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Scientists in California yesterday reported a major discovery that supports the emerging theory that life on earth began in clay rather than the sea. The discovery, announced at a symposium, showed that ordinary clay contains two basic properties essential to life: the capacities to store and transfer energy. With such energy, coming from radioactive decay and other sources, the early clays could have acted as ''chemical factories'' for processing inorganic raw materials into the more complex molecules from which the first life arose some four billion years ago. In their analysis of common ceramic clay, the scientists said they had found evidence that ''mistakes'' made normally and repeatedly in the formation of clay crystals presumably create the conditions by which the material traps energy and holds it for perhaps thousands of years. Such defects in the clay microstructure could also be sites for storing information necessary to direct the chemical reactions and organize the eventual proto-organisms. Biblical Account Recalled So, if the theory can be confirmed, it would seem that an accumulation of chemical mistakes led to life on earth. The theory is also evocative of the biblical account of the Creation. In Genesis, it is written, ''And the Lord God formed man of dust of the ground,'' and in common usage this primordial dust is called clay. The chemists and biologists who made the discovery, however, emphasized that their findings did not prove the clay-life theory but did make it a more reasonable explanation worthy of further research. The research was conducted by a team of scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Ames Research Center in Mountainview, Calif., where studies of the origin of life have been under way for years in part to learn how to search for life on other worlds. The leader was Dr. Lelia Coyne, a research associate at Ames and also at San Jose State University. She described the findings, the result of research begun in the 1970's, at a symposium held at Ames and in a telephone interview.

https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/03/us/new-finding-backs-idea-that-life-started-in-clay-rather-than-sea.html

Religion

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London – The WHO says one in 10 drugs sold in developing countries is fake or substandard, leading to tens of thousands of deaths, many of them of African children given ineffective treatments for pneumonia and malaria. In a major review of the problem, the WHO said that bogus drugs are a growing threat as increased pharmaceutical trade, including Internet sales, open the door to sometimes toxic products. Some pharmacists in Africa, for example, say that they are compelled to buy from the cheapest but not necessarily the safest suppliers to compete with illegal street traders. Fake drugs could contain incorrect doses, wrong ingredients or no active ingredients at all. At the same time, a worrying number of authorised medicines fail to meet quality standards because of improper storage and other issues. The scale of the problem is hard to quantify precisely, but a WHO pooled analysis of 100 studies from 2007 to 2016, covering more than 48,000 samples, showed 10.5 per cent of drugs in low and middle-income countries to be fake or substandard. With pharmaceutical sales in such countries running at nearly $300 billion a year, this implies that trade in fake medicines is a 30 billion dollar-business. The human toll is enormous, according to a team from the University of Edinburgh, which was commissioned by the WHO to study the impact of fake drugs. They calculated that up to 72,000 deaths from childhood pneumonia could be attributed to the use of antibiotics with reduced activity, increasing to 169,000 deaths if drugs had no activity. Poor-quality drugs also add to the danger of antibiotic resistance, threatening to undermine the power of life-saving medicines in future. Another group from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated that 116,000 additional deaths from malaria could be caused each year by bad anti-malarials in sub-Saharan Africa. “Substandard and falsified medicines particularly affect the most vulnerable communities,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus. “This is unacceptable.” Since 2013 the WHO has received 1,500 reports of fake and low-quality products, with anti-malarials and antibiotics the most commonly reported categories. However, the problem extends to everything from cancer drugs to contraceptive pills. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 42 per cent of all the reports. There was no global reporting of this data before 2013.(Reuters/NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/corrupt-governance-responsible-for-insecurity-banditry-in-north-shettima/amp/Says

Politics

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The Federal Government in a bid to curtail the epileptic power situation in the country has spent about N5 trillion ($31.45 billion) from 1999 till date. But it has only been able to increase the country’s electricity generating capacity by about 2,500 mega watts over the last 14 years. This is a far cry compared to its peers — South Africa and Brazil. Brazil recorded an investment of $58 billion in its power sector between 1994 and 2008, while it currently produces about 100,000MW of electricity. South Africa on the other hand, currently produces about 40,000MW of electricity, with plans to invest additional $37 billion over the next couple of years to triple current capacity. Investments in power since 1999 Between 1999 and 2013, Federal Government’s budgetary provisions for power stood at N2.8 trillion of which over N2.326 trillion went into the National Integrated Power Projects, NIPP and various power intervention projects. Specifically, yearly allocations as contained in statistics from the Budget. However, these appropriations do not include investments by state governments, who have since been co-opted to intervene in their localities to improve the power supply situation, as according to the Nigerian Constitution, Power is exclusively the preserve of the Federal Government. Recalled that the House of Representatives in 2008, confirmed that the Federal Government approved the sum of N2.544 trillion ($16 billion) for the power sector between 1999 and 2007, which led to a public outcry, as there was hardly anything to show for it, as the lights got dimmer instead of brighter. The uproar led to further investigations in which it was discovered that only able to disburse N2.067 trillion ($13 billion) was disbursed in the eight year period, representing more than 81 percent funding. Also, a Presidential Review Panel on the National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, in a presentation to the National Economic Council, NEC, in 2009, revealed that as at 2007, the NIPP got N1.627 trillion, plus the N318 billion Federal Government’s counterpart funding for the Mambilla Hydro Power project, and N222.6 billion ($1.4 billion) for additional nine turbines. The panel however revealed that only N489.72 billion ($3.08 billion) was funded and scrutinised with advance payment guarantees from first class Nigerian banks and Letters of Credits issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. It also stated that over N238.5 billion ($1.5 billion) of the sum was still in the custody of the banks as at then. In addition, Mr. James Olotu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, last year disclosed that the Federal Government is spending N1.26 trillion on 10 National Integrated Power Projects across the country. He said about N492.4 billion ($3.12 billion) was budgeted for the first phase of the project, which started in 2006 and ended in 2007. This allocation covered seven power projects, while N920 billion ($5.82 billion) was budgeted to be utilized in the second phase starting from 2007. Olotu further disclosed that the funds were kept in the custody of JP Morgan and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, while N882.4 billion had been disbursed to the NDPHC till date. According to him, four of the projects had been completed, while six others are at various stages of completion. He said; “In totality, Nigerians have contributed $8 billion to build 10 power generation plants, which after completion, will give a total of 4,774MW. “We are also building substations, transmission and distribution lines, as well as gas pipelines to ensure that the plants get gas when they are completed.” He listed the completed projects as: Omotosho in Ondo State – 451MW Alaoji, Abia State – 1,074MW Sapele, Delta State – 451MW Olorunsogo, Ogun State – 750MW Those close to completion are: Ihovbor power project in Edo State – 451MW Geregu, Kogi State – 434MW Egbema, Imo State – 338MW Gbarain, Bayelsa State – 225MW Omoku, Rivers State – 225MW Calabar, Cross River State – 561MW Concerns over funds’ utilisation Despite the huge budgetary provisions, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Power still expressed concern over the poor utilisation of funds appropriated for the sector. Mr. Patrick Ikhariale, the Committee Chairman disclosed that whereas the sum of N75 billion was appropriated less than half or N34.7 billion or 46 percent was released to the Ministry of Finance, while only N19.7 billion (56 percent) was utilised by the Ministry of Power. He argued that this implies that the Ministry did not require as much funding as it demanded, especially as it lacked the capacity to implement its capital budget. This contrasts sharply with constant claims by the ministry that the country required at least $10billion annually for 10 years to get power right. 2,500MW added since 1999 Despite these huge investments, Nigeria has only been able to increase its electricity generating capacity from about 2,000MW in 1999 to about 4,500MW as at today. There appears to be no end in sight to the sufferings of Nigerians as power supply remains epileptic at an average of between three to four hours daily. Equally, industries, particularly the small and medium scale, SME sub-sect have closed shop on account of lack electricity to power their operations. Even businesses in operation record their highest operating costs from electricity, as many invest in multiple generating sets to run their tools. Commenting on the funds allocated to the power sector and its impact on power generation, Mr. Michael Olawale-Cole, President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Management, expressed concern that despite the huge allocation to the sector over the years, power generation is yet to record significant improvement. He said, “Government’s sundry attempts at generating adequate power for the nation in the recent past have ended disastrously what with the scandals of monumental misappropriation of funds that trailed the various NIPPs across the country. “There is no guarantee that the situation is going to change for the better in the near future,” adding that “the country seems to be at crossroads with the issue of power generation at the moment.” He argued that “Once the issue of power generation and distribution is resolved, the nation’s firm match to greatness will be guaranteed.” Underscoring how critical power is to economic growth, Prof. Rahamon Bello, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, lamented that in spite of the abundant energy resources in the country and significant government investments in the sector over the last ten years, electricity supply remains a serious challenge to Nigeria’s socio-economic development. He said majority of Nigeria’s power infrastructure were built in the 1970s and 1980s and due to a freeze in investment in the sector, lack of maintenance and adequate expansion of the facilities over the years, Nigeria had to contend with epileptic and erratic power supply. According to him, as at today, less than 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population has access to the national grid due to inadequate transmission and distribution networks. Impact of power on economic development Steady power is essential for national development, especially as it positively influences socio economic activities as well as the living standard of citizens. In addition, ageing and poorly maintained infrastructure, weak network configuration and overloaded transformers, result in frequent system collapse, high transmission and distribution losses among others. Analysts are of the view that lack of access to electric power, and modern energy in general, also has a negative effect on productivity and has limited the economic opportunities available to developing countries including Nigeria. This, they said, is compounded by the poor state of existing infrastructure, which creates the dual challenge of finding resources for maintenance of existing facilities and also to build new power plants. They contend that improving access to modern energy is a necessary condition for boosting growth and reducing poverty in not only Nigeria but Africa in general. In comparison to other countries, Nigeria’s installed capacity is grossly inadequate. As at 2010, only about 3,700 megawatts was available for a population of 140 million people due to various reasons including gas supply constraints, inadequate maintenance of equipment that stems from procurement constraints, dearth of skilled maintenance personnel and the dependence on imports of parts and foreign experts to carry out repairs and overhauls. Bello, who is a Professor of Chemical Engineering, noted that in 2000, power generation capacity was as low as 1,500MW, due, mainly to lack of investment in maintenance and expansion programmes on existing power plants. Even as the implementation of the Power Sector Reform Programme is well advanced, Bello called for appropriate commercial framework to support private investments to the sector. He maintained that to proceed with the reform programme, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive action plan to holistically implement the programme as encapsulated in the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, EPSRA, 2005 He further advocated for a feasible incentive scheme backed by policy to encourage private sector investment in generation and distribution. “Financial institutions and market systems that will support power procurement between generation companies and distribution companies should be put in place. Empowerment should be given to the office of the market operator to commence shadow trading,” Bello added. On his part, Olawale-Cole said, “It is a common knowledge that Nigeria has been backward in the areas of successful start-up businesses, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and industrialisation generally which are the core catalysts for real national development due to poor power generation. “Many companies have continued to operate at just break-even point and below installed capacity while the ones that cannot cope under the harsh operating climate occasioned by ever-mounting overhead costs have since closed shop or relocated to smaller neighbouring countries where there is steadier power supply.” He also reiterated that security is key to future investments in the economy, while calling on the citizenry to support government’s efforts in order to move the country to the next level. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/fg-invests-n5trn-in-2500mw-power/

Politics

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In recent years, the fashion industry has faced increasing scrutiny due to its negative environmental and social impacts. However, a new movement has emerged, championing eco-friendly and ethical fashion practices. Sustainable fashion aims to create clothing and accessories that have a reduced carbon footprint, are made from sustainable materials, utilize recycling, and adhere to fair trade principles. This essay will explore the rise of sustainable fashion and highlight its significance in promoting a more conscious and responsible industry. One of the pillars of sustainable fashion is the use of environmentally friendly materials. Conventional textile production relies heavily on non-renewable resources, such as petroleum-based synthetic fibers. In contrast, sustainable fashion focuses on utilizing organic and natural materials, such as organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo. These materials have a lower environmental impact as they require less water, energy, and chemicals during cultivation and processing. Additionally, sustainable fashion embraces innovative alternatives like recycled fibers, such as recycled polyester made from plastic bottles, or regenerated fibers like Tencel made from sustainably sourced wood pulp. These materials reduce waste and minimize the consumption of virgin resources. Recycling and Upcycling Another vital aspect of sustainable fashion is recycling and upcycling. The fashion industry is notorious for its throwaway culture, with vast amounts of clothing ending up in landfills each year. To combat this, sustainable fashion encourages recycling and upcycling practices. Recycling involves the transformation of discarded garments or textiles into new materials, which can be used to create new products. This process reduces waste and conserves resources. Upcycling, on the other hand, involves transforming old or unwanted garments into higher-quality items. By reimagining and repurposing materials, upcycling adds value and extends the lifespan of clothing, reducing the demand for new products. Fashion Brands Embracing Sustainability The rise of sustainable fashion has been fueled by numerous brands and designers committed to ethical and eco-friendly practices. Industry leaders like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and Stella McCartney have integrated sustainability into their core values and business models. These brands prioritize transparency, fair labor practices, and environmental stewardship. They often work directly with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure sustainable sourcing, fair wages, and safe working conditions. Additionally, they implement innovative strategies to reduce waste, such as zero-waste pattern-cutting techniques or utilizing deadstock fabrics. Through their efforts, these brands demonstrate that sustainability can coexist with style and profitability. Consumer Awareness and Education The growing demand for sustainable fashion can be attributed to the increasing awareness and education among consumers. People are becoming more conscious of the environmental and social implications of their clothing choices. The rise of social media and online platforms has played a significant role in spreading awareness about sustainable fashion. Influencers, bloggers, and organizations have used their platforms to promote ethical and eco-friendly brands, share information about sustainable materials, and encourage conscious consumerism. Moreover, educational initiatives and events, such as Fashion Revolution Week, have sparked conversations and encouraged consumers to ask questions about the origins of their garments and demand greater transparency from fashion companies. The Role of Technology Technology has also played a crucial role in the rise of sustainable fashion. Innovations like 3D printing and digital design have the potential to revolutionize the industry by reducing waste and improving efficiency. 3D printing allows for precise and customized production, eliminating excess materials and minimizing the need for transportation. Digital design tools enable designers to create virtual prototypes, reducing the need for physical samples and minimizing textile waste. Furthermore, blockchain technology has emerged as a tool to enhance transparency and traceability within the fashion supply chain. By recording and verifying transactions, blockchain ensures that ethical and sustainable practices are upheld, from raw material sourcing to the final product. Fair Trade and Ethical Practices Sustainable fashion encompasses fair trade principles, advocating for workers' fair treatment and compensation of workers throughout the supply chain. Traditional fashion production often exploits garment workers in developing countries, subjecting them to low wages, unsafe working conditions, and long hours. Fairtrade initiatives ensure that workers receive fair wages, have access to safe working conditions, and are provided with opportunities for growth and development. By supporting fair trade fashion brands, consumers can contribute to the empowerment and well-being of workers, promoting social justice within the industry. The rise of sustainable fashion signifies a significant shift in the fashion industry, where environmental and social considerations are gaining prominence. Through the use of sustainable materials, recycling and upcycling, ethical practices, and fair trade principles, sustainable fashion aims to create a more responsible and conscious industry. Fashion brands, consumers, and technological advancements have all contributed to the growth of this movement. As awareness continues to spread and sustainable practices become the norm, the fashion industry has the potential to redefine itself, embracing sustainability as a core value and paving the way for a more sustainable future. There are no comments for this story Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

https://vocal.media/styled/sustainable-fashion-exploring-the-rise-of-eco-friendly-and-ethical-fashion-practices

Fashion

en

By Sola Ogundipe Who is stronger, a man or a woman? If you say a man is stronger you are correct. If you say a woman is stronger, you are also correct. Both answers are right, depending, of course on the perspective of your reasoning. Being a man symbolises authority, firmness and toughness. The presence of a man evokes an enhanced sense of security and safety. You can’t argue with any of these. Traditionally, men are tasked with the role of providing security and protecting women and children, not vice versa. Physically, men are averagely bigger, taller, heavier, and are more muscular than women. A man’s bones are stronger and denser and his body is structurally better built to take more physical abuse and trauma than a woman. Men can jump farther and higher, run faster and further than women. Men can lift and carry heavier weights or throw things farther, and can swim faster over longer distances. Men are more aggressive and better endowed to complete more arduous tasks. Overall, men are generally bolder and superior in the endurance tasks, but in the medical aspects, it’s a completely different story. Health wise, the more fragile-boned and softer bodied women turn the tables and come out better off than men. It sounds surprising, but the facts are there. Women, even with the comparative disadvantage of their reproductive life cycle, tend to live longer and healthier lives than men. With changing lifestyles and growing emphasis on healthier diets and regular exercise, life expectancy is also changing, rising slowly but steadily year after year. But one thing that has not changed is the gender gap. Men and women are living longer, but decade after decade; women continue to live longer than men. In fact, the gender gap is wider now than it was a century ago. When taken together, the longevity gap is quite significant. Everywhere you look; there are more older women than men, more widows than widowers. For instance, in America and to a large extent in Europe, more than half of all women older than 65 are widows and widows outnumber widowers by at least three to one. At age 65, for every 100 American women, there are only 77 men. At age 85, the disparity is even greater, with women outnumbering men by 2.6 to 1. And the longevity gap persists even into very old age, long after hormones have passed their peak; among centenarians, there are four females for every male. This gender gap is not unique to America. In fact, every country with reliable health statistics reports that women live longer than men. The longevity gap is present both in industrialised societies and in developing countries. It’s a universal observation that suggests a basic difference between the health of men and women. Not only do men die at a faster rate than women, men die younger. Men are more burdened by lifetime illness than women. On the average, a man falls ill at a younger age and has more chronic illnesses than a woman. The indirect translation of this is that women live longer and healthier lives than men. For instance, the average overall mortality rate is 41 percent higher for men than for women, and it’s also higher for men for eight of the 10 leading causes of death. In addition, American men are 2.1 times more likely to die from liver disease, 2.7 times more likely to die from HIV/AIDS, 4.1 times more likely to commit suicide, and 3.8 times more likely to be murder victims than women. Further, men are nearly 10 times more likely to get inguinal hernias than women, and five times more likely to have aortic aneurysms. Men are about as likely to contract HIV and AIDS as women, but are more prone to gout and three times more likely than women to develop kidney stones, to become alcoholics, or to have bladder cancer. Men are about twice as likely to suffer from emphysema or a duodenal ulcer. Although women see the doctor more often, the medical care cost is much higher for men beyond age 65. The gender gap in health and longevity A man and a woman each have 22 identical pairs of chromosomes. The 23rd set of chromosomes separates the sexes. This final pair contains the sex chromosomes. In women, the pair are X chromosomes, while in men one is an X and the other a Y. The Y chromosome is smaller and contains fewer genes that may be linked to diseases that contribute to the excess male mortality throughout life. In addition, if a woman has a disease-producing gene on one of her X chromosomes, it may be counterbalanced by a normal gene on the other X, but if a man has the same bad gene on his X chromosome; he lacks the potential protection of a matching gene. Advantage: Women. This is also key to the health gap between men and women. For instance, the number of new prostate and breast cancers are closely matched, but women are about 45 percent more likely to die from their disease. If malignant and benign diseases of the uterus and the perils of pregnancy and childbirth are factored in, one would expect that women are the more fragile sex. But they are not. An explanation is the hormonal influence which, however, don’t account for the lion’s share of the gender gap, but they play a role. For instance, oestrogen raises High Density Lipoprotein, HDL or good cholesterol levels, perhaps explaining why heart disease typically begins about 10 years later in women than men. Research shows that in physiologic doses, testosterone may help some men with heart disease. Women who take oestrogen well beyond menopause, when their natural levels plummet, experience an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. On the other hand, testosterone may contribute to the risk-taking and aggressive behaviour that causes problems for many young men. And testosterone also fuels diseases of the prostate, both benign and malignant. Even so, the testosterone-prostate connection can’t account for the longevity gap, since there are more deaths from breast cancer than prostate cancer. Both sex hormones keep bones strong, but here, men have the edge. As men age, testosterone levels decline slowly, about 1 percent a year, but oestrogen levels drop abruptly at menopause, boosting the risk of osteoporosis. Verdict: Draw Males and females have similar Low Density Lipoproteins, LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels, but women have substantially higher levels of “good” cholesterol (60.3 milligrams per decilitre, or mg/dL, versus 48.5 mg/dL on average). HDL cholesterol protects against heart disease, but triglycerides may increase risk. Diabetes is a major problem and metabolic risk factor for both sexes and its prevalence is increasing in both. But it affects a somewhat higher percentage in men. Obesity is rapidly increasing. The prevalence of obesity is slightly higher in women than men; although excess weight is more of a problem for males. Women tend to carry excess weight on their hips and thighs (pear shape), while men add the excess weight to their waistlines (apple shape or beer belly). Excess body fat is never a good thing, but abdominal obesity is much riskier than lower body obesity, sharply increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Women tend to be shaped well than men. Although obesity is often classified as a metabolic problem, it usually results from unwise health behaviours, another major misfortune for males. Advantage: Women. Work stress can increase the risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. Stress, hostility, and anger have all been implicated as heart disease risk factors, and these traits tend to have a higher prevalence in men than women. Work-related stress and heart-breaking personality factors may contribute to male vulnerability. But as more women enter the workplace and add financial obligations to their traditional roles at home, they are gradually closing the gender gap by moving in the wrong direction. Advantage: Women. Social, spiritual networks Women tend to have much larger and more reliable social networks than men. A study by the New England Research Institute found that 28 percent of women but only 9 percent of men report they can rely on friends for support, and men were 2.5 times more likely than women to lack social support. In general, women are more in touch with their feelings and with other women, and they have a remarkable ability to express their thoughts and emotions. This strong relationships and good communication seem to help explain why women live longer on Earth. Advantage: Women From boyhood on, males take more risks than females, and they often pay the price in terms of trauma, injury, and death. Simple precautions like seat belts and bike helmets can help, but more complex measures involving education about alcohol, drugs, firearms, and safe sex are also essential. Advantage: Women Aggression and violence These are extreme forms of risky behaviour, and they all have many of the same root causes. A man who takes risks places himself in harm’s way, but his unwise choices may not endanger others. Violent behaviour, though, directly threatens the health and well-being of others, both male and female. A man is nearly four times more likely to die from homicide or suicide than a woman, but women are much more likely to be victims of domestic violence. Men need more self-control and anger management if they are to close this portion of the gender gap. Advantage: Women. Smoking This is the riskiest of all health habits. In the old days, men smoked but women didn’t. Times have changed, now women smoke in large numbers and are catching up with men in heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema. Both sexes are trying to break the habit, but more men (24 percent) than women (18 percent) are hooked on cigarettes. Tobacco smoking is likely to continue fuelling the gender gap for years to come. Advantage: Women Alcohol and substance abuse Like smoking, drinking and drug abuse are self-destructive habits that are traditionally male problems increasingly threatening to women as well. Small to modest amounts of alcohol appear to protect a man’s health, reducing his risk of heart attack and the most common type of stroke. But larger amounts shorten life by increasing the likelihood of hypertension, heart failure, liver disease, various cancers, accidents, and traumatic death. Men are twice as likely as women to be binge drinkers and to become dependent on alcohol. Illicit drugs claim thousands of lives a year and it’s a tragedy for both sexes, but males are 80 percent more likely to abuse drugs than females. Advantage: Women Meat is bad, veggies are good. It’s an oversimplification, but it may help explain why women are generally healthier than men: in most cases, they eat better. Women are about 50 percent more likely than men to meet the goal of eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Advantage: Women Men and women used to get plenty of exercise from their routine, but as men moved behind desks, women who continued to haul shopping bags, climb stairs, scrub floors, and wash mountains of clothes, continued to get the many health benefits of physical activity. But as modern appliances replace muscles at home and women join men in sedentary jobs, women are falling slightly behind in exercise. But most men still don’t come close to getting the exercise they need for optimal health. Verdict: Draw. In the developed world, women are likely to think and do more about health. Women are more likely than men to have health insurance and a regular source of health care. But the reverse is the case in developing countries. A major survey by the Commonwealth Fund, shows that three times as many men as women had not seen a doctor in the previous year; more than half of all men had not had a physical exam or cholesterol test in the previous year; among men over 50 years of age, 41 percent had not been screened for prostate cancer, and 60 percent had not been screened for colon cancer in the previous year; and 25 percent of men said they would handle worries about health by waiting as long as possible before seeking help. In general, men who have the most traditional, macho views about masculinity are likely to be the least healthy. Advantage: Women. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/im-stronger-man/

Romance

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U.S. health officials issued a travel warning Thursday for three West African nations as the death toll soared from an Ebola outbreak, while Obama administration officials downplayed the possibility that travelers could bring the virus to a U.S.-Africa summit President Obama will attend in Washington next week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an advisory against “non-essential” travel to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where the deadly disease has claimed the lives of at least 729 people and infected more than 1,300. The last time the federal agency issued such a travel warning was in 2003, during the SARS outbreak in Asia. “Ebola is worsening in West Africa,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. He said the agency is sending 50 additional staff to West Africa to advise countries on controlling the disease. International health organizations describe the Ebola epidemic as out of control, and say it could take up to six months to suppress. There is no known cure or vaccine for the virus. The head of the World Health Organization and the leaders of the three West African nations are expected to announce a $100 million response plan and will meet on Friday to launch the initiative. The crisis caused Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma to declare a health emergency and to cancel his trip to Washington to attend next week’s summit, which begins Monday. The leaders of Liberia and Guinea also reportedly are canceling their plans to attend the conference. “Sierra Leone is in a great fight. … Failure is not an option,” Mr. Koroma told his nation in a televised address. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Mr. Obama has no plans “at this point” to alter or cancel the summit schedule. The White House is billing the conference as the largest gathering of African leaders ever in Washington, including some representatives from the nations where the contagion is spreading. Mr. Earnest said the CDC has determined there is “no significant risk in the United States” from the Ebola outbreak. The U.S. also is considering evacuating two American aid workers diagnosed with Ebola back to the U.S. for treatment. While the administration is advising Americans not to travel to West Africa, there are no restrictions against people traveling to the U.S. from the countries where the outbreak is occurring. Rep. Alan Grayson, Florida Democrat, has asked the administration to restrict travel into the country from anyone who lives or has recently visited the three countries suffering from the breakout. Mr. Grayson, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wants the State Department to ban citizens of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from entering the U.S., including any travelers who have visited those countries in the past 90 days. A spokeswoman for Mr. Grayson said Thursday that the administration had not responded to his request. While officials are downplaying the possibility of the virus arriving in the U.S., others point to the case of Patrick Sawyer, a 40-year-old U.S. citizen who died from Ebola July 25 in Nigeria. Mr. Sawyer had been scheduled to fly to Minneapolis in mid-August to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. Ebola’s flu-like symptoms appear abruptly after an incubation period of two to 21 days. Victims, who may experience severe internal and external bleeding, usually die from shock or organ failure within one to two weeks. Ebola spreads in human populations through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluid of an infected person; experts say it cannot be spread by sneezing or coughing. Mr. Earnest said the CDC is alerting health care workers in the U.S. and reminding them how to isolate and deal with cases of Ebola, although the agency has determined it’s unlikely Ebola would spread if detected in the U.S. Mr. Koroma said in a statement online that Sierra Leone is implementing measures aimed at tackling the Ebola virus, including quarantines and a ban on most public meetings. “Fellow citizens, this is a national fight, and it behooves all of us to stand together to promote the truth about this deadly disease,” Mr. Koroma said. “Ebola is real, and we must stop its transmission.” On Wednesday, the Peace Corps announced it was pulling all 340 volunteers from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia in response to the outbreak of the highly contagious disease, which kills up to 90 percent of those infected. Please read our comment policy before commenting.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/31/african-leader-cancels-trip-us-over-ebola-outbreak/

Politics

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SAN FRANCISCO — Google and Facebook have been taking steps to curb the number of false news articles propagated across their sites. On Wednesday, the Silicon Valley companies showed that they were still in the early stages of their battle to limit misinformation online. In a blog post, Google said it had permanently banned nearly 200 publishers from its AdSense advertising network near the end of last year, after putting into effect a policy in November to choke off websites that try to deceive users from its online ad service. On the same day, Facebook introduced changes to its Trending Topics feature — a part of the social network that some have blamed for spreading false information — to better promote reliable news articles. Yet taken together, the efforts showed how the fight against fake news remains a work in progress. Google’s bans were a drop in the bucket compared with the almost two million publishers that use AdSense. Facebook’s new measures were part of a continuing series of small experiments by the company to find out what worked best in displaying news to its users. “We genuinely asked Google and Facebook for ‘moonshots,’” said Jason Kint, the chief executive of Digital Content Next, an online publishing industry group. “We appreciate the work, but based on the numbers, that’s hardly even running in place.” Google and Facebook have been in something of a no-win situation in recent months when it comes to fake news. Both companies have been grappling with a widespread backlash over how their sites may have spread rumors on a vast scale, and how little responsibility they take for any of the content that appears on their platforms. The issue came to a head after the American presidential election, when commentators accused Facebook in particular of swaying voters to President Trump through misleading and untrue news articles.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/technology/google-facebook-fake-news.html?_r=0&referer=

Politics

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Pandora Papers only confirmed what Africans knew all along. Political leaders, Pastors, Business cronies have always hidden under their believers to steal and launder money outside. While most of us at home demand accountability, those infuriated abroad have taken the law into their hands by assaulting looters. There was an innocent French speaking African beaten in France by a few demonstrators. He told them he was mistaken for a politician. Another Nigerian politician was also hit as well as one of the President 's entourage. Anger among Diaspora Africans and hunger at home forced activists abroad to question their values and disgrace them during awards and lectures as the unlucky few received the beating they deserved. Most of the universities cancelled their Awards and Lectures. African countries made appreciable progress after Independence under the conscientious leadership of our Freedom Fighters. The number of schools and graduates increased considerably in Arts and Sciences while skilled African labor flowed throughout the Continent. Indeed, Nkrumah, Azikiwe and Awolowo encouraged highly educated Africans home from Diaspora. The pressure on Whites to relinquish Power in South Africa was mounted by Independent countries led by Nkrumah with generous contributions. Nigerians in general were invited to man skilled positions all over Africa when colonists left. Western Nigeria in particular could be compared in development to most countries in Europe, Asia and Americas. These gave Africa and the rest of the world hope that Nigeria was the next potential Regional Power. Instead of building on the hard earned Independence of African Freedom Fighters, prodigal politicians plunder the Continent into Poverty; worse than they met it. Many of us have wondered for years what the accomplishments of these waves of leaders were, to be invited for Awards and Lectures in the most prestigious universities abroad. Their only actions were killing the economy of African countries by abandoning their predecessors' five or ten year future plans since they handed over or power were seized by Military. They made promises to revive their countries while deliberately conspiring with economic saboteurs abroad. This is part from donating generously to foreign universities while local universities are always on strike for the lack of equipment and funds to fulfil negotiated salary increases. It is made worse by sending their families to universities and treatment in hospitals outside Africa. So, they intentionally reduce local schools to shadows of past glory as they never suffer the consequences of the degradation. The same is true of the richest African business men, most of whom do little to alleviate the depths of poverty at home but are happy to reap profit for foreign shareholders outside at any cost, even when they are killing the local economy. All that matters is their pockets, as long as they get the opportunity to launder money for themselves into offshore havens as revealed by Pandora Papers. Foreign businesses claim they need to pay for imported materials to maintain the quality of their products. Even bearage companies manufacturing water and sugar ingredients claim these cannot source in Africa. One must wonder what imported materials are so needed that Africa cannot produce. Yet, they export the same cocoa, sugarcane, cassava and corn for their finished products to be sold back to us in Africa. Ghana made a good analysis from raw materials as cocoa to finished products as chocolate and found they are only getting a fraction of the profit. The countries where chocolates are made do not even grow cocoa. Our leaders know all these but keep quiet to be in the pockets of these foreign companies while Asia countries demand local production of finished products. This is how we lost brotherly love, our brothers' keeper and free hugs we had until recently. There is too much hustling and bustling to control workers as a means of production to get richer. Survival of the fittest in the world market sustained by the cheapest labor available has turned humans into monsters. If they tell you it is about the love of God, tell them to love their fellow man first as God desires. You realize their international corporate bodies, preceded by religious missionaries that continue to lose memberships in their countries gain more converts in Africa to tenderize African tastes, aid and abet the businesses that exploit you as good Christians and Muslims. It all boils down to their individual material gains in the name of "civilization". At 64th Independence, Nigerians Groan In Hunger, Economic Ha President Tinubu Confers National Honours On Akpabio, Justic President Tinubu Announces 30-day National Youth Conference Full Text Speech Of President Tinubu’s National Address On N Better Days Are Ahead, Join Me In This Journey Towards Brigh Between Justice And Torture: Nigeria's Death Row Phenomenon A Toast For Nigeria At 64 19 Inmates Released As Gov Aiyedatiwa Extends Prerogative Of Cjn Kekere-ekun: Her First Major Test Is Coming With The Riv Ganiyu Bamgbose’s “african Homes And The Missing Rod”—a Repl All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. 2005-2024, © Copyright thenigerianvoice.com

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/302874/failed-leaders-wrapped-in-past-glories-shamed-abroad.html

Politics

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How do humans explain in this century, that we still elect and rally round leaders with a killer instinct sending our Youths to wars over crude suzerainty to fight those that want to decide their own political economic survival? The worst friends we have are those enemies that claim they love us by force, Africans call Tipatipa. Yet, all species of animals protect and mourn their own from death. Brain and emotional fatigue have killed our sympathy and ability to empathize with those unable to defend themselves against the might of the powerful. Even those who were the victims of atrocities yesterday have become indifferent as the perpetrators today, for the fear of becoming victims again of yesterday's suffering. If the Africans know the real Mission of explorers like Mungo Park when he fell deadly ill in the south-west Malian village of Kamalia, a Mandinka man would not have nursed him back to health over a period of seven months. He came back again until he met his Waterloo in the rapids of Bussa. Even the American Indians would not have rescued Columbus wandering on the sea, if they had known it would lead to their subjugation. Humans have evolved with a propensity to kill one another that is six times higher than the average mammal, new research demonstrated. Scientists calculated that when we first developed into modern humans about two per cent of deaths were caused by fellow Homo sapiens, according to a research article in the journal of Nature. We witness many barbaric acts around the world dressed as retaliation, collateral damages, preemptive strikes, in defense of democracy and socialism. If these repulsive rituals for suzerainty, domination and exploitation are now at its peak in our time since the worst of World War I and II, it must not be repeated during the civilized age. Politicians are like the fanatics that use economic leverage, religions and missionaries to change the world order so that they can rule every corner of the world from Africa to Asia. Yet humans are becoming the most vicious of all animals to completely eliminate or threaten the very existential survival of one another. There must be a blind spot for the choice of these leaders that plunges us Into deep mourning when they encourage the massacre of other human beings inside or outside our countries. The only way to become indifferent is when we demonize other people that are left to die because we cannot rescue them from our own selfish interest. Most of those voters do not see beyond their immediate needs. This is how corrupt politicians and big business win the trust of the Union bursters that gave them middle class privileges. The anti women politicians get women votes. Military dodgers corner military votes and hoarders of food meant for the poor that raise food prices; obtain votes by distributing the same food as stomach infrastructure. The biggest threat to any democracy is an uninformed electorate. However, looking at statistical averages overlooks those vulnerable groups that have lost their high paying Union jobs while the Government bailed out big Banks and Investment companies that gambled recklessly with Pensions and small stocks at the markets. The big boys came out richer paying a lower percentage of their income than the working class. The conservatives captured their votes by promising jobs they had lost to new technologies. The return to their good old days without the new migrants taking the old jobs. This class without a college degree make up the majority of voters and if over half of them are persuaded, the Extremist parties win. Replacement theory fears (Remember Jews will not replace us!) have raised the angst against the influx of migrants. They elected Right extremist leaders comforted by Christian Right. The angry working classes fell to the lower side of median, not mean incomes. They find themselves competing with minimum wage workers and new immigrants for the first time in their generation. They are the ones that lost their old income which covered all the food they want, cars and houses in the suburbs. They become part of the folks on free food lines for the poor. So, the new immigrants are seen as threats to the middle class life they had without college degrees. What and how can the majority of the world be better informed to take actions that will expose the burden they carry against their own interests? They are promised freedom of choice while opponents are violently denied. Leaders' choice is between Autocracy, Theocracy, Dictatorship. But are lured into the worst form of governance in the name of democracy! No matter how close we are in origin and history, people will exploit people. Africans should love one another the way other people do, not kill the way they do. We look at how the refugees in Ukraine are welcomed at their borders by different countries around and far from them and see humanity in action. Of course, white people love one another. There is nothing wrong with people loving one another. The love did not prevent the bloody massacre that split Czechoslovakia after the reign of an inspiring leader. But look closely in Ukraine, the people killing one another have the same Slavic and Rus origin divided by political economy. The line between hate and love can become combustible and repulsive. It only takes a rancid minded partner with a killer instinct to turn love into hate. Unfortunately, we reason that fires are used to combat fires. Indeed, the rationale for nuclear deterrence is acquisition of nuclear power. Somehow, we rely on the judgment and pledges of these leaders not to use what they have when they are desperate. It is humans that developed the weapon of mass destruction, not only to eliminate one another but to vacate every living animal in the world. If these were other species that became so cannibalistic, humans would destroy them. One of the few times we condemned people to death is when they commit heinous crimes against humanity. If these people are so out of character, it does not fit into the factors needed to be a leader. This is exactly what voters or constituted bodies choose when people we know are horrendous, become leaders. Recent research has found that individuals who boast dark personality traits, such as narcissism, can still retain high levels of cognitive and affective empathy. The study, recently published in Personality and Individual Differences, identifies these types of people as “dark empaths.” Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1158369/brutality-suzerainty-wars-signs-of-killer-insti.html

Politics

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Hoping against Hopelessness Party Regeneration in Tropical Africa Nothing lasts in the tropics. It is the iron law of nature. In the sweltering and sultry heat, things grow fast and die fast. Living organisms procreate and proliferate quickly rising to their greatest potential before noon only to perish with the same speed by night fall. Great political parties rise before our very eyes only to begin openly decomposing. We have been here before. Only the silence and stillness of sudden death survive us. Not even the greatest monuments endure. The prodigality of nature is wired into the prodigality of tropical humanity. Even the most prized goods have their short shelf life. Monuments and milestones to posterity disappear like an august mirage. Who can ever remember or point at the tombstone of Mansa Musa, the great but profligate fourteenth century emperor of Mali Empire? Where are the empirical legacies of the fabulously rich of African history? Who is keeping the fabled beads of the illustrious Moremi of Ife? In the long and short run, geography truly matters. It may well have to do with the geography of the place. In the tropics, Mother Nature plays a spoiling role to stump the imagination and the human capacity to master its environment. Everything grows in copious and prodigal abundance. Little human cultivation is required of the denizens. The tropical lassitude permitting, you can pick up the bounties of nature at will, just like your hunter-gatherer ancestors. You reap where you did not sow. If this does not get in the way of a transition to full modernity, one must wonder what does. When Samuel Adepeju Aluko, the notable Nigerian economist, was asked why the Nigerian economy had not collapsed despite the best efforts of its kleptocratic ruling class, the meticulously provincial economist famously retorted that the economy could not collapse as long as the people can jump into the bush and hunt down wild rodents and dig up wild-growing cassava tuber with ancestral relish. A quarter of a century after Aluko’s sobering prognosis, the informal economy in Nigeria continues to trump and make nonsense of the formal economy, making it impossible to codify or scientifically evaluate real economic performance and genuine growth. The informal economy becomes the real economy and the source of the mysterious survival and sustenance of the people in the face of harsh deprivation. Yet until the informal economy is formalized and finessed through organic developmental process, economic modernity will continue to elude the nation. With the youth of tropical Africa voting with their feet, the economic disequilibrium is bound to get worse. As the youth are lured away by the prospects of better fortunes in foreign climes, the rampaging momentum of globalization and the advent of new technologies impose their own solution on the problems of primitive economies giving rise to social deviancy, high-tech hacking of banks, internet scams, techno-kidnapping, the ritualization of poverty and other forms of social cannibalism. Yet despite the bleak prognosis, there may well be some light at the end of the Nigerian tunnel. Nothing concentrates the mind of nations better than the prospects of death and disintegration. This being the season of compassion and charity, we could do with some of these virtues in Nigeria. Despite its languid and uninspiring take off and whatever the internal contradictions and ethical somersaulting, charity demands that even its worst critics appreciate the efforts of the current government in fighting corruption and in trying to put the economy on a sound footing of agricultural self-sufficiency. In recent times, no government has done as much as the Buhari administration to drum it to the Nigerian populace that we must consume what we can produce. The progressive hue, hype and hoopla of its provenance notwithstanding, it is obvious that General Buhari is running a conservative, law and order administration. This in itself is not a political crime. The APC is an amalgam of conflicting and contradicting tendencies. It would have taken a political wizard of exemplary skills to weld these conflicting tendencies seamlessly together. But as we have seen, politics is not General Buhari’s forte. What is now important is to lay the ideological cards that drive governance on the table so that others with a contrasting ideological vision of the country can also put their template on the table for Nigerians to judge accordingly. If a nation were to survive in the long run and make accelerated economic progress, the less emphasis on tribal exultations and religious grandstanding the better. Forging national ideological consensus matters. Ideology determines the preference for a particular type of politics. This in turn influences the economic orientation of government. For example, while there can be no doubt that President Buhari’s conservative nationalism and law and order worldview has led to the degrading of the Boko Haram scourge, the lack of fundamental clarity in the economic sphere has led to periodic shortages of petroleum products which have in turn compounded the misery of the people. Fortuitously even in the hot and sultry tropics, there seems to be the possibility and prospects of life after death. A dead party like the old PDP can suddenly resurrect and begin to hint of a menacing return to customary duty post. Despite the obvious fact that a leopard cannot change its spots, it will be foolish and foolhardy to dismiss the prospects of the former ruling rally, particularly in a nation in which elections are often an ethnic census conducted without recourse to any guiding ideology or formal party principles. There is no point in pleading the danger of mortality to a person who has escaped from heaven, or what the Yoruba call an Ayorunbo. Both the resurrected PDP and the openly ailing APC face formidable and monumental obstacles if they are to transform into authentic political parties and veritable agents of national transformation. First, they will need to come up with coherent ideologies for rescuing Nigeria from the stasis of political and economic underdevelopment. Second, they will need to take a harder look at their mode of leadership recruitment. Thirdly and lastly, they will need to look at their preferment and patronage mechanism which is currently skewed in favour of primordial proclivities and eccentric whimsicalities. Indeed on this last note, the PDP seems to have done better than the APC in its distribution of patronage and preferment. Luckily and fortuitously again, help seems to be coming from an African country which seems to have escaped the vagaries of the sad tropics. South Africa is located just below the Tropics of Capricorn and it is this accident of geography that seems to have led the Boer settlers to forcibly occupy the land in the first instance. The election of Cyril Ramaphosa as the ANC leader is a classic instance of party regeneration in contemporary African politics. It is the triumph of system and institutions over individuals however powerful and influential. In a tough and keenly contested election, the former trade union leader and iconic veteran of the struggle against the Apartheid regime, trounced the former wife of the outgoing leader and president, Jacob Zuma. The ANC is now poised to overcome whatever damage inflicted on party and country by Zuma’s serial shenanigans. In recalling the triumph of Cyril Ramaphosa, it will be useful to bring up two important facts. First, Ramaphosa was originally Nelson Mandela choice as his successor. But Mandela was overruled by the ANC old guard who might have been swayed by old loyalties to their fallen colleague and comrade in arms, Govan Mbeki, Thabo Mbeki’s much esteemed father. It could also be that they felt that the dour, solid and cosmopolitan Thabo Mbeki was a steadier and more stabilising hand than the hard-hitting and ideologically implacable Ramaphosa. Second, the ANC was formed as a protest movement against injustice and not a political party which accounts for its enduring discipline and cohesion. The ANC was founded in 1912. But it did not come to power until the nineties. It had endured many storms, bleak exile and the imprisonment of its core leadership, yet it did not come apart at the seam. Despite the artillery fire and relentless bombardment of a hostile and savage apartheid government and the mendacity and treachery of the international community, the ANC did not fracture, neither was it for once factionalised into regional, ethnic and religious components. Rather than seeking explanations in metaphysical nonsense, the secret of ANC’s great coherence and cohesion as an African party is there for all to decode rationally, logically and scientifically. It inheres in core cadre discipline, exceptional leadership qualities and committed followership. When he was released from jail, an interviewer asked Nelson Mandela whether he did not see the South African presidential lodge as his next destination. Mandela retorted that as a loyal and disciplined party man, he would be waiting for the next assignment from his party and if he was asked to be a janitor he would be there happily manning his post. After the Mandela presidency when Thabo Mbeki, was chosen as successor and party leader over the competing and probably more pressing claims of the local leadership that bore that bore the brunt of state violence under apartheid, the party did not fracture into its ethnic, regional, racial and religious components. Rather than hugging the limelight with Mbeki, the likes of Matemela Cyril Ramaphosa were to find a new vocation in business and international financing. When Jacob Zuma emerged as party leader and inevitable president despite his colourful antecedents and omnivorously heterosexual exploits, the party grandees chose to stand by him rather than risk the potential ethnic and regional backlash his political defenestration might provoke. A party that is not known for anything will be remembered for nothing. The great parties of western democracies go through endless and ceaseless self-inventions but the ideological fundament remains. There is a limit to power pragmatism. Even in advanced liberal democracies, ethnic profiling and racial colouration often rear their ugly head. But it is never done at the expense of party coherence and cohesiveness. When the British Labour Party showed a preference for the English golden boy Tony Blair with his Teflon trifling and centrist fudging over his former mentor the dour and psychologically suspect Scotsman Gordon Brown, they did it without threatening the overall cohesion and coherence of the party. With his rigidly socialist worldview and Presbyterian hardihood, Brown held little appeal for an increasingly discerning electorate. It was a typically British coup engineered with flawless timing and precision and with the fabled panache of Perfidious Albion. Blair would go on to win three elections in a row for Labour before being virtually elbowed aside by his fuming and brooding former mentor. The rest is history and the ascendance of another Oxbridge English golden boy David Cameron as prime minister. On the other hand, when the Conservative party elected the gifted but unprepossessing William Hague as its leader, a backbencher noted with malicious gusto :”And now they have even elected a foetus to rule us!” or words to that effect. In his last days in parliament, the great Winston Churchill was cautioned by a young and talented Conservative front bencher against washing the party dirty linen before the enemy. Churchill rounded on his youthful interlocutor. “Youngman, that is not the enemy, that is Her Majesty’s loyal opposition”. Now pointing at the conservative backbench, Churchill roared. “My boy, the enemy is behind you!” We have a lot to learn from the great democracies of the west as well as the South Africans.

https://thenationonlineng.net/were-committed-to-one-united-nigeria-s-east-governors/Hoping

Politics

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Full text of Tinubu’s Independence speech Today, we mark our independence as a nation. On this day 62 years ago, we set forth to determine our own way, to shape our own destiny. The path we walk has not always been an easy or smooth one, but we walk it nonetheless because it is the road hewn by our own hands, ingenuity and aspirations. In this complex time, it is easy to forget the struggles of those who came before us. Those Nigerian founders and nationalists who devoted themselves to making the dream of an independent and proud Nigeria a reality. But we must not forget. We commemorate this day so that our nation shall forever hold in remembrance those who won our nation’s independence. There is no way we can repay them for their patriotism except to remember them and strive to match their love of country and their sacrifice for it. Some gave not only their best years but their very lives so that Nigeria can be born. Their labour shall never be in vain! Indeed, we have come a long way from 1960 when we gained independence. We have walked far since then. Still, the best of our national journey lies before and not behind us. Since 1999, our country has experienced 23 years of uninterrupted democracy. While, we have firmly established democracy as our way of governance, we still have work to do in perfecting our form of governance such that government will always and completely be for, of, by and because of the people. That our people live in the dignity afforded by prosperity, justice, freedom and an unyielding belief in our capacity to overcome any obstacle was what compelled our founders to strive for the independence we now enjoy. This anniversary of our independence offers us the opportunity to take stock of how far we have come as a nation and how far we must go to achieve a better nation. On this Independence Day, let us commit ourselves to Nigeria’s unity as well as to our collective improvement. In unity, we must see each other as brothers and sisters regardless of our ethnic, religious or regional diversity. In seeking national improvement, we must join hands in growing the economy, creating jobs, feeding the hungry, educating our youth, caring for the sick and protecting our people and their way of life from evil and misguided foes who seek to destroy all that is good. Today, let us thank President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration for their patriotic efforts in the service of the nation. We give utmost thanks to the committed service of the brave members of our armed forces, security and law enforcement agencies some of whom have given their very lives in defence of our freedom against terrorism and violent extremism. We thank all who have dedicated their lives to public service and to the belief that this nation can be made great. We thank each and every law-abiding citizen of our great nation who dedicate their lives in the hope that Nigeria will better and more united. Today, I speak not of politics but patriotism. The time for politics will come soon enough. But the time for and demand of patriotism never fade. May we all seek the best for Nigeria regardless of partisan affiliation and may we never undermine the national purpose in pursuit of narrow gain. As the nation heads toward the coming election, may we all eschew violence and recourse to divisive, incendiary politics that pull against the fabric of national unity and concord. My running mate, party and I stand committed to a prosperous, violence-free, and democracy-filled Nigeria. I ask you all to do the same. Only by so doing, shall we honour the sacrifices and devotion of our nation’s founders. In this way, we bring a dependable promise of renewed hope to our quest for national greatness. Thus, on this occasion of Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day, I congratulate all Nigerians everywhere. I wish you all a memorable celebration of both peace and unity.

https://thenationonlineng.net/full-text-of-tinubus-independence-speech/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1664605613

Politics

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RIVERS State has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS with a total of 145,236 adults and 15,000 children affected. Priscillia Shu, Co-ordinator, Rhema Care Integrated Development Centre stated this when the HIV/AIDS awareness center facilitated a sensitisation programme among staff of the Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism . To curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, the awareness campaigner stressed the need for abstinence and faithfulness to one uninfected partner at the event. She also advised on the need to avoid use of unsterilized sharp instruments and ensure that only screened blood are transfused. Shu recalled that the epidemic first came to lime-light in America in the 80s then gradually crept into Nigeria in 1988 in Calabar through a 13 year old teenage girl. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mrs. Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Administration, Mrs. Ibiere Pepple enjoined all staff to join hands in minimizing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/rivers-has-highest-hivaids-cases/

Health

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Most families always want a son. Women have been encouraged to continue to have babies until the first son is born. You can tell from the face of the father after each birth by his wife if it is another girl or finally a boy. The celebration after the birth of that son is grander. But different from the Indian culture of dowry for a man. We must wonder why parents love and respect the sons more than the daughters. But when the same sons become fathers, they are less favored and appreciated than daughters as mothers. We accept that women are better at multitasking and more flexible than men. As women get older they are more useful to their children's families. They get closer and jealously protect their own creations than men. Come to think about it, daughters are more useful, empathic and never actually leave the family emotionally even when married compared to the sons. You would think that with all the accolades, encouragement and investment in boys, they will return as much love as girls. The surprise or readjustment usually comes from the daughter. She contributes more in kind if they cannot do so financially. You can rely on them most of the time. They hardly leave their mother alone. A lady followed both parents to see their family doctor. Both parents asked their daughter to come in as an open family. While there, the father asked for Viagra. The daughter objected: daddy don’t kill my mother. The mother told her daughter to mind her business! However, we place so much responsibility on the son especially if he is the first born. This same responsibility is expected of him once he gets married, though they gradually get absorbed by their new family. Indeed, the debate is who deserves to be more comfortable if you have to make a first choice as a man: your mother or your wife. Many people think the first house or the first car should be for your mother before your wife. Nevertheless, it may be understood if you have a family with children to provide for; your immediate immediate family comes first. Children from rich homes look at this differently. The sons may excuse their preference by claiming their fathers already have houses and their mothers have cars. So why do we invest more on sons when we, especially the mothers, get more in returns from the daughters? There used to be a time when parents would rather send sons for further studies than daughters. Circumstances have changed. Daughters are better educated today, financially capable and better at multitasking than they have ever been. It may be that cultural expectations linger. Female teachers were surprised when recorded in a study: they were inadvertently encouraging more boys in their classrooms than girls. There are more girls in the universities these days than boys. If it is not for affirmative action, more of the girls would be in professional schools at home and abroad. There are more of them in the universities already. Actually, a good number of the professional ladies bring more money home than their partners. Believe it or not, their partners may not know. Something changed about sons that made them less favorable once they became fathers. The mothers would become the preference of the children. The problem is when mothers go overseas thinking they are going on vacation. Mama, the vacation abroad is not easy o! When children feel like rewarding or sending parents on trips at home or abroad, you can bet it has to be the mother. Their tickets are left unused if they do not want to leave the husbands alone; until the children plead and persuade mum to help make up her mind. The fact that mothers can live with their son in law is not a big deal and understandable because she is more useful in their home than the father. Fathers hardly help around their homes not to think of their children's house. Compared to the mother that multitasks. Recently, we saw a mother's celebration on one of the social media, stolen from her husband because her daughter had invited her overseas for a "holiday". When she landed, she was dancing shoko. Most of the comments congratulated her on this "great feat" in her life. Mummy, the excitement of going overseas will change after a couple of months. You will miss your husband back home, even worse he may find solace in the bosoms of others. In the first place, it can be very lonely for the elders or grandparents apart from the shivering cold overseas. it is not a place you can easily interact with those you know and others you hardly know. The children you longed so much to bond with are not easily available. You will find out that one and in most cases both husband and wife work almost throughout the day or night. By the time they get home, they will be so tired, you will pity them. Indeed, you will be asking them if they had eaten or what they would want to eat. It means, you would start cooking for them even if they do not ask you. Since you are at home not doing much, you might as well help them babysit their kids. It will save them a bundle of money. The cost of babysitting one or two kids can take most of the salary of one of the couple. So do not be surprised if they offer you a token as pocket money. Some of the mothers that know how much they are saving their children are appreciated; with minimum wage. It is good money when you get back home. By the time grandmother started babysitting for a while, she would come to realize how big a task it is to take care of those fresh, rude and stubborn kids. They do not listen to grandma and you cannot hit them for any reason. If you do, they will call the Police! Actually some of them may play some pranks, hide and seek on you. Once their parents are back home, they may behave and start their pranks when the parents leave home. Ma'am, do not get frustrated if you did not train or had their parents abroad. It is part of life there. Before the six months of your original intended stay; you may be itching to go back home to your neglected husband and friendly environment. Too much loneliness, cold, little time with your hardworking children and their lack of time for "normal life". Please do not ask them how they could live like that. They are "enjoying" oyinbo country. The bottomline is that if Grandma decided to go back home early, she would put them in debt. If you do not know, they are still paying for your ticket. Even, the money you saved them by babysitting will not cover their expenses on you if you leave too early. They were planning to buy you presents and gifts for siblings and relatives back home if you stayed longer. A few months is simply not enough. They may have to find or make another arrangement for daycare. Mama nor fall their hands o! Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1053800/women-love-their-son-than-daughter-until-he-become.html

Family

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BY EMEKA AGINAM To achieve the expected results in the fight against Ebola Virus Disease , (EVD) spreading like wild fire globally, the Africa Emergency Technology Response Forum (AETRF), called for more concerted efforts to bring robust technological responses to the crisis. AETRF is an informal network of African technology professionals engaged in Ebola response on the continent and in the Diaspora has said. This is even as the World Health Organization has said that EVD has continued to evolve in alarming ways, with the severely affected countries struggling to control the escalating outbreak. The immediate past President of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, (ISPON), Chris Uwaje in a statement to Vanguard said that AETRF believes that the expertise of technology professionals, practitioners and volunteers could be more effectively harnessed to curtail the monster virus. The Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak cannot be effectively controlled, according to the group without the critical inclusion, deployment, application and use of Information Technology infrastructure, tools and enabling resources. “While we commend the constructive interventions already in place, we recognize that more needs to be done” the group said. To fight the virus to the barest minimum, the techies called on all African Heads of State and governments to endorse and approve the following recommendations: *Increase the political commitment to stop the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak by immediately designating a technology leader on the National task force to coordinate the government’s technology initiatives in response to the Ebola outbreak. This leader should have the government’s full mandate to leverage government resources, private sector or NGO efforts in fulfilling any relevant Ebola response communications, data gathering, contact mapping and analysis of efforts; *Encourage all African countries to establish a “National Data Center” to host the “National Call Center for Ebola.” *Encourage all African countries to establish a “National Health Emergencies News & Information Radio Station” that compiles, vets and disseminates accurate health information including preventative measures related to hygiene, health education and emergency information. In addition to the radio station, the techies recommend the use of all available communications platforms including and not limited to television, SMS messaging and social media. These healthcare communications, according to the techies should be available in local languages and should address all diseases that impact the lives of Africans including Ebola, Cholera and Malaria. “With these recommendations, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to global efforts to halt the spread of the Ebola virus on the African continent” the techies added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/lasuth-has-measures-to-stem-recurrence-of-ebola-virus-outbreak/EVD

Health

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The Federal Government has announced plans to accelerate contraceptive prevalence rate in Nigeria to 36 per cent by 2018. This according to the Minister Of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, will help control the imminent population explosion and also improve the quality of life for women and children. Prof Adewole, who was speaking at an event on family planning, said the present administration is poised at making family planning a national policy. He noted that with statistics from the United Nation Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) show that 2,300 under five-year olds and 145 women die daily, this tragic history can be reversed when women have access to the use of contraceptives and space their children While a major challenge to effective family planning by most women is said to be socio-cultural, the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Prof Babatunde Osotimehin, is of the opinion that advocacy to women, who are yet to key into the use of contraceptives is necessary. Nigeria currently has a contraceptive prevalence rate of 15.1 percent.

