“Jos is real target of Boko Haram, radical Islamists” says Keziah Suwa at 2012 USAfrica Prayer Breakfast in Houston.
Special to USAfricaonline.com, and CLASSmagazine Houston.
The 2012 special guest speaker at the 13th ANNUAL USAfrica PRAYER BREAKFAST in Houston, Keziah Suwa, has made a connection between the radical agenda of the radical Islamists groups in the northern region of Nigeria as seeking, ultimately, to control and subjugate the middle belt christian dominated cities –especially Jos. She is a member of the influential prayer group, Wailing Women, an intercessory christian network around the world.
Keziah hails from around the embattled middle-belt Nigerian city of Jos in Plateau State where there has been increased violent conflicts between christians and muslims especially the past 22 months (https://usafricaonline.com/2011/09/09/usafrica-jos-killingsadds-to-jonathans-security-headaches-by-chido-nwangwu/).
She made a highly applauded speech on the menace of the violent Islamic sect Boko Haram, the agenda and methods of radical Islamic groups and the challenges facing Nigerian Christians.
She was introduced by the convener of the annual USAfrica Prayer Breakfast Dr. Chido Nwangwu who noted that “our sister Keziah Suwa is a powerful and very credible voice for our shared christian faith. I saw her speak very briefly, recently, at a christian fellowship event and I thought I should invite her to share her thoughts and unique insights with all of us.”
He added that Keziah attended college at the University of Jos, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (masters degree in Mass Communications), studied theology at the Trinity international University in Miami and served as missionary in Miami, other cities and many countries.
Keziah Suwa noted at the USAfrica Prayer Breakfast 2012 that in every community where radical Islamists have “taken over”, they entered, initially, as a very small group; afterwards, they employ an incremental method of the use of violence for the outright domination of the non-Islamic populations.
She told USAfrica that “These radical Islamic groups in Nigeria’s middle belt and Jos areas have been active in killing even pregnant women and children; including persons whose only crime is that they went to church to pray. These violent criminals have been killing people and fighting to intimidate the people of Jos because of the strategic location of Jos. Jos has been an overwhelmingly christian town. That’s why the Islamic military leaders in Nigeria moved to create the controversial Jos north local government. It was meant to serve the agenda of the Islamic groups….”
The congregation was welcomed by Rev. James Ohaju of All Saints Anglican church, Houston; and the opening Prayer and Invocation were made by Pastor Nick Clayton Jr. of St. Paul Missionary church in north Houston. Clayton, a structured financial settlements/services specialist, recalled the unity and common heritage of African Americans and continental Africans “as two nuts that fell from one tree.”
The songs and praise sessions opened with John Ugochukwu — backed by versatile keyboardist Andy Ikele, saxophonist Tennyson Ifeobu, singer-drummer Chibueze Akunna, and Nwachukwu Maduka on conga.
It was followed immediately by a spirit-filled, outstanding gospel worship by one of Africa’s leading christian songs performers in the U.S Stacy Egbo. She moved the congregation with her Worshippers Club (Funto Ayodele, keyboardist; drummer Sammy Johnson and singer Ufuoma Whiteru). Stacy has attended and performed at 9 of the 13 years of the USAfrica Prayer Breakfast ; as has her husband Pastor Chike Egbo.
A high school student Miss Ijeoma Okoro read a Bible verse from Proverbs 22 vs 6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
The unique voice of the multi-talented Pastor David Jonathan Agba added to the array of praise and worship singers.
He was followed by Dr. Keith Robinson, Corps Commander of the Houston Regional Community Chaplain’s Corps., and Vice President of USAfrica — since 1993 — who read the 2012 theme verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Chido followed by calling for “a minute of silence in honor of a strong, departed christian soldier, the former President of the defunct Republic of Biafra, Ikemba Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu; and for all the faithfuls who have been killed during the recent bombings and violence inside Nigeria, other parts of Africa and here in the U.S….”
