Army inaugurates internet phones for troops in Borno

The Nigerian Army has
inaugurated internet protocol
desktop telephones at the 8 Task
Force Division in Northern Borno
to enable troops communicate
with their families with ease.
Onyema Nwachukwu, a Colonel
and Deputy Director, Army Public
Relations Department, said this
on Friday in Maiduguri.
Mr. Nwachukwu said in a
statement that the facility was
inaugurated by Abu Nani, Brig.-
Gen. and the General Officer
Commanding (GOC) of the
Division in Monguno.
“The Nigerian Army has
inaugurated the first set of
internet protocol desktop
telephone in some locations of
the 8 Task Force Division in
Northern Borno,” he said.
“The essence is to alleviate the
sufferings of troops who spend
two to three hours travelling to
Maiduguri to communicate with
their families on phone.
“The telephone system, which
comprises of a very small
Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and a
Grand Stream handset, were
installed at the headquarters of
the taskforce in Monguno, in 7
Brigade Baga and 153 Task Force
Battalion in Marte.
“Each of the call centres provides
five terminal points for officers
and soldiers to communicate with
their families from the front
lines,’’ he said.
Mr. Nwachukwu said the
provision of the facility had
resolved the nightmare of troops
being cut off from their families
and friends.

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Messi & I are not friends – Cristiano Ronaldo admits

Portugal and Real Madrid star, Cristiano
Ronaldo has disclosed that he and Barcelona
forward, Lionel Messi , are not good friends , but
added that there is no rivalry between them .
The rivalry between the two superstars is
considered to be fierce among their fans who
always argue about who is better .
Ronaldo , while downplaying the significance of
his rivalry with the Argentina captain , stressed
that there is a mutual respect between them .
The former Manchester United man and his
Barcelona counterpart have dominated the
Ballon d’ Or election over the past eight years
and are widely regarded as the two best players
in the game.
The Euro 2016 winner is adamant that there is
no bitterness between the two.
He told Coach Magazine , “ There is a big mutual
respect between myself and Messi .
“The media like to make out like we have this big
rivalry, but we don’ t .
“It is not like we are good friends , but there is
a mutual respect on both sides . ”

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Pope, Lutheran leaders to commemorate 500 years since Reformation

Pope Francis and Lutheran
church leaders would travel to
southern Sweden on Monday for
the commemoration of a five-
centuries-old event that has been
one of the most divisive in
western Christianity’s Protestant
Reformation.
A report on Friday in Vatican City
(Holy Sea) said pope would be
joined by Bishop Munib Younan,
Head of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), and Reverend
Martin Junge, the LWF General
Secretary, at an ecumenical
prayer service in Lund Cathedral.
It said the meeting would mark
another step forward in efforts to
overcome their historic divisions
and commemorate one of the
most divisive events in the
history of Christianity on
Monday.
“The upcoming anniversary year
gives them a chance to signal
more unity between Catholics
and Protestants,” the report
stated.
This year’s Reformation Day
commemorates 500 years since
Martin Luther’s wrote his
controversial 95 Theses, outlining
what he saw as widespread abuse
and corruption within the
Renaissance Catholic Church in
1517.
Catholic and Lutheran Churches
would use the day to launch a
year-long commemoration of the
historic anniversary.
Vatican recalled that Luther
criticised the sale of indulgences,
granting a remission of temporal
punishment due to sin to raise
money for the building of St
Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
“He also argued that the faithful
should be allowed to have a more
personal relationship with God
with less interference from the
clergy.
“His teachings triggered one of the most
significant schisms in Christianity, leading
Protestants to break away from the Catholic
Church,’’ it said.
Junge said the LWF groups 145 churches in
the Lutheran tradition, representing over 74
million Christians in 98 countries.
He said the commemoration would also mark
50 years of official ecumenical dialogue
through which Catholics and Lutherans have
sought to bridge the divide.
“It offers them an opportunity to reflect on
their divisions that resulted in conflict and
the 30 years’ War in Europe in the 17th
century.
“The dialogues have helped create trust and
contributed to removing “some of the
obstacles of doctrinal differences among us.
“The time is mature, is ripe, to move from
conflict to communion,” he said.
Cardinal Kurt Koch, who Heads the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said
the commemoration was a sign of hope but
was repentance for the religious strife that
once rocked Europe.
He said after Monday’s prayer service, the
church leaders would attend a service focused
on youth and refugees in the nearby city of
Malmo, along with leaders from the Catholic
Diocese of Stockholm and the Lutheran
Church of Sweden, including Archbishop
Antje Jackelen.
Koch said proceeds from ticket sales in Malmo
were to be used for LWF’s work with Syrian
refugees in Jordan and the Catholic relief
agency Caritas’ support for children in the
Syrian city of Aleppo.
The LWF was founded in Lund in 1947, and
the city’s cathedral consecrated in 1145, has
been used by both Catholics and Lutherans.
Pope John Paul II was the first pope to visit
predominantly Lutheran Sweden in 1989.
(dpa/NAN)

