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President Muhammadu Buhari By Clifford Ndujihe ON day like this, exactly 57 years ago, Nigeria was on a festive and historic mood. It was the eve of October 1, 1960, the day that the United Kingdom had set aside to grant Nigeria independence as a sovereign state. The political and social atmosphere was astir. The reasons were not far-fetched given the dreams of the founding fathers – late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, late Sir Ahmadu Bello and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo among others as well as what the prospects of self-rule portended for the emerging black nation. Although, the then three regions -Northern, Eastern and Western had been administered by Nigerians, who superintended as premiers for six years, Nigerians could not wait to collect the mantle of leadership, at the centre, from the last British Governor-General of Nigeria, Sir James Robertson. It was thus not surprising that elaborate preparations were made, across the country, for the historic occasion. There was joy and anxiety as ululating Nigerians stormed the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos to witness and partake in the celebration of the independence of Nigeria on Saturday, October 1, 1960. In the jubilant crowd were students, cultural dancers, acrobats, masquerades and others who were all eager to add colour to the celebration. Policemen, in choreographed manner, fanned out in different but key places across the square to provide security. With memory-etching displays from the various groups and fireworks that lit up the sky, it was a wonderful sight to behold. The independence parties were not limited to the then capital city of Lagos in Western Region. Other parts or regions of the country also organised events to usher in independence, but that of Lagos was the biggest. Then, only very few Nigerians had Television sets. So, to be part of the celebrations, many people headed for the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos and the regional capitals. According to Oldnaija, an online magazine, the celebration at the TBS kicked-off with the foundation-setting speech of the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, in which he expressed his joy and happiness for the newly liberated nation and her people. We are better-equipped for the task of nation-building – Tafawa Balewa Sir Tafawa Balewa said: ‘’In these days of rapid communications, we cannot live in isolation, apart from the rest of the world, even if we wished to do so. All too soon it has become evident that for us, independence implies a great deal more than self-government. This great country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed, finds that she must at once be ready to deal with grave international issues. This fact has of recent months been unhappily emphasised by the startling events which have occurred in this continent. ‘’I shall not belabour the point but it would be unrealistic not to draw attention first to the awe-inspiring task confronting us at the very start of our nationhood. When this day in October 1960 was chosen for our Independence, it seemed that we were destined to move with quiet dignity to our place on the world stage. Recent events have changed the scene beyond recognition, so that we find ourselves today being tested to the utmost. We are called upon immediately to show that our claims to responsible government are well-founded, and having been accepted as an independent state, we must at once play an active part in maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving civilisation. I promise you, we shall not fall for want of determination. And we come to this task better-equipped than many.’’ National anthem sung, Nigerian flag hoisted After Balewa’s speech, the national anthem was sung and the Nigerian flag, designed by Taiwo Akinkunmi in 1959, was hoisted to replace the British Union Jack. Also, Jaja Wachukwu, Nigeria’s first indigenous speaker, received Nigeria’s instrument of freedom (also called ‘Freedom Charter’) from Princess Alexandra of Kent, a member of the British royal family who represented Queen Elizabeth at the ceremony. In the evening, the sky above the Tafawa Balewa Square was animated with colourful display of fireworks and shouts of happy independence. Dance troupes and masquerades of different Nigerian ethnic groups displayed their dancing prowesses and thrilled the audience with acrobatic displays. A state banquet was also held where dignitaries from Nigeria and other countries mingled, wined and danced. The journey to October 1, 1960 Before his death on October 9, 2013, former Governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar, recalled with nostalgia, how Nigeria celebrated independence on October 1, 1960 and events that heralded the day. He said October 1, 1960 was “another great day for me and fellow parliamentarians who were elected on Saturday, December 12, 1959 into the Federal House of Representatives. We were 312 from the then single-member constituencies, out of which 174 were from the Northern Region, 62 from the Western Region, 73 from Eastern Region and three from Lagos, the then Federal Territory. “On January 12, 1960, we, the elected parliamentarians held our first meeting and two days later, on January 14, 1960, we passed a motion for Nigeria’s Independence, which the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a great democrat, took to London to finalise talk for actualisation of 1st October 1960 as our Independence Day. “We worked as patriotic Nigerians without emphasis on our differences to see the mission accomplished. This came to reality when, just before the midnight of September 30, 1960, we all gathered at the Lagos Race Course awaiting the birth of an independent and emancipated new nation called Nigeria. “I remember with nostalgia, and a sense of gratitude to God, how we stood for prayers led by the Anglican Bishop of Lagos, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lagos and the Chief Imam of Lagos. They all prayed for this nation and when it was exactly12 midnight, the floodlights were dimmed and the light came up again, ushering a new Green White Green banner that replaced the Union Jack on the flagpole. “We sang the new National Anthem with great hope and sense of total commitment to our great nation, Nigeria. Later in the morning, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, represented by her cousin, Princess Alexandra of Kent, formally handed the constitutional instrument to the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.’’ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/insecurity-army-launches-exercise-golden-dawn-in-anambra/October

Politics

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In 2005, when we received reliable information that a sitting member of the U.S. Congress was allegedly using his official position to solicit bribes from American companies interested in doing business in Africa, we opened an investigation. The congressman in question was William J. Jefferson, who had been serving Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district since 1991. Our investigation revealed that from 2000 to 2005, Jefferson sought hundreds of millions of dollars for himself and other co-conspirators from companies whose success depended on the approval of certain U.S. and West African government agencies. He ended up pocketing more than $478,000, but Jefferson wasted significantly more in U.S. government resources to further his illegal aims. Part of the $90,000 found in then-Congressman William Jefferson’s freezer during a law enforcement search of his residence; this particular bundle was wrapped in aluminum foil and concealed inside the pie crust box at right. At one point, Jefferson turned from bribe recipient to bribe payer when he was caught on camera taking $100,000 in cash from our cooperating witness for use in paying off an African government official. A few days later, the FBI—while serving a search warrant on his residence—found $90,000 of that same cash in Jefferson’s freezer. And a legally authorized search of Jefferson’s office turned up documents later used as evidence during his trial. Our investigation uncovered at least 11 distinct bribery schemes that involved Jefferson leading official business delegations to Africa, corresponding with U.S. and foreign government officials on congressional letterhead, and using some of his own staffers—unbeknownst to them—to promote the bribe-paying businesses. In addition to damaging recorded conversations between Jefferson and our cooperating witness, his trial also featured more than 45 witnesses, including a dozen U.S. government officials he tried to influence to get favorable treatment for the businesses promising him bribes. He was convicted in August 2009 and ultimately sentenced to 13 years in prison. Jefferson appealed several times, but the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately denied his petition to review his conviction. Like many of the FBI's corruption cases, the investigation of Jefferson involved the use of sophisticated techniques like cooperating witnesses, consensual monitoring, court-authorized electronic surveillance, video surveillance, and analysis of financial records…all capabilities we’ve used against organized crime, sophisticated financial fraud rings, international drug cartels, and more. Because of our experience, our tools and techniques, our resources and reach, and our ability and authority, the FBI has a singular charge to investigate and root out corruption at all levels of government. FBI Agent Tim Thibault, who worked the case out of our Washington Field Office, stressed the importance of a cooperating witness—a Virginia businesswoman—in the investigation: “She came to us saying that Congressman Jefferson offered to use his congressional office to assist her company in an international business deal in exchange for a percentage ownership of her company. She agreed to cooperate by providing us with historical information regarding her interactions with the congressman and other co-conspirators and by wearing a body recorder and meeting with the congressman to help the FBI gather valuable evidence of his corrupt activity.”

https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/william-jefferson

Politics

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By Kazeem Ugbodaga The deadly COVID-19 is taking its toll on Africa, especially in this second wave of the virus, with many people being infected and many dying. As at February 3, 2021, a total of 3,609,468 cases of Coronavirus have been reported in Africa, with 92,909 deaths recorded. Nine countries form the COVID-19 hotbeds in the continent, accounting for 80.79 percent of the infections. These countries also account for 86.38 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the continent. Travellers and tourists must note these countries and move with trepidation and extreme cautiousness when travelling to them or you may sign your death warrant. It is advisable not to travel to these countries now because or ravaging Coronavirus. These countries are: South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Libya, Algeria and Kenya. How dangerous are these countries? 1. South Africa South Africa is the worst nation to travel to right now in Africa. As at February 3, 2021, South Africa has reported 1,462,016 cases of Coronavirus since the first case of the virus was detected on March 5, 2020 in the country. This accounts for 40.5 percent of total infections in Africa. South Africa is like the US of Africa in terms of COVID-19 infections. South Africa has also reported 45,344 COVID-19 deaths, accounting for 48.8 percent of total deaths in the continent. This makes the nation a place to avoid right now, more so, a new and deadlier variant is ravaging the nation presently. Morocco is the second deadliest nation in Africa, as it has amassed 472,273 cases of Coronavirus since the virus hits the nation on March 2, 2020. The North African country accounts for 13.08 percent of the continent’s infections. It has also recorded 8,308 deaths from the virus, accounting for 8.94 percent deaths in the continent. This makes it a Coronavirus hotbed in the continent. Tourists must beware or avoid travelling to Morocco right now. Tunisia, another North African country is a COVID-19 hotbed right now. The nation has posted 211,412 cases of the virus since it hits the country on March 2, 2020. The country accounts 5.85 percent of infections in Africa. It has so far recorded 6,893 deaths, accounting for 7.41 percent of deaths in the continent. It is a country to watch when travelling right now. The deadly Coronavirus virus hits the North African country on February 14, 2020 and it has never looked back as infections soared to 167,013, accounting for 4.62 percent of continental infections. The country has reported 9,407 deaths so far. This accounts for 10.11 percent deaths on the continent. Travellers must extremely exercise caution in going to Egypt right now. Ethiopia is the 5th Coronavirus hotbed in Africa. The virus reached the country on March 13, 2020. It has so far infected 139,408 people. This accounts for 3.86 continental COVID-29 cases. The country has also reported 2,122 Coronavirus deaths, accounting for 2.28 percent infections in Africa. This makes Ethiopia a dangerous nation to travel to right now. Nigeria is another country to avoid travelling to right now in Africa. The country has reported 134,690 cases of Coronavirus virus, accounting for 3.73 percent infections in Africa, with 1,618 deaths recorded since the pandemic broke out on February 27, 2020. This represents 1.74 percent of deaths in Africa. The country is currently facing a deadly second wave with the rate of infections and deaths higher than the first wave and the British new variant of the virus has been found in Nigeria, making it a risk for people to travel to the nation right now. Libya, with 121,243 cases of Coronavirus accounts for 3.3 percent continental infections. The virus broke out in the country on March 24, 2020. So far, 1,914 people have died from the virus in the North African country, accounting for 2.1 percent deaths in Africa. The North African country has posted 108,116 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic broke in the country on February 2020. Algeria accounts for 3 percent of infections in Africa. The nation has reported 2,900 deaths. This represents 3.1 percent of deaths in the continent. The East African country has reported 101,159 Coronavirus cases since the pandemic reached the country on March 13, 2020. This accounts for 2.8 percent of infections in Africa. Its 1,769 deaths represents 1.9 percent deaths in the continent. This makes the nation a place to avoid right now.

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/02/05/covid-19-nine-dangerous-african-countries-you-must-avoid-right-now/

Health

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Chibok meets Prophet Joshua In the Old Testament days of the Holy Bible, prophets were alter egos of monarchs. Kings ruled all right but it was almost at the behest of powerful prophets. The crown necessarily had to derive enough moral and spiritual authority from the prevailing prophet. A king would neglect the divine counsel of a leading prophet at his own peril. But there is probably no headier aphrodisiac than monarchy in its power and glory. As the Bible regales us, it is the ethereal wisdom of Prophet Nathan that brings rampaging KingProphet JoshuaProphet Joshua David back to earth. Nathan approaches David and says, oh wise King, there were two men, in a city, one extremely rich with exceeding large herds and the other dirt poor with only one little lamb. But alas, the rich fellow upped and snatched the poor man’s only possession to prepare meal for his stranger. King David was wrath with great anger. As the Lord liveth, such an evil one must surely die, he pronounced. And Prophet Nathan said to King David: “You are the man!” And the wise prophet proceeds to lay it thick on the now broken crown: Thus says the Lord, I anointed you king, delivered you from your enemies, gave you your master’s house; even your master’s wives and the house of Israel and Juddah. If these were not enough, I would have given you even more. But you had to commit such evil by killing your captain, Uriah and taking his wife. David is crushed by contrition. Such was the power of prophets. In pursuit of David, King Saul wipes out an entire commune of prophets, and never did the bible record a woman, viler than Jezebel. The great Prophet Isaiah is saddled to confront King Ahab and his blood-thirsty wife Jezebel, after she framed up and had Naboth executed in order to possess his land. Murderous Jezebel also hounded numerous prophets to their gruesome end. Prophets where somewhat universal to many ancient faiths. But over the ages, and with the coming of the Messiah, prophets apparently became outdated in the celestial scheme of things. Every man is now equipped with his own ‘prophet’; the Holy Spirit, according to Christian teaching. In today’s Nigeria however, a certain Prophet TB Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, remains redoubtable. The man in the Synagogue is sought after from all over the world. He is not only more known than many leaders, he makes and unmakes leaders. Today, a five-year-old kidnapping tangle-knot that may have defied the government of the land is now before Prophet TB, as a last resort somewhat. The agonizing parents of Chibok and Dapchi girls explain: “We decided to come to TB Joshua because we have seen him on TV and we see how he works miracles and helps people. If it is our fault that these things are happening, let him pray for us.” A prophet to the rescue?

https://thenationonlineng.net/chibok-meets-prophet-joshua/

Religion

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By Omoh Gabriel The external debt profile of states has shown that Lagos State has the highest with a profile of $1.087 billion, followed by Kaduna State with a total of $234 million. Cross River State followed closely with an external debt profile of $131.469 million. Other states with relatively large external debt are Edo $123 million, Ogun $109 million, Bauchi $87million, Enugu $62 million, Katsina $78 million, Osun $67 million and Oyo State $72 million. Federal Government’s domestic debt on the other hand stood at $47.05 billion or N7.9 trillion, while those of the states stood at $10.97 billion or N1.708 trillion. Federal Government’s domestic debt is made up of N4.792 trillion bonds, N2.815 trillion Treasury bills and N296.2 billion treasury bonds. According to figures published by the Debt Management Office in Abuja, the total debt stock of the Federal Government and the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory amounted to N11.243 trillion or $67.726 billion. States and the Federal Capital Territory as at 31st December 2014, had a domestic debt profile of N1.707 trillion or $10.967 billion. But as at June last year, states in the federation had a domestic debt stock of N1.551 trillion or $9.963 billion. The Federal Government’s share of the rising external debt then stood at $6.363 billion. A breakdown of the debt showed that $3.146 billion of the debt owed by states were borrowed from multilateral institution while $118.9 million were bilateral loans. In the case of the Federal Government $3.652 billion were loans sourced from multilateral institutions while a total of $2.793 billion were loans obtained from China Export-Import Bank and the funds the Federal Government raised from Eurobond. The DMO said, however, that the Federal Government debt is sustainable as its debt sustainability analysis showed that the debt/GDP ratio was only 2.4 per cent. The bulk of the Federal Government loans were concessionary with low interests and long moratorium. Based on the rising debt profiles of state governments, the Federal Government last year directed banks not to grant fresh loans to state governments until they got the relevant approval and clearance from the Federal Ministry of Finance. The Federal Government had defended its decision to dissuade banks from granting unsecured loans to state governments, saying it was to protect the states from excessive accumulation of debts. The Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, had said that the decision was not aimed at stalling the development efforts of the state governments. The Minister said that most of the states have been experiencing difficulties in servicing their existing debts and it would not be advisable to allow them take fresh loans. Mr. Yuguda, who was delivering a lecture titled: Nigeria’s Economic Policies and Reforms: An Assessment of the Real and Informal Sectors, said the country’s overall debt profile, particularly those of the state governments, was scary. Though he did not provide specific details then, the Minister emphasised the need for the states to continue to look inwards for other sources of revenue to pursue their development programmes. Nigeria’s total public debt stock, external and domestic, according to the Debt Management Office, as at December 2014, stood at about $67.73 billion or N11.2 trillion, which is about N1.2 trillion higher than the 2013 figure of N10.04 trillion. A breakdown of the figures showed that external debt, including those of the states, was $9.71 billion or N1.63 trillion. As at December 2013, the total stock of external debt was $8.821 billion indicating a rise of $556 million in the first half of 2014. But as at December 31, 2012, Federal Government’s external debt was $4.14 billion as against a total debt stock of both federal and state governments of $6.5 billion. As at June last year, Federal Government’s borrowing from multilateral institutions amounted to $3.826 billion while loans from bilateral sources mainly China Exim Bank and Eurobond amounted to $2.537 billion. In the case of states, a total of $2.904 billion was sourced from multilateral institutions; $108.9 million was obtained as loans from bilateral sources, thus making the states’ total outstanding external debt as at June 2013, $3.013 billion. Director-General, Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo had said last year that although the debt profile had increased, he assured that the debt remained sustainable at a ratio of 12.51 to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP. The D-G also said that the managers of the nation’s debt would apply more caution in further borrowings in order not to run into the crisis of debt overhang, which the nation once suffered. His words at the time: “The sovereign debt is doing well. Currently, our total sovereign domestic debt for both federal and states and the FCT is about N8.9 trillion and external debt is about $9.38 billion. Our current debt/GDP ratio is about 12.51 per cent which is much lower than the 56 per cent total public to GDP for countries of Nigeria’s group. However, this is not an indication that Nigeria can afford to borrow without caution. In spite of the re-basing which means we have more capacity to borrow, we are not going to borrow without caution. In fact, we are going to be more cautious, especially because our Tax:GDP ratio is low. Many economic agents do not pay their taxes.” Dr. Nwankwo had also said that the Eurobond initiative which commenced in 2011 with the floating of the $500 million Eurobond had positively changed the profiles of Nigerian corporate organisations and their ability to raise long-term funds from the international capital market. The Federal Government raised additional $1 billion from the international capital market in 2013 following which several Nigerian firms, especially banks, went to the international capital market to raise funds for their operations. According to him, six companies issued nine bonds within the last one year, from which about $3.4 billion was raised. The DMO boss said his team would ensure that the funds raised from the capital markets both at home and outside, were utilised profitably in the interest of the nation’s economy. The D-G disclosed that the funds raised from the Eurobond had been deployed to very critical sectors of the economy, requiring urgent financing to boost the economy, especially, the electricity power, agriculture, solid minerals and the dualisation of the Airport and Kubwa roads in Abuja. Dr. Nwankwo said that his team has managed the nation’s debt in line with the national priority needs with a view to creating full values for funds borrowed in order to ensure maximum benefits to the economy. His words, “we have tailored the nation’s debt management in accordance with our peculiarities. We have used debt management to leverage development of the private sector and it has helped them to raise money to boost the real sector such as manufacturing, solid minerals, agriculture and electricity power supply. “We have to develop the capital market to develop long-term debt instrument such that rather than what the banks have been used to in terms of giving out 91 day loans, we now have debt instruments of up to 20 years. We have made it possible for the companies to float their own bonds in the domestic market such that between 2005 and 2013, 23 companies raised N223 billion. “The implication is that with operators in the real sector of the economy being able to raise long-term funds, they can expand their businesses, increase productivity and create more jobs across the country on a sustainable basis.” In August last year, two international rating agencies, Standard & Poor’s and Moody had upgraded Nigeria’s credit rating because of improved financial stability and optimism over reforms to the banking and electricity sectors. Moody upgraded Nigeria’s rating assigning local and foreign currency issuer ratings of Ba3 to the government. Standard and Poor ratings raised its long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit rating to BB- with a stable outlook. This is three points below investment grade, from B+. This brings its view in line with Fitch’s rating. The three foremost rating agencies in the world have all now agreed that Nigeria is managing its resources better than before. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/fgs-external-debt-states-debt-profile-on-the-rise/

Politics

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The Hausa ethnic group is one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria and is one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. The bulk of the Hausa people are based in northern Nigeria, though there are a few in parts of Southern Nigeria. The Hausas are largely pastoral and ‘agrocentric’; this is why they are the largest suppliers of food to the nation. Over time, some funny misconceptions have been formed about the Hausa people and Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 of them. Every one from the North is Hausa This is like saying everyone from the South is Yoruba. There are other ethnic groups in the North apart from the Hausa, though the Hausas are one of the predominant ethnic groups. Aside the Hausa ethnic group, the Fulani ethnic group also reside in the North along with some other smaller ethnic groups. All Hausas are Muslims Most Hausa people are muslims, but not all of them are. There are some Hausa christians residing right there in the North, with some of them as pastors leading congregations of other Hausa christians. Hausas are violent The religious fanatics amongst them are the heartless and violent ones, not the actual people of the tribe. The Hausa people are actually a friendly, warm and accommodating people. If you’re doubtful, as anyone who’s lived in their towns and let them tell you about just how nice to strangers they can be. They are not money conscious This is funny because there is hardly a human being alive who isn’t money conscious. What you can say about Hausas is that it typically doesn’t take them having a lot of money to be content; they tend to be content with whatever money they are able to make. This doesn’t mean there are not money conscious, it just means they have a modest financial culture. They can Never cheat anyone Cheating or not cheating a person is not dependent on ethnic group, it is dependent on a person’s character and personality. There are some Hausas that cheat people during business transactions, but that is because they are human beings, it has little or nothing to do with their ethnic group. Hausa people are dull It is important to not underestimate the fact that the richest man in Africa is an Hausa man. A lot of people say Hausa people are dull, that they behave like cows and that is why it is easy to manipulate them into religious fanaticism, but you will be surprised at just how smart a Hausa man or woman can be. Being smart does not depend on your ethnic group, it depends on the individual. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/6-funny-misconceptions-hausa-people/

Culture

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WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew on Wednesday announced the most sweeping and historically symbolic makeover of American currency in a century, proposing to replace the slaveholding Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill with Harriet Tubman, the former slave and abolitionist, and to add women and civil rights leaders to the $5 and $10 notes. Mr. Lew may have reneged on a commitment he made last year to make a woman the face of the $10 bill, opting instead to keep Alexander Hamilton, to the delight of a fan base swollen with enthusiasm over a Broadway rap musical based on the life of the first Treasury secretary. But the broader remaking of the nation’s paper currency, which President Obama welcomed on Wednesday, may well have captured a historical moment for a multicultural, multiethnic and multiracial nation moving contentiously through the early years of a new century. Tubman, an African-American and a Union spy during the Civil War, would bump Jackson — a white man known as much for his persecution of Native Americans as for his war heroics and advocacy for the common man — to the back of the $20, in some reduced image along with the White House. Tubman would be the first woman so honored on paper currency since Martha Washington’s portrait briefly graced the $1 silver certificate in the late 19th century. While Hamilton would remain on the $10, and Abraham Lincoln on the $5, images of women would be added to the back of both — in keeping with Mr. Lew’s intent “to bring to life” the national monuments depicted there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/us/women-currency-treasury-harriet-tubman.html?_r=0

Politics

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By Udeme Akpan 1. What is the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB? The Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, 2020 is a law in the making, which seeks to introduce far-reaching reforms in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. It was first presented to the National Assembly in 2008. 2. What are the major objectives? The bill aims at establishing good governance, best practices, and ease of doing business in the industry by clarifying roles and responsibilities of officials and institutions, enable frontier exploration, mandate improved environmental compliance, and transform NNPC into a commercially viable enterprise. 3. Why do we need the PIB? The PIB is necessary because almost all petroleum-related laws, including the Petroleum Act of 1969, had been belated for decades. In other words, they are no more relevant and competitive globally. With the advancement in technology, the volatility of oil prices, climatic changes influencing the driving forces of the global economy, it has become imperative to review extant laws to bring them in alignment with current realities. 4. What are the regulatory institutions to be expected? The bill proposes the Upstream Regulatory Commission for upstream operations, including the granting of petroleum exploration licenses. A petroleum exploration license shall be for three years and may be renewable for an additional period of three years subject to the fulfillment of prescribed conditions. The PIB also provides for the establishment of the Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority for midstream and downstream operations. But the president has been advised to go for only one Commission with many departments, using the example of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, as an example. 5. What about the Host Communities Development Trust? The PIB further provides for the creation of a Host Communities Development Trust. The oil operators, described as settlors, are obliged to incorporate a trust for the benefit of the host communities and shall make an annual contribution, based on a certain percentage of their yearly operating expenditure. 6. What are the environmental concerns in the PIB? As a condition for the grant of a license or lease and prior to the approval of the environmental management plan, all licensees or oil companies are required to make financial contribution to an Environmental Remediation Fund for the rehabilitation or management of negative environmental impact with respect to the license or lease. Financial contributions depend on the size of the petroleum operations and the level of environmental risk that may exist. The regulator will apply the Fund towards the rehabilitation, remediation or management of negative environmental impact only when the licensed operator lacks the capacity, or is unable to undertake the rehabilitation or management of any negative impact on the environment effectively. 7. Why did previous administrations fail to pass the PIB into law? The previous administrations failed to pass it into law because of many factors, especially politics, sectional interests, and lack of political will. 8. Why has it become possible to pass it? It was more enhanced by a combination of factors, including the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, host communities and oil and gas operators. Unlike the past when community issues were widely condemned, the conversation about Host Community Trust Fund shifted to community representation, the structure of the fund, and equity stakes. 9. What should the public expect in the coming weeks? The public should expect the House of Representatives to conclude work on the PIB, which will be followed by a joint session of the Senate and the Representatives to review it, before the PIB goes to president Buhari. 10. So, when will it eventually become an Act, and what impact should be expected? It is now certain that the PIB will become an Act this year. It will bring about the restructuring of institutions, attracts local and foreign investors, and enhance transparency and accountability in the oil and gas industry. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/10-things-to-know-about-nigerias-pib/

Politics

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Easter: Cleric advises Nigerians to have hope in God Abuja – Nigeria has been ranked the 103 happiest nation of the world, and 6th in Africa in the World Happiness Report. The World Happiness Report 2016 update, which ranks 157 countries by their happiness levels, was released in Rome on Wednesday, in advance of UN World Happiness Day, March 20th. As indicated by the report, Nigeria dropped from its 78th position in the World and 2nd in Africa in the 2015 happiness ranking. Denmark emerged the world’s happiest place, while Algeria, standing at 38 at the global level, maintains its position as the happiest place in Africa. Mauritius is now the second happiest country in Africa, followed by Libya, Morocco and Tunisia respectively. According to the report, eight sub-Saharan countries were among the 10 least happy places on earth to live. The bottom 10 were; Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi. South Africa and Ghana stood at 116 and 124 respectively on the Global happiness ranking. The World Happiness Report, an initiative of the UN, is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness, aimed at influencing government policy. The report reviews the state of happiness in the world and shows how the new science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness. It reflects a new worldwide demand for more attention to happiness as criteria for government policy. According to the report, leading experts across fields – economics, psychology, survey analysis, national statistics, health, public policy and more – describe how measurements of well-being can be used effectively to assess the progress of nations. Healthy years of life expectancy, GDP per capital, social support , perceived absence of corruption in government and business, freedom to make life decisions and generosity are some of the factors the report considers. The first world happiness report was published in support of the April 2, 2012 United Nations (UN) high level meeting on happiness and well-being. The report was prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Prof. Jeffrey Sachs is the head of the SDSN and special advisor to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/nigerians-no-longer-happy-drop-in-global-hapiness-ranking/

Politics

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UK trains dogs to detect asymptomatic coronavirus carriers - Could screen 250 people an hour - Can already sniff out potential diseases like cancer and malaria The United Kingdom is in the process of training dogs to ‘sniff’ out symptoms of coronavirus before they appear in humans. Trials to see how the novel works out are to commence soon, according to the London Mail. The UK government is supporting the landmark trials to the tune of £500,000 under its funding of vital research into early methods of detecting the virus. If successful, the dogs could be used to sniff out up to 250 people an hour in a bid to ramp up testing. The dogs, a mixture of labradors and cocker spaniels, can already identify deadly diseases including cancer, malaria and Parkinson’s disease. They will now undergo intensive training to spot Covid-19 before symptoms appear. They will be trained using samples of people infected with coronavirus and those who are uninfected, as some respiratory diseases are known to change body odour. Research has revealed the dogs are able to detect the odour of disease at the equivalent dilution of one teaspoon of sugar in an astonishing two Olympic-sized swimming pools of water. The first phase of the trials will be conducted by researchers at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), in collaboration with the charity Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) and Durham University. A hopeful Professor James Logan, head of the department of disease control at the LSHTM, is quoted as saying: “Our previous work has shown that malaria has a distinctive odour, and with Medical Detection Dogs, we successfully trained dogs to accurately detect malaria,” he said. ‘This combined with the knowledge that respiratory disease can change body odour, makes us hopeful that the dogs can also detect Covid-19.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/uk-trains-dogs-to-detect-asymptomatic-coronavirus-carriers/amp/?__twitter_impression=trueSource:

Health

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Increasing monkeypox cases are casting a bit of a shadow on celebrations across the country recognizing Pride Month, though experts have generally said people should exercise care but not change their plans over the virus. As of Friday, around 45 monkeypox cases have been identified in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, the number is on the rise, and the virus has now been found in 14 states and the District of Columbia. The cases have been found mostly in men who have sex with men. Monkeypox is a less severe relative of the smallpox virus, and it has already infected more than a thousand people living in countries where the disease is not endemic, according to the World Health Organization. As many people grapple with COVID-19 pandemic fatigue, the possibility of another viral outbreak is daunting. However, unlike the coronavirus, potential treatments and vaccines were immediately made available once cases were detected in the U.S., with production for more rounds already underway. These treatments are currently being reserved for identified cases, medical workers and close contacts. Experts say there is no need to hold off on Pride celebrations. “I think that would send the wrong message of support for our community when Pride can ultimately raise awareness of singular issues in ways that other events can’t,” Scott Bertani, director of advocacy for the HealthHIV social service organization, told The Hill. He added that Pride presented an opportunity for further conversations about health, especially for sexual minority groups that have historically been overlooked or even vilified. Sean Cahill, director of health policy research for Fenway Health, said that in general people should not cancel their plans but added that they should make the best choices for themselves as individuals. “I think different individuals have different risk tolerances,” said Cahill. Stay informed, be aware and be careful Jay Varma, epidemiologist and director of Cornell Medicine’s Center for Pandemic Prevention and Response, advised that people check themselves for symptoms such as fatigue and muscle aches if they plan to attend events, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. He also recommended that people check their skin for possible monkey pox lesions, particularly in areas that are difficult to see, including the anal area, where lesions have been observed in several patients. The White House has said it is working to expand testing capacity in the U.S. On Friday, officials said that public health labs in the U.S. currently have the capacity to conduct more than a thousand tests per day for orthopoxvirus, the family of viruses that monkeypox falls within. Cahill advised against going to areas where people are “packed in,” as monkeypox is spread through skin-to-skin contact and can sometimes be spread through respiratory fluids if monkeypox lesions form inside a person’s mouth or throat. Cahill’s organization, Fenway Health, which focuses on LGBTQ health care and advocacy, has published fact sheets on the monkeypox outbreak. The virus does not discriminate Health authorities and LGBTQ advocacy groups have repeatedly stressed that monkeypox does not differentiate between those who are gay or straight and that everyone should stay aware and informed on the risks of the virus. “Let’s be clear: this is not a virus solely targeting the LGBTQ+ community,” Tari Hanneman, director of the Human Rights Campaign’s Health and Aging Program said in a statement. “It’s critically important that we provide a clear, scientific, evidence-based response to prevent the spread of misinformation which might stigmatize the LGBTQ+ community, cause unnecessary fear and potentially endanger lives,” said Hanneman. “There is no such thing as a ‘gay disease,’” Cahill said, adding that it was important to strike a balance in terms of public health messaging. With the disease appearing to spread mostly in this specific demographic, ugly recollections of the HIV crisis and the stigma that grew from it have been brought up. Cahill recalled speaking with a fellow attendee at a recent event who said, “We already have been dealing with COVID-19 for 2 ½ years. We’ve been dealing with HIV our whole lives. And now this.” “I totally understand that response. It is just like one more thing to worry about,” Cahill said. “But … if you have a little bit of information and if you’re a little bit vigilant, you can avoid getting it.” Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3519303-why-experts-say-monkeypox-shouldnt-damper-pride-month-celebrations/It

Health

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Read the video transcript below. Has Science Discovered God? Einstein didn’t believe it was possible. Stephen Hawking said it might be the greatest scientific discovery of all time. What discovery has baffled the greatest scientific minds of the past century, and why has it caused them to rethink the origin of our universe? New, more powerful, telescopes have revealed mysteries about our universe that have raised new questions about the origin of life. Has science discovered God? But wait a minute! Hasn’t science proven we don’t need God to explain the universe? Lightning, earthquakes and even babies used to be explained as acts of God. But now we know better. What is it about this discovery that is so fundamentally different, and why has it stunned the scientific world? This discovery and what molecular biologists have learned about the sophisticated coding within DNA have many scientists now admitting that the universe appears to be part of a grand design. One cosmologist put it this way: “Many scientists, when they admit their views, incline toward the teleological or design argument.” Surprisingly, many scientists who are talking about God have no religious belief whatsoever. So, what are these stunning discoveries that have scientists suddenly speaking of God? Three revolutionary discoveries from the fields of astronomy and molecular biology stand out: 1. The universe had a beginning 2. The universe is just right for life 3. DNA coding reveals intelligence The statements leading scientists have made about these discoveries may shock you. Let’s take a look.

http://y-jesus.com/more/scc-science-christianity-compatible/

Religion

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By Chief Afe Babalola It is no longer news that SARS-CoV-2, renamed COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation on February 11, 2020, has taken the world by storm, transcending borders and geographical landscapes, defying orthodox treatments and holding several economies, first-world and third-world alike, to ransom. Besides its dire health implications, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a major offset in the financial, economic, religious, social and political structures world-over as evinced by a near-collapse of the stock market, a staggering rate of retrenchment and unemployment, closure of transnational borders, restrictions on social and religious gatherings, a drastic fall in Foreign Direct Investment flows, among others. Pandemics in the face of human existence: Pandemics are not alien to human existence. In the realm of infectious diseases, a pandemic is a worst-case scenario. When an epidemic spreads beyond a country’s borders, the disease then officially becomes a pandemic. Owing to the trans-border, uncontained spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic, stating that “in the past two weeks, the number of cases outside China has increased 13-fold and the number of affected countries has tripled”. The earliest recorded pandemic occurred around 430 BC during the Peloponnesian war, leading to the death of two-thirds of the Athenian population. The symptoms included fever, thirst, bloody throat and tongue, red skin and lesions. The disease, suspected to have been typhoid fever, weakened the Athenians significantly and was a significant factor in their defeat by the Spartans. Next was the Antonine Plague of 165 AD which occasioned symptoms similar to smallpox. Symptoms included fever, sore throat, diarrhoea and, if the patient lived long enough, pus-filled sores. This plague continued until about 180 A.D., claiming Emperor Marcus Aurelius as one of its victims. The Cyprian Plague of 250 AD which was symptomatised with gangrenous hands and feet, leading to several amputations to curtail its spread. City dwellers fled to the country to escape infection but instead spread the disease further. Possibly starting in Ethiopia, it passed through Northern Africa, into Rome, then onto Egypt and northward. The Justinian Plague of 541 AD which first appeared in Egypt, eventually killing 26 percent of world population, that is about 50 million people. The plague changed the course of the empire, squelching Emperor Justinian’s plans to bring the Roman Empire back together and causing massive economic struggle. It is also credited with creating an apocalyptic atmosphere that spurred the rapid spread of Christianity. There was the Black Death of 1350 which was a devastating global epidemic of bubonic plague that struck Europe and Asia in the mid-1300s. The plague arrived in Europe in October 1347 when 12 ships from the Black Sea docked at the Sicilian port of Messina. People who gathered on the docks were met with a horrifying surprise: most sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those still alive were gravely ill and covered in black boils that oozed blood and pus. Sicilian authorities hastily ordered the fleet of “death ships” out of the harbour, but it was too late. Over the next five years, the Black Death would kill about 50 million people. The plague collapsed the British feudal system when it changed economic circumstances and demographics. The Columbian Exchange of 1492 occurred as a result of the arrival of the Spanish in the Caribbean who brought infections such as smallpox, measles and bubonic plague being passed along to the native populations by the Europeans. With no previous exposure, these diseases devastated indigenous people, with as many as 90 percent dying throughout the north and south continents. Upon arrival on the island of Hispaniola, Christopher Columbus encountered the Taino people, population 60,000. By 1548, the population stood at less than 500!!! The 1665 Great Plague of London was another pandemic of devastating proportions. It was the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England. It led to the deaths of 20 percent of London’s population. As human death tolls mounted and mass graves appeared, hundreds of thousands of cats and dogs were slaughtered as the possible cause and the disease spread through ports along the Thames. The first Cholera Pandemic occurred in 1817. It originated in Russia, where one million people died. Spreading through faeces-infected water and food, the disease was passed along to British soldiers who brought it to India where millions more died. The reach of the British Empire and its navy spread cholera to Spain, Africa, Indonesia, China, Japan, Italy, Germany and America, where it killed 150,000 people. The Third Plague Pandemic of 1855 started in China and moved to India and Hong Kong. It claimed 15 million victims. India faced the most substantial casualties and the epidemic was used as an excuse for repressive policies that sparked some revolt against the British. The pandemic was considered active until 1960 when cases dropped below a couple hundred. In 1875, there was the Fiji Measles Pandemic. After Fiji ceded to the British Empire, a royal party visited Australia as a gift from Queen Victoria. Arriving during a measles outbreak, the royal party brought the disease back to their Island, and it was spread further by the tribal heads and police who met with them upon their return. It led to the death of one-third of Fiji’s population, with a total of 40,000 people dying. The Russian Flu of 1889, which started in Siberia and Kazakhstan, travelled to Moscow, and made its way into Finland and then Poland, where it moved into the rest of Europe. By the following year, it had crossed the ocean into North America and Africa. By the end of 1890, the flu had claimed 360,000 lives. In the history of pandemics, the 1918 Spanish Flu was the deadliest, having symptoms similar to COVID-19. It attacked the respiratory system and was transmitted by inhaling the respiratory droplets of an infected person who coughs, sneezes or talks. Equally, it was transmitted when an infected person touched a surface which had the virus and touched his mouth, eyes or nose. Young children, people over 65 and people with certain medical conditions faced a higher risk of infection. The first wave of the Spanish Flu was generally mild and the infected generally experienced flu-like symptoms. However, the second wave of the disease, deadlier than the first wave, led to the death of victims within hours or days of developing symptoms, their skins turning blue and their lungs filling with fluid that caused them to suffocate. In fact, according to a report, more US soldiers died from the 1918 Spanish Flu than during World War 1. Next is the 1957 Asian Flu which started in Hongkong and spread through China, and then into the United States. It became widespread in England where, over six months, 14,000 people died. A second wave followed in early 1958, causing an estimated total of about 1.1 million deaths globally. In 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome started in China, followed by 26 other countries, infecting 8,096 people, with 774 deaths. SARS is characterized by respiratory problems, dry cough, fever and head and body aches and is spread through respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes. Quarantine efforts proved effective in curtailing its spread. The latest pandemic is now COVID-19 which was also first reported in China and has spread over the world, leading to thousands of death. The disease became known when Dr. Li Wenliang defied Chinese government orders and released safety information to other doctors. By mid-March, it had spread globally to more than 163 countries, Nigeria inclusive. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/05/pandemics-in-history-was-nigeria-prepared-for-covid-19-2/

Health

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When billionaire media producer Oprah Winfrey took a DNA test for the PBS show African American Lives a few years back, she learned that her DNA had three exact matches — with the Kpelle people, who lived in western Africa in what’s now Liberia; the Bamileke people in Cameroon; and a Bantu-speaking tribe in Zambia. Like many African Americans whose genealogy is difficult to trace beyond slavery, Oprah knew little about her African ancestry. She was born in Mississippi and on a previous African American Lives program, had learned that an ancestor started a school for black children after the Civil War (hearing this brought her to tears). Tracing Oprah’s African Roots Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Harvard professor and current host of Finding Your Roots, has written about why Oprah’s DNA shows such diversity within Africa. In his book Finding Oprah’s Roots: Finding Yours, he points out that over the millennia of Africa’s history, tribes migrated across the continent or were taken captive in wars; in other words, there was a lot of movement, as happens with all peoples. Oprah’s links to Zambia are most likely part of the Bantu migrations, he says, when a group of Bantu-speaking Africans long ago migrated out of southern Cameroon and peopled huge sections of central and southern Africa. Combining information from Oprah’s DNA matches (both in Liberia and among the Gullah people off the coast of South Carolina) with what’s known about the history of American slavery suggests that the first slave in her ancestry was likely a woman from West Africa. Between 1801 and 1810, about 41,000 slaves came into the U.S. through the port at Charleston, South Carolina, many of them from West Africa. Before taking the DNA test, Oprah said she didn’t believe she had any European or Native American ancestors. Her test results showed her to be correct about the European ancestry (she had 0 percent), but wrong about the Native American part (8 percent). She also learned she was 3 percent East Asian. “I’ve got to say, when it happened to me, it was absolutely empowering to know the journey of my entire family,” Oprah said. DNA Testing to Trace African Ancestry DNA testing has taken some amazing leaps forward since Oprah took her test. Now, the most popular tests for family history are autosomal tests, like AncestryDNA, which are tools both women and men can use to compare their DNA with others around the world and uncover tantalizing clues about the people who came before them and their journeys. This information, together with historical data found at Ancestry, can be a powerful tool to help break through difficult genealogical “brick walls.” Discover more about your story with DNA.

https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/the-surprising-facts-oprah-winfrey-learned-about-her-dna/?theme=ancestry-2016What

Culture

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Alarming trends of COVID-19 in the state of Washington highlight patterns of inequity and increased cases among younger people, a press release from Washington State Department of Health (DOH) stated. Two new reports from DOH and the Bellevue-based Institute of Disease Modeling (IDM) analyzed COVID-19 data by age, race/ethnicity and primary language spoken. Both of the reports highlight the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on communities of color. The IDM report points to the recent increases in COVID-19 among younger people. “We know the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the health inequities historically marginalized and oppressed communities already experience,” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer at DOH. “These data are deeply concerning and underline the critical need to address the COVID-19 impacts we’re currently seeing by prioritizing outreach, testing, education and related materials for disproportionately impacted communities in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible.” “Public health interventions worked early in the COVID-19 epidemic to control cases, but communities of color experienced less of that benefit,” added Dr. Marita Zimmermann, research economist at IDM. “Now more and more young people of color in Washington are getting infected. COVID-19 exploits the inequities in health and wellbeing in our society, and this analysis sheds light on the people most in need of protection.” The DOH’s report findings include the following: - Hispanic people and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people have had case rates that are nine times higher than those of White people, over the pandemic. - Death rates are three times higher among Hispanic people and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people compared to White people. The rates are twice as high among American Indian or Alaska Native people and over 50 percent higher among Black and Asian people. In addition, analyses of these rates by region show COVID-19 is found in significant numbers across racial and ethnic groups, regardless of the area, such as rural, urban or suburban regions. There have also been high rates of hospitalizations among people whose primary language is not English or Spanish, which analysts suggest may be due to those communities experiencing more severe disease due to increased exposures and/or barriers to quality and affordable care. Researchers also caution that limited data on primary language must be interpreted with caution. IDM’s report includes the following: - A recent shift to younger age groups has been the pattern for cases. People under age 35 represented 22 percent of cases from January to March and by May/June represented 46 percent of cases. - An increasing concentration of cases in Hispanic people has also occurred, with Hispanics making up 58 percent of COVID-19 cases with known race and ethnicity since the beginning , despite making up only 13 percent of the state’s population. Several factors may make Hispanic people at higher risk, including living in larger households, limited access to healthcare and working in essential services. - On a per capita basis, recent data show Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people have the highest risk. - Hispanic people were 13 times more likely and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people were 17 times more likely to get COVID-19 compared to White people during May and June. - Disparities among groups are widening. The groups experiencing a higher COVID-19 burden in June are largely the same groups that have been disproportionately impacted in previous months. More COVID-19 data is available on the DOH data dashboard and IDM’s InfoHub.

https://www.koin.com/news/health/coronavirus/concerning-patterns-of-inequity-in-wash-covid-19-reports/

Health

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This representation of crime data shows the relative frequency of how often violent and property crime offenses occurred in 2017. (Note that the Crime Clock should not be taken to imply regularity in the commission of crime. The Crime Clock represents the annual ratio of crime to fixed time intervals.) A violent crime was committed every 24.6 seconds. A murder occurred every 30.5 minutes, a rape every 3.9 minutes, a robbery every 1.7 minutes, and an aggravated assault every 39.0 seconds. A property crime offense was committed every 4.1 seconds. A burglary offense occurred every 22.6 seconds, a larceny-theft every 5.7 seconds, and a motor vehicle theft every 40.9 seconds.

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017/topic-pages/crime-clock

Politics

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A growing number of young men are becoming leery of marriage, not only in Africa. Some parents are wondering if they are ever going to become grandparents. These young men feel threatened, thinking the institution of marriage has been captured by the new women power of feminism to dominate them in their houses. This fear has worked to the disadvantage of serious young women that are willing to support and encourage loyal partners. Do not ask of others what you cannot give back in return in cash or kind. Otherwise, you create a deficit with no fulfillment on the other side. This leads to resentment and feeling of being cheated. Asking for what you can never give back in cash or kind is greed. You become reliable when you can give back in your own unique way. Whenever dependents fail to curry favors, they become resentful and sometimes vicious making demands based on lust. The fact is that there have always been ladies that support their husbands in every way they can, even financially. There is no doubt that some young people, especially ladies, see marriage as a form of status symbol, the same reason other young men reject it. Suspicion of being used has created unprecedented feelings of lack of trust on both sides. They care more about their sanity and fear that whatever their sweat, worked for, may be lost in marriage. These are not children that are helpless because they eat and pass bowel movements without any responsibility for their being. As children get older, we teach them to be more responsible. Adults' relationships are not a helpless situation. It is mutual symbiosis that benefits both parties not a parasitic expectation. Even then, one partner has some favors to gain from the other that makes her or him satisfied. Each partner must bring something to the table. Though rules have changed at work between opposite sex. Many people used to meet their spouse at colleges or work. Office romance has gone sour because of employers' liabilities. If both partners insist on a relationship, one has to quit or be transferred to another department so that coworkers do not interpret any action between couples as sexual favors. The rules of engagement in wars must not be extended to their homes. If a lady gives you her loyalty and stands by you to achieve your goals, reward her more than you would a valuable employee. In this case as the equal builder of the family. A rich lady is expected to reward her partner for protective and supportive roles. Behind every successful man or woman, there is always a partner. The law takes this into consideration when there is a separation or divorce, especially when a child is involved. While it is true that there are some ladies willing to dispossess men, at some point most women just want fair partnership. Most ladies are supportive as long as their needs to cater for the family is taken care of by the man. Hardly do we label a rich woman that fails to provide for the family as irresponsible as we do men: you are not a man. They never say you are not a woman for abdication of responsibility. However, when underage children are involved, those children must be taken care of by contribution from the wealthier partner. The problem for parents is that these young men and women are staying longer at home. Some of them hate paying subsidized rents or bills at home. Indeed, some of these young people that have left home come back to raid their parents' house of groceries or sweet talk them for some of their pensions. You do not want grown men and women that have become unyielding to your advice back into your house. During bad economic periods, they just move back home, it gets worse. Those fortunate to have rich parents, move back home with their children and some with wives/husbands! There are those claiming "temporary shelter" to save enough money for down payment on their own house. One said: this is my father's house you too can move back to your father's house! Ladies want a man that pays his way and shoulder some responsibilities even if they are richer. A guy was paying all bills without realizing his wife owns the house. Young men see it as sucking every penny out of them while she gets richer. Young people cannot rely on the label of brokeass men or ladies, to poison a good friendship or partnership. Ladies buying houses without their partners and collecting rent and all bills through agencies are not fair. Africans living abroad have come home to bring over their girlfriends after they experience irreconcilable differences with their wives. Many girls have heard stories about wives taking the house away from the man. Some schemers plan and brag at home to friends before they get abroad. Please note that the law does not favor foreign wife or husband schemers as homewreckers. Spouses can sue wealthy home wreckers for alienation or loss of affection. Little do they realize that they are not the legal wives and can be sued for disruption of the marriage of their boyfriends. You cannot take a house that has been in the possession of another couple for years just because you are the new girlfriend in town. Local girlfriends understand that but not johnny-just-come looking for awoof. It can happen when the man buys a new house with the girlfriend. Ladies with skilful professions making good money can also outdo the johnny-just-come whose name is not on the house deed. So both men and women making good income can buy a house without the other or the fear of losing their homes to opportunists. There is a poisoned pill called equity loans which only the owner on the deed can take out if threatened. Equity loans will destroy any benefit or greed of non-contributors. By the time equity loans, taxes and other bills pile up, nobody will tell the schemer, man or woman to sell the house, with negative equity or little money left. The most important point here is Good Faith and Fair Dealing, especially with children involved. You cannot cheat a woman because you trained her as a nurse to bring a good income home or dispossess a hard working man that is already established before you arrived. It is true men get kicked out more often because they move to a bigger house and buy more expensive cars when their spouse has arrived to demonstrate better or ostentatious living neither of them can support alone. Good Faith and Fair Dealings is the bottom line. A wealthy businessman in Toronto Canada was ordered by the courts to pay his ex-girlfriend more than $50,000 a month in support for a decade. The court determined this after they verified that the two were never married and never lived together. Even when an unmarried couple has no children and no house together, a man can still be ordered to pay support for loss of partnership, Ontario appeal court rules. https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/businessman-ordered-to-pay-spousal-support-to-his-ex-girlfriend/

https://www.modernghana.com/lifestyle/14691/marriage-is-a-partnership-and-friendship-not-a.html

Romance

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Three months after his bone marrow transplant, Chris Long of Reno, Nev., learned that the DNA in his blood had changed. It had all been replaced by the DNA of his donor, a German man he had exchanged just a handful of messages with. He’d been encouraged to test his blood by a colleague at the Sheriff’s Office, where he worked. She had an inkling this might happen. It’s the goal of the procedure, after all: Weak blood is replaced by healthy blood, and with it, the DNA it contains. But four years after his lifesaving procedure, it was not only Mr. Long’s blood that was affected. Swabs of his lips and cheeks contained his DNA — but also that of his donor. Even more surprising to Mr. Long and other colleagues at the crime lab, all of the DNA in his semen belonged to his donor. “I thought that it was pretty incredible that I can disappear and someone else can appear,” he said. [After this story was published, curious readers asked a number of questions. We did our best to answer them.] Mr. Long had become a chimera, the technical term for the rare person with two sets of DNA. The word takes its name from a fire-breathing creature in Greek mythology composed of lion, goat and serpent parts. Doctors and forensic scientists have long known that certain medical procedures turn people into chimeras, but where exactly a donor’s DNA shows up — beyond blood — has rarely been studied with criminal applications in mind. Tens of thousands of people get bone marrow transplants every year, for blood cancers and other blood diseases including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell anemia. Though it’s unlikely that any of them would end up as the perpetrator or victim of a crime, the idea that they could intrigued Mr. Long’s colleagues at the Washoe County Sheriff’s Department, who have been using their (totally innocent) colleague in IT as a bit of a human guinea pig.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/07/us/dna-bone-marrow-transplant-crime-lab.html#click=https:///FWWYUVdhyK

Health

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…The three storey building floating school A landmark floating school that provided classes to children on a lagoon in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, has collapsed during heavy rains, its headteacher said on Thursday. “The structure collapsed at around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) on Tuesday following a rainstorm,” the school’s director, Noah Shemede, told AFP. Shemede and the Amsterdam-based architects NLE said there were no casualties and that the floating school in the Makoko area of the city had been empty since March this year. The headteacher said 58 students who were using the facility as an annexe had been relocated to the main school nearby because of concerns from parents about the effects of annual rains. Architect Kunle Adeyemi said the building was a prototype which had been used “intensively” over the last three years and a new building would be constructed to replace it. “We are glad there were no casualties in what seemed like an abrupt collapse,” he said in a statement. “The prototype had served its purpose in time and we look forward to the reconstruction of the improved version amongst other greater developments of the community,” he said in a statement. Makoko has been dubbed the “Venice of Africa” but comparisons between the slum dwellings on stilts in the water and the historic Italian city end there. The award-winning school, a three-storey triangular A-frame which floated on 250 empty plastic barrels fixed under a wooden base, was the tallest structure in Makoko and had become a landmark. It provided 200 square metres (2,370 square feet) of floor space and was also used for social events in the desperately poor and neglected fishing community. Shemede said the debris from Tuesday’s storms was being cleared but complained of a lack of government assistance for people living on the water. “The project is a private initiative for the Makoko waterfront community. The main school was built in 2007/2008 while the collapsed structure was built as an extension in 2012,” he said. “The entire school has a student population of 259. We want (the state) government to assist our community through the provision of social amenities.” Building collapses are common in Nigeria during the rainy season, which in Lagos normally starts in March or April, often because of shoddy building practices and sub-standard materials. In March, at least 34 people were killed when a building under construction came down in the upmarket Lagos suburb of Lekki. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/lagos-floating-school-collapses-heavy-rains/

