🇳🇬IBB Reveals how Murtala Muhammed became the head of state and how he told Obasanjo and Danjuma that they would not be beholden to anyone as head of state, as well as the story about the day of his assassination in his Book 📚 📖 IBB, in his book, also revealed that the early days of the Muhammed administration witnessed an unprecedented wave of retirements in Nigeria’s public service that had never been seen before. He wrote: “One of the accusations against General Gowon (which, in retrospect, seemed unfair) was that he ran the business of governance ‘like a one-man show’! So, we, the ‘younger’ senior officers who had played a role in the coup, decided that the new post-Gowon government’s leadership must be overtly collective. So, while we concluded that Brigadier Murtala Muhammed should be the head of state, our preference was for him to operate only as first among equals, especially in his dealings with the two other prominent senior officers, Brigadiers Olusegun Obasanjo and Theophilus Danjuma. But we knew Muhammed enough to know he would need to be persuaded to accept such an arrangement.à “So, while the rest of us ‘younger’ senior officers waited in an adjacent room, Colonel Wushishi, Lieutenant-Colonels Joe Garba, Abdullahi Mohammed and Yar’Adua took Brigadiers Muhammed, Obasanjo and Danjuma to another room to negotiate the terms of our proposal for a triumvirate-type leadership where Muhammed will be required to share power with Obasanjo and Danjuma. I couldn’t describe the mood since we were absent from that meeting. But we were close enough to pick up Muhammed’s thundering voice, rejecting such proposals outrightly. As far as I remember, the meeting lasted for hours past midnight. Finally, Murtala Muhammed agreed to be head of state while insisting that he would not be beholden to anyone as head of state! In a prompt style that typified his leadership, he quickly announced several retirements the next day, just as he made new appointments. All officers above the rank of Major-General or senior to any new government member were compulsorily retired. Those retired included such persons as the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Vice-Admiral Joseph Wey; the Deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Major-General Hassan Katsina; the Chief of Staff (Army), Major-General David Ejoor; the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Nelson Soroh; the Chief of Air Staff, Brigadier Emmanuel Ikwue; the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Kam Salem; the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, T. A. Fagbola and Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo. “These retirements were followed simultaneously with new appointments. While the Commissioner for Works and Housing from the old SMC, Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo, replaced Vice- Admiral Wey as the new Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Brigadier Theophilus Danjuma replaced Major-General Ejoor as the Chief of Staff (Army). Danjuma would change the designation of that position upon resumption of office to ‘Chief of Army Staff,’ which has remained the designation ever since. The only surviving senior army officer from Gowon’s SMC, Brigadier Iliya Bisalla, also the NDA’s Commandant, became Minister of Defence. Alhaji Mohammed Dikko Yusuf became the Inspector-General of Police. Colonel John Yisa-Doko took over from Brigadier Emmanuel Ikwue as Chief of Air Staff, while Commodore Michael Adelanwa replaced Rear Admiral Nelson Soroh as Chief of Naval Staff. “The early days of the Muhammed administration witnessed an unprecedented wave of retirements in Nigeria’s public service that had never been seen before. After the twelve military governors from the Gowon era were compulsorily retired, the government ordered a probe of their conduct in office. “Ten of the twelve governors were found guilty of illegal enrichment and ‘dismissed with ignominy.’ Brigadiers Oluwole Rotimi and Mobolaji Johnson were the only two not found to have enriched themselves illegally. “Some civilian members of the Gowon cabinet were also found to have enriched themselves illegally. Apart from Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the Finance Commissioner and Alhaji Ali Monguno, who was in charge of Mines and Power, the government found all others guilty of improper enrichment and were made to forfeit illegally acquired assets. Similarly, in a broad wave of retirements that affected thousands of civil servants, many top civil servants were also caught in the web of asset forfeiture of ill-gotten assets. Even the revered Federal Public Service Commission Chairman, Alhaji Sule Katagum, was not spared. He was also dismissed. “Looking back now and writing as a member of the SMC, I realise we probably overdid the retirement exercise. The idea of retiring corrupt and incompetent public officers was appropriate. But because we failed to provide a platform for challenging retirements in the surge of events, some civil servants may have been victims of an unfair witch-hunt. Goaded on by a seemingly over-exuberant mass media, we didn’t look deeply at the implications of the mass purge, mainly as it affected the civil service. I am not sure our federal civil service fully recovered from that purge. The General Murtala Assassination. “FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1976, started like any typical day for me. I lived at No 19 Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos, although my troops were stationed at the cantonment in Ikeja. However, because