#London Family

London as I saw it

MY REACTION TO FEMI ARIBISALA’S ARTICLE ON PASTOR ADEBOYE vol.1

I will normally look through the dailies mostly online and simply pass by several articles without even passing a comment. Though reading through the comments  is sufficient to make one have a good laugh. It could also upset one sometimes when you read ridiculous perspectives people bring to bear on issues. But as they say everyone has his or her opinion. But I could not just ignore Femi Aribisala’s article on Pastor E.A.Adeboye tagged ‘The Richest Man in the World’. I first stumbled on it in an online blog but later saw in the Vanguard Newspapers. Inu bi mi igba ti mo ka article na (translation: I was upset after reading the article).

At first I thought the article must have been written by an ignorant atheist who has no idea about spiritual things, but on a closer look I discovered that the writer is regarded as a scholar, well published essayist and a Pastor, which even gets me more confused as what the intention of the shallow and one-sided article is. I am not going the route of ‘touch not my anointed …’ even if you have to touch them, let your assertions be true, fair and just.

I was personally at the Redemption Camp during the recently concluded annual convention when Daddy G.O. as we fondly call him said, ‘I am richer than Bill Gates…’’ and I just had a feeling that some soft-sell magazine would quote that statement out of context without reference to the G.O’s explanation. But let me start with City of David’s Trinity Towers project which Mr Aribisala likened to the Tower of Babel being built with church funds  designed both for the worship of God and for the worship of money. I attend bible study services sometimes in City of David which by the way I enjoy thoroughly and I also a fair idea of the new project which will house ultra-modern facilities like gym, sports arena etc apart from the church auditorium.

Dear Mr Aribisala it is either of two things. One, your idea of God is that he is a Pauper who sits in heaven upset by the wealth of Christians or even though you have quoted several scriptures you simply don’t understand what the Bible is talking about. In scriptures the building of the temple is significant and even considered as an act of reverence for God. David desired earnestly to build a temple for God – ‘See now I dwell in a house of cedar but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.’’ (2 Samuel 7:2). In fact in Haggai God was upset with the people because they were building houses for themselves while the house of the Lord was left in waste (Haggai 2:4). I know we are of the new testament and now God does not just dwell in temples but we are now the temple of God. Consequently the church is not the location, we are the church and wherever Christians come together and call upon the name of the Lord he is there in their midst

Should we then begin to hold church services by the dust bin? I don’t understand the hypocrisy, it is fine to live in luxury apartments, spend the summer holidays at choice resorts and even drive fancy cars. But yet there is something not right about an ultra-modern church building as it connotes the worship of money. Perhaps the lamest point in Mr Aribisala’s article is his reference to City of David’s construction as a blatant celebration of wealth in a poverty stricken country. Really! The church which is supposed to be the light of the world should adjust its ‘behaviour’ to the poverty in the country. Or would even the 2billion referred to as the cost of the foundation for Trinity towers solve the poverty in the country? I am disappointed at such thinking from a Scholar. This same Church feeds thousands of people in need every Sunday through an intiative called ‘A Can can make a difference’, runs a free cancer diagnostic centre, owns a football club which encourages grassroots soccer development.

All these things don’t impress Mr Aribisala, his concern is that “Of what relevance is a supermarket in a church?” If you go to church regularly, you will realise how hungry one can be after service. I eat bread and egg every Sunday after service, a supermarket in my church would help me get my Sunday brunch recipe in time, I hope that answers your question. 

Life Lessons from Live Premiership: New Season New Opportunities

Finally the new 2015/16 EPL season has started, the wait is over and the challenge for the title is on. Of course it is too early in the day to make any calls and predictions, but we already have a lot to analyse, laugh about and critique from the first set of games played this weekend. I hear Arsenal is already leading the league from the other end, and Cech didn’t quite make those classic saves.

I could not catch up with the games on Saturday as I had only arrived from a very hectic trip into Lagos and needed to get some rest. More so I realised very late in the day that my cable subscription had expired. But I was not going to miss out of Liverpool’s first game of the season so I jolly well joined the queue to renew my subscription after church service. Liverpool might had ended last season on a low note with a 6-1 thrashing by Stoke city, but they certainly hot the ground running this season with a win over the same Stoke city.

 I love new seasons, somehow it helps you forget the hurts and disappointments of the past and look forward with some optimism that your club would do better in the new season. If you like it is really another opportunity to start afresh. If you are generous enough to give a team of 11 strangers another chance, you sure deserve one too. Regardless of the opportunities you have missed out on and the mistakes you have made, each day gives you access to start afresh again. 

Life Lessons from Live Premiership

About 5years ago I started writing my thoughts on the English premiership drawing out life lessons from what is arguably the most loved and followed football league in the world. It was featured on the website of a colleague back in Obafemi Awolowo University- www.gamen11.com. I indeed enjoyed every bit of it, I remember reporting matches from viewing  centers as I didn't even have a tv of mine as student talk less of a decoder. I could write a book on my experience at various viewing centres.  

 At viewing centres just like life itself you meet different 'characters' , some will make you laugh as you eavesdrop on their remarks on football issues while others will upset you with their shallow opinions. Though I often left the viewing centre with either a headache caused by the noisy environment or with a back pain as a result of seating on a bench for 90mins. Whatever the injury was, I always still had a satisfaction of watching a live premiership game. Fast forward to 2015, even though I need not patronize viewing centres anymore and I at least have access to 3 televisions, I seldom write anything about the premiership. I have dropped my pens for the hustle of a good life in lasgidi and the 9-5pm lifestyle. 

But now Arsenal is back in the winning ways am back too.  There's a lot I believe we can still learn from following the Premiership. While the billions of pounds being tossed around the league may never get to us, we can  at least pick useful nuggets that can help our hustle. Our arguing or debates won't make Rooney score more goals this season neither would it make Liverpool win the league. It's August 8th, the day I will have to explain to my son why he can't watch Max and Ruby all day and the real reason I put a Tv in his room. Let the season begin and the lessons follow. 
Cheers Gbenga Samuel 
@Gbengaspeaks