Politics

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What Is Afrobeat and Juju Highlife Music? Before the advent of hip-hop, which has presently taken over the whole country, Afro-juju and highlife were widely celebrated throughout Nigeria from the early 1950s until the late 1990s. In recent times, hip-hop music appears to be holding sway with the electronic media in Nigeria with massive airplay. The origin of this style of music was largely attributed to Ghana, which later spread to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, and Nigeria via Ghanaian workers, among other West African countries, by the 1930s. The music is often performed live with groups of singers and instrumentalists called a band. Nonetheless, Sunny Adé's musical output has continued to inspire a vast generation of other Nigerian and African musicians and music lovers who believe in the big band musical set up—which the likes of Osita Osadebe, Sunny Adé, and late Fela Kuti were noted for. So in no particular order, here is the list of these musicians: 1. Fela Kuti With his original name as Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, he became known widely as Fela. He was born on 15th October 1938 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Western Nigeria. He was born into well connected Yoruba family as his father, Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, was a Protestant minister and school principal, and his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a feminist activist in the anti-colonial movement. He is also the first cousin to the Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. He played for some time with Victor Olaiya and his All Stars, after which he formed his own music group called Afrika’ 70. With his well-connected background, there is no doubt Fela became more famous and popular with his style of music as he was the pioneer of the Afrobeat music in Nigeria and Africa. He was also a human rights activist and used his music to publicly criticize the (then) corrupt military government and also to fight European cultural imperialism as he supported traditional African religions and lifestyles. His famous music single was Water E No Get Enemy. His famous albums include: Shakara (1972), Confusion (1975), Zombie (1977), The Best Best of Fela Kuti (1999) with major concerts like Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense & Berliner Jazztage '78 (Double Feature), 1984. He has been nominated for Grammy awards on three separate occasions. In 1960, Fela married his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor, with whom he would have three children (Femi, Yeni, and Sola) and divorced all his 12 wives and concubines after release from prison in 1986. Fela was a chronic chain smoker and died on 2 August 1997 from Kaposi's sarcoma, an AIDS-related disease. 2. King Sunny Adé His original name was Sunday Adeniyi and he was born on 22nd September 1946 in Oshogbo, Ondo State of Western Nigeria to a royal Yoruba family. His father was Church organist and his mother was a market trader. Sunny is well known to be one of the most influential Afro-juju musicians as he was also a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He formed the group called African Beats which he later changed the name to Golden Mercury whose music was characterized with the use of Yoruba talking drum With his Afro genre of music, King Sunny became the first African to be nominated twice for a Grammy. Notable amongst his music albums are Odu (1998). In 2009 King Sunny Adé was inducted into the Afropop Hall of Fame, at the Brooklyn African Festival in the United States and he humbly dedicated the award to the Late Michael Jackson. Currently, King Sunny Ade runs his non-profit organisation called the King Sunny Adé Foundation, and is also working with the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria. 3. Osita Osadebe His full name was Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, and he was born on March 1936 in Atani, Anambra, located in Southeastern Nigeria. Chief Osadebe, as he was popularly (because he is a titled high chief in Igboland) called, was a singer-songwriter and record producer who was also known as the father of Igbo highlife music. His music was influenced by his personal life experience, trials, and tribulations. Chief Osadebe released the first album of his career in 1958 and later established his record label, Polygram Records Nigeria. He went on to write over 500 songs; half of these songs were released commercially. Notable amongst his music albums are Kedu America. On 11 May 2007, Chief Osadebe passed away in St. Mary's Hospital Waterbury, Connecticut, USA after suffering from severe respiratory difficulties. 4. Dan Maraya Jos His full original name was Adamu Wayya Maraya, and he was born in 1946 in Bukur, near Jos, Plateau State, located in North-central Nigeria. Dan Maraya, whose name literally means "The Little Orphan of Jos," was widely known for his use of trademark Kuntigi (a small, single-stringed traditional lute normally oval-shaped sardine covered with goatskin) while performing his famous praise songs. His songs were very famous throughout the Hausa part of the country, as he was invited to sing in traditional gatherings, marriages, and different other local and national ceremonies. His first and perhaps the most popular of his music is Wak'ar Karen Mota (meaning "Song of the Driver's Mate). Others include Jawabin Aure (meaning Discourse on Marriage), Auren Dole (meaning Forced Marriage), and Gulma-Wuya (The Busybody). Dan Maraya died on 20 June 2015. 5. Sir Victor Uwaifo Victor Abimbola Olaiya was born on 31st December 1930 in Calabar, Cross River State, located in Southern Nigeria. His Yoruba parents were Alfred Omolona Olaiya and Bathsheba Owolabi Motajo, who hailed from Ijesha-Ishu in Ekiti State. He was regarded as one of the pioneers of Highlife music in Nigeria as Alhaji Alade Odunewu of the Daily Times described him as "The Evil Genius of Highlife" has collaborated with the likes of Ghanaian highlife musicians, including E. T. Mensah. Victor is also a trumpeter and group leader Sir Victor is highly educated and formed his own band called the Cool Cats in 1954 and renamed the group to All-Stars Band in 1963, which once had and trained some popular music icons like the drummer Tony Allen and vocalist Fela Kuti in his group. Popular of his music albums include Odale Ore b/w Mofe Muyon (1958), Olaiya's Victories (1961), Highlife Reincarnation(1981), Baby Jowo(Baby Mi Da)with 2face (2013). Olaiya married many wives. He has children and grandchildren. One of his daughters, Moji Olaiya, is an actress, and his son Bayode Olaiya currently sings with him. 6. Fatai Rolling Dollar Prince Olayiwola Fatai Olagunju was born on 22 July 1927 in Ede, Oyo State of Western Nigeria. He is a foremost Nigeria Juju and highlife musician whose trademark music was characterized by the use of guitar. He formed his eight-man band group called African Rhythm Band in 1957, and together, they produced one of his greatest hit tracks, "Won Kere Si Number Wa." He once had the famous Ebenezer Obey in his band group and mentored him. Rolling Dollar was married to three wives and had 16 children. He died at the age of 86 on 12 June 2103 after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and was buried in his home at Ikorodu, Lagos. 7. Ebenezer Obey Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi was born on 3 April 1942, in Idogo L.G.A of Ogun State, located in the Western part of Nigeria. He is also amongst the pioneer Juju musicians in Nigeria as he was popularly nicknamed the "Chief Commander." Ebenezer formed his own band called International Brothers in 1964, whose playing style is characterized by Yoruba percussion style and use of more drum kits, guitars, and Yoruba talking drums. However, Ebenezer somehow got converted and switched to full gospel music in the early 1980s. His popular songs include Ewa Wo Ohun Ojuri (1964), Ija Pari I (1971), Joy of Salvation (What God Has Joined Together), 1981, Count Your Blessing (On the Rock) 1990, Good News (1993), and others. Ebenezer got married to his wife, Lady Evangelist Juliana Obey-Fabiyi in 1963, who later died at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital on 23 August 2011 at 67years, and together they have several children and grandchildren. 8. Oliver De Coque The man who people normally say he resembles the great Ikemba, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu (who led the Biafran Army during the Nigeria Civil War), was born on April 14, 1947, in Ezinifite, Anambra State in Eastern Nigeria to Igbo parents. He is one of the most famous Nigeria’s Igbo Highlife singers, songwriters, musicians, or guitarists whose songs are praise songs for individuals and social clubs. He formed his band group called Ogene sound super of Africa, which blended modern high life and traditional Igbo music. His famous songs include a song dedicated to a powerful and popular club called People’s Club of Nigeria which consists of the richest men in Igboland, Apprecitaion, Egwu anyi Si Na Mmiri, Baby Don’t Cry, Odiri (2002), Nwa bu Nwa (1976) and others. Oliver De Coque married many wives with many children, and his son, Darlington, nicknamed Safin De Coque, is also a musician, but unlike his father, he does hip-hop. Oliver died on June 21, 2008, at the age of 61. 9. I.K Dairo Isaiah Kehinde Dairo was born in 1930 in Offa, Kwara State, in Western Nigeria. Dairo rose to fame shortly after he formed his musical group called the Morning Star Orchestra in 1957. His band made use of unique musical instruments like the double toy, akuba, ogido, clips, maracas, agogo(bell), samba (a square-shaped drum), and an amplified accordion, which was played by Dairo making him the first high-profile musician to play the accordion. His popular music includes Mo ti yege, Yoruba Solidarity, Erora Feso Jaiye, Salome 92, Ashiko (1994). Dairo died in the year 1996 at the tender age of 39. 10. Sir Shina Peters Oluwashina Akanbi Peter was born on May 30, 1958, in Ogun State, western Nigeria. Sir Shina Peters as he was commonly known is an afro-juju musician whose style of play is described as a rhythmic collaboration of both Afrobeat and juju with the use of guitars and other local musical instruments which pierced ethnic, cultural, and language barriers in Nigeria. He was said to have changed and revolutionized the Juju Music scene in Africa with his band group called International Stars, which he formed in the late 1980s. He has over 16 music albums which have led him to tour the shores of South Africa, Europe, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States. Notable among them are Ace, an Afro-Juju Series 1 (1989), Shinamania (1990), Dancing Time (1991), Kilode (1995), Pay Back Time (2005). Sir Peters is currently signed to Orbit Entertainment, a USA agency in New York that he co-owns. - Cesária Évora: The Barefoot Diva of Cape Verde Cape Verde is a group of islands off the west coast of Africa, and it’s where Cesária Évora perfected morna, the traditional style of music of the archipelago. - Kalangu, Gangan, Odondo: An Exploration of the Talking Drums of Africa From the gangan and kalangu to the sato and sabar, this article explores the origins and uses of the amazing talking drums of Africa, percussion instruments that can adapt their tones to spoken language and are used to relay messages from afar. - Top 10 Albums of the South African Jazz Diaspora Exile was a two-edged sword for the South African musicians who left their homeland for the freedom of Europe and the United States. This is a selection of some of the finest albums to come out of the great South African jazz diaspora. © 2015 Factable News Olushola on April 30, 2020: Why didn't you include Dr. Orlando Owoh, was he not a musician or is he a Teacher? Olushola Adebayo on April 30, 2020: You didn't post Orlando Owoh, or is he not a musician? Was he a teacher? Adenyi Badmus on March 17, 2020: Celestine on October 04, 2019: How can u write any important works if highlife music without the legendary and extraordinary highlufe maestros: Rex Lawson, Victor Uwaifo, prince Mbarga, Oriental Brothers, etc. In fact, it's an insult to rate some of the names u got in ur list without the few I have mentioned LBX on August 15, 2019: Olu on May 09, 2019: Nice try. Please fact check your infos as some are incorrect. Your discography list (Or and popular albums) are not totally correct. Jessica on March 19, 2019: Nice song from fela kuti demarky on December 16, 2018: Still own the world a lot........... Heze on September 01, 2018: What About Dr Orlando Owoh Sam Demarky on August 20, 2018: Which one of them sing "Ise Aje" Factable News (author) from Lagos on April 07, 2018: Really? Can you share ? femi on November 17, 2017: nice one you took me down memory lane Markus on September 19, 2017: Factable News (author) from Lagos on August 12, 2015: Happy you found this article to be informative Katie Kizer from Chicago, Illinois on August 12, 2015: So much I didn't know. Thanks for sharing!

https://spinditty.com/genres/Top-10-Afro-Juju-and-Highlife-Musicians-in-Nigeria

Music-Radio

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The Palm Islands are artificial peninsulas constructed of sand dredged from the bottom of the Persian Gulf by the Belgian company Jan De Nul and the Dutch company Van Oord. The sand is sprayed by the dredging ships, which are guided by DGPS, onto the required area in a process known as rain-bowing because of the arcs in the air when the sand is sprayed. The outer edge of each Palm's encircling crescent is a large rock breakwater. The breakwater of the Palm Jumeirah has over seven million tons of rock. Each rock was placed individually by a crane, signed off by a diver and given a GPS coordinate. The Jan De Nul Group started working on the Palm Jebel Ali in 2002 and had finished by the end of 2006. The reclamation project for the Palm Jebel Ali includes the creation of a four-kilometre-long peninsula, protected by a 200-metre-wide, seventeen-kilometre long circular breakwater. 210,000,000 m3 of rock, sand and limestone were reclaimed (partly originating from the Jebel Ali Entrance Channel dredging works). There are approximately 10,000,000 cubic metres of rocks in the slope protection works. a very interesting movie! finished watching a National Geographic program on the making of the Palms Island and could not resist sharing my thoughts both on the misleading program and this very ugly, ambitious and environmentally damaging project. By making of the palms Island the DUbai authorities with their engineers and collaborators may have put this artificial marsh land on the map of the world temporarily (since sand erodes), but what amazes me is the fact that they are insisting on changing the historical name of the Golf which hosts this drowning Island! Just to educate National Geographic program and the Dubai authorities, the name of the Golf is PERSIAN GOLF and not Arabian Golf. Please check the old maps of the world you must have some copies, when Persia was appreciated with great leaders, (remember leaders come and go and facts and reality do not erode they are permanent, only sand in such conditions erode!!) please check your maps and see that it has Always been called THE PERSIAN GOLF that is the reality. I wonder if they have a real sewer system for this development? They use "Honey Bucket" trucks on the adjacent masssive buildings. Dubai City Planners don't believe in proper sewer systems. Remember that massive Cholera Epidemics started in Europe in the Middle Ages and in 19th century London, from contaminated water systems. It really is just a matter of time before disease results from untreated sewer effluent. I don't know how well educated PEng's can sign off on these projects. They pinch their noses and deposit their pay cheques in a Dubai Bank! this project, and Dubai's development as a whole, is arrogant and unnatural. i like that this mainstream doc mentioned the depletion of the oil reserves, that is an issue we will all be hearing about in the next few years. Dubai's little prince squandered the wealth from his people's natural resources to build an entire city on a western civilization model that has no business being in that damn desert. its like las vegas except no great dam for power. they could have invested that wealth into developing a technology for food production and harvesting energy and been innovative for the whole world and especially take care of the people of that region. that f*ing brand new city doesn't even run on solar. what idiocy. in terms of engineering yes it is impressive. but not worth it at a time like this. this project, and Dubai's development as a whole, is arrogant and unnatural. i like that this mainstream doc mentioned the depletion of the oil reserves, that is an issue we will all be hearing about in the next few years. Dubai's little prince squandered the wealth from his people's natural resources to build an entire city on a western civilization model that has no business being in that damn desert. its like las vegas except no great dam for power. they could have invested that wealth into developing a technology for food production and harvesting energy and been innovative for the whole world and especially take care of the people of that region. that ******* brand new city doesnt even run on solar. what idiocy. in terms of engineering yes it is impressive. but not worth it at a time like this. cheesy drama doc T-A-C-K-Y... why do all these up-and-coming nations hold Las Vegas up as a model of "style" when it's basically just theme park veneer. Like it or not they are emulating a cliché of America. China is doing the same thing.. and has anyone seen Mecca lately!? Gag... However enormous engineering effort it can be i just think this project isn't right in its core. It's too much artificial and lacking true beauty if the bottomline to be. This is like somebody dying her hair to yellow pretending like a real blonde. Yes she can always dye it again when it fades away as in the maintanence scheme of palm islands but it wont just make it good as true natural blonde look however it was built and by whom it was built isnt the issue, the issue is when the hypocrites come to Dubai they will definitely enjoy every sec the spend on that island partying and drinking till the sun comes up, and they will surely forget about all the poor payed laborers when doing that. i love Dubai and we do appreciate the efforts of the laborers. The gov. is doing all it can to enhance the living conditions and salary's of the laborers! this programme is amongst the most annoying i have ever watched my word of the day is oxymoron. Nothing to do with . . . . . ah well. What a world. I was payed over a grand a week working on this. Built by the rich for the rich with labour supplied by the working poor paid for with borrowed money. As such a monument to greed, arrogance and unbridled pride and a waist of human creativity and ingenuity. In almost all religions pride is a vice, humility is the virtue. Beautiful! It will probably wash away though. I don't understand why they built everything on sand. They should have build it on concrete and covered that with sand. the phrase 'more money than sense' comes to mind. And when the oil runs out worldwide, we'll all see what a ridiculous waste of time this was. Dubai and S'pore outsource all their construction labor to cheaper labor from 3rd world country. Hence, things can be built cheaper and faster and the ultimate winner is the rich developer. It is not totally correct that S'poreans are shunning hard-labor related jobs. In western countries, there are union restrictions, minimum wages and quotas on foreign labor and a construction worker get a decent pay at the end of the month. With unrestricted labor import and minimum wage controls, a construction worker may get US$300-500 at best. No S'poreans will get into construction labor for that salary. Pay them a decent salary just as the Western world does and I'm sure there'll be takers for the job. Of course, that jacks up labor cost and no employer will do it voluntarily. With the government turning a blind eye to minimum wages and labor quota, soon, you'll see skilled workers, technicians and engineers disappearing from the S'pore construction industry as well. No doubt an incredible engineering wonder, but I don't think it can guarantee a safe income as tourism fluctuates upon the economy of nations or the global situation. I know in the U.K,Greece and other EU nations, people ae spending more time at home as jobs and income decrease due to national debt to the IMF. The only real way to prosper is to erradicate interest and world debt. African nations never recovered from misery until some of their debt was written off. I do agree also that more should be done to help the poor and those suffering at the hands of corrupt individuals. @ Tyler Durden A few things...I have lived and worked here in Abu Dhabi for over six years and a few facts about Dubai for you. They have hardly any oil in Dubai as compared to AD. Most of Dubai's money comes from investments, which, by the way, are losing considerably. AD just lent them $25M last year. And they keep spending like there is no tomorrow. All of those high-rise buildings are virtually empty. Rent has decreased in some cases >50%. One mistake I noticed at the beginning of the video, the narrator mentioned this was the Arabian Gulf. It is in the Persian Gulf. Anyway, Thanks for listening, @ Tyler Durden I'm Singaporean and if you're referring to the fact that the bulk of our country's construction workers are from other countries such as Bangladesh and China and there are an increasing number of service positions being taken up by people from other countries, you've got that right. Yes, one of the reasons is that they're cheaper labour. However, the primary reason why Singapore has to outsource it's labour is due to the fact that no one in Singapore is keen on doing manual labour. Our country's emphasis on education over the past few decades have led recent generations to become extremely well educated, and thus most Singaporeans completely reject the idea of working as construction workers or maids etc. It is regarded as one of the "lower" jobs. Though I believe no job is less worthy of doing than another, many of us would prefer to do jobs that are "comfortable" (no sweating under the sun etc) and pays better. So if you are arguing the case that Singaporeans are being left stranded without jobs due to the big scale outsourcing of labour, then the facts are probably rather untrue or inaccurate. In contrast with the Dubai issue, the outsourcing of labour is probably due to us being too educated as compared to the people of Dubai's lack of education. We have too many job opportunities/choices to choose from and doing manual labour would probably be last on the list. We are becoming increasingly affluent and our expectations of our standards of living etc have soared, and our government and the older generations lament that we can and will never truly understand the hardships and obstacles they have faced trying to build this country because we have everything. I mean, even primary school kids have expensive handphones and laptops now! Your accent seems to reveal that maybe you live in the Kingdom yourself ?, I understand what the projects and construction are sold as and how they are advertised to the people. The fact is that these projects benefit only those who can afford them starting at 1.5 million and up you have a hard time convincing me this benefits the masses. The tourist industry it creates does subsidize some of the oil revenue, true. But really without the oil non of the other people going there can afford to play and throw around the money they do so it wouldn't matter anyway. Once the oil is gone tell me who can afford to Fly to Abu Dubai? He could be building sustainable infrastructure for the people and sending them all to universities with the oil money, instead of committing the next generation to work in the service industry as most will. I have bad news for the people of Abu Dubai, if they can outsource the service they will do that as well and the locals will be jobless. Historically these "Princes" have lived lavish lives with private jets, hundreds of cars huge mansions and mega yaht's, their concern for the people ends there. If you don't serve them you are useless to them. I have see Singapore outsource it's labor force tremendously and while an economic success the native Singaporeans have been on the decline. The same is true for Bahrain, if you believe them when they tell you to "just go along with it" and let them keep stringing you along forever the only "shock" you're in store for is the one you made yourself. the prince is trying to help his people and soon to be people(unborn)escape the shock if oil run out in the middle east. i dont think thats greedy. his thinking about his people. also what his doing is artistic too. this will surely be appriciated by the people of the future.. A must see for any construction buff. More mega construction / machine docs would be nice here. Amazing what money can build nowadays. why cant these richer then rich people get together to feed and clothe and get clean water to the poorer of they're countries?..then building something so useless You got it. @Skye it could never have been built in the US because you couldn't have gotten away with paying people $600 to $800/month for manaul labor. People who use oil and gasoline have no idea who is benifiting financially in the transaction and the abuse and greed they possess to create the things of marvel you see here. It should be enough to drive people to get the most fuel efficient vehicle they can buy and conserve as much as possible. But they won't. And the peoples of the gulf region will keep on raking it in and paying third worlders to do the work for a basic living wage so you can marvel more at the achievements they get others to create with their money to be built on their soil. To follow....they will hire expats to develop the technology that pushes oil out of the picture....why? because they will have all the money in the world to do so. It goes even deeper. Do you think an expat teacher in a gulf country can fail a child for not learning the curiculum? they can but they will lose their job. So is that a culture the is bringing up the brightest? The culture is about as messed up as it gets and wealth and greed and foolishness on the consumption side of oil is what is making it all happen. Abu Dhabi is the place with the oil money. Dubai was built on debt as we have seen in the past year. And also when the first big rain storm came after the Palm was built guess what? The houses flooded. So it isn't all that you see. @ tyler durden there are debate's going on about what type of tech the Egyptians were actually using because they had the Baghdad battery, its also said when people spent to much time near the ark of the Covent there hair would fall out and they would get sick and burnt skin that sounds like radiation to me possible nuclear technology ?. Its also said they knew about scalar tech the stuff tesla was messing with. Last time I was in Dubai this hadn't been completed, it's interesting to see how it eventually developed. I remember feeling sorry for all those imported workers, I would see in the buses and trucks especially after seeing their living conditions. There was an eye opener. The separation between rich and poor was never more apparent. I guess it's the way of all huge constructions like this. It makes me think about how the Egyptians built what they did, lacking all our modern tech and engineering knowledge. The Crown Prince sure has done alot to bring Dubai out of the sand, I commend his achievement but cannot overlook his greed. I hope in the future our money and engineering genius is put towards benefitting the masses and not just the select few who can afford to live in this way. Without putting too much thought into it I agree with you Skye-hook. At the risk of being yelled at, I will state my true feelings about this subject & the video. Very good documentary! Thorough , interesting, very professionally done. I am not only impressed, I feel the whole world benefits from something this magnificent being built. It's similar to the pyramids in that way. Something monumental built by man. A major achievement! A thing never attempted before, done well, by engineers who really put their all into it. A thing not just of huge proportions done well, but a thing of elegant beauty. I wish it a wonderful future. Am I jealous that it's not in my country, the USA? Not at all. I'm just glad it exists. I wouldn't ever want to be on the USA island in The World islands there. Could be a target someday. But it's a wonderful thing, & I wish it well. I wonder how long it will survive. It would be nice if it exists thousands of years. *Thanks for putting this on here, Vlatko. I liked the 'soundtrack' :)))

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/richest-people-middle-east/

Politics

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AFTER independence, the aims of political parties were maintaining and protecting the unity and sovereignty of Nigeria as one indivisible and indissoluble nation among others. The political parties that were formed after the ban on political activities was lifted on September 21, 1978, were National Party of Nigeria (NPN), The Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Nigeria Advance Party (NAP). Before the final return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999, the nation was on the right track to true democracy. Prior to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election which was adjudged the freest and fairest election ever conducted in Nigeria, there were only two political parties in existence, and like what is obtained in America where it is either the Republicans or the Democrats, the parties in the third republic were; Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC). Hence, comparing the 1993 general elections with just two parties to the 2003 and 2007 multi-party elections, even a crawling child will spot the difference! After the healthy competition among the three political parties— Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All People Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999, the performance of some of these political parties in subsequent elections were not encouraging. The impression one got was that some of these parties were more interested in the handout they receive from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), than compete ting for office with other vibrant parties. Furthermore, no political party can win election without first of all, building or erecting national structures, because the constitution forbids regional association in form of political party. Section 222(e) of the constitution as amended reads: “No association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless; the name of the association, its symbol or logo does not contain any ethnic or religious connotation or give the appearance that the activities of the association are confined to a part only of the geographical area of Nigeria”. There are some political parties that don’t even have offices in some States, let alone the 774 Local Government Councils in Nigeria. The funny thing about the existence of some of these political parties is that, after election, there will be the first to head for the courts on grounds that their party logo did not appear on INEC ballot papers. The 2011 Presidential election exposed the weaknesses of some these parties. Imagine, a nation where there are 63 political parties, only 20 participated in the presidential election. What happened to the remaining 43 parties? Out of the 20 political parties that contested the presidential election, only four got meaningful votes. The four are; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with about 58.9 percent votes, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), with about 31.9 percent votes, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), with about 5.4 percent votes and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), with about 2.4 percent votes. The remaining 16 parties got between 0.2 percent and 0.02 percent. Reducing the number of our political parties will help the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in monitoring and providing adequate logistics for subsequent polls in the country. It will bring down the expenses often uncured by INEC during and after elections. The goodwill that, the 2011 general elections brought to us as a nation will be improved on in 2015 and future elections thereby, giving Nigeria, the passport to stand side-by-side with other great democracies of the world. Mr. EDWIN EKENE, a social critic, wrote from Enugu. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/reducing-the-number-of-political-parties/

Politics

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After eight years spent studying a 1.8-million-year-old skull uncovered in the Republic of Georgia, scientists have made a discovery that may rewrite the evolutionary history of our human genus Homo. It would be a simpler story with fewer ancestral species. Early, diverse fossils — those currently recognized as coming from distinct species like Homo habilis, Homo erectus and others — may actually represent variation among members of a single, evolving lineage. In other words, just as people look different from one another today, so did early hominids look different from one another, and the dissimilarity of the bones they left behind may have fooled scientists into thinking they came from different species. This was the conclusion reached by an international team of scientists led by David Lordkipanidze, a paleoanthropologist at the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi, as reported Thursday in the journal Science. The key to this revelation was a cranium excavated in 2005 and known simply as Skull 5, which scientists described as “the world’s first completely preserved adult hominid skull” of such antiquity. Unlike other Homo fossils, it had a number of primitive features: a long, apelike face, large teeth and a tiny braincase, about one-third the size of that of a modern human being. This confirmed that, contrary to some conjecture, early hominids did not need big brains to make their way out of Africa.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/18/science/fossil-skull-may-rewrite-humans-evolutionary-story.html?WT.z_sma=SC_SFS_20131017&adxnnl=1&smid=fb-nytimes&adxnnlx=1382044233-ckn2u3Q9TMCp0a4izILvswSkull

Religion

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Ebonyi State, weekend, recorded its second confirmed case of Lassa Fever as a 10-year-old boy in Igbeagu in Izzi Local Government died from the disease. APART from the ordinary issues language experts and others know about English, what other thing is the language known for or can be used. This has been the contentious issue until, Toluwalase Oladimeji presents yet another incremental instalment to the corpus of culminated knowledge with his work tagged English, the Language of the Gods. In the well researched paper that took the author to various places, the script writer and researcher took many students and language experts further in their understanding of this global lingua franca as he tries to unlock the secret behind ancient Egypt’s nomenclature, tracing its root to an unexpected linguistic provenance. The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has stated that Nigeria economic challenges could be addressed if her citizenry embrace and emphasise science and technology. Delivering the 2015 convocation lecture yesterday at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Onu said: “In a face of global economic crisis in the price of crude oil, we should diversify our mono economy by embracing knowledge and emphasise technology as an important instrument for national development. The Africa Energy Forum which is the annual global investment meeting for Africa’s power, energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors is to take place in London, the organisers said on Monday. The National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, said on Monday that he would not stay in office beyond the period prescribed by the party’s Constitution.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/

Politics

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No, Michael the Archangel is not really Jesus. The non-Christian cult known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses teaches that they are the same. The Seventh Day Adventists teach the same; but Michael the Archangel is just that–an Archangel, and Jesus is not a created angel. There are three archangels named in the Bible: Michael (the warrior Angel), Gabriel (the messenger Angel), and Lucifer (who became the devil). Michael the Archangel is mentioned in different passages. - Daniel 10:13, “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.” - Daniel 10:21, “However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.” - Daniel 12:1, “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” - Jude 9, “But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” - Rev. 12:7, “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war.” Perhaps the best proof text to demonstrate that Michael the Archangel and Jesus are not the same people is found in Jude 9. The Lord Jesus would not have to call on the name of anyone else in order to rebuke the devil because the Lord Jesus is God in flesh. However, we see that Michael the Archangel said, “The Lord rebuke you,” thereby demonstrating that he is not the Lord.

https://carm.org/about-jesus/is-michael-the-archangel-really-jesus/#michael

Religion

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Soursop leaf cures malaria, says Unilorin researcher Mr Nwonuma Obiora of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, says Soursop leaf contains some curative anti-malaria substances that can be used to treat ailment. Obiora, who stated this while defending his PhD thesis on Tuesday in Ilorin, explained that the Soursop leaf extract could cure malaria and that the level of toxin is very minimal. Soursop is a native of the warm and tropical regions of the Americas, that goes by scientific name Annona muricata. He explained that “studies have shown that more Africans have died of malaria than COVID-19, adding “we need anti-malaria drugs because this is actually targeted towards drug discovery”. READ ALSO: Blood scarcity looms for childbirth, malaria, sickle cell patients Obiora maintained that the advantages of his discovery included safe for use, effective, cheap, affordable and cannot be resistant to plasmodium parasites. He however recommended that further research should be carried out on the plant, using pure compound that he discovered in his findings. Obiora pointed out that three compounds were actually predicted to be responsible for the anti-malaria effects. “The compounds can exhibit anti-malaria properties, and this is a breakthrough to the list of anti-malaria drug available in the market,” he said.

https://thenationonlineng.net/soursop-leaf-cures-malaria-says-unilorin-researcher/

Politics

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John was diagnosed diabetic at 40, but instead of focusing on the disease, he ignored it. After all, he didn’t feel sick. But gradually, his health was failing. Today, John, now 60, is a shadow of his old self. Over the last 20 years, he has watched his body slowly disintegrate. A host of circulatory problems arising from his diabetic condition has cost him his vision, as well as nerve and bony damage to his left foot. Worse still, he is concerned about his heart. He has reason to because more than two thirds of people with diabetes die of stroke and other heart-related problems. Although John is finally getting treatment, his prospects could have been much better if medical intervention had come much earlier. Diabetes is a chronic disease that quietly consumes the human body, to the extent that you cannot walk, you cannot stand, you cannot function and ultimately you cannot live. There are millions of people like John in Nigeria. Six million Nigerians have diabetes. About half of this number of persons have their cases diagnosed and even less are under treatment. This makes Nigeria the country with the highest number of diabetic patients in Africa. In fact diabetes is the most common chronic illness that is being managed all over the country. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, that acts like a key to let glucose from the food we eat pass from the blood stream into the cells in the body to produce energy. The disease may remain undetected for many years and the diagnosis is often made when a complication appears or a routine blood or urine glucose test is done. It is often, but not always, associated with overweight or obesity, which itself can cause insulin resistance and lead to high blood glucose levels. People with type 2 diabetes can often initially manage their condition through exercise and diet. However, over time most people will require oral drugs and or insulin. In Nigeria, an estimated five million people are suffering from diabetes. If this sounds bad, experts warn that the scenario is likely to get even worse as the number of diabetics is expected to double within the next 20 years, to the extent that 63 percent of undiagnosed and many that are diagnosed are not being correctly controlled. As much as 76 percent of deaths due to diabetes occur in people under the age of 60 in Africa. The bad news continues. That the cost of diabetes management is prohibitive and gradually increasing is equally worrisome. Already, most patients seen at Federal and state teaching and specialist hospitals are often at the late stage when effective treatment is too late and only palliative measures can be administered. What is the community doing about diabetes? What is it doing to subsidise some of the drugs for its treatment? What about the availability, and education of the public and at community level? Just last week, some medical experts expressed concern over the burden of diabetic disorders and the rising cost of its management in the country. Consultant Physician/Endocrinologist, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife, Osun State, Prof. Babatope Kolawole, said the magnitude of diabetes in the country is too alarming to be ignored. He noted that according to statistics, the prevalence of diabetes varies. It is a disease of urbanisation and from previous studies, the highest burden is in Lagos which has a prevalence of over 7 percent per population. Kolawole blamed urbanisation and lifestyle factors as well as physical exercise as factors driving the epidemic and recommends that reliable preventive measures must target these. “Diabetes is a risk factor for so many other problems, and also contributes a lot to disorders such as kidney disease, blindness and amputation of the foot in Nigeria. It can precipitate emergencies that can lead to death and these are the issues related to poorly treated or untreated diabetes and no effort should be spared in instituting preventive measures at all levels of healthcare delivery in the country.” On his own, the Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke, said most diabetes cases seen at the hospital are in the late stage. “The commonest complications I see involve the blood vessels and the heart. It is a common cause of myocardial infarction and can affect the heart muscles. There can be heart failure, and renal failure. When you are passing too much water without any explanation, you should investigate,” he urged. Oke, an experienced cardiologist noted that Lagos State is thinking of starting a health insurance scheme to cover diabetes. “It has been read at the state House of Reps. but is yet to be passed, and once that is happening there will be better for management of diabetes especially in the area of drugs for management.” One of the big worries about diabetes, according to Dr. Dorothy Esangbedo, an experienced paediatrician and renowned endocrinologist, is the increasing burden of diabetes in infants and children. Esangbedo, who is also President, Union of National African Paediatric Societies and Associations, UNAPSA, regretted that even infants and children are not spared the burden of diabetes. “There is increase in diabetes in children. Taking a situation report today, you will find that diabetes in children is lower in Africa than Europe and the Americas, but in terms of trends over time, the rate of increase is even more in sub-Sahara Africa so much so that they are saying to us that in decades to come, diabetes would be one of the major problems we will be facing.” The signs and symptoms of diabetes in a child are actually the same as in the adult. The only difference is that the child cannot complain so the mother has to be the one to notice these symptoms, so just like the adult will have problem of excessive passing of water so will the child. “The mother can then notice that the child is passing urine too frequently, and she can also notice that the child is too thirsty and babies tend to present with infections as skin lesions and that is when you see frequent occurrence of skin infections in the child or certain effects of pigmentation of the skin. This is also a sign that the mother needs to complain about that child. They also tend to be weak, they will not grow, will have weight loss and most importantly, the doctor will want to know if there is family history of diabetes because that is a major pointer that diabetes is possible and tests should be done.” If there is gestational diabetes, Esangbedo notes that it could affect the child in future and it is an indication that both the mother and the child should be closely watched for diabetes. “In the future, It is usually a good pointer because even though the mother recovers from pregnancy, she should still be closely monitored so that she can quickly put in place the lifestyle strategies that would prevent the onset of the disease.” With the recent introduction of its brand of insulin, Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, describes this as commitment to improving access and ensuring availability to high-quality, efficacious solutions to improve the management of diabetes for patients. In addition to better support patients in the management of the disease, Sanofi is supporting opening of 12 dedicated diabetes and hypertension clinics in partnership with health authorities. The first clinic was recently inaugurated, at LASUTH. “We believe in Public-Private partnership, that is why we are standing by the State government to fight NCDs as a whole and diabetes in particular,” said Head of Medical and Regulatory, Sanofi, Dr. Inoussa Fiffen. “By doing so, we believe that the management of diabetes should be decentralised and for the meantime, we need to focus on the rural areas so that the journey of the diabetic is smooth.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/stop-diabetes-stops/

Health

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In Roman Catholicism, it is a common practice to direct prayers toward images of Jesus or the crucifix, as well as images of saints, angels, and the Virgin Mary. One common defense of this practice is to claim that such prayers are not really offered to the image itself, but rather through the image to God. Therefore, it is claimed, such a practice is not idolatrous or unbiblical because the prayers are ultimately offered to God alone. Bowing toward such images in prayers or lighting candles and burning incense before them is really just a way of offering worship to God through the image. Even if the image represents an angel or a human saint, the idea is that these holy messengers will bring the prayer to God on our behalf. The prayers, it is said, are ultimately offered exclusively to God. So, while the Scriptures are filled with many admonitions like: “You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God,” (Leviticus 26:1). These commands, we are told, have nothing to do with the Roman Catholic practice of setting up images and bowing down to them because the Bible only forbids this if you are worshiping the image as a separate god. If you are prostrating yourself before a statue and directing your prayers toward it as a way of ultimately praying to God, that is said to be a completely different thing with which the Scriptures take no issue. A closer examination, however, shows that the Bible does not limit itself to condemning the worship of idols of false gods. It deals directly with the idea of making images that represent God Himself and offering our worship to Him vicariously by venerating such images. For example, before entering the promised land, God warned Israel through Moses: “So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth. And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven,” (Deuteronomy 4:15-19). “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you,” (Deuteronomy 4:23). Some Catholics object that this command was temporary since at that time Israel “did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,” but God later appeared visibly to the prophets and finally in the person of Jesus Christ. This rule, they claim, no longer applies since God chose to reveal Himself invisible images. But if that were the case, Moses was wrong to have written it in Deuteronomy, for God had already revealed Himself visibly even then! God had appeared to Abraham as a “smoking oven and flaming torch” (Genesis 15:17) and even in the form of a man (Genesis 18). Jacob, too, saw God appear in the likeness of a man and plainly declared, “I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been preserved!” (Genesis 32:30). The point in Deuteronomy is not that God had never appeared in any visible form. Clearly, God had done so before several times. Here, however, Moses explains that God chose to speak to them formlessly from the mount precisely to illustrate the point that they were not to worship God by representing Him with images. God may decide to take a form whenever He wishes, but He is above and beyond any created form, and we are not to worship Him by bowing and praying to things that we form ourselves, even in His name. Likewise, the prophet Isaiah “saw the Lord sitting on a throne lofty and exalted,” (Isaiah 6:1) This did not hinder Isaiah from arguing against idolatry, in part, on the basis that there is no image or likeness to which the true God can be compared: “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?” (Isaiah 40:18). The chapter goes on to contrast the formed images that the idolaters worship to the Creator who formed all things and to whom no created thing is comparable. Idolatry isn’t only foolish because it involves worshiping other things rather than God. It is foolish because there is no likeness in creation to which we can rightly compare God. Even if the image we are worshiping is meant to be an image of God Himself, Moses and Isaiah both condemn it. Even after the incarnation, when God took on human flesh in Jesus Christ, Paul makes a similar point to the idolaters of Athens in Acts 17:22-31. His argument is not merely that the gods whom the Greeks worship are not really gods. He goes further, showing the absurdity of the very idea that we could represent the God who formed all things by means of anything that a human could form. In fact, there are instances in the Bible where people created images of the LORD meant as direct objects of veneration, and such passages always clearly denounce this as sin. Most famously, when Moses was on the mount receiving the Law, the people of Israel turned to Aaron who made them an image of a golden calf to which they were to direct their worship. Notice, however, what Aaron clearly says about which God this calf was meant to portray: “Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD,'” (Exodus 32:3-5). The calf wasn’t supposed to be some new foreign god. It was supposed to be Israel’s God who brought them out of Egypt, and the feast before the calf was said to be a “feast to the LORD.” It does not appear that they intended to create a new god entirely distinct from the LORD. The image of the calf was meant to be an image of God, and the veneration they directed toward the calf was supposed to be reverence for the name of the LORD. Their woefully misguided plan seems to have been to worship the one, true God through this sculpture of a calf. God did not receive such worship, however, and regarded it as a grave sin. Likewise, in the time of the Judges we are told of an episode where: “There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. He said to his mother, ‘The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.’ And his mother said, ‘Blessed be my son by the LORD.’ He then returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, ‘I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the LORD for my son to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore, I will return them to you.’ So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made them into a graven image and a molten image, and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had a shrine and he made an ephod and household idols and consecrated one of his sons, that he might become his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes,” (Judges 17:1-6). Notice, yet again, that the man dedicated the silver to the LORD and made the image for the purpose of worshiping the LORD. Later in the story, he even appoints a Levite priest to serve before his silver image and rejoices that the LORD will certainly be pleased with him and bless him for this. He honestly thought that this was a proper way to worship God. The text uses this as an example of the sinful ignorance of the time of the Judges. The Bible plainly and repeatedly makes it clear that God does not want His people to worship Him by bowing before and praying to images, even if their prayers to the images are meant as prayers to God alone. He is not pleased by such worship. While the tabernacle and temple certainly did contain pictures and sculptures of various kinds, the people were never instructed (nor permitted) to pray or burn incense to these images. Such works of art and statuary were not vicarious objects of worship or recipients of Israel’s prayers. We are to pray to God directly, not through images of created things.

https://carm.org/should-christians-pray-to-god-through-images-of-jesus-angels-and-saints?

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If All Lives Matter Then African Lives Matter Color line was created in the 1600 by laws in Virginia to divide and conquer people along the "racial" line. It may have been shattered or cracked into partial pieces by the children of the same white, black, red and brown people demonstrations around the world. Before then, it was Pope Nicolas the V in 1442 that gave Portugal the Papal bull to capture Africans for slave labor. It is not yet Uhuru! Despite all the atrocities thrown at Africans, they preached forgiveness, love and only longed for happiness in return. As much as many Africans would like to forgive and move on, they are constantly shocked into the reality of their predicament. In 1962, John F. Kennedy famously said, "those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." 300 years of reforms: baptism, religious converts, schools, piety, abolition, etc. have not changed economic subjugation. If anything, grandfathers, mothers and children from different generations have been told change would come peacefully, not by violence. At the same time, they are denying that Systemic Racism still exists. If they were blind, we could say they cannot see but since they are white, they are defending their privileges and can gather enough blacks to reject claims of Systemic Racism while blaming racism on the violence of individual victims. The same religious pieties that pray with slaves urging them to wait for their reward in heaven while 84% of regular Church goers turned around recently and voted for the most extremist conservative parties in America and Europe. They encouraged worshippers of those that fought against abolition of slavery and revere Christopher Columbus that decimated the American Indians after he was rescued from the Sea. The celebration of traitors against their Country and slave owners entrenched old Privilege as justification for slave labor speaks louder than voice. Oh, they can always apologize and postpone the day of reckoning until judgment day in heaven. They want to go back to the Good Old Days when Africans had no Right. But Harold Washington, the first African Mayor of Chicago rejected it as the worst days of slavery for Africans in America. Bitterness comes out of hopelessness of the oppressed. When black university graduates earn the same as white high school graduates or you have to do two or three jobs to eke a living while whites with the same skill and qualifications earn and live better than you on one salary. You know it is not fair. George Floyd's video of Police snuffing precious life out of him in broad daylight was the last straw that broke out the silent majority demonstrating against injustice. But only African families know of many more not carried on televisions or videos. Suppression of peaceful expression of anger by Civil Rights demonstration as dissent encourages a vicious circle of another violence. It was a reminder evidence that Lynching in broad daylight did not end after the 1960s Protests by Africans in America. It is now carried out by the code words of Law and Order. Not different from world dictatorships. Violence is the cry of the voiceless: it is the difference between those crying for change, those that are hungry; from those that are labelled as criminals. These threats of racial, ethnic, xenophobia and afrophobia kill their African victims slowly like other insidious diseases. It may not show an open wound but it is just as deadly as hypertension. Our basic natural defense against hate comes from Flight or Fight. This applies to all animals including humans regardless of race or ethnicities for survival. As soon as the threat is over, we default back to our normal selves and all the biological hormones needed for defense preparedness are reset. When provoked, animals including humans are created to fight when backed to the wall. An indication to live or die fighting for dear life. When you push people into violence by violence and decide to quell even peaceful demonstration by violence, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ironically, that same natural Response is a Death sentence in the hands of Police among Diaspora Africans and some African countries. So Africans coach their children on Restrain when questioned by Police. It is only the whites that can boldly demand reason for staged or unnecessary Police intrusions. Any black that refuses to be domesticated in the Diaspora hostile environment is a rebel that must be subdued by "legal" force. We remember the case of Louis Gate, the Harvard Professor, exhausted after returning from an international trip trying to get into his own house. The police sergeant called by his neighbors who knew he had some leg problem, coded him "uncooperative" for backup! There is more, in terms of ability to cope under such constant emotional pain and interaction, it adversely affects our loved ones and others. Since the hostile environment degrades our well-being regardless of which community we are, our response could also be a double edged sword. Nevertheless, Fight or Flight is easily indicated as elevated blood pressure demonstrating that our defences are on high alert. The problem starts when only blacks are on constant alert in a hostile and intolerant environment. Anxiety of High blood pressure then becomes a disease putting additional stress on the blood vessel walls, making them stiffer and decreasing the amount of blood that flows through the body affecting most organs of our body from damage to the blood vessels of the brain, to the heart and kidneys that may result in a stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, obstructions (thrombus), to vessels in our legs. You could be Louis Gate, Nelson Oyesiku or Philip Ozua in a New York Times article that claimed he Fought Two Plagues and Only Beat One: I know the cumulative burden of those experiences day after day, week after week, month after month, decade after decade. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/opinion/coronavirus-racism-montefiore-medicine.amp.html Therefore, those at risk of dying from hostile environments on a daily basis are more than those dying from Covid-19! Their argument is that without law and order neither properties nor lives can be preserved. This general agreement empowered constituted authorities to give Police maximum discretion to use force with immunity even when charged to the Court of law. The division between conservative and liberal ideologies has to do with emphasis on the protection of properties or lives. Both value property and life but differ on which is needed to preserve the other. Both can be done fairly. Favoritism and Privilege favor the elites and their families. Their corruption favors leaders and their cronies with devastating problems for the average man on the Main Street economy. Nobody or generation gives up Privilege without a Fight or Flight at the risk of the lives of Oppressed and Oppressors, otherwise real change will never come. The only other way out is what we are witnessing right now as white children of the Oppressors see through the hypocrisy of their parents and decided to demonstrate with the Oppressed in larger numbers. This has never happened since the 1600s when we were divided and conquered on imposed color lines. This generation regardless of skin color assigned, woke up in large numbers and decided enough is enough. Put an end to injustice. On June 12, 2020 The City of Boston that had its own history, declared Racism a Public Health Crisis.

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/288905/if-all-lives-matter-then-african-lives-matter.html

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‘Why Nigeria needs bio-security audits’ Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) Executive Director, Dr Olufemi Oladunni, has called for bio-security audits to prevent exports rejections and boost the integrity of the nation’s food production system. He said trade was important to the future of Nigeria’s farmers, adding that such audits helps to determine the level of application of bio-security, one of the most crucial requirements to keep diseases out of farms. He explained that customers’ confidence in the nation’s exports underpins the success and growth of the food sector. Bio-security is a set of preventive measures such as movement control, cleaning, disinfection and vaccination to prevent disease introduction and spread. By implementing strict bio-security, farm owners decrease risk of disease incursion carried by people, animals, vehicles and equipment to their farms. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommends strict application of bios-ecurity measures as it is the most effective way to prevent and control viruses spreading along the production chain as well as potential transmission to humans. Bio-security is a key requirement for achieving the goals set out in the FAO strategic framework by promoting, developing and re-enforcing policy and regulatory frameworks for food, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.

http://thenationonlineng.net/why-nigeria-needs-bio-security-audits/

Politics

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You arrive at work and the first message waiting at the top of your Gmail is rude, sarcastic, and demeaning. That's not exactly the intended use of the communication method. Email is great for explaining a complex topic, documenting a subject, and communicating about upcoming plans. Using it to take your anger out on someone? That's just another way of being cruel. These examples of being harsh by email won't help anyone stay productive and focused on their work, or enjoy being in the office: 1. Responding to an email with just a Web link without any explanation. I am guilty as charged. I recently realized it's a little gruff. It's better to at least give a quick annotation. (In some cases, it's obviously just a quick and helpful aid.) 2. Answering an email with one word and no other explanation. I'll contend it is sometimes the only way to cut people off, but you wouldn't do that in the grocery line, right? Right? One word replies sometimes work, sometimes they are just rude.

http://www.inc.com/john-brandon/25-acts-of-e-mail-cruelty.html

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A destructive hailstorm with wind gusts up to 70 km/h (43 mph) ripped through South Australia's Riverland region at around 18:00 UTC on November 4, 2019, causing major damage to fruit and cereal crops that left farmers in crippling financial situation. The horrific incident prompted calls for a government-backed netting scheme to protect vulnerable crops. "It would be hundreds of millions of dollars of damage," a local farmer named Neville told ABC Radio Adelaide on Tuesday, November 5. Neville added that a 10 km (6 miles) wide area of his family's farm was severely damaged. The storm swept through the towns of Murray Bridge, Swan Reach, and Wynarka. Other affected areas were in Barmera, Monash and surround, where farmers grow crops such as stone fruit, nuts, and grains. The Bureau of Meteorology issued hailstone and wind alerts an hour prior to the storm's landfall. In some areas of South Australia, farmers were grateful for the recent rainfall including on the Yorke Peninsula. "200 mm (8 inches) of rain for the year since mid-April. Blessed to be harvesting the results we are," Matthew McDonald, a farmer in Port Broughton, posted on social media. However, it is a different story for hailstorm-stricken farmers like the Southern Sky Pecans, a family-owned orchard in Riverland, who expressed their devastation on social media. "I have no words," they wrote. "Looks like we better cancel to 2020 harvest party. From drought to this and near-total crop destruction in 1 day." Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie said she supports a dollar-for-dollar scheme for netting orchards in the electorate. "Science tells us severe storms are going to become the norm." "After multiple seasons of devastation, many growers in my community do not possess the funds necessary to make the capital investment in netting as future insurance to protect their crops," she continued. "While netting is not an option for all crops, this infrastructure can be extremely useful in some fruit industries." Sharkie said netting costs about 60 000 dollars per 1 ha (2.5 acres) and a scheme capped at around 300 000 per farmer would be a hand up, rather than a hand out. "It would provide long-term certainty and sustainability for our grower community, especially as the impacts of climate change worsen. I think most people want their kids and their grandkids to be able to eat Australian fruit into the future. We need to make sure that we can support our growers." Staff from Primary Industries and Regions South Australia will travel to the affected area on Tuesday, November 5, to examine the damage. The region was hit by a similar storm in 2016, where the damage was worth 100 million dollars. Commenting rules and guidelines We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules.

https://watchers.news/2019/11/07/riverland-hailstorm-november-2019/9

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Biafra’s rising stridency From its beginnings in 1999 when the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) embodied its goals, and now when the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has given it added vibrancy and renewal, the Biafra concept has refused to be a passing fancy. It is unlikely to go away anytime soon. Both MASSOB and IPOB, sometimes now used interchangeably because their goals converge, are a recrudescence of an idea that took root in 1966, was romanticised in the sanguinary accounts of epic battles between 1967 and 1970 during the civil war, and continues to achieve striking relevance because of the dire failings of an unstructured and distorted federation. Since 2005 when Ralph Uwazuruike gave MASSOB some ideological and administrative oomph, and since early this year when Nnamdi Kanu’s Voice of Biafra Radio gave IPOB resonance and poignancy, the Biafra idea has steadily grown in scope and appeal in the hearts of southeasterners. Nigerians and their leaders, including many sceptical Southeast opponents of the idea, are mistaken to think the idea will suddenly dissipate because it is denounced or repressed by force. Speaking at the launching of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem at the Presidential Villa last Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has not really addressed the ferment in the Southeast, observed that: “Our nation has recently celebrated 55 years of political independence and continues to remain as one indivisible entity despite several grievous challenges. Since independence, Nigeria has witnessed a lot of internal strife, survived a civil war and has remained united. This feat achieved by the country is an eloquent testimony to the determination of our citizens to remain as one people.” This is perhaps his first real attempt to speak to the problem that is gradually assuming a disturbing dimension. Many southeasterners themselves are ambivalent over the Biafra idea. Biafra died with Emeka Ojukwu, argue some. Yet others suggest that the economic imperatives of Nigeria and the so-called Biafra, not to say the peculiar map and demographics of the country, make the idea unattractive. Governors of the Southeast have been more hesitant taking a position. As elected leaders of the region, they bear the brunt of the disruptions and agitations for Biafra. Their first major attempt to address the matter was inconclusive. They will be reconvening to examine the matter more carefully, perhaps with more tact, and will doubtless take a stand sooner or later. The region’s cultural leaders have also been full of vacillation. They are sensitive about the yearnings and aspirations of Biafra’s advocates and their own relevance as traditional and social leaders of the region. They will see which way the cats are jumping before they take a more definitive position. Ohaneze Ndigbo has denounced the Biafra idea as impracticable and useless, hinging its position inelegantly on a troubling materialistic view of Igbo destiny. But it acknowledges that Southeast grievances are real and legitimate. Sundry media commentators have also equally been less squeamish in taking a position. From the safety of their media establishments and columns, some have denounced Biafra as anachronistic, and others have suggested that the federal government must engage Biafra advocates to resolve the contentious issues and controversies predisposing the region to centrifugal tendencies. Security and law enforcement agencies have on their own been very predictable. The police see the matter strictly as one of law and order, leading to the shooting or detention of some Biafra advocates during marches. The Department of State Service (DSS) has similarly been stereotypical in its approach. The army inexplicably speaks thunder, almost as if its officers forget the beginnings and the trajectories of the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast and how difficult it has been to combat the menace. Army commanders, who still can’t get military rule out of their veins, have spoken of their readiness to crush the separatist tendencies of Biafra’s advocates once the order is given. Do they know the implication of what they are saying? Have they done their study to find out whether once military muscle is applied, the problem would invariably yield to superior force? Have they studied contemporary military campaigns such as the United States’ Iraq War, the Syrian War, Afghanistan War, and many others which offers ample examples to militaries to look beyond the punch they pack? The restiveness in the Southeast is real and growing. There is nothing puzzling about it. But so far, neither the government nor the security agencies have shown any modicum of understanding of the Biafra phenomenon and what it presages. Worse, given the way they speak and the approach they have taken, it is unlikely they will view the problem with the wisdom and surefootedness needed to tackle it. Since the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, right through those of Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, the Biafra crisis has steadily grown in scope and worsened in temper. It would not matter whether the federal government seems favourable to the Southeast, the Biafra idea will grow in stridency. And if not Biafra, then other groups, whether Boko Haram or a hypothetical Yoruba Liberation Group. The reason is clear. Youths are unemployed and drifting, and a vast majority of Nigerians are frustrated and alienated. Nor would it matter just how much force is applied to check the crisis. The logic and the environmental elements that feed it are expanding; and as long as the crisis remains unattended to, it will grow more menacing. It is surprising that the dithering and foolishness that enabled Boko Haram to fester are being replicated in the Southeast. Many years back, the federal government was either ignorant of the forces that birthed and fed Boko Haram or it was simply careless. Now they are displaying even worse ignorance and carelessness. Somehow, Nigerian leaders and many others, including some southeasterners, seem to believe that Biafra is nothing but a romantic and nostalgic idea. They don’t think it is a manifestation of deeper fissures in the country’s political tectonic. They think a decisive application of force, using what the army elegantly calls its rules of engagement, would be effective. Said the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Isido Edet: “It is in the public domain that certain elements are agitating for secession, though they have been counselled by elder statesmen that such exercise is not for the good of Nigerians because we have gone through that lane before…The Nigerian Army would like to send an unequivocal warning to all and sundry, more specifically, to all those threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the country, those committing treasonable felony and arson as well as wanton destruction of lives and property that once the army is deployed, we shall apply ROE to the letter.” The officers seem to forget that this is the age of asymmetrical war, wars without borders, wars most armies are unprepared and poorly equipped to fight, wars in which territories reclaimed by regular armies cannot be held in the face of radicalised and suicidal militants. Had the Nigerian civil war been fought today, the outcome would probably have been different. President Buhari should get serious about tackling the Biafra matter. And the army should keep quiet, await orders, refrain from offering unsolicited public opinion on critical issues, and avoid fouling the polity with superfluous display of valour. Whether the government likes it or not, Biafra and other separatist ideas will not fizzle out until they are scrupulously and comprehensively addressed. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State gave probably the best indication of what needs to be done to tackle the problem. At a lecture in Abuja last week, the governor suggested: “There is a major issue that we must address urgently in Nigeria, and that is the issue of unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today, I must say that the only force holding Nigeria is God because all the qualities and qualifications of nations that have broken, all of them are here, and all the characteristics of a broken nation are in Nigeria.” Two observations flow from the governor’s point of view. One, Biafra and similar separatist tendencies flow from a lack of national identity. No government since independence has been able to unite Nigerians around a set of national values, principles and ambitions to give the country a sense of being and purpose. The constant romance with the so-called national orientation movement and ethical revolution mantra have proved wasteful, useless, sentimental and irrelevant. Right from its founding constitution as authored by a set of brilliant and philosophical leaders, the United States had envisioned a great and powerful nation, one that would assume regional and global leadership based on the universality and applicability of the principles and values it espouses. Since no leader can give what he doesn’t have, it is a ringing indictment that the absence of national guiding ethic and ambition reflects the intellectual and philosophical poverty of Nigerian leaders. The undisputable fact is that no Nigerian leader, from Balewa to the present, has ennobled the office they so grandly and garishly occupied. In consequence, the Igbo gravitate strongly around the powerful cultural values of their founding and metamorphosis; and the Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani and other ethnic groups yield supinely to their own worldviews and historical antecedents. Until Nigerian leaders can distill from their country’s national history a lofty and unifying perspective, and then imbue it with a great and robust essence and ambition, the country will continue to gravitate towards its centrifugal core. How the Nigerian Army, despite their study of great military empire builders such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Great and Suleyman the Magnificent can imagine that the application of force will replace a vacuous and brittle core is hard to fathom. Can force replace the philosophical and existential magnet around which a country should successfully and enduringly coalesce? Two, as Gov Okorocha suggested, and as many other patriots have argued, Nigeria was founded on a poor, untenable and conflictive foundation. That foundation needs to be broken down and rebuilt. Biafra agitators are merely reminding the nation of the responsibility it has shirked for a long time. If that responsibility is not embraced now, the consequences will indeed be grave and unmanageable. Past leaders have played ducks and drakes with the national emotions. Whether it was the hedonistic Sani Abacha, or the sanctimonious Olusegun Obasanjo, or the experimentalist Ibrahim Babangida, or the opportunistic Goodluck Jonathan, none of these former leaders had altruistically attempted to restructure the country on the nationalistic foundations that conduce to a successful, united, modern, stable and prosperous nation-state. President Buhari will have to face the responsibility of political restructuring squarely if he is not to lose the initiative and the little momentum triggered by his ascendancy. The problem of the country is not primarily corruption which needs integrity and honesty to resolve. The problem, contrary to the president’s obsession, is largely the constitutional enthronement of an unworkable and highly flawed federation. With many national conferences already held over the decades, it may be time to take a look again to synthesize the various reports. This is necessary in order to find a workable and inspiring mean strong and sensible enough to be placed before a constituent assembly and perhaps for a referendum. Above all, this vital revolutionary change must be anchored on the president’s own political vision. For if he does not have a deep appreciation and conviction of the problem, and does not believe in his panaceas and vision for Nigeria, how can he drive the process wholeheartedly? The problem, it must be reiterated, is not whether the Igbo can survive as an independent and landlocked nation with a restrictive geographical space, as some have rightly drawn attention to. The dominant issue is that without a consensual political and economic federalism that can endure far into the future, Nigeria’s ethnic groups will continue to view irredentism as a practicable and beguiling prospect. Indeed, the great question is whether President Buhari, whose perspectives on economic and political issues need depth, tremendous broadening and harmonisation, can take the bold and revolutionary step to redraw Nigeria’s internal boundaries, fine-tune its demographics into coherent and harmonious parts, and rework its internal dynamics essentially along linguistic lines. The task is huge, and the risk manifold. If he fails, or if by commission or omission he embraces military application of force, the consequences may be far graver and more complicated than he imagines. The time is short, and the leeway to take bold steps is getting constricted. Now is the time for President Buhari to forswear his instinctive conservatism and hesitations and bravely and intelligently break the mould. After all, Nigeria’s present boundaries were drawn a little over a century ago. There is nothing that says certain forces cannot be unleashed to redraw it sooner or later in ways no one has contemplated.