the Committee on Army Reorganisation, which I headed, was furiously at work during that period, I reported first in the morning at Defence Headquarters, which was close by, before heading out to Ikeja. “My regular route to army headquarters was through the faster Osborne Road. But for some reason, on this fateful morning, as my driver opted at about 8.45 a.m. to turn right through our regular route, I instinctively told him to turn left and go through the more open Kingsway Road to avoid possible traffic congestion. That decision may have saved my life because, unknown to me, Major Ibrahim Rabo’s men, led by Lieutenant Peter Cigari, had been detailed to ambush and kill me on the Osborne Road route. At that time, I was oblivious to the fact that the so-called Dimka coup, which led to the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed, his ADC, Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa and his driver, Sergeant Adamu Michika, had been operational for over an hour. Muhammed’s orderly, who was also in the car, Staff Sergeant Michael Otuwe, narrowly survived the onslaught. “The plotters’ strategy was to lay several ambushes for different government members along their routes to work that morning. As emerged from subsequent investigations, Major Ibrahim Rabo, Captain Malaki Parwang and Lieutenant William Seri, led by Lt-Col. Bukar Suka Dimka, laid in wait for Muhammed’s entourage. In a well-coordinated plan, Dimka assigned each assassin specific roles and functions. In aiming his shots at Muhammed, Lieutenant Seri was said to be so ruthless that he emptied more than one magazine of ammunition into the car carrying the head of state. “The scene was in disarray when I arrived at the army headquarters, still oblivious to what had happened. But I soon found out that a coup attempt was ongoing and that it needed to be put down. I’ll never forget my exchange with General Akinrinade as I sauntered into the top floor of the building: ‘Ibrahim, where the hell have you been?’ the General inquired. ‘We’ve been looking for you. You must go and see T. Y. (Danjuma) immediately,’ he continued. “Convinced I was being sought after because of our ongoing meeting on the army’s reorganisation, I looked at my wristwatch and told the General I was on time since it wasn’t yet 9 a.m.! ‘Who’s talking of a meeting?’ the General thundered back. ‘Haven’t you heard what happened, that the head of state has just been assassinated and that Major Dimka has made a broadcast claiming to have taken over?’ “I remember exactly how I felt that morning when General Akinrinade broke the news to me. I was utterly shattered and devastated. And I remember muttering to myself as I walked towards General Danjuma’s office: ‘Dimka, organising a coup? That’s not a serious character. How could he contemplate such a thing? Dimka? That’s impossible.’ “When I met with Danjuma, his instructions were unambiguous: ‘Ibrahim, go to the Radio House and flush Dimka out of that place immediately.’ The first thing I did was to get in touch with my troops stationed at the Ikeja cantonment. But I also knew I had to be careful with so much uncertainty in the air since I wasn’t sure where they stood regarding their loyalty. After I failed to establish contact with any of my most trusted lieutenants by telephone, I quickly hopped on a motorcycle ridden by a young corporal, whose name I forget now. On our way to Ikeja, I stopped at Lt-Col. Hamzat Abdullahi’s residence at Ilupeju, close to the Ikeja cantonment. Once I confirmed that it was safe to enter the cantonment, I borrowed Hamzat’s car and entered the premises through a rear entrance. Once inside the cantonment, I established contact with Lt-Col. Chris Ugokwe. With the assistance of Lt-Cols. Ugokwe and Joshua Dogonyaro, I mobilised loyal troops, weapons and vehicles before heading back to the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Radio House at Ikoyi. “When we got to Radio House in an armoured column, we noticed that Dimka’s men surrounded the place, primarily young officers who were a part of the plot, including his ADC, 2nd Lt Samuel Garba. As I got down from my armoured vehicle, unarmed, and approached the building, Dimka’s ADC, Garba, attempted to stop me. By now, Dimka had spotted me from the storey building and screamed: ‘Ibrahim, I’m going to shoot you’! I shouted back: ‘Well, that’s okay. If you shoot me, you know my family. You’ll take care of them. They’ll become your responsibility. I have no problem. It would be nice to die in the hands of a friend.’ After a pause, Dimka soberly replied: ‘Ibrahim, I like your guts. Come upstairs.’ “As I gingerly took my steps up the stairs, a visibly fretful Ugokwe pleaded with me to be very careful. I waved Chris away, reminding him that ‘Bukar’ (his middle name, by which close friends called Dimka) and I had come a long way. Besides, being a trained officer, I was confident that Dimka would not shoot an unarmed colleague. “And Dimka was indeed a close friend, one of the groomsmen at my wedding to Maryam in Kaduna in 1969. A 1963 Australian Army Officer Cadet School graduate in Portsea, Australia, Dimka was one of the first Nigerian army officers to be trained in faraway Australia. Although he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Physical Training Corps of the Army, he lived on the edge and earned himself a crappy reputation for womanising and heavy drinking. When I got upstairs, I could tell from his breath that he had had a lot to drink. “The stench of alcohol from around him and his boys was pungent. Chris Ugokwe was right, after all! I needed to be careful because the atmosphere was so charged that any wrong move could lead to the loss of lives. To keep Dimka at ease, I opened the conversation. ‘Bukar, why didn’t you tell me you were planning this? Com’on, you and I are supposed to be close.’ ‘No, we couldn’t trust you. We didn’t know where you belonged. But I hope you know that you are one of the most unpopular officers in the Nigerian army today.’ he blurted out, his glaring bloodshot eyes betraying evidence of tiredness and confusion. “He continued this time with a self-applauding, misplaced cockiness: ‘Ibrahim, you’re lucky to be alive because you were one of those pencilled down to be killed, but I was against it. And if I wanted to do it, I would have done it when you walked in now!’‘Why me?’ I asked him. ‘Because people felt that officers like Danjuma favoured you and liked you more than other officers,’ he replied. How could YOU be a member of the Supreme Military Council? he queried. “Then, suddenly, his ADC, 2nd Lt Garba, also visibly drunk, nervously showed up and suggested that Dimka take me hostage and use me as a bargaining chip with the government. Dimka angrily screamed at Garba and chased him out. Once Garba scampered out, Dimka and I settled for a ‘frank’ discussion. In doing so, I reminded him of the need to keep things under control to avoid flaring tempers in the circumstances we had all found ourselves in. First, he wanted to know if I had come to trick him into some form of surrender, akin to what happened to Chukwuma Nzeogwu during the January 1966 coup when Lt-Col. Conrad Nwawo came to Kaduna to persuade Nzeogwu to give himself up in return for some form of amnesty. When I convinced him that that was not my mission, he calmed down and listened. I asked him what he wanted, and he said he wanted a change of government. He even attempted to persuade me to join them in their attempt! “But even as he made that intolerable request of me, it was apparent from his body language that he knew the game was up. Then, his tone started to change. Could I guarantee his safety? Could I negotiate a written amnesty for him and all his co-plotters? Again, as I had done earlier, I pleaded with him to give himself up and avoid any form of conflagration that could damage the Radio House and lead to the death of civilians and soldiers. That chit-chat went on for quite some time, and when I appeared not to be making headway with him, I left with a promise to return later. “Only after I left Dimka did I get a better glimpse of what had happened in the past few hours. Apart from General Muhammed, who had earlier been murdered, a group of mutineers, in a case of mistaken identity, opened fire on the car carrying Colonel Reis Dumuje on Awolowo Road, believing that Lieutenant-General Olusegun Obasanjo was in the vehicle. Fortunately, Dumuje survived. In Kwara State, the Military Governor, Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, was abducted outside Offa by Lieutenant Zagni and some NCOs and murdered. “In Ibadan, another group of mutineers led by Major Gagara went on a rampage and invaded the 26th Infantry Battalion and the WNBS/WNTV Broadcast House in Agodi. However, they could not capture the Military Governor of Oyo State, Colonel David Jemibewon, who was also to have been killed. And, as subsequent investigations showed, the mutineers laid other ambushes for General Danjuma and other senior members of the administration. I was pained to discover that not only were my close friends, such as Colonel Wya, Lt-Col. Tense, Major Ola Ogunmekan, Major Joe Kasai, and Major Alfa Aliyu, knee-deep in the plot, one of them that was closest to me, Major Clement Dabang, would be the one to suggest that I be killed. “Meanwhile, I returned to General Danjuma to give him a report of my encounter with Dimka. Danjuma was furious. He ordered me back to the Radio House with a reiteration of his earlier instructions to ‘flush Dimka out of place immediately.’ I returned to Radio House with Chris Ugokwe, better equipped and prepared. By now, we had been joined by, among others, Mike Otuwa, James Ojokojo, John Shagaya and Jack Iketubosin. But first, I had to reach out to my friend and classmate, Sani Sami, who commanded the Brigade of Guards, to handle a difficult assignment. The Brigade of Guards’ barracks provided easy access to the Radio House. But again, I had to be careful since I wasn’t sure whether the Brigade was still loyal to the government. “Sani Sami and I consulted and agreed that there should be minimum destruction. And that we would do what we were taught as cadets in situations involving a civilian population to ensure that civilians got out of the way and didn’t get injured. Once that was done, we moved in, cordoned off the area and engaged the mutineers in a gun battle. There were casualties in the ensuing armed confrontation, including Dimka’s ADC, 2nd Lt Garba. Also, one of the other vital plotters, Major Ibrahim Rabo, was arrested by Major Yomi Williams as he tried to escape and was promptly taken to the Bonny camp for interrogation. But, somehow, Dimka, quite inexplicably to this day, managed to escape from the scene unharmed. “Later that evening, the Federal government announced that the coup attempt had been quashed and declared seven days of national mourning in Murtala’s honour. The next day, February 14, General Muhammed was buried in Kano at a ceremony witnessed by thousands of mourners and members of the SMC, including Major- General Bisalla, who would later be implicated in the coup attempt.”

