How Bishop, Pastor, Defrauded 68-Year-Old Woman

Queen Emegha Ozuke, business woman and founder of a reputable nursery, primary and secondary school in Kubwa town of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), speaks to CHRIS OGBOR on her ordeal in the hands of some fake men of God.

It is an irony that Queen Emegha Ozuke, who is supposed to be enjoying the dividend of being one of the pioneer visitors to Abuja after its creation by Decree No. 6 of 1976 and should be reaping the fruits of her labour, is rather in a dilemma as a result of the nefarious activities of some dubious ministers of the gospel.

Emegha Ozuke, who hails from Igbanke in Edo State and has been living in Abuja since 1979, said she was one of the contractors that supplied Dumez (Nig.) Limited elephant grass which the company used for erosion control while constructing roads in various parts of the Federal Capital City (FCC) in the 1980s. As a pioneer settler and business woman, she was allocated plots of land in Deidei, Jikwoyi, Kubwa, Kurudu, et al in the FCT and established a primary-cum-secondary school in Kubwa town.

According to the 68-year-old woman: "My problem started when my beloved daughter, Patience got married to Mr Etumudon Godwin and later had a baby. Because she was nursing a child, Patience's husband introduced a lawyer known as Abdullahi Ibrahim to me to serve as legal adviser of my school."

Ozuke disclosed that in September 2008, Abdullahi borrowed the sum of N1million from her late daughter (Patience) on the pretext that he was going to use it to execute contract at the police headquarters in Abuja. She added that Abdullahi promised that he would pay back the money with interest on the 17th day of October 2008, but has not done so up till now.

She also said Abdullahi in turn introduced to her, one Pastor Alani Alex, general overseer of Creative Faith International Gospel Centre who was said to be looking for a place to use as branch of his church. She said that Alex eventually rented a large hall in her school compound and paid rent for the first year, 2009. He also did some repair work on a 3-bedroom flat annexed to the school for use by his church.

LEADERSHIP Weekend, however, gathered that Ozuke reached an agreement with the pastor to stay in the school compound for three years (2009-2012) only, and to go with her to the market to purchase all building materials necessary for the renovation work for record purposes, but that the pastor bought the materials without her knowledge.

At the end of the three years agreed, Ozuke said, "Pastor Alex refused to vacate my premises except I refunded to him the sum of N4.1 million which he alleged he spent on the renovation of the property."

An eviction notice to Pastor Alex, dated July 26, 2013 and from Ozuke's lawyer, Barrister S. O. Peters reads: "Very sadly, contrary to the terms of the understanding and agreement you have with our client, you have willy nilly decided to overstay the three (3) years fixed duration and even went further to forcefully annex some other parts of the school and against our client's consent decided to make use of the building as part of your worship centre. To make and use someone else's property without the consent and permission of the owner of the property under the guise of religion is to portray the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in bad light ... "

Reacting to the allegations referred to in the letter when LEADERSHIP Weekend met him on Sunday, August 18, 2013, Pastor Alex insisted that he paid a sum of N450,000 to Madam Ozuke in 2009 for the use of the hall and spent an additional N4.1 million for renovation work on the property.

The pastor, who said he built the school hall because there was no structure on ground when he started worshipping at the premises, said he would vacate the place whenever Ozuke refunds the N4.1 million to him. He also said he was willing to have an architect or quantity surveyor assess the extent of work done and expenses incurred during the renovation.

The bursar of the school, Mr Emmannuel Odiniya, however, said there was existing structure in the school compound, adding that the clergyman actually roofed the hall and did renovation work on the uncompleted building. He also disclosed that the pastor is currently making use of a classroom in the school as his children church, adding that he (the pastor) promised to deduct the rent in respect of the classroom from the money Ozuke would pay to him. Another 'man of God' who allegedly defrauded Ozuke of several millions of naira is Bishop Promise Dibie, a former lecturer at College of Education, Agbor in Delta State but now with College of Education, Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory.

In 2008, according to Ozuke, "Bishop Dibie and his mother (Theresa) approached me that they needed a place in Abuja to establish their church and I showed them my plot of land No. D41 at Zaudan, Pazeri and Sabon Gari Layout near Deidei, for temporary use.