http://thenationonlineng.net/biafras-rising-stridency/

Politics

en

By Sola Ogundipe Surgeons at NYU Langone Health renowned academic medical center lin New York, have performed the world’s first combined heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney transplant on a woman with end-stage kidney disease. This is a significant milestone in xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs from animals to humans. Currently, gene-edited pig kidneys hold promise for addressing the organ shortage crisis. The feat is coming after surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital completed the world’s first successful transplant of a pig kidney into a 62-year-old patient with end-stage kidney disease. The latest breakthrough heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney transplant surgeries at NYU Langone were carried out on a 54-year-old woman with end-stage kidney disease. The patient, Lisa Pisano, from New Jersey, was facing heart failure and undergoing routine dialysis for end-stage kidney disease—but was not eligible for heart or kidney transplants given the reduced likelihood of success due to several chronic illnesses, NYU Langone Health said. READ ALSO: US surgeons transplant pig kidney into human The hospital which is affiliated with the New York University School of Medicine and known for its patient care, education, and research, said Pisano was matched to a gene-edited kidney of a pig with an attached thymus from United Therapeutics Corp., called a “UThymoKidney.” She underwent the two procedures over nine days in early April. The first involved implanting a heart pump, dubbed a left ventricular assist device, LVAD, and the second being a xenotransplant of the pig kidney on April 12. NYU Langone Health cardiac surgeon Dr. Nader Moazami said in a statement Pisano would not have been eligible for the LVAD procedure without a kidney transplant due to “high mortality in patients on dialysis with heart pumps. Moazami said: “This unique approach is the first time in the world that LVAD surgery has been done on a dialysis patient with a subsequent plan to transplant a kidney.” Pisano is currently recovering in the ICU and is expected to have at least a month of rehabilitation before she can potentially be discharged. A gene-edited kidney is a kidney from a pig that has been modified through CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to make it more compatible for transplant into a human recipient. It is a new and emerging field of research that holds promise for addressing the organ shortage crisis. The edits made to the pig kidney typically involve removing genes that would cause the human body to reject the organ, and adding human genes that help the organ function better in the human body. The risk of infection from the pig organ is also minimises as pigs carry viruses that could potentially infect humans. The procedure is a significant milestone in xenotransplantation, i.e., the transplantation of organs from animals to humans. Xenotransplantation refers to any procedure involving the “transplantation, implantation or infusion” of non-human organs, tissues or cells, according to the Food and Drug Administration. It has become more frequently studied. The procedure is not currently approved by the FDA, but it is allowed under the agency’s expanded access, or “compassionate use,” pathway, which allows patients to seek out experimental treatments under certain conditions, such as life-threatening issues. Certainly gene-edited pig kidneys have the potential to revolutionize organ transplantation and could provide a virtually unlimited supply of organs for people in need. There are hundreds of thousands of people who are in need of a replacement kidney but have no access due to shortage of donor kidneys. Thousands of people die each day while waiting for an organ, even as more persons are added to the national transplant waiting list. Given the increasing need for organs, doctors hope that xenotransplants will become an alternative to human organs to save more lives while also improving patient quality of life Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/04/organ-shortage-surgeons-are-saving-human-lives-with-pig-kidneys/

Health

en

A study done by a German scientist, Dr Karen Weatherby, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has revealed that staring at women’s breasts is healthy and also elongates the life span of men. The study, which was carried out over a period of five years, involved 500 men, half of whom were instructed to stare at women’s breasts in a lustful manner for no less than 10 minutes every day. The other half were instructed to abstain from doing such. It concluded that men who stared at breasts, more often, showed lower rates of heart problems, slower resting heart rate and lower blood pressure, all of which enable a healthy living and long life. The study said men should stare at breasts for 10 minutes a day to improve the wellness of their hearts and live longer. “Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well-endowed female every day is roughly equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics work-out,” the study revealed. When the two groups of men were tested, men that stared at breasts daily had lower blood pressure, slower resting pulse rates, as well as fewer instances of coronary artery disease. “Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation. Gazing at breasts makes men healthier and engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of stroke and heart attack by half. “We believe that by doing so consistently, the average man can extend his life for four to five years,’’ he added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/10/touching-staring-at-womens-breasts-makes-men-live-longer-healthier-study/amp/?s=01

Romance

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Many Africans believe in superstition, therefore, many things which are not going right on the continent of Africa are blamed on certain beliefs. Some of the ignorant Africans believe that Africa is even cursed. That usually makes me laugh sometimes because Africa is the most blessed continent in the world, taking into consideration what we have in agriculture and mine deposits. Africa is not cursed; whatever is happening on the continent, leading to hardships, frustration, depression, anxiety, and fear is the attribution of man. The so-called leaders inspired by greed and corruption without knowing what is neither wrong nor right are responsible. They think that as long as ‘them belly are full,’ what do I care about the rest? Yet, they pretend they care. I don’t blame fellow Africans that often write bad comments because there are certain facts one in Africa will never know, including the truth about Aids and Ebola until you are living in Europe. The perception of an African pertaining to problems at home is understandable but not on international issues. This is the reason every Ghanaian is interested in problems affecting the country than foreign issues destabilizing the economy of our countries. Therefore, how can you convince a Ghanaian that Aids and Ebola were meant to kill us and to take control over of our rich resources? Moreover, how could you convince an African that their leaders are behind the testing of biological weapons such as Ebola, after Aids in the continent? Europe and America are extremely rich even though many of them struggle in life but not like an African. However, the cheapest commodity is food. Food is so cheap in Europe and America that those addicted to food are suffering from obesity. If food has overflowed in Africa like Europe and America, I believe all Africans will sleep peacefully without criticizing their leaders in power. Since Africa is still developing, recovering from mental slavery, horrors of Apartheid and at the same time, many are now orphans due to thousands of people dying of Aids daily, the leaders should have run the continent in such a way that bitter stories or history shouldn't repeat itself in the continent for all Africans to be happy after hard work. Unfortunately, African leaders have betrayed Africans by supporting the same foreign powers destroying the continent since they are offered financial support. How can the continent of Africa be a successful continent if our leaders have to accept and collaborate with the US government to spread Ebola in Africa? African leaders shouldn’t say they don’t know, therefore, they have nothing to say to the US government. In fact, because of greed and their selfishness, they have joined America to systematically destroy Africa but they should never forget that if given Africa thousands of years to develop we can never be like America, above all, those that cover up crimes are more dangerous than the perpetrators. This is the reason I see African leaders as wicked people with evil mind and soul. I feel so strong to write this article with faith and confidence because since residing in Europe and based on documents scientist Johan Van Dongen and Dr. Wolff Geilser gave me, I see African leaders as bad people who are causing so much suffering to common Africans in the continent. It doesn’t make sense that in the abundance of water Africa is thirsty. Why Africa can’t progress and millions of people hungry if we have gold, bauxite, and diamond? Europe and America have enough to eat, therefore, African leaders shouldn’t remain silent on the crimes they commit in the continent to create difficulties for the common Africans. Let Africa be handed back to the colonial masters for just a year, there will be magic in Europe and America. The economy will flourish by creating more employment in different fields. After that let Europe and America be handed to African leaders, they will destroy the economy and create unemployment for less than a year because they lack efficiency, knowledge, and planning. African leaders should be ashamed of themselves and must readily accept all the insults and hate directed towards them because they are extremely wicked people without conscience who only remember common Africans when they are hungry. Until they stop the US government from testing any biological weapons on the continent, after Aids and Ebola, they will not only live to regret, but they will receive their punishment from where ever they deserve.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/895115/why-our-current-african-leaders-are-selfish-and-wicked.html

Politics

en

PLSG cautions residents on bush burning The Plateau Government, through its Ministry of the Environment, on Monday cautioned residents in the state to desist from indiscriminate bush burning. Mr Abdullahi Abbas, the Commissioner for Environment, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos. He said that the act was detrimental to the environment as it helps in depleting the ozone layer. According to him, the act is highly detrimental to the environment. “Besides its depletion of the ozone layer, which leads to greenhouse effects, it also destroys the microorganisms, humus and scrubs on the top layer of the soil which gives flora to the soil and protects it from harsh climatic conditions,’’ he said. Read Also: Buhari revives abandoned projects – Fashola Abbas said that the act would lead to loss of property and lives, especially with the onset of the harmattan winds, as the winds would spread the fire, thus making it uncontrollable. He also noted that the ministry has organised various sensitisation workshops to educate the populace on the ills and dangers of indiscriminate bush burning in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state. “In October, we went to each of the LGAs in the state to sensitise the people on the implications of indiscriminate bush burning. “The ministry also holds talks with the local government chairmen and the traditional rulers to further sensitise their subjects and residents on the detrimental effects of the act,” he said.

https://thenationonlineng.net/nin-sim-incapable-of-tackling-kidnapping-others/Pls

Politics

en

A Christian MP, who attended the Accession Council for King Charles III, has reflected on the role God plays in these traditional ceremonies. Whilst the monarch was already named King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the service gives further clarity, and allows politicians and church leaders to bear witness. The ceremony – which was televised for the first time in history – was heavily faith-based. Not only did he keenly assert the independence of the Church of Scotland – a tradition that stems back hundreds of years – but the fact that the monarch was only acceding the throne by the ‘grace of God’ was heavily emphasised. Sir Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West, and Christian, was pleased that the Church still plays such a significant role in royal occasions. He told Premier: “That's why, even if you aren't of a particularly religious disposition, it is important to have been grounded in the fundamentals of the faith, because it is so integral to our Constitution. “The King is King by the grace of God. “He's the head of the established Church of England, but also has, as we've seen this morning, a profound role in the Church of Scotland. “Our bishops sit and legislate in the House of Lords. It's woven into one language.”

https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/christian-mp-reflects-on-accession-council-and-role-god-plays-in-the-life-of-the-new-king

Religion

en

A Spanish priest infected with Ebola will be treated with an experimental drug that has been used on two Americans infected with the deadly virus, the government said. The drug called ZMapp arrived at Madrid’s La Paz-Carlos III hospital where the 75-year-old missionary was being treated in isolation, the health ministry said in a statement late on Saturday. Spain’s drug safety agency allowed the “exceptional importation” of ZMapp under a law that allows “the use of non-authorised medications in cases where a patent’s life is in danger and they can’t be treated satisfactorily with an authorised medication,” it said. The Roman Catholic priest, Miguel Pajares, was one of three people who tested positive for Ebola at the Saint Joseph Hospital in the Liberian capital Monrovia where he worked. He was brought back to Spain on Thursday on a medically equipped Spanish airforce plane, the first patient in the fast-spreading Ebola outbreak to be evacuated to Europe for treatment. Spanish health authorities said Thursday the priest was in a stable condition. The hospital is not providing medical updates for the missionary at his request. The military flight also evacuated Spanish nun Juliana Bonoha Bohe, 65, who worked at the same hospital as Pajares in Liberia and who was found not to have Ebola. The Spanish charity Pajares worked for, the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God, had asked Madrid to bring to Spain for treatment two African missionaries infected with Ebola who also worked at the hospital but the request was turned down. One of those two missionaries, a Congolese nun, died on Saturday due to Ebola, the charity said. There is no proven treatment or cure for Ebola, which causes severe fever and, in the worst cases, unstoppable bleeding. Some 55 percent of cases in this outbreak have been fatal. Two Americans infected with Ebola while treating patients in Liberia have shown signs of improvement since being given Zmapp back in the United States but health authorities say it is too early to tell if the drug had anything to do with that. ZMapp, a treatment made by private US company Mapp Pharmaceuticals, is still in an extremely early phase of development and had only been tested previously on monkeys. The use of the medication has sparked an ethical controversy as experts call for it to be made available to African nations. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/spanish-priest-treated-experimental-ebola-drug/

Politics

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South Africa halted use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford coronavirus vaccine on Sunday after evidence emerged that the vaccine did not protect clinical trial volunteers from mild or moderate illness caused by the more contagious virus variant that was first seen there. The findings were a devastating blow to the country’s efforts to combat the pandemic. Scientists in South Africa said on Sunday that a similar problem held for people who had been infected by earlier versions of the coronavirus: The immunity they acquired naturally did not appear to protect them from mild or moderate cases when they were reinfected by the variant, known as B.1.351. The developments, coming nearly a week after a million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine arrived in South Africa, were an enormous setback for the country, where more than 46,000 people are known to have died from the virus. They were also another sign of the dangers posed by new mutations in the coronavirus. The B.1.351 variant has spread to at least 32 countries, including the United States. The number of cases evaluated as part of the studies outlined by South African scientists on Sunday were low, making it difficult to pinpoint just how effective or not the vaccine might be against the variant. And because the clinical trial participants who were evaluated were relatively young and unlikely to become severely ill, it was impossible for the scientists to determine if the variant interfered with the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine’s ability to protect against severe Covid-19, hospitalizations or deaths.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/07/world/africa/covid-vaccine-astrazeneca-south-africa.html

Health

en

Around 1640 BCE, some 70 Canaan (Black), 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 took the Egyptian name of Zaphnathpaaneah. Yanhamu was a leading General under Amenophis IV (Akhnaton.) “The Great 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.” Towards the end of the Hebrew's 400 years sojourn in Egypt in 1230 BCE, when they had grown in number to be a sizable percentage of the population, Moses was already over 70 years old. The Egyptologist, James Breasted in (Dawn of Conscience) points out that his name was not Hebrew as conventionally accepted, “but an Egyptian word 'Mose,' or 'Maose,' meaning child or boy-son, to which a prefix of a god's name may have been attached and lost over the years.” Ernest Jones (Birth & Death of Moses) confirms that Moses was the son of Bathia, daughter of Pharaoh Seti I, and the Pharaoh himself. In other words, Moses was an incestuous child. Doris Darkwah in (The Role of Africa in the rise of Judaism) tells us that the circumstances of Moses' birth as portrayed by the Old Testament were pure fantasy. “African myths about finding a baby in water were quite common, especially in honouring national heroes,” at the time. Obviously, Pharaoh Seti and his daughter contrived the abandoned baby in basket scenario to avoid incestuous stigma and create the opportunity to look after Moses in the palace. Sale in his book (Al Koran, P257, 1784) tells us that: “Moses was a very swarthy man.” Sir T.W. Arnold in his book (Preaching Islam, Westminster 1896) says: “According to Mohammedan tradition, Moses was a Black man.” The Bible confirms this in Exodus IV.6. Roger in (100 Amazing Facts about the Negro) tells us that Moses was a Black African. Moses received his theological education at Heliopolis. He went into the Lodge (the Mystery System) at age 7 and could not have come out until aged 47 because it required 40 years to train as a priest in all the disciplines. In fact, Moses was trained for the role of Pharaoh with all the magic and spiritual powers entailed in this. Moses then spent a few years in Ethiopia in continuation of his education as a prince of Egypt. He did not conquer Ethiopia as some Jewish film makers would want the world to believe. No king of Ethiopia accompanied Moses to Egypt as portrayed by the film. An emissary of the king accompanied Moses from the land of his ancestors back to Egypt because he was a prince and that was the tradition of the era. According to Doris Darkwah, Moses became the spokesman for the Hebrews and introduced them to “a monotheistic type of religion, which he had learned as an Egyptian from the teachings of Akhnaton as a prince and pharaoh in training for 40 years, in the Mystery System. It appears Moses first preached his adaptation of Akhnaton's religion to his people, the Egyptians, and found few followers.” He then turned to the Hebrews who were more receptive especially after Moses had killed one of his own (an Egyptian) in defence of a Hebrew. Moses became the spokesperson for the Hebrews. Moses, at about the age of 47, ran away from his father, Pharaoh Seti I, for committing murder. His brother Aaron ran away with him because he was charged with stealing from the Pharaoh's treasury. Moses met Deborah while on the run and it seems Deborah said confidently, pointing to Moses: 'that Egyptian.' There was nothing in Moses' make up to suggest he was a Hebrew. He was not wearing any special clothes nor did he have a beard. He looked like any other African Egyptian brother, Deborah was familiar with. Moses escaped to the Midianites on one of the Sanai hills for succour, protection, and witchcraft powers, against his imaginary pursuers. Midianites were Africans from Ethiopia worshipping a number of Deities or Gods, the principal one being El Elyon or what the Bible claims to be Lucifer. The Midianites' chief priest was called Jethro, a renowned spiritualist, considered to be a father of witchcraft because of his spiritual prowess and awesome cult. Moses ended up spending some 30 years in the desert with Jethro, who initiated Moses into his cult and gave Moses one of his daughters in marriage. The marriage was blessed with two children. All three, (wife, two sons) are lost to Jewish history because they did not fit into later Jewish religious politics. Some religious historians' argument that Aaron and Mariam's objection to Moses' Ethiopian wife was one of colour is wrong. There was no colour prejudice as a culture until the White man invented it at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, to launch their selfish, deceitful religion, and eventually justify their slave trade and colonization of Africans. Besides, the Jews at that time were Africans. Mariam's objection was obviously a national or tribal one, the same as exists today among some West African ethnic groups. Moses' spiritual skills, which he first learnt as a Pharaoh in training (or Prince of Egypt) was reinforced by the teachings of his father-in-law. Jethro honed Moses' witchcraft skills. Moses saw a chance to use the Midianites' cult as a political and spiritual rallying point to build his religious followership and take his revenge on Egypt for deriding his earlier religious teachings and turning him into a refugee and murder outcast on the run. Moses adopted or was adopted by one of the junior deities of the Midianites. Moses himself claimed that his Midianite deity gave his name as YHWH pronounced as Yahweh, and that El Elyon, the chief of the Midianites (Canaanites) deities was superior to Yahweh. Moses said it was El Elyon (God Most High) who divided nations (of the world) and shared them among the gods (or sons of God.) That the nation allotted by El Elyon to Yahweh (a god or junior deity or son of God) was Israel. Give ear O heavens, and I will speak and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations, ask your father and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. When El Elyon (the Most High) gave to the nations their inheritance. When he separated the sons of men he fixed the bounds of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. For Yahweh's portion is his people, Jacob (Israel) his allotted heritage. Moses said Yahweh introduced himself as the god of (his followers) the Hebrews. Moses could not have used capital letter 'God' for Yahweh because he knew that that was reserved for El Elyon. Seventy Jewish scholars introduced the fraud in 200 BCE while translating Hebrew into Greek. Yahweh proudly called himself a tribal god. Moses claimed that Yahweh said: “I'm the god of your fathers, the god of Abraham, the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob,” Exodus 3:6,15. Notice that god Yahweh did not say he was the 'God' of mankind or even of the Africans who in the guise of the Midianites first brought his cult into being. The Jewish scholars claimed that Yahweh regretted creating man and that He decided to wipe 'man' off the face of the earth because 'man' turned out to be wicked. A bogus claim by the Jewish scholars because Moses himself claimed that El Elyon was Yahweh's superior. Yahweh saw that the wickedness of 'man' was great on earth, and that the thought of his heart fashioned nothing but wickedness all day long. “I will rid the earth's face of man, my own creation (Gen. 6: 5-7.) I wonder who taught 'man' to be wicked. Yahweh killed Uzzah for trying to prevent the 'Ark of God' from falling down when the oxen carrying it stumbled. No sane person would kill for such a reason but gods are probably not governed by mere rationalism. “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and 'God' smote him there because he put forth his hand to the Ark and he died there besides the Ark of God,” (2 Sam 6:6-7.) Yahweh was not only prepared to dispossess others of their properties for the Hebrews, he encouraged his adopted children to indulge in stealing and other immoral acts. On the eve of the Hebrews' departure from Egypt, after failing to overwhelm the Pharaoh with a series of plagues, including the killing of every first born of men and animals, (Exodus Chapters 7-11) he ordered the Hebrews to slaughter innocent babies, old men and women, found in the captured city. Do not “spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling,” (I Sam, 15:3.) Yahweh, 'the Jewish fake creator of man,' had no fore-knowledge of things that would happen in future, nor could he foresee the consequences of his action. Often he was sorry after the event turned out to be contrary to his expectation. Yahweh could not foresee Saul disobeying him after making Saul king of Israel. “I regret having made Saul king for he has turned away from me and has not carried out my order,” (I Sam 15: 10.11.) Saul's problem was his refusal to go to the city of Amalek to destroy everybody and everything he found there, adult humans, babies, animals, etc. Yahweh was capable of all human emotions: jealousy, anger, sympathy, love, hate, mercy, but was more easily provoked than anything else even by his professed children. Yahweh was extraterrestrial humanoid. All Gods whether spelt with the capital letter 'G' or small letter 'g' are ex-humans. They are dead humans or ancestors and Africans created all of them. The Midianites created Yahweh and Yahweh's physical, spiritual, or mythical interaction with Moses is supposed to have happened well before 1230 BCE. Moses saw Yahweh's back because Yahweh covered Moses' face with his hand while passing. “I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by, then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen,“ (Exodus 33: 22-23.) But Moses had seen Yahweh's face earlier on in (Exodus 33: 11) ….And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend. The Lord came to visit Abraham and ate in his house. Isaiah saw the Lord in his temple. Gideon, Ezekiel, Samson's parents, Daniel, all saw the Lord. Yahweh wrestled with Jacob (Gen. 32: 21) and Jacob nearly defeated him until he managed to remove a bone to wrench Jacob's hip. Some God? Yahweh himself said: “if there is a prophet among you, I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in dark speech, and he beholds the form of Yahweh….” (Numbers 12:5-8 RSV.) Even with prophets, I Yahweh communicate by visions and dreams. But that is not how I communicate with my servant Moses. He is entrusted with my entire house. I speak to him face to face, directly and not in riddles! He sees Yahweh as he is….. (New Living Translation.) It is this Moses who spoke to Yahweh face to face and saw Yahweh as he is, that revealed that El Elyon, the chief of the Canaanite's gods, was God Most High and Yahweh's superior. Moses was visiting Yahweh in a space craft. The Bible tells us: “God descended on the Mount Sanai with thunders and lightings, the mountain quaked.” One time when Moses stayed away for too long, Hebrews equated Yahweh's idol to a Golden Calf. Hebrews gave Satan (Yahweh) to the world to worship. According to Yemi Ogunsola in the Guardian newspaper, Nigeria, January 4, 2009, the Jewish god Yahweh is not God Almighty but a deity inferior to God El Elyon. “It was not God who chose the Jews as his own people; it was god Yahweh, a deity. It was not God who unjustly promised other peoples lands (Palestine/Canaan) to the Israelites; it was Yahweh. It was not God who led the Israelites in the invasion and occupation of those 'promised' lands; it was Yahweh. It was not God who ordered the wholesale slaughter of men, women and children of Palestine, Canaan; it was Yahweh.” Moses invoked the energy of Yahweh (i) to fight his father, (ii) to help his followers get out of Egypt and (iii) to craft kabbalism. (i) Moses fought his father, Pharaoh Seti I of Egypt, with witchcraft. Moses' kabbalism (or witchcraft skill) was put into effect in the name of Yahweh. Yahweh sent Black Egypt a plague of blood. “…He struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt,” Exodus 7:20,21. Then he sent plagues of frogs, Exodus 8:6; gnats, Exodus 8:16; swarms of flies… 'I will make a distinction between my people and your people,' Yahweh said, Exodus 8:22,24; '…. livestock on the field……….your horses and donkeys and camels and cattle, sheep and goat' (whatever the animals did to upset this tribal God) 'I will make a distinction……..so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.' Exodus 9:4. Yahweh plagued Africans with boils … that were on them and on all the Egyptians, Exodus 9:10. “………by now I could have struck you with a plague that would wipe you off the earth……to show you my power… (I wonder if the 'Universal' God needed to boost about showing his power.) …….by this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt.” Exodus 9:13-19. So Yahweh sent the plagues of locust, Exodus 10:13; of darkness, Exodus 10:21 and finally of firstborn, Exodus 11:5. The true 'Universal' God of Creation would not have been so vindictive and merciless against his own creation. (ii) Moses leads the Hebrews out of Egypt to another land taken from Africans. The myth about the parting of waters to facilitate a groups' escape is distorted from some ancient African myths and writing. The African Sun god Bacchus had a magic rod, which could change into a snake and could be used to draw water from a rock as well. He crossed the Red Sea without getting wet, and divided the waters of the rivers Orontes and Hydaspus by the touch of his rod and crossed both dry-footed. According to Raphael Petal in his book, Tents of Jacob: “The Biblical myth served two basic functions: to validate the idea of the Hebrews having the right to possess the land of Israel. The other was to show that whatever adversities (i.e. famine, quarrels between brothers, involuntary servitude) forced them to leave the land of Canaan or Palestine to live in a land of dispersion, such as Egypt or Babylon, they longed to return to the 'Promised land' and usually did.'' Yahweh loves his adopters. He claimed to hate the Amorites, Philistines, Canaanites, Jebusites, (all Blacks) and Hittites (Whites) and the rest of mankind and threatened to wipe them off the face of the earth so as to give their land to his children, the Israelites. Yahweh hated all of mankind but the Israelites. The Jews were not a tribe. They were only held together by the promise of inheriting their own land and an adapted Egyptian religion. To be an Israelite, you have to be a Jew. It is a religion and until Hitler's pogrom against them, Israelites were not an ethnic or political group. Hitler turned them into a tribe. The Exodus story is, therefore, not about race. The curse by the Hebrew god Yahweh arose principally from Noah and his three sons' fictional myth. Africans are the ancestors of mankind. Human origin is Black; therefore, the White mythical Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, could only have been Black. Ham turned White, as did all the cursed in the Bible: Gahazi, Eljahas, Greedy servants: Kings 11: 5, 27) when he uncovered and sodomized his father (Genesis 9: 22, 24.) Hams' White children still revel in homosexuality today. By the way, Noah's flood did not disrupt civilization, and the walls of Jerico fell long before the Israelites got there. In any case, Israelites were Black at the time. Tacitus the Roman historian of 90 CE says that the Romans of his day popularly believed that the Jews who then abounded in Europe, came from Egypt, the land of the Blacks. The Bible classes the Ethiopians and the Jews together: “Are ye not as the children of Ethiopia unto me, O children of Israel, saith the Lord.” Chaldea, the land in which the Jews originated, was also Black land. Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. 11, 31.) Godfrey Higgins confirms in his book that the Chaldees at that point in history were Negroes. The Israelites were running away from African Egypt to an African fringe country, Palestine, and imagined that the Egyptians they were wishing dead were pursuing them. Such stories are pure fantasies, which all disadvantaged people indulge in to try to overcome, bear, minimize psychological trauma, or ameliorate sufferings and pains of the moment. It is a temporary mental blocking out of experience or experiences mechanism. They are mere escape valves or transient mental respite. Indulging in daydream is the harmless opium of the weak and oppressed against the strong. Several future myths are being spawned right now, around the world, by for example, the victims of racism wishing God to come down a ladder from heaven to intervene on their behalf by dealing ruthlessly with the architects and perpetrators of racism. Then transport them (the victims) to some make-believe world of bliss or paradise without racism or pains. In other words, to the 'Promised Land.' This is what prayers are about. Moses being an Egyptian priest, who rebelled against the established religion of his people, was not missed when he finally emigrated with his followers from Egypt through the Sanai desert in 1230 BCE. The period experienced a great deal of migrations in and out of Egypt anyway. The Bible says that 600,000 men left with Moses, which according to Haushoffer meant a total of 3,154,000 men, women and children, all Black, from being Canaanites and crossbreeding with African Egyptians. To an offence by the Hebrews in the wilderness, Yahweh threatened: “Let me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, (Exodus 32:10.) Moses begged him not to because Egypt would use it to mock him. He changed his mind and allowed peace to reign until his children were discouraged by the report of the spies sent to survey the land promised them. Yahweh threatened again to kill all the Hebrews in the wilderness. Moses again persuaded him against the action, like one would do to a five-year-old child. “Now if thou does kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard thy name will say, because the Lord was unable to bring this people into the land he swore to give to them, therefore, he has slain them in the wilderness. (Numbers 14:15.) When Moses himself annoyed Yahweh by striking the rock two times rather than speak to get water as Yahweh had instructed, there was no one to intervene for Moses this time. Yahweh vowed he would only allow Moses to see the 'Promised Land' with his eyes from a distance and not to enter it. People saw him die but could not account for his body. After Yahweh killed Moses and apparently appropriated his body for his extraterrestrial race experiments, General Joshua took charge and led the Exodus from about 1220 BCE. Only 2 original Egyptian Jews out of the over 3 million that left Egypt with Moses arrived in 1190 BCE, with the Jews born en-route, to the 'Promised land,' Palestine. Joshua divided the land among the 12 tribes of Israel. Palestine was named after the former conquerors of the land, Philistines. Chiekh Anta Diop argues in (The African origin of Civilization) that the cynical, mercantile spirit, which constitutes the foundation of (Genesis Exodus) of the Bible, “is due to the conditions in which the Jewish people were placed from the start. Forming clusters of stateless persons since their dispersion, they have constantly experienced a double anxiety, that of assuring their material existence, often in hostile surroundings and the fear resulting from obsession with periodic pogroms. In the relatively recent past, in the Eurasian steppes, physical conditions had allowed for no illusion, no lethargy, and if man failed to create a marvelous civilization there, it was because the environment was too hostile. It was a political and social condition that allowed the Jews no intellectual let-up. They did not begin to count in history, however, until David and Solomon, or the beginning of the first millennium, the epoch of the Queen of Sheba. Egyptian civilization was already several millennia old, a fortiori Nubian-Sudanese civilization.” Jerusalem became capital of Israel in 1000 BCE, and David emerged as king. Where Moses was a giant, larger than life and beyond lust, David was ruthless. He was lust itself, who whored, raped, lied and cheated. Songs of Solomon, Chapter 1, Verses 5 and 6, reads: “Ye daughters of Canaan look not upon me because I am Black, because I'm beautiful. My mother put me in the vineyard, but my sister, she kept indoors.” Whatever forced the above confession, of course, Canaanites were Black. Solomon began building his temple called (Tempum Dei) in Jerusalem in 961 BCE. Solomon divided the Hebrews into ten tribes of Israel and 13 tribes of Judas. He was a good but minor leader with a big heart and robust talents for business. He collaborated with the merchants of Tyre to build merchant marines that brought Palestine a great deal of prosperity from their foreign market exploits. His reign was the most significant in Hebrew's history until recent times. He never ruled the world as the Jews would want us believe. He was just a successful businessman who ruled a small strip of desert land. Queen of Sheba married Solomon, from which union sprang Prince Menelik, the Lion of Judah and the forebear of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. The Assyrians over ran the Hebrew nation in 721 BCE. Ten tribes of Israel were heard no more, giving rise to the saying, the lost tribes of Israel. Taharqa, the youngest son of Pharaoh Piankhi, at the head of the Egyptian army, marched into Palestine and Asia and triumphed against the Assyrian forces of Sennacherib. Babylonian Emperor, Nebuchadnezzar, captured Jerusalem in 586 BCE, and transferred the Jewish population to Babylon. This is known in Jewish history as the period of captivity and it lasted for 70 years. Cyrus the Persian leader, sacked Babylon in 538 BCE, and expanded his empire rapidly over most of the Middle East. Cyrus permitted the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem, but instead they spread largely into countries of the Middle East and North Africa. (iii) Crafting of the Jewish Kabbalah. Like all the other manipulations in the Bible, Moses skillfully modified Akhnaton's monotheism to fit the Hebrew people by pledging the Hebrews to one deity or god alone. According to Doris Darkwah, “after Moses gave the Hebrew people an African religion; he then created a history of his followers in retrospect, drawing more on Egyptian and Babylonian myths than from any sort of fact. He had Abraham predicting events he could not have possibly known, such as the 400-years stay in Egypt… Finally, Moses gave the Hebrews credit for African customs, some quite ancient. One classic example was the adoption of the rite of circumcision, an Egyptian custom, thousands of years old by Moses' day. Bodies of Egyptian mummies found in recent times in what were prehistoric cemeteries gave evidence of such a custom. In addition, the actual operation was depicted in a drawing found on an Egyptian tomb, which existed between 2700-2800 BCE at Memphis.” Some of the many laws that the indigenous Africans had written and obeyed thousands of years before Abraham entered Egypt became the Decalogue or Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5.) Moses adopted his Ten Commandments from the ancient 147 Egyptian laws called the “Negative Confessions,” and lied that God handed the laws down to him on Mount Sanai after the Exodus, (Exodus XX: 1-17.) Why has God stopped handing down Commandments since Moses? Or is his God, like our Osiris who was human, dead too? Other African customs borrowed by the Hebrews include, according to Doris Darkwah: “transference of sins to a scapegoat, usually an animal; not eating pig, considering it unclean, but on the other hand using it in religious rites, implying some sanctity of the animal; the Passover Feast which was really an old African custom, connected with the celebration of the Spring Equinox, and passing over of the Sun from South to North of the equator; libations or sacrificial drinking such as in the Sabbath Evening Service by the Rabbi, which is a traditional African practice dating back, thousands of years. In African ceremonies, it marks the start and completion of certain rituals; the sacrifice of the 'first male lamb' was an ancient African ceremonial tradition (particularly in Egypt) for 'cleansing the soul,' thousands of years before Moses was born.” The Romans lied against the Jews Between 64–66 CE, the Romans terrorized the Jews to no end, apparently because of their mercantilist skills. The Romans accused them of killing Jesus Christ, to launch anti-Semitism sentiments and hatred against the Jews globally. The Jews, under the name of 'zealots,' revolted over what they described as the tyranny of the Romans. The Jews could not have killed Jesus Christ whom they have no record of his existence. Besides, Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurator and his boss Lucius Aelius Sejanus, the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, where the Roman Imperial officials in Judea, during the confused dates of between 26 CE and 36 CE, of the crucifixion. No one was sure when or how it took place, and it could not have happened without the sanction of the Roman Imperial Guard. If the Roman Guards ordered the supposed crucifixion, why were they holding the Jews responsible? It was obviously a hoax to create the excuse to give the Jews a bad name. In 70 CE, Emperor Titus (39 -81 CE) crushed the zealots and destroyed their sacred Mount Moriah, triggering the second Exodus of the Jews from their homeland. In 135 CE, the Romans suppressed the Jewish Bar-Cochba's revolt, causing another Jewish dispersion, and the beginning of what is known as Diaspora Jews. The Jews entered Europe in appreciable numbers, particularly Spain and Portugal, in the first century CE. They were expelled from England in 1290 CE for anti-Semitic reasons. Spain expelled them for the same reasons on August 2, 1492, and Portugal did likewise in 1497 CE. After their expulsion from Spain and Portugal, they immigrated in large numbers to Holland. Michael Bradley (Echoes of Ancient Truth) provides considerable evidence about the Jewish and, therefore, religious links with Columbus' 'discovery' of the 'New World.' Prof. Alvin Boyd Kuhn in (Who is this King of Glory?) argues that: Columbus was very likely born of a heretical family. To start with, Bradley suspects that there were two Columbus,' one a master pirate of French extraction (which probably explains the paucity of information about Columbus' early life) who transformed into the one we know in history. Bradley says that the Columbus we know very likely had Jewish background. Bradley tells us that the purpose of Columbus' voyage to the 'New World' was not just in pursuit of gold but also to found a New Jerusalem. That, European Jews financed Columbus' voyage to the 'New World,' to allow their persecuted Jewish population in Europe, disguising as Catholics, find a new home where they could practice their true religion. Bradley names the sponsors of Columbus: “as things turned out, Columbus didn't need Isabella's jewels because he'd already obtained the backing of four Spanish financial moguls: Luis de Santangel, Alonso de Harana, Alonso de Carvajal and Diego de Harang. All of these men were “Conversos,” former Jews, who had supposedly and voluntarily accepted the Roman Catholic faith.” Bradley also tells us about the roots of religious conflicts in medieval Europe, the confusing personality of Jesus Christ, and says: “Godfroi de Bouillon wanted to create a New Jerusalem in the Holy Land where the three great faiths of the West could be reconciled. He failed, but this sort of crusade is what apparently motivated Christopher Columbus and his supporters and financial backers. His voyage may have been a crusade to establish a 'New Jerusalem,' in a 'New World' and, I think, this is the light in which we should view his motivations. It is also a perspective and a light that will permit some insight into the anomalous facts and unlikely coincidences of his life. He seems to have been a part of an ancient… conspiracy to create a world of religious toleration between Jew, Christian and Moslem. A New Jerusalem. That I think was Columbus' concept of a crusade, and the only worth while kind of crusade.” In the last chapter of Michael Bradley's book he says: “In 1506 CE, the Bishop of Puerto Rico complained to their Majesties and the Vatican that ships were bringing “mostly Jews” as colonists. Four years later, in 1510 CE, the Bishop of Cuba made exactly the same complaint to the same authorities; the ships brought mostly Jews and he adds, “secret heretics.” The official Royal census for 1545 CE, noted that twenty-five percent of Mexico City's population was admitted and openly practicing Jews; and this figure did not include “secret Jews,” heretics, converses, or secret Muslims. If this was truly the case, then the majority of Mexico City's population must have been non-Catholic. This seems to have been true because, in 1527 CE, Francisco Fernandez de Castillo wrote: “there are more Jews than Catholics in Mexico City.” Apart from the large importation of Jews, Europe dumped a massive portion of its undesirable elements in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands. A significant number of the crew of the three vessels of Christopher Columbus, for instance, were criminals let out of jails because it was difficult to recruit others for the dangerous journey. Most colonizers of the 'New World' and Africa were, in fact, failures in Europe, i.e., convicts, criminals, the unemployed, unemployable, and the unproductive, let loose as explorers, missionaries, slave traders and catchers. It is the character and nature of these invaders, more than anything else that heightened their vicious and criminal impact on the unsuspecting 'New World' and Africa. In Holland, many Jews joined with others to form the Dutch West Indies Company on June 3, 1621, to exploit the “New World,” to establish their first settlement in New Amsterdam, in 1654 CE. Other settlements followed rapidly to expand the frontiers of capitalism to their benefit and that of the West. Developing at the same time with their thrusts into the New World was their search for African slaves and land to exploit. They acquired the Dutch East Indian Company just as its first ship was to sail to South Africa, and constituted a large proportion of that first and later groups of settlers that occupied the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 CE. They formed small Jewish settlements in Capetown and other parts of South Africa in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries CE. In 1828 CE, Chaka the king of Zulu granted Nathaniel Isaacs the use of a large track of land for himself and the Jewish people. Then along with some Dutch settlers, calling themselves Afrikaners, they forcefully took over the rest of South Africa and imposed apartheid, another name for Zionism, on the Black owners of South Africa. With the discovery of gold and diamond in the territory, a business they absolutely controlled along with two or three other Western owned companies, they became very prosperous. Today, although only about a quarter of a million strong in South Africa, they control the economy through their gold and diamond cartels, and use the military know how and clout of Israel, as agents of the West, to continue to protect subtle apartheid and their investments. The Jews themselves have been through hell in the hands of the Europeans. Devil's incarnate, Adolf Hitler, as the German leader, exterminated six million Jews in cold blood in his gas chambers in Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Dachau, between 1933-35 CE, in attempt to preserve his Aryan race purity. Zionism was an idea touted by a comedian called Theodore Hertzl in his acts in Central Europe. In 1896 CE, Theodore Herzl published “Judenstaat,” in Vienna, advocating the establishment of a Jewish national homeland. Hertzl first suggested a homeland for the Jews in Guyana, but the British were not impressed, so he toyed with Kenya or Uganda, which were also under British control at the time. Then Hertzl wrote to Jan Christian Smits, requesting for a Jewish homeland in South Africa so that they can help civilize Africans. Although the Zionist movement had a choice of settling in Uganda or the Sanai Peninsula from Chamberlain, the British Colonial Secretary, on April 23, 1903, Uganda did not really count. The Jews were after the opportunity South Africa or the Peninsula offered them, to control at least one of the two major navigational routes of international trade around Africa, the Suez and the Cape, and if they got the first, to enslave their second set of people. The Balfour Agreement signed by Chaim Weitzman, an English Jew living in England, Jonah B. Wise, Stephen Wise, and others from the USA, provided an opportunity for the Jews to pull a fast one on the Arabs. The agreement formed the basis of the action of President Harry S. Truman of the USA, in 1947, which resulted in the creation of the State of Israel in Palestine. The Jewish State rapidly went into decline until it surfaced under Ben-Gurion in modern times. The Jews seem to have been taking out their pains on Africans who are, in fact, their closest relatives and ought to have been treated as their closest allies. The Jews from the beginning have had their hands in all the misfortunes of the African world. It started with the concealment of the African identity of Moses and theirs. The lies about meeting God of the universe on Mount Sanai and being the chosen people. Their fictitious curse that launched their notion of superior, inferior people; their usurpation of African beliefs and myths without giving due credit; the distortions of early history and African religion, and the fake history of their plight as a people in Egypt. They were neck-deep in the Black slavery holocaust from which they amassed huge fortunes to set themselves apart as the shrewd and wealthy Jews we know today. Despite all we have been through in the hands of the Jews, I admire them a great deal for the way they have overcome their difficulties to become masters of the world in every respect. Their religion and kabbalism helped them and Africans want to learn from them, what was lost to them, and end their own pains that have come from all quarters, and have gone on for too long. 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. I respect you for the volume of knowledge that you possess.Most part of your article is absolutely true and I respect you for that.But I would like to say that there is quite a lot you dont know about Islam.It is one religion which gave the black man pride.The man Bilal who was honoured by the Prophet of Islam to be the first to call (Azam) people to prayer was a black man.In the Holy Quran Allah-"subhanawataalla" (which I think sounds like your superior God) talks of his reason for creating us ...

http://www.modernghana.com/news/247818/1/the-jews-lied-against-africa-to-ascend.html

Religion

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The exchange rate between the euro and the US dollar is the same on Tuesday for the first time in 20 years. As of Tuesday morning Greek time, one euro is equal to exactly one dollar, meaning that the value of the euro is down by over 12 percent compared to its value at the beginning of the year. This means that the euro is at its weakest against the dollar since winter of 2002, twenty years ago. While the news is positive for Americans conducting business and traveling in Europe, it is a worrying sign for the health of the global economy. The euro has been significantly weakened by Europe’s energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine. Russia supplied nearly 40 percent of Europe’s gas before the war with Ukraine, and the bloc has since attempted to reduce dependence on fuel from the country. Euro and dollar equal in value after fuel crisis, inflation This has come in the form of sanctions and partial bans against Russian gas and fuel in the EU, as well as attempts to source fuel from other countries. In retaliation, Russia has cut back supplies of fuel to European countries that depend on it. The Nord Stream pipeline, which links Russia to Germany, was shut down on Monday for ten days. While Russia claims that it was shut down for annual repairs, the EU fears that the pipeline, which is essential in bringing fuel to Europe, may be closed forever. Before it was shut down, Russia reduced its gas supplies to the EU by way of the pipeline by around 60 percent. “The most proximate concern for markets is whether or not Nord Stream 1 is going to come back online…the markets will likely price in a recession” if the pipeline remains closed said financial expert Bipan Rai to Reuters. In addition to the fuel crisis, inflation has also contributed to the euro’s drop in value. The European Central Bank (ECB) has stated that it will increase interest rates in the bloc for the first time since 2011. Currently, inflation in Europe has reached 8.6 percent. Inflation in Greece reached 12 percent in the month of June from 10.5 percent in May and 9.1 percent in April, according to data released by Eurostat, the official statistical authority of the European Union announced. The rate is the highest recorded in Greece in the past 29 years. The last time prices rose at such rapid rates was in December 1993. The US Federal Reserve has already increased interest rates by 75 points and is expected to raise it even further, causing investors to choose the dollar over the euro due to fears the that ECB has delayed in fighting inflation in Europe. “The Fed is going to raise rates more aggressively than most other developed market central banks and we don’t think other developed market central banks really have the bandwidth to keep up,” Rai stated to Reuters.

https://greekreporter.com/2022/07/12/euro-dollar-equal-exchange-rate/

Business

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On a plate of rice, experts say you should eat the fish or meat first. By Sola Ogundipe THIS information will interest people living with diabetes. The next time you are served a plate of rice, it is advisable to eat the fish or meat before the rice. Japanese researchers say they have established that eating fish and meat before rice can help control blood sugar in people with diabetes because it slows down the stomach. Now whether or not you agree with this finding, researchers at the Kansai Electric Power Medical Research Institute are convinced that dietary therapy focusing on the sequence of food intakes may lead to diabetes prevention and treatment. In a three-day research project involving 12 patients with type 2 diabetes and 10 healthy people, the group monitored changes in blood sugar levels four hours after the subjects had meals in which rice was consumed either first or last. When boiled mackerel and grilled beef were eaten 15 minutes before rice, their sugar levels were about 30 percent and 40 percent lower, respectively, compared with when they ate rice first. From their findings, eating fish and beef first promoted the secretion of incretin, a gastrointestinal hormone, which slowed stomach motility and thus the rise in blood sugar. Several other studies note that vegetarian and vegan (no meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or honey) diets help prevent, control, and even reverse diabetes. It is expected that this technique may become even more effective if vegetables are eaten ahead of fish, meat and rice. Ordinarily, fish just happens to bring the added benefit of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids but previous studies say fish intake may increase type 2 diabetes risk by increasing blood sugar levels. However, diabetics are known to gain control of their blood sugar levels by following approved dietary guidelines and recommendations. As a rule, moderate consumption of all food items including meat and fish is key. The recommendation is to check blood sugar as directed by the healthcare provider. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/eating-fish-meat-before-rice-controls-blood-sugar/

Health

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By Theodore Opara NIGERIA’s drive towards renewable energy as a substitute to environmentally harmful fossil fuels has received a remarkable boost following the design and construction of a solar-powered electric vehicle by Zaria Academy Centre for Innovation and Renewable Energy, ZACIRE. Code-named Munyegal Z20E, the technological breakthrough has been acknowledged by the Federal Government which recently presented a patent certificate to Zaria Academy through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. The certificate bearing patent number NG/P/2021/5, was presented to the Chairman of Zaria Academy, Dr. Haroun Adamu, by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo, who commended the institution for its commitment to the development of renewable energy in the country. Giving a brief insight into the project, Dr. Adamu said Munyegal Z20E was designed, simulated and constructed by a team at Zaria Academy to address the economic challenge posed by the rising cost of petrol and key into the global quest for a renewable energy. The car was built with 90 percent metal as a teaching aid involving a mechanical and electrical technique. Munyegal Z20E is propelled by DC (direct current) electric motors using electric energy in rechargeable batteries as power source to move about. Zaria Academy’s solar-powered electric car project is in tandem with efforts being made in the Nigerian government through the National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, to ensure that the country is not left behind in the global quest for a renewable energy. The NADDC recently commissioned solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, UDUS, and the University of Lagos, while a third one is expected to be opened soon in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/zaria-academy-builds-solar-powered-electric-car-earns-fgs-praise/

Education

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Are you aware that many African countries still pay colonial tax to France till today? One would say that Africa is still being exploited even till date. It brings us to the conclusion that the Europeans may not want us to be greater than they are after all. An article by Mawuna Remarque Koutonin, peace activist and editor of SiliconAfrica.com discussed this act. The writer drew attention to the bad influence of French on the African continent and how they are still subjected to pay colonial tax for the benefits of slavery. And what’s more worrying is that French as of yet flourishes and prospers in this action and earns around over 400 billion dollars from a continent that is about to be as developed as theirs. Well, after going through this article, you will not help but say that Europeans still manipulate our dear motherland. African Countries Who Still Pay Colonial Tax To France Guinea used to be a French colonial possession in West Africa until 1958 during the fall of French Fourth Republic as a result of its political instability and its failures in handling colonies, particularly Indochina and Algeria. And the country’s independence came as a result of Sékou Touré of Guinea’s bright decision to pull out of the French colonial empire that year and pick out independence for Guinea. That notwithstanding, a lot of harm was done due to the decision which Sékou Touré took as the French colonial members in Paris didn’t find his decision pleasing. Out of sheer displeasure as great as others in the past, the French administration in Guinea wrecked anything and everything in the country that is a symbol of what they dubbed the “benefits from French colonization”. According to Mawuna Remarque Koutonin, the author of the article, more than two thousand French relocated from the country, collecting virtually everything they had put in place and tearing down immovable things including schools, nurseries, public offices. They ruined even the administrative buildings, cars, books, medicine, research institute instruments, tractors and they slaughtered the horses, cows in the farms. The foods were not left out of the mass destruction as they both poisoned and set food stored in warehouses on fire. Though the reason for the shockingly bad action of theirs was not stated bluntly, the underlying truth hidden in their action is basically to let other French colonies know that declining France is synonymous to facing dire and severe consequences. As expected, the atmosphere of fear was created making the superior selected groups of Africa gradually afraid and just the way bad odour can spread easily, the scare spread to other African countries. As a result of that, nobody was willing to copy Sékou Touré’s action, whose catchphrase was “We prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery.” The first President of the Republic of Togo, a tropical, sub-Saharan nation in West Africa which greatly depends on farming, named Sylvanus Olympio discovered a middle ground answer to the puzzle with the French elite because there were not many solutions available. He wants his country to get out of the French dominion list, and hence turned the signing of the Colonization Continuation Pact proposed by De Gaule. But alternatively opted to pay a yearly debt to France, and shockingly or funnily enough, the annual debt is for the benefits Togo got from French colonization. Isn’t that exploitative? Since that was just about the only better way to keep the wrath and anger of Europeans at bay particularly their massive destruction before moving out of the country, a country which solely depends on farming opted to enrich a nation that was and is still way richer than them from their seemingly tiny pockets of farming. This no doubt reflects the use of cork of a bottle in fetching water into the ocean in an attempt to get it filled up. More so, the amount that was approximated by France as the so-called colonial debt was so huge that it was almost 40% of the country’s budget in 1963. Meanwhile, the financial situation of the just independent Togo was something short of stable. For that reason, Olympio opted for a change in the money they were using, all in a bid to build a nation that will not depend on others for its growth. He then dumped the French colonial money FCFA (the Franc for French African Colonies) and launched the country’s own currency which got him dead barely three days after he began the printing of country’s own currency. His death was caused by a small group of ignorant and uneducated soldiers supported by France whose only aspiration was to waste the life of Olympio; the first elected president of the newly independent Togo. In the same vein, Keita Modiba who was the first president of the Republic of Mali also on June 30th, 1962 decided to pull out from the French Colonial Currency FCFA that was forced on 12 the newly independent African countries as at then. The Malian President knew that if he allowed his country to continue being a French colony, it will not only be a liability or load but also an inevitable trap for Mali. Sadly, there was another striking coup on November 19, 1968, which destabilized his plans and sent him to prison in the northern Malian town of Kidal. The coup was backed by another member of Foreign French legion whose name is Lieutenant Moussa Traoré. Keita Modiba who devoted all his life for African unity was thrown into prison and the most annoying aspect of everything is that after he was transferred back to the capital Bamako in February 1977 in what was asserted to be Government action towards national reconciliation in preparation for him to be set free, Modibo Keïta died, still a prisoner, on May 16, 1977. He was a huge supporter of socialism and he tried relentlessly and actually took the Republic of Mali towards progressive socialization of the economy. As a matter of fact, at the time of this instability resulting from African countries striving for their independence, France continuously used many ex-members of Foreign France legion to forcefully take over in the name of a coup against elected Presidents. In case you are doubting it, the analysis below will certainly clear your doubt. Now, see for yourself! - on January 1st, 1966, David Dacko, the first President of the Central African Republic was overthrown as a result of a coup backed by Jean-Bédel Bokassa, an ex-member of French Foreign Legion. - Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana, an ex-member of French legion on January 3, 1966, backed a coup against Maurice Yaméogo, who was the first President of the Republic of Upper Volta, now referred to as Burkina Faso. Not only did he back the coup he, also fought with French troops in quite a good number of countries including Indonesia and Algeria against these countries’ independence. Olympio, who is today known as the first President to be assassinated during a military coup in Africa and his wife were asleep when many members of the military broke into their house, waking them from their sleep. Before dawn, Olympio’s body was found by the U.S. Ambassador Leon B. Poullada three feet from the door to the U.S. Embassy. This sent shocking and frightening messages to other African leaders who became even more shocked and afraid of being caught in the same kind of predicament. According to reports, he was killed on January 13, 1963, by an ex-member of French Foreign Legion army, a sergeant referred to as Etienne Gnassingbe who claimed to have personally fired the shot that took the life of Olympio while Olympio tried to escape and he supposedly had received a reward of $612 from the local French embassy for the killing job. The ideas of Olympio which was enough to make his nation independent, a self-sufficient and self-reliant country cost him his life. After all, he isn’t supposed to build an independent nation when French hasn’t granted them the go-ahead order to do so. To substantiate the facts mentioned above, throughout the past 50 years, 67 coups took place in 26 countries in Africa and 16 of those countries in Africa were colonized by France. This, therefore, shows that nearly 61% of the Coups that took place happened in the French-speaking countries of Africa. Don’t you think France is surely desperate by the way it strives tirelessly to maintain a strong contact with her colonies no matter what it would cost? Of course, you are right to say yes. The ex-French President Jacques Chirac in March 2008 stated that without Africa, France will smoothly go down in the rank of a third (world) power. Also, the former President of France François Mitterand who left the seat for Chirac also said that if there was nothing like Africa, France would not have had any history in the 21st century. Did you know that 14 countries in Africa are by colonial pact required to pay nearly 85% of their foreign reserve to the France central bank under the of control French Finance minister even as we speak? It is really disturbing that Togo and other 13 countries are required to pay a colonial debt to France. For the stubborn African leaders who declined this offer, they were either killed or overthrown through a coup, but the docile ones were backed and recompensed with extravagant lifestyles while their subjects embraced abject poverty and distress. My anger gets even worse knowing they are not ready to condemn or cancel the act as these countries have already paid in 2014. It seems our leaders are really afraid of being killed and therefore need a powerful nation to support them. In case you are wondering why most leaders send their revenue abroad, it is because they are oppressed by colonial countries. Is that so hard to believe? Check Out the content of the ‘Almighty’ Colonization Continuation Pact: - Colonial Debt for the benefit of France colonization: The newly “independent” countries should pay for the infrastructure built by France in the country during colonization. - Automatic confiscation of National reserves: This simply means that France holds the National reserve of fourteen African countries which are; Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Hence, they pay their national monetary reserves into the central bank of France. - The right of first refusal on any raw or natural resource discovered in the country: - Priority to French interests and companies in public procurement and public bidding: - The exclusive right to supply Military equipment and Train the country’s Military officers: - Right for France to pre-deploy troops and intervene in the country to defend its interests: - The obligation to make French the official language of the country and the language for education: - The obligation to use France colonial money FCFA: - The obligation to send France annual balance and reserve report: - Renunciation to enter into military alliance with any other country unless authorized by France - Obligation to ally with France in situation of war or global crisis Isn’t that looting and a very obvious exploitation? To me, looking at the content of the said document signed by our leaders you could say that some African countries are still slaves to French colonials. But the truth remains that we are the only ones who can really help ourselves. We may wait as we might, and help will never come our way. Unless we stand up for Africa, we might pay this debt forever. Take for instance what France did to Haiti. In case you didn’t know, France subjected Haiti to pay a sum which is equal to the modern $21 billion from 1804 till 1947 (nearly one century and a half) for the losses suffered by French slave traders as a result of the abolition of slavery and the setting of the Haitian slaves free. The African countries involved have paid for just 50 years, so it is possible we still have one century more to end this payment. These colonial masters may not be here, but they are still in charge. Adapted from: Siliconafrica

http://answersafrica.com/countries-subjected-pay-colonial-tax-benefits-salvery-france.html

