Re: Spacnation
Posted by:
Loriwoke
()
Date: January 10, 2020 09:24AM
[www.civilsociety.co.uk]
MPs warn SPAC Nation is like a 'cult' and call for suspension of its charitable status
09 Jan 2020 News
MPs have raised serious concerns about SPAC Nation in Parliament and called on authorities to suspend its charitable status while an investigation is being carried out.
The church charity is under investigation by the Charity Commission and Metropolitan Police, following allegations of fraud and exploitation of young people.
Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North, said: “I am convinced that SPAC Nation is a cult” and claimed it mainly targets young black people in poorer parts of London, exploiting them for financial gain.
Reed said he has been inundated with phone calls and emails from young people and their parents “making alarming allegations about SPAC Nation”.
Reed said he was concerned about young people still involved with SPAC Nation. He said: “I am deeply worried that more has not been done to stop this organisation from exploiting vulnerable young people”. SPAC Nation claims to have up to 1,000 young people still involved, “everyone of those young people is potentially at risk”.
He said SPAC Nation had been recruiting outside school gates and outside youth centres. “They are targeting young people so that they can exploit them and it is imperative that they are stopped.”
He added: “We surely cannot allow this organisation to continue targeting other young people for abuse and exploitation when it is possible for us to take steps and action to protect them.”
'Charity Commission moves slowly'
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh said: “The Charity Commission can often move very slowly, and given the seriousness of the allegations, would there not be a possibility of suspending charitable status while the investigations are going ahead. Considering other charities who work with young people, I am aware that this has happened in the past.”
The Commission said: “We welcome yesterday’s debate in parliament. We are urgently progressing our investigation into SPAC Nation. The issues raised in relation to the charity are highly concerning, and clearly entirely at odds with what people expect of charities. Our ongoing inquiry allows us to examine these concerns in full to establish what has happened and determine our next steps. While we will progress our investigations at pace, we must also ensure that our work in this case is robust and thorough, and that we work closely with other agencies and organisations where appropriate”.
‘They are told that if their life is unsuccessful it is because they are not giving enough money to God’
Reed outlined allegations against SPAC Nation, and told MPs that there was a process in which the charity “brainwashed” vulnerable young people.
He said that they offer free food to attract young people to come along, and then “vet the young people who turn up and they then target those who appear to be the most susceptible”. He said they befriend these particular young people and invite them to further events.
“Then what appears to be brainwashing starts. They are told that if their life is unsuccessful, their family is poor, that is because they are not giving enough money to God. They call it seed. If you give seed to God, as much as you can lay your hands on, you will become rich. This is the message they try to pump into these young people's heads.”
Reed said that the charities leaders “display extraordinary wealth” which is “way beyond the experience of the young people that they are targeting”.
SPAC Nation housing vulnerable young people
The Croydon MP also claimed that some young people were encouraged to leave their families and move into properties rented by the organisation's leaders. Such houses are dubbed ‘TRAP houses’ - the term used for drug dens in the United States. Reed said “once in these houses the control and coercion becomes far more insidious”.
He said that a woman leader of SPAC Nation, running one of these TRAP houses where vulnerable young girls were placed, has 27 convictions for serious fraud. “No vulnerable child should be allowed anywhere near her,” he told parliament.
Reed claims: “One young victim told me they had prayer sessions, that she described as brainwashing, for up to eight hours a day. But the emphasis was not on God or spirituality it was on wealth and money and the need to give seed to God in order to get rich.”
He said: “This is not an organisation getting young people out of crime, as it claims, this is an organisation criminalising young people for its own ends.”
Fraudulent activities
Reed said: “Once the organisation has control of a young person's mind, they pressure them into making fraudulent personal loan applications so they can hand the money to the organisation's leaders. They are pressured into setting up fake businesses so that they can apply, fraudulently, to take business loans. The so-called pastors show the young recruits how to fill in the application forms with false information. In some cases they fill the forms in for the young person simply to sign. In at least one case an application was made in a young person's name without their knowledge or awareness that it had been done.”
He added that young people were coached to commit benefit fraud and students have been coerced into handing over their entire student loans before then being taken to banks to raise further money through personal loans, “so they lost their ability to continue in education and ended up in serious financial debt”.
Sexual exploitation allegations
Reed said: “Tragically, where criminal exploitation is taking place, there is often also sexual exploitation.” He said that one young woman told him she was just 16 when she moved into a TRAP house and, in her words, “everyone was having sex with everyone else, it was disgusting”. He said he asked her to clarify whether she meant older pastors having sex with younger girls and she said “yes”.
Reed said: “When this young woman complained to her pastor, she was taken to the organisation's leader who told her that if she complained to the police it would rebound on her because he was powerful and had friends in high places. He made that claim look real to these vulnerable young people, by inviting politicians and senior police officers to church services.”
Reed says he believes these people thought they were engaging with a church that was helping vulnerable young people, “but in reality they were being used to intimate young victims to stop them from speaking out”.
He added: “I have spoken to young people who, absolutely sickeningly, were taken to private clinics, to sell their blood, with a so-called pastor pretending to be their parent to sign consent.”
For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here.
- See more at: [www.civilsociety.co.uk]
MPs warn SPAC Nation is like a 'cult' and call for suspension of its charitable status
09 Jan 2020 News
MPs have raised serious concerns about SPAC Nation in Parliament and called on authorities to suspend its charitable status while an investigation is being carried out.
The church charity is under investigation by the Charity Commission and Metropolitan Police, following allegations of fraud and exploitation of young people.
Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North, said: “I am convinced that SPAC Nation is a cult” and claimed it mainly targets young black people in poorer parts of London, exploiting them for financial gain.
Reed said he has been inundated with phone calls and emails from young people and their parents “making alarming allegations about SPAC Nation”.
Reed said he was concerned about young people still involved with SPAC Nation. He said: “I am deeply worried that more has not been done to stop this organisation from exploiting vulnerable young people”. SPAC Nation claims to have up to 1,000 young people still involved, “everyone of those young people is potentially at risk”.
He said SPAC Nation had been recruiting outside school gates and outside youth centres. “They are targeting young people so that they can exploit them and it is imperative that they are stopped.”