"I thought Bishop Dibie and his mother were true preachers of the gospel because they prayed fervently and spoke in tongues each time they visited me. So I drew closer to them and regarded them as family friends, not knowing that they are sheep in wolves' clothing", Ozuke said with tears streaming down her eyes.

She also disclosed that while her daughter (late Patience) and her husband (Godwin) were seriously ill, she asked Dibie to sell her 18-seater bus and a plot of land on Arab road, Kubwa, to defray their medical bills.

"Bishop sold the bus for N500,000 and the plot of land for N2.5 million to one Pastor Sam of Christ's Victorious Church, Kubwa, bringing the total amount to N3million but unfortunately, my daughter died two weeks after the death of her husband and few days after the sale of the property. When I asked Bishop to give me the N3 million, he promised to do so after the burial ceremony of my daughter.

She also claimed, "Pastor Sam also robbed me of N200,000 on the pretext that he would supply machine for printing of exercise books to my school. Sadly, up till date, neither has Pastor Sam nor Bishop Dibie refunded the money to me", Ozuke lamented.

Madam Ozuke also told LEADERSHIP Weekend that Bishop Dibie stole photocopy of her document in respect of her plot of land in Jikwoyi, sold it to one Dr Ademola Adeyinka through a female lawyer for N4million and instead, paid N1.6 million into her account.

"I, however, paid back the N1.6 million to Bishop Dibie and sold the land by myself, to a civil servant", Ozuke disclosed.

In his reaction, Dr Ademola Adeyinka in a telephone chat with LEADERSHIP Weekend, said he reported the matter to the police at Jikwoyi police station on Thursday, June 26, 2013, adding that Bishop Dibie is yet to refund the N4 million he defrauded him of through the female lawyer who allegedly posed as the rightful owner of the land.

Asked why he has not collected his money from the Bishop or the female lawyer since the past four years, Adeyinka said, "I am a very busy man, I am taking my time, but be rest assured that by God's grace, I must get back my N4 million".

Concerted efforts by LEADERSHIP Weekend to get the response of Bishop Dibie have not been successful because some of his colleagues at the College of Education, Zuba said he travelled abroad a few months ago, to pursue his masters degree programme at Coventry University in the United Kingdom.

LEADERSHIP Weekend also gathered from an unimpeecable source in Agbor, Delta State that Bishop Dibie fraudulently collected the sum of N1.3 million from Messrs Udoka and Nduka on the pretext of issuing them visas to travel to Europe. Our source further revealed that the victims dragged the Bishop to the police in Agbor where he gave each of them N300,000 with a promise to refund the balance, but has not done so up till now.

In their reactions to the nefarious activities of 'new generation' men of God in Nigeria, two elders of a Pentecostal church (names withheld), who are aware of Madam Ozuke's predicaments, wondered why Pastor Alex would still be preaching and asking people to repent of their sins when he was yet to vacate the premises of the 68-year-old woman after the expiration of his tenancy, and why Bishop Dibie, an overseer of St Peter's Christ Army Church of Nigeria in Agbor, Delta State, has refused to pay her the N3 million he realised from the sale of her property since 2009.
BY CHRIS OGBOR

Inspiration:12 Great Motivational Quotes

By Geoffrey James

This set of inspirational thoughts for the year will galvanize you into action.

    "Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."
    Napoleon Hill

 
 "The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear."
    Brian Tracy

    "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."
    Dale Carnegie

    "Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats."
    Og Mandino

    "A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided."
    Tony Robbins

    "If you can't control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls waiting to be attacked."
    The Book of Proverbs

    A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves."
    Harvey Mackay

    "Freedom, privileges, options, must constantly be exercised, even at the risk of inconvenience."
    Jack Vance

    "Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."
    Jim Rohn

    "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want."
    Zig Ziglar

    "The number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep on trying."
    Tom Hopkins

    "You have everything you need to build something
far bigger than yourself."
    Seth Godin

Success Tips:“What Does Dr. Gunsaulus Know About Manifesting $1m That You Ought To Learn?”