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/08/11/fg-announces-plans-accelerate-contraceptive-prevalence-36-per-cent/

Romance

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The New World Translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses frequently inserts the name Jehovah into the New Testament. They justify this by claiming that the original New Testament contained that name. They insist that all of our manuscripts, translations, and quotations of the New Testament through all of Church history going back to the earliest years of Christianity are all corrupt. They believe the scribes altered the original readings that contained Jehovah’s name. All of the New Testament manuscripts (and even the Old Testament manuscripts) provide evidence against this theory. There is no physical, historical evidence for their theory. They, therefore, attempt to find a logical argument that will perhaps override the weight of the material evidence, i.e., that it would be rationally inconsistent for the New Testament writers not to use the divine name. They thus contend: “Since the Christian Greek Scriptures were an inspired addition to the sacred Hebrew Scriptures, the sudden disappearance of Jehovah’s name from the text would seem inconsistent.”1 Is this the case? Would it be inconsistent with the Old Testament for the New Testament writers to refer to the Almighty as “Father,” “Lord,” “Master,” and “God” but never by the personal name “YHWH” like most of the Old Testament writers did? Do we have to assume, against all material evidence, that the Apostles must have written the name of Jehovah in their writings because so many of the prophets did so? No, this is not at all a necessary conclusion. First of all, not even all of the Old Testament writings contain the name of YHWH. The book of Esther does not. The book of Song of Solomon can only be said to possibly use the name of God in a very derivative fashion as a piece of another word, and even this is disputed.2 We should also remember that the Psalms were all individual compositions and were only later compiled into one book. Considered as separate writings, many of the Psalms are Old Testament works that do not contain the name YHWH, such as Psalms 43, 45, 49, 52, 53, 60, 61, 63, 65, 67, 82, and 114. The inspired writers of the Hebrew scriptures certainly used the divine name in most of their works, but they did not do so in every inspired document they wrote. You cannot, then, say that writing a letter or a book of history without using the name of God, like those that make up the New Testament, is any more inconsistent than a book of history like Esther or an inspired poem like Psalm 43. In fact, the New World Translation’s approach to the Psalms is a great example of the fact they are not actually concerned about the pattern the Old Testament authors used regarding the divine name. Instead, they are imposing a standard of their own creation and altering both Old and New Testament writings to fit it. It is, ironically, their own standard that proves to be inconsistent. For example, Psalms 44, 51, 57, and 66 also lack the name YHWH in the Hebrew text. Instead, they call God by the title “Adonay” or “Lord.” The Jehovah’s Witness translators, however, ignore the Hebrew and insert the name Jehovah in these places anyway. It doesn’t apparently matter that the Psalmist actually wrote Lord, the Watchtower publishers believe that he should have written “YHWH.” In one even more interesting instance, Psalm 53 does not contain the name YHWH or even the word “LORD,” but they insert the name “Jehovah” in place of the word “Elohim” or “God.” As far back as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Hebrew in this passage plainly says “God.” The Greek Septuagint translates with the word “Theos,” the Greek word for “God.” The Holy Spirit through the author of the Psalm plainly chose the word “God” when he wrote this passage, but the Jehovah’s Witness translators apparently believe that “Jehovah” would have been a better choice, so they have corrected the divinely inspired writer’s “mistake.” It is thus the Watchtower Society that is inconsistent with the Old Testament writers. The Psalmists themselves don’t live up to Jehovah’s Witness standards in their use of the divine name. This should tell us something about how objective they are being when dealing with the New Testament author’s word choices. Finally, it is also not quite right to call the New Testament writings “an inspired addition to the Old Testament writings.” When the prophets wrote after Moses had given the books of the Law, they were not trying to add to the Law. They were creating a new body of inspired documents that were also infallible and authoritative for God’s people, but their writings were distinct. Likewise, the Psalmists were writing the prophetic word of God, but their works were not additions to the works of the Prophets. Not only have Jews always made such distinctions, but Jesus Himself also made them (for example, in Luke 24:44). When the New Testament writers began to produce their works, they certainly would not have said they were writing additions to the Law. They would not have said that they were adding to the Prophets. They were producing a new and distinct body of scripture. There is a sense in which we can call all of these works together as “the Scriptures,” but it would wrong to take that to mean that they are all just one big thing. The books of the Bible represent different genres and are written in different languages. They appear in the styles of their various authors and express the literary customs of the various times and places they were written. They each have a unique context and purpose, and they are rightly grouped into various categories. This doesn’t mean that some are truer or more authoritative than others, nor does it mean that there is any contradiction between them. What it does mean, however, is that we cannot expect them all to use the same words or express themselves in the same ways. While their teachings will all harmonize perfectly, there is no specific set of words, phrases, or terms that a biblical author is ever required to use. This is not the way any of the Bible works. The New Testament authors used the style and terminology that one would expect in the times and places they wrote, yet the factual, historical, ethical, and spiritual content they wrote is perfect and accurate because their words were inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is what makes their writings Scripture, not some slavish commitment to the use of the words we think they should have used to say it. The New Testament’s language is distinctive, but it is not inconsistent with the Old Testament. 1↑ | New World Translation: 2013 Revision, Appendix A5 | 2↑ | Song of Solomon 8:6 compares the passions of love to fire. The word used for fire here is sălhebetyáh. Many scholars understand the suffix “Yah” at the end to be derived from “Yahweh” or “YHWH” (Jehovah), though in an abbreviated form. This is why the NASB and ESV translate it “the fire of the LORD.” Most scholars understand the word to primarily carry the sense of “a mighty flame” (NIV), “a raging flame” (NRSV), “a most vehement flame” (NKJV, KJV) “fiery flames— the fiercest of all,” (HSCB). Ancient translations like the Septuagint favor the latter understanding and do not include a reference to YHWH or the Lord in this verse. Either way one takes it, this is a technicality of grammar and hardly an actual use of the word YHWH. |

http://ow.ly/qf9W50MjFM4

Religion

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Of Nigeria’s 180 million people, the number of illiterate Nigerians is estimated at 54 million, revealed the Federal Government yesterday. The Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Hindatu Abdullahi, presented the figures at the flag-off of the 2015 International Literacy Day celebration, and called for concerted efforts to improve the negative trend. Recently, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) announced that over 757 million adults worldwide still lacked basic literacy skills, with about two-third of them being women, mostly from Nigeria and other third-world countries. Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, in her message to mark the 2015 International Literacy Day, lamented that the number of out-of-school children and adolescents was on the rise, standing at 124 million worldwide. Nigeria, in 2000, joined other countries to commit to the six Education For All (EFA) goals and later the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which had 2015 as deadline for achieving their set targets. “Regrettably, a global review of achievements and challenges of EFA since inception shows that some of the targets remain unattained, especially in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria,” said Abdullahi. According to her, the 2013/2014 Global Monitoring Report (GMR) showed that countries like Brazil, China, Indonesia have attained 90 per cent literacy rate, while Egypt and India had about 70†to 89 per cent. Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan had literacy rate of less than 70 per cent. She noted that past governments generally gave more attention and resources to formal education programmes than the non-formal sub-sector, which accounted for a larger number of illiterate adults and out-of-school youths. Reacting to this, Ms Bokova called for more investment and effective policies to embed action for literacy within wider development policies. She also urged Nigeria authorities to prioritise education, as this would bring about sustainable development across the country. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/54-million-nigerians-are-illiterates/

Politics

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Ghana learnt it lesson during the 1980s and 1970s when its citizens were a disgrace all over west Africa and it economy was a basket case and it had many numerious military coup and military Government that wiped out its leadership and almost half of Ghana left for other countries like Nigeria, Ivory coast, Togo etc. Ghana has been able to be making progress in democracy and good governanc in the last 10 years but please Ghana should not jubilate too much because when Ghana is surrounded by almost 300 million people and other countries and people in unstable region in West Africa. Things can really go wrong in a minute. It is really for Ghana interest and Ghana should work for it in West Africa like President Akufor is doing in Nigeria now to help and Kofi Anan is doing in Ivory coast now, and Ghana has to use its diplomatic effort to help secure peace in West Africa because if not Ghana can go down in a minute. South Africa is going through the same thing thinking that poor and unstable people will not come. it is now tearing south Africa with peopel from Zimbabwe, Angola, Ruwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia and immigration laws cannot stop too many refugees. Remeber Ivory coast claim to be stable and surrounded by 300 million unstable nations and what happend and Ivory coast was alone in a bubble enjoying its small wealth, and what happended Refugees and problems from its neigbhours destroyes it, same with liberia, same sierra leaone, same with Kenya, Same with Zimbabwe, Same with Uganda, Same with congo, Same with Ruwanda So it is for Ghana to use its success by talking and engagement to help other wise 300 million unstable and mostly poor people will destroy Ghana no matter your immigration policy. Remember liberia is around the corner, ivory coast is around the corner, Nigeria is a stone throw, Niger, Chad, Burkina faso, Guinea. Finally,Ghana is the 3rd larges economy in West Africa and by many miles far from Nigeria economy and ivory coast the second largest After Nigeria . Ghana has a population of only 22 million people with GDP worth a country (Ghanas total worth) only 30 billion dollars.Ghana is a very poor country Ivory coast 2nd largest economy in West Afrcia with a population of 25 million people with GDP(ivory coast total worth) worth of 35 Billion dollars. Very poor country. Nigeria with a population of almost 170 million people has a GDP (total Worth of Nigeria) is almost 400 billion dolars (four hundred billion dolllars). second largest economy in Africa After South Africa and it has the population and potential to be bigger and double its economy in a minute if well manged to world standard The are seven States in Nigeria that are richer than Ghana and Ivory coast Nigeria 6 region each is richer than Ghana and ivory coast combined Look the are too many rich people and many dollars billionaires in Nigeria that have the money and resources to be war lords and cause havoc and creat their own private army and take over many countries in West Africa. Just imagine the havoc war lord Charles Taylor of Liberia and Konteh of Sierra leane cause with little money and few men few years ago. Lets pray that Nigeria does not have war otherwise everybody in West Africa is toast and in trouble because refugees from Nigeria will overwhelm every boddy. Ghana will get 50 million Nigerians in one month and Ghana will be toast and you cannot control that amount of people and they will head to Ghana and i assure you, another 30 million will head to Cameroon, and another 20 will head to Togo, another 20 will head to Benin Republic etc and no amount of force will stop them, because many of them will have money too fight and do all kind of thing and cause problems. So Ghana with its stablitity needs to work with Nigeria to make West Africa stable, because Nigeria problem is also Ghana problem so dont jubilate. Naija & Ghana have com a long way, e.g the movie industry are so similar,they even have a collabo features. Our musik is the best in africa. West African musik has rhythm.. We have each others back go Ghana.. G Go Nigeria

http://www.modernghana.com/news/325853/1/ghana-best-in-the-region-but-ghana-too-poor-and-no.html

Politics

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NATAL, Brazil — From her crumbling house with the leaky roof, across a new highway from a new World Cup stadium, Maria Ivanilde Oliveira heard everything. Notes of the national anthems floated through the humid air into her living room, where her black vinyl couch was losing its stuffing and a metal bookshelf was secured by gnarly wire. A mix of loud cheers and moans from 40,000 soccer fans told her that a team had scored. With no job and little money, Oliveira, 62, could not afford a ticket to see one of the four games played at the $450 million Arena das Dunas, one of 12 stadiums hosting the World Cup in Brazil. To squeeze out a living, Oliveira usually sells ice out of her house, mostly to beachgoers headed to the town’s popular waterfront. But construction of the highway to accommodate the World Cup games stopped her ice deliveries about four months ago. The 420-page stadium manual published by FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, says that a new arena “provides many benefits for the local community” and enhances community pride. It says many new stadiums have gymnasiums, shops and other perks for residents. FIFA does not demand that World Cup host countries build stadiums, but just in case, it describes how they should be constructed, including the location of pipes for field drainage and requirements like telephones with recording capability in more than a dozen places, such as FIFA offices.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/sports/worldcup/world-cup-2014-residents-wonder-how-new-stadiums-will-benefit-region-after-cup.html?rref=sports/worldcup&_r=0

Sports

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As two Titans of the Yoruba nation celebrate epochal natal days In the latest of his series of very seminal lectures, (The 1886 Peace Treaty and Imperative Lessons of the Unity of Yoruba Nation),the Yoruba Leader, Professor (Senator) Banji Akintoye, recently said as follows: ”As we gather here to celebrate, my humble thought is that we, Yoruba, should spend this day to rub minds together about some deeper ramifications of our nation’s unity. Sure, we are a very strongly united nation. In fact, I have said in some of my past lectures and speeches that hardly any nation in the world can claim to be more united than the Yoruba nation. We Yoruba are all very proud of our culture and our great accomplishments in civilisation. We believe that, among nations in the world, our nation is, and deserves, to be highly exalted because of the common worldview and the principles and ideals which we evolved in our history. Our religion is so superior in its overall message and its structure that it has become in the modern world the only Black African religion that ranks as a universal religion, one of the world’s leading religions, one of the most widespread across the world, and one of the fastest expanding religions throughout the world. Our nation is also owner of principles and ideals which command great respect in the world – principles and ideals such as our Omoluabi tenets, our deep respect for human life, our respect for individual peculiarities and choices, our generally democratic tendencies, our culture of religious accommodation and harmony, our deep sense of hospitality to strangers and foreigners, our unique expectation of dutiful, respectful and decent leadership and governance, our love of the beautiful and even elegant life, our unique dedication to societal progress and orderliness, and our general orientation towards mutual help and collaboration in the quest for the better life. This worldview, principles and ideals, have kept our whole nation strongly bonded throughout our history. Even though we have lived in many separate kingdoms for most of our history, our common worldview and our cherished principles and ideals have made us a highly noticeable nation among the nations of Africa and the world. They have also distinguished us from other peoples near and far. Even when we fought wars in our nation for nearly a hundred years in the nineteenth century, the norms that we regard as uniquely Yoruba norms, nevertheless strongly persisted.”For a people with the norms, and mores, culture and civilised ethos described above by one of the most respected historians the world over , one who has devoted the greater part of his entire life to the pursuit of historical scholarship and authored several books; his magnum opus being the 428 – page:‘A History Of The Yoruba People’, it should come as no surprise, whatever, that such a people must have amongst them some distinct specimen of humanity and leading lights in various disciplines, professions and callings.It is my distinct pleasure, today, to celebrate two of such titans of the Yoruba nation who, this past week, marked their birthdays.CHIEF OLADEJI FASUANChief Oladeji Fasuan, a retired, but by no means tired, economist, is a former top civil servant who had a hand in the planning, and establishment, of most of the public companies that gave the Western Region its pride of place as Nigeria’s economic front runner in the first, and second republics. He would, however, most probably be remembered as the pivot of that incredible team that mid-wifed Ekiti State at a time it was considered least feasible. A distinguished public servant, both at the national, and sub national levels, Chief Fasuan is a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), and the Asiwaju of Afao-Ekiti.He turned 88 on 1 October, 2019. Happy birthday, Sir. Many happy returns.Paired with Chief Fasuan on this glorious occasion is the OKANLOMO of the Yoruba nation, the one and only, Lt. General Ipoola Alani Akinrinade, CFR FSS, officer and gentleman, and the quintessential OMOLUABI of our race, about who it will take pages and pages of this newspaper, not just a column, qua column, to begin to do justice to what he represents to both our country, Nigeria and the Yoruba Nation, in particular. A special creation of the Almighty with his winsome looks, General Akinrinade is decent, humble and completely without airs. So much has been written about the general in the past one week that I would rather not carry coal to Newcastle. I would, instead, discuss as much as space would permit, my long, and very close, relationship with the “baffday boy”, especially on a project that was conceptualised towards achieving the greatest good for the Yoruba nation. That project, saw him, as Chairman, adroitly demonstrate his superb, and well known etiquette, and leadership qualities, as many of the members, like the late Chiefs Bayo Akinnola and Bola Adedipe, (both representing Ondo State) and many others, were much older than him.General Akinrinade can be very intense. He devoted not only quality time, but did not spare his purse, in the arduous, and absolutely enervating business of trying to establish AGBAJO YORUBA AGBAYE which went on for not less than three years at a particularly critical time in the Yoruba trajectory, when a Nigerian president, of Yoruba extraction, was busy doing his damnest to humiliate the Yoruba nation, splitting down the middle, Afenifere, the numero uno Pan Yoruba organisation.Since then, Afenifere has never been the same.When the history of that time is written, due mention would be made of the men and women who toiled, day and night in this regard, even once setting up a Rapid Response team, under the lead of Professor Jide Osuntokun (yours truly was a member), primarily to draw ‘our president’s’ attention to the fact that nothing was coming the Yoruba way even as billions of irrigation projects, were being approved for the north at every federal executive meeting, with Muktar Shagari as the Water Resources Minister.The following are the aims and objectives of Agbajo. 1). To promote appropriate and sustainable policies and programmes to salvage, defend and fortify an authentic and self-determined Yoruba Ethnic Nationality within the Federal Republic of Nigeria and elsewhere. 2). To work in close collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure that the value system entrenched in the Yoruba culture and nomenclature as OMOLUABI’ (Literarily translated as person of integrity, honour and dignity) is fostered as a basic rudiment for mutual understanding, mutual respect, love of the Yoruba heritage such that the true national interests and identity of the Yoruba Ethic Nationality are distinctly entrenched and sustained in Nigeria and elsewhere; 3). To encourage and support only attitude and behaviours of governments and other bodies and individuals everywhere that will have progressive impact on the basic and fundamental institutions of Yoruba Ethnic Nationality, to wit:- (a) The political system, (b) The economic system, (c)The educational system (d) The family system (e) The Traditional and cultural system (including but not limited to Religion), (f) The mass media, and (j) The environmental and infrastructural system 4) To promote research and establish records on public policy on any and all issues/problem of public policies and programmes as well as prepare and disseminate/distribute information and statistics relating to the basic and fundamental institutions, personality types and cultures of the Yoruba that will promote the Yoruba Ethnic nationality as a guiding light to all ethnic nationalities in the search for a truly federal constitutional arrangement for Nigeria where all her citizens enjoy equality of opportunities in the unfettered pursuit of their happiness; 6) To apply for and acquire such concessions and acts of legislature in Nigeria or foreign country as may be advantageous for carrying out the objects of the Association. 7) To enter into any arrangements with any Government or other authority, supreme, municipal, local or otherwise, and to obtain from any such Government or authority all rights, concessions, and privileges which may seem conducive to the Association’s objects or any provisional order of the relevant Department(s) of government or authority, or any Act(s) of parliament for the purposes of the Association or any other Association(s).; 8) To reach out to other progressive unions of Yoruba including those in the Diaspora and other sympathetic nations in furtherance of the Aims and objectives of the Association What collapsed this great effort? Politics, of course, PDP politics. At inception we had requested all Yoruba state governors to send in two representatives, which they did, and everything was going on smoothly. We had drawn up the laws and regulations which were adopted and approved at a well attended mini-summit of the Association which held at the Oodua Hall, Cocoa house, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, March 22, 2007. With the 2007 election, which somebody described as war was approaching, the state governors, all PDP, with the exception of Lagos state, withdrew their representatives. The party had obviously seen the handwriting on the wall and knew that theirs was already a lost cause in Yoruba land ahead the election. That was also the time the decision was taken, at the highest levels of government, to rig the elections, even though their victory would later turn pyrrhic. Below is how a traumatised Yoruba Diasporan captured what befell AGBAJO on their withdrawal: “General Akinrinade is, mercifully, one of the greatest assets the Yoruba nation has today, and very many of us recognise him as such. For instance, though he has never really made a strong bid to bring the Yoruba abroad into membership of Yoruba Agbaye, very many of us here attach a strong hope to Agbaye because Gen. Akinrinade leads it. We all think of him as someone who sincerely loves the Yoruba nation, and who can never sell out. In the interest of the Yoruba nation, Gen. Akinrinade apparently thought that he could rein in those Yoruba who have sold out to PDP and make them work with Agbaye. I don’t blame him; his intensions were good and noble, but these PDP hounds cannot be handled in that way. Their quest is to hold on to what they have already stolen, and they will associate with any credible Yoruba person or group in order to buy some legitimacy for themselves among Yoruba people. But they will have no abiding loyalty to the group or person they are associating with in the meantime; and as soon as they see in the horizon another person or group that seems to them to impart stronger legitimacy, they will move.” I certainly cannot describe who General Akinrinade is, or what exactly those who ruined a promising Agbajo are, better than what my good friend did above. General Akinrinade remains the quintessential Omoluabi and, here is wishing him a happy and glorious 80th birthday. Many happy returns, Sir.

https://thenationonlineng.net/as-two-titans-of-the-yoruba-nation-celebrate-epochal-natal-days/

Politics

en

JOHANNESBURG — As Africa’s last absolute monarch, King Mswati III of Eswatini chooses his country’s prime minister and cabinet, and possesses the power to dissolve Parliament. His grip on the nation’s limited economic resources has underwritten a lavish lifestyle of luxury cars and palaces, and his children flaunt their opulent birthday parties on social media. About six out of 10 of citizens, meanwhile, live in poverty. Many in this tiny landlocked nation, wedged between South Africa and Mozambique, are on the brink of hunger and have to cross into South Africa to find work — their lives in stark contrast to their leader’s abundance. Now, it seems, many of the kingdom’s 1.1 million inhabitants have had it with this imbalance: Over the past week, the tiny southern African nation, formerly known as Swaziland, has descended into the most explosive civil unrest in its 53 years of independence. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in the executive capital, Mbabane, and elsewhere, with many burning and looting businesses in which the king holds a stake. The government has responded aggressively, with witnesses, activists and hospital staff reporting that the military and the police have fired live rounds at protesters and looters. Hospitals are overwhelmed with an influx of gunshot victims, several nurses said. Their supplies of oxygen and medications are depleted, their staffs are overworked and they are running out of food for the high volume of patients.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/02/us/africa-monarchy-eswatini-protests-swaziland.html#click=https:///1ki64F93bB

Politics

en

Angels were created by God. Therefore, they had a beginning. They are not eternal in the past tense. However, they will exist forever after their creation (Luke 20:36). There are no such things as eternal angels who have always existed (not from the biblical perspective). The only being who is eternal is God himself. He is without beginning and without end. Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Also, Jeremiah 10:10 says, “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath, the earth quakes, And the nations cannot endure His indignation.“ Angels are very powerful (Psalm 103:20) and numerous (Hebrews 12:22). They are subject to God (1 Peter 3:22) and are not to be worshiped (Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:7; 22:8-9). They obey God. Psalm 103:20, “Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!” In fact, there are elect angels. “1 Timothy 5:21, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.” This means they were chosen by God…but for what? Perhaps it was to not fall in the angelic rebellion. Since there are elect angels, they must have been elected by God. So, He is sovereign over them. However, they will live forever. So they are eternal in the future sense, but not the past. Luke 20:36, “for neither can they die anymore, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” God alone is eternal in the past and the future. God is the only being who has always existed. If angels were eternal in the past tense It is not possible for angels to exist eternally in the past, according to the Christian worldview, as stated above. Not only that, there would be logical problems with the idea of multiple beings eternally existing. Which one, if any, would be the ultimate source of truth? Which one, if any, is the ultimate authority? There can only be one ultimate. An ultimate is that which nothing is equal or greater. So, if there are thousands of beings that are equally ultimate, then that would make no sense. Could there be disagreements between these distinct eternal beings? If there were, which one would be right if there is no ultimate authority above them? Do they all possess the same knowledge? Are they different beings with different characteristics and properties? If so, why? Why would there be differences if they are eternal? And, if there eternal, would that mean they have infinite knowledge? If that’s the case, would there be multiple beings with infinite knowledge? There would be no ultimate truth. But that doesn’t make sense. So, the idea of multiple beings who are eternal in the past tense raises more questions than there are answers.

http://ow.ly/v7vR50MCLZZ

Religion

en

Disclaimer: How biblical chronology relates to archaeological periods in the ancient Near East (e.g., Paleolithic, Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age, Iron Age, etc.) is a complex subject. For many years, Creation Ministries International (CMI) has published a range of views by various authors in its publications (CREATION.com, Journal of Creation, Creation magazine, etc.). These views do not necessarily agree with the present views of CMI’s writers on this topic, but remain available online as they form part of CMI’s historical archives of its publications. For key articles about this subject see our Archaeology Q&Ahaeology Q&A. Egyptian history and the biblical record: a perfect match? [Editor: the suggested synchronisations of Egyptian and biblical history in this article are controversial; see Resolving alleged conflicts between the Bible and other accounts of Egyptian history.] For years, the popular media has mocked the biblical accounts of Joseph, Moses, the Passover, and the Exodus as being completely incompatible with standard Egyptian chronology. Year after year, we have been told by numerous scholars that events recorded in the books of Genesis and Exodus are nice legends devoid of any historical or archaeological merit. However, a new wind is blowing. An emerging pool of scholars, representing diverse backgrounds, has been openly calling for a drastic reduction in Egyptian chronology. Such a reduction would serve to line up the historical and archaeological records of Egypt and the Old Testament. Surprisingly, there is a substantial amount of evidence to warrant a significant reduction of Egyptian history. And by doing so, the reliability of Genesis, Exodus, and the entire Old Testament will have to be reconsidered as a viable source of historical truth. Advocates of chronological revision Those who advocate a revision of orthodox Egyptian chronology are admittedly in the minority, but their credentials and scholarship are highly esteemed. David Rohl, author of Test of Time, suggests ‘Ramses II should be dated to the tenth century BC—some three hundred and fifty years later than the date which had been assigned him in the orthodox chronology.’1 Peter James and four other scholars published the book Centuries of Darkness.2 They claim that the dates of Egyptian dynasties need to be reduced by hundreds of years, specifically Dynasties 21–24. Dr Colin Renfrew, professor of archaeology at Cambridge University, wrote a foreword to this book: This disquieting book draws attention … to a crucial period in world history, and to the very shaky nature of the dating, the whole chronological framework, upon which our current interpretations rest…the existing chronologies for that crucial phase in human history are in error by several centuries, and that, in consequence, history will have to be rewritten.3 Sir Alan Gardiner, an authority on Egyptian history, admits to the inherent problems surrounding Egyptian chronology: Even when full use has been made of the king lists and of such subsidiary sources as have survived, the indispensable dynastic framework of Egyptian history shows lamentable gaps and many a doubtful attribution …What is proudly advertised as Egyptian history is merely a collection of rags and tatters.4 Last year, David Down (who also wrote the very relevant item ‘False History—out with David and Solomon’) and Dr John Ashton wrote Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline. Down has performed archaeological research in Egypt, Israel, and the Middle East for nearly half a century. In their book, they propose a revised chronology that harmonizes Egyptian and Old Testament history. Reasons for questioning the traditional Egyptian timeline Supposedly, lunar and solar eclipses have been discovered to perfectly match the established dates of Egyptian chronology. This is simply untrue. The concept of astronomical fixation is not based on celestial eclipses but on the ‘Sothic Cycle’. However, the Sothic Cycle is mentioned nowhere in Egyptian texts.5 There are references to ‘the rising of Sothis’ which has been assumed to have been the sighting of the bright star Sirius. The real issue is that many modern scholars theorize that the ancient Egyptians were slightly off in their calendar keeping, and when corrected in light of modern science, the dates line up accordingly. Yet the Egyptians were able to orient their pyramids to within a fraction of a degree to the north, south, east, and west. It is more likely that the Egyptians were meticulous timekeepers. Thus, in Centuries of Darkness, James and his four fellow scholars write, ‘…There are good reasons for rejecting the whole concept of Sothic dating as it was applied by the earlier Egyptologists.’ (See also our Journal of Creation article, Fall of the Sothic theory: Egyptian chronology revisited.) Another reason for questioning the traditional timeline is Manetho, an Egyptian priest who wrote a history of Egypt in the third century BC. Many consider Manetho’s writings to be indisputable fact. He was skilled at deciphering the hieroglyphs and had access to inscriptions, documents, and other valuable artifacts. However, two problems emerge. First, Manetho was writing hundreds, even thousands of years after many of the actual events. Second, none of Manetho’s writings exist.6 The only source we have for Manetho’s writings are some of his statements that have been quoted by much later historians such as Josephus, Africanus, Eusebius, and Syncellus. Historical sources for Egyptian chronology The Egyptian evidence consists of numerous inscriptions, texts, papyrus documents, and artifacts. Although it is very helpful, this evidence provides an incomplete picture of Egyptian history. The ancient writings of Herodotus, Manetho, Josephus, Africanus and Eusebius provide added historical insight. Herodotus, the famous Greek historian, traveled to Egypt in the 5th century BC and interviewed priests and other knowledgeable individuals. Manetho, as stated above, composed a history of Egypt for the library at Alexandria in the 3rd century BC. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, quoted from Manetho when writing his historical anthologies in the first-centuryAD. Africanus and Bishop Eusebius, renowned historians writing in the third and fourth centuriesADrespectively, also quoted Manetho and wrote about Egyptian history. However, all of these highly esteemed historians often disagree with one another in the calculation of Egyptian chronology. Because of the discordant nature of Egyptian chronology, it is impossible to present a comprehensive list of dates, pharaohs, and dynasties. Sir Alan Gardiner wrote, ‘Our materials for the reconstruction of a coherent picture are hopelessly inadequate.’ As a result, we must cross reference the Egyptian accounts with other accurate historical sources. Biblical and Assyrian chronology offer highly consistent dates that can be utilized to rectify many of the ambiguities of Egyptian history. In other words, if Old Testament and Assyrian historical records significantly overlap, then a revision of Egyptian chronology would be perfectly logical in order to harmonize with two independent reliable sources. Noah’s link to Egypt The Hebrew name for one of Noah’s grandsons is Mizraim (Genesis 10:6). It is no coincidence that modern Egyptians call themselves Misr, which is a derivative of Mizraim. According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s grandson, Mizraim,7 is the father of the Egyptians. In a revised chronology, Egypt comes into existence soon after the dispersion from Babel, around 2100 BC. Eusebius, the famous 4th centuryADhistorian, writes: Egypt is called Mestraim by the Hebrews; and Mestraim lived not long after the flood. For after the flood, Cham (or Ham), son of Noah, begat Aeguptos or Mestraim, who was the first to set out to establish himself in Egypt, at the time when the tribes began to disperse this way and that…Mestraim was indeed the founder of the Egyptian race; and from him the first Egyptian Dynasty must be held to spring.8 In the traditional chronology, a pre-dynastic period of approximately 2,000 years precedes the first Egyptian dynasty. Genesis establishes a much shorter period of time. In addition, the 1988–1989 annual report of the Oriental Institute of Chicago published a summary of extensive archaeological research by Bruce Williams. Williams re-examined discoveries related to the pre-dynastic period and concluded: Both articles are part of an expanding body of evidence that links the period once known as ‘predynastic’ so firmly to the ages of the pyramids and later, that the term should be abandoned.9 Williams has published several articles in archaeology journals, and his modern research appears to confirm the Genesis account. Abraham visits Egypt The biblical date for the Exodus is approximately 1445 BC. Exodus 6:4 and Galatians 3:16–17 tell us that the Lord made a covenant with Abraham 430 years earlier, around 1875 BC. Not long after this date, Abraham traveled to Egypt to escape a severe famine in the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:10). Abraham’s visit did not go unnoticed, as Pharaoh’s officials reported to their king that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was extremely beautiful. Out of fear, Abraham told Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister. As a result, Pharaoh temporarily inducted Sarah into his harem and paid Abraham many expensive gifts. However, the Lord struck Pharaoh’s house with plagues causing him to release her upon discovering that she was actually Abraham’s wife. Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:31). From 1922 to 1934, Sir Leonard Woolley discovered it to be the first civilization10 with a superior knowledge of astronomy and arithmetic. In addition, the Sumerian civilization invented writing, composed dictionaries, and calculated square and cube roots.11 Woolley’s discoveries appear to corroborate the writings of Josephus concerning Abraham’s visit to Egypt Josephus writes about Abraham: He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy; for before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with those parts of learning; for that science came from the Chaldeans into Egypt.12 In a revised chronology, Abraham would have visited Egypt when Khufu (aka Cheops) was Pharaoh. Before Khufu, the early Egyptian pyramids were fantastic architectural structures, but they were not perfectly square or exactly oriented to all four points on a compass. However, when Khufu built his masterful pyramid, there appears to have been an explosion of astronomical and mathematical expertise. Khufu’s pyramid was perfectly square, level, and orientated to the four points of the compass. When placed in the proper dynasty, Abraham’s visit to Egypt may have been the catalyst that sparked an architectural revolution in Egyptian history. Joseph rises to power in Egypt Dynasty 12 was one of the high points in Egyptian history. By a revised chronology, Joseph would have risen to power under Sesostris I during this dynasty. [Editor: the suggested synchronisations of Egyptian and biblical history in this article are controversial; see Resolving alleged conflicts between the Bible and other accounts of Egyptian history.] According to Genesis, Joseph was one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Out of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to Midianite traders and these traders sold Joseph to an Egyptian officer named Potiphar. Eventually, through a period of trials and tribulations, the Lord enabled Joseph to rule over Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Sesostris I is known to have had a vizier, or prime minister, named Mentuhotep who possessed extraordinary power. Egyptologist, Emille Brugsch, writes in his book Egypt Under the Pharaohs, ‘In a word, our Mentuhotep…appears as the alter ego of the king. When he arrived, the great personages bowed down before him at the outer door of the royal palace.’13 Brugsch’s description appears to corroborate Joseph’s status in Genesis 41:43, ‘He (Pharaoh) had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, ‘Bow the knee’: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.’ Joseph’s ultimate claim to fame was his ability to interpret dreams. The Egyptians attached significant importance to dreams. Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh’s perplexing dreams to mean that seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years of the most severe famine. Convinced by Joseph’s interpretation, Pharaoh appointed Joseph to supervise the gathering of grain during the seven years of plenty. Two clues from Egyptian inscriptions appear to confirm the Genesis account. First, a large relief on ‘Hungry Rock’ states, ‘…Because Hapy [the river god] had failed to come in time in a period of seven years. Grain was scant, kernels were dried up, scarce was every kind of food…’14 Second, a tomb belonging to Ameni, a provincial governor under Sesostris I, says: No one was unhappy in my days, not even in the years of famine, for I had tilled all the fields of the Nome of Mah…thus I prolonged the life of its inhabitants and preserved the food which it produced.12 Hebrew slaves in Egypt In the traditional chronology, the Egyptian oppression of Hebrew slaves would have occurred in the 18th dynasty. The problem is there is little to no historical evidence of Hebrew slaves in Egypt at this time. However, when placed in the 12th dynasty under a revised chronology, there is substantial evidence for Israelite slave laborers in Egypt. Dr Rosalie David, in charge of the Egyptian department of the Manchester Museum, writes about Semitic slavery in Kahun during the second half of the 12th dynasty: It is apparent that the Asiatics were present in the town in some numbers, and this may have reflected the situation elsewhere in Egypt. It can be stated that these people were loosely classed by Egyptians as ‘Asiatics’, although their exact homeland in Syria or Palestine cannot be determined … The reason for their presence in Egypt remains unclear.15 The Bible makes it quite clear why the Israelite slaves resided in Egypt: Now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph, and he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we’…Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens…And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage… (Exodus 1:8-14). Dr Rosalie David also writes about the slave presence at Gurob, Egypt: The scattered documentation gives no clear answer as to how or why the Asiatics came to Egypt in the Middle Kingdom…There is nevertheless firm literary evidence that Asiatic slaves, women and children were at Gurob.16 Another piece of circumstantial evidence that supports the biblical account is the existence of pyramids built with mud bricks and straw during this dynasty. Amenemhet III, a pharaoh whose statues are sour-faced and cruel-looking in appearance, was likely the Pharaoh who answered the complaining Hebrew supervisors, ‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before Let them go and gather straw for themselves (Exodus 5:7).’ Another tantalizing piece of circumstantial evidence was the discovery of boxes beneath the floors of houses excavated in Kahun. Sir Flinders Petrie excavated a number of these boxes which contained the skeletons of babies up to three months old, sometimes up to three in a box.17 It is plausible that these baby skeletons are the bones of Hebrew babies killed by Pharaoh’s direct orders in an attempt to limit their population (Exodus 1:16). However, one particular baby boy would escape Pharaoh’s death sentence and change the course of Hebrew history. Moses is born According to the Book of Exodus, the baby Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter while she was bathing at the river. His parents defied Pharaoh’s order and left his destiny in the Lord’s hands, placing him in a basket to be discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter. Many consider this to be a nice story, but completely unrealistic. After all, what Egyptian princess would adopt a Hebrew slave child and offer to make him the next Pharaoh? However, if you place Moses in the 12th dynasty, the family history of the Pharaonic court appears to line up.18 Amenemhet III had two daughters, but no sons have been positively identified. Amenemhet IV has been proposed as the son of Amenemhet III, but he could just as easily have been the son of Sobekneferu, one of the daughters of Amenemhet III. Amenemhet IV is a very mysterious figure in Egyptian history and may have been a co-regent of Amenemhet or Sobekneferu. Josephus wrote concerning Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Having no child of her own…she thought to make him her father’s successor.’ In addition, Dr Donovan Courville has proposed Sobekneferu as the foster mother of Moses. It is plausible since there is no historical record of Sobekneferu having a biological son. If Sobekneferu was the foster mother of Moses, then the biblical account of her bathing by the riverside would make sense. The river god Hapy was the fertility god of Egypt, and Sobekneferu would have likely been observing a religious ritual in the river. Perhaps the appearance of a baby floating in the river would have been interpreted as a direct answer to her prayer for a child. Exodus from Egypt In a revised chronology, Neferhotep I was likely the Pharaoh of the Exodus in the 13th dynasty. Exodus 7:10 tells us that Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh ‘… and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.’ Pharaoh was not impressed ‘… so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents (Exodus 7:11–12).’ In the Liverpool Museum there is a magician’s rod that hails from this same period in Egyptian history.19 The rod is in the form of a long cobra Perhaps the magicians practiced some form of hypnotic power that transformed the cobra rods into the appearance of real snakes, or applied sleight of hand to substitute a real cobra for the rod. The ten plagues are probably one of the most famous aspects of the Exodus story. If the plagues were historical events as recorded by Moses, then there should be some fragment of evidence describing their catastrophic consequences. In fact, there is a papyrus in the Leiden Museum in Holland which provides a graphic portrayal eerily reminiscent of the biblical account. There is no consensus among archaeologists as to when it was originally penned An excerpt reads: … Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere … Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water … Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire…Nay but the son of the high-born man is no longer to be recognized … The stranger people from outside are come into Egypt … Nay, but corn has perished everywhere…Everyone says ‘there is no more.’20 (See also The ten plagues of Egypt: miracles or ‘Mother Nature’?, which also thoroughly refutes the popular ‘algal bloom’ theory). The final plague cut Pharaoh to the heart. The Lord struck down all the firstborn in each Egyptian family at midnight. The Hebrews were warned of this horrific disaster and Moses ordered them to kill a lamb and splash its blood on their doorposts. The Destroyer would pass over every home with the blood of the lamb. It is quite significant that Neferhotep’s son, Wahneferhotep, did not succeed his father on the throne. Instead, Neferhotep I was succeeded by his brother Sobkhotpe IV ‘who occupied the throne which his brother had recently vacated.’21 To this day, historians are unable to pinpoint the reason why the son of Neferhotep I did not succeed him. Perhaps a closer look at the biblical account is necessary. Another piece of very interesting circumstantial evidence is the sudden departure of Kahun’s inhabitants. Dr Rosalie David writes: It is evident that the completion of the king’s pyramid was not the reason why Kahun’s inhabitants eventually deserted the town, abandoning their tools and other possessions in the shops and houses …The quantity, range, and type of articles of everyday use which were left behind in the houses may suggest that the departure was sudden and unpremeditated.22 The evidence appears to confirm Exodus 12:33 which states, ‘And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste…’ But what happened to the mighty Egyptian army? According to the Bible, Pharaoh pursued the fleeing Israelites with his army as they miraculously crossed the Red Sea. However, the Egyptian army ended up at the bottom of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:28). It is no coincidence that the mummy of Neferhotep I has never been found. The Hyksos mystery solved Also, archaeologists and other scholars have long puzzled over the rapid occupation of Egypt by the mysterious Hyksos without a military confrontation. Those scholars advocating a revised chronology have identified the Hyksos with the Amalekites, who attacked the Israelites fleeing from Egypt. It is plausible that the Amalekites flowed into Egypt without resistance because of God’s decimation of the Egyptian army under the Red Sea. The identification of the Hyksos with the Amelekites would explain the otherwise strange passage ‘Amalek was the first of the nations’ (Numbers 24:20), and why an Egyptian would be ‘servant to an Amalekite’ (1 Samuel 30:13). This makes sense in the revised chronology where the Amalikites ruled the mighty Egyptian empire. Their current obscurity fulfils God’s prophecy to Moses, ‘I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven’ (Exodus 17:14). Thus hardly anyone today has even heard of them, let alone their former pre-eminence The physical extermination (see also Was this a war crime?) was first fulfilled in the time of Saul, but he disobeyed God (1 Samuel 15), so the Amalekites still caused mayhem in David’s time so he practically finished the job (1 Samuel 30). There is a story of an older, well-respected archaeologist digging next to a young archaeologist at Gezer, Israel.23 The young archaeologist was mocking the historical reliability of the Bible when the older archaeologist quietly responded, ‘Well, if I were you, I wouldn’t rubbish the Bible.’ When the young archaeologist asked ‘Why?’ he replied, ‘Well, it just has a habit of proving to be right after all.’ At this time of year, Christians will be bombarded with shows and magazine articles that portray the biblical accounts of Joseph, Hebrew slavery, Moses, and the Exodus as legend and myth As we have seen, however, when placed at the proper time, there is an abundance of historical and archaeological evidence to confirm the books of Genesis and Exodus. Synchronizing the biblical timeline with a revised Egyptian chronology will require more testing, research, hard work, and careful scholarship Presupposing biblical accuracy and applying professional research standards, a number of scholars are off to a promising start Dr Clifford Wilson, former Director of the Australian Institute of Archaeology, said it best: I know of no finding in archaeology that’s properly confirmed which is in opposition to the scriptures. The Bible is the most accurate history textbook the world has ever seen.24 - Rohl, David A Test of Time: The Bible: from Myth to History, p. 128, Century Limited, London, UK, 1995; see also review by John Osgood, Journal of Creation 11(1):33–35, 1997. Return to text. - James, Peter Centuries of Darkness, pp. XV–XVI, Pimlico, London, UK, 1992. Return to text. - James, ref. 2, p. 39. Return to text. - Gardiner, Allan Egypt of the Pharaohs, p. 53, Oxford University Press, London, UK, 1964. Return to text. - Ashton, J. and Down, D., Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms The Biblical Timeline, p. 74, Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 2006. Return to text. - Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 73. Return to text. - Hebrew מצרים Online Bible, states, ‘The word is of the dual number, and serves to express Egypt by, which was divided into two parts, lower and upper Egypt.’ Return to text. - Waddell, History of Egypt and Other Works by Manetho: The Aegyptiaca of Manetho, pp. 8–9. Return to text. - Sumner, William ‘Scholarship Individual Research,’ The Oriental Institute Annual Report 1988–1989, p. 62, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1990. Return to text. - Obviously, it was not the first civilization, but the first ‘re-civilization’—after the Flood. Return to text. - Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 201. Return to text. - Whiston, W., Josephus’ Complete Works, Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, chapter VIII, para. 2. Return to text. - Breasted, James A History of Egypt, p. 162, Scribner and Sons, New York, NY, 1954. Return to text. - Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 84. Return to text. - David, R The Pyramid Builders of Ancient Egypt: A Modern Investigation of Pharaoh’s Workforce, p. 191, Guild Publishing, London, UK, 1986. Return to text. - David, ref. 15, p. 192. Return to text. - Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 100. Return to text. - Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 93. Return to text. - Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 98. Return to text. - Velikovsky, Immanuel, Ages in Chaos, Vol.1, ‘From the Exodus to King Akhnaton’, pp. 25–28, Abacus, London, UK, 1973. Return to text. - Edward, C.J. et al., The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. II, Part I, ‘History of the Middle East and the Aegean Region c. 1800–1380 B.C.’, p. 50, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1980. Return to text. - David, ref. 15, p. 195 and 199. Return to text. - Wieland, C., Archaeologist confirms creation and the Bible: Interview with archaeologist Clifford Wilson, Creation 14(4):46–50, 1992 Return to text. - Wilson, C, Archaeologist Speaks Out, Creation 21(1):15, 1998. Return to text. Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.

http://creation.mobi/egyptian-history-and-the-biblical-record-a-perfect-match

Religion

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The food we eat is at the heart of many cancers. In fact, up to 70% of cancers are thought to be preventable through diet. The other 30% has to do with genetics and environmental factors that you can’t control. Here is a list of foods you must avoid to steer clear of cancer as shared by www.nutritionexp.com Canned food tends to contain really high levels of salt and/or sugar, but that’s not the main reason it is bad for you. It’s actually the cans that contain the food. They are often lined with the dangerous chemical BPA, which is a known hormone disrupter that has also been linked to cancer. BPA will leech into whatever food comes in contact with it, especially things that are naturally acidic, such as tomatoes. Eat your produce fresh or frozen instead, or only buy canned products that are labeled as BPA-free. Soda drinks are really bad for you. Sugar is necessary in small amounts, but is also cancer cells’ favourite food and sodas contain enough to choke a horse. It also has no redeeming nutritional value and puts you at greater risk of cancer due to the artificial chemicals and colourings that are added. If it’s a caffeine energy boost you need, a much healthier option is lightly sweetened tea or coffee, both of which have anti-cancer properties. To get the bubbles in soda without the negative health consequences, buy carbonated water and add a touch of citrus juice for flavour. Chips aren’t healthy because they contain a lot of salt and saturated fat which is overwhelming to your body’s digestive system. The reason they increase your cancer risk is something called acrylamide, a carcinogenic chemical that occurs anytime food is cooked to a high temperature. Frying potatoes produces a lot of it, but it’s also the reason why health experts advise against charring your meat during cooking. Acrylamide is also found in cigarettes and is part of the reason they are so deadly. Smoked or processed meat Red meat, in general, should be limited due to its high-fat content, but any meat that has been processed is best avoided almost entirely. That won’t be easy because a lot of tasty products are on the list, including bacon, lunch meat, sausage, jerky, and smoked barbecue. A lot of these foods are preserved using nitrates and nitrites, which are linked to cancer. And even though smoking is an age-old technique for preserving food, it causes meat to take on tar in the process. It’s bad in cigarettes and just as dangerous in food. You may be wondering what is left that you can eat, especially in terms of protein, but rest assured that fish can still be a very healthy choice. Naturally lean, it contains high levels of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids that your body really needs. Unfortunately, farmed salmon live an overcrowded, high-stress life and are fed an unnatural diet full of antibiotics and cancer-causing chemicals. As a result, their meat is high in PCBs, dioxins, and mercury – all dangerous stuff for humans to consume. However, wild sockeye salmon is a whole different story, and a great meal choice if you can find it at the grocery store. Much like canned foods, the problem with microwave popcorn is the way it is stored. Most microwave bags are lined with a product called PFOA, which has been linked to the occurrence of pancreas, kidney, liver, bladder, and testicular cancer. When you pop the corn in the microwave, PFOA coats the finished product right along with the artificial trans fat “butter”. Popcorn itself can be a healthy snack, however, if you use an air popper and then toss it with a little bit of garlic-infused olive oil or a flavorful dried herb mix. Whole grains are very healthy, but the processing that creates refined white flour completely strips away the value. White flour is also given its colour by a blast of chlorine gas, not something you want to be eating. Besides being nutritionally void, white flour has an extremely high glycemic index, which means that it breaks down into sugar in the body, spiking blood glucose and insulin levels along with it. This state in the body is thought to feed cancer cells. Try to stick to baked goods that use whole grain flours. High Fructose corn syrup High fructose corn syrup is dangerous because, even though it comes from natural corn, the sweetness is highly concentrated. Foods that contain it are likely to put your blood sugar through the roof and create the perfect environment for cancer cells to thrive. It is not thought to cause cancer directly, but it’s dangerous to create conditions in your body that are ideal for cancer to grow. Avoiding packaged foods and cooking at home is the best way to avoid high fructose corn syrup all together. Excess alcohol consumption is bad for you for lots of reasons. Drinking to excess makes your liver and kidneys work extra hard, not to mention triggers a whole host of bad decisions from your stupefied brain. Studies also indicate that consuming too much alcohol puts you at greater risk for cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, liver, colon, and rectum. How much is too much? In general, one drink per day for women and two for men is considered safe, but there’s no real health benefit to drinking at all. Red wine does contain some heart-healthy resveratrol, but so do red grapes. Pickling is another form of processing that adds nitrates or nitrites, salt, and artificial colouring to food. In much the same way that too much alcohol can cause cancer in the parts of the body it touches directly, pickled foods are linked to cancer of the digestive tract, especially the stomach and colon. If you really love pickles, take the time to make them at home so that you can control the level of salt and avoid artificial pickling solutions. You might think that oil from vegetables ought to be healthy, but this is another case where the processing of natural products makes them dangerous. Oil cannot be extracted from whole vegetables naturally, so they undergo a chemical extraction process. Then, the oil is coloured and the natural scent is removed to make the finished product look appealing. This chemical process is what makes the oil hydrogenated. It is found in many processed foods, added for texture and to preserve them, but hydrogenated oils affect the cells’ structure and flexibility, upping the chance for cancer to develop.