Akpabio Praises Governor Otti, Invites Him to Join APC for 'More Praise' Senate President Godswill Akpabio has commended Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, for his leadership, particularly in celebrating Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe's 70th birthday. Speaking at the event organized by the Abia State Government, Akpabio described Otti as a leader whose generosity and governance style have positively impacted the people of Abia. The Senate President lauded Otti for setting aside political differences to honor Abaribe, stating that the move demonstrated political maturity and had endeared him to the people of Abia South. Akpabio acknowledged Otti's growing influence, emphasizing that his ability to unite different political interests was commendable. However, his remarks took a political turn when he hinted that Otti would receive even greater recognition if he joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). "The day you join the APC, you will hear my full praise and see how I will celebrate you," Akpabio remarked, suggesting that political alignment could enhance Otti’s standing at the national level. Otti, a former banker turned politician, secured the Abia governorship under the Labour Party (LP) and has been praised for his governance style. While he has not indicated any plans to switch parties, Akpabio's statement highlights ongoing efforts by the APC to woo influential opposition leaders into its fold.

the framework of ideas and practices Fertility of agriculture, of edible animals, and of the human population was a paramount factor in the life and religion of the ancient Middle East. The forms that the fertility rites assumed varied from region to region, depending on climate and geography. Rain and dew were all-important in Canaan but of little significance in Egypt. In both areas water was crucial, but the source of the life-giving water was entirely different. The agricultural year varied in the two regions. In Egypt the year was divided into three seasons: inundation, sowing, and harvest. In Canaan there were two seasons: the winter, characterized by rain The population desired the normal pattern of times and seasons, so that “seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). But since the seasonal pattern is not dependable, the need for order evoked a system of cycles, notably the sabbatical, or seven-year, cycle. The sabbatical year was the seventh year, and the jubilee year followed seven sabbatical cycles. This was a pervasive system in the ancient Middle East. A Ugaritic liturgical text specially designed for this phenomenon aims at terminating a sabbatical cycle of privation and ushering in one of fertility by celebrating the birth and triumphal entrance of the deities Shahar (“Dawn”) and Shalim (“Dusk”), whose advent brings an abundance of food and wine. Related Topics: Mesopotamian religion ancient Egyptian religion ancient Iranian religion Syrian and Palestinian religion Anatolian religion It was only natural that fertility rites should include sexual myths that were acted out dramatically. The Ugaritic text just alluded to describes El, the head of the pantheon, copulating with two human women. This has echoes in Hosea and Ezekiel where God, as in the Canaanite literary tradition, is referred to as having a love affair with two women, symbolizing Judah and Israel. The Hebrews, however, eventually eliminated sex from their official theology as well as from their religious practices. Up to the time of King Josiah’s reform (621 bc) there was a women’s cult of Asherah (under qedeshim auspices [consecrated for fertility practices], according to 2 Kings 23:7) in the Jerusalem Temple, alongside the male cult of Yahweh. Asherah’s devotees considered her the chief wife of Yahweh, even as she was the wife of El, head of the Canaanite pantheon, for in the Bible El is identified with Yahweh. But Josiah eliminated the cult of Asherah, and official Judaism has since then left no place for other gods, which meant the elimination of every goddess. Popular religion, to be sure, persisted in the female fertility principle until the destruction of the Temple in 586 bc. In Judaean excavations Astarte figurines were found in private homes down to that time. Further purification of the Hebrew religion, which was intensified by the catastrophe of 586, put an end to the practice of pagan fertility rites, including the use of goddess figurines. Without goddesses there could be no sexual activity in the pantheon, and thus Judaism has developed without a divine mother figure. The ancient Middle East made a place for homosexuality and bestiality in its myths and rites. In the Asherah cult the qedeshim priests had a reputation for homosexual practices, even as the qedeshot priestesses for prostitution. Israel eventually banned both the qedeshim and qedeshot, while in Ugarit the qedeshim and kohanim were priestly guilds in equally good standing. Baal is portrayed in Ugaritic mythology as impregnating a heifer to sire the young bull god. The biblical book of Leviticus (18:22–27) bans homosexuality and bestiality expressly because the Canaanite population had been practicing those rites, which the Hebrews rejected as abominations. Phoenician/Punic sites include an area called the tophet that contains large numbers of infant burials. One explanation of the tophet is that it reflects a major aspect of a fertility cult in which the first-born child belonged to the deity. The deity rewarded the parents who had sacrificed their child with future fertility. In the Hebrew Bible, just as the firstfruits of the harvest belong to God, so do the first-born of the people and their domestic animals (Exodus 13:1, 12–13, 15). The actual cases in the literature do not always specify infant sacrifice. The Bible describes how King Mesha of Moab sacrificed his crown prince to avert a military disaster (2 Kings 3:27). King Ahaz of Judah sacrificed his son in pagan fashion (2 Kings 16:3). King Manasseh of Judah sacrificed his sons by fire (2 Chronicles 33:6), filling Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Jewish practice of redeeming a first-born son at the age of one month (Numbers 18:16–17) appears to be a milder substitute for the practice of child sacrifice. Another