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Many Christians are being forced to be more secretive about how and where they worship (Credit: Maria Lozano/Aid to the Church in Need) The number of persecuted Christians in the world has topped 100 million, according to a new report that says even non-violent persecution of Christians has increased, amid continuing violence. “Even Christian-majority states are experiencing unprecedented levels of exclusion, discrimination and violence,” said David Curry, president of the California-based Open Doors USA, on Wednesday. Curry’s organization has worked to help persecuted Christians for over 60 years. It was founded by a Dutchman known as Brother Andrew. He smuggled Bibles into Eastern Europe, whose communist regimes severely restricted Christianity and other religions. Curry said Open Doors USA’s 2015 World Watch List shows “a staggering number of Christians are becoming victims of intolerance and violence because of their faith.” The list ranks the 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian. It defines persecution as “any hostility experienced as a result of one’s identification with Christ”. These can include imprisonment, torture, beheadings, rape, and loss of home and assets. Christians can face ostracism from their family, job loss or rejection by a community. Curry said some Christians “are being forced to be more secretive about their faith”. North Korea continues to be the worst country for anti-Christian persecution, where an estimated 70,000 Christians are imprisoned for their faith. The rapid rise of persecution in Africa and continued problems with violent Islamic extremism are also causes for concern. Somalia, which has no functioning government, ranks second-worst. Iraq, where the rise of the Islamic State has added to the suffering of Iraqi Christians, ranks third. Syria, the site of an intense civil war whose factions include Islamic extremists, ranks fourth. Afghanistan and Pakistan have also witnessed an increase in persecution, ranking fifth and eighth respectively. Iran ranks seventh, while Sudan and Eritrea have returned to the top ten countries where Christians face the worst persecution. Nigeria, where the government has been unable to contain the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, is in the top 10 list for the first time. Open Doors USA also noted problems in Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and India. Christians in India, which ranks 21st on the report, face persecution from both Islamic extremism and Hindu fundamentalism. Christians can be victimized by organized crime and corruption, especially those who are prominent in social or political life. Rural indigenous people who are Christian also experience hostilities, many Christians have been displaced from their land, and violence against Christian women is increasing. Church sermons are also monitored. The researchers who compiled the report ranked each country’s Christians’ degree of freedom in living their faith in the private sphere as well as the spheres of family, community, national and church life. They also ranked the severity of violence Christians face. Full story: 100 million reasons for concern about anti-Christian persecution Source:Catholic News Agency

http://www.ucanews.com/news/number-of-persecuted-christians-tops-100-million-worldwide/72743

Religion

en

What Are My Career Options in Physical Education? Jobs in the field of physical education involves teaching children to play sports and helping kids and adults lead physically active lifestyles. Read on to find out more about these jobs, including the duties you'll perform, what your job prospects would be like and how much you'd make. Physical education degree programs prepare students for careers in the field through classroom instruction and practical training in fitness and athletics. Courses may include team sports, kinesiology, athletic training and motor development. Some programs require you to have first aid and CPR certification before gaining admission, while other programs include such training in their curricula. With a degree in physical education, you may go on to work as a physical education teacher or coach. Important Facts About This Occupation Entry-level Education | Bachelor's degree | Professional Certification | Certification is required. | Key Skills | Communication skills, resourcefulness, patience, decision-making skills | Work Environment | Schools | Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Physical Education Teachers As a physical education teacher, you'll work in an elementary, middle or high school, helping students acquire the physical and social skills they need to lead healthy, active lifestyles. The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance reports that at the elementary-school level, your main responsibility will be developing students' motor skills, such as jumping and catching. Middle-school teachers focus more on developing social skills through the use of sports and other group activities. Teaching in a high school, you'll concentrate on sports training and physical conditioning, and you'll teach students the benefits of life-long physical activity. At all levels, you'll accommodate students with special needs and help them develop their motor skills at a comfortable pace (www.aahperd.org). To become a physical education teacher, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), you'll need to earn a degree in an applicable subject, like health science or physical education (www.bls.gov). You may be required to complete a teacher education component, which is often built into physical education degree programs, and earn your state teaching license. You may also need to maintain licensure regularly by completing continuing education. Job Outlook and Salary The BLS reports that the job outlook for all teachers depends on the grade level you teach. For example, kindergarten and elementary school teachers can expect 4% growth over the 2021-2031 decade whilst middle school and high school teachers can expect about average job growth of 4% and 5% respectively. According to January 2023 figures from PayScale.com, most physical education teachers earn between $35,000 and $81,000 a year. The median salary was $49,753 at that time. The same source reported that entry-level physical education teachers earned a median salary of $43,859, while those with 5-10 years of experience earned a median wage of $48,967. To work as a coach, you'll likely need to have had some experience playing the sport you plan to coach, according to the BLS. As a coach, you'll teach your players the skills and techniques necessary to improve their chances for victory. This can involve promoting teamwork and training athletes during practices as well as calling plays and monitoring game play during competitions. You may work for an extracurricular organization or a school, or you may work as a private coach. The BLS notes that you'll likely need to have at least a bachelor's degree in physical education, sports science or another related field to coach a school sports team. You'll also need to have a deep knowledge of your sport's rules, regulations and guidelines. In some cases, sports knowledge and experience alone will qualify you for employment as a coach. Public-school coaches usually need certification, while college coaches may need it as well. Job Outlook and Salary According to the BLS, coaches and scouts will experience much-faster-than-average job growth of 20% over the 2021-2031 decade. While college and professional sports coaches can expect a lot of competition, the BLS expects good prospects for high school coaches and women's sports coaches. The BLS reported in May 2021 that coaches and scouts earned a mean annual salary of $50,550. Most salaries fell between $22,200 and $80,720 annually. The average wage for coaches and scouts working for elementary and secondary schools was $46,000, while those working for colleges, universities and professional schools earned $64,040 on average. The spectator sports industry paid these professionals $73,070 on average. In May 2021, the BLS reported that California and New York were top employers of coaches and scouts and offered these professionals respective average wages of $57,210 and $58,470. The District of Columbia offered the highest average wage of $72,260.

http://learn.org/articles/Careers_in_Physical_Education_What_Are_My_Options.html

Education

en

LAGOS – Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, the revered “father of modern African literature’, has died aged 82, his family said on Friday. Best known internationally for his novel “Things Fall Apart”, which depicts the collision between British rule and traditional Igbo culture in his native southeast Nigeria, Achebe was also a strong critic of graft and misrule in his country. “One of the great literary voices of his time, he was also a beloved husband, father, uncle and grandfather, whose wisdom and courage are an inspiration to all who knew him,” his family said in a statement. Local media reported that he died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He had lived and worked as a professor in the United States in recent years, most recently at Brown University in Rhode Island. A 1990 car accident left him in a wheelchair and limited his travel. A statement from the Mandela Foundation in South Africa said he passed away Thursday and quoted Nelson Mandela as referring to him as a writer “in whose company the prison walls fell down.” “The world has lost one of its finest writers and Africa has lost a literary gem,” said Mike Udah, spokesman for Nigeria’s Anambra state, where Achebe was born. Apart from criticising misrule in Nigeria, Achebe also strongly backed his native Biafra, which declared independence from the republic in 1967, sparking a civil war that killed around one million people and only ended in 1970. The conflict was the subject of a long-awaited memoir he published last year, titled “There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra.” In 2011, Achebe rejected a Nigerian government offer to honour him with one of the nation’s highest awards — at least the second time he had done so. South African writer and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer called Achebe the “father of modern African literature” in 2007, when she was among the judges to award him the Man Booker International prize for fiction. “Just as we read Shakespeare, it is not possible for any English student to graduate without” reading Achebe, Adeyemi Daramola, head of the University of Lagos’ English department, told AFP recently. “For Achebe to have been away for so long, we have indeed missed him,” Daramola said. But while he was widely lauded worldwide, Achebe never won the Nobel prize for literature, unlike fellow Nigerian author Wole Soyinka, who became the first African Nobel literature laureate in 1986. Achebe was born the fifth of six children in 1930 in Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, where his Igbo ethnic group dominates, and grew up at a time of Christian missionaries and British colonialism. He described his parents as early converts to Christianity, with his father becoming an Anglican religious teacher and travelling the region with his mother to preach and teach. In an interview with The Paris Review, he said his reading evolved and he slowly became aware of how books had cast Africans as savages. “There is that great proverb — that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter,” he said. “That did not come to me until much later. Once I realised that, I had to be a writer.” After graduating from the University of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, Achebe worked with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation before publishing “Things Fall Apart” — his first novel — in 1958. It met with positive reviews, and its legacy has grown since then. According to his publisher, more than 10 million copies have been sold in 50 different languages. Four more novels would eventually follow. “‘Things Fall Apart’ turned the west’s perception of Africa on its head – a perception that until then had been based solely on the views of white colonialists, views that were at best anthropological, at worst, to adopt Achebe’s famous savaging of Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’, ‘thoroughgoingly racist’,” the London Guardian wrote in 2007. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with some 160 million people, won independence in 1960 but it has experienced coups and conflict since then due to the country’s ethnic divisions and corruption. In 1967, Achebe’s native Biafra region declared independence largely in response to massacres of Igbos in the country’s north, sparking a brutal civil war. Achebe strongly backed Biafra and toured to speak on its behalf. Echoes of the conflict emerged in his writing, including his collection “Christmas in Biafra and Other Poems.” Achebe also grew frustrated with the huge corruption that has plagued Nigeria, where most of the country still lives on less than $2 per day despite its oil wealth. He wrote about such issues, and the first sentence of his widely read 1983 essay on governance is still often cited here. “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” it reads. Achebe had limited such commentary in recent years amid health troubles. However, during January 2012 protests in Nigeria over a fuel price hike, Achebe issued “A Statement of Solidarity with the Nigerian People” that gained attention back home.(AFP) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/achebe-writer-in-whose-company-the-prison-walls-fell-down-mandela/

Politics

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Gambia declared Islamic Republic Mr. Jammeh told state TV the proclamation was in line with Gambia’s “religious identity and values.” He added that no dress code would be imposed and citizens of other faiths would be allowed to practise freely. Some 90 per cent of Gambians are Muslim. The former British colony’s economy relies heavily on tourism. However, relations with the West have soured recently, the BBC reports. The European Union temporarily withheld aid money to Gambia last year over its poor human rights record. Mr. Jammeh has been president of the tiny West African country for 21 years. “As Muslims are the majority in the country, the Gambia cannot afford to continue the colonial legacy,” Mr. Jammeh told state TV, explaining his decision to proclaim an Islamic republic. Other Islamic republics include Iran, Pakistan and – in Africa, Mauritania. Mr. Jammeh withdrew Gambia from the Commonwealth in 2013, describing the organisation as neo-colonial. In 2007, he claimed to have found an herbal cure for Aids.

http://thenationonlineng.net/gambia-declared-islamic-republic/

Politics

en

Soro soke! African population is very young around the age of 20 years. Most of them have been crowded out of government and the workforce by unproductive elders who use political offices as a means of succor for their families. They have lost the trust of their youthful population. Those old enough must start thinking of starting their own businesses after years of experience in government and stay in the private sector to create jobs and opportunities for the vigorous and locally educated Youths. Politics, welfare, pension and social services cannot be a way to riches, affluence, decadence or opulence for unproductive privileged few. The experience, wisdom, maturity and advice of the older generation are valuable in the planning of effective strategies for developments that can be vigorously implemented by the Youths; not by Police or Army in any form to suppress Youths' aspirations, capabilities and abilities. While experience is the best teacher, it must be passed on, not hoarded for personal aggrandizement. The same generation that has gained immensely from the Freedom Fighters must not use the privileges gained to deprive the Youths of sustenance while creating poverty out of abundance. Nobody gives up Privilege willingly. Some of the elders have been on government welfare payroll since Primary school. Oppressors are known for sending thugs as part of popular protests to discredit and divide the Youths. While the Protests are going on, the Poor Working class must not be denied the opportunity to make a living, patronize them. Watch out for the most violent ones during protests, they are usually the agents of the Oppressors to discredit worthy causes. Protesters must focus and keep their eyes on the Oppressors and how to snatch their sources of outrageous incomes and privileges. The Youths also have responsibilities in their pursuit of equal playing field, justice and decent standard of living for the working poor. Most of the working poor depend on daily trade to sustain their families. This must be taken into consideration to gain their support because it takes months of Protests to bring Oppressors to the table and force them to relent on reasonable demands. Nigeria, like few African countries, makes foreign income from natural resources, Seaports, Airport, inland dry ports and loans that hardly get to the masses. These are areas to strike on since they do not benefit Youths and the Working Class appreciably. The reason the Youths are angry and rightly so, has more to do with the deck stacked against them. In many countries worldwide, African Youths cannot get decent jobs with their good qualifications. The old and inefficient system of patronage for those well connected have become endemic in many developing countries, since bloated governments are the main employers. If you are over the age of 55 years, give way to the youths, establish a business to employ them instead of getting fat on their future. Some African countries reduced the retirement age to 55 years some years ago to make way for the graduates. The unemployment among them has gotten worse while the older seniors have found ways to cling to power for more than 50 years after Independence. During their time in government and politics, they have failed miserably to move African countries forward. If anything, most of these countries have degenerated into poverty that used to be the face of famine in Asia. The new generation of Africans do not know or remember when any African country was flowing with milk and honey or the right place to be in Africa. What they witness is hostility of one African country to another by angry youths that have been neglected since the 70s after many broken promises and rosy five years development plans that never materialized. The days we used to welcome one another to any African country have disappeared. Indeed, those days are now ancient history. Unfortunately, the old civil servants and politicians perpetrated their follies on their own children sending them out of Africa on mis-education that denied them their own language, culture and induced them into religious Opium as if God only existed in Jerusalem and Mecca but not in Africa. A few even championed the competition between religions losing their lives for causes outside Africa. While a couple of African countries became the most religious in the world, they follow the steps of highly religious but poor countries while the rich countries that have lost most of their members at home determine the leadership of worship for Africa. Older generation in whose lap trust for the management of the countries were placed, developed tastes and fell for the enticement of Foreign Powers that saw them as useful idiots defined as "naive or credulous person who can be manipulated or exploited to advance a cause or political agenda". The same Youths they trained with foreign designer tastes have risen up against them. It is now a debate if they are going to be brutally suppressed as in the past or surrender to reason. How else can we explain Nigeria, the richest country in Africa, as the new capital of world's Poverty today? Many revolutions that gain steam against corruption, severe penalties for importation of used and new goods or services have faded over time. Indeed, those that implemented the War Against Indiscipline are examples today, mired in decadence, foreign glitters and designer bliss killing local initiatives, businesses, hospitals and universities. A look at the padded salaries and allowance of Nigerian politicians sum it up. Even the godfathers and retired state governors are treated like Pharaoh with more allowances and houses at both Federal and state capitals. Youth leaders have the judicious tasks of rejecting or accepting well meaning people in privileged positions and contributors inside, outside the Country and Diaspora as long as they do not influence or torpedo their objectives and pathway to realizing their goal. African cultures respect elders but reverence is given to achievement. When two youths are cutting a tree in the forest, it is the elders that know what side the tree would fall. These African proverbs remain valid today but the Youths can no longer standby while elders use them to fight one another like elephants while the grass suffers. Please listen to African Youths, they have remained docile and have been taken for granted for too long. If they do not speak loud, their own children would fault them for not rising up against injustice, brutality and corruption of their elders. Soro soke! Health Insurance: Testimonies Trail Free Medical And Surgica Visit Markets On The Street To Properly Understand Nigerians Nafdac Seizes Fake Cosmetics Products Worth ₦37 Million In A Release Nnamdi Kanu To Celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day— Iran Fires Over 200 Ballistic Missiles At Israel Emirates Airline Resumes Flight Operations To Nigeria Usaid State2state Wants Dialogue In Building Resilient Team Analysing Verydarman's Defence To His Alleged Defamation Of No Matter How Powerful You're, We'll Not Surrender To Barefa At 64 Years, Nigeria Stands Out As Nation In Decline— Peter All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. 2005-2024, © Copyright thenigerianvoice.com

https://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/292946/retire-for-youths-start-local-businesses-or-work-part-time.html

Politics

en

It is plainly evident that the world is laboring under a dying system of price-based economics as evidenced by the rapid decline of paper currencies. The era of fiat (irredeemable paper currency) was introduced in 1971 when President Richard Nixon decoupled the U.S. dollar from gold. Because the dollar-turned-fiat was the world’s primary reserve asset, all other currencies eventually followed suit, leaving us today with a global sea of paper that is increasingly undesired, unstable, unusable. The deathly economic state of today’s world is a direct reflection of the sum of its sick and dying currencies, but this could soon change. Forces are already at work to position a new Carbon Currency as the ultimate solution to global calls for poverty reduction, population control, environmental control, global warming, energy allocation and blanket distribution of economic wealth. Unfortunately for individual people living in this new system, it will also require authoritarian and centralized control over all aspects of life, from cradle to grave. What is Carbon Currency and how does it work? In a nutshell, Carbon Currency will be based on the regular allocation of available energy to the people of the world. If not used within a period of time, the Currency will expire (like monthly minutes on your cell phone plan) so that the same people can receive a new allocation based on new energy production quotas for the next period. Because the energy supply chain is already dominated by the global elite, setting energy production quotas will limit the amount of Carbon Currency in circulation at any one time. It will also naturally limit manufacturing, food production and people movement. Local currencies could remain in play for a time, but they would eventually wither and be fully replaced by the Carbon Currency, much the same way that the Euro displaced individual European currencies over a period of time. Sounds very modern in concept, doesn’t it? In fact, these ideas date back to the 1930’s when hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens were embracing a new political ideology called Technocracy and the promise it held for a better life. Even now-classic literature was heavily influenced by Technocracy: George Orwell’s 1984, H.G. Well’s The Shape of Things to Come and Huxley’s “scientific dictatorship” in Brave New World. This paper investigates the rebirth of Technocracy and its potential to recast the New World Order into something truly “new” and also totally unexpected by the vast majority of modern critics. Philosophically, Technocracy found it roots in the scientific autocracy of Henri de Saint-Simon (1760-1825) and in the positivism of Auguste Comte (1798- 1857), the father of the social sciences. Positivism elevated science and the scientific method above metaphysical revelation. Technocrats embraced positivism because they believed that social progress was possible only through science and technology. [Schunk, Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective, 5th, 315] The social movement of Technocracy, with its energy-based accounting system, can be traced back to the 1930’s when an obscure group of engineers and scientists offered it as a solution to the Great Depression. The principal scientist behind Technocracy was M. King Hubbert, a young geoscientist who would later (in 1948-1956) invent the now-famous Peak Oil Theory, also known as the Hubbert Peak Theory. Hubbert stated that the discovery of new energy reserves and their production would be outstripped by usage, thereby eventually causing economic and social havoc. Many modern followers of Peak Oil Theory believe that the 2007-2009 global recession was exacerbated in part by record oil prices that reflected validity of the theory. Hubbert received all of his higher education at the University of Chicago, graduating with a PhD in 1937, and later taught geophysics at Columbia University. He was highly acclaimed throughout his career, receiving many honors such as the Rockefeller Public Service Award in 1977. In 1933, Hubbert and Howard Scott formed an organization called Technocracy, Inc. Technocracy is derived from the Greek words “techne” meaning skill and “kratos”, meaning rule. Thus, it is government by skilled engineers, scientists and technicians as opposed to elected officials. It was opposed to all other forms of government, including communism, socialism and fascism, all of which function with a price-based economy. As founders of the organization and political movement called Technocracy, Inc., Hubbert and Scott also co-authored Technocracy Study Course in 1934. This book serves as the “bible” of Technocracy and is the root document to which most all modern technocratic thinking can be traced. Technocracy postulated that only scientists and engineers were capable of running a complex, technology-based society. Because technology, they reasoned, changed the social nature of societies, previous methods of government and economy were made obsolete. They disdained politicians and bureaucrats, who they viewed as incompetent. By utilizing the scientific method and scientific management techniques, Technocrats hoped to squeeze the massive inefficiencies out of running a society, thereby providing more benefits for all members of society while consuming less resources. The other integral part of Technocracy was to implement an economic system based on energy allocation rather than price. They proposed to replace traditional money with Energy Credits. Their keen focus on the efficient use of energy is likely the first hint of a sustained ecological/environmental movement in the United States. Technocracy Study Course stated, for instance, Although it (the earth) is not an isolated system the changes in the configuration of matter on the earth, such as the erosion of soil, the making of mountains, the burning of coal and oil, and the mining of metals are all typical and characteristic examples of irreversible processes, involving in each case an increase of entropy. (Technocracy Study Course, Hubbert & Scott, p. 49) Modern emphasis on curtailing carbon fuel consumption that causes global warming and CO2 emissions is essentially a product of early Technocratic thinking. As scientists, Hubbert and Scott tried to explain (or justify) their arguments in terms of physics and the law of thermodynamics, which is the study of energy conversion between heat and mechanical work. Entropy is a concept within thermodynamics that represents the amount of energy in a system that is no longer available for doing mechanical work. Entropy thus increases as matter and energy in the system degrade toward the ultimate state of inert uniformity. In layman’s terms, entropy means once you use it, you lose it for good. Furthermore, the end state of entropy is “inert uniformity” where nothing takes place. Thus, if man uses up all the available energy and/or destroys the ecology, it cannot be repeated or restored ever again. The Technocrat’s avoidance of social entropy is to increase the efficiency of society by the careful allocation of available energy and measuring subsequent output in order to find a state of “equilibrium,” or balance. Hubbert’s focus on entropy is evidenced by Technocracy, Inc.’s logo, the well-known Yin Yang symbol that depicts balance. To facilitate this equilibrium between man and nature, Technocracy proposed that citizens would receive Energy Certificates in order to operate the economy: “Energy Certificates are issued individually to every adult of the entire population… The record of one’s income and its rate of expenditure is kept by the Distribution Sequence, so that it is a simple matter at any time for the Distribution Sequence to ascertain the state of a given customer’s balance... When making purchases of either goods or services an individual surrenders the Energy Certificates properly identified and signed. “The significance of this, from the point of view of knowledge of what is going on in the social system, and of social control, can best be appreciated when one surveys the whole system in perspective. First, one single organization is manning and operating the whole social mechanism. The same organization not only produces but also distributes all goods and services. “With this information clearing continuously to a central headquarters we have a case exactly analogous to the control panel of a power plant, or the bridge of an ocean liner…” [Technocracy Study Course, Hubbert & Scott,p. 238-239] Two key differences between price-based money and Energy Certificates are that a) money is generic to the holder while Certificates are individually registered to each citizen and b) money persists while Certificates expire. The latter facet would greatly hinder, if not altogether prevent, the accumulation of wealth and property. At the start of WWII, Technocracy’s popularity dwindled as economic prosperity returned, however both the organization and its philosophy survived. Today, there are two principal websites representing Technocracy in North America: Technocracy, Inc., located in Ferndale, Washington, is represented at www.technocracy.org. A sister organization in Vancouver, British Columbia is Technocracy Vancouver, can be found at While Technocracy’s original focus was exclusively on the North American continent, it is now growing rapidly in Europe and other industrialized nations. For instance, the Network of European Technocrats was formed in 2005 as “ an autonomous research and social movement that aims to explore and develop both the theory and design of technocracy.” The NET website claims to have members around the world. Of course, a few minor league organizations and their websites cannot hope to create or implement a global energy policy, but it’s not because the ideas aren’t still alive and well. A more likely influence on modern thinking is due to Hubbert’s Peak Oil Theory introduced in 1954. It has figured prominently in the ecological/environmental movement. In fact, the entire global warming movement indirectly sits on top of the Hubbert Peak Theory. As the Canadian Association for the Club of Rome recently stated, “The issue of peak oil impinges directly on the climate change question.” (see John H. Walsh, “ The Impending Twin Crisis – One Set of Solutions?, p.5.) The Modern Proposal Because of the connection between the environmental movement, global warming and the Technocratic concept of Energy Certificates, one would expect that a Carbon Currency would be suggested from that particular community, and in fact, this is the case. In 1995, Judith Hanna wrote in New Scientist, “ Toward a single carbon currency”, “ My proposal is to set a global quota for fossil fuel combustion every year, and to share it equally between all the adults in the world.” In 2004, the prestigious Harvard International Review published “ A New Currency” and stated, “For those keen to slow global warming, the most effective actions are in the creation of strong national carbon currencies… For scholars and policymakers, the key task is to mine history for guides that are more useful. Global warming is considered an environmental issue, but its best solutions are not to be found in the canon of environmental law. Carbon’s ubiquity in the world economy demands that cost be a consideration in any regime to limit emissions. Indeed, emissions trading has been anointed king because it is the most responsive to cost. And since trading emissions for carbon is more akin to trading currency than eliminating a pollutant, policymakers should be looking at trade and finance with an eye to how carbon markets should be governed. We must anticipate the policy challenges that will arise as this bottom-up system emerges, including the governance of seams between each of the nascent trading systems, liability rules for bogus permits, and judicial cooperation. [Emphasis added] HIR concludes that “after seven years of spinning wheels and wrong analogies, the international regime to control carbon is headed, albeit tentatively, down a productive path.” In 2006, UK Environment Secretary David Miliband spoke to the Audit Commission Annual Lecture and flatly stated, "Imagine a country where carbon becomes a new currency. We carry bankcards that store both pounds and carbon points. When we buy electricity, gas and fuel, we use our carbon points, as well as pounds. To help reduce carbon emissions, the Government would set limits on the amount of carbon that could be used." [Emphasis added] In 2007, New York Times published “ When Carbon Is Currency” by Hannah Fairfield. She pointedly stated “ To build a carbon market, its originators must create a currency of carbon credits that participants can trade.” PointCarbon, a leading global consultancy, is partnered with Bank of New York Mellon to assess rapidly growing carbon markets. In 2008 they published “Towards a Common Carbon Currency: Exploring the prospects for integrated global carbon markets.” This report discusses both environmental and economic efficiency in a similar context as originally seen with Hubbert in 1933. Finally, on November 9 2009, the Telegraph (UK) presented an article “ Everyone in Britain could be given a personal ‘carbon allowance.’” “… implementing individual carbon allowances for every person will be the most effective way of meeting the targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It would involve people being issued with a unique number which they would hand over when purchasing products that contribute to their carbon footprint, such as fuel, airline tickets and electricity. Like with a bank account, a statement would be sent out each month to help people keep track of what they are using. If their "carbon account" hits zero, they would have to pay to get more credits”. [Emphasis added] As you can see, these references are hardly minor league in terms of either authorship or content. The undercurrent of early Technocratic thought has finally reached the shore where the waves are lapping at the beach. Technocracy’s Energy Card Prototype In July 1937 an article by Howard Scott in Technocracy Magazine described an Energy Distribution Card in great detail. It declared that using such an instrument as a “means of accounting is a part of Technocracy’s proposed change in the course of how our socioeconomic system can be organized.” Scott further wrote, “The certificate will be issued directly to the individual. It is nontransferable and nonnegotiable; therefore, it cannot be stolen, lost, loaned, borrowed, or given away. It is noncumulative; therefore, it cannot be saved, and it does not accrue or bear interest. It need not be spent but loses its validity after a designated time period.” This may have seemed like science fiction in 1937, but today it is wholly achievable. In 2010 Technocracy, Inc. offers an updated idea of what such an Energy Distribution Card might look like. Their website states, “It is now possible to use a plastic card similar to today’s credit card embedded with a microchip. This chip could contain all the information needed to create an energy distribution card as described in this booklet. Since the same information would be provided in whatever forms best suits the latest technology, however, the concept of an ‘Energy Distribution Card’ is what is explained here.” If you study the card above, you will also note that is serves as a universal identity card and contains a microchip. This reflects Technocracy’s philosophy that each person in society must be meticulously monitored and accounted for in order to track what they consume in terms of energy, and also what they contribute to the manufacturing process. Carbon Market Players The modern system of carbon credits was an invention of the Kyoto Protocol and started to gain momentum in 2002 with the establishment of the first domestic economy-wide trading scheme in the U.K. After becoming international law in 2005, the trading market is now predicted to reach $3 trillion by 2020 or earlier. Graciela Chichilnisky, director of the Columbia Consortium for Risk Management and a designer of the carbon credit text of the Kyoto Protocol, states that the carbon market “is therefore all about cash and trading – but it is also a way to a profitable and greener future.” (See Who Needs a Carbon Market?) Who are the “traders” that provide the open door to all this profit? Currently leading the pack are JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Bloomberg noted in Carbon Capitalists on December 4, 2009 that “The banks are preparing to do with carbon what they’ve done before: design and market derivatives contracts that will help client companies hedge their price risk over the long term. They’re also ready to sell carbon-related financial products to outside investors.” At JP Morgan, the woman who originally invented Credit Default Swaps, Blythe Masters, is now head of the department that will trade carbon credits for the bank. Considering the sheer force of global banking giants behind carbon trading, it’s no wonder analysts are already predicting that the carbon market will soon dwarf all other commodities trading. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Where there is talk, there is action. If M. King Hubbert and other early architects of Technocracy were alive today, they would be very pleased to see the seeds of their ideas on energy allocation grow to bear fruit on such a large scale. In 1933, the technology didn’t exist to implement a system of Energy Certificates. However, with today’s ever-advancing computer technology, the entire world could easily be managed on a single computer. This article intended to show that - Carbon Currency is not a new idea, but has deep roots in Technocracy - Carbon Currency has grown from a continental proposal to a global proposal - It has been consistently discussed over a long period of time - The participants include many prominent global leaders, banks and think-tanks - The context of these discussions have been very consistent - Today’s goals for implementing Carbon Currency are virtually identical to Technocracy’s original Energy Certificates goals. Of course, a currency is merely a means to an end. Whoever controls the currency also controls the economy and the political structure that goes with it. Inquiry into what such a system might look like will be a future topic. Technocracy and energy-based accounting are not idle or theoretical issues. If the global elite intends for Carbon Currency to supplant national currencies, then the world economic and political systems will also be fundamentally changed forever. What Technocracy could not achieve during the Great Depression appears to have finally found traction in the Great Recession. Bibliography & Resources Scott & Hubbert, Technocracy Study Course, Technocracy, Inc., 1934 , Toward a single carbon currency, New Scientist, 1995 Victor & House , A New Currency, Harvard International Review, Summer 2004 When Carbon Is Currency, New York Times, May 6, 2007 M. King Hubbert & The Technocracy Technate Design – Historical blog Everyone in Britain could be given a personal ‘carbon allowance’, Telegraph (UK) Network of European Technocrats – website for Europe Technocracy, Inc. – website for U.S. Technocracy Vancouver – website for Canada Association for the study of Peak Oil & Gas – website for Peak Oil Please add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites... Patrick M. Wood is the editor of The August Review, which is an exclusive Internet-based publication and focuses on the Trilateral Commission, its members and activities. Patrick can be reached at:

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/19380

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Two American missionary workers infected with the deadly Ebola virus were given an experimental drug that seems to have saved their lives. Dr. Kent Brantly was given the medication, ZMapp, shortly after telling his doctors he thought he would die, according to a source familiar with his case. Within an hour, doctors say his symptoms — labored breathing and a widespread rash — dramatically improved. Nancy Writebol, another missionary working with Samaritan’s Purse, received two doses of the medication and has also shown significant improvement, sources say. As there is no proven treatment and no vaccine for Ebola, this experimental drug is raising lots of questions. 1. Who makes the drug? The drug was developed by the biotech firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., which is based in San Diego. The company was founded in 2003 “to develop novel pharmaceuticals for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, focusing on unmet needs in global health and biodefense,” according to its website. Mapp Biopharmaceutical has been working with the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, an arm of the military responsible for countering weapons of mass destruction, to develop an Ebola treatment for several years. 2. Are there other experimental Ebola drugs out there? Yes. In March, the NIH awarded a five-year, $28 million grant to establish a collaboration between researchers from 15 institutions who were working to fight Ebola. “A whole menu of antibodies have been identified as potentially therapeutic, and researchers are eager to figure out which combinations are most effective and why,” a news release about the grant said. Tekmira, a Vancouver-based company that has a $140 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop an Ebola drug, began Phase 1 trials with its drug in January. But the FDA recently halted the trial, asking for more information. At least one potential Ebola vaccine has been tested in healthy human volunteers, according to Thomas Geisbert, a leading researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch. And last week, the NIH announced a safety trial of another Ebola vaccine will start as early as September. 3. How does ZMapp work? Antibodies are proteins used by the immune system to mark and destroy foreign, or harmful, cells. A monoclonal antibody is similar, except it’s engineered in a lab so it will attach to specific parts of a dangerous cell, according to the Mayo Clinic, mimicking your immune system’s natural response. Monoclonal antibodies are used to treat many different types of conditions. The medicine given to Brantly and Writebol abroad was a three-mouse monoclonal antibody, meaning that mice were exposed to fragments of the Ebola virus and then the antibodies generated within the mice’s blood were harvested to create the medicine. However, the drug can also be produced with proteins made from tobacco plants. ZMapp manufacturer Kentucky BioProcessing in Owensboro has been working with Samaritan’s Purse and Emory University Hospital to provide limited quantities of the drug to Emory, according to company spokesman David Howard. 4. Why did American missionary workers get the drug? Many have asked why these two workers received the experimental drug when so many — around 1,600 — others in West Africa also have the virus. The World Health Organization says it was not involved in the decision to treat Brantly and Writebol. Both patients had to give consent to receive the drug, knowing it had never been tested in humans before. The process by which the medication was made available to the American patients may have fallen under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “compassionate use” regulation, which allows access to investigational drugs outside clinical trials. 5. Did doctors know it would work? No. The drug had shown promise in primates, but even in those experiments, just eight monkeys received the treatment. In any case, the human immune system can react differently than primates’, which is why drugs are required to undergo human clinical trials before being approved by government agencies for widespread use. The two Americans’ cases will be studied further to determine how the drug worked with their immune systems. 6. Will the drug be made available to other Ebola patients? It’s unclear. Rolling out an untested drug during a massive outbreak would be very difficult, Doctors Without Borders said in a statement. Experimental drugs typically not mass-produced, and tracking the success of such a drug if used would require extra medical staff where resources are already scarce. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says scientists have to be careful about assuming this drug will work in other patients as it appears to have worked in Brantly. “Having worked with administering antibodies for people for a really long time, that would be distinctly unusual,” he told CNN. “As we all know in medicine … you have to withhold judgment.” 7. Does the company have more vials of the drug? The company has very few doses ready for patient use, Fauci told CNN. “(Kentucky BioProcessing) is working closely with Mapp, various government agencies, and other parties to increase production of ZMapp, but this process will take several months,” Howard said. 8. Who paid for the drug and how much did it cost? We don’t know. Samaritan’s Purse covered the cost of Brantly and Writebol’s evacuations but did not pay for the drug, according to a spokesman. When a patient gets an experimental drug, the drug company can donate the product under compassionate use. Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. might have done that in this case. Health insurance companies typically do not pick up the tab for treatments that have not been approved by the FDA. But they usually would cover the cost of any doctor fees associated with giving the drug and any costs associated with monitoring how the drug is working. 9. Would this drug stop the Ebola epidemic? If it were widely available, it certainly couldn’t hurt. An effective Ebola drug could help doctors treat the deadly virus, which is killing about 60% of the people infected in West Africa. But a vaccine would be a much more effective tool in stopping this, and future, epidemics. Vaccines are given to healthy people to prevent them from ever becoming infected. One challenge with Ebola, experts say, is that companies don’t believe they could make much money from developing a vaccine, so few companies show interest. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/nine-questions-new-ebola-drug/

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The present foreign loans are working against Africa. If we were crawling from the past four centuries with African technology, we would be better than where we are today. The point of the Acceptance Commission is transparency and the economic benefit of loans rather than personal favors to negotiators. Those that are competent and skillful in managing financial transactions must not be influenced by kickbacks but subjected to viability of projects. Africans are honest, dedicated and modest when placed in intercontinental and Trans-African positions outside their own country. It may be hard to believe that if some of the same folks are placed in responsible positions at home, they become looters. It boils down to the fact that they realize they are being watched and would lose prestigious positions if caught with their hands in the cookie jar in a different (sometimes hostile) environment. Indeed, those Africans that were suspected of wrongdoing and watched for any misstep came out clean after a probe. Koffi Annan as UN Secretary General and Akinwumi Adesina as the President of African Development Bank were exonerated of suspicious activities. So it is a relief that Africa has produced men and women of impeccable characters for inter-country and international offices in health, law and business. The crooks among Africans have not lived up to or been denied reputable positions outside their home countries. One of Kwame Nkrumah's ideas was a unified African voice to reject the disadvantageous divide and unfair trade tactics of the outside world. It was Cocoa that Nkrumah tried to use in order to break price dictation by Western consumers; not only by cooperation of African countries but world cocoa producers. They capitulated and let short term pain of the Cocoa Embargo cloud their long term gain to the disappointment of Nkrumah. Though the Cocoa Embargo failed earlier, the 1972 Arab Oil Embargo worked later and turned oil producers into rich countries on the long run; except African countries that wasted the Oil Embargo windfall profit on individual personal aggrandizement. One country actually used the oil income to buy the worst abject poverty in the world. Unified action against exploitation of resources and manpower does not mean surrender of sovereignty. If there is anything to learn from Africa's failure to implement development, take care of their people with earned income from natural resources; it is the misuse of foreign loans. African countries so far send their skilled personnel to intercontinental and African Union. There are also international bodies that evaluate the efficacy of international loans, assistance and aids. There is no reason we cannot have the same bodies in Africa Union, even as a transparent advisory body to expose the realities, conditions and terms of each of these loans. There is a general fact that Africa is still hemorrhaging resources and income. The solutions for blocking most avenues of loss must come from different angles. Some of those abetting and encouraging the bleeding will present themselves as problem solvers are looking for loopholes to sabotage the system. Otherwise, these problems could have been solved years ago. If anything, Africa has been getting poorer and financial problems getting worse. Some have given up claiming crooked Africans are deft in exploring loopholes. While it is true that some lenders forgave some debts of the poorest African countries recently, the relatively wealthy countries with attractive natural resources were left out since they have the means to pay back. Though most of them cannot demonstrate the initial projects the loans were used for. This is facetious because lenders have other interests when African countries default. See Easier To Capture With Loans Than Guns. While Presidents have claimed they are using these loans for projects that will pay for itself expeditiously, we are aware that some Asian countries and China specifically have taken over projects in East Africa in lieu of payments like the repossession of family house or car. This is not only embarrassing, it spells the takeover of African land gradually by outside forces that will use it for their self interest. The benefits of loans are the same for families, countries and businesses. Generally, we use loans on projects that appreciate in value to benefit us. A family uses a loan to get a car and buy a house. The car enables you to get to work and make money to feed and house the members. A country can obtain loans for infrastructure that enable citizens to be more productive generating income that can be used to pay back. The same is true of businesses that rely on "other people's money" to generate income, expand to meet demands, employ workers and pay back. African leaders know this. Savings should be used for personal vanities not loans. African countries put their population in jeopardy when they use loans for vanities and pay inflated salaries to live like those they borrow from without comparable productivity or GDP. The way these loans are piling up on African countries, lenders that dictate the terms of repayment will become the major players in Africa's economic future the same way they did during Slave Trade. It is not different from the ways loans are personalized for individuals. Even the loan forgiveness does not come with nothing in return. How well are returned African loots laundered abroad utilized? We have cases of African looted funds that have been returned to home countries, only to be re-looted by those waiting to collect. Those handing back stolen funds to the Government after taking out high legal and administrative fees know that they would be re-looted. Foreign loan has become the Trojan horse in African countries. Most of these loans are Odious Loans since the lenders and the Africans enter into negotiations in bad faith knowing full well that the debtors have no intention or means of paying back. When our African leaders are invited to European, Asian or America Regional Economic Summit; they go cap in hand begging for debt relief. Imagine the face of lenders when looters beg for relief of stolen funds! Health Insurance: Testimonies Trail Free Medical And Surgica Visit Markets On The Street To Properly Understand Nigerians Nafdac Seizes Fake Cosmetics Products Worth ₦37 Million In A Release Nnamdi Kanu To Celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day— Iran Fires Over 200 Ballistic Missiles At Israel Emirates Airline Resumes Flight Operations To Nigeria Usaid State2state Wants Dialogue In Building Resilient Team Analysing Verydarman's Defence To His Alleged Defamation Of No Matter How Powerful You're, We'll Not Surrender To Barefa At 64 Years, Nigeria Stands Out As Nation In Decline— Peter All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. 2005-2024, © Copyright thenigerianvoice.com

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/298862/african-union-needs-foreign-loan-acceptance-commission.html

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- Doctors working in South Africa's state clinics and hospitals are underpaid, says the South African Medical Association. - Yet these medical workers earn up to three times more a month than what some make in a year in other middle-income countries in Africa such as Kenya and Nigeria. - On Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated just over R15 billion to the health department to help them deal with their staff crisis in government health facilities. - But will the salary scales derail their efforts? Unemployed doctors aren't the health department's only vice; those who do work in state clinics and hospitals are heavily underpaid, says the South African Medical Association (SAMA). Medical interns are medical students who have completed their degrees but still have to complete two practical years in a government health facility under the supervision of staff who work at a state hospital. This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter.

