Headline

Canadian Church Installs Nigerian Journalist As Elder

Published

1 year ago

February 13, 2024

Editor

A Nigerian journalist, Chief Femi Shodunke, has been ordained as an elder in a Canadian church.

Shodunke was a one-time Deputy Editor of the Nigerian Compass newspaper.

He was ordained alongside three other women members of the Christ Reconciliation Ministries International.

The other three are Helene Tabah Keating, Mary Eyere Tataw, and Lydia Besong Nkongho.

Speaking at the church’s headquarters in Fort McMurray, Alberta Province, the leader of CRMI, Apostle Lewis Ayuk Nkongho, stated that the ordination was the first set of elders.

Nkongho said the ordination was a surprise decision as directed by the Holy Spirit.

Nkongbo said, “And today, God wants us to honour them. I don’t honour them with levity; I honoured them with God’s grace, and I want to pray that the church should honor them as well.

“And you will not look at them henceforth with levity because you will miss the blessings they have.”

Addressing the Elders, he said, “I know this caught you by surprise; so it was not prearranged. So, it’s not me; it is an endowment that God wants to give to you.

“Now you will make it more public because you are public now. You have been hiding, so the manifestation of His presence will become public given upon you that even when you salute somebody something will come out.”

He added, “We are recognising them as elders in this church. These ones standing here, they carry the spirit, they carry God’s presence, they carry God’s glory. Don’t make the mistake that those who stand on the pulpit always are the carriers.

“There are people sitting at the pew that carry more grace than the people standing here; many, they have the grace that is bigger than people standing on the pulpit.

Nkongho described Shodunke, popularly called “Oluwo”, as a gift to the church with his abundant wisdom and knowledge.

“Most of you can not tell us the message that was preached last Sunday, but he can tell you the message preached six months ago. This is grace; I say this is grace. There was a day I greeted him in front of my house and we all laughed.

“I was not alone and he told me, pastor, you greeted me, I said yes. But, he said I felt something within you; that’s been over a year, but I greeted many other people, they did not catch it.”

“So, from that day, no matter what’s happening, I knew for God to have made him understand that truly there is something in me that connected to him, that’s how God did it. Me, I will give high five every day, but you will not see it, but if it is God’s time you will see it. It’s God’s time,” he added.

Headline

Over 600 Pilgrims Hospitalised After Chlorine Gas Leaked In Iraq

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

More than 600 pilgrims in Iraq were briefly hospitalised with respiratory problems after inhaling chlorine as the result of a leak at a water treatment station, authorities said on Sunday.

The incident took place overnight on the route between the two Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, located in the centre and south of Iraq, respectively.

This year, several million Shiite Muslim pilgrims are expected to make their way to Karbala, which houses the shrines of the revered Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas.

There, they will mark the Arbaeen — the 40-day period of mourning during which Shiites commemorate the death of Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.

In a brief statement, Iraq’s health ministry said, “621 cases of asphyxia have been recorded following a chlorine gas leak in Karbala”.

“All have received the necessary care and left the hospital in good health,” it said.

Security forces charged with protecting pilgrims, meanwhile, said the incident had been caused by “a chlorine leak from a water station on the Karbala-Najaf road”.

Much of Iraq’s infrastructure is in disrepair due to decades of conflict and corruption, with adherence to safety standards often lax.

In July, a massive fire at a shopping mall in the eastern city of Kut killed more than 60 people, many of whom suffocated in the toilets, according to authorities.

AFP

Headline

PHOTOS: US Soldier Searching For Her Nigerian Father

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

Old photos of Zainab James Parents, Lateef Quadri and Claudine James. Credit: Facebook

A US soldier, Zainab James, has launched a public search for her Nigerian father, identified as Lateef Quadri

The 31-year-old took to Facebook on Sunday to share old photographs of her father and her late mother, Claudine James, including one where Claudine was pregnant with her.

According to Zainab, her mother became pregnant in 1993, and she was born in 1994. Sadly, she lost her mother.