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'My husband insists on marrying my housemaid'

What would you do if your husband insists on
getting married to your housemaid? That is the
situation Monica has found herself in.

"Dear splensizy,

My name is Monica, a 36-year-old banker. I

have been married to John for 15 years now

and we have three children but my marriais heading for the rocks.

The reason for this is my husband's insistence on

getting married to my housemaid » and he has

even told me that I can leave his house if I don't

accept her as the second wife.

The girl, Emem , came to stay with us about six

years ago when I had my second child and I

needed someone to take care of the kids because

of additional responsibilities at work.

She was just 15-years-old then but very hard

working, respectful and innocent looking. Within a

short while, Emem became a star in the home,

practically taking over the running of the house.

She cooked for the household, washed, cleaned

the house including our bedroom and took the kids

as her younger ones. My husband too was

impressed with her and made sure she enrolled in

an extra-mural class and sat for her WAEC.

After she passed her exams, we enrolled her in a

part-time program at a state polytechnic while

she also learns fashion designing. I thought Joh

was doing these so that she could stand on her own

when she eventually leaves us.

Little did I know he was propping her to be his

wife in the future. The scale finally fell off my

eyes when I noticed that Emem was becoming dull,

fat and lazy.

She was also sleeping most of the times and would

take ages to complete the simplest of tasks. I

asked her what was wrong with her but she said

she there was nothing wrong with her.

But I got worried one day when I caught her

vomiting in the bathroom and I practically forced

her to the hospital for a test.

My worst fears were confirmed when the test

showed she was four months pregnant. When I got

home, I asked her who was responsible for the

pregnancy but Emem kept mum and all my pleas,

cajoling and threats would not move her.

When John came back, I reported to him but he

shocked me when he said she would mention the

person responsible when the time is right.

And the right time came the very next day when

John invited Emem's aunt, the woman who brought

her to me and in her presence, announced that he

was responsible for Emem's pregnancy and that he

was going to make her his second wife.

I was aghast and wanted to attack him but he just

brushed me aside and went ahead to say that

since I had abandoned my responsibilities as a wife

and mother to Emem, he has found her worthy of

being his wife.

I am now at cross roads and I don't know what to

do. I would never live in the same house with my

maid as my co-wife.

Monica."

Dear readers, you have read Monica's story. On

Morning Teaser » today, we ask you to advise her

on what to do in this situation?

POLL

Isaac Dachen

is an Editor at Pulse.

A graduate of English and Public

Relations, Isaac is a Creative

Writer, a professional PR Manager

and Brand Manager, Script Editor, Content

Creator. Other than watching football and

supporting Arsenal FC, he reads a lot, loves

traveling and has a stubborn and controversial

streak.

What would you do if your husband is bent on

marrying your maid?

I will promptly divorce him

I will accept the situation instead of losing my

husband

I will never allow that to happen

The maid will never share my husband with me

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