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/sa-doctors-make-up-to-40-times-more-than-those-in-kenya-and-nigeria-20240223#:~:text=In%20other%20words%2C%20South%20African

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Hepatitis B more infectious than HIV – Expert Dr Bello Kumo, a consultant Gastroenterologist with Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, says Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is more infectious than HIV. Kumo stated this in a paper entitled “Face to Face with Hepatitis B: Cost and Burden”, presented at a public lecture organised by Kashim Ibrahim Fellows (KIF) in Kaduna on Thursday. The consultant, who expressed concern that not many people have knowledge about the disease, added that multitude of patients were not identified early enough and managed. He explained that the virus could be transmitted through contact with blood and body fluid, adding that it could infect nearly everyone that came into contact with anyone suffering from it through sharp objects and open wounds. According to him, there is no known cure for chronic HBV, stressing that prevention remains the best option. He added that “but to prevent, people must first know their status so that if they are negative, they can be vaccinated, which gives up to 95 per cent prevention. “And those who tested positive can begin treatment and managing the virus to avoid its spread.” Dr Muhammad Saleh, a medical doctor, described HBV as a silent killer, stressing the need for massive awareness campaign. Saleh said in his lecture on “Hepatitis B: Finding the Missing Millions”, that not much would be achieved if infected persons were not located and placed on treatment. He noted that “HBV has been silently ravaging the country’s population. There is need for prevention through awareness, community sensitisation and scaling-up of screening services.” Gov Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State commended KIF for organising the lecture, saying that the efforts would give people living with HBV a voice and raise the needed awareness on prevention. El-Rufa’i, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, said HBV had been neglected for long, overlooked by governments and misunderstood by the public. He said “I commend KIF for supporting our government to draw attention to the scourge of the virus and ways to treat, manage and prevent its spread. “Each activity we undertook takes us a step further toward eliminating the virus in our communities and raising awareness is a crucial window to treatment, management and prevention. “Active collaboration is central toward eliminating HBV, as such, we all have a part to play and dedicating a whole week to create awareness and draw attention of stakeholders is truly a great step.” The governor explained that the one-year KIF programme was initiated by Kaduna State Government to improve the capacity of young people and build a new crop of leaders for efficient public service in the country. He said his administration would continue to provide opportunities for the youth to excel through people-oriented policies and programmes. One of the KFI fellow, Michael Medubi, explained that the public lecture was part of a five-day KIF community service to educate and sensitise people on HBV. Medubi said that the fellow had on Monday sensitised, counselled and provided testing services to students and staff of Kaduna Polytechnic and on Tuesday, trained 120 hairdressers and barbers on best practices. “On Wednesday, the foundation sensitised people at Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Central Market, Kaduna, on ways to prevent infection.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/hepatitis-b-more-infectious-than-hiv-expert/

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Drugs used to illustrate the story *Shortage of ARVs, late detection fuelling situation *900,000 out of 3.5m HIV+ Nigerians on treatment *Experts call for strict adherence to medication By Sola Ogundipe, Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale As the world is battling the growing concerns about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), leading to failure of treatment of major bacterial diseases, calls for collective response to check the development through collective action have been making the rounds to ensure effective prevention and treatment of infections. However, a new concern has emerged with the World Health Organisation, WHO, alerting about the emergence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, drug resistance (HIVDR), which is a critical aspect of the broader global response to antimicrobial resistance. In simple terms, drugs for HIV treatment are failing and the development is causing anxiety not just in Nigeria or other countries with high burden of HIV/AIDS, but all over the world. Of the 36.7 million people living with HIV worldwide, 19.5 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2016. The majority of these people are doing well, with treatment proving highly effective in suppressing the HIV virus. But a growing number of people are experiencing the consequences of drug resistance. WHO is issuing new guidelines to help countries address HIV drug resistance. The body recommends that countries monitor the quality of their treatment programmes and take action as soon as treatment failure is detected. According to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, an estimated 900,000 Nigerians living with HIV are currently on treatment while about 2.3 million others are not on any form of treatment, Health experts have raised alarm over the growing incidence of resistance to anti-retroviral drugs in the country. They argue that the situation is potentially dangerous if nothing is done to check the trend, explaining that HIV is unforgiving when people living with the virus fail to adhere to their drug regimen. According to WHO, increasing HIV drug resistance trends could lead to more infections and deaths. A mathematical modelling shows an additional 135,000 deaths and 105,000 new infections could follow in the next five years if no action is taken, while HIV treatment costs could increase by an additional $650 million during the period. Just last week, WHO published a list of 11 countries in the latest HIVDR survey but even though Nigeria was not mentioned, there is clear evidence that HIV drug resistance is widespread in the country. Unknown numbers of Nigerians living with HIV are already showing signs of resistance to the antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. In the latest WHO publication tagged:“HIV Drug Resistance Report 2017”, the increasing trend of resistance to HIV drugs detailed in the report based on national surveys conducted in several countries showed that growing threat could undermine global progress in treating and preventing HIV infection if early and effective action is not taken. WHO in the report co-authored by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, found that in six of the 11 countries surveyed in Africa, Asia and Latin America, over 10 percent of people starting antiretroviral therapy had a strain of HIV that was resistant to some of the most widely used HIV medicines. According to WHO, once the threshold of 10 per cent has been reached, countries affected must urgently review their HIV treatment programmes. Why HIV resistance occurs WHO says HIV drug resistance develops when people do not adhere to a prescribed treatment plan, often because they do not have consistent access to quality HIV treatment and care. “Individuals with HIV drug resistance will start to fail therapy and may also transmit drug-resistant viruses to others. The level of HIV in their blood will increase, unless they change to a different treatment regimen, which could be more expensive – and, in many countries, still hard to obtain.” A report by the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Programme of the Federal Ministry of Health, NASCP, shows that Nigeria currently ranks the 2nd largest HIV epidemic in the world (3.4 million). Nigeria also has the largest number of paediatric HIV cases in the world and there are 1.7 million HIV positive women and 380,000 children under15 years in the country. Further, Good Health Weekly gathered that HIV transmission may have become a localised epidemic in many states across the country. According to the NASCP, no less than 18 of the 36 states of the Federation have HIV positivity rates higher than the national average of 3.4 per cent. Current findings show that while Nigeria has advanced in HIV prevention and elimination, it is not on track in ensuring that all affected are on treatment. Drug resistance in Nigeria A recent, shortage of ARVs allegedly caused by difficulties being encountered by Global Fund in the management of its resources in Nigeria, aggravated crisis in the HIV drug resistance problem. Responding to the development, the Chief Research Fellow and Head of the TB Laboratory Unit at the Nigeria Institute of Medical research, NIMR, Lagos, Dr. Dan Onwujekwe, confirmed that Nigeria is also experiencing HIV drug resistance. “As a country, we have all the conditions quoted for HIV just the same way we have for Tuberculosis. We have a treatment programme and there was a time we experienced drug shortage and some people were not on treatment in most parts of the country for about three months. “That kind of situation is disastrous because it gives room for drug resistant strains. So there has been a burden of drug resistance in the country and NIMR has done studies on this. Compliance is key: “Nigeria also has challenges of drug resistance but the strategy has been designed to accommodate drug resistance and make sure that we have some drugs that will work for those that are already developing resistance.” Further, Onwujekwe explained that there are ARV drugs mapped out by the Federal government and approved for use. “All we need to do is to procure them and make them available for use. The key thing is compliance with treatment. “Treatment is key to ensuring that our drugs work for long, even though government is strengthening the implementation programme so that people on drugs comply because the people on treatment need to understand that HIV is an unforgiving disease. “If you are on treatment you must stick to your drugs because it is not only about getting it, you must take them as at when due so that issue of resistance will reduce.” On the 3rd line drugs, Onwujekwe said the drugs have been approved and NACA is ensuring their procurement. “Another encouraging development is the “Test and Treat (TT), and in doing that we must ensure that people on treatment do not fail. We have people who have being on 3rd line treatment for 15 years and they comply with it. Optimisation of 1st line drugs: “The country has prepared in such a way that you don’t give patients any drug you see. We need to optimise the 1st line drugs and if failure steps in then we will optimise 2nd line drugs by the time somebody makes use of the 1st and 2nd lines, we are talking about 30 years and the person will live a normal life span. So if we continue the way we are going we would be able to minimise drug resistance to HIV. A professor of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Suleiman Akanmu, decries the fact that only 900,000 persons living with HIV in the country are currently on a treatment programme as against the estimated 3.2 million persons nationwide. Akanmu, who is also the Chairman, National Task Team on Antiretroviral Therapy, ART, in Nigeria, who spoke during a joint stakeholders’ summit with the theme: “Drug Resistance Monitoring, Early Infant Diagnosis and Viral Load” organised by the WHO, blamed the development on the inability to carry out routine viral load tests, as well as unavailability of 2nd and 3rd line drugs to treat HIV. “Many of our patients who are on 1st line drugs are failing and they should be put on 2nd line drugs which are not available now. Late detection of failure: “As a country, we are not detecting failure on time. If you have about 900,000 Nigerians on first line drugs, we do not know how many of them have failed the 1st line regimen because we do not routinely carry out viral load tests to show that while on drugs, the virus is still detectable in them. “If we had enough facilities in Nigeria where people can easily do viral load test, then we would be able to detect 1st line failure and be talking about putting them on 2nd line regimen,” he said. Akanmu called for more research and support for laboratories in the country to effectively carry out viral load test and when detected there should be enough drugs to put them on 2nd line regimen. “Research is key, in other parts of the world, before you put a patient on ART, they normally do drug resistance testing to know what type of drug the individual is sensitive to before applying the drugs, but that is not feasible in our situation. “If we are going to prevent viral resistance from evolving, then we must ensure that the virus does not replicate, because the resistance is coming from the ability of the virus to replicate, so we must administer drugs that do not allow the virus to replicate itself.” In the views of WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: the world need to proactively address the rising levels of resistance to HIV drugs in order to achieve the global target of ending AIDS by 2030. The WHO’s Director of HIV Department and Global Hepatitis Programme, Dr Gottfried Hirnschall urged that “we need to ensure that people who start treatment can stay on effective treatment, to prevent the emergence of HIV drug resistance. “When levels of HIV drug resistance become high we recommend that countries shift to an alternative first-line therapy for those who are starting treatment.” A new five-year Global Action Plan calls on all countries and partners to join efforts to prevent, monitor and respond to HIV drug resistance and to protect the ongoing progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Interim Executive Director of the Global Fund, Dr Marijke Wijnroks also commented that “This new report shows a worrying picture of increasing levels of HIV drug resistance and, if unchecked, it will be a major risk to programme impact. “We strongly recommend implementing WHO recommendations for early warning indicators and HIV drug resistance surveys in every national plan for antiretroviral therapy, and to consider funding them through Global Fund grants or reprogramming.” Director of CDC’s Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Shannon Hader, said the new report confirms “we must be forward-thinking in our efforts to combat resistance: scaling up viral load testing, improving the quality of treatment programmes, and transitioning to new drugs like dolutegravir. “Overall high rates of viral suppression across three recent national Population-based HIV Impact Assessments showed that present first-line regimens remain largely effective. However, special attention to populations at risk for higher resistance, such as paediatrics, adolescents, pregnant women and key populations will be critical to target more urgent interventions. We call on the global community for continued vigilance and responsiveness.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/anxiety-alerts-spread-hiv-drug-resistance/

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President Muhammadu Buhari By Olu Fasan Nigeria: WHY do most countries have prime ministers and not executive presidents? Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, only about 46 have a presidential system, where full executive powers are vested in one person. Out of the 50 sovereign states in Europe, 34 are parliamentarian; so are nearly 40 of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth, including the most successful ones, such as Canada, Australia, India and Singapore. So, which one is better for Nigeria: executive president or prime minister? Of course, at independence in 1960, Nigeria practised the parliamentary system until the military terminated it after a coup d’état in 1966. About thirteen years later, when General Olusegun Obasanjo decided to return Nigeria to civil rule, he set up a constitutional drafting committee to fashion a new Constitution for the country. But he so loathed the oppositional politics associated with the parliamentary system that he effectively instructed the “49 Wise Men” tasked with drafting the 1979 Constitution to shun the system. In truth, the committee itself was minded to adopt the presidential system. One of its key reasons was that Nigeria needed a strong and powerful president to bring the country together and act as the symbol of national unity. But that was utterly naïve. You can’t govern a multi-ethnic country with a strongman mentality by vesting excessive powers in one person. That’s why most ethnically-divided countries favour the parliamentary system, which is representative, consultative and collegial. Let’s face it, which president has united this country or really been the symbol of national unity? Instead of authoritarian utopia, where strong leaders bring people happily together, what we’ve had is totalitarian dystopia, where supposedly unifying leaders use excessive military force to suppress ethnic agitations, as with the Odi massacre under President Obasanjo and “Operation python dance” under President Buhari. But that’s what happens where there is a mismatch of power and identity. Where excessive powers are vested in one person at the centre, while identities reside at the sub-national levels, you are bound to have such tensions. Which is why, the parliamentary system, based on its collegiality and distribution of power, is the commonest form of government in multi-ethnic states. In The Republic, Socrates proposed that in the ideal city-state, executive power should rest solely in the hands of a philosopher-ruler. But there are two things to note about Socrates’ proposal. The first is that his ideal city-state was a self-contained and ethnically monochrome society, not a heterogenous multi-ethnic state. The second is that the philosopher-ruler must have a specialised form of knowledge (gnosis); in other words, a captain with adequate knowledge of navigation to steer the ship of state! So, at the risk of belabouring the point, an all-powerful executive president, that sees himself as the embodiment of the national interest, is not suitable for ethnically-polarised nations like Nigeria. Secondly, even if Nigeria were to have a strong executive president, this country has never produced, and is incapable of producing, visionary and competent leaders. Tell me, which Nigerian president can be described as a captain with adequate knowledge to steer this country’s ship-of-state? Why would you vest so much executive power in someone who can’t govern the country well, but is likely to abuse the power? Yet, that’s how the Nigerian Constitution, by implication, prescribes that this country should be governed. Section 5(5) gives that president “executive powers”, which he can exercise either “directly or through the vice president and ministers”. Section 148 reiterates that the President “may, in his discretion”, assign any state responsibility to the vice president or any minister. So, even though under section 148 (2), the president is obliged to form a cabinet, he may, if he wishes, not allow any minister or even the vice president to exercise any executive power. Indeed, last year, President Buhari stripped Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of virtually all the key responsibilities he had during their first term. So, despite his relative youth, intellect and energy, Osinbajo functions almost entirely at the behest of the president and the cabal around him. The ideal constitutional arrangement is for President Buhari to be the ceremonial head of state, which suits his well, while Osinbajo is the prime minister and head of government. With that arrangement, Buhari can make the overseas trips, which he seems to enjoy, and be as laid-back as he wants, while Osinbajo, as prime minister, gets on with running the government, as he did effectively on the two occasions President Buhari was on long medical vacations. At the moment, even though the president is at home, no one seems to be running the country. The situation in Nigeria is adrift, confused, chaotic. A mess! So, let’s face it, an executive presidency is not good for this country. Academics talk about the “perils of presidentialism” in terms of political gridlock due to competing claims for legitimacy by the president and the legislature. That’s true. But the biggest problems are the tendency towards authoritarianism and the lack of accountability or effective checks and balances. I mean, who can really hold President Buhari to account? A few years ago, even a minister refused to appear before a committee of the National Assembly, saying that she was only answerable to the president! That’s unthinkable in a parliamentary system. In their empirical study, based on data from 119 countries across the period 1950 to 2015, economists Gulcin Ozkan and Richard McManns found that parliamentary systems’ consistency feature higher scores of democracy, more extensive media freedoms, a stronger rule of law and better economic performance. What’s more, according to the IMF, parliamentarism is less prone to corruption and, of course, less expensive than presidentialism! The parliamentary system is a better route to political stability, government effectiveness and economic progress for this country than the current flawed system. Which is why part of restructuring Nigeria must include returning it to the parliamentary system. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/nigeria-needs-a-collegial-prime-minister-not-a-buccaneering-president/

Politics

en

The first Harvard diploma in English instead of Latin appeared in 1961. When word of the abandonment of Latin came through in April, it touched off riots. Thousands of chanting students, inflamed by a toga-clad rabble-rouser on the steps of Widener Library, marched on the president's house (then in the Yard) before filling Harvard Square. Their mood was said to be jovial, the police dispensed tear gas in a fatherly way, and the rebellion came to naught. The diploma itself, the printed document, failed to stir the blood. It was said by the discerning Philip Hofer, founder and longtime curator of the department of printing and graphic arts at Houghton Library, to look "like the luncheon menu at the Harvard Faculty Club." The next year, a two-color, larger-format, more-suitable-for-framing diploma (with text still in English) replaced the menu. This design remains in use today and has been rendered by three successive printing technologies--letterpress, offset, and now a digital process using the Xerox Docutech system. The diploma adopted in 1903 (see page 70) was also a dog, but a persistent one, lasting until 1935. Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison disliked its design and headed the committee that replaced it. "The cursive writing is mechanical, tightly spaced and practically illegible," writes J.F. Coakley '68. "The flabby blackletter is not much better. The dotted line for the President's signature is unsightly, and also spurious since President Eliot's actual signature had given way to a printed facsimile in about 1897." The diploma "has a mean and cramped look." Coakley is the author of The Harvard B.A. Degree Diploma, 1813-2000, which he printed (superbly) last summer on his hand-cranked Vandercook proofing press, model 4, at his Jericho Press in Oxford, England, in Monotype Octavian and Ehrhardt on Zerkall mould-made paper in an edition of 50 copies. (The book is published by the Harvard College Library and may be had for $300 a copy by application to Monique Duhaime at Houghton.) The short-lived 1961 diploma. | In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, if a graduate of Harvard College wanted a diploma, he paid a local engrosser to write it out, in words specified by the Corporation, and then took it to the president, with a fee, to have it signed and sealed. The first printed diploma, from an engraved plate, dates to 1813. "From that beginning until now, there have been just six different designs of the B.A. degree diploma," writes Coakley. "These are the subject of the present book--the first book, to my knowledge, on the subject of a college diploma--and they make a concise study, not only in Harvardian rhetoric but also in the history of typographical taste and the progress of printing technology." (Coakley argues in a footnote that "official Harvard style says 'A.B.' instead of 'B.A.', but for no obvious reason. ") His book is cased along with specimens of the six diplomas, some freshly printed from old plates and all but one at its original size. Coakley earned his own Harvard diploma as a mathematics concentrator. He won a Marshall Scholarship, but deferred it to enlist in the army's 82nd Airborne Division, and actually jumped from a few airplanes. After that, he went off to Trinity College, Cambridge, switched course to read theology, did a second B.A., stayed for a Ph.D., met his wife-to-be at a party given by their professor (the radical theologian Bishop John A.T. Robinson), married, and settled. In 1993 he was living in Oxford, teaching New Testament studies at Lancaster University, when his wife, Sarah, was offered a professorship at Harvard Divinity School. Over they came, retaining their house in England, and "Chip," as he is called, became a senior lecturer on Near Eastern languages and civilizations and a cataloger in the manuscript department of Houghton. The diploma of 1903. | Coakley wrote and printed an earlier volume of Harvard history, Veritas Imprimata: The Typography of Harvard Arms (see "Variations on a Theme," March-April 1996, page 64), reproducing 63 versions of the University's shield. To learn what else has issued from the Jericho Press, visit www.fas.harvard.edu/~coakley/jericho.htm. Many of his publications employ Syriac and other exotic types. He likes to print something, of not too many pages, every summer. He's cranking out about 80 collects from the first English prayerbook of 1549 right now.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2001/07/the-ba-diploma-from-a-to.html

Politics

en

BERLIN (AFP) – An unexploded World War II bomb has been unearthed near Berlin’s main train station, risking possible disruptions to rail and road traffic, authorities said Wednesday “The bomb was found yesterday afternoon on property belonging to the rail company,” a police spokesman told AFP, adding that the 100-kilogramme (220-pound) explosive was dropped by the Allies during the Second World War. The site lies about 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) north of the main train station and the spokesman said police were still determining how to re-route road traffic around the area. A spokesman for the rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, said it was deliberating whether to re-direct trains while authorities defuse the bomb or destroy it in a controlled explosion. More than six decades after the war, authorities believe there are still some 3,000 bombs buried beneath Berlin alone, and unexploded devices are regularly discovered in construction work. In June 2010, a 500-kilo Allied bomb, thought to be British, exploded and killed three German sappers, and seriously injured two others in the central city of Goettingen as they prepared to defuse it. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/wwii-bomb-found-near-berlins-main-train-station/

Politics

en

By Funmi Olasupo Despite water being consistently cited as a top priority for poor communities and the fact that sanitation brings the greatest return on investment of any development intervention, rural communities have been overlooked in the global development agenda. Targets set for maternal and child health, primary education, gender equality and economic growth are all in some way dependant on people gaining access to the most basics of human needs: safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation. These issues will become ever more pertinent as the world’s population continues to grow, as cities and rural communities expand and there is increasing stress on global water resources. This, together with the impact of climate change, means there is an increasingly urgent need to tackle the sanitation and water crisis facing the poor and the less privileged in Nigerian. Such was the case with Taran and Gaukaka-Lasauya communities of Bauchi State when Sunday Vanguard visited the two communities in the eastern and northern parts of the state. The visit was at the instance of the leadership of WaterAid Nigeria, a civil society organisation, CSO,with a mission to transform lives by improving access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. In these rural communities were men, pregnant women, youth and children whose appearance evoked sympathy. Investigations revealed that in Taran community, there was only one source of water for the villagers and animals to drink. For the villagers, it is a way of staying alive; it didn’t matter if water borne diseases become their way of life. “We drink water from the same source with our goats. When we get to the stream to fetch water and discover that goats have come ahead of us to drink, what we do is to fetch the surface that we believe the mouths of the goats touched and pour it away, then proceed to fetch our own,” said Rahal Bitrus, one of the women in Taran. “We don’t have any other source of water. We just reduce the surface and fetch our drinking water even though we know there are consequences, but we are left with no option. “The water sometimes gives us and our children diarrhea and typhoid fever and very painful urine, but we still go ahead and drink it to stay alive. “We trek about nine kilometers to get to the river to fetch the water we are talking about, and, of course, it is affecting our lives, economy and even our children’s education. “This lack of water affects our economy in the sense that we have to look for water before going to the market and, by the time you go and come back, on getting to the market, some transactions would have been made which you must have missed and sometimes we end up not going to the market because we must have been late and prospective customers gone home.” In the case of Gaukaka-Lasauya community, in an interview, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, community Chairman, Safianu Idris said the lack of water had been a serious challenge. He said, “This lack of water has been a serious challenge to us and our children”. Investigations revealed that no single child in the community of about 1,700 dwellers goes to school. The closest school to the community is about six kilometers away. Asked about government’s involvement in the provision of water, road, school and health center, Idris said the local and state governments had never done anything to assist the community. “We have taken our plight to our local government several times, but there has been no response. The officials have refused to give us water not to talk of road, school or health center.” To the communities, before the intervention of WaterAid Nigeria, life was like living in hell. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/we-drink-water-with-goats-from-same-source-bauchi-villagers/

Politics

en

…Yam tubers and yam plantation By Jimoh Babatunde with agency reports Researchers at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have come up with soilless yam propagation as they have successfully grown seed yams in the air using aeroponics technology. The fete is raising hopes and more options for the propagation of virus- and disease-free planting materials. In preliminary trials, Dr Norbert Maroya, Project Manager for the Yam Improvement for Incomes and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) project at IITA, together with a team of scientists successfully propagated yam by directly planting vine cuttings in Aeroponics System (AS) boxes to produce mini-tubers in the air. Aeroponics System is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. The technology is widely used by commercial potato seed producers in eastern Africa – like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Southern Africa like Mozambique, Malawi – but successfully growing yam on aeroponics is a novelty for rapidly multiplying the much needed clean seed yam tubers in large quantities. “With this approach we are optimistic that farmers will begin to have clean seed yams for better harvest,” Dr Maroya said Preliminary results showed that vine rooting in Aeroponics System had at least 95% success rate compared to vine rooting in carbonized rice husk with a maximum rate of 70%. Rooting time was much shorter in aeroponics. Aeroponics is coming at an opportune time for African farmers. Traditionally, seed yam production is expensive and inefficient. Farmers save about 25 to 30% of their harvest for planting the same area in the following season, meaning less money in their pockets. Moreover, these saved seeds are often infested with pathogens that significantly reduce farmers’ yield year after year. However with an established Aeroponics System for seed yam propagation at the premises of an interested private investor, seed company or humanitarian nongovernmental organization; yam producers can have access to clean seed yams. The soilless yam propagation system will increase the productivity of seed and ware yam and effectively reduce diseases and pests incidence and severity (no soilborne or vector-transmitted pests and diseases during the vegetative phase). Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for Western Africa described the results as “impressive.” “Yam is an important crop in Africa and addressing the seeds’ constraint will go a long way in improving the livelihoods of farmers who depend on the crop for their livelihood,” he added. In conducting the aeroponics trial, a special structure was built in an existing screen house with Dixon shelf frames using perforated styrofoam box, as support for plant vines, while the developing roots of the plants in the air were enclosed in conditions of total darkness to simulate the situation of soil to the roots. For the plant and tuber to develop, an automated power house system was established for atomizing periodically nutrient enriched water solution in the form of mist to feed the plants. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/iita-researchers-grow-yam-air/

Food

en

Why Nigerians hate Igbos, by Chinua Achebe The increase was so exponential in such a short time that within three short decades the Igbos had closed the gap and quickly moved ahead as the group with the highest literacy rate, the highest standard of living, and the greatest of citizens with postsecondary educ Nigeria’s foremost novelist Chinua Achebe has claimed that Nigerians,especially of the Hausa/Fulani and the Yoruba stocks, do not like his Igbo ethnic group because of the southeast’s cultural advantage. He made this claim in his new book, There was a Country, which has generated controversy for his onslaught on the role of Obafemi Awolowo as the federal commissioner of finance during the Nigeria civil war. He accused Awolowo of genocide and imposition of food blockade on Biafra, a claim that has drawn rebuttals and contradictions of emotional intensity from some southwest leaders and commentators. “I have written in my small book entitled The Trouble with Nigeria that Nigerians will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo,” he wrote under the heading, A History of Ethnic Tension and Resentment. He traced the origin of “the national resentment of the Igbo” to its culture that “gave the Igbo man an unquestioned advantage over his compatriots in securing credentials for advancement in Nigerian colonial society.” He observed that the Igbo culture’s emphasis on change, individualism and competitiveness gave his ethnic group an edge over the Hausa/Fulani man who was hindered by a “wary religion” and the Yoruba man who was hampered by” traditional hierarchies.” He therefore described the Igbo, who are predominantly Catholic, as “fearing no god or man, was “custom-made to grasp the opportunities, such as they were, of the white man’s dispensations. And the Igbo did so with both hands.” He delved into history with his claim, asserting that the Igbo overcame the earlier Yoruba advantage within two decades earlier in the twentieth century. “Although the Yoruba had a huge historical and geographical head start, the Igbo wiped out their handicap in one fantastic burst of energy in the twenty years between 1930 and 1950.” He narrated the earlier advantage of Yoruba as contingent on their location on the coastline, but once the missionaries crossed the Niger, the Igbo took advantage of the opportunity and overtook the Yoruba. ‘The increase was so exponential in such a short time that within three short decades the Igbos had closed the gap and quickly moved ahead as the group with the highest literacy rate, the highest standard of living, and the greatest of citizens with postsecondary education in Nigeria,” he contended. He said Nigerian leadership should have taken advantage of the gbo talent and this failure was partly responsible for the failure of the Nigerian state, explaining further that competitive individualism and the adventurous spirit of the Igbo was a boon Nigerian leaders failed to recognize and harness for modernization. “Nigeria’s pathetic attempt to crush these idiosyncrasies rather than celebrate them is one of the fundamental reasons the country has not developed as it should and has emerged as a laughingstock,” he claimed. He noted that the ousting of prominent Igbos from top offices was a ploy to achieve a simple and crude goal. He said what the Nigerians wanted was to “get the achievers out and replace them with less qualified individuals from the desired ethnic background so as to gain access to the resources of the state.” Achebe, however, saved some criticisms for his kinsmen. He criticised them for what he described as “hubris, overweening pride and thoughtlessness, which invite envy and hatred or even worse that can obsess the mind with material success and dispose it to all kinds of crude showiness.” He added that “contemporary Igbo behavior(that) cab offend by its noisy exhibitionism and disregard for humility and quietness. ation in Nigeria

http://thenationonlineng.net/why-nigerians-hate-igbos-by-chinua-achebe/

Politics

en

Android, an open source operating system for mobile devices (Smartphone and tablet), led by Google. The Android SDK provides a set of tools and APIs to develop Android applications, using Java. So, if you know Java, Android programming is easy ð In this series of tutorials, we show you the list of basic tutorials to get you start program Android easily. All Android tutorials are developed in Eclipse 3.7, and tested with Android 2.3.3. P.S This is just the initial version of Android tutorials, will keep publishing more in future. 1. Quick Start Get you start in Android programming. - Android hello world example Tools and SDK to develop Android applications. Some Android basic stuffs. - Android activity example Understand Android’s activity, a simple example to navigate from one screen (activity) to another screen (activity). - Android wrap_content and fill_parent example The different between wrap_content and fill_parent to control the component’s width and height. - Attach Android source code to Eclipse IDE Android source code is important to understand how Android works, a guide to attach Android’s source code to Eclipse IDE. 3. User Interface Controls Play with Android UI controls. - Android button example Use “Button” to display a simple button. - Android textbox example Use “EditText” to render an editable textbox component. - Android password example Use “EditText” + inputType=”textPassword” to render a password component. - Android checkbox example Use “CheckBox” to render the checkbox component. - Android radio buttons example Use “RadioButton” and “RadioGroup” to render radio button component in the group. - Android toggle button example Use “ToggleButton” to render a button which has only two states (On and Off). - Android rating bar example Use “RatingBar” to render a rating bar in stars icon. - Android spinner (drop down list) example Use “Spinner” to render a drop down box for selecting items. - Android date picker example Use “DatePicker” and “DatePickerDialog” to render a date picker component. - Android time picker example Use “TimePicker” and “TimePickerDialog” to render a time picker component. - Android analogclock and digitalclock example Use “AnalogClock” and “DigitalClock” to render a clock like component, which supports hours, minutes and seconds. - Android progress bar example Use “ProgressDialog” to display a progress bar in dialog to tell us that your task takes time to finish. - Android alert dialog example How to display an alert box. - Android prompt dialog example Custom AlertDialog example. - Android custom dialog example Custom Dialog example. - Android Toast example Custom Toast view example. - Android ImageView example Use “ImageView” to display an image file. - Android ImageButton example Use “ImageButton” to display a button with a customized background image. - Android ImageButton selector example Use “Button” and “selector” tag to display buttons’ images depend on the button states. Play with Android layout controls. - Android LinearLayout example Most common layouts, arranges components in horizontal or vertical order. - Android RelativeLayout example Most flexible layouts, arranges components based on the “relative” or sibling component. - Android TableLayout example Most flexible layout, arranges components in row and column format, just like HTML table , <tr> and <td>. - Android ListView example Display components in a vertical scrollable list. - Android GridView example Display componenets in a two-dimensional scrolling grid. - Android WebView example Allow you to open an own windows for viewing URL or custom html markup page. Some common asked questions in Android. - How to open an URL in Android’s web browser - How to set default activity for Android application - How to make a phone call in Android - Where to download Samsung Galaxy S2 USB driver? - Android debugging on real device - Android – How to center button on screen - How to turn on/off camera LED/flashlight in Android - Android : how to check if device has camera - How to send SMS message in Android - How to send Email in Android - Android : The connection to adb is down, and a severe error has occurred. Its Really Very Useful For Me.. ok so what we can do,,, Very informative and well formatted useful article. Well done job Mkyong! For beginners I would suggest short guide to develop basic android app easily. Look into ace blog hi sir , in the menu content no hibernate tutorial link .please add that one thank u its vry use full. i want to knw how to store the data in android can u please help Really this is a very useful post for android users. Thanks for sharing these nice informations. Click here for Telegram channels . Really a very good tutor. How can I just append one Audio files to another in android studio i want to join the discussion am still a student but i need some help from you Could you help me to understand how to implement the mvp patter on android applicacion using fragments? hello sir i want to make some animations by clicking button in my layout can u please help me in that Your Tutorial are really very helpful.please help me in following code.how to get Location in Android??Please provide the code sir?? Great tutorials; by far the clearest to follow and easy to grab code snippets. Keep up the good work, much appreciated. thank you very much…..I am [email protected] It is really helpful! The examples posted here are very helpful for my app development.. But i’m really stuck here.. i.e. I have two activities A and B.. which has a radiogroup each.. if i select a combination f,,one from A and one from B , it should direct to the next activity (i.e Activity C ) accordingly….Is there any way u can help me in this..???? Thanks in advance ð you are awesome! i know i m awwsome……. hi im trying to develop android app where i have a launcher activity as main activity with login through google in third screen i’ve register button on register button click i want to open fourth activity as launcher activity but im unable please guide me.I wrote the intent in restart method but when app is killed its going to main activity mat kar pagli itna kaam Still interesting after a couple of years. WOuld be great to update for Android Studio. I would like to dis display list of questions by the user and Answers given by others for the corresponding Questions. On click My Questions it should display the list of Questions.If we click on each question it should display the Answers given by others in Android.Have any body done this earlier.if so,Can you please help me out? To get Android installed, you can follow the instructions mentioned here – SIr I want to wirte a bluetooth application that scan and pair for incoming connection.If paired is complete I want to show message with Toast and change activity.And then,I want to be buletooth serial chatting. To learn about basics of android visit here http://www.j2eebrain.com/android-tutorial Find Hundreds of Libraries, Tools, Plugins and Resources for Android Development from Android-Libs.com Sir, how can i add a multiple paragraph in a text view? I used string.xml. even i uses n , i couldnt add more than some lines. how can i rectify it? Please Update the Android Tutorials with more examples sir please tell me how insert the button into the alert dialog box…. i am very beginner in android. your tutorial is very helpful for me. now, i need some tutorial on database using SQlite. Please give me some tutorial. Hope It Might help you.. Thank u for your tutorials. i need a tutorial on how to call Images in Android app from webservices.

http://www.mkyong.com/tutorials/android-tutorial/

Programming

en

Lotanna Igwe-Odunze wants everyone to write Igbo with freedom. The Latin alphabet, she says, has too many limitations and is a “deep source of frustration for everyone who has ever tried to read or write” Igbo. So she invented Ndebe, a script that pays homage to “the old Nsibidi logographs.” Ndebe is not Nsibidi, she is quick to remind people. “It is completely unrelated,” she told this reporter during a 30-minute Zoom call in July. While the latter was invented more than 1,500 years ago and is generally considered too complex or indecipherable to be used by present-day Igbo people, Ndebe is designed to “overcome the design problems” of a writing system “every Igbo person could use simultaneously.” The Ndebe script is visually striking. It consists of 1,174 characters, each of which represents a particular sound in Igbo. People necessarily don’t have to memorise all the characters to be able to read or write the script because there is a formula, a scientific logic – consciously embedded by Lotanna – to ease the difficulty of assimilation, especially for busy adults. Ndebe solves two important problems of Igbo language literacy. One, it eliminates the confusion that often arises when two Igbo speakers with different dialects try to communicate via the written page. Two, it forces Igbo to be written with the appropriate tones. Ndebe is “a writing system that addresses the tonal peculiarities of Nigerian languages, pleasing to the eye, which might carry the burden of our literary and academic aspirations,” linguist Kola Tubosun wrote recently. Tubosun, whose work with Yoruba won him the Premio Ostana prize in 2016, also sees Ndebe, partly on the basis of its “visual allure”, being “used along with English or other language texts on signposts throughout the country.” “ . . . where I think the script most succeeds is in its opening of a new vista for the revitalization of Igbo as a written language both on the page and on the web, for literacy, and for culture,” he wrote. At some point, early this July, more than 300 people were tweeting about Ndebe. Lotanna had just unveiled the new script on a dedicated website. “This is brilliant,” one person tweeted. “This should be widely adopted.” Others praised Lotanna’s brilliance. “Oyinbos lied to Africans with Western education & we all believed without doing research,” another person wrote. “They said Africans only have oral history and no form of writing. Ethiopians have Geez script and South East Nigeria had Nsibidi which is 4000yrs old, thanks @sugabelly for educating us all.” The excitement was palpable. When Lotanna started working on Ndebe in 2008, she was 19, studying Business Administration at Canisius College, a private Jesuit university in Buffalo, New York. The school had a lot of international students. “I used to hang out with a lot of Japanese students,” she said. Her Japanese communion piqued her interest in the East Asian nation’s culture, enough to begin considering learning Japanese. Lotanna was a linguistic prodigy. As a child, she spoke Igbo and English, learned Yoruba in primary school, Hausa in secondary and taught herself Spanish. But it was Japanese, with its syllabic writing system, that crystallised her frustration with how African languages, especially her native Igbo, were written. “Ever since I first learned to write Igbo in school, I have been infuriated with Samuel Ajayi Crowther,” she blogged in 2009. “The Roman system of writing was obviously never designed to accommodate African languages, but Mr. Crowther nevertheless proceeded to use it to write down all three major Nigerian languages, thereby bringing untold agony and exasperation on all future generations of young Nigerians.” “For the Roman script, the tone marking is a big issue for me, especially because of Yoruba and the way we write,” Tubosun said during a phone interview. “There is also the technology, when we don’t have the tools to write it.” For example, Unicode is famous for incorrectly rendering certain Yoruba vowels. “So maybe if we have some other way of writing that can bypass the obstacles that Unicode presents. It might give us a new way of writing these languages.” Lotanna started to research African writing systems and found out about Nsibidi which originated from the Cross river valley (south-east Nigeria) and consists of inscriptions in sanctuaries and special forms of language used among members of certain secret societies. Precolonial sub-Saharan Africa is largely perceived, by western sources, as without a history of writing systems. But systems such as Nsibidi and Gicandi from the Kikuyu of Kenya, even if arcane, say otherwise. The Ge’ez script has also been in use in Ethiopia since 500 B.C. Since the 1800s, more African scripts – Mende in southern Sierra Leone, Loma in northern Liberia, Bamum in Cameroon – have been devised to perpetuate local lingua. Armed with the knowledge that it was possible to create a writing system unique to Igbo, Lotanna, in 2008, started work. At first, she planned to revive Nsibidi and supplement it with Ndebe. So, Igbo would be written in two scripts. (Japanese is notably written in three) She completed the first iteration of Ndebe during the American winter break of 2008, bleeding into 2009 when she first wrote about the project on her blog. Then she was 20 and wanted to start an “Igbo Academy”. “My goal is for the Igbo Academy to expand Igbo vastly by developing additions and modifications to the Igbo language that will greatly encourage its use in everyday life by Igbos and non-Igbos alike, and that will make Igbo relevant and expansive enough to be regularly used in business, politics, fashion, news, literature, dialogue, and in every other sphere of life,” she wrote at the time. But her blog posts gained little traction. “I was a bit naive,” she told this reporter. “Everyone said it’s a great idea, but nobody wanted to do the work.” When she posted it on Nairaland, a Nigerian digital newsboard, “a lot of people insulted and laughed at me. Especially a lot of Igbo people. They said this is rubbish. And I got into very heated arguments with people over it. So I ended up doing all the work by myself.” After designing the Ndebe script, she started researching how to create new symbols from Nsibidi, posting online, looking for help. But, around 2011, she concluded that Nsibidi was not suited for the kind of script she wanted. Like Chinese, Nsibidi characters represent an idea. So it was quite possible that there would be no limit for the number of characters to be created. In its present form, the Chinese script consists of over 50,000 characters. If her project was going to be successful, she reckoned, “it had to be easy for people to learn.” So she went back to the initial Ndebe script she had worked on. “In its original form, Ndebe was designed as an assistant to Nsibidi. So I had to start from scratch and re-designed the whole thing.” Some of the big changes she made was to move from an alphabetic system to a syllabary, which is harder to learn. To compensate, she worked in a formula to write the script. “The way Ndebe works is that there is a scientific logic to how you put the pieces of the characters together,” she said. “And so because of that, when you are reading or writing Ndebe, you don’t have to have memorised the entire script. You basically have to follow the logic, and you can use the logic to understand.” She also left out many of the design flourishes of the initial script. “The original script is a lot more beautiful than the published script,” she said, a touch of sadness in her voice. “I had to sacrifice elegance for simplicity.” Stanley Eke, a technology entrepreneur, had seen the earlier versions of Ndebe. “At that time, it looked complex and hard to grasp,” he told this reporter. But after Lotanna published the new script in July, he practised for two hours and wrote her a ‘thank you’ note in Ndebe. “Not super accurate and I missed the ‘m’ end syllable in the first sentence,” he tweeted. “But okay enough, I think.” She was floored. “I can’t get over how quickly you adapted to writing it,” she replied. “This is amazing.” Eke, who continues to perfect his understanding of the script, said Ndebe should become popular in the Igbo language community. “It is authentic,” he stressed. “This is an Igbo woman who came up with this. One of ours came up with it. It simplifies the language and makes it easy to standardise, and it gives the language a visual identity. This is how Igbo should be written.” But how many will write with it? When this reporter reached out to a few Igbo writers and educators, it was the first time they were hearing of Ndebe. “Never heard of the new script,” one award-winning Igbo author texted in response to an interview request. “That people don’t know about it is an issue, but it’s not a big issue,” the linguist, Tubosun said. “I assume that scripts that are invented take time before they become widely accepted.” One, it has to find its way into popular culture in vehicles such as film, music, books, visual art; and, two, it has to be standardised by academics, enough to be teachable in classrooms. “So there’s a lot of work for the inventor to do and for people who care about it as well.” Lotanna, Ndebe’s inventor, has slightly different ideas on how she wants the script to be adopted. “A lot of people have said, we need to get into the educational curriculum or develop some computer program with this,” she said. “I actually don’t believe that we do. I think that adoption takes personal effort. And what I’ve noticed is that a lot of people are lazy. People don’t want to make the effort to do things. They kinda just want to snap their fingers and just want it to appear. And what I want with this script – there are cultural aspirations behind it as well, otherwise I won’t have spent 11 years of my life developing it – I want to spark a change in attitude amongst people. I am trying to foster the attitude that making the effort is important. I made the effort to improve the way Igbo is written, and in return I would like to see individual Igbo people making the effort to master the script. And they should do that outside of a certain cultural pride. Not about ‘what’s in it for me’ or ‘trying to make a quick buck’. Writing in Ndebe should be its own reward. You should get a sense of enjoyment from expressing yourself using the script.” She has put out a copyright notice on the script and has said ‘no’ (“My standard response”, she calls it) to people who have approached her to feature the script in some elaborate project. “Because a lot of people who have made the requests haven’t taken the time to learn the script,” she added. “The uses I’ve been most interested in, ever since I’ve launched the script, is to see individual people on Twitter who are taking the time and effort to learn the script. That has been very heartening for me to see. We’ve also had a writing competition. People got out their notebooks and pieces of paper and wrote a few sentences. Some people even wrote like a whole page. And that’s an amazing effort. “A lot of people are kinda jumping the gun. “The whole point of the Ndebe script is, it is supposed to be for everyone’s private, daily use. You want to write a letter, use Ndebe, you want to write a grocery list, use Ndebe. If you want to jot down your daydreams, use Ndebe. If you want to write in a diary, use Ndebe. And I think that these uses of the writing system are far more important than commercial uses that seem flashy and after a while, everybody loses interest. “How a language gets passed on and persists into the future, is not through the flashy uses of the language, it’s through the boring, daily use of that language. And that’s what I really want people to focus on. “I don’t mind if, in terms of adoption, progress is slow. I care more about the quality of progress that we are making.” Whether her approach is the right one is anyone’s guess, but her journey is evidence enough that she’s in it for the long haul. “I do feel relieved that I’ve done it and it’s out,” she said of the script’s release into the world. “But there’s still quite a lot of work to be done. And it’s like there is definitely a weight on my shoulders, because now that the general public knows about the script that I’ve invented, I also have the responsibility to ensure that the script is being used in a way that I envisioned, and to guide the project to fulfil its goals. “There are goals that I’ll like to be fulfilled in terms of adoption, digitisation, the use of the script, reforming the Igbo language. I do think that it might be something of a lifelong project for me.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2020/10/03/the-igbo-language-gets-its-own-modern-script-but-will-it-matter/?fbclid=IwAR00-mdSKIs7h2i3hxAQSs1jIUK7Z-grcX4IOH0_3kY6G3Xd1Ps4xM9Y-M4

Politics

en

CNG vehicles to save Nigeria $2.5bn yearly, says FG The Federal Government has explained the importance of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to economic development, saying every 1,000,000 vehicles converted to CNG will save the country about $2.5bn. The Programme Director, Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, Pi-CNG, Michael Oluwagbemi, said the push for CNG by the Federal Government would end the era of pollution, environmental degradation and economic hardship. Oluwagbemi spoke during a one-day South South and Southeast stakeholders engagement meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He said the natural gas was in abundance in the nation but people lacked the foresight to utilise it insisting that CNG is cleaner, cheaper and will reduce the cost of transportation. He said: “The initiative of the government is critical to our national development and to the well-being of the people. Rivers State is the heart of the oil and gas region. Over the last five to six decades these resources have continued to waste. Nigeria is the second largest waster of oil and gas. We exploit it and waste it then continue to suffer poverty. “The President has set us on natural gas feature and set up on the nation on the path of growth. The use of gas ensures we have energy savings, mind you the price of Natural gas is controlled by government. “What the President is asking is to do more with the blessings God has given us. If we are able to move three million vehicles in the next three years we are going to end the era of environmental degradation.” Oluwagbemi said that the nation stood to benefit with the energy transition, adding that CNG remained more reliable for the transportation sector of the country. He said CNG had the capacity to reduce the current inflation troubling the nation’s economy. He said: “Nigeria stands to gain a lot from the energy transition in the transportation sector. First and foremost, CNG is our own resource. Natural gas is everywhere in Nigeria. It is a much more reliable source of fuel the transportation sector. No longer will there be crises out of Nigeria impact the economic livelihood of the country. “It has the capacity of reducing inflation. It is cheaper. You can realise between 40% to 50% savings from patrol. This is good for Nigeria and it is safer. It is 18 time safer than our petrol and diesel. IT is cleaner and safer for the environment. “We will stop subsidizing poverty importing unemployment and exporting jobs. We will be using our own natural gas to drive our transportation sector. To a common man this translates to reduction in the cost of transportation. Our jobs is to give incentivise the CNG vehicle. To ensure we close the financing gap that exists. “There is enough demand for natural gas all we need to do now is to open stations, pipelines and conversations centres. When we convert our vehicles, 1,000,000 vehicles they will convert it save the country about $2.5 billion a year. This will also save us 6,000,000 litres a day. These are monies that we can spend on hospitals on roads.” In his remarks, Fola Akinola, the Chief Executive Officer of FEMADEC Energy Limited, said plans had been concluded to open two CNG refueling stations, and two vehicle conversion parks in Port Harcourt. He said: “CNG is an old technology. We want to tell you that you have the opportunity to convert your vehicle from fuel to CNG. The stations will be launched in Port Harcourt and we are launching a refueling unit alongside. Rivers State is going to have a micro refueling unit at Stadium Road and in GRA. “Those that wants to invest in CNG refueling units it is available. Even those who have fuel State facilities can as well invest in this.” The Abia State Government said it had already diverted its N2bn subsidy palliative from the federal government for investment in CNG. The Commissioner for Energy and Environment, Abia State, Prof. Joel Ogbonna, told the Pi-CNG committee that his state had set all grounds ready to key into the presidential directive, adding that the state was ready to kick off. He said: “When Governor Alex Otti came, he declared State of emergency on environment. The governor has set aside N2 billion for the fuel subsidy for CNG. Abia State has set aside the Abia State Poly for trainings in CGN. “We have also development an industrial park to be able to produce gas. We want to also pass a bill so that people will be told what to do to ensure safety so that there will not be hazards. We are ready to take off with the CNG.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/cng-vehicles-to-save-nigeria-2-5bn-yearly-says-fg/

Politics

en

WASHINGTON In 1850, the elderly master of a South Carolina estate took pen in hand and painstakingly divided up his possessions. Among the spinning wheels, scythes, tablecloths and cattle that he bequeathed to his far-flung heirs was a 6-year-old slave girl valued soon afterward at $475. In his will, she is described simply as the “negro girl Melvinia.” After his death, she was torn away from the people and places she knew and shipped to Georgia. While she was still a teenager, a white man would father her first-born son under circumstances lost in the passage of time. In the annals of American slavery, this painful story would be utterly unremarkable, save for one reason: This union, consummated some two years before the Civil War, represents the origins of a family line that would extend from rural Georgia, to Birmingham, Ala., to Chicago and, finally, to the White House. Melvinia Shields, the enslaved and illiterate young girl, and the unknown white man who impregnated her are the great-great-great-grandparents of Michelle Obama, the first lady. Viewed by many as a powerful symbol of black advancement, Mrs. Obama grew up with only a vague sense of her ancestry, aides and relatives said. During the presidential campaign, the family learned about one paternal great-great-grandfather, a former slave from South Carolina, but the rest of Mrs. Obama’s roots were a mystery. Now the more complete map of Mrs. Obama’s ancestors including the slave mother, white father and their biracial son, Dolphus T. Shields for the first time fully connects the first African-American first lady to the history of slavery, tracing their five-generation journey from bondage to a front-row seat to the presidency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/us/politics/08genealogy.html?_r=2&hpOctober

Politics

en

By Efosa Taiwo Having a passport in today’s globalized world is a door to various yet valuable opportunities. For Nigerian citizens, their passport is more than just a travel document — it’s a ticket to a stack of benefits. Here are five compelling reasons holding a Nigerian passport is something you should consider: Dual Citizenship Opportunities Nigeria permits dual citizenship, allowing individuals to hold Nigerian citizenship alongside another nationality. This can provide significant benefits for Nigerians who have emigrated or those with family ties in other countries. Dual citizenship offers greater flexibility in terms of travel, residence, and employment, as well as access to social services and benefits in both countries of citizenship. It also allows individuals to maintain strong ties to their Nigerian heritage while enjoying the privileges of another nationality. Consular Assistance and Protection Nigerian passport holders are entitled to consular assistance and protection from Nigerian embassies and consulates worldwide. This support includes assistance in emergencies, such as during natural disasters, political unrest, or personal crises. Consular services can also aid in legal matters, document verification, and repatriation. Having access to consular assistance provides Nigerian passport holders with a safety net while traveling or residing abroad, ensuring that they have support from their home country when needed. Foreign Currency (Domiciliary Accounts) In Nigeria, it is common and legal to hold domiciliary accounts in foreign currencies such as Pounds, Euros, and US Dollars. This facility contrasts with practices in countries like Brazil, where receiving foreign currency directly in a local bank account is unusual and often converted to the local currency. Despite current foreign currency shortages, Nigerian banks continue to offer this service, benefiting many. Visa-Free Access to ECOWAS Countries, others Nigerian passport holders enjoy visa-free travel to all member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This privilege facilitates easier travel within West Africa. According to a recent report by Henley Passport Index, the Nigerian passport extensively covers about 45 visa-free countries. These countries, inclusive of ECOWAS member countries, are: Barbados, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Chad, Comoro Islands, Cook Islands, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Haiti. Others include; Iran, Kenya, Kiribati, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritiana, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montserrat, Mozambique, Niger, Niue, Palau Islands, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, St. Kitts and Nevis, The Gambia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. This visa-free access simplifies travel logistics for Nigerians going to these countries. Ease of International Business and Investment A Nigerian passport can be a valuable asset for entrepreneurs and business professionals. Nigeria is one of Africa’s largest economies, and holding a Nigerian passport can facilitate easier entry into global markets for business and trade. The passport provides access to international business hubs and fosters connections with other nations, enabling business owners and investors to explore new markets and expand their ventures more effectively. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/06/5-benefits-of-having-a-nigerian-passport/#google_vignette

Politics

en

Warring forces in South Sudan have carried out horrific crimes against children, including castration, rape and tying them together before slitting their throats, the UN has said. “Survivors report that boys have been castrated and left to bleed to death… girls as young as eight have been gang raped and murdered,” UN children’s agency chief Anthony Lake said in a statement released earlier this week. “Children have been tied together before their attackers slit their throats… others have been thrown into burning buildings.” Tens of thousands are believed to have been killed in the 18-month war, although there is no clear toll. At least 129 children were killed in May in the northern state of Unity, scene of some of heaviest fighting in the civil war, Unicef added. Civil war began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of planning a coup, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings across the country that has split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines. It has been characterised by ethnic massacres, rape and the use of child soldiers. “The violence against children in South Sudan has reached a new level of brutality,” Lake added. Thousands of children have also been abducted to fight. “Children are also being aggressively recruited into armed groups of both sides on an alarming scale – an estimated 13,000 children forced to participate in a conflict not of their making,” Lake added. “Imagine the psychological and physical effects on these children – not only of the violence inflicted on them but also the violence they are forced to inflict on others.” A quarter of a million children face starvation , while two-thirds of the country’s 12 million people need aid, with 4.5 million people facing severe food insecurity, according to the UN. “In the name of humanity and common decency this violence against the innocent must stop,” he said Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/children-raped-castrated-thrown-into-fires-in-south-sudan-un/#sthash.mCCsvh85.dpufcc

Politics

en

Members of the visually impaired community have recorded a breakthrough with the new invention of ‘Smart Sticks’ by some students of Regina Pacis Secondary School, Onitsha in Anambra State. In 2018, the school’s students had won the Junior Gold Awards in the World Technovation Challenge in the United States of America by developing a mobile application called the Fake Drug (FD) detector to help tackle fake pharmaceutical products in Nigeria. Again, young ladies from the school have shone as innovators in robotics and coding, inventing smart sticks that can detect obstacles not less than 120 centimetres away from a blind person. The Youth Coordinator, Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), Anambra State, Chibuzor Obierika, speaking at the launch of the innovative product, said the invention was improved upon its first test. “After building this project, we noticed it could only sense obstacles horizontally in front of the blind man, so we decided to advance this project. The Smart Sticks can now sense objects from an angle of elevation and an angle of depression,” she said. READ ALSO: NBA Set To File Petition Against Suspended Adamawa REC – Ubani “The Smart Sticks are designed with an input ultrasonic sensor that alerts a blind person of an obstacle not less than 120 centimetres ahead of him or her. The move is in line with the state government mandate to support innovations among young talent. Their invention was displayed during the pastoral visit of the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Onitsha Diocese, Most Reverend Valerian Okeke. While unveiling the innovation as well as distributing over 20 packs of the devices to several impaired persons, the clergyman, alongside the Obi of Onitsha Nnemeka Achebe hailed the students for the feet achieved. The Smart Sticks were reviewed by some visually impaired persons at the event to show the product’s effectiveness. “I feel very much elated. In today’s society, visually impaired people have gone past the era of being perceived as being incapable of contributing to societal development,” one member of the blind community said. “These Smart Sticks would go a long way in helping them live a life of independence.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2023/05/10/anambra-students-create-smart-walking-sticks-for-the-blind

