I stole handset to buy school uniform, textbooks —10-yr-old whose father burnt his palms for stealing

Mallam Aminu Sule with his son, Umoru

THE decision of an enraged father, Mallam Aminu Sule, to force his 10-year-old son Umoru, to use his bare hands to pick up burning coals after beating him over theft of a handset has set him in a face-off with anti-child abuse and law enforcement agencies in Niger State.

The boy, a Primary Three pupil of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Primary School near the Emir of Minna’s palace, was said to have resorted to the theft and sale of the handset, which reportedly belonged to one of his brothers, for the procurement of his school uniform and some textbooks after several appeals to his peasant and polygamous father had failed to yield any fruitful result.

Sunday Tribune’s investigation revealed that the boy had informed his father of the need to buy a new set of uniform and some textbooks. However, the father who was said to be a tout at the Kontagora Motor Park at central Minna, was in the habit of telling his son that he had no money.

When Umoru realised that his father who is married with two wives and blessed with many children was not interested in discharging his responsibilities as a father to him, the boy withdrew from school out of frustration .

According to the Executive Officer, Child Protection Network, a non-governmental agency in the vanguard of fighting for the restoration of the human rights of the less-privileged in the society, Mr. Mfon Akpakpan Udo, Umoru, who was described as an average student was said to have devised a crooked means of going back to school to continue with his studies by stealing his brother’s mobile phone with the intention to sell it and use the proceeds to buy his school uniform and textbooks and return to school and join his peers.

When Umoru’s brother discovered that his phone was missing , he reportedly asked if Umoru saw the phone and Umoru was said to have answered in the affirmative, adding that he had sold it.

On enquiry by family members on how much he sold the phone and to whom, he told them he got N1,200 for the phone.

“He was asked by the family members to take them to where the handset was sold. First, they collected the proceeds of the stolen handset from him and returned it to the buyer of the handset while the phone was also collected from him,” said Udoh

Mallam Aminu was reported to have been visibly annoyed by the act of his young son, saying that the boy had disgraced him and his entire family.

The man was reported to have said that as a Nupe man, he would not condone any act of stealing and that there was no thief in his village. For this, he decided to punish the little boy for his misdemeanor and was said to have taken him round the neighbourhood. When he found a fireplace, he was reported to have asked Umoru to use his bare hands to pick coals of fire.

According to Udoh, the little boy was said to have obeyed his father’s instruction by picking the burning coals, even as he was subjected to serious beatings.

As the boy closed his palms on the coals still burning, he cried loudly for help and forgiveness but his father was dreaded by his neighbours and the mother of the boy to the extent that nobody could appeal to him to forgive the boy for fear of being attacked.

The boy held his two palms together , holding the coal of fire until he collapsed. When his father observed that the boy had fallen, he was said to have left him to writh in pains, just as Aminu’s cry increased when he saw the extent of burns on his palms.

Udoh revealed that Mallam Aminu did not take the boy for treatmant of the wounds afterwards, until several days after the boy had been subjected to the inhuman treatment.

It was gathered that the wound started festering and that the father still refused to pay attention to the worsening health condition of the boy until a good Samaritan saw the little boy in agony and took him to Mfon Akpakpan Udoh’s NGO, which specialises in child protection.

“In fact, when we saw that the boy’s condition was pathetic, we decided to formally report the case at a nearby ‘A’ Division central police station, Minna where the crime was committed initially, as a case of child abuse, and the police invited his father to the state Police Command Headquarters, Minna, where in his confessional statement, he admitted to the crime,” Udoh revealed.

Sunday Tribune further learnt that the case was later referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, which at the conclusion of the police investigation, charged the suspect to court.

Udo stated further that the case took a new dimension for the boy and his organisation same day the case came up in the court as they had already had secured an appointment for a courtesy visit on the Niger state Chief Judge, Right Hon. Jibrin Ndatsu Ndajuwo. On sighting the boy on their arrival in his office, Chief Judge asked how the boy got inflicted with such injuries on his hands.

“We explained to him and he really felt pity for the boy. He immediately offered to be responsible for the boy’s school uniforms and textbooks for the remaining three years that the boy would be spending in the primary school.

Udoh revealed that Justice Ndajuwo had bought Umoru’s school bag, uniform and even textbooks, while the boy was at that point admitted for treatment at the General Hospital, Minna.

