General News
5 African Presidents, others meet to discuss Africa’s post-COVID economy at AEC – Organisers

Presidents from five African countries are set to converge on Sal Island, Cape Verde, for the African Economic Conference, 2021, organisers said on Wednesday.
The presidents to be attending the high-level economic meeting include: President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana; President José Maria Neves of the Republic of Cape Verde and President Felix-Antoine Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Others are President Paul Kagamé of the Republic of Rwanda and President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal.
The 2021 event which has as its theme: “Financing Africa’s post-COVID-19 development”, will also feature more than 100 other speakers from African governments, private sector, and leading academics.
Scheduled to hold from Dec. 2 to Dec. 4, the annual event is organised by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
The focus of the meeting for 2021 would be to develop new ways to finance Africa’s post-Covid-19 recovery and accelerate its development.
The UNDP, AfDB and UNECA said for three days, decisionmakers will also reimagine development financing, discuss the reform of Africa’s financial systems to meet development challenges and assess whether Africa is on the verge of a new debt crisis.
“The COVID-19 crisis has increased Africa’s development financing challenges by constraining public finances, which has led to increasing debt and dwindling foreign direct investment.
“Across the continent, the pandemic has left more than 30 million people in extreme poverty and living on less than 1.90 dollars a day.
“Still, access to international capital markets, a growing debt financing source for many African countries, has declined as investors’ perception of the risks increases.
“Capital flight from Africa, estimated at over 90 billion dollars since January 2020, and investor risk aversion have caused volatile market movements.
Similarly, organisers said, tightening global financing conditions make it more expensive for governments to secure the financing they need to recover from the pandemic and refinance maturing debt.
It is therefore on the heels of the above listed premises that organisers are gathering policy makers and industry experts to converge on Cape Verde to chart a possible way forward out of the economic quagmire.
The UNDP, AfDB and UNECA argue that it had become pertinent to have such as discuss as populations across Africa are on the brink of extreme poverty, with African countries announcing stimulus packages to stem the tide.
Conference organisers added that while the packages are lifesaving, there was also an urgent need for significant additional gross financing in 2022.
The organisers added that for the conference, papers had been submitted by prominent researchers who have proffered innovative ideas on mobilizing domestic resources in the age of the digital revolution; enhancing Africa’s position in the international financial system; and reviewing the role of public development banks.
“These papers are also expected to guide the discussion of sustainable finance solutions, regional integration and the role of the global financial safety net; policy options for managing capital flow volatility; financial regulatory reforms and the role of climate risks,” they said. (NAN)
General News
Clergy Urged To Put Members’ Welfare Above All Else

At a solemn ordination service in Abuja, senior church leaders have called on pastors to make the well-being of their congregations a top priority, following the example of Jesus Christ.
Speaking during the priesthood ordination and installation of a Sub Dean at the Cathedral Church of Advent, Life Camp, Abuja, the retired Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Okene, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Ajulo, described pastors as shepherds charged with the care of their flock. He urged them to shun worldly distractions and focus on meeting the spiritual and material needs of their members.
Bishop Ajulo also encouraged the newly ordained priests to remain faithful to their calling by teaching God’s word without compromise.
In his charge, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, urged the new clergy to preach the undiluted gospel and foster religious harmony wherever they serve. He expressed confidence that their new roles would help promote peace and unity in society.
The service also featured prayers for national leaders and divine intervention in addressing the current global economic challenges.
General News
1,000 Prayer Warriors Storm Ilorin for Tinubu, Nation’s Deliverance

In a dramatic show of faith and patriotism, over 1,000 fiery prayer warriors from across Nigeria will descend on Ilorin, Kwara State, this Saturday, lifting their voices in intense intercession for President Bola Tinubu’s success and Nigeria’s survival in the face of biting economic woes and mounting insecurity.
The spiritual siege, themed “Walking in Domini”, is the maiden convention of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), with its Kwara State Chairman, Evangelist Thomas Adeboye, vowing that “heaven will hear and respond to Nigeria’s cry.”
Aside from marathon prayers, the gathering will roll out free medical outreach to locals across Kwara’s LGAs, a gesture aimed at touching both body and soul.
Adeboye, lamenting Nigeria’s “troubling economic and security realities”, called for a nationwide prayer uprising, insisting that Tinubu has shown the will to revive the nation but needs massive divine backing to succeed.
“Banditry, a collapsing economy, and political tension demand we seek God’s face like never before,” he declared. “We will storm heaven for wisdom for the President and governors to steer Nigeria to safety.”
The convention will also feature awards to distinguished personalities, soul-lifting worship, fiery sermons, and unity-driven lectures—all capped with thunderous prayers for Nigeria’s redemption.
Adeboye urged the President to ensure every policy has “a human face,” stressing that Nigerians must not only endure but also enjoy the fruits of governance.
With the OAIC promising to reaffirm believers’ authority in Christ and rally spiritual boldness in the face of national challenges, Ilorin is set to become the epicentre of a powerful spiritual warfare for Nigeria’s destiny.
General News
Nigerian Anglicans Condemn Lesbian Archbishop of Wales, Deepening Global Anglican Rift

…Church leaders accuse Welsh counterparts of “spiritual decadence” and “abandonment of faith”
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has issued a forceful condemnation of the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales. The move is the latest in a series of developments that have deepened divisions within the global Anglican Communion over sexuality and doctrine.
In a statement from Primate The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, the church denounced the election as a “serious departure from biblical teaching” and a sign of “spiritual decadence” and “an outright abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
Archbishop Ndukuba warned that Bishop Vann’s elevation compromises the Anglican Church’s global mission and could obstruct evangelism. He compared the situation to the controversial tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, who also faced intense criticism from conservative Anglicans for her progressive views.
The Primate accused Bishop Vann of being complicit in the “ongoing crisis” around same-sex issues, stating that the election is a “clear revelation that many who claim to be members of the body of Christ cannot endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The Church of Nigeria called on Anglicans worldwide to reject “rebels” and “apostates” and to instead support conservative bodies like the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognize the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba declared. He concluded with a solemn warning that without repentance, the Church in Wales risks losing “complete relevance” and its leaders will face judgment.