Education

en

Over the last decade, economic growth — combined with a push to become a leader in education and information technology in Southeast Asia — has made Malaysia a magnet for students and immigrants from Africa. It should be a success story of progress and cultural exchange, but recently tensions have escalated. In May, a 30-year-old Nigerian student was sentenced to death in Kuala Lumpur for trafficking 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine. It was the second capital sentence handed to a Nigerian citizen in Malaysia in two months, following the sentencing of another student, also for meth trafficking. Sandwiched between these headline cases was a more minor crime story — but still a revealing one. A 46-year-old Malaysian schoolteacher, who had “met” a man on Facebook and fallen in love, agreed to loan him the huge sum of $31,000. When she finally met him in person, the man, whom she’d thought was Caucasian, turned out to be Nigerian. He offered to repay the debt — but the bank notes he gave her were counterfeit. The publicity over such high-profile criminal cases involving Africans (mostly Nigerians) has helped inflame widespread prejudices in a country that until recent years had had little contact with Africans. According to the most recent available figures, 79,352 African citizens entered the country in 2013; and in 2012, 25,467 student visas were issued to Africans. Many, like those on a student exchange plan at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, sponsored by Kano State in Nigeria, are drawn by Malaysia’s fast-growing, well-equipped higher education institutes, which offer the chance of better employment both in Malaysia and back home. For many African Muslim students, Malaysia also offers the chance to practice their faith in a modern, cosmopolitan environment. One young Nigerian couple I chatted with at the airport last year explained how their master’s degrees in engineering from Malaysia had led to employment with a respected company in Lagos, and they now traveled frequently for work.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/opinion/tash-aw-unwelcome-in-malaysia.html?_r=0

Politics

en

The bus station in Agadez, a remote city of low mud-brick buildings in the West African nation of Niger, is buzzing again. Every week, thousands of migrants from West and Central Africa leave from the station in this gateway city to the Sahara aboard a caravan of pickup trucks, traveling for days toward North Africa, where many will then try to cross the Mediterranean in a quest to reach Europe. For years, this portal was closed, at least officially. The country’s government, friendly to Europe, outlawed migration out of Agadez, and in exchange the European Union poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Niger’s coffers and the local economy. But last summer, after generals in Niger seized power in a military coup, the European Union suspended financial support to the government — and in response, the generals severed the migration arrangement with the European Union in November. The gate is once again open, and a fresh flock of hopeful migrants is once again passing through, to the relief of many locals. “Migration is how we make ends meet,” said Aicha Maman, a single mother who runs a business assisting migrants and served jail time in Agadez last year for illegal trafficking.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/world/africa/agadez-niger-migration.html

Travel

en

In the Old Testament, God stated, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you,” (Exodus 20:8-10, NASB). It was the custom of the Jews to come together on the Sabbath, which is Saturday, cease work, and worship God. Jesus went to the synagogue on Saturday to teach (Matt. 12:9; John 18:20) as did the apostle Paul (Acts 17:2; 18:4). So, if in the Old Testament we are commanded to keep the Sabbath and in the New Testament we see Jews, Jesus, and the apostles doing the same thing, then why do we worship on Sunday? First of all, of the ten commandments listed in Exodus 20:1-17, only 9 of them were restated in the New Testament. (Six in Matt. 19:18, murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, honor parents, and worshiping God; Rom. 13:9, coveting. Worshiping God properly covers the first three commandments) The one that was not reaffirmed was the one about the Sabbath. Instead, Jesus said that He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8). In creation, God rested on the seventh day. But, since God is all-powerful, He doesn’t get tired. He doesn’t need to take a break and rest. So, why does it say that He rested? The reason is simple: Mark 2:27 says, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” In other words, God established the Sabbath as a rest for His people, not because He needed a break, but because we are mortal and need a time of rest, of focus on God. In this, our spirits and bodies are both renewed. The OT system of Law required keeping the Sabbath as part of the overall moral, legal, and sacrificial system by which the Jewish people satisfied God’s requirements for behavior, government, and forgiveness of sins. The Sabbath was part of the Law in that sense. In order to “remain” in favor with God, you had to also keep the Sabbath. If it was not kept, then the person was in sin and would often be punished (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:23; Deut. 13:1-9; Num. 35:31; Lev. 20:2, etc.). But with Jesus’ atonement, we no longer are required to keep the Law as a means for our justification. The requirements of the Law were fulfilled in Christ. We now have rest from the Law. We now have “Sabbath,” continually. Are we free to worship on Sunday? Within the New Testament is ample evidence that the seventh-day Sabbath is no longer a requirement. “One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God,” (Rom. 14:5-6). The entire section of Rom. 14:1-12 is worth careful study. The instructions here are that individuals must be convinced in their own minds about which day they observe for the Lord. If the seventh day Sabbath were a requirement, then the choice would not be mans’, but God’s. To me, this verse is sufficient to answer the question beyond doubt. Furthermore, “Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Col. 2:16-17). Notice the time sequence mentioned in Col. 2:16-17 above. A festival is yearly. A new moon is monthly. A Sabbath is weekly. No one is to judge in regard to this. The Sabbath is defined as a shadow, the reality is Jesus. Jesus is our Sabbath. So, if someone is judging you because you worship on the Sabbath, they are wrong. Likewise, if you regard Sunday above Saturday (Rom. 14:5-6), all you need to do is be convinced in your own mind that that is alright. Is there any evidence in the NT that Christians met on Sunday? “And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight,” (Acts 20:7). The first day of the week is Sunday, and this is the day the people gathered. This passage can easily be seen as the church meeting on Sunday, though it does not necessitate it. It has two important church functions within it: breaking bread (communion) and a message (preaching/teaching). Additionally, Luke included the Roman system as well as the Jewish system of counting days. The Jewish system was sundown to sundown. But Luke also used the Roman system: midnight to midnight (Luke 11:5; Acts 16:25; 20:7; 27:27). This is a subtle point that shows the Jewish Sabbath system was not exclusively used by Luke. If the Sabbath was mandatory, why the use of the non-Jewish system? “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come,” (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Notice here that Paul is directing the churches to meet on the first day of each week and put money aside. It would seem that this is tithing. So, the instructed time for the church to meet is Sunday, the first day of the week and it is that day the Galatians were to set money aside collections. Is this an official worship day set up by the church? You decide. Does this verse apply to Christians today? It most certainly does. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 11saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea,” (Revelation 1:10-11). The New Bible Dictionary says regarding the term, ‘The Lord’s Day’ in Rev. 1:10: “This is the first extant occurrence in Christian literature of “te kuriake hemera.” The adjectival construction suggests that it was a formal designation of the church’s worship day. As such it certainly appears early in the 2nd century” (Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians, 1. 67). In many churches today, the term “The Lord’s Day” is used to designate Sunday, the same as it was in the second century. I hope this is evidence enough to show you that the Bible does not require that we worship on Saturday. If anything, we have the freedom (Rom. 14:1-12) to worship on the day that we believe we should. And, no one should judge us in regard to the day we keep. We are free in Christ and not under law, (Rom. 6:14). The Seventh-day Adventists have every right to worship on the Sabbath and they should if they are convinced that is the right thing to do. However, if any member of any church were to require a person to worship on the Sabbath as a sign of “true” Christianity or “true” redemption, then that is wrong. According to Rom. 14:1-12, we are free. Additionally, Sunday is the day that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. The Jewish people who had rejected Jesus continued to worship on Saturday, the Sabbath. But it was the Christians who celebrated Jesus’ resurrection, and this was most probably the driving force to gather on the first day of the week.

http://ow.ly/89iX50MiORr

Religion

en

Africans have been fighting slavery since early ADs. Lourenço da Silva Mendouça, the First world Abolitionist, was a Prince from the royal family of Ndongo Kingdom in Angola. He had successfully convinced authorities to end slavery in Europe. What Nafafé discovered is that in 1684, Mendonça went to the Vatican, where he accused the nations involved in the trans Atlantic slave trade of crimes against humanity. It was not just a petition, it became court cases, undertaken by Black Africans and supported through highly organized international solidarity. Why the Vatican? It was Pope VI who had issued Papal Bull that authorized Spain and Portugal to colonize and enslave Africa, America and the Natives in 1493 AD. Muhammed Ali was on Mike Douglas Show with Sly of The Family Stone as co-host when he complained about Slavery. One of the guests, Rep. Wayne L. Hays, claimed the African Chiefs were paid. What he did not say is that the slave raiders went back, captured the Chiefs and sold them into the plantations as the other slaves. https://youtu.be/uxrHEGNu6o4 Nafafé explained that “It has never been previously established by historians that Mendonça was an African, which is really incredible – that in the 1600s you had this African man who traveled all over Europe to mobilize an activist movement for the liberation not only of Black Africans, but also of Indigenous people in the Americas ... People always think that the legal abolitionist movement started in Britain, in the late 18th century, but Mendonça really forces us to review our positions on this.” https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/3/10/how-portugal-silenced-centuries-of-violence-and-trauma. Well before 300 AD, Africans had been fighting the Muslim Caliphate from Ghana to Songhai Empires. The Zanj fought and conquered the Abbāsid caliphal empire. Their fight for Freedom and Rebellions led to the Zanj superior power in Mesopotamia that ruled Basra in Iraq into Iran from 869 to 883 AD. It took all combined forces of Arab states before Arabs were later able to overcome them. Bookman, another captured African leader of Maroon and Vodou Houngan, fought for Freedom in Haiti for Independence from France. The wrong notion that freedom for people only exists within the Western Activists is astounding. It is well known in the Diaspora that the Chiefs that sold African slaves were later captured by the same raiders and sold in countries other slaves were. Researchers and genes tracers confirmed many of the slaves in the Americas came from the lines of Kings and Chiefs that sold slaves and were sold into slavery themselves. Many African Americans like the Zanj conqueror of Basra, are aware and proud of their royal blood from Africa. Yet some blame new African immigrants not the raided Chiefs, for selling them out; knowing pretty well that their sellers were also captured about the same time after they were. The African Chiefs that sold Africans into the Diaspora suffered the same fate when the slave raiders brought them into the Diaspora. Stop blaming all Africans at home, many rebeled against slave trade sacrificing their lives like Bookman, at home and abroad. When the African sellers arrived at the plantations, their subjects and fellow African slaves that got there earlier recognized them. Some ridiculed the new arrivals and others welcomed them with hostility. The hostility remained today within African American communities, disrespecting one another and hostile to recent African immigrants. Some African Americans still blame the captured and free Africans that escaped slavery, rebelled and fought against slavery. Muhamed Ali was right, when Sly Stone tried to distract him while answering Rep. Wayne Hays questions, he said: Black people spend so much time attacking one another, some of us become a distraction from the real goal of keeping our energy on the Prize. As the inhumanity of man to man became more vicious, free Africans at home rebelled and ran away as those on the slave ships and in the Diaspora. Indeed, France got reverse reparation from Haiti. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka was at Cambridge Library Colloquium with Prof. Louis Gate of Harvard University talking about Black on Blacks angers from Nigeria/Ghana to South Africa/other Africans. Prof. Gates raised the issue of recent Africans immigrants. More than forty years after Mohamed Ali and Wayne Hays tangled on the Mike Douglas Show. Prof. Gates, like some African Americans, still thinks the African immigrants that sold them, follow them to America to share their quota. It was embarrassing for all Africans at home and in the Diaspora that the issue is still alive at Harvard of all places. Quota is dead in America. It was threatened by American white students in courts, not recent African immigrants. Indeed, the United States Supreme Court finally nailed it. Though replaced by Affirmative Action, that was also replaced by Diversity for all ethnic groups. The diversity is being threatened by Asians in Court suing that they were cheated in Admission to Harvard; not by the African students. No other ethnic group in America attacks their own from old countries. The Irish created special admission for their recent Irish immigrants just as the Italians, Polish, Ukrainians Americans welcome their recent immigrants. Africans must find better ways to reconcile their differences at home and in the Diaspora. Black on Black crimes must decrease below the level of White on White, Asians on Asians or Natives on Native crimes. People victimize their own at a greater proportion than they victimize others. But Africans have suffered in the hands of others more than any other continent. It is true that the Chiefs sold their own for guns and mirrors to capture more slaves, it does not justify liberty of worst mean spirited habits by individuals to lynch, slash and burn slaves for any or no reason. Indeed, Yoruba tradition cautions that the way a child was born, so was a slave. Bi a se bi Omo ni a se bi Eru. The cry for reparations must be understood as making amends for past injustices, not to displace or favor anyone. Those that have gained from past injustices against Africans and continue to exploit the people and the Continent must look for humane ways to make their profit and pay Africans reparations appropriately to those that are due. Unlike France that demanded and got reparations from its colonies from Haiti to Africa. Despite all the wars Africans fought against the Muslims and Christians coming as explorers and missionaries, sent into the Dark Continent for 500 years, the only miracle is that Africans have not been eliminated from the surface of the Earth. They are strong and resilient. We do not need anymore enemies within. Today we are lured, not forced into slave ships anymore. Most of the new Africans use life savings to buy tickets on Boeing 707 like the looters and their families. Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa Health Insurance: Testimonies Trail Free Medical And Surgica Visit Markets On The Street To Properly Understand Nigerians Nafdac Seizes Fake Cosmetics Products Worth ₦37 Million In A Release Nnamdi Kanu To Celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day— Iran Fires Over 200 Ballistic Missiles At Israel Emirates Airline Resumes Flight Operations To Nigeria Usaid State2state Wants Dialogue In Building Resilient Team Analysing Verydarman's Defence To His Alleged Defamation Of No Matter How Powerful You're, We'll Not Surrender To Barefa At 64 Years, Nigeria Stands Out As Nation In Decline— Peter All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. 2005-2024, © Copyright thenigerianvoice.com

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/312096/slaves-their-seller-chiefs-were-raided-by-arabs-european.html

Politics

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10 things to know about Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a Christian Holy Day of prayer, fasting and repentance. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. Lent is celebrated as the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday and seen as an opportunity to change what we ought within ourselves but have not. Christians ought to spend more time praying and reflecting as Lent is seen as an opportunity to transform one’s self spiritually. Below are 10 interesting facts about Ash Wednesday: 1. The Christian holy day marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of fasting that is considered preparation for Holy Week and the celebration of Easter. 2. As described in the book of Matthew, Lent mirrors Jesus’ personal 40-day period of fasting. 3. Although there is no Biblical reference to Ash Wednesday or Lent, Christians date the tradition back to 325 AD. 4. Observers have ashes placed on their foreheads in the shape of the cross as the words from Genesis 3:19 are spoken: “You are dust, and to dust, you shall return.” 5. The ashes are made by burning the blessed palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday. 6. People leave the ashes on their heads as a sign of humility 7. Ash Wednesday is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Old Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics and some Baptists. 8. In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat and repentance – a day of contemplating one’s transgressions 9. While not specifically instituted in the Bible text, the 40-day period of repentance is also analogous to the 40 days during which Moses repented and fasted in response to the making of the Golden calf. 10. The earliest date Ash Wednesday can occur is 4 February and the latest date Ash Wednesday can occur is 10 March.

http://thenationonlineng.net/10-things-to-know-about-ash-wednesday/

Politics

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President Muhammadu Buhari By Nwafor Sunday Even with President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption, Nigeria, Tuesday was among countries ranked highest in corruption practices by Transparency International. The country in a graphical representation scored 27 over 100, and was ranked 144/180 countries studied. Somalia, a country located at Sub-Saharan Africa was listed as the highest country with the highest corruption report. It scored 10 over 100 and was raked 180 out of 180 countries analyzed. However, Denmark, a country located at Western Europe & European Union scored 88 over 100 and was ranked 1st and the best country with a ‘No’ or little corruption report. Nigeria was placed in the same rank with Comoros, Guatemala, Kenya and Mauritania. The five countries scored 27/100, and was awash with the same rank, 144/180. The Transparency International analysis reveals corruption contributing to a global crisis of democracy. “With many democratic institutions under threat across the globe – often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies – we need to do more to strengthen checks and balances and protect citizens’ rights,” said Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International. “Corruption chips away at democracy to produce a vicious cycle, where corruption undermines democratic institutions and, in turn, weak institutions are less able to control corruption.” The 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released today by Transparency International reveals that the continued failure of most countries to significantly control corruption is contributing to a crisis of democracy around the world. The 2018 CPI draws on 13 surveys and expert assessments to measure public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, giving each a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). More generally, countries with high levels of corruption can be dangerous places for political opponents. Practically all of the countries where political killings are ordered or condoned by the government are rated as highly corrupt on the CPI. Cross analysis with global democracy data reveals a link between corruption and the health of democracies. Full democracies score an average of 75 on the CPI; flawed democracies score an average of 49; hybrid regimes – which show elements of autocratic tendencies – score 35; autocratic regimes perform worst, with an average score of just 30 on the CPI. To make real progress against corruption and strengthen democracy around the world, Transparency International calls on all governments to: - strengthen the institutions responsible for maintaining checks and balances over political power, and ensure their ability to operate without intimidation; - close the implementation gap between anti-corruption legislation, practice and enforcement; - support civil society organisations which enhance political engagement and public oversight over government spending, particularly at the local level; - support a free and independent media, and ensure the safety of journalists and their ability to work without intimidation or harassment. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/breaking-nigeria-ranks-144-180-on-tis-corruption-perception-index/

Politics

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Review the 'Possible Causes' mentioned above and visually examine the corresponding wiring harness and connectors. Ensure to check for any damaged components and inspect the connector pins for signs of being broken, bent, pushed out, or corroded. On the following Honda models: 2003–2007 Accord L4 2002–2010 Civic Si A damaged or stretched cam chain, resulting from infrequent oil changes, can cause the MIL to come on with DTC P0341 (CMP sensor A and CKP sensor incorrect phase detected). Old oil causes the cam chain to wear quickly. As a result, it stretches beyond the point where the cam chain auto-tensioner can keep up. That extra chain slack causes the valve timing control (VTC) actuator and the exhaust camshaft sprocket to lag behind, and you wind up with DTC P0341. Honda flow chart to help diagnose the P0341 code problem: Honda Flow Chart Diagnose P0341 code To diagnose the P0341 Honda code, it typically requires 1.0 hour of labor. The specific diagnosis time and labor rates at auto repair shops can vary based on factors such as location, vehicle make and model, and engine type. Most auto repair shops commonly charge between $80 and $150 per hour; however, rates in metropolitan areas or at dealerships may be higher, while independent shops often charge less. It's advisable to check local rates for a more precise estimate. The camshaft position sensor signal sent to the Engine Control Module (ECM) during the first few seconds of engine cranking is out of range. The Camshaft Position Sensor is an electronic device used in an engine to record the rate at which the camshaft is spinning. This information is used by the Engine Control Module (ECM) to control ignition and fuel injection. The camshaft position sensor senses the retraction of the camshaft (intake) to identify a particular cylinder. The camshaft position sensor senses the piston position. The sensor system consists of a rotating part, typically a disc, as well as a static part, the actual sensor. When the engine is running, the high and low parts of the teeth cause the gap with the sensor to change. The changing gap causes the magnetic field near the sensor to change. The change in the magnetic field causes the voltage from the sensor to change. When the crankshaft position sensor (POS) system becomes inoperative, the camshaft position sensor provides various controls of engine parts instead, of utilizing the timing of cylinder identification signals. Need more information on how to fix the P0341 Honda code? Get Access to Factory Service Manuals Get the P0341 Honda code diagnosed by a professional: Find a repair shop in your area I had the P0341 code on my 2009 Accord 4cyl that would come back immediately after clearing. Just put a new battery in 'cause it was starting to lag when starting on cold mornings. My code went away right after installing the battery. Very happy that I don't have to replace the timing chain. Reply to Comment

https://www.autocodes.com/p0341_honda.html

Car Talk

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The House of Representatives has concluded arrangements to hold public hearings on the review of the 1999 constitution across the 360 federal constituencies in the country. In a statement, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives; Emeka Ihedioha stated that the sessions aim to bring the process of constitution review closer to the people. He stated that various institutions, political parties and civil societies have been invited to contribute their views. Issues identified to be discussed include recognition of the six zonal structure; creation of states; structure, funding and creation of local governments as well as indigene, residency and citizenship questions. Others are fiscal federalism, removal of immunity clause establishment of state police as well as zoning and power sharing and terms of office of the president and governors. The deputy speaker further stated that decisions at the sessions shall be reached, as much as possible, by consensus but where that fails, decisions will be reached by voting. He however assured that the views of the majority would prevail.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/28/reps-set-for-nationwide-grassroot-hearing-on-constitution-review/

Politics

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An early-stage human clinical trial for an Ebola vaccine is likely to begin as early as September, 2014, the US National Institutes of Health has disclosed Though not the first human vaccine trial for the virus, the study comes after mounting pressure from health organisations to allow experimental treatments to be used on people at high risk of developing the disease. The vaccine, developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIAID, Vaccine Research Center, contains no infectious Ebola virus material. Instead, it is a chimpanzee adenovirus vector vaccine containing an insert of two Ebola genes. Adenovirus vectors are attractive delivery models for vaccine candidates because the virus can be easy manipulated. As a nonreplicating viral vector, the vaccine works by entering a cell and delivering the new genetic material. The new gene inserts cause a protein to become expressed, which in turn elicits Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the NIH’s Ebola vaccine has been studied in monkeys.”If it is successful, it will take until mid- to late-2015 before a limited number of vaccine doses would be ready to administer to health care workers, he said. The clinical trial participants won’t be exposed to the Ebola virus, Fauci said. Instead, they’ll stay in the United States, where they’ll be given a dose of the vaccine and tested to see if their antibody levels match the levels shown in monkey studies to protect the monkeys from Ebola. Scientists will also be watching for adverse reactions to the vaccine to make sure it is safe. Meanwhile, health campaigners have petitionedo the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, asking it to speed up the authorisation of a new drug called TKM-Ebola which is widely believed to be a cure for EVD. TKM-Ebola is a promising vaccine on trial. In the petition entitled “Fast track Drug and vaccine research for Ebola Hemorrhagic fever”, the petitioners said given that at least one patient has transferred the disease from Liberia to Nigeria by air travel, the possibility of a global pandemic becomes increasingly likely. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-human-vaccine-trials-begin-sept/

Health

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Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ fascinating, PBS mini-series Finding Your Roots, traces the ancestries of prominent Americans from Branford Marsalis and Condoleezza Rice, to Samuel L. Jackson and John Legend. But where the genealogical paper trail ends for many African-Americans, due to the history of slavery, the DNA search begins. One of the DNA experts assisting Professor Gates in the series is Dr. Rick Kittles, a brilliant, forty five-year old geneticist, who serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine; division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Kittles also is the co-founder and Scientific Director of African Ancestry, Inc., a nine year-old, ancestry tracing company with a DNA database comprised of over 25,000 African DNA lineages. EBONY spoke with Dr. Kittles about what DNA is, and how it reveals the hidden past, and complexity of our African-American heritage. EBONY: We’ve all heard of DNA, but give us a thumbnail sketch of what it actually is. Rick Kittles: DNA [deoxyribonucleic acid] is the genetic material – the chemical that’s in every cell of our body, that’s important for coding different physical features and traits. You receive half of your DNA from your mother, and the other half comes from your father. DNA is very instrumental in terms of coding for things that make us human: skin color, hair texture, eye color, and physical features. But it also [shows] susceptibility to cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. DNA is important for tracing ancestry because it’s like a record of the history of you as an individual, within your family, community, and within a particular region in the world. We can use that information to trace where a person’s ancestry came from. We can go all the way back to when humanity started in Africa over 150,000 years ago, or we can look at a more recent window, like for instance, right before the slave trade. Those changes in the DNA are different than the older changes that occurred 150,000 years ago. EBONY: We know what DNA tells us. What doesn’t it tell us? RK: It’s not going to tell us if a person who just got accepted into Harvard is actually going to be able to graduate [laughs]. It doesn’t provide useful information for behavioral or psychological traits. Also, as it relates to overall health, DNA plays some role, but it’s not one hundred percent. There are certain changes in the DNA that increase your risk for cancer, but what also plays a very significant role is exercise and lifestyle; what we consider the environment. EBONY: As far as tracing our ancestry is concerned, are there specific types of DNA that links us back to Africa? RK: The one that’s really informative for African-Americans is mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA]. It’s passed on through women. Males receive it from their mothers, but they can’t pass it on to their kids. It represents the lineage of women in the family. We also look at the Y chromosome DNA, which is a history of the male lineage in the family. There are DNA patterns that are specific to Africans: For instance, there’s what we call a Y chromosome alu polymorphism [YAP] that is found just in West Africa, and is definitive for West African ancestry. But the most interesting thing is, when we look at most African-American men, upwards of thirty five percent of their Y chromosomes don’t go back to Africa; but to Europe! EBONY: That’s because of slavery; African women mating with European men… RK: That’s right. It’s really the behavior of slaveholders during slavery and afterwards … It’s what we call sex-biased gene flow. Of the genes from Europeans that came into the African-American population, the majority of them came from men. EBONY: In the series, Professor Gates concluded that virtually all African-Americans are not one hundred percent African. Percentage wise, how do Black Americans break down, with regards to their African, European and Native American ancestries? RK: We call that the admixture analysis. The bulk of African-Americans have about on average, twenty percent European ancestry. So that means that most African-Americans are about eighty percent West African. There are also a significant portion of individuals who, like Professor Gates, have significant European ancestry. I would say upwards of about fifteen percent of all African-Americans have greater than fifty percent European ancestry. EBONY: Does DNA analysis also support Dr. Gates’ contention in the series that Black people have less Native American ancestry than they belief? RK: Yes. It does support that. But there could be several reasons for that: We claim Native American ancestry before we claim European ancestry … The other reason could be that some of the genetic markers that we have aren’t really that informative for Native American ancestry …The jury is still out. There is no strong consensus. We still maybe we’re missing a significant portion of the Native American gene pool, because many of them had died off. And so there are no pure Native Americans any more. So our ability to detect the Native American genetic component is rather limited. EBONY: One of the things that struck me in the series was that some of the African ancestry of the African-Americans profiled went not to familiar places like Senegal and Nigeria, but to Gabon, Guinea-Bissau and Cameroon. Was I thinking stereotypically? RK: Yes [laughs]. We learned a lot about where enslaved West Africans came from. And the stereotypic, Senegal/Nigeria [areas of origin] is inaccurate. While there was a portion of folk who came from those regions, it was a lot more than those two regions. We’re finding a lot of hits from Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau and Ghana. EBONY: It’s rare to see a Black company headed by a Black man in your scientific discipline. What sparked your interest in science? RK: African Ancestry was started because I wanted to know where I was from. And so my research focused more on trying to answer that question. And in doing so, different people heard about [my interest of study], and different media stories emerged. And I started becoming more overwhelmed with the general public asking me to help them. So I set up a company to help me do that that. I got into science and genetics because I wanted to know more about myself. And I felt that genetics would be quite helpful in answering those questions. EBONY: Having said that. What are your admixtures? RK: I have eighty percent West African ancestry, and twenty percent European ancestry. I tested four lineages in my family: Both of my mother’s parents go to Nigeria; one Hausa and one Ibo. And on my father’s side, Senegal – the Mandinka – and my Y chromosome is common in Germany.

http://www.ebony.com/life/dr-rick-kittles-breaks-down-dna#axzz54vwchTeGIf

Politics

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Nigeria’s oil reserve will be depleted in 41 years, according to a World Bank Group’s twice-yearly analysis of the issues shaping Africa’s economic prospects called Africa’s pulse. The report which was presented by the World Bank’s chief economist for Africa, Shantayanan Devarajan, on Thursday said Nigeria’s and Angola’s oil reserves will be depleted in 41 and 21 years respectively. “Nigeria, the largest regional producer, can keep supplying at 2011 levels for another 41 years, while Angola, the second largest producer in the region, has about 21 years remaining at current production levels before its known reserves are depleted. “Given the size of these reserves, it is likely that the dependence on oil resources in these countries are likely to continue in the near to medium term. Production in newly oil-rich countries such as Ghana and Uganda could also last for several years.” According to the World bank’s chief economist, Mineral wealth in African countries including Nigeria don’t translate to prosperity because the money accruing from it doesn’t pass through the citizens, and the citizens don’t see the wealth as theirs.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/05/nigerias-oil-production-ends-in-41-years-world-bank/

Business

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Ahead of South Africa and Egypt, the International Monetary Fund has affirmed Nigeria as the biggest economy in Africa. Nigeria was reported to have lost its spot as Africa’s biggest economy to South Africa in August 2016, following the recalculation of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. However, the IMF’s World Economic Outlook for October 2016, puts South Africa’s GDP at 280.36 billion Dollars, from 314.73 billion Dollars in 2015. Meanwhile, latest estimates from the IMF put Nigeria’s GDP at 415.08 billion Dollars, from 493.83 billion Dollars at the end of 2015. Although Egypt’s 2016 data was reported as unavailable, its 2015 size remained at 330.15 billion Dollars while that of Algeria, one of the largest economies on the continent, was put at 168.31 billion Dollars. Global growth is projected to slow to 3.1 percent in 2016 before recovering to 3.4 percent in 2017. The forecast, revised down by 0.1% point for 2016 and 2017 relative to April, reflects a more subdued outlook for advanced economies following the June U.K. vote in favor of leaving the European Union (Brexit) and weaker-than-expected growth in the United States. Growth In 2017 The International Monetary Fund also predicted that the Nigerian economy will grow by 0.6% in 2017, effectively lifting the country out of an officially declared recession. In the IMF’s WEC report released on October 5, Nigeria’s real GDP is expected to increase marginally by 0.6% with Consumer Prices rising by 17.1% also, Fitch ratings on the other hand, also projected a 2.6% growth in Nigeria’s GDP for 2017. Nigeria’s Current Account Balance is however also forecast to slump further by 0.4% next year. Beyond 2017, IMF expects global growth to gradually increase by 3.8% in 2021. This recovery in global activity, which is expected to be driven entirely by emerging market and developing economies, is premised on the normalization of growth rates in countries like Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Latin America, and parts of the Middle East. Although the global rating agency had reduced its forecast for the country’s 2016 GDP growth to 1% from 1.5% due to weak performance in the first half of the year, Fitch believes the economy will bounce back in 2017 but with downside risks if dollar liquidity remains tight. Furthermore, Fitch believes that dollar liquidity will not significantly improve until market participants become more comfortable with the sustainability of the exchange-rate level, which is likely to require further narrowing of the spread between the official and parallel market rates. The rating agency also increased Nigeria’s average CPI forecast for 2016 to 14% from 11% and expects the government to secure financing from multilateral development banks and bilateral sources.

https://www.channelstv.com/2016/10/19/imf-affirms-nigeria-africas-biggest-economy/

Politics

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Sad memories of slavery The hall was silent. The atmosphere was tense. Screams and wailings of children, women and men filled the air. Heads bowed in deep reflection. Some raised their eyes upwards looking at the ceiling. Many tried hard to fight back tears. It was no funeral wake but the screening of a film, entitled: The Slave Route: The Soul of Resistance. The 36-minute documentary showed the sufferings of the era, focused on the transatlantic slave trade. It reconciled the history, influences and rationale behind the various characters involved in the era. The screening was part of the activities marking this year’s International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic slave trade organised by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos, in collaboration with African Anti-Slavery Coalition (ASLAC). This year’s theme: Forever Free: Celebrating Emancipations reechoed the age-long advocacy for freedom, especially by the victims of slavery. As guests walked into the lecture hall, they were first confronted with the pictures and stories of some of the heroes of emancipation like Phillis Wheatley, Harriet Tubman, John Brown, Olaudah Equiano (an ex-lbo slave who was kidnapped from Isseke Village in present-day Anambra State), Frederick Douglas and more. But nothing prepared them for the film. According to the organisers, the screening was meant to involve the young generation in the campaign against slavery. UNIC Officer in-charge, Mrs Olajumoke Araba, who read the UN chief’s speech, said: “The film paints an apt picture. And we can see that there are lessons for everybody learn from what happened during the period, especially the pupils. It is hoped that involving the young ones would ignite in them the need to carry on the fight against all forms of racism and slavery. Even though the programme fell during their examination period and when many schools are on holiday, we were glad for the ones that came. Each watched with deep concentration and I’m sure it has improved their knowledge of history.” The era, sad as it was, produced great minds like Wheatley who became one of the most accomplished writers, it was learnt. She published her first poem at age 12. Born in Senegambia in 1753, she was sold into slavery at the age of 7 and transported to North America. She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write, and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent. Despite the rare opportunities she had as a slave, she probably would have preferred to be free, it was said. Perhaps that is why the United Nations (UN) chief Ban Ki-moon describes slavery “as a global crime against humanity”. Wheatley and other key figures, who fought to eliminate slavery, with many losing their lives in the process, he said, are heroes and heroines of the emancipation. And the day is a tribute to the struggles of that era. Ki-moon said: “On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, we tell the world to never forget this global crime against humanity… As we reflect on the contemporary consequences of this tragedy, let us remember the bravery of those who risked everything for freedom and those who helped them on that perilous path. “Their courage should inspire us as we struggle against contemporary forms of slavery, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. On this day, let us pledge to honour and restore the dignity of affected people and to intensify efforts to eliminate the slavery that persists in our world”. Advocating through film The film’s heartbreaking scenes of sufferings and maltreatment of African slaves not only painted a vivid picture and degradation of the era, but also buttressed Mr Olufemi Phillips, a human rights activist’s the lecture by on the theme at a forum before the screening. Beyond the academic rigour, Philips, who is the co-founder of ASLAC, had a unique story to tell. He is a descendant of one of the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, who returned during the abolition. Reflecting on the period, he said, brought back sad memories that are better forgotten. He recounted: “The transatlantic slave trade can never be erased from the memories of some Africans, especially those whose great-great-great-grandparents or ancestors were victims. My late great grandmother was captured during the Ogedengbe war at Ikole-Ekiti. She was a princess from lloti compound, forced to trek from Ikole-Ekiti up to Badagry coastal area, where she was sold to Brazilian slave traders that transported her and others to Bahia, Brazil. My great-grandmother survived the slavery and during the abolition of slave trade in Brazil, she returned back to West Africa where she first settled at Greenhouse present day Republic of Benin and later on traced her son’s home at 177, Igbosere Road, Lagos Island. There are many returnee slaves such as Do-Regos, De-Souza, Delfonso, Pinheiro, Da-Rocha, Jorge Campos, Da -Silva, Da-Costa, Martins, Ferreira, Pereira etc.” He described the era as being an “ugly incident that had brought Africa back retrogressively”. He, however, lamented that unfortunately Africans are still experiencing all sorts of enslavement, noting that the worst of it is, “self-enslavement”, which he linked to bad governance. He said there is the need for all-round emancipation, while calling for a proactive approach involving the government, civil societies and the public, so that better results can be achieved. He said: “However, it is sad that Africans are no longer sold against their will or forced into slavery but are freely giving themselves to all forms of enslavement. Every day, many, especially the young, are constantly crossing their borders to enslave themselves because of poverty. We see history repeating itself with the case of Equiano, who was kidnapped from his homeland into slavery; centuries later, nothing has changed. The place is still plagued with many cases of kidnappings. “Young ladies are constantly being tricked into enslavement in the guise of employment. And this is the offshoot of bad governance and corruption in Africa. Africans are not enjoying the dividend of democracy that is why many are freely opting for enslavement abroad. Corruption has become a dreaded virus in our system. We, members of the civil societies, in collaboration with government, security operatives and the public, need to do more in our campaigns, to address the precedence.” The film, he said, brought to life the pains of that period. As the audience, who were mainly pupils, history teachers, diplomats and the media, watched with mixed emotions, it was evident that scenes borrowed from diverse slavery films, such as Roots, perhaps helped to drive the plot. But unlike those films, its characters, consisting slaves (women, men and children), those born into slavery, man hunters, slave traders and more, told their sides of the story as if trying to convince the audience in a debate scenario. The accounts of Juan, a boy born into slavery in Cuba that saw his father, who had made several escape attempts, hanged; Lala, a girl from the kingdom of Congo, was captured by man hunters while trying to gather firewood to cook dinner and Musa, who was waiting for his initiation to become a hunter like his ancestors, was captured and sold to an Arab merchant and died during the operation when he was being castrated to become a eunuch, which was very expensive in those days. The young speak out for emancipation At the end of the screening, guests, especially the pupils did not take the experience with a pinch of salt. Apparently moved by the film, they spoke with deep emotions against slavery. After watching the film, Tolulope Oke, SS Three, Kings College, was heartbroken. “Going by what we saw, it was also embarrassing to see that people were treated like animals,” he said. “I asked myself: “how would they have felt then?’ It was quite heartbreaking to see an African being maltreated like that. It enlightened me more. It also taught me how to fight back when being oppressed and how to face challenges of life.” Tofunmi Ajao, Dowen College, was enraged. She said: “Watching the film has helped me acquire more understanding of the period. I felt very sorrowful watching it. It is an experience you’d wish the whites would never start all over again for whatsoever reasons. And for some reasons, you’d wish that we could retaliate because it’s just as if they went away with it. I heard certain mitigation was made, especially financially; but money is not enough, did you see what they did; money can’t cover all the pain they caused.” On the part of Olayemi Awolade SS2, Dowen College, the film awakened in him a sense of advocacy. “Watching the film, we saw the slavery in a different light; and that it is our time to change things and end all forms of slavery.” For History tutor, Dowen College, Ogundeji Elijah, the film is a good teaching aid where the pupils were able to see what they were taught in class. This, he said, would give them a better understanding of how to tackle the period. The celebrations of emancipation In the same vein, this year’s celebration was particularly unique as it marked several global milestones in the eradication of slavery. They include the 150th year anniversary of Abraham Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing millions of African-Americans from enslavement; the 180th anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 in the British Empire; also in 1833, slavery ended in Canada, the British West Indies and the Cape of Good Hope. Others include the Indian Slavery Act of 1843 signed some 170 years ago; in France, slavery was abolished 165 years ago; Argentina (160 years ago) and the former Dutch colonies (150 years ago), among others.

