SPORTS: The Savage Beast (Lebron James) clears the air on his move to Golden State From the Cavs

I did two things. First I laughed at it, then I said it’s nonsense. It’s a no-story… it discredits what I’m trying to do here. I can control what I do with these guys on this team. I can’t control what’s said out there. I won’t allow them to use my name to make a non-story. The Golden State thing is nonsense.

Nigerian Popular Slay Queen gets Hooked

Roman Goddess a popular Nigerian  Slay Queen and Lagos Big Girl, recently walked down the aisle with the love of her life.
Roman Goddess married Erling Carlos, shortly after their engagement in Dubai.
Sharing the photos on her Instagram page, she compared her wedding to those of Hollywood celebrities Kim and Beyonce bragging that her wedding and theirs are on the same level. How Funny!

The Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Embarks on her annual Marian Pilgrimage To Iwopin

The church in Ijebu-Ode diocese, proceeds on her annual Pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine in St. Kizito’s Catholic Church, Iwopin, Ogun Waterside, Ogun State. This is not only for the sanctity of the Catholic Faithful in the diocese, but equally for the sanctification of the Diocese in itself.

Meanwhile there are usually thousands of people who are usually in attendance, with the purpose of sanctification and purification with various intentions which are presented to our Mother Mary, after which such intentions are burnt with the prayers of insensation been said. Nevertheless various activities such as: Procession from the river side, the Opening mass, stations of the cross, exposition and veneration of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions, prayer sections etc.

The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship. The Church rightly honors the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of Mother of God, to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs. This very special devotion differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration. The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an “epitome of the whole Gospel”, express this devotion to the Virgin Mary. Marian prayer and piety developed very early in the history of the undivided Christian Church of the first millennium and has been kept alive in a myriad of practices in the both the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches. Perhaps the most popular expression of Marian piety in the Latin Church is the praying of the rosary.

Mary is the perfect Orans, a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus' mother into our homes, for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her. The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope. Throughout the world however there are special places of pilgrimage associated with Marian prayer and piety. Places where the Mother of the Lord has appeared to the faithful, proclaiming the Gospel message to repent from sin and turn to her Son and Savior, Jesus Christ. Associated with each of these places, popular piety has kept alive the vibrant religious sense of the faithful who call upon the Mother of God for her prayerful assistance and maternal protection.

Pilgrimages evoke our earthly journey toward heaven and are traditionally very special occasions for renewal in prayer. For pilgrims seeking living water, shrines are special places for living the forms of Christian prayer "in Church". Traditionally, the call to pilgrimage came during either a spiritual crisis or an opportunity to fulfill a spiritual obligation. The long walk down what used to be called “the glory road” was meant to give a pilgrim ample time to contemplate deep issues that couldn’t be answered at home. Today, the call may even be more intense because life has become so frenetic that most of us claim not to have enough to think about spiritual issues on the traditional level, but also other deep concerns, such as failing marriages, job crises, or the general malaise. The cry for pilgrimage is an antidote to our over-amped lives.

Therefore the Church in Ijebu-Ode Diocese took up this spiritual exercise by journeying on a Pilgrimage to seek the intercession, face and, favor of our Mother Mary because Pilgrimage' is a wide-ranging topic touching on many aspects of human existence, signifying not only a physical journey to a special place, but also an inner spiritual journey and indeed life itself.

GBORU ANDREW: courage and timidity.... The two sides of a coin

In our world today, there is this assumption that a person ordinarily need to be afraid of what is to come. The assumption “no one knows tomorrow” seemingly becomes true because our being is determined by what the world has to offer. Generally then, there is fear of uncertainty of what is to come even in the next minute.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me as a prisoner but share with the sufferings of the gospel, according to the power of God.” 2 Timothy 1:7.

Courage in itself is the ability and willingness to confront fear, pain, uncertainty or intimidation. Physical courage is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death or the fear of death or even threat. While moral courage is the ability to act rightly in face of popular opposition, shame, scandals, or discouragement.

On the other hand, timidity is fear, fearfulness, fright. An emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight). Also timidity entails the lack of self assurance courage or bravery which easily alarmed timorous shy. But the bitter truth is that man fails in this regard in the aspect of judgment between courage and timidity. Hence, there should be in our lives the predominance of courage over and above timidity. As St Paul admonishes us in his second letter to Timothy 1:7that God has given us the spirit of sound mind and not that of fear.

As seminarians therefore we should not be afraid of the future because we have a firm assurance of what the future holds by God’s power. We should be willing to confront fear as by this we are testifying to the Gospel as St. Paul says. Let us take note that nobody grows merely by the number of years; but rather we grow old by deserting our ideas. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust kills the heart and turns the spirit back into dust. Do not be afraid be courageous for God gives us a spirit not of fear but of power and self-control.

