I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER…
Jane and Lizzy were best of friends who met each other at an earlier stage of their pre-degree days. The cordiality of their friendship could be traced to the fact that they both have the same mindset in respect to what their campus life must be. The 17 and 18 year old girls enjoyed their friendship as they are always seen together.
They attended every kind of wild parties on campus, hangout with the “mouthed” guys in school, the Friday night clubs will not start until they show face, lecturers are silent on their case for the fear of the cult guys, they indeed enjoyed their influence even as pre-degree students as they were always cruising in the SUG bus. Their colleagues were not bold enough to even say “Hi” to either of them, for they no longer belonged to their caliber.
Jane and Lizzy enjoyed their long-awaited freedom, where there’s no mummy to wake them up from bed, no daddy to scream for neglecting duties, junior is not in the film to report misbehaviors, Angela’s mum (next door neighbour) who complains of bad dressing and untamed manner is far back home, no one to complain of coming home late at night or not even sleeping at home at all. Oh! The real freedom!
This system is different from that which teachers will request notebooks, where report sheet are sent home every term, where PTA meeting is held. Sunday morning has become a public holiday as there is no daddy hurrying one for Sunday school, just in a world me, myself and I.
Jane and Lizzy will not settle down for ordinary guys on campus, they’re either with the student Union President, P.R.O, Welfare Director, Social Director or any campus-shacking-guy.
One day, I had a meeting with one of the SUG executive who happens to be a friend of mine in his Office where I met the two young and beautiful teenagers who greeted me casually while I focused on my assignment as I watched one of the guys in the office tease Jane by calling her a pre-degree student but she refused bluntly by saying she has finished her final papers that day as a pre-degree student. “We’re now a satellite”, Lizzy added and everyone laughed.
A couple of weeks later, I saw Jane in front of the male wing of my hostel, standing at the back of the S.U.G bus which automatically means that the S.U.G President was around. I heard a voice in my heart say “share the word of God with her” but I declined by saying God forbid!
How can I allow cult guys run after me with cutlass and gun, so I went back to my hostel without talking to Jane.
About two months after, my SUG friend paid me a visit and asked if I could remember Jane, one of the ladies I saw in his office. “Of course” I answered and he gave me the shocking news I have not yet recovered from. Jane, Lizzy’s 18 year old, pre-degree student friend is dead! I could not fathom it when I was told that she got pregnant and aborted it, locked herself up after taking much alcohol and she died! I wept like a baby and all I could say was haaa! I should have told her.
Jane died at age 18 even before starting out on the journey of 100 level. Her parent came for her corpse, wept bitterly but the poor girl is gone. I prayed to God to forgive me by his mercies, I know He has forgiven me, but what about you? Would you read Jane’s story and learn from it or wait till someone else is reading your story? Remember that then, your blood will be on your head.
Campus environment is a place where you can RUIN your life and destiny if you choose to. It is also a place where you can secure your future in God and labour now that you may not labour. No wonder the bible says that the joy of the Youth is in his strength, what are you doing with your strength? Another book says “remember thy God in the days of thy youth when the evil days are yet to come”. That is, the youthful period is one that is void of evil, no wife to pay attention to, no husband to cater for, no baby to baby-sit, no mother-in-law to please, no school fees to pay, no utility bills and the likes. But what do we see on our campuses today?
The devil brainwashes some of us to believe that the campus environment is a place where destinies are slaughtered, where wombs are damaged and substance traded for fashion, fame, influence, popularity and relevance; a place where virginity CAN NOT be kept. Listen, you can be on campus and be on fire for God. There are lives of people who till date is a challenge to me. One of which is brother Daniel who was a slave (a captive) in Babylon, a youth and yet, for his sake, King Darius commanded that throughout Babylon and all the nations of the earth no one must serve any other God except the God of Daniel. Daniel 6:25-27.
