WHY DO WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD     PART 1       

Psalm 124:1-8

¹If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;

² If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

³Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their anger was kindled against us:

⁴Then the wasters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

⁵Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

⁶Blessed be the Lord, who had not given us as a prey to their teeth.

⁷Our soul is escaped as a bird, out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord, who make heaven and earth. 

Giving thanks is a practice that does not come to many people easily because when they look at their lives, they believe there is nothing worth giving thanks to God for. They convince themselves that thanking God should be done by those that the Almighty God has showered His blessings on but that this is not right for them.  They believe there is no justification for thanking God as He is yet to meet them at the point of their need and grant their request.

But this is not correct if properly considered. Everyone has reason(s) to thank God.  There is no one who does not have a reason to thank God.  It is only when we can not think or we are of shallow mind that we will not give thanks.  A thoughtful person will be a thankful person.  A man grumbling and complaining about not having shoe(s) will thank God when he sees a man without legs.  A lady who thinks she does not have good clothes will thank God when she sees another insane lady naked.

Oh how ungrateful we often are! Often times, many of us are not grateful for God’s kindnesses and manifold blessings in our lives.  All we are concerned about is what is yet to happen that we fail to see what has happened.  We remember so constantly answers to prayers that are yet to manifest that we forget answers to prayers we are already enjoying. We regularly violate God’s instruction concerning giving thanks.

That is why  1 Thessalonians 5¹⁸ says, “In everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Also, Ephesians 5^{18 -20} says ¹⁸ “And not be drunk with wine, wherein in excess but be filled with the Spirit.  ¹⁹Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing  and making melody in your heart to the Lord.  ²⁰Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”  From the scriptures above, we can derive that we should give thanks to God at all times and in all circumstances and situations which include both positive and negative, favourable and unfavourable, successful and unsuccessful etc.

In the same vein, Colossians 3¹⁷ says, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”

I want us to look critically at some reasons from God’s Word why we should always give thanks to the Lord and trust Him and have it at the back of our mind that this will jump-start us to take thanksgiving as a way of life. All these reasons will make us to see beyond the usual selfish reasons we put forward for thanking God or for not thanking God. Thanking God is not just about what He has done for you that you can see. Even if we think God has not done anything for us (which are not true) we still owe Him an obligation to always give thanks to Him.

1.     FOR HIS NAME AND HIS GREATNESS:  The Bible talks of all the tribes of Israel (the Lord’s people) making their   pilgrimage to Jerusalem to give thanks to the name of the Lord,  as the law requires of Israel (Psalm 122⁴).  God also requires thanks from us too as the spiritual Israelites.  We are also expected to thank Him because of His greatness – He is a great God. ²“Let us come to him before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.  ³For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:2-3)

           

2.      FOR  HIS  HOLINESS:    God deserves your thanks because of His holiness. Always remember this and give Him thanks even if answers to your  prayers are yet to manifest for which you will love to share testimony          before the congregation in your church and among your friends.  “Sing unto the Lord, O  ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness” (Psalm 30⁴)

The Book of Psalms in general speaks of God’s wonderful deeds and praises His holy name respectively. God expects nothing less than this from us.  Psalm 97¹² , Psalm 106⁴⁷

     

3.      FOR  HE IS GOOD AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER        The Almighty God needs to be appreciated for His mercy.  That  is why the Bible says “Praise ye the Lord. O Give thanks to the Lord;  for He is good: for His mercy endures  forever”  Also several passages in the Book of Psalms says the same thing. For example, Psalm 106¹, Psalms 107¹ and    Psalms118^{1, 29} says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is  good! His mercy endures forever”  God’s mercy, His steadfast love does not exist for a season; it does not exist temporarily. It exists forever, that is why we are still alive today.  If not for His mercy,  His unfailing love,  where will we (you and I) have been? The 26 verses of Psalm 136 also tell us of His faithful love that endures forever and for all of  this He deserves our thanks.

4.       FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT:     2 Corinthians 9¹⁵ says, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”.  Unspeakable here could mean  priceless, indescribable, too wonderful for words.  The New Living Translation says, “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”.  This by interpretation refers to the grace of God to man. When last did you thank God for   His  gift to you? The greatest gift He has given us is His son.  Gift  unspeakable!  Or don’t you think Jesus is a wonderful  gift to the world?