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Politics

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In ancient times, the Oracle of Amon at Siwah was the most celebrated, and Heliopolis, Memphis, and Thebes, were representatives of the best of Egyptian civilization and culture. Thebes, a beautiful city on the Nile had the Grand Temples, and as the governing body of the Egyptian Mystery System, constituted the only Grand Lodge in the ancient world. The architecture of the temples of Thebes is still a marvel today. Here is how C.H. Vail in (Ancient Mysteries) describes it: “At a short distance from Danderah, now called Upper Egypt, is the most extraordinary group of architectural ruins presented in any part of the world, known as the Temples of the ancient city of Thebes. Thebes in its prime, occupied a large area on both sides of the Nile. This city was the center of a great commercial nation of Upper Egypt, ages before Memphis was the capital of the second nation in Lower Egypt; and however grand the architectural monuments of the latter may have been, those of the former surpassed them. The portrayal by pencil or brush can convey but a faint idea of the perfected city. “As the city stands, it is like a city of giants, who after a long conflict have been destroyed, leave the ruins of their temples as the only proof of their existence. The Temple of Luxor (it was in this temple that the Grand Lodge of Initiates always met) stands on a raised platform of brickwork covering more than two thousand feet in length and one thousand feet in breath. The oblong shape became the pattern for all Lodges and Churches in the ancient world. It is the one that interests the members of all Ancient Orders, especially so, all the members of those Orders that worshipped at the shrine of the Secret Fire, more than perhaps any other, and stands on the eastern bank of the Nile. It is in a very ruined state, but records say the stupendous scale of its proportions almost takes away the sense of its incompleteness. Up to about a quarter of a century ago, the greater part of its columns in the interior and outer walls had been removed after falling, for use elsewhere. “The Pharaoh Amenophis III, who constructed the southern part, including the heavy colonnade overlooking the river, founded this temple; but destruction unfortunately conceals this fact. The chief entrance to the temple looked at the east, while the Holy Chambers at the upper end of the plain approached the Nile. As mighty as the Temple of Luxor was, that of Carnak exceeded it in magnitude and grandeur. The distance between these two great structures was a mile and a half. Along this avenue was a double row of Sphinxes, placed twelve feet apart, and the width of the avenue was sixty feet. When in perfect state, this avenue presented the most extraordinary entrance that the world has ever seen. “If we had the power to picture from the field of imagination the grand processions of Neophytes constantly passing through and taking part in the ceremonies of Initiation, we would be powerless to produce the grandeur of the surroundings, and the imposing sight of colour and magnificent trappings of those who took part. Neither can we produce the music that kept the vast number of people in steady marching order. Crude it might have been to the cultivated ear of the 20th century. But could not the palpitating strain, sung by massed voices on the lapse of time, whose history launches the profoundest aspirations of the human heart, like the trend of a mighty river, become the grand currents of Universal Law, imparting the desire to the shadowy past as it steps forth from the pages of history, dim with age? Egypt must have been, when these temples were built, a martial nation for records of her warlike deeds are perpetuated in deeply engraved tablets which even now, excite the admiration of the best Judges of archaeological remains. “She was also a highly civilized nation, and of a nature that could bear the expenditure which always attends the culture of the arts. She surpassed in her astonishing architecture, all other nations that have existed upon the earth. Egyptian temples were surrounded with pillars recording the number of the constellations and the signs of the Zodiac or the cycles of the planets. And each temple was supposed to be a microcosm or a symbol of the universe or of the starry vault called temple.” Max Muller in (Egyptian Mythology) tells us that: “Egyptian temples were made of stone, the outer courts of mud bricks. Wide roads led to the temples for the convenience of processions, while the immediate entrance was lined with statues, consisting of sphinxes and other animals. The front wall formed two high tower like buildings, called pylons, before which stood two granite obelisks. Immediately behind the pylons came a large court where the congregation assembled and watched the sacrifices. Immediately next to the hall of the congregation, came the hall of priests, and immediately following the hall of the priests, came the final chamber called the Adytum, i.e., the Holy of Holies, which was entered only by the High priest. This was the place of the shrine and the abode of the God. “Each temple was a reproduction of the world. The ceilings were painted to represent the sky and the stars, while the floor was green and blue like the meadows. Ceremonial cleanliness was at all times imperative, and the people before entering the temple must carefully purify themselves in a nearby stream. In later times, this became a ceremony of sprinkling with holy water before entrance into the temple.” From the foregoing descriptions, it is easy to appreciate where modern churches and lodges copied their traditions, identity and internal decorations. The pyramids in Gizeh, we are told, were built around 2560 BCE. They are associated by modern Egyptologists with Pharaoh Sneferu's son, Khufu, also known as Cheops, and his sons, Khafre and Menkure. Khufu reigned for 23 years. The Sphinx of Gizeh, a massive figure, is an awe inspiring achievement. It was erected to guard the entombed Pharaoh Khafre. It is a figure that has the body of the lion and human head. Other sphinxes are ram-headed, depicting wisdom, mystery and power. The Sphinx of Queen Harshepsut, an 18th Dynasty Queen of Egypt, has human head. A manuscript by Abu'L Hassan Ma'sudi, the Coptic scribe, which is kept at the Bodeleiean Library, Oxford, confirms that the pyramids are wrongly dated by modern historians. Abu'L Hassan Ma'sudi's information also suggests that the date attributed to the building of, for instance Saqqara pyramid, 2700 BCE, by archaeologists may be grossly out of place. Ma'sudi tells us that Surid, a king of Egypt before the flood, had two pyramids built. He ordered his priests to deposit inside them all the wisdom and knowledge of the sciences then available. Plato (427-347 BCE) hinted at the age of the ancient spiritual rituals. According to Plato, some elevating Egyptian songs and poems used in the mysteries had been in use for at least 10,000 years during his time. He reckoned that the gods must have composed them. Herodotus in his Histories Apodexis said that the priests of Thebes told him that the pyramids had been handed down from father to son high priests for 11,340 years at the time of Herodotus' visit. The priests showed Herodotus (484–425 BCE), 341 statues that represented each generation of their high priests, and said that the gods had lived among them but that for some time then, no god had appeared in human form. They told him that their race is the most ancient of mankind. They also told him that the sun had twice risen where it now sets, and twice set where it now rises. This means that the poles of the earth had completely changed over from their former positions involving immense shifts of land and water. It also means that the climate at the poles had formerly been tropical, instead of arctic. Evidence that the priests are right is the fossilized remains of swampy tropical forests, found in such places as Alaska and Antartica. It is difficult to imagine the zodiac and the Temple of Dendera in Karnak Egypt show a cosmic movement of 90,000 years ago. Three and a half Great Years more on the cosmic dial. 25,800 solar years make one “Great Year.” Science is yet to collect sufficient data with which to sketch out an accurate picture of prehistoric ages and of the life of man during those ages. NASA's Mariner Mission's early 1970 photographic mapping of Mars from close range, showed a series of huge pyramid shaped features, which NASA's scientists nicknamed “Inca City.” Dr. Richard C. Hoagland, a scientist with NASA, claimed that a place on Mars named Cydonia, has ruins of an entire Martian city, full of pyramids and man made monuments. The pyramids are geometrically aligned with the face of the largest five-sided pyramid. Further studies have confirmed that the pyramids on Mars are shaped exactly like the Gizeh and that Gizeh's measurements tally with Mars pyramids' measurements. Water and Earth like soil, have been found on Mars, so, it is possible that the Red planet is still or was inhabited or used as a laboratory or base station, by extraterrestrial beings to explore the Earth and clone humans. A proverb found in the Gizeh pyramid reads: 'Man fears time and time fears the pyramids.' A plate of iron made thousands of years before the Iron Age was found in the Gizeh pyramid. The following notation: 195,955,200,000,000 was found on the Kuyunjik hill, formerly Nineveh, a calculation with fifteen digits. Greek's calculation, at their most brilliant epoch, 2,300 years ago, stopped at the 10,000 figure; anything above that was described as infinite. The number Pi was found in the Gizeh pyramid, therefore, preceding Archimedes' supposed 'discovery' by thousands of years. The word pyramid is Greek for 'Fire in the middle.' Ancient Egyptians called their pyramids pre-Neter, meaning the House of Nature, which compares with nature or house of energy in Latin. Egypt had more than 80 pyramids while Sudan (Nubia) had about 100. The Gizeh was 450 feet high on the West bank of the River Nile near modern Cairo. According to Heredotus, 100,000 men took 20 years to build it. To be sure the detailed facts of its construction remained a secret, all the workers who knew about the secrets were buried beneath the pyramid. The Great Pyramid of Gizeh is a symbolic record of ancient scholarship and wisdom. It is one of the world's largest edifices, occupying some thirteen acres of land. In the great pyramid they placed information about the heavenly spheres and figures that represent the stars and planets, their positions and cycles, and also the foundations of mathematics and geometry. They did this so that the information would be preserved forever for those descendants who could read the signs. Nostradamus predicted that the mysteries buried in the secret chambers of the pyramids would expose our origin and nature. The Gizeh is located at the center of the earth's land mass. It seems to have been built to prevent the wobble of the earth and balance its magnetic fields and land mass in response to the earth's every 50,000 years axis shift of 23 degrees. Gizeh is at the exact center of all the land lines of the world drawn through the North – South, East – West, axis to divide the earth's terrain equally at Gizeh. Its East-West land parallel through Africa, Asia and North and South America, cut across the longest North-South land meridian through Asia, Africa, Europe and Antarctica at Gizeh. The star Vega shines down its descending shaft to its pit revealing profound knowledge of astronomy, and aligns with the stars in the Orion belt as well as the star Sirius, which the Egyptians call Sothis. All the pyramids align with the stars in the Orion constellation: Zeta Orionis, Epsilon Orionis and Delta Orionis. They are all in the thirty degrees parallel to the north of the equator and pass close to within a few nautical miles of the Bermuda triangle. Experiments have shown that what happens in the pyramids contradicts all known laws of physics and electronics. Gizeh demonstrates profound knowledge of astronomy, acoustics, engineering, and its mathematically exact structure confers on it the divine image of eternity. Apart from the great feat of its ingenuous construction with relatively unsophisticated techniques, it has facilitated the accurate calculation of the sun's distance from the earth. Astronomers have noted in the Great pyramid says Diop, “indications of the sidereal year, the anomalistic year, the processions of the equinoxes for 6,000 years, where as modern astronomy knows them for only about 400 years. Mathematicians have detected in it, the exact value of “Pi,” the exact average distance between the sun and the earth, the polar diameter of the earth and so on.” Scientists confirm that the pyramids served as electromagnetic antennae, creating standing columnar waves. The electromagnetic properties of the pyramids direct light to an energy source, which as the glue of the universe, serves as the bond between spiritual and physical realities, facilitates esoteric advancement of consciousness, and reach to the highest extraterrestrial energies for human fulfillment in all spheres of life. The pyramids were, therefore, built to connect us with our creators. Their foundations are built on the laws of nature projecting the resurrection of spirit from matter. The four base points of the pyramids represent (Set) fire, (Nefu) air, (Mu) water, (Ta) earth, while the top depicts the fifth element (Hu) which is Atum (the Supreme being) and the Egyptian source of creativity. The Great Pyramid symbolized the gate to eternal life for those who succeeded in passing from the material world into the transcendental parts of nature. The temple is the symbol of life, light, truth and immortality in the Egyptian mysteries and recent scientific findings confirm that the shape of the pyramid radiates certain energy fields which electronic scientists have been unable to unravel. Egyptian prophets, seers and sages, drew divine energies from the sanctified temples cleansed of evil to regulate, focus, and facilitate human development and survival. During initiation the disciple experienced divine enlightenment; he experienced first hand the illusion of death (changing consciousness) and the rising again to serve in the world of men. It was this wisdom, developed to a high degree, which brought the wise from all parts of the world to study the laws known in Egypt. To get a sense of the size, comprehensiveness and splendour of the oldest libraries in the world, we quote from George G.M.James (Stolen Legacy.) A brief sketch of the magnificence of the Theban Royal Library; the Menephtheion, built in 1320 BCE, shows ”a better picture and are bound to admit that Egypt was the store house of ancient culture and knowledge and these were preserved in the form of literature stored away in her great libraries and temples. Great as the Royal Library of Alexandria might have been, we see in the Theban Royal Library, something far more magnificent and far more representative of the true greatness of our ancient Egypt. “On the left of the steps leading to the second court, there is still seen the pedestal of the enormous granite statue of Remeses; the largest, that ever existed in Egypt, according to Diodorus the Greek Historian. Its height has been calculated at fifty-four feet, and its weight, at 887.25 tons, a marvel to the modern mind. The interior face of the wall of the pylon represents the wars of Remeses III. The Osiride pillars of the second court, are the monolithal figures, sixteen cubits in height, supplying the place of columns, and at the foot of the steps leading from the court to the next hall beyond, there were two sitting statues of the king. The head of one of these was of red granite, known by the name of 'Young Memon,' was taken away by Belzoni, and is now a principal ornament of the British Museum. Beyond this are the remains of a hall 133 feet broad by 100 feet long, supported by 48 columns, twelve of which are thirty-two feet in height and 21 feet in circumference. “On different parts of the columns and the walls, are represented acts of homage by the king to the principal deities of the Theban Pantheon, and the gracious promises, which they make him in return. In another sculpture the two chief divinities of Egypt invest him with the emblems of military and civil dominion, i.e., the Scimitar, the Scourge and the Podium beneath, the twenty-three sons of Rameses appear in procession, bearing the emblems of their respective high offices in the state, their names being inscribed above them. Nine smaller apartments, two of them still preserved, and supported by columns, lay behind the hall. On the jambs of the first of these apartments are sculptured Thoth: the Inventor of Letters, and the Goddess Saf, with the title of 'Lady of Letters; and 'President of the Hall of Books,' accompanied the former with an emblem of the sense of sight, and the letter of hearing. There is no doubt that this is the Sacred Library which Diodorus describes as the inscribed 'Dispensary of the Mind.' “It had an astronomical ceiling, in which the twelve Egyptian months are represented, with an inscription from which important inferences have been drawn respecting the chronology of the reign of Rameses III. “On the walls is a procession of priests, carrying the Sacred Arts, and in the next apartment, the last that now remains, the king is presenting offerings to the various Divinities.” Read (Ancient Egypt by J.Kendrick Bk.1 p128-131, Report of French Commission.) Pharaoh Menes reigned around 3200 BCE. Senusert I, during the 12th Egyptian Dynasty (about 1900 BCE) conquered the whole sea coast of India beyond the Ganges to the eastern ocean. He is said to have included Cyclades and a great part of Europe in his conquests. Around 1640 BCE, some 70 Hebrews under the leadership of Joseph, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, entered Egypt from Canaan, fleeing from another great drought. Doris Darkwah in (The Role of Africa in the rise of Judaism) tells us that: “They were welcomed and given food and shelter by the hospitable Egyptians. They enjoyed the rights and privileges of Egyptian citizenship, some becoming high officials in the government giving up Semitic names for Egyptian ones. Joseph was in Pharaoh Kamoses cabinet as Prime Minister and he took the Egyptian name of Zaphnathpaaneah. Yanhamu was a leading General under Amenophis IV (Akhnaton.) The Pyramids and the Obelisk had already been completed before any Hebrew set foot in Egypt; hence the idea of their being used as slave labour on those constructions is false. Pictures found on tombs show the Hebrews to be foreigners from their clothes and beards, but also that they were not in captivity. Of course, many of them laboured side by side with the Egyptians in making bricks for the outer enclosures of temples or cities, the main building effort of the day.” Upper Egypt remained under the leadership of Egyptian Theban kings who kept on mobilizing their people against foreigners. They finally succeeded in 1546 BCE when Pharaoh Tuthmosis III, expelled the Hyksos and reunited Egypt for the third time to usher in the glorious eighteen Dynasty of Queen Hatshepsut. During the reign of Pharaoh Tuthmosis III in the eighteenth Dynasty, Egypt's prestige as a great imperial power was restored after a period of political stress at home. The domination of Egypt extended not only along the coast of Palestine, but also from Nubia to Northern Asia. Tuthmosis III, whose mother was a Sudanese Nubian, began his reign on the death of Queen Hatshepsut in 1546 BCE. Tuthmosis was an outstanding leader. He over-ran Western Asia and all the islands of the Eastern Mediterranean, reducing all the states in the area to vassals of Egypt. Some of the vassal states were Mitani (an Indo-European state on the Upper Euphrates) Babylonia, Glicia the Hittite state, Cyprus, Crete (Greece) etc. Syria and Palestine were integrated into Egypt since they had always been considered Blackstates. These two states provided garrison posts on their shores for the Egyptian armies. The vassal rulers paid homage to the Pharaoh in the most humble and submissive language. “I am your footstool. I lick the dust from your sandals. You are my sun,” a Syrian vassal wrote to Ameophis IV. The Amarna letters found in the government office of the Egyptian King Akhnaton, confirm that Egyptian Empire extended to Western Asia, Syria, Palestine in the 18th Dynasty (1500 BCE) and that up to the 6th century BCE Egypt was the foremost military, technical and imperial power in the world. After the eighteen Dynasty, Egypt began to hold as hostages, sons of vassal rulers from Asia and the Mediterranean to train in the Pharaoh's court in the hope of their becoming good vassals later in their countries. This practice helped to expand Egyptian influence considerably in Western Asia and the Mediterranean. According to Edouard Schure (Les Grands Inities, Paris 1908. Pp6-13) “at the time of their domination, the Blacks had religious centres in Upper Egypt and India. Their gigantic cities crenellated the mountains of Africa, Caucasia and Central Asia. Their social organization was an absolute theocracy. Their priests possessed profound knowledge, the principle of the divinity, unity of the universe and the cult of the stars which became Sabaeanism among the Whites, an active industry, especially the art of handling colossal masses of stone by ballistics and of smelting metals in immense furnaces worked by prisoners of war.” African leadership of the world suffered its first serious military neglect with Pharaoh Akhnaton's philosophy of inaction in the face of foreign hostilities from about 1350 BCE. Amenophis IV (Akhnaton) known as the 'Heretic' pharaoh, reigned from 1378 - 1350 BCE. Doris Darkwah in (The Role of Africa in the rise of Judaism) tells us that: “by about 1350 BCE, international expansion had become the order of the day. Pharaoh Amenophis opposed war as a means of achieving this, and also opposed other forms of violence. He was a poet and writer in addition to being a pacifist, idealist and humanitarian. This leader, Amenophis IV, renamed himself Akhnaton, meaning, 'Devoted to the God Atom.' He combined absolute authority as a monarch with compassion towards his fellowman. He imposed a religion based upon monotheism on his people, using it to strengthen his central government. Pharaoh Amenophis IV wrote psalms that read like those of the Bible, at least 400 years before David was born. Amenophis, Father of Tut-Ankh-Amen, is called the most remarkable of the Pharaohs.” Pharaoh Akhnaton was the first to divert attention from God Amon. Pharaoh Akhnaton marginalized the priests of Amon and installed himself as the spiritual and political head of Egypt. This selfish, ill-informed action condemned the Africans to the dustbin of history because, it facilitated the liberal atmosphere that eventually tolerated the lies, antics and sorcery against Egypt, of Moses and his fellow travellers. Without the spiritual energy that provided tribal or group cohesion, comfort and inspirations, and even ensured triumph in earlier epoch, the African did not only become vulnerable, he was helpless to defend himself. Although Akhnaton thought he was introducing the One God concept, he was in reality installing himself as agent of something he could not explain. He destroyed the hierarchical concept in African spirituality and in the process our spiritual focus and we became confused. We became exposed to incessant invasion by all and sundry. The end of the reign of Ramses II and that of Merneptah witnessed great migrations of people that upset the ethnic balance around the Mediterranean and in western Asia from 1230 BCE. Exodus of Israelites from Egypt also took place in 1230 BCE. From 1230 BCE, Egypt continually had to defend its borders against the immense trust of White–skinned people from the north, the sea and the east. Alexandre Moret (Le Nil et la Civilization Egyptienne) tells us that “About the month of April, 1229 BCE, Pharaoh Merneptah at Memphis learned that the King of the Libyans, Merirey, was coming from the land of Tehenu with his archers and a coalition of “People of the North,” composed of Shardana, Siculans, Achaeans, Lycians, and Etruscans, the warrior elite of each country. His aim was to attack the western frontier of Egypt in the plains of Perir. The danger was all the graver since the (Egyptian) province of Palestine itself was affected by the disturbance. Indeed, it seems that the Hittites had also been embroiled in the turmoil, although Merneptah had continued his good offices in their behalf, sending them wheat by his ships at the time of a drought, to help the land of Khatti to survive.” Egyptians defeated the coalition of barbarian hordes after a six hour long battle. Survivors passed the memory of the war on for generations. Moret says: “Merirey fled at top speed, abandoning his arms, his treasures, and his harem. Moret reported among the slain 6,359 Libyans, 222 Siculans, 742 Etruscans, and Shardana and Achaeans by thousands. More than 9,000 swords and pieces of armour, and a great booty were captured on the battlefield. Merneptah engraved a hymn of victory on the walls of his mortuary temple of Thebes, in which he described the panic among his enemies. The young Libyan men said of the victories: “We have had none since the days of Ra,” and the man said to his son “Alas! poor Libya!” The Tehenu have been consumed in a single year. And the other provinces outside Egypt were also reduced to obedience. Tehenu is laid waste, Khatti is pacified, Canaan is pillaged, Ascalon is despoiled, Gezer is captured, Yenoam is annihilated, Israel is made desolate and no longer has any crops, Kharu has become like a widow (without support) against Egypt. All the countries are unified and pacified.” The captives taken in by Pharaoh Merneptah were given as slaves to various temples to express his gratitude to the gods. That was how the White man began to settle in large numbers in Egypt. They came as prisoners, transformed into slaves, chained and branded. Libya was not a country then but a corruption of Lebou; the name Africans called their White slaves. After defeating the Etruscans and Libyans, Pharaoh Merneptah embarked on pacifying Palestine, where the first group of 'Sea People' arrived. Africans called the 'Sea People,' who were, in fact, Indo-Europeans or Achaean fugitives, Palestiou, which is how the name Palestine came about in 1222 BCE. Diop tells us that: “Pharaoh Merneptah speaks of all those people as rebellious vassals. The text specifically states that the land of the Hittites is pacified, thereby confirming the notion that, after the conquest of the Hittites land by Pharaoh Tuthmosis III in 1546 BCE, Palestine never ceased to be a vassal of Egypt. ……Merneptah sent them wheat to avoid famine.…… The White slaves captured from the rebellions were given to the Egyptian temples where the priests employed them either in farming or in the local militias. But as central authority collapsed in Egypt, however, local militias increasingly assumed local security functions. To take advantage of the anarchy, Syrian, Palestinian and Libyan slaves rebelled under the leadership of their foremen and military officers of their race, who supervised their labour in Memphis to create a village that they controlled and called Babylon, in memory of their country. Similarly, Phrygians founded a short lived village called Troion, in memory of Troy.” Effort to quell the disorder came once again from the interior of Africa. Seti, the Viceroy of Nubian Sudan, marched on Thebes to re-establish order in Egypt. Because of the ancestral oneness and close ties between Egypt and the rest of Africa, most of Egypt's leaders, particularly during periods of serious national crisis or confrontation with the non-African world, kept coming from Nubia-Sudan/Ethiopia. To spiritually demonstrate this, Diodorus informs us that “each year, a statue of the attribute, God Amon (Christians pray to this African King as Amen, confirming continued African spiritual leadership of the world), as King of Kings, was erected in Thebes (the spiritual capital and Holy City of Egypt.) This statue was transferred in the direction of Nubia for several days and then brought back as if to indicate that the King of Kings was returning from Nubia or the heart of Africa, the source of human life. Nubia-Sudan and Ethiopia were involved in joint military and spiritual activities around the world throughout ancient times. Greece took over leadership of the world from us in 332 BCE and lost to Rome in 49 BCE. Rome ruled for less than 1,500 years. The US has been in control in the last 50 years after unleashing World War II bombs on Hiroshima. China is on the verge of ruling the world. Africa must cut China's reign short as ancestors of mankind with ordained leadership responsibilities to repair, restore and renew our troubled earth, making it more beautiful and beneficial for all who inhabit it, rich or poor, Jews or gentiles, Black or White, animate or inanimate matter. NAIWU OSAHON Hon. Khu Mkuu (Leader) World Pan-African Movement); Ameer Spiritual (Spiritual Prince) of the African race; MSc. (Salford); Dip.M.S; G.I.P.M; Dip.I.A (Liv.); D. Inst. M; G. Inst. M; G.I.W.M; A.M.N.I.M. Poet, Author of the magnum opus: 'The end of knowledge'. One of the world's leading authors of children's books; Awarded; key to the city of Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Honourary Councilmanship, Memphis City Council; Honourary Citizenship, County of Shelby; Honourary Commissionership, County of Shelby, Tennessee; and a silver shield trophy by Morehouse College, USA, for activities to unite and uplift the African race. Naiwu Osahon renowned author, philosopher of science, mystique, leader of the world Pan-African Movement. Development / Accra / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com destruction of western man is the only solution. we African's must fight home and abroad with out Africa the world don't run. get out my home land and go back to your under developed land. 20 million died in the Congolese. for what rubber. if I got to die today for these little African then i'm a dead MF

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Culture

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BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE Having explained what investment in bonds is about, and the basic merit last week, we proceed to discuss how to buy and sell bonds. But before this, it is important to know that there are also risks to investment in bonds. The greatest risk is inflation, general increase in prices of goods and services. Assuming you invest N10, 000 in a five year bond, the reality is that within those five years, prices of goods and services may have risen significantly such that what N10, 000 can buy at the time you invested in the bond, you may need N15, 000 to buy it by the fifth year when the bond matures.The implication is that though you get your money back with interest, but the value is not the same. There is also the risk that the bond issuer may have problem repaying the bond. Though this risk is minimal or almost non-existent in government bonds, it could happen if it is a company that issued the bond. Also there have been instances where governments had difficulty repaying their loans. A good example is Greece, which has been under severe economic problem in the last three years. So take note that investment in bonds has its risk and this depends on the type of bonds. With respect to type of bonds, the basic ones are Sovereign bonds, State bonds, Municipal bonds, and Corporate bonds. Sovereign bonds are issued by the federal governments, while state bonds are issued by state or regional governments. local government bonds are issued by local government, and corporate bonds are issued by companies. Corporate bonds are also referred to as Debenture or Industrial loan. The most important thing is that they are all debts. In Nigeria the most dominant type of bond is the Sovereign bond also known as FGN Bond. Total value of FGN Bond outstanding (yet to be paid/or yet to mature) is N3.5 trillion as at December 31st, 2012. Like equities/shares, there is primary market and secondary markets for buying and selling of bonds The primary market is where bonds are issued and sold by the issuer directly to the investing public, while the secondary market is where bond holders can sell the bonds, and willing investors can buy such bonds. The importance of the secondary market for bonds is that if you buy bonds, and you need money before the tenure of the bond expires, you can take it to the secondary market and sell. Also if there are no fresh issuance of bonds i.e. government or companies are not selling bonds, but you want to invest in bonds, you can go to the secondary market and buy from bond holders willing to sell. In Nigeria, bonds are also listed and traded on the Nigeria Stock Exchange. For example, last week, 1,770 units of FGN bonds valued at N194, 830 were traded in 15 deals on the stock exchange. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/ipob-members-not-terrorists-i-live-with-them-peter-obi/BUYING

Politics

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THE first principle of unalienable rights recognises that everyone is naturally endowed by their Creator with certain rights that cannot be infringed or given away. Amongst these rights are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. In order to secure or safeguard these vital rights, “…government are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from consent of the governed” as declared by Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), who was elected as the third President of the United States of America (1801-1809). Constitutions are also made for the purpose of securing, protecting, promoting good governance, accountability and welfare of all citizens-the governed. The government instituted among men is the elected representatives who are also known as the politicians. These politicians are required to implement social reforms and policy measures that contribute to the general welfare of the populace. My little Oxford dictionary defines politician as “person engaged or interested in politics” and politics as “science and art of government; political affairs or life or principles etc.” Politics consists of “social relations involving authority and power”. A politician is defined as one who is actively involved in politics or one who holds or seeks a political office. A politician is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making in government. Politicians play a central role in our lives. They are the concentrated voices of the people that make all efforts to improve their constituencies and peoples’ welfare. Good and dependable politicians are always delighted to serve the people and consider themselves as servants and people their paymasters. They represent the hopes, aspirations and the interests of every citizen in the state. A politician’s qualities are his characters that are natural, while some of the qualities are as a result of external influences. Promising politicians’ qualities are often backed by skills, experiences, intelligence, integrity, with instincts -all combined together to achieve their goals. First and foremost, the best quality of a politician is honesty, God- fearing and loving. A faithful and effective politician is trustworthy and reliable. He must capture the essence of truth, display sincerity, candour and practices what he preaches. He makes decisions and accepts responsibility for his actions and his words. The same is true in his dealing with his people. He makes promises and keeps those promises. Someone that people may rely on. Loving people with all his heart, might, mind, soul and striving to help them as a true mark of responsible politician. Moreover, a fake politician, will after taking the oath of office with the Holy book and lousy thanksgiving services, use their power as an end in itself, rather than for public good, making them indifferent to the progress of their citizens. A good politician becomes the image of his creator. A good and responsible politician will give high regard for morality and be law-abiding with no tendency to corruption. The greatest strength of good politicians is deriving joy in serving people and not to steal tax payers money. They know that a fulfilling and meaningful life is created through service to others. To be an effective politician, your followers must have trust in you. And the very best way for a politician to build trust is to display good sense of character and qualities composed of values, beliefs, traits and skills. Another important quality of a good politician is integrity and technical skills to handle those challenging assignments, fiscal matters, policies, plans, projects, ideas and initiative solutions to problems. Integrity is consistency of actions, methods, measures, values, principles, expectations and outcomes. It is doing what is right, both legally and morally at all time even when no one is looking. Since politicians play very significant roles in the administrative processes, especially having hands in thousands of important laws and policies to their communities and country, they should be well-educated, modest, with experience in social welfare, volunteering or should have done some good work for the society. A politician should have a thorough knowledge and up-to-date information about the constituency where he is going to contest an election. Sir Winston Churchill, a famous British politician who served as Prime Minister twice (1940-45) and (1951-55) once said that “ a politician must have “the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen”. Hence, a political career is meant for the people of high integrity and additional skills to achieve results and finding better ways of making life better for the people they represent. Politics is not meant for dropped-outs, area fathers, thugs, assassins, criminals, illiterates god-fathers, inept, dubious and corrupt persons. These persons, apart from being greedy do not know the importance of education and can never invest properly in it. Good governance, transparency and accountability will elude states and nations where these aforementioned set of people find themselves in the corridor of power. An incompetent and irresponsible politician will make people hang around his house like bees to honey to feed them with “amala”, “tuwo” or “eba”just for days. He prefers to give out expensive gifts, donations and bribes from tax-payers money to win elections. An achiever will not need to do such things to win elections or people to their side in any instance. This is why you will hear people say “Politics is a bad game of deceit and hatred”, “Politics is a do or die affair”, “Politics is a dirty business”, “Politicians are very sick people” and so on. It is those politicians of limited merits and capabilities that are bad and not politics. They cannot do more than their moral and intellectual capacity offer. A true democratic government is the best concept for the growth of any nation. A good politician enriches lives and feeds souls of many people and not making them to become beggars, touts, kidnappers, armed-robbers and fraudsters. A good politician should be of a well disciplined personality with selfless service to make live better for his people. This should be reflected in the community where he lives in all ramifications. Discipline is necessary for an orderly society and political life, without it, the social life would become miserable. A selfless service is putting the welfare of the people you’re representing before your own. Winston Churchill described it as “the first of all human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others”. A good politician firmly believes in taking care and maintaining the community of his people. He believes that community service is about giving back. According to Theodore Roosevelt, “the most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice”. A person or politician who is with criminal background, or any links with criminals or whose allegations on corruption have not been cleared by the law court should be disqualified to participate in elections. Responsibility and party loyalty is another quality of responsible politician in a democratic state. A transparent politician is nearer to his people and meeting them to understand their problems. Only fake politicians are seen by voters when an election is near or change parties as footballers change clubs. As every parent has its responsibility to teach their children the principles of moral, culture, truth, sincerity to be self- responsible, so politicians need to integrate its citizens with importance of political responsibility and democratic values. A politician leads by example and knows his minimum responsibilities as an elected representative. A politician comes to politics to work for his constituents and not to work against them. He is the beck and call of the people and ready to listen to everybody. All these build a strong foundation for a dynamic society which will create solutions for any challenges, and finally develop strategies and political systems that will help implement those solutions automatically. He is quick to give hand to his fellow man. A reliable politician should be very loyal and committed to his party which shares his vision and goals. The value of loyalty simply depends on trust. A citizen should belong to a party with most brilliant, skilful, patriotic and dynamic people with common goals and aspirations. Team work best when they have common goals, mutual respect and understanding of each party member’s strength. Politics is to unite and reach consensus and not to divide or create enmity among people. Power is only a product of collective action. Mr. ADEWALE AKANDE a political analyst, wrote from Barcelona, Spain. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/quality-of-a-good-politician-in-a-democratic-society/

Politics

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Medical experts have have warned Nigerians on the dangers of using bleaching products. Dr Akinlolu Siyanbola, a dermatologist at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Hospital, Osogbo, and Dr Abimbola Ibrahim in their separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo, maintained that consistent usage of bleaching products over a long period could lead to kidney failure, cancer and infertility. According to Dr Siyanbola, consistent usage of bleaching products over a long period could make the kidney to fail, and could cause diabetes. He explained that bleaching products could also cause osteoporosis (loss of bone density), psychiatric manifestation and systemic hypertension among other ailments. The dermatologist said that bleaching products contain chemical agents that reduce the activities of the natural cell which protects the skin from the adverse effects of sunlight. The agents, he said, change the skin to occhronus manifested in different colours of the body. In his reaction, Dr Abimbola Ibrahim, disclosed that people who use bleaching products may end up being infertile. Ibrahim said products lighten the skin and cause it to lose its natural protective barrier, making it to be vulnerable. The medical expert added that infection spreads faster and broader, thus leading to skin cancer. While noting that the hydroxyl quinolone results in body odour, he advised Nigerians to maintain their natural skin. Ibrahim however, called on the regulatory agencies to control the sale of chemical agents in the interest of public health. (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/bleaching-products-can-cause-infertility-kidney-failure-others-experts-warn/

Health

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Yoruba: The Ethnic Group That Rejected Their Presidential Candidate We have heard so much about ethnic strife and loyalty in Africa and Europe based on tribe. We saw it in Yugoslavia, Myanmar etc. and lately in Ukraine. The only Ethnic group in most parts of our ethnic world that has ever rejected their own son and kin as the Presidential candidate while voting for others, are the Yoruba of West Africa. Yet, it is not yet Uhuru since some Africans have become selfish as cash mules that care less about their people. Unexpectedly, repressed tribal politics has also raised its ugly head in the United States of America. Well, it has always been there, the last United States Presidential Election just boiled to the surface what has been brewing for a long time since the end of their Civil War. It is doubtful if they ever recovered from the vestiges of slavery. But they have taken strides to reach the goal of an equitable society. Africans and scholars in world universities always use the Yoruba as case study for their civilization, tolerance and accommodation. Nigerians also hold them up to their values and egalitarian system whenever they stray out of line. There may be debate of the falling standard in a country that realized Oil Income windfall since the Arab Oil Embargo of 1972. Unfortunately, Nigeria has replaced Asian countries as the face of abject poverty. The Nigerian Presidential Election produced some surprises along the Regions. While the Eastern states of the country voted over 90 percent along ethnic lines, the West and the old North were divided. The old North made up of different ethnic groups did not follow the old slogan of One North One People because two Presidential candidates contested, dividing the block voted for Hausa or Fulani candidates. Nevertheless, the Western states that were mainly Yoruba rejected their own son in his state of origin and his adopted state where he has been elected as Governor in the past. The reason Yoruba voted for the Presidential candidates of other ethnic groups in Nigeria points to their Value System. Unlike their counterparts in the same countries, money has never been at the top of their Values in priorities. Knowledge, honor, status and caliber are appreciated before money. Ethnic loyalty through the political history of Nigeria has always been secondary. So within the Nigerian Youth Movement formed by Herbert Macauley that metamorphosed into a political Party, it is not surprising that he mentored leaders of different ethnic groups. Such as Azikiwe, Awolowo, Ernest Ikoli, Peter Enahoro and many others. This spirit of honor, caliber and merit regardless of where members come from produced not only leaders but elites that did very well in businesses and politics. While Nigeria was divided along the North and South politically, they found a temporary unity to claim Independence from the British. Indeed, one of the reasons Nnamdi Azikiwe gave for his Party alliance with the Northern Party was to avoid division along the North and South line. Nevertheless, the Yoruba made Azikiwe the leader of the Party founded by Herbert Macauiey in Lagos and then elected him as leader into the Western House at Ibadan in the Yoruba Western Region. Very rare in African politics. Other ethnic groups flourished in the West in business, law and other educational activities since the Premier University was in Ibadan. The Balewa Federal Government installed Prof. Kenneth Dike in1963 at the University of Ibadan, as Nigeria's first Vice-Chancellor. In 1965, after the expiration of another Igbo, Prof. Eni Njoku's three-year term as Vice-Chancellor at University of Lagos, Balewa replaced him with a renowned Yoruba historian, Prof. Saburi Biobaku. Kayode Adams, one of the Yoruba student activists at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and others protested against a Yoruba man and stabbed him. Fast forward, it is not by accident that other ethnic groups were voted for as Presidential candidates while the Yoruba candidates came second in two important Yoruba states. These two Yoruba states knew the characters of their son and rejected him. This critical moral value among Yoruba may be discounted by those ethnic groups that voted for nobody else but their sons. Their hypocrisy stinks to high heavens, knowing their past voting patterns. Some even claimed they have voted across ethnic lines before. But we know they only do that when their sons are running mates of the party they form an alliance with. Even Abiola a Yoruba that was duly elected as President, the Military Government nullified his mandate. Apart from one Eastern state, an unknown Fulani, Tofa got more votes than Abiola. They later supported the cancellation of the Abiola mandate. Then, the Military decided on another Yoruba as replacement candidate. The Yoruba put up their own preferred candidate. In unisom, other ethnic groups voted against the Yoruba preferred candidate, Falaye and voted for Obasanjo, the Military Government’s candidate. A cynical move against Yoruba interest. Fajuyi, the man that stood by Aguiyi Ironsi who refused to bring Nzegwu to justice for killing each ethnic leader in power except Igbo while Igbo celebrated, was called a traitor. Banjo, the Yoruba man that remained loyal to the Biafrans Army and led Biafrans Army into his fatherland was called a traitor and killed by firing squad when he returned to Biafra. Wole Soyinka, the man who supported Biafra during the Civil War and almost died in prison for it, was called a traitor by Igbo. Tai Solari and Gani Fawehinmi fought Babangida and Abacha to a standstill at the risk of their life. Both were labeled cowards. When the Fulani tried to keep Yar'Adua in a vegetable state in power and ruled by proxy, Yoruba activists fought until his Vice President, a Biafrans nominated by Obasanjo became Acting President. Jonathan was later voted into Power by the majority of the country from North to South. As soon as he became President, he squandered his enormous goodwill by marginalizing the Yoruba and labeled his benefactor, Obasanjo, a motor park tout. It was during his reign that he declared: our money, we spend it anyway we want. While he boasted about creating more millionaires and billionaires, he left Niger Delta, his home, an environmental disaster worse than he met it. Despite these transgressions against Yoruba interest in Nigeria, Yoruba voted for the other ethnic groups and rejected their own son. It has never happened anywhere in Europe, Asia, America or Africa. The only way to understand the rationale behind Yoruba action in the last Presidential Election, one has to go back into their Value System. You wonder if it is short memory or convenient amnesia. Before and even during the Nigerian Civil War, it was Yoruba that were seeking peace and were called Unity Beggars. Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/326742/yoruba-the-ethnic-group-that-rejected-their-presidential-ca.html

Politics

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The Bible does not forbid interracial marriages. It does, however, forbid a Christian from marrying an unbeliever: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). In Numbers 12:1-8 is an account of Moses marrying an Ethiopian woman. “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman),” (Num. 12:1). Other Bible verses translate this as “Cush.” Cush is the ancient location of Ethiopia. Miriam and Aaron were upset with Moses because he married a Cushite woman. Cush has also been considered to be the northern part of Egypt. Either way, it is very possible that the Cushite woman was of a different race. God defended Moses for marrying this woman. If race were an issue, this would have been a great place to set the matter straight. Also, people of different races were not mentioned as being among those forbidden by God for Jews to marry, see Exodus 34:11.

http://ow.ly/owTB50JXMLP

Religion

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Understanding the DNA test result The DNA test compares the sizes of chosen genetic markers between the samples being investigated. Each DNA marker contains two alleles, one inherited from the biological mother and the other from the biological father. The DNA test finds out whether there is at least one match out of the two alleles on the same marker from the compared samples. In a Paternity test, the Paternity Index (PI) is a statistical measure of how strongly a match using a particular marker indicates paternity. The PI’s of the markers are multiplied with each other to generate the Combined Paternity Index (CPI). This gives “the overall probability of an individual being the biological father of the tested child relative to any random man from the entire population of the same race.” (Universal Genetics DNA Testing Laboratory). “The CPI is then converted into a Probability of Paternity showing the degree of relatedness between the alleged father and child.” Universal Genetics DNA Testing Laboratory, for example, “ always achieves a 0% probability of paternity if the tested man is not the biological father and at least 99.9% probability of paternity if the tested man is the biological father. Both results are conclusive to prove or disprove paternity.” Universal Genetics DNA Testing Laboratory, as a standard laboratory, also issues a Chain-of-Custody Testing Result. The customer receives the following information: - All tested parties’ names as shown on their IDs presented at specimen collection - Listing of each tested party’s individual DNA profile - A Combined Paternity Index - A Probability of Paternity - A statement of conclusion - Copy of chain-of-custody documents including clients’ IDs, consent forms, and photos. SOME COMMON USES OF LEGAL PATERNITY TESTS In a world of poverty, too many women are abandoned to struggle alone with providing all that it takes for a child to survive and even thrive. The child’s father is comfortably at large enjoying his own life in “peace”. It often happens in Nigeria and other parts of the world that when a well-to-do man dies, there is confusion and strife over sharing of his property. Questionable claimers arise from nowhere insisting on their “inheritance”. Indeed some of them appear with physical semblance to the deceased to the shock of the known and established relations. Some babies unfortunately are born with no name of Father for their birth certificates. Child support claims, determining eligibility for inheritances, and listing a father’s name on a birth certificate are recognized common uses of paternity tests. These issues can be resolved through a Legal DNA Paternity Test. A legal DNA paternity test costs more than a non-legal DNA paternity test due to the additional requirements involved. A non-legal paternity test is also known as a home or peace-of-mind paternity testand does not need official notarization. You can do it yourself by purchasing a home DNA paternity test online. From the kit sent to you, you collect the specimens by simply rubbing a swab on the inside of your cheek as well as that of other parties to be compared in the test. You mail back to the lab all the swabs in sample envelopes following instructions provided. The results will include the same information as a legal DNA paternity test without notarization. Typically, it takes under a week for the lab to complete the job. Non-legal paternity tests, though accurate, cannot be used in court. If you want to present in court, ask for a Legal Paternity Test. (to be concluded). Dr. ‘Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please email [email protected] or call 08160944635

http://thenationonlineng.net/understanding-the-dna-test-result/

Family

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The New Testament consistently affirms that Jesus is not only lord (i.e., master, sovereign, one with authority over us) but is, in fact, the Lord (i.e., YHWH, Yahweh, Jehovah, the LORD God of Israel). Anyone who proclaims a Jesus who is something less is guilty of preaching, in the words of Paul, “another Jesus whom we have not preached,” (2 Corinthians 11:4). Jesus is Lord That the title “Lord” applies to Jesus in the New Testament is utterly indisputable. He is referred to as “Lord Jesus” over a hundred times. Confessing Him as Lord is considered essential to the Christian faith! “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved,” (Romans 10:9). And the Christian message is sometimes defined as preaching “Jesus as Lord”: “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:5). To the New Testament authors, this was not merely abstract but often personal, claiming Him as “our Lord”: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). But this does not mean that Jesus is Lord only of Christians, for they also proclaimed him as Lord of all: “The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)” (Acts 10:36). And this is not merely something Christians believed about Jesus. It is something He taught about Himself: “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am,” (John 13:13). The New Testament is thoroughly and unanimously clear that Jesus is Lord. Not only Lord but the Lord But when the New Testament authors proclaim Jesus as Lord, what do they mean? After all, a lord can simply mean a human master or one in authority. That Jesus is “Lord of all” is certainly rather lofty language, but what does it mean? In the case of Jesus, how far does the title go? On a closer look, the biblical writers were indeed claiming Jesus not merely as Lord but as the LORD, the one true God! Take, for example, how it is laid out in the book of Jude: “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe,” (Jude 4-5, NASB). Notice that Jesus Christ is “our only Master and Lord” and that, immediately after saying this, we are told that it was “the Lord” who saved the people out of the land of Egypt and destroyed those who did not believe. Jude explicitly and unambiguously claims Jesus to be Jehovah God. In fact, a number of important manuscripts read “Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” You can see this reflected in classic translations like the 14th-century Wycliffe Bible and modern versions like the ESV, CSB, and NET. Whether or not this is the original reading, it at least demonstrates that ancient scribes understood “the Lord” in verse five to be Jesus, as the context plainly demands. Paul similarly wrote: “Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents,” (1 Corinthians 10:9). “The Lord” here is obviously YHWH, Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament. But the NASB here is in the minority in favoring the reading “the Lord.” The most ancient manuscripts (and the vast majority of later ones) actually read “Christ” here, which is why almost every translation reads: “We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,” (1 Corinthians 10:9, ESV) Once again, Christ is identified as the one true God of ancient Scripture. The early Christian writers after the New Testament followed this, penning things like: “But our Instructor is the holy God Jesus, the Word, who is the guide of all humanity…He confesses Himself to be the Instructor: ‘I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.’ Who, then, has the power of leading in and out? Is it not the Instructor? This was He who appeared to Abraham, and said to him, ‘I am thy God, be accepted before Me;’ and in a way most befitting an instructor, forms him into a faithful child, saying, ‘And be blameless; and I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed.’ There is the communication of the Instructor’s friendship.”1 In John 12:37-41, Jesus is identified as “the Lord” whom Isaiah saw in the temple in Isaiah 6. Hebrews 1:8-12 addresses Jesus not merely as Lord but as the eternal Lord who created all things and even as God! Paul writes that: “So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Philippians 2:10-11). And he is obviously applying to Jesus the words from Isaiah, where the LORD God Himself says: “I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance,” (Isaiah 45:23). Even in Jesus’ own words, He claims to be the I AM of Exodus 3:14 (see John 8:24,58) Thus, the Bible is clear that Jesus is the LORD in the highest and loftiest sense of the word. He is Yahweh. He is Jehovah. He is the God of Israel and the Lord of all nations, creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them.

http://ow.ly/VchT50JYiTe

Religion

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Emily Whitehead obtaining the remarkable HIV-gene therapy that “cured” her leukaemia By Sola Ogundipe Year 2012 was replete with an array of medical and scientific breakthroughs. From January through December, series of world-changing innovations were recorded across the world. However, one of the biggest and most sensational breakthroughs of the year involved Emily Whitehead, a 7-year-old girl, whose acute leukaemia (blood cancer) was effectively “cured” by HIV. Emily who had been battling the potentially fatal lymphoblastic leukaemia since May 2010, recovered dramatically after the HIV-procured antidote proved that scientists can successfully use HIV to kill cancer. After series of chemotherapy failed to work, Emily underwent a new experimental gene therapy pioneered by the University of Pennsylvania to eradicate blood cancers. The procedure involved “tricking” Emily’s immune system into fighting the cancer In the experimental treatment, a disabled form of HIV was used to essentially rewrite her T-cells to be programmed to attack B-cells, which become malignant when suffering from leukaemia. Researchers say the therapy is personalized using each patient’s immune system’s “T cells.” Three weeks after the infusion in April, Emily was completely free of the leukaemia that had been on the verge of killing her. Reports say she is recovering well at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Today, in the war against cancer, Emily is at the forefront. The therapy, culminating 20 years of research, involves genetically engineering T cells – the immune system’s big guns – to attack B cells, the blood component that turns malignant in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Although T cell therapy can have catastrophic side effects,doctors say it pointed the way to an antidote or the deadly blood cancer. But the novel therapy that has tamed terminal leukaemia in seven of the first 10 patients might be deemed too risky for further testing. There are concerns that interfering with the immune system is too risky. Of the 10, only two patients have not gotten better on the T cell therapy, even though all had stopped responding to conventional treatments. Four patients have had a complete response – their leukaemia was eradicated – with the longest so far lasting 28 months. In four other patients, leukemia diminished dramatically. The research team, led by gene-therapy pioneer Carl June, is optimistic about the outcomes of the study which have been so stunning the world has noticed. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/2012-scientists-cure-leukaemia-with-hiv/

Health

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Miracle Children in Lagos BY SOLA OGUNDIPE – Vanguard Media LTD has commenced a process of conducting DNA test on Precious Donatus Ogbonna and the seven babies she allegedly had within eleven months. A popular laboratory has been contracted and money ear-marked for the test that would put an end to all arguments over the truth of the woman’s claims. DNA is the most reliable and assured way of resolving any question mark looming over a child’s paternity or maternity. That is the only way the issue of an individual’s parentage, identity or family lineage can be established beyond reasonable doubt. Over the years, the DNA blood test has emerged as the most infallible way of convincingly answering the question of family relationship. DNA testing is a powerful tool for identification and with today’s technology, can identify individuals with almost 100 percent certainty. Often referred to as DNA blood testing, parentage testing or DNA fingerprinting, the DNA blood test is utilised to identify and evaluate the genetic information-called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)-in a person’s cells. It is called a “fingerprint” because it is very unlikely that any two people would have exactly the same DNA information, in the same way that it is very unlikely that any two people would have exactly the same physical fingerprint. The test is used to determine whether a family relationship exists between two people, to identify organisms causing a disease, and to solve crimes. Nowadays, paternity testing and other DNA tests rely heavily on DNA’s structure and function. Since DNA’s structure was discovered in 1953, numerous techniques have been developed to use this knowledge to learn more about how living things function and solve human problems. With the introduction of DNA testing in the late 1970s and 1980s, scientists have appreciated the powerful tool this process could be for identification and determination of biological relationships. Thanks to the advent of DNA testing, identities of individuals in relation to their relatives can now be determined with exceptional accuracy and conclusiveness. That DNA testing has revolutionised the paternity and family relationship testing industry is no surprise. It is far more accurate than other forms of testing and therefore immensely popular amongst people that are trying to establish parental lineage. DNA blood testing is done in laboratories under strict laboratory conditions so there is minimal chances of the wrong evaluation been given. A drop of blood or root of hair is good enough to confirm the result, because blood and hair contain enough DNA for testing. Essentially, semen, hair, or skin scrapings are often used in criminal investigations. A person who has DNA fingerprinting done voluntarily usually provides a sample of blood taken from a vein. DNA testing also can be done on cells obtained by a simple mouthwash or a swab of the cheeks inside the mouth, but these methods are not recommended. DNA is extracted from the white blood cells after the blood sample is put into a centrifuge and the blood is split into different components. DNA blood testing is more invasive than other methods of DNA testing because a needle is used to extract blood as opposed to a swab that takes skin samples of DNA. Why It Is Done The most common use of DNA fingerprinting is to solve crimes (forensic science). Blood, semen, skin, or other tissue left at the scene of a crime can be analysed to help prove whether the suspect was or was not present at the crime scene. But DNA fingerprinting is done to determine who a person’s parents or siblings are. The test also may be used to confirm paternal or maternal identity of children as well as to identify badly decomposed or dismembered bodies. How it is done DNA can be collected from dried blood, skin, saliva, hair, urine, and semen. Bone and teeth samples are used when a body is badly decomposed, but DNA that is used to establish paternity or maternity is collected from a blood sample. The health professional drawing blood will wrap an elastic band around the upper arm to stop the flow of blood. This makes the veins below the band larger so it is easier to put a needle into the vein. If a DNA blood test is done on a baby, a heel stick will be done instead of a blood draw from a vein. For a heel stick blood sample, several drops of blood are collected from the heel of the baby. The skin of the heel is cleaned with alcohol and then pricked with a small, sterile lancet. Several drops of blood are collected inside circles on a specially prepared piece of paper. When enough blood has been collected, a gauze pad or cotton ball is placed over the puncture site. Pressure is applied to the puncture site briefly and then a small bandage is usually placed over it. DNA is generally painless and free of risk if carried out by a professional in an approved health centre. Apart from a brief sting or a pinch when the lancet pricks the skin, there is very little or no discomfort. Collection of DNA from saliva, urine, or semen does not cause discomfort or risk. DNA samples can determine or establish paternity. Tissue samples from two people can also be compared to determine how likely they are to be blood relatives. How it works DNA is inherited from both biological parents. It is found in all cells of the body and composed of four different molecules—adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). Like the letters of an alphabet, these four molecules are arranged in strings of specific sequences that spell out instructions for our body’s everyday functions. DNA contains information that dictates our physical characteristics, such as facial features, height, and even health. During conception, the father’s sperm cell and the mother’s egg cell, each containing half the amount of DNA found in other body cells, meet and fuse to form a fertilized egg, called a zygote. The zygote contains a complete set of DNA molecules, a unique combination of DNA from both parents. This zygote divides and multiplies into an embryo and later, a full human being. At each stage of development, all the cells forming the body contain the same DNA—half from the father and half from the mother. It is this fact that enables scientists to use a variety of sampling methods for DNA testing. We can take samples at virtually any stage of development and from any part of the body—and still obtain the same results, because these samples contain the same DNA. The DNA test works because each person has a unique genetic profile that reflects this inheritance. Special locations (called loci) in human DNA display predictable inheritance patterns that could be used to determine biological relationship.. These locations contain specific DNA sequences, called markers, that forensic and DNA scientists use as identifying marks for individuals. In a routine DNA paternity test, the markers used are Short Tandem Repeats (STRs), short pieces of DNA that occur in different repeat patterns among individuals. Each person’s DNA contains two copies of these markers—one copy inherited from the father and one from the mother. Within a population, the markers at each person’s DNA location could differ in length and sometimes sequence, depending on the markers inherited from the parents. The combination of marker sizes found in each person represents his/her genetic profile. DDC examines a minimum of 16 STR markers to create a genetic profile for each tested person in a paternity, identity or family relationship test. Under the right conditions, DNA test is 99.99 percent accurate and the results can be used in a court of law. Another test that can help determine paternity or genealogical relationship includes genetic testing. However, sample size is the most telling factor. The possibility of inaccurate test results increases if a very small sample of DNA is available for testing. The chance that the DNA will be mixed up with some other DNA is also higher with a smaller sample. Anyone who has had a blood transfusion within the past three months may not be eligible for DNA testing. DNA blood testing results are used commonly in the search for truth and often justice. For parental and ancestry confirmation, DNA testing is fast, easy and accurate and therefore is not a problem to gather the required information and provide results for the question that needs an answer. DNA testing is a powerful tool for identification. With today’s technology, DNA tests can now identify individuals with almost 100% certainty. Identification has not always been this conclusive. Before DNA tests, the science community used other biological tools to identify people and determine relationships. These techniques, which included blood typing, serological testing, and HLA testing, were useful for other uses (such as matching blood and tissue donors with recipients and reducing the rejection rate for transplant patients), but they were not effective for identification and determining relationships. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/precious-ogbonna-and-her-miracle-babies-what-dna-test-would-achieve/

