Titilayo Ajose

SA M PL E Ancient Papyrus Mysteriously Stolen from Oxford File Photo Titilayo Ajose Tuesday, May 5, 2020 7:30am Police are involved in an on-going investigation on the alleged looting of ancient papyrus from the renowned Sackler Classics Library in Oxford University by one of the institution’s professor, Dirk Obbink. He has since been suspended from all obligations in October 2019 following the indictment that he was involved in stealing up to 120 pieces of ancient papyrus belonging to Egypt Exploration Society collection residing in the Sackler Library. The Associate Professor in Papyrology and Greek Literature, Obbink has however denied these allegations and stated officially that the accusation leveled against him was “fabricated in a malicious attempt to harm my reputation and career.” In November 2019, 120 pieces of collection of Oxyrhynchus Papyri was declared missing by the Chairman of the Egypt Exploration Society. Dirk Obbink was arrested on 2nd of March 2020 following investigations into the matter. The news of his arrest which was reported in the student newspaper: Oxford Blue has created quite a buzz in the community. Obbink was also accused of selling 13bits of papyrus to Hobby Lobby including some portions of Genesis, Psalms and Romans as stated by the Egypt Exploration Society (EES). The president of Hobby Lobby, Steve Green was purchasing thousands of artifacts for the museum of Bible including the 13 bits of papyrus that were part of his collection for the Museum of the Bible which he inaugurated in 2017. Green has since tendered an apology and the Museum of the Bible is making all efforts to restore all the pilfered artifacts. SAMPLE ARTICLE 2 Several California Pastors Ready to Re-open on 31st May Regardless of State Orders File Photo Titilayo Ajose SA M PL E Thursday, May 14,-pm About 500 pastors including Danny Carroll of Water Life Community Church in Fontana, Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills and Matt Brown of Sandal Church in Riverside are planning to reopen their churches come May 31st amidst the current health situation in the state. They have already signed a petition according to freedom attorney Bob Tyler and are requesting the Governor of California, Gavin Newson to permit churches to reopen and have services, provided they are committed to following social distancing directives. Bob Tyler who is advising the pastors has declared in a CBN News account that “the churches are not asking for permission.” He went further to say that “The governor is sitting here as a dictator, trumping the constitution and is kind of hanging on to this state of emergency as long as he can hold it.” As stated by the petition, the pastors are dedicated to opening their doors back on “The Day of Pentecost” also referred to as the birthday of the “Christian Church” which falls on the 31st of May. The 31st of May, 2020 will mark “the 1990th anniversary of the original Day of Pentecost which took place in the year A.D 30.” According to Tyler, the pastors are “committed to opening regardless of what the governor decides.” The petition also stated that the pastors intend to admonish Governor Gavin Newson on their plan to give regard to social distancing rules, while still organizing meetings in-person for church. The petition was signed by Pastor Matt brown of Sandals Church in Riverside who also shared the opinion in a video on his church website that churches must reopen as there is currently “a spike in depression, suicide and drug addiction” resulting most likely from isolation. As at 8th of May, Governor Newson allowed “lower risk” work places such as florists, sporting good stores and clothing stores to open as part of his stage 2 reopening plan while churches are still to remain closed until the stage 3 plan commences in a matter of weeks or months from now. SAMPLE ARTICLE 3 Movie Director ironically Releases Film Centering on Faith in the Midst of Global Pandemic SA M PL E Titilayo Ajose Tuesday, May 12,-pm If you are searching for some real faith building entertainment this season, then “I Still Believe” might be just the right movie for you to watch. The co-director of the movie Jon Erwin who wasn’t too keen on its release due to the current health situation around the world, also observed the irony in launching a film on faith at the core of such a time of tribulation. He stated in a report in Christian Headlines that “Life is full of things that you can’t control and things that don’t go according to plan.” He further said: “The whole theme of the movie is ‘I still believe even when I can’t see.’ It’s sort of fitting.” The movie “I Still Believe” now available on Blu-ray, digital home video and DVD was released in theaters on 13th of March as the dispersal of corona virus escalated. Number 1 ended on the opening night and Number 3 for the weekend, however a week after, theaters were shut down. The storyline of the movie centers on a Christian singer Jeremy Camp and his marriage with his first wife who unfortunately died of ovarian cancer. This led the singer to write the song, I Still Believe. Co-director Erwin has great hopes that churches and families will benefit from the availability of the move as a home video and analyze its three major themes: Faith, Payer and Sacrificial Love. “I’m glad we got the movie out,” Erwin remarked. “We keep hearing stories of people coming to faith in Christ or being encouraged by the movie or finding hope while watching the movie. The movie is designed to give people hope and give people a glimpse of the power of the gospel and the change that it can have in your life.” Erwin compares himself with other filmmakers in his category to a volley ball player positioning a ball for others to spike. “People need hope, people need the gospel. That’s why we do what we do,” he said. SAMPLE ARTICLE 4 UK Authority Slams Sanction on Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s TV Station over COVID-19 Assertions Titilayo Ajose SA M PL E Tuesday, 19 May,-am According to a report by BBC, the broadcasting authority in London OFCOM has sanctioned a TV channel owned in the UK by one of Nigeria’s most popular pastors, Chris Oyakhilome. As reported by BBC, Loveworld Limited owned by Pastor Chris and which operates the Loveworld channel aired in the UK was punished by the authority following how a live sermon and a news programme comprising potentially detrimental assertions about the causes of and remedy for COVID-19 was transmitted on air. The Vanguard Newspaper report of May 18, 2020 stated that Pastor Oyakhilome has connected the virus to 5G network and purported that it was involved in a plan to give rise to “a new world order.” These claims have received wide condemnation by scientists who stated that the possibility of a connection between COVID-19 and 5G is “complete rubbish” and not biologically possible. It was also reported by OFCOM that there were unconfirmed claims included in the programme which Loveworld News suggests that 5G was the origin of the pandemic and that this was an issue of a “global cover up.” There were also criticisms by OFCOM about the sermon that was aired and which challenged the motives of those searching for a vaccine. The authority in UK stated that it was not opposing controversial views but the particular opinion had to be “put into context” so as not to weaken trust in the health authorities. SAMPLE ARTICLE 5 Why He Forgave the Man He Once Planned to Kill (1) True life story of a Liberian man and his travails during his country’s brutal wars; revenge fantasies haunted his mind before he got assurance in Jesus File Photo Titilayo Ajose SA M PL E Tuesday, 19th May,-am They had been hearing gunshots continuously coming from a distance for a few weeks. That particular morning, they were so near they appeared to boom with their own purpose. He glanced nervously at his older brother and other adults to put his mind at ease. In their eyes, he saw raw torment and frustration. They could do nothing but wait. Time ticked slowly with every minute so important. Then came the arrival of the “freedom fighters” and they were forced to lie flat on their faces to avoid the bullets buzzing through the air. The usually boisterous neighbourhood fell into gloomy silence in between outbursts of gunfire. In the midst of the temporary calm, they could hear voices screaming instructions. He prayed they won’t find out his name, for that will mean instant death. Days of Hunger and Fear His father served in the Special Security Service of President Samuel Doe of Liberia where he was born. His father had come to power via a homicidal military coup, some ten years prior to this event. The administration suppressed political antagonists and rigged the elections to continue in power. The freedom fighters expunged him, started a war, terminating anyone who served in Doe’s government and who belonged to his tribe. Such were the circumstances in Liberia in the year 1990. He was eleven years old at that time and his mother had earlier died due to an ailment. His father’s life was now in peril and few weeks prior to the arrival of the rebel soldiers he had instructed him to move in with his brother Roosevelt and his wife. He had packed few clothes into a tiny bag and left his home, trembling and perplexed. They had lived behind rebel lines for a period of three agonizing months, the hardest he had ever experienced in his life. He watched the ruthlessness of the rebels as they murdered innocent souls at the slightest suspicion. Food and clean water were scarce, but hope was even scarcer. As children, they spent days fantasizing about food and had not attended school in six months. By the year 1990, the month of November precisely, President Doe had been killed and the events that followed this incidence brought about a dramatic change in his life that almost turned him to a murderer. TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW………….. Source: MARCUS DOE for Christianity Today October 21, 2016