Hear this: The fool (devil) knows how dangerous you will be to him and his kingdom, so he wants to fill your head with “them go take”, “ I don arrive”
It breaks my heart when I see a lot of girls who gained admission as virgins but lost count of guys who have slept with them by the time they are leaving the campus. And I asked myself, is the campus environment that dangerous? But you know what? The answer is NO. It only appears like that because the girls in question came into the system with the mentality of ‘I don arrive’, that mindset naturally connects them to a friend or group of friends of like minds who will aid the speedy destruction of their lives and destiny.
Jane lost her life in the campus funfair because of her mindset and the kind of friends she kept. Who is your room mate? Who do you attend lectures together? If they’re people who think their value in life is in their beautiful bodies, hanging out with the big boys, if they are people who invites you to parties, introduces you to one Jude or one John, or they are people who talk to you about being influential & feared outside God, then my dear, you will soon crash-land. I discovered earlier in my pre-degree days that if I don’t want to terminate my appointment with destiny, I have to forgo a friendship that makes people call me “Big Girl”. My friend was not a bad girl in the big context but if I remain glued to her, I have detached myself from fulfilling purpose on earth.
You will be surprised to hear that you can get into the university as a virgin and walk out of that school gate with B. Sc certificate, still virgin, it all depends on you. We have living witnesses of beautiful, handsome, intelligent, futuristic brothers and sisters who help each other to grow spiritually and excel in academics without cheating in examination halls, sleeping with lecturers or paying bribes.
Let God redirect your mindset and order your steps that in bid to get a certificate, you don’t trade a destiny that a certificate cannot guarantee.
Do you agree with me that the guy(s) that impregnated Jane are out there with their certificate, possibly having good jobs now and having nice time with other girls out there while Jane is rotten in the grave? It’ll amaze you that Lizzy, Jane’s friend did not learn from everything that had happened. I called her times without number but she has refused to turn a new leave. No wonder the bible says in Eph. 2:2, that … the power of the air is at work in the sons of disobedience. Lizzy (adopted name), if you are reading this tract, its better you pick up the pieces of your life and come back to the manufacturer of your life. He alone has the spare parts of your life that sin and rebellion has damaged, He has not given up on you, He’s still saying “Come to me my daughter, you who are laboring and heavy laden, I’ll give you rest”. His arms are open; don’t tarry, tomorrow maybe too late.
You are from a home where you don’t even use earrings but now, you have been taken to different herbalists even at age 17, tomorrow maybe too late.
I pray that the Lord God of Heaven will locate every lost ones in this generation. (AMEN).
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
THE COSTLY MISTAKE
Disobedience according to the oxford dictionary is the refusal to obey, and to obey means do what one is expected or told to do.
I took because of I disobeyed
I chewed because I disobeyed
I gave out of disobedience
Someone else took out of disobedience
We both chewed in disobedience
I fell as a result of disobedience
We fell because I disobeyed
Our children fell because we disobeyed
Our grand children missed out because I disobeyed
In short, the whole generation and the one yet unborn fell because I disobeyed.
I, we, all of us were cursed because of the single mistake that I made, oh!
What a terrible mistake! Had I known?
Wonder who this is? Wonder what the disobedience is all about? And why it cost her so much? Let me spell it out, this is mother Eve in deep thought, man was created in the garden of comfort,Gen.28, created in the image of daddy, given dominion over all creations, blessed with supernatural intelligence to name all animal without studying zoology, privileged to have a one to one rapport with the Father. Design to live forever, created to have meals with ease, ordained to multiply without pains, created to enjoy riches and wealth, formed from mere dust but given the breath of the God.Gen27, YET, FAILED!
Why did man fail? You wonder : Disobedience, Eve disobeyed daddy in the garden of Eden by eating the forbidden fruit and the following happened: (i) man was sent out of the garden of comfort to fend for food in toil Gen.318&19 (ii)man lost relationship with God iii) man became afraid of the same father he communicates with Gen.310 (iv) woman cursed to multiply in pains Gen.316 (v) woman lost emotional strength “ for your desires shall be for your husband and he shall be over you Gen.316b.
All these among others happened to man all because of a single decision to disobey, man suffered all the rest of his life because our grandmother –Eve- disobeyed. At this point, I want to urge every one of us, most especially ladies, a single disobedience on your part could cause a lot of trouble for you, your spouse, children, sibling, your linage and generations to come, and you know what? They will not forgive you as most of us find it difficult to forgive mother Eve, I pray you will not make an unredeemable mistake in life in Jesus Name.