Culture

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More mass shootings A gunman opened fire in a Brooklyn subway, wounding 10 people on Tuesday and injuring others. A mall shooting in South Carolina yesterday wounded 10. A gang shootout this month in Sacramento killed six and wounded 12 more. New Orleans reported its bloodiest weekend in 10 years. Road rage shootings appear to be up in some states. These are examples of America’s recent violent turn. Murders have spiked nearly 40 percent since 2019, and violent crimes, including shootings and other assaults, have increased overall. More tragedies, from mass shootings to smaller acts of violence, are likely to make headlines as long as higher levels of violent crime persist. Three explanations help explain the increase in violence. The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns disrupted all aspects of life, including the social services that can tame crime and violence. The high-profile police killings of 2020 and the protests that followed strained police-community relations. And Americans bought a record number of guns in recent years. Another explanation, covered in this newsletter before, ties these issues together: a growing sense of social discord and distrust. As Americans lose faith in their institutions and each other, they are more likely to lash out — sometimes in violent ways, Randolph Roth, a crime historian at Ohio State University, told me. Besides Covid and police brutality, the country’s increasingly polarized politics and poor economic conditions have also fueled this discord. That helps explain the murder spike, as well as recent increases in drug addiction and overdoses, mental health problems, car crashes and even confrontations over masks on airplanes.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/17/briefing/violent-crime-ukraine-war-week-ahead.html

Politics

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As it is in all countries all over the world, except, perhaps, in a few totalitarian states (if there still exists any), the Nigerian Supreme Court, the highest in the land, is the final forum for appeal in the nation’s adjudicatory system. The Apex Court, as it is often called, has interpreted the Constitution and has decided the country’s pre-eminent legal disputes since it was established. In fact, virtually every issue of significance or dispute of immense value in the Nigerian society eventually arrives at the Supreme Court. Its decisions ultimately affect the rights and freedoms of every citizen–rich, poor, Nigerians or foreigners living in the country, pregnant women, those accused of committing crime, those on death row, publishers, journalists, lawyers, bankers, accountants, environmentalists, business men and women, armed robbers, drug peddlers, prostitutes, and a host of others. The period from its inception till date, has not only witnessed the departure of several members of the Court, including one of its most influential figures in recent times, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa(though not Chief Justice), but the arrival of the first female Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar. This period constitutes years, moreover, that were characterised by the continuing recognition of the verities of the Court’s role as a policymaker, of its tripartite role as a legal, a governmental, and, yes, an organic political institution. The Supreme Court has limited but exclusive original jurisdiction in any dispute between the Federation and a state or between states if and in so far as that dispute involves any question (whether of law or fact) on which the existence of a legal right depends. Indeed, the Supreme Court has continued to manifest its embrace of an activist role, of judicial legislating, of lawmaking, of judicial activism, even if some of its nuances may well be distinguished from its predecessor tribunals. Above all, the Court, since the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates of Nigeria in 1914 when the pioneer Chief Justice was Sir Edwin Speed, maintained its revered and enviable tradition of succession based on seniority. Of course, to establish criteria for standards of merit as a basis for selection of individuals qualified to serve on our courts is difficult and definitionally controversial, still establishment of criteria for qualification and selection and for bases for evaluative judgements of performance cannot be ruled out. Yet, unfortunately, the media are, of recent inundated with feelers of plots by the powers-that-be to politicise the succession process of the Apex Court which is much against the cherished tradition of the Court. With the reigning Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed due for retirement on November 10, 2016 when he would have attained his mandatory retirement age of 70, an alleged plot by the powers-that-be to truncate the age-long seniority rule in the judiciary is said to be in the pipeline. Reports have it that there are very powerful forces plotting to alter the seniority rule that would probably see the second-in-command, Hon. Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen take over the affairs of the Apex Court after Mohammed retires from the Bench come November 10. These sinister forces have reportedly argued that anybody appointed to be CJN must not necessarily be the most senior justice of the Supreme Court. But their lame argument holds no water as more progressive lawyers and concerned Nigerians have condemned the move. Not even military rulers, including General Muhammadu Buhari himself, with the enormous powers they wielded, attempted to emasculate the highest court in the land. Even throughout his eight two-terms tenure as civilian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did not change the rule governing succession at the Supreme Court. If we must consolidate this democratic dispensation, then we must not be seen to be dragging it to the mud. In the face of obvious agitations for secession and militancy in the South East and South-South amidst cries of marginalisation, we must be careful not to aggravate the situation due to the ambition and maladroit hues of a few people in power who want to see Nigeria as their private estate. Indeed, there are palpable fears that if President Buhari succumbs to mounting pressures from some Northern elite and their All Progressives Congress, APC, collaborators not to send Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as CJN, the South will miss the golden opportunity to clinch the exalted office. It would be recalled that Justice Ayo Irikefe who was CJN between 1985 and 1987 was the last Southerner to occupy the office, about 30 years ago. Unarguably, the CJN sits as “Primus inter pares” (first among equals) in the intricate power calculus in the nation’s judiciary and one of the first five most important personalities in government. He is the Chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, as well as Chairman of the National Judicial Council, NJC. Both commissions are very important as they are involved in the process of promoting anybody to any position in the federal judiciary. Against the backdrop of the perceived attempt by the powers-that-be to northernise and Islamise all existing institutions of government in Nigeria in an orchestrated and vengeful political gerrymandering, any attempt to undermine the judiciary would spell doom for the country. Since 1914 when this vast geographical abstraction became one Nigeria, and since 1960 when the country gained flag independence on a platter of gold from its colonial masters, the headship of all courts, including the Supreme Court is usually based on seniority. In fact, from the High Court to the Supreme Court, the tradition has not changed. It is therefore not now that a Southerner will qualify to occupy the seat that the tradition would change abruptly. Yet, it is not about Onnoghen as a person. It is about equity and justice which the Supreme Court indubitably symbolises. But if Onnoghen is denied this opportunity, chances of having another Southerner to occupy the position could be very remote in a country we all lay claim to as ours, as it would be 15 to 20 years from now since most of the justices in the Apex Court would remain on the queue till they retire at 70. The Supreme Court of Nigeria consists of the CJN and such number of justices of the Supreme Court, not exceeding 21, as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly. Presently, the Court is made up of the CJN and 14 other Justices. If, as investigation revealed, the plot to stop Onnoghen started gathering momentum when the APC expressed anger with the Apex Court’s favourable verdict for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in some South-South states, why use Onnoghen as scape goat? Do leaders of the ruling party expect the Court to dance to their tune at the expense of justice? Why have they forgotten so soon that Onnoghen was among the three justices of the Supreme Court who took a minority position and insisted that the massively flawed 2007 presidential election which enthroned the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua be cancelled in favour of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)? Born on December 22, 1950, in Cross River State of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen who graduated in Second Class Upper Division from the prestigious University of Legon, Ghana, became a justice of the Supreme Court in 2005. If nominated and confirmed by the Senate, he would retire from the Bench in 2020 when he would have clocked 70. The incumbent CJN, Justice Mohammed is from Taraba State while the next after Onnoghen, Justice Tanko Mohammed hails from Bauchi State. Since after Justice Irikefe in 1985, the North has produced virtually all the CJNs till date: In the United States of America, the Supreme Court is made up of the Chief Justice of the United States of America and eight other Associate Justices. Even in that country from where we borrowed our Executive Presidential System of government, the implications of power and influence in the Supreme Court, beginning with the dramatic shift that occurred as leadership passed from the inimitable Earl Warren to Warren Burger were legendary. The years from the late ’60s the ’70s were years of great dramatic tension. With the forced resignation of Abe Fortas, the passing of both the highly esteemed John Harlan and the great jurist Hugo Black, and finally, the illness and resignation of the Court’s great libertarian, William O. Douglas, a realignment took place. With President Nixon’s appointments- Burger himself, Harry Blackmun, William Rehnquist, Lewis Powell- and the appointment of John Paul Stevens by President Gerald Ford, only William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall remained of the old liberal majority. So, there is the place of ideological balance in the Supreme Court. Currently, in the Nigerian Supreme Court, with the exit of brilliant minds such as Justice Pat Asholonu, and Justice Oputa, Onnoghen happens to be the Court’s intellectual power house. If, as investigation revealed, the plot to stop Onnoghen started gathering momentum when the APC expressed anger with the Apex Court’s favourable verdict for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in some South South States, why use Onnoghen as scape goat? Do leaders of the ruling party expect the Court to dance to their tune at the expense of justice? Why have they forgotten so soon that Onnoghen was among the three justices of the Supreme Court who took a minority position and insisted that the massively flawed 2007 presidential election which enthroned the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua be cancelled in favour of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)? Born on December 22, 1950, in Cross River State of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen who graduated in Second Class Upper Division from the prestigious University of Legon, Ghana, became a justice of the Supreme Court in 2005. If nominated and confirmed by the Senate, he would retire from the Bench in 2020 when he would have clocked 70. The incumbent CJN, Justice Mohammed is from Taraba State while the next after Onnoghen, Justice Tanko Mohammed hails from Bauchi State. Since after Justice Irikefe in 1985, the North has produced virtually all the CJNs till date: Justice Mohammed Bello (1987-1995), Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais (1995-2006), Justice Salisu Modibo Alfa Belgore (2006-2007), Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi (2007-2009), Justice Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu (2009-2011), Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar (2012-2014) and the presiding deity, Justice Mahmud Mohammed (2014 till date). Dan Amor, a journalist and public policy analyst, wrote from Abuja Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/politics-succession-supreme-court/

Politics

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What the world is applauding today as the revolution unfolding in Bayelsa State Nigeria is only the prominent role played by Governor Dickson to fast track and concretize an Agenda that is older than the State itself. Well,many people now know this Agenda as the Ijaw cause,a long standing yearning for commensurate development of these riverine minority areas in Nigeria. The Ijaw nation has always felt marginalized in the political and economic set up in Nigeria and looked up to their leaders to do something about it. Some of these leaders played their roles well, others just tried their best according to their own understanding of it but everyone did something to advance it or even slow it down through history. Those who advanced the cause across history appear to take their compass from the declarations of a visionary student leader and activist Major Isaac Adaka Boro of the late 60s. Boro sought independence from Nigeria for the minority Ijaw tribe. His Kaiama declaration was a vision of future prosperity and unity for Ijawland. He died a hero of the cause he believed in. But as time passed it became possible to achieve the same goals even without secession. Ironically the Nigerian Civil war played a prominent role Gowon gave further impetus to the Minority agitation that concretized with the Willinks Commission on the Minorities Report of the late 50s when he created States from the Regions thereby giving the Riverine its own known as Rivers . So for the first time it was possible to localize and consider properly solutions to the age old minority dilemma of political exclusion in Nigeria. The passion to develop Rivers State burned in the heart of the Ijaws who led it from the first Military Governor Diete Spiff to the civilian Governor Melford Okilo but they were not satisfied with the still persisting minority status of the Ijaws in Rivers State. So they began fighting for political and economic liberation. They wanted to have their own State and also wanted to develop the area to make it more modern and attractive to investors. To this end, some legislators and political leaders of thought began to meet. Prominent amongst them was Former Governor Alamieyeseigha,Chief Okorotie etc. They got in touch with the famous Architect Herbert Aduke to work on a Yenagoa city Masterplan as a concrete vision of development while the agitation for a State movement covers the political side. They worked in unity irrespective of where the Ijaw leaders resided. It was General Abacha that granted the plea for Bayelsa State in 1996. Military Governors were appointed to oversee it. However,it was not until 1999 that the State could enthrone a leader( Governor Alamieyeseigha) that concrete steps to reposition the new State started.Fundly nicknamed the Governor General ,Chief Alamieyeseigha recalled how the early Bayelsa State was just a stretch of narrow road from Mbiama when he arrived to governin 1999. No public facilities were available, offices resided in typing pools across Yenagoa. He managed to build a Government House majorly for use of his Deputy Goodluck Jonathan "so he can sit down,plan and work" while he as governor worked from home. By 2004 there was already meaningful changes in the landscape; the dual carriage way known today as Melford Okilo way,the then Rivers governor that contributed immensely to making the 3 local councils that now form Bayelsa State reachable and habitable. But the most significant step was the release of the Yenagoa Masterplan. It was indeed this Masterplan that attracted this writer to Yenagoa for the first time. Then we were just part of a Consulting team that worked on the Niger Delta Masterplan process. By 2005 our firm was invited by then Bayelsa State Deputy Governor to work on the his vision of crises free Niger Delta. He wanted a grassroots organisation to keep peace and security. His proposals led to the formation of Community Committee at the lowest tier so that some level of democratization can exist in governance here. It was then I noticed the Deputy Governors industry and meticulousness to details for indeed after weeks of work he was not satisfied with our submission but rather sat down with us day and night until it was perfected to his taste. When he assumed office as governor after ex- Gov. Alamieyeseigha’s removal from office,the then new governor of Bayelsan State invited us back to work- this time on the Yenagoa city Masterplan. German firm Albert Spears had just submitted a review of Herbert Aduke’s 2004 work. This review had 3 dimensional drawings of the proposed city.The new governor wanted to fast track implementation of this modern Capital and created the Yenagoa City Development Authority to concretize the plan. We were trained afresh for the job visiting similar cities like Abuja to take in their Masterplan process while at Calabar we were attracted to the exemplary refuse disposal system. Amsterdam ,we did not visit but gave us an idea of below sea level development. The CCDA was properly funded by Governor Goodluck Jonathan and in a short time just before he left office to become Vice President in Abuja, the German firm Albert Spears submitted their final report and Yenagoa city vision was instantly transformed. The document was indeed a marvel to behold. The Ox bow lake,the Central Business district,the green zones,the government boulevards and the Creeks ,etc. Unfortunately, this uplifting work was now in danger of proceeding further.The incoming Governor Timipre Sylva ,we could not predict. Indeed Governor Jonathan actually hesitated before accepting to leave the job of governorship to go to Abuja as Vice President. Indeed things were going well here and he was passionate to replicate or better what Gov. Donald Duke did in Cross River. We helped put up a retreat for his executive to under study the Cross River Model with both His Excellencies in attendance, and our governor endured this grueling conference at Calabar. Now he has to hand over and we prayed that the incoming governor would continue the process. It didn’t quite happen as we expected even after the incoming governor promising publicly during the last extended Exco meeting to carry on with the Masterplan process. To be fair to the incoming governor,there was a temporary income glut in Bayelsa after 2007 and CCDA became the first target. Funding was slashed to the extent that head of the authority resigned. During our first meeting with His Excellency Governor Sylva made it clear to our team and Albert Spear that his preference was development of the Central Business District rather than the Tourism Agenda. He was of the opinion that petty businesses coming into Yenagoa was the first firm basis for development. However as time progressed this approach only led to undue pressure on the land and eventually distortion of the plan. Increasing population ,lack of development control led to indiscriminate buildings being sited on green zones as well as on drainages. Consequently, the State woke up to the reality of flooding by 2011 and at last the mistake became obvious. To find a quick solution development control was hurriedly put together and threats of demolition surfaced. By then it was too late. While in Abuja as Vice President,and later President with the passing of President Yar Adua,President Goodluck Jonathan was strategizing on how to make amends in his State. The Ijaw elders forum was convened by King Turner to search for a man that represents the Ijaw dream in the modern day to help carry through the plans of the founding fathers. They considered many qualities prominent of which is prudence. They needed someone who could be focused on the job without being distracted,someone who could do the “impossible”. Meanwhile Hon. Dickson as member of the House of Representatives had become the backbone of the Goodluck Jonathan administration. In a clime where representatives represented themselves and family and slept through proceedings, he was different. He was vocal and articulate. He retained the lasting opposition spirit and was a thoroughbred radical mixed with an establishment spirit; what you may see as an impossible combination. He championed the Freedom of Information Bill amongst others drawing strongly from his background as lawyer,Police officer and legislator. To his credit in this direction,Hon. Dickson was the only one that had successfully defied Governor Sylva; resigning as State Attorney General to run for office into the Federal House of Representatives and then snatching re-election from the very jaws of official conspiracy against his candidature. So Hon. Dickson was the chosen one. The only snag was whether he would agree. Yes he had ambition to run only after his second term as member of the Federal House and this was already common knowledge. Would he agree to fast forward his ambition? Now he was Chairman of prominent house committees and was right hand man to the President,wouldn’t his absence affect the President? These were the considerations but the urgency was more in the fact that President Jonathan's tenure was the best chance to help Bayelsa march forward and his tenure could not be taken for granted to continue for a second term. At last Bayelsa elders succeeded in getting Dickson to run sooner on the accord that he will be supported to do it his way. This writer has gone into details here to properly situate the overriding reason for Bayelsa Restoration Agenda. Restoration is therefore a movement to concretize the vision of Bayelsa forefathers for a modern and economically viable State. After achieving a level of political independence,the Ijaw race takes the next step to make Bayelsa economically viable so that it can become the Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation. To this end, it will have to make the environment of the cities attractive to investors who demand a minimum level of amenities; to live and do business here. Since the Boro idea of independence was defeated even in his time,the only option left taking cogisance of the fact that that oil wealth is non renewable, is to attract investment through tourism,trade and industrialization. Tourism would mkill two birds with one stone. It would beautify the State and open it for outsiders while attracting investors thereby making her globally competitive. In either choice you need to provide an enabling environment for people to live here and invest their money to help you reach your own potentials. It has to be an outward looking policy since the political set up cannot even permit you to own your own resources at least not fully yet. The foregoing explains what often is irritating to some locals who keep asking why not just share the money,why look out for investors when poverty is the major issue here. But then fighting poverty is the overriding concern of Bayelsa Restoration. Fighting poverty in a sustainable way leads government to save for the rainy day and empower its future generation to acquire the capacity to take what the Creator has given to them as of right. Education and human capacity building becomes a core agenda to fighting poverty. It was at this stage 2012 that Hon. Dickson took over the governorship after a landslide victory over the incumbent. His Excellency mounted the roastrom at Peace park 14th February 2012 to put forward a tailor made development plan that could not have been better woven. He named it Restoration,because it was to restore the concrete implementation of the plan of Bayelsa founding fathers; to restore a God given glory to the Bayelsa. Governor Dickson’s approach was made clear from the beginning. He would fight poverty in stages and would not be stampeded to play politics with these key objectives which means that he was never bogged down with political correctness. The first step was to restore security to the Region so that he could build critical infrastructure to open the State for business of development. Then he would face capacity building for the young teeming population via free education and scholarship programmes. The next was to open Bayelsa to the world and the world to Bayelsa. Bayelsa began to play host to prospective investors and global events. All these were made possible by adopting the tenets of open governance through transparency and accountability policies and driven by a robust social and traditional media. As this happened the Tourism Agenda was activated to help make Bayelsa an investment destination in line with the Dubai model. It became possible to extract some commitments for further infrastructural development through partnerships with Private investors and it was decided to focus on the niche areas of advantage to the State. The oil and gas constituting 40 percent of national output meant that Bayelsa could indeed produce and sell power to the nation. The deep sea port at Agge means that Bayelsa could invest on helping oil majors export their crude oil and gas cheaper and directly from here instead of pumping to Lagos with attendant security limitations. Oh,If only there is a Cargo Airport to complete the circle. Governor Dickson gets the Assembly to approve 50 billion Naira facility to kickstart the Airport project. Why not ,with the promise of a 6 billion dollar Chinese investment in the Brass petrochemicals and fertilizer plant known as Brass LNG, the State can afford to pay back. But if only the road is through to Nembe from Ogbia ! This effort was kickstarted three decades ago with contractors from the Joint Venture Partners and NNDC all along citing finance and security challenges as holding back progress. Governor Dickson releases 3 billion Naira to get it to Nembe and now plans to complete the remaining portion of the over hundred kms stretch to Brass before he leaves office 2020. Meanwhile another government is in plaice at the national level with emergence of President Buhari and we witness a determined stretch of funding glut politically designed to scuttle the big ticket projects. It’s too late to go back now so Governor Dickson has to do his magic to sustain the state and starve off internal dissension . His prudence was tested and salaries were slashed and for the first time was in arrears. He was called names and faithfuls decamped but he refused to stop work on the projects. Now the 3.5 kilometer runway Cargo Airport built literally via sand filled land would land its first Boeing plane by June 2018. The State is building an industrial power hub where it will facilitate procurement of gas for power companies wishing to produce and sell megawatts to other parts of Nigeria and the West African subregion. Don’t forget that this state was the first to build independent power stations in the 70s. To make the state environment business friendly and empower the people ,a digital processing of land papers is now in place in Yenagoa with the setting up of the Bayelsa Geographical Information System( BAYGIS). It means that in less than 50 days you can obtain your C.Of O. This makes land a convertible resource in wealth creation. The State has spent over 25 billion Naira in a massive Health sector reform and can boast of one of the finest Diagonistic centre in Nigeria. Together with a Specialist Hospital structure that has so far been widely acclaimed. All these adds up to a health insurance scheme that truly works ,the first of its kind in Nigeria. Don’t forget that Bayelsa Health Ministry ranked tops in Nigeria in the handling of the Ebola epidemic. The Bayelsans Agricultural sector has witnessed one of the biggest booms in her history with large scale investments and partnerships. Of recent,the Aquaculture value chain engaged unemployed youths as proud owners of 500 ponds built by the State in Yenagoa. Foreign partners from Hungary- Danish consortium with a 600 ton facility await the Cargo Airport to begin export of Industrial starch from Ebedebiri farms. The State oil palm covering 1,200 hectares is to be upgraded to 2000 hectares now managed by a private partner while the State begins to see a boost in IGR from 200 million to over a billion monthly. Rice potentials of the State , likely to feed Nigeria and West Africa is also now being exploited by investors. In view of what was often regarded by the opposition as 'doing too much",Restoration was overwhelming returned to power in 2016. After his second term victory, Governor Dickson now focuses on rural and Youth Development cpnsidering that all indices has been put in place for sustainable employment of teaming youths. The outcome of ongoing local government reforms as well as the repositioning of the civil service will create direct employment opportunities. Bayelsa enviable experience in SMEs development has gotten positive attention of the world as more than 2 billion Naira was distributed to entrepreneurs. There is also a mentorship scheme whereby youths are attached to top participating blue chip companies to grant them valuable skills. These programmes have helped youths to become self reliant and move away from cultism and militancy. To add the crown to his state of emergency on education on assumption of office, last year a new University was established with private partners known as the University of Africa at Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA. It was to further the objective of granting Bayelsans and other Africans world class education to help them becomes true leaders. It was a reaction to often unsavoury experiences gathered by the State scholarship scheme when money’s had to be converted to different currencies in order to pay the fees of Bayelsa Students leading sometimes to delays and shortfalls. Aside from high performances at the WASC and NECO, the Bayelsa Youth was once voted the most literate amongst his peers in Nigeria. Last year a Bayelsans beneficiary of State scholarship emerged as best graduating student of Lincoln University,USA. All these and other visual reminders around point to the fact that Bayelsa Restoration has been a huge success after six years of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in the saddle

https://www.modernghana.com/news/834909/history-and-outcome-of-bayelsa-restoration.html#.WoPj_G4Ed3Y.facebook

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‘There will soon be no woman in the Senate’ A very touching historical video by one Dumebi Kachikwu for ROOTS traced the history of women’s political participation and advocacy way beyond the popular Aba women Riot of 1929 that many erroneously credit as the first major intervention in political issues by women in a colonial Nigeria. In what appears like a passionate plea to Nigeria and African women to do what they know how to do best, he traced history to 1910 in Agbaja in present day Kogi state when women collectively stayed away from their homes for a month based on the suspicion that some men had been secretly killing pregnant women. This action, according to history pushed the elders in the communities to address their concerns. Again in1924, three thousand women in present day Calabar took to the streets to protest the tolls imposed on markets by the colonial authorities. In the South West, women organizations like the Lagos Market Women Association, Nigeria’s Women’s Party and the Abeokuta Women’s Union were pressure groups that actively took action to stop the colonial administration in their tracks. He recalled too that the Aba Women Riot of 1929 was a collective action that defied tribes and religion. The women pushed for justice and equity and even though some of them were killed in the process, they still won as they achieved some of the aims of their protest. In tracing the history of women’s standing up to the colonial administration in Nigeria, Ukachukwu is beckoning on women to remember that the they have always been active participants in the political sphere. He therefore wants women to stand up and own their positions in both the country and continent. At the Roundtable Conversation however, we realize that the fact that Rwanda presently has the global highest number of women in parliament at 61.1% does not erase the fact that women seem to have taken a back seat in African political issues. Understandably, the 1994 genocide is a contributory factor there is a clarion call on women to intervene in the development of the country and continent. The female power is still unmistakably valid at all times and now is no different. The Roundtable Conversation for long has identified the effects of the lack of gender parity in Nigerian political space seeing that Nigeria with a population of more than two hundred million has one of the lowest gender representations in parliament with a paltry 6.9%. What this portends is that the Nigerian political space still excludes women as a carryover of the colonial mono governance structure that reordered the traditional African complimentary leadership that existed before the white men came to, in Achebe’s words, put a knife to that which held us together as a people and things have fallen apart. The Roundtable Conversation sat down with the Senate Minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who had penultimate week delivered a Keynote speech at the inaugural annual conference of Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo with the theme, “Enhancing Women’s Participation and Partnership in governance and Development”. The Socio-Cultural Group of professional women believes that we all must join in the conversation to find a solution to the leadership question in ways that gender should not be a barrier for competent and willing women to win elections in a democracy. The Senator startled everyone when he pointedly declared that, ‘If nothing is done and urgently too, there will soon be no woman in the Senate”. He should know, he is in a Senate of 109 members with a paltry seven female senators! A House of Representatives with 360 members has only 22 women. Most state houses of assembly have no woman at all and those that have do not make up to 5% of the total number. No woman in Nigeria has won a governorship seat since 1999. According to the Senator, the reality is that the number of women has been on the decrease since 1999. He said Nigeria must take decisive actions to make the political space more inclusive of women. However, modern politics according to him requires education and the literacy rate especially for women across some regions is still very low. So first things first, education of all our children, males and females must be a priority if we must get ahead in a world ruled by ideas and technology. The leaders in parts of the country where the literacy rate for women is very low according to the statistics of UNICEF, UNESCO and WHO must make education of the people a priority just like they make that of their children. Asked what he has done as a legislator to bring his fears to the fore and get his colleagues to act, he said that he had always advocated that we have to increase the number in the federal system to bring in more women. If certain appointments are based on Federal character, can Nigerians not realize that there is no gender parity in the Nigerian political space? Is the sense of justice limited to appointments in a country in dire straits that desperately needs the input of women in a complimentary leadership style? He also has been pushing for a renewed legislative agenda in changing the laws to reflect the current realities in global politics. However, it is often a herculean task to get the majority to see the real danger in playing the ostrich. Some would often quote the constitution as it concerns federal character but see advocacy for political inclusiveness in another light. So if we can balance appointments, why not revisit our laws for gender balance? While we acknowledge the nuances of culture and religion we continue to push and persuade them to see the current dynamics as not very intrusive in that regard. We continue to knock on the doors hoping it works someday. We must continue to push for implementation. Asked whether women in politics are doing enough to help their gender, he said the same acculturation men are exposed to are the same for women too because you often see women not supporting fellow women seeking elective positions. So women in politics often have to work twice as hard as the men before they get results. Women must learn to sustain the unity they have at the rural community levels in party politics. They can work better with the sense of team unity that guides their interactions at the community levels nationally. Unfortunately it does seem they do not seize those moments. Fundamentally, Nigerians must take stock. We can look around and see that the chicken has come home to roost. When women are uneducated, there is likelihood of early marriage and with marriage as a child bride, many things might follow. There are chances of the child-bride dying in pregnancy or labour due to reproductive issues which increases the maternal mortality, some might get the almost disabling condition of Vestico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) which subsequently makes them unproductive. An illiterate mother has less chances of raising well balanced kids nutritionally and mentally. The numbers of uneducated and unskilled youths that cause most of the social ills that affect all of us are all products of a system that relegate women to the background. Ironically, most of the political elites understand the implication because their own kids neither miss education nor do they become child brides. Nigerians must begin to think beyond today. The idea of focusing on the short term is a huge problem in any nation that desires development. Our short term plans are very destructive to any nation. Nations have fifty, hundred and fifty years strategic development plans. It seems we are a country of here and now. The earlier we begin to address gender parity in the country the better for everyone. We have to be more discerning and make better choices. The senator believes that political parties must begin to do intra party re-strategizing to chat a better political culture that can bring a change. The essence is for political parties to begin to create the template that can engender more inclusiveness and with it the development we all seek. We must as a nation agree that democracy that must be viable must stop seeing women in leadership as ‘kind gesture or mere tokenism’ to the female gender. There must be a reorientation for us all to realize that development in the twenty first century works better with complimentary leadership with women who have shown capacity and readiness to serve. The serious issue of the decreasing number elected women across the country since the return of democracy in 1999 is an ill-wind that blows no one or region any good. It is a global truth that most countries including Nigeria with fewer women in leadership are not doing too well developmentally. The recent pandemic across the globe has also shown the capacity of women leaders in other climes as most of the countries with female leaders statistically have done better at containing the spread of the virus and subsequently its effect on their economies. It is wrong to assume that gender parity is a favour to women. No, it is not, it is a way of life that dates back to pre-colonial and colonial periods. The Amazons of Dahomey – present day Benin Republic got their title from their leadership gallantry against the French colonialists. Queen Amina, Idia, Moremi and a number of other historical women leaders are legends today that have earned prime historical positions even better than most men of their era. The myopia of the political leaderships in all regions must give way to better long term vision and plans. The divine that made us men and women thought of partnerships in more things than reproduction and home keeping. The dialogue continues…

https://thenationonlineng.net/there-will-soon-be-no-woman-in-the-senate/

Politics

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Nigeria records first baby by ‘freezed egg’ Nigeria has recorded the birth of its first baby conceived through the oocyte (egg) freezing protocol. The feat was recorded by The Bridge Clinic, Lagos, on February 16, with the delivery of a male child, named Tiwatope. The oocyte was preserved through cryopreservation, which is the cooling of cells and tissues to sub-zero temperatures to stop biological activity and preserve the cells for future use. Human oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) is a process in which a woman’s eggs (oocytes) are extracted, frozen and stored. Later, when she is ready to become pregnant, the eggs can be thawed, fertilised and transferred to the uterus as embryo. According to the fertility physician with The Bridge Clinic, Dr. Emmanuel Owie, who broke the news, Tiwatope’s birth was significant in many respects, as he puts the country on the global map in the practice of oocyte cryopreservation, a new offering in the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) space. “Before his birth, this new practice seemed to be an exclusive preserve of the developed world of Europe and North America. It is even more significant considering the fact that since the report of the first pregnancy through this protocol in 1986, the practice has resulted in the birth of only about 5,000 babies worldwide,” he stated. Dr. Owie said Tiwatope’s mother had her eggs frozen using the vitrification, also known as flash-freezing process – the cutting edge technology in cryobiology, where the eggs or oocytes of a woman are dehydrated and the water content replaced with “anti-freeze” solution (cryoprotectants) before freezing. This will prevent the formation of ice crystals, which could destroy the cell. Tiwatope’s parents had battled infertility for eight years, but the clinic had the mother’s eggs frozen for two months. Dr. Owie explained: “We fertilised the eggs using a standard technique, known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to overcome the egg shell, which normally gets hardened with freezing. “The fertilised egg was subsequently transferred into her womb, resulting in the pregnancy of Tiwatope. She had her antenatal care in her family hospital and delivered the baby boy through caesarian section (SC).” The clinic’s coordinator, Corporate Marketing/Communication and Client Relations, Dr. Ekundayo Omogbehin, said the baby and the mother were in good health.

http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-records-first-baby-freezed-egg/

Family

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By Sola Ogundipe BELIEVE it or not, but you could be safer ingesting marijuana -the most used illegal drug on Earth – than a prescription pain killer drug. Findings by a brand new first-of-its-kind global study conducted at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, USA, showed that prescription pain killers, though legal, could be the deadliest drug of all. A publication in The Lancet, revealed that marijuana, though often preferred to other illicit drugs of addiction such as cocaine, heroin and amphetamines are responsible for killing fewer persons than addictive painkillers such as Oxycontin and Vicodinbe. Of a total of 78,000 drug deaths, prescription pain pills accounted for more than half. The study does not mention why marijuana has become the most popular drug, controversy over the legalisation of cannabis in some US states rages on. While marijuana use is still illegal according to federal law, the new global report found that men in their 20s were most likely to abuse any of the drugs studied. Drugs such as Ecstasy and other hallucinogens were not included due to a lack of data. The study also found that Australia, Russia, the UK and the US were the hardest hit by substance abuse. Those living in these areas were also more likely to use the drugs which originated closer to home. For instance, persons living in Asia or Australia were more inclined to abuse amphetamines and opioids whereas North Americans used more marijuana and cocaine. “Even if it is not very solid data, we can say definitely that there are drug problems in most parts of the world,” explained senior author Theo Vos. Michael Lysnkey with the National Addiction Centre at King’s College in London warned that these numbers are likely to change, saying the world’s preference for drugs may change in the future. “The illicit use of prescribed opiates in the US has only happened in the last 10 years or so,” said Lysnkey in a statement. “It’s possible in another 20 years, patterns will again change in ways we can’t predict.” Many continue to debate the potential health benefits and dangers of marijuana usage with constituents on either side pointing to medical studies that reach different conclusions. Earlier this year, researchers from Tel Aviv University say they found smoking marijuana to be beneficial to elder patients who suffer from a variety of chronic ailments. The Israeli researchers said 19 elderly subjects who smoked marijuana experienced healthy weight gain, an improvement in mood and communication skills and a reduction of chronic pain. A recent study from the University of Montreal, however, found that pot smoking can lead to addictive behavior in teens who are already predisposed, either due to environmental psychological conditions, to pick up an addictive habit. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology recently found that the use of LSD, ecstasy and other psychedelic drugs are not linked to mental illness and, in fact, could improve some individuals’ psychiatric health. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/marijuana-safer-than-painkillers-study/

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In 1982 Mpagi Edward Edmary, a Ugandan taxi driver, was sentenced to death for the brutal murder of his neighbour. But not only was Edward an innocent man, there hadn’t even been a murder. Edward had been framed after a land dispute between families in the village got out of hand. Witnesses were bribed to say they had seen him kill the man and dispose of the body. He spent the next 20 years in Kampala’s notorious Luzira prison and was only released when his family proved that the dead man had been hiding out in another part of the country. As Edward says, “In Uganda, conditions for death row prisoners are cruel, degrading, and inhumane. We were always denied medicines. There were lice, flies, and other vermin in the prison, and this resulted in many illnesses – and many prisoners died from these illnesses. In 1984 my brother developed malaria and stomach complications because of inadequate food and skin conditions. I pleaded with the prison authorities to give my brother medication and treatment. However, they told me that we were brought to death row to face death, that it was a waste of taxpayer’s money to treat him. My brother died in 1985. This really scared me. Life is terrible on death row in Uganda, Africa. No one was ever given any notice that they would be executed. Each time we were taken by complete surprise. We lived in complete fear of any unusual activity from the wardens. During my stay in prison there were five rounds of executions. The last one was in 1999 in which the state executed 28 prisoners. The coffins for the prisoners to be executed were made in the prison. During the three days before executions, we could all hear the making of the coffins. The black hoods and clothes for prisoners to be executed were made by other prisoners. We knew how many people were to be executed by counting the number of hoods being made.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/man-spent-20-years-on-death-row-for-murder-of-a-man-who-was-alive/

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Table of contents Table of contents - The History Behind Young Blood Transfusions - The Science Behind Young Blood Transfusions - Young Blood Transfusion Startup Dies a Quick Death - Young Blood Transfusion is Regenerative Medicine - Crikey, They’re Using Chronokines - Going All in with GDF11 - Making Abundant Use of Blood Proteins - Investing in Young Blood Transfusions History is full of little ironies, like the fact that ZZ Top band member Frank Beard was the guy without a hillbilly beard or that the owner of Segway died by riding a Segway off a cliff. Another little twist is that the modern-day concept of young blood transfusions – siphoning blood off from the young to reinvigorate the old – was first developed by a communist but has been fully embraced by the vampires venture capitalists of Silicon Valley like Peter Thiel. The History Behind Young Blood Transfusions Russian Alexander Bogdanov was what we might call a Renaissance man. He was a philosopher, writer, revolutionary, and physician. He was instrumental in establishing communism in Russia but later broke with the party and was exiled for a time. In the 1920s, the good doctor started experimenting with blood transfusions as a means for extending his life. He even wrote a science fiction novel about a Martian society that described his blood transfusion theories in detail. Bogdanov reportedly experienced some success – improved eyesight, cure for balding – before he contracted malaria and tuberculosis from a later transfusion and died what was probably a pretty horrible death. It turns out that Bogdanov might have been on to something. Scientists have been playing the idea of parabiosis – a surgical technique that links the circulatory systems of two living animals – for more than 150 years. The first guy who also liked to bury kittens alive scientist to perform parabiotic surgery was a physiologist named Paul Bert, who stitched together two albino mice to determine if they could share one circulatory system. It worked, and the technique has been used in the decades since to investigate how different blood factors affect everything from tumors to immunity, according to a Nature article profiling the technique. In the 1950s, scientists conducted some of the first parabiotic experiments specifically for aging research. In 1972, researchers studying conjoined pairs of young-old rats found that the older rodents lived several months longer than their carefree counterparts. That’s about the time parabiosis research peaked, and it was sort of forgotten until the early 21st century, when a new generation of scientists started studying how our lifeblood might be linked to life extension. The Science Behind Young Blood Transfusions Frankly, scientists don’t really understand the science behind young blood transfusions, except that they seem to work – at least in mice and rats. Researchers like Tony Wyss-Coray, Amy Wagers, Thomas Rando, and Irina and Michael Conboy, among a handful of others, have found that swapping young blood for old can restore liver cells, muscle cells, and even brain cells. Young blood transfusions – or at least some sort of plasma-based concoction or even synthesized drug – could potentially help treat diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. These scientists and their startups (more on that below) are investigating the possible role certain proteins may have in these sudden rejuvenations that appear to be reactivating stem cells. Young Blood Transfusion Startup Dies a Quick Death One startup called Ambrosia that couldn’t wait for a definitive answer opted to offer young blood transfusions at $8,000 a pop, following in the footsteps of comrade Bogdanov. The company, based in Monterey (of course), started generating headlines back in 2017 or so when it began offering bags of blood as an anti-aging cure. It took a while, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put the kibosh on the whole thing when it issued a strongly worded statement in February that basically said it would be really, really stupid to pay thousands of dollars for someone else’s blood that doesn’t belong to Tom Cruise. After all, when people can die from poop transplants, plenty more could go wrong from a blood transfusion. Ambrosia subsequently shut down, and its founders went on to join Scientology. Most of that is true. Young Blood Transfusion is Regenerative Medicine What’s absolutely true is that research into young blood transfusions is still ongoing, though the big brains behind legitimate research probably wish the term would go away. In reality, the scientists and companies developing therapies based on young blood are targeting diseases that result from aging, like the neurodegenerative diseases we mentioned earlier. It would probably be better to describe their efforts as part of the larger field of regenerative medicine, which is focused on restoring the structure and function of damaged tissues or organs using everything from stem cells to 3D bioprinters. Let’s learn a little more about the regenerative medicine companies doing it with plasma. Crikey, They’re Using Chronokines We briefly introduced you to a company called Alkahest a couple of years ago as part of our ongoing coverage on human longevity, anti-aging companies, and life extension science. Founded in 2014, the Silicon Valley startup has raised an undisclosed amount of money, including a 2018 grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Barcelona-based Grifols (GRFS), a global healthcare company that specializes in plasma-based therapies, is also a minority partner with a 45% share in the startup. The company’s co-founder is Wyss-Coray, one of the pioneers in the field, so Alkahest appears well positioned to make progress if the elixir of life is truly to be found in our blood. The company is developing several drug therapies based on its research on key blood proteins it calls chronokines. One promising therapy for age-related macular degeneration just completed a clinical trial of an orally administered drug that blocks a protein called eotaxin that increases with age and is tied to certain age-related disease. Vision either improved or stabilized in more than 80% of the test subjects. Something to watch for down the road. Going All in with GDF11 Another startup to come out of the brat pack of regenerative medicine scientists involved in young blood transfusion research is San Francisco-based Elevian. Found in 2017, the company has taken in $5.5 million and counts among its scientific co-founders Wagers, who co-authored one of the seminal papers on anti-aging parabiosis research with Wyss-Coray. Elevian has put all of its chips on a protein known as growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11). Previous work by Wagers and colleagues suggested that GDF11 reproduces many of the regenerative effects demonstrated by circulating young blood into aged mice. The company isn’t as far along as Alkahest, as Elevian is still in the pre-clinical phase, looking to target diseases ranging from coronary artery and diabetes to Alzheimer’s: Scientists from Novartis have publicly challenged the scientific soundness of GDF11, arguing that injecting GDF11 actually accelerates aging. It will probably be a few years before we find out if Elevian is producing the real Holy Grail of aging or the fake one that turned the Nazi collaborator into a pile of bones in about 10 seconds during Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Making Abundant Use of Blood Proteins In the course of our research, we came across an Austrian startup called OrthoSera that is developing treatments for musculoskeletal problems – think bad knees and even dental grafts – using serum albumin, which is the most abundant blood protein in plasma. Founded in 2012, OrthoSera has raised an undisclosed amount of money over three rounds. It brings to the doctor’s office two products: BoneAlbumin and hypACT. The first is marketed as a bone void filler in dentistry and orthopedics. The latter takes the technology even further by isolating a specific protein in a patient’s blood that can be used to promote cell proliferation in bone and cartilage – all in the same procedure. OrthoSera has developed a device to process and apply the treatment at a patient’s bedside, with clinical approval for use in Europe. Investing in Young Blood Transfusions As we noted earlier, the core business of publicly traded Grifols (GRFS:US) out of Barcelona, Spain is developing plasma-based treatments, diagnostic equipment, and other products and services that involve blood. So, if you’re an investor with Renfield syndrome, then Grifols is the right company for you, though you should know that its stock over the last five years has lost its investors nearly -20% compared to an +80% return on the NASDAQ composite. However, Grifols recently saw some better numbers from a clinical trial of its Albutein 20%, a product that uses the same abundant proteins as OrthoSera, on moderate Alzheimer’s patients. The treatment, through a process called plasmapheresis, involves removing a large portion of a patient’s normal plasma, then injecting a solution of albumin back in. Patients experienced a 61% reduction in disease progression. Alzheimer’s patients have low levels of serum albumin, which is needed to clear out the plaques of amyloid that build up in the brain, though other factors (like removing the plasma in the first place) might also explain the results, according to an article in leapsmag. While no doubt more research is needed, the treatment could turn out to be a game-changer in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. That might warrant a bump in the company’s $16.09 billion market cap down the road. The hype and subsequent failure around Ambrosia has probably not done any favors to the legitimate companies working on so-called young blood transfusions. The actual science around these plasma-based therapies is sound. In fact, new research came out just this month that discovered two additional proteins that may be present in young blood that could help regenerate old neurons. We’re encouraged to see some limited commercialization of these plasma-based treatments through a company like OrthoSera, though we’re likely years away from young blood transfusions that might reverse age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s or other diseases. Sign up to our newsletter to get more of our great research delivered straight to your inbox! Nanalyze Weekly includes useful insights written by our team of underpaid MBAs, research on new disruptive technology stocks flying under the radar, and summaries of our recent research. Always 100% free.

https://www.nanalyze.com/2019/06/young-blood-transfusions/

Religion

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HEBREW ISRAELITE ORIGINS And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:… DEUTERONOMY 26:5. BEFORE it was Called SYRIA & Before Jacob-Israel… 4000s BC-----------2300sBC [FLOOD] -------- 2000s BC--------- Egyptian Museum; A ANCIENT SYRIAN Titled; Ancient Syrian Bedouin There happens to be a lot of history about this very subject of which I hope to share some. But this would be part of the origins of the Hebrew Israelite people. However prior to this time though, much more happened and needs to be brought out as well. In order to understand the bigger picture about the Original Syrian people and also prior to the development of the Israelite people, the more distant past to their existence needs to be understood. But because Jacob Israel married a Syrian girl, RACHEL, this would be a part of the origins of the Hebrew Israelites. However, father Israel was not technically a Syrian man himself, but he was from another Semitic origin from his male line, Arphaxad. But he and his father’s people came to be a part of this Syrian country at a time that the Syrian people became very divided based on COLORISM. This would be the reason why Israel’s grandfather Abraham was told by the Creator to separate from his father Terah. Abraham’s father Terah bonded with the Assyrian people but Abraham [ie Abram; Ab-Ram] was born in Ur of the Chaldees and identified with these people of his origins, the Sumerians, and they had become suppressed in their own native Sumerian lands in Mesopotamia. The southern parts of Syria was considered SYRIA or the BROWN or dark skinned descendants of Asshur and due to Colorism, the northern parts of Syria became known as ASSYRIA, meaning ‘WHITE SYRIA’, this division also stemmed from what occurred in the great civilization that bordered this country in the land of the Chaldeans. Based on the Bible records, the country of Syria became named after a son and descendant of Shem, named ASSHUR and his name reveals the very maternal origins of these Semitic people. Prior to this country being given to the descendants of Shem, it was the land of Canaan Ham, a son and descendant of Ham (Cham). But after about three hundred (300) years, the land was taken back from the Canaanites by Noah and given to his son Shem who received the blessing of the priesthood ahead of his elder brother, Japheth. Yes, Noah also took the blessing of JapHeth as the High Priest and gave it to his second born son, Shem at an earlier time and prior to the Canaanites being dispossessed of their lands. However, Shem and his generations were also a part of the problems that led to a great conflict in the lands of Ham. So even though the descendants of Shem received the blessing of the High Priesthood and the land of Canaan Ham that became the land of Asshur, the Canaanite dominant presence remained for one major reason, Asshur Shem was part WHITE CANAANITE. Although today we here in America know this same country as Syria, however, this would be a demise, because it is known ASSYRIA by the people there and by other countries all over the world. In America have we Black Americans been misled to believe that the term ‘Assyria’ has become defunct. But in fact, its name used by other countries and all of the ancient Assyrian symbolism confirms that Syria today is still known as Assyria. The very national flag contains the ancient symbols of Assyria, not Syria. Syria specifically defines the ethnic or dark skinned Syrians of who were present as a distinct culture of people for many thousands of years, but eventually they were suppressed and dominated by the Assyrians by the Roman Empire times. Even though both the Syrians and the Assyrians worship the same god, Ashur [ie Asshur], who was their ancestor, they became two different and distinct cultures due to Colorism and then later because of the other kinds of foreign people that came to intermix with each of them and that became a part of their separate and distinct cultures. Therefore, both Assyria and Syria became different and unique apart from each other in the early times of their formations and during the lifetime of Abraham. So therefore, father Israel bonded with the Syrians and as a result his identity and that of his offspring, they came to be defined in association with Syria and both of these cultures, Syria and Israel, did not look like Assyrian people. Therefore like many of the tens of thousands of Syrians that became forced marched into Egypt and suppressed under ‘hard bondage’ at a later time especially during the 18th Dynasty of the Thutmosis, the descendants of Israel became a part of this time period as well. Unlike the Assyrians of whom the Egyptians elevated, on the other hand, the Syrians were loathed. While the Hebrew Israelites were suppressed and concentrated in Lower Egypt in the north by the Assyrians, however, the Nubian-Egyptians became suppressed in Upper Egypt in the south: For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. ISAIAH 52:4. So even though today, the Arab people of Syria do not all reflect the ancient Assyrians, however, the name of the very country is not called Syria as we are made to believe here in America based on our records and maps, but it is still referred to as Assyria in other parts of the world. And in ancient times, the Egyptians worshiped the Assyrians because they were White Syrians. Even though many African Americans have become enraged at the idea that the Egyptians have been thought at times to have been White, not only does the Bible support this truth but it also confirms the secular records too, in that yes, the Egyptians did welcome in the Assyrians and inter-mixed with Asiatic and White people of whom did come to rule in Egypt at some point in time. Joseph was the son of a Syrian woman and he was forced into Egypt during the 12th Dynasty. Yet even at this time, the Egyptian rulers over Egypt came to regard the Assyrians as being more supreme than the Syrians and for this reason and when Joseph was delivered out of the dungeon and elevated, Joseph was not identified as being a Syrian, but he was given a royal title that linked him to his ancestor Terah, not Abraham! Even though Joseph never knew Terah or even Terah’s son Haran, or his own Great-grandfather Abraham for that matter and Abraham completely separated himself from his father Terah and from the Assyrians, and Joseph’s Egyptian statue depicted him as being Brown skinned like the Syrian man that he was, however, he was associated with Assyria and not Syria by the Egyptians. Joseph’s name was associated with the Assyrian city of Haran (ie Charran, Naharin) that was built up by Terah (ie Thara), a city not named after his own ancestor Abraham. And Joseph made it plain to his own people how the Hebrew were regarded by the Egyptians as Hebrews were marked by trade as being shepherds and not cattle herders, and so likewise from the viewpoint of the Egyptians, the Syrian people were also marked as being subordinate to the Assyrians for various physical reasons as well. In comparison to the Egyptians of that time period of the 12th Dynasty, Joseph may have been regarded as being lighter skinned than the Nubians and the Egyptians, but he was still ethnic in his appearance and brown skinned like the Syrians. So as the Egyptian records do show, Joseph was indeed, a Syrian and in the beginning, he wore the attire and hairstyles that remained a dominant theme in Syria and in Israel for thousands and thousands of years. Joseph had African-typed hair, bushy hair, and he was pictured in his tomb likewise. The beginning of his life story in his tomb in Egypt does not begin with his birth, he was depicted as a slave. Joseph was depicted as being brown skinned with a huge black afro, and he had only a white cloth wrapped around his waist, bare foot, bent over and with a tool in his hand. But the depictions of Joseph ended on the other side of the tomb of him depicted with a headdress that covered his hair. In fact the very hairstyle that Joseph wore was also described as being the hairstyle of the Syrians, and this hairstyle today known by some in East Africa as being called, THE TIFFA, was first depicted in ancient Egyptian records during the time of the 12th Dynasty, the very time that Joseph was brought into Egypt. Many Hebrew Israelite people today in East Africa still wear this very hairstyle of the ancient Syrians of which would be a large afro at the crown or top of their head and then longer locks of hair that drapes down around their neck and back. Because the East African girls don’t ‘poll’ or cut their hair like the men to have the afro at the crown of their head, another typical style worn in Northeast Africa today of the women of Eritrea and elsewhere in that region of Ethiopia would be that they twist back about four or more thick rows of hair at the top of the head and let the rest of their thick hair be free at the back and drape down. Therefore, the ancient records of the past and of today can reveal truth and pinpoint the cultural identity and physical genetic traits that would define the true origins of the Hebrew Israelite people to be in association with the ancient people of Syria. Cont. Among traditional Hidarab (Beja), Beni-Amer and some Tigre men, they style their hair in a fluffy crown like shape that have long ringlets hanging down on the sides. This type of hairstyle is known as the tiffa in the Hidareb language. Attesting to its antiquity, ancient Egyptian paintings found in tombs that date back to the 12th Dynasty show the tiffa hairstyle being present among their citizens. THE BLESSING OF JOSEPH …The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. GENESIS 49: 26. TIFFA HAIRSTYLE, Ancient Egypt Record THE BLESSING OF JOSEPH …And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,… And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. DEUTERONOMY 33:13-16.