He added: “We surely cannot allow this organisation to continue targeting other young people for abuse and exploitation when it is possible for us to take steps and action to protect them.”
'Charity Commission moves slowly'
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh said: “The Charity Commission can often move very slowly, and given the seriousness of the allegations, would there not be a possibility of suspending charitable status while the investigations are going ahead. Considering other charities who work with young people, I am aware that this has happened in the past.”
The Commission said: “We welcome yesterday’s debate in parliament. We are urgently progressing our investigation into SPAC Nation. The issues raised in relation to the charity are highly concerning, and clearly entirely at odds with what people expect of charities. Our ongoing inquiry allows us to examine these concerns in full to establish what has happened and determine our next steps. While we will progress our investigations at pace, we must also ensure that our work in this case is robust and thorough, and that we work closely with other agencies and organisations where appropriate”.
‘They are told that if their life is unsuccessful it is because they are not giving enough money to God’
Reed outlined allegations against SPAC Nation, and told MPs that there was a process in which the charity “brainwashed” vulnerable young people.
He said that they offer free food to attract young people to come along, and then “vet the young people who turn up and they then target those who appear to be the most susceptible”. He said they befriend these particular young people and invite them to further events.
“Then what appears to be brainwashing starts. They are told that if their life is unsuccessful, their family is poor, that is because they are not giving enough money to God. They call it seed. If you give seed to God, as much as you can lay your hands on, you will become rich. This is the message they try to pump into these young people's heads.”
Reed said that the charities leaders “display extraordinary wealth” which is “way beyond the experience of the young people that they are targeting”.
SPAC Nation housing vulnerable young people
The Croydon MP also claimed that some young people were encouraged to leave their families and move into properties rented by the organisation's leaders. Such houses are dubbed ‘TRAP houses’ - the term used for drug dens in the United States. Reed said “once in these houses the control and coercion becomes far more insidious”.
He said that a woman leader of SPAC Nation, running one of these TRAP houses where vulnerable young girls were placed, has 27 convictions for serious fraud. “No vulnerable child should be allowed anywhere near her,” he told parliament.
Reed claims: “One young victim told me they had prayer sessions, that she described as brainwashing, for up to eight hours a day. But the emphasis was not on God or spirituality it was on wealth and money and the need to give seed to God in order to get rich.”
He said: “This is not an organisation getting young people out of crime, as it claims, this is an organisation criminalising young people for its own ends.”
Fraudulent activities
Reed said: “Once the organisation has control of a young person's mind, they pressure them into making fraudulent personal loan applications so they can hand the money to the organisation's leaders. They are pressured into setting up fake businesses so that they can apply, fraudulently, to take business loans. The so-called pastors show the young recruits how to fill in the application forms with false information. In some cases they fill the forms in for the young person simply to sign. In at least one case an application was made in a young person's name without their knowledge or awareness that it had been done.”
He added that young people were coached to commit benefit fraud and students have been coerced into handing over their entire student loans before then being taken to banks to raise further money through personal loans, “so they lost their ability to continue in education and ended up in serious financial debt”.
Sexual exploitation allegations
Reed said: “Tragically, where criminal exploitation is taking place, there is often also sexual exploitation.” He said that one young woman told him she was just 16 when she moved into a TRAP house and, in her words, “everyone was having sex with everyone else, it was disgusting”. He said he asked her to clarify whether she meant older pastors having sex with younger girls and she said “yes”.
Reed said: “When this young woman complained to her pastor, she was taken to the organisation's leader who told her that if she complained to the police it would rebound on her because he was powerful and had friends in high places. He made that claim look real to these vulnerable young people, by inviting politicians and senior police officers to church services.”
Reed says he believes these people thought they were engaging with a church that was helping vulnerable young people, “but in reality they were being used to intimate young victims to stop them from speaking out”.
He added: “I have spoken to young people who, absolutely sickeningly, were taken to private clinics, to sell their blood, with a so-called pastor pretending to be their parent to sign consent.”
For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here.
- See more at: [www.civilsociety.co.uk]
Steve Reed MP Adjournment debate Spacnation January 8th 2020
Posted by:
Loriwoke
()
Date: January 10, 2020 09:30AM
Rory Stewart and Spacnation
Posted by:
Loriwoke
()
Date: January 10, 2020 09:35AM
[www.buzzfeed.com]
A Minister From Controversial Church SPAC Nation Is Campaigning For Rory Stewart
Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North described Stewart’s association with Daniel Ogoloma, whose church is under investigation by the charities watchdog, as “highly inappropriate.”
Posted on January 8, 2020, at 6:27 p.m.
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
BuzzFeed Contributor
Hannah Al-Othman
Hannah Al-Othman
BuzzFeed News Reporter
Be one of the first to comment
Wiktor Szymanowicz / NurPhoto/PA Images
Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart, an independent candidate for Mayor of London and former Tory leadership candidate, is being supported by a leader at SPAC Nation, a controversial evangelical London church under inquiry by the charities watchdog after allegations it pressured its young members to hand over thousands of pounds in donations.
At a “London Speaks” event in Croydon last night, Stewart was introduced on stage by Daniel Ogoloma, who went on to chair the event and the Q&A that followed Stewart’s speech. Ogoloma has been variously described as a “pastor” and a “minister” in the church, and has acted as the church’s spokesperson to the media following allegations of financial impropriety and exploitation of young black people. He is also a former director of Spac Ministries Ltd, a now dissolved company.
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Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North, who is leading calls for action to be taken to protect young people involved with the organisation, described Stewart’s association with Ogoloma as “highly inappropriate.”
On Wednesday morning, Stewart deleted his retweet of a post by Ogoloma sharing photographs of himself with Stewart at last night’s event, after a local Labour councillor replied to it asking why Stewart was working with Ogoloma.
Ogoloma’s involvement with Stewart’s campaign goes further than appearing on stage and acting as host for the evening. On Monday, Ogoloma posted a video of Stewart in Larkhall Park, Stockwell, “playing football and speaking to local lads”, calling it “Day 1 of his one week living on an estate in Lambeth”. Stewart retweeted the post, along with pastors and other members of SPAC Nation.