5.        FOR  OUR SALVATION AND THAT OF OTHERS:    When was he last time that  you thank God for your salvation, the salvation of your loved ones and that of others? We have that for granted almost everything even      including our salvation.  A lot of people would give everything and anything to be where we are i.e. to be saved.  We don’t often  thank Him for this except to complain and grumble about what He is yet to do for us – that promotion you have been expecting, that top flight job you have been praying for, that house you have been believing God for money to buy, the car  and so on. The Bible says in the  book of  2 Thessalonians 2¹³  “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning  chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit  and belief of the truth”

Prior to this, Paul had in his first letter thanked God for the people receiving the Word of God and accepting it as God’s Word and not man’s word.  “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God  which ye heard of us, ye receive it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.  1 Thessalonians 2¹³. This is a good lesson for believers of the Word.

When we take our salvation for granted, we are committing an unpardonable.  It is a sin to take salvation for granted. Salvation may be free but remember   that  somebody paid for it; he paid  for it with his own life.  He died like a criminal on the cross when  in fact, he never sinned. When people open their hearts to hear and accept the Word of God, it is something to thank God for. When they give their lives to Jesus, it’s worth thanking God for.  And when these new believers keep standing in faith despite all trials and afflictions, we ought to give thanks to God. Paul said in 1 Thess. 3^{7-10 7}“Therefore, brethren, we  were  comforted over you in all our afflictions and distress by your faith.  ⁸For now we live  in all our distress and persecution we   were encouraged about  you , if   we stand fast in the Lord.   ⁹For what thanks can we render to God again for you for all the  joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God.   ¹⁰Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in  faith.”

6.     FOR GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT:          This wonderful God is a righteous judge. His righteousness is made   most evident in His judgments. Psalm 119⁶² says,     “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of  thy righteous judgments”.  When God gives  instructions, they are to be are not harsh.  It’s the devil  obeyed and not discarded.  It is the devil that is deceiving and giving us the impression that they harsh and he deceives us and want us to  believe that he loves us more than God.  That was the lie he told Eve in the garden of Eden.  Every sin starts with a lie told somebody by the devil.  God’s instructions, laws,  commandments are for our own good.   God is not against us.   We become our own enemies when we violate His Word and    thereby making His judgment to come upon us.  

7.        BECAUSE IT IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOU :    In the book of  1 Thessalonians 5:18, the Bible says “ In every thing, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”   This scripture means is telling us  that when we fail to in certain circumstances or situations for the reason(s) best known to us, we are outside the will of God. By God’s standard, there  is no circumstance beyond or above giving thanks to God.   So, whatever we are passing through, either palatable or not, let us always give thanks.

8.       BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD THING:           We should desist from grumbling, murmuring  or complaining because this is bad as children of the most High.  Giving of thanks is good either to God or as a show of  gratitude to man for favours.  Ingratitude is a sin. From God’s own very perspective,  any man that refuses to thank God or show appreciation will have his/her sea of kindness dry up. Ingratitude is – failure to acknowledge, recognize, validate, appreciate God and people for the good things they have done and this is extremely dangerous as it will block blessings from flowing in.

That is why Psalm 92:1 says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High”.   In the book of Luke 17:17-19 , when  Jesus healed the ten lepers, it is only one of them who happens to be a Samaritan that came back to show appreciation and he was the only one that was made whole. “¹⁷And Jesus answering said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But   where are the nine?  ¹⁸There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.’         ¹⁹And he said unto him,  ‘Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made   thee whole’”. God expects us to come unto  Him with thanksgiving. It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to the Most High. Have you done that today?

9.     FOR WE ARE ALIVE:  It is only the living that can  give thanks to        the Lord and praise his holy name. The  dead  can not do that. Also, it is        the living wise ones that can give thanks to God.  So, be wise, give thanks to Him while you are still alive because you  will die one day.  The Bible says in the book of  Hebrews  9²⁷   “And as it is appointed unto men  once to die and after this the judgment.”.  So it is advisable that before death comes, give thanks to Him and not just ordinary thanks but quality thanks and worthy praise. Psalm 6⁵ says, “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? The dead can not offer thanks to the Lord; only the living can.