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Politics

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Social media rules the world. It is the new tech addiction that many young people cannot do without as they spend hours viewing, reading and posting content via the internet. This underscores the importance of social media in today’s world. As the use of social media rises, there are others out there who are using it to swindle and scam unsuspecting users. In order not to fall for these scams, Jovago Africa’s No.1 hotel booking portal reveals some of these scams. Fake customer service account Brands and corporate organizations are now on social media as such, it has become possible to resolve complaints and get a quick response to questions on social media. Some of these accounts representing corporate institutions are verified while others are not. Hence, the possibility of chatting with a parody customer service handle is high. If you are getting an unsatisfactory response, you should contact their official helpline. Comments on popular posts or articles A particular post or article may generate sizeable comments. And among the comments, you will notice some links directing you to other websites. These links lure you to websites that are either unsafe or offering scandalous services so it is better to ignore such links. False online discounts The false discounts are too fantastic to be true. It is not surprising because it is coming from a parody customer service account. They are not legitimate and you can lose your personal information if you fall for it because you will be asked to fill out forms that require your personal information. Online surveys and polls The rule of thumb is ‘if you do not trust the website, do not visit it’. One of the easiest ways to have your personal information stolen is via online survey and polls. Most fraudulent hackers often tweet or post a dangerous link urging users to complete forms for a survey. You can fill the forms but do not give out information like credit card details. Avoid live streaming videos This is another way of scamming people on social media as more media companies start streaming their shows and movies online. But these links they share on social media lead to fake websites which only ask for data of visitors. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

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Politics

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A cesspool of fraud and lies in the banking industry has come to light since the financial crisis of 2008, raising questions about how such rogue behaviour could have happened. What caused traders, asset managers and others in the money business to behave dishonestly? And how can dodgy behaviour be curbed? Scientists at the University of Zurich in Switzerland conducted an unusual psychology experiment to find out. Their results provide the first objective data for anecdotal evidence that the risk of fraud is rooted in a bank’s culture — and changing it may be painful. “Our results suggest that the social norms in the banking sector tend to be more lenient towards dishonest behaviour and thus contribute to the reputational loss in the industry,” said Michel Marechal, a professor of experimental economic research. In research reported in the journal Nature on Wednesday, the team recruited 128 employees from a large international bank and 80 from other banks. On average, the employees had 11 and a half years’ banking experience. About half worked in core businesses like share trading, private banking or asset management, and the rest in support units such as human resources. The scientists prepared an intriguing barometer of honesty. In their trial, each volunteer was asked to flip a coin 10 times and report the outcome online. If it concurred with a pre-programmed choice of head or tails, there was a reward each time of $20 (16 euros). But before each toss, the banker was tipped off about what the outcome would be. Whether he or she chose to report it faithfully was the test. In a move meant to mimic the competitive nature of the banking profession, the trialists were also told they could only collect their winnings if they outperformed another, randomly-chosen participant. Before the experiment began, the volunteers were divided into two groups. A “control,” or comparison, group was asked about their everyday life and wellbeing, while the test group were questioned about their work. One group was asked, for example: “How many hours per day do you watch television on average?” and the other: “What is your function at this bank?” The point was to prime the second group to enter the experiment with a banker’s focus. The outcome pointed to a stark difference in honesty, driven by a sense of professional identity, according to the research paper. The “control” group reported winning coin flips in 51.6 percent of cases, close to a benchmark 50 percent — the one-in-two statistical probability of predicting a tossed coin. In the “primed” group, though, 58.2 percent of tosses were claimed as winners — a number “significantly above chance”, said the paper. The authors calculated that about 16 percent of the “control group” had cheated at least once, compared to 26 percent in the other. The team believed the phenomenon was specific to bank employees. They repeated the experiment with two groups of non-bankers — workers and students — whose honesty levels did not change when their professional identity was “primed”. – Changing culture – “The prevailing business culture in the banking industry favours dishonest behaviour,” the study authors said — with fraud the likely outcome. “The prevailing business culture in the banking industry weakens and undermines the honesty norm, implying that measures to re-establish an honest culture are very important,” said the team. Fixing the problem, though, could mean radical and unsettling choices like scrapping bonuses derived from dishonest behaviour, the scientists suggested. There could also be an oath of ethics, similar to the Hippocratic oath taken by doctors. “Such an oath, supported by ethics training, could prompt bank employees to consider the impact of their behaviour on society rather than focusing on their own short-term benefits,” the paper said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/banking-culture-creates-crooks-study/#sthash.sY6btlKT.dpuf

Business

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President Trump unleashed a tirade against the World Health Organization on Tuesday, accusing it of acting too slowly to sound the alarm about the coronavirus. It was not the first time in this pandemic that the global health body has faced such criticism. Government officials, health experts and analysts have in recent weeks raised concerns about how the organization has responded to the outbreak. In Japan, Taro Aso, the deputy prime minister and finance minister, recently noted that some people have started referring to the World Health Organization as the “Chinese Health Organization” because of what he described as its close ties to Beijing. Taiwanese officials say the W.H.O. ignored its early warnings about the virus because China refuses to allow Taiwan, a self-governing island it claims as its territory, to become a member. Critics say the W.H.O. has been too trusting of the Chinese government, which initially tried to conceal the outbreak in Wuhan. Others have faulted the organization and its leader, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for moving too slowly in declaring a global health emergency. The W.H.O., a United Nations agency, has defended its response, saying on Wednesday that it alerted the world to the threat posed by the virus in a timely manner and that it was “committed to ensuring all member states are able to respond effectively to this pandemic.” The agency’s defenders say that its powers over any individual government are limited, and that it has done the best it can in dealing with a public health threat with few precedents in history.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/world/asia/trump-who-coronavirus-china.html

Health

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African countries are certainly doing more than preventive medicine to ward off the predicted numbers of death from the devastating effects of Covid-19. It is not a fluke, luck, or by accident but by herbal and proactive Primary Care. While it is true that Covid-19 could have produced more deaths in Africa than anywhere else, it does not bode well to think those grim predictions came as a result of bad faith. Indeed, most of them wish Africa well hoping the worst scenario would never happen. But plans must be put in place if it happened, not just wishful prayers of God forbid bad thing. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53998374 Africans were brought up with our grandmother's herbs by immersion in boiled drinks. They are our Vitamins C, D, E, B complex, Zinc and B12 that became expensive hot items in high demand at the pharmacy stores all over the world. During the early stages of diseases, the white blood cells we learned about in high schools kill invading bacteria and viruses. The Sore Throat relief by saltwater, Cough with honey and ginger, aspirin/codeine available over the counter but not more than 30 mg every 4 hours or ask pharmacists. Rubbing our body down with oils to ward off the breathlessness of cold or flu. Aspirin, Tynelol, tiger or atomic balm are some of the most common over-the-counter drugs used to treat minor pain from headaches, muscle aches, toothaches, and menstrual cramps. Oral rehydration for Diarrhea relief by mixing one liter of water with half a teaspoon of salt and 6 teaspoons of sugar. Africa leads because familiar Early Preventions work against Covid-19. Though Madagascar Covid-19 treatment Artemisa was unproven, it was effective against other symptom: “reduced cough frequency with the maximum dose tested, producing an effect equivalent to that produced by the centrally acting cough suppressant, dihydrocodeine,” Our problem in Africa Traditional Medicine is generalized treatment for every ailment because it works for some. It becomes difficult to credit African efforts to contain Covid-19. But to call it a myth because African countries are leading or doing better, lacks appreciation for the efforts of those working hard at prevention and treatment at the earliest stage. Headache, dry cough, sore throat relieved by coconut oil or other symptoms like body ache, fatigue, loss of taste or smell are dealt with immediately by hot lime drink, body rub massage. Africans do not allow them to germinate into serious disease that may turn out to be Covid-19. If there is anything we learned from Ebola, it is a strong Community Action. Call it Contact Tracing, door to door or old fashioned home grassroots workers from health clinics and centers. Prevention of deadly consequences has been avoided again by vigilance against this new Covid-19 virus. The fact that rich advanced countries suffered more than poor countries in Africa only points to complacency when they know what to do for prevention. We must always note that there is no better hospital anywhere outside your house. When every drug and medical procedure fail, our home is the most comfortable place to die. It is sad but the reality of life. Most of our preventable ailments can be avoided within our houses saving us from getting admitted into the best hospital anywhere. If you live in any of the African countries with very modest means, that is most of us, you cannot afford a good hospital in your country not to mention traveling out to hospitals abroad. Even South Africa with the highest cases in Africa, has been able to contain the covid-19 virus better than most advanced countries. It has little to do with their good hospitals but more with our African Traditional Medicine warding off each of the symptoms that are similar to past flu and more important, the well placed fear that Covid-19 could wipe out our population. Some researchers want to credit Herd Immunity because of the crowding in Africa. They forgot the death toll in Brazil and even in Sweden with that type of hypothesis. It boils down to demography selection and how many of that population you are willing to sacrifice to gain herd immunity later. The hypothesis of warm weather fails since other tropical South America countries and crowded countries like India have high cases. Another hypothesis is that Africans have a higher young population that has better immune systems. While it is true that older age succumbed at a higher rate, especially those above 80 years old or in Nursing Homes, only the wealthy in Africa that could afford treatment anywhere have succumbed, leaving the poor in the same category unexposed, free. Even their househelps exposed to travellers (disease) are cautious. This is the beneficial evidence of preventive measures and taking proactive treatment against known symptoms from the past experience. Africans have some treatments for every symptom of Covid-19. Most of us have become hypochondriacs watching out for any symptom and applying home remedy as they manifest their fangs at our well-being. We all know that reliance on exotic treatment many times may result in false hope. They have more to do with later stages of the disease that have been allowed to set in. We must take precautions and not ignore early symptoms. Youths and older adults may think they are not vulnerable. Youths couldn't care less because they think they are not invisible and have stronger immune systems. The wealthy adults think they can buy their way out of sickness with exotic treatment. One of the most serious health issues is the inability to breathe. Your doctor at the nearest clinic or hospital must be contacted. By the time we experience shortness of breath, lack of oxygen in our lungs result in blood clots in the blood vessels leading to other parts of the body. Before we get to the hospital where reduced oxygenation is indicated, Africans have many home remedies. Aboniki balm: a combination of menthol, Camphor and Eucalyptus leaves steamed and inhaled, restores breathing. You can also cover yourself on steamed herbs prepared by grandmothers. There are Guava leaves, loaded with vitamins C, Iron with antiviral properties for lung disease. Zinc in lozenges, Jute leaves soup, Ewedu, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia boost the immune system. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/expert-answers/zinc-for-colds/faq-20057769 Other symptoms that may or may not be Covid-19 related but with African experience with Ebola, our guards are up. Fever is the immune system working to defend you from the invading virus. The virus hardly survives at higher temperatures. Get aerated, take Tylenol and wrap in wet cloth. Lemongrass is also antipyretic for fever. http://www.bioline.org.br/request?tc08047. Countries that suffered and brought down mortalities are experiencing resurgence now when they defy preventive measures. African countries are still vulnerable as well-meaning community health experts predicted, if we neglect our local prevention in herbal remedies. Old steroid like Dexamethasone may prevent worse stages in the hospital patients during Cytokine Storms, but it may also be late. These are the complications that have been avoided in African countries at the earliest stage. The use of experimental drugs like Favipiravir and Remdesivir, as virus killers, aspirin and heparin as blood thinners, steroids for stabilization and intubation at later stages to force oxygen from the lungs to every part of the body are too expensive in Africa. When the rich countries realized how less effective ventilators were despite discriminative use, they started shipping them to developing countries for sale! Africa’s lead is not mythical. The hard work and resourceful efforts of our medical workers, community health workers and Traditional Medicine must be credited. It is up to African scientists to channel and exemplify their knowledge before their efforts could be recognized and not denied worldwide. If it works in Africa, some of their scientists will explore them here and claim credit as they did for antibiotics, aspirin etc. Though IMHOTEP practiced medicine and taught 2,200 years before Hippocrates was born, they call him Father of Modern Medicine. Median age is the main factor that correlates well with the case fatality rate. For example, Ghana's median age =22 years, whereas that for France is 41 years. As for traditional and homeopathic medical practices, India with its well-established centuries-old Ayurvedic medicine should have been the least affected by SARS-CoV-2. Yet, India now has overtaken Brazil as the second most-infected country.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1028572/africa-leads-in-low-covid-19-cases-by-early-treatm.html

Health

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Off the main road in this unassuming town, a footpath that snakes through the thick bush and trees of the Nigerian rain forest leads to the remains of what is certainly one of the largest monuments in sub-Saharan Africa: a 100-mile-long wall and moat whose construction began a millennium ago. The monument, called Sungbo's Eredo, was erected around a kingdom of the Yoruba -- one of the three main ethnic groups in present-day Nigeria -- and surrounds several towns and villages. Here, the Eredo's earthen bank rises 70 feet in the air from the bottom of a wide ditch, its reddish, vertical wall glistening with patches of moss. Few Nigerians have heard of the Eredo; fewer still have visited it. Much of the Eredo lies in ruin, or hidden in the nearly impenetrable rain forest, ignored by locals and Government officials alike. Over the last five years, however, a team of Nigerian and British archeologists and preservationists have succeeded in mapping the structure after the work of an earlier archeologist piqued the curiosity of Patrick Darling, an archeologist at Bournemouth University in Britain. A carbon analysis of parts of the rampart showed that it dates from the 10th century and suggested that a highly organized kingdom existed in the rain forest at least three centuries earlier than previously believed. Because many ethnic groups and cultures have inhabited Nigeria's territory over the centuries and because the country has drawn relatively few archeologists compared with its neighbors here in West Africa, Nigeria is considered a potential treasure trove.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/20/world/eredo-journal-a-wall-a-moat-behold-a-lost-yoruba-kingdom.html

Culture

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For most people, witnessing a highway crash means stopping what they're doing and assisting however way they can, whether that means calling authorities, helping to push disabled vehicles off the road, warning and diverting oncoming traffic, or providing lifesaving measures. The rewards for those helping distressed and/or injured strangers can vary, however. In September, a Boston city worker witnessed a taxi leave the road and smash into a tree, badly injuring the passenger. The worker ran to help and ended up pulling the passenger out of the car moments before the vehicle turned into a fireball. The passenger is recovering and the local fire chief publicly praised the Good Samaritan's actions. California resident Lisa Torti, on the other hand, received no such praise in 2004 after she pulled a friend out of a wrecked car that she thought was going to explode. Sued by the former friend who claimed Torti yanked her "like a rag doll," leaving her a paraplegic, the case made national headlines two years ago when California's 1980 Emergency Medical Service Act, protecting Good Samaritans from lawsuits, was challenged by the victim's lawyers. The courts ultimately ruled 4-3 that only those administering professional medical care have immunity, and the case proceeded. But in August of 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzegger signed Assembly Bill 83, extending protection to all Californians who assist victims during crashes, effective immediately, so the Torti case never went to trial. If you find yourself the witness of an accident, here are six key tips to keep in mind. The following are the steps you should take when you see a vehicle collision: - If you're the first person at a vehicle crash, pull completely off the road, preferably 100 feet or more away from the collision. Turn on your emergency flashers. Emergency personnel have to be able to see the collision and stop next to it for easy access. - Check to see if anyone is injured. Keep your distance from the vehicle, however, and don't touch any of the people in the accident. At this point you are just trying to assess what happened. - Call 9-1-1. If another person stops to help, ask that person to call 9-1-1. The person calling 9-1-1 must be ready to answer questions and provide as much information as they can, such as the location of the emergency (cross streets, freeway on/off ramp information) and how many people need help (is anyone bleeding, unconscious, or without a pulse?). - Help anyone who is not already walking around and talking. Do not move an injured person unless he or she is in a burning vehicle or in other danger. Moving someone incorrectly often makes an injury worse. - If possible, assist the driver of the wrecked vehicle in moving the car out of the traffic lane. Do not drive the vehicle yourself unless instructed to do so by a police officer or emergency worker. - If you happen to have a camera on you, you will be doing the drivers of the accident a service by taking a few pictures. Be prepared to hand these over to law enforcement or the drivers themselves. What are your obligations and liabilities if you come across a crash and want to help? It varies state-to-state; HeartSafe America provides an official list. My personal experience is practical. I'll always pull over and I'll always help – or at least try. Last week I was running on the pedestrian path next to the West Side Highway in my Manhattan neighborhood after dark and I came upon a tractor trailer who had tried to make it under an underpass and gotten stuck. North side traffic was severely backed up because this trucker was blocking two lanes – trucks, vans and semis aren't allowed on the highway partly for that reason. I saw him get out of his cab and flag down a car, and the car slowed and stopped right next to the driver's door of the truck. Now all three lanes were completely blocked. The conversation went on a good 30 seconds as the chorus of horns started blowing behind them. I jogged over and, pointing to a spot out of the line of traffic and said to the car driver, "Hi, maybe you want to pull your car in front of the truck and have this conversation - do you see all those thousands of cars behind you? They both looked at me as though I was a cow that had wandered onto the highway, and turned back to their conversation. I shrugged and jogged off. I'm not a cop, after all. People react differently in situations like these. In most cases you will find people willing to help, but you need to make sure you are smart about how you lend a land. Keep our tips in mind and you'll be in a good position to help without getting yourself in trouble.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/01/car-crash-witness/

Car Talk

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STUDIES confirm Nigeria as one of the world’s poorest countries. Nigeria has one-fifth of Africa’s population, more than 80 million Nigerians live on less than $1 per day, the standard international bar for poverty. The intensity of poverty in Nigeria was reported in a 2005 study, which states, “80 to 90 million Nigerians live in poverty; only India and China have more poor people.” India and China each has a population of over 1 billion. Nigeria has about 150 million people. Every Nigerian government in the past 25 years or so has promoted one anti-poverty programmes or the other. These programmes, in their originators’ efforts to be seen as different, result in outright cancellation of earlier programmes or are contradictory. Poverty is growing with devastating consequences for both rural and urban populations. Politicians gloss over the issue. They are too wealthy to notice how others are struggling to live. How can politicians, who contribute to policies that neglect the people be concerned about poverty? Poverty’s growth is deep, pervasive, with the combined factors of poor health care systems, corruption and uncaring governments sustaining it. More people are unemployed and unable to meet basic daily needs of food, medication, and even drinking water. Incidents of suicide are being reported more regularly in the urban centres as economic opportunities evaporate. Governments’ commitment to spend funds from debt relief on poverty reduction has no visible effect on millions of Nigerians who never have a decent meal, and cannot plan for their children, who will not be educated and have already joined the poverty queue. “Over the period 1980 – 1996, the proportion of poor peoples rose from 28.1 per cent in 1980 to 65.6 per cent in 1996. This translated to 17.7 million poor people in 1980 and 67.1 million people in 1996. With government’s on-going reform programmes and poverty reduction strategies, the proportion of poor people is still very high about 66 per cent of the population, which translates to about 90 million poor people. By 2015, it is expected that the economic reform programmes will begin to bear fruits and the population of poor people will reduce to about 40 million people,” African Foundation for Population and Development, noted in a paper. The expectations are too optimistic. Execution of projects that would ensure more electricity supply, water, roads and security, to enhance more investments in industrial and commercial activities, which will in turn create jobs and poverty reduction opportunities, are largely ignored. There are no plans or funds for these projects. If the resources were available, some of them cannot be executed in the next four years. Governments’ preference is to tackle poverty eradication in boring speeches at workshops and seminars. Statistics on impact of poverty are deceptive. They fail to note the devastating consequences of poverty, among them crimes, communal clashes, unstable political institutions, and Nigeria’s uncompetitiveness. Nigeria cannot develop with its high levels of poverty. Anyone who envisions a secured future for Nigeria must deal with poverty, which enervates its development. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/wanted-a-president-for-nigerias-poor/

Politics

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Of 33% out-of-school children, 60% lack teachers One out of every three school-age Nigerian children being out of school (OOS) and six out of 10 schools which the ‘lucky’ ones attend do not have enough qualified teachers. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stated these and more of the persisting ills of Nigeria’s system at the primary and secondary school levels. The non-government organisation stated that about 33 percent of children who should be in school at those two levels are not. “One in three children in Nigeria is out of school,” according to the Chief of UNICEF Field Office in charge of Bauchi Zone, Dr Tusher Rane. Rane, during an event in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, made the point that unsafe school environment is a catalyst for children staying out of school, and spelt out the statistics. He said 10.2 million children at the primary school level and 8.1 million children at the junior secondary level are outside the school system. The occasion on which Dr Rane spoke was the commemoration of the 2024 International Day of Education (IDE) which featured a roundtable discussion at the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB), where representatives of the state government and UNICEF officials were joined by other NGO leaders and selected students in discussing the learning crisis in Adamawa State and suggesting ways through. Mentioning some of the reasons for the dismal situation in education delivery, Rane noted that globally, surge of violent conflicts is making schools unsafe and learning impossible for children. He added, “In Northern Nigeria, there were 499 school closures due to floods, fear of attacks, or occupation by state and non-state actors in 2022 – 26 of these schools were in Adamawa State.” Making reference to a recent Humanitarian Needs Overview, he added that conflict in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (collectively called BAY states) left approximately 1,400 schools damaged, many of them still unrehabilitated or without sufficient learning materials. Some others of the issues identified at the Yola roundtable as bedeviling safe and quality education especially around the North East include dearth of infrastructure and logistics, insufficient funding and lack of diligence by the few teachers who exist in the usually inadequately staffed schools. Other issues raised include non-completion of school syllabus, use of school facilities for non-school activities that forces children out of school, as well as threats to safety, often evidenced by absence of perimeter walls around schools. Delivering a paper on the Crisis of Education in Adamawa State during the Yola International Day of Education commemoration of January 24, 2024, Abdurrahman Ibrahim Ado, Education Specialist with UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, said 1.4 million children are out of school in the insurgency harrassed states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. He added that the condition of education delivery in those places has become so bad that 72 percent of pupils cannot read simple text after completing primary six. During the January 24 IDE commemoration in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, UNICEF highlighted that more than 60% of schools in the BAY states lack qualified teachers. “Less than 40 per cent of schools in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have teachers with the minimum level of teaching qualifications,” the UNICEF Chief of Field Office for Borno, Phuong Nguyen, said. Touching on the out of school phenomenon, Nguyen added, “As of today, more than half of all displaced children in North East Nigeria are out of school. For many children, the right to education has still not translated into the right to learn.” Calling on government, humanitarian partners, and all other stakeholders in education to scale up their education financing for the region, she said, “We must make a sizeable and sustainable investment in teachers’ recruitment and training, school infrastructure and security, including fortification of school infrastructure.” As many organisations have often stressed, girls fare worse in the education delivery crisis. For factors uniquely their own, girls lag behind boys in the business of getting educated. Earlier in time, in September last year, at an education conference that as often had UNICEF in the driving seat, it was said that over 50% of Nigerian girls were not attending school at the basic education level. An UNICEF Education Manager, Jutaro Sakamoto, during the conference in Abuja, disclosed that 7.6 million girls were out of school in Nigeria: 3.9 million at the primary and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level. Sakamoto specified that 48 percent of OOS girls were in the most educationally disadvantaged regions: North West and North East. He said only 9 percent of the poorest girls attend secondary school. Sakamoto who lamented that Nigeria accounted for 15 percent of OOS children globally, said UNICEF’s Education Opportunity for Out-Of-School Children (OOSC) project had been able to make some impact. Speaking earlier during the education conference, Mufutau Tijani, a Professor of French and Applied Linguistics at the University of Abuja, expressed rhe likelihood of even more children being out of school. Speaking on the topic, ‘Demographic Dynamics and Access to Basic Education in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects,’ Tijani linked the challenges of increasing OOSC to population explosion. He explained that Nigeria’s fast growing population, estimated to be 224,991,917 by September 2023, spells trouble because the higher the population the more the number of OOS children as the government struggles to provide infrastructure. “Schools are not enough to take care of the large population of children in the country,” he asserted, urging the government to enforce its law on compulsory basic education and raise funding for education. Implying that parents must play their part, the university don called for attention to family planning. Back to the Yola education roundtable of Wednesday, UNICEF’s Tusher Rane urged government to scale up foundational learning. “Government must increase the adequacy, efficiency, and accountability of domestic education financing,” he said, offering that as partners, UNICEF and other education-focused authorities would deliver on commitments to transforming quality learning for every Nigerian child.

https://thenationonlineng.net/buhari-killed-plot-extend-oyeguns-tenure/Of

Politics

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When I say that suffering entered into the world when Adam and Eve acted like atheists, I’m saying that they acted in a manner that is independent of God, not that they denied God’s existence. Atheists, of course, operate in their world without considering God as either existing or as an explanation for knowledge, rationality, morality, or existence, etc. They act in a manner that is self-determining of truth and morality. Following are some of the ways in which the actions of Adam and Eve were atheistic which then brought sin into the world and with it suffering. Adam and Eve acted like atheists when they behaved independently from God in the following ways. - They abandoned God’s revealed word about not eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-6) - They decided for themselves what was to be believed or not regarding the truth about what God had said. - They decided for themselves what was morally right and wrong. - Eve (and Adam by following) used her own experiences and preferences to judge moral truth (Gen. 3:6) Atheists regularly complain about how God allows varying degrees of suffering in the world. I often respond by saying, “Don’t blame God. Blame Adam and Eve when they acted like atheists. That’s when things went bad.” Atheists, of course, don’t like my response because it puts them on the hook. But it is true nonetheless. Furthermore, most often they miss my point, and I have to explain it to them by listing out the things I provided above. God let us have our independence and its consequences Generically speaking, God gave us, Christians and non-Christians alike, what we want: the freedom to act independently from Him. Adam and Eve behaved in a manner that was independent of God’s revealed truth and righteousness. First, God allowed them to rebel. Second, God allowed them to suffer the consequences of their rebellion: separation from him and sin in the world. These consequences include hard labor, birth pains, plagues, famine, sicknesses, suffering, etc. Are we children or grown-ups? Furthermore, if God is obligated to stop suffering, according to the atheists’ rationality, then I ask them at what point, or what level of suffering ought God to intervene? Do the atheists think that God must stop all physical suffering or all unnecessary physical suffering? If the latter, then who decides what unnecessary suffering is? What about emotional suffering? Should God stop that as well? But why stop there? What about the suffering that people bring upon themselves because of their free will choices and actions? Should God intervene and prevent them from making those free will choices as well? Or, should God let them experience the consequences of their rebellion against him? From what I’ve seen in Scripture, because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), we have responsibilities consistent with that image. We have obligations given to us by God such as taking care of the earth (Genesis 1:28). In this, God treats us like “grown-ups” in that he lets us be responsible for our own actions. He doesn’t treat us like children and stop us from doing every bad thing. So I can’t help but wonder if the atheists want God to treat us like children and intervene at every, or almost every instance that might bring suffering. I think is clear that atheists decide for themselves what is true, false, right, and wrong. They do not humble themselves before God or consider his self-revelation in Scripture and the person of Jesus when they make their decisions. Adam and Eve behaved similarly when they decided for themselves what was true, false, right, and wrong. The effect of their independent rebellion is suffering in the world. So, when atheists complain that the Christian God ought to stop “unnecessary” suffering they have failed to consider that biblically speaking, it was behaving like atheists that caused the suffering in the first place. And, how does an atheist determine what is unnecessary suffering, and at what point ought the Christian God intervene and stop it? Should He intervene and stop the free will choices of those who bring suffering upon themselves? I’d like to see atheists try and answer these questions before they complain about the Christian God.

https://carm.org/suffering-entered-the-world-when-adam-and-eve-acted-like-atheists?fbclid=IwAR143tFLab2dlVVahA4ZiojwtwdEzFu8t_f5wt7BmF5vkd0W98JnpgRpkic

Religion

en

Yams were first domesticated by African farmers 7,000 years ago. Today, 48.1 million tons of yams are produced annually across 4.4 million hectares of land in West Africa’s “Yam Belt”—which extends from Cote D’Ivoire to Nigeria, representing over 90 percent of the global production. Yam provides the most important source of dietary calories in Nigeria and Ghana. And for many people in the region, it is ranked third above meat as a source of protein. Many believe that it is important for food security as mainstay of for at least 60 million people and income generation.

https://www.channelstv.com/2020/05/04/covid-19-mysterious-deaths-rock-jigawa-local-council/Things

Health

en

What is the difference between African and African American women in Diaspora? After a while, not much. If the same proportion of white women call police on their husbands and accuse their men of sexual harassment, there would be shallow depth of powerful or rich white men as there are of black men now. African men in Diaspora, from those there before or after Columbus, can be easily kicked out of their homes and positions by women. African men new in Diaspora found this out the hard way. The same ones that complain of lack of enabling environment at home in Africa, do succeed in a worse environment against all odds faced by most blacks. Some of them even have the nerve to blame the African Americans or African Europeans they met there for being lazy and not struggling hard enough. Whereas, they were just waiting for manna from heaven when they themselves were in Africa. Once African or African American men change the environment, most succeed against all odds. Therefore, no matter how we look at it, black men and women work very hard to succeed in the Diaspora. When you see a successful black man there, think about how he succeeds despite all the odds against him. Even then, it is harder for them to stay on top since they have to be holier than thou. This is the reason successful black men have to watch their conduct, especially in a community that is easier to fault them for anything that would not stick on others. However, it cannot be disputed that many men generally still see women for their looks, shapes and vulnerability. Yet, black men in high or prominent positions, are more of a potential target for sexual assault or harassment allegations. Both white and black men abuse women but not often do you find black women accusing white men of sexual assault or harassment. The consequences could be damaging and could backfire, big time against them. If you remember Tawana Glenda Brawley that alleged four white men raped her in 1987 and Crystal Mangum the North Carolina Central College student who was hired to strip for the Duke Lacrosse players alleging rape at the party in 2006. Both cases could not be proven in court. Even Professor Anita Hill famous allegation against Clarence Thomas during nomination to Supreme Court by his conservative mentors, fell short like that of Brett Kavanaugh. If you want a sacrifice for the overbearing crime of men against women, choose very carefully, preferably a black man. The allegation against white men supported by most white women are hard to stick since ancient time. See Thomas Jefferson is the R. Kelly of the American Enlightenment by Lisa Woolfork an associate professor of English at the University of Virginia. In 1802 a writer, James Callender failed to discredit Jefferson with his African teenage sex slave, Sally Hemings. All women still face a daunting task for complaining about sexual assault, especially black women if their harassers are white men. Vestiges of slavery still persist. Indeed, “Nearly 30 years after Jefferson’s death, the Missouri Supreme Court would rule that enslaved black women, as property, must legally submit to sexual assault by their masters.” Yep, you read it right! No black community would defend, support or encourage the abusive black man. If anything, Africans communities at home or in Diaspora are harder on abusers than others. Check out the prominent black men brought into disrepute by black women. Some involved relationships that slipped away. From Justice Clarence Thomas to the Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, black women are paying back or pulling them down riding on the Me Too Movement. Black women, like most women want decent successful black men like themselves to have a solid relationship with. When we deal with folks that have gone through similar stages in life, it is easier to relate and communicate. Indeed, many black ladies compromise and marry down to black men not as educated or as successful as they are. They understand the situation of black men in their communities. Sometimes more so than young successful African ladies in Africa. However, there are not enough successful black men to pair with the number of successful black ladies in Diaspora. The competition to get a successful black man can be tough since black men have choices not only with African American ladies but a choice with other races. Black folks do not mind if a poor black is married to other race but it burns when you see a successful black man or woman married to other races. Just like Asian ladies, to the displeasure of white young women, are taking to white men too. It is like: that one should have been mine! These days, African women face competition at home and abroad for decent African men. One should be able to find a suitable black woman to marry anywhere. If you cannot find one in Europe and the Americas, there are many in Africa or the Caribbean where “Stella Got Her Groove”. Some Africans used to return home to marry but they are more cautious these days. The incentive to come back home and marry is no longer there, it has gone sour. Indeed, you are told that if you could not find an African woman you like in your community where you are in Africa or Diaspora, be ready for trouble. There are ladies African men would never marry at home but that stand a good chance of marrying Africans returning home for a partner. Accusation fly back and forth about broke-ass men and “yesterday’s newspapers” only men from Diaspora would marry. As soon as African ladies are brought to Europe and the Americas, it does not take long for them to adapt to their new found “freedom” claiming rights worse than their counterparts in Europe and America. There was a party where everyone was asked to serve themselves. While most people got up to do so; before African husbands got up, their wives brought them food. This African lady that came to her first party in America, insisted that her new husband must get up and serve himself. It was the first sign and not surprising that the marriage did not last. We could see a fragile relationship coming. Before you know it, they would be telling the stories of women that kicked their husbands out of his house or the ones the father-in-law ordered the husband to look at his house for the last time; because he would not come back. Some would slap the husband daring him to hit her. The next act would be calling police on the husband. We all know Police and black men do not mix in America because it could be deadly. Unfortunately, it is their children that suffer. Any home without a father is a broken home unless there is a woman that has what it takes to be a man and a woman at the same time. It gets worse because most of these women have to work to support their home. Once the man is kicked out, it becomes difficult to pay the mortgage, rent and other bills without working overtime or two jobs to support the family. Consequently, children are left at home to raise themselves. Raising children with two parents in the home is hard enough, it should never fall on the shoulder of one parent. It is not an accident that white women understand the respect white men deserve in their communities. Most of their men earn enough to support the family and it gives their wives the choice to stay at home or work outside the home. If both parents are working, it gives them the leverage to hire a babysitter, send children to private schools and with more discretionary income to blow. As a result, most white women are fiercely loyal to their boys, men or husbands and are willing to protect him at any cost than are black women. They are more willing to defend their husbands and sons in the face of an accusation of sexual or criminal abuse allegations. It is ironic that the social workers, teachers and counsellors that black women depend on, that encourage them to report black men; hardly report their own husbands.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/916498/payback-time-to-prominent-black-men-some-black-ladies-lost.html#

Politics

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While European countries are being lectured about their failure to take in enough refugees, Saudi Arabia – which has taken in precisely zero migrants – has 100,000 air conditioned tents that can house over 3 million people sitting empty. The sprawling network of high quality tents are located in the city of Mina, spreading across a 20 square km valley, and are only used for 5 days of the year by Hajj pilgrims. As the website Amusing Planet reports, “For the rest of the year, Mina remains pretty much deserted.” The tents, which measure 8 meters by 8 meters, were permanently constructed by the Saudi government in the 1990’s and were upgraded in 1997 to be fire proof. They are divided into camps which include kitchen and bathroom facilities. The tents could provide shelter for almost all of the 4 million Syrian refugees that have been displaced by the country’s civil war, which was partly exacerbated by Saudi Arabia’s role in funding and arming jihadist groups. However, as the Washington Post reports, wealthy Gulf Arab nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and others have taken in precisely zero Syrian refugees. Although Saudi Arabia claims it has taken in 500,000 Syrians since 2011, rights groups point out that these people are not allowed to register as migrants. Many of them are also legal immigrants who moved there for work. In comparison, Lebanon has accepted 1.3 million refugees – more than a quarter of its population. Recommended for You While it refuses to take in any more refugees, Saudi Arabia has offered to build 200 mosques for the 500,000 migrants a year expected to pour into Germany. Saudis argue that the tents in Mina are needed to host the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, but given that the Arabic concept of Ummah is supposed to offer protection to all Muslims under one brotherhood, surely an alternative location could be found so that Mina can be repurposed to house desperate families fleeing war and ISIS persecution? While Europe is being burdened by potentially millions of people who don’t share the same culture or religion as the host population, Gulf Arab states refuse to pull their weight, resolving only to throw money at the problem. The likelihood of the Saudis inviting Syrian refugees to stay in Mina is virtually zero, but the thousands of empty tents serve as a physical representation of the hypocrisy shared by wealthy Gulf Arab states when it comes to helping with the crisis. Photos credit: Akram Abahre.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/saudi-arabia-100000-empty-tents-ac-3-million-people-refugees/

Religion

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The Jehovah’s Witnesses frequently insert the name “Jehovah” into the New Testament in places that the Greek manuscripts contain the word “kurios” (which actually means “master” or “Lord”). They justify this practice by claiming that the original New Testament contained the Hebrew name YHWH (which they translate as Jehovah) but that the early scribes changed this name to “kurios” when they were copying it. Due to the many early Greek manuscripts and translations of the New Testament that all use “Lord” instead of Jehovah, as well as many quotes from the New Testament in other early writings that agree with the manuscripts, the Jehovah’s Witness theory is all but impossible to support historically. They have, however, found one ancient source that they believe backs up their claim: a Jewish legal code known as the Tosefta. “The Tosefta, a written collection of oral laws that was completed by about 300 C.E., says with regard to Christian writings that were burned on the Sabbath: ‘The books of the Evangelists and the books of the minim [thought to be Jewish Christians] they do not save from a fire. But they are allowed to burn where they are, they and the references to the Divine Name which are in them.'”1 The Tosefta is similar to the Mishna, though the Tosefta was written about a century later. It is a collection of Rabbinic interpretations and applications of Old Testament laws and ritual practices. As is often the case, the Jehovah’s Witness publication does not give a specific citation where one could easily look up their source and examine it in context. Their translation is also somewhat interpretive, slanted to make the reference sound clearer than it is. The passage they are referencing is found in the Tosefta in Shabbat 13:5. It is also preserved in the Babylonian Talmud at Shabbat 116A and in the Jerusalem Talmud at Shabbat 15C. “Shabbat” means “Sabbath,” and as one might expect, it is part of a collection of regulations on what could and what could not be done on the Sabbath. The specific context of this passage is the proper handling and disposing of manuscripts on the Sabbath. Some interesting questions come up. Can one rescue a scroll from a fire on the Sabbath, or is that “work” and thus forbidden? What if it’s a scroll of the Torah (the Law of Moses)? What if it’s an old and unreadable Torah scroll that no one uses anymore? What if it’s a foreign translation? Many possibilities are discussed and weighed out. In this context, the writings of the “minim” are also addressed. Should they be rescued from the fire out of regard for the divine name, or should they burn because they are sectarian? Generally speaking, the word “minim” refers to sectarians of any kind. Sadducees could be called “minim,” as could Samaritans who were not Jews but who worshiped YHWH and used a modified version of the Torah. Christians who maintained a Jewish identity would be labeled “minim,” as would Jewish pseudo-Christian heretical groups like the Ebionites. Thus, scholars interpret this passage in a variety of ways. Are the books of the minim sectarian versions of the Torah? Are they writings that quote from the Torah? Are they apocryphal scriptures that use the divine name? Scholars do not agree. Who are the Minim themselves? Sectarians in general? Samaritans? Jewish Christians? Ebionites? Some otherwise unknown sect of the day? Again, scholars do not agree. This passage is clear that there were “minim” that possessed books that used the Divine Name, but the passage does not define the details of these sects or their books. It is popular, however, to interpret them to be some kind of Jewish Christian group, so let’s assume this for a moment. What does it prove? Properly translated and read in context, absolutely nothing in this passage would suggest that copies of the Greek New Testament are in view. Old Testament manuscripts, sectarian writings, interpretive Hebrew translations of Greek Christian texts, or even the many Hebrew and Aramaic apocryphal gospels that early Church writers frequently mention are all far more likely in this context than Greek New Testament manuscripts. This passage does nothing to overthrow the vast early testimony that the New Testament writers used the word “Lord” rather than the name “YHWH” in their writings, which would not be uncommon for Jewish writers of their day. Even more, our earliest manuscripts of the Shabbat tractate in the Tosefta or the Talmud are not until the middle ages, a thousand years after it was written. The Mishna, which contains the earliest form of the Shabbat tractate (and also has the earliest manuscripts) does not include this passage. Now, don’t get me wrong here. I think the passage is almost certainly ancient and part of the original Tosefta, but think about what that means. If one is going to accept that this passage has been properly preserved on that kind of manuscript evidence, it would be absurd to assume that the New Testament documents have been so radically altered when they possess far earlier, more numerous, and diverse witnesses! The Shabbat tractate in the Tosefta and the Talmud certainly is a valuable testimony to the Jews’ sacred view of the Divine Name and their attitude toward those they perceived as sectarians. It may well even point to the fact that some early Jewish Christian groups still used the Divine Name in their writings. This would not be at all surprising. In fact, many Christian hymns through the ages have used name Jehovah, and many Christian Bibles have translated YWHW in the Old Testament as “Jehovah” or as “Yahweh.” Christians do not flee from using and revering God’s name, but we do seek to honor God’s word by translating it as He chose to reveal it rather than altering it to suit the imbalance of our own traditions. God inspired the New Testament writings without using the name YHWH. Any agenda that requires us to add into the Bible what God Himself left out so as to “restore the truth” is unbiblical and is not Christian.

http://ow.ly/HRlG50MjEU2

Religion

en

By Uche Onyebadi SAME-SEX marriages in the US are not a novelty. What is new is that last week, the U.S. Supreme Court affixed a stamp of legitimacy on such marriages anywhere in the country. Now, Mary can marry Maria, from New York to California, and from Arizona to Montana. In the same vein, James can take his lovely Jeremiah to a marriage registry anywhere in the United States and have a marriage official pronounce both men husband and wife, and they will be so recognized in the eyes of the law. The 5-4 Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage amplified the ideological divided in the highest court in the United States. Quite expectedly, the more liberal justices concurred with the majority opinion. Chief Justice John Roberts led the conservative judges in their dissenting opinion. Interestingly, all three female justices, two of whom were nominated to the highest bench by President Barack Obama, cast their net with the decision to allow same-sex marriage. In his majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy who had on previous occasions ruled in favour of gay couples being entitled to marry, wrote this: “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.” He then examined the status of children of such couples and concluded that “Without the recognition, stability and predictability marriage offers, their children suffer the stigma of knowing their families are somehow lesser. They also suffer the significant material costs of being raised by unmarried parents, relegated through no fault of their own to a more difficult and uncertain family life. The marriage laws at issue here thus harm and humiliate the children of same-sex couples.” Justice Kennedy was not done with his advocacy for same-sex couples. He confronted the huge constitutional question about same-sex marriages by arguing that “the issue before the court here is the legal question whether the Constitution protects the right of same-sex couples to marry.” And his candid and unequivocal answer was that the U.S. constitution “grants them that right.” Chief Justice Roberts did not mask his disagreement with Justice Kennedy over the constitutionality of same-sex marriage. According to the boss of the judicial arm of the U.S. government, “If you are among the many Americans — of whatever sexual orientation — who favour expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it.” The other dissenting opinions equally had an adversarial tone. For instance, Justice Antonin Scalia was unimpressed with Justice Kennedy’s linguistic style in the decision and observed that “the opinion is couched in a style that is as pretentious as its content is egotistic…Of course the opinion’s showy profundities are often profoundly incoherent.” Outside the court, President Obama, a self-acknowledged convert to the idea of the humaneness and propriety of same-sex marriage, added his voice to the chorus of “amen” to the majority decision that gay people had the right to marry. The president said that “Today, we can say, in no uncertain terms, that we have made our union a little more perfect.” But where the president saw an inch toward perfection, his political opponents saw the trashing of the moral fibre of the U.S. Former governor of Arkansas and Republican Party’s presidential aspirant, Mike Huckabee, called the decision “one of the court’s most disastrous opinions” and vowed that “I will not acquiesce to an imperial court any more than our founders acquiesced to an imperial British monarch. We must resist and reject judicial tyranny, not retreat.” But among some of the Republican presidential candidates, the reality of the Supreme Court’s decision has sunk in. In his reaction to the ruling, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said in an interview that “Given the quickly changing tide of public opinion on this issue, I do not believe that an attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution could possibly gain the support of three-fourths of the states or a supermajority in the U.S. Congress.” Senator Graham is realistic about this issue. Polls after polls in the U.S. show that one in every six Americans now believes that gay people have the right to marry one another. Before the Supreme Court last week, same-sex marriage was legitimate in 36 out of 50 U.S. states, either by judicial mandate or by law passed by the legislature. That situation came a long way since Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004. Advocacy groups for gay rights are now commonplace in the U.S. But perhaps it is the coming out of the closet by several prominent people in the U.S. that has given the gay movement its greatest boost. In 2014, Apple’s CEO, Time Cook, openly declared his gay status and became the first top CEO do to so in the U.S. He boldly declared that “I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.” Earlier in 2012, CNN’s prominent news anchor, Anderson Cooper, came out and publicly wrote that “The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.” MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, is also gay. Why do gay and lesbian couples want to get married? The web site “Freedom to Marry” simply says this about people of different sexual orientation: “Marriage matters to gay people in similar ways that it matters to everyone. Gay and lesbian couples want to get married to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and to protect their families.” But to people like the governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, who is an avowed opponent of same-sex marriage, “Marriage between a man and a woman was established by God, and no earthly court can alter that.” That was his response to the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage. Folks like Jindal also believe that marriage is an issue that is best left to the states to handle. Last week, the Supreme Court made it a federal issue and endorsed it. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/now-mary-can-marry-maria-anywhere-in-us/

Politics

en

Either for hobby or as a real opportunity to find a job, with countless resources on the internet (most of them free), learning a new programming language has never been as easy as it is today. But even with the overwhelming information that’s out there, choosing a programming language to learn can be a daunting task. Especially if it’s the first language that someone is learning. A good programming language to start with should be one that teaches best practices and common paradigms and designs that can be found on all other languages. Some people may prefer a language that has a clearer syntax, like Python for example others may prefer a language that is more verbose but that teaches a lot on what is happening “under the hood” like C. Languages that have an easier syntax especially have a lot more tutorials and resources to learn for beginners than languages that may be a little more complex as syntax goes.

http://www.slant.co/topics/25/~what-is-the-best-programming-language-to-learn-first

Programming

en

Life expectancy in South Africa dropped by 4.3 years between 1990 and 2013, according to a research coordinated by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) of University of Washington. The report states: “The average life expectancy for women was 63 years in 2013, with men living 57.7 years.” It goes further to assert that “By contrast, in 1990 women lived on average 68.9 years and men had a life expectancy of 60.5 years.” The IHME study covered 188 countries globally and ranks South Africa 162 in terms of life expectancy for females and 169 for males. Study is scientifically barren I would like to respond to the said study and demonstrate that it is scientifically barren and it is a rather lazy piece of work hiding behind a facade of the so called cross country comparative studies. It is downright misleading in the case of South Africa. But I need to preamble the critique with broader work on cross country studies. They are very important inputs for measuring progress on global programmes such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in the post-2015 agenda, for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A number of such global data exercises exist. They are very complex statistical operations because of temporal and spatial data dissonances. So those who undertake them always face a barrage of scientific criticism. Global agencies and researchers in this endeavour are faced with serious dilemmas of ex-post harmonisation of data, and or imputations or having to ignore country sources in order for their global model to work. Concern over data gaps As part of the United Nations Statistics Commission (UNSC) which I had the privilege of being the Chair of in 2009-10, country statisticians-general have repeatedly raised concerns on data gaps that have to be filled and on violations committed by some multilateral agencies that engage in global statistical enterprises. The United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) is one such global flagship undertaking that caught the ire of the UNSC. From 2003 the late Ian Castles, the then retired Chief Statistician of Australia, wrote a scathing critique on the report and up to the present the UNSC has continuously petitioned the United Nations Secretary General on the Human Development Report (UN-HDR) for what the Commission has observed as statistical and technical limitations in it. South Africa, supported by Morocco and Brazil has been the most documented and outspoken on the report. SA’s life expectancy estimates most contested For instance equal weighting that the report assigns to its three areas of measurement makes little statistical sense, let alone omissions of country level data and some spurious imputations that often leave countries wondering whether the report relates to them. South Africa’s life expectancy estimates have remained the most contested in the UN-HDI report, leading to a room paper that I presented at the UNSC in 2005 contesting life expectancy values imputed in the UN-HDI report for South Africa. In its 2012 report the UN-HDI report continued to ignore gains in life expectancy in South Africa despite scientifically documented improvements. Having said that the UN-HDI report serves an ideally useful purpose and survived since 1990 to date. The leading economy in Africa Another important global comparator is the International Comparisons Programme (ICP). It is conducted under the supervision of the UNSC. It is undertaken every five years and measures real sizes of economies of countries on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. It is this study that concluded in the main that Nigeria and Egypt have now taken first and second spot and South Africa is now the third largest economy on the continent on a PPP basis. The 2011 ICP report submitted at the UNSC for consideration and adoption in 2014 also showed China’s rapid ascendency towards being the largest economy in the world. Coming back to the main subject of my input on the article “South Africa’s life expectancy drops by 4.3 years from 1990 to 2013”, I would argue that it makes for a remarkable reading on an important subject alluding to measuring longevity. Unfortunately the claims it makes cannot be substantiated by scientific and historical facts in the country. First by 1990, there was no scientific study of the aggregate South African population, let alone one that related to cause of death, which the article so liberally reports on. Questions over the 1970 census The 1970 Census, which by all counts was labelled the only most accurate account of the population in South Africa under both colonial occupation and subsequently under apartheid, still failed dismally as a census because only a sample of 5% of Black census records were processed, just demonstrating how cavalier the apartheid state institutions were even in matters of scientific inquiry. So an imputation of life expectancy and cause of death in the light of such scant information and discrepant data history requires a more elaborate scientific process than the shallow grave approach dished to us by the IHME. Little wonder that the IHME report comes up with an unexplained estimate life expectancy at birth for females of 68.9 as of 1990 for South Africa. This estimate can only be appropriate and relevant to populations that were measured, in this regard largely Whites. Unfortunately the report is stingy on methods, sources of data and metadata and leaves one with nothing else to critique except the numbers themselves. This is an unfortunate lowly approach to scientific scrutiny but I am unfortunately left with no choice. Female life expectancy: 63 years vs 68.9 years According to all sources of data from Statistics South Africa, including the October Household Surveys, Census 1996 and subsequent statistical undertakings in post-apartheid South Africa, the best estimate of female life expectancy as of 1990 would have been 63 years and not 68.9 years as IHME estimated. This is a gap of about six years, which is statistically and demographically very significant. According to the 2014 mid-year population estimates report published by Statistics South Africa in 2014, life expectancy at birth in South Africa in 2013 was 58.2 years for males and 62.1 years for females. The male figure is comparable to the 58.3 years estimated by the IHME report while for females the IHME report estimated a higher life expectancy of 64.7 years. Figure 1 below makes the point vividly. This paper argues that the estimates provided by the IHME for the period 1990 to 2006 are higher than what would be expected for South Africa during that time, particularly for the earlier years. The IHME estimated life expectancy at birth for females in 1990 at 68.0 years, while Eric O. Udjo, directorate of analysis Statistics SA, estimated it at 63.4 years based on the 1996 population census, indicating a gap of about 5.4 years. The causes of death report by Statistics South Africa, a series systematically compiled since 1997, reflects a mortality experience of crude death rate ranging from 7.7/1000 in 1997, reaching a peak at 15.2/1000 in 2005 and declining to 10.2/1000 by 2014. Looking at historical facts This trend requires interpretation of historical facts about the country. Even after having taken into account population age structure in the comparison, a crude death rate of 7.7/1000 is very low by any standard and could not be the lived reality in South Africa then. The United States has had a crude death rate of 8/1000 in the last five or so years. Such a low crude death rate in the late 1990’s in the case of South Africa just reflected under coverage in reporting of deaths, a matter that our apartheid legacy statistical practice was accustomed to. The rapid increase in crude death rate from 7.7/1000 in 1997 to 9.4/1000 in 2000 only reflected better coverage of death reporting in post-apartheid South Africa. However, beyond 2002, a new pattern which showed a very significant age-sex selectivity of mortality emerged and this heralded the onset of mortality due to HIV and Aids effects and the number of deaths peaked at 15.2/1000 in 2005 with a very strong female and 20-39 age group bias, before declining back to 10.2/1000 in 2014. Albeit moderately, the current mortality experience still contains an age-sex selection bias. Who the figures speak to An estimate of life expectancy for females in a scenario without HIV and Aids twenty years into democracy would be 71.0 years, about two years more than the 68.9 years estimated for 1990 by IHME. So the claim by the IHME is indeed a fallacy and can only reflect the then prevalent measurement bias of mortality experience amongst the measured population and therefore that largely of the White population. The IHME have not tempered their base data and therefore their “intellectual work” with that of population groups other than that of the then White minority. Therein lies the major flaw of the IHME storyline. The contrast between the estimate of IHME for 1990 and one of 2013 on life expectancy in comparison to that of StatsSA is palpable as shown in Figure 1 above. For 2013 the life expectancy estimate generated by StatsSA and one generated by IHME are very close at respectively 62 and 63 for females and 58.2 and 57.7 for males. Opaque and inexplicable The question then is why are the estimates of life expectancy so divergent for an earlier period and yet so convergent at a later period? The answer is indeed not difficult to find. The sources of data and methodology in the case of IHME remain opaque and inexplicable, at least in the case of South Africa, whilst in the case of StatsSA this is all in the public domain for both periods. The second point of difference is that I have provided a historical perspective that had major implications on coverage of death notification in South Africa for which a methodological process had to be implemented to compensate for data gaps and defects. This perspective and the necessary technical compensation are not forthcoming from IHME. That life expectancy declined in South Africa is not a secret. The decline in mortality in South Africa was noted around 2005/2006, following a consistent increase following the onset of HIV/Aids in the country. The increase in mortality was particularly observed in the ages 20 to 54 and at age 0 (see Figure 2). The greatest decline was also noted in the same age groups from 2007 (see Figure 3). The decline in mortality in South Africa was noted around 2005/2006, following a consistent increase following the onset of HIV/AIDS in the country. The increase in mortality was particularly observed in the ages 20 to 54 and at age 0 (see Figure 2). The greatest decline was also noted in the same age groups from 2007 (see Figure 3). In this regard four important points stand out: - First, the timing of the decline in life expectancy engulfed South Africa from about 2002, which is twelve years later from a 1990 date claimed by IHME. - Second, the claim that life expectancy was as high as 68.9 years for females and 60.5 years for males by 1990 fails the test given that a without HIV/Aids life expectancy projection for males and females approximates the 1990 IHME mortality profile only about sixteen years later, wherein a without HIV/Aids life expectancy scenario returns 68.8 years for females and 62.8 years for males. - Third, the gap in life expectancy between males and females is terribly exaggerated in the case of IHME. It stands at eight years in comparison to six years in a without Aids scenario. This leads one to conclude that notorious South Africa phenomena of imaginary male mortality could have crept in the IHME estimation procedures especially if they approached mortality from an orphan hood perspective in their 1990 estimate. - Fourth and last, IHME estimates of life expectancy in the latter period are so close to that of StatsSA at 63 and 62.1 years for females and 57.7 and 58.2 years for males in 2013 with a much smaller gap in life expectancy between males and females in comparison to their IHME estimate. There are two questions the last point begs. First why are the estimates so close now compared to 1990 and second why has the life expectancy gap between sexes narrowed, 5 years compared to 8 years and thus coming closer to that of StatsSA of 4 years. Cross country studies Cross country studies are very important and necessary but are notoriously complex. Cross country studies attract headline news as they crowd source global interest, however, often times this happens at the cost of countries, a phenomena that global agencies arrogantly ignore. Country statisticians general and agencies have a principle and statutory obligation to contribute to global statistical enterprise but by the same token have to scrutinise global statistical toil. In this regard it is important to note that the statistician-general of South Africa and the agency StatsSA that I am privileged to lead, are judged and subjected to unmitigated intellectual and public scrutiny and the leadership and staff of StatsSA dearly hold the burden and pleasure of service as the primary goal for the existence of StatsSA. *Pali Lehohla is South Africa’s statistician general and the Head of Statistics South Africa.