alternative to sacrificing a child was to dedicate it to the service of God. Hannah, by fulfilling her vow to dedicate her first-born, Samuel, to God’s service (1 Samuel 1:27–28) was rewarded by the birth of five other children whom she and her husband could keep for themselves (1 Samuel 2:20–21). According to ancient views, the myth came first, and the rite imitated or reenacted it. This sequence, however, is not necessarily the order in which religion develops. Rites can be very tenacious, and when the origin of a rite has been forgotten, a myth has often been invented to explain it. Types of religious organization and authority Religion occurs at different levels of society: personal, familial, local, national, and international. At the personal and international extremes there is need for but little organization. And yet in religion, as the people of the ancient Middle East saw it, there was a progression from one stage to the next. In the early myths of Genesis, God and Noah have direct personal relations. This leads to a covenant between God and all who went out of the ark: birds and beasts as well as mankind (Genesis 9:9–10). Through the sons of Noah and their descendants, who form the nations of the world (Genesis 10), there is a theoretical progress to international religion. This scheme of the relations between God and mankind, from the personal to the universal level, mirrors the historical record of religion. Judaism (followed later by Christianity and Islām) traces “the Religion” back to Abraham, who had personal and direct relations with God, as was customary in the ancient Middle Eastern milieu. Abraham’s intimacy with God is similar to the intimacy between Odysseus and the Greek goddess Athena. The next step is a covenant between a particular deity and a particular person, binding the two together in a contractual relationship for all eternity from generation to generation. Such covenants were not rare; the Hittite King Hattusilis III made such a covenant with Ishtar. Abraham’s covenant is unique simply because it was the only one destined to last in history. The descendants of able men who established a dynasty or tradition would worship the God of their father, or fathers, and adhere to the original covenant. Genesis 31 portrays Jacob and Laban swearing by their respective ancestral gods: Jacob by the god(s) of Abraham and Laban by the god(s) of Nahor. Once a group expanded into a federation of clans or tribes, religious organization became necessary. A central shrine (such as the one at Shiloh in Israel) for amphictyonic (religious confederational) pilgrimage festivals required a professional priesthood and other religious personnel to take care of sacrifices, give oracular guidance, interpret dreams and omens, as well as to provide instruction. In an amphictyony of 12 tribes, each tribe could render federal service for religious and secular purposes, one month each year. A special tribe (such as the Levites in Israel, or the Magians in Iran) could be dedicated full-time to cultic duties.

Encyclopedia Britannica Ask the ChatbotGames & QuizzesHistory & SocietyScience & TechBiographiesAnimals & NatureGeography & TravelArts & CultureProConMoneyVideos Philosophy & Religion Ancient Religions & Mythology Religious practices and institutions inMiddle Eastern religion Written by Fact-checked by Article History Nature: the framework of ideas and practices Fertility of agriculture, of edible animals, and of the human population was a paramount factor in the life and religion of the ancient Middle East. The forms that the fertility rites assumed varied from region to region, depending on climate and geography. Rain and dew were all-important in Canaan but of little significance in Egypt. In both areas water was crucial, but the source of the life-giving water was entirely different. The agricultural year varied in the two regions. In Egypt the year was divided into three seasons: inundation, sowing, and harvest. In Canaan there were two seasons: the winter, characterized by rainfall, and the summer, characterized by dew. The year was punctuated by different agricultural activities, as is indicated in the Gezer Calendar, in which all 12 months are accounted for as times of profitable agricultural activity, with harvests in the rainless summer as well as in the green winter. Anxiety was caused by the uncertainty of rain in the rainy season and of dew in its season. All of the regions of the ancient Middle East schematized the blessing of good years and the threat of bad years in terms of seven-year cycles. A Mesopotamian text illustrating this is the Gilgamesh epic (8:101–113), in which the slaying of the hero Gilgamesh would initiate seven lean years. At Ugarit the slaying of the hero Aqhat evokes a curse depriving the land of rain and dew for seven (or, climactically, eight) years. The seven lean and seven fat years in the biblical story of Joseph in Egypt reflect the same system. In Egypt, of course, rain and dew are out of the picture; instead, generous Nile risings mean prosperity; inadequate risings in the season of inundation spells misery. A text of the Ptolemaic period (4th–1st century bc), purporting to record events of the Pyramid age, tells of seven lean years in the reign of Djoser (3rd dynasty; i.e., c. 2650–c. 2575 bc). The pharaoh appealed to the gods, who responded by restoring an abundant flow of the Nile. The population desired the normal pattern of times and seasons, so that “seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). But since the seasonal pattern is not dependable, the need for order evoked a system of cycles, notably the sabbatical, or seven-year, cycle. The sabbatical year was the seventh year, and the jubilee year followed seven sabbatical cycles. This was a pervasive system in the ancient Middle East. A Ugaritic liturgical text specially designed for this phenomenon aims at terminating a sabbatical cycle of privation and ushering in one of fertility by celebrating the birth and triumphal entrance of the deities Shahar (“Dawn”) and Shalim (“Dusk”), whose advent brings an abundance of food and wine. Related Topics: Mesopotamian religion ancient Egyptian religion ancient Iranian religion Syrian and Palestinian religion Anatolian religion It was only natural that fertility