CANCER MADE ME MORE BEAUTIFUL-BELOVED APOSTLE BIMPE

There are people you meet in life,you just know you need to adjust so many areas of your life for the better,Beloved Apostle Bimpe has such an impact on many including this Writer by being nothing short of an Enigma.Especially in the face of Cancer.




When a chariot of Horses accompanied by a white sprawling Limousine competes with Traffic in East London, you either assume it’s a wedding or Funeral Procession most times but it was neither on the 12th of November,2011. More like a Funeral- defying -Birthday procession. The event itself is as paradoxical as the Celebrant makes it out to be for as at her 45th birthday, vivacious and humanitarian extraordinaire, Beloved Apostle Bimpe ,( a sibling of Ex-Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose)as the medical records say has four months to live. No thanks to stage -4 breast Cancer.



The stage was set, the invites have been sent, the venue, a Church hall close to Dalston Market, Guests who most had never met Bimpe before but are her ardent fans on Facebook waited patiently for her arrival. The Band entertained before she arrived, and true to form, Bimpe came dressed like a Bride with a “Groom” who was covered in veil, she tagged him the Holy Spirit. Dancing and practically thrilling and not looking anything like a Cancer Sufferer, she declared, “I was supposed to come here in a Coffin but look at me, this Cancer seems to have made me more beautiful, I was a size 18 now a shapely size 12”.I said to my friends, whatever you wish to say in the a case of Service of Songs, come and say it to me now because a dead person does not hear tributes.”

If anyone tried to shed one or two tears, the idea quickly turned to laughter because, Beloved Apostle Bimpe whose Ministry ensured mentally challenged people in Nigeria were taken off the streets, housed, fed and fully rehabilitated was bubbling with life. Bimpe, who is quite vocal, never shy from speaking out against the norm in most churches of over-emphasising prosperity. She says people refuse the truth hence are taken advantage of by most crafty Pastors.Speaking with us, Bimpe reveals how she has been living despite the threat of Cancer. Excerpts

“I don’t have the power over Cancer but it was supposed to have kept me in Hospice but here I am now.
My children are already being prepared for after death programmes by the British Government.
I saw uncontrollable tears rolling down my cheeks the first time I was diagnosed on June 28th, 2011.I could not imagine me without my breast. In fact, the news of losing my breast was even more painful to me than the news of dying. I asked my kids later if they will prefer me dead than a breast less mother. I did not know that more bad news was coming as I was later told that it had gone past the curable state. I was given six months but with Chemotherapy, it might be up to twelve months. My mother or siblings never had Cancer. But I read that every human being has Cancer cells in the body. Our lifestyle and so many other things could result to various afflictions to our body. With my awareness now, I pray my daughter will never have Cancer.

I am a spiritual being,I was very depressed at the news of having a few months to live. I depreciated,I could not eat and was dying daily. My kids will leave me at home with a cup of tea and come back from School to meet me still holding that cup. If one deals with it as hopelessness, then you are gone. I was dead, but the last time I was told that the Ultra scan to check the tumour showed that there were no evidence of it in my Lungs and Liver. I choose to believe the good news. Even the tumour I feel is softening though they said it is only Chemo or radiotherapy that can remove it. I believe that the faithfulness of God kept me alive. I am not looking for Prayer Warriors,this is my time of helplessness so if God wants me to live I will. I have not taken any therapy or treatment, it is my right to live'.

That was last year,in fact Beloved Apostle Bimpe who just returned from Nigeria seems to be waxing strong and her numerous fans cannot wait to mark many more Birthdays with her.


THE JOURNEY TOOK ON AN HEAVENLY PHASE,DEAREST BELOVED APOSTLE BIMPE WENT TO JOIN HER GOD,WHO IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END ON THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY,2013.
I ALWAYS TOLD HER THAT I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE LIKE HER.IT IS TRUE.
MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE,AND HER EXCEPTIONALLY LOVELY KIDS AND FAMILY BE CONSOLED BY DIVINE ANGELS.
-klaxi

Tribute To My Husband by Odinakachukwu Bianca Ojukwu

How do I sum up 23 years in one page? I don't know. How do I describe you? I cannot. Not in any depth. Not for anybody else - you were my husband, my brother, my friend, my child. I was your queen, and it was an honour to have served you.

You were the lion of my history books, the leader of my nation when we faced extinction, the larger-than-life history come to my life - living, breathing legend. But unlike the history books, you defied all preconceptions. You made me cry from laughter with your jokes, many irreverent. You awed me with your wisdom. You melted my heart with your kindness. Your impeccable manners made Prince Charming a living reality. Your fearlessness made you the man I dreamt of all my life and your total lack of seeking public approval before speaking your mind separated you from mere mortals.