David a man after God’s heart also disobeyed by counting the Israelites against God’s instruction and he did not just suffer the costly mistake, his family and the whole of Israel did until over seven thousand (7,000) people died.
Gehazi, Elijah’s Servant also made a costly mistake, he followed Namman contrary to Elijah’s instruction and he and his generation earned the leprosy of Namman forever.
Moses the meekest man on earth also hit the Rock (Christ) in annoyance instead of mere touching the Rock with the rod as commanded and he lost the promise land
We all make mistakes once in a while but costly mistake are irredeemable and of eternal consequence, Father Abraham and Mother Sarah made such and the whole world is suffering the consequences NOW
Conclusively, obedience is the only way to enjoy God’s blessings. if God is commanding you concerning any issue through superior or a minister, either through vision or otherwise, please endeavor to obey because you never can tell, disobedience can affect everyone around you as we have not recovered from the fruit of labour of mother Eve’s disobedience and am sure that if she was opportune to read this piece, maybe she would have acted otherwise and possibly all we are suffering today might not be in place, father will not have to murder child for the sake of money, ladies will not sell their precious body for survival and the terrible things we see around to day. I pray that God will make it easy for us to obey His commands. (Amen)
Disobedience according to the oxford dictionary is the refusal to obey, and to obey means do what one is expected or told to do.
I took because of I disobeyed
I chewed because I disobeyed
I gave out of disobedience
Someone else took out of disobedience
We both chewed in disobedience
I fell as a result of disobedience
We fell because I disobeyed
Our children fell because we disobeyed
Our grand children missed out because I disobeyed
In short, the whole generation and the one yet unborn fell because I disobeyed.
I, we, all of us were cursed because of the single mistake that I made, oh!
What a terrible mistake! Had I known?
Wonder who this is? Wonder what the disobedience is all about? And why it cost her so much? Let me spell it out, this is mother Eve in deep thought, man was created in the garden of comfort,Gen.28, created in the image of daddy, given dominion over all creations, blessed with supernatural intelligence to name all animal without studying zoology, privileged to have a one to one rapport with the Father. Design to live forever, created to have meals with ease, ordained to multiply without pains, created to enjoy riches and wealth, formed from mere dust but given the breath of the God.Gen27, YET, FAILED!
Why did man fail? You wonder : Disobedience, Eve disobeyed daddy in the garden of Eden by eating the forbidden fruit and the following happened: (i) man was sent out of the garden of comfort to fend for food in toil Gen.318&19 (ii)man lost relationship with God iii) man became afraid of the same father he communicates with Gen.310 (iv) woman cursed to multiply in pains Gen.316 (v) woman lost emotional strength “ for your desires shall be for your husband and he shall be over you Gen.316b.
All these among others happened to man all because of a single decision to disobey, man suffered all the rest of his life because our grandmother –Eve- disobeyed. At this point, I want to urge every one of us, most especially ladies, a single disobedience on your part could cause a lot of trouble for you, your spouse, children, sibling, your linage and generations to come, and you know what? They will not forgive you as most of us find it difficult to forgive mother Eve, I pray you will not make an unredeemable mistake in life in Jesus Name.
David a man after God’s heart also disobeyed by counting the Israelites against God’s instruction and he did not just suffer the costly mistake, his family and the whole of Israel did until over seven thousand (7,000) people died.
Gehazi, Elijah’s Servant also made a costly mistake, he followed Namman contrary to Elijah’s instruction and he and his generation earned the leprosy of Namman forever.