Religion

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Acculturation of European ways of life into African communities was intentionally planned to suppress our cultures and create longing demands for Foreign culture and tastes. Until Africans rediscover and refine their own culture, we will always fall for others' products inadvertently denying us Economic Independence.The British formed a class of Africans that pushed English taste, opinions, morals, and intellect on those they ruled. Acculturation is hidden in plain sight yet insidious and debilitating to African psyche. It is behind our abnormal behavior of tight affinity to what is outside our reach like foreign money we cannot print. If we look carefully at the reasons for unprecedented corruption, crime waves, desperation to acquire, no matter the price we pay, it boils down to enabling us to afford Foreign goods, services and travels. The desire for each of these requires accumulation of money outside our control in African countries since we cannot exchange our money as legal tender for their goods. This greed for Foreign money to acquire English tastes and culture was implanted a long time ago to promote foreign readymades, manufactured Plastics such as designer products. Indeed, it led to the demise of textile industries in Africa and India while the British picked up the monopoly. They mined gold in Gold Coast only to pay taxes and royalties to themselves. Recruited African soldiers to fight for Freedom in World War I and II while colonizing Africa. Lord Thomas McCauley was a committed racist, a colonial apologist that passionately believed there was no other ‘culture’ beyond Europe. The Whig Party members like Lord Thomas McCauley in 1835 understood the proud people they were up against because of African Empires higher moral values and cultures. War of suppression could work for a while, but as committed racists, English language and culture had to be sold as the Savior to Africans as modern, civilized and superior. It worked so well that up to the 21th Century, African Youths sought their Salvation not at home but from Foreign cultures and lands. Conservatives play politics of exploitations, even when some claimed they regretted Slave Labor, they still see Slavery as a "necessary evil" without which they would not have been the richest Economy. What they are doing today is to rebrand Slavery mentally and make it palatable for consumption by African Youths needed for Slave Labor whereever they are or rushing abroad by any means. Africans must also accept faults and responsibility. Believe it or not, there are mental slaves that have been badly treated in Africa as outcasts: Eru, Osu, Oru etc. They see Foreign Mission as an escape to Freedom. They come from the poorest villages in Africa and so labelled their homes with despicable names. Their escape is nothing short of emancipation. The cities around their villages mesmerize them, not to mention escape into foreign land. Even worse, the products of their colonial education, forced the use of English and culture that is so entrenched, these 21 Century African graduates die for more because their tastes, culture and self confidence have been displaced. The consequences of the suppression of African cultures as postulated on February 2nd,1835 by one Lord McCauley that the only way to capture the minds, hearts and pockets of Africans was to make them forget their Culture, has proven to be true. He claimed he has never seen people of such high moral values and would never be conquered unless they break their spiritual and Cultural heritage, the African backbone with English values. Africans have to be programmed to think that all that is foreign is better and greater than their own. Today, Africans argue against their own culture no matter how refined and bask in Foreign cultures and languages. Unfortunately, the Untouchables are willing to accept conditions much better than those subjected to by their own cultures as Oru, Osu or Eru. Their inhumane treatment at home can be more severe in their villages and cities than those from foreign lands posing as their saviors and "benefactors". Even locals may turn out to be trafficking Travel Agents, Madams in the house of prostitutes or sell them into another form of slavery where they could be used as body parts donors. If that is the case for the unfortunate ones, how do we explain the tracking of highly educated and talented Africans relatively better off, out of their own countries? If reorientation is so simple, why have we not eliminated or reduced acculturation in Africa? The fact is, each of these cases have been dwelled on in African countries but have never been able to sustain the reorientations. What is unfortunate in the ways these eyesores were dealt with, came through military means to discourage corruption and foreign demands. Nzeogwu tried it in Nigeria but he was betrayed by comrades. Jerry Rawlings succeeded in Ghana for a few years and relapsed. Buhari/Idiagbon succeeded for a few years and his comrades's Palace coup derailed it in order to accept Structural Adjustment. The beginning of the end of African middle class. Sakara later tried it in Burkina Faso but lost his life. Osagyefo Nkrumah of Ghana remained the most outspoken African Head of State that survived long enough to change foreigners dominated landscape in Africa. As much as Lumumba of Congo tried, colonialists got him. Even Mwalimu Nyerere's Ujamaa was sabotaged. The difference here was that Nkrumah implemented Cultural Reorientation for different segments of the Country from Arts, Musicians to other controversial areas. The reason the impact of this has been overlooked over the years is because it was simple, inexpensive, local and seen as 'dictatorship'. Notwithstanding some Ghanaians as Kofi Busia political reservation about Nkrumah. He recognized acculturation and the need to reorient African cultures that had been replaced with Eurocentric cultures to dominate Africa. Today, Nkrumah legacy transcends controversies within Ghana and outside. It was an open debate in England up to the 19th Century within the Whig Party on the best way to conquer Africans and Asians. Fortune hunters and Religious Missionaries had their Governments on standby in case of resistance by Africans and they subdued the Resistance of Ashanti, Yoruba, Zulu and others with their Foreign troops soliciting one African Army or more to suppress local resistance. Imagine if this type of Nkrumah Cultural Reorientation was conducted at all levels in every African Country. Obsession with Foreign ideas, goods, services, used and discarded products could have been frowned on. We are suffering from the neglect of simple but highly effective measures that could have sustained our future Economic Independence. This idea that if it is not expensive and labor intensive, it cannot succeed must be reexamined. Health Insurance: Testimonies Trail Free Medical And Surgica Visit Markets On The Street To Properly Understand Nigerians Nafdac Seizes Fake Cosmetics Products Worth ₦37 Million In A Release Nnamdi Kanu To Celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day— Iran Fires Over 200 Ballistic Missiles At Israel Emirates Airline Resumes Flight Operations To Nigeria Usaid State2state Wants Dialogue In Building Resilient Team Analysing Verydarman's Defence To His Alleged Defamation Of No Matter How Powerful You're, We'll Not Surrender To Barefa At 64 Years, Nigeria Stands Out As Nation In Decline— Peter All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. 2005-2024, © Copyright thenigerianvoice.com

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/291315/de-acculturation-of-africa-into-the-21st-century.html

Politics

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This is an excerpt of UNDP comments on Nigeria on the progress of its Millennium Development Goals following a 2006 status report. Of the eight goals, UNDP foresaw only the achievement of universal primary education, environmental sustainability and global development partnerships. UNDP, which is official monitor of the UN declaration, goes on to say that availability of current data and limited funding for further data generation are critical barriers in the programme. Bad news for a country that has more that just the MDGs to meet! Former president Olusegun Obasanjo initiated the ambitious 2020 plan – of taking Nigeria to the top 20 world economies by that year – after being democratically elected to power in 1999 following decades of political uncertainty and civil unrest. If the MDG targets are hard, considering both Nigeria’s current and projected fortunes, the 2020 goals are much tougher. The extreme contradictions of Nigeria’s economy are part of academic lore. The second largest economy in the African continent earns an estimated $2.2 million every day from oil exports alone, yet its GDP per capita at just over $1,400 is comparable to some of the poorest nations. As of 2007, it has proven reserves of over 36 billion barrels in oil and 5 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, yet more than 54% of its population continues to live in extreme poverty without access to fundamental necessities. Added to these are far less than optimistic human development indices and the latest threat of growing Islamic militancy in the Niger Delta region. The MDGs that Nigeria is unlikely to achieve, according to the UNDP, are: •   Eradicating extreme hunger and poverty •   Promoting gender equality and empowering women •   Reducing child mortality •   Improving maternal health •   Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases The goals are part of the UN Millennial Declaration of 2000 that sets out to achieve universal basic human rights concerning health, education, shelter and security in a time bound manner by 2015. They call for genuine progress and reflect holistic development from the bottom up. For Nigeria, they present gargantuan challenges in terms of innovative strategy and effective execution. At the very basic level, Nigeria’s goals presume a paradigm shift and large-scale overhaul of its legal, financial, energy and educational institutions. This will require overriding commitment on two critical aspects: effecting a mindset change at the grassroots level and working out radical policy changes for accountability and effective implementation. For a country riddled with ingrained corruption and administrative ineptitude, these can be defeating challenges. For Nigeria to have a realistic shot at meeting its twin objectives, history holds the strongest argument in favour of entrepreneurship development. Enterprises have been the backbone of rapid but durable economic growth the world over. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/07/05/mdgs-and-2020-goals-nigerias-hidden-potentials/

Politics

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The Five Solas are five Latin phrases that represent the core positions held by those who adhere to the Protestant Reformation that happened in the 16th century. They are more commonly recognized within the Reformed (Calvinist) perspective. The Five Solas are: Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Deo Gloria. - Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone - This does not mean that tradition or councils are not considered. It means that the Scriptures alone are the final and the highest authority. Everything that the Scriptures address are to be used as the final word on that topic. All things that we learn from other sources must be compared to Scripture, and if they do not match Scripture or if they contradict Scripture, then we are not to affirm them. The Bible says not to exceed what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6). - Solus Christus – Christ alone - This position means that Christ Jesus is the only means of salvation (John 14:6), the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) and that Jesus is the only human revelation of God. In other words, God has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus, and no other person who has ever lived is God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). - Sola Gratia – Grace alone - This means that we are saved from our sins and damnation by the unmerited grace of God alone without any of our works. Grace is the completely unmerited, undeserved favor of God that he bestows upon us. The grace of God is completely motivated out of his own character and is his kind intention and merciful action upon various individuals. Thus, we are saved from his righteous judgment by his unmerited and unearned favor, and there is nothing that we can do or have done that can move God to be gracious to us. - Sola Fide – Faith alone - This means that we are saved from our sins by faith alone in Christ, and not by faith and anything we do, whether it be baptism, church membership, good works, sincerity, or anything else. God is the proper object of faith. When we have faith in the work of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross, we are justified (Romans 5:1). - Soli Deo Gloria – the Glory of God alone - This means that God alone is the one who is to receive all the glory. He alone is the author and finisher of our salvation and works all good things through our lives. He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus, and in great humility and love, died on the cross bearing our sins (1 Peter 2:24) so that we might enjoy his presence forever. We are to live for Him and glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7). These five solas were developed during the Protestant Reformation in response to the heresies found in the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, to fully understand the context of the five solas, it is important to understand what the Roman Catholic Church teaches on these subjects: - Scripture: Roman Catholicism denied the sufficiency of Scripture and sought to consider sacred tradition as of equal value. - “…the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation are entrusted, does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 82). - Christ: Though it did affirm that Christ was the only means of true salvation, it adds the intercession of the Saints and Mary as an additional means of accessing God. - “If any one saith, that it is an imposture to celebrate masses in honour of the saints, and for obtaining their intercession with God, as the Church intends; let him be anathema” (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 5). - Grace: Furthermore the Roman Catholic Church denied that a person’s sins are forgiven by the unmerited grace of God alone. Catholicism teaches that salvation is merited by obedience to the commandments. - “…Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life” (CCC 2010). - “Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods” (CCC 2027). - Faith: In addition, Roman Catholicism condemns the idea of faith alone and says that salvation is dependent on faith and participation in the sacraments, among other things. - “If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema” (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 9). - Glory: The Roman Catholics largely say they seek the glory of God. it is unfortunate that too much of the glory and adoration given is focused on the Pope and Mary. - “By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the ‘Mother of Mercy,’ the All-Holy One” (CCC 2677). - “After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to conclude than by looking to Mary” (CCC 972). - “…so no man goeth to Christ but by His Mother” (Vatican Website: Encyclical of Pope Leo 13th on the Rosary, Octobri Mense, Pope Leo 13th, 1903-1914). In light of the Roman Catholic errors, the reformers developed the five solas as a set of declarations that stood in opposition to the Roman Catholic heresies.

https://carm.org/what-are-the-five-solas

Religion

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8 Ways To Safely Clean Your Stomach And Intestines 1. Stay hydrated There is nothing better than water for your body. Drinking less water slows down our digestive system creating problems for our stomach. We must drink plenty of water each day to keep our system healthy. When your urine is clear and odorless, its a sign you’re getting enough water. Drinking adequate amount of water is the first step to clean your stomach. Make sure to drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. That’s a minimum of 64 ounces. 2. Eat more vegetables, fruits and whole grain products Vegetables, fruits and whole grain products are rich in fiber. Fiber is important to your body. Fruits like strawberries, mangoes,and avocados, and dried fruits like raisins and prunes provide the required fiber, and help keep the stomach clean and healthy. 3. Don’t lie down for 2 hours after you eat Often many of us lie down or rest after having our dinner. This slows the digestive process which can create problems in your stomach. This bad habit also increases the risk of acid reflux 4. Eat on schedule Some doctors say that having your meals on a regular schedule can help keep your stomach healthy and in shape. Practice having your breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time each day. 5. Regular Yoga/Exercise Regular exercise and yoga keep the food inside your stomach moving, thereby reducing constipation. It will also help you to maintain your figure and weight. Add it to your schedule and stay healthy for life. 6. Avoid fast food The more saturated fat you eat, the more your stomach gets strained. You should try to cut down on burgers, cakes, chips, pizzas, and donuts to help keep your stomach healthy and to prevent it from any kind of stomachache. 7. Eat slowly Eating in a rush or taking big bites can put a lot of stress on your stomach and your digestive system will have to work harder to digest the food. This may cause a stomachache or affect your digestive system adversely. Chewing thoroughly will lead to easier digestion and you can also enjoy the delicious taste of food longer. 8. Quit Bad habits Intake of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs can disturb the functioning of your stomach and digestive system which can cause stomach ulcers and heartburn. These should be avoided or at least reduced. 8 Ways to Keep Your Stomach Clean By Positivemed Team Staff Edited By: Stephanie Dawson

http://m.positivemed.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpositivemed.com%2F2013%2F08%2F11%2F8-ways-to-keep-your-stomach-clean%2F#2658

Health

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Colonel Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu, the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra, stands in front of a Biafra flag as he addresses a press conference in Enugu, August 16, 1967. Diekoye Oyeyinka, 33, has been billed as one of the most promising Nigerian writers of his generation. He went to some of the finest schools in his West African homeland but says that like the majority of his classmates he “didn’t know about Biafra until I was 14”. When he did begin to find out about the brutal civil war that nearly tore Nigeria apart, it was not in the classroom. Instead it was a schoolmate in his dormitory who showed him a separatist leaflet demanding Nigeria’s southeast break away from the rest of the country. Before then Oyeyinka had known nothing about how leaders from the Igbo ethnic group declared the independent state of Biafra in 1967. He knew nothing of the conflict that resulted and the 30 months of fighting and famine estimated to have cost over a million lives before the secessionists surrendered 50 years ago in January 1970. ALSO READ: Ojukwu and Contemporary Biafra Agitations “We’ve had a very brutal history, the older generation went through a lot of trauma,” Oyeyinka told AFP. “We just sweep it under the carpet, pretending nothing happened. But without knowing our history we will repeat the same mistakes. Our history is a succession of deja-vu.” It was to try to break this cycle of ignorance that the Oyeyinka wrote the novel Stillborn – a historic epic about Nigeria from the days of British colonial rule in 1950 to 2010. In it the civil war is the pivotal event. – ‘Our history, our conflict’ – Unlike other famed Nigerian writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, with her novel Half Of A Yellow Sun, or Chinua Achebe’s memoir There Was A Country, Oyeyinka is one of the few non-Igbo writers to have dwelt on the conflict. “An Igbo friend got angry at me and said ‘You can’t write about us, it’s our conflict’,” he recounted. But Oyeyinka insists that all Nigerians need to be made aware of what happened. “We need to address these traumas ourselves, as a country, otherwise we are a tinder box ready to explode.” While in the rest of Africa’s most populous nation many know little about the history of Biafra, in the former capital of the self-proclaimed state at Enugu the memory of those years lives on. Biafran flags — an iconic red, black and green with a rising golden sun — make appearances on the front of buildings and hardline separatists still demand independence. The security forces — deployed heavily in the region — are quick to stamp out any clamour for a new Biafra. At the end of the war in 1970, Nigeria’s war leader Yukubu Gowon famously declared there would be “no victor, no vanquished” as he sought to reunite his shattered country. The leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, went into exile for 13 years before being pardoned. He returned to Nigerian politics but was detained for 10 months in prison. Leading Nigerian intellectual Pat Utomi says that many Igbos — the country’s third-biggest ethnic group after the Hausa and the Yoruba — still feel marginalised. One key event was when current President Muhammadu Buhari — then a military chief — seized power in 1983, and stopped the only Igbo aspirant to get close to leading Nigeria since the war from becoming head of state. “In the early 1980s, people had forgotten about the war, but this succession of poor leadership brought bitterness among the new generations,” Utomi said. Nowadays any incident — from the closure of the only airport in the southeast last year to the sacking of Igbo shops by customs officials in economic hub Lagos — can cause grievances to flare. “It’s important to deal with history, to write it down. In Nigeria, we try to cover it up,” Utomi said. “We are more divided today than we’ve ever been before the civil war. We learnt nothing from it.” ALSO READ: Our agitation is not just for Biafra but for betterment of all trapped in this government – IPOB In order to try to heal the rifts, Utomi helped organise a “Never Again” conference aiming to bring together key cultural and political figures to discuss the lessons of the Biafra war half a century after it ended. He is also a patron of the “Centre for Memories” in Enugu, a combination of a museum and library where visitors can come and “dig into history”. ‘History is essential’ History itself has been absent from Nigerian schools. The current government reintroduced it only from last term as an obligatory subject for pupils aged 10 to 13, after more than a decade off the curriculum. “Teaching history is essential to build our identity as a country, and defend our patriotic values,” said Sonny Echono, permanent secretary at the education ministry. But schools still remain woefully short of qualified history teachers and there is no unified narrative about the civil war which does not figure in the lessons. “We need to teach the war in our schools,” said Egodi Uchendu, a history professor at University of Nsukka, in the former Biafra territory. “Eastern Nigeria is completely different from how it was experienced in other parts of the country. We need to bring in the different angles to it.” Chika Oduah, a Nigerian-American journalist, has crossed the country to collect hundreds of testimonies of the victims and combatants of the Biafra conflict which she publishes on her website Biafran War Memories. She says that for many of those she interviewed it was the first time they had retold the horrors of the period. “A 70-something former soldier… broke down crying, when he told me how he lost his brother during the war,” she said. She herself only learnt at the age of 17 that her mother as a child spent two years in a camp for displaced people. “Our parents wanted to move on, not look at the past,” Oduah insisted. “But we need to talk about it, otherwise we won’t heal”. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/01/fifty-years-on-nigeria-struggles-with-memory-of-biafra-war/

Politics

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When children are young, it’s adorable to see them imitate their parents: little boys wanting to shave alongside Dad and little girls swinging a tennis racket like Mom. That glow of pride fades when kids begin to reflect some less-stellar behavior, whether it’s sloppiness or being late to everything. Some behavior kids learn from their parents can be chalked up to personality quirks but others, like aggressive driving or disregarding red lights, need to be corrected. Teens are historically in the highest risk group for auto accidents, and such accidents are the leading cause of death for the age group. Study on Mobile Phone Use While Driving Texting and driving statistics show that six teens ages 16-19 die per day and hundreds more are injured in auto accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Nine people in the U.S. die per day, on average, as a result of distracted driving. And an American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety study used in-car cameras to determine that 60 percent of teen driving accidents were the result of distracted driving, but that’s not all: there’s further evidence that the problem with teen cell phone use while driving is significant. As the least experienced drivers, teens are likely to make errors behind the wheel when they are distracted. That’s why a majority of states have texting laws that limit teen driving to certain hours, may prohibit junior operators from driving with friends in the car, and often ban cell phone use by young drivers. More than three dozen states also limit or prohibit hand-held phone use by all drivers because they are documented as hazardous for any driver to use. Learning Through Imitation According to psychiatric specialists, children learn not only how to accomplish tasks by watching their parents but they also learn their parents’ behaviors in the process. That means that a child who is learning to drive will not only absorb and imitate the process of starting a vehicle and putting it into gear but will also mimic the parent’s behavior of checking mirrors before pulling into traffic or adjusting the seat to a comfortable position. New drivers are also likely to subconsciously follow a parent’s lead in either turning off and stowing a cell phone while at the wheel or checking it obsessively even when driving. In Ford’s Parents Supervised Driving Program, an instruction booklet for those teaching their children to drive, modeling good driving habits and behaviors is emphasized. “Set a good example,” it says, including refraining from texting or using a cell phone while at the wheel. Staying focused on the task at hand is also important, so talking to a teen about grades or his friends while driving is also discouraged. Distractions other than cell phones include: - Having friends in the car; - Eating while driving, or - Applying makeup or grooming. Studies of experienced drivers (adults) show that drivers are aware that distractions can cause accidents but they don’t change their behavior. Even taking one’s eyes off the road for two seconds doubles the risk of crashing, according to one source, but one in 20 drivers continues to use hand-held cell phones and to engage in other distracted driving. Self-reported Distracted Driving More than half of teen auto accidents are related to distracted driving, studies show, and the rate of teen cell phone use varies by geographic location. The American Association of Family Practitioners, a medical society, surveyed teen drivers and found that one-third of teens texts on a cell phone while driving. The survey of more than 100,000 teen drivers revealed that 40 percent texted while driving sometimes, and over 15 percent texted frequently while driving. Yet the survey was criticized for not tallying other distractions like downloading, watching videos, and looking for music on phones while driving, all of which can be significant distractions. Teens in rural mountain states like South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska reported texting while driving closer to 50 percent of the time while their peers in urban areas like Maryland were less likely to do so. Worse than the driving and texting numbers, the survey showed that older teens (age 18 and above) were more likely to engage in distracted driving as well as more likely to participate in other forms of dangerous motor vehicle operation like driving under the influence and not wearing a seat belt. Because alcohol and drug use is known to reduce inhibitions, it’s likely that teens who are inclined to drink and drive would be more tempted to reach for a phone when operating a motor vehicle after imbibing, accelerating the likelihood of a dangerous situation. Parents Set the Stage The physician’s group’s assessment of the survey results says that doctors not only should discuss the dangers of distracted driving with the teens they see but should also emphasize to parents the importance of being a good role model behind the wheel. Tactics the physician’s group suggests parents may use to reduce distracted driving include: - modeling good behavior like shutting phones off when driving or muting the ringer; - offering incentives to leave a teen’s phone at home; - seeking out new car options like Ford’s MyKey option that allows a parent to set speed controls and to enforce seat belt use; - using a cell phone app like TextArrest that senses movement and blocks text messaging. Another incentive for parents to use is legal: states are serious about reducing distracted driving. In Iowa, drivers who are involved in fatal accidents when texting can be charged with a felony and imprisoned for up to 10 years. In New Hampshire, any use of a cell phone while driving carries a financial penalty, and a third infraction can result in a two-year suspension of driving privileges.

http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stories/Keri

Family

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A low pressure system underwent what is known as "explosive cyclogenesis" – or less formally became a "weather bomb" – when it intensified rapidly with a steep decline in pressure, between Greenland and Iceland late on Monday and early on Tuesday. The system has brought strong wind to Iceland and to the United Kingdom and Ireland, with particularly high waves on the open sea. The waves were described as "phenomenal" in the shipping forecast for the Rockall area. The low pressure system, known in some countries as Alexandra, has also brought strong wind to northern areas of mainland Europe. This animation shows the system developing and progressing from 11:00 UTC on Monday, December 8, until 09:00 UTC on Wednesday, December 10. The animation was generated using infrared data from Meteosat, over NASA's Blue Marble. The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips! Wow that’s powerful……………. So what is the chance that this is an effect of purposeful geo-engineering, as has been reported by weather analysis of the ongoing drought, and now, planned deluge of California in recent government “scenarios?” AHOLY FREAKING CRAP.

https://watchers.news/2019/11/13/widespread-arctic-blast-across-the-us-breaks-century-old-records-over-240-million-people-affected/Weather

Health

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with Funke Oshifuye I was in my office one morning, when a colleague of mine sauntered in. Kay, as she was fondly called by me just went on and on…………”I have been gaining so much weight and all I tried was adding fruits to my diet, I am just fed up”. So I asked her “what fruit have you been eating”? To my utmost surprise, she said “ bananas” . And I thought to myself, are bananas fattening? Banana is among the most versatile and most widely eaten fruits in the world today. It is very good for health, is easily digestible and packs a lot of energy within itself, in the form of natural sugars. It is one of the most popular snacks, especially those had after a workout. The reason is that it is quite filling, gets quickly released into the bloodstream, in the form of energy, and does not contain fats. The nutrients present in bananas help a person in fighting a number of ailments and keep him in good health. Because of their impressive potassium content, bananas are highly recommended by doctors for patients whose potassium is low. One large banana, about 9 inches in length, packs 602 mg of potassium and only carries 140 calories. That same large banana even has 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre. No wonder the banana was considered an important food to boost the health of malnourished children! Those reducing sodium in their diets can’t go wrong with a banana with its mere 2 mgs of sodium. For the carbohydrate counters there are 36 grams of carbohydrates in a large banana. Vitamins and minerals are abundant in the banana, offering 123 I.U. of vitamin A for the large size. A full range of B vitamins are present with .07 mg of Thiamine, .15 mg of Riboflavin, .82 mg Niacin, .88 mg vitamin B6, and 29 mcg of Folic Acid. There are even 13.8 mg of vitamin C. On the mineral scale Calcium counts in at 9.2 mg, Magnesium 44.1 mg, with trace amounts of iron and zinc. Putting all of the nutritional figures together clearly shows the banana is among the healthiest of fruits. This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with a high-potassium banana snack. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/peter-obi-should-come-out/Have

Politics

en

Throughout recorded history, mankind has dreamt of building the perfect society, an empire that might somehow satisfy the needs of every man. An ancient legend casts the shadows of one such society that is said to have existed long ago. Twenty-five hundred years ago, the Greek philosopher, Plato, set down a dialogue called the Critias. He recounted the story of an ancient Greek poet and statesman named Solon. Solon had journeyed to Egypt in search of wisdom to help the government of his beloved Greece. The Greeks had been beset with factions and troubles, so Solon took counsel from the priests of the city of Sais. An old priest told him, "Oh, Solon. Solon! You Greeks are never anything but children. There is no old opinion handed down among you nor any science that is white with age." The old priest then proceeded to tell him the story of the lost city of Atlantis. In the centuries that would follow, scholars and researchers have debated whether Plato's Atlantis was intended to be an account of real history or simply an allegorical myth. Some even suggest that Atlantis was really the Antediluvian World, the wicked society destroyed by the wrath of God in the great flood of Noah. In the 20th century, Plato's account was further supported by a Masonic philosopher, Manly P. Hall. Hall claimed that Atlantis had once been a vast and mighty empire that extended to the whole world, a philosophic commonwealth of nations that one day was destined to be rebuilt, but who would rebuild it, and exactly who was Manly P. Hall? Hall authored over 200 books and is said to have given some 8000 lectures on ancient philosophy. He is perhaps most remembered for his contribution to the mysterious brotherhood of Masonry. Upon his death in 1990, the Scottish Rite Journal, a Masonic publication, noted that he was often called "Masonry's greatest philosopher." Among his teachings was that contained in Masonry and all the secret orders was the ancient wisdom of lost Atlantis. Hall wrote that for more than 3000 years, secret societies had been laboring to create a background of knowledge necessary to an establishment of an enlightened democracy among the nations of the world. According to Hall, these societies could be traced back to ancient Egypt and had, for centuries, known of a secret place hidden from the eyes of common men, a place that would one day be revealed. In the 17th century, as settlers were colonizing the new world, Sir Francis Bacon, the leader of secret societies in England, set down his classic work, the "New Atlantis", while archaeologists and treasure hunters had searched the globe, looking for the lost continent. Four hundred years ago, Bacon, like many of his contemporaries, believed that Atlantis was America itself. Directed by: Christian J. Pinto "Spreading democracy".."christian nation"..what bs! The jury is out on Atlantis...T/F/or part T&F? Quien sabe? Given the timeline of earth's existence, according to science, it easily could be true. It is too bad we do not have more info from very early Egypt. There are folks who espouse very early societies in India/Pakistan as well. Rivals to Atlantis they say. Science does challenge the Catholic view of Christianity...at least the former version. However today's supernatural is tomorrow's science. While it is difficult to internalize the divinity of one being (Jesus) in this unbelievably big universe the fact is that we know almost nothing about the How and nothing about the Why (if there is a Why). Mortal beings cannot really comprehend anything without end which is everywhere. Let's face it, as soon as the Way became the Roman Catholic Church it was unfolding counter to it's own spiritual essence. This in no way refutes Christ's (or the Buddha for that matter) message. According to my field of research, it is safe for me to say that there was once a perfect society with no greed only sounds like a nice fantasy. Atlantis fictionalized by Plato in sorrow of his teacher Socrates being put to death by his amoral Athenian Government to show that what a true moral government should be like if only as in the Atlantis as detailed in his book "The Republic" by Plato. If only Atlantis existed it would be in the Old World, Athenians nor Egyptians had no means to support trade with the New World. So Atlantis has to be in the Mediterranean, if sunk it has to be an island now under the sea no bigger than Sicily or Crete. If not sunk Crete was the Atlantis. OK! Wayne what in your humble opinion would not be self deception? And I do believe that there is a difference between mysticism and magick. Stop blaming your problems on other people who help built our country. Seems to me, I know who built America and that was slaves and workers, the Free Masons where the first people to separate them selves from being a slave, they were skilled laborers who built the new world which was the colonies of slavers. So having a club or a place to meet in order for free people to stop slavery is not so bad. Why are people afraid of the New Word Order when the world needs order. Slavers don't want you to have knowledge and want commons to be s*upid. MASONS ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE HISTORY FROM SLAVERS. The New World Order is about making the common people educated so we don't have the OLD WORD ORDER hurting good people and treating people like slaves. YES, workers without pay, is still one of the biggest evils. Secret clubs are not the issue, it's people who are not educated and are fearful of are the ones who are. I guess this proves that even educated people can be lured by mysticism and rationalized self deception. Free Masonry is a direct response to The Catholic Church. Free Masons do not particularly hate Christians, but rather the Catholic Church. Ordinary Christians worship out in the open and thus do not have secret orders and secret meetings. (although organized religion does practice Capitalism and so use The Bible to make money). But, buy and large (no pun intended), Christians are harmless. However, Catholics have a Hierarchy with the Pope (sitting in for Jesus), Archbishops, Bishops, priests and Cardinals ... so on and so forth ... just like the Masonic Degrees (Hierarchy or Secret Holders)! We know that Catholics burned and torched people for having 'thoughts against the church'. Thus, for science to be spread a counter to the Church was needed. Free Masonry has the EXACT same hierarchy of 'need-to-know' knowledge, JUST LIKE CATHOLIC CHURCH secrets. (Ever wonder what amazing knowledge and items are under The Vatican?) Free Masonry, although was/is for Science, unfortunately, has Altars, Temples (King Solomon) and their own God heads and followers. JUST LIKE CATHOLICS! Thus, Masonry has turned into a religion! It turned into the very thing it hated, which was The Catholic Church. (Catholic followers are pretty much as harmless as Christians, in that, it is organized religion using 'The Word' and Capitalism to make money and organize against Poverty) However, these secret orders ALWAYS get hijacked by men wanting THEIR way and so people die if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or you pissed off the wrong Free Mason or Catholic! Secrecy is the Disease of the World. In the age where suitcase nukes and genetically engineered viruses ARE A THREAT to all of us... we CAN NO LONGER afford to live within a world of Secret Orders that could get hijacked. A new Transparent Order is needed. The Internet is a tool to be used to organize Human Societies so we can survive and CONTROL the DEADLY TECHNOLOGY that now exists! Did anyone else map out the cities and Stonehedge, and come to the conclusion that they do not line up? The cities kinda do, but Stonehedge isn't even close. If America was founded in occultism, why not build a self sufficient nation in tune with nature....This people are fkng esoteric sociopaths. It takes the same amount of energy to build things wrong! Is there any mention of Madame Blavatsky, the greatest scholar ever known? Manly Hall may or may not have been a lizard person. Regardless, he definitely worked for them. Then again, so did I.

https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/secret-mysteries-america-beginnings-new-atlantis/

Religion

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The extraordinary true story of Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to integrate a New Orleans school--now with simple text for young readers! In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges walked through an angry crowd and into a school where she changed history. This is the true story of an extraordinary little girl who helped shape our country when she became the first African-American to attend an all-white school in New Orleans. With simple text and historical photographs, this easy reader explores an amazing moment in history and the courage of a young girl who stayed strong in the face of racism. For more stories about the girls and women of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, visit our special feature on the Top Mighty Girl Books on Civil Rights History.

http://www.amightygirl.com/ruby-bridges-goes-to-school

Education

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COVID-19: Unilag produces Ambuvalent ventilator In a bid to further tackle the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a team of researchers in the University of Lagos (Unilag) has produced an Ambuvalent ventilator. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project, known as Unilag /LASRIC Ambuvalent, was sponsored by the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC). The team carried out a ‘demonstration of concept’ of the project to the institution’s management on Friday. The team Lead, AbdulHakeem Amuda, an Associate Professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, said at the demonstration that the project was an opportunity for the scholars to prove their mettle. According to Amuda, the ventilator had met basic requirements as specified by the World Health Organisation. He said that one of the unique features of the ventilator was its ability to work in villages not connected to the national grid, as it used battery that could last for 13 hours, and a trolley for easy movement. Amuda said that the ventilator was designed to use 90 watts motor, adding that it was made in such a way that the motor must not be needed for 24 hours daily. He said that a critical component of the ventilator was that of delivering compression that would inflate the lungs as well as the micro controller system. According to him, institutions of higher learning are meant to proffer solutions to societal challenges, as well as be responsive to what society needs to live a good and healthy life. ”The journey of the development of this UNILAG/LASRIC Ambuvent started on March 27 when a colleague of mine, Dr Uzoma Oduah of the Department of Physics, walked up to me and muted that, as a result of the global shortage of standard ventilators at this period of global health crisis, it would be good if Nigeria would start thinking ahead on what to do. ”This is because by the time the disease would hit this country, we should not be found wanting in the area of access to medical ventilators. “He requested that I introduce him to an expert in respiratory track, in constituting a team. “In constituting the team, I did that on multidisciplinary approach, which include physics, biomedical engineering, metallurgical and materials engineering and others. ”I was also able to get across to the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development Services, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, who incidentally, is from the College of Medicine, and she linked us with a respiratory track expert. That is how we hit the ground running,” Amuda said. He added that in constituting the team, he also looked at the project’s objective, which was basically to develop low-cost rapidly-deployable Ambuvalent ventilator – meaning it must be affordable and would not need too much technicality to operate. ”Those are our focus in this project, and because in engineering and societal solutions, you do not need to re-invent the wheel, you only improve on what is available; so, we tried to look at what is available. ”We sat down and tried to figure out what we can do differently that will make us unique; we identified three to four parameters that we needed to work on. ”The first is that whatever we are coming up with must not have supply chain problem. It must be something that we must be able to source locally. “Secondly, at any point in time, we might have power failure; so, the system must be self-sustaining. ”Thirdly, because of lack of volunteerism in the country, the system should be done in such a way that it would be able to operate without too much volunteerism, and in doing all these, it would equally be affordable,” he said. According to Amuda, who is the Head, Innovation Unit and Deputy Director, Research and Innovation Office, Unilag, the critical component of the ventilator is that of delivering compression that inflates the lungs as well as the micro controller system. He said that after a thorough search, it was discovered that a standard one readily available was that of the MIT in the the U.S., which used about 100 watts motor. READ ALSO: UNILAG to workers: don’t resume today ”We are using 90 watts for ours; with that, we are able to save 10 per cent consumption. “In addition to that, our system can work both synchronously and in isolation, such that if the case of the patient is not critical, the system can run on a single motor. ”We designed it in such a way that you do not need to use motor for 24 hours. The existing design that is available all over the space is that of one motor using two arms. “What this means is that the two arms are linked by a connection; so, the main motor, if faulty, translates to you not being able to use the machine,” he said. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. hailed the team for the innovation, which he described as timely. According to him, challenges are springing up in the world regularly, and universities are where the challenges can be solved. ”Our special thanks go to the Lagos State Government for believing in what we can do and sponsoring this entire project. ”We are looking forward to signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the state on this. “The big advantage about the project is that it will be deployed at the grassroots, as it works with a battery, and the team is working on the possibility of using solar,” he said. Also, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, the institution’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), said that Nigeria could solve its problems, given the opportunity and the right circumstances. ”We have solved problems. This is the kind of thing that we should be doing, not just for Nigeria as a country, but for the world at large ” she said. Dr John Olatisi, Consultant Intensivist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, said that such a project was expected of higher institutions. He said that with the ambuvent, lives of those who might not be able to breath well due to COVID-19, especially in the remote areas, could be saved. ”We are happy; the project has been able to meet our preliminary assessment,” he said. Prof. Lucien Chukwu, Director, Academic Planning of the institution, described the development as laudable. He said that the ‘proof of concept’ had shown the mileage attained by the university. ”This development will not only assist the country in the treatment of persons with respiratory distress, but will also assist our teaching faculties in elucidating the mechanism of addressing respiratory distress in patients.

https://thenationonlineng.net/covid-19-unilag-produces-ambuvalent-ventilator/

Health

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LAGOS (AFP) – Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Tuesday that it had begun treating children exposed to the worst-ever lead poisoning epidemic, after long-delayed government financing to clean up the area was finally delivered. The lead poisoning crisis in northwest Zamfara state that first came to light in 2010 was “the worst outbreak ever recorded,” MSF said, with an official death toll saying 400 children were killed across the state. Before it could treat the children, medical workers first needed to clear affected areas of the toxins through a process called remediation. The promised $3 million (2.3 million euros) for remediation met with repeated delays and the government of Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, faced mounting pressure from activists saying more children were unnecessarily put at risk. Most of the funds were released in late January and on Tuesday MSF announced that remediation had been completed in some areas. “MSF is very happy to have finally — after three years — begun medical treatment in Bagega,” the most acutely affected area in Zamfara, a statement said. But thousands of children remain at risk, the medical aid group said, because remediation remains unfinished in some areas and the work must stop when the rains become too heavy, which could happen any week. “Our teams are under tremendous pressure to finish the remediation on a very tight schedule,” said Simba Tirima of the TerraGraphics Foundation which is overseeing the operation. Lead was dispersed in several Zamfara areas by the processing of ore for gold extraction using unsafe mining techniques. Illicit gold mining is more lucrative than agriculture for the impoverished farming communities. Local communities had initially largely concealed or denied the fatalities and illnesses from lead poisoning for fear that authorities would ban their mining activities. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/nigeria-lead-poisoning-treatment-starts-after-long-delay/

Politics

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We have to be careful when we throw stone into the market, says a Yoruba proverb, it might hit a member of our family. In the case of African countries, many of us had a great childhood experience that turned us into successful citizens throughout world. Sure, Africa today is not what we desired but we must not forget the good times as we cry about the bad times. Even the worst of times made many of us stronger than those that grew up in the best of times. Nobody can experience war, famine and abuse by dictators and not complain. However, there is no better time outside than we experienced growing up in our countries. It is the only place they knew your name, where you belonged and were cherished. The best you can get outside that same country you hate so much is tolerance and it has a limit. If you get too rich and cocky, they put you into “your place”, if too poor and dependent, they would scone you into senses. Everything is relative. Those that crossed the deserts, hungry desperate are only too glad to get one or two square meals a day in the land they got into. They must also remember it was not that bad growing up, some years back or even until the dictators took over. We must remember that most African leaders were too obsessed with Independence than be involved in corruption. As soon as most African countries got Independence, schools multiplied at home and those that went to school outside could not wait to get back home. In the case of Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya we thought one of them would emerge as a regional power. Nigeria had everything it took to be one. Ghana’s Nkrumah never relented to lead. Sierra Leone had well educated returnees spreading across West Africa, so was Liberia with educated children or grandchildren of slaves. This is not a history lesson, some Nigerians thought the seventies was the best. Others claimed the eighties while some loved nineties. The reason was the availability of schools through which social, religious and sport activities grew. It was not so much about money but about values in people’s lives. In retrospect many of us that were contented and talked about good old days; we actually grew up in what is considered ghetto today. We never considered ourselves as poor. Anyone denying these in most African countries is ungrateful to our parents, our dedicated leaders and more important to Africa. No ideal place, not African or “native Indian” countries. But it is a disservice to thank wherever you are outside with the derogatory criticism of African countries; especially if you have not contributed to the betterment of that individual country. Some people built the country we thank every day and some of you contributed to situations we have in your country today. Some of you are children of looters and vagabonds that dare not show up where your fellow citizens gather without being booed or stoned. As for those of us that got our early education in the same African countries, we can never thank Africa enough. It is the place where we were imbued with confidence, encouraged to learned and rewarded for achievement. Many of us forgot how crucial this developmental stage is to all children. The only way to understand this is to study the educational developmental stages of Africans children in Diaspora. It is an uphill battle that many of them go through such a disadvantaged system and still make it beyond their zip code neighborhood, becoming professionals against all odds. This writer and his friends decided to register at a university as soon as they arrived. They were told to see a counselor because they needed additional subjects to get into this university. By the British system, all we needed was three subjects at “A” level. Not at that university, they needed 5 grade 13 subjects. Moreover, those of us going into medical sciences or engineering must also have what they called modern math. Well, some of us had “math, math, physics” or “physics, chemistry and biology”. The counselor said we also needed English at “A” level! Sho!! He told us we must not attempt the new math because it was difficult. We left, laughed and took all the subjects we were missing at “A” levels. We all passed with flying colors as we say at home. The most important point here was how we got the confidence; killed in many. We could not even imagine how many African Americans, Canadians or British had been so discouraged. But these are the children of Nkrumah, Azikiwe, Awolowo and Kenyatta for Sango’s sake! What Africa has given us, nobody, no matter how highly placed or where we find ourselves, can take it away. As much as we criticize Africa, especially as this writer, no one of us must point to African countries with embellished finger. There are different ways to contribute since all of us can’t be politician, foreign contractor or expatriates. If you have not gone home and contribute your little part after your training, especially those that got scholarships you have compromised your criticism. The cultural difference between you and your kids’ success, is the African fire. Our Nigerian children complained that since they were born, they have never witnessed regular water and electricity. A change of government, nothing else, fear of Buhari improved electricity. Most of us inherited subsidized schools, medical, religious, sports and entertainment programs without realizing or complaining we were growing up poor because our environment was rich, clean and salaries were paid on time. We were wealthy in values, so poverty is relative. If you enjoyed any of those and you chop and clean mouth, watch out! Indeed, as we become richer in gold, diamond, uranium and oil; our problems became bigger. Division among us widens and greed took over. In African countries where it takes a village to raise a child are becoming countries of me, myself and I with the survival of the fittest. Nobody but Africans can solve our problems. Thank your hosts and deride Africa as much as you want, your days like that of every dog, will come. Ever wonder about how grateful native Indians are? We can appease our hosts as much as we want, sing and dance obsequiously, the most they will hand out is a little out of the profits they make in Africa. Until Africans build and rebuild Africa by ourselves, no African will be respected anywhere in the world. If we are so good and brilliant outside Africa, we must prove it inside Africa. Any country where its minorities are destined and programmed for less opportunities inside or outside Africa, cannot claim to be a role model.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/646667/1/there-is-more-to-thank-africa-for-than-we-a.html

Politics

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South Africa now has 402 confirmed cases of Covid-19 - an increase of 128 since Sunday's announcement. That is a spike of 47%. The Northern Cape has its first confirmed cases, which means that all nine provinces are now dealing with the global pandemic. President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on Monday night amid increased speculation that South Africa will go into lockdown. "We will thereafter engage the public to give further details and explanations on the results, including the significant rise, the ongoing testing processes, each province’s progress on contact tracing efforts," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement. The hardest-hit province is Gauteng, with 207 cases, followed by the Western Cape, with 100 cases. The Eastern Cape has two cases; the Free State 13; KwaZulu-Natal 60; Limpopo four; Mpumalanga nine; North West four; the Northern Cape two; while the location of one case is listed as unknown. Of these, 32 patients are 61 years or older, while nine are 10 years old or younger. The reaction to the spread of the coronavirus locally has been severe. Schools have been closed to prevent the spread among children. "We do know that children tend to have more mild infection, have more mild disease, but we have seen [at least one child] die from this infection," Maria van Kerkhove, the Covid-19 technical lead at the World Health Organisation, said in a press conference on 16 March. "We can't say universally that it's mild in children, so it's important that we protect children as a vulnerable population." Internationally and locally, a multitude of events - from concerts to sports events and church gatherings - have been either postponed or cancelled. The City of Cape Town closed a number of its facilities on Wednesday - including swimming pools, camp sites, recreational hubs, stadiums and community halls – in an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Equally, the City of Johannesburg has decided to close all its public facilities indefinitely amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. This includes all public swimming pools, recreational and civic centres, stadiums, libraries, sporting facilities and the Johannesburg Zoo. On 11 March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that Covid-19 was a pandemic. "This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a media briefing in Geneva. "We are deeply concerned by the alarming levels of the spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction," said Ghebreyesus, adding that the word "pandemic" should not be used lightly or carelessly. Last week, when there were only 61 cases, Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster. In terms of this, a series of regulations took effect, such as the prohibition of gatherings of more than 100 people, halting of alcohol sales after 18:00 on weekdays and Saturdays and after 13:00 on Sundays, as well as the imposition of a travel ban to and from high-risk countries. Earlier on Sunday, the president met with business leaders. He also gave smaller political parties an opportunity to give him their views on the outbreak and the government's efforts to "flatten the curve". Nigeria on Monday reported its first death from coronavirus as confirmed cases of infections in Africa's most populous nation climbed further. To stay abreast of News24's rolling coverage on the Covid-19 outbreak, follow this link to our dedicated coronavirus site. Stay up to date and stay healthy. Subscribe to Health24’s Daily Dose newsletter for important updates on the spread of the coronavirus. Register and manage your newsletters in the new News24 app by clicking on the Profile tab.

https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/breakdown-sa-now-has-402-positive-covid-19-cases-all-provinces-affected-20200323

Health

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By Chioma Obinna With over 122 million Nigerians at risk of Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on Tuesday lamented that the country was battling with 15 neglected tropical diseases out of the 20 identified by the World Health Organisation, WHO. Some of the diseases are Trachoma, (Granular Conjunctivitis), Onchocerciasis, (River blindness) Lymphatic Filariasis, (Elephantiasis) helminthiasis, soil-transmitted, schistosomiasis, (parasitic worms) and leprosy, snakebites Yaws Rabies, Buruli ulcer, Leishmaniasis, Human African Trypanosomiasis, HAT, among others. Addressing journalists at a TWo-Day Media Dialogue on Neglected Tropical Disease Control in Nigeria”, holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Child Rights Information, Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information, Ehanire regretted that the diseases are so devastating that they leave their victims miserable. Represented by the National Coordinator of NTDs, Dr. Nseobong Akpan, he lamented that when household diseases such as malaria, HIV and AIDs are mentioned, NTDs will not be there despite the fact they are common among the downtrodden. “We have done enough about NTDs but they are still raging across communities in the country. There is a need to create awareness and for communities to be involved in efforts geared towards eliminating the diseases. We will be able to eliminate the diseases if everyone including the media join in crying out loud and support in efforts and commitment of stakeholders to achieve success in the elimination of NTDs.” In his presentation as the National NTDs Coordinator entitled: “Overview of the Neglected Tropical Diseases”, Dr. Nseobong Akpan further decried the negative impact on the economy as economic development cannot occur without addressing these diseases. Akpan also noted the significant impact on maternal, newborn, and child health. “NTDs causes poor nutritional status, especially in children; Poor educational outcomes; Reduced physical and cognitive development -children cannot attend school; absorb lessons. Low productivity -Infected adults cannot work effectively -adults may stay home to care for infected family members. Speaking on the 122 million Nigerians at risk, he said: “It is estimated that 122 million persons that are 2 out of every 3 Nigerians are at risk of one or more of the NTDs. “Of the number, 20 per cent are pre-school. Age children, 28 per cent of school-age children between age 5 to 14 years and 52 per cent are adults 15 years and above. On populations at risk in Nigeria, he explained that; 119.8 million people are at risk of lymphatic filariasis, 51.4 million people for onchocerciasis, 28.8 million school-age children and 20.5 million pre-school-age children for soil-transmitted hermits, 26.8 million people for trachoma and 23.8 million school-age children for schistosomiasis. He appealed to journalists to create more awareness, sensitisation to attract community participation and ownership of the NTDs campaign. Also in his presentation on Schistosomiasis, Deputy Director, Programme Manager, National Schistosomiasis/Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Elimination Programme, Dr Obiageli Nebe disclosed that over 200 million people globally are infected. She said over 700 million people are living at risk of infection and over 90 per cent of people live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nebe said it is a disease of low socio-economic status affecting the poorest communities and most neglected vulnerable people. “Infants, children are especially prone to infection due to their less developed immune system as worm infestation are passed through contaminated food, water or soil.” Also speaking on UNICEF’s support to elimination of NTDs in Nigeria, UNICEF WASH Specialist, Mr Bioye Ogunjobi said lack of political will and low awareness remained an obstacle to the elimination of NTDs in Nigeria. Ogunjobi explained that the Nigerian NTDs programmes were mainly sponsored by partners, calling on the government to get more involved in the elimination process of these diseases. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/nigeria-battling-with-15-neglected-tropical-diseases-health-minister/

Health

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Kaduna – A nutritionist, Mrs Patience Pama, on Monday in Kaduna advised Nigerians to include Moringa in their diet, to enhance healthy living. Pama, who works with the Ministry of Science and Technology, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Moringa had anti-inflammatory properties that reduced the severity of symptoms of joint pains According to her, Moringa also reduces fungal and viral infections, kidney stones and aids healing of injuries. She said the leaves of Moringa helped relived headache and stop bleeding from a shallow cut. “Moringa has credible health benefits over a wide range of health issues,’’ she said. Pama said that Moringa contained proteins, vitamins and minerals as an antioxidant that helped to protect cells from damage. “Oil from Moringa seeds is used as foods, perfume, hair care product and machine lubricant. “It is a good source of protein, vitamins, amino acid and various phenolics and provide energy without sugar.” The nutritionist said that Moringa also reduced swelling, boost the immune system and could serve as nutritional supplement or tonic by some people. She explained that regular consumption of Moringa could also boost body immunity and would provide nourishment to the eyes and the brain. She advised Nigerians to take Moringa regularly, adding that the leaves could promote metabolism with bio-available ingredients and control blood pressure . “Moringa lowers the appearance of wrinkles and promotes the normal functioning of liver and kidney,” she said. Pama advised Nigerians to consume more Moringa to promote healthy circulation system and healthy living. (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/nutritionist-advises-nigerians-consumption-moringa/

Food

en

BELGIUM– A terminally ill minor has become the first child to be euthanized in Belgium since age restrictions were lifted in the country two years ago, according to several sources. A Belgian lawmaker told CNN affiliate VTM that the physician-assisted suicide happened within the past week. The child, who was suffering from an incurable disease, had asked for euthanasia, Sen. Jean-Jacques De Gucht told VTM. The identity of the child and age are unknown. “I think it’s very important that we, as a society, have given the opportunity to those people to decide for themselves in what manner they cope with that situation,” said Gucht, a supporter of euthanasia legislation. Wim Distelmans, who chairs Belgium’s Federal Control and Evaluation Committee on Euthanasia, told state broadcaster RTBF that fortunately few children had demanded mercy killing but “that does not mean we should deny them the right to a dignified death.” Belgium legalized euthanasia in 2002 for those in “constant and unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be alleviated.” Minors were included in the original proposals but removed from the final legislation due to political opposition. In 2014, the bill extended the “right to die” to those under the age of 18. But there were additional strict conditions, including that the child was judged to be able to understand what euthanasia means. Consent of parents or guardians must also be given. “This can only be in cases of serious and incurable diseases, which is the same thing for adults … but for minors an additional condition is that the death must be expected in the near future,” Jacqueline Herremans told RTBF. Herremans is the president of Belgium’s Association for the Right to Die with Dignity and also a member of the federal committee on euthanasia. Belgium is the only country that allows euthanasia for children of any age. The Netherlands also allows mercy killings for children, but only for those 12 and over. It became the first country to legalize euthanasia in April 2002. Physician-assisted suicide is legal in five US states. Individuals have the option under state law in Oregon, Vermont, Washington and California. In Montana, it is an option given to individuals via court decision. They must have a terminal illness as well as a prognosis of six months or less to live. Physicians cannot be prosecuted for prescribing medications to hasten death.

http://kfor.com/2016/09/17/first-child-dies-by-euthanasia-in-belgium/

Health

en

Why religious violence? Some decades back, Muslims and Christians had cause to clash in Nigeria without reason. In the course of such clashes, they killed and maimed one another in hundreds and in thousands. They ruined legacies and destroyed heritages. Property worth billions of naira were vandalized or burnt. But after the dust became settled, regret took the centre stage of reasoning. This has happened again and again. Yet, the end result has always been regret. The main question which has not been answered is WHY? Can killings, maiming and destruction of wealth be attributed to love of religion or affection for God? What is there to prove that one man is more qualified for admission into paradise than another? And why must one person compel another to gain entry into paradise? In which religion is killing or maiming a certificate for currying the favour of God? Before the arrival of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria, the traditional religionists were worshipping in various ways. But none thought a particular way to be inferior to another. To them, all ways led to the same river. As far as they were concerned, religion was about man’s humanity to man. And that was what they practiced day and night. However, with the arrival of Islam and Christianity, those religionists were condemned in various terms and consigned to the primitive past. Preaching became condemnatory even as man began to judge man on matters of the hereafter which is known to God alone. And thus with condemnation and counter condemnation, clashes started to ensue climaxing in killings which every divine religion treats as sacrilege. What exactly do the Muslims and Christians who clash violently over religion want? The adherents of both religions proclaim Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) as the father of their faith. They have revealed books passed over to them through Prophets Muhammad and Isa (Jesus) respectively. They commonly believe in those books, the Angels, resurrection and the Day of Judgment. They also believe in paradise and hell as means of reward for earthly conduct. To think that the method of worshipping or the way of approaching God must be one and the same for everybody is to assume that the entrance of paradise is only one through which everybody must pass. Such an assumption can only be a fallacy. Even as human beings we are not the same in look, colour and in tongues. And, to God who created us in such ways the only yardstick for measuring the superiority of to man over all other creatures is piety. Tell the world your own yardstick besides money.