Every year that I spent with you was an adventure - no two days were the same. With you, I was finally able to soar on wings wider than the ocean. With you I was blessed with the best children God in heaven had to give. With you, I learnt to face the world without fear and learnt daily the things that matter most. Your disdain for money was novel - sometimes funny, other times quite alarming.
It mattered not a whit to you. Your total dedication to your people - Ndi-Igbo - was so absolute that really, very little else mattered. You never craved anybody's praise as long as you believed that you were doing right and even in the face of utmost danger, you never relented from speaking truth to power - to you, what after all, was power? It was not that conferred by the gun, nor that stolen from the ballot box. No. You understood that power transcended all that. Power is the freedom to be true to yourself and to God, no matter the cost.

It is freedom from fear. It is freedom from bondage. It is freedom to seek the wellbeing of your people just because you love them. It is the ability to move a whole nation without a penny as inducement nor a gun to force them. When an entire nation can rise up for one person for no other reason than that they love him and know he is their leader - sans gun, money, official title or any strange paraphernalia - that is power.

To try to contain you in words is futile. You span the breadth of human experience - full of laughter, joy, kindness and sometimes, almost childlike in your ability to find something good in almost everyone and every situation. You could flare up at any injustice and in the next instant, sing military songs to the children. You could analyze a situation with incredible swiftness and accuracy. In any generation, there can only be one like you. You were that one star. You were a child of destiny, born for no other time than the one you found yourself in.

Destined to lead your people at the time total extinction was staring us in the face. There was no one else. You gained nothing from it. You used all the resources you had just to wage a war of survival. You fought to keep us alive when we were being slaughtered like rams for no reason. Today, we find ourselves in the same situation but you are not here. You fought that we might live. The truth is finally coming out and even those who fought you now acknowledge that you had no choice. For your faithfulness, God kept you and brought you home to your people.

You loved Nigeria. You spent so much of your waking moments devising ways through which Nigeria could progress to Tai-Two!!! You were the eternal optimist, always hoping that one day, God will touch His people and give us one Vision and the diligence to work towards the dream. It never came to pass in your lifetime. Instead, the disaster you predicted if we continued on the same path has come home to roost. You always saw so clearly. Your words are indelibly preserved for this generation to read and learn and perhaps heed and turn. You always said the dry bones will rise again. But you always hoped we would not become the dry bones by our actions. Above all, you feared for your own people, crying out against the relentless oppression that has not three ceased since the end of the war and saddened by the acceptance of this position by your own people. In death, you have awakened the spirit that we thought had died. Your people are finally waking up.

At home, you were the father any child would dream of having. At no point did our children have to wonder where you were. You were ever at their disposal, playing with them, teaching them of a bygone era, teaching them of the world they live in and giving them the total security of knowing you were always present.

In mercy, God gave me a year to prepare for the inevitable. I could never have survived an instant departure. In mercy, God ensured that your final week on earth was spent only with me and that on your last day, you were back to your old self. I cannot but thank God for the joy of that final day - the jokes, the laughter, the songs. It was a lifetime packed into a few hours, filled with hope that many tomorrows would follow and that we would be home for Christmas. You deceived me. You were so emphatic that we would be going home. I did not know you meant a different home.

The swiftness of your departure remains shocking to me. You left on the day I least expected. But I cannot fight God. He owns your life and mine. I know that God called you home because every other time it seemed you were at death's door, you fought like the lion that God made you and always prevailed. In my eyes, even death was no match for you. But who can say 'no' to the Almighty God? You walked away with Him, going away with such peace that I can only bow to God's sovereignty. Your people have remembered. The warrior of our land has gone. The flags are lowered in your honour. Our hearts are laden with grief.

But I will trust that the living God who gave you to me will look after me and our children. Through my sadness, the memories will always shine bright and beautiful.

Adieu, my love,
My husband,
My lion,
Ikemba,
Amuma na Egbe Igwe,
Odenigbo Ngwo.
Eze-Igbo Gburugburu,
Ibu dike.
Chukwu gozie gi,
Chukwu debe gi.
Anyi ga afu na omesia.

