Monthly Archives: February 2014

Feb 26 2014

3 Things Christians Should Stop Doing on Social Media – Ryan Duncan

A while back, I stumbled across a funny conversation someone had posted online. It all began with a serious question:   

   “If someone from the 1950’s suddenly appeared today, what would be the most difficult thing to explain to them about life today?”  

To which one person responded,“I possess a device, in my pocket, that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man. I use it to look at pictures of cats and get in arguments with strangers.”

Humans have not always been the most judicious in their use of social media, and Christians are certainly no exception. Just read the comments under any CNN article if you don’t believe me, it’s enough to make a person cringe. This is not the way things are supposed to be.

Christians should be known for their love and grace, not their twitter arguments. Behind the safety of a computer screen though, many of us lose our ability to show compassion.

Pastor and blogger Jarrid Wilson believes there are three things Christians should stop doing on social media, most notable among them: Trying To Explain Theological Doctrine in 140 Characters Or Less.“Theology is a subject that was never meant to be paraphrased, half-hearted, or partially explained. Take the time to write a blog post or even make a podcast.

Don’t try and manipulate Biblical doctrine to fit in the form of 140 characters or less. God’s word deserves to be drawn out, elaborated, and explained in a plethora of words. Nuggets of partial truth will never be more fulfilling than a plate filled with the whole meal.” Wilson is not alone in his views either.

Crosswalk contributor Ava Pennington also published an article citing the many mistakes Christians make while trying to minister online. Like Wilson, she believes the gospel must have a solid presence in any ministry, but that social media is not the place for public sparring.“Do you argue or debate with those who disagree with your social, political, or theological views? Social media is not the place to engage in verbal sparring.

You may win the battle but lose the person. Of course you want to stay true to your convictions, but this is not the place to be drawn into angry disputes.”

Psalm 34 tells Christians to keep their tongues from evil, a warning that applies to the words we say as well as those we post.     

What are your thoughts? Do you believe Christians require more discernment when using social media?

SOURCE

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Feb 25 2014

Boko Haram Kills 29 Secondary School Students in Yobe.

Reports from Yobe State indicate that about 29 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, were killed on Monday night while they slept in their dormitories.

The spokesperson of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the state, Lazarus Eli, confirmed the attack to Aljazeera network. He however did not give the exact number of casualties.
Mr. Eli said the gunmen “opened fire on student hostels.”

He said details are still sketchy due to lack of telephone access and it is still not clear how many students were affected in the attack.

The outlawed Boko Haram sect is suspected to be behind the attack which took place around 2 a.m.
The sect had carried out a similar attack in Yobe last September killing over 40 students at the College of Agriculture, Gujba.

Also, earlier in July last year, Boko Haram carried out an overnight attack on students of Government Secondary School, Mumoda, killing over 40 students.

Mr. Eli said the military has already dispatched a team to Buni Yadi to track and apprehend the killers.

Yobe, like Borno and Adamawa, has been under emergency rule since May 2013 as the military tries to dislodge the Boko Haram insurgents. Despite the emergency rule, hundreds of people have been killed in different attacks in the affected states.

SOURCE

Feb 23 2014

Cwesi Oteng – ‘Yesu’

Cwesi Oteng - Yesu

 

Award winning International Gospel artist from Ghana Cwesi Oteng is out again with yet another hit titled ‘Yesu’. “This single shows Cwesi’s versatility as a songwriter and singer and gives hint as to the diversity of sound and musical styles fans should expect on the upcoming album.

“Yesu” is an ode to Jesus, highlighting the ultimate sacrifice of love on the cross to save mankind. It is a reflective mellow tune that reminds of you of the saviour’s selfless work and urge you to worship and give thanks.”- Paul Azumah-Ayitey previews ‘Yesu’

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Feb 23 2014

Building on Rock (2) – Paul Kostyukov

rock1.jpg

 

This is Part 2 of the series titled Building on Rock.  This series was inspired by a documentary on the leaning tower of Pisa.  In this series, we discuss the importance of building our lives on the proper foundation.  Part 2 deals with the dangers of building our lives on sand.  Read part 1 HERE . . .