Moses the meekest man on earth also hit the Rock (Christ) in annoyance instead of mere touching the Rock with the rod as commanded and he lost the promise land
We all make mistakes once in a while but costly mistake are irredeemable and of eternal consequence, Father Abraham and Mother Sarah made such and the whole world is suffering the consequences NOW
Conclusively, obedience is the only way to enjoy God’s blessings. if God is commanding you concerning any issue through superior or a minister, either through vision or otherwise, please endeavor to obey because you never can tell, disobedience can affect everyone around you as we have not recovered from the fruit of labour of mother Eve’s disobedience and am sure that if she was opportune to read this piece, maybe she would have acted otherwise and possibly all we are suffering today might not be in place, father will not have to murder child for the sake of money, ladies will not sell their precious body for survival and the terrible things we see around to day. I pray that God will make it easy for us to obey His commands. (Amen)
ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
COMPREHENSIVE ADOLESCENT-CENTRED REPRODUTIVE HEALTH SERVICES; A MEANS TO MITIGATE HIGH RATE OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN EKITI STATE (PRT 1)
At The New generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), the high rate of teenage pregnancy both in our dear Ekiti State as well as other states of the federation in Nigeria is a major concern.
Therefore providing intensive and robust reproductive health and life building skills for in and out of school adolescents is our major commitment.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence as the period in human growth and development that occurs after childhood and before adulthood, from ages 10 to19. It represents one of the critical transitions in the life span and is characterized by a tremendous pace in growth and change that is second only to that of infancy. Biological processes drive many aspects of this growth and development, with the onset of puberty marking the passage from childhood to adolescence. The biological determinants of adolescence are fairly universal; however, the duration and defining characteristics of this period may vary across time, cultures, and socioeconomic situations. This period has seen many changes over the past century namely the earlier onset of puberty, later age of marriage, urbanization, global communication, and changing sexual attitudes and behaviors.
Key developmental experiences
The process of adolescence is a period of preparation for adulthood during which time several key developmental experiences occur. Besides physical and sexual maturation, these experiences include movement toward social and economic independence, and development of identity, the acquisition of skills needed to carry out adult relationships and roles, and the capacity for abstract reasoning. While adolescence is a time of tremendous growth and potential, it is also a time of considerable risk during which social contexts exert powerful influences.
LINKING FACTORS OF ADOLESCENCE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY
Pressures (Peer) to engage in high risk behaviour
Many adolescents face pressures to use alcohol, cigarettes, or other drugs and to initiate sexual relationships at earlier ages, putting themselves at high risk for intentional and unintentional injuries, unintended pregnancies, and infection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many also experience a wide range of adjustment and mental health problems. Behavior patterns that are established during this process, such as drug use or nonuse and sexual risk taking or protection, can have long-lasting positive and negative effects on future health and well-being. As a result, during this process, adults have unique opportunities to influence young people. Adolescents are different both from young children and from adults. Specifically, adolescents are not fully capable of understanding complex concepts, or the relationship between behavior and consequences, or the degree of control they have or can have over health decision making including that related to sexual behaviour. This inability may make them particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and high-risk behaviours. Laws, customs, and practices may also affect adolescents differently than adults. For example, laws and policies often restrict access by adolescents to reproductive health information and services, especially when they are unmarried. In addition, even when services do exist, provider attitudes about adolescents having sex often pose a significant barrier to use of those services.
Unhealthy exposure to censored materials
The entertainment industry worldwide has not been helpful in the developmental process of adolescent. A whole lot of damage has been done by the media (both electronic and social media) as more young people are exposed to sensitive images and materials by the media. These materials
Weak Family and community supports to adolescents
Adolescents depend on their families, their, communities, schools, health services and their workplaces to learn a wide range of important skills that can help them to cope with the pressures they face and make the transition from childhood to adulthood successfully. Parents, members of the community, service providers, and social institutions have the responsibility to both promote adolescent development and adjustment and to intervene effectively when problems arise.
Poor access to Adolescent Reproductive Health Services and Life Building Skills
Ekiti State as other states of the federation has no adolescent friendly centers where adolescents can access robust, non-judgmental but friendly services and programs particularly for intermediary adolescents (those awaiting admission into tertiary institutions) and out of school adolescent who cannot be reached with the in-school Family Life and Health Education (FLHE) program.
To tackle the problem of teenage pregnancy each state needs to provide accessible adolescent friendly centers across the state where teenagers can get quality information, counseling and educative and behavioural change materials. These centers can be made friendly by engaging young adult as service providers at the centers such as mid or late 20s medical doctors, lawyers, social workers, Counselors etc.