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-lagos-moves-to-stop-church-mosque-services/Christians

Politics

en

Paula Young Shelton, daughter of Civil Rights activist Andrew Young, brings a child's unique perspective to an important chapter in America's history. Paula grew up in the deep south, in a world where whites had and blacks did not. With an activist father and a community of leaders surrounding her, including Uncle Martin (Martin Luther King), Paula watched and listened to the struggles, eventually joining with her family--and thousands of others--in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery. Poignant, moving, and hopeful, this is an intimate look at the birth of the Civil Rights Movement. "Many adults will want to talk about their memories of the time, and kids will appreciate the child’s intimate viewpoint of world-changing history." -- BooklistFor more stories about girls and women involved in the Civil Rights Movement, visit our special feature on the Top Mighty Girl Books on Civil Rights History. "When the author was a child, her father, Andrew Young, was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Her first picture book beautifully captures her childhood during those events that radically changed America. One episode recalls Shelton's unique contribution to the integration of restaurants. When white owners refused to seat her family, Shelton sat down and cried loudly, an action she calls "my very first protest, my own little sit-in." With this incident, she helps modern children understand the hurtful effects of segregation. Shelton also recalls how the movement united its leaders. The Youngs, the Kings, and other activists became like family because they "were brought together by a common goal." This positive tone prevails throughout the book, which ends with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Colón's luminous watercolors effectively underscore the text's optimistic viewpoint, imbuing scenes of struggle with light that represents the activists' hope for positive results. The book therefore balances honesty about the challenges of the movement with the hope that inspired activists to continue their efforts. An author's note explains how Shelton does not always remember conversations verbatim, but draws on her family's shared memories. The back matter includes information about the leaders who are mentioned. History comes alive in this vivid account." -- School Library Journal Recommended Age | 4 - 8 | Author | Paula Young Shelton | Illustrator | Raul Colon | ISBN | 0385376065 | Publication Date | Dec 22, 2009 | Publisher | Schwartz & Wade | Language | English |

http://www.amightygirl.com/child-of-the-civil-rights-movement

Education

en

JERUSALEM A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days. If such a messianic description really is there, it will contribute to a developing re-evaluation of both popular and scholarly views of Jesus, since it suggests that the story of his death and resurrection was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish tradition at the time. The tablet, probably found near the Dead Sea in Jordan according to some scholars who have studied it, is a rare example of a stone with ink writings from that era in essence, a Dead Sea Scroll on stone. It is written, not engraved, across two neat columns, similar to columns in a Torah. But the stone is broken, and some of the text is faded, meaning that much of what it says is open to debate. Still, its authenticity has so far faced no challenge, so its role in helping to understand the roots of Christianity in the devastating political crisis faced by the Jews of the time seems likely to increase. Daniel Boyarin, a professor of Talmudic culture at the University of California at Berkeley, said that the stone was part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that Jesus could be best understood through a close reading of the Jewish history of his day. “Some Christians will find it shocking a challenge to the uniqueness of their theology while others will be comforted by the idea of it being a traditional part of Judaism,” Mr. Boyarin said. Given the highly charged atmosphere surrounding all Jesus-era artifacts and writings, both in the general public and in the fractured and fiercely competitive scholarly community, as well as the concern over forgery and charlatanism, it will probably be some time before the tablet’s contribution is fully assessed. It has been around 60 years since the Dead Sea Scrolls were uncovered, and they continue to generate enormous controversy regarding their authors and meaning. The scrolls, documents found in the Qumran caves of the West Bank, contain some of the only known surviving copies of biblical writings from before the first century A.D. In addition to quoting from key books of the Bible, the scrolls describe a variety of practices and beliefs of a Jewish sect at the time of Jesus. How representative the descriptions are and what they tell us about the era are still strongly debated. For example, a question that arises is whether the authors of the scrolls were members of a monastic sect or in fact mainstream. A conference marking 60 years since the discovery of the scrolls will begin on Sunday at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where the stone, and the debate over whether it speaks of a resurrected messiah, as one iconoclastic scholar believes, also will be discussed. Oddly, the stone is not really a new discovery. It was found about a decade ago and bought from a Jordanian antiquities dealer by an Israeli-Swiss collector who kept it in his Zurich home. When an Israeli scholar examined it closely a few years ago and wrote a paper on it last year, interest began to rise. There is now a spate of scholarly articles on the stone, with several due to be published in the coming months. “I couldn’t make much out of it when I got it,” said David Jeselsohn, the owner, who is himself an expert in antiquities. “I didn’t realize how significant it was until I showed it to Ada Yardeni, who specializes in Hebrew writing, a few years ago. She was overwhelmed. ‘You have got a Dead Sea Scroll on stone,’ she told me.” Much of the text, a vision of the apocalypse transmitted by the angel Gabriel, draws on the Old Testament, especially the prophets Daniel, Zechariah and Haggai. Ms. Yardeni, who analyzed the stone along with Binyamin Elitzur, is an expert on Hebrew script, especially of the era of King Herod, who died in 4 B.C. The two of them published a long analysis of the stone more than a year ago in Cathedra, a Hebrew-language quarterly devoted to the history and archaeology of Israel, and said that, based on the shape of the script and the language, the text dated from the late first century B.C. A chemical examination by Yuval Goren, a professor of archaeology at Tel Aviv University who specializes in the verification of ancient artifacts, has been submitted to a peer-review journal. He declined to give details of his analysis until publication, but he said that he knew of no reason to doubt the stone’s authenticity. It was in Cathedra that Israel Knohl, an iconoclastic professor of Bible studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, first heard of the stone, which Ms. Yardeni and Mr. Elitzur dubbed “Gabriel’s Revelation,” also the title of their article. Mr. Knohl posited in a book published in 2000 the idea of a suffering messiah before Jesus, using a variety of rabbinic and early apocalyptic literature as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls. But his theory did not shake the world of Christology as he had hoped, partly because he had no textual evidence from before Jesus. When he read “Gabriel’s Revelation,” he said, he believed he saw what he needed to solidify his thesis, and he has published his argument in the latest issue of The Journal of Religion. Mr. Knohl is part of a larger scholarly movement that focuses on the political atmosphere in Jesus’ day as an important explanation of that era’s messianic spirit. As he notes, after the death of Herod, Jewish rebels sought to throw off the yoke of the Rome-supported monarchy, so the rise of a major Jewish independence fighter could take on messianic overtones. In Mr. Knohl’s interpretation, the specific messianic figure embodied on the stone could be a man named Simon who was slain by a commander in the Herodian army, according to the first-century historian Josephus. The writers of the stone’s passages were probably Simon’s followers, Mr. Knohl contends. The slaying of Simon, or any case of the suffering messiah, is seen as a necessary step toward national salvation, he says, pointing to lines 19 through 21 of the tablet “In three days you will know that evil will be defeated by justice” and other lines that speak of blood and slaughter as pathways to justice. To make his case about the importance of the stone, Mr. Knohl focuses especially on line 80, which begins clearly with the words “L’shloshet yamin,” meaning “in three days.” The next word of the line was deemed partially illegible by Ms. Yardeni and Mr. Elitzur, but Mr. Knohl, who is an expert on the language of the Bible and Talmud, says the word is “hayeh,” or “live” in the imperative. It has an unusual spelling, but it is one in keeping with the era. Two more hard-to-read words come later, and Mr. Knohl said he believed that he had deciphered them as well, so that the line reads, “In three days you shall live, I, Gabriel, command you.” To whom is the archangel speaking? The next line says “Sar hasarin,” or prince of princes. Since the Book of Daniel, one of the primary sources for the Gabriel text, speaks of Gabriel and of “a prince of princes,” Mr. Knohl contends that the stone’s writings are about the death of a leader of the Jews who will be resurrected in three days. He says further that such a suffering messiah is very different from the traditional Jewish image of the messiah as a triumphal, powerful descendant of King David. “This should shake our basic view of Christianity,” he said as he sat in his office of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem where he is a senior fellow in addition to being the Yehezkel Kaufman Professor of Biblical Studies at Hebrew University. “Resurrection after three days becomes a motif developed before Jesus, which runs contrary to nearly all scholarship. What happens in the New Testament was adopted by Jesus and his followers based on an earlier messiah story.” Ms. Yardeni said she was impressed with the reading and considered it indeed likely that the key illegible word was “hayeh,” or “live.” Whether that means Simon is the messiah under discussion, she is less sure. Moshe Bar-Asher, president of the Israeli Academy of Hebrew Language and emeritus professor of Hebrew and Aramaic at the Hebrew University, said he spent a long time studying the text and considered it authentic, dating from no later than the first century B.C. His 25-page paper on the stone will be published in the coming months. Regarding Mr. Knohl’s thesis, Mr. Bar-Asher is also respectful but cautious. “There is one problem,” he said. “In crucial places of the text there is lack of text. I understand Knohl’s tendency to find there keys to the pre-Christian period, but in two to three crucial lines of text there are a lot of missing words.” Moshe Idel, a professor of Jewish thought at Hebrew University, said that given the way every tiny fragment from that era yielded scores of articles and books, “Gabriel’s Revelation” and Mr. Knohl’s analysis deserved serious attention. “Here we have a real stone with a real text,” he said. “This is truly significant.” Mr. Knohl said that it was less important whether Simon was the messiah of the stone than the fact that it strongly suggested that a savior who died and rose after three days was an established concept at the time of Jesus. He notes that in the Gospels, Jesus makes numerous predictions of his suffering and New Testament scholars say such predictions must have been written in by later followers because there was no such idea present in his day. But there was, he said, and “Gabriel’s Revelation” shows it. “His mission is that he has to be put to death by the Romans to suffer so his blood will be the sign for redemption to come,” Mr. Knohl said. “This is the sign of the son of Joseph. This is the conscious view of Jesus himself. This gives the Last Supper an absolutely different meaning. To shed blood is not for the sins of people but to bring redemption to Israel.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/world/middleeast/06stone.html?_r=1&oref=sloginTablet

Religion

en

What is a diploma mill? A diploma mill is a fraudulent business that disguises itself as a legitimate college, university, or career school. A diploma mill (or "degree mill") will pose as a real university, and award degrees without truly evaluating academic work from its "students." Diploma mills make money by selling printed degrees and providing academic references or falsified transcripts to individuals who may or may not be aware that the credentials are meaningless. A degree mill may sell degrees at all levels, from bachelor's degrees to doctoral degrees. A degree mill might also allow its customers to pay higher rates for academic honors (like summa cum laude). Degree mills typically attract two types of customers: Individuals searching for a genuine academic program, who are unaware that they are enrolling at a degree mill. Individuals who are aware that they are committing fraud, but nevertheless want to build their credentials quickly for academic or professional reasons. How do diploma mills get started? Online education is still a fairly new option in the world of colleges and universities. Traditional colleges and online colleges develop new programs every day, according to the career needs of changing student populations. It's difficult to keep track of all the new schools and new degrees that enter the higher education arena. And since Web sites are fast and easy to build, a fraudulent school can create a convincing facade - one that mirrors the look of a legitimate online school. Can you provide a specific example of a diploma mill? There are two kinds of diploma mills: those that offer low quality courses, and those that merely sell you a piece of paper with your name on it. One noteworthy example of a diploma mill involved Brian McNamee, a personal trainer for professional baseball athletes, including Roger Clemens. Reportedly, McNamee earned his doctoral degree from Columbus University, a diploma mill that had operated out of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. On its Web site, Columbus University claims to be, "The Established Name in Distance Education," and also claims to be accredited by the Adult Higher Education Alliance. This is a fake accrediting agency. The Adult Higher Education Alliance is not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education's Web site lists several established accrediting agencies including the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). And there are other indicators that demonstrate Columbus University's illegitimacy. If you look up the registration information of the school's Web site, you can see that they list a third party company rather than a mailing address. This is not typical for a legitimate educational provider. Most schools disclose their complete contact information and mailing addresses with their registration information. Diploma mills have every reason to hide and mask their location, because they sell fraudulent degrees. How can I tell if a school is a diploma mill? They often have names similar to well-known colleges or universities, but fail to mention an accrediting agency or name a fake accrediting agency. The organization frequently changes addresses, sometimes moving from state to state. Written materials typically include numerous spelling and grammatical errors, sometimes on the diploma itself. Overemphasis on the speed and brevity with which someone can receive a degree (e.g. "Call now and have your degree shipped to you overnight!"). Degrees can be earned in far less time than normal (e.g. 27 days) or the diploma is printed with a specific backdate. There is no selectivity in admissions, or any questions about previous test scores or detailed academic history. No interaction with professors or faculty (e.g. only two emails are received from a professor). Degree requirements are vague or unspecified, lacking class descriptions and without any mention of how many credit hours are required to complete a program. Tuition and fees are typically on a per-degree basis. Grade point average (GPA) and academic honors (e.g. Summa Cum Laude) can be specified at the time of purchase. What's being done about these degree mills? Unfortunately, fraudulent schools continue to spread and are increasingly sophisticated in their scams. These diploma mills survive by operating in states that lack strict laws regarding school accreditation, such as California, Utah, Hawaii and Louisiana. They assume identities of well-known schools, or market themselves as a religious organization. Because of constitutional safeguards, the United States guarantees separation of church and state. Most states are reluctant to pass any laws restricting the activities of churches, including their right to grant degrees. Diploma mills take advantage of this reluctance. To further protect themselves and to take advantage of less rigorous laws, diploma mills often operate out of multiple political jurisdictions. They sell degrees only in other states or other countries. Many degree mills operate from England, selling fake degrees only to people in other countries, primarily the United States, Africa, and Asia. It can sometimes be difficult to prove fraud in the case of a diploma mill. In some cases, a diploma mill may immunize itself from prosecution by being forthcoming about its business, fully acknowledging that it is a diploma mill. The individuals that buy degrees from this particular type of diploma mill are fully aware that they are getting a degree without having to complete any academic work. In this case, the diploma mill is arguably acting only as a business. It is very risky to buy a fake degree, or claim to have a degree without having completed an accredited degree program. Consumers with bogus degrees are liable to find themselves embarrassed professionally, or even out of a job. The most severe consequence is having to face criminal charges. In Oregon, it is illegal to use a degree from an unlicensed institution to get a job or gain a promotion. How can I protect myself from diploma mills? If you are looking to enroll in a degree program, it is important to research your online school thoroughly. If you have any doubts about an online program, take the following precautions: Check the school Web site, to see if the school is accredited. If an agency is named, check to see if that accrediting agency is officially sanctioned. Legitimate accrediting agencies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Both of those organizations list legitimate agencies on their Web sites. Check with the licensing boards and professional associations that regulate your industry to see if the program delivers an acceptable level of training. Don't conduct your college research through newspaper classified ads. Call or write the Better Business Bureau and the attorney general's office to make sure the school is operating legally in its home state. Ask if any complaints have been filed against the school. Ask about the school's faculty: Who teaches the courses? What degrees do they have? What is their area of expertise? How are fake degrees sold? At first glance, diploma mills may be difficult to detect. Their Web sites contain scenic campus photographs and promises of a dedicated faculty. Some diploma mills send vague email advertisements. Typically, the email doesn't mention a college or university name. Most simply state, "earn a degree from a prestigious, non-accredited university," and list only a phone number. If you respond to a diploma mill ad, the customer representative is likely to deliver some (or all) of these sales pitches: "Receive your degree from a prestigious, non-accredited university." "Do you want a diploma without the dreary classes, droning professors and annoying exams?" "You can receive a diploma from our university based on your present knowledge and life experience. No classes necessary!" "There will be no required tests, classes, books or interviews." "Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees are available in the field of your choice." "You have been selected to earn your MBA." "$425 will certify you for a bachelor's degree from John Doe University." "You will receive your diploma within days. "With an additional payment of $75 in tuition, you will earn Magna Cum Laude." "If you enroll today, we will send you your diploma, a laminated, wallet-sized replica of your diploma, honors of your choice, transcripts, and letters of recommendation." "You will receive unlimited support from us, including verification of your credentials to prospective employers." "Get your bachelor's degree AND a master's degree today for $1,200." Online learning is fast But not that fast. Don't confuse accelerated degrees (which are offered by many legitimate online schools) with instant degrees (which are fake.) Many online schools offer students the ability to earn their degree at an accelerated rate. Earning your MBA in as little as 10 months, for instance, is not an uncommon feature of online business colleges. But this does not mean less work. Rather, it means the online format allows you to participate in online classes, lectures, and projects as quickly as you can properly complete the required assignments. If you encounter a school that offers you an "instant degree" or anything similar, you're looking at a scam. Any worthwhile degree will involve the completion of specific courses. Each course should involve new content lessons, graded assignments and/or graded exams. Trust your instincts If you have any persisting doubts, move on. There are a lot of schools out there. Most have them have quality programs to offer. You can also rest assured that the colleges and universities listed on our site are, without exception, well-respected and well-known. We have established, active relationships with all of them. So if you find a program on our Web site, you can trust that it is reputable.

http://www.elearners.com/resources/diploma-mills.asp

Education

en

The Bermuda Triangle, has captured the imagination of people around the world for decades. Situated in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean, the Bermuda Triangle is notorious for its alleged role in the disappearance of numerous ships and aircraft under mysterious circumstances. From ancient legends to modern-day mysteries, the Bermuda Triangle continues to fascinate and perplex, inviting speculation and debate about its true nature. The legend of the Bermuda Triangle dates back centuries, with tales of ships and aircraft vanishing without a trace in the region. According to popular lore, the Bermuda Triangle is a place where compasses malfunction, electronic devices fail, and navigational instruments go haywire. Countless theories have been proposed to explain the disappearances, ranging from supernatural forces to extraterrestrial activity. The origins of the Bermuda Triangle myth can be traced back to the early 20th century, with reports of ships and aircraft disappearing in the region gaining widespread attention in the media. One of the most famous incidents occurred in 1945, when Flight 19, a squadron of five U.S. Navy bombers, disappeared during a training exercise over the Bermuda Triangle. Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of the aircraft or its crew was ever found. While the Bermuda Triangle has captured the public's imagination, scientists and researchers offer more mundane explanations for the disappearances. One theory suggests that methane hydrates, a type of natural gas found beneath the ocean floor, could cause ships to suddenly lose buoyancy and sink without warning. Another theory points to sudden and severe weather patterns, such as rogue waves and hurricanes, which could engulf ships and aircraft with little warning. Skepticism and Debunking: Despite the prevalence of Bermuda Triangle myths, many skeptics argue that the disappearances can be attributed to natural causes and human error. They point to the vastness of the ocean and the inherent dangers of maritime and aviation travel as more plausible explanations for the incidents. Moreover, some researchers argue that the number of disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle is no higher than in any other heavily trafficked area of the ocean. The Bermuda Triangle has become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless books, movies, and television shows. From thrilling tales of adventure to speculative documentaries, the Bermuda Triangle has captured the imagination of storytellers and audiences alike. Its allure lies in its mysterious reputation, which continues to captivate and intrigue people around the world. The Bermuda Triangle remains one of the greatest mysteries of the modern era, a place where fact and fiction blur, and legends abound. While skeptics may dismiss the disappearances as the result of natural phenomena and human error, the allure of the Bermuda Triangle endures, inviting speculation and debate about its true nature. Whether viewed as a cautionary tale or a source of wonder, the Bermuda Triangle continues to capture the imagination and inspire fascination, reminding us of the enduring mysteries that lie beneath the surface of the ocean. In the end, the Bermuda Triangle remains a tantalizing enigma that continues to capture the imagination of adventurers, researchers, and storytellers alike. Whether viewed as a place of supernatural phenomena or as a product of natural forces and human error, its allure endures as a symbol of the mysteries that lie hidden beneath the surface of the ocean. As we navigate the murky waters of the Bermuda Triangle myth, we are reminded of the human impulse to seek answers to the unknown and the enduring allure of the unexplained. Whether the Bermuda Triangle is a place of supernatural forces or simply a product of human imagination, its legacy endures as a testament to the power of mystery and the enduring quest for understanding in an uncertain world. There are no comments for this story Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

https://vocal.media/earth/secrets-of-the-bermuda-triangle-fact-or-fiction

Travel

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Experts’ recipe for beans pest Embarrassing, absurd and avoidable were the words used to describe the story published on this page last Sunday. What is the way forward? What solution is the federal government proffering to the problem? These were questions from Barrister Cecelia Iquo who called from the University of Calabar. It is just a case of using the wrong insecticide and wrong applications. Every farmer ought to know that the wrong usage of Dichlorvos pesticide is dangerous to the health of consumers, so why are farmers still allowed to use it? queried another reader, Prof. Amachi Onyeche, in an email. Still, another reader reacted thus: Why is the European Union making a case out of a mole hill? If they do not want Nigerian beans, other nations do. Is it not the same beans they rejected that we are eating and has anybody died from it? The reader queried. Last Sunday on this page, we published a story entitled ‘Fears heighten as EU temporarily bans beans importation from Nigeria.’ According to the story, European Union [EU] banned the beans because of the high levels of dichlorvos pesticide in the beans which poses grave danger to the health of the consumers. Also high levels of other chemicals like Chlorpyrifos, Cyhalothrin, Dimathoate, Trichlorphon and Omethoate were also discovered in the dried beans meant for export. These are synthetic pesticides applied during planting and storage to preserve the beans from insects. The ban which was confirmed by the Deputy Director, Ports Inspection Directorate, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Comfort Makanjuola, will stay in effect until June 30th 2016 by which time the EU hoped the exporters of dried beans from Nigeria would have adhered to regulations. Most of the rejected beans were found to contain between 0.03mg per kilogramme and 4.6mg/kg of dichlorvos pesticide when its acceptable maximum residue level is 0.01mg/kg. Explaining the incident as an embarrassment to Nigeria and the regulatory agencies involved, Mr. Nnamdi Ukoko said the issue of pesticide residue in grains is an issue that can be permanently eliminated by the usage of BioNim fertilizer and Bionimbecidine HP111 botanical storage chemical by farmers and handlers. “Both products are organic plant extracts for planting, post harvesting and storage of grains which leaves no residue and poses no health threat to humans,” he said. Ukoko, the Nigerian representative of BICCO Agro Products with head quarters in India and Netherlands, noted that organic fertilisers and organic storage chemicals should be used for planting and storage of grains, cereals, pulses, etc as they are natural products and as such human friendly. Throwing more light on what must have gone wrong with the dried beans rejected by the EU, he said “the synthetic chemical used in storage of the beans did not break down before the handlers put it out for exportation. Ideally, depending on the chemical formulation, the beans should have been left in storage for a period of 3-4months before presenting it to consumers. “But if an organic fertiliser and organic storage chemical is used in the planting and storage of beans, it will be suitable for consumption and exportation immediately as no pesticide residue is left.” Organic fertiliser such as BioNim, he explained, is the residual product remaining after the cold pressing of the Neem seed for the extraction of the natural and organic oil. The high content of azadirachtin in BioNim protects crops against a wide range of parasites in addition to enriching the soil. Synthetic chemicals like dichlorvos, apart from leaving residue in beans, cause the product to shrink while adversely effecting the quality, but biotechnical storage pest control leaves no residue, maintains the quality, safety while also extending the finished produce shelf life, noted the stakeholder who has been in organic agro farming for over 25 years. Cautioning consumers on eating beans with synthetic residue, a professor at the Nutritional and Toxicology Dept, University of Jos, who pleaded anonymity, said he will rather advice Nigerians to desist from eating contaminated beans. Speaking in a telephone interview, he cautioned, “If you suspect the beans, it’s better you wash it thoroughly, par boil, get rid of the first water before adding fresh water to proceed to the final cooking.” Several researches have confirmed that botanical pesticides are eco-friendly, easily biodegradable, nontoxic to non-target organism. The insecticide of plant origin could be exploited for the development of novel molecules with highly precise targets for sustainable insect pest management in stored grain. Another great advantage is that the raw materials could be sourced locally. According to a study ‘Evaluation of Botanical Products as stored Grain Protectant Against Maize weevil’ published on Maize Journal of Entomology 4: 258-262, paw paw leaf powder was found to be the most effective in reducing the number of live insects in the grains. The study was conducted to evaluate leaf powder botanical products of eucalyptus, paw paw and lantana against the infestation of maize weevil on stored maize grains. These botanicals were compared with synthetic chemical (Actellic super dust) and without insecticides application as controls. All tested plant products performed well in reduction of live insects during maize storage as compared to the no insecticide application. However, pawpaw leaf powder was the most effective. This also reflects on the weight loss where the maize grains treated with pawpaw leaf powder were lowest. As a way forward, however, in view of the recent death occurrence in Ondo State which was traced down to exposure to pesticide, the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) after the baseline studies carried out in nine states asked that a list of all banned and restricted chemicals used as pesticides be widely circulated in public and private sectors and that the federal government should facilitate the enactment into law, an Agricultural Chemicals Pesticides Regulation Law. They have also recommended intense and regular, informative and widely distributed training of farmers and pesticide applicators, appropriate enforcement of regulation that requires that all pesticides retail and wholesale outlets, stores or facilities within the market be located at a designated section for easy control and accessibility and safe control. Speaking on why pesticides have been grossly handled wrongly in Nigeria, Professor Chikwendu, the National Coordinator of WAAPP in Nigeria, said, “Although the National Environmental Standards Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is actively involved in ensuring safe use and management of pesticides in Nigeria, it’s major function of enforcing the regulation on pesticide use has been greatly hindered by the absence of a national pesticide regulation.” Makanjuola advised exporters to find out the quality requirements specified by importing countries in order to prevent rejection and destruction of their processed and semi processed products. “All the people dealing with semi processed and processed foods must know the quality specifications by the importing countries. We must know the acceptable levels of pesticides and agrochemicals used in growing and storing the commodities.” The Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the National Special Programme on Food Security and all other relevant agencies should popularise organic agriculture to Nigerian farmers in order to produce safe foods for human consumption and for the export market.

http://thenationonlineng.net/experts-recipe-for-beans-pest/

Politics

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A man defecates in a canal in Oshodi. Photo by Akinbuli Oluwatobiloba Note: Story contains an image some may consider offensive Abuja – The UNICEF says an estimated 33 million Nigerians still practice open defecation in different parts of the country. Dr Suomi Sakai, UNICEF’s Country Representative and Chief Ambassador, said this at the commemoration of the World Sanitation Day on Tuesday in Abuja. “The most worrisome of all the unsanitary practices is the high rate of open defecation practice in the country. “It is estimated that about 33 million Nigerians defecate in the open, depositing about 1.7m tonnes of faeces into the environment annually,’’ she said. Sakai said that the development had resulted in a high level of contamination of the environment in which garbage and faeces often find their way into water resources. She stressed the need for awareness creation among the populace and the imperative of imbibing sanitary practices for improved health and socio-economic well-being of the citizenry. The Chief Ambassador, however, commended the Federal Ministry of Environment for providing a viable platform for discussing and analysing environmental sanitation issues for sustainable development. According to her, the occasion provides an opportunity for the review of commitment and support to improve the status of environmental sanitation in the country. She said that the theme of the celebration which is “Cleanliness: Gateway to Healthy Living,’’ was timely and appropriate, considering the present poor environmental sanitation practices and its consequences on the life of the people. She maintained that high morbidity and mortality rates in the country, prompted by cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery and typhoid, all sanitation-related diseases, were consequences of poor sanitation and hygiene practice. “Children under five are the most vulnerable to the effects of poor sanitation and hygiene in the country. “ It is estimated that that nearly 200,000 children under five years die annually due to diarrhoea while respiratory infections kill another 240,000 young children every year,’’ she added. Sakai explained that improving the disposal of human excreta and stopping open defecation could reduce illnesses by 34 per cent, stressing that when combined with hand washing, the impact could be doubled. The Country Representative recalled that the UN General Assembly had passed a resolution urging member countries to redouble efforts to close the sanitation gap. She said that the resolution tagged, “Sustainable Sanitation: The Five-Year-Drive to 2015’’, would focus on mobilising political will as well as financial and technical resources for achieving the MDG sanitation target. She said the resolution had also called for an end to open defecation. Sakai called on the Federal Government to invest in the sanitation sector to improve the economic development of the country. (NAN) Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/06/33m-nigerians-defecate-in-open-places-unicef/

Politics

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Study finds hyperbaric oxygen treatments halt the aging of blood cells and reverses the aging process. A new study from Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Shamir Medical Center in Israel indicates that hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT) in healthy aging adults can stop the aging of blood cells and reverse the aging process. In the biological sense, the adults’ blood cells actually grow younger as the treatments progress. The researchers found that a unique protocol of treatments with high-pressure oxygen in a pressure chamber can reverse two major processes associated with aging and its illnesses: the shortening of telomeres (protective regions located at both ends of every chromosome) and the accumulation of old and malfunctioning cells in the body. Focusing on immune cells containing DNA obtained from the participants’ blood, the study discovered a lengthening of up to 38% of the telomeres, as well as a decrease of up to 37% in the presence of senescent cells. The study was led by Professor Shai Efrati of the Sackler School of Medicine and the Sagol School of Neuroscience at TAU and Founder and Director of the Sagol Center of Hyperbaric Medicine at the Shamir Medical Center; and Dr. Amir Hadanny, Chief Medical Research Officer of the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research at the Shamir Medical Center. The clinical trial was conducted as part of a comprehensive Israeli research program that targets aging as a reversible condition. The paper was published in Aging on November 18, 2020. “For many years our team has been engaged in hyperbaric research and therapy – treatments based on protocols of exposure to high-pressure oxygen at various concentrations inside a pressure chamber,” Professor Efrati explains. “Our achievements over the years included the improvement of brain functions damaged by age, stroke, or brain injury. “In the current study, we wished to examine the impact of HBOT on healthy and independent aging adults, and to discover whether such treatments can slow down, stop or even reverse the normal aging process at the cellular level.” The researchers exposed 35 healthy individuals aged 64 or over to a series of 60 hyperbaric sessions over a period of 90 days. Each participant provided blood samples before, during, and at the end of the treatments as well as some time after the series of treatments concluded. The researchers then analyzed various immune cells in the blood and compared the results. The findings indicated that the treatments actually reversed the aging process in two of its major aspects: The telomeres at the ends of the chromosomes grew longer instead of shorter, at a rate of 20%-38% for the different cell types; and the percentage of senescent cells in the overall cell population was reduced significantly – by 11%-37% depending on cell type. “Today telomere shortening is considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of the biology of aging,” Professor Efrati says. “Researchers around the world are trying to develop pharmacological and environmental interventions that enable telomere elongation. Our HBOT protocol was able to achieve this, proving that the aging process can in fact be reversed at the basic cellular-molecular level.” “Until now, interventions such as lifestyle modifications and intense exercise were shown to have some inhibiting effect on telomere shortening,” Dr. Hadanny adds. “But in our study, only three months of HBOT were able to elongate telomeres at rates far beyond any currently available interventions or lifestyle modifications. With this pioneering study, we have opened a door for further research on the cellular impact of HBOT and its potential for reversing the aging process.” Reference: “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases telomere length and decreases immunosenescence in isolated blood cells: a prospective trial” by Yafit Hachmo, Amir Hadanny, Ramzia Abu Hamed, Malka Daniel-Kotovsky, Merav Catalogna, Gregory Fishlev, Erez Lang, Nir Polak, Keren Doenyas, Mony Friedman, Yonatan Zemel, Yair Bechor and Shai Efrati, 18 November 2020, Aging. This explains why pilots who have spent lots of time on oxygen look damned good. Commonsense tells us that because of this test, The scientist and world leaders are on the wrong course and destroying out planet with a system that destroys This earth should be loaded with oxygen and is not because of the greed for profit, and cutting of trees (Xmas) and the use of fossil fuels, and the promotion of mechanical devices used to pollute, The excess of oil drilling and oil spills Blame the brain dead governments who think they are God and are not, as they disregard everything for their own selfish ways. aww shut up ‘idiot’ You forgot its not just plain old air theyre using… So, Michael Jackson has been right all along? In what way? >>> … of the Sackler School of Medicine Wow, that study sounds real reliable. Does it also involve oxycontin? Should i get a home hyperbaric chamber? If this is the same thing they use for the bends, its time to make more and start filing people into them. I was thinking the same thing (who doesn’t want to reverse aging), but it looks like they cost $10,000 and up. I found that there are also clinics you can go to for the service, but it is $250 – $500 per session and takes 2-3 hours. In this study the participants had 60 sessions in 90 days. That would make this very expensive and time consuming. A better biomarker is required such a methylation clock. Your biomarkers are not convincing. Senescent cell reduction is the key, here. The buildup of senescent cells are what, to a large part, determine age. Kurzweil’s idea was to find a way to remove senescent cells from the body. Also, the study only looked for effects on telomere length and senescent cell reduction. How this would effect other parts of the body and any latent abnormalities is an unknown. Hello, I would like to tell you about an article I read back in the 70s about a scientist, Jacques Cousteau, Marine Biologist, who was on a marine expedition. At that time he had a team doing a scuba diving mission for quite some time. When the team completed the task, they stayed in a Hyperbaric chamber to decompress and after exiting the chamber, they noticed that their beard growth had stopped dramatically. I thought wow, this looks like the aging process has slowed down! What a rush! Now I recently learned that people are using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to reverse the aging process. Just wanted to share this with you. Take care, stay young!

https://scitechdaily.com/holy-grail-hyperbaric-oxygen-treatments-reverse-aging-process-in-first-clinical-trial/#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20from%20Tel

Health

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Osun develops prototype for solving gender inequality - As well as girl child empowerment From a global perspective, the girl child is considered vulnerable to several societal ills. This perception is more pronounced in developing countries, where the belief is that there is the need for effective policies to safeguard the girl child from violence, limited access to education, neglect, abuse, gender disparities and other negative trends. There is a growing concern around the world that urgent actions need to be taken to address these challenges and education and empowerment initiatives have been identified as the needed tools. In celebrating this year’s International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, the attention of stakeholders from around the world was focused on issues surrounding the girl child. The theme of this year’s celebration was “Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: A Global Girl Data Movement”. This special day was set aside to raise public awareness on girls’ right and highlight gender inequalities that are widespread worldwide. The latest UN statistics show that there are 1.1 billion girls in the world today. These girls represent an opportunity to shape a sustainable world that’s better for everyone. However, their dreams and potentials are often thwarted by lack of opportunities and discrimination. Like other developing countries, the girl child in Nigeria is not immune to these challenges. A peculiar case is that of the 276 girls kidnapped in a school in Chibok, Bornu State. The negative experiences of these girls have become a rallying point for the challenges faced by the girl child worldwide. The day also helped reveal the efforts made by governments at various levels to educate and empower the girl child. Worthy of note are those undertaken by Osun state. Before Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola assumed office on November 27, 2010, the public education system was in a bad state such that only students whose parent couldn’t afford private schools were left in public schools. Facilities of these public schools were not only dilapidated, students’ performance in both internal and external exams were at an all-time low with tuition fees in the state-owned tertiary institution outrageous. The situation has however taken a positive turn since the advent of his administration. The government has also placed priority on girl child education. Presently in the state, there are 622,726 students between the elementary, middle and high school. Of these number, 309,488 are females and 313,238 are males. This is a laudable achievement that dwarfs the average expectation for developing nations. The governor restructured the education system into elementary, middle and high school structure. He also constructed 100 Elementary, 50 Middle, and 20 High Schools during his first term through the O’School programme. He also focused on improving the nutrition of students in public schools by introducing the school feeding programme, O’Meals in line with the UN recommendation. The government believes a well-fed pupil will be more attentive in class compared to a hungry pupil. It’s no surprise that the programme has recorded success stories with the school enrollment increasing by 25% spread over 38,000 pupils within four weeks of its introduction. Apart from education, O’Meals programme has also helped economically, improving the production capacities of farmers and empowering 3,007 women appointed as food vendors to serve pupils on school days. It is noteworthy that the Aregbesola-led administration spends N3billion naira per annum to feed primary 1 – 4 pupils in all the public primary schools in the State of Osun. Of the 13 states that started the feeding programme, only the State of Osun is still implementing the School Feeding Programme. Osun State recorded an outstanding feat in its quest to promote education by sponsoring 5 outstanding female students in an exchange program in the United States. The program is in partnership with an NGO AWOW International Girls Leadership Initiative, which empowers and offers skills and professional mentorship to young women. The 5 girls will attend the annual AWOW Summit & College Tour Leadership Forum for young women, scheduled to hold at the Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, United State, with the theme ” Leading the Future.” Not only will the summit enable the girls to share experiences and knowledge through the cultural exchange, the girls would also have the opportunity of scholarship for University Education in the USA. Statistics show that when 10% more girls go to school, a country’s GDP increases by 3% on the average and a child born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5. Governor Aregbesola while speaking on government’s commitment to education development, said: “This is the continuation of our commitment to standard education. To us, education remains our priority and as a matter of fact, this government has invested hugely on this.” He also stressed the importance of bridging the gap between public and private schools as a means of preparing the nation for good leadership in the future. The UN explained that girls’ education is both an intrinsic right and critical in reaching other development objectives. Educating girls can help break the cycle of poverty. Girls’ education is essential in achieving quality learning relevant to the 21st century, including girls’ transition to and performance in secondary school and beyond. Adolescent girls that attend school delay marriage and childbearing, are less vulnerable to disease including HIV and AIDS, and acquire information and skills that lead to increased earning power. Evidence shows that the return to a year of secondary education for girls correlates to a 25 percent increase in wages later in life, the UN said. Adetola Ige who writes from Oshogbo, Osun State capital

http://thenationonlineng.net/osun-develops-prototype-solving-gender-inequality/

Politics

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Former President of South Africa, Jacob Gedleyyihlekisa Zuma has been in South African politics since 1959 and he was among the 45 activists arrested with Nelson Mandela that served 10 years on Robben Island (Mandela University). Jacob Zuma had violated legitimate laws with impunity several times until the law finally caught up with him. This is the man some Zulu are ready to die for in the hands of militia, Police and Army? Some former Presidents still command followers. It is why folks say a country deserves the leader they elected. Zuma deserves some respect for his past as an activist. Indeed, no leader is perfect anywhere when it comes to hedonic tendencies or misogyny of culture within culture. We as Africans have to set some moral standard under which we are ready to go out and fight at the risk of our lives. Ethnic loyalty regardless of the intransigence of a man at the expense and indulgence of his own ethnic group does not deserve our empathy. Africans are not blind and we know when to fight against oppressors, no matter where they come from. We cannot shield a law breaker that refused to pay according to the rules like anyone else. It is one obvious display of impunity when an ethnic group marginalizes another or some planted colonial groups claim privileges over the natives. But anger, riots and demonstrations at the risk of lives must be justified by moral and legal standards that most reasonable Africans can freely and unashamedly support. Other ethnic groups in South Africa would be asking themselves if this latest riot was based on fairness and justice they can support. Africans riot when a respectable ethnic leader is treated like a common criminal for no demonstrable offence other than fighting for the Rights of his people. When people are suffering from years of oppression under the Apartheid rule put in place by Afrikaners, we should expect a short fuse to let out years of repressed anger. But this latest riot falls far short of an excuse. Others saw an excuse for criminals to plunge the country into chaos. Like some European and Asian states that failed based on ethnic, religious and economic injustice, some African states have also failed. Countries that Africa has supported and turned into economic giants through slavery and natural resources are rejecting our Youths by closing their borders or sending them back into the sea and deserts.The harsh poverty in villages, towns and cities turned many of us into economic refugees at home and abroad. If South Africa fails, where are they migrating to as they did during Apartheid? Even little countries like Belarus and Lithuania which Parliament recently approved the mass deportation of migrants are hostile. These are countries that were the poorest in Europe when many African countries were enjoying comfortable standards of living and Firsts In Western Nigeria where Asians and Europeans came to make a living sending money to families during famine. So, what is the excuse of African refugees seeking Asylum anywhere? Oh, our corrupt leader that violated laws and abused us was thrown into jail and so we rioted! Africans, if you destroy your own countries, call them all kinds of names because you chose to install corrupt leaders, no country outside your village would allow you to turn their land into the same hopelessness as yours. We must fix your countries and stop rioting for looters you should have banished. No President or leader, no matter how highly placed is above the law. It is a message we must send to the Youths that those aspiring to be leaders must come with attractive and exemplary character. Any leader elected out of spite will also spite his own people. Zuma was a former President. He should not have generated so much bad blood, not to mention the worst riot since Apartheid era. South Africa is one of the countries in Africa with the highest Gross Domestic Product after Nigeria. Some people even postulated insultingly that it was because South Africa was managed by the planted white population (Afrikaners) and as soon as Africans took over, it would degenerate into poverty like other African countries. South Africa attracted other Africans until the disadvantaged and angry youths turned against their brothers and sisters. Leaders like Nelson Mandela and Thambo Mbeki proved most of the pessimists wrong because Africans produced leaders that were capable, better and with more equitable management of all people regardless of race and ethnic groups. After Mandela and Mbeki, Zuma got himself involved in one mess or the other. Even those willing to overlook his shortcoming or immoral behavior have been blinded by his impunity against the law. Africans must remind the outside world that even before Madela and Mbeki skilful hands in South Africa, Western Nigeria was better managed than many European countries and Nkrumah proved that a small African country like Ghana could lead the fight to liberate South Africa. Indeed, if it was not for the mismanagement of Africa by planted Afrikaners and Fulani working for the interest of their cousins in foreign countries, Africa could have been better off. Those waiting for South Africa to fail like some other African countries should hide their heads in shame. Their reliable biggest democracy almost failed, nursed a military coup and has not recovered from January 6th riot after the fairest election in the country. Before you point to any country, cure the log in your eyes. As indicated before,every country deserves the leader they elected. We cannot blame just one leader, people elected each one for selfish interest! Africans are the most tolerant people that have accommodated foreigners where all cultures got along until they took advantage of our generosity turning to enemies within to capture. Their Governments have sent Armies to reinforce their cultures as “guests” within Africa. We now live in a world where the so-called “civilized” people have exposed themselves as worse than Africans when they cannot get their way by the same democracy they preach outside. Unlike Nigeria, South Africa cannot blame planted foreigners within us for this riot. If anything, this riot embarrasses us as Africans wherever we are. Our distractors have been praying for this to happen to justify their false sense of “superior” culture. How fast do they forget the role of Russia in the Brexit and 2016 American elections, even when internal intelligence warned? We are not going back to the support King Buthelezi got during the Apartheid days while he was actively working for those that were against South Africa’s self determination interest. The bloodshed was too much to even imagine again. There are many lessons learned from those days. This same Jacob Zuma, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) founder Julius Malema and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, castigated Buthelezi then. Who is castigating Jacob Zuma now? This man has 6 wives and over 28 children...no amount of income he was making woulda fed them. That was his reason for stealing from the state.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1093629/south-africans-please-riots-for-one-lawless-loote.html

