CHRIST IS RISEN!

Are there any who are devout lovers of God?

Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Are there any who are grateful servants?

Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?

Let them now receive their wages!

If any have toiled from the first hour,

let them receive their due reward;

If any have come after the third hour,

let him with gratitude join in the Feast!

And he that arrived after the sixth hour,

let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.

And if any delayed until the ninth hour,

let him not hesitate; but let him come too.

And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,

let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.

He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,

as well as to him that toiled from the first.

To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.

He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.

The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!

First and last alike receive your reward;

rich and poor, rejoice together!

Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,

rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!

Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.

Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.

Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,

for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;

for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.

He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.

He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said,

"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.

It was in an uproar because it is mocked.

It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.

It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.

It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.

It took earth, and encountered Heaven.

It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?

O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated!

Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!

Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;

for Christ having risen from the dead,

is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep 

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

MKPISIOLAEDO DECLARATION

REFORM IS NOT REVOLUTION

Dear fellow reformers and progressives,

I wish to offer to your consideration some thoughts on the particular and general relations of man as a reformer. I shall assume that the aim of each young man in this group is the very highest that belongs to a rational mind. Let it be granted, that our life, as we lead it, is common and mean; that our communities are in shamble. None of us can claim ignorance of this fact; that some of those offices and functions for which we were mainly created are grown so rare in society, that the memory of them is only kept alive in old books and in dim traditions; that prophets and poets, that beautiful and perfect men, we are not now, no, nor have even seen such; that some sources of human instruction are almost unnamed and unknown among us; that the community in which we live will hardly bear to be told that every man should be able to enjoy the dividend of democracy as granted us by the almighty, and his daily walk elevated by intercourse with the saints above. Grant all this, as we must, yet I suppose none of my critics will deny that we ought to seek to establish ourselves in such disciplines and courses that will enthrone better governance in the grass root; that will restore people’s confidence in politics; And further, I will not dissemble my hope, that each person whom I address has felt his own call to cast aside all evil customs, timidities, and limitations, and to be in his place a free and helpful man, a reformer, a benefactor, not content to slip along through the world like a footman or a spy, escaping by his nimbleness and apologies as many knocks as he can, but a brave and upright man, who must find or cut a straight road to everything excellent in the earth, and not only go honourably himself, but make it easier for all who follow him, to go in honour and with benefit.

History has   the doctrine of Reform such as; Lutherans, Hernhutters, Jesuits, Monks, Quakers, Knox, Wesley, Sweden Borg, Bentham, today we shall have the Mkpisiolaedos. We the youths of Aba have suffered great negligence on the part of our government. Aba has lost its glory. Our future is not granted. We are dumb founded in the happening.

What we see is crime and moral decadency; our youth has lost focus and idealism. Our fathers are not in accord with the developmental changes of our era. How can one fights crime without preventing the cause of the crime? In as much as am not praising criminality or hailing immorality, let’s us dig out the foundation of these crimes. If we can’t totally uproot it, let’s weed it and curb it to its minimal degree.

Youth empowerment is not a song to be rehearsed by my fellow politicians, but a practical approach to engage the youth in meaningful occupations. What if some of the objections whereby our institutions are assailed are extreme and speculative, and the reformers tend to idealism; that only shows the extravagance of the abuses which have driven the mind into the opposite extreme. It is when government grow unreal and fantastic by too much falsehood, that the youth flies for refuge to the world of ideas, which a time is criminally minded and aims to recruit and replenish nature from that source. Let ideas establish their legitimate sway again in society, let government brings a life that is fair and poetic, and the youths will gladly be lovers, citizens, and philanthropists.

Youth empowerment is an attitudinal, structural, and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority, and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people, including youth and adults.

I am appealing to all Aba youths to shun all sorts of intimidation either planned or targeted at bastardising the empowerment. We can’t continue to be fooled. Don’t give us fish. When I need fish and you aren’t there, what do I do?  Just show us how to fish. We can fish better. I see no reason why some of our brothers have vowed to enslave us in our own land. They milk our economy to the detriment of our generation.  Where are there children…they are studying in overseas. Are they better than us? We struggle to survive the epileptic educational system here, at the end, their children will come back to have the best job with little or no experience on what our community is all about. 

Because I am involved, I can beat my chest to say no to this kind of imperialism we are undergoing in our father land. Who are the imperialists, our brothers!

I attended a village primary and secondary school. Struggled under self-help to past through all my formations both in Nigeria and Europe. But every youth won’t be as lucky as I am. Therefore, I owe my God if youths are not empowered. That’s why today am giving ear to the voice of the yearning youths to join in seeing to the betterment of Aba youths. I am not better than most of you, but come let us team up to improve our lives through meaningful transformation and self-help projects. Struggle leads to change. Aba must be reformed. And the time is now!

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the youths and people of Aba, to clean the infrastructural mess, to proclaim liberty to the populace and release to them the dividends of grass root democracy, to announce an era of favour from the LORD and an administration of vindication by our God.