Lack of peer and role adolescents models
NIGAWD’s experience working with adolescents in the State has proven that the one-off intervention programs only has immediate and short term effect on adolescent behaviour but maintaining a close monitoring contact with adolescent empowers him/her to cope and effectively manage adolescent challenges. Therefore we make it a duty at NIGAWD to provide adolescents in the state with confidential mentoring services FOC.
High rate of poverty
In Africa, poverty is a major vice that many pregnant teenagers accused of being the cause of their predicament. Inability of parents to provide basic needs for their girl child is a catalyst factor responsible for teenage girls going out to fend for themselves; this, coupled with the lack of comprehensive adolescent reproductive health information (i.e. Pregnancy Prevention Strategies PPS) leads many adolescents to unplanned motherhood and in turn results in “extreme poverty”
Adolescents should therefore know that having sex with a man or boy in order to make ends meet is not an escape route from poverty but a free visa to extreme poverty. As a result hard work should be the focus; a girl in such compromising situation could apply as a sale girl somewhere or get a menial job in a canteen rather than go from frying pan into fire.
This is a truth we sell to adolescents that comes in contact with us at NIGAWD either through our in-school adolescent reproductive health intervention programs or their out of school counterparts that walks into our office for information.
TO THIS END NIGAWD OFFICES ARE OPENED TO ADOLESCENT GIRLS AS A YOUTH FRIENDLY CENTRE WHERE ROBUST NON-SENTIMENTAL ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND LIFE BUILDING SKILLS IS PROVIDED. FREE-OF-CHARGE
At The New generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), the high rate of teenage pregnancy both in our dear Ekiti State as well as other states of the federation in Nigeria is a major concern.
Therefore providing intensive and robust reproductive health and life building skills for in and out of school adolescents is our major commitment.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence as the period in human growth and development that occurs after childhood and before adulthood, from ages 10 to19. It represents one of the critical transitions in the life span and is characterized by a tremendous pace in growth and change that is second only to that of infancy. Biological processes drive many aspects of this growth and development, with the onset of puberty marking the passage from childhood to adolescence. The biological determinants of adolescence are fairly universal; however, the duration and defining characteristics of this period may vary across time, cultures, and socioeconomic situations. This period has seen many changes over the past century namely the earlier onset of puberty, later age of marriage, urbanization, global communication, and changing sexual attitudes and behaviors.
Key developmental experiences
The process of adolescence is a period of preparation for adulthood during which time several key developmental experiences occur. Besides physical and sexual maturation, these experiences include movement toward social and economic independence, and development of identity, the acquisition of skills needed to carry out adult relationships and roles, and the capacity for abstract reasoning. While adolescence is a time of tremendous growth and potential, it is also a time of considerable risk during which social contexts exert powerful influences.
LINKING FACTORS OF ADOLESCENCE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY
Pressures (Peer) to engage in high risk behaviour
Many adolescents face pressures to use alcohol, cigarettes, or other drugs and to initiate sexual relationships at earlier ages, putting themselves at high risk for intentional and unintentional injuries, unintended pregnancies, and infection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many also experience a wide range of adjustment and mental health problems. Behavior patterns that are established during this process, such as drug use or nonuse and sexual risk taking or protection, can have long-lasting positive and negative effects on future health and well-being. As a result, during this process, adults have unique opportunities to influence young people. Adolescents are different both from young children and from adults. Specifically, adolescents are not fully capable of understanding complex concepts, or the relationship between behavior and consequences, or the degree of control they have or can have over health decision making including that related to sexual behaviour. This inability may make them particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and high-risk behaviours. Laws, customs, and practices may also affect adolescents differently than adults. For example, laws and policies often restrict access by adolescents to reproductive health information and services, especially when they are unmarried. In addition, even when services do exist, provider attitudes about adolescents having sex often pose a significant barrier to use of those services.