Politics

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Some children with stunted growth By Rotimi Ojomoyela Unknown to many, a stranger has quietly strolled in like a thief in the night, eating away the lives of many young Nigerians before they attain the age of five. This silent killer, currently ravaging infants across the country is blind to class and not limited to any region, it is called malnutrition and it is reported to be the cause of the increasing rate of stunted growth and infant mortality in Nigeria. Research conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Funds, UNICEF, revealed that though poverty contributes to malnutrition, children from rich homes are also affected due to ignorance. Speaking on Nutrition Interventions in Nigeria, at a media dialogue organised by the UNICEF for journalists in some states of the federation, a nutrition specialist, Mrs. Ada Ezeogu, highlighted causes of child malnutrition to include inadequate diet, inadequate care, unhealthy households, and food insecurity. According to her, there are three ways in which a child can be malnourished, which are under-nutrition, over-nutrtion, and micro-nutrient deficiency, emphasising the need for a child to have appropriate and healthy food within 1000 days of birth, Ezeogu noted that there is need for mothers to be educated on child nutrition. Also, according to a nutrition expert from the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Ogunbunmi Omotayo, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey revealed that “Nigeria has the highest number of stunted children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa and second highest in the world with 37 per cent of all children stunted, 18 per cent wasting and 29 per cent underweight.” She explained further that the infant mortality rate was 69 in 1000 live births, and children under five years have 128 in 1000 live births, while only 17 per cent were exclusively breast fed. But unknown to many these figures do not represent only those at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps across the North East, it is a common phenomenon, across all regions, even in the South West, where cases of stunted growth are prevalent. UNCEF cries out According to UNICEF which recently raised the alarm over the prevalence and effect of malnutrition in the South-West geo-political zone of the country, 22 per cent of children under five years in the zone have stunted growth. The UNICEF Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, who gave the figure explained that it was erroneous and misleading to believe that malnutrition was prevalent only in the North. The rich also cry Quoting a 2013 survey, Njoku said studies had shown that malnutrition was prevalent among children of the rich people of the South-West under the age of five, saying malnutrition was a national problem and laid emphasis on sharing responsibilities on investing in simple cost interventions. Njoku narrated his experience in the South Eastern part of the country, especially in Imo State, where he said that 13 per cent of children born to rich families also suffer malnutrition. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/children-stunted-growth-rise-south-west/

Romance

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Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that refunding of goods paid to a bride’s family after divorce was illegal, sparking celebration by rights groups who said women would no longer be “chained in violent relationships”. In Uganda, as in many nations, the custom of the groom or his family paying a sum of money or property — known as a “bride price” — to the parents of the bride upon a marriage has a long tradition. Bride prices are payments made from the groom’s family to the bride’s — the opposite of dowries paid in some countries, where the bride hands goods over to the man. The Supreme Court ruled that refunding it upon dissolution of a customary marriage was unconstitutional, after local women’s rights group Mifumi launched an appeal following an earlier court decision, arguing the practice contributed to domestic violence. “Refunding compromises the dignity of the woman,” Chief Justice Bart Katureebe said, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper, adding that paying a dowry back implied a woman was in a marriage as though on “loan”. Mifumi said the judge’s decision was a “landmark in the history of Uganda” that meant women were “now free to walk out of an abusive relationship without fear” of how their family would pay back the bride price. Mifumi said the payment of a bride price “reduces the status of women to cattle, to property that can be earned and paid for and exchanged for goods.” The charity, along with 12 other individuals, first launched a 2007 petition at the Constitutional Court, arguing that the refunding of bride price portrayed women “as an article in a market for sale” amounting to “degrading treatment”. The court however dismissed the petition in 2010, with the group then taking the case to the Supreme Court. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/bride-price-will-not-be-returned-to-husbands-after-divorce-in-uganda/#sthash.Kb95VHxz.dpuf

Politics

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It was a set-up and Buharin Daji walked right into it. The notorious cattle-rustling kingpin had arrived for a meeting in the northern Nigerian bush, ostensibly to settle differences with one of his senior lieutenants, but instead was shot dead. Daji’s murder in March has had consequences in an already deeply troubled Zamfara State, where years of building unrest have claimed thousands of lives and driven whole communities into destitution. This underdeveloped yet agriculturally rich region has been unstable for many years. What began as unresolved clashes between Hausa farmers and Fulani pastoralists over access to land has transformed into a lucrative illicit economy of banditry and cattle-rustling dominated by men like Daji. Zamfara is different from highly politicised farmer-herder clashes in other parts of Nigeria where largely Muslim pastoralists push south in search of pasture and meet increasingly populated Christian farming areas. Instead, Zamfara is overwhelmingly Muslim and, human rights groups argue, the violence here is fundamentally about the government’s abdication of its responsibility to protect its citizens. According to Amnesty International, more than 370 people have been killed by the outlaws so far this year. Others have been kidnapped and held for ransom – payments are encouraged with phone calls to loved ones as those being held undergo torture. Daji was viewed as a solution to the crisis. In a case of poacher-turned-gamekeeper, he was put on the state government’s payroll at the end of 2016 to help stop the violence he himself had stoked. The idea was that Daji would use his influence to rein in other brigands and help with a gun amnesty drive, all in exchange for a salary and impunity. But this didn’t address the underlying causes of Zamfara’s lawlessness, and the state government’s dysfunction prevented it even from making the regular payments to Daji, Adamu Abubakar, director of the Centre for Community Excellence, a local NGO, told IRIN. The death of Daji was the final blow to already frayed attempts to forge peace. With him gone, Zamfara risks unravelling further and faster. Roots of lawlessness Northwestern Nigeria has a long history of banditry. The first recorded case occurred somewhere between “western Hausaland” and the Niger border in 1901, when a 12,000-strong camel train “laden with assorted grains” was attacked and 210 merchants killed. The tragedy for modern-day Zamfara is that more than a century on, there are still ungoverned spaces where the state is incapable of stamping its authority. Control is so weak in some regions that bandits can come into rural towns, typically three-up on a motorbike, unchecked. In some areas they lay down the law and become the local authority: “It’s fast justice, and there is no appeal,” explained Abubakar. Hausa and pastoralist Fulani communities coexist in Zamfara, with competition over land and water sources historically managed through mediation. Banditry has introduced a new level of friction between the two, with the Fulani, marginalised from local political power, more closely associated with brigandage – men like Daji being an example. Nigeria is a big country that is thinly policed. In Zamfara’s rural districts there are likely just two poorly equipped and under-motivated policemen to serve many inaccessible communities, according to Zamfara State government spokesman Ibrahim Dosara. Historically, state governments have turned to vigilantes to deliver the manpower and local knowledge the federal police lack. In Zamfara these groups are provided with some motorbikes, uniforms, and locally made single-shot hunting rifles, but little other support to meet the rising tide of banditry. Payment of allowances is often late, they are outgunned, and some vigilantes turned on the people they were supposed to protect – stealing and extorting – while also murderously targeting Fulani. “Along the way, part of the vigilante became part of the bandits,” said Abubakar. Aisha is just one face of the emerging crisis. Until a few weeks ago her home was the village of Kagara in central Zurmi district. Now it’s a disused petrol station in Zurmi town, where she and her extended family rely on the hospitality of the station owner and the generosity of the town’s people, who help with food when they can. Aisha is here because Kagara was attacked by bandits who killed her husband and then beat her with rifle butts when she tried to protect her younger brother by covering him with her hijab. They shot him and four male cousins dead as they burned and looted, combing the village for homeguard vigilante who had formed to protect the village with locally made muskets. The bandits had turned up on motorbikes, armed with AK-47s, speaking both Hausa and the Fulani language, Fufulde, with some taking care to cover their faces. Aisha recognised none of them. She suspects some might have come from neighbouring Niger or further afield, in a transnational criminal free-for-all. Asked why she thought they’d attacked Kagara, Aisha gave a now-familiar response: “Only God knows.” But “they have our phones and call us to say they will kill us if we go back,” she added. The bandits, seemingly able to move at will, took over three districts in Zurmi in June, a total of some 18 villages and towns. But now the state government is insisting the thousands of people displaced by the rolling violence should go home. When IRIN visited Zurmi the authorities had just closed a camp for those displaced by the violence in the local secondary school. Aisha has no intention of going back anytime soon, but her 19-member extended family was unsure what to do. Bala Aruna, the petrol station owner, stepped in after he spotted them by the roadside. “I said, ‘I have a place you can shelter out of the rain’,” he recalled. “Only God knows when this problem will end,” he said. “Yesterday, [the bandits] attacked people that had returned home, just three or four kilometres from here.” Despite the chaos, which helps keep Zamfara the poorest state in the federation, Governor Abdulaziz Yari is frequently absent. He is loudly criticised for spending much of his time in the federal capital, Abuja, where he chairs the powerful Nigeria Governors’ Forum. “Banditry is a failure of the state to fulfill its primary purpose of providing security,” Chidi Odinkalu, of the Open Society Justice Initiative, told IRIN. “Yari should go back to Zamfara and do his job and govern his people.” The state government spokesman, Dosara, insisted that Yari is “fully engaged” with the affairs of the state. At the paramilitary Civil Defence Corps headquarters in Zurmi, a bare, solid low-rise building, the commanding officer spoke candidly about the IDP camp closure being premature. His alarming analysis was that the bandits in this region were trying to clear a corridor along the border with Sokoto State and north to Niger – which includes Aisha’s village. “Banditry is a failure of the state to fulfill its primary purpose of providing security.” “That’s their base. Anyone they kidnap, that’s where they keep them,” he said. “[If there’s trouble] they run into Niger or Sokoto.” The federal government last year responded to the crisis by sending in an army battalion. When that didn’t work it deployed an Air Force special forces Quick Reaction Group in June, complete with helicopter gunships. Although that deployment is having some success, “the military can only suppress the problem, they can’t resolve it,” said Abubakar, the NGO director, describing a balloon effect that means wherever they squeeze the outlaws just pop up elsewhere. Banditry exists because it is profitable. From around 2011 there was a surge, which some commentators linked to increasing regional livestock prices. Rustling is now an entrenched and thriving underground business, with stolen cattle kept in the forests that dot Zamfara’s border regions (including the equally troubled Binan Gwari area of Kaduna State) before being discreetly sold to meet the ever-growing demand for beef in southern cities. “Before, it was the Fulanis that were rustling cattle, then the Hausas joined in. Now, every criminal in Nigeria has come to Zamfara,” said Suleiman Abakar – a wealthy farmer, until his 60 head of cattle were stolen. “There is no other way to make money as quickly as rustling.” In the bad Spaghetti Western that is now Zamfara, cattle rustling is not the only profitable enterprise. Abakar, the former farmer, is now an artisanal gold miner. It’s a job that carries significant risk as gold deposits here are usually found next to highly toxic lead. The more immediate danger is not lead poisoning but being shaken down by bandits. “They take whatever they want,” said Abakar. “There is no other way to make money as quickly as rustling.” The insecurity induces an understandable paranoia. Everybody IRIN spoke to knew at least one victim of the violence, and in every conversation mention is made of shadowy “informers” who spy and sell out their neighbours for a share of the loot. The guessing game of who the masterminds are protecting the bandits runs the gamut from senior state officials to traditional rulers – an assumption of high-level impunity and corruption exposing the deep distrust people have for those in power. To tackle the broader problem of farmer-herder clashes in Nigeria, recent studies call for effective systems to track livestock movement and trade, new strategies to curb illicit firearms, coherent political approaches to address rural insecurity, and policies that promote rural development and diversification. There’s little evidence of any of this happening in Zamfara.

http://www.irinnews.org/news-feature/2018/09/13/zamfara-nigeria-s-wild-northwest

Travel

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Criminology is the systematic study of crime and its prevention. Criminologists apply themselves to difficult questions such as, "Why does crime occur?" Among the answers that they have come up with is that crime springs naturally from the biological nature of certain individuals. This biological theory of criminology has a very long history, but it stood on shaky evidence for a long time. In the 1800s and the 1900s, people who believed in the biological theory of crime claimed that some people are inferior to others and should not be allowed to reproduce. The evidence that they relied upon was of very poor quality, but many Westerners agreed with them. Today, the biological theory of criminology is seeing a resurgence thanks to neuroscience, or the study of the brain. As scientists get a better understanding of how the brain works, they are able to see the links between certain chemicals in the brain and crime. Criminological theories have a long history, but biological theories of crime are rather new. They can be traced back to the work of Cesare Lombroso, an Italian criminologist who was most influential in the late 1800s and early 1900s. When Lombroso entered the field of criminology, most of his colleagues focused almost exclusively on the legal aspects of crime. They wanted to discover the combination of laws that would reduce crime. Lombroso changed that forever. Instead of focusing on the law, he focused on the criminal. Lombroso thought that some people are more primitive than others - they are living relics of an earlier stage of human evolution. These primitives can be identified by their strange skulls, and they are more prone to violence. Some people took up Lombroso's theories to argue in favor of eugenics, or the elimination of certain bloodlines from the human species. During the Progressive era in America, eugenicists gave highly publicized speeches and wrote books that influenced state-level legislation. Many had a definite racialist tinge. So did the claims of Nazi eugenicists of a later period. Of course, these biological theories of criminology were disproved within several decades. However, Lombroso had a lasting impact on the field. In addition to shifting the focus from the law onto the criminal, Lombroso promoted the humane treatment of prisoners, arguing that work programs could teach them valuable skills and help them return to normal society. Today, there are two main types of the biological theory of criminality: the genetic approach, and the neuroscientific approach. Genetic Influence on Criminology Those who argue that there is a genetic influence on criminology often conduct research on twins. These twin studies are very useful because identical twins share 100% of their genes. The twin study literature does show that there might be something to the biological theory of crime. For example, if one twin commits a crime, the second twin is more likely to commit a crime, even if the twins do not live together. Geneticists have been trying to find a specific gene, or genetic sequence, that could predispose someone to criminal behavior. Some have proposed that a "warrior gene," MAOA (monoamine oxidase A.), could be linked to violent behavior. While the search is on for specific genes linked to criminal activity, one genetic factor is undeniably linked to the vast majority of violent crimes. In fact, about 75% of violent criminals share this trait. That's because 75% of violent criminals are men, endowed with Y-chromosomes. Neuroscience and Criminology Starting in the late 1900s, the biological theory of criminology got a big boost from the new field of neuroscience. Advanced research technology enabled researchers to identify structural and chemical differences in the brains of criminals and law-abiding citizens. Scientists in the field of neurocriminology often focus on looking for abnormalities in a person's brain that lead to criminal behavior. From time to time, they are asked to provide expert testimony in court cases. This practice is accompanied by some controversy. Whenever a criminologist tries to explain crime through reference to biology, they are using a biological theory. For example, it is widely accepted that the people most at risk of committing crimes are young men between the ages of 18 - 25. Crime statistics make this abundantly clear, and neuroscience confirms that the parts of the brain associated with impulse control are not fully developed until after age 25. Like all scientific theories, criminological theories are hotly debated. However, unlike physics or mathematics, criminology can have a huge influence on people's lives. That's because criminological testimony can lead to a defendant receiving a light or harsh sentence. Some argue that biological theories of crime can be used to absolve people of responsibility for their actions. In court, an eloquent attorney can argue that their defendant "couldn't help it" because of their genetic inheritance, and should be treated differently than others as a result. This has led a philosopher to sarcastically propose that men should receive lighter sentences than women because they are "genetically predisposed" to crime. However, in some cases, people with brain tumors have suddenly become violent or displayed perverse sexual behavior. When their tumors have been removed, their behavior has returned to normal. Biological theories of criminology date back to the 1800s when Cesare Lombroso made them famous. Originally, they claimed that criminal behavior was hereditary, due to the existence of "primitive" elements in some people's lineages. However, during the 1900s, both genetic and neuroscientific evidence showed that there is definitely a biological aspect to criminality. However, many people feel that biological theories of criminality absolve people of their personal responsibility for a crime. In twin studies, geneticists have found that there seem to be some genetic influences at play in criminal behavior. For example, if one twin commits a crime, the second twin is more likely to commit a crime. Similarly, work in neurocriminology has established a link between certain brain structures and chemicals, and criminal behavior. Though some theories remain controversial, one thing is clear: men are far more likely to commit violent crimes than women. This indicates that there must be some link between the Y-chromosome and violent criminality. Laura is really interested in what makes people different from each other. She has noticed, for example, that some people are really tall and others really short. Some people are really outgoing, and others are more shy. And she's noticed that some people end up committing crimes and others obey the law. Laura wonders what makes people different from each other, and more specifically, she's recently been wondering why some people commit crimes and why others don't. Criminology is the study of crime and punishment. It tries to answer questions like, ''What makes people commit crimes?'' There's no simple answer to that question, just as there isn't an easy way to know why one person is outgoing and another is shy. But one theory of criminology stresses the biological differences between people and how that might affect their predisposition to commit crimes. Let's look closer at that theory. Laura has noticed that some people end up in the criminal justice system, while others don't. She wonders what makes them different from each other. Is it possible that, like how tall you are, some people are just destined to engage in criminal activity? Cesare Lombroso wondered the same thing in Italy in the 19th century. He was one of the founding fathers of the biological theory of criminology, which says that individuals who engage in crimes are biologically different from their peers. Today, Lombroso's theory is being explored in two major areas: genetics and neuroscience. The mapping of human DNA has brought new information and also new questions to scientists, and just as many scientists are looking for the specific gene that can cause certain diseases, some are looking for the one gene that could cause criminal activity. From twin studies, there does seem to be some sort of genetic influence. For example, some studies have shown that identical twins raised separately are more likely to both engage in criminal activity than non-twin siblings raised separately. Since identical twins share all the same DNA but other siblings only share part of their DNA, this indicates that perhaps there is a ''law-breaking gene'' somewhere in the human body, but so far, scientists have not found it. The second area that the biological theory of criminology is exploring is that of neuroscience, or the study of the brain. As brain imaging techniques become more detailed and less invasive, scientists are getting better and better at mapping the human brain and discovering differences in people's brains. So far, studies have shown that there are some structural and chemical differences in the brains of individuals who break the law when compared to the brains of individuals who obey the law. For example, one study showed that people who commit crimes have less activity in the part of the brain responsible for arousal and fear. The theory is that they feel less fear of consequences, and so, they act out in irresponsible ways. Wow! Laura thinks that the biological theory of criminology sounds pretty solid. After all, who is she to argue with scientists who are finding brain and genetic differences in people? Well, not so fast, Laura. Though there is compelling science behind the biological theory of criminology, there are some shortcomings, too. For one thing, there used to be other biological theories, which have been discredited. For example, in the late 19th century, it was common for people to believe in phrenology, or the pseudoscience that said that people's personalities could be mapped according to the shape of their head. Phrenologists believed that certain skull bumps and ridges could indicate that a person was biologically disposed to engage in criminal activity. Since then, that has been debunked, but it makes Laura wonder if the science of today might also be debunked one day. Another shortcoming of the biological theory of criminology is the fact that it does not provide causal evidence. That is, it cannot tell us if the biology causes the criminal activity or if the criminal activity causes the biological differences or if something else causes both of them. Think about it like this: We can say that individuals who may break the law have a specific biological abnormality, like less activity in the part of the brain that causes fear, but not every individual has that, and not everyone who has that symptom may break the law. So, we don't know what's causing it or why sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn't. One final shortcoming of the biological theory of criminology is that it absolves people of responsibility for their actions. If a person commits a crime and then says, ''But it's just because my brain is wired differently'' or ''It's because I have a law-breaking gene,'' then they are not taking responsibility for their actions. This has caused a debate in the criminal justice system as some defendants argue that they should not be found guilty because their biology caused their crime. As scientists uncover more data about the influence of biology on crime, this debate will likely continue. Criminology is the study of crime and punishment. The biological theory of criminology says that individuals who commit crimes and individuals who obey the law are biologically different. Today, it is focused on two major areas: genetics, as scientists look for the specific gene that might predispose someone to crime, and neuroscience, as scientists look for brain differences between criminals and non-criminals. Though there is evidence that there are some biological differences, there are some shortcomings of the biological theory of criminology, including the fact that some biological theories, like phrenology, have been discredited. Biological research does not provide causal evidence, and the biological theory absolves people of responsibility. After completion of this lesson, you should be able to: - Describe the biological theory of criminology - Understand the two major areas of biological study that use this theory - Summarize some of the evidence that supports this theory - Identify the shortcomings of the theory Register to view this lesson Unlock Your Education See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com Become a Study.com member and start learning now. Become a MemberAlready a member? Log In Resources created by teachers for teachers I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline. The main idea is that crime has a biological basis. This may be genetic, or it could have to do with the age of the criminal. One example would be the theory that men between the ages of 18 and 25 are more prone to violence because of the stage of their brain development. This explains crime through reference to biology. Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice 101: Intro to Criminal Justice Test PrepGACE Political Science (532) Study Guide and Test Prep Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice 104: Introduction to Criminology Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice 305: The Juvenile Justice System Test PrepDSST Criminal Justice Study Guide and Test Prep

https://study.com/academy/lesson/biological-theories-of-crime-overview-features.html#lesson

Family

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Rwanda’s Paul Kagame is accustomed to accolades. On May 12, he received yet another honorary degree, this time from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Celebrating Kagame is in vogue because he is credited with leading a remarkable recovery from war and genocide in the heart of Africa. There certainly have been achievements in Kagame’s Rwanda. Economic growth has been climbing (G.D.P. growth for 2011 was more than 8 percent) and private investment is a featured component of that growth (Costco and Starbucks now buy about a quarter of Rwanda’s premium coffee crop). In fact, the World Bank ranks Rwanda as the eighth easiest place to start a new business. The government is renowned for reducing corruption, expanding security, addressing genocidal crimes and increasing women’s rights. Yet while Kagame is no Idi Amin or Charles G. Taylor, he does not merit his reputation as a visionary modernizer. The reason is simple: his state is all about force. There’s no question who’s in charge in Rwanda. The government’s commanding presence in Rwandan lives is aggressively maintained by Kagame and a clique of other former Tutsi refugees from Uganda. Indeed, according to the U.C.L.A. sociologist Andreas Wimmer, Rwanda has the third-highest level of political exclusion in the world (behind Sudan and Syria). Kagame’s government asserted its power in the run-up to the 2010 presidential elections, when authorities barred most opposition political parties from registering for elections, closed down many independent newspapers, and witnessed the flight into exile of several prominent government officials who said they “feared for their lives.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/opinion/Paul-Kagame-The-Darling-Dictator-of-the-day.html

Politics

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China has pledged to supply any vaccine against Coronavirus to African first free of charge. China is leading the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and its scientists are largely pinning their hopes on a technology that has been used for decades. Five out of 10 potential vaccines undergoing clinical trials have been developed by Chinese scientists, while a sixth is the result of a partnership between a Chinese company and a German biotech firm, according to the World Health Organisation Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to an online coronavirus forum with the leaders of several African nations on Thursday. “We gathered here with our new and old friends through video to discuss anti-epidemic cooperation and cement China-Africa brotherhood,” said Xi in a speech on Wednesday aired on state media. “We are making good on our promises at the earlier Beijing summit with concrete efforts, as well as contributing to the global anti-epidemic cooperation. We believe that humans will defeat the epidemic ultimately, and Chinese and African people will definitely live a better life,” Xi said. Xi added China would push the Group of 20 to slow down debt repayment for African nations and that China’s construction of a new Africa Center of Disease Control headquarters would start “ahead of schedule” this year, despite the pandemic. State media reported China has sent 30 million testing kits, 10,000 ventilators 80 million masks monthly to Africa, in addition to teams of experts to help nations fight the coronavirus. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/06/china-pledges-to-supply-covid-19-vaccine-to-africa-free-of-charge/

Health

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By Bunmi Sofola TIMING, as the saying goes, is everything. And when it comes to the human body, this couldn’t be truer. Our ups and downs over a 24-hour period are ruled by our ‘circadian rhythms’—fluctuations in our hormones, body temperature and blood pressure, which govern both our mood and energy levels. Now, a growing body of scientific research is proving just how significant timing is to our daily emotions, needs and abilities. So, from the best time of day to have sex to the hour you’re most likely to die, here are the secret ways scientific findings reveal your body clock rules your life. The best to have sex is…5.48am:-Male and female sex drives peak at different times of day, and there’s only a small window when both partners are truly in the mood. Men’s levels of the hormone testosterone surge during the night, when they are around 25 to 50 per cent higher than normal. This is because the pituitary gland, which governs its production, automatically switches on overnight. A woman, by contrast, has to fight high levels of melatonin (the sleep hormone) in her blood. But women, too, have testosterone in their bodies that boosts sexual desire. And a recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that sunlight boosts testosterone by stimulating the hypothalamus (the part of the brain responsible for hormones). So the rising sun gets both men and women in the mood. ‘Testosterone levels in men and women are highest in the morning, ’explains sex therapist Geraldine Myers. ‘The energy levels of both are highest, too. Mentally, they are less occupied with life’s demands, so it’s the perfect time.’ Experts pinpoint 5.48am—just enough time for a woman to warm up before her partner loses the urge—as the best time for sex. This is also when couples are most likely to reach orgasm, according to Italian research. Better set that alarm. You’re most likely to have a heart attack at … 6.53 am:- On the other hand, you might not want to engage in anything too vigorous. For researchers at Harvard University have found that the morning— in particular the last phase of sleep—is the time you’re most in danger of a heart attack. Intense dreaming during the last half hour or so of sleep can cause your heart to consume large amounts of oxygen, as can the physical demands of waking and getting out of bed. The adrenal glands are also producing more adrenalin than normal in order to shock your body into waking up, and this can trigger ruptures in the coronary arteries. The best time to weigh yourself is … 7.40 am:- It may come as no surprise that stepping on the scales first thing (after going to the loo, but before eating breakfast) gives the most accurate reading of your weight. But a study by Brown University in the U.S. found that 61 per cent of people who weighed themselves in the morning actually maintained their weight over a period of six months, while those who stepped on the scales less often—or later in the day—fluctuated massively. This is because it’s easiest to spot weight gain (or loss) first thing, when you know you haven’t put anything into your body. You’re at your happiest at 8am…:- Though mornings are associated with stress, tiredness and rushing around, this is the time of day when we’re most upbeat. In an academic study that monitored Twitter over a two-year period, researchers at Cornell University in the U.S. found that people wrote the happiest messages at this time of day. ‘We saw the influence of something that’s biological or sleep-based,’ said Scott Golder, one of the study’s authors. ‘Regardless of the day of the week, the mood rhythm is the same.’ The worst time to drink coffee is … 9.17am:- Morning is the worst time of day to drink coffee, experts have found. While most of us reach for a caffeine boost to wake us up, a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine showed that it can, in fact, have the opposite effect. This is because, early in the day, our body is full of cortisol, a hormone that makes us feel alert and awake. So your body is ‘naturally caffeinated’—and doesn’t need that expensive latte after all. ‘By consuming caffeine when it is not needed, your body will build a faster tolerance to it, and the buzz you get will greatly diminish,’ explains neuro-scientist Steven Miller. You look your best at … 10.06 am:- Though you may not feel it,10.06am is the time when women hit their beauty peak. With hair freshly washed and make-up newly applied, they feel their physical best in the morning, according to a study of 1,000 women by a group of leading skincare specialists in May. Contrast that with 4.05pm, when stress levels take their toll and they hit a beauty low. You’re most likely to die at … 11.00am:- Scientists have discovered the time of day we are likely to die is written in our genes. Researchers looking at the sleeping patterns of 1,200, 65-year-olds found those with certain types of genes (called ‘AA’) were most likely to pass away at 1 lam. This is because these genes, which make you more likely to be an early riser, often trigger acute medical events such as heart attacks and strokes around this time. Clifford Saper of Harvard Medical School, which published the research in the Annals of Neurology in 2012, says: ‘Even death must obey the biological clock in each of us, and around 11 am is the average time.’ You need a nap at …12.37am:- While most of us are familiar with the post-lunch slump, our bodies actually start slipping far earlier. Your body temperature, which has been rising since dawn to get your body going, begins to drop around midday, and the brain’s pineal gland starts producing a small amount of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. One theory is that it dates from our ancestors, who lived in eastern Africa. Partially shutting the body down is thought to have helped them sleep through the fierce midday heat. The best time to clean the house is…3.13pm:- Hand-Eye coordination is at a high at this time of day. making you a dab hand with that dust. Endorphins—the chemical messengers in the brain that reduce pain—also surge in the afternoon, minimising aches that may come from stooping over the Hoover. ‘This is when coordination is at its peak and mood levels are high,’ explains Michael Smolensky, author of The Body Clock Guide To Better Health. If you don’t fancy cleaning the house, now’s the time to get on top of those fiddly chores —such as sewing on name badges for next term—to make the most of your elevated hand-eye coordination. You’re unlikely to impress at …4.41pm:- We are our least sociable between 4pm and 6pm—and least likely to impress. The theory is that a dip in our post-lunch energy levels causes our mood to drop, which decreases our overall thinking capacity. As a result, we run out of clever and interesting conversation. According to the Harvard Business School, you stand a lower chance of getting a job if you are interviewed between 4pm and 6pm. Researchers who analysed data from 9,000 applications found that when five candidates with similar qualifications were seen on the same day, the person seen last was rated the lowest. You ‘ll most likely get pregnant at… 6.25pm:- If you ‘re wanting to conceive a baby, try straight after you get home from work. Tests at Italy’s University Of Modena found that a man’s sperm peaks in potency at this time. More than 75 per cent of the males studied produced greater concentrations of faster sperm in the early evening—around 35 per cent higher than other times of day. You’re at your most creative at … 10.51pm:- Though your eyelids may be drooping, problems that need open-ended thinking are best left until late in the evening, scientists have discovered. A study of 400 students in the U.S. found that the more tired we are, the more our mind wanders and so the more creative we become. This is also the time of day for storing things in our long-term memories. Immediate recall is highest in the morning, but for longer retention, reading something at 10.51pm is best. ‘Memory depends on nucleic acids and these show circadian rhythms,’ explains Michael Smolensky. In other words, the chemicals our brains use to form memories are highest at night. The best time to have baby is … 4.36am:- Worldwide, more babies are born between 3am and 5am than at any other time. It may not be the most convenient hour to dash to hospital, but it’s our body’s way of telling us that this is the safest and healthiest time to give birth. The reason is that the extremely relaxed state of our brains and muscles, as well as our lowered pain sensation—due to the high levels of melatonin in the body—makes it the best time for babies to arrive. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/best-time-enjoy-love-making/

Romance

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The United States of America has announced plans to send at least 50 public health experts to West Africa in the next 30 days to help fight the worst-ever outbreak of Ebola. A senior US health official said the outbreak was out of control, but insisted it could be stopped. Ebola has claimed 728 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone this year. The current mortality rate is about 55 per cent. Announcing the measures, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas Frieden, stated: “We do know how to stop Ebola. It’s old-fashioned, plain and simple public health: find the patients, make sure they get treated, find their contacts, track them, educate people, do infection control in hospitals. “The single most important thing we can do to protect Americans is to stop this disease at the source in Africa,” he said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-epidemic-us-sending-50-experts-wafrica/

Health

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The Oba of Benin Kingdom, Oba Ewuare II (middle); to his left is his daughter Princess Ewuare; his right is Nigerian High Commissioner to United Kingdom, Amb Tunji Ishola, and other dignitaries during the presentation of the artefacts (on the two platforms in the foreground) to the Oba. By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY ONE hundred and twenty-five years after they were first looted out of the palace, two artefacts, a cockerel (okpa) and Uhunwun Elao (Oba head), were formally handed over to the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II in an elaborate ceremony in the palace today. The two artefacts out of about 10,000 which were taken from the palace during the British expedition of 1897, were returned by Jesus College of Cambridge University and University of Aberdeen, Scotland. The ceremony attracted prominent Benin sons and daughters, members of the royal family, various societies and groups in the kingdom, the Director-General, National Commission of Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Professor Abba Tijani; the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Tunji Ishola; traditional rulers from Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts, representative of the Ooni of Ife, the Hausa and Yoruba communities, the Muslim community, men of the various security agencies and others. While officially handing over the items to Oba Ewuare II, Ambassador Ishola said the two items have been preserved in their original forms when they were taken away 125 years ago and the value of the Cockerel today is £2 million, while the Oba head is valued at £500,000. He said: “When I came in December 2021, I promised to bring the objects here physically. “Today, I have come to do that because we have a talk-and-do President in Muhammadu Buhari, who instructed that the objects must be handed over physically. I have come to do that.” He said he was delighted that the works would now be domiciled in their homes of origin and researchers would write about them talking to their real owners. Ishola said the works were returned with its history of who had housed them right from 1897 till date and how much it was sold or bought at each point. On his part, the Director-General of NCMM Professor Abba Tijani said it was historical that the artefacts were returned in his tenure when several attempts in the past were frustrated by the holding countries. He said “I have on many occasions met the holders and told them that these Benin artefacts are not artworks, they are life arts, they are part of the history of these people, they are not works for commercial values or aesthetics, you can imagine that part of your life is taken from you. “We are making history because none of us were here when they were taken away in 1897 but we are here to receive them. “The Commission had made several efforts in the past to see to their return but we encountered many blockades. “I have already scheduled to visit other countries in Europe to convince these holders to return them.” Oba Ewuare II in his speech which was read by his younger brother, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa said the day was a day of joy personally “and to all Benin people at home and in Diaspora. “We are witnessing today the beginning of the restitution of our artefacts which were looted in 1897.” He said contrary to reports that the military expedition of 1897 was a retaliation for the killing of some British soldiers, “The truth is that there was a calculated and a deliberately conceived plan to attack Benin for its territorial dominance and also for her treasures. “The result was a destruction of a civilization that equalled or even surpassed that of the aggressors. “It was thought that the kingdom, totally decimated and in ruins in the aftermath of the war, would not rise again. By the grace of God and our Ancestors, we are still standing. “The current conversation is about restitution. International scholars and most museums now agree that keeping stolen items is immoral and illegal. “There is a consensus now that heritage items must be returned to their place of origin. “For this, we commend both Jesus College of Cambridge University and the University of Aberdeen for their pace-setting initiative in returning these two bronzes. Of course, there remain a very large number of our artefacts out there. “We are aware of the ongoing discussions which the Federal Government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, is holding with various governments on our behalf. “We are also aware that the major museums will miss having Benin Bronzes in their collections. I believe that a working arrangement can be agreed whereby our ownership of the artefacts having been established, those museums will continue to enjoy the presence of our artefacts.” He commended President Buhari for his interest in ensuring the return of the artefacts. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/02/125yrs-after-oba-of-benin-takes-physical-possession-of-returned-artefacts/amp/

Culture

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The more infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19 appears to produce less severe disease than the globally dominant Delta strain, but should not be categorised as “mild”, World Health Organisation, WHO, officials have stated. Janet Diaz, WHO lead on clinical management, said early studies showed there was a reduced risk of hospitalisation from the variant first identified in southern Africa and Hong Kong in November compared with Delta. There appears also to be a reduced risk of severity in both younger and older people, she noted in Geneva. She did not give further details about the studies or the ages of the cases analysed, but the impact on the elderly is one of the big unanswered questions about the new variant as most of the cases studied so far have been in younger people. The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the variant should not be considered “mild” as global infections are soaring to record levels, with healthcare systems are overwhelmed and governments struggling to tame the virus, which has killed more than 5.8 million people. Based on the current rate of vaccine rollout, it is estimated that about 110 countries will miss the WHO’s target for 70 percent of the world’s population to be fully vaccinated by July 2022. The aim is seen as helping end the acute phase of the pandemic. At least 36 nations were yet to reach10 percent vaccination cover, while 80 percent of patients were unvaccinated globally. No threat from IHU variant —WHO The World Health Organization says that it is monitoring a COVID-19 variant, IHU, detected in a small number of patients in France, but that, for now, there is little reason to worry about its spread. According to WHO, it has been reported in only 12 people. The B.1.640.2 variant was first identified in October and uploaded to Gisaid, a database for disease variants, on 4 November, but only about 20 samples have been sequenced so far, and only one since early December according to experts. Abdi Mahmud, a Covid incident manager with the WHO, said the variant had been on the agency’s radar since November but added that it did not appear to have spread widely over the past two months. By contrast, the Omicron variant, which was first uploaded to Gisaid on Nov. 23, has more than 120,000 sequences in the database. Omicron has been detected in at least 130 countries. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/omicron-less-severe-in-young-old-but-not-mild-says-who/

Health

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COPENHAGEN — Picture 11 miles of smoothly paved bike path meandering through the countryside. Largely uninterrupted by roads or intersections, it passes fields, backyards, chirping birds, a lake, some ducks and, at every mile, an air pump. For some Danes, this is the morning commute. Susan Nielsen, a 59-year-old schoolteacher, was one of a handful of people taking advantage of Denmark’s first “superhighway” for bicycles on a recent morning, about halfway between Copenhagen and Albertslund, a suburb, which is the highway’s endpoint. “I’m very glad because of the better pavement,” said Ms. Nielsen, who wore a rain jacket and carried a pair of pants in a backpack to put on after her 40-minute commute. The cycle superhighway, which opened in April, is the first of 26 routes scheduled to be built to encourage more people to commute to and from Copenhagen by bicycle. More bike path than the Interstate its name suggests, it is the brainchild of city planners who were looking for ways to increase bicycle use in a place where half of the residents already bike to work or to school every day. “We are very good, but we want to be better,” said Brian Hansen, the head of Copenhagen’s traffic planning section. He and his team saw potential in suburban commuters, most of whom use cars or public transportation to reach the city. “A typical cyclist uses the bicycle within five kilometers,” or about three miles, said Mr. Hansen, whose office keeps a coat rack of ponchos that bicycling employees can borrow in case of rain. “We thought: How do we get people to take longer bicycle rides?” They decided to make cycle paths look more like automobile freeways. While there is a good existing network of bicycle pathways around Copenhagen, standards across municipalities can be inconsistent, with some stretches having inadequate pavement, lighting or winter maintenance, as well as unsafe intersections and gaps.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/world/europe/in-denmark-pedaling-to-work-on-a-superhighway.html?pagewanted=allBike-Sharing

Car Talk

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It might be interesting for some to find out that the following foods are in fact from Africa; Africa indeed has an astonishing lot to offer in diverse areas. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 4 foods you probably didn’t know originated from Africa. The dark, delicious and stimulating coffee bean is believed by many coffee experts to have originated from East Africa, where it was first grown sometime in the 14th century. It then made its way to Northern Africa in the 1600s before spreading to other parts of the world. Sugar actually came from New Guinea before making its way to foreign lands like America via the Middle East more than 12,000 years ago. It is believed that in the attempt of the Arabs to conquer Southern Africa, they spread sugar throughout the region, which eventually made its way to Spain and became popular in Europe and the rest of the western world. While rice is able to be grown quite well on foreign non-African soil, African slaves are the ones credited with teaching foreigners (Americans to be precise) how to properly irrigate a rice field and thus grow rice. This is one of the most widespread spices in the world and though it is largely identified with the Asians, its origin can be traced to Africa from the time of early railway construction to Uganda, when the British imported a lot of Indians who came to Africa with curries. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/4-foods-probably-didnt-know-originated-africa/

Food

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FDA issues emergency-use authorization for anti-malaria drugs amid coronavirus outbreak The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday issued an emergency-use authorization for a pair of anti-malaria drugs as health officials work to combat the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in a statement that the authorization would allow 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine sulfate and 1 million doses of chloroquine phosphate to be donated to the Strategic National Stockpile. The doses of hydroxychloroquine sulfate were donated by Sandoz, while the chloroquine phosphate was developed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals. The products will be “distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19, as appropriate, when a clinical trial is not available or feasible,” HHS said. President Trump has repeatedly touted the anti-malaria drugs as a possible coronavirus “game changer,” despite warnings from health officials that not enough is known about their effects on COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said during a press briefing earlier this month that much of what is known about the drug is based on “anecdotal reports.” “It was not done in a controlled clinical trial, so you really can’t make any definitive statement about it,” he said. Hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate are oral prescription drugs typically used to treat malaria and other diseases, HHS noted. The department acknowledged that there are no approved treatments for COVID-19 but said that “both drugs have shown activity in laboratory studies against coronaviruses.” The department said that clinical trials are still needed to “provide scientific evidence that these treatments are effective.” “Scientists in America and around the world have identified multiple potential therapeutics for #COVID19, including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a tweet following the announcement. “Trump is taking every possible step to protect Americans from the coronavirus and provide them with hope.” The FDA has permitted New York state to test the anti-malaria drugs on certain patients, Politico reported. The coronavirus, which first appeared in China in December, has infected more than 732,000 people worldwide, including roughly 143,000 individuals in the U.S., according to a Johns Hopkins University database. The outbreak has led to sweeping social distancing measures designed to slow the spread of the disease and lessen the strain on health care systems experiencing a surge in patients. Trump announced on Sunday that many of the federal guidelines in the U.S. would remain in place through April 30. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/490110-fda-issues-emergency-use-authorization-for-anti-malaria-drugs-amid

Health

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Church where the Ojukwus worshiped in Zungeru By Wole Mosadomi Minna Zungeru, located in Niger state is a small town but with a loaded history. It served as the colonial capital of Northern Nigeria from 1902-1916. Indeed, it was where the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated by Lord Lugard in 1914 and therefore could be regarded as the first capital of Nigeria. Besides the political history to its credit, Zungeru town was the first organized modern military cantonment in the country and therefore served as the first headquarters of the Nigerian based West Africa frontier force of the British imperialists. With this development, it goes to show that there were structures solidly put in place which served as military barracks, European cemetery, Government House and Government Reserve Area (GRA), Hospital, Treasury, Schools, Churches, Rest House, Colonial Prison, Government House bridge, old rail-road bridge, among others. All these infrastructures have now become history as they have given way. However, some of these colonial buildings though collapsed still have their foundations intact. Some are overgrown with weeds during the raining season. Such buildings include that of parents of Late Biafra leader, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu which has been reduced to foundation level. Home of titans The first indigenous Governor General of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was born in Zungeru in 1904. The head of the defunct Biafra, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu was also born in Zungeru in November, 1933. The residences of parents of the two great Nigerians have now been leveled. One can only manage to locate the sites. If not for the proposed Zik Centre started but abandoned at a site close to his parents residence, the history of the great leader may not be traced to the town at all in future. As for Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, many residents of the town are familiar with the name but virtually most of them have never come across him. Unlike Zik who last visited the town and even his birth place in 1991 during the official stone laying foundation of the Zik Centre and also on political campaigns as the president candidate of the defunct Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP), Late Ojukwu had no opportunity of living in the town at all before his parents left Zungeru back to Lagos in 1918. What Ojukwu’s death mean to the people of Zungeru Since the demise of Chief Ojukwu, many tributes and encomium have been showered on him by many Nigerians. In his birth place Zungeru, the people are yearning to see his corpse at least as a consolation for not seeing him while alive. An elder of the town, Alhaji Sule Jebu who spoke on behalf of the Dagachin Zungeru, Alhaji Alimu Abubakar, described late Ojukwu as a courageous man and a Nigerian who has brought honour not only to Zungeru his birth place but also to Nigeria his country. Alhaji Jebu who spoke in Hausa said, “even if most people in this town, (Zungeru) don’t know him, the fact that he was a Nigerian and given birth to in our community is enough for us to identify with him, appreciate and mourn with his family and other Nigerians.” According to him, “the fact that he attempted to break away from Nigeria even though unsuccessful was not enough reasons why anybody should distant himself from him. “It was an intention and ambition but not allowed by God and since he retraced his steps back home, he should be fully embraced as was done when he was alive and even in death,” the elder said. Another resident of the town, Hajiya Hafusatu Abubakar said Zungeru town is proud to be the birth place to prominent Nigerians including Chief Ojukwu. “We all witnessed the burial ceremony of late Azikiwe some years back when his corpse was brought back to this town (Zungeru) which is his birth place and as government did to Zik, we will also want the corpse of late Ojukwu to be brought to Zungeru for all of us to see it and bid final farewell to him,” the old woman remarked. Hajiya Hafusatu explained that while the “home coming” of the corpse will afford the people of the community the opportunity to participate in the final funeral of the national leader, it will also be an eye opener to the present leaders both at the national, state and even at the local level at the total neglect of a town that not only gave birth to prominent Nigerians and international figures but also a town that once served as the capital of Northern Nigeria and the first capital of the country, Nigeria.” A prominent researcher resident in Zungeru town, Malam Mohammed Jibrin said the father of Late Emeka Odumegwu worked with the colonial masters for several years as one of the clerks and left for Lagos in 1918 after the white men left for Kaduna in 1916. He said even while the deceased father was working with the white men, he was also engaged in his private business and had no problem of relocating back to Lagos as a full time businessman and took along Late Emeka Ojukwu also for his education. Malam Jibrin who took our correspondent to the relics of the family compound where Late Emeka Ojukwu was born said even though, he Emeka and his parents did not come back to Zungeru since they left the town, the fame the family has brought to the town and even Nigeria as a whole is enough for the people of the community to identify with him even in death. “Let us not deceive ourselves, Ojukwu has played an important role in Nigeria and across. I remember him most especially with this simple quotation while alive, which says, “how can we be immigrants in our father’s land. We fought to unite and why should we fight again to disunite.” Expectation by the people Many of the residents of Zungeru interviewed spoke of their high expectations on the demise of Late Emeka Ojukwu especially as related to Zungeru his birth place. Malam Jibrin said the only thing to do in recognition of our past heroes is to immortalize their names. Pointing to the relics of the house where Emeka Ojukwu was born, Malam Jibrin said “that land as you see which is near the primary school could have a library erected on top of the foundation by government and named after him. If not, he will be totally forgotten and untraceable to this town in future.” While making case for the immortalization of both Late Zik and Ojukwu, Malam Jibrin also seized the opportunity to make a clarion call to both state and federal governments to give Zungeru a facelift. “I must tell you that there is nothing to show that Zungeru town played a prominent role in the history of this country and in the lives of individual Nigerians of repute. The feeling of the people of this town is very clear and it is that they have been totally neglected by government. They remember that they played a vital role in the history of Nigeria because Nigeria was named at Zungeru, it was here that amalgamation took place, it served as the headquarters of the Northern Nigeria and even Nigeria as a whole among others. What is only relevant and significant here now are the relics of these colonial buildings which in an ideal situation ought to have been rebuilt and turned into a monument and tourist centre for people within and outside the country and thereby generate revenue for the state,” Malam Jibrin declared. He said the office where the Amalgamation took place in 1914 is still there and not even renovated or transformed. He described Zungeru as a historical town that should be developed. Many Nigerians according to him don’t know how and where Nigeria got its name. According to him, “Zungeru is the home of Nigeria but unfortunately is disowned by its own people. The British Ambassador to Nigeria had been here to inspect the relics scattered all over and went back and shortly after his departure, some people from Britain came back to Zungeru with enthusiasm to inspect the tombs of their grand parents who died during the colonial days in the town. So, you can see the role this town can play as a tourist Centre to both Nigerians and non Nigerians if properly developed.” He then called on government at all levels to learn the simple way of honoring and immortalizing our past heroes living and dead and also pay full attention to their homes. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/the-house-where-ojukwu-was-born/

Politics

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WRITING about the needs of the Igbos or Igbo aspirations, whether in terms of what would make the Igbos happy (or unhappy), is not a difficult thing in any manner. For practically all the issues are already in the public domain, and repeated one way or the other almost every day. What, perhaps, the Nigerian or international community needs to know are the essential details of these issues, whose appreciation ought to assist their resolution to a reasonable level of satisfaction. The Igbos being a major, albeit presently sidelined stakeholder in the Nigeria project, a proper and just resolution of the Igbo question can help the country achieve the desired peace, unity and progress, and advance beyond the almost anomic conditions of state-centrism, into an actual process of modern nation-statehood. Of course, every Igboman knows that they have a big problem in the country, especially after the Nigeria-Biafra war, but they differ in the solutions proposed, and this is why some Nigerians seem also confused. The major Igbo positions are as follows: - First in the list of solutions are the Igbo Biafrans. This group is made up essentially of Igbo youths born during and after the civil war. Both the educated and uneducated, the rich and poor in this group want (and need) Biafra and, they want it now. Biafra will enable them organise a hardworking and meritocratic modern society of their dreams, the very type of society that Nigerian rulers are not interested in, and have actually been fighting against since 1966. One of the reasons that many mockingly ask to know what the Igbos want or why there is anger in Igboland, is likely to be that they do not believe or understand the special circumstances of this group, and instead accept what they hear from all sorts of Igbo elite as the real “demand” of the Igbos, the most notable being the six zonal restructuring that has little or nothing to do with the wellbeing of the Igbo new generation. Angered generation: Thus, the quest for Biafra, while almost universally legitimate to the Igbo mind, the post-war generation entertains no other alternative, and has no desire to wait till eternity for Nigeria to become a civilised and just society treating everyone equally. This generation is angered when they hear or read stories of the military revenge, pogroms, genocide, the post-war ethnic cleansings, and financial, economic, political and security atrocities committed in Igboland and against their parents by people called Nigerians. Some of their parents were killed, siblings died of bombs and starvation, and they themselves were denied schools admissions, jobs, promotions and contracts because they were Igbos. Many nevertheless managed to be educated but unemployed; some have been led into crimes, serving other tribes as sex-slaves and house helps, and a number are in foreign jails, executed in Asia, drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, risking their lives selling petty goods on dangerous streets and highways, in desperation joining cultic, kidnap and robbery gangs – and all other lazy things despised in Igbo traditions. They have tried, tested and tasted the country, and find no hope in a truly changed Nigeria. They have also watched to find any remorse from those perpetrators still parading as patriotic Nigerians and heroes, or a prosecution for the war and other crimes that consumed almost four million Igbos and other Easterners, but found none, except threats, triumphalism, and boasts of yet more to come, and justifications of the ones already committed. By whatever means, preferably peaceful, this group believes in the Biafra to come. The young men and women are being slaughtered by groups of the Nigerian armed and security forces, some buried alive, others jailed unlawfully or missing, even though they carry no weapons, destroy nothing except what are faked in their name, and are operating strictly constitutionally. Like between 1966 and 1970 – please, see Max Siollun’s (2009) Oil, politics and violence – these enemies of progress and civilisation, armed for all the wrong reasons, compete among each other over who would kill more Igbos – all, in the full view of Nigerians. To be continued By Obasi Igwe Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/igbos-want-nigeria-2/