All of us build our lives on something.  Although we build our lives on many things, like relationships, education, careers, God, etc., ultimately our foundation rests in one of two categories: either we build on rock, or we build on sand.  In Jesus’ parable (Luke 6: 46-49), Jesus talks about the dangers of building on sand: 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.  Building on sand means building on anything but Jesus.  It doesn’t matter if your rock is your education, your money, your career, or your family— building on anything other than Jesus is building on sand. The danger is that when storms come to destroy our foundation, our lives will crumble.

I want to share two examples I heard that deal with the dangers of building on sand.

The first is a young man who was a junior in high school and was an unbelievable athlete.  He played a sport every season: soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring.  But his real love was with basketball.  Whenever he had free time, he either spent it at the gym lifting weights or on the court practicing free throws and 3-pointers.  This man was unbelievable.  He had a killer crossover and an almost unstoppable jump shot.  His athletic ability resulted in his getting a division one scholarship to one of the most prestige basketball colleges in the nation.  The young man thought to himself that this was going to be his life; he would play basketball and be popular.  Now, he could get with any girl he wanted.  Later, he reasoned, he would play basketball in college, be successful and popular, be known by everyone, and he won’t even have to study for his classes, he would pass simply because of his membership in the basketball team.  Further, he predicted that he would be drafted into the NBA and make a living making millions while playing the sport he loves.

All seemed to be going well.  During one game, however, going up for the rebound, this young man tore his ACL in his right knee.  After tearing the ACL, the young man lost his scholarship to college.  He spent a year in recovery then returned to the basketball court.  However, he was not the same basketball player anymore.  His crossovers and cuts weren’t the same; the killer jump shot was not so killer anymore.  The young man finished high school as an average member of the basketball team.  He was not sought out by any college and was not offered any scholarships.  His future went down the drain.  A storm came, wiped away his foundation, and his life crumbled.  The man turned to drugs and alcohol to find joy but never found anything that was sustainable; it only gave him temporary, fast-fleeting joy.  He lost touch with his family and did not want to see anybody or be in contact with anyone.  The story turned around a couple of years later when he found Jesus at a Christian concert and started building his life on the proper foundation.

The other example is of a young teenage girl who was a sophomore also in high school.  She build her foundation on her family, especially her mother—she loved her mom!  One day, after coming home from school, she learned that her mom was diagnosed with a severe level of cancer, giving her 6-24 months to live.  The girl was devastated.  However, since she had only a few months left to live with her mom, she decided to make the best of it.  They made an ultimate vacation plan where they would visit multiple countries and see many landmarks and cross off many things on her mom’s bucket list.  This trip took around two weeks to plan.  Having raised the appropriate funds, they were ready to go on their vacation.  Unexpectedly, just a few days before they were scheduled to leave, her mom became very ill and was sent to the hospital.  She died a few days later.  The doctor’s diagnosis gave 6-24 months to live, yet her mom died in less than four weeks.  The girl’s life was in shambles.  She became very angry with God for taking her mom away.  The girl locked herself in her room and refused to talk to anybody.  All she wanted to do was just cry and cry.  Many months later, the girl went on a youth retreat and heard the topic of a proper foundation.  There, she realized that her life had become shattered because her foundation was her mom, not her God.  She went to the front, repented, and has been serving God ever since.

