I remember reading, long ago, that tragedy brings out the best in human beings in regard to empathy. But it also brings out bias. This has been obvious over the past weeks as the Israeli-Hamas war has unfolded. Since first…
A former victim of Boko Haram terrorism finds love in America; meanwhile, others remain in captivity
Over the past two months, two reports brought into focus the contrasting fortunes of victims of terror relating to Nigeria. One was the story of Joy Bishara, a former victim of the terrorist group Boko Haram, now living in the…
Yemi Mobolade is ‘mayor for all people,’ not only Christians in Colorado Springs
Yemi Mobolade, a Nigerian immigrant, entrepreneur and Christian community leader, made history in May, becoming the first Black man and first non-Republican to be elected mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second largest city, in more than four decades. A political…
Progression or regression: Racism and women
He was tall, dark and handsome. As his ebony skin glistened in the sunlight, he looked like a Nigerian king. John Lawale was introduced to Jesus by the preaching of Josephine Scaggs, a Southern Baptist missionary from Sapulpa, Okla. She…
An interview with a Nigerian orphanage founder in custody battle with a state government
In terms of paying a price for one’s work or commitment, Solomon Musa Tarfa has seen and experienced a lot. Starting off as an evangelical worker for a U.S. faith organization in his native Nigeria — which involved teaching the…
Pastors, politics and the unending controversies about prophecies in Nigeria
Politics and prophesies go together in Nigeria, where a recent presidential election brought out religious figures speaking of divine visions. Weeks ahead of Nigeria’s election, a video of Passion Java, a Zimbawean pastor, made the rounds. In the video, Java…
USCIRF ‘outraged’ by omission of Nigeria and India from State Department’s List of Countries of Particular Concern
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has expressed outrage that the U.S. Department of State did not include Nigeria or India in its latest designations of Countries of Particular Concern. Although a government organization, the USCIRF does not have the same…
Amazed by its win against the U.S., Nigeria’s U-17 soccer team ascribes its victory to God
In the usual post-match analysis of soccer matches, many players and coaches like to ascribe their team’s success to tactics and skills. Some openly talk about God’s influence. One such team is the Nigerian Women’s U-17 soccer team that participated…
USCIRF warns of dangerous use of blasphemy laws in Nigeria
Blasphemy laws and their discriminatory enforcement are becoming another major threat to religious liberty in Nigeria, according to a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The USCIRF study also found that blasphemy bans contained in the nation’s…