Text: 1 Kings 8:54-61

8:54   And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.

8:55  Then he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:

8:56  “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest^[a] to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.

8:57 May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us,

8:58  that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers

8:59   And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require,

8:60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 

8:61 Let your heart therefore be ^[b]loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”

STUDY:

During the dedication of the temple, when Solomon finished praying series of prayers unto God, he stood up in front of the altar where he knelt, raised his hands towards heaven and blessed the people. In blessing the people, he did it in such a way as not to take over the functions of a Priest. His prayer was systematic. He praised the Lord who had given rest to his people, and also proclaimed the faithfulness of God.

After thanking God and acknowledging His faithfulness; he made 5 basic requests: (a) He prayed for God’s presence (v. 57) (b) He prayed that God would give them the desire to do His will in everything (v. 58) (c) He prayed for the desire and ability to obey God’s decrees and commands (v. 58) (d) He prayed for help with each day’s needs (v. 49) (e) He prayed for the extension of God’s kingdom to the entire world. These prayer by Solomon are applicable for today’s daily living. In fact, the prayer is the same with the Lord’s Prayer which Jesus taught us. We need to adore and praise God in our prayer, and also ask for His constant presence with us and in our daily needs.

Prayer: 

Faithful God, I need your presence every passing hour. Please incline my heart to keep your laws. Amen.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has conferred the title of “Father of Faith in Nigeria” on the Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Rev. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba.

The award was presented on Sunday, October 18, 2026, in Abuja at the Grand Finale thanksgiving service marking CAN’s golden jubilee. The Primate and his wife, Mrs Angela Ndukuba who attended the celebration briefly had to take his leave before the formal presentation of the award because of an earlier commitment at another service.

The award was received on his behalf by the Chairman of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), The Most Rev. David Onuoha.

CAN said the recognition acknowledges the Primate’s leadership, spiritual stewardship and contributions to the growth of the Christian faith and to national development in Nigeria.

The Primate was honoured alongside other distinguished Nigerians recognised for their service to the nation and the church at large. They include the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; former Heads of State, General Yakubu Gowon and General Olusegun Obasanjo; former President Goodluck Jonathan; and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The thanksgiving service on Sunday, October 18, concluded the week long activities marking the 50th anniversary of the association which brought together church and national leaders in a call for greater unity within the body of Christ.

The Church of Nigeria congratulates the Christian Association of Nigeria on its fifty years of service to the Church and the nation, and thanks its leadership for this recognition. The Anglican Church remains committed to working with CAN and all partners in promoting faith, unity, peace and the wellbeing of Nigerians.

Ven. Raphael Adedoyin Aderinwale
Director of Communications
Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
communications@anglican-nig.org

ABUJA, October 20, 2026 — The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has called on its clergy, laity and the general public to remain calm and respect ongoing ecclesiastical and judicial proceedings concerning the Diocese of Awka.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday by the director of communications, Ven. Raphael Aderinwale, the Church urged all concerned to exercise restraint, avoid speculation and allow the appropriate authorities to address the issues through established ecclesiastical and judicial channels.

The statement follows recent public comments and court proceedings relating to decisions taken by the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Rev. Dr Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, in the exercise of his ecclesiastical responsibilities.

According to the Church, the decisions under consideration followed a period of enquiry into issues relating to ecclesiastical authority, accountability and compliance with established Church procedures. It also stated that efforts had been made to resolve the disagreements through dialogue and conciliatory engagement.

The Church, through its General Secretary, the Ven. Dr Festus Opara, emphasised that maintaining peace must go hand in hand with accountability, justice and adherence to due process.

It stressed that reconciliation remains a fundamental Christian obligation but must be pursued within the framework of the Church’s Constitution, Canons and established procedures.

Citing 1 Corinthians 14:40, which states, “Let all things be done decently and in order,” the Church reaffirmed the importance of order and accountability in ecclesiastical governance.

It further maintained that all officers and institutions of the Church operate within the provisions of its governing Constitution and Canons, adding that the issues currently before the relevant authorities should be addressed with fairness, impartiality and respect for the rule of law.