Hearing these stories, you may be thinking to yourself, It’s ok, I love sports, and I love my parents, but they are not my foundation, so I’m safe.  These examples don’t fit everyone, but there is a plethora of people today who are building their lives on something other than on God.  It could be your boyfriend or girlfriend.  Maybe it’s your career and money.  Or, it could be something as simple as your twitter account or sports team.  So often, I hear stories of angry and depressed fans after their teams don’t win a big game.  I myself am a sports team fan so I am used to the heartbreak, but you should have seen the view when the Eagles lost the Super bowl a couple of years ago!  Nobody wanted to talk to anyone; the whole city was facing an epidemic of depression. Now, thankfully, these two stories end in a positive note, but there are many stories out there where people’s lives end in suicide because their foundation broke.  I have heard many stories of young men and women killing themselves after their boyfriends or girlfriends were killed.  I know stories of people cutting themselves after their parents died.  A college near me is built on academic success, yet its suicide rate is the second leading among colleges in America because when the students fail a class, they can’t take it and end their lives!!! It is crazy dangerous to build our lives on anything other than God!

Here is a test for you.  Put yourself in this position:  If you wake up tomorrow and your boyfriend or girlfriend dumps you, how will you react?  If you lose your job, and your house and car get repossessed, how will you react? If you lose a loved one, how will you react?  If those events shake your life and if you feel like your life is over, that means you have been building your life on an unstable foundation.  Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that if those storms come that we should just brush off our shoulders, put a fake smile on our faces, and pretend nothing happened.  No, you should be shaken because a storm hit you.  After a storm hits a house, it can damage the roof or the walls or tear a few windows— and that’s alright.    But the house will not crumble if its foundation is sturdy.  The same relationship applies to your life.  Figuratively speaking, your relationships could be your walls, your job the windows, and your education the door— that is fine.  As long as these are not your foundation.

Jesus was not against us having a job, career, family, or friends.  Jesus is not opposed to us having things, but he is against things having us! If your foundation is not in Christ, then all other foundations will self-destruct.  These are the dangers of building on sand.

Follow him on twitter @paulkos if you are into the following: Christian Writer. Lover of God, Life, Music, People, Sports, and Reality TV competitions!

Feb 23 2014

Building on Rock (1)

rock.jpg

 

A couple of days ago, I was flipping through the channels on my television set.  Like always, I am paying for over 300 channels and there is never anything on.  So I stopped on a documentary about the leaning tower of Pisa.  After watching the show for 30 minutes, I learned many new things about the tower; for example, the tower was built in three stages that lasted over a span of 199 years.  This delay was not due to laziness or a lack of union workers, but because the country was going through many stages of wars.  After building the first story, everything seemed first-rate. But when the second story was being built, they noticed a problem with the foundation and the tower began to lean.  The problem was not resolved and they continued to build even though the foundation was very unstable.  Today, the tower is known world-wide as the leaning tower because it leans at an angle of 5.5 degrees.  Also, between 1990 and 2001, there was a multi-million dollar restoration on the building that lessened the leaning from 5.5 degrees to 3.99 degrees. This restoration had to happen because if it didn’t then the tower would eventually fall.

After watching the show, I began to think of the numerous numbers of Christians who are building their lives today on an unstable foundation.  Even though they may be going to church, praying, singing, and reading the Bible, their foundation is still very unstable.  So, I decided to write a three-part series that talks about building our lives on rock.

Most of us know the parable of the wise and the foolish builder that is written in Luke 6.            46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