https://destee.com/threads/hebrew-israelite-origins.87407/

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In terms of laws, Nigeria has enough regulating how People With Disabilities (PWDs) should be treated. The latest of these being the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 23, 2019. More than two years down the line, there is no appreciable difference in the way PWDs are treated in the country. The sad part of it is that the very governments that should champion the cause of the disabled are about the most guilty culprits of the indifference towards them. The result is that the integration of the disabled into the society has largely remained a mirage. Yet, what many of the PWDs want is not to be pitied. As a matter of fact, many of them detest roaming the streets begging for alms; a thing most people readily oblige them, either for religious reasons or on compassionate grounds. Rather, they believe there is ability in their disability. All they want are opportunities that recognise their peculiar challenges but still afford them a chance to demonstrate their talents in vocational matters, academics, sports or what have you. Thus, we have had geniuses among them in any or all of these areas. Many of them have brought honour to the country in Paralympic, which is their own version of the Olympics. Many have excelled in academics and in other areas of life despite their physical challenges. A fact of life that many people conveniently ignore is that physical disability could be anybody’s lot. While some people were born with their disabilities, many others became PWDs through accidents, parental or personal negligence, ignorance, etc. which condemn them permanently to crawling or, if somewhat lucky, moving about on wheelchairs. Others lose their sight as a result, some have hearing problems whilst a lot of others suffer other forms of impairments. Just last week, we were told that 2,233 persons died in various road crashes in the country in just four months. Definitely, more than that figure would have suffered some permanent disability from those unfortunate and sometimes avoidable incidents. That someone who was not born with disability could become disabled due to other factors, including road and other forms of accidents is enough to jolt everyone, particularly public officials who are saddled with the responsibility of providing infrastructure to always take them into consideration. The society may not be able to reverse their situation; but it can make life relatively comfortable for them. Governments can also assist them by establishing or supporting initiatives such as the Iyanu Oluwa Vulnerable Group Centre in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, which some of them formed by way of self-help, where they practice all manner of trades, including shoe cobbling. One of those at the centre, Oguntile Ayoola, gives an insight into some of their challenges. Ayoola, who has been condemned to crawling permanently because transporters do not have the patience to pick and drop them laments: “The journey is always tortuous and painful. My knees have become dead from crawling over long distances,” he added. He crawls about 10 kilometres daily to the centre. This shouldn’t be so. This is why governments at all levels have to initiate policies with the specific needs of the disabled in mind. But making laws is one thing, enforcing them is another. Likewise, initiating policies is one thing, scrupulously implementing them is another. Governments are in the best position to make life easier for PWDs. They award most of the road contracts. They are therefore in a position to ensure that roads are designed and constructed with special provisions for the disabled. The same applies to public and private buildings; no approval should be given for major building projects, public or private, without the requisite facilities for the disabled. PWDs who opt to go to school must be supported with the tools needed to facilitate their learning. Indeed, government must be there for them in whatever they choose to do. Banks should be able to give them loans on very liberal terms once their projects are bankable, even if it means government guaranteeing the loans. Scholarships and bursary should be within the reach of those of them who opt for education. If we can make provision for our VIPs at the airports and many other places, nothing stops us from assisting the PWDs to make life comfortable and meaningful for them. Special buses can be provided for them where possible; otherwise operators of public transportation should be enlightened to see the need to be patient with them. Even churches and mosques hardly provide for their comfort. All of these make life unbearable for them. Helping the PWDs should be a matter of routine as is done in many caring countries and not as an afterthought. It is not about showing care or giving them fish alone, but about empowering them to catch fish themselves with minimum discomfort.

http://thenationonlineng.net/well-make-nigeria-liveable-again-buhari-assures/en

Politics

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Dr Mohammad Abubakar, Minister of Environment, on Monday, disclosed that Nigeria recorded 4,919 oil spills between 2015 to March 2021 and lost 4.5 trillion barrels of oil to theft in four years. Abubakar disclosed this at a Town Hall meeting in Abuja, organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, on protecting oil and gas infrastructure. “According to the National Oil Spill Detection Agency (NOSDRA) data, the total number of oil spills recorded from 2015 to March 2021 is 4,919, the number of oil spills cost by collation is 308. “The operational maintenance is 106, while sabotage is 3,628 and yet to be determined 70, giving the total number of oil spills on the environment to 235,206 barrels of oil. This is very colossal to the environment. “Nigeria also lost approximately 4.75 trillion on oil activities in the four years between 2015 and 2018, as estimated by the Nigeria Natural Resources Charter. “Several statistics have emphasised Nigeria as the most notorious country in the world for oil spills, loosing roughly 400,000 barrels per day. “The second country is followed by Mexico that has reported only 5,000 to 10,000 barrel only per day, thus a difference of about 3, 900 per cent. “Now the environmental effect, which is the major concern of the ministry of environment, is in the loss of revenue. “Attack on oil facilities has become the innovation that replaced agitations in the Niger Delta region against perceived poor governance and neglect of the area. ALSO READ: Troops capture Boko Haram terrorists with utensils, fuel, sex enhancement drugs, others “The impacts of vandalism of oil facilities have not only caused pollution of the environment, but had consequences on the local people, the national economy and security,’’ he said. Abubakar added that the activities that come with oil exploration and exploitation had similarly caused alterations to the environment and some of its effects had either been reduced or prevented. The minister added that adequate mitigation measures had been taken, including enforcement of relevant laws, regulations and guidelines, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act. He said the EIA process ensured that measures were put in place to assist in the reduction of the negative effects and enhancement of the positive effects on the ecology, health and social wellbeing of communities in project areas. “It is in the light of this fact that over 1,300 oil and gas projects in Nigeria have been subjected to EIA process under the supervision of the ministry’’. Abubakar further added that the ministry held periodic interactive sessions with oil and gas operators, focused on the continued degradation of the environment, fatalities and loss of revenue, attributable to the regular and incessant vandalism of oil facilities, particularly pipelines. The minister stressed that the effects of the destruction of oil and gas facilities had caused huge economic losses from pipelines to plant shut downs, as well as loss of biodiversity, habitat and ecological damage. In addition, the destruction had also caused degradation of soil quality, which drastically reduces soil fertility, thereby, affecting crop yields and food security. “Also, increase in air pollution and the attendant climate change issues, public health impacts on affected communities, social impacts and loss of livelihood, supremacy among militants, casualties, among others,’’ he said. Oil pipeline vandalism over the years had been one of the major factors contributing significantly to environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region, which accounts for about 70 to 80 per cent of our oil and gas sector that drives the economy, the minister noted. He added that the country’s oil and gas production accounts for a great deal of upstream and downstream industrial activities and production frontiers were increasingly moving into deep sea operations. Similarly, the oil sector accounts for over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s total foreign exchange earnings with the bulk of it coming from the numerous producing fields, located on the land, swamp and offshore environment of the Niger Delta region, Abubakar also noted. He, therefore, recommended increasing awareness creation on the negative consequences of vandalism of oil facilities and other illegal activities. Such awareness should also be accompanied by increased sustainable community development programmes for host oil communities, to include skills acquisition, provision of infrastructure and basic amenities, among others, by oil companies and relevant government agencies, Abubakar said. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/nigeria-lost-4-5trn-oil-barrels-to-theft-in-4-years-minister/

Politics

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By Biodun Busari One of the most popular Christmas songs is Jingle Bells, and the atmosphere will be filled with delight again as December starts today. ‘Jingle Bells’ is arguably the Christmas song one learns to sing in school and probably best in carol service. The song was composed by James Lord Pierpont who was a native of Medford, Massachusetts, US and made its debut in 1850. Read also: Afro pop Singer Sonofuche sets to drop Christmas video, “O Holy Night” Pierpont, an American songwriter and organist wrote the song to commemorate the town’s annual sleigh races around Thanksgiving. Historians said he published the song in 1857 under “One Horse Open Sleigh.” It had three verses in addition to the one typically sung today. The song details a young couple who are riding and tipping their sleigh in a snowdrift. As its popularity increased, the song became known as “Jingle Bells,” referring to the jolly refrain. It was first recorded in 1889 on an Edison cylinder. While that recording no longer exists, the second one from 1898 can still be found online. Since then, artists such as Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, (and more recently Gwen Stefani and Lauren Daigle) have all put their signature spins on the ubiquitous tune. This among other reasons is why ‘Jingle Bells’ remains the most popular among all the Christmas songs. In 1965, “Jingle Bells” became the first song broadcast from space when the astronauts aboard Gemini 6 decided to play a prank on Mission Control and performed the song on a harmonica and actual jingle bells they had smuggled on board. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/12/why-jingle-bells-is-popular-among-christmas-songs/

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In the age of the globalization, the most entrepreneurial communities win. It's not just a matter of individual success but some communities that possess certain skills will emerge to dominate significant sections of the economy. This can be seen in India's Parsi and Marwari, and Punjabi communities, the Punjabi of Pakistan, the Chinese in South East Asia, the Lebanese in West Africa, the Indians in East Africa or the Jews in the United States. But what about Africans? The domination of African economies particularly by Indian and Lebanese communities might lead one to deduce that there is a virtual dearth of entrepreneurial talent amongst sub Saharan Africa's 1 billion people. However there are certain communities in Africa that have distinguished themselves through great trading skills which have seen them amass significant wealth. In the age of globalization where entrepreneurship and a sense of adventure in business determines who wins and who loses, they will be perfectly placed to reap from the global markets. Igbo of Nigeria The Igbos of Nigeria are Africa's most energetic and most entrepreneurial people. They are not ancient traders but emerged much more recently with the onset of the British colonialism. Through sheer grit, hard work and a talent for spotting new opportunities, they emerged as the dominant traders and business leaders as Nigeria raced towards independence in the mid 50s. The Igbo dominance of Nigeria's commerce and industry was one of the reasons that led to the Biafran war. Today you can find Igbo traders all over the world from South Africa, Kenya, Ivory Coast, China, Japan, the United States, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Ireland, Vietnam, India amongst others. They are mostly merchants although a significant number have diversified into industry, banking, and transportation and service businesses. Researchers have identified the Igbos along with the Ashkenazi Jews and the Swiss Protestants as the people with the greatest achievement motivation in the world. Kikuyu of Kenya Like Nigeria's Igbos, Kenya's Kikuyu established businesses with the onset of colonialism. Since Kenya's pre-colonial economy was entirely in the hand of white settlers, many Kikuyu businesses emerged following Kenya's independence in 1963. Today, the Kikuyu run businesses straddling virtually all sectors of the Kenyan economy ranging from transportation, retail trade, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing, and much more. Kikuyu business communities can be found in virtually all East African cities such as Kampala, Kigali, Juba, Kinshasa, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam and in countries such as the United States, Britain and China. With their country in shambles for over two decades, one can easily assume that the Somali must be the most impractical people with the worst management skills. But if their success in business is put into consideration, nothing could be further from the truth. The Somalis rank amongst some of Africa's most entrepreneurial communities. They mainly operate as merchants owning several stalls and are dominant in import-export trade due to their networks in Dubai and Guangzhou. You will find Somalis in businesses such as imports of clothes, shoes, watches, laptops and other manufactured goods mainly from Asia. Export trader mainly involves miraa or khat to Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and the Arabian Peninsula. In recent years, many Somalis have diversified into transportation, hospitality and banking. The Chagga of Tanzania Numbering just 2 million people, Tanzania's Chagga are known for their great entrepreneurial skills and are the wealthiest ethnic community in Tanzania. They are also one of the most educated people in Tanzania. Together with their prowess in harnessing agriculture, the Chagga are great merchants and are present in almost every corner of the country. They have massive financial power in Tanzania and own businesses ranging from banks, insurance companies, tourist resorts, airlines (Precision Air) and are players in many other sectors of the economy. Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast From the 15th century to the 19th century the Akan people dominated gold mining and trading in the region and, from the 17th century on, they were among the most powerful groups in west Africa. Akan Jungle Warfare, The Third Anglo-Empire of Ashanti War. The Graphic 1874 This wealth in gold attracted European traders.Initially the Europeans were Portuguese but, eventually the Dutch and British joined in the quest for Akan gold. Groups such as the Benin Empire in modern day Nigeria and states in Central Africa would serve as intermediaries who waged wars on neighboring states in their geographic area to capture people and sell them as slaves to Europeans(Portuguese) who subsequently sold the enslaved people along with guns to Akans states in exchange for Akan gold. Akan gold was also used to purchase slaves from further up north via the Trans-Saharan route. The Akan purchased slaves in order to help clear the dense forests within Akanland. About a third of the population of many Akan states were enslaved people. The Akans went from buyers of slaves to selling slaves as the dynamics in Akanland and the New World changed. Thus, the Akan people played a considerable role in supplying Europeans with slaves for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Ghana later apologized to the descendents of slaves for the role some of its people may have played in the slave trade. Akan people, especially the Ashanti, fought against European colonists to maintain autonomy including many Anglo-Ashanti wars. the war of the Golden Stool, and other similar battles. By the early 1900s all of Akanland in Ghana was a colony or protectorate of the British while the lands in the Ivory Coast was under the French. On 6 March 1957, following the decolonization from the British under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, the Gold Coasts Akanland was joined to British Togoland, and the Nothern region, Upper East region and Upper West region of the Gold Coast to form Ghana. Ivory Coast gained independence on 7 August 1960. The restoration of Biafra will mark the rising of Africa,pls someone should help me tell Nigeria to let Biafra go.

http://m.modernghana.com/news/455846/1/africas-most-entrepreneurial-ethnic-groups.html

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22 danger signs to watch out for when using a gas cylinder By Praise Olowe There have been many cases of gas cylinder explosions and when this happens, lives are lost and properties worth millions are destroyed. However, there are so many danger signs we need to look out for while using a Gas cylinder. Some of these factors are: - Cooking gas cylinders must not exceed five years: most people using gas cylinders hardly remember when it was bought. It is important to keep track of the days and replace them as soon as possible. - Do not buy used Gas cylinders. - Watch out for the expiry dates: The steps to check the expiry date are very simple and basic. The expiry of LPG cylinder can be found on one of the metal strips that connect the body of the cylinder to top ring (handle). It is mentioned on the inner side of the strip. The strip has any of the alphabets from A to D painted on it along with a number. Decoding the expiry date is simple. The alphabet represents the month it expires while the number indicates the year. A year is divided into four quarters : A – January to March B – April to June C – July to September D – October to December For example, your cylinder has ‘A 18 painted on the metal strip. The alphabet A represents month March and 18 indicates the year 2018. - · Use gas cylinders in a vertical position, unless specifically designed to be used otherwise - · Securely restrain cylinders to prevent them from falling over - · Always double check that the cylinder/gas is the right one for the intended use. - · Before connecting a gas cylinder to equipment or pipe-work make sure that the regulator and pipe-work are suitable for the type of gas and pressure being used. - · When required, wear suitable safety shoes and other personal protective equipment when handling gas cylinders. - · Do not use gas cylinders for any other purpose than the transport and storage of gas. - · Do not drop, roll or drag gas cylinders. - · Close the cylinder valve and replace dust caps, where provided when a gas cylinder is not in use. - · Where appropriate, fit cylinders with residual pressure valves (non-return valves) to reduce the risk of backflow of water or other materials into the cylinder during use that might corrode it (e.g. beer forced into an empty gas cylinder during cylinder change-over). - · Ensure the valve is protected by a valve cap or collar, or that the valve has been designed to withstand impact if the cylinder is dropped. - · Store gas cylinders in a dry, safe place on a flat surface in the open air. If this is not reasonably practicable, store in an adequately ventilated building or part of a building specifically reserved for this purpose. Read Also: Family of six burnt in Anambra gas explosion - · Cylinders containing flammable gas should not be stored in part of a building used for other purposes. - · Protect gas cylinders from external heat sources that may adversely affect their mechanical integrity. - · Gas cylinders should be stored away from sources of ignition and other flammable materials. - · Avoid storing gas cylinders so that they stand or lie in water. - · Ensure the valve is kept shut on empty cylinders to prevent contaminants from getting in. - · Store gas cylinders securely when they are not in use. They should be properly restrained unless designed to be free-standing. - · Gas cylinders must be clearly marked to show what they contain and the hazards associated with their contents. - · Store cylinders where they are not vulnerable to hazards caused by impact, e.g. from vehicles such as fork-lift trucks.

https://thenationonlineng.net/22-danger-signs-to-watch-out-for-when-using-a-gas-cylinder/

Family

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How to check expiry date of a gas cylinder Gas cylinders are essential components in our kitchens and almost every home owns it. it is important to know that a gas cylinder could be as dangerous as its importance if certain factors are not checked constantly. There have been many cases of gas cylinder explosions and when this happens, lives are lost and properties worth millions are destroyed. It is alarming that up till now, so many people are not aware of the fact that gas cylinders have expiry dates. Here are danger signs to watch out for and guides to help you ascertain when your gas cylinder is due for change: - Cooking gas cylinders must not exceed five years: most people using gas cylinders hardly remember when it was bought. It is important to keep track of the days and replace them as soon as possible. - · Do not buy used Gas cylinders. - · Watch out for the expiry dates: The steps to check the expiry date are very simple and basic. The expiry of LPG cylinder can be found on one of the metal strips that connect the body of the cylinder to top ring (handle). It is mentioned on the inner side of the strip. The strip has any of the alphabets from A to D painted on it along with a number. Decoding the expiry date is simple. The alphabet represents the month it expires while the number indicates the year. A year is divided into four quarters : A – January to March B – April to June C – July to September D – October to December For example, your cylinder has ‘A 18 painted on the metal strip. The alphabet A represents month March and 18 indicates the year 2018. - Use gas cylinders in a vertical position, unless specifically designed to be used otherwise - · Securely restrain cylinders to prevent them from falling over - · Always double check that the cylinder/gas is the right one for the intended use. - · Before connecting a gas cylinder to equipment or pipe-work make sure that the regulator and pipe-work are suitable for the type of gas and pressure being used. - · When required, wear suitable safety shoes and other personal protective equipment when handling gas cylinders. - · Do not use gas cylinders for any other purpose than the transport and storage of gas. - · Do not drop, roll or drag gas cylinders. - · Close the cylinder valve and replace dust caps, where provided when a gas cylinder is not in use. - · Where appropriate, fit cylinders with residual pressure valves (non-return valves) to reduce the risk of backflow of water or other materials into the cylinder during use that might corrode it (e.g. beer forced into an empty gas cylinder during cylinder change-over). - · Ensure the valve is protected by a valve cap or collar, or that the valve has been designed to withstand impact if the cylinder is dropped. - · Store gas cylinders in a dry, safe place on a flat surface in the open air. If this is not reasonably practicable, store in an adequately ventilated building or part of a building specifically reserved for this purpose. Read Also: Family of six burnt in Anambra gas explosion - · Cylinders containing flammable gas should not be stored in part of a building used for other purposes. - · Protect gas cylinders from external heat sources that may adversely affect their mechanical integrity. - · Gas cylinders should be stored away from sources of ignition and other flammable materials. - · Avoid storing gas cylinders so that they stand or lie in water. - · Ensure the valve is kept shut on empty cylinders to prevent contaminants from getting in. - · Store gas cylinders securely when they are not in use. They should be properly restrained unless designed to be free-standing. - · Gas cylinders must be clearly marked to show what they contain and the hazards associated with their contents. - · Store cylinders where they are not vulnerable to hazards caused by impact, e.g. from vehicles such as fork-lift trucks.

https://thenationonlineng.net/how-to-check-expiry-date-of-a-gas-cylinder/

Education

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How the phrase ‘my dear’ can put you in trouble On several occasions, I have heard phrases like “English no be money, grammar no be success, grammar no be money”. Yes! I totally I agree, one hundred per cent. So, putting things in view, why do we now go out of our ways to make English language our own? We have our own Pidgin English which has spread across the country. Thanks to Warri indigenes. I can even say it has now become almost a global (sic) language. It is safer to speak it than scatter the regular English language. Recently, a huge fight broke out in my neighborhood, resulting to an arrest that led a jail term of one of our neighbours. The fight was so massive that others who knew nothing about it even joined. Some took sides, it was just crazy. Frantically, there was bloodshed, it really went out of hand. The guy in question was put behind bars, not because he physically assaulted his neighbor. No, not even because he raised a finger at her. His crime was that his neighbour’s wife greeted him and responded by saying “oh hello my dear!” That was it. The woman, at first corrected him by asking him to withdraw the statement and respond appropriately to her. Sighting the instance that she greeted him respectful and as a married woman, she deserved to be accorded with the same respect. The man, thinking it was a trivial issue brushed her outburst aside. She thereafter held unto his shirt, insisting that he must withdraw the response to her greeting because she was not “his dear”. The raising of their voices drew the attention of other neighbours and passersby. Not long after, the husband who was a retired police officer insisted that the man must be arrested for addressing his wife inappropriately. Ha! “My dear.” What could be wrong with these two words? They sound harmless, but critically analysing it, one could begin to see that it could sometimes sound condescending. In my part of the country, we address one with “my dear” when the person is younger or of lower economic status. For instance, your younger sibling, or your junior colleague. I don’t recall us using it for a contemporary or even a friend. We should perhaps learn to draw the line on how we address people. I know of a particular part of the country where my “my dear” is used on all individuals. I gave a friend a ride and could recall her talking on the phone with a cleric and as she was ending the call , I heard her address him as ‘my dear’. To some, it might be just nothing but it could be sensitive to other people’s disposition and ideologies. Be respectful. What’s wrong with, Good morning sir, and the man responds, good morning madam. Good morning Mama Buky. I have heard younger people say to their elders , how are you ma, how are you sir. This is very civil if you ask me. Civil and respectful. We need to understand that we are not whites. We should not be ‘ over sabi’. Respect begets respect. If only my neighbour was civil enough to say ” how are you madam”? Or better still, good morning madam, he would be in his house today… Lol “My dear” maybe nothing to you but some people think otherwise. It is no skin off your nose if we exchange pleasantries in an African way. You never know, it could get you out of trouble.

https://thenationonlineng.net/how-the-phrase-my-dear-can-put-you-in-trouble/

Education

en

Senate moves to tackle erosion in South-East By Sanni Onogu, Abuja The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a Bill which aims to address the challenge of erosion in the country, particularly in the South-East zone. The Bill seeks to establish an Erosion Control and Prevention Commission in the country was sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South). Ubah in his lead debate said that the establishment of the agency has become imperative in view of the catastrophic impact of erosion in several parts of the country. He said: “Almost every part of this country is characterized by one environmental problem or the other but; however, the menace of erosion is unarguably the severest in terms of devastation and destruction for instance the 2012 flooding in Ibadan Oyo State, the coastal erosion in Lagos, Bayelsa and Rivers States and almost all parts of Anambra State. It is also very important to note that gully erosion is almost taking over the entire landmass of the South East and South South. “The problem of erosion is not catastrophic in the southern part of Nigeria, while desertification is in the North, but with the enactment of the Green Wall Act by the National Assembly, the issue of desertification was laid to rest. “In the southern part of the country, erosion is responsible for the widespread destruction of transportation and communication systems, degradation of arable land, contamination of water supply, isolation of settlements and migration of communities. “From available statistics, more than 3,500 gullies occurred in the south east states alone. These gullies are formed by surface runoff from localized rainfall event of high intensity in the fine-to coarse-grained sand and sandstones.” Citing a World Bank survey carried out on Nigeria in 1990, the lawmaker stressed that “erosion is one of the three main environmental problems facing Nigeria.” According to him, the study noted that “gully erosion causes damage with an annual cost to the nation estimated at N800 billion naira.” The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North), in his contribution, however kicked against the establishment of a Commission for the purpose of erosion control in the South East. According to the lawmaker, an amendment to the Ecological Fund to accommodate the erosion problems in the South East would address all challenges faced by the region. Senator Rochas Okorocha (Imo West) supported the Bill. He noted that the agency when established, would not only address the erosion challenges faced by the South East, but also every other part of the country affected by the menace. Senator Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East), insisted that “creating a Commission will be a burden on government”, particularly at a time that it is trying to cut down costs. He, therefore, advocated for the adoption of preventive measures through the introduction of legislation by the National Assembly. Senate President Ahmad Lawan, in his contribution said that, “the debate tended to sway whether we need a Commission or not, but the fact is we have to address the ecological challenges we have in the country. “If we have gully erosion that is destroying the lands in various parts of the country, especially in the south east, then we have to do something, whether it is a Commission or not. I believe that there are other ecological challenges in other parts of the country. “Coastal erosion is also a strong challenge in the Nigerian coastal environment, just as desertification is a big problem in the northern part of the country. “I want to say that the Green Wall project actually is not desertification control. It is simply afforestation. Desertification control should be much more comprehensive than that. “Similarly, when we have gully erosion, it is just not about stopping the erosion, there are other things that need to be done beyond stopping it because communities’ livelihoods are affected. So, you need to have something comprehensive. “As representatives of the people, we should be looking at how do we really deal with these issues. The ecological fund office is there, do we transform through legislation the ecological fund office instead of just leaving money there, sometimes we know where the money goes, which is to non-ecological issues. “Can we make the ecological fund office to be responsible for all ecological issues and then take it as one institution that will address desertification and other ecological problems like gully erosion and so on? Can we do that in light of the arguments of our colleagues, or do we need separate agencies to address the various issues? “We must ensure that government attends to these ecological problems because people are affected. Like Senator Rochas Okorocha said, people lose their lands, properties and villages and this is not something that we should be arguing about as to whether we need a Commission or not. How do we address the problems as quickly as possible to safeguard our communities?”, Lawan asked. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment for further legislative work. Also yesterday, the Nigerian Local Content Development Enforcement Bill, a Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of the National Transport Commission as an Independent Multi-Modal Economic Regulator for the Transport Industry and a Bill for an Act to amend the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency Act, scaled second reading. The bills which were sponsored by Senators Teslim Folarin (APC – Oyo Central); Abdulfatai Buhari; and Gershom Bassey, were referred to the Senate Committees on Local Content, Land Transport and Petroleum (Downstream) for further legislative work.

https://thenationonlineng.net/senate-moves-to-tackle-erosion-in-south-east/

Politics

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If Looters Had Built On Old African Technologies What discovery, institution, plant or industry has these billionaire politicians established? They pick and choose billionaires that make returns as kickbacks. It is an insult on African Youths' intelligence when those choosing politics for retirement home promised to be the one to revitalize the economy after destroying the same all their lives. When Virgin Airlines could not stomach the money, shares and partnerships demanded in kickbacks from politicians that had absolutely nothing to contribute, they ran out of Nigeria. Though, Airlines are still making money, they cannot take their profits out forcing local travelers going abroad to purchase their tickets in the U.S dollars. Intellectual properties have been patented as the most guarded secrets because of the billions collected when copied and improved for local use. What is lost in the claims at the World Trade Organization and the local courts is how these technologies move from one country to another. The Americans are making billions from these claims as they accused the Japanese and the Chinese of stealing their intellectual properties. The fact is that the Americans stole intellectual properties from Europe. Before then, the Greeks and the Romans referred to Northern Europeans as Barbarians because of their lack of skills in Science, Technologies and Arts. The irony is that the Science, Technologies and Arts were learned from Upper and Lower Egypt. Yet, privileged Africans with little or no tangible businesses are bleeding the Central Bank of foreign currencies. African countries have always produced the richest brain and mind in the world. Voracious acquisition of money is not limited to Africans but those that eat and chop alone with nothing to show for it must die miserably alone. We are still stuck in the Feudal system the world Far Right groups are promoting. Africa is directly under the sun in the tropics. If only one of those billionaires looters got ambitious and invested in Solar Energy years ago before other cold continents caught on, Africa would have been the place to import Solar Technology the intellectual property from. The same is true of the most arable land in the world begging other continents for food. Foreigners use starving African kids to start charitable organizations while they pocket over 90 percent of the donations. Gadhafi created the Great Man-Made River in the desert to supply fresh water and green agriculture for his people. A great project that should have benefited his people for over 100 years has been almost abandoned after they killed him. If he had successfully acquired Nuclear Technology from Pakistan, nobody would have dared touch him or kill him like a dog. The Mansa Kanka Musa and the Queen of Sheba of the world came from our part of Africa, they were admired for their waste. Almost every African knows what our problems are but solutions that stare at us in the face cannot be implemented. Take the case of crude and refined oil. It does not take much brain to figure out and understand that a country that produces oil needs working and efficient refineries to be self-sufficient in refined petroleum products. But African oil producing countries cannot account for what they produce or refine all the oil they need for domestic consumption. Indeed, there are Africans sabotaging internal and local refineries to make them incapable of operating efficiently. Local Navy, with approval of politicians in high places are colluding with foreign international shipping lines to steal crude oil on the high seas. Gold and diamond are mined with local laborers by foreign countries landing helicopters to fly out raw minerals with the full cooperation of local Chiefs. God, no matter your religion, endows every human with different talents. Some of us work harder hiding talents than we do exploiting God given endowment and natural resources because we prefer what others have. These are self-inflicted curses out of inferiority complex, criminality and foolish greed that does not benefit us in the short or long term basis. The rush to deposit even legitimate local profit abroad that could have alleviated poverty at home, cannot be sustained at this rate. We are willing to empty the local Treasuries at home to spend in a hostile environment where our last and next generation can never be comfortable. This is why Africa has been dying for the past 500 years. It is one thing for others to exploit you in their best interest but it takes useful fools to exploit his people against his own interest. Those who improve, built on crude technologies of Upper and Lower Egypt, of the Black Heads of Sumeria or Chinese gunpowder are the beneficiary of today's Supreme Powers. They worked to develop them. Yet, the loot is not plowed back into legitimate ventures where they can be productive. The 1.6 billion donated to extreme far Right was recently exposed in the United States. What else was it used for other than to use a powerful and loud minority to dominate and stifle the votes of the majority. Their point is to compete with the Left donations that benefit liberal democracy. Where are the liberal donations in Africa to improve the lives, votes and freedom of the majority? Look at private schools. While public schools are languishing by the grace of politicians that refuse to fund them, their private schools including universities are faring better. The same is true about private hospitals. St. Nicholas Hospital was established by a former Federal Minister of Health. It is now one of the leading hospitals in Africa. Most Africans cannot imagine the amount of money stolen from Nigeria. They are not captured by Forbes list of billionaires. Acquisition of money in itself becomes a game of greed used for power, a double edge sword. The money can be used to benefit mankind or it can be used to intensify subjugation. Africans and others have been exposed with their offshore dark money but donation to a cause to improve the life of the masses as Mo Ibrahim does is African problem. If the civilization of Egypt and Sudan were not invaded and Africa was not sent into the Dark Ages for 500 years, imagine the development that could have been improved on and built upon. However, Africans for immediate individual selfish gains they decided to help satisfy the selfish interest of other continents instead of improving their own "crude" Arts, Science and Technologies. Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/311453/if-looters-had-built-on-old-african-technologies.html

Politics

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Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that being likable comes from natural, unteachable traits that belong only to a lucky few--the good looking, the fiercely social, and the incredibly talented. It's easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, being likable is under your control, and it's a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ). In a study conducted at UCLA, subjects rated over 500 descriptions of people based on their perceived significance to likability. The top-rated descriptors had nothing to do with being gregarious, intelligent, or attractive (innate characteristics). Instead, the top descriptors were sincerity, transparency, and capable of understanding (another person). These adjectives, and others like them, describe people who are skilled in the social side of emotional intelligence. TalentSmart research data from more than a million people shows that people who possess these skills aren't just highly likable; they outperform those who don't by a large margin. Likability is so powerful that it can completely alter your performance. A University of Massachusetts study found that managers were willing to accept an auditor's argument with no supporting evidence if he or she was likable, and Jack Zenger found that just one in 2,000 unlikable leaders are considered effective. I did some digging to uncover the key behaviors that hold people back when it comes to likability. Make certain these behaviors don't catch you by surprise.

https://www.inc.com/travis-bradberry/10-things-you-do-that-make-you-less-likeable.html

Romance

en

TRIPOLI, Libya — As rebel leaders pleaded with their fighters to avoid taking revenge against “brother Libyans,” many rebels were turning their wrath against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, imprisoning hundreds for the crime of fighting as “mercenaries” for Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi without any evidence except the color of their skin. Many witnesses have said that when Colonel Qaddafi first lost control of Tripoli in the earliest days of the revolt, experienced units of dark-skinned fighters apparently from other African countries arrived in the city to help subdue it again. Since Western journalists began arriving in the city a few days later, however, they have found no evidence of such foreign mercenaries. Still, in a country with a long history of racist violence, it has become an article of faith among supporters of the Libyan rebels that African mercenaries pervaded the loyalists’ ranks. And since Colonel Qaddafi’s fall from power, the hunting down of people suspected of being mercenaries has become a major preoccupation. Human rights advocates say the rebels’ scapegoating of blacks here follows a similar campaign that ultimately included lynchings after rebels took control of the eastern city of Benghazi more than six months ago. The recent roundup of Africans, though, comes at a delicate moment when the new provisional government is trying to establish its credibility. Its treatment of the detainees is emerging as a pivotal test of both the provisional government’s commitment to the rule of law and its ability to control its thousands of loosely organized fighters. And it is also hoping to entice back the thousands of foreign workers needed to help Libya rebuild. Many Tripoli residents — including some local rebel leaders — now often use the Arabic word for “mercenaries” or “foreign fighters” as a catchall term to refer to any member of the city’s large underclass of African migrant workers. Makeshift rebel jails around the city have been holding African migrants segregated in fetid, sweltering pens for as long as two weeks on charges that their captors often acknowledge to be little more than suspicion. The migrants far outnumber Libyan prisoners, in part because rebels say they have allowed many Libyan Qaddafi supporters to return to their homes if they are willing to surrender their weapons. The detentions reflect “a deep-seated racism and anti-African sentiment in Libyan society,” said Peter Bouckaert, a researcher with Human Rights Watch who visited several jails. “It is very clear to us that most of those detained were not soldiers and have never held a gun in their life.” In a dimly lighted concrete hangar housing about 300 glassy-eyed, dark-skinned captives in one neighborhood, several said they were as young as 16. In a reopened police station nearby, rebels were holding Mohamed Amidu Suleiman, a 62-year-old migrant from Niger, on allegations of witchcraft. To back up the charges, they produced a long loop of beads they said they had found in his possession. He was held in a segregated cell with about 20 other prisoners, all African migrants but one. “We have no water in the bathroom!” one prisoner shouted to a guard. “Neither do we!” the guard replied. Most of the city has been without running water to bathe, flush toilets or wash clothes since a breakdown in the water delivery system around the time that Colonel Qaddafi fled. But the stench, and fear, of the migrants was so acute that guards handed visitors hospital masks before they entered their cell. Outside the migrants’ cage, a similar number of Libyan prisoners occupy a less crowded network of rooms. Osama el-Zawi, 40, a former customs officer in charge of the jail, said his officers had allowed most of the Libyan Qaddafi supporters from the area to go home. “We all know each other,” he said. “They don’t pose any kind of threat to us now. They are ashamed to go out in the streets.” But the “foreign fighters,” he said, were more dangerous. “Most of them deny they were doing it,” he said, “but we found some of them with weapons.” A guard chimed in: “If we release the mercenaries, the people in the street will hurt them.” In the crowded prison hangar, in the Tajura neighborhood, the rebel commander Abdou Shafi Hassan, 34, said they were holding only a few dozen Libyans — local informers and prisoners of war — but kept hundreds of Africans in the segregated pen. On a recent evening, the Libyan captives could be seen rolling up mats after evening prayers in an outdoor courtyard just a short distance from where the Africans lay on the concrete floor in the dark. Several said they had been picked up walking in the streets or in their homes, without weapons, and some said they were dark-skinned Libyans from the country’s southern region. “We don’t know why we are here,” said Abdel Karim Mohamed, 29. A guard — El Araby Abu el-Meida, a 35-year-old mechanical engineer before he took up arms in the rebellion — almost seemed to apologize for the conditions. “We are all civilians, and we don’t have experience running prisons,” he said. Most of the prisoners were migrant farm workers, he said. “I have a Sudanese worker on my farm and I would not catch him,” he said, adding that if an expected “investigator” concluded that the other black prisoners were not mercenaries they would be released. In recent days, the provisional government has started the effort to centralize the processing and detention of prisoners. Abdel Hakim Belhaj, the leader of the Tripoli military council, said that as recently as Wednesday he had extended his protection to a group of 10 African workers who had come to his headquarters seeking refuge. “We don’t agree with arresting people just because they’re black,” he said. “We understand the problem, but we’re still in a battle area.” Mohamed Benrasali, a member of the provisional government’s Tripoli stabilization team, acknowledged the problem but said it would “sort itself out,” as it had in his hometown, Misurata. “People are afraid of the dark-skinned people, so they are all suspect,” Mr. Benrasali said, noting that residents had also rounded up dark-skinned migrants in Misurata after the rebels took control. He said he had advised the Tripoli officials to set up a system to release any migrants who could find Libyans to vouch for them. With thousands of semi-independent rebel fighters still roaming the streets for any hidden threats, though, controlling the impulse to round up migrants may not be easy. Outside a former Qaddafi intelligence building, rebels held two dark-skinned captives at knifepoint, bound together at the feet with arms tied behind their backs, lying in a pile of garbage, covered with flies. Their captors said they had been found in a taxi with ammunition and money. The terrified prisoners, 22-year-olds from Mali, initially said they had no involvement in the Qaddafi militias and then, as a captor held a knife near their heads, they began supplying the story of forced induction into the Qaddafi forces that they appeared to think was wanted. Nearby, armed fighters stood over about a dozen other migrants squatting against a fence. Their captors were drilling them at gunpoint in rebel chants like “God is Great” and “Free Libya!”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/05/world/africa/05migrants.html?_r=1&hp

Politics

en

Love is a mystery. It is one of the most ancient of all the mysteries, and the most lasting. And one aspect of that mystery is how you can go so quickly from loving someone to absolutely, positively hating their living guts. Now, neuroscience is explaining that part of the mystery. A recent study out of the Wellcome Laboratory of Neurobiology took volunteers with a deep hatred for a specific individual and scanned their brains. It's probably not a shock to learn that the majority of participants chose an ex-lover. Some selected a professional rival, and a small percentage chose a famous political figure. Researchers then analyzed the neural activity of participants as they gazed upon photos of their Most Abhorred Person in the World (with reactions to people about whom they felt neutral as a control). The results surprised even the scientists. They found that the hate circuit includes two parts of the brain found in the sub-cortex: the putamen and the insula. The putamen is a part of the brain scientists already know has to do with contempt and disgust, and may also be involved in the motor system (the part of the brain that controls movement or action). The insula has been shown to be involved in responses to distressing stimuli. The surprising part? According to neurobiologist and head researcher Professor Semir Zeki, "[T]he network involves regions of the putamen and the insula that are almost identical to the ones activated by passionate, romantic, love." In other words, the wiring in the brain associated with hate ... is the same as that of love. "Hate is often considered to be an evil passion that should, in a better world, be tamed, controlled and eradicated. Yet to the biologist, hate is a passion that is of equal interest to love," Professor Zeki said. Thus, while love and hate are at seemingly polar opposites in literature and in our common thinking on the subject, physiologically-speaking they are, quite literally, intimately related. As it turns out, they're not identical. But even the difference between them is cause for pause: When you scan the brain of someone looking at a person they hate, only a small part of the cerebral cortex (associated with reasoning and judgment) is deactivated; when they're looking at someone they love, large parts of the cerebral cortex are deactivated. In plain English, this means your ability to exercise logic and reason is switched pretty far off when you're in love with someone, but if you hate them, you can exercise better judgment. According to Professor Zeki, "This may seem surprising since hate can also be an all-consuming passion like love. But whereas in romantic love, the lover is often less critical and judgmental regarding the loved person, it is more likely that in the context of hate, the hater may want to exercise judgment in calculating moves to harm, injure or otherwise exact revenge." So: Not only does hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but once she hates you, she's thinking a whole lot more clearly. The lesson here is not, of course, to feel free to hate people you used to love. It is simply to be kind and gentle with yourself if you do notice those kinds of feelings arising. Feeling murderous rage towards your ex doesn't make you a bad person--if anything, this study demonstrates that there's only so much you can do about that, given that it's lighting up the same brain circuitry for you. The question isn't whether you feel the hate, it's what you do with it. There are lots of ways to stuff down distressing feelings: eating Oreos, watching Netflix, over-exercising, playing video games, even working. It's harder and less comfortable to sit down and actually feel the feelings. Yet that's what many psychologists (not to mention mystics) will tell you actually helps you move through and past them, so you can let go and move on. Love. Hate. Love. Hate. If they're that linked in the brain, then it doesn't just work one way around. If you can go quickly from love to hate, then you can also go from hate to love. And not only love of another. There's also self-love. Love of nature. Love of humanity. Forgiveness can be a long path, but it's a worthy one. And forgiveness of others is far easier to attain once you have forgiven yourself. Maybe, to get there, all you need is love.

https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/ever-hated-someone-you-used-to-madly-love-neuroscience-says-youre-normal.html

Romance

en

Victims of Modern Slavery are not only illegal migrants used as slaves and sex workers in the Middle East, Europe and Americas. While African and Indian physicians have gained sympathy from the International Press in the United Kingdom, one of the most exploited legally, are the Care Workers. Modern Slavery gang masters have taken advantage of the shortage of health and care workers to channel Africans into the United Kingdom through relaxed legal means by unscrupulous agents inside and outside the U.K and USA. One of the Care Workers was told her salary would be 29,000 British pounds. She was happy to leave her abusive husband in Africa. She took her three children and her mother to look after them while working. The promised salary was enough to rent an apartment for her and the family in the UK. She was forced to work 20 hours a day, sometimes 7 days a week. This is in a country where the minimum wage was 10.42 pounds, she was paid 2 (two) pounds an hour! She could not afford an apartment. Of course, they became homeless while she was still working long hours. If the exploited family did not gain the attention of Human Rights and Authority, she would still be laboring in squalor in her dream Western world. Migration has become the leading cause of human displacement creating hard feelings and used to elect members by the extremist parties and world's religious Right across Europe and America. Political opportunists are seizing on hard sentiment locally against outsiders to push their agenda at home as our Youths flood abroad seeking greener pastures. Regardless of backlash against them, they brush it off as Salvation and send cute pictures back home. Unfortunately, the hostilities Africans face outside their Continent is getting worse. Despite this, those outside the Continent rationalize and even glorify the problem they face using any token appointments, jobs and education to justify greener pastures. We flee African countries, blame the problems on those that have no choice but to stay put and make a living anyway they can. If you can do better, we will be at home fixing the problems. Migration has turned us against one another locally and internationally. If you want peace and prosperity, charity begins at home. It is sheer false hope and aggrandizement to think life can only get better at the other side of the river. Despite the growing problems of Climate change and food distribution, there is more arable land at home. People have to till the ground to survive. We may be paid to do the hard work but that money can neither spring up from arable land or grow on trees. What we do with whatever money we are paid abroad or locally is what makes the difference. Nobody pays you what you are worth anywhere, they pay you just enough to make sure you keep coming back for more, to render your services. They know you must buy food, finished goods and services. If you do not have the money in hand, banks and lending institutions are waiting to pay your masters off while you pay banks monthly for the rest of your lives. One of the best illustrations are big corporations selling seeds to farmers they cannot reproduce. The more seeds the farmers buy, the more they owe. Using their land as collateral to borrow money ends in a vicious circle; losing their land and getting poorer than when they started. Big international corporations know the end game and work in connivance with the politicians that take their cuts upfront as kickbacks or political contributions. This is the case in point for farmers going bankrupt after borrowing money from the banks to buy seeds. Genetically modified seeds that cannot replicate themselves are not the answer. We cannot depend on a few corporations making money for a few shareholders to feed the world. It has to be a cooperative farming process that turns Western Nigeria into Paradise for Africans and the rest of the world's adventurers looking for accommodation in the Region. We have to wake up to those who tell us to bow our heads or close our eyes while they pray for the salvation of the country. The days God or Allah coming down with miracles are gone, Heaven only helps those that help themselves. Nigeria is not the only country where religion, especially foreign ones are used to perpetrate the worst form of man's inhumanity to man. Politicians are using worse tactics than the Europeans of encouraging one ethnic group to dominate another. Vagabonds In Power are distracting us by creating problems within since the Curse Of Oil in Nigeria. The more foreign income made from Oil, the more environmental Degradation and less money to take care of the basic needs of the local people in particular not to mention the whole Country. It is no longer the active participation of the colonial masters, even with the vestiges of slavery. Africans have come to believe that they are better off outside the Continent than they are inside and would sell their conscience and birthright to get out of their countries. We no longer think there is a future in African countries with the xenophobia and killing within each ethnic group to gain access to the National Cake. It was bad enough when one ethnic group crossed the border to attack another. It is getting worse: we are killing one another within the same ethnic groups. When “My People Are Killing My People” in Warri, we thought it was madness for Ijaw, Urhobo and Itshekiri to get absorbed in inter tribal warfare. It has now spread beyond that in Southern and Northern Nigeria in disguise for enforcing ethnic and tribal loyalty. Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1247872/modern-slavery-is-another-colonial-religious.html

Politics

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Toilet and kitchen sink By Shola Ogundipe If you dropped a piece of fruit in your kitchen sink while rinsing it, would you think twice about popping it in your mouth? What if you dropped it in the toilet?Although the mere thought of retrieving anything from the toilet bowl may be enough to make you sick, your toilet may actually be cleaner than your kitchen sink. And that is a fact. It would interest you to know that germs live in some of the unexpected spots — like your kitchen sink. Food particles from plates left to soak or rinsed from dishes, turn kitchen sinks into perfect breeding grounds for some of the deadliest germs known. From here illness-causing bacteri, including E. coli and salmonella can get on your hands or spread to foods. Dirty places: The kitchen sink rules Most people take decisive steps to sanitise and disinfect their toilet bowls, scrubbing and wiping several times in the day, yet few give their kitchen sinks the same consideration. They simply rinse with water and assume they are clean. But they’re not. Worse still, quite a large number of napkins, wiping cloths and sponges used in kitchens are heavily contaminated with harmful bacteria, meaning proper clean-up can be difficult. In one particular study, independent environmental scientists found that 90 percent of kitchen cloths, 46 percent of kitchen sinks, 38 percent of bathroom sinks and 14 percent of children’s toys in 20 homes with children in the US, UK, Germany, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and India, failed the test. They had a total bacteria count of more than 100,000 per square centimeter. Generally, there is a lack of appreciation that kitchen sinks can be contaminated with fecal organisms, either coming in with fruit and vegetables or from pets and children. Tip: Wash sink with a solution of bleach and water once a day and then let the solution run down the drain. Remove the drain plug and clean it, too. Sterilise sponges with a one-minute high-powered blast in the microwave. Or simply forget sponges entirely and clean food spills with a paper towel and dump it. Then wash your hands. Other dirty places in the home You put it in your mouth twice a day. You rinse it off after using it and put it away damp, but do you ever think of all the germs lurking on it? Bacteria like the moist area and grow on it. If you keep your toothbrush in the toilet, it could be contaminated for at least two hours after each flush. Tip:Place your toothbrush where it can air out and dry between uses — but not too close to the toilet. Replace your toothbrush often, particularly after you’ve been sick, and close your toilet lid before flushing. Salt and pepper shaker Tests on 30 salt and pepper shakers found viruses on 41 percent of the surfaces tested, and every one of shakers tested were positive for cold viruses. Tip: When you wipe the kitchen table after eating, wipe off the salt and pepper shaker too. Wash your hands — before and after. TV remote control It’s dropped on the floor, stuffed between the sofa cushions, coughed on and sneezed at. Everyone in the house handles it. Anything people touch a lot has germs on it. The remote control’s surface is among the germiest. Tip: Wipe your remote with bleach or alcohol wipes. Regular hand-washing is the best way to protect you against these germs. If you eat at your computer, sneeze on your keyboard, or sit down to surf the Internet without first washing your hands, your computer keyboard could be a health hazard. Tip: Wash your hands before and after using your computer. If you must eat at your desk, don’t drop crumbs into your keyboard. Gently shake out the crumbs or vacuum it. Wipe the keys with alcohol or bleach wipes, but nothing too wet. Wipe the mouse. The place where you clean yourself is not so clean itself. Staphylococcus bacteria is found in 26 percent of tubs. Tip: Clean and disinfect your tub with bleach or bathroom cleaner after bathing, then dry with a clean towel. Wash your hands Lots of germs are harmless; many are even good for your health. But you can help protect yourself from those that aren’t by keeping your hands clean. Hands transfer bacteria and viruses to eyes, nose, and mouth. They can also transfer germs to others. Regular hand washing with soap and water is the best protection. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/your-toilet-may-be-cleaner-than-your-kitchen-sink/

Health

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Inspiration from Creation book The natural world shows evidence of stunning design and this book shows the extent to which human technology falls behind in comparison. Examples are given of how engineers are improving man-made products by copying principles used in nature and how this points to the living world itself having been designed by a Creator God. The inability of the Darwinian process to produce such complex design is explained and claims by evolutionists of poor design in nature are refuted. The book includes many helpful illustrations.

https://creation.com/search?q=Evolution

Religion

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PDP and its colour flags In this piece, John Alechenu takes a cursory look at PDP’s rise to power, downfall and current struggle to return to winning ways after losing power in 2015. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which came into existence as a political entity on August 31st, 1998, celebrated its silver jubilee without fanfare on August 31st, 2023. Observers are of the opinion that the reason for the party’s refusal to celebrate this significant milestone is not far-fetched. The party which once ruled Nigeria unchallenged for 16 unbroken years is now a shadow of its once vibrant self. At inception, the party was a product of consultations between and among several groups and political associations including the Group of 18 popularly known as G.8, made up of prominent Nigerians who later grew to G.34. It enjoyed broad-based support following its pro-business outlook, support for economic deregulation, and promise for greater funding for education and health care delivery. Excerpts from the PDPs Manifesto then read, “We the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria, Conscious of our historic mission to build a modern democratic state founded on Justice, equity and fair play, make Covenant as follows… “The indivisibility of the Nigerian polity. i. We affirm our belief in the unity of Nigeria under the Federal System of Government, We shall, therefore, continually promote political tolerance, accommodation and compromise, religious harmony, as well as inter/ethnic and intra/ethnic accommodation and cooperation. “The party shall also promote geopolitical balancing as a fundamental principle of power sharing in the country in line with the principle of Federal Character; the party shall uphold the principle of power rotation in our party at all levels.” Membership was drawn from all walks of life across Nigeria. Retired military officers, businessmen, academics and activists most of whom found common ground in the fight against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, which was believed to have been won by the late Chief MKO Abiola as well as the brutal military regime of the Late General Sani Abacha. Abacha’s sudden death in June, 1998 and the hurriedly organized transition programme put in place by General Abdulsalami Abubakar who succeeded him, culminating in the elections which ushered in the fourth republic. The party proved its mettle with its sweeping victory at the polls in the 1999 general elections. Its Presidential Candidate, the then General Olusegun Obasanjo *(retd, won the election by a landslide. The party produced 21 Governors out of 36, it equally won a comfortable majority of seats in the Senate and House of Representatives. Sadly, 25 years down the line, the fortunes of the party which once boasted that it would rule for 60 years, have been on a steady decline after a series of internal wranglings led to its first significant defeat in 2015. The Party, which today is arguably Nigeria’s largest opposition political party, has been bedeviled by internal turmoil. With each election cycle, the battle for tickets to fly the party’s flag at all levels not only widened existing cracks but also opened up and widened fresh ones. With most of its founding fathers either dead or out of its fold, political pundits argue that the party needs to carry out an urgent introspection in order to honestly dissect its problems and work out a solution perhaps, it could warm its way back into the good graces of Nigerians. A combination of avoidable litigations, unrestrained arrogance and some say greed; among key stakeholders /power blocks within the party, have continued to play a significant role in reducing the party once touted a behemoth described in superlative adjectives such as: the biggest party in black and white Africa to a shadow of its once unassailable height. A senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Dr. Joseph Anuga, while commenting on the situation noted that the refusal of party leaders to make sacrifices and take responsibility contributed significantly to its present state. According to him, if information available in public space is anything to go by, the party dug itself into a hole by allowing former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, become so powerful to the point of insisting on having his way almost all the time in the choice of who became National Chairman as far back as 2019. He said, “Like it or not, the party is yet to recover from the effect of the rebellion by Wike and four of his other colleagues namely.. Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde, (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, (Enugu) and Okezie Ipeazu of Abia.” Wike developed his larger than life image after he was alleged to have taken up the responsibility of paying the party’s bills from secretariat staff salaries to funding some of the party’s standard bearers at various levels, a responsibility which ordinarily should be that of the party. In fact, the Kogi State PDP Governorship candidate for the November 11, 2023 polls, Senator Dino Melaye, recently confirmed Wike’s financial contributions to his governorship campaign in 2019. Anuga, further noted that this being the case, the party ought not to complain about Wike’s decision to wield influence which he has acquired by filling a void created by party leaders who abandoned ship at a time they were needed to rebuild it. He stressed that it was embarrassing for the PDP or any other political party in this country for that matter, not to have put in place legitimate and sustainable measures to self fund its activities. Anuga said, ”You must have heard the saying, He who pays the piper dictates the tune’. If you allow individuals, be they governors, those in authority at whatever level or your entrenched ‘money bags’ to pick the bill on behalf of the party, then you lack the moral ground to complain when they dictate what happens within the party. ”And as it often happens in Nigeria, this may include: their dictating who flies the party flag in every electoral contest. When such is allowed to happen, the party is on its way to the dustbins of history. This is because when such a candidate wins an election, his or her loyalty is to the godfather/godmother who sponsored him/her. ”Sadly, most of our political parties are not self-sustaining; they don’t have independent sources of revenue hence the various interests who have the financial muscle take over its structures and the vicious cycle continues. “When a party is able to keep a membership register and device means of ensuring members pay their dues accordingly as well as engage in legitimate business to generate revenue, party members will show greater interest by demanding for greater accountability. “ A Chieftain of the party in Edo State, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, sees things differently. According to him, it was wrong to assume that the former Rivers State governor single- handedly paid the party’s bills. The party he noted is bigger than every individual member adding that party leaders at different levels made sacrifices and that the party has the capacity to be self-sustaining. He further explained that at the time former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other founding fathers of the party were birthing the party, the likes of Wike were yet to cut their political teeth. Obaseki expressed reservations over the level of tolerance being displayed by the party’s current leadership with the handling of what he called the Wike affair. He said, ”If anybody has done anything anti-party it is Nyesom Wike. He has fought every known person within the party. If you remember, Bello Matawalle, former Governor of Zamfara State, cited him as the reason for leaving the party, Dave Umahi cited him as the reason for leaving the party. Prof. Ben Ayade cited him as reason for leaving the party, why is it that the name of Nyesom Wike, has become the proverbial tortoise in every bad story” A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Abdullahi Jalo, who is now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Gombe State, on his part noted that the party doesn’t deserve pity for failing to manage its victories in the past. He said, “The PDP has nobody to blame but itself for the fate that has befallen it over the years. A party which grew so arrogant to the point that it could no longer obey its own Constitution is destined to self-destruct. ”I believe the party began to derail at the point when the battle for party tickets during primaries became fiercer even more than the real election itself. “Of course, we all know what happened in 2014/2015 when five powerful state governors ditched the party to assist the coalition of opposition parties which transformed into the APC. “Don’t forget, some of the party’s founding fathers were chased out by those who used the platform to get into political offices. “It will be difficult if not impossible for Nigerians to trust the party again after tasting and enjoying dividends of democracy and good governance under the APC. ” A public affairs commentator, Mr. Adakole Moses, however, expressed optimism that the party will overcome whatever challenges it was currently dealing with. He said, “What ever challenges the PDP is dealing with is not peculiar to it. Name one of our prominent political parties today that is not in one crisis or another. Is it the ruling APC or Kwankwaso’s NNPP, what about Obi’s Labour Party? No matter what people say about the PDP, it made a lot of positive impact on our polity in the years it spent in power. “It is on record that the security situation was not as bad, our debt profile was better managed, the exchange rate was stable for the most part and the quality of the life of the average citizen was a lot better.” All eyes will be on the party as soon as the ongoing election petitions against the outcome of the 2023 Presidential Election are dispensed with by the Supreme Court. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/09/pdp-25-once-upon-a-ruling-party/amp/

