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Writing “Beauty for Ashes” is strictly by instruction of Holy Spirit—-Oluwatoyin Olojo

Oluwatoyin Anuoluwapo Olojo

—an interview with Oluwatoyin Olojo, author of ”Beauty for Ashes”

   by PAROUSIA Magazine

Beauty For Ashes is an outstanding book published by Parousia in 2021. We had an interesting conversation with Oluwatoyin A Olojo about her debut book. This interview gave insight into her and her book.

Why did you decide to write Beauty for Ashes? Is there something specifically that spurred you to write this book?

Writing Beauty for Ashes was strictly by the instruction of the Holy Spirit. First, I received the title, then the launch date which was just six months away, then the chapter by chapter title as well as their subtitles… It was indeed divinely orchestrated.

Have you always had it in mind that you’d write a book, be an author?

I have always loved to write.  I have always had a private journal, I  even had a slum book in back secondary school and I always found a way to express my thoughts in writing. However, I never intended to be an author; a poet maybe, but not an author.

Your book is a book that holds a deep message. Tell us about the message you are trying to pass across with “Beauty For Ashes.”

You know, when the Holy Spirit first told me about Beauty for Ashes, He said it was going to be an expression of my life’s story. I kept asking what story my life was telling and He said, everyone, has a story to tell. During that period, I was going through a lot of redefining moments in my life, which involved getting hurt and recovering. I also realised that I’ve always had deep compassion for young ladies who somehow ended up becoming slaves to sex either intentionally or not.

The main focus of Beauty for Ashes is salvation and healing. This is why the book comes with a workbook to help readers answer salient questions about themselves and a devotional to help guide them through.

After this book, do you still have it in mind to publish a new book? And when should we be expecting it?

Yes yes yes! The deep treatment each chapter in Beauty for Ashes gives, started with me. Beauty for Ashes was an opening to my calling as a Scribe according to Matthew 13:52. It’s a deep calling as several other book titles have been received and are awaiting the divine instruction to “GO!”.

I’m sure some of our aspiring authors will love to know this. What was your greatest motivation in publishing this book, what was the process like?

Hmmm, considering the genre I’m called to write which is spiritual and can be sometimes satirical, I would say it takes having a burden to give a big release. The depth of your burden will fuel your sense of urgency and give you all the push or motivation you need. There were times I broke down in tears while writing Beauty for Ashes,  especially in Cactus and Sunflower, It was indeed a process! The whole message started with me! Letting out all that information about myself left me with zero shame and that in turn birthed “The Shame-free Tribe”. My biggest motivation was my burden to see freedom, healing, and salvation.

Apart from the publication by the publisher, what step do you take to make sure your book gets out there? Tell us about the book launch.

Honestly, publicising the book has not been quite easy but I have made sure to have an author’s website in my name where articles relating to the book and other interests are often posted. The homepage carries the book image and everyone who visits the site gets to see the book first.

  • “The depth of your burden will fuel your sense of urgency and give you all the push or motivation you need. There were times I broke down in tears while writing Beauty for Ashes,  especially in Cactus and Sunflower, It was indeed a process!”

The book launch was more of a small, private event. I believe in starting small and as such was glad to have a controllable crowd of about 35 persons in attendance. It was tagged “the release of a book, of pain and of sounds of worship”. All we did, majorly, was worship God. We also watched video clips of people’s stories of sexual abuse and how they overcame the pain. Some guests also shared their stories of how they were raped, nearly raped, and victimised. It was indeed a release of pain.

Tell us about your experience with your Publisher, Parousia Reads.

Parousia Reads has one endearing factor which is accuracy. The team knows how well to get in your head and replicate the exact same ideas you have. When I saw my book cover design, I began to ask if there was someone else present when the Spirit of the Lord showed me the image. They were also considerate of the first-time author that I was and made every step less burdensome. Thank you Parousia Reads! Thank you Samuel Tola Ijalusi!

So far, how has the experience been? And what do you intend to do after now?

The experience has been transforming! Beauty for Ashes has called forth other assignments and I’m super grateful to God for trusting me with this vision. After now, asides from sending thousands of sponsored copies to teenagers and commercial sex workers across Nations, I also hope to flesh up the skeletal framework of The Shame-free Tribe.

I still write copies, proposals, and contents for businesses, I still write poems, articles, and blog posts, and I still sell insurance and give investment advice.  All these and more I’ll continue to do even while I focus on my education. Ultimately, I intend to love on God!

You can purchase this book on these platforms

AMAZON
OKADABOOKS
ADLIBRIS
DIDERICH

BEAUTY FOR ASHES by Oluwatoyin A. Olojo

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Customs

Customs threatens to arrest, prosecute air travellers carrying currency above $10,000 threshold without declaration.