In this parable, Jesus talks about the dangers of building a house on sand. First, however, Jesus states something important that we should not throw under the rug.  He states that in both situations, the builders faced storms.  The one who built on rock and the one who built on sand both faced storms in their lives.  There is one certain fact in today’s life, and that is that we will all face storms.  This is really important for us to understand because there are churches in America that do not preach this, or, even worse, preach against this.  I’ve been to churches with alter calls that sounded like this: “Come to Jesus and your life will be better, come to Jesus and you will not have problems with your health, your relationships, and your finances.”  People sitting in the pews hear this and say, “Wow, this sounds good, no problems for the rest of my life. Why not try this Jesus thing out?”  So they come to the front and accept Jesus with the hope that nothing bad will ever happen to them. However, life doesn’t stop, and they continue to struggle with paying their bills, they continue to struggle with diseases and relationships, and then they get mad at Jesus because they believed in the false hope and promises.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He never promised us a life without storms.  He never promised us a life without pain or difficulties.  He actually promises the opposite; he states that we will be hated because of Him.  He states that he was persecuted and we will therefore also be persecuted, for a disciple is not greater than his teacher (John 15:20). If Jesus was persecuted, we should expect to be persecuted too.  This doesn’t sound like a promise of a peaceful life. Instead, he promises us something much greater, in addition to always being with us. He said that no one could ever snatch us out of his hand.  Judging from my few years of following Jesus, let me encourage you that Option B (life with Christ) is exponentially better than Option A (life without problems). I know many people from the Slavic community who are in their 60s and 70s who lived through extreme persecution in the former Soviet Union.  They have been through extreme situations like prisons, iceboxes, and torture, just because of their faith in Christ.  I spoke with them and asked them to choose from the same two options, and all of them chose life with Christ.

In summary, the first point I want to bring home is that in this life, we will face storms.  Do not believe the false promises advertised by false teachers.  Do not fall for the trap of an unrealistic Christianity.  Instead, listen to Jesus’ words and his promises to always be with us.

Feb 23 2014

Ada – Ope + I’m Rich (Remix) Feat. Frank Edwards

Music: Ada – ‘Ope’ + ‘I’m Rich’ [Remix] Feat. Frank Edwards

FreeNation INC proudly presents 2 fresh Singles by the indelible Ada.
“Ope” (Prod by Oluwole Michael) #Lifted & “I’m Rich Remix” ft the Gifted Frank Edwards (Prod by Sokay) #SoFly.

It’s so plain to see that Ada is here to stay for a very long time. So with love, we invite you to join us on this very unique journey. It’s the Gospel According to ADA!

The very successful double disc #Lifted & #SoFly are now available in all the leading music stores near you and your street vendors.

DOWNLOAD OPE

DOWNLOAD I’M RICH

Feb 21 2014

Day of Mourning Declared in Ukraine as Violence Worsens

Wednesday marked a day of national
mourning in the Ukraine after 25 people were killed in a bloody clash between protestors and the government.

About 1,000 other people were injured as well after police carrying stun grenades and water cannons raided a protest camp in Independence Square in Kiev on Tuesday.

The protestors, who are asking for a pro-European government, responded with fire bombs and rocks.

President Viktor Yanukovych blamed the protesters for the violence, saying they “crossed a line when they called people to arms.”

Opposition forces should “disassociate themselves from the radical forces that provoke bloodshed and clashes with law enforcement,” he said.

Otherwise, admit to supporting them and be treated accordingly, Yanukovych added.

On Wednesday, protestors prepared to hold their ground again.

President Barack Obama is expected to address the issue today while he is in Mexico.

The conflict started in November when thousands of protestors packed Independence Square when President Yanukovych reversed a decision to sign a trade deal with the European Union and instead turned toward Russia.

Later, an anti-protest law went into effect. Demonstrators also protested that.

Churches around the world are holding 24-hour prayer vigils in light of the violence.

CBN’s Steve Weber asked for prayers for the Ukraine on Facebook Wednesday morning.

“We just need to pray they’ll be a whole new generation of people who really want to serve and be leaders in the government, not for personal benefit, but for the good of the people,” he said.

SOURCE

Feb 21 2014

Without Apology: Ukraine Seeks a Brighter Future of Freedom – Stan Guthrie

In the book The Grace Effect: How the Power of One Life Can Reverse the Corruption of Unbelief, Larry Alex Taunton describes the process that he and his wife, Lauri, had to endure while adopting Sasha, a special-needs girl from Orphanage No. 17, in Odessa, Ukraine. They faced months of bureaucratic inertia, expectations of bribery, and callousness to the miserable plight of orphans under the state’s soul-deadening “care.”