Politics

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Someone might have asked you, or you may have been asking yourself this question: if democracy means all the theoretical, institutional and behavioural dimensions that is usually written in books, why is it that not every country in the world where democratic government is running operate democracy successfully like it is written in books? Especially in Africa, democratic governance is not a stable feature of our society, but rather, an episode phenomenon as shown by studies. According to studies, there are many reasons why Africa especially have proved incapable of operating stable and successful democratic governance namely, economic underdevelopment and mass poverty, centralization of economic and political power, corruption in its various forms and manifestations and negative historical precedent. For the purpose of this article, we shall concentrate on economic underdevelopment and mass poverty, which we believe was as a result of corruption and negative policies. Research has proven that, the main feature of underdevelopment that acts as a barrier to democracy and good governance is the fact that the economy of underdeveloped countries are structurally linked with the economies of the advanced capitalist countries in such a way that the economic activities in the underdeveloped countries produce beneficial and positive results in the advanced countries while creating poverty, misery and negative results in the underdeveloped countries. Example can be seen in the Nigerian Oil sector, where Nigeria's oil is transported to foreign countries to their economic benefits, but return back to Nigeria in exploitative form whereby creating scarcity and misery, which eventually leads to fuel subsidy which has crippled multimillion small and medium scale businesses over the years, aswell as created massive poverty, massive corruption in oil sector and all sort of negative examples too numerous to mention. It is in this sense that some scholars from the Third World countries speak in terms of ''the development of underdevelopment'' Studies have shown that, this expression simply means that as the underdeveloped countries try to improve their economic conditions, their situation gets worst or to use another expression, the very negative indices of development that they seek to improve become deeper and more far reaching. It is therefore not surprising that such countries which Nigeria belong, can hardly operate stable democratic government, but have to move constantly between democracy and authoritarian rule. This ensured that there is a disfunction between the goods produced in our country and the goods consumed by our population. A low life expectancy, incapacity to respond to natural calamities such as the recent floods around the country, etc. The economic system introduced in Africa by the Europeans was either extraverted or disarticulated. Extraversion simple refers to a situation where producers/government officials have their attention fixed on the outside rather than on their national market. Disarticulation refers to a situation where the roads/sea ports in Africa were directed more at Europe and America than on our national territory. This situation ensures that every valuable resources, be it mineral, man power, intelligent citizens and historical/ancient valuables are transported abroad. The uneven nature of European activities in Africa produced some core area of influence and affluence existing in precarious relationship with the vast periphery of rural areas. Another area of note is education, the kind of education introduced to African countries in the colonial era is aimed at producing black European gentlemen rather than well trained engineers and technicians, but till date, most African countries including Nigeria have been unable to shift away from the education of being just a gentleman, to an education which is aimed at national transformation. Educations which not just conceive European based policies to be implemented in Africa, but a truly indigenous policy that can actually work and produce the right result. This economic underdevelopment also allows the advance countries to impose their own policies on the underdeveloped countries by the use unfound, partial and often misguided policies and theories. Example is such which was championed by the Nigerian Minister of Finanace,Mrs Ngozie Okonjo Iweala,which claimed that the removal of fuel subsidy was inevitable to the economic stability of Nigeria, a policy which is clearly improvised and have negative effect both on present and future wellbeing of the citizens. The subsidy situation which came about due to corruption as earlier stated above and without tackling the rout cause, there can never be any progress. but Mrs Okonjo Iweala insisted on embarking on such shallow thinking imposed policy whose effect has proven bad and worst on the citizens wellbeing till date and possible some future ahead. Studies also have it that, while the devaluation, economic liberalisation, removal of subsidy etc. can be shown to promote economic growth and development in some particular western countries, their blanket application to underdeveloped countries which Nigeria is one in general helps to keep them impoverished. Where a large number of people are poor, illustrate hungry and sick, the practice of democracy is rendered virtually impossible for in such a situation, many people are so concerned with meeting their basic needs for food and shelter that they care more or less nothing about political participation. The relationship between an economic underdevelopment and democracy and good governance was shown to be that, as the forces of production of a society grow, the society is able to accumulate more surpluses from the labour of its members. This surplus value extracted from labour over time makes some societies to be wealthy and capable of dominating others. When such domination is directed mainly at acquiring private economic gain, then the relationship so established become an imperialistic relationship, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for the advanced countries and poverty and underdevelopment for the third world countries where Africa belong. And such poverty and economic underdevelopment stands as a major barrier to the growth and development of democracy in the world. History have it that, since the 19th century, most African countries have been held in a structural relationship to the countries of Europe and America, which has left them underdeveloped. For this reason, these countries have been unable to practice democracy and good governance because they lack the necessary social prerequisites for democratic governance. In conclusion, for the underdeveloped countries to have any chance of operating a successful democracy and good governance with its principles like other advanced countries, the underdeveloped countries must cut its structural tier and relationship with the advance countries, living a room for a level playing ground and moving at their own pace. Their relationship with the advanced countries must strictly be based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. Underdeveloped countries must operate as independent entity, independent in government, economy, policies and affiliation. Amb. Abdulrazaq O Hamzat MD/Initiative Creator (IC) Underdeveloped African countries like Nigeria should try as much as they could to restructure their ...

http://www.modernghana.com/news/429042/1/why-democracy-and-good-governance-is-not-working-i.html

Politics

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November brings us two eclipses in the month. Total solar eclipse will occur on November 13 and penumbral lunar eclipse on November 28, 2012. On November 13, residents of northeastern Australia will see the sun fully obscured by the moon, whose shadow will darken the sky for 2 minutes there on November 13. The only visible part of the sun during the total eclipse will be its glowing corona, or outer atmosphere, protruding around the moon’s silhouette. Parts of New Zealand and Chile will see the sun partially obscured as the moon crosses the sky. Slooh Space Camera will host free webcast, starting at 19:30 UTC. Slooh will also broadcast the month’s second eclipse, a penumbral lunar eclipse on November 28. (Source: SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration) A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Sun and Moon align, with the Earth situated in the middle. Penumbral lunar eclipse is when Earth is casting a shadow on the moon which never passes through the dark inner core of the Earth’s shadow (the umbra) but only the hazy border (the penumbra). November’s penumbral lunar eclipse will be seen at the northern half of the moon, easily visible to the naked eye after most of the moon has dipped into the Earth’s penumbra. Observers in the Eastern United States will miss out on the lunar eclipse, as the moon will already have set there when the eclipse begins. But the rest of the country can watch at least part of it, with the duration of visibility longest for people on the West Coast and in Alaska. So when does the U.S. get to see an Eclipse? Not in this century. I’m guessing?

https://watchers.news/2019/11/10/unseasonably-cold-arctic-airmass-snow-and-freezing-rain-with-gusty-winds-across-the-central-and-eastern-us/Nov

Health

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Almond nut prevents heart attack, diabetes – Expert Mrs Aisha Abdullahi, a Nutritionist with a private hospital in Asokoro, Abuja, on Tuesday said consuming almond nut helps reduce the risk of heart attack and diabetes, among other diseases. She said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. According to her, people who consume almond nut five times a week have 50 per cent reduction in risk of developing heart related diseases as well as diabetes. Abdullahi stated that almond nut added to daily diet helps lower bad cholesterol, protect against cancer as well as guard against damage of arteries. She noted that consuming almond nut help lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after meals which made it a good snack for diabetic patients as well as others. The expert also added that consuming almond nut provides the body with essential and healthy fats required which also aids in weight loss. She further mentioned that almond nut contain riboflavin and L carnitine nutrients which help boost brain functions, stating that it reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Abdullahi said: “Almond nut is packed with nutritional values such as Vitamin E, B, Magnesium, fibre, copper, protein, calcium phosphorous and iron. “Consuming almond nut helps nourish the nervous system, regulate blood pressure, diabetes and also promotes longevity. “Almond nuts are rich in proteins that are alkaline forming which helps alkalize the body, boost the immune system as well as prevent osteoporosis. “Consumption of almond nut helps in maintaining a healthy bone, weight, healthy skin, good hair and dental care. “Consuming almonds helps protect against stress, oxidative damage, and ageing due to its high contents in antioxidants. “It also lowers risk of weight gain, lower calorie intake and helps promote gastrointestinal health. “Almond nut help prevent gall stones, reduced risk of cancer and helps in energy production,” she noted. She, however, suggested soaking the nut before consumption in order to get the nutrients, adding that its nutrients are released when soaked. Abdullahi enjoined patients suffering from gall bladder stones and kidney disease to avoid excessive intake of almond nut.

http://thenationonlineng.net/almond-nut-prevents-heart-attack-diabetes-expert/

Health

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As the coronavirus pandemic spreads at unprecedented rates, invading the lungs of people of all ages, ethnicities and medical histories, companies are ratcheting up their efforts to fight the disease with accelerated schedules for creating new vaccines, and beginning clinical trials for potential treatments. On Wednesday, Novavax, a Maryland-based biotech company, said it would begin human trials in Australia in mid-May for its vaccine candidate. Novavax is one of more than two dozen companies that have announced promising vaccine programs that are speeding through the early stages of testing unlike ever before. Also on Wednesday, the stem-cell company Mesoblast said it was starting a 240-patient clinical trial, supported by the National Institutes of Health, that would test whether cells derived from bone marrow could help patients who developed a deadly immune reaction to the coronavirus. In normal circumstances, development of new vaccines and treatments would take years. But the pharmaceutical industry is racing to compress this timeline with the support of nonprofit organizations, government agencies and regulatory authorities. Novavax said its vaccine candidate had stimulated a powerful immune response in lab and animal experiments, producing antibodies that could fight off the coronavirus.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/health/coronavirus-vaccines.html

Health

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The True Sabbath When we read the Fourth Commandment, it states that the 7th day is the Sabbath. If we look at a calendar, we see that the 7th day is Saturday. Now of course the Hebrew people didn't call it Saturday because that is a name of a Pagan god, the 7th day was called Shabbat in Hebrew. One important point to make here is that the Catholics call this the Third commandment because they omitted the Second Commandment which prohibits one from bowing down to Idols. Which of course most Catholics do. During the time of the Messiah Yehowshuwa, (true name of the Messiah) the day of rest was the 7th day. At first the true followers of Yehowah and his son Yehowshuwa, were keeping the 7th day Sabbath. But as they were killed off and died, and time had passed, the 'day of rest' got changed to Sunday. The day the Roman Pagans worshiped the Sun. Sol Invictus, the invincible sun. Constantine was said to be the high priest for the Sol Invictus, which was carried on from Babylon, which was carried on from Egypt. (Constantine was said to have conquered in the sign of the Cross, or the Chi Rho the monogram of Christos. This picture above shows the the Catholic Church is the continuation of Constantine). In 321 AD Constantine, enacted the Sunday law, enforcing that the ' Day of the Sun' should be a rest day. This brought all the sun worshipers into the Church, with their money. And the Catholic Church continued this observance. The Catholic Church is the mother of all the Christian Churches. This is the reason most Protestant churches also keep Sunday. Because they come from the 'mother church'. The Fourth Commandment states: Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:10 But the seventh day the sabbath of YEHOWAH thy God: thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that within thy gates: 11 For six days YEHOWAH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them , and rested the seventh day: wherefore YEHOWAH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. I have inserted the name of the Almighty that was written in the original Hebrew Script that has been replaced by the word LORD in most bibles. And by reading the above commandment, it clearly states who is the Creator To read about the true bible names and the incorrect use of the title 'Christ' instead of Messias, see the following http://www.hubpages.com/hub/biblenames IHS and the Cross are symbols of the Sun One of the requirements in sun worship is a need for three gods, father, mother and child. The child becomes the reincarnation of the father. Nimrod, Tammuz and Semiramis was one of the oldest trinity, the three-in-one Sungod. And we know that the bible states that the earlier Jews were worshiping Tammuz. Ezekiel 8:14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Yehowah's house which toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. This tradition is still alive today in the Christian Churches, starting with the Catholic Church. They have continued this form of sun worship. Constantine was the emperor who enforced the Trinity in 325 AD. All the people that would not conform, were scattered or killed. Constantine himself was the high priest of sun worship, Sol Invictus. He continued this religion and called it Christianity. The Catholic Church uses these signs, symbols and rituals that come from sun worship. For example, IHS, which most people believe stands for the monogram of Jesus, or the Greek Iesous it is also said to stand for Isis, Horus, and Seth (the Egyptian Trinity). IHS also means 'In Hoc Signo', which means in this sign, the Cross, they will conquer. But mainly it is the letters used by the Jesuits as their symbol in a sun blaze, and for them it means Iesum Habemus Socium "We have Jesus as companion" So in keeping with the traditions of sun worship, they have changed the true sabbath, the 7th day, to the 1st day Sunday, the day of the sun. And incorporated the trinity concept. To read about ichthus and Dagon and the fish symbol. See Dagon the Fish God The Cross Symbol Now we would like to look at the most popular symbol used in Christianity, the Cross. Many people don't know that the word Cross and the word Crucify are not really biblical, but that they are of Latin origin. The words should read, a post or pole, or stake, in the place of Cross The word used for Cross in the bible is originally the Greek word Stauros meaning post or pole, or stake. When the Catholic Church commissioned Jerome to translate the bible in Latin, they subtly mistranslated the word Stauros to Crucem, which KJV translated it to Cross in the English Version. Even though the King James version was to be translated from the Greek scripts of the New Testament, they incorporated the Latin Sun Worship Symbol 'The Cross'. Which of course Constantine was high priest of, and passed it over to the Catholic Church. Therefore the Messiah was executed on a pole, or post,or stake, and not a Cross. And when they said crucify him, the original Greek scripts word is Stauroo, which means impale. So they said impale him. They impaled him on a stake. A very cruel way of torture, ( This is how Vlad, the Impaler executed his victims. Also known as Dracula, son of the Dragon. Which Prince Charles says he is related to.) Vlad the Impaler was also a defender of Christianity and the Cross. And Prince Charles, who is the Prince of Wales, whose flag is a Red Dragon! So why the use of the Cross, could it be that this stands for a mark! (The mark of the beast?) When people don't know how to read or write, they have them put their mark or X in place of their signature. When you place a mark on a map, you put a X on it. And is it a coincidence that the cross is used in so many instances of sun worship, by so many different people around the world? The pope is the high priest of sun worship, and one can see many Crosses used by the church. And many Catholics make the sign of the cross on themselves, and the priest make this sign on the peoples foreheads. There are many different crosses. The triple cross. (the Double Cross). the Latin cross, the Greek cross, the Coptic cross etc. The cross on it's side is an X. If one were to look in the book 'The complete encyclopedia of Signs & Symbols', there you would find many examples of the use of the cross as a pagan sun symbol. On Ash Wednesday many churches hold a service in which each person is marked on the forehead with the sign of a cross in ashes. I am inclined to believe that this is the mark mentioned in Revelation 17:13. Here are a couple pictures of a mark on the forehead. The SDA (Seventh Day Adventist) say the mark of the beast is Sunday, saying that the Catholic Church claims that changing the sabbath to Sunday is their mark of authority, showing that they have the power to change laws and precepts. I am inclined to think that the 'mark of the beast' is the cross, and that is why they use it. They have changed the title Messiah to the title Christ because the Ch in Greek =X the cross on it's side. But one thing to understand is, that all Christian churches are worshiping a false God because they worship Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the wrong name. The true name is Yehowshuwa and he was the Messiah, not the Christ. Next we will be dealing with the 666 symbol. The Greek 666 Symbol of St John Amen, End of Prayer or Egyptian God? Christians Carving crosses in forheads Mark on Forehead Where does the Mark come from? - The Flag or Mark of the Tribe of Dan Where does the mark of the cross come from, in the link above, it tells of how, that it may be, the Tribe of Dan that left their mark. The Lost Word - The Forgotten Truths of the Bible, the Lost Word. People are looking for answers to what is wrong with the World today. The bible has the answers but all religions lead away from the truths, that are there in the Bible. © 2009 ro-jo-yo ro-jo-yo (author) on December 06, 2019: To Steve Staniek All Christians, Constantine Christians,and Jesus Christians etc. are the same. They worship the same false god Jesus Christ. Steve Staniek on December 05, 2019: Constantine's bible is a work of Roman fiction, Constantine arranged and maintained editorial control] in order to support Roman terrorism [colonialism}. Historic records and rock carvings are reliable records describing how the Annunaki colonists brought spiritual slavery to Earth. They were a slaving civilization, and they wore the cross of spiritual domination on their chests [see rock carvings from the period]. They controlled their slaves thru biological transducers known as the pineal gland. They control our thoughts, feelings, and actions and influence us to harm ourselves and others for our negative energy, which is their food. Their cross was adopted by the colonial terrorist Constantine. Christian violence destroyed its competitors around the world and Christianity became the biggest single criminal organization to curse planet Earth for thousands of years of colonial Christian genocide. Christianity now controls the thinking and actions of Christian slaves, Jesus slaves in fact that obey fake gods and fake commandments that are impossible to keep, so you can never get out of your false karmic debt. All Christians are Constantine Christians, not Jesus Christians. ro-jo-yo (author) on June 10, 2018: The Book of Jasher is mentioned in the Bible, but the Books of Jasher that we find today are said not to be the same as the Book of Jasher mentioned in the Bible. Rebecca on June 05, 2018: Thank you! I was really stuck on Genesis one and two. I really, really appreciate your insight and wisdom! I want to follow it more closely myself, as I picked up a book that helps me to understand Hebrew, and I think I saw where you used the Biblia Hebraica? Also, I am reading the Book of Jasher. Is this also another one that has been taken out? And I want to just share that I post your articles as much as possible, most of it falls on deaf ears but I am hoping someone discerns this truth with their whole heart! Some, by the way, have become so overjoyed with the new knowledge they want more! So, again, thank you! I found your link on a YouTube thread, btw. :-) ro-jo-yo (author) on May 26, 2018: Satan's plan is to deceive all. Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect. There is no need for confusion, Gen 1 is the order of creation, and Gen 2 is simply the continuation of Gen 1 and a narrative with more details of creation and where we are given his name Yehowah who is the Creator. Changes have been made such as the removal of the book of Enoch. Mat 23 shows that the scribes have altered the Scriptures Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in , neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Rebecca on May 26, 2018: I have been confused about the two creations of Genesis 1 and 2. If the name "Lord" has been used in place of Yehowah, is Genesis 2 the real creation? I know the bible has been very manipulated so I am wondering with the name changes, did the evil one just stop there or did he add and subtract entire writings? Natia on February 23, 2015: Thinking like that is really impsresive ro-jo-yo (author) on February 12, 2015: Amen is the name of an Egyptian God. Yehowshuwa (Joshua) 24:14 Now therefore fear YEHOWAH, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye YEHOWAH. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve YEHOWAH, choose you this day whom ye will serve ; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell : but as for me and my house, we will serve YEHOWAH. Irishgirl68 on February 12, 2015: Your wrong about the word Amen and why christians use it. When the day of judgement comes and you stand before God and have to0 explain to him why you are misleading people I hope you have a good explaination for him ro-jo-yo (author) on January 10, 2014: Your first statement makes no sense, any person can call upon Yehowah in the language they speak. The English translation is not fine . "The problem lies when someone adds or takes away from doctrine, or distorts the context. " as you say, and that is exactly what they have done, in a few places. Like the changing of the names. The most important one being the name of the Almighty Yehowah which they have changed to the word LORD, and the name of the Messiah Yehowshuwa which they have changed to the false name Christ Jesus. No other name than Yehowshuwa means 'the call to salvation from Yehowah', no matter what language. And if you pass yourself off as any other name, that would be fraud. If your name is Joe then it is Joe not George. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. It is vital to have the correct name. The talk about the cross and stake is very relevant, as the cross is the mark of the Beast, the Greek word used in the bible is stake, not a cross. To assume something could be in error is not retarded contrary to what you say 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. JoeM on January 09, 2014: We are not commanded to call upon GOD in any particular language. Therefore, the translation in English is fine. The problem lies when someone adds or takes away from doctrine, or distorts the context. Such as what the denominations have done. There is ZERO denomination in the Holy Bible. We can call Yeshua by the name Jesus because it means the same thing when translated from Hebrew to Greek to English. The intent is the same. We are not worshiping a name. Just because someone calls me George instead of Joe, that doesn't mean they are creating a deception. Also, the talk about Cross and Stake are irrelevant as well. The context is what is important for the OVERALL DOCTRINE. To assume a Bible is in error because its in English is retarded. I would be more worried about modern translations that change doctrine to suit denominations. nasrani on September 13, 2012: "How can you say,'We are Wise, And the Law of Elohim is with us? Look,the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehoo.Jeremiah 8:8 Jeremiah spoke it and i couldn't agree more.it's like that song says discovering a world before this world,a world buried in time..SABALI(PATIENCE).WHO'S SAUL aka PAUL trully is? My world has turned upside down and i quit attending church.Did the Messiah fathered a baby? this is for those who are already askin questions...and you know that somewhere or somehow something is wrong.let there be light ro-jo-yo (author) on September 03, 2012: My information is correct. We all have to search for the truth on our own or we will believe a delusion and a lie. Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Maxei on September 02, 2012: Please correct your information. The gospels clearly indicate that Jesus Christ was crucified: Don't you read the gospel?: "and [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!” John 20:27. So, the cross was the instrument of torture, but is nothing for true christians, because the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the important matter. Now, catholics have made of the cross an idol, for their own condemnation. thebadbagger on September 01, 2012: People who wear a cross are people who practice idolatry. YHWH gave us a commandment on this in Exodus 20:4-5 You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them because I YHWH your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation in the case of those who hate me. It does not get any more clear than that. ro-jo-yo (author) on June 23, 2012: The sun and the stars were all created by our Father Yehowah. The true name of the messiah is Yehowshuwa. He, Yehowshuwa, was sent to bring us all back to his Father Yehowah. To worship the sun as god or to worship Jesus as god is worshiping a false god. It is Satan the Devil who is out to deceive the whole world. kevin on June 21, 2012: God is the Sun. Jesus doesn't exist as a deity, [Jesus means Saviour] Google search it. It's Jupiter instead of Jesus and it means "Jupiter our saviour" and Saturn is Satan. Have a real good look at a satellite image of the Vatican. If you don't see anything then you haven't finished looking. khan karu on March 13, 2012: The bible is an astrology based text. The council of nicea determined they would take these elements and turn them into allegorical stories based on very ancient myths. Every story in the bible comes from a previous myth. We are all Jesus if we stand up to the crooked administration. Persecution happens to those seen as rebels. As far as this being a real guy, its highly unlikely. It's just a hero story of the ancients favorite hero "the sun". As he travels with his 12 apostles ( sun & 12 zodiacs). So Jesus is a personification of the sun, just as when people use the term mother nature, mother earth or father time. This is also why u go pray to the sun on SUNday eventhough the sabbath is on saturday. Don't be a slave to these religions because they are all one in the same. Doesn't matter who you worship its either sun or idol worship. The truth is that god is not a man so stop giving all these human characteristics. It is spiritual energy that lives within. This is why the term "Know thyself" is so important. You are your own salvation. Deal with yourself and the divine within you before you can pray to some made up deity. ISA-IAH on February 11, 2012: Denomination = Divied n Conquer. Parallels = satans way of tryin 2 discredit the hand of Yah Jews n temple wall = EXODUS 20:4. (or in the earth) Catholothism = Is Not Christianity Confusion, Distraction, MUSIC = all tools of the accuser ISAIAH 14:11 "Lucifers harps" not the sound of harps . Musician in the Heavens, Now on the Earth. All brain washing the masses. Beware n take care YESHUA AMACHIA IS ADONI OF ALL Mathew 10:32,33 Tim N. on January 29, 2012: Tehillim (Psalms) 104:19 states "He made moon for appointed times..". THerefore, we are to use moon as our base for His appointed times. There are 3 categories of His appointed times which we could see at Yehezqél (Ezerkiel) 45:17. Gareth West on January 17, 2012: Don't forget the most important factor ro-jo and others. The cross is related purely to the sun. Sun rises in the east set in the west. Then each in the winter period the sun moves downwards in the sky and upwards in the summer period creating the cross in the sky. Also is how christians mark them selfs with the seal of the father, son and the holy ghost. Ever wonder why the cross you mark on your selfs resembles more of a up side down cross? One other fact is the winter solistice. On december the 21st the sun is at its lowest point in the sky. Guess what? On the third day is moves up one degree giving the sign of a resurrection of the sun. Everyone is entitled to there own views and opinions is what God has giving us free will to think and act for our selfs but face the judgement if we get it wrong. I'm not trying to destroy faith in God and trying to awaken the sleepers to the truth about control. Control the keys to the gates of heaven, you control the majority on earth and christianity is just that. Blessings on October 28, 2011: Somebody should tell me today the likelihood of one God telling us different things to believe in.If the answer is that one God can not tell us different things to believe in, then alot of denominations are in error and blindly lead their flocks.Hence they will go by the blind leader blind follower declaration from Christ himself.Watch out if your beliefs are in line with the word of God. aviaro on October 22, 2011: i got a question for all the people who worship on suday. give me one point/text in the bible says that we must worship on sunday?? i asking for only one word in the bile that say we must worship on sunday.. if you can give us, we ll believe on it. because we are only believe in bile, not in human. Jonesy0311 on July 30, 2011: I voted this article up because you present a compelling argument (especially pertaining to sun worship). Unfortunately, I cannot get behind your assertion that the cross is truly the mark of the beast. I can't debate you on the matter, but I have not seen enough evidence to convince me otherwise. Feel free to check out my hub about Christianity and Sun Worship if you are so inclined. Double on April 29, 2011: Hi there i see your concept on the mark of the beast. but if you say the mark of the beast is the cross so what is the mark of GOD and i see your pictures: mark on forehead but what about the hand. Julia on November 19, 2010: So interesting and great to see people thinking for themseleves.All civilizations have worshipped the sun and the stars for as long as we have been able to make markings on stones , there is evidence of this.Perhaps with the reatively new discovery of the continent Ur ( lost during the last ice age) we will see more evidence emerging of this.Christianity is a current religion.In the future there will be many more.No matter how much evidence is unearthed we can only know what is taught to us as children by our peers.It is up to us as adults to seek out knowedge of our world's history for ourseleves.We are all human , what makes one human's story right and another's wrong? Caroline on October 27, 2010: This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen, and I'm a college religion professor so I know something about this. Waaaaay off base! Brynestad on September 30, 2010: Here's another sign of the lack of education our kids are receiving in America. People do not know how to study and do research. This guy has read only one or two books about world history and has built an entire thesis on his limited information. Do your research. Don't give me your biased opinion. Don't try to solicite an emotional response from me with facts that have no ground. Daniel J. Neumann from Harrisburg, Pa on September 13, 2010: I voted up this article, because I admire the passion and skill you’ve demonstrated in this argument. I have to disagree with your hypothesis that the mark of the beast is the cross. I don’t see enough evidence to make that conclusion (#1) and (#2, with almost as much weight) I’ve my own guesses as to what the mark of the beast may be. I think it’ll be digital currency and national identification cards amalgamated—a sort of social security-credit card. It’ll be the only choice if the world economy hyper-inflates, unless you want to wheel around 100 dollar bills for a loaf of bread. Obviously, a credit card (or maybe a blue-tooth chip in your wrist) is more convenient in that situation. That’s only a conjecture (and if you want to read more, I recommend, “From Paper to Digits”). I do believe that God is light, however. What’s more appropriate, then, as a symbol for the Greatest Conceivable Being, the Holy Singularity, the All-in-One? But you make an excellent case. Keep up the great work :) Thanks for sharing, dayofwrath on August 04, 2010: There is a lot of blind people.The word of the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed,but it is God power to us who are being saved. RockyB on February 12, 2010: Actually the trinity concept started with the Didache fragments. A collection of 5 transcripts dating somewhere between 80-160AD. Mark 28:19 was later revised into a version incorporating the trinity concept instructing desciples to baptise worshippers in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. It was one of these edited versions that appeared before the Council of Nicea. Eusebius (331-420AD), who led the council as a highly knowlegeable authority on the scriptures, whom sat on Emperor Constantine's right, and delivered the opening address, cried foul on this one. He denounced the entry and citing several older source documents he knew well. In the Vatican version he penned, it went back to the instruction as he knew it, to go out and make disciples of all nations "in my (Jesus') name." Agreed, the symbol of the cross is very ancient dating milliniums before Christianity. In Egypt one form was the Ankh, in Tummaz worship in the form of the Tau (which also happens to be the name of the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet-Coincidence?), there is a connection with the cross & Atlantis legends... BTW, the cross was also found to have been used as a religious symbol in the Americas centuries before the New World was discovered and included the Inca "Bent Cross" which, except for being reversed, was identical to to Nazi Swatztica. What is curious is that crosses used for crucifiction were almost always erected in an "X" shape with a limb extending along each direction of the board. This was a standardize because it easier to erect and take down. The standing "+" cross dropped into a post hole would have been very unstable & creat much more logistic difficulties for the execution & removal crews. Another problem is the Christian acceptance that the spikes were driven into the palms of the hand. There is insufficient support with this method and the flesh would have ripped away beteen the digits. Historically the spikes would have been driven just below the wrists to take advantage of the paired bones, wrist joints & tendons to distribute the weight keep the bodies from falling off. BTW, crucifixions of the Jews in Rome ocurred not only during the Jewish rebellions following circa 60AD, but continued in earnest AFTER Rome "turned Christian". Also executed were Christians who didn't follow the Romanized version of Christianity. The Church has long claimed that the canonization of the Bible occurred in a democratic style process where differing views were freely discussed amongst ALL the Christian bishops of Rome. This is like claiming the current US Congress is comprised of mostly moderates, so therefore everyones voices are being heard. Hogwash! The majority of the Council of Nicea were those that followed the Christian doctrine as presented by John's disciples. There is no mention of any Essene bishops, nor Gnostic representation. John was a zealot and his doctrine very fundamentalistic and rigid. The followers of John specifically detested Gnostic Christianity, which advocated individual persuit of religious knowledge & education, rather than blindly following the teachings of any priest. While Peter was designated the first pope of Christianity & was at least willing to entertain discussion, John's doctrine demanded strict unquestioned obediance, setting an example later inherited by the Holy Roman Empire. If you follow the travels of the apostles & disciples, you find that John had an army of disciples who followed behind the other apostles. They visited the same churches, sometimes right on Peter's heels, and frequently revisited or remained in residence to ensure they "got the message right". Immediately following the Council of Nicea, and long before the "approved & canonized" books were ever gathered into a single volumn, Constantine issued Imperial decrees requiring the destruction of certain texts, particularly targeted were Gnostic writings. It was the death penalty for anyone caught with these texts or teaching from forbidden writings. Many like the Essenes began to hide their writings in the hopes that things might eventually blow over. The Dead Sea Scrolls was just such cache of scriptures. DIA FEA from Maumee, OH on January 20, 2010: thankyou ro-jo-yo and kori! smart people who choose to not be blinded. jordan maxwell dot com has a lot of good info on this very topic including zeitgeistmovie has this same literature. but tell me why can an unholy man from a royal family translate the bible. i dnt understand this one bit. he came from a dysfunctional family, and his name is king james the flaming homo! oh my gosh! what thee heck is that all about. i was terrified at my bible with his name on it. along with a pagan symble of 3 oval shapes in a form of a triangle. im sowwy, but this is spooky. i cant take any more of this corrupt chaos. i learn something new every day. but here we have in this world freemasons who twist the first ever reccorded religion of egytian religion , and make it evil. i dnt get it. so to keep down confusion of diversity we are heading for a world religion, which is the freemasons religion. wow. get a grip assholes who don't believe this. war is real. but also an illusion. we all are apart of a vast illusion. and you dummies who are sleeping are going to argue truth when its in your face. research and watch the movie mentioned, and look at the website jordan maxwell dot com. learn and become aware! peace be split! Kori Fitch-Adams from Page on December 24, 2009: Romans were experts at crucifying Jews. In the book "Jesus Papers" they stated an estimated 500 Jews were crucified a day. This was just part of their rule. Lets not get too romantic about Jesus up there like all the rest of the Jews. Now what may of happened before that or after is another story. Great Hub!!!! And so we must consider the Romans the perfect Big Brother- those who knew how to use and abuse the religions, rituals, and whatever else of the day to manipulate the masses. This would be Christianity. Now if Jesus did exist- so be it- and his message was probably sincere- but so many il-intentioned MEN put their dirty little hands on a divine intent/message- and thus here we are trying to figure it out. Keep writing ro-jo-yo- We must continue the education of the masses. ghandi on September 23, 2009: so what? repetition of symbols is very common among religions. so common that they're either all related (unlikely) or that symbols can be broken down into simple, recognizable shapes (more likely). what's your point? Andrew on August 18, 2009: "The Romans often had the very heavy and cumbersome upright post/stake already in place, and it was the cross-section that is described as being carried to the site with Jesus. Once there, our Savior was nailed to the horizontal beam which was then lifted up and fastened to the upright stake, thereby forming the cross - the symbol of our Savior's Sacrifice" (taken from http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/crosstak.htm). Elvis on June 15, 2009: yep! that's what is going on behind church! Hermes on June 06, 2009: Don't read too much into this. the trinity is apparently as old as monotheistic religion, if not older. In the place of religion we should have reverence. In the place of dogma we should contemplate virtue. Denominations in christianity are ridiculous considering jesus came to unite people and here we are dividing the word of Jah like lawyers ro-jo-yo (author) on March 23, 2009: Not sure what you don't understand. ure mom on March 23, 2009: i don't understand

https://discover.hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Falsereligion

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Mormon Scriptures and David’s wives: The Mormon church does not currently permit the practice of polygamy (or “plural marriage”) in this life, but it does teach that God has sanctioned, blessed, and even commanded this practice in the past. This teaching does lead to the interesting question of when God did and when he did not approve of polygamy. Was it right, for example, for King David to have his several wives and concubines? This question is interesting because the Mormon scriptures give conflicting answers to this question. The Book of Mormon declares: “Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord” (Jacob 2:24). This verse clearly says that it was abominable to God that David had many wives and concubines. This was a sin for David. It was an abomination. It is plain that, from the perspective of the Book of Mormon, God did not approve of polygamy for David and Solomon. Yet this is not the only passage in Mormon scripture that seeks to answer this question. In Doctrine and Covenants we are given a wholly different answer: “David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me. David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord” (D&C 132:38-39). Here, the Mormon scriptures tell us that David received both his wives and his concubines from God, and his polygamy was not a sin at all. His only sin was in taking Uriah’s wife. So his sin was adultery, not polygamy, and his having many wives and concubines was not an abomination before God but was, in fact, a blessing from God. So which is it? Were David’s many wives and concubines an abomination before God, as the Book of Mormon says? Or were they given to him by God, as the Doctrines and Covenants say? Did David sin in having many wives and concubines, as Jacob 2 clearly states? Or is it true that “in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife” as D&C 132 says? These are opposing mutually exclusive claims. “Having many wives was sinful for David” and “having many wives was NOT sinful for David.” This isn’t just the ambiguity between two separate sources reporting the same thing in different ways, as is often the case when people accuse documents of “contradiction.” This is a perfect example of the very definition of a logical contradiction. One source says something IS true, and the other source says the very same thing is NOT true. Remember that our question here has nothing to do with whether or not Mormons approve of polygamy today. The contradiction is not in the fact that Mormons teach that polygamy is okay at some times in history and not okay in others. The question is whether or not polygamy was okay specifically for King David at his time and in his place. On this specific and important historical claim, the Mormon scriptures are irreconcilably contradictory.

http://ow.ly/SjOs50LUj2F

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The Ebola virus has been detected for the first time in an eye of a patient months after it vanished from his blood, researchers said Thursday. Dr. Ian Crozier, an American doctor, was diagnosed with Ebola in September 2014 while working in Sierra Leone with the World Health Organization. He was sent back to the United States to Emory University Hospital’s special Ebola unit in Atlanta, Georgia. Crozier left the hospital in October when Ebola was no longer detected in his blood, the New England Journal of Medicine reported Thursday. But two months later he developed an inflammation and very high blood pressure in his left eye. It caused swelling and serious vision problems. He returned to the same hospital where he had been treated, and an ophthalmologist, Dr. Steven Yeh, removed some of the fluid and tested it for Ebola. It did in fact contain the virus, but it was not present in his tears or the tissue around his eye. Doctors believed he did not pose a risk of infecting other people, but Yeh said the case shows that survivors of the deadly virus should be monitored for possible eye infection. It is not known how long this condition can last. The infection caused an inflammation of the inside of his eye. Besides the problems with his vision, his iris changed color, going from blue to green 10 days after the symptoms were first detected. After undergoing treatment with a variety of medicines, Crozier began to recover his vision but it is still not complete. And his eye color returned to normal. The worst ever outbreak of Ebola began in southern Guinea in December 2013 before spreading to Liberia and Sierra Leone. The death toll now exceeds 11,000, the World Health Organization reported this week. Cases of eye inflammation had been reported among survivors of Ebola in previous, limited epidemics and among people with a virus known as Marburg, which is similar to Ebola. But such cases are rare, the medical journal said. In the current epidemic, some cases of people with eye trouble have been reported among survivors of Ebola. Dr. John Fankhausser, chief of medicine at ELWA Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, said chronic pain, headaches and eye trouble were the problems most often cited by 100-odd survivors who attended a meeting at that hospital. Around 40 percent suffered pain and inflammation in the eyes, he told The New York Times. But the proportion of survivors who suffer these problems is still not known, the medical journal said. It has already been established that the Ebola virus can persist in semen for several months after a patient is declared healthy. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/ebola-found-in-mans-eye-months-after-it-left-blood-report/

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Death by Starvation or Death by COVID-19 As horrible as death by COVID-19 must be, it is surely far worse to starve to death slowly over a period of many weeks and months. Yet, in our desire to prevent millions of COVID-19 deaths, we may have sentenced tens of millions of people to starve to death. Perhaps more than 100 million. That is almost impossible to grasp. What would those figures look like on a graph? Dennis Prager’s latest weekly article, posted May 5, put forth this jarring proposition, “The Worldwide Lockdown May Be the Greatest Mistake in History.” Whether or not he is right, only time will tell. World Starvation Excepted to Double This Year From Last Year But Prager could already cite these disturbing projections: “The United Nations World Food Programme, or the WFP, states that by the end of the year, more than 260 million people will face starvation — double last year’s figures. According to WFP director David Beasley on April 21: ‘We could be looking at famine in about three dozen countries. … There is also a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself (italics added).” He added, “That would be enough to characterize the worldwide lockdown as a deathly error. But there is much more. If global GDP declines by 5%, another 147 million people could be plunged into extreme poverty, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute.” Why so little outcry? Why so little concern? It is true that headlines reported the WFP announcement, with headlines like this on April 22 on The Hill: “UN warns coronavirus could cause global famines of ‘biblical proportions’. The WFP warned the United Nations security council Tuesday of a possible ‘hunger pandemic’ due to COVID-19.” Or like this, also on April 22, on CNN: “Coronavirus pandemic will cause global famines of ‘biblical proportions,’ UN warns.” One week later, a local Fox affiliate ran a similar story, explaining, “While the World Health Organization warns that stringent guidelines need to stay in place to combat the spread of COVID-19, fellow United Nations agency World Food Program (WFP) believes that it will lead to an uptick in global poverty and starvation, and the response to the virus itself may end up killing more people by the end of 2020.” Do We Care? But for the most part, these absolutely shocking predictions have gone in one ear and out the other. Is it because the victims are almost all in impoverished nations, already out of sight and out of mind? Is it because we are already indifferent to the fate of roughly 130 million people who face starvation every year? I’m not trying to lay a guilt trip on all of us who have plenty to eat. Nor am I trying to go back to the days of my childhood, when my mother would urge me to finish my dinner, reminding me that there were children starving in India or Africa. (And yes, I had some snide response, probably asking how finishing my meal would help these children, or offering the remaining food to them.) I’m also not trying to be a Monday morning quarterback, criticizing the world response as lacking in foresight. For me to do so would be as ignorant as it would be arrogant. My purpose, instead, is twofold. Let Us Remember The Poor Worldwide, Regardless of the Virus First, I want to bring this tragic situation into focus again, even without the added crisis of the COVID-19 shutdown. As explained in a Mercy Corps article posted October 1, 2018, “Around the world, 821 million people do not have enough of the food they need to live an active, healthy life. One in every nine people goes to bed hungry each night, including 20 million people currently at risk of famine in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Nigeria. “People suffering from chronic hunger are plagued with recurring illnesses, developmental disabilities and low productivity. They are often forced to use all their limited physical and financial resources just to put food on the table” (emphasis in the original). Whatever we can do to help make a difference in these lives, let us do so. I support missionaries working in some very poor countries, and the stories they share of lives changed, simply through Christian love and a healthy meal, are wonderfully encouraging. Let Us Remember The Poor Worldwide in Light of the Virus Second, as we consider the negative impact of the shutdown in America, where the cure could be worse than the disease, let us factor in the implications for the impoverished worldwide. Naturally, we give more thought to our local economy and our own paychecks, which is perfectly understandable. But we should not forget those affected negatively worldwide. It is literally a matter of life or death. Of course, there are no easy answers, and hindsight is 20/20. But I too read these shocking predictions on April 22, only to file them away in my brain, only to forget them within 24 hours. So, I’m jogging my own memory as well as, hopefully, jarring your own thoughts as well. At the least, we can pray that God will our leaders and the leaders of the world great wisdom. And at the most, we can consider ways that we can help alleviate world hunger. It is an ongoing tragedy that could become much more tragic. If we each make a difference even for one life, that is not just a tragedy averted. It is a precious life saved. Editor’s Note: You can help combat world hunger. Consider giving to Mission Feeding, a ministry of our parent organization, LIFE Outreach International. LIFE’s Mission Feeding outreach has been a proven answer to the nutritional needs of starving and malnourished children. Each bowl of food contains vitamins and nutrients needed to stop the vicious cycle of malnutrition and death. That’s why we say, “There’s LIFE in every bowl, and hope for every LIFE!” Click here to see how you can help. Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

https://stream.org/death-by-starvation-or-death-by-covid-19/

Religion

en

Some Africans have forgotten how to grow their own food. There used to be a time most Africans could not starve in the villages unless you are too lazy to farm. Today, families are selling the same farms that have sustained them for generations to buy plastic toys that can hardly last for five years. Think of what will happen this time in many African countries, as reported in some communities already, if this Covid-19 lockdown continues without enough food supplies in any Country. During Ebola Pandemic, some of the people that were quarantined in Liberia and Sierra Leone broke out of the camps looking for food because they were not supplied enough to eat. A hungry man is an angry man. One of the basic needs of man is food, apart from water, sex and shelter. The lack of each of these can disorient most of us. In East Africa, Governments are selling fertile land in the name of mechanized and industrialized farming to foreigners and relocating owners or turning them into daily paid laborers. What technology is available to foreigners that is not known in local universities? If food is available but replaced with imports, the absence of that replacement can also destabilize a nation. The same is true about acquired tastes, at least for those with exotic tendencies. Protests and riots have occurred as a result of what others may consider basic needs at the rationing centers or market places. The fear of Covid-19, a lesson we had many opportunities to learn from must strengthen our resolve to be food growers and producers with sufficient quantity and quality at home and to export. China went from food famine to food export during our lifetime. We have to be more careful than ever in this trying time. There used to be a popular saying; that anything thrown on the soil in Africa can grow. This is how far we have displaced our local food only to buy and beg for food assistance from foreign lands. Palm oil that used to be grown in many places in West Africa has now been replaced with import from Asia. Cassava is so widely grown in many African countries today it has become one of the staple foods. Yet, it was introduced into African countries from South America. Since cassava has become very adaptable in most tropical countries, most of us take it as our indigenous food native to our land. Our Corn and Cassava grow very well locally, we have been blessed. Wheat on the other hand is not so easily adaptable to most African countries. Even where wheat could be grown in Africa, highly genetically modified wheat grown in abundance and resistant to environmental blight are the most prevalent available seed. However, this wheat is only available from certain countries in the hands of highly mechanized farmers supported by big international corporations. There is no better way for a country that has wheat in abundance than to look for buyers in order to replace their staple food with Bread. Wheat, barley, rye, corn, cassava, millet and rice are grown in different places all over the world. The climate determines their natural habitats. Science has modified each of these to be resistant or adaptable to diseases, environments; increasing or decreasing yields. Each could be turned into bread. There is a price. Multinational companies sell the genetic modified seed each time farmers want to plant. Indian farmers that used their land as collateral to borrow money from banks to buy seed from international companies lost their land when they could not pay back. It was a suicide mission. Ordinary toilet paper can disorient a nation that has tropical forest for making paper or toilet paper. But if people are used to certain types of imported toilet paper, lack of supply can result in panic and a lucrative market for smugglers. We saw this in South America or Venezuela. The same is true in preference for ordinary toothpicks and pencils. If toilet paper can lead to riots in Venezuela even before imported food has become scarce, we must wonder why we cannot flood local markets with ordinary paper, corn and cassava bread, when raw material comes from our land. Therefore, if our daily needs like what we eat and drink are replaced by imports, shortage can create hunger and riots leading to revolution. Okay, if imported food is the problem, what do we say about Middlemen that raise the price of local food above the price of import. If most of us have a choice between cassava bread and wheat bread, we would "rush" bleached white bread knowing full well it causes diabetes and obesity. We cannot be preaching Buy Africa when we know it is too expensive to fill our bellies. Only a hungry man knows the pinch of an empty belly or death. Money has never been an adequate replacement for Trade by Batter. Otherwise the amount of foreign currencies exchanged for gold, diamond, uranium, oil etc. could have made Africa the richest continent not the poorest. We can never make enough money to buy our basic needs like food or Daily Bread when the same people dictate what price to sell and buy our raw gold. 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https://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/287089/destabilize-a-nation-with-imported-food.html