The Church also appealed to Anglican faithful across the country to remain prayerful and united, warning against the spread of unverified information and inflammatory public exchanges.

Members of the public and the media were similarly urged to exercise responsible judgement, verify information before publication and respect the integrity of the ongoing proceedings.

Reaffirming its commitment to Christian discipline, justice, accountability and reconciliation, the Church expressed confidence that an orderly resolution in accordance with its governing provisions and the rule of law would best serve the interests of all concerned.

The Church concluded by calling on all parties to conduct themselves with dignity, patience and mutual respect while the relevant processes continue.

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Among those affected were the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Funso Doherty.

The memorial was organised by the Enough is Enough movement to commemorate those who lost their lives during the #EndSARS protests.

However, police officers deployed to the venue disrupted the gathering by firing tear gas canisters before participants could lay wreaths in honour of the victims.

A video shared by TheCable showed participants scrambling for safety as the tear gas spread across the area.

The incident prevented the wreath-laying ceremony from proceeding as planned.

The #EndSARS protests began in October 2020, with young Nigerians demonstrating against police brutality and calling for reforms to the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Further details on Tuesday’s incident are awaited.

Revd. Omonijo died on October 15, 2026, after a brief illness, according to a statement released by the diocese on Monday.

Until his death, he served as the Vicar of the Church of Pentecost, Dopemu, Lagos, and was a dedicated member of the diocese’s Media and Publicity Department.

The diocese described the late cleric as a humble, conscientious and meticulous individual with remarkable communication skills. It also appealed to the public to remember his children and family in their prayers.

Revd. Omonijo had nearly four decades of experience in journalism. He previously worked with The Economist and Vanguard before joining The Nation in 2008, where he served as Group Political Editor and later became a member of the newspaper’s Editorial Board.

The Chairman of The Nation Editorial Board, Sam Omatseye, expressed grief over his death, describing the loss as difficult to comprehend.

Omatseye praised Revd. Omonijo’s professionalism, thoroughness and commitment to rigorous journalism, noting that he brought a critical perspective to editorial discussions and sought to move beyond partisan positions.

He recalled that Revd. Omonijo attended an Editorial Board meeting the week before his death, during which he was assigned two editorial topics to write about.

The diocese urged the public to pray for the bereaved family as they mourn his passing.

Details of the funeral arrangements will be announced by the family.

The Benue State Police Command confirmed that Otache was rescued alongside five other kidnap victims by security personnel on Sunday, October 18.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Aondogu Orchia, said the rescued victims were taken to the Otukpo Teaching Hospital for medical examinations.

Otache was abducted on Tuesday, October 13, while returning home from Otukpo. According to a statement issued by the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and signed by its Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Joseph Itodo, the priest encountered his abductors along the Otobi Amejo–Ajegbe Road in Ohimini Local Government Area.

The incident caused concern within the diocese, with the Bishop of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressing deep sadness over the abduction.

Following the priest’s release, the diocese expressed gratitude to God and appreciated the priests, religious members, lay faithful and other well-wishers who supported the efforts to secure his safe return through prayers and solidarity.

The diocese also called for prayers for other people still being held captive by criminal groups across the country.

Otache’s abduction comes about three months after Kelvin Ochai, a seminarian, was reportedly abducted from the bishop’s residence in Otukpo.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Diocese of Gboko recently ordered the temporary closure of some of its institutions in Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area, citing repeated security attacks in the community.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olasebikan Fakolujo, disclosed this on Monday while announcing activities for the institution’s convocation and 20th anniversary celebrations.

According to him, the graduating class comprises 897 first-degree recipients and 146 postgraduate students.

Of the undergraduate graduands, 83 will receive First Class Honours, 429 will graduate with Second Class Honours (Upper Division), 301 with Second Class Honours (Lower Division), 74 with Third Class Honours, while 10 will receive pass degrees.

The postgraduate graduands include 22 PhD recipients, 94 academic master’s degree holders, 27 Master of Business Administration (MBA) recipients and three postgraduate diploma holders.

Fakolujo also disclosed that the university had awarded 10,448 undergraduate degrees since its pioneer class of 246 students matriculated in February 2007. The institution has also awarded more than 800 postgraduate degrees and qualifications.