Daniel C. Ogoloma
@dcogoloma
Tonight @RoryStewartUK is out in Larkhall Park, Stockwell playing football and speaking to local lads. Day 1 of his one week living on an estate in Lambeth #roryforlondon
Embedded video
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10:50 PM - Jan 6, 2020
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On December 12, 2019, Nigerian news outlet Business Day reported that Ogoloma, a “24 year old pastor and political activist” and “campaign guru” had joined Stewart’s campaign.
Ogoloma told Business Day that “The campaign is going great so far; there has been great citizen participation through the London Speaks project. Rory believes in humanity and leadership and is keen on using London’s business links to develop jobs in countries like Nigeria.”
In November 2019, the Metropolitan Police announced it was reviewing allegations of fraud at the church. In December 2019, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into SPAC Nation, a registered charity, examining “financial, governance, and safeguarding matters”.
SPAC Nation have strongly denied all allegations of wrongdoing, saying they had nothing to do with the church. In November, Ogoloma told the Huffington Post: “When anything is reported, we have taken it up to find out the truth behind it and I can authoritatively say there has not been a single report about the things that you have listed.”
Ogoloma, acting as SPAC’s spokesperson, also told the Huffington Post that the allegations of financial impropriety were “an intentional smear campaign also based on gossip. SPAC Nation has never and will never coerce anyone. We have given to many, we have helped countless people, which we will keep doing and will always focus on doing so.”
On Wednesday evening, SPAC Nation and its alleged exploitation of young people will be the subject of an adjournment debate in the House of Commons, led by Reed.
Lewis Whyld / PA Archive/PA Images
Labour MP for Croydon North Steve Reed
“I think it’s highly inappropriate for Rory Stewart to involve a senior figure from an organisation that is being investigated for serious fraud and criminal exploitation of children and young people, and I would urge Rory to remove this person from his campaign without delay,” Reed told BuzzFeed News.
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“Fundamentally SPAC Nation operates in exactly the same way as a cult,” he said. “They identify and recruit vulnerable young people, many from damaged backgrounds, then seek to isolate them from their friends and family. Many are moved to trap houses, rented by the organisation.”
Reed said that once they had been recruited, young people were “subject to relentless brainwashing” before being pressured into taking out fraudulent loans, and then “made to hand over all the money to the organisation’s leaders, leaving the young people traumatised, in debt, and isolated from friends and family.”
“This is happening all over London,” Reed added, saying that “by the church’s own estimation up to a thousand young people” are currently involved with the organisation, while “thousands more” had been involved in the past.
“Young people in the organisation need to be protected straight away,” he told BuzzFeed News, while “young people who have got out of it need support with the trauma.”
Reed has said that police and safeguarding authorities should enter SPAC Nation’s properties to protect young people who may be at risk of abuse or exploitation.
BBC
Dapo Adegboyega
On Wednesday’s Victoria Derbyshire Show, Dapo Adegboyega, a “reverend” at the church and chair of its board denied that the organisation runs so-called “trap houses” or “any house or safe houses”. In the church’s own publicity, they are described as houses to protect vulnerable young people who have left gangs.
Adegboyega also denied the church was under investigation, suggesting that the Charity Commission’s inquiry was not an investigation. He suggested Reed’s interest in SPAC Nation was driven by a local council by-election in November 2019, after then 20-year-old Jayde Edwards, a pastor at the church, ran for the Conservative party.
A Minister From Controversial Church SPAC Nation Is Campaigning For Rory Stewart
Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North described Stewart’s association with Daniel Ogoloma, whose church is under investigation by the charities watchdog, as “highly inappropriate.”
Posted on January 8, 2020, at 6:27 p.m.
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
BuzzFeed Contributor
Hannah Al-Othman
Hannah Al-Othman
BuzzFeed News Reporter
Be one of the first to comment
Wiktor Szymanowicz / NurPhoto/PA Images
Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart, an independent candidate for Mayor of London and former Tory leadership candidate, is being supported by a leader at SPAC Nation, a controversial evangelical London church under inquiry by the charities watchdog after allegations it pressured its young members to hand over thousands of pounds in donations.
At a “London Speaks” event in Croydon last night, Stewart was introduced on stage by Daniel Ogoloma, who went on to chair the event and the Q&A that followed Stewart’s speech. Ogoloma has been variously described as a “pastor” and a “minister” in the church, and has acted as the church’s spokesperson to the media following allegations of financial impropriety and exploitation of young black people. He is also a former director of Spac Ministries Ltd, a now dissolved company.
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Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North, who is leading calls for action to be taken to protect young people involved with the organisation, described Stewart’s association with Ogoloma as “highly inappropriate.”
On Wednesday morning, Stewart deleted his retweet of a post by Ogoloma sharing photographs of himself with Stewart at last night’s event, after a local Labour councillor replied to it asking why Stewart was working with Ogoloma.
Ogoloma’s involvement with Stewart’s campaign goes further than appearing on stage and acting as host for the evening. On Monday, Ogoloma posted a video of Stewart in Larkhall Park, Stockwell, “playing football and speaking to local lads”, calling it “Day 1 of his one week living on an estate in Lambeth”. Stewart retweeted the post, along with pastors and other members of SPAC Nation.
Daniel C. Ogoloma
@dcogoloma
Tonight @RoryStewartUK is out in Larkhall Park, Stockwell playing football and speaking to local lads. Day 1 of his one week living on an estate in Lambeth #roryforlondon
Embedded video
152
10:50 PM - Jan 6, 2020
Twitter Ads info and privacy
55 people are talking about this
ADVERTISEMENT
On December 12, 2019, Nigerian news outlet Business Day reported that Ogoloma, a “24 year old pastor and political activist” and “campaign guru” had joined Stewart’s campaign.
Ogoloma told Business Day that “The campaign is going great so far; there has been great citizen participation through the London Speaks project. Rory believes in humanity and leadership and is keen on using London’s business links to develop jobs in countries like Nigeria.”
In November 2019, the Metropolitan Police announced it was reviewing allegations of fraud at the church. In December 2019, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into SPAC Nation, a registered charity, examining “financial, governance, and safeguarding matters”.
SPAC Nation have strongly denied all allegations of wrongdoing, saying they had nothing to do with the church. In November, Ogoloma told the Huffington Post: “When anything is reported, we have taken it up to find out the truth behind it and I can authoritatively say there has not been a single report about the things that you have listed.”
