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Even before the doors opened at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, working Houstonians stood in line to pay their final respects to a giant among men, Reverend William Lawson.
A tall man with a mellow voice and clear conviction and understanding of the Gospel. Lawson lays in state at the church he founded 64 years ago in his apartment, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in the Third Ward.
Many of the people paying a visit related close, personal reflections of their pastor. Among them, Beverly Smith spoke with reverence for Lawson: “He’s taught us a lot and what he has done and what he has contributed will last for generations to come.”
Another parishioner, Tonya Ivory-Mays related a personal memory of the kindness of Lawson in her time of need.
“When I was in the hospital and I had had my son prematurely and I was very ill, and he came to pray for me,” Ivory-Mays said. “His preaching and his teaching was always understandable.”
Kimberly Ann Wright Jones shared a special connection to Reverend Lawson: “He’s my Godfather, yes, it’s been 60 years of love, care and kindness.”
“And teaching me everything I know,” Jones said. “Just to go in here and know that the legacy lives within me—very surreal.”
Doctor Ruth Ollison, the Pastor of Beulah Land Community Church near Wheeler, related a special story about Lawson: “He was one of the first to receive and accept female pastors and ministers in the ministry. Just so accepting, so supportive, he is a giant. There are many women who are in ministry [at Wheeler].”
Terronica Wilson began coming to the church when being courted by her future husband, whose family are long-time members. She was married at Wheeler, with Pastor Lawson delivering the prayer during their ceremony.
“And we know that he has done a lot, not only for our church, for the community, for the city, for the state…the nation and the world so we are truly grateful for everybody’s support.”
Known as Houston’s Pastor, Lawson took up the mantle of peaceful organizing and protest in the name of bringing civil rights to the racially divided city of Houston in the 1960s.
A trusted friend and confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lawson hosted King during visits to Houston and was offered the chance to join King in Atlanta as a leader in the national civil rights movement.
Lawson chose to remain in Houston and continue serving the flock of his church. Since then, the reverend had been a fixture in all things related to civil rights in the region.
Even after retiring from Wheeler Avenue in 2004, Lawson spoke at the funeral of George Floyd and addressed a rally for the Houston native in 2020 at the age of 91. Lawson passed May 14th at the age of 95.
Culled from the Houston Public Media
The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has ordered the arrest of the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, who reportedly returned to Kano early Saturday.
Mr Ado-Bayero was dethroned alongside the emirs of Karaye, Rano Bichi and Gaya whose emirates have been scrapped.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, said the deposed emir was smuggled back to Kano allegedly to cause mayhem as the reinstated Emir Lamido Sanusi retook the palace.
“The former Emir was smuggled into Kano city last night in an attempt to forcefully return to the palace two days after being deposed by the Governor.
“The new Emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, arrived at the (Emir’s) palace in the company of the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and other top government functionaries at about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, 25th May 2024.
“As the Chief Security Officer of the state, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has directed the Commissioner of Police to arrest the deposed Emir with immediate effect for disturbing public peace and attempting to destroy the relative peace the state enjoys.”
Mr Bayero, who was not in Kano at the time of his dethronement, was said to have arrived at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport Saturday morning where he observed the Muslim morning prayer amidst hundreds of sympathisers.
The sympathisers were singing that he remained the original emir of Kano as he committed no offence to warrant his removal.
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) shared a post online Wednesday condemning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) for refusing to host Kenyan President William Ruto for a joint meeting of Congress, which is typically extended to other international leaders.
“While @SpeakerJohnson might not have given the President of Kenya the opportunity to address a Joint Session of Congress, the CBC was proud to welcome President Ruto to the United States Capitol today,” the CBC posted on the social platform X . “We were honored to present President Ruto honorary membership in the CBC.”
Ruto is in town for a state dinner Thursday, President Biden’s sixth state dinner since taking office.
He posted on X highlighting CBC’s role in “advancing social justice, human rights and economic development across the globe.”
“We implore the Congress to take lead in reconfiguring the global financial architecture where power is not in the hands of the few. A bold, robust and targeted approach will free Africa of the debt burden and transform the world,” Ruto said on X .
The Hill has reached out to Johnson’s office for comment; it released statement to USA Today that Johnson offered the Kenyan Embassy “over 90 minutes of engagement including a one-on-one visit with Speaker Johnson, bipartisan leadership meeting with Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Committee Chairmen and Ranking Members, and a bicameral meeting.”
Ruto said he was honored to be recognized as an honorary member of the CBC and shared photos of his visit.
The dinner will honor the 60th anniversary of the United States’s partnership with Kenya, and Biden plans to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally , the first in sub-Saharan Africa.
The post from the CBC was meant as a dig against Johnson, who is planning to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress. Johnson’s invitation has been met with pushback from some Democrats as the war between Israel and Hamas continues in Gaza.
Houstonians turn out for final viewing of civil rights pioneer, Rev. William Lawson
Nigeria: Kano governor orders arrest of dethroned emir Bayero
Congressional Black Caucus condemns Speaker Johnson’s treatment of Kenya’s president
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