopuruchukwu Egbodo
@SopuruEgbodo
©2016

Click to like The Truthden on Facebook

WARNING: Article on The Truthden Blog cannot be copied nor rebroadcasted without the prior permission of the editor. The editor can be reached on truthden1@gmail.com .If permission is granted, reference must be made of this source & the writer.

Encouraging mother tongue learning: Nnenna and Kene Mba example

Encouraging mother tongue learning: Nnenna and Kene Mba example

Sunday, 20 March 2016 /

5 year old Nnenna Mba

 Written by Sopuruchukwu Egbodo  @SopuruEgbodo

“While a primary one scholar in homeland Nigeria I was punished for speaking my native Igbo language in class, only the English language was permitted, but in my final year in college, I and my fellow graduands were begged with lots of incentives to study the Igbo language at university level in a bid to keep the language alive.” 

At their tender age, children are endowed with an ability to learn a whole lot of things including speaking their mother tongue when taught and guided. However many Nigerian parents and schools, in a bid to “Mordernize” the child have deliberately kept their mother tongues away from them and preferring only to “load” their young minds with only a knowledge of the English language. For this reason many grown-ups in Nigeria today who have never ventured past the “Seme” (The Nigerian-Benin Republic) border all their life are found wanting in the ability to know, understand and speak in their own mother tongues.

Language is a major form of identity for any individual and every Nigerian irrespective of their place of birth deserves to be taught and is supposed to know to speak their mother tongues. It is good to learn a foreign language, but much more better that one knows both his or her mother tongue and a foreign language.

5 year old Nnenna Mba and her 2 year old brother Kene Mba were born in Australia to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and an Australian mother. The family resides in Australia, but aside a total grasp of the English language, Mr. and Mrs. Mba teach their children to speak their mother tongue, Igbo language.

Watch the Australian born 5 year old Nnenna and 2 year old Kene Mba speak Igbo. See the video below.

 

Now your turn. Can you speak your mother tongue? Use the comment box below.


Like our page on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

WARNING: No article from The Truthden Blog can be copied without the prior permission of the editor. The editor can be reached on truthden1@gmail.com .If permission is granted, reference must be made of this source and the writer.

Of ineffectual buffoonry and the Nigerian presidency

Of ineffectual buffoonry and the Nigerian presidency

Wednesday, 16 March 2016 /

Written by Sopuruchukwu Egbodo @SopuruEgbodo

I recently read the rubble rousing but anonymously written article titled, “Crude tactics”on the website of the American based online magazine, The Economist. The “Bedlam” it caused on the social media at its initial release made me decide to read the article in question. click here to read the article

In the article dated January 30th 2016, the (Anonymous) writer rightly noted the flaws of the past leadership of the federal republic of Nigeria under Mr.Goodluck Jonathan in the management of Nigeria’s financial resources and as well pointed out the efforts of the present administration to address the problem through, arrests, detention and prosecution of the various “Yam eaters” involved in the pilfering of Nigeria’s commonwealth. The writer also criticized some of the plans set up by the present administration to tackle the current economic challenges facing the Nigerian nation. Beautiful as the piece may look, these are my humble conclusions.

Insult to Nigeria's presidency, insult to Nigerians
I am not a fan of the Goodluck Jonathan administration (Nor of the present administration), and even though the contents of the said article about the present and past management of Nigeria’s commonwealth is pin-pointedly accurate, it is appalling and very disrespecting for anybody including the media whether national or international to address a president of a nation whether present or past with degrading terms such as The Economist did by referring to Nigeria’s president emeritus as an “Ineffectual buffon”. It smacks of disrespect for the office of the Nigerian presidency and for Nigerians generally and moreso coming from a member of the international media.

What goes around, comes around
At learning about the incidence, I expected to see a press release from the presidency condemning the act, but was baffled to hear absolutely nothing . Now this suggests two things. One, that the Buhari presidency enjoyed the insult on Mr. Jonathan; and secondly, that the voice might actually be that of Jacob and the hand of Esau. If this is so then,

“Him who says his house is rubbish, shouldn’t complain when others start to say the same about his house”. - Igbo Proverb

God bless Nigeria.


WARNING: Articles on The Truthden Blog cannot be copied without the prior permission of the editor. The editor can be reached on truthden1@gmail.com .If permission is granted, reference must be made of this source and the writer.

5 common but dangerous generalizations

5 common but dangerous generalizations

Monday, 14 March 2016 /

5 common but dangerous generalizations

Written by Sopuruchukwu Egbodo @SopuruEgbodo

Some people reach conclusions based on personal experiences, while some do so based on hearsay. No matter which form it takes, generalizations are dangerous. They can color ones perception of things and also inhibit them from reaching certain potentials, because when generalization corrupts perception avoidance of the subject of generalization becomes a possibility. Here are the 5 common but dangerous generalizations:

All men are the same
If this were probably true there wouldn’t be a distinction between good and bad, and everything in our world would have been going in a one-sided direction, because whether you believe it or not, most of the managers in our world today are men. Presidents, CEOs name them.

Every indecently dressed girl wants sex
Many men fall within this range. They assume that every sister dressed provocatively wants sex or is a sex-maniac. No, women reason very differently from men and her skimpy dressing may just be her way of attracting attention and admiration.

Fashion or no fashion when you dress indecently you don’t just get the male admiration you seek, you also invite disrespect and rape. Ladies take note.

Men should always give to ladies
I devoted a full article on this titled, “Nigerian Women and the culture of giving in relationships” click here to read. This mindset had caused many sisters plenty of missed marriage opportunities. If a man (or even a woman) is the only person giving in a relationship, it might as well pack up. Because just like respect, love is reciprocal & giving is a major way of demonstrating love.

When I ask, I should receive
I have met a whole lot of people who fall within this category. They believe people should always oblige their requests. They become visibly angry angry complain bitterly to anybody who cares to listen how “wicked some people can be.”

Even though it is expected that humans help each other at times of need, unless you gave something to anybody to keep on your behalf, it amounts to foolishness to bear grudges against such a person if they fail to meet your “Giving” expectations. You are responsible for you, so take charge of your life.

There are no good girls anymore
A young man (He was not the first) told me this during a counseling session. His problem was,

“He has been a consistent PLAYER for a long time, but this time he happened to have scored a ‘Goal’ and now the girl’s family want a PERMANENT TRANSFER for their daughter with the CLUB (The guy’s family) which the guy plays from. Actually he was drunk when he released the shot that led to the goal, and he believed the girl tricked him into firing the shot. So he propounded the theory, ‘There are no good girls anymore’.”

Like I told him, you are the bad guy if you also believe no good girls exist anymore.

Good girls are everywhere, but you only bump into the bad ones, because you desired and chose the ones who offer what you want, while you overlooked the sensible ones. So quit blaming every girl and work on your mind.

Have a nice day.

WARNING: No article from The Truthden Blog should be copied or rebroadcasted without the prior permission of the editor. The editor can be reached on truthden1@gmail.com. If permission is granted, reference must be made of this source and the writer.