rites should include sexual myths that were acted out dramatically. The Ugaritic text just alluded to describes El, the head of the pantheon, copulating with two human women. This has echoes in Hosea and Ezekiel where God, as in the Canaanite literary tradition, is referred to as having a love affair with two women, symbolizing Judah and Israel. The Hebrews, however, eventually eliminated sex from their official theology as well as from their religious practices. Up to the time of King Josiah’s reform (621 bc) there was a women’s cult of Asherah (under qedeshim auspices [consecrated for fertility practices], according to 2 Kings 23:7) in the Jerusalem Temple, alongside the male cult of Yahweh. Asherah’s devotees considered her the chief wife of Yahweh, even as she was the wife of El, head of the Canaanite pantheon, for in the Bible El is identified with Yahweh. But Josiah eliminated the cult of Asherah, and official Judaism has since then left no place for other gods, which meant the elimination of every goddess. Popular religion, to be sure, persisted in the female fertility principle until the destruction of the Temple in 586 bc. In Judaean excavations Astarte figurines were found in private homes down to that time. Further purification of the Hebrew religion, which was intensified by the catastrophe of 586, put an end to the practice of pagan fertility rites, including the use of goddess figurines. Without goddesses there could be no sexual activity in the pantheon, and thus Judaism has developed without a divine mother figure. The ancient Middle East made a place for homosexuality and bestiality in its myths and rites. In the Asherah cult the qedeshim priests had a reputation for homosexual practices, even as the qedeshot priestesses for prostitution. Israel eventually banned both the qedeshim and qedeshot, while in Ugarit the qedeshim and kohanim were priestly guilds in equally good standing. Baal is portrayed in Ugaritic mythology as impregnating a heifer to sire the young bull god. The biblical book of Leviticus (18:22–27) bans homosexuality and bestiality expressly because the Canaanite population had been practicing those rites, which the Hebrews rejected as abominations. Phoenician/Punic sites include an area called the tophet that contains large numbers of infant burials. One explanation of the tophet is that it reflects a major aspect of a fertility cult in which the first-born child belonged to the deity. The deity rewarded the parents who had sacrificed their child with future fertility. In the Hebrew Bible, just as the firstfruits of the harvest belong to God, so do the first-born of the people and their domestic animals (Exodus 13:1, 12–13, 15). The actual cases in the literature do not always specify infant sacrifice. The Bible describes how King Mesha of Moab sacrificed his crown prince to avert a military disaster (2 Kings 3:27). King Ahaz of Judah sacrificed his son in pagan fashion (2 Kings 16:3). King Manasseh of Judah sacrificed his sons by fire (2 Chronicles 33:6), filling Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Jewish practice of redeeming a first-born son at the age of one month (Numbers 18:16–17) appears to be a milder substitute for the practice of child sacrifice. Another alternative to sacrificing a child was to dedicate it to the service of God. Hannah, by fulfilling her vow to dedicate her first-born, Samuel, to God’s service (1 Samuel 1:27–28) was rewarded by the birth of five other children whom she and her husband could keep for themselves (1 Samuel 2:20–21). According to ancient views, the myth came first, and the rite imitated or reenacted it. This sequence, however, is not necessarily the order in which religion develops. Rites can be very tenacious, and when the origin of a rite has been forgotten, a myth has often been invented to explain it. Types of religious organization and authority Religion occurs at different levels of society: personal, familial, local, national, and international. At the personal and international extremes there is need for but little organization. And yet in religion, as the people of the ancient Middle East saw it, there was a progression from one stage to the next. In the early myths of Genesis, God and Noah have direct personal relations. This leads to a covenant between God and all who went out of the ark: birds and beasts as well as mankind (Genesis 9:9–10). Through the sons of Noah and their descendants, who form the nations of the world (Genesis 10), there is a theoretical progress to international religion. This scheme of the relations between God and mankind, from the personal to the universal level, mirrors the historical record of religion. Judaism (followed later by Christianity and Islām) traces “the Religion” back to Abraham, who had personal and direct relations with God, as was customary in the ancient Middle Eastern milieu. Abraham’s intimacy with God is similar to the intimacy between Odysseus and the Greek goddess Athena. The next step is a covenant between a particular deity and a particular person, binding the two together in a contractual relationship for all eternity from generation to generation. Such covenants were not rare; the Hittite King Hattusilis III made such a covenant with Ishtar. Abraham’s covenant is unique simply because it was the only one destined to last in history. The descendants of able men who established a dynasty or tradition would worship the God of their father, or fathers, and adhere to the original covenant. Genesis 31 portrays Jacob and Laban swearing by their respective ancestral gods: Jacob by the god(s) of Abraham and Laban by the god(s) of Nahor. Once a group expanded into a federation of clans or tribes, religious organization became necessary. A central shrine (such as the one at Shiloh in Israel) for amphictyonic (religious confederational) pilgrimage festivals required a professional priesthood and other religious personnel to take care of sacrifices, give oracular guidance, interpret dreams and omens, as well as to provide instruction. In an amphictyony of 12 tribes, each tribe could render federal service for religious and secular purposes, one month each year. A special tribe (such as the Levites in Israel, or the Magians in Iran) could be dedicated full-time to cultic duties.