Ogoloma, acting as SPAC’s spokesperson, also told the Huffington Post that the allegations of financial impropriety were “an intentional smear campaign also based on gossip. SPAC Nation has never and will never coerce anyone. We have given to many, we have helped countless people, which we will keep doing and will always focus on doing so.”
On Wednesday evening, SPAC Nation and its alleged exploitation of young people will be the subject of an adjournment debate in the House of Commons, led by Reed.
Lewis Whyld / PA Archive/PA Images
Labour MP for Croydon North Steve Reed
“I think it’s highly inappropriate for Rory Stewart to involve a senior figure from an organisation that is being investigated for serious fraud and criminal exploitation of children and young people, and I would urge Rory to remove this person from his campaign without delay,” Reed told BuzzFeed News.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Fundamentally SPAC Nation operates in exactly the same way as a cult,” he said. “They identify and recruit vulnerable young people, many from damaged backgrounds, then seek to isolate them from their friends and family. Many are moved to trap houses, rented by the organisation.”
Reed said that once they had been recruited, young people were “subject to relentless brainwashing” before being pressured into taking out fraudulent loans, and then “made to hand over all the money to the organisation’s leaders, leaving the young people traumatised, in debt, and isolated from friends and family.”
“This is happening all over London,” Reed added, saying that “by the church’s own estimation up to a thousand young people” are currently involved with the organisation, while “thousands more” had been involved in the past.
“Young people in the organisation need to be protected straight away,” he told BuzzFeed News, while “young people who have got out of it need support with the trauma.”
Reed has said that police and safeguarding authorities should enter SPAC Nation’s properties to protect young people who may be at risk of abuse or exploitation.
BBC
Dapo Adegboyega
On Wednesday’s Victoria Derbyshire Show, Dapo Adegboyega, a “reverend” at the church and chair of its board denied that the organisation runs so-called “trap houses” or “any house or safe houses”. In the church’s own publicity, they are described as houses to protect vulnerable young people who have left gangs.
Adegboyega also denied the church was under investigation, suggesting that the Charity Commission’s inquiry was not an investigation. He suggested Reed’s interest in SPAC Nation was driven by a local council by-election in November 2019, after then 20-year-old Jayde Edwards, a pastor at the church, ran for the Conservative party.
Ministers hear demands for SPAC Nation to be stripped of charitable status while it faces two probes
Posted by:
Loriwoke
()
Date: January 10, 2020 09:38AM
POLITICS
08/01/2020 23:12 GMT | Updated 9 hours ago
SPAC Nation: MPs Call For Action To Stop Church 'Exploiting' Young People While It Is Investigated
Ministers hear demands for SPAC Nation to be stripped of charitable status while it faces two probes.
By Arj Singh
ADVERTISEMENT
MPs have called for the church SPAC Nation to be stripped of its charitable status while it is investigated to prevent more young people being exploited.
The church is under investigation by the Charity Commission over financial and safeguarding concerns following an investigation by HuffPost UK, while the Metropolitan Police is reviewing allegations of fraud and other offences
Labour MP Steve Reed outlined allegations that SPAC Nation is operating like a “cult”, “brainwashing” young people into donating money to the church on the promise of becoming rich themselves in a practice called giving “seed”.
SPAC Nation has also faced claims that some members of the church had been taking teenagers to donate blood for medical trials in a practice known as “bleeding for seed”.
The church, which denies the claims, has previously been praised by politicians for its work to tackle knife crime and gang violence.
MPs heard the church operates across London and has “expanded into other cities”, including Birmingham and Leicester.
Reed and other MPs called for something to be done to stop SPAC Nation continuing to operate while the commission and police investigations are ongoing.
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, leader of SPAC
HUFFPOST UK
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, leader of SPAC Nation
In a Commons debate, the Croydon North MP said: “Given the severity and the number of the volume of the allegations and the type of allegations that we’re hearing, is there nothing further that can be done, perhaps by the government working with the police and crime commissioners, wherever that may be necessary or the police forces where that may be necessary to prevent this organisation, even if temporarily, from being able to stand outside school gates, start outside youth centres and target young people?”
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh meanwhile called for SPAC Nation to be temporarily stripped of charitable status.
“The Charity Commission can often move very slowly,” the Mitcham and Morden MP said.
“And given the seriousness of the allegations would there not be a possibility of suspending charitable status while the investigations are going ahead and considering other charities from memory who deal with young people I am aware that this has happened in the past?”
DUP MP Jim Shannon called for the establishment of a specialist police unit.
“It’s hard not to be moved and I’m feeling concerned about it.
“The massiveness and the magnitude of what (Reed) has outlined, it occurred to me that it wouldn’t just be an ordinary police investigation it probably needs a certain specialised unit set aside with the resources and the manpower and womanpower to have the investigation concluded and to put an end to what’s gone wrong.
“Exploitation of young people is abysmal and is despicable and needs to be addressed.”
Responding, culture minister Helen Whately said she found the allegations “deeply, deeply concerning” and said they must be “properly and urgently investigated”.
But she stressed that she could not comment on specific allegations and would not make any further commitments until investigations had run their course.
Responding to McDonagh’s call for a temporary suspension of charitable status, she said: “I’m very happy to write back to her with a full response to that question.
“But let me reiterate that I know that the Charity Commission is, as I said before, investigating.
“And also, because they don’t look into criminal activity, but the police are reviewing these allegations, so those two things are very much all happening.”
Whately also revealed that leading SPAC Nation pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, did not meet then-prime minister Theresa May when he visited Downing Street in May 2018.
“My understanding is that he attended a roundtable along with 25 other church leaders to discuss youth violence and it was in that context that he was in Number 10 Downing Street.”
A Charity Commission spokesperson told HuffPost UK that it is urgently progressing its investigation into SPAC Nation.
“We welcome yesterday’s debate in Parliament,” the spokesperson said.
“The issues raised in relation to the charity are highly concerning, and clearly entirely at odds with what people expect of charities.
“Our ongoing inquiry allows us to examine these concerns in full to establish what has happened and determine our next steps. While we will progress our investigations at pace, we must also ensure that our work in this case is robust and thorough, and that we work closely with other agencies/organisations where appropriate”.