He added that the boy had been responding positively to treatment but was still on admission in the hospital, and that he would go and resume his studies at the IBB Primary school, Minna as soon as the school re-opens for a new term.

Sunday Tribune learnt that Mallam Aminu was released on bail when charged to court, as Umoru was crying that his father should be pardoned. The case had however been adjourned till further date.

The Dangers of Soul Ties – Overcome it!

Unhealthy soul ties can be a great bondage to an individuals life if not dealt with it completely. I was on a flight, travelling out of the country and seated beside me was a young man who initiated conversation related to my laptop. Long before I knew it, he began to open up about his life and even more so after he got to know that I was an evangelist. He mentioned to me about how he would wake in the middle of the night thinking of his girlfriend and then when he would go online, she would be waiting for him. He was overwhelmed with thoughts of her and was struggling with his studies.

He went on to explain that it was because she said that they were soul-mates. Soon this girl began to control him and when I met him on the flight he was almost being tormented. We then discovered the roots of the issue to be the covenant or soul tie he had formed with her. The Lord allowed me to minister to him in that capacity.

What are Soul Ties?

Soul ties can be seen even among believers today. A soul tie is the deep bond that is developed between two or more individuals through an unhealthy relationship leading to addictive, manipulative or even violent behaviour. We, as children of God, should not be mastered by the soul or body but we are Spirit beings and must be led by the Spirit of God.

They are just the remains of your unsaved self which God does not want you to carry into your destiny for the fact that it holds the potential to pull you back from what God has called you into. All it takes is just one sniff, one touch, one taste of that ungodly tie; it can hold you bound from what God has for you. If you reading this, it is because God loves you and wants to break you out of anything that can stop you from your destiny in God.

Soul Ties in Relationships

You can notice this kind of bondage in a lot of relationships that are outside the will of God. There is an unusual desire to spend all their money on the person and try to please them. When there is a soul tie in relationships outside marriage, you can hear people say things like, “I can’t live without you, I can’t be happy without you” or “I will die without you”. These relationships are not based on the Spirit’s love, peace and joy. These soul ties can lead to body ties resulting in physical relationship. (Sometimes, possibly even with the same gender)

I’ve seen some so acutely affected with these kinds of soul ties that their health is affected. They get so worried about the other person that they afflict their own bodies by not eating or sleeping. Some even, begin to hurt themselves when the other person shows any signs of distancing. Real love is based on having Christ as the centre of the relationship and moving beyond the person itself.

Soul Ties between Husbands and Wives

Even when it is the love between a husband and wife, fervent love is born in the spirit and should not be overpowered by the soulish realm (Colossians 1:8). A soulish-realm love leads to a controlling and manipulative spirit, sadly even within marriages. In these kinds of relationships, the other person is in control and you are dictated to about what should be done. That spirit of control and manipulation is certainly NOT from God.

Soul Ties between Parents and Children

This can be seen sometimes in a parent-child relationship where parents are overly defensive about their children and do not like anyone correcting them etc. This kind of deep unhealthy affection does not discipline your child, it causes damage. There are cases when children are given a more important place than of their spouse. This can highly be destructive. With grown-up children refusing to marry and leave the house so that they can support their parents or a widowed parent is a form of soul tie. It is a wrongly induced sense of responsibility.

Soul Ties In Close Association

It is important that you are careful about who your friends are. Just as association rubs off the anointing, association can also rub of the negative traits of a person in your life. People that surround you must love God first. There are many examples of godly relationships in the Bible like, David and Jonathan; Elijah and Elisha etc.

When these associations lose the fear of the Lord, it can go beyond just friendship. Many families have been destroyed because of extra-marital affairs. It might even be packaged in a spiritual form of counselling that ultimately develops into an unhealthy relationship if it is not well-guarded. This is often preceded by sweet words of flattery that then take them away foolishly from the real truth. It is almost as though they are begging for an ungodly soul tie to be formed and long before you know it, the situation gets out of hand resulting into broken homes, families and hearts.

I was once advised by a pastor about the dangers of praying alone with someone of the opposite gender. He said that prayer is one of the effective forms of soul connecting. As you share problems and seek counsel, there can be a stronger soul tie that can be formed if the boundaries are not drawn ahead. Soon this can lead to an emotional affair.