http://www.health24.com/News/Public-Health/SAs-life-expectancy-Why-new-report-is-misleading-20150107

Culture

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There are leaders, and then there are good leaders. A good leader is someone people follow because they trust the path he or she has chosen to walk on. A good leader inspires and encourages others to become their best version and, in becoming thus, contributes towards making the corporation a force to reckon with. Needless to say, it’s hard work and not for everyone. However, with Luke Brickman 4 key qualities, anyone can now attempt to hone their leadership skills. Become a people person Becoming a people’s person is not about becoming a people’s pleaser. You’ll be called out for being the latter sooner than you’d think. However, becoming a people person is an art unto itself. Luke Brickman explains, “When you are a people’s person, it means that you have their reverence and that they acknowledge your abilities to deal with business and work. They feel comfortable speaking with you and voicing their opinions because you have genuinely won their vote of confidence by being an impartial listener. A people person is someone who isn’t afraid of other people’s success. He or she is well together and rides on their ability to deliver one after another.” Learn how to say NO Most articles encourage people to say NO. But that often fails, right? Because most people do not know how to say no without sounding offensive and just rebellious. Luke Brickman says, “to master the art of saying no, start with yourself. Tell yourself no for things you know you shouldn’t be doing. This will help you understand what makes it hard and help you find new ways to say it in a way that gets things done. People don’t like to hear no, but they hate to hear it spoken in an uncivilized manner.” Act your beliefs There’s a lot of slip between the cup and the lip, so goes the saying. Luke Brickman believes this to be a fundamental truth that must be recognized and acknowledged by all leaders. He adds, “It’s one thing to wax poetic about your missions and goals; it’s another to make them happen. As a leader, you’ll be judged on your actions. Your actions will hold the mirror to your thoughts, decision-making, and risk-taking abilities. Not only must a leader exercise great caution when it comes to words, but must live up to the ones he or she chooses to utter.” Have a clear vision Nothing looks worse on a leader than a lack of vision. For Luke Brickman, this might as well be the end of your business before its beginning. He adds, “Vision leads direction. Direction determines action. Action has the potential to inspire. And inspiration is what keeps the team going. You see, how closely is your vision linked to the success of your business? As a leader, your vision and, more importantly, your clarity about it will make all the difference when it comes to how the customer sees your business and how your team assesses your decisions.” With Luke Brickman’s 4 key qualities, it’s time to unleash the leader within. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/kogi-on-red-alert-as-dss-arrests-faleke-audu/According

Politics

en

People take cover from a stun grenade and tear gas after a skirmish between locals and foreign nationals as thousands of people take part in the “peace march” against xenophobia in Durban, South Africa, on April 16, 2015. South African President Jacob Zuma on April 16 appealed for the end of attacks on immigrants as a wave of violence that has left at least six people dead threatened to spread across the country. In the past two weeks, shops and homes owned by Somalis, Ethiopians, Malawians and other immigrants in Durban and surrounding townships have been targeted, forcing families to flee to camps protected by armed guards. AFP PHOTO THE world watched in horror at the violence in South Africa, targeted at foreigners in several cities. Gangs of weapons-wielding youth descended on hapless foreigners, killing, maiming and destroying their property. Shops and restaurants were looted, and in most cases, these went on with law enforcement agents seeming to derive some pleasure from watching. Many trace the violence to a statement credited to the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini, who called on foreigners, who he blamed for the high crime rates and unemployment among South Africans, to leave. Nigerians were a sizeable proportion of the attacked foreigners. No death was reported, but they suffered great losses – their businesses were targets. Many were injured. These attacks have been regular since 2008, the only difference each time is the increasing intensity. They are unofficial, but the official South African attitude to Nigerians is not much different. The repatriation of 124 Nigerians in March 2012 over alleged forged immunisation cards is one. There were sufficient grounds to believe that the Nigerians suffered that fate because they travelled on a Nigerian carrier. Only months ago, South Africa botched an arms deal with Nigeria and made headlines out of it. Nigerians are angry about the vehemence and barbarity with which South Africans attack fellow Africans even when it is obvious that there is live television coverage of the attacks. If anything, the unwillingness of the police to act, assures the attackers that they would be immune from punishment. We recall Nigerian contributions, officially, and individually to the liberation of South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Angola. The contributions were diplomatic, financial and extended to scholarships and training for their students. Since the collapse of apartheid, South Africa businesses have flourished in Nigeria, exploiting Nigerians, paying minimal wages, and repatriating hefty profits annually. Nigerians know these, including humiliation they face when they apply for South African visas while nationals of countries that supported apartheid require no visa to enter South Africa. Why are South Africans so hostile to Nigerians? We think it is in the interest of both countries to find out. The excuses about unemployment and crimes are speculations, especially when the menial jobs other Africans do would not appeal to South Africans and crime statistics do not support the crime claim. No reason justifies the attacks. We commend the patience of Nigerians who protested, instead of attacking South African interests in Nigeria. The Nigerian protesters warned both governments that time is running out for them to address the causes of the attacks. Our government should ensure South Africa pays adequate compensations for the losses. We would no longer sacrifice Nigerians for diplomacy. Let these attacks be the last. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/south-africans-attack-nigerians/

Politics

en

Can grow up to 4ft long! Glass Lizard Scientific Classification - Scientific Name Read our Complete Guide to Classification of Animals. Glass Lizard Conservation Status Glass Lizard Facts “The glass lizard has no legs but is not a snake, making it a unique and interesting member of the reptile kingdom.” The glass lizard is a legless reptile that’s native to North America. This intelligent lizard dwells everywhere between the rocky beaches of Florida to the grassy expanses of the Midwest. Hidden in these places, the Ophisaurus waits patiently for its prey: insects, spiders, and other small creatures that crawl in the damp spaces underground. These lizards are known for having long tails that comprise most of their bodies. Although it’s possible for one of these tails to regrow if it gets broken off, the truth is that the new tail will have neither the same markings nor reach the same length as the original. Because of this, responsible handlers take great care to avoid harming any glass lizards they meet. These lizards are not known to bite humans if approached with a friendly attitude. Luckily, Ophisaurus is a resourceful species that has managed to successfully spread across America’s warm and moderate climates. You can tell that you’re looking at a glass lizard if its eyes can open and close; this is something that a snake simply cannot do. Incredible Glass Lizard Facts! - Glass lizards have eyes that can open and close; that’s how you know they’re lizards and not snakes. - Glass lizards are shy and squirmy, but they don’t usually bite humans, even when they’re picked up. - Although glass lizards are legless, some of them have a small pair of legs located near their rear vents. - Glass lizards’ tails break off as a survival mechanism when they are caught by a predator. The tail keeps squirming while the lizard gets away; later, the lizard’s tail will regrow. The scientific name of these lizards is Ophisaurus. This name is a combination of two Greek words: ophio, which means snake, and sauros, which means lizard. There are several different varieties of glass lizard scattered across the world, including: - Ophisaurus ventralis: the eastern glass lizard - Ophisaurus compressus: the island glass lizard - Ophisaurus mimicus: the mimic glass lizard - Ophisaurus attenuatus: the slender glass lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus also contains the subspecies Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus, which are the longest and most slender glass lizards of all. It’s worth noting that the term “glass lizard” can also be used to refer to members of the genera Dopasia, Hyalosaurus, and Pseudopus, which can be found in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Although these creatures are technically legless lizards, they are not actually related to members of the Ophisaurus genus. Glass lizards can not trace their lineage back to one ancestor from which they evolved. Instead, there are species of glass lizard all over the world that evolved leglessness independently of each other – convergent evolution. Over millions of years, these creatures developed smaller and smaller limbs until they just vanished. Some glass lizards still have vestigial back limbs next to their vents. Snakes actually evolved from burrowing or aquatic lizards during the Jurassic period, so glass lizards may be animals that never evolved into snakes but remained in a stage of development that suited their environments. The oldest fossil of a true snake has dated 167 – 143 million years ago. Glass lizards are long, thin reptiles that come in a variety of colors and patterns. Most glass lizards have brown or gray scales with light speckles and a yellow or cream-colored belly. Many of these lizards also have long, dark stripes on their sides that reach from head to tail. Ophisaurus patterns are regional and often help the lizard maintain camouflage in the local environment. These lizards can grow anywhere between 2 to 4 feet (60 to 121 cm) long. Almost two-thirds of this length consists of the tail, which grows longer as the glass lizard gets older. In addition to the head, body, and tail, some glass lizards may have a nearly unnoticeable pair of legs near their rear vents. Other key identifying features of these lizards include the two longitudinal grooves that run down either side of their body. These grooves allow the lizard’s internal organs to expand, permitting easy breathing and digestion. Aside from these grooves, glass lizards are rather stiff and fragile. The name “glass lizard” comes from the fact that these creatures can be easily broken if they are improperly handled. When this lizard’s tail is caught, it may snap off completely. Ophisaurus tails can continue to wriggle and move for several moments after they are detached. This typically confuses the predator, allowing the lizard to make a quick escape. In the months and years that follow, the tail will regrow, although it is usually much shorter and typically lacks the decorative markings of the original. Glass Lizard vs. Snake If you catch a glimpse of this lizard in the wild, you’ll probably assume that you just saw a snake slither by. Glass lizards are long, thin, legless creatures covered with scales – but this is where their similarity to snakes ends. Unlike snakes, these lizards have moveable eyelids and round pupils that can dilate in the sun. Snake eyes are covered in a thin layer of skin; if the reptile you’re looking at can close its eyes, it’s probably a lizard instead. Similarly, glass lizards have external ear openings on either side of their head, meaning they can rely on sound instead of the ground and wind vibrations that help snakes get around. Finally, the body of a snake is typically far more flexible than the body of a lizard. This is because snakes have compressed organs, stretchy skin, and other features that allow their unique movement. Glass lizards can’t move like snakes, and attempting to flex them in such a way will invariably cause an injury. These lizards are diurnal creatures that are typically active during moderate temperatures. In the spring and fall, they may be around at all times of the day. In the summer, they tend to be active during the morning and evening. The lizards hibernate during the winter months; don’t expect to see one between October and May. Although they hibernate, glass lizards don’t actually dig their own burrows. Instead, they find abandoned burrows left behind by other animals. It’s unclear whether these lizards prefer to live alone or in groups, as these creatures are very good at fleeing when under observation. Glass lizards are shy creatures but are not violent and may allow a human to approach them. The lizards do not bite when they feel threatened; instead, they try to escape. Like other lizards, members of the Ophisaurus family enjoy basking in the sun and may be found on large rocks or even sidewalks during the warmest part of the day. These lizards are endemic to North America and are primarily found in warm to moderate regions, including the midwestern and southeastern parts of the country. Eastern glass lizards are widespread in Florida, Georgia, and the surrounding regions. They tend to prefer wetlands, sandy areas, and similar habitats. Meanwhile, the slender glass lizard prefers to live in the midwest and can be found in woodlands, grassy plains, and other areas with moderate temperatures and good cover. These lizards are carnivores that primarily eat insects like crickets and beetles. However, they also hunt other small creatures, including spiders, rodents, snakes, and even other lizards. They primarily hunt underground but may also look for food in dark, damp areas on the surface. One of the main differences between these lizards and snakes is that glass lizards cannot unhinge their jaws. This means that the lizard cannot eat anything larger than the size of its head. Even the biggest lizards never weigh more than 21 ounces, which makes mice some of their largest possible prey. Predators and Threats The lizard’s natural predators vary based on the region. In general, they avoid raccoons, opossums, hawks, and other carnivorous mammals and birds of prey. Some types of snakes have also been known to feed on these lizards, including copperheads and king snakes. One of the greatest threats to their survival is habitat disruption caused by humans. Deforestation and paving are the biggest concerns; however, insecticides also pose a substantial threat. If these lizards consume a bug that has ingested pesticides, the lizard may also fall victim to the poison. Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan These lizards are egg-laying creatures that mate on a yearly or bi-yearly basis. The Ophisaurus mating season typically occurs in May, although this may vary based on the speed at which warm weather arrives. After mating, female lizards carry their eggs for one to two months; the clutch of eggs is usually laid in late June or early July. An Ophisaurus clutch typically contains anywhere from 5 to 15 eggs. The mother lizard usually chooses a safe location underneath a covered object like a log or a rock. Ophisaurus eggs will hatch after roughly 50 days. Female lizards stay with their eggs for this entire time period, a feature that is uncommon among most species of lizard. Freshly hatched lizards are only a few inches long and may need help feeding themselves until they are larger. These lizards are sexually mature at 3 to 4 years of age. The average lifespan of a glass lizard is 10 years, but some have been known to survive for as long as 30 years. It is rare for this lizard to go its entire life without needing to regrow its tail, which is why there are no recorded instances of the lizard getting more than 4 feet long. These lizards are not an endangered species. In fact, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified Ophisaurus as a least concern species because they have no immediate threats. With that said, these lizards are still threatened by the encroachment of human populations on their existing habitats. The lizard populations have been dropping across the Midwest, and they are even considered endangered in the state of Wyoming In the Zoo These lizards are common enough to be featured in zoos around the world. From small zoos like the one at Chehaw Park to more prominent locations like Florida’s Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Ophisaurus can be found in nearly any well-established reptile house. View all 213 animals that start with GGlass Lizard FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What do glass lizards eat? Glass lizards primarily eat insects, spiders, and other small creatures. A glass lizard can’t eat anything larger than its head, which is why you won’t see one eating birds or larger rodents. However, you might see a glass lizard eating a snake or even another kind of lizard. Are glass lizards carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores? Glass lizards are carnivores. They hunt for bugs and other prey underground or in places where there is plenty of cover. Where do glass lizards live? Glass lizards live in moderate climate regions across North America. Eastern glass lizards are commonly found in Florida, and slender glass lizards are usually found in the Midwest. Are glass lizards venomous? Glass lizards are not venomous or poisonous. They aren’t known for biting, and their jaws are not powerful enough to break human skin. Do glass lizards make good pets? Glass lizards are shy but even-tempered creatures, and they can make good pets if they are treated well. Remember that an Ophisaurus is fragile; if you handle it incorrectly, you could break its tail. How big do glass lizards get? Glass lizards have been known to grow to lengths of up to 4 feet. Most of this length is tail; if the tail breaks off during a fight, it will eventually regrow. Why is a glass lizard not a snake? An Ophisaurus is a legless lizard that looks a lot like a snake. However, if you check their faces, you’ll immediately notice that glass lizards have eyes that can open and close. They also have ear holes and stiff bodies – both features that snakes do not have. Finally, some glass lizards actually have small legs near their rear vents. What Kingdom do Glass Lizards belong to? Glass Lizards belong to the Kingdom Animalia. What phylum to Glass Lizards belong to? Glass Lizards belong to the phylum Chordata. What family do Glass Lizards belong to? Glass Lizards belong to the family Anguidae. What order do Glass Lizards belong to? Glass Lizards belong to the order Squamata. What genus do Glass Lizards belong to? Glass Lizards belong to the genus Ophisaurus. What type of covering do Glass Lizards have? Glass Lizards are covered in Scales. What are some predators of Glass Lizards? Predators of Glass Lizards include birds, mammals, and snakes. What are some distinguishing features of Glass Lizards? Glass Lizards have forked tongues and detachable tails. How many eggs do Glass Lizards lay? Glass Lizards typically lay 6 eggs. What is an interesting fact about Glass Lizards? Glass Lizards can grow up to 4ft long! What is the scientific name for the Glass Lizard? The scientific name for the Glass Lizard is Ophisaurus. What is the lifespan of a Glass Lizard? Glass Lizards can live for 10 to 30 years. How fast is a Glass Lizard? A Glass Lizard can travel at speeds of up to 6 miles per hour. Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. - David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife / Accessed July 5, 2010 - Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals / Accessed July 5, 2010 - David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia / Accessed July 5, 2010 - Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species / Accessed July 5, 2010 - David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals / Accessed July 5, 2010 - Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals / Accessed July 5, 2010 - Snakes Are Long / Accessed November 13, 2020 - Virginia Herpetological Society / Accessed November 13, 2020 - Britannica / Accessed November 13, 2020

https://a-z-animals.com/animals/glass-lizard/

Religion

en

FIRST, let me say that the plan of the Fulanis to subtly take over Nigeria has been an old plan. Let me also say that, the cattle Fulanis are one ethnic group in Nigeria. Not all the Fulanis are cattle rearers. Only the cattle Fulani are. There are other Fulanis in the Fulani ethnic group who are not cattle rearers. They are called the Town Fulanis. They are not the ones who are asking for the grazing rights. It is unfortunate that Mrs. Kure used her dignified position to take a lead in writing a law that could enable the cattle Fulanis take over Nigeria. We also remember that the Federal Government set up the Nomadic Commission to assist the cattle Fulani on how to go about their business. I served on this Nomadic Commission for more than 3 years in Kaduna. It is equally strange that Mrs. Kure was writing a law on cattle rearing and grazing in the country without reference to the existence of the Nomadic Commission set up by the Federal Government. This Nomadic Commission is in Kaduna. Let me caution, that cattle rearing is an occupation of one ethnic group. Any attempt to legislate, so that the cattle Fulani be given a legal authority to move into every town in Nigeria and acquire land against the wishes of the people will back fire. This legal backing might bring Nigeria to an end. It is an attempt to give the Fulani grazing rights in every part of Nigeria, in spite of their condemnable atrocities in different parts of the country. As a member of the Nomadic Commission for sometime, we did everything to domesticate the cattle Fulanis. We even wrote books in Fulfude language which we used to teach this nomadic Fulanis in schools set up by the Nomadic Commission. The school is a success so far but the nomadic Fulanis do not want to settle down in one place, so that they can go to school and be domesticated. The attempt to have grazing field in every part of Nigeria, shows that the Federal Government is sponsoring one occupation as a national occupation. Federal Government should know that it is wrong to throw its weight behind one profession. The cattle Fulanis by their nature cannot settle in one place, and therefore cannot be domesticated. And Federal Government has no right to back one profession among many professions in the country. We have the migrant fishermen in the South and also in the North. The government has not considered it necessary to acquire strategic waters in the country so that fishermen could carry on their job. Dangers to Nigeria: I see the move to acquire land compulsorily for only one profession (cattle rearing) as dangerous. Will the Federal Government also acquire rivers and streams wherever necessary so that fishermen in the North and in the South can have fishing rights? No. l think this is another step by the Fulanis to expand to other parts of Nigeria. I recall the struggles of the Fulanis with the Birom people in the North, in Plateau State; they struggled with the indigenous population in Nasarawa, now by their current record they have occupied Bukuru and driven away the indigenous settlers. What happened in Agatu is planned to drive away the indigenous settlers and take the whole place in the name of cattle rearing. Their horrible behaviour: Let me draw attention to their method of operations. They have come as far as to Ndokwa, Balyesa, Enugu, and their method of operation is to kill the indigenous settlers and take over the land. It is a tragedy that the president of Nigeria has not opened his mouth to make a statement condemning the massacre of innocent citizens by the Fulanis. We know that the President is a Fulani man but that is not the reason for him to condemn the Boko Haram and not condemn the massacre of innocent citizens by his own ethnic group, the Fulanis. Many people have been massacred. The President was belatedly forced by the public outcry to make a feeble condemnation. Nigerians are watching to see the next move to acquire land compulsorily. This cannot happen. We are in a Federation and you cannot force cattle rearing on communities by force. Sense of nationalism In Enugu they massacred more than 46 persons in Nsukka, this shows that the Fulanis want to move into locations by force. Let us warn the Fulanis that no ethnic group has a monopoly of violence. Their method of operation is an insult to Nigeria, and all Nigerians must open their eyes and watch the activities of the Fulanis. The President must show a sense of nationalism. He cannot keep silent and pretend that he does not know what is going on. Other ethnic groups in the North, in the Yoruba communities, in the Igbo territories, in the Ijaw territories are watching and will react accordingly very soon. “This nation called Nigeria shall be an estate to us from our great grandfather Othman Dan Fodio. We shall resist any change. We shall manipulate the minorities of the North and declare the South as a conquered territory” Let me draw Mr. President’s attention to a reality. He has his hands on many things in Nigeria. Adding the Fulani problems is not in his interest. The Fulanis want to acquire Nigeria by force. It is the first step towards destroying this nation because neither the Yorubas nor, the Igbos nor, the Ijaws nor the Biroms will close their eyes and watch the cattle Fulanis take over Nigeria. Perhaps there is wisdom in what the American said years ago “that Nigeria will be soon break up”. Prophet Ayodele a few weeks ago had predicted that Nigeria might disintegrate into about six autonomous nations. Let me caution that over the years the Igbos, have been massacred in the North in 1945, 1953, 1960s. These massacres forced Ojukwu to declare that he was going to stop sacrificing the Igbos in the name of Nigerian unity. But let us go back to history and recall the statement made by Ahmadu Bello just the very month of our independence. He said; This was published in 1960 in a magazine. Perhaps the Fulanis are trying to implement of this statement by Ahmadu Bello. The Fulanis are stressing the need for the Northerner to take over the whole country. It is not by massacring the existing population and moving in with their cattle. No. While we encourage the Government to modernize cattle rearing, and encourage the Fulanis to develop grazing in the savannah area of the North, Federal Government can assist them to have professional cattle rearing. This requires heavy investment in the savannah where suitable grass can be cultivated. But let me also remind Mr. President that those who rear cattle in America, Brazil and other places are industrialists who have bought land with their own money. They may be assisted by government to buy lands. Mr. President is well advised to send people to America and Brazil to see how to modernize cattle rearing and do so in Nigeria. In the North grass is abundant. Rearing cattle in the tropical area of Rivers State, Bayelsa, Delta State is a wrong venture because very soon tse-tse-flies will engulf this area and the cattle will begin to die natural death. We are aware that the drying up of the desert is pushing them down South. The situation must be handled with care not by force The Fulanis will not force Nigerians to react accordingly. If the President does not talk, people will talk. And when people begin to talk tension will begin to rise; the problem Nigeria will face will be more than the fuel scarcity which Mr. President has not been able to handle. If he has the intention of the Fulanis to forcefully acquire land, something is wrong. The Yorubas certainly will not watch the Fulani’s invade their county, with the impunity with which the cattle rearers enter other states to kidnap and destroy farms calls for national resistance. The Yoruba’s are meeting. Other ethnic groups will meet and will give the cattle Fulanis an appropriate response if Mr. President does not step into the matter and defend Nigeria. Finally, l want to invite Mrs. Kure and all those who are drafting the said laws on acquiring grazing land compulsorily to refer their case to Nomadic Commission of the Federal Government. I served on the Nomadic Commission Board. Books were written to domesticate the cattle Fulani and send them to school. The Nomadic Commission has registered some successes. But I do not think that the Nomadic Commission has ever recommended that the migrant Fulanis should acquire land compulsorily or settle in the areas compulsorily, by massacring the indigenes of the place. Such a move will lead to a massive resistance. It will also lead to various states expelling the cattle Fulanis from their state unless Mr. President does something that is noble and just. Mr. President swore to protect Nigeria. He should been seen protecting Nigeria. He must not be seen keeping silent and allowing his ethnic group the cattle Fulanis to move into various states and kill people at will. This cannot happen. Nigeria is a Federation. One profession, the cattle rearing, cannot be legislated to be a National profession for which land must be compulsorily acquired. We need lands for agriculture. As cattle rearing is important to the Fulanis, so Agriculture is important to the Yorubas, to the Igbos, to the Balyesa, to Edo people, to Anambra people, to Kogi people. And nobody will fold his hands and allow this massacre to continue. Let the massacre of people at Nsukka be the last. If Mr. President cannot protect Nigeria from his own ethnic group then Nigerians must protect themselves from the Fulanis. Enough is enough. We fought the civil war because the Igbos were massacred several times in the North and the last massacre lead to the civil war, Ojukwu declared that this should be the last time the Igbos will make supreme sacrifice in the interest of one Nigeria. I call on Mr. President to rise up as a President of Nigeria not as a Fulani man and condemn what the Fulanis are doing before it destroys Nigeria. B. I. C. Ijomah Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/design-take-nigeria-fulanis/

Politics

en

An abode in Lagos More than 40 percent of extremely poor people in the world will be living in Nigeria and DR Congo by 2050, a report by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has revealed. In the 2018 goalkeepers report released, yesterday, the foundation said by 2050, Nigeria will have 152 million people in extreme poverty, out of a projected population of 429 million. It blamed this on the lack of investment in human capital to correspond with the increasing population growth. Nigeria is currently the seventh most populous country in the world with an estimated population of 198 million. The annual report, produced in partnership with Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, IHME, at University of Washington, tracks progress being made on the United Nations sustainable development goals, SDGs. In June, Brookings Institution reported that Nigeria had overtaken India as the nation with the highest number of poor people, with 87 million of its citizens in extreme poverty. International Monetary Fund, IMF, had also said in March that Nigerians are getting poorer due to the lack of coherent and comprehensive economic reforms. The goalkeepers report said while more than a billion in the world have lifted themselves out of extreme poverty since 2000, “extreme poverty is becoming heavily concentrated in sub-Sahara African countries.” “By 2050, that’s where 86 per cent of the extremely poor people in the world are projected to live. The challenge is that within Africa, poverty is concentrating in just a handful of very fast-growing countries. “By 2050, for example, more than 40 percent of the extremely poor people in the world will live in just two countries: Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. Even within these countries, poverty is still concentrating in certain areas.” The foundation said to address the poverty crisis, adequate investment would need to be made in young people, especially in areas of education, health and human capital development. “Investing in young people’s health and education is the best way for a country to unlock productivity and innovation; cut poverty, create opportunities and generate prosperity,” the report added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/over-40-of-worlds-poorest-will-live-in-nigeria-congo-by-2050-report/

Politics

en

Dental caries or tooth decay is a very common problem for adults and children these days. Our food habits are such that they include a wide variety of junk food and super-rich carbohydrates. Coconut oil has been in use since ancient times for a wide variety of reasons, primarily for good hair growth. However, this oil has its use in dental care also. Traditionally referred to as "oil pulling," the technique requires you to swish the oil inside your mouth for a few minutes and spit it out when it turns milky white. The longer you push and pull the oil in the mouth, the more microbes are released freely. Coconut oil has an effect on bacteria when used as a mouth rinse or as a natural toothpaste. Streptococcus mutans, a common inhabitant of the human mouth, are responsible for most of the damage and decay of the teeth. Researchers have conducted a series of tests that support the antibacterial qualities of coconut oil against strains of Streptococci. What Are the Oral Benefits of Coconut Oil? The Benefits of Coconut Oil include combating the following dental problems: Halitosis (bad breath). Reduces gingivitis (swelling of gums). Makes it easier to use floss between the teeth for the removal of food particles. How Does Coconut Oil Prevent Oral Issues? Most microorganisms inhabiting the mouth consist of a single cell. These cells are covered with a lipid (fat) layer which, when comes into contact with oil in the mouth; adheres to it. So, microorganisms get washed away easily. What Is Oil Pulling Technique? Swish a teaspoonful of oil for 10 to 20 minutes and spit it when it turns milky white. Do not swallow. You can start with small amounts for a few minutes (around 5 minutes) initially and then increase the time gradually. There are no side effects. Coconut oil pulling is recommended three to four times per week for best results. How to Do Oil Pulling? Oil pulling should be done in the following steps: Oil pulling is the first thing to be done in the morning, immediately getting out of bed and before brushing the teeth or consuming anything. Gently swish one tablespoon of coconut oil in the mouth so that it also goes between the teeth for 10 to 15 minutes. Assure that you do not swallow even its minimum quantity. Care should also be taken to do it gently so that your jaw and cheeks are not damaged. Spit out the oil in the trash can and not in the sink so that clogging of the sink hole does not occur, and quickly rinse your mouth with warm water. Saline water can also be used for its antimicrobial effects. Lastly, brush your teeth as you normally do. Can Coconut Oil Treat Dental Cavities? Oil pulling with coconut oil is neither a treatment for dental cavities nor can be a substitute for brushing, flossing, or professional teeth cleanings. However, oil pulling carries several other potential benefits. It can help in decreasing the number of microorganisms in the mouth. It can prevent the deposition of plaque and can even avoid bad breath in the mouth. Coconut oil contains a substantial amount of lauric acid, which is known to be highly effective in killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Studies claimed that lauric acid is particularly effective against microorganisms that are primarily responsible for decaying teeth. So, swishing with coconut oil can help in making the teeth less vulnerable to dental cavities, and it can protect the person from tooth loss. How Can Coconut Oil Reduce Plaque? When bacterial concentration in the mouth increases, they form a biofilm known as plaque. It gets hardened with time and gets converted into âtartar,â which is more difficult to get removed from teeth surfaces through regular brushing. Swishing with coconut oil makes it harder for the plaque to deposit on the teeth and prevents tartar growth. As plaque and tartar are the main causes of gum diseases, oil pulling with coconut oil can aid in keeping the mouth healthy. For those who are prone to gingivitis, swishing with coconut oil may assist in reducing gum inflammation and tartar accumulation in them. How Does Coconut Oil Prevent Bad Breath? Though bad breath has many potential causes, it occurs primarily due to plaque and tartar buildup. Swishing with coconut oil regularly prevents the deposition of these substances and keeps the breath fresh. Good oral hygiene prevents bad breath. Besides improving the overall oral health, oil pulling also aids in decreasing certain adverse effects of bacterial accumulation on the teeth. What Are the Other Benefits of Coconut Oil? Apart from the oral advantages, coconut oil also possesses certain other benefits. They are as follows: It balances hormones. It fights against candida. It improves digestion. It moisturizes the skin. It reduces cellulite. It decreases wrinkles and age spots. Balance blood sugar and improve energy It increases HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels and decreases LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels. Due to its highly absorbable nature, most of its benefits can be simply experienced by oil pulling. Using the appropriate coconut oil pulling solution should be an essential part of the home oral hygiene regimen, to ensure good oral health to you. Be careful about using unrefined coconut oil, and make sure there are no additives in it. Unrefined coconut oil means pure, natural coconut oil that does not carry any deleterious artificial substances. As learned above, oil pulling with coconut oil is a simple procedure with highly effective outcomes. If 10 to 20 minutes looks like too long, then you can simply carry out oil pulling while taking shower or when you drive to work in the morning. You can even perform it while doing work in the house and roaming around the place to help pass the time.

https://www.icliniq.com/health-articles/health-topics/dental-oral-health/prevent-tooth-decay-with-coconut-oil?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C9588096909

Health

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Migration Information Source Whether as migrant-sending or migrant-receiving locations—or both—many countries have rich, complex international and internal migration histories. MPI's online journal, the Migration Information Source, offers resources on more than 100 nations. Written by leading scholars, these articles delve into countries' migration histories, demographics, policymaking, and more. Severe weather, rising seas, and other consequences of global climate change are affecting the way people live, work, and move around the planet. While there is no clear, direct line between the impacts of climate change and changing human movement, there are indications that the warming planet is indirectly creating or altering patterns of migration. Our podcast Changing Climate, Changing Migration dives deep into the intersection of climate change and migration to separate fact from fiction. Mientras que los inmigrantes de la República Dominicana representan solo el 3 por ciento de un total de 46.2 millones de inmigrantes en Estados Unidos, esta población esta creciendo mucho más rápido que la población total nacida en el extranjero. Este artículo proporciona información sobre la población inmigrante dominicana en Estados Unidos, centrándose en su tamaño, distribución geográfica y características socioeconómicas.

http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=7885

Politics

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By Patrick Dele Cole Nearly fifty years ago, it is said that people in Enugu, Nsukka, Ngwo, and Abakaliki had little clothes to cover themselves. In 1947, the District Officer prohibited nude people coming to the Ogbete Market in Enugu. Yet, in 20 short years the Igbo were the number one traders in textile. The Onitsha Market was brimming with it. People came to buy from all over Nigeria. In Broad Street, the only competitors in textile trade were those we called Syrians – who were probably Lebanese. All ethnic groups in Nigeria had some clans who were suspected of cannibalism. I have no first hand knowledge of this. But Enugu, Ngwo, Abakaliki, some parts of Abia near Umuahia, and near Obowu in Imo State were similarly suspected. If it was so, it did not last long because the Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the District Officers (DOs) and native administration soon put a stop to it, as they did among some Ijaws, like the Okrika, who were similarly suspected. The British Government had found that the “Indirect Rule” system did not work in the East, as it had done in the North and the West, mainly because the later had kingship institutions. Where these institutions existed, it was easy for the British to rule through the District Officer (DO) who passed on directives to the Obas, Chiefs, Bales, Emirs, etc. The DOs were the unseen hand that controlled the local administration. But because the Igbo did not have kingship or chieftaincy that ruled over a larger area, the British, in 1931, through the Warrant Chiefs Ordnance of that year, tried to establish territorial kingships or chieftaincies. Hence, the need to create “warrant chiefs” who were supposed to work like their counterparts in Yorubaland and Hausaland. However, it did not work. The Igbo now claim that the acephalous nature of their people meant that they were genetically democratic. Therefore, their Age Grade System continued, even under the kingship dispensations. Thus, they continued to have the “Elders”, who worked with their “kings”; whilst the “Youths” continued to operate as the law enforcement personnel, until the modern policing system displaced them, and the Native Authority Police took over that task from the”Youths”. Some anthropologists and linguist have described the Igbo as autochthonous- so unique have their culture been that it must be indigenous. The Founder of the Yoruba Dynasty was Oduduwa, who migrated from Egypt. The Hausa/Fulani claim they came from Arabian in the Middle East. The Igbo have a vague idea of being Jewish- one of the lost tribes of Israel. All stories of origins of different peoples round the world are folkloric and mythical. So, we cannot dismiss the Igbo claim of Jewishness out of hand. One thing is certain, the Igbo have a great deal of empathy for the Jews, who have been persecuted over the centuries, by Europe and Asia; the Igbo sublimate and claim that they too have been persecuted for centuries. Just as the Jews have vanquished their oppressors, so the Igbo believe that they would triumph over all comers who persecute them. The Igbo identify with Jewish success as an inevitability regardless of what obstacles may be thrown in their way. They are God’s chosen people. This is an extremely powerful tonic for the survival and great foundation for success. No other ethnic group in Nigeria is so armed for struggle of efficient development. The slave trade affected most of West Africa. The chiefs along the coast soon became procurers or middle men in this odious trade. Many of those sold off were their own people captured from many slave raids in the interior of Nigeria. This is where the story of the Igbo and the Ijaws of Bonny and elsewhere began. Bonny was a major slave trading port; its deep water shores made it unnecessary for European slavers ships to venture into the interior. The Bonny (Igbani Ijaws) sold slaves and even had a most lucrative empire. One Bonny chief went to England and bought a steamship fully outfitted with an English captain, officers, and sailors to bring him back to Nigeria. Such business needed trust worthy lieutenants. These the Bonny chief found among the Igbo slaves who became his trusted employees. The “Civil Servant Employees” became trustees. The Igbani chiefs, however, were not over trusting. They did not want the Igbo to learn their language for fear of being overthrown or appealing directly to their gods. The Igbani,therefore, decided to learn Igbo to better communicate with their trustees; while keeping Igbani as the royal language to be used only by the Chiefs among themselves. In a little while, the Chiefs became proficient in some kind of Igbo better described as pidgin or patois Igbo. After the slave trade the Igbo remained in Bonny, inter-married and continued to speak this bastardized Igbo, so pervasive had the Igbo influence been that the patois Igbo became the lingua franca. Unfortunately the Chiefs and people of Bonny started losing touch with their own language. Today, Igbani is losing ground to Igbo; whilst the study of Igbani has been reintroduced in schools and it is beginning to pick up. The Bonny, the Okrika, and the Kalabari are, to a large extent,bilingual- speaking an Ijaw dialect and Igbo just as the Abua, the Egeni, the Ikwerre of Isiokpo, and the Igbo in Oguta, Imo State,can speak Kalabari and their own language. There is even a Kalabari beach in Oguta, Imo State. There are Igbo speaking peoples in Rivers State- the Ikwerre, the Etche, the Andoni, etc, and in Delta – the people from Asaba right through to the outskirts of Benin – through Isele-Uku, Ogwashi-Uku, Agbor, Boju Boju Owa, Obiaruku, Abraka, etc. We would have to place these people within the Igbo linguistic family. But there are distinct behavior patterns which differentiate these various groups from mainstream Igbo. Among the Ikwerre, Ahoada, etc, the chieftaincy practices have tended to veer more towards Kalabari, Ijaw than the mainland Igbo. In Delta and Edo, the Igbo cousins have a chieftaincy profile more like Benin (Edo) than the acephalous Age Grade System of the Igbo. This superficial observation is strengthened by the Yoruba claim that the Asagba of Asaba, the Obi of Onitsha, and the Olu of Warri were grandsons of Oduduwa. (The Edo, on the other hand, counter claim that Oduduwa was a son of the Oba of Benin and therefore the Yoruba are Edo). There is a definite relationship between the Benin Kingship and the Yoruba kingships: The Benin the Itsekiri kingship, the Lagos kingship, the Badagry kingship, the Urhobo and Isoko kingdoms and even the Benin Republic kingship are all inter-related. The relationship is not necessarily one of subjugation. In fact, in many cases, there was no such subjugation. Rather, the relationship has been familial. But the Oba of Benin has a special position in Asaba, Lagos, Warri and nearly all the large kingships in Edo. Any student of history will soon discover the close and confusing relationship between the kings of France, Britain, Spain, Italy, Holland, Austria, etc. Many of the kings of Britain could not speak English even as late as less than 200 years ago! These close ties did not stop the wars for over 300 years among the kings of Europe. Do the Igbo then have a central core of worship – which, therefore, mentioned kings and chiefs and Obas have? One belief is that, though autochthonous, they have a core of religious beliefs which were maintained through the itinerant mystics or spiritualists- the Aro – from a place known as Arochukwu. Closely allied to this is that the source of all Igbo and their spirituality is from a village called Nri. I have no idea how much of this is a general belief among the Igbo. But if people claim that they are genetically democratic, then you may not be surprised if quite a few do not accept this interpretation. The kola nut is a central feature in Igbo land. I have never understood why this is so except to guess that if people speak the same language there must be a single symbol that unites them; and, for the Igbo, it is the kola nut. It appeals to the individual soul, to the collective soul, to the unseen spirits that capriciously rule or ruin our lives; it is a symbol of welcome, a drama stage to concentrate all thoughts. It is non-threatening – a simple nut to be divided according to divination, speech, manners and conduct. It is never rejected, except to declare war. [But the above can also be said of the Kola among the Urhobo, the Isoko, etc.]. The closest and best answer to why the kola is that central is that the eating and breaking of kola is a near eschatological experience. I think that we tend to underestimate the extensive influence of contact for many years. Some symbols are easier to assimilate than others. The Ijaws, for example, have no kola culture, yet they have been close to the Igbo for over 500 years. Among the Igbo there are other spiritual places in Ogbunike, etc. But, as I have said, many do not push these new tourist resorts beyond Nri which itself is problematic for an acephalous people. The Igbo live in a family homestead surrounded by the family farm which may be large or small depending on the number of people in that family. Thereafter, another family has its plot of land and farm and so on. There are few Igbo urban centers. This small cluster will live near a stream for water and there are market days where goods and services are exchanged. There are four important market days and these market days are used as calendars for when one thing or the other is to be done. But, again, Onitsha is a large native Igbo town. There is a village square for meetings, announcements, etc. But the nearer the Igbo are to people of other or even similar culture, the villagers become bigger (i.e. they are more urbanized than the Igbo). The Yoruba live more together in villages and go sometimes far distances to their farms. The social structures of the Igbo are based on Age Grades, especially in the bigger conurbation or cities, such as Onitsha,Awka, etc. The Igbo have always been clever people, and took very quickly to missionary education and other aspects of Westernization. The Onitsha Igbo The Onitsha Igbo are made up of three ethnic groups- the Igala who followed the River Niger downstream from Lokoja to Onitsha, the Edo who came from Benin and the Igbo who lived in villages surrounding Onitsha. The amalgam of these three ethnic groups made up Onitsha which itself had off shoots in Obosi and environs. Because of early European contact the Onitsha Igbo went to school early and embraced Christianity- protestant and Catholics. Onitsha is still a major education hub in the east of Nigeria with many prominent schools- the most famous Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Christ the King College, Holy Rosary Girls School, Christian seminaries and teachers training colleges. This early introduction to education and commerce stood the Onitsha Igbo head above other Igbo, producing the first Igbo doctors, lawyers, professors, etc. The colonial service employed Onitsha Igbo – leading to their dominance in the professions, the judiciary, politics, etc. It is, therefore, no accident that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Justice Anyeagbunam, Chuba Ikpeazu, Ofodile, Prof. Chike Obi, Aje Asika, Sir Louis Mbanefo and a host of others were from Onitsha. So dominant were they that at one time, the upper echelons of the civil service, permanent secretaries, and leaders in the profession in eastern Nigeria, etc were all Onitsha people. There was a back lash when other Igbo people thought the dominance too pervasive and started asking for Onitsha Igbo to move out of positions. It took a long time to get some in Eastern Nigeria balances. The Onitsha Igbo discriminated against other Igbo as uncouth and unpolished people and would not associate with them preferring their daughters to marry any one else except their non- Onitsha Igbo. As a child I often heard Onitsha Igbo drive away other Igbo children who came to play with their own children (sa, nwa onye igbo pu a eba – get away you child of an Igbo man), the Yoruba of Lagos have the same feeling for the so-called Ara oke -Yoruba from the hill, the Saros of Freetown for people from the hinterland- (up – country people) the Parisians for all those outsiders not from Paris etc. Today, they have perfected the apprenticeship system. A successful car dealer, motor spare parts dealer, or mechanic, or trader in electronics, drugs – medicines and other pharmaceutical goods, or transport owner, etc., would have young boys,sometimes as young as 10 years,who have been to school for a few years. The young boys are apprenticed to such car spare parts dealer, or a patent medicine shop owner, or a transporter. The apprentice is supposed in the 10 -12 years he works for his boss to know every spare part in an automobile (3000), the name and use of every drug sold in the patent medicine store, etc. After a long time, the owner of the store or transporter would give a substantial amount of money to the apprentice to start his own business in electronic, spare parts, medicines, etc else where. This is the classic way the Igbo do business; and it has benefited them well. They are able to easily beat competitors because of superior knowledge of the product, accessibility and a burning desire to succeed quickly. Today, there is a virtual Igbo monopoly of spare parts trade (usually Nnewi people), local “pharmacies”, and transportation. The young man who used to be an apprentice bus attendant would soon grow to own a fleet of buses which will need spare parts, etc. The intercity luxury bus business is 70% in Igbo hands. They are also transporters for goods and small vehicle transporters. The car hire business is perhaps 60% in the hands of Igbos. The Igbos ventured into the sale of electronic appliances many years ago, paying exorbitant rents for cramped up spaces in Broad Street, Lagos, which then was busy and noisy as one loudspeaker sought to out do the other. The then Lagos State Governor moved them to Alaba Market which today is the largest electronic market in Africa. Other ancillary and supporting businesses soon followed – apart from radios, TVs, etc, the market now sells washing machines, refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, etc. It is the centre of pirated music and video films. Given the opportunity, the Igbo has incredible drive to make a success of any venture. The biggest property developers in Lagos and Abuja are Igbo. They seem to have a sixth sense for these things. They were first to really believe that Abuja will succeed as the capital city of Nigeria. They moved into Abuja with a vengeance. Most of the malls in Abuja are Igbo owned. They were willing to pay the price needed for land and permits; and went at it as only the Igbo can do. Other ethnic groups have estates but nothing compared to what the Igbo have. Yet other Igbo branched out into estate development for sale and establishing myriads of hotels. Marriage among Igbo All these frantic activities must take a toll on social life. Many Igbo billionaires are self educated, having come up through the apprenticeship system. It means that the girls in Igbo land stayed back to go to school, even though, at the beginning, like most Nigerians, they regarded education of women as a waste of time and money since the young girl will soon marry and leave the family. Thus, today, there is a preponderance of Igbo girls at school, who currently far out number the boys in both secondary and tertiary institutions. Bride price in parts of Igbo land used to be expensive. Non-Igbo suspected that the girl’s family was calculating how much they spent on her education and expected the husband for recompense. In the early 40s and 50s, bride price was so high that the Eastern House of Assembly legislated on it!! The girls today fear high bride price for it scares away suitors and now have started to revolt against it. How do these girls pay for tuition? Sometimes parents help, relatives help and there is a good dose of self help. Marriage custom of Igbos is similar to that of many other ethnic groups. For example, that marriage is not just a union between individuals, but one between families, who, in fact are, sometimes,the initiators, and actually arrange the match-making between the spouses. Today this is not so common. But the other processes remain largely unchanged. When a suitable spouse has been found, people are sent to ask questions about the spouse’s pedigree – is there disease in the family, any witches or wizards or unkind and wicked people, how fecundious have the women been, etc (Aju-ese?) On receiving satisfactory responses to these questions, a delegation from the family of the husband-to-be is then sent to the girl’s family to ask for her hand in marriage; and her family,at some stage, would have to ask her for her consent. The bride price is then haggled over. On reaching a consensus, the proposed groom is supposed to supply drinks, etc., for four market days (Eke market days). You may shorten the period by bringing everything in one day. After consultation, including reports on the groom’s family, his standing in society and wealth, a date is fixed for the marriage. To show the bride’s consent publicly –she would take a glass of wine (often palm wine) to the groom to drink in public during the traditional marriage ceremony. Thereafter, the parents bless the couple and festivities begin. If the marriage is unsuccessful, the dowry is returned; but not if the couples have a male child. The Igbo take marriage seriously, probably more so than any other ethnic group in Nigeria. Many non-Igbo girls want to marry Igbo men because of this myth that an Igbo man knows how to look after his wife and family. Many of the semi illiterate billionaires marry graduates and they insist that their children get the best education which they had missed. Every December, thousands of Igbo travel home, especially in areas where Christmas is robustly celebrated. During these holidays, marriages are arranged, couples introduced, etc. One variant of Igbo courtship that is rapidly gaining ground is that of trial marriage. It is really an extension of the custom of knowing the family one is marrying into. Many Igbo bachelors from the U.S flock home every Christmas to see who they can marry while resuming the family bonds which living overseas may have somewhat loosened. Where a successful introduction has been made, the young lady and prospective husband agree to go back to the U.S and live together for some months to see whether they like each other enough to stay married (usually for three to six months), at the end of the period,a decision is made to continue with the ‘’marriage” or to terminate it. Sometimes, the girl would go to the city where the ‘’husband” is working in Nigeria – usually Abuja or Lagos again on trial basis to make sure the marriage is successful. In the old days, the girl would have gone to stay with the parents of the prospective husband for a while for the groom’s parents to assess her. These are simply variations of the theme of arranged marriages. Where the experiment does not work, there is no shame or bitterness, whatever was paid in dowry is returned and the ‘’marriage” is dissolved. The Igbo economy Nnewi, in Anambra State, is now the manufacturing capital of Nigeria. It has several manufacturing factories, several breweries, soft drinks, bottled water, etc, food processing plants, vehicles assembly plants, etc., including the making of generators, and a host of other items. Nnewi has overtaken Ikeja as the industrial hub of Nigeria. The Onitsha market remains the largest market in Africa, selling practically everything: There are Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese traders in the market. The banks in Onitsha carry the largest amount of cash than any other city. There is an airport in Asaba, capital of Delta State. The Niger Bridge is the main transport artery between East and West, and perhaps even large parts of Middle Belt and some parts of northern Nigeria. Just south of Onitsha is Awka, the Anambra State capital. There are plans to dredge the River Niger, build a second Niger Bridge, and a cargo airport in Anambra State. Thus, within an area of a few kilometers to Onitsha, the major market, there is the industrial hub, Nnewi. Also, the administrative capital of Anambra State is 20 kilometres from Onitsha. Nnewi is 10 kilometers from Onitsha. Our planners have to be (compare the axis between New York and New Jersey) blind not to see the potential of a conurbation axis between Asaba/Onitsha; Onitsha-Nnewi, and Nnewi–Awka. A small investment of building 10-lane highways between these three towns will give the biggest industrial and financial fillip for Nigeria; not just for Igbo land. The Igbos, who live in these areas, have, amongst themselves, the richest individuals in Nigeria. Oraifite has over 10 billionaires; the best known of which is Sir Emeka Ofor. Anambra State governor, the other day ,called a meeting of 50 people and 25 of them were billionaires. The rest were no slouches. The Igbo, sometimes, are too polite for their own good. Each time a politician goes to Anambra State, he makes the promise to build a second Niger Bridge or to dredge the Niger. The Igbo feel that people say these things because they think they are fools. They ask whether the Federal Government built the ports of Lagos for Lagosians? Was the 23 kilometers Third Mainland Bridge built for Lagosians? A bridge across the Niger is a development of infrastructure that would yield benefit for all Nigeria. Why does the Federal Government need a special loan or bond to build the bridge? That they do not openly say this in public is perhaps an element of the sublimation of their persecution complex. The Igbos are proud of their culture. But are also willing to participate in other peoples cultures, and, more importantly, to adapt foreign culture to their own. For many years, the black people in the United States had been insulted by being regarded as having no culture. Many changed their names in the belief that this would identify them with Africa; they preferred to be called African-Americans, and took names like Kobe, Jamal, Hussein, etc, little realizing that these were Islamic names, not African names. No matter, the point had been made that Mr. X was African-American and his name was Jamal Juba. About 15 years ago, two cultural tends burst out on the African scene – a distinct music genre, distinct dancing genre and distinct theatre genre. The U.S. has always been open about its debt to Africa in term of music – jazz, pop culture, ghetto dancing and music, etc. The Yoruba and other Africans contributed to this, not only Igbo. But in the past few years, the young African musicians had taken on world pop culture and Africanized it, dominated it and now own it. There is no Igbo mega star like Fela- so massive was this genius. However, young men and women are hitting the world stage with beats that cannot have grown from any where else than in Nigeria, and a lot of it, due to Igbo. Hand in hand with this musical explosion. African drama was re-born but, this time,using new techniques to attune old theme – the advent of Nollywood – which in 10 – 15 short years -is now the third largest movie industry in the world. Igbo influence, both in new music and in Nollywood, is substantial. It was generic, and should remain so. But it may die if it imbibes government contagion. Nearly everything shown in Nollywood about Igbo kingship, princesses and princes, etc., is an exercise in the producers’ imagination. The cultural basis is there; but the manifestation is poetic license of the producers, and rightly so. Nollywood is not a cultural course: it is entertainment within the imagined context of Igbo culture. The Biafra war It is impossible to write about the Igbos without writing about the Biafra war. It is futile to go into the pros and cons of the war. The war affected Igbos, as it did other Nigerians. The Igbos felt that they had something precious to contribute to Nigeria; but the civil war deprived them from contributing, and Nigeria from accepting Igbo contribution. They lost a war they felt was unjust. They lost property every where, especially in Port Harcourt. But they learnt how better to handle other Nigerians. They channeled their sense of loss into more productive avenues. They now believe in Nigeria; but also believe anything can happen and hedge their bets and build large houses in their villages should any other war break out. They have a mixed feeling for – yet believe that it is now their turn to rule Nigeria. Some Nigerians, including some Igbos, believe that the eventual break up of Nigeria is a matter of time, unless some fundamental changes are made soon in the political arrangement. The Igbo believe in meritocracy because they are supremely confident that they would prevail. An apocryphal story goes something like this: If you do an examination with an Igbo man and he has better result and beats you, he will nod as if to say that is natural, that is as it should be. But if you beat him, he would ask you whether the examiner is your brother or who leaked questions to you. The Igbo lost a lot of houses in Port Harcourt. Lately an old wise Rivers man seeing the Igbo contribution to Abuja and Lagos wondered whether the Rivers State Government should not invite Igbo back to Port Harcourt to do their magic on housing and the economy in Rivers State. The practice of young men and women living together before marriage is unknown in all African cultures including Igbo. Hollywood’s portrayal of this practice is non-Igbo and due more to Western acculturation than any thing traditional as a girl may go to her husband’s house after the payment of dowry and the consent of her parents, herself. Inheritance, even “kingship” and property legally does not go to the children but to the eldest brother of the deceased who, by custom, is now supposed to look after his brother’s wife and her siblings. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/the-igbo-giant-strides-against-all-odds/