Old photos of Zainab James Parents, Lateef Quadri and Claudine James. Credit: Facebook

In her post, Zainab wrote, “Update: Mother’s name : Claudine James, born Decenber 9, 1969 in Montego Bay, Jamaica (deceased) , Hey All! A real shot in the dark but why not! My mom(pictured) got pregnant with me in 1993 ( I was born 1994) while living in Brooklyn New York. I’m looking for my father or any of his family. All I know is he was Nigerian, possibly named Lateef Quadri or something like that. They didn’t have a long term relationship as he wasn’t present at my birth but he did choose my name. No one in my family met him either. Apparently she was friends with his sister who worked in a jewelry store with her.”

Old photos of Zainab James Parents, Lateef Quadri and Claudine James. Credit: Facebook

Headline

FULL LIST: 13 More Cars Now Eligible For Up To £3,750 UK’s Electric Vehicle Grant

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced 13 additional cars that qualify for its new electric vehicle grant. None of them currently qualify for the full discount available.

According to a statement on the government’s website, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that from August 5, buyers can get £1,500 off four Citroën models – the Citroën ë-C3, ë–C4, ë-C5 and the ë-Berlingo. The discount will be applied automatically at purchase, with no extra paperwork required.

These are the first models approved under the £650 million Electric Car Grant (ECG) scheme. More vehicles are expected to be added in the coming weeks. The ECG allows carmakers to apply a discount at the point of sale for eligible electric vehicles that meet high sustainability standards.

The scheme is funded until the 2028–2029 financial year and aims to boost EV sales, support jobs, and attract investment.

Since July 2024, over 17,300 public chargepoints have been installed in the UK — a 27% increase from last year — bringing the total to more than 82,000. The government plans to expand this to over 100,000 in the coming years, with a new chargepoint added roughly every 30 minutes.

Models from Renault, Nissan and Vauxhall are also now eligible for the £1,500 grant, although none meet the criteria for the full £3,750 discount yet as they are classified among the Band 2 cars. Nissan believes its new Leaf, to be built in Sunderland, may qualify for the higher grant, but this is not confirmed.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the grant, a vehicle must:
Be an M1 passenger vehicle
Produce 0g CO₂/km at the tailpipe

Have a minimum range of 100 miles (160 km)
Include a 3-year or 60,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first)

Be powered by a battery with an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first)

Meet minimum sustainability standards

Cars Eligible for EV grants
Nissan

Micra – Based on the Renault 5 with some design changes, sharing the same motors and batteries. Starting price after the grant is under £22,000.

Ariya – Electric SUV with a spacious interior. Nissan plans to reduce the price to qualify for the grant.

Leaf – The new model offers up to 375 miles of range. Nissan expects it may qualify for the full grant.

Renault & Alpine

Renault 5 – Compact hatchback priced under £23,000 before the grant.
Renault 4 – Larger and roomier than the Renault 5, starting at £27,000.
Renault Megane – Modern design with Google-based infotainment. Prices start at £32,500.
Renault Scenic – Family-sized EV with up to 381 miles of range. Starts at £35,495 after the grant.
Alpine A290 – Performance-focused version of the Renault 5.

Vauxhall

Corsa Electric – Small hatchback with potential savings beyond the grant.
Combo Life Electric – Practical MPV with a spacious interior.
Astra Electric – Family car available in hatchback or estate form.
Mokka Electric – Compact SUV with distinctive styling.
Frontera Electric – Affordable SUV with a large boot.
Grandland Electric – Larger family SUV with a lower price than some competitors.

Citroën

ë-C3 – Compact EV priced from £20,600 after the grant.

ë-C3 Aircross – Larger version of the ë-C3 with more boot space.
ë-C4 – Alternative to the VW ID.3 with a simpler interior layout.
ë-C4 X – Saloon-style version of the ë-C4.
ë-C5 Aircross – Flagship SUV arriving in the UK in October 2025.
ë-Berlingo – Large electric MPV with a focus on practicality.

The government has confirmed more models from other manufacturers will be added to the scheme as they are approved.