10.   FOR GOD AVENGES THE ENEMY’S ATTACK ON YOU:  The book of Psalm 79^12-13 says “O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled  at you. Then we your people, the sheep of   your         pasture, will thank you forever and ever praising your greatness from generation to generation”.  This is telling us that God is the enemy of those who come against His children, His own elect. He will fight on our behalf and pay the evil ones back  for any evil done against any one of us. This He does by reason of covenant  relationship with Him. Any attack against God’s children is indirectly  an attack against God, and God will avenge.  We need to thank  God because He is the one who pays back those who  harm  us, He subdues the nations under us and rescues us  from our enemies. (Psalm 18:47-48)  He does not allow the enemy to escape with their attack against us.        

WHY DO WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD     PART 1      Psalm 124:1-8

¹If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;

² If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

³Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their anger was kindled against us:

⁴Then the wasters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

⁵Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

⁶Blessed be the Lord, who had not given us as a prey to their teeth.

⁷Our soul is escaped as a bird, out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord, who make heaven and earth. 

Giving thanks is a practice that does not come to many people easily because when they look at their lives, they believe there is nothing worth giving thanks to God for. They convince themselves that thanking God should be done by those that the Almighty God has showered His blessings on but that this is not right for them.  They believe there is no justification for thanking God as He is yet to meet them at the point of their need and grant their request.

But this is not correct if properly considered. Everyone has reason(s) to thank God.  There is no one who does not have a reason to thank God.  It is only when we can not think or we are of shallow mind that we will not give thanks.  A thoughtful person will be a thankful person.  A man grumbling and complaining about not having shoe(s) will thank God when he sees a man without legs.  A lady who thinks she does not have good clothes will thank God when she sees another insane lady naked.

Oh how ungrateful we often are! Often times, many of us are not grateful for God’s kindnesses and manifold blessings in our lives.  All we are concerned about is what is yet to happen that we fail to see what has happened.  We remember so constantly answers to prayers that are yet to manifest that we forget answers to prayers we are already enjoying. We regularly violate God’s instruction concerning giving thanks.

That is why  1 Thessalonians 5¹⁸ says, “In everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Also, Ephesians 5^{18 -20} says ¹⁸ “And not be drunk with wine, wherein in excess but be filled with the Spirit.  ¹⁹Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing  and making melody in your heart to the Lord.  ²⁰Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”  From the scriptures above, we can derive that we should give thanks to God at all times and in all circumstances and situations which include both positive and negative, favourable and unfavourable, successful and unsuccessful etc.

In the same vein, Colossians 3¹⁷ says, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”

I want us to look critically at some reasons from God’s Word why we should always give thanks to the Lord and trust Him and have it at the back of our mind that this will jump-start us to take thanksgiving as a way of life. All these reasons will make us to see beyond the usual selfish reasons we put forward for thanking God or for not thanking God. Thanking God is not just about what He has done for you that you can see. Even if we think God has not done anything for us (which are not true) we still owe Him an obligation to always give thanks to Him.

1.     FOR HIS NAME AND HIS GREATNESS:  The Bible talks of all the tribes of Israel (the Lord’s people) making their   pilgrimage to Jerusalem to give thanks to the name of the Lord,  as the law requires of Israel (Psalm 122⁴).  God also requires thanks from us too as the spiritual Israelites.  We are also expected to thank Him because of His greatness – He is a great God. ²“Let us come to him before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.  ³For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:2-3)

           

2.      FOR  HIS  HOLINESS:    God deserves your thanks because of His holiness. Always remember this and give Him thanks even if answers to your  prayers are yet to manifest for which you will love to share testimony          before the congregation in your church and among your friends.  “Sing unto the Lord, O  ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness” (Psalm 30⁴)

The Book of Psalms in general speaks of God’s wonderful deeds and praises His holy name respectively. God expects nothing less than this from us.  Psalm 97¹² , Psalm 106⁴⁷

     