Sasha and the other children lived in a Spartan setting. Actually, Larry says, they lived amid a “grassless, treeless, lunar landscape.” Sasha’s spiritual state was similarly barren. Larry and Lauri discovered this in a variety of ways after they adopted her. Once, Sasha carelessly broke some dishes, and Lauri scolded her—then thought better of it and apologized.

“That’s okay,” Sasha replied. “You don’t have to apologize to me. I’m different.” Thanks to a life under atheism, the child had come to see herself as unworthy of consideration, as a cog in a larger, mindless machine.

It’s a feeling many of Sasha’s countrymen have experienced after a lifetime of being under Soviet and now Russian domination. Now a brave vanguard of Ukrainians is risking all to break out of this control in a quest for political and economic freedom. Time will tell if they succeed not only in this, but in finding the kind of spiritual freedom so necessary to transform their lives and their society.

Ukraine’s endemic corruption is legendary. Transparency International ranks the nation of 46 million as No. 144 of 177 countries on the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index. The country garners a score of just 25 of 100 possible points in battling corruption.  Much of the corruption, of course, is a hangover from communist domination.

“Communism fell two decades ago, but its effects are still deeply felt,” says Operation World, the global prayer guide. “The market economy has actually driven many to poverty while lining the pockets of the elite. Corruption reaches to the highest levels while pensioners, teachers, doctors and other state employees struggle economically. The moral vacuum of post-Communist freedom led to rapidly increasing levels of alcoholism and AIDS.”

According to Operation World, Ukraine’s annual income per person is a paltry $3,910, or just 8 percent of the United States—this in a nation that was formerly known as the breadbasket of Europe and which today features a literacy rate of 99.4 percent. (The U.S. has a similar literacy rate of 99 percent, but a functional literacy rate of just 85 percent.) No wonder increasing numbers of Ukrainians are dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to risk life and limb on the streets of Kiev and in other cities.

The current unrest is not entirely unique for the country since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. While a succession of former communist leaders (or at least those subservient to Russia) has run the country since then, the so-called Orange Revolution of 2005 first brought hope and then disappointment. Operation World says the reform movement “won Ukrainians national dignity, press freedoms and open political mechanisms.”

Progress, however, was short-lived. Viktor Yushchenko, a favorite of many reform-minded Christians, was the leader of the opposition movement. In late 2004 he was the victim of an assassination attempt through poisoning. Yushchenko survived but was disfigured. He ran for the presidency but lost in a vote that the country’s highest court said was tainted. Then he won in runoff against Viktor Yanukovych. Yushchenko’s idealistic movement subsequently faded.

Today Yanukovych is president. Last November, under pressure from Vladimir Putin of Russia, Yanukovych refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union and is leaning toward a customs agreement with Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Pro-Western activists see this as a return to the irresistible embrace of the Russian bear and took to the streets.

On December 8, they took the highly symbolic step of smashing a statue of Vladimir Lenin in Kiev—inflaming pro-Russia populations in the country’s south and east. The protests have grown over the last couple of months, sparking a brutal government crackdown that so far has left scores of demonstrators—men and women—dead in the streets.

The country is nominally 79 percent Christian, with most people in either Orthodox or Catholic churches. Protestants, however, with just 3.8 percent of the population, are growing at a comparatively healthy 3.1 percent annual rate. “Ukraine has a strong Christian legacy,” Operation World says, “and evangelicals emerged stronger and more numerous from 130 years of sustained persecution in which Christians were killed.”

The movement has been bolstered in recent years via the growth of more African and also Western-style churches, which, understandably, have ruffled some traditionalist feathers. Ukrainian-run ministries have been multiplying in areas such as evangelism, media, literature, and children’s work. Western groups remain in the country, serving alongside their Ukrainian counterparts.

Summer camps for kids have been a popular and fruitful form of outreach, although the current instability is causing some ministry leaders to rethink their current plans. Operation World says leadership training is the biggest need of the churches—a common refrain in countries where the gospel is bearing fruit.