Unhealthy exposure to censored materials
The entertainment industry worldwide has not been helpful in the developmental process of adolescent. A whole lot of damage has been done by the media (both electronic and social media) as more young people are exposed to sensitive images and materials by the media. These materials
Weak Family and community supports to adolescents
Adolescents depend on their families, their, communities, schools, health services and their workplaces to learn a wide range of important skills that can help them to cope with the pressures they face and make the transition from childhood to adulthood successfully. Parents, members of the community, service providers, and social institutions have the responsibility to both promote adolescent development and adjustment and to intervene effectively when problems arise.
Poor access to Adolescent Reproductive Health Services and Life Building Skills
Ekiti State as other states of the federation has no adolescent friendly centers where adolescents can access robust, non-judgmental but friendly services and programs particularly for intermediary adolescents (those awaiting admission into tertiary institutions) and out of school adolescent who cannot be reached with the in-school Family Life and Health Education (FLHE) program.
To tackle the problem of teenage pregnancy each state needs to provide accessible adolescent friendly centers across the state where teenagers can get quality information, counseling and educative and behavioural change materials. These centers can be made friendly by engaging young adult as service providers at the centers such as mid or late 20s medical doctors, lawyers, social workers, Counselors etc.
Lack of peer and role adolescents models
NIGAWD’s experience working with adolescents in the State has proven that the one-off intervention programs only has immediate and short term effect on adolescent behaviour but maintaining a close monitoring contact with adolescent empowers him/her to cope and effectively manage adolescent challenges. Therefore we make it a duty at NIGAWD to provide adolescents in the state with confidential mentoring services FOC.
High rate of poverty
In Africa, poverty is a major vice that many pregnant teenagers accused of being the cause of their predicament. Inability of parents to provide basic needs for their girl child is a catalyst factor responsible for teenage girls going out to fend for themselves; this, coupled with the lack of comprehensive adolescent reproductive health information (i.e. Pregnancy Prevention Strategies PPS) leads many adolescents to unplanned motherhood and in turn results in “extreme poverty”
Adolescents should therefore know that having sex with a man or boy in order to make ends meet is not an escape route from poverty but a free visa to extreme poverty. As a result hard work should be the focus; a girl in such compromising situation could apply as a sale girl somewhere or get a menial job in a canteen rather than go from frying pan into fire.
This is a truth we sell to adolescents that comes in contact with us at NIGAWD either through our in-school adolescent reproductive health intervention programs or their out of school counterparts that walks into our office for information.
TO THIS END NIGAWD OFFICES ARE OPENED TO ADOLESCENT GIRLS AS A YOUTH FRIENDLY CENTRE WHERE ROBUST NON-SENTIMENTAL ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND LIFE BUILDING SKILLS IS PROVIDED. FREE-OF-CHARGE
Hey, Stop!
Stop living a careless life like you are a nobody. If Mary had lived her life d way youar living yours, mayb we won't v hd a Savour by nw. If Deborah knew her lifestyle was being recorded smewhre, mayb she wld v dne mre & if Dellilah was hintd dat a buk wil cova d pages of her life, mayb she wld v livd beta, my dear u neva cn tell mayb generatns 2 com wil read abt u in a buk (d Bible) wat wil b written abt u? wat? Cn sme1 name her daughta afta u wn u v departd? Rememba no1 names her daughta Delilah! Or Jezebel. Or wld u b d first?
Stop living a careless life like you are a nobody. If Mary had lived her life d way youar living yours, mayb we won't v hd a Savour by nw. If Deborah knew her lifestyle was being recorded smewhre, mayb she wld v dne mre & if Dellilah was hintd dat a buk wil cova d pages of her life, mayb she wld v livd beta, my dear u neva cn tell mayb generatns 2 com wil read abt u in a buk (d Bible) wat wil b written abt u? wat? Cn sme1 name her daughta afta u wn u v departd? Rememba no1 names her daughta Delilah! Or Jezebel. Or wld u b d first?
NIGAWD Global Handwashing
http://globalhandwashing.org/ghw-day/activities/commemoration-ghwd-3-primary-schools-ekiti-state-nigeria
THIS WILL INTEREST YOU. ITS JUST A CLICK
THIS WILL INTEREST YOU. ITS JUST A CLICK
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