Politics

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Gerald A. Lawson, a largely self-taught engineer who became a pioneer in electronic video entertainment, creating the first home video game system with interchangeable game cartridges, died on Saturday in Mountain View, Calif. He was 70 and lived in Santa Clara, Calif. The cause was complications of diabetes, said his wife, Catherine. Before disc-based systems like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii transformed the video game industry, before techno-diversions like Grand Theft Auto and Madden NFL and even before Pac-Man and Donkey Kong became the obsession of millions of electronic gamers, it was Mr. Lawson who first made it possible to play a variety of video games at home. In the mid-1970s, he was director of engineering and marketing for the newly formed video game division of Fairchild Semiconductor, and it was under his direction that the division brought to market in 1976 the Fairchild Channel F, a home console that allowed users to play different games contained on removable cartridges. Until then, home video game systems could play only games that were built into the machines themselves. Mr. Lawson’s ideas anticipated — if they did not entirely enable — a colossal international business. In March, Mr. Lawson was honored for his innovative work by the International Game Developers Association, an overdue acknowledgment for an unfamiliar contributor to the technological transformation that has changed how people live. “He’s absolutely a pioneer,” Allan Alcorn, a creator of the granddaddy of video games, Pong, said in an interview with The San Jose Mercury News in March. “When you do something for the first time, there is nothing to copy.” Mr. Alcorn was the first design engineer at Atari, whose own cartridge console eventually dominated the home video game market. At 6 feet 6 inches and well over 250 pounds, Mr. Lawson cut an imposing figure. A modest man but a straight talker who was known to one and all as Jerry, he was among only a handful of black engineers in the world of electronics in general and electronic gaming in particular. Gerald Anderson Lawson was born in Brooklyn on Dec. 1, 1940, and grew up mostly in Queens. His parents encouraged his intellectual pursuits. His father, Blanton, was a longshoreman by profession and a voracious reader of science books by inclination; his mother, Mannings, was a city employee who was also president of the PTA at the nearly all-white school Jerry attended. There he had a first-grade teacher who changed his life. “I had a picture of George Washington Carver on the wall next to my desk,” he said in a 2009 interview with the publication Vintage Computing and Gaming. “And she said, ‘This could be you.’ ” He went on: “This kind of influence led me to feel, ‘I want to be a scientist. I want to be something.’ ” As a boy he pursued a number of scientific interests, ham radio and chemistry among them. As a teenager he earned money repairing television sets. He attended both Queens College and the City College of New York, but never received a degree. In the early 1970s, he started at Fairchild in Silicon Valley as a roving design consultant. While he was there he invented an early coin-operated arcade game, Demolition Derby. Along with other Silicon Valley innovators, he belonged to a hobbyists’ group known as the Homebrew Computer Club. Two of its other members were Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, later the founders of Apple. “I was not impressed with them — either one of them, actually,” Mr. Lawson said in the 2009 interview, and though he didn’t say why, he declined to hire Mr. Wozniak for a job at Fairchild. After inventing Demolition Derby, Mr. Lawson was put in charge of the company’s video game division. He and his team came up with cartridges that could be loaded with different game programs and then inserted into the console one at a time. This allowed the company to sell individual games separately from the console itself, a business model that remains the cornerstone of the video game industry. A crucial element of the invention was the use of a new processor, the Fairchild 8; another was a mechanism that allowed for repeated insertion and removal of cartridges without damaging the machine’s semiconductors. Video hockey and tennis were programmed into the F Channel console; additional games available on cartridge included Shooting Gallery, Video Blackjack and Alien Invasion. In addition to his wife, whom he married in 1965, Mr. Lawson is survived by a brother, Michael, of Queens, and two children, Karen and Marc, both of Smyrna, Ga. After he left Fairchild in 1980, Mr. Lawson founded a company, Videosoft, that created games, and worked as a consultant. “I don’t play video games that often; I really don’t,” he said in the 2009 interview. “First of all, most of the games that are out now — I’m appalled by them.” Most are concerned with “shooting somebody and killing somebody,” he said. “To me, a game should be something like a skill you should develop — if you play this game, you walk away with something of value.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/technology/personaltech/14lawson.html?_r=1

Culture

en

By Theodore Ihenetu THERE is a growing movement in some parts of the world to make neighbourhoods, cities, and communities better for the increasing ageing population. Whether these initiatives are called liveable communities, senior- and- child-friendly cities or intergenerational communities for ageing-in-place, this important work is opening the door to explore how people of all ages, specifically young people, can net greater returns. Intergenerational connections and programmes are new ways of revitalising senior-and-child-friendly communities. It is not enough to say that communities that are good to grow old in are also good to grow up in. There must be intentional efforts to build connections between the generations. This brings the intergenerational lens to the seniors-and-child-friendly community and initiatives which Hands 4Life organisation launched in Nigeria. This is a new way of caring for orphan children and seniors simultaneously in an intergenerational assisted living facility which serves to complement the wide range of government and civil society organisations initiatives for promoting graceful ageing and childhood experiences for these vulnerable groups, providing home away from home and training centre for families that are struggling to care for their ageing parents and grandparents living with Alzheimer’s disease. Most communities are multi-generational in their make-up – meaning they have members of all generations. But most are not intentional in their efforts to bridge generational gaps. An intergenerational community and connections are where individuals of all ages are an integral and valued part of the setting. This perspective is reflected in Hands 4Life’s intergenerational model of assisted living facilities and humanitarian services where children and seniors encounter themselves day-to-day and where intra-generational interactions and relationships flourish. Worldwide, family demographics are shifting. International migration plays a role in changing household dynamics, as young people from low-income countries seek work in high-income countries. Many young women from, for example, economically developing nations are employed as (often live-in) caregivers in more affluent countries in Europe and the United States. In addition, young men may leave their homes to pursue earnings in dangerous jobs, with long working hours and substandard living conditions. High rates of rural-to-urban migration by young people in search of jobs are largely responsible for this trend. Of course, it is only a matter of time before these youthful populations will age and present a new set of challenges for the country. In the present time, young people in Nigeria have diminished social support networks, as their parents usually stay behind in rural areas, where they, in turn, forgo the presence of their children, notwithstanding the occasional visits and remittances they may receive. This is not to say that there aren’t any social concerns or needs that affect both seniors and young individuals. Daily economic existence and ensuring a minimal level of living are concerns for all generations. Concerns about low pensions and the hassle of getting their meagre amount paid on time and on schedule are particularly relevant to older generations. They are also worried about social security, health care expenditures, and adult social care services. Young people are disadvantaged in our society. The majority of laws are designed to make it very difficult for young people to succeed. Nigeria comes in as the top-ranking country on the African continent as the most populated and with the highest aging population. In fact, Nigeria ranks 19th across the globe for a population aged 65 and older according to the 2012 Global Innovation Index; but the most recent survey from the National Population Commission, NPC, of Nigeria reported that the number of people aged 65 and older in Nigeria has increased from 12.3 million in 2012 to 22.1 million in 2022. This represents an increase of 80%. This report shows that the proportion of the population aged 65 and older has increased from 3.8% in 2012 to 5.5% in 2022. This means that Nigeria may have become one of the fastest ageing countries in the world, with this population projected to triple by 2050. However, the rise in older Nigerians is occurring amid many issues, including extreme poverty, unresolved development issues, socio-economic inequality and a collapse in the country’s long-standing care system for supporting the older population. Older Nigerians and their families have a unique challenge due to the lack of a functioning national aging policy, safety net services and initiatives. Spurred by these developments, Hands 4Life has shown renewed interest in intergenerational relationships and increased opportunities for interaction and support for the ageing populations in the economically developing nations. The drivers of the intergenerational model of caregiving for the older populations in Nigeria can be summarised in line with the view of Olanrewaju Fagbohun as follows: To address the issue of increased longevity, loneliness, and social exclusion, which have made it necessary for older individuals to rely on younger generations for support for longer periods of time; to address the issue of younger generations relying on their parents or grandparents for housing or material support in the face of rising unemployment; to address the issue of the widening generational gap created by the digital age; to address the issue of young people leaving rural areas for the cities, which has the unfortunate side effect of denying traditional systems the chance to share indigenous knowledge; to address the growing effects of intergenerational poverty, which is when poverty is passed down from one generation to the next; to support the development of new skills and abilities; to improve understanding of others in ways that serve to eliminate or minimise negative stereotypes; to grow in the understanding that each generation has distinct skills and expertise that can be shared when working together; and the understanding that different generations are important players in the evolution of society (social influence and integration), and that the system can only benefit from their contributions if everyone collaborates effectively and with respect. These issues have made Hands 4Life eager to begin to assist in the fight for the protection of the ageing population through intergenerational housing and community outreach programmes with three key areas of interest which are to create senior-friendly assisted living facilities, child-friendly homes and healthy communities with the mission of promoting health care, education, safety and respect for the dignity of every human person from womb to tomb. Since 2019, Hands 4Life has been recognised as the first-of-its-kind non-profit organisation founded by Stacy Shewey based in the United States that cares for seniors and orphan children across economically developing nations through intergenerational housing, community outreach programmes, education and training of the locals to care for their own; transforming lives from womb to tomb. Registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission as Alexander Shewey Intergenerational Memorial Home Located in Owerri Imo State, Hands 4Life has partnered with some health care providers like St. Joseph Eye Clinic Mgbirichi in Ohaji Egbema LGA for life-saving mission of providing free eye surgeries for the indigent-seniors within the community outreach programmes, back-to-school programmes for orphan children and indigent children bringing them out of the streets, building and refurbishing of houses for solo seniors and many more within the last one and half years of its existence in Nigeria. This new model of caring for the ageing population has in a short time shown a positive outcome in the physical and emotional stability of the seniors and children. The children had an increased positive view of the seniors with an exhibition of empathy and respect towards the seniors, increased acceptance of their physical limitations (wheelchairs, canes), increase in the number of positive words used to describe older adults, and apprehensive children’s realisation that they had shared meaning (much in common) with the seniors. This also showed a decrease in ageists attitude towards older adults by these young children and less judgmental towards them. The children also exhibited an increase in community values and moral ideas, such as an increased desire to serve the community, protect the environment, and respect the autonomy of others. The interaction between the children and seniors also positively influenced children’s mental health; seniors were viewed as encouraging role models that provided emotional support and reduced children’s feelings of anxiousness and sadness. On the other hand, one of the most salient positive social-emotional outcomes in community outreach was the impact of social connectedness. The seniors experienced a significant increase in their sense of community; they expanded their social networks with children, strengthened relationships with their neighbours, and had an increase in the faith of others in the community. They also expanded their social network of friends and acquaintances of the same generation. The seniors reported a significant increase in the social support they provided to others, and in the number of people they could turn to for support. Children also provided them with a unique sense of emotional support, such as sending well wishes when they are sick. These children filled an emotional and social gap for many seniors who had limited contact with their grandchildren and young relatives. The seniors further self-reported an increased positive attitude towards children n, particularly due to their goodness, optimism, and openness. They also reported feeling revitalized by children’s energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence. There is also a consistent link of improved mental health emerging from the interaction. Some of the seniors experienced a decrease in depression/depressive symptomatology, decrease in despair, reduced anxiety, and an overall feeling of peace from being around the children. The activities also had a significant social-emotional impact on seniors with dementia; they exhibited an increase in a range of positive behaviours, such as verbal/nonverbal communication, activities of daily living, engagement, creative expression, and exercise. They were significantly less withdrawn and demonstrated lower levels of passive behaviour. They also exhibited an increase in positive effects on the days that they interacted with the children. When children were present the grandparents exhibited significantly less inappropriate behaviours such as aggression, self-injury, yelling, wandering, or disoriented walking. Their interaction with children made them feel happy, needed, loved, interested, and younger. Hands 4Life intergenerational model of creating senior-and-child-friendly communities has practical implications for policymakers, educators, and community organizations. It suggests that intergenerational housing and community outreach can be a valuable tool for improving social behaviours and consciousness of children towards the aging populations. It calls for individual and corporate sponsorship and partnerships and also government support to improve the lives of rural indigent seniors and children who have no means of livelihood except on charity. Rev. Fr. Ihenetu, Executive Director of Operation Hand 4Life Inc., wrote via: [email protected] Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/11/tinubu-sets-up-constitutional-review-cttee-on-police-reforms/amp/Hands

Politics

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LITERATURE AND ETHNICITY: Is literature shaped by the cultural contexts of the authors? Being keynote address presented in Port Harcourt , Rivers State by CHINUA ACHEBE at the 2011 Garden City Literary Festival ETHNICITY is a somewhat problematic word. The great American anthropologist and poet, Stanley Diamond, used such words as ethnic with complete and disarming respect, unlike most of us. Our use tends to be coloured by guilt, condescension, or just awkwardness because this word and others in its category have suffered from cultural and racial politics and the politics of scholarship. I looked up the word ethnic in my daughter’s Random House College Dictionary. It had five definitions as follows: 1) pertaining to or characteristic of a people, especially a speech or culture group 2) referring to the origin, classification, characteristics etc. of such groups 3) pertaining to non-Christians 4) belonging to or deriving from the cultural, racial, religious or linguistic traditions of a people or country especially a ‘primitive’ one: ethnic dances 5) U.S. a member of an ethnic group especially one belonging to a minority group that is not part of the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant tradition. This is clearly a word loaded with problems. Being the keynote speaker I could not evade drawing attention to this. Being first has its drawbacks. An Igbo children’s chant says that the child who walks in front is the eye that spots evil spirits, the child in the rear has twisted fingers (I don’t know why!); the middle child is the happy one. Having spotted this evil spirit I shall simply step aside to the edge of the pathway and let it pass. I shall use ethnicity in the way I know Stanley [Diamond] intended it. I shall use it to mean those elements of history and culture which distinguish one group of people from their fellows. Put a little differently, ethnicity would comprise all those significant qualities of a people’s character – qualities of mind and behavior which they acquired in their long struggle to domesticate the wilderness and make it their world; their physical and spiritual landscape. We are talking then about deep, not surface issues; we are not talking about this morning’s gossip but about matters which reach back to the beginnings of a people as a people. We are talking about their earliest memories which they consider important and wish to preserve and so recount in well-chosen, pleasing and memorable language. Finally we are talking also about the beginnings of literature. That is what ethnicity suggests to me. Needless to say that these origins did not involve pen and paper or their ancestors of clay and papyrus. We may imagine some ancient poets making fun of those of their guild who were adopting the new-fangled habit of reading from heavy clay tablets intended for royal edicts and land measurements. This may be no idle imagination. Several years ago I had invited a seventy-year old illiterate minstrel to recite his epic poetry at the University of Nigeria. His story of the exploits of the hero, Emeka Okoye, began, to everyone’s surprise, with paper playing a singularly sinister role. Paper floating down from the sky one morning carried a commandment from the demi-god Enunyilimba prohibiting the eating or drinking of anything, however, small for seven markets or twenty eight days. The reason: this demi-god was going to feast above for one month and all the inhabitants of the world below must, therefore, honour him with starvation, on pain of instant death! The notion of oral performance as serious literature is still received with suspicion or reluctance in many quarters, or at best perceived as a form that ended long ago, perhaps in the age of Homer. But that is far from the truth. The Somali, a pastoral/nomadic people in the Horn of Africa must be accounted among the world’s most poetic people. Their life is permeated by the composition and recital of poetry ranging from simple domestic discourse about the superiority of the camel over goats and cows to the intense anti-colonial poetry directed against the British; the Italians and the Ethiopians. Sayyid Muhammad Abdille Hasan whom the British called the “Mad Mullah” is revered to this day not only because of his twenty-year struggle against three colonial powers, but primarily as the greatest poet in the Somali language. Now this language was first written down as recently as 1972. It is important that we admit the category of oral literature with respect in this literary festival or else we shall have little to talk about beside already very-well-talked-about matters. For myself I am taking my bearing from oral literature. During the European Middle Ages a succession of empires rose and fell in the West African grasslands or the Sahel. One of the most remarkable among these empires was Mali as remarkable as its founder, Sundiata. Islam had penetrated into this part of Africa for at least one thousand years and had slowly superseded the indigenous African polytheistic religions. The creation story which I will now tell you quite obviously predates the coming of Islam to Mali: At the beginning there was a huge drop of milk. Then Doondari came and he created the stone. Then the stone created iron; The iron created fire; And fire created water; And water created air. Then Doondari descended the second time. And took the five elements And he shaped them into man. But man was proud. Then Doondari created blindness and blindness But when blindness became too proud, Doondari created sleep, and sleep defeated But when sleep became too proud, Doondari created worry, and worry defeated But when worry became too proud, Doondari created death, and death defeated But when death became too proud, Doondari descended for the third time, And he came as Gueno, the eternal one And Gueno defeated death. There are many things one could say about this wonderful story but I will settle for only one – the constant battle the Creator wages, to maintain the integrity of his world in the face of insidious threat from pride. Four times Doondari has to create an agent to defeat pride. And four times it rises and fights again. And it was man’s pride that began it all. The Fulani people who made this story before the coming of Allah were obviously concerned about pride. The theology behind the story is not concerned about seven deadly sins, but only one. In the 1950s after one thousand years of Islam, a young Fulani from Senegal who had received the best education the French could give to a brilliant colonial subject wrote a novel about the plight of his people after their defeat and subjugation by French arms and policies. One of the major characters in the novel has this to say: If it were still only a matter of ourselves, of the conservation of our substance, the problem would have been less complicated: not being able to conquer them, we should have chosen to be wiped out rather than to yield. But we are among the last men on earth to possess God as He veritably is in His Oneness…How are we to save Him? The point being made here may elude anyone who has not read Cheikh Hamidou Kane’s novel: Ambiguous Adventure so I will summarize it: “We the Diallobe people,” it says “would have had no excuse to continue living after our fathers were defeated by French arms; we would have had every justification in committing suicide. But we are among the few in the world who truly understand God. If we should die what would happen to God then?” Now that is hardly a declaration of modesty. In fact it is pretty arrogant. It would seem that the pride which the Diallobe people meditated upon is a living problem still with these people in spite of a thousand years of Islam, in spite of a history that has experienced imperial grandeur of their own making as well as the ultimate humiliation of defeat and colonialization by strangers. We are thus talking about qualities at the core of a people’s character. Something which survives time and events and can ferry across from oral poetry in an African language to modern fiction written in French. We are not talking about transitory fads and fashions. I take my second example from my own people – the Igbo of South-Eastern Nigeria, and a very different kind of creation myth. Unlike the Fulani story which takes place in a remote, ethereal setting, the Igbo story like the Igbo themselves, is very much down to earth. The crux of this story is that one morning Chukwu, the Creator, looks down and beholds the king of Nri and the King of Adama sitting disconsolate on an anthill surrounded by marshy ground ( It is not clear whether there are two kings or one king with two titles: for simplicity I shall assume only one.) Chukwu asks him what the matter is and the king replies that the soil is too moist to plant the yam which Chukwu had directed him to plant during an earlier discussion. As a result of this failure of the crop, the story tells us that people are wandering through the bush like wild animals. So Chukwu sends Eze Nri to Awka, the town of blacksmiths to invite one of them to blow on his bellows and make the soil dry. This is an unusual creation story. It is not the drama of creation that it is concerned with. The world is already made and functioning somehow. But it is not perfect. Man complains to God about this and holds conversations with him to bring about changes and improvements, specifically the tremendous transition of mankind from wanderers in the bush to settled agriculturalists using iron tools. The Igbo people who made this story are famous (or notorious according to one’s point of view) for their belief in conversation even with God. Unlike their neighbours, they do not care for kings and kingdoms. They were not easy to colonize; the British described them as argumentative. Why the British would consider the Igbo habit of arguing as surprising, is the real surprise. Why would people who argue with the Creator of the world be intimidated by white district officers some of whom were in their twenties? The Igbo did not care for Empires; they preferred small-scale village communities where every adult male was the king of his own household and could take part in decision-making and every adult woman in (admittedly less frequent) women’s decision-making. I hope you will not expect me to demonstrate in detail how the world of Things Fall Apart and the world of Arrow of God derive their substance and ambience from these primordial conversations between the first Igbo people and their Creator. When the British colonized Nigeria they had a lot to learn- some of them did, but some of them, unfortunately, did not. It was bad enough that the Igbo had no kings and no horses, but to also demand a hearing was just too much! What the uninitiated members of Britain’s imperial service did not realize was that the Igbo got away long ago talking back to God Himself. That is a major element of their ethnicity and it will be present in their life and literature. I want now to address briefly the question posed in what appears like a sub-title to the main subject: To what degree is all literature shaped by the cultural contexts of the authors? The creative enterprise is a magical space onto itself – the mind in mutual collaboration with the world and its elements to produce something of aesthetic value. Creative writers are like painters, using words to paint a literary tapestry. I think that words have a magic, that human situations- one’s environment, culture, ‘ethnicity’ as we have spent time re-discovering – can be unburdened to join other factors wordsmiths use to create literary magic – that extra dimension that the writer can conjure up by placing ideas about the human condition side by side on paper. I suppose that cultural contexts is another name for what we have so far been calling the factors of ethnicity. Quite clearly these factors do shape literature. The cultural context within which a writer finds him/herself is relevant in so far as it brings something of literary value -contributes to the world story – and does not claim superiority over, deny, obscure or jaundice, even oppress other perspectives or stories. But having said that let me now admit that there are other factors and not least among them is the genius and free-will of the author. I left this factor out of account until now, for a purpose. Good literature, whether oral or written, will bear the marks of the author’s culture as well as his or her own personal signature. Culture is a shared commodity. It implies community. The behavior of one person is not called culture; but the action of one person can influence the culture of the group, and even change it. Western literature played a central role in promoting the ideal of individual autonomy. As Lionel Trilling tells us Western literature has in the last one hundred and fifty years held “ an intense and adverse imagination of the culture in which it has its being.” It has promoted the view of society and of culture as a prison-house from which the individual must escape to find freedom and fulfillment. If this is so then it seems to me that a real parting of the ways may have occurred between Western literature and its own origins, to say nothing of other literatures. The father of Western philosophy says: I think, therefore I am. The unknown formulator of the great Bantu assertion says Umuntu, Ngumuntu Ngabantu: a person is a person because of other persons. The Igbo put it proverbially: if a person feels an itch in the back he calls his fellow to scratch him; an animal scratches itself against a tree. Georges Braque, co-founder of cubism, once described perspective as “a ghastly mistake which it has taken four centuries to redress.” Perspective is important but it is also a one-eyed view which can degenerate into mere draughts-manship. Perhaps the celebration of individualism, another one-eyed view of the world, can now use a little redressing in Western literature. The story of Nigeria is one steeped in ethnic and religious tensions and complexity. ‘Ethnicity’ in the Nigerian context has not evolved, through ‘a post-primordial civic nationalism’3 into a blissful, common national identity, as seen in say Switzerland. Until the day “the Swissification of ethnic conflict”4 arrives, Nigerians, particularly its writers, should not be satisfied with sweeping the matter ‘under the rug.’ For those who are not proficient in Nigeria’s recent political history it might be useful to point out that the word ethnic was not always ‘the ugly girl that many took to bed at night, but denied during the daytime.’ My generation remembers a Nigeria that was once a land of great hope and progress, a nation of immense resources at its disposal – natural resources, but even more so human resources. Nigeria possesses a great diversity of vibrant peoples who have not always been on the best of terms, but those of us who are old enough remember periods in our history when collaborations across ethnic and religious divides produced great results. The Nigeria-Biafra war changed the course of Nigeria. One can summarize the conflict as one precipitated by the bile of ethnic hatred. It was such a cataclysmic experience that for me it virtually changed the history of Africa and the history of Nigeria. Everything I had known before, all the optimism had to be rethought. For me, this traumatic event changed my writing for a time, which found expression in a different genre – poetry. Since the war, Nigerians have been subjected to a clique of military and civilian adventurers and a political class that have exploited the ethnic divisions in Nigeria. This group, unfortunately, has been completely corrupted – spearheading the enormous transfer of the country’s wealth into private bank accounts, a wholesale theft of the national resources needed for all kinds of things – for health, for education, for roads. The result has been that the nation’s infrastructure was left to disintegrate unleashing untold suffering on millions of innocent people. This development has been made easy by Nigerian academics who have presided over the liquidation of the university system and the rise of a culture of anti-intellectualism in Nigeria. One of the ways we have done it is our obsession for office. Twenty-five years ago, university professors were held in very high esteem. Today, I don’t think anybody thinks very much of them, and quite frankly, I think it is our own making. What happens when a university Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria is about to leave office? You ought to see the trips made up and down to government houses in Abuja, begging for cabinet positions. What upsets me is that this entire mess Nigeria finds itself in was quite avoidable. The leadership appears not to really care for the welfare of the country and its people. If a political class—including intellectuals, university professors, and people like that, who have read all the books and know how the world works—if they had based their actions on principle rather than on opportunity, Nigeria would not be in this predicament. But Nigerian leaders, beginning with the military dictators, looked around and saw that they could buy intellectuals. Anybody who called himself president would immediately find everyone lining up outside his home or his office to be made minister of this or that. And this is what they have exploited—they have exploited the divisions, the ethnic and religious sectionalization in the country. You have leaders who see nothing wrong in inciting religious conflict between Christians and Muslims. It’s all simply to retain power. So you find now a different kind of alienation. In the past in Igbo land, if something kept happening and happening, or if somebody kept failing and failing, the people would go and consult an oracle. They call it Iju Ase. In the modern world, the systems that cause these failures are examined. But frankly, I would suggest that Nigeria has decided to put merit aside and bring up whatever considerations, and that is one of the things that happened to us. And the modern world has not been created on considerations outside of merit. I despair over Nigeria daily. On the missed opportunities of Nigeria: the fact that nobody has had the imagination to say, ‘Look I’m going to transcend all this ethnic pettiness and become the leader of modern Nigeria’ because this is important for Africa, this is important for the world. So, let’s stop all this nonsense about religion, about tribe and so on. Let’s organize Nigeria and make it a working entity so that it can fulfill its mission in the world. There is a great deal of work for the Nigerian writer- indeed all writers. If the society is healthy, the writer’s job is limited – which is not the situation in Nigeria. On the other hand, if a society is ill the writer has a responsibility to point it out even if it produces headaches in the halls of power! The role of the writer in a society such as ours besieged with many pathologies -ethnic bigotry, political ineptitude, corruption, and the cult of mediocrity – is not an easy or rigid one. Nigerian writers can choose to turn away from the reality of Nigeria’s intimidating complexity or conquer its mystery by battling with it. I hope we all choose the latter. 1 Ulli Beier (ed.) The Origin of Life and Death, London, Heinemann Educational Books, 1966, In Chinua Achebe, Hopes and Impediments, New York, Anchor Doubleday, 1989, P.135. 2 Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Ambiguous Adventure, London, Heinemann Educational Books, 1962, p.10. 3 Alexandre S. Wilner “The Swiss-ification of Ethnic Conflict: Historical Lessons in Nation building – The Swiss Example”, Federal Governance Vol. 6, (2007/8), 1-27. Achebe was David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies Brown University, Rhode Island, USA Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/achebes-last-keynote-address/

Politics

en

Panic over Ebola has the makers of dietary supplements aggressively targeting Africans, claiming to have a cure for the lethal virus. Late this week, both the World Health Organization and the United States Food and Drug Administration issued strong warnings about false Ebola cures. The latter threatened American companies with penalties if they continue making such claims. Neither agency listed products or companies they accused of fraud or explained why they had acted so suddenly. Nigeria’s health minister was widely reported on Thursday to have endorsed an American nutritional supplement, one that the W.H.O. said was an example of the sort of “false rumors of effective products” it was trying to quell. Earlier this week, a W.H.O. expert panel ruled it ethical to try some experimental drugs to fight this outbreak; some supplement makers have implied that ruling constituted permission for use of their products, though a top W.H.O. official emphasized that it did not. While discussing the shipment to Liberia of an experimental drug the panel did endorse, ZMapp, Nigeria’s health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said an unidentified Nigerian scientist living overseas had arranged for Nigeria to get a different experimental medicine, according to Nigerian news outlets. They identified it as NanoSilver, a supplement offered by the Natural Solutions Foundation, which said that it contains microscopic silver particles, although, as a food supplement, it is not tested by regulatory agencies. Silver kills some microbes on surfaces and in wounds, but it can be toxic and is not F.D.A.-approved for systemic use against viruses.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/science/agencies-issue-warnings-over-bogus-ebola-cures.html?_r=0this

Health

en

“No To Racism” campaign backlash How can people be so blind? Sadly, it seems that racism is rife in Italian football (soccer). The highest football division (Serie A) is in the news fairly regularly as one after another reported incidents of abuse are added to the long list of prior instances. Those within the main footballing authority, UEFA, have been scratching their heads on how to tackle this problem.1 However, the graphic designs recently launched by an Italian artist, to enhance UEFA’s anti-racism initiative, were not warmly welcomed, to say the least. The artwork shows three chimps with coloured faces that supposedly represent different people groups. This includes variations in the colour and shape of their eyes although these differences are probably too subtle to have been picked up by most people. Evidently, artist Simone Fugazzotto believes that all people, regardless of their skin, have evolved from ape-like creatures. He explains the rationale behind the images as follows: “I thought I’d make this work to teach that we’re all apes. So I made the western monkey -- white with blue eyes -- the Asian monkey -- with almond eyes -- and the black monkey in the middle, which is where everything comes from, this is what the evolutionary theory tells us. The monkey becomes the spark to teach everyone that there is no difference. It’s not that one is man and one is monkey. At this point, we are all monkeys … if they really feel the need to tell a black (player) that he is one.” 2 ‘Now the monkey comes out of the sleeve’, as the Dutch proverb goes.3 Finally, here is someone who hits the nail on its head and, in so doing, reveals the double standard of the critics. The artist has incurred their wrath merely because he has reflected in his work the story that students are taught in schools and universities around the world: evolution. And keep in mind that he was actually trying to make an anti-racism point with his images! The fact of the matter is that, as CMI writers have been saying for a long time, evolution adds fuel to the fire of racial prejudice.4 In fact, some evolutionists have admitted as much. Evolutionary propagandist (and staunch anti-racist and Marxist) Stephen Jay Gould once said: “Biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1859, but they increased by orders of magnitude following the acceptance of evolutionary theory. The litany is familiar: cold, dispassionate, objective, modern science shows us that races can be ranked on a scale of superiority. If this offends Christian morality or a sentimental belief in human unity, so be it; science must be free to proclaim unpleasant truths.”5 Of course, science per se shows no such thing. Rather, it is the evolutionary indoctrination masquerading as science which implies a scale of superiority. Is it any wonder that after years of sowing this false teaching, we are reaping the harmful consequences left, right, and centre? And the racism problem in sport is far from being a peculiarly Italian one; see this example from the Australian Football League. A few months earlier, a Dutch news article highlighted once again the pitiful state of mind of some football fans, who assault black players with monkey sounds and banana peels and hurl insults at them.6 It is bad enough that these things happen, but it is sad that the sporting bodies don’t really know how to tackle this problem, let alone the root cause. Dutch league player Urby Emanuelson remembers one incident vividly: “The supporters of the opposing team made monkey sounds to several black players … ” One of the players walked off in disgust and the rest of the team joined him in prematurely leaving the football pitch; the game was cancelled.6 The BBC and other media rightly highlight these issues but offer no solution either, since they are equally confused (see No monkey business here please, we’re the BBC!). Why are people perplexed if children behave like animals, when in the school classroom they are taught that, in fact, they are!7 This erroneous education is continued into adulthood (colleges, universities and the media) and consistently applied by ‘faithful students’ on the stands of many football stadia and elsewhere. But that’s not all. These insults and other loathsome actions are directed at ‘black’ players of the opposing team while, typically, the players of their ‘own’ team are spared. This bias is also seen in other areas of the game. Biases have the nasty habit of making people blind to their own shortcomings.8 For example, I have repeatedly witnessed supporters screaming at the referee when he blew the whistle against the home-team, when clearly a foul was committed. These same people would gladly turn a blind eye to a player from their home-team pretending he had been fouled. You wonder whether they needed glasses or if they just fancied blaming someone for the lack of ‘spectacle’ on the pitch. Rooting for biblical roots The Bible teaches that we all come from the first man Adam (and later Noah).9 We are all members of one human family. However, a consistent application of evolutionary teaching implies that some human beings are less evolved than others. This fallacious doctrine does nothing to decrease the bad behaviours we see in sinful children, adults, and society in general (e.g. football supporters). If anything, it aggravates it. Is there an antidote to this prejudice? Yes, there is! CMI has long argued that the only remedy is to proclaim the truth and authority of the Bible, particular its Genesis history, and expose evolution for what it is: a deceptive anti-God philosophy that has undergirded many tragedies in this world10 and stifled science.11 References and notes - No to Racism, UEFA.com; accessed 17 December 2019. Return to text. - Sinnot, J., and Mezzofiore, G., Italian soccer anti-racism monkey artwork condemned as ‘outrage’, cnn.com, 17 December 2019. Return to text. - This is translated from the Dutch “Nu komt de aap uit de mouw”. Essentially it means that the hidden agenda is now revealed. Return to text. - Catchpoole, D., Do monkeys play football, Creation 29(3):12–14, June 2007. Return to text. - Stephen Jay Gould, Ontogeny and Phylogeny, Belknap-Harvard Press, p. 127, 1977. Return to text. - De Zeeuw, E., Emanuelson: ‘Racisme in het voetbal is heel moeilijk aan te pakken’, nos.nl, 16 May 2019. Return to text. - Catchpoole, D., How to build a bomb in the public school system, Creation 22(1):17, 1999; creation.com/bomb. Return to text. - Romans 3:23: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Return to text. - Acts 17:26; Romans 5:12, 18; Genesis 9:18–19. Return to text. - Focus, ‘The God Delusion’ and evolutionary teaching linked to tragedies, Creation 33(2):7–11, 2011; creation.com/focus-332#god-delusion-tragedies Return to text. - Sarfati, J., Who’s really pushing ‘bad science’? creation.com/lerner, 26 September 2000. Return to text. Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.

https://creation.com/racism-campaign-backlash

Religion

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Lockdowns were imposed in parts of Beijing on Saturday to try to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus cluster, highlighting the challenges that lie ahead even for places where outbreaks are under control. There are fears of a resurgence in local transmissions in China, where the outbreak curve has been months ahead of the rest of the world, and comes as many European nations are further lifting lockdowns. The pandemic is still surging elsewhere, particularly in Latin America, with Brazil claiming the unenviable position of having the world’s second-highest death toll, behind the United States. After the disease emerged late last year in central China, authorities there largely eliminated transmission within their borders through hyper-strict lockdowns later emulated across the globe. But on Thursday, Beijing announced its first infection in two months and then said 50 more cases had been linked to the large Xinfadi meat and vegetable market, which provides much of the capital’s food supply. Authorities have forced residents in 11 nearby residential estates to stay home, ordered mass testing, established a “wartime mechanism” and deployed hundreds of police officers. “Everyone’s very stressed,” an elderly driver told AFP outside a fenced-off neighbourhood in southwest Beijing. “There are cases living in there. It’s real.” Worldwide, the pandemic has killed more than 427,000 and infected more than 7.7 million, while wreaking widespread economic devastation. The number of global infections has doubled in slightly over a month — with one million cases recorded in the last nine days — and the virus is spreading most rapidly in Latin America. Mexico and Chile on Friday recorded their worst days yet during the pandemic, while Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich resigned Saturday amid a furor over the true disease toll there. Brazil has recorded 41,828 deaths, surpassing Britain’s toll. The WHO said this week the pandemic is accelerating in Africa. Botswana’s capital Gaborone was locked down Saturday after new cases were detected. In the US, which has seen the most COVID-19 deaths with over 115,000, more than a dozen states — including populous Texas and Florida — reported their highest-ever daily case totals in recent days. In Russia, with the world’s third-highest number of cases, authorities more than doubled the official death toll for April after changing how the country classifies fatalities. There is still no treatment for COVID-19, but pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca said it has agreed to supply an alliance of European countries with up to 400 million doses of a possible vaccine. German government sources told AFP a vaccine could be developed by year-end. A number of European countries are preparing to reopen borders on Monday after the EU Commission urged a relaxation of restrictions. Poland reopened its borders to fellow EU members on Saturday. France said it would gradually reopen its borders to non-Schengen countries from July, and Germany said it would end land border checks on Monday. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis travelled to picturesque Santorini island on Saturday to open his country’s tourism season. “Greece is ready to welcome tourists this summer by putting safety and health as our No. 1 priority,” he said in English. Venice sprang back to life Saturday, as hundreds of tourists flocked to the city for the reopening of the iconic Doge’s Palace. “It’s a very strong emotion, like the first day of school,” said Maria Cristina Gribaudi, who heads the city’s Civic Museums Foundation. In several European countries, the focus has shifted to the courts and who might eventually be blamed for the pandemic. In hard-hit Italy, prosecutors grilled Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte over his government’s response. “I explained everything to prosecutors,” Conte said Saturday, adding he did not fear a possible judicial probe. Anger is mounting in France, where some 60 complaints have been filed against members of the government. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II meanwhile celebrated her official birthday on Saturday, with the normal pageantry of the traditional ceremony vastly reduced. The 94-year-old monarch watched a scaled-down version of the “Trooping the Colour” on the grounds of Windsor Castle, where she has been staying during the virus outbreak. And live sport returned to New Zealand on Saturday, as 20,000 fans watched rugby’s Otago Highlanders edge the Waikato Chiefs, 28-27. The country has gone 22 days without new coronavirus cases.

https://www.channelstv.com/2020/06/13/china-imposes-fresh-lockdown-on-beijing-as-new-covid-19-cases-emerge/amp/

Health

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Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world, preserved until now. It is this state that helped to establish Islam by adopting its territory and providing protection to the first Muslims who resettled there because of the oppression of the pagans of Mecca. How is Islam in Ethiopia today? Its story reflected tensions between the institution of imperial power and various power structures, on the one hand, and between the diversity of ethnic, linguistic and regional identities, on the other. This tension, between the tendencies towards centralization and decentralization, has been and remains the main axis of the history of Ethiopia. “Thus, briefly reviewing the history of Ethiopian Islam,” Edward Ullendorf, one of the leading and well-known Ethiopians, wrote in 1960, “this is possible because Islam was no more than an element of secondary importance in understanding the essence of Ethiopia” However, since then science has reached a deeper understanding of the problem, and historians have gained a wider angle of view. He who tries to study the history of Ethiopia only in the aspect of leading Christian culture is content with an incomplete picture. “Islam and Ethiopia,” should deepen and balance our understanding of the problems of Ethiopian history. Islam and its carriers - Muslims played a full and sometimes even decisive role in the history of Ethiopia. Their share in it is constantly increasing. Islam in the Middle East, from the beginning of its appearance in the early medieval era to the present day, was for Ethiopia more than a neighbor, a powerful religion and a great empire, constantly challenging it. In the Middle Ages, Muslims turned into Ethiopia into an internal factor, part of the country's life. Since the beginning of the New Age, the number of Muslims in Ethiopia has steadily increased, and at the beginning of the 20th century, it was equal to the number of Christians. For many generations, the Muslim communities of Ethiopia did not seek to shake the hegemony of Christianity as the state religion and the basis of the official culture of the country, but they achieved great success in the struggle for their own survival in the Christian environment, for incorporating into important areas of Ethiopian life and made an invaluable contribution to the economic development of the country. Islam in Ethiopia seems to have reached unprecedented prosperity and perhaps even rises for the first time to a level that allows it to compete with the claim of Christianity to be exceptional as a culture of the Ethiopian elite. The Ethiopian Muslim historian of our time, Professor Hussein Ahmed, responded to the above statement. In any case, for centuries, the history of Ethiopian Islam revolved around the axis of dialogue between an organized state and the dominant culture and diversity of communities representing Ethiopian minorities. Christianity, beginning with its first steps in antiquity and until the revolution of 1974, consistently realized itself as a religion of the state imperial order, a religion representing a culture based on the ownership of land, agricultural and military spheres. Islam was adopted in the Horn of Africa by those who wanted, as far as possible, not to be absorbed by a system based on the aforementioned values, and to take them as the basis of their existence. By accepting Islam in this corner of the world, various tribes, representatives of certain language groups, nomads, traders, shepherds, certain ethnic groups, etc. The members of these groups or their part defined themselves as Muslims in order to consolidate their own identity, and sometimes even build their own political structures based on the value system of Islam. As a result, Islamic communities were separated not only from Christian culture but also from each other. The Muslim communities of the Horn of Africa were distinguished by a variety of languages, lifestyles, occupations and geographic conditions, and only occasionally overcome the differences and unite. Islam, born in the neighboring Middle East as a religion that harmoniously united religious and political spheres, did not realize itself in this form in the Horn of Africa. Islam in the East flourished as a victorious ideology of a single state, organized urban culture, a system of worship, education and the rule of law, using the Arabic language and writing. In the Middle East, it has become a “religion and state”, a system of imperial institutions and values. In the Horn of Africa, Ethiopian Christianity took over this function, creating the imperial political system, and Islam spread mainly as an auxiliary tool for preserving, and even for political conservation, such phenomena as tribalism, fragmentation, and ethnolinguistic isolation. In the political sense, the Muslims of the Horn of Africa defined themselves according to the ethnic-lingual criterion - as Somalis, Sidama, Oromo, Afar, etc., that is, in separate groups. Usually, it was only in such small groups — in which, by the way, not all members became Muslims — did Islam help create a local government, dynasty, or princely authority. Muslims among them carried out their religious life, for the most part, in the absence of Arabic-speaking institutions of education that are classical for a Muslim society, as well as a political expression for the concept of the “nation of Islam” (Ummah ), as a structure uniting all "faithful". Islam existed mainly as a spiritual framework of disparate communities, as a form of organizing local groups grouped around mosques and structures of the Islamic court, as the basis of primary education, social institutions, local government and religious hierarchy operating in the languages mentioned. And among the native speakers of the Amharic language and the Tigrinya - as can be seen, quite noticeable quantitatively Muslim communities appeared already in the first century of the existence of Islam. Most of these Muslims were engaged in trade and craft, and this, as it were, filled a niche in the functioning of a Christian society engaged in agriculture and military affairs. If we were to headline this section “Islam in Ethiopia,” we would have to concentrate on the history of a private phenomenon, the history of the Christian state, and Muslims as one of its constituent parts. However, such a picture would be incomplete. The history of Ethiopian Islam did not take place on a distant island, on which two religions have retired (and also, by the way, others). It took place in close proximity to the countries that formed the core of the Islamic world, the Middle East of our days, the region of birth and development for many generations of Islam, as a victorious symbiosis of religion and politics. In order to try to cover the entire complexity of this historical phenomenon, both in its internal relations and its strong orientation to the Islamic world around, and “Islam and Ethiopia," in the period of unprecedented flourishing of Islam, an onslaught that heralds the beginning of revolutionary changes in relations between the two main religions of Ethiopia.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/895800/how-islam-gain-roots-in-ethiopia-the-historical-symbol-of.html

Religion

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Scientists have long known what causes sickle-cell disease and its devastating effects: a single mutation in one errant gene. But for decades, there has been only modest progress against an inherited condition that mainly afflicts people of African descent. With advances in gene therapy, that is quickly changing — so much so that scientists have begun to talk of a cure. In a half-dozen clinical trials planned or underway, researchers are testing strategies for correcting the problem at the genetic level. Already a handful of the enrolled patients, who have endured an illness that causes excruciating bouts of pain, strokes and early death, no longer show signs of the disease. Among them is Brandon Williams, 21, who lives with his mother in Chicago. Because of his sickle-cell disease, he had suffered four strokes by age 18. The damage makes it hard for him to speak. His older sister died of the disease. Following an experimental gene therapy, his symptoms have vanished. Life has taken a sharp turn for the better: no more transfusions, no more pain, no more fear. “He said, ‘Mom, I think I want to get me a job,’” said his mother, Leuteresa Roberts. It is still early in the course of these experimental treatments, and it is likely to be at least three years before one is approved. Although researchers hope the effects will last, they cannot be certain.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/27/health/sickle-cell-gene-therapy.html?emc=edit_na_20190127&nl=breaking-news&nlid=54795170ing-news&ref=cta

Health

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Why would alien countries name present day Ghana Gold Coast, then abandon gold standard to back their promissory notes with mere printed paper? African currencies used to have some value under their rule before Independence. While they gave Independence, they would not relinquish economic independence. They have been able to exchange African resources with printed paper enhancing what Nkrumah titled Neo-colonialism. We have more American $100 bills outside than inside. Aliens never gave up African gold chase, they expand it to other resources. Are you then surprised that Ghana have to sell its gold mine to aliens in order to gain economic freedom and become rich as western countries? Ghana is just a case in point, it is true for every African country and how their currencies became 500 or 1000 to one foreign currency. Nigeria’s naira used to be one and a half to one American dollar. Liberalized forex has made it worse! They have been able to convince many African economists as their proponents to preach liberal market that hardly exist in their countries as a way for Africans to be rich or be threatened with the fate of Zimbabwe dollar. In order words, African countries must open markets to dump expensive finished products made from cheap raw materials. The irony is obvious; Africa cannot exchange enough currency or supply sufficient raw materials to buy inflated finished products. Indeed, there are certain industries that are highly protected in western countries that other companies outside the country cannot buy. When China was allowed into the Rich Club as a trading partner to spite Russia, United States and Europe declared certain companies off limit for sale. Even companies on Bond and Wall streets that are traded daily, have limits and regulations on what can be sold. But African markets must have no limit and left unprotected. Tsetse fly and malaria had prevented them from invading the rain forest where gold actually came from as they tried to displace the Mossi and Mandinka as middlemen supplier. The British got around that by ship along the coast. Today they resorted to devaluing African currencies to get the same gold, diamond, uranium and other essentials that cheaply subsidize their economy and lifestyle. Mwalimu Nyerere reacted to Pres Reagan when told men should be taught how to fish: how many tons of cocoa do Africans have to work for to buy one tractor in 1960s to 80s? In spite of the fact that World Bank and International Monetary Fund publicly regretted policy of Structural Adjustment Program in Ghana that devastated and impoverished middleclass, they always find other ways to buy our resources cheap by devaluation. The same way Foreign Portfolio Investors drive African stock markets up and check out. Bitcoin or altcoin is next. Meanwhile, their markets are heavily guarded and you have to be a member of the rich club to to trade with them. Even within the rich trading club, goods and services are regulated as long as it favors one another. There are always clauses to pull out once it is no longer bearable. United States, the richest debtor in the world has recently threatened to do so with its trading partners. However, African countries must leave their markets wide open for dumping. They preached liberalized markets to Africans that in most cases only have one or two raw materials to sell. Since they want to buy these raw materials as cheap as possible, they asked each African country to devalue its currency. With a little foreign currency, they could buy the biggest farm cheaply. Usually, if you have junk like China to sell to a trading partner, you can devalue your money so that these countries could buy more of your finished faked products. So, why cry or condemn devalued currency in China that has cheap labor, plastics and imitated fake finished products to sell but encourage devaluation for Africans with REAL raw materials? When China penetrated the Rich Club with devalued currency so that Europe and American could buy more of their plastics, steel and other manmade finished products competing with their local companies at home, they cried out against China’s manipulation and devaluation of its currency. Recently, China tightened up when their privileged class started using loopholes and abusing devaluation that reduced its foreign reserve. Point is China can control its currency. If African countries have manmade materials to sell to the Rich Countries Club like Japan and China, there would be no problem devaluing African currency. But African countries have no trading privileges and the only material they can sell are dictated by the rich countries to their detriment because that policy drains and depletes African gold, diamond, uranium, coffee, cocoa etc. Since Africa have the most arable land, they are buying up the cheap arable land too. It boils down to predatory mentality of exploiting the ignorant and the poor with colo-mentality that appreciate alien products more. The fact that you have well trained Africans in their most prestigious universities as their proponent preaching liberalized market to African countries but not access to Rich Countries Market, worsen the situation. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi it was, that used to preach that India did not want aid but access to western market to trade. African countries love foreign educated economists or those specializing in principles of African domination theories preached by their alien mentors. They are showered with appointments and awards in foreign countries as if they have delivered a single economic miracle to a single developing country. The younger generation must ask them what exactly it is these economists have done since independence apart from echoing their masters’ voices. The glut of steel in the world market is an indication why Ajaokuta Steel never actually took off in Nigeria. Russia was called to help build it after the western capitalist countries procrastinated and eventually refused. All countries are looking for where to dump or sell their steel including Russia that never completed the Steel industry in Nigeria. China has been accused in United States of dumping their cheap steel in their market. The logical way is to make sure raw materials produced in a country has secondary industry to produce finished products. Since 1957 oil discovery, Nigeria oil industry has not been able to fully develop its secondary industry so that all the oil produced and its byproduct like gas are enhanced to the full maximum potential. Therefore, gas is still flared and wasted since western corporate bodies do not see the benefit of making an African country less dependent on them.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/775839/five-hundred-african-currency-to-one-is-illogical-by-gold-st.html

Politics

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By Ola Ajayi Ibadan — OVER five million sickle cell patients in Nigeria and other African countries can now heave a sigh of relief as the University of Ibadan in partnership with the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA and University of Loyola, Chicago have discovered a permanent cure for the terminal disease. The cure of the deadly disease, according to the Professor of Medicine, Victor Gordeuk, who is the Director, Sickle Cell Centre, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA and his colleagues, Prof. Damiano Rondelli, also from the same university and Prof. Bamidele Tayo, University of Loyola, Chicago this new treatment is done through bone marrow transplant and that it is less risky. This was revealed yesterday at the University College Hospital, Ibadan after a three-day brainstorming session with other experts in the teaching hospital. Unlike the other conventional method of stem cell transplant which exposes patients to radiation which could cause cancer, first blood and marrow stem cell transplant, BMT, is much more effective. The experts who were flanked by the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge, Dr. Titilola Akingbola, an haematologist and Dr. Foluke Fasola, said this stem cell transplant is a standard procedure for the treatment of many blood cancers in both adult and children. He said: “With this chemotherapy-free transplant, we are curing adults with sickle cell disease, and we see that their quality of life improves fast within just one month of the transplant. “About 90 per cent of the approximately 450 patients who have received stem cell transplants for sickle cell disease have been children. Chemotherapy has been considered too risky for adult patients, who are often more weakened than children by the disease. “Adults with sickle cell disease can now be cured without chemotherapy — the main barrier that has stood in the way for them for so long. Our data provide more support that this therapy is safe and effective and prevents patients from living shortened lives, condemned to pain and progressive complications.” “In the new procedure, patients receive immuno-suppressive drugs just before the transplant, along with a very low dose of total body irradiation, a treatment much less harsh and with fewer potentially serious side effects than chemotherapy.” “ Donor cells from a healthy and tissue-matched sibling are transfused into the patient. Stem cells from the donor produce healthy new blood cells in the patient, eventually in sufficient quantity to eliminate symptoms. In many cases, sickle cells can no longer be detected. Patients must continue to take immunosuppressant drugs for at least a year. The CMD, Prof. Alonge who called for support from government, philanthropists, donour agencies and corporate bodies like banks and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for provision of equipment and completion of the sickle cell centre, described sickle cell as a disease of bone crisis which the patient suffers from head to toe. He added that Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder due to the presence of an abnormal form of haemoglobin in the red blood cells, called haemoglobin S (Hb S) instead of haemoglobin A (Hb A). Haemoglobin in the red blood cell is responsible for the transportation of oxygen in the body. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/uch-usa-varsities-discover-cure-for-sickle-cell-anaemia/