Ukraine’s current challenges have been decades in the making and, unfortunately, are unlikely to be solved by a few months of street protests. The country’s political future appears dark to many observers. But its spiritual prospects appear to be brighter than they have been in a very long time.

Whatever happens in the current showdown, Ukraine’s freedom-seeking people are no different than anyone else. They need and deserve our fervent intercession for their spiritual liberty.

Feb 21 2014

House of Reps, rejects Sanusi’s removal, says it’s ‘illegal, unconstitutional’

According to Premiumtimes,
The House of Representatives has rejected President Goodluck Jonathan’s removal of Sanusi Lamido as governor of the Central Bank, dismissing the president’s action as “illegal and unconstitutional”.

Mr. Sanusi was suspended Thursday for what the president called “financial recklessness”; but many Nigerians believe he was punished for exposing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s failure to account for $20 billion missing oil money, and how the government has failed to act on the matter.

Mr. Jonathan has already named Godwin Emefiele, the current chief executive officer of Zenith Bank, as new CBN chief, subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

But the House of Representatives on Thursday rejected the president’s decision, and accused Mr. Jonathan of acting outside his power, in a direct message that reflected the sentiments expressed by many Nigerians.

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, said whatever might be the offence, Mr. Jonathan should have followed constitutional process “instead of exceeding the boundary of his powers.”

“This is not about Sanusi as a person, or the person nominated to succeed him, Godwin Emefiele, who is a thoroughbred professional. It is about due process that should be upheld,” Mr. Atiku said in a statement.

He advised Mr. Sanusi to challenge his suspension in court “in the interest of constitutionalism and the rule of law”.

Lawmakers also accused Mr. Jonathan of hastening to fire Mr. Sanusi when the same president had failed to act on several of reports of the House of Representatives indicting corrupt officials of his administration.

Past investigations by the House indicted petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and officials of the NNPC. Mr. Jonathan has consistently refused to act on any of the reports.

The House committees on justice and legislative compliance are to compile the names of all officials of government indicted in its investigations, and forward same to the president for immediate compliance, the House resolved Thursday.

“In a democracy, the rule of law and not the rule of man is the only condition that can guarantee freedom and protect the rights of the citizen,” said Minority Whip, Samson Osagie, who raised the matter for discussion hours after the presidency announced Mr. Sanusi’s removal.

Mr. Osagie said the president breached the law establishing the CBN, as the approval of the Senate is required to order the removal of the CBN governor.

Mr. Sanusi has said he will challenge the president’s directive in court.
While the Senate made no mention of the suspension order, beyond announcing Mr. Jonathan’s new nominee to the post, the House of Representatives degenerated into chaos Thursday as lawmakers either kicked against or back Mr. Jonathan’s move.

A few members, who backed the president, said he acted well within his mandate and was right to fire the defiant CBN governor.
Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP-Delta) said the suspension was only a part of a process to the eventual removal of Mr. Sanusi.

“For you to remove somebody, there have to be a process, and the suspension is the beginning of that,” he said.
That claim was countered by several members who said the decision was a slap on an institution that should be autonomous.

“For good reason the CBN Governors the world over are independent and autonomous. To remove him you need confirmation and buy-in of the Senate. You cannot do it through the back door,” said Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“It becomes more worrisome when you consider the timing and the fact that the CBN Governor has just blown the lid off a monumental scandal involving the disappearance of 20 billion dollars from our coffers.”

Another lawmaker, Pally Iriase challenged Mr. Jonathan to disclose allegations of “various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct,” he gave as reason for the CBN governor’s suspension.

“We have been talking about impunity. This is yet another show of impunity by this administration. The suspension is personal and is not unconnected with the recent disclosure of missing money from the NNPC,” Mr. Iraise said.

“It is a clear case of if you cannot shut him up, ship him out. It should be condemned in its totality.”

Feb 21 2014

Lamido Sanusi Speaks on Suspension: “I have No Regrets,Am Proud Of My Achievements And You Can’t Suspend The Truth”

I have no regrets; I have no ill-feelings and with no sadness. I’m happy; I’m proud of what I have done.”