UNKNOWN to many who have not heard of or perhaps have not skimped through Napoleon Hill’s monster best seller, Think And Grow Rich, the author didn’t have a secret incantation which you recite and, magically, your bank account is filled with money.

 No! What Dr. Hill gives you are ideas, practical examples or practical steps that some people took that gave them their fantastic results. Call them testimonies if you like.

 Take, for instance, the story of Frank W Gunsaulus. This clergyman and educator had a $1 Million Dollar problem, so to say. Now, follow his story and learn, from his experience, how he “manifested” the $1m dollars in just 36 hours flat!

 His story proves the truth of that old saying, “Where there’s a will there’s a way.” According to Dr. Hill, while late Frank W Gunsaulus, who began his preaching career in the stockyards of South Chicago, was going through college, he observed defects in the educational system of his time, defects which he believed he could correct if he were the head of a college.

 His deepest desire was to become the directing head of an educational institution in which young men and women would be taught to “learn by doing.”

 He made up his mind to organize a new college in which he could carry out his ideas, without being handicapped by the orthodox method of education.

 He needed a million dollars to put the project across. Where was he to lay his hands on so large a sum of money? That was the question that absorbed most of this ambitious young preacher’s thoughts.

 He thought about the money, but he couldn’t seem to make any progress. Every night he took that thought to bed with him. He got up with it in the morning. He took it with him everywhere he went. He turned it over and over in his mind until it became a consuming obsession with him. A million dollars is a lot of money. He recognized that fact, but he also recognized the truth that the only limitation is that which one sets up in one’s own mind.

 Being a philosopher, as well as a preacher, Dr. Gunsaulus recognized as do all who succeed in life, that definiteness of purpose is the starting point from which one must begin. He recognized, too, that definiteness of purpose takes on animation, life, and power when backed by a burning desire to translate that purpose into its material equivalent.

 He knew all these great truths, yet he did not know where or how to lay his hands on a million dollars. The natural procedure would have been to give up and quit, saying, “Ah well, my idea is a good one, but I can’t do anything with it, because I can never procure the million dollars.”

 That is exactly what the majority of people would have said, but it is not what Gunsaulus said. He knew these truths. What he said, and what he did, are so important that I now introduce him, and let him speak for himself.

 “One Saturday afternoon I sat in my room thinking of ways and means of raising the money to carry out my plans. For nearly two years, I had been thinking, but I had done nothing but think!

 The time had come for action! A Decision Moves All The Universe!

“I made up my mind, then and there, that I would get the necessary million dollars within a week. How? I was not concerned about that. The main thing of importance was the decision to get the money within a specified time, and I want to tell you that the moment I reached a definite decision to get the money within a specified time, a strange feeling of assurance came over me, such as I had never before experienced.

 “Something inside me seemed to say, ‘Why didn’t you reach that decision a long time ago? The money was waiting for you all the time! Things began to happen in a hurry. I called the newspapers and announced I would preach a sermon the following morning entitled, ‘What I Would Do If I Had A Million Dollars.’

 “I went to work on the sermon immediately, but I must tell you, frankly, the task was not difficult, because I had been preparing that sermon for almost two years. The spirit back of it was a part of me!

 “Long before midnight I had finished writing the sermon. I went to bed and slept with a feeling of confidence, for I could see myself already in possession of the million dollars.

 “Next morning I arose early, went into the bathroom, read the sermon, then knelt on my knees and asked that my sermon might come to the attention of someone who would supply the needed money.

 “While I was praying I again had that feeling of assurance that the money would be forthcoming. In my excitement, I walked out without my sermon, and didn’t discover the oversight until I was in my pulpit and about ready to begin delivering it.

 “It was too late to go back for my notes, and what a blessing that I couldn’t go back! Instead, my own subconscious mind yielded the material I needed. When I arose to begin my sermon, I closed my eyes, and spoke with all my heart and soul of my dreams. I not only talked to my audience, but I fancy I talked also to God.

 “I told what I would do with a million dollars if that amount were placed in my hands. I described the plan I had in mind for organizing a great educational institution, where young people would learn to do practical things, and at the same time develop their minds.