3.      FOR  HE IS GOOD AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER        The Almighty God needs to be appreciated for His mercy.  That  is why the Bible says “Praise ye the Lord. O Give thanks to the Lord;  for He is good: for His mercy endures  forever”  Also several passages in the Book of Psalms says the same thing. For example, Psalm 106¹, Psalms 107¹ and    Psalms118^{1, 29} says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is  good! His mercy endures forever”  God’s mercy, His steadfast love does not exist for a season; it does not exist temporarily. It exists forever, that is why we are still alive today.  If not for His mercy,  His unfailing love,  where will we (you and I) have been? The 26 verses of Psalm 136 also tell us of His faithful love that endures forever and for all of  this He deserves our thanks.

4.       FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT:     2 Corinthians 9¹⁵ says, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”.  Unspeakable here could mean  priceless, indescribable, too wonderful for words.  The New Living Translation says, “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”.  This by interpretation refers to the grace of God to man. When last did you thank God for   His  gift to you? The greatest gift He has given us is His son.  Gift  unspeakable!  Or don’t you think Jesus is a wonderful  gift to the world?

5.        FOR  OUR SALVATION AND THAT OF OTHERS:    When was he last time that  you thank God for your salvation, the salvation of your loved ones and that of others? We have that for granted almost everything even      including our salvation.  A lot of people would give everything and anything to be where we are i.e. to be saved.  We don’t often  thank Him for this except to complain and grumble about what He is yet to do for us – that promotion you have been expecting, that top flight job you have been praying for, that house you have been believing God for money to buy, the car  and so on. The Bible says in the  book of  2 Thessalonians 2¹³  “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning  chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit  and belief of the truth”

Prior to this, Paul had in his first letter thanked God for the people receiving the Word of God and accepting it as God’s Word and not man’s word.  “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God  which ye heard of us, ye receive it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.  1 Thessalonians 2¹³. This is a good lesson for believers of the Word.

When we take our salvation for granted, we are committing an unpardonable.  It is a sin to take salvation for granted. Salvation may be free but remember   that  somebody paid for it; he paid  for it with his own life.  He died like a criminal on the cross when  in fact, he never sinned. When people open their hearts to hear and accept the Word of God, it is something to thank God for. When they give their lives to Jesus, it’s worth thanking God for.  And when these new believers keep standing in faith despite all trials and afflictions, we ought to give thanks to God. Paul said in 1 Thess. 3^{7-10 7}“Therefore, brethren, we  were  comforted over you in all our afflictions and distress by your faith.  ⁸For now we live  in all our distress and persecution we   were encouraged about  you , if   we stand fast in the Lord.   ⁹For what thanks can we render to God again for you for all the  joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God.   ¹⁰Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in  faith.”

6.     FOR GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT:          This wonderful God is a righteous judge. His righteousness is made   most evident in His judgments. Psalm 119⁶² says,     “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of  thy righteous judgments”.  When God gives  instructions, they are to be are not harsh.  It’s the devil  obeyed and not discarded.  It is the devil that is deceiving and giving us the impression that they harsh and he deceives us and want us to  believe that he loves us more than God.  That was the lie he told Eve in the garden of Eden.  Every sin starts with a lie told somebody by the devil.  God’s instructions, laws,  commandments are for our own good.   God is not against us.   We become our own enemies when we violate His Word and    thereby making His judgment to come upon us.  

7.        BECAUSE IT IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOU :    In the book of  1 Thessalonians 5:18, the Bible says “ In every thing, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”   This scripture means is telling us  that when we fail to in certain circumstances or situations for the reason(s) best known to us, we are outside the will of God. By God’s standard, there  is no circumstance beyond or above giving thanks to God.   So, whatever we are passing through, either palatable or not, let us always give thanks.

8.       BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD THING:           We should desist from grumbling, murmuring  or complaining because this is bad as children of the most High.  Giving of thanks is good either to God or as a show of  gratitude to man for favours.  Ingratitude is a sin. From God’s own very perspective,  any man that refuses to thank God or show appreciation will have his/her sea of kindness dry up. Ingratitude is – failure to acknowledge, recognize, validate, appreciate God and people for the good things they have done and this is extremely dangerous as it will block blessings from flowing in.