Health

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Desperately seeking asylum in the United States On behalf of Eric Benal Recently, a 26-year-old Nigerian man named Oliver won his asylum case. Officially granted asylee status, he is now free to live as a legal United States resident. In the U.S., Oliver would seem rather unremarkable – a normal young man trying to build a life for himself. However, in Nigeria, he could be locked up for 14 years under a proposed law that criminalizes any person who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and would penalize any organization that provides services to these citizens. Oliver came out as a homosexual in 2005 and was an advocate who spoke out against homophobia throughout Africa. His advocacy made his life worse. He even contemplated suicide after being locked up in his church with an angry mob outside. In July 2012 Oliver came to the U.S. for the International AIDS Conference. While he was here he sought asylum and a few months later found out that the U.S. government had granted it. To be eligible for asylum, an applicant must first meet the definition of refugee. The definition is laid out in the Immigration and Nationality Act as “a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her country of nationality because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion”. The wording of the definition is very important, because a person seeking asylum will need to demonstrate that they fit into one or more of the protected classes as defined in the statute. People eligible for asylum The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that in 2011 there were a total of 36,492 individuals who were granted asylum. Almost half of these asylees escaped from China, Venezuela and Ethiopia. Interestingly, U.S. immigration laws do not set a numerical limit on the number of people who can be awarded asylum in the United States each year. Cases such as Oliver’s, where people are being persecuted for sexual orientation or for being transgender or HIV-positive, have been recognized by U.S. Immigration since 1994. In many cases, an immigration attorney can help an individual seeking asylum to determine whether their circumstances fit the parameters defined by the U.S. government. They can also clarify on what grounds asylum status can be terminated. They include a fundamental change in circumstances that eliminates the asylee’s well-founded fear of persecution, the asylee obtaining protection from another country or the asylee committing certain crimes that make him ineligible to retain asylum status in the U.S. Abstract: The United States government grants asylum to those who have fled their own country due to fear of persecution. In the past 19 years the requirements for asylum have broadened.

http://www.ericmbernallaw.com/Articles/Desperately-seeking-asylum-in-the-United-States.shtml

Travel

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A child under 15 dies every five seconds around the world – UN report Children from the highest mortality countries are up to 60 times more likely to die in the first five years of life than those from the lowest mortality countries, report also says. NEW YORK/ GENEVA/ WASHINGTON D.C., 18 September 2018 – An estimated 6.3 million children under 15 years of age died in 2017, or 1 every 5 seconds, mostly of preventable causes, according to new mortality estimates released by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Division and the World Bank Group. The vast majority of these deaths – 5.4 million – occur in the first five years of life, with newborns accounting for around half of the deaths. “Without urgent action, 56 million children under five will die from now until 2030 – half of them newborns,” said Laurence Chandy, UNICEF Director of Data, Research and Policy. “We have made remarkable progress to save children since 1990, but millions are still dying because of who they are and where they are born. With simple solutions like medicines, clean water, electricity and vaccines, we can change that reality for every child.” Globally, in 2017, half of all deaths under five years of age took place in sub-Saharan Africa, and another 30 per cent in Southern Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 13 children died before their fifth birthday. In high-income countries, that number was 1 in 185. “Millions of babies and children should not still be dying every year from lack of access to water, sanitation, proper nutrition or basic health services,” said Dr. Princess Nono Simelela, Assistant Director-General for Family, Women and Children’s Health at WHO. “We must prioritize providing universal access to quality health services for every child, particularly around the time of birth and through the early years, to give them the best possible chance to survive and thrive.” Most children under 5 die due to preventable or treatable causes such as complications during birth, pneumonia, diarrhea, neonatal sepsis and malaria. By comparison, among children between 5 and 14 years of age, injuries become a more prominent cause of death, especially from drowning and road traffic. Within this age group, regional differences also exist, with the risk of dying for a child from sub-Saharan Africa 15 times higher than in Europe. “More than six million children dying before their fifteenth birthday is a cost we simply can’t afford,” said Timothy Evans, Senior Director and Head of the Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice at the World Bank Group. “Ending preventable deaths and investing in the health of young people is a basic foundation for building countries’ human capital, which will drive their future growth and prosperity.” For children everywhere, the most risky period of life is the first month. In 2017, 2.5 million newborns died in their first month. A baby born in sub-Saharan Africa or in Southern Asia was nine times more likely to die in the first month than a baby born in a high-income country. And progress towards saving newborns has been slower than for other children under five years of age since 1990. Even within countries, disparities persist. Under-five mortality rates among children in rural areas are, on average, 50 per cent higher than among children in urban areas. In addition, those born to uneducated mothers are more than twice as likely to die before turning five than those born to mothers with a secondary or higher education. Despite these challenges, fewer children are dying each year worldwide. The number of children dying under five has fallen dramatically from 12.6 million in 1990 to 5.4 million in 2017. The number of deaths in older children aged between 5 to 14 years dropped from 1.7 million to under a million in the same period. “This new report highlights the remarkable progress since 1990 in reducing mortality among children and young adolescents,” said UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin. “Reducing inequality by assisting the most vulnerable newborns, children and mothers is essential for achieving the target of the Sustainable Development Goals on ending preventable childhood deaths and for ensuring that no one is left behind.” Download photos, broll and the full report here. View mortality rates for newborns, children under 5 years and children between 5 and 14 years, including regional, country and global trends. About UN IGME The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation or UN IGME was formed in 2004 to share data on child mortality, harmonise estimates within the United Nations system, improve methods for child mortality estimation, report on progress towards child survival goals and enhance country capacity to produce timely and properly assessed estimates of child mortality. UN IGME is led by UNICEF and includes the World Health Organization, the World Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. For more information visit: http://www.childmortality.org/ WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries, and monitoring and assessing health trends and improving global health security. For more information about WHO and its work, visit www.who.int. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. About the World Bank Group The World Bank Group is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world, with the goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Improving health is integral to achieving these goals. The Bank Group provides financing, state-of-the-art analysis, and policy advice to help countries expand access to quality, affordable health care; protect people from falling into poverty or worsening poverty due to illness; and promote investments in all sectors that form the foundation of healthy societies. www.worldbank.org/health @WBG_Health About the UN Population Division The Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs is a leading source of information and analysis on global population trends, and an important centre of demographic research that supports intergovernmental processes at the United Nations in the area of population and development. The Division produces demographic estimates and projections for all countries, including data essential for the monitoring of progress toward the achievement of global development goals. For more information about the Population Division and its work, visit www.unpopulation.org UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org. Learn about the Every Child ALIVE campaign. Follow UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook For more information, please contact: Sabrina Sidhu, UNICEF New York, +1 917 4761537, email@example.com Fadéla Chaib, WHO Geneva, +41 79 475 5556, firstname.lastname@example.org Anu Palan, World Bank Group Washington DC, + 202 473 9157, email@example.com

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/child-under-15-dies-every-five-seconds-around-world-un-report

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MODERN Babylon, also known in Revelation 17:5, as Mystery, Babylon the great, the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, inherited all her ungodly festivities, from Ancient Babylon, one of which is Easter festivity. Easter is a Chaldean word, pronounced as ISHTAR. It is also called Ashtaroth. It is a goddess known as the queen of heaven. And so, all the cakes made during Easter festival, are made to the queen of heaven, as written in Jeremiah 7:18-20. The anger and fury of God was poured upon the children of Israel, who made cakes unto this queen of heaven. Easter (Ishtar) or Ashtaroth had been the object of worship in Ancient Babylon before Christ was born. The worship of Ashtaroth/Easter by children of Israel, also provoked the anger of God, as written in Judges 2:13-14: “And they forsook the Lord and worshipped Baal and Asharoth. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel and He delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.” Even though, the word Easter is found in Acts 12:3, yet it has nothing to do with the Christian faith, neither is it a Christian name. The pagans were celebrating Easter, when King Herod, an ungodly king, apprehended Peter and kept him in prison, intending that after their Easter festival, he would bring Peter out to the people. The Jews’ Passover, the days of unleavened bread, which Moses commanded all the Jews to observe yearly, also were being observed during this pagan festive season. But the church, as at that time, was under serious persecution by the Jews and King Herod, during which the king killed James the brother of John, the disciples of Jesus. The people of God do err, not knowing the scripture, because there is no record in the Scripture, that Jesus rose from the sepulcher on “Easter” day. The only record, that we have in the scripture, is that Jesus rose on the first day of week – Mark 16:2. And this day is known in Revelation 1:10, as The Lord’s Day, a day, when all believers in Christ are expected to observe and worship the Risen Christ. And it should not be a day for reveling, banqueting or feastings, when believers in Christ will sit down to eat, drink and dance, under the guise of celebrating the resurrection of Christ. This is idolatry, against which believers in Christ are warned, by the Spirit of God in 1 Corithians 10:7: “Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them: as it is written. The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” All believers in Christ are commanded by the God of heaven, in Revelation 18:4-5, that they should come out of this Modern Babylon, by refusing to take part in any of her ungodly festivities, such as Easter, Christmas, Valentine, New year celebrations, Cross-over night, et cetera. •Christian Gospel Church (The Truth Centre), 4 Christian Gospel Avenue, Beside Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin City, Edo State Telephone: +234(0) 7052061135, +234(0)9030731406 Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/03/easter-an-ungodly-festivity-of-ancient-babylon/

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By Babajide Komolafe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday reported that economic activities declined faster in June, confirming that the nation’s economy formally entered into recession in the second quarter of the year. Economic recession is a period of general decline in economic activities and it is typically defined as a decline in GDP for two or more consecutive quarters. Nigeria’s economy contracted in the first quarter of the year, as it recorded negative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the quarter. According to the National Bureau of Statistics the nation’s GDP in Q1 2016 contracted by 0.36 per cent, the first negative growth in many years. Indication that the economy suffered contraction in the second quarter, and hence a slide into recession, emerged on Friday, as the CBN’s Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) for June revealed that economic activities decline faster in June. The decline in June represented decline for six consecutive months. The report revealed that in the manufacturing sector, “Production level, new orders, and employment level and raw material inventories declned at a faster rate; while supplier delivery time improved at a faster rate”. It also stated that in the non manufacturing sector, “Business activity, new orders and employment level declined at faster rate while raw materials inventories declined at a slower rate” The CBN stated, “The Manufacturing PMI dropped to 41.9 index points in June 2016, compared to 45.8 in the preceding month. This implies that the manufacturing sector declined at a faster rate during the review period. Of the sixteen manufacturing sub-sectors, fourteen recorded decline in the review month in the following order: electrical equipment; non metallic mineral products; furniture & related products; fabricated metal products; chemical & pharmaceutical products; printing & related support activities; paper products; food, beverage & tobacco products; cement; computer & electronic products; plastics & rubber products; textile, apparel, leather & footwear; petroleum & coal products and primary metal. The remaining two sub-sectors however recorded expansion in the following order: appliances & components and transportation equipment. “The composite PMI for the non-manufacturing sector recorded decline for the sixth consecutive month. The index dropped to 42.3 points, indicating a faster decline compared to that in May 2016. Of the eighteen non-manufacturing sub-sectors, fourteen recorded decline in June 2016. Of the eighteen non-manufacturing sub-sectors, fourteen recorded decline in June 2016 in the following order: construction; professional, scientific, & technical services; management of companies; utilities; accommodation & food services; real estate, rental & leasing; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; educational services; wholesale trade; public administration; information & communication; finance & insurance; repair, maintenance/washing of motor vehicles; and arts, entertainment & recreation. The health care & social assistance sub-sector remained unchanged, while the remaining three subsectors recorded growth in the order: water supply, sewage & waste management; agriculture; and transportation & warehousing” N420bn inflow crashes cost of funds Meanwhile, cost of funds in the interbank money market crashed last week following the inflow of N420 billion which doused the scarcity of funds that rattled the market two weeks ago. From an average of 40 percent at the beginning of the week, average cost of funds crashed four percent at the close of business on Friday. Vanguard investigation revealed that the market received inflow of N115.03 billion from payment of matured treasury bills and another N305 billion inflow from statutory allocation funds. Consequently, the liquidity position of the market improved from minus N155.2 billion the previous week to N267 billion at the close of business on Friday. The improved liquidity also led to a decline in banks’ borrowing from the CBN, which dropped by 28.71 percent from N929 billion the previous week to N882.52 billion last week. This sharply contrast with an increase of 230 percent increase recorded the previous week. On the other hand, amount of idle funds banks deposited with CBN fell by 61.31 percent to N88 billion from N227 billion the previous . The liquidity improvement in the market may not be sustained this week, as the CBN is expected to mop up N94 billion through sales of treasury bills, leading to likely increase in cost of funds Naira depreciates in all segments of forex market Last week was an unpleasant one for the naira, as it depreciated against the dollar in all the segments of the foreign exchange market. At the interbank segment the naira depreciated by N1.36 or 0.19 percent to N282.5 per dollar from N281.14 the previous week. Also in the bureaux de change and parallel market segment, that naira depreciated by 1.17 percent or N4 and by 2.9 percent or N10 respectively. From N343 per dollar the previous week, the BDC exchange rate rose to N347 per dollar, while the parallel market exchange rate rose from N345 to N355 per dollar. Analysts at Cowry Assets Management Limited, a Lagos based investment and research firm, however, expressed optimism that the naira will appreciate in the coming weeks due to increased confidence and investments by investors in the Nigerian economy and a reduction in front loading (precautionary purchase) of scarce foreign exchange. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/nigerias-economy-slides-recession-q2/

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Okonjo-Iweala: Begs for time By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor Emerging economies of Nigeria, Indonesia and Mexico could push the UK and France out of the top ten economies of the world by 2050 provided they are able to build their institutions to global standards, diversify their economies and sustain growth friendly policies. This is one of the key findings of the global report from PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) economists titled ‘‘The World in 2050: Will the shift in global economic power continue?’’ This presents long-term projections of potential GDP growth up to 2050 for 32 of the largest economies in the world, covering 84 per cent of total global GDP. According to the report, the current global economic power shift away from the established advanced economies in North America, Western Europe and Japan will continue over the next 35 years, despite a projected slowdown in Chinese growth after around 2020. The world economy is projected to grow at an average of just over 3 per cent per annum from 2014-50, doubling in size by 2037 and nearly tripling by 2050. But there’s likely to be a slowdown in global growth after 2020, as the rate of expansion in China and some other major emerging economies moderates to a more sustainable long-term rate, and as working age population growth slows in many large economies. Nigeria, Vietnam and the Philippines are notable risers in the global GDP rankings in the long term, reflecting relatively high projected average growth rates of around 4.5-5.5 per cent per annum over the period to 2050. According to Mr Andrew S. Nevin, PwC Nigeria’s Chief Economist and co-author of the report, “Over the past decade, Nigeria has boasted superior economic growth and, with the right reforms and investments, Nigeria could become one of the world’s leading economies by 2030, with further progress by 2050. Nigeria’s potential advantages for future growth include a large consumer market, a strategic geographic location, and a young and highly entrepreneurial population’’. He continued, ‘‘however, at the same time, we are all aware of the significant headwinds (adverse trends) created by the rapid drop in the oil price, putting pressure on the fiscal and monetary systems, as well as reducing economic growth in the short term. To achieve its long-term economic potential, Nigeria will need to manage the oil price decline effectively at all levels of government and create a sustainable platform for diversification into the sectors that we know will drive the economy in the future – including power, agriculture, manufacturing, telecoms, hospitality and real estate’’. Nevin concludes, “according to our long term projections, Nigeria could sustain average growth of around 5-6 per cent per annum in the long run, following projected growth of around 6-7 per cent in the rest of this decade, assuming broadly growth-friendly policies are pursued. While foreign investment has in absolute terms long been focused on the oil sector, portfolios are becoming increasingly diversified, moving towards the power, agriculture and mining areas of the economy that have demonstrated a comparative advantage in emerging markets vis-à-vis the West’’. Recent experience has however underlined that relatively rapid growth is not guaranteed for emerging economies, as indicated by recent problems in Russia and Brazil. It requires sustained and effective investment in infrastructure and improving political, economic, legal and social institutions. Overdependence on natural resources, according to the analyst, could impede long-term growth in countries such as Nigeria, Russia, and Saudi Arabia unless they can diversify their economies over time. Nevin further concludes that ‘‘while our analysis confirms that emerging markets have huge potential, they can also be an institutional minefield – both managers and investors need to tread carefully. Overall, Nigeria continues to be an attractive place to invest not because it is an oil producer, but because of the immense size of its domestic market and the extraordinary commercial energy of its people, which remains largely untapped.” Beyond Nigeria, the PwC Report projects that China will be the largest economy by 2030 on any measure. However, it also expects its growth rate to slow markedly after around 2020 as its population ages, its high investment rate runs into diminishing marginal returns and it needs to rely more on innovation than copying to boost productivity. Eventual reversion to the global average has been common for past high growth economies such as Japan and South Korea and we expect China to follow suit.” The report also contains projections based on GDP at market exchange rates, without this relative price adjustment. On that basis, China is projected to overtake the US in around 2028, while India would clearly be the third largest economy in the world in 2050, but still some way behind the US. Other highlights from PwC’s projections are: India has the potential to sustain its higher growth rate for longer and become a $10 trillion economy by around 2020 in purchasing power (PPP) terms, or around 2035 at market exchange rates. But this relies on India making sustained progress on infrastructure investment, institutional reforms and boosting education levels across the whole population. Emerging economies like Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico have the potential to be larger than the UK and France by 2030, with Indonesia possibly rising as high as 4th place in the world rankings by 2050 if it can sustain growth-friendly policies. Malaysia is also projected to grow at around 4% per annum on average in the period to 2050, which is higher than China’s projected average growth rate of around 3.5% per annum over this period, and an impressive performance for what is already a middle income country. Colombia is also an economy that PwC projects to grow at a relatively healthy long term rate of around 4% per annum over the period to 2050, noticeably faster than its larger Southern American neighbours like Brazil and Argentina. Japanese growth is projected to be the slowest of all 32 countries covered in total terms, driven in part by a steadily declining population; as a result Japan is projected to fall from 4th to 7th place in the global GDP rankings over the period to 2050. European economies tend to slide down the rankings, with growth rates in the major Eurozone economies projected to average only around 1.5-2% per annum to 2050. Poland is projected to have the highest average growth rate of the large EU economies, and also to outperform Russia in terms of long-run growth. These projections assume, however, that emerging markets will follow broadly growth-friendly policies. In practice, not all may do so and therefore not all of these economies will fulfil the potential indicated by the PwC growth projections, although some could also exceed the projections if they can accelerate their investment rates and institutional reforms. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/nigeria-indonesia-mexico-to-displace-uk-france-out-of-top-10-largest-economies/#sthash.fJnUTZPD.dpuf

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Don’t fall for the bait and switch Sloppy language leads to sloppy thinking YES and NO We observe variation, mutation and natural selection in living things. Evolutionists call this ‘evolution’, and this is why they claim that evolution is true. We see how the environment affects the survival of these different animals. We even see new species arising as a result of these processes. These phenomena are observed and documented scientifically. Creationists agree with all these observations. In fact, these sorts of changes happen very quickly. Speciation can occur within a few generations.1 But, dogs remain dogs, frogs remain frogs, and horses remain horses. We don’t see fish changing into frogs, or lizards into birds. What we see is consistent with the biblical account of a recent creation. God created different kinds of animals at the beginning. These different kinds were capable of adapting to different environments. Creationists prefer not to call this variation within a kind ‘evolution’ (not even ‘micro-evolution’2). We call these changes ‘adaptation’. It doesn’t really matter what word you use, but it is important to know what you are talking about. Creationists reserve the word evolution for something entirely different from what we see here. We have heard of the idea that single-celled animals changed by mutation and natural selection into reptiles, birds, mammals and people, over millions of years. This is what creationists call evolution and they distinguish it from adaptation. Evolutionists call this evolution too, the same word they use for adaptation. That is why there is so much confusion on this issue. Evolutionists use the same word for two entirely different things (called equivocation), and so you don’t really know what they are talking about. If small random mutations are to produce new genetic information for these amazing changes in animals, then millions of such genetic errors would be needed over millions of generations.3 That is why evolutionists need billions of years for the idea to be plausible. However, these sorts of changes have never been observed. Variation and natural selection do not produce new genetic information; they only rearrange or remove the existing information. Mutations do not generate new genetic information; they destroy some of the existing information. Furthermore, the fossils are not consistent with the idea of evolution; the innumerable transitional forms expected are missing. This molecules-to-man concept of evolution is just a hypothetical philosophy without observational scientific support. This concept of evolution is used to justify the assertion that the living world can be explained without God. It is contrary to the teaching of the biblical account. It looks scientific, but as we have seen it is not. It is a bit of a trick played by using sloppy language. Evolutionists use adaptation, which is observed, to support evolution, which is an entirely different process. It is an example of bait and switch. They get away with it because people do not realize they are using the same word to mean two entirely different things. Next time someone says that evolution is an observed scientific fact make sure you get them to clearly define what they are talking about. They will almost certainly be referring to adaptation but want you to believe they have proved evolution. Don’t be fooled. Sloppy language leads to sloppy thinking. You wouldn’t want to make the wrong decision about the reliability of the Bible, where you came from and why you are here because you fell for the bait and switch trick. References and notes - Catchpoole, D. and Wieland, C., Speedy species surprise, Creation 23(2):13–15, 2001. Return to text. - The term ‘micro-evolution’ is misleading because the changes are in the wrong direction. Return to text. - The size of the change is not the problem, rather the change is going the wrong way; see Wieland, C., The evolution train’s a comin’, Creation 24(2):16–19, 2002. Return to text. Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.

https://creation.com/don-t-fall-for-the-bait-and-switch

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How stress, poor nutrition causes baldness A consultant dermatologist, Dr Glory Iwuchukwu, on Monday identified genetic factors, stress and poor nutrition as the major causes of baldness in middle aged men. Dr Iwuchukwu, who works at the Lagos University teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. She defined baldness as a condition that caused hair loss along the hairline at the top of the head or temples and progressed back towards the base of the skull. She explained that men whose fathers had experienced baldness were more likely to experience hair loss themselves and that it usually occurred in men with male-pattern baldness due to genetic factors. “Genetic factor is the most common cause of baldness among middle aged men because it’s been passed from one generation to the other. “This genetic factor varies; it could be inherited from either parents but in most cases fathers can easily pass on the trait which would be possible if it were X chromosomes,’’ she said. Iwuchukwu said that another cause of baldness was emotional stress and fatigue due to lack of good sleep which was the common factor among Nigerian men. “A lot of people who do not get adequate sleep are stressed and this can cause hair loss. In Nigeria, we do not sleep well because we want to meet up with our life`s needs. “And once there is alteration in our sleeping pattern, it affects the body’s immune function, hormone secretion and physical and mental stamina,’’ she said. Iwuchukwu said that the hair was very sensitive to changes within the body and baldness was always the consequence of such an internal disturbance, she said. The consultant also cited inadequate nutrition as another cause of baldness. “Drinking water to keep the body hydrated and eating foods and fruits with vitamins could play an important role in keeping the hair follicles and the skin of the scalp healthy. “At least the intake of six to eight glasses of water daily is the usual recommended amount for an average person,’’ she said. She, however, advised that adequate nutrition, reduced stress and adequate sleep could be helpful in slowing or preventing baldness. According to Iwuchukwu, some forms of surgery, such as hair transplant and scalp reduction are also used to treat baldness though they can be both expensive and painful.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/how-stress-poor-nutrition-causes-baldness/

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© Spirit Science and Metaphysics A book titled Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness Are the Keys to Understanding the Nature of the Universe has stirred up the Internet, because it contained a notion that life does not end when the body dies, and it can last forever. The author of this publication, scientist Dr. Robert Lanza who was voted the 3rd most important scientist alive by the NY Times, has no doubts that this is possible. Beyond time and spaceLanza is an expert in regenerative medicine and scientific director of Advanced Cell Technology Company. Before he has been known for his extensive research which dealt with stem cells, he was also famous for several successful experiments on cloning endangered animal species. But not so long ago, the scientist became involved with physics, quantum mechanics and astrophysics. This explosive mixture has given birth to the new theory of biocentrism, which the professor has been preaching ever since. Biocentrism teaches that life and consciousness are fundamental to the universe. It is consciousness that creates the material universe, not the other way around. Lanza points to the structure of the universe itself, and that the laws, forces, and constants of the universe appear to be fine-tuned for life, implying intelligence existed prior to matter. He also claims that space and time are not objects or things, but rather tools of our animal understanding. Lanza says that we carry space and time around with us "like turtles with shells." meaning that when the shell comes off (space and time), we still exist. The theory implies that death of consciousness simply does not exist. It only exists as a thought because people identify themselves with their body. They believe that the body is going to perish, sooner or later, thinking their consciousness will disappear too. If the body generates consciousness, then consciousness dies when the body dies. But if the body receives consciousness in the same way that a cable box receives satellite signals, then of course consciousness does not end at the death of the physical vehicle. In fact, consciousness exists outside of constraints of time and space. It is able to be anywhere: in the human body and outside of it. In other words, it is non-local in the same sense that quantum objects are non-local. Lanza also believes that multiple universes can exist simultaneously. In one universe, the body can be dead. And in another it continues to exist, absorbing consciousness which migrated into this universe. This means that a dead person while traveling through the same tunnel ends up not in hell or in heaven, but in a similar world he or she once inhabited, but this time alive. And so on, infinitely. It's almost like a cosmic Russian doll afterlife effect. Multiple worldsThis hope-instilling, but extremely controversial theory by Lanza has many unwitting supporters, not just mere mortals who want to live forever, but also some well-known scientists. These are the physicists and astrophysicists who tend to agree with existence of parallel worlds and who suggest the possibility of multiple universes. Multiverse (multi-universe) is a so-called scientific concept, which they defend. They believe that no physical laws exist which would prohibit the existence of parallel worlds. The first one was a science fiction writer H.G. Wells who proclaimed in 1895 in his story The Door in the Wall. And after 62 years, this idea was developed by Dr. Hugh Everett in his graduate thesis at the Princeton University. It basically posits that at any given moment the universe divides into countless similar instances. And the next moment, these "newborn" universes split in a similar fashion. In some of these worlds you may be present: reading this article in one universe, or watching TV in another. The triggering factor for these multiplying worlds is our actions, explained Everett. If we make some choices, instantly one universe splits into two with different versions of outcomes. In the 1980s, Andrei Linde, scientist from the Lebedev's Institute of physics, developed the theory of multiple universes. He is now a professor at Stanford University. Linde explained: Space consists of many inflating spheres, which give rise to similar spheres, and those, in turn, produce spheres in even greater numbers, and so on to infinity. In the universe, they are spaced apart. They are not aware of each other's existence. But they represent parts of the same physical universe. The fact that our universe is not alone is supported by data received from the Planck space telescope. Using the data, scientists have created the most accurate map of the microwave background, the so-called cosmic relic background radiation, which has remained since the inception of our universe. They also found that the universe has a lot of dark recesses represented by some holes and extensive gaps. Theoretical physicist Laura Mersini-Houghton from the North Carolina University with her colleagues argue: the anomalies of the microwave background exist due to the fact that our universe is influenced by other universes existing nearby. And holes and gaps are a direct result of attacks on us by neighboring universes. SoulSo, there is abundance of places or other universes where our soul could migrate after death, according to the theory of neo-biocentrism. But does the soul exist? Is there any scientific theory of consciousness that could accommodate such a claim? According to Dr. Stuart Hameroff, a near-death experience happens when the quantum information that inhabits the nervous system leaves the body and dissipates into the universe. Contrary to materialistic accounts of consciousness, Dr. Hameroff offers an alternative explanation of consciousness that can perhaps appeal to both the rational scientific mind and personal intuitions. Consciousness resides, according to Stuart and British physicist Sir Roger Penrose, in the microtubules of the brain cells, which are the primary sites of quantum processing. Upon death, this information is released from your body, meaning that your consciousness goes with it. They have argued that our experience of consciousness is the result of quantum gravity effects in these microtubules, a theory which they dubbed orchestrated objective reduction (Orch-OR). Consciousness, or at least proto-consciousness is theorized by them to be a fundamental property of the universe, present even at the first moment of the universe during the Big Bang. "In one such scheme proto-conscious experience is a basic property of physical reality accessible to a quantum process associated with brain activity." Our souls are in fact constructed from the very fabric of the universe - and may have existed since the beginning of time. Our brains are just receivers and amplifiers for the proto-consciousness that is intrinsic to the fabric of space-time. So is there really a part of your consciousness that is non-material and will live on after the death of your physical body? Dr Hameroff told the Science Channel's Through the Wormhole documentary: "Let's say the heart stops beating, the blood stops flowing, the microtubules lose their quantum state. The quantum information within the microtubules is not destroyed, it can't be destroyed, it just distributes and dissipates to the universe at large". Robert Lanza would add here that not only does it exist in the universe, it exists perhaps in another universe. If the patient is resuscitated, revived, this quantum information can go back into the microtubules and the patient says "I had a near death experience"' He adds: "If they're not revived, and the patient dies, it's possible that this quantum information can exist outside the body, perhaps indefinitely, as a soul." This account of quantum consciousness explains things like near-death experiences, astral projection, out of body experiences, and even reincarnation without needing to appeal to religious ideology. The energy of your consciousness potentially gets recycled back into a different body at some point, and in the mean time it exists outside of the physical body on some other level of reality, and possibly in another universe. Robert Lanza on Biocentrism: Sources:Quantum Theory Proves That Consciousness Moves to Another Universe After DeathBiocentric UniverseNear-death experiences occur when the soul leaves the nervous system and enters the universe, claim two quantum physics expertsScientists offer quantum theory of soul's existenceDoes The Soul Exist? Evidence Says 'Yes'"Funda-Mentality" Is the Conscious Mind Subtly Linked to a Basic Level of the Universe? According to Dr. Stuart Hameroff, a near-death experience happens when the quantum information that inhabits the nervous system leaves the body and dissipates into the universe. When I left my body that night, I knew exactly where my body was, exactly what was going on. So, I don't know where the dissipation is supposed to fit in. While out, I was still me with all my thoughts, except for my physical body, which lay about 30 feet below me as I saw it, and accelerating upwards. I seemed to occupy the same spatial dimensions size-wise. I'm sure others on this site have been out of the body. What do you remember?

http://www.sott.net/article/271933-Scientists-claim-that-Quantum-Theory-proves-consciousness-moves-to-another-universe-at-deathSo

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INTERNATIONAL Labour Organisation, ILO’s Director-General, Guy Ryder has warned that there are still 152 million victims of child labour worldwide, and called on the international community to work together to achieve the total eradication of child labour by 2025. In his opening address to the IV Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour, Ryder acknowledged the progress made in this area in the past 20 years, but warned that there is still a long way to go to eradicate child labour in all its forms. “There are still 152 million children victims of child labour, that is, almost one in 10 in the world. Of those, almost half are in hazardous work. We need to recognise that progress has been very uneven,” Ryder added. Target 8.7 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda calls for the elimination of child labour in all its forms by 2025, and of forced labour by 2030. According to the latest ILO estimates, there are 25 million victims of forced labour worldwide. “The goals cannot be clearer, nor can the uncomfortable reality that if we do not do more and better, we will not achieve them,” Ryder warned. According to the Director -General of the ILO, the sustained eradication of child labour requires an integrated approach that tackles the deep and systemic causes of child labour and does not focus only on treating the symptoms. This integrated approach includes the application of international standards related to child labour, labour market policies focused on the areas where most child labour is found – namely the rural economy and informality – social protection against poverty and insecurity, and quality universal education accessible to all. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/breaking-nafdac-approves-pfizer-biotech-covid-19-vaccine-for-use-in-nigeria/amp/Stil

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The United Kingdom (Britain) ended nearly 50 years (47 years) of integration with Europe, making a historic exit from the EU after years of bitter arguments to chart its own uncertain path. PM Boris Johnson said the country had “taken back control.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised a “new era of friendly cooperation” with the EU, in an address released an hour before the UK left the now 27-member bloc. He also said there may be “bumps in the road” ahead but vowed that the departure was an opportunity for “stunning success.” He also said Brexit as a chance for a new start and emphasized the country’s ability to succeed now it had “taken back control.” “The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not an end but a beginning. This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama,” said Johnson in a pre-recorded speech posted on Johnson’s Facebook page at 22:00 GMT. ALSO READ: Brexit Day: What to know when U.K. leaves EU Brexit would give the UK government “new powers” to carry out policies that people in the UK had voted for, said Johnson. These changes would take the shape of “controlling immigration or creating freeports or liberating our fishing industry or doing free trade deals.” – A divided nation? – Despite the celebratory tone in the PM’s speech, he also addressed the divide that Brexit had created across the UK since the 2016 referendum which left the country split 53% to 48%. “For many people, this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come. And there are many of course who feel a sense of anxiety and loss.” He also spoke of the third group of people who “had started to worry that the whole political wrangle would never come to an end” “I understand all those feelings and our job as the government, my job, is to bring this country together now and take us forward. Johnson stressed that Brexit was “right and healthy and democratic” as well as what people had voted for “not once but twice,” referring to the landslide December 2019 Conservative victory in the UK in addition to the 2016 referendum. – Close friendship with the EU – Johnson refrained from criticizing the EU in his speech, saying that the UK and EU had simply “evolved” in differing directions and calling the EU “friends.” “We want this to be the beginning of a new era of friendly cooperation between the EU and an energetic Britain.” His sentiments echoed the rhetoric of the EU parliament as lawmakers said goodbye to Britain, while stressing the importance of maintaining a close relationship. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/breaking-britain-officially-exits-european-union/

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Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaafi who ruled the country from 1969 till his death in 2011 was killed during the Libyan civilian war that broke out as a result of protests against the Gaddafi government which was causing continued hunger and poverty across the nation. Muammar Gaddafi was said to have fled to Sirte on the outskirts of Libya were he was captured and tortured by the anti-Gaddafist militants of the National Transitional Council (NTC) with the aid of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Muammar Gaddafi who was said to have vowed to die a martyr of Libya rather than to step down and leave the country was reported to have been killed by a gunshot to the head during a crossfire between NTC troops and that of Gaddafi’s loyalists. The former US president Barack Obama with the persuasion of former US first lady and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, also joined forces with the NATO allies to bring down Gaddafi’s reign. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed by the USA, Canada, Britain, and other European countries) led the unfortunate rebellion that assasinated Muammar Gaddafi. Several accounts of Muammar Gaddafi’s death were given, such as him being shot in the stomach, while a video account showed him being poked or stabbed in his rear and eventually falling off a pickup truck which he was pulled into. Although Muammar Gaddafi’s government was mostly categorized with numerous war crimes and mass human rights abuses, emails to and from Hilary Clinton during her time as the U.S Secretary of State which were leaked a few years back by Wikileaks revealed that the motive behind his assassination was far from just a humanitarian cause. Before Gaddafi’s death, the Libyan Central Bank which was wholely stated-owned had about 144 tons of gold in its vaults, which Gaddafi planned to use to introduce a gold-backed currency which he believed would have matched up to euro and dollar. However, the western powers saw this as a threat to their primary position in world affairs and aligned forces to take out Gaddafi and his promising plans for Africa which would have forced America and Europe to buy oil and minerals from Africa in the gold backed currency and in turn, given Africa’s economy a fighting chance at independence. Despite his war crimes, Muammar Gaddafi’s plans would have made a historic economic breakthrough for Africa. Want to push your dreams in today’s technology-driven, constantly-changing world? You must read Olatorera Oniru’s bestselling digital e-book titled Push Your Dreams available now on Olatorera.com and on Amazon.com. The Olatorera Consultancy brand has grown from an ambitious solo-preneur to a team of over 50 people highly assertive on providing the seal and stamp of “Africa’s Best” to great businesses in Africa and beyond. Chief Executive Consultant, Olatorera Oniru is very passionate about seeing businesses succeed and operate optimally. She is also notably passionate about witnessing Africa transformed into one of the world’s greatest continents. Olatorera Consultancy has an annual outline of businesses we work with. We currently do not accept unsolicited applications. To network with the team at Olatorera Consultancy Limited, please add your company to the reviews page here. An Olatorera Consultancy company representative may be in touch with you shortly after reviewing your company’s readiness for business consultation services. Some of the services we provide to our clients: - Doing Business In Africa: Data Analytics, Market Insights, Launch Plan & Strategy Development - Service Level Critique and Secret-Customer Detective Services - Customer Service, Quality & Operational Excellence Assurance - Seal of Africa’s Best and Nomination for Annual List of “Africa’s Best 100 Companies” and “Africa’s Best 100 Leaders”. One thought on “Who Killed Muammar Gaddafi, Why?”

https://olatorera.com/who-killed-muammar-gaddafi-why/

Politics

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Foreign Loan Borrowers Used As Indebted Farm Workers & Serfs Loan owners usually encourage and push borrowers into more debts at comparatively low teaser interest rate. On the premise that the richest countries are also the world's biggest debtors. After all, they tell us Africa's loans compared to GDP are still low until they push it beyond control. They don't care to tell developing countries the consequences of borrowing without any idea of how to pay back. They tell Africans the high debts of the richest countries makes them credit worthy for more loans. What they don't say is that they also print their own money that are International tenders which can be rendered and acceptable anywhere in the world. It is not by accident, gold standard, sound economics but they made it so by political fiat. Indeed, these rich countries can print more money at home if their biggest buyers of Treasury Bills dare ask for pay back or cash in. Africans are the modern day arable farm workers and serfs that bought provisions on credits from the owners. Like those at the labor camp before them, they will never make enough money to pay off their foreign loans. It is a business and lifeline of your Colonial masters. What happened to Zimbabwe when they got tired of promises from the British of adequate compensation and had to reclaim their land? Which developing country or African Country do you know like Zimbabwe, could print currency that can be tendered outside in exchange for goods and services? Even if an African Country could exchange its currency for the US dollar or Euro, one Euro or dollar would buy them a farm! No matter how long farm laborers worked on the farm, they always owed the owners for boarding and provisions they got from the owner's store (like the World Bank and IMF). It is not different from the provisions and toys African countries get from their Foreign Portfolio Investors and lenders. Despite their incomes, they always owed more than what they made in wages. Regardless of how many children and wives worked along with workers on the farm or labor camps. The same system that exploited the serfs in Europe and the slaves in labor camps, were justified as necessary evil during Slave Trade. Despite Oil 0r Gold Incomes African countries will never make enough to pay back their British, American or Chinese loans. Foreigners make more money in Africa from experts' maintenance contracts, without sustainable endeavors or internal maintenance at home since they signed them away as conditions for the loans. Some of you may remember how system failure later found to be the main culprit in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, were blamed on African crew’s for the nose-dive until investigations exposed them as being aware of the problem and did not fix it. Who are Africans going to call to deliver them from borrowing way over their heads for padded so-called development shadow projects? César Estrada Chávez was a USA labor leader, community organizer, businessman, and Latino American civil rights activist that dedicated his life work for better working conditions to farm workers. African countries have no César Estrada Chávez like the farm workers. What we had were Nkrumah as our Savior that saw through them; and British Lord Thomas McCauley (1835 letter) on how to capture India and Africa. But mis-educated Africans followed up on the prediction of McCauley to adhere and conquer Africa for generations. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and China now dictate how the Economy of African countries are run by the terms of the Agreement they signed before the loans are given. He who pays the piper determines the tune. It must be realized and well understood that in the history of Africa, no Foreign Power has helped any country in Africa to be less dependent on them. As soon as South Africa leadership changed from White to Black, nuclear technology was dismantled. When the French left Guinea, they spitefully dismantled existing facilities. In Nigeria where they thought the Steel industry at Ajaokuta, at any cost, would boost technological development, they could not find any Western country to help build one but Russia. The Russians, like Western countries, were not going to build a steel industry to compete with theirs. The Ajaokuta Steel Industry has remained in Coma since 1979. Until recently, former French African colonies had their Foreign Reserves deposited in France like other African countries had done losing billions in interest and opportunity cost since the money could only be spent upon their colonial masters approval. An outright brazen theft worse or better than African looters who returned their loot to them, anyway. Yet, after raping Africa of over a trillion in dollars or euro yearly, they congratulate themselves for their generosity in Foreign Aids of about 30b. In essence, using African countries as their ATM and thanking themselves for giving crumbs out of it as Aids. By some estimates lacking clandestine resource theft and padded costs: 30b put into Africa as aid but 192b taken out. 30b in overseas aid 21b in debt payment 46.3b in profits made by multinational corporations 17b in illegal logging 35.3b in tax evasion, tax havens and illicit financial flow 6b in health workers migration and exacerbate skills gaps 36.6 b as a result of climate change ???b in unaccountable drain Indoctrination, reorientation and Miseducation by culture, religion and languages cannot be quantified in monetary terms. Nevertheless, African countries think their economic salvation is still going to come from outside to leap forward into world technology. They fail to see obvious sabotage in Ghana in spite of being a Gold Coast, Gold Reserve remains outside and the whole Gold Standard ignored in preference for pretty printed papers turned into World currencies. Africans saw how Zimbabwe currency turned into toilet papers after continual Political agreements failed and farms were returned to original owners. The only terms of Political Agreement acceptable to Foreign Powers is the one where they keep economic control. Nigeria gave Zimbabwe white farmers land, grants and concession to export, they did the same thing they did in Zimbabwe and South Africa denying the benefits to Africans. The Chinese have joined the soft ground landing and they are now competing with Western countries in Foreign Aids, loans and grants. African countries are lining up to exchange their land grabs for "development". Loans, Foreign Aid and grants are teasers to control natural resources and labor of Africans in the labor camps. China has the control of Zambia lifeline. The China 2b deal with Ghana raised sustainability fear among Ghanaians. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/21/chinas-2-billion-ghana-deal-fears-over-debt-influence-environment.html In Nigeria 2020 budget, over N3 trillion or a quarter of the budget is dedicated to debt servicing. Every Nigerian from the over 200 million population owes the debtors N155,000 in debt. https://dailytrust.com/nigerias-debts-how-each-nigerian-owes-n155000 There is value to loans that increase your worth or wealth like a house you can pay off the mortgage or a tractor that increases your efficiency in construction and farming. You become debt free and enjoy profit in later years by living free on the equity.

https://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/292269/foreign-loan-borrowers-used-as-indebted-farm-workers-serfs.html

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Dr Chibawanye Ene, a US-based Nigerian Doctor, has won the 2019 Ronald L. Bittner Award on Brain Tumor Research. A statement from the Clinical Department, Applied Radiation Oncology U.S., said Ene received the award at the 2019 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting held from April 13 to April 17 in San Diego. The-37-year-old, who is from Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, won the award with his research work on ‘Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy Enhances Radiation-induced Abscopal Response in Glioblastoma’. Journalists gathered that Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system fight cancer. The immune system made up of white blood cells, organs and tissues of the lymph system help the body fight infections and other diseases. The Clinical Department stated Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy. Also, Glioblastoma, known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive cancer that begins within the brain. Initially, signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are non-specific. They may include headaches, personality changes, nausea, and symptoms similar to those of a stroke. Immunotherapy for glioblastoma has been largely unsuccessful in part because molecular heterogeneity drives selective elimination of only a subset of tumour cells. According to the statement, it appears that therapeutic success in patients would require achieving an abscopal effect, where following focused radiation therapy, non-targeted tumour cells are attacked by the immune system. The statement further revealed that it remains unclear how glioblastoma responds to focused radiation in terms of failure location and whether immunotherapy could amplify the immune response to tumour outside the radiation field. The result of the study’s experiment shows that radiation combined with anti PD L1 therapy induces an immunological response to unirradiated glioblastoma. The researchers are currently optimizing other treatment combinations that could also be readily assessed in phase I human clinical trials. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/05/nigerian-doctor-wins-brain-tumor-research-award-in-u-s/

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India has surpassed Nigeria as the nation with the highest number of extremely poor people. The World Poverty Clock, WPC, said this in its recent update, considering the COVID-19 pandemic economic effect. The World Poverty Clock is an online tool that monitors the progress against poverty globally and regionally and provides real-time poverty data across countries. According to its data, extremely poor people are those living on N800 per day (less than $2 per day). In 2018, Nigeria held the position with about 87 million people in extreme poverty, compared with India’s 73 million. According to the new data, about 83 million Indians have been plunged into extreme poverty in 2022, representing six per cent of the country’s population which stands at 1.3 billion. For Nigeria, WPC said 70 million people are living in extreme poverty, representing 33 per cent of Nigeria’s over 200 million people. In 2020, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said more than 80 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty (on a dollar per day). Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/03/india-overtakes-nigeria-as-worlds-poverty-capital/amp/

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By Kolawole Olaniyan WHAT does corruption look like? The short answer is: not what you think it does, at least according to President Goodluck Jonathan who while recently “rethinking corruption” said that: “Over 70% of what are called corruption [offences], even by the EFCC [Economic and Financial Crimes Commission] and other anti-corruption agencies, is not corruption, but common stealing.” This very high percentage suggests that Nigeria may be nearly corruption-free. If this is the president’s proposition, this government has something of a mountain to climb to satisfactorily prevent and combat corruption and impunity of perpetrators in the country. The ‘over 70% cases of corruption’ that fit as ‘common stealing’ under the president’s ‘definition’ would presumably include dozens of unresolved corruption cases against former governors, unresolved cases of corruption in the petroleum sector especially the case of the missing $20 billion from the account of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), unresolved oil subsidy scam, the unimplemented KPMG report on corruption within the NNPC, unresolved cases of corruption in the pension fund, unresolved cases of corruption in the Universal Basic Education Commission funds, and the unresolved cases of corruption in the capital market. The list goes on! If these are cases of ‘common stealing’, then what is corruption? Nigerians would like to know exactly the measurement or empirical data used to come up with such notion of corruption. Clearly, the message being conveyed would seem to be that the country is making progress against corruption. But this idea of corruption is certainly in the realm of feelings and not of legal rules, morality or facts. Here’s the thing: The term ‘corruption’, probably the most used word (inevitably subjectively and controversially, but almost always habitually) in the whole vocabulary of politics, is derived from the Latin verb curruptus, which is translated as ‘to break’. Linguistically, the word is used rather pejoratively and censoriously to refer to any of the following: ‘dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority’; ‘the act or effect of making someone or something change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour’. According to the House of Lords in Cooper v. Slade, corruption is “Purposely doing an act which the law forbids as tending to corrupt” [See 8 HL Cas 746]. In Biobaku v. Police, the court describes corruption as “acting improperly.” Thus, there will be corruption when “a public officer fails to carry out his duties honestly and impartially, and when he is affected by considerations of benefit to himself or another person” [See 1951] 20 N.L.R. 30.These definitions presuppose legal prohibition of some ‘dishonest’ conduct as ‘corrupt’, and also reflect some universal moral sensibilities, seeming to suggest that corrupt acts are those which do not agree with some moral and social norms presumably of universal application. The classifications used generally in anticorruption treaties and standards and national laws such as the UN Convention against Corruption and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act to characterise these kinds of behaviour are: bribery, embezzlement (stealing), abuse of office, trading in influence, and illicit enrichment (another form of stealing). The Corrupt Practices Act however uses analogous terminologies such as bribery, fraud, gratification and other related offences. Offences punishable under the Act include: wilful giving and receipt of bribes and gratification to influence a public duty, fraudulent acquisition and receipt of properties, deliberate frustration of investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), making false returns, making of false or misleading statements to the ICPC, attempts, and conspiracies. All of the above highlighted unresolved cases of corruption would clearly fall under any of the classifications under the UN convention or the Corrupt Practices Act. This is a no-brainer, really. What President Jonathan called ‘common stealing’ is what I referred to in my new book (Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa) as “the deliberate, intentional mass stealing of public wealth and resources by senior state officials entrusted with its fair and honest management for the common good and achievement of human rights, whether carried out individually or collectively, but with the support, encouragement, or acquiescence of the state, combined with a refusal to genuinely, thoroughly and transparently investigate and/or prosecute the mass stealing and recover stolen assets, which violates the human rights of the economically and socially vulnerable.” Let me say a bit more about why I think the ‘over 70% thesis’ is at odds with legal rules and credible evidence of corruption and its devastating consequences on the effective enjoyment of human rights in the country. That there is corruption in the country is beyond doubt, especially if it is considered that Nigeria was ranked 144 of the 177 countries on Transparency International’s 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Nigeria has ranked very poorly in Transparency International’s CPI for many years, and the US State Department Country Report for 2012 illustrates the integrated problems of corruption, money laundering, poverty and lack of respect for human rights in the country. But the government would readily dispute this evidence. The government in fact once said that, “Perception is different from reality.” Yes, the CPI may not be perfect but no index is. Even so, perceptions may provide a pointer as to the real evidence of corruption. In any case, while real evidence of corruption may be difficult to obtain (in part because of the secretive and complex nature of corrupt acts and the fact that those who perpetrate corruption rarely admit to doing so), its devastating effects across the country are too glaring to ignore. If it is true that knowledge comes from seeing, most Nigerians will ‘know corruption when they see it’: whether it is in decayed infrastructure, weak and inaccessible health and education systems, crumbling and poorly maintained roads, lack of regular and uninterrupted electricity supply, or rampant violent crime, insecurity (and the slow response to Boko Haram’s abduction of hundreds of Chibok school girls) and entrenched impunity of perpetrators. As a matter of fact, citizens’ anger at corruption by high-ranking public officials has never been so intense. It is clear that corruption is the biggest obstacle to alleviating poverty and enjoying human rights in the country. If this government is serious about combating poverty and achieving basic human rights for millions of vulnerable and marginalized Nigerians, it has to publicly acknowledge the prevalence of high-level official corruption in the country. While the country’s many human rights problems can be linked to bad leadership and gross incompetence, high-level official corruption is without question a big part of it. This kind of corruption fundamentally contrasts with even a minimal notion of the rule of law, and the idea of government as a public trust. As Justice Mark L Wolf, who has made a strong case for an International Anti-Corruption Court stated, “Corruption is an insidious plague that destroys the capacity of government to protect and improve the plight of the people it is constituted to serve.” It is difficult to imagine a greater breach of trust than when senior public officials entrusted with the people’s wealth and resources then turn around to use their public entrusted position to steal people’s resources with impunity (basically turning public treasury into a private ‘cashbox’). Clearly, the ‘over 70% thesis’ can inadvertently lead to watering down the fight against corruption and creating wider wiggle-room for high-ranking politicians and would-be corrupt officials. It can also lead the citizens to lose confidence in the government’s ability to combat corruption. And as experience has taught us, loss of confidence can do terrible things. As George Mason, the ‘Father of the United States Bill of Rights’ once warned, “If we do not provide against corruption, our government will soon be at an end.” In order to reverse the damaging effects of the ‘over 70%’ thesis, several things need to happen; firstly, the president should publicly acknowledge high-level official corruption as a major problem confronting Nigeria, and that corruption is both illegal and immoral. It is absolutely important to lay to rest the implicit assumption that there is no corruption in the country. The government should care more about combating corruption rather than strenuously attempting to deny or justify it. Secondly, there need to be a consistency of approach and messaging in the fight against corruption. Transparency is the best weapon in fighting corruption, and the president can lead the way by making public his asset declaration. It’s a seemingly easy thing to do. And the president won’t be breaching any legal rules for doing this. Leadership by example is urgently needed if the government is to show to the citizens that corruption does not pay, and if corruption is to be combated in public sectors, such as the police, prison service, health service, and local government, as well as in the private sector. As former President Olusegun Obasanjo once said, “Fighting corruption is not a one-night affair. Of course there are deep-rooted interests, and if you are going to deal with it, you have to deal with it consistently [and truthfully]. If you deal with it today and you then turn a blind eye tomorrow, it will come back with vengeance.” While Obasanjo may not have practised what he preached, this government will do well to heed his advice. Olaniyan, author of ‘Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa’, is Legal Adviser, International Secretariat of Amnesty International, London. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/corruption-really-mean/#sthash.ELhDIUKU.OXbdLHnm.dpuf

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WASHINGTON — As a teenager, Keoni Gandall already was operating a cutting-edge research laboratory in his bedroom in Huntington Beach, Calif. While his friends were buying video games, he acquired more than a dozen pieces of equipment — a transilluminator, a centrifuge, two thermocyclers — in pursuit of a hobby that once was the province of white-coated Ph.D.’s in institutional labs. “I just wanted to clone DNA using my automated lab robot and feasibly make full genomes at home,” he said. Mr. Gandall was far from alone. In the past few years, so-called biohackers across the country have taken gene editing into their own hands. As the equipment becomes cheaper and the expertise in gene-editing techniques, mostly Crispr-Cas9, more widely shared, citizen-scientists are attempting to re-engineer DNA in surprising ways. Until now, the work has amounted to little more than D.I.Y. misfires. A year ago, a biohacker famously injected himself at a conference with modified DNA that he hoped would make him more muscular. (It did not.) Earlier this year, at Body Hacking Con in Austin, Tex., a biotech executive injected himself with what he hoped would be a herpes treatment. (Verdict: No.) His company already had live-streamed a man injecting himself with a home-brewed treatment for H.I.V. (His viral load increased.)