08/01/2020 23:12 GMT | Updated 9 hours ago
SPAC Nation: MPs Call For Action To Stop Church 'Exploiting' Young People While It Is Investigated
Ministers hear demands for SPAC Nation to be stripped of charitable status while it faces two probes.
By Arj Singh
ADVERTISEMENT
MPs have called for the church SPAC Nation to be stripped of its charitable status while it is investigated to prevent more young people being exploited.
The church is under investigation by the Charity Commission over financial and safeguarding concerns following an investigation by HuffPost UK, while the Metropolitan Police is reviewing allegations of fraud and other offences
Labour MP Steve Reed outlined allegations that SPAC Nation is operating like a “cult”, “brainwashing” young people into donating money to the church on the promise of becoming rich themselves in a practice called giving “seed”.
SPAC Nation has also faced claims that some members of the church had been taking teenagers to donate blood for medical trials in a practice known as “bleeding for seed”.
The church, which denies the claims, has previously been praised by politicians for its work to tackle knife crime and gang violence.
MPs heard the church operates across London and has “expanded into other cities”, including Birmingham and Leicester.
Reed and other MPs called for something to be done to stop SPAC Nation continuing to operate while the commission and police investigations are ongoing.
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, leader of SPAC
HUFFPOST UK
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, leader of SPAC Nation
In a Commons debate, the Croydon North MP said: “Given the severity and the number of the volume of the allegations and the type of allegations that we’re hearing, is there nothing further that can be done, perhaps by the government working with the police and crime commissioners, wherever that may be necessary or the police forces where that may be necessary to prevent this organisation, even if temporarily, from being able to stand outside school gates, start outside youth centres and target young people?”
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh meanwhile called for SPAC Nation to be temporarily stripped of charitable status.
“The Charity Commission can often move very slowly,” the Mitcham and Morden MP said.
“And given the seriousness of the allegations would there not be a possibility of suspending charitable status while the investigations are going ahead and considering other charities from memory who deal with young people I am aware that this has happened in the past?”
DUP MP Jim Shannon called for the establishment of a specialist police unit.
“It’s hard not to be moved and I’m feeling concerned about it.
“The massiveness and the magnitude of what (Reed) has outlined, it occurred to me that it wouldn’t just be an ordinary police investigation it probably needs a certain specialised unit set aside with the resources and the manpower and womanpower to have the investigation concluded and to put an end to what’s gone wrong.
“Exploitation of young people is abysmal and is despicable and needs to be addressed.”
Responding, culture minister Helen Whately said she found the allegations “deeply, deeply concerning” and said they must be “properly and urgently investigated”.
But she stressed that she could not comment on specific allegations and would not make any further commitments until investigations had run their course.
Responding to McDonagh’s call for a temporary suspension of charitable status, she said: “I’m very happy to write back to her with a full response to that question.
“But let me reiterate that I know that the Charity Commission is, as I said before, investigating.
“And also, because they don’t look into criminal activity, but the police are reviewing these allegations, so those two things are very much all happening.”
Whately also revealed that leading SPAC Nation pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, did not meet then-prime minister Theresa May when he visited Downing Street in May 2018.
“My understanding is that he attended a roundtable along with 25 other church leaders to discuss youth violence and it was in that context that he was in Number 10 Downing Street.”
A Charity Commission spokesperson told HuffPost UK that it is urgently progressing its investigation into SPAC Nation.
“We welcome yesterday’s debate in Parliament,” the spokesperson said.
“The issues raised in relation to the charity are highly concerning, and clearly entirely at odds with what people expect of charities.
“Our ongoing inquiry allows us to examine these concerns in full to establish what has happened and determine our next steps. While we will progress our investigations at pace, we must also ensure that our work in this case is robust and thorough, and that we work closely with other agencies/organisations where appropriate”.
September 2018 How Fela influenced my perception about life Tobi Adegboyega
Posted by:
Loriwoke
()
Date: January 21, 2020 04:17AM
[www.sunnewsonline.com]
How Fela influenced my perception about life
- Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, founder, Spac Nations, UK
29th September 2018 in Cover, Effect
0
How Fela influenced my perception about life
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, Founder, SPAC Nations UK
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“I played Fela music secretly. That is what influenced me in standing up for societies, speaking for people. Fela influenced me on that a lot.”
Christy Anyanwu
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega is the founder of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nations) in the United Kingdom. The passion to assist young Africans going astray moved him to start a fellowship, where aside prayers, he invested in them spiritually and financially. His fast-growing church dominated by young men and women from Nigeria, Ghana, Congo and other African countries is making waves in UK. Talking to Effects in London, he shared his journey into ministry, his vision, lifestyle and more.
Tell us more about your journey to who you are now
I grew up in Nigeria. I left Nigeria when I was 25 years old, having studied Law. I came to London in 2005, thinking that I was going to America to further my studies and return to Nigeria. Getting to London, I realized that a lot of people from Africa, not just Nigeria struggle with raising their children. Also, the children misbehave due to hopelessness. I believe I am sent to the new generation to help raise entrepreneurs, give hope to that generation and give direction. That is what I have been doing for the past ten years. We have raised millions of pounds and started 40 businesses for young people, including people who are just coming out of prisons, we started businesses for them.
READ ALSO: Shell invests $5.2m in capacity building of young Nigerians, says GM
Yes, I’m a pastor but with a little bit of twist to it, which is giving young people hope and investing in them spiritually and financially for them to get a better life.
You read Law in Nigeria, how did you end up being a preacher in the UK?
My parents are pastors and I have always been in church and I’ve always done church things all my life. However, when I got into the university, I decided to leave that path. I wasn’t going to church any more for so many years. I was into many other things because I felt like I was forced into it. So I wanted to find my own way in life. I was like that till I came to UK in 2005. I automatically was going to my uncle’s church but then I discovered that I have a calling over my life. I wanted to help people. I couldn’t find a way of helping people; I was new to the country. So I couldn’t start an NGO because all I have known is church way. When I gathered these people, we started to pray and that was how it started to metamorphose into a church. I wanted to leave and go for my original plan but then things were growing in the fellowship. From 2005 to 2008, it was just a fellowship. I would just help the young people and at that time, the country was so terrible, people were dying, I think we have never seen it like that since then. It is only this year, that things have escalated again that much. I wanted to leave but I consider the young people that I was helping. I wasn’t even pastoring them, they come, we go out together, and I mentor them. That was how my journey started but all I have known was church, so I had to pray with them, teach them from the Bible and encouraging them to live a better life.