That is why Psalm 92:1 says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High”.   In the book of Luke 17:17-19 , when  Jesus healed the ten lepers, it is only one of them who happens to be a Samaritan that came back to show appreciation and he was the only one that was made whole. “¹⁷And Jesus answering said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But   where are the nine?  ¹⁸There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.’         ¹⁹And he said unto him,  ‘Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made   thee whole’”. God expects us to come unto  Him with thanksgiving. It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to the Most High. Have you done that today?

9.     FOR WE ARE ALIVE:  It is only the living that can  give thanks to        the Lord and praise his holy name. The  dead  can not do that. Also, it is        the living wise ones that can give thanks to God.  So, be wise, give thanks to Him while you are still alive because you  will die one day.  The Bible says in the book of  Hebrews  9²⁷   “And as it is appointed unto men  once to die and after this the judgment.”.  So it is advisable that before death comes, give thanks to Him and not just ordinary thanks but quality thanks and worthy praise. Psalm 6⁵ says, “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? The dead can not offer thanks to the Lord; only the living can.

10.   FOR GOD AVENGES THE ENEMY’S ATTACK ON YOU:  The book of Psalm 79^12-13 says “O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled  at you. Then we your people, the sheep of   your         pasture, will thank you forever and ever praising your greatness from generation to generation”.  This is telling us that God is the enemy of those who come against His children, His own elect. He will fight on our behalf and pay the evil ones back  for any evil done against any one of us. This He does by reason of covenant  relationship with Him. Any attack against God’s children is indirectly  an attack against God, and God will avenge.  We need to thank  God because He is the one who pays back those who  harm  us, He subdues the nations under us and rescues us  from our enemies. (Psalm 18:47-48)  He does not allow the enemy to escape with their attack against us.        

