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The Bible Is Clearly Against Same Sex Relationships – Nigerian Gay Man, Kenny Badmus Says
Kenny Badmus has shared an experience he had with a female Uber driver and while doing so, he reflected on his mother’s death, religion, the Bible, and his sexuality.
Kenny, who was a preacher before he came out as gay, said he was the one who converted most of his family members into the Pentecostal movement, including his mother. But when he became aware that he was gay, he knew he had no future in the church because the Bible was clearly against same sex relationships and he knew there were no two interpretations to certain doctrines in the scriptures.
He wrote:
When my mom passed, I had a request from home that we needed to make donations to her church – a Pentecostal church. In fact, I converted most of my family members into the Pentecostal movement when I was a preacher boy. Serendipitously, Aduke, my mom was one of my many converts. Unfortunately, since I became fully aware of my sexuality, I knew I had no future in the church. I never wanted to take the liberty to interpret the Bible my own way. As a former Bible school graduate and student, I know there are no two interpretations to certain doctrines in the scriptures.
Twist it or turn it, the Bible is clearly against same sex relationships. The Bible is also clear about the relationships between women and men in the body of Christ. There’s an order and a pattern: the man first, and the woman comes after. In fact, the pronoun ‘HE’ is attributed to the unseen God. In Billy Graham’s own words, “Metaphors used to describe Him in the Bible include: King, Father, Judge, Husband, Master, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Chris.” It’s the way the world was when the Bible was written. We can kumbayah around it all Sunday long, the Bible was never written for our private interpretations.
He continued to narrate his experience with the female Uber driver, writing:
Ok, I digressed.
So the call came that I needed to send money to mom’s church in her memorial. I was conflicted. I knew how much Aduke loved her church. She was a Sunday School teacher. I also knew how much the church loved her back. As a single mother with so many adversities too numerous to count, the Church was my mom’s happy place. I recalled how I had baptized her so she could speak in tongues. How we both cried for joy when she started to pray in the Holy Ghost. No, we didn’t fake it. You simply open your mouth under the anointing, and the good Lord fills it with unknowable language and twangs. Even though all her problems never went away, my mom found happiness in the clapping of hands and the stomping of feet in the house of the Lord. She had it on a good promise that when she died all her troubles would be over, and that she would walk on the streets of gold. These experiences and promises provided an irreplaceable escape for her. How could one fault that! I can’t. I made up my mind that it was worth it. That it’s ok to send donation to mom’s church. People find happiness in where they find happiness. It’s our duty to protect ourselves from the toxicity of other people’s happinesses. And my hard stance against the church began to soften. (I still find religiosity quite amusing though).
It’s not my thing, but I have come to realize that the church has continued to provide a place for the weary to escape this wicked world for a minute or two. Some find this escape in other spaces, some just can’t escape and are daily confronted with the harsh realities of injustices and inequalities.
Then two days ago, my softening approach to faith and religion was tested in an Uber ride. I knew I was in for a ride when upon entering the car, I noticed that the driver had conspicuously placed a Bible on the designated passenger seat. I shrugged. I used my ass to move the Bible further away from me and pretended all was well. The driver, a beautiful black woman with a roundish face sitting under a long synthetic hair had some air around her. Her eyes ?, as seen from her rear view mirror, planted themselves on my seat as though I had just murdered a person.
“You don’t like the Bible?” She said.
Not today, Satan! I disciplined my tongue not to say a word.
“I see that you are not saved,” she slowed the vehicle down as we approached the street ahead.
No, I’m not having this conversation, Lawd! I started to fiddle with my phone hoping for a call to come in.
“Young man, I’m asking you the most important question about your life: have you accepted Jesus into your life as your personal Lord and Savior?” She leaned back as she pedaled on slowly and steadily.
I had a lot to tell her but I remembered Aduke. Perhaps, this evangelism is what gives my Uber driver some form of happiness. Perhaps not. So I held back my fury and simply said to her: how sweet of you to offer me salvation, but no thanks. I do not need saving, and I’d appreciate if you could drive more carefully.
When my Uber app prompted me to rate my driver when I got home, I wanted to give her a star instead of five. I struggled. I came to the middle ground and rated her three stars. The world could use some empathy right now, I thought.
Have a beautiful Sunday and be happy!
News
Lagos state government seals Ile Iyan restaurant over waste disposal violations
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has sealed off Ile Iyan, a restaurant in the Sabo Yaba area of the state, for “non-compliance with waste disposal regulations”.
Lagos Waste Reporters, a publication focused on waste management, reported that officials discovered invoices and food waste from Ile Iyan at an illegal dumpsite.
The dumpsite is located near Aje Comprehensive High School, Yaba.
“Despite the establishment’s claims of registration with LAWMA, no corroborative evidence was provided,” the report reads.
LAWMA has now mandated Ile Iyan to formally register and comply with established waste management regulations.
“It is essential to maintain cleanliness in Lagos. Businesses must register with LAWMA and adhere to proper waste management procedures to prevent closure,” the report added.
Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for the environment and water resources in Lagos, has ramped up enforcement of environmental regulations in the city, with markets, clubs and eateries often sealed over purported violations.
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‘I’ll show you the way out’ — says EFCC chairman as he sacks two corrupt officials
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced the dismissal of two officials over alleged corruption.
Speaking on Tuesday at the annual criminal law review conference organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja, Olukoyede said the staff were sacked two weeks ago.
He said the commission is undergoing significant reforms, including addressing staff misconduct.
Olukoyede challenged Nigerians to come forward if they had evidence of him receiving bribes.
“Just two weeks ago, I have cause to dismiss two staff. You can’t be fighting corruption and your hands are dirty,” Olukoyede said.
“He who comes to equity, your hands must also be cleaned. And I say I will not only be dismissing them, I will also be prosecuting them because that is what we prosecute others for.
“So, you will see that we are preparing the case files of some of the people we have dismissed.
“If an EFCC staff will not be able to stand publicly with his two hands up and challenge the entire public… whose goat have I collected? Whose bottle of water have I taken illegitimately?”
“And I have said this to Nigerians; who has ever given me one kobo in the course of my work, come out and say it. I stand to be challenged.
“I can’t be easily influenced by things like that. That’s why we must make up our minds to work together to do the right thing.
“Any staff that is corrupt, I will show you the way out. Again, there are some people who may want to be overzealous. Out of 12, you must have Judas.
“I can’t stand here and say all is perfect. As many as you see, report them to us and we will do justice.”
Olukoyede shared his personal experience of being investigated for two years while serving as the commission’s secretary.
“I am not just sitting there as chairman of EFCC. I have been on the other side,” he said.
“I have been subjected to investigation myself for two years. So I know what it means to subject people to investigations.
“My major objective is to use the instrumentality of this mandate to stimulate the economy and to also follow the rule of law.
“Integrity is not about law, it is not about your advocacy ability to write beautiful briefs. No.
“It is about law and morality. Your conscience must tell you to do the right thing. That is what integrity is all about.
“Finally, ethics, value and standard of legal practice must also be reviewed. These are essential to me because the job of EFCC is to ensure that corruption does not find space in our national life.”
Olukoyede said he welcomes constructive criticism of the agency, emphasising that he is not opposed to scrutiny.
“But let us do it in a responsible way. What do we benefit from running down our institutions? If you notice EFCC is doing anything wrong, come to us,” he said.
“We will sit down and I will explain some reformed agenda we are carrying out. Upon my resumption of office, we have put some reformed agenda in place.
“We have reviewed our arrest and detention policy. I have had cause to investigate a whole ministry; minister, directors and all of that without detaining anybody over night.
“And I got all the information I needed and the matter is going on fine without detaining a single soul.
“But that does not preclude that if there is the need to detain, we do not detain. We have also had cause to equip all our interrogation rooms in compliance with judgment of court.”
’CHARGES LIMITED TO 15 COUNTS’
Olukoyede said the EFCC no longer files “100-count or 150-count charges” which were common in the past.
The chairman said no prosecution should exceed a 15-count charge under his directive.
“If your case is water tight, that is why I will never rush to court until I am sure of my proof of evidence,” he added.
“I vet case files myself, particularly high-profile cases, and the lawyer must give me a draft of the charge.
“We will look at it together, compared with my proof of evidence, sleep over it before I give my go-ahead.
“If we are losing a case, it shouldn’t be on grounds of lack of diligent prosecution.
“If there are other technical issues, fine. But I will be sure that I have done my job and it’s done in such a way that I can defend long after I leave office.”
Joseph Daudu, coordinator of the foundation, said the conference aims to provide a platform for reviewing developments in crime apprehension, prosecution, adjudication, and other post-adjudicatory processes.
On November 15, the supreme court dismissed a suit filed by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the EFCC Act.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Uwani Abba-Aji, who led a seven-member panel of justices, ruled that “the EFCC Act, which is not a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly”.
News
Lagos state government seals off three water factories for breaching quality standards
The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) says it has sealed off three water factories in the Lekki axis for breaching operational and quality standards.
Funke Adepoju, the executive secretary of LASWARCO, told journalists on Tuesday that the facilities were sealed after failure to meet the commission’s operational and approved quality standards.
Adepoju added that one out of four facilities inspected in the area met the approved standards.
She noted that the facilities must operate in a clean environment with functional treatment machines and good packaging, as well as batching to know the date of water production.
Adepoju reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring that water consumed by Lagos residents is safe.
She added that the commission would not hesitate to take action against producers who engage in substandard practices.
Mosaku Omolabake, chairperson of the association of table water producers in Lagos, said the enforcement was not targeted at specific individuals but to ensure that all factories adhered to quality standards.
Omolabake expressed the association’s commitment to upholding ethical standards and protecting public health.
The facilities sealed include H. Life Water, House 3, Road 4, Oguntayo Estate, Eputu, lbeju Lekki; Belwu Water, 1 Alhaji MKO Street Oribawa Phase 2, lbeju Lekki; and Aquadon Water, Mega Tea Road, lbeju Lekki.
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