Politics

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Africa’s rise is in danger of faltering. After years during which the continent’s economy grew at an average annual rate of 5%, global uncertainty, depressed commodity prices, and jittery external conditions are threatening to undermine decades of much-needed progress. Ensuring the wealth and wellbeing of the continent’s residents will not be easy; but there is much that policymakers can do to put Africa back on an upward trajectory. First and foremost, policymakers must secure the financing needed to pursue sustainable development in an uncertain global environment. The World Bank estimates that Africa will require at least $93 billion a year to fund its infrastructure needs alone. Climate-friendly, sustainable infrastructure will cost even more. And yet, as long as global growth remains weak, Africans cannot count on developed countries to fully honour their commitments to help attain the Sustainable Development Goals. Support Project Syndicate’s mission Project Syndicate needs your help to provide readers everywhere equal access to the ideas and debates shaping their lives. Africa must rapidly develop its own resources, beginning by nearly doubling tax revenues. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, tax revenues account for less than one-fifth of GDP, compared to more than one-third in OECD countries. This means there is plenty of room for improvement. From 1990 to 2004, for example, Ghana reformed its tax system and raised revenues from 11% to 22% of GDP. Admittedly, such progress is difficult; in Nigeria, we saw an opportunity in raising non-oil tax revenues, but struggled to seize it. Another source of domestic resources is the roughly $380 billion in pension assets held by just ten African countries. Policymakers should be leveraging these considerable sums. At the same time, African countries will have to find a way to diversify their economies. Diversification requires investment in the future, in the form of education and well-developed infrastructure, including telecommunications, power, roads, rail, and water. There are plenty of models to follow: Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Indonesia, and South Korea are all admired by Africans as economies that managed to transform themselves. Dubai, for example, set out more than three decades ago to prepare for a future without oil. The government implemented a step-by-step transformation of the country into a service economy, putting in place the infrastructure and incentives necessary to build up financial services, tourism, medical services, real estate, media, arts, and culture. South Korea and Singapore, which had few natural resources on which to rely, are no less inspiring. The secret behind these countries’ success is relentlessly focused leaders, whether entrenched but benign dictators or democratically elected politicians with a shared vision of a broad-based economy. Sub-Saharan Africa has paths for diversified growth that many of the trailblazers did not: value-added agriculture and agro industry, the processing of mineral resources, petrochemical complexes, manufacturing of durable and consumer goods, tourism and entertainment, and an emerging information-technology sector. As the necessary measures for diversification are implemented, policymakers must ensure that the economic growth they are pursuing creates jobs. Sadly, this has not always been the case. Much of the recent growth has benefited only a few, leaving many behind – most notably young people and women. From 2006 to 2013, inequality rose in many of the continent’s most important economies, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Rwanda. These were challenges that we were starting to address in Nigeria when I was finance minister. We knew that we needed not just to secure growth, but also to improve the quality of that growth. To that end, policymakers must ensure that growth is channeled into sectors that create jobs, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services. They may also have to redistribute income and strengthen social safety nets to protect better those at the bottom of the ladder. Matching skills to job opportunities will be crucial. Some 70% of Africa’s population is under 30, and the continent is home to half the world’s primary-school-age children who have been deprived of the opportunity to study. Offering Africa’s children basic reading, writing, and technology skills, as well as vocational, technical, and entrepreneurial training, must be a top priority. Weak health-care systems must also be strengthened in order to tackle the endemic diseases that sap productivity, such as malaria, as well as improving preparedness for outbreaks of deadly epidemics. The stakes are high. The World Bank estimates the Ebola outbreak shrank the economies of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia by 16%. As the world economy sputters, African countries will have to develop trade with one another. In 2013, African goods and services accounted for just 16% of trade within the continent, and just over 3% of world trade. One problem is that most African countries produce the same type of commodities and trade them with very little value-added. Policymakers must encourage greater specialization; differentiated goods and services will add value and volume to trade. Logistics pose another obstacle to intra-African trade. Policymakers must make it easier to move goods across borders, by improving connectivity between countries and reducing bureaucratic hurdles and administrative costs. For example, road transport tariffs across Africa are estimated at $0.05-$0.13 per ton-kilometer, compared to the average of $0.01-$0.05 for all developing countries. The Rift Valley Railway project, which will eventually link Mombasa on the Kenyan coast to Kampala in Uganda, is a good example of the benefits that investments in transportation could provide. The African Development Bank estimates that it will double the volume of trade between the two countries, while reducing marginal costs by 30%. As they make these investments, policymakers must not forget that much of Africa’s recent growth can be credited to good macroeconomic policies and sound economic management. Extending the continent’s rise will require strengthening the continent’s economic fundamentals. This means ensuring that prices in the economy are correct, starting with the exchange rate. Some countries may need temporary controls to curb damaging capital outflows, but policymakers should aim for a market-based exchange rate and a solid plan for governing inflation, debt, foreign-exchange reserves, current accounts, and fiscal balances. Africa’s potential can hardly be overstated. The continent is well placed to build diversified economies based on low-carbon, sustainable infrastructure. But policymakers cannot simply assume that Africa’s rise will continue. They must take the right steps to ensure that it does. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a former finance minister and foreign minister of Nigeria, a former Managing Director of the World Bank, and a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/how-policymakers-can-put-africa-back-on-upward-trajectory-by-ngozi-okonjo-iweala/

Politics

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Romance

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As the controversy created by Chinua Achebe’s new book, “THERE WAS A COUNTRY”, rages, social critic and poet, Odia Ofeimun – who has been thrown in the eye of the storm because of his first reaction which sought to exonerate Pa Obafemi Awolowo, who served as Vice Chairman to the ruling body of the Nigerian government and whom Achebe accused of war crimes because of the Nigerian government’s war-time policy which allegedly led to the starving of Igbos – presents in this piece never-before-revealed perspectives. This is the first part. The most comprehensive and almost cover-all organization of the documents of the Nigerian Civil War remains AHM Kirk-Greene’s CRISIS AND CONFLICT IN NIGERIA, A Documentary Sourcebook 1966-1970 Volume 1, and Volume 2, published by Oxford University Press London, New York and Ibadan in 1971. Volume One, according to the blurb, “describes the prelude to the war and the succession of coups from that of 15 January1966 which initially brought a military regime to power in Nigeria”. The volume takes the story up to July 1967 when the war began. Volume Two covers July 1967 to January 1970, that is, between the beginning of hostilities, and when, as testified by the last entry in the volume, General Yakubu Gowon made a Victory broadcast, The Dawn of National Reconciliation, on January 15, 1970. No other collection of civil war documents, to my knowledge, exists that compares with these two volumes. And none, as far as I know, has attempted to update or complement the publications so as to include or make public, other documents that are absent from Kirk-Greene’s yeoman’s job. Yet, as my title pointedly insists, there have been some truly ‘forgotten’ documents of the Nigerian Civil War which ought to be added and without which much of the history being narrated will continue to suffer gaps that empower enormous misinterpretations, if not falsehoods. In my view, the most forgotten documents of the Nigerian civil war, which deserved to be, but were not included in the original compilation by Kirk-Greene – are two. The first is the much talked-about, but never seen, Ifeajuna Manuscript. It was written by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna, the leader of the January 15 1966 Coup that opened the floodgates to other untoward events leading to the civil war. The author poured it all down in the “white hot heat” of the first few weeks after the failed adventure that ushered in the era of military regimes in Nigeria’s history. Not, as many would have wished, the story of how the five majors carried out the coup. It is more of an apologia, a statement of why they carried out the coup, and what they meant to achieve by it. It is still unpublished so many decades after it was written. The Manuscript had begun to circulate, very early, in what may now be seen as samizdat editions. They passed from hand to hand in photocopies, in an underground career that seemed fated to last forever until 1985 when retired General Olusegun Obasanjo, after his first coming as Head of State, quoted generously from it in his biography of his friend, Major Chukuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, the man who, although not the leader of the coup, became its historical avatar and spokesperson. Indeed, Nzeogwu’s media interviews in the first 48 hours after the coup have remained the benchmark for praising or damning it. Ifeajuna’s testimony fell into the hands of the military authorities quite early and has been in limbo. Few Nigerians know about its existence. So many who know about it have been wondering why the manuscript has not seen the light of day. The other document, the second most forgotten of the Nigerian Civil War, has had more luck than the Ifeajuna Manuscript. It happens to be the transcript of the famous meeting of May 6th and 7th 1967, held at Enugu, between Lt. Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Military Governor of Eastern Region, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Leader of the Yoruba and an old political opponent of the leaders of the Eastern Region. Awolowo attended the meeting at the head of a delegation of peace hunters in a bid to avert a shooting war after the pogrom against Easterners which presaged the counter-coup of July 29, 1966. The transcripts of the meeting, never publicly known to have existed, entered public discourse formally when a speech by Chief Obafemi Awolowo delivered on the first day of the meeting was published in a book, Path to Nigerian Greatness, edited by MCK Ajuluchuku, the Director for Research and Publicity of the Unity Party of Nigeria, in 1980. The speech seemed too much of a teaser. So it remained, until it was followed by Awo on the Nigerian Civil War, edited by Bari Adedeji Salau in 1981, with a Foreword by the same MCK Ajuluchuku. The book went beyond the bit and snippet allowed in the earlier publication by accommodating the full transcripts of the two-day meeting. Not much was made of it by the media until it went out of print. Partly for this reason and because of the limited number in circulation, the transcripts never entered recurrent discussions of the Nigerian civil war. The good thing is that, if only for the benefit of those who missed it before, the book has been reprinted. It was among twelve other books by Obafemi Awolowo re-launched by the African Press Ltd of Ibadan at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, in March 2007. Important to note is that among other speeches made by Awolowo, before during and after, on the Nigerian Civil War, the transcripts are intact. They reveal who said what between Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his Excellency Lt. Col. Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Sir Francis Ibiam, Chiefs Jereton Mariere, C.C. Mojekwu, JIG Onyia, Professors Eni Njoku, Samuel Aluko and Dr. Anezi Okoro, who attended the meeting. Unlike the Ifeajuna Manuscript, still in limbo, the transcripts are in respectable print and may be treated as public property or at least addressed as a feature of the public space. I regard both documents as the most forgotten documents of the civil war because they have hardly been mentioned in public discourses in ways that recognize the gravity of their actual contents. Or better to say, they have been mentioned, only in passing, in articles written for major Nigerian newspapers and magazines since the 70s, or parried on television, but only in figurative understatements by people who, for being able to do so, have appeared highly privileged. The privilege, grounded in the fact that they remained unpublished, may have been partially debunked by the publications I have mentioned, but their impact on the discussions have not gone beyond the hyped references to them, and the innuendos and insinuations arising from secessionist propaganda during the civil war. The core of the propaganda, which reverberated at the Christopher Okigbo International Conference at Harvard University in September, 2007, is that Awolowo promised that if the Igbos were allowed, by acts of commission or omission, to secede, he would take the Western Region out of Nigeria. In a sort of Goebellian stunt, many ex-Biafrans including high flying academics, intellectuals and publicists who should know better, write about it as if they do not know that the shooting war ended in 1970. What Awolowo is supposed to have discussed with Ojukwu before the shooting war has been turned into an issue for post-war propaganda even more unrestrained than in the days of the shooting war. The propaganda of the war has been dutifully regurgitated by a Minister of the Federal Republic, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, twice on loan to the Federal Government of Nigerian from the World Bank, in the book, Achebe: Teacher of Light(Africa World Press, Inc,2003) co-authored with Tijan M. Sallah. They write: “The Igbos had made the secessionist move with the promise from Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Southwest that the Yoruba would follow suit. The plan was if the southeast and southwest broke away from the Nigerian federal union, the federal government would not be able to fight a war on two fronts. Awolowo, however, failed to honour his pledge, and the secession proved a nightmare for the Igbos. Awolowo in fact became the Minister of finance of the federal government during the civil war.” (p.90). Forty years after the civil war, you would expect that some formal, academic decorum would be brought into play to sift mere folklore and propaganda from genuine history. But not so for those who do not care about the consequences of the falsehoods that they trade. They continue to pump myths that treat their own people as cannon fodder in their elite search for visibility, meal tickets and upward mobility in the Nigerian spoils system. Rather than lower the frenzy of war-time ‘huge lies’ that were crafted for the purpose of shoring up combat morale, they increase the tempo. I mean: postwar reconstruction should normally forge the necessity for returnees from the war to accede to normal life rather than lose their everyday good sense in contemplation of events that never happened or pursuing enemies who were never there. Better, it ought to be expected, for those who must apportion blame and exact responsibility, to work at a dogged sifting of fact from fiction, relieving the innocent of life-threatening charges, in the manner of the Jews who, after the Second World War sought to establish who were responsible for the pogroms before they pressed implacable charges. Unfortunately, 40 years does not seem to have been enough in the Nigerian case. Those who organized the pogrom are lionized as patriots by champions of the Biafran cause. Those who sought lasting answers away from blind rampage are demonized as villains. The rest of us are all left mired in the ghastly incomprehension that led to the war. Those for whom the civil war was not a lived, but a narrated experience, are made to re-experience it as nightmare, showing how much of an effort of mind needs to be made to strip the past of sheer mush. As it happens, every such effort continues to be waylaid by the sheerness of war propaganda that has been turned into post-war authoritative history. It is often offered by participants in the war who, like Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu himself, will not give up civil war reflexes that ruined millions. In an interview in Boston on July 9th 2001, Ojukwu told a questioner: “We’ve said this over and over again, so many times, and people don’t understand: they don’t want to actually. If you remember, I released Awolowo from jail. Even that, some people are beginning to contest as well. Awo was in jail in Calabar. Gowon knows and the whole of the federal establishment knows that at no point was Gowon in charge of the East. The East took orders from me. Now, how could Gowon have released Awolowo who was in Calabar? Because the fact that I released him, it created quite a lot of rapport between Awo and myself, and I know that before he went back to Ikenne, I set up a hotline between Ikenne and my bedroom in Enugu. He tried, like an elder statesman to find a solution. Awolowo is a funny one. Don’t forget that the political purpose of the coup, the Ifeajuna coup that began all this, was to hand power over to Awo. We young men respect him a great deal. He was a hero. I thought he was a hero and certainly I received him when I was governor. We talked and he was very vehement when he saw our complaints and he said that if the Igbos were forced out by Nigeria that he would take the Yorubas out also. I don’t know what anybody makes of that statement but it is simple. Whether he did or didn’t , it is too late. There is nothing you can do about it. So, he said this and I must have made some appropriate responses too. But it didn’t quite work out the way that we both thought. Awolowo, evidently, had a constant review of the Yoruba situation and took different path. That’s it. I don’t blame him for it. I have never done”. This was quoted in Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo’s article, reporting the Okigbo International Conference, on page 102 of The GUARDIAN, Monday, October 1, 2007. Quite an interesting one for anyone who wishes to appreciate the folkloric dimensions that mis-led many who listened to Radio Biafra or have followed the post-war attempts to win the war in retrospect instead of preparing the survivors, on both sides of the war, to confront the reality that mauled them and could maul them again unless they shape up. Against Ojukwu’s self-expiatory remarks, it is of interest to read Hilary Njoku, the head of the Biafran army at the start of the war. In his war memoirs, A tragedy without heroes, he declares that the meeting between Obafemi Awolowo and Ojukwu had nothing to do with the decision to announce secession. Njoku writes that: “…most progressive Nigerians, even before him, saw ‘Biafra’ as a movement, an egalitarian philosophy to put Nigeria in order, a Nigeria where no tribe is considered superior to the others forever……. It was the same Biafran spirit which led Chief Awolowo to declare publicly that if the Eastern Region was pushed out of Nigeria, then the Western Region would follow suit. When Ojukwu moved too fast recklessly in his ostrich strategy, the same Chief Awolowo led a delegation of Western and some Midwestern leaders to Enugu on 6th May, 1967 and pleaded with Ojukwu not to secede, reminding him that the Western Region was not militarily ready to follow suit in view of the weaknesses of the Western Command of the Nigerian Army and the dominant position of the Northern troops in the West. Ojukwu turned a deaf ear to this advice maybe because of his wrong concept”.(p.141) Anyone wishing to, or refusing to, take Ojukwu’s word for it may do worse than read what I am calling the forgotten documents. I am of the view that there are immovable grounds for refusing to take Ojukwu’s word on faith. Or, may be, faith would be excusable if one has not read the transcripts of the Enugu meeting in addition to the mileage of information provided by many post-civil war narrations since Alexander A. Madiebo’s opener, The Nigerian Revolution and the Biafran War. What seems to be unknown to hagiographers of the civil war is that the meeting about which they have told so much was actually documented. The transcripts of the meeting are no longer secrets. They have been in the open for more three decades, providing a basis for recasting the seduction of the propaganda which pictured the meeting as a secret one with participants being the only ones who could vouch for what was or was not said. Arguably, dependence on sheer memory, living in a folklorist’s paradise, may well have enabled all and sundry to feel free to mis-describe what transpired, to build an industry of deliberate falsification, leaving common everyday information to be whispered about as to their earth-shaking impact, as if a loud comment on them would bring the sky down. Indeed, it can be imagined how the old propaganda lines about what happened at the Enugu meeting helped to shore up morale on the secessionist side during the civil war while, on the Federal side, absolute silence or ‘rogue’ mis-use and abuse of their supposed truth-value, powered official indifference, somersaults and snide reviews, in speech and action. Since there are many on both sides of the civil war who have had rationales for not letting the whole truth survive, it may be seen as quite convenient to have found a man like Awolowo, too much of a thorn in the flesh of many, as a necessary scapegoat. It explains why no proper history of the Nigerian Civil War is to be found which looks with dispassion at the issues and without contrived gaps. Few, without the benefit of the light that the two forgotten documents bring to bear on the issues, have been able to interrogate the purveyors of the falsehoods – the big men who did not know the truth but have had to say something authoritative about it; or those who know it but have had reasons, personal and public, for not vouchsafing it. Besides, there exists a gaggle of revisionists and post-war hackers who do not want the truth to be known because it hurts their pride as inheritors of the falsehoods. They prefer, through a brazen parroting of unfounded folklore, to swindle generations that, as a result, have become unavailable for the building of genuine nation-sense that can accommodate all Nigerians. So over-powering has been their impact that logically impossible and groundless historical scenarios, deserving of contempt by all rational people, are trussed up and served as staple. I believe that given such poor historical accounting, the benign, intelligent, form of amnesia that, after a civil war, helps people to deal with the reality, has been repressed by voluble folklore. Therefore, let me make a clean breast of it: my one great rationale for wanting to see the documents ‘outed’ is to help shore up nation-sense among Nigerians by rupturing the culture of falsehoods and silences that have exercised undue hegemony over the issues. I take it as part of a necessary revolt against all the shenanigans of national coyness and the culture of unspoken taboos that have beclouded and ruined national discourse. What primes this revolt is, first and foremost, the thought of what could have happened if the forgotten documents had seen the light of day at the right time. How easy, for instance, would it have been to stamp the January 15, 1966 Coup as being merely an Igbo Coup if it was known that the original five majors who planned and executed it were minded to release Awolowo from Calabar Prison and to make him their leader – as the Ifeajuna Manuscript vouchsafed in the first few weeks of the coup before the testimonies that came after? What factors – ethnic frigidity, ideological insipidity or plain sloppy dithering could it have been that frustrated the coup-maker’s idealistic exercise since they were not even pushing for direct seizure of power? I concede that knowing this may not have completely erased the ethnic and regionalist motivations and overlays grafted by later events. But it could have slowed down the wild harmattan fire of dissension that soon engulfed the initial salutary reception of the coup. Were the truth known early enough, it could have obviated many of the sad and untoward insinuations, and the grisly events to which they led, before during and since the civil war. At the worst, it could have changed, if not the course of Nigeria’s history, at least, the manner of assessing that history and therefore the tendency for much civic behaviour to derive from mere myths and fictional engagements. To say this, I admit, is to make a very big claim! It suggests that the problems of nation-building in Nigeria would have been either solved, ameliorated or their nature changed rather dramatically if these documents had come alive when they were most needed. This claim curry’s sensation. It casts me, who can make it, in rather un-fanciful light in the sense of putting an onerous responsibility on me to explain how come the manuscripts were not made public when they should have had the implied impact. And what role I have played in their seeing or not seeing the light of day! This was actually what was demanded by a writer in The Sun newspapers in 2007 who argued that only I had claimed in public to know about the existence of the Ifeajuna manuscript and only President Olusegun Obasanjo by quoting generously from it in his book , Nzeogwu, had proved that he, among the well-placed, knew about and could rely on the document. The writer had threatened that if President Obasanjo would not release the documents, I owed a responsibility to do so. I wish to be upfront with it: that what has been known about the documents in Nigeria’s public space largely surfaced as a result of decisions I had taken at one time or the other. As Bari Salau points out in his own preface to Awo on the Nigerian civil war, I was active in turning the Enugu transcripts into public property. I should add that I was later responsible for the outings that the Ifeajuna Manuscript had, whether in Obasanjo’s book or in newspaper wrangles in the past two decades. Almost ritually, I drew attention to the forgotten documents in my newspaper columns as Chairman of the Editorial Board of the now defunct Tempo magazine and in interviews granted to other print media and television houses. During the struggle over the annulment of the June 12 1993 elections, I placed enormous weight on the evidence of the manuscripts in attempting to correct some of what I regarded as the fictions of Nigeria’s history. All the while, I found myself in a quandary however because I based my arguments on documents that were not public property. They were like mystery documents that I seemed to be pulling out of my fez cap to mesmerize those who were not as privileged as I was. All the effort I had made did not appear sufficient or proficient enough to relieve me of the obligation to complete the circle of their full conversion into public property. It has been quite bothersome to see that the issues they contain remain ever heated and on the boil. They are issues that have stood in the way of due and necessary cooperation between Nigerians from different parts of the country. I happen to know that in some quarters, merely to mention knowledge of the existence of the documents is viewed as raking and scratching the wounds of the civil war. It is a preference, it seems, for the murky half-truths and out-rightly contrived lies, much of them horrid residues of war propaganda, that have mauled our public space and ruined civic projects so irremediably since the war. Yet so insistent are the issues, so inexorable in everyday political discussions, so decisive in the sentiments expressed across regional and ethnic lines, that to continue to let them fester in limbo is to be guilty of something close to intellectual treason. To meet the challenge of the propaganda, it has become necessary, in my view, to provide a natural history of the documents, first, as a performance in genealogies, to audit the processes through which the documents passed in order to arrive at where they are. I consider this important so that those who may wish to dispute their veracity can do so with fuller knowledge of their odyssey. I am minded to distinguish between offending the sensitivities of those who shore up the myth of we never make mistakes, and others who simply wish for bygones to be bygones. As against bygoners, I think a country is unfortunate and ill-served when it carries a pernicious history on her back that has been garnished by rumour peddlers and fiction-mongers who may or may not derive any benefits from traducing the truth but have been too committed to a line that makes looking the truth in the face unappealing . To keep silent, or to shelve a corrective, in the face of such traducers, is almost churlish. It is certainly not enough to break the silence by outing the forgotten documents. The way to begin to discharge the responsibility is to narrate how I came to know about and have followed the career of the two documents. To begin with, it was in Ruth First’s book, Barrel of a Gun, that I first encountered hints about the existence of the Ifeajuna Manuscript. Ruth First was one of the most daring of the instant historians who took on the writing of post-independence Africa as the continent began to be mauled by those whom Ali Mazrui would describe as the militariat and who operated on an ethic that Wole Soyinka has described as the divine right of the gun. She, who was so determined to uncover the roots of the violence that was overtaking African politics, was fated to die later through a parcel bomb sent by dirty jobbers of her native Apartheid South Africa. Her narrative took on the insidious goings on behind the scenes in several coups across Africa at a time when the issues, participants and sites were still hazy. It was like looking ahead to a future that a free South Africa needed to avoid. In a way, it prepared me to pay attention to the footnote to line 16 of JP Clark’s poem, ‘Return Home’ in his collection, Casualties, published in 1970. In the footnote, JP wrote: “A number of papers. Major Ifeajuna left with me on the night of our arrival at Ikeja the manuscript of his account of the coup, which after due editing was rejected by the publishers as early as May 1966 because it was a nut without the kernel”. This footnote made him post-facto accessory to the coup as he could have been charged by one later-day military dictator down the road. But how did the manuscripts get to be handed over to JP? Which publishers rejected the manuscript? This was left to the grind of the rumour mill for decades. Nothing more authoritative on what happened came from JP Clark until twenty years later when in his Nigerian National Order of Merit Award lecture of December 5, 2001, serialized in the Guardian between 10th and 14th December 2001, he filled in a few more gaps. He said: “My main encounter with the military , however, was played off stage many years before that. In Casualties, my account in poetry of the Nigerian Civil War, so much misunderstood by my Ibo readers and their friends in quotes, I said at the time that I came so close to the events of 15 January 1966 that I was taken in for interrogation. Shinkafi was the officer, all professional, but very polite. Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna had given me his account of the coup to edit and arrange publication. The authorities thought I had it then in my custody”. JP does not quite say how the authorities knew. Or show that they knew where he kept it. My first inkling of what happened, regarding the Ifeajuna Manuscript, came to me as a result of a quirk in my biography that made me write a poem, The Poet Lied, which pitched me into the maw of an unwitting controversy on the wrong side of JP Clark. The Poet Lied, was part-response to the Nigerian crisis and civil war dealing with a segment of the political class, all those, including writers, politicians, religious leaders and soldiers – who were in a position to change the images and symbols by which we interpreted our lives but who flunked their roles during the civil war. JP Clark was riled by the poetic imputations, convinced that, as the poet agrees but not the poem, he was the one, or among the ones, satirized. He importuned my publishers, also his own publishers, Longman UK, to withdraw the collection from the market. Or face dire consequences! It was in the course of negotiating with the publishers, between the UK office and the Nigerian branch, how not to withdraw the manuscript from the market that I ran into stories of how one manuscript proffered by JP Clark had brought so much trouble to them two decades earlier. From bits and snippets in informal conversations, here and there, I got to know more about the Ifeajuna Manuscript which JP Clark sent to them to publish. As I gathered, the Longman office in Nigeria had sent the manuscript to Longman UK where it was seen as being too hot to handle. The multi-national, doing good business in Nigeria, did not want to antagonize a military dictatorship that had just come to power. The UK office therefore sent the manuscript to the Nigerian High commission office in London to find out if the manuscript would pass something of a civility test. QUESTIONS: Which book did Achebe write which captured all but a coup, of all that was happening wrongly in the country during the First Republic? Was Nnamdi Azikiwe sounded out by Igbo officers on the possibility of carrying out a coup in 1964, two years before the January 1966 coup? What was the plan of the coup makers of 1966 for Awolowo? Was Awolowo privy to what the eventual coup makers planned to do with him? What was so important about the Emmanuel Ifeajuna manuscript that Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to get to read it? There are many questions but the ones above are dealt with in the next part of this series Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/the-achebe-controversy-awolowo-and-the-forgotten-documents-of-the-civil-war-by-odia-ofeimun/

Politics

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low sperm count By Sola Ogundipe The Japanese have done it again! For the first time in human history,they have successfully utilized sperm cells created with stem-cell techniques to fertilize eggs and produce live, normal offspring. They used embryonic stem cells of mice to make primordial germ cells,which are the precursors for sperm cells. Scientists have for ages tried to create sperm by using stem cells in earlier in-vitro studies using mice and human cells, but up until now they haven’t been successful. The breakthrough research by the Asian scientists, led by Professor Mitinori Saitou from the Kyoto University, is published as an abstract in the journal Cell,, entitled: “Reconstitution of the Mouse Germ Cell Specification Pathway in Culture by Pluripotent Stem Cells”. They then transplanted them into the testicles of infertile mice, after which the cells produced normal-looking sperm. The mature sperm cells were used to fertilize eggs and produced healthy, fertile offspring. These findings will encourage further research into the process of how primordial germ cells develop, something that has been difficult to investigate because these cells don’t grow in vitro. Whether future findings eventually will lead to new discoveries in human fertility remains a question. Human and mouse embryonic stem cells have different properties and any research of this kind with human stem cells will of course become an ethical issue as well. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/japanese-scientists-create-artificial-sperms-from-stem-cells/

Health

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The Senate of New York State, in the United States has passed a resolution paying tribute to world acclaimed author Chinua Achebe. In the resolution, the Senate said , Professor Achebe’s global significance “lies not only in his talent and recognition as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and essayist who has written extensively on questions of the role of culture in Africa along with the social and political significance of aesthetics and analysis of the post colonial state in Africa.” The New York Senate noted that Achebe left behind a legacy “which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended.” The Legislative Body paused in its deliberations to mourn the death of the famous novelist just as it promised to present a copy of its resolution to the Achebe’s family. Below is the text of the resolution: LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of paramount novelist Chinua Achebe, founder and pioneer of African literature Same as: / Versions: J1186-2013 Sponsor: PARKER Law Section: Resolutions, Legislative WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to the lives of those esteemed individuals of international renown who distinguished themselves through their life’s work; and WHEREAS, Foremost novelist, Professor Chinua Achebe, died on Thursday, March 21, 2013, at the age of 82; and WHEREAS, Born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, on November 16, 1930, Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic; he was best known for his 1958 novel, THINGS FALL APART, selling over 12 million copies around the world, and having been translated into 50 languages, making him the most paraphrased African writer of all time; and WHEREAS, Raised by his parents in the Igbo town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, Chinua Achebe excelled academically and earned a scholarship for undergraduate studies; he became fascinated with world religions and traditional African cultures, and began writing stories as a college student; and WHEREAS, After graduation, Chinua Achebe worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS) and soon moved to the metropolis of Lagos; he gained worldwide attention for THINGS FALL APART; his later novels include: NO LONGER AT EASE (1960), ARROW OF GOD (1964), A MAN OF THE PEOPLE (1966), and ANTHILLS OF THE SAVANNAH (1987); and WHEREAS, When the region of Biafra broke away from Nigeria in 1967, Chinua Achebe became a supporter of Biafran independence and acted as ambassador for the people of the new nation; the war ravaged the populace, and as starvation and violence took its toll, he appealed to the people of Europe and the Americas for assistance; and WHEREAS, When the Nigerian government retook the region in 1970, Chinua Achebe involved himself in political parties, but soon resigned due to frustration over the corruption and elitism he witnessed, thereby deciding to devote himself to academia; he lived in the United States for several years in the 1970s, and returned there in 1990 after a car accident left him partially disabled; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe’s novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of Western and traditional African values during and after the colonial era; his style relies heavily on the Igbo oral tradition, and combines straightforward narration with representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory; he also published a number of short stories, children’s books, and essay collections; and WHEREAS, A David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University, Chinua Achebe worked up until the time of his death; and WHEREAS, New York’s Bard College, with a distinguished history of supporting Chinua Achebe’s work and legacy, will continue to be a primary home for his projects; and WHEREAS, Professor Achebe’s global significance lies not only in his talent and recognition as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and essayist who has written extensively on questions of the role of culture in Africa along with the social and political significance of aesthetics and analysis of the postcolonial state in Africa; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe distinguished himself in his profession and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of his community; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe’s commitment to excellence, and his spirit of humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charitable and civic endeavors; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe is survived by his wife, Christie, their children, Chinelo, Ikechukwu, Chidi, and Nwando as well as his grandchildren, Chochi, Chino, Chidera, C.J. (Chinua Jr.), Nnamdi and Zeal; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Chinua Achebe leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of paramount novelist Chinua Achebe, founder and pioneer of African literature; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Chinua Achebe. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/new-york-senate-passes-resolution-on-achebe/

Politics

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ABUJA, Nigeria — Before my grandmother died in 2010, she gave each of her 17 grandchildren a crisp one-pound note. It was an unceremonious gift, without lectures or reminiscing. She opened my hands and firmly pressed the bill into my palm. “You must keep this,” she said, before following up in Igbo: “Inugo?” Do you hear me? “Yes, Grandma,” I responded. “Thank you.” Later, in another room, I looked at the note more closely. The bill was beautiful, with its antiquated font and soft, mint-green coloring with brown highlights. One side had a palm tree standing tall in the center, bordered by intricate calligraphy. Across the top were the words “Republic of Biafra.” To my grandmother, it was an invaluable offering, worth more than her thick coral necklaces or her gold embroidered George fabrics. She wanted her grandchildren to have a piece of Biafra, the short-lived country that she and millions of others from our Igbo ethnic group had attempted to create as a refuge from the newly independent country of Nigeria, setting off the civil war of 1967-70, also known as the Biafran war. Since relocating to Nigeria 16 months ago, I am learning anew just how complex is the history of my country. Nigeria has never really had a single national identity. Ethnic tensions existed ever since 1914, when British colonizers amalgamated more than 250 ethnic and linguistic groups into a new country.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/21/opinion/facing-down-nigerias-ghosts.html

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The Federal Ministry of Health says no fewer than 16 million individuals in Nigeria are living with chronic Hepatitis B and C virus. According to the ministry, the discovery is sequel to a National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey carried out in 2018. A representative for Viral Hepatitis Control in Nigeria, Clement Adeshigbin, said this during a training organised for health workers on how to manage the disease in Taraba State. According to him, viral hepatitis is a silent killer and it is now globally known to be 10 times more widespread than HIV/AIDS, hence the decentralisation of its treatment in order to control it. He adds that the choice of Taraba for the training is in view of the fact that the state has a high prevalence of 19 per cent with 2 million individuals living with the virus. Adeshigbin insists that the state government is committed to subsidizing the treatment for patients.

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/11/23/at-least-16-million-individuals-in-nigeria-live-with-chronic-viral-hepatitis-fg/

Health

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McDonald's to employees: Avoid burgers and fries - it's risky for your health Expressing concern over employees’ health has backfired on the world’s leading fast food producer, McDonald’s. Its own employee resources website recommended workers to avoid burgers and fries whenever possible due to health risks. The McResource site, notorious for giving advice on how to make ends meet working for $7.25 an hour at McDonald’s, has cooked up another gem: the folks preparing and serving McDonald’s food should actually avoid eating it themselves – because it is unhealthy. To illustrate the difference between ‘unhealthy choice’ and the ‘healthier choice’, the website of the food chain that employs some 700,000 people worldwide, for some reason countered graphics depicting a typical McDonald’s meal with graphics very much resembling a meal at the company’s major competitor, Subway: a sandwich with salad and a glass of water. “Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking. While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt and may put people at risk of becoming overweight,” the site said. Instead of eating a cheeseburger and fries, McResource advises to “Eat at places that offer a variety of salads, soups and vegetables to maintain your best health.” “Although not impossible it is more of a challenge to eat healthy when going to a fast food place. In general, avoiding items that are deep fried are your best bet,” McDonald’s revealed. The corporate website also warns that “people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease must be very careful about choosing fast food because of its high fat, salt, and sugar levels” and calls to “limit the extras such as cheese, bacon and mayonnaise.” After the new set of stunning revelations from McDonald’s drew the attention of media worldwide, McDonald’s issued a statement saying that, “Portions of this website continue to be taken entirely out of context. This website provides useful information from respected third-parties about many topics, among them health and wellness. It also includes information from experts about healthy eating and making balanced choices. McDonald’s agrees with this advice.” Even though a spokesperson for McDonald’s, Lisa McComb, told CNBC that the data from the corporate website web site “does not advise against fast food”, the McResource site has already made way too many controversial remarks lately. Just a couple of weeks ago fast-food workers in over 100 American cities walked off the job, demanding a $15 federal minimum wage, a two-fold rise from the current level. At the very same time McDonald’s corporate website generously shared with its employees some nuances on how to tip dog walkers, house keepers, massage therapists, personal fitness instructors, pool cleaners, au pairs and other services they are definitely unlikely to make use of ever. In October McDonald’s workers unable to pay their bills or stay above the poverty line were advised to find help from food pantries or enlist in government benefit programs, instead of seeking higher wages (https://www.rt.com/usa/mcdonalds-help-broke-food-stamps-649/). As of now the McResource Line site is closed for maintenance. “We are temporarily performing some maintenance in order to provide you with the best experience possible,” the announcement says.

http://rt.com/usa/mcdonalds-employees-fast-food-764/

Food

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In today's fast-paced world, finding a sense of inner calm and balance is becoming increasingly important. As the demands of daily life continue to grow, many individuals are turning to the ancient practice of yoga to find solace, strength, and serenity. Yoga, a holistic discipline that originated in ancient India, combines physical postures, known as asanas, with breath control, meditation, and philosophical principles. In this article, we will delve into the world of yoga, focusing on the transformative power of yoga poses, the significance of establishing a regular routine, and the art of meditation. Yoga Poses: A Gateway to Physical and Mental Well-being Yoga poses, or asanas, form the foundation of any yoga practice. These postures are designed to promote flexibility, strength, and balance in the body while simultaneously fostering a connection between the mind, body, and spirit. Each pose offers its unique benefits, targeting different muscle groups and energy centers within the body. One of the most iconic yoga poses is the downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). This pose, resembling an inverted "V," stretches the hamstrings, calves, and shoulders while strengthening the arms and legs. It also encourages blood circulation and calms the mind. Another fundamental pose is the tree pose (Vrikshasana). This pose helps improve balance and concentration by grounding one foot while the other is placed against the inner thigh. It is a wonderful representation of finding stability amid life's challenges. Yoga Routines: Weaving a Tapestry of Harmony While individual yoga poses provide distinct benefits, the true magic lies in weaving them together into a cohesive routine. A yoga routine is a sequence of asanas carefully curated to address specific needs, such as energizing the body in the morning or promoting relaxation before bedtime. A popular routine for invigorating the body and mind is the sun salutation (Surya Namaskar). This flowing sequence of poses synchronizes breath and movement, incorporating forward folds, lunges, and gentle backbends. It not only warms up the body but also awakens the spirit, setting a positive tone for the day ahead. For those seeking tranquility and restoration, the restorative yoga routine offers respite from the daily hustle. This practice utilizes props like blankets, bolsters, and blocks to support the body in gentle, passive poses. It encourages deep relaxation and releases tension, nurturing a state of profound calmness. Meditation: The Gateway to Inner Stillness While yoga poses and routines cultivate physical well-being, meditation delves into the realm of the mind and spirit. Meditation is the art of quieting the mind and turning inward, creating a space for self-reflection, clarity, and inner peace. It is a practice that has been embraced by numerous cultures and spiritual traditions for thousands of years. One common meditation technique is focused attention meditation. In this practice, attention is directed to a single point, such as the breath, a mantra, or a specific sensation. By anchoring the mind to this focal point, one cultivates mindfulness and develops the ability to observe thoughts and emotions without judgment. Another form of meditation is loving-kindness meditation, which centers on cultivating feelings of love, compassion, and empathy. Practitioners extend well-wishes to themselves, loved ones, acquaintances, and even those with whom they may have difficulties. This practice fosters an open heart, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and promoting emotional well-being. By incorporating meditation into a yoga practice, individuals can deepen their self-awareness and tap into a wellspring of inner peace. It serves as a powerful tool for managing stress, improving concentration, and enhancing overall mental and emotional resilience. Final Thoughts: Embracing the Journey of Self-Discovery Yoga, with its intricate tapestry of poses, routines, and meditation, offers a profound journey of self-discovery and transformation. Through the physicality of yoga poses, individuals can nurture their bodies, fostering strength, flexibility, and balance. By weaving together these poses into routines, practitioners create harmony and rhythm in their practice, catering to specific needs and intentions. Finally, through the practice of meditation, individuals delve into the depths of their being, finding solace, clarity, and inner peace. As you embark on your own yoga journey, remember that it is not about achieving perfection or contorting the body into impossible positions. It is about embracing the process, honoring your unique abilities, and nurturing the mind-body connection. With time, dedication, and an open heart, the transformative power of yoga can guide you toward a path of self-discovery, allowing you to unleash your inner harmony and radiate that harmony into the world around you. There are no comments for this story Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

https://vocal.media/earth/unleashing-inner-harmony

Politics

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Obaseki the servant governor at 63 By Crusoe Osagie In the last three years and seven months, the people of Edo State have been enthralled by the re-enactment of people-powered governance led by the citizens, with Governor Godwin Obaseki on the front seat, designing and executing people-centric policies, and programmes which have transformed the state. Edo is today basking in the euphoria of an orderly society where the rule of law holds sway and is ratcheting up the ease of doing business amid a boisterous social sector. The story was not always this inspiring! Gone are the days when thugs wielded giant whips, scourging poor mothers struggling to eke out a living in markets as well as commercial bus drivers who were toiling night and day to cater for their families. Obaseki briskly put an end to the menace of these hoodlums who oppressed honest citizens daily in the name of revenue collection. Although this won him numerous political enemies because the patrons of these enforcers were ‘big men’, it was the right thing to do and it was in the best interest of the majority, so Obaseki stuck to his guns. For setting the people free from the strangleholds of political thugs and their collaborators in the corridors of power, Edo people salute Governor Godwin Obaseki as he adds another year to his age today. Even at the risk of placing his re-election bid in jeopardy, Obaseki refused to mortgage the wellbeing and future of Edo people to those who were desperate to return the state to her inglorious past. Interestingly, with the support of Edo people, Obaseki has won virtually all the political battles initiated by his detractors. Obaseki reminds one of servant leaders in history such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, (Mahatma Gandhi) who led his people in India with his civil resistance movement to independence from Great Britain. Gandhi did so at great personal cost, he was arrested and detained several times for his pro-people ideology. Gandhi died leaving behind a pair of slippers, a piece of loin cloth and a pair of eyeglasses. The servant-leadership model, with its mass appeal, has proven to be practicable only by few leaders with the moral stamina to defend their people and put their interests first. A great deal of courage is required to keep the faith. Obaseki’s leadership style has the manifest stamp of a servant leader, determined to provide the greater good for the greater majority of Edo people even at the risk of his personal comfort and life. In his essay first published in 1970, Robert K. Greenleaf, who first coined the phrase, servant leadership, said: “the servant leader is servant first…it begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then consciousness brings one to aspire to lead.” He added: “That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.” Author and Harvard Business Review contributor, David Burkus, explains that “Servant leaders get results for their organisation through whole-hearted attention to their followers and followers’ needs…servant leadership puts its emphasis on collaboration, trust, empathy, and ethics.” The governor continues to demonstrate his affection for his people, task after task, no matter the cost: The anti-community development association law Obaseki was quick to define the place of Edo people in his administration shortly after assuming office, when he intimated his team of his resolve to put an end to the criminal activities of some persons that were parading themselves as members of Community Development Associations (CDAs). The Ant-Community Development Association Development Law, was the administration’s response to the myriad of attacks on real estate developers by these persons who had formed themselves into criminal gangs that were notorious for selling people’s properties and hounding genuine investors in the sector. As with most servant leaders, initially, Obaseki’s decision was unpopular among some segments of the political class, some of whom were working hand in gloves with the CDA members, who were used as political thugs during elections. The governor, after wide consultation with the leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly, the Benin Monarch, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, galvanised the making of the Anti-CDA Law, which criminalised the illegal reign of the community development associations. The socio-economic gains accruing to developers, home and abroad, governments and other stakeholders have become reference points in parts of the country where such people-oriented law is not in place. The icing on the cake in the sector was the creation of the Edo State Geographic Information Service, an agency that delivers Certificates of Occupancy to property owners in less than eight weeks, and at an affordable price. In all, Edo people won the battle against the killer community gangs. Reforms of revenue collection Convinced that a reformed revenue collection system that would leverage modern technology would better serve the people, Governor Obaseki introduced Point-of-Sale devices to ensure efficiency and transparency in the sub-sector. The initiative was met with resistance as it was misconstrued by the operators as a threat to the old manual method of collecting revenue which was fraught with lack of transparency and accountability. Again Obaseki, with the support of the people, directed the revenue collectors, who were not ready to migrate to the modern technology-backed platforms, to leave the state’s motor parks, markets and other business places. For Obaseki, such brutish approach where traders were assaulted and harassed by revenue collectors, belonged to the past and must be discontinued. The response from some of them who were political thugs and had enjoyed enormous patronage from previous governments, was as expected, a declaration of war on the Obaseki-led administration. On the flip side, this singular action freed business people from years of harassment and abuse from these political thugs. Yet Obaseki was unruffled and supervised the migration of the old revenue collection method to the new one. Again, Obaseki demonstrated his affection for the citizens when he collaborated with the Benin Monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, to rally support for victims of human trafficking. Instead of blaming the victims who were primed by bad leadership of the past to migrate, Obaseki took responsibility for the failures of his predecessors and challenged governments at all levels, non-state actors and development partners to rise to the challenge and nip the problem in the bud. Through carefully cultivated and sustained partnerships with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), federal government agencies like the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Obaseki reinvigorated the prosecution of human traffickers and their partners in crime and deployed massive grassroots mobilisation against risky travels through the Sahara Desert to Europe. He took the fight against illegal migration to the European Parliament, the Italian Government, and mobilised religious leaders to join the crusade. He provided palliatives for the returnees and empowered thousands of them to start a new life. For all these giant strides including the reforms in the civil service, the education sector, the industrialisation of the state and creation of thousands of jobs for Edo people as well as the transformation of infrastructure in the state amongst others, we congratulate you on your birthday anniversary and assure you of the unflinching support of the people for your aspiration to lead the state for another four years. - Osagie is the Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy

https://thenationonlineng.net/obaseki-the-servant-governor-at-63/

Politics

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that over 20 vaccines are in development globally, and several therapeutics are in clinical trials all geared towards ousting the Coronavirus. Disclosing this on Friday in his opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19, WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said first results on vaccines and therapeutics are expected in a few weeks. Mr Ghebreyesus said that on Thursday he spoke about the things countries must do to prepare for cases and prevent onward transmission, adding that the report of the WHO-China Joint Mission has now published its report, which is available in English on the WHO website, and will also be posted in Chinese on the National Health Commission website. READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 10 Critical Things WHO Wants Everyone To Know He notes that the report includes a wealth of information, and 22 recommendations for China, for affected and unaffected countries, for the international community, and the general public. “It calls for all countries to educate their populations, to expand surveillance, to find, isolate and care for every case, to trace every contact, and to take an all-of-government and all-of-society approach – this is not a job for the health ministry alone,” Mr Ghebreyesus noted. He, however, warned that people do not need to wait for vaccines and therapeutics, stressing that there are things every individual can do to protect themselves and others today. “Your risk depends on where you live, your age and general health. WHO can provide general guidance. You should also follow your national guidance and consult local health professionals,” the WHO Director-General advised.

https://www.channelstv.com/2020/03/01/coronavirus-over-20-vaccines-in-development-globally-who/

Health

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