These were the words of Lamido Sanusi as he reacted to his suspension as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor by President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday.

Although it was learnt that he might challenge his suspension in court, Sanusi reminded the Jonathan administration: “You can suspend an individual but you can’t suspend the truth.”

Sanusi, who added that his suspension did not bother him, said his “biggest concern is for the system .”

He was attending a meeting of the West African Central Bank Governors in Niamey, Niger Republic when the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, announced his suspension.

Abati, in a statement in Abuja, said Jonathan took the decision because Sanusi’s tenure had been characterised by acts of financial recklessness and misconduct.

The presidential aide ,who claimed that such acts were inconsistent with the vision of the Jonathan administration, said the most senior CBN deputy governor, Dr. Sarah Alade, would act as the governor of the bank.

But the President later sent the name of the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Godwin Emefiele, to the Senate for confirmation as the new CBN governor.

But unfazed Sanusi, whose tenure would end in June, said he was surprised that his suspension took too long to come.

He also said he would challenge his suspension (in court).

“Well, I don’t know what they are talking about. … I don’t think there’s any issue that’s being raised that has not been raised before; but you know we all know what this is about. This is about the consequences for the changes that I have made and this (suspension) is something that is long overdue. I’m surprised it took them so long,” he told the CNBC Africa.

“When I come back, I’ll see what those allegations are,” the Kano State-born banker added.

He claimed that the Financial Reporting Council looked through CBN’s audited accounts some time ago and asked a few questions which were sent to the President, who gave no feedback.

Highlighting low inflation, stable exchange rate, a reformed and well governed banking system, robust reserves, financial inclusion and independent central bank as some of his achievements, Sanusi said he hoped the CBN’s integrity would be protected.

He said, “Basically, my biggest concern is for the system and I hope that the Nigerian economy will not be hurt by this. I also hope the integrity of the central bank will be protected … I’ve been fortunate to have had an opportunity to do some good work on the bank on stability. I would not want to see all of that unravelled and no individual is worth it.

“You can suspend an individual, but you can’t suspend the truth. If this is all about the concerns around oil revenues in the oil sector, if this is going to bring back the $20bn unremitted oil money, then that is fine.”

Sanusi, in an interview he later granted an online news portal, Sahara Reporters, said he considered the allegations against him “ridiculous.”

He said,” I have not seen the details of the allegations but some of what I’ve read is very ridiculous . The CBN, as an institution, will respond to all the allegations because we’ve always operated in line with the rule of law.

“A week ago for example, the NNPC(Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation), came out on national television and agreed that they have spent $3.5bn on kerosene subsidy without appropriation. Nobody has called that financial recklessness but the CBN is audited every year.

“In fact, we have just concluded the audit for 2013. We are supposed to submit those accounts within two months of every financial year; we have a board meeting to approve the audited account on February 27, and to submit on February 28. This has been happening since I became CBN governor.

“The NNPC has not been audited since 2005 and yet nobody talks about financial recklessness in the corporation. Since I became CBN governor, I have constantly reduced operating cost and increased operating surplus.

For instance, the year before I became governor in 2008, the CBN contributed N8bn to the federal budget. By 2012, I contributed N80bn.

‘This year, I’m contributing N159bn, that is 20 times what was being contributed. For me, this is not something that comes as a surprise, the President has asked me to resign and I refused. I knew there was going to be a backlash. The important thing is that I don’t want to present myself as the focus. The issue on the ground is that between January 2012 and July 2013, there is $20bn that the NNPC sold crude oil and has not come back. I am questioning the NNPC’s right to keep that. I will challenge my suspension not because I want to go back.

“I have done everything expected of me; I have written letters and I have given all the documents. This is $20bn in 19 months period; we have not even talked about 2011 and 2010. We have to be sure we know what we are saying. I think people should be more angry about theft happening.”

SOURCE