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/05/14/science/biohackers-gene-editing-virus.html

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Much of the used computer equipment sent from the United States to developing countries for use in homes, schools and businesses is often neither usable nor repairable, creating enormous environmental problems in some of the world's poorest places, according to a report to be issued today by an environmental organization. The report, titled "The Digital Dump: Exporting Reuse and Abuse to Africa," says that the unusable equipment is being donated or sold to developing nations by recycling businesses in the United States as a way to dodge the expense of having to recycle it properly. While the report, written by the Basel Action Network, based in Seattle, focuses on Nigeria, in western Africa, it says the situation is similar throughout much of the developing world. "Too often, justifications of 'building bridges over the digital divide' are used as excuses to obscure and ignore the fact that these bridges double as toxic waste pipelines," says the report. As a result, Nigeria and other developing nations are carrying a disproportionate burden of the world's toxic waste from technology products, according to Jim Puckett, coordinator of the group. According to the National Safety Council, more than 63 million computers in the United States will become obsolete in 2005. An average computer monitor can contain as much as eight pounds of lead, along with plastics laden with flame retardants and cadmium, all of which can be harmful to the environment and to humans. In 2002, the Basel Action Network was co-author of a report that said 50 percent to 80 percent of electronics waste collected for recycling in the United States was being disassembled and recycled under largely unregulated, unhealthy conditions in China, India, Pakistan and other developing countries. The new report contends that Americans may be lulled into thinking their old computers are being put to good use. At the Nigerian port of Lagos, the new report says, an estimated 500 containers of used electronic equipment enter the country each month, each one carrying about 800 computers, for a total of about 400,000 used computers a month. The majority of the equipment arriving in Lagos, the report says, is unusable and neither economically repairable or resalable. "Nigerians are telling us they are getting as much as 75 percent junk that is not repairable," Mr. Puckett said. He said that Nigeria, like most developing countries, could only accommodate functioning used equipment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/technology/24junk.html?ex=1287806400&en=59b8642bb6f7fc16&ei=5088http://www.dancewithshadows.com/computer_recycle.aspThe

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Warn govts against reduced funding for HIV By Joseph Erunke THE Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, UNAIDS, has raised the alarm that the disruptions in HIV treatment following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic could cause more than 500,000 additional HIV related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in the next one year. The organisation’s concern was raised in a new report launched on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, which also noted that the global AIDS epidemic shows that the 2020 target to end the scourge would not be reached due to unequal progress. While raising concerns global responses achieved could be drawn backwards by 10 years or more, Africa was highlighted to be at risk of heading back to the AIDS mortality level witnessed as far back as 2008. The report which further stated that in 2019, no fewer than 690 000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses, even as 12.6 million of the 38 million people living with HIV were not accessing the life-saving treatment, predicted the next one year could be devastative, as the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously impacted negatively on the AIDS response and could disrupt even more. The report reads in part: “A new report by UNAIDS shows remarkable, but highly unequal, progress, notably in expanding access to antiretroviral therapy. Because the achievements have not been shared equally within and between countries, the global HIV targets set for 2020 will not be reached. “The report, seizing the moment, warns that even the gains made could be lost and progress further stalled if we fail to act. It highlights just how urgent it is for countries to double down and act with greater urgency to reach the millions still left behind. “A six-month complete disruption in HIV treatment could cause more than 500 000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over the next year (2020–2021), bringing the region back to 2008 AIDS mortality levels. Even a 20 per cent disruption could cause an additional 110 000 deaths. “Missed targets have resulted in 3.5 million more HIV infections and 820 000 more AIDS-related deaths since 2015 than if the world was on track to meet the 2020 targets. In addition, the response could be set back further, by 10 years or more, if the COVID-19 pandemic results in severe disruptions to HIV services.” Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima who listed stigma, discrimination and widespread inequalities as major barriers to ending AIDS, urged countries to listen to the evidence and step up to their human rights responsibilities “Every day in the next decade decisive action is needed to get the world back on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Millions of lives have been saved, particularly the lives of women in Africa. The progress made by many needs to be shared by all communities in all countries. “Fourteen countries have achieved the 90–90–90 HIV treatment targets (90 per cent of people living with HIV know their HIV status, of whom 90% are on antiretroviral treatment and of whom 90 per cent are virally suppressed), including Eswatini, which has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, at 27 per cent in 2019, and which has now surpassed the targets to achieve 95–95–95.” Byanyima who said the implications of diverting or reducing money meant for HIV treatment and prevention into COVID-19 would be to the grave to contend with urged countries to increase investments in both diseases. In addition, a People’s Vaccine for COVID-19, which has been signed by more than 150 world leaders and experts, has demanded all vaccines, treatments and tests be patent-free, mass-produced and distributed fairly and free for all. “In 2019, funding for HIV fell by seven per cent from 2017 to US$ 18.6 billion. This setback means that funding is 30 per cent short of the US$ 26.2 billion needed to effectively respond to HIV in 2020. “We cannot have poor countries at the back of the queue. It should not depend on the money in your pocket or the colour of your skin to be protected against these deadly viruses. We cannot take money from one disease to treat another. Both HIV and COVID-19 must be fully funded if we are to avoid massive loss of life.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/covid-19-may-cost-africa-500000-additional-hiv-deaths-in-1-year-%e2%80%95-unaids/

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More widows than widowers Sex hormones, social factors play a role Why the gap will keep widening By Sola Ogundipe Unlike in biblical times when men lived to be hundreds of years old and the women were left far behind in the biogical age race, the tables have been turned today as the men are now trailing the women. In Nigeria, the average life expectancy at birth in 2021 was 54.69 years according to the World Bank. This equaled 59 years for men and 63 years for women. The World Health Organisation, WHO, is less optimistic, as it puts the average life expectancy in Nigeria over the same period at around 54.5 years, with men living an average of 53.7 years and women living an average of 55.4 years. From both data, the women outlive the men who have an average lifespan below the national average. This is not particularly surprising because data from previous UN projections show that even before independence in 1960, women had always lived longer than men in Nigeria. It may sound surprising, but the facts are there. Women, even with the comparative disadvantage of their reproductive life cycle, tend to live longer and healthier lives than men. Lowest life expectancy But generally, life expectancy at birth in Nigeria is now the lowest in West Africa and among the lowest in Africa and in the world as a whole. For a number of reasons, the average Nigerian is not living for long or living well when compared to several other African countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia, all of which have better life expectancies. Combination of factors Why is this so? Saturday Vanguard gathered that a combination of factors ranging from a high burden of communicable, non-communicable and preventable illnesses are responsible. Also in the complex equation are illiteracy, corruption, poverty, high rate of crime and insecurity, high unemployment rate, stress, and harsh living conditions, among the host of the causes of low life expectancy ratio and the untimely death ratio. Granted, lifestyles have changed over the years, and life expectancy is also changing – rising slowly but steadily year after year. But one thing that has not changed is the gender gap. Men and women are living longer, but year after year, decade after decade; women continue to live longer than men. In fact, the gender gap is wider now than it was a century ago. Widening gender gap This gender gap is not unique to Nigeria. In fact, every country with reliable health statistics reports that women live longer than men. Nevertheless, women appear to be coping better globally than men at staying alive, so it is not unusual that Nigerian women outlive the men, because all over the world, women live longer on average, whether in Africa, America, Europe, or Asia. On average, women live four or five more years than men, and the reasons may not be too farfetched. Not only do men die at a faster rate than women, but men also die younger. Men are more burdened by lifetime illness than women. On average, a man falls ill at a younger age and has more chronic illnesses than a woman. Even the experts agree when it comes to why women live longer than men. Marcia Stefanick, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, agreed that even though researchers know “men and women age differently,” they are still “kind of guessing how.” A publication in the Wall Street Journal points out that some of the factors could be behavioral. Women are more health-seeking than men, even into old age. David Sinclair, co-director of Harvard Medical School’s Paul F. Glenn Centre for Biology of Aging Research notes that genetic and biological differences are significant. When the blood of men and women between the ages of 65 and 95, was examined, NirBarzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, found that men’s protein levels changed significantly at higher rates than women’s did, indicating that the female biology seems to be more stable than men’s. A neuroscience professor at Georgetown University, Michael Ullman also found that a person’s sex might influence the ability to recall basic things such as events or where they left their car keys. Ullman posited that both men and women scored comparably on a memory test involving image recollection—until age 70 when a “significant female advantage emerged.” He also established that the positive effects of education on memory ability were more pronounced in women than men. According to him, “the sex difference was really striking”. Another study found that, after the age of 65, men lose antibody-producing B cells in their blood—but women didn’t experience the same loss. The researchers also found that men experienced greater blood inflammation as they aged. The differences in sex hormones are one such advantage. Women produce more estrogen and less testosterone. Estrogen is a female sex hormone that provides protection against cardiovascular diseases, while high levels of testosterone have been linked to an increased risk of diseases, such as endometrial and breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Nature has endowed women with natural advantages over men and from studies, women have additional years of life, on average when exposed to the same conditions as men. There’s also a genetic component at play. Every human being has two sex chromosomes. Normal females have two X chromosomes, while normal men have an X chromosome and a Y chromosome. Essentially, unlike the X chromosome, the Y chromosome is almost “genetically empty”. Scientists say what this translates into is that women with their double X chromosome possess extra genetic material which gives them the advantage to “backup” if there is a bad mutation on one of the two X chromosomes. Women are thus able to cope with certain genetically transmitted. Men, with just a single X chromosome, lack this advantage. This biological advantage gives women, on average, just under a year of longer life expectancy when they are young adults compared with men. Even among infants in settings with particularly high mortality rates, such as famines and epidemics, baby girls have higher survival rates than baby boys. Men are generally more risk takers. Men smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol more often than women, and are often engaged in competitive, reckless, and dangerous activities more than women, hence accidental death rate is higher in men. Young men due to fights and wars, are more likely to be killed, lowering their chances to survive into old age than women. The World Bank data shows that 35 percent of men in the world smoke compared with 6 percent of women. A woman is 33 percent more likely to visit a doctor, excluding pregnancy-related care, than a man. Also women are more hygienic than men. A woman is more likely to wash her hands after using the toilet, and before eating. But women don’t have all the biological advantages, because they experience high blood pressure earlier and at a faster rate than men, according to Susan Cheng, a cardiologist at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai. Women’s blood vessels also age faster than men’s. More so, women often died during childbirth. Quite surprisingly, men do not necessarily age faster than women, just that the average man grows weaker at every age than the woman. More widows than widowers There are more widows than widowers because women have a slower death rate, meaning that more women survive into advanced years. It is also arguable that women tend to be younger than their husbands at the time of marriage, and this increases the probability that they would survive their spouses even without the differences in longevity. According to the Widowhood – Demography Of The Widowed – Gender, Women, and Five, a publication by Jrank, widows have been outdistancing widowers by a continually widening margin. There are no statistics for Nigeria, but, for instance, in the United States, in 1940 there were twice as many widows as widowers, but by 1990, the ratio of widows to widowers had climbed to more than 4 to 1 and the ratio has widened today. While several factors may explain the imbalanced gender ratio among the widowed, the greater longevity experienced by women than men plays a significant role. People do not die from “healthy” aging, as assumed, rather people die from age-related diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, osteoporosis, and type II diabetes. When aging is accelerated, age-related diseases occur earlier in life too. So healthy aging is best described as the late onset of diseases and is associated with longevity, and aging is an increase in the probability of death. From the records, a man usually has a higher chance to die faster than a woman of the same age under similar circumstances. However, while men become grey and wrinkled faster than women, they can reproduce longer. Menopause cuts off a woman’s natural reproductive ability several years (even decades) before a man’s. The logic is that people that age slower are healthier. A school of thought posits that women age slower than men because age-related diseases are delayed in women compared to men. Women also live more years than men free of these diseases and do not readily die from the age-related diseases before menopause. The later onset of diseases in women compared with men suggests that women age slower than men. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/why-women-live-longer-than-men-2/

Family

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SINCE the pogrom against Ndigbo of 1966, that led to the the declaration of the Republic of Biafra among the South Easterners of Nigeria , and the subsequent civil war, from 1967 to 1970, in which Biafrans were defeated, many do not know what to do with the name Biafra, which was drawn from the Bight of Biafra at the South of the Atlantic Ocean. Most war veterans from the Nigeria side, especially the leaders treat everything about Biafra with ignominy, disdain, and repulsion. Out of pride and arrogance, they wish the name was crushed out of existence. They forget , that over One million lives were lost in that war majorly through famine, and hunger; that over four African nations, and four nations in Europe recognised Biafra, within its two and half years of existence, that Ndigbo, are a people that show and carry love for humanity, everywhere they go; that Igbos are making their contributions to the building of a virile Nigerian nation in spite of and against all odds; that you can never kill love, for God is love; and that their poor handling of the case of Biafra is a major scar on the conscience of this nation, among other scars, which include the poor handling of Biafran war veterans, retirees, and pensioners of Nigeria, our Prison and police cells. The only preserved relics of that civil war, can be found in the wretched, poorly maintained war museum in Umuahia. Till date many Biafran war veterans are yet to be paid their disengagement allowances and other entitlements 43 years after, and that is not a big surprise in a nation where even now, military pensioners still queue, and slump on queues for their pension stipends. If those who fought and won the civil war, and those who fight to keep Nigeria safe today still beg for their entitlements, Biafrans who lost the war, ought to learn, and look for a better solution to their predicaments. The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, have consistently employed very non-violent methods to keep the name Biafra, and the quest for justice, equity, peace and unity of the Igbo man in Nigeria alive. They have resuscitated the Biafran Pounds across some Nigerian Borders, organised serious protest marches and rallies, which the Federal Government find embarrassing and typically, MASSOB have been visited with arrests, extra judicial killings, harassments, and all manners of suppressive actions, which have not solved the problem. The latest development in the Biafra story, is the Radio Biafra, which has given the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC, sleepless nights. I have not tuned to that radio, but those who have listened to it, say it spreads hate and bad language, against the Nigerian state, while also carrying news worthy items on the realities of the Igbo man in Nigeria. The radio is quite popular among Igbo youths, and the problem is that most of these youths never saw or fought the war, they did not see kwasiokor, Ogbunigwe, air raids, army camps, bedbugs, and the likes, they never lived on rodents, and reptiles as a source for protein. All they know about that war experience is from books, and the social media, and thus,may also not realise that a pharaoh who did not know Joseph is in on the throne. President Muhammadu Buhari, PMB, was reported to have told his audience during his recent trip to America that his government will be more favourably disposed to help those who voted massively for him, than those who did not. There is no problem with such a comment because it is exactly what politicians in Nigeria do, hence some argue that Igbos made the mistake of voting massively for former President Jonathan during the last elections. It is realistic to expect a tilt against Ndigbo under this government, no matter what, and it will be a pleasant surprise if PMB did otherwise. Although we now hear that PMB was quoted out of context or wrongly, we will wait for time to tell. Biafrans should now stand on the awareness created and the messages passed to turn things around for themselves. The supporters of MASSOB, and Ndigbo in general, in Nigeria and in the diaspora should take the message to the next positive level in the best interest of Ndigbo. Rather than focus on the negativities, and fighting governments, MASSOB, Biafrans, and Ndigbo should harness all the energy and resources to look more inwards in order to turn Igbo land into that dream place for every person. Their first assignment will be to hold our leaders in Igbo land responsible, by devising ways and means to challenge the present governors, and to make governance very hard and difficult for all thieves, and corrupt persons in our land. Information should be compiled on all past and present leaders, with the view of denying them access to governance where they have stolen the common wealth of Ndigbo in any way. For example, a list of corrupt and stupendously rich governors making waves in the social media include some Igbo governors, and MASSOB should take such men to task, by organising to prosecute them now or soon after they lose their immunity. MASSOB should be in the fore front of the fight against corruption and kidnapping in Igbo Land. Second, a master plan for rail and road transportation that will cover the entire Igbo land should be produced, in addition to Carbohydrate and protein supply plan for the South East Zone. Third, the Igbo States, should agree with some South South States, especially Delta and Bayelsa on the development of a commercially viable deep sea port to augment Port Harcourt and Calabar Ports and to reduce the drudgery, risks and blackmail from importation through Lagos Ports. The general attitude of an average Biafran should be to develop Igbo land and its environs first and as matter of urgent priority, with or without the oil money from federal government. Should this not be the way Biafra should go ? Mr Clement Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/which-way-for-biafra/#sthash.dj80oS70.dpuf

Politics

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Yoruba Must Reestablish Its Values System Earlier To Curb Prodigals Nigerians have turned into a case study of how money could turn a rich country into abject poverty. The worship of money and greed for more without knowing what to do with it has made Nigerians the laughingstock of fellow Africans. Yet, we glorify ourselves as the most educated, richest and successful Blacks in foreign land. It is actually authenticated and used against other Blacks by those who never wished Africa well in the first place. What they hide in the success of Nigerians abroad is that to live the same “comfortable” life their colleagues enjoy; they have two or three jobs with little time left for anything else. Even students have full time jobs. Those who die in the struggle, lose their wives and children to the system are unknown and forgotten. Yoruba must be guided by their Value System from birth like ORIKI. According to the Yoruba values system: The first and most important is Wisdom, understanding and knowledge that grows with age and maturity, in normal circumstances. Known as Lakaye, Ogbon and Oye. This is the reason elders are respected as keepers of their cultural values. The vast knowledge found in IFA are specialities of different subjects from Philosophy, Religion, Mathematics, Astrology, Geography etc., collaborated by vast historiography of the Elders. The second, no less important, is Character and Integrity, without which, whatever you accumulate is devalued. It is known as Iwa Omoluabi. This is not peculiar to the Yoruba alone as others have virtues in their cultures too. American Warren Buffett claimed he looked for certain qualities in his employees like intelligence and energy but without integrity, he did not bother with the other qualities. The third in Yoruba values system is Valor, Bravery and Selflessness of those that can lead in case of attack on the culture, land or a war. This is known as Balogum Akinkanju that takes orders from the Oba. People need Generals to lead an Army in the time of war. Cowards are detestable folks among Yoruba. Even if their most respected Oba misbehaved, he is shown the calabash to commit suicide by Oyo Mesi his Cabinet (before the medieval times). There may be some variations on the other hierarchy ladder in the values system because of different circumstances and environment in villages, towns and cities founded away from home in Ile-Ife as a result of war, competition for titles with industrious sons and daughters. Even a loafer without visible means of livelihood known as Alapamasise, a shame in Yoruba, may feel entitled solely based on birth. But Yoruba cautioned that the way free children are born are born, so is a slave. It must be noted here that there are important traditional family Crown, Honor or Glory by birth juggling for positions within or after these values. They do not guarantee success if values are not adhered to. It is the reason Yoruba noted that there are commoners that have risen to the position of a king and kings that have been captured in wars: Iwofa to di Oba, oba to di iwofa! This happened in the days of wars and in today’s climate of political economy. But those who lack integrity are bypassed in favor of astute blood and kin that can bear the worthy weight of the crown, glory or honor. The honor or glory may be reflected in the names like Ade, Oba or Ola and more. It is not unusual for people to assume or reject the names they were born into. It does not make you an incumbent Oba or traditional Chief. Though someone in your lineage could have been so honored. People desire honors these days and seek awards to crown the achievements that a loafer cannot bear or shoulder. Once you are crowned or honored, known as Ade, Iyii, Ola or Ola pronounced differently in Yoruba and those other values have been accomplished, you do not have to be wealthy or rich to earn respect. There is no need to break your neck on a journey seeking wealth, if you have already been blessed with honor. Indeed, these honors are richer or heavier than wealth. Since they are not for the highest bidder. Unfortunately, there are those who want some of these Yoruba values system bestowed on them because they possess the last quality in the Values System, which is Money. So, if you already have any of the above values, you do not need money. The reason is, those with money use it to pursue one or more of the Yoruba Values System. The reason wealth in Yoruba Values System is subordinate to more important qualities expected of human beings. We have to search our conscience and stop denying the fact that any means by which we get rich, justify the end. All the casualties in misery and abject poverty, our reckless journey for money created, will catch up with the next generation. No matter how we try to erase the evil deeds on the way to riches, the poor children would haunt the children of the rich and innocent poor at home and live disdainfully abroad as lower castes. When General Gowon said money was not Nigeria's problem but how to spend it. He could have been right if he was referring to money as the last in the Yoruba Values System. Usually, we want to make enough money for basic needs, savings for emergencies, school, retirement or old age. Paying for necessities like food, rent and other monthly bills first. What is left is discretionary income to blow. Nigeria, without discretionary income, blew off its basic needs. However, Gowon was referring to the avalanche of Oil money that lured the Nigerian Market, into the most liberal market in the world. It was based on the euphoria of foreign income that gave us a false sense of security that we could import any junk we want including pins, pencils, used goods, and garbage from the high seas. Sadly, Nigerians laundered money recklessly outside as if they have discretionary income. By the time Shagari became the President, those who warned them on profligacy were pinpointed as Prophets of Doom. Money does not have to be the root of all evil if we keep to our commitment to be well grounded within the system of check and balance. Most people use discretionary money to encourage goodwill while it is the temptation for others on how much they can push their power to control others. Problem starts when we accumulate additional money wondering what good or mischievous causes we can spend it on. General Gowon was right on the problem of how to spend unprecedented inflow of Oil Income after the 1972 Arab Oil Embargo. Indeed, the values of reckless behavior to riches would only earn prodigal sons and daughters, mirrors and pretty printed papers, in exchange for gold and modern slaves. A fool and his money would not only part, they would not know the difference between printed papers and their valuable resources, talents and natural endowment. Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/325268/yoruba-must-reestablish-its-values-system-earlier-to-curb-pr.html

Politics

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As twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, it feels like her whole world is falling apart. The Governor of Arkansas has ordered all high schools shut in Marlee's hometown of Little Rock in response to a federal order to integrate schools, and her older sister has been sent away to live with their grandmother so she doesn't miss a year of school. Then she meets Liz, the new girl at school, who is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she's brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say. But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was caught "passing" for white. Marlee decides that doesn't matter. She just wants her friend back. To stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families. And as racial tensions rise, Marlee will discover that Liz has given her the courage to stand up and speak out — both for herself and for justice. This heartfelt book, which explores the context around the famous Little Rock Nine, is a riveting look at the fight for equality and a touching story of the power of friendship.

http://www.amightygirl.com/the-lions-of-little-rock

Education

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By Michael Eboh Nigeria, over the last seventeen years, has recorded huge earnings from the petroleum industry, but had been unable to utilize the funds to improve the lives of its citizens, neither has the country used it to develop the economy. Specifically, data compiled from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that Nigeria earned N77.348 trillion from the oil and gas industry from 1999 to 2016. Analysis of the various oil and gas earnings showed that the country recorded gross oil revenue of N77.348 trillion over the 17-year period (1999 to 2016) while after various deductions, net oil revenue over the same period stood at N41.038 trillion. A breakdown of the earnings showed that from 1999 to 2003, the country’s gross earnings stood at N7.329 trillion, while net oil revenue stood at N4.713 trillion; gross oil revenue and net oil revenue from 2004 to 2007 stood at N17.868 trillion and N9.561 trillion respectively. From 2008 to 2011, the country recorded gross and net oil revenue of N23.998 trillion and N13.152 billion respectively, while from 2012 to 2016, N28.153 trillion and N13.612 trillion was recorded as gross oil revenue and net oil revenue respectively. Ironically, despite the huge resources earned from petroleum, the country has nothing concrete to show. Nigeria is still besieged with inadequate infrastructure, epileptic power situation, low foreign exchange reserves, low savings and an abysmally low standard of living. The country’s currency is currently exchanged at about N360 to a dollar. Nigeria’s gross oil earnings translates to an average annual earning of N4.55 trillion, while the net oil revenue translates to average annual earning of N2.414 trillion. Nigeria’s net oil revenue of N41.038 trillion would have been able to build nine refineries with a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day refineries at N4.32 trillion each, about $12 billion. It would have helped increased Nigeria’s refining capacity by 6.5 million barrels per day, helping the country to effectively end fuel importation. The ongoing Dangote Refinery project is valued at $12 billion and when completed, would have a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. The net oil revenue over the 17-month period would have also helped increased Nigeria’s electricity supply by 16,800 megawatts, thereby ending Nigeria’s power woes. In particular, the Zungeru power project, with a proposed capacity of 700 megawatts (MW) is been constructed a project cost of $1.3 billion, about N468 billion, using current exchange realities. At the same amount, N468 billion each, Nigeria could have used N11.232 trillion to build about 24 power plants of similar specifications; four in each of the six geopolitical zones. Other funds would also be utilized to boost the country’s transmission facility and other arms of the electricity value chain. The net oil earnings would have also financed the Second Niger Bridge, valued at N108 billion; the Lokoja – Benin expressway rehabilitation, valued at about N65 billion; the Lagos-Ibadan rail project valued at N535.68 billion ($1.3 billion); and the Ibadan-Ilorin-Minna-Kaduna-Kano rail line, valued at N2.196 trillion ($6.1 billion). The fund would have also been used to set up a national air carrier for the country. The fund could have also financed the three seaports proposed by the Federal Government, valued at $6 billion (N2.16 trillion); and would have been used to build hospitals to improve the provision of healthcare services and contributed to the development of the education sector among others. Today, instead of growing the economy, Nigeria’s debt profile as at March 2017, stands at N19.16; the naira is currently exchanged at N360 to one dollar; electricity supply is hovering around 3,500 megawatts; refining capacity as at May 2017 is put at 106,667 barrels for the three refineries combined. Also, Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, stood at $31.22 billion as at August 8, 2017, while the country is littered with bad roads, dilapidated and poor rail network, poor educational and healthcare system among others. Commenting on this situation, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio, disclosed that in the last forty years of oil production, Nigeria has extracted about 31 billion barrels of its oil reserves, while from 1980 to 2015, the country exported crude oil worth about $1.09 trillion. Adio lamented that in spite of these benefits and the huge revenues that have accrued from oil and gas over the years, Nigeria has one of the lowest natural resource revenue savings in the world. He noted that Nigeria currently has three oil savings funds, the Sovereign Wealth Fund with $1.5 billion, the Excess Crude Account with $2.3 billion and the stabilization fund with N29.02 billion ($95 million). He said the absence of sufficient savings left Nigeria severely exposed when the price of oil, Nigeria’s main source of government revenues and foreign exchange, started to plunge in 2014. He emphasized the need to remove government expenditure from oil revenues to support policy initiatives that pursues prudent macro-economic policies, better economic and social environment for the next generation. He said this was in addition to ensuring that there is constant savings whether oil prices are high or low and provide regular payouts from the returns on investments of the funds to compensate beneficiaries (the three tiers of government) for their sacrifice. According to him, these measures have to be implemented as soon as possible because, even though the country has lost fifty years’ worth of savings from its oil revenue, Nigeria does not have fifty years left to prepare for life after oil revenue. Speaking in the same vein, Executive Secretary of the Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, Mr. Eze Onyekpere, said Nigeria was currently at a cross road and needs to take effective decisions on its next fiscal and economic steps. According to him, the petro dollar boom is over as commodity prices have collapsed, adding that hard choices need to be made on how to expend the little available resources and new sources of generating revenue. These choices, he said, are between acceleration and stagnation, stability and fragility and the quest for social solidarity. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/nigeria-earned-squandered-n77trn-oil-revenue-17-years/

Politics

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Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) says no African country is silent on racism and xenophobia, as all nations on the continent condemned such actions. He said this in a special interview with NAN in Abuja, during his first official visit to the country as President of the General Assembly. He affirmed that racism, xenophobia and resurgent nationalism and tendencies toward protectionism in Africa and other parts of the world were threats to multilateralism. According to him, no country or community is self-sufficient, hence the need to strife for peace, and unity, and going forward requires collective efforts toward addressing the challenges and concerns of the continent. He noted that “fortunately, the issue between South Africa and other African countries has been successfully resolved, with the presidents of South Africa and Nigeria urging citizens to embrace peace. “All African countries condemned racism, no African country is silent on racism, after all, the struggle against apartheid was not a South African struggle. “It was a struggle of Africans and its friends and those who believe in humanity. “The situation surrounding South Africa has already been resolved, it is not even an issue between South Africa and Nigeria, it involves other African countries and the mistake in that situation has been well understood and resolved. “You can see after the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to South Africa the whole idea that going forward, it is simply and collectively to address common concerns on the continent.” On the issue of irregular migration, which is a challenge in the West-African sub-region, Muhammad-Bande said that the UN adopted the Global Compact on Migration in December 2018 in Marrakech, Morroco. He explained that the compact was endorsed by the UN General Assembly to cover all dimensions of migration and to ensure that migration was done in a safe and regular manner. He added that the first positive development contained in the document was recognising migration as a positive thing, noting however that the act could have negative results when carried out irregularly and through dangerous and deadly routes. The UNGA president, who noted that the adoption of the Global Compact on Migration was a hard negotiation for stakeholders, added that it would be an opportunity to see how well it would be implemented. He said that the document would be reviewed after four years to assess the successes and challenges. He explained that “the fact that there is a compact is because there is a problem and the way to deal with a problem is to collectively see whether there is a way to address it.” The UNGA President arrived in Abuja on Nov. 21 on a four-day official visit. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/11/no-african-country-is-silent-on-racism-xenophobia-unga-president/amp/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&__twitter_impression=trueCc

Politics

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LONDON — Facing the worst known outbreak of the Ebola virus, with almost 1,000 fatalities in West Africa, the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency on Friday, demanding an extraordinary response — only the third such declaration of its kind since regulations permitting such alarms were adopted in 2007. The organization stopped short of saying there should be general international travel or trade bans, but acknowledged that the outbreak, already in its sixth month, was far from being contained. One major international medical organization, Doctors Without Borders, responded to the statement with a renewed call for a “massive deployment” of health specialists to the stricken countries. “Lives are being lost because the response is too slow,” it said. Dr. Margaret F. C. Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization, a United Nations agency, told a news conference at its Geneva headquarters, “This is the largest, most severe, most complex outbreak in the nearly four-decade history of the disease.” “I am declaring the current outbreak of the Ebola virus disease a public health emergency of international concern,” she said. “Countries affected to date simply don’t have the capacity to manage an outbreak on this scale on their own.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/09/world/europe/who-declares-ebola-in-west-africa-a-health-emergency.html?_r=0http://news.yahoo.com/benin-waiting-test-results-two-possible-ebola-cases-220918393.html

Politics

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Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a founding father of Nigerian nationalism, died Saturday in his hometown of Ikenne in Ogun state. He was 78 years old. Chief Awolowo, a lawyer, publisher and politician, served as Premier of the self-governing Western region from 1954 until Nigeria achieved full independence from Britain in 1960. He played a major role in the constitutional conferences in London and Lagos that paved the way for independence. Chief Awolowo was opposition leader in the first post-independence Parliament and came to be regarded as leader of the Yoruba tribe. The Yorubas are one of the West African nation's three major ethnic groups and live mainly in the south and west. In 1979 and 1983, Chief Awolowo was the Unity Party's presidential candidate, losing to the northern-based National Party of Shehu Shagari. When the Shagari Government was overthrown by a military coup Dec. 31, 1983, Chief Awolowo returned to private life.

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/11/obituaries/chief-obafemi-awolowo-dies-a-nigeria-nationalist-leader.html

Politics

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A profile on the Black Hebrew Israelite movement: Founder: Various leaders for different sects. There is no primary leader today. First started in the United States before the Civil War. Headquarters: Various major cities across the United States with state chapters. There does not appear to be a central headquarter of leadership for the movement. Membership: Approximately 200,000 among the dozens of offshoot branches. Approximately 50,000 Black Hebrews, while the number who follow some form of Judaism (broadly defined) could be up to 200,000. There is a vast amount of diversity amongst various groups who claim to be descendants of the ancient Israelites. It is difficult to distinguish between all the various offshoots and movements within the broad movement of “Black Jewish Identity.” Therefore, the range of possible adherents could be between 40,000-200,000. Origins: One sect originated before the Civil War. There was another sect founded later in 1896, the Church of God and Saints of Christ, by William Crowdy. In the 1980s other sects began to appear, such as those lead by Yahweh Ben Yahweh (1935 – 2007), or Hulon Mitchell, Jr. There are a number of other sects of this broad Hebrew Israelite movement known as the Commandment Keepers, The Law Keepers, House of Judah, and the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, just to name a few.1 - Some groups stand on the street corners of major cities and condemn people for their allegedly false beliefs while using vulgar language.2 The Hebrew Israelites are very combative and generally do not want to listen when their views are challenged.3 - They frequently use Hebrew words such as Yah [the name of God, Yahweh, shortened as Yah], Yahoshua [Jesus], Shabbat [Sabbath], etc. - They keep the Jewish Sabbath and many other Jewish customs including circumcision, dietary laws, and the observance of certain Jewish holidays and festivals like Yom Kippur and Passover. - They use the Old and New Testament to support their teachings, especially the five books of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy). - They do not consider themselves to be Jews in the modern sense of the term as associated with Orthodox, Reformed, Conservative, or Hasidic Judaism. Source of Authority: It is difficult to determine where these Hebrew Israelites get their ultimate source of authority since they do not have any official writings. They apparently view the Bible (both the Old and New Testaments), preferably the King James Version, as an authoritative source, but they just argue that there have been a number of mistranslations. Nevertheless, some hint that the canon of the Bible is not fixed. They apparently use other writings outside of the Bible to support their ideas, such as the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha (meaning literally “false writings”). Generally, the Black Hebrew Israelites teach that certain groups of black are the descendants of ancient Israelites and that white people (especially those in Israel today) are not true descendants. Some BHI’s adhere to the Talmud (Jewish collection of teachings, laws, and interpretations based on Genesis through Deuteronomy) while others do not. A very small fraction is racist and considers white people to be evil. Most Black Hebrew Israelites are peaceable and oppose racism. Following are some of the teachings that many Black Hebrew Israelites affirm. However, there is no universal consensus on all of these points, nor is this an exhaustive summary of all their beliefs. Not all divisions within the movement hold to all these teachings since there is a vast diversity in the movement that has no official creed. - The Trinity is a false teaching. - God’s true name is Yah as found in Psalm 68:4. - There is no consensus on who the Messiah is: The true name of the Messiah in the New Testament is Yahshuah Ben Yah (Yahshuah the son of Yah). According to their website, there is no universal agreement regarding who the Messiah is. It is not a central component of what defines them as Hebrew Israelites.4 - Virgin Birth: “Yahshuah the Messiah was an Israelite but He had no earthly father, so what made him an Israelite? He was born through the womb of an Israelite woman.”5 - Salvation is only possible by calling on the true name of Jesus in Hebrew, which is Yahshuah Ben Yah (Yahshuah the son of Yah). “You have to call upon him by his Yah given Hebrew name, as it states in Acts 4:12 no other name can be a substitute, no translation of his name. Only his true name given from Heaven which can be spoken in every language, is your key to salvation.”6 - Also, John 3:18 says that you are condemned if you do not believe in the name of the only begotten Son. - Relationship to Judaism - It is necessary to keep the Sabbath and observe various Jewish laws. - The Talmud is not God’s revelation. - Hell is a metaphor and is not a literal place where people suffer. - There is no heaven and hell. There is no place where people burn. We are in the caucasian heaven now7. - Black People - Black people are the true Israelites from the tribe of Judah. They argue this from various passages in the Old Testament including Deuteronomy 28 (cf. Leviticus 26) which references ships (Deut. 28:68), serving in bondage (Deut. 28:48), mockery (28:37), and being defeated before one’s enemies (28:25). Also, Lamentations 5:10 describes the Israelites who had skin as black as an oven. Therefore, to the Hebrew Israelites, this is conclusive proof that the original Israelites were black. - Hispanics, Native Americans, and Negroes are the real Israelites (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI1Zdt031r8). The Jews are the Negros in America. The Jews are one tribe of people from Judah. The Twelve Tribes of Israel are divided up into various ethnic groups in amongst Hispanics, Native Americans, and Negroes. - Many of the popular people in history were black, including Moses, Pharoah, certain Roman emperors, etc.8 - Jesus was black. - White People - White people are seen as conspirators who attempt to persecute the black people and hide their true identity as Israelites. Many Black Hebrew Israelites see white people as almost subhuman. - People on this earth are in the caucasian heaven right now since white people are dominating this world and subjugating black people. - The Bible - There are other books that belong in the Bible, including the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha (especially the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jasher). - The King James Version is the best translation of the Bible, but there are mistranslations in it including the removal of Yah, etc. When quoting Romans 9:4-5, the author freely substitutes the Hebrew Yah for the Greek Theos: “Romans 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of Yah, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Messiah came, who is over all, Yah blessed for ever. Amen.” What gives him the right to substitute Yah in these passages? There is virtually no textual support in all of the thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament for such a reading of Romans 9:4-5. - Eschatology (End Times) - The Hebrew Israelites have some interesting views regarding the end times or eschatology. According to many of them, Luke 21:24 with its reference to the “times of the Gentiles” is actually a reference to the times of the Europeans. When the Messiah returns, all Israel (meaning black people) will be gathered back to the promised land near Israel of today. No Official Canon of Scripture The Black Hebrew Israelites appear to allow for the idea that there are other books that should be in the Canon of Scripture, or are at least as authoritative as the sixty-six books in the Bible. There are other books that belong in the Bible, such as the book of Enoch.9 They base this argument upon the fact that the book of Jude in the New Testament alludes to the book of Enoch. However, there are good reasons to believe that only the sixty-six books of the Bible are authoritative. First, Jesus quoted the entire 24 books of the Hebrew Canon by referring to Abel [the first martyr in Genesis] to Zechariah [the last martyr in Chronicles] (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51). These twenty-four books of the Hebrew Bible correspond exactly with the number of books found in standard Protestant Bibles today, which is 39. The Jews just arranged their books differently. Second, there are no references to “thus says the Lord” or “the Scripture says,” etc., by Jesus to any of the non-canonical Old Testament passages. Since Jesus claimed to be divine and supported that claim by rising from the dead, it is reasonable to believe what Jesus taught. Therefore, the book of Enoch and other such works, while they may have some accurate teachings, are not inspired by God. In 21st century American culture, where black people have suffered greatly and continue to endure difficult social and cultural hardships, it is not surprising that many African American men turn to such systems of thought as espoused by the Black Hebrew Israelites. Many African American men are in prison. Many African American’s continue to receive prejudice from white people and those of other races. While the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s has provided liberation for many black people, it has not reduced all social tensions and blatant racism that still prevails in America and internationally. As a result of these many hardships black people face, the ideas espoused by the Hebrew Israelites serve to empower and liberate them from their destitute condition….at least so they think. A Response to Some of the Teachings of the Hebrew Israelites Black Hebrew Israelites, please read this first If you identify yourself as a Hebrew Israelite and you are reading this website, I invite you to please investigate what we are discussing here. We do not hate the precious people who claim to be Black Hebrew Israelites. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” (John 8:32). He also said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” (John 14:6). My goal in writing this section is to point you to the truth found in the person of Jesus Christ. He claimed to be the only way to God. If one has a false view of Jesus or minimizes who Jesus claimed to be, this group cannot be following God. These issues are of eternal significance. How we view God will affect how we view everything else in our lives. A false god and a false Jesus will only provide you with a false salvation. Please understand that I am a white man and my heart is to see God’s love and forgiveness provided to all people of every tribe, tongue, and nation. I do not hate black people, nor do I hate any Black Hebrew Israelites. My hope and plea is to accurately represent the teachings of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement and provide polite, loving responses to any of these false teachings. I do not claim to have perfect knowledge of the teachings and ideas of the many people who identify themselves as Black Hebrew Israelites. I have done my best to accurately represent a very diverse group. I take complete responsibility for any mistakes that I may have made in representing the Black Hebrew Israelites. I welcome your questions, thoughts, and concerns. If I have misrepresented the BHI viewpoint, please do not hesitate to contact us with documentation. May God bless you with His Truth! Error #1a: Racism While many Black Hebrew Israelites do not claim to be racists, or to hate someone based on skin color, in practice, these Hebrew Israelites do not act this way. On street corners, they frequently accuse people of other races as being backward, wicked, or even subhuman. All of the Black Hebrew Israelite teachings on white people indicate that they are not valued as highly by God. However, this is not the teaching of the New Testament in which God loves the whole world (John 3:16). While he certainly chose Israel as a nation and called Abraham, God still had a special love and compassion for all the people of the earth. Furthermore, Galatians 3:28 teaches, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” The New Testament is not a special book for a certain race of people, but a book for all people everywhere. Jesus sent the apostles into the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) to make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19-20). The book of Revelation describes people of every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping the Lamb, Jesus Christ. It does not merely describe one people group whether black, white, yellow, or red. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb,” (Revelation 7:9-10; cf. Revelation 5:9). “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Error #1b: Minimizing the Person of Jesus The Black Hebrew Israelites, unfortunately, minimize the person of Jesus, and the focus of their religion becomes black identity and cultural revolution. While it is certainly true that black people have been mistreated and taught many false things by mainstream culture, this is not grounds for minimizing the person of Jesus Christ. Who Jesus is should be the central component of any religion that claims to follow the Old and New Testament. Jesus said, “for unless you believe that I am [He], you will die in your sins,” (John 8:24). Jesus is saying that unless you believe that He is the I AM of the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14), you will die in your sins. To reject who Jesus claimed to be is to suffer death in your sins. This is the most critical issue of any religion. The Bible was written to testify of who Jesus is. It is not primarily an identity sourcebook for a particular race of people. Error #2: Denial of the Trinity The Bible emphatically teaches that there is one God in all existence (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; John 17:3). However, it also teaches that Jesus is God (John 1:1-3; 5:18; 8:24;1 Tim. 3:16). Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:2, 11), is prayed to (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 7:55-59), and is called God (John 20:28; Hebrews 1:6-8). In fact, Old Testament Yahweh passages using the divine name of God are applied to Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus exhibits the unique identity of God. However, the Bible also describes the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5; 2 Cor. 13:14) and having personal attributes (John 14:26). Since there is only one God, not three gods, each of these three persons have to be the one God. This is the Trinity. Error #3: Salvation is only in the Hebrew Name of Jesus The New Testament was written in Greek, while Jesus probably spoke in Aramaic which is a sister language of Hebrew. The New Testament writers originally wrote in Greek. Salvation was by calling upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13; cf. Joel 2:32). Paul, in quoting the Old Testament, uses a Greek translation of the Hebrew text in order to get his salvation point across. The issue is not an exact pronunciation of the Hebrew name, but belief in the Person described in the New Testament. The author states, based on Acts 4:12, that you have to call upon Jesus in Hebrew. However, he fails to note that the passage that he quotes from is in Greek! The original text of Acts 4 was in Greek. Jesus’ name in Greek is Iesous, not Yahoshuu. The Bible teaches that one is saved through believing in his heart (Romans 10:9-10), not through the perfect pronunciation of a Hebrew phrase Yahoshua. Nowhere in the entire New Testament do we see the early apostles teaching that you have to call upon the Hebrew name of Jesus to be saved (Romans 10:13). In fact, many of the early Churches to whom Paul wrote and visited were Greek-speaking peoples who did not know anything about Hebrew. Error #4: We must keep the Law of Moses We are not under the Law of Moses today. Jesus came to fulfill the Law. He did this when he died on the cross and his blood rent the temple veil in two. Jesus is the mediator of a New Covenant (Hebrews 7-9). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). The Law has been done away with. There certainly are moral teachings in the Law in which we should abide, such as not to murder, commit adultery, steal, etc. These teachings are found in the New Testament (Matthew 19:18). The Law says that we should not lie, steal, covet, or commit adultery. Jesus said that if you look at a woman with lust, you have committed adultery with her already in your heart. Since we cannot keep those Laws, we are guilty before God. The Law was never intended to make us perfect before God. It was to show us our sinfulness and show us our need for Christ (Galatians 3:25; Romans 3:20). The issue is a heart issue. As Jeremiah says, God will write a New Covenant on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Error #5: God’s only true name is Yah Scholars today are not exactly certain what the divine name of God actually is. The original Hebrew text did not have vowel pointings. It was not until around the 7th century that the Hebrew Massoretes began to add vowel pointings to aid pronunciation. While Psalm 68:4 calls God’s name Yah, God is also called by various other names in the Old Testament including Yahweh, Elohim, El, etc. Psalm 68 does not teach that God’s only name is Yah, nor that one has to know this name in order to be saved. If one has to call on God’s name precisely as it is described in Scripture, then one must also call on these other few dozen names of God in precise Hebrew fashion. However, if there are no vowel pointings for this Hebrew name, then how do we even know the exact name of God? Also, many scholars think that the closest representation of the divine name is Yahweh or Yehvah, not just Yah. Should we be in turmoil since we do not know the exact name of God? Finally, many Jews did not pronounce the name of God since they were afraid of breaking the fourth commandment (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). So as not to take the Lord’s name in vain, these Hebrews would say the name Adonai to substitute for Yahweh. They did not want to disrespect this sacred name. Error #6: Denial of Heaven and Hell The Bible emphatically teaches that there is a heaven and hell. These are not just metaphors but are descriptions of actual places. The Bible speaks of hell as a lake of fire, the second death, eternal separation, etc. Also, heaven is described as bliss, etc. God will restore the earth and there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but there still is a literal place where the righteous will dwell eternally and a literal hell where the wicked will dwell eternally in torment (Mt. 25:41-46). Error #7: Native Americans are descendants of the Israelites DNA evidence suggests that Native Americans are actually descendants from Asiatic peoples in Mongolia, who migrated to the United States via the Bering Land Straight through modern-day Alaska. While there could have been people who came to North America from Africa, the DNA evidence does not suggest that these Native Americans actually have Middle Eastern origins. For the Black Hebrew Israelites to argue that Native Americans in North America are descendants of Israelites, they must provide DNA evidence to support such arguments. As a result, it is quite doubtful that the Black Hebrew Israelites view of the origins of the peoples in North America is accurate. - Black Hebrew Israelites claim they are not hate preachers - A true Israelite is not a hate preacher or racist. That would be going against the words of the Creator. Israel can’t be a hate filled people, our whole duty for being chosen is to take the word of the Most High to all the nations on the earth, so they can get salvation.10 - “…A True Hebrew doesn’t hate men for the sake of hating or because of skin color. Hebrews teach again the doctrinal lies that exist in those religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam). But we don’t hate the people we hate the lies. All Lies come from the mouth of the adversary Satan, he is the father of lies.”11 - The Identity of the Hebrew Israelites - “The Hebrew Israelites are the modern descendants of the ancient Israelites. The Hebrew Israelites have been scattered to the four corners of the earth. They reside in all lands among all people, they are suffering from the curses that are found in the law books of Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28. Today they are known by the bywords and proverbs of “BLACKS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, AFRO AMERICANS, NEGROES, NIGGERS, ETC. The Hebrew Israelites are the true descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are the priest of the Most High.”12 - “…The Most High said the Curses found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are the Identifying mark. Whatever people are suffering the curses in their entirety are the true Israelites. This site has proven that the so called black man and woman of the western hemisphere who got to this part of the world as captives in the bottom of slave ships. Fit the full scriptural description of Israel, any other people who are claiming Israelite heritage must fit the full description of Israel in the latter days.” - “Some of Israel do believe in the Messiah and some don’t. Even among the ones who don’t there exist a slight separation of what they believe about the messiah, this can also be found among the ones who do believe. There isn’t one universal belief about the Messiah among Hebrew Israelites. Well not yet.”13 - The Bible - There are mistranslations in the King James Version, but it does contain truth: “Although a few mistranslation exist in the KJV, such as the name Jew, Jesus and Jehovah in my humble opinion this translation is still very useful and still contains THE truth.” - There are other books that belong in the Bible: “These are books that were removed FROM the bible, by so called Roman Catholic authorities. I highly recommend you get these missing books, they are part of scripture, in many cases they fill in the missing blank in some of the 66 “canonized” bible books. For instance In the book of Genesis chapter 6 the sons of Yah are mention who have taken on the daughter of men, this passage is very controversial so many interpetations have been given about Genesis 6. But the book of Enoch says the sons of Yah Were sinful angels who had sex with Human women (the daughters of men). Both the apostles Peter and Jude makes quotes from the book of Enoch, these missing books are just as valid as the 66 books. The book of Jasher is mention twice in the scriptures. The missing books can give you a lot of understanding, I highly advise you find a copy to increase your understanding of Yah’s Word.” 1↑ | blackapologetics.com | 2↑ | I was in New York City near Times Square back in August of 2009 when I first saw the Hebrew Israelites in person. They were the most vulgar, hate-filled, bitter people that I have ever met. They would not listen to people who wanted to dialogue or ask honest questions. I realize that not all Hebrew Israelites act this way. However, that was just my one experience. | 3↑ | For examples of their hatred and intolerance, see the various YouTube videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI1Zdt031r8. To the Hebrew Israelites credit, they generally do not advocate violence even though they do use profanity and are very aggressive in their evangelistic methods. | 4↑ | http://www.hebrewisraelites.org/faq.htm, accessed 12-28-11. | 5↑, 10↑, 11↑, 12↑, 13↑ | http://www.hebrewisraelites.org/faq.htm | 6↑ | http://www.hebrewisraelites.org/ | 7↑ | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI1Zdt031r8 | 8↑ | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS7QrJXqI1I | 9↑ | http://www.hebrewisraelites.org/Links.htm |

https://carm.org/black-hebrew-israelites

Religion

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By Sola Ogundipe NIGERIANS seeking medical treatment from health facilities in India and Pakistan may be at risk of contracting a new superbug infection that is said to be resistant to virtually all known antibiotics. The infection which makes an enzyme called the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1), was first detected in a Swedish patient admitted to an undisclosed hospital in India. Although only few cases of the infection have been reported so far in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, experts are worried about the significant risk of a global spread. Several hundreds of thousands of patients travel to India and Pakistan from Nigeria for elective surgery every year. The new gene which is said to be capable of enabling a bacterium to become highly resistant to nearly all existing antibiotics, is believed to travel back home in patients after surgery. In a Report published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, it was stated that time has come for extremely close international monitoring and surveillance, as antibiotics may become redundant with the rapid emergence of these multi-drug resistant NDM-1 producing bacteria and their potential worldwide spread. The Report noted that researchers in Cardiff University, Wales and an international team, first detected the NDM-1 gene in Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli bacteria taken from a Swedish patient admitted to hospital in India. According to the Report, bacteria that produce NDM-1 are so powerful they are resistant to Carbapenems – a group of antibiotics generally reserved for use in emergencies and the treatment of infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. Researchers set out to investigate how common the NDM-1 producing antibiotic resistant bacteria are in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan and determined the implications of the bacteria spreading through patients returning from that part of the world after elective medical procedures. They collected samples of bacteria from patients with a wide variety of hospital and community-associated infections in Channai and Haryana, and from individuals referred to the UK’s national reference laboratory between 2007 and 2009. Tests identified NDM-1-positive bacteria in Chennai, Haryana, the United Kingdom, and in other sites in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. From the study, NDM-1 was mostly found in E. coli and K pneumoniae. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/health-workers-shut-nafdac/http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=90573The

Politics

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According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, Nigeria has about 19.8 million children who are malnourished, giving Nigeria the highest burden of stunting in Africa and the second highest in the world. About 70 percent of children under five are anaemic as child nutrition is core to human capital development in Nigeria. This presents an urgent crisis that needs to be addressed. Kano State alone in the North-West has 1.5 million children under five years of age who are stunted, representing over 10 percent of the country’s burden. When Channels Television visited Ungwan Ukwu Primary Healthcare Centre in Kano, children under five years were observed receiving medical attention for acute malnutrition and other related ailments. The faces of the children told of the scourge of malnutrition, particularly in our rural communities. Arira Umar, whose three-year-old son Ahmed was severely malnourished, could not sit or stand. The situation was the same with Abdulmalik, who was 18 months but had the weight of a three-month-old child. His mother came all the way from Katsina State to seek treatment for him. The children are among several captured in a recent survey on infant and young child feeding practices in children aged 0 to 23 months. For Kano State, the situation is dire as only 10.1 percent of babies are exclusively breastfed; 15.7 percent of them are fed with minimum diet diversity, and a mere 10.6 percent receive food from animal sources such as meat, milk and eggs. READ ALSO: Flooding: Demolition Awaits Buildings On Natural Drainage – Delta Govt Donor organisations are collaborating with the Kano Ministry of Health to bring treatment for malnourished children and have treated over 50,000 children so far but the challenge is enormous. Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RTF) is often deployed at the centre but was insufficient to meet the huge demand. The challenges notwithstanding, the Kano State Nutrition Coordinator said the government was willing to tackle malnutrition. Education of mothers would be key, the Matron of the Angwan-Ukwu Health Centre, Hasiya Yerima, said that mothers who visit the facility are sensitised on good nutrition from proper breastfeeding. For those who make it to health facilities like this, there is hope still. Recovering Farida who was breastfeeding her late sister’s child and Amina who is a mother of twins could smile as their children had become playful once again.

https://www.channelstv.com/2023/07/23/kano-battles-malnutrition-as-1-5m-children-under-five-at-risk/