Extreme Relationship with Animals

While this can be sometimes described as love towards animals, by the world; there are times when this love for a creature can take over the individual. The signs of this can be seen when a person is extremely possessive and obsessed with their animal. They can go extremes where the person detaches from the human world and over spend their time, money and energy on these animals.

The Fantasy World

Soul ties can also be formed with a person you are not associated with. Unusual craze about a person or a celebrity can create bondage in your life. This becomes an idol in your life apart from God. It might start without your realisation and if you are not careful, you might end up opening up a door to the enemy.

A particular actor, actress or singer becomes the craze and they literally live in a surreal, self-created world of this ‘idol.’ From pictures to posters to magazine cut-outs; you name it and they have it. It can lead to extreme situations where the person daydreams to the point that they lose track of reality and begin to live in this fantasy world with that person. If not broken, this can even affect one’s married life. It is only the Lord that we must love with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:30)

Breaking Soul Ties

When you have an ungodly soul tie, you will be unwilling to listen to anyone else. It makes you vulnerable to manipulation and it takes the place of God in your life.

Therefore, it is important that you first identify where you have opened the window for the enemy to enter into your life.

Surrender your life to Jesus and let him rule over your soul. If there have been any covenants made by words or action, take some time out to pray and one by one in the name of Jesus, begin to denounce all the contacts you have made.

Denounce the soul ties by confessing it out loud and accept the blood of Christ to wash your sins away. Shut every door of fear with the word of God and claim the promises of God. Now, make it a point to fill your mind with the things of God instead. Throw away everything that reminds you of your past.

Stay tuned to the Holy Spirit and walk in the presence of God. If this struggle still persists, you might need help from an anointed leader in your church. Take time to open up about your struggle with the elders of your church and seek help.

You can use this as a guideline to pray: Father, I know you love me. Forgive me for every soul ties I have developed. (Name them out) with _______ that would affect me adversely. I surrender myself into Your Hands and ask that You would establish Your Lordship in my life. In Jesus’ name, I renounce and break every authority I’ve given to this relationship and I break this soul tie in Jesus’ name and set myself free. Amen.

Popular Businessman Corey Todd and Vybz Kartel have reunited!

Despite the deejay present legal situation the two were able to squash
their differences through letters and other means of communication
such as shorty, The lawyers and even their mutual accountant. All
parties came to the realization that a good friendship and business
was lost and it was in both parties best interest to rekindle
dancehall dominance.

“We started communicating shortly after his incarceration; it was our
intention not to make this public knowledge until his release however
we can no longer patiently wait for that day. I wish be a voice that
will help bring forth his freedom because I can attest his only guilt
is association”, Said Mr. Todd.

As to the demise of their relationship which happened approximately a
year ago Todd stated “the associates that led to his incarceration are
the same associates that cause our partnership to end at the time, but
I must add that our egos also clashed. His arrest had a humbling
effect on me and caused me to reflect on my own actions. I then lost
interest in my present projects and made the artiste involved aware
that I wish discontinue, this was around November”.

Kartel also stated “what happened between me and Corey was just a
misunderstanding. Truth be told I really had some negative elements
around me, that badmind me and Corey partnership because of its
success. At the time I was too caught up being world boss to realize I
was destroying one of realest friendships I ever had. Being in here
made me realize that we did achieve greatness together… after all if a
neva fi Corey and Kartel STREET VYBZ woulda never buss in people head
and Building would a never Buck pon a Saturday.”

Christian Tavares-Finson, a member of Kartel’s legal team, sees the
mending of the broken partnership as a good turn for Kartel in his
present situation.

Shorty, Kartel common-law wife which was the bearer in delivering
letters and messages between Corey and Kartel, say” I’m glad that them
resolve their issues and I knows Addi once again have somebody else
that means him good to help rally for his release.”

Kartel sent a message for his Fans in his last Letter since he decided
it time to go public with the reunion

“Gaza fans just get ready fi start clubbing it and rummin it. Right
now this reunion bigga than the north and south after the civil
war…the business mogul and the dancehall star…awoh,” the letter read.

……………………WELL ME DID GO FOOL SCHOOL, SO MAYBE DI WHOLE JAMAICA GUH TUH

UNNO GOOD …………………