 “When I had finished and sat down, a man slowly arose from his seat, about three rows from the rear, and made his way towards the pulpit. I wondered what he was going to do. He came into the pulpit, extended his hand, and said, ‘Reverend, I liked your sermon. I believe you can do everything you said you would, if you had a million dollars. To prove that I believe in you and your sermon, if you will come to my office tomorrow morning, I will give you the million dollars. My name is Phillip D. Armour.’”

Young Gunsaulus went to Mr. Armour’s office and the million dollars was presented to him. With the money, he founded the Armour Institute of Technology.

Infinite Intelligence did it all – arranged every needful detail and all the players … Gunsaulus forgot his notes – don’t guess Infinite Intelligence needed them. Infinite Intelligence delivered an inspiring, persuasive message – using the preacher’s own unique vision, oratory effort, and subconsciously trained mind.

That school, now merged with Illinois Institute of Technology continues to this day, 112 years later, to benefit bright engineering students. And all indications are that it has hundreds more years to run.

All from a single flash of thought – that intangible substance that can be harnessed to very real, positive, and tangible results. Of huge proportions!

Observe this quantum fact -

He got the money within thirty-six hours after he …

1. Reached a definite decision in his own mind to get it and …

2. Decided upon a definite plan for getting it!

Do you see what I mean by saying Dr. Hill didn’t give you some magic wands that you wave and, voila, money gushes out like water from a broken pipe?

If you can follow the exact steps taken by Gunsaulus, you will get the same result. His testimony was among the inspiring accounts that I read in Think And Grow Rich back in December 1983 that fired me up to become an entrepreneur.

by Sunny Ojeagbase

Success Tips: Change Your Future Now! Speak The Language Of Success

PAUSE for a moment and ask yourself this important question: Why do many Nigerians believe that something spectacular that was done in other parts of the world can’t be done here?

 If you can think hard and discover the answer to this question, you would have found the reason for our country’s backwardness in many areas of our national life. You would be standing face-to-face with the potent force that is pulling us back from progress: our inability to enjoy the best things that the world has to offer.

 Let me illustrate this point. Years back, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, as the Executive Governor of Lagos State, looked at the transportation problem of the state and thought the solution was to build a metro line, a metropolitan train that could move large numbers of commuters rapidly from point to point.

 Had he been able to see his dream through, Lagos would have, by today, had a traffic decongesting system like London, Mexico city, Tokyo and New York, cities that share similar heavy human and vehicular traffic problems.

 While I pondered on this project that never saw the light of day, as one of the genuine opportunities that knocked and was allowed to go to waste, I was surprised when I mentioned it during a conversation to someone whom I have so much respect for and he retorted that the idea was crazy.

 “How would it have worked in a place like Lagos?” he asked mockingly, his tone of voice suggesting that he found it absurd that anyone on earth could have thought of it in the first place. “The train would simply have ploughed through one crowded area of the city one day, killing hundreds of people. It was a good thing that his plans were frustrated.”

 He added: “We don’t have the ability to maintain such a complex means of transportation. It would have ended in chaos.”

 Not being someone I could argue with, I stored his comment in my memory, where I could go back and reflect on it. Thinking back on it, and linking what he said to several other instances where our people believe that no good can come out of Nigeria, it suddenly occurred to me that the enemy we have to fight until we defeat it in this country, is lack of self belief.

 I mean, what is in a metro that cannot be operated in Nigeria? And even if there was an accident, would that be peculiar to Nigeria? Underground trains do have accidents m London, killing several people, and the British government is yet to outlaw that means of transportation as a result. It is time we started believing in ourselves.

 Without self belief, there is no way anyone, a nation or an individual, can achieve greatness. At the back of every great accomplishment is self belief. If you lack self belief, no one will believe in you. It is that simple.

 Do you want to change your future? Then begin from today to believe in yourself. Abandon the “I can’ts” for the “I cans”. Repeat this to yourself often and often: I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.

 Yes, you must speak the language of success all the time. If you don’t know, success has its own language. Success’s language is positive. Success’s language is affirmative. Success’s language is fearless. Success’s language is self-fulfilling.