What has life taught you as a person?
I have always known about helping people. I understand people want to be famous, they want to be rich and all that, but life has taught me so many things. I came here in 2005. At a point, I took up job as a kitchen porter. I worked in the kitchen, washed plate from 8am till about 8pm on my feet. For the whole month, my salary would be 400 pounds. Out of 400 pounds, I would support the church I attended at that time with 200 pounds, and support people with 70 pounds. So most days, I would have to trek to work and stuffs like that. At a time, it looks as if what I was doing did not make sense. I had friends who were younger and they were getting into jobs but I said I wouldn’t have taken up a job but this one allows me time to still go to these guys and help them. Fast forward to about ten years after, I have started over 40 businesses for people. The care home where I was washing plates, I have bought it, I have people that work there. I have employed my manager that was managing me at that time. There are many keys to success but for me personally, I found out that everything I may want to call success came out of helping people. People that I didn’t think could come back to even help me, people that didn’t look as if they had anything to offer. The first time I would do a property business, (I started with property business to make money out of that), it was someone that we have helped before, I didn’t think one penny can come from him, and he had somebody who knew somebody who needed help in that area and then I got involved and made the first 100,000 pounds about seven years ago. Then we put back into helping people and that’s how whatever we want to call success story started. It started along the way of having genuine interest in people, not for who they are in the society but for who they can be and having the love for people. That is my most valuable lesson.
Growing up, who influenced you the more, your dad or mum?
Definitely, my dad and mum. I didn’t have a childhood with them. You know mostly in Nigeria, you are not close to your parents like that, they are just there to discipline you. If instead of reading you were playing football, they’d beat you, there is no-sit-down talk. However, I think the best influence I have ever had is an unwritten influence; to see my parents go to church. My dad was a chartered accountant who worked hard and still pastored a church till few years ago. He built a comfortable background for us. I have always told people here that I never saw crime in Nigeria. I didn’t see much of poverty in Nigeria as well. Their influence was not spoken or written, it is something that I grew up to say; ok, they always took us to church, they beat us when we didn’t go to church.” They put the fear of how to treat people, and not to steal from anyone, how to be focused in life without actually telling us. They put those things there. Then as a child, I started to read a lot. I read the Bible over and over and I needed more. So I started to hear about people like Martin Luther King Jr. I loved Fela a lot and I still love Fela up till date, I may not be a fan of his lifestyle of smoking and all that but his principles of justice, human rights. You could imagine in a pastor’s home, out of all of the youths I started to love Fela. I played Fela music secretly. So, that is what influenced me in standing up for societies, speaking for people, Fela really influenced me on that a lot. I tried to sell the idea to my parents but they wouldn’t accept. Pastor Tunde Bakare also influenced me a lot. Again, in the line of standing up for people, speaking truth to power, and still being practical, Tunde Bakare influenced many of that into my thought. I just met him recently but I have been following him all my life. He heard of the work we do. Those are the people who influenced my life. It really helped me in doing well in London today.
READ ALSO: Macron’s validation of Fela’s legacy
Why did you set up the widow’s foundation in Nigeria?
Some years ago in my dad’s church, they bring widows together every year, give them food and then pay some of their children’s school fees. At a point, it became difficult for them to keep doing that by themselves without any financial support. They didn’t ask me for the financial support, they were just giving me reports and stuffs like that so I said let’s reach out to a thousand of them and we started to do that about five years ago. Every year, they bring the widows together, give them a lot of food, make sure their Christmas is well covered and then look for their kids and sponsor them from whatever stage they are, they could be in primary, secondary school and put them through to university. I think one of them was the overall best student at the University of Ibadan in 2017 and now works with my dad. So, what we have been doing is, making sure we give them enough finance in Lagos and Ibadan, to run through school. Now, we are going to pave way for them to come for international exposure, have six months or one year internship with Microsoft. Microsoft has already agreed to do that and Amazon and some of the top companies. For the graduates, they would come, they would learn and they may go back to Nigeria and impact that society. What I believe strongly is a strategy of entering Nigeria because I think I’m going to do politics in Nigeria one day. I believe that what we must do first is to raise the new generation leaders. If you see most of my pastors, they are either from Nigeria, Ghana, or Congo and they are 22 years of age. I have 35 pastors under the age of 24 and they all have their businesses or they are going to Cambridge or Harvard. They are the new generation Nigerians. Our plan is to raise new generation Nigerians and Africans. Bring them here to get the exposure. We just bought a small football club. That was made possible by young people. We bought a stadium, and the football club. We are going to turn it to a leadership training centre where Africans could come from all over Africa and those who are in Diaspora, to learn and be exposed to entrepreneurship and African leadership.
That’s what we are going to turn that place to. We just bought it and it’s about six acres stadium in London. It’s going to have at least two African museums in it, where the history of Nigeria and Ghana would be posted. Young people would come there and see the museums and learn. Those who want to get into football could go there and also, we would have studios where we would have the news channel running. We didn’t borrow money from the bank, the funds came from among ourselves raised here in London. I think one of the missing things is that people would want to come from local leagues in Nigeria and get exposure here. The top footballers will also meet them. If we do that, we are raising new generation Nigerians, Ghanaians, or Congolese. So, that’s my vision, that’s my help for Nigeria and things like that.
What is your kind of style?
I have always loved fashion from childhood. I love my shoes and it has to be Christian Louboutin 100% and I have about 70 pairs of that and still counting. My wristwatches are AP and ROLEX. My clothes could be anything but above all that, clothes can be Givenchy and more. I have people in church who are designers, so many of the things I wear are locally made from them. These are companies that I have invested in. I wear a lot of their designs. Once these entrepreneurs rise in their business, they in return employ more young people in the church.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 04:27AM by Loriwoke.
How Fela influenced my perception about life
- Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, founder, Spac Nations, UK
29th September 2018 in Cover, Effect
0
How Fela influenced my perception about life
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, Founder, SPAC Nations UK
ADVERTISEMENT
“I played Fela music secretly. That is what influenced me in standing up for societies, speaking for people. Fela influenced me on that a lot.”