Theodore Roosevelt once asserts that; it is hard to fail but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. For the man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.

Oscar Wilde says; Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets is ones mistake.

Ellen Hopkins summarizes it by saying: Taking no chances means wasting one’s dream.

In all the big question remains: What would life be to you and me if we had no courage to attempt anything?

BBNAIJA: Nina apologisies to boyfriend after the pleasant shower moment with Miracle.

According to her, she said she feels bad, and she knows her boyfriend will be watching and he’d be feeling bad about her “intimate moments” with another housemate called Miracle. She also publicly apologized to her boyfriend, begging not to be angry.

 “I know my bf will feel bad, I know he’s feeling bad at the moment. I’m begging him not to feel bad about everything happening here. I’m sorry, I’m trying to control it. My bf might even be crying watching me here. I’m really sorry but I’ll keep controlling it. I know my boyfriend will feel bad. I’m sorry - Nina "Miracle knows I have a boyfriend, I told him, he told me he was single, and I told him I was dating. Because my relationship is somethingI cannot, no matter what, I cannot deny… I’m just open, for people to know I’m dating. I don’t know what’s in his mind, but Miracle knows I have a boyfriend.” Read more: https://entertainment.naija.ng/1149739-bbnaija-nina-begs-boyfriend-making-miracle-shower-ll-angry-home.html#1149739

FUEL: Elusiyan Francis Tolulope shows concern for the present petroleum cacophony

THE PATRIMONY OF FUEL AND THE PARADOXES OF THE MARKETERS

Nigeria as a nation is full of paradoxes. Obviously, refusal to sell fuel to induce high prices are annual rituals of the marketers. It is the greatest national scandal have ever seen. How on earth would some marketers refuse to sell out fuel because of excessive profit making thereby making life difficult for others. It is indeed a greedy attitude. We have on our hands what I call a "Country capture" by few petroleum marketers and their official collaborations. My dear Nigerians, let us all stand up and liberate ourselves from these profit mungers.

Precious Nwachukwu explains the role of youths in nation building

The term nation building or national development, is usually used to refer to a constructive process of engaging all citizens in building social cohesion, economic prosperity and political stability in a nation in an inclusive and democratic way. Going by the definition, it is seen that all citizens are to be involved in building or developing a nation. Thus, the involvement of youth in national development is a must. In fact, youths play one of the most important roles in nation building.
The Youths are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today. Young people are social actors of change and progress. They are a crucial segment of a nation's development. Their contribution, therefore, is highly needed.Youth are the engine room of every nation. The similitude of the importance of youth to nation building could be likened to a car engine, without which, vehicles can’t move, so also without youth, a nation cannot thrive. The role of the youth in nation building is too relevant to be jettisoned – they serve as the back-bone of a society. They can make or mar a nation based on what is programmed in them. They are a feedback system because if they are well equipped and garnished with the best available resources, they give a positive outcome, but, if otherwise, negative outcome should be expected.
Nigerian youths are surely among the most talented and creative youths in the world. They are fast learners; they have the ability to work under pressure and bring out desired result(s) for any organisation or institution. The role of Nigerian youths cannot be underestimated in nation building. Nigerian youths from time immemorial have been contributing their quota towards national development. It is only an insane man that will say Nigerian youths are not productive because there is practically no aspect of nature, physical or anthropological, material or human, complex diversity or undefined homogeneity, regional, international, academic or sport, Nigeria cannot boast of, even in religion or ethnicity. Name any field of learning you would not see a Nigerian youth renowned locally or internationally. Mention any aspect of living, good or bad, a Nigerian youth will not be actively and not passively recognised. There is nowhere in the world one would not see a Nigerian youth with the buzzing I-can-do spirit; In fact they drive the wheel of several countries in the world. However, the irony of the Nigerian situation is that the leadership cadre is filled with aged politicians who think nation building is their exclusive preserve and as such youths should not be given a chance. Perhaps, their stand explains why though youths are said to be leaders of tomorrow, that future never comes. On the other hand, the youths also are the architect of their misfortune because we have internalised the wrong precedence of corrupt politicians. We are ideologically bankrupt and in a state of delirium. We chose violence instead of peace and mutual coexistence. We chose the comfort of the moment instead of striving for self-sacrifice that will guarantee the freedom of this country. We chose the highway for robbery instead of class rooms. We chose guns, knives and axes instead of pen, paper and hard work. We avail ourselves all kinds of dirty jobs during election. We are carried away in the euphoria of crazy fashion and have jettisoned culture and history. We lack character and morality. The qualities of tomorrow’s leaders lie in the characters of today’s followers