 What do you want your tomorrow to be like? Begin to speak about it positively from now. You will build your own house if you believe it and speak positively about your expectation to build a nice house of your own.

 Nice jobs will not be what others have while you don’t once you start speaking positively about having a nice job.

 Did you see anyone who did something commendable? Then whole-heartedly commend them. Thank God for providing the thing for them and ask that God do the same for you. Don’t make the mistake that many make by always condemning others or envying them when they achieve some measure of success.

Whatever you say about others will go round and come back to you. Watch what you say. Mind the thoughts you allow to cross your mind. These things may come back to haunt you. Always profess the goodness of God for your life and it shall come to pass in Jesus name. Amen.

Success Tips: How To Bullet-Proof Yourself From Poverty

POVERTY is a disease. It has ravaged the lives of many on earth. It is so prevalent and pervasive that those who should have been rest assured that they have tamed it constantly look back to make sure that it is not gaining ground on them.

 Yet, you can take the sting away from poverty by cultivating just one habit. Yes, form the habit of saving money, and you are sure to bullet-proof yourself from poverty. Is that an exaggeration? Not at all. This fact has been proven and tested by men and women all through the ages who discovered the secret and applied it. The result was that they became financially FREE. They never had to worry about money any more, or give thought to poverty.

 Let me cite some examples, starting with somebody I believe you should know. Chief Nathaniel Idowu is one of the wealthiest Nigerians today, although he’s not the loud type. His business interests cover banking, manufacturing, automaking, agriculture and real estate.

 Early in his life, he learnt a valuable lesson which enabled him to become financially free today. As he told SuccessDigest in an interview published years back, he and his friends were teachers, and they discovered that they were always running out of money before their next pay was due.

 Disturbed by the trend, they decided to consult an elderly man, because they suspected that there was a witch that was making their money to vanish. The elderly man asked them to get a piece of paper, and to then record all their expenses for the next month, and bring the paper to him at the end of the month for analysis.

 Dutifully, the two of them kept accurate records. As usual, their money ran out before the end of the month. So they went to see the old man, who then told them to add up the figures they had written down.

 It didn’t take them time to realize the ‘witch’ that was making them broke. They had been responsible for their financial mess!

“From that day,” Chief Idowu recalled, “I made up my mind never to spend above my income. As a matter of fact, I started saving a portion of my income from that day.”

 It was a timely lesson and quality decision that has transformed the life of Chief Idowu and removed financial worries from him.

Napoleon Hill, in The Law of Success in 16 lessons says something about Henry Ford which anyone who wishes to be financially free must not ignore. He writes:

 “Henry Ford never would have got to first base with his ‘horseless carriage’ had he not developed, quite early in life, the habit of saving.

 “Moreover, had Mr. Ford not conserved his resources and hedged himself behind their power, he would have been ‘swallowed up’ by his competitors or those who covetously desired to take his business away from him, long, long years ago.”

 He continues: “Many a man has gone a very long way toward success, only to stumble and fall, never again to rise, because of lack of money in times of emergency. The mortality rate in business each year due to lack of reserve capital for emergencies is stupendous. To this one cause are due more of the business failures than to all other causes combined. Reserve Funds are essential in the successful operation of business!”

 Savings Accounts are essential to the financial well-being of an individual as well. Writes Napoleon Hill:

“Without a savings fund the individual suffers in two ways: first, by inability to seize opportunities that come only to the person with some ready cash; and, second, by embarrassment due to some unexpected emergency calling for cash.

 “It might be said, also, that the individual suffers in still a third respect by not developing the Habit of Saving: through lack of certain other qualities essential for success which grow out of the practice of Habit of Savings.

 “The nickels, dimes and pennies which the average person allows to slip through his fingers would, if systematically saved and properly put to work, eventually bring financial independence.”

 Having read this far, I’m convinced that there is no doubt left in you that the smartest thing for you to do is to start saving today. But I realize that that is easier said than done.

So the BIG challenge is: How may you break the old habit of eating all your seed (assuming that you have not yet followed the habit of saving) and start to preserve them for tomorrow?

Think deeply about the ideas I’ve shared with you here.

by Dr. Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase