NIGERIA SENATE AMENDS ELECTORAL ACT

Yesterday, the Senate passed the Electoral Act No. 6 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2017 into law. The passage of this Bill in the Senate is a bold, innovative and common sense step on Electoral Reforms designed to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. Without much ado, these are some of the highlights of the Bill:

1. There shall now be full biometric accreditation of voters with Smart Card Readers and/or other technological devices, as INEC may introduce for elections from time to time.

2. Presiding Officers must now instantly transmit accreditation data and results from Polling Units to various collation centers. Presiding officer who contravene this shall be imprisoned for at least 5 years (no option of fine).

3. All Presiding Officer must now first record accreditation data and polling results on INEC’s prescribed forms before transmitting them. The data/result recorded must be the same with what they transmitted.

4. INEC now has unfettered powers to conduct elections by electronic voting.

5. Besides manual registers, INEC is now mandated to keep Electronic registers of voters.

6. INEC is now mandated to publish voters’ registers on its official website(s) for public scrutiny at least 30 days before a general election and any INEC staff who is responsible for this but fails to act as prescribed shall be liable on conviction to 6 months’ imprisonment.

7. INEC is now mandated to keep a National Electronic Register of Election Results as a distinct database or repository of polling unit by polling unit results for all elections conducted by INEC.

8. Collation of election result is now mainly electronic, as transmitted unit results will help to determine final results on real time basis.

9. INEC is now mandated to record details of electoral materials – quantities, serial numbers used to conduct elections (for proper tracking).

10. A political party whose candidate dies after commencement of an election and before the declaration of the result of that election now has a 14-day window to conduct a fresh primary in order for INEC to conduct a fresh election within 21 days of the death of the party’s candidate;

11. Political parties’ Polling Agents are now entitled to inspect originals of electoral materials before commencement of election and any Presiding Officer who violates this provision of the law shall be imprisoned for at least1 year.

12. No political party can impose qualification/disqualification criteria, measures or conditions on any Nigerian for the purpose of nomination for elective offices, except as provided in the 1999 Constitution.

13. The election of a winner of an election can no longer be challenged on grounds of qualification, if the he (winner) satisfied the applicable requirements of sections 65, 106,
131 or 177 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and he is not, as may be applicable, in breach of sections 66, 107, 137 or 182 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. [For example, a person’s election cannot be challenged on the ground that he did not pay tax, as this is not a qualifying condition under the Constitution.]

14. All members of political parties are now eligible to determine the ad-hoc delegates to elect candidates of parties in indirect primaries. The capacity of party executives to unduly influence or rig party primaries has been reasonably curtailed, if not totally removed.

15. Parties can no longer impose arbitrary nomination fees on political aspirants. The Bill passed prescribes limits for each elective office as follows:
(a) One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150,000) for a Ward Councillorship aspirant in the FCT;
(b) Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000) for an Area Council Chairmanship aspirant in the FCT;
(c) Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) for a House of Assembly aspirant;
(d) One Million Naira (N1,000,000) for a House of Representatives aspirant;
(e) Two Million Naira (N2,000,000) for a Senatorial aspirant;
(f) Five Million naira (N5,000,000) for a Governorship aspirant; and
(g) Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) for a Presidential aspirant.

16. Relying on the powers of the National Assembly in Paragraph 11 of Part II (Concurrent Legislative List) of the Second Schedule (Legislative Powers) to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Senate also passed measures reforming procedures regulating Local Government Elections. State Independent Electoral Commissions can no longer conduct elections that do not meet minimum standards of credibility.

17. Any INEC official who disobeys a tribunal order for inspection of electoral materials shall be imprisoned for 2 years, without an option of a fine.

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY

A Guy who has no job got married
to a banker, despite his fears and
several advices that it's
not good to marry without a job.
Every month the girl would give
the guy her full
salary of #80,000 after removing
her tithe. The guy
would give the wife #20.000 for
personal upkeep and
the guy determined what
happened to the remaining
money.
This happened for 3 good years.
There was
happiness in the family and the
wife never refused to
do her primary home duties for
that 3 years,
despite wrong advice from friends
that
'you can't be paying the bills and
still be doing all the work'.
There was a particular month the
guy used
about #50.000 to travel from
region to region for
different interviews.
He finally got a job with a good
firm. His salary was
#380,000 monthly for a start. He
bought his first car
(a brand new) for 2.2million raira
he gave the wife
the car key,& continued to take
public transport to
work for about 3 years. Then he
bought
the 2nd car for 4million took the
keys of the first car
& gave his wife the keys of the
2nd new car.
They eventually moved into their
own house
after few years. One day, the wife
was looking for some
documents. She stumbled on a file
neatly hidden,
when she opened it, she saw her
wedding picture
when she was very slim in the
first page
of the file. She then saw that the
document the
purchase of the land and every
other thing in the
house were
all written in her name!
At the last page
was the husband's wedding
picture and a note
written by him:
''MY WIFE IS ALL I HAVE GOT. NOT
EVEN THIS
HOUSE WORTH 100 million AS AT
THE TIME IT WAS BUILT IS MINE’’.
Tears started to roll down her
eyes.... Yesterday was
their wedding anniversary, blessed with 3
children...
Now, to YOU reading this:
No matter what happens in your
Marriage/relationship, remember you
chose each other. It doesn't matter who
puts food on the table or who
pays the bills. Always know, that
NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT.
God will surely Embarrass you with
FIRST CLASS blessings this month,
and u will never regret your marriage.
Every king was once a crying baby and every building was once a picture. The person you admire so much was once a nobody. The most anointed man you see was once a church member. The person you attended his or her wedding was once a chief bachelor or spinster. So why worry in life?

It's not about where you are today but where you will reach tomorrow. Alphabet "O'' which stands for Opportunity, is absent in ''yesterday'' but  once in ''tOday'' And thrice in ''tOmOrrOw'' So Stay Positive Always and have hope.  Your tomorrow will surely be better than today. Believe in yourself and never give up. ......The future is bright! Dream positively,in Helpinghandsinternational (H2i),we turn your dreams to reality. Have a fruitful week,God bless you.

Call/watsapp 08037732601
to join now
#H2iRocks

HOW IS YOUR PRIVATE PART

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HOW IS YOUR PRIVATE PART? Are you surprised I asked you about your private part?

Well, I have reason for asking you. Is it well with you there?Are you sick in your private part or you  are okay there? You have two parts; which are :

Your public part and Your private part. I am not really asking you about your genitals, but those areas of your life that are hidden from the  public gaze and  assessment.

Your  private part could be your  relationship at home with your spouse that many of us don't know about. Many are Deacons in the Church but dragons  at home. Many wives are virtuous in the church or around the brethren but they are 'virus' women at home when dealing with their husbands at home.

Some are singers in the church but serpents at home. Some Pastors are boxers at home as they preach unity, love, care in the church but box and beat their wives mercilessly in the bedroom, and because she will powder her face and use all the foundations and the 'roofing' of cosmetics to cover up the bruises ,and lift up holy hands in Church to sing, nobody will know that, the private part of the pastor's marriage is decaying. 

Your private part also speak of your secret dealings online and in your chats. You are married , but in your inbox, you lie to young ladies just to deceive them into relationship with you, thereby, denying your wife and children.

Sir, your private part is rotten! You are a pastor here, and you go to people's inbox and prophecy false visions and dreams to scare them and you require that they must sow seed to your life before the dreams could be averted. Can't you see this decay in your private part sir/ma, is spreading all over ?.

Your private part also speaks of your prayer life. How is that your private part? We know you lead prayer powerfully in your fellowship and  church, but can you tarry for 30 mins in prayer when nobody is looking at you ?

Your private part also speak of your thoughts life. We can't see it ,, but I hope it is healthy?  Those thoughts of immorality, masturbation, lust, anger, murder, revenge, plotting evil against others, stealing, etc.

When thought like this dominate your heart, it shows your 'private part' is smelling and unhealthy.

Some parade themselves as bold, rich , smart, wise  etc but they are really not what they project here to the public when you meet them in their private  life.

Just as people who have one issue or the other with their physical private parts (genitals) are doing everything possible to get rid of those ailment in their private parts, so we must be restless until our 'private parts' become healthy and whole.

Don't just pay attention to your public  part, pay attention to your private part too. Men may applaud you for your bright and shinning public part, but God is much concern about the condition of your private part.

Make sure you pursue health and wholesomeness in your private parts. To be totally whole and healthy​  before God and men, this is the way!

Thanks for reading

LEARN TO BE YOUR OWN PERSONAL DOCTOR

It is disturbing on how we go about
our health problems, spending so much money on issues we
can resolve with little or no money. Long gone are the days
when drugs manufactured in laboratories were popular, when
expensive chemical or synthetic drugs were deemed to be the
best for our bodies . Apart from the high cost, the side effects
that the body has to deal with cannot be ignored. But home
remedies and natural cures,no side effects, no chemicals,
inexpensive, plus the pleasure of being able to cure yourself!.
Read on for how all this is useful and how people are using
these home made methods in their day to day lives to stay fit
and healthy.

Excerpts:
CASE REMEDIES
1. TYPHOID FEVER: Get unripe pawpaw, unripe
pineapple,ginger,lime orange and Lipton tea. Cut into pieces,
boil with fermented corn water for one hour. Take one glass cup
3 times daily for one week. The ailment will disappear.

2. STOMACH ULCER: Get 7-8 unripe plantain, peel them, cut
them to pieces and pound. Put everything inside a plastic
container, fill it with one gallon of water. Allow it to ferment for
three days. Take one cup 2 times a day for one week. The
ailment will disappear.
 
3. ASTHMA: Get some seeds of mango, cut it into pieces and
keep under the sun to dry. Grind to powder. Put one spoon of
the powder into a glass cup of water, stir it and drink. Once in a
day for 3-4 weeks .

4. RHEUMATISM / ARTHRITIS: Get 5 seeds of English pear
(Avocado pear),cut into pieces and dry under the sun, grind to
powder. Mix with a glass of honey to form paste. Take one
spoon,3 times daily until the 6 days. 

.5 CHOLERA : Take three teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of
sugar, add half spoon of dry gin. Drink all as a single dose. The
cholera will stop immediately.

6. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE : Get 4 seeds of English pear
(Avocado pear),cut into pieces, dry under the sun and grind into
powder. Put a teaspoon of this powder into your prepared palp
and drink. Once daily for 2 weeks.

7. PNEUMONIA: Get a handful of garlic, grind to extract the
juice. Drink a spoon and use the juice to rub the chest and back.
That will close the chapter.

. 8 SEVERE COUGH : Get about 10 pieces of bitter cola, grind to
powder, add half cup of original honey. Take 2 spoons thrice
daily for 4 days.

. 9:TUBERCULOSIS : Get 20-23 pieces of bitter cola, ginger of
equal quantity and 3 bulbs of garlic. Grind everything and add a
bottle of original honey. Take one spoon thrice daily for one
month.

10. DIABETES : Grind 6 bulbs of big onions, add one original
bottle of honey. Take one spoon thrice daily for one month.
ALTERNATIVELY; get a handful of bitter leaf and scent leaves,
squeeze out the water in them, add lime(orange)juice, grinded
garlic and small potash. Take half glass of it twice daily for one
month.

11. STAPHILOCOCCUS : Get 2 pieces of aloe-vera,cut into
pieces and put it in a container. Add one bottle of original honey
and a glass of water. Take half cup of it,2 times daily for one
week.

12. WOMAN UNDER HARD LABOUR : Get some leaves of
Cochorus Olitorus(Vegetable Leaf),squeeze out the water and
give it to the woman under hard labour.She will deliver the
baby instantly.

13. INTERNAL PILE: Get the leaves of pawpaw, scent leaves and
bitter leaves, squeeze out the water. Take half cup twice daily
for 4 days.

15. MENSTRUATION PROBLEM: Get 4-5 cola, ginger and garlic
,cut them in pieces .Mix it with lime orange juice. Take 2
spoons daily for 3 days.

16. WEIGHT LOSS : Get some corn silk, boil with lime orange
juice. Drink half cup of it daily for one week and also embark on
physical exercise.

17. FUNGAL INFECTION : Mix a native soap with ground potash,
add lime orange. Apply the mixture after bath.

18. GONORRHEA : Get 3-4 pieces of cola, ginger and garlic, cut
into pieces. Mix everything with lime orange juice. Take 2
spoons daily until, it is over.

19. INTERNAL HEAT : Get some quantity of dry pawpaw leaves
and cashew leaves, boil with water and drink half cup daily for
one week.

20.  INSOMNIA : Add 3 spoons of honey into a glass cup of milk.
Take all at bedtime for one week.

21-. HEART FAILURE : Grind 12 bulbs of onions and 12 bulbs of
garlic together. Get 3 bottles of honey, mix together. Take 2
spoons thrice daily for 2 weeks.

23. TEETHING PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN : Get a mixture of lime
juice and honey; let it be of equal quantity. The child should
take one teaspoon twice daily until the problem is over.

24. LOW SPERM COUNT : Get large quantity of guava
leaves,pound,add water and filter. Drink one glass cup thrice
per day for 1 week. As you are taking that, eat carrot and
cucumber daily for 2 weeks.

25. QUICK EJACULATION : Get 3 bulbs of Okro,slice them; get
the dry seed of it, ferment everything with soda water for 2
days. Take half cup daily for one week.

26. WEAK ERECTION: Get 6 bulbs of white onions, grind and
extract the juice. Mix the juice with honey. Take 2 spoons thrice
daily for one week.

27. VIRGINAL DISCHARGE: Get 3 pieces of bitter cola, some
ginger and garlic, grind and add lime juice .Take 2 spoons twice
daily for one week.

28. CHILDREN CONVULSION : Get one onion, small garlic and
ginger, grind all. Mix with palm kernel oil. Give the child to drink
and use the mixture as cream for the child.

29. FIRE BURNS : Rub the affected the area with pure honey
daily.

30. HAIR BREAKAGE : Get one bottle of olive oil and one bottle of
honey. Mix together and warm it for few minutes. Use the
mixture to wash your hair.

31. BALD HEAD: Grind bird pepper, unripe pawpaw seed and
mix with lime orange juice. Use the mixture to rub the head, hair
will start growing in the affected area.

32. FIBROID : Eat about 20 pieces of unripe palm kernel seeds
everyday for about two months.

33. BLOOD BUILDING : Get some quantity of pumpkin leaves and
garden egg leaves, squeeze out the liquid, add milk. Drink it for
three days; your blood will be boosted.

34. CATARACTS : Apply the aloe-vera gel to the affected eyes
every night until the problem is over.

35. THROAT PROBLEM : Eat small quantity of ginger
continuously for one week.

36. LOSS OF VOICE : Get some okro bulbs, cut it into pieces and
pound. Add small water and honey and drink thrice in a day.U
will defini[truncated by WhatsApp]

7%. Written by a 90 year old

This is something we should all read at least once a week!!!!! Make sure you read to the end!!!!!!

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.

16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy clothes. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Its estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title '7%'.
I'm in the 7%. Friends are the family that  you choose.

Good morning and have a great month ahead.

VERY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BANANA

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!…
This is interesting. After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

But energy isn’t the only thing a banana can help us keep. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

*DEPRESSION:*
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and make you feel happier.

*PMS:*
Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

*ANEMIA:*
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

*BLOOD PRESSURE:*
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

*BRAIN POWER:*
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

*CONSTIPATION:*
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

*HANGOVERS:*
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

*HEARTBURN:*
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

*MORNING SICKNESS:*
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

*MOSQUITO BITES:*
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

*NERVES:*
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system..

Overweight and Pressure at work Place? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

*ULCERS:*
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

*TEMPERATURE CONTROL:*
Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away!’

*PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS…*
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! : ]

Copied. . . . . . . . . . .

PARENTS, SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN IN MARRIAGE NOT WEDDING

Are u married or Not !!!!
Read this and learn.