Christy Anyanwu
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega is the founder of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nations) in the United Kingdom. The passion to assist young Africans going astray moved him to start a fellowship, where aside prayers, he invested in them spiritually and financially. His fast-growing church dominated by young men and women from Nigeria, Ghana, Congo and other African countries is making waves in UK. Talking to Effects in London, he shared his journey into ministry, his vision, lifestyle and more.
Tell us more about your journey to who you are now
I grew up in Nigeria. I left Nigeria when I was 25 years old, having studied Law. I came to London in 2005, thinking that I was going to America to further my studies and return to Nigeria. Getting to London, I realized that a lot of people from Africa, not just Nigeria struggle with raising their children. Also, the children misbehave due to hopelessness. I believe I am sent to the new generation to help raise entrepreneurs, give hope to that generation and give direction. That is what I have been doing for the past ten years. We have raised millions of pounds and started 40 businesses for young people, including people who are just coming out of prisons, we started businesses for them.
READ ALSO: Shell invests $5.2m in capacity building of young Nigerians, says GM
Yes, I’m a pastor but with a little bit of twist to it, which is giving young people hope and investing in them spiritually and financially for them to get a better life.
You read Law in Nigeria, how did you end up being a preacher in the UK?
My parents are pastors and I have always been in church and I’ve always done church things all my life. However, when I got into the university, I decided to leave that path. I wasn’t going to church any more for so many years. I was into many other things because I felt like I was forced into it. So I wanted to find my own way in life. I was like that till I came to UK in 2005. I automatically was going to my uncle’s church but then I discovered that I have a calling over my life. I wanted to help people. I couldn’t find a way of helping people; I was new to the country. So I couldn’t start an NGO because all I have known is church way. When I gathered these people, we started to pray and that was how it started to metamorphose into a church. I wanted to leave and go for my original plan but then things were growing in the fellowship. From 2005 to 2008, it was just a fellowship. I would just help the young people and at that time, the country was so terrible, people were dying, I think we have never seen it like that since then. It is only this year, that things have escalated again that much. I wanted to leave but I consider the young people that I was helping. I wasn’t even pastoring them, they come, we go out together, and I mentor them. That was how my journey started but all I have known was church, so I had to pray with them, teach them from the Bible and encouraging them to live a better life.
What has life taught you as a person?
I have always known about helping people. I understand people want to be famous, they want to be rich and all that, but life has taught me so many things. I came here in 2005. At a point, I took up job as a kitchen porter. I worked in the kitchen, washed plate from 8am till about 8pm on my feet. For the whole month, my salary would be 400 pounds. Out of 400 pounds, I would support the church I attended at that time with 200 pounds, and support people with 70 pounds. So most days, I would have to trek to work and stuffs like that. At a time, it looks as if what I was doing did not make sense. I had friends who were younger and they were getting into jobs but I said I wouldn’t have taken up a job but this one allows me time to still go to these guys and help them. Fast forward to about ten years after, I have started over 40 businesses for people. The care home where I was washing plates, I have bought it, I have people that work there. I have employed my manager that was managing me at that time. There are many keys to success but for me personally, I found out that everything I may want to call success came out of helping people. People that I didn’t think could come back to even help me, people that didn’t look as if they had anything to offer. The first time I would do a property business, (I started with property business to make money out of that), it was someone that we have helped before, I didn’t think one penny can come from him, and he had somebody who knew somebody who needed help in that area and then I got involved and made the first 100,000 pounds about seven years ago. Then we put back into helping people and that’s how whatever we want to call success story started. It started along the way of having genuine interest in people, not for who they are in the society but for who they can be and having the love for people. That is my most valuable lesson.
Growing up, who influenced you the more, your dad or mum?
Definitely, my dad and mum. I didn’t have a childhood with them. You know mostly in Nigeria, you are not close to your parents like that, they are just there to discipline you. If instead of reading you were playing football, they’d beat you, there is no-sit-down talk. However, I think the best influence I have ever had is an unwritten influence; to see my parents go to church. My dad was a chartered accountant who worked hard and still pastored a church till few years ago. He built a comfortable background for us. I have always told people here that I never saw crime in Nigeria. I didn’t see much of poverty in Nigeria as well. Their influence was not spoken or written, it is something that I grew up to say; ok, they always took us to church, they beat us when we didn’t go to church.” They put the fear of how to treat people, and not to steal from anyone, how to be focused in life without actually telling us. They put those things there. Then as a child, I started to read a lot. I read the Bible over and over and I needed more. So I started to hear about people like Martin Luther King Jr. I loved Fela a lot and I still love Fela up till date, I may not be a fan of his lifestyle of smoking and all that but his principles of justice, human rights. You could imagine in a pastor’s home, out of all of the youths I started to love Fela. I played Fela music secretly. So, that is what influenced me in standing up for societies, speaking for people, Fela really influenced me on that a lot. I tried to sell the idea to my parents but they wouldn’t accept. Pastor Tunde Bakare also influenced me a lot. Again, in the line of standing up for people, speaking truth to power, and still being practical, Tunde Bakare influenced many of that into my thought. I just met him recently but I have been following him all my life. He heard of the work we do. Those are the people who influenced my life. It really helped me in doing well in London today.
READ ALSO: Macron’s validation of Fela’s legacy
Why did you set up the widow’s foundation in Nigeria?
Some years ago in my dad’s church, they bring widows together every year, give them food and then pay some of their children’s school fees. At a point, it became difficult for them to keep doing that by themselves without any financial support. They didn’t ask me for the financial support, they were just giving me reports and stuffs like that so I said let’s reach out to a thousand of them and we started to do that about five years ago. Every year, they bring the widows together, give them a lot of food, make sure their Christmas is well covered and then look for their kids and sponsor them from whatever stage they are, they could be in primary, secondary school and put them through to university. I think one of them was the overall best student at the University of Ibadan in 2017 and now works with my dad. So, what we have been doing is, making sure we give them enough finance in Lagos and Ibadan, to run through school. Now, we are going to pave way for them to come for international exposure, have six months or one year internship with Microsoft. Microsoft has already agreed to do that and Amazon and some of the top companies. For the graduates, they would come, they would learn and they may go back to Nigeria and impact that society. What I believe strongly is a strategy of entering Nigeria because I think I’m going to do politics in Nigeria one day. I believe that what we must do first is to raise the new generation leaders. If you see most of my pastors, they are either from Nigeria, Ghana, or Congo and they are 22 years of age. I have 35 pastors under the age of 24 and they all have their businesses or they are going to Cambridge or Harvard. They are the new generation Nigerians. Our plan is to raise new generation Nigerians and Africans. Bring them here to get the exposure. We just bought a small football club. That was made possible by young people. We bought a stadium, and the football club. We are going to turn it to a leadership training centre where Africans could come from all over Africa and those who are in Diaspora, to learn and be exposed to entrepreneurship and African leadership.
That’s what we are going to turn that place to. We just bought it and it’s about six acres stadium in London. It’s going to have at least two African museums in it, where the history of Nigeria and Ghana would be posted. Young people would come there and see the museums and learn. Those who want to get into football could go there and also, we would have studios where we would have the news channel running. We didn’t borrow money from the bank, the funds came from among ourselves raised here in London. I think one of the missing things is that people would want to come from local leagues in Nigeria and get exposure here. The top footballers will also meet them. If we do that, we are raising new generation Nigerians, Ghanaians, or Congolese. So, that’s my vision, that’s my help for Nigeria and things like that.
What is your kind of style?
I have always loved fashion from childhood. I love my shoes and it has to be Christian Louboutin 100% and I have about 70 pairs of that and still counting. My wristwatches are AP and ROLEX. My clothes could be anything but above all that, clothes can be Givenchy and more. I have people in church who are designers, so many of the things I wear are locally made from them. These are companies that I have invested in. I wear a lot of their designs. Once these entrepreneurs rise in their business, they in return employ more young people in the church.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 04:27AM by Loriwoke.
Re: Spacnation
Posted by:
Loriwoke
()
Date: January 25, 2020 04:56AM
The gospel according to Tobi
[www.private-eye.co.uk]
Cult News, Issue 1514
tobi.jpg
HIGH ROLLER: SPAC Nation’s Rolex-wearing chief ‘pastor’ Tobi Adegboyega, who has political friends in high places
THESE are trying times for the Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, better known as SPAC Nation, which is under investigation by both the Charity Commission and the Serious Fraud Office.
Scotland Yard is studying allegations of “potential fraud” as well as sexual abuse following a BBC Panorama film last month. Two weeks ago the House of Commons heard damning allegations from Labour MP Steve Reed about the “cult”, as he described it.
Some places, however, are still happy to welcome SPAC Nation – and its money. The Eye learns that chief “pastor” Tobi Adegboyega and more than 100 guests hired the magnificent Nash-designed HQ of the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall for a black-tie New Year’s Eve Gala three weeks ago, at staggering expense. The salvation proclaimers enjoyed coloured cocktails, canapés, computer games and late-night partying amid the marbled halls and Ionic columns, when not posing for selfies on the grand staircase under a 15-foot chandelier donated by George IV to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.
Glitz and wealth
So proud are they of the event, titled “Class”, that church leaders are now using pictures taken at the IoD as their Twitter photos, in keeping with the SPAC tradition of attracting young congregants with extravagant displays of glitz and wealth. Tobi Adegboyega, who lives in a £2.5m mansion in the Surrey stockbroker belt, arrives for church services in a £150,000 Rolls-Royce.
As we reported last November (Eye 1510), he has political friends in high places – notably former Croydon MP Gavin Barwell, who as Theresa May’s chief of staff invited Pastor Tobi to 10 Downing Street in May 2018. At last year’s Tory conference Adegboyega was given a seat in the row behind prime minister Boris Johnson. Soon afterwards Croydon Conservatives selected a 20-year-old SPAC pastor as their candidate in a council by-election.
But the love affair with the Tories may be cooling. Church members have instead started tweeting enthusiastically about ex-MP Rory Stewart, who is running for London mayor as an independent. “Incredibly insightful!” raved one self-styled “mobiliser” from SPAC Nation after meeting him last week. “His authenticity and compassion for this City is exactly what we need. #RoryForLondon.”
‘Prosperity Gospel’
Is an association with SPAC Nation really what Stewart needs? Steve Reed MP, who has passed a dossier of more than a dozen cases to Inspector Knacker, told the House of Commons on 8 January that “the leaders of this organisation appear to be perpetrating fraud in order to enrich themselves”. He had spoken to members who were “coached to commit benefit fraud” to raise money for the church, and to others “who were coerced into handing over their entire student loans”. Some followers, he said, had been pressurised into setting up fake businesses to obtain fraudulent loans which they gave to church leaders.
Alleging that “there is often also sexual exploitation” of young black girls in the church, he detected “worrying echoes of the Rotherham child abuse scandal… as one desperate mum told me: if this was happening to white middle-class children, would it have been ignored for so many years?” He concluded: “In my opinion, SPAC Nation is a criminal enterprise masquerading as a Church.”
Undaunted, the Rolex-wearing Pastor Tobi continues to preach his “Prosperity Gospel”. No nonsense about camels and the eye of a needle for him. “God,” he explains, “is a trader.” No wonder the Institute of Directors were impressed!
Re: Spacnation
Posted by:
facet
()
Date: January 26, 2020 08:35PM
Hello Loriwoke,
I read up your researches, thank you for sharing them all.
In the House of Commons they left it as the charity must bank all of its monies, they seem to believe that it would be a strong part of what they can do here, which is weird to say the least since serious child welfare issues and exploitation of young people are repeatedly brought up, though a quick check up on this link shows that they have balanced the books 2018 to 2019 to 1.2 million in, 1.2 million out.
The next entry will be interesting.
I read up your researches, thank you for sharing them all.
In the House of Commons they left it as the charity must bank all of its monies, they seem to believe that it would be a strong part of what they can do here, which is weird to say the least since serious child welfare issues and exploitation of young people are repeatedly brought up, though a quick check up on this link shows that they have balanced the books 2018 to 2019 to 1.2 million in, 1.2 million out.
The next entry will be interesting.
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