THE EXECUTION OF DIMKA AND HIS GROUP

It all started on the 13th February, 1976 with the assassination of the then Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed in a coup attempt headed by Col. Bukar Suka  Dimka. Also killed in the coup was the then Kwara State Governor, Ibrahim Taiwo.  Shortly after, Dimka came on air to announce the take over of the Government by his team.  Unfortunately for them, the coup has been foiled. So Dimka and some of his comrades were on the run.
Saturday, 15th  May, 1976, two months and ten days after he was arrested on Abakaliki Road in Ebonyi State, “The Devil Colonel “ (as people loved to call him) faced the bullets in front of Lagos  crowd that were gathered to see the devil re-incarnate Colonel. He had been kept this long  because they were waiting for the arrival of General Yakubu Gowon whom Col. Dimka had implicated during his squalling about  all he knew of the assassination of the late Head of State.  When it was discovered that Britain was playing politics and being unnecessarily diplomatic about the extradition of Gowon, the announcement for his execution was announced and people came to see his end.
During his public execution, Dimka wore a long-sleeve French suit and his distinct symbol was the smile he pasted on his cheeks. Dimka was there smiling.  If the timing of his execution was an element of surprise, Dimka’s final show was worth recording for posterity,  For as the cameras focused on him, he still smiled.
He was still smiling even after the expert marksmen, itching to discharge their duties, started corking their guns.  Then the Priests not taking into consideration the tensed atmosphere, were trying to offer last minute blessing to the young men. The marksmen stood at alert and the mortal message was let loose and the shots from the lethal weapons started coming, Dimka finally went down.  He went down side by side with a former Governor, Mr. J. D. Gomwalk.  They were seven in number that were executed together at once, while the crowd cheered at the rapidity with which the bullets were splattering out of the deadly hole.
On Sunday, 16th May, 1976, it was the Headlines in most of the Dailies.  The Daily Times reported the story “SEVEN MORE EXECUTED”.  It states:
Seven more persons were last night executed by firing squad at the Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos for their part in the abortive coup of February 13.  Two of the seven were Lt. Col. Bukar Suka Dimka, who co-ordinated the coup and Mr. .Joseph D. Gomwalk, once Governor of the then Benue-Plateau State. The other five were Lt. Kwale, Warrant Officer. E. Bawa, Col. I. Buka, Major J. K. Afolabi and Mr. H. Shaiyen of the Nigeria Police Force. The Supreme Military Council had ay its meeting last Friday had confirmed the death sentences along with other  conclusions of the Military Tribunal set up to try those connected with the abortive coup.
Earlier, on March 11, 32 persons among them Major General I. D. Bisalla who was the Commissioner for Defense, were executed by firing squad for their part in the abortive coup in which the former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed was killed.  Also killed in the coup attempt to overthrow the Federal Military Government was the Governor of Kwara State, Col. Ibrahim Taiwo.  Yesterday’s executions which started at 4.20p.m. and ended 20 minutes later were mostly watched by soldiers, warders, policemen and motley crowd.
No one would forget Dimka and his smiles.  Even the Times headlines screamed “DIMKA BEAT THEM TO IT” and it reported:
As predicted by those who knew him, Lt. Col. Buka Dimka faced the bullets at the weekend with a smile on his face.  He was one of the seven persons executed by firing squad on Saturday for their part in the February 13 abortive coup.  The army physical training instructor, whose theatrical performance at a news conference on March11 - at which his confessional statement was distributed to the press – baffled both friends and foes, put up his last show while on the stake.  Of those who died on Saturday, he was the only one wearing a smile.  He was also the only one of the 39 persons so far killed in connection with the February 13 incident to have openly admitted to participating in the coup bid.
Shortly before he was shot, Dimka told the crowd of Soldiers, Police and Prison Officials  “Honestly, to my mind, I took part in the coup but it failed”.  At exactly 4.30pm. an end was put to the life of a man who took part in his drinks and women. Unlike the haggard looking fugitive that was arrested on March 5, Dimka looked robust.  He was also clean-shaven.  Bukar Dimka according to his confessional statement was at the scene of the dastardly murder of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed on the day of the coup. A statement he recorded on the coup was broadcast on the Network of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) several times that day until the loyal troops took over control of the studio.  Buka Dimka also admitted in his statement that he took part in the planning of the coup.  After the coup failed, he escaped but was caught at a road block on Enugu – Abakaliki Highway 28 days later.  And at the weekend, while he looked into the barrel of a gun, Dimka prayed for Nigeria and said his only regret was that he had not made his will.

GOMWALK SLIPPED ON HIS WAY TO DEATH

Joseph Deshi Gomwalk, former Police Commissioner and State Governor, slipped on his way to Keep  a date with death on Saturday.  Joseph, who looked pale and confused, staggered as eh came face to face with the seven stakes and the marksmen.
Throughout the preliminary arrangement for his execution, he was speechless.  First indication of his involvement in the abortive coup came to light in a confessional statement of Bukar Dimka.  He also said that information contained in his second recorded broadcast which he was not able to make on February 13, was supplied to him  by Gomwalk
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, Joseph Deshi Gomwalk was born on April 13, 1935.  He graduate Bachelor of Science  (BSc) Zoology with specialization in parasitology in 1961.
Joseph worked as a Research Officer, Veterinary School, Kaduna only for four months before he moved to the then Northern Nigeria Administrative Service.  In November, 1965, he again moved to the Federal Administrative  Service from where he transferred to the Nigeria Police Force.  Following the creation of 12 states in the country Joseph Deshi Gomwalk was appointed Governor of the then Benue-Plateau State on May 27,  1967.  Om July 30, 1975, he was removed along with other Governors who served under the Gowon regime following the change in administration.

IK Ogbonna begs girlfriend actress Juliet Ibrahim to take him back via twitter

Yeah, I know most of didn't even know they were a couple...lol. Actor/model IK Ogbonna and Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim have been dating for months. They broke up a few weeks ago and IK, I hear, has been doing his utmost to get his ladylove back.

This morning, IK posted a YouTube link on his twitter page where he asked Juliet to take him back but immediately took the post down...but like I said yesterday...Fastest Finger's First! Hehe.

I did a screen grab of the video. See the pics and the video after the cut. Oh and by the way, Juliet is officially divorced from her Ghanaian husband...for those wondering why she's dating IK...:-)

The video below...