-as Nigeria tightens its anti- money laundering laws
Gloria Odion 
The Nigeria customs service, in collaboration with other sister agencies, had engaged international airline operators in a sensitization exercise over the need to strengthen Nigeria’s anti- money laundering laws.
The sensitization programme, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was meant to raise awareness on the importance of enforcing Nigeria’s currency declaration laws among inbound and outbound travellers.
The engemement addressed the role of airline personnel in ensuring compliance, especially in reminding passengers about declaration requirements through in-flight announcements, form distribution, and cooperation during customs checks.
Officials emphasised that any passenger carrying over the regulatory threshold, currently $10,000 or its equivalent, is required to make a declaration to the authorities.
Failure to comply, they warned, could result in seizure, investigation, and prosecution under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
Additional requirements discussed included the mandatory submission of electronic manifests (e-Manifests) before aircraft arrival, as well as complete passenger details such as names, countries of origin and destination, and flight numbers, stating that these records allow customs and security officers to conduct targeted risk assessments and enhance border surveillance operations.
Assistant Comptroller of Customs in charge of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Unit, Salihu Mas’ud, led the engagement and expressed confidence in the outcomes.
According to him, the Service has already implemented several operational tools to support effective enforcement.
“What we have achieved so far is to be able to sensitise them. We’ve gone round to check all the points.
” We have dedicated search rooms for secondary searches. There are dedicated posts for currency declarations, and they are in place.
” Announcements are also being made on the Public Address System. We have also gotten the commitment of the airline operators to ensure that these announcements are also being made on board their flights,” he said.
He added, “We expect higher compliance, and it will strengthen our enforcement mechanism.
” It also ensures that defaulters and violators of currency declarations are detected promptly and forwarded for necessary investigation and prosecution.”
The sensitisation session highlighted the importance of inter-agency collaboration in securing Nigeria’s borders and preventing illicit financial flows.
With growing concerns over terrorism financing and smuggling of undeclared funds, the NCS said sustained partnerships with airline operators, airport authorities, and intelligence agencies will remain key to its success.
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Opeifa reaffirms commitment to infrastructural upgrade, staff welfare at Northern District headquarters of NRC in Zaria

Funso OLOJO 
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has reaffirmed the commitment of the management of Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) to the upgrade of railway infrastructure and staff welfare at the Northern district headquarters of the corporation in Zaria.
Opeifa made the pledge while touring critical assets and infrastructure at the corporation’s district headquarters, Zaria in Kaduna state.
The visit was part of the Managing Director’s ongoing nationwide assessment tour of operational facilities and infrastructure under the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
During his time in Zaria, Dr. Opeifa met with district management and staff, inspected key installations, and reviewed ongoing and upcoming projects in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
As part of his engagement, Dr. Opeifa met with the Staff,Nigerian Union of Railwaymen (NUR), the Senior Staff Association (SSA), Pilot Drivers on training and the Pensioners.
He reassured railway pensioners that issues concerning outstanding pensions are already being addressed, and urged them to remain calm, adding that concrete steps are being taken to resolve all concerns.
“We understand the importance of pension to our retired personnel, and I want to assure you that everything necessary is being done,” Dr. Opeifa stated.
 “I will do all within my power to ensure that you receive what is rightfully yours.”
During the visit, Dr. Opeifa also toured key support facilities including the NRC Training School, the District Clinic, the Central Workshop, and the Permanent Ways Hotel.
He commended the efforts of the staff managing these facilities but emphasized the urgent need for upgrades and modernization to improve service delivery, staff welfare, and capacity building.
“To truly transform the Nigerian Railway system, we must also invest in our people, their health, their training, and the infrastructure that supports them,” he remarked.
In a show of gratitude and support, the Railway District Manager (RDM) of the Northern District Zaria , Engr. Adedeji Adewala Rasheed, thanked the Managing Director for the visit and reaffirmed the district’s commitment to the national vision.
“We are honoured by your presence, sir, and I assure you that the Northern District will always be ready to receive you at any time,” Engr. Rasheed stated.
 “The Iron Men of this district stand firmly behind you and will give you their full support to ensure that your objectives in transforming the railway system are fully achieved.”
Dr. Opeifa emphasized the importance of the Northern District to the national railway network, particularly in enhancing connectivity between key cities, boosting trade and agricultural logistics, and supporting economic development across the northern region.
“We are committed to revitalizing the railway system across the country, and Zaria remains a critical hub in this transformation,” he added.
 “Our focus is on efficiency, safety, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that the NRC meets the demands of a modern transport system.”
The Managing Director was warmly received by other senior officials, who briefed him on current operations, challenges, and areas of opportunity.
Dr. Opeifa assured the team of continued support and strategic interventions aimed at improving service delivery and expanding rail infrastructure.
This visit underscores the NRC’s dedication to closer engagement with its regional offices and stakeholders, reaffirming its mission to deliver reliable and world-class rail transport services for Nigeria.
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NIMASA reaffirms confidence in indigenous technical ability in ship building and repairs

Funso OLOJO 
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has expressed confidence in the technological competence and abilities of indigenous engineers to carry out ship building and repairs locally.
Dr Mobereola made this assertion in Lagos during his visit to Nigerdock at Snake Island integrated Free Zone,where he had gone to inspect and assess  the ongoing maintenance work on the DB Lagos, a special mission vessel used for maritime surveillance and national security operations.
The vessel plays a vital role in combating oil theft, smuggling, illegal immigration, and other maritime crimes within Nigeria’s waters.
Speaking during the inspection, Dr. Mobereola expressed satisfaction with the progress made and described the project as a clear demonstration of Nigeria’s capability to handle sophisticated ship repairs and construction.
“What I am seeing here today is a testimony to the fact that we have the ability not only to repair but also to build here in Nigeria,” he stated.

He further emphasized that the inspection aligns with the vision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who has prioritized the development of local capacity in shipbuilding and repairs.

 “We at NIMASA are demonstrating our belief in this vision by maintaining our own vessels here,” Dr. Mobereola added.

The visit underscores NIMASA’s drive to promote indigenous maritime infrastructure, enhance national security, and advance sustainable growth in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

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