Politics

en

The BBC also published a version of the multimedia in Swahili. Sitting on a chipped wooden bench, the three-year-old swings her legs excitedly. Her sandals barely touch the floor as she watches a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. It is hard to believe Comfort is a witch. Yet this is why she and her two older siblings are now living in an emergency shelter in the city of Calabar, in the southeast corner of Nigeria. It's little more than a basement with a television and half a dozen threadbare mattresses. The door is locked most of the time for the children’s own safety. The shelter was intended to be a temporary solution - a stop-gap until the children could be placed with extended family. But no-one wants to risk bringing the children - all of whom have been branded witches - into their homes. Once her cartoon has finished, Comfort totters outside and lifts her shirt to reveal a sea of whitened welts across her back. These ragged scars trace the outlines of the red-hot machete that a neighbour used to force her to “confess”. Names of the children in this story have been changed. Illustrations are superimposed on top of photos to protect identities. Led into Darkness In early February, Comfort and her sister Hope, 15, and five-year-old brother Godbless had been living with their grandmother Christiana in nearby Akampka. Their parents had died suddenly in unexplained circumstances, and while this had made Christiana wary of the children, she had agreed to take them in. Already diagnosed as HIV positive and not taking her anti-retroviral drugs, Christiana's health was failing and she was becoming increasingly thin and frail. Blaming the children for her ailing health, Christiana took them to her local church for guidance. There, a so-called prophet confirmed her worst fears - the children were branded witches. For Christiana, this explained everything - the death of her daughter and son-in-law, her sickness, and the children’s rowdy behaviour. Shortly afterwards, a neighbour called Rankin overheard Christiana accusing the children of cutting the rope of the washing line in the family compound - blaming their witchcraft for their actions. After talking to Christiana and finding out more about the accusations, Rankin returned the next day with a friend. “He started beating us and told us to untie our grandmother from the witchcraft world,” says Hope. The children tried to escape through the surrounding palm trees but were quickly rounded up by the two men and taken to the neighbour’s house. Their hands and feet were bound, and Rankin heated up a machete blade in the coals of a nearby fire. “They then asked us if we were witches,” says Hope from the safehouse in Calabar. “We said, ‘No’.” “So he started beating us in turn with the hot machete, from morning until afternoon.” Blood bloomed black on the ground as again and again they were asked to confess. “We eventually said, ‘Yes’,” says Hope. “Then they asked us if we are the ones that killed our father and mother - we said, ‘Yes’. “They asked us if all these troubles in our family - we are the ones who caused them - we said, ‘Yes’.” When I visit the mud-walled church where the children say there were branded and beaten, the prophet they say labelled them as witches is not there. Instead I meet pastor Israel Ubi. He claims no-one at the church makes such accusations, or conducts deliverance ceremonies to exorcise alleged witches. “There is no witchcraft here,” he says. When pushed on the subject, he acknowledged that the church did deal with “marine spirits and demons” that many in the Niger Delta believe live in and around oceans, seas and rivers. It was the children’s uncle Sunday who reported the machete incident to the police. The taxi driver, who says he doesn’t believe in witchcraft, angrily dismisses the “prophet” who branded the children. “As a result of her health, my mother believed in [his] words. Prophets - they are criminals, they are people who are destroying people’s lives.” The stigmatisation of children as witches is a recent phenomenon in the Niger Delta region, which suddenly exploded in the 1990s. Before that, elderly women were the main targets of witchcraft accusations. By 2008, it was estimated that 15,000 children had been branded in the southeastern states of Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers. According to research from that period, cases that had been documented included children and babies who had had nails driven into their heads, been forced to drink cement, set on fire, scarred by acid, poisoned, and even buried alive. A separate 2010 Unicef report notes it is typically vulnerable children with physical disabilities, or illnesses such as epilepsy, who are targeted. Others are branded for appearing withdrawn, lazy, or unruly. Nigeria’s criminal code prohibits accusing, or even threatening to accuse, someone of being a witch. And the Child Rights Act of 2003 makes it an offence to subject any child to physical or emotional torture, or submit them to any inhuman or degrading treatment. However, while this piece of legislation was enacted at the national level, the country’s 36 states are still required to formally ratify it. This not only gives individual states exclusive responsibility - it allows them to make laws relevant to their specific situations. Only about three-quarters of Nigeria’s states have domesticated the Child Rights Act, and to date only the state of Akwa Ibom has included specific provisions concerning the abuse of alleged child witches. Its 2008 law made witch branding punishable by a custodial sentence of up to 10 years. And despite lobbying attempts, Cross River State has yet to amend its own 2009 version of the legislation to specifically outlaw the offence. But regardless of the fragmented attempt to criminalise it, witch-branding continues under the noses of the state governments and police of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Oliver Orok, minister of sustainable development and social welfare for the Cross River State government, told the BBC the ministry was “working assiduously to eliminate these practices”. “The state government in partnership with Unicef and other development partners organised a summit to deliberate on amending the law to include, among other things, the issue of branding children as witches and its consequences,” says Mr Orok. The minister says "criminal law has abolished such practices". However, 10 years on, no-one has been successfully prosecuted in the courts. There has been an increase in advocacy across the state to deal with the issue, Mr Orok says, and that money had been made available to build a home for children at risk. He adds that if the government was made aware of cases, it “would move against such churches and their prophets”. Lawyer James Ibor argues that the police are poorly funded, and not equipped to carry out these types of investigations. “Often we have to push for investigations,” he says. Ibor runs a local organisation in Calabar called Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BCRI), which specialises in legal cases concerning child rights abuse - it also runs the emergency shelter where Comfort and her siblings are staying. He tells me about two children who were poisoned by their father, who believed they were witches. He pleaded guilty, but there were no resources to send blood samples to Lagos to confirm the children’s cause of death. One year on, their bodies remain in the morgue, and the father has yet to be tried. Ibor claims that cases have stalled for years. He says his job is made harder by the reluctance of the police and government to investigate controversial issues combined with a lack of willingness from families and communities to provide evidence. About a quarter of his ongoing cases relate to witchcraft, he says. But this phenomenon is not just restricted to Nigeria's more remote regions. Just six months ago, the Nigerian media reported on 40 children who were rescued from a witchdoctor’s “torture camp” in the capital of Abuja. And this May in Lagos, a boy was badly beaten by his mother with a koboko, or horsewhip. “So we have the laws,” says Ibor. “The problem is not the laws - the problem is implementing these laws and until then our children are not safe.” And he blames some of the “prophets” and “pastors” for sowing fear across the Niger Delta region where poverty and a belief in witchcraft are widespread. Sweat slaloms down the girl’s face as she pirouettes across the cement floor. A man catches her by the waist, before twirling her around the airless hall. But this is no dance recital – this is a brutal ballet designed to deliver the child from witchcraft. Welcome to the deliverance of Joy. Welcome to the Streams of Life Ministry. It is a Friday evening and suffocatingly hot inside the hall of the Pentecostal church. Three pastors have formed a tag-team to heal the 15-year-old. Over the course of 30 minutes they take turns slapping her head, pinching her earlobes, and grabbing at her stomach. “Your clothes are on fire, your head is on fire, your belly is on fire,” they repeatedly scream in her face as they twist her around and around. Joy raises her hands in self-defence. Four children have been identified by Pastor Eunice Emmanuel to be “exorcised” this evening. The youngest is just eight years old. “The power comes from the Holy Spirit,” she explains before the ritual begins. “He empowers us to do His work, to administer salvation to the children. “When you pray for the children you see the spirits manifest, speaking through them - you will hear them speaking.” “By the time the deliverance is complete, the child becomes like a madman who has recovered his sanity.” The pastor explains that her Calabar-based ministry is ultimately offering a service to the wider community. These deliverances not only stop parents from disowning their children, they stop the spirits from leading them astray, she says. “And who knows, they may go to marry your daughter,” she adds, “So before you know it, the witchcraft we are running away from is already in your house.” Pastor Eunice addresses the spirit she accuses Joy of harbouring. “Do you go to a coven? Are you a witch? Do you drink blood? Do you eat flesh? Do you kill?” “I have destroyed one person,” Joy finally cries. Only when the girl finally collapses on to the floor is the deliverance considered a success. Lawyer James Ibor says Pentecostal churches like these encourage their congregations to blame witchcraft for their misfortune or personal failures. One recent case involved a boy who was beaten when the family motorbike broke down; in another, a girl was accused, and flogged by her father after he lost his job. “They sell fear so that they can keep members who continually pay offerings and tithes (weekly donations). “That is the only way they will stay relevant and keep making money.” Last year the UN convened its first workshop focused on witchcraft, both in Nigeria and other countries. In its final report, it stated that “the exact number of victims of such abuse is unknown, and is widely believed to be underreported”. It also recognised the role that “supernatural entrepreneurs” play in diffusing and legitimising fears related to witchcraft, and in particular, child witches. Tied to a Tree Bassey recalls how two girls were accused by a pastor two years ago at the Divine Zion of God Church in the small town of Akpabuyo in Cross River State. A pregnant congregant had gone past her due date by several weeks, and the seven and 10-year-old girls were held to be responsible and branded witches. The woman had approached a pastor at her local church and paid for a consultation. Although she gave birth successful shortly after, the damage had been done. A week later, Bassey heard the girls' screams as he returned from his fields. They had been tied to a palm tree, and were being beaten with canes and machetes by three men. Ebe Ukara, a desk officer for the Child Rights Implementation Committee in Akamkpa, says that 60% of the child abuse cases that cross her desk are witchcraft-related, and more often than not prompted by a pastor’s declaration. Those pastors, she says, can make a tidy profit from people who turn to them for help, although she stresses that not all Pentecostal churches are out to hoodwink their followers. But for the “fake prophets”, children are the easy targets who can be blamed for the poverty and misfortunes that plague families and communities. Judging from the billboards that adorn roundabouts - from the capital of Abuja to the Niger Delta - beer and salvation are big businesses in Nigeria, commodities to be bought and sold. Every other poster promises some miracle - how to get that job, find a spouse, deal with miscarriages, cure infertility, and of course, eradicate witchcraft. But these posters underline the two key characteristics of the Pentecostal doctrine that has spread throughout Nigeria since the 1970s. Firstly, this form of Christianity emphasises success and plenty - if someone is failing in life then this is a sign that something is suspiciously awry. Secondly, Pentecostal churches portray the world as a literal battleground between Godly forces and demonic spirits. So the new Pentecostal movement has since popularised the notion that material fortune is universally available, but that access to it can be blocked by supernatural forces. But these Nigerian church leaders are not acting out any traditional African religion or superstition. On the contrary, Nigerian Pentecostal leaders have copied their American televangelist counterparts whose churches often behave more like builders of economic empires than religious organisations. This has resulted in a religious hybridisation where indigenous beliefs in the supernatural world have been combined with an extreme form of Christianity that critics say manipulates their congregants. “Those ‘mushroom’ churches are a big problem - their prophets operate in profits,” says Ukara. This phrase mushroom churches is often used to describe the smaller and more informal prayer houses that seem to sprout up quickly almost overnight. These are largely unregulated. One such church is the Ark of Noah, which operates from a house in Calabar South. House of God The tiny Winnie the Pooh slippers outside the front door are the only hint that a deliverance is underway inside. In a canary yellow shirt, Prophet Gideon Okon stands praying over the three children accused of being witches. “God opens my eyes to see people’s problems,” Okon says. “That’s how I know who is a witch.” He says that nobody brings children to him, that his revelations come to him when he fasts. “If that person is ready and willing to be delivered, then we start talking a price,” he says. Okon says that the final figure varies depending on the type of ritual that needs to be performed. “The strongest and hardest to kill are marine spirits,” he says. “For that I would charge about 200,000 Naira ($556), but that’s negotiable with the parents.” In the Niger Delta region, the average person is lucky to make a pound a day. But Okon, who used to work for a construction company, later denies that he charges for his services. He says he accepts “donations”. After several hours of prayers and singing, the three children - aged between 10 and 15 - are forced to drink a green, viscous liquid from a soft drink bottle. It is the first thing they have been allowed to consume after three days of forced fasting. Okon tells me it is a blend, of water, palm oil, sand, leaves and seven ground centipedes. “God told me what ingredients to use”, he says. “They are specific to the person.” Only when they vomit, are the children deemed to have been “healed”. End of the Wicked The film industry in Nigeria - known colloquially as Nollywood - is booming. It pumps out more than 2,500 movies a year, making it the second-largest producer after Bollywood in India. These movies typically fall into five distinct genres - romance, comedy, historical epics, gangster stories, and the so-called “hallelujah” category which promotes strong religious messages. They can be seen in beauty parlours, bars, restaurants and on buses. They are not only popular in Nigeria, but across Africa and in the diaspora. Evil School, Family of Witches, School of Witches are but a few of the more recent examples of Nollywood movies that negatively portray children as witches. The most infamous is End of the Wicked, which focuses on the Amadi family which is living with the father’s mother - who we find out is a witch in a coven. The family’s children are influenced to join the cult, and in the movie are shown eating flesh and plotting to murder their parents. Produced by the Liberty Gospel Church, the 1999 movie also starred the church’s leader Helen Ukpabio as the pastor who ends up heroically exposing and destroying the coven. The film was hugely controversial and, at the time, was widely blamed for the surge in witchcraft accusations against children in the years that followed. It was criticised for blurring the line between fact and fiction. It not only used the real-life pastor starring as herself, but the film begins with a note that this is part of an expository series. Nigerians themselves have criticised such movies for proliferating pernicious stereotypes about the continent. In a recent book chapter on the influence of Nollywood films on culture, academic Françoise Ugochukwu references the viewpoint of one frustrated Nigerian in an online forum. “Films of this type have painted an even more negative image of Nigeria...making it appear to be a nation bogged down by superstitions and primitive beliefs,” reads one post on the forum. “Isn’t it bad enough for the West to demonise every aspect of our traditions, and now we are doing it to ourselves? “Does anyone seriously think that all our ancestors did was sit around performing so called satanic rituals all day?” Lawyer James Ibor argues it was movies like End of the Wicked that not only popularised the notion that children could be witches, but that people could easily become witches by eating tainted food. “The narrative changed with the influx of Nollywood in the 90s,” he claims. “Walk into any movie shop here, and select randomly 50 different films and I bet you 80% of them are on witchcraft and juju.” But paradoxically one of the main reasons for the popularity of Nollywood films is that they provide a platform for Africans to tell their own stories. One Nollywood film producer, Orok Atim, says that however “negative” the theme of witchcraft may be, it is an issue that affects the lives of Nigerians - hence they expect to encounter it when watching Nigerian films. Orok Atim is sat in front of a makeshift shrine on the set of his latest movie. While his latest film is actually a love story (pictured), Atim has a passion for making movies about the supernatural. His next movie will be about a deceased friend’s experience of witchcraft. “Witchcraft exists in our society today,” he says. “If you don’t show what is happening in society then you are just wasting your time. “I use my movies to educate, entertain, and to tell the world that witchcraft is real.” None of his films explicitly portrays children as witches. Atim argues that, far from perpetuating traditional beliefs in the supernatural, his movies allow Nigerian audiences to face their fears. Through special effects, his movies make the invisible visible; they give people a visual perception of something spiritual that is rarely seen but is regularly talked about. And Atim baulks at the idea that movies like End of the Wicked could be responsible for a rise in child witchcraft accusations. “[But what you are saying is] just a rumour to kill the Nollywood movie industry,” he adds. “No-one would just come up with a story that does not exist.” Diana-Abasi Udua Akanimoh, who works for the NGO Way to the Nations in Akwa Ibom state, says she has witnessed first-hand the ripple effect witchcraft-themed films can have. “I went to a church here in Eket and the pastor was talking about stopping marine spirits and witchcraft,” she says. “He started telling his congregation that he had seen such things recently in a movie.” “So people who are ignorant will be thinking, ‘Oh, if the pastor is saying this then that means this is the truth’.” Akanimoh, who manages a safe house for children accused of being witches, says that while films may not be the root cause of these accusations, they certainly build upon tradition to justify their actions. And social worker Ebe Ukara claims that “people watch these movies and imitate what they see these advanced prophets doing”. Ukara was involved in the rescue of Comfort and her siblings after they were beaten by the prophet and attacked with the machete. “Movies today are teaching a lot of things that were never practised before,” she says. “Carrying a child to a church to beat them - that never used to exist.” But minister Oliver Orok says the government doesn't believe Nollywood is to blame for the problem, but rather the “long customs and traditions of some communities”. Charity is just one of the many children now living on the streets after being accused of witchcraft. For the past two years, the 13-year-old has been living in a makeshift hut in the middle of a dump site on the outskirts of Calabar. Inside four girls of a similar age are still curled up sleeping - there are no mattresses, there are no mosquito nets. Life here is hard, but on a good day she can make 1,500 Naira ($4) foraging for recyclable plastic soda bottles and tin cans among the piles of trash at the site. “I feel good living here,” Charity whispers. “Going back to live at my uncle’s house would be like putting me inside the fire.” After her father died, she went to live with her uncle. When he tried to sleep with her, she was accused by his wife of bewitching him. “They tied my hands, and threatened to throw me down the pit latrine,” she says. “They kept me like that for a day,” she says. “So I just told that I am a witch so that they would untie me.” After her “confession” her uncle stopped feeding her, and she decided to run away. The Lemna dump is home to a few hundred skolombo - street children - like Charity. Many share a similar story - they were either thrown out or fled their homes after being accused of sorcery. A handful of Nigerian organisations such as the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI) and Way to Nations try to do more than just rescue youngsters accused of witchcraft - they try to reunite them with the very relatives who have ostracised them. Such attempts are rarely successful, even with extended family members. Back in Calabar, James Ibor is facing the dilemma of what to do with Comfort and her two siblings. They want to leave the shelter, but none of their relatives wants them. “How do we break the news to these children that your aunties, your uncles are not willing to even see you?” he says. “These kids then maybe start to even think that they are witches.”

https://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/branded-and-beaten-nigerian-children-accused-witchcraft-and-murder

Religion

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NASHVILLE — With pain in her right ear, Sue Cassidy went to a clinic. The doctor, wearing a white lab coat with a stethoscope in one pocket, introduced herself. “Hi. I’m Dr. Patti McCarver, and I’m your nurse,” she said. And with that, Dr. McCarver stuck a scope in Ms. Cassidy’s ear, noticed a buildup of fluid and prescribed an allergy medicine. It was something that will become increasingly routine for patients: a someone who is not a physician using the title of doctor. Dr. McCarver calls herself a doctor because she returned to school to earn a doctorate last year, one of thousands of nurses doing the same recently. Doctorates are popping up all over the health professions, and the result is a quiet battle over not only the title “doctor,” but also the money, power and prestige that often comes with it. As more nurses, pharmacists and physical therapists claim this honorific, physicians are fighting back. For nurses, getting doctorates can help them land a top administrative job at a hospital, improve their standing at a university and win them more respect from colleagues and patients. But so far, the new degrees have not brought higher fees from insurers for seeing patients or greater authority from states to prescribe medicines. Nursing leaders say that their push to have more nurses earn doctorates has nothing to do with their fight of several decades in state legislatures to give nurses more autonomy, money and prescriptive power. But many physicians are suspicious and say that once tens of thousands of nurses have doctorates, they will invariably seek more prescribing authority and more money. Otherwise, they ask, what is the point? Dr. Roland Goertz, the board chairman of the American Academy of Family Physicians, says that physicians are worried that losing control over “doctor,” a word that has defined their profession for centuries, will be followed by the loss of control over the profession itself. He said that patients could be confused about the roles of various health professionals who all call themselves doctors. “There is real concern that the use of the word ‘doctor’ will not be clear to patients,” he said. So physicians and their allies are pushing legislative efforts to restrict who gets to use the title of doctor. A bill proposed in the New York State Senate would bar nurses from advertising themselves as doctors, no matter their degree. A law proposed in Congress would bar people from misrepresenting their education or license to practice. And laws already in effect in Arizona, Delaware and other states forbid nurses, pharmacists and others to use the title “doctor” unless they immediately identify their profession. The deeper battle is over who gets to treat patients first. Pharmacists, physical therapists and nurses largely play secondary roles to physicians, since patients tend to go to them only after a prescription, a referral or instructions from a physician. By requiring doctorates of new entrants, leaders of the pharmacy and physical therapy professions hope their members will be able to treat patients directly and thereby get a larger share of money spent on patient care. As demand for health care services has grown, physicians have stopped serving as the sole gatekeepers for their patients’ entry into the system. So physicians must increasingly share their patients — not only with one another but also with other professions. Teamwork is the new mantra of medicine, and nurse practitioners and physician assistants (sometimes known as midlevels or physician extenders) have become increasingly important care providers, particularly in rural areas. But while all physician organizations support the idea of teamwork, not all physicians are willing to surrender the traditional understanding that they should be the ones to lead the team. Their training is so extensive, physicians argue, that they alone should diagnose illnesses. Nurses respond that they are perfectly capable of recognizing a vast majority of patient problems, and they have the studies to prove it. The battle over the title “doctor” is in many ways a proxy for this larger struggle. For patients, the struggle has brought an increasing array of professionals trained to deal with their day-to-day health woes, but also at times confusion over who is responsible for their care and what sort of training they have. Six to eight years of collegiate and graduate education generally earn pharmacists, physical therapists and nurses the right to call themselves “doctors,” compared with nearly twice that many years of training for most physicians. For decades, a bachelor’s degree was all that was required to become a pharmacist. That changed in 2004 when a doctorate replaced the bachelor’s degree as the minimum needed to practice. Physical therapists once needed only bachelor’s degrees, too, but the profession will require doctorates of all students by 2015 — the same year that nursing leaders intend to require doctorates of all those becoming nurse practitioners. Dr. Kathleen Potempa, dean of the University of Michigan School of Nursing and the president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, said that the profession’s new doctoral degree, called the doctor of nursing practice, was simply about remaining current. “Knowledge is exploding, and the doctor of nursing practice degree evolved out of a grass-roots recognition that we need to continuously improve our curriculum,” she said. Last year, 153 nursing schools gave doctor of nursing practice degrees to 7,037 nurses, compared with four schools that gave the degrees to 170 nurses in 2004, when the association of nursing schools voted to embrace the new degree. In 2008, there were 375,794 nurses with master’s degrees and 28,369 with doctorates, according to a recent government survey. Dr. Potempa said that nurses with master’s degrees were every bit as capable of treating patients as those with doctorates. Nursing is filled with multiple specialties requiring varying levels of education, from a high school equivalency degree for nursing assistants to a master’s degree for nurse practitioners. Those wishing to become nurse anesthetists will soon be required to earn doctorates, but otherwise there are presently no practical or clinical differences between nurses who earn master’s degrees and those who get doctorates. Nurse practitioners must generally graduate from college and take an additional 12 to 16 months of classes, which include months of treating patients for both mild and serious illnesses in clinics and hospitals under the watchful eyes of instructors. Those earning doctorates must generally take a further four semesters or 12 to 16 months of additional classes. While instruction at each school varies, Dr. McCarver took classes in statistics, epidemiology and health care economics to earn her doctor of nursing practice degree. These additional classes, at Vanderbilt University, did not delve into how to treat specific illnesses, but taught Dr. McCarver the scientific and economic underpinnings of the care she was already providing and how they fit into the nation’s health care system. Studies have shown that nurses with master’s level training offer care in many primary care settings that is as good as and sometimes better than care given by physicians, who generally have far more extensive training. And patients often express higher satisfaction with care delivered by nurses, studies show. Physicians say they are better at recognizing rare problems, something studies have trouble measuring. The benefits to patients of nurses receiving doctorates is unclear, since there is no evidence that nurses with doctoral degrees provide better care than those with master’s degrees do. Given the proven effectiveness of nurses with master’s degrees, even some nursing leaders have asked why nurses should be required to get doctorates. “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?” asked Dr. Afaf I. Meleis, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Some health care economists say the push for clinical doctorates across health professions could be misguided. They argue that anything requiring students to spend more time and money getting trained will invariably result in longer waits and increased costs for patients, because fewer students will meet the increased requirements and those who do will eventually demand higher compensation. “Everyone’s talking about improving patients’ access to care, bending the cost curve and creating team-based care,” said Erin Fraher, an assistant professor of surgery and family medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. “Where’s the evidence that moving to doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and nursing achieves any of these?” Depending on their area of specialty, nurse practitioners earn a median salary of $86,000 to $90,000 annually, according to the Medical Group Management Association — a bit less than half of what primary care physicians earn. Nurses with doctorates generally earn the same salaries as those with master’s degrees since insurers pay the same rates to both. Physician groups fear that the real reason behind the creation of the doctor of nursing practice degree is to persuade more state legislatures to grant nurses the right to treat patients without supervision from doctors. Twenty-three states allow nurses to practice without a physician’s supervision or collaboration, and most are in the mountain West and northern New England, areas that have trouble attracting enough physicians. Nursing groups have lobbied for years to increase that number. “This degree is just another step toward independent practice,” said Louis J. Goodman, chief executive of the Texas Medical Association. Not true, Dr. Potempa said — the new degree simply ensures that nurses stay competent. “It’s not like a group of us woke up one day to create a degree as a way to compete with another profession,” she said. “Nurses are very proud of the fact that they’re nurses, and if nurses had wanted to be doctors, they would have gone to medical school.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/health/policy/02docs.html?_r=1&

Health

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*Gov Rotimi Amaechi Being a paper presented by Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at the 2013 Quintessence Ball and Awards ceremony held in Trenton New Jersey, recently The difference between followers and leaders is that followers need leaders to help them follow what leaders themselves are following. This relationship takes the form of a shared response-ability to a shared calling. Both find each other in a true fellowship to create the world responsibly — James Maroosis INTRODUCTION: In dissecting the theme of leadership in African socialisation and the concept of followership, we can easily derive examples, inspirations and cautions from the ready examples which the continent provides. But first, the Dictionary meaning of the term ‘socialisation’. ‘It is a term used to refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs and ideologies, providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own society’. Socialization is thus ‘the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained’ This, in effect refers to the fact that, whether as leaders or followers, we are products of our environment, culture, norms and beliefs. These in turn affect the direction of our society since both at individual level or at the level of policy-making, our actions are dictated by these norms imbibed at the various levels of upbringing and communal orientation. Therefore, you cannot separate the one from the other since both followers and leaders, so to say, fed at the same ‘fountain’. The ‘African King’: In the words of Ali Mazrui, famous Kenyan writer-scholar, leadership in Africa falls into four broad categories. First is the intimidatory leader. Second is the patriarchal leader. Third, is the leader of reconciliation. Fourth, is the mobilization leader. The intimidatory leader relies heavily on the use of force and coercion to have his way always. The patriarchal leader is the father-figure who commands neo-filial reverence. Meanwhile, the third type of leadership derives its effectiveness via tactical accommodation and a capacity to discover areas of compromise between otherwise antagonistic view points. Africa provides an avalanche of examples, from the traditional, feudal, all-knowing, unquestionable emperors to military dictators and political overlords. They abound in the past and in the present. Africa has birthed the good, the bad and the ugly. Perhaps the geographical size and cultural complexity of the continent makes this inevitable. In recent history, we easily point to leaders in the caste of the late Idi Amin Dada of Uganda and Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic, as a clear example of a coercive and intimidatory leadership, on the other hand, South Africa’s Nelson Mandela stands tall as a classic example of a reconciliatory leadership. Clearly, we can see the resultant followership and societal welfare engendered by the duo’s individual styles. Norms must be ‘normal’: Ideally, leaders must be seen in the true light of what they are – persons called to serve and not to be served. In a fast-moving, democratic world, it is detrimental to continue to hold fast to the norms, cultures and beliefs that ensure our continued socio-economic enslavement. Leaders must be seen as ‘servant-rulers’. In a democracy, there must be a tipping point where the followers determine the direction of leadership. Africa cannot remain isolated from the rest of the world in terms of citizen power. Africa, and indeed, Nigeria must remain culturally authentic but it must of necessity remain dynamic. The ‘normal’ world of today is a world that questions, that probes and that demands accountability from those who are elected to rule. We stand today at a critical point in the history of our great nation, Nigeria. The increasing mis-governance and the growing stifling of opposing voices is known to us all. Our patriarchal instincts cannot dictate to us at the times of decision-making – when our raised voices will make a difference. The discerning can hear the clear voice of change. The people have a say, after all…The concept of leadership in African socialisation and followership shows that much of the time the people are unaware of their inherent ‘People Power’. Therefore we have a situation of servitude, trampling of rights, the stifling of opposing voices and the flagrant abuse of power. In the end we have a followership that is subservient, muffled, and unquestioning. The people’s commonwealth is hi-jacked by a select, powerful few and transparency, accountability and good governance are thrown to the whirlwinds. Consequently, Africa continues to tag behind in the league of global development. How long should this continue? ‘Like followers, like leaders…’ It is often said a people deserve the leaders they get. This may not be true at all times, yet it holds a lot of water in a good number of African countries. Without any doubt, both followers and leaders are products of their society. The society can therefore only reproduce itself. Therefore, for the followers to earn good leadership, for the followers to see dreams of development and improvements of the society and the people crystallize into reality, the followers must be prepared to re-invent themselves. They must be prepared to be accountable, transparent and mean well for the collective good of the land in their ‘micro-governance’ levels. As the proverb says, ‘you cannot throw stones from a glass house’ or, better still, ‘he who must come to equity must come with clean hands’. CONCLUSION: ‘WHAT CAN MAN DO?’ Having examined the above, do we throw our hands in the air and ask: ‘What can man do?’ as many are bound to say in these days of uncertainty? The people are the core determinants of the dynamics of every society. It is common place to hear in Nigeria that ‘our votes don’t matter’, but I tell you that through constant participation and insistence on transparency and accountability in the electoral process, the people can eventually have their way and the system has no other choice but to be straightened out. The people remian the power-base of the nation. They determine the quality of leaders they get, and determine the direction of the governance. They can monitor accountability in governance and the strategic direction of the country. Never forget that the voice of the people will continue to remain the voice of God. True, there is always a tipping point… In the words of Michael McKinney, “Followership, like leadership, is a role and not a destination.”And, for Barbara Kellerman, “Followership does not mean changing the rank of followers but changing their response to their rank, their response to their superiors and to the situation at hand.” I therefore strongly believe that as Nigerians emboldened by the love of country, we must stand up to the challenges of the moment. We must stand up, as they say, to be counted. We must question the status quo within the ambits of the law. We must ensure probity. We must fight within the ambits of the law to ensure that Nigeria realizes its greatness in the comity of nations. Sooner than we imagine, our children will ask us what parts we played in the affairs of our nation when it mattered most—as active, patriotic actors or passive and passive citizens, even traitors? That time is nearer that we assumed all along. If today or tomorrow we have a failure of governance, how can the governed heap all the blames at the doorpost of the government when they did not carry out their civic obligation of lending their voices at critical times? We have in our hands, today, the power to steer the affairs of state. We have the power of ‘the Voice of the People’ – our mandate. Luckily, trends in social media and the globalization now ensure that nothing is hidden any more. From our various corners, we can awake and make a difference. We can hold our governments at the various levels accountable. They are not gods or masquerades; they are flesh and blood. We can hold them accountable. Today, we can truly rise to be the citizen-kings that would produce and sustain the ideal leadership that our progenitors, our future generations would be proud of —a Nigeria that truly embodies its capacities, its potentials, the Pride of Africa and a testimony to the world! No one says that the road to Realization will be paved in gold. No one says Change will go unchallenged by the unchanging Status Quo. Yet no one doubts the divine truism in the time-tested truth—THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE REMAINS THE VOICE OF GOD! Truly, followers are leaders. Truly, you can be the change that you so passionately yearn for! God bless the good people of RiversState! God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria! God bless you all! Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/great-leaders-beget-great-followers-great-followers-beget-great-leaders-rotimi-amaechi/#sthash.LkOQnXPZ.dpufWonderful

Politics

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Graphics & Design FAQs What is graphic design? Put simply, graphic design is the art and craft of creating visual content that communicates a concept, an idea or a brand message to the public. Logos, artworks, drawings, illustrations, cards, emails and a whole paraphernalia of designs are all around us. You can see them in print and digital media, in shops, restaurants and cafes, on billboards, books and magazines, in the apps we use, the sites we visit and the physical and digital products we buy. In fact, graphic design is a type of communication medium which uses visual means to convey a message. Designers use different types of physical materials or software to combine images, graphics and text as the main forms of expressing this message. Graphic design is used to sell, to build brand identity or to move people towards specific actions. It is also a form of art but ultimately, the different elements of the graphic representation influence our perceptions and emotions. There are different types of graphic design such as ‘visual identity’ which deals with the visual elements of the brand via shapes, colors and images (e.g. logo design, typography, brand style guides) and ‘marketing and advertising’ which is used directly to generate leads and sales via print (billboards, brochures, flyers, print ads) or digital (social media posts, banners, videos). There are many other types such as website design, industrial and product design, fashion design, book and illustrations, motion graphics design used for example by streamers or in gaming design and many others. How to hire top graphic designers? A captivating visual presence is very important whether you’re a business or a non-commercial entity. Your potential audiences are already forming an opinion and deciding whether to interact with you based on what they see, long before you’ve had a chance to say or write something. So it’s imperative to carefully select the right freelancer to meet your needs and keep you within budget. There are many different areas in which graphic designers specialize so if you want to hire the right talent to meet the requirements of your particular project, here are some easy to follow tips and tricks. - Always research their portfolio on Fiverr and ask for more examples if necessary; - Carefully think about what your style and preferences are so you know what you like, what you don’t like and what you actually want (colors, graphics, images, etc); - Write a clear brief - depending on the size of the project your brief can be very short or contain a lot of detail. What’s important is to be clear on the important points; - Define a budget and be clear to yourself and the freelancer how far you can stretch it; - Form a clear agreement on deadlines and revisions and respect the work of the designer - if you are clear on the above points then there shouldn’t be any surprises; - Think long-term - a good designer will be able to help you holistically and develop an evolving long-term vision for your product or service. How much does it cost to hire a graphic designer There is no simple answer to this question as graphic design is not a commodity or a product that has an exact way to be measured or priced. The great thing about Fiverr is that you can find a freelance graphic designer for any budget, starting from just $5 per gig and going up to hundreds or thousands of dollars for more complex and time and resource consuming requirements. However, there are a number of factors that will influence the final price of the project such as the level of experience of the seller (from novices to Top Rated and Pro Sellers), the number or service options included in the gig, delivery times, number of revisions and whether any extras might need to be added at some point. In fact, revisions can be a very tricky area for graphic design projects so it’s key for you to have very clear requirements to start with and also to agree with the seller what their output will be (e.g.how many initial versions they will offer) to avoid any misunderstandings or unwanted surprises on both sides. A more experienced designer will charge more, however, they can also help you define your requirements and save time (and money) in the long-run by keeping you on track for your goals. Alternatively, a new freelancer who’s perhaps less experienced or trying to build their reputation will be priced more competitively but might not have the skills or professional maturity of a seasoned creative director. How do I write a good creative design brief? The creative brief is a key document that essentially defines the objectives, scope and key milestones of a design project. It gives the required information to the freelance graphic designer on what needs to be done, who the target audience will be, what key message(s) need to be communicated, what deliverables are expected, by when (deadlines and milestones). The creative brief is basically the blueprint that you’ll need to agree with your internal stakeholders, business partners or colleagues (or if you are a one-person-show - find a friend or someone you trust to use as a sounding board) and then present to the freelancer to guide, inspire them and ensure they deliver the best possible creative results. Here are some universal tips for writing a good creative brief that equally apply to most: - Start by answering the ‘what’ (your goal is) and ‘who’ (your audience is); - Be clear, concise and to the point - less is more in this case so avoid being too prescriptive and don’t elaborate too much; - Set realistic deadlines and factor in the time for feedback and revisions; - Ask for help - from your team, colleagues stakeholders; - Define what success will look like so both you and the designer can measure the results in the end (and stick to your initial definitions). Once you have all this, keep it as a template and use for future briefs as it’ll save you time and will ensure you can build long-term relationships with the graphic designers you work with. What’s the best way to hire a designer in less than 48 hours? Finding a good graphic designer is very important for the way your business and brand is presented to your target audience so you need to be very careful in who you put your trust in. You will need to get to grips with some graphic design 101’s in order to become better at selection. Having said that, we know that sometimes there are business emergencies and you might find yourself in a situation when you need to hire a professional logo designer, illustration artist, front-end/UX or web designer or any type of freelance graphic designer in a hurry. The good news is that Fiverr can help you do that even if you only have 48 hours or less to complete your project. We have expert freelancers from around the globe, working 24/7 waiting to satisfy all your needs. Here’s what to do: - Publish a buyer request so you can reach a big audience of freelancers who can offer you their services; - Clearly state your requirements, your budget and your deadline and sellers will start to contact you immediately; - Make sure to follow through with offers and ask relevant questions about experience, how the freelancer will approach the project, expectations about time and milestones before you decide to place an order; - Read buyer reviews and ask for additional portfolio examples if not sure; - Look for the seller rating (Fiver Top Rated and Pro sellers will command higher prices but will have more experience and skills). What makes graphic design so important? We live in a visual society so images, packaging, signage, illustrations, websites, apps and social media all vie for our attention, making it very challenging to become noticeable let alone memorable amongst the overload of visual stimuli. In a nutshell, the most important mission that graphic design plays is communication. Communication of ideas and messages, with the ultimate objective of elicit, prompt or evoke an action or an emotion (which will become an action in the future). So a good graphic designer will build your logo, create your email campaign or company stationery, do everything possible (given the right brief) to set you apart from your competition and convey a message that exudes trust, credibility and builds a consistent brand and company reputation. A well executed design project will ensure that the final output, be it a flyer or your product packaging, or even the design of your office space or your frontline staff’s uniforms summarizes your mission and vision statements and communicates in a clear and simple manner the main ideas that are behind your company or organization and what it stands for. When you hire a good graphic design professional, preferably one you can trust on more than one project, they will ensure that all representations of your products and brand are visually consistent, recognizable and conveying a clear message. Ultimately, when you ask yourself ‘How important is it that my customers recognize me?’, if the answer is ‘very important’ then so should graphic design be for your brand!

https://www.fiverr.com/s2/f34ac1c8f0

Career

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From far away India came the news, on September 6, 2011 that the first Speaker of the House of Representatives under our presidential system of government, Barrister Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, had passed on. He had been sick and was flown there for treatment, but unfortunately, he could not survive. Thus passed into history, the life of an eminent Nigerian politician, who participated in the nurturing of our democratic culture during the two periods of post-military democracy. Chief Ume-Ezeoke burst into the political limelight when he emerged as the Speaker of the House of Representatives after the general elections of 1979. It was the first (and only time since then) that the head of an arm of our bicameral National Assembly would emerge from a political party that did not win the majority of seats in the parliament. The reason for this unusual phenomenon was not farfetched. After the 1979 general elections, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), which won the presidency and majority of the seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives could not fulfill the constitutionally required conditions to form government alone. It went into what was known as an accord with the third-placed Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, in a power-sharing arrangement. Even though the accord later collapsed because the NPN was accused of poaching members of its coalition partner, Ume-Ezeoke kept his post till 1983 when another election was held. He thus played a vital role in ensuring that the resumed democratic experiment after 13 years of military rule foreshadowed by a civil war could stand, at least for a few years. Given the fierce litigation and press pressure mounted by the second-placed Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, many were afraid that if the winning party could not form a government the nation might be plunged right back into military rule only a few months after a three-year transitional journey. During the years of the return of the military between 1983 and 1999, Ume-Ezeoke remained largely in political obscurity. However, after the 2003 general elections, he made a come-back, this time on the platform of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP). He emerged as the National Chairman of the party in an election in 2006, where he beat the better fancied Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN). While he held that position, the presidential candidate of the party for the 2007 election, retired Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, picked him as his running mate for the poll which Alhaji Umaru Yar’ Adua of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won. Ume-Ezeoke got into controversy, when he led a faction of his party to take up a “government of national unity” offer from the PDP Federal Government, while the party’s candidate, Buhari, still had a petition against Yar’ Adua’s election at the tribunal. His action had the support of major stakeholders, especially the ANPP governors and ex-governors. Buhari eventually lost patience with them and went out of the party to form his own Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) with which he ran the 2011 presidential election. Though Ume-Ezeoke’s decision was criticised in some quarters as a pursuit of self-interest, his supporters justified it on the ground that he had always put the stability of our democracy above partisan interests. He thus left a conservative legacy which will be remembered in the annals of Nigeria’s political history. Born in Amichi in the Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State 76 years ago, Ume-Ezeoke had his early education at St Eugenia’s School, Amichi between 1943 and 1951. He later read law at the Holborn College of Legal Education in London between 1962 and 1966. He will he laid to rest in his home-town, Amichi this Saturday, October 15, 2011. His funeral rites started on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 with a valedictory session in the House of Representatives, Abuja, which was attended by members of both wings of the National Assembly and top government functionaries. May his soul rest in peace. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/edwin-ume-ezeoke-1935-%E2%80%93-2011/

Politics

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Meditation is good for you. We don’t need to tell you that. The chorus of voices extolling the virtues of mindfulness is never-ending: It decreases stress. It helps you focus. It can even rewire your mental circuitry. But it’s not just your synapses that see the benefits: As it turns out, meditating can physically change your DNA. In a recent study, the use of mindfulness meditation was shown to have an impact on certain types of DNA in breast cancer patients. Specifically, the length of telomeres–these are the tiny protective caps on the end of chromosomes–was physically altered as the result of this type of meditation. The study, which was published in the Canadian journal Cancer, showed that the length of telomeres was preserved by meditation. Why does that matter? Shorter telomeres aren’t explicitly problematic, but they do tend to correlate with things like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. So, if we can manage to keep these microscopic structures from whittling down in size, our health is better off. Explains Scientific American: In Carlson’s study distressed breast cancer survivors were divided into three groups. The first group was randomly assigned to an 8-week cancer recovery program consisting of mindfulness meditation and yoga; the second to 12-weeks of group therapy in which they shared difficult emotions and fostered social support; and the third was a control group, receiving just a 6-hour stress management course. A total of 88 women completed the study and had their blood analyzed for telomere length before and after the interventions. Telomeres were maintained in both treatment groups but shortened in controls. This isn’t the first time that Buddhist-style mindfulness meditation has been linked to the molecular goings-on of our biological makeup. A December 2013 study from the University of Wisconson-Madison demonstrated that the DNA of subjects who meditated “showed a range of genetic and molecular differences, including altered levels of gene-regulating machinery and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which in turn correlated with faster physical recovery from a stressful situation.” The telomere length correlation goes back to 2008, when a study found that stress management, aerobic exercise, and a vegan diet had an impact on telomere length in prostate cancer patients. Pretty nuts. So if the neurocircuitry-boosting, focus-enhancing wonders of meditation weren’t enough to sell you, perhaps the promise of physical health benefits will rope you onto the bandwagon. And just in time for the New Year’s resolution season, no less.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3040039/its-not-just-for-your-brain-meditating-can-actually-change-your-dna?utm_source=facebook

Health

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By Vincent Ujumadu, Anayo Okoli, Chidi Nkwopara, Francis Igata, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Chinenyeh Ozor WITH just two rains so far this year, many parts of the South East zone are already under the threat of devastating gully erosion, which has become a common feature in many communities in the zone. In past years, it was common to see many families abandon their homes whenever it rained because their homes lie within gully erosion sites that are up to 100 feet deep in some cases. In many communities, the floods are constantly creating gully erosion sites in areas that hitherto did not have such problems and sometimes pulling down people’s houses and those residing close to the sites no longer sleep with their eyes closed. The worrisome aspect is that the large number of erosion sites seen in many communities started as small holes and later developed into a crisis situation. Apart from houses, completed roads are also being threatened such that it is common to see many roads cut into two by erosion. The most popular erosion sites in Anambra State are located at the Nanka-Agulu-Oko axis, Nkisi near Onitsha, Ojoto, Alor, Umuchiana in Ekwulobia, Ozubulu, Oraifite, Uli and Awka, among many other areas. Sometimes the erosion is man-made. For instance, residents in Awka woke up after recent heavy rains to find out that most of the roads were filled with debris from blocked drains and culverts even as it was noticeable in some areas that cracks were developing at the edges of the roads. If allowed to continue, the small cracks could develop into big gully erosion sites. Also, due to road construction in some parts of the state during the last dry season, residents of such areas noticed after the recent rain that many houses were flooded due to lack of a proper drainage system. If proper channels were not created for the flood, they could develop into gully erosion sites. Anambra State, which is the most erosion devastated state in the country with over 1000 sites, has had many farm lands washed away, thereby denying the people one of the main sources of their livelihood. Although other states in the South-East geopolitical zone of the country have many erosion sites that also cause devastation, none compare to Anambra State in terms of numbers and size. Though the federal and state governments have been making efforts to contain the erosion menace, the rate at which new ones develop surpasses the rate of control, necessitating the call by governors in the affected states for the intervention of international agencies to fight the menace. South East Voice, SEV, investigations showed that the devastating gully erosion at Oko in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, threatened to destroy the family house of the former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme and over 22 other families in the community. Already, the people of the area are said to be afraid that the erosion from this year’s rainy season may complete the devastation of the community having consumed over 22 houses earlier. The Oko devastating gully erosion that cuts into the town from Ifite Nanka and Amako Nanka communities in Aguata Local Government Area, is better seen than imagined. The present situation in Oko forced the Umuada Oko, (daughters of Oko), married within and outside the community to embark on peaceful demonstration against the alleged nonchalant attitude of the Federal Government towards addressing the erosion problem in the community and other neighbouring areas. Speaking with SEV in Oko, President General of the community, Hon. Cyprian Nwanmuo, expressed disappointment that both the federal and Anambra State governments have not done anything to address the erosion menace. Nwanmuo said that the community made efforts to secure government’s intervention through the state Ministry of Environment without achieving results. “We have Erosion Control Committee in Oko. We have made representations to the Anambra State government, the Federal Ministry of Environment; the Ecological Unit, House of Representatives and even the World Bank asking for intervention and assistance to save our town from being wiped out by gully erosion but help is not forthcoming” he said. A similar problem is being faced by residents of Ibolo Layout in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state. According to the community, they lost six persons including four women and two children last year to the devastating erosion that swept the area, destroying houses, farmlands and other household properties worth millions of Naira. The Ibolo residents equally protested peacefully to the state government for action to be taken having survived last year erosion, saying something needs to be done urgently on their roads from where the erosion find its way into the community. Chief Anthony Ekechukwu told SEV that residents of the community were not happy nothing had been done to address the erosion problems and the roads it had consumed in the community. Other residents in the area namely Chief John Okoye, Ndidi Uzoma and Chinasa Onuoha, also corroborated Chief Ekechukwu’s claims saying that they were jittery over what erosion would do to them this year and appealed for government’s intervention to save them from the impending danger that may come with this year’s erosion, which had given them some signs already. Other communities where erosion had caused destruction include Umuogboo Obiofia Nnewi Ichi and at 100 Foot Uruagu Nnewi road in Nnewi North Local Government Area. In Enugu State, the menace f erosion on the environment has devastated farmlands, lvestock, washed-off roads, displaced individuals and communities. Zik’s residence under threat Since the end of the war in 1970, erosion from the Catering Rest House Road in Nsukka metropolis had killed no fewer han two persons each year. The erosion runs through the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Main Gate – the moribund Fire Service – Zik’s Flats to Alor Uno and in the process, destroys houses and other valuables. It was gathered that flood from various parts of Nsukka had swept both motorists and pedestrians alike and taken them to Onuiyi down to Alor- Uno community where their dead bodies were discovered several days after the flood might have subsided. Already, the Onuiyi Haven residence of the first Nigerian President, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, has been cut-off at the Onuiyi end of the federal road which traversed through Ovoko to Obollo Afor in Udenu, as motorists have in the last five years diverted to other routes, just as Zik’s residence is now standing at the mercy of the floods. Wife of the late Azikiwe, Prof (Mrs) Uche Azikiwe, a retiree of the UNN, who still resides at the Onuiyi Haven residence could not be reached to speak on the woes of the family following the closure of the only entry and exit point to the residence as she was said to have travelled out of town. However, South East Voice gathered that the condition of the road worsened about several years ago when the contractors engaged by the Federal Government to handle the road, destroyed the gutters without replacing same, thus worsening the gully erosion at Onuiyi Haven and its environs. The contract for control of the erosion around the UNN and Onuiyi, Nsukka was awarded by Federal Government to Messrs Eco Builders, Abuja. Sources said that the contractors had moved out of site following alleged disagreement with their employers, with the erosion posing a more serious threat to the residents of the areas affected. At Enugu- Ezike in Igboeze North, erosion has destroyed farmlands in Ugbaike, Amachalla, Igogoro, Imufu, Aguibeje, Umuida, Olido and Onicha communities among others. At Eha Ndiagu, an oil bearing community in Nsukka Local Government Area, residents are groaning over lack of access road to the community due to erosion since the end of the Nigeria- Biafran civil war about 45 years ago. For anybody in the community to get to the Nsukka Local Government headquarters, such a person must pass three other local governments including Isi Uzo, Udenu and Igboeze South through Ikem, in Isi Uzo via Obollo Afor in Udenu before reaching his destination through Ovoko in Igboeze South. Investigations by South East Voice showed that apart from the high cost of such journeys, a lot of man-hours are lost as the journey which ordinarily would not take more than an hour usually takes a whole day. After many decades of agony, the people have since resigned their fate to God and adapted to primitive living conditions. In 2015, hundreds of houses were submerged by floods at Aku community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Okutu, Iggah communities while the most busy Ogurugu, Orba and Echera roads in Nsukka were the worst in the locality, due to lack of drainage systems. The present governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi upon assuming office promised to turn the university town into a mega city and invited the Arab Contractors, RCC and the Builders Construction Company among others to handle major roads in the area. Both contractors have since commenced work with every amount of seriousness, but the fear now was whether the contractors would be able to control the flood at Ogurugu, Orba Echera, Ugwuoye roads among others. The disaster is threatening natives of Obinofia Ndiuno community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State. The people raised alarm through the President General of the Town Union, Chukwudi Ezinwa, over the erosion problem, calling for quick intervention by the government. The community noted that any further delay could see the community cut off by erosion. At the Ogege end of Nkpologu road from Nsukka, the activities of sand excavators have primed the community for ecological disaster if government and other relevant authorities fail to stem the tide. The hilly sand deposit that traverses through to Aku, in Igbo-Etiti Local Government is caving-in and if allowed, will cut off the community from Akpugo, Aku among others. It will subject residents to excruciating travel hours through Nsukka for a journey of less than 20minutes. Also, the erosion menace at Ugwu Onyama near the Enugu-9th Mile Federal Road is threatening to cut-off motorists plying the road. The bad portions on the road have accounted for the increasing auto crashes in the areas. It’s same story in Abia ABIA State is one of the states in the South East geo-political zone being devastated by erosion menace. At least eight out of the 17 local government areas of the state are under severe erosion threat. The affected council areas include Arochukwu, Bende, Isiukwuato, Ikwuano, Ohafia, Umunneochi, Umuahia North and Umuahia South with over 800 active erosion sites which pose great danger to the communities. But worst hit is Isiukwuato where virtually all parts, including the state- owned — Abia State University, ABSU, Uturu is erosion prone. Specifically, communities mostly affected in the state are Oguduasaa and Ahaba in Isikwato, Oboro in Ikwuano, Amuzukwu in Umuahia North, Ubakala in Umuahia South, Igbere in Bende, Umuobasi Mbala, Umuaku, and Umudim Ngodo villages of Isuochi in Umunneochi among others. Many families are currently being threatened by the menace. Institutions like schools, health centres, churches and roads that pass these communities are also under threat. As the rainy season approaches, many families are now apprehensive of the dangers ahead. And for motorists and other road users in these areas, if they have their way, they would prefer that rainy season never comes due to the nightmares they usually go through. Last year, at least 10 houses were swept away by ravaging erosion menace at Ndi Uduma Awoke community in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state, prompting the community to send a Save Our Souls, SOS, message to both the federal and state governments to rescue them from the menace then. The President General of the Community Development Union, Mr. Eme Uche, who spoke lamented that the entire community was living in fear, adding that all efforts to draw the attention of the government to their plight were unsuccessful. “Already, our school has been cut off and children now find it difficult to go to school. Some areas in the community have been cut off from the rest of the people such that they go to their farms with great difficulties. “We have reported this menace in writing to both the Ecological Fund Office at the Presidency in Abuja and to the Abia State government but there has not been any action. “For now 10 families in the community have been sacked by erosion and if nothing is done urgently the entire community will be swept away,” Uche cried out. Besides houses, federal and state’s roads have been destroyed by the steadily menacing erosion in the affected local government areas of the state. They include the Arochukwu/Ohafia federal road, Uturu-Akara-Ohafia and Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Isiukwuato roads, among others. The magnitude of some of the gullies created by this monster are so massive and well beyond what the state government or communities could handle. Some of these communities had through communal effort tried to tackle the menace but the magnitude was beyond them. “Our people are noted for their self- help efforts but this erosion problem is well beyond self- help and that is why we are crying to the state and federal governments to come to our aid. We pay taxes to the government and should be treated like patriotic citizens; the neglect is beyond imagination,” an indigene of one of the affected communities noted, saying that since 1999 when the erosion problem started several reports to the governments had only yielded empty promises. The battle against erosion menace has become very difficult due largely to fraudulent manner relevant authorities manage ecological funds meant to tackle such natural problems. Management of ecological funds by state governments across the country had always been shrouded in secrecy, hence it was difficult for the people to track such funds. The devastation done by erosion in the Umunneochi villages two years ago was so huge that estimated assessment by the state Ministry of Environment put the cost of tackling it then at over N8 billion, an amount, the ministry said was clearly beyond the scope of the state government. Erosion threaten ancestral homes in Umuanunu Nsu In Imo State, several families in Umuanunu Nsu, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area, have been sacked from their ancestral homes, courtesy of ravaging erosion that might finally swallow such houses in future. South East Voice, visited Umuanunu and noticed that most buildings, especially along the Umunuhu-Umuanunu-Ezeoke-Afor Agbaghara and Umuanunu-Nkwo Alike roads were the worst hit. One of the elders of Umuanunu Community, Mazi Damian Ofoegbu, who spoke to South East Voice, lamented that the victims had been abandoned by the state government. “The road, which you are seeing today (pointing at the road), was not as bad as it is today. Our plight started when a contractor engaged by the state government came and graded the road. Soon after the firm tampered with the soil, erosion set in. “We have been trying to check the yawning erosion without success. The rain completely dislodged the culvert erected by the first engineer that worked on the road. Some people thereafter tried to do some work and later disappeared from the scene,” Ofoegbu said. In a similar development, the leadership of Umuanunu Nsu Welfare Association had in a letter dated July 24, 2014, asked Governor Rochas Okorocha to intervene in the matter to reduce the hardship being faced by the community. The letter entitled, “Abandoned Umuanunu Nsu road projects and its consequent erosion havoc,” and jointly signed by Chief B. U. Ibe, Mr. Christopher Gbaghara, Sir Amarachi Ijere, Sir Jude Ebere, Chief Ik. Ozoji, Godwin Ibe and Eugene Ofoegbu read in part: “Unlike the other communities, Umuanunu is perched on hill-side and hence erosion prone. These road projects were among the ones started at the inception of this administration. Work on these roads were abandoned at the preliminary stage of laterite filling. The next stage would have been the construction of gutters to handle the enormous floods that flow through these roads, especially after the gutters and culverts constructed by the people to channel flood water had been removed in the process of the road construction. “The most frightening aspect is that very deep gullies have been forming by the sides of the roads and have actually caused some people’s walls to collapse int them. Many people cannot drive into their compounds and even find it difficult to walk in.” The aggrieved villagers appealed to the state government to compel the contracting firms to return to site, stressing that since the collapse of the roads, Umunohu Nsu, Umukara, Ihitte Uboma, Umuizi, Okata and other communities now find it difficult t move their agricultural produce to the famous Oriagu Market. “It is so bad that cars and motorcycles can no longer pass through them. Wooden and makeshift bridges have now become common sights in the town, owing to the destruction of culverts by the contractors.” They equally reminded Okorocha that presently, the town is totally inaccessible, adding that families and households cannot access their homes, as “our sons and daughters can no longer come home with their cars bu park them in neighbouring towns. “Your Excellency, at the rate erosion is ravaging our community, it will become a disaster site in no distant time, if unchecked. All efforts at self help have not yielded any appreciable result, owing to the peculiar nature of our town and the magnitude of the damage. Owelle, please fix our roads, save lives, save our houses and our ancestral land, for we have no other place to go to,” they added. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/07/onitsha-owerri-road-caves-in/Gully

Travel

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To ensure the broadcasting of World Cup won't be disrupted, Ghana has purchased 50 megawatts of electricity from its neighbor, Ivory Coast, according to a news release by Ghana's Public Utilities Regulatory Commission. The commission is also appealing to the public to reserve energy by turning off power-consuming appliances such as freezers and air conditioners. Due to low water levels at hydroelectric dams on the Volta River, which produces most of the country's electricity, Ghana has suffered power shortages this year. Ghana's current total installed generating capacity needs to be increased to 5,175 megawatts by 2023 to address the current power shortages and ensure an adequate supply of electricity, according to the Volta River Authority. I thought Ghana was supplying electricity to Ivory Coast. How come that we are now buying electricit...

http://www.modernghana.com/news/549430/1/ghana-buys-electricity-from-ivory-coast-to-keep-tv.html

Politics

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Professor Ita Okon Bassey-Ewa and Hadiza Mailafia BY PETER DURU Nigeria may lose about $460 billion to climate change by 2020 and also faces gross domestic product loss of between 2% and 11% if urgent steps are not taken to check environmental degradation in the country. The Executive Director, Women Environmental Programme, WEP, Mrs. Priscilla Achakpa, stated this during a two-day capacity building workshop organized by WEP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, for Extension Service Officers held in Makurdi, Benue State capital. She noted that findings by relevant agencies indicated that the development posed a threat to the efforts of government to boost food production in the country and the actualization of the Vision 20:20 20 of the Federal Government. Represented by Mr. George Akor, a Director in the Programme, Achakpa maintained that “the best way to reach farmers with climate change information is by developing capacity of Agricultural Extension Service Officers in interpreting and communicating climate change information to rural farmers including women.” According to her, the negative impact of climate change on countries in Africa remains huge despite the fact that the continent contributes little to global greenhouse emissions. ”This situation calls for concerted effort by all relevant agencies and governments to ensure that the impact of climate change on Nigeria is mitigated,” she stressed. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/nigeria-may-lose-460bn-climate-change/#sthash.TDUufrNq.dpufhttp://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/nigeria-may-lose-460bn-climate-change/

Politics

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A Professor of Philosophy of Religion, Danoye Oguntola-Laguda, has said that Olodumare (God) is the source of all beings and also the creator of Esu (devil) and as such, should be held liable for all actions of the devil. He said God created and gave the devil the power to ensure proper steps are followed by man in worshiping Him and to punish man if man derails from such steps. “If these punishments are considered evil, then the prime cause of things — Olodumare should be liable for the actions of the Esu deity.” “Yoruba religion believes that Olodumare created Esu as one of his lieutenants and gave him the primordial duties of inspecting rituals, sacrifices and worship. “In Yoruba traditional thought, all things, including evil are possible only with the approval of God and evil is caused by God for good purposes. “Just as the labour pain experienced by women is evil only momentarily, after the delivery of the child, joy and happiness always ensued,’’ he said. “This is because God allows evil to exist in order to derive greater good from it,’’ he said. Oguntola-Laguda explained that Esu is the name of a deity or divinity among pantheon of gods in Yoruba theology, which includes Orunmila (the wisdom divinity), Ogun (iron and war divinity). Oguntola-Laguda of the Department of Religions and Peace Studies, Faculty of Arts, Lagos State University (LASU), made the assertion at the institution’s 57th Inaugural Lecture Series on Wednesday in Lagos. The lecture is entitled: “Esu, The Individual and The Society’’. He said that Christians and Muslims should not misunderstand the personality of the “Esu’’ (devil) deity to the detriment of Yoruba traditional religious belief. “Christians and Muslims are the major problems of the Yoruba tradition because they create negative mindsets in individuals that Esu is evil,’’ the don said. According to him, the influx of imported religious ideologies such as Christianity and Islam into the Yoruba religious space has affected the traditional conception of the devil. Oguntola-Laguda said the pristine traditional conception of Esu deity as noted in Yoruba traditional religion had been abandoned for the positions of Christianity and Islam on the deity to become popular. He said other religions preach that: “Esu is evil, leads men astray, encourages them to do evil, works against the salvation plan of God for mankind and therefore must be avoided at all cost’’. The philosopher said that the ideology of the two religious beliefs is an attempt to locate a scapegoat for their moral weaknesses and absolve their God from evil activities. “This is because Esu has the will-power to approve or disapprove of all worships and rituals directed to Olodumare or any other divinities, his primordial function earned him unfortunate appellations and misconceptions,’’ he said. The professor said God seeks to bring man closer to himself by prescribing sacrifices and the devil makes sure such rituals were done according to prescription. According to him, those who refuse to offer the prescribed sacrifice(s) are punished by the devil on behalf of God who gave him the role and this punishment are regarded as evil by humans. “If these punishments are considered evil, then the prime cause of things — Olodumare should be liable for the actions of the Esu deity. “This is because man as created by God is a determined moral agent who has come to the world to act according to the script as designed and sealed by God. “Therefore, man cannot do otherwise since there are no alternative courses of action laid out for him,’’ he said. The philosopher said that men, unfortunately, desecrate and bring evil to themselves and the society because they do not want to do what is right. He, however, urged all to believe in destiny, respect one another’s religion, do what is right, and according to the culture of the society to enjoy sustainable peace and harmony. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/god-held-liable-actions-devil-don/