*Nigeria reaffirms commitment to Global Economic Stability at G20 meeting* The Nation Newspaper February 28, 2025 https://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-reaffirms-commitment-to-global-economic-stability-at-g20-meeting/ ........made this pledge during a meeting with international financial leaders at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. *-------------------------------* *💥The G20 consists of 20 member countries, including:* - Argentina - Australia - Brazil - Canada - China - France - Germany - India - Indonesia - Italy - Japan - Mexico - Russia - Saudi Arabia - South Africa - South Korea - Turkey - United Kingdom - United States - European Union (represented by the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council)

*🇺🇸US Senate Banking Committee Hearing on the Framework of Digital Assets: A Comprehensive Overview* Published: February 27, 2025 https://medium.com/roymavila/the-senate-banking-committee-hearing-on-the-framework-of-digital-assets-a-comprehensive-overview-a226cc22d1d3 *LIVE VIDEO:* https://youtu.be/C7iZ2lgoKCY?si=pQ9cb01dOTBv-Wuo *STABLECOIN REGULATION:* Stablecoins were identified as a *key area for IMMEDIATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION.* Their potential was widely recognized to enhance financial inclusion, streamline payments, and strengthen the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency. However, concerns about AML compliance, privacy, and systemic risks must be addressed. *Market Structure and Jurisdictional Clarity:* The hearing highlighted the need for clear rules determining whether digital assets are securities or commodities. This clarity is essential for providing a predictable regulatory environment and ensuring market participants can operate confidently. Zim Masari, Chief Legal Officer at Lightspark: Masari focused on the potential of stablecoins to revolutionize payments by enabling instant, low-cost transactions. She stressed the importance of robust reserve requirements, redemption guarantees, and a competitive landscape for stablecoin issuers. Masari also highlighted the need for strong anti-money laundering (AML) and privacy protections to address risks associated with digital assets. Tim Massad, Former Chair of the CFTC: Massad provided a critical perspective on the Genius Act, arguing that it falls short in several areas, including reserve requirements, bankruptcy protections, and enforcement mechanisms. He called for stronger credential standards for stablecoin issuers and a dedicated resolution process to ensure consumers can quickly recover their funds in the event of an issuer’s failure. Massad also cautioned against rushing to rewrite securities laws, advocating for a phased approach to market structure legislation. *Key Themes and Takeaways* Consumer Protection: Witnesses and lawmakers AGREED that consumer protection must be at the heart of any regulatory framework. This includes ensuring transparency, safeguarding against fraud, and providing recourse for consumers during losses. *International Competitiveness:* The lack of regulatory clarity in the U.S. has driven innovation and investment offshore, with jurisdictions like the EU and UK taking the lead in establishing comprehensive frameworks. Witnesses urged Congress to act swiftly to reclaim the U.S.’s position as a global leader in digital assets.