So help me God.

IMMORTALISE EZE IGBO GBURUGBURU

The federal Government of Nigeria has been urged to immortalise the Biafran warlord,  a veteran soldier and politician, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.. Speaking after signing the condolence register of Ikemba at the end of the year party organised by the Igbo Progressive Association, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the initiator of Mkpisiolaedo Agenda for Youths (may) Hon. Chief Kelechi Amucha eulogised the qualities of the fallen hero. Hon. Amucha extol the bravery of Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu in laying his life for his people. Ojukwu was  manfulness till death, no wonder he withstood the illness until it was the will of God.
"Ojukwu is not dead but lives on" he said. Politicising his burial is not a welcome idea. Hon Kelechi pleaded to the MOSSOB to take heart over the demise of a great fighter for Igbo nation's  liberation, but urged the group to allow the federal government to honour this great statesman. To the demised immediate family, the Ojukwu's of Umudim Nnewi, may this death of  Chukwuemeka usher in a great co operation, peace and harmony. "Do not allow adversaries who couldn't face Dim to come over now to cause havoc amongst you. Chukwuemeka has finished his earthly assignment. We  are still in ours" Amucha warned.
"I therefore, call upon the National Assembly to immortalise Ikemba by approving the inscribing of his portrait in two thousand naira note (N2000) And to name some streets and army barracks after Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu"
May the soul of Chukwuemeka and the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
Gini ka mmadu bu?
Aja k'anyi bu, aja k'anyi gaa alaghachi. Chukwu keere uwa, onwu si na nmehie bia.
Onye keere anyi ga-ekpe anyi ikpe ma anyi nwuo, anyi bu mmadu k'anyi kwusi nfulie elu.

...RADICAL CHANGE FOR ABA

ABA, a city very significant in Igboland and  Nigeria. The then Japan of Africa. A city that had positively touched lives of many both great and small from all the nooks and crannies of this universe. The pride city of Ngwaland. The main communal abode of  Ukwa-Ngwa with its brethren from Old Bende. A place where everyone is free to establish without prejudice. 

ABA, a city that was full of unadulterated milk and honey. A city every pupil must cram  to pass the General paper subject of the First School Leaving Certificate (FLSC) in the 80s. I remember vividly these questions;

1. Soap industry is at ............ (a) Owerri (b) Umuahia (c) ABA (d)           Calabar (e) Enugu

2. Shoe industry is located in .......(a) Port Harcourt (b) ABA (c) Enugu (d) Owerri (e) Ikot Ekpene.

What has become of this city?  What has we the youth of this  remarkable town down to deserve negligence?

Any hope for Aba?

Dear youth of Aba, have you ever felt that no one cares about or understands what we are going through, let alone how we feel? If so, you may find comfort in this:

God cares so deeply about us the Aba youth. He takes note of all that happens to us as we go about our daily life.

There's a clarion call from many youths of Aba whose rights and privileged  are at stake for a radical change in Aba. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Since our elders have failed us, we  shall not accept the failure. Let's rise to the challenges. We must not be static in our reasoning.  The future of Aba lies on the youths of Aba. All the youths of Aba home and in diaspora , please join this crusade for a RADICAL CHANGE IN ABA. All the youths are important. No talent is a waste. God created every person for a purpose, let no one hinder God's plan for humanity.  Better to light a candle than cause the darkness.

Every man has his price. Though  we differs in age, sex, religion, status, orientation and all other aspects, but let us strive to complement each other. Though we are different but together let's form a useful or attractive combination of skills, qualities or knowledge to better ABA.

God, we pray for the total liberation of Aba. Save us from the hands of Shylock leaders.  

As you can't judge a book by its cover, so shall you not judge my write up without seeing the actions that will follow.

Please pray for all of us that are embarking on this radical change journey. The road is rough but we have accepted to thread on. God shall see us through. Thanks for finding time to read this article. But you owe my one thing; remember me in your daily prayers. Don't fail to recite this prayer if you are an Aba youth.

PRAYER FOR ABA IN DISTRESS

Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ we have received Your power;

ability, efficiency and might to embark on this selfless journey.

Because the holy spirit has come upon us; and we are your instruments in Aba.

We fearlessly, confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace of restoring  Aba to its lost glory which is your original plan for the city.

 We in the city of ABA critically need it.

We pray to  you God of equity, fairness and justice  for the welfare of this city and do our part by getting involved in it. We will not let false socio-political leaders and dividers who are in our midst deceive us; we pay no attention and attach no significance to their fake promises. Destroy their schemes, O Lord; confuse their tongues, for we have seen,  no infrastructural amenities and underdevelopment, unemployment, crimes and  violence and strife in the city of ABA. 

Help us to match our words with actions to achieve our objectives. These and more we ask in Jesus name Amen.

(Kelechi Amucha)