"Dad, can you loan me Five Hundred Thousand Naira?" Kola asked his father.
"What for son?"His father asked."For my wedding.
By our calculations, we're falling short meeting the cost"
Kola had come to meet his parents with his fiancé.
"Your wedding? How much is the total cost of the wedding?" His father asked.
"3.6 million. We're thinking of starting the committee next week. We can together give about eight hundred thousand and expect our friends to help us raise about two million. I remember you told me if ever I need help I can come to you" Kola answered.
His father held him by the shoulder and said "Go get your wife and come meet me at my study room"
"Yes dad" Kola obliged.
Minutes later, Kola and his fiancé,Tomilayo walked into his father's study room.
"Having a good time my daughter?" Kola's father asked.
"Yes I am. You and your wife are so hospitable. I pray that Kola and I can emulate your marriage. You are an admirable couple" answered Kola's fiance.
"Thank you. I am delighted to have you as my daughter. This is your home, you're welcome anytime" said father.
They sat down.
"Thank you dad"
"So, I hear you want to spend 3.6 million for your wedding and you need me to help with four hundred thousand?" Asked father.
"Yes, we will greatly appreciate" said the fiancé.
"The wedding will be at the Total Garden Ibadan in about six months time" said Kola.
"Why do you want to have a big wedding?" father asked.
"Well, it's our big day. She's always dreamt of a big wedding" Kola replied.
"Have you dreamt of a big wedding or a strong marriage?" The father asked the fiancé.
"When you put it that way, it's more of a strong marriage" said the fiancé.
"Good. You've answered wisely. So who do you expect to come for your wedding?" Asked the Father.
"Friends and relatives. About seven hundred people" answered Kola.
"How many true friends do you really have? I mean friends who have been tried and tested to be there for you through thick and thin?" Asked the father.
Kola and Tomilayo looked at each other."Countable" The fiancé answered.
"So who are these other people who will come to your wedding?" Asked the father.
Silence.
"OK. Let's go to the relatives. I know you love your relatives, but how many are really close to you? You barely talk with the many relatives you have" said the father.
"What are you trying to say dad?" asked Kola.
"My son, my daughter; why do you want to spend 3.6 million on a wedding, a one day event yet you need the money in your marriage? Look, you are actually coming to ask me for money, you will form a committee to ask people for money; all to show off and please people who will not even matter in your marriage"
Silence.
The father continued, "Let me share with you my experience. When I married your mother, we spent about a million for the wedding. That was a lot of money then. We fed people, got stressed by service providers, just so that we put up a wedding that will win the applause of a crowd. But as soon as we got married, the crowd disappeared. All the issues that your mother and I went through, no one cared, even family couldn't do much. Every one is busy living their life. When things got tough, the crowd gossiped about us, some even seemed happy that our marriage was in trouble"
Silence.
"I have seen this script repeated over and over. Brides get stressed on their wedding day, they can't even enjoy, couples being angry at friends who don't support them financially, the worst part is starting marriage in debt or struggling financially. Do you know a wedding doesn't have to cost so much, it doesn't have to be stressful, it doesn't have to be full of people who perhaps will never talk to you again?" added the father.
"But dad, what will people think if we do a small wedding or we don't invite them?" Asked the fiancé.
"Are you getting married for people? If you have a small wedding with only the witnesses who matter, will you two not be married? What is all this competition of who has a grand wedding for?People are competing on Facebook, in weddings; why this need to show off? You know that money you are about to blow in one day, you can use it to invest in your marriage, you can start the process of buying or building a home, you can save up for the needs of the children you will have because you need money to raise a family. Why not start your marriage financially healthy and not in debt? Marriage is what is more important than a wedding" continued the father.
"Dad, if you don't want to support us it's OK" said Kola.
The fiancé stopped him saying, "No my love, dad has a point. I actually find the idea of a small wedding not just wise and economical, but also intimate. Marriage is just you and me, not people"
The father spoke, "My son, in all the years you have been a man, you have never come to me asking for money, but now you are asking for money to put up a show? I look further, I look at your marriage. I admire how people come together in a wedding committee to raise money and I wonder, what if couples and people use that same energy to put up a business that will uplift families. Those members who will be part of your wedding committee, imagine if they become your investors, imagine if you build a company where you can make profit and feed your homes. Something sustainable."
Kola and his fiancé nodded.
"My son, I have longed for the day you would come and ask me to invest in your business idea. But today I will make the first move" the father said taking his cheque book from his drawer.
He wrote on the cheque then gave it to the fiancé.
"Here my son, this is a cheque of five million naira, not for your wedding but as start up capital for a business of your choice. I am giving the cheque to your wife because as it is rightly said about  woman,She is to walk with you in building an empire for your family. Focus on your family, give your family the best; forget about the public and opinions of people who don't matter. Build a future for your family. Build your family on a foundation of surplus not debt"
"Thank you so much" said the fiancé.
Kola stood up with tears in his eyes.His father stood up too.
The father and son hugged.
"Thank you dad for being a great figure and your counsel. I don't know what to say. You have challenged me not to merely get married but to have a vision, a vision for my family. I don't know what to say" he spoke.
The father held his shoulder, "You will make a great husband and father. I wish I had the same counsel when I was getting married, all those people I fed on my wedding day didn't add value to my marriage. In fact, if I was to organize an event and feed multitudes, I would do so for the less fortunate and those in need. Marriage is not for show.