Lent is a solemn religious observance in the Christian Liturgical Calendar that starts on Ash Wednesday and ends after a period of forty days. During these forty days, Christians are expected to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the wilderness. It is a season set aside for the purpose of reflecting on Jesus, considering his suffering, ...

By Jude Atupulazi Last week, in her column in this paper, Mrs Uche Amunike addressed the issue I’m going to address now. My piece this week will however take a slightly different trajectory and that hinges on the safety and comfort of our sons, daughters, siblings and relations sent away from their comfort zones to faraway lands to serve their ...

By Pat Amobi Chukwuma For the first time in their life, Ifeanyi and Ifeoma accidentally came in contact with each other at a birthday party. Love mysteriously entered into their eyeballs as they sat opposite each other at the party. They shook hands and fell in love immediately. Ifeanyi exclaimed, “My baby, your hand is very captivating. Your face is ...

. . . As Dioceses in Anambra Hold Prayer March, 8th March By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba The 2020 Annual Ash Wednesday Celebration for Catholics all over the world turned to Black Ash Wednesday in Nigeria, on February 26. The Black Ash Wednesday which saw Catholics all over the country dressed in black outfits on a prayer protest, was, according to the ...

. . . Calls for Life of Denial By Chioma Ndife As Catholics in Awka Diocese joined their counterparts in other parts of the world to mark 2020 Ash Wednesday, February 26, which signifies the beginning of the Lenten Season, the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka Catholic Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye, has tasked Catholics to endeavour to ...

A trade official has reportedly been killed by a firing squad after defying coronavirus quarantine orders in the authoritarian Asian country, while a National Security Agency official was sent to work on a farm for similar offences A North Korean official has reportedly been executed after he broke the terms of his coronavirus quarantine. The trade official had been placed ...

By Abuchi Onwumelu Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has flagged off the 3rd batch of the State’s Youth Empowerment Programme termed, “One Youth, One Skill”. Speaking at the formal launch of the Batch 3 at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Anambra, the State Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Hon Afam Mbanefo, reiterated the commitment of Gov ...

Nigeria’s first “presumptive” case of the deadly coronavirus that has killed more than 2,814 people with 82,589 cases in six continents on Thursday, 27 February. The case is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on the 25th of February 2020. He was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University ...

By Alexander Johnson Adejoh Residents of Mgbakwu, Awka North, Anambra State, have lauded the State Governor, Chief Dr. Willie Obiano, on what they describe as his unrelenting strides in infrastructural development, especially the construction of roads in their community, which is opening up investment opportunities. A cross-section of the residents, who spoke to Fides last Monday, said the governor had ...

By Precious Ukeje The Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Awka, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, has lauded the Diocese’s Catholic Men’s Organisation, CMO, saying they have recorded significant achievements since the inauguration of its present leadership. This came shortly before the reception to mark the Feast Day and Parents’ Day celebrations of Saint Johnbosco Seminary, Isuaniocha, Saturday, January 8, at the school ...

. . . Hosts Umuoji Ward Exco, Stakeholders By Abuchi Onwumelu The Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Hon. Barr. Vera-Queen Okonkwo, has embarked on an aggressive mobilization and sensitization of voters in her community, Umuoji, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Addressing the executive members of the All Progressives Grand ...

By Michael-Jude Nwolisa A Canadian Musician, Nicole Glover, who recently made her first trip to Nigeria and, indeed, Africa, has praised Fides Media Ltd for its beautiful environment and organization, just as she bared her mind on Nigeria, Nigerians and her travel experiences so far, reports Michael-Jude Nwolisa Speaking during her visit to Fides Media Limited last Monday, the visibly ...

By Amarachi Okpunobi My name is Andrew and I am a drug addict. No, I think I just used the wrong words, I was a drug addict and I am learning how to cope positively without the substance. I have been on hard drugs for years now. Initially I used to be comfortable with it. In fact I was cool ...

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to be cautious when taking cup of tea popularly known as `Maishayi’ from vendors. Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja. Adeyeye said that the warning became necessary following information the ...

Iran’s deputy health minister and an MP have both tested positive for the new coronavirus, as it struggles to contain an outbreak that has killed 15. The country is one of three hot-spots outside China causing concern that the virus could be becoming a pandemic. The deputy minister, Iraj Harirchi, had on Monday denied covering up the scale of the ...

Delta State government has announced plans to enact a law prohibiting sale and consumption of cow meat, saying cow meat was the reason for herdsmen presence in Delta communities. Executive assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on communication, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, in a statement noted that efforts by the state government and the governor, to check the incessant killing of innocent ...

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, to seven years in prison. Justice Okon Abang handed down the sentence in his judgement on Tuesday on seven counts of money laundering and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of N400 million. The charges were filed ...

Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, on Monday, warned that Nigeria may face worse security problems. She, therefore, called for synergy among all security agencies. Aisha urged them to re-strategize and re-examine the security structure with a view to stem the rising cases of terrorism in Nigeria. She made the call at an international conference on state and security held ...

“Inauguration of CCBI Plenary Assembly on February 16, 20120. By Robin Gomes The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), which brings together the bishops of the country’s Latin-rite dioceses, held its annual plenary assembly, in Bangalore, on February 16. “The followers of Christ have the responsibility to promote the Gospel values of mercy and compassion. The Bishops in our ...

“Catechists in Angola (file picture courtesy: Missionários de Nossa Senhora de La Salette – Angola) Anastácio Sasembele – Luanda, Angola & Paul Samasumo, Vatican City Catechists in Angola have this week reiterated and renewed commitment to their unique vocation of evangelisation. “The vocation of a Catechist, his existence in the Church, is a gift for which we must give thanks ...