Religion

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Look after your mental health, WHO, UNIC tell journalists The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) have advised journalists to know more about their mental health in order to live healthy. The global bodies also underscored the need for capacity building among journalists to enable them tackle the challenges associated with their profession. Both organisations gave the advice in Abuja at a two-day training programme they organised for journalists in collaboration with other UN agencies. The training with the theme: Celebrating the Power of Community Kindness, was put together to commemorate the World Mental Health Day (WMHD) often celebrated globally on October 10. The WHO Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi, described mental health as intrinsic and instrumental to the lives of all people. The WHO representative said it could influence how they think, feel and act. He said mental health disorders had increased and affected 15 per cent of working-age adults globally, adding that suicide contributed to deaths among 15 to 29-year-olds, while up to 70 per cent of the affected population lives in low- and middle-income countries. According to him, by the nature of their jobs, journalists face tremendous pressure, especially in media outfits that work around the clock and throughout the week. “Given the importance of the work you do, there’s a need to build your capacity on mental health. “Therefore, various topics will be covered over the next two days, including what is mental health and why we all need to have good mental health. “Mental health is a universal human right, intersection between journalists and mental health, practical strategies to prevent and/or manage common mental health conditions, and how to empower you to report on mental health issues,” Kazadi said. He assured the participants that WHO would always remain committed to building journalists’ capacity and empower them with different aspects of health, including strategies for managing individual health. Also, UNIC Director Ronald Kayanja said the training had become important to enable journalists understand proper ways to look after their mental health. “These days, we are so conscious of our physical health. But now, we should also learn a lot about our mental health. “How we report mental health issues requires capacity building to help us understand how to keep ourselves and report mental health,” Kayanja said. The National Coordinator of the National Mental Health Programme in the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Dr. Tunde Ojo said the training was designed to equip journalists with necessary tools to deal with mental health issues. According to him, it has become important to understand one’s mental state while discharging professional duties. “Therefore, the training is meant to promote mental wellbeing of journalists. “Journalists can be quite vulnerable while discharging their duties. If neglected, it can cause a serious damage to one’s entire wellbeing. “Journalists are exposed to lots of things that impact their mental health negatively. We want journalists to know how to cope with mental health, when to take a break, or even see a health expert, when necessary. “Understanding mental health can help journalists to give better reportage about it. We believe journalists and healthcare workers are strategic. This is because whatever they decide to do can affect the society,” Ojo said. The event, which was attended by journalists from 40 media organisations, featured discussions on prevention strategies for common mental health conditions as well as the intersection between mental health and journalism. The highpoint of the event was the discussion on reporting mental health issues in the media, group stress counseling and evaluation.

https://thenationonlineng.net/obi-cannot-win-on-saturday-lp-state-chairmen/Look

Politics

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Mothballs As an Octane Enhancer Back in the day—1965—were we doing anything by adding mothballs to the gas tank in my new Plymouth 383? The legend about mothballs improving internal-combustion engine performance dates back to the 1920s. In those days, the real causes of spark knock were poorly understood, there was no uniform gasoline quality standard, and the octane scale for rating gasoline quality as well as the means to test gasoline's antiknock resistance had not yet been invented. In terms of octane as we understand it today, 1920s motorcar gasolines were around 40 to 60 octane! By the 1930s and 1940s, tetraethyl lead and improved refining processes combined with a true understanding of spark knock, pressure waves, and autoignition lead to the establishment of the octane scale, and street gasoline octane rose into the 60- to 80-octane range. Back in those days "traditional" mothballs consisted of about 99.9 percent Naphthalene (C10H8), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. Its blending octane number in modern terms is in the 90- to 92-octane range. When used with that old-school, low-quality gasoline, adding Naphthalene in significant amounts was found to reduce spark knock (in today's terms, perform as an octane enhancer), and proved to be a real power-adder on the very low-compression car engines of that day. The most commonly cited gas/Naphthalene blend for street use was said to be 1 mothball for every 4 or 5 gallons of gas. Best results were achieved by premixing in 1-gallon containers and—to remove impurities and any residual solids—straining the brew into the gas tank through funnel-shaped paper filters typically used when mixing automotive paint. With the development of truly high-octane automotive gasolines in the late 1950s, Naphthalene was no longer needed and even proved counterproductive. With a much higher melting point than gasoline, Naphthalene tends to precipitate out when gasoline starts to evaporate, clogging up jets or fuel injectors, causing the engine to carbon-up, and detrimentally affecting many rubber seals. It definitely wasn't needed by the 1960s when 100-plus octane gas became widely available. Although Naphthalene may slightly increase octane on today's 87-octane unleaded regular gas, it will decrease the octane of commonly available 92-octane (or higher) unleaded premium fuels. Incidentally, modern gasoline, consisting as it does of various hydrocarbon chains, may itself contain a little Naphthalene, but no more than 1 percent. Beware: Today many mothballs are no longer made using Naphthalene. Instead, modern mothballs and so-called "moth crystals" often consist of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (sometimes labeled on the package as paradichlorobenzene, p-dichlorobenzene, pDCB, or PDB). Under combustion in the cylinders, 1,4-dichlorobenzene undergoes a chemical reaction, one byproduct of which is hydrochloric acid! Warning: Both Naphthalene and 1,4-dichlorobenzene are hazardous to humans in large amounts (you don't even need to swallow them), can affect blood chemistry, and may cause cancer. If you want a real octane boost, consider true high-octane gas (as made by Rockett Fuels and other racing-gas specialists). In a pinch, there's always Toluene. It has an R+M/2 octane rating of around 114. Ask Marlan A Tech Question:email@example.com

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/mothballs-as-an-octane-enhancer/amp/

Car Talk

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By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to ban the production, importation, distribution, and use of styrofoam and single-use plastics throughout Nigeria. It also urged the Federal Government to implement a phased approach to the ban by providing sufficient time for businesses and industries to transition to alternative eco-friendly materials and practices. Consequently, the lawmakers urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and other relevant agencies to monitor the quality of packaging of foods and beverages, particularly in fast moving consumer goods (FMCGps), ensuring global best practices are followed and all appropriate regulations guiding the whole process are adhered to. These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the need to ban the use and distribution of styrofoam and single-use plastic across the country moved by Hon. Muktar Shagaya at plenary on Wednesday. Shagaya, while presenting the motion, noted that the provisions of Section 20 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), place a responsibility on the Federal Government to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations, and ensure the health and well-being of its citizens. He further noted that the increasing use of styrofoam and single-use plastics in Nigeria poses significant environmental and public health risks, including pollution of waterways, soil, and air quality. “Chemicals found in styrofoam, are linked to health issues, such as cancer, vision and hearing loss, impaired memory and concentration, and nervous system effects. “Aware that styrofoam is prohibited in Taiwan, Rwanda, England, and many other European countries, together with some towns and states in the United States. Currently, the product is illegal in Lagos and Abia states. “Alternatives to styrofoam and single-use plastics, such as biodegradable materials, reusable containers, and recyclable packaging, can reduce environmental impact and public health risks. Furthermore, he raised a concern that the increasing use of styrofoam and single-use plastics in Nigeria not only leads to increased plastic waste and environmental pollution but also poses a significant health risk. “The need to address the environmental and public health crises posed by styrofoam and single-use plastics to safeguard the future of Nigeria’s natural resources, ecosystems, health, and the well being of its citizens.” The House, however, mandated its Committees on Healthcare Services, Environment, and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/02/reps-move-to-ban-styrofoam-others-in-nigeria/

Food

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By SOLA OGUNDIPE When you are trying to get healthy and lose weight, there are certain foods you should avoid. Most of these food are obvious because they contain ingredients known to cause weight gain. There are some foods not as obvious and can be just as bad for you. These foods are a problem because most people do not know how to avoid them and therefore consume them more often than they should. Here are five such foods you should never eat again. White bread is a local staple but the truth is, it doesn’t have any nutritional value. It contains a lot of sugar and isn’t as filling as desired. Substitute your white bread for whole grain or whole wheat bread when possible. Also substitute bread on your sandwiches with lettuce leaves or whole grain tortillas. Many people only associate fried food with fast food restaurants and do not realize they also consume them at home. Avoid frying any meal, consider baking or broiling instead. Fried foods are not nutritious and can cause blood pressure and cholesterol levels to rise. They can also cause you to gain weight needlessly. Cream-based salad dressings Salads can be very nutritious but can become unhealthy when covered in cream-based dressings that contain a lot of fat and calories. There can be more calories in your salad dressing than in the rest of your entire salad. Try oil-based salad dressings instead. They taste lighter, and have less calories. Rice is a common staple but the truth is, white rice can cause your body to store fat when it doesn’t need to. It also has no nutritional value. Local rice (Abakaliki) and brown rice is the best option because it is full of fibre, vitamins and nutrients. It will also keep you satisfied longer so you are less likely to overeat. High fructose corn syrup High fructose corn syrup can quickly cause you to gain weight and even make you have cravings for more sugar and sugary foods. Overeating sugary foods and foods that are high in fructose corn syrup can even lead to diabetes and other health problems. Avoid processed sugars and opt for fresh fruits and berries. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/5-foods-you-should-not-eat-again/#sthash.YF2xQv6Q.yED9x9iN.dpuf

Food

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By Yinka Kolawole STARTING a business in Nigeria has become more cumbersome over the last one year, according to “Doing Business”, an annual report by the World Bank Group measuring the regulations that enhance business activity in 189 economies and those that constrain it. According to the “Doing Business 2016”, the 13th in the series of the annual reports, ranking by ease of starting a business moved the country down 8 places from 131 to 139; access to credit also moved down 7 places from 52 to 59; while access to electricity moved 1 place down from 181 to 182. The report claims that the process of starting a new business in Nigeria is hampered by government bureaucracy, with people resorting to third party agents to help them facilitate the process of business registration. The World Bank report also highlighted unstable power supply and lack of access to credit facility as major drawbacks for a business start-up in Nigeria. Nigeria was rated as the 21st worst country to do business in the world, meaning there are only 20 countries where it is harder to do business than Nigeria. The report ranks Nigeria 169 out of the 189 countries considered in the survey. Nigeria’s position is virtually unchanged from that of 2014 when it was ranked 170 globally. Worse still, Nigeria is placed 39th among African countries listed in the report which puts Mauritius top on the log as the best country in the continent to do business. Mauritius is promoted as a tax haven in the continent with excellent ratings in enforcing contracts and paying taxes. The World Bank report indicated that 8 procedures are required, over a period of 28 days for starting a business in Nigeria, using Lagos as a case study. The procedures include: Reserving a unique company name at the Corporate Affairs Commission [CAC], taking average of 5 days to complete; preparing the requisite incorporation documents and paying the stamp duty, 7 days; signing the declaration of compliance [Form CAC 4] before a Commissioner of Oaths or notary public, 1 day and; registering at the Corporate Affairs Commission and paying the fees at the bank desk of CAC, 11 days on average. Others are: Making a Company seal, 1 day [simultaneous with previous procedure]; registering for income tax and VAT at Federal Inland Revenue Service, 4 days; registering for personal income tax, PAYE, at state tax office, 2 days [simultaneous with previous procedure] and; registering business premises with Lagos State government and paying the business premises levy at a designated bank, 1 day [simultaneous with previous procedure]. Though the report indicated that some improvements were recorded in few areas where some reforms made doing business easier, it however noted that the general business atmosphere in the country remained grim. The country’s ranking for ease of registering property moved up 4 places, from 185 to 181. In particular, the report indicated that the Lagos State government made property transfer less costly by reducing fees for property transactions. Also, the report noted that Nigeria strengthened minority investor protections by requiring that related-party transactions be subject to external review and to approval by disinterested shareholders. This reform applies to both Kano and Lagos. However, all other indices showed that the country’s ranking either remained unchanged from the previous year or even got worse. Doing Business 2016 presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 189 economies. It measures regulations affecting 11 areas of the life of a business. Ten of these areas are included in this year’s ranking on the ease of doing business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. The report also measures labour market regulation, which is not included in this year’s ranking. Data in Doing Business 2016 are current as of June 1, 2015. The indicators are used to analyse economic outcomes and identify what reforms of business regulation have worked, where and why. This year’s Doing Business report continues a two-year process of introducing improvements in 8 of 10 Doing Business indicator sets – to complement the emphasis on the efficiency of regulation with a greater focus on its quality. The report finds that entrepreneurs in 122 economies saw improvements in their local regulatory framework last year. Between June 2014 and June 2015, the report documented 231 business reforms. Among reforms to reduce the complexity and cost of regulatory processes, those in the area of starting a business were the most common in 2014/15, as in the previous year. The next most common were reforms in the areas of paying taxes, getting electricity and registering property. Parameters used in the report include: data on starting a business, ease of obtaining construction permits as well as property registration, stable power supply, access to credit and enforcing contracts. Others are: protecting minority investors, trading across borders and resolving insolvency. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/starting-business-in-nigeria-getting-more-difficult-world-bank/

Politics

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In a small factory at Mallam Atta, a young woman called Aminatu puts cups of ground millet in a sieve and rolls her hands vigorously over them until the millet forms tiny balls. These tiny balls are the beginning of what would become the most sought-after beverage on the streets of Accra-Burkina. On the streets of Accra today, it is common to see men and women selling a milk product combined with wheat, popularly called Burkina. The uniqueness of the emerging popular drink is that it is locally produced with local materials. Made from ancient grain-millet, with its sweet flavour, milk, salt and sugar, Burkina has gone from just being a beverage to food that satisfies the pangs in the stomach of many people. In Accra, Tema, Koforidua, Kumasi, Akwatia and Tamale, hawkers weave through traffic to satisfy the needs of consumers. Point of correction, the name is Burkina and not Brukina as you may have heard. Burkina originated from Burkina Faso and its original name is 'Deger.' The production of Burkina has become a growing business which has indeed come to add to other locally brewed beverages such as 'ice kenkey,' made from maize. Mr Amadu Suleman has been assisting her mother, Madam Zainabu Suleman, at the Zainab Burkina Enterprise, where a small factory has been set to produce the Burkina. They have employed 12 young women and men for the production. The small factory has four different sections: the bottling section, where the mixing of the milk is done and the selling point where people come to buy and a kitchen for the cooking of the milk. Mr Suleman, who is serving as the supervisor, told this reporter that Burkina has a lifespan of 24 hours if it is not frozen because there is no chemical for preservations, but he explained that it could last for two weeks if it is frozen. The Burkina business seems to be making strides on the market and is competing with other drinks. The factories where the drink is produced have so far not engaged in any form of advertisement. The sale of Burkina is mostly in shops, stalls and on the street. The price ranges from GH¢1 to GH¢5, depending on the sizes and the producer. It is kept in plastic bowls with ice blocks to keep it at a cool temperature and is best served when chilled. At the Zainab Burkina Enterprise, Mr Suleman said they sold mainly to shops, stalls, companies and individuals, and added that 'customers are not only from Accra but also from Koforidua, Kumasi, Swedru, Tema and other parts of the country.' Mr Bello Mohammed Abubakar, who came to buy a large quantity of the product at the Zainab Burkina Enterprise, stated that he came from Akwatia in the Eastern Region. 'I come all the way from Akwatia twice or three times a week to buy the Burkina from Zainab Burkina Enterprise to sell at my hometown,' he said. He said patronage was very high at Akwatia. Rashidatu, a hawker, says 'I am able to make GH¢15 if I am able to sell 60 bottles a day.' Rashidatu, who used to work as a head porter, sees the Burkina business as more rewarding. An avenue for employment? There have been many cries by the youth that there are no jobs in the country. However, small-cale enterprises such as the Burkina business could be an avenue for self -employment. It is estimated that about four million people out of the 14 million people within the age group of 15-64, regarded as active or working population, are without employment. This is equivalent to about 28 per cent of the total active population (15-64) of Ghana. The proportion of Ghanaians without employment even increases to 47.2 per cent if we consider only paid employment. This translates into about 6.7 million active Ghanaians who are not in any paid employment. The worst affected groups of the Ghanaian job crisis are women, young people, the physically challenged and the elderly. Food and Drugs Authority Some of the producers have already approached the Food and Drugs Authority to register their business and to ensure that the product is up to the standard and requirement of the authority. The Head of Animal Product and Biosafety Department of the FDA, Mr Kofi Essel, told this reporter that they were already engaging some of the producers they had identified in trainings on hygienic operations to ensure that they operated under hygienic conditions. The initiative by the FDA to support and encourage the operators of the Burkina is good. Although the FDA has identified some of the producers and engaged them, they should continue identifying more of them and engage them more on the need to maintain hygiene to ensure that consumers are protected. By Salomey Appiah i have combed the net for several days to get information on this food product. the information deli...

http://www.modernghana.com/news/472131/1/burkina-latest-millet-smoothie-in-town.html

Food

en

Indian police are reviewing reports of missing children to try to identify a girl who was found living in a forest with a group of monkeys. The girl, believed to be 8 to 12 years old, was unable to speak, was wearing no clothes and was emaciated when she was discovered in January and taken to a hospital in Bahraich, a town in Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. She behaved like an animal, running on her arms and legs and eating food off the floor with her mouth, said D.K. Singh, chief medical superintendent of the government-run hospital. After treatment, she has begun walking normally and eating with her hands. “She is still not able to speak, but understands whatever you tell her and even smiles,” Singh said. Some woodcutters spotted the girl roaming with monkeys, police officer Dinesh Tripathi told The Associated Press on Thursday. They alerted police. “They said the girl was naked and was very comfortable in the company of monkeys. When they tried to rescue the girl, they were chased away by the monkeys,” the officer said. She was rescued later by a police officer in the Katarniya Ghat forest range. “When he called the girl, the monkeys attacked him but he was able to rescue the girl. He sped away with her in his police car while the monkeys gave chase,” Tripathi said. He said police are trying to determine how the girl got into the forest and who her parents are. She will be sent to a home for juveniles until she is identified, Singh said.

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/04/07/eight-year-old-girl-found-living-monkeys-forest/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Health

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File photo: Children By EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO Going by a report of the United Nations Children Fund, Nigeria is among the 24 countries with large number of undernourished children in the world. Inadequate nutrition in childhood undermines the ability of individuals to develop their full capabilities. Lack of essential minerals like iodine and iron can impair brain development. In developing countries such as Nigeria, it is estimated that 40 per cent of children aged four years and younger suffer from anaemia because of insufficient iron in their diets. Poverty is inextricably linked with food insecurity and hunger. It also increases the trend of homelessness as there are thousands of street children across this country. According to the World Bank, 66 per cent of the Nigerian population live below poverty line of less than $2 USD a day. This clearly indicates that poverty is still and would remain a growing problem. Many children live in environments without adequate shelter, sanitation nor clean drinking water and limited health care facility. About 10 million children of school age are not attending schools due mainly to poverty and unemployment status of their parents who cannot afford to provide them with basic education. This could be alarming considering the fact that the Federal Government had assured of nine years primary and junior secondary education as stipulated in the Universal Basic Education Act 2004, with stringent penalties for parents whose children and wards are found on the streets during school hours. Because of poverty, parents have been compelled to send their children to the streets to hawk food items such as groundnuts, oranges, mangoes, sachet water, minerals, bananas, carrots, tomatoes, pepper, vegetables and cooking oil, just to mention a few. Due to their tender ages, some of these child-hawkers can be kidnapped by ritualists, sexually abused, knocked down by moving vehicles on busy streets or fall victims of hazardous environments. Those children who managed to be in schools experienced so much hardship as a result of unconducive learning situation like over-crowded classrooms, lack of ventilation, insufficient reading books, writing materials and disgruntled, ill-motivated and poorly paid teachers. In the rural areas, some of the children used to come to school every morning, carrying their own small writing desks and sitting chairs. Yet, over N80 billion as at 2012, made available by the Federal Government under the UBE 2004 Act in respect of funding remained in the vault of CBN because most of the states are unable to provide the counterpart funds required to access the UBE money. Infrastructural decay has become prevalent in most schools as classroom buildings are dilapidated, roofs leaking, windows destroyed, school compounds flooded during rainy season, while there are inadequate toilets, no drinking water and lack of recreational and sporting facilities. Master Femi Adeola, 5 years-old, attends a community primary school at Nosada. He is in Primary 2. His father is a cassava farmer while the mother sells vegetables in the local market. Speaking in Yoruba, he said: “I don’t eat in the morning before leaving home. My dad gives me N20 which is not regular. I will wait till break time before using the money to buy rice and beans without meat. On my return home, I go immediately to help my father in the farm.” Worldwide, over 50 per cent of children are malnourished against less than 5 per cent in developed, rich nations. In the Nigerian food consumption and nutrition survey recently carried out, 42 per cent of Nigerian children were stunted while 25 per cent were underweight. Under nutrition undermines the survival growth and development of children and diminishes the strength and capacity of the nation. According to WHO and UNICEF, 88 per cent of deaths is attributed to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. Diarrhea kills about 1.5 million children in the developing world and 200,000 Nigerian children annually. Those living in poverty have a higher prevalence of disability and chronic illness and suffer lower life expectancy than those of higher income levels. Children from poor homes are more commonly affected by infections, respiratory and gas-troin testinal infections, wheezing illness. Research has shown t hat there is high tendency of educational failure for children who are from poor or low income backgrounds. They usually drop out than their counterparts from affluent homes. High level of juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancies are found among children from poor homes. Education, the main driver of growth and economic, technological and scientific development is still not adequately accessible in Nigeria,, thereby contributing to high incidence of poverty in the country. To worsen the situation, corruption has held the nation captive coupled with bad governance, bribery and all kinds of malpractices can be found at all levels of government and strata of the Nigerian society. Children and youths are the worst hit as they roamed the streets jobless, homeless, eventually resorting to criminality. Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/sorry-state-of-nigerian-child/#sthash.ztEElAPq.dpuf

Politics

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*Ogun Pilgrims at Mount Jabalithaor one of the holy sites in Makkah By Haroon Balogun As Allah’s Prophet and Messenger, he delivered the message, explained it and applied it on himself and on his household. As a human being of excellent morals and character, we pattern our behavior and character after his example. Allah praised His prophet’s high morals and exalted character and said: “ You are indeed on exalted standard of character and morals “Al-Qalam 68: 4. To be truthful, honest and sincere. The act of honesty guides to righteousness and that leads to paradise. We also learn to be humble, never to glorify him in place of the Creator rather call him the servant of Allah and His messenger. We learn to be kind, gentle, patient and tolerant. Spreading useful knowledge is all a trait imparted by the Prophet on Muslims. Do good always even to those who offend you, give alms to the poor, help the needy without expecting any material reward in return. Also, every Muslim must also work hard and do their job to the best of their ability, not to harm others or offend them in any way for selfish gain. Muslims are also taught to follow his example as a husband , a father , a friend , a teacher and a ruler. He emphatically warned that a Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he does not wrong him but helps him . Therefore we learn from Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) how to develop morals and good character . He was truthful and honest and people trusted him because he deserved their trust. He did not lie or cheat and always kept his promise . He was nicknamed : As-Sadiq , Al-Ameen ( The one who is truthful and the one to be trusted ). A person does not get to that level by words , his actions and his character must be such that people would believe what he says and would trust his word . To illustrate the importance of being truthful and not lying , the Prophet (s.a.w) said : ( For truthfulness guides to righteousness , and righteousness guides to paradise . A person keeps on saying the truth till he is written with Allah a truthful person ; and lying guides to wickedness , and wickedness guides to Hell . A person keeps on lying till he is written with Allah as a liar ) . The prophet of Allah was not arrogant. He was humble and never elevated himself and treated everyone with respect . He said to his companions : ( Do not glorify me like the Christians glorified the son of Mary, but say: the servant of Allah & His messenger ) . Therefore we learn to be humble and not look down at others . This requires confidence and Taqwa ( God-Consciousness ) . We are all Allah’s creation : if I have more in money or knowledge or prestige , it is because Allah allowed my effort to succeed . Someone else may have not been so lucky . But each person has some merit and was given something good by Allah . It is much better to cultivate that good side , rather than ridicule or look down at other people’s deficiencies . The prophet of Allah was kind , patient and tolerant . He was not harsh or severe . He did not use bad language or curse . He did not get angry or loose his temper . It is this gentle , kind nature that attracted others to him and made them love him and obey him . They loved the man as well as the messenger . They learned from him and they learned from his example. They became better human beings by associating with him *This is the mark and influence of a true and genuine person . You can feel his presence by observing those around him . How much did he impact their lives and did he change it for the better or worse . Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) had and still has the ability of improving the lives of so many people , that is a testament to his genius and great character and influence . The prophet of Allah cared about spreading useful knowledge and teaching morals and proper behavior by example . He was very keen on instructing the young minds because he knew that they represented the future. His companions were young men , who in turn became the teachers and educators of future generations . The Prophet (s.a.w) said: (The best amongst you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it to others) . He emphasized the importance of knowledge that helps as one of the few things that will continue to benefit us even after we die and all our deeds cease . We learn from Allah’s prophet the true meaning of patience as an active process of perseverance and struggle , not passive acceptance , nor giving up . We accept the fate that Allah has willed for us , and work through our difficulties and trials , in order to change our fate to another fate that Allah may will for us . We do not blame “ our fate “ , nor “ accuse our misfortune “ or become lazy and say “ it is useless , we cannot do anything about it “ . The Prophet of Allah struggled throughout his life and withstood the ridicule and abuse of the Kuffar ( unbelievers ) in Macca ; then the hypocrites and Jews in Madinah. He lost his sons in early infancy and lost three of his daughters. He lost his faithful wife. He lived the life of a poor person. The house of Muhammad hardly had any food except water and dates . He did not complain , but was patient and had absolute trust in his Lord. He said : ( Patience is a light ) : meaning a light that increases one’s faith ( since patience is half the faith as related in one tradition ). Or , it may mean that patience fills our heart and replaces our anxiety and uncertainty with calm and assurance that we are not alone , and that Allah is with us and knows what we are going through. The Qur’an explains: “No kind of calamity can occur except by the leave of Allah ; if anyone believes in Allah, Allah guides his heart , for Allah knows all things “ At-Taghabun 64 : 11 . We also learn from Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) to place our priorities correctly. The most important thing is to live our lives upright and straight , obeying Allah and seeking His pleasure , and to do the best job possible , each in his area or specialization . It is not how much money or power or fame that we have , but it is how sincere and devoted we are to Allah and how much effort we spend in order to help others and improve their life and guide them to Allah . The Qur’an is clear that we should live our lives as true and upright individuals and not wrong ourselves , nor wrong others : “ Therefore stand firm (in the straight path) as you are commanded , you and those with you who turn to Allah , and transgress not , for He sees all that you do . “ Hud 11 : 112 . It is very easy to get distracted by the pleasures of this life and to be fooled and set our priorities wrongly. We may loose sight of what is really important : doing good , helping others and serving Allah , and replace that with the pursuit of selfish pleasures , power , money or fame . The Qur’an reminds us that all these material things are transient and their value is not as great as Allah’s pleasure or His reward : “ The material things which you are given are but the conveniences of this life and the glitter thereof . But that which is with Allah is better and more enduring . Will you not then be wise ? “Al-Qasas 28 : 60 . We learn from the prophet of Allah the importance of hard work and doing our work to the best of our ability . Amana (being trustworthy ) implies that we watch our behavior and that we do our work as best as we can . We do not need someone to watch over us , because we understand that Allah is watching and that whatever we do is recorded . Also we feel responsible and we are honest and do not cheat anyone . We try to improve and do not lie or cheat or cut corners , for our goal is to please Allah and do an honest day work . This is what will count in our favor on the Day of Judgment , not how much money we got for our work . The Prophet (s.a.w) said : (Allah loves for each one of you , when he works to do the best possible job possible and to perfect his work ) . We also learn from Allah’s prophet not to harm others in word or deed , but to help them . If we have nothing good to say , we should keep quiet and control our tongue . Words can cause a great deal of harm . The Prophet (s.a.w) said : (Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day , let him say something that is good or he should keep quiet) . He also said : (The Muslim is he who other Muslims feel no harm from his tongue or hand ). It is easy to talk about other people especially behind their backs . Most of the time , what is said is not complimentary or is harmful . Many talk without thinking or realizing that their words can cause a great deal of harm to the feelings or reputation of other people . They take it lightly and as a joke . Following the example of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) : The Prophet of Allah was a father and a husband . He was a friend to his companions . He was a teacher and educator He was a leader of a nation and a statesman . He was a judge .How he faced and solved the problems that he encountered ? What can we learn from him in all these roles that he played . This aspect of the Prophet’s life is less well understood or commented upon . It is important to study and learn from his example since he was guided by Allah and had the strength of character and morals to behave admirably under different circumstances. This is the meaning of the Qur’anic order : “ You have indeed in the messenger of Allah a beautiful example of conduct for he who rests his hope in meeting Allah , and in the Last Day , and engages often in the remembrance of Allah “ Al-Ahzab 33 : 21 . We learn from the prophet as a husband the importance of treating our wives well and that we should be patient and tolerant . He emphasized that the best is he who is best in treating his wife . He advised the Muslims to take good care of their wives and to provide for them and support them . He himself was not above working at his home and helping in dusting the floor or mending the clothes or milking the goat . As Aisha said : ( He used to help his wife and family at home ) . He was kind and tender and tolerated the arguments and jealousy exhibited by his wives . He never raised his voice nor hit any woman or a servant , nor said anything indecent . He accepted whatever food was offered to him and thanked Allah for His blessing . He was content in living as a poor Muslim and did not long for money or other material things in life . As a father he was kind and loving . He wept when his son died but accepted Allah’s decree and sought patience . He was kind with the orphans , as he was an orphan himself . He taught us to be just and equitable and not differentiate in our treatment nor favor one child over another . He emphasized the importance of raising our children well aware of their duty in serving Allah . He also told us that each person is a guardian and is responsible for and accountable for those under him . The husband is a guardian in his home , and the wife is a guardian also . They work together and cooperate so that their family may succeed and prosper . As a friend to his companions he was close to them and never separated nor elevated himself . He was always available and visited them during happy and sad occasions . They celebrated together and fought together . He listened to their opinions and took their advice . He emphasized that Muslims must care for each other and help one another . He said : (Allah will continue to help the servant who is helping his brother ) . He said : (A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim : he does not wrong him , nor leave him alone to his enemy . Whoever shields another Muslim , Allah will shield him on the Day of Judgment ; whoever helps another Muslim , Allah will help him ) . As a leader of a nation and a statesman , he taught us the importance of diagnosing the ills and problems that face and afflict our community , then coming up with the right solution . He put into action a plan that solved many of the problems that faced the Muslims in Madinah and his plan was ingenious . Instead of adding more economic burden on Madina’s meager resources , he placed the burden on individual Muslims and asked each one to adopt a brother and help him and treat him as such . The resources were used efficiently and cooperation , friendship and love developed , rather than mistrust or enmity or division . The Mosque became the focal point in the lives of Muslims ; the place where they would meet , pray together , know one another and help each other . Law and order and equality governed the lives of Muslims . They cooperated with their non-Muslim neighbors who were guaranteed the same rights as Muslims and their freedom and liberties safeguarded , as long they lived in peace and cooperated with their Muslim brothers As a teacher he placed emphasis on teaching by example and spreading useful knowledge . He was particularly interested in nourishing up young minds and preparing them to take their place as future leaders . Most of his companions were young men and women eager to learn and apply what they learned . He encouraged questions and spoke in short clear sentences , easy to understand and remember . He encouraged us to seek knowledge and to teach others , starting with our families . As a judge in disputes among contenders , he taught us to listen to both sides and not jump to conclusions and to always seek the truth and be just and wise . We should not favor those whom we love , or rule against those whom we may dislike , but judge according to the merit of the case and be objective . We should remember that one day we too have to answer to Allah and await His judgment . He gave us the example of the three judges : two in Hell and one heaven : those in Hell are those who ruled in ignorance or followed their desires and not the truth . The one in heaven is he who learned and followed the truth . Muhammad ( PBUH ) was human: There is a tendency to glorify leaders and make them more real than life . In the case of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) some ignorant Muslims have elevated his status to above that of a prophet and even almost worshipped him . The Qur’an is very clear that Muhammad is only a human being and as such is subject to all the laws that govern human beings . He was born and he died ; he reacted to events around him . He made the best possible judgment when he received no divine inspiration . His judgment was correct most of the time , but on few occasions he erred . An error of a prophet is always corrected by Allah , otherwise his action becomes law . The Qur’an mentions few instances in which divine inspiration came down to correct the prophet’s action . For example accepting ransom from the captives of Badr , or allowing the hypocrites to join in the battle field , or frowning upon the blind man , or staying away from his wives for a long time . Obviously these are minor mistakes . Under no circumstance does a prophet commit major mistakes or indulge in sinful acts . The prophet was very keen on guiding his people and was deeply hurt that they did not believe in his message. This shows his humanity and how much he cared . Allah stresses in the Qur’an that He sends to each community one of their own . Someone they knew and trust. He applies the message in his behavior and becomes an example to follow . Allah does not send angels as messengers o human beings otherwise they are held to standards beyond their ability . Some ignorant Muslims believe that going to the prophet’s grave in Madinah and asking him for help is useful, for it will gain them his intercession. The prophet (s.a.w) is dead and as such he cannot help anyone in our life time . If we do good, obey Allah and obey Allah’s messenger , then we may gain the prophet’s intercession on the Day of Judgment . Our duty towards prophet Muhammad (s.a.w): Is to obey His orders and follow his example . Obeying the prophet means that we obey Allah , Who sent His prophet and inspired to him divine revelation. The Qur’an is very clear that obeying the prophet of Allah is a sign of belief and a sign that we indeed love Allah: “ Say : “ if you do love Allah follow me : Allah will love you and forgive you your sins , for Allah is often forgiving , most-merciful . “ Al-Imran 3:31 . We are also commanded in the Qur’an to follow the example of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) character and proper behavior ; and to send peace and greetings on Allah’s prophet as a sign of respect . Another important duty is to study his life story and his sayings and use them as guidelines in our life . He was a mercy from Allah to the worlds . He is dead , but his example and teachings are alive Then it is our duty to spread the message of Islam that prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) started . His message is alive and contains many answers to the ills that afflict mankind today . We will be asked on the Day of Judgment whether we delivered the message of Islam or not “ Say : “ This is my way , I do invite to Allah with knowledge and conviction , I and those who follow me . “ Yusuf 12 : 108 . Prayer: ‘O Allah make our hearts believe; our tongues always remembers You; and make our deeds good and acceptable to You. Give us knowledge that is useful; and make our souls to be contented and blissful.’ Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/learning-from-prophet-muhammad-s-a-w/#sthash.PYGu98FZ.dpuf

Religion

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What's the Difference Between an Autonomous and a Driverless Car? Also called autonomous cars, robotic cars, and self-driving cars, truly driverless cars were essentially the stuff of science fiction until relatively recently. Definitions vary, but autonomous cars are typically defined as versions of our current vehicles that are capable of taking over from the driver under certain circumstances, whereas driverless cars are even more automated and usually have no steering wheel or pedals. The involvement of Google (and now Waymo) in developing the necessary software for the operation of these vehicles has increased public interest in technology and functionality issues as well as increasing investment. In this article, I explain... - the advantages and disadvantages of driverless cars, presented in the form of a pros-and-cons list - whether driverless cars can be as safe or safer than human-driven ones - which type is better for the environment - how driverless cars work - how the various levels of a car's automation are classified - where you might see driverless cars on the road today - a brief history of their development 20 Advantages of Driverless Cars - Without the need for a driver, cars could become mini leisure rooms. Without the need for controls, there would be more space available inside the vehicle and no need for passengers to face forwards. In effect, they could be comfortable environments for travel. - Entertainment technology, such as video screens, could be used without any concern of distracting the driver. - Human drivers often bend rules and take risks, even breaking laws, but driverless cars will obey every rule and posted speed limit, making the roads safer for everyone. - Over 80% of car crashes in the US are caused by driver error. These accidents would be minimized or prevented by the introduction of driverless cars. Drunk and drugged driving would also become a thing of the past. - Travelers would be able to journey overnight and sleep for the duration. - Traffic could be coordinated more smoothly in urban areas to prevent bottlenecks and traffic jams at busy times. Commute times could be reduced drastically. - Driving fatigue and getting lost would be things of the past. - Sensory technology could potentially perceive the environment better than humans could, seeing farther ahead, better in poor visibility, and detecting smaller and more subtle obstacles. Plus, several cameras might be used at once, and cameras have no blind spots, so they will be more aware and vigilant than a human driver ever could be. - Speed limits could be safely increased, thereby shortening journey times. - Difficult maneuvering and parking would be quicker, less stressful and require no special skills. - People who have difficulties driving—such as disabled people, older citizens, and children—would be able to experience the freedom of solo car travel. - There would no longer be a need for driving licenses or driving tests. - With fewer associated risks, insurance premiums for car owners would go down drastically. - Efficient travel means fuel savings for travelers. - Greater efficiency would mean fewer emissions and less pollution from cars, meaning a lower negative environmental impact. - Reduced need for safety gaps, lanes, and shoulders means that road capacities for vehicles would be significantly increased. - Passengers will experience a smoother riding experience. - Self-aware cars would lead to a reduction in car theft. - Road rage will be reduced or disappear. - Parking can become completely automated with no need to drive around looking for spaces. The car could even just drop you off and then go park itself, and return when requested. 17 Disadvantages of Driverless Cars - A self-driving car would be unaffordable for most people, likely costing over $100,000 initially. It could be many years before the average person owns one. - Truckers, taxi drivers, Uber/Lyft, and delivery drivers will gradually lose their jobs as autonomous vehicles take over. - A computer malfunction—even just a minor glitch—could easily cause a far worse accident than anything human error might typically incur. - Autonomous cars have great trouble distinguishing and determining the intentions of human drivers on the roads. - Since driverless cars obey all the rules and regulations, this means that both the individual vehicle and the larger flow of traffic might be slower and less organic. These vehicles have been described as behaving like student drivers: slow, conservative, and timid. On a road shared with human drivers, they may be annoying to navigate around for human drivers. - If the car crashes without a driver, who's fault is it: the software designer or the owner of the vehicle? Driverless systems will definitely trigger many debates about legal, ethical, and financial responsibility. - Driverless cars would rely on the collection of location and user information, quite possibly triggering major privacy concerns. - Hackers getting into the vehicle's software and controlling or affecting its operation would be a major concern. - Maintenance would have to be overseen. Some process of governmental oversight would have to be instated to make sure every driverless car is safe. - Driverless vehicles have been shown to have difficulty operating in certain types of weather. Heavy rain interferes with roof-mounted laser sensors, and snow can interfere with cameras. - Reading road signs is challenging for a robot. They are therefore almost entirely reliant on computer data. GPS and other technologies might not register obstacles like potholes, recent changes in road conditions, such as roadworks, or a public event. - As drivers become more accustomed to not driving, their proficiency and experience will diminish. Should they then ever need to drive under certain circumstances, there will be problems. - The road system and infrastructure would need radical upgrades for driverless vehicles to operate efficiently on them. Traffic and street lights, for instance, would likely all need altering. - Self-driving cars would be great news for terrorists, as those vehicles could be loaded with explosives and used as moving bombs. - Multiple ethical dilemmas could arise, which a computer might struggle to deal with. Faced with a choice between plowing into a group of schoolchildren or going off a bridge and killing all its passengers, what will the vehicle do? Should the vehicle swerve to avoid animals in the road, or always prioritize the safety and comfort of passengers? - Human behavior can be complex and unpredictable. Drunks, heavy foot traffic, jaywalkers, and hand signals are difficult for a computer to understand. In situations where drivers need to deal with erratic human behavior or communicate with one another, the driverless vehicle might fail. - How would the police interact with driverless vehicles, especially in the case of accidents or crimes? 61% of people say they wouldn't ride in a self-driving car... and only 21% said they'd be willing to ride in one. — According to a survey by the Brookings Institution Which Are Safer: Driverless or Human-Driven Cars? According to data from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute's report, which compared all the available data on all collisions of self-driving cars with statistics involving human-driven ones, driverless vehicles get into more crashes, but those crashes are less serious than those caused by conventional vehicles. Below are some key findings: - Driverless vehicles had more crashes. 9.1 crashes per million miles driven (compared with 4.1 crashes per million miles for human-driven ones). - Driverless cars had a higher rate of injury, but those injuries were not as dire as those incurred in conventional vehicles. Driverless cars had 0.36 injuries per crash (compared with 0.25 for conventional vehicles). However, these injuries were minor compared with those sustained in conventional vehicle crashes. - However, the driverless vehicles were NOT responsible for any of the crashes. - In the incidents they looked at, driverless cars also never hit bicyclists or pedestrians, something that human-driven vehicles often did. Are Driverless Cars Better for the Environment? Today, transportation is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse-gas emissions and pollution. There's a chance that driverless cars could help. - Many autonomous vehicles are being designed to be entirely electric, so they'd save on fossil fuels and reduce emissions and pollution. - If we all used taxis, then we would be sharing those vehicles and we'd need fewer cars, collectively. We'd need fewer cars and we'd prevent the environmental cost of manufacturing more cars. - Many of these vehicles are built for more efficient fuel usage, and they can be programmed to take the most fuel-efficient routes and can be programmed to operate at maximum efficiency all the time. How Do Driverless Cars Work? Driverless cars sense their surroundings using technology such as LiDAR, radar, GPS, and computer vision. The sensory information they gather is then processed to direct appropriate pathways for the vehicle to take, avoiding obstacles and also obeying the road signs and rules. The car uses a digital map which can be constantly updated according to sensory input. This allows the vehicle to adapt to changing situations as well as travel through previously unknown territories. Technologies That Autonomous Vehicles Require: - Video is used to read road signs and traffic lights and keep tabs on pedestrians, obstacles, and other vehicles. - Radar sensors keep track of the position of nearby vehicles. - LiDAR sensors monitor the road's borders and lane markings and other things in the vicinity. - While parking, ultrasonic wheel sensors monitor the position of curbs and other vehicles. - A central computer collects and analyses all this data to help it steer, accelerate, and brake, as needed. Different Levels of Autonomy in Vehicles This formal classification system for automated cars has been proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Level 0: Driver has complete control of vehicle at all times. Level 1: Some vehicle controls are automated, e.g. automatic braking. Level 2: Two or more controls can be automated at the same time, e.g. cruise control and lane keeping. Level 3: The driver can yield control in certain circumstances. Level 4: Driver not expected to play any part in the driving process at all. Level 5: The vehicle performs autonomously in every scenario, including extreme and unusual conditions. Are self-driving, autonomous, robotic, and driverless cars all the same? Insiders don't use these terms interchangeably, but most people see them as synonyms. Technically, a self-driving car is less advanced than a driverless one, since a driverless car (Level 4 or 5) never requires a person to take control—in fact, it may even lack the steering wheel and brakes that would make that possible. An insider might use the terms "driverless" and "autonomous" almost interchangeably to refer to a vehicle that requires little or no driver participation, while the terms "self-driving" and "automated" have broader, less precise meanings. Today, most vehicles are at least partially self-driving (Level 1, 2, and 3) with automatic brake systems, cruise control, and lane assistance. Most cars on the road now are automated to some degree, but a merely automated car doesn't have the capability or autonomy that an autonomous car has. In the US, there are very few legal, fully-autonomous and driverless vehicles on the road, unless they're being tested. You may see a few autonomous (Level 3, 4, or 5) prototypes driving around, although they usually contain a human person with access to the controls in case of emergency. What about those driverless taxis we've all heard about, the ones that are supposed to take the human drivers' jobs away? Many companies are moving to make this idea a reality. For example, in 2018, Google's break-off company started offering driverless taxi service to passengers in a 100-mile zone of Phoenix suburbs. The company says it has logged more than 10 million miles testing its vehicles on public streets. This service, called Waymo One, usually includes a human "co-driver" who's there to take over the controls in case of emergency, but not always, and Waymo says it will eventually phase out these co-drivers (although they don't say when). The companies who are testing on public roads and experimenting with driverless taxi services have not been very public or transparent about their findings or activities. Although Waymo calls itself "the safest driver on the road," surveys have shown that people are hesitant to trust the technology, and for good reason: In March of 2018, a pedestrian was hit and killed by a self-driving Uber in Arizona. Will driverless taxis be cheaper than Ubers or Lyfts? In Arizona, using a driverless taxi costs about the same as using a regular, human-driven service. The prohibitive cost of the vehicle itself negates any savings in human labor. When the technology and cost of building them become cheaper, that's when professional human drivers will have something to worry about. What's It Like Riding Inside a Driverless Car? Where Are Driverless Cars Legal in the US? As no state has outlawed the technology, strictly speaking it's not illegal anywhere in the US to own or operate a self-driving car. However, many states have either passed specific legislation to regulate or authorize the use of autonomous vehicles, or are in the process of doing so. As of 2018, thirty states—Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin—have enacted legislation related to autonomous vehicles. When Will We See Driverless Cars on Public Roads? With so many states moving to enact legislation and so many companies testing their vehicles on the roads, you may have already seen a driverless vehicle...and perhaps you didn't even notice. However, companies and cities alike are being very hush-hush about these tests, since the prevailing public sentiment is not entirely positive. When Will I Be Able to Buy a Driverless Car? According to automaker and technology company predictions, Level 4 vehicles could be available to the public within a few years. However, they will likely cost over $100,000 and will therefore be unaffordable for most people. A Brief History of Self-Driving Vehicles The origins of automated cars go back to the 1920s, when experiments on automated driving systems (ADS) started being conducted. Technology significantly advanced and trials started being conducted in the 1950s, but it wasn't until the introduction of computers in the 1980s that truly autonomous vehicles became a possibility. Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, Bosch, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, the University of Parma, Oxford University, and Google (now Waymo) have all developed prototype vehicles since then. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2015 Paul Goodman Swarnika Jain from India on July 24, 2020: excellent article for the understanding of driverless cars seerena on June 17, 2020: Very good article. Has the most on driverlless cars i could find. Aiden Campbell on January 14, 2020: I used as this as a source for a test Luc Amoary on October 14, 2019: wow! very useful thanks Stacey Schaller on March 16, 2019: Very interesting comments. Your article is very well done. gh mbnm on March 14, 2019: Are self driving cars better for the environment? Abigail on January 11, 2019: What is your opinion on driverless cars? mrs dicaprio on November 15, 2018: so helpful my whole class is on this page thanks Jason Bourne on October 22, 2018: Thanks a lot. random on March 27, 2018: Thanks very useful Teja on March 14, 2018: sinha on March 09, 2018: Bill Nye on February 28, 2018: Random User who needed homework answers on February 28, 2018: thanks for my homework answers Jocelyne (France) on February 05, 2018: Very interesting article that makes us better think about this new possibility. chauhan rajesh on December 25, 2017: Nice project for my subject jaskiran on November 14, 2017: Such a useful article. It really helped me a lot and I learnt many new things about this time of AI. Thank you for all this help! Maurice Glaude from Dallas, TX on October 23, 2017: I'm personally looking for to this. I've been waiting for the day when everyone drives them since I first saw this concept in a boyscout magazine when I was kid that depicted two people playing chess facing each other instead of driving. Du dam sun on October 19, 2017: Dum dum doorknob eat some liver this was a very good article. Axel on October 17, 2017: Very good article. Has the most on driverlless cars i could find. RaNdOm UsEr on October 06, 2017: Good information for school hhbnih on September 21, 2017: balaji j on August 17, 2017: Ms23 on August 14, 2017: This is a great idea best site :) y347 on May 10, 2017: I think this car will be a good car imagine if you need to read something your boss told you to read and your late on your way you will be reading the book. Quick on March 22, 2017: Very good website Sky on March 20, 2017: This was pretty helpful considering that I am writing an essay/speech of going for driverless cars. So I basically tried to only understand the whole "advantages" point, but now I feel like I want to go against because of some of the disadvantages. Great job on this, I actually found things that weren't in ALL the other sites I've looked at. punji on January 16, 2017: cars can be driven all over especially in the U.K Jonathan on December 04, 2016: Well, maybe our great-grandparents missed riding horse driven carraiges DaCarAddict on December 01, 2016: Very true. This article covers a lot of ground for the driverless cars debate; I personally don't trust these cars in the future as who knows what AI technology can understand and preform in emergencies. emily on November 24, 2016: ok i think i will miss normal cars 50 years in the future Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on April 10, 2016: You covered this issue with driverless cars very thoroughly. Your lists of advantages and disadvantages provided a lot of issues to consider. And it is clear that this is not going to,happen any time soon. The entire infrastructure of roads will need to be changed, as you had mentioned. I can't imagine how autonomous vehicles will be able to maneuver through complicated areas with confusing signage. I would think that there has to be a new technology where roadsigns transmit information via radio signals, or maybe Wi-Fi. And this will then interface with autonomous vehicles. In any case, this technology is something I expect to happen in the next decade. Maybe not with completely self driving vehicles, but with vehicles that help existing drivers when necessary. Maurice Glaude from Dallas, TX on August 23, 2015: Very cool. I remember these boy scout magazines that I used to get way back in elementary school. I saved this particular one because it had a futuristic car on the cover that displayed people facing each other playing chess. It was suppose to be the car of the future and it was projected that we would have these cars in the YEAR 2000. I thought wow back in the 80s the year 2000 is going to be so awesome. Well the year 2000 came and went and I'm still driving. What happened? Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on August 04, 2015: It is one thing to get in a train on a rail with no driver, but I just can't see getting into a car that drives itself. Just a control freak I guess.

https://axleaddict.com/safety/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Driverless-Cars

Car Talk

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By Gabriel Olawale The growing number of people living with diabetes mellitus in Nigeria is worrisome and an explosion in the number of diabetic patients may be imminent if urgent measures are not taken to address the trend. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that by 2040, the global prevalence of diabetes is likely to affect 10 percent of humanity. Experts and stakeholders say diabetes is getting more common worldwide with the number of affected people rising yearly and projections showing that Africa and Nigeria in particular, is likely to experience the highest increase in the near future. A recent study showed that pooled prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the six geopolitical zones were 3.0 per cent in the northwest, 5.9 per cent in the northeast, 3.8 per cent in the north-central zone, 5.5 per cent in the southwest, 4.6 per cent in the south-east, and 9.8 per cent in the south-south zone. Findings by Sunday Vanguard reveal diabetes screening programs are few across the States and have limited impact. The steady increase of diabetic foot, a major complication of diabetes mellitus, is equally worrisome. Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by high blood sugar because of the body’s inability to make use of the sugar gotten from food eaten. Speaking in Lagos during the commemoration of World Diabetes Day organized by Mega Lifesciences Nigeria Limited, Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade said that the global burden of diabetes is currently about 550 million and half of that figure is unaware of their status. “In Nigeria, studies have shown that not less than 7 million people are suffering from diabetes that is the size of some states in Nigeria. The most concerning aspect of it is that the number is steadily increasing. Another revelation from the study is that one in every 10 adults in the urban areas of Nigeria has diabetes and of those that have, too do not know they have diabetes because it’s a silent condition that kills.” “If you don’t know that you have a medical condition, you cannot treat it. If you don’t treat it, it means the condition remains a death sentence. The majority of people present late, some collapse and die, some develop stroke, heart attack among others.” Fasanmade regretted that despite the discovery of insulin 100 years ago, access to treatment still remains a big challenge and that is why we need more awareness like what Mega Life Sciences is doing. “The fact that insulin, which is the first drug to treat diabetes, is over 100 years old with different oral medications now available and many people still do not have access to diabetes care. Majority of the people with the ailment that want adequate treatment cannot afford it because the person may require N15, 000 to N30,000 on a monthly basis to treat the condition for the rest of his or her life.” “Many of the strips for testing blood sugar are between N5,000 to N7,000 for a box and most of the boxes are either 25 to 50 strips. A typical person that has diabetes should check blood sugar once or twice a day that shows how difficult diabetes care can be. “In terms of doctor ratio to the patient, if you add the total number of all endocrinology and family medicine doctors, they are not up to 300 compared to 7 million people with diabetes. That is why you hear people complaining about hours they spend at the hospital. It is very difficult to cope. He admonished people to check their blood sugar level regularly and said a lot of people don’t show symptoms, “when people show symptoms, it is already getting late and what some of these symptoms are? They pass plenty of urine, poor vision, poor erection, poor stamina, and poor obstetric history. Fasanmade also appealed to the government to take away duty on diabetes drugs and strips, “I have seen a patient that wept and questioned why she didn’t have HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis because people with those diseases get free treatment and better access to care. But diabetes that affects a large number of people does not have such access.” Corroborating his views, Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Dr. Chinasa Amadi, lamented that despite the prevalence of diabetes some people are still plagued with myths such as ‘God forbid, it is not my portion’ ‘I can’t have it, nobody in my family has diabetes’. “This misconception most of the time affects the way we respond to this condition. A recent study shows that one in 10 children born after the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes. The global burden of health study shows that between the years 2023 and 2025 there will be a 103 per cent rise in diabetes cases in Africa, the prediction is that it may not get better, which is why it is important we take action. According to the United Nations, every five seconds there is always a new diagnosis of diabetes, every 10 seconds someone dies of diabetes, every 30 seconds a limb is lost because of diabetes, so we have to start today to make a difference. “I hear people saying diabetes is in my family, I am bound to have it. The genetic predisposition is about 10 to 30 per cent while lifestyles such as obesity, unhealthy diet, inactivity and smoking among others constitute 70 per cent. “Some people will say they don’t take sugar so they can’t have it. Meanwhile, they are having a lot of saturated and transfat. Study shows that people that consume processed meat like sausage, kilishi five times a week have an increased chance of developing diabetes. If you take eggs up to five times a week you are at risk and if you are diabetic, it can worsen your condition.” Amadi said that the good news was that the National Institute of Health Study shows that those who eat more plant-based meals like vegetables, fruits actually have more diabetic control. “Another thing is that Nigerians are very busy people but not active people. When you have diabetes, the recommendation is actually 300 minutes a week of physical activities. It’s like 50 minutes six times a week. She blamed the diabetes burden in Nigeria on urbanization, obesity, unhealthy diet, inactivity, and smoking among others. “People can take the message of a healthy lifestyle to social media platforms where people spend more time”. “Messages like, have you drank water today? Have you taken your fruit and vegetables today? Even online challenges like a water drinking challenge encouraging daily intake of 3 liters of water followed with a post. Others like meatless Monday, vegetable Tuesday, fruit Wednesday, 10-minute staircase walk on Thursday, 10,000 steps with family on Saturday and sleep- in Sundays. “It’s important to note that sleep is very important in diabetes care because studies show that sleep deprivation worsens insulin resistance and increases the risk for type two diabetes. On his part, Regional Director (West Africa), Mega Life Sciences, Mr. Maneesh Mehra, said that they are committed to educating Nigerians who are at risk or have already been diagnosed with diabetes for prevention and better management. “Diabetes treatment outcomes are better with education and proper care. We are glad to be championing the world diabetes day celebrations across all regions in the country. Mega Lifesciences as a company is consistently involved in helping millions of people across the globe have access to safe, effective, world-class medicines. “With our initiative “Good Health By yourself” (GHBY) we empower communities to take charge of their health. Beyond pills and cure, we seek to care. Our goal is to make people stay healthy for as long as they live.” Mega Wecare is a pharmaceutical company with a global presence in over 30 countries having its headquarters in Thailand. Mega Wecare in Nigeria is a strong market leader in the world of premium generic medicines hence remains a suitable quality alternative to originator brands. In her own contribution, Diabetes Care Product Manager, Mega Lifesciences, Ibukun Adetuyi said that they have a campaign which features educational materials across multiple channels, training sessions for healthcare professionals on new trends in diabetes treatment and partnerships with complementary organizations. “We have also in previous years embarked on outreaches and provided free neuropathy and blood sugar screenings across pharmacies, hospitals and religious organizations. This year, we want to see more people live better and healthier, hence the transition to digital media, where we have started some education on diabetes with the aim to reach people with credible information that is relatable because there are a lot of misconceptions. In his closing remark, Mr. Amit Raghuvanshy, Business Head, Mega Lifesciences expressed the company’s commitment to improving access to diabetes care especially in the areas of education and awareness. “In the next couple of days, we will roll out free screening and free aerobics in multiple centers across Nigeria.” Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/04/lp-kicks-as-nlc-announces-stakeholders-meeting/every

Politics

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