After the congregation honored the memories of the departed, four songs for Prayers were sang, movingly, by Rev. Ohaju as a lead into the handling of the Prayer Requests session effectively led by Evangelist Nathaniel Nwobu of the African Missionary Foundation. It involved all the clergy/priests in attendance, including Rev. Canon S. Omeke, Rev. Aluu Nnali, Bishop Leo Emenaha, Pastor Christy Ogbeide, Mrs. Nonye Onuogu, Pastor Ify Ezeakor, and Pastor Torti.
Ben Meremikwu, president of the African Christian Fellowship Houston was in attendance; as was Dr. Gabe Nwuba, briefly.
After the prayer requests were handled, Ivy Okoro beautifully sang an acapella version of William McDowell’s hit gospel song “I give myself away.”
The closing prayer was made by Pastor Christy Ogbeide, a missionary worker in both the U.S and Nigeria who pleaded for God’s blessings on all. She has attended 11 of the 13 annual USAfrica Prayer Breakfast events.
The 2012 master of ceremonies was Sam Ejekam, while Ada Uwalaka, Lady Ngozi Ezeji, Chioma Amadi, Okoro Oji, Raymond Ahaiwe, Eni and Oji Okoro-Oji were facilitators at the Saturday January 28 events.
The pictures of the event are already on the African diaspora’s events mega-site www.PhotoWorks.TV http://photoworks.tv/13th-annual-usafrica-prayer-breakfast2012
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• For seasoned insights and breaking news on these issues, log on to USAfricaonline.com and USAfrica powered e-groups including Nigeria360 at yahoogroups and USAfrica at googlegroups. Follow us at Facebook.com/USAfricaChido and Twitter.com/Chido247
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USAfrica: As Egypt’s corrupter-in-chief Mubarak slides into history’s dustbin. By Chido Nwangwu. https://usafricaonline.com/2011/01/30/chido-nwangwu-as-egypt-corrupter-in-chief-mubarak-slides-into-historys-dustbin-egyptians-not-waiting-for-obama-and-united-nations/
Why Chinua Achebe, the Eagle on the Iroko, is Africa’s writer of the century. By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfrica, and first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com https://usafricaonline.com/chido.achebebest.html
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VIDEO of the CNN International broadcast/profile of USAfrica and CLASSmagazine Publisher Chido Nwangwu. http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2010/07/29/mpa.african.media.bk.a.cnn
Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com and the Nigeria360 e-group. https://usafricaonline.com/2011/12/17/nigeria-federal-republic-of-insecurity-by-chido-nwangwu/ : IF any of the Nigerian President’s 100 advisers has the polite courage for the extraordinary task of reminding His Excellency of his foremost, sworn, constitutional obligation to the national interest about security and safety of Nigerians and all who sojourn in Nigeria, please whisper clearly to Mr. President that I said, respectfully: Nigerians, at home and abroad, are still concerned and afraid for living in what I call Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. FULL text of commentary at USAfricaonline.com https://usafricaonline.com/2011/12/17/nigeria-federal-republic-of-insecurity-by-chido-nwangwu/
Related insight: USAfrica’s October 17, 2001 special report/alert: Nigeria’s bin-Laden cheerleaders could ignite religious war, destabilize Africa. By USAfrica’s Publisher Chido Nwangwu. https://usafricaonline.com/chido.binladennigeria.html
https://usafricaonline.com/tag/al-qaeda/
Related and prior reporting on the Jos crises on USAfrica, click here: https://usafricaonline.com/2011/08/16/10-killed-in-renewed-violence-near-jos/
News archives related to Jos, here https://usafricaonline.com/?s=jos
310 killed by Nigeria’s ‘talibans’ in Bauchi, Yobe n Maiduguri; crises escalate. USAfricaonline.com on July 28, 2009. www.usafricaonline.com/chido.ngrtalibans09.html
http://www.groundreport.com/World/310-killed-by-Nigerias-talibans-in-Bauchi-Yobe-n-M/2904584
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