— with Hibiscus Chucks Udorji.

culled:Princess Maureen Otti facebook
additional pix:Vanguard News facebook page
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WHAT THE QUEEN, KATE MIDDLETON AND ABIKE DABIRI HAVE IN COMMON

De Montfort University is a public research and teaching university situated in the medieval Old Town of Leicester, England, adjacent to the River Soar and the Leicester Castle Gardens. 40% of the university's research was deemed 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the United Kingdom Research Assessment Exercise, highlighting particular strength in English literature, where it equalled the University of Cambridge. The university has the second highest number of National Teaching Fellows of all UK universities. The school was established in 1870 as Leicester School of Arts but gained University status in 1992.The School seems to be enjoying a bit of spotlight lately as Honourable Abike of the Nigerian House Of Representatives visited recently and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton will be joining the Queen to visit De Montfort come the 8th of March, 2012.
Nigerian students of De Montfort University, Leicester and a few others from neighbouring cities played host to Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman, House Committee on diaspora affairs penultimate Friday in a Lecture organised by the Nigerian Students Society of the school. Abike, who just a day before was one of the Speakers at the BEN TV security conference in London spoke on the theme, Nigeria, a country of paradox: antecedent, apposition and way forward. The event which had the school's Pro Vice Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), notable personalities such as Professor Andy Downton in attendance and the representative of Student Services/International Student Support Office, Andy Gale was well attended. The Nigerian High Commissioner, Dr Dalhatu Tarfida who was unavoidably absent due to another function was represented by Mr Simon Ogah, Minister and Head Information in the Nigerian High Commission, UK.

As for the Royals, as earlier stated, The Duchess of Cambridge will join the Queen on the start of her Diamond jubilee tour in Leicester, accompanied by the duke of Edinburgh. The royals will watch a play presented by students of the school among other duties.It is the first stop of a country –wide tour that will finish on July 25.

Meanwhile, some Nigerian Students have been commenting on the visits:
Damilare Akintade:I believe the visit of Hon.Abike Dabiri is an honour to DMU Nigerian Students and Students in the UK. Also, the Queen’s visit will be a memorable event here, which will help the University in many ways.

Grace Ogunejimite:I think the visit of Abike Dabiri is good for Students which gives them opportunity to interact with her but I hope she goes further by Facebook or Twitter accounts where the relationship can continue. The Queen’s visit will give us a life term opportunity to see her.
Rasheedat: First, I am glad that she honoured the invite and she was attentive to people’s questions, in my overall opinion,she responded well which contributed to the success of the event. I am excited that the Queen will be here as well as Princess Kate.

Wahabu: Honourable Abike’s visit has improved the image of DMNUNSS In the school as one of the most vibrant groups in the UK. It is a good thing for the community and the University to have the Queen here as we have one of the most diverse ethnic societies in the UK.

The De Montfort University Nigeria Students Society(DMUNSS) was launched in 2010 and has about 200 Nigerian Students.The executives include,Damilare Akintade(President),Biomedical Science,Wahabu Amidu(Secretary),MBA,Grace Ogunejimite(PRO),Advertising and Public Relation Mnagement,Rasheedah Mustapha(Health and Safety Officer),Account and Finance, and Chidi Anyanwu(Sport Director),Buisness Administration



pix credit:dammydiary.blogspot.com,google,DMUNSS

FOUNDATION LAUNCHED IN HONOUR OF LATE MAYOR SITTU

It is almost a year that the illustrious son of Nigeria, Mayor of London Borough of Southwark, Councillor Tayo Sittu departed this world leaving a yawning gap in the political landscape of the Nigeria UK community. It is a bit of cheering news though that his son, Councillor Michael is representing his race well as a Councillor for Livesey ward in Walworth, hugely encouraged by his mum and siblings. It was however not too surprising and a welcome development when distinguished crowd of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria attended the launch of a foundation in his honour a few weeks back.

The event tagged the Tayo Sittu Foundation (TSF) was attended by community leaders including the Mayors of Southwark and Lambeth, other Council leaders and religious leaders across the borough. It aims to champion young people in the community. The highlight of the event includes the unveiling of the logo, brief remarks and revealing the future projects of the foundation. Late Mayor Sittu who succumbed to Cancer after a brave but dignified battle was eulogised by his Successor Councillor Lorraine Lauder thus,'I am happy to be a Patron of the Sittu Foundation. Tayo was a caring person who wanted more support for young people. It is good to see TSF carrying on his work'.
Southwark's Councillor Tayo Sittu passed away on the 9th of May, 2011 after being ill for a number of weeks. A Peckham councillor since 2002, he came to South London from Nigeria in 1985 and studied accountancy before running his own business. He was made Mayor in May 2010. He survived by his wife Abike, five children and grandchildren. He was given a full British state funeral with the service held at Southwark Cathedral on the 23rd of MAY, 2011.