Health

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The Bible does not specifically state what happened to Jesus after He died on the cross. Because of this, there is debate surrounding the answer to the question of where He went and what He did. So, I will present differing views so you might know the scope of the answer and decide for yourself which position is preferable. Perhaps the best-known scripture that appears to deal with this issue is found in 1 Pet. 3:18-20, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.” When Jesus was made alive in the spirit, it is not saying that His spirit died, and then it became alive again. “Made alive in the spirit” is contrasted with “put to death in the flesh.” He first lived as mortal men but “…He began to live a spiritual ‘resurrection‘ life, whereby He has the power to bring us to God.”1 Furthermore, some Bibles (NIV, KJV, and NKJV) render the verse as “made alive by the Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit’s work with Christ. “By the Spirit” translates one word, pneumati, which could refer to the third Person of the Trinity as the agent of Christ’s resurrection.2 One view where Jesus was and what He did before His resurrection is that He went to Hades (the place of the dead) and made proclamation to those who were in spiritual prison. The word “proclamation” in Greek is kerusso. It means to proclaim and is a different word than “euaggelizo” which means to preach the gospel. Therefore, it is most probable that Jesus was not preaching the gospel to those in Hades/Spirit prison so they could be saved but was instead proclaiming the truth to them. After all, the Bible says, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,” (Heb. 9:27). But who were the ones in spiritual prison? Some believe it is the people who were alive at the time of Noah’s flood and who were killed in the flood. Others believe it is all humanity who died before the time of the cross. There seems to be support for the former position in 2 Pet. 2:4-5, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.” Needless to say, this passage also raises many questions and much debate can be found as to its precise meaning. Nevertheless, as far as the other option goes, that Jesus simply presented the facts concerning His work on the cross to those in spiritual prison, we can look to Eph. 4:8-10 for possible support. “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men. 9 Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things…” Some theologians believe that during the three days between Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, He descended into Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:19-31),3 proclaimed to them the mystery of the gospel, and then led them into heaven to dwell with God. The belief is that they were not permitted to enter into the presence of God in heaven until after the atonement. Once that had happened, Jesus, who had died, descended to Abraham’s bosom, proclaimed the gospel, and then led its residents into heaven. So, even though we cannot precisely determine where Jesus was and what He did during those three days, it seems apparent that He presented the gospel message (not to have them get saved) to those in spirit prison and possibly also to those in Abraham’s bosom. 1↑ | Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.), 1998. | 2↑ | Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.), 1983, 1985. | 3↑ | Abraham’s bosom seems to have been the pre-crucifixion holding place for those people who had died in expectant hope of the coming Messiah. |

http://ow.ly/eWFE50NEuz8

Religion

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WHERE TO BUY SOLAR PANELS IN NIGERIA? The heart of a Solar electric system and power solution is the Solar Panel itself. There are various types of Solar Panel to generate electricity from the sun.Solar Panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun's rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating.A photovoltaic (in short PV) module is a packaged, connected assembly of typically 6×10 Solar cells. Solar Photovoltaic panels constitute the solar array of a photovoltaic system that generates and supplies Solar electricity in commercial and residential applications. Each module is rated by its Direct Current (DC) output power under standard test conditions, and typically ranges from 100 to 365 watts. The efficiency of a module determines the area of a module given the same rated output – an 8% efficient 230 watt module will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 watt module. There are a few commercially available solar panels available that exceed 22% efficiency and reportedly also exceeding 24%.A single solar module can produce only a limited amount of power; most installations contain multiple modules. A photovoltaic system typically includes a panel or an array of solar modules, a solar inverter, and sometimes a batteries and/or Solar Charge Controller and interconnection wiring.Efficiencies of solar panel can be calculated by MPP (Maximum power point) value of solar panels.Solar Inverter convert the DC power to AC power by performing MPPT process: solar inverter samples the output Power (I-V curve) from the solar cell and applies the proper resistance (load) to solar cells to obtain maximum power.Types of Solar Panels available are - Monocrystalline Silicon(Single Silicon), Polycrystalline Silicon(Multi-silicon) and Solar Thermal Panels..In Nigeria, due to shortage supply of Electricity for residential and commercial use, people are in hurry to generate alternate electricity supply for their use by buying Generators,Inverter etc. But with the help of Complete Solar Power Solution , buying Solar Panels in Nigeria at affordable prices is high. Kara.com.ng is the best online store selling quality Solar Panels at deal prices in Nigeria.We make our customers happy for our fast delivery in any location in Nigeria and Technical support on Installation and advice. SOLAR PANELS PRICE AT KARA.COM.NG The price of Solar Energy is considerably cheaper than generators and buying fuel(petrol) to run your generator on the long run. At Kara Nigeria Online Store, we sell Solar Panels at affordable prices to all our customers.Looking for where to buy 100W, 200W, 250W and 300Watts Solar Panels either Monocrystalline Silicon(Single Silicon), Polycrystalline Silicon(Multi-silicon) Panels for Complete Solar Power Installtion to generate stable electricity 24/7 for your home and office use at deal prices in Nigeria,then Kara.com.ng is the right online store for your Solar Panels purchase. Solar Energy in Nigeria Solar energy has multiple uses, especially when you have solar panels, you can trap solar energy with solar panels. The panels allow you to pass on the energy directly or indirectly to power any device. Solar energy from the panels when used directly has to be in Direct Current (DC) mode. That means your devices such as bulbs, pump, refrigerator, fans would be DC mode.Though you may need a solar charge controller to regulate the voltage supplied to the devices. So once you have a solar panel with DC devices you can enjoy cheap solar energy or even lifetime free solar energy. As long as your panel is working you would not need to pay for solar energy. Solar inverter, was introduced because of device that operate using Alternating Current (AC). AC devices require an inverter to convert the solar energy in DC to AC power mode. Because of these, the sales of solar energy components has picked up in Nigeria. You would find solar energy solutions for homes, schools, Street lights, offices and university campuses. Solar energy installation requirements To keep it simple, you need a solar energy company to help with installation in Nigeria and below are some of the important solar power components Solar panels to collect the energy from the sun. The solar panels have to be installed by professionals to ensure the best position that can allow for solar energy efficiency. You may also learn how to install the solar panels by yourself. At Kara we offer professional Solar panel installation and maintenance Services. The panels usually comes in either 12V or 24V. There are monocrystalline solar panels and polycrystalline solar panels. The Mono solar panels are cheaper than poly solar panels. The cost of solar panels start from a little as N5,000 only, the more the wattage the higher the cost. Solar Charge Controller. The controller allows for the regulation of power supplied to your DC devices or battery. Usually MPPT solar charge controllers are more expensive that PWM. But you can be okay starting with a PWM due to the cost. The solar charge controller also regulates the power supplied to the solar inverter which is now converted to Alternating current. A solar inverter usually comes inbuilt with a solar charge controller. In such case, it is known as a hybrid inverter. But some users prefer to have a stand alone inverter connected to an external Solar Charge controller. Some also call it a solar powered generator and the fuel is the solar panels. There are two main types solar inverter, the MPPT Solar inverter or the PWM Solar Inverter These are used to ensure efficient connections between the solar panels to solar panels, solar panel to solar charge controller with the intermediate solar installation cables To ensure that when the solar energy has reduced, usually in the evening, you need solar battery to store the enegry. Any battery can be used but it is advisable to use AGM or Gel inverter battery. Kara is one the solar companies in Nigeria with ability to install in Lagos, Abuja and other Nigerian cities. We offer best deals on solar energy solutions nationwide. So we sell solar installation services. We can also convert your existing inverter solution to a solar enery type. Ther are also solar portable generators that do not need any special installaton. These are similiar to the MTN solar solution but you don't have to pay any monthly subscription. At Kara, though there are many solar companies in Nigeria. We advise you to patronise us as we sell and instal solar panels in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers and all other states in Nigeria Solar Power Companies There are many online solar companies in Nigeria. For us at Kara online store we partner with Royal Coast Technologies certified Solar installers to design and implement a complete solar power project. This ensures that the design fits to your solar energy requirement and budget. As a solar Power company in Nigeria we can install in Lagos, Abuja Port-Harcourt or any city in Nigeria. We have reference customers within and outside Lagos. This ensure that the solar panel installation, solar inverter installation and all other solar installation accessories are standard.

http://www.kara.com.ng/solar-power

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Withholding Tax is an advance payment of income tax. In principle, WHT is a payment on account of the ultimate income tax liability of the taxpayer or company. Withholding tax is not a separate tax on its own and does not confer an exemption from the filing of annual tax returns by the company which had suffered WHT. The tax is normally to be deducted at source when a payment is to be made to the beneficiary. APPLICABLE TAX LAW Withholding Tax (WHT) is not a distinct tax type and therefore has no legislation of its own. It is only a mechanism for the collection of other taxes. Consequently, its application is provided for in the enabling law of other tax types i.e. Section 81 of Company Income Tax Act, Section 54 of Petroleum Profit Tax Act, Section 73 of Personal Income Tax Act and Section 13 of Value Added Tax Act TAX COVERAGE AND INCOME SUBJECT TO WITHHOLDING TAX The WHT provisions seek to collect taxes that may otherwise have been lost through evasion and/or avoidance. The aim is to ensure that taxpayers’ are correctly taxed but it must be understood that transactions that are ordinarily not liable to tax in Nigeria are also not liable to WHT; thus, contracts and supplies of goods and services performed entirely outside Nigeria by non-resident taxpayers will not be liable to WHT. The residence of the taxpayer is generally not relevant for the purpose of determining liability to tax or the application of WHT, but it is important to consider whether the provider/supplier of the goods or services is liable to Nigerian tax. The rate of tax applicable to the various goods and services is provided in later parts of this paper. The introduction of the WHT regime came about in order to address the problem of tax evasion although, there is the overriding objective of full disclosure, transparency, predictability and fairness. In the light of these objectives and bearing in mind that the tax is intended as an advance payment of tax, its operation should always be optimized to ensure that taxpayers are not overtaxed and Government does not lose revenue. Rents:This includes rental income on both real and personal property. As a general rule, income on a property (rent, hire or lease payments or rights (royalties) situated in Nigeria is liable to tax in Nigeria, the place of payment notwithstanding. Where a person rents or hires property/services from another, WHT at the rate of 10% will apply. But where a person provides services to another for e.g. air/land transport service, using its own equipment/facilities, the transaction becomes a contract of services rather than rental or hire. Interest: This is income from investments of every kind. WHT is applicable to income from government securities and income from bonds or Treasury bills. Interest on loans paid by a Nigerian company is often not subject to WHT. Dividends:Refer to income from shares. The income is subject to tax whether it is received by a Nigeria company or a non-resident company. The tax imposed is regarded as final tax, but corporate bodies are allowed to recoup WHT deduction where the dividend is to be redistributed as Franked Investment Income (FII). The Petroleum Profit Tax Act (PPTA) however exempts dividends payable by oil producing companies on petroleum operations from WHT imposition. Royalty:Refers to unearned income which accrues to the owner from past endeavors. Permission must be obtained before it can be used. It is payment of any kind as a consideration for the use of or the right to use any patent, trade mark or right/ Consultancy/Professional/Management/Technical Services-These are specialized services rendered by persons with the required knowledge and skills. The mere fact that services are provided by a company which has consultancy as part of its name does not by itself render such service as consultancy. The real content of the services being provided must be examined and if it amounts to a consultancy service, then the appropriate rate would apply; the same treatment applies to Professional/Management services. For instance, if an engineering company is carrying out a construction activity, the proper classification for the services would be “construction” as opposed to Professional/Technical services; similarly, the use of industrial machinery/equipment to provide a service does not render it to be ‘Technical” because the industry position requires that only arrangements thatinvolve a transfer of Technology should be classified as technical. All types of Contract Activities and Arrangements, other than Outright sale and Purchase of Goods and Property This classification is wide enough to capture every transaction, other than outright purchase/sale of goods and property. The Revenue holds the view that majority of the activities carried on in the oil industry are done by way of contractions, and should properly fall under this category. The issue of contracts and transactions, not being conducted in the ordinary course of business has over the years been subjected to series of reviews and amendments, aimed at improving the WHT system in order to achieve efficiency as well as minimize the cost of doing business. The aim of withholding tax is not to compound the problems of producers, manufacturers and those engaged in any forms of activities, other than services. The definition of manufacturing activate as contained in the FIRS information circular No. 2002 appears to have further generated more controversy than expected. The following classification will assist in the understanding of circumstances where WHT will apply in relation to any production activity. WHERE THERE IS A DUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTIES IN A BUSINESS TRANSACTION An example of this contract is where a manufacturer/ producer require raw materials from a supplier for its production. This is dual relationship between both parties and the transaction will not be liable to WHT. E.g. a farmer supplies groundnut to a manufacturer of groundnut oil; a manufacturer of glass supplies bottles to a bottling company or soft drink manufacturer or an oil marking company supplies diesel direct to a user. WHERE THERE IS A TRIPARTITE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTIES IN A TRANSACTION. In a tripartite contract relationship involving a manufacturer, supplier and agent, there could be either two options, depending on the level of financial arrangement. For example, where Manufacturer A, engages Agent C to procure or source for raw materials from Supplier, B, for his production line, there is a tripartite arrangement here. There is nothing preventing Manufacturer, A from dealing directly with supplier B in order to achieve a dual contract relationship. (a) If Agent C is mobilized by Manufacturer B with fund to source for materials for its operation, there will be need to segregate the service cost from the entire contraction, and only the service component will be liable to WHT. (b) If the Agent, C, entirely finances the sourcing of the raw materials for Manufacturer A, the entire contract value will be liable to WHT at the time of payment. WHERE A MANUFACTURER DELIVERS ITS NORMAL PRODUCTS TO ITS DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS FOR SALE In this situation, the income accruing to the manufacturer will not be liable to Withholding tax (WHT) as it is regarded as transaction in the ordinary course of business, but theCommission earned by the distributors/Dealers will be subjected to WHT. Agency Transactions & Arrangements Agency arrangement implies a contract between a principal and agent. The reward payable for services rendered by the agent is Commission, which is subject to WHT of 10%. However, if the principal is a non-resident, any sales proceeds from the arrangement will attract5% WHT, where any of the conditions in Section 26(1) (b) of CITA holds. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/04/covid-19-rivers-confirmed-case-tests-negative-under-treatment/Admin

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Former President Jonathan giving his speech at Oxford BEING A SPEECH BY DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, FORMER PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT: “A CONVERSATION TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE ISSUES RELATING TO THE PROMOTION OF YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP” AT THE OXFORD UNION 24TH OCTOBER 2016. - It is my pleasure and a great honour to be in the hallowed chambers of the Oxford University, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, not just to speak, but to exchange ideas and answer questions from you, some of the world’s most brilliant youths and future leaders. - It is instructive to note that since 1823, the Oxford Union has consistently presented this platform for scholarly and social congregation of the student population, the interchange of ideas, propagation of views in the enhancement of knowledge, and for the overall good of mankind. This is highly commendable. - This discussion is topical for our global search for development and security. The issue of youth entrepreneurship in Africa is very critical, as Africa is the only continent in which we will witness a population boom in our lifetime. - Studies reveal the symbiotic relationship between youth unemployment and youth restiveness. - Accordingly, most violent crises in Africa have been traced to a lack of education among its teeming youth population. - Genuine search for development and sustainable peace must therefore begin with youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. - When I was Governor of Bayelsa State and later the President of Nigeria, I asked myself some critical questions; · Why are some nations rich and some poor? - · Why do individuals that grow up in similar circumstances end up differently, with some as successes and others as failures? - · Is the wealth of nations a result of geography, weather, culture, destiny, etc.? What could a leader do to effectively lift a people out of the depths of poverty, and enable them to achieve prosperity? - After much soul searching, my conviction in regards to these questions is this : wealth is a creation of the human mind properly prepared by education. - It is my firm belief that any Nation that does not spend its wealth and resources to developing the capacity of its youth will eventually be forced to devote its resources to fight insecurity amongst those same youths. - As a leader, you can decide through your policies to educate the youths, or face the consequences of failing to do so. The problem all African leaders have is how to manage the youth bulge. Do we consider this a ticking time bomb or an opportunity? - To me there are two key areas we must invest our resources if we are to convert this perceived time bomb to the opportunity I believe it is. The first is requisite education and capacity building. This should be followed by enabling youth entrepreneurship. - Allow me to share with you a brief account of the implementation of my vision to empower the youth. Within a year of my stewardship as the Governor of Bayelsa State, I gave Education a top priority. I provided infrastructure in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and gave undergraduate students financial assistance in the form of Bursary awards. - I started building two special post primary schools for gifted and talented children. The relevance of the gifted children school is obvious. For the talented children, the idea is to develop their natural talents in addition to sound education so that at graduation they can make a living from their God given talents if they choose to do so. - While construction work was on-going in the special schools, we initiated a program to encourage the best brains of the State. We selected through competitive entrance examinations the most brilliant pupils in our primary schools and sent them to the best secondary schools in the country. - The idea was for the State Government to take care of the best brains from the post primary through the tertiary level of their educational career and ensure that they attend the best institutions anywhere in the world. It was designed for a minimum of 100 pupils to be selected for this program annually. I left the State after one year and five months to contest election as the Vice President, and therefore could not see the idea through. - 17. Upon assumption of office as President of Nigeria, I launched a similar program called the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development. [PRESSID] This scheme nurtured a select cadre of professionals, to serve as facilitators for accelerated, sustainable, economic and technological advancement. - Each year, through competitive examinations, we selected between 100-to-120 first class graduates and sent them to the top universities in the world to study for higher degrees. These students were drawn from various STEM disciplines. - Let me mention here that Oxford University was an integral part of this program and indeed, a favourite for most of our applicants. - The essence of the program was to get a crop of youth over a period of time that will advance our course technologically. When I launched the program, I did mention that we were training young people that will take Nigeria to the moon. - 20. In addition to this, my administration also gave a series of educational incentives to university students across the country. - We established twelve conventional Universities and a specialized Maritime University. To assist the disadvantaged children in Northern Nigeria, we built 165 special schools known as “Almajiri School” that integrated Islamic culture into Western education. - The foundational theme of my Administration was ‘The Transformation Agenda’. It was conceived to engage the latent potential in the entire nation, and to stimulate and enable higher productivity. And this was also the foundation of our youth development drive. - The Transformation Agenda sought to address the problems of youth job creation, with emphasis not just in getting our young citizens employed, but in assisting them in acquiring the right skills, and providing the requisite support. This was to enable them set up and run their own businesses; thereby becoming employers of labour themselves. - In Nigeria and most African countries, there are well-educated young people. The problem is how to create opportunities for them. My Administration came up with various programs to encourage young entrepreneurs. The most popular is the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria “YouWIN”. - It was a unique intervention launched in 2012, which targeted youth with unique business proposals in startups and expansion of existing enterprises. YouWin is structured as a competitive cyclic initiative which invites and reviews Business Plans submitted by Youth. - Young people who wanted to be entrepreneurs were asked to submit their business proposals. The best business plans were chosen based on relevance, profitability, demand and practicability. The winners were trained and given grants. - YouWIN was multi-sector- cutting across light manufacturing, food processing, and the service sector. - The motivation for this program is for young people to go into SMEs, create jobs for other young people with the expectation that some would grow to large scale businesses. - In addition to YouWin, under our broad based Agricultural Transformation Agenda, we developed the Youth Employment in Agriculture Program [YEAP] – and like many of our other youth programs, we incorporated the youth themselves in its design. - This took a complete value chain approach from farming to processing and marketing. Just like in the YouWIN initiative, my Administration gave young farmers grants and training. The young people who were involved were called “Nagropreneurs”. - We also launched The Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS). The objective of this program was to provide temporary work experience for fresh graduates, to enhance their capacity to attract permanent jobs. Eligible graduates are posted to corporations and companies in the private and public sectors. - They received practical training and mentorship for a one-year period, within which remuneration is paid by the government. This enabled the young graduates to acquire relevant experience. - We also increased the allowances due to Youth Corp members by more than 100% in 2011. This was in line with our policy of youth empowerment and development. - To ensure that the Nigerian youth benefit massively in the ICT revolution, we created a special Ministry of Communication Technology. We wanted the Nigerian Youth to be self-employed and exploit the advantages of ICT. The Ministry, among other things, improved broadband penetration, set up ICT incubation centres in Lagos and Calabar. - The efforts of the Young software engineers at the Lagos Co-Creation Hub (CC Hub) became so successful that it did not only give birth to many thriving start-ups, but their activities also attracted the attention of Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg who chose it as his first stop during his first ever visit to Africa. - One sector we deliberately encouraged to stimulate job growth for Nigerian Youth was the Nigerian entertainment industry. We identified Nollywood as a sector that can employ many young people. We provided a grant of $200 million and for the first time, Nollywood became a major contributor to our GDP. In 2014, Nollywood contributed 1.4% to our GDP. - The sporting industry was also not left out. We encouraged our young people in that sector. I was to launch a Fund to encourage sporting activities in the Country but I had to bow out by 29th of May 2015. Nigeria has a crop of talented youth but the nation has not properly keyed into the global sports industry. - The Fund would have been a catalyst to promoting the Nigerian sports industry by promoting training, welfare of athletes and manufacturing of sporting equipment among other things. - Distinguished audience let me conclude my speech by urging contemporary African leaders to see youth entrepreneurship as a collective project transcending national boundaries. - I believe in the Nigerian youth and indeed African Youths. My conviction is not only an emotional one, but one grounded in my experience with youths from all over the continent. You will agree that foremost in the minds of many youth, is a desire to develop their dreams and potentials. Placing them closer to the driving wheel, does a lot for their confidence. - Despite incredible challenges, Nigerian youths are achieving great things and placing Nigeria positively in the world map. Nigerian youths are an inspiration to their leaders. - I once said that I was not elected President of Nigeria to spread poverty, I was elected to generate and spread wealth. My belief in this regard is that getting a job or being a worker cannot completely cure the disease of poverty. It is only your own business that can provide such security and give you the financial freedom you need to prosper. - That was why my Administration introduced these initiatives and policies, to enable Nigeria’s youths take their own destinies in their hands. - You can appreciate that there was a lot of emphasis on education during my time at the helm of both my State and my Nation. This is because the richest people today are those who develop ideas and commercialize them. Viable ideas can only come from educated minds, and money pursues ideas. - My three flagship programmes ie the gifted and talented children schools in Bayelsa State, the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development and the ICT Incubation Centers (Co-Creation Hub) were geared towards developing that calibre of youth. - We may not have been perfect, but we did our best, and our best yielded an era of unprecedented economic growth for Nigeria. A growth that proved the truism that a Nation’s wealth is not underneath the ground but between the ears of her people. - Under my watch, Nigeria was projected by CNN Money to be the third fastest growing economy in the world for the year 2015 and rated as the largest economy in Africa and the 23rd in the world by the World Bank and the IMF, with a GDP above half a Trillion US dollars. - These in a nutshell are some of the ways we were able to promote youth enterprise; a topic that I know is of utmost interest to many of you here. - Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. - I shall now take your questions. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/full-speech-ex-president-goodluck-jonathan-oxford-union/

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•Says civil war took Igbo several years back •States traditional rites for New Yam Festival By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka EZE Obidiegbwu Onyesoh, the traditional ruler of Nri, Anambra State which is regarded as the ancestral abode of Igbo people, has said that the loss of the three-year Nigeria-Biafra war took the Igbo nation several years back in terms of development, arguing that the worst thing any Igbo man could think of is to engage in another war. Eze Onyesoh, who spoke with reporters at Nri in Anaocha Local Government area of the state as part of activities to mark this year’s Onwasato Ilo Muo/New Yam festival of the Igbo nation, which takes place today, observed that but for the war, Igbo would have excelled beyond human imagination. He said: “Igbo nation had the opportunity to excel and was on the right path before that civil war. No right thinking Igbo man should engage in another war. We have to fight intelligence battle to better our situation and not by unnecessary noise making. “The worst thing that can happen to a man is to witness two wars in his lifetime and it should not be our portion. We must think twice before doing anything irrationally.” The monarch observed that the problem with Nigeria was leadership, noting that those who had been governing the country in the past missed the right direction. “We find it difficult to believe some of the revelations being made, but it is a fact that corruption has been institutionalised. It has permeated the fabrics of our society and it cannot be cured in a hurry. It has to be a systematic battle if we must get it right,” he said. Eze Onyesoh regretted that carefree attitude had led to what he described as the bastardisation of Igbo customs and tradition, adding that the right thing is for traditional rulers of the various communities to perform the New Yam festival before their subjects eat the new yam. On the preparations that culminated in today’s celebration, Eze Onyesoh said that all traditional title holders in Nri would perform ritual purification to be clean for the ceremony before proceeding to the evil forest where they would partake in the symbolic dining with the spirits. According to him, to prepare adequately for the ceremony, the title holders must try to be holy within the period, including not sleeping with women, adding that they would thereafter gather at Eze Nri palace to perform some sacrifices and tie the ‘egbo’, an object that must not be let loose to avoid attacking the youths of the community. He said that it is at the end of this ceremony that the gods would give permission for the new yam to be eaten in Nri. “Nobody eats new yam before Eze Nri, otherwise he or she will face dire consequences,” he further said, adding that the difficulties in having a common date for the celebration of the festival for all Igbo people was due to the republican nature of the Igbo. Explaining the myth behind yam in Igbo land, Eze Onyesoh said: “Igbo mythology has it that when Nri became hungry and needed something to eat, he found yam sprout from the grave of his son and when he uprooted it and ate it, it tasted good and he named it the king of crops. “This is why yam is venerated among the Igbo and anyone who deliberately damages yam crops is treated as a murderer.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/no-war-igbo-eze-nri-warns/

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By Brian Pinto On the 20th of February 2016, Nigeria’s President Buhari hardened his stance against devaluing the Nigerian Naira because he believes devaluation will not help the country “as it had few exports apart from oil and depended on imports whose cost would rise with such a move.” This view is shared by Governor Emefiele of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who noted on 17th November 2015 “Our major export commodity which accounts for more than 80% of our income is crude oil…and what is supposed to be the non oil export, we are not producing effectively.” CBN governor, Emefiele, also warned that that naira devaluation would lead to hyperinflation. According to the famous quote from the philosopher George Santayana, “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” Thirty years ago in 1986, Nigeria’s policy makers made the exact same argument against devaluing the naira under extreme pressure from a similar oil price collapse. The powers at the time said: “Oil is dollar-denominated and virtually our only export. What purpose then would be served by an exchange rate adjustment?” This argument is incomplete and ignores many important issues: the credibility of macroeconomic policy; subsidies for the rich hidden in the overvalued exchange rate; and the constraints placed on pricing and production by new restrictions pushed by policy makers hoping to regulate their way out of the current currency crisis. Thirty years ago, as a young economist at the World Bank, I studied foreign exchange markets across the developing world, including in Nigeria. Parallel markets for foreign exchange (typically illegal) were rampant in Africa and Latin America during the mid 1980s. These parallel markets have resurfaced in recent years, usually in countries with serious problems in economic governance. Argentina and South Sudan are examples. Yet both have taken steps to eliminate parallel foreign exchange markets through appropriate, market-based exchange rate policy. On December 17, 2015, Argentina’s peso depreciated sharply, with the official exchange rate rising to 13.95 pesos per dollar from 9.8 pesos per dollar, much closer to the parallel rate of 14.5, after a new administration floated the currency. This was seen as a key step in reestablishing macroeconomic policy credibility which has been in tatters since Argentina’s sovereign default of 2001. Earlier, on December 15, South Sudan’s central bank dropped its fixed exchange rate. The official price of the dollar shot up by over 500 percent, from 2.95 South Sudanese Pounds per dollar to the parallel market rate of 18.50 per dollar. The country is an oil exporter and embroiled in conflict. In contrast, Nigeria has taken steps to ration foreign exchange instead of letting the market determine the exchange rate after oil prices began their most recent fall. By April 2015, when CBN reintroduced foreign exchange rationing with restrictions on credit cards, the dollar oil price had fallen some 40 percent from its peak in June 2014. The official naira-dollar exchange rate had depreciated by 21 percent over this period, to 197 naira per dollar from 162.8 naira per dollar. In June, CBN declared 40 imported items as “not valid for foreign exchange in the Nigerian foreign exchange markets” purportedly to “conserve foreign exchange reserves as well as facilitate the resuscitation of domestic industries and improve employment generation”. The items range from toothpicks to private airplanes and jets. Oil prices fell another 48 percent between April 2015 and January 2016. But the official rate has been held at its April 2015 level of 197 while the parallel market premium (the difference between the official and parallel market exchange rates) has skyrocketed ten fold to 80 percent from 8 percent in April 2015. The naira presently trades at 360 to the dollar. The chart below shows the value of the naira on the official and parallel markets against the decline in global oil prices. It is apparent that the parallel exchange rate is driven by the oil price, since oil accounts for 70 to 80 percent of government revenues and the lion’s share of Nigeria’s exports. But it could also be capturing growing risk from macroeconomic uncertainty linked to the stop and go exchange rate policy: CBN was slow to let the naira depreciate when oil prices started falling with the onset of the global financial crisis in late 2008. In January 2009, it virtually shut down the interbank foreign exchange market, fuelling a significant parallel market premium. Fortunately, exchange restrictions were phased out later in 2009; but not before the CBN burned $17 billion to artificially prop up the naira. The quotes above from Governor Emefiele and a paper on Nigerian economic policy written in 1987 indicate that history has come full circle once again. In September 1986, the parallel exchange rate in Nigeria was 5 naira per dollar, implying a premium of 230 percent over the official exchange rate of 1.5 naira per dollar. How did Nigeria get to that point? By the mid 1980s, oil prices had collapsed from a supply glut following the oil price hikes of 1973-74 and 1979-80. As a result of large fiscal and current account deficits during the boom period of 1973 to 1980, Nigeria’s foreign debt had grown to $19 billion by 1985. Agriculture, once a mainstay of the economy and of non-oil exports, collapsed because of competition from cheap imports and neglect. Over the ten-year period from 1973-1983, the Nigerian government directed very little public spending towards agricultural research and development or enhancing rural infrastructure, unlike in similarly oil rich countries such as Indonesia which spent heavily to improve non-oil sources of revenue. Any reprieve Nigerian agriculture might have received after oil prices collapsed in the early 1980s never materialized because of bad exchange rate policy during the first Buhari regime. Instead of letting the naira depreciate in line with falling oil prices, CBN introduced rationing via an import license system. An imported good costing one dollar was more likely to sell for 5 naira (the parallel rate in September 1986) than 1.5 naira (the official rate). This meant a huge hidden tax on agriculture, since procurement prices were set with reference to the official exchange rate and little attention paid to international prices. This was perhaps the death blow to Nigerian agriculture and a big contributor to the growing concentration of oil in total exports. Nevertheless, CBN resisted devaluing the naira, arguing ironically that no useful purpose would be served because oil was virtually the only export! However, by 1985, the economy was in a bad state with Nigeria’s foreign creditors insisting on an IMF program for rescheduling a relatively small sum of $2 billion. This led to a series of steps to lower the fiscal deficit and eventually CBN was persuaded that it would be a good idea to unify the official and parallel exchange rates. It decided to float the naira via an auction for foreign exchange. The main questions then: “what exchange rate would emerge from the float?” and “would there be an inflationary burst?” Most of my then colleagues at the World Bank and IMF believed an equilibrium exchange rate of close to 1.5 naira to the dollar would emerge from the auction because Nigeria’s oil dollars (the bulk of foreign exchange earnings) were allocated at the official rate. But a 1985 World Bank survey showed that domestic prices of traded goods were more likely to reflect an exchange rate of 5 naira to the dollar. This fact had three important implications: First, the parallel exchange rate was the equilibrium exchange rate. In other words, the market had already corrected itself without action from the policy makers. The official rate was irrelevant from the perspective of the average consumer. Second, giving dollars at the official rate to importers meant handing them an instantaneous unearned profit of 3.5 naira (the difference between the parallel rate of 5 and the official rate of 1.5) per dollar received from CBN. Moreover, this “profit” was at the expense of the Nigerian government. This meant that private individuals with access to government could easily enrich themselves at the expense of the Nigerian people. In addition, as noted above, the premium was a ruinous hidden tax on the once-flourishing agricultural sector. It decimated non-oil exports and inexorably transformed the Nigerian economy over time into the “mono-economy” referred to by current Central Bank Governor Mr. Emefiele. Third, if the central bank were to unify the official and parallel rates by floating the Naira, this would lead to a large depreciation as the official rate merged with the equilibrium parallel rate. However, there would be no inflationary burst because domestic goods prices already reflect the parallel rate. Any inflationary impacts would come from the fiscal consequences of the float. For Nigeria the impact would be a positive lowering of the fiscal deficit and therefore, inflationary pressure. I vividly remember my 1985 conversation with an importer: “Would not there be an inflationary burst if CBN were to float the naira?” I naively asked. “You don’t understand,” he chided me. “The inflation has already occurred through the parallel market. All CBN will be doing is to slash my profit!” The present situation is eerily similar to that which prevailed 30 years ago. It is high time CBN and the Nigerian Government faced reality and avoided a costly repetition of history. Returning to a market-determined exchange rate via a float would probably lead to a new exchange rate close to that in the parallel market. President Buhari’s intransigence and Mr. Emefiele’s hyperinflationary fears are unfounded because domestic goods pricing already reflects the parallel rate. To be sure, the unified exchange rate will depreciate further if oil prices continue to drop; but this will be because Nigeria’s national income is falling and not because of the currency float. Nigeria’s fiscal accounts and policy credibility will receive a much-needed boost from exchange rate unification. The investment climate in manufacturing and agriculture will improve dramatically with the elimination of the hidden tax from the parallel market premium. With the parallel rate at 360 naira per dollar, this hidden tax on non-oil exporters currently stands at 45 percent. The medium term outlook for oil prices remains bleak. Nigeria must stop selling its valuable oil dollars cheap. It must float the Naira to help its fiscal accounts and to prove that it can learn from its own past mistakes. Culled from http://venturesafrica.com/ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/naira-devaluation-doom-nigerias-economic-history-repeating/

Business

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Updated: Wednesday, Feb. 4. The oil industry, with its history of booms and busts, is in a new downturn. Earnings are down for companies that have made record profits in recent years, forcing them to decommission rigs and sharply cut investments in exploration and production. The cause is the plunging price of a barrel of oil, which has been cut in half since June, reaching levels last seen during the depths of the 2009 recession. Brent crude, the main international benchmark, was trading around $54 a barrel on Wednesday. The American benchmark was below $49 a barrel. Even optimists say that $70 a barrel by the end of the year is doubtful. Executives think it will be years before oil returns to $90 or $100 a barrel, pretty much the norm over the last decade.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/13/business/energy-environment/oil-prices.html?_r=0

Politics

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Health workers fumigating. The coronavirus is spreading fast beyond its China birthplace but sub-Saharan Africa, one of the world’s most vulnerable regions, has so far been almost spared — and experts want to know why. More than 2,760 people worldwide have died of COVID-19 and almost 81,000 infected in over 45 countries. Most of these have been in China, but cases are now rising fast in parts of Europe and the Middle East, while the first infection in Latin America was recorded on Wednesday, in Brazil. But across all of Africa, just two cases have surfaced — a tally that has health specialists scratching their heads, given the continent’s close economic ties with China. “This is the question that everyone is asking, especially as other regions such as South America or Eastern Europe now have cases,” said Amadou Alpha Sall, head of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. “The current figures could be the reality, it’s hard to know. Maybe it’s because Africa is not that connected.” Thumbi Ndung’u, director of a Durban-based infectious disease research centre, SANTHE, said “I don’t think anybody knows” why Africa so far appeared to be unscathed. He also speculated that it could be “there isn’t much travel to that particular part of China from Africa — back and forth”. Or “it could just be a coincidence,” said Ndung’u. – Coverup unlikely – Could it be a coverup, or cases that have gone undetected? Michel Yao, an emergency response expert at WHO Africa, based in the Congolese capital Brazzaville, said these scenarios were most unlikely. To detect and hide cases would require an “exceptionally managed” response, he said. And undetected cases would result in an outbreak that would be “surely detected because it spreads faster,” Yao said. Could Africa’s predominantly hot climate ward off or even kill the virus? “There is no current evidence to indicate that climate affects transmission,” said Rodney Adam, who heads the infection control task force at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. “While it is true that for certain infections there may be genetic differences in susceptibility… there is no current evidence to that effect for COVID-19.” If the continent can count itself lucky so far, experts say it is just a question of time. “We think Africa is going to be affected,” said Yazdan Yazdanpanah, head of infectious diseases department at Paris’s Bichat hospital. On the plus said, the apparent delay has given African countries precious weeks in which to prepare. Yao said more than half of sub-Saharan countries are now equipped with laboratories that can test for the virus — up from just two a few weeks ago. “In the beginning we had two, South Africa and Senegal… (now) we have 29 out of 47 countries that have laboratories that can perform the tests. So this is progress,” he said. “We were lucky to have a big window of opportunity,” he said. Another positive is that Ebola outbreaks that have struck parts of West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo have generated valuable skills for handling coronavirus. There is currently no vaccine or cure for the novel virus — the response is to contain it by identifying and isolating patients and carrying out grassroots awareness campaigns. “This experience may add value on ground,” said Yao. – Question of time – Despite this, Africa’s vulnerabilities are well known. A 2016 analysis by the Rand Corporation, a US thinktank, found that of the 25 countries in the world that are most vulnerable to infectious outbreaks, 22 are in Africa — the others were Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti. Africa’s many conflict zones, poor health infrastructure and porous borders are among the factors that accentuate the risk, it said. Last week a Lancet study found that only Egypt, Algeria and South Africa had “the most prepared health systems in the continent” to handle the virus. South Africa announced Thursday that 132 of its citizens trapped in China’s Wuhan city, would be evacuated and placed in quarantine for 21 days. In many countries, a sudden surge in numbers of seriously ill patients could overwhelm intensive care units. “Africa is at high risk,” said Yao. On Thursday, Madagascar banned all travellers who recently visited Iran, Italy or South Korea — the latest countries suffering major outbreaks of the virus — from entering the island country, a popular tourist destination. Several African airlines including Kenya Airways have suspended flights to China, although the continent’s biggest carrier Ethiopian Airlines has kept its China routes open. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/coronavirus-enigma-experts-ask-why-africa-seems-to-have-few-cases/

Health

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In a rare public display, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta strongly disagreed with President Obama’s call for the African nation to prioritize gay rights, saying it is currently a “non-issue.” Obama arrived in Kenya Friday, his first visit to his ancestral homeland since becoming president. While the visit was mostly intended to focus on trade issues and terrorism, Obama has said he planned to deliver a “blunt message” on the issue of gay rights in Kenya. That message was delivered — and then swatted down by Kenyatta — during a joint Q&A session in Nairobi held Saturday. “I believe in the principle of treating people equally under the law, and that they are deserving of equal protection under the law and that the state should not discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation,” Obama said. “If you look at the history of countries around the world, when you start treating people differently — not because of any harm they’re doing anybody, but because they’re different — that’s the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen,” he added. Asked the same question, Kenyatta said Kenya has more pressing issues than gay rights. While acknowledging that Kenya and the U.S. share many of the same values, Kenyatta said that “there are some things that we must admit we don’t share — our culture, our societies don’t accept.” “It is very difficult for us to be able to impose on people that which they themselves do not accept,” Kenyatta said. “This is why I repeatedly say that, for Kenyans today, the issue of gay rights is really a non-issue,” he added. “We want to focus on other areas that are day-to-day living for our people,” Kenyatta continued, citing the economic inclusivity of women and the improvement of education, infrastructure and entrepreneurship. “These are the key focuses,” Kenyatta said. “Maybe once, like you have overcome some of these challenges, we can begin to look at new ones. But as of now, the fact remains that this issue is not really an issue that is on the foremost mind of Kenyans, and that is the fact.”

http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/25/kenyan-president-publicly-rejects-president-obamas-gay-rights-message-video/Video

Politics

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Buddhism and Christianity make mutually exclusive truth claims at nearly every essential point. There is simply no way to combine these two systems without completely redefining one or both of them. Since the 1960s, however, as Buddhism has made increasing inroads into western life and as American culture has become more and more pluralistic, one can increasingly find people who self-identify as being both Buddhist and Christian. The argument for this (when one articulates an argument at all) usually goes something like this: Buddhism (it is claimed) is agnostic on the issue of God. There is nothing (it is further claimed) inherently contrary to Christianity in Buddhist thought and practice, and so one can be devoted to the Christian God by following the Buddhist path to enlightenment. These claims are both entirely false, however, and thus the conclusion that follows from them is also false. Historic Buddhism acknowledged the existence of a variety of gods and demigods above and beyond humanity but taught that they were mortal creatures that were a part of the same cycle of death and rebirth as men and animals. They were a part of the Buddhist cosmos but were not prescribed as objects of Buddhist devotion. They were bound in the world of suffering and needed enlightenment to realize Nirvana just as men do.1 Regarding such gods, Buddhism can truly be agnostic. Many modern, western Buddhists reject the notion of gods, and it does not in any way hinder them from being Buddhist. Such gods are not central to any Buddhist teaching, and it makes no difference to Buddhist doctrines whether or not they are there any more than the existence or nonexistence of a particular type of animal would. The gods are merely one of the varieties of beings suffering in the cycle of death and rebirth from which Buddhism seeks liberation. The Christian God is not like this, however. When Christians speak of God, they are not speaking of a mortal, finite, suffering being like any other being. They are not speaking of a being in need of liberation from anything. They are not speaking of a being that is merely a part of the system of things. They are not speaking of a being that may or may not exist. They are speaking of an eternal, perfect, unchanging, all-sufficient creator of everything that is and to whom we all owe our worship and answer to as our Judge and King. In this sense, Buddhism does not believe in God. Indeed, Buddhism cannot possibly allow for such a God’s existence.2 Central to Buddhism is the impermanence of all things and the doctrine of no distinct and enduring self in existence.3 If there is anything eternal and unchanging, Buddhism is false. If, as Colossians 1:16-17 says, “all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together,” then one cannot say that all things are impermanent and do not hold together at all, or that there are no actual things. Anyone claiming to be both Buddhist and Christian must either radically alter Buddhist teaching on almost every possible subject, or else they must drastically change what they mean by “God” to such a degree that it is no longer recognizable as anything remotely Christian. Buddhist and Christian teaching Man: Buddhism teaches that a personal self is an illusion. There is no “I” or “you” even now, and certainly no soul or spirit of man that transcends this physical life.4 Christianity teaches that men and women are created in the image of God and are distinct from and have dominion over other living things on the earth, (Genesis 1:26-28). The person developing in the womb is the same person all the days of their life (Psalm 139:13-16). There is conscious existence after death (Luke 16:19-31), and these same personal selves will rise again on the last day (Acts 24:15), some to eternal life and others to eternal condemnation, (John 5:28-29). Sin: Buddhism teaches that there is no moral right and wrong. Good and evil are a false duality that the enlightened must overcome.5 Rightness and wrongness are merely subjective,6 a distinction we make artificially out of convenience.7 Justice and injustice, Buddhism explains, are potentially dangerous concepts rooted in the false notion that there is a Creator God who rules and judges us all.8 Christianity teaches that there is such a God and that there is indeed objective right and wrong. Evil, or sin, is breaking the commands of God (1 John 3:4) and falling short of His standard (Romans 3:23). We have a duty not only to avoid evil but also to do what is good (Galatians 6:9-10) even to those who hate us (Luke 6:27). Indeed, knowing what is good and not doing it is itself evil (James 4:17). The concepts of righteousness and wickedness, good and evil, obedience, and sin; are quite central to everything that Christianity has to say. Suffering: In Buddhism suffering comes from our illusion of being a personal self and our actions in accordance with that illusion.9 Because we think we exist as distinct and enduring selves separate from other objects, we desire things and become attached to things that are, in fact, fleeting and illusory. From this comes suffering. It is not merely unhealthy or improper desires, but rather all personal desires that cause our suffering.10 Every volition, every act of the will, is karma and perpetuates “samsara,” or the cycle of death and rebirth.11 The Buddhist must learn to be free from all desires, no longer pursuing what is pleasant and avoiding what is painful or thinking of one experience as preferable to another.12 He must cease to praise what is good or bemoan what is evil, abandoning all such duality.13 This is the Buddhist freedom from suffering. In Christianity, it is human evil and disobedience to God that first brought suffering and death into the world, (Romans 5:12). What man needs most is to be washed of his guilt and to turn from his sin. While Christians believe that selfish human desires are what lead us into temptation and sin (James 1:14) and that much suffering and strife come from wrong-headed desires that go unfulfilled (James 4:1-3), nevertheless there are also righteous desires that ought to be cultivated. There is a blessing for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6), and we are to seek earnestly and consistently after the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). In the end, God will satisfy the righteous desires of those who are in Christ. He will bless them with eternal life and remove their suffering forever, (Revelation 21:3-4). Salvation: Different Buddhist branches prescribe a variety of different things regarding the most effective path to enlightenment and escape from the suffering of life and the cycle of death and rebirth. At a minimum, however, all hold to the centrality of adherence to the Eightfold path laid out by Buddha for one to escape the suffering cycle through the self-disciplined reshaping of one’s thoughts, views, speech, and actions.14 As one ceases from karmic action, personal desire, and the illusion of self-existence, one attains to enlightenment, realizes Nirvana, and thus transcends suffering and the cycle of rebirth. In Christianity, salvation is the forgiveness of sins and bodily resurrection unto eternal life with God. This is not earned or merited but is the gracious gift of God which we receive through repentance and faith. (John 3:16-21) Eternity: The Buddhist hope is for the realization of Nirvana. Nirvana means to blow out or extinguish, like a flame deprived of air or exhausting its fuel.15 It is not the extinguishing of one’s personal existence since Buddhism insists there never was any personal existence to extinguish, but rather the extinguishing of the illusion of personal existence.16 It is an end to desire, longing, craving, or the idea of oneself as a distinct and separate thing.17 It is not a place that one enters or a state one acquires. It is simply the realization of what is already the ultimate reality. Rebirth is then at an end, suffering ceases, desires are done away with, and all simply “is.” The Christian eternity could not be more opposite. Personal existence continues for all, some to everlasting life and others to everlasting judgment, (John 5:28-29). Those who are saved from their sins in Jesus Christ have eternal bodily life without pain or suffering in the very presence of God, (Revelation 21:3-4). Those who remain in the guilt of their sins are punished for their evil forever in hell, “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night,” (Revelation 14:11). This mere sampling from some of the most central teachings of Buddhism and Christianity is by no means exhaustive of the differences but should suffice to show that these two religions are utterly incompatible. Indeed, it would be difficult to conceive of two belief systems that more fundamentally disagreed on even the most basic concepts of foundational truth. Any professing Christian seeking to embrace the philosophy of Buddha is necessarily also seeking to deny the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is no trifling matter. 1↑ | Keith Yandell and Harold Netland, “Buddhism: A Christian Exploration and Appraisal” (IVP Academic, 2009) 21 | 2↑ | Ibid, 183-184 | 3↑ | ”The Teaching of Buddha” (Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, 1966) 298 | 4↑, 8↑ | Walpola Rahula, “What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada” (Grove Press, 2007) Kindle Edition, Chapter 6 | 5↑, 13↑ | ”The Teaching of Buddha” (Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, 1966) 62 | 6↑ | Thich Nhat Hanh, “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” (Broadway Books, 1998) 56 | 7↑ | ”The Teaching of Buddha” (Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, 1966) 53 | 9↑ | Rodney Smith, “Stepping Out of Self Deception” (Shambhala Publications, 2010) 4 | 10↑ | Keith Yandell and Harold Netland, “Buddhism: A Christian Exploration and Appraisal” (IVP Academic, 2009) 16 | 11↑ | Walpola Rahula, “What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada” (Grove Press, 2007) Kindle Edition, Chapter 3 | 12↑ | Rodney Smith, “Stepping Out of Self Deception” (Shambhala Publications, 2010) 6 | 14↑ | Walpola Rahula, “What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada” (Grove Press, 2007) Kindle Edition, Chapter 5 | 15↑ | Houston Smith and Philip Novak “Buddhism: A Concise Introduction” (HarperCollins Publishers, 2003) 51 | 16↑ | Walpola Rahula, “What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada” (Grove Press, 2007) Kindle Edition, Chapter 4 | 17↑ | Keith Yandell and Harold Netland, “Buddhism: A Christian Exploration and Appraisal” (IVP Academic, 2009) 23-24 |

http://ow.ly/YUJs50JXJj8

Religion

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One of the greatest computer programmers of all time grew up near Seattle. He saw an upstart company, Intel, making computers on a chip and was among the first people to see the potential of these so-called microcomputers. He dedicated himself to writing software for the new device and, by one account, “wrote the software that set off the personal computer revolution.” In the mid 1970s, he founded a company to sell software for micro-computers. In the early history of the company, “the atmosphere was zany,” and “people came to work barefoot, in shorts,” and “anyone in a suit was a visitor.” But the company was soon highly profitable, and by 1981 its operating system had a dominant share of the market for personal computers that used Intel microprocessors. For all of its early triumphs, the company’s watershed moment came when IBM visited in the summer of 1980 to discuss an operating system for its new PC. After some negotiation, the two companies struck a deal. In August 1981, retailers offered the company’s software alongside the brand new IBM PC, and the company’s fate was sealed. The rest is history, as they say. In case this story’s not familiar, here’s the ending. This pioneer of computer technology entered a biker bar in Monterey, California, on July 8, 1994, wearing motorcycle leathers and Harley-Davidson patches. What happened next is unclear, but he suffered a traumatic blow to the head from either a fight or a fall. He left under his own power but died three days later from the injury, complicated by his chronic alcoholism. He was fifty-two years old. He is buried in Seattle and has an etching of a floppy disk on his tombstone. His name is Gary Kildall. You’d be excused for thinking that the first part of the story is about Bill Gates, the multibillionaire founder of Microsoft. And it is certainly tantalizing to ask whether Gary Kildall could have been Bill Gates, who at one point was the world’s richest man. But the fact is that Bill Gates made astute decisions that positioned Microsoft to prevail over Kildall’s company, Digital Research, at crucial moments in the development of the PC industry. When IBM executives first approached Microsoft about supplying an operating system for the company’s new PC, Gates actually referred them to Digital Research. There are conflicting accounts of what happened at the meeting, but it’s fairly clear that Kildall didn’t see the significance of the IBM deal in the way that Gates did. IBM struck a deal with Gates for a lookalike of Kildall’s product, CP/M-86, that Gates had acquired. Once it was tweaked for the IBM PC, Microsoft renamed it PC-DOS and shipped it. After some wrangling by Kildall, IBM did agree to ship CP/M-86 as an alternative operating system. IBM also set the prices for the products. No operating system was included with the IBM PC, and everyone who bought a PC had to purchase an operating system. PC-DOS cost $40. CP/M-86 cost $240. Guess which won.

https://www.fastcompany.com/3002729/facts-luck

Career

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By Esther Onyegbula Global Environmental and Climate Conservation Initiative (GECCI) has called on the government through the Ministry of Education to restructure the curriculum to ensure that the third term school curriculum emphasises crop production. The organisation gave the charge during its sensitisation and advocacy training on climate change as it relates to Agriculture at the Ansar-ru-deen Primary School, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos. According to the Director General Southwest, Global Environmental and Climate Conservation Initiative, Mr. John Obasi, “the government should ensure that the 3rd term curriculum emphasises on crop production, which will involve the inclusion of the pupils with practical skills in promoting food sufficiency.” “The government should endeavour to employ professional agricultural science teachers that are passionate about carrying out the teachings of Agricultural science for effective delivery. As well as provide the schools with necessary amenities like boreholes (water) and tools to work with. “There is a need for the government; through the Lagos State Ministry of Education and Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture to fund and key into projects as laudable as this, Obasi added. Speaking on the project, Alli Adijat Ajoke, Project Coordinator, Global Environmental and Climate Conservation Initiative said that the inclusion of the pupils in crop production is part of the organisation’s commitment to educating and empowering the students with necessary agricultural skills.” Explaining further, Ajoke noted that the pupils of primary 4-6 were grouped as farm managers and were engaged in the process of crop production, which involved planting the maize seed in March, alongside their Agric teachers ( Mr. Idowu and Mr. Lawal) and the harvesting in June.” “The harvested maize was distributed to the management, staff, and farm managers (pupils). Other pupils from the lower classes were not left out too as they were seen jubilating and hoping to have this experience when they get to upper class.” On some of the challenges encountered during the project, Mr. Felix Kure revealed that the soil type on the farmland was not the same, and the level of growth of the crops grown on the same day did not germinate evenly. Some plants grow rapidly while others took time to grow. We observed some parts of the soil are more fertile than others. The use of scarecrow shall be adopted in the next phase to prevent birds from destroying the crops during germination.” “Also as a result of lack of funds to get the labourers, we were unable to clear the farmland for the second time before harvesting the maize.” Kure noted that monitoring and supervisory of the school farm( project) were done by Mr. Obasi John and Mrs. Alli Adijat on a 2-week interval respectively and the record was kept in the school, for attendance. While farm record book was also kept with the Agric teachers and farm managers to record daily activities on the farm as regards the progress of the plants.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/11/428-federal-ministries-depts-agencies-cant-pay-salaries/Restructure

Politics

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has stated that Nigeria is not one of the African countries recording remarkable improvement in its human development index. The agency in its 2013 Human Development Index (HDI) Report listed Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Tanzania as among the African countries that made the greatest strides in HDI improvement since 2000. According to the report, Nigeria was ranked amongst countries with low development index at 153 out of 186 countries that were ranked. Life expectancy in Nigeria is placed at 52 years old while other health indicators reveal that only 1.9 per cent of the nation’s budget is expended on health. 68.0 per cent of Nigerians are stated to be living below $1.25 daily while adult illiteracy rate for adult (both sexes) is 61.3 per cent. The report comes despite the reported growth in the Nigerian economy, with the country recording a GDP growth rate of 6.99 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012. The country’s economy has been described as robust and resilient.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/03/19/nigeria-is-not-improving-its-human-development-index-undp/

Politics

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