Worship makes more sense when its backed by a knowing than when its backed by a feeding! Strive to know what God has done for you and you will enjoy worship better! #emosabamukong #christfamilyministriesinternational #intimacyconference

PRESS RELEASE Makinde Drives Infrastructural Growth Five Years On - Oyelade One month after the Implementation of the ₦80,000 minimum wage in Oyo State, the Oyo State Executive Council has approved the immediate construction and rehabilitation of Schools across the State to provide a more conducive environment for Students and Teachers alike to fester educational development in Oyo State. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, perimeter fencing, construction of toilet facilities, drilling of solar boreholes, installation of solar lights and procurement of furniture will form the main intervention of the State Government, involving 50 Contractors at a cost of ₦9,974,332.00 (Nine billion, nine hundred and seventy-four million, three hundred and thirty-two thousand naira). The Council, which sat last night, also approved the second phase upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport. According to the Council, Governor Seyi Makinde is determined that the stipulated standard of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is conformed with. The second phase upgrade will cost ₦7,008,688.00 (Seven billion, eight million, six hundred and eighty-eight thousand naira). Governor Seyi Makinde had said at the flag-off of the airport last year that the State will not compromise the upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport to International status and that all due diligence will be followed in this regard. Several Aviation Experts from the Federal Airports Authority Of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Air Force, are members of the Airport Upgrade Committee. According to the Commissioner for Information, compensation of ₦2,399,428.00 (Two billion, three hundred and ninety-nine million, four hundred and twenty-eight thousand naira) has also been approved by the Council for the 32.2km Southeast segment of the Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular road project. The Council also took a decision on the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) phase two. The Council recalled that after the successful implementation of the first phase, which included intervention on transportation, food relief packages, food security, health insurance and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), it has therefore approved the phase two of SAfER, which will concentrate on the continued subsidy on transportation and healthcare, the cost of which is ₦2,000,588.00 (Two billion, five hundred and eighty-eight thousand naira). The Commissioner said that the Governor expressed his delight at the concept and the implementation of the first phase because the template of SAfER in Oyo State is not only more sustainable but more helpful to the masses at a time of need. The Council also approved the scope of work on the Asphaltic improvement of some roads in Ibadan metropolis at a cost of ₦1,000,700.00 (One billion, seven hundred thousand naira). The roads include: the NNPC/General Gas road, Anglican Church road off Kolapo Ishola junction and some others. E-signed: Prince Dotun Oyelade Honourable Commissioner for Information and Orientation Oyo State 26th February, 2025

BREAKING: Police restore Obasa’s security details, Withdraw Meranda’s as ex-Lagos speaker set for return, per Daily Trust Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa who was impeached as speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly on January 13, 2025, is set to return as the new Speaker Obasa's security details has now been restored just as those of Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, have been withdrawn. Meranda was Obasa’s deputy before the impeachment. After his removal, the house unanimously elected Meranda, making her the first female to occupy the position in the history of the state. Though she’s yet to officially resign as the Speaker of the House, her fate was reportedly sealed over the weekend by key All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders who intervened in the crisis rocking the House of Assembly. Former National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, former Governor of Osun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Muiz Banire and members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and some of the lawmakers had met over the weekend to find a resolution to the crisis. It was at the meeting that the fate of Meranda was sealed as she was reportedly asked to vacate her seat. There are indications that Obasa might return as the Speaker as following the resolutions reached by the leaders which largely favoured Obasa’s return. - Journalist KC

Breaking News: Buhari, Osinbajo, El-rufai others Absent as APC NEC Endorses Tinubu for 2027 A noticeable absence of key founding members and former political officeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja has fueled speculation over internal rifts within the ruling party. Among those absent were former President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as well as former governors such as Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti). Others missing included former Senate President Ahmed Lawan, former Speaker and current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and several other heavyweight party members. As statutory members of the NEC, their absence raised eyebrows, with many speculating it may be linked to their recent critical stances on the party and the administration. Tinubu's 2027 Re-election Bid Gains Momentum Despite the notable absences, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election chances received a significant boost as members in attendance overwhelmingly endorsed him with chants of “no vacancy at Aso Rock.” The atmosphere at the party’s national secretariat was charged with support for Tinubu, as attendees sang the APC anthem “On Your Mandate We Shall Stand” upon his arrival. Smiling throughout the endorsement, Tinubu made no effort to stop the chants, further solidifying speculation that he may seek a second term in 2027. APC National Chairman Laments Party’s Financial Liabilities In his speech, APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, disclosed that the party inherited a staggering N8.987 billion in legal liabilities, stemming from election-related litigation at various levels. “As part of the commitment to secure and own a national secretariat complex befitting of a ruling party, we have formally applied for land at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA),” Ganduje said, appealing for President Tinubu’s intervention to actualize the project. Key Attendees at the NEC Meeting Despite the absence of some top figures, the meeting was attended by several incumbent and former governors, including: Incumbent Governors Present: Monday Okpebholo (Edo) Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo) Hyacinth Iormem Alia (Benue) Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) Musa Sani (Kaduna) Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) Usman Ododo (Kogi) Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger) Jigawa Governor (unnamed) Former Governors in Attendance: Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) – Minister of Budget and National Planning Yahaya Bello (Kogi) Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) Also present were Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, and other key National Assembly members and Ministers. President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas also participated in the meeting. Implications for APC’s Future The absence of key political figures, coupled with the endorsement of Tinubu’s 2027 candidacy, signals possible realignments within the APC ahead of the next election cycle. With growing speculations of internal disagreements, all eyes remain on how the party leadership will manage emerging cracks as it prepares for the next electoral battle.

El-Rufai breaks silence, says Tinubu rejected him as ministerial nominee not national assembly... #Aidee #News #Politics