Highlighting the university’s academic achievements, the vice-chancellor said its Medical Laboratory Science students recorded a 100 per cent success rate in their 2026 professional examinations for the third consecutive year.

He added that Nursing Science students also achieved a 100 per cent success rate in the 2026 registered midwife professional examination, while the university’s law graduates continued to distinguish themselves at the Nigerian Law School.

Fakolujo said the institution remained committed to entrepreneurial education, practical skills development and research aimed at addressing Nigeria’s social, economic and technological challenges.

He noted that the university’s 20-year journey had involved financial constraints and periods of institutional reform but maintained that it had continued to improve its academic and administrative systems.

The forthcoming convocation will celebrate the achievements of the graduands as well as the university’s two decades of contributions to higher education.

Text: 1 Kings 8:44-53

8:44   When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name,

8:45   then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their ^[a]cause.

8:46 “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; 

8:47  yet when they ^[b]come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; 

8:48  and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name:

8:49    then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their ^[c]cause, 

8:50  and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 

8:51 (for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace), 

8:52  that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 

8:53 For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

STUDY:

As we conclude Solomon’s prayer of dedication at the temple, we need to think of prayer as something we cannot live without. The importance of prayer as a means of communicating with God is emphasised here, highlighting the power of approaching God with humility. There is a confidence displayed by Solomon over what God is capable of doing in the temple. We must learn from this because God is more than able to take care of us.
Trusting God is the best we can do in our daily living.

In times of facing battles against the enemy, sin, or exile, we should remember that “If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their enemies and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—then hear their prayers and their petition from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause” (vv. 48 & 49). We are reminded of the need to pray continually (1 Thess. 5:17) and pray fervently (James 5:16). If we look up to God in everything by prayer, He is sure to help us out in everything.

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, let your ears be open to my prayers. Please hear me when I call. Amen.

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Text: Luke 10:1-9

10:1    After these things the Lord appointed ^[a]seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go

10:2  Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

10:3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.

10:4 And he said: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying, 

10:5  Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’

10:6     Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a ^[a]temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 

10:7 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.

10:8 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’

10:9  So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have ^[b]filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel

10:10 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

STUDY:

Today is St Luke the Evangelist’s day. Luke was one of the Disciples of Jesus Christ. He was a medical doctor by profession and attended to Paul in his missionary journeys. He was also the author of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. In this passage, Luke reminds us that the sheep know their shepherd very well. They listen to and recognise his voice and that is why they follow only their shepherd. It is difficult, if not impossible for them to follow a stranger. So as sheep, we must listen to the voice of the shepherd and follow him where he leads.
The illustration is fit for the present day Christian leaders who are likened to the shepherd.

Christian leaders are here advised to go through the gate—the due process of raising church leaders—before they can lead others. There is also the process of officially assigning one to his/her place of assignment. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “no one takes the honour upon himself…” (Heb. 5:4). The shepherd should have a sincere relationship and intimacy with the sheep. He should always provide the needed leadership with the needed courage at all times. And finally, he is expected to help the sheep find good pastures.

Prayer: 

Dear Jesus, make me a good Christian leader who will be like you and who will be ready to lay down my life for the sheep I lead. Amen.

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Text: John 11:17-27

11:17   So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 

11:18   Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about ^[a]two miles away.

11:19  And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

11:21  Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

11:22    But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

11:23  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

11:24  Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

11:25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

11:26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

11:27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

STUDY:

Jesus was informed of Lazarus’ sickness but he delayed for some days until his death. By the time he arrived Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had been buried for four days. To reassure Martha of his ability to overcome death and his power over death, Jesus stated that He is the resurrection and life, though Martha did not understand what He meant.

Death has no power around Jesus, for He swallowed death in victory (1 Cor. 15:57). By His death, burial, resurrection and glorious ascension, He defeated death and it no longer has power over Christians. Christians are partakers of the resurrection as Paul reminds us thus: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thess. 4:14). So for us to share in this, we need to believe Jesus now and always. Martha gave us an example when she responded, “Yes, Lord, I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God” (v. 27).

Prayer: 

Oh Lord, let every dead thing in my life come back to life in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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